Singapore American School Newsflash, November 2007

Volume 10, Issue 4-07/08 - November 2007

MICA (P) 183/08/2007

A Singapore American School community service publication

NewsFlash Classroom without Walls Every year Middle School students have a retreat called CWW (Classroom without Walls.) Six graders go to a camp for one night, and seventh and eighth graders go on a cruise to Malaysia. The seventh graders disembark in Malacca, while the eighth graders stay on the ship.

The intent of CWW is to build a sense of community among the students and develop student and teacher relationships away from traditional classroom settings. For the seventh grade students, CWW is also an opportunity to study the Malay culture and history. And for all the students it is an opportunity for personal growth and social development.

Read about the students’ experiences inside NewsFlash this month.

School Expansion Timeline Pg. 4

SAS PTA Book Fair

Pg. 10

Booster Holiday Tea & Jewelry Fashion Show

Pg. 14

Content Page

Board of Govornors

Regulars

3 - Calendar Highlights 9 - SAS PTA President Letter 12 - Booster Club News

SAS Highlights

Garth Sheldon Chairman of the Board

Bart Broadman Vice Chairman of the Board Chairman Trust

Bob Comstock Chairman Facilities

Carl Stocking Chairman Finance

Sheila Wang Chairman Curriculum

Joseph Anderson Board Member

4 - School Expansion Timeline 5 - CWW 8th Grade Reflections 6 - Grade Seven CWW in Malacca 7 - CWW 6th Grade Reflections 8 - SACAC 16 - 16th Coastal Cleanup in Singapore...

18 - Peace around the World 19 - National Merit Scholar Program Recognizes

SAS Seniors 20 - SAS Solo and Ensemble Festival - World Premier to be performed by MS Band 21 - Dramatized Stories in DRAMA 7 22 - IS Marathon Club 23 - Chinese II Fashion Show - 2nd Grade Visits Mars NEWSFLASH is published monthly by the Communications Office of the Singapore American School. It is distributed free of charge to the parents, faculty members and organizations served by the school.

COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE Singapore American School 40 Woodlands Street 41 Singapore 738547 Tel: 6360-6303 SAS Website: http://www.sas.edu.sg Devin Kimble Board Member

Kirk Hulse Board Member

Editor: Beth Gribbon Staff Editor: Junia Baker Layout Design: Joey Lew

We welcome input from the community associated with Singapore American School December NewsFlash Deadline: November 28, 2007 Publication Date: December 17, 2007 Tom Linton Board Member

Bon Soon Koo Board Member

SAS NewsFlash – November 2007

Maya Roll Board Member

Marybeth Shay Board Member

(No Issue in January, 2008) February NewsFlash Deadline: January 23, 2008 Publication Date: February 13, 2008 Email Community News Input to bgribbon@sas.edu.sg Email Trading Post Input to trade@sas.edu.sg Trading Post advertising is restricted to non-commercial items only from SAS students, parents and staff

13

13-15 14

15

15-17 16

17

19 19-21

* Campus Mosquito Fogging, every Sunday 5:00pm – 7:00pm

Grade 5 Parent Coffee 8:15am – 9:15am (5th Grade Grouproom, I311) PTA Board Meeting 9:30 (PTA Office) Grade 5 Showcase Concert 10:15am – 11:00am Alternate Dress Day Grade 4 Parent Coffee 8:15am – 9:15am (5th Grade Grouproom, I311) Grade 3 Parent Coffee 8:15am – 9:15am (5th Grade Grouproom, I311) IASAS MUN in Kuala Lumpur HS Dance Performance 4:00pm & 7:00pm (Auditorium) SISMC Math Competition Biathlon 8:00am (Pool/Campus) ACSUS Tennis Tournament 8:00am – 6:00pm (SAS/UWC) TeachIT 2007 Conference Booster Club Meeting 9:30am (H301) PTA Book Fair 8:00am – 4:00pm (Elementary Gym)

20

22-24 22-23 22-25 24-25 27

27-30 28

29

30

HS National Art Honor Society Inductions 3:15pm (Art Suites) ACSIS Swim Meet 3:45pm – 7:30pm (UWC) Thespians Inductions 4:30pm (Theater Studio) Basketball Tournament in Hong Kong THANKSGIVING (NO SCHOOL) Wish For Kids – Cebu Trip Santa Claus Swim Meet (HS Pool/MS Gym) MS Dance Performance 4:00pm & 7:00pm (Auditorium) Tabitha Sales Alternate Dress Day Students Late Start 10:00am No School for AM Pre-Sch; PM Pre-Sch and Pre-K are in session Booster Holiday Event (Goodwood Park Hotel) Yulefest Children’s Performance 5:30pm (Drama Theater) Art Show Opening 3:30pm (HS Gallery) Yulefest Performance 7:00pm (Drama Theater)

* Campus Mosquito Fogging, every Sunday 5:00pm – 7:00pm

1

1-6 3

3-7 4 5 7

SAT & SUBJECT TESTS Rugby/Touch Exchanges in Kuala Lumpur Wish For Kids Fundraising Event 6:30pm (American Club) Yulefest Performance 7:00pm (Drama Theater) Art Show PS Parent Coffee 8:30am (PS Faculty Lounge, P220/221) MS Parent Coffee 10:00am (M301) EASA Registration for Session 2 (Jan 22 – Mar 13) MS Choir Concert 7:00pm (Drama Theater) Booster Bake Sale PS Christmas Party 7:30pm Winter Collage Concert 7:00pm (Auditorium) Grade 6 Fun Friday 3:05pm – 4:45pm

7

8

11

12

13

13-18 14 17

Calendar Highlights

November 2007

December 2007

Grade 7/8 Dance 7:00pm – 9:00pm (MS Cafeteria) Swimming/Tennis Exchanges in Bangkok ACSIS Rugby Tournament 8:00am – 1:00pm (AIS) PTA Board Meeting 11:30am (PTA Office) Tri-M Inductions 3:15pm MS Strings Concert 7:00pm (Auditorium) Alternate Dress Day Booster Club Popcorn Day HS Final Exams 8:00am – 12:00pm (Periods B1&B2) MS Band Concert 7:00pm (Auditorium) HS Alternate Dress Day HS Final Exams 8:00am – 12:00pm (Periods A1&A2) HS Final Exams 8:00am – 12:00pm (Periods B3&B4) SAS NewsFlash – November 2007

Message from the Singapore American School Board of Governors

School Expansion Timeline

A

t the end of last year, the Board of Governors asked the administration to study and formulate a plan for a possible expansion of the school.

That work is ongoing, and recommendations will be evaluated by the board following its completion by December 2007.

Over the years, SAS has expanded to serve the growth in demand from our community. With SAS at capacity enrollment, including a substantial waitlist, the issue of expansion has been brought to the forefront of the board’s work.

The time required for planning, financing and implementing a possible expansion is substantial, and the board is giving it the necessary level of attention.

If, when and how SAS expands will be contingent on meeting key criteria the board holds crucial. These criteria are: • • •

Any expansion will be carried out in a manner that ensures the same level of programs and facilities as our current campus; The cost associated with an expansion should not unduly burden our existing stakeholders; and, The process of expansion should have a minimum impact on the ongoing operations of the existing campus.

At the request of the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), in September SAS submitted a proposal for expansion to be considered for a package of financial and land incentives. Although this offer from the EDB implied that SAS would be expected to move forward at a more rapid pace than originally planned, as we had already embarked on our own study for expansion, we viewed the incentives offered by the EDB as a potential enhancement to the feasibility study underway.

It is now clear that given the expectations of implementation speed implicit in the EBD package, both SAS and the EDB will be best served by its working with another school for this initial package of incentives.

Our process of careful evaluation of the many factors that weigh into a decision to expand and thorough consultation with all stakeholders will continue on course, as initially envisioned by the board.

SAS will pursue its own path forward, at a pace the board is confident will allow for growth on terms that fit our criteria and needs and that maintain our strong financial well-being. The way forward may include expansion on another campus. But we will follow the guidelines established by the board, including ensuring that the quality of the educational program, building design, location, staffing and funding of any possible expansion are on a par with what is currently offered at SAS. The Board of Governors will continue to seek input from the SAS community and all concerned parties and to share information as the evaluation process continues. We expect to have a recommendation in January as to the direction any future growth of SAS will take.

Garth Sheldon Chairman, SAS Board of Governors

oaisjkjkjkjkjkjkjkddSsdsoaidoiodsjddddsadsajdajdlksajdkasjdasjdkldjsajssjld AGM – Board of Governors Elections Kirk Hulse, Devin Kimble, Marybeth Shay and Sheila Wang, were elected to the Board of Governors at the Annual General Meeting on October 30, 2007. Each board member will serve a three year term. Board photos can be found on page two of NewsFlash.

oaisjkjkjkjkjkjkjkddSsdsoaidoiodsjddddsadsajdajdlksajdkasjdasjdkldjsajssjld

SAS NewsFlash – November 2007

CWW Eighth Grade Reflections

By Aman Gill, Sonia Mirchandani, Surya Giri and Jimmy Yoon Edited/combined by Ms. K. Hallam

E

ven though the cabins on the Superstar Virgo were tiny, it was still my favorite part of the cruise. None of my roommates was my best friend, but we had a blast staying up late and talking, and we all became better friends by the end of the trip.

We did amusing team-building activities with our homebases. In “melodrama” we had to do a skit without practicing.

In this activity, you didn’t have to have a big part to enjoy yourself; you could have no part and still burst out laughing.

Once our activities were over, most headed to their rooms for showers or to the fabled arcade — consisting of a myriad of coin-eating video games.

We attended an etiquette dinner in the Bella Vista, a posh restaurant that served up good food in quantities substantial only for squirrels. While waiters were handling about 200 hundred hungry kids, people got to know others at their tables. Some were friends and some were strangers until then.

Dinner was followed by a dance. What better place to dance the night away than on a floating helicopter pad in the Straits of Malacca! Teachers and students de-stressed, tests and assignments in the recesses of memories. We mingled with friends and showed off dance moves. Countless dance circles were formed, and students were entertained with a surprise performance by Mrs. Rodocker’s dance classes. Surprisingly, the teachers turned out to be pretty good dancers… for adults.

Through the years, the line dance has become a signature CWW event. Performed to the song “Le Freak,” it was one of the more memorable eighth grade activities that weekend, and many seventh graders quickly mastered it as well.

About 30 seventh and eighth grade students participated in a talent show. There were startling singers, dazzling dancers, breathtaking guitarists, entertaining skits and many terrific tricks.

SAS NewsFlash – November 2007

Grade Seven CWW in Malacca

By Alex Shay and Mr. Ian Coppell

A

lex and over 300 other grade seven students embarked on an exciting adventure in late September when they boarded a cruise ship through the Straits of Malacca. Some groups toured the historic sights of the city, while others explored the wet market and strolled through the old streets, where traders demonstrated traditional skills and sold products in open-front shops.

Alex was part of a group that toured the outskirts of the city.

Here are his reflections: Rubber: Today we have latex, which is a chemical substance blended together to make fake rubber, but we used to use “real” rubber from rubber trees. The almost forgotten art of rubber tapping consists of etching a groove into a tree with a special blade that looks like a cheese knife bent in half. Then white sticky liquid drips into a cup at the bottom of the tree. While the liquid is still tacky, it is separated into pans filled with water. After a few hours the rubber maker takes the mushy rubber from the tray, flattens it and then processes it through two rolling pins, similar to an old fashioned pasta maker. He then places it through another set of rollers. Last, the white rubber is laid out to dry.

Palm Oil: The palm oil tree is one of the most profitable trees in the world. It is a wide stubby palm, but instead of coconuts it has large berries, which contain palm oil seeds.

When the berry turns bright orange, it is split open and the inner seed is taken out because the oil in the smaller seed is much more expensive and valuable than the outer berry.

Palm oil is in almost everything. Next time you look at a food wrapper, see if it has palm oil in its ingredients.

Kampongs: I expected the kampong houses to be made from sticks and stones, but they were well constructed from wood, tin and glass. The kampung people let us into their home to see how a traditional kampong family lived. Most kampong houses do not have electricity; however, this home did. In fact, they also had a television, DVD, stereo/CD system and a fan.

SAS NewsFlash – November 2007

CWW Sixth Grade Reflections

By Jacklynn Befield, Rachel Chan and Natalya Varkey Edited/combined by Mr. Michael Hardinge Going to Outward Bound was really fun, especially doing almost everything with friends. The best part was caving through some tunnels with the girls from my homebase, because we had a fun time and now we trust each other even more. The most challenging part for me was rock climbing, because it was my first time going up that high and my biggest fear is heights. Next time I go there I will try to overcome that fear.

During the rock climbing and abseiling all the people in my class encouraged me, since they know that I am scared of heights. They really helped me overcome my fear. Now I know that I will always try my best even on really high sporty challenges.

CWW was so fun. When I got there, I knew that I would have fun. I just got a feeling that I would be closer to my classmates. Cheering on my friends was very fun and rewarding. A boy called Andrew didn’t want to go abseiling so we cheered him and we did a “macho clap.” He felt really good when we finished so he thanked Peter, Hilary, Anika and me.

I missed air conditioning, hot baths and not having mosquito bites. But I had a very nice leader and he encouraged me to be less afraid of the dark and heights. All of my classmates were cheering me on. The two words that describe the whole experience are “very rewarding.”

My favorite part was the high ropes and cave because they both used teamwork. Our homebase was very encouraging to me because I was very scared of heights. At CWW it was a very nice experience to live in a camp for the first time. We had to be responsible to be on time everywhere we went, to keep our things safe, and to follow the rules.

We also had to be respectful to our teammates, instructor and the equipment. I will never forget this experience.

GO TEAM TAURUS!!!

SAS NewsFlash – November 2007

SAS NewsFlash – November 2007

SAS PTA

PTA President’s Letter “Book It! Off to see the World?”

T

his is the theme for this year’s PTA Annual Book Fair, which will be held November 19 to 21, from 8:00 am – 4:00 pm daily in the Elementary Gym. Over 10,000 books will be available for purchase, with titles ranging from picture books for the littlest ones to adult self-help books. There will be something for everyone, and parents are welcome to come by any time. Children in the Primary and Intermediate Schools will have the opportunity to visit the Book Fair with their classes, and schedules will be sent home soon. You are welcome to join your child during his or her visit or volunteer to work during that time. Middle and High School students are encouraged to visit the fair during their breaks. I would like to thank Becky Moseley and Ereecka Mehring for chairing this event. Countless hours and months of planning go into an event of this size.

If you have a child in the Primary, Intermediate or Middle School, you recently received an order form for Scholastic Books. A very dedicated group of volunteers let by Tina Lee and Alice Shyu spent hours placing orders, and upon arrival of the books from the States will be sorting and delivering them to your child. This program brings back childhood memories of the excitement I felt on the day my Scholastic Books arrived and how excited I was to take them home to show my mom and then run up to my room to start reading. It is a wonderful program that offers the PTA the opportunity to build classroom libraries through teacher points, which are accumulated and then returned to the teachers in the form of classroom books. Thanks to everyone who supported this program.

As I write this, we are in the middle of Pumpkin Patch and due to have our annual Pumpkin Sale along with Food Fest to follow in a week. The number of volunteers that have worked to bring all of these events to you are too numerous to mention, but I would like to give a special thank you to a few: Pam Steele for Pumpkin Patch, Dayna Flint for the Pumpkin Sale and Katie Hamberlin, Erma Huston, Ani Parikh and Kim Hamby for Food Fest. I receive so many lovely thank you notes and personal compliments on the work that the PTA does.

I’m quick to add that I may be the face a lot of people see, but I’m nothing without the dedicated board and volunteers with whom I have the privileged to work.

I hope you were able to experience at least one of the many events the PTA held recently, and as always we look forward to seeing you at the ones in the future.

Susan Fay PTA President

isoaisjkjkjkjkjkjkjksdsoaidoiodsjddddsajdsajdajdlksaxxjdkasjdasjdkldjsajjld PTA Directory The PTA Directory has been distributed to all SAS families. They were sent home with your youngest child the week of October 22. If you have not received your directory, please see Sue Matrawee, the receptionist in the Central Administration office, and she will hand you a complimentary copy. Additional copies may be purchased at the PTA Sales office and Booster Booth for $15. Having a second PTA Directory in your car really comes in handy! A note of thanks to Amy Chou for designing the cover of the Directory, Yong Yam from the IT office for generating all the information from the school database and Kim Hamby for soliciting the advertisers and pulling everything together.

isoaisjkjkjkjkjkjkjksdsoaidoiodsjddddsajdsajdajdlksajdkasjdasjdkldjsajssjld SAS NewsFlash – November 2007

10

SAS NewsFlash – November 2007

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” - Dr. Seuss

Give the Gift of SAS Celebration Books!

S

AS parents have the opportunity to honor their children by donating a book to one of our four libraries!

The student will receive a beautiful certificate indicating the dedication. In addition, a personalized bookplate will be placed inside the selected library book. The librarians work with the recipient in the selection of an interesting book that meets the curricular goals of each division.

In the case of Christine Nam, Little Otter’s Big Journey was selected in celebration of Christine’s admission to SAS and the beginning of her academic journey. An AsianAmerican biography, Kristi Yamaguchi, was donated in the name of Emily Dwyer as she has been inspired not only

by Kristi’s Olympic accomplishments, but also by the athlete’s Always Dream Foundation, which has embraced the hopes and dreams of children by sponsoring a playground and ice rink in their shared home town of San Francisco, California.

SAS has four outstanding libraries with constantly expanding collections. Your involvement in the Celebration Book program helps ensure that the library collections continue to grow. You may choose the genre, type or author and designate which division library should receive for your donation. Each donation is only S$35.00.

Please contact Val Broadman at valvwb@singnet.com.sg or 6464-7142 if you have questions. You will also find more information at the SAS PTA website (SAS/Parent Organization/PTA/PTA Services/Celebration Books.)

“The book should be a ball of light in one’s hand.” - Ezra Pound “The greatest gift is a passion for reading.” - Elizabeth Hardwick isoaisjkjkjkjkjkjkjksdsoaidoiodsjddddsajdsajdajdlksaxxjdkasjdasjdkldjsajjld 2007 – 2008 School Fees for Second Semester The 2007-2008 second semester invoices were sent to all SAS families and employers as of October 19, 2007.

If you or your employer has not received the second semester invoice, please contact Debra Chee at 6360-6324 or Bency Chua at 6360-6347 at your earliest convenience to request the invoice. The due date for payment of the second semester invoices is December 1, 2007, so please ensure that you have arranged for payment before Winter Break. All outstanding school fees must be paid before January 11, 2008 in order for students to attend school for the second semester and in order for high school students to be eligible to participate in Interim Semester.

If your family is planning to withdraw from SAS, please note that you must officially withdraw in writing to the SAS Admission’s office at sasinfo@sas.edu.sg. Please ensure that SAS receives your withdrawal notice as soon as possible so that we can arrange for final, official school records before you depart. Official school student records will be available at the division office in which your child is enrolled.

isoaisjkjkjkjkjkjkjksdsoaidoiodsjddddsajdsajdajdlksajdkasjdasjdkldjsajssjld SAS NewsFlash – November 2007

11

12

SAS NewsFlash – November 2007

SAS NewsFlash – November 2007

13

14

SAS NewsFlash – November 2007

SAS NewsFlash – November 2007

15

16th Coastal Cleanup in Singapore…

It was a TON of work, and then some!

By Kate Thome, MS science teacher and Eco Club co-sponsor, with help from Ms. Began’s AP Environment

O

n Saturday, September 15 a large group of students from the Intermediate, Middle and High Schools, parents and teachers gathered for the 16th International Coastal Cleanup, our annual mud fest! We headed out to the Kranji mangroves, next to Sungei Buloh Nature Park, to work for a morning clearing the coastline of trash brought in by the tides. Even though the event fell during a three-day holiday weekend for SAS, we fielded a large contingent of volunteers, with 165 participants, including many cleanup veterans such as Dave Norcott, HS Principal, and parent, Chris Fussner, who has participated five years in a row. We even had recent graduate, Warren Ho ’07 join us, on leave from his National Service training!

Over the years, the SAS community has earned immense respect for its massive efforts. The cleanup organizer, Raffles Museum of Biodiversity, always assigns SAS a site that promises a huge amount of trash! Our 300-meter stretch of mangrove shore along the Kranji Nature Trail was a challenge. We had to climb over and around huge overhanging branches before we reached the softest mud our intrepid group has ever faced. This is just the kind of setting SAS volunteers love! In fact, before the cleanup, when MS student Matt McDermott was asked why he was eagerly returning to the mangrove this year, he answered, “It’s fun… it’s MUD!” This cleanup is different from a trash removal kind of exercise, although that is a huge part of what we do. We count each item that we collect and record the information on a standardized data card prepared by the international organizers, The Ocean Conservancy, based in the US. Then our results are compiled with the results of other groups for a bigger picture of the condition of beaches in Singapore, which are then compared with other beaches throughout the world.

This year SAS counted and then hauled out 1,397 kg of sodden debris in 256 black trash bags. The debris, mostly plastic bags (36%), Styrofoam pieces (18%) and plastic drinking straws (14%), consists of everyday household items that found their way onto the quiet mangrove shores from far away drains and overflowing trash cans. After collecting the debris, HS student Nikita Sahgal wrote, “It was shocking to think that some of this garbage could potentially be something one of us had thrown away long ago.” Large awkward items, such as tires, plastic road barriers, furniture and car parts, were common too; these seem to have been dumped into the sea. Student Hendra Marshall reflected, “The most

16

SAS NewsFlash – November 2007

tal Science class, Rock Lee, Hendra Marshall and Nikita Sahgal surprising things that my group found were a baby wading pool and right next to it a medium sized decrepit wooden table. I was saddened to see fishing net next to the table with three dead horseshoe crabs caught in it.”

Getting stuck in the mud while hauling out a wet boat cushion or digging around a twisted mangrove tree root to loosen a plastic bag impressed on all of us the difficulty that rubbish causes in a fragile and all important environment: the mangroves.

The impact on the crabs, fish, sea birds and mammals is enormous. They strangle in the nets and fishing lines, starve from mistakenly eating plastic and suffocate beneath plastic sheets and cushions. As Kofi Annan, former U.N. Secretary General wrote on 2004 World Environment Day, “Marine trash, mainly plastic, is killing more than a million seabirds and 100,000 sea mammals and turtles each year.”

Looking back on the mangrove cleanup, HS senior Rock Lee wrote, “This was truly an experience and has taught me our efforts in recycling our trash or throwing it away in trash bins are really important and make a large difference. It was also great watching so many people give their time to clean up the environment. In the end, when we gathered in a circle with the group leader and called out the number of trash items, it was striking how much we had collected. With shirts dirty with sweat and rain, I’m sure everyone felt they accomplished something.”

Thank you to all the volunteers for your hard work for the environment!

SAS NewsFlash – November 2007

17

Peace around the World

By Jeff Koltutsky, MS Art Teacher

F

our SAS Middle School art students were winners in the annual Lions Clubs International “Peace Poster” competition. Congratulations to Marnfah (Fah) Kanjanavanit (Grade 8), Sarah Choo (Grade 7), Cassidy Diamond (Grade 8) and Gina Chang (Grade 7).

This year’s theme was “Peace around the World.”

Fah’ Poster - 1st Place

Fah’s artwork was the overall winner for all of Singapore, and she received a trophy, $300 in cash and a $50 book voucher.

Sarah’s artwork came in second place, and she received a trophy, $200 in cash and a $50 book voucher.

Cassidy and Gina each received a $50 book voucher for being one of the top ten consolation winners.

Singapore’s Minister of State for Education and Manpower, Mr. Gan Kim Yong, presented students with their awards.

Sarah, her family and Mr. Gan Kim Yong

Sarah, Fah and Cassidy with Lions Club Sponsors

Fah, her family, and Mr. Gan Kim Yong

Fah’s and Sarah’s artwork will move on to the next stage of judging in Malaysia. If their art wins in this district competition, it will go to New York for judging in the International Peace Poster competition. Good luck to both of them!

isoaisjkjkjkjkjkjkjkddSsdsoaidoiodsjddddsajdsajdlksajdkasjdasjdkldjsajssjld Are You Receiving What’s Happening at SAS? We send all parents and guardians a weekly What’s Happening at SAS newsletter by email.

If you have not been receiving the weekly email, probably we do not have your correct email address. Send us an email at communications@sas.edu.sg to give us your current email address. The distribution can include both parents’ email addresses. The weekly What’s Happening at SAS will also be posted on the website at http://www.sas.edu.sg.

isoaisjkjkjkjkjkjkjkddSsdsoaidoiodsjddddsajdsajdlksajdkasjdasjdkldjsajssjld

18

SAS NewsFlash – November 2007

National Merit Scholar Program Recognizes SAS Seniors

By Dale Ford, HS Counselor

L-R: William Tsay, Jonathan Fu, Catalina Hwang, Kailen Gilde, Evelyn Lo, Tiffany Cheng, Alison Chin, Renuka Agarwal, Elizabeth Stanton, Jesse Choe, Esther Lukman, Alice Grgas, Justin Hill, Daksha Rajagopalan, Alison Tan, Jeffrey Lin, Andrew Chung, Sunny Han

S

AS seniors Tiffany Cheng, Jeffrey Lin and Daksha Rajagopalan have been named Semifinalists in the annual National Merit Scholarship Competition (NMSC). NMSC named 16,000 Semifinalists, with only 54 students living outside the United States receiving the distinction this year.

Approximately 50,000 academically able high school students have been honored as Commended Students.

The following SAS seniors received this designation and will receive a Letter of Commendation: Renuka Agarwal, Alison Chin, Jessie Choe, Andrew Chung, Chelsea Curto, Jonathan Fu, Kailen Gilde, Alice Grgas, Sun Han, Catalina Hwang, Evelyn Lo, Esther Lukman, Bryce Robinson, Elizabeth Stanton, Alison Tan and William Tsay.

Semifinalists must be a U.S. citizens or permanent residents and earn a “selection index” of at least 223. Commended Students must earn scores ranging from 200 to 222. The selection index adds the critical reading, math and writing scores of the PSAT. The scores on the PSAT range from 20 to 80, which parallel the SAT scale of 200 to 800. Since this competition is only open to U.S. citizens, 56% of the SAS seniors were eligible to be considered for these awards.

The Semifinalist cutoff scores vary widely from state to state and range from a low of 200 in West Virginia and Wyoming to a high of 223 for U.S. citizens living outside the country. According to the NMSC, they vary scores by state so that “...able students from all parts of the nation will be included in the Semifinalist talent pool.”

The number of Semifinalists named in each state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of high school graduating seniors.

Two other SAS students were also recognized for their PSAT performance. Justin Hill was named as a National Hispanic Scholar by the College Board, and Alexandra Boothe was named as an Outstanding Participant in the National Achievement Scholarship Program. These programs are open to U.S. citizens who are of Hispanic or African American heritage.

SAS NewsFlash – November 2007

19

SAS Solo and Ensemble Festival

By Brian White, MS Band Teacher

W

hat do excited students, proud parents, professional judges and chamber music have in common? Our third annual Solo and Ensemble Festival! On Saturday, October 20, the SAS music department once again hosted this spectacular event with great success. 298 SAS students from grades five through twelve performed in eight separate venues and showcased their talent in voice, wind instruments, percussion, strings and piano.

Solo and ensemble festivals are quite common in the United States and virtually all state music organizations host them.

In order to provide our students with the same valuable chamber music experience and keeping in line with our mission statement, the Music Department organized this festival three years ago. Chamber music selections (solos and or small ensembles) were performed at the festival in front of nervous parents, supportive friends and a professional adjudicator who provided brief and helpful comments, a sort of mini-lesson, for each participant. The adjudicators also gave overall ratings for each performance (Superior, Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor).

While many of the students were eager to see their final results, the music teachers were pleased with the entire event.

Mrs. Rebecca Davidson said, “…weeks before the event it was so encouraging walking around the halls seeing our students preparing for their performances. Difficult and challenging music was being learned, students were working together problem solving, conflicts were being resolved as students ran into different musical interpretations, and students learned to iron out the interpersonal conflicts that inevitably arise when one works in a group with peers. All this was done through music!”

In addition to the performances given by the students, our very own Kristin Solverson, IS music educator, presented an inspiring vocal recital for an eager audience of teachers, parents and students. Another exciting event run in correlation with the festival was a master class for SAS percussionists offered by Mark Suter, who recently moved from New York to accept a position with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.

Middle School strings director Darrell Townshend sums it up the best, “…this festival was very beneficial not just for the prime targets, the kids, but for community relations with parents to see the whole school day in action, for links to the wider teacher community and connections both with other teachers and community musicians and with our student’s tutors... The impact of this event is enormous… a very positive experience for all!”

World Premier to be performed by SAS Middle School Band

F

unded through the SAS Education Foundation, local composer, Dr. Zechariah Goh, has been commissioned to write a musical composition for the MS Tiger advanced band. The world premiere performance will be on May 27, 2008. “I am so thrilled and excited about this project…” says Brian White, director of the MS band program.

“I have always been passionate about new music and supporting local composers.”

One of the reasons he is so excited is that he feels there is an overabundance of bad music for middle level bands. “The latest movie hit or pop song always gets turned into a watered down arrangement… These ‘pop’ arrangements don’t help us teach students about good quality music. It’s my hope that this commission project with Dr. Goh will create a quality piece of music that will stand the test of time and become part of the standard repertoire for middle level bands.”

Dr. Goh is just the composer to help White achieve his goal. For his artistic excellence in the field of music, Dr. Goh received the Young Artist Award (Music) in September 2003 from the National Arts Council and President Nathan.

He is frequently commissioned to write music for symphonic bands and choirs, and since the 1990s, his choral works have premiered in Singapore as well as at many festivals and competitions around the world. During the 39th annual National Day celebrations, his composition, “Celestial Blossoms,” was performed during the fireworks display. More can be read about Dr. Goh at www.zechariahmusic.com. Advanced Band members will get to meet and work with Dr. Goh on several occasions throughout the composition process.

20

SAS NewsFlash – November 2007

Dramatized Stories in DRAMA 7

By Tracy Meyer, MS Drama Teacher Photos by Julie Villers, Pre-K Teacher and Robin Couch, SAS Parent

F

rom September 24 through October 2, the goingson in Drama 7 classes included staged dramatizations of celebrated children’s classics, such as The Tricky Fox, Mouse T.V., Steal Back the Mona Lisa, and The Gift of the Crocodile. These are just a few of the 25 stories that four classes shared with over 30 elementary classes (from Kindergarten through Grade 4).

Students in Drama 7 started the unit with the guidance of Mr. Kirk Palmer in the Primary School Library. With partners, they selected books they thought would translate nicely into staged pieces. Back in the classroom, these books were carefully perused and discussed, with an eye on what key elements were present within them.

Finally, each class cast voted for favorites, and the lineup was established! At this point all were quite familiar with each story, which facilitated the casting process. When everyone was happy with his or her role, scripts were developed, costume and props decisions were made and rehearsals began! Many of the pieces were readily recognized by our young audiences, some of whom were asked to participate on stage.

This is the fifth year these stories have been offered, and it remains a popular unit among Drama 7 students, as well as one of their teacher’s favorites!

SAS NewsFlash – November 2007

21

IS Marathon Club

By Brian Mutschler, Elementary PE Teacher

F

rom September 3 to October 3, third through fifth grade students participated in the third annual SAS Marathon Club. For those students up to the challenge, the Marathon Club ran at least one mile per day, with the goal of achieving a grand total of at least 26 miles (not coincidentally the same distance as a marathon). This was not an easy achievement, as over 230 signed up for the Marathon Club, while only 86 completed all 26 miles.

The Marathon Club met in the mornings before school and ran a mile with the elementary PE teachers on the high school track. Students also had the option of running at home on their own time. The students were responsible for keeping track of the miles in logs, and parents monitored their progress by signing off on them at the end of each week. Those students who completed the 26 miles were rewarded with the official Marathon Club t-shirts.

The students who participated (too many to list in a short article) deserve congratulations and praise. By joining the Marathon Club they did not just receive shirts. Each student set a firm goal and then worked hard (sweaty hard!) to meet that goal. It wasn’t always easy, and it wasn’t always exciting, but in the end it was worth it. The students involved were also promoting both individual and family fitness. It was exciting to watch the miles get easier as they went along and to hear how some families were jogging together. Good job Marathon Clubbers. The IS PE department thanks you and looks forward to another fun Marathon Club next year.

22

SAS NewsFlash – November 2007

Chinese II Fashion Show

By Sarah Mar, HS Chinese Teacher

W

aitresses, nurses, movie stars and other would-be professionals were present at SAS on October 2-3. Three sections of teacher Sarah Mar’s High School Chinese II course paraded down red carpets to audiences from the MS Chinese classes, other HS Chinese classes, teachers and parents. Each student spoke about the profession and outfit he or she represented. Among those professions represented were a cowgirl, a farmer, a scientist and even a garbage collector, who admitted, in Chinese, that she did not like her job. The presentations incorporated much of the Chinese curriculum so far this year and represented nearly a month of script writing and preparation.

“I thought it was interesting to see what other people came up with for their costumes,” freshman Johnny Tan said. “I was quite nervous because I was performing in front of three groups – the middle schoolers, the teachers and our peers.”

2nd Grade Visits Mars

By Trent Williams, 2nd Grade Teacher Photos by Laura Terrile and Polly Doyle, 2nd Grade Teachers

O

n Friday, October 4, the 2nd grade classes ventured out on a fieldtrip to the Omni Theater at the Singapore Science Center.

As a culminating treat to celebrate all of the knowledge that they gained during their study of the solar system, they attended a screening of Roving Mars.

This exciting 3-D movie was about two rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, that NASA sent to explore the fascinating red planet, Mars. The students delighted in the 3-D effects of this IMAX movie and literally felt as if they were on the surface of Mars, exploring right alongside the two rovers.

SAS NewsFlash – November 2007

23

24

SAS NewsFlash – November 2007