Issue No. 17 (14 December 2018)

Dear Students, Staff, Parents, Alumni and other members of the community,

Everything I have seen this term has reinforced to me what a great privilege it is to serve you all in this exceptional school.

Last week, we received a four-day visit from two colleagues representing the Council of International Schools (CIS) and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), who were carrying out a Preparatory Accreditation Visit for South Island School. This process involved making a very thorough analysis of all aspects of school life.Our accreditors looked at our core values, such as the way our students make a difference as global citizens; they analysed the strength of our leadership, the internationalism of our curriculum, and the robustness of our assessments; they considered furthermore the emphasis we place on well-being and on keeping people safe, and how our premises, facilities and teaching resources help our students to achieve their very best; they noted how the expertise of our inspirational staff drives everyone towards exceptional achievements; and they were also struck by the supportiveness of you, our community, our family.

It will be a few weeks yet before we receive our official preparatory report – but it is already clear that they will be highlighting the student leadership at our school as an absolutely outstanding feature. Our students act as leaders every single day, in big ways and in small ways. Today, for example, our leading students were running our annual Christmas Assembly, which showcased so many of the things that makes South Island School so very special. It struck me as term ended that the young people who have done such a tremendous job in making a difference this term are the same slightly older people who will have the power to make even more of a difference as adults, as leading professionals in their chosen fields. This gives me great encouragement that our future is in very safe hands.

Merry Christmas everybody!

With best wishes,
Tom Vignoles

The PTA Shop and Office will be closed from 15 December 2018 – 6 January 2019 (both dates inclusive). We will re-open on 7 January 2019.

What an appropriate way to see Term 1 off in style and to celebrate a full and successful start of the 2018-2019 academic year, the only way South Island staff know how to… Big, Bold and Collaboratively… 

With wellbeing at the forefront of SIS and ESF’s agenda it is only right that we continued our tradition of a ALL STAFF Christmas Lunch on site, on Friday, 7th Dec. .  By the end of of the evening we saw approximately 100 teaching staff and 70 support staff in the Atrium enjoying a wonderful spread catered by Chartwells and par-taking in a  variety of entertainment activities from; Table Tennis, Jenga, Photo booth, prizes draws and Bingo (Mr. Rowe made an awesome Bingo caller and even had us out of out seats and dancing). 

The staff Christmas party is a real testament to how supportive, caring and cohesive the staff are, and this year was even bigger and bolder than before…

On behalf of the SIS Staff Association I’d like to  wish all stakeholders a restful, fun filled and peaceful holiday. 

Syrita Nicholas
SIS Staff Association Chair