I want to encourage you to take the time to read through this Results book, which has comments and feedback from divisional leaders and department heads as well as information about the many different facets of the school. I am confident that this book will give you an accurate picture of the Dalat community and who we are as a school. Mr. Karl Steinkamp Head of School
Now is an exciting time to be a part of the Dalat community as we begin to witness the realization of our three-year campus renovation plan. While we are excited to see these new buildings rising up around us, however, we also recognize that buildings and facilities are not what define Dalat. What sets Dalat apart is students who not only excel academically but also value character, integrity, and mutual respect; teachers who not only educate students from a biblically-based perspective but also invest their lives into helping students succeed both inside and outside the classroom; and a caring Dalat community that not only supports Dalat financially but is also actively involved in ensuring Dalat students are afforded every opportunity to use their God-given talents to reach their full potential. These are the standards by which we measure ourselves. In order to meet these standards, however, we need your participation. As you read through the Results booklet, we hope you will ask yourself what you can do to ensure Dalat continues to reach these standards for this year and the years to come. Mr. Vance Worten Dalat School Board Chief Governing Officer
</Contents> Changing the World, One Question at a Time 2 Mission and Vision 6 Test Results 7 College Acceptance 9 Parent Survey Results 10 Dalat Leadership Survey Response 14
Head of School 14 Elementary School 15 Middle School 15 High School 16
Student Funds 17 Staff Qualifications & Enrollment 18 Department Reports 19 Admissions 19 Development 19 Finance 20 Spiritual Life 21 Fine Arts 22 Distance Learning Resource Center 22 Online Education 23 Technology 23 Residence Life 24 Facilities 25 Athletics 26 Dalat Athletics Booster Club 26 Care & Share 27 Parent-Teacher Organization 27 Passionate Learners 28
</Changing the World,>
ONE QUESTION AT A TIME
HOW DALAT NURTURES STUDENTS TO BECOME PASSIONATE LEARNERS When Chan-Mi Kim came to Dalat as a seventh grader in 2005, it was one of the biggest turning points of her young life. For the first time, she was living in a new culture, separated from her parents, and learning a new language. Chan-Mi’s parents had moved from their home country, Korea, to work in another country in Southeast Asia, and their daughters became boarding students at Dalat. “I was extremely nervous and anxious,” Chan-Mi says. “Exhausted from the anxiety the night before, I remember falling asleep in my very first class at Dalat, an English class with Mrs. Gross. I barely understood anything in that class.” But that would change quickly. Chan-Mi’s understanding of English, alongside other subjects, grew in leaps and bounds. At the same time, her understanding of herself — and her Creator — was evolving as well. In ninth grade, Chan-Mi’s heart was pierced with the new-found knowledge that people around the world were trapped in poverty and suffering — and God cared deeply about them. After watching a documentary that narrated stories of people living in terrible conditions, Chan-Mi was convicted and inspired. She gathered a few friends and founded Care & Share, which sought to serve the community and affirm the dignity of every human being, regardless of their socio-economic status. The experience of leading Care & Share was life-changing, Chan-Mi says. “It not only exposed me and my schoolmates to the stories untold in our neighborhood, but it also taught me long-lasting lessons about leadership, working with people, and practices and theologies of serving the Kingdom. “I am so grateful that Dalat gave me, a mere freshman, the opportunity, the space, and the trust to turn conviction into action.” The transformation in Chan-Mi’s life — from self-doubt to bold action — is exactly what Dalat hopes will take place in all its students as they are nurtured to become passionate learners. And this year, Dalat has taken some steps to spark our children’s love for knowledge.
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PUTTING LEARNING IN STUDENTS’ HANDS A passion for learning often begins with a question. In Mrs. Heather Ramos’s elementary school science lab, on the ground floor of the new Center for Arts, Science, Technology, Library, and Educational Services (CASTLE), questions flow from children naturally: How does air pressure work inside of a balloon? Where does wood come from? How does a wind turbine create energy? The questions come as students work with materials designed to fuel their curiosity: rocks, go-carts, balloon rockets, balances, beakers, and insects, just to name a few. It’s all part of Dalat’s new science curriculum for students from kindergarten to grade five. “About 75 to 80 percent of the curriculum is hands-on project learning,” says Mrs. Ramos, whose position as the ES science coordinator was created this year. “We’re now focused on creating, investigating, and building things.” The new curriculum provides a more cohesive approach to covering physics, life, and earth science in every ES grade, building on students’ knowledge. Science topics are taught most days in students’ homeroom classrooms, with a laboratory one day a week in the CASTLE ES science room. The brand-new room is large enough and wellequipped with supplies to accommodate lots of fun, often-messy learning activities. “There would be no way to do this curriculum without a space like this,” Mrs. Ramos says. The high school science program has also re-worked its curriculum this year to be more application-driven, and the new facilities in the CASTLE have been critical to that end. “One of our old science classrooms was in really bad shape,” says science teacher Sharon Bernhardt, “and having this new space has really been a blessing.” High school science now has two brand-new full-sized labs and a classroom on the top level of the CASTLE. In that space, students are being challenged to not just memorize facts, but instead to use their scientific knowledge to problem-solve. “This has resulted in a large learning curve, but it is really a great process for the students,” Mrs. Bernhardt says. Part of the process involves greater student collaboration. This has been enhanced by new glass-top desks that students can write on with markers, encouraging teamwork and allowing students to practice problems in a fun way. The science program has also added some equipment, thanks to the Annual Fund, including an excellent microscope, fume hood for mixing chemical solutions safely,
3
freezer, and incubator. High-quality Vernier equipment was also purchased for chemistry and physics classes. Ultimately, these are all tools for students of science to grow their passion of learning — “to have curiosity, ask questions, and think about using their knowledge to change the world,” Mrs. Bernhardt says.
QUESTIONS THAT TRANSFORM LIVES A love for learning doesn’t just take root in the mind. It has to grow from the heart. That’s why Dalat’s Bible program has begun to reshape its approach to instruction this year. With a view toward greater spiritual growth in students, Bible classes from grade 6 through 12 have been changed to be more cohesive and applicable. In the early grades, students will focus on an overview of the Bible and the various worldviews around them. In high school, students will delve deeper into the Bible and a spectrum of spiritual topics. “We are moving away from a more content-based approach to Bible class and embracing a balance between content and application,” says Bible teacher Mrs. Susan Allen. “The end goal is authentic transformation.” And what does “authentic transformation” look like? The specific outcome may vary, but the goal is for each student to experience God’s love and deepen their understanding of Him as they study Biblical truths. This year, that seems to be happening. Student reviews of this year’s Bible 12 Spiritual Disciplines class showed 27 out of 28 students had experienced positive spiritual growth while in the class. These are a sampling of the responses: “This class has been a huge help to me and my growth as a Christian. I really mean that. The more personal nature of this course has forced me to rethink my approach to Christianity and my desire for the Lord. It has challenged me to think in a larger picture to create a personal friendship with Christ.” —David “This class has helped me in spiritual growth, and it’s because of the time we have to spend with God. Usually Bible classes have been mostly academic work and not much spiritual emphasis. This class gives us time to be alone or talk as a group of students about God.” —Chloe “This class has taught me to question myself and introduced some ways I can further examine my religious beliefs.” —Jerald “This class has helped me with my spiritual growth by encouraging me to question my beliefs and also explore Christianity.” —Felicia
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Those deep spiritual questions are also being explored this year within the safety of community. Weekly small groups have been added to most HS Bible classes, where six to eight students get together to share what they’re learning, have a snack, and focus on developing relationships. “After spending time doing research on the best practices for faith formation, we saw a key component that we are missing is the community, life-on-life piece,” says Mrs. Allen. “Small groups are a step toward this.” The Bible program has also added a resource that allows students to explore spiritual ideas in a medium that speaks to them — RightNow Media. Called the “Netflix of Christianity,” RightNow Media has an online library of more than 10,000 videos. One day each week, students watch and respond to a video of their choice. It’s a student-centered approach to instruction that allows kids to ask questions and pursue interests especially meaningful to them. And that can open up a new way of understanding the Bible — one that ignites a passion for learning.
HELPING OTHERS TO THINK CRITICALLY Once that fire takes ahold — the desire to keep learning and growing, to pursue truth and use that knowledge as a force for good — it’s hard to stop it. That’s been true for Chan-Mi, who graduated from Dalat in 2011 and went on to Gordon College to study business administration and international development. Her determination to fight injustice — borne in her work with Care & Share — has expanded to a global level. In the summer of 2016, Chan-Mi was awarded an internship at the United Nations. Soon after that experience, she became an international markets analyst at EBSCO Information Services. Ultimately, her goal is to empower those without access to a free-thinking educational system; she hopes to someday make education policies or found a university in a repressive country to break down the limits placed on young people’s hearts and minds. “Unlike the students at Dalat, many around the world do not have the opportunity to learn critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills,” Chan-Mi says. “I believe that one of the biggest reasons malevolent and extremist regimes still exist today is because the people are not equipped to refuse the indoctrination and think for themselves. I want to teach people to think critically and to judge for themselves what truth is.”
5
THE CASTLE In August 2016, the new Center for Arts, Science, Technology, Library, and Educational Services (CASTLE) opened to the Dalat community. The threestory building serves students in all divisions. The top floor has a science center with three purposebuilt science classrooms and labs, as well as two art studios. The middle floor features a combined elementary, middle, and high school library. The library connects to existing computer labs on the top floor of the Student Center. It includes an additional computer lab, elementary library classroom, and areas for both individual study and group collaboration. The CASTLE’s ground floor has a counseling center, special services department, ESL classroom, and one purpose-built ES science classroom.
</Mission & >
VISION
MISSION Education for life founded on a biblical worldview.
VISION Our students will know God and impact their world for His glory.
EDUCATION FOR LIFE Dalat International School seeks to teach our children in areas that go beyond books and academics. Education for life is the pursuit of training the next generation to be people of good character and integrity and to care for others, which will prepare them to make a positive impact on the world in any area they choose to work and live in.
EXPECTED SCHOOL-WIDE LEARNING RESULTS (ESLR) Dalat students will be:
• Passionate Learners
• Transformed Thinkers
• Servant Leaders
• God Seekers
• Faithful Stewards
• Effective Communicators
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</Test>
RESULTS
MATH
MEASURES OF ACADEMIC PROGRESS MAP is a standardized test for grades K-9. Dalat scores continue to be far above the U.S. average and, in many cases, above the international average among Asian schools. Average scores are broken down by subject area and grade at the end of the 2015-2016 school year.
LANGUAGE USAGE
Dalat Average Spring 2016
All Int’l Schools Average Spring 2016
EARCOS Average Spring 2016
U.S. Average Spring 2016
Percentage of DIS Students at or above U.S. Grade Level
K
173
157
168
159
89%
1
196
176
192
181
87%
2
201
190
203
192
77%
3
214
199
211
203
94%
Dalat Average Spring 2016
All Int’l Schools Average Spring 2016
EARCOS Average Spring 2016
U.S. Average Spring 2016
Percentage of DIS Students at or above U.S. Grade Level
4
217
209
222
214
66%
GRADE
5
231
218
234
221
75%
2
204
185
196
190
86%
6
237
223
237
225
85%
3
213
195
206
200
97%
7
245
230
246
229
87%
4
212
202
213
207
72%
8
254
237
252
231
97%
5
224
208
219
212
91%
9
258
241
256
233
98%
6
226
213
223
215
68%
7
228
218
227
218
85%
8
234
221
230
219
92%
9
240
222
230
220
98%
GRADE
Dalat Average Spring 2016
All Int’l Schools Average Spring 2016
EARCOS Average Spring 2016
U.S. Average Spring 2016
Percentage of DIS Students at or above U.S. Grade Level
K
173
153
165
158
89%
U.S. Average Spring 2016
Percentage of DIS Students at or above U.S. Grade Level
1
187
168
184
178
74%
2
200
182
194
189
83%
3
210
192
204
199
97%
4
210
200
212
206
69%
5
223
207
219
212
93%
6
224
212
223
216
85%
SCIENCE
7
GRADE
READING
GRADE
Dalat Average Spring 2016
All Int’l Schools Average Spring 2016
EARCOS Average Spring 2016
2
201
182
199
3
207
188
202
196
94%
4
204
194
206
201
67%
5
211
198
210
206
78%
6
215
203
213
209
72%
7
219
208
218
211
96%
7
230
217
227
218
87%
8
226
211
222
213
97%
8
233
221
231
220
89%
9
229
212
224
229
96%
9
238
223
232
222
96%
SAT The Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) determines acceptance into U.S. colleges and universities. The charts below show how Dalat students compare with the U.S. national average as well as other comparable American-curriculum international schools in the Asia region for the last two years. The U.S. national average score for 2016 is 1484 (494 reading, 508 math, and 482 writing). Dalat’s Class of 2016 scored an composite average of 1810 (591 reading, 628 math, and 591 writing). The highest total Dalat SAT score was 2350 and the lowest was 1090 out of a possible 2400.
2000
1791
1806
1300 1200 1000 0 2000
1807
1795
1500 1400 1300 1200 1000 0
AMERICAN SCHOOL IN JAPAN
1600
DALAT INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
2015 -2016
1700
1825
JAKARTA INTERCULTURAL SCHOOL
1810
1920
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL KUALA LUMPUR
1800
1860
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL BANGKOK
1900
1490
1484
U.S. AVERAGE
1400
SINGAPORE AMERICAN SCHOOL
1500
AMERICAN SCHOOL IN JAPAN
1600
DALAT INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
2014 - 2015
1700
U.S. AVERAGE
1775
JAKARTA INTERCULTURAL SCHOOL
1801
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL KUALA LUMPUR
1815
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL BANGKOK
1800
SINGAPORE AMERICAN SCHOOL
1918
1900
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</College>
ACCEPTANCE
CLASS OF 2016 Fifty-eight members of the Class of 2016 graduated in June, and they were accepted to the following colleges and universities (It is important to remember that these results are self-reported, so there may be other schools that accepted our graduates that the school does not know about.): Azusa Pacific University, United States Baylor University, United States Belmont University, United States Berry College, United States Bethel University, United States Biola University, United States Brock University, Canada California Baptist University, United States Capital University, United States Carnegie Mellon University, United States Case Western Reserve University, United States City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong College of the Ozarks, United States Crown College, United States Curtin University, Australia Dallas Baptist University, United States East Texas Baptist University, United States Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, United States Florida Institute of Technology, United States Garner-Webb University, United States George Mason University, United States George Mason University, Korea Gordon College, United States Grace Bible College, United States International Medical University, Malaysia Korea University, Korea La Trobe University, Australia LeTourneau University, United States Liberty University, United States Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, United States Miami University, Oxford, United States
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Nyack College, United States Ohio Northern University, United States Oklahoma Baptist University, United States Ouachita Baptist University, United States Palm Beach Atlantic, United States Penn State University, United States Point Loma Nazarene University, United States Purdue University, West Lafayette, United States Queen Mary University of London, United Kingdom Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, United States Rochester Institute of Technology, United States Rutgers University, United States San Francisco State University, United States San Jose State University, United States Slippery Rock University, United States Stanford University, United States Swinburne University of Technology, Australia Taylor University, United States Trinity Western University, Canada Tyler Junior College, United States Union University, United States University of British Columbia, Canada University of California - Davis, United States University of California - Irvine, United States University of California - Los Angeles, United States University of California - San Diego, United States University of California - Santa Barbara, United States University of California - Santa Cruz, United States University of Central Oklahoma, United States University of Exeter, England University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong University of Indiana-Bloomington, United States
University of Kent, United Kingdom University of Massachusetts - Amherst, United States University of Massachusetts - Lowell, United States University of Melbourne, Australia University of New South Wales, Australia University of North Carolina at Greensboro, United States University of North Dakota, United States University of Northwestern, United States University of Oklahoma, United States University of Ontario Institute of Technology, Canada University of Oregon, United States University of Southern California - School of CinematicArts, United States University of Toronto, Canada University of Warwick, England University of Washington, United States University of Waterloo, Canada University of Western Ontario, Canada University of Wisconsin - Madison, United States Virginia Tech University, United States Westmont College, United States Wheaton College, United States William Carey University, United States Wingate University, United States
</Parent Survey>
RESULTS
This survey was conducted in May 2016. There were 289 surveys completed, including 220 in English, 38 in Korean, and 31 in Chinese.
This survey defines “Satisfied” as answering the question with an “Excellent” or “Good” response. “Unsatisfied” is defined as answering the question “Fair” or “Poor.” 1. How would you rate the quality of education at Dalat? 달랏에서의 교육의 질을 어떻게‘ 평가하겠습니까?
请您估计Dalat的教育质量? 90% Satisfaction 2. In your opinion, how well is Dalat preparing your student for university, college, or vocation after Dalat? 여러분은 자녀들이 대학 또는 취업 준비를 얼마나 잘 하고 있다고 생각하십니까?
你认为您的孩子对假期或上大学的准备做得怎么样? 83% Satisfaction 3. How satisfied are you with the course offerings? 개설된 강의 과목에 얼마나 만족하십니까? 您对Dalat所提供的学科滿意吗?
83% Satisfaction 4. How would you rate the impact on your child’s life from teaching Christian values from the Bible? 성경으로 기독교의 가치를 가르침이 학생들의 인생에 얼마나 영향을 미치리라 생각하십니까?
您觉得基督教徒圣经上所教导的价值对您孩子的生活有怎么样的冲击? 79% Satisfaction 5. How would you rate the use of technology to enhance learning? 배움 증진을 위한 기술 사용에 대해서 여러분은 어떤 등급을 주시겠습니까?
您如何评估运用科技设施以加强学习的效果? 78% Satisfaction 6. How would you rate your overall satisfaction with your child’s/children’s teacher/s? 담당교사와 그외 교사들에 대해 종합적인 만족도는 어느 정도로 평가하십니까?
您对您孩子的老師的整体表现滿意吗? 88% Satisfaction
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7. How would you rate the amount of homework your child has?
14. How would you rate the value for the price paid for the food in the cafeteria?
자녀들이 숙제 양에 대해서 여러분은 어떤 등급을 주시겠습니까?
식당의 음식이 지불된 가격에 비해 어떻다고 평가하십니까?
您对于孩子的功课量有何意见?
您觉得学校餐厅的餐点价钱怎么样? 54% Satisfaction
13% 74%
Too Little Right Amount
너무 적다 적당하다
太少 刚好
13%
Too Much
너무 많다
太多
8. How would you rate the quality of homework your child has? 자녀 숙제의 질을 어떻게 평가하십니까?
你觉得您的孩子的作业做得怎么样? 74% Satisfaction 9. How do you feel about the physical and emotional safety of your child at Dalat?
15. How well does Dalat meet the needs of your child academically? 달랏이 여러분 자녀의 학구적인 필요를 어느 정도 충족시켜 주나요?
Dalat在学术上是否能提供您孩子的需要? 82% Satisfaction 16. How well does Dalat meet the needs of your child socially? 달랏이 여러분 자녀의 사회적 필요를 어느 정도 충족시켜 주나요?
Dalat在社交应对上是否能提供您的孩子的需要? 82% Satisfaction
달랏 학교에서의 신체적 그리고 감정적인 안전에 대해서 어떻게 느낍니까?
17. How would you rate your child’s activity level at school?
你觉得您的孩子在学校里身心上的安全感怎么样? 88% Satisfaction
학교에서 자녀의 활동 수준에 대해서 여러분은 어떤 등급을 주시겠습니까?
10. How would you rate the school facilities? 여러분은 학교 시설물에 대해 어떻게 생각하십니까?
您如何评估各级的学校活动? 4% Too Busy 89% Good Amount 7% Not Enough
너무 바쁘다 적당하다 너무 활동이 부족하다
太忙 足够 须增加
您怎么评估学校的设施? 70% Satisfaction
18. Are you familiar with Dalat’s Child Protection and Safety Program?
11. How would you rate the campus security and emergency procedures appropriate for a school?
您了解Dalat对于您的孩子人身保护及安全措施吗? 76% Yes
학교측의 캠퍼스 안전과 위기대응책의 진행이 적합한지에 대해 여러분은 어떤 등급을 주시겠습니까?
19. How would you rate Dalat’s communication with your child (the student)?
您如何评估校园的保安及紧急措施? 80% Satisfaction 12. How would you rate the quality of the extracurricular programs offered? 별도 제공되는 프로그램 질에 대해서 여러분은 어떤 등급을 주시겠습니까?
您如何评估课外活动的素质? 78% Satisfaction
여러분은 달랏 학교의 어린이 안전과 위기대응 프로그램에 대해서 익숙하십니까?
달랏과 학생들과의 켜뮤니케이션을 어떻게 평가하십니까?
您如何评估Dalat与学生的沟通? 86% Satisfaction 20. How would you rate Dalat’s communication with you (the parent)? 달랏과 학부모와의 커뮤니케이션을 어떻게 평가하십니까?
您如何评估Dalat与学生家长的沟通? 81% Satisfaction
13. How would you rate the quality of the sports programs offered?
21. Do you read the Dalat News weekly?
스포츠 프로그램에 대해서 여러분은 어떤 등급을 주시겠습니까?
매주 달랏 뉴스를 읽으십니까?
您如何评估各项体育项目的素质? 77% Satisfaction
你是否每周阅读 DALAT新闻? 91% Yes
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22. How familiar are you with the goals, mission, and vision of Dalat? 달랏이 추구하는 목표, 미션, 비전에 얼마나 익숙하십니까?
您对Dalat的目標、使命和愿景有多了解? 79% Satisfaction 23. How well is Dalat achieving its mission and vision statements? 얼마나 달랏 학교가 목표와 사명을 잘 이루어 가고 있습니까?
你对Dalat实现其办学宗旨和愿景的满意度? 82% Satisfaction 24. This year’s Expected School-wide Learning Result (ESLR) focused on the Faithful Steward. Dalat’s expectation of a Faithful Steward is that students should: • apply their time, finances, and talents in school and community activities. • express an understanding of the need to care for the Earth. • choose to participate in personal, school, or community athletic and fitness activities. According to these expectations how are Dalat students meeting this goal? 이번 년도 교육목표는 ‘성실한 청지기’입니다. 달랏이 추구하는 성실한 청지기란 다음과 같습니다. • 시간, 재정, 재능을 학교와 커뮤니티를 위해 적절하게 사용합니다. • 지구와 환경 보호를 위한 이해를 행동으로 실천합니다. • 개인적으로나 학교 또는 지역 스포츠 활동에 참가합니다. 달랏 학생들이 위와 같은 목표를 달성했다고 생각하십니까?
今年的全校集体教育基准集中于培养忠实的管理者们。Dalat 对孩子们的期待包 括: • 在学校及社区活动中充分利用她(他)们的时间, 金钱,及才能 • 表现对大自然的关怀及了解其重要性 • 主动选择参与个人,学校,或社区中的体育健身活动。 Dalat 的学生们达到了以上的标准吗? 78% Satisfaction 25. How confident do you feel about Dalat’s future? 달랏의 미래에 대해 얼마나 자부심을 갖고 있습니까?
您对Dalat的未來有多自信? 90% Satisfaction
12
26. How would you rate the sense of community at Dalat? 달랏의 커뮤니티를 어떻게 평가하십니까?
您觉得Dalat 在社区的服务如何? 85% Satisfaction 27. Do you feel welcome at Dalat? 달랏에서 환영받고 있다고 느끼십니까?
您在Dalat感觉受欢迎吗? 96% Yes 28. How would you rate the cooperation and interactions of nationalities? 다른 국적의 자녀들과의 협력과 상호 작용에 대해서 여러분은 어떤 등급을 주시겠습니까?
34. How would you rate Dalat against other international schools around the world? 전세계의 국제학교와 비교하여 달랏을 어떻게 평가하십니까?
您如何评估Dalat在世界各国国际学校的地位? 79% Satisfaction 35. How would you rate Dalat’s reputation in Penang? 페낭에서 달랏의 평판은 어떻다고 생각하세요?
您怎么评估Dalat 在槟城州的声誉? 91% Satisfaction 36. How would you rate the value you receive for the price you pay at Dalat? 달랏에 지불하는 만큼의 대가를 받고 있다고 평가하십니까?
您如何评估不同国籍的合作与互动? 74% Satisfaction
您如何评估您的孩子在Dalat所付出的学费与所接受到的教育? 78% Satisfaction
29. Would you recommend Dalat to your family and closest friends?
37. How long have you been a part of the Dalat community?
가족이나 가까운 친구들에게 Dalat을 추천하실 생각이신가요?
您是否会推荐Dalat给您的家人和亲密的朋友? 95% Yes 30. Do you think Dalat students make a positive impact outside of our school? 달랏 학생들이 학교 밖에서 긍정적인 영향을 준다고 생각하세요?
您认为Dalat 学生在校外有正面的影响吗? 94% Yes 31. How would you rate your overall satisfaction of Dalat? 달랏에서 전체적인 만족도는 어떻게 평가하고 싶으신가요?
您如何评估Dalat的整体满意度? 89% Satisfaction 32. How would you rate the leadership of Dalat? 달랏의 리더쉽을 어떻게 평가하십니까?
您如何评估Dalat的领导层? 86% Satisfaction 33. How well does Dalat administration listen and address your concerns? 달랏 학교 행정부서에서 얼마나 여러분의 관심을 듣고 설명한다고 보십니까?
Dalat有没有倾听和解决您提出的问题? 74% Satisfaction
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달랏 커뮤니티에 얼마나 오랫동안 관여해 왔습니까? 1 년 미만, 1-2 년, 3-5 년, 5 년 이상
您成为Dalat社區多久?少於1年, 1到2年, 3到5年,過超5年 • Less than 1 year – 22% • 1–2 years – 22% • 3–5 years – 31% • More than 5 years – 25% 38. Where is your home country located? 당신의 모국은 어디입니까? 북아메리카, 아시아, 유럽
您的祖国在哪里?北美洲,亞洲,歐洲 • North America – 45% • Asia – 48% • Europe – 3% • Other – 4%
</Dalat Leadership>
SURVEY RESPONSE HEAD OF SCHOOL For over 10 years, Dalat has asked parents to give feedback on our effectiveness as an international school. Dalat is a very good school in many ways, but all organizations can improve. We embrace that idea wholeheartedly. The survey is a significant factor in improving our programs, curriculum, and facilities. We need honest feedback, which helps us understand where we are doing well and where we need to improve and make changes. When the survey is completed, the results are discussed and studied by the leadership and management teams and a number of decisions are made each year from the results. Additionally, the results from this last year will be considered by our strategic planning teams as Dalat develops a five-year plan for our school. From the 2016 survey, I was pleased to see the following:
Mr. Karl
STEINKAMP
•
90 percent of Dalat parents feel that Dalat provides a high quality of education.
•
A great indicator of the community at Dalat is that 96 percent of parents feel welcome at Dalat.
•
90 percent of parents feel confident in Dalat’s direction and where it is heading in the future.
•
An amazing 95 percent of Dalat parents would recommend the school to family and friends.
•
91 percent of parents feel that Dalat has a good reputation in Penang.
•
And 94 percent of parents feel that Dalat students make a positive impact in our community.
Some areas where we need to look at improvements or changes: •
The results regarding the question of preparing students for university (83 percent satisfaction) is not as high as we want it to be. We will look at this more closely to see what steps we can take in regard to satisfaction with university preparation.
•
Meeting the needs of students socially has gone down to 82 percent satisfaction, and we need to figure out why. A crucial aspect of being an excellent school is to be a place where students develop socially as well as academically.
•
Another area we need to focus on relates to feedback regarding the impact of teaching Christian values, which showed 79 percent satisfaction. We need to focus on this question to get a better handle on what this is telling us and what steps we should take to improve.
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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ••
I am pleased that parents continue to report high levels of satisfaction with the amount of homework given. In addition, the elementary teachers have continued to improve on the overall quality of homework. It is apparent that their hard work has paid off as we have seen a dramatic increase in parents’ satisfaction in this area.
••
We have also noted that parents are increasingly pleased with the quality of our elementary teachers and the education that Dalat offers. In the ES, we work hard to create a learning environment that balances character development and academic rigor. We believe this is evident in the way our students relate to their teachers/peers and in our MAP scores, which remain among the highest in our region.
••
Every school year, we look for new and exciting opportunities to introduce to our Kids Interest Clubs. Last year, we included dance, gymnastics, Mandarin, and debate. We are continuing to explore ways to integrate a more structured Mandarin course. In addition to our wide variety of sport and craft options, our KICs offerings this year have included computer coding, gardening, hand lettering, and American sign language.
••
In the ES, we continue to offer sporting opportunities to allow students to try new sports and develop skills. Winning, though a nice byproduct, is not the main goal. Teamwork, sportsmanship, skills development, and active living are the attributes we hope to instill in the students through our sports programs.
••
We are also thrilled to announce a four-point increase in satisfaction of our course offerings. This year, we have implemented a new and exciting science curriculum that challenges our students to be inquisitive learners. It has been wonderful to observe students using our new science lab in our new building. Parents are pleased with the advances we have made with our facilities, and so are we. Students enjoy having a new library and art classroom and computer lab.
••
It was encouraging to see that parents have greater confidence in the future of Dalat and that we have an increasingly positive reputation in the larger community. We appreciate the feedback that we receive from our parents, and we are committed to improving our school for the benefit of all of our students.
Mrs. Shantel
SEEVARATNAM
MIDDLE SCHOOL ••
As I look over the annual survey results, I am yet again encouraged by all of the positive things happening here at Dalat, and particularly in the middle school. Most parents feel that the students have the right balance between homework, extracurricular activities, and family time. This is always tricky to achieve, as families have a variety of expectations in this regard.
••
I did notice a lower satisfaction in communication, but on the other hand several comments about communication overload. This is another area where we continue to seek the right balance. I would like to share with you a few common avenues of communication that we use. oo Agendas: Each middle school student is issued an agenda at the beginning of the year. All teachers write homework assignments on the board each day, and students are expected to copy them into their agendas. Students are also expected to write down important events in their agendas. I encourage parents to ask to
15
Ms. Shawna
WOOD
see your child’s agenda regularly, especially when they say, “I don’t have any homework.” That usually means nothing is due tomorrow, but there is probably a test to study for or a long-term project to work on. oo Powerschool: Teachers use Powerschool for more than just grades. Teachers also add comments to several of the grades and conduct marks (N’s), explaining how the student could improve or what their area of struggle is. Please take time to read the comments teachers have entered for your child. oo Newsletters: Teachers in middle school send out class newsletters on a semester basis. We realize that getting newsletters from ten different teachers in a semester can be overwhelming at times. However, this is one way that our teachers communicate what the students are learning in class with you. oo Direct contact: We appreciate direct contact from parents, whether by email or face-to-face. If you have questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Misunderstandings are common when young adolescents are the carriers of news, so feel free to check up on something you may have heard at home. There is no need for parents to wait for the official parent conference date; we are happy to talk with you throughout the year. ••
One concern I noticed among parents is one that I also agree with. Parents are concerned that we keep our wonderful teachers long-term. The good news is that our teacher turnover is much lower than the average for international schools. However, we are not satisfied with that. One of the major goals in Dalat’s fiveyear strategic plan is “Passionate Personnel.” We desire to attract, equip, and retain excellent teachers. A committee will be working on an action plan for this throughout the current school year.
HIGH SCHOOL ••
The thoughtful answers to the survey questions have given valuable insight into parent perspectives. As the school continues to grow and change, the varied perspectives on what areas we should focus on for the future are particularly important. Some of this feedback was useful in the development of four different strategic planning committees that will guide us in working toward changes that will continue to improve Dalat.
••
While there is a lot to work on, there are also many great things happening at Dalat. We don’t spend much time emphasizing test scores, but our external metrics are as high as they have ever been and comparable to or higher than almost any school in the region. As I write, we have just learned that a sports team has won our first ACSC championship. This is a reflection of our improved overall sports program for our students. Our participation in drama and fine arts is producing some highly acclaimed work. As has been true in the past, the survey notes that our committed and caring high school teaching staff are our most valuable resource in producing these kinds of results. One concern expressed was in regard to our Bible curriculum. We have taken significant time in the last year to rewrite some of our courses and develop classes that offer more opportunities for direct application and mentoring, and the changes have been positively received.
••
Also noted are the changes that improved facilities have made in creating better access to our guidance department. In the very near future, I trust that we will move into the new “Harbor” building, and we will see similar benefits to our high school program with a more unified high school area. As always, I am thankful for the support of the Dalat community and excited to see what the future will hold for us together.
Mr. Brian
BREWSTER
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</Student>
FUNDS
MK ED ENDOWMENT FUND The Missionary Kid Education Endowment Fund was established to be an ongoing source of income to offset the rising costs of education for Dalat students whose parents are serving as missionaries around the world. The beauty of an endowment fund is that a gift to the fund remains in an account as long as Dalat School exists and generates interest every year that, in turn, provides funds for the education of missionaryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s children.
Starting Balance in 2015:
RM 83,950
Raised Last School Year:
RM 1,700
Scholarship to Students:
RM 5,175
Interest Generated for Students:
RM 6,745
New Balance in 2015:
RM 87,220
ALUMNI ATHLETIC AND FINE ARTS TRAVEL FUND Dalat Alumni give back to Dalat School because of the many great memories they have had and for a desire to share those memories with Dalat students today. One of the practical ways Alumni help Dalat is to give to the Alumni Athletic and Fine Arts Travel Fund. This fund assists families that find it challenging to pay for the international trips the sports teams and fine arts groups participate in during high school. This last year the band took a trip to Bangkok and the ACSC sports tournaments took place in Thailand, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Korea, and Taiwan.
Students Received Last Year:
RM 1,975
Funds Raised Last Year:
RM 0
If you would like to donate to either the MK Ed Endowment Fund or the Alumni Athletic and Fine Arts Travel Fund please contact the Director of Development, Larry Chinn, at lchinn@dalat.org or Dalatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Finance Office at accounts@dalat.org.
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</Staff Qualifications>
& ENROLLMENT
STAFF QUALIFICATIONS
ENROLLMENT BY NATIONALITIES
Master of Arts............................................... 39 Bachelor of Education................................... 29 Bachelor of Arts..............................................13 Other................................................................ 4 Total................................................................ 85 Other, 5%
First Semester 2016-17 Australia.............................. 5 Canada...............................12
Bachelor of Arts, 15%
China..................................12 Finland................................ 2 Germany............................. 1
Bachelor of Education, 34%
Master of Arts, 46%
Hong Kong.......................... 4 India.................................... 2 Indonesia............................. 7 Japan..................................13
Total Number of Expat Staff in 2016-17........ 85 Administrative Staff.......................................14 Teaching Staff................................................ 64 Full-time Teaching staff................................. 57 Part-time Teaching staff.................................. 7 Residence Life Staff ........................................ 7 National Staff................................................. 57
Korea................................120
600
Singapore...........................12
Netherlands......................... 5 New Zealand....................... 5 Philippines........................... 2
599 565 577 560 577 573 575
South Africa........................ 5 Switzerland......................... 4
Fall 2016
Spring 2016
Fall 2015
Spring 2015
Fall 2014
Spring 2014
Fall 2013
Spring 2013
Thailand.............................. 4 United Kingdom................12 United SWtates................183 Total.........................................599
Semester
2009
0
Fall 2011
100
Nepal................................... 1
Taiwan................................10
300 200
517 532
Fall 2012
400
492 506
Spring 2012
500
Malaysia........................... 178
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</Department>
REPORTS
ADMISSIONS • •
• •
• •
Dalat finished the 2015-16 school year with 582 students enrolled. In June 2016, we said farewell to the largest graduating class of 58 students. Due to the current campus development, the admissions office was able to upgrade during the summer by moving into the renovated former library space. This new office is double the size of the previous admissions office and provides a more private, comfortable setting for visiting families. Another benefit is the glassed-in testing room, which also doubles the size of the previous testing area. Quieter and allowing for direct supervision and assistance for applicants, the new testing area provides a much-improved setting for placement tests. For placement testing, we implemented using iPads with kindergarten and first grade to make the test more accessible for younger students. We enrolled 121 new students for the start of the 2016–17 first semester — a 25 percent increase in new students from the previous year. This brought our enrollment total to 599 — an overall 3 percent increase in growth and another record-high enrollment. Dalat has maintained the diversity of its student body, representing 22 nationalities and welcoming students from a variety of schooling backgrounds. The admissions procedure transitioned to 100 percent online applications; we have also implemented the availability of online remote testing for students applying from other American or international schools outside of Malaysia.
DEVELOPMENT •
Continuing the Legacy Capital Campaign public phase began in January to raise RM1.5 million for new facilities for Dalat students so that Dalat’s legacy can continue. The goal was reached by June, but the campaign continued as the RM1.5 million was just the first step towards raising RM4 million for the complete campus development plan.
•
The CASTLE, a three-story library, counseling, special services, arts and science building, was completed on time and under budget in April. The grand opening of the building took place during the Open House on 26 August with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The building has been dedicated to the Neoh Family who has
19
graciously allowed Dalat to use their next-door property for forty-five years, costfree, for parking and athletics, that keeps our children and community safer and provides facilities that allow our children to exercise. •
The dorm on lower campus began construction in June. The four-story dorm will include three dormitories for Dalat students, dorm parent apartments, and four staff apartments and guest rooms on the lower level. The building is scheduled to be complete in April 2017 and be a home for our dorm students in August 2017.
•
Legacy Campaign 2016 began in August to raise RM500,000 towards the Continuing the Legacy Capital Campaign by December. The Legacy Campaign took the place of the Annual Fund this year and raised funds to continue the campus development plan. Students took part with art projects around campus to leave their own legacy. Parents and the community bought bricks for the project that are displayed outside the Student Center.
FINANCE •
The 2015-16 academic year was memorable for it was the first time in nearly two decades that the school has undertaken a major development project on campus. One of the greatest challenges in any of these projects is finance. Trying to meet additional financial needs on top of our regular needs is not easy. And we have only built our first building.
•
Operationally, student numbers have continued their growth trend with close to a 3 percent growth year-over-year. With a slight adjustment in tuition fees, the school chartered a modest 4.8 percent increase in revenue. However, inflation and other increases in operational costs also brought about a 5.5 percent surge in operational costs which together resulted in a close to 6.5 percent decline in profit as compared to the previous academic year. As anticipated, the steepest increase came in the form of educational expenses (14.7 percent), administrative expenses (21.0 percent), and manpower expenses (5.24 percent).
•
The school recognises the urgent need for a revamp in many of its facilities. As it carries on with its campus development initiatives, we are thankful to all our parents and the rest of the Dalat community for your continuous trust and moral and financial support. From several years ago, the school has implemented gradual but consistent adjustments to its main sources of income, i.e., tuition fee, boarding fee, and building fee — all of which are necessary to ensure that the school is able to accomplish its development plans without having to take on any debts. Even so, close to 95 percent of its revenue is reinvested into its operations to ensure quality education for its children.
20
•
As we step into a new academic year, we continue to pray for a steady and sustained growth in school revenue and that this continues especially during the campus development period. We ask that you pray with us and continue to trust and believe that as a school that adopts a non-profit model, your investments in the Dalat International School would fully benefit your children and the generations of children after them.
SPIRITUAL LIFE •
Missions Emphasis Week (MEW) featured Derek & Pip Smith who are working in Laos. They are involved in every part of the coffee production process in the northern region of Luang Prabang. Their message to the students about missions was “It’s God’s Mission,” incorporating the idea that God does have a plan for us and we can join Him as part of His “puzzle” or one of the members of His family doing His work. They engaged the elementary, middle, and high school students with poignant stories from their lives and God’s Word. Emphasis was given to the life of King David and the lessons we can learn from his passion for the Lord.
•
Spiritual Emphasis Week’s (SEW) speaker was Javier Sanchez. He is a very active speaker and comedian who travels around the U.S. speaking in public high schools. His theme surrounded the concept of our identities — being rooted in who God has made us and not letting our future be dictated by others. Students were challenged by his descriptive and often hilarious stories to set goals for their lives and not settle for mediocrity.
•
Five students were baptized at the Easter Sunrise Service.
•
This school year chapel services are using the “SPARK” theme with the overarching message of asking, “Who Does God Say That I Am” & “What Possibilities Does God Have for My Life If I Commit Myself to Him?”
•
Dalat’s Mentoring Program has been growing with over 30 students meeting with teachers on a regular basis to develop relationships of discipleship.
21
FINE ARTS Dalat students celebrated their God-given creativity in many ways last year: • Art, music, and theatre classes • Quarterly band and choir concerts • High School Band Festival in Bangkok • Middle school/high school choirs at ParkRoyal Hotel Christmas Tree Lighting • Elementary school Christmas concerts • Grade five Christmas presentation at Kawan House • Grades five and six musical • MS Advanced Band appearance at the St. Patrick’s Parade, Straits Quay • AMIS Honor Band in India (MS) and Singapore (HS) • HS fall drama • MS dramas • Southeast Asia Forensics Tournament, ISKL • RLT Players and individual student performances at Penang Performing Arts Center (PenangPAC) • High school readers’ theatre • High school spring drama at Penang Performing Arts Center • Piano recitals • Pep band • Worship music opportunities on and off campus • Fine Arts Festival, PenangPAC: drama, ES/MS/HS concerts, and student artwork display
DISTANCE LEARNING RESOURCE CENTER •
The Distance Learning Resource Center (DLRC) serves about 30 families, including 60 students.
•
26 DLRC students are in after-school activities.
•
Over 3,000 resource volumes are in the DLRC library.
•
DLRC publishes a monthly resource letter (news, articles, curriculum reviews, science experiments, art ideas, writing ideas, etc.) that is archived for easy access.
•
Dalat, through the DLRC, has partnered with a small school for the children of Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) families in Tarakan, Indonesia. The DLRC serves this school with consultation for 10 families and teachers, curriculum development, and annual testing.
22
ONLINE EDUCATION •
Students are enrolled in external online courses offered by the following outside providers: The VHS Collaborative, Sevenstar Academy, Northstar Academy, Florida Virtual School, Fuel Education, University of Nebraska High School, and BC Online School.
•
In 2015-16 32 students enrolled in 26 different external courses with an outside provider.
•
Students took 162 online courses.
•
Online courses provided in-house by Dalat staff of DISCourse include Information and Communication Technology, Health, AP Psychology, Personal Psychology, and Developmental Psychology. Total student enrollment in these courses was 130.
TECHNOLOGY The 2015-16 school year involved a lot of work on the CASTLE building; overseeing renovation of the two high school computer labs; and all the networking, projectors, and Wi-Fi throughout the new building. Digital signage was added to the administration building to improve communication with the community. Other areas of improvement were more behind the scenes: •
A second stable fiber Internet line was secured, continuing to improve Internet access
•
Document storage and organization was improved for teachers
•
A new web portal was created for staff hiring
•
Our backup processes were improved
•
Lightning protection was added for our network
•
DISCourse was upgraded to improve reliability and stability
23
RESIDENCE LIFE •
Dalat’s boarding program provides a caring, supportive “home away from home” for 41 middle and high school students from 10 different countries. We offer three family-style dorms, Jaffray, Jackson, and Ziemer, all conveniently located on campus.
•
New boarding facilities are currently under construction with the anticipated move-in date of August 2017. The new dorm building, called The Lighthouse, will include one floor for each of the three dorms, as well as support staff apartments and guest rooms for visiting parents on the ground floor. Dorm students are looking forward to their new home, which is ideally located on lower campus with a beautiful ocean view for each dorm.
•
The boarding program intentionally facilitates and supports the formal educational curriculum of Dalat as well as focuses on life skills, community living, and spiritual formation in the lives of students. Dorm students enjoy the benefits of living in a safe, nurturing environment under the daily care of professional residence life staff. The staff provide academic support and accountability, make homemade meals and treats, and plan fun outings and activities throughout the year. One highlight is the annual dorm retreat, which allows students to enjoy time away from campus and opportunities to learn about our host country, grow spiritually, and engage in bonding activities. Dorm staff also communicate regularly with parents through sending weekly emails and pictures of dorm students.
•
Student safety is a priority in the residence life program. Boarding staff are carefully screened and also provide ongoing safety training to dorm students. A resident nurse provides medical care and transportation for medical and dental treatment. Students are taught how to report any unsafe situation to Dalat’s Child Safety Team or any other staff member.
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FACILITIES The 2015-16 school year has seen some great changes and additions to the facilities: •
Completion of the CASTLE building allowing for updated library, tech, and classroom facilities.
•
Installation of an HVLS fan in the gymnasium providing quieter, more effective airflow and cooling of the gym.
•
Replacement of the Butterfly Farm at the elementary school with a paved covered sitting area.
•
Commencement of construction of the new dorm building on lower campus below the gym.
•
Renovation of the old high school library to accommodate two classrooms and the admissions office.
•
Varnishing of the entire gymnasium floor to provide continued protection of the floor and an optimal playing surface.
•
Planting of numerous sections of grass with new sod to provide green and welcoming play areas.
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ATHLETICS The Athletics Department offered 11 varsity sports with youth teams down to age 10 and participated in the Asia Christian Schools Conference (ACSC), MSSPP, Penang Schools Athletic Conference (PSAC) as well as tournaments in Kuala Lumpur. •
Boys Soccer – Varsity boys soccer played its ACSC tournament in Manila. The team came in fifth place and finished with a 12-12-1 record.
•
Girls Soccer – Varsity girls soccer played its ACSC tournament in Guam and finished in third place and a record of 12-3-5.
•
Girls Volleyball – Varsity girls volleyball played its ACSC tournament in Taiwan and finished in second place with a record of 14-11.
•
Boys Volleyball – Varsity boys volleyball played its ACSC tournament in Korea and finished in fifth place with a 4-16 record.
•
Boys Basketball – Varsity boys basketball played its ACSC tournament in Hong Kong and finished in fifth place with a 22-7 record.
•
Girls Basketball – Varsity girls basketball hosted the ACSC tournament and finished in second place with a 13-9 record.
•
Track & Field – Students received 16 medals at the zone meet for MSSPP and five state titles.
•
Boys Softball – Varsity boys softball finished second in the MSSPP state.
•
Girls Softball – Varsity girls softball finished second in MSSPP.
•
Athletes of the Year – Joseph Leech, Male Athlete of the Year; and Charlotte Combrink, Female Athlete of the Year.
DALAT ATHLETICS BOOSTER CLUB The Dalat Booster Club is an organization of parents who work to support school sports teams, athletes, and coaches. Its primary duties include fundraising off campus, seeking sponsorships, and providing volunteers for athletic events. In 2015-16, the Booster Club raised RM22,000 and was able to provide: • Sports equipment • Jerseys • Athletic tape and medical equipment • Coaching resources
26
CARE & SHARE •
In 2015-16, Care & Share started out with two major projects: oo A first-ever annual fundraiser dinner/silent auction for Hope Welfare Association in September. Dalat students, along with Mrs. Valeri Brokaw, performed a fantastic concert, and other students came to volunteer. oo Funds were raised for Pastor Lucas in Kulim who runs a home for children and the elderly. One of his buildings was in need of a retainer wall. Care & Share raised the RM10,000 needed to build the wall.
•
As a school, we continued our weekly visits to the Shan Home.
•
This was the fifth year of monthly visits to orang asli (tribal) villages.
•
At Christmas, Dalat high school students brought wrapped toys to the Christmas banquet, and Care & Share provided the toys at a Christmas party for the underprivileged. We also provided saris and sarongs for a nursing home for the elderly and a group of Nepali migrant workers.
•
Care & Share hosted three “Fun Days” for local children. Two were for children’s homes and a third was for an Awana children’s discipling club.
•
In February Care & Share became involved in a center for Indonesian children in Batu Ferringhi.
•
Care & Share occasionally helped needy families with food this past year.
PARENT-TEACHER ORGANIZATION Dalat PTO was led by Sherrie Lai in the 2015-16 school year with a committee of about 22 members. PTO’s accomplishments: •
Weekly caramel and buttered popcorn
•
PTO BBQ (raised RM885)
•
Family Fun Day with lots of games and prizes (raised RM1,927)
•
Annual Silent Auction support
•
Made and sold about 320 Valentine cookie bags (raised RM1,530)
•
Teacher Appreciation Day buffet
•
International Food Fair, more than 10 countries represented (raised RM13,430)
•
Annual Garage Sale
PTO donated RM400 for ES battle of the books button pins, RM10,000 for the Capital Campaign, RM1,500 for boys volleyball uniforms, and RM7,400 for teacher appreciation.
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</Passionate>
LEARNERS
Our ideal is students who... •
enjoy the process and challenge of lifelong learning.
•
strive for challenging personal and shared learning goals while living out a healthy balance between work and leisure.
•
appreciate and learn from different cultures while valuing their own cultural background.
•
express their unique God-given creativity.
Our students will... •
independently read different forms of literature and study topics of personal interest.
•
learn cooperatively with others.
•
use technology and other resources to enhance their learning.
•
identify, value, and express their God-given creativity.
•
learn about Malaysian culture as well as the cultures represented in the school community.
•
set and pursue realistic yet challenging short and long-term goals.
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POWER TO IGNITE
Dalat International School educates children in preschool to grade 12. Located in Penang, Malaysia, Dalat is a leader in international education and provides an â&#x20AC;&#x153;education for lifeâ&#x20AC;? for 599 students from 22 nations. Dalat started as a school for missionary kids in Dalat, Vietnam, 87 years ago in 1929. Since then it relocated to Bangkok, Thailand, for a year before moving to the Cameron Highlands, Malaysia in 1966. The school has been on its current location in Penang since 1971. The school offers an American, university-preparatory, biblical world-view curriculum, and its academic and boarding programs are fully accredited.