The EARCOS Triannual JOURNAL A Link to Educational Excellence in East Asia
FALL 2015
The EARCOS JOURNAL The ET Journal is a triannual publication of the East Asia Regional Council of Schools(EARCOS), a nonprofit 501(C)3, incorporated in the state of Delaware, USA, with a regional office in Manila, Philippines. Membership in EARCOS is open to elementary and secondary schools in East Asia which offer an educational program using English as the primary language of instruction, and to other organizations, institutions, and individuals. Objectives and Purposes * To promote intercultural understanding and international friendship through the activities of member schools. * To broaden the dimensions of education of all schools involved in the Council in the interest of a total program of education. * To advance the professional growth and welfare of individuals belonging to the educational staff of member schools. * To facilitate communication and cooperative action between and among all associated schools. * To cooperate with other organizations and individuals pursuing the same objectives as the Council. EARCOS BOARD OF TRUSTEES Margaret Alvarez, President (ISS International School) Thomas Farrell, Vice President (Kaohsiung American School) Tarek Razik, Treasurer (The International School of Beijing) Stephen Cathers, Secretary (Korea International School) Anna Marsden (International School Suva) Diane Lewthwaite (Fukuoka International School) Norma Hudson (International School of Kuala Lumpur) David Toze (International School Manila) James MacDonald (NIST International School) Stephen Dare (Hong Kong Academy) Office of Overseas Schools REO:
Connie Buford (ex officio)
EARCOS STAFF Executive Director: Assistant Director:
Richard Krajczar Joe Petrone
Vitz Baltero Ver Castro Robert Sonny Viray
Elaine Repatacodo Edzel Drilo Rod Catubig Jr.
Editor: Bill Oldread Associate Editor: Edzel Drilo
Letter from the Executive Director Dear Colleagues: I wish everyone the very best for the 2015-16 school year! A special welcome to 28 new heads of school and principals. See page 4-6 for all the names and schools. In addition to new leaders, we have five new member schools for a total of 149. We now have over 115,000 students, and over 14,000 teachers and administrators! As we grow, we are still committed to providing the best quality professional development and support for the educators in our region. We are pleased to announce that Joe Petrone has recently joined our EARCOS team. Joe worked at Jakarta International (Intercultural) School for 12 years before returning to his home in the USA, where he has worked for the last 10 years. We are so happy to have him back in the region. Bill Oldread will continue with EARCOS for one year virtually. Bill, Joe, and the rest of our wonderful staff here in the office are the best. The 2015 EARCOS Leadership Conference (ELC) is scheduled for October 29 - 31 at the Shangri La Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand. We have an excellent group of presenters, and it should be an outstanding conference with keynoters Loung Ung and Catherine Steiner Adair, and we will repeat Leadership Stories by our own leaders of EARCOS schools. We will also have a host of special presenters and EARCOS leaders offering practical, hands-on workshops. Please review the EARCOS-sponsored events on the last page of this magazine. It is a full year of activities, with 55 weekend workshops (largest number to date.) Last year, our weekend workshops were attended by nearly 1,500 teachers. These are truly some of the best and most cost-effective professional learning experiences available.Thanks to our small, medium, and large schools who will host these events this year. GREAT news is that Neil and Ferdi have been released on August 14th! The court overturned the earlier guilty verdict! More good news is that the civil court threw out the case against JIS. This was a 125 million dollar case. Tim Carr, his team, and the entire community are to be commended for their loyalty and tenacity throughout this past year. GREAT leadereship, support and prayers pervailed! We will now support the release of the custodians who have also been jailed for over a year. nhennessy@jisedu.or.id I look forward to seeing many of you in Bangkok and wish you all the best for a most successful and rewarding school year. We hope you enjoy our EARCOS Journal. Please remember that it is our mission to help you in your task of school leadership. Keep in touch with Bill Oldread’s E-Connect and the EARCOS community on Google Plus.
Dick Krajczar Executive Director Check out our updated website at www.earcos.org and read our E-Connect blog at earcos-connect.tumblr.com
East Asia Regional Council of Schools Brentville Subdivision, Barangay Mamplasan BiĂąan, Laguna, 4024, Philippines PHONE: 63-02-697-9170 FAX: 63-49-511-4694 WEBSITE: www.earcos.org (L-R) Rodrigo Catubig, Edzel Drilo, Elaine Repatacodo, Dick Krajczar, Joe Petrone, Vitz Baltero, Robert Viray, and Ver Castro.
In this Issue 2
4
contents
46th Annual Leadership Conference 2015 Theme: “Think Globally, Learn Locally” 14th Annual Teachers’ Conference 2016 (see page 11)
Welcome New EARCOS members - New Heads - New High School Principals - Middle School Principals - Elementary School Principals - New Associate Institutions - New Individual member
8
Global Citizenship Awardees
9
Global Citizenship Community Grant
10
Faces of EARCOS
14
Curriculum - The Next Frontier in Bangalore: So that All can realize their Dreams - Driving Innovation through Large Scale Enquiry - Is Your School Ready for a Mother Tongue Programme? - Prem Tinsulanonda International School: Grade 5 Exhibition
20
Green & Sustainable - Why UNIS Hanoi performed a sustainable schools operational audit - Sustainable, Student Farming on the Brent International School Baguio
23
Community Service - Cebu International School: Kids for Kids; Children Helping Children - Habitat for Humanity Youth-Build
25
Action Research - Preventing Unintentional Plagiarism Among ESOL Students - Student interaction: Looking beneath the surface
28
Press Release - Mongolian Language Celebration of International School Ulaanbaatar - APAC Celebrating 21 Years - Students Explore the Universe with Joanna Nichols Visiting Scholar Dr. David Spergel
32
Campus Development - Award Winning Facilities at Alice Smith School
Inside Back Cover page: On the Road with Dr. K
Outside Back Cover Page: Approved Weekend Workshops for SY 2015-2016
Approved Weekend Workshops SY 2015-2016
One of the services EARCOS provides to its member schools throughout the year is the sponsorship of two-day workshops and institutes for faculty and administration. The topics for these workshops are determined according to the needs of members. Workshops are hosted by EARCOS schools.
The EARCOS Action Research Grant
In an ongoing effort to implement the EARCOS Strategic Plan, specifically Strategy E, to conduct, communicate, and archive relevant data and research to identify and enhance exceptional educational practices, grants will be made available to encourage our teachers, administrators, and professional staff to conduct action research to improve educational practices for the purpose of enhancing student learning. Action research is a reflective process, conducted in the school setting, to solve a real problem, or to improve and enhance the instructional process.This research may be undertaken by an individual, or by several people collaboratively. It is our belief that the results of such research will impact not only the researchers’ practices but also those of others with whom they share their findings.To that end, grantees will be expected to publish their findings, which will be made available to all EARCOS mem-bers on the website. Some researchers may elect to present their work at a subsequent ETC, ELC, or publish it in the EARCOS Journal. Please visit the EARCOS website for more information. www.earcos.org
Contribute to the ET Journal
If you have something going on at your school in any of the following categories that you would like to see highlighted in the Summer issue please send it along to us: Faces of EARCOS - Promotions, retirements, honors, etc. Service Learning Campus Development - New building plans, under construction, just completed projects. Curriculum - New and exciting curriculum adoptions. Green and Sustainable - Related to campus development or to curriculum efforts. Student Art - We showcase outstanding student art in each edition. Press Releases Thank you for your help in allowing us to highlight the great things that are going on in EARCOS schools.
Front cover photo: Thai Trinket
Fall 2015 Fall 2015 Issue 1
EARCOS LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE 2015 OCTOBER 29-31, 2015 Bangkok, Thailand
“Think Globally, Learn Locally.� The East Asia Regional Council of Schools is excited to invite you and your administrative staff as delegates at the 45th annual EARCOS Leadership Conference (ELC2015) in Shangri-La Bangkok,Thailand, scheduled for October 29-31, 2015. We have a host of excellent keynote speakers and workshop presenters. Our keynoters are: Catherine Steiner-Adair and Loung Ung. We think the conference will prove to be professionally stimulating and will provide you with an opportunity for networking and building camaraderie.
EARCOS LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE 2015
EARCOS MEMBER PRESENTATIONS
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS LOUNG UNG - Her work is frequently taught in high schools and universities worldwide. In 2013 Loung became one of the writers of ‘Girl Rising’, a groundbreaking film that tells the stories of nine girls from developing countries. Sponsored by International School Services DR. CATHERINE STEINER-ADAIR - She’s an internationally recognized clinical psychologist, school consultant, and speaker. Sponsored by TAYLOR’S SCHOOLS LEADERSHIP STORIES Rami Madani (ISKL) and more to be announced
Preconferences Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Marc Frankel, Leadership Through Partnership(LTP) Paul O’Neill, Curriculum Coordinator Precon. IB PRECON, (2 day workshop)
Wednesday, October 28, 2015 Harvey Alvy Mike Connor Alec Couros Marc Frankel Chris Gould Chris Jansen
John Littleford Ken O’Connor Douglas Ota Ann Straub James Stronge James Warnock
SPECIAL PRESENTERS Harvey Alvy Chris Betcher Mike Connor Alec Couros Marc Frankel Chris Gould Jim Hulbert Jane Hyun Chris Jansen Mike Johnston Pearl Kane Laura Lipton
Stephane Allagnon Margaret Alvarez Chip Barder Kathie Bergsma Glenn Madeleine Brookes / Melanie Vbra John Burns Tim Carr / Phil Johnson / Steve Druggan / Michael Nachbar Ashley Cornfoot Casey Cosgray Stephen Dare / Jennifer Swinehart Andrew Davies / Lori Boll / Cindy Wagner Dobrowski / Diana Drumond Paul DeMinico Maxine Driscoll Chris Edwards Randal Eplin Thomas Farrell / Victor Boulanger / Yu-Lin Chen Louise Favaro Deidre Fischer / Karen O’Connell Krysten Fort-Catanese Richard Gaskell Marilyn George Aimee Gruber Carlene Hamley / Mark McElroy James Hatch Scott Hayden Sasha Heckmann / Christine Doleman / Kate McKenna Clay Hensley Michael Hirsch
Chip Kimball / Tim Stuart Robert Landau Barclay Lelievre / Tina Santilli Kathy Limmer Heather Linhardt David Lovelin Rami Madani / Dave Neudorf Anna Marsden Deron Marvin Vjaceslavs Matvejevs / Kevin Schooling Laurie McLellan / Kasson Bratton Catriona Moran / Tara Simeonidis / Michelle Hiteman Ben Morgan / Nancy Fairburn / Elizabeth Bray Marijana Munro / Cushla Jones Siebert (Seppie) Myburgh David Neudorf Hieu Nguyen / Robert Hughes Shannon O’Dwyer Paul O’Neill / ASIJ Leadership Team Brett Penny Angela Reilly / Cheryl Palamarek Stacy Stephens / Tarek Razik / Mark Hardeman Susan Walter Jill Watson Deb Welch Tim Walsh Jennifer Weyburn Julian Whiteley Corey Willey Paul Wood
ATHLETIC DIRECTORS INSTITUTE John Littleford Ken O’Connor Douglas Ota Martin Skelton Jennifer Sparrow Catherine Steiner-Adair Sheri Stice Ann Straub James Stronge Loung Ung Bernadette Van Houten James Warnock
Presentations NIAA Workshops – Ms. Sheri Stice 1. LTC 608, Management Strategies and Organization Techniques 2. LTC 703, Student Centered Educational Athletics Performance Beyond the X’s & O’s 3. LTC 707, Assessment of Interscholastic Athletic Programs and Personnel AD Presented Workshops 1. Leadership – Dr. Chris Jansen 2. Certified Athletic Trainers in international schools – Mr. Martin Halpin 3. Coaching; the learning and opportunities – Mr. Ken Su 4. Athletic Directors’ Job-a-like - Derrick Quinet 5. Sim Cook visit www.earcos.org/elc2015/
New Members SY 2015-2016
Welcome New Heads >>
Aoba-Japan International School Bandung Alliance Intercultural School Bandung Independent School Beijing City International School Berkeley International School Canadian Academy Christian Academy in Japan Daegu International School Ekamai International School Faith Academy, Inc. Hong Kong International School Hsinchu International School Intercommunity School of Bogor International Christian School - Hong Kong International Christian School - Pyongtaek International School Ho Chi Minh City Ipoh International School ISE International School Kyoto International School Northbridge International School Cambodia Oberoi International School Raffles American School Ruamrudee International School Seisen International School Shenzhen College of International Education Vientiane International School
Ken Sell, Head of School Karl Nielsen, Director Mark Brookes, Head of School Ted Sharp, Head of School Lisa Johnson, Headmaster Jonathan D. Schatzky, Headmaster Tom Norton, Head of School Gary Odom, Head of School Rajdeep Takeuchi, Director Stephen Taylor, Head of School Alan Runge, Head of School Rowena Lines, Head of School Jim Anderson, Head of School Jerry Buckner, Head of School Robert Newman, Director Adrian Watts, Headmaster Howard Bullock, Campus Principal Heather Naro, Superintendent Adam McGuigan, Head of school Sarah Jane Osborne, Principal Neil McWilliam, Head of School Rob Mockrish, Superintendent Shalee Cunningham, Head of School Colette Rogers, School Head Joe Greenwood, Principal Jane McGee, Director
Welcome New High School Principals >> American Pacific International School Bandung Alliance Intercultural School Beijing City International School Busan International Foreign School Cebu International School Dalian American International School Ekamai International School Faith Academy, Inc. Global Jaya School Hong Kong Academy Hsinchu International School International Community School - Bangkok International School of Beijing International School of Brunei International School of Kuala Lumpur Ipoh International School ISE International School ISS International School Kunming International Academy Mont’Kiara International School Oberoi International School Ruamrudee International School Saigon South International School Seoul Foreign School Seoul International School Shanghai Community Int’l School - Hangzhou Int’l School Shenzhen College of International Education St. Mary’s International School Stamford American International School Tianjin International School Xiamen International School Yangon International School 4 EARCOS Triannual Journal
Iva Scott Rebecca Palisuri Colleen Drisner Jamie Robb Theodore Mockrish Rachel Keys Harold Dawat Tosca Nathan Nicolas Puga Leanne Dunlap Arturo T. Meneses Luc Lemley David Munro Richard Sellers Jeff Farrington Neil David Page Doug Musco Nicki Zulu Randy Lounds Randal Neen Davi Sanchez Netto Dan Smith Jacob Hendrickson Stuart Kent Jim Gerhard Barclay Lelievre Auret Van Zyl Simon Faulkner Stephen Dexter Kim McElroy Peter Burnside Jeff Johanson
Cambridge IGCSE gives our students a head start for the next stage of education. NG ENG CHIN, PRINCIPAL, STB-ACS (INTERNATIONAL) JAKARTA
Cambridge IGCSE is our most widely taken qualification in the world. Our learners choose from over 70 subjects, in any combination, acquiring knowledge and understanding as well as skills in creative thinking, enquiry and problem solving. Cambridge International Examinations prepares school students for life, helping them develop an informed curiosity and a lasting passion for learning. We are part of Cambridge Assessment, a department of the University of Cambridge.
Find out more about Cambridge IGCSE at www.cambridgeigcse.org.uk
facebook.com/cie.org.uk
EARCOS ad Apr15.indd 1
14/04/2015 15:14
New Members SY 2015-2016
Welcome New Middle School Principals >> Access International Academy Ningbo American International School of Guangzhou American Pacific International School Bandung Alliance Intercultural School Busan International Foreign School Cebu International School Dalian American International School Ekamai International School Global Jaya School Hong Kong Academy Hsinchu International School International School Bangkok International School Manila International School of Beijing Ipoh International School ISE International School Korea International School-JeJu Campus Kunming International Academy Mont’Kiara International School Nishimachi International School Singapore American School Stamford American International School Thai-Chinese (American) International School Xiamen International School Yangon International School
Aunita Brown Rick Bunnell Iva Scott Rebecca Palisuri Nathan Swenson Theodore Mockrish Rachel Keys Kittiya Kootanasan Andy Dougharty Warren Needham Arturo T. Meneses Dennis Harter Rachel Harrington Jon Hill David Key Doug Musco Carl Brenneman Randy Lounds Randal Neen Terry Christian Lauren Mehrbach Stephen Dexter Geralad E. Schoen Peter Burnside Jeff Johanson
Welcome New Elementary School Principals >> Access International Academy Ningbo American Pacific International School American School in Japan, The Bali Island School, formerly Bali International School Bandung Alliance Intercultural School Beijing International Bilingual Academy Canadian Academy Cebu International School Christian Academy in Japan Dalat International School Faith Academy, Inc. Fukuoka International School Garden International School Global Jaya School Hong Kong International School Hsinchu International School International School of Qingdao International School of Ulaanbaatar Kaohsiung American School Korea International School-JeJu Campus Mont’Kiara International School Mt. Zaagkam School Nishimachi International School Osaka International School QSI International School of Shekou Raffles American School Shanghai Community Int’l School - Hangzhou Int’l School Thai-Chinese (American) International School 6 EARCOS Triannual Journal
Elizabeth Taylor Stacey Gailey Marc L’Heureux Alan Lorenzini Charity LaMertha Larry Leaven Heikki Soini Cynthia Sicilia Jacquie Willson Shantel Seevaratnam Karen Spain Brian Freeman Ashley Cornfoot (Acting) Sarah Verdaguer Jennifer Delashmutt Rowena Lines Steve Perkins Maree Raeburn Carmen Peters Jim French Tom Spence James Crawford Erin Melcher Carolyne Marshall Susan Friend Jonathan Condo Kevin Haggith Ms. Hannah Hartman
New Members SY 2015-2016
Tokyo International School Christopher Frost UIS, Guangzhou Joan Philp United Nations International School of Hanoi Megan Brazil Vientiane International School Glenn Lawler Yangon International School Mrs. Deanne Emond Yongsan International School of Seoul Sara Willetz
Welcome New Associate Institutions >> ExploreLearning Service Offered: Online math and science supplemental products for K-12 Hill & Associates Ltd. Service Offered: Risk consulting services
Bus Run Pte Ltd Service Offered: Software Supplier CrisisGo Service Offered: Crisis Management Software and App. BATGER FURNITURE Service Offered: Educational Furniture
Responsive Classroom / Center for Responsive Schools, Inc. Service Offered: Professional development for K-8 educators
Autex Industries Ltd Service Offered: Acoustic solutions
EdTechTeam Service Offered: Educational Consulting and Training iSAMS Service Offered: Management Information System (MIS) provider
Forward Motion Edu, LLC Service Offered: Educational Technology, Platforms, Content and Problem Solving Solutions
EduTect Service Offered: Unit Planner is a comprehensive, integrated curriculum planning, mapping and reporting tool based on the UbDÂŽ framework.
VPJ Solutions Ltd Service Offered: Consolidators of Educational Supplies to International Schools
JLT Lixin Insurance Brokers Co., Limited Service Offered: Insurance and reinsurance broker, risk management consulting
Cigna & CMB Life Insurance Company Limited Service Offered: Insurance Synergetic Management Systems Service Offered: School Management System
21st Century Learning International Limited Service Offered: Conferences, seminars and workshop facilitators
International Insurance Solutions Service Offered: Insurance
BridgeU Service Offered: Univeristy preparation cloud-based platform Hawaii Association of Independent Schools Service Offered: Independent school membership organization serving schools in Hawaii
Welcome
New Individual Member >> Hanson Yeung
We are proud to announce that EARCOS will be sponsoring one student of the Children of Haiti Project (COHP) in honor of Bambi Betts, Connie Buford, Elsa Lamb, and Roger Hove. In their recognition and support to EARCOS and international school community. Fall 2015 Issue 7
Global Citizenship Awardees
Global Citizenship Awardees >> List of Global Citizenship Award 2015 Winners
This award is presented to a student who embraces the qualities of a global citizen. This student is a proud representative of his/her nation while respectful of the diversity of other nations, has an open mind, is well informed, aware and empathetic, concerned and caring for others encouraging a sense of community, and strongly committed to engagement and action to make the world a better place. Finally, this student is able to interact and communicate effectively with people from all walks of life while having a sense of collective responsibility for all who inhabit the globe. SCHOOL
NAME OF STUDENT
American International School Hong Kong American International School of Guangzhou American School in Japan, The Bali International School Bandung Alliance Intercultural School Bandung Independent School Bangalore International School Bangkok Patana School Beijing City International School Brent International School Baguio Brent International School Manila Busan Foreign School Busan International Foreign School Canadian Academy Canadian International School of Hong Kong Cebu International School Chadwick International School Chatsworth International School Chinese International School, Hong Kong Christian Academy in Japan Concordia International School Daegu International School Dalat International School Dominican International School, Taipei Faith Academy Garden International School Global Jaya School Grace International School Gyeonggi Suwon International School Hangzhou International School Hong Kong Academy Hong Kong International School International Christian School of Hong Kong International School Bangkok International School Manila International School of Beijing, The International School of Phnom Penh International School of Qingdao (MTI) International School of Tianjin International School of Ulaanbaatar International School, Ho Chi Minh City ISE International School ISS International School Jakarta Intercultural School Kaohsiung American School Korea International School - Jeju Campus Kunming International Academy Lanna International School Thailand Marist Brothers International School Mont’Kiara International School
Nadia Simone Kovari So Yun Chang Milla Shin Sarah De Ruyter Nael Park Da He Lee Giorgia Valenti Chaninda Dejsupa Yuanna Yao Kim, Yoo Bin Ho Jong (Arthur) Kang Jeong Min Park Lovely Binger Nozomi Shirakawa Brenna Williams Reona Ido Noah Jang Gabriela Rodrigues Da Silva Cordelia Lam Rebecca Mutenda Shanghai Karis Tai Pawan Mansukhani Sunny Kim Kevin Lin Isaac (Ike) Parshall Henrietta Teh Anindita Hapsari (Nindi) Yena Song Seungjun Lee Vanessa Rimmer Megan Graff Jon Forrest Holcombe Wong Chau Fung (Jeffrey) Siri Asdathorn Anna Bernice Delos Reyes Alexander Gong Ragina Hong Ho Young Jimmy Kim Da Hee Kang Enkhzaya Mendsaikhan Capucine Moreau Analeah Shurtleff Masaki Takehara Tian Yeu (Tiffany) Lee Meg Shieh Tony (Seong Hyun) Yoon Hannah Kang Megumi Kimura Sarina Rose Yasumoto Tasnim Syakirah Shahridan Faiez
8 EARCOS Triannual Journal
Global Citizenship Awardees
Morrison Academy Kevin Huang Nagoya International School Nyasha Grecu Nanjing International School Suraj Sorab NIST International School Adele Birkenes Northbridge International School Cambodia Orn Chhee Cheng Oberoi International School Vasundhra Aggarwal Osaka International School Masae Yamanaka Prem Tinsulanonda International School Qixiu Fu QSI International School of Shenzhen Stephen Olinger Saigon South International School Binh Tat Saint Maur International School Hinako Fujiwara Seisen International School Miyu Niwa Seoul Foreign School Emily Larsen Seoul International School Yanis Park Shanghai American School - Pudong Campus Eri Kato Shanghai American School - Puxi Campus Victor Zhen Yu Yao Shanghai Community Int’l School-Hongqiao Campus Florian Wong Shanghai Community Int’l School-Pudong Campus Mahima Gill Singapore American School Vibhav Jagwani Stamford American International School Emile Batchelder-Schwab Surabaya Intercultural School Steven Singorahardjo Taejon Christian International School Na Yun Kim Taipei American School Timothy Shu The International School of Kuala Lumpur Safa Arshadullah Tianjin International School Eun Chan Park United Nations International School of Hanoi Chi Hyun Ryu United World College of South East Asia - Dover Campus Fabio Da Silva Soares United World College of South East Asia - East Campus Napat Tephabutr Utahloy International School Guangzhou Nathalia Maria Veit Vientiane International School Vanisa Vongphanakhone Western Academy of Beijing Helena Zeng Wuhan Yangtze International School Jason Mittler Yokohama International School Mohima Kundu
Global Citizenship Community Grant >> All of us here at EARCOS wish to extend our sincere congratulations to the following Global Citizens who have been chosen to receive an EARCOS Global Citizen Community Service Grant of $500 to further their excellent community work during this upcoming academic year. The recipients are: Ho Jong “Arthur“ Kang Brent International School, Manila Emily Larsen Seoul Foreign School Karis Tai Concordia International School Shanghai Capucine Moreau International School Ho Chi Minh City Nadia Kovari American International School Hong Kong Suraj Sorab Nanjing International School Enkhzaya Mendsaikhan International School Ulaanbaatar
Fall 2015 Issue 9
FACES OF EARCOS
Faces of EARCOS
New EARCOS Assistant Director It is my pleasure to introduce Joe Petrone our new EARCOS Assistant Director. Joe will be taking over from Bill Oldread who will be part time for the next year during the office transition. It is big welcome back as Joe lived and worked in Jakarta for 12 years at Jakarta I.S. He contributed to EARCOS multiple ways during his time at JIS. We will have a great year with Bill and Joe helping us continue to expand services for our membership. Welcome Joe and thanks to Bill Oldread. Joe Petrone began his education career in Illinois classrooms after earning an MS Ed at Illinois State University, which followed classroom-teaching experiences in elementary and high school. He then served as Executive Director for a Board of Cooperative Educational Services, Special Education Director and Middle School Principal in Wyoming public schools before completing a PhD at Iowa State University (ISU) in Educational Leadership. The ISU experience afforded him an opportunity to consult with schools in Iowa, Wisconsin and Connecticut as research associate for the School Improvement Model Projects. Dr. Petrone continued his administrative career, as Human Resource Director and Assistant Superintendent, in Colorado and Wyoming, respectively, before accepting career and life changing leadership positions with Jakarta International School (JIS). At JIS he served, first as Curriculum Coordinator, and then Elementary School Principal, for a total of twelve years. Joe assisted in the recruitment of classroom teachers at fairs in Southeast Asia, Australasia and Europe. He also worked as accreditation consultant in East Asia and Australasia for the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and Council of International Schools. Dr. Petrone was one of the inaugural members of the East Asia Council of Overseas Schools Conference Advisory Committee and member of the organizing committee, which ultimately recommended consolidation of several sub-regional educator conferences into what is now known as EARCOS Teacher Conference (ETC).
After repatriating and with an aim toward a new challenge, Joe accepted a position with an energy consortium in the natural gas fields of Wyoming, where he contributed to one of its companies as Plant Operator and Process Safety Coordinator. After gaining relevant experiences and valuable insights into the workings of a global industry, he accepted a multiyear appointment in Colorado, where he eventually served students, parents and educators for five years as superintendent. Dr. Petrone’s most recent appointment was Dean of the School of Professional Studies for Colorado State University – Global Campus, where he led teams in the development and renewal of online curriculum for a wide range of courses in seven program areas. Also, he teamed with veteran school leader-practitioners in the development of online principal and assistant principal certification options and established an online Colorado licensure program for science and math teachers. ***
Dick Krajczar welcomes Dr. Joe Petrone as new EARCOS Assistant Director.
New EARCOS Board
EARCOS Grant
Stephen Dare is the Head of School at Hong Kong Academy. He earned his undergraduate degree in Education from Nottingham Trent University in the United Kingdom and his Masters in International Education and Administration from Oxford Brookes University. After starting his career as a preschool teacher in Southeast England, Stephen worked as an administrator in international schools in North and South America as well as in Southeast Asia.
Congratulations to Sierra McDonald Simmerman from Bali Island School, formerly Bali International School for receiving a one time $2,000 scholarship grant from EARCOS for her Universoty studies. The EARCOS board approved this proposal on April 23, 2015. She is a wonderful young woman and we wish her the best in her future pursuits.
He has been a co-trainer for the Principals’ Training Center Summer Institutes for Curriculum and Leadership and for Leadership and Team Dynamics and is currently in the process of becoming a Cognitive Coaching trainer. Stephen has presented on aspects of coaching and the role of coaching in building institutional trust at schools and conferences in Hong Kong and the Asia-Pacific region. This year, he will be starting his doctoral studies on how schools can build cultures of trust through professional development and what role student voice has in this process. He is the Treasurer of the Association of China and Mongolia International Schools (ACAMIS) Board and sits on the East Asia Regional Council of Overseas Schools (EARCOS) Board and the Next Frontier Inclusion and Common Ground Collaborative Advisory Boards. 10 EARCOS Triannual Journal
* * * * *
We are glad to announced that EARCOS donates P20,000 for Geek Squad Project for refurbished computers for Philippine Elementary School with little I.T. capability. Blaine Atkins received the check from Dick Krajczar, EARCOS Executive Director.
14th EARCOS
Teachers’ Conference 2016 We are pleased to announce the 14th annual EARCOS Teachers’ Conference (ETC2016) in International School Manila, Philippines scheduled for March 31 - April 2, 2016. Theme: “Innovating Arts and Motion.” We have a host of excellent keynote speakers and workshop presenters. Our keynoters are: JEAN BLAYDES MOIZE, MARK JENKINS and DOUG GOODKIN. We think the conference will prove to be professionally stimulating and will provide you with an opportunity for networking and building camaraderie.
STRAND Physical Education Visual Arts Performing Arts: - Choral Music - Dance - Drama - Strings - Band Design Technology Counseling Technology General Education Topics
PRE-CONFERENCE TOPIC
Alec Couros Technology Melissa Cox AP Music Theory Marilyn George Accreditation David Gleason Counseling Kristi Mally Physical Education Barbara Sunday AP Studio Art Ted/Carolyn Temertzoglou Physical Education
SPECIAL PRESENTERS
Christopher Bill Band Jean Blaydes Moize Physical Education Peter Boonshaft Band Ashley Casey Physical Education Alec Couros Technology Robert Gillespie Strings David Gleason Counseling Terry Goetz Dance Doug Goodkin Music, Orff Jennifer Hartley Drama Dinah Helgeson Choral Mark Hill Drama Kevin Honeycutt Art and Technology Mark Jenkins Photo, Adventure Kristi Mally Physical Education Breen O’Reilly Film Joan Pipkin Strings Brian Russell Design Technology Ted/Carolyn Temertzoglou Physical Education
If you have any questions, please contact the EARCOS office or email Elaine Repatacodo, ETC Coordinator at lrepatacodo@earcos.org www.earcos.org/etc2016/
FACES OF EARCOS
Faces of EARCOS
There and back again: Bob Gross back as superintendent By Spenser Bickett, spenser.bickett@brainerddispatch.com When it comes to key matters for the district, Gross said he doesn’t think people will notice a difference. He still views education as a “human business,” one reliant on getting the right people in the classrooms to teach the students.
Brainerd Public Schools interim superintendent Bob Gross. Former EARCOS Board Member. An appropriate nickname for Bob Gross might be “Boomerang,” because after working for Brainerd Public Schools for 31 years, he left, only to return once more. On July 1, Gross took over as interim superintendent in a position that feels familiar and different at the same time. “It can seem like this is not the place I left,” Gross said. “But that’s an understanding I really tried to reconcile with myself.” Gross said the saying you can’t put your foot in the same river twice is true, but at the same time, you know which way the river’s flowing. “In that sense, I feel like the new kid on the block,” Gross said. “And yet, there are so many things that are so very familiar.” Gross served as superintendent of the district from 1981 to 1999, and when he left, Forestview Middle School wasn’t built yet. District offices were in the Brainerd High School south campus building and Washington and Franklin elementary schools were middle schools. When he looks at the staff directory, about 80 percent of the names he sees weren’t there when he left. “But in terms of knowing something about programs,” Gross said. “So much of that is very familiar territory.” Gross has experienced a lot since he left the district, but his roots as a self-described “farm boy” haven’t changed. He still looks at issues through common sense, with decency and a respect for others, regardless of their position. “That hasn’t changed one bit,” Gross said. “I place such high value on just treating people decently and having high expectations of them.” 12 EARCOS Triannual Journal
Working as superintendent at the Singapore American School in Singapore has given Gross a different, more worldly perspective on life. In Singapore, he said there’s a reverence for education and teachers that’s lacking in the United States. Teachers, parents, media and the culture at large in Singapore places a high importance on education. “Being in a society that just views that so differently,” Gross said, “it was such a great experience just to see the impact that that has on people.” The world is becoming more interconnected, and students need to develop a global perspective in order to keep up, Gross said. Students should understand the interdependence in the world today, in order to become a “global citizenry.” Being away from the United States for a period of time also made Gross miss certain things he took for granted before he left. “How much you learn to love your own country more when you leave,” Gross said. “This ‘distance makes the heart grow fonder’ kind of thing.” Gross spoke at the local rotary club Wednesday morning, and while saying the Pledge of Allegiance before the talk, he realized the pledge has more meaning now. “There’s just so many things that we do here that we take for granted that are so very special,” Gross said. Gross comes into the fold after former superintendent Klint Willert took the superintendent position for the Brookings School District in South Dakota. He said he was aware of Willert’s intent to leave, thanks to weekly visits to the Brainerd Dispatch’s website. When Gross heard the district was searching for an interim superintendent, he thought any one of a number of retired superintendents in Minnesota would fill the role. Humbly, he didn’t think of himself, thinking his age might be a detriment. “They may think, ‘Well, maybe he’s too old for an assignment like this,’ ” Gross said. Gross has stayed fit over the years, and remains
energetic at 72 years old. “I’ve got the energy, I always say, of a 55-year-old,” Gross said. After being prompted by a phone call, he applied for the position following some self-evaluation. His experience in the district would give Gross an advantage coming in as an interim. “When you’re just here for a year, and if you’re going to make a difference, it’s really helpful to know the district,” Gross said. One of Gross’s goals for his time as interim is to work with the school board and Steve Lund, director of business services, to get a better handle on the district’s finances. “Are there things we can do to mitigate annual concerns regarding finance?” Gross said. “When you’re working in the public sector, that’s always a major challenge.” Outside of that, most of Gross’s outlook is based on instilling confidence in the district and moving existing initiatives forward. “(To) reassure staff that things are going to be just fine,” Gross said. “This is the third superintendent they’ve seen in three years.” Gross also isn’t interested in starting new initiatives during his tenure, as there’s always “enough initiatives going at the schools anyway.” Rather, he wants to work on current initiatives and see them move forward. “It would be wrong for me, I think, to start new initiatives not knowing what the next superintendent would say,” Gross said. “I don’t think that that’s what’s needed right now.” At the same time, there’s going to be a strong temptation to put in new things, a temptation Gross will need to fight. He also doesn’t see himself as an “interim,” which might conjure up images of a caretaker. “We need to have the confidence there’s going to be stability,” Gross said. “I want people to take a look at this, that I’m here to do work.” A current district push to evaluate how to use technology in the classroom is a familiar topic for Gross. Since he left Brainerd, he’s been a part of organizations using a 1-to-1 student-to-device ratio in classrooms.
“At the same time, I think I can bring some perspective to that, because technology can be such a black hole,” Gross said. “You can just dump so much money into that.” If a district invests in technology, it needs to make sure teachers are well trained with it, and the technology is used to raise the achievement level.
If it takes the district more than a year to find a permanent superintendent, Gross said he’d be open to talking to the school board about staying on a little longer. But with so much time to conduct a search, he’d be “surprised” if the district didn’t find someone.
“We’ve just spent a lot of money and sometimes put a lot of fancy equipment in front of kids just for note-taking,” Gross said.
“Brainerd is a regional center in the state, and it’s an attractive place to work and live,” Gross said. “So I would be very surprised if they weren’t able to identify someone that’s very capable to come here.”
Technology is the way of the world though, and students today need to excel at using technology if they want to succeed, Gross said.
With a year to conduct a job search, the district has the “opportunity to attract the best in the state and the country, for that matter,” Gross said.
You can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but thanks to his experience, Gross said he could probably pull off an impressive one. “With the exception of Forestview, I could probably walk these buildings blindfolded.” Source: http://www.brainerddispatch.com/ news/3778954-there-and-back-again-bob-grossback-superintendent
Institute on Higher Education Admission & Guidance
October 2-3, 2015 | Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand
The two days of workshops, university and school fairs, small group discussions, and networking, will provide opportunities to engage in meaningful dialogue with university admission and guidance colleagues and develop successfully collaborative relationships. More than 120 school counselors and more than 100 higher education institutions are registered.
Fall 2015 Issue 13
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The Next Frontier in Bangalore: So that All can realize their Dreams
By Bill and Ochan Powell The NFI Design Team visits between thirty and thirty-five international schools in the course of an academic year and we often find ourselves involved in conversations about the inclusion of children and young adults with learning challenges. We are indeed gratified that more and more international schools are embracing this challenge. School membership in the Next Frontier Inclusion is over the one hundred mark and the NFI Conversations have become so popular that we have had to schedule more of them in more regions of the world. This is the good news. The less good news is that on occasion we still hear the same tired excuses from school leaders as to why a journey towards greater inclusion won’t work at their particular school. Generally these excuses fall into several categories: resources, community approval, and professional capacity. We hear that there aren’t the resources in the community to support students with special needs. We hear that the parent community just isn’t ready for the change. We hear that the teachers would be overwhelmed. We would like to introduce you to Bangalore International School. If you have never visited BIS, you really should try to drop in. It is a very remarkable school – a school that regularly sends its graduates to the most prestigious universities on the planet and at the same time works with mild, moderate and intensive needs students so that they too, may achieve their dreams. BIS certainly doesn’t have the largest school budget or the flashiest facilities, but it does have a robust inclusive vision of education that is truly inspiring! Most recently Bangalore International School was the venue for an NFI Professional Conversation. Over 90 participants (school leaders, special educators, and teachers) representing 32 schools gathered for two and a half days of presentations, class visits, workshops and conversations. Topics included: “Name that Fear” (the fears and apprehensions associated with inclusion), 14 EARCOS Triannual Journal
“Establishing a Common Language”, “Effective Child Study Team meetings”, and the pros and cons of different service delivery models. In addition, there were two panel discussions: one composed of parents of students with special needs and the second composed of the students themselves. The message from the parents was one of enormous appreciation and gratitude. Several of the parents spoke of the arduous test of having their child rejected at one school after another or of having two sibling accepted for admission and the one child with the learning difference rejected. When asked what advice these parents had for other parents, the single word of advice was “acceptance”. When parents and schools accept that disabilities are a real feature of a school population, we can begin an honest conversation about the proverbial elephant in the room. The student panel was no less poignant. Composed of students with intensive needs, we learned about how they employed their strengths when faced with challenges. We learned from them the characteristics of teachers who were most likely to increase their commitment to learn. We learned from them how the school had helped them to self-advocate. And finally we learned what dreams they had for themselves. One wanted to be a wildlife photographer, another to enter the aeronautics industry, still another wanted to be a teacher of history. It was truly inspiring to be present in a school that was living it mission so that all students, not just a select few, could pursue their dreams.
Driving Innovation through Large Scale Enquiry By James Wellings
In 2013 Garden International School launched a 1:1 iPad program for its students aged 8-14. This, coupled with the development of an innovative approach to the research and development of new teaching and learning practices have led to the school being recognised for “outstanding education and leadership” by Apple Education. A key element in this success has been the development of “large scale” enquiry events involving 1000 students (aged 8-14) and 150 teachers from across the primary and secondary phases of the school. “Large scale enquiry” is based on the fused principles of enquiry, project and problem based learning. The enquiries allow students to explore a big idea over the course of a week within mixed age groups. It is designed to create high levels of engagement, develop higher order critical thinking and allow for “deep learning” to take place. Normal timetable is suspended as learners wrestle with new concepts and try to develop original and personalised outcomes. Within each group, students develop individual skills that contribute to the group as a whole. During our recent “respect” enquiry, students were tasked with producing a short, high quality video aimed at raising levels of respect within our community. The learning outcomes here were to develop emotional intelligence, improve the quality of video production, and develop students’ ability to work with others. A key innovation has been to borrow a “free flow” concept from the early years section of the school. We create a two-hour window where students are free to explore an interactive environment set up to help them investigate the big idea and pinpoint an area of personal interest. Doing this with 13 and 14 years olds is quite nerve wracking for many secondary teachers but we found our students to be engaged, motivated and interested throughout. This inspires students to generate ideas whilst demonstrating to teachers that giving students the freedom to think and move at a chosen pace is a good thing.
Developing experts within the groups was also a key to success. In their role of film-makers, groups of three were split into expert camera operators, directors and editors. This not only gave students a solid skill set but also ensured that all group members became vital to the production of a high quality outcome. We found that over the course of the project students from different years started shyly and out of their comfort zone but by the end had formed friendly, healthy, cohesive units. Teachers also take on focused roles. Choosing either to design and deliver the free flow section, mentor groups or run expert sessions. The majority of teachers become group mentors allowing us to focus on ensuring teachers became guides and observers rather than instructors. We developed projects on this scale to experiment with a range of teaching methodologies and create opportunities for teachers to develop their own practice. This has become a hugely powerful form of professional development and one that has had a real impact in classrooms across all phases of the school. The effective utilisation of technology has also been a real success story. The design of the projects allows learners to experiment with applications and methods of information transfer. The iPad allows students to interact with surroundings, develop thinking and create professional looking outcomes. We use iTunes U as our instructional platform meaning that every participant has all of the required information and resources available at their fingertips at all times. Large scale enquiry is just one part of our rich and diverse curriculum but we have found that it has become a powerful driver of positive development throughout the school. Our respect enquiry had a particular pastoral focus but this kind of experience can be created around any kind of stimulus. We will continue to use these projects as a driver of innovation within the school. For those looking to learn more, we have an iBook and further materials available on the school website. Fall 2015 Issue 15
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CURRICULUM
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Is Your School Ready for a Mother Tongue Programme? By Ms Mattie Jackson, Mother Tongue Coordinator, mjackson@chatsworth.com.sg Chatsworth International School-Orchard Campus - Singapore
learners in all subject areas and for administers to understand their role in implementing a strong mother tongue programme at their school. The third point centres on educating parents in the importance of allowing students to use their mother tongue language at home in order to gain assess to the school curriculum. Often parents are reluctant to embrace this. They want their child to learn English and believe reading, writing and speaking only in English is the most efficient manner to do this. At times, parents can see education as a competitive area. Conducting parent information sessions will assist parents in understanding the cognitive and academic research that supports the necessity of having a strong foundation in the mother tongue language in order to learn and acquire a new language. Parents must adopt good language policies at home to help their children develop good literacy skills in their mother tongue language. Additive bilingualism - acquiring one language while maintaining another - must be instilled in the parents in order to support a strong mother tongue programme.
From my experience through engaging with other international educators and by attending workshops and conferences, international schools are beginning to accommodate mother tongue language learners. IB philosophy credits the success of their programmes to a ‘rich development of language and literacy for all learners’.The question facing schools is how to set up and implement a mother tongue programme. The five points presented in this article are equally important and necessary for a successful mother tongue program. They have been complied after hearing the same concerns and being asked the same questions regarding a mother tongue programme. The first point is the visual impact of the entrance to the school. What first impressions does the school convey to the outside world? Is the English language the only language facing students on every notice board, on every sign, on every banner? The identity of mother tongue language learners at any school will be supported through the visual and cultural images that embrace them as they conduct their daily lives on campus. A warm ‘welcome’ in all the languages representative of the school should be displayed for all the students and parents. It is important that all the languages of the school be represented in order to build a sense of belonging in all students. The second point addresses the need for curriculum coordinators and school administrators to value the importance of a mother tongue programme. With their support it is possible to train and encourage mainstream teachers in supporting mother tongue language learners. It should go without saying that all international teachers are language educators. Yet without proper training how is this possible in a science classroom or a math classroom? Multilingual conferences are organised with this in mind and held to address these concerns. Yet they are often not frequented by subject teachers nor school administrators. These conferences provide the perfect opportunities for acquiring effective strategies suitable for language
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The fourth point focuses on school libraries. They must shelve books rich in the diversity of the languages of the school. Every student must feel the literature written in their mother tongue language is valued enough to be represented in their school. The parent community could be a valuable resource in suggesting literature suitable for all ages in their mother tongue language. They may also wish to donate reading material. Purchasing popular literature translated into the languages represented in the school for the school library is another supporting element of a mother tongue programme.  The final point encourages the appointment of a Mother Tongue Coordinator. This role sends a strong message to the school community of the value the school places on mother tongue language learning. A Mother Tongue Coordinator has numerous responsibilities including; sourcing competent tutors, developing a rigorous programme and ensuring tutors maintain high standards of instruction. The Mother Tongue Coordinator should play a key role in fulfilling the four previous points. This in itself is a challenging position, yet a valuable and rewarding one in any international school. The benefits of providing a rigorous mother tongue programme far outweigh the challenges of setting one up. The cornerstone of a student’s identity and sense of belonging relies on their knowledge and use of their mother tongue language. Building strong communities relies on the empathy created from student pride and acceptance of their own culture and that of their peers. References and further reading: Carter, Maurice, Bilingualism in International Schools: A Model for Enriching Language Education Gallagher, Eithne, Equal Rights to the Curriculum, Many Languages, One Message IB, Learning in a Language other than mother tongue in IB programmes
Search: EARCOS Community
Share great things going on in EARCOS schools. The EARCOS community consists of 149 international schools and over 10,000 educators in the East Asia region.This community is a place to share ideas and events taking place in EARCOS schools. 16 EARCOS Triannual Journal
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Prem Tinsulanonda International School: Grade 5 Exhibition
By Mark Bowyer Deputy Principal, PYP Coordinator, & Physical Education Prem Tinsulanonda International School, Chiang Mai, Thailand www.ptis.ac.th
ploited animals and challenged us to think of ways we can make the environment, for both domestic and wild animals, safer and more comfortable. They took it on themselves to think of ways make the guinea pig enclosure at the farm more comfortable and described charity groups which work with rescued animals.
On 21-22 May 2015 Prem Tinsulanonda International School Grade 5 students presented their research, process, and action to help solve real-life issues or problems in their local or global community. Their presentations have not only revealed how well developed their research skills have become, but also that the action they have taken is meaningful and that they are able to educate our community on topics that will make a difference to the world we live in.
Our Endangered Species group raised our awareness of several endangered species worldwide. They described the impact of deforestation and agriculture as dividing the forest and effectively breaking up animal habitats. These sections become impassable or present a danger by humans to their natural habitats. They joined forces with the local FORRU (Forrest Restoration Unit) and went through the process of planting seedlings to help restore sections of forests for some of the endangered animals in Thailand.
We have been amazed to see Information Technology skills showing through with PowerPoint presentations, iMovie creations, Garage Band music compilations, ‘Scratch’ computer programming, generation of ‘Q Codes’, and many more. Their research skills and presentation skills have been challenged throughout, but our students have stepped up to this challenge and have excelled in so many ways.
Our Sustainability group taught us about renewable and non-renewable energy sources and the impact of these on the environment. They have some wonderful ideas about the use of solar energy at the farm and have be working with our Head of Community Lynda Rolph on the idea that the farm could run on its own electricity. The maths involved was a highlight for this group as they worked out that the initial outlay for solar panels could be paid back within fours years when factoring in the current energy costs.
The Health and Disease group went to Hope House orphanage to help educate the children on healthy practices. Washing hands correctly became a big topic. One member of the group developed a computer game using scratch technology to show which parts of the hands were most in need of cleaning, while the others developed their own educational games to play with Hope House kids. They learnt that not all charity has to come in the form of money, but educating others to help themselves and passing this on to the next generation, is just as important. The Habit Loss group analysed the water quality in four locations at Prem and determined that an even bigger problem existed outside in our local river. Planting certain types of plants within the stream was a great way to take action in the local community. They also spread signs around the community in Thai to get us to think about ways to stop polluting our waterways. Our Education and War group discovered that some children have little right to an education, working on local building sites or simply not having the money to afford an education. They came across a local non-profit NGO called “Kids Home” that raises money to support the right to an education for children in this position. They took action by selling books, some of the profits from which will go to charity, and were proud to have raised the awareness of this problem in our community.
Our Pollution group was mindful of the problem we face in the ‘smoky season’ and began investigating ways they could solve some of this problem. Carrying out baseline experiments on the air quality in classrooms revealed a problem with air quality at this time of the year. During their research they found the Areca Palm absorbs particulate matter and provides the room with more oxygen than any other know plant. They set about raising money to have these plants put in each of the classrooms to improve the air quality. The Effects of Video Games became apparent to us when this group shared some of the detrimental affects of gaming in young children. We learnt how much was too much with an interesting statistic that those under five should have only half an hour, and three-year olds, none at all. They educated the community on being balanced with exercise, sleep, technology and eating, and developed their own pamphlet to give us further information. A very big thank you to our Grade 5 teachers Lachlan and Jeremy, the Grade 5 TA Khun Gate, all the mentors and mums and dads for helping our Grade 5 children with their Exhibition work. Congratulations Grade 5 on your fantastic achievement - we are all very proud of you.
The Animal Rights group raised awareness by showing us examples of exFall 2015 Issue 17
GREEN & SUSTAINABLE
Green & Sustainable >>
Why UNIS Hanoi Performed a Sustainable Schools Operational Audit By Scott Edwards, B.E.S., M.Arch, LEED AP [ID+C] During 2014, the United Nations International School of Hanoi commissioned and underwent an operational audit regarding sustainability as it is represented in the curriculum, teaching and learning and operations. This article tells how the audit process was developed. But eventually the banner came down, and many of the enthusiastic teachers, administrators and students moved on to their next posts, taking their interests with them. Our green efforts weren’t embedding themselves, or having continuity beyond the people who initially drove them. It was clear that we needed to do something more enduring, but the question was what? What could (or should) a school be doing about sustainability? What did the students and teachers sign up for when they agreed to make the school a more sustainable place? In order to move forward we decided that we needed to better understand what we were really trying to achieve. The idea of making the school “more green” or selecting targeted strategies to reduce environmental impacts is inherently a reductive, reactionary approach, or an effort to be “less bad”. Surely a school, whose role is to help shape future citizens and leaders, should strive to make a more positive, proactive contribution to the challenges that face the world. With this idea reframing our thoughts, our starting question shifted from “how can we make our school more green?” to “how can our school best contribute to a more sustainable society?” Within this question are three sub-questions: • What is the role of a school in a sustainable society? • What things should a school be doing in support of this role? And, • How can we define and measure success? What should we be striving for?
UNIS Hanoi Elementary School Earth Day Assembly, March 2013 (photo by Scott Edwards) The conversation began with what seemed like a simple question: How can we make the school “more green”? Suggestions included planting trees, purchasing carbon credits, and various energy saving strategies. A Green Team was formed, and a few enthusiastic teachers ran after-school activities and incorporated environmental issues into their classes. During an Earth Hour assembly a group of elementary students called upon their classmates to help UNIS Hanoi become more green, and invited the teachers to sign a giant pledge-banner committing to help make the school a more sustainable place. Everyone was excited to participate, especially since such efforts would directly support the school’s mission statement which refers to students becoming responsible stewards of our global society and natural environment. The signed pledge hung proudly in the library for the rest of the academic year. 20 EARCOS Triannual Journal
To answer these questions, we looked to the United Nation’s Education for Sustainable Development** (ESD) program. UNESCO describes ESD as life-long learning for social transformation, with the goal of creating more sustainable societies by developing the knowledge, skills, values and action competencies needed for balancing all dimensions of sustainability (including environment, economy, society, and culture). From an ESD perspective, education contributes to sustainability by training the experts needed to find solutions to global problems while broadly guiding society toward more sustainable lifestyles and patterns of thought.
In 2010 UNESCO published a document called Education for Sustainable Development Lens: a Policy and Practice Review Tool. The document contains a collection of tools designed to help education systems re-orient themselves to better support sustainable development. One of these tools asks educators to consider a school as a whole-school learning system and provides a list of “areas of review”, or aspects of a school that can have an impact on teaching and learning about sustainability. This helps answer our second sub-question: “what things should a school be doing?” By addressing each of these areas of review a school has the potential to teach about sustainability in multidisciplinary and holistic ways, both directly through the curriculum and indirectly through practices that model what a sustainable society could look like to the students, staff and the larger community. Simply put, the school teaches about sustainability by both “talking the talk” and “walking the walk”. So, why an audit? We’ve recently used audits as a starting point for making improvements to our Learning Support and Information Technology programs. An audit provides benchmarks that help us build a better understanding of where we are now and where we want to be. In order to perform a sustainability audit (and assess each of the ESD areas of review) we’ve brought together recognized international standards that represent global best practices in facilities construction, operations and maintenance, and various school programs. By outlining accepted definitions of success for each area, these standards give
us a clear sense of what we are already doing well and what we need to focus on in order to better model sustainable development. Moreover, by looking more deeply at specific school programs and activities from an ESD perspective, the audit helps us envision ways to weave sustainability into multiple elements of the school, providing more meaningful experiences for students and enhancing the resilience of our efforts. We’ve already begun to move forward in more effective ways. For example, in response to specific concerns about indoor environment quality, plans are underway to purchase air monitoring equipment that will help us continuously collect data to identify problem areas and create responsive solutions. But we’re also looking at ways to hardwire lasting changes into broader systems and procedures. We’re developing methods to use the School’s curriculum mapping tools to monitor the coverage of ESD content in the written curriculum, and to ensure that sustainability is integrated into a wide variety of subject areas across all grade levels. We’ve also begun to look at how sustainability can be incorporated into our strategic management plan, to help develop an infrastructure that supports future green initiatives. The strategy is to make the school “more green” by creating an enabling environment in which enthusiastic teachers, students and administrators can contribute to an evolving culture of sustainability grounded in a well-considered vision of our contribution to a sustainable society. **Note: Development, as used by the UN, refers to qualitative improvements in the lives of people rather than quantitative economic growth. Diagram: Adapted from UNESCO website entitled “Teaching and Learning for a Sustainable Future”, updated with information from UNESCO’s Education for Sustainable Development Lens: a Policy and Practice Review Tool.
In Memoriam Dr. Robert Paul Bieniek 1952-2015
It is with deep sadness that I inform you that Dr. Bob Bieniek passed away August 6, 2015 at his home in Medford, Oregon, after a long battle with cancer. Dr. Bieniek, affectionately know as Dr. B, served the Concordia community for seven years as Middle School Assistant Principal. He will be greatly missed. A veteran international teacher who worked in almost every corner of the Earth, Dr. Bieniek brought with him a wealth of knowledge and experience. Dr. B was a valuable mentor to teachers and administrators and his expertise in child safety policy made him a true steward of students. His infectious humor combined with a wealth of stories from his travels made him a bright light at community gatherings and in the workplace while his unwavering faith and determined spirit served as an inspiration among his fellow Christians. This is why we celebrate Bob’s life with hope. Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.” Revelation 4:13 (NIV)
The center of Bob’s life was his wife Sylvia and his daughter Sarah. Both have returned to Oregon and reunited with family for a celebration of life for Dr. Bieniek at Trinity Episcopal Church on August 15th. The Concordia community is providing logistical, emotional, and spiritual support to Sylvia and the family during this difficult time. If you would like to communicate your condolences, please bring any cards and messages to the Elementary School office on the first day of school and we will make sure they are delivered directly to Silvia in the United States. Further details of an on-campus memorial service will be released in the coming weeks as well as information about a Dr. Bob Memorial Fund to the Thyroid, Head and Neck Cancer Foundation. Please join me in the coming days and weeks keeping Sylvia, Sarah, and their family in our prayers to help them cope with this painful loss. be God’s, Gregg A. Pinick Head of School, Concordia International School Shanghai Fall 2015 Issue 21
GREEN & SUSTAINABLE
This approach to sustainability addresses our first sub-question: “what is the role of a school in a sustainable society?” The ESD paradigm helps focus the complex discussion about sustainability by highlighting the importance of teaching and learning. This was a fundamental shift in perspective for us, away from the mindset of sporadic reductive interventions and toward a more purposeful deployment of the school’s core business and facilities as tools for educating a sustainable society.
GREEN & SUSTAINABLE
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Sustainable, Student Farming on the Brent International School Baguio By Lena Ranallo, United Nations Week Director Brent International School Baguio celebrated the 2014 International Year of Family Farming, set by the United Nations, by planting various types of gardens around the beautiful 13-hectare campus in Baguio, Philippines. Family farming represents an opportunity to boost local economies, however more policies need to be made by local governments to secure protection for these communities. More than 90% of farms are run by families or individuals and produce almost 80% of the world’s food. Family farms are particularly important in Asia where almost 85% of farms are family farms, and they are the main source of rice production. Once started, the gardens were showcased during the annual United Nations week held in mid-October. Grades 1-6 completed hanging hydroponic gardens on the fence of their playground. Students first collected about 70 recycled 2-liter bottles throughout the month of September. Once the bottles were collected and cleaned, two small holes were drilled in the bottle to create the ability for water to trickle down, essentially saving water. After the bottles were hung in columns of four bottles each, students were able to put composted soil and a variety of lavender, rosemary and basil.
Hydroponic hanging gardens on the playground
To engage the upper school students in harvesting their own food, students designed and planted their own gardens based on the House system implemented at our school. Our school is divided into 3 major teams, which are labeled as houses of different colors. The divided teams are well-respected representation of the students. These houses are responsible for promoting changes that are beneficial to the school and the environment. Upper school students in the Red House choose a terraced garden to celebrate the famous World-heritage terraced gardens of Banaue, Philippines. Here they choose a variety of three lettuces-pechay, iceberg, and romaine. The Yellow House chose to use bamboo from our school forest to grow beans around the stalks. Finally, the Blue House chose to do a greenhouse type garden where the sides were used from old wood that had been laying around the forest and the plastic was held by bamboo.
Figure 3: Blue House plants their green house garden of tomatoes and lettuce. The box is made from timber found around campus, while bamboo rods will hold the plastic up
Blue House also grew a variety of lettuce and tomatoes. Thus, all three gardens used renewable resources to build their sustainable houses with the exception of the plastic for the top of the Blue House garden. Although the gardens were planted in October of 2014, the students themselves are still maintaining them and harvesting has already taken place numerous times. Students have donated the vegetables to the school cafeteria and then it is served back to the students at lunch. No pesticides are being used in the gardens and students will be judged on Earth Day in April on the success of their gardens and how well they maintained them. Feeding The World, Caring For The Earth
22 EARCOS Triannual Journal
Planting terraced gardens of lettuce
Cebu International School: Kids for Kids; Children Helping Children One of my favorites was the scrumptious green tea cookies. The money from the bake sale went to pay for school supplies to give to the victims of typhoon Yolanda, internationally known as typhoon Haiyan. One of my favorite organizations we supported was Beep Beep Books, spearheaded by Ms. Dunham, our ESOL teacher. Beep Beep Books is a jeepney (a traditional converted Jeep that serves as public transport in the Philippines) that is going to serve as a mobile library. The jeepney will go around some places to kids who live in the street in our city and have no access to read books and would like to do so can come and learn and read inside the jeepney. For Beep Beep Books we organized a book drive and dance in which you could choose to pay fifty pesos or bring a book to join the dance. The last project we organized last year was an ice popsicle sale. The ice popsicle sale was perfect for the end for the school year. It was hot so the ice popsicles sold really well! The money raised from the ice popsicles went to pay for more school supplies for children whose families have a hard time paying for them. Our teachers Ms. Donahue and Ms. Belono-ac went to the North of Cebu to give them out. By Sofia Villagonzalo (Grade 5) sivillagonzalo@cis.edu.ph Have you heard of children helping children? At Cebu International School, an after-school club called Kids for Kids tries to think of ways to help children around them who are less privileged or in need. Kids4Kids is run as an after school club and is open to students in Grades 3-5. We have about 20 students in our club who come together once a week. Our first project was to raise money by showing a movie and selling popcorn. We planned everything ourselves. The teachers were there only to guide us, watch us, and offer ideas on what was best to do. We had to organise a meeting with the principal and the buildings and grounds manager. That was rather scary, but we did well. The principal was very supportive of our club. We also had to organize the venue, the movie, the publicity, the tickets, the popcorn and water and organizing the collection of the money. The money that was raised from the movie went to an organization called Make-AWish. The main goal of the Make-A-Wish Foundation is to create hope and happiness for children with life threatening illnesses. The child has a wish and Make-A-Wish tries their best to grant them their wishes. The money raised with the Kids4Kids movie went to a little girl whose wish was to be a princess and loved pink. She was taken out for a day to a photo studio and got to try on lots of princess dresses and had her photos taken. At the end of the day she went out for tea and pink cake! After our first successful activity we organized a bake sale.
Kids4Kids taught me to not be afraid to care for others and do what we can to help others who are in need. Also Kids4Kids taught me that as early as now, at my age of 10 years old, we can create a small change which can gradually become bigger and bigger. As citizens of the universe I strongly feel that it is our responsibility to take care of each other and treat others as we would like to be treated. Imagine how happy the world would be if we helped one another, how many smiles would be in the faces of the less privileged, how happy we are and how much happier the others being helped would be. The world could be a better place. We just have to gradually work towards achieving that goal together.
Fall 2015 Issue 23
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Community Service >>
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Community Service >>
Habitat for Humanity Youth-Build By Kate Reimann High School Art Teacher, Year 12 Coordinator CAS/DOE & Activities Coordinator
Recently 7 year 12 and 3 year 11 students volunteered to build a home for a family with Habitat for Humanity Fiji (HFHF). HFH is a non-profit organization committed to building a world where everyone has a decent place to live. Habitat Youth BUILD (HYB) is a movement that engages young people to take action together to build homes and communities, advocate for decent shelter, and raise funds and awareness of the poor housing situation in the Asia-Pacific region - where one in eight live in slums, according to the United Nations.
Team Int’l School Suva at the start of day 1
The students displayed fantastic leadership skills and worked extremely hard. They accomplished an enormous amount of work on day 1 of the build. They started with 6 stumps in the ground; by the end of day 1 the entire house structure was up. Day 2 saw the Covenant Brothers Rugby team finish the job by adding the roofing, walls, flooring and a coat of paint.
Team Int’l School Suva at the end of day 1
The family’s home before the build
24 EARCOS Triannual Journal
Preventing Unintentional Plagiarism Among ESOL Students By Alexis Kossiakoff ESOL and MYP Language Acquisition Coordinator Beijing BISS International School, Akossiakoff@biss.com.cn In our era of instant online collaboration and remixes, understanding what constitutes plagiarism can present challenges to even the most accomplished students. This struggle is compounded for English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOLs) who must cope not only with linguistic barriers when learning in English but also varying cultural relationships with textual ownership and educational pedagogies. By posing the research question “How can I better educate my students about plagiarism and its ramifications?” I developed a mini-unit in my MYP English Language Acquisition advanced classroom. The goal was to prevent unintentional plagiarism among my ESOL students, many of whom have spent much of their lives in East Asian education systems before attending an international school.
The Study
This study followed two major phases. Phase one included a pilot study to determine the key areas of instruction. Students completed questionnaires about their educational backgrounds and exposure to the concept of plagiarism. Chinese- and Korean-speaking students had the option to complete this survey in his or her home language. Using the data from the questionnaires, I was able to establish topics to address in the unit, which constituted three major areas: 1) defining plagiarism in its various forms, 2) identifying the consequences of plagiarism, and 3) avoiding plagiarism through appropriate paraphrasing, citations and note-taking. In Phase two research subjects completed a pre-test of the content covered in the mini-unit. After marking the pre-test, I taught the mini-unit over the course of three weeks. ESOL-friendly strategies such as bilingual glossaries of terms, interactive word walls, and research conducted in students’ mother tongues helped students access concepts and associated vocabulary. Students created bilingual multimedia projects based on relevant topics about plagiarism. Each student then drafted a letter to a friend explaining plagiarism before completing the mini-unit with a post-test and self-reflection.
Results
The data collected for this study indicate an improved understanding of plagiarism, with an average improvement of 85% between the pre-tests and post-test. Students’ averages on the bilingual multimedia projects and a letter to a friend assignment also demonstrate further evidence of progress. The slippery nature of plagiarism perhaps explains one of the surprising results – discrepancies between post-test results and the student self-reflection in which students underestimated their ability to paraphrase and create intext citations. While several factors could attribute to this lower self-scoring including cultural norms and academic self-esteem, this incongruity suggests students feel less confident in the “skills” aspect of the unit, indicating a need for greater emphasis and practice.
Conclusions
This project underscored that plagiarism prevention must be a community action. Sustainable change lies in unified cross-campus initiative. Ideas and skills should be revisited regularly and in numerous learning environments for repeated exposure. My colleagues and I are developing a plagiarism-prevention program for the secondary school. Last spring I collaborated with a drama teacher whose students created black-and-white slapstick silent films
as a teaching tool about types of plagiarism for fellow students. The concept of plagiarism is fluid and shaped by numerous factors. Even if a school has an academic honesty policy, gaps in implementation can form as not all staff may share uniform beliefs, values and understandings. In international schools we are fortunate to work alongside educators of diverse linguistic, cultural and educational backgrounds.Though we often share a common language, notions of plagiarism can vary among cultures and individuals. Just as we should not make assumptions about our students’ knowledge of plagiarism, we cannot presume colleagues share identical knowledge and perspectives. The educational institution must not only educate students, but also staff. If we hold students to high levels of academic integrity, as educators we bear the obligation to educate them in ways that are linguistically and culturally accessible, such as through scaffolding and mother-tongue instruction. By applying a broader understanding of cultural factors behind students’ perceptions and attitudes, teachers can better engage students in ongoing discussion about plagiarism. After all, as the exchange of information develops and attendant conceptions of plagiarism vary in the future, the students will become the curators of these changing definitions and practices.
Fall 2015 Issue 25
ACTION RESEARCH COMMUNITY SERVICE
Action Research >>
ACTION RESEARCH
Action Research >>
Student Interaction: Looking Beneath The Surface By Graeme Ritchie, Chiang Mai International School, gritchie@cmis.ac.th
Learning opportunities are missed if classroom interaction is teacher-dominated and we give students little room to practice, have their understandings challenged, and provide extended explanations to peers. With the aim of activating students as learning resources for each other learning teams were established in my science classes. A learning team is a group of 3-4 students who work together regularly to review material. Learning team time is followed by individual assessment with the team score awarded being the lowest score achieved by any team member. A tally of scores creates friendly competition between teams.
The challenge for the second cycle of the research was to revise the plan by including training in order to encourage this kind of interaction in other groups.
Training Training included a presentation and discussion focused on the purpose of learning team interaction. Guidelines on working together, supported by examples from student interaction, were given to each team.
There are objections to this kind of activity. Will students spend time offtask? Will all contribute? Will wrong explanations be provided? An EARCOS action research grant allowed me to evaluate learning teams, exploring the interaction, and how to encourage talk which will advance learning.
E Extend E Elaborate
Reflect-Plan-Act-Observe
C Correct
In the research process, reflection on current practice led to a plan for using learning teams to promote learning. Following implementation, analysis, and reflection, this plan was revised and evaluated in a second cycle. Data was collected by observation, note-taking, and by group interaction being recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for accuracy, correction of errors, elaborations and length of contributions.
A mixed story
An observer stepping into the classroom during learning team time would have witnessed student groups reviewing ideas in an engaging studentcentered activity. But action research involves going beyond impressionistic judgments. Analysis of student interaction revealed a mixed story. While students largely remained on task and the talk was not characterized by errors, the interaction was, for some, not likely to lead to worthwhile learning. One group, for example, played a game in which individuals, prompted by word cards, defined an idea for peers to guess. This led to short contributions, often only partially correct. In contrast to that disappointing finding, with other groups the contributions were extended, elaboration provided, and corrections offered and taken up, as exemplified in this excerpt (prompted by the word “fermentation”). Alice: Fermentation a process in which food molecules are broken down into glucose molecules. Then the glucose molecules are broken down into two simpler molecules. Those two simpler molecules goes to the mitochondria. Irma: No. Wrong. It doesn’t go to the mitochondria. Fermentation doesn’t use oxygen so it can’t go into the mitochondria. Alice: ... And there’s two types of fermentation, lactic acid and alcoholic acid. Irma: Alcoholic acid? lice: Alcoholic … Irma: Fermentation. Alice: Fermentation. Irma: Great. It doesn’t use oxygen the process of fermentation and it doesn’t go into the mitochondria. 26 EARCOS Triannual Journal
Q Question
Stretch yourself: Say as much as you can. Add more to what other people have said. Don’t let mistakes go by. Either (respectfully) correct them, or ask for correction. Ask for more! Ask if you don’t understand.
Interaction guidelines given to each learning team.
Improved interaction
Observations and analysis of transcripts from Cycle 2 suggested improved interaction. Explanations were satisfactorily accurate, rather than being incorrect, or partially accurate. Encouragingly, there were improvements in the length of contributions, elaborations and questions from students whose talk was impoverished before training.
Look deep
Albert Einstein’s exhortation to “Look deep into nature and you will understand everything better” can be repackaged for teachers as “Look deep into the classroom and you will understand learning better”. Looking below the surface of this activity led to the following conclusions: • • •
There was little evidence of errors being propagated, but there were large variations in the quality of interaction. Training which includes guidance on how best to review, and examples of features likely to create learning opportunities is helpful for some students (but unnecessary for others). The testing of ideas, and timely and accurate feedback offer encouragement that learning is taking place.
But the most important lesson was seeing the value of recording and analyzing student interaction.
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PRESS RELEASE
Press Release >>
Mongolian Language Celebration of International School Ulaanbaatar The International School of Ulaanbaatar (ISU) was established in May 1992 and currently only IB World School in Mongolia authorized to offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme from Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12. Learning the Mongolian language is an important aspect of ISU’s vision to draw on Mongolia’s unique cultural heritage and environment in the international education of its students.
Grade 4 students’ “Three piglets” play, performing by Nomin (American), Ruth (Indonesian), Selina (Japanese)
Pre-K students Amita (Mongolian), Liam (Australian), Jethro (Australian), Charles (Australian) are singing a song “Bunny” All Primary students are studying Mongolian Language and they celebrated their achievements in learning Mongolian on Friday, April 24. This annual celebration is organized by the ISU Literacy Committee in order to recognize student achievement in learning the Mongolian Language. It also provides students an opportunity to enhance their oral presentation skills as well as to boost their confidence when speaking Mongolian. The Primary students performed in two categories: Language A for those students whose mother tongue is Mongolian – poem or short story in Mongolian; Language B for those students whose mother tongue is not Mongolian – drama production in Mongolian.
Pre-K students Amita (Mongolian), Liam (Australian), Jethro (Australian), Charles Our audience was entertained by the enthusiastic performers who knew (Australian) are singing a song “Bunny” their lines well and enjoyed their roles. The celebration of Mongolian language was a wonderful opportunity for ISU students to share the Mongolian culture, international mindedness and an awareness that they are all global citizens.
E-CONNECT
Stay in touch with many current ideas and trends in education at EARCOS Connect Blog. Welcome to EARCOS E-Connect.Teachers, counselors, and administrators are extremely busy people.You don’t always have time to search for articles, blogs, videos, and books that will educate and enhance your practice.This blog will offer links to relevant educational discussions, articles, book reviews, and videos that you may find informative and useful. http://earcos-connect.tumblr.com/
28 EARCOS Triannual Journal
CELEBRATING 21 YEARS In 1993, a meeting took place between activities directors from Brent International School Manila (BISM) and Canadian Academy (CA) in Kobe, Japan to discuss the prospect of friendly international competition between their schools. In ways inconceivable at the time, their collaboration laid the groundwork for an organization that—two decades later—has touched and inspired many thousands of students and educators. The Asia Pacific Activities Conference (APAC) was founded in the hopes of providing students in the Asia-Pacific region with an international extracurricular program that would foster self-discipline, camaraderie, and intercultural respect. Initially, APAC was composed of five schools: Brent, Canadian Academy, International School of Beijing (ISB), Shanghai American SchoolPuxi (SASPX), and Osaka International School (OIS). Seoul Foreign School (SFS) joined as the sixth member in 1997. In an attempt to include as many students as possible and best represent the breadth of talent in the region, APAC has strived to offer a well-rounded range of events since its inception.Volleyball, basketball and soccer were the first tournaments to be held under the APAC banner, while choir was added as the organization’s first non-competitive event in 1997. An increasing number of athletic competitions and performing art exchanges were added to APAC in the following years. In addition to the aforementioned events, APAC schools today are proud to host tournaments and gatherings for dance, band, orchestra, tennis, theater, softball, baseball, swimming, forensics, cross country, track and field, rugby, table tennis and badminton. The success of the organization has led to growth. In 2008, APAC welcomed Hong Kong International School (HKIS), Shanghai American SchoolPudong (SASPD), Taejon Christian International School (TCIS), Western Academy of Beijing (WAB), American International School of Guangzhou (AISG), and Concordia International School Shanghai (CISS) into the fold. The United Nations School in Hanoi (UNIS) joined in 2010, completing APAC’s expansion to a twelve-school format.
Quantifying the ways in which APAC has positively affected schools, students and educators is an impossible task. For many students, the school year is imagined in terms of APAC events. Goals are set, focuses are finely tuned, and obstacles are overcome in the pursuit of participating in this prestigious program. Through a sustained commitment to sportsmanship, learning and tolerance, APAC events serve to thoroughly enrich the educational experience.To further promote the concept of exchange, students are paired with a home-stay family during their stay at a host school, providing a unique opportunity for the development of lasting friendships and new cultural interests. APAC relies heavily on the dedication and passion of its school communities. Without the collaborative efforts of parents, administrators, coaches, teachers and support staff, students would never have the chance to participate in such a dynamic and sophisticated experience. Over the past twenty years, APAC has served as a venue for international school students to share their talents with a regional community, learning and growing along the way. Some international school students have used APAC as a springboard for serious collegiate and post-collegiate careers in sports and the fine arts. Others have been inspired by their experiences to pursue futures in education, politics, and philanthropy. For every APAC participant, though, there are two constants: a lasting sense of achievement and a recognition that activity outside the classroom is an essential aspect of good education. Twenty years after the first group of international school students boarded planes bound for foreign lands, the enthusiasm surrounding APAC events remains the same. Today, the organization is stronger than ever, and looks forward to welcoming another two decade’s worth of talented individuals to share in the spirit of respect, growth, and friendship that has become so deeply associated with APAC.
By Kailan Leung
Kailan Leung Brent International School, APAC 2007
Katelyn Regan (Kearney) Seoul Foreign School, APAC 2002
“I’m continually amazed by the number of people I meet all over the world with whom I can trade APAC experiences. The memories of traveling and competing internationally are some of the strongest and most meaningful I have from high school.”
“The times that I spent on the courts and fields during APAC tournaments are my most cherished high school memories. Through the travel, activities, games, and homestay opportunities, APAC fosters incredible team building unique relationships with other schools and athletes and extraordinary school spirit that is hard to find elsewhere.”
Cindy Sha International School Beijing, APAC 2015
Michelle Robbins Brent International School, APAC 1995
Grade 11 who has been to 5 different APACS in 3 sports “APAC has been an incredible opportunity for me - it helps solidify friendships around school as well as around the world. The best part about APAC are the memories you create because those are the things you will remember in 20 years, not the score on the scoreboard.”
“It was a groundbreaking and an exciting experience as an individual and as part of a team to have the opportunity to compete in a different country.”
Fall 2015 Issue 29
PRESS RELEASE
ASIA PACIFIC ACTIVITIES CONFERENCE(APAC)
PRESS RELEASE
Press Release >>
Taipei American School Students Explore the Universe with Joanna Nichols Visiting Scholar Dr. David Spergel By Michael O’Neill, Communications Officer
Last January upper school students and faculty were star struck, of the deep space kind, that is. Dr. David Spergel of Princeton University joined the TAS faculty as the 2014-2015 Joanna Nichols Visiting Scholar and took our students on a cosmic journey into theoretical astrophysics. Dr. Spergel is a Professor and the Department Chair of Astrophysical Sciences at Princeton University, and the Charles A.Young Professor of Astronomy on the Class of 1897 Foundation. Named one of Time Magazine’s 25 most influential space scientists, Dr. Spergel has received a host of accolades and titles: the Shaw Prize, the Gruber Prize, a MacArthur Fellowship, Science Citation Laureate, and more. While at TAS, he sparked discussions about cosmic concepts, such as how the universe was formed, how the universe behaves, and our place in the universe. Dr. Spergel taught sections of modern physics and astronomy as well as biology. In the physics course, he covered exoplanets and how they are discovered, how telescopes work, and cosmology, with a focus on dark energy, dark matter, and the cosmic microwave background. In the biology classes, he covered astrobiology, or the science of life on other planets. Dr. Spergel said, “It was a nice opportunity to talk about the basics of biochemistry and evolution at a very high level.” It led to interesting discussions with students about the generic processes that take place on earth. Our students made a strong impression on Dr. Spergel. He said, “The students are bright; stronger students here are very comparable to students at Princeton.” He commented that TAS students were very engaged and asked great questions. Faculty and students were equally impressed with Dr. Spergel. David Iverson, Chair of the Upper School Science Department, said, “Our TAS community was very fortunate to have the opportunity to 30 EARCOS Triannual Journal
spend time with an enthusiastic, articulate, and profound scientist who is on the forefront of unraveling the mysteries of the universe.” Upper school student Claude S. reflected, “It is incredible to have someone of his caliber come share his passion with us… His approachability, expertise, passion, and humor ensured that we were able to delve with him into the ever expanding (literally) universe of astronomy.” As a theoretical physicist, Dr. Spergel’s research has focused on understanding the properties of the universe. While at TAS, he presented his work with the WMAP Satellite, which has had enormous impact on cosmological scientific papers, and his search for planets around nearby stars. His work has fundamentally shaped how the scientific community thinks about the shape of the universe. Dr. Spergel’s stay at TAS represents the fourth installment of the Joanna Nichols Visiting Scholar program, which brings relevant, distinguished, and stimulating figures such as Dr. Spergel to TAS each year to share singular insights and experiences with our students. The program is a result of the continuing, extraordinary generosity of a former TAS parent. Dr. Spergel was preceded by his colleague, Dr. Benjamin Elman, Chair of the East Asian Studies Department at Princeton University, ‘mathmagician’ Dr. Arthur Benjamin, and Senior Fellow of the USC U.S.-China Institute Mike Chinoy. TAS is looking forward to next year’s Joanna Nichols Visiting Scholar, Dr. Michael Littman, Professor and Departmental Representative of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Princeton University.
College Board International Advanced Placement Workshops
Taipei American School
Taipei, Taiwan October 24-25, 2015 AP Calculus AB and BC (combined) AP Chemistry AP Psychology Workshop for New AP Coordinators (one-day)
Singapore American School Singapore November 11-17, 2015 AP Chinese Language and Culture AP Statistics AP Studio Art
Yongsan International School of Seoul Seoul, South Korea
January 30 - 31, 2016 AP Computer Science AP English Language and Literature (combined) AP Statistics
The Olympia Schools
Hanoi, Vietnam March 4-5, 2016 AP Calculus AB and BC (combined) AP English Language and Literature (combined) Workshop for New AP Coorinators (one-day)
EARCOS Teachers’ Conference Manila, Philippines March 29-30, 2016 AP Music Theory AP Studio Art
Learn more at: collegeboard.org/intlpd
CAMPUS DEVELOPMENT
Campus Development >> Award Winning Facilities at Alice Smith School
The beautiful award winning Dining Hall at the Primary Campus accommodates up to two hundred children The Alice Smith School continues to have very exciting developments on both campuses, highlighting our proactivity and commitment to continue to be an outstanding school. New projects are being carefully planned for and phased in over the next five to seven years. Work commenced in July 2013 at the Primary Campus on the Dining Hall and a One-Stop Centre for parents and these new facilities have been in use since December 2014. Design of this building was also recently awarded GOLD at the Malaysian Architecture Malaysia (PAM) Awards 2015. At the Secondary Campus, the expanded and improved teaching and learning areas for Mathematics, English and Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) provide spacious learning space for students. It has been pleasing to see students and staff making full use of our new and renovated facilities 32 EARCOS Triannual Journal
since December 2014. There’s also a new adjoining building for the Reception and Administration areas. These bright, modern, spacious areas provide flexible and technology-rich teaching and learning spaces. The adjoining breakout and social/recreational areas are also a tremendous new resource for students and staff. Excellent facilities are an integral component of an Alice Smith education and design and development planning has already commenced for the next phase of improvements at both campuses.
Enjoying the climbing frame facilities and spacious play area
As a not-for-profit school, Alice Smith invests in facilities and teaching resources to create a positive, motivating and enriching environment for current and future students and staff. This commitment to continuous improvement supports a high quality, holistic education for our community and the excellent and dedicated team of teachers and support staff. Spacious learning space with adjoining break-out and social/ recreational areas
Kaohsiung American School ceremony opening their new campus
A visit to ShenZhen College of International Education (New School Member)
Joe Greenwood, Principal at ShenZhen College of International Education.
Seth Huang, Joe Greenwood and King Ye.
On the Road with Dr. K
On the Road with Dr. K
(L-R) Dick Krajczar (EARCOS), Mr. Ching-Fu Chen (Director of Transportation Bureau of Kaohsiung City), Ms. Fan Sun-Lu (Director of Education Bureau of Kaohsiung City), Ms. Chen Chu (Mayor of Kaohsiung City), Dr. Farrell (Superintendent of KAS), Mr. Robert C. DeWitt (Chief of AIT Kaohsiung Branch), and Mr. Brent Christensen (Deputy Director of AIT Taipei Branch).
Dick Krajczar doing the ALS Ice Bucket Part 2 (August 17, 2015) (L-R) Dick B. Robbins, President and CEO, Brent International School, Dick Krajczar, and Joe Petrone.
International School Kuala Lumpur 50 years celebration
Bob Gaw former Headmaster at ISKL signs moments for an enthusiastic group of students. The theatre at ISKL is named after him.. A great honor to have him attend.
ISKL 50 years celebration. Norma Hudson Head of school opens the Gala dinner. Dick Krajczar Krajczar former ISKL head of school 19891996 with Sherry Krajczar, Zan Khairuddin 93, Mia Pearse 92, Michael Sawkins 92 at ISKL Welcome reception.
Approved Weekend Workshops for SY 2015-2016 One of the services EARCOS provides to its member schools throughout the year is the sponsorship of two-day workshops and institutes for faculty and administration. The topics for these workshops are determined according to the needs of members. Workshops are hosted by EARCOS schools. DATE NAME OF SCHOOL CONSULTANT TITLE AUGUST Aug 22-23 Korea International School Aug 29-30 Brent International School Subic
Megan Smith and Kara Parker Caroline Coil
SEPTEMBER Sept 5-6 American Int’l School of Guangzhou Stevi Quate Sept 5-6 Saigon South International School Kim Cofino Sept 5-6 St. Mary’s International School, Tokyo Japan Martha Kaufeldt Sept 11-12 Morrison Academy Stevi Quate Sept 12-13 Shanghai American School Amy Lauren Smith and Leah Hefte Sept 12-13 International School Eastern Seaboard Scott Riley Sept 19-20 International Christian School Kirk Robbins Sept 26-27 Tokyo International School Mignon Weckert Sept 26-27 NIST International School Teresa Tung and Mike Johnston OCTOBER Oct 3-4 American School in Taichung Scott Riley Oct 10-11 International School of Bangkok Vicki Zakrezewski Oct 10-11 Ruamrudee International School Madeleine Bystrom Oct 17-18 Concordia International School Shanghai Mare Sullivan Oct 17-18 Shanghai American School John Everett and Karen Kinsella Oct 17-18 International School Manila Kevin Hennah Oct 24-25 Cebu International School Virginia P. Rojas NOVEMBER Nov 6-7 Jakarta Intercultural School Pete Bowers Nov 6-7 Taipei American School Dr. Candace Aiani Nov 7-8 Shanghai Community Int’l School -ECE Matthew Glover Nov 13-14 Taipei American School Greg O’Connor Nov 14-15 Ruamrudee International School Sara Garrett Nov 21-22 UWCSEA Mike Johnston Nov 21-22 NIST International School Andy Dorn, Rick Hannah, Graham Harper Nov 21-22 Thai-Chinese International School Sean Thompson and Brady Cline Nov 28-29 Suzhou Singapore International School Richard Bruford JANUARY 2016 Jan 15-16 American International School of Guangzhou Jan 16-17 School: Yokohama International School
TBA John Rinker
Proficiency Based Learning in the World Language Classroom Assessment strategies for 21st Century Learners Reading Non-fiction across the curriculum in MS/HS Transforming Student Learning “Think BIG, Start Small: Daily Differentiation in a Brain-Friendly Classroom” Introducing Reading & Writing Workshop at the Secondary Level Designing a health and wellness program to meet the unique needs of the international student. From Basics to Blast-off: Getting Going with Writing Workshop Next Generation Science Standards Inquiry Mathematics: Research Based Strategies Which Maximize Student Learning Compass Education Level 1: Thinking, Learning and Acting for a Flourishing and Sustainable World/ Level 2: Applying Systems Thinking for Sustainability School Transformation Writing Across the Disciplines: Frameworks and Flow Social and Emotional Learning in Schools Creating Strong Writers with the 6+1 Traits of Writing - An Introduction Incorporating scientific and engineering practices in the science classroom: POGIL (Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning) strategies Child Protection in Your School: Building a Comprehensive Program Cultural Weeding - Library Innovation Collaborating for Integration and Differentiation Structured Word Inquiry: Developing literacy and critical thinking through scientific inquiry about how English spelling works, research and practice Tech-Integrated Libraries: Building the Future One Service at a Time Early Years Literacy Using Technology to Effective Reach Every Learner Foundations in Math: Developing Mathematical Thinking and Conceptual Understanding in Grades Kg-2 Education for a Sustainable Future Service Projects from Needs Analysis to Completion Elementary innovation: transforming every lesson with digital media Giving Effective Feedback to your Students Mobile Devices in the Classroom Using Maker Spaces to Build a Culture of Design Thinking
Jan 16-17 Shanghai American School Shaun McElroy Jan 16-17 International School of Kuala Lumpur Cathryn Berger Kaye Jan 16-17 Brent International School Manila Faye Brownlie Jan 16-17 Thai - Chinese International School Wesley Przybylski Jan 16-17 Shekou International School Holly Reardon Jan 23-24 International School of Beijing Mark Church Jan 23-24 Brent International School Manila Faye Brownlie Jan 23-24 International School of Bangkok Bronwyn MacLeod Jan 23-24 Ruamrudee International School Madeleine Bystrom Jan 23-24 Singapore American School Cathy Berger Kate
Flourishing in Schools: Utilizing groundbreaking research and tools from positive psychology to improve student’s wellbeing. Service Learning Elementary Assessment Leveraging technology and Innovative strategies in the Math Classroom Inquiry and Assessment for Learning, Pre-K through 2 Making Thinking Visible Assessment in Middle School and Upper School Gifted education and reaching highly able learners Creating Strong Writers with the 6+1 Traits of Writing - Advanced Integrating Service Learning Into Curriculum
FEBRUARY Feb 13-14 Feb 13-14 Feb 20-21 Feb 20-21
Carolyn Coil Deidre Fischer and Kenny Peavy Bonnie Singer TBA
Differentiated Activities and Assessments Using the Common Core Standards Growing Global Citizens (new dates) Literacy Institute Inquiry-based Maths learning and teaching in the Primary Years
Feb 27-28 Busan International Foreign School Feb-April Concordia International School Shanghai
Virginia Rojas Bob Bain
Supporting Language Learners through differentiation Challenges of Teaching and Learning History
MARCH Mar. 18-19 Seisen International School Mar 19-20 Internatioanal School of Beijing
Doug Goodkin Jill Bromenshenkel
Music in the Integrated Curriculum Putting Language at the Center of Your Instruction to Support Language Acquistion
APRIL April 9-10 UWCSEA April 23-24 Teda International School
Chris Spetzler Kim Cofino
Engaging Youth with Decision-making and Leadership Transforming Your Classroom
MAY May 2-3
IS Suva teachers
Themes in Education
Korea International School Jeju Bali Island School International School Manila Bandung Independent School Indonesia
International School Suva