Journeys Winter 2018 by Singapore American School

W I N T E R

2 0 1 8

EXTRAORDINARY CARE AT SAS SERVING THE HEART AND MIND OF EVERY CHILD

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS

On The Cover

W I N T E R

Extraordinary care has long been part of the fabric of Singapore American School. Now, more than ever, we are dedicating time and resources to a strategic anchor that strengthens relationships and builds resilience, equipping our Eagles with personal success. Learn more about how we are cultivating a tradition of extraordinary care on page 23.

Editorial team Kyle Aldous Charlotte Hewson Kinjal Shah

Design team Haziq Hairoman Amos Ong

Communications intern Anna Bierley, twelfth grade Jonna Chen, twelfth grade Sunny Ham, eleventh grade Irina Maryukhina, eleventh grade

Contact

I S S U E

CONTENTS 01

History in the Making

Alumni: Of Red Carpets and Showstoppers

The Positive Impacts of a Flexible Learning Environment

Alumni: Coming Full Circle – Lynsey Howitt

Cultivating a Tradition of Extraordinary Care

Alumni: Park Ranger to Mob Museum Curator

Captivating Classrooms: Heritage Gallery

Scoreboard

Tech Tips: Digital Citizenship

Alumni Spotlight

Making a Beeline for the Future

Annual Giving Impact Report 2017–18

Alumni: From Reel 2 Real

Notable Mentions

Alumni: Forensic Accounting, FBI Calling!

Online https://www.sas.edu.sg/journeys

2 0 1 8

Featured

communications@sas.edu.sg

Connect

Balancing Our Advanced Studies Offerings

JOURNEYS

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS III

History in the Making By D r. C H I P K I M B A L L Superintendent

JOURNEYS

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

It is important to recognize that great historical schools stand on the shoulders of giants. The work that we have been able to accomplish recently is only possible because of the equally impressive work of leaders and faculty over many generations before us. Several weeks ago one of our seniors, Ernest Wang, asked me to do an interview regarding the recent history of Singapore American School. His project, with the help of longtime faculty member Ron Starker, is to create an oral history of Singapore American School since 1996 when we first opened our Woodlands campus. As I talked with Wang I found myself deeply grateful for the incredible accomplishments of our leadership team, faculty, staff, and students over the past seven years. Together we have seen tremendous student growth, undertaken profound and important changes, and ultimately laid a foundation that will empower thousands of Eagles now, and well into the future. It is important to recognize that great historical schools stand on the shoulders of giants. The work that

we have been able to accomplish recently is only possible because of the equally impressive work of leaders and faculty over many generations before us. Creating an exceptional school that is both predictably successful and responsive to our current and future needs is challenging, requiring each generation of leadership to make strategic and often hard decisions. My interview with Wang reminded me of how impactful this particular season of great work has been for SAS, and how thankful I am. Each year we say goodbye to hundreds of students in June and then welcome nearly a thousand new students each fall. With such high turnover, it is possible that many of you were not here for much of this journey. As I enter my final semester at SAS, I want to take a moment to reflect on our journey since 2012.

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS

When I joined SAS in 2012, the school was by traditional measures successful and thriving. But most leaders know that complacency is where excellence goes to die, especially when there are signs of changing and threatening conditions. The SAS board knew this, and I came with a specific mandate to lead the evolution of SAS that would accelerate our success long into the future. What was especially concerning was an emerging economy that requires students to have new and different skills, a shifting emphasis in US education and universities, and new competition in Singapore that would require SAS to be more exceptional, serve more students, and be more financially stable than ever before. From my previous work, I understood how to change a school system in an ambitious and innovative multinational community. The question we faced was how to best approach this challenge at SAS, within our context, with the goal of not only preventing stagnation but creating systems for student growth such that SAS would truly serve as a world leader in education.

In my early days, the SAS board provided a mandateâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;one that was invigorating and spoke to the visionary nature of the community that I would serve. The mandate included:

Quality Faculty and Leadership

Recruit and retain the highest possible caliber of talent that understands 21st century needs of students, can deliver high-quality programs, and are agile as the needs of students change over time

Financial Stability

Make investments in programs that will serve the future of the school and build reserves appropriate for mid-term and long-term needs

Long-Term Facilities

JOURNEYS

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

My early days at SAS were enlightening and challenging. I conducted a listening tour and heard from hundreds of families. Company executives consistently spoke about the skills that kids need today and the failures of modern education. Moms and dads shared concerns regarding teacher and program quality and making sure their child is known. They also shared a consistent

message of extraordinary care for our students, an endearing quality at SAS, and endless opportunities in clubs, sports, and service. These early days shaped much of what would come. I remember making some difficult and often unpopular budget, structural, and personnel decisions during my first few years. These are often the most difficult decisions a leader has to make, and hurt the most, but are often required to take a team in a new strategic direction. During 201213 we used a community process to develop a new visionâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a world leader in education, cultivating exceptional thinkers, prepared for the future. There were great debates over language and meaning, and in the end, this vision became the centerpiece for everything that was to come. The existing SAS mission was reaffirmed, and by late 2013 the foundational elements for the future of SAS were now in place.

New Vision and School Direction

Lead SAS through a process of re-envisioning itself, retaining those qualities that have made SAS great, and adopting new programs and practices that will launch the school well into the future

Examine the long-term facilities needs that take into consideration demand, location, and program needs for a relevant and contemporary educational experience

The SAS school board saw a challenging but incredibly exciting future ahead for SAS. They understood that decades of historical success did not guarantee our future. With a rapidly changing workforce, they saw the need to improve the way students learn to prepare them for the future. In 2011, the board organized a long-term strategy committee and sought to create the best possible conditions for an evolving SAS while supporting a leadership team that could get us there.

VISION A world leader in education cultivating exceptional thinkers prepared for the future

MISSION Singapore American School is committed to providing each student an exemplary American education with an international perspective

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS

Simultaneously our team started diving deep into research specifically focused on the skills and characteristics required of students in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s modern world. We invited world-renowned thought leaders to come work with us and launched a multi-year R&D process involving faculty and school leaders where they would visit schools, evaluate programs, talk to universities, and interview companies about students and the future. This turned out to be some of the most important and groundbreaking work in the history of the school. In all, 75 faculty visited over 100 educational institutions

ranging from elite private schools to very successful public schools in different parts of the world. In spring 2013, we held a 21st century learning summit for our community. This summit, alongside our WASC accreditation process and our R&D work, led to the adoption of critical learning outcomes for our students. We call these our Desired Student Learning Outcomes (DSLO), and they are now at the heart of SAS programs systemwide.

CHARACTER

CREATIVITY

COLLABORATION

CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

CULTURAL COMPETENCE

JOURNEYS

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

The R&D process at first included three phases; research, development, and implementation. It became clear during the process that we would need to add more steps and more time to fully realize our vision. We also knew that we would need to build capacity among our faculty to ensure we could confidently deliver. This process helped shape our strategic plan and ensure the long-term sustainability of our programming, but also integrated many of the other new programs that were already underway at SAS. We committed to building programs, processes, and structures that are world leading, and that future students would benefit from due to their sustainability and attention to quality.

Phasing of the Research and Development Process

STAGE 1

Research

STAGE 2

Development

STAGE 3

Capacity Building

STAGE 4

Implementation

STAGE 5

Sustainability

COMMUNICATION

CRITICAL THINKING

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS

2 0 1 8

Creativity

are

a faculty leadership summit to tackle this challenge, prioritizing our most important work and putting all strategic decisions on a more realistic implementation timeline. This has helped us to focus our resources, manage expectations, develop our staff, and ensure that we deliver on the level of excellence that you would expect at our school. At the highest level, we focus our work in all divisions upon five institutional priorities found in our strategic plan. As the SAS vision becomes a reality through implementation, we are finding our strategic foundation and strategic anchors critical as we implement with fidelity. Our strategic plan drives priorities, budget, professional development, and hiring decisions as we move the school forward. Each division sets goals, measures student outcomes, and we are aggressively developing new tools in the curriculum to ensure that students are building the skills

Every student personalizes their learning

CULTURAL COMPETENCE

itie s

Communication

CRITICAL THINKiNG

CHARACTER

ibil

~ viro

ments

COLLABORATION

W i n t e R

CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

JOURNEYS

In addition to being intentional about culture, we also knew that our planning was ambitious, but possibly not implementable when taking into consideration many of the other school initiatives alongside operating a school of nearly 4,000 each day. It was during the 2014-15 school year that we held

Customize d s ~

We understand from practitioners and research that even with the

As we thought back to the R&D work and schools that we visited, we saw some element of one or two of our strategic anchors in many schools, but almost none of them could master all three at the same time. For SAS this has become an aspirational target, a cultural norm, and a decision-making filter that we use for future programming. This has become our “special sauce."

Every student is known and advocated for

SAS is an ambitious school. We want the best for our students and will go to great lengths to make sure that we are as good as we possibly can be. This mindset was reflected in our recommendations with 115 specific recommendations and an overly ambitious timeline. It was during this time that we had to take a serious look at the number of initiatives that we were planning to implement, as well as the organizational culture we wanted, a core element of our long-term success.

most ambitious plans and funding, organizational culture means everything to the success of a school. In previous iterations of SAS, our organization culture was often characterized in “the vital few.” We worked with faculty and leadership to identify the core elements of the culture we want, resulting in the SAS strategic anchors—a culture of excellence, a culture of extraordinary care, and a culture of possibilities. It is our view that the cross-section of these three elements makes SAS truly unique, helping us take our place as one of the leading schools in the world.

y-based pro g

Faculty and leadership team members used these themes to help guide their culminating recommendations and after two years of research, debate, vetting, and culling for the best ideas in the SAS context, each division made final recommendations that were approved in 2014 and 2015.

Facilities designed to facilitate 21st century learning

E x t r a o r di

As our faculty visited schools and interviewed experts across the globe, they noticed interesting themes emerge. The most effective schools, those deliberately focusing on future-oriented skill development, had eight common elements that turned out to be deeply instructive for our team. These themes would ultimately guide the development of each division’s R&D recommendations.

Clearly identified learning targets and learning progressions

e et

Authentic student connections with local and global communities

Every student learns at high levels

Relevant and authentic learning

Excellence

Flexible s ~ le

Systemic focus on relationships

Appropriate use of technology to maximize student learning

STRATEGIC ANCHORS

A strong and well-defined school culture (and being unapologetic about it)

Personalized learning and deep intellectual exploration in areas of interest or passion

Themes EmerginG From the Multi-Year Research Process:

that they need. And as with most great organizations, we are learning along the way. We are proud of the work that we are doing, but also know that it has been far from perfect. As a school that is committed to continuous improvement, we learn from every implementation and work towards improving each and every time. This is an element of SAS that makes it truly an exceptional place to lead and work. When we look back to the foundational themes that we found in great futureready schools around the world, purpose-built facilities were consistently integrated into most of them. Early in my tenure, I was asked by the board to consider the long-term facility needs of the school keeping in mind demand, location, cost, program needs, and conditions in the tropics. As early as 2012 we were considering sites in Singapore for program opportunities and have looked at dozens of possibilities over

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS

the past seven years. Importantly, we decided that before a master plan was to be developed, we would need to be clear about our strategic direction, the kind of learning we hope to provide for students, how facilities can serve the long-term interests of the school, and explore all of our options in Singapore. By 2016 this work had been done and we started developing a long-term vision for facilities at SAS. A facilities plan in a complicated and large environment is intensive and requires a great deal of thought and

planning over many years. We started this work by developing principles that would inform our planning; this includes values such pedagogically appropriate spaces, improving the use of student time, embracing sustainability, and capturing the culture of SAS and Singapore. The principles for our long-term needs were developed into a master site plan helping us to envision what is possible for our school given our particular constraints including building in Singapore. Pathfinder projects were initiated to begin checking

A world leader in education Cultivating exceptional thinkers Prepared for the future

PERSONALIzEd LEARNING Professional Learning Communities

StandardsBased Approach

Focus on learning

Utilize a curricular framework of competencies and standards

Commit to continuous improvement

Gather evidence of student learning for each DSLO Utilize quality assessment practices

Address the four PLC questions

Apply interventions and extensions

Align grading and reporting to competencies and standards Use student learning data to inform practice

High Impact Instructional Practices

Pastoral Care

Use high impact instructional practices that facilitate personalized learning

Maintain a culture of extraordinary care for students

Have students engage in inquiry Provide customized pathways that facilitate personalization of learning Take advantage of flexible learning environments in instructional practices

Provide programs that focus on social and emotional well-being

Implement advisory programs that ensure every student is known, connected, and cared for

Systems Supporting Learning

JOURNEYS

Maintain a healthy organizational culture

Ensure enrollment management systems enable optimal admissions

Adapt co-curricular programming to align to the strategic direction

Communicate & engage stakeholders to support the learning environment

Create future-ready, flexible learning environments

Establish effective information systems to monitor KPIs.

Recruit and retain employees who will help SAS achieve its strategic direction

Revise operational readiness & functionality to support the learning environment

Personalize professional learning

Establish an endowment which ensures SAS’s long-term sustainability

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

our assumptions and to model the spaces that we may be considering. These spaces have been deeply informative, providing some of the best pre-construction action research found anywhere in the world. The next SAS superintendent will have an enviable opportunity to bring a version of the facilities master plan from conception to reality, finding even more ways to serve existing and future students. And while many of the great initiatives at SAS were captured in our initial R&D work and strategic planning, many projects have been implemented along the way, in real-time. This has included the systemic use of professional learning communities (PLCs), Response to Intervention (RtI), athletics and activities changes, laptop programs, and changes to services such as counseling, learning support, health services, and employee wellness. We have worked on HR systems, data systems, governance improvements, and leadership development. We have started programs like the on-site doctoral program for faculty and have adopted great practices from others like Reggio Emilia-inspired approaches for early learning. It has been an incredible journey of growth and innovation requiring ambition and patience coupled with hard work and humility when we don’t get it right.

I have seen hundreds of schools around the world. I have mentored leaders and consoled frustrated educators. I watch some of the finest educators in the world teach your children, and I have worked with leaders who are only limited by their own imagination. While not perfect, and certainly not done yet, I can say without question that SAS is one of the finest schools in the world. Over the past number of years, we have had experts from all over the globe visit SAS. Dr. Tony Wagner, an innovation education fellow at Harvard University said about SAS, “I don’t remember ever having been to a school as established and successful as SAS that is taking the ideas of educational research and development and innovation so seriously, so thoughtfully, and in such courageous and committed ways.” For some, you have been along the entirety of this journey with us. For others, much of this is new. Regardless of when you joined you are a part of the SAS family and it is with pride that we provide a world-class education for your children. I am certain that a year from now I will view my time here as the pinnacle of my career.

SAS PATHFINDER PROJECTS SUMMER 2015

SUMMER 2016

Early learning center (preschool)

Early learning center (pre-kindergarten)

SUMMER 2017 Kindergarten learning community Kindergarten Chinese immersion Sixth grade A-side High school Center of Innovation

SUMMER 2018 Fifth grade learning community Sixth grade B-side and C-side Middle school world language learning community High school humanities learning community

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS 10

RECOMMENDED READING

TIMELINE

School board to decide on phasing, scope, and breadth of possible campus renewal

2018–19 (Things to look forward to)

Early learning center completes phase one renovation of preschool

Strategic anchors are adopted (cultures of excellence, extraordinary care, possibilities)

2011–12 SAS adopts professional learning communities (PLCs) as a professional development and student advocacy framework New superintendent recruited to lead SAS into the future

Elementary and middle school recommendations are endorsed by the school board

2014–15

2015–16 Athletics and activities begin R&D Elementary and middle school enter capacity building phase High school counseling department conducts a full review and redesign leading to revisions for both college and personal academic counseling SAS begins facility design principles planning process

High school team recommendations are endorsed by the school board (Advanced Topics, AP Cap) SAS is awarded a model PLC school status

2012–13 Superintendent leads visioning process, reaffirms mission statement through yearlong community engagement SAS hosts a 21st century learning summit to adopt desired student learning outcomes (DSLOs) The school board long-term strategy subcommittee focuses on supporting strategic direction development, R&D efforts, and long-term campus renewal High school begins R&D research phase

11 JOURNEYS

W i n t e R

SAS PLCs are implemented campus-wide WASC accreditation focuses on the newly adopted desired student learning outcomes Subject area and program renewal reviews complement R&D work Early childhood, elementary, and middle schools begin R&D research phase High school enters development phase

2013–14 2 0 1 8

Author

From Leading to Succeeding

Douglas Reeves

The Six Secrets of Change

Michael Fullan

The SPEED of TRUST: The One Thing That Stephen M.R. Covey Changes Everything The Advantage: Why Organizational Patrick M. Lencioni Health Trumps Everything Else In Business

High school enters capacity phase SAS strategic plan is created, melding R&D initiatives with recommendations from accreditation and program renewals

Change Leadership

High school enters implementation phase

Implementation of split college counseling model to support college admission needs, and personal and academic needs of students Superintendent holds dessert evenings to share status of school vision with community including possible facilities masterplan project Pathfinder spaces are remodeled to enhance learning structures in fifth grade, sixth grade B and C-sides, middle school world language, and high school humanities

2017–18

Leadership summit is held to address capacity of staff to execute plan

Pathfinder spaces are remodeled to enhance new learning structures in kindergarten, sixth grade A-side, kindergarten Chinese immersion, and the high school Center of Innovation

SAS enters a facilities master planning process to design learning spaces that enable collaborative, personalized learning

Elementary and middle school enter implementation phase

Early learning center completes phase two renovation of prekindergarten SAS awards request for proposal to international architecture firm to begin a visioning process for a possible facilities master plan

SAS begins management of many community sports and athletics, previously part of SACAC SAS enters a facilities master planning process to design learning spaces that enable collaborative, personalized learning

2016–17

Leading Change

John P. Kotter

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t

Jim Collins

Superbosses: How Exceptional Leaders Master the Flow of Talent

Sydney Finkelstein

Now, Discover Your Strengths

Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton

Disrupting Class, Expanded Edition: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns

Clayton Christensen and Michael B. Horn

The World Is Flat 3.0: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century

Thomas L. Friedman

Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Simon Sinek Everyone to Take Action

Educational Reform

Author

The Global Achievement Gap

Dr. Tony Wagner

A Whole New Mind

Daniel Pink

Visible Learning

John Hattie

Learning by Doing: A Handbook for Professional Learning Communities at Work

DuFour et al.

Personalized Learning

Author

Experience & Education

John Dewey

Creating Innovators

Tony Wagner

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success

Carol S. Dweck

More About SAS

Author

Global Perspectives: Professional Learning Tim Stuart, et al. Communities at Work in International Schools 12

“As I spoke to colleague s that were pathfinder sp already teac aces at SAS, hing in the more ex maybe partic cited I got a ipating in on bout e myself. Wo than one oth rking alongsi er teacher, I’ de more ll learn from me, the who them, they’l le hope is th l le arn from at we will le Jess Harrison, arn from eac fifth grade te h other.” acher

THE POSITIVE IMPACTS OF A

G N I N R A e E l b i x e l FENVIR NMENT

By CHARLOTTE HEWSON Communications Writer

In past years the education world has been loaded with talk around the concept of flexible learning spaces. The field is bursting with literature that explores research-based teaching practices and the transformation of education through design. As teaching practices evolve, educational environments are reforming to align with a rapidly developing and connected world.

13 JOURNEYS

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

A flexible learning environment is a space that promotes and supports a range of learning activities. It aims to support student-centered pedagogy and offers teachers the flexibility and configuration to meet the dynamic requirements of a curriculum while catering to the different learning profiles of students. These environments address how students may be grouped during learning and how time, staffing, and scheduling can be used in a flexible manner throughout the day. Such learning environments are designed to serve as a space that allows for more personalized learning, and a space for everyone to experiment, ideate, build, and present. Here we join the ongoing narrative, as we recognize and consider how the design and attributes of a flexible learning environment can be linked to success in student outcome.

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS 14

ALIGNING PEDAGOGY AND SPACE

SPACES FOR FLEXIBLE GROUPINGS

Education is swiftly evolving. In keeping pace with the world in which we live, more and more schools are progressing toward a personalized curriculum that provides opportunities to meet academic standards in ways that are unique to the needs of each learner. This requires practices that elevate student agency, and enable meaningful relationships and collaboration with others. Customised pathways, learning communities, and competencybased progressions are central to personalized learning and therefore flexible learning environments are carefully designed to foster collaboration and support learning through observation, discussion, creation, or performance. Designing each space in a learning environment for a different type of experience, rather than for a subject or a teacher, allows schools to curate powerful experiences in compelling spaces.

Flexible learning environments host a variety of spaces to accommodate different learning needs and intended activities. A flexible learning environment can accommodate a large number of learners to allow whole class activities or multi-class instruction to occur. In addition to these larger learning activities, a flexible learning environment allows student communities to interact within very focused and strategically designed break-out spaces. These defined spaces enable teachers to regroup their students in a variety of ways and allow for small group instruction and project work. Teachers can meaningfully collaborate and confer with students to address individual or small group needs. Research suggests that significantly more exploratory behavior, social interaction, and cooperation occurs in these spatially well-defined settings (Barret, 2015).

As part of our strategic plan at SAS, we continue to strive toward building an organizational culture and an environment that is strongly defined and deliberative. We have come to recognize that to be truly exemplary and deliver on the promises of our mission and vision, an environment in which personalized learning can flourish is paramount to success.

Over the years, we have implemented numerous pathfinder projects throughout the SAS campus. These pathfinders provide our faculty and administrators the necessary insight into flexible learning environments and how they align with our pedagogy. Dynamic spaces within these SAS pathfinders provide opportunity to bring flexible groupings together efficiently and effectively.

TEACHER COLLABORATION

A flexible learning environment is often a shared space that includes more than one class and teacher. These spaces bring together teachers that once worked in isolation. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an environment that cultivates partnerships, community, and responsibility among teachers who work together towards a shared goal to strengthen student performance. This shared environment opens line of sight to the work of colleagues as it includes a higher level of visual transparency between spaces. Such transparency allows teachers to observe and learn from teaching and learning occurring in other spaces, and to be observed in return (Osborne, 2013). Line of sight allows teachers the opportunity to team teach, and offer feedback on instructional practices in the form of professional development. In her research, The Missing Link in School Reform, Leana (2011) provides a persuasive research-based argument for strong collaborative networks among educators. Her research concludes that teacher social capital is vital for strengthening the educational system and for the success of students. We live in a world of interaction and observation where we must learn, grow, and develop from one another. When asked about the benefits of the SAS kindergarten pathfinder spaces, teacher Mark Lewis described his kindergarten learning community as an opportunity for professional development on the spot.

At SAS, we co ntinue to ch allenge ourselves to create remar kabl experiences for our studen e ts and personalize their learning journeys. There are no w several sp aces across the school ca mpus that ex emplify an innovativ e and flexibl e learning environment. A continued series of pathfinder sp aces are allo wing SAS faculty, stud ents, and pa rents to experience in the short term of learning en the type vironment w e will eventually im plement thro ughout the campus. Thes e spaces allo w teachers to test new learning mod els and collaboration strategies.

SUMMER 2015 After a rigor ous research and developmen t process an d a reflective study, a subs tantial renova tion of the early lear ning center established two preschoo l learning co mmunities an four pre-kind d ergarten com munities, creating a be autiful, colla borative, modern lear ning environm ent.

SUMMER 2017 Small scale pa thfinder proj ects were constructed over the 2017 summer break. This in cluded five ki ndergarten communities , including fle xible spaces for Chinese immersion cl asses and a grade A-side sixth learning com munity. Que and Catalyst st learning spac es in the high school were also re-desig ned to provid more flexibi e lity.

SUMMER 2018 Taking valuab le lessons le arned from the previous pathfinders and feeding this forward, several flexibl e learning environments were implem ented and rolled ou t in the Augus t 2018-19 academic ye ar.

MORE TEACHERS TO FACILITATE LEARNING

Traditionally in schools, classrooms were designed to accommodate one teacher, a teaching assistant, and a class of students. A flexible learning environment hosts a larger number of students as it brings multiple classes together to form one community. This also means an increased number of adults are placed into a shared environment and community. This accelerates teacher collaboration and also allows teachers to facilitate learning in the moment. In a shared environment, teachers no longer have to solely rely on pre-collaboration in order to pre-plan lessons and units with colleagues. With multiple teachers and students located in close proximity with line of sight, teachers gain the chance to quickly regroup students and meet learners where they are at in the moment, instead of trying to anticipate the learning in advance. With more teachers assigned to one environment, there is higher opportunity to ensure no child goes unnoticed and each student need is addressed. At SAS teachers that have moved into flexible learning environments have emphasized the strength of team teaching. In these spaces, faculty have the opportunity to tandem teach, teach and observe, or teach and pull small groups—in a purposeful manner. One teacher may instruct while the other roams. The roaming teacher is able to spot trends and observe the student learning in the moment. This allows collective student misconceptions to be addressed right away, as opposed to only being detected by the instructing teacher when they later come to assess student work.

Power Of INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDY

When a number of teachers are working collaboratively in a shared flexible environment, they more readily see the connections across the skills and content within the specific course or subject they teach. Concurrently, students build their ability to see the world as inter-connected. Teaching in environments that are defined by the flexibility of building or removing silos allows practices to become crossdisciplinary as needed. Teachers can more readily work with flexible groupings in interdisciplinary units by moving the walls and combining a learning activity with colleagues. Interdisciplinary planning and conversations allow teachers to develop a common language for skills that transcend subject areas. This common language creates transparency for students to understand and articulate what they are learning, why they are learning it, and what they are learning next. Students learn best when their school experiences have context and are connected through the disciplines. In sixth grade science teacher Brendan Riley's class, while studying the topic of sustainability, students learned about how humans have an impact on the environment. Students also learned about rates, ratio, and proportions in math. Meanwhile everything they learned in ELA and social studies related to the theme of sustainability. Students were then assigned the challenge of employing a personal action that would reduce their ecological footprint.

FLEXIBLE TIME

Flexibility in a flexible learning environment refers to staffing and schedule, not simply space utilization and physical features. The design and operational elements are dynamic and respond to the needs of students in achieving their learning goals. Teachers have the ability to flex their schedules. For example at SAS, teachers might revise their daily schedule, shortening some classes to create a block of time for a guest speaker, provide extension for students who have already grasped the learning, or use the additional time to create connections between disciplines. These flexible blocks help students personalize their learning path, offering further opportunity for voice and choice in their learning.

“I’ve had a g reat opportunity to collabora te with my coll eagues. Here we ma ke sure we are planning together, and doing to gether. Last year, we wo uld talk abo ut what we wa nted to do w ith the students and then go off and plan in our separa te spaces. Now we come up with a plan a nd we execu te the plan tog ether.”

James Toney, sixth grade te acher

Fifth grade learn ing

community

Four singleto n classrooms were conver into one flexi ted ble learning environment accomodatin g a team of four teaching assi stants, and 92 teachers, students. The transfor mation makes for a bright, engaging, m ulti-purpose learning spac e.

Sixth grade id e and C-side learning comBm-sun ities Following th e successful renovation of sixth grade A -side, all SAS sixth grade students now take their co re classes in a modern an d flexible lear ni where literat ure circles, m ng space ath explorat independen ions, t work, colla borative work, studen t meetings, and learning celebrations take place.

Middle school wor ld language learning comm unity Renovations enabled our wor department to co-teach an ld language d a flexible sp ace by repurp flex groups in osing an oddl shaped spac y e in the mid dle school.

AGILE FURNISHINGS AND VARIED SEATING OPTIONS

Furnishings, often including walls, within a flexible learning environment, can be moved to respond to the daily requirements of different activities and/or to suit the different needs of students. If an activity requires a large audience of students, for example, a teacher delivering instruction, walls can be pulled aside to create large accommodating spaces. Alternatively, when a project requires small or individual group work, walls can create separation. Additionally, lightweight furniture such as tables and chairs that can be moved around easily, allow students to quickly pair up without the need and time to move heavy desks in order to establish eye contact. A flexible learning environment also considers the importance of comfort levels for students and teachers. An uncomfortable student can quickly become a distracted and irritated student. Unlike the identical chairs found in traditional classrooms, a flexible learning environment boasts an assortment of seating options for students to choose from. Students feel empowered by having some degree of choice and control over their environment. Seating options can range from high stools to armchairs to stability balls. Teachers can also benefit from identifying best fit seating for their students to ensure higher levels of focus and engagement. SAS kindergarten faculty noticed that their students suggested creative ideas about how space and furniture can be utilized. To make more use of the stage area in their classroom, students recommended placing a table on the stage.

NATURAL LIGHTING AND OUTDOOR CONNECTIONS

Natural and softer lighting as opposed to traditional fluorescent lighting is used in flexible learning environments. Such spaces place emphasis on the importance of natural connections to the outdoors. Turning off artificial light, and opening up spaces to natural daylight provides a variety of benefits from improved focus to better student health. For example, natural light is known to regulate sleep/wake cycles. Research has indicated that children in classrooms with the most daylight and biggest windows progress approximately 20 percent faster in math and reading (Barret, 2015). The SAS early learning center hosts six beautiful and bright learning environments. With floor to ceiling glass walls, these learning spaces share natural light and promote transparency.

ACCESSIBLE STUDENT RESOURCES

A flexible learning environment stimulates and drives curiosity, provokes ideas, and promotes discussion. This can be achieved through the easy access of resources and materials granted to students. With these provided resources in reach, students are encouraged to experiment and take further ownership in their learning. Through guided exploration these accessible resources, such as craft supplies and technology, can drive curiosity and develop skills while fostering responsibility. Furthermore, a flexible learning environment will often present clearly marked pathways to activity areas in order to improve the utilization of space and performance metrics. This makes for an effective and streamlined learning process, aiding students to not only explore but also keep on task.

Eighth grade community ELA learning Two eighth gr ade ELA clas srooms were reconfi gured to prov ide teachers more flexibi lity in how th ey work with their studen ts.

High school community humanities learning A flexible lear ning environm ent hosts the hu manities cour ses. The space in clud small and larg es breakout rooms, e group inst ructional spac flexible furn es, ishing, and m oveable wal ls.

High school lla borative learning spaco ces A collaborativ e work spac e has been introduced to the high scho ol this academic ye ar. Eight clas sroom teache share the sp rs ace, which in cludes breako rooms, quiet ut work stations , flexible furnishing, an d meeting sp aces.

At SAS, the Center of Innovation houses flexible design areas, a prototype STEM lab, individualized makerspaces, meeting areas, and quiet spaces. The environment encourages students to explore, ideate, innovate, prototype, and often, learn from failure.

Then 1973

Singapore American School students dazzled in the 1973 production of South Pacific. The musical portrayed the stories of two parallel romances threatened by the dangers of prejudice and the second world war. Performed outdoors, South Pacific remains one of the most memorable theater events in the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history.

21 JOURNEYS

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

Now 2018

In October 2018, the smash hit movie High School Musical came to life on the SAS stage. The highly anticipated show depicted the story of East Highâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s students who must deal with issues of first love, friends, and family, while balancing their classes and extracurricular activities. Held in the Riady Performing Arts Center, SAS students proudly showcased their talents and gave a powerful performance at a sold-out show.

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS 22

“Every student has a story. It's my job to get to know them—their story—so that they feel safe. Until this happens they won't be willing to take the risks necessary to reach their potential as artists.” – Lucas Smith, seventh grade teacher

Cultivating A Tradition of Extraordinary Care By CHARLOTTE HEWSON Communications Writer

23 JOURNEYS

W I N T E R

2 0 1 8

At Singapore American School, relationships matter. Attentiveness, respect, consideration, and regard for others is the social fabric of our institution that ultimately leads to success. A curriculum requires rigor. But it also needs heart. Over the years we’ve made great strides putting systems in place to care for every single student on campus, cultivating a tradition of extraordinary care through an educational program that serves the mind and the heart of every child.

W I N T E R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS 24

“SAS students are the reason why I get up for work every morning. I am also very thankful for my colleagues. I work with a team of fun, smart, and generous counselors and teachers who remind me that while the work we do matters, never ever take yourself too seriously, otherwise, you lose perspective on what really matters in life. Relationships.” – Sue Nesbitt, High School Dean of Student Life

One of the three strategic anchors at Singapore American School is extraordinary care. The SAS community is fully committed to making sure every student has a place, every student feels well known and connected, and that the potential of every student is identified. Without extraordinary care, the strategic anchors of excellence and possibilities cannot be cultivated. Relationships and connections allow students to overcome the academic or personal challenges they may face throughout their school journey. When students feel safe and connected to individuals and activities in the life of the school, they are more likely to learn at high levels and experience personal success. Cultivating a tradition of extraordinary care in a school of over 4,000 students is no easy feat. But at SAS, the steady adoption of evidence-based practices can be seen in every division. From responsive classrooms to advisory, dozens of practices are being implemented to build healthy relationships and intentionally create a longlasting culture of extraordinary care.

FROM TRANSITIONAL CARE… SAS like any other international school serves a transient community. Facing extraordinary transitions requires extraordinary care. Counseling services are an integral part of every SAS student’s 25 JOURNEYS

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

school experience. Whether it be a kindergartener stepping foot inside a formal school setting for the very first time or a senior enduring a sixth international relocation, the becoming of an Eagle for every student entails an all-important induction with a lasting impression. Counselors at SAS guide every student transition and ensure students feel well known from their earliest moments through a new student orientation and introduction to life at SAS. High school is a time when students face a lot of change. In response to this, the high school counseling office has recently been remodeled to make two offices, one for social emotional counseling and one for college counseling. This specialized model allows more personalized attention to the needs of each student and family. Personal and academic counselors advise and guide the academic, personal, and social-emotional wellbeing of students from ninth through twelfth grade. Assigned during freshman year, high school counselors develop a personal relationship with their students in order to guide them more effectively as they navigate their teenage years and new transitions. High schoolers are encouraged and feel free to discuss the unique academic and personal challenges they face.

Academic advising is facilitated by high school counselors and faculty. Each year, counselors meet with students to discuss course options for the following school year. Students are encouraged to speak with their current teachers regarding the most appropriate course for them in each subject area, and counselors assist students with maintaining a manageable and balanced workload. In the spring of sophomore year, students are assigned a second counselor, the college counselor, who guides students and families through the tense processes of college search, application, and matriculation from SAS.

…TO CARE THROUGH COUNSEL… In addition to conducting entry and exit family transitional programs, elementary and middle school counselors teach character education lessons, provide individual and family counseling, facilitate small group workshops for students, lead parent coffees, and coordinate student services around the school. Counselors act as student advocates and allies, as they work to enhance our students’ experiences at SAS. In middle school, there are three counselors, one psychologist, and a Dean of Student Life that work as a team to support students through the complexities of adolescence. Each grade level

has an assigned counselor who ‘loops’ with the students; moving with a group of students through the middle school—sixth grade to seventh and then seventh to eighth. In this way, counselors form strong and trusting relationships with students and families. In addition to counselors, homebase advisory is an essential middle school experience at SAS. At the start of school everyday students in this division meet with a homebase advisor who teaches lessons on social and emotional skills. All middle school students are part of a homebase group of approximately 12 students. The homebase advisory philosophy encourages a close professional relationship between the student and at least one adult in the school. It also serves to keep students connected; learning about weekly events, planning for Classroom Without Walls, growing in social skills and study habits, and developing strong and supportive peer relationships. In high school, advisory programs exist to ensure that every student is known, advocated, and cared for. Advisory aims to foster healthy, productive, and valuable relationships between students and their teachers, peers, and their families. As students mature they spend more time thinking about their friends, relationships and social status, and W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS 26

sometimes need help with that thinking to make healthy choices. Our advisory program is designed to counsel each high schooler in an objective way. Each student is placed in a grade-level advisory group that stays together for four years. Each advisory room is composed of 10 to 12 students. Advisory meetings are structured around the content and behaviors needed to best ensure the social emotional health of all students, improve academic success, and prepare students for the inevitability of change in their lives. Each advisory strives to create an atmosphere of trust where students feel safe to discuss a wide range of academic and personal matters in a setting which helps to balance the academic demands of the SAS experience. We’ve seen tremendous results already in this high school program, which provides another way to reach students that might be struggling and need to feel connected. In recognition of the importance of extraordinary care for each student, SAS also employs two full-time Deans of Student Life in middle school and high school. As the middle school dean, Ryan Bruce is the counseling department chair, and oversees advisory and supports peer council. Additionally, he supports discipline by helping understand their choices The high school dean, Sue Nesbitt, is a trained counselor, whose role is to support high school students in achieving success academically, guiding student conduct, and assisting students to manage the wide-ranging activities and clubs available at SAS. In the 2019–20 academic year, elementary school will hire a Dean of Student Life.

…TO CARE AT RECESS… Extraordinary care in the early learning center extends to time beyond play and learning activities. In preschool and pre-kindergarten, students can look forward to dining every day with their teacher. Lunch and recess periods are opportunal occasions for relationship building, connection, and instructional learning to occur outside of a core learning environment.

27 JOURNEYS

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

In the 2018–19 academic year, the elementary school hired its first recreational specialist. During recess, kindergarten through third grade students are supported with structured play building hard and soft skills, aiming to meet American standards of physical activity and movement in children. In addition to getting kids active and moving, the specialist aims to encourage reluctant or shy students to get involved in play activities. Through structured play, students explore team work, communication, and devising strategies among each other. This builds resilience and character, and offers students the extraordinary care they need when learning how to navigate positive friendships with peers. From the Millenium Falcon cockpit to a spooky haunted house to an enchanted Harry Potter world, the ever-transforming creativity center is a purposeful space that encourages third through fifth grade students to make projects and make new friends. In a relaxed and comfortable setting students are guided by SAS staff member, Charlotte Huston and parent volunteers who introduce themes that inspire students to create, converse, and find individual and common interests. The creativity center provides a safe haven for children to explore, discover, and navigate ideas, resolutions, and a shared social understanding. It offers the perfect environment to achieve our SAS desired student learning outcomes of creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, communication, content knowledge, character, and cultural competence. To many children the creativity center—a space they can choose to visit during lunch and recess—is an important part of their school day.

…AND CARE BEYOND THE SCHOOL GATE… In middle school the primary goal of Classroom Without Walls is for students to build positive relationships, trust, and cooperation with each of their peers and teachers by facing unique challenges and experiences outside of the familiarity and comfort of the classroom. Whether it be a day trip to Pulau Ubin or a three-night stay in Indonesia, as students pack their bags in

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS 28

preparation for the activities ahead, so do our SAS teachers and counselors. Middle school faculty guide their students in risk-taking, cooperation, and supporting others as they face new challenges together. Trust, goal-setting, and resiliency are just a few of the traits that this signature program aims to instill in students, who also further develop their own environmental awareness and cultural competence through participating in activities specific to each trip. Once in high school, students continue to receive the extraordinary care and dedication from SAS faculty through further exercises and experiences outside of the classroom walls. Recounted as one of the most beloved memories by alumni, is the longstanding Interim Semester tradition which makes up an essential part of the high school curriculum. In the second semester all regularly scheduled high school courses cease while students, teachers, and counselors participate in an important program that provides the opportunity for teenagers to move out of their comfort zone and grow. Teachers and counselors ensure wide-ranging involvement with students beyond the counseling office or classroom, and travel with students on a weeklong Interim Semester trip every year providing extraordinary counsel and guidance in unique learning environments. It is these trips that create enduring memories for our students and are fondly remembered by SAS alumni.

…TO CARE IN THE CLASSROOM… The elementary division has implemented a responsive classroom approach across the grade levels. This is an important step toward building consistency for social emotional learning, as well as the language used in our classrooms, lunchroom, and play areas. The responsive classroom approach is a way of teaching that creates a safe, challenging, and joyful climate for all students, understanding that all of their needs—academic, social, emotional, and physical—are important. For children to be academically successful, they must be socially strong. The responsive classroom equips our faculty members with strategies to build better relationships within the classroom and wider school community. Some of the strategies of this

29 JOURNEYS

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

approach include positive and consistent teacher language, energizers, and daily morning meetings. These meetings explore and practice social skills, and aim to merge social, emotional, and academic learning. They are designed to nurture empathy by offering children the opportunity to practice taking care of one another. It starts the day on a positive note, and develops communication skills of speaking and listening. The closing circle at the end of each day allows for reflection and aims to bring a peaceful end to the school day. Throughout each division, faculty and counselors collaborate with each other in the best interests of students. Collaborative practices such as professional learning communities and kid chats create collective responsibility in helping students to succeed socially and academically. These working groups provide a space for faculty to connect, counsel one another, and work as a team to bring extraordinary care into their classrooms.

…AND FINALLY, CONTINUAL CARE. From new student orientation to graduation or relocation to a new school, relationships are fostered at every step of an Eagle’s academic career and last far beyond their time on campus. The dedication to care from our SAS faculty is highlighted through our strongly connected alumni community. The alumni relations office frequently observe alumni returning to our school gates to meet with teachers they remain connected to post graduation. These alumni remember the kindness. The empathy. The care and concern. The time taken to listen. The time they were asked how they felt. How they really felt. Years after our Eagles graduate, we often hear that it is our caring faculty whom students remember the most. They remember teachers who invested time, attention, and energy toward not only teaching a curriculum but building relationships and advocating for their students, always pushing beyond care to extraordinary care.

"Teaching six and sevenyear olds is about knowing what a child of this age needs to learn, thrive, and grow socially, emotionally, and academically. It is about the students’ well being, the home school connections, and about them knowing they are special, acknowledged and most importantly that they make their teacher smile! The balance and demands to get this right is what I think teachers strive for every day. But as with most things, it is the little things that matter the most, and if a child is happy at school, everything else will fall into place." – AMY WOOD, First grade teacher

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS 30

By D r. D r.

r inato l, and Coord ncipa i n r o P i l t ova choo of Inn igh S E Y, H D , C e n t e r N R H L N FA ERWA DARI STEIG S I N DEN

d e c n a v d A ies d u t S ings r e f f O

p The AP ca at SAS Starting with the class of 2021 (this year’s sophomores), students may take seven year-long equivalent AP courses. This cap has been put in place to encourage students to

• fill the gaps in and

• •

31 JOURNEYS

look beyond the AP program for ways to distinguish themselves academically explore topics relevant to their interests and future pursuits take courses that emphasize skills over content, provide opportunities to differentiate themselves, and end the competitive AP race

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

What icsed Studies? Advan

Advanced Topic (AT) courses and Advanced Placement (AP) courses together form our advanced studies offerings. More than 40 college-level courses give SAS students varied opportunities to learn different skills and topics, address different criteria for excellence, explore their own interests, and distinguish themselves from other applicants in the college admissions process.

What is AP? The Advanced Placement (AP) program began in 1952 and now includes a range of courses that culminate in externally administered examinations. Students may be able to use their AP exam results to gain college credits, allowing them to skip introductory courses or take fewer courses in college.

r u o f o n o Evolutcied studies advanings offer History SAS embraced the Advanced Placement system when, in 1968, it offered AP English for the first time. Over the years, SAS expanded its AP offering, and in recent decades the vast majority of our high school students have taken at least one AP course. The benefits of the AP program at SAS are numerous:

•

• • •

Over the last decade, however, SAS, like other top US schools, began to grapple with some potentially negative aspects of the AP program, including:

• •

• What is AT? Our Advanced Topic (AT) program has been developed by SAS faculty working with distinguished professors to develop university-level courses in areas of study not covered in other courses. AT courses push students to develop transferable skills and complete challenging, self-directed projects that prepare them for college and career opportunities.

students can experience rigorous, college-level courses in small classes within a supportive high school environment universities worldwide recognize what “AP” means on a high school transcript students’ academic achievements may be validated through success on the external AP examinations students who score a three or higher on the exam may be able to transfer their AP credits, saving them time and money at college

•

lack of real-world relevance of some AP course material covering too much material too quickly at the expense of in-depth research, critical thinking, and transferable skills in some courses inflexibility in content and teaching style due to an external exam setting the agenda an “arms-race” mentality among students loading their schedules with APs and foregoing other interesting academic options

• • •

a focus on doing well on a test rather than deeply exploring a subject and developing a passion for learning colleges looking for academic experiences beyond numerous AP courses in applicants’ transcripts AP courses no longer setting applicants apart on college applications, as around 40 percent of American high school students now take at least one AP course, up from 4 percent in the 1990s

Today, top schools in the US are rethinking their reliance on the AP program, with some offering limited APs and others droping APs altogether, while most have developed their own high-level courses. At SAS, keeping a variety of high-quality AP courses while developing our own AT courses is giving our students the best of both worlds. We are proud that our curriculum now

• •

• • • •

offers varied academic opportunities that match students’ interests, skills, and objectives allows students to take up to seven year-long equivalent AP courses and 14 AP exams including five that may be taken after completing a relevant AT course limits the pressure students may feel to take an unreasonable number of AP courses offers AT courses that capitalize on our location, interests, and expertise gives college applicants more ways to stand out from the crowd through unique AT experiences prepares students for the types of learning experiences and professional opportunities they will encounter after SAS

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS 32

When I was preparing for my transition to college academics, I spoke to another SAS alumna also attending Harvard. She told me that SAS had prepared her perfectly for college—and honestly, she was right! The ability to read large portions of text (both primary and secondary sources), write critical arguments, and keep bigger picture themes in mind while learning were all things that I picked up in several AP courses that I took, and have been extremely useful so far in college, where much of our work is thematic and reading/ writing-based. In my two AT courses (AT Physics and AT Entrepreneurship), I focused long-term on a single project, rather than working towards multiple smaller tests, which I think is more like college academics. When you only have one paper and one exam every month, but each of those covers an immense amount of content and requires a lot of preparation, being able to plan out your time and stay focused is definitely beneficial! Ruth Jaensubhakij, Class of 2018, currently in her first year at Harvard University

33 JOURNEYS

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

e r a s l o o h Otherismcilar journey on a s Newsflash In June 2018, eight private schools in the Washington, DC area issued a joint statement explaining their decision to drop all AP courses from their course offerings by 2022. “One topic on which we all agree,” the heads of schools say in the statement, “is the diminished utility of AP courses and the desirability of developing our own advanced courses that more effectively address our students’ needs and interests.” —Georgetown Day School, Holton-Arms School, Landon School, Maret School, National Cathedral School, Potomac School, St. Albans School, and Sidwell Friends School

Interesting Fact Today, the three schools that helped found the Advanced Placement program— Lawrenceville School, Phillips Exeter Academy, and Phillips Academy Andover— have all moved away from it: Lawrenceville and Exeter do not offer any AP courses and Andover offers AP courses in math and science and its own advanced courses in other areas of study. Syracuse University partnership SAS has partnered with Syracuse University to offer students in some AT courses concurrent enrollment opportunities. The majority of students in AT Computational Physics, for instance, are concurrently enrolled in Syracuse University, earning university credits that may be transferred to other universities.

d o o g n i We’reany! comp List of other schools that have limited or dropped AP courses and/or developed their own college level courses Dalton School (NY) Ethel Walker School (CT) Fieldston School (NY) Francis W. Parker Charter Essential School (MA) Georgetown Day School (DC) Hanover High School (NH) Haverford School (PA) Holton-Arms School (DC) Kiski School (PA) Landon School (DC) Lawrenceville School (NJ) Lincoln School (RI) Maret School (DC) Miami Valley School (OH) Miss Porter’s School (CT) Montclair Kimberley Academy (NJ) National Cathedral School (DC) Nueva School (CA) Phillips Academy Andover

Phillips Exeter Academy (NH) Potomac School (DC) Putney School (VT) Riverdale Country School (NY) San Francisco University School (CA) Sandia Preparatory School (NM) Scarsdale High School (NY) Sidwell Friends School (DC) St. Albans School (DC) St. Andrews-Sewanee (TN) St. George’s School (RI) St. Mark’s School (MA) The Park School of Baltimore (MD) University Liggett School (MI) University of Chicago Laboratory School (IL) University Prep (WA) Urban School (CA) Westtown School (PA)

The Advanced Placement program has its place and most assuredly its value, but that value is but a portion—and for many independent schools, a small portion indeed—of the academic and programmatic riches that an enthusiastic and talented faculty in a well-resourced, creative school can mine from its mission, its values, and the inspiring interests and ambitions of its students. Peter Gow Independent Curriculum Group “The Advanced Placement Program— An Historical Perspective” (2015, revised 2018) W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS 34

1 2

Today, as you walk onto campus, it is a far cry from 62 years ago! But the American spirit still endures. The hallways echo with passion, excitement, and a drive to learn, the walls shout out the achievements of Eagles across academics, sports, and performance and visual arts. A sense of pride and belonging, of knowing that one is an Eagle for life, prevails.

In an Innovations Throughout Time unit, students question, “Why and how do innovations change?” As they they walk through the Heritage Gallery, they discover how the needs and wants of society have shaped the school we have today.

35 JOURNEYS

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

98 students. 57 Americans. 41 from other nationalities. A typical day at SAS in 1956 started at 8:15 a.m. with singing God Save the Queen in assembly. Without air conditioning, the cooler morning hours were reserved for academic classes. Students went home for lunch and a rest and returned at 3:00 p.m. for music, PE, art, drama, and other enrichment activities. The first yearbook 60 years ago. Since then, the Islander has been diligently chronicling SAS history, and documenting memories, one yearbook at a time, capturing significant high school moments.

Heritage Gallery It is not unusual to spot students, parents, employees, and even visitors around the school’s Heritage Gallery, reminiscing about the past, staring in awe at the things that were and are now, or deep diving into the history of the school. Like its host country, Singapore American School has come a long way in the 62 years of its existence; an expanded focus on inquiry, project-based learning, and personalized learning, to prepare every student for the future.

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS 36

PTA International Fair 2019 March 16, 2019 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

37 JOURNEYS

Feeling inspired to replicate a Mr. Hoe classic at home? Find the full recipe at www.sas.edu.sg/recipe.

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

Vendor fair Used book sale Silent auction International food booths Games Raffle baskets Entertainment Teacher band performances

****** ******

Tech Tips:

CREATING PASSWORDS

SECURING YOUR ACCOUNTS

SIGNING OUT

Create a password that contains a mix of numbers, symbols, and lowercase and uppercase letters. It should be eight to nine characters long, and should not identify any important information, such as your address or name. Create different passwords for different accounts and platforms.

Two-factor authentication offers additional security measure in the logging-in process. After entering your password, you will be sent a code via text which you will then enter.

Make sure to sign out of your accounts when using a shared computer at work, the library, or an internet cafe so that other people who get on the same computer will not be able to access your accounts.

LOCK YOUR DEVICE

TRUE AND RELIABLE CONTENT

ONLINE REPUTATION

Set your device to have a PIN or a pattern so that people will not have access to your data. Make sure your PIN is a random set of numbers.

Ask yourself: Where is the content published? Who is the person or group creating it? What is the point of view? When was the content published? Asking these questions will help you identify the purpose of the content, whether or not the content was published by an expert, if the content has a bias or is balanced, and whether or not it is up-to-date.

Make sure to establish some boundaries for yourself in what and how you share information because your online activities can leave a digital footprint that can be traced back to you. Be familiar with the privacy settings of the social networks you are a part of, as well as the guidelines of the online communities you are in.

Digital Citizenship

By D AV I D L E E E l e m e n t a r y S c h o o l E d u c a t i o n a l Te c h n o l o g y a n d S T E M C o a c h

Sometimes, it helps to get back to the basics! Teaching students knowledge and skills in digital citizenship is incredibly important in how they use the internet in a safe and positive manner. It is important that our children think about the impact of what they do onlineâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;on themselves, on people they know, and the wider online community. Here are some friendly reminders from a course developed by Google for Educators that could help you practice digital citizenship skills in your daily life as well as model the skills for your own children.

39 JOURNEYS

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

Finally be kind when you are in these online spaces. The internet can be a negative place so add some positivity to it! *For detailed information, look up the videos from the course at this URL: bit.ly/2OxbnRq.

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS 40

YOUR TRUTH,

"This institution will be based on the illimitable freedom of the human mind. For here we are not afraid to follow truth wherever it may lead, nor tolerate any error so long as reason is left free to combat it."

MY TRUTH,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Thomas Jefferson, 1820, regarding the founding of the University of Virginia

POST-TRUTH: Parenting in the era of postmodernism

Oxford's International Dictionary declared "posttruth" its 2016 word of the year. This term is defined as "relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion or personal belief." Rather than addressing complex social, political, and moral issues utilizing reason and logicenlightenment principles, an appeal to "truth" is made with emotional fervor, fear, groupthink, and in some cases violence. How did we arrive at this inflection point?

UNDERSTANDING POSTMODERNISM To understand the origins of post-truth, one needs to understand postmodernism. Postmodernism as a philosophical movement is characterized with deep skepticism, subjectivism or relativism; a general suspicion of reason; and an acute sensitivity to the role of ideology in asserting and maintaining political, economic, and social power.

By D r. J E F F D E V E N S School Psychologist / Personal Academic Counselor

Postmodernism rejects rationalism and empiricism, valuing autonomy, personal preference, and subjective emotional experiences in determining what is true. In effect, there is no truth, only competing perspectives. Each person must decide what is true for themselves. All viewpoints are equally valid and simultaneously equally invalid depending on one's perspective. In a general sense, postmodernism rejects many, if not most, of the cultural, political, scientific, and economic principles upon which life in the West (i.e., Europe, United States) has been based for the past 300 years.

PARENTING IN A POSTMODERN WORLD Historically, educational institutions attempted to foster higher order thinking by placing an emphasis on critical thinking skills and teaching these skills explicitly. However, in recent years this path of truth-seeking has been supplanted among an increasing number of academic institutions. Emotions, preferences, and subjective experiences are becoming the barometer by which truth is measured. Further, differences in perspectives are not treated with empirical inquiry. Instead, they are countered with emotional objections (i.e., microaggressions, triggered). Emotions void of reasoning and rational judgment, can lead kids and adults to dangerous outcomes. In the writing of this article, I've found myself reflecting on the cost of postmodern principles in practice. Many of the adolescents we work with are driven by emotions, and this is as it should be developmentally. The prefrontal cortex doesn't fully develop until the mid-late 20's, while the part of the brain associated with emotions, the limbic system, specifically the amygdala, is present at birth. Kids and teens are emotionally driven. The challenge is helping them shift their thinking from emotional to cognitive. It is the idea that thought + emotions = a context for learning and understanding. What is different among some of today's adolescents? A heightened-anxious emotional nature in which arguments, reasoning, and perspectives are put forth seemingly void of

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS 42

rational thought and with much emotional fervor. Contesting differences by attempting to review the "facts" is viewed as bias, bigoted, hateful, and in some cases deemed detrimental to one's safety. Such feelings based thinking must be examined. If our kids are to become critical thinkers, we must equip them with critical thinking skills, these include: identifying relevant information from primary and secondary sources, constructing and recognizing valid deductive arguments which are evidence-based, testing hypotheses when possible, developing reasoning skills, recognizing common fallacies, and distinguishing between evidence and interpretation of evidence.

3. POSE A DILEMMA OF THE WEEK As part of a dinner discussion, allow each family member to offer his/her thoughts, followed with questions from others at the table, as to why they hold these perspectives. What about their arguments can be substantiated with empirical adequacy, logical consistency, and personal relevance?

...are we not afraid to follow truth wherever it may lead,

For example, think of a topic in culture, society, government or the media that is both ageappropriate and controversial (i.e., should a person be allowed to say whatever he/she wants? Do grades matter? etc.). Allow each person time to discuss the merits of their perspective and how and why they arrived at their conclusions.

Postmodernism rejects these concepts, supplanting them with perspective, preference, personal opinion (i.e., true for you, not for me), and victim narratives. Parenting with principles that run counterculture to postmodernism will come at a cost. Conventions will be challenged by culture, community, and even family.

4. DEALING WITH INTELLECTUAL AND EMOTIONAL IMPASSES Describe a situation in which you and another individual arrived at different conclusions regarding a particular topic (i.e., political, social, moral, etc.). How did/do you deal with the tension of agreeing not to agree? How did you handle the corresponding emotional outworking of differences? How did this affect your relationship going forward?

Parents, what are those "truth" principles you value? How are you communicating with children your rationale, reasoning, and understanding as to why you hold those beliefs to be true? Below are some conversation starters for helping children/ teens develop a broader understanding of how you and they are processing their thinking.

Having worked at Singapore American School for the past 17 years I continue to ask myself, "...are we not afraid to follow truth wherever it may lead, nor tolerate any error so long as reason is left free to combat it?" Jefferson's words, written some 200 years ago, still have a place in education settings, including SAS.

1. ASK, "WHY, HOW, WHAT" QUESTIONS Why do you think it's important for societies/ cultures/people to be kind to one another? How do you think countries/communities/individuals demonstrate or express kindness? What do you think would be the outcome(s) if countries/cultures/ people were able to find common agreements on humanitarian issues? The term "kindness" could be supplemented with any number of terms and similar questions posed. The goal is to help kids think through responses and implications of actions.

2. POSE A QUESTION OF THE DAY If you were the prime minister of Singapore (or your "home" country) what three things would you change and why? Choose questions that draw on higher order thinking (i.e., analysis, synthesis, evaluation) skills.

43 JOURNEYS

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

nor tolerate any error so long as reason is left free to combat it?

Our core values of compassion, honesty, fairness, responsibility, and respect must guide our teaching, counseling, and administrative practices, but these must be bolstered with a willingness for dialogue, debate, and discussion in the pursuit of truth. Throughout the past two years, I have had conversations with colleagues, parents, and students discussing controversial topics ranging from election results, gender issues, compelled speech, safe-spaces, microaggressions, trigger warnings, economics, faith, to cultural/parental practices. In each of these conversations, I'm cognizant I too hold preferences and presuppositions which need to be examined. I remain optimistic SAS will continue to be a school that embodies this spirit of inquiry.

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS 44

Making a beeline for the future By JONNA CHEN Communications Intern

Senior Jonna Chen writes about the summer of 2018 and how this time spent among honey bees in a laboratory has been her best cup of tea so far.

Click, click, click. The numbers on the counter in my hand rose:

22, 23, 24. My eyes followed one bee among hundreds that were buzzing around. Hands-on training has always been my most effective way of learning, and for the summer of 2018, decided to dig into exactly that. I experimented with different university-level research projectsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; mixing Ecoflex (a type of silicone) and tracking live honey bees. Growing up, I saw the marvel of science and engineering in everything that I experienced. I stared wide-eyed at the tiny rice-grain-sized camera that the doctor stuck up my nose before a surgery in second grade. I called first dibs on the fourth grade sheep eye dissection skill for demonstration night, skewering a total of five sheep eyes in front of curious parents.

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS 46

Yet, when I came into freshman year at Singapore American School, I quickly realized that while I had an avid interest in science and seeing how the world works, I had no extracurriculars to exemplify this. Looking back, I really shouldn’t have worried. In my last three years at SAS, I’ve taught and organized science lessons to elementary schoolers through EAA (elementary after-school activities) Science Buddies. This offers science exposure to young students through activities like powering batteries to learning about density through DIY lava lamps and even touring through the SAS rainforest. I was upvoted by my peers and teachers to become the president of our school’s chapter of the Science National Honor Society for my senior year, directing countless science events around SAS. Even outside of the science realm, I chased my love for investigating and became editor-in-chief of the SAS Eye, directing a total of 24 student journalists to generate our student publication. This school has given my peers and I countless opportunities to nurture our interest in any field; it is simply up to us to take advantage of them. Following junior year, I was interested in seeing what research meant for an engineer at a university. In 2017, I met Professor Kirsten Petersen who teaches electrical and computer engineering at a summer program based in Cornell University. Less than a year later, I contacted her to see if I could work with her and gain research experience. A few days after school ended in June, I was on a plane to Ithaca, New York to start an internship at the Collective Embodied Intelligence (CEI) Lab at Cornell University for the summer of 2018. The CEI Lab specializes in bio-inspired robot collectives, as described by Professor Petersen. Her lab looks into what nature has already perfected

Internship Opportunities at SAS 47

through evolution and imitates that with man-made machines for more efficiency in our own processes. On my first day, she gave me a tour around the lab space and introduced me to all of the projects from construction robots modeled after termites to soft silicone robots modeled after inchworms. I was able to work on two of their main projects over the summer. To help more accurately replicate this design in man-made products such as in airplane wings and cardboard, I analyzed organic honeycomb, one of the most optimal natural structures. I used a computer program to trace and map out images of honeycomb in search of patterns. I also tested a prototype of a device designed to replicate a “shaking” movement that bees do to others in order to increase their productivity. In a bee observatory, I spent hours bee-watching and clicking a hand counter each time a bee crossed over a marked line on the grid. Furthermore, I was even able to incorporate my journalism background into this experience and create a marketing video for the lab, which is now featured on their website (http://cei.ece.cornell.edu/ news/news-2/in-the-news/). My time at Cornell has not only taught me more about engineering and research in university, but has inspired me to pursue it in the future. During my four weeks in Ithaca, I was surrounded by 19 square kilometers of greenery, waterfalls, and ivy-covered buildings, and I started to wonder what the college experience would be like. My senior year of high school was fast approaching, as well as months of researching colleges, writing essays, and making decisions. I talked to a few alumni to get a

sense of how their backgrounds at SAS and Cornell shaped their careers. Adam Bergere (Class of 2013) who currently works at J.P. Morgan in New York City told me that being “surrounded by students who took school fairly seriously… pushed [him] to work harder”. Kasey Han (Class of 2014) works in a neuroscience lab at University of California, San Francisco while applying to medical schools. According to Han, SAS increased her cultural and global awareness through programs like Interim Semester. The curriculum also fostered her interest in biology and the lifeguarding PE class inspired her to pursue pre-med at Cornell. In my conversations with alumni, I realized that the opportunities and support offered at SAS nurture students to further their passions and interests. When I shut off my lab PC for the last time this summer, I knew that this would not be the last time I would step foot in a university research lab. I got the hands-on learning that I love there, learning about the world through the use of computer programs, mixing chemicals in the wet lab, and visiting thousands of honeybees at a time. In my time with Professor Petersen, there was one statement that particularly caught my attention: “[Engineering] is a chance to be incredibly creative and do a lot of teamwork. It’s about enabling people to do more things and changing the world.” I’m not quite sure yet where I will be going when this school year is over, but I know that with a past as a science enthusiast and a SAS high school experience, I will undoubtedly be able to make change in the world.

Quest is a yearlong program for students who want to experience project-based learning and conduct academic research. Students develop skills and help form connections to the real world, including going off-campus, working with corporate partners, and with community organizations. The Catalyst project at SAS inspires students to design, plan, and conduct their projects, and employ regional and global professional networks in and beyond Singapore. Students start by working with a mentor from an academic field or profession related to their passions. Mentors give students greater meaning, purpose, and insight while they work on their projects, bringing highly relevant knowledge, skills, and experiences through authentic guidance and real-world opportunities.

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS 48

SINGAPORE AMERICAN SCHOOL

SPIRIT. DRIVE. VICTORY. Where students bleed red, white, and blue. Where Eagle pride is etched on our walls, championship banners, and hearts. Where IASAS games are a prized tradition and 'Go Eagles' is our rallying cry! On the track, on the court, in the pool, and on the pitchâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; nothing tops watching Singapore American School Eagles throttle the competition. From spirit week and weekly games, to IASAS tournaments with everything on the line, SAS pride unites over 60 years of Eagles who now span the globe and continue to celebrate as our Eagles carry on a rich legacy of victory. Go Eagles!

49 JOURNEYS

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS 50

FROM

REEL REAL TA O S W H I T TA K E R BEHIND THE SCENES

Growing up most of us are surrounded by an alternate reality created by films— leading us to believe and discover the deeper meaning of life. Those films portray the unimaginable life that some of us could only dream of living.

By I R I N A M A RY U K H I N A Communications Intern For Taos Whittaker, (Class of 2014) watching films like Star Wars and Lord of The Rings, led him to create an alternate reality of his own. Born in England, Whittaker spent the majority of his life as an expat. In 2003 Whittaker’s family made their way to Singapore. But it wasn’t until his junior year that Whittaker enrolled at SAS. Transitions are hard and expat life is not always easy. When Whittaker discovered his constant at Kinokuniya, a local bookstore, he held on to a 3D animation book that captured his attention and fuelled his passion for 3D animation and filmmaking.

Watching films inspired him to delve deep into his interests towards visual effects and filmmaking at SAS. At the SAS Film Society, Whittaker was able to tap into the resources available for students. By the time he started working on his senior thesis in university, he was skilled enough to create a short film with three other students taking roles of creative directors and visual effects supervisors. The scholarship-winning film was based on an old French folktale, that was filmed on the narrow streets of Fuveau in Southern France, where Whittaker spent a part of his childhood. This production won Whittaker a US$10,000 grant from Chapman University, and was the biggest production that year. Whittaker and his team were recognized and approached by AMD studios that provided them with thousands of dollars of resources to finish up the project. Whittaker continued to explore his passion for digital media and virtual reality at Chapman University, California and majored in digital arts with an emphasis on visual effects and double minor in game design and advertising. At Chapman, Whittaker was exposed to the film industry, where he was able to work on projects and continue growing and learning as a filmmaker.

W I N T E R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS 52

Whi t Care taker's er T ips!

Career Tip #1

After graduation, Whittaker soon found a job at Ingenuity Studios, and currently works as a Computer Graphics and Visual Effects Generalist. He is training to become a Visual Effects Supervisor, which will enable him to go onto film sets and supervize the filming of visual effects scenes. Working on a variety of visual and animated content for different projects is exciting. Talking to and learning from the visual effects supervisors and directors that were part of mass productions like Blade Runner, Coco, Lion King, Lord of the Rings, and Toy Story 3 was a welcome bonus for this artist.

Create content. All the time! “I started off at SAS doing short VFX clips, that lasted only a few seconds. I’d film the school walls on my phone and sometimes even on phones borrowed from my friends, and searched online how to track computer graphics objects onto that footage. It was so cool to me that I was able to make it look like I was playing Donkey Kong on a flat wall in the film department. It started to make me think of other cool stuff I could do, which led me to create explosions, and shatter simulations.”

Career Tip #2

Check out YouTube, Pluralsight, and Skillshare.

“One on one sessions with Richard Edlund, the visual effects supervisor of the original Star Wars and Indiana Jones movies were a highlight of my time there,” says Whittaker. He learned much from visiting the studios of Disney, Nickelodeon, Paramount, Warner Brothers, and Blur, as well as Naughty Dog and Blizzard.

Career Tip #3

For advanced students, the final two software to learn are Nuke and Houdini, which are the most widely used software in nearly every film and TV show you see in the industry.

Whittaker enjoyed working on Taylor Swift's music video, contributing to well-known TV shows like Orange is the New Black, and winning awards for Best Animation Short and Best Music Score at Hollywood International Moving Pictures Film Festival and the Seoul International Cartoon and Animation Festival in South Korea. Most recently, he was part of the Kanye West and Spike Jonze project for Kanye’s music performances, created some motion graphic elements for the new Lil Pump music video, and worked on the new Shawn Mendes music video. Whittaker attributes a lot of his success to the lessons he learned at SAS. The SAS community provided him with incredible resources in order to create and learn the basics of his craft. Whittaker fondly remembers SAS faculty Mark Clemens, who was always able to help him with animation and inspired him to create more. “I am grateful to both Barton Millar and Steven Petraglia, who were instrumental in helping me with choosing the best college to advance my career. I am truly thankful for the opportunities SAS has given me, and I would not be where I am today without the incredible support of the community." With all the opportunities and work Whittaker gets he reminds us about the importance of rest between college and starting work, “It’ll be the only chance you’ll get!"

53 JOURNEYS

W I N T E R

2 0 1 8

Career Tip #4

Use state-of-the-art resources at SAS and free software like Unreal Engine 4 and Blender that will help you understand the different aspects of design and animation for a variety of purposes. Use After Effects, which is another highly used software in the motion graphics Industry, and one that I used for most of my content in high school. You can also sign up for the educational version of Maya, which is the leading software in the industry (used by Disney, Dreamworks, and Sony).

Career Tip #5

Watch and learn: My parents and I also reached out to Nanyang Polytechnic as well as Digipen during my time at SAS and I talked to their professor there. I attended talks hosted by Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), Lucasfilm's VFX and animation studio (who made Star Wars) and Ubisoft 54

There’s no business like show business! And Vanessa Noon (Class of 1992) couldn't agree more.

OF RED CARPETS AND SHOWSTOPPERS By KINJAL SHAH Communications Writer

From a working theatrical stage manager in Los Angeles to managing the television broadcast of the tennis venue during the London 2012 Olympics to having a part in producing the Stand Up to Cancer Telethons and even the Oscars, Noon has a pretty impressive list of career highlights. Life wasn’t always glitz and glamour. Born to English parents in Bermuda, Noon moved to the United States soon after. In 1982 the Noon family moved to Singapore for three years. Noon attended Singapore American School from third grade through fifth grade and again in her junior and senior years when the Noons moved back to Singapore in 1990. With siblings who had graduated from SAS in the 80s when they first lived here, Noon was expected to follow in their footsteps. This meant living up to the standards set by her older brother Christopher who was 1985 Male Athlete of the Year and sister Catherine who was also on the sports team. Even though she ran track, Noon wasn’t very good. She soon found comfort away from the limelight working backstage on school drama productions. In her junior and senior years Noon was involved in school plays working on productions of The Glass Menagerie, Kiss Me Kate, Rhinoceros, and As You Like It. She was also part of the drama team that competed in the 1992 IASAS Cultural Convention. A love for all things drama started when Noon watched Les Miserables at 13. “I had never seen a huge Broadway-style musical, and I was completely amazed at what they could achieve on stage with the automated scenery and lighting,” she says. The rest is history!

THE ONLY TIME ON STAGE: "My friends and I won the senior year Air Band Contest to the Bee Gees’ Stayin’ Alive. It was a comeback performance after they got boo-ed off the stage the previous year." From Bermuda, to the US, and then Singapore, Vanessa Noon (Class of 1992) has gone places! But none can compare to the thrill of producing one of the hottest shows on Earth—the Oscars! 55

After graduating from SAS, Noon attended University of Southern California’s School of Dramatic Arts and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in stage management. The experience of a transient community and a constantly changing student body at SAS helped Noon in her freelance career where she went from project to project working with different people and knowing how to adapt to different situations and personalities.

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS 56

To date, Vanessa Noon has worked on 18 Academy Awards ceremonies, starting as a production assistant and working her way up to production manager. To date, Noon has worked on 18 Academy Awards ceremonies, starting as a production assistant and working her way up to production manager. She also serves as a stage manager at Universal Studios Hollywood, the Disneyland Resort, and the upcoming reality television series The World’s Best featuring the best performers from around the globe. The thrill of live shows is what draws Noon to theater and variety television. The backstage of any production is a moving puzzle, and every piece needs to be scheduled, timed, and managed carefully with the magic and wonder playing out right before your eyes. “However, no live show is exactly the same every time. The most unexpected things can happen no matter how much you rehearse and I love the challenges and excitement that come along with it,” says Noon.

AND THE AWARD GOES TO: "Never burn a bridge. Ninety-nine percent of my jobs have come from word of mouth or referrals from coworkers." When it comes to offering career advice for budding stage managers and production managers, Noon is explicit: “Never burn a bridge. Ninety-nine percent of my jobs have come from word of mouth or referrals from coworkers.” Follow Noon on Instagram @VanessaJaneN to learn more about the productions she is involved in.

57 JOURNEYS

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS 58

59 JOURNEYS

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS 60

Coming Full Circle —

Lynsey Howitt (Class of 1996)

“I can’t wait to get out of here!” This is a familiar refrain as you walk along the hallways of Singapore American School at the end of a school day. However, eight years ago, we had an exception. Lynsey Howitt (Class of 1996), was hired as a faculty member to teach kindergarten. “I loved SAS. It was such a positive experience, which is why I’m back here with my own family,” said Howitt as she took a trip down memory lane. Howitt was a typical third-culture kid thanks to her pilot father whose job required frequent relocation. She lived in Canada, Greece, before moving to Singapore in 1990 as a petite, enthusiastic eighth grader. She says, “I wasn’t one of those kids that got disappointed about moving. I was really excited to have a new experience here and from the moment we first arrived at Changi Airport, I remember thinking this was going to be pretty awesome!” Alongside her younger brother, Brad Crowe (Class of 2001), and sister, Lori Crowe (Class of 1998), Howitt thoroughly enjoyed her experience at SAS and created fond memories with her siblings, especially with Lori, as they were both passionate dancers. She recalls with excitement, “I remember one of the best things was that we choreographed and danced in shows together and that was really special. Some of our pictures are still in the dance rooms here!” Howitt’s younger brother pursued theater during his time at SAS and is now making movies in Los Angeles.

The ties that bind us are often those that drive our destinies. For Lynsey Howitt (Class of 1996), SAS is a special place— an integral part of her past, present, and future.

63 JOURNEYS

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

By SUNNY HAM Communications Intern

Not only was Howitt a zealous dancer, but she was also a very engaged student. She was involved in several different clubs like SAVE and the yearbook club, which are still offered today. She often volunteered to help kids at Dover Court International School as part of another service club that has now been discontinued. Thanks to her experiences at SAS, Howitt felt prepared for university. With Paula Silverman as her dance teacher, Howitt participated in cultural conventions and the dance exchanges. “And then, of course, there was the all-time favorite Interim Semester. Pretty much no one else that I met in university had the opportunity to do stuff like that!”

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS 64

After graduating from SAS in 1996, Howitt moved back to Canada and enrolled into University of Alberta with a dream of becoming a veterinarian. However, she quickly realized this wasn’t the right path for her. Instead, she decided to channel her immense love for children into becoming a child psychologist. Little did she know that even after a degree in psychology, there would be another last-minute diversion. “I decided I was going to be a teacher! I loved kids so much and I wanted to spend time with them while they were happy, engaged in learning, and doing all the things they love to do,” she explained. She went on to obtain a two-year degree in education and taught in Canada for a few years after. Howitt also earned a masters degree in education from Michigan State University. During Howitt’s time teaching in Canada, an unexpected event led to yet another life-changing moment. Teachers started going on strike. To avoid this situation, Howitt and Cody Howitt, who she had met in university, decided they would move overseas and ended up in Shanghai. Her time in Shanghai was extremely eventful; she got married, and had two sons, Ben and Lukas, who are now in fifth and second grade here at SAS. With encouragement from the superintendent at SAS and her parents who were living in Singapore, Howitt made the decision to leave Shanghai and return to the Lion City, and work at SAS. Not only that, but she also had her third son, Jamie, who is almost three! Howitt now teaches pre-kindergarten at the early learning center at SAS and her husband teaches middle school math.

“I see with my own children here at SAS that everyone's different, unique, and special. I notice my children don't worry about skin or hair color; they would never describe anybody by their physical features. Instead, they would describe them by how they are as friends. I feel like that came from a culture of cultural competence at SAS that focuses on accepting people for who they are and I love seeing that in my own children."

65 JOURNEYS

W I N T E R

2 0 1 8

The early learning center is inspired in many ways by Reggio Emilia’s philosophy which endorses the concept of children being capable and competent learners and emphasizing the importance of relationships between teachers and students. This seemed to fit Howitt’s perspective towards teaching, allowing her to further fall in love with her job. “The best part is the relationships that you form with the kids. When you see how happy they are to be here, how engaged in learning they are, and just the surprise and wonder on their faces,” quips Howitt. Not only is Howitt glad to be back and teaching at SAS, but she couldn’t be happier about her children attending this school. “I see with my own children here at SAS that everyone's different, unique, and special. I notice my children don't worry about skin or hair color; they would never describe anybody by their physical features. Instead, they would describe them by how they are as friends. I feel like that came from a culture of cultural competence at SAS that focuses on accepting people for who they are and I love seeing that in my own children,” she explained.

W I N T E R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS 66

“I was a curiosity and anomaly. I didn’t understand any pop culture references. I didn’t drive. I didn’t know anything that was popular on television and six years in uniform had given me zero fashion sense and a strong aversion to navy pants.”

Park Ranger To Mob Museum Curator

For Carol Ann Fisher (Class of 2003), it was a much bigger culture shock moving back to America at 18 than it had been adjusting to Asia at 12. Moving from Singapore American School to Appalachian State University in the mountains of North Carolina wasn’t easy, but eventually, she found her place by jumping into extracurriculars, community service planning, and even a sorority. Fisher attended SAS from 1998 through 2003 when she graduated. Painfully shy, she was unsure what to make of enthusiastic and welcoming seventh graders when she first started at SAS. Social challenges were one thing. Going from a state history class to world geography as a social studies focus meant she had to immediately expand her worldview and learn a lot in order to keep pace with peers. Dabbling in dance and service opportunities kept her busy and excited and it wasn't long before Fisher came to love her new home away from home. “I loved going to SAS,” says Fisher. “It was the opportunity of a lifetime and the best memories I have are those from Interim Semester where I got to travel around the world with my friends. Each trip has a special place in my heart.” Through all of those experiences, it is the extraordinary care from her teachers that still tugs at her heartstrings. With Mr. Berg as her homebase teacher for four years, Fisher always had a safe place and a kind word on bad mornings. Ms. Gould made dance club fun; Ms. Bumble helped organize her life and priorities as a struggling freshman, and; Ms. Began helped her see that there is more to science than formulas and math.

In Pursuit Of History Park Rangers don’t get paid much but they have the best stories. Getting paid in sunsets and sunrises in some of the most amazing places in the world is worth it! Carol Ann Fisher (Class of 2003) shares how SAS offered her a world view that prepared her for unconventional career choices.

67 JOURNEYS

W i n t e r

2 0 1 8

By KINJAL SHAH Communications Writer

"I was a curiosity and anomaly. I didn’t understand any pop culture references. I didn’t drive. I didn’t know anything that was popular on television and six years in uniform had given me zero fashion sense and a strong aversion to navy pants." Even so, at Appalachian State University, Fisher spent hours combing through course catalogs, finally deciding on Public History as her major. It was here that she fell in love with all things ancient! The thrill of going behind-the-scenes at historic houses and museums; the desire to know what was behind the doors they don’t open on guided tours; those secrets no one hears about; and the places the public doesn’t get to see. Top that with an opportunity to experience firsthand a new acquisition before anyone else, and Fisher was sold! “Artifacts make history come to life. They are the tangible reminders that the stories we read and the subjects we study are more than words on a page.”

W i n t e r

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS 68

After cultivating a larger global world view at SAS, Fisher wasn’t afraid to move across the country and try somewhere new. She dabbled as an Interpretation (education) Park Ranger with National Parks Service before deciding to stick to behind-the-scenes work. There are 417 National Park Service sites and most of them have extensive museum collections filled with historic artifacts and natural history wonders. Fisher traveled all over the country taking seasonal jobs wherever there was funding and ended up working for seven parks over five years. Fisher recalls, “Living overseas had given me an appreciation for travel and adventure and when I came back to America I didn't really feel American until I could explore every corner of the country and culture I now called home.”

Did you know there are more museums in the US than Starbucks and McDonald’s combined? Opened on February 14, 2012 in Downtown Las Vegas, Nevada, the Mob Museum is dedicated to featuring the artifacts, stories, and history of organized crime in the United States, as well as the actions and initiatives by law enforcement to prevent such crimes.

"The best part about being a ranger is getting to live in the places that people vacationed. An elk gave birth in my backyard once. I had to call in late because a herd of bison was blocking my garage. I backpacked the Chilkoot trail from Alaska into Canada. I’ve explored underground tunnels beneath historic houses. Park Rangers don’t get paid much but they have the best stories. We get paid in sunsets and sunrises in some of the most amazing places in the world." Coincidentally, or not, Carol Ann met Brook Fisher, another ranger through mutual friends, and they were married in the Zion National Park campground. Even today, getting away to camp in a park is a go-to family vacation in the Fisher household. She has two boys, four-year old Teddy and one-year old Benji, who already love to camp and explore museums. Currently, Fisher lives in Las Vegas and is a curator at The Mob Museum (National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement) since it first opened its doors in 2012. Her role is focused on artifact collections. Her time is spent caring for the intellectual and physical aspects of the artifacts, preparing loan and donation agreements, performing condition assessments, or cleaning things very meticulously (think tiny expensive goat hair brushes)! She also tracks and stores everything in a way that will preserve it for future generations to study and enjoy—worrying about temperature, light, humidity, and other conditions that may impact the exhibits. Fisher encourages students interested in history as a subject to pursue it wholeheartedly! “I’ve never lacked a job offer in the field since I graduated college.” However, she is careful to emphasize the value of volunteer work and internships. “When it comes time to hiring people, I care far more about those experiences than degrees and where you got them.”

69 JOURNEYS

W i n t e r

2 0 1 8

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS 70

FORENSIC ACCOUNTING:

FBI CALLING! 71 JOURNEYS

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

By KINJAL SHAH Communications Writer

Wearing a ‘boxy’ hearing aid in her bra, difficulties in learning a new language, challenges with understanding people of different nationalities, Susan Ridley (Class of 1977) now works for the FBI. Attending seven schools in 16 years offered Susan Ridley unique insights into foreign customs, governments, and cultures, enhancing her ability to work as a forensic accountant with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). In this role for almost 23 years now, Ridley has seen it all! She prepares subpoenas, serves them, assists with searches for documents at business locations, testifies in trial, testifies in grand jury, prepares summary charts, assists agents with interviews…the list goes on. “There are various violations that I work as a Forensic Accountant—criminal cases (healthcare fraud, public corruption fraud, mortgage fraud, financial institution fraud, etc); counterterrorism, and counterintelligence. I have worked every violation and have enjoyed it immensely. My only regret is not having been able to travel overseas with my job!” says Ridley. Travels around the world have shaped her life. “In Singapore, my parents made us experience everything we could—attending a Chinese New Year’s Party, a Malay wedding in the kampong, a Thaipusam celebration, and even visiting the doctor in one of the poor villages so we could experience how some of the locals lived and appreciate more of what we had,” says Ridley. “When we lived in Athens, Greece for my junior and senior years, we lived in a flat above an elderly Greek couple, who enjoyed sharing their lives and customs with us.” When Ridley first started at Singapore American School in 1973, she recalls having difficulties with understanding some of the teachers of different nationalities. It didn’t help that she was hard of hearing. Despite obtaining a medical exemption from an audiologist, Ridley was required to study two years of foreign language in order to graduate! “Taking up Malay was probably the best thing ever!” she says. “However, once I moved to Athens, the school there did not require the two years of foreign language, thankfully, as I had only taken a year of Malay.”

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS 72

At SAS, Ridley tried out for teams—cheerleading, basketball, swimming, and more and finally made the softball team! The girl with a “large boxy hearing aid” in her bra struggled with some of the activities. Whenever she lifted her arms, the hearing aid would fall out. So much for sport! However, softball was her saving grace and having her sibling on the team helped immensely. Ridley attended college at Sam Houston State University—a small college that suited her with her hearing loss. It was here she met her husband of 37 years. She had just turned 18 and was going to go work in a local steak house on campus as a bartender and was to be trained by her now husband. Today, they have two children and two grandchildren—the oldest lives in Dakar, Senegal with her husband and two boys (four and one) and her son is in Seattle, Washington trying to find a way to move overseas. At college, Ridley realized the best business for her to achieve her goals would be to major in accounting. Her decision to work in the industry was reinforced by an an auditing class she fell in love with. As an auditor, Ridley worked for local accounting firms as an accountant, and an as auditor for financial institutions. Ridley obtained her Certified Public Accountant and Certified Fraud Examiner certifications, which she has held for over 20 years. According to Ridley, “The knowledge I gained from the CPA and CFE certifications and my job experience is what best qualified me to become a Forensic Accountant with the FBI.” As an internal auditor at a financial institution, Ridley worked on a few cases which were referred to the FBI. Through this, she was able to meet a couple of great special agents. “I told them I would love to continue this kind of work, and realize with my hearing loss I could not be a special agent,” says Ridley. They referred her to apply for the forensic accounting position, and the rest is history. As she walks down memory lane, Ridley fondly remembers SAS faculty member Mrs. Stratton, who had a happy disposition and was always glad to see her students. “Her smile made my day and melted away any unhappiness,” says Ridley. “I loved the street food, the Singapore American Club, and the kids. It was a great environment and I learned to be more independent and outgoing. The small class sizes were what I really needed, and the “small family community” environment of the school was wonderful. Interim Semester was truly unique to SAS. We lived on the water in Changi and I enjoyed being able to just walk out of the front yard and swim to our boat and ski. I loved it all—except the humidity!”

Today, Ridley sits on the Governing Board for the Texas School for the Deaf, in Austin, Texas. “It has been a wonderful experience and I have enjoyed being around the teachers, kids, administration, and other board members. With my hearing loss, I feel like those folks truly understand what it is like to be severely hard of hearing and they are so accommodating. It is an honor to serve them,” she says. In her spare time, she loves to sew—quilts, blankets, and whatever else her children request, create Shutterfly projects, read, and travel.

“I follow the money. I work closely with Federal Bureau of Investigation special agents and follow the money that criminals steal.” W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS 74

IASAS SEASON ONE Soccer Girls Record: Gold In a nail biting finish against Taipei American School, the Eagles displayed incredible determination and will, pressing on into overtime and then double overtime. Serra Pizzano drilled the winning goal setting the stands into an all out frenzy of jubilation. Soccer Boys Record: Gold After a tightly contested first half, the Eagles showed some amazing legwork against Jakarta Intercultural School. The Eagles went on to defeat JIS 3-1 in the final game, clinching the gold on home ground. Cross Country Girls Record: Gold In the girls' race, freshman Pooja Kundalia was the first runner, coming in third place overall. Joining Kundalia on the alltournament team was Mikela Munasinghe with her fifth-place finish. Yet what was really impressive about this race was the depth and consistency of the SAS team. Tess Ritter missed the all-tournament by three seconds with her 8th place finish, followed by Christina Yoh in 10th, Bella Shroff in 14th, McKenzie Yun in 16th, and Evelyn Storey in 17th. To put all seven runners in the top 17 is an incredible performance.

75 JOURNEYS

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

Cross Country Boys Record: Bronze The boys performed very well, placing all six runners in the top 19. Finishing first for SAS, and barely missing all tournament by three seconds, was Dillon Morgan. Cooper Isernhagen had a fantastic first IASAS, finishing 10th overall. The pack of Jack McGuffee in 13th, Michial Argotsinger in 16th, Ahan Kaul in 17th, and Sanat Malik in 19th made a great start! Volleyball Girls Record: Gold The girls met Taipei American school in the final, focused and ready to battle. TAS gave us their best, but were overpowered by the solid SAS attacking, blocking and defensive play. The game was a crowd pleaser with some long, incredible rallies. In the end SAS took the best of five match in four: 25-15, 2426, 25-16, 25-21. Volleyball Boys The Eagles served tough, attacked the ball with aggression, and made better decisions on their side of the floor and did everything they could, and left nothing in the tank. All in all a tremendous effort by the boys!

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS 76

AMPUS S

79 JOURNEYS

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS 80

TAKING THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED: HUSSEIN EL-LESSY (CLASS OF 1985) Project Engineer, Boeing Space and Launch Systems Spanning an 18-year career in the human space program, and a 10-year career as a Neonatal/Pediatric Respiratory Therapist working with critically ill children and premature infants with complex cardiac issues, treading uncharted territories comes naturally to Hussein El-Lessy (Class of 1985). When he first entered the Singapore American School eighth grade classroom at the Ulu Pandan campus, El-Lessy had trouble ‘fitting in’. “I had attended six different schools on three continents and four very different cultures.” He fondly remembers Larry Miao (Class of 1985) and Francesco Zargani (Class of 1986) who became his closest friends and accomplices to many mischievous moments. At 29 years old El-Lessy threw himself into graduate school for an intense program combining human physiology and aerospace engineering. The Biomedical/Aerospace Engineering program at the University of Florida allowed him access to the most unknown challenging issues in science and nature. Today, in his role at Boeing Space and Launch Systems, El-Lessy helps the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) work through the transition from a military space presence into a commercial one. In 2016, El-Lessy was presented the Space Flight Awareness Honoree Award—one of the most prestigious in NASA and within the industry—for dedication to quality work and flight safety. In keeping with his “take the road less traveled” mantra, El-Lessy enjoys flying as a private pilot, is an avid alpinist and mountaineer, and is currently registered as a member of an Everest 2019 climbing expedition departing for Kathmandu, Nepal next March. To our students on the brink of graduating, El-Lessy says, “Always take the most challenging courses you qualify for, no matter how intimidating. In fact, the more intimidating they seem, the higher the payback at success.”

NO LAUGHING MATTER: FREDDIE SHANEL (CLASS OF 2017) Stand-up Comedian and Student “A captive audience forced to listen to me tell jokes for five minutes! Is that not every overdramatic sixth grader’s dream?” Freddie Shanel (Class of 2017) first tried stand up comedy for a competition during a sixth grade assembly. One thing led to another, and support from classmates and teachers alike led to routine performances at every assembly. Before she knew it, Shanel was performing in clubs around Singapore and was part of a local improv troupe called The Latecomers! At Harvard University, Shanel is planning to study history and literature with a minor in economics and a language citation in Mandarin. She continues to follow her passion and is involved in the Harvard Stand Up Comic Society, an improv troupe called On Thin Ice, an Onion-like online newspaper called Satire V, and the Harvard Lampoon, an undergraduate humor publication. She spent this past summer living with friends in Los Angeles, interning for a production company and doing stand-up on the side. One of her biggest learnings from SAS was time management. “I know how to prioritize, map out my time efficiently, and balance school, work, and down time,” says Shanel. “On a more emotional level, the faculty at SAS taught me to push myself academically and in pursuit of my passions. If anything, SAS taught me that I am capable of multitasking and stretching myself,” she continues. Shanel is all praise for the stand up community in Singapore. Singapore is an incredible place to start, because the stand-up scene is in its burgeoning stage. It’s currently a tighly knit, supportive group of very funny people who only want to see you succeed. If you’re considering it, try it, and if you’ve tried it, don’t stop! “If you want to try stand up, please send me an email, Facebook message, or a carrier pigeon!” “There were more than a few times that I bombed on stage and nearly quit. It’s completely normal. I spent the summer in Los Angeles and bombed more times than I can remember, but no one cares as much as you do,” adds Shanel. “Ask to perform at an assembly, or maybe try writing something for a theater show, or for the theater festival. That’s the great thing about SAS: if you’re passionate about it and you ask, the SAS faculty will help find you a platform.”

83 JOURNEYS

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

IN TUNE WITH FAME: QARAN MEHTA (CLASS OF 2008) Composer, rapper, and DJ Armed with an undergraduate degree from University for the Creative Arts and a masters in audio production from the University of Westminster, Qaran Mehta (Class of 2008) is a well known name in the Indian music industry today, especially in Bollywood. Mehta left India when he was seven years old and moved to Indonesia and later Singapore. At SAS, Mehta remembers Mr. Millar and Ms. Tracy Meyer who introduced him to some amazing music genres. Ironically, it was another student that introduced him to DJing and mixing music! Having dabbled in the advertising industry creating music for Ferrari, Balenciaga, and other brands in the US and Italy, Mehta moved to Mumbai, India to work as an assistant sound engineer. In 2013, India’s well-known musical trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy gave Mehta his first break as a music producer. Eventually Mehta went on to produce extensively for Pritam, another industry bigwig who taught him about the commercial appeal of a song. Success did not stop there. Mehta composed the promotional song for the much awaited Bollywood blockbuster Veer Di Wedding, and the rest is history! It stayed #1 on the charts for longer than any other song and is one of the biggest hits of 2018. “Growing up overseas and being exposed to a wide array of cultures is something I cherish deeply. It has provided me with a unique perspective on how I see the world and the people around me and my work draws from those experiences,” says Mehta. Mehta has been offered a long-term record deal by Sony Music. He also has two records coming up with Universal Music and a couple with another label. “What SAS taught me was to do something in a way that separates you from the crowd. I learned to have an entrepreneurial mindset at SAS”, quips Mehta.

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS 84

Impact Report

SAS FOUNDATION

Make a gift! All gifts, regardless of size, make a difference!

6.1% Professional

Thank you

7.0% Support services

development

28.5%

4.4% Personalized

Academic and experiential learning

learning

1% Performing

arts and other

service

July 1, 2017 June 30, 2018

7.4% Activities and

projects

1.7% Awards and

scholarships

W i n t e R

Philanthropy funds day-to-day “extras” as well as strategic, big picture opportunities, allowing us to strengthen our position as a world leader in international education.

IN 2016–17,

IN 2017–18,

S$2.3+ MILLION

40+ PROGRAMS

RAISED IN GIFTS

AND PROJECTS SUPPORTED

IN 2016–17,

IN 2017–18,

1 IN EVERY 7

4,000+ STUDENTS

PARENTS WAS A DONOR

BENEFITTED

clubs

28.8% Capital

85 JOURNEYS

for making a gift to Singapore American School. You have made a difference.

The SAS Foundation is grateful to our donor community:

The Impact of Your Giving

1.9% Community

2 0 1 8

13.3% Advisory programs /

social emotional learning

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS 86

College Counseling, Advisory, and Student Life Center Counselors tripled their college visits last year and attended three conferences, including the College Board Forum for the first time. These initiatives enabled college counselors to stay current with best practices and college admissions processes, while strengthening relationships with admissions office teams worldwide. Giving also supported the advisory program, which strives to create an atmosphere of trust and helps students balance the rigorous academic demands of the SAS experience. The SAS Foundation also supported the brand new student life center: the multi-purpose ‘living room of the school’.

Professional Development

Chinese Immersion SAS launched our first Chinese language immersion program in kindergarten, supporting two Chinese teachers in moving from teaching Chinese as a daily language option to Chinese immersion instruction of all kindergarten subjects. Additionally, two first grade Chinese immersion class teachers were pre-hired to make guided observations of the kindergarten classes, create curriculum, translate the first grade English curriculum into Chinese, and more.

Classrooms Without Walls extends student learning beyond their school experiences through trips to Indonesia, Malaysia, and islands around Singapore. This signature SAS program helps students build positive relationships and community with their homebase classmates: challenging them to grow through their experiences, set goals, develop resiliency, and build self-esteem. SAS improved existing CWW programs and investigated alternative destinations for students, and provided additional nursing support.

Learn more from the 2017-18 Impact Report 87 JOURNEYS

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

Early Learning Center Playground Improvements The school playground is a vital part of the holistic development of a child. Play is critically important for children’s physical health and social and emotional well-being. Generous support from the SAS Foundations allowed us to renovate the early learning center playground last year. A high, concrete-block wall was removed and the addition of movable fencing and planters has increased access, security, visibility, and community within the early learning center.

Middle School Dance Funding provided middle school dance students the opportunity to work with Nikki Snelson-Cavanaugh, a professional Broadway dancer, director, and choreographer, across all curricular dance classes. In addition, your gifts funded a portable marley dance floor, allowing students to practice and perform safely in alternate spaces. Funds also went toward purchasing the ‘extras’—things like sets of costumes and props.

Students received access to a library with a wide range of appropriately leveled Chinese books.

Middle School Experiential Learning

Staff and faculty received many opportunities for professional development through instructional assistant training, Responsive Classroom training, workshops, and conferences. SAS’s robust professional development program is a major factor in drawing and retaining our world-class faculty.

Elementary School

High School Catalyst The SAS Foundation supported students’ Catalyst project development and personalized learning opportunities, through project materials, researchattachment opportunities, and applications to support digital projects. Funds also supported the student-led Impact Fellowship; helping students by building a mentoring network, publishing media to celebrate achievements, and supporting a studentled workshop on student agency in collaboration with other regional international schools.

Visitors-inResidence The PTA and SAS Foundation-funded signature academic visitors-in-residence program brings internationally recognized authors, visual artists, illustrators, musicians, playwrights, directors, and other professionals to work side by side with faculty and students throughout the year. The program allows students to deeply understand the craft and work of professional artists and develop a lifelong appreciation for the arts. In 2017-18 our visitors-inresidence included Maria Frazee, Tadd Hills, Patricia McCormick, and Paul Stickland.

w w w. s a s . e d u . s g / g i v e / w h y - g i v e / i m p a c t - r e p o r t s / s a s f o u n d a t i o n 2 0 1 7 - 1 8 W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS 88

Each spring, first graders from Singapore American School catch a glimpse into the lives of first graders that attend local primary schools. For the past five years, students from SAS and Fuchun Primary School have been working together and learning from each other. Teachers from both schools collaborate to create learning experiences through weekly buddy visits.

Building c o m m u n i t y, one school at a time

Students start by getting to know each other and create posters about their new buddy. At Fuchun Primary School, SAS students learn traditional crafts like thooranam folding (Tamil hanging decoration), hóngbāo or âng-pau (Chinese red envelopes), and bunga manggar (a Malay wedding decoration). Students also play some traditional Singaporean games like eraser battles, pick-up sticks, and chapteh. At SAS, the students collaborate to write ABC books. Last year in our science unit, students were studying how plants and animals grow and survive. So, they made ABC books all about animals. Students wrote and illustrated their page with their buddies. Together, Fuchun Primary and SAS students donated the books to Fei Yue Family Service Centre (Champion’s Way) in Woodlands. Students also conducted a diaper drive and donated boxes of diapers to Fei Yue Family Service Centre. In the end, students are proud of their beautifully published books and are pleased that another child will get to read their book.

By ALICIA ANGLE F i r s t G r a d e Te a c h e r

89 JOURNEYS

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

Making a personal connection with other people in the Woodlands community is a wonderful experience and we enjoy seeing our Fuchun friends around the neighborhood!

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS 90

p i h s We onally! i t a n r e t in

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your story? The bonds of friendship. The mentorship of teachers and staff. Memories made in moments big and small. The learning that shines through perseverance. Every interaction, every pursuit, every class, and every activity at SAS weaves the fabric of our community to make us who we are. We want to celebrate all things SAS. Share your story with us, and we may share it with our community online or in Journeys. Connect with us at communications@sas.edu.sg and help us tell the story of what makes SAS a special place.

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS 92

4 1

EAGLES SOAR IN GYMNASTICS INVITATIONAL

SAS students competed at the PRIME Gymnastics International Invitational 2018. Sixth grader Tahnee B. bagged a silver award in the Australia National level five category while fourth grader Amelie W. earned a bronze medal, placed first in floor, third in vault, and fourth in balance beam.

93 JOURNEYS

A COOL WIN ON THE ICE

CLEANING UP THE COASTLINE

As part of International Coastal Clean Up event, 62 fearless SAS students, teachers, and parents picked up and tallied marine debris in the Lim Chu Kang mangroves. In all they hauled out 234 kilograms of trash. Top debris items collected included plastic pieces, plastic bags, and styrofoam pieces. The SAS SAVE club organize this clean up event every year. Together they have made a significant dent in clearing plastic debris out of the Singapore mangroves.

GOING FOR GOLD

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

Sixth grade student Tahnee B. took home gold from the 2018 Ambassador Cup National Taekwondo Kyorugi Championships. She competed in the female Poom Belt under 36 kilograms category.

EAGLE ROBOTICS FOR THE WIN

A four-member middle school VEX IQ robotics team won the Design Award at the RoboRumble Tournament in Manila, Philippines. The Design Award celebrates a well-built robot and well-documented design process. Eighth grader Rajveer S. also made it to the finals of the National Robotics Competition, building a robot from scratch.

TWIRLING INTO SECOND PLACE

Seventh grader Anya H. made moves when participating in the NexStar National Dance Talent Competition. Anya proudly took home platinum for all three of her solo dances that included contemporary, lyrical, and musical theater, placing second overall beating 70 competitors.

Attending the ISI World Recreational Team Championships in Boston, sixth grade student Sisi G. won first place in the freestyle four category.

EAGLE TEACHES ROBOTICS

In a three-day conference discussing the role of technology in education, junior Rohit Narayanan shared his experience in robotics, methods of teaching robotics to middle schoolers, and building a school-wide program to attendees of the EduTECH Asia conference.

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS 94

SWIMMING FOR SARCOMA

10 WINNING SINGAPORE'S

BIKE-RUN CHALLENGE

12 SAS QUIZ MASTERS WIN

FALL INVITATIONAL

Emma Oldager, along with over 100 SAS students swam up to 400 laps each to raise more than S$40,000 and create awareness for sarcoma research. Oldager was a victim of osteosarcoma at the age of 10, resulting in an above-knee amputation. Most recently, she was selected to be a member of the Danish National Para-swimming team.

High schoolers Bella Shroff and Sophie Grant placed first and third respectively in the girls 15 kilometers category at the City60 Bike-Run Challenge. The annual race takes place in the heart of the city and receives hundreds of participants.

SAS held the Fall Invitational Quiz Tournament in October. The SAS A team won the tournament in a tough final match against the SAS B team. The Eagles beat three other local schools.

SAS SHOWCASES STRONG DEBATE SKILLS

11 SAS DUO PRESENT AT SOUGHT

13 MORE MEMBERS FOR SOCIAL

Coached by Mr. Devin Kay, the SAS debate teams made great strides at the LaSallian Debate Tournament Championship. Both teams finished preliminary rounds with a record of 3-1, with the SAS A team breaking among the top eight teams overall. SAS A then fought their way through the second day of competition to emerge victorious in the Grand Finals. Captains Chris Cho, Andrea D'souza, Rohan Jasani, and Mateus Norton de Matos lead this year's team.

95 JOURNEYS

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

AFTER STEM EVENT

Eighth grade student Vayun M. and his brother Anvay M. in fourth grade were selected to showcase their projects at Maker Faire Singapore. This is the largest DIY and technology event in Singapore, introducing visitors to Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Maths (STEAM).

STUDIES HONOR SOCIETY

Since the Social Studies Honor Society was established and officially recognized at SAS in August 2017, it continues to grow from strength to strength. The 2018-19 academic year saw more members joining the society, including Regina Bernardo, Zhirou Gao, Naya Jorgensen, Jae Hee Koh, Lee Hong-Le Way, Veronica F. Lee, Sarah Lin, Rohit Narayanan, Jaehyun Rhee, Rigvedang Saini, Grant Schooling, and Evelyn Zhang.

14 DRAGON RIDERS

COME UP TOPS

Mr. James Harvey and a group of high schoolers took part in Singaporeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Race. Eat. Play. event. The Dragon Riders designed and built the car from scratch in less than two weeks time. Mr. Harvey raced the car at the event, leading to a strong win for our Dragon Riders.

15 EAGLES SHOWCASE

MATHEMATICAL PROWESS

Led by Mr. Sean McAuley, a group of nine SAS students competed in the annual North East Asia Mathematics Competition in Tokyo. Seniors Chris Cho, Rohan Jasani, Paul Kim, Max Santosa, junior Diana Yuan, and freshman Ryan Lee, each won individual medals. In addition, Rohan Jasani, Paul Kim, and Ryan Lee won a silver medal for team rounds. Lee and Jasani also ranked among the top nine individuals.

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS 96

16 AN SAS WIN FOR

IASAS SPIRIT

Sophomore Jack McGuffee won the IASAS student spirit award out of 200 student athletes in Kuala Lumpur. The Spirit of IASAS award is awarded to an individual or team of the IASAS community that exhibits outstanding sportsmanship, courage, spirit, or a selfless act during an IASAS convention.

17 FLAUTIST WINS

JAPANESE COMPETITION

Eighth grader flautist, Sophie Elliott claimed the first prize at the 19th Osaka International Music Competition in the Youth Category.

97 JOURNEYS

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

18 CAPTURING THE BRILLIANCE

AND BEAUTY OF KATHMANDU

Ninth grader Matu Harvey won the best under 15 film in the Cinemagic Young Filmmaker Competition for his film The People of Kathmandu. The short film explores beautiful Kathmandu, capturing the many faces of the city and will be screened during the 2018 Cinemagic International Film Festival.

19 TEEING OFF

TO A WIN

Sixth grader Sean CP. spent his summer practicing his golf skills. He deservedly won the Sentosa Junior Medal at the Sentosa Golf Club tournaments in June 2018, and was a later a runner-up in the August 2018 tournament.

20 FRENCH OR ENGLISH–EAGLES DEBATE

THEIR WAY TO THE FINALS

Juniors Harish Koneru and Rohit Narayanan made the grand finals of the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore British Parliamentary Pro-Ams tournament. They, along with other SAS debaters, organized their own practices to prepare for upcoming British Parliamentary tournaments so that they can find more opportunities to hone their debate skills. Two SAS teams also made it to the finals after competing against more than 75 participants from 10 international schools at a French debate competition at Tanglin Trust School.

21 ANDY GRIFFITHS BRINGS

LAUGHTER TO SAS

Bestselling author Andy Griffiths visited our elementary division earlier this year. The popular children’s author made quite the impression, and our students were thrilled to meet him, listen to his stories, and have their questions answered.

22 STUDENTS DELIVER POWERFUL

KEYNOTE SPEECHES

Catalyst project students Jeniffer Park and Anya Devgan were keynote speakers at Innovation @ School, Singapore. Students discussed the idea of student agency and how to promote it in a school setting.

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS 98

23 CHINESE HONOR SOCIETY

WELCOMES NEW STUDENTS

A warm welcome to the 27 students who were inducted into the Chinese Honor Society last evening. Thanks to David Teo, a bilingual business consultant for his encouraging words.

24 GOLD FOR

JIU-JITSU STAR

NATIONAL ENGLISH HONOR

25 SOCIETY WELCOMES NEW

STUDENTS

Fifty-two Eagles were inducted into the National English Honor Society. Guest speaker Joshua Curnett offered inspiring words as students started this new chapter in their lives.

27 NEW INDUCTEES FOR NATIONAL

ARTS HONOR SOCIETY

The National Arts Honor Society inducted 15 new students to the NAHS family. Elementary school art teacher Erin Caskey offered an inspiring address, welcoming these students who have showcased strong evidence of scholarship, leadership, community service, and character.

28 WALK FOR WATER

2018

This year's Walk for Water had over 200 participants walk 28 kilometers across the country to raise just over S$30,000 for wells in rural Cambodia! Founded when they were in sixth grade, Sabrina Sain and Bryanna Entwistle led the effort for organizing the initiative alongside an executive team of 14 other high schoolers. As the original walkers move on to college, they are looking for the next generation of students to carry on this legacy of service.

NEW MU ALPHA TETA

26 INDUCTEES

CONGRATULATIONS

Seventh grader Natalie T. bagged the gold in her weight and age category in the largest International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation Kids tournament West of the Pacific Ocean. She won the competition by arm bar submission.

99 JOURNEYS

W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

Congratulations to our latest cohort of Mu Alpha Theta inductees. Mu Alpha Theta is is a national high school and two-year college mathematics Honor Society dedicated to inspiring a keen interest in mathematics, developing strong scholarship in the subject, and promoting the enjoyment of mathematics in high school and two-year college students.

EAGLES! W i n t e R

2 0 1 8

JOURNEYS 100

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 No.: 196400340R Registration Period: 22 June 2017 to 21 June 2023 Accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Â© 2018 Singapore American School All rights reserved.

Journeys Winter 2018

Articles inside

Balancing Our Advanced Studies Offerings

Extraordinary care at SAS