Page 6 - Demo

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT
This has been a year unlike any other! Not just a unique school year, but a truly unprecedented year across the globe. The level of challenge has been unbelievably high ... and yet, the level of achievements has also been absolutely exceptional.
For our students, you have had to learn how to learn in a completely different way from normal. You have become much more independent, and have gained the confidence to think divergently. You may have sometimes felt isolated, and you have probably suffered from lack of exercise – but at least you may have got a bit more sleep than normal. We pay tribute to the resilience, creativity and improvisation skills that you have shown this year!
For our staff, you have also had to completely reinvent the way you operate at work. You have developed much technological expertise, and have put considerable thought into aspects of your teaching such as lesson structure and feedback loops to ensure understanding. Your professionalism has ensured that every student can successfully access their learning, regardless of their personal circumstances – and your overall support for our students has been absolutely phenomenal.
For our parents, you may have had to deal with complex work from home arrangements for the whole family. You have often found yourselves physically present in distance learning lessons, and have sometimes acted as unofficial educational assistants. The support you have given South Island School this year has been truly appreciated – we really could not have done it without you.
This yearbook is also quite different from previous ones, as our first digital-only yearbook. It is a celebration of everything we have achieved as a community this year, and we will be stronger than ever when we resume our learning in school. In the meantime, please pause to reflect on everything you have gained, both expectedly and unexpectedly, from this most extraordinary of school years. And if this is sadly the end of your SIS journey, we wish you the very best of luck with your next destination – and please stay connected with this incredibly special SIS community!
Mr. Tom Vignoles
Principal
6 School Report