Talanoa Volume 7 by International School Suva

Volume 7 3rd October, 2017

Newsletter of International School Suva Talanoa – Term 4, Week 4

Principal’s Report

Inside this Issue

♦ Gree ngs ISS parents, families, students, and friends,

Principal’s Report

♦ We are well into Term 4 and this a good me to focus on finishing the term well. That usually means comple ng any unfinished school work. Projects, missed work, or reading that will be included in Term 3 report cards should receive a concentrated effort in coming days. As always, helping our students ♦ stay focused is a joint effort between our teachers and parents.

The Powerful Play of

♦ O en parents ask what the best ways are to help their children with school work. That is an excellent ques on because many ins nc ve parental eﬀorts can backﬁre. As parents, we o en want to rescue our children, keep them from being embarrassed, or make sure they get good grades. Those are good ♦ goals, but not the most important ones, and they o en lead to helping with the actual assignment too much, covering up for our children's lack of planning, or punishing them for being behind. ♦

Teams to Adelaide

Let me suggest some accepted and effec ve strategies, things I am sure you already know. These ideas are generally true for all ages, but, of course, they ♦ will look a li le different for each age. First of all, sympathize with your child's dilemma without judgement. Help them be willing to share with you about their schoolwork problems by calmly acknowledging they have a problem they need to solve and by being empathe c. Once they know you are on their ♦ side, you can move to step two. ♦ Second, help your child think through how to solve their problem. No ce I did not say, "tell them how to solve their problem." This is important because part of what your child needs is to learn how to problem-solve, a cri cal life-long skill. A good technique to control our urges to “come to the rescue” is to ♦ make ourselves only ask ques ons. That is harder that it seems, but ques ons make our children think and respond, not just listen quietly. Try posi ve, ♦ non-judgmental ques ons like, "What was the assignment?” “What ideas do you have for your project?” “What materials do you think you will need?” “How will that work?” “What will you have to do first?” You might have to bite your tongue to not take over the work, but you will find that your child is ♦ completely able to "figure it out" with your support! ♦ The third step you can provide as a parent to support your child is to help make a concrete plan based on your child’s own ideas about what needs to be done. Help them break the assignments down into manageable tasks, something children cannot always do on their own. Agree on melines, like, “Can we ♦ get these two things finished before dinner?” You can even write down the plan as in 1) clear off the table, 2) make a list of ques ons, 3) interview your ♦ grandparent, 4) gather all the materials you need, etc.

School Nurse

Learning Fiji Schools Swimming

Model United Nations Homes of Hope Visit

Travel & Tourism Counselor Wellness week Materials & Measurement

Library Art Exhibition Halloween Music Concert

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Advertisements

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Science Fair

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Year 7 Exhibition

Best wishes! Our children will achieve great things with parents and school working closely together!

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Upcoming Events

Steve Cathers Principal / Head of School

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2018 Term Dates

Finally, of course, “we” will not do the work; your children need to actually do the work so they can learn, but you can dedicate the rest of your me to being a cheerleader and making sure the plan is followed. With older children like adolescents, o en they will refuse your help, but when the alterna ves are failure, it is a good me to press your parental role. You can s ll peek over their shoulders and see if something is being accomplished. As always, consult with the teacher as needed so you are working together to make your child successful.

The Power of Playful Learning – Rebecca Clentworth Play is a form of creative expression. It’s fun and most of all it’s crucial to social, emotional, cognitive and even physical development. Learning through play is fast becoming recognized as a way to enhance learning and nurture curiosity. Learning through play means that when children are enjoying what they do and deeply engaged in activities that are relevant and meaningful, they remember things for longer and at the same time develop skills for lifelong learning. It usually happens in a learning environment where the child has opportunities to imagine new things, take risks and share experiences with others. When children are engaged in playful activities, they are empowered to use their individual strengths and engage in experiences relevant to their interest. In this case, self-efficacy and internal motivation are key characteristics of learning through play. Within a quality play experience, teachers at ISS help to scaffold and/or challenge the children at their individual level experiences that over time help build a child’s confidence and curiosity for learning. In addition, a play-based approach is more flexible to different personality types within the classroom, so the curriculum and learning goals may be the same, but the approach to how the child learns can be individualized. This is crucial in setting children up for success in their learning. Learning through play also helps children learn to regulate emotions. It is also a good way to practise and build social relationships in a safe and fun environment. Play is not just for younger children, it is also beneficial for all children. For older children, this is more about an approach or philosophy to learning in the classroom, where the child continues to direct their own learning at their own pace with support from peers and teachers. At ISS, we encourage children to be involved in their learning and have choice over what they learn and how they would like to best showcase their learning.

Fiji Schools Swimming Team to the Pacific School Games in Adelaide Last week a number of our ISS students who are members of various swimming clubs around the country participated in the Fiji Swimming’s National Short Course Championships. The competition was held in the 25 metre pool (hence short course) in a grueling competition held over three days. Swimmers had to qualify for the event by participating in a series of Grand Prix events as a build up to this competition. Of special interest this week will be the selection and finalization of the Fiji Swimming National squad members who will be groomed to represent Fiji Swimming internationally; and also the performance of the swimmers going to the Pacific Schools Games in December. Swimmers have been challenged to balance their elite training programs with their school exam preparation, exams and performing well in the competition. 37 student swimmers have been selected to represent Fiji at the games in December. Schools around the country are assisting their students chosen from their schools by fundraising for their expenses. Their performances over the weekend were fantastic and show they are all on track for December. I am proud to announce that we have had four students from ISS selected to represent Fiji at the event in Adelaide. They are Sheldon Chow (year 10), Elian Nervale (year 9), Tabbai Soko (year 6) and Papanui Liew- Marsters (year 6). For further information and any details about fundraising please contact me. Jennifer Liew Head of PE Department Jliew@international.school.fj

Model United Nations and Global Issues Network, Shanghai, 2018 In January 2018 a group of 15 ISS students and teachers will be traveling to Shanghai to attend the Concordia International School Model United Nations and Global Issues Network Conference. The 2018 Shanghai CISMUN and GIN will have over 1000 students from 60 different international schools participating, and being part of this international event will be a fantastic experience for our students. Ms Waqainabete has been organizing MUN events at ISS for the past 10 years, so we will build upon her expertise in being part of an international MUN next January. The ISS student team has been assigned the delegation of Finland, and one of our senior students is also serving in the International Criminal Court. The theme of the 2018 Global Issues Network (also held at Concordia International School at the same time) is ‘A Place to Stand’, and our ISS student GIN team will be delivering a presentation on the introduction of Fiji’s plastic bag levy earlier this year. As part of this presentation, they are creating a short film, and have interviewed members of the public for their opinions on the levy. The students also plan to speak with the Climate Change Minister Mr Seruiratu, as well as experts from FNU and USP. More information on both events can be found at https://www.cissmun.org/ Maria Dunbar

Homes of Hope Visit Over the past semester, students of International School Suva have been participating in their main extra-curricular programme; the Tuesday afternoon activities. Students are divided into clubs that represent their personal interests, where they work with other students from across the school to achieve all kinds of goals, be it service, art or sport orientated. One of these clubs is known as the Shoebox Club, which entails more than just cardboard boxes, but rather enforces the ISS value of service and community. Over several years, International School Suva has enforced the importance of giving back to the community that has shaped both our individual Identities, as well as the identity of the school itself. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no secret that the students who are lucky enough to attend ISS are far more privileged than many, from our internationally approved IB curriculum to the seemingly infinite supply of books overflowing the shelves of our library, the opportunities ISS presents seem limitless. The importance of the CAS (community and service) and DOE (Duke of Edinburgh) programmes, and the overall community and service oriented learning style, teach us how important it is to make the world a better place, in any way you can. As a school, we believe in the fundamental vitality of community spirit and giving back to those in need, because we are all a part of the complex diversity of the Fijian community. The students of The Shoebox Club (five year sevens, one year eight and three year tens,) chose to join this club as a means to participate in the ISS community and the outside of school community as well as the opportunity to make a difference in our world and society. Inspired by an old primary tradition of compiling gifts in a shoebox and donating it to a settlement as a Christmas gift, we managed to organize a gold coin mufti with an optional donation. Through this charity effort we managed to collect hundreds of both second hand and new items to donate towards a cause of our own choice. Deciding where to donate the items we had managed to collect was a challenge in itself: the options of inspiring organizations and stories were endless. After much discussion, we decided to work with Homes of Hope, a community home that houses and cares for partial families and girls who find themselves vulnerable or at risk within their own communities. We gave our best effort towards ensuring that a wide variety of needs were met, from necessities like sanitary pads and deodorant, to perfumes and handbags, as well as clothes categorized by age and gender. Homes of Hope is the only community center of its kind in the South Pacific. Not only do they aid women and girls, they also care for young children, with their very own early childhood center on location. On Tuesday 31st October we visited the sight of Homes of Hope to deliver the items we had managed to collect. We were instantly stunned by the gorgeous 40 acres of land, and the stunning scenery was a perfect metaphor for the inspiring and heart breaking stories of the work Homes of Hope does and the lives it changes. Homes of Hope, and the people behind the initiative are inspirational, and we are indebted to them for allowing us to visit their grounds and initiating something that will benefit the community that has helped raise us in so many ways. As a school community, we feel a deep seated desire to help, to get involved in initiatives that are changing the community for the better. We continue to be awed and inspired by the astounding feats people across the country achieve with all their hard work and dedication towards bettering our community, and we, as a school, hope that one day the feats we achieve will help make our world even greater. Jade Cuba Cave (year 7)

SCHOOL NURSE NEWS AND NOTES The pursuit of wellness well·ness noun-the state of being in good health, especially as an actively pursued goal.…..to achieve one’s full potential. Some would describe wellness as: self-directed and an ever-evolving process that follows a life-style of balance in health that ultimately decreases the likelihood of becoming ill physically, mentally, and spiritually. Encompassing seven dimensions and characteristics, wellness is achieved when a person’s life includes all seven elements in combination and in whole. These include: Occupational Wellness (Career, Skills, Financial) Involves finding enrichment in your life through work in which your choice of career ambitions, professional satisfaction, and personal performance are all important, exciting, and rewarding based on your skills, talent, values, and contributions. Emotional Wellness (Feelings) The ability to understand your own feelings, accept your limitations, achieve emotional stability, and become comfortable with your emotions. This dimension of wellness paves the way in maintaining healthy and satisfying relationships with others based on mutual commitment, trust, and respect. Spiritual Wellness (Values, Purpose, Intuition, Vitality) It is the exploration of personal ethics, values, and morals that guide us and give meaning and direction to life by developing a deep appreciation of life and the natural forces in existence. Although being spiritual does not need to include religion, this dimension is open to religious contributions. Environment Wellness (Air, Water, Food, Safety) This dimension of wellness highlights on the coexistence between you, the community, and the environment. Physical Wellness (Body) Follows the principals of proper nutrition, regular exercise and flexibility, avoiding harmful habits, making responsible decisions about health, and seeking medical assistance when necessary.

informed and

Social Wellness (Personal, Family, Friends, Relationships) Being socially well is the ability to relate well to others, both within and outside the family unit. Social wellness involves not only a concern for the individual and family, but also an interest in humanity and the environment as a whole. Intellectual Wellness (Mind) The on-going creativity and mental capacity a person uses to expand their knowledge and skills for the betterment of society.

Taking the Wellness Wheel Assessment mark a dot on the wheel that best represents your current level of satisfaction in that area (The outside of the circle = extremely satisfied and the center is extremely dissatisfied). As you are putting your dots on the paper, one of the most important thing to remember is that you MUST, be honest. Any areas in the wellness wheel that are not round represents a disconnect within your life causing you to experience a bumpy ride. So whether your wheel is very big, or very small, refusing to provide maintenance to an unbalanced wheel will keep you from achieving total wellness. There are always opportunities for enhancing your wellness. A good place to start is self-reflection and goal-setting. Adapted from: https://www.nwmissouri.edu/wellness/PDF/shift/BalancingYourWellness.pdf https://healthwellness.tcnj.edu/wellness-wheel/

Important dates: ISS Garage Sale

11/11/17

Work Experience Yr10 24/11/17 & Yr11 Primary Concert

28/11/17

Farewell Assembly

07/12/17

End Term 4

07/12/17

Travel and Tourism Field Trip to Kila Eco World In Week 10 of term 3 the Year 9 and 10 IGCSE Travel and Tourism students went offsite for a visit to Kila Eco World. The students were able to experience Kila World as tourists and participated in a number of activities that Kila Eco World offers to their guests. These activities ranging from high ropes, to the leap of faith, and culminating in a scenic zip line across the wilderness that Kila World is located in. Students were able to ask questions about the facilities and activities, and were able to experience the customer service of Kila World. This allowed them to make real world connections between their theory and the real life practice of travel and tourism here in Fiji. The students loved the hands on aspect of their learning and were able to learn not just about the subject of travel and tourism, but about themselves as many of the activities required them to tackle challenges and face fears that they may not have done before. The general consensus was that they had a wonderful time, and that they canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait to see what other hands on activities the future holds for them in the subject of travel and tourism.

Bula Everyone Term 4 is already off to a busy start, and for some, it is already demading, hectic and fast paced. This is part of the package that comes as we draw to the close of an academic year and in a way helps us all to prepare for what lies beyond 2017. At the beginning of this term the teachers worked very closely with the Year 11 and 12 Mental Health (MH) CAS Group. The group’s goal was to create awareness about mental health and the importance of wellness in our school community. Each pastoral class from Year 6 through to Year 12 had classrom sessions with their pastoral teachers on mental health and wellbeing and methods of caring for our mental health. The MH CAS group also organised student-led lunch time activies to aimed at creating awareness amongst their peers on the importance of understanding the need for positivity and wellbeing. Mental Health Awareness What Is Mental Health? Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. Ways of Caring for Our Mental Health: # Getting professional help if you need it # Staying positive # Helping others # Developing coping skills

# Connecting with others # Getting physically active # Getting enough sleep

Careers Talks Thank you to… Lisa Apted, Debbie Singh, Cathy Wong &Nunia Thomas, Jamie Rogers-Bird who spent time with our senior students, sharing valuable information about their careers and in Jamie’s case, the transition to university life. The talks were well received by the students and provided an avenue for them to talk informally with professionals The Work Experience Program For our Year 10 and Year 11 ACT students, work experience begins Friday 24 November and ends on Friday 1 December as they are expected to be back in school in the afternoon to farewell our Year 12 students. Work Experience is a time for students to observe first-hand and get a feel of the work done by professionals in possible career interest areas.

Let us all continue to work together towards a happy & rewarding Term 4. Fenella David School Counsellor fdavid@international.school.fj

ISS WELLNESS WEEK During October, the month of mental health, the wellness group (a high school student-led CAS initiative) established a range of activities to raise awareness on, and to help lower, the stigma of issues pertaining to mental health. The program was an immediate success reeling students in with activities like a bake sale, interactive games, yoga sessions, hard-court chalk writing and a wellness board. At the core of all these activities was the need to educate youths on the importance of realizing that they are not separate from issues pertaining to mental health, as many tend to believe. Through these activities as well as morning extended pastoral sessions, students participated in a school-wide forum where they learnt to understand what mental health constitutes and how to deal with some of the many problems that affect our minds, realizing that as teenagers and children feeling pressured by the demands of society whether it be in academic, sports or any other area is not only natural but completely understandable. Although it is true that we still have a long way to go in terms of helping people understand and come to terms with peers facing mental health problems or with their own mental wellbeing, it is initiatives like this that help make a difference. By: Jeshua Hope

Materials and measurement in Year 3 In Year 3, students have been learning about measurement and the different properties of materials as part of their Mathematics and Unit of Inquiry sessions this term. We combined these two aspects of learning to do some baking this week. Students had to read a recipe for shortbread biscuits and find the different units of measurement used in the recipe. They then had to double the weights of each ingredient and make the cookie dough. The recipe explained the temperature of the oven, the length of time needed for refrigeration and baking and the height of each biscuit (as well as the weight of each ingredient). Having mixed the dough, worked out the units of measurement used and what each one was for, students formed the dough into biscuits, sprinkled them with extra sugar (just in case there wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t quite enough inside the dough) and baked them. They were ready to eat before home time and the teachers only managed to get a crumb or two, so we can assume they were as delicious as they looked! It was a great way for students to see the many different forms of measurement at work in a real life situation.

Library Book Review By Mr Michael Masonis.

Our school library subscribes to databases that is accessible from home after school hours. For our new parents and students, you can access these subscription database through the library webpage: http://issfijilibrary.weebly.com/onlinedatabases.html Log in details are available on the website as well.

Upcoming Week 7 - please return all books to the library by the end of this week

The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer The House of the Scorpion is a dystopian novel set in a future where genetic cloning is a fact of life and immortality is a distinct possibility. But at what cost? Matteo Alacrรกn is special. He believes he is the son of the famed drug lord El Patrรณn, the ruler of the small nation of Opium. But when he discovers the truth about himself, he must fight not only for his life, but for the freedom of a people he never knew existed .

Parent volunteer: The library is always in need of volunteers to cover new books, run a lunch time activity or adopt a shelf to keep in order. If you can spare an hour to help in the library, please contact Ms Salu. Our library opens at 7.30 am - 4.00 pm daily. Parents are encouraged to drop in at 2.30 pm with their children to read or check out books together. Ms Salu & the library team Email:library@international.school.fj

Our last book club order for this year is through Australia. Thank you to all our parents, students and staff for your support. We anticipate receiving our final order before we break up for the school holidays.

SENIOR ART EXHIBITON Last Thursday Evening we opened the 2017 Senior Art Exhibition at 21K Art Gallery. The evening marked the achievement of 2 years participation in the senior Visual Arts program. The students, Melini Navunisaravi, Inho Park, Mahima Patel, Selenia Tukutukulevu and Munee Song have all grown as individual artists over the past 2 years and have come together to showcase their hard work, dedication and passion for the arts. Over the past two years the students have studied Painting, Drawing, Printmaking and Digital Media. The course is largely student directed with many of the formal skills having been taught during years 9 and 10. Students are encouraged to develop their own theme and style. The works that are on display have been selected by the students to illustrate their strength area/s within the Visual Arts. We are also lucky to have works by the 21K resident artists on display. The 21K resident Artists are all established artists in Fiji; we are honoured that they have taken their time to talk to and interact with the students in the lead up to the exhibition. This is invaluable to the students’ learning and an opportunity they will never forget. If you haven’t already, please head to 21K and have a look; you won’t be disappointed!

Halloween Social - 2017 Halloween evolved from the ancient Celtic holiday of Samhain, but today is less about the fear of ghosts and ghouls and more about costumes and candy. This year at International School Suva, t he Year 11s hosted the Halloween Social with the intention of fundraising for their Senior Ball in 2018. A lot of great ideas were shared about the ways of generating interest and awareness and so leading up to the week, several activities were organised. One of those was a game where people had to choose a name from a list of 50 given. That name belonged to the witch’s cat and it was later revealed to be ‘Queen’. This competition was won by Ziming Wu (Jimmy) of Year 9 who got himself 2 movie tickets as prizes. Another game organised by the Year 11s was ‘trick or treat’ where students of other year levels were able to buy balloons with either a treat or trick in it. This proved to be quite popular especially with the Middle School students. Hosting the Halloween Social was a great experience for the students as, apart from organising the activities, they were required to think about several other issues that would encourage others to attend. Here are a few reflections shared by some of the Year 11 students: Jeshua: Although this wasn’t the first fundraising activity I participated in, it was undoubtedly the largest one. From this Halloween Social I learnt the importance of time management and cooperation - learning to balance time dedicated to my academic work with organising this social as well as trying to engage the full cooperation and support of the Year 11 group was a challenge but it wasn’t one without lessons and thanks to this social I firmly believe that we are ready to organise all future fundraisers with a greater degree of preparedness. Stella: The Halloween themed week, our first 2018 Ball fundraiser, went extremely well. We raised funds through “trick or treat” balloon sales, a guessing game, and the Halloween Social. This fundraiser gave the ball committee a chance to create ideas for future fundraisers and also be prepared for them. I had the opportunity to share a leadership role where, with Hannah K, we took charge of the food. This was a success and I hope that the food we sold made a profit from the food we bought. We are hoping that with this starting money, from the whole fundraiser, we can execute future fundraisers with ease and have more of a profit. Hannah K: This was the first fundraiser our class as a whole were doing for our Ball in 2018. In the end we did have a good turnout with students giving positive feedback and also raising about a good amount of money to start us off. The planning was probably the hardest part, assigning responsibilities to people was easy but as the day of the social drew nearer it was the pulling of everything together that was hard. In the end it was great seeing our class members’ step up to take responsibility. Hopefully with our other fundraisers go as well as this one did. Nozima: This fundraiser went so much better than I expected; while I had full faith in the class and our ability to pull it off, it was our first fundraiser for Ball and I expected that turnout would be lower. However, through effort by the majority of the class to advertise and create as many fundraising opportunities as possible, a lot of people participated in our fundraisers, so when we managed to not only sell balloons, engage people in a game and put on a great Halloween social within a week, I was really proud of our achievements Overall, students thoroughly enjoyed this experience and are looking forward to organising even better socials in future!

N Raj, Year 11 Coordinator

Advertisement My name is Bob Bossman and I am the Executive Director of Academy at SPIRE Institute. SPIRE Institute is a United States Olympic and Paralympic Training Center as well as a full-time High School and Post-Graduate Academy for student-athletes involved in basketball, swimming and athletics. We are seeking boys and girls who enjoy athletics and looking to continue their high school in the USA. We offer a full-time high school and post-graduate academy for student-athletes in basketball, swimming and track and field. SPIRE Institute's Boy's and Girls full-time academy provides a blend between academics and athletics like no other. A residential, sports intensive academy, SPIRE Institute is designed for the studentathlete who desires an increased opportunity to maximize athletic development while completing a college preparatory education. SPIRE Academy offers solutions for: Student-athletes who desire a more intensive training environment An individualize speed, strength, and agility program Guided national exposure to collegiate coaches and scouts A balanced college preparatory academic program (SAT/ACT/TOEFL classes for increased test scores) Enhanced college scholarship opportunities What separates SPIRE Institute from others? Train in an official United States Olympic Training Site SPIRE Performance Center (NIKE Speed, Strength, Agility) Mental Skills & College Placement coaching Dedicated middle school, high school, and post-graduate teams Nationally acclaimed academic programs (Private high school, online high school, or college curriculum through Kent State University) I would love the opportunity to speak to you further about opportunities here at SPIRE. Please feel free to contact me anytime or if you have problems accessing the brochure. Best wishes, SPIRE Academy Homepage Click Here SPIRE Academy Admissions Guide Click Here SPIRE Academy Online Application Click Here Bob Bossman Executive Director of Academy and Basketball | SPIRE Institute

BOARDING WANTED Boarding in a home environment for a Year 11 girl in 2018. Preferably near the school bus route if possible. Let us know if you can help! Email: waitika@live.com or call Jean on 9279070

Science Fair Reflections The 2017 science fair theme was open to any ideas; whether it's environmental, technology, chemistry, geography, or any of the unlimited topics to research on. As year 8 students, we see this year’s science fair as an opportunity to showcase whatever you are interested in, help solve problems as future references, and engage yourself with things you hardly interact with. To us, we really enjoyed this year’s science fair because we not only came one of the top three, but we used many new sources to perform our fun experiments with, and doing something we actually enjoy as part of our learning. As year 8 students this is our last year to participate in science fair. Over the years we always looked forward in anticipation to Science Fair as it allowed us to express our personal interest and try new things. For the past 2 years sharing this experience with our teachers and our fellow peers has been one of the highlights of our Middle School years. Science fair is not only about placing in the top three finalists, there’s more to it. It teaches you to manage your time properly from the very start to the very end, it builds a close relationship between you and your teacher, showcases your creativity, and provides you with knowledge that is way beyond the basics of science. How do we know this? We experienced it ourselves this year, and the other years we’ve experienced science fair. Overall, we really enjoyed the program itself and its purpose, except in year 6 because it was our first time experience, but we have progressively built our skills for certain assessments and assignments like science fair. Just a tip for students on the upcoming science fairs, do what you really love to do because science can cover most of its parts. That way you will not only learn something new, but you will definitely take pride in your work. By: Laura Drakeford (802- 1st place) Arieta Rubuti (801- 2nd place) Sebastian Siakimotu (802- 3rd place )

Advertisement My name is Bob Bossman and I am the Executive Director of Academy at SPIRE Institute. SPIRE Institute is a United States Olympic and Paralympic Training Center as well as a full-time High School and Post-Graduate Academy for student-athletes involved in basketball, swimming and athletics. We are seeking boys and girls who enjoy athletics and looking to continue their high school in the USA. We offer a full-time high school and post-graduate academy for student-athletes in basketball, swimming and track and field. SPIRE Institute's Boy's and Girls full-time academy provides a blend between academics and athletics like no other. A residential, sports intensive academy, SPIRE Institute is designed for the student-athlete who desires an increased opportunity to maximize athletic development while completing a college preparatory education. SPIRE Academy offers solutions for: Student-athletes who desire a more intensive training environment An individualize speed, strength, and agility program Guided national exposure to collegiate coaches and scouts A balanced college preparatory academic program (SAT/ACT/TOEFL classes for increased test scores) Enhanced college scholarship opportunities What separates SPIRE Institute from others? Train in an official United States Olympic Training Site SPIRE Performance Center (NIKE Speed, Strength, Agility) Mental Skills & College Placement coaching Dedicated middle school, high school, and post-graduate teams Nationally acclaimed academic programs (Private high school, online high school, or college curriculum through Kent State University) I would love the opportunity to speak to you further about opportunities here at SPIRE. Please feel free to contact me anytime or if you have problems accessing the brochure. Best wishes, SPIRE Academy Homepage Click Here SPIRE Academy Admissions Guide Click Here SPIRE Academy Online Application Click Here Bob Bossman Executive Director of Academy and Basketball | SPIRE Institute

Year 7 ‘Edible Cells’ Exhibition

As part of their unit this term, ‘Cells and Organisms’, Year 7 students had an opportunity to showcase their understanding of cell structures with their ‘Edible Cells’ project. Students have been learning about the different types of cells, their organelles, and their function. They were able to identify the structures present in plant and animal cells using microscopes. It is fair to say our students were excited to share their knowledge with the numerous classes who came in from the primary, middle and high schools. Not to forget, the Year 7s thoroughly enjoyed eating their edible cells at the completion of the exhibition. Well done to all our Year 7s for your enthusiasm and hard work!

organelles choloroplast

nucleus

mitochondria

vacoule

Upcoming Events Term 4: Week 5 - Week 9 T4 Week 5 Tuesday, November 7 Last day for Activities Program Wednesday, November 8 Year 5 Camp Thursday, November 9 Year 5 Camp Year 7 Poetry Slam Year 2 Trip to Fiji Arts Village High School Music Concert Friday, November 10 Year 5 Camp Year 12 ACT students last day Primary Assembly Saturday, November 11 PTFA - Garage Sale

T4 Week 8 Monday, November 27 Year 9 Camp Mon - Wed Primary Concert Rehearsal Tuesday, November 28 Primary Students Finish Primary Concert Wednesday, November 29 Year 9 Camp Returns Thursday, November 30 Talanoa issued Friday, December 1 Primary Assembly Year 12 Farewell Assembly Saturday, December 2 Senior Ball

T4 Week 6 Monday, November 13 Exams Year 9 & 11 Primary Arts Week Wednesday, November 15 Year 10 back in school Start of Year 10 Transition Program Thursday, November 16 Primary Arts Evening MS Evening of the Arts Friday, November 17 Primary Assembly

T4 Week 9 Monday, December 4 Public Holiday • Prophet Mohammed’s Birthday Tuesday, December 5 Middle School Presentation evening Wednesday, December 6 High School Presentation Evening Thursday, December 7 FAREWELL ASSEMBLY (Whole School)- End Semester 2 Half day Term ends for students Friday, December 8 Term ends for teachers

T4 Week 7 Monday, November 20 Year 10 Camp Mon-Wed Primary Staff Meeting Tuesday, November 21 Primary TLC Meeting Wednesday, November 22 Year 10 Camp Return Friday, November 24 Group 4 Extended Essay Starts Work Experience Y10/11ACT Primary Assembly

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL SUVA World Class Citizens ~ Lifelong Learners

TERM DATES 2018 Term 1 (10 weeks) Tuesday16th January 2018 Thursday 18th January 2018 Tuesday 23rd January 2018 Thursday 29th March 2018 Friday 30th March 2018

New teachers start All teachers start Students start Term ends Good Friday

Term 2 (10 weeks) Teachers and Y11 and Y12 ACT students start All Students start. Term ends National Sports day

Monday 16th April 2018 Tuesday 17th April 2018 Friday 22nd June 2018 Friday 29 June 2018

Term 3 (10 weeks) Teachers start Teachers, Y11 and Y12 ACT students start All Students start Constitution Day – Public Holiday Term ends

Monday 16th July 2018 Tuesday 17th July 2018 Wednesday 18th July 2018 Friday 7 September 2018 Friday 21st September 2018

Term 4 (9 weeks) Teachers start Students start Fiji Day – Public Holiday Diwali Prophet Muhammad’s birthday Term ends for students Term ends for teachers

Monday 8th October 2018 Tuesday 9th October 2018 Wednesday 10thOctober 2018 Wed 7 November 2018 Monday 19 November 2018 Thursday 6th December 2018 Friday 7th December 2018

Lot 59, Siga Road, Laucala Beach, P.O. Box 10828, Suva, Fiji. Telephone: (679) 339 3300, Fax: (679) 334 0017, Email: info@international.school.fj www.international.school.fj Member of AAIBS, Centre for U.C.L.E.S., E.T.S., I.B. Examinations.