The Weekly Howl
(UISG NEWS 08 – 12 June 2026)

01 Whole School News<
02Spotlight on Early Years<
03 Primary School Overview<
04 Secondary School Updates<

Dr. Daniel Mullen
Head of School

June 12, 2026:One More Week to Celebrate – Let’s Make It Amazing!

Dear UISG Community,

We have made it to the final week of a truly successful school year – and what a year it has been! Let us take this last week together to celebrate everything our students have accomplished.

Please note that Thursday the 18th is a half day for students – and it is going to be a very special one. We will come together as a community to send everyone off before summer break with joy and gratitude.

A huge thank you to all the parents who have joined us during these busy past few weeks of celebrations. A special shout-out to those who were with us today for the K3 graduation, and to everyone who came to Golden Lake yesterday for the Grade 5 graduation – your presence made those moments unforgettable.

As our students head off for a well-deserved, restful summer break, our campus will be buzzing with activity. We have many exciting upgrades and summer projects planned, and we are also in the final stages of preparing for the arrival of our new teachers, who are very excited to be joining the UISG community for next year. We cannot wait to share all of this with you when you return in August.

For your planning, the updated academic calendar is always available on our website at:

https://utahloy.cn/gz/about/academic-calendar-2026-2027/

Thank you for your partnership and enthusiasm. Together, we are giving our students an unforgettable finish to the school year.

Kindest regards,

Dr. Daniel Mullen

Head of School

Utahloy International School Guangzhou

June 11: Grade 5 Graduation at Golden Lake

01 Whole School ▼
UNC, EY & PYP Art Exhibition:

Creativity & Community

Click the videos for more

Our UNC, EY & PYP artists closed the year with an inspiring exhibition exploring fiber, ceramics, and 2D drawing. Guided by the transdisciplinary theme How We Express Ourselves, students became inquirers and creative thinkers, reflecting on their strengths to select materials that best represented their artistic vision. Collaboration was central, with students building on prior learning and extending their practice in new directions.

Beyond the gallery, Grade 10 student Margo organized an Art Auction, raising 1,655 RMB for the Fang Fang Education Project to support disadvantaged students. Musicians from Grades 1–5 added joy and sophistication to the celebration. This event reminded us that creativity can connect, inspire, and create meaningful change.

02 Early Years ▼
Playful Expressions : K Class Celebrates

What do you get when you combine an end-of-year celebration with a learning celebration? For Ms. Anne-Catherine’s K Class, the answer was a perfect morning of joy, connection, and discovery.

In a brilliant move, the class merged two important events into one unforgettable day. On Thursday, our young learners and their families headed to Momo Planet, an amazing indoor playground, to celebrate their latest Unit of Inquiry How We Express Ourselves : How people learn and express themselves through play.

As children climbed, built, and imagined, they demonstrated firsthand the very concepts they’ve been exploring all unit. The trip was also a wonderful opportunity to mark the end of an incredible school year with a fun-filled morning out.

The celebration continued back in their classroom, where families gathered for a shared lunch, a warm, community-focused ending to a memorable day. It was a beautiful reminder that the best learning happens when children are engaged, moving, and having fun.

Well done, K Class, on a year of growth, curiosity, and plenty of play.

03 Primary ▼
Grade 4 Adventure at Sports Monster

On Monday, June 8th, Grade 4 students celebrated the end of a successful school year with an exciting day at Sports Monster, an indoor adventure play centre. The trip was made extra special because the students funded it themselves using profits from their Business Bonanza sale—a perfect real-world application of their entrepreneurial learning!

Sports Monster

At Sports Monster, students embraced the spirit of adventure and personal challenge. The facility offered thrilling activities including ziplines, giant slides, trampolines, and climbing walls. For those seeking an extra adrenaline rush, there was even a screaming room! Beyond the physical activities, the day strengthened important social skills. Students worked together, communicated with peers, and built friendships while supporting one another through new challenges.

This memorable outing gave Grade 4 students the chance to celebrate their academic achievements while developing courage, resilience, and teamwork. It was the perfect way to cap off an outstanding year of learning and growth.

A Memorable Finale:

Celebrating Our PYP Journey Together

What a joyful way to wrap up an extraordinary year! Our final PYP assembly brought our entire community together for an afternoon filled with laughter, creativity, and heartfelt moments.

The celebration included energy and rhythm as our beloved PYP Coordinator, Ms. Amy, led an enthusiastic teacher Zumba performance that had everyone—students and staff alike—moving and grooving.

Students treated us to a spectacular final performance of ‘Oh the Thinks You Can Think’ from Seussical. A favourite memory of the year for many teachers and students.

As we reflected on an incredible year of learning and growth, the assembly took on a bittersweet tone—celebrating friendships and fond memories while saying Zai Jian (再见—”see you again”) to our friends and teachers. The genuine connections our students have built this year truly are the heart of our PYP community.

No PYP assembly finale would be complete without the legendary teacher house race! Our staff members donned inflatable costumes and raced around the MFH in hilarious fashion, creating moments of pure pandemonium and laughter.

As we close this chapter, we’re grateful for the memories made, the friendships deepened, and the learning shared. Here’s to a wonderful past year and the adventures ahead!

04 Secondary ▼
Friendship Bracelets : Low-Pressure Fun, Real Benefits

Serious benefits and a fun, low-pressure activity. Making friendship bracelets … but I’m also practicing mindfulness and improving my mental health (with Miss L.)!

Friendship Bracelet

Secondary students were invited to participate in bracelet-making with Miss L. during MAP testing as a way to reduce stress while engaging in a calming, creative activity. Drawing on research from the University of Illinois Chicago’s Drive to Thrive initiative, bracelet making is described as a form of concentrative meditation with several mental and emotional benefits.

Creating bracelets can improve self-esteem by helping individuals feel confident in making something meaningful for others. It also helps reduce feelings of depression by encouraging people to focus their time and energy on a positive, purposeful task. As a stress management practice, bracelet making promotes relaxation by lowering heart rate and improving breathing.

Additionally, the activity fosters empathy, as making something for others encourages compassion and understanding, even toward those with whom one may have had difficulties. This mindful focus can also lower anxiety by interrupting negative thought patterns and replacing them with calming, intentional actions.

Finally, these benefits can lead to improved academic or work performance, as reduced stress and better emotional control enhance focus and productivity. Overall, bracelet making serves as an accessible and effective tool for mental well-being.

Inter-House Competition

– June 2026

This semester, the Panda and Dragon House Captains proudly led an exciting Inter-House Competition (IHC), bringing students together for a dynamic mix of physical and intellectual challenges. Guided by House Master Mr. Kyle Visser and House Mistress Ms. Jennifer Lazareck, captains used House meeting times to plan, organise, and prepare their teams for the event.

The competition featured two main components. The intellectual challenges encouraged creativity, teamwork, and quick thinking through activities such as Scattergories, Guess the Song and Meme Trivia, Reverse Charades, and Sudoku. The physical challenges brought energy and enthusiasm, with events including dodgeball, a dance-off, Tic Tac Toe Relay, and the ever-popular egg-and-spoon race.

Students from Grades 6 to 11 were placed into mixed teams, promoting collaboration and strengthening House spirit across year levels. Points were awarded throughout the competition, contributing to the ongoing House totals.

After a closely fought contest, Tigers claimed 1st place, followed by Warriors in 2nd, Dragons in 3rd, and Pandas in 4th. With the final whole-school assembly just around the corner, excitement is building as we await the announcement of the overall House Champion.

House spirit remains high—House on!🏆

The Weekly Howl
(UISG NEWS 08 – 12 June 2026)