Tabeetha School, Jaffa

This year we entered the final year of a three-year School Improvement Plan (S.I.P.) Staff made decisions about what the most essential improvements were and we decided the big need was to revamp the curriculum, to focus on skills needed, to make it appropriate for the Middle East and to concentrate on improving teaching and learning across the whole school with primary and secondary education dovetailing together. I am pleased to report good progress has been made. Next session, all our teachers will work on a number of new initiatives as part of the S.I.P. Technology was always part of the first three-year plan and, having moved away from it last year, it has become part of this year’s plan again. The primary curriculum , because of its complexity needs some more time spent on developing skills. A small group will work on opening the Museum of Co-existence in school to bring pupils from other schools and tour groups in to see what we are doing will be finalised this year. A group will be looking at how to help struggling pupils develop core skills to aid their learning across every subject. I am very excited to see pupils have a much greater say within the school. It is important they are heard so Pupil Voice will be a group too. Our final group will be our Green Group which will see us think more about eliminating waste, stopping ocean pollution, growing our own food and recycling much more so, not only small bottles, but ink cartridges, spectacles and batteries as well as decreasing the huge amount of paper wastage in school. I cannot commend the staff of Tabeetha enough. They have worked really hard, shown grit determination to improve their methodology to ensure our pupils have the best teaching and learning experiences possible. I thank each one of them sincerely for all they bring to Tabeetha. I have loved working with them. Staff and pupils have actively pursued excellence throughout this session and shown their talents and work ethic at the Peace Games, Model International Criminal Court, Model United Nations, American Art Competition, the school plays, Christmas and Spring Concerts, Prague Music Festival, Assemblies and performances of the Nativity, Easter, Mothers’ Day, Hannukah, St Andrew’s Day as well as countless other events too numerous to mention. Thank you to every one of you for all you do. A final word of thanks to Maria Ivanova for the huge amount of work undertaken to put this yearbook, 2018/19, together.

Please keep looking at our school website (www.tabeethaschool. org) as well as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram where you will see the work being done in school as well as the fun times which makes for learning in context.

Pupils, staff and parents, I hope you have a really good summer holiday. Stay safe all of you. Don’t forget school reopens on 29th August for pupils, 28th for staff for session 2019/2020. For those of you leaving us, particularly our Grade 12 pupils and a number of ex-pats, enjoy whatever comes next. Give it your best shot, ask questions, be self-aware but confident in yourself too. Be kind to every human being and be thankful for all you have and remember your Tabeetha values which will hold you when times are tough. Be all you can be and never give up. You can do it! God bless you all,

Margaret MacDonald Principal

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