This week, Christmas has certainly arrived at Nexus!

Tuesday saw our very youngest learners hearald in Christmas season with a range of festive songs and dances from across the globe, followed by the chance to decorate cookies, make Christmas tree decorations and enjoy many other arts and crafts with their parents and carers. It was a very special time.

On Thursday, our learners were treated to a Mini Merry Christmas Fair, complete with Santa's Grotto, gingerbread biscuits, pin the red nose on Rudolph, face painting, Christmas origami, guess the sweets in the jar, bouncy castle, lucky dips and many more fun activities. It was wonderful to see many of our Secondary School learners (and some of our Primary learners too) giving up their time to plan and run stalls for us all to enjoy. My thanks to the parents and staff who helped our learners make the event such a success and to our wonderful NPG for providing delicious festive treats, including popcorn and candy floss!

If, after all this you needed to feel even more Christmas spirit, our Primary and Secondary choirs and music ensembles delivered two rousing carol concerts on Thursday evening. The learners led us all in singing some traditional Christmas carols and other favourite festive tunes.

Next week we have more exciting events, Nursery to Year 2 learners will enjoy our Christmas Pantomine: 'A Lad in Singapore' and learners will be celebrating the start of the festive season with Year Group parties (information will have been shared via the Hub).

We will also take a moment to have a final few group photos at our Ulu Pandan campus, our home for the last 8 years. Built by the Singapore American School in 1973, this rather unusual and somewhat tired and old building has served us well. Taking over in 2011, when half of the campus was closed down we have breathed life back into the building and created some unique flexible learning spaces. More importantly we have created a community; a community focused on learning and growing together. Whether you have been with Nexus for a few weeks or a few years I am sure that, like me, you will have many fond memories of this campus... reflecting by the fish pond, stunning lion dances in the gym, high octane swim meets at the pool, productions and concerns in the auditorium and countless Mini Exhibitions in our pods. Times of change come with sadness but also excitement, as we take the Nexus Way to Aljunied and look to create new memories at our new school.

As part of looking forward to our next chapter at Aljunied, on Wednesday, 11 December all our learners will be visiting their new school. Learners will be taken by bus at various times throughout the day. They will spend time in their new homeroom spaces as well as exploring some of the other exciting spaces at our new school. Please may we ask the following:

• Learners in Nursery to Year 4 to bring a healthy snack, their water bottle and hats to take with them on their visit. They will visit the school in the morning and return to school for lunch.
• Learners in Year 5 to bring a packed lunch, water bottle and hat. Children who have pre-paid school meals will be provided with a lunch. They will leave Ulu Pandan after snack and return after lunch.
• Learners in Year 6 are visiting the Science Centre on Wednesday morning and will then travel to our new school for lunch and a tour. They will need to take a snack, packed lunch, their water bottle and hat with them. Children who have pre-paid school meals will be provided with a lunch. They will return to Ulu Pandan at 3pm.

If you would prefer that your child does not take part in this tour, you may keep your child at home for the day - please email studentservices@nexus.edu.sg to let them know.

In addition, next week, your child’s Semester 1 Learning Summary will be published. You will receive a notification when they are ready to view via the Parent Portal on Engage. To access the Parent Portal you will need your unique login and password provided to you by student services. Please take time to read the information provided on the first two pages as it will help you to better understand the content of the Learning Summary and share its contents with your child. In February, at our new school we will host our very popular Learning Conferences and there will be an opportunity for you, your child and the class teacher to discuss the Learning Summary as well as view highlights of your child's learning so far. If you would like to discuss your child's learning summary in more detail, please do contact your child's class teacher to make an appointment.

May I wish all our Christian families a blessed Christmas surrounded by your loved ones and I wish everyone a very Happy New Year. I look forward to welcoming you to our new school on Monday, 13 January. Please take time to read the Important Notices Section for the key information you need for arrival on the first day at Aljunied. We hope many of our parents and guardians will join us on the first day and come to the Eco Café from 8.30am to meet other families, have a coffee and paint a pebble. We are planning to make a piece of artwork to celebrate our new school out of the pebbles that have been painted by all our 'founding' community: learners, staff and parents.

With very best wishes,

Paul.