School Presentation Night

Thu 27 Nov 2008 was a special evening for the Junior School.

It was the annual Awards and Presentation Night, and the highlight for us was cheering Beth on as she took to the stage to receive the Timothy Award. (Two students from each class receive the TA each semester.)

Achievement awards were also given out for proficiency in Maths, Art, and General Excellence In All Areas.

As it was our first Presentation Night as a Heathdale family, we didn't know what to expect. The place was just packed to the rafters with families and friends. Proud parents were sneaking video recordings and waving at their kids who were on stage.

The Juniors were wonderful. They sang, they danced, they led the singing of the Australian National Anthem and the Heathdale School Song.

It was our first time singing the National Anthem from start to finish and I felt very proud and 'Australian' (if that's possible after a short 2 years here) as I did so.

The evening also saw the official launch of 'Stuck In The Studio', a CD project put together by the Year 11 (equivalent of JC 2 in Singapore) Music Industry students. They wrote, produced, arranged and recorded the songs under supervision of the teacher-in-charge, and the whole school (from Kinder to Year 12) was involved in the singing.

Beth's class sang 2 of the tracks: The Alphabet Song and Happy Birthday Jesus. I know for a fact that she was terribly excited at the chance to be a 'recording star' for a day. She used to come home and sing Happy Birthday Jesus - the whole song by heart - so I knew the project had really affected her in a good way.

Which makes the CD a very meaningful project and a worthy investment. $18 for a whole year's effort by a whole school. Wow.

The first pleasant surprise of the evening was running into a couple who greeted us with great warmth and who looked really familiar.

Except I couldn't place them - and neither could CA. I kept thinking the guy was his colleague since he addressed himself to CA in such friendly terms.

Finally we had to confess we couldn't remember where we'd met them. That's when they laughed and said they'd met us at HXUCA earlier in the year when they came to visit their eldest son who is studying at the Melbourne Uni.

Their youngest daughter has just enrolled in Heathdale and was obviously enjoying being a part of the Year 2 performing team. Her mom tells me she has undergone a dramatic transformation from uninspired student to super-motivated...within a week of joining the new school!

Just one more positive testimony I've heard from parents about Heathdale.

We couldn't have entrusted our child to a better school. :-)

I particularly loved the understated way the Principal and Head of Junior School thanked parents for their support of the school's programs and of the students.

The P said something memorable like "Without the family, there'd be no school."

You don't always need grand gestures and motherhood statements to make an impact. Sometimes, it's sincere, humble words and deeds that make great leaders - and great schools.