#ACSDOHALIFE edition 4
Sustainability still matters
#ACSDOHALIFE
Our 4th edition, celebrating our vibrant school community
Welcome to the 4th #ACSDohaLife.
In this edition:
Certainty and calm
Sustainability still matters
Changemakers leading the way
Preparing our youth for an ever-changing world
Working for real businesses to get ahead
Advanced Placement
Awaken your wolf
The show must go on!
Taking care of everyone
What really matters
Certainty and calm at school
Hear from Robert Cody, Head of School about his time in Doha and the year so far.
This year, I have stressed the importance of certainty and how it can help bring some calmness to a challenging 2020. Now it is 2021, and we continue to see that certainty remains important. In a life with many uncertainties, school life can be a very important pillar of permanence. It provides routine and familiarity and a support system for students and parents alike.
We are halfway through our first year on the brand new campus. Even with social distancing, we are beginning to see how students will use the new campus to leap forward in their education. The spaces at the new school are spectacular, and students filling the school with energy is terrific. Teachers have also seen the advantages of the learning zones and, more importantly, the outdoor learning spaces. The new campus was designed to allow for learning to take place on all 66,000 square meters.
"As I walk through the school, there is not one space that has not seen a staff member teaching or a student learning."
My family has been able to call ACS Doha home for the past seven years. Our extended stay here has taught my family much about ourselves and the fantastic community in Doha. We still have so much to learn, and we look forward to learning more from our interactions with our own ACS community and the wonders that Qatar has to offer. Both of my children have grown at ACS Doha, leaving to join the university of their choice, my son in Texas, majoring in Kinesiology, and my daughter in Georgia, majoring in Illustration. Two different paths that ACS was able to make possible for them. It’s so exciting to now see the new externships programme and the IB Careers programme taking shape for our students.
This year marks the end of the first ten years for ACS in Doha. We opened in August 2011 with just a small number of students, some of whom are still with us today. This is a significant accomplishment, and one of which we are very proud. ACS Doha follows in a long tradition of schools and I’m delighted that our three schools in the UK are recognised in our new campus with three meeting rooms in the main entrance. It’s always good to remember we have schools back in the UK that we continue to work with closely and with whom we share learning, achievements and ideas. This also provides the school and its leadership with welcome constancy in our uncertain world.
"The future continues to be hopeful for Qatar and ACS Doha."
Robert Cody, Head of School
The return to open travel in the region, the rollout of the COVID 19 vaccine, and the coming of the World Cup and the Asian Games are fast approaching. Qatar is situated to be a focus of the world and ACS Doha at the centre of it all.
Founded in 1967 to serve the needs of global and local families, ACS International Schools educate over 3,700 students aged 2 - 18 representing over 100 nationalities.
ACS Doha opened in Qatar in August 2011 and now has student capacity for 2,470 students in its new state-of-the-art campus. This is ACS Doha's tenth year in Doha.
Sustainability still matters
How ACS Doha is keeping sustainability top of the agenda.
Sustainability still matters
How ACS Doha is keeping sustainability top of the agenda.
In line with our mission to empower our students towards building a sustainable future, the school hosted its second annual Sustainability Week in January. Under the theme of Conscious Consumption, the school engaged students across all grades through initiatives and workshops held in collaboration with our partners, Ryan’s Well Foundation, and Qatar Cool.
Conscious Consumption, a globally-recognised term, refers to an increased awareness of how consumption impacts society at large with the intent to preserve the environment. Students learned the value of only buying what a person needs, avoiding food waste, choosing quality over quantity, and considering second-hand or up-cycled products to reduce waste and more. Students also learned about resource management, a way to ensure that the world's natural resources are not depleted and allocated sustainably so future generations have equal access.
During the Sustainability Week, educational workshops and activities were organised across the school. Renowned Canadian charity Ryan’s Well Foundation ran hygiene education and water awareness workshops on the importance of clean water for communities in the poorest regions of the world. The workshops for Grades 6 to 10 were held by Ryan Hreljac, Founder and CEO of the charity, who spoke on the issues surrounding water scarcity, the importance of accessing safe water, and the devastating consequences of living without access to clean drinking water. The workshops were aimed at motivating students to take action and effect positive change in the world.
Collaborating with the greater community, there was also an on-campus workshop on Sustainability on the topic of Conscious Consumption by Qatar Cool.
Robert Cody, Head of School, commented: “A successful future lies in a strong foundation. With our extra-curricular initiatives, we hope to enrich our students beyond the classroom: building capabilities that will allow them to succeed in all spheres of life with the environment being a crucial aspect. The world we live in is characteristic of rapid consumption, with fast fashion and fast food, that we forget to slow down and recognise the high cost to our environment and its resources.
Raising awareness on the environment and its natural resources, Sustainability Week aims to connect students with sustainability today to lead Qatar to a greener tomorrow.
Robert Cody, Head of School
Building on last year's inaugural activity, this year's Sustainability Week seeks to raise environmental awareness, teach responsible consumption, and lead students to actionable solutions. We aim to foster a spirit of sustainability that will guide students towards realising the environmental pillar of the Qatar National Vision 2030.
Sustainability is a core founding pillar for our new campus. The purpose-built, state-of-the-art building has been constructed with sustainability in mind such as lighting, infrastructure and technology that is intentionally designed to be eco-friendly. Alongside our truly global education, we firmly believe we will equip our students with the creativity, tools, and critical thinking crucial for tackling complex issues of tomorrow on a macro scale such as climate change.
Changemakers leading the way
A report on ' What the world needs...', the first in a series of ACS virtual events.
Changemakers leading the way
Parents, teenagers, teachers and members of the wider community learnt what it takes to be a changemaker for a better, more sustainable future during a recent ACS virtual event ‘The world needs…adventurers’ in November. Featuring renowned entrepreneur, Sian Sutherland, a thriving ACS alumna, Sissel Tønnesen Engblom, and ACS Cobham Forest School Trainer, Chris Hupp, the event explored why the world needs adventurous thinkers, the importance of nature in our lives now and in the future, and how taking risks and embracing failure creates positive outcomes.
‘The world needs… adventurers’ was the first in a series of events across ACS schools which will explore ‘what the world needs’, delving into the big societal and technological challenges the world is currently facing,;l./' and considering exactly what kind of citizen the world needs to contribute to a better, more sustainable tomorrow.
Hosted by Head of ACS Cobham, Barny Sandow, the event began with an explanation of what it means to be an adventurer – being bold enough to take risks and embrace change for a more sustainable future.
Sissel Tønnesen Engblom, ACS Cobham alumna
Former student, Sissel Tønnesen Engblom, was welcomed back to her alma mater to share her career pathway from student to urban architect and CEO, highlighting the importance of the spaces we live in for ensuring a sustainable future.
A highlight of the talk was Sissel’s thought-provoking description of her involvement with the redesign of the government headquarters in Oslo following the 2011 terror attack. Through the power of architecture, Sissel worked to redevelop the space in a way that would heal the hearts of Oslo’s community and provide a platform for them to thrive and progress from the attack.
Co-founder of A Plastic Planet, Sian Sutherland, followed with a compelling talk on how a decision at age 25 led her into a career of entrepreneurship, failings and open-mindedness. Sian shared powerful anecdotes on “what she wishes she knew at 16”:
If you choose to be an adventurer, you choose to live on a rollercoaster experiencing those ups and downs.
Sian Sutherland, co-founder, A Plastic Planet
Sian discussed her career as a restaurateur, founder of a brand agency and founder of pregnancy skincare brand, Mama Mio. All of this led to her enlightenment about the impact of plastic consumption on the oceans and the co-founding of her current venture, A Plastic Planet.
Sian Sutherland
As well as her impressive ventures in environmentalism, Sian is truly an adventurer to the core – she is an entrepreneur and innovator, a risk-taker and problem solver, and most of all, a real advocate of the value of failure for personal growth and development.
She highlighted that, when it comes to entrepreneurship “if it was easy, everyone would do it”; you need to be prepared to set yourself goals and strive every day to achieve those goals. Sian left attendees thinking about their relationship with plastic and how we should use our buying power to buy less and buy better.
Wrapping up the event, Chris Hupp, explored the adventure of childhood and our intrinsic need to connect with nature in order to foster an ecological identity.
Education, in particular Forest School and outdoor learning, is a way to restore our relationship with the natural world and bring balance back to our lives.
Chris Hupp, Forest School leader and science teacher Lower School, ACS Cobham
Chris discussed the benefits of outdoor learning, such as the development of resilience and confidence, as well as the ways it improves wellbeing, creativity, and cooperative teamwork. He urged viewers to critically reflect on the modern mechanistic worldview which keeps us disconnected from nature and is a key driver of climate change and the widespread loss of biodiversity.
Chris added: "we must rediscover a more holistic perspective of the complex systems that support life, considering how humans are an integral part of nature".
Chris Hupp
Summing up, Barny Sandow, said: "For ACS, adventurers are not just explorers of the world and things in it, they are risk-takers, independent thinkers and entrepreneurs, open-minded to new opportunities. Adventurers not only want to explore the world around them but want to preserve it and all the things in it."
"At school we encourage all students to think independently and creatively, and provide many opportunities for students to make a positive impact on the world around them.
The topic of ‘adventurers’ and their critical role in building a better, more sustainable future aligned perfectly to our school’s ethos and we were keen to learn from individuals who live and breathe these characteristics.
Barny Sandow, Head of School, ACS Cobham
"While Sissell and Sian did an excellent job of defining the grown-up adventurers we need to build a better world, Chris framed beautifully what we can do now to foster the children of today to become the changemakers of tomorrow"
The next event in this series is ' The world needs Global citizens" and will explore what it means to be a global citizen to be hosted online at ACS Hillingdon on 9th February. The line-up includes Michael Sheldrick, Chief Policy and Government Relations Officer at Global Citizen and Martin Hall, Head of School, ACS Hillingdon.
Stream the ‘The world needs…adventurers’ event and sign up for the next event here.
Preparing our youth for an ever-changing world
Reflections from ACS Strategy Education Director, Dr Robert Harrison
Preparing our youth for an ever-changing world
Today, we are caught up in a technological revolution that is unlike anything experienced before, writes Dr Robert Harrison.
From machine learning, AI and self-driving cars, to 3D printing, augmented reality and robotics, complex technology is trickling down into our day-to-day lives, not only affecting the way in which we work and communicate, but also in shifting the way we run our businesses. As we watch this Fourth Industrial Revolution unfold, we cannot predict how it will end, but we can prepare for the changes ahead.
As leaders in education, it is our responsibility to adapt our educational models so that they reflect our world today and provide an academic foundation that offers the knowledge, tools, and skills needed to succeed – alongside the flexibility to choose one’s own pathway for a lifetime of learning.
At the core of students' success should be a curriculum which not only caters to a well-rounded education but also recognises that every student is unique, fuelled by their own passions and motivated by their own dreams. This means that empowering schools offer advanced study which spans core subjects like statistics, calculus, biology, computer science and comparative government.
At ACS Doha, for example, we offer four school-leaving qualifications that students can choose from as they plan their next steps in life: Advanced Placement (AP) courses, the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma and Career-related Programmes, and the US High School Diploma.
Advanced Placement Program®
The Advanced Placement Program® (AP) is the latest extension of ACS Doha’s curriculum, offering more flexibility to students who want to explore subjects in-depth through a one-year externally-examined courses. AP courses are highly-valued, particularly by US and Canadian universities. As a parallel learning pathway, the AP programme enables students to experience college-level studies while they are still in high school.
These rigorous courses offer challenging work where students learn essential time management and study skills that are crucial for college and career success. What is more, students can focus on their preferred subjects of interest, tapping into their individual creativity and problem-solving skills, possibly earning an AP international diploma upon graduation and often earning college credit.
Nourishing a student’s unique talents means adopting a personalised approach to teaching that pays close attention to their interests, strengths, and aspirations, and remains consistent throughout the duration of their school life. An enhanced approach such as this, adopted by ACS Doha, adds the kind of flexibility that is essential in today’s education systems.
Dr Robert Harrison
Focused discussions, progress evaluations, engaging students’ families, and identifying best-fit courses are all part of a larger philosophy for fostering growth through guidance that is tailored for each student’s individual success. Personal and academic challenge and learning beyond the classroom are important qualities in a contemporary education that aims to prepare students for their chosen futures.
While both AP and IB Diploma courses present a route that is attractive for students who wish to immediately pursue a traditional pathway toward higher education, ACS Doha offers an exciting alternative that focuses on more hands-on, career-oriented trajectories.
International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme
The dynamic International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme (IBCP) develops personal and professional skills, a career-related qualification, and focused academic study that puts students on what can be a more direct path toward the workplace.
Enhancing this experience, ACS partners with the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) to offer a high-quality curriculum in entrepreneurship, as well as externship opportunities with Paragon One, through which students work online with some of the most respected companies in the world. Students benefit from work experience, internships, mentoring and service learning from experienced industry professionals that are part of a large network of global companies.
Understanding that not one size fits all, the IB Career-related Programme allows students to channel their strengths in a skills-based, work-related credential that lets them choose for themselves between higher education, apprenticeship, or even starting a business of their own. It’s a highly-flexible framework for a rich, relevant, and personalised education. Students learn lifelong skills in applied knowledge, critical thinking, communication and cross-cultural engagement.
Dr Robert Harrison
University admission officers are not only looking for good grades and evidence of character, but also for some idea of a students’ interests, passion, and personal accomplishments.
Dr Robert Harrison
Career-related learning helps fill that gap. The IBCP focuses on practical, real-world experience that’s highly motivating for today’s students who understand community challenges and are anxious to make their mark in a rapidly-changing world.
What the world needs now is a new generation of global thinkers and doers. We need a range of rigorous, relevant educational programmes that can help every young person rise to the challenge, and become the best possible version of themselves. The future depends on their success.
For further information on High School Pathways consult your tutor or visit the website.
Working for real businesses to get ahead
Partnerships Manager, Elliot Rose, introduces our exciting new virtual externship programme.
Working for real businesses to get ahead
Partnerships Manager, Elliot Rose, introduces our exciting new virtual externship programme.
ACS Doha has partnered with Paragon One, a US-based company who have spent many years cultivating rich relationships with industry-leading companies. Their programmes allow students to undertake remote internships, or ‘externships’ with these companies, working on real projects. The students gain invaluable skills and experience as they begin to prepare for the world beyond school, something that is central to the ACS ethos.
What is an externship and which students can participate?
Paragon One externships are eight-week remote, part-time, experiences. Students spend a minimum of 10 hours each work working on their projects, using an online platform to manage their work, connect with other students and to check-in with their managers. Fifty students from Grades 9 to 12 will participate in the programme this year.
What can a student expect to be doing?
Students are placed with a company, based on their areas of interest that they include in their application to the programme. Once they start their externship, the students log into their Worker Platform to learn skills and complete their assigned projects. They attend meetings to review work, ask questions, and receive support from their manager and host company throughout the eight weeks, and have access to their student community 24/7.
How do they benefit?
Universities and employers are increasingly looking beyond exam grades, seeking real-world experiences in students’ applications and resumés. Completing an externship not only adds enormous value to a student’s university application, it provides them with invaluable experience and helps them to develop the skills they will need as they enter the world beyond education.
Which companies could students work with and on what type of projects?
The companies that Paragon One work with include Facebook, HP Tech Ventures, RallyCry Ventures, Thematic, Younity and Crafted Capital. Depending on the company that a student is placed with, they could be working on a variety of projects, such as product development, PR and marketing campaigns, statistical analysis, and financial management. All of the projects are designed to develop students’ skills in time management, critical thinking and general business understanding.
What has ACS invested into the opportunity for its community of students?
For this initial, pilot programme, ACS has invested £33,000 (approximately QR 164,000) in externship places for 50 students. We believe it to be a vital component of our aim to help our students get ready for the world beyond school.
In a digital age that not only requires but expects graduating students to enter the workforce with skills and savvy, remote externships stand out as work experience opportunities that allow students the flexibility of asynchronous work, while providing them with a scaffolding of mentorship that eases their transition from classroom to office.
Paragon One
For further information on the externship programme please contact Elliot Rose via erose@acs-schools.com
Advanced Placement
Oliver Chua and Nickeisha Thomas talk us through the new AP programme.
Advanced Placement
Oliver Chua and Nickeisha Thomas answer questions about the AP programs, new to ACS Doha.
Explain the AP in a nutshell
AP Placement courses are designed to prepare high school students for the rigours of college-level work. After students complete an AP class, for which they earn high school credit, they can also take the AP exam and earn college credit, which is decided by higher education institutions based on students' scores.
What subjects are offered now and what is planned in the future?
For 2021/22, ACS Doha will offer the following AP courses (subject to student interest): AP Statistics, AP English Language and Composition, AP Spanish Language and Culture, AP US History and AP Biology.
We are envisioning to expand our AP offerings by adding AP Physics I, AP Chemistry, AP Calculus AB, and the AP Seminar.
How does the AP prepare students for college?
AP classes will raise the "wow" factor of a student's high school record. If a student does well in an AP class, it's a signal to admissions counsellors that he or she is ready for the pressures of college study.
AP classes sharpen students' writing skills, teach them how to think critically, and improve their problem-solving abilities. Students learn to navigate the academic expectations they'll encounter in college courses. Earn college credit. AP exams are scored on a scale of 1 (lowest) through 5 (highest). If a student earns a 3 or higher, he or she can receive course credits, advanced placement, or both upon arriving at college.
AP courses and exam scores help students qualify for scholarships. According to The College Board, 31 percent of colleges and universities look at AP experience when making scholarship decisions. Students with AP experience and credits are more likely to graduate from college in four years. Extra semesters (or years) at college can put a heavy financial burden on families.
Oliver Chua
What is an AP international diploma?
There is no AP international diploma, however there is an AP Capstone Diploma, which we currently do not offer. We are envisioning to offer this in the future.
What type of student should take APs?
The Advanced Placement experience is not for every student. Before choosing to enrol your child in an AP course, consider these factors:
- Your child's past performance in the subject area. If a student has always excelled at science, AP Biology may be a great idea. On the other hand, if he or she tends to struggle in math, AP Statistics might be too much of an ordeal.
- Your child's skills. AP courses in the humanities – English, history, etc. – require heavy amounts of reading and writing.
- Is your student prepared for long, difficult reading assignments, multiple essays, and in-depth research papers?
- Your child's schedule. A student who plays sports year-round, holds leadership positions in one or more extracurricular activities, and/or has a part-time job may find it difficult to meet the sizeable obligations of an AP class.
- Your child's GPA. No student should take an AP course if it's likely to lower his or her overall GPA. College admissions officers want to see students taking challenging courses, but they also want to see strong grades. If your child is worried about maintaining decent grades in an AP course, it might be wise to stay with an honors course.
Nickeisha Thomas
Are the classes different to DP classes?
Yes, the AP courses are different Diploma courses in the following aspects:
- AP courses need to be completed within one academic year, while DP courses generally take two years to complete
- DP courses have both an internally and externally marked assessment component, while the AP only has an externally marked component at the end of the course.
- AP has more recognition in North America as compared to the IBDP which is accepted in multiple countries.
What future pathways can AP students hope to follow?
AP is more an accelerated pathway for undergraduate college courses as it provides them with the credits for most higher education institutions.
Awaken your wolf
Athletic Director, Chris Quinn reports on new sports initiatives for this semester.
Awaken your wolf
Chris Quinn reports on new sports initiatives for this semester.
Life has been challenging across the globe of late. Furthermore, it has been challenging across all our campuses in the UK and in Doha for our students, staff and parents alike. In Doha, we are seeing a gradual return to activity, the campus is coming together, students are extending their boundaries and we are finally realising the possibility of life after Covid – there is a sense of awakening upon us.
"Awaken your wolf" is an expression we have coupled with our new mascot in Doha and we feel that it befits a number of dynamics in the evolution of our school, campus and programme. It is an expression and trigger that can be used in the moment and pause before action – it can be used to prepare ourselves and centre ourselves. In communicating the call to students, staff and parents to awaken your wolf, we ask you to take a deep breath, appreciate the fuel you are giving your body and take a moment to feel centred and ready for what lies ahead.
With restrictions upon us in Doha, engaging our community has not been easy. However, my view is that barriers to engagement and curtailed access to everyday normal routines for us all, such as after-school activities and sports, are obstacles which we must make conscious practical attempt to overcome. It has been great to see families engaged in Pack Challenge 1 which was set very recently. Quite a number of you got yourselves out and about and hit some of my favourite exercise spots around Doha.
In addition to this, in maintaining our commitment to community wellbeing, our HR manager Dimple Chopra has loved providing free online yoga sessions to staff and parents – round 2 is coming soon. There is more to come... we have Pack Challenge 2 in the formation, a Lower School step challenge on the horizon, our wolf campus run in the lead-up to National Sports Day and a senior student/parent Zoom session with Greg Dale (Head of Sport Psychology at Duke University, North Carolina) on the realities of life as a collegiate athlete and what it takes to get there.
Competitive sports are returning!
At ACS Doha we have much to look forward to. We have recently received another gradual relaxation of rules from the MOE which allows us to widen the opportunities for physical activity during the school day. For quite some time, I have been deep in conversation with my counterparts in our UK schools, local athletic directors in our neighbouring schools in Doha, and Gulf regional partner conversations have resumed since the blockade dropped. All of these conversations are framed around the return to sport on various different levels, whether this be the Power of 4 and visits to our UK sister schools, local conferencing against our local competitors who have similar hosting aspirations, or, establishing our return to participation in the Middle East Unity Cup conference – it is all pointing in one direction, competitive sports are coming and they are high on the agenda!
In tandem with this, my responsibility has been to develop an operational plan which fully utilises our amazing facilities and places at its core, the desire to give our students and community the very best sporting opportunities and programmes that Doha has to offer. The tangible realisation of this is drawing closer and I for one can't wait to see full bleachers on game night....
Just last week I hosted Aspire's Head of Strength and Conditioning, Barry Shillabeer, at our campus. He was quite astounded that a school was in possession of the facilities which we have:
ACS Doha has the facilities to do literally anything in the youth sports sphere (and beyond) that it wishes to. The sky really is the limit.
Barry Shillabeer, Head of Strength and Conditioning, Aspire
Wolves are starting to waken and others are taking notice...time to rouse the pack.
The show must go on!
Tina Cody tells of the drama behind putting on a digital play.
The show must go on!
Tina Cody tells of the drama behind the digital play, Help Desk.
When working within the confines of current safety regulations to present a digital play put together entirely through Zoom, the set phrase “the show must go on” takes on an unexpected layer of meaning and difficulty. Putting on a play at the best of times requires dedication and hours of work.
Tina Cody
And yet within the struggle, we of the ACS Drama Club were reminded of the beauty that stems from such frustrations, that theatre is inherently adaptive, reactive, and reflective of the time we find ourselves in, and reveals to us our truest selves in the face of adversity.
Plays can often take years to develop, require fabulous set designs, have numerous players both on and off stage and, ideally, share a room with an audience. At the end of the day, though, all you really need to make a play work is a craving to create, brought into being by a human voice or two.
So...what was it like to put on a fully online theatre production?
Auditions
Auditions are a notoriously stressful time for student actors, but can you imagine auditioning on Zoom? Students signed up for an audition slot via QR code, and they joined the zoom call at their appropriate audition time and prepared a comedic monologue. From there, I provided suggestions for each student to utilise their body, voice and elements of Zoom (e.g. proximity to the camera) to increase comedic effect. The goal was to see how students were able to express big emotions 'through' a screen, instead of 'to' a screen.
The rehearsal process
Help Desk is a collection of 12 scenes with two to four students per scene. We created a rehearsal schedule that worked best for our students and rehearsed daily in small groups utilising break-out rooms, so that two groups of students could practise at once. We gathered our props, chose the perfect backdrop in our homes and assembled our costumes (with more than a little help from the PSO!)
Once all of our materials were gathered and lines memorised, each scene partner met in their own Zoom room without me and recorded their Zoom call. Student actors recorded each scene at least four times and chose their best work for the final product.
And finally, I assembled each video file into one long drama production! Once that was completed, I worked with Mr Salman and Ms Kelli to organise a YouTube livestream so that all ACS students could watch the show at the same time.
Opening 'night'
It was the last day before winter break and all of our student actors were equally excited and nervous to showcase their hard work to the student body. Nerves ran high with potential technical difficulties, but the show went off without a hitch, and spurts of laughter and applause could be heard echoing down the halls for all to enjoy!
And last but not least, ACS Drama Club sends a special thank you to Mr Furness, Mr Salman, Ms Kelli, PSO and the marketing team for your help with Help Desk!
Future productions
I am working with Ms Caroline and Mr Trevor to come up with alternative performance options to keep our actors safe and healthy. We are considering a variety of ideas from outdoor experiences or mini station performances, where the audience moves around the school for site-specific scenes.
Regardless of the format, we are hoping to engage our international student body to help us generate a script that showcases spooky stories and legends from around the world!
If your country has a scary myth or legend, please contact me at ccody@acs-schools.com!
Either way, the show must go on!
Taking care of everyone
It's easy to feel overwhelmed. Every day kindnesses and mind exercises are important for wellbeing. Health and Safety Manager, Eddy Schlachter, explains.
Taking care of everyone
It's easy to feel overwhelmed. Every day kindnesses and mind exercises are important for wellbeing. Health and Safety Manager, Eddy Schlachter, explains.
The coronavirus pandemic has not been good for our mental health, something on which almost everyone can agree. Experts are particularly concerned about children, many of whom have expressed feelings of increased anxiety, social isolation, and depression.
Never has it been more important for us to talk honestly about how the last year’s interruptions in routine and new ways of living in the world have affected the wellbeing of our families, schools, and communities.
Building resilience relies on routines, reassurance and reflection, all of which are critical to our mental health.
We all benefit from the confidence that comes from exerting control over our little corners of the world. We can remind ourselves that this will not last forever, and that we can all still grow through adversity by making progress where we can. And we can remember that even in amongst the uncertainty, we have much to be grateful for, including strong networks of caring adults and a wide range of resources to support each other when times are tough.
Wellbeing is a broad concept that wraps around a holistic vision of education. Our wellbeing strategy at ACS takes a broad view of concept, identifying five areas that were defined in a 2016 paper from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD):
- cognitive wellbeing: the knowledge, skills and foundations students have to participate in today’s society, as lifelong learners, effective workers and engaged citizens
- psychological (mental) wellbeing: how students view their lives, their engagement with school, and the goals and ambitions they have for their future
- physical wellbeing: their health, engagement in physical exercise and the adoption of healthy eating habits
- social wellbeing: the quality of their social lives including their relationships with their family, their peers and their teachers
- material wellbeing: the resources that make it possible for families to provide for their children’s needs and for schools to support students’ learning and healthy development.
Wellbeing is not just the absence of disease or illness, but is more a complex combination of a person's physical, mental, emotional and social health factors which is strongly linked to happiness and life satisfaction.
In a pandemic like the one we have all been living through, every dimension of wellbeing is under pressure. Are students learning enough? Are their futures being compromised, and their mental health impaired? Are our families safe from illness? When can we be reunited with relatives and friends? How will the world return to normal, and where will we find the resources to rebuild large segments of society that have been devastated by a virus that thrives on human interaction.
Eddy Schlachter, Health and Safety Manager, ACS International Schools
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed. CASEL, a global leader in best practice for social and emotional learning, suggests some ways we can take care of each other in a crisis, even when we don’t know all the answers yet:
- reaching out to others individually and communicating that we value them and their contributions to us and to the wider world
- following up on topics that are of importance to the people with whom we interact, to show them they are known and cared for
- planning conversations and activities that cultivate a culture of personal connection and belonging
- inviting others to identify feelings, reflect on experiences, and talk through what’s happening with family and friends
- exploring and affirming diverse identities and cultures, taking time to learn about each other’s lives
- asking open-ended questions to surface thinking and invite those we love to elaborate on their responses
- reflecting on what makes us feel successful or challenged, and making small plans for step-by-step improvement
- recognising that some problems are too complex for friends to manage with each other, and referring each other to more skilled helpers when that happens.
These everyday kindnesses and habits of mind are important for wellbeing. They represent the broader principles of our strategic wellbeing plan for the ACS community. Our whole-school approach is building a strong collaborative foundation that will outlast the COVID-19 crisis.
We are creating partnerships to support health, safety and wellbeing for parents, students, teachers, school leaders, senior managers, and trustees. By working with leading organisations, we are benefitting from their expertise and experience, extending the skilled and caring community of advisors, counsellors and safeguarding leads who look after our students’ wellbeing every day.
We are expanding our capacity to identify people in distress by training all staff in mental, as well as physical, first aid. Our new student mental health policy looks closely at the connections between community, wellbeing, diversity and inclusion.
In the end, wellbeing is about retaining our balance in a wobbly world. Our aspiration is well-expressed in the IB Learner Profile, below.
We understand the importance of balancing different aspects of our lives – intellectual, physical, and emotional – to achieve wellbeing for ourselves and others. We recognize our interdependence with other people and with the world in which we live.
IB Learner Profile
For few times in recent history, have those words been so important, and so true.
What really matters
Anneke Theron, Lower School Counsellor, ACS Cobham
What really matters
Anneke Theron, ACS Cobham.
I wonder if any of us could have anticipated the difficult year that 2020 turned out to be. From an initial lockdown observing winter turn into spring and in the UK clapping for our National Health Service on Thursdays, to the marathon of never-ending battles with Covid, melting into yet more restrictions, lockdowns, and the stress and strain on our already fatigued mental health. In addition to our own stresses, we may also have been concerned about family members, many of whom we have not been able to see. Last, but not least, there has also been worry over the impact of this strange year on our children and young people.
With a much-needed break behind us, I am hoping that many will have had the opportunity to take stock of what really matters. During this winter break, we may not have had the chance to meet up with families or even have big get-togethers with friends, but, despite the restrictions and the continued challenges we all face, we could still choose to invest in our children and immediate family members in a way that is real and impactful. Perhaps 2020 was a year of connection, or maybe through the trials and tribulations, we have drifted apart and feel lonelier than ever. What we all experienced last year has affected people in many different ways.
The pressures and distractions on our children and families have been, and remain, significant. It may be hard to focus on the positives right now. When our biggest focus may be ‘surviving’ these hard times, it may not feel possible to be entirely engaged in and enjoy the moment.
I would like to encourage you all to take a deep breath and look up. Notice the sky and find the people you love.
Anneke Theron, ACS Cobham
It may be hard to reconnect with ourselves and each other after such an exhausting year. It may be difficult to block out the noise and distractions in a 24/7 notifications world, but I would like to encourage everyone in our community to ensure they take some time away from your screens and discover each other again and the natural world around us.
I remember the advice of a stranger one day in an awkward ‘stuck-next-to-each-other’ conversation about raising children when mine were still little and he was right in the middle of parenting during the tricky adolescence years: “Talk, talk and talk, even when you can’t think of what to say anymore, but just keep on talking”. I have remembered this, and I think it is relevant advice for us all!
A new year brings new seasons and new intentions. I personally cannot wait for the first signs of spring to reappear on campus and watch the seasons change as they do so predictably every year.
Anneke Theron, ACS Cobham
May your 2021 be renewed with new energy, hope and possibilities for the future!
Keeping in touch
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Here are a couple of highlights from our recent social media posts.
