Dear Parents,
I would like to bring your attention to an extraordinary expedition currently underway in the heart of Saudi Arabia. Three explorers are attempting to cross the desert from Riyadh to Jeddah in the footsteps of Sir Harry St. John Philby, a British explorer who was on a mission to support the first King of Saudi Arabia over 100 years ago. One of the three explorers is Philby’s granddaughter, Reem. The expedition was launched by Princess Anne and the National Geographic Society in England, in September 2022. The team completed the first leg of the expedition from AlUqair (in the Eastern Province) to Riyadh in November 2022, and embarked on the second half of the expedition on January 15, 2023. We’re looking forward to welcoming the explorers to ISG after they complete their mission to hear about their inspiring story. If you’re interested, more information about the expedition can be found in this article and on their account: @heartofarabiaexpedition.
Week Without Walls provides students a time to explore activities they might not normally have done or experienced. This year, a group of middle school students traveled to Prague and a group of high school students traveled to Geneva. The Prague trip allowed students to interact with the locals and create a sense of understanding of their place in the world. The Geneva group experienced typical Swiss culture, and visited CERN, one of the world's leading scientific research facilities, including the famous particle accelerator and the large hadron collider. Students who did not travel explored various forms of physical, artistic, and emotional expression, through activities like football, CrossFit, pottery, journalism, martial arts, cooking, and mindful self-compassion. These groups are led by staff and students, fostering collaboration and community within the middle and high school student body. Despite some initial apprehension, the students have come away from each of the activities having learned a new skill and also, more importantly, learning more about themselves. We are grateful to be able to provide these opportunities and to see our students thrive at the opportunity to grow.
I am pleased to announce that graduation dates at ISG have been scheduled. More information will be shared through your schools nearer the time.
- ASD: May 27
- ISG Dammam: May 31
- ISG Jubail: June 1
- BSD Graduation and Leavers Ceremony: June 3
- SVS Leavers Ceremony: June 8
A reminder that the ASD and BSD Book Fair will be taking place from January 29 to February 4. We’re very excited that this annual event is back as it is a wonderful opportunity for our students to browse a new selection of books in person and find something new that sparks their interest. Please discuss the book fair with your children and encourage them to find something they would enjoy.
Best wishes,
Michael P. Mack
* Image courtesy of www.thenationalnews.com