HFS Newsletter – T1W6 | Hyundai Foreign School

Happy Chuseok!

We wish our HFS families a joyful and peaceful Chuseok. This special time reminds us to pause, give thanks and celebrate the people who bring meaning to our lives. At HFS, we are grateful for the strong sense of community that connects our students, staff and families, much like Chuseok itself, which celebrates gratitude, family and togetherness.

May your days be filled with warmth, good food and happy moments shared with loved ones.

Happy Chuseok from HFS 🌕🍂

Name Change Survey

As many of you will already be aware, as part of our ongoing development, HFS is exploring the possibility of changing our name to Ulsan Hyundai International School. This change would reflect more clearly the international education we provide, our diverse community, and our strong ties to both Ulsan and HD Hyundai. We would greatly value your thoughts on this proposal.

Please take a few minutes to read the explanation contained below and complete our short parent survey.

We surveyed parents in February 2024, and we are now running a second survey to ensure that every parent’s opinion is represented, including new families.

We hope to hear from every parent, so we will be sending gentle reminders and giving friendly follow-up calls from next week.

Name Change Survey

School Consultative Group Meeting

Thank you to the parents and staff who attended our School Consultative Group meeting on Wednesday, 1st October. As always, the school is very grateful to Mr Donnison, who acts as a parent representative and shared valuable opinions and feedback from a parent’s perspective. We are keen to hear from any parent who wishes to join this group, and Mr Donnison is happy to hear from parents who would like to suggest agenda items for our next meeting.

The group discussed a range of important topics for the school community:

Policy Reviews – All school policies and handbooks are being updated and are now available on the school website as live documents. Parents will always have access to the most up-to-date versions.
School Name Change – A parent survey on the proposed new name, Ulsan Hyundai International School, will run from 3rd to 17th October. Reminders will be sent to encourage all families to share their views.
CIS Accreditation – HFS will begin its new CIS accreditation cycle with a preliminary engagement visit in May 2026, followed by a second visit in 2027. Parents will have opportunities to meet the CIS visitor.
Facilities Update – Construction of a separate entrance to meet legal requirements will be completed by December 2025. Student drop-off arrangements will remain the same.
School Bus – New buses will begin service soon, possibly by the end of Term 1. From the academic year 2026/27, the school plans to introduce a modest bus fee (much lower than nearby international schools) to cover improvements such as a dedicated bus monitor, freeing teaching assistants to focus on classroom support. Further details will follow.
Assessment – The school is considering moving from Cambridge Insight and Checkpoint tests to MAP testing, which offers more useful feedback for teachers and parents. Parent opinions will be gathered in October before a final decision in November.

The next meeting of the School Consultative Group will take place on Wednesday 28th January 2026.

Invitation to the WeHOPE Culture Festa

HFS has been invited to take part in the upcoming WeHOPE Culture Festa, an international community event celebrating diversity and cultural exchange in Ulsan. The festival will take place at Taehwa Riverside on Saturday 8 November and will feature cultural performances, activity booths and an international flea market.

WeHOPE has warmly invited our school community to participate through performances, cultural displays or family-run booths. This is a wonderful opportunity to share the international spirit of HFS and connect with the wider Ulsan community.

If you are interested in being involved, please contact the school.

Bus Reminder

Please help us keep the school bus safe and efficient for everyone by following these rules:

Any changes to pick-up or drop-off must be arranged through the Admin Office.
Changes to a student’s daily schedule should be communicated to the Admin Office by 1:00 pm.
If you are collecting a student from school, please come to the main entrance and collect them in person.

Mr Green out of School

Mr Green will be away from school on Friday 3rd October (Week 6) and Friday 10th October (Week 7). He will be travelling to Yoyogi International School in Japan to lead a CIS Accreditation Team Visit.

Please note that all costs for CIS Team Visits are met by the host school. This means that when HFS staff take part in visits to other schools, there is no cost to HFS. These opportunities give our staff valuable professional development and help us strengthen our school through shared best practice.

Eco-Warriors Club Cancelled in Week 7

Please note that there will be no Eco-Warriors after-school activity in Week 7. This is because Mr Green is away from school this week. Sorry for any inconvenience.

PTA Halloween

The PTA are busy preparing an exciting Halloween celebration for our students on Friday 24 October.

To support the event, the PTA kindly asks for a participation fee of 15,000 KRW per student, to be submitted to the Admin Office by Friday 17 October. This contribution will help cover the cost of external support and resources, allowing the small team of volunteers to create a safe, fun and memorable experience for all.

You can contact the PTA via their KakaoTalk group, which anyone is free to join.