It has been a very energizing week as we welcomed our M4 and D1 students. 75% of our M4-D2 students are back on campus! This indeed is a very positive start. We also have 50% of our boarding students back! Slowly, our campus is beginning to show signs of normalcy along with COVID precautionary measures. We have found that the biggest challenge has been reminding our students to maintain appropriate physical distance on campus. As you might imagine, having been away for 11 months, our students have been very excited to see each other. Although many of our students are not on campus, preparations for their return continues. We have updated our Reopening Handbook and have revisited safety procedures to align with government mandates. Development plans for our facilities continue with our new library's ongoing construction scheduled to be completed this May. A new playground surface is being placed for our Primary playground to ensure safety and comfort for our young learners. New shade sails are also being secured over the amphitheatre adjacent to our new Arts Centre to provide shade to enjoy the outdoors for concerts. Beyond facilities development, our Governing Council, administrative teams, and faculty committees are prioritising a new 4-year Strategic Plan action plan and completing our Council of International Schools (CIS) action plan. Our next accreditation visits from CIS, IB, and New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) is set for the 2022-2023 academic year. Finally, we have completed the recruitment of new staff for the 2021-2022 school year, all of whom are in support of our mission and vision. Exciting preparations for Stonehill continue to be in full swing even during this pandemic to ensure that Stonehill International School continues to offer high quality and innovative educational programmes. Thank you for your continued support and partnership. Stay safe and be well, Dr. Brian Brumsickle Head of School |