From the Director

What I’m excited about this week…
 
Reminder: Campus Closed from 15 June to 7 August! Unfortunately, due to the large construction project that will begin when school ends, we will be closing the school campus to all recreational uses during the school holiday. This includes the library, fields, pools, and tennis courts. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience as we begin Phase 1B of our Campus Improvement Plan. When this phase ends in January, we will have a renovated primary school, smoother traffic flow, more parking, and improved safety and security.
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Namwali Serpell Visit TONIGHT! Please join us for an evening with Zambian author, Namwali Serpell, tonight at 17:00 in the Tiyende Pamodzi Theater. Ms. Serpell is touring Zambia to promote her new novel, The Old Drift. Many thanks to our librarian, Terry Maguire, for initiating this wonderful opportunity for our community. You can read more about this event later in this newsletter.
 
PTA Parent Discussion Group! Many thanks to Adam Kim for his presentation on the adolescent (and adult!) brain and mental health. This was the first of what we hope will become a series of evening sessions dedicated to supporting parents, teachers, and students around issues of mental health and other relevant topics. Stay tuned to the Leopard’s Tale for information about the next session in the new school year.

Yearbook! Our annual student-created yearbook will be distributed this week and it looks great. As you review it, please pause to consider the work that went into this project. Seven students (Alissa, Haley, Bernice, Zenani, Naveh, Lena, and Evelyn), working with Ms. Ginwala, Ms. Adonis, and Ms. Lindeque, spent all year planning, designing, and creating this yearbook as an after-school activity. Bravo to the yearbook team for a great job! Don’t forget that a lot of the pictures that could not fit in the yearbook can be viewed electronically at tiny.cc/aislyearbook2019 or by scanning the QR code on the first page.

Library and Office Relocations! As we continue to prepare for our exciting renovation project, we are starting to relocate our administrative offices. These offices and the library will be moving so that the building can be renovated. The Admissions Office and the Director’s Office have been relocated to the Pavilion. Next week, the Business Office and Reception will relocate to the Protea Room. I appreciate your patience as we make these moves.

Last Day of School for Students – 13 June - Noon Dismissal! This year has flown by. We will end the year with our final farewell assembly from 11:30-12:00 on Thursday, 13 June. Students will be dismissed at noon to begin their well-deserved holiday. The new academic year will begin on 8 August.