Weekly Newsletter  

This Week At LOTS: 11-15 March 2024

Term 2 | Week 10

Dear parents,

You saw what your children are capable of, and what they have been able to acquire and harness in their stint at LOTs - if you were there watching them perform or exhibit or display or strategise - on LOTS Founder’s and Culture Day on Friday 15th March. If you were not, you can at least view the performance part on our Facebook page.

31 countries represented by our enthusiastic and proud students. Such a robust melting pot of cultures augur very well for the future dispositions of our acorns - who will surely grow up to have really global mindsets and world views. Hope your children were able to do you proud through their culturally representative performances - dances, songs, talks, parades, scientific models, artwork, entrepreneurial skills. Your tremendous support, not just with your presence on the day but also the way you have supported the event by helping and equipping your children for the day, we are very grateful for - as an institution and as an extended family.Your feedback on the event as a whole are most welcome. Please read on as there is a more comprehensive piece on the event in this newsletter.

But there is, as always, a lot else going on. The IGCSE and AS and A Level mock exams concluded and the students are now gearing up to receive marks and papers and diagnostic feedback to work on and bridge all visible gaps. The Saturday extra classes for these grades have resumed and will continue.

Both our senior and junior teams have qualified for the global round of the  World Scholar’s Cup ( more about it later in this newsletter)

We will now focus on the sports side of our learners’  growth, and start prepping for the 2 Sports Days (one for athletics and the other for games). And also continue our quest for sporting excellence in the ISAZ competitions to follow (the 23rd March is the next leg).

We have already started receiving sign-ups and applications from students wanting to attain the Duke of Edinburgh Awards. Please note that submissions will close on Friday 22nd. We will furnish a more comprehensive update on this next week, after all submissions for sign-ups are in.

We will be releasing the TEDx application forms and submission deadlines along with requisite guidelines this week. A very exciting time for our acorns and a huge opportunity! We request parents of all secondary school students to encourage their wards to apply. Of course it will be a very rigorous selection process - but what’s the point of attempting something that does not challenge you?

We have also concluded our first  ‘Give back to the community’ drive spearheaded by the Student Council. We will update you, with visual evidence, the actual handing over of all the donations parents so graciously made in our next newsletter.

We also had a Career Talk event where representatives from seven universities interacted with our senior students.

BTW, here is an open invitation to every parent for one one-on-one interactions with me (if and when you wish) on any aspect of your child’s school life - on Tuesdays and Thursdays, during drop off or pick up time. But just let me know a day in advance if you can. My email is headofschool@lusakaoaktree.school.

Warm regards,

Shouquot Hussain

Head of School

Performances and Speeches

All students along with their teachers joined the march past from the amphitheater to the stage performance arena on the sports field at 9.00 hrs. Everyone dressed in their country and culture specific attire, and carrying their national flags in front, was a sight to behold.

The performances commenced at 9.30 hrs, with the MCs welcoming everyone and having all attendees stand for the national anthem. This was followed by welcome remarks from the Secondary School Principal Mr Collins Mweemba who spoke about the importance of the occasion and its contextual relevance for all stakeholders at LOTS.

Thereafter came the first performance of the day by a group of our IGCSE students, who call themselves the LOTS Acorns as a band. The students performed the popular song ‘Lovely’ by multiple award winning songstress Billie Eilish. 

This was followed by the Head of School’s address where I tried to keep it simple by focusing on the huge contributions all stakeholders - parents, students, teachers, administrative and support staff and the board - have made to the growth of LOTs, and by also highlighting how empowered and curious our acorns are, with that great tool - the art of questioning. (I was advised by some students later to keep it simpler next time, though). 

Then came a series of brilliant dance performances. exquisite Zambian ensemble dances that vibrated with the vigor and colors of life. Then here was a troika of Indian dances - a traditional classical dance, and 2 Bollywood mashups.

Then finally the adults got into the fray. First, a Sri Lankan classical dance by 2 of our Sri Lankan parents that just personified grace and fluidity so eloquently through the language of movement. Then came the impromptu and spontaneous finale where teachers and parents melted together in perfect unison in the greenery and formed a circle that joyously danced away to the beats of Africa. The show concluded with the Primary and Pre-primary Principal Ms Khona offering the vote of thanks, with particular emphasis on the strength of being that village that raises the child. 

Fairs and Exhibitions 

After the performance segment on the stage and soccer field was over, everyone transited to the Amphitheatre and swimming pool side to enjoy and appreciate the exhibitions and fairs and the food.

Let’s do it geographically. Opposite the Swimming pools and outside the academic blocks was the Entrepreneurship Fair, where students set up many stalls that displayed their innovative designing and marketing and selling skills for products either procured and improvised, or created and manufactured at home from scratch. Products ranged from homemade dreamcatchers to curated trinkets to homes made of waste material, and more. What was also on full display were the persuasive skills of the students.

Then in the play area across the basketball court we had our future scientists displaying their awesome projects and models and explaining them personally to each observer and guest. There weren’t very man models and projects, but those that were there were truly striking and high order and high concept.

On Monday 11th March, 7 universities came to the school and set up stalls and interacted with our ICCSE and A Level students, giving them clear insights into courses and scholarships on offer, and how best to go about maximizing these opportunities.

This was a shorter week as far as the number of working days are concerned, but such a busy a robust and colorful week as far as events are concerned. Students engaged enthusiastically in both academic pursuits  and extracurricular activities. 

Students were happily busy preparing for Lots Day. It was wonderful to see the representations of different cultures. I hope this will help to incite the students to ponder more about their own cultural heritage. You can facilitate this learning by telling them stories from your childhood, grandparents can tell their stories and share pictures and artifacts and maybe prepare a simple dish together as a family. 

Thank you parents, for your involvement and support all along. Let us continue to build on this.

The AS and A-level students will not be allowed to use their phones during contact hours. With effect from Monday 18 March all phones will be deposited with the front desk for safe custody. They are free to carry laptops if any research is to be done. Any student found in possession of a phone will be disciplined as per code of conduct.

According to the LOTS code of conduct, no student is allowed to come with a phone on campus . We are aware of some students sneaking phones in school. We therefore request you our dear parents to ensure that your child/ward does not carry a cell phone to school. Any student found with a cell phone in school will be dealt with according to the LOTS code of conduct.

We would like to thank our parents for supporting LOTS and cultural day event. The event was a success because of your great support. We had a great interaction with you and expect your continuous support in the events coming ahead.

Arrivals in the morning should not be later than 7.15 hrs.

Pick ups after school should not be later than 16.00 hrs.

New parents are advised to collect their car stickers from admin reception desk.

Escalation Chain:

For academic matters - class teacher > coordinator > principal > head of school

For payment related matters - finance officer > principal > head of school

For bus and maintenance related matters - operations officer > principal > head of school

For admission related matters - admissions officer > principal > head of school

For appointments, general enquiries, phone usage, cafeteria - parent relationship officer > principal > head of school

For learning support and wellbeing -  class teacher > coordinator > school counselor & psychologist > principal > head of school

KEY DATES FROM FEB TILL THE END OF THE ACADEMIC YEAR