Presence

One of our 4 Ps of focus this academic year

One of our four Ps this year that we decided we want to use to guide us through our year - what we do, how we do things and why it matters - is PRESENCE. There are different dimensions to presence, the most obvious one being to be physically present. Alongside physical presence, however, come other levels of presence which I want to unpack a little in this week’s contribution. 

First of all the physical presence: It is of great importance that our students are present in school. This means that they should be on time in the mornings to attend the registration and homeroom session at 07:20. Students should also not miss lessons or school unless there is no way around that. Calendars and holiday dates as well as long weekend dates are published well in advance to allow for parents to plan travel times. Appointments at doctors or otherwise, should ideally happen in the afternoons. Although this is not always possible, we strongly urge families to try their best to have their child attend school consistently and without fail as far as that is possible. 

But even when we are physically present, there are areas where other levels of presence are required. Although the model I am sharing is more targeted at executive presence and communication, it has relevance to how students, teachers and parents can support the learning process by being present. 

Being present means that I communicate in a certain way. How students participate in the classroom, shows their mental presence - how they show up, physically, but also mentally prepared for the lesson, has an impact on their learning and wellbeing. Being present also means that you connect with others around you. In interactions in the classroom, this is often achieved by working together - not only with those who are your friends, but also to take a leap of faith at times and work with those who have different viewpoints and perspectives.

Being present means that I am able to articulate what I stand for in a way that engages and enables conversations. When I am confident and respectful in articulating my perspectives and viewpoints, I can be present in my community and society at large. I can then help make this world a better place for myself, but most importantly for our planet, and for society as a whole. 

Being present is an important part of the learning process and it is our firm hope that we will be able to have all our students present - physically as well as mentally as much as possible. 

Attending Student/Parent/Teacher Conferences, and all other school events, is another important way of being present - communicating, showing up, connecting with others, and showing your interest in what WIS stands for. We look forward to seeing a great majority of our students and their parents attend events and parent evenings this year. 

Maggie Reiff

Secondary Principal