The Weekly Howl (02 - 06 February 2026) - Utahloy International School Guangzhou

The Weekly Howl
(UISG NEWS 02 – 06 February 2026)

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

Dr. Daniel Mullen
Head of School

February 6, 2026: Celebrating Together: Final Week Festivities & CNY Wishes

Dear UISG Community,

As we step into the final week before the Chinese New Year holiday, I want to wish you and your family a happy, healthy, and prosperous week focused on the Year of the Horse!

Thank you to all the parents who joined us for the grand opening of the CNY Art Exhibition, Theatre Week, and all the various school activities around campus. It was wonderful to share these special moments with you. Your participation truly enriches our community, Wolf Spirit.

We’re excited to continue the celebrations next week with a range of events, blending creativity, sports, and festive traditions. You are warmly invited to join in and celebrate with us!

🎉 Next Week’s Key Events:

Ongoing: CNY Art Exhibition (Admin Hall) & Design Exhibition (Atrium)
Tue, Feb 9: HS Exchange Match vs. LEH @ UISG, 4pm – cheer on our teams!
Wed, Feb 10: MS Volleyball vs. BSG @ UISG, 4pm
Thu, Feb 11: CNY Assembly (2:00–3:20pm) – a festive showcase by our students,
Fri, Feb 12: Grade 4 Business Bonanza & K3 CNY Celebration with Parents (1:00–2:30pm) – a highlight of our younger learners!

We look forward to seeing you on campus this week!

Kindest regards,

Dr. Daniel Mullen
Head of School
Utahloy International School Guangzhou

February 4 – CNY ART EXHIBITION GRAND OPENING!

01 Whole School ▼
UISG’s Debut at ACAMIS Chess 2026: Triumph, Lessons, and Team Spirit

It was a wonderful weekend in Shenzhen filled with excitement, learning, and memorable chess games. UISG made its debut in a formal chess tournament with nine players, each experiencing both joy and regret—natural parts of competitive play. For many, it was the first time facing the concentrated atmosphere of tournament rounds. Wins brought celebration; losses offered lessons and motivation to improve.

The event was organized by ISNS (International School of Nanshan Shenzhen) and sponsored by the Phoenix Chess Academy of Shenzhen, whose thoughtful organization made the weekend smooth and welcoming. During breaks, the academy provided a few robots that became a popular diversion. Players and coaches enjoyed casual matches against these mechanical opponents, using the relaxed setting to test openings, practice tactics, and share laughter. Coaches demonstrated strategies while teammates exchanged quick analyses between rounds, turning downtime into productive learning.

Beyond the competition, the tournament strengthened team spirit. The mix of competitive intensity and friendly interaction helped players grow not only in skill but also in sportsmanship and resilience.

Chinese New Year Art Exhibition — Horsing Around!

Welcome to the Year of the Horse 2026! We celebrated the horse’s courage, strength and creativity through a vibrant PYP and MYP exhibition that showcased the talents of our whole school community.

This year’s show was energetic and collaborative. From Kindergarten to Grade 5 (and across MYP classes), students explored both 2D and 3D processes, made informed artistic choices, and created a herd of horse sculptures and artworks that guided visitors through the gallery. Contributions from students, teachers and parents highlighted the strength of our community and made the exhibition especially memorable.

UISG learners examined the symbolism and traditions of Chinese New Year and experimented with techniques ranging from ink wash to mixed media. Through creative exploration, visual storytelling and self-management, students built confidence and refined artistic skills. They investigated key concepts such as perspective and connection and learned the legend of how the horse earned its place as humankind’s trusted companion when the Jade Emperor recognised its meritorious deeds.

2026

The horse inspired many interpretations of strength, determination and movement. Across sculptures, paintings and mixed-media pieces, students expressed personal stories and cultural understanding while demonstrating technical growth.

Thank you to everyone who visited, supported and contributed. Your involvement turned the Year of the Horse exhibition into a joyful celebration of culture, learning and creativity.

Ms Karen and Ms Tia.

02 Early Years ▼
A Splash of Red, A World of Wonder: Spring Festival on the Lanai

There is a special buzz on our Early Years school’s lanai this time of year. While this beloved outdoor space is always a hub of morning energy and play, the Spring Festival brings an extraordinary layer of joy and excitement to our campus. The morning air now carries the sound of festive music as our youngest students step into a vibrant sea of red, transforming their arrival into an instant celebration.

A Purposeful Space for Festive Discovery

More than just an arrival area, the lanai has become the heart of our seasonal festivities, thoughtfully designed for engagement throughout the day:

A Themed Play Extension: It serves as an integral part of our outdoor play, where the celebratory atmosphere continues during breaks.
A Destination for Curated Exploration: Each class enjoys dedicated, scheduled visits. Teachers guide small groups through the specially designed zones, allowing every child to experience the sensory, creative, and imaginative activities at the heart of our Spring Festival learning.

Where Culture is Lived and Shared

This immersive space allows tradition to be discovered through hands-on joy. Children connect with the season’s spirit by doing, collaborating, creating, and role-playing within a tapestry of meaningful symbols and sounds. It’s learning woven seamlessly into the fabric of play and community.

03 Primary ▼
Primary Rings in the Chinese New Year

On Thursday, February 5th, the MFH was lit up with music, costumes, dancing, instruments and fabulous displays of primary talent! From the “Hejia Rooster” dance of CASA right up to Grade 5 TV Commercials, our UISG community was delighted with entertainment for the afternoon.

Grade four students opened the show with a dazzling arrangement of “Golden”; there were hip-hop dancers, an abacus dance, handkerchief flower dancers, lion dancers, and even beautiful paper-clothing and diabolo fashion shows!

Evie put on a magical performance with her guzheng, and our instrumental ensemble played the violin together beautifully.

Some lovely Chinese songs were sung by the Grade 3 students as well as the Primary choir, before everyone came up on stage for a big singing and dancing finale.

Thank you very much to Alyssa and Mana for emceeing the event, as well as Emily who worked diligently backstage to keep the performances running smoothly. This event would not have taken place without the hard work of Ms. Jessie, Ms. Shannon and the teachers and students who helped to pull it all together.

Happy Chinese New Year to all!

The Adventure Awaits: Primary Camps are Coming

A huge thank you to everyone who joined Thursday’s Parent Camp Information Session! Your energy and questions made them truly special. For those who missed it, here’s what makes these trips extraordinary: They are journeys designed to build confidence, curiosity, and connection. Students will grow through new challenges, connect learning to life, and build lasting friendships. Your child’s safety and well-being are our absolute priority, overseen by our highly trained and caring staff. Please check your email for the detailed packing list and preparatory steps. CNH is excited to partner with UISG to make this an unforgettable experience for your children!

04 Secondary ▼
From Hula to Heart: G9 Theatre Students Explore Identity Through Ritual

In preparation for their IB Grade10 ePortfolio next year, the current Grade 9 Senior Theatre students chose a previous ePortfolio unit of ‘Ceremonial Traditions’ to explore the structure and concepts (Identity + Expression) behind the official assessment.

The students have done research into and chosen a modern Hawaiian Hula (He Mele No Lilo – from the film Lilo + Stitch created by Mark Keali’I Ho’Omalu) as their demonstration piece. By learning the elements, conventions, and symbols of this ceremonial dance. They have investigated how the Performing Arts build identity, connect cultures, shape values and express beliefs (November 2017 past portfolio).

The group prepared and presented a Hula performance for an audience of their peers. They have focused on their physical theatre aspects of performance by using their: Eye Contact, Facial Expressions, Posture, Gesture, and Gait to show how their character is feeling. The Theatre students’ goal was to evoke an emotional response by performing this ceremonial dance despite their different cultural backgrounds and knowledge.

As the Hula song chosen comes from the name “Lilo” which means “generous one” or “lost,” this would give the song title “He Mele No Lilo” a loose translation as “Lullaby of the Lost.” Thus, at the end of this exploration and demontration; hopefully both the performers and audience are now able to appreciate this ceremonial art form and have found some inter-cultural understanding.

A Warm Welcome to Our Future Secondary Stars!

This week, we were thrilled to welcome UISZ secondary students to campus for an immersive introduction to life at UISG Secondary! Our guests dove into the heart of our community, hearing firsthand from faculty and student leaders about our vibrant clubs, activities, and the extensive academic pathways in MYP and DP. The excitement was palpable as they toured the campus with our students, enjoyed lunch together, competed together in grade level games and for our G11 students held a specialist session to discuss specific tailored transitions for them.

The best feedback? When it was time to leave, many didn’t want to! We are so inspired by their enthusiasm and look forward to building on these connections. We can’t wait for them to join our growing community.

Coming Soon: The excitement continues! Next week will host DSE students and parents and after the CNY break, we open our doors to Early Years and Primary students for another wonderful day of discovery.

The Weekly Howl
(UISG NEWS 02 – 06 February 2026)