Singapore American School Newsflash, May 2008 by Singapore American School

Volume 10, Issue 9-07/08 - May 2008

MICA (P) 183/08/2007

A Singapore American School community service publication

NewsFlash

Photo by Kei Hyogo, 6th grade student

WHAT ON EARTH? Earth Day is not just about celebrating our planet; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also about enjoying it. On April 22nd, sixth grade students did just that... Letter from Superintendent of School Pg. 3

SAS New Auxiliary Gymnasium

Pg. 17

IASAS Third Season Sports Pg. 26

Content Page

Brent Mutsch Superintendent of Schools

Mark Boyer Asst. Superintendent for Learning

Rhonda Norris Asst. Superintendent Business

David Hoss Principal Primary School

Marian DeGroot Principal Intermediate School

Franke Thomas Principal Middle School

David Norcott Principal High School

NEWSFLASH is published monthly by the Communications Office of the Singapore American School. It is distributed free of charge to parents, faculty members and organizations served by the school.

4 11 22 23 -

Regulars Calendar Highlights PTA News SACAC Sports Booster Club News

3 5 6 8 9 17 18 19 20 21 24 25 26 -

SAS Highlights Letter from Superintendent of Schools “Close Up” in Washington D.C. WHAT ON EARTH? The Warehouse at the American Club NAHS and NJAHS induct new members New gymnasium Third Graders Pass on the Gift My Experience at KMO 5th Grade Math Olympiads Meeting of the Minds Girls Scout Junior Troop #30 Mind and Body Speed Training IASAS Third Season Sports

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.

We welcome input from the community associated with Singapore American School August NewsFlash Deadline: July 14, 2008 Publication Date: August 4, 2008

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

Editor: Beth Gribbon Staff Editor: Junia Baker Layout Design: Joey Lew SAS NewsFlash – May 2008

September NewsFlash Deadline: August 25, 2008 Publication Date: September 15, 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

“Silent gratitude isn’t much use to anyone.” - G. B. Stern

s another successful year at Singapore American School draws to a close, I would like to express my gratitude to the entire SAS community for the countless successes that have come out of our collective efforts to promote the learning, growth and development of our students during the 2007-2008 school year. This year’s achievements are significant in both their scope and number. 1) In April, ten international educators reviewed SAS operations and plans for continuous improvement on behalf of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). The visiting team recommended to the Commission that SAS receive a six year extension to its current accreditation status. Students, parents, faculty, staff, administration and the Board of Governors are to be commended for the dedicated manner in which the self-study portion of this process was completed. The comprehensive nature of the self-study identified both SAS strengths and areas for further improvement. Since the team visit, the areas for improvement have been incorporated into a Strategic Plan that will focus our efforts to improve the quality of student learning in the years ahead. 2) SAS has a strong culture of giving to sustain and improve the quality of educational experience that is available to students every day. Parents in the PTA, Booster Club and Arts Council are on campus throughout the year to enrich the lives of our students and touch the lives of those associated with the SAS learning community. The impact of their contributions is apparent in the classrooms, libraries, performing arts venues and athletic facilities. 3) The Star Appeal Dinner for the SAS Education Foundation raised over S$500,000 in March. Once again, the Khoo Foundation sponsored the dinner at the Goodwood Park Hotel, making it possible for the proceeds of this event to enhance SAS academic and extra-curricular programs as well as to support the Endowment. 4) On May 13, PTA presented SAS with a donation of S$327,397, the largest contribution made to SAS in PTA history. It is a reflection of both PTA’s work throughout the 2007-2008 school year and the community’s generous commitment to support PTA. These funds will be used throughout 2008-2009 to further enhance the educational experience of students in each division. 5) In November, 36 representatives of the SAS community revisited the mission of SAS and crafted a vision statement. The committee’s work, validated by the Board of Governors in December, affirmed the direction of SAS for the future. The mission of SAS is to provide each student with an exemplary American educational experience with an international perspective. The vision of SAS is to inspire a passion for learning, encourage emotional and intellectual vitality and empower students with the confidence and courage to contribute to the global community and achieve their dreams. The 2008-2013 Strategic Plan aligns the work in a variety of areas with both the mission and the vision. The school community will be informed of further developments in the months and years ahead. 6) After serving on the Board of Governors for five and three years respectively, Maya Roll and Tom Linton have stepped down as they plan to leave the SAS community. Their contributions to the Board have been significant. Like so many before them, they have graciously given of their time and energy to serve the SAS community. I would like to express my appreciation for the contributions that each of you make to SAS, and my personal appreciation for the warm welcome I’ve received from the SAS community during my first year as superintendent. I am fortunate to have the unique opportunity to serve this wonderful community of learners. I arrived in August knowing that I was joining a high performing school nested in a learning community of high expectations and a commitment to excellence. Each day has affirmed our collective commitment to being an exemplary school system. Thank you for contributing to the countless successes of the 2007-2008 school year. Best wishes for a wonderful summer break!

Brent Mutsch Superintendent of Schools SAS NewsFlash – May 2008

Calendar Highlights

* Campus Mosquito Fogging, every Sunday 5:00pm – 7:00pm 26 26-29 27 27-28 28

Booster Club Meeting 9:30am (H301) Elementary Play Day 8:00am – 11:30am (Stadium) MS Band Concert 7:00pm (Auditorium) HS Decathlon 3:15pm – 6:00pm HS Subject Awards in classes Alternate Dress Day Booster Club Popcorn Day HS Final Exams Review Day APAU Break Gig

June 2008 2 2-3 3 4

29 29-30 30

May 2008

HS Final Exams 8:00am – 12:00pm (Period A3 & A4) MS Strings Concert 7:00pm (Auditorium) HS Alternate Dress Day HS Final Exams 8:00am – 12:00pm (Period B1 & B2) Academic/Service/Activities Awards Evening 7:00pm (Drama Theater)

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

Final Exams (Periods A1 & A2) 8:00am – 12:00noon HS Alternate Dress Day Final Exams (Periods B3 & B4) 8:00am – 12:00noon Spring Soccer Tournament Grade 8 Student-Led Conferences Grade 6 Temple Tours No School for HS Students HS Senior Lunch 1:00pm MS Student Dismissal 11:30am Grade 8 Graduation 5:00pm (Auditorium) Grade 8 Graduation Reception 6:30pm (MS Foyer)

5 4th Quarter Ends HS Alternate Dress Day Last Day of School for All Students HS Student Dismissal 11:30am HS Grades Due 12noon HS Commencement 6:00pm (NUS) PS/IS/MS Report Cards Go Home Grade 6 S.P.A.M. Grade 7 Student-Led Conferences PTA Sponsored End of Year PS Student Picnic Lunch 6-Aug11 Summer Break (No School) 7 SAT & Subject Tests

oaisjkjkjkjkjkjkjkddSsdsoaidoiodsjddddsadsajdajdlksajdkasjdasjdkldjsajssjld Wish for Kids Wish for Kids is a community service organization led by SAS high school students whose work is focused on alleviating the lives of impoverished families in barrio Maravilla, Tabuelan, Cebu, Philippines. Your donations of clothing, school supplies, books, toiletries, etc. are greatly appreciated!

oaisjkjkjkjkjkjkjkddSsdsoaidoiodsjddddsadsajdajdlksajdkasjdasjdkldjsajssjld SAS NewsFlash – May 2008

“Close Up” in Washington D.C. By Becky Green

“O

n behalf of United Airlines, I would like to thank the 33 Singapore American School students for their exemplary behavior on board our flight today!” Three nervous chaperones could not have asked for a better beginning to their eight-day Washington, D.C. adventure. After several years of questions from parents on the best way to boost patriotism, bring civics education to life for middle school students, and bridge the gap between Singapore and the USA, Becky Green, Patrick Green, and Vicki Rameker-Rogers planned a week-long education program in Washington, D.C. The trip focused on civics education and the role of a citizen in the democratic process. Thirty-three eighth grade students stepped out of their comfort zones on April 26 to attend Close Up. Close Up is the nation’s oldest civics education organization geared towards middle school students. Their exceptional staff guided the students through academic experiences and hands-on workshops. They challenged each student to consider his or her role and responsibility as a citizen of a nation, encouraging stronger historical knowledge and understanding of democratic principles. After over 24 hours of transit, the tired but enthusiastic group of students headed to George Washington’s home at Mount Vernon, Virginia. For two of the travelers, this trip was their first time in the USA. Washington’s gorgeous estate overlooking the Potomac River was a spectacular introduction. The grade eight curriculum covers America’s history from colonization through the Civil Rights era. Walking through the room where the battle of Yorktown was planned and viewing former slave quarters brought eight months of

learning to life. A quick stop at Krispy Kreme not only boosted the chaperones’ approval ratings and the students’ ability to cope with jet-lag, but it gave the SAS crew the energy needed to take on the Newseum. The Newseum is D.C.’s newest museum, devoted to the media and issues related to freedom of the press. An opening 4-D film on the history of American journalism hooked the students. They spent the next hours touring Pulitzer Prize-winning photo displays, taking on the roles of news reporters, and engaging in interactive displays that challenged viewers to consider what the First Amendment’s freedoms really mean. The days that followed featured tours to Philadelphia, Washington, D.C. monuments, Arlington National Cemetery, the Holocaust Museum, and several Smithsonians. It was a tremendous week of academic and social learning. Partnered with middle school students from Hawaii, California, and Arizona, the SAS crew had the challenge of being ambassadors from abroad, sharing their life experiences from Singapore with new friends. They took their role seriously, modeling the SAS core values and leaving a positive impression. From front row seats in the Senate Gallery to holding live cockroaches at the Natural History Museum, the globetrotters maximized their seven days in America’s capital. Dan Burtch summed up what made the program so special, “I would go on the Close Up program again because the Close Up staff made the activities so much fun, and I loved the hands-on experience.” Learning from the past and observing history being made created a lasting impression that superseded even the worst of jet-lag for Katy Thieneman who said, “I would do it all over again because it was a great experience full of new opportunities.” SAS NewsFlash – May 2008

K By Anika

By Ben Chiu

WHAT ON EARTH? By Michael Hardinge

arth Day is not just about celebrating our planet; it’s also about enjoying it.

On Earth Day, April 22, sixth grade students in Gamma A and B teams did just that. Our plan was to enjoy unspoiled Singapore so we headed out for hikes at Sungei Buloh wetland reserve and the Kranji nature trail. Students selected the hike that suited their interest and ability. These ranged from leisurely coastal strolls to demanding wetland explorations. The students adopted the maxim “Leave only footprints and take only photographs” and came armed with an array of cameras that would make any shopkeeper in Sim Lim Square envious. The objective was not only to record the day, but also to apply photographic and media literacy skills and capture winning photographs in the following categories: o Best flora o Best fauna o Best illustration of the negative impact by humans on the environment o Best illustration of people enjoying nature The photographs show what a terrific day it was. It is easy to associate Singapore with the concrete variety of jungle and forget that we also have real ones on our doorstep. Take advice from a sixth grader; don’t wait until next Earth Day get out and enjoy it now!

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By Nanami Su

SAS NewsFlash – May 2008

By Bianca Insigne

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By Austin Ed

wards

Earth Day Photographic Competition Winners: 1. Flora Gamma A: Austin Edwards Gamma B: Carlisle Micallef Honorable Mention: Nathaniel Edds, Cassie Escher, Melinda Lim, Grace Babinski 2.

Fauna Gamma A: Anika Kim and Ben Chiu Gamma B: Nathaniel Edds Honorable Mention: Nanami Sugano, Jacklynn Benfield, Madison Clower, Paolo Rodriguez

Negative Impact Gamma A: Zarima Greco Gamma B: Nanami Sugano Honorable Mention: Alex Byun, Aditi Balasubramanian, Natasha Aguayo

Enjoying Nature Gamma A: Kei Hyogo Gamma B: Bianca Insigne Honorable Mention: Nina Van Vuuren, Marina Cernik

By Nathaniel Edds

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on Earth Day SAS NewsFlash â&#x20AC;&#x201C; May 2008

The Warehouse at the American Club By Kirsten Miranda, HS student

ou’ve see us in the hallway with paint-splatters or charcoal on our faces, carrying a canvas, or a surface you never knew could be painted, up the stairs to the gallery space by the Booster Booth. If you haven’t see us then, you’ve found us in the art suite, still painting on bizarre surfaces and objects, or possibly gluing clay babies to a stream of cigarette packets or glass. Wherever you’ve seen us, you know we are artists by our bohemian vibe, but at the American Club AP Art exhibition on March 17, outsiders saw us as nothing less than gentlemen and gentlewomen. AP artists spent the day setting up the two hour show, transporting an average of eight pieces of artwork each, along with dozens of canvases and supplies, from the Woodlands to The American Club. Invited guests and Studio Art students were able to view each artist’s work, their self portrait and biography and enjoy refreshments, compliments of The American Club. A comment board was added for guests who wanted to give shout-out to the artists, if they couldn’t be found. The Warehouse theme gave the pool-side a blue, yellow and red tinge with paint cans full of glow sticks – also available at the reception desk – that accentuated the ‘uniform’ of the artists, which appeared to be black with highlights of any of the three prime colours. This attire helped guests distinguish who was an artist and who was not. As the night grew on and the mood toned down, the artists turned on their speaking skills and thanked the technicians that helped set up the show and their teacher Miss Harvey. 9:00pm struck and the guests left, artists remained, and the experience was done. This year’s art show was an incredible night to remember.

SAS NewsFlash – May 2008

National Art Honor Society and National Junior Art Honor Society induct new members

New inductees from middle school and high school gather on high school stairway

n April 22, the National Art Honor Society and National Junior Art Honor Society met in the high school art suite to welcome new members and to honor graduating senior members. Senior Ellie Stanton addressed the new members and guests during the induction ceremony. Her remarks acknowledged the spirit of the honor societies and the impact the art program at SAS has on the lives of the student-artists. “What has been constant is our shared recognition of art’s ability to better the individual and better the community. It has raised our minds to a more perceptive level, to a more enriched level, to a higher level than merely existing…. Through being part of this society and this visual arts program, they (NAHS and NJAHS members) have realized and acted on the Ellie Stanton receives her honor cord from high power of art to school art teacher Barbara Harvey move, reflect, and define us as individuals and as members of an artistic Induction ceremony in high school art suite community. - Senior, Ellie Stanton

SAS NewsFlash – May 2008

SAS PTA

PTA President’s Letter

s I compose my last letter as PTA President, I am filled with a variety of emotions. I have enjoyed my time in this position during the past three years and have been honored to have the opportunity to provide something back to a school that I cherish. There have been many changes during these past three years and we have worked hard to develop a small school ‘feel’ for what has become a large international school. One of my favorite responsibilities of the job is welcoming new families to the community. It is a wonderful feeling to be able to, in some small way, make a newcomer feel welcome and get past the shock of all the changes from their relocation. I hope with our efforts, we have succeeded in making you feel a part of the SAS community. Before I discuss some this year’s accomplishments, I would like to say thank you to all of the board members I have had the privilege to work with over the years and who have made these achievements possible. The time and dedication each of you has given to the school continues to amaze me. I will cherish the friendships I have made and the great times we have had putting on the various events. One of the other main reasons that the PTA is so successful at SAS is the support we receive from our administration. All of the administrative staff, the deputy principals, principals, directors and the superintendent, supports us wholeheartedly in all of our efforts. It is easy to want to dedicate your time and effort when everything you do is so appreciated. As we come to the end of another school year we are in the fortunate position to give back to the school the results of our fund raising efforts. If you were not able to attend the Volunteer Appreciation Tea held on the 13th, please read the article contained in this issue that outlines some of the items that will be purchased with the money you all helped raise. In addition to the funding for those items, the PTA also provided over $20,000 to the high school community services clubs from funds raised at the Pumpkin Sale. We also provided $6,400 to Interim Semester scholarships and $30,000 to PTA Senior Scholarships. Early in the school year, each SAS family received a school calendar and directory published using these funds. We also provided each graduating senior a gift, gave each staff member a gift on Staff Appreciation Day, provided an Ice Cream Social at Open House, will provide for a reception after the high school graduation ceremony and will pay for advertisements in the high school yearbook and Prism publication. This year we also gave $5,800 to middle school Tiger Tales, over $4,400 to the 8th grade for their year-end Sentosa Island excursion and donated books to one of our school libraries to commemorate the birth, adoption, or death of family members of those within our community. As with the end of every school year, we unfortunately have to say goodbye to many of you as you move on to new opportunities in your lives. For those of you that are leaving us, we thank you for all the support that you have given to both the PTA and the school. Please know that you will be missed. We all wish you the best of luck in your return home or to wherever you may be heading. Please remember to keep in touch! For those of you who are leaving for the summer but will be back again in the fall, please enjoy the summer break and we look forward to seeing you back refreshed and ready to start the new school year!

Susan Fay PTA President

SAS NewsFlash – May 2008

SAS PTA Sales present p ts

S Unif SAS iform m Sa ales includ ding Lim m Meng g Keng Departtment S Store

Orien ntation n & Op pen Ho ouse Wednesd W day, August A 6th–Th hursday y, Auggust 7thh & Satu urday, Augusst 9th, 2008 2 8::00 am m – 12:0 00 pm SA AS Elementary Gym m & Theaterr Intereested in volunteer v ring? Meeting M neew friendds? Conttact Kim mberly Bitting B – 9730.445 58 or kk kbitting@ @msn.co om

Literacy Consultant Spends Week at SAS By Jodi Bonnette, Literacy Coordinator Intermediate School

ne of the goals of Singapore American School is to provide professional development opportunities for teachers to grow as educators. Literacy instruction and assessment have been a focus in the primary and intermediate schools for the past two years. As educators, we are lifelong learners, constantly looking to improve the quality of our instruction and assessment. One way to support teachers’ professional learning is to bring worldclass consultants here to Singapore. From March 31 – April 4, the primary and intermediate school teachers were fortunate to work with Carrie Ekey, an internationally known educational consultant specializing in literacy instruction, assessment, and curriculum. All classroom and RLA support teachers spent two days working together with Carrie, focusing on writing instruction and assessment. Carrie shared the most recent research in writing and provided opportunities for teachers to collaborate and learn together. She shared the best resources for teaching writing and worked with the teachers on ways to assess student writing and plan for instruction. One of the most powerful learning opportunities was the chance for teachers to have cross grade level conversations about student work. The week was a huge success. Professional opportunities like this support our philosophy of providing an education for our students that is both cutting edge and reflects best practices.

SAS NewsFlash – May 2008

New gymnasium to offer enriching opportunities for more students By Lauren Thomas

Project Manager, Francis Ang, is a committed employee who works behind the scenes to provide the quality facilities needed to support the educational and co-curricular programs at school.

n unusual gymnasium opened in April. The new auxiliary gym is a two-level facility that has been built in place of the existing single-level auxiliary gym. The project began in June 2007 to meet the needs of an active, expanding student population. By building up and adding a new level, the gym will provide additional space for SAS athletes of all ability levels to participate in a range of sporting activities. Two-level gymnasiums are unusual, but the perfect solution for the land-locked Woodlands campus. Project Manager Francis Ang, who managed the gymnasium project from start to finish, said he had seen two-level gymnasiums in the United States. Those usually featured one level for competitive sports, using the other level for team offices or locker rooms. The new SAS auxilary gym will be used for sporting activities on both levels, something Ang said he had not seen done before. The first level of the gym will be used by the middle school during the day. A dividing curtain will allow both the longrunning SACAC gymnastics program and intramural sports programs to be held after school. Two outdoor stairways separate the top and bottom levels and open onto two large balconies that overlook the swimming pool and outdoor track. The middle school and high school will use the top level for additional gym classes during the school day and for intramural sports programs and interscholastic competition after school. These programs will be expanded next year to utilise the new gym. The new programs will be funded in part through the generous donations made to the SAS Education Foundation.

SAS NewsFlash â&#x20AC;&#x201C; May 2008

Third Graders Pass on the Gift By Jane Dodge and Rebekah Banks

“Why are people hungry and impoverished, and what can I do to make a difference?”

his semester, third grade students have been learning how basic needs are met in developed and developing countries. Two of the important needs we focused on were food and family. As part of their Village Called Earth unit the students decided they wanted to make a difference. In March, the students participated in Read to Feed, a reading program sponsored through Heifer International, an organization that works to end hunger. This organization uses the money we raised through the Read to Feed program to Each year Jane Dodge’s third grade class creates a quilt. The theme of this year’s quilt is Read to Feed. Each student made a square depicting one of the animal gifts provided through the Read buy live animals to help families in developing countries. These animal gifts help to create to Feed donations. The center panel was designed by one of the students, and worked on by all. positive and sustainable changes in the lives of families and communities struggling for self-sufficiency. The total amount we raised this year was over $34,000! Locally, a portion of this money was donated to the special people at the Singapore Leprosy Home. Every Friday afternoon after school, a group of dedicated high school students board a bus at SAS and go to the Leprosy Home. The students spend time visiting with the elderly residents and serve them a special meal, paid for with funds raised by third grade students. Although the residents are all cured, the stigma of the disease remains, and SAS students are some of the very few regular visitors to the Leprosy Home. On Friday, May 9th, a group of 106 third grade students met the high school students at the Leprosy Home. After singing songs to entertain them, each child presented a hand-made card to a resident along with a small gift. The smiles on everyone’s faces brought joy to the students and the residents. We wanted to share the basic need of being part of a family with the residents. Thankfully, there are SAS students with the dedication and compassion to continue to visit the Leprosy Home residents, week after week, year after year. This partnership with the high school group began in 1990. The money raised by the third graders has been used for a holiday hong bao ($80) in December of each year. During the past six years the extra money is used to buy special meals made by Mr. Hoe which the high school group delivers on Fridays. It is greatly appreciated by the residents. For more information on Read to Feed visit: http://www.readtofeed.org/

SAS NewsFlash – May 2008

My Experience at Knowledge Masters Open (KMO) By Eden Livingston

ulp, gulp. Smack, smack. Chatter, chatter. Twenty children from the fifth grade gathered in the science lab, waiting for the competition to begin. Some scurried to throw away the remains of snacks and others took a quick stretch. The room quieted. “Ready?” the captain asked. The team breathed a deep breath and nodded their heads. The keyboarder clicked, ‘Begin’. A question appeared on the screen. “A” a boy called out. The keyboarder clicked ‘A’. Correct! Hi-fives traveled around the room. But it was only the first question of the Knowledge Masters Open. Ninety-nine more to go. The Knowledge Masters Open (KMO) is a competition of general topics against various schools around the world. Some of the topics include math, literature, history, and science. Each school team meets on their school campus for practices. Practices consist of answering former competition questions from a disk loaded in a computer. Answers are in multiple choice format. Teams must learn to work together proficiently and decide on one answer. The quicker you answer the question correctly, the more points the team receives. The final competition is then completed after a couple weeks of practice. After completing 100 questions, the final score is submitted to compare to the other teams that completed the same questions. The various school teams are given a ranking based on their score. Fifth grade is the first year students are allowed to participate in KMO. I was intrigued by the new opportunity, and wanted to try. Try-outs were announced, and I went to find out more. What pulled me in further was the occasion of a challenge, something I find fun. There were three try-out sessions held during our lunch time. At the first session we were asked to answer questions individually on a sheet of paper. The second session we were put in small groups to answer. The third session we tried to decide on one answer together as a big group. After the try-out sessions, twenty were selected. Before the competition began, a captain, keyboarder, and timekeeper were selected by Mrs. Shaw. Of course, 100 questions is a lot for a single person in each position, so three of each were selected and rotated throughout the course. The captain has a big job. He must keep the team in order, and get one answer from the team as quickly as possible. The keyboarder must follow what the captain says and press either A, B, C, D, or E, whichever the team agrees on. The team has one minute to answer each question, and the timekeeper’s job is to warn the team at 30 seconds and 50 seconds. These three jobs work together to receive the correct answer from the team. Throughout the entire experience, key traits were teamwork and cooperation. Our team learned to work as one. We scored 77th out of 382 teams that competed. For everyone who did KMO, I believe this was a worthwhile experience, and if I had the chance to participate again, I wouldn’t hesitate.

SAS NewsFlash – May 2008

5th Grade Math Olympiads By Susan Shaw

Back Row: Pranav Madabhushi, Aaditya Venkateswaran, Ashish Manoj, Sebastian Sock, Derek Cho, Rohan Singh, Anish Rao, Zeke Smith. Middle Row: Matthieu Zee, Shiv Subrahmanian, Ankita Chowdhry, Nikita Mehta, Kitty Lalwani, Jayu Minakshisundar, Nathan Gunawan, Craig Broadman. Front Row: Jane Gardner, Jeanette Yan, Serena Sung-Clarke, Nadia Kim, Pablo Leon, Jonathan Hsun, Wilson Li.

ath Olympiads is a mathematical problem solving competition that runs from October to March each year. This year’s fifth grade team was a competitive group. They worked hard throughout the year learning different problem solving strategies and practicing to improve their scores with each successive contest. Each of the five contests has five questions and students are given a total of 25 minutes to answer the questions. Through the Math Olympiad program, the fifth grade students learned new strategies that they could then apply to other math problems. They enjoyed the challenge and delighted in the confidence they gained when they solved a particularly difficult problem. This year’s team received a plaque for a team score of 176, placing them in the top ten percent of all teams participating. 4,636 teams participated in this year’s Math Olympiads from 30 different countries. 340 of those teams earned the “Highest Team Achievement” plaque and the SAS 5th grade team was one of them. Congratulations to Derek Cho who received a trophy as the team’s high scorer with a score of 20/25. Derek also received a gold pin and an embroidered patch for scoring in the top two percent of all participants. Jayu Minakshisundar, Nikita Mehta, Jeanette Yan, Rohan Singh, Craig Broadman, Serena Sung-Clarke, Wilson Li, Anish Rao, Aaditya Venkateswaran, Pranav Madabhushi and Sophia Eristoff each received silver pins and embroidered patches for being in the top eight percent of all participants. Congratulations to all of the Math Olympians who each received a certificate for their efforts.

SAS NewsFlash – May 2008

Meeting of the Minds By Dana Lim, 5th Grade

ou may have noticed a strange procession of boys and girls clad in a various assortment of togas, suits, and Victorian dresses heading towards the Intermediate School Library on the afternoon of March 13. As you followed them curiously, you found yourself handed a paper with 45 blank spaces and a list of questions, and then another sheet containing the names of mathematicians and authors. When you looked up, adults flocked around the kids, asking them the same questions you saw on your list. You had discovered the GATE program’s Meeting of the Minds. The GATE kids were assigned a task. The third, fourth and fifth grade math students were to research a wellknown mathematician, while fifth grade RLA students would find out more about famous authors. Though we made it seem effortless, we put a lot of work put into the event. Besides the research, writing the biography was, for me, the most time-consuming part. We also constructed a poster sporting photos and timelines, giving the viewer a better idea of who we were learning about. Some posters had hand-drawn pictures and swirling calligraphy. Some had cut-outs of the algorithms from their mathematician. It was interesting to see the diversity in designs. As the final touch, we created a costume that would make the transformation complete. We were now our famous figure. Once in the library, the parents and family began their questioning. It was all a matter of memory recalling when ‘you’ were born, why you were famous, when you died, and many other facts and stories that were essential for you to remember. Sometimes we were stumped by random questions thrown at us by particularly inquisitive parents, but plowed on through, whether we knew what to say or not. Then, using the sheet of names, the interviewers had to deduce who you were from the answers you gave to their inquiries. The ones who had gotten them all correct received a prize – a pack of Smarties for the smarty! Afterwards, we joined together for ‘afternoon tea’ in the research room, which was decorated by our posters. There were treats provided by the GATE students that related to their mathematician or author. This event gave us a chance to live the part; to feel like we really were those literary and mathematical geniuses. Though we may have been a bit nervous or awkward at the beginning, soon we slid right into it and were answering questions like it was our own life we were talking about. Many experimented with the algorithms their mathematician had invented, while some of us even tried adopting the accents that our famous person would have used. All in all, it was a fun experience, but it was good to be myself again at the end of the day.

SAS NewsFlash – May 2008

Girls Scout Junior Troop #30 learns life-long lessons from SAS middle school teacher By Adrienne Lotoski and Wendy Dwyer

here are approximately 291 Girl Scouts in 28 troops throughout Singapore. This year, Junior Girl Scout Troop #30 hosted several SAS faculty members at their bi-monthly meetings. While working on their “Humans and Habitats” badge, they decided to invite a returned Peace Corps volunteer to visit the troop and share his experiences. When they discovered that Mr. Kurt Johnson, a seven-year veteran of the middle school, had over two years of service as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nepal, they realized that they didn’t have to venture far from the school campus to earn this badge! On Monday, March 21st, Mr. Johnson met with the ten Junior Scouts and told them about his 27 months in (L to R): Kurt Johnson, Kathryn Quirk, Elizabeth Ennis, Nadine Fuller, Mathur, Ellie Avery, Julia Ennis, Emily Dwyer, Kisara Thompson, Siddharthanagar, Nepal. He applied to the Peace Corps in Mitali Emily Bigler, and Emma Quirk. his senior year at the University of Virginia. Shortly after graduation, he began a three-month immersion program with a host family in Janakpur, Nepal. Over those months, he learned Nepalese and was able to communicate in a rudimentary but understandable way. Due to his biology major, he was assigned to the fisheries area. He worked with the villagers to create a bountiful fishing pond. On his free days from work at the fisheries, he taught English to local Nepalese students; it was this experience that inspired him to become a teacher. In Nepal, he met another Peace Corps volunteer, Rebecca Banks, who he married and who now teaches third grade! With the Junior Scouts entering middle school in August, they were also excited to learn about house-building opportunities in Cambodia, a community service project through the Tabitha Foundation, which Mr. Johnson leads every spring with other SAS teachers. In completing the “Humans and Habitats” badge with Mr. Johnson’s expertise and insight, the Junior Scouts fulfilled one of the important Peace Corps Picture: Kurt Johnson bid farewell from the school where he worked in Nepal, September 1997 requirements enabling them to earn one of the four signs, the “Sign of the Rainbow.” This award focuses on building relationships and respecting people. The scouts were inspired by this talk to “make the world a better place,” one of the principles of the Girl Scout Law. They were able to learn about how to put this goal into practice based on Mr. Johnson’s experiences in Nepal. These ten Junior Scouts are now imagining themselves as future ambassadors for their global community. These soon-to-be middle Humans and Habitats Badge schoolers look forward to more responsibilities and opportunities in community service for their school, community and host-country. This knowledge adds to their sense of volunteerism and espirit-de-corps.

SAS NewsFlash – May 2008

Girl Scout Pin

The Girl Scout Law I will do my best to be: Honest and fair, Friendly and helpful, Considerate and caring, Courageous and strong, and Responsible for what I say and do, And to respect myself and others, respect authority, use resources wisely, make the world a better place, and be a sister to every Girl Scout.

Mind and Body By Annika Ferrell, HS PE Teacher

ind and Body is not the typical physical education class. In the class, students explore yoga, pilates, tai chi, Drums Alive and foam rollers. High school students have recently started the Drums Alive program. Not only does this program take great cardiovascular endurance and a bit of coordination and rhythm, but also a level of creativity and a mind and body connection. Drums Alive creator Carrie Ekins, says, “It is a unique sensory-motor program that is designed to give the mind and body instant feedback through continuous movement and rhythmical flow. Not only is Drums Alive a fun program, it has many physical and psychological benefits as well. It increases the heart rate and increases blood circulation just like the ‘classical aerobic training’ of a group fitness session. In addition, there are many subtle effects such as improving the neurological pathways between left and right brain hemispheres.” Students leave the Mind and Body class with an awareness of the body and the importance of a connection of the mind. Stress levels go down when students are given the tools to be in control of their thoughts. Through the class, they are taught skills to control their stress levels in the future. At the end of each class there is a meditation and relaxation component that is vital for the students’ mental state and also for their academic work. It is critical for students to take some time to de-stress. The class is a great outlet for that. Studies show that students who partake in PE do better academically. SAS offers a wide variety of physical education classes to suit students’ individual interests and needs.

Speed Training By Lauren Culy, HS Student

or two days Ms. Pong loaded her P.E. students into a bus and brought them to Speed Institute where they were given the opportunity to experience strength and conditioning sessions. Speed Institute is a movementoriented strength and conditioning center where people are trained to improve their performance in sports and in everyday life. All of the activities that Ms. Pong’s students took part in were fun, yet challenging exercises that worked and strengthened a variety of muscles. The experience began with an intense warm up that was similar to the warm ups students had been doing in class. The difference was the new resources available to students and a new setting. After the warm-up students rotated through four stations that asked students to call upon different strengths: reaction drills using the sport wall, a strength bag and grappler station and an agility, speed and power station. Perhaps the students’ favorite activity was the sport wall. Students competed against each other by racing to a wall and smacking the lights on the wall with half of a pool noodle; the tricky part was having to hit the light until the light went out, which could have been once, twice, or even four times! An adaptation of this exercise was to substitute the pool noodles for medicine balls, providing an added strength component and difficulty level to the exercise. The students enjoyed this activity very much as was evidenced by their red, sweaty but smiling faces at the end of this station. Overall students truly enjoyed their trip to Speed Institute where the coaches were supportive of all students no matter what difficulty level they could achieve. This experience was a valuable learning opportunity.

SAS NewsFlash – May 2008

IASAS Third Season Sports Softball

he SAS boys and girls softball teams began their short season on February 4. Both teams had a large number of student-athletes try out. The team had three days to practice before students and teachers spent the next ten days on Interim Semester. When they returned, the girls had strong performances at the ISKL and SAS exchanges. The boys found good depth of talent on the team, although it was a relatively young and inexperienced team. They played early season games in the Singapore Men’s League and won their first four games. The boys played their Junior Varsity and Varsity teams and both performed well against the IASAS competition at the SAS exchange. Both teams traveled to Jakarta to defend their 2007 championships. The SAS boys played the first game of the tournament against ISM. ISM capitalized on SAS errors and outhit the Eagles for a 9-5 win. The boys rebounded in the afternoon to defeat TAS, 16-1, but suffered two losses on Friday to ISKL, 17-5 and JIS, 10-0. They needed a win against ISB on Saturday to play for the consolation game, but again the Panthers had the better performance and won, 4-0. After the round robin games were completed there was an unusual tie for 4th place between ISM, SAS and TAS. SAS won the playoff and played JIS in the consolation game. SAS got behind early but worked hard for the full seven innings to defeat JIS, 12-8. The SAS boys won the bronze medal. Russell Kreutter and David Small were selected as All-IASAS players. The girls team entered the tournament as the clear favorite but recognized that there would be challenges along the way. They started the tournament with an important win against JIS, who had a large home crowd supporting them. The girls kept the momentum in the second game of the day and defeated ISKL, 18-2. The next day, the girls defeated ISM, 15-0, and won a tough fight against ISB, 15-8. Those two wins assured them a place in the championship game on Saturday. The girls returned for the first game on Saturday morning to defeat a young but well-coached TAS team by a score of 7-2. The girls entered the championship game against ISB feeling confident and playing at a very high level. They had strong hitting performances with aggressive base running in the final. They continued to build a larger lead against the Panthers throughout the game and won the gold medal by a score of 16-10. This is the third consecutive gold medal for the SAS girls softball team. Alex Boothe, Barb Lodwick, Brooke McManigal and Vanessa Peck were selected as All-IASAS players.

Track and Field The SAS track and field team entered the 25th IASAS competition with confidence and momentum, having won both boys and girls gold in Bangkok and K.L. exchanges. Both teams felt the pressure of repeating last year’s success and continuing the SAS track legacy. The three day event was filled with anticipation, expectation and plenty of precipitation that proved not enough to deter the Eagles from performing at Eagle track standards. The boys went about business as if they had a ten year gold medal

SAS NewsFlash – May 2008

streak on the line. The Eagles took a strong lead from the beginning, qualifying for the finals in a majority of the events. When the anticipation was strongest and expectations heaviest, the boys overcame by medaling in 14 of the 18 events, and scoring in 17 of the 18 of events. It was truly a team performance that resulted in an eighth straight gold medal. Senior Baron Witherspoon’s SAS IASAS record-setting time of 14.89 seconds in the 110m hurdles was a competition highlight. Having lost IASAS gold last year by one point, the SAS girls were on a mission of redemption. Suffering through several injuries and bad conditions, the Eagles persisted under the leadership of senior captains Elizabeth Stocking and Renuka Agarwal. This year was to be no easy fight for the Lady Eagles with TAS and ISM both showing up with two strong teams. Through it all the girls battled their way into medaling in 14 and scoring in 15 of the 18 events. For the second year in a row it came down to a decisive last race, in which the Eagles led up until the last five meters of the race, but were ultimately inched out of victory by ISM and won silver. ISM’s gold medal win marked the first time in IASAS track history that a team other than SAS or JIS had won gold.

Badminton The boys and girls varsity badminton teams both finished in sixth place in the IASAS competition in Jakarta. Each team had only two returning players from last year’s teams. Despite the sixth place finish, the Eagles played competitively throughout the three days, and most matches went down to the wire. The girls were led by captain, Neha Sehti, who won three of her four matches. The boys were pleasantly surprised by the play of newcomers Kyle Carbon and Shen Wei Tan, who won two of his matches as the number three seed. Both the boys and girls doubles teams lost despite leading throughout each match. Both boys’ and girls’ teams remain virtually intact for next season with valuable experience under their belts.

oaisjkjkjkjkjkjkjkddSsdsoaidoiodsjddddsadsajdajdlksajdkasjdasjdkldjsajssjld New Uniform Guidelines 2008-2009 SAS standardized uniform bottoms and the SAS polo shirt will be required for all students at SAS during the 2008-09 school year. SAS polo shirts and PE uniform shirts and shorts must be purchased through the SAS PTA sales office or Booster Booth, which will both be open the week prior to school, during the Open House, and are open weekdays throughout the school year. SAS standardized uniform bottoms are available from Lim Meng Keng Department Store (Holland Road Shopping Centre, 211 Holland Road, #02-18) and online at Lands End: http://www.landsend.com/school. Please see insert to read more about 2008-09 uniform guidelines, or access the information online at http://www.sas.edu.sg under ‘Quick Links.’

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SAS NewsFlash – May 2008