Dear Southbank Kensington Parents,

We hope you had a relaxing summer and we’d like to welcome you to the Southbank (Kensington) International School Parent Teacher Association.

Our PTA plays a significant part in your Southbank International School experience. Among others, we run social and cultural events for the families, support the classroom teachers through our parent representatives, support new families in their transition to London, raise educational issues with the school board, hold talks for the parents and provide a communication link between parents and the school.

Through the PTA and through participating in its events, you will find that you form life-long friendships and a vital support network that many say last even after they have left the school for home or for a new expat assignment.

We hope you will join us by volunteering or participating in one of our many activities, on committees or as a class representative. Please know that every one of you is already a member of the Southbank PTA, and we welcome your participation. Please don’t worry if you are new or your English language skills are limited – we encourage everyone’s participation.

The PTA holds meetings on-campus five or six times a school year which are usually held on Friday mornings from 9 am until about 11 am, though this may vary, depending on the availability of our guest speakers. We encourage you to attend regularly as you will gain information about upcoming events and hear reports from our principal, Mark Case.

We have enclosed our committee and class representative lists for this school year. Each class usually requires at least two parent representatives (except for EC classes which require three people) and it is a good way to get to know other parents and the class teacher. Committees have no limit on numbers, so do call us if you want to know more about any committee or if you would like to put your name down.

The success of the PTA relies on parent participation and you can volunteer by emailing the PTA co-Presidents Lynn King, Jasmine Chan and Diana Casadevall. Please see the accompanying PTA Board list for our contact information.

In the meanwhile, please mark your calendars for the following PTA events in September:

16 September, Friday PTA General Meeting and New Parents’ Welcome Coffee, 9am, Hall
18 September, Sunday Welcome Back Picnic, 1pm, Kensington Gardens

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact a member of the PTA Board.

We look forward to seeing you in September and look forward to a fun school year ahead.

Best wishes,
Southbank Kensington PTA Board

PTA Committees
The PTA Committee list has been updated for the 2011-2012 school year.
Please use this link to download the file.

London Guide for Southbank-Kensington Families
Every year, we publish a guide to local stores and events for families new to Southbank and to London. Use this link to download a pdf of the booklet.

The PTA Committee list has been updated for the 2011-2012 school year.
Please use this link to download the file.

WELCOME, AND WELCOME BACK!
A warm welcome to all of our new families this year, and welcome back to everyone else. We hope you are settling in and looking forward to the new school year. Following is some information to help get you back into the swing of things.

Important Dates
Mark your calendar for the following events. Check the school calendar online (use the link in the right-hand column) for future events and the school's weekly newsletter.

Friday, 10 Sept - First PTA Meeting and Transitions Committee Welcome, 0900, School Hall

Wednesday, 15 Sept - Back to School Night, 1800-2000

Sunday, 19 Sept - Southbank Kensington Family Picnic, 1300 - ?, Kensington Gardens

Tuesday, 21 Sept - Parent Workshop: Introduction to the PYP, 0900-1030, Library

Transitions Information for New Families

Plan to attend the first PTA meeting (listed above). There will be a lot of information about the school as well as the community that you now call 'home.'

To help you get settled, the Transitions Committee has prepared the

London Resources Guide, which you can download here.

The booklet was made with parent recommendations, so we hope you find it useful. It is a pdf and has active links if you use it online. It also will be updated periodically, so if you have suggestions, they are welcome. Please contact KensingtonPTA@googlemail.com.

Web Site Changes
The Southbank intranet is in the process of being updated, so this site will soon be changing. Check here often for updates and school information. In the meantime, the school's weekly newsletter is full of information; the bulletin boards around school are updated; and your Class Representatives will forward information and reminders from the school as well as plan class events for parents as well as children.

Mark your calendar for the following events. Check the school calendar online (use the link in the right-hand column) for future events and the school's weekly newsletter.
• Friday, 10 Sept - First PTA Meeting and Transitions Committee Welcome, 0900, School Hall
• Wednesday, 15 Sept - Back to School Night, 1800-2000
• Sunday, 19 Sept - Southbank Kensington Family Picnic, 1300 - ?, Kensington Gardens
• Tuesday, 21 Sept - Parent Workshop: Introduction to the PYP, 0900-1030, Library

HAPPY TRAILS TO YOU, UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN
The end of the school year is always bittersweet. Parents are just as excited as their children for the end of homework and the beginning of long, lazy summer days. But it is a time when we must part from our beloved friends and school staff. Some of you we will see next September on the steps of Southbank. For those moving on, we hope to see you elsewhere in London or the world. We just say “until we meet again” because to say “good-bye” seems too finite. In this age of iPhones and Skype, we hope we do stay in touch.

Thank you for an amazing year!