Volume 1 26/02/19
Newsletter of International School Suva
Principal’s Report This new school year gives me great satisfaction as we begin to implement the new strategic plan. Of particular note, we are developing Ocean Science activities at all levels. I think our students will truly become oceans experts through this, and I think they will gain a deep understanding and love of science and nature at the same time. Other parts of the Strategic Plan are equally important and progressing forward. Numerous strategies for supporting and strengthening student learning continue. These range from increased teacher collaboration, curriculum improvement, increased applied, or hands-on, learning, international affiliation and engagement, more effective recruiting, new teacher retention efforts, and attention to international reputation and marketing. The goal, of course, is for all our students to be engaged in the curriculum and to learn at high levels. I believe we are on the right path to have continued growth in those all-important ways! We are making particular headway with developing our new and exciting Ocean Science initiative. As this takes shape during this year, and in coming years, students will gain a unique understanding of our ocean issues and have personal experience with managing them. Staff have been investing large amounts of time with Ocean Science curriculum and we will share that periodically during this year. Of special note, students have created wonderful ocean-themed murals in the Middle school stairways. If you have not seen those, please stop by! In addition, we hope to install a large salt water aquarium soon in a central location to demonstrate some ocean life up close, and we hope to acquire some wet lab equipment next term to begin doing some ocean science inquiry activities. This year we hope to make significant headway with improving facilities. We have designed a shelter for the new open space in front of the Primary office to allow for a better lunch area. This construction should be started during Term 2 and finished during the semester break. Construction on our new J Block building with a 350-seat auditorium and 10 much-needed classrooms should commence in coming weeks. That building is expected to open during the 2020 school year. That will allow less crowding and specialized learning spaces. I want to give grateful recognition to our PTFA organization for their donations to the school this past year. Many people wonder what happens to the money raised at Fun Day, Quiz and Curry, and the Garage Sale. As a report, I can say that PTFA has converted nearly all the money raised into needed school enhancements. The four major PTFA donations this past year have been, first, a new quality piano and piano trolley, second, better tents for camps, third, student design equipment (tools in student kits), and fourth, ten new ChromeBooks to be housed in the library for student use. We are very appreciative of this parent support and for each of you who helped make this possible. I also want to recognize the strong PTFA leadership as Presidents Craig Sims (past President) and Judy Compain (Current President) have facilitated these school donations and improvements. Any parents who wish to join the PTFA Committee should contact Shaheena Khan at the school so the committee can be notified. Vinaka, Steve Cathers Principal and Head of International School Suva
Inside this issue:
ECH Article
Library
Year 3 Article
PSPE Swimming
Chinese New Year (Yr. 6)
Primary ISA Results
Primary Student Leadership
Year 9 - Ocean Literacy
Uto Ni Yalo Extension Program - Year 12
MYP Corner
Year 11
IGCSE Examinations
Fishing for a living
Counselors Corner
Valentines Day
Swimming Carnival
Advertisements
Upcoming Events
Term Dates
Early Childhood – Term 1 So Far Our Early Childhood students have been busy little bees since school began four weeks ago. Settling into daily routines and familiarizing themselves with their surroundings very quickly; you would be forgiven for thinking that they were all returning students. In actual fact, for some of our little ones, this year marks their very first time in school. Here is an inside look into some of the activities, programmes and practices that have helped our students feel comfortable, confident and happy coming to school so far. Inquiry through Math and Literacy Our Units of inquiry are based on the Transdisciplinary Theme of Who We Are. Learning experiences have included learning more about themselves by monitoring growth, looking for similarities and differences between themselves and their friends and trying to understand one another through working together on collaborative tasks. Whether writing their names in painted dots or cutting and sticking colourful paper to create collaged letters, Literacy is alive in ECH. The Jolly Phonics Programme helps children to learn letter sounds, names and formation through song and movement. Number recognition using bead threads, counting and skip counting on number mats as well as creating patterns using loose parts and other manipulatives are only some of the exciting Math activities that have helped to keep our young learners engaged. Specialist lessons The Library may be a bit of a walk from the Early Learning Centre but the distance travelled is well worth the while when the opportunity to borrow from our library’s wide selection of books awaits. Learning the importance of caring for books and understanding the parts of a book are some of the things our students have learned so far. Classrooms (and most homes we are sure!) are now being infiltrated with greetings, phrases and songs in the Hindi and Fijian languages as a result of weekly lessons with Guruji and Ms. Sala. Crayons, paint, dye, oil pastels, water colours and collage are some of the mediums that have been used to create Art so far this term. We’ve even had the chance to practice our sculpting techniques using our favourite medium – play dough! The noise and fun levels have been on the rise in Music classes with lessons on instruments and their names as well as experimenting with timbre. In ICT, Mr Navin is helping the children to investigate and experiment with programs and features on iPads and XOs. Perceptual Motor Programme (PMP) From ball skills and balance to threading and yoga, the Perceptual Motor Programme is the heart and soul of Early Years development. PMP happens three times a week in our Early Years classrooms and often takes the shape of rotational activities run by all ECH teachers. Activities such as threading buttons and picking up beads with tweezers allow our children to strengthen their grip and concentration. Indoor yoga and outdoor activities using larger equipment such as balance beams, climbing frames, balls and trikes allow children to build strength and coordination. If you’d like to know more about our programmes, stay tuned to Primary Bytes for dates of upcoming Parent Information Sessions happening later this term.
Happy valentines day!
LIBRARY Welcome back to another new year at ISS Library. In this first Talanoa issue, I would like to draw your attention to the school’s subscription online databases available through the library webpage: https://issfijilibrary.weebly.com/databases.html Our students are challenged academically each day to reach their full potential and to be successful 21st century life long learners. Students can access these databases from the library website in school as well as home. With the internet offering so much information, using our subscription database will ensure that our students receive updated information that are curated by professional in each subject area.
Calling for parent volunteers in the library! Students love seeing their mum and dad’s involved in the The library also subscribes to a wide variety of magazines keeping our students up to date with current events around the world. These magazines are available in the library.
NEW in the Library ISS Scholastic Book Club This year, we have a new Library Management System in place. It’s called Follett
Destiny. Parents and students can search our library collection online from home. A link to Destiny is available here: https://issfijilibrary.weebly.com/ databases.html
Library and the UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals! This past week in the library, our Primary Students connected their classroom unit of inquiry topics to the global goals. Our students care! Here’s what they say: I have been taking action on goal number 14: Conserve and sustainable use oceans, seas, and marine resources. I sometimes go to the beach and collect rubbish because I just can't stand seeing all that plastic waste and people walking by it not doing anything. Fana of Year 5) I do goal 15, I plant mangroves and pick up trash in the beach. I care about the achievement of the global goals because it helps earth and also protects our future. Ocen of Year 5 Two goals that relate to our UOI is Goal 17 because we have been working alot together and helping each other with politics and elections. Goal 8 because we were learning about how people are left isolated in north Korea without food. Nakula of Year 5 After watching this movie “Goal 14 Life under the water” I felt very, very sad and I realized that when we grow older and have children that they won't know what fish are. Taus Melgard of Year 3
Thank you to all students and parents who have ordered books through New Zealand Scholastic book club issue 1, 2019. Last year, we received more than $3000 worth of free books which has been added to our library and classroom collections. I look forward to a great year of books and
Library Opening Hours Monday—Friday 7.30 am—4.00 pm Closed on Weekends and Public Holidays
Calling for parent volunteers in the library! Students love seeing their mum and dad’s involved in the library. If you would like to volunteer to help in the library to teach K’NEX, Lego cra , coding or just to read a story to our students for 10 minutes at lunch me, please let me know. We’d love to have you. If you are interested, please contact: Ms Salu : library@iss.school. .
The library staff is ready and excited about this coming year and is commi ed to help develop a life long love for books and libraries in your children. Ms Salu Vaciloa - Librarian
https://issfijilibrary.weebly.com/databases.html
Parents are welcome to come into the library from 2.30pm—3.50pm to read with your children or borrow books
Year 3 Article This term, Year 3 have begun a brand new Unit of Inquiry : Sharing the Planet. The central idea is ‘People can have a negative or positive impact on the Ocean depending on their needs and circumstances’. In Mr Dasha’s class rotations, students have been exploring the positive impact people have on the ocean. Students researched information from the website http:// www.oceanfutures.org/ and created their very own future ocean including all that they would like to see in the future ocean. In Mrs. Hallmark’s class rotation, students took part in a tuning in activity, called 'Silent Jigsaw'.They were given three different pictures (that related to our UOI topic) that were cut up, and the students had to work cooperatively (in silence) to put their individual jigsaw together. They then glued the picture together and annotated their picture explaining what was being shown in the picture. They stated whether the picture was negative or positive. Then they presented their ideas to the class. After the first tuning in activity students took part in a group activity called ‘Picture priorities’. Students were given a range of different pictures that they had to examine carefully. They had to rank them in order of importance, they had to place them in categories, and they had to be able to explain what the pictures showed. Students then shared their findings with the class. Mrs Hallmark said she was very impressed with the conversations that took place between the students.
In Ms. Alex’s class rotations, students looked at Ocean Conservation and how they as individuals can help to save and clean up our oceans. Students were able to reflect on what they had learned during their beach cleanups in year 2, and enthusiastically discussed ways they can individually help save our oceans. Recycling, less waste, putting rubbish in the bin, educating others and only fishing for non-endangered fish species were some of the fantastic student suggestions. Students then researched different ways, different cultures have been storing water throughout history. They then designed their own water storage devices with limited resources. During the rotation with Mrs. Chandra students looked at the Unit of Inquiry with a Hindi Perspective. Students inquired into the Lines of Inquiry ’Consequences of Overfishing locally and Globally.’ The students are shown here presenting their findings.
Students have been very engaged during this new unit and are enjoying sharing what they know, making connections and learning more about our precious oceans. We are all looking forward to the rest of the unit as there is lots more learning to do within this important topic. Ms. Alex
PSPE : SWIMMING Our LEARN TO SWIM AND SURVIVE Program was held in week 2 and week 3 where all classes went down to the pool from Monday to Thursday in their different timings to learn to swim. The main focus was to get active, having fun and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. It also helps children to develop their understanding on water safety and develop their swimming skills which all students were expected to get involved. The students really love the program which was fun, healthy and active with most of them really showed improvement in their skills in the 2 weeks. We have some parents and children needing more time and help from instructors. A list of clubs and coaches has been sent in the Primary Bites to whoever parents that would like their child to continue their swimming lessons. Our Reception Swimming Program will begin in Week 2 of Term 2 and will run on every Thursday afternoon at the Aquatic Center. This program has been designed to assist the students swim development with a 1:1 - 1:3 coaches. They will be assisted by year 11 high school students who are undergoing a learn -to-swim coaching program and assisted by the ISS teachers. To complete their swimming program, the Primary th school will be conducting an Inter-House Swimming Carnival on Thursday the 28 March which is in week 10 for the year 1 – 5. The carnival is designed to be a fun event where students SHOWCASE THEIR SKILLS they have learned from the LEARN TO SWIM PROGRAM and it is also an opportunity to CHALLENGE all students to use their swimming skills at another level and will be a chance for the school to select a swimming squad to represent the school in the National Schools Championship to be held in June. Our reception will have theirs LATER ON IN THE Term 2.
Year 6 7th February, the whole Year 6 students celebrated Chinese Spring festival in the Year 6 classroom. In accordance with Chinese customs, they put on red clothes according to their birth year. They imitated the Chinese tradition and made Red packets and gave to their friends. Using the balloon instead of setting off firecrackers before eating dumplings to celebrate and welcome the arrival of the Spring Festival. They were very excited to make dumplings, and tasted them which they made by themselves.
Primary ISA Results 2018 saw much improved results in our ISA scores. We continued to keep most scores within the mean range and our students have excelled in reading across all year levels. This was a focus in 2018, to improve our reading levels overall and target children who are just below age level through our learning support team and a parent reading program. Our year 5’s also excelled in exposition writing. Although the average scores in mathematics are still low in year 3 and year 4, we have seen improved levels of achievement through our other school math assessments. We continually monitor progress throughout the primary school using a range of standardized assessments and our ISA results are one standardized assessment we use to judge our performance overall. INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL SUVA ISA COMPARISON/ANALYSIS 2011 - 2018 Year 3 Mean Year
Mathematical Literacy
Reading
Writing Task A
Writing Task B
2011
340 (297)
289 (247)
406 (361)
412 (382)
2013
357 (287)
333 (259)
379 (371)
429 (392)
2015
357 (287)
330 (257)
346 (371)
392 (392)
2017
278 (325)
305 (332)
351 (377)
361 (407)
2018
236 (311)
313 (290)
350 (365)
418 (413)
Year 4 Mean 2011
332 (372)
306 (325)
407 (407)
439 (419)
2013
377 (368)
357 (323)
423 (419)
461 (433)
2015
430 (377)
372 (316)
420 (406)
459 (427)
2017
383 (392)
369 (354)
410 (416)
443 (442)
2018
359 (378)
379 (341)
405 (410)
451 (449)
Year 5 Mean 2011
420 (423)
397 (388)
474 (454)
486 (461)
2013
450 (429)
413 (364)
473 (467)
511 (479)
2015
437 (427)
287 (361)
447 (455)
489 (467)
2017
433 (443)
411 (408)
449 (457)
473 (478)
2018
432 (435)
409 (383)
453 (447)
514 (489)
Primary School Student Leadership This year we have made some minor changes in the student leadership due to feedback from students, parents and teachers. Student Council Our Head Students (Year 5) will both act as the chairpersons of our Student Council. Our Student Council is made up of a class representative from each class in Years 2-4 and our Vice-Head Students. The Student Council will meet once a month with the assistance of a teacher to discuss ideas and issues from the students’ perspectives. Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
B - Evelyn Brading H - Helio Golden L - Addyson Lobendahn Wood
A - Warren Mackenzie H - Farah McElroy D - Ederne Mclean
B - Leo Kruger M - Callum Freeman R - Gideon Tora
Heads - Nikhil Prasad & Fana Strobel Vice - Tiburon LegazClua & Tasalei Jensen
House Captains These students will lead their House teams to organize and encourage others during swimming carnival, sports day and additional events through the year. Kangaroo
Kiwi
Iguana
Eagle
Captains - Darcy Dwyer & Josateki Tagi
Captains - Amal McElroy & Oscar Kennedy Vice - Chloe Manaog & Alex Wild
Captains - Kye Nanovu & Emelia Lobendann Wood Vice - Xavier Neves & Yejin (Lucy) Yoon
Captains - Charlotte Rinaudo & Jai Ludher Vice - Cyrah Kumar & Lasarusa (Tui) Misivono
Congratulations to all our elected leaders. We look forward to working with you closely throughout the year to develop your leadership skills and assist with putting your ideas into action. Mr. Gabel Enhancing Ocean Literacy in Year 9
As part of the new Ocean Literacy program at ISS, Year 9 went on a field trip to examine a local beach. Bulei Beach is walking distance from ISS, behind Vivrass Plaza. Students were asked to make observations about the state of the beach and surrounding area. Sadly, there were many causes for concern. "This is a dumping ground for humans", one student wrote. "I think that people dump their trash here because they think that no one will notice". "The garbage build up has made the beach uninhabitable for most wildlife", wrote another student. There were some reasons to be hopeful, and many students felt the need to take action. "I am disappointed about all the pollution. I feel happy that some of the mangroves are growing back even though it is surrounded by rubbish, but I feel sad because people dump everything here." Some students suggested that they could clean up the beach, while others felt that "working towards raising awareness in the community" was how they could help. Either way, it was an excellent start to Year 9's Ocean Literacy service program for the year.
Nurturing our Leaders through the Uto ni Yalo Reflections on board Fiji’s “Heart of the Spirit” (Part 2) Part 1 of these reflections have been published in the Fiji Times Some reflections have been inspired by quotes that were given to student before the voyage
Mira Mishra. Certain bonds are formed between people who have helped each other swim to shore, pushed each other overboard, and reassured each other that the white twisting shape in the water was most definitely not a sea snake. Jokes that will last a lifetime, and life experiences that are linked to objects and people are hard to come by at home. The Uto Ni Yalo voyage, however, managed to create these unique feelings with ease. I was a part of a group of 10 students from Year 12 of International School Suva who were lucky enough to be a part of such an extraordinary leadership program. The 4 day voyage to Leleuvia and Moturiki managed to instil in me more life lessons and generally positive qualities than one would usually acquire in a decade. The teamwork that rose from the ashes of our comfortable lives was something I'm not inclined to forget. As a part of the 2019 ISS leadership team, I was faced with a foreboding sense that reform would only be accomplished by someone else, some other year, and that we were as much figureheads as the students before us. The trip changed this for me. One particular afternoon on Moturiki, all 10 of us sat down and spoke about what we really felt needed to change. Everyone spoke. We laid out, in black and white, what we had identified as the issues and what we could do to solve them. The Uto Ni Yalo was such a big part of bringing us together and making us realise that everything starts with us. From making more environmentally conscious decisions, to caring for others with new purpose, we have all brought out the best in ourselves and others. These are virtues that can only come from caring for seasick friends, fishing Styrofoam out of the water, cooking for each other and working together to compress a particularly stubborn sail. We are all better off for this journey, as leaders, and as people. And who do we have to thank? A beautiful boat, a patient crew, and the all-knowing expanse of the Pacific Ocean. Liana Thomas – Maths Teacher I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the Uto Ni Yalo experience these last four days with this bunch. I had the pleasure of being there with them and was humbled by how extremely respectful, kind, helpful and energetic they were to each other, their teachers, fellow Uto crew members, everyone at the Nasesara Village and the Uto Ni Yalo and Leleuvia staff. It was a wonderful learning experience for me as well and I am extremely thankful to have taken a part. I know these students will be strong leaders at ISS this year. Thank you students for this experience together! To the Uto Ni Yalo crew- the values and change you have instilled in this group is truly remarkable. We all learned so much from you and are forever thankful. Vinaka vaka levu for welcoming us to the Uto Ni Yalo family. We truly carry a ‘heart of the spirit’ after this experience.
Marei reflecting on “Man has responsibility, not power” Proverb Day 4 - Today we sailed back to Leleuvia after a nice sleep in. We had our final debrief before our big sail back to Suva. As it was an overnight sail, it was our responsibility to make sure that we were working together to help the sail go smoothly. We even got given small responsibilities like helping those of us that were sick and taking on other people’s shifts as they weren’t well enough to tend to them. As this was our last full day on the Uto, I decided to reflect on the trip as a whole. I think one thing I learnt was the act of taking responsibility for my own actions and decisions. We grew as leaders and were taught about teamwork and how being à leader isn’t about being above anyone else, but about helping your team in ensuring that the decisions you make are what’s best for those around you. This had definitely helped me grow as a person. I’ve learnt to do things selflessly and about the importance of teamwork. Shin Yee chee - “The earth will not continue to offer its harvest, except with faithful stewardship. We cannot say we love the land and then take steps to destroy it for use by future generations.” Pope John Paul II Today I got to try out snorkelling for the first time and then we did coral planting. It was fascinating to see how simple and fun it was to plant corals and how we could recycle the dead corals. These are the small steps we, all as individuals, can contribute to the environment. Later today, we went paddling. It was my first time paddling and it was really fun and exciting. I’ve come to realise that there are so many fun activities that can be done on the water. We need to all take steps to preserve and protect the ocean and marine life so that we can continue these fun activities for future generations. We’ve also learned about the “plastic ban” on Leleuvia and the promotion of mineral sunscreen. This rule’s effect could be seen when we were picking up rubbish in the afternoon before we sailed back in the Uto ni Yalo because there was barely any rubbish around. When snorkelling I also saw how clear the water was. It was so clean that you could see small fishes in the water when looking from the top view of the water. Lilieta - 12the February 2019 - Leadership is practiced not so much in words as in attitude and in actions Harold S. Geneen Another day spent miles outside of my comfort zone. I was finally able to experience sailing, being on a moving boat on water, tying ropes in a variety of knots, securing sails and even steering the uli. On top of this I hiked barefoot, something I would never have seen myself doing. After three days, I’m beginning to see the effects of this trip on us, both individually and on each and every one of us as well as our chemistry as a group. And right in line with the quote for today, our discussion (my favourite part of the day) really brought this to view. Our discussion was better than any group conversation I’ve had with my peers with a depth that left me satisfied and excited to return to school. Hayden Wekina – Man has responsibility, not power. Proverb After lunch on Leleuvia, we proceeded to learn how to tie knots the traditional way with traditional material while practicing on a canoe provided by the Uto ni Yalo. Then to round off our time ashore we collected rubbish around the island. So far on board, I have learned many things about leading. It connects to the quote above and it makes sense more now because the captain of the ship does not exert his power or status over others but instead shows others errors to better themselves because he sees that as his responsibility. After witnessing this, I feel like I can go on to become a better leader. Day 3 - After lunch at the village we as a group of student leaders conducted a thoughtful discussion about things we learned so far and how that could translate to ISS as a whole. Following this we had tea in the village hall before departing back to the boat at 5:30pm to shower, swim and relax before dinner and then later sleeping in order to be ready for my shift and sail early tomorrow morning. During our leadership talk amongst the student leaders there were some important points made. I personally believe that the points made about culture and the eco-friendliness of the canteen were great starting points and I truly believe that it’s a strong foundation for us as a leading cohort to start some changes for the better of ISS. Kelemedi – “Goodness is about character – integrity, honesty, kindness, generosity, moral courage, and the like. More than anything else, it is about how we treat other people.” Dennis Prager Sunday, Day 1 – During the talanoa session Areki told us about how we were to live on the boat. How we needed to display actions of teamwork and trust amongst ourselves if we wanted to maintain a flow of work and ideas. Reading this quote made me think about how teamwork and being part of a team displays good character, which is strengthened by how we treat others. This is really important for me as a school leader to listen and work together with the other school leaders … Monday, Day 2 – We had been introduced to our shifts last night and Lili, Mira, Mr. Api , Maria, Abel and I were given the midnight shift, which was from 12am to 3am. Abel had taught us how to work the sails and explained to us about the meaning of the turtle as the symbol for the Uto ni Yalo. It is because when turtles lay eggs, if they travel to anywhere else in the world, they would travel back to the place where they had previously given birth. This means that the Uto ni Yalo is about knowing “where you are from” and “where you are going”. Tuesday 12 February - While hiking I discovered that the village did not have drinking water and had to solely rely on rain water. This made me realise how much we have back in Suva and how we take things for granted. This is definitely what I’ll be taking back home; to make people realise some of the things that we have been taking for granted and/or how wasteful we have become. We should be using this more wisely as there are people around us who do not have luxuries such as drinking water.
MYP Corner It is with great pleasure that I pen this first MYP corner article. I am very grateful to be given the opportunity to help ISS develop an MYP program in preparation for full IB authorization. The MYP program will allow our students from Year 6-10 to build on the knowledge, skills and attitudes developed in the PYP program whilst preparing tudents in for the academic challenges of the IB Diploma Program. The current Year 9 group will also have the challengend of the Personal Project, which will begin in the 2 semester. The MYP emphasizes intellectual challenge, encouraging students to make connections between their studies in traditional subjects and the real world. It fosters the development of skills for communication, intercultural understanding and global engagement –essential qualities for young people who are becoming global leaders. st From March 1 , ISS will officially be in the authorization phase of the process after successfully navigating the initial candidacy phase. This phase will culminate with a full IB accreditation visit in the second half of 2020. It is great to see both students and teachers embracing these changes and develop an understanding of the curriculum. One of the most noticeable changes you will see initially is the grading system. Students will no longer receive a letter or percentage for their work but a number from 1-8 for each criteria assessed. These will be posted through Gradebook, which is accessible to parents. In future Talanoa newsletters I will highlight how the MYP has been incorporated in different subject areas and use it as a platform to showcase student achievement. If you have any questions or concerns around the MYP and its implementation feel free to email me on lramsdale@iss.school.fj Vinaka Luke Ramsdale
HOW CAN WE HELP THE STUDENT IN TRANSITION TO YEAR 11 By Now, students in Year 11 have made subject and curriculum choices and have started to settle into senior year of study. Information sessions for students and parents should have answered most questions about the transition process. We recognize that this can be overwhelming, often adding to insecurities about choices made. The High School support team have open door policies and encourage communication with students and with parents. The High School Curriculum Coordinator (Alexandra Karountzos) is there to support the subject and curriculum choices made. If in the first 6 weeks of school, the student feels that he/she has made an incorrect decision about subject or curriculum selection, there may be an opportunity to make changes with the support of teachers, Heads of Department and the Head of School. After the six-week period, the ACT students are required to wait until the end of the year to make subject changes. The IB students cannot make subject changes after 6 weeks. The school Counsellor (Chante Cross) is available for emotional support and guidance. This could include personal issues and understanding how to make and balance decisions or planning for further studies and careers. Students have the opportunity to share their concerns with consideration given to privacy. The Pastoral team (Henry Murphy and Leanna Thomas) are there for day to day guidance and dissemination of information. They are there as support for student communication and liaising with parents and teachers regarding student issues and giving advice to approaches taken to senior student requirements. Parents can help the students to take charge of learning and become responsible for their learning practices. They can assist by encouraging good time Management strategies and consistency in approach, which includes a balanced lifestyle between academic, sporting activities and creative outlets. Helping students to understand how their learning connects with the world helps to give perspective to the student who is looking closely at future directions and pathways. Learning Support: (Acting Learning Support Coordinator Elizabeth Simms) If a student has received a professional diagnosis, requiring additional support for learning, it is essential that information is shared with the school as the student may be entitled to additional learning support services and/or accommodations from the ACT/IB to their study.
IGCSE Examinations and Helping Your Student Cope The International General certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) is a qualification of the Cambridge International Examinations. In November this year, our Year 10 students will take the international assessments in a range of subjects that we offer at school. Due to the curriculum requirements, students will be assessed their learning of 2 years (Year 9 and 10). It could be challenging for some of our students to manage the workload and handle the examination pressure. Teachers will certainly provide support as much as possible at school; meanwhile, your support at home is equally important. In order to maximize your child’s learning outcome, we would like to encourage you to check your child’s ongoing academic performance via Parental Portal and communicate with subject teachers regularly. Having a solid knowledge and skills foundation in Year 10 will support your child to transit smoothly in their Year 11 and 12 program. Due to this being a major exam that carries a lot of weight, naturally students will be under a large amount of stress. As their parents, encourage them to develop a stress management routine and to make it as much a priority as their studies. Students need to schedule time for breaks and self-care. Encourage them to engage in a stress management activity, such as exercise, an art activity, or relaxation. If they are able to make this a routine, they will have the tools to manage the stress when it heightens. Also preparation is key to lowering stress levels at this time. The more prepared a student feels the less stressed they feel about their performance. Ensure that your student is preparing for the IGCSE. As stated above, this will require communication with their teachers in regards to their progress in their current studies. They need to learn what areas they are currently weak in so as to have the time to gain more practice. Students can also go to https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/why-choose-us/parents-and-students/in-class/study-resources/ to obtain study materials for the IGCSE exams. They can use these materials to practice. These materials will give them a glimpse of what the tests look like as well as what they will be tested on. Proper preparation goes a long way in lessening stress in test taking. If your student is overwhelmed with anxiety due to the IGCSE exams please contact the School Counselor, Chanté Cross, so that she can help your student with his/her test anxiety, ccross@iss.school.fj. If you have any questions about the IGCSE exams contact Cynthia Chen at cchen@iss.school.fj.
Exhibition: Fishing for Living Today, Friday the 22nd of February our Year 9 French students attended the Fishing for Living exhibition at the Alliance Francaise de Suva. Students learnt more about the artist and used what they learnt in French class to describe actions taking place by the sea and described portraits of people by the sea. Students were also tasked with increasing vocabulary around the ocean and did a cultural comparison of what a youngster’s life would be like living by the ocean. Students were also informed of the different classes and resources on offer at the Alliance Française de Suva
Counselor’s Corner
By Chante Cross Bula Vinaka! Welcome to the new school year! The first term is off and running. I want to thank all of the parents, staff, and students who completed the School Counseling Needs Assessment. This information will help guide the School Counseling Program’s efforts and time; providing data that will show the need for the services and programs provided. Without the data from the School Counseling Needs Assessment I’m reliant upon anecdotal information that may not apply to ALL of the students of ISS. With the data I can move closer to serving ALL of the ISS student body.
Group counseling sessions are underway this term. Group counseling sessions allow me to help multiple students dealing with the same concerns. It allows the School Counselor to reach the goal of serving every student. The groups also allow me to be proactive versus reactive; helping students learn skills and get the support they need to be successful before it becomes a crisis. This terms group topics include stress management, study skills, self-esteem, social skills and transition. If you feel that your student could benefit from support in these areas please email me at ccross@iss.school.fj to refer your student.
Cialfo has been launched! Year levels 9-12 are being introduced to the platform from Tuesday 19/2 to Friday 22/2. Cialfo will be an integral part of our Careers and University Preparation programing. Students will explore careers and learn about themselves in relation to the types of careers that they would be interested in. Cialfo then guides them through the university search and selection process. Parents will be informed as to when their students have tasks due to help them reach the ultimate goal of transitioning from high school to university or the work world. If you want to learn more about Cialfo go to https://cialfo.co/ or ask your student.
We have much more going on here at ISS and the School Counseling Program, career talks, university visits, etc… To stay abreast of what’s going on visit www.issschoolcounseling.weebly.com
Valentine's Day Celebration The Secondary School celebrated Valentine's Day by buying cookies, flowers and balloons with notes for their loved ones. This was organized by the Year 12 Students as part of their fundraising for the senior ball. Furthermore, the Year 12 students hosted a Valentine’s Social and whole of Secondary School was invited to attend. Students had a great time interacting with their peers and forming social bonds especially with the new comers. Year 12 students also organized a lot of games and activities during the social which all the students enjoyed. Both the organized events brought students together and it also allowed the Year 12 students to showcase their leadership and organizational skills.
Swimming Carnival
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JUNIOR SAILING OPEN DAY Saturday 23rd Feb 10am - 2pm Royal Suva Yacht Club Come & meet our sailing family and find out more about our Tacker's Tucker's Learn to Sail Program
Upcoming Events Term 1: Week 5 to Week 11 T1 Week 5 Tuesday 19th February Primary Year Level Parent Rap Meeting Wednesday 20th February Primary Parent Teacher Conference Year 2 Trip to the Police Band Thursday 21st February Primary Parent Teacher Conference Friday 22nd February Whole School Leadership Assembly Primary Options program begins
T1 Week 6 Monday 25th February Interhouse Swim Carnival Secondary School Counseling Program Advisory Council Meeting. Wednesday 27th February Year 6 Camp Thursday 28th February Year 6 Camp Friday 1st March Year 6 Camp Primary Assembly
T1 Week 7 Friday 8th March Primary Assembly
T1 Week 8 Thursday 14th March Kids 4 kids bake Sale Primary Friday 15th March Primary Assembly
T1 Week 9 Monday 18th March Model UN Conference Tuesday 19th March Model UN Conference Friday 22nd March Primary Assembly Coke Zone qualifiers T1 Week 10 Thursday 28th March Year 1–5 Swim Carnival Friday 29th March Primary Assembly T1 Week 11 Monday 1st April Year 11/12 Arts Trip to Sydney Friday 5th April Whole School Assembly
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL SUVA TERM DATES 2019 TERM 1 (11 weeks) New Teachers Start
Monday, 14 January 2019
All Teachers Start
Thursday, 17 January 2019
Students Start
Wednesday, 23 January 2019
Term Ends
Friday, 5 April 2019
TERM 2 (9 weeks) Y11 & 12 ACT Students Start
Tuesday, 23 April 2019
Students Start
Wednesday, 24 April 2019
Term Ends
Friday, 21 June 2019
TERM 3 (9 weeks) Teachers Start
Monday, 15 July 2019
Y11 & 12 ACT Students Start
Tuesday, 16 July 2019
Students Start
Wednesday, 17 July 2019
Constitution Day
Monday, 9 September 2019
Term Ends
Friday, 13 September 2019
TERM 4 (10 weeks) Teachers Start
Monday, 30 September 2019
Students Start
Tuesday, 1 October 2019
Fiji Day
Thursday, 10 October 2019
ISS Vacation
Friday, 11 October 2019
Diwali
Monday, 28 October 2019
Prophet Mohammed’s Birthday
Monday, 11 November 2019
Term Ends for Students
Thursday, 5 December 2019
Term Ends for Teachers
Friday, 6 December 2019