eNews Issue 5

One of the things I am talking about with faculty and staff at HKA is the Seven Norms of Collaborative Work developed by the Adaptive Schools Seminars. Those norms include: pausing, paraphrasing, putting inquiry at the center, probing, placing ideas at the table, paying attention to self and others and presuming positive intent. They help us to establish the culture for meaningful conversations and allow us to capitalise on the pool of talent at HKA. We try to model these norms as adults when we meet together, and we also encourage students to use these tools as well.

As parents, you are an integral part of our dynamic learning community and you are key to the collaboration that makes education meaningful. September gives us many opportunities to come together for dialogue and discussion. Back to School Nights, Higher Education evenings, coffee mornings and volunteer get togethers are all important ways in which we share information and join together. Thank you for the investment you make in HKA. As the year goes on, I look forward to working with you more. We have an open door policy at HKA. If you would ever like to meet with me or any of the leadership team, please don’t hesitate to schedule a time.

And Happy Birthday, HKA! Our school first opened its doors 15 years ago today.