Written by Roseline Yang, Community Relations Officer
As our Secondary Co-Principal Fred Runkel likes to state when starting a first meeting with parents, “Education is like a three-legged stool, and the three legs are: Student, Teacher and Parents. Education can only be built if these three elements are the base to support its growth and development”. In this respect, I would like to share that many activities or events at school would not have been possible without the help of the parent community in the first semester.
In 2016, so many good things were achieved. Just to mention the major ones:
Parent volunteering
- ASA Parent coaches for soccer, basketball or swimming and Girl Scouts Parent leaders
- Props and decoration for Christmas Concerts
- Fieldtrips accompanied by parent volunteers
Parent Organisation Pudong Events
- Welcome BBQ for New Families in August
- POP Welcome Gathering in September
- POP Bazaar & Picnic in October
- Christmas Tree Lighting in November
- Giving Tree in December
Parents have been involved in every part of the events listed above!
We hope that 2017 will continue in this great direction and that more people will get involved. The bigger the group, the more we can achieve. The more we get involved, the more meaningful it will become for us and for our children.
So, what resolutions can we take as parents?
1.Let’s share and support each other by enjoying responsibilities together
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Second-hand book sorting for charity sale during Parent Teacher Interview Let’s make sure we have class parent representatives for every class so that we can spread the work load.
- Let’s take care of the second-hand uniform closet together as it is environmental friendly, economic and beneficial for all our children.
2.Let’s make learning fun and meaningful for our children
- Keep supporting teachers with their class activities and during book week and environment week!
- Bring internationalism to the class by sharing traditions from different countries
- Join the Global Child Day committee or your country committee
3.Let’s join in and build the school together
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Discussion about Relationship Curriculum during the Co-Principals’ Coffee Morning in January Participate at the coffee morning with school leadership team and share our suggestions and thoughts about the school.
4.Let’s build the community together and bring it closer
- Share your thoughts and your skills
- Participate in the Staff Appreciation in June
5. Let’s do something for our own personal development too!
- Participate in parent workshops
- Take up the challenge to lead some workshops
6. Let’s make volunteering fun
- Bring a friend – Time goes faster and memories stay forever!
All in all, a school is a learning organization and if you take the time to discover and explore what is going on with your child’s education, you will see that you yourself will grow and help your child grow! The most important is not to try to do big things but to start with little steps, on a regular basis and with care and joy!