My remarks from today’s Recognition Ceremony

For the benefit of those who were unable to listen in today, I have been requested to share my remarks from today’s recognition ceremony.

Have a wonderful well-deserved holiday. Take good care of yourselves out there.

Catriona

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End of year speech 2020

Xin chào, mọi người!

Hôm nay, mọi người khỏe không?

Rất vui được gặp mọi người ở đây.

Good morning everyone,

Oh my goodness, It’s so incredibly wonderful to see you all here today.

Two months ago, who would’ve thought that we could be here, together?

For that, I am overwhelmed with gratitude and pride.

But before I go on, I must acknowledge the many other emotions that I’m feeling and that I’m sure that I share with many of you sitting here today. More than a week before the tragic death of George Floyd Barack Obama said in a commencement speech “This pandemic has shaken up the status quo and laid bare a lot of our country’s deep-seated problems from massive economic inequality to racial disparity…….” Since then those observations have become more poignant than we ever could’ve imagined. As our hearts go out to the people in the US, let us pause to recognize and appreciate the many things we have to be grateful for today.

I am so tremendously grateful to be living in Vietnam, a nation that has taken out all the stops to take care of its people during the coronavirus crisis. A nation that is willing to sacrifice its economy, to use every resource at its disposal to protect the people. And, to protect us.

I am grateful to be working at this school.

A not for profit school. Where we can make decisions for the right reasons and take care of our people.. All of our people. Our students, our parents, our teachers and our staff.

I am grateful to be working for this Board.

A Board that lives the Core Values espoused by the founders Ferdinand Tsien and Lawrence Ting. A Board that is tremendously supportive of me as the Head of School and thereby supportive of all of you.

I am grateful to be working with this leadership team.

A smart dedicated team that gave their all during this difficult time to guide and lead and respond to our community.

I am grateful for our parent community. They believe in the school and support us. Our parents have truly become our partners.

And, I am tremendously grateful to be working with wonderful teachers and staff members like you. People who again and again put in an extraordinary effort to offer the best program to our children. Who supported each other during this roller coaster of a year and who showed up every day to provide some semblance of normalcy to the children we serve. When, at the beginning of the year, I noted that every one was a piece of this puzzle that made up the SSIS experience, that every piece matters, that I needed everyone to play their part, you did!

And, I am Proud

I am proud of our graduates of 2020 who have had an extraordinary ending to their school career at SSIS.  And who remained positive and optimistic throughout. I look forward to following the journeys of these SSIS alumni.

I am proud of the experiences and care we provided our students and families throughout this extraordinarily difficult semester.

I am proud of the way we treated people, all people in our community.

I believe that this crisis brought out the best in us.

And, I am so very proud to be the Head of Saigon South International School.