T2W9 – 1 Mar 2024
Dear Senior School Families,
Welcome back after the Chinese New Year holiday! I hope you all had a fantastic time with your families and that your children are ready to dive back into our academic, and extracurricular activities.
Firstly, I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Ms. Tria and her team for their expert guidance in preparing our talented actors for the upcoming performances of Romeo and Juliet on Thursday 7th and Friday 8th March. It will be a true showcase of dedication and talent from our students and staff alike.
During this week’s assembly, the Principal’s address explored this month’s theme by elucidating on peacebuilding in schools. I discussed the significance of inner peace (well-being), outer peace (relationships), community and global peace (citizenship), and ecological peace (cosmos). Creating positive peace is a key aspect of our pastoral wellbeing programme as we foster an environment where our students not only excel academically but also develop into empathetic and responsible global citizens.
From our Senior Head of English, Mr MJ Havener. This year’s poetry festival represented a re-contextualization. For years, students have studied poetry, academically, in preparation for various examinations. This week, students were challenged to look at these same poems in a refreshed light. Through adaptations and recreations of these texts, students demonstrated that they could find new meanings in existing work.
Maryam Siddiqui gave an eye-opening keynote talk about the challenges of translating poetry from its original form to reach world-wide audiences. Our students had many opportunities to present existing poetry through live dramatizations and the Poetry Out Loud contest. By the end of the week, students and faculty alike were inspired to share their own original work!
This week was truly a celebration of poetry, showing our community that words have no borders.
Montage of photos from this week Poetry Week Assembly
I am inviting you to our upcoming University Fair, scheduled for Wednesday 13th March. This event is crucial for our students as they embark on the journey of researching and planning for their future university and career success. We encouraging them to explore their options and make informed decisions, and we appreciate your support in guiding them through this process.
As we approach the mock exam season, I want to emphasize the importance of our students fully focusing on effective learning and review. While academic success is essential, it’s equally vital for our students to prioritize their well-being. Encouraging them to find a balance between study and self-care, including regular exercise and healthy eating habits, will ensure they are best prepared to excel in their exams.
With my best wishes,
Mr. Steven Gaynor
Senior School Principal
Dates for your Diary
Tuesday 5th March (afternoon) : SUNGKYUNKWAN UNIVERSITY Admissions Sharing Event
Thursday 7th / Friday 8th March 6 pm : Senior School Drama: Romeo & Juliet
Saturday 9th March : SAT testing/SSIS Hosting Robotics
Wednesday 13th March (afternoon) : Spring University Fair
Friday 15th March : International Friendship Day (IFD) / Grade 12 Art Exhibition Opening
Friday 15th– Satuday 16th March : ACAMIS Junior Swim
Monday 18th – Friday 29th March : G10 & G12 Mock Examinations
Friday 29th March : House Shirt Day
Wednesday 3rd– Friday 5th April : April Holiday (no school)
Saturday 13th April : Parent Student Teacher Conferences (PTSC) / SISAC Soccer Tournament / SISAC Badminton Tournament
Saturday 20th – Sunday 21st April : SSIS Hosting WSC Shanghai Regional Round
Reminders: Student Absence, Uniform and Regular communication
If your child is absent, please email your child’s form teacher as soon as possible with a reason. It is a Shanghai Education Committee requirement for all schools to record attendance and reasons for absence.
A reminder that students should arrive at school wearing smart black shoes and ties should be worn at all times. While the weather is hot, students are not required to wear their school blazers.
Please email me (steven_gaynor@ssis.asia) with any questions you may have, and we can arrange a follow-up phone call or meeting through the Senior School PA, Katharine Chen (katharine_chen@ssis.asia).
Yours sincerely,
SSIS Senior School
