From the Head of Primary 11.11.2023
International Day! Wow! International Day has always been one of the highlights of the KIS calendar for me, not just because of the delicious and varied foods on offer, but also because it is such a wonderful chance for the whole community to come together and celebrate our differences. In a world with so much conflict over such things, it is truly inspiring to see our school community teaching the next generation that difference is good, a way of life and something to be enjoyed.
The hall is always the centre point of such a day and once more it was decked out with everything from beautiful hand crafted ornaments to entire banners made from recycled materials. It was a sight to behold and although there will be one winner from the stand competition, I think that all the families involved in their creation are winners. Due to the commitment shown to create these masterpieces, the students really engaged with and enjoyed the cultural – as well as food – aspects of the event. A truly international day within school created by a truly remarkable international community of parents, staff and students.
Not only did we celebrate International Day this week, but we also took some time to raise money for Pink Ribbon Day. This is a really worthwhile cause and as primary students grow and move further up the school there will be more opportunities to learn about the superb breast cancer NGOs we are donating our money to. Primary always throw themselves behind school events and it was no different this time, seeing almost every primary student sporting pink clothing and donating to such a worthy cause.
Just as importantly, we had quite a regular few days of curriculum learning this week, which for many is a welcome return to routine. It was great to see the students back working in the classrooms, learning, being challenged and enjoying their time in school. Over the last few weeks the staff at school have totally gone the extra mile in terms of enrichment, teaching and learning opportunities for the students. It is because of them that the school thrives and the students enjoy their time at KIS so much. I am sure that you all appreciate their efforts as much as the students do.
As usual we had our celebration assembly, where we celebrated our stars of the week, trashless class and house point winners. It is a truly wonderful event in my calendar each week as we all come together to share our experiences over the week and look to the future. This week we focussed on global goals, which is upcoming next week on Tuesday. Congratulations to our winners this week!
We had 2 trips take place this week, but as Year 3 are on a trip as I write this newsletter, I will have the pleasure of updating you on their exciting adventure next week.
I will however, leave you with some words from our Year 4 team who went on a trip this week to support their science learning:
The Year 4 students had a fantastic time at the Petrosains Museum for our first school trip of the year. They explored various exciting STEM exhibits that provided plenty of opportunities for them to showcase their skills involving critical thinking, resilience and teamwork. There were particular exhibits that had a minimum height requirement, so that is definitely motivation enough for them to go back in the future. The children also participated in an LED lantern workshop, where they applied a wide variety of skills to complete the many steps to create the final lantern. They used copper tape, an LED bulb and a coin battery to create a circuit on paper, which they learned is the premise of musical greeting cards. Well done, Year 4, for being fantastic ambassadors for KIS and representing our school to a high standard on the day.
Have a wonderful long weekend, we will see you all on Tuesday,
Mr Beresford
