Dear parents of our graduating K2 classes,
This week we say goodbye to our wonderful students and conclude the years together with the Summer Concerts and Graduation Ceremonies at campus. K2 families will be receiving a USB with performance videos and photos from the events tomorrow and for all other parents, we invite you to take a look at the photos at the end of this article and look forward to the new school year, starting from August 17th.
2020 and Covid-19 will forever be remembered. Most of us have luckily not experienced the actual virus up close, but we constantly read the news and experience how the regional and international communities have been affected by the travel bans, closures and quarantines. It has caused insecurities and doubts, maybe more so in adults, whose minds are less able to accept change.
Standing in front of a camera with a microphone and a room full of empty chairs this year, I am reminded of the parties and performances that usually take place in the theater and how, not long ago, we celebrated the end of 2019 with a packed theater full of cheerful parents and a canteen with home-cooked meals for everyone to share.
When can we welcome parents back inside? When can overseas families return? And when can we take off our masks? Will things return to normal? How can they? And what is the new normal? In the end, it is the unanswered questions that frustrate us. We adults are not used to not getting the answers we need.
That is somewhat different for children though, because children ask a lot of questions! 413 questions a week on average, actually! "Why is the sky blue?", "Who made it blue?", "Why do I dream?". A child will always have more questions than answers and maybe that is why their ability to adapt is so remarkable, because they move on to the next question faster than we do and accept what is, instead of what was.
When I saw students returned to school, not with insecurities and fear, but with joy and optimism and a deep appreciation of their friends, one of my biggest questions was answered: "How would our students, be affected by the closures socially and emotionally?".
It is clear to me that our wonderful and loving parents succeeded in taking something difficult and hard to explain, and turned it into a more simple and quite positive thing: "A longer holiday at home together with family and loved ones" followed by "A greatly appreciated return to their friends at school".
While we are now in a better situation, let's not forget that the virus is not over and many people around the world are still struggling, but I am so thankful to be here, in Suzhou, at Newton, and with you! I am happy to see my colleagues, friends and all of you again this year!
Our K2 students get to graduate! And they even had a party, a different kind, but still a very unforgettable one!
To our graduating students, you are bigger!, You are stronger! You have proven that you can handle change with confidence and a positive mind and you are ready for grade 1!
To everyone listening, never forget to... Appreciate the freedom we take for granted, thank the people that mean most to us and to love each other unconditionally!
Have a wonderful summer and a great new school year everyone!
Sincerely,
Anders S Christensen
Hui Xin campus principal
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