Dear DCIS Families,
As we bid farewell to an action-packed, but certainly never dull first term of the academic year, I do feel an immense amount of pride and gratitude to our wonderful team, students and entire community for all that has been achieved.
Term 1 is by far our longest term, spanning 5 months and 46% of our total school days (more if you include our new staff induction and training days). This is also the term that starts with the largest amount of transition and change, as new classes, new teams and sometimes new systems come into being.
Whilst we recognise that change can be a scary part of life (for us as well as our children), it is important to try to allay fears around change and reframe it as an opportunity to learn and grow. It is during this period of change where new friendships are formed, new ideas are shared and new challenges are faced and overcome together.
There have been many positive changes this term. We have adapted some of our units of learning, starting the academic year with an emphasis on community, culture and belonging, reflecting our values of embracing diversity and promoting kindness. We have also talked about metacognition, what it means to be an effective learner and how we can foster our resilience and seek challenge in our learning. Opportunities are created for our children to think creatively and critically making big connections between different areas of their learning and the world around them. This has been supported by guest speakers from within and beyond our community.
We have taken learning beyond the classroom engaging in new trips such as our visits to NEWater, as well as some tried and trusted favourites like the National Museum of Singapore and the Science Centre. Our Year 4 also experienced an overnight residential in Bukit Batok for the first time ever.
With our new sports field, we have increased our opportunity to build new sports teams, compete in new tournaments, and engage in sports events such as our sports days. We have increased our commitment to parental engagement, by introducing ‘tell me about your child’ meetings, adding more Parents as Partners workshops, as well as increasing opportunities to come to school for performances and the sharing of learning.
Alongside these changes we have held onto many things that we value. Whilst new staff have added value and new perspectives to already very strong teams, our aspiration to excellence and high expectations with regard to each other and your children’s learning is as resolute as ever. We are also a community that holds firmly to our belief in inclusion, kindness and the importance of creating a strong sense of belonging.
What is important as we look forward to Term 2, Term 3 and beyond is that we continue to work together, engaging in dialogue, discussion and common purpose when challenges arise. We should continue to trust and learn from each other, embracing the opportunities that change can bring whilst remaining unified as a community in our shared values.
I hope you and your family have a wonderful break, that your children have a lovely balance of fun and rest, and that everyone remains safe and well during the holidays.
Take care,
Dave Buckley
Head of Primary
