The Week Ahead (15 – 19 September 2025) – Utahloy International School Zengcheng

Dr. Daniel Mullen
Head of School

September 19, 2025: A Week of Adventure, Celebration, and Open Doors at UISZ!

Dear UISZ Community,

I hope this message finds you well and that you have had a wonderful week. As we look ahead to the next few days, I wanted to share some important updates and highlights.

First and foremost, we have been closely monitoring the weather and upcoming typhoon alerts. Out of an abundance of caution and to ensure the best experience possible for our students, the secondary camps for Grades 6–10 have been postponed. We will communicate new dates as soon as they are confirmed. Thank you for your understanding and flexibility as we prioritize the safety of our community.

Despite this change, we have a fantastic week of learning and activities planned. Here’s a glimpse of what’s ahead:

Friday: A Day of Celebration & Spirit: Our PYP students have a spectacular day planned!

• PYP Celebration of Learning: Join us as we showcase the incredible inquiry and growth of our youngest learners.

• Peace Day Assembly: We come together as a community to celebrate International Peace Day.

• Spirit Day: Peace Superheroes: Students and staff are encouraged to dress as peace superheroes (think real-life heroes, inventors, or creators of your own design!) to mark this special day.

Saturday: UISZ Open Day: We are excited to open our doors and showcase the vibrant learning that happens every day at our school. Please feel free to share this invitation with friends and family who may be interested in joining our wonderful community.

A special note regarding trips: The Grade 11 trip to Beijing is still on track for a Monday departure from Zengcheng. We are excited for this group of students to embark on their adventure.

We are looking forward to a week filled with learning, growth, and community spirit. As always, thank you for your continued partnership and support.

Yours in Education,

Dr. Daniel Mullen

Head of School

Utahloy International School Zengcheng

2025年9月19日：UISZ开放周——尽享探险、庆典与校园开放日！

亲爱的UISZ家人们：

愿大家一切顺利并度过愉快的一周。在此与您分享未来几日的重要动态与精彩亮点。

首要提醒：我们持续关注天气情况及台风预警。为确保学生获得最佳体验，经审慎考量，我们决定将6-10年级的中学部研学活动延期举行。待新日期确定后将第一时间通知大家。感谢大家在这特殊情况下展现的理解与配合，让我们都将安全置于首位。

尽管计划有所调整，我们仍为同学们准备了充满精彩纷呈的学习与活动的一周。一起来看看下周有哪些亮点：

周五：庆典与精神主题日：小学部将迎来精彩的一天！

• PYP学习成果展：诚邀您共同见证小学学子卓越的探究成果与成长轨迹

• “和平日”集会：全校师生将共聚庆祝这一重要节日

• “社区精神日——超级英雄”：鼓励老师和同学们装扮成和平超级英雄（可致敬现实英雄、发明家，或原创设计角色），共同纪念这个特殊日子

周六：UISZ校园开放日：我们热忱敞开校门，向您展示日常校园中蓬勃发展的学习图景。欢迎转发邀请函给任何可能感兴趣加入我们这个美妙社区的朋友与家人。

关于研学旅行的特别说明：十一年级北京研学之旅将按原计划于周一从增城校区出发。期待同学们开启难忘的探险之旅。

期盼与您共度充满学习、成长与社区精神的一周。衷心感谢各位一直以来的携手同行与鼎力支持。

此致

敬礼

Daniel Mullen 博士

校长

誉德莱增城学校

Coffee with the Counselors 2025 – September 17 @ UISZ!

辅导员咖啡晨会 2025年9月17日 @ UISZ!

Karen Elaine Castro Rouanet
Head of Primary/ PYP Coordinator

This Week:

本周回顾：

All About Plants: Our Early Years (K–Grade 1) students embarked on a vibrant, transdisciplinary exploration of plants through the lens of our Unit of Inquiry and Science integration, blending curiosity, hands-on discovery, and real-world connection. As young scientists and inquirers, they planted flowers and plants, and investigated what plants need to survive: sunlight, water, air, and care. Through class discussions, art, and outdoor exploration, students deepened their understanding of living things while developing responsibility, patience, and wonder for the natural world. This project not only nurtured scientific thinking but also reinforced key PYP concepts — change, connection, and responsibility — as our youngest learners literally and figuratively took root in their learning journey.

植物全攻略：我校低年级（K-一年级）学生通过探究单元与科学课程的融合，开启了一场充满活力的跨学科植物探索之旅，将好奇心、实践发现与现实世界紧密相连。作为小小科学家和探究者，他们亲手栽种花草，探究植物生存所需的要素：阳光、水分、空气与照料。通过课堂讨论、艺术创作和户外探索，学生们深化了对生命体的认知，同时培养了责任感、耐心以及对自然世界的敬畏之心。这个项目不仅培育了科学思维，更强化了PYP核心概念——变化、联系与责任——当我们最年幼的学习者在学习旅程中扎根时，这种成长既具象又抽象。

Autum Festival: What a joyful celebration we had during our Mid-Autumn Festival! The students delighted in lantern-making, mooncake tasting, and traditional storytelling. In the classrooms, they have sung songs, performed dances, and shared wishes for family and togetherness — all while deepening their understanding of this beautiful tradition. We invite you to our upcoming Celebration of Learning where students will showcase some activities they have prepared for this special season.

中秋庆祝活动：我们度过了多么欢乐的中秋庆典！学生们沉浸在制作灯笼、品尝月饼和聆听传统故事的乐趣中。在教室里，他们载歌载舞，分享对家庭团圆的美好祝愿——同时加深了对这一美丽传统文化的理解。诚邀您参加即将举行的学习成果展，届时学生们将展示为这个特别季节精心准备的活动。

UOI Our Amazing Brain: Upper Elementary (Grade 3 – Grade 5) students are diving into the fascinating world of the human brain, exploring “How does understanding the brain help us learn, grow, and make better choices?” Through a transdisciplinary lens blending science, wellbeing, and literacy, students are investigating brain structure and function, neuroplasticity, emotions, decision-making, and learning strategies. They’re discovering how their brains change with practice, how mindfulness and rest support cognitive health, and how self-awareness can empower them as learners and community members.

探究单元UOI – 我们的神奇大脑：小学高年级（3-5年级）学生正深入探索人类大脑的奇妙世界，探究“理解大脑如何帮助我们学习、成长并做出更明智的选择？”通过融合科学、身心健康与读写能力的跨学科视角，学生们正在研究大脑结构与功能、神经可塑性、情绪、决策过程及学习策略。他们正在探索：大脑如何通过练习发生改变，正念与休息如何支持认知健康，以及自我认知如何赋予他们成为更优秀的学习者和社区成员的能力。

ECAs: We’re thrilled to share that our Extra-Curricular Activities (ECAs) have officially begun, and our students are already buzzing with excitement as they dive into new skills, passions, and friendships! From creative arts to sports, each ECA is designed to enrich learning beyond the classroom and nurture the whole child.

If your child hasn’t enrolled yet, there’s still time! We warmly invite you to sign them up this week to ensure they don’t miss out on this term’s adventures.

Let’s make this term unforgettable together.

ECA课外活动：我们欣喜地宣布，本学期的课外活动（ECAs）已正式启动！学生们正满怀热忱地投入其中，探索新技能、追寻兴趣、结交新朋友！从创意艺术到体育运动，每项活动都旨在拓展课堂之外的学习体验，全面培育学生成长。

若您的孩子尚未报名，现在仍可参与！我们诚挚邀请您在本周完成报名，确保孩子不会错过本学期的精彩探索。

让我们携手共创难忘的第一期课外活动时光。

The Week Ahead:

下周预告：

Unit 1 Pogress Report Cards: Next week, you will receive two important updates via ManageBac: your child’s Narrative Progress Report for Unit 1 and their MAP Assessment results in Math, Reading, and Language. The Progress Report offers a meaningful snapshot of your child’s growth, strengths, and next steps within our current Unit of Inquiry, along with suggestions for supporting learning at home. The MAP results provide a benchmark of your child’s academic progress relative to grade-level expectations and will help guide personalized goal-setting for the year ahead. We encourage you to review both documents thoughtfully, and as always, we’re here to answer any questions you may have.

第一单元学习进度报告：下周您将通过ManageBac平台收到两份重要更新：孩子的第一单元叙事性进度报告，以及数学、阅读和语言学科的MAP评估结果。进度报告将清晰呈现孩子在本单元探究中的成长轨迹、优势领域及后续学习方向，并附有家庭学习支持建议。MAP评估结果将提供孩子学业进展相对于年级标准的基准参考，有助于制定未来一年的个性化学习目标。我们建议您仔细审阅这两份文件，并随时欢迎就任何疑问与我们沟通。

September 26th: Mark your calendars — Friday, the 26th will be a special day full of learning, celebration, and connection for both students and families! We warmly invite you to join us for a morning packed with meaningful moments: start your day with our EAL Coffee Morning, a cozy opportunity to learn about our EAL program; cheer on your child during Superheroes Spirit Day, where students, teachers, and parents will dress as their favorite heroes and showcase their powers of kindness, courage, and curiosity; and wrap up the morning with our Student Awards & Celebration of Learning, where we’ll honor growth, effort, and joyful discovery across the grades. Come celebrate the superheroes in your life — in and out of capes!

9月26日：请标记您的日历——本周五，9月26日将是充满学习、庆祝与联结的特别日子，学生与家长皆可参与！我们诚挚邀请您共度意义非凡的一天：下午我们将在温馨氛围中了解我们的英语作为附加语言（EAL）课程；在“超级英雄精神日”为孩子加油助威——师生家长将化身心仪的英雄人物，展现善良、勇气与好奇心的力量；最后以“学生表彰暨学习成果庆典”收官，表彰各年级学生在成长历程中的努力与快乐探索。快来庆祝您生命中的超级英雄吧——无论是否披着斗篷！

Warmly,

Ms. Karen

Austin Zhang
Head of Secondary School（HK DSE）

Dear DSE Families,

I hope this message finds you well. Here’s a summary of this week’s key events and a preview of what’s coming up next week.

Highlights of the Past Week

1. 2026 DSE Exam Registration

Our students received positive feedback from the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) regarding their DSE exam registration. All applications will be finalized by end of next week.

2. Mid-Autumn Festival with Traditional Chinese Cultural Activities

This past Monday, our school successfully held a Mid-Autumn Festival celebration featuring a variety of traditional Chinese cultural activities. The event included performances of traditional songs and dances, Hanfu costume experiences, mooncake making, DIY lantern workshops, and a charity sale. The campus was decorated with glowing lanterns and filled with the elegant atmosphere of traditional attire, melodious music, and the delightful aroma of mooncakes. This event provided both teachers and students with a festive environment rich in cultural heritage and warm community spirit, allowing students to deeply experience the charm of traditional Chinese culture while spreading kindness and compassion through the charity sale.

3. School Assembly Recognition

During Wednesday’s School Assembly, the following students were honored with the DSE Learner Profile Award for their outstanding efforts and achievements:

– Winnie Wu
– Cindy Lin
– Patrick Lai
– Coey Wu

Congratulations to these students for their dedication and hard work!

The Week Ahead

1. First Mock Exam for D12 Students

Our D12 students will take their first mock exam next week. This exam serves three important purposes:

– Assessing their current academic progress

– Providing predicted grades to help shape university application plans

– Encouraging all D12 students to deepen their focus and commitment to studies

2. Parent-Teacher Meeting & DSE Curriculum Briefing

On September 28, we will host our first Parent-Teacher Meeting for the 2025-2026 academic year. The session will include:

– A detailed overview of the DSE system

– Guidance on university application processes

– An opportunity to discuss your child’s progress with teachers

Thank you for your continued support and partnership in your child’s education. Should you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Warm regards,

Austin Zhang
Head of Secondary School

尊敬的DSE考生家长：

您好！本周主要事项与下周安排如下：

本周回顾

1. 2026年DSE考试报名进展

香港考评局对本届考生的报名材料给予了积极反馈，所有考生的正式申请将于下周全部完成。

2. 国风中秋节庆祝活动

本周一，学校成功举办了以传统文化为主题的中秋节庆祝活动。活动内容包括精彩的传统歌舞表演、汉服文化体验、手工月饼制作、创意灯笼DIY以及爱心义卖等环节。校园内灯笼高挂，汉衣飘飘，既有琴韵悠扬，又见月饼飘香，为师生营造了一个充满传统文化韵味和温暖关怀的节日氛围。此次活动不仅让同学们深度体验了中华传统文化的魅力，更通过义卖传递了爱心与善意。

3. 周三晨会表彰

在周三的校级晨会上，以下同学因卓越表现荣获”DSE学习者素养奖”：

– 吴宸羽
– 林芳瑜
– 赖俊企
– 伍灏洋

祝贺获奖同学们付出的努力与取得的成就！

下周重点

1. D12年级首次模拟考试

本次模考旨在：

– 检测现阶段学习成果

– 提供预估成绩作为升学规划依据

– 推动全体D12学生进入深度备考状态

2. 家长会暨DSE课程说明会

9月28日将举行2025-2026学年首次家长会，内容包括：

– DSE考试体系详解

– 大学申请指导

– 与任课教师沟通学业进展

请注意查收后续详细安排与正式邀请函。

感谢您对学校教育工作的持续支持。如有任何疑问，欢迎随时与我们联系。

此致

敬礼！

Austin Zhang

中学部校长

Lauren Mackay
MYP Coordinator

Dear MYP and DP Parents,

Celebrating students

We held our September Secondary assembly this week and celebrated our students for a range of wonderful contributions they have made to the school through their behaviour or their participation in school events.

The September Learner Profile Attribute was Principled. Our teachers nominated students they have seen exemplifying this attribute. There were many nominations received which highlights how many students are consistently doing the right thing throughout the school day. Thank you! We celebrated the following two students who were awarded the Learner Profile Award this month:

MYP Winner: Adrian Cheng in Y8
DP Winner: Jasmine Kim in DP2

Students who demonstrate positive attributes, such as those in the Learner Profile list, can be awarded Merit Points by their teachers. At the end of each month, these Merit Points are calculated to see which student in each House has achieved the most Merit Points.

September’s House Merit Points Achievers were:

Fire House: Erin Jin in Y8
Earth House: Vivian Jung in Y8
Wind House: Sunny Deng in Y8
Water House: Fina Lin in Y8

Well done to our Year 8 students!

There is an additional award presented by our School Captains for the student who is the Highest Merit Point Achiever.

A huge congratulations to Fina Lin for being September’s winner.

중추절

On Monday, our staff and students enjoyed a Mid-Autumn Festival celebration that was kindly organised by DSE Secondary. It was a wonderful whole school event including performances, moon cake making, lantern building, and more.

Our Chinese Department have also included Mid-Autumn Festival-themed activities in each of their classes to celebrate this time of year.

Next week:

Due to the upcoming weather, we’ve had to postpone our Week Without Walls trips for Years 6-10. We will update students and parents once we know the new dates when these camps will take place. The Year 11 trip to Beijing will still be running as planned. Students in MYP and DP2 will carry on with their usual class timetable next week.

Kind regards,

Ms Lauren Mackay

亲爱的MYP及DP的家长们：

学子风采
本周我们成功举办了九月中学部集会，表彰了那些通过优异表现或积极参与校园活动为学校做出贡献的同学们。

九月份的学习者特质重点关注”坚持原则”这一特质，获得了教师团队的广泛提名。许多同学在整个学期始终践行这一品质，他们的表现令人欣喜！本月荣获”学习者特质奖”的两位同学分别是：