ISB NEWSLETTER Issue 2 / december 2011
1 st D e c e m b e r production Pa g e 2
The International School of Bucharest Sos Gara Catelu, Nr.1R Sector 3 032991Bucharest, Romania
Tel:+4 (0) 21 306 9530 Fax: +4 (0) 21 306 9534 www.isb.ro
Unicef activity
I SB b o o k w e e k
Pa g e 9
Pa g e 4
Principal’s Message Upcoming Events 22 December Last day of Autumn Term
10 Jan First day of Spring Term
16 January Clubs Start
16 January Eminescu Day
3-5 February KS2 Ski Trip
4 February KS3 Ski Trip
11 February KS4&5 Ski Trip
23-24 February Half term break
Dear Parents, How quickly the weeks seem to be passing by. We are almost at the end of the term and I know attention is turning to the registration of new students for the academic year 2012-2013. We are proud to announce that the school tuition fee will remain the same for the fourth year in a row! (since we moved to the Pantelimon Campus). Parents can benefit from superb discounts if they register in advance. Information letters on early registrations will be sent home shortly. Please contact the admissions officer Ms.Cristina Sirbu for details. We have been busy building a new website which will be online in January 2012. The new website will be more compact and user friendly. For privacy reasons, the new website will not include downloadable photos or videos. However, a slideshow of low resolution photos will appear in the news section. The school’s dedication to staff development has been increasing. Besides inschool training sessions, we had the opportunity to bring in distinguished professionals from the UK to train our teachers. Five members of our faculty went to The ECIS (European Council of International Schools) conference last November. Our teachers had the opportunity to learn about recent educational developments while meeting and sharing ideas from teachers all around the world. Besides offering a well balanced curriculum, we believe that social awareness is another very important element of education which is in line with our Philosophy. We organized several charity and donation campaigns with our PTA (parent-teacher association), Student Council and students from Travel and Tourism class. 1. We raised 7800 lei to help earthquake victims in Van, Turkey. 2. Student Council raised 4270 lei to help cancer victims. 3. Mrs. Pintilie with students from Travel and Tourism class organized a campaign in partnership with UNICEF Romania to contribute their ‘hai la scoala’ (let’s go to school) programme. UNICEF Romania representative Edmond McLoughney and famous football player Gheorghe Hagi, UNICEF’s goodwill Ambassador visited our school to support this programme. They met our secondary school students in the theatre and emphasised the importance of social awareness. So far, over 5000 lei has been raised for this cause. 4. Last, but not the least, PTA organized a donation campaign to help students in special school nr.9. Lots of toys and non-perishable food items have been collected. PTA members are very busy packing the gifts. The primary school choir will company them to sing season’s songs when they go to deliver the gifts. Our students have worked very hard and will soon receive their report cards. The report cards should provide the opportunity to celebrate achievements and examine goals for improvement. I would like to thank our teachers, parents, students and admin staff for their dedicated efforts to raise our school’s profile this term. I believe that we have been very successful and deserve the well earned holiday! I would like to wish you a joyous holiday season and a healthy, happy and prosperous 2012. Faruk Erduran Director
1st December Production
1st of December represents one of the most important days in Romanian history. It is the day when this country became united, having all her states joined together. This big event was celebrated in our school this year by putting on a show in which we performed some traditional Romanian folkore songs and dances. Many thanks to everyone involved in this event! We were very happy that the audience joined us by clapping, singing along and even dancing with the children and teachers on the stage. Romanians are proud of their country and they show it on every occasion they get.
„La Mulți Ani, România!” ”Happy Union, Romania!”
Reception trip to Antipa Museum Reception students had a wonderful time visiting the Antipa museum on Wednesday, 30 December. It was great to see their excitement as they pointed out animals that they knew and also discovered more animals. The students were pleased to see the Australian section as they had learnt about these animals during International Week. They also liked seeing the skeletons of animals and particularly the dinosaurs!
Nursery news
What wonderful characters we saw on Book Week Dress up day, thank you to all our families for sending along costumes. It was a nice surprise for Nursery C class to see that they won the Best Door Display award for the Early Years floor. With the weather getting colder we have been discussing what happens during this time, autumn becomes winter and the weather and environment changes all around us. During the last fortnight our learning activities have been about clothes and what to wear when it is cold. The children have created hats, scarves, mittens, gloves, coats and we have played some fun thinking and listening games during circle time, related to this theme. Nursery classes have also been looking at 2D (dimension) shapes and where we can see them
in the classroom as well as identifying what they are and what they look like. We have been focused on the main shapes of Circle, Square, Rectangle, Triangle, Star and Diamond. Of course with the time of year it is all around us we have had some discussions about this festive time of year, and our foyer area looks very lovely with all the decorations displayed. The children continue to build on their skills of language and communication through stories, poems and rhymes and through the many and varied conversations they have throughout the day. Staff would like to thank all our families for their continued support and we hope that everyone has a happy and exciting holiday.
Reception news This half term Reception children have started practicing their Jolly Phonics. Children are very enthusiastic to learn about sounds around them and to practice their sounds songs and actions. We are working very hard to learn our numbers but learning is so much fun in Reception! We have also started our weekly homework and we would like to thank all the parents for their continuous support, well done dear parents!
ISB Book Week 2011
Nicolas
Year 5 reach for the stars!
On Thursday 24th November 2011 year 5 performed in a fantastic show called ‘Out of this world’. The play was chosen to link with year 5’s current topic of ‘Astronomy and Space’. The colourful production told the story of a group of space travelers (crew) that arrived on a planet and met some very strange creatures (Choopies and Geekoids). They also learnt an environmental message about taking care of the planet. All of the students in Year 5 worked well together and they certainly enjoyed learning the songs and actions and there was always excitement during the rehearsals! Well done Year 5!
Year 3 News Year 3 have had a busy half term – we have all enjoyed learning about our new topic, Airports. We began with an assembly about airports by class 3B. Key stage two were able to learn about how we check in and travel by plane. Everyone worked really hard on this and the performance was great – well done 3B! More recently year 3 went on a school trip to an Aviation Museum. We learnt about the history of aviation and saw a wide variety of planes and helicopters. It was interesting to see how planes have changed and developed over time. All of year 3 enjoyed this trip a lot and produced some wonderful drawings of what they could see there. In the classroom we have been learning about airports and holidays. We have looked at holiday destinations and talked about our own holidays. We have also made our own paper planes with great success! On the 29th of November a pilot came in to talk to us all about his job. We all got to ask questions and learnt a lot about this rewarding profession. In November it was book week and the year 3 enjoyed reading and sharing books and poetry. 3G were lucky enough to have a guest come in and read poetry to them. We even had a go at writing our own poetry about transport. At the end of the week we came in dressed as our favourite book characters and there were some fantastic costumes! After the winter holiday we will begin a new topic, Chocolate. There will also be the year 3 production to look forward to at the beginning of February.
Pizza Making with Year 2 On Friday 2nd December 2011, in Year 2 we made pizza. This was to help us learn about instructions. Signore Giuseppe helped us by showing us how to put on the ingredients and cook the pizzas. We used tomato sauce, cheese, peppers, tomatoes, herbs and bread. First, we spread the sauce on the bread. Then, we put on the cheese. Next, we added the other ingredients. Finally, we cooked the pizzas in the oven. Everyone made a small pizza and we really enjoyed eating them. Unfortunately, Signore Giuseppe could not stay at ISB because he had to drive his red Ferrari back to Roma, but we were happy he helped us learn about pizza making! Ciao!
Enterprise Day On the 5th of November Years 3 and 4 had our Enterprise Day. We worked in teams of 5 and created our own business, designing a logo and a name for our companies. Each person in the company had a specific role such as project manager, finance manager, head of sales etc. We researched information about a country using the internet and books. We then bought materials to make souvenirs for that country and tried to sell them for the highest possible price to our Year 10 helpers. In total we made over 3000 lei profit!
EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES The first session of clubs is over and ISB is proud of all the activities that took place for the last 3 months.
MUSIC CLUB The musical clubs had a continue progress with their performance, from the violin to the piano, from guitar to the choir performance. On 6th of December the primary choir was singing at Palatul Copiilor in a Gala organized by Spanish Embassy. ISB is looking forward to have the 2nd CD recorded with songs performed by the choir.
Swimming, tennis and horse riding gave the students the opportunity to develop their skills as well as to discover new passions.
The winter term clubs will start on 16th of January and will bring more and exciting activities, including ice skating, ceramic, mosaic, textile design or HPI car racing. The on line registration is open until 16th of December and you are kindly invited to check the club brochure to find out the details about the activities that will take place next term.
In little scientists the children discovered each lesson new and interesting things like, how the egg floats, how to make a hand phone or how the lava lamp is working! They were very excited and for sure they can’t wait for the next club session.
The sports were well represented by the basketball and football teams in games played against The European School of Bucharest, The American International School, Spectrum School and most recently by Christian Academy.
Their Dream Became Reality It all started during our Travel and Tourism class. We were discussing the about the topic for the project required for the AS level exam. They chose to design, plan and implement a charitable event for the benefit of less fortunate children. By the end of the lesson, the decision was made. They will raise money for the UNICEF project “Hai la scoala!” – “Let’s go to school!” - supported by the famous Romanian football player Gheorghe Hagi in his capacity of UNICEF Good Will Ambassador. And for this, Gheorghe Hagi will be invited to our school together with the UNICEF Representative in Romania, Edmondo McLoughley. The week December 5 – 9 was declared UNICEF Week. A number of activities were carefully planned and many of them have already been carried out. A movie night on December 30, fresh orange juice sale, UNICEF dolls and other products sale, non uniform day on December 9. December 8 was the day when Hagi came to our school. What a joy! Hagi and the UNICEF representative came to our school. They were given a school tour and then they met all the secondary school students in the theater. There, they were welcome by the three year 13 Travel and Tourism students who initiated the event. They were happy. Their dream became reality. The 200 students present in the theater were clapping their hands while shouting as loud as they could: Hagi! Hagi! Hagi!
Our secondary School Principal Mr. Ervin Husseyn introduced the guests and Mr. Edmondo McLoughly motivated the UNICEF Hai la scoala! – Let’s go to school! - campaign: at the moment, in Romania there are 400.000 children who do not go to school. “Children MUST go to school in order to have a good start in life “started his speech Hagi. “ I was born to play football, but school made me richer and better. And whether I liked it or not I went to school first and then I played football. Talent is a gift, but it needs to be doubled by a lot of work. ” And he reiterated the importance of school in everybody’s life. And then, the students asked questions and Hagi answered. There were moments when his face was glamorous
and his eyes were sparkling when he remembered the days when he became an internationally recognized football player. We were all impressed by the natural, modest way he presented some of the most beautiful gools in the history of football. Yes, it was talent, but nothing would have happened without hard work. Both the students and Hagi had a great time together, but it was time for him to meet our football players. He started the game, then he watched them playing for a while. He took pictures with them and then it was time for him to leave. And for a while, we felt that “the sky is the limit� is not just a saying. For those who are special it is a reality. And I am sure that our school gives our students the opportunity to have the sky as their limit. Marlena Pintilie Travel and Tourism Teacher
PINK DAY Breast Cancer Awareness Day The Secondary Student Council organised a Breast Cancer Awareness Day on November 11th. All teachers and Secondary students were encouraged to wear pink to show their support for the cause. The main objective of this Student Council project was to raise awareness among their colleagues about a disease which is very common and also to raise some money to support the fight against it. On December 9th, Ms Daiana and a few members of the Student Council were invited to visit Fundatia Renasterea. During this visit, they donated the money raised during Pink Day and they found more about the activity of the Foundation and what it does to help the women affected by breast cancer. This was a very successful Student Council project and the students must be congratulated for their efforts and the commitement they showed in such an important topic.
Some of the activities organised on the day were : -No Uniform Day, secondary students payed 10 lei to wear Pink clothes instead of the Uniform -Bake Sale - Parents, teachers and students donated trays of cookies, muffins and other tasty treats which were sold during breaks. -Pink awareness ribbons were made and sold by the Student Council -There was a presentation for KS 3 students which taught them about the risks of such a disease and showed them what they can do to help the women affected by it.
Comenius International Project A short movie from the viewpoint of young europeans.
Our school became partner in a Comenius international project, A Short Movie from the Viewpoint of Young Europeans. Our partners are schools from Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Greece and Turkey. Students and members of the staff involved in this project will have the opportunity to meet and work with their colleagues from the other partner schools. Visits to the 7 partner countries will take place. During these visits the participants will be involved in workshops on different topics such as: eating habits, historical places, cultural activities in the school, religious and national holidays, shooting a movie, digital art. other topic was Traditional Food. For this topic our students prepared a presentation about the International Day, event that ISB hosts every year. Meeting different countries, cultures and ways of thinking, the students involved in this project will expand their horizons. People involved in this project will be positively affected by experiencing the cultural differences. We are waiting for the next meeting that will take place in the Czech Republic, in February 2011.
Last week four of our year 9 students had the first Comenius project meeting in Budapest. During this event they had the chance to exchange ideas with their colleagues from the other countries and to learn more about European cultures, languages and values. They also improved their skills in the art of filming, as this was one of the topics in the Budapest workshop. An-
3D Space Station Documentary Space, planets and the Solar system are some of the key topics in Science. As such, our school organized a field trip to watch a movie about the International Space Station at IMAX Cotroceni. On the 22nd of November, year 5,6 and 9 students embarked on a journey towards outer space. Stunning visual 3D effects, movies recorded by the astronauts living and working on the ISS and breath taking images of our Planet, as it is seen from outer space – these were only some of the ingredients that made the documentary a big success. The students had the chance to see how astronauts eat, train, work and sleep at zero gravity, as well as how a space station like this is built. It is a common effort of many countries, showing that borders can be indeed forgotten and we can work together for a common greater goal. You can find additional information about ISS on their website. The website comes with some interactive content. Have a look at http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/ISSRG/
Year 12 social gathering More than half of ISB’s Year Twelve students, together with their tutors- Mr Sinan Kosak, Mr Arnold Fletcher- and Miss Ingrid Stanciu, gathered in school, on a bright and chilly Saturday afternoon, to enjoy the pleasure of each other’s company, over an extended lunchtime. The event, which started at midday, included a lunch provided free by the school, a light-hearted Oscars ceremony to celebrate the contribution that some of the bigger Year Twelve personalities make to the life of the year group, and the launch of the 2011 Secret Santa season. Several members of staff who popped in briefly to give their regards, commented on the warm, convivial atmosphere generated by Year Twelve’s signature characteristics: good manners, consideration and a desire to make everybody feel included.
Artsy night
The first bohemian artsy night gave the chance to the students of ISB of all ages to bond, work on the “Wings� competition as well as for separate projects. Many of the students got the chance to work on canvas for the first time making the night a pleasant experience. We would like to thank the school for helping organize this event, and providing the buffet. We would also like to thank Laura Galea and Mihailo Acimovac for helping provide the pizza and of course Ms. Sorana for bringing the entire event together. We hope to repeat it soon.
Julie, Angeliki, Ilham
Table Tennis competitions Students played table tennis during PE lessons and competed against each other during two weeks tournament. The best player from each class qualified for the final round which took place between 7 and 18 November. LUMINA Table Tennis Competition gave the chance to our students to meet students from other schools. The event organized by the PE Department was an exciting one, where girls and boys between the age of 12 and 18 competed against each other. The British School of Bucharest had strong players, but ISB proved that they are the best. Cups, medals and diplomas were awarded to the top players.
KS3 trip to Tusnad
During the mid-term break a memorable trip was organized for KS3 students. The students not only had a good time in the outdoors and celebrated an early Halloween, but they also had some science applications (visiting a volcanic lake and marshlands with a unique habitat, observing sulfur emanations through rocks and tasting mineral waters in a volcanic region). Outdoor education was a second important component of the trip, which enhanced students’ problem solving and team work skills, time management and environmental skills, through activities like ATV mountain rides, climbs in Park Aventura, or a full afternoon swimming at Paradisul Acvatic in Brasov.
Year 8 Science field trip
Year 8 students had an applied Science lesson on Friday, October 14, 2011. They first visited a couple of recycling factories in Buzau – Green Weee and Green Fiber, for electrical appliances and for plastic products. The students became more aware of the importance of recycling materials, with positive effects on the environment. The second part of the trip was dedicated to natural Sciences. They visited the Muddy Volcanoes, a unique formation of lava-like craters. The students observed the impact of the salty mud on the environment, noticing plant adaptations. They also did some observations around the crater, taking samples for lab analysis and trying to explain how the mud erupts, under the Science teacher’s guidance.
Science Field Trip of Prep Class The Prep class had a wonderful time during the Science trip with Ms.Anisoara to the Zoo Baneasa. This trip was meant to pin down the basic characteristics of animals and to improve their knowledge in the Zoology field. All students had to do a project consisting in 5 Animal Cards (Mammal, Bird, Reptile, Amphibian & Fish Card) during which they were learning new facts, like types of habitat for different vertebrates. Good job everybody!
Robotic Club Students at ISB Robotics Club learned the basics of Robotics using Lego NXT Mindstorm Kit. They have learned the fundamentals of programming and how to use different sensors in practical projects. The first task was to make a Castor Bot to learn basic movement control. Then they have extended this bot into a Sumo Robot which aims to find its opponent to push out of the ring. The final project, and the most interesting one was to built a self balancing Segway robot. Using a gyro robot our robot was able to stand in equilibrium and adjust its stability automatically on two wheels. This mission is also completed successfully!
Edible hazard symbols Year 7 students made their first steps into chemistry and they started with the basis‌the hazard symbols. But these were a different type of hazard symbols – edible hazard symbols, which made learning more enjoyable. Mr. George Science teacher
SPACE CAMP IN TURKEY This year’s Space Camp will be held between 9 to 13 April in Izmir, Turkey. Space Camp Turkey is the third Space Camp in the world. It is also licensed with the Alabama Space Science Exhibit Commission, headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama. Through interactive, space-related simulations, students learn about communication, teamwork and leadership in a dynamic, fun-filled environment.
Planned Activities - SIMULATORS - MISSION RELATED ACTIVITIES - SCIENCE / ASTRONOMY SUBJECTS - SPACE RELATED ACTIVITIES - TEAM-BUILDING ACTIVITIES
OTHER CAMP ACTIVITIES Mini Golf Movie Night Program Orientation Facility Tour
Ice breakers Gift shop Evaluations Graduation
Space Camp Turkey costs 675€ which includes plane tickets, transportation, 5 day-COSA Space Camp activities, meals, accommodation, t-shirt, hat and educational program materials. Registration ends at the end of January, so please hurry up! If you are interested: In Secondary please contact with Head of Science, Mr.Sinan Kosak, sinan.kosak@isb.ro and in Primary; contact with Mr.Mustafa Karabulut, mustafa.karabulut@isb.ro For more information about Space Camp and multimedia gallery, please visit http://www.spacecampturkey.com/defaulteng. asp
The International School of Bucharest Sos Gara Catelu, Nr.1R Sector 3 032991Bucharest, Romania
Tel:+4 (0) 21 306 9530 Fax: +4 (0) 21 306 9534 www.isb.ro