Dear Parents,

Hello! In this extraordinary year, we experienced a sudden pandemic and faced unprecedented distress. Each of our teachers and staff members bravely faced this challenge. Our kindergarten works hard to protect the health and safety of every employee and child.

Before the beginning of the new academic year, we worked hard to do all the preparations, and calmly accepted the inspections by the leaders of the municipal committee, district education bureau, town education committee, etc., and welcomed Hurston’s new school year this autumn. Now the children have returned to the school that they are familiar with, this places that is  full of life and love; we have finally heard the laughter and joy of the children on the playground again.

On the first day of school, the children of the new K1 class were crying and struggling to adapt to their new life style, at the same time, the teachers were extremely busy attempting to remain calm. Faced with the first challenge of childhood, the children bravely took a very important step in life, from their home to the kindergarten. The teachers used their love to build relationships with the children and reduce their anxiety and unease. In just a few weeks, the children quickly adapted to the collective life of the kindergarten. Every day, we can see the children reach out their arms to meet the smiling faces and jump into the arms of the teacher. We see the children happily in the playground, carefully listening to the instructions of the balance bike and golf coach. The cooperation of parents is integral here. Your trust has strengthened our confidence.

Children enter the kindergarten to get out of the family circle and learn how to play games, make friends, and take care of themselves in a new environment. In this process, the teacher role is not of a nanny, but a guide, leading the child to be more independent; in order to allow your child to grow, it’s crucial that you also let go.

Although 2020 is a rather unusual year, as the principal of Hurston, I am proud of the efforts of the teachers, and I am honored that Hurston Kindergarten has become a candidate school for the IBO organization during the beginning of this school year. We are adhering to the spirit and mission of the IB, and we want Hurston's children to have be international mindedness; have a Chinese heart, world vision, and global thinking. Let the children have expectations for the future, always be curious about everything, handle the future correctly, and learn how to face frustrations. This is what we can teach children. I hope our children have a unique thinking, and that they are not afraid of failure, dare to learn from them, learn to be human, and become the best version of themselves.

Education is not to give the correct answer or an absolute answer, but to teach our children to find the answer. There is no correct answer to many things, and there is no single answer to many things.

We want children to learn to appreciate, adapt and integrate to what’s different; to have a team spirit, and a spirit of cooperation, to know how to work along with others and how to face failures.

Today we have only one goal in cultivating children, to make them healthy, to make them happy, and to let them bring happiness to others. So today I want to thank the children for bringing us happiness and joy.

Beijing Hurston Kindergarten

Chinese principal

Mrs. Chen