From the Head of Primary 29.04.2023
As you know, last week we celebrated Earth Week to raise awareness about environmental issues and promote sustainability. It is a time when we consider the impact of human activity on the planet and try to take action to protect it. Earth Week provides an excellent opportunity for individuals, organisations, and communities to come together and make a positive impact on the planet. During Earth Week, various activities were organised: Meat Free Monday, Take a Lift Tuesday, Waste Less Wednesday, Thrifty Thursday. However due to the last minute public holiday we were unable to celebrate Feel Green Friday. Miss Gibbons asked students at home to try their best to finish the celebrations by asking an adult to switch off the power for an hour while the family relaxed at home and wear any Earth themed outfits that had been prepared.
Last week, waste was turned into wonderment as, across primary, students began the challenge of creating flight in the name of science. This was a competition run across schools from all over Malaysia and everyone seemed very excited! What appeared to some as a sea of recyclables strewn across classrooms was viewed by the children and their teachers as an opportunity to innovate, create and to face adversity. Everyone was impressed by what the students came up with. At times it was hard for us, as teachers, to step back and allow them to create things that may not work but we knew it would be worth it for it allowed the children to work out what was not working, and why – putting their knowledge of science and their abilities as engineers to the ultimate test.
It was wonderful going to the different classrooms and talking to children about why they had selected particular materials, which parts of their initial design had succeeded and which bits needed adapting. Most of all – it was LOADS of fun! Certificates were given out in assembly to those who won but also to those who showed good use of their skills, even if the outcome was not as they had hoped, since this is just as important in budding scientists.
Mrs Fulat
On Thursday, the Safeguarding Team ran a Coffee Morning on Child Protection and Safeguarding. This was an opportunity for parents to discuss, with the team, common issues that are being dealt with by the school and gain an insight into how the staff support the students with these issues. The Safeguarding Team plan to host another of these before the end of term so please look out for information about this as parents said it was incredibly useful. You can read more about our Safeguarding team in the Secondary section.
Also, on Thursday Year 5 visited the Shangri-La Tanjung Aru Resort as part of their ecotourism topic…
During our visit Y5 learned about what ecotourism is and the positives and negatives of the tourism industry. We discovered some of the initiatives of the Shangri-La group to be more sustainable and support the local community, including funding new projects in local schools. We also had a tour of the hotel, seeing the facilities that both guests use and also behind the scenes where the general public cannot usually go! This was very exciting. As part of this, we stopped off at the Clownfish Discovery Centre and enjoyed learning about these amazing fish. Additionally, we interviewed some of the hotel staff to find out more about their roles and responsibilities. They loved our questions! Overall, we had an amazing trip and this will definitely help us with our own ecotourism projects after half term!
Mr Shaw
In our weekly assembly, we continued to talk about how we can be planet protectors and some of the ways we can care for our Earth. We also announced the winners of the Tomato plant growing competition. Congratulations to Y1!
As well, certificates for the Science competition were awarded and we celebrated: Birthdays, Stars of the Week, Bronze, Silver, Gold and Head Teachers Awards.
You have one more week to decide who will be our Primary Global Citizen!
The profile of the selected student must be aligned with the school’s vision of Global Citizenship:
A global citizen understands that we are all connected, upholds the values of equality and actively contributes to the development of a better world.
Global Citizens:
- have an awareness of the wider world and a sense of their own role within it
- respect and value diversity
- are committed to social justice, equality and sustainability
- participate in the community at a range of levels, from local to global
- take responsibility for their actions
Global Citizenship involves:
- Enquiring, discussing, thinking critically, reflecting and collaborating
- Exploring the complexity of global issues and engaging with multiple perspectives
- Applying learning to real-life issues and contexts
- All ages and all areas of the curriculum
- The whole school community
We invite nominations from students, staff and parents.
If you would like to nominate a student to be considered for this award, please email me: khitchen@kis.edu.my (students and staff have been sent a GForm).
You must include the student’s name, year group and detailed information as to why you think they should receive this award. The deadline for nominations is Monday 8h May.
After the holiday, a number of the Y5 and Y6 students will be heading off to Thailand for the FOBISIA games. I can’t wait to hear all about their successes and I am sure you will join me in wishing them good luck.
Finally I would like to extend a very warm welcome to some new students and their families who joined us this week:
Ismael in Reception
Aleena in Y1
Zihan in Y2
Wishing you all a wonderful week and I will see everyone back in school on 8th May.
Take care.
