From the Principal
"One of the most beautiful qualities of true friendship is to understand and to be understood."
- (Lucius Annaeus Seneca)
Research shows that girls achieve best when they feel connected and have strong relationships. We aim for Somerville House to be a happy place, where girls enjoy wonderful friendships with peers and positive connections with teachers. I recently read this short parenting article (author unknown) on the “Every Kid Counts” website and its relevance to the importance of friendship and connection gave me the impetus to share with parents via this newsletter:
“Learning how to connect with others and maintain good peer relationships is one of the most important competencies kids develop in childhood. These skills are critical to your child’s success and overall happiness."
Children who are effective in developing these connections typically have three things in common.
- Moral Core. Relationships are built upon trust. Good friends, at any age, are individuals who are honest. They don’t gossip. You can depend upon them to say what they mean, and mean what they say. Good friends don’t say things just to make you feel good. They care enough to tell you things that may be difficult to hear. However, don’t confuse candour with rudeness. A good friend will wrap honesty around a blanket of gentleness and caring. I often advise parents to lighten up on their kids, and stop punishing children for relatively unimportant issues like an untidy bedroom. Your child’s moral compass has developed by around the age of ten. For those early childhood years, stay focused on modelling and rewarding a strong moral code. It’s a lot more important than keeping a room tidy.
- Shared Interests. Friendships are based upon having something in common with others. Good friends are not only interested in other people, but have interests that solicit attention from individuals with similar pursuits. When I’m walking around the hospital where I work, I’ll acknowledge folks in the hallway. However, if I see someone who shares my passion for running, I’ll stop and chat for several moments. Shared interests act like a magnet, connecting us with others. If your child doesn’t have any friends, consider involving them in activities for which they are or may develop an interest.
- Communication and Caring. Good friends are generally skilful communicators with each other. They freely share their own ideas and feelings. They genuinely care about understanding others, even perspectives that may differ from their own. Kids don’t acquire these skills easily. This takes lots of guidance from adults. Many kids look for gaps in conversations to blurt out what they feel, rather than ask questions to understand the views of peers. This narcissistic style is toxic to maintaining close relationships. These skills are best learned around the dinner table. Shut off all electronics, and talk about your day or things going on in the news. Encourage your kids to not only give their point of view, but also to understand viewpoints different than their own. Dinner time is not a police interrogation. The best way to teach communication skills with your kids is for you to talk about things going on in your world.”
Interhouse Swimming Carnival
Last week presented an opportunity for all Junior School and Senior School students to participate in a day outside the usual classroom walls. On Thursday, our Middle Years and Senior Years House Leaders displayed their leadership of the student body at the Inter-house Swimming Carnival, while our Junior School students in Years 3-6 enjoyed their carnival on Friday.. The carnival atmosphere and enthusiastic participation contributed to a fantastic day in the pool at the Murray Evans Sports and Aquatics Centre.
Congratulations to all age champions and runners-up, swimmers who broke records, those that swam a personal best and all swimming participants.
Thank you to Mr Tim Lane, Director of Swimming and Mr Andrew McCabe, Director of Sport for leading this event and to the Heads of House. Thank you also to the tireless efforts of all staff throughout the day who assisted with the smooth running of the carnival, in the capacity of timekeepers, recorders and general supervision to ensure a fun and safe carnival for all.
2023 All School Welcome
Thank you to the JSSG and the MYSG and the SYSG and the P&F for organizing a great social get-together on the Honour Room Terrace on Saturday afternoon. It was a great chance for Pre-Prep-12 parents to meet other parents in their daughters’ year level.
Parents of all Somerville House students are members of the P&F for the duration of their daughter’s enrolment and I warmly encourage you to be an active member. The P&F connect parents with each other socially, contribute to school activities and create opportunities to participate in the life of the school community. Functions like Saturday’s All School Welcome really help to promote the wellbeing of the School through building engagement and collaboration.
Thank you to the volunteers and staff who made this possible. We all appreciate your efforts.
Policies
This week I draw your attention to the PMSA Child Protection Policy and share the PMSA Child Safeguarding Processes Policy, which covers information about the reporting of harm, physical or sexual abuse and inappropriate behaviour. I also share the Complaints Procedure Non-Compliance with Child Protection Processes.
Mrs Kim Kiepe
Principal