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l Whole School News

Whole School News

INTERNATIONAL PICNIC DAY

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By Mrs Jayne Vickers

We were delighted to celebrate the school’s annual International Day on Friday 25th February. Despite ongoing restrictions, we managed to celebrate in style. The entire school community embraced the opportunity to show the vibrancy of their culture through their clothing as students and sta came into school wearing their national dress or colours that represented their country of origin. It was wonderful to see all the di erent costumes from the many nationalities in our school: from kilts, kanga and kandura to hanbok, hakama and hats galore!

During period 1, students and teachers came together in venues across the school to share songs, stories, performances, and presentations on the theme of “Our Heritage”. There are too many to name them all here, but some of the highlights included a whistle stop tour of Tanzania, an insight into Indian festivals, a beautiful Hindi love song, a traditional Korean folk song, and a taste of Morris dancing. The final part of the day was a moment for students across the school to enjoy special treats and snacks from their home country either through a show and tell in the Junior School to conversations in the Senior School.

Thank you to everyone involved in celebrating our internationalism and sharing your heritage and culture with others.

Parents and teachers were delighted to have the opportunity to attend a Monologue Evening in the Black Box Theatre. This was a chance for students who take part in Trinity Examinations to showcase the work they have been preparing in their private Drama lessons ran by BODA. Students from Grade 1 – Grade 9 performed a variety of contemporary and Shakespearean monologues. We also had a wonderful rendition of ‘Tomorrow’ from the musical ‘Annie’ as well as a monologue written by a student about the volcanic eruption in Pompeii. Well done to all students involved for trying themselves out.

Thank you and well done to the Charity Committee for their continued hard work and dedication in raising awareness and funds for causes in Dubai and the UAE. This term the Charity Committee collaborated with the Wellbeing Committee to host a ‘Love and Kindness Day’ where sta and students were invited to wear red and share messages of kindness on a mural in the atrium. This event raised 9841.75 AED for the Al Jalila Foundation, with money going to heart research. The Charity Committee has now raised a total of 47, 891.75 AED for the Al Jalila Foundation and they are now close to achieving their target of 50,000 AED by the end of this academic year!

In March, the Charity Committee hosted its first Book Drive whereby students were asked to donate good quality books for school-aged children to donate to ‘The Gi of Education,’ a charity in Dubai which supports local schools to establish their school libraries. A particular thanks to this year’s outgoing Chair of the Charity Committee, Ananya in Grade 12 and for her unwavering support, organisation, and leadership.

The extra-curricular life of the NCLS Dubai came alive this term, as students were able to re-discover our passions as ECAs recommenced. The many changes to the programme did not deter you all! Across the whole school, just under 3000 ECA weekly choices were made. Well done to the students in Grade 4, 5 6 and Grade 7s who re-engaged with the highest level of participation. The return of swim galas and sports fixtures provided a refocus for training. Chess burst into life through the schools and Model United Nations continued to dominate with over 70 students involved across the school. We were fortunate that twelve novice and experienced MUN (Model United Nations) delegates represented NLCS in the Hague online Conference representing Angola in the theme: “ONE PLANET ONE WORLD: debate, decide, act now”.

The following ECAs contributed to Service As Action hours with students taking initiative and leading others. Grade 6-9 Portuguese led by Grade 9 Gisela, Frederick with senior boys' basketball, Lexy coaching a successful mixed Volleyball club for Grade 6-8 and Grade 7 student Mona, who shared her passion by a creating a contemporary Dance.

In terms of new ECAs, senior students involved in the new Science Olympiad ECA performed well and congratulations to Grade 11 Layla ranked 7th in the UAE for Grade 11 Biology. Meanwhile in the Junior School, it was wonderful to see new Sign language ECA gaining traction in both KG2 – G1 and Grade 2-5 led by Miss Worthington. The First School students were also keen to make use of our professional golfers from Meydan as they started a mini golf ECA.

We look forward to cricket, rounders, STEM and so many new ECAs next term. Options will be chosen during Ramadan and commence straight a er EID.

As the Spring term draws to a close, NLCS Schools across the world join together in celebrating and commemorating Founder’s Day. This day allows us all to focus on the exceptional development of an NLCS education but also to reflect upon our own contributions to the NLCS family. The theme of this years celebration was two fold. Firstly, we celebrated the life and work of Mrs Joan Clanchy (Headmistress 1985-1997) who was passionate about the way in which education should look beyond the confines of a set curriculum. Her influence and determination molded what we have today in all four schools. Secondly, the theme of Founder’s Day this year was success. Our students focused on what is meant by success, how have they been successful and how can the strive for success in the future. One particular message that was key this year was the importance of recognising the barriers to success and how to overcome them. The day was a wonderful moment where all our students played their part whether it was reading, playing, singing or processing beautifully with their da odils. Not only did we have our traditional ceremony on the last day of term but throughout the entire week we saw performances from our youngest students each day and Grade 4 performed marvellously on stage on Thursday.

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