T3W12 – 9 June 2023
Dear Senior School parents,
Last Friday, we came together as a community to celebrate the remarkable achievements of our outstanding grade 12 students during the Graduation ceremony. This graduating class truly weathered the turbulent waves of recent years. Considering the challenges they faced and overcome, it feels fitting that this graduating class is the first-year group that can celebrate in the world class Performing Arts Centre (PAC) without any restrictions.
Our graduates were encouraged to not dwell on the opportunities they have missed but look forward and grasp every opportunity ahead of them. At the same time, graduates were reminded to focus on discovering their purpose and making a steadfast commitment to what they love. Finding purpose and making commitments will lead to depth & meaning. Purpose serves as the guiding star that illuminates everyone’s path, providing direction and meaning to life choices. Likewise, graduates were advised to dedicate themselves wholeheartedly to their chosen path, whether it be in academia, career, relationships, or service to others.
Our school goal is to develop future global leaders; after all our grade 12s have overcome and contributed to the school, they are undoubtedly this, but my challenge to them going forward is to find a life of worthy purpose, make a commitment and become the future global problem solvers our world needs.
Our graduates are also stewards of SSIS – whether this relates to academic achievement, athletics, community service or innovation. The measure of an excellent school is not just where its graduates go to university when they are 18 but rather what they have accomplished when they are 81. It is the successful people that end up at their destination on purpose –
“if you do, you will have lived a life with a story worth telling.”
As our graduates move out into the world, our final message to them is to not strive for normalcy or a new normal. strive for excellence, forge their own path, draw on the resilience they have built at SSIS and, most importantly, FIND THEIR PURPOSE.
Congratulations, SSIS Graduating Class of 2023!
In this week’s assembly we again recognised the students that have regularly demonstrated
- Lifelong Learning
- Strength of Character and
- A love of Humanity.
We presented Future Global Leader certificates to the students with the most merits in Term 3 and also bronze award commendations for students that achieved 25 merits or more. I am looking forward to awarding our first Silver, Gold and Platinum awards next year!
These small daily acts of learning, good character and kindness contribute to the formation of well-rounded SSIS graduates. These awards are just a small sample of the excellent behaviour for character that happens every day at SSIS.
Throughout this academic year, our school actively participated in a series of exciting and academically rigorous mathematics competitions. On an international platform, we attended two math competitions, namely the American Mathematics Competitions (AMC8) and the Waterloo Mathematics Competitions. The AMC8 was particularly noteworthy as it marked the first-time participation of seven talented grade 8 students.
Meanwhile, the Waterloo Mathematics Competitions witnessed students from grades 7 to 11 showcasing their mathematicalacumen resulting in an impressive 15 students receiving distinction certificates. Additionally, we organized two internal mathematics competitions to further foster mathematical curiosity and intellectual character mong our students. The Interhouse Mathematics Team Competitions, planned by our Grade 11 IBDP Higher Level Mathematics students, involved enthusiastic participation from students in grades 7, 8, and 9, providing them with an opportunity to organize and engage in competitive mathematics.
Furthermore, we announced the winner of the Math “Pi” Rate competition, introduced by our dedicated Grade 12 student Eun Seo HEO as her scholarship initiative. This application and historical significance of Mathematical discoveries competition required the students to research and then communicate via a Pecha Kucha presentation the importance of a Mathematician’s work on society. The top presentations received Maths themed prizes. On Monday 12th June, periods 4 to 6, grade 7&8 students will also take part in the rescheduled Maths Trail enrichment activity. Overall, our school’s commitment to mathematical excellence and the embrace of challenge by our students throughout these competitions have made this academic year truly memorable for our Senior School Mathematicians.
Speech from the “Pi”rate Competition Winner HOO Zhi Yee,
“The math competition is an exceptional event which encourages students to research and develop interest to mathematical concepts or mathematicians. The project requires the contestant to research general background information of the mathematician and the concept. For my project, I researched René Descartes, which was often referenced as the father of modern philosophy. Descartes published the cartesian coordinate system and the general formula of the quadratic equation in which my project specialized in. His discovery made finding equations’ roots achievable and allowed other mathematicians to analyse the relationship between variable quantities”.
Sabres broadcasting is the Chinese broadcasting platform for students to improve their oral Chinese proficiency, which has been running for 3 years in SSIS. It is a bi-weekly broadcasting program, played during the form time for all students in Senior School. All SSIS Senior students have the chance to become broadcasters who will be recommended by their respective Chinese teachers. Broadcasters will prepare their own scripts and broadcast at a special broadcasting studio. Senior School students are very enthusiastic to join Sabres broadcasting team, showcasing their talents as a real professional broadcasters.
It is another cultural tradition among Grade 7 students is the learning of Chinese calligraphy and competition for the best calligraphic work. It is important for students to focus on their drawing, which will be helpful for the improvement of their Chinese characters. In addition, through the calligraphy study, students will know better about Chinese strokes and the structure of Chinese characters, which will also be critical for their Chinese study, especially for the progress they can make in their Chinese own character writing.
An end of year thank you to all students, parents, teachers and all SSIS staff.
In this final newsletter of this academic year, I want to offer a heartfelt thank you to the SSIS community. It has been a challenging academic year as we started the year navigating daily COVID testing and then moved to the full opening of the school. Thank you for your unwavering support and understanding. While the last few years did put some physical barriers between the school and home: I do believe our home-school partnership is now stronger than ever.
I also want to thank all of our teachers and support staff. Throughout the ever-changing environment they have found new and often creative ways to continue to offer the following to your child
nurture, listen, support, guide, coach, nudge, counsel, encourage, mentor, tutor , inspire, motivate, facilitate, question, ask, help, read, review, research, Illustrate, moderate, supervise, test, perform, persuade, model, introduce, conduct, Indicate, hint, consult, train, request, aid, advise.
We are busy planning for academic year 2023-24 and will continue to strengthen the home school partnership and continue to offer outstanding educational outcomes to your children.
With gratitude
Mr Steven Gaynor, Senior School Principal
Dates for your Diary
- Friday 9th – Sunday 11th June: Grade 10 International Award Excursion
- Monday 12th June: Grade 7&8 Maths Trail (Period 4-Period 6)
- Tuesday 13th June: End of year Character, Leadership & Academic Awards (1:45PM)
- Wednesday 14th June: Aesthetics Summer Concert (2PM)
- Thursday 15th June: Last School Day for students. House Day (Students to wear House Shirts)
Student Wellbeing
Dear parents,
I cannot believe how quickly the school year has flown by….and what a year it has been! Just last week, we watched our IB Class of 2023 graduate and for many of them, this was a very emotional moment as they have been with SSIS from early years. A new tradition began with the graduation dinner at The Millenium Hotel where we celebrated their journey and gave thanks and recognition to both teachers and parents. This was followed by a memorable graduation and an unforgettable ferry cruise for the prom. It is with sad hearts we bid farewell to these much-loved students, but this is the start of a new adventure.
RAPS House Winners
After numerous House events and the award of almost 15,000 House points, we announced the winning House for Academic Year 2022-23.
After an anxious wait watching each House’s points accumulate…
The winning House by just 11 House points was SAPPHIRE!
Sapphire will have a House party next week and be recognised at the final end of year assembly.
The last day of school for students is Thursday 15th June and this will be a House Day. Students wearing their House short will gain House points for the next academic year!
End of Year Event and Activities Week
For our last week in school, we have prepared an array of mini-enrichment activities:
From Mental Health, Puberty & Physical Anatomy Talks (Grade 7 & 8) delivered by specialist doctors from Delta Hospital & an exciting Math Trail * grade 7&8), introduction to IB courses (Grade 10), whole school aesthetics summer concert & a reflective end of year assembly.
The Character, Leadership & Academic Awards Ceremony is also on Monday 13th June (1:45 pm) and we look forward to seeing as many of you there as possible.
Ms Shireen Naidoo, Senior School Assistant Principal shireen_naidoo@ssis.asia
Reminders
If your child is absent, please email your child’s form teacher as soon as possible with a reason. A reminder that students should arrive at school wearing full school uniform, including smart black shoes, dark socks and ties.
As the weather warms, students should no longer be wearing outer jackets and instead wear their school blazer as the first outer layer of clothing.
Please email me with any questions you may have, and we can arrange a follow-up phone call or meeting through my PA, Katharine Chen.
Contact Information
| Mr Steven Gaynor | Senior School Principal | steven_gaynor@ssis.asia |
| Ms Katharine Chen | PA to Senior School Principal | katharine_chen@ssis.asia |
