CIS VOICE | The President looks back on the highlight moments of the first month on campus
In the first month after school started at CIS, Head of School Nathan Gray looked back on the key moments of the school’s growth. He also shared his hopes for the future, looking forward to working with students, parents, and staff to continue the school's progress.
Let’s celebrate the start of this journey and look forward to exciting times ahead!
The following content is the Head of School's speech from the video
Hi everyone just want to give you a greeting.
This afternoon at the end of our first month of our CIS first show has been an amazing start to our school journey. It has been a very busy time for everyone: for students, for staff, for our administration operations and marketing team—our whole team here. And of course, no doubt it's been very busy for parents as yourselves adjusting to new schedules, new timetables, new realities of participating in a brand new school here in CIS.
Well, I just want to say this to everyone: I'm really thrilled with the support. I'm thrilled with the start that we've made. There's a lot to work on; there always will be. There's a lot more that we can continue to develop, and we have plans for that.
If we have a look now back at the first month, there is a lot that we can be thankful for and we can celebrate together in terms of what we have already established and are now working on, ensuring that they become a part of our community life; they become a part of who we are.
So let's think about this. We have had a great curriculum night where we learned more about what is going on in the classroom, what is coming up in the school year, having opportunities to interact in both formal and informal settings over a wonderful dinner. That was a fantastic dinner that we shared today; that will live long in my memory as a wonderful start to the year.
We've seen the launch of a number of very key programs for us, including our Rising Stars Golf Academy and our associated golf program.
Rising Stars Golf Academy
We've seen the Northern Lights Orchestra launched and the related music program, which is perhaps unheard of in the startup year, where a whole school has the opportunity to learn an instrument that could be part of an orchestra if they chose.
the Northern Lights Orchestra launched
And we've had a very high take up—over 60 percent of our school have taken up the opportunity to learn an instrument for free with one of the most reputable conservatoriums of music in the south of China, Xinghai Conservatorium of music.
Then we've had other opportunities to establish new routines, new timetables, and opportunities to get used to being a part of regular school life.
And part of that has been the launch of our ASA program, which is divided into two programs. The first part is our free English intensive program, where we're focusing on building the capacity of all our students, whether they be early learners in English or whether they are developing their already advanced or intermediate English proficiency levels.
Then we have, in our ASA 2 section, a whole range of ASA programs on offer to all of our families.
And that's been really exciting to see the students start to get involved in things such as basketball. In fact, speaking of basketball, I'm so excited about the fact that our very first representative team is starting to come together in only the first month of the school.
So the excitement amongst our students, particularly for extracurriculars, is going to gain a lot of momentum. I'm excited to see the very first day where our CIS Dragons, representing CIS in Foshan, will compete against another school later in the year. And I hope that we cause an upset and get one of our first wins in basketball ever. That's been exciting!
Of course, the launch of our swimming program in ASA is wonderful. We've got a great swimming pool. There's a brilliant 25-meter pool down there that is now starting to be used.
We are looking forward to developing the rest of our program in terms of extracurricular activities and curriculum, whether that be the Alberta curriculum, the development of our A levels, or the development of our Creative Design Academy as well.
Not to forget, of course, that in ECE, they are doing extremely well. Students of the youngest ages, 1 and 2 years old, are settling into the school year.
We're hearing great reports of highly engaged daily activities and meaningful lessons developing their early learning, early literacy, and early numeracy. Play-based activities are taking place, and it's exciting to see the development of ECE as well.
Right now, it's Friday afternoon as I record this video and this greeting to you, and we're on the very eve of our National Day holiday celebration here in China. To all families, I want to wish a very sincere greeting and happy National Day holiday to you all.
In my parent letter that I've written this week, I put my heartfelt message as far as China is concerned. I love China. I love its people, its culture, and its history. To be part of that, to be able to celebrate here in China, is a great honor, and something that we, here in our CIS in Foshan. We want to emphasize and celebrate as a community together.
So, I hope you have a very restful time. I hope you have an enjoyable break. You've worked hard—whether you are a parent, a grandparent, or one of our amazing students. I hope you have a great break, and I’ll see you in just over a week's time, ready to start again in the lead-up towards the end of our first semester of learning.
I'm really looking forward to some of the events coming up after the break, events such as our Orange Shirt Day—you’ll hear more about that real soon—and our Pumpkin Day. Some of our events, such as field trips, will start to unfold as well. There is also the Parent Association that will be developed soon after the break.
There’s a lot to look forward to and a lot to get involved in. I want to say thank you for your support so far and for what you have contributed. I encourage you to keep supporting us, keep getting involved, finding new ways, and keep offering your feedback.
We are looking to grow, develop, and improve. We are looking to expand our academic excellence and our caring community in so many ways that benefit, of course, everyone within the community, but most of all our children, whom we really, sincerely do love and care for.
So, thank you once again for a wonderful first month. Happy holidays, everyone, and I’ll see you very soon.