News

Dear Parents,

The annual Korean Chuseok harvest moon festival is upon us. It is an important tradition and a time to celebrate with family and loved ones. These are the items of news that I wish to share with you this week.

HFS Chuseok Celebration on Monday 28 September

HFS will have a restrained Chuseok program this year due to Covid-19 Concerns. We will have a live-streamed communication and Korean martial arts demonstration with the UNESCO Martial Arts Center followed by the individual class presentations after which the whole school will proceed to the gymnasium to enjoy traditional Korean activities. I am glad that we can celebrate this important cultural holiday albeit in a more subdued way. We will record the proceedings and share the highlights on the school website.

School Closed from 30 September to 9 October for the Autumn Break

HFS will be closed from Wednesday 30 September for the Autumn, mid-term break, and classes will resume on Monday 12 October. If you are planning to travel during this break please observe all proper Covid-19 protocols and try to avoid crowded places as much as possible. I would like to remind all parents to note that if your child or any family members do show any signs or symptoms of Covid-19 or need to take the test during the break, please email the admin office first before you take them to the screening center so that we can take the necessary action promptly.

PTA Meeting on Tuesday 13 October

Upon returning from the break, we will have the next PTA meeting on Tuesday 13 October at 3:35 pm. The PTA is a valued and important institution at any school and I look forward to seeing you there.

That is all for this week. Thank you for your continued support and I would like to wish everyone a happy and festive Chuseok. Pungsunghan Hangawi Bonaiseyo (풍성한 한가위 보내세요).

Mr. Kearney

Dear Parents,

We are well into the swing of things in this first term of the 2020/21 academic year at HFS. These are the items that I would like to share with you in this week’s newsletter.

Farewell Kristian and Lina

Sadly, we have to bid farewell to Kristian and Lina Bjørkli Larsen as they leave HFS this week. We have enjoyed having them as part of the HFS community. They are both diligent students and I am sure that they will do well in the next step of their learning journey. Everyone at HFS wishes them and the Larsen family success and happiness and we would like them to know that, should they return, they will always have a place at HFS.

HFS Curriculum

I am pleased to report that, in lieu of the curriculum evening which had to be canceled due to Covid-19 concerns, we have created a link on our school website that provides an explanation of the curricula that we use at HFS. Please click here to follow the link or feel free to email your child’s teacher, should you have any questions regarding the teaching and learning that is taking place in their class.

Lunchtime Outdoor Play Resuming

With the easing off of social distancing measures from level 2.5 to level 2 in Seoul and the weather cooling to be more comfortable, I am pleased to report that we will be resuming outdoor play at lunchtime effective from Monday 21 September. I look forward to seeing the students enjoy their break outside but strict mask-wearing and distancing measures will be observed.  

HFS Chuseok Celebration on Monday 28 September

The Korean harvest moon festival of Chuseok will soon be upon us and HFS always celebrates this important National holiday. We will be having an assembly on Monday 28 September but, due to coronavirus concerns, only students and staff may attend. We will record the event and create a highlight video for parents. As always, students are encouraged to wear traditional Korean clothing or clothing from their home country on the day. I look forward to seeing the presentations that each class has been working on.

That is all for this week. Thank you for your continued support and do have a wonderful weekend.

Mr. Keareny

Dear Parents, students and friends of HFS,

It is with great pleasure and pride that I have accepted the position of Principal of Hyundai Foreign School, beginning in November.

To those who do not know me, my recent return to the school and rapid promotion to the position of Principal may seem a little surprising, but my association with the school has been much longer.  

After teaching in England and Dubai, I first came to work at HFS in 2006, when the school was located in the Old Foreigners’ Compound.  I quickly fell in love with the school and the community that had grown around it and spent ten, very happy years teaching hundreds of students from countless countries, across all age-ranges.  For the majority of this time, I also served as Vice-Principal and had the pleasure of helping to lead the school through rapid expansion and our first accreditation with the Council of International Schools.  I was also able to form strong working relationships with a range of staff, including many of whom who remain at the school.  During this time I also gained a solid understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing HFS, and how to best achieve the school’s vision of Excellence in International Education.

A major focus of my work over the next two years will be leading the school’s efforts towards gaining re-accreditation from The Council of International Schools.  As you may know, the school is very proud of its accredited status, which holds us to the highest educational and professional standards, and puts the education we provide on an equal standing to other larger international schools.  The process of re-accreditation involves a period of self-study and evaluation followed by an external audit. This will provide the school with an excellent opportunity to critically evaluate the service we provide and improve where possible.  I am confident that the school processes the capacity to successfully gain re-accreditation and I look forward to the challenge

I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate and thank Mr Kearney for the work he has done as Principal. Thanks to his leadership and dedication the school has come through a period of change and uncertainty whilst maintaining the high standards of education of which we are so proud.  

I greatly appreciate the opportunity to lead the academic future of HFS, in collaboration with Mr Paul ES Kim and all the outstanding staff that I am lucky enough to work with.  I am also looking forward to meeting with the parents as soon as possible and listening to your ideas.  The partnership between school and parents is a vital aspect of any successful school and to that end, I am always available to meet with you – when I am not in the classroom!

Yours sincerely

Mr Green

Dear Parents,

I am pleased that the typhoon passed and left us relatively unscathed. Thank you to the teachers for all their efforts in creating an effective online learning space and to the parents and students for their patience throughout the day. We have been fortunate to have had clear, calm weather for the rest of the week. These are the newsworthy items that I would like to share with you this week.

Farewell Rani and Lynn

Sadly, we had to bid farewell to Lynn and Rani Choi as they departed HFS on Wednesday. In the short time that they were at HFS, both of them made themselves at home at HFS. We wish them luck and happiness on the next step of their learning journey and would like them to know that, should they return, they will always have a place at HFS.

School Bus Schedule Updated

There are some changes to the HFS School bus schedule. Please click here to see the new schedule and ensure that you bring your child to your allocated pick-up point at the appointed time. Thank you for your cooperation in this regard.

Curriculum Evening and Class Photos Cancelled

While we had hoped to have our curriculum evening on Monday 14 September, we have had to cancel the event due to coronavirus concerns and the further guidance issued by the medical authorities earlier this week. Instead, we will post a description of the HFS curricula on the school website. We will also postpone the class photos until such time when the students no longer need to wear masks. We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your understanding.

Staff CPR and First-Aid Training

I am pleased to report that all full-time staff at HFS underwent a course in proper CPR and first aid on Wednesday evening. This course will better enable the staff to ensure that your child is safe while under their care and shows HFS’s commitment to safety and protection at the school.

Finally, as cases of Covid-19 continue to increase in Ulsan, we must be alert and vigilant to keep our school a safe and hygienic place of teaching and learning. If your child has any symptoms of Covid-19, please contact the admin office first, before you take them to the screening center. Also, should students’ family members need to take the Covid-19 test, please inform the school immediately so that we can take the necessary action promptly. Again, thank you for your understanding and cooperation as we work together in this situation.

That is all for this week. Thank you for your continued support and do have a wonderful weekend.

Mr. Kearney

Dear Parents,

As you may be aware, the number of Covid-19 infections in Ulsan has been rising recently. I have been asked to send out this urgent message by local medical authorities to increase the awareness of our school community and thus help prevent possible infection in our midst.

If somebody is identified by the medical authorities as “a person who has been in close contact with a confirmed Covid-19 patient,” the person should self-isolate for 14 days, regardless of the symptoms. If that happens, all family members who have been in contact with that person should also self-isolate.

If somebody who has been to an area of confirmed infection shows symptoms such as coughing or a sore throat, or if a doctor suspects that such a person has been infected by the virus regardless of his/her visit to the area of infection, that person and all family members should self-isolate until the test result are released. However, if that person tests negative, he/she or his/her family can immediately resume normal activities.

Should you or your family members fall under any of the above cases, please inform the school immediately so that we can take the necessary action promptly. Thank you for your understanding in this regard.

Mr. Kearney

Dear Parents,

I hope that you kept safe and well as typhoon Maysak battered Ulsan on Wednesday night. I am relieved that damage to the school was minimal and thankful that we could resume teaching and learning soon after the closure on Thursday. These are the newsworthy items that I wish to share with you this week.

E-Learning on Monday

With another typhoon predicted to reach Ulsan on Sunday and Monday, HFS is taking proactive measures to ensure that teaching and learning will not be disrupted, since we consider your child’s safe education to be our topmost priority. As the Hanmaeum Center will be closed on Monday 7 September due to the typhoon concerns, the school will conduct on-line lessons on the same day to ensure that our students’ learning will not be affected. As such, students will take their laptops home today. However, since the teachers are scheduled to provide on-line teaching from their home, please be aware that in case, SMS the Residence, the living quarters for the teachers and many students, are affected by the typhoon, on-line lessons might not take place as planned. Thank you for your cooperation in this regard. Here are some links to assist you with using the HFS E-learning platform.

Quick Links for E-Learning

• HFS E-Learning Protocol
• A General Guide to Google Classroom and Meet
• FS 1-Year 1 A Guide to Students Tablet & Google Classroom/Meet

Curriculum Evening Postponed to Monday 14 September

With the on-line lessons planned on next Monday 7 September, the curriculum evening originally scheduled for the same day will now move to Monday 14 September from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm. We apologise for this inconvenience and I look forward to seeing you there.

PTA Meeting

I would like to thank the parents who attended our first PTA meeting of the new academic year on Tuesday. I am pleased that we could share the HFS Child Safeguarding and Protection Policy as well as the safety improvements that we have made to our school in the break. The next PTA meeting is scheduled for Tuesday 13 October and I hope to see you there.

Dongrami Theater

The Dongrami Theater is sending out a message to parents who would like their child to develop their confidence, speaking and performance skills in a fun and creative environment. They are putting together a production of the Snow Queen and the Bremen Band and are looking for performers. The classes will be conducted in very small groups and follow social distancing protocols. Please call Miss YooJung Im at 052-258-1248 or 010-3191-8437 if you would like your child to participate.

That is all for this week. Thank you for your continued support and do have a wonderful weekend ensuring that you keep safe during the typhoon.

Mr. Kearney

Dear Parents,

The 2020/21 academic year has gotten off to a fine start. I am pleased that we could open to in-class teaching and learning despite the Level 2 social distancing guidelines. I am also thrilled to report that everything is proceeding smoothly at HFS. These are the newsworthy items that I must share with you in this first newsletter of the new academic year.

Welcome to the New Members of the HFS Community

It is always a pleasure to welcome new members to the HFS community and this year I am happy to introduce Isabella Donnison, Nayra Johri and Rachael Rina Han to the FS 1–Year 1 class, Audrey Abaray and Chloe Green to the Year 2–3, and Henry Abaray and Mia Shin to the Year 4–5 class. We are happy to have them all at the school and we hope that they will enjoy their time at HFS.

Covid-19 Temperature Protocols for Bus Pick-up

It has been reported that some students have been dashing to the bus stop to be picked up for school. As a result, in the recent summer heat, their temperature is elevated above 37.5 Degrees Celsius when being checked for entry on to the bus. While this is usually an inaccurate reading due to students running for the bus in the heat, our Covid-19 Policy dictates that students will not be admitted on the bus with a temperature above 37.5 Degrees and much time is taken to wait for the student to cool down so that an accurate temperature can be taken. Parents are therefore advised to avoid letting their child dash for the bus and rather be at their designated stop early so that temperature checks will be accurate. Thank you for understanding this situation.

Contact the Admin Office in the Event of Student Absences

If your child will be absent from the school, please email or phone the admin office to let us know. If your child has any symptoms of Covid-19, contact the office first, before you take them to the screening center.

PTA Meeting on Tuesday 1 September

HFS will have its first Parent Teacher Association meeting at 3:35 on Tuesday 1 September. Please join us if you would like to be a part of this important and valued school organization. I look forward to seeing you there.

Quick links to Important HFS Documents

For your convenience we have included links to important documents, policies and protocols that have been updated in the Summer break. Please follow the links to familiarize yourselves with these files.

– 2020/21 Parent Handbook

– 2020/21 Term 1 Planner

– HFS E-Learning Protocol

– HFS COVID-19 Protocol

– HFS Health, Safety and Environment Policy

That is all for this week. Thank you for your continued support and do have a wonderful weekend.

Mr. Kearney

Dear Parents,

In light of the Korean government’s recent implementation of “Level 2” social distancing measures to combat the spread of Covid-19 and to alleviate any concerns you may have, we must clarify HFS’s decision to remain open with in-class teaching and learning.

The directives issued forth by the Korean Ministry of Education dictate that under Level 2 lockdown guidelines, schools with fewer than 60 students may continue to operate without limiting the number of students present at the school. Since HFS meets this criteria and we have strict Covid-19 policies and practices, we will keep the school open and continue with in-class teaching and learning.

If at any time the social distancing is elevated to “Level 3”, HFS will immediately shutdown and online learning will commence.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in this regard.