Margaret Lowe – Deputy Principal

A new House for the High School

Emanuel School has grown considerably over recent years and we no longer fit in our current three Houses. Rashi, Rabin and Szenes are bursting at the seams!

At the start of 2018, a process for moving to a four-House model will commence. Throughout the process, students and staff will be consulted so that we can facilitate the formation of balanced Tutor Groups (number, gender etc) that include a variety of students who:

• Make our inter-House competitions come alive (eg we need to spread those outstanding swimmers)
• Have connections with each other
• Will work well with the new or ongoing Tutor
• Can provide student leadership
• Have participated in choosing to move or to stay in the House.

Early in Term 1, a competition will be launched to determine the name, colours and logo for the new House. All students will be able to enter the competition. Once our New House Committee (NHC) of staff has a shortlist, the Board will be asked to approve the name, colours and logo. It will be very exciting to be one of the students who provide this legacy for Emanuel School.

Around the same time, students and staff will be asked to complete surveys that provide us with the information we need to be able to create the new groups. Some students may be excited about change and want to move to the new House, whilst others may feel a great attachment to their current House and wish to stay. This data will be considered very carefully and students will have a right of reply once the new Tutor Groups are published.

All of the processes will take a considerable amount of time as it is important that we create the best possible groups and have had time to consider a myriad of factors. Our Year 11 students will be the first cabs off the rank as they will be leading the transition process alongside the NHC.

The new House will be launched ceremonially in Term 2 and will come into being at the start of Term 3. Around the time of the launch, our Year 11 students will be invited to nominate for student leadership positions and elections will be held, as they usually are, mid-year.

At the start of Term 3 we will induct our new Madrichim, House Captains and Student Representative Council from four Houses. It will be a momentous occasion for Emanuel School and the start of a four-House model. History is in the making!!

Students will benefit from having more students in their Tutor Group to connect with but fewer students in the House overall so that the teachers are able to provide more support. We have a number of “yet to be revealed” plans in place to promote school spirit, a sense of belonging, team building and fun as we move through a process of change.

Year 12 students will only have a term to go when the change is to be made, so we will keep them in their current Tutor Groups and Houses for that term. We are pleased to announce that Adam Ezekiel will be the Head of the new House (Martin Rembson will be returning in 2018 to resume his position as Head of Rabin House).

2018 will be a year to remember!