Director's Wave | Volume 5 Edition 14

Dear CIS Community,

Something to Ponder
“Peace begins with a smile.” - Mother Teresa

Thank you for coming to the concerts, sporting events and learning celebrations during the past month. Just this past month our students have earned first place in Cayman Islands wide events such as football leagues, debate competitions, scrabble scrums and math events. Whilst the vernacular “hardware” is nice - more importantly - when watching the concerts and engaging in learning celebrations you quickly experience, first hand your child’s growth and curiosity.

Today is the last school day of 2024 for students. The human milestone of the end of a calendar year (at least in parts of the world that use the Gregorian Calendar), is a celebration of learning, life, reflection, and a myriad of experiences.. Since the beginning of the school year, you most probably have noticed a variety of changes in your children. These changes tend to take many shapes and forms – perhaps it’s a sudden appreciation for a different type of music, or a comfort level of speaking in public, or managing a maths problem, or sitting down to do homework without a reminder, or tying both shoes on their own, or helping a friend, or proofreading an essay more than once before handing it in, or playing a new sport, or reading a chapter book, or speaking a new language, or questioning what can be done to make the world a better place, or growing 2.54 centimetres (1 inch), or making a new friend, and the list goes on … perhaps and hopefully occasionally self-regulating screen time. Whatever these changes or learning experiences were/are, they are great reminders of the importance of education in its many forms, whether it is in the classroom, during an after school activity, a family excursion and the plethora of other learning opportunities one may experience - as Nelson Mandela said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

Whatever your beliefs, faith or spiritual leanings may be, holiday time is a time for family and friends – it is also a great time to hug your children and loved ones a little tighter - and smile a little brighter. May Lao Tzu’s wisdom from over 2,500 years ago, provide some consideration as we enter a new  year according to the Gregorian Calendar,  “If you are depressed you are living in the past, if you are anxious you are living in the future, if you are at peace, you are living in the present.” On behalf of CIS, I wish you a wonderful holiday season and joyous New Year. 2025 is soon come!

Compliments of the Season.

Sincerely,
Jim Urquhart
Director - Cayman International School