Dear SIA Community,
I hope this week’s newsletter finds you in good health and high spirits as we head into the weekend.
I wonder who has put the ‘I’ in kind this week?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJW7nyqTU-c
At SIA growing our provision beyond the classroom supports learning through collaboration, focus, and a provision that continues into the central learning areas. I have seen our FS learners have been exploring water, making a prediction about how colour can be changed and why the water level rises at times. Year 1 learners have been busy carrying out a variety of Science experiments, following on from their trip to the Science museum and year 2 had the chance to use all the skills they have learned in school at KidZania on their trip. I was impressed with how the language was being developed and the learners were providing explanations of what they were experiencing or seeing within their experiments.
We regularly change our display boards around the corridors as we develop themes and move on to different topics. I can certainly say they are looking fantastic and the learners’ work displayed demonstrates the significant progress they have made this year and their ability to comment on their learning through the VAAs and ACPs – this is truly awesome.
Across the school we have started our GL assessments and the SLT has been popping in to see how the learners are getting on during these assessments and seeing them engaged with the task at hand. For example, we have started our NGRT Assessments in which tteststs the reading abilities of our learners and help our teachers to support learners with how their lessons are delivered to ensure that every learner can access our lessons and further their learning.
As the scorching heat of summer in the UAE approaches, we at SIA feel compelled to address an important matter concerning the well-being of our learners. Living in the UAE, we are all familiar with the intensity of the summer heat and the potential risks it poses. The health and safety of our learners are of utmost importance to us, and as a community, I would ask that we work together to ensure that we are a ‘Sun Safe’ school.
Today’s celebration assembly was wonderful as always and I had a chance to visit with one of our lovely young learners, Mathew Yr8A, who competed in the UAE open badminton tournament finishing runner-up in the under-15 boys. What an amazing achievement!
To address this concern, we have a comprehensive heat policy that outlines the necessary steps we will take to safeguard our learners during the hot weather. The key points of this policy include:
Restricted Outdoor Time: It is essential that we minimise learners exposure to the intense heat during peak hours. Therefore, we will be limiting the time spent outside and conducting activities indoors whenever possible. This decision aims to reduce the risk of heat-related ailments among our students.
Sun Protection and the wearing of hats: Sunscreen and hats play a crucial role in providing children from harmful UV rays. We kindly request your assistance in providing your children with sunscreen and hats to ensure they are adequately protected while they are outdoors. Please ensure that you apply sunscreen on your child before they arrive at school.
Daily Temperature Checks: Our vigilant staff will conduct daily temperature checks to monitor the ambient conditions both indoors and outdoors. This will enable us to make informed decisions regarding outdoor play and adjust our activities accordingly.
We understand that our learners also benefit from spending time outdoors, and we will continue to strike a balance between their well-being and their need for physical activity. Our dedicated team will closely monitor the weather conditions and make timely decisions regarding outside play, always keeping the safety and comfort of our learners in mind.
Thank you for your ongoing support and trust in Scholars International Academy. Together, we can ensure the well-being of our learners as they continue to thrive academically and holistically.
#bethebestyoucanbe #proudprincipal
Take care
James Batts
Principal