Newsletter 12thDec2014

12th December 2014

Dear ISHCMC Community, I am very pleased to announce the promotion of Mr. Adrian Watts, to the role of Headmaster of ISHCMC, effective from next Academic Year. As you may recall, both Adrian and Simon worked together for many years leading NIST in Bangkok and were both recruited together, into ISHCMC to ensure we had a long term high quality succession plan in place for quality leadership.

Mr. Simon Leslie, Headmaster of ISHCMC, will be promoted to a broader role in the region with Cognita, where he will be able to use his many years of educational expertise to continue to oversee and ensure the quality of the educational offering at ISHCMC as well our other schools in Vietnam and Thailand.

Adrian has played a key role in improving pedagogy and restructuring the academic programs at ISHCMC as our Deputy Head & Director of Studies. Mr. Watts will continue to use his broad background and many years of experience with the International Baccalaureate program to lead ISHCMC as it further develops its vision and mission.

Mr. Simon Leslie

Mr. Adrian Watts

We will immediately begin an international search to recruit a new Deputy Head & Director of Studies who will work closely with Mr. Watts to ensure that ISHCMC is a safe and healthy learning environment that is compliant with international quality assurance and child safety standards.

When we initially brought in this new academic leadership team to ISHCMC for the 2013-2014 school year, we were optimistic that this investment in our most senior positions would help bring needed improvements to our school. We have not been disappointed. In fact, our expectations have been so far exceeded that we have seen a cultural change at the school. With their strong leadership and extensive experience, we have seen not only improvements in our students’ academic results but also to the overall learning environment at ISHCMC. It has been inspiring to watch this change and we are committed to continuing to invest in the leadership teams at our schools so that they may take their place as the best schools in Vietnam and in all of Southeast Asia. Toward that objective, we are very pleased to announce these changes to the ISHCMC community.

Please join me in congratulating both Mr. Leslie and Mr. Watts for their many successes at ISHCMC and for their continued leadership at our school.

Kind regards, Brian Rogove CEO, Asia Pacific

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JAzz cafe ISHCMC’s first “Jazz Cafe” was a roaring success with a sold-out crowd enjoying two great bands playing a wide variety of music.

Local legends “Bad Neighbours” started the night off with an exciting blend of reggae, funk and latin music. ISHCMC parent/surgeon/guitar virtuoso Claudio Duek led the band through an exciting set, which featured lots of great vocals from Lydia, bass, electric violin and sax solos by ISHCMC music teacher Scott Rogal.

Then the main act took the stage, ISHCMC’s premiere performing ensemble, the ISHCMC Jazz Band. A great set of music featured original tunes by students, the “Pink Panther”, blues, latin and rock. Vocalist Ann Porsild was featured on a beautiful rendition of “Colors of the Wind”, and the band ended with the powerhouse tune “Heatseeker”.

The packed house had a great time, and was already asking about the next concert - well done Jazz Band!!

Scott Rogal Secondary Music Teacher

PTO holiday TEA The PTO Holiday Tea took place today with the Voice of ISHCMC also performing. Thank you to the PTO for organizing and holding this wonderful event!

PTO Movie Afternoons Grade 4 and 5 watched Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Roderick Rules.

KG and Grade 1 watched Monsters Inc The homemade popcorn was a huge success!

Special visitor EE4b students welcomed a very special visitor to their class. Grandpa Joseph has come on a long journey all the way from New York. He read ‘Lost and Found’ to the little ones in EE4b.

Casey Bucheler KG Teacher

src painting For the SRC Action Day, the Primary Social Committee have been creating Christmas cards. These will be sold next week with all proceeds going to Loreto.

Catherine Brown Grade2 Teacher

Swim lesson registration Swim lesson registration is open. Please go to the Athletic Directors office between December 15th to December 18th, in order to register. From January 12th to January 15th, please register in the Aquatics Office. Remember, lessons begin Friday, January 16th. Make sure you sign up early.

Heather Julien Aquatic Director

Grade 5 and 6 Peer-Education Activity Grade 6 English B is currently studying the novel, ‘’The Happiness of Kati”. Sadly – and somewhat paradoxically given the book’s title – Kati’s mother suffers from a terminal illness: MND/ALS. In order to develop their research and IT literacy skills, students set about creating an information brochure about the disease for their peers. Having produced the brochures, the students visited a Grade 5 class to show them and pass on their knowledge. Some of the host students were surprisingly knowledgeable about the origins of the Ice Bucket Challenge but not all had understood how and why it had originated. By the end of the session, however, they were all able to score full marks on the fun pop quiz! All the students involved seemed to enjoy their peer-teaching and learning experience and acquired additional knowledge and skills in the process.

Marisa Piccioni Secondary Teacher