Panaga School Weekly, Issue Seventy, 4th September 2020
Updates from the Principal’s Desk Dear Panaga School Community,
Issue Seventy 4th September 2020
It was absolutely wonderful to open the doors of the school to students on Monday this week. Thank you to all members of our community who worked together to ensure that a smooth and safe start to the new academic year was a reality for all of our students in attendance. Special acknowledgments to our dedicated teachers, learning support assistants, administration officers, cleaners, gardeners and security who ensured we were school-ready.
Student numbers update In acknowledging our wonderful start to the school year, I would also like to recognise how much we look forward to our 53 students arriving, who remain out of the country and are yet to join us. Of these 53 students, 42 are new arrivals and Panaga School 11 are our continuing students who have had to navigate reentry to Brunei since IFM/4, borders have been closed. We currently have 378 students in the country, with a BSP Company Sdn Bhd, total enrolment of 431 students, once all of our new students arrive. Seria, KB 3534, Negara Brunei Darussalam
Incoming teachers update Most of us are aware that ongoing processing changes to new arrivals to Brunei are (+673) 3375728/3372139 delaying many new Shell families’ arrival. This is also impacting our incoming (Teraja/ teachers, with Miss Suzi (P3) and Miss Alex (Nursery) having flights postponed Melilas), this week. We are working with relevant HR teams who are pursuing incoming teacher approvals. When updates are available, parents will be informed. (+673) 3372694 (Mendaram/ Rampayoh)
Principal: Cindy Bin Tahal (+673) 3372355/ 8777028 cindybintahal@ panagaschool.com Panaga School Senior Administration Officer: Jalinah Bte Ali (+673) 3375728 jalinah.ali@shell.com
Meet the Teacher As per this week's Parent Bulletin 1.9.2020, Meet the Teacher events are scheduled throughout this and next week, to begin building all important home-school relationships. If childcare is an issue to allow your attendance, please contact Miss Zu: z.jumat@shell.com, with more than 24 hours notice, so that we can assist you to be able to attend. We look forward to seeing you there! To our families out of the country, teachers are connecting remotely with you upon your arrival to Brunei to assist in catering for your child's needs where possible during quarantine and to discuss school transitions for the start of this academic year.
Please reach out Through stakeholder engagement last academic year, we generated our school vision, "Together, Improving Learning". A sense of togetherness came through all Admin Support, consultation sessions about our school vision, with learning central to everything Rampayoh/Mendaram: that we do as a school. The unique and isolated location of Brunei demands our Zurimah Bte Jumat interdependence as a community to manage all that life presents. In the current z.jumat@shell.com global climate, this is as relevant as ever.
Admin Support, Teraja: Hasmah Bte Hj Salleh hasmah.salleh@ shell.com
I sign off with well wishes once more to our 53 students, 8 incoming teachers and all of our families who are currently navigating some very difficult international transfer arrangements, followed by quarantine. You are all in our thoughts. As a Panaga School Weekly school community, we are only a phone call or email away, if we can offer any support at this time. editor: Damian Brady damianbrady@ panagaschool.com
Wishing everybody a safe weekend ahead. Kind regards, Cindy
Panaga School Weekly, Issue Seventy, 4th September 2020
07 Sept
08 Sept
09 Sept
10 Sept
11 Sept
Whole School
Mendaram (PN-N) 16.30-17.30: Rampayoh Meet the Teacher
Rampayoh (P1-P3)
16.30-17.30: Teraja Meet the Teacher
Teraja (P4-P7)
16.30-17.30: Melilas Meet the Teacher
Melilas (M1-M2) 14 Sept Whole School
15 Sept
16 Sept
17 Sept
BSP Safety Day
ASAs begin
18 Sept
Mendaram (PN-N)
Rampayoh (P1-P3)
13.00-14.00: P1 Parent Meeting (Phonics and Reading)
Teraja (P4-P7)
Melilas (M1-M2)
Event information above is correct at the time of printing. To keep up-to-date with all school events, please go to: www.panagaschool.com/calendar.
Panaga School Weekly, Issue Seventy, 4th September 2020
There were smiles all round and hardly a tear in sight (from the students anyway) as Panaga School’s new academic year began on Monday 31st August 2020. After a well-deserved break, all children settled in to their new classes eagerly and easily.
Plus, we have welcomed and are looking forward to welcoming many more new families to the school community in the coming months. It was fantastic to witness so many smiles on the children’s faces as many have long-awaited being reacquainted with their friends, making new ones and continuing their learning.
There are numerous, wonderful events and celebrations this school year. Keep posted to each issue of the Panaga School Weekly and other communication channels for details. But for now, welcome back. It’s going to be another great, hopefully smooth, school year!
By Damian Brady
Panaga School Weekly, Issue Seventy, 4th September 2020
Celebrating Zak’s success Play sparks interests and ignites passion
Panaga School is proud to announce that we have our very first student first aider. Zak of P6 has undertaken formal studies at the University of Brunei Darussalam to complete not only his first aid certificate, but also child and infant AED and CPR modules. Zak now holds an internationally recognised first aid qualification as a result of his committed studies. Zak has had a passion for first aid for as long as I can remember. When Zak visited my office this week sporting his first aid certificate and to ask if he could play an active role as a Panaga School qualified first aider, while being immensely proud, I also was not surprised. I can recall Zak as a P2 student setting up a traffic cone and chair, sitting with a clipboard and sign in the Rampayoh playground, advertising to all that he was at a first aid station. When I reminded Zak of this, some 4 years later, he was quick to remind me with a laugh, “Oh yeah, that was just play, this is real now, Miss Cindy!” Parents, play is powerful! Play needs to continue to be at the forefront of education for all and we need to allow space and time for our children to be creative through play in agerelated and relevant ways. It is how children of all ages learn to experience the adult world, to begin to make sense of it, so that they can find out what ignites passions to help create a life of purpose and joy. It is recommend for children up until teenage years, that they have at least an hour of child-led play a day. “What do you want to be when you grow up?” is a question that can be substituted with, “Tell me what you are passionate about or interested in?” In this everchanging, fast-paced world built around technology, our children could very well experience up to 6 different careers in their future. Adaptability is a crucial Personal Quality to enable this. So how do we help our children navigate the unknown and changing future careers? By focusing on passions and interests. Zak’s interest in first aid has been sparked by the careers of his parents and demonstrated through play initially. He tells me that he aims to do very well in his studies of mathematics and science to allow him to study veterinary science. Zak, it is a delight to see you hold so much passion for helping others and to experience success with your first aid qualification at such a young age. We are here to support you in your learning journey. Zak will be assisting Mr Zaim on first aid duty in Teraja on a Tuesday and Thursday. Congratulations Zak, we are very proud of you! - Miss Cindy
Panaga School Weekly, Issue Seventy, 4th September 2020
After School Activities (ASAs) - information and sign up forms After School Activities for Term 1 commence on Thursday 17th September and will conclude on Thursday 26th November.
Activities at Rampayoh (P2 and P3 only) run from 2.15pm – 3.00pm. Activities at Teraja/Melilas run from 2.30pm – 3.15pm.
Please click here for a list and Please click here for a list and information about ASAs information about ASAs available for P2 and P3 students. available in Teraja and Melilas.
Please click here to sign P2 and P3 ASAs.
up to
Please click here to sign up to Teraja and Melilas ASAs.
Sports Training
In addition to Thursdays’ ASAs, please click below for next week’s...
Sports Training Schedule
Panaga School Weekly, Issue Seventy, 4th September 2020
PANAGA SCHOOL MUSIC CLUBS MONDAY
TUESDAY
UKULELE CLUB (P4-M2)
PANAGA SCHOOL CHOIR (P3-M2)
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
LUNCHTIME
TERAJA/MELILAS MUSIC ROOM
2.30-3.30PM
TERAJA/MELILAS MUSIC ROOM
SAMBA ASA (P4-M2)
Music Clubs will start from Week 3. All Music Clubs will take place in the Teraja/Melilas Music room. Please check the above table in the newsletter each week to see if a club has been cancelled. Sign up for Ukulele Club and Panaga School Choir via the Google docs below.
UKULELE SIGN UP: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/ d/1_e1B402sf91nddZh5QN0InyjYssREg5JRNJv2rEDVAo/edit? usp=sharing CHOIR SIGN UP: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1swmJebw0Esz6QQJlibn9YoACvAcJoA6oAiH772BW1Y/edit?usp=sharing Sign up for Samba ASA via the ASA Google form. Panaga School Choir is also open to children in P3. They will walk over to Teraja from Rampayoh with a staff member. They will need to be picked up from the Teraja/Melilas Music room. Please make sure that P3 choir children have a raincoat, hat and extra snack with them. - Miss Sarah
Panaga School Weekly, Issue Seventy, 4th September 2020
Orientation Days in Pre-Nursery This week and next, our youngest students are getting familiar with going to school. They have had opportunities to explore, create, investigate, communicate, get messy, be independent, play in a group and be challenged! The Pre-Nursery team are looking forward to the year ahead. - Miss Shelagh
Click this link to see some more photos of children in action.
Panaga School Weekly, Issue Seventy, 4th September 2020
Welcome to Nursery! Welcome to all of our Nursery families. What a super first week we have had. The children have settled in very quickly and have enjoyed exploring their new environment. We are very much looking forward to welcoming 2 more new families in the coming months. Well done Sunbears and Orangutans...Let’s have a fantastic year! - Miss Louise & Miss Sur
Panaga School Weekly, Issue Seventy, 4th September 2020
Teddy Bear’s Picnic
The children in P1 have had a fantastic start to the academic year. On Thursday 3rd September, they celebrated their ‘Entry Point’ for the IEYC unit, ‘Chattering Children’. The children brought in a teddy for the Teddy Bear’s Picnic and went on a scavenger hunt to get to know their new learning environment. We are proud of how adaptable all children have been, getting used to all of the new routines. Well done P1!
By Miss Amy and Miss Rachel
Panaga School Weekly, Issue Seventy, 4th September 2020
Panaga School’s Additional Needs Team My name is Mia France and I am the Additional Needs Teacher at Panaga School. My job is to help both staff and parents to support children who have additional needs. I will be working strategically across all four school sites to co-ordinate provision, provide training and work with parents and other external providers to ensure that all our children are achieving their potential. If you have any concerns about your child’s social and emotional or learning needs then please contact their class teacher or myself directly: miafrance@panagaschool.net. Hi, I’m Rachel Marsden, EAL (English as an Additional Language) teacher working closely with Miss Mia in the ANT department this year. I will be teaching English language to children with English as an additional language and supporting English language acquisition and development across the school. I will also be working with parents, teachers and LSAs to access resources to support English language and literacy learning, and to develop best practice through training sessions across our sites. I can be contacted through class teachers, or via email: rachelmarsden@panagaschool.net.
Panaga School Weekly, Issue Seventy, 4th September 2020
We had a mysterious icebox sent to P3
To unlock it, we had to solve maths problems to reveal 10 missing digits. It was worth the hard work!
It took us 3 days to crack the clues. When we finally opened it, we discovered that it was full of ice creams!
Panaga School Weekly, Issue Seventy, 4th September 2020
We also enjoyed some teambuilding activities with friends from both P3 classes.
We practised our Personal Qualities of Communication, Cooperation and Resilience. What a fun, adventurous week for P3!
Panaga School Weekly, Issue Seventy, 4th September 2020
‘Young sailors’ sail through From the Borneo Bulletin, August 26, 2020
By James Kon Twelve children between eight to 12 participated in a three-day Junior Sailing Camp at the Panaga Club in Seria recently. It was organised by the Kuala Belait Boat Club in collaboration with the Brunei Darussalam Yachting Association (BDYA). The event, held from August 20-22, aimed at nurturing and promoting the sport and to attract more sailors for The Kuala Belait Boat Club (KBBC). The camp’s first day saw the young sailors going through a water confidence test where they were required to swim 50 metres in complete sailing gear, according to the BDYA. They also learnt the fundamentals of sailing such as basic knots and the different points of sailing. On the second day, the participants learnt to rig up their boats, sailed a simple Figure 8 course and an upwind–downwind course. On the final day, a practice race was held. The young sailors also showcased their skills during the final race. Samuel Avalos and Josh Clarke won first place in the first race followed by Alfie White and Santiago Mueller in second, and Lena Wodtke and Chloe Clarke in third. During the second race, Lena Wodtke and Chloe Clarke came in first followed by Kyle van Dijk-Thieme and Alessandra van Dijk-Thieme, and Alfie White and Santiago Mueller. Lena Wodtke and Chloe Clarke emerged as the overall champions and were presented medals by BDYA President Dato Paduka Haji Idris bin Haji Abas. The young sailors were also presented with certificates.
ABOVE: Brunei Darussalam Yachting Association (BDYA) President Dato Paduka Haji Idris bin Haji Abas in a group photo with overall champions Lena Wodtke and Chloe Clarke; and participants during the camp. PHOTOS: BDYA