Learning Activities: Social Safety at School

February 29th, 2012

Bullying? Cyberbullying? Sexting?  Cliques?  There seem to be so many social dangers facing our children these days that sometimes we as parents can feel overwhelmed.  Schools seem to have become even greater social minefields than we remember them as being when we were children and teens.  Even worse, with the advent of the internet and social media, these social dangers can now make their way into our own homes and into our children’s lives seven days a week, 24 hours a day.  These social dangers, if not dealt with well, can suppress the actualization and well-being of our children. These social dangers create fears and anxieties for both children and parents alike.

All children need to master the social skills necessary for adulthood in a strong, supportive environment. Having your child grow up in a socially safe environment is incredibly important these days. A small school where all the families know each other and socialize with each other at major school events is the setting for a socially safe community.  This community will allow your child to develop his or her own voice and expression without fear and anxiety, and your child will be encouraged to create room for others to have their own voice and expression.

At King’s we constantly emphasize the need for kindness, compassion, and mindfulness when dealing with others.  Our students are taught, on a daily basis, how to show acceptance and inclusion for all.  A physically, socially, and psychologically safe learning environment ensures that each child blossoms in his or her own unique and independent way.  Social safety is fundamental for the full actualization of each child’s potential and well-being, and parents can have the assurance and peace of mind that their child will be happy and safe at school.

Learning to be More of Myself

February 17th, 2012
My name is Jessica Tucciarone.  I am 13 years old, and I go to King’s College School.  This is my fourth year at the school, and King’s has shaped me into a mature and responsible person.  I can truthfully and happily say that all the times and experiences that I’ve had at King’s have been positive and helpful in getting me started on realizing who I am and who I really want to be.
In my first year, I wanted to participate in everything, but experiences I had had before I came to King’s had made me afraid to stand out as a leader, so I didn’t push myself to my full potential.  The teachers recognized this, and they praised me for what I did do, but also tried to get me to see that, even though I’m young, I can still make a difference. In my first year at KIng’s, I was given the opportunity to be part of the annual junior bake sale that raises money for our sister school in Africa. The point of the project is to give the junior students an opportunity to step up and get a feel for what it takes to be a leader.  Because the bake sale is near the end of the year, I had enough confidence from the time that I had already been at King’s to feel comfortable to take a main leadership role in the project, and I found out that I really enjoyed it.
In my third year at King’s, I realized that I needed to make a big advancement.  Now was the time to apply all the things that I had learned and actually be a leader in a senior project, even though I was only in grade 8 at the time.  I worked with students in grades 11 and 12 on our large ‘Tastes of Africa’ project, and we raised over $15,000 for our school in Africa.  At the end of the project, I took some time to reflect and realized that I still wanted to improve my leadership even more.  This year I am taking even more of leadership role in ‘Tastes of Africa’, and I am already preparing to advance next year to become the main leader of the project.  I love this school and everything that it has done for me.  It has given me endless opportunities to make me a better person and a better leader.  It has also given me the confidence of knowing that, when I leave this school, I will be well prepared for university and I will be able to make a difference in the world.
Submitted by Jessica Tucciarone, Grade 9, King’s College School

Meet the Graduate: Ella Kerrigan

February 6th, 2012

Ella was one of the King’s family to graduate this past Spring.  She had been with King’s since her grade 7 year, and believes that the school helped her to find a meaningful way to give back to the community.  In a SNAP Caledon article from May 2010, Ella wrote “In King’s College, I have found a place filled with motivated people; people who have dreams and aspirations beyond tomorrow; people who love each other like family – people like me.”  Ella used her dreams to help the King’s sister school in Kumba, Cameroon.  Ella was the driving force behind collecting donations of computers, books and other school supplies to send to this school, this past summer, in order that the supplies arrived in time for the start of their school year this September.  Ella went on to study Communications at McMaster University.  She intends to enter into public relations or media.

This article appeared in the February SNAP Caledon

February 6th, 2012