ISSUE 65 VOLUME 24 NOVEMBER 2018
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About ISK The International School of Kenya (ISK) is a private, non-profit PreKGrade 12 school created in 1976 through a joint partnership between the governments of the United States and Canada. Nestled on 40 acres of a former coffee plantation, ISK serves the educational needs of both expatriate and Kenyan students who seek a challenging international curriculum which leads to the rigorous International Baccalaureate Diploma program. ISK’s internationally focused curriculum has helped Kenya become a magnet for foreign business investment and a desired posting for those working for the continuing development of East Africa. Expatriate families consider Kenya a quality career opportunity, in part due to the quality education they find at ISK. Likewise, Kenyan families who want an international, culturally diverse education for their children see ISK as the school of choice. ISK has over 980 students from more than 65 countries. Graduates earn an ISK North American accredited diploma and approximately 70 percent of ISK graduates earn the IB Diploma, enabling them to study at some of the most respected and competitive colleges and universities in the world. ISK students form a supportive, spirited and diverse community, which enables new students to adapt easily to campus life. Interacting in such a welcoming cross-cultural milieu, ISK students celebrate the unique and wonderful differences and similarities of people from around the world. The value of respect for each other and for Kenya is evident at ISK, as is a commitment to giving back to the community. Our scholarship program for Kenyan students, together with a broad and dedicated service-learning program which serves our local and national community, have shaped our school values since 1967 and continue today. In keeping with ISK’s strategic mission and vision, we are dedicated to empowering each student to create solutions for tomorrow’s challenges. Therefore, we have embarked on a multi-million dollar facility and program expansion project to provide students and faculty with the programs, tools and facilities necessary for success. Once completed, ISK will be able to accommodate 1,200 students with expanded programs and facilities.
EDITORIAL TEAM Lynn Wells Pamela Pappas Martin Mulwa DESIGN & PRODUCTION Mario Zamfir - SchoolBrand.com Copyright © 2018 The Link Copyright © 2018 ISK. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Trademarks: The Link, ISK and their associated logos are trademarks of the International School of Kenya. All other names, logos, and trademarks of other companies shown in this publication are the property of their respective owners.
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Message from the Board of Directors
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Teaching & Learning Center
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Service Learning
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PTO News
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FOTA Art Show
4 8 10 16 28 Director Letter
ES Report
MS Report
HS Report
Advancement News
At the Director’s Parent Tea on December 6 one of the main topics of discussion was around displacement planning for the upcoming major construction project in the center of ISK’s campus.
A huge thank you to the students for all of the support they showed for the Cancer Fundraiser in support of the high school ASB.
We recently were fortunate to enjoy the theatrical talents of our MS and HS students in the musical production of Beauty and the Beast.
This month of November the ASB led out Movember, raising awareness around men’s health issues and cancer.
Thank you for your support and we hope you again support education in Kenya by participating in this year’s Inspiration Initiative.
Read more on page 8
Read more on page 16
Read more on page 28
Read more on page 10
Read more on page 4
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David G. Henry Director
Dear ISK Community, MS BUILDING/HS SCIENCE LAB CONSTRUCTION DISPLACEMENT PLANS REVIEWED
At the Director’s Parent Tea on December 6 one of the main topics of discussion was around displacement planning for the upcoming major construction project in the center of ISK’s campus. ISK’s new Middle School Building/High School Science Labs is a two-year project with groundbreaking planned for June 2019. When a school undergoes a major infrastructure project such as this, there are many aspects that must be considered. Displacement is always a major consideration especially when the project will be taking place while the school is in session. The building project team have finalized overall displacement plans after considering various space and educational needs, overall student
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Director’s Letter enrollment numbers and student/ community safety. The Middle School (MS) wanted to make sure they maintained a sense of community by clustering classrooms as best as possible. In general, the MS temporary classrooms will be established in two locations: • On the lower basketball court near the Arts Centre • Inside the Elementary School Multi-Purpose Room (ES MPR) where seven temporary classrooms, along with MS administrative offices will be created. MS Science and Modern Language classrooms will remain in their current locations while the floor above the ES administration wing will become MS classrooms. Some sixth grade and learning support classrooms will be located in this area.
The ES classes currently in this location will be shifted to other rooms within the various ES buildings. Finally, the Physical Education department will move from its base in the ES MPR to near the gym and the new Lion’s Den covered court. The goal of the HS Science Labs construction displacement was to keep the labs, chemical storage and science offices together. This goal has been achieved by the temporary relocation of these rooms to an unused area of the campus at the far end of the upper sports field. We will be able to establish five science labs, science offices and a chemical storage area along with an additional classroom that can be used for both MS and HS health and other classes. The other aspect of our displacement planning focused on movement and safety. The entire construction site will be
hoarded off and separated from the campus while maintaining main student walkways on the outside of the hoarding. There is also the consideration of construction workers and vehicles in and out of the sealed construction zone. Movement is planned before and after school hours. Finally, the team is also looking at issues such as noise, dust and other concerns that are likely to come up during this two-year project. Thank you to everyone who attended the Director’s Tea this week. You provided valuable feedback as we consider our displacement needs from various perspectives. SERVICE ON THE ISK BOARD OF DIRECTORS, ARE YOU INTERESTED?
The School Board consists of nine voting members, four of whom are elected by the parents to two-year terms each. Two parent elected members are voted in each year. Any non-employee parent of a full or partial fee paying ISK student is eligible to be elected to serve on the Board. In addition to the four elected members from the parent community, the Board of Directors self-appoint two members each to three year terms. Finally, the Canadian High Commission and the Embassy of the United States of America appoint the three final members.
As is typical in international school communities, families transition in and out of the community during the school year and especially at the end of the school year. This transition translates to new opportunities to serve for those that are parents of students at ISK.
One could say there are four major responsibilities of ISK’s Board of Directors.
Two of our elected Board of Director members’ terms end this school year. The two vacancies for elected members are filled during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) scheduled for April 24, 2019 at ISK. The Board of Directors can also appoint a member in case of a vacancy for an elected position before the AGM in order to help ensure board continuity while trying to maintain a Board that represents our diverse school community.
• Second is the area of finance where the Board has a responsibility for fiduciary oversight.
• First is strategic planning where the Board is responsible for establishing, reviewing and evaluating the strategic direction of ISK.
• Third, the Board is responsible for the formulation and approval of school policy assisted in this task by the Director and school administration. • Finally, the board is responsible for evaluating and developing the Director.
All other personnel decisions as well as the daily management of the school are delegated to the Director, his/her administrative/ leadership team, faculty and staff.
Are you interested in learning more about the responsibilities of the ISK Board of Directors? Do you feel you have the qualities to take a big picture approach to governance and a desire to serve? I would like to thank those parents who attended the Introduction to Governance Orientation session held earlier this week. If you would like to learn more, an additional Introduction to Governance Orientation session is being scheduled for mid-January. You are welcome to join this onehour meeting even if you are just interested in learning how governance works at ISK. Let me or Board Chair, Mimi Steward (iskbodms@gmail.com) know what questions you might have about governance and serving on the ISK Board of Directors. If you cannot make the mid-January introduction orientation, but remain interested, please contact us. In Partnership, David G. Henry Director
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Board News ISK held a Board of Directors meeting on Tuesday, November 27th. Special thanks to all who participated! The Board approved a Rolling Policy Revision Plan that will ensure that the ISK Policy Manual is reviewed according to a specific schedule each year. While ISK has been praised for having a very thorough and comprehensive manual, we continue to find value in a systematic review. David Henry, Rob Blanchard and Drew Gregor presented an update on the Middle School and High School Science Lab Building Project. As the school plans for displacement during construction of this project, Administration has planned accordingly to minimize inconveniences both for all students, staff, and parents. Many thanks to everyone for all of their hard work on this initiative. And lastly, Vanessa (Grade 12) and Amani (Grade 11), two of ISK’s current scholarship recipients, presented on their experiences at ISK. Vanessa spoke about how she experienced cultural shock during her ninth grade year at ISK, but committed herself to embracing all of the opportunities high school life at ISK could afford her. She participated in a leadership exchange program to Thailand and is a member of National Honor Society, student government and Round Square. Vanessa plans on studying economics and applied mathematics at university. Best wishes as she graduates ISK and transitions into university! Amani provided an authentic discussion on how his journey led him to ISK, and how he has embraced the STEM subjects, notably robotics. He has interned at Safaricom, and participated in ISSEA stem and robotics projects as well as ABRSM. Amani said that his participation in the scholarship program has given him a chance to dream. The Board wishes him well in all of his future endeavors! The next Board meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 29th in the Commons MPR at 4pm. Best wishes, Ann Marie Awori, Board Secretary
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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Dear ES Community, I first want to start by thanking our parent community, teachers and most importantly our students for all of the support you showed for the Cancer Fundraiser in support of the high school ASB. The ES raised over 54,000 KES! This exceeded our goal that we placed of 50,000, and means that a few of us will be hairless.
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What a wonderful event that highlights values that we want to foster in our children. The Holiday Bazaar was a huge success. Thank you to our ES PTO, especially Megan Jackson and Preena Chadaria, for your amazing efforts in coordinating this event. I also wanted to give a big thank you to all of the vendors who were so polite with our students. I heard a lot of positive feedback from
parents, teachers and students. Something that was requested, placing prices on items, really helped kids and vendors avoid issues over costs. Again, this event was about giving, and I know Mariana and I personally saw the learning with our own kids as they made their lists. Sincerely, Matthew Woodward Elementary School Principal
Hands On
Our First Grade students have been engaged in a hands on unit about Kenya. Various artists and parents have come to help guide our students in their learning. Units where students have choice, are allowed to create and show learning by doing is a key focus for us in the ES.
ESPTO BIDS FAREWELL TO WIDAD AND KARI The Elementary School PTO would like to thank and farewell two of its members who are moving to new pastures: Widad Abu Sada and Kari Podboy. Widad has been an active member of the Duka since she arrived in Kenya four years ago and this is her second year
in the ESPTO. We will all miss her wonderful presence and fabulous organisational skills. This is Kari’s second year at ISK and we are very sad she has to leave so soon. Since beginning at ISK, Kari has helped out with numerous school events, the Duka and this year she has been a valued member of the ES PTO. Kari’s calm and energy will be hard to replace!
If you are interested in joining the ESPTO for the next two terms (or longer!), we would love to hear from you. Please contact Preena Chandaria (preenas@gmail. com) or Megan Jackson (megseyjackson@gmail.com) if you have some time to spare and ideas to share! The next big event for the ESPTO is book character day which is shaping up to be a lot of fun.
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MIDDLE SCHOOL
VISITING AUTHOR
STEVE SWINBURNE The ISK Library was pleased that Steve Swinburne, author of over 30 books, visited ISK November 12-15. He gave a presenation to all the ES/MS students and conducted a writing workshop with some ES/MS students. Some of his picture books are available for sale in the library.
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JAVA JAZZ
The Fine Arts Center was converted into a hot jazz cafe on Tuesday, November 13th. All middle school and high school groups performed and entertained our community with amazing music, a cup of hot beverage, and a sweet. A wonderful evening featuring our talented musicians!
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Beauty & the Beast
We recently were fortunate to enjoy the theatrical talents of our MS and HS students in the musical production of Beauty and the Beast. Congratulations to Jill Hire, Kate Oliverson and the entire cast and crew!
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The House System in the Middle School helps to foster and grow a sense of community vertically. Every Middle School student is a part of a house comprising of students from each grade level. Each house has student captains who lead activities - from a shared meal to team building games to a scavenger hunt. One of the rotations is an inclusion activity. Earlier this semester we
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formed a Student Climate Committee with the purpose of raising awareness about the diversity in our community, as well as seeking opportunities to increase inclusion and a sense of belonging. That student group suggested that we could use one of the house rotations to meet these goals. We had great conversations about broadening our perspectives, developing empathy as we consider the perspectives of others, and deepening our love and connectedness.
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HIGH SCHOOL
with different clubs including Faraja on some of the activities held throughout the month. Activities were set up for each week of November, which promoted student interactions as well as raising funds. During the first week of November, we set up a ‘Reflection Board’, where students, faculty, staff, and parents got the chance to write a message in support of those going through cancer, or those who share personal memories and emotions towards it. This month of November the ASB led out Movember, raising awareness around men’s health issues and cancer. Here is a write-up by a member of our ASB student leadership team: “This month, the Associated Student Body’s primary focus has been on cancer awareness, more specifically, Movember. Movember promotes growing facial hair to fight prostate and testicular cancer and promote men’s mental health. As the ASB, our central goal and purpose behind supporting the cause was to raise awareness of health issues from both an engaging and informational standpoint. Another goal that was proposed by ASB members at the beginning of the year was to promote more club-to-club interactions, and Movember gave us this opportunity, as we collaborated
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Our second and third weeks consisted of high-school wide activities that ranged from raffle games, to photo booths. During the whole month, the relationship between faculty and students grew closer, as students had the opportunity to put in money for any male teacher/faculty member of their choice to grow out their beards. The top three most funded for teachers were then shaved in designs picked by students. The funds that have been raised from this month will go to supporting cancer initiatives in Kenya. The Associated Student Body was extremely proud of the success and awareness this event drew, considering making Movember an annual school event.” (Alissa, ASB grade 11 representative) As we are now heading into our last full week of classes for semester one, with
culminating assessments/examinations taking place from December 13-20, this message is dedicated primarily to helping parents understand and keep track of plans and expectations over the next few busy weeks. I would first like to congratulate our students on their hard work and respectful approach to supporting each other and building community at ISK. The senior class has been working their way through a particularly busy period right now, with IB Internal Assessment, college application, SAT tests, important school work, leadership roles on campus, and other responsibilities, and all the while they have really shone as a kind, supportive class that continues to serve as excellent role models for our student body. SEMESTER ONE NARRATIVE FEEDBACK FROM TEACHERS As a follow-up to conferences and to help guide students in their learning for the remainder of the semester including into finals, teacher feedback comments have been available for Grades 9, 10 and 11 in PowerSchool since 1st December. Grade 12 are available on 8th December. All families should have received an email from us about reports and how to access them.
SEMESTER ONE FINAL ASSESSMENTS REMINDERS Here is some early information about our December final assessments schedule (December 13-19th) to assist with your planning. More specific details will follow during November. • Grade 9, 10 and 11 Students sit 90 minute or 2-hour Final Assessments for many of their courses. During finals, the high school is in session from 8:20 a.m. until 1:05 p.m. Please refer to the schedule emailed to families and also available on Moodle. Teachers will communicate directly with grade 9-11 students in regards to the nature and format of the exam. Special Notes for Grades 9-12 • IB HL/SL Art 1 will require require your child to be on campus until later in the school day on Wednesday December 19th if they have not completed their portfolio. If your child takes this course, please ensure you have the appropriate transport arranged as there are no 5.00pm buses during this period. • Wednesday December 12th, the day before exams begin, is a public holiday - no school. • Tuesday December 18th and Wednesday December 19th are for conflicts and make-up exams, with the exception of IB/Honors Chemistry 1, IB/Honors Design Technology 1 and IB Visual Arts 1 students (if their portfolio is not complete). • All students are expected at school on Thursday 20th December, the last day of school for the first semester. • Grade 12 Students sit 90 minute or 2-hour Final Assessments for all courses except second year IB courses. All Grade 12 students will be required to do at least three major tasks (e.g. TOK presentation, IB internal assessment or IOC) during the December final assessment session. An email and form with exact details has been shared with all Grade 12 students, which requires students to list the major assessments/ tasks to be completed; please review the letter/form with your senior if you have yet to do so. • All students who receive English Language Learner support and/
or who are entitled to exam accommodations will receive more information from their Learning Support or ESOL/ELL teacher in regards to the location of their exam and accommodations. • Transportation/Buses and leaving campus for grades 9-11: Students should arrive to school using their normal means of transport. School buses will run as normal in the mornings. Please be aware that the morning exam session finishes at 10.35 am. If a student does not have an exam from 11:00 am-1:05 pm and would like to leave campus after the morning exam finishes, we require parental permission. Parents should email the HS office in advance if they allow you to leave early. Buses will run at 1:20 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. (not at 5:00 p.m.) and students who are signed up to ride the bus are welcome to use the bus. If students have an exam that finishes after the last bus leaves at 3.30pm then you will need to arrange your own transport home. • Special Notes and Transportation/ Buses and leaving campus for grades 12: All grade 12 students must report to school by 8:20 a.m. on Dec 13th, 14th and 17th, and must remain on campus until school finishes at 1:05 p.m. Grade 12 students may report to school on the 18th and 19th depending upon their final assessment schedule and tasks (as per the form that you signed as student and parent). During finals, all grade 12 students must sign in (in the high school office) when they arrive on campus. Transportation to and from school for grade 12 students during finals week is the responsibility of parents. Parents should arrange collection no later that 1:20 p.m. or be aware that buses will depart campus at that time for an early bus run home on Dec 13th, 14th, and 15th. The school will release grade 12 students from school on Dec 18th and 19th immediately after they have finished their assessment task for the day, regardless of the time; they need to sign out and obtain a gate pass if they leave campus before 1:05 p.m. Any parent who does not want the school to release their child from campus before 1:05 p.m. on the 18th or 19th should have contacted the high school office before finals begin. As there will be no special early bus run for high school students on Dec 18th and
19th, seniors on campus on the 18th or 19th must be collected by a parent at a time determined by the student’s schedule or ride the 3:20 p.m. bus home. LAST DAY OF SEMESTER ONE The last day of school this semester is Thursday December 20th, with all high school students expected at school this day. High School students will be released at 11:30 am this day (please arrange collection between 11:30-12:00 if you use private transportation) and buses departing campus at 12 noon. The first day of school in semester two is Monday January 14th. We wish all our students a relaxing and well-deserved three-week break from school and academic studies. STUDENTS/FAMILIES WITHDRAWING FROM ISK IN DECEMBER If you are planning to leave ISK at the end of this semester, please inform the high school office well in advance. We of course want to help make the transition to a new school as easy as possible and the process of preparing final documentation takes time. OTHER KEY DATES FOR YOUR DIARIES: December 11:Last Day of Regular Classes this semester December 12: No school (Kenyan public holiday - Jamhuri Day) • MS/HS Band& Choir Performances
at Village Market 11:00 a.m.- 1:00 p.m.
• ISK Only Bowling at Village Market 10:00 a.m.- 1:00 p.m.
• Joo & CO Benefit Show Room Sale
at Village Market 10:00 a.m.- 6:00 p.m.
** All events take place in the New Wing of Village Market
December 13: End-of-semester final assessments/exams commence December 20: Last day of 1st Semester (noon dismissal)
Robert Blanchard, Ed.D. High School Principal Jarrod Dale High School Assistant Principal
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During the month of November, the Associated Student Body’s primary focus has been on cancer awareness, more specifically, Movember. Movember promotes growing facial hair to fight prostate and testicular cancer and promote
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men’s mental health. As the ASB, our central goal and purpose behind supporting the cause was to raise awareness of health issues from both an engaging and informational standpoint.
Beauty & The Beast nce upon a time, in a faraway land, an enchantress turns a cruel, unfeeling prince into a hideous beast. To break the spell, the Beast must learn to love another and earn her love in return before the last petal falls from an enchanted rose. Ten years later, a beautiful and intelligent young woman yearns for adventure in the ‘great wide somewhere.’ When her father, the town’s crazy inventor, is imprisoned by the Beast, their paths cross ways in a ‘tale as old as time.’ This classic story of adventure, love, and magic was the International School of Kenya’s recent middle and high school theatre production directed by Jill Hire and Kate Oliverson. Beauty and the Beast was one of the biggest performances this school has ever put on, with over 80 students coming together to sing famous tunes like ‘Gaston’ and ‘Be Our Guest.’ An enchanting musical with an incredible set, Beauty and the Beast was a thrilling experience for all ages.
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Jodi Lake Director of Teaching and Learning
WHY WE NEED TO TEACH EMPATHY TO STUDENTS
As the semester winds down, stress levels at school go up and students and adults may forget how important it is to understand the feelings of others.
1. It helps them to build a sense of security and stronger relationships with other children and educators, positioning them well for learning
Empathy is the ability to
3. It promotes good mental health
understand and share the feelings of another. Empathy has the capacity to transform individual lives for the better while helping to bring about positive social change in schools and communities worldwide. (Edutopia) Empathy is not innate, we must teach it. WHY IS DEVELOPING EMPATHY IMPORTANT FOR CHILDREN? Building an understanding of what others are feeling, how their own actions can impact on others, and why someone might be experiencing feelings at a particular time is a valuable life skill for children to possess. Helping young children to develop a strong sense of empathy is beneficial because:
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2. It encourages tolerance and acceptance of others 4. It promotes social harmony and can reduce the likelihood of bullying Here are a few ideas and videos to support teachers and parents as we work to develop empathy in our students.
30 of the Best Books to Teach Children about Empathy
TEACHING POINT OF VIEW Use the numbers 6 and 9 to teach students about different points of view. First, have students look at the number 6 and then the number 9. Explain to students that the idea for this exercise came from an old Middle Eastern legend in which two princes were at war for many years. One prince looked at the image on the table and said it was a 6, while the other prince said it was a 9. For years the battle raged, and then one day when the princes were seated at the table a young boy turned the tablecloth around, and for the first time, they could see the other’s point of view.
Empathy What is the best way to ease someone’s pain and suffering? In this beautifully animated RSA Short, Dr Brené Brown reminds us that we can only create a genuine empathic connection if we are brave enough to really get in touch with our own fragilities. Child Friendly Version
The war came to an end, and the princes became firm friends.
Goodstart.org Edutopia.org Parenting Science
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Pierina Redler Service Learning Director
SERVICE LEARNING
There is more in you than you think. - Kurt Hahn
KARURA FOREST KARURA FOREST- situated in the midst of a busy city, Nairobi. Here, the forest works as the lungs of the capital, clean and serene. Not only is Karura Forest a beautiful and tranquil place for a walk, it is also buried in heaps of history, as well as serving a crucial part in Nairobi’s environment and keeping all of us healthy. It is essential for life in Nairobi. ISK students are taught to realize this, and why it is their duty to help preserve Karura Forest even while there is a growing demand for land and pressure from many different parties to give away the land. Goals and Purpose This service project has two
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main goals. The first one being to help take care of Karura Forest, to keep Karura forest clean, healthy and safe, and to help Karura Forest tackle the problem of invasive species, as well as tackling problems like litter and helping out with the Karura Nursery. The second goal is to equip students with numerous life skills that they will be using outside the classroom. We aim to teach students about the environment surrounding them and how to take care of it, as well as problem solving skills, collaborative skills and more. Skills in Karura Service Project Students participating in the Karura Forest Service
project are impacting the environment directly. They also learn many collaborative skills, as they need to work together. Grade levels are mixed in this service project, so Middle and High Schoolers work together on various tasks. This semester I was the only student from my grade, and personally, I was pushed to talk with other students who I had never met before. I also noticed this happen between other students. For the most part, other students signed up with a small group of friends who they clung close to at first, yet after the first couple of weeks, the students began to mingle and work together to get tasks done. An ISK student will meet many new people when they join the Karura Service Project and they will also learn many new collaborative skills. On top of collaborative skills, students also learn many new problem solving skills. Students need to solve many problems, starting from finding the fastest way to fill watering cans, the most effective way to collect a raked up pile of leaves, to how to solve the problem of invasive species in Karura Forest. Activities The first couple of weeks are dedicated to exploring and learning about the forest, for
example, learning about the rich history and the problems the forest is facing now. It is also dedicated to learning about the botany, flora and fauna and science of the forest. Then students travel to the Karura Forest nursery where they water seedlings, carefully pot plants and pick up litter. Students also visit the Memorial Garden and the picnic area next to River Cafe where they rake leaves and clean the area. The second to last session is dedicated to planting trees in Karura Forest and this is one of the biggest highlights of the entire semester. The last session is a large picnic with the students and supervisors of the project, where everyone looks back, reflects and celebrates how much they learned and how much they did over the semester. Conclusion Through the Karura Forest Service Project, students learn many life skills and grows people. Students spend about three and a half hours every Wednesday outside in the fresh air surrounded by the pleasant and beautiful Karura Forest where they can spend time with their friends, old and new. This is an amazing experience and great fun for the students, who not only enjoy themselves, but also take a lot away from this service project. Vera, Grade 9
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TUKIMBIE PAMOJA Run Together 2019
After our first successful run last year, we have been working to make this 5K/2K run a tradition at ISK. HS students have been working since last year to put together an event that brings our community together while raising awareness of cancer and providing social and emotional support for cancer patients in Kenya. If you are looking for a fun way to get back in shape after the Holidays, this is the event for you! Last year we had 250 runners and this year we want to raise the bar and have 300! Tickets for the event are now on sale and are 1500 KES. This includes a runner’s shirt, number, reusable water bottle, and finisher’s medal. This year we have a male and female category for our 5K, the first three places of each category will get prizes!
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Your ticket number also becomes your raffle number! Tickets can be purchased via email or in high school classroom N1, please indicate your T-Shirt size (we have adult and child sizes). If you have any questions or want to acquire tickets,
please let me know or contact our student leaders Caleb (ckalu19@isk.ac.ke) and/or Nui (ntrevett19@ isk.ac.ke). Any Elementary student wanting to run the race needs to have a parent accompanying them. Hope to see you there!
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FROM THE ADVANCEMENT OFFICE
Lynn Wells Director of Advancement
Thank you for your support!
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ISK SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM Ensuring that qualified Kenyan students have an opportunity to pursue their education at ISK, regardless of their financial situation, is a hallmark of our scholarship program. Your support ensures that this program is sustainable for years to come and guarantees a “Stepping Stone to the World” for qualified, deserving students like Amani.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
GHETTO CLASSICS ORCHESTRA ARTSCO, ISK’s student-led service learning group, is committed to bringing the joy and beauty of classical music to the children living in Korogocho. To quote the orchestra’s leaders, “Ghetto Classics is the flagship programme of the Art of Music Foundation. It is a community programme that involves over 300 children in Korogocho, one of Kenya’s biggest slums, that is home to about 300,000 urban poor and over 600 more children in 10 satellite areas around Nairobi.”
Service Learning is embedded in the culture of ISK. Our studentled service groups work with schools, environmental groups and a host of other service projects throughout Kenya. Your support of our Community Outreach initiatives provides ISK student groups with access to funding grants to help further their service to the local community.
“We use music education to provide the youth with opportunities to better themselves and their community. We do this by instilling in them the life skills that come with the discipline of studying art music. Our programme also provides them with income generating opportunities.”
BE AN INSPIRATION SUPPORT EDUCATION IN KENYA
These life changing events would not have been possible without you. Thank you for your support and we hope you again support education in Kenya by participating in this year’s Inspiration Initiative. You can direct your donation to any or all of these programs, all of which benefit education for students outside of ISK.
I want to participate Donations are tax deductible to citizens of the USA.
I would like to support the following Inspiration Initiative(s)
Ghetto Classics Orchestra Community Outreach Grants ISK Scholarship Program Any or all of the above
NAME:
Paybill 879400, Acct. ISKAF
Online: http://www.isk.ac.ke/join-us/
support-for-education/make-a-donation
USD or Kes
Cash or check to the ISK Cashier’s Office
Salary deduction The Link (ISK employees)
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Pamela Pappas Communications Manager
LET’S CELEBRATE OUR HOST COUNTRY IN STYLE! VILLAGE MARKET BOWLING ISK COMMUNITY ONLY! Join us for ISK only Bowling Fun at the Village Market Bowling Alley! On Jamhuri Day, December 12th between 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. the ISK Community will have the WHOLE Bowling Alley to ourselves! You must show your ISK ID or wear an ISK T-shirt to enter! PARENTS AND FACULTY/STAFF: DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER AND SO IS AN ISK EDUCATION! Join us for a Benefit Show Room Sale and enjoy 10% discount off of all jewellery while sipping Champagne and enjoying delicious Canapés! Another sweet part of the deal? 10% of all ISK sales on this day will go towards ISK’s Scholarship Program. Joo& CO has a spectacular selection of
tanzanite, pearls and diamonds- spoil yourself or that special someone this holiday season! Register your wish list with Joo and Co by visiting their store before December 12! Check out their collection: http://www.jooandco.co.ke Please also note that our MS/HS Band and Choir will be performing in the New Wing of Village Market- Food Court between 11:00 a.m.- 1:00 p.m.! Thank you in advance to our talented musicians and the dynamic CAD for joining in on the fun! Happy Holidays! Pamela Pappas Communications Manager
Click here to check out this VM&ISK promo film made by our student club - Simba Wakati!
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Happy ay ri D Jamhu autiful e b to our ountry! c host
JAMHURI DAY at Village Market
Let’s celebrate our host country in style! Check out these special Village Market Offers exclusively for the ISK community!
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ISK PTO GENERAL MEETING MINUTES 15 November 2018
Turnout for the November PTO General Meeting was very good with 20 parents attending. Highlighting the morning meeting were the student presentations and discussions. These meetings are open to all parents and teachers and we invite you to attend and learn more about your ISK PTO.
TREASURER’S REPORT Mariann Szalkai Mariann talked through each of the income and expenditure items. There was discussion around request for funding for a Middle School cultural event – Meg McNulty explained the MS PTO group is working with the MS Principal on a month-long event around cultural awareness that is meaningful for the children. A request for funding will be made to the PTO Executive Committee. The hope is that HS and ES will be involved in the MS programme and if it is successful within MS the idea could be extended to HS and ES, recognising the time constraints on PTO parents.
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PTO MOVIE NIGHT The PTO hosted its first movie night of the school year on November 9th, featuring the Disney Pixar animated movie COCO. The turnout was good with many young families enjoying a nice meal of tacos and shawarmas before the show. Many thanks to the MS students who sold drinks, and to Meg McNulty, Mariann Szalkai, Anacleto Gutierrez and Lynn Wells for organizing and volunteering your time! Look out for more PTO movie nights throughout the school year.
Come join us for this incredibly diverse event where students represent the country of their choice for the Parade of Nations followed by the delicious Taste of Nations hosted by the PTO. PARADE OF NATIONS
TASTE OF NATIONS
INTERNATIONAL DAY NEEDS YOU!
If you are traveling home over the December break, please pick up something from your country.
Continent Coordinators will help coordinate the country booths, supplies and food of various countries. Country Representatives will solicit food and decorations from the parent community.
If you are interested in joining the Taste of Nations subcommittee please contact the PTO at pto@isk.ac.ke for further information. Click here to sign up as a volunteer for the Taste of Nations.
An excellent opportunity for your child to dress in traditional clothing or the colors of the country they will represent. Children with multiple nationalities, or who have lived in many places, choose the one country they want to represent for the parade.
The Taste of Nations will feature dishes from all over the world. The PTO is recruiting parents to serve as Continent Coordinators (ideally, 2-3 individuals per continent) and Country Representatives (we would like as many as possible).
The International Day Taste of Nations is one of the biggest annual community events hosted by the PTO and we are looking for volunteers to plan and coordinate the event coming up on January 25, 2019.
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The 2018 Annual FOTA Art Show held November 23-26 was a resounding success. Over 80 Kenyan and East African artists participated in the show, with 67 out 266 pieces sold. Art sales totalled 22,700 USD, while art merchandise sales totalled 560 USD. FOTA raised a total of 4660 USD from commission on the art sales which will go towards funding art education and projects in and around Nairobi.
This year students had the opportunity to vote for their favourite artwork on exhibition and the top voted piece was purchased by FOTA and donated to ISK. The piece voted most favourite by the students was a painting of a leopard entitled Gentle Spots by Ugandan artist Arnold Birungi. The students chose well and the stunning painting will soon have a permanent home at ISK for everyone to enjoy!
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Considering the show was held over Thanksgiving weekend, we are very happy with the outcome! FOTA would like to thank the 30 parent volunteers who made the show happen. Also thanks to the Advancement Office, Operations, Security, IT and Finance for all their support. Thank you to all for another successful FOTA Art Show!
How to Apply for Funding from FOTA Contact FOTA with a description of the project and what they are requesting support for. An ISK contact person must be involved in each project as a FOTA delegate to oversee use of the funds. HOW CAN I BE INVOLVED? We welcome all parents to help with staging events and outreach activities. We have monthly PTO meetings, but can work around anyone’s schedule. JOIN FOTA TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ARTS IN NAIROBI!! For more information please contact the FOTA Co-Chairs:
fota@isk.ac.ke
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WHAT DOES FOTA DO? The Friends of the Arts (FOTA), which is part of the ISK Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO), is a parent-led organization that holds art shows/sales and other events to promote the arts and expose the ISK community to Kenyan artists. FOTA uses the 20% commission generated from art show sales (which is much lower than most galleries) to support art education and projects in and around Nairobi. The following are several of the projects and organizations currently sponsored by FOTA.
Sarakasi Trust responds to the need for the further development and promotion of culture, performing arts and entertainment in East Africa, focusing on acrobatics, dance and music. The Sarakasi Trust receives support from FOTA to run a performing arts training program for children, especially to support trainers and props for the workshops. For more information visit www.sarakasi.org.
ARTISTS 4 DEVELOPMENT
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Artists 4 Development supports emerging Kenyan artists and marginalised school children. They pay artists to teach twice a week at schools, working with the Head Teachers to incorporate arts into the curriculum. The teachers interface with every child in the school across two full days. Of drama, music and art, visual art seems to emerge as a natural favourite. The children paint their stories of home, their portraits and their dreams, using paint, charcoal, pencil and found objects. Currently, thanks to FOTA, two artists are employed to teach at the Maasai School in the Ngong Hills. To learn more contact Nicola Simmonds at zim.nicola@gmail.com.
PROJECTS AT ISK
SLUM DRUMMER
Slum Drummer was supported to hold several drumming workshops at ISK for 5th grade last year.
UPCOMING PROJECTS A mosaic for the MS/HS cafeteria at ISK is underway. FOTA will assist Dance Centre Kenya with rental fees at ISK for the Nutcracker ballet performance on December 9.
ISK
MOSAIC ISK mosaic murals by Debbie Todd and Irene Taylor, near Valentines Coffee Shop and the ES cafeteria.
FARAJA
CANCER SUPPORT TRUST
Faraja Cancer Support Trust receives funding for art materials and professional artists to take part in the Crafts for Cure art therapy program at Kenyatta National Hospital Pediatric Oncology ward. Crafts for Cure enables these kids a welcome distraction from treatments, the chance to hang out with fun people and just get to be kids for an afternoon. Art therapy is used to demystify complicated terms like chemotherapy and as an outlet to deal with the side effects of cancer treatment. For more on Faraja visit www.farajacancersupport.org.
Ghetto Classics is a music education program active in Nairobi’s Korogocho slum and other communities in Kenya. Music education is a route for kids to bring opportunities to youth and their communities. Funding from FOTA assists with the repair of musical instruments. For more information visit www.artofmusic.co.ke/ghetto-classics.
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PTO DUKA VISIT TO KANGEMI RESOURCE CENTRE & MAMA AFRICA
The PTO DUKA organized their first vendor visit for the year on November 13. DUKA Volunteers were delighted to visit the Kangemi Resource Centre, which also houses DUKA vendor MAMA AFRICA, known for their very creative and beautiful kikoy products.
The resource centre was founded in 2007, by Madame Alix d’Ansembourg to support the children of the Kangemi community. 8000 children from surrounding community schools come to the resource centre, to further enrich their educational experience. These community schools don’t receive any government funding, nor do they have the facilities akin to private schools. Yet these children are expected to follow the national curriculum and sit the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exams.
The resource centre houses a library and computer center, where children can access books, do research and learn basic computer skills. The resource centre also holds extra classes throughout the year and they have teachers available to help any child who comes to the resource center.
As the number of children is very high, the resource centre has a roster ensuring all children get the opportunity to visit the centre and use its resources. The resource centre is open throughout the holidays so as to provide continued assistance. The centre also provides basic daycare facilities for younger siblings of the children who come to study as well as women who work in the workshop to make kikoy products for MAMA AFRICA.
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“The resource centre houses a library and computer center, where children can access books, do research and learn basic computer skills.� The Link
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The Kangemi Resource Centre prides itself on the impact they have had on the community, by fostering the love of education in children.
The resource centre also runs a clean water service for the community. The kiosk sells water that has been treated with a stateof-the-art filtration system, to community schools and families for a subsidized rate. Income from the clean water kiosk and Mama Africa are used for upkeep of the community center.
Sparsh is a non-profit organization, committed to helping young adults with intellectual and mental disabilities. Sparsh takes care of special needs adults, ages 18 years and up. Currently they have 17 adults, most of them with Downs Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy and Autism. At Sparsh these special needs adults are gainfully employed and are productive citizens who hate to miss even one day’s work. With individual attention and training they make brown paper envelopes, gift bags, wine bags and chocolates. All the products they make are commercially sold and the proceeds are used to further benefit these adults. Working together as a team instills social skills, patience and understanding in them. This makes Sparsh a very close knit group with very strong bonds. Sparsh also gives them opportunities for social integration; an essential and important aspect of life.
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The volunteers enjoyed some shopping before ending this humbling and wonderful trip.
“8000 children from surrounding community schools come to the resource centre, to further enrich their educational experience.”
SPECIAL EVENTS • ISK Only Bowling at Village Market 10:00 a.m.- 1:00 p.m.
• Joo & CO Benefit Show Room Sale at Village Market 10:00 a.m.- 6:00 p.m.
• MS/HS Band& Choir Performances at Village Market 11:00 a.m.- 1:00 p.m.
** All events take place in the New Wing of Village Market
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Accredited fully by the Middle States Association of Schools in the United States and the Council of International Schools in Europe.
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