2019-2020 新学年校长寄语 | Director's Welcome
来自校长的开学寄语 Director's Welcome
亲爱的珠海德威的孩子们，
时光即将揭开2019-2020学年新的篇章，经过一个假期的沉淀，调整和放松，我们就要迎来一个新起点，一个充满挑战和机遇，一个满血复活足以踔厉风发的一年。
珠海德威建校十年，数百名毕业生们在追梦中创造出的卓越成就使我校已然成为国内知名的国际学校，而今天你们将接过历史的接力棒，用你们的努力，健康的体魄，卓越的学术成绩，全面发展，心仪的大学和专业去铸造又一个历史丰碑。
“卓越”是珠海德威学校价值观之一，我和全体员工们已经众志成城为成就卓越的你们做好了准备。那么对于你们呢？卓越意味着尽最大努力做最好的自己，卓越体现在无数个第一次的尝试，卓越反映在积极参与，卓越象征着挑战。唯一不变的，卓越是进步发展的代名词。
· 那么今年的你们如何成就“卓越”？
· 我想告诉你们我准备了什么？阅读下面这段话，想一想，分享你的想法。
我们想听到你的真实声音，我们希望全方面提供合理的支持。你们会听到一个“学生主导的学习”这个名词，这意味着我们给予你们更多机会发声，赋予你更多成长的自主权。同时你们也要清楚的知道，学校会在能力范围之内做事情，无法实现每个学生的心愿并不代表着学校不关注你们，学校是一个社区，也需要你们更多地信任和接受。只要学校能做到，我们将会不遗余力为你们提供支持，因为成就你们就是成就学校。
作为一个学校，我们也非常重视如何支持你们发展和展示同理心、正直、领导力和决心，能够去到心仪的大学，能够在那里茁壮成长，出类拔萃，能够对世界做出积极的改变。
核心的一点是我们希望学校是一个你们了解、接受、融入其中、感受快乐和满足的地方，我们以德威引以为豪。学校是一个你展示才华，不仅仅是学术上，而是在文化、语言和全面发展上。只有准备充分了，你才能顺利完成大学学习，乃至未来对世界产生积极影响。
课外活动是学校承诺的一部分，为你们提供全面发展、领导和卓越的机会，培养和发展你们的才能。当然，就像生活中的许多事情一样，时间的投入和产出是成正比的，你应该尽可能地利用一切机会在课堂内外发展你的兴趣和技能。无数案例表明如果你想进入世界领先的大学，一个高品质的课外活动计划是必不可少的。
提高学生的英语水平仍然是我们的一个工作重点，在学校沉浸式英语环境中，您完全有大量的练习机会，可以说英语是未来大学生存的命脉，也是你成功的关键。如若不信，你们可以问一下德威校友。对于我遇到的每一个返校的毕业生，我都会问同样的问题：为大学生活做好准备，你会给我们现在的学生什么建议？答案惊人的一致，那就是“练习你的英语”。
是时候许个心愿，是时候做个承诺，给自己一个挑战，确定一个卓越的目标，言必行行必果。过程中找人分享你的心得，获取更大的支持，我们期待见证你们一个又一个梦想的实现。
新起点，新开始。我对于在珠海德威的最后一年任期充满无限期待。
Andrew Macdonald-Brown
珠海德威国际高中校长
Dear Dulwich International High School Zhuhai Students,
It is my pleasure to be able to welcome you back to school for the 2019-20 academic year. We hope you have had some time to rest, relax and reflect over the summer holiday; and have come back to face the challenges and opportunities of the new year with energy, enthusiasm and commitment.
In our tenth year of existence we look forward to building further on the excellent foundations laid over the past nine years. The reputation of Dulwich Zhuhai is built on the shoulders of our alumni, and is determined by you – our current students. The exam results that you and your contemporaries achieve, and the impressive university destinations you continue to realise, demonstrate that part of this ‘reputation’ is built on excellence.
‘Excellence’ is one of our Dulwich Values as you will know. I have asked our staff this year to challenge all students to be excellent. But what does that actually mean? Well, you might consider it to be endeavouring to be the ‘best that you can be’. That may mean being ‘1st at something; it may be participating in something, or trying a new challenge. Mostly, it will be about improving and making progress for many.
· What will you do this year that will be ‘excellent’?
· What opportunities can we provide to ensure you have the best chance of being excellent?
I will want you to think about this and share your thoughts.
Sharing your thoughts this year will also feature as we want to discuss with you your thoughts about how we can best support you in your learning and other aspects of school. You will hear the term ‘students agency’ used’ which is our way of saying we want to give you more voice, choice and ownership in how things are done to support you. It doesn’t mean that things will always be as you want as an individual – sometimes they will and sometimes they may not. As school is a community we are keen to support everyone of our students in the right way. We do care for every single student although sometimes we may say ‘no’ .
However, it does mean that you will be listened to, have a say, and have an influence.
As a community we place great value on how we can support you to develop and demonstrate empathy and respect, integrity, leadership and determination; and to be able to go to university, thrive and excel there, and to be able to make a positive difference in the world.
Importantly, we want our school to be a place where you are known, accepted, feel a part of and, happy and fulfilled to be at. We want our school to be a place where you are proud to attend. We want our school to be a place where your potential is fully developed, not just academically, but culturally, linguistically, and holistically, so that you not only make it into your university of best fit, but you succeed when you get there. We then want you to leave university and go on to have a positive impact on the world.
Our Co-curricular programme is part of our commitment to you; to provide you with a holistic education, opportunities for leadership and excellence, to nurture and develop your talents. Of course, like so many things in life, what you get out of your time in school is largely determined by what you put into it and you should make the best possible use of the opportunities on offer to develop your interests and skills both inside and outside the classroom. It is also becoming increasingly clear that if you are to access the world’s leading universities, a highly developed Co-curricular portfolio is essential.
Developing our students’ English language proficiency continues to be a key focus in our school. With all fully immersive English speaking environment you have significant opportunities to practice. This is critical to your success in preparing for university life and central to your chances of thriving when there. Please don’t just take my word for it; ask our alumni. For every returning Dulwich Zhuhai student that I meet I ask the same question: “What advice would you give our current students about being ready for university life?”. The answer is always the same: “Practice your English”.
So, with the new year in mind, and with the aspirations and expectations that come with it, let me set you a challenge – set yourself a goal to work towards excellence, think of something you can do that you want to be excellent at (and do it now), talk about it and share it with those you trust and those that will support you. Let us see if we can achieve it with you over the next year.
Best wishes for a wonderful start to the year, and also my last year in DHZH.
Andrew Macdonald-Brown
Director of Dulwich International High School Zhuhai