24h January 2014
newsletter Chúc Mừng Năm Mới Dear ISHCMC community With one vacation period not long past, we already have the TET celebrations looming and another vacation. This will be my first experience of the TET holiday period in Vietnam and I am intrigued to know if it will make any difference at all to the sea of motor bikes that are on the roads during normal times! At the beginning of this semester we had 43 new students (32 new families) arrive from a broad selection of countries across the world. These include children from Australia, Cambodia, Canada, Columbia, Denmark, France, Korea, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Taiwan, the United States of America and Vietnam. A hearty welcome to all new families who have joined our school. It was a pleasure to meet some of you at the ‘Blu’ restaurant at Riverside on Thursday 16th January. Please come and join in with the many activities and events which are held at our school, many of which are organized by our PTO.
Simon Leslie Headmaster
The next ISHCMC PTO event will be the International Festival which will be held in the afternoon of Saturday March 8th. This week tickets went on sale for ‘The Great Gatsby Event’. This event will bring all of our school community together as we celebrate our 20th Anniversary. Tickets have been subsidized by the school and one can eat and drink all they wish for the price of just 1 Million VND. So please purchase your tickets from reception in the Admissions Building and mark your calendar: Saturday March 1st. The theme is ‘1920’s’. So one can choose to dress to reflect that period of time or, just come as you wish. I hope that you all have a happy and safe TET holiday. With kind regards. Simon
Dear Parents, Time has flown since the winter break and our TET holiday is upon us already. I’d like to wish you all a safe and relaxing TET vacation and in advance a Happy New Year in Vietnam. We have almost completed recruitment and are very happy with those teachers that we have employed for next year. The reputation of ISHCMC and Vietnam remain attractive pull factors for experienced teachers. I was sent this article this week that I’d like to share with you. Before you read it I’d like you to think back to your school days and try to remember the teachers that you thought were good or your favourites. Then try to remember what made them your favourite. Once you have done that short exercise it is time to follow the link and read the article to see if you agree with the teacher author. http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/lori-gard/students_b_4422603.html
Adrian Watts
Director of Academic Studies Deputy Headmaster
Finally, I’d like to give you a quick reminder about the communication channels that the school has set in place for dealing with your questions and queries when they arise. If your question: • relates to a particular class/ subject or homeroom then you should approach the teacher concerned • is more general question about a subject area in secondary you should approach the subject leader for learning • is about curriculum the person to see is Sam Sherratt for PYP or Martin Grist for MYP or Tanya Nazim for Diploma • is about a social or personal issue relating to your daughter or son then you should contact Ms Helen Harrison in Primary or Mr Brian Cheshire for Secondary • is related to careers or universities then you should contact Ms Casey Nolan • is more general and relates to a section of the school then you should be communicating with Kurtis Peterson for Primary or Michael Roberts for Secondary And last, but not least, if your question is more strategic about the school, overall curriculum, its vision, staffing or facilities etc then you can ask Mr Simon Leslie the Headmaster or me. You can communicate by either email or making an appointment. In my experience I have always found that simple quick questions are best answered by email whilst for more serious or detailed ones a face to face conversation is the best way to talk because it allows for a clearer understanding and the answering of additional questions that may arise in the conversation. You also have the opportunity to ask more general question at the regular sectional parent coffee mornings that are scheduled in the calendar Have a wonderful TET vacation, Yours Adrian
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The Great Gatsby Event Saturday, 6:30PM 1st march, 2014 Intercontinental Asiana Hotel
Please Join Us As We Celebrate Our 20th Anniversary! one Million VND per person Tickets on sale from 17th january, 2014 At School reception between 8AM - 4PM Dress Theme: The Roaring 20’s
PTO NEWCOMERS 2013-2014 Sitting beside the Saigon river, munching freshly baked croissants with steaming hot coffee was a perfect place to meet new friends. The PTO hosted the second and the last Newcomers Morning Tea for the 2013-2014 school year at the Blu Riverside restaurant on 16th January. Simon Leslie’s welcomed our new ISHCMC parent to the school community and PTO members provided warm hugs that certainly had a welcoming feeling. Adrian Watts and Michael Roberts had answered to all queries and doubts. Finding one’s own Country Rep. made the Newcomers’ confident as they left with a positive stride and a promise to be a part of the PTO. The role of the Newcomers Rep. became a rewarding job for me as it gave me the opportunity to make new friends and realised that culture and language could differ radically but in the end we all have one thing in common…we are PARENTS. Arranging the Newcomers Morning Tea, the Happy Hour and the City Bus Tour, though time consuming, are a fun way to gather the new families under the umbrella of ISHCMC. Whenever I met new parents I could literally feel their apprehension and anxiety of the new place and people and then it was my job to ease away their tension. In that process I learnt a simple way to bridge the gap…being what I am… a MOM….. Anjana Gomes ISHCMC PTO Newcomers Rep
If you are interested in joining the PTO committee next year, please contact Molly Spangler, PTO President via email mollyspangler@mac.com
DP Visual Art - Grade 11
Grade 11 has been helping grade-5 and their Unit of Inquiry. The grade-5s are studying “How We Express Ourselves.” Thursday morning Elijah McKeogh spoke to the whole of grade 5 about his winning film “The Mystery of the Man in the Light Box”. He explained how he was inspired to create the film. Grades 5s have had access to the grade 11 sketchbooks. On Friday afternoon they visited the grade 11 classroom while they were working. The grade-5s were able to ask the grade-11s how they get inspired and how they proceed to create art that reflects their inspiration. It was an amazing experience.
Performing Arts lower Primary Music The grade one students created a musical trail and chose any instrument to play. One student was chosen to be the drummer who hit their drum as they walked the trail. When the drummer passed a student who was sitting on the outside of the trail would play their instrument and then enter the trail and follow behind the drummer until the whole class was walking the musical trail.
In Grade 1 students create their own rhythms and share them with their friends. Playing the rhythms on different instruments allows the student to experience producing different sounds by using different playing techniques. The students discover that some instruments produce sound by hitting, scraping or shaking.
In grade two students play musical games to consolidate what they have learnt. A game called “Off Stage, On Stage� is about stage etiquette. Learning to stand still when performing on stage for the Celebration of Music was related to everyday events in life like meeting a King or Queen or being in the Army or even seeing a snake.
In EE 4 the students learn not only how to play percussion instruments but where to rest them at the end of a song. This is called Musical Aliens, where the students freeze and place their claves on top of their head. Using the medium of stories through picture books the students this semester, have explored instruments and inquired into the sounds they produce. The book by Michael Rosen called We’re going On A Bear Hunt invites students to choose instruments to imitate the sound of grass swishing and a snow storm howling.
In Kindergarten the students when preparing for their concert worked as a group to create the shape of a n Artic Tern. Working as a team they created not only the shape but moved in a way that resembled a bird. Using their vocal chords they experimented with appropriate sounds. Alicia McKeogh
Upper Primary Music
Coming for music lessons is a multi-sensory experience. Young musicians are asked to broaden their understanding of basic rhythms, exotic sounds, and history of music. At the beginning of the year, this is a chance for the students to dust off their previous instrumental experience from the summer or last year by reviewing basic rhythms on percussion instruments while also singing in the round. Students work in small ensembles and in large group to activate communication, language, and aural skills. Students are also asked to create and improvise on basic melodies and rhythmic patterns, taking ownership in their music making! As the second term got started, the students were in high gear to prepare for the Celebration of Music which was themed around the 1950’s this year. Reflecting on the times during discussion in class and capturing the spirit of an apocalyptic era filled with fast cars, poodle skirts and atomic songs that live on in musical history. Coming back from the holiday, the students are now delving in the world of composing music through the lens of blues music. These early composers are developing their own rhythm cycles, writing their own lyrics and some of the students will begin work on the blues harmony and eventually put it all together into a complete composition. There have been some very creative numbers heard around the room. This year has brought a fresh new line-up for the Gala concert to be held at the historic Opera House. A small ensemble of students will be selected to represent each grade in the show, A Night at the Oscars to be held on March 18th at 6pm. As the year presses forward, the students will narrow their interests into a specific genre of music they would like to explore in more detail during class. As there are a lot of hidden talented musicians in the primary school, during the weekly assemblies is when students have been able to showcase their musical skills. This has been happening for many months now and the musical interludes have been a welcome addition during assemblies! If you are interested in performing at the assembly, see Ms. Jacklyn and she will make sure you have a chance to share your talent! All the best and Happy Tet! Jacklyn Nguyen
ISHCMC musicians to London! ISHCMC students recently submitted very challenging audition recordings to the Association for Music in Instrumental Schools, in the hopes of gaining acceptance to the International Honour Band and Choir. Clarinetist Samuel Malott-Rogal was successful, and will be joining 90 students from all over Asia and Europe to rehearse music at the American School of London in March. They will be playing very challenging repertoire, and will perform a concert together on the last evening. Congratulations, Sam!
Secondary Production – ‘The Wiz’
In August auditions were held for the 2013-14 Secondary productions of the ‘The Wiz’. There was a fantastic response and more than 40 students were cast into acting, singing and dancing roles. The hard work then began with rehearsals twice a week for several hours as the cast learnt their lines, developed their characters, devised and learnt dance choreography and learnt the many songs in the show. Behind the scenes a dedicated teams of teachers and students were working on designing background projections, props, costumes and set. Two weeks before Showtime the rehearsals went into overdrive and students were rehearsing most days, the stage was put up and set pieces and backdrops became a reality. The energy level and dedication of the students was amazing and this paid off when the show took to the stage for the matinee performance for AAVN and the three evening shows. All of the cast and crew rose to the occasion and pulled out 4 amazing performances. All the stress, nerves and hard work were forgotten as the students sang, danced and acted in a way that captivated the audience’s attention right to the end. The directors would like to take the opportunity to thanks the students for all their hard work and energy and also the parents and staff for their support during the production.
Grade 9-10-12 Drama Grade 9 Drama is in the middle of their Commedia dell’ Arte unit for which they have been practicing improvisation, physical comedy, and mime techniques as they work towards creating a performance. They have also begun making plaster masks for their characters, which they will use in their performance.
Grade 10 Drama is currently devising plays in groups based on dreams and expressionist theatre techniques. They are practicing using their bodies to create abstract ideas and characters to express feelings or messages. We have looked at techniques from Grotowski and Meyerhold, and a scene from the play The Hairy Ape by Eugene O’Neill. Now they are putting these skills and ideas together to create their own devised work. Grade 12 just completed a devised performance for their Independent Project Portfolio assessment. There were two short plays collaboratively devised and directed by the students. They started from scratch, brainstorming themes they were interested in. One group decided on ‘Flaws’ the other ‘Lost’ as their provocation for the work. They then developed work through research, improvisation and discussion, also designing the soundtrack, set and lighting for their plays. They are now completing their portfolios for this assessment. Ingrid Berry
Monologue competition Congratulations to Carissa Fleury, Cable Jackson and Suma Thati for coming 1st in their respective categories in the BIS Monologue competition. “When I was waiting in the wings of the BIS theater to perform my monologue, I’d never felt so nervous about acting before. This was the first time I was performing in a new school, on a new stage, all by myself. The nerves were racking, and I was constantly telling myself to calm down. That’s the thing about theater: you feel as if you’re about to break down right before you go on stage, but as soon as you’re on, everything disappears and it’s just you and the stage. I remember forgetting about the audience being there, and just performing. The monologue competition was a great experience for me, one that I have learned from.” - Suma Thati
Music 9 – 12 Curricular Highlights Musicians in years 9 – 12 have been busy creating, performing, studying and reflecting. They have listened to music from Mozart to Korean zither to Jimi Hendrix to John Lee Hooker to African Postal Workers and everything in between, trying to discover links and unique elements from time to time and culture to culture. They have also experimented with Ear Training and Musical Dictation. In the area of Music Theory, they have been pre-tested and placed on an individualized track for Music Theory and composition. Students have been introduced to NotePad and Finale, two state of the art programs for computer based music composition. Our IB DP Music stadents have used SmartMusic, a music accompaniment program featuring musical “artificial intelligence”; it will speed up and slow down with all of your expressive interpretations – amazing stuff! Students have covered a lot of interesting musical territory. We are currently looking deeply at Classical and Romantic music, listening to, studying and performing the great music of Mozart and Haydn. We have performed with Stomp groups of percussion, composed for Film scores, learned computer assisted composing software, and done in-depth studies of the music of the 20th century.
review Jazz Band ISHCMC’s brand new Jazz Band has been rockin’ the school community since August! Rehearsing every Wednesday after school, this group of auditioned instrumentalists has been working on a wide variety of challenging musical styles, from funk to swing to pop. The band is currently auditioning for a singer (open to everyone!), which will be very cool! At the “Born This Way” (first ever!) outdoor concert in November the Jazz Band was swingin’, with tunes like “Peter Gunn”, “BBT Blues” and “Primal Forces”. The Jazz Band has also been a featured performer at various Secondary Gatherings. Grade 12 IB DP Musicians ISHCMC’s Grade 12 IB Diploma musicians presented a fantastic recital in November as well. Hui Yeong Moon, Ji Woo Park and Sarah Koh played an evening of beautiful recital music ranging from pop tunes to Mozart. An added bonus was the Inspirato Centre’s gorgeous grand piano and the excellent acoustics of their recital hall. ISHCMC Secondary Orchestra ISHCMC’s new Secondary Orchestra gave their debut concert at the “Born This Way” evening in November. This is an auditioned group, open to all Secondary Instrumentalists, and includes violins, cellos, keyboards, brass, woodwind and percussion. This elite group performed a wide repertoire, including the theme from the tv show “Game of Thrones”, a Bach Bourree, and the ever-popular “Theme from James Bond”.
Looking Forward in the Performing Arts Grade 12 IB DP Musicians ISHCMC’s second IB Diploma Music Recital is coming up on February 28th at the Inspirato Centre in the HAGL complex. Once again, ISHCMC’s senior musicians will be presenting a wide variety of music, from classical to jazz. Also premiering will be student compositions, professional recorded for submission to the IB examiners. Beginner Band ISHCMC’s new Beginner Secondary Band has started, led by Mrs Fleury on Wednesday after school. This is for students who are learning an instrument and are at the stage where they are ready to play with others in an ensemble. Currently there are over 20 members including a number of flutes, clarinets, violins, cellos, a few keyboardists and percussion. If there are any students that are learning trumpet, trombone, saxophone or similar and would like to join, please come and see Mrs Fleury in room 328. Secondary Jazz Band The Jazz Band will be debuting new tunes at the Secondary Arts Production, upcoming Gatherings, Graduation and end of the tear celebrations. This year-round Jazz group is currently working on “What I’ve Done” by Linkin Park, the Lion Kong’s “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” and “Birdland” by Weather Report. MRISA Arts Exchange Fifteen of our talented Visual Artists, Musicians, Dancers and Actors will be off to Bangkok in February to participate in the MRISA Cultural Exchange, where they will work in collaboration with other artists from around the region. Various teacher and student led performances highlight the program, with a culminating collaborative performance at the end of the weekend. Battle of the Bands ISHCMC’s Student Reps will be putting together a “Battle of the Bands” – stay tuned for more information on this upcoming event. Gala Concert 200 of ISHCMC’s talented young musicians will be front and centre at Ho Chi Minh City’s historic Opera House, with a Gala Concert to be held March 18th at 6 pm. The Secondary Orchestra, Secondary Jazz Band, special guests and several Elementary Choirs will all share the stage, showcasing music from movies and television. Secondary Arts Production This year’s Secondary Arts Production will feature many performers from the areas of Dance, Drama, Music and Film. We’re excited to involve as many groups and performers as possible and look forward to an outstanding Arts showcase. The Beginner Band, Dancers, Secondary Orchestra, Secondary Jazz Band, school Choirs, Theatre groups and small ensembles will all have a chance to showcase their many talents. More on this later! Secondary Orchestra The Secondary Orchestra has lots of events planned for Spring, including Secondary Gatherings, Gala Concert and performing at Graduation. Several top-flight small ensembles have been formed to help more experienced students showcase their chamber music skills.
community If you would like copies of our previous Newsletters please ask any of our staff for a free copy
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Lanterns Personalised ‘Ninh Hoa’ Tour
Recommended as ‘Top Choice’ by
As you may or may not be aware, we here at Lanterns, run a personalised tour that you will not find any where else in Nha Trang.
In 2009 to 2012
WHO ARE WE: We serve quality food using only the freshest ingredients 7 days a week We conduct cooking classes, with a market tour, 4 days a week We support the local community and some neighbouring orphanages, through numerous charitable initiatives
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Kitchen & Dining New Menu
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Meet the Lanterns family - Khanh
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Cooking Classes Learn to cook
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Charity School Project - Student Profile
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Charity Program Children’s Day
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Orphanage Report Dai An Orphanage
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Get Involved Would you like to help?
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In keeping with our belief of helping the local community, we offer an exciting new tour to Ninh Hoa, which is about a 1 hour drive North of Nha Trang, in a very poor, simple & un spoiled part of Khanh Hoa. What sets this tour apart from the others is that this tour has been organized, developed and run by the staff and friends at Lanterns. Even more unique is that you’ll actually be visiting the places where some of our staff were born and raised, even entering their family homes to share a drink &/or lunch with their actual family
members. The tour flyer is available to anyone interested and has much more details about the
homes of some of our staff and sit down for a meal in their actual homes, enjoying some local delicacies. There is also a bull cart ride through the local streets, where you will be the only tourists amongst local people living their everyday lives and finish the day stopping by a small local fish market.
Rice Fields of Ninh Hoa
day and what is involved, but in short, it’s an all day tour, leaving Lanterns at 9am & returning about 4pm. The guided tour, which includes all transfers will see you arrive in Ninh Hoa to wander amongst the local people, walking through local rice fields and local markets. You will go inside actual family
The total price for the day tour is just $25 USD p.p and you will take pleasure knowing that part of the actual cost goes towards helping improve the livelihood of our staff and their families. Please speak to our staff about the tour or ask them for a flyer. If you have some time whilst in Nha Trang take a look, we know you will not be disappointed.
Nha Trang - Indulge in a Massage Everyone enjoys a massage & its even more enjoyable when it costs next to nothing for an hour of indulgence. Here is Nha Trang, there is many places to enjoy a fine massage and the best place to start can be the Blind Massage. There are many to choose from and more & more are opening up. The general cost will be between 60-80,000 vnd ($4USD). The massages can vary depending on the masseur, but you are helping a good cause. There
is one at 97 Nguyen Thien Thuat St. There’s also the local massage shops and the one I always go and rate the best is Hai An Massage at 17 Hung Vuong St. A no frills massage for about 200,000 vnd ($10USD) but great quality, very relaxing & no funny business :) At the luxury end of the massages are the Spa’s that you find around town and the best I have seen is just next door to Lanterns at Daisy Spa. Very friendly staff and a warm and comfortable
environment to enjoy a bit of pampering. The prices are a little higher but so is the level of indulgence. As you can see, there is a level of massage available for all budgets and tastes and no excuse why you would not take time out of a busy day to relax and enjoy a little bit of luxurious pampering whilst on holidays.
Click here for Santa Fe’s Annual Tet Survival Guide. The 2014 Tet Survival Guide includes Tet traditions, sayings, and etiquette, as well as a calendar of events and opening hours guide for Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi during the Lunar New Year.
UNTIL NEXT TIME