Welcoming new students to school is essential, as it helps them feel comfortable, supported, and included from the start. Beginning at a new school can be overwhelming; many students may feel shy, anxious, or unfamiliar with their environment. By offering a warm greeting and thoughtful guidance, we can ease their transition, reduce stress, and help them quickly develop a sense of belonging within our school community.

As part of this activity, senior students personally welcomed the newcomers and handed them welcome packets. These packets included essential resources such as a school map, information about the SLO departments, and other helpful materials to support their transition. The map helped students navigate their new environment with confidence, while the details about SLO and other departments introduced them to the wide range of opportunities available beyond the classroom. Though simple, the welcome packet served as a meaningful guide to ease their first days and help them feel more at home within the school community.

To teach students the importance of giving a compliment and show them the positive effect it can have on others, the SLO Outreach Department created boards with compliments on them that grade 9-12 students distributed to teachers, staff and their peers. Grade 1-12 students were also given a compliment sheet to fill. They were tasked with finding teachers and staff members, complimenting them, and tracking the compliments they gave all day long.

It is just as nice to give a compliment as it is to receive it. It is a great way to make people smile. We really enjoyed participating in the SLO compliment day and we encourage people to continue complimenting others. Leoba Geagea & Anna Saber, Grade 6

 

As part of our Social- Emotional- Learning (SEL) activities, Grade 7 students guided Grade 4 in understanding self-awareness, the power of values, and the joy of being a bucket filler. Together, we build a community of kindness and positivity.

First, Grade 7 students helped Grade 4 students understand the meaning of self-awareness and how to become strong individuals.

Next, they identified the important values which were: honesty, respect, responsibility, kindness, and integrity.

Finally, Grade 4 students wrote three values on sticky notes and attached them on a big, white cardboard under the heading: “Be A Bucket Filler”. 

Explaining values required us to think about what is important. This led us to have greater self-awareness and a better understanding of our own motivations. - Grade 7 students

Holyoke Community Charter School celebrated World Kindness Day by organizing a "Random Acts of Kindness Bingo," a creative initiative designed to inspire compassion and generosity among students and staff. Spearheaded by the school’s Outreach Department, the event featured bingo cards with acts of kindness such as holding the door open for someone, writing a thank-you note to a teacher, sharing a compliment with a classmate, helping to clean up a shared space, and offering a smile to brighten someone's day. Participants were encouraged to complete as many acts as possible, fostering a culture of empathy and goodwill throughout the school. This interactive activity, thoughtfully planned by the Outreach Department, not only brought the community closer but also highlighted the importance of small, thoughtful gestures in making a big impact.

Students loved this exercise; they were able to learn how small acts of kindness can brighten someone's day. The students who received a random act of kindness shared that it made them feel special and happy. Teachers loved witnessing students showing kindness and compassion toward one another.

The SLO Leadership Team hosted the annual Job Fair AY2024-25, giving students the chance to explore job opportunities across nine SLO departments. Students learned about the roles and responsibilities in each area and selected one department to work with for the school year, where they would develop valuable skills and take on responsibilities.

This event fosters personal growth, teamwork, and leadership, allowing students to contribute meaningfully to the SLO community while gaining real-world experience in areas they are passionate about.

The SLO Job Fair was a great opportunity to explore different departments and find a role that matches my interests. I chose Activity department because it felt like the perfect fit for me —  Julia Dana Sabah, 03B

The Job Fair has been an amazing experience so far. I was excited to sign up and look forward to continuing to learn and contribute to the school community with SLO! — Hamza Sufyan Ahmed, 04D

 

To help new students feel comfortable and excited about joining their new school environment, the SLO played a crucial role in introducing them to their classmates, teachers, and school facilities in a friendly and supportive way. By making the newcomers feel welcome and included, we hope to create a positive first impression that sets the tone for their success and happiness at school.

During the Newcomers Welcoming event, the SLO Prefects greeted the new students with a warm welcome by giving them welcome cards. They also took the newcomers on a school tour, showing them around the school facilities to help them get familiar with their new environment. To make the day even more enjoyable, the prefects organized fun games and activities, creating a friendly and exciting atmosphere that helped the new students feel at ease and part of the school community.

The significance of male figures in the growth of boys cannot be overstated. Male role models play a vital role in shaping the identity, behavior, and development of boys in several ways. The Outreach Department organized the Dads and Sons’ BBQ, which provided a fantastic opportunity for dads, uncles, big brothers, grandpas, and sons to bond while enjoying fun activities such as Virtual Reality games and Laser Tag. With over 250 male guardians in attendance, the event was a huge success as sons got to have heart-to-heart conversations with the male figures in their lives. It was an unforgettable memory that will last forever!

I never knew how similar I was to my dad. The guided bonding session was my highlight as I got to hear my dad’s school experiences _Shaka Grade 10 Student

 

The Student Life Organization hosted a school-wide job fair to introduce the different departments to the student body and encourage them to sign up for the jobs that interest them.

Boards and pictures were put up, job descriptions printed, and sign-up sheets lined up on the desks as students went from department to department inquiring about the different ways they could get involved and make a difference.

To educate and raise awareness among students and teachers about Breast Cancer and the importance of early detection, support for those affected by breast cancer, and the significance of promoting regular check-ups for better health outcomes. the school recently held a Breast Cancer Awareness event organized by the Student Life Outreach Department.

They put up motivating posters around the school and encouraged everyone to wear pink. During the break, the SLO team spoke to us about the importance of awareness. We also had fun activities like pink fingerprinting and writing wishes on pink sticky notes. It was a day of unity and support for a crucial cause.

The Outreach Department promoted World Kindness Day to inspire all students and staff members to be kind to each other.

The Outreach Department created cards with kind tasks on them and distributed them to teachers, staff members, and students from grades 3 to 12. Every time someone completes the kind task, they write their name on the back of the card and pass it on to the next student who will do the same, and so on. At the end of the day, students returned the cards showing just how many students were able to complete the kind acts we requested of them.

Kind tasks included:

- Offer a student a helping hand

- Thank a teacher

- Make someone laugh

- Compliment Someone

- Go talk to someone you don’t know

The SLO World Kindness Day event was great because it was a fun and enjoyable activity and, most importantly, it made someone's day. Muhammad Akkary, Grade 4

 

To promote positive relationships essential for the well-being of our students and build a positive school community and culture, the  Outreach Sunshine prefects organized a "Pass on the Kindness" activity asking students to write kind messages and post them on a specially designe board. Students eagerly participated in the activity and demonstrated their friendliness by hanging notes on the board, writing amazing speeches, and selecting a favorite bookmark.

It was wonderful and enjoyable. Students

 

To inaugurate the academic year in a meaningful, motivational, and memorable way, the SLO planned the Sunrise Event for grade 12 students.

On the first day of school, seniors headed to the picturesque Hawari Shar very early in the morning to witness the sunrise, a metaphor for life, new beginnings, and symbolically, the start of a new and final academic year for the grade 12 students.

The two-hour event saw the seniors take a group picture exactly at sunrise, write their dreams on a big banner, pop balloons to find the hidden inspirational message within, and share a copious breakfast with the Director, Administrative Coordinator, grade 12 teachers, and SLC. Seniors were given the opportunity to write their future plans on a special paper that was collected only to be given back to them at the end of the school year during the Sunset Event. Upon return to the school, a delicious cake was cut and enjoyed by everyone.

This event fostered a sense of community and camaraderie among the students. They all look forward to the Sunset Event at the end of the academic year to share in their common success on their way to their future.

 

On March 1, 2023, King Salman issued a Royal Decree designating March 11, as The Flag Day.

To celebrate this momentous day for the first time, students were welcomed to school on March 11, with Saudi flags distributed by the prefects. In a special assembly, a student read a proclamation followed by the students singing the national anthem and waving their flags.

Student: It was amazing to see 100s of Saudi flags waving at the same time at JIA

To celebrate our students’ birthdays, the Outreach Department creates and writes cards that are distributed to the students on their birthdays.

The Outreach Department also recognizes teachers and staff on their special day and always leaves smiles and good feelings in their wake.

 

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To advertise the different SLO departments and recruit prefects, the Outreach department organized an SLO Job.

All the Deputy Heads and Senior Prefects within the department wore shirts that were the color of their department to advertise their department, make a statement, and bring color recognition to SLO.

The Fair was held over a span of two days, and many students signed up for different departments.

Yasmina Mazegi, Isabella Mazegi, Christopher Bassil - Grade 11

 

To celebrate students' special day, the Outreach prefects from grades 7 to 10 along with the Head Prefect, prepared a letter and a crown for each student  On their birthdays, they enter the class with bells and sing for them.

Salma Masoud- I want to make students feel happy and valued once they receive the crown and the attention.

 

Creating an atmosphere of positive vibes amongst the students and staff at the end of each week.

The Sunshine Team of the Student Life Organization’s Outreach Department makes every Friday morning special with its Friday Funday initiative.

The Friday Funday team prepares props and handouts to share with students and staff as they come into the school on Friday mornings.

True to their position in Student Life and with much enthusiasm, the Outreach Ambassador prefects greeted all the new students. They took them on a tour of the school while going over the history and memorable moments the school went through.

 

It was very informative and interesting to hear about the memories created in such a short period of time. (Student from the tour)

 

Students were very excited about a chance to get involved with Student Life but weren’t sure which department to join.

To that effect, the Deputy Head Prefects of every department set up a table with volunteers and job descriptions. They took on the task of explaining to every student who visited them what the department was all about and how the students could join and make a difference.

A job application was filled in for every student, and all of them were recruited to the different positions of Student life.

A great start for the SLO for this year. (as per AQC)

  

The idea that everyone has a doppelganger out there is not a foreign idea! In fact, some scientists believe that we have up to six look-alikes in the world. While this idea may or may not be factual, we all have things, interests, hobbies, etc. that make us similar in so many ways. These similarities form a groundwork for most of our friendships. On 29^th November 2022, the Outreach department and the entire SIS-Runda SLO had a twinning day to celebrate our similarities and friendships. The day saw students dress up in matching attires as would typically be twins, triplets, quadruplets, etc. and the day was full of wow moments that sparked up new friendships and a great sense of belonging for our student community. 

Dressing up as my friend was so much fun…some people mentioned that we looked like real twins!” Grace P. Grade 8 Student.

 

We are different yet so similar…and that is what friendship does” Nevin G. Grade 8 Student.

Diabetes awareness day is a day that is intended to inform countless people about the dangers and threats of diabetes.

For diabetes day, the Outreach department organized a presentation to educate students, parents, and teachers, on the symptoms, causes, and dangers of diabetes. Students were requested to wear blue shirts to show support for diabetic patients, and a list of healthy food was handed out to staff and students. Activities were held to help kids differentiate between healthy and unhealthy food.

This event succeeded in teaching my kids what diabetes is.

I was delighted when I saw that AIS al Wadi was hosting diabetes day to inform other children, as the mother of a child with diabetes.

This event is very essential, it taught my kids a bunch of new knowledge about such a serious topic.

The event encouraged my children to eat healthier! 

 

To pay tribute to our teachers and put a smile on their faces, every student wrote a letter to their teacher.

The letters were then put in jars and handed out to the teachers on Teachers' Day.

A very thoughtful gesture that made every teacher feel appreciated and valued. (teacher)

 

 

 

The Outreach Department organized a job fair featuring all the SLO Departments on November 15^th for grades 6 and above, and on November 16^th for Grades 4 + 5.

All school students attended and most of them joined the different SLO departments.

Tables and boards were set up outdoors under the umbrella of the school.

The atmosphere was filled with energy, joy, and excitement.

Teachers were happy to see their students’ hard work, and the Leadership Team students were so proud of themselves.

Smile day is a worldwide event that encourages smiles. Our school believes that smiles are highly contagious.

This year, AIS al Wadi joined the Smile day in the hopes of promoting a positive culture, and atmosphere at the school. The outreach department prefects combined creativity and imagination, passing smile cards to parents and students during the home time. Students, teachers and parents were thrilled and their smile lit up every room they went in.

 

On the day of the SLO job fair, students chose their desired department and signed up for them. With the help of the SLO prefects, tables were setup as booths and furnished with papers, job descriptions and pencils to make it easier for younger students to choose a department. Every department’s Deputy-Head Prefect was able to interest students in their department.  This had the added advantage of not only recruiting more prefects, but also boosting their social skills, and provided them with an excellent opportunity to make more friends.

Razan: Working in the Outreach department opened a lot of new doors for me!

Lana: I’m so glad I got to participate in SLO. I gained a lot of friends.

Sara: I finally got to feel what being a leader feels like. I really feel like I achieved a lot!

Tulay: SLO has helped me accomplish and achieve many things.

 

In the words of famous Businessman Philip Green, “It’s all about the quality of life and finding a happy balance between work and friends and family.”

The 7^th of May 2022 will be remembered as the day that brought together SABIS^® Runda Staff Members, Students, and parents for a moment of pure bliss as we got to engage in many fun activities that not only bonded us as a community but reminded all of us of the gift and blessing of family.

Students together with their parents and teachers were grouped into three teams: Red, Green, and Yellow, and took part in a variety of games that highlighted teamwork and promoted a more peaceful and cohesive world. The highlight of the day was when every student and dad celebrated the mothers by presenting them with a flower and appreciating them with heartfelt words.

“Family isn’t always blood. It’s the people in your life who want you in theirs; the ones who accept you for who you are. The ones that would do anything to see you smile and who love you no matter what.” _ Anonymous

 

 

The evidence of the possibility of a more peaceful world lies in our ability to celebrate our diversity. On the 26^th of March 2022, the green fields of SABIS^® Runda were adorned with the flags and smiles of over 32 countries as we celebrated all nationalities on the International Day of 2022. Students from all grades, together with their parents and friends congregated to showcase their countries through exquisite outfits, music, food, and dance. To crown the event, all countries had a procession bearing their flags and a parent-student dance-off!

“Our ability to reach unity in diversity will be the beauty and the test of our civilization.”
― Mahatma Gandhi

“I have never been around so many people of different descents…it feels like I have traveled the world in two hours” _Visiting Parent 

“I felt so good to interact again with my students in a relaxed setting after almost two years of confinement. It reminded me of how important in-person interaction is” _Teacher

Watch the video here 

For the first day of "orientation week", we lovingly prepared a drawing board with 38 ovals of different shades for the new students. Every new student drew his or her own face and they were all put together on the drawing board.The Deputy-head or senior prefects of each department explained their mission and their work. Past activities of each department were shared with the new students, who showed strong interest in joining the SLO.

Several ice-breaking activities were held starting with the self-introduction session followed by a name-hobby solitaire. It was fun and helped the new students to get to know each other very fast.

Various training sessions were also organized, such as how to use SDP efficiently, how to set up an email account, how to write and reply to an email properly. The trainings were held by outreach prefects. 

To show the staff our appreciation for all their hard work and dedication, students and parents were provided with a Microsoft Form to fill in and write positive and inspirational messages to the teachers and other staff at the school they have worked with.

All the Forms were collected, compiled, formated to each teacher individually and E-mailed to them from the SLO.

A sample letter can be seen by clicking on the link below.

Sample Teacher Thank You Letter

The Buzz which was created from this event was amazing.

Very thoughtful and high appreciated. Send my regards to everyone involved in the organization of this. It's not often that teachers receive this level or appreciation.Honestly one of the best ideas to come out of the SLO since I started here.

A lovely email to receive.

Thank you so much.  This was really lovely and unexpected!

 

Thank you very much for sending me this lovely letter . These nice words and appreciation made my day and bring a smile to my face

Thank you I am very happy to see this beautiful card which makes me proud of my students and proud of myself Your wonderful efforts are appreciated

Adopting the Hybrid Learning Model at the school with 2 distinct groups attending classes on different days, the Outreach prefects found the perfect way to bond both groups together by having 1 group surprising the other.

Groups 1 Sunshine Prefects surprised group 2 students with banners, motivational quotes, personalized cards, and treats to wish them luck before the final exams and keep their spirits high and morale even higher.

 “I think this activity was a great success and spreading positivity around the school. It certainly made me feel better!                                                                                                                                                                              Jude Abou Allam   Gr.9 E    

 

In order to show our appreciation for all the hard-work and effort that our teachers put in day in and day out, and on the occasion of the International Teachers’ Day, the SLO Outreach Department asked students to write down one word to describe their teachers. All the words were printed on colored paper and inserted inside a personalized cup for each teacher, along with a special “Thank You” bookmark designed by the prefects.

Furthermore, the remote-learning students who could not make it to campus on that day, filmed a heart-warming “Thank You” video message for the teachers.

Between receiving their customized cup filled with wonderful messages and watching a heart-felt thank you video, our teachers teared up and felt loved, respected and celebrated.

To show appreciation for all the hard work and effort that teachers put into every online lesson. the SLO Outreach Department prepared customized Thank You cards and offered them to all the teachers on campus, along with a sweet treat