Executive Principal

Educational Tour to Europe – A Journey of Learning and Inspiration

Next week, seven of our School Leaders across both campuses will embark on an Educational Tour to Europe, a unique opportunity for our Leighland Christian School community to engage with innovative educational practices across The Netherlands, Denmark, and Finland.

Itinerary Highlights:

The Netherlands

Workshop with Rob Houben on the Agora model
Visits to 'De Nieuwe Termen' in Heerlen, Praktijkonderwijs Roermond, and Wings Agora

Denmark

Participation in the LEGO Serious Play International Conference
Dinner with leaders from the International School of Billund
Playful Learning Tour at Billund International School
Workshop with Loni Bergqvist on Project-Based Learning (PBL)
School presentations on PBL and its impact

Finland

Exploration of Finland’s world-renowned education system, with a focus on equity, wellbeing, and innovation
Collaborative sessions with Finnish educators, principals, and municipality representatives
Site visits to schools around Tampere and Turku

This tour is designed to inspire our leadership and teaching teams as we continue to shape a learning environment that is future-focused, student-centred, and grounded in Christian values.

Please pray for safety as we travel across the world, and we look forward to sharing our learning with you on our return.

A Reminder – Safety as We Enter and Leave the Car Park on the Ulverstone Campus

Just a reminder to read the latest communication from me last week regarding the responsibility we all share for the safety of our students as we arrive and leave the Ulverstone campus each day. I would like to re-iterate:

We remain steadfast in our commitment to maintaining a safe and welcoming environment for all students. This includes ensuring their safety during arrival and departure from school grounds.

While we have a range of traffic management procedures in place, we acknowledge that there is always room for improvement, particularly in terms of safety, accessibility, and traffic flow around the Leighland Avenue entrance.

To support this, the school has recently updated signage around the campus to help guide traffic more effectively and improve overflow during peak times. These changes are part of our ongoing efforts to enhance safety and reduce congestion.

We also take this opportunity to remind parents, carers, and senior students of the importance of following road rules and parking guidelines around the school. Please:

Use designated drop-off and pick-up zones only
Avoid parking in no-stopping areas or across driveways
Refrain from double-parking or stopping in the middle of the road
Be mindful of pedestrians and other vehicles, especially during busy periods
Abide by any direction from traffic wardens on duty
Report any issues to the school that cause concern or impact on safety

As we reflect on our shared responsibility, we are reminded of the words in Philippians 2:4: “Let each of you look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” This scripture speaks directly to the heart of our message, encouraging us to act with care and consideration, especially in the everyday moments that impact the safety and wellbeing of our school community.

The school is proactively planning for increased traffic as we grow over the coming years. This includes reviewing our current pick-up and drop-off zones, engaging with traffic consultants, and continuing dialogue with the local council and community stakeholders. I anticipate providing the community with further information in this regard as we progress.

If you have specific concerns in relation to this announcement, or about the education and welfare of your children, I encourage you to raise these with the school.

Natasha Mackinnon

Executive Principal