Quarter 4 Newsletter 2022

5 how to test the samples returned. They will also be the ones assisting to send the first humans to Mars. So what does the Perseverance Rover and our Growing Minds teach us? Well, nothing works in isolation. Our children need Drama to help them articulate their thoughts, present their ideas and to convince others of their convictions, Maths to help them calculate the odds, measure the variables in a task and logically work through a process. Science and Robotics to teach that there is a process and to show them that step by step thinking helps to achieve a goal. Art to see beyond that which is in front of them and languages to help capture and document their thoughts. History to reflect on what was, Geography to show them how to coexist and Sport for commitment, resilience and teamwork. We need our future generations to be critical thinkers and to be innovative, to take action and to lead at the cusp of change. To be effective communicators and to establish meaningful dialogue, work with others and to be respectful when sharing their ideas and thoughts. To be purposeful collaborators and to understand differences and similarities in others and to figure out what they can bring to a team. To be creative agents and envisage the possibilities, be resilient in a climate of change and embrace technology and AI. To be responsible citizens and be aware of their actions, act with honesty and integrity and have respect for others. As I say to the children, Kindness above all else. All skills we celebrate today. To the Preparatory educators and staff, thank you for working together and supporting each other. For all the lesson planning, the creating of resources, the marking, the extra duties, the sorting of issues, the deep breaths before answering terrible emails and the many little things that no one notices until they are not done. I see you being a nurse, a cheerleader, a counsellor, an investigator, a mediator, a lawyer, a sports manager, a tech fundy, an artist, a carer, a protector and finally an educator. I thank you. To our parents, Thank you for your continued support in all that we do, we are grateful to you for supporting us in developing these life long attitudes and skills. Your involvement, words of appreciation and recognition of our educators have been greatly valued. To Lorraine Roth, our Founder and Managing Director, Thank you for not only the magnificent surroundings and facilities we have at school but also for providing us with endless opportunities as learners and educators to develop and nurture our own Growing Minds. May we always be Reaching Outwards, Growing Minds and Building Futures GRADE ONE The Matriculants of 2033 arrived for their first day of school in oversized uniforms, shiny shoes, great excitement and a little trepidation, for their educational journey into an unknown and ever changing world. This year in Grade One has been a remarkable one, filled with fun, laughter, triumphs, bumps and scrapes, happiness and new friendships. PREPARATORY FACULTY GRADES 1 - 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . From the Principal’s Office Lee-ann Steynberg Growing Minds Celebration Speech Today is a Growing Minds celebration, a celebration where we look at not only the skills our children have achieved but the application of those skills in a variety of facets. Parklands College has always been a progressive school where we quietly get on with ensuring that our children are exposed to future technologies, ideas and trends. In 2014 Mr Knaggs and I were privileged to attend a conference in America. We had the opportunity to research (I say this loosely) NASA’s launch site in Florida. This was the beginning of our journey with delving deeper into the application of knowledge and the skills we learn. Walking around, NASA had HUGE posters introducing their teams responsible for the Mars rover. Each person had their individual skills listed such as Mars Scientist, Astronautical Engineer, Environmental Engineer, Robotics Engineer, Spacesuit Designer, Space system engineer, NASA Design Engineer, and Surface Systems Engineer, but what we noted was the thread that ran through each one. They needed to have the ability to come up with innovative and creative ideas to navigate an unknown territory, they needed to think critically about whether this concept would succeed or not, they then needed to communicate these ideas to the team and to collaborate on a way forward to bring the idea to fruition. And through all of this think of the impact their creation would have on this unknown environment. A lady by the name of Moogega Stricker, a Planetary Protection Engineer, was responsible for making sure that Earth’s germs did not go to Mars and contaminate the planet. There were many failures, trials and errors and prototypes before the final product. Lori Glaze, the Director of NASA’s Planetary Science Division said, “Perseverance (the Mars Rover) is the most sophisticated robotic geologist ever made, but verifying that microscopic life once existed carries an enormous burden of proof. While we’ll learn a lot with the great instruments we have aboard the rover, it may very well require the far more capable laboratories and instruments back here on Earth to tell us whether our samples carry evidence that Mars once harboured life.” This is where our children and their Growing Minds come in. Perseverance is only due back on earth in 2033; our Grade 1’s will be matriculating and our Grade 5’s will have completed university. They will be the ones with the new, fresh ideas on