KLASSics Chronicle October 2019

The Alice Smith School

KLASSics CHRONICLE The Green Knight Follow our journey of environmental stewardship October 2019

From the desk of the

KLASSics Team Hello to all KLASSics members!

With our November Giving Month just around the corner, we are excited to share with you that the School is now steering towards being responsibly sustainable, not only for the growth of the school but to commit towards creating a sustainable environment for our community. Follow our sustainability journey, starting with the Eco-Community Day on 2nd November 2019. Mark your calendar!

The Eco-Community Day is an opportunity for you to #BeRemarkable through our Learn, Talk and Do Sustainability initiatives. During the event, join us in celebrating new partnerships for the school; meet our eco-partners at the sustainability exhibition, discover other remarkable people who have been championing for environmental change. Head to our Giving page for more information, visit http://bit.ly/KLASSeco to learn more about the school’s sustainability journey or register for the Eco-Community Day here: http://bit.ly/regKLASSeco.

As you can probably guess, this edition of KLASSics Chronicle is all about Sustainability. Our cover alumni for this edition is none other than one of Malaysia’s well known eco champion, Baida Hercus from KLASS of 1983-1988.

Read more in KLASSics Konfidential for her story.

We hope through the stories shared by our alumni and school community, you will be inspired to make a difference too. And if you have been actively fighting climate change, do tell us all about it!

And on that note, we’d like to share one of our all time favourite quotes: “What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make” ~ Jane Goodall, activist and conservationist ~ Special thanks to our alumni contributors for this issue: Baida Jane Hercus KLASS of 1983 - 1988 Tengku Zatashah Idris KLASS of 1978 - 1983 Kieran Murray

KLASS of 2003 - 2014 Neil Riley KLASS of 1964 - 1966 Charissa Lee KLASS of 2017 - 2019 Lai Shen-Vey KLASS of 2017 - 2019 Valerie Ho KLASS of 2017 - 2019

Your

KLASSics Team @ Alice Smith School

KLASSics Chronicle is published bi-annually for the Alice Smith alumni comprises of former students, parents and staff. The views expressed by contributors are not necessarily endorsed by the School.

All rights reserved. Copyright 2019 - 2020 by the Alice Smith School.

If you wish to get in touch, please email klassics@alice-smith.edu.my.

Contents 01

Dates to Bookmark

02

Message

04

Flashlight

06

KLASSics Konfidential

08

In Living Colour

11

GivingNews

18

KLASSNews

19

Journals

20

Engage

22

Nostalgia

25

This is not the end

26

Connect

27

KLASSBoard

29

KLASSified

...dates for your diaries!

From the Head of School

Alumni Reunions

The Green Knight

The Green Generation

The Alice Smith School Foundation: Scholarship & Bursaries Sustainability Facts and Tips Eco-Community Day The Green Thumb Project

Accreditation Recognitions Founder’s Day: Tree planting and naming ceremony of the Thomas-Peter Library

Reminiscing Stories of Past

#KLASSicsThrowbackThursday Trending alumni stories/posts

Recollection of KLASS and Me: Prathima Devi Coming Back Home

KLASSics Reunite!

Alumni Announcement

bookmark

DATES TO BOOKMARK

dates to

The Alice Smith School Foundation Eco-Community Day Saturday, 2nd November 2019 Secondary Campus, Equine Park Save our Earth! Join our Eco-Community Day. There are plenty of activities happening on the day including talks, fun family activities, family yoga, our first ever green party, exhibitions and workshops by 15 great eco-partners. On that day, also join us to make a difference through the Green Thumb Project donation drive, in support of the Foundation’s community area of funding.

All KLASSics members are invited to join with family and friends. Entry is free, registration is required.

Register today at http://bit.ly/regKLASSeco

PTA Christmas Bazaar and Get-together Saturday, 7th December 2019 Primary Campus, Jalan Bellamy 4.00pm - 7.00pm The annual PTA Christmas bazaar is back at our Primary Campus this year, just in time for the festive season. Why not plan a get-together and come back to visit the school!

The Alice Smith School Foundation Charity Dinner Friday, 28th February 2020 Kuala Lumpur 6.30pm - 10.30pm Come and support us for the Foundation Charity Dinner next year. All funds raised during the dinner will go towards supporting service learning work for community and environmental conservation projects carried out by our secondary students.

KLASSics Alumni Get - Togethers 2020 We’re hosting more alumni get-togethers next year in new locations. Watch this space!

The Alice Smith School Open Mornings 25th February 2020 and 6th May 2020 Primary Campus, Jalan Bellamy

6th November 2019, 30th January 2020 and 29th April 2020 my

lan Bella

pus, Ja mary Cam

Pri

Secondary Campus, Equine Park Are you, friends or family interested in enrolling students at the Alice Smith School? As a KLASSics member, you will have priority admission to enrol your child back to your alma mater.

For further enquiries, please email KLASSics klassics@alice-smith.edu.my for details.

Secondary Campus, Equine Park

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MESSAGE Alice Smith School will soon be starting its 74th year as the oldest British international school in Malaysia and one of the oldest in the region. Over the last seven decades, the combined efforts of the school community have helped to shape and sustain our school. We are a very successful, not-for-profit educational institution that engages with the local, regional and wider global community and offers support through a wide range of educational, charitable and learning service activities.

In this edition of KLASSics, we focus on the school’s endeavours in commencing a long term commitment to environmental stewardship, sustainability and the importance of these to us as a leading international school. Sustainability is most often defined as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.

Sustainability has three main pillars: economic, environmental and social. In seeking to create a sustainable future for our children, the environment and the community, the school will be supporting sustainability in these nine core eco-areas: Climate Change, Energy, Global Citizenship, Healthy Living, Nature and Biodiversity, Our Eco Culture, Transport, Waste and Litter, and Water.

A significant step towards our long term goals has been the launch of The Alice Smith School Foundation on 1 st November 2018, just under one year ago. Fundraising for the Foundation began with our first November Giving month in 2018. Thanks to the generosity of donors who helped us to kick start our Foundation last year, the Foundation has now raised over RM1million.

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MESSAGE This November through our Foundation, sustainability initiatives are our focus for the November 2019 Giving month. We are working alongside the community and eco-partners to begin this important journey at our Eco-Community Day on the morning of Saturday, 2 nd November.

There is plenty happening on this day including our first ever Green Party, talks, an exhibition, fun family activities, family yoga and the opportunity to help kick-start our recycling of electronic waste and fabric. We also have two of our alumni speaking at the Green Generation Talk with other eco-champions, YAM Tengku Zatashah (KLASS 1978-1983) and Baida Jane Hercus (KLASS 1983-1988). The Deputy British High Commissioner to Malaysia and parent governor of the school, Mr David Thomas, will also be speaking. We hope that alumni who may be around KL are able to join us for the morning.

Support for the three areas of The Green Thumb Project this November (Give Life, Clean Energy and Learn Sustainability) will help us to get underway.

Plant-a-Tree Project

Solar Panel Project

Sustainability Library Project

In recent years, our impact on the environment has been a key factor in planning and design for the building of new facilities and the renovation of existing facilities. For example, solar panels on the roof of the new Indoor Sports Centre at the Secondary Campus provide energy towards powering the new and renovated sports, library, sixth form and humanities blocks.

Solar panels on the roof the new Indoor Sports Centre at Equine Park

In combination with a Building Management System (BMS), we are able to more effectively manage the use of these facilities and lessen our impact on the environment. In addition, with the improvements that have been to the outdoor sports facilities, stormwater and run-off capture water is recycled to irrigate the playing fields.

The school is committed to ensuring that any further investment in the school’s facilities reflects our intentions towards environmental stewardship for current and future generations.

We trust that through our current and future actions, we can have a positive impact and unite and connect students, teachers, parents and the wider community in supporting environmental stewardship.

We hope you can play a part as a member of KLASSics alumni.

Sic Itur Ad Astra

Roger Schultz Head of School

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FLASHLIGHT

Alumni

REUNIONS What a whirlwind of time we had this year! 3 countries, 3 great locations with over 70 alumni attending KLASSics reunions this year.

We kicked off our reunion party at The Greens in Sydney on 13th April 2019, where we had alumni ranging from the 2000s to the 1950s. Special shout out to Andrew Jacobs (KLASS 1974 - 1979) for turning up in a t-shirt with his KLASS photo on it!

We were also lucky to have Cameron and Rosemary FairfieldSmith, the grandson and great granddaughter of Alice FairfieldSmith, who joined us that evening.

The following month on 11th May saw us gathering together again.

This time we had a catch up with alumni from UK and Europe at the famed British Film Institute on Southbank, London. It was also a great opportunity for alumni from earlier KLASS years and the more recent graduates of KLASS to get to know each other and find commonalities from being from the same alma mater.

Lastly, we circled the globe back home! Our Nostalgic Walk tour saw two groups coming back to the Primary and Secondary schools on the late afternoon of 28th June. We’ve had a great time reminiscing about previous KLASS years, with alumni over at Primary Campus joining our current students for some football and at Secondary Campus putting on their aprons again at the Design Technology workshop!

The reunion series ended with a social night at SOULed Out, Sri Hartamas, where we had more alumni getting together for a casual evening of drinks and food. We’ve had such an exciting time and we cannot wait to meet you again next year. Where will we go?

Stay connected to find out!

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FLASHLIGHT

5

KLASSics KONFIDENTIAL

Meet The Green Knight Baida Jane Hercus Alumna 1983 - 1988 “We need to protect our carbon sinks, restore degraded carbon sinks, and fund the switch to renewable energy and other effective means of reducing emissions.”

The efforts by Baida Jane Hercus, the environmental crusader and the Free Tree Society have made it possible for more people to become everyday eco-warriors, one seedling at a time! Baida is the President of Free Tree Society, a sustainable urban charity providing free seedlings to the public with the long term goal of increasing the suburban greenscape.

Baida was in The Alice Smith School from 1983 to 1988.

She walked down memory lane with her alma mater recently. Read on more for her story.

Back then the girls wore the gingham all the way through primary, a sore point for me as a tomboy. It didn’t stop me from tearing across the field every break and lunch to play run across. After leaving primary school I don’t think I wore another dress until I turned 16!

A favourite memory is of the old art room. It was a large, open aired space that smelled of clay and paint. The backdrop was a huge saga tree. I remember having to take bark rubbings and try to draw it.

Two other fond memories are of the furry iron-on letters on our PE kits and the painted jungle mural at the Year 1 dismissal area.

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Fast forward a few decades and I enrolled my firstborn there. Gone was the art room, and in its place was a teacher’s lounge! Now, that too has been replaced by the new dining hall and Jubilee Centre. There have been so many changes (no more iron-on transfers and jungle mural either.) My three children have grown up at the school, my eldest completing her Year 13 just a few months ago.

Although I can remember what the school was like, the developments do make you feel proud that the school is keeping relevant and is readily and actively improving.

“There is no Plan B as there is no Planet B”

We only get one chance to save the earth as we know it. “There is no Plan B as there is no Planet B”, is one of my favourite quotes from Ban Ki Moon.

I truly believe that you need to fall in love with the natural world to want to save it! Half of the world’s population live in cities, 70% in Malaysia. It’s hard for urbanites in high rise buildings to garden and enjoy the outdoors. Free Tree Society was created to encourage people to be green from home. We start by offering a free plant or two, some basic gardening skills, and allow nature to do the rest. The response and support to our programmes have been fantastic since it started in 2013.

Did any experience in Alice Smith encourage you to pursue environmental work?

That’s a funny question with a funny answer.

I mentioned the saga tree and mural as two of my favourite school memories. However, it wasn’t a childhood experience, but one as a parent at the Primary Campus, Jalan Bellamy, that launched Free Tree Society. It was by the Reception classes that I began a conversation with a fellow class mum, Bettina Khan, telling her about my idea of giving away free trees to green all the ugly urban concrete.

To cut a long story short, Bettina came on board, we rallied together a committee and registered an environmental NGO within four short months.

The Free Tree Society has certainly made a huge impact on the community since it started. Tell us more about the society’s community outreach, partnerships and impact.

Free Tree Society Kuala Lumpur (FTS) spreads the environmental stewardship message through giving away trees for free to green our Earth. Since 2013, we have given away over 34,650 plants to homeowners, schools, marginalised groups, community gardens and wildlife habitats to proliferate planting, to encourage biodiversity and to promote a love of nature.

FTS operates through 3 programme sites, our Bangsar Nursery, Taman Tugu Nursery and an outreach programme called FTS On-the-Go.

KLASSics KONFIDENTIAL The free trees are all grown with the help of volunteers. Volunteer sessions give urbanites an opportunity to take the first step toward engaging with environmental conservation. Sessions begin with an environmental talk on biodiversity and climate change, followed by a demonstration of environmental solutions including rainwater harvesting, wildlife habitats, and composting. We teach the basics behind mixing soil, planting seeds, propagation, transplanting, natural pest repellents, plant management, gardening maintenance and basic landscaping. We have trained over 15,000 environmental stewards with the goal of growing a greener Malaysian society.

At the Bangsar Nursery our focus is on planting edibles, fruit trees and ornamental plants for homeowners, schools and community gardens. The focus at Taman Tugu Nursery is geared towards increasing biodiversity in urban forests and reforestation projects.

FTS On-the-Go is a free mobile educational awareness outreach programme created just for schools and universities. Through hands-on workshops and talks FTS On-the-Go serves to tackle school-related and community environmental areas of concern. Our tailor-made educational programmes which combine knowledge, resources, and hands-on models are crafted to suit students of different ages and abilities. Our green truck made a visit to the Primary Campus, Jalan Bellamy, last term to talk about waste and conduct a composting workshop with the Year 3 children. Since its launch in April, On-the-Go has visited over 30 schools beautifying them with over 800 plants and trees in hands-on activities with school children.

We want to join the movement! Any great suggestions on sustainable activities which we can get involved with.

There are 4 key areas of environmental concern: the climate crisis, biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse, overconsumption and waste, and water scarcity. Of the 4 areas the climate crisis brought about by rising emissions is the most crucial.

The most effective way to reduce greenhouse emissions can be done from the home. Divest of fossil fuels and switch to renewable energy by installing solar. The good news is that switching to solar not only saves the planet but it’s also affordable and makes economic sense. We can also stop non-essential air travel, reduce meat intake, and compost organic waste at home. There are many NGOs besides Free Tree Society that teach composting. Growing homegrown organic edible is the best reward for learning composting skills!

Protecting Our Planet Begins With You!

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IN LIVING COLOUR

Stories by alumni for alumni “Sustainability, ensuring the future of life on Earth, is an infinite game, the endless expressions of generosity on behalf of all.�

~ Paul Hawken ~ An American environmentalist, entrepreneur, author and activist

A Commitment to Environmental Conservation Urban greening, environmental stewardship, sustainability goals - what are we doing on our planet? Fellow KLASSics alumni share their part in preserving the environment and working towards a sustainable future.

Contributed by

YAM Tengku Datin Paduka Setia Zatashah binti Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah KLASS 1978 - 1983 Advocate and Founder of #sayno2plastic and #zerowaste campaigns in Malaysia

Kieran Murray KLASS 2003 - 2014 Consultant at Fauna & Flora International, Cambodia

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Meet The Green Heroes 22,000 people from the homeless to urban poor families and special children’s houses.

She is currently on the Board of Trustee to Yayasan Fo o d B ank M al ays i a, whi c h i s now s prea d i n g #zerofoodwastage nationwide with government support.

Tengku Zatashah also sets great examples to motivate the community towards becoming more environmentally conscious and sustainable. Scrolling through her social media feeds, the public can see how she advocates for her campaign #sayno2plastic which she initiated three years ago to fight against plastic pollution. Her social media campaigns have seen success with much lobbying to authorities as well as impacting change amongst the public to raise much needed awareness. She shares her stories of carrying tiffin during Ramadhan, conducting beach and dive cleanups, as well as coral replanting and conservation projects. Since 2018 she has facilitated and collected with volunteers over 455kg of trash, which is mainly plastics. Additionally, she is a Sharksavers Malaysia ambassador fighting to stop shark finning through the #ImFINishedwithFINS campaign.

YAM Tengku Datin Paduka Setia Zatashah binti Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah KLASS 1978 - 1983

As President of Alliance Francaise de Kuala Lumpur, her role in promoting the French language and French culture in Malaysia has culminated in her being awarded the prestigious Chevalier de Legion d’honneur, the highest French order of merit by France in 2017. We are also proud to have her as a Board Member of the Alice Smith School Foundation since its inception in 2018.

Advocate and Environmentalist

Her Royal Highness Tengku Zatashah is unlike other royals we might have come across. Strong willed and passionate, she is an inspiration to everyone everywhere through her numerous social advocacy and philanthropic work, supporting wom en em p owe rm e nt and e nv i ro nme n tal conservation projects. She is a shining example of what we could be, encouraging us to contribute towards the betterment of the community and environment.

Her involvement in many charities and NGOs will help open up links to organisations that the Foundation will be able to access’ through our community outreach programmes. As Tengku Zatashah always tells us, “There’s so much we can do!”. She has certainly made The Foundation and the School aspire to commit ourselves to making a difference for our environment and our community.

“We all have this capacity to make the world a better place.”

As Royal Patron of Make-A-Wish Malaysia, she has helped to grant 509 wishes over the years to children with critical illnesses.

In 2016, she founded her own #zerofoodwastage campaign after realising almost 230,000 tonnes of food during Ramadan was being thrown away and thought that this was totally unacceptable. As a regular volunteer with Kechara Soup Kitchen to feed the homeless, she saw that there were better ways to channel this wastage. This propelled her to write to major hotel groups and supermarkets such as Tesco Malaysia, Aeon Malaysia and SegiFresh to be part of #zerofoodwastage. Since its inception, the campaign has saved 721 tonnes of food and it has benefited

Disclaimer: All opinions expressed in these stories are from the contributors themselves and not in any way expressed by the Alice Smith School. Some stories have been edited from its original content.

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IN LIVING COLOUR What an eye-opening experience. Can you tell us more about Fauna & Flora International? What you do, why you do it and what impact does it bring towards the environment?

Fauna & Flora International is the oldest international conservation NGO in the world (it began in 1903). FFI’s approach is to build local capacity to protect natural resources and wildlife through partnerships, community empowerment and working with policy makers in almost 40 countries. I like this approach to conservation because people who rely on natural resources and are affected by conservation initiatives are front and center in all aspects of our work. It is a huge honour to work for FFI and use my skills to help protect the environment.

Kieran Murray

Alumnus 2003 - 2014 Consultant at Fauna & Flora International, Cambodia

“More than a third of all carbon emissions ever produced in the entire history of humanity have been produced since Greta Thunberg was born. She just recently turned 16.” ~ David Wallace-Wells ~ Thanks for sharing your story with us! Tell us more about yourself and what you have been up to since school?

I’m a conservation biologist currently working for Fauna & Flora International (FFI) in Cambodia after completing my degree at the University of Southampton. I attended Alice Smith School from 2003 to 2014.

Did any experience in Alice Smith encouraged you to pursue environmental work?

Although I have always been interested in wildlife, my experiences in Alice Smith encouraged being involved with causes and thinking critically. School trips to Taman Negara, Tioman, Laos and Mongolia all prepared me for fieldwork seasons and being in remote places.

Community work is also a big part of what FFI does and this was also encouraged during my schooling.

One incredibly vivid memory was learning about deforestation during a Biology lesson in Year 10, and by looking out of the window you would see the rainforest surrounding Equine Park being cleared.

I recalled seeing gibbons in this same forest from the school field during a PE lesson in my earlier years.

School was also closed a number of times during my time there due to the haze, which is driven by forest burning across Southeast Asia.

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I first joined FFI as an intern supporting the University Capacity Building Project. FFI helped their partner, Royal University of Phnom Penh to set up the Masters degree programme in Biodiversity Conservation, the first of it’s kind in Cambodia. Through this programme I worked with budding conservationists to strengthen their scientific and academic skills. I now work as a consultant supporting various aspects of the Coastal & Marine Conservation Programme, which works across the Cambodian coastline to protect marine species and habitats and support community fisheries. I have also been working on gibbon research in Northern Cambodia, thought to be the largest population worldwide of a species only described in 2010.

Such an incredibly fulfilling work, to be able to support the conservation of our environment. Do you have any tips for our alumni on sustainable activities they can get involved with?

Big, top-down changes are what people should aim for, depending on what aspect of sustainability is important to you, and what you feel able to influence. If you can work to change the policies of your business, workplace or school to produce less waste, avoid environmentally destructive practices or more generally use less, this has more impact than your individual actions.

Not eating endangered marine animals is something I’d like to see more widely adopted. Seafood is wildlife, and doing a little bit of research about what is widely eaten can be quite sobering. Many commercially fished species are critically endangered apex predators, with bluefin tuna being the most high-profile. Although at risk of extinction, no protection is in place because of their commercial value, and stockpiles are being prepared for sale when there are none left. Prawn production is also very destructive, with prawn farms driving destruction of mangrove forests (which protect the coastline and act as breeding grounds for fish species) and prawn fishing having the highest rate of bycatch (where non-target species including dolphins, sharks and turtles) are accidentally caught.

Follow Kieran’s journey towards the conservation of our environment here @kieranyes.

Disclaimer: All opinions expressed in these stories are from the contributors themselves and not in any way expressed by the Alice Smith School. Some stories have been edited from its original content.

#GivingNews

Valerie Ho

KLASS Scholar 2017 - 2019 LLB Law University of Warwick

Bryan Chew

KLASS Scholar 2017 - 2019

Clarissa Lee

KLASS Scholar 2017 - 2019 BA Government Wesleyan University

Shen -Vey Lai

KLASS Scholar 2017 - 2019 Bachelor of Science University of Yale

STEPPING STONE

Creating opportunities, changing lives In line with the school’s mission and commitment to give back to the society, the school has awarded full scholarships for Sixth Form education to 31 deserving Malaysians since 2010. These scholars have been extremely successful, gaining entry into Oxbridge and other top universities in Asia and the US, including Yale University.

Funds raised to support our Foundation’s scholarships and bursaries will help to provide support to our Alice Smith scholars throughout their time at school and onward to university and support an expansion of this programme.

Giving will make a

difference...

an enduring sense of belonging to something very

special

Every giving matters because your gift will make a difference.

Find out how you can support us today by contacting foundation@alice-smith.edu.my

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MAKE A DIFFERENCE How has your two years of A Level studies as a scholar at KLASS prepared you for this application?

As a KLASS scholar I learnt how to be agile; to be able to adapt to a variety of situations with a high degree of enthusiasm. I’ve also learnt to be more confident and open minded, which are essential traits when it comes to meeting new people and experiencing new situations in this journey of applying for the CIMB ASEAN Scholarship.

What’s your advice to other scholars who intend to apply for the CIMB ASEAN Scholarship?

Be persistent, because it is definitely a long journey.

Take time to appreciate and reflect on yourself as you progress through each stage, because it is definitely a very enriching experience and you will learn a lot from this.

What do you hope to achieve in life?

Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “I cannot do great things, but I can do small things in a great way.”

Valerie Ho

KLASS Scholar 2017 - 2019 LLB Law University of Warwick CIMB ASEAN Scholar

In one word - what does Alice smith means to you?

Creativity. Alice Smith constantly encourages us to be inquisitive and to be creative, and I think it is here where students are cultivated to be curious and to always think outside the box.

My favourite thing about the school is…

The community. I’ve met so many people with different backgrounds and different stories, and the Alice Smith community never fails to impress me every single day.

How’s your feeling about being the first Alice Smith scholar to be awarded with the CIMB ASEAN Scholarship to pursue law?

Receiving the CIMB ASEAN Scholarship to pursue law at the University of Warwick is definitely an honour. I’m glad to have met all the talented people along this journey. I’m grateful for this award and am excited to see where it will take me.

What motivated you to apply for the scholarship?

I applied for this scholarship as it would greatly ease my parents’ financial burden. They’ve always supported and encouraged me as I grow so I see this scholarship as a way of giving back to them, so that they can have an easier life.

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I’ll always remember that as something that I would hope to achieve in the future. I don’t have a grand plan, but my main goal is to utilise my skills, knowledge and experience to make a change, no matter how big or how small, to inspire and be inspired.

How has the KLASS scholarship impacted you as you move to your next phase of life?

The KLASS scholarship has taught me to make best use of every opportunity in my way. I’ve learnt to be more resilient and to be bolder in taking risks, and I think it will definitely help me greatly as I step into university.

As your journey at Alice Smith comes to an end, share with us your feeling and experience for the past two years with us.

The past two years have been life-changing. The adversities that I faced have largely contributed to my personal growth and development, making me a much more curious, passionate and creative individual.

Please say a few words of encouragement to others who are applying for the KLASS scholarship this year.

Always be open to new opportunities, and be bold in taking risks, because sometimes you might end up loving the experience.

Please say a few words to encourage potential donors to support the Alice Smith School Foundation in order to provide better support to other scholars.

Making a small change can have a huge impact on our lives! Current scholarships have aided us greatly in shaping our path to success. With your help, we can realise our goals of becoming inspiring and successful leaders of our society. Do donate and support the Foundation to make a difference!

Disclaimer: All opinions expressed in these stories are from the contributors themselves and not in any way expressed by the Alice Smith School. Some stories have been edited from its original content.

#GivingNews Congratulations on your university offer and the scholarship aid you have received. Could you share more details with us?

I have been accepted to study a Bachelor of Arts in Government at Wesleyan University, and a recipient of the Wesleyan Freeman Asian Scholarship.

How has your two years of A Level studies as a scholar at KLASS prepared you for the next step to university?

It has opened my mind to a wide range of subjects, especially the social sciences. I have developed the skills of an independent learner which will be invaluable when I am at university.

How has the KLASS scholarship impacted you as you move to your next phase of life?

The KLASS scholarship has given me a great community of friends and teachers who have prepared me for the academic and personal challenges that I will face at university.

Charissa Lee

KLASS Scholar 2017 - 2019 Wesleyan University BA Government Freeman Asian Scholar

How are your preparations for university going? Any exciting expectations?

Preparations were more complicated than I expected, such as applying for a student visa and getting all required vaccinations. I attended dinners and events that connected past and current Malaysian students in the USA. I received a lot of advice for living in the USA and I made new friends who are living all across the country.

As your journey at Alice Smith comes to an end, share your feelings and experiences over the past two years with us.

I feel extremely grateful for the opportunity to learn in a very encouraging environment. My teachers made the adjustment from SPM to A Level very easy as all of them gave me additional help. I am thankful for all of the new friends I made at Alice Smith. They all have such diverse backgrounds and I have learnt so much from their unique cultures and perspectives. This made me more open-minded and accepting.

Please say a few words of encouragement to others who are applying for the KLASS scholarship this year.

Alice Smith is an accepting community where everyone is encouraged to discover their academic passions. The scholarship is a great opportunity for SPM students to access a high quality British education, in which they will excel. Your contribution to the Foundation’s scholarship and bursaries fund, whether big or small is going to make a huge difference in the scholars lives and dreams and turn them into reality.

Congratulations on your university offer and the scholarship aid you have received. Where will you be heading to?

I’m heading to the United States, where I will be doing Science with full scholarship at the University of Yale.

How has the KLASS scholarship impacted you as you move to your next phase of life?

I am eternally grateful for this experience and The Alice Smith scholarship. Grateful for the opportunities I’ve been given, and the privilege to explore; for the community of people whom I’ve come to cherish; and for the encouragement that has inspired me to dream unceasingly.

Shen-Vey Lai

KLASS Scholar 2017 - 2019 University of Yale Bachelor of Science Yale Scholar

As your journey at Alice Smith comes to an end, share your feelings and experiences over the past two years with us.

Being at school away from family, I have never felt not at home.

Within no time of joining the school, I immediately felt I was part of the community. My parents are strong believers in getting the right foundation in education and my father told me, “This is the place where you will pursue your dreams.” This is the place that will help you search out your passion and go even further to achieving your dreams. This experience has made me feel there is no possible greater contribution, than supporting the Alice Smith School scholarship and bursaries programme. Your contribution has helped me, and hopefully many more aspirants through your donations to the Foundation.

Disclaimer: All opinions expressed in these stories are from the contributors themselves and not in any way expressed by the Alice Smith School. Some stories have been edited from its original content.

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MAKE A DIFFERENCE

DO YOU KNOW?

World Health Organisation (WHO) reported between 2030-2050, climate change is expected to cause over 250,000 deaths due to famine, diseases and non-sustainable living conditions.

The Alice Smith School’s Indoor Sports Hall and Humanities building at our Secondary Campus are powered by solar panels. Support our clean energy initiative!

Alice Smith School recycles rainwater for our sprinkler system at the Secondary Campus.

We also installed water stations throughout our campuses and do not sell any bottled mineral water on campus.

The Alice Smith School is committed to reduce our carbon footprint by planting over 100 trees on campus this year.

There’s so much junk in the sea that the debris has formed giant garbage patches. There are five of them and the biggest is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. This patch has some 1.8 trillion pieces of trash, twice the size of Texas.

Reduce your carbon footprint! Journey using public transport, join car-pooling or skate and bike your way to your destination.

“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” ~ Jane Goodall, environmentalist and conservationist ~ Sustainability is most often defined as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.* It has three main pillars: economic, environmental and social. *Source: “Our Common Future”, United Nations Brundtland Commission Report, 1987 The Alice Smith School and the Foundation are excited to share with you our new plans focused on creating a sustainable future for our children, the environment and the community. The Alice Smith School will be supporting sustainability in these nine core eco-areas:

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#GivingNews This November through our Foundation, The Alice Smith School is embarking on a journey of environmental stewardship. Working alongside the community and eco-partners, sustainability initiatives are our focus this November Giving month. We will also be starting an inter-school community project with SMK Seri Kembangan, a local secondary government school. With our emphasis on Learn Sustainability, Talk Sustainability and Do Sustainability, there will be abundant opportunities for you to be remarkable and make a difference!

Help us make a difference by raising

RM 200,000 for The Green Thumb Project to support our Foundation’s community area of funding.

Our Earth loses 18.7 million acres of forests every year, which is equal to 27 soccer fields every minute. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) estimates that 15% of all greenhouse gas emissions come from deforestation.

Plant-a-Tree Project

#BeRemarkable and make our lungs and earth green again by supporting the Give Life, Plant-a-Tree Project! Through this initiative we aim to: • increase the number of plants, trees and shrubs at both Primary and Secondary campuses; • help reduce our carbon footprint in school; • improve the biodiversity of plant life across the campuses, eg: including national tropical heritage trees

You can help Give Life at Primary and/or Secondary Campuses by donating big trees, medium sized trees or by planting shrubs. For every contribution of one big tree (and more), there will be a naming opportunity given alongside your tree. This project has been made possible with the support of our eco-partner, the Free Tree Society. They are the first contributor to the Give Life Project by gifting our nation’s national tree, the Merbau tree which is going to be planted at the Secondary Campus.

Energy is one of the main contributors to climate change! It produces around 60% percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Solar Panel Project

#BeRemarkable and support our renewable energy initiative through the Clean Energy - Solar Panel Project! In support of our clean energy initiative, we are improving our infrastructure and technology to provide renewable energy on the school campuses. At the Secondary Campus in Equine Park, we have installed solar panels on the rooftop of the Indoor Sports Hall which powers the sports and humanities blocks.

Be part of this change today! Help us to raise funds to support our initiative of providing renewable energy on campus. For each contribution towards our Clean Energy Project, your name will be featured on The Alice Smith School Foundation’s Gratitude Wall.

“Reading is essential for those who seek to rise above the ordinary” ~ Jim Rohn, author and motivational speaker.

Sustainable schools are the teaching tool that bring together environmental education and community engagement. #BeRemarkable and let’s build our learning resources together through the Sustainability Library Project! At the Primary Campus, your contribution will support the creation of a Sustainability Corner, and purchasing resources for Enrichment Boxes that will be circulated between classes. Your contribution also goes towards the purchase of books, eBooks and eAudio books by subject disciplines for the Secondary Campus library.

Sustainability Library Project

This project will help educate and enrich our community, to encourage their own sustainable journey at home and in turn contribute towards achieving sustainability goals for the environment.

Scan here to know more

To donate and support the Green Thumb Project, visit http://bit.ly TheGreenThumbProject.

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MAKE A DIFFERENCE

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THE ALICE SMITH SCHOOL

FOUNDATION

You are invited

Be Remarkable Eco-Community Day

Let us introduce you to the remarkable people whose lifelong purpose is to make a mark in creating a sustainable earth for our generation. Join us for The Green Generation Talk, moderated by our secondary students featuring these eco-champions:

YAM Tengku Datin Paduka Setia Zatashah binti Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Alice Smith alumni, 1978-1983

Baida Hercus

Najah Onn

Rashvin Pal Singh

Mr. David Thomas

Alice Smith alumni, 1983-1988

Kloth Cares

CEO and Co-Founder of Biji-biji Initiative & Me.reka

Deputy British High Commissioner to Malaysia

President of Free Tree Society

Founder/Advocate of #sayno2plastic and #zerofoodwastage campaign

Saturday, 2nd November 2019 9.45am to 10.45am The Alice Smith School, Secondary Campus, Equine Park

#BeRemarkable #KLASSeco

Scan here to know more

KLASS News

Accreditation Recognitions The Alice Smith School has received excellent feedback from the recent COBIS Patron’s Accreditation and Compliance visit in March, admitting the school to Patron’s Accredited membership of the Council of British International Schools (COBIS).

COBIS is a Membership Association of British Schools of quality. Two of its main objectives are quality assurance in member schools and representation with the British Government, educational bodies and with the corporate sector. COBIS is also a forum for discussion through conferences, seminars and continuing professional development. It provides a network of support through contacts, consultancies, information and marketing.

The council sets high expectations and standards of accountability and is designed to reflect self-evaluation and support school improvement, challenging the principles and effectiveness of school leadership and governance. Compliance standards cover five areas - recruitment, student welfare, facilities, governance and ethos and values, with a sixth standard evaluated for boarding schools. Accreditation standards cover learning and teaching, leadership in the school, communication and extra-curricular activities and school life.

We are delighted that COBIS best practice was evident in 31 of the 34 standards (19 standards for compliance and 15 standards for accreditation). All six standards for compliance for school governance were validated as best practice, a huge credit to our governing body. In addition, all 15 standards for accreditation for learning and teaching, leadership in the school, communication and extra-curricular activity and community life were validated as best practice, an excellent outcome.

“Alice Smith School enjoys levels of excellent behaviour across both campuses. Students are respectful, fostering an excellent rapport with their teachers and other staff. A culture of learning and high performance is embedded across all phases and subjects, with ambitious expectations for all students. This is supported by students holding high expectations of each other. The school promotes a holistic approach where teaching and learning is continually enhanced and is highly personalised for each and every student. The school is an innovative role model and leader for promoting high quality, educational practice as shown by obtaining the UCL IoE gold standard quality mark for professional development. The current Governing Body are providing strong, strategic leadership and support for the Head of School, campus Principals and senior management.”

Founder’s Day Tree planting and naming ceremony of the Thomas-Peter Library

The Alice Smith School is one of the oldest and most prestigious British international schools in Asia with over 73 years of rich educational heritage. On 4th July, we celebrated the birthday of our founder, Alice Fairfield-Smith in school. At the Primary Campus in Jalan Bellamy, the primary students had band performances, a planting ceremony and postcard designing to commemorate her birthday.

At the Equine Park Secondary Campus at a naming ceremony attended by students, governors and former governors the newly extended and refurbished secondary library was named after the former Director of School, Mrs Val Thomas-Peter in honour of her vast contributions to the school when she served as the Director of School from 2008-2014.

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JOURNALS

Reminiscing Stories of Past

By Neil Riley Alumnus 1962 - 1966

I​ had the absolute pleasure of visiting Alice Smith in the summer this year after an absence of 53 years! (I didn’t have a sick note from my mum either!) Having liaised with the KLASSics team for a few weeks, I was delighted to be greeted warmly by the KLASSics team who treated me to a nostalgic tour of Alice Smith School past and present.

I last visited KL, on holiday from boarding school, in 1967.

The amount of effort that is going into filling in the gaps in the school’s history is fantastic. Unfortunately for myself and my three brothers, Richard, Philip and Ian, there are no photographs of our classes at present in the school’s archives.

We were, collectively, there between 1962 and 1968. One of my older brothers, Philip, attended the school from 1962 - 1964.

My eldest brother went to Bourne School from 1962 - 1964.

The many photographs that my parents had have disappeared over the years, with only a couple remaining. My father, Derek, worked for Dunlop and with my mother, Beryl, we moved from England in 1962. We lived at the flats in Kenny Hill and later at Jalan 5/39 in Petaling Jaya.

I left KL in 1967. I was a student at Alice Smith from 1962 - 1966 and was best friends with Patricia Lee’s son Malcolm during this time. I visited their house many times to play with Malcolm and Graham. Mrs. Lee was always so lovely to me.

I went back to boarding school in England after this whilst my parents stayed in KL with my younger brother Ian, who also attended Alice Smith from 1966 for a couple of years.

The tour of the school, along with photographs from my era stirred wonderful memories and showed what progress the school has made in the years since I attended.

I would love to hear from anyone who might remember me or my brothers and I would encourage anyone who has photographs or memorabilia to upload them or to get in touch with the KLASSics team at the school. There are quite a few students that I remember from then, but unfortunately, they have yet to discover KLASSics.

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ENGAGE

#KLASSICSTHROWBACKTHURSDAY Check out these “old but gold” photos that may carry significant memories of your time at the Alice Smith School. Watch out for more “old but gold” photos on our Facebook page every other Thursday under our #KLASSicsThrowbackThursdays

Kindergarden B, 1992!

Teacher: Mrs J.L. Oh Teaching Assistant: Mrs Pala Top row: (L-R): Emily Newton, Scott Seidl, Kausaki Omori, Miranda Mariott, Sharvan Lakhiani, Jessica Marvin and Hisham Ibrahim Middle row: (L-R): Fraser Finlay, Raja Amir, Katherine Stewart, Rachel Dennis, Stephen Roosen and Adrian Jando Bottom row: (L-R): Scott Maxwell, Elizabeth Lim, Timothy Harvey-Samuel, Samuel Mabey, Tanah Sullivan and Seth Laupus

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2

1. Production in the early 1970s 2. An educational FRIM trip back in the day teaching students how to rubber tap From left: James Ng and Shaun Tan

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3. A scene at the 1992 May Fair with Tunku Eddy Nasruan in action

ENGAGE Class 10Q, 2004 - 2005 Teacher: Mr Collard Top row: (L-R): Ruben Mohanadasan, Wei Jun Yeo, Catarina Oberlander, Aiman Hussein, Farhat Haniff and Alexander Blott Middle row: (L-R): Cui Han Pei, Megat Ahmad Faritz, Mohd Muslim, Levent Akinci, Ken Zhi Yap, Kirsten Watt and Abby Spanton Bottom row: (L-R): Shabana Amirudin, Ainaa Farik, Michelle Yap, Nicola Ying, Oliver Funnel, Jun Wern and Rachel Verlinden

4 5

7 4.

Rehearsing for Grease!

Top from left: Matty O’Riordan, Louise Huntington, Bethanne Meese, Alex and Kate Oakes Bottom from left: Charlotte Somerville, Harriot and Chloe Thompson

5. Dress up day for the Raya Celebrations in 1978!

6. School girls in the 1990s!

Soraya Louisa Putra, Dina Arshad and JD Ballantyne

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7. The netball team in 1985

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NOSTALGIA

Recollection of KLASS and Me At Alice Smith, staff are one of the important pillars of our school community. Our staff go the extra mile to enhance and enrich the lives and learning of our students.

Each staff member demonstrates a strong commitment to the wellbeing of our students and shows support towards the development of the school.

In this issue of Nostalgia, we share the story of Prathima Devi who is retiring this October after spending 16 years in school.

Tell us about yourself.

My staff and my friends say that I am an easygoing person and a good listener. I know I am passionate about my work and am positive about every aspect of life.

How long have you been attached with Alice Smith?

I joined the school in May 2004 as an Office Manager and I am leaving the school at the end of October this year to enjoy some quality time with my family. I cannot believe how wonderful the past 16 years has been.

What has kept you motivated to stay working with Alice Smith this long?

Having a caring community in my work environment and being part of the school’s development all these years has always kept me on my toes. I am proud to carry the school values that we practise here, further assured by the standard of quality teaching that we offer in school. With the right communication tools used to educate our students, it is amazing how well we’re able to teach our children the importance of being a caring person in the community. And not to forget, how fantastic all my colleagues are, who I now call my good friends.

What would the students be surprised to find out about you?

The students are always surprised to find out that I have grandchildren. How nice to know that they think I am still young!

Prathima Devi Nair Office Manager

Primary Campus, Jalan Bellamy

What makes a ‘good day’ at school?

Knowing each child is being treated as an individual and they are all cared for. That they are given the correct guidance to be a good person to the society.

If there is one teacher’s class would you like to enroll for a day, whose would it be and why?

There will never be a choice or preference of a teacher to choose from. Each teacher has different talents with best interest in their mind and heart for the children, making it impossible to choose one from another.

If you could pass on any wisdom to your students and our alumni, what would you share?

Be patient and always seek advice from the school for the support.

Do keep in touch with the school as you are always welcome to come back and pass your wonderful experiences and knowledge you have gained outside the Alice Smith School.

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NOSTALGIA

COMING BACK HOME Be it from the 60s, 80s, or recent 2000s, hear what our returning alumni quip about coming back to school.

Tunku Eddy Nasruan Ben Ibrahim

Cecilia Roh

Alex Kirkman

Alumna 2002 - 2016

Alumnus 2005 - 2018

Alumnus 1992

Fahd Dada Ryan Faehrmann Alumnus 2008 - 2016

Thomas Collins Alumnus 1987 - 1990

Oliver Quarm

Natasha Chapplow

Luke Farrand

Alya Hatta

Alumnus 2011 - 2015

Alumna 2012

Alumnus 2016

Alumna 2010 - 2017

Jessica Chapplow Alumna 2013

Neil Riley Alumnus 1962 - 1966 It has been such a nostalgic and emotional filled visit.

So many memories are flooding back of my most treasured times of my childhood.

Isabel Lim

Alumnus 1975 - 1985

Lim Yen Han Alumna 1971 - 1979 An amazing tour down memory lane to see the Primary Campus and how it has changed.

Good feeling and nostalgic memories.

Douglas Lyle Alumnus 2003 - 2017 It has been amazing to see how far this school has come, especially in the last few years of my time at Alice Smith. With the new buildings popping up, it is very nice to see the old Alice Smith still there. I miss the times I’ve had here and I wish the staff and students the best.

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NOSTALGIA The Kong family KLASS of 1990s Alice Smith! Best 14 years of my life! School and all the peoplefriendships that last a lifetime, wherever you are in the world.

Stephanie Kong (1990 - 2003)

Hafez Naimun Alumnus 2004 - 2012 Great to see Alice Smith improving so much and to see so many fabulous faces.

Looks like I graduated too early!

Aidan Saheran Alumnus 2007 - 2014 Wonderful to be back and see how the school is evolving. There seems to be a new building every year but somehow the essence of the school has been retained.

Amir Kamal Alumnus 2010 So happy to be back at Alice Smith! Everything is so different and was great to see a few familiar faces. Hope to come back more frequently in the future.

Aisling Murray Alumna 2004 - 2016 It was so great to visit the school again and see all the new buildings. I’m so jealous of the Sixth Formers who get to use the new Sixth Form Centre!

Although so much has changed at the school I always get a sense of nostalgia when I visit - something I hope to do for years to come.

Sheng Yu Chia Alumnus 2004 - 2016 I’ve always had fond memories of my time at Alice Smith and it was a great pleasure to have visited the school 3 years after leaving. The spaces I frequented most, the library and the Sixth Form Centre, have had great changes in layout and design but yet maintained the same homely feeling.

Kieran Low Alumnus 2015 - 2018

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Stepping into campus again gave me an enlightening sensation of wanting to do it all again. I was taken aback by the magnificent renovations and was pleased to see that Alice Smith is constantly progressing and developing to serve the greater purpose of nurturing students and bringing them to their full potential. My experience in Alice Smith brought me to new heights that I never thought could be reached. I was given many opportunities to excel in academics as well as a range of sports that instilled the core attributes of discipline and determination in me, driving me to eventually break records. It truly gives me an inexpressible feeling to see Alice Smith continue to guide students to the stars, following their inspiration motto “Sic Itur Ad Astra”

This is Not The End

THIS IS NOT THE END Farewell Appreciation Evening Bidding farewell to our leaving families

At the end of the 2018 - 2019 academic year, we bid farewell to our leaving students and their families.

As they embark on a new journey and settle into a new environment we thank their continuous support towards our school throughout their time here at Alice Smith. We would like to wish them a wonderful time wherever they are and welcome them to KLASSics. Au revoir!

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CONNECT

KLASSics REUNITE!

“Same geng, different year” By Karimah Suhaimi Top from left: Iskandar Mirzan, Josh Johns, Alex Johns and Amir Al Idrus Bottom from left: Shafiq Shatar, Nick de Raj, Jufri Megat, Karimah Suhaimi, Alvin Loh and Florence Choi

“You don’t often get to see your favourite teacher 18 years after high school, made even less likely by the high school being in Malaysia, and the teacher living in Australia”

By Sarah Elaine Moses From left: Sarah Elaine Moses Aherne and Ms Piper

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KLASSBoard

Congratulations!

Theo Chung ♥ Kay Chung

William Soliman ♥ Serene Seah

Alumnus 2007

Alumnus 1993 - 2003 25th May 2019

17th May 2019

Weddings

Ellis Khan ♥ Ronni Rais

Alumnus 1995 - 2005 27th July 2019

Chris Jones ♥ Lara Smiles

Alumna 1993 - 2004 10th August 2019

Juarez Lowe ♥ Melissa Zecha Alumna 1975 - 1982 24th August 2019

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KLASSBoard

Catherine Fairclough ♥ Matt Holford Alumna 1997 - 2010

Rachel Fairclough ♥ Nick Clayton Alumna 1998 - 2010 29th September 2019

27th July 2019

Engagements Nicola Quinion ♥ William Turner

Alumna 1994 - 2004

6th October 2018

Births Arvi Rama and Chelsea

Vanessa Guthrie & Zach Osborne Alumna 1998 - 2008

Delivered their son Luca Rama on 22nd May 2019

Delivered their daughter Chloe Rachel Osborne on 28th May 2019

Alumnus 1997 - 2000

Ellesse Jordan Gundersen and Henrik Gundersen Alumna 1997 - 2007

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Delivered their son Christian Steen Gundersen on 28th August 2019

KLASSified

You’re invited

MARK DIARY YOUR

ALICE SMITH SCHOOL

10TH YEAR REUNION

CLASS OF 2011 10th year re-union in 2021

SIXTH FORM 2001 See you in 2021 First batch reunion

Organised by:

Organised by:

Looking for volunteers

Rachel Fairclough

Catherine Fairclough

CLASS OF 2010 10th year re-union in 2020

Anyone who is organising reunions in your year or would like to volunteer for any alumni activities please contact the KLASSics team at klassics@alice-smith.edu.my

KNOWLEDGE SHARING BY ALUMNI We have had a number of alumni come back to school to share their journey of higher education, employment, career and paths not taken.

These sessions are facilitated by our Higher Education team.

If you would like to contribute to next year’s programme, please email highered@alice-smith.edu.my

Farewell to our Sixth Formers, Class of 2019 Wishing you all the best!

KLASSics Breakfast Tuesday, 8th May 2018

Primary Campus No. 2 Jalan Bellamy 50460 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia Tel +603 2148 3674 Fax +603 2148 3418

Secondary Campus No. 3 Jalan Equine, Taman Equine 43300 Seri Kembangan Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia Tel +603 9543 3688 Fax +603 9543 3788

www.alice-smith.edu.my

www.alice-smith.edu.my/379/alumni

klassics@alice-smith.edu.my

KLASSics - The Alice Smith Alumni Association

www.linkedin.com/in/alice-smith-school/