Message from the Principal

What a week!

The meteorological events of this week have certainly tried to test us all. As I walked my dog at 5am on Wednesday morning and waded through water that covered my ankles in parts, a sense of awe confronted me. There were many people up and about, much more than usual and not just the early morning joggers and dog walkers. People had come out to help clear up, to lend a hand to help sort out the area they lived in. They weren’t just taking care of their own area and belongings, but helping to sort communal areas and each other’s spaces. Neighbours and maintenance people all working hand in hand to get things back in order.

In our school, I am so grateful to all of our community for pulling together. Firstly, the patience, acceptance and adaptability of parents, students and staff are much appreciated. It is never easy having to close the school or waiting to hear from ADEK whether we are allowed to open. It is tricky for parents to find space and time to support their children when their own working life is also being disrupted. It’s hard on the teachers having to adapt lessons and re-organise resources for lessons at the last minute. I also have much empathy for those students due to sit exams this week and have had their expected routine changed. Not a great moment for them. There are also those who have only just joined our school this term and have had to find their feet with our online learning without even really knowing what we do or had any time to build friendships to ask a friend for help. There's the operations team who after clearing up once had to start all over again and gave everything they had to make the school ready to open this week. For all of us, we have adapted, got on with it and succeeded. Thank you.

More than this though, people have been helping each other. People who have been flooded and reached out for support received that support from those around them. It is great to see WhatsApp being used for the power of good.

On Monday, I did get to welcome some students and families back to school and to say a brief welcome to some new families. I also had the great pleasure of catching up with a previous family who had moved abroad and wanted to use some of their Spring break to visit and reconnect. It was wonderful watching them as they saw the school and familiar friends and acquaintances from the past. They were also impressed with how much the school has developed and improved since they left two years ago. Commenting on the new DT area, auditorium and the improvements to the shared areas like the dining area and corridors. They noticed the pride in the work displayed in the corridors and improvements to many classroom environments, and they were met with smiles and hugs from those they knew.

Today, I am glad in the knowledge that we will be back in school on Monday. I am looking forward to reorganising things we had to postpone like our coffee morning and workshops. I am looking forward to welcoming people back after the Spring break and reconnecting on a deeper level. To our new families, I wish you a warm welcome to our BIS Abu Dhabi family. I am looking forward to meeting you in person over the days and weeks ahead. But most of all I am looking forward to seeing our students settle into the last term of the year and making the most of it.

Our school is special, it is different, it is a family community because of the way we keep true to our values of kindness, honesty and respect. We look out for each other and we take time to help and support one another. Thank you to each and everyone of you for making our school so special.

Alan Cocker

Principal

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