From the Head of the Preparatory School

From the Head of the Preparatory School

Royal School of Church Music

On Tuesday evening, the Trinity Singers joined a small number of invited schools to take part in the annual Royal School of Church Music collaborative performance which was held at St Andrew’s Cathedral in the city. From all reports, the event was spectacular, with our students once again rising to the occasion. This event provides the students with the chance to work with highly trained conductors in a large, combined choir that features boys and girls from other leading independent schools in Sydney.

‘The Unplugged Psychologist’ – Parent Information Evening

On Wednesday evening the School hosted Brad Marshall, otherwise known as the ‘Unplugged Psychologist’ to present to parents of Year 5 to 8 students. I found the presentation to be extremely informative about the challenges faced by young people as they navigate the world of gaming, the internet and social media. He shared some alarming statistics about the prevalence of gaming and internet disorders in young people, and highlighted the importance of parents establishing clear agreements with their children. His recommendation was that such an agreement should articulate the amount of internet use per day, as well as including appropriate time for sleep, exercise, homework and engaging with the family. His strong suggestion was daily internet limit that should be seen as a reward for meeting the other expectations and failing to do so should result in incremental loss of internet time. He also provided some helpful guidance about ways to limit Wi-Fi, both at home and via mobile data. Whilst I haven’t had the chance to read his book, ‘The Tech Diet for your Child and Teen’, based on his presentation last night I would encourage interested parents to investigate it.

Mother and Son Breakfast

On Tuesday the Auxiliary hosted a Mother and Son Breakfast for Years 3 to 6. For obvious reasons, such an event has not been possible for the last couple of years, but it was lovely to have so many mums in attendance. Unlike the more regular Father and Son Breakfasts where bacon and egg rolls are the norm, the catering was sophisticated and very well received, particularly by the boys. Most importantly, the event provided a great opportunity for mums to catch up with one another, as well as connecting with some of the teachers in a more informal setting. My sincere thanks to the Auxiliary members who brought the event to life! Here are some photos from the event.

Debating Gala Day

On Tuesday two teams of debaters headed off to an IPSHA Debating Gala Day at Meriden. The boys performed brilliantly with Team A winning 1 out of 2 debates and Team B winning both of their debates. These results highlight the strength of the debating program at Prep and the hard work done by these students over many weeks. Congratulations to the following Year 6 students who were involved: Ethan K, Jack B, Chenyu L, Adam J, Ronak B, Domenic A, Christian F, Rory A.

Pre-K and Kindergarten Grandparents’ Day

Next Tuesday we look forward to welcoming some special guests to our Pre-K and Kindergarten Grandparents’ Day that takes place from 9.30am to 11.00am. We will start with Chapel in the Mozart Room, followed by classroom visits and morning tea.

Sport and Sport Choices 2023

Last Saturday the Summer Sport season resumed for 2022. One of the highlights of the Sport calendar each term is the hotly contested fixtures against the students from the Junior School, which on this occasion included all of the Basketball games from Year 4 to 6. The results fluctuated across the different grades but across the board it was noticeable how much the level of play had improved since the beginning of the year. In the final game of the morning, which was the As, the Prep School prevailed in a highly entertaining game that seesawed throughout before some late baskets sealed the result. There were also some very impressive results in Touch football where both teams recorded strong wins against Knox. Last Saturday was also the resumption of Intra-School Sport which has a focus on Ultimate Frisbee this term. It was brilliant to see these teams engaging so enthusiastically and skilfully in this high-paced game.

Earlier this week, Mr Bremner provided parents with the opportunity for students currently in Years 3 to 5 to make their Sport selections for 2023. Whilst most of our attention is very fixed on the Term 4 fixtures, the Sport Coordinators need to begin working on the draw for the Term 1 Sport season. I appreciate the timing of this is probably a little bit of a surprise particularly for our Year 3 parents, whose sons are transitioning into Saturday Sport for the first time. This seems an obvious Segway to the next notice which is a parent information evening specifically designed to support parents with these types of transitions.

Transitioning into 2023 Classes and Expectations

The transition from key stages of school life to the next has been a point of reflection for the Prep Executive this year based on some feedback received from parents who have lived through the transitions described above. To better support the partnership, we share in the boys’ education, and to foster an increased level of trust, we are planning to run a Parent Information Evening on Wednesday 26th October. The session will attempt to unpack the transitions in key areas of school life such as Pre-K to Kindy, Year 2 to Year 3, and Year 4 to Year 5. We will provide guidance for parents so they know what to expect and can walk this journey with confidence and trust in the teachers. This will form part of the ‘Orientation Day’ experience whereby students gently begin to transition into their new academic year. If you are planning to attend please RSVP via this link.

Auxiliary Meeting

The next Strathfield Auxiliary Meeting will be taking place at 5:00pm on Wednesday 26th October, immediately prior to the Parent Information evening.

Student-led Conferences

Today we have shared information about the upcoming Student-Led Conferences to be held on Tuesday 1st November. The conferences will include an opportunity for parents to visit their son’s classroom where he will share a learning artefact that speaks of his growth throughout the year. Following this, there will be an opportunity to visit each of the specialist areas to explore the types of learning experiences he engages with on a weekly basis. These conferences are a thoroughly rewarding experience (for boys and parents) and I strongly encourage all families to take advantage of this opportunity. Bookings can be made by completing the appropriate form on the letter emailed home.

Open Morning and Enrolments 2023

Earlier this week we held our Term 4 Open Morning for prospective families. We are currently in the process of finalising enrolments for all year levels in 2023 and beyond, with places being very limited. Families are encouraged to act quickly if they wish to secure a spot for their son. If you know family or friends who might be interested in joining the Trinity community or would like further information, encourage them to contact the School Enrolment Office on 8732 4697 as soon as possible.

Public Toilets

Parents wishing to use a bathroom for themselves, or non-Trinity children are asked to use the accessible toilet at the back of the canteen or the toilets on the first floor of the Gym. Please refrain from using the student toilets.

OSHClub

To ensure the safety of everyone in our community please be aware that boys who arrive at school before 8:00am must proceed directly to OSHClub, as there is no teacher supervision on the Llandilo Verandah until 8:00am. All families are encouraged to register their son with OSHClub through the following link https://www.oshclub.com.au just in case he is required to attend at any point.

‘I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful; I know that full well.’ Psalm 139:14

Chris Wyatt | Head of the Preparatory School

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