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May I begin by wishing all students, parents and your wider families a wonderful holiday as it approaches at the end of this week. This is a special time to be relaxing and enjoying the company of friends and family, as well as looking forward to what the New Year holds.
This has been an extremely successful term for the BIS Abu Dhabi students. The first part of success of course was the fact that the school was able to reopen fully for all students from the very first day. All the safety measures such as mask-wearing and social distancing have still been closely followed, yet having all students in their classes with their teachers has been so wonderful to see. I know that for all the staff here it was just so nice to feel like we had our school back again!
The students of course have been amazing. At all levels we see great progress in learning, demonstrating again how effective we all worked together, at school and at home, to support the students through the pandemic. I would also commend all the new students who have joined this term as they have adapted so well to their new surroundings. It has also been fantastic to be able to expand the wider provision and offer a CCA Programme as well as special events such as Kindness Day or National Day.
My thanks to all the parents that continue to provide great support for their children’s learning, and also adapting to the various regulations. It was great that we were also able to relaunch our parent coffee mornings this term and so nice to see so many of you there. More will follow next term.
This time of year is often described as a time of peace and goodwill, though of course that should surely be all times of year. With the greatest of goodwill from the BIS Abu Dhabi staff to all our community, we wish you a very peaceful break ahead and look forward to seeing you back in school in January.
Patrick Horne
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.
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