tintuc@unishanoi.org UNIS Hanoi’s Weekly Community Newsletter
Volume 20, Edition 31, Friday 25 April
NEXT WEEK…
COMING SOON...
SPRING BREAK 26 April - 4 May. School & Campus Closed/Offices Open Weekdays except Apr 30 and May 1
SATURDAY, 3 MAY SAT Testing (HS) MONDAY, 5 MAY IB DP Exam 5 - 23 May TUESDAY, 6 MAY G.2 Exhibition for Parents, Centre for the Arts 6 - 9 May ES Parents Forum with Principal and Deputy Principal, 08:30 - 10:00, Library Projection Room ECC Orientation - K1, 10:10 - 11:30 WEDNESDAY, 7 MAY Grade 8-9 Transition Parent Presentation, 18:00 - 19:00
Gate 5 (the bicycle gate) will be CLOSED during the Spring Break (26 Apr – 4 May)
THURSDAY, 8 MAY ECC Orientation - K2, 10:10 - 11:30 MS Volleyball vs. Concordia, 16:00 - 17:15 Grade 2 Performance for Parents, 18:00 - 19:30 FRIDAY, 9 MAY Breakfast with the Head of School, 08:15 - 09:15 MS Day ISHCMC Invitational Swim Meet ASA Session 3 ends ECC Orientation - Discovery, 08:30 - 09:45 SATURDAY, 10 MAY ES Musical Performance, 17:30 - 18:30, Theatre UMA session 3 ends
IN THIS WEEK’S TIN TUC - The Highlights... Notes from the Head of School and the Board of Directors (p.2) Notes from the ES Principal (p.3) The 25th Birthday Gift Fund (p.4) The Scholarship Programme (p.5)
Notes from the Library (p.9) Grade 8 to 9 Transition Parent Presentation (p.10) MS Global Issue Network (p.11) MSHS Talent Show (p.12)
ES Garage Sale (p.6) Global Codeathon (p.7) K2 Reduce - Reuse - Recycle (p.7) PYP Exhibition (p.8-9) ES Parent Forum of the Year (p.9)
MS Volleyball Festival (p.13) Kaleidoscope of Culture (p.14-15) The Aquatics Academy (p.16) SCO News (p.16) Summer Camp Programme (p.17)
As we head into Spring Break, I would like to extend best wishes and safe travels to all who are planning to head to a vacation destination. And for everyone I hope the break provides the necessary rest and recuperation in order to maximize the last six weeks of the school year. Respectfully, Dr. Barder, hos@unishanoi.org Grade 5 PYP Exhibition More photos on page 8
Members of the UNIS Hanoi community (parents, faculty, admin, staff) are warmly invited to attend the Board’s AGM next month. Venue: Black Box, Centre for the Arts Time: Reception with refreshments served from 6:30pm. The meeting will start at 7pm and we expect to finish by 8:45pm. The agenda is: 1. Welcome and introduction of Board members: Sarah Garner, Board Chair 2. Role of the Board of Directors and the End of Year Report: Sarah Garner, Board Chair 3. Risk Management Matrix: Sarah Garner, Board Chair 4. Financial Update: Nguyen Van Hieu, Board Treasurer 5. Introduction of the SMP Plan for the Plan: Jean Munro, SMP 2015-2020 Planning Task Force Chair and Board member
6. Introduction to Fundraising for the Future: Bob Hughes, Advancement Committee Chair and Board member 7. Vote of appreciation to outgoing Board members and announcement of new appointments for 2014-2015: Sarah Garner, Board Chair 8. Any other community questions/comments Please note that there will also be time for questions or comments after agenda items. For any specific questions you would like us to address, please send them in advance of the meeting to the Board Chair at boardofdirectors@unishanoi.org. Find out more about the Board of Directors here. Sarah Garner, Board Chair
Please note the following addition/change to Board Committee/Task Force meetings in May:
Monday, May 12th – Finance Committee meeting, 7am-8:30am (changed from May 6th)
Wednesday, May 14th – SMP 2015-2020 Planning Task Force meeting, 7am-8:30am
“There are no passengers on Spaceship Earth. We are all crew.” Marshall McLuhan, Canadian philosopher. This quote I came across yesterday really made me reflect on the Action element of the Primary Years Programme (PYP). Action is one of the five essential elements of the PYP (Knowledge, Content, Skills Attitude and Action.) The PYP helps us understand action in the following ways: 1. Action is the ‘so what’ of learning. 2. PYP schools develop a culture where all learners have the opportunity and autonomy to act, to decide on their actions, and to reflect on these actions. 3. The teacher provides the environment and provocation for action to take place. 4. Successful inquiry leads to responsible action initiated by the student as a result of the learning process (include discussion of the implications for the exhibition). 5. Action can take different forms with a range and balance of teacher and student initiative. 6. When individuals are engaged in relevant, significant and challenging learning, action will happen. Some other examples might include showing enthusiasm (bringing in a book about plants) acting differently because you now understand
something (watering the plants spontaneously) service (“Let’s build a greenhouse for those poor
farmers working in cold weather.”) or just a shift in thinking (“I used to think plants need
light but now I know seeds will germinate in the dark.”)
The Grade 5 Exhibition which is written about more fully in this week’s Tintuc is of course a supreme example of students taking action. However, I also wanted to share something presented to me by three students in Grade 3 last week. They had been reflecting on what action they had been involved with this year and here is what they wrote: Miss Tracy asked 3TS “What action have you been involved in?” We made an idea chart together as a class of different action we might have been involved in this year. Next we looked at ourselves and the action we have done and wrote these down on individual charts that Miss Tracy made. We used the Service and Action at UNIS circle chart to show which community the action was linked to helping. We could only list ones we did action for, not what we were told to do. We also had to write a how we did the action. We ended up learning that we made a huge difference in different communities and were surprised how much action we had been involved in. World Happiness Day, Earth Hour, Book Sale, Walkathon, Spring Fair: Fair Trade Stand and Performance; Peer Helpers; Student Council, Service ASAs: Tet Bags, Green Team, Walkathon, Gardening Club; Tet Appeal: contributions and delivery; Fair Trade Unit of Inquiry Action. We think this was a great lesson.
Angelina, Kiana and Sonny - 3TS I am delighted to report that we really do have a great “crew” on our part of “Spaceship Earth”; I am very proud of all their efforts and contributions. With best wishes to all for a safe and happy Spring Break. Carole Denny, esprincipal@unishanoi.org
The 25th Birthday Gift Fund projects have been approved and thanks to the generosity of our community will continue to change lives for the next 25 years! THANK YOU! In 2012-2013 UNIS Hanoi celebrated 25 Years of Learning to Inspire! As part of the birthday celebrations we wanted to give a birthday gift to our local Vietnamese community, recognizing 25 years of partnership and investing in the next 25 years. Through the 25th Birthday Ball, our UNIQUELY UNIS Auction and Birthday Souvenirs sales, we raised more than 37,000 USD to establish our 25th Birthday Gift Fund. Since then we have been through a thorough cross-community process to select projects which will honour the goals of the Fund. Grants have been awarded to six different Service Learning projects which will all start in 2014-2015. Huong La Centre for Disabled and Abandoned Children
Microfinance For Change with Bloom Microventures
Australian Charity for the Children of Vietnam
Swim for Life
Healthy Hearts and East Meets West partnership
The Mobile Book Project
Detailed information about the selection process and the projects can be found at the 25th Birthday Gift Fund website. None of this would have been possible without the extraordinary support from the UNIS Hanoi community and in particular our generous donors who supported the 25th Birthday Ball.
THANK YOU!
25th Birthday Gift Fund Goals The 25th Birthday Gift Fund will support our local Vietnamese community through Service Learning projects in partnership with local groups which: ENGAGE UNIS HANOI STUDENTS in genuine and reciprocal learning experiences BUILD COMMUNITY and meaningfully strengthen the School's relationships with the local
community over time ARE SUSTAINABLE for both for the community the project aims to support, and for UNIS Hanoi.
We are delighted to announce the results of this year’s Scholarship Programme selection process with four full scholarships offered to start in 2014-2015 to: 1. Anh Nguyen Grade 8 (F) 2. Mi Nguyen
Grade 9 (F)
3. Lam Luu
Grade 10 (M)
4. Linh Vu
Grade 10 (F)
These four scholars will attend UNIS Hanoi until graduation with 100% tuition support and will bring our current Programme to 100% capacity. UNIS Hanoi successfully launched its Scholarship Programme, with the first Scholar joining its learning community for the School’s 25th Birthday Year. Nam and Ly (our second scholar selected last year) were the best Birthday presents that we could have wished for! The School is extremely proud of all their achievements, both academic and co-curricular, and the way in which they have become such successful and valued members of our learning community. Nam explains the difference that it has made to his life quite simply, “UNIS allows people to
think for themselves”. The Scholarship Programme is designed to give the opportunity of graduating from UNIS Hanoi to high achieving Vietnamese students from a low-socio economic background. The sincere hope is that these Scholars will contribute to the future of their country, shaped by the UN values and inspired by the UNIS Hanoi vision. The School currently budgets for 6 Scholarships each year, but the goal is to complement and expand that access for our host country’s talented students through fundraising. And so next year, building directly on the success of the 25th Birthday Gift Fund we will be launching a major fundraising campaign to finance further Scholarships and transform more lives… Watch this space! Emma Silva, Director of Advancement doa@unishanoi.org
If the answer to all the above is Yes then read on The Grade 1 and 2 Student Council are organizing an ES Garage Sale on May 13th from 15:30-16:30. This will be run by ES students for ES students. Only ES students can sell. Only ES students can buy. There are 2 ways you can get involved. Have Your Own Table You and your friends can have a table to sell some of your toys that you don’t want any more but you think someone else might still like to play with. You have to collect them up at home and sort them out. Decide on a price, label them and then come and sell them. You will need an adult or MSHS brother or sister to help you and your friends sell your unwanted toys. At the end of the event you need to count your money and donate half to the ES Gr1&2 Student Council reps. They will collect and count this donation and then buy new toys for some of the children in the cancer hospitals and orphanages in Hanoi that we already support through our Service Learning programmes. Fill in the form if you want to sell some of your toys at the Toys for Toys ES Garage Sale. Come and Buy If you don’t want to sell you can still help- please come along to buy some of the nearly new toys. Half of everything you spend will be donated. This will happen after school so you will need a parent or MSHS brother or sister to be with you.
Jan Humbleby, ES Deputy Principal esdprincipal@unishanoi.org
This is your chance to learn to code and share your coding skills with students all over the world - we will be live streaming this event to other schools around the globe. This is a great opportunity to connect with other student coders and attend student-led presentations on a variety of coding programmes and skills.
This week the K2 students opened their 'Reduce, Reuse, Recycle' shop to Grade 1, Kindergarten 1 and Discovery students. They creatively changed common rubbish into sought after items such as cheerleader pompoms made from plastic bags and Minions made from toilet paper tubes. A big thank you to our shoppers! With the money
Registration is now open and spaces are limited. Only the first 40 submissions from UNIS Hanoi will be guaranteed a spot in the event. Register now! PARENTS MUST REGISTER THEIR CHILD.
we bought and planted a 'Soapnut' tree for the school grounds and the remaining money will support a project supervised by Mr David that donates trees to spaces in Hanoi. Amy Pitcairn, K2 Teacher apitcairn@unishanoi.org
On Thursday evening UNIS celebrated the Grade 5 Exhibition. The Exhibition is an eight week long, studentdriven inquiry which culminates each year in an evening of celebration, artistic products, performances and interactive displays. The theme of this year’s exhibition was ‘Learning, Community and Responsibility’ echoing our UNIS, Hanoi school values. Students investigated diverse issues relating to this theme including: gender equality in education, school meals, poverty and pollution. One of the aims of the Exhibition is to nurture key, lifelong learning skills and attributes. Students work in collaborative teams. They are challenged to plan, research, create and communicate their findings on their own. During the Exhibition weeks teachers take on the role of listeners and observers. The teachers and Exhibition mentors guide and challenge the students to make their own decisions and to solve their own research problems. Some of the challenges the students encounter include organizing their own field trip, finding their own resources and determining how to best demonstrate their understanding.
Although the Exhibition is child-centred, the process is very carefully structured. This structure is evident in the children’s process diaries and through the Exhibition Website - an online support for students, parents and mentors. To gain further insight into the process and structure of the Exhibition please watch this video. The Exhibition evening was a great success. Students guided the visitors through a series of highly creative and interactive displays with pride and competence. The Exhibition evening revealed the students’ developed understandings about their issue. This included the ability to empathize and see different perspectives. Most importantly it demonstrated a range of learning attributes the students have developed including confidence, independence, collaboration, empathy, enthusiasm and self -awareness. The children can feel confident that this experience will set them up for success in Middle School including a future challenge: the IB Middle Years Programme Personal Project. Chris Frost, PYP Coordinator pypcoordinator@unishanoi.org
This session we will focus mainly on transition within the ES and beyond as we approach the end of year. If you have any questions on this issue, or other issues you may wish to raise or discuss please come along to the meeting.
While Elementary students are encouraged to borrow this week, please do not pack UNIS Library books to take with you. Our UNIS Library books love to remain in Hanoi
What things should my child do to be successful? What changes might I notice in my child? What should I do as a parent to support my child?
All parents of students currently in Grade 8 are invited to attend a presentation on Wednesday, May 7th at 18.00 in the UNIS library. The following questions will be discussed during the presentation followed by a question and answer session. What will be new and interesting?
What will the school do to support my child? When should I worry?
Please click HERE to register for this event. Deadline is May 2. Tanya Arnold, HS Guidance Counselor hscounselorarnold@unishanoi.org
What are the expectations?
A small part of our day in the School Health Centre at UNIS Hanoi
At the UNIS School Health Centre you never know what will come walking through our door, it could be wheezing or a bleeding sore. Here comes a student who just hit their head, I tripped and fell is what he said, and what do I see as I apply ice to their head, a few moving head lice have decided to make their bed. A cut on the hand, a headache or two, we just hope no one walks in turning blue! I lost my tooth, my throat is sore. I slammed my big toe in the door. My lips are cracked, my mouth is dry and now it looks like I have pink eye! I didn’t eat my breakfast or drink any water and now I walk and talk much slower. School Nurses are always right there to give comfort and care. Steady and wise when temperatures rise. Compassionate, kind and with a medical mind. Skilled and alert when people are hurt. Helpful and nice when giving advice. Poised and at ease around those hard to please. Dependable, sensible……..and yes indispensable. School Health Centre, nurse@unishanoi.org
Take our pledge & REFUSE DISPOSABLE PLASTIC!
Let’s try to REDUCE our 296 daily usage of disposable plastic It is all up to !
On Saturday (April 19), UNIS Hanoi hosted a Middle School Volleyball Festival. The event involved teams from various schools in Hanoi. The idea behind this “festival” is to simply provide teams with an opportunity to play a series of matches, without results or standings being kept and without trophies being presented. Volleyball is growing in popularity at UNIS Hanoi and many of our Middle School players are still acquiring basic skills and knowledge about the sport. The “no-cut” policy that exists in the UNIS Hanoi Middle School sports programme, gives all students an opportunity to be part of a team and learn about the sport of volleyball. As long as students meet the expectations set by their coaches in terms of attendance and commitment, they will have a place within the programme. This festival will gave all the UNIS players a chance to play in a match situation. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL FOR A GREAT FESTIVAL!
What a great night we had at Kaleidoscope! There was fabulous funk/soul/jazz music brought to us by the So Good Fusion Band, followed by our phenomenal inhouse UMA Band that played the music that got us moving and grooving complimented by Anna Walter’s powerhouse vocals! The carnival atmosphere was amplified with the jaw dropping acts from the National Circus Federation. The mysterious magician, captivating ladder balancer and the gripping hula hooper left the crowd wanting more!
A big THANK YOU to all you who came to celebrate with us at our UNIS Hanoi Community Extravaganza and a SPECIAL thank you to the School Community Organization for helping to sponsor the entertainment of the night. Until our next big fiesta‌enjoy the pictures! Nathalie Grun, Community Liaison Officer clo@unishanoi.org
Dear Swimming Lovers,
ASAs
The 3rd ASA session and the 2nd Com Ed (Community Education) Programme are scheduled to end on Saturday May 10. This is a great time to use the pool, so we have decided to extend the Aquatics Academy offerings through June 7.
We have created a new session of ASAs only for
Community Education (ComEd) Most current Com Ed – Session 2 classes will continue
until Saturday June 7. We have also created some new classes for this spring. We will open the link for registration from 08:30 on
Friday, April 25th to 12:00 on Monday, May 5th.
Aquatics Academy. Each group consists of 4 classes. We will open the ISIS link for registration from 08:30 on
Friday, April 25th to 12:00 on Monday, May 5th.
Reminder: No transportation is provided for this special extended session. Families are responsible for their own transportation. To view the entire schedule please go here. If you have questions, you may contact coach Andy aacoach@unishanoi.org
You have already received an email with our extended
Com Ed session offerings.
The Community Education (ComEd) Programme – Session 2 (2013/2014) has extended existing swimming classes and has created new swimming classes for this spring. Details can be found on UNIS Website
Thank you for your attention and we look forward to your participation in UNIS’ Spring ComED Swimming classes. This is the best time of year to be in the pool, so don’t miss out on this opportunity.
We will open the link for registration from 08:30 on Friday, April 25th to 12:00 on Monday, May 5th.
Ha Thien Ha, ComEd Officer comed@unishanoi.org
Our UNIS Hanoi Community would not be the same without our many VOLUNTEERS! This evening is dedicated to you! The SCO in collaboration with Advancement would like to THANK YOU for all your time, support, help and commitment towards enriching our community. Class Parents
Healthy Snack Sale
UN Day Volunteers
Welcome Committee
All our Spring Fair
SCO Boutique
Volunteers Book Sale
ECC Mother tongue
readers
And everyone else who has given time and support is welcome! For more information, email sco@unishanoi.org School Community Organization
Leaving the country, or spring cleaning? Not sure what to do with your books? Don't let them add to your shipping weight when there is so much good that can come of them here! We are collecting all gently used books for next years Used Book Sale. Your book will not only get sold to a UNIS community member who would be happy to find it here in Hanoi, but all the proceeds will be donated to endeavors providing more books for less fortunate Vietnamese children. Please deposit all of your donated books in the book drop OUTSIDE of the library. There will be signs clearly showing you where they go. Do NOT put library books there. We look forward to making next years book sale a success! Lori Fairbairn, Used Book Sale Coordinator
group with an experienced Extended Essay supervisor to plan, prepare, and set yourself up for a successful Extended Essay. Work now and then enjoy the rest of your summer! Writing Skills Development and Extension –
develop academic writing skills to use in high school and beyond. This program is suitable for writers of all abilities looking for improve their skills. These programmes include a balance of FUN and EDUCATIONAL Activities. ECC STUDENTS: ECC students will work with their own Coordinator and
assigned ECC Assistants The camp day will start and end at the same time as the
other age groups, but ECC students will have their own space Students will be working in groups throughout the camp
and participating in a variety of activities including arts and crafts, movement, free choice time, and sessions in the pool GRADE 1 – 7 STUDENTS: Students will be scheduled into age-group rotations Groups will be scheduled to rotate though two different
areas in the morning and afternoon including time in the pool Sports will aimed at fun and participation with games
and activities Performance will be a combination of movement and
music activities “Hands On” Science will be experiment and
investigation based Create will be creating arts and crafts
Sports and Fitness – practice individual and team skills
while developing personal fitness. The sport focus will in part depend on program participants, including skills sessions for volleyball, soccer, and basketball. Rock Band – Team up with like-minded students to
create a full blown band. Go through the process of playing a gig starting with ideas and concepts, and moving through stages such as personal practice, rehearsing as a group, covering songs, writing your own songs, production, recording and stage management. Any instrumentation is welcome however at least one year experience on your instrument is required. Stage, Light, and Tech people are also needed – after you sign up you’ll be contacted to identify you preferred role. STOMP - Inspired by the Broadway Production,
STOMP gives students an opportunity to take everyday scenes/scenarios and find ways to make music with tools that wouldn’t normally be associated with music. No musical skills or talent are required just a beginner's mindset, and an open and creative attitude. Clink here to get an idea of STOMP in action. Academic Reading Skills - get a head start on that
summer reading list while developing reading and comprehension skills
“Math Games and Investigations” will build skills
and knowledge while having fun Digital will be working with technology in fun and
creative ways
$600 USD for the two-week full day programmes $325 USD for HS half-day programmes or one-
week of the full day programme Programmes include lunch and snacks. Bus transportation is available with an extra fee of $50 USD.
GRADE 8 – 11 STUDENTS: Students select one morning session (8:30 – 11:30) and/or one afternoon session (12:00-3:00) Extended Essay Support (current Gr 11s only) – get a
great start on your Extended Essay working toward the completion of a rough draft during the program. Participants will have an opportunity to work in a small
Some programmes will have limited places so make plans to attend now. To register for Summer Programme 2014 click here. If you are unable to access this link, please email summerprogram@unishanoi.org to receive the link directly. Come Join Us for a Great Start to Your Summer! Jason Caruana, Summer Programme Principal summerprogram@unishanoi.org