RIS Newsletter: April

Field Trips

Student Led Conferences

Earth Day

RIS Field Trips

Kyobo Bookstore By: Ms. Seyoung An

On April 8th, grade 6 to 8 students visited Kyobo bookstore located at Gangnam.

Students experienced how to take public transportation in Korea and learned about Korean food culture. As Kyobo bookstore is one of the best-loved book shops in Korea, there are about 27,000 foreign language titles in the bookstore and the store also sells various stationary and music albums at the basement. All students from grade 6, 7 and 8 enjoyed their real-life experience and gained a high level of competence in Korean.

Turkish Cultural Center By: Mr. Abdullah

On March 31st grades 3 & 4 students visited the Turkish Cultural Center. Our students learned all about Turkey & Turkish Culture during visit. Students experienced Turkish hospitality by tasting Turkish traditional dessert & tea prepared by the Turkish Cultural Center. They were also able to try on traditional Turkish clothes. Also students drew awesome pictures about Turkey.

Students had a great time learning about another place in the world!

Police Heritage Museum By: Mrs. Kaymi Jang

Following and keeping rules is one way to show a good citizenship. Police officers are always there for us helping us keep the rules. Therefore, the entire school went to on a field trip to the Police Heritage Museum to learn what police officers do, how they help our community, and what we, as a good citizens, can do to contribute and help the police force here in Korea. We had the exciting experience of being a police officer by trying on their real uniform and riding a police car. We even tried to find criminals using identikit and getting fingerprints in the game!!

School Newsletter Volume 1 Issue 5, April, 2015

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Student Led Conferences By: Mrs. Kimberly Ahn

On April 3 and 4, RIS students met with their parents for Student Led Conferences (SLC). This was the second time this year that our students were able to show their parents all that they can do at school. SLC gives students a chance to really take ownership of their learning and for parents and teachers to see what each student is capable of doing in each subject area.

Upon entering the school, each student took their parents to their homeroom. There they received a brochure that listed all subject areas and which skills or knowledge would be demonstrated. After demonstrating their knowledge and skills with their core subjects, math, science, social

studies, and English language arts, students were able to take their parents to the specialist subjects, art, Turkish, Korean, P.E., and I.T. One of the great things about SLC is that it is a time for students to interact with their parents and even siblings while reviewing what they have been studying. During SLC, you can see and hear students using manipulatives to show multiplication, practicing speaking skills, using maps, sorting word study lists, s p e a k i n g d i ff e r e n t l a n g u a g e s , dribbling a basketball, demonstrating their artistic skills, and so much more!

We hope to see all of you at SLC during the 2015-2016 school year!

Earth Day, 2015 By: Ms. Laura Keeney

This year on Earth day, the entire school went on a field trip into our community and helped the Welfare Society plant a flower bed in our n e i g h b o r h o o d . T h e We l f a r e S o c i e t y i s responsible for beautifying our community and keeping it clean and safe. Our students arrived after lunch, and were all able to take turns learning how to plant a variety of flowers and plants. After we finished, we all took a moment to pick up litter and garbage that was on the sidewalks near our school. During this afternoon, students were able to become active members of the community, showing citizenship and environmental responsibility in your neighborhood.

Celebrating Diversity around the world By: Ms. Julie Walters

Every year in April, we at RIS celebrate the diversity that makes our school especially amazing. This year, we enjoyed the differences of staff, parents, and students in a new and exciting way.

In past years, the staff and parents have organized the booths for the students, faculty, and parents to enjoy, visit, and learn about different countries. This year, we decided to go at International Day in a completely new way. The students took charge of the different booths.

Each grade focused on a specific country, with grade three focusing on two different countries, and grade six and eight combining theirs. In all, we had eight different countries that our students explored, researched, and then presented on: Pakistan in Grade One, Germany in Grade Two, Turkey and the United States in Grade Three, Korea in Grade Four, the United Kingdom in Grade Five, Brazil in Grades Six and Eight, and, finally, Japan in Grade Seven.

The weeks leading up to the big day were filled with a lot of activity, research, and ideas forming together to create the excellent booths that we got to enjoy on April

forming together to create the excellent booths that we got to enjoy on April 17. The students were each put in charge of a part of their country to expressly research.

For example, in grade six, two of the students focused exclusively on the sports of Brazil. Each country had slightly different ways of presenting the information, and of how they shared it. In the younger grades, they created more of a museum for people to walk through. This gave people a chance to read their posters, and see what they had learned. In the upper grades, the students gave more of a presentation to explain what they had learned.

Finally, we wrapped up the day with an amazing cultural performance done by the RIS students. Each grade participated in different dances, plays, or other ways to show off their performing skills. We had a variety of dances to show off the cultures of Pakistan, Germany, America, Turkey, Korea, and Brazil. To show what the fifth graders had learned about England, they decided to write a script about Queen Elizabeth I and create a shadow puppet play.

Grade Seven decided that to show what they had learned about feudalism in Social Studies and in Japan by writing and acting out a play. All of the performances were extremely well done, and it was clear that the students put in a lot of effort into all that they did.

International Day was a great day, mixed with the different cultures, presentations, food, dances, and other activities. The day was an excellent way to really work together and learn about other cultures. Hope to see you for next year’s festivities!

Citizenship When a teacher’s class doesn’t recognize their own mayor, can they ever make it up to him?

Ms. Rodriguez’s class was having a special visitor. So special, she kept repeating, that she wouldn’t even tell them who he was! But as part of Citizenship Week, they knew he had to be someone really special. A special citizen of their town.

But who?

Come the big day, the class sat stupefied as its special visitor walked into the room and stood in front of the blackboard silently. Ms. Rodriguez stood next to him proudly, and then made the biggest mistake of her career: She asked for the students to guess who their special guest was!

“Famous Amos?” asked one student. “The President?” asked another.

And on and on it went: “The cafeteria chef?” “The custodian? In a suit?” “The principal?”

As the students guessed and guessed, their special visitor’s face grew redder and redder. Finally, he announced, “Ms. Rodriguez, until your class can learn a little more about the citizenship of their own town, of which I am the mayor, I will not be returning. Good day!”

The class sat, stunned, as their mayor walked out the classroom door, perhaps never to return. Now it was Ms. Rodriguez who was red in the face. “It’s my fault,” she said. “I should have warned you the mayor was coming. But who could imagine that you wouldn’t know your own mayor?”

Ms. Rodriguez called the mayor’s office right away and rescheduled his return visit for a week from then. Then she warned her class, “If you do not know more about your own town in one week, the mayor will never come back. Nor will any other special visitors. And who can blame them? Now, it’s off to the library for some research!”

All week long, under Ms. Rodriguez’s watchful eye, the students studied the history of their town. They located dusty, thin volumes on the back of library shelves. Scoured the Internet. And even took a special field trip to City Hall, minus the Mayor’s office, of course.

They weren’t ready to face him—yet!

Come the day of the mayor’s return Visit, the students hoped they were ready. As she stood under a brand new computer banner that read, “Welcome Back, Mr. Mayor,” Ms. Rodriguez did, too.

The mayor stepped into Ms. Rodriguez’s room hesitantly. But when the students greeted him by his full name, Mr. Horatio Walter “Skipper” Blumenthal, ]r., he was quite impressed. Next, a pair of students reeled off the names of all his council members, alphabetically, without consulting a single sheet of paper, blackboard, or even the tiny notes written on their palms!

Following this citizenship display, the students put on a skit about the founding of the town, complete with costumes and a reading of the town’s public charter. Next it was onto a musical tribute to the town, written by the class and listing all of its major historical dates, in order, up to present day.

Finally came the ultimate compliment, a citizenship buffet, featuring all the foods native to the town and even the famous sandwich from the local deli, “The Skipper,” named after the mayor himself: Rye bread, onion slices, muenster cheese, sauerkraut, and liverwurst. That sandwich had an odor all its own!

“Ms. Rodriguez,” beamed the Mayor. “I am naming this day in honor of your class, the most citizenship— minded bunch of third graders I’ve ever met. Of course, it could take ten years to make it official, but it’ll be worth it!”

With that, the mayor left, beaming from ear to ear.

Unfortunately, he forgot to take his famous sandwich with him.

School Newsletter Volume 1 Issue 5, April, 2015

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During the month of April, the character education word is “citizenship.” At our assembly this month, our Grade 7 students took the lead with a video newscast explaining citizenship, and introducing all of our different activities during the assembly.

Students also sang a song written and translated by RIS students and staff about citizenship and reminding us how to be better citizens of the world. Finally, 6th grade taught us all about Digital Citizenship and the importance of fighting cyber-bullying by designing and giving all students bookmarks. This month’s assembly showed the many different ways to show citizenship in our school, our community, and our world.

Showing Citizenship By: Mrs. Kaymi Jang and Ms. Seyoung An

Taking care of people who are in need is also important in our lives. Therefore students from grades 5, 6, 7, and 8 visited the houses of the elderly who live alone in our neighborhood. We brought some food and shared with them, listened to their story and talked about our lives too. The elderly felt so happy to be with RIS students and it would be great memory for us as well as for them. Above all, this volunteering activity gave us a chance to think about our neighbors who need help and how to show citizenship as a citizen who is living in the same neighborhood.

To show global citizenship, the students of RIS raised money for the island of Vanuatu, which was hit by a cyclone last month. As an incentive, students who donated were able to vote on a teacher that they wish to be pied in the face.

Overall, the school raised just over 300,000 Won, and our art teacher, Ms. Saretsky, won the great honour of receiving a breakfast pie in the face!

Tdap Vaccine

Announcements

With Mrs. Julie and Ms. Bella The Well Plate

Tdap Vaccine-what you need to know?

Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis are very serious diseases. Tdap Why get vaccinated? vaccine can protect us from these diseases. And, Tdap vaccine given to pregnant women can protect newborn babies against pertussis.TETANUS (Lockjaw) causes painful muscle tightening and stiffness, usually all over the nody. It can lead to tightening of muscles in the head and neck so you can’t open your mouth, swallow, or sometimes even breathe. Tetanus kills about 1 out of 10 people who are infected even after receiving the best medical care.DIPHTHERIA can cause a thick coating to form in the back of the throat. It can lead to breathing problems, heart failure, paralysis, and death.PERTUSSIS (Whooping Cough) causes severe coughing spells, which can cause difficulty breathing, vomiting, and disturbe sleep. It can also lead to weight loss, incontinence, and rib fractures. Up to 2 in 100 adolescents and 5 in 100 adults with pertussis are hospitalized or have complications, which could include pneumonia or death.These diseases are caused by bacteria. Diphtheria and pertussis are spread from person to person through secretions from coughing or sneezing. Tetanus enters the body through cuts, scratches, or wounds.

Tdap vaccine can protect adolescents and adults from Tdap vaccine tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis.

One dose of Tdap is routinely given at age 11 or 12. People who did not get Tdap at that age should get it as soon as possible.Tdap is especially important for health care professionals and anyone having close contact with a baby younger than 12 months. Pregnant women should get a dose of Tdap during every pregnancy, to protect the newborn from pertussis. Infants are most at risk for severe, life-threatening complications from pertussis. Another vaccine, called Td, protects against tetanus and diphtheria, but not pertussis. A Td booster should be given every 10 years. Tdap may be given as one of these boosters if you have never gotten Tdap before. Tdap may also be given after a severe cut or burn to prevent tetanus infection.

A person who has ever had a lifethreatening allergic reaction after a Some should not get this previous dose of any diphtheria, tetanus or pertussis containing vaccine, OR has a severe allergy to any part of this vaccine, should not get Tdap vaccine. Tell the person giving the vaccine about any severe allergies.Anyone who had coma or long repeated seizures within 7 days after a childhood dose of DTP or DTaP, or a previous dose of Tdap, should not get Tdap, unless a cause other than the vaccine was found.

They can still get Td. Talk to your doctor if you: have seizures or another nervous system problem,had severe pain or swelling after any vaccine containing diphtheria, tetanus or pertussis,ever had a condition called Guillain Barré Syndrome (GBS),aren't feeling well on the day the shot is scheduled.

-This article is originally from http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/vis/vis-statements/tdap.html

School Newsletter Volume 1 Issue 5, April, 2015

Announcements A. If you have a medicine needs to be taken at school, please go to http://www.rischool.org/student-life/student-health/ and download& fill out Medication Authorization Form II and send it to the school nurse with the medicine on the first day.

B. Students who are going to be Gr7 in this August will recieve Tdap vaccine form from school nurse. You can also download it from school nurse's page.

C. You can check our delicious and balanced lunch menu here: http://www.rischool.org/quick-link/school-lunch/

The Eatwell plate The eatwell plate is designed to make healthy eating easier.

Eat foods from each group on the eatwell plate in the correct amounts each day. This way, you’ll get the balance of energy and nutrients you need for good health.

It's a good idea to try to get this balance right every day, but you don't need to do it at every meal.

How to Use Guided Access on Student iPads

Parents’ Guide to Smartphone Safety

Class Updates With Mr. Bulut

HOW TO USE GUIDED ACCESS ON STUDENT iPADS Often parents find themselves in a situation that they need to restrict their child’s access to iPad. Today, I would like to present one iOS feature that is called Guided Access that can lock your child’s iPad in a specific app, disable certain parts of screen and/or set a time limit for the device to be used. Guided Access is easy to set up and can be used with a password that only you know. Simply follow these step-by-step instructions on wikiHow to try it out by yourself: http://bit.ly/1zSNNwL

TECHNOLOGY CLASS UPDATES Lower grades started our Virtual Globes for Spatial Thinking Unit which provides students opportunities to use the Google Earth app to explore amazing places on earth, virtually. They love to use this app and capture a screen shot of what they come up with, so they can make a final presentation out of these images.

Upper grades are working on Spreadsheets to create and format tables such as multiplication table and annual calendar. Upper middle school grades are going a little bit more advance to create charts out of given data sets. And they also up for coding simple formulas for calculations and they will eventually learn more complex formulas later on in this quarter.

School Newsletter Volume 1 Issue 5, April, 2015

March Reading

Poetry Month

Library Schedule

With Mrs. Grace

April is Poetry Month!

What is Poetry?

It's a tough question! Does it rhyme? Not always. Is it short? Is it funny or serious? Each poet has their unique style, but they all write poems.

A poem is defined as "verse that evokes an emotional response".

Poems have a certain rhythm to them, as well as express feelings or ideas.

Library Schedule: '

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Grade 1: Monday

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Grade 2: Monday Grade 3: Tuesday Grade 4: Monday Grade 5: Wednesday

Middle School: Any day!

The Library website is being updated on a regular basis. Check it out! www.rislibrary.org

Poetry in the Library

This month the students had the chance to win 50,000 won towards next month's scholastic order! Students had to read at least 5 poems by their favourite poet, and then write their own poem. We had several excellent entries. Stay tuned to find out who the winner was, and to read the winning poem!