ISA Connections Issue 07

Connections The International School of Amsterdam Magazine

Our Mission To educate for international understanding Our Vision To create a community of lifelong learners who value inquiry, critical and creative thinking, take informed risks, and act with integrity and compassion.

Contents

Connections

Beliefs and Teaching

The International School

ISA MYP Science teacher Mary Kelly explores how a

of Amsterdam Magazine

teacher’s beliefs can impact thier teaching.

Spring 2017

5

Cohort Learning Editor-in-chief

Professional development allows for further strengthening

Erika Harriford-McLaren

of a teacher’s skills. See how ISA teachers share their own

Desk Editor

learnings with each other to support deeper learning and

Shelly Harrison

literacy within our curriculum.

6

Design and layout Wouter F. Goedkoop

Laura Dekker

Contributors

In 2009 a young Dutch girl changed the world of sailing

Matt Jasinski

when she sought to become the youngest person ever

Matthias Hine

to circumnavigate the globe and in 2012 she succeeded.

ISA Photographer

inspire a new generation of risk takers.

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This Fall, Laura Dekker visited ISA to share her story and to Kerry Reinking www.kerryreinking.nl

Exploring Jewish History in Amsterdam ISA grade 8 studens explored the history of Jewish

Publisher

culture in the Netherlands during a walking Jewish

ISA in collaboration with

monuments tour this Spring.

25

XPat Media, The Hague, The Netherlands

A Fast Track to Learning

Printer

While studying the European Middle Ages and the Islamic

Drukkerij Damen

Empire, several grade 7 Individual and Societies students

Werkendam

made their learning an “experimental experience” by fast-

The Netherlands

ing for deeper insight into Ramadan and Islam.

ISA alumni, families,

Through Each Other’s Eyes

faculty and friends receive

Building friendships across cultures is a hallmark of an

Connections.

international student’s experience. A new club at ISA , the

We welcome your com-

Buddy Project, is extending that by creating new relation-

ments and encourage you

ships with refuggee students at a local Dutch high school.

26 28

to submit ideas and articles for consideration.

A Winning Perspective ISA grade 8 student Zozi Lencz was recently awarded a

Letters and inquiries may

second-place prize as the Young Garden Photographer of

be addressed to:

the year in the prestigious International Garden Photogra-

Connections

pher of the Year contest run by the Royal Botanic Gardens

Sportlaan 45

in the United Kingdom.

36

1185TB Amstelveen +31 20 347 1111

Girl Power

communications@isa.nl

This Fall ISA welcomed two new student groups aiming

www.isa.nl

to raise awareness on issues of equality and feminism.

42

Read more about how they and other students are taking Cover

on these issues.

Hura Crepitans - winningphotgraph by ISA grade 8

Alumni Profiles

student Zozi Lencz.

ISA’s newly revamped Alumni department is taking off with the launch of a new online alumni platform and a recent reunion in London.

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1

Welcome Connections magazine was launched two years ago

This current issue is no exception—within its pag-

as an outgrowth of our very popular annual report.

es you will find articles about a good many dynamic

While the annual report continues to be offered as

programmes and experiences that offer us much to

one of the quarterly publications from our Commu-

be proud of. And yet, writing this welcome, I have

nications Office, it was very clear to all of us that

great difficulty finding a celebratory mood.

publishing just one issue a year about the many exciting activities at our school was far from adequate.

As this issue was being put together, the school ex-

Thus, it was agreed to publish this journal three times

perienced a shocking and horrific loss as long-time

each year, in addition to the annual report, to show-

coach and PE teacher Simon Schilp was taken from

case the most notable events over the past several

us. ISA has had more than its share of loss lately.

months. With such a talented group of students and

It was only eleven months ago when our brilliant

teachers working together it was really no surprise

IB Physics teacher and Science Department Chair,

that even three issues would barely cover the dyna-

John Charters, passed away unexpectedly. And, less

mism that is the International School of Amsterdam.

than two months ago, long-time Board member and treasurer, David C. Masters, was struck down--just two years after retiring from the Board. Each of these losses was, of course, most heavily felt by their loved ones, but there was certainly no shortage of love and admiration from our students, faculty, staff, and parent community for each of these three remarkable people. They gave so much to our school and community.

Earlier this year we published a memorial message about John Charters. In this issue of Connections you will find articles about both Simon Schilp and David Masters. I encourage you to take time to read about the contributions each of these men made to our school. Both made extraordinary commitments to ISA, with Simon Schilp serving as coach and teacher since 1990, and David Masters serving on the Board for a total of 22 years. Both of these wonderful people, along with John Charters, have had a deep and long lasting impact on all of us who call ISA our school.

With the passing of three individuals who had left indelible and deep marks on our school and com-

2

munity, ISA has been asked to endure more sadness than it has ever been asked to endure in any one year before. Our thoughts are with the families of all three men and our commitment, as a community, must be to find a path, together, to celebrate the lives they lived and to thank them for the gifts they have left us.

tions to their athletic success as NECIS competitors and champions, to their performances in music, the visual arts, drama such as Sondheim’s Into the Woods musical, to the rich collection of service pro-

Grade 5 & 6 EAL students participating in the International Awareness project with the Willemsparkschool in Amsterdam.

jects supporting refugees, animal rights and ocean clean up—and so much more—all of us who work with ISA’s students in any capacity know we have

As the 2016-2017 school year comes to a close, I

much for which to be thankful. We are so terribly

want to extend my appreciation to so many of our

proud of ISA’s students. I hope that you enjoy this

students who, year after year, demonstrate the pow-

issue of Connections.

er of a school and community founded on the simple, clear and dynamic mission statement: To Educate for International Understanding.

Our students, who truly live the school’s mission, remain the most inspirational dimension of this school. From receiving National Merit commenda-

Edward E. Greene, Ph.D. Director 3

ISA Board of Trustees It is with deep sadness that I share with you the news that former ISA parent and long-time Board member and Treasurer extraordinaire, David Masters, passed away on Monday, March 13, 2017. He is survived by his lovely wife, Rosalind, and four children, two of whom graduated from ISA. Other than a few very long-serving faculty and staff, few will remember the many contributions David Masters made to ISA as Board member and Treasurer. But I can tell you with absolute certainty that the ISA we know and love today would not exist had David Masters not given his time, wisdom, love and fiscal expertise to our school. He was a driving force across three decades as the school embraced its mission, growing into one of the most highly regarded international schools--

relationships with the staff and the Works Council, one of the great hallmarks of the school’s organization. And, he was also deeply involved in the Board’s searches for 5 different directors.

His family gave so much to our school simply by agreeing that he could give his time to ISA--instead of being with them on untold evenings and weekends. David Masters was a man whose warmth and concern for others knew no bounds. Our ISA today

with one of the most beautiful, purpose-built campuses--in the world today.

stands as testimony to the generosity and love that

David first joined the Board in 1992 and served as an elected parent Board mem-

us. With deep appreciation and sadness, we wish

ber and later as an appointed Board member. When he stepped down in 2015 there was barely a dry eye in the room when he spoke to the faculty and staff about his love for ISA and the people who made it such a special place.

I have tried to calculate just what his lengthy tenure actually meant in terms of the commitment of time. At minimum, he would have attended almost 200 regular Board meetings, and even more untold Board Finance committee meetings, as well as some 50 special meetings on major financial and construction initiatives, including the then risky decision to move the school to its current location. He was 4

instrumental in the creation of strong and healthy

David Masters and his family have given to each of David and his family Godspeed. They will forever be part of ISA. Dr. Edward E. Greene, ISA Director

Beliefs and Teaching

Do a teacher’s beliefs concerning the nature of what is reality and what is knowledge impact their approaches to teaching? It is an interesting question and one that ISA MYP Science Teacher, Mary Kelly sought to find an answer to within an International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme environment at ISA, in her recently published Ph.D. thesis “An exploration of teachers’ ontological and epistemological beliefs and their approaches to teaching within an IBMYP environment” for the University of Nottingham.

Kelly’s research explores how personal philosophies and pedagogies of teachers are affected by their own perceptions of reality (ontology), knowledge (epistemology) and truth. She performed her study by interviewing and examining the practices of three colleagues from the MYP teaching team - John Charters (Integrated Science), Anna Lopez Dekker (Spanish) and Corinna Hasbach (English). Using a constructionist-interpretive approach, she discovered three compelling approaches to teaching that were shaped by each teacher’s view on how learners learn, how they see reality affecting such learning

expert and his class design in rows and pods reflected this. His beliefs were pragmatic and that shaped his planning, his approaches and his teaching style.

For Corinna, there is moderated direction within her classroom as a more student-centered approach was offered. Students often direct her planning through the questions they pose in class. She sees teachers as a participant/learner and has structured her class layout to reflect community exchange. Her beliefs are centered on the idea of interconnectivity of all things in life, lending a more personal view for shaping her approaches, planning and teaching

and how their chosen disciplines influence this.

style.

In the spring of 2016, John Charters suddenly

Anna’s degree of direction is also moderated and

passed away. While he was not able to see the final work he contributed to in final print, the legacy of his

student centered, but she sees teachers as “guides on the side and works to have a collaborative nature

contribution to this project lives on.

between herself and students for planning. Her class

While interviewing and assessing each teacher, Kelly

center around the concepts of love and understand-

found that there were as many similarities in their beliefs and practices as there were differences.

When it comes to learning there was a common belief amongst the three that collaboration is a central part of the classroom. They all also believed that students come to class with varying levels of understanding concepts and that they should be encouraged to use their prior knowledge to contribute to the

is set in a more relaxed café style. Anna’s beliefs ing and through that she provides students with a more open hand in the full learning process as well as for her planning.

Kelly, a science teacher herself, noted that it was not necessarily the case that a teacher’s discipline matched beliefs and practices as she found herself aligned in many more ways with Corinna and Anna, than with John in her practice. However, overall she

collective as well as to individual learning.

found that exploring teachers ontological beliefs can

All three saw teachers as facilitators for learning

the beliefs of their students, their overall teaching ap-

with well-timed guidance and support. John offered students a considerable degree of direction in their work, which would be expected within the more subject/teacher-centered approach of his scientific lessons. He believed a teacher is more of a coach or

provide beneficial insight into how they can influence proaches and learning across the MYP programme To read the study and learn more about its findings visit http://eprints.nottinghamac.uk/27681/ 1/602420.pdf.

5

Cohort Learning One of the best takeaways of any professional

And while the CDLT conferences are remarkable in

development

school

and of themselves, it’s the ongoing training outside

teachers is the knowledge gained from exchanging

of these events that further enables ISA teachers to

information, sharing ideas and brainstorming with

be the best they can be. On Fridays, classes start

fellow educators from around the world. And while

an hour later for students and during this time, the

the value of peer-to-peer learning between students

school provides for cohort-training, allowing teach-

is often touted as a great way to engage learners

ers to share with each other their learnings from

and increase performance within the classroom, it is

within their own classrooms as well as from external

often overlooked as a valuable means of skills train-

trainings to strengthen the ISA curriculum and en-

ing for educators themselves.

courage and support academic success for students

training

for

international

and teachers alike.

One of the great strengths of ISA over the past half-century has been its commitment to support-

Cohort-learning sessions are comprised of small

ing teachers and staff in their pursuit of professional

groups of teachers who come together to explore

excellence. In 2015, ISA launched its own interna-

shared interests to encourage professional inquiry,

tional professional development institute within the

sustain a culture of thinking within the school and

school, the Centre for Development, Learning &

to gather, informally, to stretch thinking and under-

Technology (CDLT), which allows its employees to

standing. There are a wide array of topics with inter-

gain expert training onsite while also sharing their

est groups for peer-facilitated discussions.

own methodologies with a diverse community of attendees from various regions and cultures.

Recently, the Lower School ran a large series of workshops offering a broad range of topics from

6

mathematics to engineering to design thinking.

Example sessions teachers could attend:

What’s New from the CEESA/ECIS Literacy Coaching

Engineering in the Classroom: Building New Skills and

Marta van der Meer (Grade 2), Ingrid Spanjaard (Grade

Constructing New Mindsets

5), Erin O’Brien (Grade 1) and Elaine Dinnie (Grade 2)

Elizabeth Gaglio, Grade 3 The

engineering

design

Training

Marta, Ingrid, Erin and Elaine have been participating process

encourages

students to think creatively, collaborate with others and assess and edit their own work - naturally building a growth mindset and developing PYP learner profile attributes. In this hands-on session, we will discuss the benefits of engineering for children and easy ways to incorporate engineering activities into

in the current CEESA/ECIS Literacy Coaching Cohort and will be presenting a session on ideas and strategies they’ve gained from this experience for supporting student literacy across grade levels.

International School Visits In addition to the ISA Cohort training, the Lower

units or routines.

School teachers also took a teacher in-service day in

Design Principles for Classroom Environments

and in other European countries to see first-hand

Melanie Smith, Grade 2 In the summer of 2016 Melanie had the opportunity to work as a Fellow at the Future of Learning Institute at Harvard University. In this session she will present ideas for setting up learning environments that support collaboration, technology, engagement and sustainability from her work with Harvard School of Education’s Project Zero last summer.

Using the Think Model to Frame Questions

January to visit schools throughout the Netherlands how others schools are promoting excellence within the classroom.

While their experiences varied from each visit, the teachers used a specialised Connect, Extend, Challenge routine to guide their discussions and to connect the ideas and strategies they gained to further support student literacy across grade levels by exploring the following:

Celine Vignon, French Department

- How the experience allowed them to connect with

Looking to expand your toolkit of question strate-

their own thinking about education in international

gies and techniques? If yes, then you’ll want to join Celine as she presents the THINK model for posing questions that engage learners in connection making, reflection and interpretation.

Supporting Inclusion for Young Children with Social and Emotional Challenges Eli Arenas Thomas and Pipi Jelinkova, Early Childhood This session offers a terrific opportunity for anyone working with young children to explore some of the issues of, and ideas for, facilitating inclusion of children with social emotional and learning challenges.

school contexts -In what way(s) their thinking about teaching and learning in international education has been extended – what was new, what was different and what surprised them.

- And lastly, what ideas or approached are being mulled over as they reflect on their visits The visits proved to be highly successful and of great benefit to not only the ISA teachers, but also for the teachers at the host schools. Future teacher visits will be considered for the 2017-2018 school year.

International Schools and Organisations Visited 2Voices Montessori Preschool

Steve Jobs School in Amsterdam

American School of the Hague

International School of Billund (Denmark)

British School of the Netherlands

International School of Brussels

International School of Hilversum

International School of Frankfurt

Japanese School of Amsterdam

International School of Bonn

United World College Maastricht

Cobra Museum

International School of London

DOK Delft - Public Library

7

The Bards of Grade 2

It has been said that “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” For playwrights, the stage is often a reflection of their own experiences, inspirations and the challenges that they have faced. For students, the classroom is often a reflection of the same - with teachers and classmates each taking on different roles in the learning process.

Encouraging our students (and teachers alike) to be critical and creative thinkers is one of ISA’s core beliefs. Finding inspiration for the mind as well as the heart further encourages our students to question, make connections and reflect.

The transdisciplinary nature of the ISA curriculum allows students to gain a deeper understanding of just how intersectional the learning process can be - from science influencing human and environmental rights to the writing process rounding out drama and media studies.

Throughout the Lower School students often find themselves bridging their core lessons and “specials” classes such as art, music and drama to create innovative and meaningful projects. One recent example comes from Melanie Smith’s grade 2 class and their self-written and self-produced theatrical performances for friends and family.

8

After

attending

an

open

drama

lesson

which

explored

playscripts,

the roles of cast, scenes and narrators and how stories can be told in a range of different ways, the students were inspired to create and perform plays of their own, including plays derived from the games they play each day on the playground.

Smith was more than impressed. “I was incredibly proud of the whole class.

Developing authentic student inquiries lies at the heart of the PYP and an unexpected opportunity during one recess led to a wonderful inquiry and special event.”

Incorporating all the facets of a broadway performance with dramatic techniques such as mime, tableaux, thought tracking, improvisation, and hot seating, the students delighted their audiences with their tales of The Royal Castle, Acorn and Nut and The Kings.

“I really look forward to seeing the children continuing to pursue their own inquiries and taking action, as it gives them such a great sense of empowerment.”

In addition to writing and performing their plays, the students also created homemade invitations for each event, inviting staff and parents to their show and an afternoon tea featuring homemade smoothies and popcorn.

Understanding the concepts and the need to work well together were imperative for success for the students, with grade 2 student, Brianna, expressing it well through a comparison to the inner workings of a clock.

“The people must work together in a play like a clock. All of the cogs have to work together to make the clock work the right way.”

The plays also resonated well with the audience members, with parents and staff members attending and asking the playwrights questions after each performance.

Nóra Belda-Fürjes was pleasantly surprised.

“Watching my daughter’s class play was pure delight. I was very impressed that what had started out as a ‘game’ during recess had evolved into something so much more.”

“Thanks to Melanie’s guidance and encouragement, her class was able to expand their knowledge of their storytelling unit in a fun and practical manner. My daughter really enjoyed being a part of the play and having her moments on stage and I had the good fortune of being there to see how all the hard work she and her classmates put into this project produced such a charming and entertaining show.”

9

Stories That Move ISA grade 8 students and the high school Amnesty International Club have been involved in the creation of a ground-breaking and innovative online tool to combat discrimination.

Launched in 2015 by The Anne Frank Foundation, Stories that Move is a collaborative initiative involving universities, human rights organisations and schools from 7 EU countries, including ISA. The online tool has been designed to educate students on historical and modern-day discrimination throughout the world through the use of personal narratives and exercises that allow students to explore how discrimination works so that they have a deeper understanding of the social and emotional impact that discrimination has on the world around them.

Grade 8 students have been assisting the foundation in the development of the pilot project, under the guidance of grade 8 English teacher

Shannon

Hancock

and

Director

of

Educational Technology, Michael McGlade.

“I had the great fortune of being asked to join the project last year when I arrived at ISA.” noted Hancock. “I’m really passionate about social justice, the authentic integration of technology, and Socratic-based methodologies for learning, so the Stories that Move project has been an incredible experience for me as an educator. I have been able to write content, offer teaching strategies, and be a ‘voice from the classroom’ for the team.”

In addition to receiving input from the grade 8 students and teaching team, the foundation also engaged members of the ISA Amnesty International Club during various stages of the project to review everything from testing the project’s name and subject matter to testing the final content for the online platform.

ISA Amnesty International Club Co-Chair Joel Punwani has found the project to be one of the best experiences he has been involved with at ISA. “It’s been a really exciting project for our student club to be involved in. It’s been amazing to know that we are actually contributing to a project that will make a real difference in the world.”

With the project nearing completion and launch in the November 2017, the grade 8 teacher team has been piloting the tool and offering feedback to the foundation.

“There has never been a more important time than now to offer the world an easily accessible, free, and balanced platform to teach tolerance and explore the causes of discrimination with our youth. I’m very excited about the upcoming launch of the tool.”

10

11

Global Village Day In an ISA calendar packed with activities and events

“Today is an opportunity for us to shine as we

throughout the year, there is one day that truly stands

come together as people, as a school and as

out from the rest, and even in its 18th year, this year’s

representatives for our world. It is an opportunity

Global Village Day did not disappoint.

to embrace our communal identity as global citizens,” explained Grade 8 student and Middle School

Organized annually by representatives from the

Student Council member Leilani Hancock as she and

Lower and Upper School Student councils, staff,

fellow student council member, Rania Khan opened

faculty, and parent volunteers, the day features

event.

colourful and vibrant displays of national dance, song and traditional costumes as well as speeches

“ISA acknowledges and honors our cultural differ-

from the student leadership highlighting the wonder-

ences and similarities and yet still manages to create

ful and unique cultures each of our students identify

a singular ISA family and community.”

with.

12

13

Over

450

participated mances

students

from

in

year’s

event,

this making

it

54 the

nationalities

parade largest

perforGlobal

Village Day and Parade of Nations ever hosted at ISA. Throughout the ceremony, students were asked to reflect on questions such as ‘Who am I?’ and ‘Who are we?’, with the answers surely being as varied as the costumes on show.

Embracing Our Diversity “Coming from a diverse background myself, with a Greek-American father and a Dutch mother, I am so happy to see so many of you engaging with your cultures at home, in class and of course, today,” noted Upper School Student Council President Ari Economon.

Ryan Collins, Upper School Student Council Vice President, echoed those thoughts and reinforced the ISA Global Village Day mission of ‘uniting cultures through friendships, support and curiosity’.

“Having everyone here today excited not only about our own cultures, but also about the global community that we represent, is a great reminder that we are very fortunate to benefit from such a diverse pool of students, parents and faculty that can’t really be found anywhere else in the world.”

“When I first came to ISA a year and a half ago, I wasn’t expecting as diverse a community as I found and I really enjoy being a part of it. I have lived all over the world, yet I have never come across a community as diverse, welcoming and nurturing as ISA.” The day also offered students in the Lower School the opportunity to learn more about individual countries from in the country “villages” set up within classrooms. Used as a teaching tool to educate younger students about cultural diversity and global communities, they were a great success, enabling students to ‘travel’ from Australia to South Africa and Romania — all in the space of an afternoon. Each village offered a unique experience from trying on national costumes to tasting homemade national treats, to learning games and languages, ensuring that everyone walked away from the day with a deeper understanding of what international understanding can mean.

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15

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Meeting Laura Dekker The Dutch have historically been risk takers – leaving behind their polders and dikes to discover the larger world awaiting outside of their borders. The

Henry Hudson to find an expeditious passageway to the Far East – in the hopes of increasing their trade,

Netherlands, diminutive in terms of land mass and

and profit, from the Spice Islands. While he did not

populace compared to its European counterparts,

succeed in discovering the route he wanted, his nu-

has through its historical relationship with trade and sailing, come to symbolise the spirit of exploration with a Dutch diaspora reaching the farthest corners of the world.

18

It was the Dutch who recruited English navigator

merous journeys across the ocean led him to explore new waterways in North America, thereby allowing for future Dutch settlement and expansion in the area now known as New York.

There’s an old Dutch saying “God created the world, but the Dutch created Holland.” With much of the country existing from reclaimed land from the North Sea, the Dutch have had a long-time affinity with water, with a love of boats and sailing ultimately stemming from this. In 2015 the Dutch Central Bureau of Statistics noted that over 60,000 people in the Netherlands pursued sailing as a sport, with over 780 marinas existing within the 6251 kilometres of waterways throughout the country.

It is no surprise then, that when it comes to sailing the Netherlands is one of the world’s top competitive sailing nations. While world sailing records have brought the nation glory, there is one record in particular, which has stood out among the rest – both in its achievement and the controversy surrounding it.

The story of Laura Dekker Born on a yacht as her parents sailed around the world, Laura Dekker spent much of her childhood growing up on the water. Her father, an experienced sailor himself, guided Dekker through the ins and outs of world-class sailing, teaching her everything from navigation to the art of building (and maintaining) sailboats. Dekker was a quick learner, becoming an avid and extremely experienced mariner at an age when most of her peers were still learning to read.

The embodiment of a risk taker, Laura’s passion for sailing and fierce sense of independence drove her to take on new challenges – from sailing in local harbours to navigating down Dutch rivers for weeks

had the mental and physical capacity to take on the challenge (while also promising that she would continue her studies while away).

Dekker left for

Spain, but having met resistance from the Spanembarking at the age of 15 on an 18-month, 27,000

It was the skills she learned on these journeys,

weeks after having set sail, Laura Dekker, aged 16

mile journey. On January 21, 2012, seventy-four

and her success in achieving each milestone, that enabled Dekker to convince her parents to allow her to pursue her dream of circumnavigating the globe – alone at the age of 13.

lines

2009, when

Dekker she

Left photo credit: Alamy

ish government as well, she set sail from Gibraltar,

by herself before she was even a teenager.

In

Left: Laura Dekker with ISA Director, Edward E. Greene

and 123 days, sailed into a harbour in St. Maarten, becoming the youngest person to sail around the world on their own.

Dekker’s story was immortilised in the documentary,

made was

international

placed

in

head-

temporary

custody of the court after government officials objected to her parents support of her wish to become the youngest person in the world to sail solo around

Maidentrip, which she filmed throughout her journey. And it was this film, that inspired ISA teacher, Lindsey Long, to take her own risk and contact Dekker, who was in Europe for speaking engagements, to invite her to stop by Amsterdam to

the world.

bring her story and sense of inspiration to ISA. It was

After a prolonged legal battle, Dekker and her

Laura Dekker at the campus to share her story with

parents eventually convinced the courts that she

a risk that paid off, and ISA had the fortune to have the students.

19

Her Story

can safely do it and just go. And I did. I think in a way

Dekker walked the students through her life – from

my parents were much braver than me.”

her birth on a boat in New Zealand through her early adolescence, when she realised that sailing was much more than just a hobby. She was determined that at some stage in her life she would sail around the world, so she began very early on learning everything she could about sailing and boats

she doesn’t. She has a deep understanding that each situation and each person is different.

“I was very fortunate that I grew up the way I did,

and kept going step-by-step until she felt prepared.

on the boat with a dad who is a really good sailor

“My family all really just love travelling and seeing the

Kim, and I have some freedom so we could learn and

world. So even from a really young age, I just knew I wanted to do it. Not necessarily that I wanted to do it when I was 13, but just that I wanted to do it.”

“But when I was 13 I thought well, I don’t really see a reason that I shouldn’t go now, because everything is ready and I’ve prepared and really there is no point

and with parents who were just able to let my sister explore all our circumstances together. That made it possible.”

“It’s definitely different for everybody. When my sister was around 15, my mom was absolutely strict about her living on her own and I was already doing that.

So every child and situation is different, even with

in waiting.”

the same parents.”

It was Dekker’s confidence in herself in pursuing her

Throughout her presentation Dekker gave the

dream that persuaded her parents to support her,

students glimpses into her daily routine, showing

although her mom initially had reservations.

them everything from her tight living quarters to the

“I never really doubted myself. I was really sure

boat seaworthy.

that I did the best preparation I could, and I still knew things were going to happen that I couldn’t anticipate and that I had heaps and heaps to learn

repair work she had to perform by herself to keep the

But most importantly, she shared the lessons she learned about other cultures that she experienced

as I went on.”

over the 18 months.

“Things go wrong and I knew it would happen. It’s

“Meeting the people and seeing how they live and

never going to be perfect, so at some stage you need to say “I think at this point I’ve learned enough that I 20

Does Dekker believe that anyone could do this? No,

how they view things was the best part of the trip.

It was just so intriguing, because I just knew the

Western culture where you need to go to school, find a job, get a house and get a car. A culture where everything is laid out in what you have to do in your

“This experience made me realise that money or big things like a house or even a bigger boat would not necessarily make me happier. It’s good to have

life. “

goals, but it’s not good to search for happiness in

“If you get to other cultures, it’s completely

had nothing compared to us in the West. They still

different and you see that there are other options, other things to do and that people treat each other differently. In the West it can be very unsocial–where most people don’t really know their neighbours and have everything in their own homes without having anyone else have a part in that. But in a lot of the islands I went to, people are really close and everything belongs to everyone and if someone needs help they just help them and don’t necessarily expect anything back. There’s really this community and a sense of belonging together that I didn’t know existed be-

things. And I really learned that from people who just invited me in.”

Dekker knows that not everyone can achieve a world record and take on a task as large as she did. But she does believe that more children should be encouraged to follow their dreams.

“I think a lot of people don’t follow their dreams because they are afraid to fail, which happens. But I read this quote somewhere that says “Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will”. Failing is not bad.

cause it’s not necessarily here in the West. “

I learned most of the things on my trip because I did

“Here the whole goal is trying to have everything to

so much more from that than actually doing it right

be able to survive on your own—and I honestly don’t think humans are made to survive on their own. We need to survive together. I don’t have every capability in the world. My sister has things that she’s better at than me and the other way around. So together we are team. And I think it works for everybody that way. Everybody has different gifts and you need to work together. That’s the thing that I really saw in the islands.”

something wrong and I had to deal with it. I learned the first time.”

So what does she recommend for the dreamers?

“Go for it and prepare well. Recognise that sometimes you have to give things up. Be in it completely and know what you want. Some risks are worth taking.”

Laura Dekker with her sister, Kim, ISA teacher Lindsey Long and Dekker’s mother Babs Muller.

21

Maps of our Hearts The world seems to be rapidly changing in front of our eyes — politically, socially and economically— and many of us now find ourselves questioning why such seemingly drastic (and often unforeseen) shifts are occurring and how we as citizens can make sense of the changes happening around us. It seems that the world is going through an “identity crisis” surrounding the concepts of “values” and “beliefs” and how they should shape our lives. From religion to discrimination to poverty and war, adults are questioning what their own fundamental beliefs and values are and how they should or shouldn’t be used

values in their unit Believe it or Not, which explores the similarities and differences people have in their belief systems. The students were challenged with the following questions to gain better understanding of the concepts and how they impact their own lives.

What do you know about beliefs & values?

What is meant by beliefs and values?

What do you believe or value?

How do people express their beliefs & values in

to shape the world we live in.

different ways?

And while the complexities of these issues may seem

How do your own beliefs & values influence your

to be something outside of the realm of thinking of young children, the questions they beg - “What are my beliefs and values?” and ”How can I contribute to change in this world?” - are integral to creating a global citizenry that understands the importance of being able to connect their internal philosophies to positive action despite perceived or even real differences.

22

Right before the ISA Winter break in December, students in grade 3 were inquiring into their beliefs and

How can we show appreciation of differences? behaviour and the choices you make?

Maps of Their Hearts Through devising ‘maps of their hearts’, they were able to demonstrate what was most precious to them and what they considered to be things they believed in and/or valued. The list was diverse including teddy bears, the tooth fairy, Sinterklaas,

family, a higher power, the environment, freedom for all and world peace.

At the same time as the Believe it or Not unit, the students were also participating in an unrelated project of personal goal setting. One of Kate Swift’s students, Tamara Hasson, decided that she’d use her personal goals as a means to raise some money to help animals in need (one of her core beliefs). As she worked hard towards self-improvement, her parents rewarded her for reaching her weekly goals with a small monetary reward. And each week, instead of spending it on something for herself, Tamara chose to save it so she could donate it to her cause.

It wasn’t long before the other students in her class found out what she was doing and asked if they too could help her raise funds.

The students devised a workable plan, that required team work, collaboration and dedication to a common cause. Step-by-step their planning came together with the outcome being a very successful bake and holiday craft sale. In just about one hour, Tamara and her classmates raised 463.80 Euros, donating every cent to the World Wildlife Fund.

With every student doing their part to help, they soon realised that their combined efforts, beliefs and values can actually make a difference.

While Tamara is happy with the outcome, she’s not ready to stop. In fact, she is even more committed to her beliefs than before.

“I am still committed to my beliefs and values and I wish I could continue to help animals that need it.

I always felt that because I’m a child I can’t do as much as grown ups can, but I want to inspire everyone who wants to help. Parents usually help their own children, so we as kids can help animals because we don’t have our own children.”

“I hope we can do another fundraising idea again this year.”

23

24

Exploring Jewish History in Amsterdam On Wednesday, 8 March, grade 8 students explored the history of Jewish culture in the Netherlands on a walking tour of Jewish Monuments field trip to view important cultural landmarks including the Jewish Historical Museum, the Portuguese Synagogue, and

forms of monuments that exist and how their design, placement and location help people to remember those being represented.

The final visit for the day, led the students to the Anne

the Anne Frank Huis.

Frank Huis, which tied into their current reading of

The students began their day at the Jewish Histori-

course. Like the Synagogue, many of the students

cal Museum, the only museum in the country with a dedicated focus on the history, lifestyle, culture and religion of the Jewish community in Holland. Featuring interactive exhibits which tell stories of Jewish life before, during, and after World War II, the museum provided students with an honest, and at times, confronting insight into what the Jewish community used to look like in the Netherlands in the years sur-

Anne Frank’s Diary of a Young Girl in their English had not yet been to the world-famous landmark and were deeply moved by the experience of actually being in the same space where Anne documented the two years of her life in hiding with her family, the Van Pels family and the dentist, Mr. Pfieffer.

Grade 8 English teacher Shannon Hancock organised the trip, remarking on how powerful the expe-

rounding the war.

rience was.

Following the museum, the students crossed

“As a teacher, I have taught the Diary of a Young Girl for

the road to learn more about the history of the Portuguese Synagogue, which miraculously survived the ravages of the war. Over 340 years old, the Synagogue is still being used as a house of worship, remaining one of the most important legacies of the Jewish community in Amsterdam. For many of the students, it was their first time in a Synagogue and the experience allowed them to compare and contrast their own personal associations with other houses of worship and religions.

From the Synagogue the students then did a walking tour throughout the city centre, visiting numerous Jewish monuments honouring the victims of World War II. As with other courses at ISA, the students were encouraged to think about the different

20 years in schools all over the world, but never before in Amsterdam. Physically being in “the Secret Annex” as we read Anne’s diary was a truly powerful experience for the students. It was as Otto intended. Anne’s writing voice still echoes amidst those walls.”

“For this unit in English we’ve focused on the concept of ‘remembering’. One our students said to me as he passed me on the stairs in the house, “Thank you for this day. My thinking really has changed. It’s important that humanity never forgets.”

Portuguese Synagogue in Amsterdam, by Emanuel de Witte, 1680, Dutch painting, oil on canvas.

Jewish service in the Sephardic synagogue in Amsterdam, completed in 1675.

25

“Fast” Track to Learning

Empire. Last week in class, as we were discussing the “five pillars” of Islam, many of the students expressed the desire to know what it feels like to fast. Much to

Within the international school context, there are tremendous opportunities to learn more about cultures around the world - be it through daily learning in the classroom, engaging on a personal level with

You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.

- Atticus Finch

students and teachers from different cultural and religious backgrounds or connecting with local com-

teacher(s), volunteer to fast together.

In this way, the “One Day Fast” was conceived. This is not an obligatory activity for the class, nor a part of the course curriculum. It is merely an “experimental

munities through clubs, service work or just daily life.

experience.”

The three core beliefs at ISA —developing minds,

A traditional Muslim fast occurs from sunrise to sunset,

developing character and developing community— provide a framework for how our faculty teaches and how our students learn. Recently, students from one of ISA teacher Khullood Rahman’s grade 7 Individuals and Society classes embraced these beliefs by turning a standard discussion on the five pillars of Islam into a true experiential learning event.

The class created a blog to track their experiences and learnings from their project, giving their families a chance to share their journey. and for them to bet-

during which time there is no eating or drinking. Our voluntary fast, however, may be modified to suit the health and stamina of the students. Students who wish to drink water /juices may do so. Students who do not feel well during the course of the day may also break their fast. - K. Rahman On the day of the fast, there were 19 students and a handful of teachers and staff who participated.

Almost none of the participants had ever done any sort of fast so there was a morning rush by al-

ter reflect on the event and its outcomes.

most everyone, before the official sun up time of

One Day Fast

them through the day. One student noted “It was

“We are a grade 7 humanities class at the International School of Amsterdam and have been studying the European Middle Ages and the Islamic 26

[my] surprise, they suggested that they, and some

08:09, to consume food and water to help sustain really a nice morning, because my mom made me my favourite chicken soup and I actually got to have it for breakfast. Trust me, I ate a lot!”

During the first few classes, the fast seemed somewhat easy, as classwork kept everyone distracted. However, by morning break, there was a visible yearning for food for some of the students, as they watched their classmates consume bagels, juices and more in front of them. At this point a few students broke their fast.

With a countdown leading to the the exact moment of sundown, the students had plates ready in hand and gave thanks to their teacher for allowing them to participate in the experience. The next 15 minutes were silent as the students ate and savoured each bite from the food in front of them.

“I really enjoyed this experience and think I’ll do it again next year. From now on I’ll be nicer to mom

“I’m not sure if I was really hungry or just used to eating at this time, but this was a lot harder than I thought.”

when I come home because I usually walk in an immediately ask what’s for dinner and ask her for food.

Now I know that I can wait.” noted one less hungry student.

Why Am I Fasting?

By lunch time all the students found themselves quite hungry. Some had just finished a PE class and so thirst also became an issue. Many chose to drink some water, but kept to the food fast by spending time in the library to distract themselves from the smells of the cafeteria, and from their friends who, at least in their minds, seemed to revel in eating their lunches even more than they usually do.

The afternoon passed quickly - with many students and staff finding that, surprisingly, they had more energy than expected and greater concentration on their work without the distraction of food.

Communications Manager Erika Harriford-McLaren agrees with this. “I never realised how much eating and drinking impacted my day. I wanted to participate in this with the students so that I could better understand what their experience was like. What I found was that, while I was a bit more quiet than usual, I was also much more focused on the tasks in front of me and other than the thirst, the day went by without difficulty and faster than I expected.”

Once classes ended for the day, some students chose to participate in their after school sports teams, while others stayed in and finished their homework. At around 6:00 they gathered in George’s Jr. Cafe to reflect on the day and to prepare for the breaking of their fast with various foods brought from home.

“Today I am fasting because I would like to fully immerse myself in the culture and traditions of Muslim culture so that I am able to understand what kind of devotion and sacrifice’s they are willing to make during Ramadan.” - Helena “I am fasting because I think it is important to learn about other cultures and the experiences in other cultures. You can’t really give an opinion about something until you experience it.” - Easton “I am fasting because I think that it is important to consider other cultures especially because we are so used to our own cultures that we judge others.” - Matilde “In the beginning, I thought that it would be much harder not to drink or eat. The only thing that’s different is my dry mouth. I realise that my energy does not go down, but up. The whole day I have more energy and time to do other things when I’m not eating. I’ve now time to talk with friends and play football. Till now I like it much and I’m exited when we break the fast. #LIKERAMADAN -Vincent “I have been raised Catholic, and have always done the Catholic traditions and festivities. When I got the opportunity to truly experience another religion and their Ramadan, I took it!” - Madeleine

The 5 Pillars of Islam

Shahada - The Profession of Faith Salat - Daily Prayers Zakat - Alms Giving Saum - Fasting during Ramadan Hajj - Pilgrimage to Mecca

27

Through Each Other’s Eyes

lives here- especially for teenagers like me.”

So McKee and several classmates joined a student group, the Buddy Project, organised by CAS Supervisor Vlad Gogelescu and ISA IT member, Julius Kleipool, to build relationships between ISA students and teen refugees entering the Netherlands. Through contacts from the Amstelveen-based VluchtellingenWerk Amstelland, the group connect-

During the past year, several ISA students have been building friendships with a small group of students from a local Dutch high school. They meet every few weeks to connect on a social level to learn more about each other’s lives and to gain a deeper understanding of each other’s perspectives as teenagers

in Amstelveen, to see if there was interest. And indeed there was.

While the issues of transition for young people are often well understood and supported at ISA, the

growing up in one of the world’s most beautiful cities.

experience of seeing transition through the lens of

While this may seem to be a regular run of the mill

in the ISA group. From long separations from family,

cultural exchange, this one differs from many at most schools, because the students that are connecting include young refugees from Syria, Colombia and Bolivia.

ISA grade 11 student, Annabel McKee, is from Australia and has spent most of her life living throughout Asia. Her experience with refugee

refugees has been quite enlightening for all involved to building a new home from scratch and learning a new language and culture, the students from Nova College offer unique insight into why the ISA mission —to educate for international understanding— is more important than ever.

McKee recognises this. “I think that this project has become increasingly more influential in the lives of

communities has been somewhat limited.

both ISA students and our refugee friends as we help

“In Asia, the approach to refugees seems so

tries from all over the world such as: Sweden, Ro-

different than here. The sheer numbers which have entered Europe amazed me and I wanted to be a part of something that would help them to settle into their 28

ed with officials at ROC Nova College, a highschool

each other to integrate. Our club represents counmania, Australia, Thailand, Argentina, Syria, Bolivia, Colombia and Holland. This means that we are given the rare opportunity to be constantly learning about

cultures, acceptance and language and this impacts the lives of both groups of students. Many of the refugee students that we work with have been living in Amsterdam longer than some of us from ISA. This really demonstrates how this club is able to help both groups of students integrate into one community..”

In December, the Buddy Project took part in a local event connecting refugees to Dutch culture through the singing of traditional Dutch songs at the famed Paradiso concert hall. Zing Nederlands Met Me (Sing Dutch with Me) was created in recognition that learning a new language is often easier through song. An event that includes expats, asylum seekers and refugees, it offers a chance to connect groups of people who otherwise might never come in contact with each other to learn about each other and to create potential new friendships. It certainly managed to do so for the students in the project, solidifying their desire to continue to spend time together and to learn more about each other.

Since then, the students have met at the school for a movie night and, most recently, came together in the ISA Food Technology kitchen to cook and share a meal together - homemade Syrian chicken lentil soup and Dutch appelflap.

The students set to work, speaking bits of Dutch, English and Spanish to communicate what needed to be done to prep and cook their meal. Of course there is always a learning point each time the project meets and this time it presented itself in a last minute rush to the store to replace the previously purchased chicken with a halal version.

“It was really one of those moments where you realise that these things matter in each other’s lives and it’s good to be aware and to take that into account in our own thinking.” reflected Kleipool.

In the end, the event was highly successful and a newfound respect was gained for the cooking talents among the group.

“The cooking event was by far our most successful interaction so far.” said McKee. “ It allowed us to embrace our incredibly diverse group through the choice of recipes. We had asked the students from NOVA College to bring a favourite Syrian recipe for us to prepare and in return we would bring a Dutch recipe. Because there is not one common nationality among our ISA group, we collectively decided to prepare a meal from the country that has accepted all of us.”

“This experience has taught us so much about the importance of acceptance and integration as well as encouraged us to pay more attention to the news on the war in Syria which has really opened our eyes to the seriousness of the conflict and helps us to understand who we are working with and inspires us to continue.

The group will continue to meet throughout the rest of the year and will take on several new members and activities for the following school year.

29

30

A Personal Project of Hope Choosing a personal project is often a difficult task for grade 10 students. The students are given the freedom to choose subjects that are of personal interest to them, but that also allow them to achieve a

was overjoyed because the bicycle meant that they could finally cycle together to get to school and to do shop. Although Tamar is very private person, she agreed to let Kleipool share her story, and has in turn

specific goal.

inspired others.

For grade 10 student Tamar Oren, there was a desire

“Tamar put a lot of effort into handmaking and selling

to extend her project into something with a real-life impact. She wanted to find a way that she could use her passion for fashion/design and skills for business and marketing to help others, and in doing so, ultimately helped changed the life of a local Syrian

her bracelets to raise money for Ibrahim’s bike. To see an ISA student taking such great initiative and responsibility, without any expectation for something in return, is both inspiring and heartwarming. She has definitely set an example for all of us.”

refugee family.

Inspired by NGOs like Free the Children, which help thousands of children in child labour to get back into an educational system, Tamar decided to design and make bracelets and sell them to raise money to support a child in need. Her design inspiration came from a popular bracelet making trend in Israel and she quickly set up shop within the school foyer selling her work to families after school each day.

Throughout the process she gained valuable experience in how to run a business, but more importantly she learned how her “project” could change lives.

Working with Sandra Dikkerboom from AZC Amstelveen, a local refugee agency and Julius Kliepool, a member of the ISA IT Team and volunteer coordinator for ISA Buddy Project, Tamar decided that it would be a great idea to use her earnings to purchase a bike for Ibrahim, a young Syrian boy who had recently arrived in Holland with his mother and sister after being separated from his father for over a year.

Tamar accompanied by her mother, Kleipool and Dikkerboom met with Ibrahim’s father and sister at the AZC to present Ibrahim with his new bike. The family 31

Visiting the ICC In 2015, ISA launched its Global Politics course for Diploma students, providing them with a greater opportunity to round out their IB education.

with current on-going cases on the court’s docket.

Global Politics is fairly new to the International Bac-

For many of the students, this was the first time

calaureate programme and explores “fundamental political concepts, such as power, equality, sustainability and peace, in a range of concepts and through various approaches”. Students studying this course are provided with opportunities to look at politics and political action on the local, national and international level to compare and contrast political structures and to learn more about how politics affects the lives

they had experienced visiting a court of any level, and they were excited to know that they would be allowed to sit and watch an actual court proceeding of a case they studied in class concerning alleged war crimes committed at a women’s march in Côte d’Ivoire by former President Laurent Gbagbo and a member of his inner circle, Charles Blé Goudé.

of citizens around the world.

The reality of an actual trial differed immensly from

In March, a group of ISA grade 11 students in the

being far more technical and administrative, as the

course took a field trip to one of the world’s leading adjudicators in the political field - the International Criminal Court in The Hague. To prepare for the trip, class instructors Vlad Gogelescu and David 32

Herbert, introduced the students to the fundamental principles of international law and familiarised them

what the students had expected, with the process defense and prosecution weighed over issues concerning testimony and protections needed for a witness.

Many were also suprised to see how “normal” the defendent looked, with one remarking that both defendents “look like someone’s uncle or grandfather.”

With the success of this visit, viewing ICC court cases in person may become an annual part of the Global Politics course.

Former

President

“Visiting the International Criminal Court allowed our

Lauarent Gbagbo at

Global Politics students to understand that crimi-

his trial at the ICC

nal accountability now transcends national borders

- January 28, 2016.

and enhanced their international understanding

Photo by ICC

of the ways in which justice can be served,” noted Gogelescu.

National Merit Each year, over 1.6 million students around the world take the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), a standardised exam run by the National Merit Scholarship programme to help students prepare for the more advanced SAT testing to meet entry requirements for US colleges and universities.

Under the National Merit programme, student scores are reviewed and awards given based on the index scores they achieve during the test. Recognition from the programme of such achievement is highly regarded and two ISA students, Adam Ramani and Ari Economon received letters of commendation from the National Merit Programme in recognition of their outstanding academic promise, which was reflected in their placement as one of the top 34,000 test takers based on the the highest scoring entrants on a state-representational basis.

Adam and Ari were recognised for their achievement in a surprise announcement at a recent ISA assembly, where Head of Upper School Paul Sanders congratulated the two on their honours.

33

Beijing and Beyond

The attractions were really interesting. We went to the Forbidden City, to the Great Wall of China, to the Heavenly Temple and many others attractions, including the Dulwich College Beijing, an international school there, where we learnt different ways of learning Chinese. - Allesandra 34

One thousand seven hundred and seventeen kilometres. That’s the distance that 20 ISA Mandarin language students travelled, from Amsterdam to Beijing, in the October break for the school’s first cultural immersion trip to China.

ISA offers students five languages in its curriculum to fulfill the language acquisition requirements for the Middle Years Programme (MYP) of the IB - Dutch, Spanish, Mandarin, French and English as an Additional Language. Language Acquisition is a compulsory component for “sustained language learning” for each year of the MYP and since 2010 ISA has offered Mandarin as a language choice for students in grades 6-10. Students like Patrick Olsen have taken advantage of that and immersed themselves in the programme.

“I’ve been taking Mandarin since grade 6, so for 4 years now. I’m originally from Denmark so I wanted to try to learn a language that was nothing like my own, but that would also be useful in the future” noted Olsen. “After all these years of studying, I was really happy to hear that we were actually going to be able to go to China. The other languages often do these trips, so it’s nice to know that we get the chance to use what we know in real life.”

ISA Mandarin teacher Jing Jing Thomas agrees that the trip was an invaluable experience for the students and allowed them to use the skills they learned in class in everyday situations.

“We were gone for almost 7 days and visited the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, the Temple of Heaven, an Art Village and the Beijing National Stadium a.k.a the “Birds Nest” [which hosted the 2008 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games]. We also spent some time visiting a local international school and studying lessons as well.The students were able to use their Chinese language skills and cultural knowledge in many different ways during the trip. I believe it motivated the students to want to learn more,” reflected Thomas.

But for Olsen and Thomas one of the biggest takeaways from the trip was the bonds that were created amongst the students attending.

“Outside of the hotel, visiting the Great Wall and eating were my favourite parts.

But I really loved how I got to know my classmates better and students from other grades. It was great to experience this with them,” explained Olsen.

Thomas reiterated this as well, “I think the best times were when the students had time to do things together, because they were independent and free to engage and just relax. They built relationships across three grades and months later are still meeting every week!”

35

A Winning Perspective 36

In 1638, the city of Amsterdam was besieged with a plague epidemic which threatened the lives (and livelihood) of Amsterdammers. In an effort to ward off the containing spread of disease, the city decided to invest in a medicinal garden as a means to supply doctors and apothecaries with herbs to the city’s residents. Hortus Botanicus would remain their legacy.

Despite being “banished” and built away from the canal areas of the city, the garden thrived and survived centuries of challenge and change as Amsterdam has evolved into the city we know today. It has fast become one of Amsterdam’s greatest landmarks and, for ISA student Istvan “Zozi” Lencz and his fam-

On February 3, 2017 the organisation announced the

ily, a life changing point of inspiration.

winners and Zozi’s photographer won second place.

Late last year Zozi and his family visited the Hortus

“You might be wondering why this photograph

Botanicus to view the winning images from the world renowned International Garden Photographer of the Year Contest, which is run by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, United Kingdom. The contest attracts nature photographers from around the world, offering them the chance to become a part of botanical history through 8 distinct categories: the Beauty of Plants, Beautiful Gardens, Wildlife in the Garden, Breathing Spaces (sponsored by the National Trust), Bountiful Earth, Trees, Woods and Forests, Wildflower Land-

would get this far. As you can see the tree has a lot of ‘spikes’ which is why it is sometimes also called the ‘Monkey No Climb’ tree due its location and the monkeys that might try to attempt to climb it. I took a similar picture in a park in Sicily with my phone and the next day I felt I had to come back to try different angles, styles etc with my camera which would have better quality.”

“What I really enjoy about the photo is the focus on

scapes, and Greening the City.

only some of the ‘spikes’ while the other ones are

A budding photographer himself, Zozi felt inspired to

how some bend left, others right, etc... The main

give it a go and to try to submit a piece from his own

blurred. I also enjoy the shape of these spikes and reason I feel my photo was selected is the location

work for the next competition.

where I took the photo from. It gives the viewpoint of

“At this point the biggest question for me was, could

of pain) climbing up the tree. This is unique and gives

I possibly enter? Luckily there was a youth category, so I sent in one photograph for each of the 8 main categories. Each one was taken during that year but

a caterpillar (who would have probably been in a lot a different feel than ‘normal’ photos.”

“My future in photography I would feel all relies on

in different countries, seasons and dates.”

believing in myself and not giving up. One day you

Much to his surprise, one of Zozi’s photographs was

day it might be perfect. Or you take one photo per

selected to be on the shortlist of finalist for the Youth

might take a photo you feel is horrible while the next day but after a year you only find that three of those

Category - Young Garden Photographer of the Year.

photos are consummate.”

“My photograph is a photo I took of a Hura crepitans

“But every photograph captures a moment and has

tree, also known as the Sandbox Tree. I took the photo during October Break, which I spent in Catania, Sicily. I was really happy when my photograph got shortlisted and when the organization asked for the full, high-quality image.”

something special about it hiding beneath the cover.

Diane Arbus, a noted photographer said, “A picture is a secret about a secret, the more it tells you the less you know.” This is really the wonder of photography. “ 37

Into the Woods

Photos by Bethan McCafferty

ties collide and the absence of absolutes turns each

Once upon a time

character’s life upside-down.

In a far-off kingdom There lay a small village At the edge of the woods

The production was one of the largest done by the

And with these four lines the fairytale began in the

volved, including actors, a chamber orchestra, pup-

ISA World Theatre.

peteering, dedicated hair and make-up and sound

ISA’s theatre and music departments are not

tall two-story set.

and light crews, and the buiding of an “epic” 5-metre

known for shying away from a challenge, and this year, the last year for ISA Drama teacher Kelly Webber, the challenge was not only met, but exceeded all expectations, including those of Web-

So why such a large production?

“As a musician I love Stephen Sondheim and from a

ber and her cast.

theatre perspective, I really wanted to play with pup-

Into the Woods is not like any other musical.

Webber.

petry and to have the canvas to do it,.” explained

Based on the book by James Lapine and with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondhiem, the story traverses the lives of some of our favourite storybook characters

‑ Cinderella, Little Red Rid-

ing Hood, Jack from Jack and the Bean Stalk, Rapunzel and, of course, Prince Charming— as they discover that wants, wishes and life’s reali38

ISA drama department with over 50 students in-

I really wanted to challenge the students and to give them the opportunity to perform a full-length Sondheim, with a chamber orchestra and sound without any remediation. For high school this is really unheard of, but I believed in this and them.”

Webber herself participated as the conductor for the orchestra, which was cleverly hidden in a forest build on the ground-level of the set.

“I love technical theatre, and being a part of the spectacle, without being on-stage. It’s a bit frightening, because I’m not there to direct the students and have to let them own it. But it comes down to trusting them and all the work they put into it.

As they have done in the past, the proceeds raised from ticket sales were donated to charity.

“This year our Into the Woods ticket sales money went to a local charity that was voted on by the entire cast and crew. We elected to choose an option that was not already supported in our local ISA community and researched more local projects and charities to donate to. In the end, the students voted to donate the receipts to the Wolken Theatre, a theatre for refugee children and crisis rehabilitation.”

Being Webber’s last performance, the play signalled the end of a truly magnificent era of Webber’s unique style and talent at ISA. “This play really symbolises the culmination of five years of building out this programme. I always wanted to ensure that the students were given the opportunity to perform at the highest level and I’m really proud of what they achieved over the years.”

39

ISA GREEN TEAM

Over the last 8 years, the ISA Green team has grown to include over 100 student members, and is guided by 22 volunteers. Through events, awareness campaigns and fundraisers, the ISA Green Team works to help ISA make a difference and promote environmental sustainability.

The team meets once a week to explore environmental actions and inspire creative green solutions to everyday issues. There is a strong belief amongst students that the decisions they make on a local level can have a great impact on a global scale.

Ocean Cleanup What do socks, diapers, car tires, curtains, an old bodyboard, bottle-caps and a bucket have in common?

our own students, but also amongst the many other people who visited the beach that day. I believe the ISA Green Team and its supporters are really setting

They are just some of the many items that are washing up on Dutch beaches every day and represented just a small cache of what was collected by the ISA Green Team at its first ever beach clean-up day in

ence in helping our planet.”

While at the beach, the team also visited the Jutters

November.

Museum which houses a fascinating collection of

Following on from last year’s successful Green Team

shoes, buoys, boat signs and even a piece from a

Sustainable Fashion Show fundraiser which supported the Dutch-based Plastic Soup Foundation, the ISA Green Team decided to take things a step further in the battle against plastic waste by organising its first ever beach clean-up day. Despite being held in the middle of winter, a gorgeous sunny day welcomed the team of students, staff, and family volunteers as they visited Zandvoort beach to help clean up waste on the shores and to raise awareness of ocean pollution and the impacts of marine litter on the environment.

Upper School Green Team volunteer and ISA IT staff member Julius Kleipool found the event to be a great success.

“In just a few hours we had bags full of a range of objects that really don’t belong in our oceans. By doing this, we wanted to not only raise awareness amongst 40

a great example of how anyone can make a differ-

objects that have washed up on the beach including NASA rocket that fell to earth in 2008. The museum is a collectors’ paradise but also an interesting educational insight into the natural and maritime history of the Zandvoort area and the Dutch coastline. The

ISA Green Team is planning on making the beach cleanup a biannual event, with another opportunity

waste, providing a solution to cleaning the world’s waterways without impacting the surrounding marine

to participate in May.

life. His TedX video on the innovative idea became an

The entire Dutch coastline is only 451 kilometres in

to the establishment of the foundation. In 2014, Boy-

length, but it faces directly onto one of the busiest seas and most polluted waterways in the world, the North Sea. Over twenty million kilograms of ocean litter ends up in the North Sea annually, and inevitably much of that litter is washed up on the shores of the Dutch coast. Coastwatch and the North Sea Foundation investigations estimate that almost half of all the litter washed up on Dutch beaches is plastic that is often toxic and harmful to animals, birds and

online viral sensation with millions of views, leading an became the youngest ever recipient of the United Nation’s Champion of the Earth award for his inspiring efforts to clean up the ocean.

Based in Delft, the foundation now has over 100 team members worldwide and has further developed the technology required to make Boyan’s idea a functional reality. The Ocean Cleanup’s cleaning technology makes use of long floating barriers which

fish that live in the sea and the coastal regions.

act as an artificial coastline, which will collect and

The next beach clean-up, which is planned for May

rents as a power source.

13, 2017, is a good example of the Green Team’s

catch ocean rubbish by using the natural ocean cur-

committment to ‘act local and change global’

The Ocean Cleanup is currently undertaking its first

The Ocean Cleanup Foundation

coast of the Netherlands. The project has faced chal-

This attitude is also seeing itself play out on the international stage through The Ocean Cleanup Foundation, a Dutch organisation hoping to transform the future of the world’s oceans. The foundation was developed from an idea first offered in a Dutch secondary school student paper. The then 17-year-old student, Boyan Slat explored the idea of using the ocean’s natural currents to collect plastic and other

prototype test project in the North Sea, just off the lenges including large seas and storms that are common in the area, but there are positive signs about the technology. The foundation is hoping to have a working pilot in the Pacific Ocean by late 2017 with the major ocean cleanup planned to commence in 2020. More information on The Ocean Cleanup including updates and videos can be found at www.theoceancleanup.com.

Boyan Slat speaking at Aerial press event at Moffet Airfield in Mountain View California on October 3, 2016.

Photo credit: ‘The Ocean Cleanup’

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Girl Power What would you do if you knew you would succeed?

As an international school, equality is a cornerstone of ISA’s beliefs, allowing our community to embrace the layers of diversity within our halls to create an environment that recognises the intrinsic human value of each and every person at our school.

In 2016, the promotion of feminism and equality was extended throughout the community through several channels including the launch of two girls-rights student groups on campus, a movie screening of The Empowerment Project and the support by female and male students of the recent global Women’s Marches in January.

A “New Wave” of Feminism at ISA In the Fall two new student organisations emerged in support of women and girl child rights around the world. Based on the global campaign by the Always corporation, ISA’s Like a Girl group aims to encourage its members (to come up with strategies for combating sexism, promoting equality and supporting girls’ education and women’s rights in developing countries .

The ISA Girl Up group was created to empower girls worldwide through the promotion of key issues affecting girls and supporting organisations and causes that help girls to achieve their potential.

Both organisations have been active in awareness raising and promotion of feminisn and equality throughout the community and in just a few months have seen true success. Student membership spans from grades 6 to 12 and includes both female and male supporters.

The Empowerment Project In November, the two groups also supported the ISA Upper School screening of the documentary film The Empowerment Project by outlining the role that today’s young feminists at ISA wish to play in the fight for equality and serving as moderators for a discussion panel with the film’s creators, Sarah Moshman and Dana Cook. There were over 100 student and parent attendees supporting the event.

Women’s March 2017 In addition to the formal group activities, many students, faculty, staff and families attended Women’s March events on January 21, 2017 to show their solidarity with supporting equality for women around the world. The Amsterdam event attracted over 4000 participants and several photos from Like a Girl mem42

ber, Lily Rees, were published on www.gurlstalk. com, a popular feminist website promoting the empowerment of women and girls.

ISA grade 8 student Leilani Hancock took her committment to the march farther, by travelling with her mother, ISA English teacher Shannon Hancock, to the United States to join the nearly half a million marchers in Washington D.C. Leilani took the opportunity to record her experience via a short 18-minute self-made documentary she filmed throughout her trip and which is available for public viewing at http://bit.ly/LeilanisMarch. The experience has left a lasting mark on her and solidified her committment to promoting equality on all fronts.

“I think the best part was probably everybody coming together, even if they weren’t a woman. We all came together to support a cause, many causes in fact, under a common theme of women’s rights.” notes Hancock.

“As a girl being there I felt very supported and very empowered to go out into the world and to continue to do things like this. Not necessarily marching, but doing things for a cause.”

“Feminism has always been a big topic for me but I’d also like to support important causes across the board.”

On the Horizon Like a Girl will be launching a student-created feminist-based newspaper this Spring and raised almost 600 Euros for the Malala Fund and Plan Nederland.

For International Women’s Day Girl Up canvassed the school with a beautiful poster collection of feminist icons throughout history to raise awareness of the role women have played, and continue to play in our society.

They are also planning a towel drive for an upcoming event where volunteers will learn how to create reusable pads that will be sent to Kenya for the Too Little Children pad project, to help girls avoid disruption to their education.

Left: Promotional poster for Always #likeagirl campaign Sarah Moshman and Dana Cook.

Right: Members of Like A Girl at the Amsterdam Women’s March 2017 Posters from Girl Up campaign for International Women’s Day 2017 Leilani Hancock at the Women’s March in Washington, D.C. 2017

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Connecting Alumni With over 50 years of educating students from around the world, ISA has a rich and diverse international community of alumni, but keeping in touch has proved a challenge. However, with the ubiquity of social media and the reach it extends, the school now has the means to connect and engage with alumni like never before.

The ISA Alumni platform is an online community serving as the go-to place for former students, faculty, staff and parents to share their experiences, connect with old and new friends and remain a part of ISA’s enduring legacy to educate for international

character and communities. By connecting with and sharing the experiences of our alumni, we can continue to support a sense of life-long learning, even after our community members leave the school. The alumni platform allows us to grow and nurture our global community, while keeping them actively connected to the ISA mission.”

“Our alumni are creatives — photographers, artists, authors, filmmakers, singers and songwriters. They are curious and critical thinkers — from teachers and professors working in schools and universities

understanding.

around the world to startup founders, and innovators

The platform allows members to see the wide range

passion — as human rights lawyers and humanitari-

of paths taken by alumni once they leave the school and is similar to other types of social media where alumni can directly message other members, share pictures, provide updates to the community and create an online profile to share information about themselves. It also includes links to yearbooks, ISA news and communication, upcoming events and the ability to post jobs. As it evolves, it will add additional historical documents, as well as profiles on ISA alumni.

It also features a handy directory where alumni can search and message alumni that live close by.

New ISA Alumni and Advancement Officer, Matthew Jasinski, is excited about the opportunities the plat44

“At ISA, we believe strongly in developing minds,

form provides.

in technology. They demonstrate integrity and coman workers. This platform allows them to share their stories, their learnings, and advice for others who may want to learn from these varied experiences.”

How to Join To join, alumni should visit www.isa-alumni.nl where they can use their current Facebook or LinkedIn account, or simply sign up with an email address. Once signed up, alumni are encouraged to fill out their profile and share their stories with the community.

For questions regarding the platform or the ISA Alumni Programme in general, contact Matt Jasinski at alumni@isa.nl.

London Calling Former ISA students, parents and staff met up at

with old friends and teachers and to share their expe-

our ISA Alumni Reception on 22 January held at the

riences from their time at the school” noted Jasinski.

Graphic Bar in London’s trendy Soho district.

“It was really great to meet so many of our community members and to hear their stories on why ISA

Over 40 alumni travelled from towns and cities across

remains so special to them.There was a real kind-

the United Kingdom to attend the event. Represent-

ness and appreciation at having this chance to get

ing over 40 years of ISA history, the event brought

together. It’s was a great motivation for me, and the

together students and teachers who attended ISA

school, to explore and creatie even more opportuni-

from as far back as 1973 to recent graduates and

ties for our alumni to connect.”

retirees from 2016.

In addition to the alumni attendees, ISA Director EdThe event, the first of many to come, marked a new

ward Greene, Heads of School Sarah Grace and Paul

era of engagement with the school’s alumni. In Au-

Sanders and Admissions & Advancement Director,

gust, ISA began revamping its alumni activities by

Julia True also joined the event.

hiring a dedicated Alumni and Advancement Officer, Matthew Jasinski, to develop, maintain and coor-

“I think we all met a lot of “new” friends and deep-

dinate alumni information and events to ensure our

ened our relationships with our ISA “family”. As a

alumni community remains connected to the school.

school, we look forward to hosting future events, connecting with more of our alumni, and creating

“Being new to ISA, this was my first chance to meet

more opportunities for our community to come to-

many of our alumni and I was amazed by how excit-

gether.”

ed everyone was at having an opportunity to connect

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Class Notes Paulina Aragon (’07-’09) lives in Guadalajara, Mexico, and is currently in her senior year. She hopes to pursue a degree in Communications (Television and Film) and Business Administration next year in either Boston, Atlanta, New York, or Chicago.

Jorge Castillo (’83-’86) lives in Santiago, Chile and has worked almost solely in the Aviation industry. He worked for eight years as a fleet director for a major airline, two years as a

Cristóbal Lowery (’94-’06) Cristobal graduated from ISA in 2006 and is currently living in London with his wife. Since leaving ISA, he has obtained two First class master’s degrees from Imperial College London, and has been pursuing his passion for Artificial Intelligence and entrepreneurship through projects that include working in race strategy for a leading Formula 1 team, a graduate programme in an investment bank, partnering with several consultancies to provide data science support, developing two small startups that sold IT solutions, and patenting a new machine learning system for anesthetic control.

Building on a wide range of experiences, in 2015 Cristobal was given the opportunity to lead the creation of his own data science

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team within Baringa, one of the UK’s leading management consultancies.

“This opportunity has allowed me to really challenge the way in which companies adopt Artificial Intelligence and prepare their businesses for the future. I feel I am uniquely placed in this role, coming from an international family with strong and consistent values together with having attended ISA for 12 years (my mom still works there), has helped me to look at the world in an open-minded way.

My passion for what I do, and a balanced healthy life have also helped me get to where I am. I’m really very excited to be at the forefront of Artificial Intelligence and expect some interesting developments over the coming years.”

consultant and the last 12 years as a Marketing Vice President for a large US aircraft leasing company covering Latin America and the South Pacific.

Heather Cogan (Reid) (’95-’00) lives in Cyprus and runs a school for self-development, mindful meditation and internal Chinese Kung Fu, which she studied in Hong Kong for 10 years.

Arohan Dutt (’06-’09) is a Community Engagement Strategist at car2go in Austin, Texas.

Larissa Gibson-Smith (’05-’12) is completing a Bachelor of Science in Sport Science and a master’s degree in strength and conditioning, while working as a coach with young athletes in Aalsmeer, Netherlands.

Justin Harmon (’86-’88) is a college professor and lives with his wife and three beautiful children in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Laura Heino (’08-’09) graduated from high school in Finland and then attended University of Bath after she left ISA. Laura now works in London in corporate finance.

Margriet Hesseling (’92-’95) works at the Waterstones Booksellers in Amsterdam.

Joseph Human (’08-’13) received his B.Sc. in Environment and Development and a M.Sc. in Development Studies at London School of Economics.

Arun Jolly (’99-’01) is an executive level recruiter focused on engineering for Tesla in California and is temporarily based in London.

Edo Keijzer (’03-’09) graduated with a B.A. from Amsterdam University College and a M.Sc. from London

School of Economics and is now working in Account Development at Mulesoft, a software integration company in London.

Christoph Schmidt (’08-’13) graduated with a degree in Medical Microbiology and Virology and is now studying medicine in London.

Grace Knox (’78-’08) is a retired ISA faculty member living in Llafranc on the beautiful Costa Brava in Spain.

Marlous Schuilwerve (’06’08) is currently finishing a degree in Chemistry at the University of Edinburgh and is applying to master’s programmes in Food Technology/Engineering.

Genco Koca (’06-’07) left ISA in 2007 to study in France at the Lycee International de Saint-Germain-En-Laye and at Ermitage International School of France. He is graduating this year and hoping to move to Canada.

Ilonka Ligteringen (’02-’04) is a graphic designer living in London.

Stephanie Landis (’92’96) currently works at a translation company as a desktop publishing specialist in Beaverton, Oregon. After moving back to the United States, she continued her love of learning about different cultures and has continued to travel and improve her language skills. She blogs in her spare time and has more travel adventures planned.

Ayaka Nonaka (’94-’99) graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and now works as a software engineer at a small startup in Berkeley, California.

Tom Rozylowicz (’84-’86) lives outside Washington D.C. with his family of five.

He has been practicing patent law for the past 16 years after serving 6 years in the Air Force.

Nitya Sarma (’05-’07) completed her undergraduate degree at the University of British Columbia, and is now pursuing a master’s degree in Environment, Politics and Development. at SOAS, University of London.

Aimee Shah (’09-’11) graduated with a degree in Modern History at the University of St Andrews in June 2015. After graduating, she travelled for a summer and then moved to London to start the DAS Accelerate graduate scheme - a 16-month marketing graduate scheme involving 5 placements at different world-class brand strategy, insights and design agencies. After completing the scheme she has started full-time employment at Wolff Olins.

Hafsa Siddiqi (’76-’79) graduated and joined a social welfare organisation working for educational improvement in Pakistan.

Laetitia Thate (’85-’88) moved to New York City at the beginning of the year for work and is now living in Connecticut with her family. She will be catching up with some old classmates soon.

Anjali Tiwari-Bhatia (’79-’85) lives in Boston Massachusetts and is an international lawyer with a focus on Human Rights Law. She has been teaching history in a private New England boarding/day school for the past seven years.

Cleo Veger (’07-’11) graduated university and is now working for Dogwoof, a film distribution company based in London.

London Leslie Blezard (’77-’85) left ISA in 1985 with her then husband, Andre Melchers, who taught PE at ISA to move to England, where they ran pubs in Devon and Dorset. Leslie remarried 20 years ago and she and her husband, Dave, now live in Warwickshire, where she has been teaching music in a Junior School for the last 14 years. She is sad to announce that Andre passed away in 2009, but they have a daughter, Bianca, now 28, who is a professional violinist based in the Manchester area.

Ludovico Cinelli (’06-’12) is living in London and achieved a B.A. in English from the University of Birmingham and an M.A. in creative writing from Royal Holloway, University of London.

Ryan Sirk Ryan, a 2013 graduate, recently graduated from Oxford university with firstclass honours where he studied psychology and philosophy.

“As an undergraduate, I read philosophy and psychology. Each subject presented a distinct set of opportunities and challenges.

In practical classes for psychology, for example, I got the chance to pick up and handle a human brain so that I could better understand its anatomical structure. But the next morning, I had to apply that understanding in a “pop quiz” that asked us to name the highlighted part of the brain in over 50 images.”

Merel Eusman (’03-’05) lives in London and is studying Biomedical Science with Management and applying for master’s programmes.

Katrina Harple (’06-’13) attended Sarah Lawrence College in New York, where she studied for a B.A. in Liberal Arts concentrating in Philosophy and Art History. In her senior year, she did an academic exchange at Wadham College, University of Oxford where she completed her undergraduate thesis in aesthetics and phenomenology. She currently lives in London and is completing an M.A. in Art History at University College London.

Derek Harwell (’96-’14) is a former staff member who now lives Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He was the princi-

“More generally, I faced the challenge of holding myself together for a threeweek exam period that determined 80% of my final marks, and enjoyed the opportunity to interact with leading scholars over coffee, in small-venue lectures, and in weekly one-on-one classes called “tutorials”.”

Ryan is now on a mission to get into graduate school for philosophy. “In 2016 no schools admitted me into their philosophy Ph.D.

pal of Ambrit International School and lead at TEDx before leaving to become Program and Membership Coordinator at AAIE.org.

Willem Hilbers (’10-’13) is currently studying mechanical engineering at Imperial College. He also completed a summer internship at Dyson and a yearlong internship at The Technology Partnership.

Georgia Knight (’06-’14) lives in London, has worked for the past 2 years and is now studying at University of Westminster.

Steffi Renique (’99-’11) recently completed a M.Sc. from London School of Economics, founded a social networking startup, and now works at Microsoft in London.

Claudia Saksida (’02-’07) is currently a 5th year medical student at Imperial College London.

Jack Spalding (’09-’12) is currently in his final year at Coventry University and has undertaken a placement at Goldman Sachs studying Advertising and Business.

Gregory Weegenaar (’90-’06) graduated with a B.A. in Economics from Durham University and a M.Sc. in Economics & Business from Erasmus Rotterdam He has worked for ABN Amro Amsterdam, PwC as a strategy consultant (strategy) London and is currently a data scientist at TDR Capitol in London.

Photos from the London Alumni Reunion.

Naomi Roba (’09-’13) received a B.Sc. in Political Economy from King’s College London, and is now pursuing a M.Sc. in Management at London School of Economics.

programmes, but this year at least two have, and a few others have waitlisted me. So right now I am preparing to visit philosophy departments in the United States (including Harvard and UC Berkeley), in the hope that I will find the one that best fits my previous experience and future ambitions. Beyond that I am playing music, cooking, and reading for pleasure again, and am spending more time with family.”

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Simon Schlip On April 9, 2017 the ISA community learned of the sudden and unexpected passing of Simon Schilp, a long-standing PE teacher and passionate coach,

winner for the “Goof of the Day” award for the most comical error from a student during the trip. And

from a cycling accident.

most recently, he helped get the community up and

Originally from Amsterdam, Simon came to ISA in

Run-to-Share Fun run races each Spring.

May of 1990, joining the then growing Physical Edu-

running by assisting in the organisation of the annual

cation (PE) department.

For Simon ISA was family. His colleagues were also

“I was the Athletic Director at the time, and hired Si-

his life such as attending his wedding in June 2008,

mon in 1990.” remembers Rob Boos, currently ISA’s Operations Manager.” I knew Simon already from volleyball leagues and knew that he would be great addition to the school. I chose to go with someone I knew would be a good fit for ISA. That was 27 years ago.”

During his almost three decades as a PE teacher at ISA, Simon helped shape the lives of thousands of students, pushing them to discover the best of themselves on the court and the track and most impor-

his dear friends, sharing in the special moments of a date which everyone in the PE department remembered because of Holland’s 4-1 defeat of France in the European Championships. It was a celebration to be remembered, which was fitting for Simon, who believed in celebrating all that life had to offer.

Simon Says.....

The phrase “Simon says” undoubtedly brings to mind hilarious anecdotes and priceless memories for the hundreds of members of the ISA family who were fortunate enough to know him over the years.

tantly in their daily lives.

He even had it written on his team sweatshirts.

But Simon’s influence extended far beyond the

Our Simon always had something to say, but now

classroom as well. For years he helped with the ISA Special Olympics event, which pairs ISA students with special needs children from the community.

Each February during Crocus break he volunteered to chaperone the annual ski trip to Austria, helping 48

students learn to ski and infamously seeking out a

it seems it’s our turn. We will miss you dearly Simon–your smile, your sense of humour, your ability to bring out the best in us and most importantly your friendship and dedication to our school.

Eline Norberg Simon - was such a big part of my time at ISA - he taught me and many of my fellow team mates so much about working hard and laughing harder. ISA will surely be a little less bright without him. Rest In Peace Reece Chau - Simon was an amazing teacher, coach and friend who was an integral part of the ISA community. When joining the school in 7th grade, Simon introduced me to the game of basketball helping me develop my skills throughout the years. During IB, he even invested time after practices to have one-onone sessions with me. I will never forget that. At the end of my senior year, it was an honour to receive my jersey from Simon, which I will always hold dearly as a token of our friendship. Simon, I know you’re in a better place and I just want to thank you for always believing in me, teaching me the importance of hard work and for continuously pushing me to become the best version of myself. Rest in Paradise James LaVela - As an elementary student at ISA, I looked up to Simon (literally and figuratively). He was a major part of the ISA community and taught us all so much. This is terribly sad news. May Simon rest in peace.

Jenny Lodin He was a great teacher and coach and was one of the people who inspired me to become a PE teacher. Always happy and smiling and he will be missed Helen Forde - So shocked to hear of this... Simon was such a part of every successful Special Olympics we did together. So many memories of his humour, his smile and Fridays at ISA. Deepest sympathy to his family and friends.

Kimmee Farid - So sad to hear of Simon’s passing. I was never any good at PE, but he made the classes so much fun with his positive attitude that I used to look forward to them. He was a fantastic teacher.

Condolences to his family and friends. ISA will not be the same without him.

Larissa Chloe - I joined ISA in 2005 and was in many of the sports teams up until my graduation in 2012.

Simon was my favourite coach, always joking and cheerful. Just last month he and his wife helped me 49

with my career change to physiotherapy. I am so sad that he is no longer with us and feel happy and honoured to have been one of his students and friends.

Natasha Vohra and Family - We are deeply saddened by the sudden and untimely demise of Simon. We have known Simon for 15 years, as a dedicated PE teacher, always smiling and friendly. You are all in our thoughts and prayers in this most difficult of times.

With sincere condolences.

Caroline Moen - What a shock to find out and very saddening. Simon was a wonderful, funny and warm hearted coach and teacher. He recommended I join the JV volleyball team back in 1999 and the sport became a red thread throughout my life; influencing the choices I make and the people I meet, including my partner. I credit him for that. He was that type of teacher that spotted an unremarkable talent and encouraged you to make it remarkable. RIP Simon.

Sian Lysaght - In our ISA family some members of that community through shear longevity really act like institutional pillars, propping up our key essences, when all else is changing. Simon brought something very special to ISA every day and for a great many years, his infectious energy, a conviction that all the students’ lives are enhanced by a keen engagement in PE…I admire him for what he gave to all the students, so many we have shared, including my son.

Simon’s legacy is huge, it has to be. The testament that I think he may value the most is in the way his students live their lives now and into their futures and the qualities their lives have as a result of knowing Simon. The twinkle that many mention that was never far from his eye was a signature feature too. This too spoke volumes about his character, his sense of fun and shear authenticity. No getting away from it, Simon was Simon. And the warm side, the more under wraps side, the lesser seen feature, was very much there too…and he could charm you with his level of connection when you least expected it. Simon will be missed in an incalculable way. A life measured by your positive impact on others, is gloriously his.

Monica De Pinto Ribeiro Hancke - Michelle Ayoub (2008) & I (2010) both live in Washington DC USA and decided to get together tonight for a drink to toast to Simon. Here’s to you, Simon. Rest In Peace.

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2016-2017 SPORTS Cross Country ISA runners finished strongly throughout the season, landing several top 10 spots in all their races. Each runner had personal bests at the end of the season, which is what it’s all about.

ISA Volleyball U12 Girls - 3rd U14 Girls - 1st JV Girls - 1st Varsity Girls - 1st Basketball U12 Girls - 3rd place U12 Boys - 1st U14 Girls - 4th U14 Boys - 2nd JV Girls - 3rd JV Boys - 6 Varsity Boys - 4 Varsity Girls - 3rd Swimming 1st place - 20 medals 2nd place - 16 medals 3rd place - 23 medals

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Dedicated to Professional Development by teachers for teachers.

World Music Drumming Course July 3 - 7, 2017 Classroom and music teachers join us to learn the basics of African & Caribbean drumming, singling and moving and how to update your instructional approaches with the World Music Drumming Curriculum.

ECIS & AISAP Admissions Institute October 5 - 7, 2017 A conference for international school Admissions Office staff with global admissions specialists sharing best practices and innovative ideas for process and procedure; data digging and sustaining professional relationships and partnerships.

WIDA International Academy: Standards and Assessment (EAL) October 12 - 15, 2017 A 4-day introduction to the WIDA English Language Development standards framework and assessments to help schools build capacity for using WIDA resources to serve multilingual learners.

Mindfulness for Teaching and Learning October 19 & 20, 2017 Join us for an inspiring and innovative 2-day event that will give you new ideas and strategies for supporting the development of balance and wellness for students and teachers in international schools.

Pedagogy of Play: Designing for playful learning in preschool through middle school November 8 & 9, 2017 This 2-day workshop shares principles, practices, and tools developed by the Pedagogy of Play project, a collaboration between the International School of Billund, the LEGO Foundation, and Project Zero (PZ) at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

International Schools Communications Symposium November 23 & 24, 2017 Join us in Amsterdam to discuss the latest strategic communications and marketing trends at international schools and learn how you can make your school stand out from the rest.

More events coming in 2017 - 2018 --

CIS Child Protection Workshops

Maker-Centred Learning: Empowering young people to shape their worlds The 3rd Conference on iPads in the Classroom

coming soon

Creating Cultures of Thinking with Ron Ritchhart

For detailed information about these events, visit us online at cdlt.isa.nl

The International School of Amsterdam

Connections

To Educate for International Understanding