Dear Parents and Guardians,
Welcome back to school for the start of Term 3! I hope that you had a wonderful and rejuvenating spring break, filled with quality time spent with family and friends, exciting adventures, or perhaps some well-deserved rest and relaxation. Although I have been away this week due to unforeseen circumstances, I am told that the school is once again humming with activity.
Last night, our students from Year 10 to Year 13 celebrated the senior prom at The River, a stunning floating event venue at the nearby Banpo Han River Park. The photos from the evening are amazing, showcasing the joy and wonderful memories that were made. The prom was an excellent way for our Year 13s to round out their last week of regular classes, their very last day of school being today. However, they still have exams to sit, and we look forward to welcoming them back for their graduation ceremony in May.
This week, a group of our Year 5 and Year 6 students had the incredible opportunity to join the 2024 Music, Art, Drama, and Dance (MADD) Festival hosted by Dulwich College Shanghai Puxi. The MADD Festival is a three-day celebration of art, collaboration, and friendship, where students and teachers from across the Dulwich network come together to work on creative projects under a specific theme. This year’s festival, with the theme of Carnival, is no exception, as our students immerse themselves in the world of art, guided by renowned professionals from various fields. The festival will culminate in an Arts Festival Extravaganza this Saturday from 3pm to 6pm (Seoul time), showcasing the impressive student performances and artworks that highlight their talent, dedication, and growth. Please click here to watch it on live stream. As the contingent of our Year 5 and Year 6 students make their way back to Seoul, I am certain they will return with unforgettable memories, new friendships, and a deepened appreciation for the arts.
Please enjoy these wonderful results of the DUCKS Big Sing project, a collaborative effort among six Dulwich College schools. Our DUCKS students had the opportunity to learn and perform the song One and a Million, which was specially composed for this event. After weeks of preparation and recording, we are thrilled to this video featuring the performance of our students. A special thank you to our music teacher, Cindy Kim, for her dedication and coordination throughout this project.
I am pleased to share that Dulwich College Seoul, along with Dwight School Seoul, Seoul Foreign School, the British Embassy, and local British, European, Spanish, and German chambers of commerce, will be participating in a policy roundtable titled EdVenture: Seoul’s Gateway to Global Investment on Friday, 26 April. This event aims to highlight the critical role that foreign schools play in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) to Korea by providing a high-quality educational environment for expatriate families. I will be representing Dulwich on the schools panel, where I look forward to sharing our experiences and insights alongside other school representatives. I would like to express my gratitude to Namju Cho for her efforts in setting up this event and our parent representative Jonathan Spink, Co-CEO of Copenhagen Offshore Partners, for sharing his valuable insights as an expat parent. This roundtable presents a unique opportunity for stakeholders to engage in meaningful discussions and explore ways to enhance Seoul’s attractiveness as a global investment destination. Please see the Whole School section for more details.
I am thrilled to announce that we have recently added a dedicated page on our website for the Worldwise Alumni Network (WAN). This initiative is part of our renewed commitment to fostering a more intentional engagement with our growing alumni community. The WAN page showcases the inspiring stories and diverse paths of our graduates, featuring alumni testimonials, spotlights on their global impact, and highlights from alumni events. It also introduces our WAN leaders and features video testimonials from our graduates. I encourage you to visit the page and explore the incredible achievements and opportunities within our alumni network. We look forward to strengthening the bonds between our current students and alumni, creating a supportive community that spans the globe.
As I prepare to return to Seoul next week, I look forward to reconnecting with students, staff, and parents, and to hear about all the wonderful things that have been happening at in school. Until then, I wish you all a fantastic end to the week and a restful weekend ahead.
With my best wishes,
Mr Guðmundur Hegner Jónsson