February 2025

Warm greetings from New York!

I find myself wondering if it would even be possible to fit more into one month than we did this February. It is now official—this has been the busiest month of the school year so far, and perhaps even beyond that! We are all exhausted but in the best way possible. Fortunately, spring break is just around the corner!

This month brought more university acceptances for our seniors, and so far, so good—fingers crossed! Our mock exam session has just concluded, and we are confident that our students are well-prepared to take on the rigorous IB and AP exams. Meanwhile, our Prep Program students have settled in beautifully, and their English skills are improving by the day.

As I mentioned previously, our school proudly took part in celebrating the 60th anniversary of our parent company, EF Education First. Please take a moment to check out this short video for an inspiring look at EF’s journey. We also shared our favorite EF memories at the Birthday Banquet.

Another major highlight of the month was our annual Film Festival—complete with a red carpet, interviews, photo shoots, and, of course, awards in various categories. My heartfelt congratulations to the winning film Walk Beside Me and to the talented filmmakers Alex, Colin, and Calvin who brought it to life. 

One of my personal favorites, our Culture Fair, also took place this month. What an incredible event! It truly showcases who we are as a community, and without fail, it fills me with great hope for the world. I see the Culture Fair as a reflection of what our world should be—where everyone gets along, celebrates their identity, and respects and learns from others. It was also wonderful to see some of our alumni return for the event. We all came together to celebrate our school’s remarkable diversity.

February also saw our second Model United Nations (MUN) conference, where our students demonstrated their skills in diplomacy—a skill more relevant than ever in today’s world. It was inspiring to witness their engagement in meaningful global discussions.

What better way to finish this part of the school year before our spring break than with our Academy Rocks concert! Talk about going on the break with a BANG! Congrats to all of the participants rockers and to their fearless leader Mr. Billy Roues!

As we head into spring break, I want to wish you all a wonderful and restful time with your children, whether at home or traveling. I will write again after the break as we prepare for the final stretch of the school year. As our students get ready to depart, I, too, am packing my bags. I look forward to seeing some of you as I visit the UAE (Abu Dhabi and Dubai), Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City and Ha Noi), and Thailand (Bangkok).

Until next time,