Dear Parents,
As we come to the end of another school year at Panaga School, I want to thank you all for your continued support and partnership. Our school is a truly special place – not just because of the beautiful surroundings, but because of the strong, caring, and unique community we share together. It is this sense of connection and collaboration that makes Panaga so much more than just a school.
To those families and children who are leaving us, thank you for the contributions you've made to our community. Whether your time here has been long or short, you have been part of what makes this school vibrant and diverse. We wish you every success and happiness in your new adventures.
I’d also like to acknowledge and express deep appreciation for our dedicated staff, who consistently put children at the heart of all they do. Their unwavering care, professionalism, and commitment create the nurturing and inspiring environment that defines Panaga School. To those staff members who are moving on, thank you for everything you have given – you leave behind a lasting legacy.
Aspecial and heartfelt tribute goes to our three Deputy Principals, MsAimee, Ms. Mandy and Ms. Donna, who are also leaving this year. Their leadership, compassion, and dedication have helped shape the ethos, direction, and spirit of Panaga School. They truly epitomise what makes our school so wonderful, and they will be greatly missed.
As we look ahead to a well-deserved break, I wish all of our families a safe, peaceful, and enjoyable holiday. We look forward to welcoming students back when school resumes on Tuesday 26thAugust.
Best Wishes, Brian, SLTand all of our staff.
Celebrating
The YRE programme is an international network & platformforyoungpeopletoinvestigate,research and sharesolutionstoglobalenvironmentalissues.
The Young Reporters for the Environment initiative is a global programme that empowers studentstousetheirvoicestoraiseawarenessaboutpressingenvironmentalissues.Children are encouraged to write articles, record podcasts or produce long-form videos that highlight real-world environmental challenges and solutions. This year, several incredible students from our school entered the competition, and the organisers were so impressed with the quality of their work that they awarded us 600 USD to contribute to a meaningful environmental initiative—currently,thevotessuggestwe’llbesupporting BorneanPygmyelephants.
Every entry was outstanding: Maya’s work was highly commended by the international judges, Harini and Iesha took 1st place for their powerful video about Sun Bears, and Aayan reached the grand final—an exceptional achievement, with only 62 finalists from organisations around the world, not just schools. The children should be incredibly proud, andwestronglyencouragethem—andothers—toenteragainnextyear!
Celebrating
You can read their award-winning articles by visiting the Padlet — just scan the QR code above!
The Language Leaders have had an incredibly busy and rewarding year, demonstrating exceptional dedication, initiative and teamwork.Their first outing this academic year was to a local school (SAMSA), where they taught English as a foreign language and supported students in preparing for their end-of-year speaking exams.They went on to deliver engaging lessons in Teraja and brought foreign language learning to students in Rampayoh, showing great adaptability and enthusiasm in a variety of settings.
Beyond their teaching roles, the Language Leaders made a wider impact by assisting with the Bird Fair and supporting the staff team-building event.They also collaborated with the Wildlife Warriors to help organise and lead both the student team-building event and the popular Bird Race, showing a real sense of community and cross-programme teamwork.
Another standout achievement was preparing a student for the French Spelling Bee and organising a team-building session forYear 2 and Merangking students.These experiences not only showcased their organisational and communication skills but also their commitment to inspiring and supporting others. It’s been an outstanding year of leadership, service and personal growth.
We,MsMarieandMsSteph,areextremelyproudoftheLanguageLeadersandtheir incredibleachievementsandgrowth.
Wildlife Warriors: Small Voices Making a Big Difference
This year, the Wildlife Warriors have gone above and beyond in their mission to protect and celebrate the wildlife of Borneo. From leading workshops and fundraising to presenting at major events, these passionate young conservationists have proved that age is no barrier when it comes to making a difference. Whether they were standing on a stage or supporting their team behind the scenes, every Wildlife Warrior played a role in sharing the message of conservation with pride and purpose.
The team led a wide range of activities for diverse audiences throughout the year. At the Bird Fair, they delivered engaging and informative sessions for the public, raising awareness about endangered species and sustainable living. Their enthusiasm was infectious as they guided visitors through interactive displays, games and presentations. In another major milestone, they were invited to lead sessions at JIS during Earth Week, where they confidently shared their knowledge and passion with students from across the region.
One of the standout achievements this year was the amount raised for conservation efforts – over BND 2,000 – through creative fundraising initiatives. Their dedication extended beyond the classroom as they gave up both a Saturday and a Sunday to support events and workshops. At Anthony Abell Secondary School, they led workshops about Borneo’s unique biodiversity, working alongside older students with maturity and confidence. Even Year 3 students stepped up as leaders, running interactive activities for Year 1 as part of their IPC topic, showing that leadership starts early.
Wildlife Warrior event at JIS, weather we raised 535 BND
Wearesadtosaygoodbyeto Ms Marie, who has been an incredible support to the studentsineverywaypossible. Her energy, dedication and kindness have made a lasting impact, and the Wildlife Warriors will truly be lost withouther.
Despite being some of the youngest voices in the room, these ickle pickles showed remarkable resilience, courage and leadership. They planned and delivered the staff team-building event – a first for the Wildlife Warriors – proving that their impact reaches across the whole school community. Their work this year sends a clear message: no matter how small or how young, every voice matters in the fight to protect Borneo’s wildlife. The animals are very lucky to have warriors like them who stand up for them and fight for their future. We only wish there were more like them. We are incredibly proud of all they’ve achieved and can’t wait to see what they do next.
Language Leaders helping prepare the students with the spelling bee. Thank you you all for giving up many lunchtimes to help the students.
This year’s French Spelling Bee had students buzzing with excitement as they tackled tricky vocabulary across three challenging rounds. In Round 1, students listened carefully as each word was said in English and French before writing the French spelling simultaneously. Round 2 turned up the pressure, with students individually receiving different English words and spelling them out loud in French.
The final round brought together the top two spellers from each year group. This time, the words were given in French, and finalists had to spell them aloud and provide their English meanings. The competition showcased not only impressive language skills but also courage and quick thinking under pressure. Félicitations to all our fantastic spellers!
Our students were amazing and truly did Panaga proud—every year group came away as winners. Year 5 tied with JIS, but overall, our students made the fewest mistakes, showing excellent focus and preparation. I am extremely proud of everything they achieved. A special shout-out goes to the Year 3 students who bravely stepped in to represent Year 4 when we didn’t have enough participants. Thank you also to the Language Leaders for their incredible support in helping and preparing the competitors.
Year 3 winners: Mila, Anna, Shaurya and Elena
Year 4 winners: Ola, Isla, Laurenz and Catalina
Year 5 winners: Samiksha, Isabelle, Ryan and Naia
Year 6 winners: Pranjal, Samiq, Himika and Anshuman
Well done too to all the runner ups, those that did not make it to the top 4, but still tried your best! You are all amazing!
Over the course of three weeks, the Year 5 students have been researching famous characters in the 1920s and the 1950s; from Hedda Gabler, Hercule Poirot to Sherlock Holmes. They were also challenged with researching the sort of people they were and designing costumes in keeping with their findings. This week, they dressed up as this character and what a marvelous way it is to end a term of learning.
YEAR 5 CHARACTER RESEARCH PROJECT
…The 1920s looked like a lot of fun!
YEAR 5 CHARACTER RESEARCH PROJECT
…The 1920s looked like a lot of fun! D R A M A
