Health & Fitness Week

Dear Parents and Students,

This week we have been reflecting on health and fitness. Taking care of your body is one of the keys to good wellbeing and a long life. Daily exercise, even for 10-15 minutes can lead to peace of mind and a sense of achievement.

Physical Education and Global Health Goals

At The Island School all students have physical education as part of their weekly curriculum. We encourage students to move, stretch and have fun doing these lessons, whilst developing their understanding and appreciation of a variety of sports and exercises. In our wellbeing programme we teach children to take care of their mental health and wellbeing. Looking after our bodies and minds is a vital part of a child’s education as they grow up so that they may develop healthy habits as adults to avoid illness and addictions. The United Nations Third Sustainable Development Goal involves ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all ages; we are very committed to this aim for our students and team members.

Sports Activities and Overcoming Challenges

This week outside PE has been a challenge with all the rain but our dedicated and innovative sports department have come up with imaginative ways to overcome this and get students moving. We have had indoor activities, table tennis and fitness sessions. In better weather students have the opportunity to learn and practise a variety of sports. During our Extra curricular activities students also can join school teams such as in football and basketball and enjoy more alternative sports such as extreme frisbee. Last term we enjoyed sports days or competitions in all age groups across the houses. Later this term we will have our sports days in primary.

Health and Fitness in the Curriculum

We held a Health & Fitness Assembly on Thursday when we focussed on fun house fitness activities, including yoga! In CP, as part of their Personal & Professional Skills course, students have been exploring how healthy sleep patterns and a balanced diet improve critical thinking and problem solving abilities which are critical skills in the workplace.

Safety and Technology: Parent Workshop

We also want to keep children healthy and safe online and this week on Wednesday we held a parent workshop to help parents cope with navigating the dangers our children and teenagers face online on a daily basis. I hope this was helpful to those who attended.

Educational Visits and Learning Beyond the Classroom

This week our Grade 5 PYP students visited the Cyprus parliament as they were learning about democracy in their unit of inquiry. This helped them understand how government works. Our pre-primary 3 children enjoyed a visit to the pottery to develop their creativity further.

Nurturing Healthy Habits and Responsible Choices

As part of the inquiry, Grade 3 students have been exploring how a balanced and healthy lifestyle empowers us to make informed decisions. Through discussions, reflections, and learning engagements, students were inquiring into the question: How do we make decisions about our health? This learning connects to the concept of Responsibility, as students consider how their daily choices—such as nutrition, physical activity, rest, and emotional well-being—impact their overall health.

Let me take this opportunity to once again appeal to parents to provide healthy snacks for students. Sometimes we see children bringing sugary snacks and sweets on a daily basis which does not help their behaviour or ability to concentrate. Fruits and vegetables are a much better option and help to maintain energy throughout the day without creating spikes of energy which quickly fall away as we see with processed foods and snacks with too much sugar. Water should also be provided for students and they should all have their own water bottle to stay well hydrated through the day. Classrooms have water dispensers which are regularly cleaned and maintained. Water is preferable to juices which also contain high levels of sugar. I encourage you to read the healthy eating advice sheet sent out by our school nurse Miss Fiorendina!

Wishing you a healthy and active weekend

Best Regards
Deborah Economou
Head of School