Hello, and welcome to the twentieth of my monthly Principal's blogs, and my last for 2021. In this post, I will share some highlights of our recent school swimming excursions, Kindy Orientation and our participation in The National Music Teacher Mentoring Program, while also wrapping up our successful first year of operations as we plan for the future.
Update
The last 2 weeks have seen significant flooding impact Muswellbrook and the Upper Hunter and has been far from the dry, hot spring and summer you might expect in regional NSW! Regardless, our children have been making great progress in their learning and enjoying their time together at school following a disruptive year of lockdowns.
New England Hwy Muswellbrook November 2021 (Image by Mathew Perry, Muswellbrook Chronicle)
Strategic Plan 2022-2026
The Board of Directors and I have been working hard on developing an overarching Strategic Plan for the school that will guide and shape our priorities for the next 5 years. This began with a full-day strategic planning session in July, followed by many subsequent follow up meetings, discussions and reviews of documentation to ensure our vision and the wording of our plans were as true to Richard’s plans for the school as possible. The document will be live on our website in the coming weeks.
Enrolment
Limited enrolment places for 2022 are still available, fill in our online form or contact the school on 02 6543 1900 to secure your enrolment.
Enrolments for Richard Gill School are always open, and in 2022 will open to Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2. Our prospectus, enrolment form, parent info and fee information can be found here.
Kindergarten 2022 Transition
Our new teacher, Mrs Nicole Sherringham, has been on-site at Richard Gill School in recent weeks conducting a 3-week Kindy Transition Program for our new incoming students. Each of the sessions has of course commenced with a music lesson, followed by a range of fun and engaging activities designed to help the children get to know one another, and for Mrs Sherringham to get know them as young people and learners.
Learn to swim program
Today we finish a 10-day intensive learn to swim program at Muswellbrook Aquatic Centre. Thank you to all the pool staff including Tracy, Sandra, Ella, Nick and Josie, as well as Carlie at Upper Hunter Youth Services who have kindly made their 12-seater minibus available for our use.
National Music Teacher Mentoring Program
The National Music Teacher Mentoring Program (NMTMP) is aimed at improving the quality of music education in classrooms around Australia. The program pairs experienced music educators with generalist classroom teachers in order to build their skills and confidence in teaching music. The NMTMP was founded by our very own Richard Gill AO. He believed that teaching music reaps countless benefits.
“Music requires the most intensive concentration and listening. To get music, you really have to listen, and when children listen with direction and concentration, their focus goes up spectacularly… and the evidence points to the fact that a structured program of music education has benefits in all learning.” Richard Gill AO
Richard Gill School has started the conversations with NPTMP and is excited to begin the journey towards partnering with them as soon as we can in 2022, just as Richard would have intended.
Final Dates for 2021
Our last Early Childhood Music lesson will be held on Wednesday, December 8 and recommence Week 2 of Term 1, Wednesday, February 9, 2022. If you or anyone you know is interested in early childhood lessons then please get in touch via our online EOI form so we can put you down for next year. We thank all of our families and volunteers for a wonderful first year.
Our final day of School day for 2021 is Thursday, December 9 and we welcome back our students for Term 1 on Monday, January 31, 2022.
The school will be closed from Monday, December 20, 2021 until Monday, January 10 2022, when staff will recommence for the year.
In 2022 our monthly blogs will continue on the first Friday of the month, commencing on Friday, February 4.
Wishing everyone a safe, restful, and Covid/lockdown free Summer break.
Yours in Music,
Chris English – Principal, Richard Gill School