From the Head of School and Board Chair

From the Head of School

Dear SFS Community,

It would be challenging to write this letter without expressing a deep sense of pride in our community. This has been another year of huge COVID-19 turbulence, with a daily rate of positive cases in Korea topping over half a million just a short while ago. Yet I can say that our students, faculty, staff, parents, and alumni have all been simply incredible in their resilience, patience, tolerance, and creativity in meeting each new curveball that the pandemic has thrown at us. Thank you to everyone!

Whilst it has sometimes felt that surviving on a day-to-day basis was our only priority, the articles in this issue of the Banner will testify that SFS has been continuing to look to the future. Please enjoy the article on the ‘SFS GATE’. The Gate is driving us towards ensuring that SFS is a hub of personal and professional development for all of our community. Over the coming months and years, please look out for opportunities for parents and alumni to access courses, programs, and presentations to enrich and deepen involvement in education, parenting, and school life. We are very excited about how The Gate will support and bring our whole community together in varied and meaningful ways.

I am also thrilled to see our new High School Counseling model already bearing fruit. With four dedicated University Admissions specialists, we are able to help and guide families in preparation for the next stage of their children’s learning journey, and two counselors provide proactive social and emotional support for all of our High School students. The overwhelmingly positive feedback surrounding our expanded model has been hugely gratifying and encouraging as we aim to make continuous improvements to our provision. we engaged a number of school and community-wide focus groups to give us direct feedback and input to support us in creating a ‘White Paper’ that determines our next campus and programmatic strategic steps. Perhaps you saw a brief video message I shared a few weeks ago. It included 6 key elements that came out of the White Paper that the Board and I will be using to inform the future of SFS. They are as follows:

• Define & commit to an international mindset, even as demographics change

• Establish clear strategy to focus and develop identity and strengths of British School

• Strengthen language learning and wellness & counselling support across the school

• Double down on IB implementation; make excellence at all levels of the IB into the school’s competitive advantage

• Rationalize and develop campus spaces to develop sports, air quality provision & faculty housing.

• Refresh or replace Middle School building - address admissions bottle neck

So you can see that despite the maelstrom of the last two years we have been planning for big opportunities ahead. These are opportunities that as a community I know we will embrace. SFS continues to be at the forefront of international education in Seoul and dedicated to providing the best teaching and learning for our students.

God bless,

Colm Flanagan Head of School

THE BANNER Seoul Foreign School Magazine, Spring 2022

Team

Published by: Seoul Foreign School External Relations Team Editor: Maura Brookes Designer: Juhie Suh Collaborators: Yoojin Um, Eric De Haan, Angie Won Photographers: Juhie Suh

Address

Seoul Foreign School 39 Yeonhui-ro 22-gil Yeonhui-dong, Seodaemun-gu Seoul, South Korea, 03723 www.seoulforeign.org

Unless otherwise noted, articles may be reprinted without permission - as long as they are not edited or revised - with appropriate credit given to “The Banner, the magazine for Seoul Foreign School.”

*All efforts have been made to check details and consistency. Please contact communications@seoulforeign. org with any questions.

Cover: The Pre-K 4 Mural was collaboratively worked on to connect to their Unit of Inquiry on "How We Organize Ourselves" and also to remind our community to pray and support Ukraine. Photography: Juhie Suh

From the Board Chair

Dear SFS Community,

I am writing this letter as we are approaching the end of another academic year under the duress of the COVID-19 pandemic. The SFS administration is still spending a reasonable amount of time around COVID-19 related issues; nevertheless, they have made steady progress toward the fall visits for the recurring 5-year accreditation process (WASC/IB/Fieldwork). As the SFS Board of Governors, we are also involved in this process and will use the feedback provided by the accreditation in the setting of the strategic plan for the next five years. The pandemic has prevented us from coming together to celebrate our 110th Anniversary this spring. Still, we have set dates for the fall of 2022 in the hope that we will be able to celebrate this significant school milestone fully. In the past few months, as the pandemic has raged in Seoul, I have been humbled by the grit and resilience of our administrators and teachers in continuing to deliver an excellent education for our students. Our SFS community has also demonstrated great maturity and respect for the rules and quickly adapted to any changes needed to allow the school to function daily without shifting the entire campus to virtual learning.

We are sadly still not able to have parents visit the schoolground freely, but we are hoping that we will be able to restore this vital part of SFS campus life next academic year. I am excited at the opportunity that the school will provide through the “The Gate at SFS” initiative. The IB Program strives to prepare each student to become a “learner for life”; following this philosophy, SFS also wants to engage the community in the continuous joy of learning and has set up learning opportunities for our entire community! Through the pages of this issue, you will find more information on this new initiative, and I hope SFS will maintain this excellent opportunity to learn through the years to come.

I wish everyone a great end to this academic year and a great and restful summer break.

Sincerely,

Dr. Silvia Ratto Kim Chair of the Board of Governors

HUMAN INTEREST

Every school day, two dozen bus drivers transport SFS students to campus and safely back home again. As our community consists of students from all over Seoul, this is a crucial role that bears a great deal of responsibility. But how often do we connect with bus drivers and other staff members who quietly keep school operations running smoothly?

Students were required to stretch their communication and collaboration skills in order to develop appropriate questions, perform the interview, write the article, and present their work.

As part of their Language and Literature journalism unit, Jo Bigwood and Cameron Munce’s Grade 6 students interviewed staff members about their life and culture. “Everyone has their own personal take on culture and what it means to them. As an international school, we have a robust community and a nice cultural melting pot,” says Cameron, “but there are people here who play an important role, who we might see on a daily basis but we don’t always get the chance to connect with. We tasked our students to find out - who are these individuals, what is their background like, how do they define culture and what’s important to them?”

Students started by reading Korean and Asian texts, such as those written by Linda Sue Park and A Part of the Ribbon by Ruth Hunter and Debra Fritsch, and exploring the cultural iceberg. “It’s very important to incorporate mentor texts that reflect our host country,” shares Jo. “Many of our local students were able to relate to the stories we read and our international students gained a deeper understanding of their current home in Korea. And as all the interviews were to be conducted in Korean, it was valuable that we had already explored culture through the lens of these texts.”

After studying elements of journalistic writing, students prepared by interviewing each other. The practice interviews helped them get out their nerves, understand what makes a good question and a well-structured article, and as a bonus side effect, they learned a lot about their classmates and peers. They then formed groups based on their Korean language proficiency and prepped for the big day. Both interviewers and interviewees eagerly anticipated their meeting. Hugh Lee, Head of Transportation, shares, “our team members watch students

“For a while, all of our office conversations were about the student interviews,” says Hugh, SFS Head of Transportation. “It made us very proud of our work and our culture.”

grow through their school years - some for 15 years all the way from Pre-K to Grade 12 - but they don’t have a chance to talk with each other. This was a great opportunity to get to know each other better.”

This project was not easy - students were required to stretch their communication and collaboration skills in order to develop appropriate questions, perform the interview, write the article, and present their work. And most challenging of all were the many rounds of translating between English and Korean; Jo and Cameron are very grateful to the Korean-speaking parents who assisted with proofreading. But the rewards were immeasurable. In a time when we are unable to bring parents, alumni, and other community members on campus, making connections with each other is more important than ever. “For a while, all of our office conversations were about the student interviews,” says Hugh. “It made us very proud of our work and our culture.”

Grade 6 felt a great sense of pride, as well, when they presented the finished articles to interviewees. “I learned we should be thankful for the people behind the scenes helping us and give support and gratitude to them,” reflected student journalist Isaac. Another student, Chrystal, learned about “my interviewee’s individual culture and the impact working at SFS has had on them. Writing an article will help people in the community to get to know staff better and learning about these people helps appreciate them more.” Finally, Celine believes “small acts like having a conversation and writing this article can impact the SFS community for the better.”

19 12

To read Grade 6 student articles featuring SFS staff, please scan the QR code on the right.

HUMAN INTEREST HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELING, Every school day, two dozen bus drivers transport SFS students to campus and safely back home again. As our community consists of students from all over Seoul, this is a crucial role that bears a great deal of responsibility. But how often do we connect with bus REDEFINED

drivers and other staff members who quietly keep school operations running smoothly? The High School Counseling Program at Seoul Foreign School addresses the academic, social, and emotional development of all students. In partnership with teachers, parents, and the community, counselors provide support and ensure all students at SFS have access to, and are prepared with, the knowledge and skills to contribute as productive global citizens.

At the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year, the High School student body was introduced to a restructured and expanded counseling team, helmed by Dr. Nicole Cook, Director of Counseling and University Admissions. Supporting Nicole is a team of three University Admissions Counselors and two Social-Emotional Counselors. “By having staff specialized in either academic or social-emotional counseling, students are provided with varied support throughout their journey. It also allows for counselors to professionally develop and hold advanced skills and knowledge,” shares Nicole. This restructure and expansion recognizes the importance of abundantly preparing graduates for success beyond SFS, while also supporting students through the unique challenges of High School.

One of the team’s core activities is the seminar program. Counselors plan and implement lessons in a variety of gradeappropriate areas. For Grade 9 students, seminars focus on the social and academic transition into High School and encourage students to get involved with extracurriculars and explore their passions. Moving into Grade 10, students are beginning to think about their futures and careers - refining their personal interests and their academic interests through IB Diploma Programme (IBDP) course selection. Counselors support the transition into the DP in Grade 11 and begin university research with students. Finally, Grade 12 seminar sessions dive deep on the university admissions process with the counseling team supporting students every step of the way, ensuring they find the place or program that suits them best.

However, Nicole and the team counsel in a way that they hope will support students well beyond graduation from SFS. “I believe that High School counseling does not just lead to an endpoint outcome of university. Our role is also to facilitate the development of students so that they have the self-knowledge and other skills needed to thrive in their lives after High School. Our team’s success is demonstrated not only by where students achieve university enrollment, but also their happiness, success and thriving through university and beyond.” Special care is given to ensure students are able to learn and grow throughout the university admissions process, helping them to be more independent going forward.

It might be easy to judge whether or not SFS students are “doing well” after graduation by looking at a list of the universities they attend and assessing them by ranking or prestige. After working with students for 20 years though, Nicole knows success is defined by so much more. “Behind that list of colleges and universities lies a group of young people who have been striving to understand where they want to fit into the world, what they want to focus on in their careers, and how they want to make an impact. They are often choosing their next step from the entire globe, considering a variety of countries, subjects, cultures, and much more than a name can convey.”

At the end of the day, the High School counseling team aspires for students to move on to their next chapter with no regrets - to go for their dreams and fully embrace the journey ahead, equipped with what they need to succeed. Counselors are hard at work each day working towards that outcome for all SFS students. 19 12

THE GATE

LEARNING FOR ALL

When you think of Seoul Foreign School, what comes to mind? Maybe you think of academic and creative excellence, a dedication to the service of others, or potentially our iconic Korean Gate. Inspired by these aspects of our school, a few enterprising staff members have created The Gate - a professional development center providing learning experiences to our community and beyond.

Opposite: (top and bottom) Korean classes are offered to faculty who wish to improve their Korean language proficiency by Hyejung Jang and Eunha Ko, own Korean teachers after school. (Middle) Identity, Privilege and Power, a workshop offered by Margaret Park, the Elementary School vice-principal

e S oul Foreign Scho o lGATE THE

Learning for All

When Jan-Mark Seewald began his role as Assistant Head of School for Academics, he aspired to strengthen SFS’ role as a center for teaching and learning excellence. “We were already achieving success in the classroom,” shares Jan-Mark, “but with the history, talent, and resources available here, we questioned how we could expand our reach to other members of our community. And how we could share the amazing things happening on campus with the world.” In conversations with his assistant, Hannah Kim, and with Aaron Moniz, co-founder of SFS partner organization Inspire Citizens, Jan-Mark found two passionate allies. The three enthusiastically brainstormed how they could increase professional development offerings for educators, student events, create learning opportunities for parents, and service-learning activities for the entire community.

And then COVID-19 arrived. “Prior to the pandemic, we were constantly adding to our professional development opportunities for staff,” says Hannah. “We were hosting some kind of activity most weekends but that all came to a grinding halt. In a way, though, it was a blessing. This pause allowed us to evaluate and reimagine our offerings and has motivated us to engage with the community even more.”

The Gate intends to exemplify our school’s mission in action. “Through the curriculum, we encourage students to pursue academic and creative excellence, and to be dedicated to the service of others. The Gate will ensure that the school as an institution will also be committed to these ideals,” shares Aaron. And what does the branding of “The Gate” represent? “We view the collection of offerings as a “gateway” to valuable resources for all members of our community, as well as other educators in our region.” Hannah adds, “we also are being very intentional about representing our host country of Korea and connecting with the culture here. The Korean Gate image reminds us of our home on campus and in Seoul, as well as representing the open door of teaching and learning for all.”

In addition to existing professional development opportunities, several pilot programs are already underway for The Gate. These include Korean language classes for faculty and staff, an immersive IBDP experience for parents, and student leadership training for High School students. The team is focusing on internal programming right now with the hope to build and reach audiences external to SFS next academic year. They aspire for The Gate’s activities to create a current of connection and excitement in the wider community outside of SFS. According to Jan-Mark, “even if only one student, family, or teacher decides to join our Seoul Foreign School community because of an experience they had through The Gate, I would see that as a great success.”

If you feel inspired to serve Seoul Foreign School by linking your talents and skills to existing needs in the community, The Gate team wants to hear from you. Please email thegate@seoulforeign.org with ideas, questions, and feedback. For more information, please visit The Gate website by scanning the QR code on the right.

19 12