Dear Parents,
I wish I was young enough and physically able to join Mr Escobar in his “Camino de Santiago” walk – it was clearly a wonderful experience. Please enjoy his newsletter below.
MANGAHIGH
Congratulations to all the pupils participating in the COBIS Mangahigh online Maths Challenge. Aloha College is currently ranked in 13th place, competing against students from all over the world. This is a fantastic achievement – keep making progress!
STUDENT CALENDAR
Please find here the student calendar for the academic year 2019/20.
PARKING
Please show respect to all Aloha families and the local community when parking your vehicles. Dangerous parking can put our pupils at risk. Please cooperate at all times so we can ensure the health and safety of our pupils, and please respect other parents in their effort to do so.
CHRISTMAS BAZAAR
Over the past week the response has increased significantly – lots of bottles and chocolates are coming in; however, we still need more! If you have not contributed at all to the Christmas Bazaar please send in a bottle or some chocolates. Please remember all the profits from this day are for the benefit of your children.
CHAIR OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES
I hope you have taken time to read the communication sent by the Chair of Board earlier this week.
Thank you to all the people who have been kind to me this week.
Let’s hope we have a rain-free weekend to enjoy with our families.
Yours sincerely,
Elizabeth Batchelor
Principal
PRIMARY SCHOOL
Dear Parents,
I am pleased to say that all this rain hasn’t dampened the children’s enthusiasm for learning.
This week Years 3-6 have joined pupils in the Secondary School taking part in the Worldwide COBIS Mangahigh Maths Challenge. This online maths competition has caused a real buzz around the school, with pupils willingly missing their playtimes to take part. On Thursday I visited Miss Fox’s Year 5 maths class and they were very excited to be leading the challenge by gaining the most points so far! There is still one more week to go so good luck everyone taking part.
Yesterday I wrote a very special letter to a well-known celebrity who lives on the North Pole to invite him to our Christmas Bazaar. I really hope that he is happy with the content and replies very soon. Finger crossed!
Next week’s target: ADAPTABILITY
Talk Homework: Solving maths problems is part of everyday life. Where and when do we need to solve maths problems outside of school?
Yours sincerely,
Kathryn Salmon
Headteacher, Primary
SECONDARY SCHOOL
Dear Parents,
I must admit I was astounded when two Year 11 students approached me earlier this week and asked if I would mind answering a few questions they had prepared for me. I quickly managed to find a gap in my calendar once I found out what this was going to be about.
I have absolutely loved answering every question on one of the most fascinating experiences I have had in my life: ‘El Camino de Santiago’
I hope you enjoy reading this interview.
Q: Did you choose a specific route or was it the French Camino?
A: I chose the North way.
Q: What was your main objective and why?
A: My main objective was to do something different to what I normally did during my summer holidays. I woke up one day and thought that I needed a complete change of scene. There was something in the back of my mind that kept reminding me: “step out of your comfort zone and move away from what you know so well”. Many people had recommended the Camino to me but to be perfectly honest, the idea of walking 8 hours every day did not look very appealing. Looking back now, I could have never imagined I was going to fall in love with El Camino de Santiago.
Q: Did you carry any money with you?
A: I did carry money but the bare minimum. One of the main reasons you do the Camino is to learn to live with the essentials.
Q: What has been the most memorable day during your walk?
A: I cannot really pinpoint one specific day in the three years I have been on the Camino. What I can tell you is that every single day has been special.
Q: What was the most challenging day?
A: The most difficult was the first day, from Irún to San Sebastián. I was not used to walking 30 Km a day so this was …..a real killer!
Q: What was your daily routine like?
A: I woke up at 6am every morning and prepared my backpack (the most loyal companion throughout the day). I walked between 6 to 8 hours, depending on the day. At around 4pm I arrived at the pilgrims lodging where you would rest until the next day.
Q: Did you always sleep at the official pilgrims lodging?
A: Always! During the three years of the pilgrimage, I have slept at the official pilgrims lodging on a not so comfortable bed and surrounded by all sorts of noises during the night.
Q: Were you awarded the so called ‘Compostelana’?
A: Not yet. The ‘Compostelana’ is awarded when you arrive in Santiago. I am doing the Camino in different stages and so I am hoping to receive the official certificate next summer.
Q: Would you recommend the Camino de Santiago to other people?
A: Absolutely, and not only to adults. I recommend it to people of all ages. It is the most enriching experience I have had in my life.
Q: What advice would you give us if we decide to do it one day?
A: The best advice I can give you is having an open mind, being brave and ….a pair of very comfortable shoes.
Yours sincerely,
Francisco Escobar
Headteacher, Secondary
