Theme for the week? Adaptability …

I’m going to start by celebrating the positive! Each afternoon this week we have been treated to hearing the laughter and lively chat of our High School students once again echo through school long after the dismissal bell has sounded. With the Ministry of Education’s Standard Operating Procedures in place, we are gradually starting our after school co-curricular program. This week it’s the turn of our High Schoolers, next week Middle School and then starting on September 14, our Elementary School students.

Whether your child decides to join a sports team, take up robotics, painting, or become part of the gardening club, is not what really matters. What is truly important is the learning that takes place as a result of getting actively involved and participating in an activity where they learn new skills, interact with peers outside the classroom setting, and have fun. Our co-curriculum opportunities play an invaluable role in helping our students explore new passions, develop interests, and competencies. This is at the very heart of our mission. Being exposed to different ideas, fresh perspectives, and experiences that widen their horizons helps to develop character, improve communication skills, and builds confidence. This in turn contributes to laying down the foundation for lifelong skills such as agility and adaptability.

Adaptability and agility are, of course, important life skills for all us, not just our children. They are especially important as we all navigate our way through this global pandemic. At the same time that we are celebrating the easing of restrictions in some areas of life, many of us are also adapting to the news that in other areas we may be facing greater restrictions. You may have seen that Malaysia’s National News Agency Bernama reported yesterday there will be an entry ban on citizens of countries recording more than 150,000 cases of COVID-19 effective from September 7. The United States, Brazil, France, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Russia, and Bangladesh, are on the list along with India, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Details of this report have not yet been released by the Authorities and we are liaising closely with them to better understand the details of the ban and will update our community when we know more.

In the meantime, I know this will be disappointing news for our families who are still located overseas, and those who were hoping to either travel home in the near future or have a visit from loved ones. We continue to be optimistic that our remaining ISKL families currently overseas will soon return to Malaysia and to ISKL, but we appreciate it’s a very difficult time for everyone individually and as a community. It is times such as this when our ability to adapt is an important mechanism in helping us cope and manage the challenges and disappointments that life sometimes presents.

Yours in partnership,

Rami Madani
Head of School