As the proud principal of Southville International School and Colleges (SISC), welcome back to school for the academic year 2022-2023! I am excited to be able to say that again this year as we fully reopen our campuses. We are thrilled to see our students back in person, walking the halls once again, and connecting with each other in the classrooms while forging new friendships, meeting new teachers, and learning new routines. Our teachers are likewise excited to see their students again face-to-face. This school year looks and feels a bit more like what we are used to, and is a moment we have long been waiting for.

SISC is prepared to welcome all of our returning in-person and virtual students back to school. I am sure that you are aware of the Hybrid Virtual Online Learning and Teaching (HyVOLT) program that we are implementing this academic year. By combining online with on-site learning, we are focused on moving forward to help our students thrive as learners while continuing to prioritize their safety. Our hope is that all children who are already comfortable working and learning with the help of technology will love school as they also socially and emotionally connect in the classroom.

We have had a busy summer with our teachers and staff getting the school ready for the return of our students. The classrooms are looking great, reorganized, and sanitized, to make them as safe and welcoming as possible during these unique times. We have taken the best from the lessons learned during distance learning and applied them to hybrid learning to best serve every student at SISC. The focus is on increasing student achievement and doing whatever it takes to help all learners be successful and enjoy coming to school each day.

Throughout the year, exciting things are going to happen in our classrooms and on our campus! We encourage all parents to get involved and to take an active role in their child’s education. Find time to discuss the day your children had at school, review homework with them, and ensure that they get enough sleep and are prepared for the challenges that await them the next school day. Please have patience as we learn together how to navigate through this new normal in schools. We will keep in constant communication with you to ensure that we are collectively doing everything we can to stay safe and connected.

Though there have been many changes as a result of the pandemic, what has not changed is our commitment to nurture, support, and educate every student. We understand that some students and families may have anxiety about returning back to school after not attending in-person classes for quite some time. We are here to support the need of each and every one of our students whether socially, emotionally, or academically as we return to on-site learning. If you have specific questions or need information about practices and protocols, please do not hesitate to contact us and we will be happy to assist you.

It has been a long two years since we had our first day of school with students in our buildings. As a result, we have a great year planned for all of them filled with joy, fun, challenge, and success! We will do our best to take care of them, encourage them, connect with them, inspire them, and help them to be the best they can be. Together, we can make it an amazing, bounce-back year where our classrooms are full once again with activities and ideas that challenge and inspire our students. Take care of yourselves, take care of others, and take care of our school, and we will accomplish much this school year!