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Firstly, my warm wishes to everyone for the return to school following the Spring Break. I fully appreciate this is an uncertain time, but I hope students still managed some quality rest and relaxation.
I would also like to thank all parents for their wonderful support this week. Managing this new situation will be change for many and I know so many parents have been working closely with their children as they get to grips with this new learning. We are aware this may not be easy at times, but we can already see that students benefit from your support and your efforts are very much worth it!
I would also like to take this opportunity to officially recognise the hard work of the BIS Abu Dhabi staff. So many spent countless hours during their holiday preparing videos and resources for this week so the students can have a great start. Their commitment to their classes remains as strong as ever. Please also know that they will be available for the students every day, and even if they can’t reply immediately, they will always get back to you and to the students to help them every step of the way.
We’ll be sending out a brief survey later this week to gain some initial feedback on this first week of virtual education. Please do complete this for us – it is great to know what is working well and any advice to help for the following week will be gratefully received.
Finally, just to confirm that, at the time of writing, we still await further guidance regarding school operations beyond these initial two weeks. We will of course let parents know as soon as we do, and rest assured that plans are fully in place to continue with virtual schooling for a longer period if advised to do so.
Please stay safe everyone. Patience and care for each other will help see us through and hopefully a return to normality as soon as possible.
Patrick Horne
Principal
A few weeks ago, as part of our IB DP Language programme, Year 12 students in the French Ab Initio and French B classes united to celebrate Mardi Gras (Shrove Tuesday). Originally a catholic event welcoming the ritual fasting of Lent, Mardi Gras is celebrated in France with festive parades and sumptuous public celebrations.
At BIS Abu Dhabi, students came together to not only recognize the festivity but rejoice at the opportunity to share and learn about the international traditions fostered within our community. With the help of Monsieur Depose and Mademoiselle Merchadier, the French DP classes baked tasty treats, including crepes, waffles, brownies, and traditional beignets!
As a teacher at BIS Abu Dhabi, I have the privilege of watching students grow — not just academically, but as young people finding their path in a complex world. One thing I’ve learned time and again is this: success doesn’t come from rare moments of brilliance — it comes from the quiet power of habits.
Research tells us that up to 40% of what we do each day is driven by habit, not active decision-making. That means the routines our students form — the way they begin their morning, how they handle a setback, whether they choose to read or scroll — are shaping who they become.
I was really touched by Áine’s newsletter piece last week, posing the question: ‘What would I tell my younger self?’
I spent some time afterwards thinking about my own parenting journey, and what it’s all been about, now that my two are adults and have ‘flown the nest’. Parenting isn’t easy for any of us, and that’s true even if you’re an experienced school leader – at home, I’m just Dad.
You might have seen the trend going around - “If I could tell my younger self one thing…” - a moment to reflect, to offer advice we wish we’d heard earlier, or to remind ourselves of what truly matters.
As students prepare to cross some of the biggest milestones in school life, it feels like the perfect time to pause and join in that conversation. But it’s not just our students who are preparing — so are we, as parents. These milestones don’t just belong to them. We’re living every part of it too: the anticipation, the pride, the nerves, and the quiet hopes. Sometimes, it’s the hardest thing in the world — to watch them take these big steps, to stay strong when they wobble, to let go just a little more. It’s a milestone for us as much as it is for them — and we’re walking it together.
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