IGB International School Newsletter, Issue 18, Week 3, November 2014

IGB International School’s Weekly Newsletter - Issue 18, Week 3, November 2014

The Elementary Student Council as they were introduced during the Elementary School Assembly.

Inside this week’s Newsletter Message from Head of School Mrs. Anne Fowles, Head of School

Upcoming Events November Saturday, 22nd November 2014 Open Day, 10.00am and 1.00pm

News from Elementary School

Wednesday, 26th November 2014

News from Secondary School

Elementary School’s Dress-Up and Movie Afternoon

Mrs. Claire McLeod, Elementary School Principal Mr. Lennox Meldrum, Secondary School Principal

Parent Coffee Afternoon, 2.00pm

Wednesday, 26th November 2014 December

Updates from Student Services

Wednesday, 10th December 2014

Mr. Peter Fowles, Head of Student Services

Whole School Christmas Assembly, 2.00pm Last day of School

Updates from Academic and Support Services

Public Holiday - Sultan Selangor’s Birthday

Thursday, 11th December 2014

Mr. Peter Syme, Director of Academic and Support Services

Updates from Admissions Mrs. Bronwyn Thorburn, Admissions Director

11th December - 2nd January 2014 December School Holidays

January 5th January 2014 School Resumes

Igniting Minds

Impacting Lives

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Message from Head of School Mrs. Anne Fowles Head of School Dear IGBIS Parents and Community Members, There is a great deal of excitement in the school this week with all the upcoming events, not to mention the big storm at the end of the day. Thank goodness we have a covered car park for parents to pick up students!

We are preparing the school for our Open Day that is taking place tomorrow (Saturday, 22nd November).

There are two sessions at 10.00am and 1.00pm. If you are interested to come back to visit again, bring a friend!

During the week we hosted a visit from two other heads of international schools in Kuala Lumpur who came to see our school on behalf of the Association of International Schools Malaysia (AIMS). We would like to become a member of this organisation so that our students can take part in the many activities that are offered.

Today IGB is celebrating its 50th Anniversary at the Gardens Hotel, Mid Valley. IGBIS is privileged to be a member of the very successful IGB Group with its reputation for high quality.

The pedestrian turnstiles were activated for parents and secondary students this week. Please remember to bring your ID card for access to the school. We need to check that all of the cards are working properly, if there is a problem with your card, please inform the staff on duty and bring your card to reception to be refreshed.

Have a good weekend.

News from Elementary School Mrs. Claire McLeod Elementary School Principal I was in Early Years earlier this week and watched as our youngest students independently cleaned their plates and placed them in the correct containers after they had finished their lunch. There are so many benefits gained when parents and teachers encourage independence in young children. This can mean encouraging children to dress and undress themselves, eat by themselves even if it is a little messy at times, pack up after they have finished playing, make their beds and pack their bags ready for school. Many times I hear, “My mum forgot to put my library book in my bag� and I remind students that this is something they could be responsible for.

Caring is one of the attributes of the IB Learner Profile: We show empathy, compassion and respect.

We have a commitment to service, and we act to make a positive difference in the lives of others and in the world around us. For younger students this could mean: I care about people, animals, plants and the Earth. I help others look after the environment. Teachers model caring and encourage students to consider the feelings of others at school and at home. I have included a link to an article I thought you may enjoy reading.

Are you raising nice kids? - Washington Post Jul 18, 2014 - Are you raising nice kids? A Harvard psychologist gives 5 ways to raise them to be kind http://bit.ly/raisingnicekids Upcoming dates Friday, 28th November: Dress up day and movie afternoon.

Wednesday, 10th December: Christmas Assembly at 2.00pm in the Theatre and last day of school.

Monday, 5th January: First day back at school after the holidays.

Until next week.

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Igniting Minds

Impacting Lives

Library Many parents are looking for books to share with their children, to encourage them to develop a life-long love of reading. As the saying goes, the man who doesn’t read has no advantage over the one who can’t read. What are some good books for children to read? Here is a link to a website with recommendations for readers of all ages including many genres of books. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-lists As our library grows, we will continue to add more fabulous titles to our collection; perhaps you might add some of these to your own collection?

Mrs. Amanda Clark, Teacher Librarian

News from Secondary School Mr. Lennox Meldrum Secondary School Principal Why is there a photo of Elementary School students in the Secondary School article?

One of the wonderful aspects of being part of a K-12 school is the exposure our students and staff get to the wide range of opportunities and learning experiences that take place throughout the entire school. We started our first school year with a week of spirit building that included activities involving students of all age groups. These were not artificial events that we moved on from once our classes started. The constant interaction between all of our students in their classes and activities helps ensure that the continuum of education we promote as an IB school is a natural part of what we do. This semester our Secondary School Design students have worked with Elementary School classes on projects such as what ingredients make the best pizza and how best to use technology. Elementary School classes have invited our Secondary School science teachers in to help explain how the body works and what chemicals are present in our environment. In activities after school we have students of all ages learning German together, participating in Swim Squad, and learning new ways to express themselves artistically. I learn more each day about the wide range of approaches to teaching and learning by visiting classes from Secondary School, Elementary School, and our amazing Early Years teachers. I feel so lucky to be able to see such amazing teaching taking place and how I can take ideas I see applied in the Elementary School to help our Secondary School teachers continue to grow and expand their skills.

The photo with this article is from an exciting moment for our school – the speeches by Elementary School students to their peers on why they would make a great leader as part of the Elementary School Student Council. Next week our Secondary School Student Council is running their first major event in conjunction with our Global Issues Network group, which is a dress-down day and movie afternoon/evening. It has been exciting to see our keen students take their ideas and harness their skills and energy to make it happen. We are looking forward to working with the Elementary School Student Council in planning whole school events in the future.

We have a busy Saturday this weekend with our Open Day, so if you have friends who are thinking of joining IGBIS then please pass on the details that are on our website.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Igniting Minds

Impacting Lives

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Information from the DP Coordinator The G11 students met with their Extended Essay (EE) Supervisors this week, for the important first EE Supervisor Student Meeting. The G11 students have been planning for the start of the EE process by working on EE preparation once a week in their Extended Essay class. The students have been looking at examples of Extended Essays in various subjects in order to decide which subject is the best fit for them. They have also created EE Research Questions in order to give their EE some focus and a point of discussion with their EE Supervisors when they meet for the first time. The EE Deadlines document can be found on ManageBac. The Extended Essay is a demanding student directed assignment, which culminates in a university-style research essay that has a 4000 word limit. Supervisors are allowed to help the students for five hours during the 14 month EE writing process, and help

the students finalise their research question and give advice on structure and locating appropriate data sources. The Supervisors are allowed to read the first draft of the EE and then give formalised feedback before the final draft is due in late February 2016. The IGBIS DP Academic Deadlines can be found on ManageBac. The G11 Semester One Exams will take place 19th - 23rd January, 2015 and are worth 25% of the Semester One grade.

The exams will cover content taught in Semester One, and will be conducted in-class during regularly scheduled class times.

If there are any questions regarding the DP at IGBIS please contact me at matthew.marshall@igbis.edu.my.

Mr. Matthew Marshall, Diploma Programme Coordinator

Grade 7 Culture Speaks Our Grade 7 students recently gave some very informative presentations about their culture in Individual and Societies class.

The unit is titled ‘Constructing our World’, which gives students the opportunity to inquire about how civilizations are built and how this process has created special and unique cultures across the globe over time. By exploring the key concept Global Interactions and the related concepts of Identity and Culture, students learn about their own indentities and those of their classmates. In their presentations it was amazing to listen to each student explain various aspects of their culture; language, food, customs, beliefs, clothing, and entertainment were some of the aspects they discussed. They learned about the cultures of Brazil, Malaysia, Zimbabwe, Switzerland, China, Australia and Korea. This was a truly international celebration of who they are as individuals and as a global citizens. We were treated to some Swiss chocolate (always appreciated), Vegemite, (an Australian delicacy), and some Malaysian Nasi Lemak (from our host nation). One student presented wearing his Brazilian cowboy outfit and others played traditonal music, enjoyed by the peoples of their home country and beyond. Students were able to clearly express the shared ideas, beliefs, and behaviors that form the uniqueness of their

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culture, and their own personal identities. I was impressed by how supportive the students were of each other. Questions were asked out of genuine interest and respect was always given. This class clearly highlights the value of being “open-minded” and they reflect my favorite line from the IB mission: “The IB encourages students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.”

Chinese Traditional Clothing

Korean Language

Mr. Michael Hawkes Grade 7 Individuals and Societies Teacher

Impacting Lives

Updates from Student Services Mr. Peter Fowles Head of Student Services Dear Parents and students, exciting news with the launch of an activities webpage next week to coincide with Session 2 activity choices. Session 2 will commence from 12th January, 2015 and run to 20th March, 2015.

Parents will sign up their Elementary children electronically via a link that they will receive, Secondary students will also sign up electronically but please check with your children to ensure they do not over commit themselves to after school activities.

It is important to note that there will be forty four activities with some of these offered by outside providers who charge a fee for participation.

While it is our hope that all activities will go forward, this is totally dependent upon the minimum number of students being reached.

Parents and students will be notified of successful choices before 10th December, 2014.

Instrumental Music Academy It has again been an exciting week of music making in the Music Academy, classroom and after school activities. All the tutors have reported to me that the students are enjoying their lessons and those who are beginning to establish regular practice routines are making pleasing progress. Please help the young musicians in your family by supporting these practice routines. A little a day regularly is very important for them to make steady progress.

Mr. Jon Suffolk, Performing Arts Teacher

Computer and Phone Use in Schools While technology is a wonderful tool for learning and communicating both parents and educators are increasingly concerned over the inappropriate use of electronic devices.

Many teachers take action in the classroom by advocating the use of phones and computers when relevant to the subject content.

For the schools part we have a behavioral policy that computers can only be used at break and lunch times in the library or classrooms with teacher supervision and there is to be no gaming. We have introduced a variety of board and kinesthetic games for use at break and lunch times in the student lounge area. We also support that reading is to be encouraged and this is a form of differentiation and another style of learning that can take place in any classroom.

At IGBIS our staff are involved in an on going series of workshops in student welfare time that inform students of the choices they need to make when using IT software and devices. At present Grade 6 are our focus but each grade will be involved. In Physical and Health Education each grade from 6 to 11 have a 5/6 week unit on Healthy Choices, at which time this topic is also addressed.

Hopefully this answers some of your questions and please see me if you have any queries or suggestions. The school is beginning coffee mornings soon and we hope that parents will become an active part of our community.

Mr. Peter Fowles, Head of Student Services

Igniting Minds

Impacting Lives

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Updates from Academic and Support Services Mr. Peter Syme Director of Academic and Support Services Soccer Clinics Just a reminder that on Monday afternoon, November 24th on the school football field, from 3:10pm-4:10pm, the 1st International Soccer Academy will be running a free soccer clinic for interested students from Grades 3 - 11. The academy will hopefully become part of the IGBIS After School Activity programme in January.

This trial is free. If you wish to sign up for the soccer clinics as part of the ASA programme in January, as with all external providers, there will be a fee involved. Mr Fowles is currently preparing all the information regarding ASA in January, as we extend the programme to Monday afternoons with a range of external providers coaching a variety of sports. By now, the ES students should have returned their permission slips and the SS students should have signed up electronically. Please note, there will be NO buses at 4:10pm so if you are a bus traveller, your parents will need to come and get you.

Card Access System This week we have been trialling the Parent and SS student card access system at the turnstiles on Level 2. Our IT Manager has been on hand recording any card defects and recifying these.

These cards will become very important to you as we move into 2015. After the December holiday period, the cards will also be used for school lunches. There will be two methods to put cash on to your child’s card; online and manually through cash points at school. These locations will be made known to you in the next newsletter. The ES students are trying on their wristbands this week, and these will have the same functions as the card system. The wristbands are a more convenient way for the younger students to monitor their own wristbands.

School Lunches As mentioned above, in January the electronic system for lunch ordering will be activated. For the younger students in EY1, EY2

and KG, the menus will still be available on the website so that parents can order and nominate their lunches. For the last 8 school days in December before the holidays, the process for lunch orders will remain the same. I will be putting out the menus by the middle of next week and you will be able to pay for the lunches after that is posted. Ms Yuly will be stationed at the payment counter from Thursday morning from 7:40am.

Due to the activation of the electronic payment system, there will be slight increases in some of the menu options from January 5th. Lunch only will now cost RM10.00, snack and lunch will remain at RM12 and breakfast and lunch will now cost RM15.00.

We are also planning to introduce a Sandwich Bar option and I am currently working with the caterer on this option and also the cost. This option will be a good step forward and our future plans include a Salad Bar and Noodle Bar. As the school population grows, so too will the options for eating.

Valencia and Sierramas School Van As the school closes from Wednesday, 10th December, 2014, the November invoice for bussing for our Valencia and Sierramas students will include November and December (1 week only).

These invoices will be sent home through Mr. Anba by Tuesday, 2nd December.

The Finance Department have updated me with 3 families who are still to pay October bussing. If you have made a direct debit, could you please let the Finance Department know so that they can look for this in their statements. Otherwise, please forward your October payments as soon as you can before the next invoice is sent home.

Updates from Admissions Mrs. Bronwyn Thorburn Admissions Director Dear Parents and Guardians, The following events will be coming up in the next week at IGBIS. 1. Open Day on Saturday, 22nd November - we will be hosting two information sessions and tours at 10.00am and 1.00pm. Classes will be open and information will be shared. We are currently expecting about 40 people for each session. If you know anyone who is interested in the IB Programme and would like to learn more about IGBIS, then please do pass on this information. Better yet, bring them along with you and help us out at the Student/Parent Information Table!

2. Parent Coffee Afternoon on Wednesday, 26th November, 2.00pm in the Elementary/Secondary School Library - the administration would like to welcome you for the pre-pick up coffee afternoon. It will be an opportunity to meet other parents in the IGBIS community, and we would also like to have a discussion on establishing the IGBIS Parent Volunteer Organisation. An online registration will be sent to you soon. Please sign up and let us know if you can come.

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Igniting Minds

Impacting Lives