IGB International School’s Weekly Newsletter - Issue 105, Week 1, March 2017.
U11 football team. KLISS Plate finals @ Nexus
Inside This Week Message from Head of School Mrs. Anne Fowles 2 Head of School .............................................................. News from Elementary School Mrs. Claire McLeod 2 Elementary School Principal .............................................................. News from Secondary School Mr. Michael Arcidiacono 4 Secondary School Principal
Grade 2 Little Gym Experience. ~ Pg. 3
From the Admissions Desk. ~ Pg. 10
MYP Research Visitors (Part 2). ~ Pg. 4
Friends of the Phoenix. ~ Pg. 10
University News. ~ Pg. 5 Achievers Academy. ~ Pg. 5 DP Visual Arts Exhibition: Feature Artist, Ting Wei (Jeffrey) Ngo. ~ Pg. 6 Flying Phoenix. ~ Pg. 7 PVO News. ~ Pg. 10
Happening.
++ Wednesday, 8th March ~ ISN American University Mini-Fair @ L6 Multi-Purpose Room (8:30 am – 9:20 am) ~ U9 Boys KLISS Football Finals @ Nexus International School (3:00 pm – 6:00 pm) ~ U9 Girls KLISS Football Finals @ BSKL (3:00 pm – 6:15 pm) ++ Thursday 9th March ~ U15 Girls KLISS Basketball Finals @ IGBIS (4:00 pm – 5:30 pm) ++ Friday 10th March ~ ES Assembly (EYS) @ L3 ES Music Classroom (8:00 am – 8:30 am) ++ Saturday 11th March ~ Open Day (10:00 am – 1:00 am) ~ IGB Invitational Basketball Tournament @ IGBIS (7:30 am – 5:30 pm)
Message from Head of School Dear IGBIS Parents and Community Members,
Accreditation Update The IGB International School Board and leadership team were delighted to receive the news that IGBIS has been accepted as a candidate for accreditation with both the Council of International Schools (CIS) and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). The school has commenced the self-study process and plans to host a visiting team from CIS and NEASC in early 2018, with the goal of having accreditation status by June, 2018.
The IGBIS sports teams have had a very good week with several good performances by teams at all levels. Please turn to the Athletics and Activities Section of this newsletter to find out more. Following a very successful EduBooth at the Gardens Mall over the weekend, IGBIS will be holding an Open Day on March 11. Please tell your friends and colleagues about this opportunity.
Mrs. Anne Fowles Head of School
News from Elementary School Parents of grade 2-5 students are reminded that upon arrival at school all students are expected to go directly to the Sports Hall on Level 6 for Wake Up Shake Up, with only Grade 2 having a second option of the Level 1 playground. When dropping your child off at school, parents are asked to remind their children of this expectation.
number of friendly competitions both here and at other schools recently. It is pleasing to hear that we are making progress with scoring due to improved skills and accuracy; however, the most impressive element to these games is the students enthusiasm and commitment, not giving up when it seems all too hard or when they feel they have not yet scored a goal.
Individual, class, whole school and family photos sessions are scheduled from Monday 7th to Friday 10th March. Students are requested to wear the red school polo shirt for their class and individual photo; teachers will share the schedule with parents.
Over the next few weeks l will share images of the Grade 5 collaborative art work showing how students expressed their knowledge developed during their recent Unit of Inquiry.
Our Elementary School sports teams have participated in a
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Mrs. Claire McLeod Elementary School Principal
Igniting Minds
Impacting Lives
Grade 2 Little Gym Experience Stephanie Wafzig and Clare Demnar Grade 2 Teachers ............................................................................................... As part of our transdisciplinary theme, “How the World Works�, students in Grade 2 have been exploring forces all around us. We have been inquiring into how forces work, how forces affect movement, and how forces are used in our daily lives.
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This week, students had the opportunity to explore forces further as they went on a trip to Little Gym in Kota Damansara. We focused on concepts such as push, pull, friction, and how gravity affects the way we move in a gymnastics setting. Students have also begun a movement composition (gymnastics) unit of inquiry in PE. Grade 2 had a great time at Little Gym!
Impacting Lives
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News from Secondary School Dear parents, This week saw a tremendous number of our students participating in different sporting events, either hosted at IGBIS or travelling to other schools. Both as a coach and a cheering observer, I was reminded of the variety of skills that students develop as a result of their participation in sport. Beyond their development individually and working as a team to achieve a common goal, what most impressed me was the way our students supported and encouraged each other this week. We often note at school that the one Learner Profile attribute highlighted in our mission statement is “caring”. It was a great week in sport with many victories to be pleased about. Yet, seeing this Learner Profile attribute consistently on display was what I most enjoyed. Parents and students are reminded that photos will be taken for the year book this week, with Wednesday being set aside
for secondary school homeroom group photos and individual photos as well. There will also be group shots taken of many of our school clubs, such as Student Council. I would also like to remind parents of our regular school pick up and drop off times. Unless students are involved in an extra curricular activity (either before or after school), students arrival begins at 7:30 and departure is directly after school, at the Level 2 entrance. Outside of these times, we do not have supervision in place for students. Thank you in advance for your assistance. Sincerely yours,
Michael Arcidiacono Secondary School Principal
MYP Research Visitors (Part 2) Phil Clark MYP Coordinator ............................................................................................... I explained in last week’s newsletter that we would be hosting visitors from the Claremont Evaluation Center in the USA. The researchers are visiting MYP schools around the world to conduct a large scale research project examining the global implementation and impact of the IB Middle Years Programme. Our team of two researchers visited IGBIS on Monday and Tuesday. They were led on a campus tour by some of our Grade 7 student ambassadors and observed an Individuals & Societies class in Grade 6, Grade 7 and Grade 8. They also conducted focus group interviews with students from those classes, interviewed those teachers, the MYP Coordinator and the Secondary School Principal. While they only met with a few students and teachers during this visit, their interview questions were highly focused and they learned a lot about our school in a short time. Although the research is part of a much bigger study and the
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findings will be anonymous, the researchers did share some general impressions with us before they left. They thanked us for how welcoming IGBIS students and staff had been. They made particular mention of the Grade 7 student ambassadors who led the campus tour, which they felt was one of the highlights from all the school visits around the world so far. They were impressed by how well our students understood the MYP and how confidently they expressed themselves. They were also impressed by the enthusiasm demonstrated by the Grade 8 students as they discussed their Community Projects. The researchers complimented us, as a school community, for having achieved so much in the short two and a half years that IGBIS has been open. It is wonderful to hear this kind of feedback from external sources. When we are all so busy day to day, working together as a community, constantly reflecting on how we can further improve, we sometimes forget how far we have come and the many fantastic things that are occurring within our classrooms. Let’s take this opportunity to celebrate the things we do so well, and remember to thank our team of educators and support staff for the great job they are doing.
Igniting Minds
Impacting Lives
University News Pauline Davidson Grade 9-12 School Counsellor ............................................................................................... Dear students and parents, Please note the following college- / university-related events in school, and around KL, in the coming month or so. Students and parents should take advantage of having these visitors, and be asking questions to help them research areas of interest. Remember, the more information you have about the options available to you, the better informed your decision making when the time comes.
Here is what’s happening: ++ Wednesday, March 8th, 8.30-9.20am @ IGBIS US University Fair, 6th floor MPR
++ Tuesday, 14th March, 9.30-10.30am @ IGBIS University of Stevens Wisconsin & Florida International University 6th floor outside cafeteria ++ Tuesday, 14th March, 12.45-1.30pm @ IGBIS: Glion & Los Roches Hospitality Schools, 6th Floor outside cafeteria. ++ March 18th & 19th 1-6pm @ KLCC Convention Centre: Study UK University Fair. Register here: https://www.britishcouncil.my/events/education-ukexhibition-2017 ++ March 22nd 12.45-1.30pm @ IGBIS University of Arts London, Presentation on studying Art & Design, 6th Floor MPR ++ April 8th-13th 2016: SAT prep course @ IGBIS. G11 students should sign-up here: https://www.testtakers-sg.com/igb-satprep ++ Tuesday 18th April 12.45-1.30pm @ IGBIS: IE University, Spain, 6th floor outside cafeteria
Achievers Academy Written By Axelle, Ejahz and Joshua Grade 11 ................................................................................................................................. For the first time in our club’s history, IGBIS got the opportunity to visit the Achievers Academy refugee school. We were fortunately given the chance to work with 30 juniors this session, who were around 9 - 10 years old. As this was our first time, we wanted to ensure that the kids enjoyed their time with us. We managed to include music, science and communication activities for this session. For music, the children were lead by Pei Xien and Max (Grade 10) to learn how to play ‘I’m Yours’ by Jason Mraz on the ukulele. It was definitely a difficult task to tackle because of the communication barrier, but nevertheless, the kids enjoyed using their little instrument. For science, lead by Soeren and Natasha (Grade 12), we conducted two experiments. The first one was the static experiment where we rubbed balloons on our head and created static electricity and picked up pieces of paper with the balloon. The kids’ faces lit up with amazement when they saw that this actually worked. We also recreated the cup telephone and trialled it by singing, ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’. The communication activity was lead by Rebecca and Charlene (Grade 12). They planned out activities which allowed the kids to learn new words along with the correct pronunciation. Overall, it was a great way to spend a Saturday morning and we would love to do it again. Thank you to the leaders for planning fun activities as well as the following helpers for their precious support: Angela (Grade 8), Adriana (Grade 9), Ian and Zulaikha (Grade 11)
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Impacting Lives
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DP Visual Arts Exhibition: Feature Artist, Ting Wei (Jeffrey) Ngo Sheena Kelly Visual Arts Teacher ............................................................................................... Jeffrey is one of 7 artists that will exhibit at the opening of this year’s DP Visual Arts Exhibition on Thursday the 23rd of March at 6:30pm. All members of the IGBIS community are encouraged to attend this event.
Artist Statement As a rather easily scared person, I am ironically fascinated by the emotion of fear and its aesthetic in Art. Fear is an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat. Fear is a human instinctual knowledge, the feeling of discomfort after viewing a visceral or morbid piece reminds us that we are human. Artworks that depict fear, discomfort and anxiety draw the viewer’s attention and linger with them. The artwork displayed here addresses fear from a range of perspectives. Some of the works identify fears, which are both personal and universal, while other works are intended to cause discomfort within the viewer. There are parts of us - whether that be our hands or the letters we would like to send - that tell a story. Art in and of itself is a form of storytelling, where artists choose different mediums and styles to convey their message. Expression through poetry has been a strong influence and is often incorporated into this work. One’s inability to confront difficulty can lead to unsettling regrets at a later time. The limitation caused by the past can be unbearable, the piece Lost Notes depicts the personal fear of musical notes. The waterfall of distorted notes shattering the music bar illustrates the limitation of pursuing the path of music without the ability to read notes. The distortion of the wire notes mimic the learning disability, dyslexia, with the inability to read the alphabet. The wooden scores that accompany the wire notes allows the viewer to visualise my frustration and fear. Meanwhile, Deep and Missing Piece depicts the personal phobias of others. Deep illustrates thalassophobia (phobia of deep, dark oceans) while Missing Piece focuses on the trypophobia (phobia of holes). It is often the case that external personal fears have more impact to certain viewers than universal fears. The conscious use of vibrant and alluring oil colours is meant to attract the viewer to the work, where they discover an inconspicuous threat: they can confront their personal fear without being too overwhelmed by the concept of the work.
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In contrast to seductive oil paintings, other works are obvious in design, created to provoke discomfort within the viewers. Through the use of surreal imagery and intense content, A Part of You and Hanging evoke a mood full of dread, leaving an unsettling chill clinging to the viewers. The intensity of the pieces are complemented by the harsh details in pen and ink as the contrast of black and white prompts a feeling of distress. The choice of media and style are greatly influenced by Alphonso Dunn, author of “Pen and Ink, A Simple Guide”. The loose yet detailed style provides realistic portrayal of the subject to a certain extent, with the intent that the viewer can draw a real-life connection toward the subject.part of myself. As you walk through the exhibition you will be handed story after story. A few of them will set something spinning inside you, a few of them will be retold by you, while others will be treasured by you.
Igniting Minds
Impacting Lives
Flying Phoenix Tim Bartle Athletics & Activities Coordinator ............................................................................................... It has been another huge week of sport for the IGBIS Phoenix! The U15 girls and boys basketball teams played friendly matches on Tuesday in preparation for their upcoming KLISS finals. The girls won a close game with Tenby 17-15, while the boys finished with 1 win and 1 loss for the afternoon. The U15 girls cup final will take place at IGBIS on Thursday 9th March, whilst the Boys will travel to BSKL on Tuesday 14th March for their finals.
The U11 football teams travelled down to Nexus on Wednesday for the KLISS Plate finals. In what has been a testing season for the U11 boys, it was fitting they were rewarded for their hard work and resilience when they won their first match of the season. The team has enjoyed a season of fun whilst improving their skills and gameplay under the guidance of Mr Derry. The U11 girls football team have worked incredibly hard at improving their passing and control of the ball at training. They demonstrated fantastic teamwork and determination to come away from the tournament with two wins and one loss. Well done team!
Shoma Sumida prepares to box out his opponent after a free throw.
The U13 girls improved beyond belief when they nearly snatched the tournament win at the basketball plate finals held at IGBIS on Thursday night. They tied their first game and then won their second game by one point. Their final game was against a team that they lost to by 28 points only a few weeks ago. This time they went down by only two points. Way to go team!
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Our U13 boys demonstrated incredible resilience in their basketball plate final. After enduring two tough games, the boys trailed Nexus 8-0 at the beginning of the second half. Sensing another defeat, the home crowd got behind the boys who dug in and rallied to get some points on the board. They started to play with confidence and with each basket the team made, the roar from the crowd got louder! With three minutes to play the boys got to within two points and finally believed that they could win the game. They then quickly tied the game with 90 seconds remaining. With less than 20 seconds on the clock, the ball fell into the hands of Joseph Tan who put in the winning basket! The roof of the Phoenix Nest nearly lifted off!
Impacting Lives
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PVO News Julie Chen Arcidiacono Community Support & Services Coordinator ............................................................................................... International Day Updates Thank you for submitting your children’s names for the Parade of Nations. You will be notified this upcoming week if your child has been selected as a flag bearer or country sign holder. Only
students whose names were submitted by the sign-up form deadline have been considered. All students are welcome to join the parade even if their names weren’t submitted in time - in fact, the more students marching together, the merrier! Should that be the case, please let us know via the link below and kindly remember to arrive and assemble at the tennis courts by 8:15 am on the day of the event, Saturday 25th of March.
Link to Parade of Nations sign-up forms: ELEMENTARY PARENTS - https://goo.gl/forms/aC4hBGvU9yyotJdM2 SECONDARY STUDENTS - https://goo.gl/forms/epqiYDiTXCscrKYl1
From the Admissions Desk Wayne Demnar Admissions and Marketing Director ...............................................................................................
IGBIS. Any other type of withdrawal notices, verbal or electronically communicated, will not be accepted. Leave Form and Clearance Form can be collected from the Admissions Office.”
Notification of Withdrawal at the end of the Academic Year
We would appreciate your cooperation in this regard.
We ask for your assistance with regard to notifying us if you are leaving IGBIS at the end of the academic year. Our policy states that we must receive notification of your intention to withdraw your children by 14th May, 2017.
Emergency Contact Numbers
A full refund of deposits paid is dependent on: ”A minimum of three months’ notice in writing from the parent/guardian is given to the Admissions Office informing the student’s intended withdrawal from
As the title would suggest, these are essential pieces of information for when emergencies arise. Staff have found that these details have often not been updated when family situations change. Please let us know in the Admissions Office if you have new contact details, or emergency contact details, as it is crucial to the wellbeing of your children.
Postcard from our alumnus Woon Yongyou, Class of 2016
Friends of the
Phoenix 8
“My experiences in Vancouver @ UBC”
Igniting Minds
Impacting Lives