Welcome you to the month of February!

We are delighted to have you as members of our school community as we partner together with enthusiasm to see progress in our students' learning journey.

As the Vice Principal, it is my responsibility to ensure that all students are safe, respected, and supported in school.

I would want to take a moment to remind everyone of the importance of following the school's policies. It is essential that students conduct themselves in a principled manner both in and out of the homeroom. I would also encourage all in the community to adhere to the procedures and protocols outlined in our student/parent handbook. By following our school’s policies, we can ensure a safe, orderly, and productive learning environment for all.

It is also important that we recognize and celebrate the hard work and dedication of our students. I encourage you to take the time to recognize your child's efforts and encourage them to keep up the good work.

In the month of February, the entire school strives to exhibit the IB Learner Profile 'knowledgeable'. Being knowledgeable means having a deep understanding and appreciation of the world and its complexities, having the awareness of the impact of your actions, and being able to make informed decisions. A knowledgeable person is open to new ideas, seeks out new understanding, and has the courage to explore the unknown. It requires being able to draw on a breadth of knowledge and skills to solve problems, think critically and creatively, and communicate effectively.

As a school, we are committed to the provision of quality education in a secure and supportive atmosphere, hence we take matters of bullying very seriously. It is in this regard we have declared February as an 'In-school Anti-Bullying Campaign Month'. In the list of activities lined up, we would educate students on the need to be caring and be the change agent for making this world a better and peaceful one.

In the spirit of collaboration and togetherness, please do not hesitate to reach out to us should you have any questions or suggestions. We are here to help!

I wish you a fantastic month.

Sincerely,

Ms. Esther Osei-Nkansah

Vice Principal

As parents and facilitators attempt to pique adolescents' interest in learning, resilience is one characteristic to consider. Resilience is defined as the ability to successfully adjust to stressful, challenging, and unpleasant conditions (Spulber, 2019). In the process of developing resilience, it is critical to develop some essential characteristics that are more likely to enable successful training for students, raising them to become courageous, risk-takers, and reflective. Parents and facilitators can look into seven vital and interconnected points of focus; competence, confidence, connection, character, contribution, coping, and control (Easterbrooks, Ginsburg, & Lerner, 2013).

Adolescents build confidence when they believe in their abilities or competence. Parents and facilitators can help their children discover their strengths and weaknesses. Through the identification of their strengths and weaknesses, the adolescent will be enlightened on what they are capable of doing in diverse situations.

Social support and a sense of belonging serve as a buffer for adolescents to overcome the challenges they face. Adolescents' connections with family and helpful friends give them the idea and feeling of being loved and being part of a larger community. Assuring adolescents their place in society and demonstrating how they should be treated through acts of kindness can go a long way to give them the motivation to do more in their learning community.

Another aspect to consider when leading adolescents toward resilience is their values and morals. Our beliefs and morals play a major role in shaping our personalities. Adults can assist adolescents in developing empathy and compassion as a starter for good character development.

Adolescents can develop a sense of ‘taking action’ by participating in activities that demand them to contribute to the situation. Contributing to an event that changes the lives of others, provides the teenager with the belief that the world can be improved when they contribute to its growth. Coping skills are skills used in situations that appear difficult is another key to building resilience. Adolescents are frequently overwhelmed with emotions and this has made adolescents turn to alternative modes of coping, which have long-term consequences for their health and personality. However, when an adolescent is equipped with a diverse set of coping abilities (social skills, stress management skills) they can cope more efficiently and are better prepared to face life's obstacles.

Finally, when adolescents recognize their influence on their decisions and behaviors, they are more likely to understand how to make choices that will allow them to overcome life's problems. Parents and facilitators can give adolescents options on how they should think and act, and explain the outcome of these options.

REFERENCES

Easterbrooks, M. Ann, Kenneth Ginsburg, and Richard M. Lerner. "Resilience among military youth." The future of children (2013): 99-120.

Spulber, Diana. "Coping and resilience in life-long learning and aging: New challenges." Geopolitical, Social Security and Freedom Journal 2.1 (2019): 93-103.

Ms. Georgina Bediako

School Counselor

(Masua Campus)