SCHOOL HOUSES
Green Grove Overview
The purpose of the House system is to instil a sense of camaraderie and citizenship amongst the student body. Students learn to be responsible citizens by:
A strong School spirit is also engendered amongst the students as they strive to represent their respective houses through personal academic, physical, cultural, and social excellence in performance.
The aim of the House system is to give pupils a focus of identity outside their class group. It provides a healthy competitive spirit in sports, even as academic excellence is fostered by added incentive to work hard in subject areas. Finally, students are enabled to identify with other students and staff outside their own year group, thus creating a strong sense of community and citizenship.
The use of element names as the divisions of the School Houses was chosen for several reasons. First, elements are the basic building blocks of life and therefore its essence. This idea reinforces the idea of using the Six Pillars as the basic building blocks of character and therefore is essential for the development of character in our students at GREEN GROVE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL.
Furthermore, the use of elements reminds students to be stewards of the earth. In this modern era, with concerns such as pollution, erosion, global warming, we wish to instil within the students a desire to preserve and to protect the environment. The use of elements exists throughout recorded history. There are some common universal ideas that are generally reflected within each of the elements. The philosophies and positive ideas often associated with the elements are contained within our own character education program echoed by the Six Pillars of Character.
Below is a brief description and correlation of the elements to Social Emotional Learning (SEL) competencies and the Six Pillars of Character.
House Name : Redwood (the giant conifers with thick fibrous bark)
Colour : Orange
Theme : Fire
Fire is often associated with creativity, courage, and its light - giving qualities which are cause it to be inspirational to others. It also represents the energetic, forceful, moving of things in the world. In the Six Pillars of Character, these traits reflect caring, citizenship, and responsibility. Fire represents drive and passion and can be associated with motivation, desire, and intention. Reflected in SEL competencies are self awareness, self management, and relationship management.
House Name : Silver oak (small slender tree with usually entire grey-green pendulous leaves and white or cream-colored flowers)
Colour : Purple
Theme : Air
Air is often associated with thought and the ability to perform abstract reasoning. It is often associated with analysis, synthesis and probing. In the Six Pillars of Character, these traits reflect fairness, responsibility and trustworthiness. Also because air is associated with nurturing and life - giving qualities, it too reflects caring and fairness. Reflected in SEL competencies are self awareness, social awareness, and responsible decision making.
House Name : Cedar (A conifer which typically yield fragrant, durable timber)
Colour : Blue
Theme : Water
Water is often associated with nurturing, compassion and understanding. In the Six Pillars of Character, these traits reflect respect and responsibility. Water is also associated with being a fundamental necessity of life, therefore because of its life - giving traits, it too reflects caring and fairness. Reflected in SEL competencies are social awareness, relationship management and responsibility.
House Name : Cypress (an evergreen coniferous tree with small rounded woody cones and flattened shoots bearing small scale-like leaves)
Colour : Green
Theme : Earth
Earth is often associated with being practical, grounded and dependable. Also, it is our duty to keep the earth sustainable and to preserve and protect the environment because environmental changes affect everyone around the world, so we must be responsible in our choices and decisions to protect the earth and each other. In the Six Pillars of Character, these traits reflect citizenship, responsibility, and trustworthiness. Reflected in SEL competencies are self management, social awareness, and responsible decision making.<
Displaying House Emblems / Colours:
To display membership to a particular house, students will wear ID straps that display the colour of the house to which they belong. During internal school competitions between the houses, students will wear jerseys displaying house colour for sports such as basketball and soccer, as well as other outdoor competitive sports.
- Reading, understanding, and respecting the tenets set forth in the “Six Pillars of Character.”
- Committing to participate responsibly in school life.
- Maintaining high standards throughout the year.
A strong School spirit is also engendered amongst the students as they strive to represent their respective houses through personal academic, physical, cultural, and social excellence in performance.
The aim of the House system is to give pupils a focus of identity outside their class group. It provides a healthy competitive spirit in sports, even as academic excellence is fostered by added incentive to work hard in subject areas. Finally, students are enabled to identify with other students and staff outside their own year group, thus creating a strong sense of community and citizenship.
The use of element names as the divisions of the School Houses was chosen for several reasons. First, elements are the basic building blocks of life and therefore its essence. This idea reinforces the idea of using the Six Pillars as the basic building blocks of character and therefore is essential for the development of character in our students at GREEN GROVE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL.
Furthermore, the use of elements reminds students to be stewards of the earth. In this modern era, with concerns such as pollution, erosion, global warming, we wish to instil within the students a desire to preserve and to protect the environment. The use of elements exists throughout recorded history. There are some common universal ideas that are generally reflected within each of the elements. The philosophies and positive ideas often associated with the elements are contained within our own character education program echoed by the Six Pillars of Character.
Below is a brief description and correlation of the elements to Social Emotional Learning (SEL) competencies and the Six Pillars of Character.
House Name : Redwood (the giant conifers with thick fibrous bark)
Colour : Orange
Theme : Fire
Fire is often associated with creativity, courage, and its light - giving qualities which are cause it to be inspirational to others. It also represents the energetic, forceful, moving of things in the world. In the Six Pillars of Character, these traits reflect caring, citizenship, and responsibility. Fire represents drive and passion and can be associated with motivation, desire, and intention. Reflected in SEL competencies are self awareness, self management, and relationship management.
House Name : Silver oak (small slender tree with usually entire grey-green pendulous leaves and white or cream-colored flowers)
Colour : Purple
Theme : Air
Air is often associated with thought and the ability to perform abstract reasoning. It is often associated with analysis, synthesis and probing. In the Six Pillars of Character, these traits reflect fairness, responsibility and trustworthiness. Also because air is associated with nurturing and life - giving qualities, it too reflects caring and fairness. Reflected in SEL competencies are self awareness, social awareness, and responsible decision making.
House Name : Cedar (A conifer which typically yield fragrant, durable timber)
Colour : Blue
Theme : Water
Water is often associated with nurturing, compassion and understanding. In the Six Pillars of Character, these traits reflect respect and responsibility. Water is also associated with being a fundamental necessity of life, therefore because of its life - giving traits, it too reflects caring and fairness. Reflected in SEL competencies are social awareness, relationship management and responsibility.
House Name : Cypress (an evergreen coniferous tree with small rounded woody cones and flattened shoots bearing small scale-like leaves)
Colour : Green
Theme : Earth
Earth is often associated with being practical, grounded and dependable. Also, it is our duty to keep the earth sustainable and to preserve and protect the environment because environmental changes affect everyone around the world, so we must be responsible in our choices and decisions to protect the earth and each other. In the Six Pillars of Character, these traits reflect citizenship, responsibility, and trustworthiness. Reflected in SEL competencies are self management, social awareness, and responsible decision making.<
Displaying House Emblems / Colours:
To display membership to a particular house, students will wear ID straps that display the colour of the house to which they belong. During internal school competitions between the houses, students will wear jerseys displaying house colour for sports such as basketball and soccer, as well as other outdoor competitive sports.