Dear Parent,

Today marks the conclusion of a difficult, albeit fascinating, run-up to the 2019 General Election. Commentators and pundits up and down the country have remarked on how much conflict has been visible during the campaign and we must hope that this will abate once the ballots close and people resume their normal lives.

In this week’s parshah, we see that Yaakov is surrounded by conflict – he clashes with his brother and with his uncle; his two wives find it hard to get along and his children also bicker amongst themselves. Rabbi Lord Sacks discusses this idea in great detail and asks the important question: how did Yaakov help to calm the conflict; to soothe the angst of the people around him? The answer is that he learnt to be confident in himself and to resolve his own inner conflicts; it was only after this that he could see himself as a peacemaker and help to calm the attitude of the people amongst him.

Rabbi Lord Sacks’ comment in his book, ‘Lessons in Leadership’, encapsulates a very important message for leaders in general: ‘They must understand that it is better to seek the respect of some than the popularity of all…. No one is stronger than the person who knows who and what [s/]he is.’

Have a peaceful Shabbos,

Mrs D Lebrett
Headteacher

Dear Parents,

As you are all no doubt aware, your voluntary contributions allow Hasmonean to maintain its ethos and breadth of provision, making your voluntary contributions a critical income stream for the school.

I am therefore deeply concerned that despite our growing student body, contributions through to the end of November are nearly £200,000 down on last year.

I hope this message will act as a catalyst for those of you who have not yet made their pledge to do so now as we desperately need to make up the shortfall during December.

Yours,

Mr J Feinmesser
Trustee of the Hasmonean Charity and MAT trustee

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Dear Parents,

Following on from the attainment of the national Wellbeing for Schools Award by the Girls’ School in June, I am delighted to inform you that we have now also attained the same award for the Boys’ School. We will hold both awards for 3 years.

The inspections were incredibly intensive, the preparation work ran for two years (and the paperwork to many hundreds of pages) and required immense hard work from Mr Kalley and Mrs Waugh who led the change teams that enabled us to attain the awards.

My thanks go to the staff, parents, governors and students who were interviewed and to everyone who is involved in supporting the mental health and wellbeing within both schools.

It is a wonderful tribute to the ways in which staff have put the mental health and wellbeing at the heart of both schools. However, at a time when the pressures on young people are greater than ever and, as headlines demonstrate, teachers are under mounting pressure, we are far from complacent. While the awards recognise the work we have accomplished so far, we know that there is more to do and will strive to continue to focus on these important areas.

Best wishes,

Mr A McClusky
CEO, Hasmonean MAT