LACONiC newsletter@lacon-childe.org.uk Issue No. 25 5th July 2019

Diary Dates

July 6th - 12th Barcelona Trip 8th & 9th D of E Expeditions 12th PTA Summer Quiz 17th Sports Day 18th Netball Trip End of term 19th July Pupils return Wednesday 4th September

Head’s lines

Not many people look to be role models for others; however, due to actions, incidents and behaviour, we adopt many role models from society. We have high expectations of our students at Lacon Childe and look to our senior students to provide the required behaviours towards which our younger students can aspire. They tend not to let us down.

It was, therefore, with a great deal of dismay that I sat through the deplorable actions and press conference of a potential positive role model from the world of tennis yesterday. Australian Nick Kyrgios portrayed a mean, selfish, spoilt and extremely angry young man in his defeat to Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon. Not only were his antics on court a disgrace, shouting and arguing with officials and deliberately blasting a ball at Nadal during the game but, in the press conference afterwards, stating that he had no reason to apologise for his behaviour. There is always a place in sport, theatre, film, music, politics, in fact all walks of life, for a maverick, for someone who is a little bit different. In this case, however, Kyrgios went too far and, as an athlete on the world stage, he should know better and be dealt with appropriately by the authorities. If he had behaved like that as a student of our school, I can assure you that further action would be taken against him. It is just not acceptable, but sadly I have heard commentators say that this is good for the game and a welcome break from the boring run of the mill competitors in world sport; I disagree. When Serena Williams had her outburst in the US Open following defeat by Naomi Osaka, she was slammed in the press and by tennis officialdom. Because Kyrgios is a ‘bloke’ he wears it like a badge of honour. Double standards, hypocrisy or just out and out sexism at work.

This at a time when our young people, and boys in particular, need decent, honest, humble male role models, and there are many out there. Kyrgios and his bully boy, loutish, aggressive lad behaviour has to be deplored and condemned at the highest level. I doubt that any action will be taken other than Headteachers like me who will use this as an example of the worst kind of behaviour which our students should never, ever replicate. Thankfully, we are blessed at Lacon Childe with students who would not engage in this type of behaviour and enough male and female role models to show the right way to behave.

Role Models

Day 1

An early start for all involved – 4 am meet at Lacon. All aboard the fun bus. The dark winding roads

lit by the full moon as the groups made its way to Liverpool Airport. Breakfast in the airport and on

to the plane for the short flight into Krakow. All through passport control and a 20-minute transfer to

the hotel. Simple but lovely (the hotel not the teaching staff!). The groups’ base for the next 3 nights

was just a short walk from the vibrant buzz of the city centre. First day and a swift walk through the

tree-lined walkways into the city and the impressive 12th century cathedral. Simply breath-taking

architecture, a colossal feat of construction truly amazing. The climb up the bell tower steep and

narrow, snaking its way to the top where Sigmund (the bell) hung proud. The views and expanse of

the city clear for all to see. As forecast, the storms arrived and rain fell. A great excuse for ice cream

and coffee. To the main square for the first time. An impressive area for shopping and socialising. The

flower stalls and markets surrounded by shops and cafes. Back to the hotel to get ready for the

evening activities. Day 1 is pizza night. The fabulous restaurant served each of the group with their

chosen pizza. From margarita to spicy Italian on a stone baked base. All plates cleared and day 1

done. Lacon student behaviour impeccable, attitude amazing.

Day 2

Early risers once again. Galicia Jewish museum and a walking tour of the Jewish district. A full active

day ahead. Breakfast was amazing with a variety of options. Something for everyone. The museum is

a photographic record through time of the good and the bad the great and the evil that the Jewish

community have faced, encountered and endured. The group were given a commentary to the

pictures and tasked with identifying the Image that provoked a strong feeling in them. After the

museum the group had the emotive meeting with a holocaust survivor, Krystyna Gill, a Romany

gypsy. The insightful account of life was thought-provoking, emotional and harrowing. Realisation of

the atrocities faced by a 5-year-old girl, we could not start to comprehend what the lady in front of

the group had been through. From being pushed from a waggon by her mother, seeing her family

taken away for execution, living in the forest to avoid capture, being rounded up and sent to a

concentration camp. Despair and sorrow to the joy of caring for her great grandchildren. One lady’s

courageous and harrowing journey through life, her message of forgive but never forget and don’t

live with hate in your heart will stick long with all who got to share her memories. Into the square for

lunch - traditional Jewish or international cuisine was the choice with a wide selection of eateries and

the group split and found their own eating house. The walking tour, a 3-hour stroll through the

Jewish district ending in Podgorze where the Nazis created a ghetto. Led by Jacob whose knowledge

of all Polish, Jewish and holocaust was sublime the in depth and detailed accounts and history

behind buildings, streets, squares and tales of heroism and atrocity kept the group focused and

listening intently. Back to the hotel with an impromptu ice cream stop and ready for dinner. The

evening activity sees the group unleashed at the mall. Even in Poland there is no escaping shopping

and American fast food outlets.

Day 3

Auschwitz, an early start up and out for 6am. The walking tour around Auschwitz 1 the harrowing

recall of the atrocities faced by over 1 million men woman and children. The labours, the pains and

ultimately death. From the entry gate ‘work sets you free’ to the gas chamber and crematorium. The

mass of items taken from the prisoners, suitcases, shoes, shaving brushes, hair brushes, hair. Seeing

first-hand where those sent here lived, worked and suffered. The group were able to get a real feel for

the suffering and torment. When asked for a few words the following summed up the emotion of the

group; Thought Provoking, Surreal, Intense, Emotional, Moving, Eye Opening. Back on the coach for

the short drive to Birkenau. As emotional and intense Auschwitz was, the sheer expanse of Birkenau

hammered home the scale of the evil that had gone on. The vast sprawling landscape of chimneys

where buildings once stood, the remains of gas chambers and crematorium, in real life the railway

track and buildings, the reality of the photographs previously seen. The enormity of the atrocities

clears for the group to see. The sheer size of the area and the difficult comprehension of the numbers

quotes 13000000 people killed.

A lighter afternoon as the group stop off for food at a traditional polish restaurant before spending

time in Krakow city centre and the picturesque square. A ride on a horse drawn carriage, coffee in the

sun in one of the many cafes. It was time to experience and live the culture in Krakow. Evening

activities followed the third multi course meal of the day. Off to the bowling alley. Fun and games had

by all. Bowling champion with a score of 107 jasmine p closely followed by staff bowling sensation Mr

Roff.

Day 4

7am breakfast a late start....... departure day. Time to reflect. 30 minutes’ quiet time, sat in the park

reflecting on what has been seen, challenges faced and in how this has formed personal opinions and

views. Thoughtful process enabling the group to absorb and process the last 4 days before heading

back home. An amazing trip for all involved. Thought provoking, emotional, educating, an amazing

group of young people who have grown, matured and developed life skills in just 4 days. A real credit

to Lacon Childe School, their families but most importantly to themselves. Well done Year 10 Poland

2019, you have created memories that will last a lifetime.

During the week 3-7 June, 2019, 78 Year 8 pupils spent the week at Arthog Outdoor Education Centre. A range of activities were tackled during the week with everyone experiencing team building activities, rock scrambling and climbing, a gorge walk, orienteering, a river journey by canoe or kayak, and surfing. The weather was not particularly favourable to us this year. A smaller gorge than usual, had to be used for this adventure as there was too much water to be safe in the main gorge. The weather also prevented one group from climbing at all. This group had an underground adventure instead of rock climbing.

Evening activities included a night-line, following a rope, while blind-folded, around a series of obstacles; orienteering; a photo-search and a beach walk around the southern edge of the Afon Mawddach Estuary, observing sea-birds and coastal vegetation. Additionally, the evenings had time allocated to the completion of the written element of the John Muir Award, which is a three-tier conservation award comprising four elements: discovering a new place; exploring a new place; conserving that place and sharing new knowledge about that place. All pupils who attended Arthog completed this activity thoroughly and will be presented with a certificate from the John Muir Trust.

Food at the centre improves year on year. This year the menu was varied and all dietary needs were catered for, with ‘seconds’ being plentiful. Breakfasts consisted of cereal and toast plus a choice of up to four cooked items. Lunch consisted a choice of baguette, crisps, fruit and cake, while evening meals were from a selection of cooked mains, vegetables and/or salad and dessert.

Booking for the 2020 visit will open in September.

On Sunday 30th June our show jumping teams travelled to Kings Equestrian to take part in the NSEA Inter Schools Show Jumping Qualifier, our final equestrian event of the academic year. Although our teams were unplaced, we had two amazing individual results. Congratulations go to Billy Loughnane and Cerys Arnold who finished 5th individually in the 70/75cm and 90/95cm classes respectively. Billy and Cerys will now go forward to represent Lacon Childe and Shropshire at the NSEA National Schools Championship Plate at Keysoe Equestrian Centre, Bedfordshire in November. Well done to all of our students who took part in the qualifier, and particularly to Billy and Cerys - we are extremely proud of you!

We have received our fundraising certificate from Comic Relief this week. Thank you all so much once

again for your generous support of this cause, your contributions will be making a genuine difference to

reduce poverty, not only in the UK but across the world. THANK YOU!

Please find attached an overview of the workshops the Parenting Team will be delivering during the summer holidays. These workshops are for parents/carers of any level of need. Please share this information far and wide and I would be grateful if it could be included in newsletters and any correspondence sent out to families. I have also attached posters detailing the workshops per area. Please feel free to contact the Parenting Team on 01743 250950 or parenting.team@shropshire.gov.uk should you have any questions.

In March this year, four apple trees were planted by the Allotment Club students, supported by Mrs Chillingworth and Mrs Woodhouse. They will need watering, feeding and pruning to keep them healthy, but the bonus will be the delicious fruit we can share. The varieties planted are Elsanta, Coxes Orange, Braeburn and Golden Delicious. We expect the first significant crop to be harvested in the Autumn of 2021.

We are were very honoured to see one of the trees dedicated in the memory of Jack, who was grandson and nephew of two of our staff.

Please see the pictures attached from Jack Cole's mum regarding Jack's recent performance at the biathlon in Madeira where he was representing team GB again. His next event is the National Championships at Salford Quays in August, which is the qualifying event for the World Championships in October to be held in Florida!!!!!