Weekly bulletin mar 11 2014

International School of Schaffhausen

Weekly Bulletin 11 March 2014 March 2014

Headlines

Tue 11 Wed 12 Thu 13

General 

MYP News Flash – The Next Chapter

Primary School News 

Featured Class: Transition

Secondary School News     

IB Diploma Recognition Principal’s Message Grade 10 Class Trip to New York MYP English B Connected Grade 6 Physics

Parents’ Association 

PA Newsletter

Fri 14

ISSH Family Ice Skating Party, KSS, 16:00

Mon 17 Tue 18 Wed 19 Thu 20 Fri 21 Mon 24 Tue 25

Primary Clubs start

Wed 26 Thu 27 Fri 28

MY movie night

Mon 31

16:00-19:00 Student-Parent-Teacher Conferences grades 6/7

April Tue 1 Wed 2

13:00-16:00 Student-Parent-Teacher Conferences grades 8, 9 and 12

Thu 3

Deutsche Kurzfassung

Fri 4 Mon 7

16:15-19:00 Student-Parent-Teacher Conferences grade 10 13:00-18:00 Student-Parent-Teacher Conferences Primary.

No school for Primary in the afternoon.

Tue 8 Wed 9 Thu 10

13:00-18:00 Student-Parent-Teacher Conferences Primary 14:00-17:00 Grade 10 Personal Project presentation

Professional Development day for

Fri 11

all our staff, therefore:

Spring break 12 – 27 April

No school for all students on May 2nd, 2014!

Mon 28 Tue 29 Wed 30

Last school day for grade 12 9:00 PA coffee morning

May Thu 1

Labor Day – no school for all students

Fri 2

Professional Development Day for ISSH staff – no school for all students

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General News MYP News Flash- The Next Chapter Dear Parents Our MYP programme teachers are currently being introduced to new documents published by the IB MYP. These documents are related to a thorough review of the MYP (MYP – The next chapter) which the IB has undertaken over the last 3 years. At the end of the review, the findings have been used to enhance current practice and also to introduce some new aspects which will be added to the programme from September 2014.

The core of the programme remains the same. Holistic Learning, Intercultural Awareness and Communication are still fundamental to all practices in the MYP. Some of the highlights of the upcoming changes include name changes for subject groups, more consistency in assessment across subject groups, and the move from Areas of Interaction to working with Global Contexts and Key and Related Concepts.

Name Changes Humanities  Individuals and Societies Language A  Language and Literature Language B  Language Acquisition Sciences - Sciences Mathematics - Mathematics Arts - Arts Physical Education  Physical and Health Education Technology  Design Assessment From September 2014 each subject group will now have 4 criteria for assessment. We see this as a very positive development because it will make the assessment process less confusing for students and parents.

Additionally, each criterion will be evaluated on a 1-8 scale.

Global Context and Key / Related Concepts There will no longer be Areas of Interaction found in MYP units, but rather a broader and clearer framework including Global Contexts. Global contexts are meant to comprise a range of ideas and issues that are globally significant but can be applied at many levels. The Global Contexts are a direct continuation of the Transdisciplinary Themes found in the PYP. Key and Related Concepts help inform and guide the inquiry process. We will hold information meetings for parents during autumn term to further clarify these ideas.

Our teachers are already considering these aspects and how they will enhance the programme. Watch for further information in newsletters, information meetings and on the webpage.

These are very positive changes that will empower the learning process of the students at ISSH and make it easier for parents to understand the programme, too.

Gundula Kohlhaas, Head of School

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Primary School News Featured Class: Transition A few weeks ago, Transition students were both surprised and amused to arrive one morning and find the classroom in complete darkness. As the pre-unit assessment of our unit of inquiry, ‘Light creates reflections and shadows’, had revealed so many questions about darkness and light, we decided to spend the day working in the dark, investigating the students’ initial thoughts and clarifying ideas. "Working in the dark is like being in the moon." "It was fun, scary and cool,” were some of the comments from the students.

Blacking out the windows led naturally into an exploration of how much light different materials allow to pass through them. The students enjoyed peering through various materials to determine if they were transparent, translucent or opaque. We also discussed why and how we use such materials. Some students observed how opaque materials are stronger and safer, whilst translucent materials tended to be mostly for decoration. Everyone agreed that they wouldn’t like to have a transparent door on a toilet! Making stained glass windows helped to reinforce the property of translucency. On a sunny day, the students investigated their shadows at regular intervals, observing how they increased in length and changed position. Later, they discussed their observations, sharing thoughts such as, “A shadow is made from the ‘lava’ in the sun,” and “The sun shines on the shadow, then the sun reflects you, then the shadow appears.”

To explore the idea that shadows can be made indoors without the sun, the students made shadow puppets and presented their stories to the class. A visit to Technorama provoked more questions about why shadows can sometimes appear in colour.

“Working in the dark was cool but it wasn’t easy to find my snack!”

“Your shadow is very long, Alex.”

“I can see the pattern on your jumper, Mattias, so I think this paper is translucent.”

“Hey look, our shadows are in colour.”

Having fun with shadow puppets

“I made my window with opaque and translucent paper.”

Last week, Transition teamed up with Grade 2M for an individual inquiry session. The grade 2 students showed great perseverance and commitment in helping Transition research and find answers to their personal inquiries.

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Secondary School News IB Diploma Recognition You may have heard that the IB Diploma is a passport to universities worldwide. In order to explain what it means in practice, we would like to offer you an information session on IB university recognition in Germany and Switzerland as well as in the UK and USA. The session will take place on 27th May 2014 at ISSH and will include the following information:     

University entry requirements for IB Diploma holders Conversion of IB grades into university credits Application process overview Recommended resources Improving IB scores

We are open to suggestions. If you have questions that are not covered, please let us know!

Adam Armanski , DP Coordinator a.armanski@issh.ch Principal’s Message Many thanks to all the parents who responded to our parent questionnaire last week and gave us feedback on how well we are doing and on how we can improve even more. One parent commented on the house system, and requested clarification on how the points are awarded. So here is a little explanation.

2 2 1 2 2 2 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

MK MK MK AW SF BM DD SF BM MK MK MK AA LT AW

Making an extra effort to read in Drama Taking the initiative to get ahead of the curve on his Personal Project Extra effort with German assignment Exceptionally serious attitude to homework in English B Actively sought to utilize newly learnt vocabulary in various classes Achievement in English structured support Reading GCB book Actively sought to utilize suggested vocabulary in various classes Excellent work in English Excellent presentation in German Excellent presentation in German Excellent presentation in German Came 2nd in a grammar contest Won a Maths game writing an optional holiday diary entry

House points are awarded by teachers for a variety of reasons. Above is a selection of the recorded details for one of the classes. The points are given in accordance with the school core values: Being Unique, Achieving your Potential, and Taking Responsibility. Teachers assign house points and record this 4|PageWeekly Bulletin

information on the computer system. This allocates those points to the student`s particular house and also keeps a record of how many points each teacher is allocating. We also have house challenges where the winning house team is awarded 40 points, second 30 etc. House totals are displayed in school on the House Board. Currently, the situation is as follows:

EIGER JUNGFRAU MATTERHORN SANTIS

588 614 601 531

The house system does generate a lot of interest from students and results are keenly followed, the aim being to encourage the students into working harder and thus achieving their full potential. Sports Day (June 6th) will also add to the house totals. At the end of the year, the first house trophy will be awarded to the winning house.

Mid-term reports Parent-student-teacher conferences are coming up just before the Easter break. In the week before the meetings, mid-term progress reports will be sent home so parents can be fully informed of the progress their child is making and make a special effort to speak to any teachers required.

31st March Grade 6/7 Parents 16.15 - 19.00 2nd April Grade 8/9/12 Parents 13.00 - 16.00 4th April Grade 10 Parents 16.15 - 19.00 Lost and Found We still have two Cinema Tickets as the picture shows – they are valid valid until 31 July 2014. If they are yours, they can be collected from my office.

Otherwise, we will have to give them away so they are at least used.

Grade 10 Class Trip As the 10th grade students are almost done with their years in middle school, they will be rewarded with a special excursion which will take them to New York City.

Whereas last year’s focus was placed on an MUN event, this year students will explore intercultural aspects from a slightly different angle. New York is considered as one of the greatest intercultural melting pot in the world and one can find representatives of virtually every ethnic group in this city. As the IB undergoes further development and modification in both the Middle Years Programme, as well as the Diploma Programme, evermore focus is placed on Global Interactions and International-Mindedness. These are key terms in the IB philosophy. In order to enhance our students’ appreciation of this concept of being internationally minded, students will engage in a variety of activities and explorations to further enhance their ideas of what it means to be of a different culture, as well as adopting a rapport with members of these different ethnicities. With this focus in mind students will visit the different cultural areas in New York where they will interact with people and experience the different ways of life. They will have an in-depth experience regarding the concept of immigration from all over the world. This will include a visit to Ellis Island, the place of record keeping and monitoring immigration, as well as visiting the Tenement Museum, which takes visitors on a tour highlighting immigration over the past few centuries. We shall also look at the ways in which multiple cultures have shaped the arts and sciences. Having lived in New York City for a span of ten years, I hope to enable a more in-depth insider look into this multi-facetted place. Having taught in an inner-city school in 5|PageWeekly Bulletin

New York for many years I am also hoping to visit one of these schools so our students get a different perspective on school life in New York. Moreover, we are hoping to visit a branch of the City University of New York. Students from all over the world are enrolled there and the faculty consists of an equal cultural variety. I am very thankful to parents and the school leadership for having supported an educational excursion of this magnitude. The tenth grade students are eagerly awaiting this wonderful experience and they are extremely enthusiastic and grateful for being given this chance.

You might have also noticed that the grade 10 students are looking for ways of earning some money to go towards the cost of the trip. If you need their assistance to cut your lawn or de-clutter your garage or if you need a babysitter, don’t hesitate to contact me.

This trip might, after all, be the last chance to go on a major class trip together before embarking the rigorous journey of the Diploma Programme.

Silke Fox, Homeroom teacher grade 10 MYP English B Connected There are always exciting connections to be drawn between language acquisition matters and conceptual understandings related to communication. Combining the study of language structures and the use of these structures as a tool to succeed academically constitutes the essence of the MYP English B course offered at ISSH. In Grades 6&7, English B students have been exploring myths, legends and tales from various cultures in order to deepen their understanding of how these genres serve as a means of cultural expression. Most recently, they have compared and contrasted selected creation myths, and had a round-table discussion about the creation of the universe, based on various cultures’ perspectives. For the forthcoming summative assessment, the students will write traditional stories to share with the audience of their choice. As a kickoff into this unit, Mr Dobrenski, ISSH’s Librarian, shared a wonderful Japanese story-telling tradition, using a tale created by a group of EY students! Grade 6&7 were clearly impressed with their younger friends’ wonderful story and seemed particularly enthusiastic about adopting this method while sharing their final projects.

Grade 6&7 peer-assess their recorded discussion about the creation of the Universe.

G r G Grade 6&7 listen to Mr Dobrenski’s inspiring presentation.

Grades 8, 9 & 10 English B students have been engaged in a unit focusing on the analysis of visual texts.

They have been analysing photography to explore the concepts of purpose, message and bias. While improving their skills to describe images in terms of their content, visual conventions and message, they also revisited comparative analysis writing. Moreover, the students have been debating the question of digital processing of journalistic, documentary, commercial and personal photographs. Phrasing and supporting their own opinions on debatable questions seemed less challenging than balancing both sides of 6|PageWeekly Bulletin

the argument in discursive essays. For the summative unit project, each student will create a written work on the issue of their choice, and enhance its content and message with a series of photographs. Each student will also need to present their intentions and reflect on the process and product during an individual oral interview.

Grade 8,9&10 students attend nine stations set up to help them generate arguments for and against digital processing.

Grade 8,9&10 write their comparative analysis of two photographs.

Ideally, the connections highlighted in English B lessons will effectively aid the students’ learning in other subject areas.

Agata Wieczorek, MYP English B Teacher Grade 6 Physics The students were designing a roller-coaster to investigate the forces at work. Part of the challenge was forming different loops and curves for a marble to travel down.

Some students even used this work as the basis of their laboratory report, investigating how changing the surface of the roller-coaster changed the speed of the marble. Other students designed experiments investigating friction using their own equipment – in this case RC cars.

Paul Williamson, MYP Physics Teacher

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PA – NEWS PA Contact Address: pa@issh.ch Upcoming PA events – Mark your calendar! _____________________________________________________________________________________ Fri Mar 14

ISSH Ice Skating Event Spring is coming! The KSS ice skating season will end this weekend. Do you want to enjoy the ice rink one last time before season closure and this for free! Then come this Friday to the KSS Ice Rink.

As the ice rink will be closed between 5pm – 7pm (ice hockey & figure skating training) you will have the possibility between following 2 options:

1) ICE SKATING: 3.30pm – 5pm For all ISSH families FREE ENTRANCE for ALL ISSH STUDENTS 2) ICE SKATING & MUSIC NIGHT: 7pm – 10pm For PY families with older children & MY students.

FREE ENTRANCE for ALL ISSH STUDENTS Music night in the KSS. DJ Severo will play the best music, everybody can choose their favourite hits and the music will also be broadcasted on Radio Munot.

There will also be a barbecue on the ice, free hot soup and a bar next to the ice rink.

The PA will pay the entrance fee for ALL ISSH STUDENTS (PY & MY). Therefore please mention at the entrance desk that you’re an ISSH student and you will be able to enter for free.

Parents are responsible for their children during the event. There will be no PA supervision!

Location: KSS Ice Rink on the Breite - Schaffhausen _____________________________________________________________________________________ Fri Mar 28

MY Movie Night More information will follow in next PA Newsletter Location:

ISSH

_____________________________________________________________________________________

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Wed Apr 30

ISSH Parents Coffee Morning at 9am Join us for our monthly PA coffee morning.

Come and catch up with old friends and meet new ones!

You buy your coffee, the PA pays for the croissant.

Location: Güterhof, Freier Platz 10 in 8200 Schaffhausen _____________________________________________________________________________________

Tips to do CULTURE AWARENESS

St. Patrick’s Day St Patrick’s Day will be celebrated on March 17 by Ireland’s friends all over the world. Also in Switzerland.

For more information: www.irishevents.ch The rhinefall will be lit in green Mar 14 – 17 (Rhinefall in Neuhausen) For the first time Switzerland - and only the Rhinefall - takes part in the 'Global Greening'. Other locations that take part are e.g. the Sydney Opera House, the Table Mountain, the Pyramids of Gizeh and many more. On March 17th, you can get an Irish dinner in restaurant “Schlössli Wörth” next to the Rhinefall For more information: www.rheinfall.ch

St. Patricks Day Party Saturday Mar 15 from 5pm, Sunday Mar 16 from 2pm, Monday Mar 17 from 6pm (Shanahan's Irish Pub, Schulstieg 3 in Neuhausen) Situated in Neuhausen, Shanahans is one of Switzerland’s few authentic Irish Pub Houses. The St. Patricks Day Party will take place on Saturday 15th March and continue on Sunday from 2 pm, with the final round for the indefatigable scheduled to begin on 17th March from 6 pm. For more information: www.shanahans.ch

Irish songs: The James Connolly Songs of Freedom Band Thursday Mar 13 8.30pm (Haberhaus in Schaffhausen) For more information: www.haberhaus.ch

Celtic Spring Caravan 2014 Saturday Mar 22 9pm (Kammgarn in Schaffhausen) For more information: www.kammgarn.ch/programm/index.php?katID=1&subID=0

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MOVIES Stars Saturday Mar 15 7.30pm - 9.45pm (Planetarium of Schaffhausen) The film 'Stars' will be projected on the cupola of the planetarium. Check out the website to have a look at the trailer. Reservation is necessary, which can be done online on their website.

Entry: adults CHF 15, kids up to 18 years CHF 5, families CHF 30. For more information: www.sternwarte-schaffhausen.ch EXHIBITIONS Spring Sale Exhibition March 7 - May 11, always 10am - 5pm (Schloss Mainau Traditionally, every year in spring, the castle on the little island Mainau in the Lake of Constance opens its doors for visitors to enjoy an exhibition of spring and Eastern. Various artfully decorated Easter eggs are on display as well as interior accessories for your home and garden.

Giardina - Live your Garden March 12 - 16 open from 9am (Messe Zurich, Wallisellenstrasse 49 in Zürich) Get your garden season off to a start with Giardina! Experience that spring feeling and start looking forward to when the days get warmer. Giardina will delight you with its wealth of show gardens, exquisite worlds of flowers and plants, and exceptional design concepts. Tickets: day pass for adults CHF 35 For more information: http://www.giardina.ch/en-US.aspx MUSIC, DANCE & THEATRE 8. MCS-Konzert - Chamber orchestra and trumpet Friday March 14 at 7.30pm (Kirche St. Johann in Schaffhausen) The “Musikcollegium Winterthur” will play some easy-listening classical pieces by Haydn, Hummel, Smetana and Beethoven together with the young trumpet player Tine Ting Helseth. Either gets your tickets at the Stadttheater or just before the concert starts. For more information: www.musik-collegium.ch Feierabendkonzert - Schubert songs Friday March 14 at 7pm (Musik Meister, Steigstrasse 78 in Schaffhausen - half way up to the Breite on the right hand side) Reinhard Strebei (voice) and Silvia Unger (piano) will perform the songs called 'Schwanengesang'.

Schubert has composed these songs in the months before his death and his publisher has collected these songs one year later and gave this collection its name.

They will also perform the song 'Der Taucher' (the diver) which was composed by Schubert at the age of 16 and it is the longest song he has written (about 24minutes). Free entry For more information: www.musikmeister.ch

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SPORT Handball Saturday Mar 15 at 7.30pm (BBC Arena in Schaffhausen) On Saturday the Schaffhauser will play against Wacker Thun.

Volleyball Wednesday Mar 12 at 8pm (BBC Arena in Schaffhausen) On Wednesday the Schaffhauser team plays against Volley Köniz.

VARIA Paint Pots March Events Wednesday Mar 12, 19 & 26 (2pm - 6pm), Saturday Mar 21 (10am – 4pm), Thursday Mar 27 Ladies Morning & Evening (Jan’s house, Felsgasse 50 in Schaffhausen) Easter Gifts and many more items to choose from.

Please call Jan Livesey at Paint Pots + 41 798 445 341 or email info@paint-pots.ch to book a time!

Your PA Association

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Deutsche Kurzfassung Sekundarschule – Das nächste Kapitel Das IB baut sein Sekundarschulprogramm um und passt es den Bedürfnissen der Schüler und der heutigen Zeit an. Das neue Lehrprogramm tritt im September 2014 in Kraft. Der Kern des Programms bleibt, aber einige Dinge ändern sich wie z.B. die Benennung der Fächer. Siehe oben im englischen Text.

Ab September wird jede Fächergruppe neu 4 Kriterien beinhalten die auf einer Skala von 1-8 bewertet werden.

Die Areas of Interaction werden abgeschafft zugunsten eines mehr globaleren Verständnisses das in seiner Art eine Fortsetzung der fächerüberschreitenden Themen der Primarschule sein wird.

Dies sind sehr positive Veränderungen die den Lernprozess der Schüler begünstigen und die Verständlichkeit für die Eltern erleichtern werden.

Klassenfenster: Transition „Licht erzeugt Reflektionen und Schatten“ – in dieser Unit tauchten viele Fragen auf und die Transition Schüler probierten aus wie es ist, einen Tag lang im verdunkelten Klassenzimmer zu arbeiten. Sie haben gelernt, wann ein Material durchsichtig, transparent oder undurchsichtig ist.

ID Diplomanerkennung Das IB Diplom ermöglich weltweit Zutritt zu den meisten Universitäten. Eine Informationsveranstaltung für Eltern über die IB Anerkennung in der Schweiz und in Deutschland findet am 27. Mai in der ISSH statt, weitere Informationen folgen.

Sekundarschulneuigkeiten Ein herzliches Danke an alle Eltern, die letzte Woche den Fragebogen ausgefüllt haben. Einige Eltern wünschten mehr Informationen über das Hauspunktesystem, welches in der Tabelle erläutert wird. Die Hauspunkte werden von den Lehrern für bestimmte Aktivitäten gemäss der Tabelle zugesprochen. Das System ermuntert die Schüler zum Mitmachen und spornt sie an. Ende des Schuljahres wird der erste Pokal an das gewinnende Haus verteilt.

Fundbüro Zwei Kinogutscheine, gültig bis 31.7.2014 Grade 10 Klassenreise Globalisierung, interkulturelles Bewusstsein und Weltoffenhiet sind Schlüsselworte in der IB Ausbildung.

Auf der Klassenreise der 10. Klasse nach New York im Juni werden diese Aspekte von verschiedenen Seiten her lebendig erlebt werden. Diese Reise bildet den Abschluss der Sekundarschule und wird wohl die letzte Gelegenheit für eine grosse Klassenreise sein, denn die nächsten zwei Jahre werden die Schüler mit dem Diploma Programm gefordert sein.

Englisch als Zweitsprache Grades 6/7: Mythen, Legenden und Erzählungen aus verschiedenen Kulturen und wie diese als kultureller Ausdruck eines Volkes erlebt werden.

Grades 8, 9 und 10: Haben Fotografien analysiert und ihre Aussagen und Zweideutigkeiten erforscht.

Grade 6 Physik Haben einen Rollercoaster entworfen und waren gefordert mit dem Entwurf von Kurven und Neigungen.

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