Dear Parents and Guardians,
Flowers are blooming all around us! It’s hard to believe we have arrived at two-thirds of our Academic Year today.
This week, our vibrant Year 2 students delighted the audiences with their heartwarming performance of The Unexpected Visitor. Playing to a full house of proud parents yesterday, the children showcased their acting talents as they embarked on a fun sailing and fishing adventure. The charming story centred around a fisherman who forms a unique and special friendship with a whale, capturing the essence of friendship, kindness, and the beauty of the ocean.
We were honoured to have Catherine Shin, a UN senior political affairs officer with over two decades of experience in peace, security, human rights, and development, as our guest speaker at today’s Dulwich Talk Thought Leadership Series. Addressing students from Year 7 to Year 10, Catherine candidly and earnestly shared her experiences from various conflict zones and discussed her current work in South Sudan, highlighting the difficulties faced in the region and the ongoing efforts towards a peace agreement. The students were full of great questions, and Catherine shared some deeply moving personal stories about her life at the UN. I would like to thank Catherine for making time to visit our school today; her talk was truly inspiring.
Our Head of Senior School, Suzy Pugh, was recently interviewed as part of The Kiwi Chamber’s Inspire with Innovation series. In the interview, Suzy spoke about the benefits of the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme, her educational philosophy and her vision for the Senior School. I think she did a wonderful job and she is clearly a natural in front of the camera. Please click here to watch the interview and feel free to share it with your friends who may find the information valuable.
I am pleased to share the results of our recent Safeguarding audit conducted by Tim Gerrish from International Child Protection Advisers (ICPA). During his visit, Tim interviewed various members of our community, inspected our facilities, and examined our documentation and policies. We received commendations for our staff’s understanding, commitment to child safeguarding processes, and the effective implementation of reporting measures, among other positive aspects. Tim also provided recommendations to further strengthen our safeguarding procedures. To read the full list of commendations and recommendations, please visit the Whole School section of our e-update. We are committed to continually improving our safeguarding practices to ensure a secure and supportive environment for everyone at Dulwich College Seoul.
In light of upcoming road work starting 20 April to 30 June that will likely reduce traffic to one lane near the school, I strongly encourage parents to consider utilising public transportation or signing up for the school bus service to avoid severe traffic congestion during drop-off and pick-up times. By making the switch sooner, we can work together to prevent traffic disruptions and ensure a smoother journey for everyone until the end of Term 3. To sign up for the bus service, please email bus@dulwich-seoul.kr with your child’s name and your address, and our bus team will promptly get back to you. Your cooperation and understanding are greatly appreciated.
Please take note that our school photographers will be on campus from Tuesday 2 May to Wednesday 4 May for the annual school portraits for all students (except Year 11 and Year 13, who have already taken them). In the coming weeks, we will provide further details regarding the schedule, available packages, and any additional information necessary to ensure a smooth and efficient process.
I would like to wish everyone in the Dulwich College Seoul community a happy and restful Spring break. Please enjoy this time off—may it be filled with memorable moments and quality time spent with loved ones. We look forward to welcoming you back to school on Monday 10 April, rejuvenated and ready to start the new term ahead.
With my best wishes,
Mr Guðmundur Hegner Jónsson