Panaga School Newsletter Featuring this month: Milepost Three’s Production: POPTASTIC!
Message from the Principal This school year has been a truly exciting chapter in the history of Panaga School. Once again, the children have worked incredibly hard in all aspects of the curriculum. Under the careful guidance and encouragement of our very skilled and enthusiastic teachers and Learning Support Assistants, the children have made terrific gains in their learning: they should all be very proud of their academic and personal achievements. As a learning-focused school, we are all justifiably proud of the award of accreditation at Mastering Level in the International Primary Curriculum in May. Only the fifth school in the world to achieve this accolade, it is a fitting reflection of the dedication and focused work of the school team in recent years. It is certainly gratifying to be judged by fellow educationalists - people with a clear understanding of what a quality school looks and feels like - and found to have excelled. In a very praising letter, Martin Skelton - a Director of the World Class Learning Group - mentions the ‘enthusiasm, dynamism and rigour’ found at Panaga School. These words do, indeed, ably capture our core approach to learning across the year groups on a daily basis. When IPC Accreditors comment that they would wish to be a teacher here themselves and for their children to attend Panaga School, you can be sure we are offering something special! Across the year, our monthly colour newsletters have shown how a broad range of activities have extended and enriched the children’s learning experiences: International Day, Sports Days, Milepost productions, class assemblies, HSE day, cultural assemblies; day trips; Exit Points, residentials, theme days, ASAs, sporting fixtures, visiting speakers, competitions…the list goes on! Our grateful thanks go to the parents of Panaga whose strong support, demonstrated in a variety of ways, has benefited the children enormously. Equal thanks are extended to our superb administrative, security and cleaning teams for ensuring Panaga School runs effectively on a day-to-day basis. This has been a great year at Panaga: thank you all for your part in this. I wish the children and their families a very safe and enjoyable vacation. To those children and teachers who are leaving Brunei this year, I hope you enjoy your new schools and will stay in touch - the Panaga family is a large one, spread across the world! On a personal note, I leave Brunei with many happy memories, firm friendships and the certain knowledge that Panaga School - which has achieved so much in the past 4 years - now has the direction, drive and capacity to secure future success. Richard White
Issue 34, June/July 2012 Panaga School Brunei Darussalam Jalan Utara, Seria, KB3534, Brunei Phone: +673 3372139 Fax: +6733373028 Web: www.panagaschool.com
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Page Two: The fantastic stage event, Poptastic! Page Three: PTA News, From the Boardroom and Sixty Seconds. Page Four: P5 and the teachers survive the jungle, the pool and each other! Page Five: P8 Graduate! Page Six: Patrick’s Muscleman! Page Seven: Miss Liza is Brain Friendly! and the Student Councillors do us proud again! Page Eight: P8’s Shakespeare Production and Leaver’s Assembly both great events! Page Nine: P7 give their gravity challenge to the school, It’s a sad time as we say goodbye, We’re getting hooked on rugby here at Panaga School and our gymnastic greatness is on show at Hornbill. Quote for the month: If you're brave enough to say goodbye, life may reward you with a new world. Newsletter designed and edited by Damian Brady
Panaga School Newsletter Milepost Three’s Production: Choreographer); there were other ised their life long mistake. teachers also involved in this, such FRIENDS ARE FAME! as the P6 and P7 teachers. Poptastic was about greed and Poptastic was obviously a pop and guilt as two twins pushed their rock feast for the whole family to friends out of the spotlight and enjoy. We hope you all enjoyed the The concert was a great success chose fame over friends. But when concert! thanks to Miss Teresa (Director) they lose their fame and glory, they By: Jack and Carlos IP7K and Miss Julie (Music Director and reunited with their friends and realThroughout the past five weeks, P6 and P7 have been showing great Personal Goals as they worked together to perform the 2012 Milepost Three Concert, called POPTASTIC!
Panaga School Newsletter Parent Teacher Association (PTA) News married actually only half an hour before Miss Liza and Mr On the PTA front, we have had a busy and fulfilling Paul at the same location in Bandar. We wish Liz and Maryear. We have organised many events for charity like tin well and congratulations Liz on your posting to the PDO Panaga Helps, the sale of greeting cards and of School in Oman. course, the recent Family Year Planner. The money Goodbye! raised from the PTA Social Night and the Cookbook We also wish all of the other leavers the very best in their will go towards future Panaga School events. This year, we ordered beanbags for the library, bikes for future travels and employment: Miss Hazel (Qatar), Mr the smaller children at the Nursery and Rampayoh and Gordon (Holland), Miss Trea (Holland) and of course Miss flag lines representing all of the students’ countries of Clare and Mr Richard, the “Mastering” Commander of the Panaga School for 2011-2012. And let’s not forget all of Panaga School ship.
A busy year!
the cultural assemblies and teaching the children tough songs and dances from different parts of the world!
Other News:
This week, The PTA, on behalf of the children, presented A big thank you to all the class mums (and other parents) Panaga School’s specialist teachers (who often are forgotthat have assisted in our activities. We hope more parents ten from end of year tokens of appreciation) with thank you will join the PTA next year. Enjoy your summer break! gifts. We appreciate the hard work of all Panaga School teaching staff, learning support assistants, administration Liza and Paul got married! So too did Liz and maintenance staff. It has been a great year!
and Martin!
Panaga School PTA teaching couple, Mr Paul Moffett and Miss Liza Davison, got married on the 30th June 2012. We wish them all the best in their married life! Sadly Miss Liza will be leaving Panaga School after taking a new assignment as the Deputy Head Teacher in Bintulu. Liza, you will be missed! Congratulations also goes to P3 teacher, Miss Liz, and her now husband, Martin, on their nuptials as well. They were
From the Boardroom A message from:
Peter Anderton Panaga School Board Teacher Representative Greetings! Wow! I can’t believe how quickly this year has gone! It only seems like five minutes have passed since I first drove down Jalan Utara to find out what my classroom looked like. Now, a settled teacher in a Mastering school, I feel at home in Panaga and Brunei. For that I have to thank the other staff, the parents and most of all the amazing children of Panaga School; they literally make my job! I would like to take this opportunity to say good luck to all those leaving Panaga School; any children moving on to pastures new, all P8 children moving on up and the P7s who are off to secondary schools. Similarly, I would like to express my best wishes to Mr Gordon, Miss Hazel, Miss Liz, Miss Liza, Miss Trea, Miss Clare and Mr Richard who have found their next challenges in new schools and new countries. Have a great holiday; be safe and have fun!
Editor’s Note: The Panaga School PTA have done a wonderful job this year for the school - raising funds for charities, leading school events and assemblies and establishing community links. Special thanks goes to Margit and Marion for their support and contributions toward the Panaga School Newsletter this year to promote the PTA’s activities.
Sixty seconds with..
Damian Brady Additional Class Teacher, Editor and Publications Coordinator How long have you been at Panaga School? I have worked at Panaga School for 6 years. I was a P6 class teacher for my first three years before starting my current position, Additional Class Teacher and Publications Coordinator. It’s a fantastic job at a great school! Where did you meet your wife? I met my wife, Mila (who used to also work at Panaga School, as a Learning Support Assistant), in the fruit and vegetable section of Supasave! What is your favourite dessert? Just today, I was given a delicious Indian rice pudding. I also like pavlova and lemon sorbet. What is your favourite book? My favourite book of all time is: On
the Road, by Jack Kerouac; which is finally being released as a film later this year! Your favourite holiday destination? Quite a few years ago, I briefly studied Spanish in a town in the south of Spain called Cadiz; which is such a beautiful place. Cadiz has amazing beaches, food, live music, culture, art and people. Where do you see yourself in ten years from now? My wife is currently studying in Australia, aiming to become an architect. I hope she is successful in her career; whether in Australia or Paris (where she would love to live, paint and work). I’d be very happy writing novels alongside her, where ever we are, helping raise our children and teaching English to refugees and orphans for free. What is your favourite restaurant? I can’t go past Excapade Sushi which has wonderful salmon sashimi. What do you enjoy doing most in Panaga? I love going to the BSRC to play snooker, squash and tennis. Interviewed (harassed) by Marion and Margit
Panaga School Newsletter A school sleepover? Teachers and P5? Survive? It had started off as a very regular Monday meeting but what was to come could not have been predicted in a million years. Could this really be happening to us? Would the school really go through with it? I racked my brain… what terrible thing could we, the P5 teachers, have
possibly done to deserve this? My eyes scanned down the meeting agenda again. There it was…in black and white…Item 4: ’P5 Survival Sleep Over’ all teachers to attend! I loosened my collar as sweat dripped from my brow and I tried to control my hands from shaking with the terror. As I
scanned the faces of my big question hung over us colleagues across the ta- all…Would we survive? ble, I knew that they too were feeling the fear…the - Miss Rachel
All P5s arrived at 3:15 at the amazing Panaga School, Teraja. The boys put their bags in the PE hall and the girls put their bags in the P7 classrooms. Some people did not arrive because they went to an excellent rugby tournament. They arrived later with Mr Damian. Meanwhile the other people were on their way to Anduki on the bus. When we reached Anduki the first people that we saw were the Ghurkas…big and tough! Nearly all the P5s were petrified and the rest just stared. We got camouflage face paint; then we looked like one of the junior Ghurkas. All the P5s were split up into four groups by the wonderful P5 teachers. We rotated into different places for different activities; fire, water, food and shelter. In fire, we learned different ways of making fire. The flint and steel was awesome! We learned really cool ways to find and filter water. We learned how to find and cook food. We found out a variety room and we pretended to sleep! Then it was of steps to make shelters. time for a very good bed time story before In the end everyone gave a thank you card to sleep. the Ghurkas. They were very surprised! We all walked to the bus. When we got back to Soon, it was morning; we rose up bright and school, we washed our hands and ate our early. Other people were very sleepy! We got food. Everyone was waiting for a second ready and went outside to play. And then it round. We got dessert and then went to set was time. We excitedly walked to Panaga up our beds, so we would be comfy when it Club, our voice levels rising higher! We had a yummy breakfast. Next, it was swimming time. was time to sleep. It was time for the night…the big night! It was time for ‘P5’s Got Talent!’ The first groups were five very talented girls. Mr. Philip started throwing candy all over the place! It was a real disco! Miss Hanie gave the girls time to get ready for bed. When she left the room the girls instantly started having a pillow fight and we were very loud. She came back into the
Mr Paul taught us how to react when we see someone in trouble in the water. We used equipment to help the people who were in trouble. Before we went back to class we had pyjama swimming. It was awful! Our pyjamas fell down! Luckily we had swimming costumes on underneath! Finally we went back to class. AND…WE SURVIVED!! By the P5 Children (survivors).
Panaga School Newsletter
P8 Graduation, Thursday 5th July 2012
During the IPC Accreditation visit in April, our visitors were keen to understand what types of children we wanted to develop here at Panaga School. Had they visited during our P8 Graduation Evening, they would have seen and heard about the fine examples of just such children who are leaving Panaga School this summer. We are proud that all the children leave Panaga School this year well-equipped with the personal goals to join other schools in many different countries. In September 2012, children from P8 will be joining schools in Oman, Brunei, China, USA, Holland and the UK. They will all make fine ambassadors for Panaga School.
Our congratulations on graduating from Panaga School go to:
Fien Hinoul, Billy Haggmascall, Fern White, Faiq Faizal, Joel Fernandes, Nilin Chougule, Dustin Lebiadowski, Mohammed Al Shaibani, Khalil Al Buwaiqi, Abdullah Al Hajri, Mariam Idris, Andrea Boulanger, Alize Oztas, David van Delden, David Fowler, Pirachat Rattananon, Celine Scholte, Intan Dols, Exel Agapito, Katyayani Singh, Kaushik Venkatakrishnan, Max Paderin, Steven Learmonth, James Paul, Andrea Carvalho, Nurul Cali, Najma Nizar, Samuel Torres, Rachel Adie, Flynn van den Heuvel and Ismat Qayum. By Mr Andy Ryan and Miss Barbara Diepenmaat
Panaga School Newsletter An excellent school holiday read!: Muscleman’s Journey In prehistoric times, in a small house in Canada, there lived a flexible young man named Muscleman. Every single person feared the man with lightning powers, Lightningman. His powers would only go out if rain came on earth. Rain had not come for many years, so people began to worry. Muscleman was sent to search for the town where the evil Lightningman lived. But the fierce monster, the Dino-bircarog guarded the town. It had set up many obstacles around the town. Muscle man needed to stop Lightning man because he was zapping anyone he wanted to for fun. Every second one more person was killed. Muscleman got angry and made up his mind to kill Lightningman. The obstacles in his way were actually dangerous places. Muscleman had to find his way through them. On the other side of the island, Sisland, laid the town,
guarded by the Dinobircarog. In Muscleman’s way there was the Wood of Invisible Mines, the Battle Field of Aliens and the Slimy Mysterious Mountain of Doom. Muscleman set off on his journey to the southern part of the Sisland. He first encountered the Wood of Invisible Mines. He could sense where the mines were. He shot through the Wood, punching down all the trees. In a blink of an eye, he had found his way to the end of the wood. Next in his way was the Battle Field of Aliens. As he stepped into the field, aliens appeared out of nowhere and lasers and bullets flew across the field. Muscle man leapt through them and dodged them all at once. Lastly, in front of him was the Slimy Mysterious Mountain of Doom. He thought for 1…2…3 hours. Finally, an idea popped up into his mind. He raised his arm and blasted his way into the mountain. In ex-
actly one second, he saw could hear a faint “Zap!”. the town. The sound grew louder and louder until a jagged He tip-toed to the town lighting bolt was visible in gate, knocked them open the sky. “Lightingman!” and crept in. Soon he cried Muscleman. But it could hear the Dinowasn’t him. It was a thunbircarog smashing through der storm! Soon rain came the town. He charged in pouring down on the the direction of the sound. streets of the town. The Dino-bircarog turned “Yahoo!” cheered Muscleits focus to Muscleman. man. “Lightingman is deThe three-headed monster feated!” made the first move. It charged at Muscleman On his was out of town, he with its horn lowered. Mus- picked up the cat’s head cleman bashed the horn in from the monster. He half. Next, lasers fired from hoped that the ears could a cat’s head. Muscleman still shoot lasers. He just dodged them and ripped didn’t know how to shoot off the bird’s head with the them. He tried banging it. broken horn. The cat’s Lasers shot out and struck head was still there. A tail a house. The area it struck of a dinosaur launched turned into a mouse! Musthree arrows at him. Mus- cleman said, “That’s it! I’ll cleman kicked them into use this to destroy all the pieces. Finally, he knocked obstacles!” He continued down the monster and de- out of the town and turned livered kicks and punches all of the obstacles into until the Dino-bircarog was harmless mice. He redefeated. turned to his home. Everybody in his town gave him Muscleman set off on the a reward for his heroic act. journey to find Lightningman. In the distance he By Patrick Zhou – IP4PM
Panaga School Newsletter A Brain Friendly end to a wonderful contribution At the end of June, Panaga School’s IPC Leader for Learning, Miss Liza Davison, delivered her final IPC Information Session on “Brain Friendly Learning” to parents.
Throughout her four years as the school’s IPC Leader for Learning, Miss Liza has given many IPC information and in-service training sessions to teachers, Learning Support Assistants and parents. In this information session, Miss Liza discussed how Brain Friendly learning for children is designed to improve the transfer of knowledge into long term memory by maximising effective links of the different systems of their brain during the learning process.
Thank you Miss Liza
Each year at Panaga School, children not only engage in specific Brain Friendly learning tasks to promote these links, similar activities are also embedded into the many units across the IPC and other curricula. Congratulations to Miss Liza for her leading role in securing Panaga School’s IPC Accreditation at “Mastering” level. You have helped secure a wonderful international and very brain-friendly learning environment here which is sure to continue for many years to come. By Damian Brady
Our Student Councillors’ thoughtfulness and kindness make us proud On Tuesday 10th July, a small group of Teraja Student Councillors travelled to Pusat Ehsan School in Kuala Belait. Pusat Ehsan is a nongovernment and non-profit organisation that provides quality education to 27 children with educational needs. The purpose of the visit was to meet the students and donate gifts with money raised from the recent photo competition. Our students presented a binding machine and ring bind-
Exchanging gifts
ers, a heavy duty stapler and staples and a heavy duty hole punch. The equipment will be used by the older Prevocational class children. Our children greeted the other students, had a tour of their classrooms, participated in an exercise and dance session and posed for photos. David, Rohit, Sneha, Ezra and Aarushi, you did Panaga School proud by displaying thoughtfulness and kindness to others. By Mr Paul Moffett
Dance session
From the Pusat Ehsan kids
Whole group photo
Panaga School Newsletter P8 Leavers Assembly, Friday 6th July The month of July brings many different emotions to our P8 classes as everyone gets excited, but also sad, about leaving Panaga School. The P8 children crowned a busy penultimate week to the school year with a year group assembly featuring the popular quiz game ‘Are you smarter than a P8’er’. Mariam, Celine and David all took turns improvising as game show hosts to see how well three different volunteers could answer questions based on their P8 curriculum. They were joined on stage by Miss Jenny, Mr Richard and a very brave Saskia from IP7. The assembly also gave the children an opportunity to share some of their best memories of Panaga School and to sing the final song from their play, ‘Shakespeare comes to Panaga School’. Traditionally at these assemblies, the teachers from P8 say a little piece about each child. However, having already done this at the P8 graduation the previous night, Mr Andy and Miss Barbara took the opportunity to sing to the P8 children, borrowing a tune from ‘One Direction’.
Shakespeare Comes to Panaga School On the 3rd of July, P8 gathered at the Teraja School hall to perform their production; ‘Shakespeare comes to Panaga School’. The performance showed how well P8 worked throughout the year and also showed what you can achieve when you all work as a team. They used a variety of Shakespearean quotes and language right through the show and even cranked up the audience with a few jokes here and there.
My kingdom for a horse...and a Jester!
We stood backstage peeking through the curtains with shaky hands. We were all nervous. Mr. Andy introduced us and we slithBilly as ‘William’ ered onto the stage unsure. After the rap we got used to being on stage and everything started going smoothly. We said our lines clearly, we did some acting and towards the end, we all got over our stage fright and just enjoyed ourselves! We had a few Shakespearean characters such as William Shakespeare (acted by Billy Hoggmascall), Romeo and Juliet (David Fowler and Intan Dols), Julius Caesar (David Van Delden) and so much more. I was showing young William Shakespeare around in the performance and I stayed on for the whole second half of the play. After the show was over I just wanted to do it all over again just for the fun of it! By Andrea Boulanger The Witches
It’s always great when we get help in school from our wider school community. P8 were very lucky that one of our class mum’s, Colette Hoggmascall gave us so much time to write our play and help to direct the children’s acting. - Mr Andy and Miss Barbara
Benvolio, Romeo and Juliet
Panaga School Newsletter Thank you and best wishes to all! Very best of luck to all of Panaga School’s teachers that are leaving this year. Your contributions towards Mastering children’s learning and all else you have achieved have been immense and you will be sorely missed by all. Please keep in contact with the school.
P7’s Gravity Charity - a great success On Friday 25th of May, P7 raised B$1,184.95 for Oxfam, a poverty fighting organisation. P7 accomplished this by creating 18 games in total to do with their IPC topic, ‘The Physical World,’ (physics). P7 invited pupils and parents to play their games under the main tent of the Teraja site, at B$1 each try. In addition, they sold cakes,
treats and fresh beverages. As P7 were learning about forces and physics during the course of the term, the games involved gravity, air resistance, water resistance, magnetism and electrical circuits. Parents of P7 tried out the games from 10:00 to 10:30 while the rest of the school played the games from 9:00 to 9:20. We are glad to
report that everyone who tried their games thoroughly enjoyed the Gravity Charity! Gravity Charity! Where Fun Rewards Others! By Hamish, Rohit and Jack (IP7K)
Rugby: ‘It’s gonna get you!’ A fantastic time was had by all at last month’s Touch Rugby Tournament held at the Jerudong International School! Panaga’s first ever touch rugby teams did the school very proud, with the combined P5 and P6 side coming first.
Overall, there was a three way tie for tournament champions; Panaga School, one of those teams! Look out for more rugby being played at break times next year.
The children really enjoyed themselves and showed great The P6 and P7 com- sportsmanship. bined side did very By Damian Brady well too, finishing in second place.
Gymnastics at Hornbill School th
group together and make their own On behalf of all of the students from routine with the apparatus they were Panaga School, everyone really engiven. After the 12 groups had finished joyed the event. their routine, the second break started. By Hamish Newall, Boaz Weisser After the second break, the competiand Sophie Tung tion started. Three judges individually gave each team a mark out of ten. This was followed by the awards. All three judges added up the scores and Afterwards, the children from all of the announced who came second and fist. schools got together and warmed up in Team 10 came in first place, with a sense that everyone ran around. Sophia in IP7P, and Team 11, with Later on, children from different Hamish in IP7K, was awarded with schools would group together and per- second place. Last, but by no means form a balance. Then, three to five least, team 8 with Andie in IP6G came children from different schools would third. Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Moras On the 15 of June 2012, 40 children went to Hornbill School to have the first Gymnastics Carnival (featuring JIS, ISB, Hornbill and Panaga School). The children were welcomed in with great respect and had a tour around most of the school as the rest of Hornbill students had a break.