A new school year launched: a Reminder, Recognition, and Reflection

Aug 23, 2024

At the start of a new school year, it is common practice for schools to undertake a form of ‘reset’ to refresh the community’s shared understanding of expectations and practices for the coming year. It is also a timely juncture to offer some recognition in advance of those who will serve the school community in important, but perhaps less visible ways. Not to be forgotten in the rush to make ready for the return of students, parents, and teachers to the school is the essential practice of reflecting, even fleetingly, on the key learnings from the past year to ensure that we sustain the virtuous and abstain from any repetition of past failings. This is something that is well-embedded in the tone-setting and goal-setting that happens in each classroom at ISF in August. It is also something that should be practiced at an institutional level.

First, let me offer a reminder concerning how we undertake the journey from home to school and back each day safely and considerately. Many parents will note the heavy and highly visible police presence in Cyberport over the past week. This is in response to a spate of complaints to the government over school traffic last week. There are two reasons for this sudden focus on our traffic: the first is that the change of traffic volume from ‘summer slumber’ to ‘school normal’ comes as a shock to many and adjustment back to a regular routine may take a little time; the second is that new ISF families may be unfamiliar with not only the expectations of legal compliance with the road laws in Hong Kong, but also the road-use expectations of the wider community in our neighborhood. While enforcement of Hong Kong road laws remains the exclusive province of the police, managing the social or intangible elements of driver and pedestrian behavior is very much an expectation placed on the school by the Hong Kong Government. A firm reminder of this expectation was sent to the school last week by the Education Bureau. Please heed warnings from both the police and school staff about drop-off and pick-up zones. The bottom line in this is that failure to meet community expectations may prompt the imposition of restrictions on student travel. The proposal to oblige all ISF families to pay for and use buses to travel to and from school remains under active consideration.

I wish to offer my recognition, in advance, for the volunteer work undertaken on behalf of our school and its students by our governing bodies and our parents through the Parent and Teacher Association (PTA). While many parents may be largely unaware of the essential role played by our governing bodies and committees, the exacting accountability, insightful strategic planning, and wise counsel provided are key drivers of the success of our school. Their commitment to ISF is underscored by the average tenure of governors which is in excess of a decade of service. Wise, experienced, and vigilant, our governors keep steady, uncompromising watch over each and every aspect of ISF education and operations.

Our parent volunteers are ‘legion’ with hundreds serving ISF families through class and grade level representation, event support and management, fundraising, and communication across the many elements of the ISF community. The peak parent body, the Representative Council, led by the PTA President, offers a well-managed and regular forum to discuss issues of importance. Quite literally, we could not thrive and prosper as a school without this vast band of volunteers who dedicate their time and effort to make ISF a better school. New parents are urged to sign up for membership and to volunteer for duty!  

The reflections that accrue over the course of a year (or longer) are many and multi-faceted. Some seem important at the time, but with the benefit of hindsight become less so; others initially appear to be insignificant but grow in importance due to changing circumstances. Our capacity to conduct learning online is a good example: initially planned as a short-term response to disruptions brought about by inclement weather, online learning became the lifeline of education during the pandemic. Artificial intelligence roared into life as a primary concern for educators and parents over the past year or so. The extraordinarily dynamic nature of this suite of technologies and platforms suggests that we ‘hasten slowly’ in adopting or committing to technologies and practices that may quickly fall victim to newly emergent technologies. The important truth that abides remains the human focus of education as an inherently social undertaking. We are totally reliant on our teachers, students, and parents to sustain and enhance the journey of learning over the next year. Human capital, therefore, remains the essential and non-negotiable prerequisite for success. Teacher and student retention, both historically high at ISF, are therefore worthy of our attention and best efforts as we embark on another year together.

This is a reminder that as we recognize the efforts of those who teach and learn, we must also reflect on the need for mutual respect and care, one for another, to make the year everything we wish it to be.

Dr. Malcolm Pritchard

Head of School