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ISSUE 25.
UPDATE 5 7 WOLGYE-RO 45GA-GI L , NOWO N- G U, S EO UL , 1 3 9 - 8 5 2 , KOREA ■ T. 0 2 .9 0 7 .2 7 4 7 ■ F. 0 2 .9 0 7 .2 7 4 2 ■ WWW. APIS .S EO U L.KR
IN THIS ISSUE:
■ Fall Carnival ■ Linden College Fair ■ Inside Out School Retreat
IN THIS ISSUE:
■ Parent Coffee Meeting ■ Elementary Chinese & Japanese ■ Notre Dame's Master Class ■ Faculty Retreat ■ Middle School Concert
OCTOBER 2014
E L E M E N TA R Y S C H O O L N E W S & E V E N T S
First Graders on Their First Field Trip
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n October 1, the first grade students had their first field trip of the year. First grade teacher Judy Park led the students to the Rolling Ball Museum and Museum of Inventions with the help of Jimin Jung’s mother and Joshua Oh’s mother. Usually students have to stay quiet in most of the museums but the museums that the first graders went to encouraged them to be more active. Through the diverse displays, students learned different ways the balls could move — in other words, they learned how gravity and force can affect the movement of an object. At the Museum of Inventions, the students had the chance to wear various costumes and wigs (Superman and Batman are always a favorite!) and they also had fun with all the objects that inventors made to make our lives easier. By experiencing and touching objects with their own hands, the students had a chance to better understand about diverse inventions and moving balls. Through their first field trip, the first graders had a great time enjoying and learning outside of the classroom.
Let's
Go!!
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Student’s Persuasive Letter Nets Results
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ast year, David Jeong liked to watch the older students play basketball on the APIS school courts. It looked like fun to the first-grader — the fancy shots, the jumping and running, the team camaraderie. But David, now in second grade, knew he couldn’t participate. The basketball nets were too tall for someone his age and height. That problem came to David’s mind when his firstgrade teacher, Judy Park, assigned the class a project last year. Mrs. Park asked her students to write a persuasive letter. David chose to write to APIS Director Dr. Euysung Kim and alert him to the basketball net inequity problem at APIS. He wanted to ask for shorter nets for the younger students. David said his class worked hard on their letters. “First we had to do a draft and then publish it,” he said. “In writing persuasive letters in first grade, I expose the students to examples of persuasive writing and help them generate ideas to write about,” Mrs. Park said. “I ask the students to think of an idea or opinion that they feel strongly about. Then to tell his/her opinion and tell why he/she feels this way. The students revise and edit their writing. We also visited Wolgye Post Office to send the letters to families near (Seoul) and far (Australia and America).”
OCTOBER 2014
E L E M E N TA R Y S C H O O L N E W S & E V E N T S
David Jeong (Grade 2) stands in front of one of the new nets at the APIS playground.
David wasn’t alone in appealing to Dr. Kim for something new at APIS in his letter. Other students asked for things like a petting zoo at the school and for a swimming pool. David’s idea, however, was the one that caught Dr. Kim’s eye. "He was so convincing,” Dr. Kim said. “He wrote about how they don't have appropriate-sized hoops and how they love sports and it would be great if they had little hoops in the back. I completely agreed." Dr. Kim wrote back to David and said there would be two, new, shorter basketball nets at the school’s playground when school started this year. And there were. As David stood near one of the new nets during recess one day in the beginning of October, he smiled and said he was happy about his letter’s impact and appreciated Dr. Kim’s positive response. David said he likes to play many different kinds of sports, not just basketball. “That’s where I got this muscle,” he said, flexing his right bicep.
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OCTOBER 2014
E L E M E N TA R Y S C H O O L N E W S & E V E N T S
Grade 3’s Field Trip to City Hall and the War Memorial by Jill Iwanuk, Grade 3 Teacher
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hird graders have been learning about the local governments of Boston and Seoul. They have also been learning about why communities sometimes have conflicts. Since we can't go to Boston, we visited some famous landmarks in Seoul to help social studies come alive! We started at Seoul City Hall. We visited the original City Hall and the new City Hall. We learned about the building and what initiatives Mayor Park Won Soon is working on during his mayoral term. Students also got to see the mayor’s old office and meeting room. It was so exciting! After that, we headed over to the Korean War Memorial. We saw how the Korean War went and, more importantly, we learned about why the war happened. In social studies, students learn that communities have conflicts because they either want the same thing or very different things. In the case of the Korean War, students learned that North and South Korea wanted different things: North Korea wanted to be communist but South Korea wanted to continue being democratic. Students not only saw what the war was like for the soldiers but also for the regular people. The students seemed to enjoy the 4D movies the most. It gave them a very real idea about what the war was like. Overall we had a great time. We are lucky to live so close to so many great landmarks!
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Grade 4’s “Principal” Project by Sarah Wood, Grade 4 Teacher
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ver the past month, the fourth grade at APIS has been working on a project “How can I compare the character in my book to Mr. Knox?”. The project included both a study of the school’s new principal, Bruce Knox, and an examination of character development in books the students have been reading. The students first had to figure out how characters change and grow in their books. Then they met with Mr. Knox for an interview that focused on how Mr. Knox has changed throughout his own life. The students wanted to discover what Mr. Knox's motivations, struggles, and accomplishments have been. For instance, through the students’ questions, Mr. Knox shared how he was a very shy student in elementary school and didn't like to talk in front of people at school. But, when his friend Brendan asked him to join a band later in life, he learned that he loved being on stage and entertaining people. So, the students learned that Mr. Knox had changed from being shy to being confident. After researching about their characters and Mr. Knox, the students analyzed their information and then synthesized it into an independent project based on their interests. Many students chose to create talk shows for their projects. They felt they could easily show how their character and Mr. Knox had both changed and could compare and contrast them smoothly in this format. Other students chose to create digital presentations using Google Slides, and some students chose to create visual art showing all the information through drawings.
OCTOBER 2014
E L E M E N TA R Y S C H O O L N E W S & E V E N T S
In becoming better readers and writers, one of the big challenges for students is being able to relate to characters in books. Through this project, students were able to identify how characters grow, understand how people grow through the example of Mr. Knox, and then realize how they themselves have grown since beginning school more than four years ago. They also have realized how people’s motivations influence their actions in life. In addition to all the connections the students made, it was great to see the students get to know their new principal and feel comfortable around him and see that he is a normal person, just like them.
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OCTOBER 2014
E L E M E N TA R Y S C H O O L N E W S & E V E N T S
Your Chance to Be
An Editor
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f you feel the tingle of excitement as you write down something on a white piece of paper or as you hear the rapid typing sounds on a keyboard, then you probably know the joy of writing. As a teacher who is an advocate for writing, grade 5 teacher Jeff Underhill decided to promote a project called “Independent Writing Project” (IWP) that lights up the writing sparks in both the 5th graders and volunteering editors. This is how Mr. Underhill’s IWP works: Voluntary editors sign up to be paired with 5th graders, and throughout the year, students draft three pieces of writing and the editors provide feedback. The students will choose a specific genre which they will work on for a whole year, and they will publish their works at the end of the year. This is a project that will make the student authors proud of themselves as they strive toward the completion of their own works (with some help from their editors of course). The students are the ones who usually ask for feedback; but the editors can also share their writings so that both the students and the editors can learn and have fun through writing. So far, the editors are comprised of high school students, APIS teachers (including former teachers), parents, and even the administrators! The first mission to editors given by Mr. Underhill was to write a paragraph about themselves without divulging information on the editor’s gender or name. The editors had to write fun introductions about themselves and their experience as a writer and ask at the end, “Will you choose me to be your editor?”. Based on this information, students will be choosing who they want to be paired with for the year-long project. Are you feeling a shiver of excitement right now? If you are, please contact Mr. Underhill and sign up to be an editor! Time is running out.
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Exciting New Student Clubs
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oining a student club is a good way to explore an area of interest, so it was not unusual that the Student Club Bazaar on October 6 attracted a lot of attention from high school students. This year, 34 clubs were represented in the CLC, and students spared their lunch time to seek around for clubs that matched their interests. While the long-surviving clubs such as THEIA Missions and PAIN attracted many high school students, there were also a lot of new clubs that received a lot of attention. These new clubs covered many areas such as sports, cooking, and even Korean culture! With a wide range of student clubs this year, high school students will continuously pursue their area of interests that are outside the school studies, but inside the school walls.
Student Clubs for the 2014-2015 School Year
THEIA Missions
Hawks Created Content
International Cultural Relations
Sustainable Youth News
Habitat for Humanity
ES SRC / MS SRC / HS SRC
The Book Deliveries
APIS Business Club
UNICEF
North Korean Human Rights
Compassion Korea
Cooking Club
A Better World
Music Ensemble
Hand in Hand (Wolgye Elementary)
Mock Trial Club
World Vision
Emergency Life Support
PAIN
Robotics
Korean Culture and Elderly Service
Tennis Club
Science and Math Club
Film Club
Korean Medical Club
Tangible Economics
Model United Nations Club
APIS Travel Club
Hope To Future
Asia Pacific Music Culture
OCTOBER 2014
SECONDARY SCHOOL NEWS & EVENTS
Asia Pacific Photo Club Leaders for Environmental Awareness and Protection
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OCTOBER 2014
SECONDARY SCHOOL NEWS & EVENTS
Interview: Sometimes Tough at the Top
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s this school year’s president of the high school Student Representative Council (SRC), Sarang Yang (Grade 12) is learning that it’s not always easy at the top. “With the title comes the blame,” Sarang said. “People start to expect a lot more from you, even things you can’t do … I don’t think I expected it to be this difficult … But I've been adjusting myself into this role now that I know what to expect, it's much easier now.” Sarang started at APIS in ninth grade and has been involved with SRC pretty much from the beginning. In 10th grade, she was the director of publicity for SRC. The next year she was the high school secretary for SRC, and for her final year at APIS, she is in the top job, president. The SRC has evolved in many positive ways during the last three years, Sarang said. “SRC has more of a character now. It is a more established organization in the school.” APIS students now see the council as the group that organizes some of the biggest events in the school, such as the annual carnival just held in October.
High School SRC President Sarang Yang
“I really enjoy making things come to life for the student body; when people tell me they really enjoyed the events, it definitely makes the whole process worthwhile and invigorates me,” Sarang said. “As SRC president, although there are a lot of responsibilities, you’re also allowed to make a lot of choices too, so it’s sometimes fun to be that decision-maker. For instance, I was allowed to pick out the different bouncies for the carnival.” Sarang’s goal for the rest of the year is for SRC to operate as expected, to put together large events and to avoid any big accidents. “Honestly, at this point, I just hope for a smooth year,” she said. Sarang was born in Canada and lived there until 2009, when her family moved to Seoul. Her parents had enrolled Sarang in two other international schools before finding APIS. Sarang said that experience with multiple schools made her appreciate APIS more. She can compare APIS with some other similar schools, and she says that students here have nothing to complain about. “They don’t realize how good APIS is,” she said. After graduation, Sarang says she hopes to attend college in the United States. She isn’t sure what she wants to major in yet, but she says “I’m a humanities person … a person who values history and literature.” This is the third and final story in a series about the three SRC presidents and their goals for the 2014-2015 school year at APIS.
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All’s Fair in the Hunt for the Right College
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he Linden College Fair offered APIS upperclassmen a chance to dream about their future prospects as they contemplate what their next move might be after graduation. The fair, held October 14 in the APIS gym, was also a chance for representatives from more than 30 colleges and universities from across the United States, including the University of Washington, New York Institute of Technology, and the University of Pittsburgh, to encourage those students to consider applying to their institution. “It was actually very interesting,” said Kevin Lee (Grade 12), who talked to several reps at tables at the morning event, even though he came to the fair with a favorite college already in mind, the University of Michigan. “I got to learn the benefits of other schools,” he said. Kevin, who said he expects to apply to approximately 10 colleges, said he is thinking that now one of those schools will be the University of Illinois at Chicago, because of his discussion with the rep from that school at the Linden fair. “They are pretty amazing,” said Hana Kim (Grade 12) of the schools represented at the fair, as she inquired about journalism and communications programs at several tables. While college reps encouraged students to take literature about their school and contact information, the students asked questions about how large the Korean population was in the student body, what the weather is like in that area of the country, what makes that university different from others, according to Samantha de Leon, the representative from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
OCTOBER 2014
SECONDARY SCHOOL NEWS & EVENTS
Lindsey Fogleman, the representative from the University of California, San Diego, said college fairs where numerous institutions are involved are particularly valuable to students who are coming from another country and may not be familiar with the options in the United States. “They get a broad range of universities, all in one setting [at a multi-college fair]. There are colleges from both coasts, the Midwest … it’s all encompassing,” Ms. Fogleman said. This was the first time the Linden College Fair had included APIS in one of its stops, according to Shana Russell, director of college counseling at APIS. She said the feedback from the participating colleges about their reception from the faculty and the students was very positive. “It’s my hope, since they had a such a great time, they will come every time they are in Seoul,” Mrs. Russell said. The fair “exceeded expectations.” W W W. A P I S . S E O U L . K R
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OCTOBER 2014
SECONDARY SCHOOL NEWS & EVENTS
Time to Focus on the Inside Issue
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he Inside Out School Retreat was designed to be full of challenges — physical, spiritual and light-hearted. The on-site secondary retreat, held October 15 to 17, started with chapel and a challenge to students to consume Oreos, a bottle of Coke, a container of gelatin, ice cream and a banana faster than representatives from the other secondary grades. (Eighth grade won in the middle school competition, and the freshmen class came out on top in the high school event.) Then there was the challenge for the middle school students to try to beat the faculty at soccer on the field (the faculty won against the girls and lost against the boys in a game where “the faculty was especially compassionate to let the students win,” said Scott Paulin, deputy head of academics at APIS and one of the faculty players). At the same time as the soccer games, the high school students participated in a pep rally and then cheered on the APIS teams in volleyball games against GSIS in the gym. Also on that first day of the retreat, a more serious challenge — a spiritual challenge — was issued at chapel when visiting speaker Pastor J.C. Park of Kindred Image spoke about Jonah and his misplaced perspective on doing God’s work. Pastor Park said we are missing something if we just worship God from the outside with our actions and don’t worship him from the inside with a real relationship. “There’s a huge difference [between] knowing of God and knowing God,” Pastor Park said. “I want to challenge you, if you have not been embraced by that kind of love … I want you to wake up … and respond to him, because he cares for you greatly.” The retreat continued the following day when secondary students boarded buses at the school first thing in the morning and spent the day taking on the physical challenge to trek trail heads on Dobong-san. The hikers enjoyed beautiful views and beautiful weather and camaraderie with their classmates as they explored the nearby peak. Students were rocked on the final day of the retreat, when the B4UB band (comprised of school staff, faculty and Principal Bruce Knox) performed three songs for an appreciative audience in the gym, ending with Queen’s “We Will Rock You.” Mr. Paulin then tied up the ideas presented during the three-day event with a brief talk, emphasizing the idea the verse printed on the retreat T-shirts, “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (I Samuel 16:7). The retreat ended with the Bring it on! easiest challenge of all; to participate in a chicken and pizza feast outside, in front of the school.
Matthew Durham, math/science teacher, heads off to hike at Dobong-san with a group of middle school students.
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Time to Focus on the Inside Issue
ts e
the retrea theme. t's
APIS hikers get ready to ascend the mountain.
ts a -shir T t a e Retr
er dv
Mandy Kern, math/science teacher, shows her moves at the student/faculty game.
Pastor J.C. Park challenges the students during chapel.
OCTOBER 2014
SECONDARY SCHOOL NEWS & EVENTS
How fast can you eat Oreos, a bottle of Coke, gelatn, ice cream and a banana?
A rockin' principal entertains at the closing talk.
High school students move to the music by the B4UB band.
W W W. A P I S . S E O U L . K R
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OCTOBER 2014
SECONDARY SCHOOL NEWS & EVENTS
University of Notre Dame Holds Master Class at APIS
Jenny Jeon (Grade 12) listens to University of Notre Dame's music professor Dr. Blacklow's instruction during the master class session at APIS.
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hree music professors from the University of Notre Dame visited APIS on October 14. As part of a three-city Asian tour, the professors performed for students, offered advice to select student performers and encouraged students to consider studying music at Notre Dame, which is located in Indiana in the United States. But the Notre Dame faculty members also spent some of their visit promoting the study of music in general. Peter Smith, music department chair in the Notre Dame College of Arts and Letters, noted that music proficiency in a student distinguishes college applicants from others, and it fosters a variety of skills (concentration, poise, self-discipline) that also apply to other careers. And most significantly, Dr. Smith said, it is valuable to keep the study of music part of life because “music is something you all love and you are all passionate about … In a sense, it makes life worth living.” Professors John Blacklow on piano and Tricia Park on violin performed together a work by Schumann and then a selection from “Porgy and Bess.” Then, two APIS students, Jenny Jeon (Grade 12) and John Kim (Grade 12) stepped forward as volunteers for a master class conducted by Dr. Blacklow and Ms. Park. Dr. Smith thanked Jenny and John for their participation. “It takes a lot of courage … to engage in this kind of interaction.” For the master class, Jenny performed Chopin’s Fantasie Impromptu on the piano while Dr. Blacklow listened intently from the audience. In his commentary afterward, he focused on fine-tuning the dynamics of the piece. “The piano is a very difficult instrument to make it sing,” he said. “It’s a hard thing to do, but I think you can do it a little better.” Jenny played again, incorporating the professors suggestions. “Very good! Much, much better,” he said.
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Notre Dame Holds Master Class at APIS John performed Bruch’s Concert No. 1 in G Minor, accompanied by APIS music teacher Melinda Baum. “Really lovely job,” said Ms. Park in her instruction. Her advice to John related to projecting to the audience. “It’s warm. It’s not aggressive, but it’s big,” Ms. Park said about a section. “You want to grab them by the ear with that big G.” After the class, John said he wished he’d had more time to prepare, but the experience was fun, and Ms. Park’s advice was helpful. The University of Notre Dame music faculty’s stop at APIS was part of the tour that included 10 high schools in three cities — Seoul, Shanghai and Beijing — and combined lectures and performances at Peking University and Beijing’s Capital Library. The stop at APIS also included a performance on violin by Notre Dame alumuna, Andrey Hayes, who met up with the tour as it coincided with her own trip to Seoul. “It’s exhausting,” Dr. Smith said of the tour. “But the hosts at the different schools have been wonderful. We’ve met some really talented kids.” “Having this opportunity to get a master class from the professor of University of Notre Dame was the best experience I had as a musician,” Jenny said after the event. The “presentation reminded me once again that I should keep pursuing my dream as a musician.” Sophie. Holbrook, chair of the APIS music department, said Notre Dame has already expressed interest in coming back to APIS next year. “I was incredibly proud of Jenny and John for being brave to not only perform in front of their peers and three professors they had never met, but to be willing to receive constructive feedback,” Mrs. Holbrook said. “It is never easy to receive comments about a performance, and doing it while in front of an audience is even more tough. Both students improved enormously in their short time with each professor. It's amazing to think how they would sound after several lessons. Congratulations to Jenny and John for giving an outstanding performance.”
Dr. Blacklow and Dr. Smith listen intently from the audience.
Jenny Jeon (Grade 12) plays Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu.
OCTOBER 2014
SECONDARY SCHOOL NEWS & EVENTS
John Kim (Grade 12) plays Bruch's Concert No. 1 in G Minor for the audience.
After John's performance, Professor Park describes the need to project to an audience. W W W. A P I S . S E O U L . K R
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OCTOBER 2014
SECONDARY SCHOOL NEWS & EVENTS
Middle School's First Concert of the Year
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s parents, teachers, and students began to gather at APIS auditorium on October 28, students confidently placed their hands on the instruments and cleared their throats, getting ready to captivate the audience. The music department of APIS and middle school students have been preparing for the annual middle school fall concert since the beginning of the new school year, and this was the day to show off their months of practices. The concert began with Principal Bruce Knox’s surprise performance of “Arirang” (Korean folk song) on his flute - which was a great way to grab the attention of the audience! During the concert, the band, orchestra, and general music sessions performed pieces that integrated what students had learned in other classes. For example, students performing “Drive” at the band session directed by Mrs. Holbrook were able to relate their skills to the Blues, a unit they have studied during General Music class with Mrs. Baum. Students playing “The Evil Eye and The Hideous Heart” with Ms. Johnson were relating the music to the story “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe, a short story which the students learned during 8th grade English class. As the concert drew to an end, the audience were also amazed as Mrs. Baum led the whole middle school students into a body percussion performance, in complete darkness, where the students created sounds of a coming storm without any instruments. With the lights out, everyone was able to focus on each of the sounds created by the students. As always, the concert ended in a huge success. A great big thank you to the music department teachers and all the middle school students for a great evening!
Mrs. B a
um
A shout-out thank you to all of the middle school students who have grown musically this quarter and are working strong as a team. They have shown a positive attitude toward trying things in music that they have never experienced. It gives me great joy hearing their encouraging words to one another that cross the grade boundaries.
Mrs. Ho l
br
Ms. Joh
on ns
14
oo k
Thank you to all the Middle School Band students who have really showed me how they are growing in to stronger musicians. I hear the students saying positive comments to each other daily and that inspires the entire band when everyone has a great attitude. When we hit a challenge in the music, the students are supportive as we work through it together. The musicians realize how much practice it takes to get the music performance ready. I sincerely love working with these students!
I want to thank my incredible colleagues and students. This fall was a transition for us, trying a new format. We persevered and worked together to find our best practice as teachers and as students. I’ve seen these students grow together just in the first quarter and am so excited for what they will achieve together the rest of the year.
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W hat Are We R eading?
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he door decorations have been up since the beginning of the school year. On the second floor of the school, the entryways into the grade 5 classrooms illustrate the importance placed on reading by the two grade 5 teachers — Jeff Underhill and Alicia Morgenroth. “Look at what Ms. Morgenroth is reading,” decorates one door, with a photocopy of the front of “The Giver” by Lois Lowery right at eye level. The book jacket for “Unearthly” by Cynthia Hand is posted on her second door. Mr. Underhill has advertised that he is reading “The Hundred Dresses” by Eleanor Estes and “The Fourteenth Goldfish” by Jennifer L. Holm, among other titles. The compelling door decorations gave the APIS Update staff the idea to offer others in the school a chance to share their own reading recommendations. The following faculty members responded to this opportunity with the following suggestions: I've always liked Ken Follett's "The Pillars of the Earth." The story is set in 12th-century England and tells the story of the lives entwined in the building of the greatest Gothic cathedral the world has ever known — and a struggle between good and evil that will turn church against state and brother against brother. Or, a good western, "The Cowboy and the Cossack" by Clair Huffaker. This is set in 1880 and tells the story of 15 American cowboys sailing into Vladivostock with a herd of 500 cattle for delivery to a famine-stricken town in Siberia. Assigned to accompany them is a band of Cossacks. Distrust between the two groups disrupts the cattle drive. But as they overcome hardships along the trail, a mutual respect develops between both groups. - Randall Kondruk, Math/Science Teacher
Here’s my recommendation: “The Forest Lover” by Susan Vreeland. I recommend this book to all lovers of art and adventure. It tells the story of acclaimed artist Emily Carr — an independent, adventurous individual during a time when women were hardly encouraged to be. A beautiful story from the streets of Paris to the wilds of British Columbia. - Megan Pendleton, Art Teacher
“The Hiding Place" by Corrie Ten Boom — It's the most inspirational book I've read! Corrie's faith throughout her entire experience in the German concentration camps is truly amazing. Her story shows how faith ultimately triumphs over evil.
OCTOBER 2014
SCHOOL-WIDE
- Alicia Morgenroth, G5 Teacher I'd say “Unbroken” by Laura Hildebrand. It's interesting, thrilling, suspenseful, inspiring, and lots more. Anyone I've ever recommended it to who read it also liked it a lot. It was on the bestseller list forever. - Karl Craton, Social Studies Teacher
Note: Due to the enthusiastic response for this story, additional book recommendations will be included in next month’s APIS Update. In addition, the fifth grade has volunteered to supply its own list of recommended books for a future APIS Update. W W W. A P I S . S E O U L . K R
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OCTOBER 2014
SCHOOL-WIDE
Parent Coffee Meeting on the Importance of Feedback
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n October 14, Principal Bruce Knox and Principal of Research and Studies Elaine Park greeted parents in the CLC for the first parent coffee meeting on the best practices of assessment. At the beginning, Mr. Knox and Ms. Park showed a juggling performance. Ms. Park was new to juggling so she couldn’t juggle well, but Mr. Knox just told her to try her best and graded her (she received a B-). Then he decided that this was not the way for her to improve. He taught her step by step and provided her with feedback, which eventually made Ms. Park juggle better! This performance was to show what APIS regarded as important in assessment: grading only reflects a small part of student learning while feedback is crucial for improvement. Feedback helps students to take the next step, and this is what helps students learn. Based on this theme, Mr. Knox and Ms. Park explained to parents about the importance of feedback and assessment in learning, an important topic that all the faculty had discussed during the teacher-in-service days. After the presentation, parents had a Q & A session with Mr. Knox and Ms. Park. Parents had questions on how their child will receive feedbacks, and how the teachers will apply the assessment practices in class. Mr. Knox and Ms. Park answered each question and explained that constructive feedback will be provided in various ways according to the type of the assignment. Mr. Knox ended the parent coffee meeting by emphasizing, “We (the teachers at APIS) want to keep learning the best practices for your child.”
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Principal’s Note: About Feedback
"F
eedback is the breakfast of champions� is a quote famously attributed to Kenneth Blanchard, an esteemed American author and management expert, and is one that I think about often. Princ
ipal's note
In my role as principal at APIS, my day is completely centered around feedback as I work to ensure teachers and students have everything they need to learn and teach as best as they can. I rely on feedback from everyone to know what is happening, how well it is happening and what needs to be done for it to happen better. I spend my days answering questions, visiting classrooms and having discussions in meetings, which are all essential forms of feedback. Without this feedback I cannot begin to know what needs to be done to continue making APIS the best school it can be. Just as I do in my day-to-day work, teachers and students rely on feedback to know what to do next and how to get better. Teachers work with their students every day to improve their abilities, to extend their learning, to become the best students they can be. The most important part of what a teacher does is to provide each student with feedback on what is going well, what is not going well, and ideas for how things can improve. If you really want to help your students grow, stop asking them about their grades. Instead, ask them about the feedback they receive in class. Ask them about what they are doing well. Ask them about the mistakes they are making. Ask them about what the teachers are suggesting is the next step. With the focus on the feedback, the learning will improve. When the learning improves, so do the grades. So if you want your student to be a champion, at breakfast tomorrow ask them about the feedback they are receiving from their teachers, rather than the grades they are getting!
OCTOBER 2014
SCHOOL-WIDE
? d K now i you
D
Starting from November 1, all students are required to wear the winter uniform which consists of the APIS jacket, shirt, tie/ribbon and pants/skirt. To add warmth, students may wear the APIS cardigan/sweater/hoodie as an option. However, students may not wear other sweaters, hoodies, jackets, sweatshirts, etc. over their uniforms. This includes during transit to school (bus or walking). For a more detailed description of the uniform requirements, please read page 10 of the Student Handbooks.
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OCTOBER 2014
SCHOOL-WIDE
nto Fun at the i l l a F
CARNIVAL S I P A
Zofia Kowal (Grade 1) has her face painted like a cat by Esther Kang (Grade 12).
M
oon bounce. Cotton candy. Face painting. Mini arcade. To our APIS students, these are some of the images that comes to mind when summer slowly drifts into autumn. With some of the best games from last year (the all-time favorite, moon bounce) and new activities this year, the third APIS fall carnival was held on October 9. The APIS soccer field was filled with students ready to have a blast, parents ready to make the day more enjoyable, and teachers ready to join in on the fun. Some students held onto the money they had safe in their pockets to exchange for carnival tickets, while others clutched onto the English books they brought in for donations which were also exchanged for the tickets. While the only rule this day is to have fun, the carnival at APIS means much more than fun: it is also about giving and caring. APIS holds carnivals each year for a good cause, and this year’s carnival was about donating books and fundraising for Books 4 Bethany, a mission school started by the Joy Missions in the Philippines. APIS has been working closely with Joy Missions for the past 4 years through the Global Citizens Program and student club, THEIA. This ongoing relationship continues on as students learn to give while having fun at the carnival. SRC students and advisors worked hard since the beginning of the new school year to make this year’s carnival a big success. After the carnival, the SRC students and advisors knew that their hard work was worth it especially when they counted the 1,157 books to send to Books 4 Bethany! Before the excitement of the fall carnival has even subsided, the expectations and ideas for the carnival next year has already started brewing.
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Fall into Fun at the APIS Carnival!
tn nd Jus ton, a rcade. in L w ini a ndre the m Lee, A tthew asketball in a M s of b ader 5th gr joy a game n e h u S
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ings out the best
in Sze Ki Park!
A bird's eye view of the fall carnival.
Also on the carnival day, students were recognized for their participation in the APIS Summer Reading Club during the elementary school chapel. Students received certificates and special reading club t-shirts.
Teddy Ru to win ssell teams u a game p of foos with Jeanne ball. tte Kim
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tries nice Oh rtener Ja e. a rg e d in K nc oon bou out the m
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Survival Korean Class: Where APIS Teachers Become Students
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mily Kim, chair of the Korean language department at APIS, stands in front of an unusual class late one Thursday afternoon at the school. “An-nyung-ha-se-yo,” she says with a smile. “Jeo-nun, Emily-ye-yo. E-ru-mi, mo-ye-yo? She looks in the direction of Randall Kondruk, an APIS math, science and woodshop teacher, who is sitting at one of the desks. “Uhhh … ,” Mr. Kondruk says, hastily scanning a paper in front of him for the correct response and then, after a tense moment or two, answers. “Jeonun, Randall-ye-yo?” “Ahh. Man-na-seo, ban-gap-ssum-ni da,” Ms. Kim says with a smile. Mr. Kondruk breathes a sigh of relief because he answered correctly, and the other half dozen or so faculty and faculty family members nearby are relieved also because their knowledge of Korean wasn’t tested that time. But the teachers all get their turn to be “tested” in Ms. Kim’s after-school Survival Korean class at some point as Ms. Kim labors to teach her them how to order at a restaurant, how to communicate with a taxi driver and just how to meet and greet people in Seoul. The once-a-week class is a chance for these older students, most of whom are American and Canadian APIS teachers during the regular school day, to learn the Hangeul letters and learn how to say a few common phrases. “After living in Korea for over a year, I feel that it is important for me to have basic conversation skills out of respect for the country I am living in,” said Melinda Baum, music teacher at APIS and one of the Survival Korean students. Ms. Baum says that even though she has been working on learning Korean, she only knows the very basic words. “The most difficult part of learning the language is the speed in which people speak and the nuances in the vowels,” Ms. Baum said. Ms. Kim understands the challenges her adult students are facing. Ms. Kim lived in Australia for a year fourteen years ago, and she remembers how challenging it was to live in a country where your language is not spoken. “I know how hard it is to adjust .. how you learn to get along with people, buy something, [learn what to do] when you lose your way,” Ms. Kim said.
ㄴ ㅎㄹ
When she joined APIS back in 2007, Ms. Kim saw the foreign teachers needed help communicating in everyday situations. “I really wanted to help them,” she said. Though she felt insecure about her own abilities to teach in English, another longtime APIS teacher, Tammi Wenzig, became a good friend and helped her. And every year since, Ms. Kim has, in turn, offered her time to help the teachers with basic Korean. “Even though this is a class that is meant to help teachers learn Korean, I think it is a great opportunity for me to learn as well. I really enjoy teaching them and I am grateful for their participation and eagerness to learn the Korean language,” she adds. With her quick smile and her careful instruction about communicating with proper respect, she is a popular teacher with her students. “Emily is extremely patient and kind,” Ms. Baum said. “It is such a privilege to have instruction from her.”
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THANK YOU !
APIS PARENTS Grade one was blessed to have two wonderful chaperones on our first field trip this year. I would like to thank Ms. So Yeon Kim (Jimin Jung's mom) and
Ms. Se Jung Lim (Joshua Oh's mom) for taking their time and effort to interact with our students and making sure every student was well taken care of. Although we have lots of working moms and dads this year, I am very touched to have wonderful parents who would take the time to support even in the midst of their busy schedule. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
- Judy Park, Grade 1 Teacher
I’d like to thank the following elementary parents who volunteered at the APIS Fall Carnival on October 9th. In particular, their assistance with running the snack table was extremely helpful. Overseeing the cotton candy and popcorn machines allowed the teachers to run additional booths and provided ample fun for all of our elementary students. Without your help, the event would not have run so smoothly! Thank you so much and your support is being greatly appreciated!” Thank you Ms. Se Jung Lim (Kinder Janice and G1 Joshua’s mom), Ms. Jamie Shin (Kinder Hannah and G3 Johan’s mom), Ms. Mi Jung Shin (G1 Juney’s mom), Ms. Tomoko Arata (G2 Yeonsue’s mom), Ms. Mira Kim (G1 Eliot and G5 Justin’s mom), Ms Kyoung Hee Lim (G2 William’s mom), Ms. Jae Sook Woo (G2 Justin’s mom), Ms.Jae Eun Yang (G2 Matthew’s mom), Ms. Hey Jung Eum (G2 Jason’s mom), and Ms. Sonomi Torii (G2 Louie’s mom).
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- Meg Pendleton, High School SRC Advisor-
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2014 Capital Campaign
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e would like to thank all the parents for their continued support in the 2014 Capital Campaign to furnish a woodshop and a new cooking/multipurpose lab. Here is an updated list of all the donors as of October.
Platinum Level Donations
Gold Level Donations
Silver Level Donations
Bronze Level Donations
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W W W. A P I S . S E O U L . K R EDITORIAL TEAM: ■ Euysung Kim Director ■ Nicole Suh Art & Design Editor ■ Josephine Shim Communications & PR Team Leader ■ Susan Craton Writing / Editing Staff ■ Soora Koh Communication Officer