Dear Community Members, 

An engaging two months of learning and activity has gripped the GJS campus, both inside and outside classrooms, since the December edition of the Kontak: 

• Harvard Crimson Learning with Leaders Workshop hosted on the GJS campus

• Morning Coffee for parents with Pak Cory and Leadership Team

• Harvard Model United Nations, student delegates travelled to Korea

• Year 10 MYP Personal Project Exhibition

• Open House for New and Prospective Parents

• Georgetown University Model United Nations, student delegates travelled to Korea

• IBDP Options Evening for Year 10 students and parents

• GJS Early Years, Primary and Secondary Swim Carnivals

• Year 6 PYP Exhibition and Celebration

• Year 12 Mock Exams

• Indonesian Day Celebrations

• Multiple Year level field trips

• Multiple Year level assemblies

• Sports competitions within our JAAC conference at the Primary and Secondary levels

• Professional Learning engagements for faculty related to the use of Data and in preparation for our April WASC/IB visitation

• Parent Workshops in support of University applications as well as well-being topics

• GJS hosted a 'Road Show" workshop for SPK educators in Tangerang Selatan

The purpose of publishing this list is to share how dynamic Global Jaya School really is. All of the engagements above result from the planning, preparation, cooperation and mutual support of various stakeholder groups within our community. We seek opportunities for our students to demonstrate their growing and developing capacities and capabilities in various academic and non-academic endeavours, allowing each a chance to shine proudly. Further, many of these opportunities occur outside of the classroom and require our students to apply their AtL self-management and organisation skills while striving to model the learner profile attribute of being balanced. Managing their time, prioritising, and balancing their "work" schedule can help them to enjoy their varying interests. 

I am proud of our students. I am proud of our faculty. I appreciate parents' efforts to support our learning efforts, both inside and outside the classroom. We are working to resume all kinds of engagements we enjoyed pre-pandemic with total normalcy.

Little by little, we are removing the restrictions of the pandemic period. Masks are optional (except for those with non-covid related sniffles and cough), and signage is removed, yet we continue encouraging handwashing. We have stopped requiring pre- and post-lesson desk wiping (as our cleaning team wipes down all surfaces at the end of every day) and allowed flexible classroom seating arrangements. We have maximum capacity in areas like the canteen and theatre and have welcomed parents back onto campus for all events. All steps towards resuming the normalcy of classrooms and school operations we enjoyed pre-pandemic.    

As the next steps continue and are prepared for implementation, we will communicate, so that community members understand how and why. While this may be one man's perspective, I believe endemic status is upon us. Such a provision would afford the full resumption of normalcy we yearn to see again. We wait for local and national authorities to announce such a provision.

WASC / IB Self-study and Virtual Visitation Updates:

GJS has submitted our IB Self Study Questionnaire and WASC Self Study Reports. Leadership and faculty will have an opportunity during the 1/2 Professional Learning day on March 8th to make final preparations for our Virtual Visitation, which will be held during April 9 - 14, 2023. While the exact timing is yet to be finalised, parents and community members will be invited to join our School board, GJS Leadership and faculty, and interested students on Thursday, April 14th, 2023, in the GJS Theatre. The visiting team will deliver their commendations and recommendations, which will help guide our next five-year period (2023-2028). I will share further details once the exact timing of the event has been determined.

Year 10 - 12 Uniform Committee Update:

Over the past year, a dedicated group of GJS students and faculty have explored options for renewing our Year 10-12 batik. Our current design was targeted as needing an update, modernising our yellow batik with a refreshed design.  

Through a consultative process, multiple design options were commissioned, put on display and ultimately voted on by the Year 7 - 11 students of GJS. From eight choices, the students selected three, and from those three, they chose one. With a resounding majority of votes during all stages of the post-design process, the students have communicated that their preference is to keep the current Year 10 - 12 yellow batik design. In the eyes of the students who voted, they used terms like "iconic" to describe the yellow batik, and they further valued the GJS Year 12 custom of signing each others' batiks before departure. Finally, they communicated that none of the new designs captured the spirit of GJS any better than the existing and current Year 10 - 12 yellow batik. As a result, the batik will NOT change. We will work with our suppliers to address highlighted areas of concern, including transparency and fabric quality.

Our most important takeaway is the act of discussion and consultation, providing our students with agency and voice while providing an active hand in a decision-making process that directly impacts them. Change for the sake of change is not our goal; informed decision-making leveraging the interest and participation of stakeholders is.

Thank you to all Uniform Committee students and faculty for their time and dedication to helping resolve this matter. A further thank you to Pak Danang from our GA team and Ibu Adhisty Kampono from our PA, whose participation helped secure the variety of options upon which this decision was made.

Academic Calendar 2023 - 2024:

A finalised and approved version of the GJS Academic Calendar for the 2023-2024 school year is ready for distribution. As reported in an earlier Managebac update message and at the Morning Coffee with parents in January, we were engaged in talks to modify the teaching week. While these discussions and planning efforts were fruitful, additional investigation and consultation will be required before any modifications and adoptions occur. As a result, no changes will be implemented for the coming year's calendar, and we will continue discussions in anticipation of the 2024-2025 academic calendar. The calendar will be uploaded to the school website, shared with the community via Managebac and is available below.

Secondary Principal and MYP Coordinator Transition Visits:

Over the week of March 13 - 17, we welcome our incoming Secondary School Principal, Dr Howard Menand and incoming Middle Years Programme Coordinator, Mrs Sue Menand, to our GJS campus. During this time, they will further their familiarisation with our curriculum and programmes while initiating relationship-building with community members as they prepare to start the 2023-2024 school year. If and when you see them on campus, please introduce yourself and give them a warm Global Jaya school welcome.

Mid-Semester Conferences:

Thursday, March 16th, and Friday, March 17th, we host our Term 3 Mid Semester Conferences. We look forward to full engagement across the school over these two days. For new or long-existing families of GJS, we strongly encourage you to meet your child (ren)'s teachers to discuss their progress to date this year. All teachers, Principals and Leaders at GJS look forward to seeing you soon on campus during the Mid-Semester Conferences.

Ramadan Hours:

With the start of Ramadan on March 23rd, during our Term break holiday, we will initiate Ramadan hours starting Monday, March 27th and will carry through to Tuesday, April 18th. During this period, our school day will end at 3:30 pm rather than the customary 4:00 pm. Friday departure times remain at 3:30 pm, with NO changes to the instructional timetable between 7:30 am - 3:00 pm. In consultation with Pak Jon, ASAs will continue as usual, albeit in less vigorous sports. If you need more clarification, please speak with your divisional principals.

GJS Admissions:

If you have friends or family interested in joining our community, please encourage them to contact Ibu Kania, our GJS Admissions officer, at admissions@globaljaya.com or by phone at +62 21 745 7562 Ext.154. They will then receive an email with a link to the electronic application. Remember that we continue to offer the 5% tuition fee discount (limit of one discount per family) when one of your referred families enrols their child(ren) at GJS.

Please enjoy this month's edition of Kontak.

Warm regards,

Cory Carson

Head of School

headofschool@globaljaya.com