Dear parents,
On Tuesday of this week I went to Muscat to attend a reception for Mr Olli-Pekka Heinonen, the IB Director General with Dr. Shehzad Jeeva (Chief Education Officer), Mr. Haif Bannayan (Global Director of Business Development), and Ms. Mary Tadros (IB Senior Manager). The event was attended by representatives from the Ministry of Education, the British Embassy, as well as Principals from IB schools across Oman. Mr Heinonen gave a presentation on education and wellbeing, stressing the need for international schools to embrace local culture while balancing global perspectives. He discussed the importance of student wellbeing, the concept of a “village to raise a child” and how all stakeholders should be involved. I had the opportunity to speak with him about our school and he was impressed by our approach of integrating local values with international-mindedness as an IB school.
Today’s Professional Development Day was a great success, with our teachers engaging in valuable research, learning, and exploration. The focus was on strategies to support our English as an Additional Language (EAL) learners, and the diverse range of workshops and discussions provided excellent preparation for our teachers. This is a significant step as we work on our Programme Development Plan (PDP) throughout the year, in preparation for our International Baccalaureate re-authorisation in January 2026. Throughout this year, all teachers will contribute to the PDP by testing and refining various teaching strategies, gathering evidence of their impact on student learning, and continuously improving their classroom practices.
Tomorrow, we will host the Nautilus swim meet at our school, with around 200 swimmers from Muscat and Sohar expected to participate. I invite all parents to join us for this special event and wish our students the best of luck in their competitions!
Looking ahead, on Monday, October 7th, we have the PYP Workshop: “Learning in the PYP Classroom” from 8:00–9:00 am, and we encourage all primary parents to attend.
Finally, on Thursday, October 10th, we will hold the Primary Assembly for Grades 3–6 from 12:20–1:00 pm.
Enjoy your weekend!
Dominic Robeau
