From the Principal – 14 June 2019

With the flow of goods, information and knowledge becoming increasingly global, we have a duty to prepare our students to succeed in the global economy. It is rapidly becoming clear that global literacy is a requirement in order to succeed in the world today and terms such as Adaptability Quotient (AQ) are now appearing alongside IQ and EQ (emotional intelligence) as life skills.

Will our students be ready to thrive and survive in this global, connected world? Are they learning how to work collaboratively with people outside of their community and with those that are different to themselves?  Can they listen and understand? Can they communicate?

Gabriela Ramos, the current chief of staff of the intergovernmental organization OECD, recently stated, “Reinforcing global competence is vital for individuals to thrive in a rapidly changing world and for societies to progress without leaving anyone behind. Against a context in which we all have much to gain from growing openness and connectivity, and much to lose from rising inequalities and radicalism, citizens need not only the skills to be competitive and ready for a new world of work, but more importantly they also need to develop the capacity to analyse and understand global and intercultural issues.”

Similarly, Anthony Jackson, the director of the Centre for Global Education at Asia Society, expressed, “How well education systems prepare all of their students to thrive amid today’s rapidly changing world will determine the future prosperity and security of their nations – and of the world as a whole. At the end of the day, it is globally competent individuals who will be able to solve the world’s seemingly intractable problems. And it’s up to our world’s educators to prepare those individuals for their global futures. ”

To assist with the building of global competence, we are delighted to share that the School is now open to a limited number of boutique study tour experiences involving children from different cultural backgrounds spending some time in our School. These opportunities sit alongside others including the trips, tours and exchanges, international mindedness development through the PYP in the International Baccalaureate and the Certificate of Global Responsibility. There is much in the literature that notes that exposure to those that have different ways of knowing and being to ourselves, helps us not only to shape and define our own identity, but also to generate new ways of looking at the world – we learn about, with and from those that are different.  These are valuable opportunities for all involved.

Student supervision outside school hours

Junior School Students
Please note that no yard duty supervision is available before 8:00am or after 3.20pm in the Junior School playground. While staff may be on the premises, the focus of their work outside teaching hours is on other responsibilities such as class planning, meetings or professional learning. While we encourage our community to be as communicative as possible with each other, we ask that children and their parents/guardians retire to local alternative venues should they wish to continue interacting. Any children remaining on the School grounds will need to attend After School Care, unless in a School sanctioned activity such as Homework Club. I know The Head of Junior School, Ms Sayar has spoken and written to families and guardians about this already.

Year 7 to 12 Students
For the older children, Berwick Grammar School, staff are available from 8:00am and at the end of the school day, yard duty supervision concludes at 3:30pm. Any remaining students attend the Berwick Grammar School library until 4:30pm when they are transported to SMS each day.

The senior library at St Margaret’s is open from 8:00am until 5pm every day. Teachers are on bus duty until 3:50pm. Please note there is no supervision in the grounds at all after 5:00pm and students are to leave the premises unless involved in a school sanctioned activity.

Ms Annette Rome
Principal