Christchurch tribute
Yesterday morning, OIS came together as a school to show our respect and support for Christchurch before we started our day. A core value for us is Acting with Respect and this means that we respect everyone for who they are.
We started with an assembly in the hall and then gathered on the courts outside where we released 24 balloons of different colours. These 24 balloons recognised the 24 different ethnicities at OIS. These balloons were tied together as a symbol of our solidarity as one.
What happened in Christchurch on Friday was a tragedy and has had a devastating impact on the Muslim community, and the people of Christchurch. The effect has been felt across New Zealand and many parts of the world.
At OIS we acknowledge and respect our differences and seek to learn from each other. This can look like
- Valuing each other and their opinions
- Supporting others
- Being kind - smile
- Including others, no matter what
- Holding our values high
- Remembering that what we do and say makes other people feel included and safe
- Most of all, being strong and having the courage to stand up for others and do what is right.
That is how we can make a difference today and tomorrow…
It is also important for our community to know that we have procedures in our school to keep us safe and just like a fire drill, or an earthquake drill, we have a lockdown drill to keep people safe in times of emergency. Teachers are aware of these procedures and know exactly what to do.