Holocaust Memorial Day – 27 January 2017
Holocaust Memorial Day – 27 January 2017
2017 Theme: “How Can Life Go On ?”
Headteacher, Dr Susan Mitchell, urged all pupils within the school community to consider their Christian duty to others as the school commemorated the 2017 Holocaust Memorial Day. Dr Mitchell also outlined to school governors, pupils and guests that another study tour to Krakow and Auschwitz would be taking place in October this year.
During the acts of worship for the week 23-27 January staff and pupils reflected on the 2017 theme for Holocaust Memorial Day, “How Can Life Go On?” It was remembered that a group of our Sixth Formers had asked this question of a survivor of Nazi persecution during one of the school’s Krakow/Auschwitz study tours. Josef Rosotowski, a former political prisoner of the Nazi regime, said that his Christian faith had helped him to find a way forward after the end of World War II. He had been imprisoned at Mauthausen Concentration camp in Austria for having taken part in the Warsaw Uprising of 1944.
The acts of worship were led by: History Curriculum Leader, Ms Fiona Bell, History Teacher, Mrs Sarah Long, English Teacher, Mr Matthew Doherty, English Teacher, and the Deputy Headteacher, Mr Alun Lewis, who is the Senior Leadership Team link to the History Curriculum Area.
Visitors to the School
Joining school governors, staff and pupils for our assemblies to mark Holocaust Memorial Day were: RCT Mayor Councillor, Rhys Lewis, Councillor Jeffrey Elliot and Councillor Mike Forey. Mrs Vikki Howells, Cynon Valley Assembly Member, also attended. We were again pleased to welcome Mrs Sally Richards of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust. Representatives from RCT Education were: Mrs Esther Thomas, Temporary Director for Education and Lifelong Learning, Mr Stuart Tucker, Mrs Sarah Corcoran, Mr Martyn Silezin and Mr Stephen Parry-Jones. Also from RCT Council were Mrs Melanie Warburton and Mr Gary Black. SACRE members Mr Brian Rogers (Chair), Reverend Sarah Rogers, and Mr Robert James also attended. The Senior Strategic Advisor for Secondary Schools, Mrs Laura Morris, and Communications Manager, Mrs Sian Johnson, were representatives from Central South Consortium. Our local primary schools were represented by Mrs Catrin Walters (Aberdare Town Church Primary School), Mrs Werret, Cwmbach (Church in Wales) Primary School and Mrs Jo Evans (Aberdare Park Primary School). From the Royal Welsh Comrades Association were Mr Gwyn Davies and Mr Eric Harris. Mr and Mrs Jones represented the Friends of St John Baptist (CIW) High School and South Wales Police representatives were: PC Claire Price (School Liaison Officer), PC Nick James, PCSO Alistair Rees, and PCSO Bernadette Mahoney.
Krakow and Auschwitz Study Tour, October 2017
Mrs Sarah Long, History Teacher, will be leading the 2017 study tour to Krakow and Auschwitz. Sixth Form students will visit the site of Auschwitz I and Auschwitz-Birkenau. In addition, pupils will explore the city of Krakow and its role in the history of Poland.
