January 23, 2026 - Secondary School Principal Blog
Mr Mike Simpson
Dear Secondary School Families,
| 📖 Social Emotional Learning |
Last week at ISY, we had the privilege of learning alongside Kristine Mizzone in a series of sessions with students, parents, teachers, and school leaders. It was a powerful and affirming week that reinforced something both simple and profound: meaningful learning and growth begin with connection.
One idea resonated across every group Kristine worked with — connect before correct. Whether we are guiding a child through a mistake, addressing challenging behaviour, or supporting a student who is struggling, the message was clear: relationships come first. When students feel seen, heard, and understood, they are far more open to feedback, guidance, and learning.
For our students, this meant exploring how emotions influence choices and relationships. For parents, it meant reflecting on how connection builds trust and resilience at home. For teachers and leaders, it reaffirmed the importance of creating classrooms and school cultures grounded in compassion, psychological safety, and respect — especially in moments of challenge.
This week reminded us that social and emotional learning is not a program or a one-off event. It is a way of being with one another. It shapes how we listen, respond, and help young people grow into compassionate, capable global citizens.
We are grateful to Kristine for her expertise and partnership, and to our community for engaging so thoughtfully in this work. Connect before correct will continue to guide us in our shared commitment to helping every child flourish.
| 🎓 University Acceptances |
In addition to meeting internal assessment requirements and studying hard for their final exams, our Seniors have been busy applying to the universities of their choice. It is early in the year to hear back from universities, but our Seniors continue to be offered places at some very prestigious institutions. We are excited to celebrate these achievements with our community, so look out for more information from our communications team in the coming weeks. Roll on Graduation!
| 🗞 IB Diploma & University Preparation |
Our Seniors are near the end of their ISY journey. Our Juniors are not far behind them and are also thinking about life after graduation.
On Tuesday, February 10, we will have our second Junior University Night. This will be a more advanced introduction to the university admissions process for parents and students. This will be followed by weekly Tuesday workshops that focus on a specific part of the world (e.g., Europe) or discipline (e.g., Engineering). Look out for more information on these events in this blog and from our communications team.
It is time for our Grade 10 students to start considering their IB Diploma Programme (IBDP) course selections. On Tuesday, they will hear from our IBDP Coordinator, High School Counselor, and every IBDP teacher. They will have the opportunity to ask questions about the structure of the IBDP and what courses might interest them. They have all year to decide their IBDP pathway, but we want to give them as much information as possible. On Monday, February 2, parents will be invited to hear a summary of what was shared with the students and to ask questions of our world-class IBDP teachers. Exciting times ahead!
Kind Regards,
Mr. Mike Simpson
Secondary School Principal
| 🇲🇲 Learning Through Culture, Experiencing Htamane at ISY |
Today, our students took part in Htamane, a traditional Myanmar festive food made from glutinous rice and other ingredients, commonly prepared during the Htamane Festival. Our students observed the preparation process and enjoyed a small taste as part of this shared cultural experience.
Thank you to the ISY Parent Association and our parent volunteers for their generous support and for being there with our students. Seeing parents involved in school life shows our students what care and connection look like, and helps nurture a strong sense of belonging across our ISY community.
| ⚠️ Student Safety Near New Shops by School Entrances |
At ISY, student safety is always our highest priority. With the recent opening of new shops near our school entrances, we have been closely monitoring traffic flow and student movement during pick-up and drop-off times.
Following a review, we have identified safety concerns related to increased congestion and students crossing busy areas. For this reason, students are no longer permitted to visit the coffee shop near the front entrance or the new grocery near the rear entrance during school drop-off or pick-up times unless they are accompanied by a parent. Students should also not pre-order items and stop cars to collect them, as this creates traffic and safety risks. In addition, food and drinks purchased from these outlets may not be brought back onto campus.
| 🏅 Sports at ISY: Personalized pathways to excellence |
Season 2 continues for High School Basketball and Middle School Football.
✨ What’s On:
