Dear Parents,

Sadly, this will be the final newsletter that I write to you since today my term as Principal at Hyundai Foreign School comes to an end. There are a few items of news that I would like to share with you this week.

Scary Dress-up Day

I am pleased that the Scary dress-up day was such a success. The students showed great creativity and flair in their costumes and it was great to see such a variety of spooky outfits. Well done to Clare Kim for being selected as having the scariest costumes in the school. Your outfits certainly gave me the willies. A big thank you must be given to the HFS PTA for their generous treats and the amazing decorations that transformed the hall into the spooky space for our Scary dress-up day. The treats made the day extra special and a good time was enjoyed by all.

Thank You and Farewell to the HFS Community

It is a bittersweet day indeed, I began my time at HFS five years ago as ESL teacher and would never have thought that I would be leading the school a few years later. It has been the greatest privilege to serve as teacher, school coordinator and finally principal of such a wonderful school, never have I worked at a school where students, staff and parents are more like a family and the years that I have been here will be treasured. I must thank the incredible team of teachers and staff for consistently going above and beyond what is required to make the school the success that it is. Thank you also to the parents for their continuous support and faith in HFS. To the students of HFS, I have enjoyed watching you learn and grow over the years and each of you made an indelible impression on me. Thank you everyone, I will miss you all. Thank you for helping me grow as a teacher and I wish all of you luck, happiness, adventure and delight for the future. I would like you to know that HFS will always have a special place in my heart.

Mr. Kearney

Dear Parents,

It will be a brief newsletter this week. There are a few items of news that I wish to share with you.

Appointment of Mr. Andre De Klerk as Year 2-3 Teacher

I am pleased to announce that we have appointed Mr. Andre De Klerk as the new Year 2-3 teacher at HFS. Mr. De Klerk is experienced and qualified and a fellow South African and he brings a wealth of skills to the HFS Team. After a period of transition and orientation where he will be under the guidance of Mr. Green, Mr. De Klerk will begin teaching the Year 2-3 class from early November. Welcome to HFS, Mr. De Klerk.

Scary Dress-up Day on Friday 30 October – Call for Candy Donations

In the spirit of one of the most fun and popular world holidays, HFS will have a Scary Dress-Up Day on Friday 30 October. Students are encouraged to wear a spooky, scary costume for the day and each class will choose the best-dressed person from their class. The school will vote on the best-dressed of the finalists and we will enjoy a scary movie or activity in our classes during the last period. The PTA will generously be providing treats for the students and are calling on parents to donate sweets and chocolates to make the day extra special. If you would like to donate candy, please drop it in the basket at the admin office, thank you for your support with this event.

Farewell to Rana Andersen

Sadly, this week we bid farewell to Rana Andersen from the Year 4-5 class. Rana has always been a free-spirited young lady with a solid streak of independence and a headstrong attitude. I hope she retains these qualities throughout her school career and beyond and HFS wishes her and her family happiness and success as they depart. They will be missed by all of us. I would like them to know that, should they return, they will always have a place at HFS.

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

Mr. Kearney

Dear Parents,

The leaves are turning as we head into mid-Autumn and the weather begins to chill. These are the newsworthy items that I wish to share with you this week

Welcome to HFS, Seoa Kim

I am pleased to welcome a new student, Seoa Kim, to the Year 2-3 class. It is always wonderful to have new members in the HFS community and Seoa has quickly shown that she is an intelligent and diligent student. I am sure she will be happy in her time at HFS.

Call for Donations of Candy for Scary Dress-up Day

On Friday 30 October HFS will have its annual Scary Dress-Up Day Celebration. Students are encouraged to wear spooky, creepy costumes in the spirit of the day. Each class will vote on the best class costume and then the school will select the best costumes from the finalists. Sweet treats are a big part of what makes this holiday fun and enjoyable and we are calling on parents to make donations of sweets, chocolates or candy to be shared across the school on the day. If you would like to donate some items please drop them in the basket at the admin office. Thank you for your support with this event.

Alteration to Term Planner – Day-off Switched from 6 November to 20 November

HFS will soon undergo its CIS evaluation inspection. As part of this inspection, there will be a review workshop on Friday 20 November. The workshop will take the entire day and all staff will be involved and as such we are unable to have lessons on that day. Originally this was scheduled on the calendar and term planner to be on Friday 6 November. The date has now shifted to Friday 20 November. The school will be closed for the day and no lessons will take place. Thank you for your understanding in this regard. Links to the updated Academic Calendar and the Term 1 Planner can be found below.

– Academic Calendar ☞ Click here

– Term 1 Planner ☞ Click here

Farewell, Ashleigh and Juveria

Finally, we sadly wish farewell to Ashleigh Coquia Herd and Juveria Maulana as they leave HFS this week. Both of them have been at HFS for quite a number of years and their absence will be felt. We wish them and their families health, luck, and happiness on their journeys and would like them to know that, should they return, they will always have a place at HFS.

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

Mr. Kearney

Dear Parents,

We are halfway through the first term of the 2020/21 academic year at HFS and ready for a break. Yesterday, we celebrated the Korean harvest-moon festival of Chuseok with an amazing assortment of class presentations and a thrilling live-streamed exhibition of martial arts from UNESCO. From songs and plays to presentations and dances, it was so impressive to see the work that the students put forth in honoring this important cultural holiday. Please enjoy the videos of the day’s festivities.

• HFS Chuseok Celebration Assembly

• HFS Chuseok Traditional Korean Games

Have a wonderful Chuseok break and we will see on Monday 12 October.

Mr. Kearney

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,

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