Dear Parents,

Thank you for your support and understanding during this turbulent week. I am ecstatic to report that the labour unionists have left the building and regular school classes will take place on Monday 3rd June. I must also thank all the staff for their tireless efforts to ensure that the school was left undamaged and that learning could still take place in the form of school trips during this difficult situation. I would like to remind parents that to recoup some lost teaching learning time as a result of this week’s disruption, Thursday 6 June will be a full day of school until 3:30 pm. The school bus will operate as normal (There will, however, be no Art club).

Report Back on School Trips

Fortunately, despite the circumstances, both school trips went smoothly and without any problems. The Y4-9 residential trip was a resounding success. The students had a fantastic time as you no doubt gathered from the daily updates from the accompanying teachers. From astronomy to kayaking, climbing, team-building and cooking. The students learned important life-skills and developed their independence and autonomy. It was an enjoyable and valuable learning experience for all. Thank you to the caring staff for putting it together and working to ensure a safe yet exciting time was enjoyed by all.

The trip to Gyeongju was also sensational. The students enjoyed a full day away in the warm sun and got the opportunity to see a host of remarkable and exotic flora and birdlife in a fantastic setting. Well done to all for being brave and allowing the birds to perch on them. I am glad that the students got to see such an unusual range of plant and animal species, from delicate retreating Mimosas to menacing Venus-flytraps and a kaleidoscope of beautiful flowers in between as well as alligators, ostriches, tortoises, sharks and topping it off with a craft activity to bring back a memento of the excursion. Thank you to all the parents for having the children ready at the pick-up points and to the staff for ensuring the safe drop-off and collection of the students afterwards.

Please enjoy these pictures from the trips of your child enjoying these learning experiences.

Information Evening Wednesday 5 June

A gentle reminder of the upcoming information evening on Wednesday 5 June from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm. We will discuss the class and staff structuring next year as well as the outcomes of our recent CIS evaluation. I look forward to seeing you there as well as fielding and questions you may have.

HFS Open Day Tuesday 18 June

If you would like a peek at the goings-on at HFS join us on Tuesday 18 June from 09:30 to 11:30 am for an opportunity to view the teaching and learning that your child is benefitting from at the school. Parking will be available so please invite your friends and participate in some unique concept and inquiry based learning as we showcase a typical day at HFS. I hope to see you there.

Thank you for your continued support and do have a wonderful and restful weekend.

Mr. Kearney

Dear Parents,
 
Given that the school closure still continues, you would naturally be interested to know what the situation would be like for the school next week.  We would like to bring to your attention that we have been closely monitoring the situation at our school building and thus can confirm that although the building is still occupied by the labor unionists, the 3rd floor where our school is located, has not been damaged.  Although we fully expect that the labor unionists will leave the building after the HHI shareholders’ meeting tomorrow, we will be sure to inform the parents in the course of the day as soon as we are made aware, if we can resume our classes at our site next Monday.

Meanwhile, in the unlikely event that we cannot come back to school next Monday at Hanmaeum Center as expected, we have secured classrooms at the HHI Personnel Training Center at Ulsan College. 

Please rest assured that we will continue to keep you posted of further developments as they unfold.

We appreciate your continued support.

Mr. Kearney
 

Dear Parents,

An update regarding the situation at Hanmaeum Center. We appealed to the labor unionists to grant us access to the building. They are firm in their position and we will not have access to the building for the rest of the week. We apologise for this inconvenience although it was due to events beyond our control. To make up for some of the down time as a result of this situation we will have a full day of classes on Thursday 6th June which was scheduled to be a National holiday. The last day of term, Friday 28 June, will now also be a full day running to 3:30 pm.

The Y4-9 residential trip scheduled for Wednesday 29 May will run ahead as planned. Parents are asked to have their children at the Sangtevill pick up point by 08:00 am on Wednesday 29 May. Please click here for more information. The contact number for the residential trip will be 010-8469-2945.

The Gyeongju Bird Park trip for the FS1/2 and Y1-3 students on Thursday 30 May will also go ahead as planned. Parents are asked to check here for the correct bus drop-off and pick up location and be there at least 5 minutes before the bus arrives. The contact number for the Gyeongju trip will be 010-9742-2945.

If you have any queries, please email the office at admin@hyundaiforeignschool.com We will keep you updated should there be any further developments.

Thank you for your understanding throughout this situation.

Mr. Kearney

Dear Parents,

We are almost half way through our final term and things are heating up around us as well as at HFS as Summer sets in. We are all enjoying the fine, bright weather and clear air. I am happy to share with you this week’s announcements.

HFS Sports Day

It was a pleasantly warm day full of sunshine, perfect for our students to show off their athleticism in a mix of individual, class and team games. They all competed to their best and displayed superb sportsmanship in a day full of fun and excitement. Congratulations to the winners and thank you to the PTA for their assistance and for providing a delicious treat to our tired athletes. A great day of healthy physical activity was enjoyed by all. Here are some pics of the day’s action for you to view.

Residential Trip and Trip to Gyeongju Bird Park

On Thursday 30 May and Friday 31 May Hanmaeum center will be closed and access will be restricted. Fortunately, the Year 4 to 9 students will be away on the residential trip to Busan from Wednesday 29 May to Friday 31 May. The bus will depart promptly at 8:20 am on Wednesday 29 May. Please ensure that your child has all the necessary items on the packing list. I am sure they are eagerly anticipating the fun learning activities and experiences that the teachers and staff have planned for this trip. The FS1/2/Y1 and Y2/3 classes will also make the most of the building closure by attending a full day trip to the Gyeongju Bird Park and botanical gardens. It will be a full-day trip with the school bus departing directly for Gyeongju and returning by 3:30 pm to Sangteville apartments for you to collect your child. There will be no Art club on Thursday 30 May. Thank you to all the parents who have submitted the 10,000Won payment and completed the online permission form. If you have not completed the form, please do so by clicking here and submit the payment by Monday 27 May. A friendly reminder that the school will be closed on Friday 31 May. There will be no access to Hanmaeum center for the day.

Parents Information Evening on Wednesday 5 June

I am pleased to report that we will conduct an “Information Evening” on Wednesday 5 June from 6 pm to 7 pm. There will be a presentation from myself regarding the academic calendar for 2019/20 and the class and staff structure for next year. I will also speak briefly as to the results of our recent CIS evaluation. Mr. Paul Kim will speak to and answer questions relating to the planned future relocation of the school. It will also be an opportunity for you to voice any questions you may have regarding the school. I look forward to seeing you there.

Personal Property Policy

Having heard the concerns of a number of parents and witnessing firsthand the effects that bringing toys, smart watches and electronic devices has on the positive learning environment that we are fostering at HFS it has become necessary to create a new policy regarding these items. From June 1st students will no longer be allowed to bring toys, jewelry accessories and electronic devices to school. It is clear that they result in conflict and negative feelings between students and are a distraction to teaching and learning. Toys and devices that are brought to school will be confiscated by the teacher and returned at the end of the school day. The policy will be updated in the parent handbook and smart watches and phones will only be allowed to accompany students on school trips where their care will be the responsibility of the student. Teachers may request students bring in toys or electronic devices for specific learning activities such as “Show and Tell” or ICT classes but parents will be informed in advance and the use of the items will be regulated. It is unfortunate that we have had to modify our policy and hopefully we can revisit it in the future. Thank you for your cooperation in this regard.

Best regards,

Scott Kearney

Dear Parents,

A full and busy week has passed us by at HFS and a number of significant events took place and need to be reported in this week’s briefing. It was heartwarming to see so many students making cards for our teachers to celebrate teachers day on Wednesday. Thank you for recognising and acknowledging the efforts made by our teachers. It is truly appreciated.

CIS Substantive Change Inspection

HFS is a proud to be an accredited member of the Council of International Schools (CIS). We maintain high standards of health, safety and educational practice to retain our accreditation to this certificating authority and since HFS moved to its new location it was necessary for an evaluation of the new premises to ensure that the same criteria are being met. The staff have been hard at work ensuring that all CIS guidelines and requirements are being adhered to and I would like to thank Dr. Eric Jabal of the CIS for his thorough evaluation and assessment of our school. Thank you also to the parents who took time to meet with him today and to all the staff for their efforts in preparation for today’s inspection. As soon as the results are available we will share them with you but I have no doubt that HFS will do well in meeting expectations.

HFS Sports Day

The weather has been pleasant and warm and the air has been clean and so next Friday 24 May we will have our school sports day at the Spanish sports filed. The event will run in the morning up until lunch time. We will depart at 09:15 and return after enjoying lunch at the field. It promises to be an exciting a morning full of energetic activity as we have class games and group games. Please join us to watch your child flex their athletic muscles and hopefully win a prize.

Open Day at HFS

On Tuesday June 18 HFS will conduct another open day so that you may view the dynamic teaching and learning that is happening at our school. Join us and invite your friends for a brief presentation about the school at 09:30, followed by a short tour and refreshments and the opportunity to witness and participate in an actual lesson. Parking will be available and all staff will be eager to field any questions you may have. Don’t miss this fantastic opportunity to see behind the scenes at your child’s school. I look forward to seeing you there.

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

Best regards,

Scott Kearney

Dear Parents,

We are in the peak of Spring and the weather and air has been pleasant at all times during this short week. I am happy to report only positive news for this week’s letter.

Daewangam Park Clean-up

It is delightful to see the HFS students being responsible citizens and playing an active role in caring for the environment. We certainly had an enjoyable afternoon at Daewangam Park, taking advantage of the fine, warm weather to enjoy our beautiful surrounds and play our part in keeping our environment clean. I was happy to see some of the parents joining us for the afternoon outing and glad that the students did so well in picking up the litter that was left in the park. They definitely earned their ice-cream treats. Please enjoy these pictures of our students engaging with their environment.

Spring Day

I am looking forward to our Spring Festival tomorrow and thank you to all who have pre-ordered tickets. They will be waiting for you at the ticket counter tomorrow morning. It promises to be a fun-filled day of exciting activities from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm tomorrow. There will be a host of entertaining stalls including drone flying, pie-tossing, face painting and many others. There will be food and snacks on sale, courtesy of the PTA ladies who have been working exceptionally hard to make this day a real treat. Thank you to all who kindly donated items to our “treasures and trinkets” stall, there are definitely some valuables up for grabs. For your convenience, parking will be available at the parking tower for the duration of the festival from 10 am to 3 pm. Please bring your parking receipt that you receive when entering the tower, and find Ms. Esther Yeo at the gym to stamp your receipt for validation. 

A special thank you to the Hyundai Tigers football team for providing some enticing prizes for our raffles, including an autographed official football and two autographed football official Hyundai Tigers Jerseys. Also up for grabs, courtesy of the generous folk at HHI Arts Center, are tickets to the upcoming spectacular stage production “Burn the Floor” and even a voucher for a night’s stay at the Haeundae Grand Hotel overlooking Haeundae Beach which was generously donated by our parent company, HHI. These are fantastic prizes and tickets for the raffles can be purchased at the Spring Day. The draw for the winners will be at 1:50 pm. Get your tickets to enter and good luck!

CIS Visit

HFS is proud to be an accredited affiliate of the Council of International Schools, having first earned membership successfully in 2011 and retaining accreditation again in 2016 by meeting its strict criteria. On Friday 17 May we will be visited by a delegate from the CIS as they inspect HFS in its new incarnation at Hanmaeum Center. The faculty and staff have been hard at work to ensure that everything for the inspection runs smoothly and I have no doubt that we will once again retain membership to this prestigious certifying authority. 

That is all for this week. Thank you for your continued support and I look forward to seeing you at the Spring Day tomorrow.

Best regards,

Scott Kearney

Dear Parents,

I do hope that you are enjoying the sunshine now that the spell of rain has passed as we complete our second week of term 3. There are a few items I am happy to share with you this week but first I would like to remind you that the school will be closed on Monday 6 May in honor of Children’s Day on Sunday 5 May. Please enjoy your extended weekend and celebrate your children in this wonderful May weather.

HHI Art Gallery Trip

Today the whole school paid a visit to the HHI art gallery to see the superb exhibition of children’s books by different authors from around the world. I am proud that we, as a school, can engage with the cultural products in our community for the benefit of our students. It was wonderful to see the collection of fantastic children’s books on display and the different styles definitely got the creative juices flowing.

The students from, FS 1 to year 9, enjoyed interacting with the works on display and participating in the related activities as part of the experience. An enjoyable time was had by everyone and I am looking forward to the creative output that the students produce as a result of this excursion.

Green Day Park Clean-up

A few students put forward the suggestion that we have a “Green Day” to nurture and show respect for our environment and to celebrate the recent “Earth Day” Next week, on Friday 10 May, we will do this with a planned outing to Daewangam Park to do a clean-up. I am glad that we can continue to practice environmental responsibility and take advantage of the fine weather and the beautiful Ulsan surrounds. Children will be encouraged to wear something green on the day to be in tune with nature and we will have lunch at Dragon Park followed by a walk through the park picking up any litter we find on the way and ending with some treats and playtime in the park. I am proud that the HFS students always display such excellent character and show themselves to be outstanding global citizens. Please join us at 12:30 at Daewangam Park on Friday 10 May for a fun-filled nature excursion.

Spring Day Tickets Pre-order Form

On Saturday 11 May HFS will have a Spring festival of fun and games hosted by the PTA at the Hanmaeum center gymnasium. There are a host of exciting games, activities, raffles and treats for your children to enjoy. To participate they will require tickets and you may have noticed that a pre-order form came home with your child today. If you would like to pre-order tickets, please complete the tear-off section of the form and send it with the payment to school with your child by Thursday 9th May. Pre-order tickets are discounted to 25 tickets for 10,000 Won thereafter they can be purchased at the festival for 20 tickets for 10,000 Won. I look forward to seeing you there!

Also, thank you for the donations of used items for our “treasure and trinkets” stall but do keep them coming. If you are doing your Spring tidying up and wish to get rid of any books, toys or trinkets please drop them off at the admin office. I assure you that they will spark joy for someone else if they don’t for you anymore.

Residential Trip Permission Form and Payment Balance

The upcoming Year 4–9 residential trip to Busan and surrounding areas promises to be a marvelous experience and thank you to all for signing up. As a formality and as is school policy it is necessary for you to complete the online permission form to allow your child to attend. You can complete the form by clicking here. Please complete and submit it by no later than Friday 10 May. Please also send the 200,000 Won balance of payment for the trip to the school by Friday 10 May. This is necessary to reserve spaces for some of the exciting activities that the teachers and staff have arranged as part of the trip. I hope you are excited since it is only 3 weeks away.

That brings us to the end of this week’s update. Thank you for your continued support and do have a wonderful extended weekend with plenty of sunshine.

Best regards,

Scott Kearney