8 February 2019 - Issue 5
HEAD’S
WEEKLY REVIEW
Bryony Capped for England (please
see page 5)
Head’s Introduction
Chinese New Year with a bang and a flash at Roedean!
I have really enjoyed seeing our community come together this week with a focus on Chinese New Year. Girls have shared their lovely stories in Assemblies and Chapels, hundreds of girls braved the biting cold to watch the wonderful firework display in front of School, and well done to Leila and Fawn who devised a Chinese culture treasure hunt and ran some traditional activities for the girls today. Everyone has loved being part of this very important festival.
恭喜发财 and 恭喜發財! It was wonderful to celebrate Chinese New Year at Roedean on Tuesday. It has been very interesting to hear the girls explaining the history, traditions, and significance of the New Year in our Assemblies this week, and to add a personal reflection.8 March, with some wonderful and diverse speakers.
This week has been as busy and varied as ever, with the Year 9 Business Day on Monday, the Roedean Academy continuing, and the Year 13 Parents’ Evening at this key point in their education. I am grateful to my colleagues for their valuable contributions to these events, particularly to those who met some parents, then delivered an Academy session, before returning to see more parents! Congratulations to Bryony in Year 13, who played for the England Independent Schools’ team against Scotland last weekend. Looking ahead, we will have Woolly Hat Day next Friday, to support the incredible work of the charity Off the Fence, who support the homeless in Brighton. For a donation of at least £1, the girls and staff will be able to wear their own clothes, but they must be wearing a woollen item, such as a hat, gloves, or a scarf, to acknowledge the importance of keeping warm for those sleeping rough when the weather is very cold. I know that the girls will get behind this excellent charity. Further ahead, we have Open Day on Saturday 2 March, World Book Week the following week, and our Festival Celebrating Women on Friday 8 March, with some wonderful and diverse speakers. I wish you all a wonderful weekend, and a restful half-term break when it comes.
The School was treated to some wonderful traditional music in the Assemblies from our Chinese band – Melanie (guzheng), Maggie (hulusi), Leila (flute), Ellen (piano), and Lareina (yangqin). There were also amazing fireworks in front of School, lovely red paper-cut decorations in the Houses and the Fireplace, and the catering staff prepared delicious Chinese food.
It has been lovely that Roedean’s community, with students from all over the world, has been keen to learn more about Chinese culture and embrace this important celebration in the Chinese calendar. New Year is traditionally focused around the family, so it has been particularly important for us to mark it for the boarders - we hope that Roedean has gone a little way to make up for the fact that the Chinese girls are away from home. 恭喜发财 and 恭喜發財! RB
It was great that some of the girls had the opportunity in Miss Hyam’s Chapels to tell the School how they would normally celebrate the most important date in the Chinese calendar at home - thank you to Carrie, Camille, Ashley, Cherish, Rita, Louie, Eileen, Shirley, Chloe and Jasmine for sharing their stories with us.
Have you donated a book to St Mark’s Library? We are delighted with the progress made with building the Library at St Mark’s – there is just 1 month to go until the opening, which will take place in World Book Week. About a quarter of the School community have donated books so far – thank you – but we need to have one last big push, and for every single girl to get behind the project and donate a book. We certainly need books for 5-7 year olds – we would prefer new books if possible, but second-hand copies in good condition would be great. Please bring them in next week, and give them to your tutor. Thank you in advance – your donations will make a huge difference to the pupils at St Mark’s!