Preparing Minds and Hearts: Pre-Ramadan Workshop for Year 3

The Islamic Department is excited to announce yet another special pre-Ramadan workshop for our Year 3 students on the 6th of March.

Our guest speaker, Khadijah Taher Gilmore is a young and inspiring teacher who is currently a volunteer at an Islamic centre in Dubai. This workshop will aim to gain a deeper understanding of Ramadan and instill the excitement for Ramadan through engaging hands on activities and lively discussions.

ASPS will be hosting an Islamic Book Fair by "Deen Square", from 5th to 6th March! This exciting event will take place in the MPH and is open to students from FS1 to Year 9.

We encourage parents to take this opportunity to discuss with their children the importance of reading and learning about Islamic values. Pparents are welcome to accompany their children during the Book Fair from 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm.

Celebrate World Book Day By Sharing the Love of Reading!

This year, we are encouraging all students to share the joy of reading by participating in a book swap next week, 7th March!

On this literary day, students are invited to bring a book from their personal collection and exchange it with a friend. It is a simple yet delightful way to introduce each other to different genres and authors. Remember, each book finds a temporary home and is returned once you are finished.

Let's celebrate the diverse worlds that books open up and make this year's World Book Day a memorable exchange of stories between friends!

We are excited to introduce the new Pastoral Year Leaders for both our Higher Primary (Year 4-6) and Secondary School (Year 7-9). These familiar faces within our school community will now be taking on additional responsibilities, working closely with our school leaders to address several important aspects of our school environment. With their leadership and guidance, we are confident that our school will continue to thrive as a nurturing and supportive environment where every student can reach their full potential.

Behaviour for Learning

One of the primary focuses will be on behaviour for learning and its impact on academics and the overall school environment. Our Pastoral Year Leaders will collaborate with teachers and students to develop strategies that promote positive behaviour patterns, ultimately enhancing the learning experience for all.

Attendance and Punctuality

Our Pastoral Year Leaders will be working diligently to raise both. Through targeted interventions and ongoing support, we aim to instill a sense of responsibility and accountability among our students, ensuring that they arrive punctually for their classes and fully participate in lessons. 

Student Wellbeing

Addressing bullying and promoting student wellbeing are also top priorities for our pastoral year leaders. Through education, prevention and intervention efforts, we are dedicated to effectively curbing bullying and promoting the overall wellbeing of our students.  Our Pastoral Year Leaders will actively promote student leadership and empowerment by providing opportunities for students to take on leadership roles and make meaningful contributions to the school community.

Communication

Our Pastoral Year Leaders will also focus on encouraging and facilitating positive relationships with students, parents and parent representatives (PSF). By fostering open communication and collaboration, we aim to create a supportive school community where everyone is heard.

Meet our new Pastoral Year Leaders:

International Day was not just a another school event or celebration, it was a testament to our commitment to inclusion and the belief that everybody belongs at ASPS.

 We would like to extend gratitude to all the students and parents who supported and contributed to the event. Your dedication to showcasing your home countries through colourful stalls and captivating performances brought the world within reach and created an atmosphere of unity and understanding.

A special acknowledgment goes to our dedicated staff in Operations department, who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure the smooth execution of the event. Your hard work and dedication are the backbone of our school's vibrant community and we are grateful for all that you do.

This week, we have celebrated the impressive achievements of 21 students, from FS onwards, who participated in the GAB Winter Challenges. These were activities designed to be fun ways to enhance Learning Skills, Reading and Wellbeing during the school holidays. 

We had around 500 entries for these competitions! We are really proud of our students who participated, as well as to our dedicated GAB members whose unwavering support made these challenges possible.

A special note of appreciation goes out to Ms. Margi for her invaluable support. Your dedication has truly made a difference and we couldn't have achieved such success without you.

Roll on the next holiday! The spring holiday will have our School Ramadan Challenge - do encourage your child to join in.

Quran Recitation Competition 

We are pleased to share with you of our recent success in the Quran Recitation Competition held in collaboration with Prestine School. With a total of 9 schools participating with approximately 100 students from Secondary School, ASPS performed exceptionally well and secured the second position overall among all participating schools. This success is a testament to the hard work, dedication and talent of our students, as well as the supportive environment fostered at ASPS

 Younus Mamoun from Year 9 has achieved the prestigious Best Reader Award in the recent Quran recitation competition. Well done!

The Wellbeing Heroes have started working on a Wellbeing Student Newsletter and they are looking for student input. The aim of the Wellbeing Newsletter is to give students a voice, and be a fun and interactive platform. 

There are three categories that students can contribute to: 

Wow Moment - Celebrating Student Pursuits 

Are you doing any extra-curricular activity you want others to know about? Something you have accomplished in your life or begun that you feel proud of?

Whether it's a sport you play, a hobby you have, a channel or a blog you started, a business, an app that you've created, or a story that you have published, fill in the form so that we can publish it on the Wellbeing Magazine, and everyone will be able to see your achievements and support it too!  (50 to 75 words). 

Share it through through this link: https://forms.gle/jBYQdoW9StAGKqp8A 

LOLs - Jokes that make you laugh out loud

How good is your sense of humour?

Tell us a joke - and we're going to publish it on our Wellbeing Magazine asking for a rating from the students who read it! Try to make it original! Just remember, jokes should be appropriate and keep in mind that they should not be offensive.

Make us laugh through this link: https://forms.gle/7ZbSExcyfSPLKcPu8 

Top Tutor Tips - Study tips from Students for Students 

Do you have any tips that can help other students with studying, especially during the exam season? If you do, share your top tips and we will make sure to publish it on our Wellbeing Magazine!

Send your tips through this link: https://forms.gle/D88NF7DBkJvw7w9k7 

Term 2 assessments are scheduled to start on Monday 4th March 2024 spanning a duration of 7-8 days depending on your child's year level. These assessments will be conducted during the school day, ensuring suitable testing conditions. The remainder of the school day will proceed as usual, following the class timetable for continued teaching and learning.

Illness at Assessment Period

If a student has any signs of sickness that are causing them distress or could be considered contagious then they should not be sent to school to sit for their assessments.

Parents of students who are absent due to illness and do not attend the school, should provide a medical note. Upon receipt of the medical note, the student will then be awarded the marks of their formative assessment as their test grade. Students who are absent without a medical note will be given a zero for the test.

To ensure that the academic team stay laser-focused on our students; their wellbeing and academic progress, they will no longer be responsible for collecting and handling money. Please do not to send cash payments for with your child to be handed to their teachers.

Starting from February 2024, we will be transitioning to Zenda payments only for our trips, after-school activities and other school-related events. Until then, we will continue to accept cash or card payments through our Accounts counter in school.

Preferred Payment Option: Zenda App

Our preferred and recommended payment option is the Zenda App. This secure platform provides a convenient way for our parents and guardians to make school payments (this includes school fees!)

Payment through Zenda App:

Download the Zenda app today from app.zenda.com/getstarted 

To sign up, please use the school code: alsalam and your email or mobile number registered with the school.

For Support:

If you have any questions or do not remember your sign up details, you can reach out to the Zenda team on WhatsApp at https://wa.me/12515511110