Head of School Message – 9 October 2025

Dear ISHCMC Families,

Tomorrow marks World Mental Health Day. Like many health conditions, outward expression of good or poor health can mask an underlying need. Therefore, it is important to proactively promote positive behaviors and practices, and therefore I would like to take this moment to reflect on how we nurture wellbeing across our ISHCMC community.

This year, our school joined more than 100,000 students and 21,000 colleagues across over 100 Cognita schools worldwide to celebrate Global Be Well Day. The theme of Connecting could not be more fitting. Connection sits at the very heart of wellbeing, supporting a sense of belonging that allows both students and adults alike to truly flourish.

At ISHCMC, we are intentional in creating environments where everyone feels they can belong. For example, our Welcome Party for new families and most recently, the joyful Rhino Family Fun Night last Friday. Your participation in such events brings our community together to celebrate the values we share, and reminds us that well-being is built through relationships that affirm and include.

Connection is also nurtured among our parents through the wonderful work of our Parent Teacher Organization (PTO). Coffee mornings, PTO Book Club, networking dinners, and much more, support our families in building friendships and support systems that enrich our wider school community. Thank you to all on our PTO for this support to our community's wellbeing.

Across our Primary Campus, connection comes to life in daily learning experiences and celebrations of culture. The Moon Festival Assembly was a wonderful reminder of how shared traditions unite students and teachers, creating a deep sense of belonging.

Meanwhile, in Secondary, our Belonging Team continues to build on this spirit through initiatives designed to strengthen relationships across grades. Later this month, our student leaders will host Belonging Week - a celebration of inclusion, empathy, and friendship in action.

I hope that you will see from this reflection that well-being at ISHCMC is not defined by any single initiative. Rather, it is a culture that grows through kindness, respect, and shared purpose. As we connect meaningfully, we lift one another and make our school not only a place of learning but a home of belonging.

As we move through the school year, I encourage each of us to take small moments to connect, to listen, and to reach out. Together, we make ISHCMC a community where everyone belongs.

Finally, as we look to the half-term week ahead, I wish all families a restful and enjoyable vacation.

Best wishes,

Marco Longmore

Head of School