When sitting in the meeting for our English/Library collaborative committee meeting last Thursday morning, tossing around ideas for projects and events for 2025, I realised how lucky Shalom students are. Energetic and enthusiastic staff want to offer education in much more innovative ways than when I was young.

Learning can happen on many different levels and in many different ways, and some are more effective for some than others. If the student is engaged then he or she will reap some reward from an activity, how much is only really hindered or helped by their level of commitment – and their teacher’s.

Massive amounts of study have gone into effective teaching techniques and theory, but at the end of the day the connection between the teacher and the student is the most important component for success. Similarly, school library staff can contribute to a young person’s propensity to engage in reading. Curating collections that are exciting and relevant is the first step, working as a team with teachers is another!

The Shalom Literary Committee has great plans to grow and strengthen and offer students more opportunities in 2025 and in the years to come.