International School Suva
Volume III
NEWSLETTER OF INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL SUVA
PRINCIPAL'S REPORT We are just past the mid-point of Term 2, and I am very pleased with the energy and enthusiasm among our students and staff. We are all delighted to be back face-to-face with full programs. We are now at a key point of the year when we, as a school, make some far-reaching decisions about next year and the coming years. I am referring to the up-coming Annual General Meeting, the AGM, for which we desire good parent involvement. The AGM is scheduled for Thursday, 9 June, at 6 p.m. in the school auditorium. Please reserve that time to attend and hear progress reports on the school’s programs, finances, facilities, strategic planning, and general direction. Documents related to the AGM are posted on the school website under the tabs About Us/School Board/AGM 2022. At the AGM, two Board seats will be filled this year and each parent of an ISS student is entitled to vote for those board members. The best way to vote is to attend the AGM and receive a stamped ballot there. However, you may also vote by proxy or electronically. For a proxy vote, you must complete a proxy form (available on the website or at the school office) and turn it in to the office at least one day before the AGM, or by 4 p.m. Wednesday, 8 June.
May 2022 HIGHLIGHTS:
Many of you have enjoyed our children’s Oceans books written and illustrated by our own author, Hannah Nanovu. The third book in that series will be released on World Oceans’ Day, Wednesday, 8 June. The new book is an excellent view into Mangroves and their importance. We hope to have a book release during the school’s Ocean Day celebration with a discounted price and author book signing! They will also be available at the school shop for anyone interested. For any of you planning trips abroad to see family during the three-week term break, these books make excellent gifts for relatives as they are from the school and reflect Fiji life and issues. The next few weeks will be busy as the term winds down. Students will be finishing projects, participating in camps, taking exams, and, of course, thinking about the coming three-week break. Please encourage your children to finish the semester strong to benefit from every opportunity offered, and then I hope you will all enjoy a wonderful family time during the break. Steve Cathers Head of School
Primary Review D&T - Year 1 D&T - Year 2 Library News MYP Design Travel Writing DismISSed Podcast MYP Artist Spotlight Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS) New Teacher Profile ISS Production Term Dates www.iss.school.fj
Primary Review Term 2, 2021 By Ms Becki Clentworth
YEAR 2 IN D&T FOR THEIR UNIT ON WHERE WE ARE IN PLACE AND TIME THE YEAR 2 STUDENTS WERE LOOKING AT OCEAN LITERACY PRINCIPLE 1. THIS FOCUSES ON THE FEATURES OF THE EARTH. TO HELP THEM WITH THEIR INQUIRY, THE STUDENTS USED RECYCLED MATERIALS TO MAKE A MODEL OF THE FEATURES OF THE OCEAN FLOOR.
THEY FOLLOWED THE DEISGN CYCLE TO PLAN, CREATE AND IMPROVE THEIR MODELS. WHEN THEIR MODEL WAS COMPLETED THEY PRESENTED IT TO THE YEAR 1 STUDENTS. THEY DID THIS AS A MINI 10 MINUTE LESSON.
Library 2
MYP Design This semester MYP Design has had the privilege to host a variety of guest speakers and mentors that came to inform, challenge, inspire and share their skills and experience with students In MYP Design the curriculum is orientated around real life problem solving situations wherever possible. In Criteria A students investigate the background of the problem and what other people have done to solve the problem. To help with this and to connect with local knowledge and experience we try and connect with and learn from experts. Yr 7 - Sustainable food videos Jean and Avni (Waitika Farm) showing sustainable honey farming, Mr Api presenting about dalo farming, Ms Zeba (Zeba’s Sweets and Savouries) who spoke about her business, making and selling Indian snacks, Mr Fernando who shared his experience making films.
Yr 8 - Simple Machines Mr Bijay (ISS science) to demonstrate physics of simple machines Yr 9 - Delivery in a Pandemic Dr Sereana (ISS Medical) to discuss her medical experience of lockdown, Ms Rebecca (ISS Marketing) to discuss marketing and logos, Mr Lepani (Business Studies teacher) to discuss business regulations.
Yr10 - Problem solving in school Ms Rebecca (ISS Marketing) to discuss social media, Meeta (ISS IT) to mentor with a IT Project, Mr Lai (ISS Groundsman), Ms Jill (ISS counsellor) as clients for students. ——————————————————————————————–———“Having guest speakers come and talk to us has helped me gain a better understanding of food security and food sustainability. Knowing the difference between sustainable and not sustainable is key, how can we promote sustainable and eco friendly products? PPP people, planet, profit. Mr Api and Ms Zeba really helped me see the importance of having a sustainable business and the important things you need to think about like is my packaging safe for the environment?” Alyna, Year 7 “The research that helped me the most is Mr. Fernando because he explained the most important things to make a good video. He is also very detailed in explaining to us.” Mingfu, Year 7
Travel Writing Year 10 (MYP5) Language and Literature Last term, Year 10 Language and Literature students learnt how to be travel writers! Many of us dream of exploring the globe, or our next beachside holiday, or that quick day trip out of the city on a hike - it's what gets us through the working week!
The students focused on improving their creative writing skills and have compiled a collection of travel blogs, taking you on a journey from our own backyard, here in Fiji, to the festivals of South America, the winters in Quebec, the heights of Nepal, temple touring in Thailand, and food feasting in New Zealand. You can read all of our writing through this link: https://padlet.com/stobin15/rc2bgkznujj4sboe We hope you enjoy!
MYP ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
Romani Sutch, yr9
Niya fan, yr 6
yR 10: mINATURE aRT
jUDY zHANG, YR 9
olivia cullen, yr 7
william INKSTER, YR 6
THE EARTH WITHOUT “ART IS JUST “EH” - Demetri Martin
Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS) “I Hear A Book” by Kashish Daswaney As we draw near to the end of another eighteen months CAS journey, some of our Year 12 students have shown wonderful resilience and commitment even through Covid to experience inspiring creativity, activity and service projects. Kashish Daswaney of Year 12 shares her story” “What started for me as a mother-daughter bonding activity has grown into a cause greater than me. My mother and I started volunteering at the Fiji School for the Blind in November 2020 and this experience has truly changed my life in so many positive ways. The Fiji Society for the Blind is the only full-service non-profit National Agency providing rehabilitation education, training and assistance to people who are blind or partially sighted. The Fiji Society for the Blind is in Suva and has been serving our community for more than 50 years. The Society also runs The Fiji School for the Blind where they teach and house blind children as well as partially blind children. I volunteer there weekly and help the students with their homework and studying for exams. When they do not have any academic tasks at hand they often ask me to read storybooks for them. They all seemed particularly enchanted by the idea of Harry Potter and the wizarding world which is why the first book we read together was ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone,’ however, due to me visiting them only once a week for one hour it took me over half a year to finish the book. I realized without more volunteers these children would have to patiently wait, not knowing what happened to Ron when he crashed the car or who lay beyond Professor Quirrell’s Turban for a full week until I returned. This sparked the idea of ‘I Hear a Book’. This CAS project revolves around creating a website that helps visually impaired students hear their favorite story books in the form of audiobooks. These audiobooks can be recorded by students and teachers in ISS with fixed programs and books already set up. Students can gain valuable CAS hours through this project! I further wish to expand this project by seeking out donors who are willing to help me fundraise to help provide these visually impaired children with I -Pads and headsets so that they can listen to these books with ease. Volunteering in a service activity such as this one has been truly heart-rendering and has taught me so much. I have learned to appreciate everything I have been blessed with, have realized how insignificant my problems are in relation to what these children live through on an everyday basis and yet, they are so happy, they do not complain about anything and are ever so grateful with the little things life offers. This experience has made me more patient, more resilient and much more appreciative of what I have. I have learned not to take things for granted and to value everything that I have been blessed with. Through ‘I Hear a Book’. I would like to give back to these children and hopefully make their lives even a little better!”
New Staff Profile Caireen Erbsleben, Teaching Assistant—Secondary
Bula Vinaka!! My name is Caireen Erbsleben, originally from Nadi, and I recently joined ISS in Week 4 of Term 2 as a Teaching Assistant. I graduated from USP in 2016 with a Degree in Bachelor of Science with a Double Major in Information Systems & Mathematics, and am currently pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Education. Prior to Covid, I was in the Tourism Industry. During this period, I was providing Private Tutoring lessons and have since transitioned as I found a passion for teaching. My hobbies include cooking, sewing, traveling and creating new experiences. I also love water based sports and activities. I am enjoying my time here at the school and I look forward to seeing what may come.
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Creativity, Service, Action (CAS) - “Wings” by Keir Barnes and Kashish Daswany The Coca Cola games is the largest high school track and field event in the entire southern hemisphere, it is a great pathway for many talents to be recognized and potentially qualify for the national team which is an amazing opportunity for junior athletes. This opportunity is especially good for those living in rural areas.
However, there is an issue of funding for some of these rural schools, particularly in remote areas such as; Namosi, Ra, and the outer islands The student led sports council is starting a new project, Wings, that seeks to fund one or more schools in rural areas. The aim is to support transport, logistics and registration for the games so that they have an opportunity to compete in the Coca Cola games. We can meet our goal with your help and look forward to collaborating with you! We are more than willing to discuss this further should you have any questions and you can contact us at our school emails at 60069@iss.school.FJ (Keir Barnes) and 190006@iss.school.FJ (Kashish Daswaney). A donation box will be placed near the Canteen for anyone wanting to help this project happen.
ISS 2022 Production Neverland The 2022 ISS production of Neverland is slowly taking shape, with preparations already underway. Neverland is ISS’ own adaptation of the 1953 Disney film Peter Pan, which uncovers the adventures of Peter Pan and his newly -acquainted friends as they journey through the mythical island of Neverland: The Darling siblings, along with the Lost Boys, Tinker Bell and other characters escape reality on Neverland, although in doing so, they come across Peter Pan’s arch nemesis, Captain Hook and his crew. The production is led by teacher directors Ms. Bryony Pullman, Ms. Sarai Manning and Mr. Ben Gibson, along with student directors Kashish Daswaney and Ines De Torres Troncoso from Year 12. The production includes actors, set design, backstage, marketing, make-up, costumes, the band, and the tech team of members from Primary to High School. Actors are slowly putting scenes together during their Tuesdays and Wednesdays rehearsals, each one robust and full of life. But the actors are not the only ones contributing to the making of Neverland. The set design team has been busy painting backdrops and props for the scenes, promising an alive and animated Neverland, and while the work is not easy, the energy that runs across their workplace is exciting and contagious. The costume design team, meanwhile, are taking measurements of the actors to design and sew the costume accordingly. Exciting plans for costumes are looking extremely likely! With all the preparations going on and the time and effort being put in, one can only wonder how breathtaking the play will be once everything is put together. The prospect of an undoubtedly entertaining production is promising, and we cannot wait to see ISS’s first post-pandemic production.
Neverland is coming to stage 9th, 10th and 11th of August!