Dear Parents, Caregivers and Friends of St Mary’s School,

Cooperation is a word that you don’t hear spoken as often now as it once was.

I remember ‘Sesame Street’ the 1970 and 80’s television programme would have large sections of time to discussing this concept—that is working together for a common goal.

Another key word and concept is basic skills—no matter what the area of endeavor, be it school, sport, the arts or work, nobody ever goes very far if they don’t master the basic skills.

Last year my daughter who has played representative hockey for a number of year was selected in a team where the coach was very focused on pupils developing their basic skills first, walking before they ran. He told this group of young ladies and their parents that their basic skills just weren't up to an acceptable standard and that he was going to start from scratch. He said that one to two practices and a game a week was not enough time to correct these short comings and that the parents would need to ensure that this hard work continued at home.

Initially the team struggled because while their skills developed their game appreciation didn’t. I broached the subject with the coach and he said ’wait until our tournament and then we will see what happens’.

At their tournament they were a revelation, they beat teams that had previously thrashed them and were placed higher than Otago teams had been at this tournament for a long time.

The cooperation between home and sport worked wonders and achieved excellent results.

If this can happen in a sport like hockey imagine what can happen if the same rationale is applied between home and school. So please for the benefit of our pupils, your children, work with your child’s class teacher to ensure that those little home work tasks are completed well and I’m sure that you will be amased at the progress made.

Have a great week

Mike Brosnahan