ACG School Jakarta August 2023 Newsletter

Wolf Pack

Welcome back to school!

The campus is exciting as our students enter a brand-new academic year. From reuniting with old friends to making new ones, the first day back is a tapestry of laughter, curiosity, and endless possibilities. As they settle into their routines and classrooms, we’re here to support, inspire, and guide them every step of the way. Let’s make this academic year one for the books

The ACG School Jakarta Interactive Newsletter

Message from the Principal

Dear Parents, Caregivers and Students,

The Renaissance of ACG School Jakarta: New Facilities Usher in a New Era

As students of ACG School Jakarta step back onto campus this academic year, they are not just returning to the familiar hallways and classrooms. They are stepping into a rejuvenated space, a testament to the institution’s commitment to holistic education. The school has made significant advancements with the addition of a brand-new football field, a paddle court, and an inspiring school garden. Each of these facilities speaks of the school’s dedication to nurturing both the mind and body of its students.

Football Field: More Than Just a Playground

At the heart of this renovation is the sprawling football field, standing out as a green oasis in the bustling city of Jakarta. Football, being a beloved sport in Indonesia, has always been a significant part of the school’s sporting curriculum. With this new state-of-the-art field, students can now train in an environment that matches international standards. The new pitch promises not only to enhance physical training but also to instill values of teamwork, discipline, and perseverance.

Paddle Court: A Touch of Modernity

Adding a modern twist to the sports offerings is the newly constructed paddle court. Paddle tennis, with its fast-paced nature, is not just a game of strength but also of strategy. As one of the few institutions in Jakarta to offer this facility, ACG School is pioneering an inclusive sporting culture. Whether students are seasoned players or just starting out, the paddle court provides a space to foster agility, coordination, and quick thinking.

Myles D’Airelle

Message from the Principal

School Garden: An Oasis of Calm

Beyond the physical, the school recognizes the importance of emotional and mental well-being. The new school garden stands as a symbol of serenity and peace. In the midst of Jakarta’s urban hustle, this green enclave offers a space for students to connect with nature, meditate, or even engage in environmental studies. The diverse flora not only beautifies the campus but also serves as a living classroom, introducing students to botany and ecology.

School Library

The new library boasts a fresh, modern design that invigorates the learning environment. With its welcoming and vibrant atmosphere, it has quickly become a hub for both study and relaxation. The updated design incorporates comfortable seating, collaborative workspaces, and cutting-edge technology, creating an inspiring space where students can delve into the world of literature, research, and innovation. This relocation not only enhances the accessibility of our library but also underscores our commitment to fostering a dynamic and enriching educational experience for our students.

As ACG School Jakarta heralds this new chapter, the updated facilities reflect its vision of a holistic and well-rounded education. With spaces that cater to physical prowess, strategic acumen, and tranquil introspection, students are given every opportunity to excel, explore, and evolve. This renaissance is not just about new infrastructure; it’s about redefining the learning experience, making ACG School Jakarta a beacon of educational excellence in Indonesia.

Warm regards,

Myles D’Airelle Principal

Vice PrincipalMessage from the

Dear Parents, Caregivers and Students,

We started our ACG School Jakarta 2023-24 Academic Year with an Orientation Week for our new teachers, and continued with a week of collaborative planning for all teaching staff. We revisited our school mission, looked into what it means to be an ACG School and a part of Inspired group of schools and focused on our upcoming IB Evaluation and CIS Accreditation, and reviewed how we align IB PYP – Cambridge – IGCSE – IB DP in our school.

It was wonderful to meet with parents on our Community Welcome Day on 7 August, and to note how much our students have grown over the summer holiday. On the first day of the Academic Year, 8 August, new students received a warm welcome from their teachers and classmates, and new students in the Primary School enjoyed an assigned buddy’s guidance, support and friendship on the following days.

We are thankful to Kindergarten and Primary parents for making sure the children brought their Holiday Journals with them. The Show and Tell activity provided an opportunity for the students to share memories with classmates, and helped form bonds, especially for new students.

Our teachers ran some diagnostic assessments to identify Kindergarten and Primary School Students’ students’ current skills, with a view to differentiating their teaching and learning plans, and to track student progress in their subjects through the course of the school year.

We had some changes in how we use the school building, as well as how we communicate with Primary School parents. Our students have already adjusted to the physical changes around the campus, and we are grateful to their parents for their kind support as we transition to using ManageBac as our communication platform, in addition to reporting and portfolio sharing. This transition is enabling our teachers to focus on collecting specific evidence of your child’s learning progression in an online portfolio, which you can view anytime, rather than send photos of activities to you on a weekly basis. Our revised Kindergarten and Primary School newsletter format informs parents about our units of inquiry and subject specific skills that we focus on, and invites you to observe your child’s actions to see evidence of their new learnings and understandings. When you notice your child saying or doing things in a different way, as an outcome of their school studies, please share those with the Homeroom Teacher in an email.

Thank you for supporting our efforts to become an even better school than we are now.

Kind regards,

Selda Mansur Vice Principal & PYP Coordinator

Selda Mansur

Coordinator Message from IB Diploma

Dear Parents, Caregivers and Students,

We’ve had an extremely busy and positive start to the academic year. The highlight was definitely the DP Retreat to Bogor, where students participated in many essential IBDP working sessions, followed by some fun activities including Quiz Night, Drama Games and a tour of the Bogor Botanical Gardens (Kebun Raya).

I’m sure that you’ll all agree that the students are looking much more professional in their new Batik uniforms, which each year group chose themselves.

We’ve welcomed some new teachers into our DP team this year, Mr. Rizwan Ali, Mr. Christopher Wilson and Mr. Robertus Wibowo. Mr. Rizwan has made a positive start working with the Economics students and I’ve heard some good feedback from students. Mr. Christopher has been offering excellent counseling and university support to our IB students, so please encourage your child to make a time with him or contact me and I can assist with this. Mr. Robertus is our new librarian, and he has already started running sessions with the students on referencing and essays. I’m excited to welcome them into our team, and I’m positive that they will make an important contribution to the success of our program.

Year 12s- The Year 12s have had a positive start to their IB studies so far. Thankfully, we have had some new students join our Year 12 cohort, so a big welcome to Rania, Keila, Jasmine, Marina and Nika!

One of my big focus areas has been to help guide the students into their areas of strength for their subject selections. I have had many meetings with students and parents to assist in this process, guided by previous academic results and teacher input. This will really help the students moving forward. If any students wish to change any subjects or levels, please inform me as soon as possible, as changes may not be possible later in the semester.

Year 13s- The Year 13s are entering their final year of school, which is an extremely busy time. Most DP students are progressing well with their Extended Essays, which we aim to complete by the end of Term 1. Having this completed early will enable the students to focus on their Internal Assessments, which are mostly in Terms 2 and 3. The DP teachers will be monitoring the students closely and will be in contact with parents if there are any concerns regarding task submission or results and will offer support.

Thank you to everyone for their support and we’re looking forward to a great year!

Regards,

Kieran Pascoe IBDP Coordinator

Kieran Pascoe

A community of entrepreneurial and compassionate learners

ACG School Jakarta as a learning organization

Our teaching and administrative staff participated in countless meetings over the course of the 2022-23 academic year, to conduct a Self-study of our IB PYP and DP implementation. All document revisions, all new document preparation is the product of this sustained collaborative work. We are proud of our staff taking ownership of our approaches to teaching and learning, and working collaboratively to enhance our curricula. The four selfstudy teams (Purpose, Culture, Environment, Learning groups) completed their work with an analysis of the self-study questionnaire, which was completed by more than 100 members of the school community.

Many thanks to the many parents who responded to the IB Self-study survey. It shed light on parent perspectives on our PYP and DP implementation. The month of August saw our new teachers joining the team in reviewing and contributing their knowledge and experience to revising our curriculum documents and policies. In the last week of August, we completed collaboratively revising our School Policy documents, and will be publishing the new versions on our website, and submitting them to the IB by 15 September..

In addition to the IB Evaluation, our ongoing CIS accreditation work ensures that we look at what it means to be a good international school through two different standards frameworks. We will be organizing IB PYP and DP information and discussion activities for parents in the coming months. We hope you will join us. Then, we will re-send the survey in November, so that parents of new students can respond after they gain a deeper understanding of our IB programme implementation.

IBDP Retreat

What an incredible journey for our 40 outstanding students who embarked on an unforgettable IBDP Retreat to Bogor! From intensive workshops that expanded our minds to team-building activities that strengthened our bonds, this retreat has been a whirlwind of growth and inspiration.

The workshops were enlightening! From diving deep into the intricacies of the Diploma Program to decoding the mysteries of the Theory of Knowledge, we’ve been equipped with the tools to conquer the challenges that lie ahead. And let’s not forget about team building – we laughed, strategised, and conquered together! We’ve emerged as a stronger and more unified group, from Learner Profile posters to Quiz Night to Drama Games. Amidst the workshops and activities, the serene beauty of Kebun Raya provided the perfect backdrop for reflection and relaxation. Nature truly has a way of rejuvenating our spirits and sparking our creativity. A huge shoutout to our amazing staff, who made this retreat possible. Your dedication and guidance have been the driving force behind this unforgettable experience.

Independence Day Celebration

Our school buzzed with patriotic spirit and joy on Indonesia’s Independence Day celebration on Friday, 18 August. The day started with a proud flag-raising ceremony. From there, the celebration continued with a burst of traditional Indonesian games, weaving together the rich tapestry of Indonesian culture. As we laughed, played, and united in the spirit of togetherness, we were reminded of the strength in diversity that defines our beautiful host country.

World Scholar Cup Bangkok Round

ACG School Jakarta Students are qualified for the World Scholar’s Cup Tournament of Champions 2023 at Yale University, United States. After a challenging competition in the World Scholar’s Cup Global Round in Bangkok, all the senior students and one of the junior students are eligible to continue the Tournament of Champions. After qualifying from the WSC Jakarta round, ACG sent two teams and two individual participants to compete in the Scholar’s Bowl, Writing, Subject Challenge, and Debate at The WSC Bangkok, attended by 40 countries worldwide. The Bangkok Global Round opening occurred in Aksra Theatre, followed by a Scavenger Hunt in an amusement park. The students grouped with other teams to do the challenge all over the park. After the competition, the students had a wonderful time in an Elephant Sanctuary in Pattaya. They bathe, feed, and recycle the elephant’s manure into paper. On the next day, the scholars presented a scholar’s show to challenge themselves in performing various shows. Next, the students had a cultural fair held by countries in which the school participated. During this activity, the country’s booth presented its unique culture and brought many snacks and souvenirs to the scholars. The seniors visited the Butterfly Garden during the free day while the juniors went to Wat Arun temple. The closing ceremony was held in Siam PIC Ganesha. The Juniors got five gold medals and six silver medals. Year 8 Jeong Hyeop is qualified for the Tournament of Champions. While all the seniors also qualified for TOC, they also got seven gold and five silver medals.

After the Bangkok Global Round, the students will attend Yale University, United States, for the Tournament of Champions in October 2023.

After School Activities

After School Activities Season One has been in full swing since August 14th, and this year, we’ve expanded our offerings to provide an even more enriching experience for our students. We’re thrilled to introduce several exciting new activities, including padel, manga drawing, and learning to swim, which have garnered enthusiastic participation from our students. Witnessing their eagerness to explore new interests and talents has been inspiring. Moreover, we’re delighted to share that this year, we’ve seen a notable increase in the number of participants compared to previous years, a testament to the growing popularity of our after-school programs. Additionally, we’re pleased to announce that our after-school and sports calendars are now perfectly aligned, making it easier than ever for students and parents to plan their extracurricular activities. You can find the detailed calendar at the end of this newsletter, ensuring everyone can stay informed and make the most of this exciting season of learning and growth.

Boys Footballstarted the season agaisnt ACS. This game was a sluggish start as we were just getting the season started. The coaches realized conditioning was going to be the key following the game. The students did not have the starting goalie so had to make some adjustments. They did they best to make changes and work with each other but was not the way they wanted to start the season.

The next match the boys picked things up and went into this game ready for whatever was going to come. The team chose Angad as the MVP of the day but there were many students who had a great time during the second game. The boys worked together and made the best of the second half of the day.

Girls Volleyball started their season with a strong match. The beginning was a little sloppy and they lost the first set to ACS. They made the adjustment and got rid of the nervousness and came back with a strong second set. Valentina, Kyla and Pappin took advantage of their strength on the serves and their spikes. This helped the team pull out the first win of the 20232024 ACG Wolves Sports.

Coffee Morning with Principal

Last July we hosted families over coffee and gave them an exclusive tour of our campus, as well as information about the International Baccalaureate Programmes and Cambridge qualifications we offer It was a pleasure to showcase what makes ACG School Jakarta the perfect choice for children to receive a world-class holistic education. We will held our next Open House event on 18 November. Kindly contact Miss Mia if you or your child would like to participate.