|
Volume No: 2003-04/19 |
Date: 20 February 2004 |
|
I
had a good trip to Brunei, which I hope will prove useful to us in a
number of ways. Whilst there, I attended the opening of an international
schools’ Global Issues conference. The conference had been convened by
the International School of Brunei and in the region of two hundred
students took part. Each team of two students represented a country and
each country team had to prepare work on a number of Global Issues,
including Human Trafficking, Fair Trade and Terrorism. Their task was to
draw up an action plan and then negotiate it with other country teams, in
a forum, to achieve a consensus. The model for this is the United Nations
and events seemed to be conducted with a similar fervour! I would love to
see a team from KIS there next year. The
rest of my time in Brunei was spent on ICT (Information &
Communication Technology) and I brought Chris Smith back to KIS with me.
Chris is an ICT consultant and was the advisor to the English Schools’
Foundation in Hong Kong. He spent two full days in KIS, looking at our ICT
facilities and arrangements, talking to staff, leading two staff meetings
and generally being worked off his feet. It was a thoroughly worthwhile
visit and he left us with a lot to think about.
Swimming
seems to feature large in this week’s newsletter in a number of
different ways. Primary
parents will be aware that we have changed the swimming arrangements and
children are now leaving school in school uniform and changing at the
swimming pool before swimming. After swimming, they are then showering and
changing back into uniform before returning to school. There
are advantages and disadvantages to both this system and the old one.
However, we will trial the new system for a few visits and then evaluate
it before making any final decision. Next
Friday, 27 February, ALL secondary students will be going swimming so that
teams can be organized for the Swimming Gala on 5 March. Grade
Cards Grade
cards for all secondary students will be issued alongside this newsletter.
As always, if you are concerned about your child’s progress, please use
the Personal Organizer to arrange an appointment with secondary staff. E-system I
mentioned the school’s emergency telephone system in the last-but-one
newsletter and I hope that by now all team leaders have contacted their
teams. In the next week or two we will organize a test run to see how the
system works.
|
Traffic I
know that a number of parents are concerned about the traffic outside school
and particularly at the junction with St Francis Convent. There are a number
of points to be made here. I
am alarmed to hear complaints of cars speeding in the vicinity of school.
Please drive with extreme care – and instruct your drivers (which is
probably where the real problem lies) to do the same. The consequences of a
serious accident involving one of our children are unthinkable. The
road is a public road and we are simply not allowed to put up signs or install
speed bumps without involving the proper authorities. Datuk
Raymond Tan, who is the Vice Chairman of the KIS Board of Management, has
agreed to facilitate the setting up of a meeting with St Francis Convent to
discuss their new buildings and road access. Looking at the extent of cleared
ground around the school, the traffic congestion is only a small part of our
problems. It is very important that we proceed slowly through the correct
channels, so whilst this might be frustrating in the short term, please bear
with us as we try to find a long term solution to what could become a major
headache. WWF I
recently received an e-mail from Joe Eales, Secretary of FOBISSEA,
congratulating the school on its fundraising for WWF. This was before my time,
but I pass on his kind words to those of you who were involved. It
never rains but it pours… There
has always been some confusion over when cars are allowed into the school
playground. Our guideline has so far been “in heavy rain”. However, the
definition of “heavy” has proved contentious.
So, we have agreed that the guard will open the school gate to allow parents
to drive in Thank
you … to
Laynee Dobson for tennis balls, magazine racks, storage boxes and a mat for
swimming … and
to Mrs Hardjasudjana for badminton rackets, shuttle cocks and a soft football. Don’t
forget that school
is closed on Monday,
so have a good extended weekend! It is the last one before the end of term. Your
generosity is much appreciated. Best wishes,
|
Swimming
