From the Head of Secondary 20.06.2020

Year 13 Students have Graduated!

Tuesday 16^th was a very significant day for our Year 13 students. On that day KIS held its first ever Virtual Graduation Ceremony, and it had all the elements that one might expect of a really memorable occasion. Dr Glynn Davies, Senior Advisor at WWF Malaysia, made a speech in which he encouraged the students to follow their passions. He also talked about some excellent advice he had been given by his old headmaster when he graduated from Secondary school. This was “If you have something bad to say, say it. If you have something good to say, write it”. This seemed very relevant, not just for the students, but for us all. There were speeches from Mr Gross, and each of the Year 13 teachers spent a few [sometimes humorous] moments giving warm messages of congratulations to their students. Each student responded in turn. We had wonderful musical performances from Aaron Yap and Roshween Riar and we were able to see a photo presentation of the students from toddlerhood to the present day.  Many congratulations and a big ‘thank you’ to Mr Barker, who stage-managed the whole event.

Thank you to our graduating students! We wish them all well on the next stage of their journeys.

Global Issues: Black Lives Matter

The death of George Floyd in America sent shock waves around the world and it has been a huge matter of concern to our students. Many have been reading about this and other events, and dipping into history to try to discover how hardened attitudes were originally formed and how they have developed over time. In this week’s newsletter you can the first of two articles written by students on our Charity Committee. Please read it. When we return to school next week they will be holding a fund-raising event, so watch out for news about that.

Back to School!

We are all very excited to be welcoming our Year 10, 11 and 12 students back to school next Wednesday. I have sent out a letter to those students and parents with details of how the return will be managed and there will also be a video to show students what they can expect on the first and subsequent days to the end of term. Whilst online learning has been a life-saver during the lockdown it cannot be a substitute for the face-to-face interaction that we value so much at KIS.

The Malayan Tiger Pledge – Last Call!

This is your last chance to sign the petition to save the Malayan tiger. Read on to discover what you can do to contribute this worthy cause.

Mrs Margaret Renshaw

Deputy Principal / Head of Secondary

On May 25th, George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis. This was a horrific incident and the world watched in horror as a police officer kept his knee on George Floyd’s neck as he called out for his mother and slowly choked to death. Although his murder – and the deaths of many others such as Breonna Taylor, Eric Garner and Michael Brown – sparked some illegal riots, the vast majority of the protests in America and around the world have been peaceful because what most people want is simple: change. Here in KIS, we believe that awareness of racism is extremely important and that we should all join with the peaceful protestors in asking for equality for all and the end of racist behaviour. There are several ways in which we can aid in this fight, no matter how far away we are, and that is what we would like to address in this article.

Racism has been ingrained in American society since the days of slavery. Although the practice was abolished in the 19th century, its consequences can still be seen in the uneven wealth gap which is still very prevalent in modern-day American society. One of the most prominent ways in which this division is evident is demonstrated through the different ways white and black people are treated by law enforcement agencies.

The numbers of convictions are not equal and there are a lot of racial disparities regarding crime, reflecting the complex racial concerns. While reports show both black and white people engage in drug offences at similar rates, black people are more likely to be convicted. Why aren’t the numbers equal? For years, black people have suffered and fought tirelessly to obtain the same rights as white people, for a chance to be treated as equal. However, until society refrains from labelling people as ‘unacceptable’ or ‘untrustworthy’, the prejudice against the black community will forever remain.

If we as a community can recognise that racism not only stems from slavery, but also the embedded discrimination against darker skin colours – even within our own communities – then we can look at the intentional segregation and privilege bestowed upon those who reflect the “ideal” colour and status.

So, how can you help? Educate yourself. Spread awareness. Sign petitions and donate. Know that you have a voice to support this change. Acknowledge the injustices that the black community must continue to face today. It may seem far-fetched, but something small today can contribute to something bigger tomorrow.

The Secondary Charity Committee

When William Blake wrote his poem, The Tyger, in 1794, there were many tigers on Earth. Why not listen to actor Michael Stuhlbarg read it here: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/podcasts/75869/the-tyger.

By 1900, an estimated 100,000 wild tigers roamed freely throughout much of Asia, from the Caspian and Aral seas in the west, to the Sunda Islands in the south, and to Siberia in the east.

In 1928, Tigger first appeared as a character in A.A. Milne’s The House at Pooh Corner.

Since the 1940s the Bali, Caspian, and Javan tigers have gone extinct and the South China tiger has not been seen in the wild for more than 30 years.

Although wild tiger numbers have increased from 3200 in April 2010 to 3890 in April 2016, our Malayan tiger numbers have gone down from 3,000 in the 1950s to less than 200 in 2019.

Our Eco-Warriors have made videos to help educate us more about the tiger and the importance of the pledge. Thank you Serene, Eimhin, Naollin, Frankie, Sabrina, Fion, Maxine and Hope.

When Mrs Davis signed the pledge on 7th May, 33,978 other people had signed. On 18th June, this had increased to 37,010. Let’s make it 40,000. We are 4th out of all Malaysian schools in pledge-signing, let’s get to number 1.

Please sign the Malayan tiger pledge at:

https://www.wwf.org.my/tiger_pledge_/

www.wwf.org.my/tiger_pledge_/tiger_pledge_for_children/

Closing date: 11:59 pm 21 June 2020 (Sunday).

KIS can be part of the change and help save the Malayan tiger.

Eco-Warriors