Dear Parents,
With only four months to go before the school year is over, our teams are working hard to finish the year as strong as we started it.
The Swim Curriculum has been a huge success with students from ASD and BSD and I’m proud of our students who continued to develop their skills throughout the year. Our temperature controlled swimming pool allowed our students to continue their lessons even during the colder months. To celebrate their progress, ISG Aquatics is planning the first annual House Swim Gala, Duel in the ISG Pool, for both schools in May. Please encourage your children to continue developing their swimming skills in preparation for these events. I’m sure they’re going to be fun and exciting for all.
Congratulations to all our U11 BSD students that participated in the British Schools in the Middle East Games in Muscat, Oman last weekend and their remarkable success. The BSME Games provide students with sporting opportunities in a safe and competitive environment, and expands their learning in healthy sportsmanship. Our young athletes came home with 5 gold, 5 silver and 4 bronze medals. Congratulations Lions!
Week Without Walls is a week in which students engage in international or local activities outside the classroom, often in community service opportunities. It allows students to step outside their comfort zone, have new experiences and embrace their potential to make a difference. This year our ASD students traveled to Vietnam, Japan, Italy, Greece, Switzerland, Romania and Denmark. Please watch the video to see photos from their trips.
Students that stayed in the Kingdom also had the chance to experience a variety of activities outside the classroom and learn more about themselves and their interests in activities such as cooking, cake decorating, making clay, painting, making fairy gardens, chess, basketball and bowling. Many of our students went on field trips around Khobar to Ithra, Scitech, Escape the Room and Mahara Karting.
The London Theater Arts trip has been running annually since 2012. This year 20 BSD and ASD students enjoyed a week of cutting edge theater performances, took part in challenging theater workshops and visited some world famous galleries and museums. The group watched 9 plays and performances, attended 4 tours and workshops and had a successful experience. I know they are looking forward to their next trip in October 2023.
Sixteen members of the Model United Nations Club at ISG Dammam attended an MUN conference in Birkerød, Denmark from February 22-26, 2023. There were over 250 high school students in attendance from all over Europe and the Middle East. Students participated in one of the eleven committees, focusing on a variety of pertinent global issues including disarmament and international security, crime prevention and criminal justice and issues facing the United Nations High Commission on Refugees. Two ISG Dammam students, Maya and Noor were selected to chair committees during the conference, and students engaged in spirited debates, using facts and data to validate their positions. The students from ISG Dammam represented the countries of Mexico and Gabon in their committees and were quite successful. Maria won best delegate representing Mexico in the Commissions of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. Thawfiq won best delegate representing Mexico in the World Health Organization Committee. Maria, Yamen and Adam won the best delegation overall representing Mexico in the Commissions of the Economic and Social Council. The students were able to explore a little bit of Copenhagen in their free time, taking a canal boat tour, visiting Christiansborg Palace and eating at delicious bakeries. Congratulations to all our students, parents and teachers on this wonderful achievement.
The Jaguar Jump Off continued before our spring break with more competitions and various activities for each team. Students registered for activities they were interested in, and teams competed to earn spirit and competition points. Currently, the Black Panthers are in the lead, followed by the Blue Raptors, Scarlet Phoenixes and finally the Green Goblins. Stay tuned for the next Jaguar Jump Off update.
Our teachers always look for fun and age appropriate ways to enhance student learning. Here is how our teacher at SVS took her students on a journey through the Earth's layers and guided them to create their own model versions.
I’m pleased to announce that our second annual ISG Alumni Reunion will be held in London, on May 9, 2023. If you have a child or know a student that has attended or graduated from ISG, from any of our schools, please share this interest registration form with them. More details will be shared as we get closer to the event.
Saudi Arabia recently introduced March 11 as Saudi Flag Day. As we look forward to celebrating Flag Day with some activities on Sunday, March 12, please encourage your children to wear green and white clothing when they come to school.
I would like to remind you that school hours during Ramadan will be 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. for all ISG students. We will begin operating with the new adjusted schedule on Sunday, March 19, 2023.
Best wishes,
Michael P. Mack