TIV School Magazine Publication Issue 1-2023

by the students for the students

March 2023

Issue

SPOTLIGHT pg. 16

2023 University

Destinations

SCHOOL EVENTS pg. 68

United Nations Day

SCHOOL VIEWS pg. 102

Proud to be able to give him wings to fly.

0% ANNUAL FIXED INTEREST RATE*

EDUCATION LOAN

We all want what is best for our children, seeking to provide the very best opportunities to prepare them for a bright future. Our proposal is to build their future together, by offering your children access to a world-class educational experience, at a top private school.

Now you can access the educational programmes at International British School of Bucharest (IBSB) through the new Education Loan product available from UniCredit Consumer Financing.

• Financing for school fees of up to 120,000 de Lei.

• Loan reimbursement in equal intalments

• Easy application process, directly at the IBSB Admissions Office.

annual interest rate). Representative calculation example for a “Promo 12M” Partner Loan for education, offered by UniCredit Consumer Financing IFN S.A. (as a result of meeting the eligibility criteria), in the amount of 54,000 Lei, for 12 months, equal instalments, with life insurance with a single financed insurance premium*** (added to the loan value, resulting in a borrowed value of 57,240 Lei)/ without life insurance: fixed annual interest rate is 0% / 8%, file analysis fee 0 Lei (charged only in the case of granting the loan), monthly credit administration fee 10 Lei, monthly instalment 4,780 Lei (equal instalments, also include the cost of insurance life)/ 4,737.45 Lei, the total amount payable is 57,360 Lei/ 56,849.36 Lei, EAR 0.39% (calculated on the total amount borrowed 57,240 Lei) / 10.04%.

***The single life insurance premium financed by the Lender is 3,240 Lei, calculated as a percentage of 0.5% of the loan value of 54,000 lei and multiplied by the 12-month loan period, resulting in a borrowed value of 57,240 lei. The cost of financing by the Lender of the single life insurance premium is 0 Lei, calculated by applying the annual interest rate of 0% to the value of the loan representing the single insurance premium.

EAR is calculated according to the legal regulation in force and includes annual fixed interest rate, file analysis fee (0 Lei), monthly credit administration fee (0 Lei) and, in the case the client acquires a life insurance, the cost of the insurance premium.

The decision for crediting belongs solely to UniCredit Consumer Financing IFN SA, the Creditor reserving the right to request, when the case requires, any documents necessary in the crediting analysis, according to its internal regulations and the legal effective settlements. The present does not value, according to the law, the offer to contract financial products / services from UniCredit Consumer Financing IFN S.A., which can be modified or revoked at any time. According to the law, the product or financial service offer is the one valid at the time of registration of the product / service request and, regardless of the elements of the respective offer, the contract is considered concluded only on the date of its formal signature or, as the case may be, according to the legal provisions applicable to the remote contract conclusion. For the avoidance of any doubt, this document is not a binding offer and does not create any obligation or liability whatsoever for UniCredit Consumer Financing IFN S.A., does not represent an offer as defined by Romanian law, and any understanding between the parties will be concluded only at the moment of signing of a credit contract. The above mentioned financial terms are subject to: (i) the applicable legal provisions and could suffer modification in case of any material changes in legal provisions related to the consumer protection and products pricing.

Student Editor’s Message

Head Girl’s Message

Head of School Message - ISI Report

International Economics Olympiad

From IGCSE to AS/A Level

Releasing a Song

Head of Secondary Message

2023 University Destinations

COBIS Art Competition DUBAIMUN 2023

3. CAS

CAS Open Day

CAS Christmas Fair

4. SCHOOL EVENTS

A New School

Year

7. SCHOOL VIEWS

Why you should get a Dog

What Makes You Feel Happy?

Where do you see yourself in 5 yrs

Interview with Mr. Mujica

Interview with Mr. Aydan

University Trip to the Netherlands

Sir Winston Churchill Debate

European

Day of

5. SPORTS

if I was a Russian Spy?

Pursuing my Passion

8. CREATIVE CORNER

contents Life after Oxford Oxbridge Applications 2023 Imperial College London Visit Head Girl offered place at Oxford 84 85 86 88 6. ALUMNI Movie Review: Black Swan Ways to spice up Hot Chocolate 112 114

STUDENT EDITOR’s message

by Medeea Constantinescu, Year 13

It is important to consider everything that has occurred thus far as the first term of this school year draws to a close.

I am therefore delighted to have contributed to the creation of this issue of the TIV for all to enjoy. From Sports Day to UN Day, the Winter Fair to the Winter Production, it has been a very busy first term.

It is an absolute honour to serve as TIV’s editor, and this being the first issue of my final year, I can honestly say that I’m going to miss holding such a fantastic position, giving so many young students a platform to share their views and experiences. I’m happy that the school can provide a platform like this where our students and teachers can exchange ideas and share their zeal, building a community that is ever-closer together.

I’d like to finish by thanking everybody who has contributed to this magazine, whether directly by writing for this issue, or indirectly by taking part in events happening in the IBSB community. I hope it brings you as much pleasure reading about the achievements and experiences written through the eyes of various members of the IBSB Family as it brought us in writing these many articles for you.

Happy reading!

Head Girl’s message

by Maria Sticlea, Year 13

As Term 1 swiftly comes to an end, I almost cannot believe that the Christmas holiday is already here, livening the atmosphere after an incredibly busy first half of the year. With competitions such as the Sir Winston Churchill Debate Championship and WordFest, CAS events such as the Halloween Party and World Gold Day, eventful trips abroad, and the upcoming Winter Ball and CAS Winter Fair, our school has seen more and more events taking place, keeping everyone engaged and lifting spirits even as the weather starts to slowly become more chilly.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have made this first term so successful: parents, teachers, and students, thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedules to organise events, animate the school community, and celebrate achievements together as we move towards a new year, with even more activities, celebrations, and successes. I know that many may be feeling stressed or overwhelmed by the workload so far this year, but I hope that this will subside as we settle into the next term and recover any lost time.

Before the year is over, or indeed before we restart our regular routines after the holiday, I’d like to urge you to take some time and reflect on everything that has taken place in 2022,

and especially the events detailed in this very magazine, including how we have developed as a community and how we can move forward. As the academic year progresses further, I hope that we will see even more involvement in school events and extracurricular activities, even if most of the older students, myself included, will become increasingly concerned with exams and university applications.

As I approach the end of my Head Prefect message, I truly hope that I and the rest of the Prefect team have done our roles justice so far, that students’ voices have been adequately heard, and that all students are happy and comfortable at school. If you are able to take the time to read through this edition, I hope you will find a source of inspiration and happiness for the coming year.

ISI BSO Inspection Report

by Kendall Peet, Head of

School

For our current parents, you will have already received an email with a link to our most recent ISI BSO Inspection report, detailing the standard of educational provision at IBSB. The full report can be found on:

COMPLIANCE

The first section of the report, pages 5-8, effectively addresses the ‘Inspection of Standards of British Schools Overseas’. In essence, this is the compliance portion of the inspection, which covers the following essential areas relating to the health and safety of the students and staff in school:

Part 3 Welfare, health and safety of pupils and other legislation

Part 4 Suitability of staff, supply staff and proprietors

Part 5 Premises and accommodation

Part 6 Provision of information

Part 7 Manner in which complaints are handled

In this area, schools either met or do no met the standards, with no other value judgement awarded. As was the case in our three previous ISI inspections, the report shows that we met all standards, with brief comments made about each standard met within the report, which I encourage you all to read.

QUALITY OF EDUCATION

In the second section of the report, ‘Inspection of Educational Quality’, pages 9- 14, the report reviews the:

Part 1 Quality of education provided (Quality of pupils’ learning and achievement)

Part 2 Spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development of pupils (Quality of the pupils’ personal development)

Headline judgements on educational quality include one of the following ISI descriptors: ‘EXCELLENT’, ‘GOOD’, ‘SOUND’, or ‘UNSATISFACTORY’, following the completion of the inspection visit.

In this section, IBSB was awarded the highest rating of ‘EXCELLENT’ in regards to both the Quality of education provided and the Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils.

In addition to these wholesale judgements, the report also identifies the impact of the curriculum, teaching, pastoral care, leadership, and management on the outcomes of pupils.

The three visiting inspectors in the final feedback meeting shared with the Senior Leadership Team how impressed they were by the dedication of our staff, the support of our parents, and the aspirational goal setting and evident work ethic of our students, who evidenced the benefits of High Performance Learning across the curriculum in manifold ways:

ensure we met any and all recommendations made as soon as is feasibly possible, but certainly by the time we welcome the inspectors back onto campus for our next inspection visit in March 2026.

I would like at this point to personally thank our students, staff, and parents for contributing to what I think we would all agree was an extremely positive inspection. We can all be very proud of what we have achieved as a school community in recent years, despite the challenges faced by COVID. Student progress and attainment, already judged ‘excellent’, continue to improve year on year, evidenced by our annual assessment data, as does our graduate record to top universities around the world, so we have good reason to believe that our students will continue to thrive and achieve to the highest level.

Our pastoral care system has also been extremely successful in counterbalancing the challenges faced throughout the COVID pandemic, along with the pressures of modern life, with the sum of the contributions made by the Student Ambassadors, Senior Prefects, House Captains, Pupil Parliament, Student Executive Committee, Teachers, Student Counsellors, and Parents all combining together, in combination with a flourishing extra-curricular programme, to maintain an overall sense of improving student health and wellbeing, which I am sure we would all agree is just as important as the levels of academic success achieved.

As ISI inspections of British Schools Overseas are for the benefit of the pupils, inspections aim to:

• Provide objective and reliable reports which help schools to recognise and build on their strengths and to identify and remedy weaknesses

• Inform parents and the wider public of the quality of British Schools Overseas by placing reports in the public domain

• Help schools to improve the quality and effectiveness of pupils education

We will, therefore, be reflecting on the findings of the report and update our school development plan accordingly to

Thank you to our PTF for wonderful work you are doing to help build a stronger community, and to all our parents who have supported the PTF with funds and time, which together enables the PTF to make a significant contribution to the lives of our students and the wider school community.

I have said this many times before, and will continue to say it: working together as a whole school community, students, parents, staff, and our community partners, there is very little that we cannot achieve. There is also nothing more important right now than working together to prepare the next generation of leaders to go out into the world equipped with the knowledge, skills, and values to ensure that humanity not only survives, but thrives as custodians of planet Earth, fulfilling our moral obligation to all species with whom we cohabit this beautiful planet. The clock is ticking, and education is the key.

“Pupils of all ages have excellent skills and knowledge in almost all areas of the curriculum. Evidence from lessons is that the level of their understanding progresses rapidly as a result of the attitudes encouraged by the school learning initiative...and almost all succeed in achieving places at their first choice of university or college, many with demanding entrance requirements.”

The International Economics Olympiad (IEO)

by Medeea Constantinescu, Year 13

The International Economics Olympiad (IEO) is an annual competition in economics organised for students at the secondary school level. It is intended to stimulate students interested in economics, business, and finance by way of creative problem-solving.

This summer, my colleague, Maria Sticlea, and I had the chance to represent Romania in the competition along with three other Romanian students, having passed through several elimination rounds to make the team of five Romanian high school students.

In preparation for this competition, we worked with economic experts from E&Y and the BCR bank, giving us insights to much more practical views, as a stark contrast to the traditionally theoretical economics topics typically discussed in the classroom.

The competition itself was split into three parts: two were individual; the economics exam consisted of a multiple choice questions and 4 essay questions, requiring a confident understanding of A level mathematics and graphical representations, as well as a simulation of real life through a financial game, all of which are proctored.

The last part was a team competition by country, on a real life business case scenario. This year, it was about JD Logistics, a large scale Chinese equivalent of eMAG in Romania. We

were supposed to come up with solutions to their efficiency problems in their supply chain and distribution, while keeping in line with their ESGs set in stone. We had to provide a business plan including the calculations relating to the finances, profitability, and efficiency for all the ideas we introduced, such as delivery by drones, to show it is realistic and to be able to compare it to their current production practices. We had 24 hours to produce a presentation and submit it.

Waking up at 7AM to take the metro to my teammate’s house, who I had never met, was definitely a strange experience: due to the time zone difference to China, the submission time was at an inconvenient hour for us. We therefore spent 8AM to 6AM the following day at his house, leaving his house to go home at 6AM , having not slept in 23 hours. Needless to say, when I arrived home I

immediately fell asleep on the couch, only to wake up at 10AM, 4 hours later, because at 13:00 , we were presenting the project we had submitted just a few hours before in the first round.

Going against university student teams from other countries, we were sure we were not going to make it through to the final. In fact, I had already started to get dressed to leave the house because I was certain we had been eliminated. Out of curiosity, however, I looked to see who qualified, and it is an understatement to say that all of us were completely shocked when we saw the result- we all thought it was a mistake. We had made it to the final.

I quickly went and changed back into my formal clothes, to join the zoom meeting for the final. Again, we thought other projects were so much better than ours, and especially being the last ones to present and seeing all the amazing presentations from before, team morale was at an all-time low. We managed to pull ourselves together, even though in our opinion the other teams had done a much better and more accurate job than we had.

The judges, who were executives on the board of JD Logistics, then announced the winners: Romania had won 1st place! The score from this round also worked towards the individual final score. Both Maria and I finished in the top 50 contestants, earning a silver medal for our country, and our other teammates all won Bronze .Not only was this a wonderful experience academically, but I can confidently say that the experience of spending 22 hours straight together, with people that were strangers to us then, working closely together in a 8 square metre room, bonded us for life.

Transitioning from IGCSE to AS/A Level

by Ilinca Birsan, Year

12

Most students currently studying at IGCSE level have little to no knowledge of the difficulty in transitioning into sixth form. I have just started the AS course myself, and having just finished my first set of mock exams, I have come to a few realisations that I would like to share with younger students curious about the challenges ahead. I thought that the best way of giving some insights into life as a student in the sixth form would be to interview one of my colleagues, Ana Mihaescu.

An Interview with Ana Mihaescu (Year 12)

Q: Hi Ana! Before we get started, can you tell everyone a bit about yourself and what you’re planning to study in the future?

Ana: Hi everyone! I would like to start by saying I am by nature a very lively and sociable person, and believe that throughout my years in IBSB these qualities have developed more and more. After taking psychology in the GCSE programme, I realised that I’m really interested in this subject, so decided to take it as one of my subjects for AS. I’m really looking to studying criminal psychology at university, believing that my GCSE and A level courses will help me a lot, especially in my first year at uni.

Q: What made you decide on your 4 AS level subjects? Is there anything you would change?

Ana: Knowing that I want to do Psychology at university, I was able to look a number of universities for their requirements. I’m currently studying History, Psychology, English Literature, and Biology for AS this year, and I honestly believe that they are the perfect mix of subjects for what I want to do in the future. I picked biology and psychology as my main mandatory subjects to help me apply for uni, and picked the other two because they are subjects that interested me throughout the IGCSE course, and still do. I wouldn’t say I’d change any of them, especially since I’m still not sure about which one to drop for my final year of A level either.

Q: Would you say the teachers have a different attitude compared to how they treat you in IGCSE?

Ana: I really do believe that teachers have changed the way they act with us, in a positive way. We are clearly being treated as more mature teenagers; we are given much more freedom and are expected to be more independent as learners, whilst also being taught what is required. Our teachers have some expectations of us that they expect us to achieve, which is perfectly understandable.

Q: Are you coping with the workload? How has it changed from IGCSE?

Ana: At the beginning of the year I was honestly a little overwhelmed with the workload, as it was unexpectedly more than I would think for only 4 subjects. I think that as the year has passed, we have learned how to cope with the amount of work being given and how to effectively use our study periods. In the end, I have figured out how to manage my time well to not feel as stressed, however, it did take some time to get used to.

Q: Has the transition from IGCSE to 6th form affected your mental health in any way?

Ana: I wouldn’t say that my state of mental state has changed drastically in any way, as I was considered to be mature from a younger age. However, it is true that moving to the sixth form really does promote the idea of independence and maturity, so I believe that students should try and learn to work independently from GCSE, as it is a pretty drastic difference between the two programmes.

Q: Are there any tips you would like to give to students who will join 6th form next year?

Ana: Honestly, I really would have wanted someone to assure the ‘IGCSE me’ that it is important to study a lot for the subjects you want to take, in order to have a good base of knowledge before taking the A Level course. I take a mix of both essay and science based subjects, and I do have to say that the science based ones are (until now) a lot harder than the others, but that should not demotivate you. Think a lot about the subjects you want to take, and make sure those subjects will help you for the future. Also, don’t tend to try and take subjects that your friends pick, if you do not think it will help you.

I would like to thank Ana for agreeing to share some information on her experience so far in the AS course, and I hope it helped younger students get a better understanding of it.

Steps to manage the transition from IGCSE to AS/A level

1) Prioritise your wellbeing

Most students will encounter additional pressure and anxieties, at least initially, with the changes in academic preparation and commitment needed for the AS level courses. Schools can help students overcome these problems by integrating wellbeing courses as part of the school curriculum, helping them maintain a balance between personal life and schoolwork, as well as teaching them coping mechanisms when dealing with stress.

2) Be Organised

As AS/A level courses are designed to prepare you for life in university, you’re expected to take full responsibility for your learning. Consistently turning up on time, fully engaging in lessons, and contributing your thoughts and ideas are some of the things you should be doing if you’re intending to get good grades in Years 12 and 13. Things like a homework diary may be useful when keeping track of deadlines, as well as a studying timetable where you can organise your study periods to avoid procrastination.

3) Ask for Support

Whether it is from classmates or teachers, getting feedback or asking questions will help you solve problems more efficiently. Identifying strengths and weaknesses in your work can help you set targets for yourself, as to how you can improve in the future. Sorting out problems regarding difficulties in understanding as soon as possible will help you save time and stress, as well as help you get better marks as you go through the syllabus.

4)

Exercise

Constantly training your brain is important when it comes to memorising large amounts of information. Therefore, answering and marking practice questions in your free time will help you recognise how good exam answers are structured and help you improve your way of approaching them. Physical exercise is also important, as it’s a good way of relaxing and clearing your mind. Extracurricular sports or activities can also strengthen your CV and personal statement.

5) Get Enough Rest

The workload you get for the four subjects you study in AS is the equivalent, if not more, than the workload you get for the 6-8 subjects you study at IGCSE. Getting enough rest outside school is vital when balancing your workload. It has been proven that students who are tired struggle to understand/absorb information and concentrate in school, and being that time management is important you really do need to be at your most alert in lessons.

Releasing a Song

by Andrei Ghita, Year 12

Well, I never thought I’d get to publish an article about this in the TIV magazine, mainly because I didn’t think I was going to put my songs out to the public until after high, at the very earliest.

So let me back it up just a bit to January 28, 2022. COVID-19 was unfortunately circulating around my year group at the time forcing us to remain at home and work online. Well, after a few days, it got to the point where the only two things keeping me away from exhaustion and fatigue were making music, and listening to music… everything else felt utterly pointless.

So one stormy Friday morning, while waiting for class to start, I picked up my guitar and started playing along to set the mood for the weather outside; it was a brilliant and rather serene way to start the day! I knew exactly how I felt and what I could do to make my day more exciting than it was.

With no question in mind or any plan whatsoever to write a song, I started muttering lyrics in a low pitched monotone voice while tapping the rhythm with my foot. It was maybe the simplest melody I’ve written up to that point. I intuitively started writing lyrics down, and in 15 minutes or so, I recorded what I came up with on a voice memo, and you could even hear the soft sound of raindrops tapping on the window sill as a backdrop to my recording.

After 2 minutes of redrafting, I felt like the song was finished to the point that it really didn’t need any more polishing whatsoever, which, to be completely honest with you, made me feel somewhat lazy (which is the reason I nicknamed the song “Lazy Bedroom Tune” before officially naming it “On and On”), as if I didn’t put in as much work as I could have.

It usually takes me days, weeks, or even months before I feel as though I have completely finished writing a song. But this barely took me 15 minutes, which led me to believe that it’s not always about how much I over-thought my feelings, but about how effectively I conveyed them in the piece.

The following few months, I started playing around with alternate tunings on the guitar, and even experimented with my (rather rusty) piano playing, in order to fully capture the essence of the track, and it was this really special moment for me, because the song started feeling more alive, and became the song that I am probably the proudest so far.

Thankfully, having met some remarkable musicians at the Five-Week Summer Program in Berklee College of Music, I was able to put my original songs on display, and this one was surprisingly the headturner from my setlist.

Then, one night, my roommate asked me if I has ever considered the possibility of releasing it, and if so, would I want to have him as the producer of the track.

I’ve never been through the process of releasing a song on a public platform- I have played live on many occasions, but there was something about putting a studio track out in the open that caused me a huge amount of anxiety. I think it probably because you know you are going to be judged and in the back of your mind you think, what if people don’t like my music, and the little ‘What if’ gremlins in your head start to cream and shout.

However, knowing that my friend had my back, and that he would actually be willing to produce the track and help me promote it, I knew that it was worth a shot, and that the process would be something magical.

So after multiple studio sessions, getting more people to work on it, and going through the process of sending tracks back and forth to one another, I am now able to confidently say that the final product resulted in exactly what I was wishing this song to sound like… and I don’t say that all too often.

The release date is still to be set, but it’s crazy to think how a simple idea conceptualized in my bedroom would evolve into becoming such a significant event in my life.

For those you maybe don’t know, Andrei Ghita appeared on The Voice in 2021. You can see him performing here

Head of Secondary School Message

by Matthew Tansley, Head of Secondary

As I sit and write my introductory piece for the first issue of The International Voice for 2022-23, I must admit I am amazed by just how much we have managed to cram into a sixteen-week term. This is in large part down to the commitment of our teaching staff, and the enthusiasm of our students, who have been fantastic as always.

The main focus of the first few weeks of term, was the ISI inspection, to maintain our BSO accreditation status. This could not have gone better, as we attained the coveted status of being an “Excellent” school both academically and pastorally. As an ISI inspector myself, I know how hard it is to attain this status, and it truly is a reflection of how far we have travelled as a school in the four years since our last compliance inspection in March 2018. The challenge now is not to rest on our laurels, which is never going to be the case at IBSB, as look to the future, toward new goals and benchmarks as set sail toward our next inspection in March 2026.

Prior to our inspection visit, the school year started with our annual parent coffee mornings for KS3, where I had the pleasure of meeting both our returning and new parents, taking the time to explain what our vision for IBSB is and how they can be involved in bringing that vision to fruition. It was also fantastic to see so many of our parents at the parent teacher BBQ a week or so later, which was extremely well attended; in fact, probably the best attended parent-teacher BBQ we have hosted!

Debating continues to be a huge strength of our school. The teams, both at U16 and U18 level have worked hard this term, with IBSB hosting both the Sir Winston Churchill European Debating Championships for the older students, and the U16 European Debating Competition for our younger teams. In both competitions, our students were extremely successful, with our senior debaters going on to win the Sir Winston Churchill Competition, defeating EIC Marbella in the final. The surprise of the U16 Middle School Debate, however, was the IBSB junior team, made up solely of year 7 & 8 students, who reached the final before eventually losing to an excellent team of students from Years 10 & 11 from Rygaards School, Denmark. The results from both events indicate that the future is looking very bright for our debaters, and I am sure that Mr Peet will continue to work hard providing opportunities for our younger students coming through. I am also sure that both teams have a good chance of continuing to excel in the coming months and years.

In the sporting arena, we have again punched above our weight. We have had students competing in the Bucharest Marathon team relay, as well as students participating in various triathlons. Our U16 and U13 boys football teams collected trophies at both AISB and in the Lumina Cup Competitions, before our U13s walked away with a first place at the BSB Autumn Cup Competition, joined by the girls team also collecting a trophy with an excellent result. Over the last few months, we have also seen many of our students begin their preparation for their futures, with the

largest group we have ever travelling to the Netherlands on a university trip with Mr Peet, Ms Baker, and Mr Ryan. Over 30 students spent a few days visiting universities in Amsterdam, Maastricht, Utrecht, Leiden, Delft and The Hague, meeting up with some IBSB alumni who showed them a few of the sights. Hopefully they have been inspired and have a clearer idea of where they wish to study. Next term, we will also be running a trip to the largest UCAS fair in London, which again, should help a few of our students with the decisions they need to make about their futures.

Charitable donations and work have been a cornerstone of IBSB work over many years, and this has continued this year with students working with a variety of different charities and organisations through CAS in the sixth form and the CAS club in the lower school. They have done themselves proud with regards to the money raised so far, as well as the hard work that they have put in. This could be easily seen in the effort that went into turning the secondary school into a haunted house for the Halloween Party, as well as with the CAS Winter Fair, which continues to raise a huge amount of money for the NGOs that we work with, and continues to be ably supported by the PTF

For many of the students, the highlight of the term was the ever popular Winter Ball, a fantastic event supported by the PTF, to whom I am extremely grateful, and ably organised by the Events Committee of the Student Executive. It really was fantastic to see the students enjoying themselves in the ballroom, and so I am sure they are all looking forward to the next event in the Spring Term.

Having read back through what I have written, it amazes me sometimes that we have enough time to actually do any teaching!!

The British Romanian Chamber of Commerce is the premier business -led organisation promoting bilateral trade and investment between the United Kingdom and Romania. Our mission is to facilitate and increase the trade between those two countries through business-to-business dialogue.

The British Romanian Chamber of Commerce plays an influential role in creating and sustaining an environment in which free-trade and investment flourishes. Through the facilitation of partnerships, and with an extensive network of influential corporate a nd individual members, the British Romanian Chamber of Commerce provides the resource, knowledge and infrastructure support vita l to UK companies to make the most of emerging opportunities in Romania, and for Romanian companies to do business in the establis hed markets of the UK.

Established in 1998, the BRCC is an independent organisation, owned entirely by its members, with offices in London, Bucharest, Cluj and Sibiu.

CLASS OF 2023 UNIVERSITY DESTINATIONS

by Kendall

Peet, Head of School

Congratulations to Maria Sticlea, Head Girl at IBSB, on receiving an offer to study Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) at New Colleg , one of the oldest constituent colleges at the University of Oxford, currently ranked No. 1 in the world.

Congratulations to our Deputy Head Girl, Medeea for receiving an offer to study Economics and Management at Bocconi University, in Milan, Italy, currently ranked 6th in the world for Business Management, with a newly built modern campus located in the centre of Milan, surrounded by lush parks, with a long list of illustrious alumni.

Congratulations to Anya Prajisteanu for receiving an offer to study at her first university of choice, IE University, Madrid, a modern 21st century university famous for its management programmes, being ranked 4th in the world for its Masters in Management and 7th in the world for its MBA, with courses taught by industry professionals offering real world insight, advice, and opportunities to aspiring undergraduates and entrepreneurs.

Congratulations to Bella Chen for receiving a full scholarship to study Business Management at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, consistently ranked a top 100 university in the world.

Congratulations to Merel Koek for receiving an offer to study Molecular Biophysical Life Sciences at Utrecht University, her first university of choice. Utrecht, one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands, founded in 1636, is a long time member of the renowned League of European Research Universities, consistently ranked as a Top 100 University in the world.

COBIS ART COMPETITION ‘Who am I?’

There are many benefits that come with COBIS membership, including a rich array of extracurricular events and activities on offer to our students. One event that is always popular with our students each year is the annual COBIS Art Competition, normally announced in September each year, allowing students two months to work on their entries, until the submission deadline usually toward the end of November, just before the Christmas break,

The theme for this year was ‘Who am I?’, with Erika Peet (Y5H) painting being selected by the Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) from 670 entries and 140 schools around the world.

When asked about her painting, Erika said she got the idea from her all-time favourite super hero, Super Girl, creating a water colour of herself as a SpaceX astronaut, on a future mission to Mars, intended to convey the message that with the right education, girls can do anything.

Here’s what the judges’ had to say: This is a beautifully executed watercolour painting. The graduating depth of colours in the background intensify the appearance and depth of endless space. Our focus is drawn to the central figure and the delicate watercolour brush strokes on the spacesuit which appear so minimal and yet is so effective add to the otherworldly quality of this painting. The excellent use of a foreshortening technique creates a superb sense of illusion with the subject receding into distant space whilst floating towards us adding to the sense of anti-gravity floating in space. This painting evokes a remarkable sense of timeless suspension.

Well done Erika for pursuing your passions and interests, ns embodying the IBSB Student Mission: Aspire, Strive, and Achieve.

DUBAIMUN 2023

by Kendall Peet, Head of School

After many hours of preparation, there was a palpable sense of excitement in the air as we hurdled through the airways in our silver chariot across Turkey and Iran, bound for the 2023 edition of Dubai International Academy’s Model United Nations.

Having successfully navigated immigration on both sides of the Mediterranean, we arrived in the Emirates late Wednesday evening, with a good portion of Thursday spent dealing with practical matters, including changing money and remaining connected to the wifi (harder than we expected!), in order to add the final touches to speeches and arguments for the first day of the conference tomorrow.

In between, however, was the official DUBIAMUN Opening Ceremony, a grand event that caused a few of our 22 students some nervousness, wishing to make a strong first impression, donned in their formal attire. It was an evening in which we were all thoroughly entertained by a gala performance, punctuated by speeches from the MUN’s student officials and VIP guests, with plenty of time available to mingle and develop the social skills so important to maintaining successful international diplomacy.

As ever, our students represented IBSB impeccably, full of confidence and curiosity, as they look forward to what promises to be an enriching and rewarding experience ahead!

Head of Primary School Message

by Alan Cornish, Head of Primary

Welcome to the Whiteboard, which is the Primary section of the TIV, exploring the events, trips, and learning going on in our Primary classes during Term 1, 2022.

As always, a huge thank you to all the contributors, including Ms Orla who helped to edit this year, and a huge thank you to you for reading on…

For us, the highlight of this term was inviting our community back into school after more than two years. We brought back class assemblies with parents invited, giving you the chance to watch and enjoy, but also giving the children a chance to perform. They got to experience the importance of rehearsals, the discipline of learning their lines, the excitement and butterflies just before they perform to an audience and then the satisfaction and warm glow they get when they take their bow and praise. It is really important and should not be underestimated. It is also lots of fun!

We also invited other international schools and parents, as we hosted Wordfest; you will see the article in this section

(spoiler alert – it was great and our pupils performed very well). We had Sports Day, with our parents, UN Day, with our parents, the back to school BBQ, with our parents, and the Halloween Party, with our parents. I think you get the idea. And we resurrected school trips too, taking learning outside the classroom (and I don’t mean in their bedroom, where the learning took place for many during periods of school closure).

So enjoy our Primary section and we look forward to inviting you into school for many more events this year.

EYFS Outdoor Education

by Deborah Ferguson, EYFS Coordinator

With COVID restrictions finally lifted, EYFS and Year 1 had the opportunity to enjoy their first trip of the year. They went to the Botanical Gardens, with adventure starting when they found out they were going on the school buses. There was so much excitement in the room. Seatbelt clicks and they were off.

The weather may be getting colder as we write this, but outdoor play is still in full force in EYFS.

Many people think that the most important learning happens in the classroom, and it is certainly true that I lot of learning does happen in the classroom, but in the EYFS programme it is equally true that the learning can happen anywhere. Outside there is so much to explore and learn – climbing, avoiding obstacles, creating music, and in Term 1b watching the signs of autumn creep in…

Last week, we took maths outside and enjoyed the remaining rays of the summer sun as we learned about capacity. We used measuring cylinders, pipets, a pan balance, and scoops.

“Look! This is full!”

“Oh no! My trousers are so wet.”

“It’s the same!”

These are just some of the comments that could be heard coming from the Outdoor Classroom.

To give the children ownership of the new play area, they each painted a flower in the planting area. It is ready for when the planting season starts again – only a few more months to wait.

Year 1F – We Love Maths

by Victoria Fay, Year 1 Teacher

In year 1 this year, we have been actively promoting a real love for and enjoyment of Maths. In Term 1b, we began our journey into the world of geometry. We started by learning about 3D shapes, their names, identifying them in real life, and how to sort 3D shapes into different groups based on their features. We looked at which shapes stack or roll and why.

The children really enjoyed collaborating with their classmates to build towers and mini cities and were very enthusiastic to use the new language we had learned to describe their wonderful constructions.

In cross curriculum lessons, we applied our knowledge of shapes when making and describing our model dinosaurs. In art, we talked about angles and how 3D objects appear different when we look at them from different perspectives. In addition to this, we discovered how 3D printing is being used to make many things in today’s world.

Overall, it was a fun and interesting way to introduce year 1 students to the wonderful world of geometry!

Year 20 Class Assembly

by Orla O’Dwyer, Year 2 Teacher

This term, Year 2 had their first class assembly. We decided as a class to act out the story called ‘The day the crayons quit’.

Firstly, we enjoyed listening to this playful, imaginative story that had our class laughing and playing with their crayons in a whole new way. The many letters written by the crayons helped us explore the way to build an argument through statements of opinion, the use of examples, supplying possible solutions, and using emotional language to impact the reader. Punctuation, such as ellipsis and capitalisation of words, helped us to express the crayons’ feelings. And as the letters are told from the crayons’ point of view, their unique problems created empathy in our class; this helped us to understand that sometimes we do not realise that our choices impact others.

We thoroughly enjoyed learning about the beautiful colours we see all around us every day, the impact they have on our feelings and interaction with our peers. We also had a lot of fun acting the different roles for the assembly, we learned about the importance of equality, inclusiveness, and having studied this story we feel it has helped us build our problem-solving skills.

Y3 Trip to Antipa Museum

by Alison Tansley, Year 3 Teacher

Educational trips are a part of the rich curriculum that we offer here at IBSB. They are an extension of our children’s education intended to challenge them not only academically, but also socially and emotionally. These educational visits are an important part of our commitment to widen pupils’ understanding of the world around them, adding value to the curriculum being studied.

Learning about Ancient Greece in class and completing some narrative writing, we wanted to add to the children’s experiences by going to Antipa Museum to see the animals in the natural history exhibition. The aim was that the children would choose two animals from which to create an original ‘hybrid’ creature. They would then give them additional powers and features, with this new creature they created then featuring in a creative narrative story.

The students really enjoyed seeing all the exhibits representing animals and their habitats found on various continents around the World. Ella Menner commented, “I did not know that there were so many different insects”, Noga Chizik was surprised to see that the Golden Eagle was such a large bird of prey, and Helena Holmes said, “I didn’t realise that the Whales were so big”.

The exhibits showing some of the traditional animals found here in Romania, such as the Brown Bear, the Bison, and the Wolves were very popular; particularly the rather gory display of a Wolf attacking a Rabbit. You know a trip has been a success when in the student feedback form a number of students asked when we could go again.

Year 3T Learning

by Alison Tansley,

Year 3 Teacher

Wherever possible, we endeavour to plan for cross-curricular topic links between subjects, such as literacy, maths, and science.

Sometimes, we are even able to incorporate worldwide holiday events, as learning opportunities within the classroom. Students are so enthusiastic about these events that if we can give them some tasks to complete that connect with it, they will be more engaged in the lesson.

In Term 1B, the worldwide event of Halloween takes place on the 31st of October. This provided us with an opportunity to complete a fun writing activity. The goal of the activity was for students to create their own haunted house and to produce a ‘For Sale’ advertisement. However, the audience was not your everyday ‘normal’ family; they had to create an advertisement that would persuade a Witch to buy their house. Therefore, to appeal to a Witch’s preferences, for this activity, students needed to design and describe the scariest, most disgusting and haunted house they could imagine.

In Year 3, part of our literacy curriculum requires us to write descriptively using expanded noun phrases and selecting interesting vocabulary. This task was a perfect first introduction to descriptive writing. Students completed a small range of literacy activities before building up to the main task; writing a creative advertisement based upon the image of the haunted house that they had drawn and decorated.

Students loved being able to draw and decorate their own houses. Then, using these houses as their inspiration and after an initial brainstorm to choose some appropriate nouns and adjectives, students worked on some sensory writing. They had to think carefully about what they would see, hear, feel (physically and emotionally) and smell if they entered a haunted

house. After that, the next step was to complete a graphic organiser where they could gather their thoughts and write out a draft ‘rough’ version of their advertisements, using a guided framework to help them compose paragraphs. They had to think about what it would be like inside their house on the ground floor, upstairs, outside and the general neighbourhood in which it is situated. Finally, the students wrote out their final, neat version of their advertisement after making some edits to improve their vocabulary choices.

It was wonderful to see how engaged the students were creating and describing their ‘Haunted Houses for Sale’ advertisements. The students really impressed me with their creativity, producing great results that showcased their improving literacy skills.

Y3O Explore Ancient Greece

by Adelaide Owen, Year 3 Teacher

For the last few weeks, the children in Year 3O have been exploring the topic of Ancient Greece. We have looked at the similarities and differences in their societies and the way in which we live today. We have begun to understand that ancient societies still influence how we live currently. The children have also loved exploring Greek mythology, exploring many myths, analysing the meanings behind them and the creatures and characters they feature. The Olympian Gods in particular have captured the imagination of the children, with Zeus and Athena being the current class favourites; the children have all created posters to teach their colleagues more about their chosen Gods. As you can see from the pictures, the children have recently created pieces of art featuring the Minotaur of Crete.

Year 4S Digestive Drama

by Aliviana Sanders, Year 4 Teacher

This term, 4S studied play scripts and the human digestive system. We put everything we learned about each topic together to create a performance to remember.

First, we looked at various plays to discover what the features of a play script are and how to write one. We got lots of practice performing different plays for each other and learning about tone, volume, and action. We even wrote and performed short plays for each other in PSHE, where we showcased what different scenarios look like when we are collaborative and what happens when we are not.

Whilst we were busy learning about play scripts in English and PSHE, we familiarised ourselves with the human digestive system in our CC lessons. We learned all about the organs and even travelled through the digestive system via Youtube (we watched a scientist swallow a camera)!

Next, it was time to put our enquiring hats on and do some research. Each student chose an organ, researched it and wrote their own part of the play script. We worked collaboratively and creatively to put it all together and make it interesting, and then worked hard to practice and learn our lines.

Finally, we invited our parents and the rest of primary to watch our performance. At the end of the show, we came together to sing and perform a Michael Jackson-inspired dance to “Eat It”, by Weird Al Yankovic. We learned a lot of new and disgusting things and were able to teach others about them, too!

Year 5H Instructions

by Lee Hawkins, Year 5 Teacher

We began the English topic by engaging in some fun games that highlighted the importance of following instructions exactly, as well as the importance of giving clear and accurate instructions.

Once we understood exactly what a good instruction was, we then looked at the writing features. We dissected an exemplar text, highlighting what we thought were important features to include in our own instructions. The students highlighted genre features, such as titles, sub-titles, bullet points, and diagrams. We also noted some key writing features such as adverbial phrases, parenthesis for clarification, rhetorical questions, and imperative verbs.

Next, we created a set of instructions in groups, the subject of which was ‘How to tie your shoelaces’ (another important life skill). This was something many of the students needed to practice to perfect. After a few lessons of planning and editing, we were ready to test our shoelace instructions. SUCCESS! By the end of these lessons, not only did we have instructions that were clear and accurate, now everyone in the class was able to tie their own shoelaces with confidence.

Finally, we needed to plan, create, and perfect a set of instructions independently.

Keeping to the fun and engaging theme, we decided to write a set of instruction on ‘How to make my perfect sandwich’. With the planning complete and the instructions written out, we were ready to peer assess them. What

In Term 1a, Year 5 worked on creating clear, effective instructions. Being able to read, follow, and give accurate instructions is a key skill in life.

better way to assess them than to follow the instructions and MAKE our perfect sandwiches. The students paired up, swapped instructions and ingredients, and followed each other’s directions, precisely. This meant that if there was a step missing or an inaccurate instruction, then the final sandwich would reflect that.

Once completed, the students were able to enjoy their favourite sandwich and give each other a score based on how well the instructions were written and how well they were followed. Almost all were perfect, but we did have a few that forgot to cut, spread, or add a slice of bread to the final product (they still enjoyed chowing down on whatever was in front of them).

Everyone thoroughly enjoyed this topic and of course, learned the importance of clear and easy to follow instructions.

Who said instructions can’t be fun?

6M have learned loads of new things

by Mihai Urjan, Year 6

This year in Year 6, we have learned loads of new things. Some of the skills we learned are: creating a fabulous poem, being able to draw trick art, being able to multiply fractions, and many other interesting things.

One of the best things we have done this year was the residential team building trip to Covasna.

On the first day of school, we introduced ourselves and made a poster with the house we are in. There are three houses, Transilvania, Muntenia, and Dobrogea, and as the year progresses we earn house points, and with those house points we can help our house to win the House Cup. There are also challenges given some weeks to earn extra house points.

This was a challenge where we had to make a sandwich or a cookie or something made out of food which looked like something from Halloween. Some people made cookies that looked like ghosts or bats, while others made sandwiches that looked like monsters.

The trick art was extremely entertaining also because it looked splendid.

In English we have written poems, news articles, and even made some live news reports, which was absolutely amazing.

“My favourite thing this year was becoming House Captain and going in the Residentials” said Alia.

Sofia said, “The best House Challenge was the Halloween Food Challenge.”

Year 6 Residential Trip to CheilE Gradistei

by Maria Farmache, Year 6

At the end of Term 1a, Year 6M and Year 6W both went on a ‘Team Building’ trip to Cheile Gradistei, in Covasna. The trip was only 3 days, but both classes had lots of fun!

The first day was mostly just staying in the bus, but the children had a plan and transformed what normally would have been a ‘boring bus-trip’ into a ‘party bus-trip’. After 4 hours of singing, playing and chatting, the hotel was finally in our sight. The rest of the day was spent at the hotel by eating delicious food, swimming, visiting each others’ rooms, and even more fun, fun and fun.

Day 2 was spent in Brasov at the Planetarium and National Zoo, where we saw lots of animals and discovered a lot of information about them. After we left Brasov, we went to Aventura Park where we got to climb, go on zip lines, and best of all, having a great time. “I really liked the zoo because there were a lot of animals from different parts of the Earth; for example, zebras from Africa, monkeys from South America, and a lot of animals I’ve never seen before,” said Eva. The day continued back at the hotel with some activities and games for around 1 hour until we had to go back to the restaurant, and ended with a campfire near the hotel under a clear starry sky with donuts and warm temperatures.

Day 3 was spent partially at the hotel with our own ‘House Games Competitions’, where everyone had lots of fun and creative gameplays. The Best Room Awards were handed out for various

amounts of house points. Then around 12:00, the bus came to take us home, returning us safely, but tired, to our families.

“It was fun and nice, and we got to see some animals. We went to Aventura Park and WAY more. Overall, it was a very nice trip” - Ingrid

What If I was a Russian Spy working at NASA?

by Tom Wilson, Year 6 Teacher

During the first half term, the Year 6 project was a ‘What if…’ Topic based on the Space Race. They had to imagine that they were a Russian Spy, reporting their findings of the US Space Programme to Yuri Andropov (Head of the KGB).

Included in their secret dossiers were an abundance of facts about the technology, astronauts, spacecraft, and locations of test sites and launch pads. This also linked with our English topic of biographies and non-chronological reports.

Here are some comments from children in 6W about their Cross Curricular project:

‘I love to do CC projects and I really enjoyed imagining that I was a Russian Spy. I enjoyed finding out what astronauts eat in space and even made some of my own space food.’ - Vidhatri.

‘It was a very interesting project and the fact that we could learn about space and were pretending to be a spy. I think it’s a very good idea as it is entertaining for children and we had lots of fun.Maria

‘It was entertaining learning about the space race and then becoming a Russian spy was amazing. I loved creating the ‘Top Secret’ file because I let my imagination control what I was doing. I had so much fun creating the project.’ - Vlad

‘Every time a new project is introduced; I am very excited of all of the opportunities to be creative. The ‘What if I was a Russian spy’ project has to be one of my all-time favourites.’ - Evaluna

World Sight Day

by Orla O’Dwyer, Year 2 Teacher

On Thursday, October 13th, IBSB celebrated World Sight Day, with the students arriving to school wearing sunglasses of various shapes and colours to mark this significant day.

Throughout the day, the Secondary School CAS students ran workshops in the primary school, where each class learned about the fantastic work that Light Into Europe do on a daily basis, assisting people who suffer from severe visual impairment to gain mobility, freedom, and independence.

Each student also got to experience what if would feel like to live with a visual impairment by trying on dark glasses that blocked most of the light, promoting empathy and respect. We also had fun in class playing sensory games and learning about the braille alphabet.

As a part of the day, each child was able to make a voluntary 10 lei donation to Light into Europe to support them int eh work they to, including training the guide dogs and providing canes.

The message each child received on this day was that a visually impaired person has the right to go anywhere with a guide dog and that sensory impairment must not lead to exclusion.

Odd Socks Day

by Orla O’Dwyer, Year 2 Teacher

On Tuesday, November 15th, IBSB celebrated Odd Socks Day. This is a day in which we encourage all students to express themselves and celebrate their individuality and what makes us all unique! All we had to do to take part and celebrate this day is wear odd socks.

This day is intended to shine a spotlight on bullying and highlights ways of preventing and responding to it and fosters mutual support and cooperation among students. The message behind the day for 2022 was ‘Reach Out’. It is a wellknown fact that encouraging acceptance of individuality at an early age can help prevent bullying in later life.

In PSHE lessons, each student got the opportunity to design their own odd socks and to discuss the importance of being proud of our uniqueness and differences. At the end of the school day, our work was full of beautiful drawings of odd socks and kind words.

sustainability committee

by Tom Wilson, Year 6 Teacher

This year the sustainability committee has an important role as we move towards our goal of becoming a sustainable school. The committee is made up of a number of students who are committed to helping to protect the environment in which we live. The main aim of our committee is to inform and educate students and the wider community of what we can do to promote a cleaner healthier earth. In order to do this, we aim to reduce our use of natural resources (such as energy, water and paper) and produce less waste.

This year we have already had great success as we have managed to abolish single use plastics and food cartons from our lunch room. All students now eat from reusable plates and use cutlery. It is a small, but significant, step forward in our fight for sustainability.

In addition to this, we have introduced Nude Food week. Nude Food week is the first week of each month, when all students are encouraged to bring snacks which use less, or no plastic packaging. Each class collects the plastic packaging they have brought to school over the week and we can see how much unnecessary waste we are producing. The class

with the least waste gets a reward for demonstrating their concern for our environment.

Committee members also continue to organise paper recycling. Each week our members collect all of the used paper in the school and with the help of secondary CAS students it is sent to be recycled. We also actively encourage students to waste less paper on pictures and colouring and to use paper on two sides. Sustainability members also make videos and posters letting students know about the simple steps students can take to help improve our environment.

We give short presentations to educate students and to urge them not to waste food when possible and to turn off lights and to plug out electrical appliances when they are not using them.

Through our work I hope we can raise awareness of how we, as individuals, can help protect the environment and how as a community we can make a real difference to the fight against climate change.

COBIS international Poetry Competition

by Alison Tansley, Year 3 Teacher

As a COBIS member school, we were invited to highlight our students’ creative talents by submitting some entries into the COBIS international Poetry Competition. The COBIS Poetry Competition offers a brilliant opportunity for young writers to compete internationally and showcase their talent. The theme of the COBIS competition this year was ‘Who am I?’. Students were permitted to interpret this theme in any way they wished, but this message had to be reflected in each poem.

Poetry is the art of words. A poem is also a piece of literature or artistic writing that expresses feelings and uses words to create images for people to picture and think about whilst reading or hearing the poem. The aim of a poem is to stir a reader’s imagination or emotions. The poet does this by carefully choosing and arranging language for its meaning, sound, and rhythm.

Poetry can appear in a great many forms and styles. Some poems, like nursery rhymes are simple and humorous. Other poems may try to express some truth about life, to tell a story or to honour an important figurehead or famous person. Poets choose their words very carefully and their poetry may include figurative language and imagery to suggest ideas and create images in the reader’s mind.

Over a two week period, students in Upper KS2 (Year 4-6) had a poetry focus during their literacy lessons, in which to learn or refresh the key components of a good poem, such as figurative language and a powerful message.

The students really impressed all their teachers this year, producing great results that showcased their creativity and literacy skills. The students themselves really enjoyed the freedom that poetry writing can provide; poetry is a very different style of writing to a narrative or an information text.

The Upper KS2, the teachers chose their favourite three poems from within their class to be the finalists. From these 12 poems, they conducted an overall vote to select the one poem we would submit to the COBIS competition.

The winner was Eva Popescu from Class 6M.

Eva was delighted when she found out: “For me, I am still in a giant shock I made it in the COBIS competition. It was a tremendous process but I loved it. I love every single part of my poem. I planned, I wrote, I started over again, until I eventually got my final product of ‘Who Am I?’. When my name was called out in assembly, my heart was racing. I enjoyed every moment of it. Although, when I heard my name, as overall winner, I felt great, I knew from 3rd place last year in Year 5H, to 1st overall in IBSB was an enormous jump.”

‘Who am I?’

by Eva Popescu

I finally figured out who I am. I am the turbulent storm in the deep, The occult colours of unique flowers, The phoenix with vigorous powers. The hydrating showers over the bitter mountains.

The calm palm trees dancing to the wind, The lucid rain droplets falling graciously from the sky, I am one who will never cry. It’s me!

I am all the vibrant colours of the rainbow, The joy people feel, As brave as a lion, The hardest cliff to climb, That’s all me!

I am the sporadic crystals found in sunken caves, As pure as the tenacious waves, As soft as the somber sand, As gleaming as the shady night skies, That is who I am!

Kangaroo Maths competition

by Alan Cornish, Head of Primary

This year we had the largest number of children ever taking part in the Kangaroo Maths. We had so many, we had to use the lunch room to fit them all in. This is especially impressive, as it happened the morning after the evening of our Winter Show, so we had some sleepy children taking part. Having said this, we are confident there will be plenty of excellent results coming our way. Regardless, we applaud all pupils taking part in this annual competition and we applaud Ms Sanders and Ms Cristina for organising it all.

Introducing the Junior Duke Award

by Alan Cornish, Head of Primary

This year, IBSB introduced a wonderful new programme called the Junior Duke Award. The learning objective of this programme is to encourage independence, confidence, resilience, and self-motivation among our students.

This programme includes the Micro Duke, Mini Duke, and Junior Duke Awards. It is aimed at helping children from the age of 3 to 12 learn and practice a large variety of life skills. Each of these levels has a selection of challenges and, in order to complete a level, the children need to finish a predetermined number of these successfully. These include skills such as First Aid, ICT, Eco awareness, Drama, Music, Sport and other life skills such as cookery and puncture repair. The children will be given some of the necessary skills in school, but most of the challenges require a good deal of time and effort out of school with friends and family.

On completion of a level, a well-earned certificate and badge will be awarded. In school, we are beginning to see the number of students completing their challenges increase and hope you and your child are enjoying working on these activities together at home.

The Primary House Captains’ Term 1 Report

by Sonia Muthu, Year 6

Since the elections in September, the House Captains have been extremely busy.

The House Captains this year are:

Dobrogea - Maria and Andrei

Muntenia - Alia and Sonia

Sports Day was the first big event of the year where the House Captains helped organise the Relay Race, with the fastest students from Y4-6. Some of the House Captains participated, too, and had this to day:

“It was fine. It was a good day,” - Mihai.

“I liked organising the relay race… It was awesome!” - Sonia.

“At first, it was difficult …there were so many fast people…” - Maria

Another thing the House Captains did was the superblycoloured House Captain Points display, with awesome photos from Sports Day, pictures of the House Captains themselves, and an “Overall” and “Weekly” points total. Let’s see how it was for them…

“It was collaborative ... we have to colour it (the display) every Friday, we asked one another what’s the totals and what teams,” - Alia.

“I really liked to put the pictures on the display!”

- Sonia

Next, we decided on the PE equipment to use during our breaktimes, which included 3 skipping ropes, 3 footballs, and some badminton sets, which the children in KS2 found extremely exciting! The House Captains did have some problems with people destroying the equipment, though, so have to continue to monitor the use of this equipment as we use our Pupil Parliament funds for this.

Who knows what the House Captains might do next?

Transilvania - Eva and Mihai

Who are the Primary School Student Ambassadors?

by Tom Wilson, Year 6 Teacher

This year, we have eight new Year 6 Student Ambassadors who have already made such a positive impact in the Primary School. Selected in September, they each had to create a video explaining why they would make an excellent Ambassador. There were many excellent applications received this year, so it was a very hard deciding who the final students selected would be.

Here are some of the roles that the Ambassadors have carried out so far in their own words:

‘It has been almost 3 months since I was chosen to be an Ambassador and I have had the best time in year 6 since then. I became a DJ; every Friday I get to put music on for the assembly, and for the class assembly I am a sound technician. Being an Ambassador has been a big responsibility for me and I love it, because I get to do the job with my friends.’ Ariel

‘As the months go by, being a Student Ambassador has changed my life. It is great having jobs like helping setting out the assemblies, putting up the Star of the week, etc. It also keeps you entertained, but at the same time you’re also helping out.’

Ingrid

‘Around 3 months ago, I was lucky enough to be selected as a ‘Student Ambassador’ and ever since I have been very passionate about fulfilling my responsibilities. It is also a very entertaining job and it unquestionably keeps us active for the majority of the week. My teammates and I have been working together greatly and I am glad that I have been paired up with a phenomenal team with enthusiastic, dynamic people.’ Sofia

‘In September 2022 I was brave enough to put myself forward as a Student Ambassador. I never thought I would get the role, but was overjoyed when Mr Cornish called out my name. At first, I thought it was a joke. I’m very happy that I was able to convince my teacher that I can be a good role model for everyone.’

Maria

INGRID ANNIE

SOFIA ARIEL

KAYLA VIDHATRI

MARIA ALEX

WORDFEST 2022

by Alison Tansley,

Year 3 Teacher

On Saturday, the 26th of November, students from five international schools descended on IBSB to take part in the annual WordFest (spoken word competition). The competition is the brainchild of former IBSB teacher, Cameron Brunke, whose passion for spoken word art forms led him to create a yearly opportunity for students to take part in poetry, drama, and public speaking performances. This was the fifth edition of WordFest, and we are proud to say that IBSB has been there every time!

There are two age groups for the competition: 8-11 and 12-15. Ms Tansley worked tirelessly with the primary school students while Mr Ennion guided the secondary students during the preparations for their performances.

Sofia Peli (Y6) managed to achieve 3rd Place in both impromptu and persuasive speaking categories. The IBSB Primary School also achieved 3rd Place in group acting, thanks to tremendous efforts of Alia Chayek-Patt, Kayla Jayathas, and Ianna Raclaru, who performed Aladdin. Alia and Kayla also achieved 2nd Place in the storytelling category, coming just ahead of two other IBSB teams who shared 3rd Place equal: Ianna Raclaru and Sonia Muthu’s story could not be separated from that of Ralph Cathey-Ureche and Nora Dobrescu. There were other IBSB primary students competing amidst a tough field, so congratulations also to Maria Farmache, Mihai Urjan, and Eva Popescu. All the primary students performed admirably and will be enriched by the experience of speaking for an audience - which is a very scary thing to do!

In the 12-15 age group, 13 students took part, including Tudor Carstoiu, Petru Pirtea, Olivia Opran, Carla Pancescu and Iulia Daianu. These multi-talented students came up against similarly determined competitors from the other schools and gave a great account of themselves, especially considering it was the first time many of them had taken part in this event. Two of our more seasoned contestants, Felix Daianu and Sonia Marta, achieved 1st and 2nd Place respectively in impromptu speaking, matching their success of last year. In the individual acting category, Sandra Curtis achieved 1st Place with a monologue she wrote herself. She was joined on the podium by Eva Nica, who took 3rd Place for her moving performance. In the remaining categories, Nina Culea took 3rd Place for her persuasive speech; Maia Bucura and Dan Stefan Popa were 2nd and 3rd respectively in the poetry category; and another debutant, Cezar Marinescu Netoiu, managed a 1st Place prize for his storytelling talent!

All in all, it was a very enjoyable and successful event for the IBSB students and we could not be prouder of them.

This was the first time the competition had been hosted at IBSB, and of course, it took a lot of hard work to stage the competition. We must thank Ms Ana, Ms Andreea, Ms Madalina and Ms Iulia for their efforts in ensuring the event ran smoothly. Ms Bogdan, Mr Tansley and Mr Cornish were also on hand to show their support and oversee the competition. We are also very grateful to Mr Mujica, who took part in judging the competition - no easy task! Thank you to Mr Iulian, Ms Dobra Ana and Ms Narcisa Rolea, who ensured the sports hall and school site were ready to receive such a huge number of students, parents and teachers from all over the city. Finally, a huge thank you to Mr Tansley for supporting the primary school students throughout the competition.

We really appreciate the support of all the parents who gave up their Saturday morning to attend the event. As ever, it was a chance to see how well the community works together at IBSB.

Congratulations to all the students who participated and we hope to see many of you back again next year!

French, Christmas, and the ‘What if’ Projects

by Daniela Momirleanu, French Teacher

The end of term got very busy for all year groups preparing their What if project and getting ready for Christmas. In our French classes, we did our best to cover both!

Year 3 and 4 students were all involved and enthusiastic about creating baubles, which they used to decorate their books or the classroom, but also took them home to hang on the Christmas trees so Santa is aware of their work and prepares presents accordingly. These activities were great opportunities for students to learn vocabulary related to Christmas in French, such as le sapin – Christmas tree, les boules – baubles, la couronne – wreath, or le pain d’épices - gingerbread.

Year 5 and 6 students tried new shoes on: in Year 5 the students worked in groups for their project based on the question What if I was a tour guide?, whilst in Year 6, they got the chance to find out new things about different countries around the world, as their What if project had to answer the question – What if I was an explorer? Thanks to their research, we all learnt some fun facts: for example, Cyprus was the first country to feature its map on the flag.

Guten Tag zusammen!

by Robert Gaier, German Teacher

In Y6, we found a common hobby during the German lessons. We like to travel, to sail or fly away, and we definitely love to explore foreign lands and cultures.

So, after learning about our Vaterland different kinds of facts regarding the geography, history, and culture, we decided to spread our wings and go further than anyone would expect. We literally took the What if I was an explorer? topic by storm and discovered some mysterious and beautiful foreign lands, undiscovered by famous explorers like Christopher Columbus, Vasco da Gama or James Cook and still unknown by Google Maps or other well-known amateurs.

We decided to act like professional cartographers, measuring and analysing in detail the sometimes strange and mystical islands we found.

Being just a cartographer might become a little bit boring, so we tried to develop our marketing skills as well, presenting the beautiful lands the best way we could, to attract tourists and ensure a great future for our lands and the inhabitants we accidentally discovered.

We assure you that we will treat the indigenous tribes nicely and not repeat the mistakes committed by the conquistadors – we are completely against any sort of exploitation or slavery.

Some of us even discovered intelligent life on foreign planets, so the sky is not really the limit for us.

Wherever we are, we like to celebrate Christmas, even on exotic islands or other planets, so we wish you Frohe Weihnachten und ein glückliches neues Jahr!

The Magic of New Beginnings

by Alexandra Ivascu, Spanish Teacher

Change can be scary- especially joining a new school, making new friends, getting used to a new system, new rules, and new teachers. This is something that happens every year in our community; however, we are happy to see the new students blend in quickly, becoming more at ease and confident within weeks of arriving.

For some of them, joining our school also means learning a new language. This was the case for two students this year who have just started Spanish lessons: Stefan in Y6 (already known as Esteban) and David D. in Y5.

Let’s hear their thoughts on this new journey.

David Dena:

How do you find Spanish classes so far?

D: They are interesting; I find it easy to understand the vocabulary because I make connections with Romanian. I like the fact that homework is fun and not hard to complete (if you pay attention during lessons).

What are your thoughts on the ‘’What if I was a nutritionist project’’ that you had to submit for the end of Term 1A?

D: It was fun and useful at the same time, because it helped me learn food vocabulary and I am now able to order in a Spanish restaurant; I definitely feel more confident and at ease with this topic. I also know what a daily healthy menu is supposed to look like.

What do you enjoy the most in your Spanish lessons?

D: Learning new vocabulary, trying to guess what a certain word means and how much fun it can be when we get it wrong and we all laugh. I love the fact that mistakes are encouraged during lessons and we learn from them.

Esteban (Stefan Popa):

Why have you chosen Spanish and not German or French?

E: I chose Spanish because it sounds beautiful, and because I thought it would be easier to learn it since it is a Latin language and there are similarities between Spanish and Romanian.

How do you find Spanish classes so far?

E: I find Spanish classes interesting and fun because I am learning so many new things and my classmates are helpful, respectful, and I love working in teams.

What do you enjoy the most in your Spanish lessons?

E: I enjoy working collaboratively and discovering facts about the Spanish culture. For example, this term we are learning about geography and Spanish-speaking countries.

How do you think Spanish language would help you in the future?

E: I want to travel to Spain and it will help me understand the people, the culture, and I will feel confident and at ease.

Primary Chairty Committee

Contributions to the Annual Winter Fair

by Primary School Charity Committee

Preparations in the Primary School for this year’s Winter Fair began months in advance with several brainstorming meetings. The committee had millions of fantastic ideas and decided in the end on two games along with making and donating some items for sale.

The Sour Candy game was an instant hit, with lines forming as soon as the doors opened. Alia and Andrei explained the rules: players had to hold a sour candy in their mouth for fifteen seconds without making a face. If they did, they got a free extra candy! Tudor took their money and judged their faces very carefully.

Maria took charge of the ‘Guess the Christmas Song’ Game. Each contestant had to listen to five seconds of five songs and name each one. If they guessed all five correctly, they got a mystery prize!

Daria and Yasemin made homemade cards and decorations, Andrei crocheted toys and jewellery and Ebraheem brought lush, fuzzy earmuffs and watches to sell, which all proved very popular. Erika, Matei, and Ana all helped to sell them.

As the fair began to wind down, Andrei, Alia, Maria, and Leti were still working hard, honing their sales skills by taking merchandise around and selling it directly to the customers. Everyone worked collaboratively and creatively to raise money for our charity partners and we all had a blast.

The Return of the Primary School Halloween Party!

by Alan Cornish, Head of Primary

It’s back! The Halloween Party returned to Kiddo Land at Park Lake, who went the extra mile taking care of 121 children and organising a surprise for us with the dancers- we all enjoyed 3 hours of hauntingly good fun. The kids in particular looked amazing! The teachers and parents too, as they also got into the spirit – pun intended! It is scarily good to be able to have these events again – this was certainly the overriding feeling amongst the parents and children on the night.

The Winter Show

by Alan Cornish, Head of Primary

The jewel in the crown of Term 1 was, for so many people, the Winter Show. The hall was full, the raffle prizes impressive (thanks for all the donations), and the atmosphere electric.

As always, Early Years stole the show because nobody can compete with that level of cuteness. They sang beautifully too. Our Year 1 and 2 children (all of them) performed a charming Nativity called Whoops a Daisy Angel, about an angel that always gets it wrong, but triumphs in the end – an HPL kind of angel for sure.

And for Aladdin in Trouble we had the biggest ever cast: 56 children performing a panto like no other for the delight of the audience, who all got into the spirit of the night. Oh no they didn’t! Oh yes they did! Well, you get the point. A panto is supposed to be silly with bad jokes and lots of fun, and this is what the actors delivered to a packed hall. They deserved their encore and the memories that will last a lifetime.

Primary School HPL Term 1 Review

by Lee Hawkins, HPL Coordinator

As HPL Lead, I often speak with staff and students about what High Performance Learning looks like in school and how we can use the values, attitudes, and attributes to our advantage. With this in mind, I thought I would share some of those conversations with you. Each of these have taken place this academic year, since September.

What better place to start than the beginning?

I take you back to Week 1, when Sofia Peli, Eva Popescu and I, discussed exactly what ‘HPL’ is and how it is used.

What is HPL?

Sofia Peli (6M): HPL stands for High Performing Learning and it helps us reach our potential.

Eva Popescu (6M): HPL helps us understand the qualities, skills and attitudes that people use when they are learning. It’s something that all learners do without knowing.

Sofia Peli (6M): But when we know what it is and we learn about these things, it helps us progress and become even better learners.

What does HPL look like around the Primary School?

Sofia Peli (6M): It’s everywhere! We have Star of the Week assemblies and students are always rewarded based on how well they have shown some of the HPL qualities, skills and attitudes.

Eva Popescu (6M): Oh yeah, and then we have monthly HPL awards to celebrate students that have been really good.

Sofia Peli (6M): and we use it in almost every lesson, too. We choose one of the qualities, skills and attitudes and reflect on how we used it in the lesson.

Eva Popescu (6M): Yeah, we write it in our books beside the objective for that lesson.

I really enjoy catching up with the students and picking their brains to see how it is that they learn and to hear a student’s perspective. However, it is equally important to her from those that teach, even more so when the setting is not the classroom. In October I spoke with Mr Wilson & Mr Morrison about how the student’s displayed the HPL values, attitudes, and attributes, while on a residential trip to the mountains…

Sofia Eva

Below is an excerpt from a discussion with Mr Wilson (Y6), just after returning from the residential:

During the trip to Aventura Park, I saw bravery and confidence as some children faced the challenging ziplines. There were also many children showing selfregulation, especially being away from their home for 2 nights! I was impressed with Antoniu and Alex V. for showing concern for society by looking out for others when they were feeling homesick or missed their family and friends back home.

Mr Morrison (Y6) also shared his views and observations…

Throughout the trip I saw so many examples of independence and resilience skills from the children. I was even more impressed with Sonia, who showed empathy towards other students when they were unable to grasp the task in hand, giving explanations (which helped their fluent thinking), meaning, they were able to reflect on the activity and re-approach it in another way to improve or succeed.

These opportunities, to witness student’s outside the classroom, are hugely beneficial and help the teachers see the students holistically, especially when they are able to see them flourish as ‘all-round’ learners in an unfamiliar setting.

At this point in the term, the holiday was fast approaching. However, that doesn’t mean that the use of HPL values, attitudes, and attributes would be taking a break. I spoke with Patrick Turcanu & Luca Wahler from Y5 to see what they would be up to and how HPL will influence their time away from school…

Luca had a plan to go skiing over the break and this was his take on how HPL will be present with him on the slopes:

Luca Patrick

When I first began skiing, I was not confident in myself. Then when I saw my sister and my Dad ski so well, it encouraged me to practice and work hard to become better. Now, I think I am better than my sister at skiing, but not quite as good as my Dad. These days, I don’t need to focus too much on skiing because of all of the practice I have done. I use automaticity and speed & accuracy when I’m skiing, now.

In a completely opposite plan for the holiday (and one very similar to mine) Patrick discussed how HPL will influence his chill days, while playing video games:

I play games online with my friends and when I first began, I used to lose a lot. This was because I wasn’t collaborating or communicating with my teammates. Now, we collaborate and work as a team and we have won over 600 games together. Most of the time we have to strategy plan, to beat a level. However, when it is difficult we will need to solve problems together.

With the holiday’s over and everyone back in school, it was time for everyone’s favourite event… Parent-Teacher Meetings. This year, however, would be different to the past couple of years. We returned to a forgotten, but popular, format from way back when we were all allowed to share the same space. I think that’s enough from me for now, let’s hear from Eva Popescu, Maria

Farmache & Ingrid Gherghe - All from Y6.

Maria: This year the first parent/teacher meeting is different from last year because we’re in person and the students are leading the discussion. That means we are in charge!

Ingrid: We began to by planning the meeting and the format. We completed a reflection sheet and planned how the meeting will be structured and what WE would like to talk about with our parents and teachers.

Eva: As part of the reflection we were asked to answer 5 questions: ‘What have we tried?’, ‘What have we learned?’, ‘What are we pleased about?’, ‘What are our concerns and what do we need to do next?’.

Maria: When our parents met with the teachers, the students began the discussion by talking through their plan and their reflections on each of the different areas. We shared how we think we have done in term 1. Our parents could ask questions and the teachers could give their opinions, too. I think the parents really enjoyed hearing all of this from the students, instead of the teachers for a change.

So what does this have to do with HPL?

Eva: HPL helped us to plan the meeting because we are used to reflecting on our work after each lesson and this was just like a big HPL reflection of the term. So, we were able to link those skills from lessons and adapt them for this task.

Ingrid: I used intellectual confidence when I wrote my meeting plan because I gave reasons to support my opinions of my learning. For example, when I included something I was proud of, I backed that up with my work and evidence.

Maria: I used connection finding when I was completing the task by using the skills that I have learned in class to link my ideas in learning and connect my reflections on my overall term. This helped me to write out my reflections and share them with my parents.

Eva: I was confident that I was able to plan and discuss my learning with my parents because throughout the year, I have participated in competitions like poetry and I was a successful runner in the House Captains’ elections. Taking part in these has allowed my confidence to expand and I was looking forward to sharing my learning and achievements with my parents.

Why do you think this way of hosting parents’ meetings is beneficial?

Eva: Doing the meetings in this way helps the students realise their achievements and help them reflect on their academics as well as identify areas that they need to work on.

Maria: A high performance learner does all of these things and will be more likely to succeed in anything they try to do. These are all important things to learn and practise.

As you can see, HPL is relevant in many ways, not only in the classroom. It allows us to become the best possible learners we can be.

I have thoroughly enjoyed these conversations with students and staff. There is, however, still a lot of the school year left, which means a lot more opportunities to hone the values, attitudes, and attributes of a High Performing Learner.

Maria Ingrid

Community Action Service Open Day (CAS)

by Johanna Croci, CAS Coordinator

The annual IBSB CAS Open Day took place this year on Wednesday, September 07, with several charitable organisations presenting their work to our 6th Form students participating in the Duke of Edinburgh Award and Community Action Service Programme.

Our students were enthusiastic to find out more about Light into Europe and their guide dog programme, listened with empathy to the information shared by Touched Romania, a charity that provides viable alternatives to child abandonment, showed great interest in the work carried out by Speranta pentru Tine, offering support to the children hospitalised with serious chronic illnesses, and were impressed by the visible difference made by Punctul Nordic, working to educate and empowering children living in disadvantaged communities. Help Autism also joined us, offering an interactive, eye-opening presentation that allowed the participants to understand the importance of therapy and integration for children on the autistic spectrum and how they can contribute as volunteers.

Some of the most popular presentations were those given by the Animal Welfare group along with our guests from Bruno, the Animal Shelter and Visul Luanei, an organisation involved in wildlife rescue and public education about wildlife.

Paper Tree, our school’s green project, attracted many young people keen on playing an active part in environmental protection.

Our students also found out about the work of Hospice – Casa Sperantei, one of the largest medical non-profit organisations in Romania, active in the field of palliative care.

A new project we will support this year is Adopta O Casa La Rosia Montana, raising funds for the conservation of historical monuments and buildings at Rosia Montana, a UNESCO world heritage site.

We know for a fact that our students have been inspired to commit to these initiatives, as this week our Sixth Formers were interviewed, received their placements as volunteers, and so all our CAS projects are ready to begin.

We wish all our students the very best as they work to make a positive change in the lives of those less fortunate.

The CAS Christmas Fair

by Johanna Croci, CAS Coordinator

In the final week of the Term 1, the entire IBSB community had the chance to enjoy the Christmas Celebrations with the CAS Christmas Fair, where all the community service projects that are currently being developed in our school were represented. The student-volunteers and their teacher coordinators had been working hard in the weeks leading up to the fair to prepare their stalls with treats, gifts, and a selection of activities for everyone to enjoy.

As you can see from the photos, the event was a great success, with all the funds raised going towards the charitable projects supported by our students: Light Into Europe Charity, Adoptă o Casă la Roşia Montană, Paper Tree, Help Autism, Animal Rescue, Speranta Pentru Tine, Touched Romania, HOSPICE Casa Sperantei, Punctul Nordic. A big thank you to everyone involved, including the students, staff, and PTF.

Sunshine in Winter

by Amalia Anicescu, Year 12

On the 11th of December, soon after the crack of dawn, an enthusiastic group of IBSB teachers and students, departed Bucharest for the city of Baicoi, located in Romania’s Prahova county, accompanied by members of the Light into Europe charity, to meet the children from the social centre, Raza de Soare (Sunshine).

Our minibuses were filled with various, colourful gifts, sweets, surprises, and scented fresh fruits that we could not wait to offer to the wonderful children we were about to meet.

Upon our arrival, the little ones and teenagers there welcomed us warmly with a spectacular performance, which included beautiful Ukrainian songs and wellchoreographed, traditional dances. As expected, we were overwhelmed by their joy, kindness and, of course, awe-inspiring talent! Several of them rushed to hug us and promptly introduced themselves, to our delight, as we were all eager to greet them as well.

Our team quickly divided responsibilities, and set about the activities we had organised for them. Some of us had the chance to observe how skilled the children were in arts and crafts, as we watched them create formidable designs on paper stockings; others coordinated games, such as ‘Pass the Parcel’, ‘Hit the Target’ or ‘Pin the Nose on Rudolph’, where the juniors were able to prove how well they could strategise and use their intuition in order to win the various competitions we had prepared; and a couple of teachers even encouraged the children to join a football match.

The highlight of the day came towards the end of our visit, when we all gathered to dance to some of the most iconic party songs. The children’s dance moves surprised us all, as their high spirits and blissfulness warmed our hearts and provided us with a feeling of joy, which would linger on in our hearts in the following weeks.

We were all excited to gift them their presents at the end of our mini party, since we were able to see their faces light up with happiness as their names were called out, inviting them to step forward to accept their presents from Santa.

To further show the kindness of their souls and immense generosity, our new friends even gave us a little gift made by them as we were about to leave: beautifully decorated tree ornaments. I’m certain that we will all fondly remember our time there while decorating our Christmas trees this year, grateful for their hospitality and the memorable day they offered us.

Here is a short description by another student who joined us on this incredible outing:

When we arrived at the orphanage, we were filled with a sense of excitement and emotion. It was incredible. The children performed dances and speeches for us, leaving us all in tears with big smiles on our faces! During the day, we arranged a variety of activities, including pass the parcel, ping-pong, and sewing and making snowflakes. The children loved it! We ended the day with some more dancing and then gave them each presents from Santa, donated by the students and parents from our school, which they absolutely loved. It was a day filled with emotions and definitely changed us. It really was an incredible experience to be able to help the children have a good Christmas.

A New School Year, A New School Community

by Kendall Peet, Head of School

One of the many positives associated with the IBSB educational experience is the warmth of the IBSB community, which had their first opportunity to come together in the third week of the school year for the Parent-Teacher Coffee Mornings, attracting a strong turnout from parents this year after a two-year COVID hiatus. Most class tables were full to capacity, offering parents both old and new the perfect opportunity to meet in a friendly, social setting over a cup of coffee, and speak with the class teacher about the year ahead.

Next up on the social calendar was the Parent-Teacher BBQ, which took place on Saturday, September 24th. As you can see from the photos, there was another great turnout, with our staff and families taking full advantage of the wonderful sunny weather. Our Head of School, Mr Peet, also took full advantage of the occasion, inviting parents to join him for a short presentation, reviewing the work completed over the summer, which included extending the outdoor areas and adding a new Parents Hub, and presenting an updated school development plan for 2022-25. This was followed by a short Q&A, before everyone returned outside to the enjoy the food, drinks, good company, and warm autumn weather.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Forum

by Andrei Stere, Year 12

The Romanian city of Cluj Napoca was chosen as the location to host The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Global Forum on the 13th of October, 2022. Every three years, the Forum brings together the world’s leading Youth and Education stakeholders from across the world to recognize the Gold Award recipients. Being an extremely important event, members of the Romanian and British Royal Families were in attendance to express their admiration for the perseverance and hard work of all those who have received the Gold Award, along with the worldwide directors, trustees, and the global administration team of The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award.

Liya Wachsler, Mr Tansley, Ms Croci and I were all present to congratulate Maria Sticlea and Lisa Puiu for achieving the Gold Award during the past three years. Before the event, however, we were invited by Transilvania College to an assembly, presenting the school’s achievements during their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award programme, consisting of photos, pieces of art, and group projects, such as voluntary work and expeditions. Alongside the meeting, we also enjoyed a tour of the campus, which was a particularly enlightening experience for me having chance to talk to multiple students with various unique interests and different career paths. I am certain that it was an interesting and noteworthy experience for all of us.

On the night of the event, we all arrived at Auditorium Maximum, where the Forum took place. Before the prize giving ceremony, there were a couple of performances, including a musical performance and a flawlessly choreographed Romanian traditional dance. We were all delighted by the presence of HRH Prince Radu, HM Princess Margareta and HRH Prince Edward, but also astonished by their involvement and dedication to the programme. Personally, I believe that such events create countless memories, but also simultaneously help young adults develop the skill of communication and appropriate respectfulness required on such occasions. Furthermore, I believe that such skills such as these will be useful in everyone’s future, regardless of the career they wish to pursue, helping them become better listeners and improving cooperation.

In closing, I can say with confidence that we all had a great time exploring the city of Cluj and attending The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Global Forum, forming countless memories together along the way. I would encourage everyone to join The Duke of Edinburgh’s programme since it not only provides students with opportunities to discover new interests and talents , but also to develop essential life skills. Finally, I would like to congratulate the Gold Award winners once again and I wish them success with their future studies and careers.

Remembrance Day

by Patrick Tansley Year 13

Remembrance Day first started as a way of remembering those who died during the four bloody years between 1914 and 1918 that came to be known as the years of The Great War, or World War One, but now commemorates those who died on the battlefields from all wars.

At IBSB, we celebrated Remembrance Day this year on Friday, November 11th. During our school day, we learned about the history of the poppy, the significance of wearing this flower and wrote acrostic poems on the theme of Remembrance.

All the students in IBSB observed one minutes silence at 11.11am to the sound of the ‘Last Post’ as a mark of respect to the soldiers who fought and died in wars. Each student also had the chance to write messages of support and encouragement, draw poppies and their wishes for world peace.

During our Friday assembly, we had a visit from Commander Matt Nelson, RN who is the British Defence Attache. He spoke to our students about Remembrance Day and also his life in the armed forces. The students were delighted to hear that when they purchase a poppy for Remembrance Day, all the money raised goes into the Royal British Legion Benevolent Fund to aid and support those serving and former British service personnel.

Some of our primary school students also attended the Remembrance Day Service out at the Tancabesti Commonwealth War Memorial Cemetery, on Sunday, November 13, attended also by our Head Girl, Maria Sticlea, and Head Boy, Andrei Vernon, who laid a reef on behalf of the IBSB Community, and by our Head of School, Mr Peet, who laid a reef on behalf of the people of New Zealand.

Romanian National Day

by Kendall Peet, Head of School

I am actually writing this on Romanian National Day, just moments after enjoying a flash mob hora! An interesting mix of old traditions and new practices.

The staff knew, but it was a complete surprise for the kids as we started playing Hora Unirii through the outside speakers. We quickly donned coats and jackets over our elaborate national costues and dresses and streamed onto the playground to perform the hora with over 400 people in the November rain (unfortunately, we did not do the hora to Guns and Roses – that would have been a strange clash of cultures).

We even had sarmale and cozonac for the school lunch menu– you can’t get more Romanian than that!

WORDFEST Unplugged

by Sonia Marta, Year 10

opportunity to enjoy new and innovative works. It encourages the development of new plays, and this can lead to the discovery of an emerging talent and the development of unique and original works.

The first thing that stuck with me, when I look back to the competition now, is the sense of amazement within when I discovered that the judge for my category, Impromptu Speaking, was our drama teacher, Mr Mujica. I knew at that point, that all the pressure I thought I had significantly increased..

I remember the nervous energy I felt as I stepped up to the front of the room to speak. I had only been given one minute to prepare, so knew I had to rely on my storytelling skills if I wanted to do well. My heart was racing as I took a deep breath, trying my best to focus on the prompt in front of me. “Shoes.”

Saturday felt like a proper university student’s start to the weekend. I slept in, woke up, and proceeded to work on what I hoped would be a captivating speech, practicing for the day that awaited me; the Wordfest Competition.

Wordfest is an event that celebrates the written word, promoting literacy and a love of reading. It’s focused on the arts and includes many forms of literature and drama, such as poetry, storytelling, theatrical performances, and both prepared and impromptu persuasive speaking.

One of the most exciting aspects of Wordfest is the

As I began to speak, I could feel a special glow well up from within, as my initial nerves began to melt away. I had always considered myself a good storyteller, and so I was determined to use my passion and enthusiasm to win the audience over. I drew on my own experiences and observations also, weaving them into a compelling narrative about the shift from primary to secondary. When I finished, the audience erupted into applause, and I knew that I had done well.....but was it good enough?

The rest of the competition was a blur of quick thinking and impromptu speeches, but I remained focused and determined. I knew I had a chance to place, and I wasn’t

going to let it slip away.

When the final results were announced, I couldn’t believe my ears - I had won second place! It was a moment I would never forget, partly because of the inspiration I’d gotten from my “muse” I’d met that day.

Next year, I’m determined to improve my delivery of humour and will keep developing my speaking skills, especially since it will be the last time I’ll be able to participate.

I’m always glad when I hear Wordfest is just around the corner, as it’s such a pleasure to meet many students your age, who share the same values and interests. It’s impossible not to meet someone you’re going to become life-long friends with!

See you next year, Wordfest!

UN Day 2022

by Sophia Constantinescu, Year 10

United Nations Day is day to remember and celebrate the official creation of the United Nations, which happened on October 24, 1945. The United Nations is an international organisation that works to promote peace, security, and development around the world. It is made up of 193 member states and has a variety of programs and agencies that work on a number of key issues, such as human rights, climate change, and global health.

At IBSB, United Nations Day is not just an opportunity to celebrate the UN’s commitment to advancing and promoting peace, protecting human rights, and fostering harmony between nations and the international community, it is also a chance to celebrate cultural diversity, with more than thirty different nationalities living side-by-side sharing experiences, offering an excellent example that nations can come together as one peacefully. Despite the fact that UN Day is not a public holiday, people still gather with ceremonies and shows, national costumes, flags, speeches, and grand parades to celebrate and promote diversity and unity. Many schools and government agencies hold events to mark the occasion, such as conferences, debates, and educational activities.

UN DAY @IBSB

As is the hugely popular tradition at IBSB, in addition to coming in dressed in your national costume or national colours, the parents came together to organise an international buffet, with tables of food from around the world to sample and enjoy.

Then the UN Day show began with the international greetings in our students’ mother tongues. This warm welcome was followed by a series of musical performances by both primary and secondary students, as well as the IBSB band. There was also an international fashion parade, in which students showed off their costumes as part of the finale of the show.

Taken all together, it really was a wonderful day shared and experienced by all, being one of the whole school events held since returning from COVID. Hopefully, there will be many more successful events to come in the remainder of the school year.

SPORTS DAY

by Alexandru Lacraru, PE Teacher

In Term 1a, on Friday, October 7th 2022, Sports Day returned to the Lia Manoliu Stadium. It was the first full edition of Sports Day since the pandemic, and a very welcome edition, given the fact that the parents could once again at their children’s side, cheering and supporting them. Some of the parents actually competed in the Sports Day activities, joining the parents 100m sprints, much to the delight of the students and staff, and later on in the day the Parents-Students-Teachers relays.

Everyone agreed that it was an extremely successful event, as the Primary students gave their all to earn valuable house points as they committed for the coveted Sports Day Cup. It was a day of fun and excitement, with many examples of fair play exhibited. Given the high level of performance on display by the students, I can say that already I’m looking forward to the next Sports Day because our students have a lot more to offer, and we are lucky enough to be by their side to witness it all. The future looks bright at IBSB, and the PE Team will do our best to ensure that this evolution will continue.

Congratulations to all the students in Dobrogea, the overall Sports Day winners once again this year, for the third year in a row!

We look forward to seeing you at the next edition of Sports Day!

The return OF the Annual Winter Raffle

by Sophia Constantinescu,

Year 10

Every year, at the Winter Show, a now well-established and popular tradition is the Winter Charity Raffle, in which the entire IBSB Community can participate. Prizes are offered by parents and partners, enticing excited students, parents and staff to buy tickets, on sale during the week from the Reception Desk, and on the night at the Winter Show. Thankfully with COVID now behind us, the Winter Show was back in fashion with an amazing parent turnout, with all seats full leaving only standing room at the back of the hall, which was perfect for raffle sales which actually sold out on the night. Money from the ticket sales goes to the Primary School Pupil Parliament and Secondary School Executive

• Gymboland

• Trattoria Roma

• Beauty One

• Next Romania

• Flavours Food Design

• Avalon Estate

• Stejarii Clubul Rezidențial

• Dr. Leahu Clinici Dentare

• B4 Market

• REGINA MARIA - Rețeaua Privată de Sănătate

• Turkish Airlines România

• BlackCab

• School of Public Speaking

• Vitality Wellness Club at Ramada Parc

• ICON Băneasa

Committee, to be used support the various charities and student projects.

As you can see from the photos the raffle was a great success, so a big thank you to all our parents and partners who offered prizes, and to the office girls who did such a fantastic job running the raffle on the night. Well done also to all those who won a prize! See you again next year!

A big “thank you” for their generosity and the prizes offered. Below our just a few key sponsors:

Participating in the European Athletics Championship

by Alina Barbu, Year 12

Going to my first European championship was a one of a kind experience, which cannot be fully described in words. The Under 18 European Championships took place in Jerusalem Israel on 5-8 July. The Romanian team came to Jerusalem with a total of 36 people, returning with one bronze medal, which I think shows you the level of competition, and how much work needs to be done to reach the extremely high European standards.

To be honest I didn’t know what to expect from this competition. I really didn’t think it would be that much of a difference from the national level. I knew it would be something exciting and that I would love the experience, but I totally underestimated it. Whatever I thought the European Championship would be like, it really was 100 times better.

Before we left for Jerusalem, the Romanian Athletic Federation gathered all the athletes that qualified for the European championship to give us our competition clothing. Getting to wear the national colours, knowing I was going to represent Romania in an international competition gave me butterflies- it was an ineffable feeling filled with a sense of pride and euphoric excitement. Knowing that my family, friends, and coach got to see me on the television made me tear up with joy.

Because of this competition, I returned home with many incredible memories and a lot of new friends from different countries and Romania also. This competition forced each athlete out of their comfort zone, requiring us to interact, slowly becoming really good friends, and I personally wouldn’t trade this experience for anything.

FIFA World Cup

by Nichita Rosca, Year 13

are equipped with air conditioning systems directed towards the football pitch.

The World Cup is held every four years, with 32 teams from different countries competing to be crowned world champions. The tournament began on November 21, 2022, and will go through to a final match, which will take place on December 18, 2022.

The tournament is hosted by Qatar, a small but wealthy nation located on the Arabian Peninsula. Qatar has been preparing for the tournament for many years, and has built several state-ofthe-art stadiums for the matches. In fact, one of the venues was constructed of shipping containers and was designed in such a manner that after the competition ends, it will be relocated in another country that needs a stadium. The tournament will be held in eight different cities across the country, including the capital city of Doha.

One of the most interesting aspects of the 2022 World Cup is the fact that it is being held during the winter months. This is a departure from the traditional schedule, where the tournament is held during the summer. The decision to hold the tournament in the winter was made to avoid the extreme heat that can be found in Qatar during the summer months. Furthermore, although the heat can be unbearable even in the wintertime, all stadiums

It is important to note to those that are not football fanatics, that the World Cup is not just a celebration of football, but also a celebration of cultural. Fans from all over the world travel to Qatar to support their teams and experience the unique culture of the host nation, known for its beautiful deserts, ancient architecture, and delicious cuisine. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore these and other aspects of the country during the tournament.

The World Cup is also a major economic event, with billions of dollars being spent on infrastructure, tourism, and other related industries. The tournament is expected to bring a significant boost to the economy of Qatar and the surrounding region.

The 2022 World Cup is sure to be a memorable event for football fans and enthusiasts from all over the world. Whether you are a die-hard supporter of your favourite team or simply enjoy watching the world’s best players compete at the highest level, the tournament is sure to be an exciting spectacle. So mark your calendars and get ready to experience the magic of the World Cup in Qatar – by the team this issue goes to print, after the Christmas break, the results will be out and we will all know who the world champions are. As is normally the case, the favorites are Brazil, France, Argentina, England and Spain.

Autumn Cup Football Success

by Theodor Aizic, Year 10

On the 19th of November, several age group IBSB football teams participated in the BSB Autumn Cup 2022, which was a sensational experience overall for everyone taking part, with the other students and staff being very open and welcoming. I can agree with this myself, as I participated in this challenging competition as well.

I played in the U15 team, experiencing a few demanding moments in the various matches played. We played 4 games in total, winning 2 games, tying one, and losing the other. These results did put pressure on the leading team, but as the day reached its conclusion our team was a warded second place in what can only be described as a very tough and at times testing competition. What I am most proud of, more than the final results itself, is the fact that at all times we put our utmost effort in. We also left feeling we had learnt a lot, and are now ready and equipped to return stronger than ever in the next event.

To end on a positive note, I will describe one of the matches that we won against Lycée Français Anna de Noailles, which

was one of the dominant teams, having won both their matches until they played us. Despite this, we didn’t let it demoralize us, rather quite the contrary, feeling extra motivated after our comfortable win against SEB (Scoala Europeana București).

We stepped out confidently onto the pitch and began to warm up for what we knew would be an intense match. The whistle blew and the game started energetically. The French school was definitely a strong opponent, which we could see from the goal they scored after just 10 minutes. The first half then ended, and we were not phased, still feeling fired up we prepared for the second half win.

The second half then started and we saw immediately that the French school was still on top of their game, so we to fight our absolute hardest, passing well and not to giving them an inch. I then saw a pass coming from one of our best players, Rares, and jumped up to head

it. The ball soars above the keeper and into the goal. Our team had equalized! Everyone goes wild and we realize that we have a chance.

Shortly after, the match was about to end, with just one minute left on the clock, and everyone concentrating on both defending and attacking. Our team then gets a corner and one of the most tactical and fierce players of our team steps in to take it, Andrei Braha. He breathes in and shoots. Its and incredible kick, and somewhat unbelievably achieves the near impossible, scoring a goal from the corner, we all start screaming and shouting, running like wild animals in a frenzy. We couldn’t believe it: we had managed to beat the French school, and were now considered the most dominant team, with everyone looking to us as the team to beat!

In the end, I think everyone would agree that the Autumn Cup was a remarkable experience, and one we will be more than happy to participate in again next year.

Pursuing My Passion

by Maia Bucura, Year 8B

Whether we enjoy swimming, hiking, or painting, whether we’re still looking or have already concluded our search, we all find an activity, state, or feeling that we truly love and that defines us at some point in life: our passion. I’m one of the lucky few to have found the thing I enjoy most early on.

My passion? Racing. Racing is my thing. I’ve been a karting driver for four years now, and ever since entering the world of motorsport, my life has completely changed, and I am forever grateful for these changes.

I’ve been asked many times what it’s like to be a driver, why I’m doing it, and how I get past any fears I come to face. All there is to say is, I absolutely love it! This phrase is the answer to all questions. By having so much love for this sport, I get all the motivation, confidence, and boldness that I’ll need to get through anything!

Passion is the source of all power, and I can tell you with confidence that whether I’m watching people I share this devotion

with race, or I’m giving my all on the racetrack myself, racing gives me this power, and with it I feel like I can face everything that comes my way.

It was quite a slow August day in the year 2019, and my plans for the day were quite easy to sum up: eat, sleep, watch tv, and enjoy my last few days of “freedom” before the school year started again. Not so, unfortunately. My plans were interrupted by my dad coming home early.

“Hey, since you’re obviously not busy, how would you feel about trying out go kart driving today? I have a friend whose son tried it out and enjoyed it quite a lot, and the tracks not too far away from here. You wanna try it out for fun?” my dad suggested.

I didn’t know too much about kart racing back then, but it did look like an interesting weekend activity “Sure, why not? Sounds nice!”

Not long after, we were on our way to the racing track that was soon to be the place I’d visit almost every day of the week.

I remember being at the start of my racing enterprise and watching a documentary about Michael Schumacher, one of formula one’s most famous drivers, with my parents. I also remember begging my mom to get me an F1 account subscription the next day as I caught my first glimpse of real, rough racing the night before.

3 years later, I haven’t missed a single race of the past seasons, and I’ve even been lucky enough to see a couple of them in person. I am now a big fan of not just karting, but Formula 1, Formula 3, Porsche Supercup, rallying, Formula E, and a whole lot more.

Where exactly am I getting with the two anecdotes I’ve shared with you? As you can see, my passion rose from nothing more than an idle morning and an hour long documentary, and grew to be the thing I am most fond of in my spare time.

In the span of 4 years, I became one of the few girls to dedicate their time and energy to the wonderful world of motorsport, and I can guarantee not just to everyone around me, but to myself, that I’m nowhere near finished.

Running, Running, and yet MORE running!

by Haidar Mrad, Year 12

The Bucharest Marathon Relay is an annual event that usually attracts more than 10 000 participants from over 50 countries, who come together to participate in the 10km, 21km half marathon, 42 km full marathon, 4-member team relay, and wheelchair events. This year, being post COVID, numbers were a little lower, however, did not detract from the excitement on the street as the people participating were of every age and size imaginable, with professional athletes, amateurs, and people dressed up in weird and wonderful ways to raise money for charity, each adding a touch of colour to what is always an incredible experience for all present.

This year, the event took place on Sunday, October 9th 2022, under a clear blue autumnal sky, starting at 09:30 in front of the People’s Place, and finishing also in front also in front of the People’s Place, with the cut off time set at 16:00 for the individual marathon runners. For the team relays, the official cut-off time for the published results was 5 hours 30 minutes, so the challenge was on for all four IBSB teams to come in under this time. The clock was ticking!

The relay itself attracted close to 200 teams this year, with the first three members of the team running a 10km leg, and the final team member running 12km. As a member of the Senior Prefect team, I can honestly say that the event was a great success. The relay was filled with energy, camaraderie, and a healthy spirit of competition, making it a truly memorable experience for all involved.

The event is organised essentially to promote and encourage people to live a healthy and active lifestyle. It was also organised, however, to raise much needed funds and to spread awareness for twenty key charitable organisations, such as Help Autism, Magicamp, and Hospice Casa Sperantei, to name just a few. Our school, which works support Help Autism as one of the seven charities supported through our CAS programme, contributed to this event further with student volunteers out on course helping to provide refreshments and foot snacks for the body and words of encouragement for the mind, as the exhausted runners passed by.

IBSB has been entering student and teacher/staff teams in the Bucharest Marathon for the past 12 years, with three teacher/staff teams and one senior prefect team entered for 2022. It was quite an experience for both teachers and students to run side-by-side, helping to close the gap and tighten the bond between teachers and students, high fiving each other as they passed by and calling out words of encouragement.

The Senior Prefect Team included Andrei Stere, Andrei Vernon, Ilinca Birsan, and myself (Haidar Mrad) running in this order. As the final member running in the team, I had to run the longer twelve kilometre leg.

Waiting at the final transition point, I saw each of the teacher teams come in and head off, growing increasingly

impatient. Our Head of School, Mr Peet came in 1st, passing on to Andreea Strambeanu from the office, with Mr Ryan (Geography Teacher) passing on to Mr Hudson (History Teacher) in 2nd position, and Ms Aliviana (Y4 teacher) passing on to Mr Korucuoglu (Computer Science Teacher) in 3rd position. At the final transition, we were in 4th position, but with the final teacher’s team only a few minutes ahead as I headed off determined to make up time.

Out on the course, things seemed to be going well as I found the first 3 kilometres of the race relatively easy to complete, but still no sign of Mr Korucuoglu on the horizon. It was then that I began to hit the wall, sensing that everything seemed to increase in difficulty. Despite this, I kept on at a steady pace completing the twelve kilometres in one hour and twenty minutes. I was especially delighted when at the 8th kilometre, I was met with the familiar faces of our school members from Help Autism, who eagerly provided me with freshly cut slices of apple, a refreshing cup of water, and a packet of magnesium to aid me in the final 4 kilometres of my journey.

What I found most enjoyable about the event was running alongside many people from different backgrounds, ethnicities, and physical capabilities. For example, for a large part of my journey, I ran side by side with a father pushing his two children in a wheelchair, which was amazing and encouraged me to keep going even when I was feeling tired and in need of break. This is the nature of sport, which binds people under a common goal.

As humans, we grow through the challenges we face. As students at IBSB, we are encouraged and taught the importance of pushing forward to achieve our goals and become the best possible versions of ourselves. I can certainly say that this event provided an excellent test for my mental and physical resilience and a valuable life experience, which I am sure I will long remember. I can say with some confidence that I now plan to pursue such challenges and experiences more often as move toward achieving my full potential.

My Toughest Challenge Yet!

by Kendall Peet, Head of School

They often say third time lucky, and this was definitely the case for our Primary School PE teacher, Paul Georgescu, when he entered the chilly waters on the northern beaches of Ireland ready to swim across the strait to bonnie Scotland, considered to be one of the most difficult swims in the world.

It was familiar territory for Paul, having twice before lined up for the attempted the crossing only to be defeated on both occasions by the cold waters and strong currents, which is why so few people have even attempted the crossing, let alone made it.

To give you some idea the degree of difficulty, 5790 people have climbed Mt Everest since Sir Edmund Hillary first summited it in 1953, and 1,831 swimmers, including Paul, have swum the English Channel since Matthew Webb first swam the Channel in 1875. In stark contrast, the total number of people to have swum the North Channel is just 56, according to Wikipedia, with Paul being number 56, the first Romanian to make the swimming 34.7km crossing in a time of 11 hours and 7 minutes- which is officially the 11th fastest crossing in history. It really is a huge achievement!

Absolutely determined to make the crossing on his third attempt, Paul arrived nine days before the start of his crossing “window” to get in the necessary acclimatisation swims to ensure he had the very best chance of making it across. Unfortunately, the weather was less than ideal, and so having spent eight of the nine days waiting for the seas to calm enough to attempt a crossing, it was finally accepted that the

winds of fortune were not blowing favourably, forcing Paul to reconcile himself with the prospect of flying home to his family with the hope of returning in September in search of more favourable weather conditions:

“I talked to the boat pilot and we had already agreed to come back in September if nothing changed. Then, the day before my intended departure, the forecast suddenly changed and it was told that I would be able to swim on my very last day. I was already packed to go home, having accepted the inevitable, so the very first thing I needed to do was to unpack and refocus, as my concentration was gone. I mean, thinking I was coming back in September, my motivation had gone completely, so I had to suddenly flick all the switches and get myself back into the right headspace to face what was ahead. I was also a man down on my support team, as a friend had just flown back to Romania.”

Thank fully Paul found a local replacement and the swim started the next morning in near perfect weather, under blue, sunny skies, and moderate winds. The water temperature was still 14 degrees though, so it was really cold, and Paul said the last 5 kilometres were hellish. “The current was against me in the later part of the swim, with the winds coming from the side, so as you can imagine after ten hours of swimming, I was in an advanced state of exhaustion. My swim rate had dropped in the last hour to

44 from 60, and I was honestly swimming in survival mode. At the last two refuelling breaks, I was no longer communicating with my team. The only way I could keep going was to dig deep for a source of motivation. It probably sounds crazy, but I began to communicate imaginatively, in my mind, with my wife and two children and it was honestly with my absolute last drop of energy that I reached out and touched the rocks on the Scottish shore.”

Hearing Paul share his experiences, it’s hard to find the words to express what effort he made in reaching his goal. He subjected his body to the elements, with 13-15 degrees, strong winds, adverse currents, jellyfish the size of a breakfast table for more than 11 hours. He said the last two hours were the most difficult he has ever faced in the open water, as he had reached the limits of that fine line that separates consciousness from unconsciousness, reality from the dreamlike state before the darkness. For Paul, this was the fourth channel of the Ocean’s Seven

project crossed, having already successfully completed the Catalina Strait (Los Angeles), the Molokai Strait (Hawaii) and the English Channel, which separates England and France. Next up is the Gibraltar Strait (Spain to Morocco) and the Tsuguru Strait (in Japan) in the summer of 2023, and finally the Cook Strait (in New Zealand) in February 2024.

In 2021, Paul was awarded “Man of the Year” by the World Open Water Swimming Association Awards (WOWSA), the largest open water swimming organization in the world. It is an honour that we are all able to celebrate and share with Paul, as a long standing member of the IBSB community, a role model of our Core Values, and an absolute inspiration to the next generation of IBSB athletes he is supporting each and every day in his lessons, teaching them that dreams really do come true for those willing to put in the hard work required to make their dreams a reality.

Life after Oxford

by Dilara Yildiz (Graduate Class of 2017)

Graduating from university can be daunting. After four years of knowing exactly what’s coming up next, what classes you’re going to take, and when exams are, it can be terrifying to leave that little bubble of safety and go out into the real world.

Leaving Oxford, I had no idea what I wanted to do or where I wanted my life to go. I was surrounded by friends who seemingly had clear visions of their paths into the worlds of finance or law, and although I did not yet know what I wanted, I was sure that neither of those paths were for me. Couple that with a postpandemic job market, and I was completely lost.

In the end, I decided to go into performance marketing - the data and analytical side of marketing - and applied for a grad scheme, which eventually turned into a real job. Thus, performance marketing is what I have been doing since graduating last year and although I know it isn’t what I want to do in the long-term, the lessons I’ve learnt from it have been invaluable.

However, feeling unfulfilled in my job meant that I had to search elsewhere to gain some sense of satisfaction. Still not knowing what I wanted to do, a colleague of mine from Oxford and I decided to create Jeune Street Tutors, a company dedicated to helping students applying to all UK universities - especially Oxford and Cambridge - from international schools abroad. As an international student, I know first-hand how difficult it can be to navigate the intricacies of the Oxbridge application process, and there is only so much guidance that your school and internet research can provide you. There is no doubt that IBSB helped me immensely, but looking back, there are a few things I would have

changed and would have loved to have known whilst applying - things that I only discovered by going through the application and interview process myself.

With Jeune Street Tutors, we want to give students who want to apply to the UK the best fighting chance that they can get by sharing this valuable information. Not only do we offer guidance throughout each step of the application process (including choosing a subject/ college/university, personal statement writing, admissions tests, and interviews), but as former Oxford students ourselves, we are always delighted to answer any questions students may have about life at Oxford or a British university.

After finishing our first round of 2022 application mentoring, we have seen immense success in getting students to where they want to be. As an IBSB graduate, nothing would make me happier than to give back to the school that offered so much to me. As such, Jeune Street Tutors would love to give back to IBSB by offering a special discount to all IBSB students looking to maximise their chances of getting into the university where they will be happiest. With our personalised services, we will help guide and mentor you every step of the way.

For more information, please contact me at dilara@ jeunestreetutors.com.

Oxbridge Applications 2023

by Kendall Peet, Head of School

IBSB Oxbridge applicants we fortunate to receive a special visit toward the end of Term 1a from IBSB Alumni, Christie Vernon, who stopped by with a colleague from Magdalen College, Oxford, to help our sixth formers prepare their Oxbridge applications. The deadline for Oxbridge applications each year is October 15, with Oxbridge entry exams taking place at the British Council in October also. This year we are very proud that all three candidates who submitted an application were shortlist for an interview, including Maria Sticlea, PPE, Medeea Constantinescu, PPE, and Andrei Vernon, Engineering. Offers are traditionally announced in the second week of January, being January 10 in 2023.

IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON STUDENT VISIT

by Kendall Peet, Head of School

The Y11-13 science students received a visit from a special guest in Term 1 IBSB Alumni, Bogdan Iorgulescu, stopped by to share his experience studying ‘Materials with Nuclear Engineering’ at Imperial College London, currently ranked #6 in the world on the QS University Tables, 2023.

Having just completed his second year at Imperial, Bogdan is well-positioned to offer firsthand insight to the application process, life in London, and more specifically, studying toward a BSc at Imperial College. In fact, the students enjoyed his 2 hour presentation so much that the Q&A was still going strong when the bell rang signaling the end of the school day.

Alumni Q&A visits are just one of the many forms of career and university application support on offer to the students at IBSB, with Christie Vernon stopping by to speak about her first year studying ‘Natural Sciences’ at Magdalen College Oxford, just two weeks prior.. I wonder who the next IBSB Alumni to stop by will be?

Zoe Popovici

I enjoyed Bogdan’s visit greatly, as he explained very clearly the impact of A level choice of subject, and told us what life is like at university. He answered all our questions patiently and in great detail — even taking the time to answer questions we didn’t even ask! This definitely helped me to understand and think more about my future.

David Kiiovschi

It was an eye-opening presentation with many practical aspects shared, such as the cost of living in London and the day to day experience and conditions there.

Andrei Stere

This was an enlightening experience with Bogdan offering us greater insight into the academic expectations from universities in London, as well as the social aspects of university life. The talk was particularly useful as he discussed the various issues he faced with accommodation and how to address them. We also discussed transportation and how to tackle budgeting, which was really valuable information.

Andrei Voiculescu

Bogdan offered a very informative and fair report of his experience as a student at Imperial College. He presented a number of insights into some of the subjects or courses at university that I and my classmates would like to pursue, which was really helpful and kind. He also kept the presentation concise, including amusing remarks related to the subject, which made the experience not just informative, but also entertaining. Overall, we were able to benefit from his firsthand experience and advice, so I’m really happy that we had the chance to attend his presentation.

MARIA STICLEA, OFFERED A PLACE AT OXFORD

by Kendall Peet, Head of School

Congratulations to our Head Girl, Maria Sticlea, for receiving an offer to study Politics. Philosophy, and Economics at New College, Oxford, one of the constituent colleges at the oldest university in the English speaking world, currently ranked 1st in the world (from 25,000+ universities) according to The World University Rankings.

During her time at IBSB, Maria has maintained an exemplary academic record, achieving 10 A*s at IGCSE, straight As in Y12, completing A Level Mathematics a year early and currently studying Further Mathematics, Economics, and Psychology with predicted grades of A*A*A*A*.

Within our school community, Maria has been an inspiration and a catalyst for positive change, be it training and motivating her peers towards victory as captain of the debate team, managing an editorial team as the student editor of the school magazine, volunteering for the charity organisation Light into Europe, holding the position of Head Girl, or being the recipient of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Bronze, Silver, and Gold Award. She has earned the respect and admiration of peers and staff alike, performing all roles to the highest of standards with the utmost responsibility and modesty, as a role model of the IBSB Core Values and HPL Values, Aptitudes, & Attitudes and Advanced Cognitive Characteristics. Maria hopes to go on to postgraduate study to possibly pursue an academic career or a career in the field of diplomacy or law, having completed work experience for David Vernon & Associates. Maria has also received early offers from Warwick University and Manchester University, awaiting replies from UCL and LSE.

Well done Maria! We wish you success in your final exams and life after IBSB. You are the embodiment of a lifelong learner, and will no doubt be a source of inspiration to future generations of IBSB graduates for many years to come.

Chat GPT and AI Ethics

by Andrei Vernon, Year 13

AI, or artificial intelligence, has become a hot topic in the news in the last few months, and for good reason. With the rapid advancement of technology, AI is becoming more and more integrated into our daily lives, from chatbots on customer service websites to self-driving cars. One of the most notable examples in recent memory is ChatGPT.

Released on November 30, 2022, ChatGPT is a chatbot using a language model called GPT-3. It works by using a technique called machine learning, where the AI is trained on a large dataset of human-generated text. This training allows the AI to “understand” the context and generate appropriate responses when it is given new text as input. As a result, ChatGPT can produce human-like text that is often indistinguishable from text written by a human.

Although the core function of a chatbot is to mimic a human conversation, ChatGPT is versatile, being able to write and debug computer programs; compose music, teleplays, fairy tales, and student essays; write poetry and song lyrics; simulate an entire chat room; and even play games like tic-tac-toe.

Despite its wide functionality, the AI has some significant limitations. For example, it can often generate nonsensical or outright wrong information in a confident manner. ChatGPT is programmed to filter out possibly offensive or inappropriate responses, but it can often be duped into generatin

g these kinds of answers if given the right prompt. These flaws raise some big ethical concerns. Some people are worried about how ChatGPT could be used to generate large amounts of misinformation, allowing fake narratives to spread more rapidly than ever before. Others are worried about AI replacing or atrophying human intelligence. Bots

have surpassed us in speed, and at this rate, they will soon surpass us in intellect as well. What will we become if we outsource our thinking to machines?

For schools, the largest concern is that of plagiarism. Students might use the AI to write their assignments and then claim ownership of its essays and problem sets. Universities in particular are worried about the potential damage ChatGPT could do to their lesson plans and have been rushing to catch students using the tool to cheat.

One response, which has been observed in New York City’s public school system, is to crack down and block access to the tool on their computers and networks. However, some propose a more accepting approach toward AI. They suggest that, much like calculators or cell phones, AI will become commonplace. Instead of banning ChatGPT, we should use it to generate feedback for our work, help with brainstorming or creative tasks, and prepare us to work alongside such systems in the future.

As for those worrying about what AI will do to their jobs, I think that depends on how we adapt to it. As Stephen Hawking once wrote, “If machines produce everything we need, the outcome will depend on how things are distributed. So far, the trend seems to be toward technology driving ever-increasing inequality.” The prosperity that automation brings us may not mean much if it’s funneled to fewer and fewer people. Ultimately, whether our future looks more like Star Trek or Blade Runner might depend on the actions we take today.

Why you should get a dog

by Rucsandra Curtis, Year 10

Dogs are the most popular pet in the world. Over 470 million dogs are kept as pets around the world. With their large eyes, soft fur, and loving personalities, dogs are just plain adorable and irresistible. In this article, I will be showing you the reasons why you should get a dog.

Dogs reduce stress

Your canine companion can offer comfort and ease your worries. Multiple studies have revealed dogs help people cope with stress and anxiety. Even just petting a dog lowers blood pressure, slowing the heart rate, relaxing breathing and muscle tension. Scientists at Washington State University have discovered that just 10 minutes of petting a dog can have a significant impact on your general state of health.

Dogs are good for your heart

Owning a dog can help you live longer. Multiple studies published between 1950 and 2019 found that dog owners had a lower risk of death due to heart diseases related illnesses. Studies suggest that dog owners have lower blood pressure levels and improved responses to stress.

Dogs help you to feel less alone

Dogs can be there for you even when people can’t. They offer unconditional love, emotional support, and constant cuddles. An Australian Study discovered that dog ownership reduces loneliness.

Dogs encourage you to get more exercise

A 2019 British Study discovered that dog owners are nearly four times more likely than non-dog owners to meet their daily physical activity goals. It is recommended that you should walk your dog 3 – 4 times per day for at least 15 minutes. Dog

owners spend nearly 300 minutes every week walking with their dogs. That’s 200 more minutes walking than people without a pup of their own.

Dogs make us more social

Walking with a canine companion can make us more approachable and offer people a conversation starter. Think about how many times you’ve talked with other people about pets, whether they’re your neighbours or new friends at the dog park. Researchers have found that about 40% of dog owners had an easier time making friends than people that don’t own dogs: these adorable animals are a very efficient way to make new friends. A study at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University has also indicated that people who have a strong relationship with their pets feel more connected in their human relationships and their communities.

Dogs make us happier

Just looking at a dog can lift your spirits: a 2009 study in Japan found that staring into your dog’s eyes raises your level of oxytocin, also known as the “love hormone.” Along with the many health benefits of owning a dog, they are natural mood boosters.

As you can see, there are lots of health and emotional wellbeing benefits that come with owning a dog, which is why you should consider adopting one, as they will change your life for the better. The Bruno Shelter has a lot of dogs in need of a home, so you could consider going there to adopt one. Even if you don’t plan on getting a dog, you can still visit and help out with the dogs.

What makes you feel happy?

by Rucsandra Curtis, Year 10

STUDENTS

Corvin Cuica, Y2: Playing with my friends makes me happy.

Liam Pinco, Y3: I am happy when I get good scores.

Rebecca Dumitrescu, Y4: Playing with my dog, playing on my phone, and being with my friends makes me happy.

Yasemin Cil, Y5: Learning new things makes me happy, so I am happy at school because I get to learn all sorts of new things daily and to be with my friends!

Sonia Muthu, Y6: Learning new things and having new experiences makes me happy. I am happy right now because this is the first time I’ve been interviewed, and I like being asked questions.

Karina Nitescu, Y7: Happiness is friendship, the teachers being nice, and the playground. I am happy right now because this school is a very nice, full of polite people.

Olivia Opran, Y8: Happiness is that one feeling where you feel so good that absolutely nothing can destroy your mood. I am happy right now because it’s breaktime and I’m with my friends.

George Platt, Y9: Happiness is being with my friends, doing what I enjoy, etc. I’m happy right now since I’ve been spending time with my friends recently and getting to do what I enjoy.

Illinca Sandu, Y10: To me, happiness isn’t a particular state. I think we are constantly changing as people. However; what could come closest to it is the calm necessary to improve. I think I’m pretty content and this allows me to meet my own set of expectations more

effectively, so in a way, yes. I’m happy that I am part of a group of people who have the possibility to learn more about the world around them.

Nina Culea, Y11: I think happiness isn’t something constant. I believe it’s something that you feel at certain times like when you’re doing something you really enjoy, and it’s as if everything around you fades away, and it’s just you, trapped in that very moment.

Medeea, Y13: Happiness to me is a prolonged state of mind that one chooses to an extent. For instance, joy is a temporary emotion, whereas happiness is something more long-term, a general feeling. I feel like to a certain degree you choose whether you are happy or not; there are people that don’t have anything and are happy, and there are people that have everything and are not satisfied. Currently, I am too busy to think if I am happy or not overall. I think that the correct word to describe what I am is grateful: I’m grateful for everything I have and all the opportunities that are offered to me, and I am working on building a happy future for myself, even if life comes with its pain and struggles.

TEACHERS

Dr Laffar: Happiness is my wife and my daughter. I am definitely happy right now, because not only do I have my wife and daughter, but I also get to teach math, which I really enjoy.

Mr Ennion: To me, happiness is knowing that my loved ones are safe and doing well.

Mr Vincent: I know that this sounds cliché, but my family and my friends make me happy.

Ms Diana: Happiness to me is doing the things that I love and being around the people that I love.

Vox-Pop: Where do you see yourself in 5 Years?

by Tudor Georgescu, Year 12

I would like to start this article by defining what a Vox-Pop is. A Vox-Pop is an article written around a question that is asked to random people, in this case the students of IBSB, with the answers from several students collected and the article then written around their responses.

For this article, the question was “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?”, and whilst this question was more focused on the older students in their last years at IBSB, the younger students still had a voice.

Many of the older students talked about what universities they want to go to, and the courses they want to do, which varied from Medicine and Engineering to Arts and Film. Many of the students want to go into Medicine or Engineering of different kinds. For Medicine, some want to do Oncology, which supports patients with cancer. Another student said that they want to study Veterinarian Science, because they are passionate about animals and want to dedicate their lives to helping them, whilst several other students want to go into more common fields like Pediatrics and Surgery. For Engineering, which was the second most common carer mentioned, many students want to study fields such as Mechanical or Electrical Engineering, with a few wanting to go into more exotic fields, such as Aerospace Engineering or Sound Engineering.

Regarding the countries where the students want study in the future, the most common answer is the UK, followed by the Netherlands, which have many of the world’s best Universities, such as Oxford and Cambridge, which are in the top for the STEM subjects, as well as humanities and social sciences. The Netherlands offers courses in all subjects, but is perhaps best known for its Engineering Universities, including TU-Delft, which has one of the best Nautical Engineering and Aerospace departments, and Eindhoven, which is at the top for Chemical and Mechanical Engineering. In addition to these two countries, other students talked about Bocconi University in Italy for Economics and Business Mangement, and Marangoni Fashion Institute in Milan, IE in Spain, again for Business, and the Political Sciences or Engineering in Israel. Of Course, the United States was also brought up, but many of the students chose Europe over the US due to the travel distance and lower cost of tuition.

In addition to their future in school and education, we also asked the students about their social life, which they all unanimously said that want to expand on in the future. Some of the students brought up that they want to get better at their hobbies, such as Guitar, Gardening, or Debate which many students brought up. Other hobbies included rock climbing, gymnastics, and Volleyball which one student is very passionate about and hopes to get a sports scholarship within it in the US. Most of the students also said that they want to meet new people and make new friends with the same hobbies as them, which they hope to do in the future at their Universities.

Regarding the younger students, many focused on school and said they want to get better grades and focus more on their studies, thinking they have to decide what they want to pursue in their IGCSEs and future studies. Many also said they want to pursue Medicine and Humanities, such as Psychology or Arts and Drama. Many of them on the social side also said they want to get better at various sports, such as Football and Gymnastics, and among their hobbies, art and music. They all seemed to be excited about their future academically and socially and they were very optimistic, leaving a feeling that only good things will happen.

Overall, the students of IBSB seem to be excited about their futures and the next five years of their lives, which will pass much quicker than they all think. The students we interviewed

also all had a good grasp on what they want to do and what they think they will be doing in five years, which was impressive. From future doctors and engineers to rockstars and lawmakers, IBSB is full of different people with different passions and dreams and this creates a great atmosphere in the school. Researching and writing this article was a great experience, as I really enjoyed talking with more students and finding out more about them.

An Interview with Mr Luis Mujica

by Rucsandra Curtis, Year 10

1. What is your favourite thing about teaching?

All the time I have with the students during the day. The journey of a kid from the beginning of the lesson till the end is great to see from the outside. I love seeing students progress and their smiles when they perform; they know they have done a great job.

2. What experience at IBSB until now has been most memorable to you?

All the events in general keep building a community among the students, staff, and parents.

3. What is your favourite food in Romania?

In one of the events at school, some students told me to try Mici and Pomana Porcului. (I believe that’s how you write it) and it was delicious!

4. What do you like most about IBSB?

I have to mention two things: 1. How all the students are involved in events and committed to their studies from day one, and 2. How professional everyone is around the school.

5. Describe yourself in 5 words.

This is a difficult one. Let’s say, happy, committed, passionate, brave, and adventurous.

6. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Another difficult question! I hope to say in 10 years, that whatever I have done, was always choosing to be happy, surrounded by the people I love, and doing what makes me feel fulfilled. I always like to say that I am great doing whatever.. so I think in 10 years, I will be doing anything that puts a smile on my face and those around me.

An Interview with Mr Aydin Korucuoglu

by Maia Bucura, Year 8

1. What is your favourite thing about teaching?

My favorite thing about being a teacher is interacting with the students and seeing them succeed in what they want to do.

2. What experience at IBSB until now has been most memorable to you?

This one is funny. My most memorable experience is meeting the kid of one of my ex students that I used to teach many years ago in this school.

3. What is your favourite food in Romania?

My favorite dessert is definitely papanasi, and my favorite food is mamaliga. I am used to having mamaliga made by my mom, but I remember her special recipe made the dish into a sweet one, so it was a surprise for me to taste salty mamaliga in Romania.

4. What do you like most about IBSB?

I like how professional the school’s attitude is and also enjoy the company of my colleagues.

5. Describe yourself in 5 words.

Sporty, tech-savvy, traveler, familist, and outdoorsman

6. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

It is a difficult question. You never know what the future holds, but I think I will continue to pursue computer science and IT, whether that involves teaching or not, I’m not sure.

University Trip to The Netherlands

by Jayne Baker, University Counsellor

Taking this trip to The Netherlands was therefore the ideal opportunity to support the students in their the process of narrowing their choices for possibles universities to apply to by allowing students an opportunity to make more informed decisions. Students in Year 12 will need to decide where they want to apply in the following year, and the Year 13s had the chance to see the campuses of their top choice universities, making the decision about where they want to go next year that little bit easier.

As someone who definitely isn’t a morning person, the first day of the trip was definitely the most difficult for me. Our flight departed Bucharest at 8:35, meaning we had to be at the airport at 6am in the morning. Thankfully, we didn’t have any issues when it came to leaving the country, boarding our flight with a sense of excitement about what was to come.

Day 1 – UvA

When we arrived in The Netherlands, we were welcomed by a chilly wind and cold weather, but, thankfully, we came prepared for cooler weather, dressed in warm clothes. The hotel was really beautiful, and we had some time to marvel

at the view from our rooms before visiting the University of Amsterdam and talking to several IBSB alumni that are currently studying there. We spoke to Tudor, who is studying business, and Matei who is studying Political Science, and they told us about their experience at the university and showed us around the Business, Law, and Social Sciences Buildings. They told us about their journey applying to UvA and finding accommodation, which definitely helped those wanting to apply there. After UvA, we had some time to visit Amsterdam and enjoy the busy atmosphere of the city, walking around, shopping, and going to cafes. At 20:00 we had dinner at the hotel, which looked really appealing and was delicious. Day one definitely exceeded our expectations!

The sixth form can be quite a big change from secondary school, which, of course, comes with more responsibilities and independence. Adding exams and university research, and applications on top of that can make the experience pretty overwhelming.

Day 2 - Maastricht, Erasmus, Delft, and Tilburg

The second day was another busy one: our group split into two, with half visiting Maastricht University, and the other half visiting the Erasmus University of Rotterdam, Delft, and Tilburg.

It was a 3-hour train ride to Maastricht, so we got to the city at around 12, where we had some free time before meeting up with Lucas, an IBSB alumni med student at Maastricht University scheduled to give us a tour of the campus. While walking around we enjoyed the beautiful architecture of the city and went into the local shops. Later on, Lucas gave us a tour of the university, including the lecture halls, study areas, cafeteria, and library. The futuristic design of the university was really unique, and contrasted with the architecture in the rest of the city. Lucas told us about student life in Maastricht and his experience with med school, so we definitely left there with a better understanding of the application process and life in Maastricht.

Students who visited Rotterdam went to Erasmus University, where they met up with IBSB alumni and talked about life at the university, and got the chance to see the business and social sciences buildings. From there, the group further split into two, some students went to Tilburg University and others went to Delft University of Technology. In Tilburg, a representative of the university gave them a presentation including all the information that students have to know in order to apply. They also got a tour of the university and got to see buildings from all departments, as well as various lecture halls. In Delft, students got to visit various laboratories, including a marine biology laboratory, architecture, which was absolutely fascinating. Delft is the highest ranked university in the Netherlands, and definitely a university destination to consider to consider for our academically ambitious STEM students.

Day 3 – Groningen, Utrecht University College, & Utrecht University

On the third day, half of us visited Utrecht and the others went to Groningen. The Utrecht group got to the city at about 9:00 and then went to an information desk, where some people talked to us about the application process, and gave us maps so that we could visit the various faculties around the city. We got a chance to see the pharmaceutical science building and the medical faculty that is situated inside a hospital. We also visited Utrecht University College, which is a faculty of Utrecht University, that has accommodation on campus. On our way there, we saw the Utrecht Stadium and went to see it as well as get merchandise from the shop, it was a really unique experience that was also unexpected. At Utrecht University College we got a tour of the study rooms and lecture halls, and got to see an apartment from the accommodation building. The students who went to Groningen University walked around the campus and visited the psychology faculty guided by IBSB Alumni Diana Raducu, and had the chance to see the psychology laboratories and lecture halls. They also went to the business building, where two more IBSB Alumni, Andrei and Maria, showed them around.

All in all, this trip really helped guide and influence all those applying to the respective universities. It was an informative and exciting experience, that we would highly recommend to future students to repeat in the following years.

My First Sir Winston Churchill European Debate Competition

by David Kiiovsch, Year 12

The goal of high school debate competitions is to examine all sides of important and divisive issues in a setting of logical argument and civil discourse. For me it was my first debate competition and I have to say that the great effort students put forth to succeed in this intellectually stimulating activity is simply inspiring. Weekends are spent practicing and competing, and they devote a lot of time to their research, discussions, case writing, and competition preparation. As a result of their diligent work, students benefit in many ways, such as expanding their general knowledge, sharpening their critical thinking skills, and accelerating their personal developmentdebate practice also help with exam preparation as you are effectively writing exam styled expository essays under exam type pressure, with the clock ticking.

On the 14th of November, two IBSB teams had the chance to compete in the Sir Winston Churchill European Debating Championships against ten schools from various European countries. It is a highly prestigious event, where we got the chance to show off our academic capabilities and learn about current topics. The IBSB Red Team was composed of Vlad Mocanu, Ana-Maria Mihăescu, Haidar Mrad, and myself;

we commenced our journey in the world of debating with this competition and managed to win two of the four debates we were involved in. Personally, I believe that it is unfair to say that the other two debates were lost, since we acquired precious debating skills from more experienced teams and most importantly…had a lot of fun!

On the other hand, the IBSB Blue Team, which was formed by Head Girl Maria Sticlea, Head Boy Andrei Vernon, Deputy Head Girl Alexia Verdeș Thea Bostan, and Sara Iosiper made it all the way to the final of the competition, where they debated against the English International College of Marbella, Spain, on the following motion: ‘This house believes that it is immoral for billionaires to exist. After fortyfive minutes of intense preparation and a fruitful debate, IBSB Blue triumphed, bringing another gold cup to the IBSB hall of fame and carrying on the perennial debating legacy of our school. The mixture of satisfaction, fulfillment’, and fatigue formed a unique feeling which makes all of the effort, sweat, and tears put in well worth it.

Overall, I think we would all agree that it was a successful event in which we all learned something and thoroughly improved our debating skills, sure to be useful on many occasions in life. Sadly, the IBSB Blue team will be graduating at the end of this year in order to pursue their study of choice and who knows…maybe even carry on debating at a university level, and as such, those in the Red Team look forward to filling their shoes next year in brining another batch of trophies home to fill our debating cabinets yet further. I wholeheartedly wish all of those leaving us at the end of the year the very best in their future studies and careers and hope to see their vivid passion for debating in the younger generations to come!

WW1 Cross-Curricular Expo

by Michelle Gourley, Head of English

Year 9’s class novel for Term 1 was Private Peaceful, Michael Morpurgo’s moving story of two brothers called up for action during the First World War. Tragedy and hope prevail by the end, but only after the author has taken us on a full exploration of the experiences of “Tommies” from recruitment to the front line, including the moral dilemmas faced and harsh conditions endured.

In parallel to our reading of the novel, Year 9 were studying the First World War in History with Mr Hudson. Consequently, as the unit came to a close, the teachers of the English, Humanities and Art departments decided to lay down a challenge: Year 9 were to create their own cross curricular interactive exhibition to inform other students about what they had learnt during this fascinating topic. And so it was that Wednesday 25th January saw Year 9 take over the school hall for a day, set up their stalls and exhibits, and welcome visitors to their own war museum.

Thanks to the efforts of Year 9, there was food to taste, trench warfare experiences to be shared, speeches and poetry performed, and a field hospital where students could learn about common health conditions suffered by the soldiers while receiving their own movie-style wounds and scars. Information and propaganda posters were on display throughout the exhibition to give further context about the terrible conflict that occurred just over a century ago.

After welcoming their Key Stage 3 counterparts in the morning, Year 9 were very happy to receive Years 5 and 6 in the afternoon, along with some parents who took the time

to come along and see their impressive work. The students were on hand to guide their younger peers around the various sections of the museum, explaining each aspect very carefully and helping them complete the various activities provided.

Year 9 can be very proud of the work they did and will surely be looking forward to similar projects in the future!

Celebrating the European Day of Languages 2022

by Diana Lia, Head of MFL

Here are a few words from the students about the activities arranged for the European Day of Languages.

In order to celebrate the European Day of Languages, we gathered all students from the MFL department to participate in a fun activity - together we expressed our creativity painting on plain T-shirts, drawing and painting things that represent our chosen language. Students had lots of fun with their colleagues, and showed their talents drawing and painting. Students from the German drew lots of impressive images and symbols representing Germany.

Wang Si Bo (Anna)

It was a fantastic idea because it let our creative and collaborative. The experience was meant to be relaxed, but actually became loud and boisterous when the classes joined up. I chose to paint off blanc, which is a rip-off of off-white. I chose to do this to ridicule the minimalistic designs of expensive brands made out of cheap materials. And the fact that those things cost over $400 and people buy them makes me want to ridicule them even more.

Sasha Gyemant

In my opinion, the activity that the MFL department organized was a great idea. It was a fun experience, cool and challenging, and I especially loved expressing my imagination on a piece of clothing. I drew six different animals and gave them funny names in different European languages. I thought that the animals would be a cute idea and look pretty on the t-shirt.

Sara Iosiper

Making the t-shirts was one of the most fun activities I’ve had with the MFL department! We worked together and brainstormed different ideas, deciding what to do before beginning the t-shirt making process. There was laughter, lots of chatting, and just joy in general in this activity. Basically, 10/10!!

George Boronea

The Eco School Award - Striving for Sustainability

by Vlad Nedelcu, Year 12

The ever-present climate crisis, spotlighted more and more in both the mainstream media nd on social media, has led to increasing numbers of people committing themselves to the cause of environmental sustainability. IBSB has joined this effort and plans to achieve the Eco-schools Green Flag award, a prestigious award given to an educational institution upon the completion of the seven step Ecoschools programme. For those interested in more details, please check the Eco-Schools website: www.eco-schools.org.uk/ about/what-is-eco-schools.

To this end, IBSB has consistently taken steps and made efforts to reach its ambitious goal through a couple of initiatives, such as the Student Executive Sustainability Committee and the Paper Tree CAS.

To begin with, the Sustainability Committee is part of the wider Student Executive, with its primary goal being improving sustainability and help IBSB in its effort to obtain the Green Flag award. Our main mission is to come up with achievable ideas and concrete plans of action. We have already managed to get in touch with the company FREPRAwhich supplied us with ten large recycling bins. By the start of term 2A the students of the main campus should be able to fully use the bins.

(https://fepra.ro/)

Furthermore, the Sustainability Committee is looking into other possibilities to spread awareness about the sustainable cause via presentations and cooperation with other organisations, such as the Paper Tree CAS, one of the CAS organisations which the sixth-form students partake in.

Paper Tree CAS is primarily focused on reducing the environmental waste generated by students. Every Wednesday, during period four, its members visit all the classrooms in the Primary and Secondary school buildings and collect the Paper Tree boxes designated for reusing and recycling paper. By now, you already know that each classroom hosts a Paper Tree box. The collected materials are then sorted in the Secondary Science Lab, before being taken to a recycling centre nearby.

It may not appear to be all that important, but Paper Tree CAS works hard to ensure that paper waste at IBSB is reduced and doesn’t end up harming our collective environment. We consider that it is of utmost importance

that all students place only paper in the Paper Tree boxes. Be aware, however, these boxes do not coexist well with used tissues, hand sanitizer, or leftover lunch, to name a few. We have not been alone in our efforts. Ms Senzaconi, the Paper Tree CAS Coordinator, has helped us on every step of the way and deserves our heartiest thanks. Please feel free to contact her or any of the Paper Tree CAS members for any questions, requests or suggestions, regarding paper recycling in IBSB.

For ideas and proposals you might have on how to improve environmental sustainability within our school you can contact any of the Sustainability Committee members: Haidar Mrad, our chair, Vlad Nedelcu, the vice-chair, Tudor Georgescu, or Augadh Arora, committee members.

IGCSE French Trip to Pâtisserie Paul and Micul Paris Museum

by Daniela Momirleanu, French Teacher

On Thursday, December 15, the students studying IGCSE French in both years 10 and 11 celebrated their achievements in Term 1 on a pre-Christmas trip à la Française with a trip to PAUL pâtisserie (15-19, Regina Elisabeta Avenue) to enjoy hot chocolate and French snacks, and to the museum Micul Paris (41, Lipscani Street). We departed the school at 9:00 in high spirits travelling by metro from Piata Iancului to Universitate and back..

The first stop along the wat was PAUL’s Pâtisserie in a Christmas décor, where we enjoyed a delicious brunch, savoring some hot chocolate and different French snacks while discussing life and our upcoming plans for the winter break.

Next up was out visit to the museum, which felt like a voyage into another world, a more peaceful and glamorous lifestyle where the joie de vivre was the life philosophy of our ancestors.

Here are a few accounts of our students in Year 10:

I enjoyed our visit PAUL’s Pâtisserie immensely, after the long walk in the cold. The museum portion of the trip was very nicely arranged, and it told a story of all the people that lived before us, which I liked very much. The colours and the themes of the museum (supposed to be a model of what a house would’ve looked like in 1800) were very interesting, and each

room told its own story (the living room Turkish and middle eastern, the bedrooms French). Overall, the trip was very enjoyable.

Ecaterina Bota

Oat the French bakery and cafe, each of us chose the main course and then ate a dessert of our choice. We also had some drinks to accompany the delicious food. After we had finished our meals, we walked for approximately five minutes to the museum, which was filled with historical objects, such as clothes and furniture from a while ago. The guide gave us some information, which we all found truly interesting and then we went to explore the museum. It was a very successful trip as we all had a lot of fun and learnt many new things.

Sophia Constantinescu

At Paul’s Bakery, we all had breakfast, which was really good and got some an idea of what the people from France eat when they have breakfast, and took a lot of pictures of us enjoying the moment. We got a little lost trying to find the street on which the museum was, but after a few minutes reached the museum safely. The museum was a trading house from the 1930s. It was an amazing experience, so I hope we will have more trips like this in the future.

Horia Nitu

On the trip, we ate a lot of delicious French food, such as sandwiches, éclairs, pains au chocolat and hot chocolate. We stayed there for almost 1 hour enjoying breakfast before we moved on to the “Micul Paris” museum, located in the old centre. Inside the museum, there were many interesting objects of the time, such as an old gramophone. We visited the museum for about 30 minutes in total before heading back to Piata Unirii to get on the metro back to school. The trip back to school was very fun as well. Overall, the trip was a very fun and an interesting experience and I’m looking forward to having other days like this in the future.

Tommaso Bianchi

The French trip was an exciting experience, traveling to the old town by metro to Paul’s Bakery, a charming French cafe located near Cismigiu Park. We got to choose a meal of our choice, and had time to talk with our friends just hanging out. It was really relaxing. The staircase to eh museum was old and wooden, and covered with black-and-white photos of people from that time. Surprisingly, most of them are still alive to this day. The museum itself was the best part. It’s small and cozy, filled with many artifacts from the past. The rooms are kept in pristine condition, yet feel so inviting, like there are still people living there. You can just imagine the people of the 1920’s sitting around the fancy tea table, playing a game of chess and sipping tea from their china cups. The tour guide was very welcoming, and told us a lot of interesting facts about the history of life before and during the interwar period. He was extremely passionate about his work - he traveled all the way to Paris just to search for stuff for his museum, which he also runs independently. He is truly dedicated to his job, and loves the museum with all his heart. Overall, this trip was very enjoyable, and I hope that we can have another one like this someday soon.

Rucsandra Curtis

Winter Ball Fun

by Alexia Verdes, Year 13

The Events Committee’s main role this year is to look for ways to help bring students together, both within year groups and across the school. One way to do this is to provide opportunities for students meet in fun settings outside the classroom, to socialise together in a comfortable, friendly environment, in order to help develop a greater sense of belonging.

This year’s Winter Ball provided exactly this opportunity, taking place at Salon Imperial on the 14th of December. The location was very well suited to the occasion, as it had beautiful Christmas decorations and was only five minutes away from the school. It was night for everyone in secondary school to enjoy from y7 to y13, with a delicious candy bar, buffet food, a DJ and a photo booth. It really was a great night out, with all the students in attendance chit chatting and dancing the night away.

As is traditionally the case, the Winter Ball also provided a little excitement on the night, in the form of the crowning of the King and Queen. All students had the possibility to participate in pairs, which were split into two categories, KS3 and KS4/5, as there were way too many participants. Each pair in turn had to go through a number of probes and games, including a catwalk with their partner and a dance battle between the different couples to a mix of unexpected songs. The two winning pairs, one from KS3 and the other from KS4/5, were rewarded with King and Queen crowns. It was lovely to see how much fun the kids had and their eagerness to perform at their very best.

This event, like many others, is one that is very complex, requiring thorough planning and organisation: from having to select the most beneficial location, with the help of the PTF, to selling tickets and convincing students to have the courage to attend and also participate in the competition.

Seeing the enthusiastic faces of the secondary students, who barely left the dancefloor, made it clear that all the hard work contributing to the overall success of this event was well worth it in the end!

From the positive feedback we’ve received from students, we know that they are already looking forward to the next Events Committee event – the Spring Ball. Hopefully, it will be just as successful!

If you have any good ideas for future social events, please make sure you speak with a member of the Social Committee or one of the Senior Prefects.

Burns’ Supper: Celebrating the Legacy of Robert Burns

by Medeea Constantinescu, Year 13

Light into Europe is a foundation that IBSB has been working with for many years, supporting those with sight and hearing impairment in Romania to live more independent lives as valued members of society. The Burns’ Supper is one of several annual fundraising events hosted by Light into Europe, in which there is a lot of food, wine, whisky, dancing, and fun, with everyone in attendance appreciating the warmth of Scottish culture. As a part of the night, there is a live auction and also a silent auction, with items such as a weekend city escape, various pieces of art, and a selection of collectables, including individually labelled single malt whiskeys, to name just a few, all kindly donated to raise money for a worthy cause.

The Burns’ Supper itself is a traditional Scottish event held each year on January 25th to commemorate the life and work of the famous Scottish poet, Robert Burns. The celebration involves a meal, traditional Scottish music, and poetry recitations, such as that read by Neil McGregor (pictured), the Managing Partner of McGregor & Partners SCA, who read a Burns poem, and Andrew Noble, His Excellency the Honorable British Ambassador to Romania, who sang a poem, both of which paid homage to Burns and his contributions to Scottish culture.

The origins of Burns’ Supper can be traced back to the early 19th century, when Burns’ friends and admirers gathered together to honour his memory just a few years after his death. Today, Burns’ Suppers are held all over the world, with communities of Scottish expatriates and lovers of Scottish culture coming together to celebrate this special occasion. The meal at a Burns’ Supper typically consists of a dish named haggis (a traditional Scottish dish made from sheep’s heart, liver, and lungs), neeps (turnips), and tatties (potatoes). The haggis is usually served as the main course, and is traditionally piped into the room by a bagpiper. After the meal, guests will typically listen to speeches and poetry recitations, which often include Burns’ most famous works, such as ‘Auld Lang Syne’ and ‘Address to a Haggis’.

One of the most important aspects of Burns’ Supper is the spirit of camaraderie and togetherness that it fosters. For instance, during the Burns’ Supper, all the guests raise a glass to Burns, dance along to traditional Scottish songs, and share stories and memories of Scotland, as well as the initiatives and successes of Light into Europe.

A part of the evening, a group of our 6th Form students attended weekly dance practice on the three Sundays preceding the big event to showcase the various dances,

including the ‘Eightsome Reel’ and ’ Strip The Willow’ to name just two for the attending guests The students participating this year were Medeea Constantinescu, Andrei Stere, Alexia Verdes, Vlad Nedelcu, Maria Sticlea, Ariana Ciju, and Tudor Georgescu.

For those of you who have not yet enjoyed the pleasure of a Burns’ Supper, I can honestly say that it is a unique and special event that you will long remember. Whether you’re a native Scot, someone who appreciates Scottish culture, or someone who simply wants to sample Scottish culture, a Burns’ Supper is a wonderful night out and great way to celebrate the legacy of Robert Burns and to connect with others who share your passion or interest. So why not consider joining us at the Burns’ Supper next year!

Movie review: Black Swan (contains spoiler)

by Maia Hagai, Year 12

After rewatching “Black Swan” for the third time only a couple days ago, I found it only fitting to write about it and deconstruct the plot. The “Black Swan” is a 2010 American psychological horror film directed by Darren Aronofsky, based on Heinz’s tale. The film stars Natalie Portman, Vincent Cassel, Mila Kunis, Barbara Hershey, and Winona Ryder and focuses on the New York City Ballet’s rendition of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. The film was very well received, had a total of 188 nominations, and won 61 awards.

The story is about Nina, a young, innocent, shy, and fragile ballerina who lives with her overprotective and often over intrusive mother. What is very interesting in this story is that the influence of still living with her mother can be seen through different aspects of her behavior. The little dancer is a representation of her mother’s hopes - a remarkable and satisfyingly vicious performance from Barbara Hershey- who abandoned her own ballet career upon becoming pregnant by some heartless, ruthless tycoon, and channeled her fury and failure into coaching the resulting daughter, whom she has shaped to have infantile behavior, an easily persuaded temperament, and pink room filled with stuffed animals.

We join the story when the New York Ballet House is trying to find new talent and the future star of the “Swan Lake”, as a result of the previous acrimonious star, Beth Macintyre, being forced to step down. The director’s gloomy attention lands on Nina’s trembling form. She is an amazing ballerina with great form, who is perfect for the role of the white swan. However, the casting executive, Thomas Leroy, played by Vincent Cassel, warns Nina that it is not

enough to shine and that she needs to defeat the challenge of portraying the role of the black swan. He therefore instructs her to go home and figure out a way to bring out her “dark self”.

Thomas Leroy later also introduced her to the company’s latest addition, eccentric free spirit and Olympic-caliber scamp Lily, portrayed by Mila Kunis, in order to learn from her techniques. Nina and her ultimately form an interesting friendship which allows the protagonist to let down her guard and enjoy herself and her freedom. This, however, later makes Nina question whether Lily’s kindness and friendship is pure or whether she’s trying to get close to her in order to steal her role.

Following this, the movie explores Nina’s mental health issues. The protagonist becomes overly obsessed with perfection and being the best possible “swan”. This causes her to develop an intense amount of anxiety, which in turn causes her to doubt everyone and everything. Nina, also due to this, develops a weird gauze-like skin-rash, which might be the cause of her later on seeing another version of herself in the reflection of the mirror. At this point in the movie, the audience understands the severity of Nina’s mental health problem and how this makes being the perfect ballerina for the role of the swan in the “Swan lake’’ her sole purpose in life.

Black Swan is one of the greatest films (with Repulsion by Roman Polanski) that examines feminine disintegration. With its creepy Manhattan decor, its looming, close-up camerawork, and its encircling conspiracy of evil – especially in cinematographer, Matthew Libatique’s brilliant continuous shot in which Nina is dancing in a club, then wakes up to what she’s doing and, terrified, stumbles through murky, winding

corridors and out into the night air – there appears to be no distinction between inside and outside. She cannot escape claustrophobia.

I will not spoil the ending for you, however, it is the best ending to this story, criticising the extent to which ballerinas are pushed to be perfect. Black Swan is ironically exaggerated, and some of its effects are excessive, but it is profoundly, lusciously delightful, and it is fascinating to see Portman give in to the lunacy and watch her face transform into a horrormask. It is exhilarating, somewhat bizarre, and often terrifying.

Ways To Spice Up Your Hot Chocolate

by Rucsandra Curtis, Year

10

Hot chocolate is winter’s staple beverage. Although we all know and love this drink, it’s easy to get tired of the same old recipe. Here are some ways to give your hot chocolate a delicious twist.

1. Salted caramel swirl

First of all, you need to start out with your standard hot chocolate recipe. Then, stir in a tablespoon (and save some to drizzle later) of store-bought caramel sauce. Put whipped cream, caramel drizzle, and a sprinkle of sea salt (optional) on top, and you’re done!

2. Add candy cane flavour

All you need to do is grab a candy cane and use it to stir your hot chocolate until it has melted slightly. This will cause your hot chocolate to have a minty essence. If you want a bolder flavor, you could try to add a few drops of peppermint oil to your drink.

3. Use a stick instead of powder

Instead of using your typical powder to make hot chocolate, use a hot chocolate stick instead. You can buy them from Lidl, or you can make them yourself (there are lots of recipes online). All you have to do is dip the stick into the warm milk, and wait for it to melt in there.

4.

Use a hot chocolate bomb

You can buy one or you can make one yourself. Once you have your hot chocolate bomb, you just need to drop it in a glass of warm milk and wait for it to melt in there.

5.

Add a bright pop of color

For a colorful upgrade, search your grocery store for any coloured marshmallows and sprinkles. Prepare your hot chocolate as you normally would and then add these colourful toppings! This recipe is perfect for any time of year and is especially good for birthday parties.

6. Add caffeine

For an extra dose of caffeine, all you need is a teaspoon or two of instant coffee. Stir it into your hot chocolate and you’re done. This can be helpful if you need a drink to help keep you awake but don’t like coffee.

7. Spice it up

If you’re a fan of more spicy flavors, try adding a pinch of nutmeg and/or a pinch of cinnamon to your hot chocolate. Take it a step further by adding a cinnamon stick to stir with.

8. Try a different flavored hot chocolate powder

You can buy a different flavoured hot chocolate powder, such as a white chocolate or peppermint flavoured hot chocolate powder. You can get those from Lidl.

Those were some of the ways that you can spice up your hot chocolate. I hope you enjoy them!

PwC România

PwC este o firmă integrată de servicii profesionale, recunoscută pentru calitate, oferind soluţii specifice pentru fiecare situație cu care se confruntă clienţii noştri - companii locale şi multinaţionale, precum şi instituţii publice:

• audit financiar

• consultanţă în afaceri şi management

• consultanţă fiscală şi juridică

Avem o echipă de peste 800 de specialişti, condusă de 24 de Parteneri.

Cu o istorie de 170 de ani, PwC este o rețea de firme, prezentă în 152 de țări la nivel global.

PwC lucrează cu 84% din companii prezente în Fortune Global 500 și cu peste 191.000 de companii antreprenoriale, având peste 328.000 de angajaţi.

TIV #1 2022-2023 List of contributors

Student Editor: Maria Sticlea, Year 13

IBSB Staff

Kendall Peet, Head of School

Matthew Tansley, Head of Secondary

Alan Cornish, Head of Primary

Deborah Ferguson, EYFS Coordinator

Victoria Fay, Year 1 Teacher

Orla O’Dwyer, Year 2 Teacher

Alison Tansley, Year 3 Teacher

Adelaide Owen, Year 3 Teacher

Aliviana Sanders, Year 4 Teacher

Lee Hawkins, Year 5 Teacher

Tom Wilson, Year 6 Teacher

Daniela Momirleanu, French Teacher

Robert Gaier, German Teacher

Alexandra Ivascu, Spanish Teacher

Johanna Croci, CAS Coordinator

Alexandru Lacraru, PE Teacher

Jayne Baker

IBSB Students

Medeea Constantinescu, Year 13

Ilinca Birsan, Year 12

Andrei Ghita, Year 12

Mihai Urjan, Year 6

Maria Farmache, Year 6

Sonia Muthu, Year 6

Amalia Anicescu, Year 12

Andrei Stere, Year 12

Patrick Tansley, Year 13

Sonia Marta, Year 10

Sophia Constantinescu, Year 10

Alina Barbu, Year 12

Nichita Rosca, Year 13

Theodor Aizic, Year 10

Maia Bucura, Year 8B

Haidar Mrad, Year 12

Andrei Verion, Year 13

Rucsandra Curtis, Year 10

Tudor Georgescu, Year 12

David Kiiovsch, Year 12

Vlad Nedelcu, Year 12

Alexia Verdes, Year 13

Maia Hagai, Year 12

Dilara Yildiz (Graduate Class of 2017)