Dear Parents and Guardians,
I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to Helena and Vicky and all of the Friends of Dulwich (FoD) volunteers who made last Saturday’s Winter Bazaar such a success. The event was a true testament to the spirit of community and collaboration that makes our school such a special place.
From the flea market and vendor booths, to the musical performances and student-led gift wrapping and charity booths, there was something for everyone to enjoy. The hot chocolate and mulled wine were a hit, as was the photo zone with Santa.
In case you missed it, yesterday we published the latest edition of our Dulwich Haru newsletter, which tells the stories of our community members – Annie R in Year 3, our Head of Science Mr Sancho Cheung and parent Ms Zimie Rim. You can read about their fascinating personal stories by clicking on the thumbnails below.
We had an engaging Dulwich Talk given by one of our parents, Dr Changgyo Yoon, who is a public health specialist at the World Health Organization. Students in Year 7 through Year 10 learned about the South Pacific islands of Fiji, Kiribati and Tuvalu that face some of the greatest risks with rising sea levels due to climate change. Dr Yoon spoke about a lack of spaces to exercise (residents use an airfield as an exercise spot), issues of landfill and recycling of garbage that worsen their situation and rising sea levels and sea spray that lead to infrastructural damage. While sharing some alarming predictions about the future, Dr Yoon also offered some concrete things we could do about it. These include saving energy at home, taking public transport, eating more vegetables, using our power as consumers to effect change in industry and speaking up, among others.
On Tuesday, we held a Senior School Introductory Workshop for parents of Primary School students who are preparing to enter Senior School. The workshop, the first of a series, was designed to provide parents with valuable information and resources to help their children navigate the transition from Primary School to Senior School. Our Head of Senior School, Suzy Pugh, spoke about the many opportunities and programs available to students in the Senior School, and the attendees then broke up into small groups to take a tour of the Senior School facilities, meet the teachers and staff, and ask questions.
I invite you to watch this video of our recent Winter Concert. The event was a very special and memorable event. The video has well captured the incredible talent and creativity of our students. The winter concert has always been one of the highlights of the school year, and I am so proud of the hard work and dedication of our students and teachers who made it possible. It was a true celebration of the season. I encourage all of you to watch the video and share it with friends and family. It is a wonderful way to showcase the talents of our students and the incredible work of our teachers.
While joyous, the excitement around the holidays and time of the year could also be a stressful time for some of us. This is a good time to remind ourselves of our Community Shared Values and to be kind to one another. Kindness is one of our core values and as you know, we aspire to be the kindest school in the universe. We thank you for always spreading kindness and living and breathing this value we hold dear.
Looking ahead, I’m excited for next week’s EYFS Christmas Production, featuring our very own Nursery and Reception students. It’s an opportunity for our students to showcase their talents and creativity, and I have no doubt that the play will be a heartwarming and delightful experience.
I would like to invite Primary School parents to attend our special end-of-term assembly next Friday morning at 10.30am in the College Gymnasium. The assembly will feature a wide variety of musical performances from our students, a House Carol competition, and a Student Council handover ceremony. It’s an opportunity for us to come together as a community and celebrate the achievements of our students. I look forward to seeing you there.
With my best wishes,
Mr Gudmundur Hegner Jonsson
Head of College