Dear Parents and Guardians,
This week, we were thrilled to welcome Dr Cameron Pyke, Deputy Master (External) of our founding school Dulwich College, onto our campus. As part of his responsibilities, Dr Pyke annually inspects all the Dulwich College International schools to ensure quality and support the development of meaningful educational links between students and staff of the Dulwich family of schools.
Over the course of two very busy days, he visited and observed classes in Primary School and Senior School, met with student leaders and parent representatives, and worked closely with the College Leadership Team. It was an honour to host Dr Pyke and showcase the exceptional work of our students and staff and we are grateful for the ongoing support and guidance from our founding school in London that his visit represents.
I’m delighted to report that The Gala Ball has sold out. Thank you to all of our families and community members for their enthusiastic support of this important event, and thank you again to the Friends of Dulwich for working so hard to make it possible. I’m looking forward to an exciting and festive evening at the Conrad Seoul, and I can’t wait to see everyone there.
As a school community, we take safeguarding very seriously. Recently, we had a safeguarding audit conducted by Tim Gerrish, a world-renowned expert in the field. We are now in the process of implementing his recommendations to ensure that we provide the highest level of protection for our students.
One recommendation that Mr Gerrish made was regarding the use of photographs. We would like to remind parents to be mindful of taking photographs of children who are not their own, as this can be a breach of privacy and can make others feel uncomfortable. Additionally, we ask that parents refrain from posting any photos that feature other children on social media without explicit consent.
Additionally, it’s important to set privacy controls on social media accounts to prevent bad actors from exploiting ‘likes’ and ‘shares’ to gain access to personal information, including interests, hobbies, relationships, and social connections. Let’s work together to ensure a safe and supportive environment for our students by taking the necessary steps to secure our online presence.
We appreciate your cooperation in helping us maintain a safe and supportive environment for all of our students. If you have any concerns or questions regarding our safeguarding policies, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. You can read our full safeguarding policy in English here or in Korean here.
We have finally removed the transparent screens in our cafeteria, and the students and staff can now enjoy unhindered conversation while eating their lunch. One of the last remaining remnants of our pandemic protocols, their removal marks a significant step forward in returning to a sense of normalcy in our school.
I would like to remind you to fill out the reenrollment survey for the upcoming academic year 2023/2024. To ensure your child’s spot for the next academic year, all families are required to complete the survey by Friday, March 31, 2023. This is essential for returning families, while for those who may be leaving us, it is a necessary step for qualifying for a refund. Thank you in advance for your cooperation, and we look forward to having your child with us for the next academic year. Please refer to the email titled Reenrolment for 2023/24 [Action Required] on Wednesday of this week for details.
The performance of the National Chorus of Korea on Wednesday evening in our College Auditorium was simply astounding. You can access a beautiful recording of a variety of pieces performed (and more) on YouTube or Spotify. I also want to express my gratitude to Director of Music Mark Knights for being instrumental in organising the event.
This week, we unveiled our new Honours Board. It’s a beautiful tribute to the dedication of our Head and Deputy Head students, who have exhibited exceptional commitment to leadership within our community. It’s not only a fitting recognition of our current student leaders, but it also serves as an important historical record, honouring the legacy of those who held the position in years gone by. To celebrate the occasion, we invited our current Head and Deputy Head students to pose for a picture in front of the board that will display their names in perpetuity for future generations of Dulwich College Seoul community members to admire.
This week’s Dulwich Talk with Joo-Seuk Maing, CEO of PRETTL SWH Korea and Vietnam, was a great success. Joo-Seuk shared the insights he has gained during his 17+ years in the global auto industry and offered sage advice to young people looking to start their careers. The talk was engaging, inspiring, and perfectly relevant to the Year 12 and Year 13 students who were in attendance, who were of course full of questions.
Next week is Book Week! This year’s theme is ‘Food in Literature’. From a dress-up day to author visits, book fairs, and more, it’s going to be a jam-packed week of literary activities. We will even be receiving a special visit from Her Excellency, Michelle Winthrop, the Ambassador of Ireland to Korea, who will be joining us to promote Irish literature and read a chapter from her favourite Irish children’s book during Primary Assembly on Monday.
Save the date – I’m excited to announce that our Year 13 Graduation Ceremony and Dinner will take place on Friday 19 May. The ceremony will be held on campus, followed by a dinner at the beautiful Conrad Seoul. It’s our big moment to celebrate our students’ achievements and wish them well as they embark on their next adventure.
With my best wishes,
Mr Guðmundur Hegner Jónsson
Head of College