Primary School News

In our continuous effort to provide a secure and nurturing environment for your children, we want to inform you about some safety features we have in place to protect our students while they are working online at SSIS.

Enforcing Safe Search:

One of the key elements of our online safety strategy is the enforcement of Safe Search on major search engines. This ensures that when students use search engines for research or educational purposes, the results are filtered to exclude inappropriate or harmful content.

We are also enhancing our digital platform and implementing several additional safety measures to further develop online security for all community members.

Here are some of the initiatives currently in progress:

1. Website Rating: Restricting the access to websites that are not deemed suitable for educational purposes.
2. Individual Student Search Tracking: We monitor and log student online activity. This helps us identify any potentially unsafe or concerning activity. Each student has an individual login that can be monitored and viewed.
3. Phishing Protection: Our school system protects students from phishing attempts, ensuring that they do not fall victim to fraudulent websites or emails.
4. Antivirus: To safeguard against viruses and other malware students may be exposed to using the web.
5. School Firewall: The school has a digital firewall that helps to eliminate inappropriate sites. The school continues to build on this firewall by updating known inappropriate sites and searches.
6. Mobile Device Management (MDM) rollout: All iPads used at school are installed with and highly secure MDM application that teachers use to monitor.

We understand that the digital world presents unique challenges, and we are committed to taking every possible step to ensure that our students are safe while they explore the vast resources available online. We work with students to develop healthy habits, deep thinking and sound decision making necessary for constructive uses of technology and to navigate possible risks.

Your child’s wellbeing and safety is our top priority, and these measures are part of our ongoing efforts to provide a secure online learning environment.

We encourage you to have open conversations with your children about online safety and responsible internet usage. At school we also reinforce the importance of our school appropriate use policy.  Please feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns regarding our online safety measures or if you would like additional resources for promoting safe online behavior at home.

Yours sincerely,

Mr Shirley                                 Mr Griebenow

Head of School                        K12 ICT Coordinator

Last week all grade levels engaged in camps and excursions. In today’s digital age, where screens often take centre stage in our student’s lives, it’s easy to forget the profound impact that real-world experiences can have on their development. Camps and excursions provide unique opportunities for primary students to learn, grow, and develop vital life skills. Engaging in these off-campus adventures contribute to a holistic education of our students.

Let’s hear from our students regarding how they felt about the camps and excursions:

“First of all, I love so many plants. They were beautiful! I also love the pictures that we took. Second, we got a mini booklet for us to complete. I completed almost everything in the booklet. I saw a waterfall outside. It was delightful! It was the best trip ever! “ – Jayden LIN, G2M

– Queenie Xu, G2M

“It was fun at the zoo; I saw some animals which did a lot of interesting things that I had never seen before like the chimpanzee.” – Isaiah Seth Bohong WU, G3B

“I enjoyed the zoo excursion because I learned about many animals that I didn’t know about.” – Eason LIN & Marko DATSIUK, G3A

“Did you guys have fun during our Grade4 camp? Well, I did. I enjoyed almost everything. I liked the buffet we had for breakfast and dinner as we can finally feel like being a teacher. Camp was amazing!” – Xinya WEN, G4A

“I liked sleeping in the tent because it was fun to sleep with the wind and rain. The activities in the field were exciting. The buffet dinner was a delicious feast!” – Doyoon CHU, G4A

“This was my first camp ever. The activities were very fun! I had a lot of fun setting up the tent. Dinner was amazing and my favorite was the ice cream. The talent show in the evening was an opportunity for us to see a new side of our friends. The field trip the next day was fun too.” – Swastika Sharvi JHA, G4A

“Animal Hunt was exciting and fun because we got to explore the field and find the counselors.” – Marco XU, G5M

“I liked the wristband because it was special getting it from my friends [classmates]. I got the wristband for showing respect.” – Zhen Hao ZHONG, G5M

“It was a once in a lifetime experience that we as a class, together, could go on the airplane and go to Penglai and spend our time in Mahota Town.

At camp, they gave us a warm welcome and then we took the bus and went to Penglai aquarium. We got to see the dazzling fishes, monkeys, seals, whales and a lot more! We also went to see the dolphin and seal show. It was amazing and I was amazed by these creatures’ talents – fetching balls, jumping, singing, solving math’s problems and much more!

Our room was with 4 beds – 2 normal beds and 2 roll-out beds. The room was really clean, just some flies but nothing else. In the bathroom, there was a dental kit, shampoo and body lotion all prepared for us and everything was free.

We also went to pick apples; big ones and they were really sweet! Most of the students saved them for their parents, how sweet! We also went to pick grapes and crushed them into grape juice, then we poured it into a big metal can make wine. We also ate barbeque for dinner!

When the three days were up, we said a sad farewell and departed from the airport. This camp was really fun, and all grade 5 students should look forward to it. I also hope to have even more camps like this!” – Cherry SHI, G6A

“The grade 6 camp was awesome! We landed in Penglai, ready to go to the aquarium. We watched colourful fishes to kind dolphins. We then had dinner, eating fabulous organic Mahota vegetables and meat. On the second day, we went to the beach to play frisbee, had fun in the water and lunch was served. Delectable, delicious food again! After that, we had experiences of picking apples and grapes. We went to a wine factory to crush grapes to make wine. We feared the wine cellars, too. A tasty mouthwatering barbeque was served outdoors for dinner then finally the dance party! The fireworks were also exquisite. They lasted so long! On the last day we went golfing, and archery and had some free time rolling down the hills and finally went back to Shanghai. The camp felt relaxing, and we were away from electronics, so we could really focus on the learner attributes, and leadership skills and have FUN! I hope there will be a longer trip, just like this one.” – Viaan JOSHI, G6M

The grade 6 students did a great job of organising and running the assembly on Monday. Many students shared the wonderful learning that has been taking place in their classes. For English students read out their descriptive setting writing, some algebraic problems were shared, and they explained about the conversion of energy they have been learning about in science. All students were involved in a grade level dance to the ‘Fight Song’ by Rachel Platter.

During the grade 6 assembly this week class certificates were handed out for the first time this year. Celebrating success with class certificates is a meaningful and dignified way to acknowledge the success of our students. The class certificates symbolize the hard work, dedication, and perseverance that our students have put into their learning. The presentation of class certificates adds a touch of elegance and formality to the celebration, underscoring the significance of the achievement. It fosters a sense of pride, not only in the recipients but also among their peers and mentors who have supported and guided them on their journey to success. Class certificates serve as a tangible reminder of the accomplishment and inspire others to strive for excellence, reinforcing the values of continuous learning and self-improvement. It was great to see a large number of parents sitting upstairs and sharing in the success of their children. Below are the students who received class certificates and the reasons why they received them.

As the golden leaves of November fall, our school is set to embark on a literary journey like no other. Reading Extravaganza Week is not just about flipping through pages; it’s about diving deep into the world of stories, characters, and imagination. From dressing up as beloved book characters to exploring diverse languages, every day promises a unique adventure that celebrates the joy of reading.

This week-long event is designed to foster a love for literature, encourage creativity, and provide students with a platform to express their passion for books. It’s also an opportunity for our school community to come together, share favorite reads, and create lasting memories.

We invite everyone to participate wholeheartedly and, most importantly, rediscover the magic that lies between the pages of a book. Let’s make this Reading Extravaganza Week truly extraordinary!

Monday, 6th November – Character Day: Dress up as your favorite book character and join the book parade! Don’t forget to bring along the book or a snapshot of its cover.

Tuesday, 7th November – DEAR Day: Drop Everything And Read! Also, participate in the ‘Book Face’ and ‘Book in a Jar’ challenges.

Wednesday, 8th November – Outdoor Reading Adventure & Obido Catalogue Day: Grab your favorite book, sunglasses, hat, and blanket for an outdoor reading session. Additionally, students can explore the Obido Catalogue. We encourage students to find and purchase books from the catalogue, as it’s a great way to support our school’s fundraising efforts.

Thursday, 9th November – Multilingual Reading (Chinese Day): Bring along your cherished book in Chinese and celebrate the beauty of diverse languages.

Friday, 10th November – Cozy Reading Day: Wear your comfy pyjamas to school. After all, there’s nothing like a good book to wind down and drift into dreamland.