SummaRISe - Issue 132

21 May 2015 Issue 89 Sunday,Thursday 01st October 2017 Issue 132 GENERAL GENERAL

NURSERY

KG PRIMARY

PRIMARY SECONDARY PRIMARY

SECONDARY SECONDARY

PARIS SCHOOL CLINIC

World Peace Day - Wednesday, 20th September 2017

DATE

EVENTS OCTOBER 2017

Sunday, 01 - Monday, 02 October Sunday, 01 October Sunday, 08 - Thursday, 12 October Thursday, 12 October Tuesday, 17 October Sunday, 22 October Thursday, 26 October Sunday, 29 October to Thursday, 02 November

Secondary School Parent Information Session Paid CCA’s start Book fair Pink Day - Innovents Year 2 Falcon show Parent Student Conference (Afternoon session) Literary Soiree Years 7 - 11 Innovents Half Term Break for students (excluding Nursery)

Sunday 29 October to Tuesday, 31 October

Staff Professional Development (No students - excluding Nursery)

NOVEMBER 2017 Wednesday, 01 - Thursday, 02 November

Half Term Break for Nursery students

Wednesday, 01 November

Nursery Staff Professional Development - No students

Monday, 06 November

RIS Open Day 09:00 - 10:30 am

Tuesday, 07 November

UKMT Senior Challenge

Sunday, 12 to Thursday, 16 November

FS2 Planting week

Tuesday, 14 November

Nursery Open Day

Sunday, 19 to Thursday, 23 November

Year 1 Field Trips

Sunday, 19 November

Nursery Yellow Day

Monday, 20 to Thursday, 23 November

IBT Exams (tbc)

Sunday, 26 November

Secondary Internal Assessments

Wednesday, 29 November

National Day Celebration

Thursday, 30 November

Martyr’s Day*

DECEMBER 2017 Friday, 01 December Saturday, 02 to Sunday, 03 December

Prophet’s Birthday UAE National Day - Holiday

Sunday, 10 to Tuesday, 12 December

Year 5 Field Trip

Sunday, 10 December

Nursery Blue Day

Monday, 11 to Wednesday, 13 December

Nursery Field Trip

Wednesday, 13 December

Year 4 Field Trip

Thursday, 14 December

FS2 Winter concert

Thursday, 14 December

Dismissal for Winter Break (no noon dismissal)

Sunday, 17 December - Saturday, 06 January

Winter Break for students (excluding Nursery)

Sunday, 17 to Tuesday, 19 December

Staff Professional Development (No students - excluding Nursery)

Tuesday, 19 December

Nursery end of term celebration

Wednesday, 20 December -Saturday, 6 January

Winter Break for Nursery students

Sunday, 07 January 2018

Students and teachers return

Message from the Principal Dear Parents, We trust that the beginning of the new academic year has been a very positive experience for both you and your child.

This is a hugely exciting time for Raffles International School (RIS), with many developments either reaching fruition or in the pipeline. One of these that we would like to inform you about is the review of our Assessment Framework for Years 1 - 9. Taking into account feedback from parents and teachers, we have held an extensive review of how our students’ attainment and progress is graded at RIS. We are pleased to share with you the following key points.

As you know, the way in which we grade students’ attainment and progress and how we use this information is essential. It enables:     

Students to reflect on their achievements, and peer/self-assess; Teachers to plan suitably challenging and engaging learning experiences; The school as a whole to identify where our students are performing well and where they need additional support; Parents to see their child’s development and understand what further help they can provide; School inspection agencies to review the quality of our provision and provide us with further recommendations.

Everything we do at RIS is driven by the desire to improve student outcomes year on year, including how we assess our students. This year, all our Year 1 - 9 students will be graded on a 0 - 6 scale instead of the 1 - 9 scale used in previous years:

0 1 2 3 4 5 6

Assessment Standards Student has not demonstrated understanding of the Curriculum Standard Student has demonstrated a limited understanding of the Curriculum Standard Student has demonstrated some understanding of the Curriculum Standard Student has demonstrated an adequate understanding of the Curriculum Standard Student has demonstrated an in-depth understanding of the Curriculum Standard Student has demonstrated understanding that is above the Curriculum Standard Student has demonstrated understanding that is well above the Curriculum Standard

At RIS we assess Year 1 - 9 students against the Curriculum Standards outlined in Cambridge Primary and Cambridge Secondary. In Year 6 and 9 students sit their Checkpoint examinations. Cambridge uses a 0 - 6 grading scale, and so our internal grading now mirrors this for greater clarity. In Years 10 - 13 we will grade A*- G also in line with the Cambridge examination grades.

Student’s ID Card With effect from this academic year, students do not have to swipe in their ID cards upon arrival.

Registration is completed on ISAMS. Students will use their card for ID purpose only.

Communication Pathways RIS is committed to continuous improvement and development, responding feedback and improving school experience for students and parents alike.

to

parent

Communication between school and home is so important as it is the basis of homeschool partnership.

Based on your feedback, we have set clear pathways for communication, streamlined the broadcast of information through the various channels available to us.

Please see below to understand how the different channels of communication will work.

The school diary will be a mode of communication between school and home. For students to have more ownership of their learning and behavior, school diaries will be more frequently used.

I wish you all the very best.

Zeba Khan Principal Year Nursery

Year FS - 2

Information disseminated Emails - All communications from Management, SLMT and teacher, children’s absences.

Homework -

Others Communication Book, SummaRISe and Weekly Chronicle - Information relating to Calendar, events, reminders, celebrations

ISAMS Emails - All communications from Management, SLMT, teacher, homework School, absences.

EDMODO -

Diary Information for students regarding homework, Celebrations, Behaviour management message

SummaRISe rewards.

Year 3 - 6

Secondary School

Year 2 from Term 2 start transition to EDMODO for all academic information.

Sanctions and

Emails - All communications from Year 3 from term 2 transition Management, SLMT, teachers will start to EDMODO for all and specialists School academic information. absences.

All academic information – SummaRISe, Sanctions and  Homework rewards.  Digital assignments  Class presentations Detentions.  Revision work  Sample papers  Student teacher communication All formal communication from Management, SLMT, teachers and specialists School absences.

SummaRISe, Sanctions and rewards.

Detentions.

All academic information –      

Homework Digital assignments Class presentations Revision work Sample papers Student teacher communication

Information for students regarding homework, Celebrations, Behaviour management message

Information for students regarding homework, Celebrations, Behaviour management message

Mums and Dads, ‘please keep us safe to and fro from school’ As members of the school community we have become concerned about children’s safety in our car parks. I strongly believe that by working together we can ensure that our children and parents travel to and from school safely. Please watch your speed when entering the school premises, driving through the parking areas, and especially when exiting the parking areas. There is an established traffic flow in these areas despite which there have been several close calls with some people exiting to the street or driving recklessly. To keep the RIS community safe, it is essential that we all comply with basic safety rules.

Children should not be dropped at the entrance gates and should not navigate the parking zone alone to enter the school building. Kindly instruct your drivers on safe and responsible driving in and around the school premises.

I would like to thank you for your attention to this very important issue concerning our children’s safety.

Zeba Khan Principal

Library News We have started the new year with a lot of new titles for all the year levels. The students are eager to see the new books and they seem to be enjoying the Library visits even more. Pictures of the new visitors were taken while they were visiting and was displayed on the wall of the Library.

GET CAUGHT READING is the new initiative launched by the Library. This activity is open to the middle and Secondary School students, Year 6 onwards. This activity encourages students to read during their free time. Students can be anywhere in the school and be in the midst of reading to receive the prize. Three designated people can take a picture of the student who is found reading and this will be displayed on the wall outside the library to add to the collection of students who were caught doing the same act. This may encourage students to read more.

Prizes in the form of vouchers will also be awarded to them.

We will be having our first Book Fair with Magrudy’s from Sunday, 08th to Thursday, 12th October, 2017.

Susane Joseph Librarian

GENERAL

NURSERY

PRIMARY

SECONDARY

Dear Parents, Grandparents and Extended family, The weather has taken a turn for the better and the children are showing the beginnings of budding friendships. There is an increased confidence in ‘our’ little ones as they exhibit the first signs of concentration and independence. The children are beginning to work in the different areas of the Montessori curriculum, namely Practical life, Sensorial, Language, Mathematics and Culture. The Montessori Method is an integrated thematic approach that ties the separate disciplines together into studies of the physical universe, the world of nature, and the human experience. In this way, one lesson leads to many others. Each piece of material isolates one concept or skill that has been specially designed in a way that children are naturally drawn to become absorbed in a lesson with little or no nudging from adults. Each material has also been designed so that a child can normally check his own work; we call this “control of error.” The intention of the materials is not to keep the children dependent on these artificial learning aids forever; they are used as tools to help children work and learn at their own pace, to see abstract ideas presented in a very concrete, three-dimensional way, and to help them grasp and understand what they are working on. Montessori students learn not to be afraid of making mistakes.

They quickly find that few things in life come easily, and they can try again without fear of embarrassment.

Dr. Montessori introduced exercises in Grace and Courtesy due to the young child’s need for order. Grace and Courtesy lessons give the children the vocabulary, actions and steps required for them to build their awareness and responsiveness of those around them. The children in class are learning the following life skills:      

Putting work away where it belongs Pushing back their chair when they get up from a table Walking around calmly in the classroom Working quietly with concentration Respecting themselves, their environment and others Becoming more independent

Do take a look at the artwork the children have created through the week which is displayed on each Casa’s notice board.

We celebrated World Peace Day on 20th September in ‘white.’ Thank you to all the parents who gave a donation for assisting in charity work through the GIVE foundation.

Our children created the symbol of Peace for World Peace Day.

A few points to note:

Attendance Consistent attendance is very important for proper progress throughout the Nursery school year. It contributes to a sense of well-being in the children and they settle into a routine quickly when they attend the nursery on a regular basis. Habitual attendance also helps the children develop friendships within their environment. Parents are urged to ensure that their children attend the nursery regularly.

In order to reduce and minimize the spread of illnesses in the nursery, please refer to our Infection Control Policy which was included in the Welcome Pack you have all received and your support with the implementation of this policy is greatly appreciated.

If your child is going to be absent, please call me on 04 4271228 and let me know. If you anticipate a period of extended absence, please notify me in writing on (garimak@rafflesis.com).

Medical Check-up The children will begin visiting our school clinic for the routine height and weight check. We have Dr. Reem with us in the Clinic along with 2 nurses. If there is any medical issue relating to your child that we should be aware of, please let me know.

Festive Tree Festivity Tree

Garima Kapoor Assistant Head Early Years

We have a Festive Tree in the Nursery. This is located outside the Nursery Office. Throughout the year whenever we celebrate international festivities, the teachers will choose sample pieces of work from their class to hang on the ‘Festive Tree’. You can now see some art work that the children have done for Islamic New Year. Other festivals will follow, with Diwali being around the corner. If there are any celebrations in your home country that you would like your child’s class teacher to discuss with the children, please let us know. We are working toward building an awareness and tolerance for all faiths and beliefs from a young age.

Hanna enjoyed painting 'Humpty Dumpty during our Nursery Rhymes topic Augustin working with the Nuts And Bolts Activity

Making

friendships through collaborative play

Myra working with the Pink Tower

Water Play

Outdoor playtime

GENERAL

NURSERY

PRIMARY

SECONDARY

PRIMARY SCHOOL Dear RIS Community, Here we are already at the end of the fourth week of school and almost into the month of October. The pace at Raffles International School is fast – a blink of an eye and the school day is gone – and as I have remarked to some parents at collection time, it seems like only a few minutes since I saw them at drop-off.

This is an especially busy time for us as we prepare for our KHDA inspection that could be announced at any time. All of our staff are working phenomenally hard, and we are looking forward to a very positive review.

Just as our Box Appeal recognises the largely unsung heroes who construct the homes and workplaces we spend our lives in here in the UAE, we also recognize the many staff at RIS who undertake the many jobs to keep our school functioning and looking spick and span. I am very conscious of these staff this week as I had the misfortune of mislaying my wedding ring at school. After a panicked night, I was delighted to learn one of our General Administration team who tends the plants at RIS, Mr. Biju found my ring and handed it in. So, a quick thank you to ALL those staff who may not be visible during the school day, but who support us.

While I am thanking people, gratitude is also due to our FS2 – Year 6 teachers for conducting the curriculum information sessions this week. I was able to see a number of the presentations and I hope that those of you who were able to attend in person or view on Facebook also found them to be useful and well-presented.

It is essential that we as a school are able to provide you with a clear and accurate ‘diagnosis’ of your child’s attainment and progress. We are currently gathering our Start Point data in each subject area which will be used to measure progress against. We are also changing our reporting on attainment and progress; more information will follow. Contributing towards that assessment picture will be the results of the Cognitive Ability Tests (CATs) and Progress Tests in English, Mathematics and Science that our Year 3 – 6 students were involved with this week. The students conducted these assessments impeccably.

Edward Cooper Head of Primary School

Key Stage 1 News Foundation Stage “To assist a child we must provide him with an environment which will enable him to develop freely.” Maria Montessori.

We have completed our first few weeks of school and the culture of learning is visibly setting in the classrooms. Our aim is to provide a carefully planned, stimulating environment which helps the children to develop the attitude, skills and ideas essential for a lifetime. The lessons of Grace and Courtesy are a vital part of our curriculum. There is emphasis on using polite words, encouraging listening, showing respect for others by waiting our turn and following classroom etiquette.

During the initial weeks of school, the children have enjoyed the topic “All about me”. This topic provided them with an opportunity to understand each other and build a happy classroom community. Our next topic will be “Healthy Eating” where children will learn about a balanced diet and it is importance.

The children are anxiously looking forward to outdoor play which should start as soon as the weather improves. In the meantime, the children are involved in indoor movement activities such as circle time games, puzzles and blocks. While we prepare for outdoor play, we would like to remind you of the ‘no hat no play’ policy to ensure the wellbeing of all students. Please make sure your child has a hat in class.

A genuine thank you to all the parents who sent contributions with their little ones for the ‘Box Appeal’.

This charity event will go a long way to give some essential items to workers and labourers who build the beautiful city of Dubai.

Another event celebrated in in the month of September was ‘World Peace Day’. The children enjoyed coming to school in white and developing a better understanding of the word “peace”. Thank you for your contributions that have been sent to the GIVE foundation which will be used towards the school building project in Nepal.

Year 1 News “Education is a natural process carried out by the child and is not acquired by listening to words but by experiences in the environment.”- Maria Montessori The children are beginning to settle down into their daily routine, they have started attending all the specialist classes and are proud to be part of the primary school.

In Year 1, we strive to shape independent children who are inquisitive to explore the world around them.

In the classroom we encourage the children to be responsible for their own learning and focus on completing a cycle of activity that is knowing what level they are on, choosing the appropriate task and once completing it tidying it up.

In Mathematics, we are exploring numbers and have introduced the concept of comparing numerals to find the greater number.

In English, the children are exposed to phonics time in which they are focusing on the correct pronunciation of the letter sounds and the proper formation of the letters in pre-cursive.

In Science, the children are exploring the 5 senses and how we use each sense in the topic ‘Ourselves.’

We also worked on Basic comparisons between humans and animals, helping them to understand the world around them.

The children enjoyed the peace day and were excited to come dressed in white and make their peace related bookmarks. We would like to thank all the parents for the donations for GIVE and helping us run a successful campaign by donating toward the ‘Box Appeal.’

Year 2 News Year 2 have been very busy for the past two weeks. Not only have they been settling into the classroom routine and making new friends, but they have also started to get a taste of the Year 2 curriculum.

In English they have been introduced to a new programme, “Talk for Writing”, which enables children to imitate the language they need for a particular topic orally, before reading and analysing it and then writing their own version. They have also been working on writing longer sentences and identifying nouns and verbs. In Mathematics Year 2 has been counting forwards and backwards by ones and tens and exploring number bonds to 10, 20 and beyond. In science they have been exploring the topic of “light and dark”. They observed how their shadows changed during the day.

Year 2 also celebrated World Peace Day on Wednesday, 20th September. They showed their support by wearing white and had activities and discussions in class on why we celebrate this day and the importance of interpersonal respect, compassion and local/global citizenship.

Susie Mcshane Deputy Head of Primary School - FS2 - Year 2

GENERAL

NURSERY

PRIMARY

PRIMARY SECONDARY

SECONDARY

SECONDARY SCHOOL From the Secondary Leadership Team “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” – a famous proverb which supports the reason for the wealth of opportunities at RIS. We appreciate the value that extracurricular activities bring in developing an individual’s personality. A child, a youngster, can improve their skills and enhance their confidence level.

Lots of exciting new opportunities are being opened up to the students in Secondary School over the next half term. Firstly the English department is inviting entries for the UAE Spelling Bee competition. Students in Years 7 – 10 can enter this fun competition and will have the opportunity to win 25,000 DHS, and a trip to the United States. Entries are 125 DHS per person and need to be handed to Ms. Gaydon by 15th October.

Travel abroad also supports a student’s learning and can help provide a global perspective on life. The first trip is to Nepal. GIVE, the Innoventures foundation, is helping to build schools and provide fresh water in Nepal, thus helping children there to receive an education. Next week students and parents will be invited to a meeting to hear about how they can join other young people from our sister schools to help build and support this initiative. These chances often have a lifelong impact on a student’s development. Further more, the annual ski trip to Switzerland will be offered shortly. The date of this trip is 17th – 24th March 2018. Mr. Andreas is leading this trip and further details can be obtained from him.

One of the areas which we are keen to develop is student voice and leadership. Student voice is where students actively participate in their schools and communities, contributing to decision making processes and collectively influencing outcomes by putting forward their views, concerns and ideas. In the Secondary School we are inviting applications for the following posts: Head Leaders: two positions from students in Years 11 and 12. Head Leaders are the school’s role models. They will need to be students who work hard to reach RIS expectations of excellent behaviour, attendance, constant punctuality and will also need to be always in full and correct school uniform.

What Personal Qualities do they need?

They should like working with and talking to younger students They should be able to build good working relationships with staff They should want to make a lasting impact at school and be involved in decision making

They should be able to work well in a team They should have good time management skills eg. balancing commitments They should be polite, mature, responsible and reliable at all times

Application forms for all these posts can be requested from the Heads of Year or Bryony Lynch. The deadline for applications is 4th October.

Last week we celebrated Peace Day. The students wore white to school and assemblies marked the day with a range of messages. Thank you to all those who donated to our GIVE appeal. Once we have the final total it will be posted on our Twitter #RafflesDxbSecondary and Facebook pages.

Please mark your diaries for the upcoming curriculum information evening.

Year Group Year 7 Year 8

Date Sunday October 1st Sunday October 1st

Time 06:00 pm – 06:45 pm 06:50 pm – 07:35 pm

Year 9 Year 10 Year 11 Year 12

Sunday October 1st Monday October 2nd Monday October 2nd Monday October 2nd

07:40 pm – 08:20 pm 06:00 pm – 06:45 pm 06:50 pm – 07:35 pm 07:40 pm – 08:20 pm

This is an excellent opportunity to meet your child’s form tutor and Head of Year, and to find out about the different subjects and assessments for the year. We look forward to seeing you there.

Pink Day is being held on Thursday, 12thOctober. Further information will be coming out on how we are supporting this event.

The Box Appeal is ongoing until Sunday, 15th October. Please help us support this worthy cause with donations to fill boxes for labourers. You will find posters in school with information of what needs to be put in the boxes.

Thank you for all your support. If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact us.

Peter Rowlands Head of Secondary School

Bryony Lynch Deputy Head of Secondary School