A Singapore American School community service publication
pg 8 THE CROWN JEWEL OF OUR PERFORMANCE SPACES: THE RENOVATED SAS AUDITORIUM
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pg 12
EARLY CHILDHOOD
INSPIRATION pg 20
OCT 2015 MIC(P) 131/08/2015
CLASSROOM WITHOUT WALLS
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EDITOR’S NOTE/CONTENTS
A TRADITION OF CARING By Kyle Aldous Director of Communications
This school year marks our 60th anniversary and a celebration of our tradition of innovation. Over the past six decades, SAS has consistently pushed the possibilities of education and built a global reputation for innovation. But the word “innovation” simply means “something new or different that is introduced” and is inadequate to describe what really makes our school special. Innovation at SAS goes beyond simply introducing new programs for the sake of doing something new. My family moved to Singapore the summer before my senior year of high school. I was convinced that my life was over. Cue dramatic teenage moment. All summer, I begged to go home and reminded my parents of the pinnacle year that my dad’s company had stolen from me. School started and soon, between fantastic discussions in my AP Literature class, chowing down on Mr. Hoe’s Szechuan chicken, and exploring a passion for breakdancing, I found myself wishing for time to slow down. SAS has that effect. You’ve probably already noticed something different here. It’s almost tangible. As a student, I never fully understood what made SAS so different. Now, 13 years later, as an employee, I clearly see what tips the scales. It’s not our innovative programs such as Interim Semester, Catalyst, Classroom Without Walls, or any of our hundreds of clubs for students. It’s not the technology we have access to. It’s not the fact that
we live on a tropical island and have a rainforest in our backyard. The tipping point lies in how SAS answers one question:
How will this help our students?
For 60 years, this question has driven teachers, staff, and administrators to innovate and discover new possibilities for our students. Intrinsic caring has brought us to where we are today, and our continued care will drive innovation this year and for the next 60 years to come.
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EDITOR’S NOTE/CONTENTS
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From the superintendent
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The learning environment
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Advancement
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Elementary SCHOOL
16 24
MIDDLE SCHOOL
HIGH SCHOOL
32 34 38 39
Five Minutes
ALUMNI
BOOSTER club & PTA
Community
CAMPUS SCENE
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From the Superintendent
EDUCATING THE WHOLE CHILD – WHEN CHARACTER COUNTS! By Dr. Chip Kimball Superintendent
When SAS visitors meet our students and have the opportunity to interact with them, I am often told how impressed they are with our students’ maturity, confidence, kindness, and respect. They rave about our students, and how these traits are different than those found in other kids they meet of the same age.
responsibility, and respect – have for decades formed the foundation of our character education program. These core values can be seen on gym walls, in classrooms, and even in the lobbies of our divisions. But more importantly, our students from the earliest age learn what each value really means and how to apply it.
I am incredibly proud of our students, as I know our parents are. Regardless of culture, beliefs, outlook, language, personal history, or wealth, parents nearly always say that what they ultimately want for their kids is to experience happiness and success both in school and out of the classroom into adulthood.
Our students apply meaning to our core values through regularly scheduled classroom counseling sessions, interactions with friends and counselors on the playgrounds and in the cafeterias, and in the way that our teachers talk to and build relationships with our students. As our students practice the skills that promote character development, they are building skills that they will be able to draw on for the rest of their lives.
At SAS we believe that a holistic approach to the educational experience best serves our students. Academic foundations are extremely important and Singapore American School teaches those foundational skills as well as just about any school in the world. But reading, math, and writing are not the only skills that are important to becoming a successful adult. Character may be one of the most often called upon skills in adulthood, since a student’s character often determines how they will respond to the situations and circumstances in life that are challenging. Sometimes it is our character that will define us forever. SAS has long recognized character as an important component of what we do. Our core values – compassion, honesty, fairness,
At school there are times when an interaction may not go well. This is part of a student’s learning as well. Our teachers and principals look at character education as a daily learning opportunity to help students manage conflict, regulate emotions, problem solve, and learn processes to restore relationships. Our school’s core values are an extension of what parents teach at home, and through them, our students understand what character looks like in action. When SAS took part in sessions with EdLeader21, a community of leaders committed to 21st century education, we identified four of our desired student learning
outcomes. These are those skills beyond content knowledge that will help differentiate our students. After identifying the skills of critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity, we knew that these skills are not enough. We knew that cultural competence and character are skills that our students need to be successful in the increasingly global and competitive workplace. And we also knew that it is in school where students can hone these skills and learn to apply them. Recently SAS received its accreditation renewal from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. During that process we focused on our desired student learning outcomes and were able to do a gap analysis for each of these skills. We were able to determine where we explicitly teach and assess each skill, and where we need to improve. While we recognize that character is one of the more difficult to explicitly teach and assess, we value its importance enough that we purposely include it every time it fits. Our high school athletics department has done a phenomenal job of incorporating character into every practice, game, and discussion. Called The Eagle Way, students push themselves athletically while maintaining the integrity of the ultimate sportsman. Our athletes display determination, self-sacrifice, and perseverance. They celebrate their teammates and bring them up when they are
down, look out for one another, and have a genuine interest in those on our team and our opponent’s team. Most of all, they challenge themselves to be great on and off the field. We fundamentally believe that character counts. We believe all that it encompasses – including grit and perseverance – helps students to excel academically. We want our students to care about themselves and others in a way that we believe all humans should be cared for. It is the basis for personal growth, the foundation for lifelong learning, and the anchor to form good neighbors and citizens of the world. At Singapore American School, character is not a subject that is taught, but it is rather a way of life.
Intelligence plus character — that is the goal of true education.
CHARACTER Character engages both the heart and mind. It focuses students on how they experience and express themselves with others and ultimately helps them improve the world around them. SAS focuses on developing grit, zest, respect, compassion, and integrity.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
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Five minutes
MINUTES
WITH STEPHEN LY HIGH SCHOOL DEPUTY PRINCIPAL By Sandhya Bala and Clara Fong Communications Interns
Sandy Bala is a junior at Singapore American School and a member of the SAS Communications and Alumni Relations Work Study Program. Sandy enjoys photography, writing and travelling to new places.
Stephen Ly, high school deputy principal for academic affairs, joined the SAS community in July 2015. New to Singapore, Mr. Ly moved from Boston, Massachussetts, where he served as the academic director for a network of 16 Boston schools and worked to provide professional development, build effective teams, and improve instructional practices. The Harvard University graduate has worked with students, families, teachers, and educational leaders in the United States and in Vietnam since 2002. Read more about Mr. Ly’s experiences and interests below!
What has been the highlight of your year so far? Welcome Back Day was a blast. It gave me the opportunity to get to know many of our incredible juniors. Shout out to the Class of 2017! What do you think of Singapore? Singapore is a marvelous place. I have a lot to learn about the country I now call home, but my family and I have loved living (and eating!) here.
Clara Fong is a junior at Singapore American School and a member of the SAS Communications and Alumni Relations Work Study Program. Clara enjoys reading about current events, eating home-cooked food and practicing fencing in her free time.
Describe your job in three words.
What are your thoughts on the advisory program?
Inspiring. Challenging. Inspiring! What attracted you to teaching and education? As an undergraduate, I led a mentoring organization that matched college students with refugee and immigrant children. Though I was studying engineering at the time, I so enjoyed my work as a mentor that I eventually decided to pursue a career in education. Because I started in mentoring, my approach to teaching and to leading is relational. It is the opportunity to learn through purposeful relationships that first brought me to the classroom and that keeps me in education. Tell us something that we don’t know about you. I consider myself a kind and considerate human being, but beware! I am an absolutely cutthroat board game player. Playing Settlers of Catan with me? You might not like me when we’re done.
The chance to be both an administrator and an advisor was one of the things that drew me to SAS. Meeting with my advisory group is one of the highlights of my week, and I believe deeply in the work we are all doing to build relationships with each other. What do you do on the weekends or in your free time? My daughter Amia was just born a couple of weeks ago, and my son Elias is a little over two years old. My weekends are spent goofing around with Eli and soaking up that new baby smell while it lasts! In my life before children, I really enjoyed studying the martial arts. I’m hoping to find a place to train in Singapore. Any recommendations?
Who’s your role model? I believe in seeking out and staying close to mentors, and I am blessed to have been guided in my life by many positive, older male role models. My father is an inspiration to me. He is a lifelong learner, and he’s always seeking out new challenges. He started playing tennis at the age of 50, and while he already speaks English, French, Vietnamese, and Cantonese, he’s currently working on learning Spanish. I also have a friend back home, David Blais, who recently founded a non-profit organization devoted to ending hunger in Framingham, Massachusetts. He is in his late 50s and has minimal retirement savings, but he is pouring all of his time and resources into ensuring that every child and adult in that city has access to nutritious meals. People like my father and David inspire me to keep growing and to stay focused on others. What was your very first job? After I graduated from college, I worked as a mathematics teacher, writing teacher, and advisor at the Boston Arts Academy (BAA). BAA is a public high school for the visual and performing arts, and it was an incredible place to begin my career as an educator. Many students know that you went to Harvard, and a lot of students admire that. Is there any food for thought that you can give students about your experience there?
Let me be honest. On one hand, I am so grateful to have gone to Harvard. The school has a wonderful student community, and it provided me with opportunities that helped me to identify and pursue my passions. I learned as much coxing for the crew rowing team and mentoring low-income youth as I did from my professors and my academic coursework. On the other hand, I’m not convinced that Harvard was a great fit for me or that it’s the right place for everyone it admits. My parents (who were refugees) made great financial sacrifices in order for me to attend that school, and I did not feel as supported when I entered as an aspiring engineer as I think I might have elsewhere. Do you feel that it’s possible to build a personal relationship, as deputy principal, with students you work with? Absolutely. Relationships are built one day at a time, one person at a time, one conversation at a time.
What, if anything, do you miss most about Boston? My family. My wife and I still have our parents, and all four of them live in the Boston area. I’m also going to miss the bone-chilling, unrelenting, absolutely ruthless winters in Boston. Just kidding! What’s your favorite restaurant in Singapore? iO Italian Osteria over at hillV2 on Hillview Rise!
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The learning environment
THE CROWN JEWEL OF OUR PERFORMANCE SPACES: THE RENOVATED SAS AUDITORIUM By Cara D’Avanzo SAS Parent
On the last day of August 2015, after 12 weeks of intense renovation activity, the SAS facilities team welcomed administrators and teachers to the newly refurbished SAS auditorium. In place since the Woodlands campus opened in 1996, the auditorium needed a complete overhaul to progress from a multi-purpose assembly space to a state-of-the-art performance venue. The first of four renovations to upgrade SAS performing arts spaces, the auditorium project required installation of a new roof, ceiling, and stage surface, as well as seats, carpeting, wall décor, and technical components. The transformation has been so complete that the auditorium feels like a brand new structure. Entering the auditorium through new automatic doors, visitors were struck by the calm beauty of the furnishings. White, cream, and brown carpeting and wall elements are complemented by bright red plush seats chosen to reflect the liveliness of student art. The ceiling curves upward, creating the effect of layered drapes, while decorative dancing lines swoop along the walls. Recalling the
graceful curves of a violin, they reflect the inspiration that director of architecture Andrew Lee of ONG&ONG Pte. Ltd. found in the idea that sound from a vibrating string is only amplified when surrounded by the wooden box of a traditional instrument. Other improvements include better wheelchair access, more visible seat labels, energy-efficient lighting, and materials conforming to the Singapore Green Label Scheme. Besides needing an aesthetic update after nearly 20 years, the auditorium sorely needed a complete acoustic makeover. Previously, performers could barely hear each other, and audience experiences were affected by unsuitable interior surfaces and by audience size. Tired of dealing with a space that even tactful performers described as “acoustically funky,” the SAS performing arts departments aspired to create a cutting-edge facility that could transmit sound clearly both on stage and to the audience, whether that sound came from a play, an orchestra, a choir, or a band.
The first task in reaching this goal was to eliminate the outdoor sounds that leaked through the roof. The renovation began with the removal of the old tile roof and the installation of a soundproof metal replacement topped by solar panels. The new double doors are also soundproof, so voices and instruments no longer compete with helicopters, thunderstorms, and highway traffic. Interior surface materials were selected for their sound-absorbing qualities, with a goal of decreasing sound reflection time to below one second; tests have shown that this goal has been met. Having achieved a “dry” acoustic environment, workers installed Meyer Sound’s cutting-edge Constellation acoustic system. This technological enhancement allows one venue to stage a variety of performances without sacrificing sound quality. Since experiencing a 2009 demonstration, our performing arts teachers have had this system at the top of their wish list for the auditorium renovation. Over the summer of 2015, 38 microphones and over 200 speakers were installed on the auditorium’s walls
and ceiling. A powerful processor samples the sounds produced onstage, and then, using preset configurations, transmits it back through the speakers to match the reverberation needs of the performance. Settings can be changed at the touch of a screen, so in one evening a choir can achieve cathedral-like lushness, an ensemble’s instruments will be crisp and distinct, and a speaker’s words will be clear and echo-free. An after-school demonstration by high school groups astonished the faculty audience. The Chamber Strings’ classical selections were clear and animated when the Constellation System was appropriately set. When it was turned off unexpectedly, the audience gasped at the difference, as certain instruments became indistinct and the whole musical piece sounded flat. Similarly, the Eagle Jazz Combo’s selection, bold and vibrant with the system on, lost its boisterous sparkle with the system off. Choral pieces by the SAS Singers and the Pitches sounded rich and resonant; when the system was off, some voices were lost or muffled and the
overall effect was dampened. As Dr. Kimball stressed in his closing comments, the Constellation system does not change performers’ skills or talents, but it lets them shine in ways that were impossible in the old auditorium. Originally, the school’s 10-year asset management plan did not include a Constellation system for the auditorium despite teachers’ preferences. However, a major gift of S$2.16 million from an SAS alumni family enabled its purchase and installation. This generous donation will not only enhance performances, but will also provide unique educational opportunities for SAS musicians, singers, actors, dancers, and technical theater students. While a number of prominent concert halls now incorporate Meyer Sound systems, ours is the first in Singapore and one of very few in school or university settings worldwide. Using it as a learning resource, our students will gain first-hand knowledge about cuttingedge acoustical and performance technology. The gift also serves to honor the teaching and mentorship of theater coordinator Mrs. Paula
Silverman. And in turn, this gift is a wonderful example of how philanthropic giving affords our students the “above and beyond” experiences that characterize an SAS education. The first scheduled uses of the new auditorium will be a Solution Tree educators’ conference and the 19th annual SAS music festival, both in October 2015. More dramatic, musical, and community events will follow. We look forward to welcoming SAS students, parents, and guests to the auditorium, and to seeing and hearing how the new space enhances school activities. The original proposal for the auditorium project envisioned a “modern, sparkling, elegant, and acoustically flexible” setting for student productions. With ideas from our performing arts teachers, funds from a magnanimous philanthropist, and the hard work of the SAS facilities team and contractors, this vision has become a reality. With the addition of our students’ talents, the most important element, we look forward to many impressive and enjoyable productions in the SAS auditorium.
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ADVANCEMENT
WHY I GIVE
An Interview with Shobha Punukollu By Anne Duncan Associate Director of Advancement for Annual Giving
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Gifts to the SAS Foundation make a lasting impact on our students, our school, and our programs. With a majority of the funds targeted toward service learning, academic and experiential learning, and support services, gifts to the SAS Foundation affect every child at SAS. In recent years, Shobha Punukollu and Debashish Dutta Gupta have taken the time to learn about this impact and have become invested in SAS through philanthropy. I sat down with Shobha to learn more about why her family supports the SAS Foundation. How long has your family been part of the Singapore American School community? We were living in London in 2009 when my husband’s job brought us to Singapore. This is our seventh school year at SAS. Tanvi is in grade 10 and Neel is in grade six this year. Why did you choose SAS for your children? The kids and I stayed in London to finish out the school year, while my husband looked at the international schools and made the decision for our family. He made a great choice on his own! He loved the facilities at SAS and the warm and welcoming community, which he picked up on during the admission process. Those two ideas extend to today: the facilities continue to improve, and as we have become more rooted in the culture of the school, we have found it to be even more open. I appreciate having regular, open communication with my children’s teachers, which isn’t always typical in other schools.
ADVANCEMENT
What excites you about the education at SAS? For my daughter, she found her passion for learning in the rainforest in seventh grade with Mrs. RabdauFox. Through Tanvi’s work with Project Noah, a learning tool to explore and document wildlife, she developed a love for biodiversity but also for photography. Tanvi has been very lucky at SAS to have exceptional mentors and teachers and to find academic opportunities that motivate her. The teachers at SAS are exceptional. Both Tanvi and Neel have been fortunate to have fantastic teachers who know our children, treat them as individuals, and see their potential. The teachers’ belief in our children has helped their confidence grow and encouraged them to try new things. Why do you support the SAS Foundation? Our family was inspired to support the SAS Foundation because we took the time to understand the needs and the impact of our gift. We learned that every child at SAS benefits from the foundation’s support for support services, professional development for faculty, academic and experiential learning, service learning, and many other uses. Over the years and even before we were involved, Tanvi and Neel have been direct recipients of philanthropy at SAS through their participation in TedX, Quiz Club, National History Day, service council, and service learning programs. Someone paid it forward for my children, so we want to do the same for others.
Last year, we directed our gift to the rainforest project because it has been so influential in Tanvi’s learning and we want it to be restored and updated for Neel and for all the students who will be learning there in the years to come. Why do you think it is important for the community to support SAS? In Indian culture, we often give to help the impoverished. Our giving has always been for causes such as education for those who cannot afford it, disaster relief, wildlife, and such. It took us a few years to educate ourselves and to understand how our gifts make a difference at SAS. Our family has created a portfolio of philanthropy, so we are still supporting organizations in India, but we also want to help in our own community here. Our gift to SAS doesn’t just help our children, but also all children learning at SAS today and in the future. We know our gift provides for a margin of excellence, and more than tuition alone. For the organizations we support in India, we visit them regularly and understand their needs. We are stakeholders and we feel connected with those organizations. Similarly, through our gifts to SAS, we are more invested in the school. As donors, we feel a stronger sense of connection to this fantastic institution. We love and value SAS. I would encourage other families to take the time to learn about the SAS Foundation. Invest in what you love and value. See the returns, some tangible, and some not so.
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Elementary SCHOOL
EARLY CHILDHOOD
INSPIRATION By Jo McIlroy Early Childhood Center Coordinator
It has been a fantastic start to the 2015-16 school year for the Singapore American School early childhood center. We were thrilled to have 160 young learners and their families join our SAS community. One hundred and twelve fabulous pre-kindergarteners bounced in, full of wonder, curiosity, and joy. Their inquiring minds are sure to keep us all on our toes this year! The research and development work the ECC team completed last school year has provided us with a clear vision moving forward. Our experienced team of early childhood educators will work to strengthen our current philosophy and curriculum as we create an environment inspired by best practices and the pedagogical tenets of the Reggio Emilia early childhood education approach out of its Italian namesake town. This work influenced some positive changes to our preschool program. We are pleased to announce increased enrollment and an enhanced schedule for our youngest learners. During the summer of 2015, our preschool learning space was significantly renovated, and our 48 preschoolers were welcomed into a beautiful new collaborative learning hub. We thank the SAS facilities team and our wonderful custodians who were integral to creating this modern learning environment. Alongside our teachers and instructional assistants, they worked tirelessly to ensure that we were ready for the first day of school. We are looking forward to a great school year!
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THE LUNCH BUNCH By Kyle Aldous Director of Communications
In one corner of a brightly colored classroom lies an oversized cardboard velociraptor costume, while the opposite corner houses two bright orange modern couches. In between you’ll find custom Lego chess pieces, Japanese origami, and little pet rocks on kid-sized tables. Soon, fourth graders come bounding into the room yelling, “I volunteer!” In less than five minutes, around 50 fourth graders have excitedly set up in different areas of the room focused on crafts, games, reading, and architecture, and are building things such as oversized marble runs. Welcome to the Lunch Bunch! It’s the coolest room in the elementary school and after a few minutes with Charlotte Huston, the lunch bunch coordinator, it’s easy to see why she draws a full crowd every day. “The Lunch Bunch is a mini maker space for grades three, four, and five. It’s wonderful to see both girls and boys come and create. Our most popular activity is always the recycled art. Students can look at a toilet paper roll or cardboard box and see an X-Wing fighter from Star Wars, a hot air balloon, or even a velociraptor,” said Ms. Huston. Ms. Huston encourages students to try new activities and invites parents to come share their skills. The Lunch Bunch recently had several parents teach origami to a full house where even the boys got excited about creating beautiful pieces of paper art. Ms. Huston is always looking for parents to come and share their skills and talents with the kids. Can you juggle? How about basketweaving? Maybe you’re an avid yoyo master? Whatever the case, there is no skill too wild to share with the kids. If you’re interested in joining the fun, send Charlotte an email at charlottehuston@hotmail.com.
Elementary SCHOOL
GOING THE EXTRA MILE By Rhea Jain Communications Intern
Rhea Jain is a junior at Singapore American School and an intern in the SAS Communications and Alumni Relations Program. She enjoys activities such as debate and MUN after school, and her favorite classes are math, science, and history.
A busy Singapore morning, people rushing into their daily schedules. Somewhere, tucked into a little corner of the country, grade three through five SAS elementary school students are running a mile every morning as soon as they get to school. In the virtual world we live in, this may seem like a rare sight. However, the SAS elementary school physical education department has made exercise an integral part of many students’ lives. The Marathon Club was started over ten years ago for students to sign up to run 26 miles in one month. Since its humble beginnings, where there were barely 200 students finishing the 26 miles, the club has grown tremendously. Through the school’s efforts, as well as parents’ increasing awareness about fitness, 480 students have signed up this year to pursue a healthier lifestyle. “Parents are more aware of health and fitness than 10 years ago. They know there’s so much more screen time these days for kids, so they want the kids to just get out and move,” says Ms. Anne Wenstrom, one of the elementary school PE teachers currently running this club. More and more people are realizing the importance of building cardiovascular endurance and aerobic capacity at a young age, and the Marathon Club is a great
way to achieve that. Furthermore, parents’ realization that children need at least 60 minutes of physical activity daily is pushing them to try to get their children involved. However, the Marathon Club goes beyond running a mile a day for a month. It shows students the benefits and fun of exercise, paving the way for a lifetime of health and fitness. Students are given an end goal and a calendar, so they have to work with their friends and families to plan how they will accomplish the 26-mile goal. To a nine year old student who has never run before, running a marathon may seem daunting. However, by breaking it up into a mile a day, students learn that even the most challenging tasks can be accomplished one step at a time. Ms. Wenstrom describes, “Parents can encourage their kids to see math as a marathon – they don’t have to master multiplication today, but if they stick to it and practice a little bit each day, they’ll get it.” More than anything, the Marathon Club teaches students how to stick to a plan once they make it, and persevere till the end. “Kids are resilient – they show us that day in and day out, they’re just kids who want to show up and do their best. It’s not every day that they are happy to do it. But at the very end, they are happy that they
did,” says Mrs. Annika Ferrell, another elementary school PE teacher helping run the club. This character building and perseverance builds a strong, lasting bond between students. Year after year, students come together and build their own new communities. Ms. Wenstrom adds, “We want to build skills such as goal-setting and sticking to a plan, and the whole idea of this being a community. We want the idea of a lifetime of fitness to come out.” No matter where kids start, whether they are athletic or not, they all achieve the same goal together. They run together every morning, and celebrate together at the end. As Mrs. Ferrell aptly describes, “The Marathon Club is really approachable for everybody. At some places, anyone can show up, but only the good ones really make it in. This one is truly allinclusive. The Marathon Club is for everyone.”
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MIDDLE school
XS PROJECT VISITS SAS By Zhirou G. Grade 7 student
A lady visited our middle school and we learned so much about giving and caring from her absolutely incredible presentation. Her name is Retno Hapsari, and this is her story. Mrs. Hapsari is an amazing woman. She has dedicated her life to helping and improving the lives of trash picker families who live on the Cirendeu open garbage dump in Jakarta and she is making a huge difference. Mrs. Hapsari is the manager of XS Project, a non-profit that takes excess (thus the name XS) waste and turns it into useful products. Mrs. Hapsari explained to us that XS supports trash pickers by buying waste from them. The trash pickers sell trash not only to XS, but also to other companies that recycle waste. All together, a trash picker makes about two US dollars a day, and this is all they have to support their families. A specific staple that XS buys from trash pickers are refill soap bags for dish detergent. After purchasing this trash, XS converts it into products, such as pencil cases, wallets, luggage tags, and shopping bags. These products are sold by volunteers who support XS. Mrs. Hapsari told us that SAS recently has become the number one buyer of XS products. How, you ask? Well, Mr. Patrick Green, the middle school technology coordinator and Mike Kewelar, the associate director of information technology, found out about how XS could produce cases to protect
our laptops and iPads. They made designs and sent them to Mrs. Hapsari, and soon enough, XS was producing protective cases for our tech needs. The laptop bags are made out of old banners, and the iPad cases are made from old car seats that get replaced by leather seats when car buyers want their cars upgraded. Middle school student Dhruv N. described his impressions of Mrs. Hapsari: “She is the sort of person that, if there was a problem, would try to get around it. If her project didn’t work, she would adapt to what was going on.” Then, Mrs. Hapsari told us the best news of all. Together, with other supporters, XS Project is sponsoring about 55 trashpicker children to be in school, giving them a chance to have a better life than their parents, who have no education and few job opportunities other than trash picking or begging. Retno is the first (and only) boy to complete high school from the trash picker community. He has been sponsored by XS for his schooling since he began. Beside him are his parents. His father picks trash and is in some of the movie footage on the XS website (http://www. xsproject-id.org/). Behind them is their house located on a trash site. Middle school student Emi F. said, “I didn’t know that much about XS Project, but once I heard about how they make things and who they support, I was amazed.” Elizabeth F., another middle school student, added, “I felt very lucky to be able
to use one of these laptop covers every day. We really get the insight into the laptop cases and how they actually help people.” By buying these tech accessories from XS, SAS guarantees a large yearly order for this industrious non-profit. It’s a clever solution that not only keeps trash out of the Jakarta dumps, but gives dignity and support to the trash picker community. All this while supplying SAS with products that they need and would buy elsewhere from companies who make profits but not life-changing impacts on people’s lives.
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MIDDLE school
Note from Heidi Ryan, SAS middle school teacher XS’s relationship with SAS goes way back. Mrs. Hanis Hussey, a parent at SAS, met the XS founder Ann Wizer at the birth of XS way back in 2002. Mrs. Hussey became an advocate, saleswoman, designer, and supporter in any way she could for XS. Mrs. Thome, a recently retired SAS teacher, has also championed support for XS Project through the past 13 years with Ms. Martha Began, present high school teacher and service wonderwoman. Many more have supported XS along the way. We desperately need a few interested parents to help with the organization of the sales side of our relationship with XS. We also need travelers who are willing to serve as couriers for transporting XS products between the airports of Jakarta and Singapore to save on very expensive shipping fees. Parents, if you can help in this way, give me a shout at hryan@sas.edu.sg. Thank you!
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MIDDLE school
WORKING WITH CAMBODIAN FAMILIES THREE HOURS AWAY FROM HOME By Zi Tong L. and Moe S. Grade 8 Student
Last March 22, eighth grade students journeyed to Phnom Penh, Cambodia for the Tabitha House Building service trip. Passionate to learn, we attended weekly meetings as part of the Tabitha House Building Club. Traveling to Cambodia was more than just service. Our time there was filled with multiple activities that expanded our knowledge and understanding of Cambodia’s history and the tremendously negative impact of the Khmer Rouge genocide. We were accompanied by teachers Mr. Brian Arleth, Mr. Peter Cuthbert, and Mrs. Alison Cuthbert. Our superintendent, Dr. Chip Kimball, and his wife, Cheryl also joined to lend their helping hands. Our schedule was packed. Upon our arrival in Cambodia, we took a long ride to the Tabitha Headquarters and talked with Janne Ritskes, founder of the Tabitha Foundation Cambodia. There, we learned about
the kinds of sustainable projects that help the impoverished villagers we were setting out to serve. For example, Ms. Ritskes explained that the accessories, including bags, sold in the headquarters (and even in Singapore) were carefully crafted by women who survived the genocide. We also learned about how most Cambodian families live and the current challenges faced by the genocide survivors. Many survivors suffer from constant trauma that haunts their everyday lives. For example, one of the local Tabitha staff members cannot talk in a group of more than two people because of the fearful memories of large group gatherings ingrained in her mind. One important and sustainable Tabitha project is the Nokor Tep women’s hospital. Tabitha Foundation Cambodia is currently partnering with Lush Fresh
Handmade Cosmetics to build this hospital to serve Cambodian women. According to the hospital website, “90 percent of Cambodian women suffer from long-term gynaecological and related cancer issues and most have limited access to medical care, due largely to financial barriers and a lack of resources and awareness.” This hospital will change countless lives by giving women in Cambodia access to healthcare that would not otherwise be available. You can learn more at http://www.nokor-tep. net/. After visiting the headquarters, we drove to the center of the bustling city where Tuol Sleng, the former school that was turned into an interrogation center during the Khmer Rouge regime is located. Our final stop was just outside Phnom Penh where we visited the killing fields.
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On the following day, we set out to build houses for specific Cambodian families. After a bumpy two-hour bus ride, we arrived at our village building site. The village was isolated from the city; we only saw dry land for miles. After five hours of pounding nails, our team successfully built six stable houses. During our lunch break, we also interacted with the families who were ready to move into their new houses that very afternoon.
MIDDLE school
From this eye-opening weekend trip, we learned about so much more than just the history of Cambodia. We were struck with waves of emotion as we saw how improvements are being made. There is still so much more to do to help this impoverished country located just three short hours by plane away from our Singapore home.
The Tabitha House Building service trip highlighted in this article took place in March 2015. As the 2015-16 school year is now in full swing, we encourage current eighth graders to join the 2016 trip in March. Our entire Tabitha group shares our enthusiasm and encouragement with the eighth graders this year. We truly hope that they make the best of this experience and enjoy it as much as we did!
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MIDDLE school
CLASSROOM WITH The wiggling tissue box The not-so-lazy river By Pooja K. Grade 6 Student
By Rahini T. Grade 7 Student
Classroom Without Walls 2015 was a massive hit! Not a single negative comment was passed about CWW and I am convinced that everyone had a great time. I certainly did! Right from the hike, to bowling, to dinner, to the unexpected luxurious hotel room that all the other grades were seething with jealousy about. CWW exercised all our senses. It was education in some ways, building confidence in others, especially with Junk In The Trunk where you had to wiggle your bottom to get erasers out of a tissue box which was strapped to it. The spirit of fun and frolic was the perfect kickoff to sixth grade.
The morning that the seventh grade left for the annual CWW trip to Malaysia for three days, there was excitement in the air. We couldn’t wait to make new friends, learn important lessons, and return with memories to treasure forever.
five girls for three days wasn’t easy, as we had to take turns using the showers. Each of us had to play our part in making the environment a positive one. Through this I learned how to cooperate with others and solve problems.
During the first breakfast, I filled my plate and glanced around the dining area nervously, wondering where I should sit. I saw a few familiar faces from some of my classes seated around a table, so I took a seat with them. Soon we were laughing and joking like we’d known each other for years. It was during these meals, the bonfire, and the time spent on the buses that I met a lot of my new friends.
My favorite part of the trip was all the memories I collected. I remember telling scary stories in the eerie air in the middle of the night, seated on the bed, elbowto-elbow, knee-to-knee. I also remember our resort’s lazy river (which was anything but lazy), where we would all get stuck at the end of each slide because of the current. Whoever was at the top of the slide would crash into the person at the bottom trying to escape the ferocious arms of the current. At one point, there were ten or so people stuck this way!
I would like to thank all the teachers for this thrilling experience which will be etched in gold on my mind forever and which salved our daunting anticipation of middle school. Many of us appreciated it a whole lot. CWW was the BEST!
While I got introduced to many new people over the trip, I also learned important lessons. When we first arrived, there was a mad dash to our assigned rooms. I finally got to my room and saw that the others were already there, calling dibs on showers and unpacking. Sharing a room with
CWW was loads of fun. We came back with smiles plastered on our faces and memories sealed in our hearts, not to forget the important lessons we learned and the new friends we made.
HOUT WALLS Baking New Bonds By Alisha A. Grade 8 Student
I’m a new student this year at SAS, and CWW Telunas was one of the best experiences of my young life. We had one day completely dedicated to team-building activities on the main island, and these were a highlight, helping me get to know my home base, my side, and my teachers. We had a rotation of unique challenges to achieve with our home bases, involving problem solving obstacles such as using a limited number of “marshmallows” (small rubber squares placed on the sand) to get to a destination, and crossing a giant spiderweb where only one person could use a web hole. The cooking station built spirit as we enjoyed many laughs when tossing coconut pancakes in the air, as we made traditional Indonesian food and got a literal taste of their
culture. We had ocean-based activities such as kayaking, fishing, and tower jumping off the dock, which helped us get to know each other better. I was honestly very nervous at the beginning of CWW. I was initially scared to be surrounded by a new school with people I had not gained trust with. I absolutely lost that fear as soon as this journey started. CWW gave me the opportunity to gain trust with my peers, bond with my home base, know my teachers, make tons of new amazing friends, and create hilarious inside jokes. Now, in the school halls, everyone kindly says hi to me, and we frequently talk about the fantastic memories we made in Telunas. CWW was an incredible opportunity for me to start beautiful friendships.
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MIDDLE school
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MIDDLE school
CLASSROOM WITHOUT WALLS
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High school
RELATIONSHIPS: AT THE HEART OF SUCCESSFUL STUDENTS By Nanette Devens High School Choir Teacher
Singapore American School’s first Welcome Back Day was devoted to helping us kick off the new school year and facilitating change in our school culture. On August 14, students, teachers, counselors, and administrators took a day off from the rigors of SAS academic life to welcome each other, and build relationships and community by having fun together. Dr. Darin Fahrney, high school principal, had this to say about Welcome Back Day: “Welcome Back Day is what SAS realized good colleges and universities have been doing for years-great orientation activities and lots of opportunities to create meaningful connections.” The day was a mix of large and small group activities developed by the advisory quartets, concluding with a high school-wide assembly and social complete with snacks, picnic blankets, live music, and frisbees. Here is what several SAS students had to say about Welcome Back Day: “Welcome Back Day made the first week feel more relaxed.” “Welcome Back Day broke the ice faster than usual.” “Welcome Back Day facilitated the meeting of new people.” “Advisory is about keeping good company with each other.”
That’s it! We acknowledge that most of the best schools we researched have thriving advisory programs. We know that studies show that students perform better academically when they feel known and secure in their relationships.
But this is not the only reason we do advisory. We do it because keeping good company with each other and learning how to build relationships is important to being human. We look forward to our next Welcome Back Day on Friday, January 15, 2016.
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HiGH school
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High school
WHICH HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL ARE YOU? By Tammi Fung and Anna Kitamura Communications Interns
Tammi Fung is a junior at Singapore American School and a member of the SAS Communications and Alumni Relations Work Study Program. Tammi enjoys writing, taking photographs, and snowboarding.
If you were stuck on a deserted island, what or who would you bring with you? a. Clean water (so I don’t die). b. My spouse (how could I ever live without her)? c. Someone I love.
If you were to die tomorrow, what would you do today? a. Tell my family I love them and tell as many people as I can how their lives have impacted mine positively. b. Spend time with my family. c. Eat soup dumplings at Din Tai Fung.
Anna Kitamura is a junior at Singapore American School and a member of the SAS Communications and Alumni Relations Work Study Program. Anna enjoys activities such as scuba diving and hiking, but also takes time to relax, write, and listen to music.
If you won $20 million in the lottery, what would you do? a. Set aside money for taxes, give at least 10 percent away, and then discuss with my spouse what to do with the rest. b. Give it to someone more capable than myself so they can help people. c. Blow it on a trip to Vegas! If you could only eat one dish for the rest of your life, what would it be? a. Sushi (a balanced diet)! b. Hanoi style pho (what else?). c. Pizza (you gotta have some pepperoni)!
What do you never leave the house without? a. My values about treating everyone equally. b. My battle scars (specifically, the one on my face)! c. My glasses, to help me see the world clearly.
Would you rather know when you would die, or how you would die? a. When (there’s too much anxiety not knowing!). b. Neither. c. How (knowing when stinks!).
If you could be a superhero, what would your power be? a. The ability to heal others. b. Invisibility. c. The power to make the Green Bay Packers win the Super Bowl forever.
Would you rather be a baby or 90 years old for eternity? a. Baby (you are taken care of and nurtured all the time). b. 90 years old (aged to perfection). c. Neither (I prefer to age naturally).
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In a zombie apocalypse, what would be your weapon of choice? a. Tranquilizer gun (isn’t a “weapon of choice” for an apocalypse an oxymoron?). b. A tank (I don’t like guns, so…). c. A 12-gauge pump action shotgun to mow them down.
If you were invisible for a day, what would you do? a. Go to a forbidden section of a museum and look around. b. Make my children laugh for the entire day.
HiGH school
If you mostly chose As, you got Mr. Neihart! You are a caring person who wishes the best for everyone else. Appreciating the little things in life, you express your gratitude towards others. You work hard and think twice before making an important decision. This allows you to maintain a balanced life that you thoroughly enjoy. You are respectful of others’ feelings, and form strong and long-lasting relationships. Your compassion does not go unnoticed, and many value your advice. Neiharts are good-natured individuals, who make our community feel like a family. #iheartNeihart! If you mostly chose Bs, you got Mr. Ly! You know yourself well, which allows you to become a very successful person, able to achieve any goals you set your mind to. You let your strengths shine but do not hesitate to hand the reins over to other capable people. People are easily attracted to your friendly and enthusiastic personality and your silly side. Your ability to keep calm in tough situations is reassuring and creates an aura of comfort everywhere you go. Your dedication and admiration for your friends and family is undoubtedly reciprocated. Stay true to yourself. #StayloveLy!
c. Hang out at the SAS cafeteria.
How would you describe colors to a blind person? a. By relating them to a feeling (excited would be yellow). b. Taste (the only other sense experienced as vividly as color). c. By using the idea of texture and temperature (red is hot, blue is cold).
If a turtle doesn’t have a shell, is it homeless or naked? a. Homeless. b. Naked (turtles will always have a home, but not always a shell). c. Neither. Somebody’s lunch!
If you mostly chose Cs, you got Dr. Fahrney! You are kind-hearted and adored by friends and family. Adventure doesn’t scare you. You value the present and understand that worrying about the past is senseless. You don’t allow the uncertainty of the future to distract you from what’s important now. A jack of all trades, you always remember to stay humble, and you don’t let pessimism get the best of you as you always keep an ambitious outlook on the world. You put time and effort into your passions, and inspire others to achieve their goals. You aren’t afraid to speak your mind and this characteristic of honesty is why others trust you. Join the #FahrneyArmy!
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High school
WHEN HEARTACHE PRODUCES
HOPE
By Jeff Devens Ph.D. School Psychologist`
29 German philosopher Fredrich Nietzsche noted: “That which doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.” However, what Nietzsche failed to emphasize is that which makes us stronger nearly kills us! I thought of Nietzsche’s quote as I sat quietly with a student. What began as a single tear gave way to a torrent of emotions. “He was the love of my life and now…he’s gone.” The student’s father had died of a sudden aneurysm a few weeks earlier. She wasn’t looking for answers, not now. She needed someone to listen, someone to care, someone to share her heartache with. I’m grateful I could be that someone. Through the remainder of the year we met on several occasions to discuss death, life, suffering, meaning, and moving forward. Sadly, her father’s passing wouldn’t be the only loss she would endure that year. Near the end of first semester, both of her grandfathers passed away. She will never get over the loss of her father and grandfathers, nor should she, but she will get through them. It’s been a little over a year. She’s attending university, slowly creating a new normal. Her recovery will take time, perhaps a lifetime. Pain and suffering often enter our lives uninvited and stay longer than desired. What about your kids? What sorts of heartaches have they had to endure? Perhaps a serious illness or injury, rejection, frequent moves, not being selected for a certain position at school or in a sports team, being rejected from a first choice university, or, as in this student’s case, the loss of family members. The heartache kids experience is real, intense, emotional, and in some cases, lifechanging. They have to be allowed to grieve in order to heal. In fact, grieving is the precursor to healing. With the above in mind, I have three suggestions for working with your kids as they address grief, loss, and disappointments.*
HiGH school
Ensure safety and security As far as possible with you, ensure your child is in a safe place physically and emotionally. In most cases, this is the home (to be sure, sometimes the home is where the pain, harm, or hurt is occurring). Home is the place where kids find refuge. If needed, seek outside mental health guidance to ensure safety and security. This first step is essential before moving to steps two and three. Allow for ventilation and validation of feelings
mitigate the emotional pain she expressed; instead, I validated it. Initially, she didn’t know how to respond. For the first time, someone was not challenging her emotional state, and this confused her. She once told me, “You’re the only person who believed me.” For many years she had been trying to convince her parents, peers, and others that something was wrong. It wasn’t so much that I believed she had a psychological condition as much as it was that I believed, based on her feelings, that the pain she was experiencing was real. Predicting and preparing
When kids react emotionally (fear, anger, guilt, shame, etc.), a parent’s initial tendency may be to challenge the validity of their feelings (e.g. by saying, “You shouldn’t feel that bad just because…” or “It seems a bit extreme for you to feel this way given…”). Typically, this results in kids closing down or becoming increasingly emotional. Why? Because trying to convince someone their feelings aren’t valid is like telling them they shouldn’t feel, or they should only feel in a way that someone else determines. Instead, allow for the venting of emotions and validate them. When you validate another person’s feelings, you acknowledge the pain and hurt they are experiencing. Saying, “I’m sorry you are going through…” or, “I can see how you feel this way given…” is an acknowledgement that you are empathetic. It is important to emphasize that when you validate another person’s feelings you’re not stating you agree with them. Rather, you’re acknowledging their feelings exist, are intense, and that you’re willing to share in their pain. It’s also important to stress that feelings don’t excuse or justify behavior(s). Several years ago, I worked with a student who was convinced she had a mental health disorder and was distraught that others wouldn’t believe her. I took a different tact. I didn’t discount the disorder she preceived she had, nor did I try to
This last step is essential for empowering and promoting change. To only get through steps one and two of this process is to leave a child spinning. Instead, begin the process of inquiring what steps they might take to address the hurt they are experiencing? This question is critical as it becomes a road map for recovery. Asking, “What do you think will happen going forward?” or, “What steps do you think you might take now given how you are feeling?” provides a context for hope. What we want is for kids to believe there is something better beyond the hurt. For change to occur, kids have to be willing to do something different. The difficulty with step three is ensuring that we do our part to provide the structures of safety and support, then holding them accountable for the plans of action that they or we develop.
Even in heartache there is hope. *The National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA, http://www.trynova. org/) is dedicated to helping individuals and communities deal with loss and trauma. The stages noted above (safety and security; ventilation and validation; predicting and preparing) form the backbone of the crisis response model and are used by many counselors and psychologists at SAS who are NOVA certified.
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THE EYE ONLINE
The Eye (http://saseye.com) is the student-produced online newspaper of Singapore American School. The mission of The Eye is to provide informative and entertaining coverage of relevant events, trends, and topics at SAS, in Singapore, and worldwide to the members of the high school community. Its current staff of 32 reporters, video journalists, graphic artists, photographers, and columnists work both in and out of class periods in order to complete a wide range of stories. Of the 32 Eye staff members, 21 members also produce the high school’s Morning Show, which is streamed live every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at 8:00 a.m. Check out three of the latest articles published by The Eye.
High school
Work over wakeboarding Why would senior John Tanasijevich give up a summer at the beach to spend hours in front of a laminating machine? The answer is simple – a summer internship. This year, many SAS students chose to let go of the stereotypical summer lifestyle abroad to intern with an organization in Singapore. While they may have missed out on some shopping sprees and fivehour naps, their own experiences were just as worthwhile. Senior John Tanasijevich interned with Marina Bay Sands. John worked at Marina Bay Sands for their Sands for Singapore charity event this summer. The event was designed to give back to the local community through actionpacked activities, and this year, MBS raised funds for over 80 local charities. Participating in
this event also helped John see how service and business can be combined. “I learned a lot about corporate social responsibility and how it’s important for companies to respect their community and give back,” John said. “I was worried that when I go into business in the future I would have to give up service work, but now I realize it’s possible to do both at once.” John’s work was anything but easy, and was even tedious at times. Every day, he bought different materials, called different representatives to sort out the logistics of the event, and did a lot of laminating. He was the youngest intern and worked with people aged 22 to 55 years old. http://saseye.com/2015/09/10/ work-over-wakeboardingstudents-pursued-summerinternships-in-singapore/
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FoMO: The modern day anxiety problem My iPhone is generally within my reach from the moment I wake up to the moment I go to bed. I wouldn’t consider myself a person suffering from a Fear of Missing Out (FoMO), but when I took a quiz to test out the waters, the result was an embarrassing and dreadful, “FoMO Level: High.” (Let’s be honest, I’m snapchatting my friends as I’m writing this article right now.) Despite all the jokes associated with the coined acronym, FoMO is a very serious social anxiety problem. In fact, a recent survey by MyLife.Com revealed that 56 percent of teens today are afraid to miss out on status updates, events and news if they are away from social media. As the level of our connectedness has grown over time, so have our social anxiety problems. Our day-to-day schedules have subconsciously allotted time slots
HiGH school
for checking some form of social media almost every hour. As for hours of consumption per day, in 2013 the University of Southern California estimated that the average person consumes around 15.5 hours of media per day by 2015. Now, how many of those hours are spent on checking in on other people’s lives and informing others on our own? Assuming that Wi-Fi or data is on, we can post photos, videos, and text to all sorts of social media platforms almost instantaneously. With just one tap on the screen, all friends and followers on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter will be green with envy once they’ve see you’re in Greece. And once you’re in beautiful Greece, you can be dissatisfied with the fact that you aren’t in your old “been-there-done-that” town at events you’re missing out on. http://saseye.com/2015/09/08/ fomo-the-modern-day-anxietyproblem/
Top 10 free apps SAS students should have: Spotify
Snapchat
Grabtaxi
Schoology
PowerSchool Mobile
Photomath
Quizlet
http://saseye.com/2015/09/04/top10-free-apps-sas-students-shouldhave/
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Alumni
A PATHWAY OF GIVING By Braden Betts Alumni (Class of 2006)
What originally brought your family to Singapore? Like many Singapore American School families, Singapore wasn’t our first stop outside the United States. I was born in Brazil, went to elementary school in Kuwait, and spent middle school at International School Bangkok before finally coming to SAS at the start of eighth grade. With both my parents teaching, our whole family was always on campus.
I went to the University of Oregon (Go Ducks!). I studied business, and focused on marketing and journalism. I was initially drawn to the University of Oregon because of their unique sports business program and Division 1 college sports. My passion for journalism certainly started at SAS through working on the Morning Show with Mr. Clemens for three years in high school. What are your passions/hobbies?
Where did you go to college? What did you study - and why? Did any of your interests start here at SAS?
I pursue chances to surf, hike, travel, and get outdoors as much as possible. Visiting new countries, live music, and spicy street food are always high priorities.
What have you done since college? I started with an internship in digital marketing in Portland, Oregon. Five months later, I pounced on an opportunity to return to Verbier, Switzerland, the location of my senior year Interim Semester! I worked as a camp counselor for students after they finished their days skiing and snowboarding. Hands down, one of the best jobs on earth. By the end of my time in Switzerland, I was still craving another job abroad. I signed up for a Teaching English as a Foreign Language course in Thailand, eager to return to my middle school roots. I taught English and a computer class at public schools in Bangkok
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Alumni
for almost two years. These all led to my current position with Rustic Pathways. What roles have you played in Rustic Pathways? I started with Rustic Pathways in June 2013, leading community service and adventure summer programs in Thailand. I instantly knew I wanted a career there and worked hard to become the manager of our Ricefields Service Base in Udon Thani, Thailand. I also visited international schools across Asia, meeting teachers and recruiting students. In January 2015, I took over as our Burma country director, overseeing all aspects of operations, from risk assessment to attending community meetings in rural villages. How did your experience at SAS help prepare you for your current role with Rustic Pathways? Interim Semester is the clearest connection. I draw from the lessons and highlights of my four different trips as a student, but I also learned how a school effectively coordinates 40 programs for hundreds of students and faculty, from sign-ups to finish. This helped me customize programs and build partnerships between Rustic Pathways and various international schools across Asia. As a former SAS student, what do you think the benefits are to SAS students of the SAS-Rustic partnership? The most powerful, transformational moments I’ve seen with Rustic Pathways are through reflection discussions and engaging with local cultures. I’ve seen it in students and staff, and felt it myself. These experiences are what life is all about and what Rustic Pathways does best.
Northern Laos Discovery Laos Moroccan Wonderer Morocco Ancient Australian Gorges and Coral Coasts Australia North India Photo Expedition India Cambodia: From the Ground Up Cambodia Giant Panda Conservation Project China Eco Lodge Fiji Japan Laos Medical Service and Wilderness First Aid Laos Morocco: Souks and Service Expedition Morocco
Documenting DemocracyDigital Storytelling in Burma Burma Tanzania Service Tanzania Children’s Home Thailand Thai Elephants and Conservation Thailand
Outreach Vietnam Vietnam Learn about Rustic Pathways at http://rusticpathways.com/.
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BOOSTER club
WELCOME TO HIGH SCHOOL LIFE By Lan Fisher Booster Club President
As a new school year approaches, it can be hard to get motivated after a long summer break-a time filled with long lingering dinners with family and friends, travels to interesting places, days of sleeping in, road trips in the car, and visits to ice cream parlors. But it didn’t take long for the Booster Club to get back into the swing of high school life. The high school has been bustling with activity. New exciting projects and ideas are in the works!
Booster BBQ As part of our efforts to build community and school spirit, our Booster BBQ crew continued their tradition of welcoming new and returning families with their delicious grilled hamburgers and hotdogs at open house. It was a great way to start the school year. Our BBQ team have already participated in Homecoming, two days of soccer exchange, and the season one pep rally. They have planned 10 or more BBQ events throughout the school year. A huge thank you to Karen Gunn, BBQ chair, for all her hard work and enthusiasm to bring our high school community together! If you would like to volunteer, please contact Karen at boosterbbq@gmail.com.
a.m. to make it ready by 9:30 a.m. for sale in the cafeteria. The Booster Club wishes to send a very warm thank you to them for their generosity, to our high school moms for sending in their yummy baked goods, and to our co-chairs Debra Alexander and Sarah Clark for organizing these bake sales and ethnic food sales. There are two more events planned for the school year. If you would like to help out, please email Debra and Sarah at boosterbake@gmail.com.
Uniform and School Supplies The planning for open house takes months as coordination involves the entire school community. Planning starts in April for the uniform committee and Booster Booth. They spend countless hours to make sure 1,200 high school students have uniforms and school supplies ready for the new school year. Many of our parent volunteers schedule to come back a week before summer vacation ends so that uniform sales can be available during open house and the days leading up to open house. Thank you to Kendall Jackson, our booth manager, for ensuring school supplies were in full stock, and Mary Kate Wallace who took care of ordering all the school uniforms.
Interim Scholarships
Bake Sale and Korean Food Sale Our welcome back bake sale and Korean food sale in September were huge successes! Our enthusiastic Korean moms provided a beautiful spread of delicious homemade Korean food. Everything was sold out before noon! One of the most popular dishes sold was Korean fried chicken. To prepare it, the moms had to wake up at 4:00
In collaboration with administration and faculty, Booster Club continued to support the Interim scholarship program. In early October, Booster was pleased to award 10 $3,000 Interim Semester scholarships and PTA awarded three $3,000 scholarships. Interim scholarships are granted based on financial need. Applicants were asked to fill out an application and submit an essay. A committee consisting of faculty, Booster Board members, and PTA Board members evaluated the essays. Congratulations to the 13 winners, and we hope you have a memorable journey!
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Come to our fundraising events! With your support, we can continue making resources and opportunities available to our high school students. Our goal is to make high school a memorable experience for our students. With thanks and appreciation, Lan Fisher, President Kay Schot, Vice President Doreen Chou, Secretary Mary Kate Wallace, Treasurer Heide Angell, Parliamentarian
Booster Club Celebrating the Achievements of our High School Students Graduation is an important milestone, a special time in the life of a high school student. It’s the time of year when graduates celebrate their achievements, friendships, and memories they made during their time at SAS. To commemorate this jubilant occasion, Booster Club hosted a lunch on the last day of final exams for graduating seniors. The celebratory event was held at the Singapore Island Country Club on June 3, 2015, where 291 seniors from the Class of 2015 were the honored guests. In attendance were Booster Club executive
BOOSTER club
board members, administration, guidance counselors, and PTA representatives. After indulging in the international buffet spread, the alumni office delighted students with a “Now and Then” video that included school photos of when the senior first arrived at SAS juxtaposed with their current senior photo. The Senior Council then engaged their peers in a fun activity involving trivia questions where each table competed for the most correct answers. The highlight of the lunch culminated in the debut of the much-anticipated senior class video. At the big day, Booster Club sponsored the balloon drop at the end of the graduation ceremony, adding excitement to this momentous occasion. Looking ahead, we have many great events planned for the remainder of the school year. Like us on Facebook to keep updated on our events: https://www.facebook.com/ SASBoosters.
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PTA
A NEW YEAR, A NEW PTA By Morgan Frontczak PTA President
As SAS celebrates its 60th anniversary and reflects on its long, great history, so too is the Parent-Teacher Association. The PTA has a rich history at this school as an organization created to serve parents and teachers while enriching the educational experience of our children. Dating back to the school’s beginning, the PTA was officially registered as a legal society here in Singapore in 1957. This long history has created many established practices, so as we reflect, we find ourselves asking what are best practices for a parent organization at a Singapore international school. At the end of the 2014-15 school year, members of the PTA, Booster Club, administration, and various other parent representatives sat down for a two-day summit on parent engagement here at SAS. Out of the summit came the PTA’s renewed mission to work on building and strengthening the community and spirit at the school. We feel strongly that it is time to direct our efforts more towards creating a unified and wellsupported family community.
As we thought about how best to contribute to the community of the school, the PTA decided for the 2015-16 school year to focus on: •
Increase welcoming efforts for our new families,
•
Provide opportunities for families to interact,
•
Offer programming and services that address our families’ needs, and
•
Ask less and give more to our families.
It’s early in the year but we are off to a great start. Our PTA uniform sales held during orientation week and open house were a great service to our community. Our ice-cream social during open house was a fun event with great attendance. Our welcoming volunteers reached out to many new families to welcome them to SAS and Singapore, provide helpful hints, and send invitations for coffee or cocktails.
The PTA has worked hard to revamp its website, make the PTA office more inviting to parents, and to offer it for coffees and meetings. We are holding frequent used book sales for our parents. We held our first of many new PTA talks in the office, including a talk on the creative topic of storytelling to children without the use of books. And we collaborated with the Booster Club to host a new community event: the Welcome BBQ. Our families got together to mingle, be entertained, and enjoy free food and drinks! As the school year progresses, look out for more great programming coming out of the PTA! And if you have ideas on ways we can improve, reach out. As members of the PTA, your input matters. Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SASPTA
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PTA
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FUN, FOOD, & FIREWORKS! By Koh Xin Tian Communications Specialist
Singapore American School (SAS) hosted the American Association of Singapore’s annual Independence Day Celebration on Saturday, July 4, 2015 on the Woodlands campus. Over 4,000 visitors from the US and local community in Singapore, the greatest turnout ever, took part in the carnival and picnic. Visitors interacted with sponsors’ booths and their children enjoyed the inflatable playgrounds, and volunteers helped with crowd control and event management. Singapore American School was the event’s major sponsor. The Independence Day Celebration has always been free to the local and American community. This year, the master of ceremonies was the American Association President Glenn van Zutphen. Tim Stuart from Singapore American School, US Navy Rear Admiral Charles Williams, and US Ambassador Kirk Wagar also addressed the spectators. After their introductions and speeches, the national anthems of Singapore and the US were sung by ninth grade Singapore American School student, Rohini Probhakar. “My favorite part of the event was the ceremonies – I loved the singing of the anthems and the Color Guard – I think this is particularly special.” American Association of Singapore Events Manager Anne Morgan
Photo credit: American Association of Singapore
Community
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10 QUICK HEALTH & WELLNESS TIPS SAS held the first ever Wellness Conference on August 28-29. The theme for the conference was Inspiring Healthy People, Healthy Teams, and a Healthy Community and featured a variety of speakers from around the world covering topics ranging from nutrition, fitness, happiness, balance, and sleep. It was exciting to see so many members of our community turn out for the event. In case you missed it, we’ve compiled a few of our favorite thoughts from the conference here and if you would like to see more, go check out the Singapore American School YouTube channel. • Relationships are the key to happiness. • Don’t make decisions that you’re not excited about. • Ask yourself, “What would I do if I was not afraid?” • Adaptability is a skill that can be learned and is crucial to beating stress. • The best investment you can make in your kids is time! • Family dinners are vital to health and wellness for kids. • Stop looking at screens before bed because they ruin your sleep cycles. • Physical activity has a larger impact on childhood obesity than caloric intake. • When a negative train of thought pops up, don’t board the train! • Optimists always outperform pessimists.
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#SASEDU
Want to see your instagram photos, tweets, or Facebook posts end up here in Crossroads? Start using #sasedu in everything you post about the school!
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STAY CONNECTED
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Communication between school and home is vital to support student learning. We believe that students and parents benefit most by engaging directly with classroom teachers. Beyond that, SAS offers many additional tools to help parents stay connected to daily life on our campus.
SAS eNews Considered required reading for SAS parents, our weekly digital eNews is the prime go-to source for news about upcoming registrations, deadlines, conferences and report cards, events, and important news. Be sure to read the top school-wide section and each division that your children attend. And optionally, the PTA, Booster Booth, and community organizations include news and updates in the bottom section. When: The last school day of every week Where: In your email inbox Support: If you don’t receive eNews, contact communications@sas.edu.sg
The SAS Website/MySAS Portal The SAS website is a place of vital information for parents, with calendars, lunch menus, links to teacher websites, PowerSchool, and Family Connection, absence forms, the parent directory, eNews archives, the Perspectives blog, and more. Now, all these links can be found in the MySAS portal. The portal has a school-wide section for general information, and a section for each division. When: As needed Where: Top right corner of the SAS website; your username is your six-digit SASCard number. Click ‘Forgot Your Username/Password’ if necessary, and it will be emailed to you. Support: communications@sas.edu.sg
Crossroads and Journeys Magazines and the Perspectives Blog
Crossroads, the school magazine, consists of articles submitted by members of the SAS community. Check out the Notable Mentions feature at the back to see the achievements and milestones of our students and faculty. Journeys magazine ties the present SAS with our six decades of alumni. The Perspectives blog, designed to highlight and share insight into each of the perspectives of our community, regularly features student reflections and achievements within our community. When: Perspectives – weekly, Crossroads – quarterly, Journeys – twice each year Where: Perspectives can be found on the SAS website. Crossroads and Journeys are mailed to all current SAS families. Support: communications@sas.edu.sg
Social Media
Connect with SAS on your favorite social media platform to celebrate all things SAS, stay in the know for upcoming activities, and see photos of campus life. We are on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Google+, LinkedIn, and Flickr. Post your own SAS photos and join the conversation! When: Daily Where: Links can be found on the SAS website Support: communications@sas.edu.sg
Photo wall filled with hundreds of students from the last 20 years
Clapper used each year in the music performance of Sleigh Ride
Eurydice poster from the combined dance and drama Cultural Convention production
Original IASAS girls soccer trophy
CAPTIVATING CLASSROOMS Thousands of students have passed through this room since Director of Athletics and Activities Mimi Molchan joined Singapore American School in 1996. Hundreds of those students now line the walls, represented by photographs, patches, and unique memorabilia.
Handpainted Eagles type and shield
Patches from every IASAS sporting event
1st place 1983 debate plaque
NOTABLE MENTIONS
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NATIONAL HISTORY DAY
On June 18, 2015, two SAS middle school teams won first and second place at the 41st annual National History Day (NHD) Contest at the University of Maryland in College Park, MD. Sophia Datta, Thani Greco, and Madeleine Zemans were awarded first place in the Junior Group Exhibit category for their project, "Rose Valland: Recovering Stolen Culture in France." In the same category, second place was awarded to Callie Elms, Mehek Jain, Jada Li, and Madeleine Park for their entry, "Adding Pages to Sir Nicholas Winton's Scrapbook." The award marked the first time that SAS received the top honor and was the first time a school in Southeast Asia was awarded the top prize.
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AMERICAN WRITERS FESTIVAL
2015 was the first year that the American Writers Festival came to SAS. The annual festival took place from September 14 to 18, during which featured speakers – poet Tina Chang, novelist and fiction writer Adam Johnson, playwright and screenwriter Rajiv Joseph, and nonfiction writer Michael Meyer met SAS students personally. http://www.americanwritfest. org/
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KWAME ALEXANDER
Award-winning author Kwame Alexander visited Singapore American School from August 14 to September 2 as part of the PTA-sponsored academic visitors-in-residence program. Conducting creative writing workshops, kick-off sessions, readings, book signings, and telling stories to middle and high school students, Alexander gained a new group of avid readers and fans in Singapore. http://www.bookinaday.org/
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BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU DOUBLE CHAMPION:
KINAREE ADKINS
The fourth EdTechTeam Singapore Summit Featuring Google Apps for Education and Future Ready Schools (#GAFESummit) returned to SAS on September 5 and 6. The summit program included two keynotes, breakout sessions, hands-onworkshops led by professional developers, a demo slam presentation, and a closing session. This year, in addition to Google sessions, the conference included sessions on iPads, Moonshot Thinking, MakerSpaces, Inspiring Learning Spaces, and Student Ignite Projects for educators of all levels.
In July 2015, Kinaree won first place at the American National Jiu-Jitsu Championship in Las Vegas, adding to her 2015 World Championship title from the World Jiu-Jitsu Children’s Cup earlier this year. Kinaree is now a two-time International Brazilian JiuJitsu Federation US National Champion. Five years after Kinaree signed up for a trial lesson at Evolve MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) in Singapore in 2009 as a second-grader, she continues to pursue the martial art for its physical and mental challenges, fun, and competition opportunities.
https://sg.gafesummit. com/2015/
http://evolve-mma.com/
Sohum L. from first grade won the Intchess Chess Championship and was undefeated in his age category.
CONGRATULATIONS!
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GOOGLE APPS FOR EDUCATION SUMMIT
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SAS sixth-grader Sarasa N. recently won the gold medal at the 12th Singapore Open Gymnastics Championships 2015 in rhythmic gymnastics.
First grade student Reika L. recently won first prize at the 12th Singapore Open Gymnastics Championships 2015 in her age division.
Senior Lauren Smith won third place in the reality TV dance contest, Dance Singapore Dance.
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WORD ON THE STREET Who’s your role model and why?
By Sandhya Bala and Clara Fong Communications Interns Sandy Bala is a junior at Singapore American School and a member of the SAS Communications and Alumni Relations Work Study Program. Sandy enjoys photography, writing and travelling to new places. Clara Fong is a junior at Singapore American School and a member of the SAS Communications and Alumni Relations Work Study Program. Clara enjoys reading about current events, eating home-cooked food and practicing fencing in her free time.
JONG HYUN C. 11TH GRADE
Park Ji Sung, he was the first Asian to play for Manchester United. And he exemplifies hard work leads to success.
MR. HELMER LIBRARIAN AND CATALYST TEACHER
My parents, because they're engaging and friendly and want to do good stuff.
MICHELLE L. 5TH GRADE
Shakira because she is a good singer and donates to a lot of charities!
MISHAL T. 6TH GRADE
Probably my younger brother because he is very confident.
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ZOE M. 2ND GRADE
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CHRISTINA K. 10TH GRADE
ADDISON A. PRE-K
My teacher Ms. Hogan!
I don't have a role model because I don't feel like we need to try and be like other people.
My mom and dad because they're kind and take good care of me and I like them a lot.
GRACE T. 9TH GRADE
ERIN W. 4TH GRADE
KATHERINE C. 12TH GRADE
When it comes to school, my role model would be my brother because he's really hardworking always strives to be the best.
I guess the older people in my family because they really help me if I'm making a mistake and they are always there for me.
Mindy Kaling because she's really intelligent and she writes and produces her own show. Also she's Asian and does comedy, which is really uncommon.
40 WOODLANDS STREET 41 SINGAPORE 738547 PHONE: (65) 6363 3403 WEB: WWW.SAS.EDU.SG QUESTIONS? EMAIL US AT COMMUNICATIONS@SAS.EDU.SG CPE Registration Number: 196400340R Registration Period: 22 June 2011 to 21 June 2017 Accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)