IGB International School’s Weekly Newsletter - Issue 84, Week 1, September 2016
• Meet the Teachers Evening. ~ September 1st, 2016.
Inside this week’s Newsletter Message from Head of School Mrs. Anne Fowles
Head of School
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News from Elementary School Mrs. Claire McLeod
Elementary School Principal
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Elementary Art with Ms. Elli & Ms. Jade Ms. Elli & Ms. Jade
PYP/MYP Visual Arts Teacher
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Grade 1 Navigation Excursion to The Curve Ms. Blakeway & Mrs. Watters
PYP Teachers
IGBIS Instrumental Music Academy Mr. Jon Suffolk
Performing Arts Teacher
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Activities and Athletics Tim Bartle & Scott Ngatai
Athletics and Activities Coordinators
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Parent IGBIS Accounts Mr. Geoff Derry
Technology Integrator
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IGBIS Education Booth at Gardens Mall Mr. Wayne Demnar
Admissions & Marketing Director
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From the Secondary School Principal Mr. Michael Arcidiacono
Secondary School Principal
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G12 College and University Parent Evening Ms. Pauline Davidson
Grades 9-12 School Counsellor
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Upcoming Events Grade 12 University Parent Evening
Tuesday, September 6th 2016 6:30 pm ~ Room 6-24 ....................................................................................
G11 and G12 Homerooms Mary Boyd
DP Coordinator
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Message from Head of School Dear IGBIS Parents and Community Members, The Meet the Teacher evening was a great success on Thursday evening. Many of our parents commented on the quality of our teachers and how helpful the presentations were in assisting them to understand the curriculum that their children would be engaged in over the coming year. Some of the parents also mentioned that the evening once again confirmed their decision to send their children to IGBIS to take part in an IB Programme and how suited it is to the world these days. Our next major events coming up next are an Information Booth, at the Gardens Mall Mid Valley on September 2-4, the ‘Malaysia Day Assembly’ which is taking place on September 15, the PYP Verification Visit on September 22-23, and Open Day on September 24 (please invite a friend to come and see our school and hear about our programmes).
Parents and community members are invited to join us at the Malaysia Day Assembly – please come dressed in clothing that represents the cultural tapestry of Malaysia. With the air quality index (AQI) readings going up and down at present, we are monitoring conditions on a regular basis. All of our corridors are now closed in so that students don’t need to go outside during the school day. Our policy and procedures for air quality is available on our parent portal so that our community is aware of steps taken at IGBIS. Should there be a change in programmes at school, we will email and SMS parents. Have a fantastic weekend.
Mrs. Anne Fowles Head of School
News from Elementary School Mrs. Claire McLeod Elementary School Principal ....................................................................................... As you walk around the school you would not think that we have only been back at school for three full weeks. Student work displayed in rooms, learning lounges and corridors show the focus of inquiries, the concepts, student questions and different strategies used. Parents who attended the Meet the Teacher Evening on Thursday night had the opportunity to learn more about the programme for the year, be more comfortable accessing class websites to check on updates, home learning and class news, and browse the walls to see their child’s contributions so far. Please remember that whilst you will be regularly invited to parent teacher conferences and curriculum focused workshops for parents, you are always welcome to visit and make a time to meet the teachers.
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Elementary Art with Miss Elli & Miss Jade Ms. Elli & Ms. Jade PYP/MYP Visual Arts Teachers ....................................................................................... Hello everyone from very busy, messy and creative Art Rooms! All grade levels have started this year focusing on the Elements and Principles of Art and Design. These are the building blocks to all art work. Some of the questions we have been asking about and inquiring into are:
have also been working out how we want our art room space to be used and organised. Here are just some of the creations so far. Please look out for the Art Single subject page, that will soon be located on the IGBIS Splash page, for on-going additions and further information.
Can colour show us how we feel? Can lines dance? A successful piece of art must have colour. True? Grades 3 to 5 have been working with the Elements and Principles designing their own letters and creating their sketchbook identities, often with funny outcomes! They are also reflecting on what it means to be a responsible artist, how the elements and principles fit into artwork, and deciding on our art room community agreements. Grades EY1 to Grade 2 have been exploring who we are, and who we are as artists in our IGBIS community. They have been exploring how we can learn from one another, help each other within the artroom, and care for our working environment. We
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Grade 1 Navigation Excursion to The Curve Ms. Blakeway & Mrs. Watters PYP Teachers ....................................................................................... The Grade 1 classes have been investigating the questions, “Why do people use maps?” and, “How do maps work?” as part of their Unit of Inquiry “How We Organise Ourselves”. They put their learning into action on Tuesday with a navigational challenge around The Curve Shopping Mall. In small groups, the students completed a series of challenges first without a map, then with the aid of the fixed
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interactive boards in the Mall, and finally with the official maps provided by the Mall. The children were able to develop their map reading and interpretation skills, and deepen their understanding of how maps work, why we need maps, and how maps help us to understand our environment. There was a lot of discussion about maps and symbols within each group, and it was great to see students working together to solve reallife problems.
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From the Secondary School Principal Mr. Michael Arcidiacono Secondary School Principal ....................................................................................... It was wonderful to see so many parents at the Meet the Teacher Evening on Thursday and then also during our first Kopitiam on Friday. I am also thankful to our parents who have stepped forward to serve as Class Representatives. Continual parent involvement is essential to the success of our students (and the school). Going forward, parents can continue to support in other ways. The first way is to continually monitor your son/daughter’s progress in Managebac. A great way to do this is to set a time and then have your son/daughter take you through what they see in Managebac - the units they are studying, recent assessment results, and upcoming due dates. Parents can of course access this information through their own login. However, the ongoing conversation is important, where parents and children can discuss in greater detail what they see online. Additionally, students do a lot of their work on Google Docs, and these conversations can provide a nice opportunity to see the progress of student projects, and so on. A second way is for parents to encourage “wonder” in their children. This can happen everyday when children ask questions, or if an adult points out something interesting. When a child asks a question, it is helpful NOT to go straight to the conclusion, to
address the “why”. Instead, getting the child to think for themselves, draw initial conclusions and then refine their thinking can be a more powerful approach. Encouraging a sense of wonder helps children to assume the “posture” of a learner, whether in school or not. When I worked in China, I found it very interesting to see a number (like “7”) next to a clothing display in a shopping mall. I wondered what the number was for. As I investigated, I found that it was a way of showing a discount - a “7” meant the same as “30% off”. This was a different way of discounting from what I was used to, considering the percent you pay instead of the percent you save. Of course, either way is equally valid and accurate. This real-life example relates nicely to what Grade 6 or 7 students study in mathematics, and can show them a different way of thinking. I believe that a key way parents can support their child’s education is to engage their children in wondering about situations like this when they experience them, and formulate their own understanding. However, children should not be given the answer too quickly, or even at all! Preferably, they can reason their way to the answer, improving their independent learning skills as a result.
G12 College and University Parent Evening Ms. Pauline Davidson Grades 9-12 School Counsellor ...................................................................... A G12 College and University Parent Evening will be held for Grade 12 parents and students in the PVO room on the 2nd floor (across from the nurse’s office), on Tuesday, 6th September from 6.30pm until 8.00pm. Light refreshments will be provided. We will discuss:
• Letters of recommendation • Finances • Application packets • Naviance electronic document sending & postal applications • Deadlines / timelines / requirements • School support versus student & family responsibility We anticipate that all G12 students and parents will attend.
Representatives from various universities around the world will visit Kuala Lumpur, and often IGBIS, throughout the year. The following university events are scheduled for next week:
University
Date
Time
Location
University of Queensland
Monday 5th September
11:20 am
G12 Economics Class
Memorial University of Newfoundland, Monday 5th September Canada
Lunch Time
Table near Counselling Office
MABECS meeting with G12 Oxbridge applicants
Tuesday 6th September
12:45 pm
Counselling Office
Columbia, Duke, Northwestern, Princeton & Georgetown Event
Thursday 8th September
4:30 pm 6:30 pm
ISKL (register at https://ugadmission.northwestern.edu/portal/ international?id=2515fbfc-b4e4-4504-b1ff-ea815f4b1b6f )
Hult International Business School
Friday 9th September
Lunch Time
Table near Counselling Office
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G11 and G12 Homerooms Mary Boyd DP Coordinator ............................................................................................................ Education is the best investment any parent can make for their child. It can transform life chances, ensure that an individual thrives academically, flourishes socially, and enjoys a rich and creative inner life. Having been involved in the IB Diploma Programme (IBDP) for 20 years in top private schools in the UK, I am a true disciple of it and am delighted to join IGB International School’s whole school community, where the entire IB continuum ensures the school lives and breathes the IB Learner Profile. Developed in the 1960s, the IBDP is seen as the gold standard of world education, the best preparation for universities and the globally competitive world of work, offered currently in 2,795 schools in 143 countries worldwide. At IGBIS, it has been a pleasure to see caring, passionate, articulate teachers deliver lessons that aim to inspire students and instill in them a love of learning and a clear set of values. Walking around the school and visiting Grade 11 and 12 Homerooms in the mornings, it is great to see students enjoy an exceptionally friendly, purposeful atmosphere, in which they can feel safe and happy to be themselves.
parents: roots and wings. Schools must play a role here too. As we prepare our DP students to go on to study at some of the world’s top universities, it is our role as educators to help them see they are more than a score out of 45 or a string of grades. We aim to equip them with the knowledge and skills necessary to be both personally and professionally successful, with an ethos of independent learning, to develop the life of the mind in ways that are exciting, challenging, and ambitious, as well as fun. We have an explicitly moral mission alongside the serious business of preparing students for their best possible future and encourage students to reflect on their ways of knowing and on their contribution to the public good. We are grateful to parents for allowing us to help nurture the roots and wings of their children, our students. As we’ve settled into the rhythm of the semester, I look forward to getting to know students and parents better, by building healthy channels of communication. By working together, we aim to educate individuals who embrace challenge and take responsibility for shaping a better world, to balance naturally high ambitions with broader concern for others and to develop the intellectual insight to understand that the two are not actually so different.
It’s been said there are two things children should get from their
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IGBIS Instrumental Music Academy Jon Suffolk Performing Arts Teacher ....................................................................................... I would like to welcome all the students who have registered for the IGBIS Instrumental Music Academy lessons for Semester 1. The lessons will begin this coming Monday and the schedules are all available on the Splash page. Parents, please check the schedules carefully and remind your children that if they are in Elementary School their tutor will come by and pick them up, and if they are in Secondary School it is their responsibility to attend the classes at the allotted time. I would encourage parents to assist their children in developing a practice routine. Establish a set time in the day when the practice is to be completed. For really young students, sitting with them and offering
positive encouragement is the best thing you can do or have them play for their siblings and other family members when they feel confident enough. Short 10-15 minute practice times for young students is fine. Slowly increase the time as they become more confident. Children love seeing and hearing musicians in action. Attending a concert or recital is a great way to further develop their enthusiasm for learning an instrument. Check out the program of the Malaysian Philharmonic and Malaysian Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, for example, or any of the Youth Music Ensembles at Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre. If you have any further enquiries please do not hesitate to contact me by email, jon.suffolk@igbis. edu.my
Activities and Athletics Tim Bartle & Scott Ngatai Athletics and Activities Coordinators ....................................................................................... The Activities and Athletics program for 2016/2017 launched this past week with plenty of excitement and enthusiasm from both staff and students. The sign-up process was a huge success with record numbers of students getting involved in our diverse extracurricular program. With 28 activities and 12 sports teams in action during season 1, we have been able to provide a variety of opportunities for our students to learn more about themselves whilst developing new and existing skills. Thank you to our dedicated staff for supporting the activities and athletics program by supervising the activities and coaching teams. We look forward to sharing some stories and highlights from our programs as the season unfolds.
monitor the situation on a day by day basis and communicate via email and sms about any changes or cancellations to our programs. We appreciate your understanding during what can be a rather frustrating time for everyone. Finally, please remember to regularly check your parent email accounts and that all paid activities provided by Sunarize need to be paid in full on or before 16th September. Also a reminder that if an activity is cancelled due to weather an attempt will be made to reschedule it at the end of the season. If we cannot do this a refund will be given on a prorata basis.
Monday afternoon showed us that the air quality in Malaysia can be very unpredictable. We’ll continue to
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Parent IGBIS Accounts Geoff Derry Technology Integrator geoffrey.derry@igbis.edu.my .......................................................................................
• A login button on the school website;
Hopefully by now, many - if not all - of you have logged on to you school parent account.
• A simplified Splash page (the first page you see when you click login on the website) so that users no longer need to sign in; • The addition of a new Single Subject Classes page to the Elementary Classes section;
Many people have asked, “Why do I need another another username and password?” Or, “Why do I need a school email address to get all school correspondence?” The advantages of having a school account are many and varied. They include: • The knowledge that all email will be sent to the correct people (not rejected or stuck in ‘junk’); • Increased security for class websites, videos, portfolios and photos; • A single point of entry where parents can go to find all the school IT systems (the school Splash page); and • The ability for teachers (and students) to easily share their learning. We have already made (and will continue to make) changes to all our systems. Some recent updates include:
• New and improved class websites; and • Additions to the Activities and Athletics, Swimming and Music Academy sites.
If you have not yet received your login details, you couldn’t attend the Meet The Teacher evening, or if you are having any problems at all with your IGBIS account, please email me or the help desk (it.helpdesk@igbis.edu.my) and we will do our best to help you as soon as possible.
IGBIS Education Booth at Gardens Mall Wayne Demnar Admissions & Marketing Director ....................................................................................... Our IGBIS Education Booth at Gardens Mall attracted a lot of interest from people passing by. We hope that this results in a good attendance at our Open Day on September 20th. Thanks to all the staff who helped to promote our wonderful school.
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Igniting Minds
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