Weekly Newsletter  

This Week At LOTS: 29Jan -03 Feb 2024 

Term 2 | Week 4

School opens for Term 2 on 12 February,  2024  

Dear parents,

The wish to have a learning environment that induces growth and ensures safety supersedes all other wishes right now, at LOTs. And as Bach says, we will constantly have to work towards it. 

To that end, we have stuck to the PTC schedules of 1st and 2nd February, because this interaction between parents and teachers is too important to delay any further. Timely feedback is the key to bridging learning gaps and strengthening academic prowess. Online therefore, yes. But with the same degree of intensity and attention to detail. Anyone who has been unable to attend these online PTCs for some reason, are requested to book one on one appointments with concerned teachers - once we are all back in school.

On a related note, and as an extension of what I touched upon last week, please note that for the first 6 weeks after the resumption of school on campus (till Easter/mid-term short break), we will focus totally on curriculum learning, on covering up on academic contact time lost during the cholera induced hiatus. This will mean an extended daily timetable for classes CP4 to A level, and a support schedule also for the younger grades. A separate message on the exact details will be shared in respective class groups within the next few days.

Also wanted to give a heads up on our big event day scheduled for 15th March - LOTS DAY (Founder’s Day and Culture Day). We have students from 27 nationalities now, and it is such a privilege to be a melting pot of cultures. We are going to celebrate this diversity on that day, with everyone wearing dresses from their own cultures, bringing and sharing food from their specific cultures, and performing culture-specific items. This will be combined with an Art Exhibition, an Entrepreneurship Exhibition, and hopefully a Book Fair. And of course, there will be speeches celebrating the LOTs journey - with students, faculty, parents and the board sharing their memories. Any suggestions on how parents want to take an active part in all this, is most welcome. We are, after all, an extended family.

Warm regards,

Shouquot Hussain

Head of School

The Parent Relations Department is the first point of contact for any queries, interactions or complaints with the objective of providing service and building relationships with our parents and students in the school. 

By working in partnership with parents, we can contribute to the learning and well-being of students. This three-way connection can play an important role in helping parents raise children who are kind, courteous, respectful happy - and informed. Working together is mutually beneficial. Parents are the first teachers of a child. They influence their children to a great extent and play a crucial role in inculcating values of the right kind in them. 

This Parent Relationship Cell at the front office is a vital support system for parents to liaise, connect and stay informed. Please use this communication avenue to your advantage.

Online classes

The online parent-teacher conferences gave the teachers the opportunity to connect with parents and discuss their child's progress in a convenient and efficient manner. This platform allowed teachers to share important information, such as academic performance, behavior, and areas of improvement, while also addressing any concerns or questions that parents may have had. Additionally, the online format eliminated the need for parents to take time off work or travel to the school, making it more accessible for everyone involved which many parents appreciated.

Readiness Drive for Onsite Classes and Teacher Preparation

In addition to getting ready for the online classes, teachers are also getting ready for the onsite classes with classrooms, organizing lessons and materials, and planning. To make the most of the working hours during this online learning time, teacher professional development workshops and INSETs are taking place practically every day.

Parent Teacher Conference

We had our PTC on 1st February, 2024. We would like to thank all the parents/guardians who found time to interact with our teachers. PTCs are important and should be taken seriously as this is the time when we get feedback from both ends. We are grateful for the positive feedback and will continue doing good. We also appreciate your negative feedback, we shall respond to your observations. The feedback we get from you is highly appreciated as it is helping us improve on our service delivery. We are looking into all the good suggestions which you forwarded.

We therefore encourage all parents to take these engagements seriously for the benefit of the learners. You are requested to continue engaging the class teachers and subject teachers for immediate feedback. We should not wait for PTC to express our concerns.

Online Classes

Our online lessons will resume on Monday 5th February, 2024. May we ensure that we provide all the necessary support to the students. Be reminded that the work for all the lessons presented is available on the google classroom. For those experiencing challenges in getting work from Google Classroom, contact class teachers for support.

Encourage the students to join classes on time and follow the guidelines.

Cholera Prevention Measures

Cholera is a disease affecting people with inadequate access to safe water and basic sanitation. Lusaka Oaktree has joined government efforts in ensuring that our students, teachers and parents stay safe. We have assembled a Cholera Response Team (CRT) whose main task is to ensure that the school is compliant to all the cholera basic rules.

The LOTS CRT will work closely with the medical staff at Makeni Ecumenical and ZNS health facilities, to ensure everyone stays safe and healthy at school.

Lusaka Oaktree School is now an authorized center to facilitate the DoE Award program. The following is a synopsis of what it is all about. We will formally introduce it to eligible students in the coming weeks, and further details on the modalities will be shared then

What is the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award?

The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award is a global framework for non-formal education and learning, which challenges young people to dream big, celebrate their achiets and make a difference in their world. The award helps young people to find their purpose and passion through developing skills, increasing their fitness levels, cultivating a sense of adventure and showing empathy by being involved in voluntary community service.

Levels and Duration

There are three levels of the Award: Bronze, Silver and Gold. At each level, participants must set themselves personal goals in each section. These goals should be achievable and progressive, and ultimately allow the young person to feel a sense of achievement when they complete each section.

The duration of the levels are as follows:

Bronze - 3 months

Silver - 6 months

Gold - 12 months

Participant Age Requirements

The Award is available to young people between the ages of 14 and 24.

Benefits of the Award

Acquiring the Duke of Edinburgh Award certification is a notable accomplishment and is globally viewed favorably by universities, employers, and other institutions. It demonstrates qualities such as commitment, perseverance, and a willingness to take on challenges.The award promotes a healthy lifestyle by encouraging participants to participate in physical activities. It also helps to develop and enhance a variety of practical skills, ranging from communication and teamwork to problem-solving and leadership. It fosters a sense of exploration, appreciation of nature and social responsibility.