Welcome back everyone, and welcome to the new parents who have joined our learning community. A particular welcome to our new students and new teachers. We will now have 63 students in the SLS, which includes the Grade 6’s, who have moved up from the Primary school to join us in Secondary.
We have six new teachers involved in teaching Secondary students. Welcome to Todd Davis (Maths, Global Perspectives & TOK), Eric Griebenow (Music and Band), Meghan Kenney (Technology Integration and Grade 9 English), Isgak Jacobs (PE), Mina Znaidi (French and IB Arabic), Lina Hurst Mawasse (Science and IB Physics).
We start the year with excellent news: all of our former G12 students passed the challenging IB Diploma and have either been accepted in their first choice university or are in the process of applying. Though we are especially delighted for them, we are also delighted for their teachers, who have worked so hard to put the programme in place and support students in their learning. Clarissa has already started university and sent us a lovely message to say that she is enjoying herself but is really missing ABIS, which she referred to as “a home” and a “cozy environment”. Even as we grow, it is our intention never to lose this feeling.
Obviously, we are very excited at the commencement of the expansion project. I have never been so happy to see a large hole in the earth and a few diggers, which was the sight that greeted me when I returned after the summer. In the meantime, we have redesigned the secondary space to make it more efficient, as well as invested in some new furniture. You are welcome to drop in and take a look next week.
The goals set for all secondary students this year are to: be ‘active learner’s (in control and engaged in their learning), have a growth (can get better) mindset, and to work on their ‘netiquette’ (digital manners) skills. We will share more on these critical areas at a later date, so that you can help support from home.
We look forward to seeing you all shortly. The foundations are set (in all senses of the expression if you see the picture) for another successful year of learning at ABIS!
