Ms. Kate Lane
What a beautiful week to be in Ottawa! We saw many back-to-back bright, sunny days and reached 30 degrees this Wednesday—the warmth and sunshine feels amazing and provided the extra encouragement some of our students needed to get outside and active, or even just outside for afternoon classes, or to read a book on the field.
On Sunday, Ms. Hickson hosted a variety of games on the field for our boarders and I loved watching the friendly competition amongst all involved. It was a great opportunity to have both Gillin and Matthews residents out with one another; too often we neglect “play time”, though research shows it is crucial for our health, learning, and overall well-being.* Boarding teachers are always encouraging students to get outside for a walk, bike ride, basketball, or variety of other games, so please ask your children what activities they are participating in and provide another supportive nudge to set their school work and technology aside for a productive break.
This past Sunday also brought a nice surprise as an ice cream truck showed up on campus. Many of our students commented that they have never experienced a truck driving around, playing music, and selling ice cream, so it was an extra special treat for those who enjoyed this for the first time. Thanks to Mr. Storosko for pointing it out to us!
Sadly, we said goodbye to our fabulous Boarding Captain, Mia, who is off to visit some family before departing home to Morocco for the summer. Certainly, there are still meetings to have and work to be done before school formally closes, though it was sad nonetheless to see her off.
Finally, Hyebin celebrated her birthday on Wednesday with cake for all and many Gillinites singing and wishing her a happy birthday. She commented after what a great day it was, which again made me reflect on how lucky our boarding students are to be immersed in this supportive, social environment during an otherwise largely isolated time. Having a community of friends and family surrounding you has been a thick silver lining on this otherwise challenging year.
https://theeducationhub.org.nz/the-importance-of-play-for-wellbeing-and-learning-at-all-ages/
https://www.helpguide.org/articles/mental-health/benefits-of-play-for-adults.htm
*If interested in reading more:
