As St Giles Nursery School pupils prepare to explore their next theme on transportation, they took their first lesson to the streets yesterday in a walk that celebrated the My Lord’s Hill, St Michael school’s 18th anniversary while teaching vital road safety skills.
“We had the children walk on the road and talk about safety on the road, because we are moving onto a theme, Transportation – Let’s Take A Trip,”
explained principal Joy-Ann Smith. “So as pedestrians, we need to be aware. They need to be cognisant how to traverse . . . when they are coming to school.”
The half-hour trek – from the school, along My Lord’s Hill, to The Ivy and back – was originally scheduled for the previous Friday but postponed due to rain. It saw nursery children parade with banners and flags, accompanied by teachers, parents, and members of the Brownies and Cub Scouts – many of whom are former students or siblings of current enrollees.
Singing
“We left the school and we wanted to pass some neighbouring businesses,” Smith said. The children sang songs like If You’re Happy And You Know It
while greeting people with smiles and waves.
For Smith, the walk served multiple purposes. “Basically it was a way for us to reach out to the communities. It was also an opportunity for us to meet with the parents, have some dialogue with the neighbours in the community, have the parents walk with their children. It’s a proud moment for many.”
The principal said the anniversary celebrations, which began with a blessing service at the school conducted by Reverend Michael Holford of Abundant Life Assembly, were intentionally community-focused this year.
“We decided we’ll just have it mainly celebrating with the children, parents and the community. We decided to have everything in the community.”
(DDS)
