– The Long-standing ISKL Community Members
This week we met up with current parent Jolande JP. and family who have been a very active part of our ISKL community for the past ten years!
Jolande is the Student Internship Program Manager at the Malaysian Dutch Business Council (MDBC), whereas her husband Henk Jan is Senior VP Global Operations & Managing Director for BE Semiconductor Industries (BESI) and was a treasurer on the ISKL Board for several years.
Their oldest son, Julian (’20), started in Grade 3 and graduated this past June, while their youngest son, Mees, started in Prep Reception and is now in Grade 8. Of their two daughters, Eva is in Grade 12 this year, and Floor is in Grade 10 and is one of our Admissions STARs (Student Admissions Representatives) who provide campus tours to prospective families. Eva and Floor will most likely be lifers at ISKL!
Here is their story recounted by Jolande.
“In 2010, we moved with the family from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur. Who would have thought that ten years later, we are still here?
‘All four of our children started school straight away at ISKL. At the same time, Henk Jan (my husband) was asked to become the ISKL Board’s treasurer and was heavily involved in the development of the new Ampang Hilir campus.
‘Next to the high level of education, the children have always enjoyed the enormous amount of extracurricular activities that ISKL has to offer. Especially Floor and Eva, who have tried many sports such as volleyball, basketball, touch rugby, and joined the annual ISKL musicals or plays many times over.
‘Eva has represented ISKL at many Varsity swim events in Southeast Asia and is now Captain of the ISKL Varsity Swim Team. She is also volunteering as the executive leader of the Special Children Society of Ampang (SCSOA) club.
‘This school year, Floor is on the Soccer and Softball team. She is also a member of the Student Council and an Admission STAR, where she gives tours to potential new ISKL families.
‘Mees currently is in the Chess club and enjoys Robotics and rock climbing. All children enjoy volunteering at the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), where they helped the staff there take care of the street dogs and cats in Kuala Lumpur.
‘Something they will never forget at ISKL is the annual is the annual Malaysia Week at Middle School (MS) – a five day camp in Malaysia. Here they are involved in scuba diving, cycling, rafting, and CSR-related activities, such as helping at a conservation project where they got hands-on experience collecting turtle eggs, preparing hatchery beach cleaning, and restoring coral reefs.
‘Another highlight of their ISKL school life has been the Global Action Program (GAP) in High School.
‘Eva helped to take care of elephants in Sri Lanka, gave English lessons to underprivileged children in India, and painted walls at an orphanage in the Philippines. Julian made a trail through the Himalayas, constructed a road at an orphanage in China, played soccer with underprivileged children in Myanmar, slept on a reed mat, and has never complained about sleeping in a hotel bed since then! Floor helped build a house for a needy family in Cambodia and has tasted all kinds of insects while he was there!
‘In my free time, I have participated in the annual International Fest by organizing the Dutch booth many times. I play field hockey, tennis and enjoy swimming while my husband Henk Jan plays field hockey and cycling. The whole family has Advanced PADI diving certificates and loves scuba diving in South East Asia!
‘As we are Dutch, we have always found it essential that the children kept their mother tongue. It is excellent that ISKL allows LanguageOne, a leading international organization that offers high-quality language and culture education to children who grow up abroad, providing Dutch lessons and culture on campus after school.
‘Even in difficult times, such as now during the Covid-19 situation, ISKL has managed to have a “continuous online learning program” in place. The continuous high standards ISKL has been able to maintain has kept us here at ISKL.
‘Our son Julian is currently studying Medicine in The Netherlands, and Eva will graduate in 2021 and is now in the application process for universities in Europe.
‘If we continue to live in Malaysia, Floor and Mees will be “ISKL lifers.” Eva is slightly disappointed that after 11 years at ISKL, she will miss out on this title by just one year, but for sure, ISKL has played a fantastic role in their upbringing!”
For more inspirational stories about other parents, read our articles on alumni Grade Level Co-ordinators or Sylvie the supermom and superbaker here!
