Official Opening Ceremony – an Extraordinary Celebration!
Dear SSIS faculty and staff,
As you will see in the letter to parents below, today’s opening ceremony was fabulous. It was a great day to be a Dragon!
Board Chair Gayle Tsien and I gave special and well-deserved recognition to WaiMun during the ceremony, presenting her with a plaque of appreciation. Please take a minute to congratulate WaiMun when you next meet her.
Several people deserve special thanks and credit for orchestrating this fabulously successful event.
I can’t thank you enough:
- Wanda Luinenburg, our community engagement officer, for organizing today’s event.
- Tanya Olander, senior manager of strategic communications, for media and communications related to the event (including the showcase video, TV interviews, and media releases).
- Oanh Dao, executive assistant to Head of School, for organizing the guest list and managing communications.
- Events office: Nguyen Dao and Hang Nguyen for the refreshments and organizing vendors.
- Dzim Nguyen, graphic designer, and Quyen Ngo, purchasing officer, for their tireless work with the gift bags and decorations.
- The facilities, gardening, and maintenance staff, for ensuring that the facility looked spectacular.
- Thank you to Leif Larson, Stephen Ada, Ranya Ayache, and Mackenzie Doyle for the beautiful performances.
- All of the faculty and staff who opened up their classrooms for the visitors.
Don’t miss the wonderful SSIS showcase video.
All good wishes,
Catriona
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Dear SSIS Parents,
Today’s official opening ceremony was truly extraordinary! Our students, the heart of SSIS, shone brightly as they led us through this monumental milestone in our school’s history. Grade 11 students Shannon and Vincent were superb emcees. Our High School and Middle School Band, as well as the High School and Middle School Choir, moved us with their beautiful tunes. And Grade 1 captured our hearts with a singalong of “Ubuntu,” a song that celebrates our togetherness.
Today, we also unveiled a plaque in appreciation of Ms. WaiMun Fong, our Associate Head of School for Operations and Finance. Starting as the school’s business manager when there was just one building on our campus, Ms. Fong’s impact on the school cannot be understated. From leading the simultaneous projects of our new Middle School and new STEAM Design Center to leading the construction of our elementary school (2008), and the high school (2012), her dedication is a testament to her love for our school community. A heartfelt thank you was extended by Board Chair, Gayle Tsien, who personally presented Ms. Wong with the plaque, and myself. Please join us in congratulating Ms. Fong when you see her next.
The ceremony was graced by numerous dignitaries, including speaker Mr. Nguyễn Văn Hiếu, Director of the Department of Education and Training, and multiple guests confirmed that there’s a special atmosphere at SSIS. Today reminded us that together, we are indeed greater than the sum of our parts.
As a final note from today, I’m excited to share the showcase video that premiered today. It offers a glimpse into our ambitious new facilities through the eyes of educators and students.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neJihcdy98A
Thank you for being a part of the SSIS Community. Today was a day to remember, and it is your support that continues to make SSIS a remarkable place for our students.
All good wishes,
Dr. Catriona Moran
Head of School
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