UISG NEWS 10-14 Aug, 2026
The Weekly Howl
01 Spotlight on Early Years<
02 Primary School Overview<
03 Secondary School Updates<
04 Boarding Life<
Dr. Daniel Mullen
Head of School
August 14, 2026: An Amazing Start & Save the Date!
Dear UISG Community,
It has been an amazing start back for the first week of school, with happy, smiling faces from both new and returning students and families on campus. UISG is full of renewed energy and positive momentum as we gallop through the final stretch of the Year of the Horse and prepare for the Year of the Goat.
We welcome nearly 150 new students (70 of whom are our new boarding students), to our community, and they have quickly adjusted, making new friends and getting to know their teachers. If you’re new to our community, please do take a minute and come up and say hello as I would like to meet you. I look forward to seeing you all at one of our many events throughout the year.
On that note, I am excited to share that today we had a very productive meeting with the UPTA-SLT, as we have already started planning community events and ways to strengthen our home-school partnership. Your involvement makes all the difference, and we are eager to build our school-home partnership.
Looking ahead, please save the date for next Friday, 21 August, when we will have our first UPTA All Parents Meeting in our newly renovated Admin Hall. This is a great opportunity to meet fellow families and learn more from our leadership teams about all the great things planned for the 2026–2027 school year at UISG.
Yours in Education,
Dr. Daniel Mullen
Head of School
Utahloy International School Guangzhou
August 12: Grade 4 Inquiry Project
01 Early Years ▼
Welcome back, EY Families! What a beautiful week it is as we welcome our wonderful wolf cubs back to school. The energy, enthusiasm, and kindness already filling our settings are truly heartwarming to see—thank you for entrusting us with your amazing little ones. Our incredible teachers have been hard at work creating beautiful, inviting spaces designed especially for your children—places where they can feel safe, welcomed, and excited to explore. Every corner has been thought through with care, warmth, and a whole lot of love, because we believe that the environment itself is a powerful teacher, and we want every inch of it to whisper, “You belong here.”
Early Years
As we gently ease back into our daily rhythms, we’re reminded of just how much comfort and confidence familiar routines bring to young hearts. This week, we’ve been especially delighted by the joyful connections happening in every corner—from cozy shared stories and imaginative creative play, to those tender little moments of friendship quietly blooming between classmates. We see the wonder in their eyes, hear the giggles that fill the air, and feel the trust that makes our community so special. We’re so deeply grateful for your partnership, and we can’t wait to share many more wonderful weeks ahead. Here’s to a season brimming with growth, discovery, and plenty of happy hellos! If you ever have any questions, big or small, please know that I am here to support you every step of the way—don’t hesitate to reach out, as I’m always happy to connect.
With warmth,
Ms. Jai
02 Primary ▼
What a wonderful first week of school it has been! Across Primary, our focus has been ‘Going Slow to Go Fast!’ and understanding important concepts of form, function and responsibility in getting the year off to a great start. Our first priority has been to help students settle in, build connections and develop a strong sense of belonging from the moment they walk through the door. We know that when we feel well, we learn well, and throughout the week students and staff have been strengthening relationships through Morning Meetings and team-building games, scavenger hunts, shared break-time activities, our first assembly celebrating all the people who make up our school community, and even the simple but important experience of eating lunch together in the dining room. Classrooms have also been busy establishing agreements, routines and positive habits for learning, transitions, play and shared spaces. We rounded out the week with our Extra-Curricular Activities Fair in the MFH, showcasing the rich range of sports, activities and leadership opportunities available to Primary students this year.
First assembly K-5 focused on all those important people who make up our community
Learning new ball games with Mr Aaron in the playground
Game of Shark, Fish and Seaweed in G1 PE
Next week, we are very pleased to welcome Primary families to our Classroom Community Mornings and Afternoons. These grade-level sessions are an opportunity to connect with your child’s homeroom teacher, meet fellow class parents, visit the classroom and learn more about the curriculum, learning routines and important events ahead. Families will also have another opportunity to join their class WeChat group if they have not already done so. We are additionally seeking a Class Parent Representative for each class who can help strengthen the connection between families and the school by supporting such things as trip volunteers, parent experts and community activities. If you are interested in taking on this valuable role, please contact your child’s teacher or volunteer during your Classroom Community session.
As the school year gets underway, one of the most helpful things families can do is establish predictable routines around sleep, morning routines, healthy diet, daily reading, and preparing for the next school day. Encourage your child to take increasing responsibility for age-appropriate tasks such as packing their bag, carrying their own belongings, checking what they need for the next day and solving small problems independently before stepping in to help. These everyday opportunities build the self-management skills and confidence children need to thrive at school. Most importantly, make time to ask about more than just what your child did each day, questions like “Who did you spend time with today?”, “What made you feel proud?” or “When did you feel challenged?” can help keep the conversation about learning, wellbeing and belonging going at home.
Additionally, we kindly remind parents to inform teachers of any changes in pick‑up arrangements, and to ensure that their contact and medical information on file is kept current throughout the school year. Should anything change, please do not hesitate to update the school so we can always reach you and care for your child in the best way possible.
With regards,
Mr. Ben
03 Secondary ▼
Secondary
It’s been a hot first week back to school, but that didn’t slow us down in the classroom or in assemblies. We kicked off the year with an all-secondary assembly, welcoming new students and faculty, and for the first time, bringing together our DSE and IB Secondary programs. We also had some fun with a whole-secondary game of rock-paper-scissors—a great way to start the year with energy and connection.
This past Thursday was our Season 1 ECA and Athletics Fair, and students had an incredible array of options to choose from. Whether it’s volleyball, a math club, or the Utahloy Development Bank, there are going to be some tough decisions ahead! Just a reminder that parents and guardians are responsible for signing their children up for all clubs and athletics.
We look forward to welcoming all secondary families to school on August 24th, right after the school day ends. This will be a great opportunity to meet your child’s advisor and Grade Level Leader, learn more about our advisory program, and connect with other families in your child’s grade. Our Advisors are an integral part of your child’s experience at UISG and are your main point of contact for any questions about school or how your child is settling in. We hope to see you there!
Best wishes,
Mr. Groves
04 Boarding ▼
What a fantastic first week! We were thrilled to welcome students to Dragon House for the first time. After Sunday’s arrival and settling in, we kicked off the year with a Lion Dance celebration on Monday — bringing energy and good fortune to campus for the year ahead.
Throughout the week, we launched sessions on boarding essentials, study lab rotations, and our new leadership program. It’s been wonderful to see transferring boarders step up as mentors to our new students — their kindness is what makes our community so special.
Looking ahead, our first Internal Sports Competition is next Tuesday, right after study lab. We can’t wait to see the teamwork and spirit on display.
A huge thank you to our boarding team — Ms. Kloey, Ms. Nina, Mr. Leiter, and Mr. Jeffrey — for their seamless planning, and to Ms. Eva and the Canteen team for keeping everyone well fed. It takes all of us to make Dragon House a home.
With appreciation,
Mr. Mostafa
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