Head of Elementary School Welcome Message

Welcome to Junior and Elementary School! Considering what school will best suit the needs of your child or children can be difficult and time consuming. Choosing ISHCMC, an accreditated and authorized IB World School will ensure that your children are learning within a quality school environment.

There are many elements that make our Junior and Elementary School a quality school and where our students thrive. Our IBPYP curriculum is internationally recognized and benchmarked, it is put into practice in developmentally appropriate ways that allow knowledge to be constructed from first-hand experiences and our teachers recognize the developmental steps required and structure learning to reflect this. 

Our teachers recognize that children learn in different ways, that they need to have opportunities to solve problems, think creatively and divergently, make decisions and become independent learners and thinkers. They focus on the development of self control rather than control imposed, and on the positives rather than negatives.

Throughout their time in Junior and Elementary students have the opportunity to develop and expand on their knowledge and use of the five IBPYP Transdisciplinary Skills which are the thinking skills, social skills, communication skills, self-management and research skills. The IBPYP believes that in order to conduct purposeful inquiry and in order to be well prepared for lifelong learning, students need to master a whole range of skills.

Action is a key component of the IBPYP and the IBO believes that education must extend beyond the intellectual to include not only socially responsible attitudes but also thoughtful and appropriate actions. It is expected that successful inquiry will lead to responsible action, initiated by the student as a result of the learning process.

Throughout Junior and Elementary School students are provided with opportunities to choose to act, to decide on their actions and to reflect upon their actions. In small groups or within whole class discussions teachers listen to students and support and nurture their ideas and note their actions. Often action is seen at home and it is rewarding to hear parents inform teachers of how their children have used information gained during their learning at school to initiate action at home, mostly in very small but meaningful ways.

Developing an understanding of how students can help others is one of the goals of our Student Representative Council and their motto is Care and Respect. Over the past few years the SRC have worked together with the Hoops for Hearts Program and raised enough to money to cover seven heart operations; they have helped support the Plastic Is Not Fantastic campaign to aid our environment and worked with Wildlife At Risk to highlight endangered animals of Vietnam.

Throughout the year Grade 5 students gain opportunities to develop their leadership skills through Library Legends, Loreto Liaison, SRC Executive, House Captains and weekly assemblies.

The relationship between parents and school is an important element to a quality school and I am proud of the way our school community communicates and works together. Communication Books/Student Planners that allow for daily or weekly comments are a valuable source of information for parents and teachers. Class parents provide support for new families, willing mums and dads offer support in the classroom, on field trips and enthusiastically attend the enlightening Student Led Conferences/Learning Journeys providing positive feedback to their children and teachers.

As you consider ISHCMC as a school for your child, you can be confident that the curriculum, strategies, learning environment and the professional of our teachers will contribute to your child’s growth and continued achievements.