UNISUS Magazine Vol. 1 by Unisus School

Reflections - September to December, 2021

EMPOWERING GLOBAL MINDED CITIZENS- ONE STUDENT AT A TIME

Vision:

To be a leader in global education and prepare today’s students for an ever-changing world.

Mission:

To inspire our students to be globally-minded citizens, critical thinkers, and make a positive impact in the world.

September to December, 2021

REFLECTIONS

Dr Beverley von Zielonka

HEAD OF SCHOOL

Dear UNISUS Families and Community Members, As we approach the upcoming family holidays, I am struck by the speed at which we approach the close of another calendar year! I am also touched by “sentiments of deep appreciation” for the relationships in our community and at our school. This season we launch a Term 1 UNISUS Magazine. Our first edition focuses on four of the ten IB Learner Profile core values and how these attributes and values are embedded in all that we do. As you read our community reflections and ideas, we share the various ways that the inquirer, communicator, knowledgeable and caring emerge as central to the learning and living UNISUS student experience. At UNISUS, we know that many possible passwords unlock the door for empowered students’ growth and success. We know that Academic Excellence, Student Empowerment, and Global Citizenship – the goal areas that galvanize and focus our Teaching and Learning - as well as rigor, relevance, and relationships – are among these passwords and that with significant measures of each,

provide the hallmark for education today. These large passwords are integrally connected. When all are present, we believe we prepare and empower our students for success in school and life. Generally, schools frequently speak about the elements of rigor and relevance. Today, many schools add a third “R” for “relationships.” Schools now realize that rigor and relevance develop most naturally when cultivated on a firm grounding in relationships, characterized by care, clear communication, curiosity, and principles such as respect, responsibility, civility, and empathy. Daily at UNISUS, we see that when we establish relationships based on these values with students in and outside classrooms, real learning based on the other two essential R’s rigor and relevance accelerate.

At UNISUS, relationships among students and teachers are naturally and deliberately nurtured. We know that relationships are a key ingredient for student success. We arrange our practices knowing the strong correlation between high levels of positive relationships and our students’ response to higher expectations. With gratitude to each of you for our UNISUS community relationships and warmest best holiday wishes to you and your families. Sincerely yours, Dr. Beverley von Zielonka Head of School

Inquirer:

We nurture our curiosity, developing skills for inquiry and research. We know how to learn independently and with others. We learn with enthusiasm and sustain our love of learning throughout life.

Tosca Killoran

UNISUS PRINCIPAL At UNISUS, a strong understanding of what our students know and what they can do is imperative to help them achieve academic excellence. How we go about learning what students know and can do is designed carefully. Assessment Assessment can mean any of the different ways in which student achievement can be gathered and evaluated. At UNISUS, assessment is divided into assessment for learning (formative), assessment of learning (summative) and assessment as learning. Each assessment is carefully designed to meet the purposes its results are used for. Teachers design tests, examinations, extended practical work, projects, portfolios, and oral work. Sometimes, assessments happen over a prolonged period, and at other times they take place over a few hours. Assessments will sometimes be judged by the student's teacher, while other times, they are evaluated by an external examiner.

Assessment for Learning (Formative) For formative assessment, the aim is to provide detailed feedback to teachers and their students on the nature of students' strengths and weaknesses and help develop their capabilities. Types of assessment such as conferencing between teacher and student are beneficial. The educational psychologist Vygotsky (1962) describes the teacher as a coach rather than a 'sage on a stage' and states that assessment tasks and instruments must help students work in what he refers to as the "zone of proximal development". This is the range of achievement between what the student can do on their own and what the student can do with the teacher's support. The teacher's intention must be to set formative assessments that are at just the right level of challenge for the student and keep adjusting that level as the student progresses.

Assessment of Learning (Summative) In contrast, the summative assessment focuses on measuring what the learner can do, typically to demonstrate the completion of a unit, programme, content area and readiness to progress to the next stage of education. While formative assessment is interested in why a student does something, summative assessment wants to know whether they did the correct thing. Summative assessments make a judgment about the student's skills and knowledge to date.

Assessment as Learning UNISUS takes a constructivist approach to learning which empowers students in their learning journey. If an assessment supports effective teaching and learning, then it must be designed around this constructivist learning theory (Lambert and Lines 2000). Assessment as learning occurs when students are their assessors. Students monitor their learning, ask questions, use a range of strategies to decide what they know and can do, and use assessment for new learning. For example, a student who creates a podcast to share their language learning records a YouTube video to evidence problem-solving strategies and curates a digital portfolio to reflect on the learning process - its challenges and successes - is engaged in assessment as learning.

Elements of Assessment Common IB At UNISUS, the framework we learn within is the International Baccalaureate. Within the IB, the three IB programmes offer curriculum or curriculum frameworks that are broad, balanced, conceptual and connected. There is a continuous positive effect on teaching and learning. All IB assessments need to consider these underlined aspects of an IB education in their design, even when they are not explicitly assessed. Lambert, D and Lines, D. 2000. Understanding Assessment. London, UK. Routledge Falmer. Vygotsky, LS. 1962. Thought and language. New York, USA. Wiley.

Tara Avenia

CURRICULUM COORDINATOR

PRIMARY YEARS PROGRAMME MIDDLE YEARS DIPLOMA PROGRAMME The BC Ministry of Education semi-annual independent schools visit took place in early November. In their visit, the ministry met with every teacher of grades 8 through 12 and allowed UNISUS to reflect on how teachers integrate the First Peoples Principles of Learning. These principles are relevant and permeate all learning. For example, the principle that "learning involves recognizing the consequences of one's actions". This principle highlights the understanding that all people must take responsibility for their actions and that every action has a consequence. This principle also highlights the need for authentic learning situations and recognizes the importance of students' voices and choices when presenting their understanding and reflecting on their learning. At UNISUS, our students are at the centre of learning activities and their choices, questions, and wonderings drive everything we do. We might ask students to show their understanding of a concept by acting, through video, by authoring a website or a podcast, or in a traditional essay. The Inquiry Cycle that frames units of inquiry is another means by which students drive the learning. To begin a unit, we "dive in" and search for authentic connections and relevance within the central idea or the statement of inquiry. The second stage of inquiry is the investigation stage. This stage is where students decide the methodology to find answers and devise a path to construct meaning. Once students make connections and identify patterns, they share what they have learned. UNISUS students have a choice for how they will reflect on their learning; they use voice to text on Seesaw or in Google Classroom and choose to reflect in written form, artistically and through conversation. Giving a learner an appropriate level of autonomy and choice in their learning helps them become aware of the natural consequences of their actions and allows them to learn from their mistakes. Another First Peoples Principle is that "learning is embedded in memory, history, and story". Through our stories, we teach skills, share our history, and explain the world around us. The IB believes that acquiring literacy skills is essential as a literate individual can communicate, inquire, question, and set the foundations for lifelong learning. Every teacher at UNISUS is a literacy teacher. Our PYP students participate in cross-grade literary circles and have reading buddies made from senior and junior students pairs. Our students write original stories in the Middle Years, produce digital stories, and complete investigative reports. The Senior School asks students to research global issues and challenges students to reflect on what they have learned throughout their education for the research and writing process. In closing, I'm reminded by the famous quote from Richard Wagamese: "All that we are is story. From the moment we are born to the time we continue on our spirit journey, we are involved in the creation of the story of our time here. It is what we arrive with. It is all we leave behind. We are not the things we accumulate. We are not the things we deem important. We are story. All of us. What comes to matter then is the creation of the best possible story we can while we're here; you, me, us, together. When we can do that and we take the time to share those stories with each other, we get bigger inside, we see each other, we recognize our kinship – we change the world, one story at a time…"

November SNOW DAY!

Caring:

We show empathy, compassion and respect. We have a commitment to service, and we act to make a positive difference in the lives of others and in the world around us.

(ECLC)

EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING CENTRE We began this school year ‘wondering’ about the things we see, think, and are interested in learning about, along with wondering about our new classroom, friends, and teachers. In the Pre-K 3 classroom, we focused on the theme, “Who we are,” which allowed us to explore similarities and differences of families and culture. Students shared their family traditions and members and discussed how all family types are different, and each family member has roles in their house. Students also inquired about learning shapes and patterns and engaged in many hands-on activities to expand their interests in shapes. In the Pre-K classroom, we introduced our main outdoor learning areas. Returning students were excited to share their knowledge of nature with their new classmates. They communicated the importance of caring for their environment and caring for themselves. Our class looked forward to doing their safety checks from “the lookout” every morning before entering their play area. This month we discovered two unexplored areas with lots of new foliage. Students also found what they have labelled our “Christmas Tree.” they noticed new boulders to jump off of, hills to navigate, logs to balance on, and trees to climb. Through this exploration, they have learned how to keep their bodies safe in new environments while practicing their gross motor skills. We can’t wait to see how our outdoor learning spaces change as the weather gets colder and the snow starts to fall. Our property has been a key resource in promoting inquiry, self-awareness, empathy and risky play.

Nicko Urkow STUDENT LIFE Outdoor Education Personal discovery happens in the outdoor classroom with age-specific education that challenges students to strive for independent achievement. Through experiential learning and guided lessons, our students explore their senses, recognize sustainability’s importance, and grapple with challenges that help deepen their self-awareness. Our unique location and climate in Summerland, BC, gives UNISUS the advantage to offer an outstanding outdoor education program. Our students become voyagers of discovery through outdoor experiences that provide competencies in balance and persistence in a non-competitive environment. By connecting with our BC environment, students become more comfortable with their surroundings and explore their potential through rock climbing in the Skaha Bluffs, downhill riding at Apex Mountain Resort and paddling/sailing in the Okanagan Lake. As students explore the British Columbia landscape and learn about themselves and their place globally, instructors emphasize the importance of risk prevention, safety, and the leave no trace principle. Every June, our Duke of Edinburgh Award leaders exemplify this during our adventure week as they embark on their adventurous overnight journeys and practice respect for their surroundings. Students leave knowing more about themselves and how they can care for the environment around them.

C.A.S.E. - Creativity, Activity, Service through Leadership, and Enrichment The UNISUS C.A.S.E. program takes our students on an enriched and challenging journey of self-discovery, encouraging them to pursue their passions and interests as both an individual and in a team setting. Students have the opportunity to discover and deepen their talents and interests outside the classroom through a broad range of activities designed to complement and extend the I.B. curriculum. Activities offered each term will enrich students' lives by strengthening their creative and analytical thinking, aesthetic sense, physical development, social interaction, and leadership skills. Research and studies show that extracurricular activities improve a student's academic engagement and achievement and improve a student's social and life skills while fostering habits and lifestyles critical to future success. C.A.S.E. supports our students' academic success without taking time away from their daytime studies. C.A.S.E. is a part of the student experience at UNISUS. It encourages students to try something new every term and explore new passions and interests they can enjoy long after graduation.

Maria Rathjen LANGUAGE ACQUSITION A Spanish Nook? Of Course! The goal of the International Baccalaureate for language acquisition is to enable learners to communicate in a wide range of contexts and for various purposes. With this in mind, UNISUS has a special nook to connect the learning community through the Spanish language. We display students’ written work, visual aids with cultural motifs, and provocations for our study themes. We use four interactive cards that are changed weekly to increase vocabulary acquisition and encourage natural and consistent use of language. One side of the card shares a helpful Spanish phrase with its phonics, and the other side displays the written meaning in English with an image that supports it in context visually. Students can access these cards individually or collaboratively. Younger learners who are still learning to read always have an “amigo grande” to help them out. With this project, UNISUS’s family gets connected through Spanish ¡Por supuesto!

¿El rincón de Español? ¡Por supuesto! Uno de los objetivos del Bachillerato Internacional para la adquisición de lenguas es habilitar a los alumnos a comunicarse en un gran rango de contextos y para una variedad de propósitos. Con ésto en mente, Unisus tiene un rincón especial que utilizamos para conectar a la comunidad educativa a través de la lengua española. En éste rinconcito, mostramos trabajos de producción escrita; visuales con motivos culturales y/o provocaciones para nuestros temas de estudio. Con la intención de incrementar la adquisición de vocabulario y motivar su uso de forma natural y consistente, hemos colocado 4 tarjetas interactivas que se cambiarán semanalmente y muestran por un lado una frase útil con su fonética y por el otro lado se muestra el significado escrito en inglés y una imágen que apoya visualmente éste significado en contexto. Los alumnos pueden acceder a ellas individual o colaborativamente porque los pequeños que están en proceso de aprender a leer siempre tienen un amigo grande para ayudarlos. Con éste proyecto, la familia Unisus se conecta a través del español ¡Por supuesto!

Blaine Melnyk

DIRECTOR OF RECRUITMENT Global Horizons. Global Perspectives. Global mindedness is an essential learning and teaching value at UNISUS. As we continue to grow, we celebrate the diversity of the new international and local students and teachers we welcome each year. We recognize the importance of exploring, respecting and understanding different cultures, views and values. It is through respect, empathy, tolerance and communication that we build our community.

International Students come to Canada for the opportunity to travel internationally and experience the local Canadian culture, learn a new language, and develop essential life skills away from home. This year, the UNISUS purpose-built boarding residence is home to students from 17 different countries worldwide. Our boarding students come from different cultural backgrounds and age groups, all sharing the unique experience to make friendships, live, and learn in a diverse and culturally rich “home away from home” that extends beyond the classroom. Both our international and local students gain a global perspective through new friendships, different cultural views, and experiences from all across the globe. Whether you’re a boarding student from Mexico or a local student from Summerland, there is no substitute for the global knowledge and outlook you will gain at UNISUS.

Global Citizenship: Students commit to international mindedness through ethics, global perspectives, communication, leadership through service, and sustainability..

The BOARDING EXPERIENCE The UNISUS boarding house is a “home away from home” for boarders, who all share the unique experience to make friendships, live, and learn in a diverse and culturally rich environment that extends beyond the classroom.

Surrounded by beautiful orchards, lakes, and mountains, our new purpose-built UNISUS boarding house has the perfect setting for outdoor recreation activities right outside its doors. Walking into the boarding facility, you will smell the taste of farm-to-table cooking that students enjoy daily and participate in creating weekly. In the evenings, students are supported academically with additional tutoring, and once they finish can begin participating in a sport or work on their fitness in our weight room. Our boarding program empowers students to gain independence and self-reliance for their academic success and the relationships and community they contribute to. Boarding students are at the center of the UNISUS family and community and are privileged to a global perspective only achievable through the boarding experience.

UNIVERSITY GUIDANCE

Samantha O'Hara

What if the university admissions process was less about bragging rights, IB cutoffs, and standardized exams? What if, instead, it was approached more as an opportunity to “develop core ethical capacities, including a sense of responsibility for others and their communities and reduce achievement-related stress”? The Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Make Caring Common project recently released a groundbreaking report, recommended by over 50 College Admissions Deans, outlining just that. What strikes me as a University Guidance Counsellor working at UNISUS, an IB World School, are the unmistakable overlaps between the themes that guide UNISUS as an institution and the recommendations made by the Make Caring Common project. Among our guiding principles is to encourage the growth of CARING and REFLECTIVE students, which directly corresponds to the report’s recommendation to create opportunities for authentic student service and contributions to others in ways that are important to the students. Another recommendation was to focus students on daily acts of character and provide evidence of character in applications; our goal is to inspire PRINCIPLED students REFLECTIVE of their principles. Another suggestion is to focus students on a wide range of colleges and universities. “Whether students are engaged in classrooms, and campus life appears to be a good deal more important in determining how much they learn, how happy they are during and after college, and how much they care about their communities than how selective a college is.” This approach is directly linked to our determined efforts to motivate both BALANCED and OPEN-MINDED students. The increased post-secondary readiness of students who complete the IBDP has been well documented. Among the outcomes are being “more likely to persist academically in college, demonstrate higher-order critical thinking skills, adjust better to the rigor and expectations of college, and cope with the heavy workload of college.” These are all excellent reasons to be excited about the IBDP and use it to guide us as an institution. I imagine you agree that the opportunity to support ethical and engaged young adults is even more exciting. http://static1.squarespace.com/static/5b7c56e255b02c683659fe43/t/5d0ce

Patrick Mcmaster TECHNOLOGY Empowering Our Students Learning Experience Technology continues to be an essential part of today’s education experience. Whether students are completing assignments digitally in Google Docs or using mathematics apps on iPads to extend their learning, technology is one of the tools used by teachers and students to enhance understanding. We started the school year by setting expectations around device usage, utilizing fundamental tools such as Seesaw and Google Classroom, and growing confidence using different apps to extend learning and showcase knowledge. Students take Applied Design, Skills, and Technologies (ADST) classes at UNISUS, which solve authentic problems using design thinking. In Grade 6, students developed empathy for their community by designing a parking space for all and have followed the design cycle to inquire, plan and create their designs effectively. Students in Grade 8 learned the coding languages needed to design a website. In this unit, students learned about the benefits of “Buying Local” and redesigned a website for a small, local business. In Grade 9, students learned about the impacts architecture and the housing industry have on the environment and researched ways to create more efficient and sustainable homes. With their knowledge, students created digital 3D models of the interiors and exteriors of their homes and exported high-quality renders of their designs. In Grade 10, students studied marketing techniques companies use to create persuasive product packaging. They used their new digital, graphic design knowledge to develop the packaging for a food product for a specific target market. They will soon look to pitch their design concepts to the UNISUS community. Technology continues to be an essential tool at UNISUS, including the moment students walk in the door when their temperature is checked using a thermal imaging camera. Students use augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) to give them an immersive experience and better understand the world around them. Highlights include virtually flying over the deserts of Northern Africa to see changing landforms in Google Earth VR, and witnessing how the brain functions firsthand using 3D modelling visible on the Merge Cube. The key to utilizing technology in education is embracing the benefits of these tools, growing confident with using them, and understanding that they are just one part of the big education puzzl

Student Athletes THE UBA

We are currently in the second year of the UBA and are the only basketball academy in the province directly associated with a school and the only academy in Canada led by a former pro, National Team player, and Level 4 coach. This makes our academy very unique indeed. Due to the fact school sports were cancelled last year, we ran the academy from September through June, allowing local basketball players an opportunity to improve their skill level in a controlled and competitive environment. This year we decided to run a fall season and a spring season, allowing our UBA athletes to play on their school teams during the winter basketball season. Although the UBA is still evolving, our current model will enable the academy to continue growing in popularity, ultimately benefiting the overall culture at UNISUS and the entire basketball community in the South Okanagan. The sport of basketball continues to gain popularity worldwide, and the UBA offers an incredible opportunity for anyone who wants to elevate their skills to another level. The current model has turned out to be very popular with both parents and players for several reasons: 1. Our practices start at 3:30, so our athletes do not miss school. This makes the UBA more feasible, particularly for athletes travelling from outside Summerland. 2. We are on the court 6 hours per week, shooting, ball handling, decision making, video analysis, and individual and team basketball tactics. This gives UBA athletes a massive advantage over other players as they head into their basketball seasons. The amount of basketball our athletes have played this fall gives them greater confidence within their team setting and tremendous success when competing against other schools. 3. Our flexibility allows multi-sport athletes to continue playing other sports during the fall and the spring UBA season. Several of our athletes continued participating on volleyball, swim, and soccer teams without affecting their practice/game times or academic performance. I am incredibly proud of this group, and I think it is important to celebrate the improvement and success of every one of our athletes. We have several athletes who are currently “on the radar” for Team BC and a few prominent university basketball programs. Regardless of talent or height, they are all model student-athletes, excelling both on the court and in the classroom. Being a good student, being a good citizen, being a reliable teammate, and being accountable to yourself and others are things we talk about every week because they are vital to success in life and on the basketball court. The new basketball season is officially underway, and already our UBA athletes have excelled. I’m looking forward to monitoring their progress over the winter, and I can’t

Coach Spencer McKay UNISUS BASKETBALL ACADEMY

We have just concluded the fall season of the UNISUS Basketball Academy and reflect on the incredible success of our student-athletes this season.

wait to get back into the gym with them in the spring! Our first Grade 8 basketball team is up and running, and our newly renovated gym looks amazing. The basketball future at UNISUS is bright indeed! GO Giants!

EMPOWERING GLOBAL MINDED CITIZENS- ONE STUDENT AT A TIME

(250) 404-3232 | WWW.UNISUS.CA 7808 PIERRE DR, SUMMERLAND, BC, CANADA, V0H 1Z2