What is so special about Mina Lopato
I often think about what it is that makes Mina Lopato such a special school. I know all the adjectives we use to describe ourselves, like diverse, inclusive and open-minded, while these attract people to the school, there is something more that once they get here, keeps them here.
It is these 'things' that interest me. The feeling you get, the vibe, the atmosphere you feel when you walk in, that makes you want to leave your child here for the day, knowing they will be taken care of and given opportunities to learn, play, create and imagine.
Mina for me, is a safe place, a piece of home, where children can and must be children. where they are looked at by adult eyes with interest and care. Where children play with each other, regardless of whose class they are in. where teachers and assistants look after them, whether they have to or not, but simply because its a family where everyone belongs and we all take care of each other. It's a place where teachers don't just teach, they invest in futures. Assistants don't just assist, they nurture and build relationships.
So it's more than just adjectives and words. Mina Lopato is special because it is people; parents and children and adults and siblings and friends. It is a family, where you hear noise and laughter, where everyone looks up to see who is crying and why, where smiles and a hug are given with abundance, where you can't always say why, but you know and feel that this is a special school.
“Encourage and support your kids because children are apt to live up to what you believe of them.”