Head of School Message Welcome to the 2021 Annual Review. It is my pleasure to provide this report as Head of School and to provide an overview of yet another eventful yet successful school year. Though the year commenced with online learning in place, due to the ongoing impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, AISHK students were supported by their teachers and parents, displaying much resilience and resourcefulness throughout 2021. The eventual arrival of a return to fullday classes from May was welcome news for all and came with much joy and further flourishing of our students, learning once again on campus. AISHK commenced the school year with 1,114 students and, including departures and arrivals, ended the year with 1,165 students. The welcoming of new students and their families into the school at the start of each term, and during, was well supported by the AISHK Parent Association, the Admissions staff, teachers and students. Providing a warm welcome to newcomers is an important hallmark of AISHK which we seek to maintain. As a staff body, AISHK continued to extend and enhance our skills and delivery of a leading international education through professional learning. Our whole-school focus saw professional learning communities of teachers working in groups across the Primary and Secondary Divisions, using the framework of ‘Principles of Learning’ from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Teachers identified an area of their practice to improve using a ‘Data Informed Decision Making Cycle’ developed by Australian Independent Schools New South Wales (AISNSW) to ensure it was an evidence based approach. Wellbeing AISHK recognises the evolving and ever-present need for a sound understanding of what wellbeing means in a school and personal context. Early in 2021, a Wellbeing Committee was reconvened, led by the Deputy Heads of Secondary
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Mr Howard West Head of School
and Primary and comprised of staff representatives from across the school; Andrew Wookey (HPE Teacher), Kathleen Ellis (Head of PDHPE), David Emery (Secondary Teacher), Paul McGunnigle (HSIE Teacher and Head of Community Service), Joanna Chan (Primary Psychologist), Bernadette Spencer Secondary Psychologist), Christopher Bird (Deputy Head of Primary, R-2) and Donna Botfield (Deputy Head of Primary, 3-6). The Committee is dedicated to proactively identifying and implementing an evidence-based wellbeing approach. A whole-school approach is shown to “improve wellbeing, reduce internalising problems and support gains in interpersonal and intrapersonal attitudes and skills” (AISNSW Wellbeing Literature Review 2021). Meeting at least twice a term, the Committee discusses up-to-date research into school wellbeing, the unique needs of our school community and the values and mission of AISHK. During Mental Health month, AISHK held Tune into Mental Health Week, commencing on 25 October, featuring a variety of events, activities and information sessions for students, staff and parents. Emphasis was placed on the importance of both individual and collective wellbeing, as well as our efforts as a wider community to become mental health allies. Primary During a challenging start to the school year, Primary students displayed great resilience and flexibility, supported by their network of parents, staff and peers. A great sense of ‘normality’ returned with resumption to on-campus learning. For many Primary students, this marked the first time they had set foot on the School grounds since their enrollment. 2021 class cohorts were maintained so that peers remained in the same groups of the preceding year. This assisted students in building upon the important relationships which they had established.
