BMG 2021 Grammarian Issue 1

8 COMMENCING PREP 2021 Mrs Kylie McKerrow Prep Coordinator – Maddingley Campus The start of any school year is always exciting, but starting school for the first time in Prep comes with a whole new level of excitement, nerves and new adventures ahead. With COVID-19 still playing a part in our lives and interrupting the start of the school year with a ‘Snap Lockdown’, the Prep cohort at Maddingley campus found itself once again moving the goal posts and facing new sets of challenges. With great resilience and a positive outlook, the new Prep students and families of BMG did not let any of these new challenges get in their way. At Bacchus Marsh Grammar it has been very apparent that we have an amazing bunch of brand new, eager to learn, resilient young individuals. The greatest leap for a Prep student at the start of a new school year is waving goodbye to mums and dads at the Gatehouse and bus stops. With their brand new bags on backs, decked out in their sparkling new uniforms, off they all trotted happily and eagerly to begin one of the biggest adventures in their lifelong learning journey. Now, I’m not saying the lockdown was ideal or convenient for any of us; however, in that short three days, the Prep team got to meet many of our parents and the parents were able to get an insight into the teachers/staff who will be spending many days looking out for their little ones. Considering the busy start, I am extremely proud of each and every student. It has been a pleasure visiting all of the classrooms on a regular basis to see them settled in, keen to learn, working hard and enjoying their new, wonderful classrooms with their new friends and teachers. I just love the confidence shown by Prep students; it does not matter if you are the classroom teacher or the Principal of the school, they will speak their minds without a second thought. ‘Time to come inside,’ calls the yard duty teacher, ‘Nope,’ comes the determined voice from deep in the sandpit. ‘Not finished playing’. Or one of my favourites, ‘I’m going on the bus today’, says a confident young lady. ‘You don’t catch the bus,’ informs the teacher. ‘But I want to, so I am,’ comes the reply. At Maddingley Campus this term, we have already shared a special Prep day, our Teddy Bears’ Picnic, one of my favourite days on the school calendar. It was wonderful to see all our Prep students enjoying the sunny day full of teddy bear fun with their new school friends and their furry friends. Some teddies were even BIGGER than their owners! We also have many other exciting events to look forward to throughout the Prep year. The Prep cohort is full of wonderful personalities and inquisitive young minds, so as the Prep classes of 2021 begin their school life with us at Bacchus Marsh Grammar, we look forward to not only watching them grow in height, but also in confidence and knowledge.