NLCS Jeju Newsletter 15 December 2023

15 December 2023

Newsletter North London Collegiate School Jeju

TOP NEWS MEET YOUR NEW BURSAR CHRISTMAS BAZAAR COMPUTER SCIENCE ENRICHMENT WEEK JUNIOR WINTER ART EXHIBITION WINTER MUSIC PERFORMANCES

PRINCIPAL’S LETTER Dear Parents, Students, Staff and Friends of NLCS Jeju The term has come to a close with students and staff engaged in the Winter Wonderland which is the Christmas Bazaar. This was a wonderful event which was testament to the leadership and work of the Student Event Prefects and Toweraid, as well as Mr. Machin, Mr. Im, Mr. Lock, Mr. Chang and Mr. Smith. Students across the School had a wonderful time and we will have raised some more funds for our charities. A big thank you to the parents, PRG and CPC who also ran stalls. It truly was a lovely community event.

For students this term also came to a close with lovely celebration assemblies where their successes and triumphs over the last term were recognised and celebrated. It was a fantastic opportunity to come together and be proud of each other’s successes in house and to find out the latest standings in the House competition.

Over the last few weeks we have had many delightful events to be part of ranging from ensemble events to the IB Theatre Studies Production as well as the engaging First School Production and The Orchestral Spectacular. Alongside this we have had more sports events including trips abroad for FOBISIA and a netball tour.

Everyone in our community will need to rest, recover and spend time with their families so that they come back in 2024 refreshed and recharged for another exciting term. For years 11 and 13 as they prepare for their mock examinations for IGCSEs the IBDP respectively, please remember to be smart learners in your organisation and ensure that you have sufficient sleep, breaks and targeted revision as the quality of revision rather than the quantity is far more effective!

We wish all in our community a wonderful holiday and health and happiness in 2024.

Yours sincerely,

Lynne Oldfield Principal

The Main Event

Here are the biggest stories from around the School this week.

MEET YOUR NEW BURSAR

We are delighted to welcome our new Burar to NLCS Jeju. Mr. Young-Kee Lee, who has a BBA Finance and International Business from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, joins NLCS Jeju to take on this important role. He will be responsible for overseeing a number of key departments - Operations, Finance, Support Services, IT and Human Resources.

Bringing with him a wealth of experience and knowledge from the corporate sector he is looking forward to transferring his skills to the benefit of the School.

Since his arrival he has witnessed firsthand the immeasurable talent of our students, as an audience member of Cats, and even volunteered to join one of our Service Bryants on his first weekend - he is adapting to School life very well.

“I am a seasoned financial professional with extensive experience and a successful track record in bridging Asian and Western cultures. I am very passionate in my work of building businesses and mentoring new leaders. I believe in creating an environment of collaboration, community, and trust through clear and consistent communication amongst teammates, partners and stakeholders.

Before joining NLCS Jeju, I worked on major development projects such as Songdo International City located in Incheon City, which included the development of an international school, and Parc1, which included commercial office towers, shopping mall, and hotel located in Seoul. I am also an avid cyclist and enjoy spending time outdoors, so the beautiful island of Jeju is the ideal place for me.”

The Main Event

CHRISTMAS BAZAAR

CHRISTMAS BAZAAR Wow! Who knew it was possible to top last year’s Christmas Bazaar. With more stands, more volunteers, more guests and more areas of the School taken over with tinsel, sparkling lights and Christmas songs, this year’s Christmas Bazaar has set the bar even higher!

This year we raised a total of 26.2 million won for Charity. This year’s

principal charities are Save the Children and Purmerry Christmas, who will receive 10.3 million won between them. A wide variety of other charities will also receive donations and support, as selected by our student groups, totalling 13.6 million won. An additional 2.3 million won will be used to support our School parent groups for future activities.

An incredible event that filled the School with happiness and the smell of Christmas drinks and tasty snacks. Well done to everyone who helped arranged the event - Mr. Doug Machin, Mr. Gwangho Im, Mr. David Lock, Mr. Chris Chang, Mr. Paul Smith, the team of Events Prefects, TowerAid, students who ran a stall, the Parent Representative Group (PRG), the Chinese Parent Community (CPC), the Parent Liaison Managers, parent volunteers, staff volunteers, independent sellers and Quadra - as well as all cleaners who helped keep the event running.

In addition to the money raised on the day we would like to thank the Alumni Parent Group who generously donated 1 million won, the Junior School PRG who donated 5 million won, the CPC who donated 2.5 million, and thanks to Ye Jun’s Mother and Seoha’s Mother who both donated 1 million won. Our external providers donated 0.6 million, for which we are very grateful.

Message from the JS PRG - “Junior School PRG members did their best effort for two months to prepare for the Christmas Bazaar. Junior School PRG decided to donate 5 million Won with the proceeds from this Bazaar. And 5CD Kim Ye Jun Ryan Kim and 4DE Seoha Harry Lee’s mother happily donated 1 million Won each, asking to help the underprivileged. Thus, Junior School parents donated a total of 7M KRW. JS PRG would like to thank Y2 Park Sol’s mother for helping Junior PRG stall design for the Christmas bazaar. Lastly, we would like to thank the Junior School volunteers who helped us with the Bazaar!

More Photos and video

Well done to the top 3 student-led stalls: 1st - Bob the Balloon by Behind the Scenes Enterprises (1.2 million won) 2nd - NLCS Champions League 2023 (0.7 million won) 3rd - Sweet Diversity by Equity Society [=] (0.6 million won)

CHRISTMAS BAZAAR

The Main Event

The Main Event

CHRISTMAS BAZAAR

BE SANTA PROJECT Well done to three NLCS Jeju Service teams (Jenam Children’s Centre, Yehyangwon Group Home and Seogwipo Disabled Family Support Centre(Bridget Builders - Youth Happiness Centre) who arranged a fantastic “Be Santa” project.

“On Saturday, 2nd December they visited the Seogwipo Jenam Children’s Centre, where 42 children live, and Hallim-eup Yehyangwon Group Home, where 14 children live and Seogwipo Disabled Family Support Centre, which takes care of 17 developmentally disabled youth and their siblings.” - Mr. Gwangho Im - Community Service Coordinator Here’s Mr Im’s message to the students in the service groups - “I would like to express my sincere gratitude for participating in this project. Your sincerity was able to gather and practice sharing with the neighbours around our school.”

If you have any questions about the School service activity, including this project, please contact Mr. Im for more information ghim@nlcsjeju.kr.

The Main Event

The Main Event

COMPUTER SCIENCE

Thank you to all our Computer Science teachers and students for another great Enrichment Week. There were a number of very informative, student-led, lectures, as well as lots of activity in the corridor at break and lunch time - including a Coding House Competition, a Mirror Booth, Algorithm Block Challenge and some discussions and debates in the Library. Well done everyone!

The Main Event

CHEMISTRY ENRICHMENT WEEK The first Enrichment Week after the winter break will be Chemistry - week commencing 22 January. We will share information closer to the date. Here’s some photos from last year.

Don’t miss our posts!

Follow us on our social media pages to never miss out! Our recent posts include:

• Netball Friendly • What is a Bryant • Save our Earth protest • Junior School Century English Prize Giving • Art Exhibition Music

FLICKR Did you know we add all our photos to Flickr?

With no restrictions on the number of photos we can share, you will be able to see every photo from all the events around School. Why not have a look now?

NLCS Jeju Awards and Achievements COMPUTER SCIENCE SUCCESS Thank you to Mr. Tajvir Singh and his team for supporting and sharing the following successes!

BEBRAS CHALLENGE UK Congratulations to our Computer Science students who achieved the top rank in the world at the Bebras Challenge (organised by Oxford University and the Raspberry Pi Foundation).

Over 3.5 million students took part from across the world. A remarkable 49 NLCS Jeju students (of which 45 are from Key Stage 3) achieved a gold award, which requires entrants to be in the top 10% of results! Two of our students achieved a perfect score, placing them in the top 0.08% of their age group.

Year 7 - Eunsuh Kim and Jiho Lee - World topper and Gold award Year 8 - Sein Jang - Gold award and class topper Year 9 - Ashley Jung - Gold award and class topper Year 12 - JaeSang (Jason) Baek - Gold award and class topper, and Victor Kim - Gold awards Year 11 - Seongmin Hong - Gold award and class topper, and Raywon(Ray) Kim - Gold award

NLCS Jeju Awards and Achievements FOBISIA CODING COMPETITION Seven NLCS Jeju teams took part in the competition which was arranged by HELP International School, Malaysia. Five of our teams won awards in their year group category.

Year 7 & 8 : • 2nd Place: Dream team - Eunsuh Kim, Yeju Lee, Sophia Kim and Seunga Yang • 3rd Place: One Chance - Chansol Lee, Gian Park and Henry Yang Year 10 (Intermediate) • 1st Place: Tofu Crushers - Sihu (Kevin) Park, Junyoung Kim, Junseok Lee and Hojin (Daniel) Kim • 3rd Place: KPD - Young Min Cho, Peter Kim and Kevin Shin Year 11 & 12: (Advanced) • 2nd Place: NCLS_Guest - James Lim, Paul Jung, Justin Yoo and Aiden Park.

“We commend all our participating students for their dedication,hard work, problemsolving skills and understanding of computational thinking.” Mr. Tajvir Singh.

NLCS Jeju Awards and Achievements READING QUEST In our last newsletter we told you about the Junior School Reading Quest. We are pleased to share with you the list of students who have reached bronze level since then. Well done all.

• Rian Park Year 2 • David Kwon Year 6 • Allen Kim Year 6 • Jason Park Year 5 • Ryan Song Year 5 • Kevin Yeo Year 6 • Dareum Nam Year 3 • Charlotte Hwang Year 3

JEJU REPRESENTATIVE FOR EQUESTRIAN EVENTS AT NATIONAL JUNIOR SPORTS FESTIVAL Ha-Yool (Alice) Oh (Year6) has been selected as the representative for Jeju Island in the national youth equestrian sports selection competition. She will represent NLCS Jeju and Jeju island next May. Since registering as a youth rider with the Korea Equestrian Federation last year, Ha-yool has accumulated an impressive record of six first place finishes and a total of 26 podium placements in eight competitions.

Huge congratulations to her and we are looking forward to her continued success next year!

NLCS Jeju Awards and Achievements JOHN LOCKE INSTITUTE ESSAY COMPETITION We are delighted to share that 5 students received remarkable results in the John Locke Institute Essay Competition, which is one of the most prestigious essay competitions world wide. The institute announced that this was the most competitive year yet with the largest number of candidates ever. We are proud of all of the candidates and the shortlisted students!

Year 8 Uchan Seo - Distinction Yunchae Sophia Park - Commendation Year 12 Ian Jung - Commendation Min Hoon Lee - High Distinction

Year 13 Harin Moon - Distinction

NLCS Jeju Awards and Achievements

Other News

LETTER FROM THE STUDENT COUNCIL Dear NLCS Jeju Community, The Student Council has been working hard over the last year to represent Student Voice in our School. We have taken a three-pronged approach to general improvements within the School and each of our representatives has participated in one of the following committees: Food and Facilities, Student Welfare, and Publicity.

Firstly, the Facilities committee has worked on changes to the House Lunch system and has sought feedback from students on the snacks and lunch provided by sending out a student survey and canvassing students during break and lunchtime. We will be sharing this feedback with the school catering company this week.

The Student Welfare Committee has dedicated its time to reaching out more to the student community as a whole. Their aim has been to create more support systems for new students, as well as to collaborate with other student groups as a means of creating larger impact and accessibility.

We really enjoyed delivering our assembly this term and used it as an opportunity to explain not only the work we have done but also how you can contact us regarding issues of importance.

The Publicity Committee manages the communication between the Student Council and the student community. Recently, they managed to set up a board for suggestions in the Senior School hallways, asking questions such as ‘What events would you like to see the Student Council run?’ or ‘What specific problems can the Student Council solve for the student community?’.

The Student Council would like to thank its current representatives who have worked extremely hard to represent all students within the school. They have been fantastic ambassadors and as is the case every December, they stand down and a new Student Council is formed.

We are delighted to announce that the following students have been successfully elected to the 2024 Student Council: Year 7 - Dohyeon Kim (Dennis), Heedan Zun Year 8 - Yunjeong Shin (Elin), Chansol Lee (Alex) Year 9 - Seoyeon Lee (Esther), Seoha Kim (David) Year 10 - Keira Walker, Ziu Choi Year 11 - Hyunseok Lee (Elliot), Jisu Park (Kellyn) Year 12 - Yumin Lee (Angela) Year 13 - Ahrim Kim (Ellie), Sungbin Yoon (Brian) Chairs - Shona Park, Joonseok Kang (Aaren) Sincerely, The Student Council.

CATS

Other News

All of the fantastic photos from our spectacular Cats production are all shared on our Flickr account. Take a look and reminisce! More Photos

GEOGRAPHY ENRICHMENT WEEK At the time of creating our last newsletter, the Geography Enrichment Week was still in full swing. Here are some additional stories from that week. Again, we thank the Geography Department and the students for a really enjoyable week.

Guest Speaker Thank you to Mr. Vincent Li, a Jejuian from the fishing village of Taeheung, who presented to our Year 10 students about how the island and seas have changed in his lifetime as a result of tourism and how he was part of a movement to encourage people to live and act more sustainably.

Other News History of the Earth Year 7 students listened intently to the presentation by Mr. Gary Barker (Geography teacher) who gave an insightful and impactful talk on the history of the Earth and how, in such a short space of time, we had achieved so much as humans but at significant cost to the planet.

DrainX Well done to Hyun Koo who designed and 3D printed a solution to stop drains from getting blocked, he delivered a presentation explaining his work to other students during break and lunch. His product (read more here) is now being trialled at a golf course and with some modifications he is hoping the design will fit drains in Seoul to reduce the effect of flooding. What an amazing effort.

JUNIOR SCHOOL BEDTIME STORIES

Other News

It’s back and it’s as festive and wonderful as always! Every December our Junior School students and staff treat us to a daily evening bedtime story, if you have not had a chance to watch and listen yet, head on over to their YouTube page now! Thank you to all our storytellers!

FIRST SCHOOL WINTER PERFORMANCE This is always such a joyous occasion and this year fulfilled our expectations. Well done to all the students and staff who made this event possible. We really are in the Christmas spirit now! Elf Help is a A wonderful and inspiring performance about learning habits that make the world go round. Join our elves in Santa’s workshop, as they discover the real magic of Christmas from their special friends. The performance was written and directed

by Mr. Evans. More photos

Other News

FIRST SCHOOL WINTER PERFORMANCE

PEACE VILLAGE WINTER CONCERT

Other News

Peace Village is one of many service Bryants at NLCS Jeju that supports the local community.

Those who benefit from the Peace Village charity were invited to School to enjoy a winter concert. It’s a pleasure to be able to welcome them all to the School.

JUNIOR SCHOOL CELEBRATION ASSEMBLY We love an excuse to give thanks and celebrate the achievements of those who have gone above and beyond in our community, the Junior School Celebration Assembly gives us a great opportunity to do this. Well done to everyone who received recognition at this lovely event.

Other News

BCCK CHRISTMAS LUNCH Thank you and well done to Chaewon Lim, Sieun Shin, Jisu Choi and Chanhee Kim who performed at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul last week for the annual British Chamber of Commerce in Korea (BCCK) Christmas Lunch. As always, our students performed beautifully with many guests presuming they are professional musicians.

BLOOD DONATION BUS Thank you to all our staff and students who donated at the recent event. Thanks also to the ABO supporters for arranging for the bus to visit the campus for the third time! We hope to see the bus back in the new year. Well done everyone!

MUN “Jeju Model United Nations was held on November 24-25 at KIS Jeju. Over 300 students from a range of schools across South Korea convened for this conference. NLCS Jeju sent a delegation of 47 students to participate in a range of committees where they discussed solutions for global problems such as combating the human trafficking of refugees, resolved historic issues such as disputes and tensions during the American Civil War, and even embarked on fantastical journeys as outlined in the ‘Maze Runner’ series. In doing so, they drafted and submitted resolutions, outlined amendments, and spoke publicly to persuade others to adopt their positions.

The eloquence and effectiveness of these arguments were recognised by the conference leaders and seven of our delegates were celebrated with awards, including Best Delegate and Outstanding Chair. What was especially heart-warming about this whole experience was that this was the first time that many of our members had attended a conference.

Despite initial nerves, they were able to not only understand more about global governance and citizenship but also make friends and contacts along the way.” - Mr. Dave Moore.

Other News ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY CHRISTMAS The theme of our Christmas trees this year is sustainability!

All three real trees are from our own campus to make another appearance for the season, after Christmas they will be replanted. They may not have grown as much as we would have hoped, but we are proud of the initiative and with a few lights, some tinsel and some baubles - I think we all agree they are just perfect. Thanks to the Big 8 and Junior students who decorated them.

The biomass recycled bioplastic tree, which is derived from sugarcane,was designed and created by our DT students. Thank you to sugarlab.co.kr and ecomass.co.kr for the donated materials.

“Design Technology covers the full design cycle from idea through to production and distribution. Inquiry and problem-solving are at the heart of the subject and students develop critical-thinking and design skills, which they can apply in a practical context.

While designing may take various forms, it will involve the selective application of knowledge within an ethical framework in which sustainability is a key factor.” - Mr. James Tuffs, teacher of Film, Design Technology and Visual Art.

KOREAN LANGUAGE CLASS

Other News

“Last week, year 7 Korean Language classes delved into language creativity by crafting dish names with food ingredients on paper pots. Exceptional works would be rewarded with desserts from the school cafe, adding to the students’ enthusiasm for the activity.

The staff from Quadra (the School catering team) graciously judged the presentations and even mentioned the possibility of introducing some dishes as new school canteen menus, heightening the students’ excitement. I’ll keep you informed if it comes to fruition.” - Mr. Brian Kim, Head of Korean.

GSE ASSESSMENTS “Last week was the launch of a very exciting English language initiative. All senior students, from Year 7-12 were assessed using Pearson’s Global Scale of English. The data gathered from this externally validated assessment will provide teachers with an in-depth language profile of all students, outlining their proficiency in reading, writing, speaking and listening.

This language profile will assist teachers to support and stretch students across all curriculum areas, help to identify areas of development and ensure there are ‘no ceilings, only floors’. Moving forward, another assessment will occur in Term 3, thus allowing for language improvement to be measured on an international scale. All junior students from Years 2 - 6, will commence their assessments at the beginning of Term 2. “ - Ms. Susan Gleeson, Head of Academic English Development (Whole School English Strategy).

This language profile will assist teachers to support and stretch students across all curriculum areas, help to identify areas of development and ensure there are ‘no ceilings, only floors’. Moving forward, another assessment will occur in Term 3, thus allowing for language improvement to be measured on an international scale. All junior students from Years 2 - 6, will commence their assessments at the beginning of Term 2. “ - Ms. Susan Gleeson, Head of Academic English Development (Whole School English Strategy).

Other News ACADEMIC ENGLISH PREFECTS PROVIDE ADVICE TO OUR JUNIOR STUDENTS “During last week’s junior assemblies, Year 3 - 6 received a main address from our Academic English Prefects. The senior students outlined the importance of speaking English, both academically and socially and how the only way to build English language skills was to embed English in the students’ daily lives. The Prefects made suggestions such as listening to podcasts, engaging with friends and outlined how all efforts towards improving oracy will underpin their success in academics when transitioning to senior school. A big thank you to Seoha Shin, Terry Kim, Andy Zhang and Sophia Lee for your efforts in promoting Academic English across our school.” Ms. Susan Gleeson, Head of Academic English Development (Whole School English Strategy).

THE ARTS JUNIOR SCHOOL WINTER ART EXHIBITION Throughout the School we are always so impressed with the level of creativity and standard of work produced by our students. This year’s Junior School Winter Art Exhibition did not disappoint and we were delighted to see so many parents on campus.

THE ARTS

THE ARTS JUNIOR SCHOOL ART - CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS “The JS Art Rooms are literally buzzing with festive cheer as the Junior School “elves” (students) happily package their Christmas decorations in handmade gift bags ready to take home next week. Each year every student in the JS creates a ceramic decoration for their tree at home or to give to someone special. This year the children in Reception made Gingerbreadmen to tie in with their English theme, Years 1 and 2 made the most adorable Santa faces, Years 3 and 4 made colourful Christmas stockings and Years 5 and 6 made 3-dimensional Christmas trees.

The process of creating these ornaments began in October with lots of pounding, rolling, smoothing and cutting of clay. The clay then had to dry out slowly before being fired in the kiln. Once the decorations came out of the kiln they were painted with underglazes and glazes and then fired for a second time. Our kiln has worked hard and the kiln room has looked like a mini factory for the past few weeks. The children are excited to take home their unique handmade decorations. They have worked hard and enjoyed the process.... and I’m sure you’ll agree that the outcome is amazing!

A huge thank you to Ms. Evans and all the Class Teachers and Learning Assistants who teach art for their creativity, commitment and assistance with this undertaking!

Merry Christmas to all from the JS Art Department “ - Ms. Walker (Head of Junior School Art)

THE ARTS HALLABONG ORCHESTRA We were treated to a wonderful performance by our Junior School students last week. We cannot wait to watch the students on their musical journey through the School. Music is important to us all at every year level and that is evident during such events.

THE ARTS ORCHESTRAL SPECTACULAR A highlight of our annual musical calendar is the Orchestral Spectacular which lives up to its name. Thank you to the Music Department, all our musicians and our tech and events teams who help arrange an evening to remember. We really are lucky to have such a talented and hardworking student body.

THE ARTS

SEWING CCA Take a look at these wonderful photos from our sewing CCA group! Well done all, they are adorable! Art)

CAS CAS INTERVIEW Here, Taehyun (Terry) Kim (Y12) is interviewed by Yoonkyo Kang (Y12) and Hyunseo Kim (Y12)

What is your CAS activity?

My CAS activity is the ‘Ignite Entrepreneurship pitching competition’. It is an international student-led business competition comprising online mentoring sessions and in-person competitions. Students will work in international teams in real-life business situations rather than artificial ones. Mentoring sessions delivered by experts in the field, Mr. Tuffs, who won the best ad awards in the world.

What is your role in this CAS activity?

I founded the whole competition by communicating and organising with other NLCS marketing departments around the world. I also lead a Wednesday CCA, where NLCS Jeju students prepare for mock competitions.

What made you start doing this?

I started this CAS activity in year 10, as I realised that compared to STEM and medicine, there are not enough opportunities given to aspiring businessmen and economists.

I aimed to create opportunities for younger students to study business with a practical approach, actually applying their skills in real life situations.

What are some of the benefits you get from doing this?

Younger students fuel me and drive me forward to accomplish the goals of launching the competition. I get really emotional when they come up to me and tell me how grateful they are for the opportunity. A shout-out to Ziu!

What challenges have you faced and how have you overcome them?

The basic workload is great as I have to prepare 2 or 3 presentations for both the CCA and meetings. A weekly hour-long meeting with Mr. Morton is definitely not easy at all!

Communicating with people with high status such as the governors and principals of the NLCS community gives me great pressure.

CAS How have you felt participating in the CAS program so far?

I feel like I am working in real-life business situations, processing how to budget or writing a cost report! I think I’m slowly getting ready to work in the actual market in the future.

Also overall, I am satisfied with my CAS activity, as I learned to be more reflective and to easily receive and apply feedback, recognising the values of these comments.

CAS PROJECTS Here are a selection of photos from a number of different CAS projects to show the variety of opportunities available to our students.

• Latin and Classics Society(Creativity/Activity) 2023~24 • Argonautica Senior Drama Production (Activity) • Lost’n’Found Service CCA Tuesday (Service) • About Jeju • Theatre Tech • Senior Production

FOCUS ON SIXTH FORM WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR! Over the holidays, take the opportunity to get organised for the next term, create some SMART goals, but please remember to be balanced and recharge your batteries.

FOCUS ON SIXTH FORM MEET THE TUTOR - Y13APA Ms. Paliwal joined NLCS Jeju seven years ago, and she has been teaching Economics in the Sixth Form. As well as being an expert in her field, Ms. Paliwal was nominated in 2022, by one of our students, and received the University of Chicago Outstanding Educator Award.

“My tutor group can very well be considered as an art class though, it has a fair mix of aspiring mathematicians, engineers, historians, sportsmen, social activists but Art definitely rules the day. These young people are so full of life and each one of them has a strong character and personality which shines through everything they do or say. Our everyday interactions is what I really look forward to - some exhibit such maturity and wisdom in their words that one wonders that they are still in sixth form, while others shock me with their sheer innocence and lack of awareness of the complexities of the world beyond their own. I love helping them to navigate through their challenges and in return am blessed with their compassion and energy which brightens my day.”

FOCUS ON SIXTH FORM EE PRESENTATIONS “On 7 December all students in Year 12 delivered a presentation on their Extended Essay proposals. Students presented their topics of interest to subject teachers and to students in the year group. Students presented for 10-15 minutes on their chosen topics, and focused on why their topic was important, what research currently existed, and they discussed how they would investigate and research the topic. Following their presentations, students were asked questions by subject teachers, and they were advised if their topics were suitable and sufficiently focused for an EE in that subject. Students enjoyed presenting, and it was great to see the students come up with many interesting ideas.

Minji (Mandy) Lim presented on the Pacific War and wants to address the question, why did Japan lose the Pacific War? In her presentation Mandy explained that she had already found some interesting perspectives on the impact of the atomic bomb on Japan’s defeat.

Guembee (Chandler) Ahn wants to write her EE on the causes of the Jeju 4.3 incident in 1948. In her presentation she explained how she had located a number of secondary sources and official government publications on the incident. She also spoke about the possibility of using oral testimonies by survivors.

In January 2024 students will be notified who will be working as their supervisor (or guide) through the process. They will research and/or conduct experiments throughout term 2 and 3, before submitting their draft essay at the end of the summer vacation. The EE is part of the IB core along with TOK, and CAS. As students do not receive timetabled classes for their EE it is very important that they set aside sufficient time to work on their EE, so that they are able to submit a high quality and completed draft in August 2024.” - Mr. Ben Matthews

Guembee (Chandler) Ahn

FOCUS ON SIXTH FORM

Minji (Mandy) Lim

OXBRIDGE INTERVIEWS

UGC NEWS

To date a total of 19 students have received an invitation for an interview for the University of Oxford or the University of Cambridge in the UK. These universities are world leaders in education and are sought after destinations for many, many people. For so many of our students to have reached the interview stage is a phenomenal achievement - well done to them all!! Even if they do not receive offers after their interview, we are still very proud of how far they went in the process. Thank you to our UGC team who have supported our students and supervised the interview process.

SPORT NETBALL TRIP Here are some photos of a recent netball trip to Singapore. Thank you to Ms. Sage and Ms. Spivey for accompanying the group, as well as playing netball they enjoyed some sightseeing too. This is one of the many benefits of being part of an international group of schools.

SUCCESS AT THE 7TH POE CUP HANMAEUM TABLE TENNIS “On 10 December, 30 enthusiastic students from our School participated in the 7th PoE Cup Hanmaeum Table Tennis Competition. It was a fantastic display of sportsmanship and skill as our students engaged in both team events and individual double matches.

The energy was palpable, with an impressive turnout from both Junior and Middle school students. Our Junior School team exhibited incredible talent, securing a well-deserved second place in the finals. Their performances were nothing short of exciting and inspiring.

In the Middle School team event, the NLCS Jeju was outstanding, with two of our teams making it to the finals. This exceptional achievement resulted in us clinching the first and second positions. Huge congratulations are in order for:

Junior School Section: • Siyoon (Yoon) Sung • Jeongheon (Jeffrey) Lee • HaYool Ko

SPORT

Middle School Section - Winners: • Jin Seok (Edward) Kwon • Sunghyun (Andy) Kim • Xinheng (Tony) Li • Jioh Jung Middle School Section - Runners-up: • Dong-Won (Dylan) Seo • Hyunsoo (Derrick) Kim • Jihun (Kevin) Shin Moreover, a special shoutout goes to our Middle School NLCS Jeju players for their outstanding streak in 2023. They’ve achieved an incredible feat by not losing in any team event they participated in. Congratulations to the entire team for this remarkable accomplishment!” Ms. Laetitia Choi

HOUSE AND HOME

Here are some of our great boarding home and competition house newsletters, December editions!

Boarding Homes Halla East Halla North Pyoseon Iho Yongduam Aewol (Korean version) Hyeopjae

Halla East

Yongduam

Hyeopjae

Aewol

Iho

Pyoseon

CULTURAL AWARENESS COMMITTEE

Hanukkah - 7 December to 15 December Hanukkah, or the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday. It commemorates the Holy Temple’s rededication and the oil that burnt for eight days. Families light the menorah, eat Jewish dishes such as latkes and sufganiyot, and play dreidel activities.

This cultural icon represents resilience, unity, and the triumph of light over darkness, encouraging introspection, gratitude, and community..

St. Lucia Day - 13 December St. Lucia Day is celebrated on December 13th in Scandinavia, especially Sweden, to honour the spirit of light and charity. It celebrates St. Lucia with a procession led by a young girl wearing a candle-crowned wreath, with saffron buns and warm drinks shared as symbols of hope during the gloomy winter. This beloved cultural highlight promotes community via candlelit gatherings, songs, and the joy of community, spreading warmth and brightness during the winter season.

CULTURAL AWARENESS COMMITTEE Christmas - 25 December Christmas is a worldwide holiday celebrated on December 25th and has its origins in the birth of Jesus Christ. With families providing gifts beneath Christmas trees, it symbolises community, customs, and generosity. It encourages harmony and benevolence, creating a joyous atmosphere of love and compassion everywhere, regardless of religious roots.

ONLJ We are extremely proud of all our students and we love to keep in touch and find out what they are up to after graduating from NLCS Jeju.

Our ONLJ (Old North Londoners of Jeju) is an active and supportive community, guided by our Alumni and Development Manager, Ms. Shin.

Thank you to Brian Hwang who shared their stories this week.

If you studied at NLCS Jeju and you want to share your news with us, please email Ms. Shin (alumnioffice@nclsjeju.kr). We cannot wait to hear from you.

ONLJ ONLJ Profile Junhyuk Bryan Hwang Class of 2017 University of Cambridge Mechanical Engineering Why did you select this degree?

My journey began at NLCS Jeju, from where I graduated in 2017. I was always drawn to the elegance of engineering, which led me to major in mechanical engineering, aerospace, aerothermal engineering, and energy, with a focus on sustainability and the environment. However, it was fluid dynamics that truly captivated my imagination. To me, this subject is the most mathematical area of engineering, a universal language that deciphers the world's flow phenomena.

Following my time at NLCS Jeju, my pursuit of fluid dynamics took me to Cambridge. There, I specialised in computational fluid dynamics (CFD), a field that utilises numerical simulations to understand flows in unseen places, such as inside blood vessels or around intricate objects. This mesmerising aspect of CFD steered me towards my current role as a researcher at E8ight.

My passion for fluid dynamics was a significant motivator in my career choices, but the opportunity to work on the 28th floor of Lotte Tower in Seoul also played a part. At E8ight, I am more than just a researcher; I am a leader in projects, collaborating with multinational companies such as Samsung and POSCO. This role involves extensive research, communication, and planning, offering a comprehensive professional experience.

What excites me most in this new phase is the potential for growth in a burgeoning company. My role allows me to be a key player in projects, participating in all aspects from research to execution. This broad exposure is enriching both personally and professionally.

How did NLCS Jeju prepare you for your current role?

NLCS Jeju prepared me for this role in many ways, but most notably through its emphasis on diversity of experience and effective communication. Leading the engineering society and hosting a tri-school science fair were just a few of the unique opportunities that honed my collaborative skills. These experiences were crucial in shaping my ability to navigate the challenges I face today.

What are your plans for the future?

Looking ahead, I aim to continue my research in fluid dynamics and eventually return to academia to further my research and project management skills. I plan to pursue a PhD, with my ultimate goal being to become a professor, where I can continue my research while nurturing future academics.

What are you doing now?

Currently, I am actively involved in the ONLJ community, the alumni group of NLCS Jeju, aiming to create new collaborative opportunities for our alumni. My advice to current NLCS Jeju students is to seize every opportunity. I was deeply involved in various societies, arts, and music, but I still wish I had done more. These experiences are invaluable and shape not just your career, but your character.

ADMISSIONS NEWS RECEPTION, YEAR 1 AND YEAR 2 Applications for Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 will open on 5 January 2024. Visit our website to apply. Due to the volume of applications received for these year groups the Admissions team will be in touch as soon as possible after 5 January, please allow for up to 5 working days. Applications close 29 February.

Should you have a younger child or friends with children who wish to join the School, please encourage them to apply.

Reception Applicants will be invited to attend an assessment day on 22 March 2024 at NLCS Jeju.

The assessment will include classroom activities and observations, as well as a friendly and fun test, which is interactive and age appropriate.

Year 1 and Year 2 Applicants will join us on campus for an English test and maths test as well as classroom activities and observation on 20 April 2024.

These two dates are one of the highlights of the Admissions calendar, every effort is made to ensure the young applicants feel relaxed and enjoy their experience. All the staff and students involved thoroughly enjoy the event!

Decisions will be made within 3 weeks of the assessment. Call or email the Admissions Team (+82-64-793-8004, admissions@nlcsjeju.kr) today to discuss further.

ADMISSIONS NEWS

STAFF NEWS MO MO MO - MERRY CHRISTMAS Well done to 13 NLCS Jeju staff members who supported Movember by growing a moustache, between them all they raised a massive $2258 for men’s charities.

“Every 60 minutes there are 60 male suicides and the NLCS Movember team chose to Move for them.

Clocking up 60 kms by running, rowing, cycling and walking, multiple times over, all whilst sporting a dashing upper lip warmer. The Movember charity also looks to raise money for testicular and prostate cancer research and treatment so all of the funds raised will be put to very good use in order to prevent unnecessary early male death. Additionally, the visible nature of this charity often results in the spark of conversation which allows Movember participants the opportunity to speak with our students and staff about what Movember is all about. Not only can we raise funds but also raise awareness and that is just as valuable. To everyone who stopped and spoke with a Moustachioed man, thank you.

(Mr. Adam Yates with Mr. Sam Wilson and Mr. Jonathan Taylor.)

The highlight of the charity fundraising was an evening fundraising event borne from the culmination of lots of hard work from many Mo’bros and Mo’sistas. This event alone raised a lot of funds and I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved.” - Mr. Adam Yates.

OLLE COMPLETION As many of you know, Olle walks are a popular pastime for those of us who live in Jeju. The trails total 437km of beautiful coastal and inland walks across the island. There are 27 trails in total - huge congratulations to Ms. Natalie Wilson (Vice Principal - Academic) who not only completed the trails but did so in under a year! Well done. Here is a photo of Ms. Wilson (and her dog, Hermes) with some other NLCS Jeju staff on a recent group Olle walk.

AND FINALLY WINTER BREAK We wish all our community a restful winter break, we hope everyone enjoys time with their families and friends and that 2024 brings happiness, health and exciting new beginnings.

The School will be closed throughout the break, which means emails may take longer to receive a response. Our boarding students will return on Sunday 7 January, with classes resuming on Monday 8 January as usual. We are also looking forward to welcoming new students to the School in both Junior and Senior. See you all in January!

For those of you who are celebrating - Merry Christmas, and to all - Happy New Year!

... AND FINALLY

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