With the end of the school year in sight and Christmas around the corner, there is much to be grateful for. Chatting with the dad of a Music Roomer recently, we reflected that it seemed like it was just a blink ago he had a Prep child and an ELC child starting at Carey, and now the Prep child is preparing to be in Year 1, and the Music Roomer now a four-year-old kindergartener. For many families of young children, it can feel like a lot of ‘groundhog days’; however, relatively quickly, the days turn into weeks, the weeks into months and the months into a year. Sometimes, it is hard to stay in the moment, especially with sick children and sleepless nights or the slower-than-you’d-like process of toilet training or other developmental milestones.
As we head to the end of the year, there is plenty for educators to reflect on: the delight in each child’s individual development and each group’s cohesive growth; the many shared experiences celebrating the sense of belonging; the feeling of working as a team, supporting each other; and working daily with Carey’s values of growth, care and respect.
In the southern hemisphere, the end of the school year is marked by the celebration of the summer holidays and the Christmas period. As a Christian school, we delight in this magical occasion, sharing this through the children’s eyes and the opportunity to tell the real story of Christmas. Each ELC room group has been working towards their special nativity play told in their own way, with all children learning about and choosing their own character for the nativity. Each room is different, and each has a flavour of the character of the children and staff of the room – this nativity is an end-of-year celebration as well as the culmination of a year-long journey of growth and development.
My sincere thanks go to every one of the talented, professional, caring and creative ELC team – without their commitment to excellence, valuing each child and family as unique and their skills in working as members of a team, the growth you have witnessed in your child would not be possible. My thanks also to Kylie Baxter, Head of Junior School Kew, for her support and valuing the ELC; to the other specialists that teach and play with the ELC children: Music Tim, Library Bec, Chaplain Rebecca, Science Laura, Library Aimee, and Art Mikl; and to the admin and support staff who do so much in the background to make everything run smoothly, Lisa Stewart, Bec Wansbrough, Charlotte Barnaby and Kerrily Jose. And finally, to you as parents, thank you for your trust in us and the open communication – it is always a privilege to share in a small part of your child’s educational journey.
Wendy Seidler
Director of ELC Kew
