The Link by Aliant Brands

ISSUE 46 VOLUME 5 NOVEMBER 2016

BOARD POSITIONS OPEN

Be of service to the ISK community. Join the board of directors. Do you have what it takes to serve? Read more on page 4

ISK ATHLETICS

SEASON 1 - Conclusion. What an exciting season we have just completed!

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About ISK The International School of Kenya (ISK) is a private, non-profit PreK-Grade 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 915 students from more than 60 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 crosscultural 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 multimillion 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 Janet Muasya DESIGN & PRODUCTION Mario Zamfir - SchoolBrand.com Copyright © 2016 The Link Copyright © 2016 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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5 Message from the Board of Directors The Board was delighted to have the Round Square students attend the meeting. They told us about the excellent Round Square conference they have just attended in Germany. 13 MS Art Exhibition Throughout October, the creative talent of the MS ART classes was highlighted by an exhibition at the CAD Arts Center. 24 ISK Athletics Department What an exciting season we have just completed! Read on to find out about how our teams bonded, improved and achieved 31 Service Learning Read on to find find out about the many projects our students were involved in. 44 PTO Message from the co-chairs

4 6 10 16 46 Director Letter

ES Report

MS Report

HS Report

International Day

Are you interested in serving on the ISK Board of Directors? See what the four main responsibilities of a board member are

A sincere thank you to the elementary school PTO team for all their hard work to make annual Holiday Bazaar such a wonderful success

On November 3rd, the ES students completed the Annual Spectathlon, a fund-raising event for service projects connected to the Inter-Cultural Trips

This section is dedicated primarily to helping parents understand and keep track of the HS plans and expectations over the next few busy weeks

Start making plans to attend this incredibly diverse event where students will represent a country of their choice for the Parade of Nations followed by the delicious Taste of Nations hosted by the PTO

Read more on page 46

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Service on the ISK Board of Directors: Are You Interested? Dear ISK Community, 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. When families move on so do School Board members, those that are parents of students at ISK. Two of our elected Board of Director members’ terms end this school year. They will not be running for re-election as they are transitioning out of the ISK parent community. The two vacancies for elected members are filled during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) scheduled for April 26, 2017 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. 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.

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In addition to the four elected members from the parent community, the Board of Directors self-appoints two members to three year terms. Finally, the Canadian High Commission and the Embassy of the United States of America appoint the three final members. One could say there are four major responsibilities of ISK’s Board of Directors. • First is strategic planning. The Board of Directors is responsible for establishing, evaluating and reviewing the strategic direction of ISK. • Second is in the area of finance where the board is responsible for fiscal understanding and oversight of the school. It plans for the annual budget and ensures the annual audit of financial statements. • Third, the Board is responsible for the formulation and approval of school policy assisted in this task by the Director and administration. • Finally, the board is responsible for hiring, 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 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? If you would like to learn more, please join ISK’s Governance Orientation session on Tuesday, December 6th at 4pm in the Commons Conference Room. You are welcome to join the one-hour meeting even if you are just interested in learning how governance at ISK works. Let me or Board Chair, Vicky Cole (iskbodvc@gmail.com) know what questions you might have about governance and serving on the ISK Board of Directors. If you cannot make this orientation, but remain interested please contact us. Sincerely, David G. Henry Director

GREETINGS FROM THE

PUBLIC NOTICE The board is now thinking about the 2017-18 school year. We have two Board positions coming up for parent elected board members. The Board of Directors is a critical part of the school with responsibility for strategic planning and fiduciary oversight, among other things. If you have the qualities, interest and time needed to serve the school by taking a position on the board, please come along to our Governance Orientation session on Tuesday 6 December at 4:00pm in the Commons Conference Room to find out more! Come to the meeting even if you are just interested in finding out how the governance at ISK works - attendance will not commit you to running for election! Also, if you are interested but can’t make that meeting, please let me know on iskbodvc@gmail. com.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS It’s hard to believe but the Board of Directors held its final board meeting of this semester on 15 November! We were delighted to have Round Square students attending who told us about the excellent Round Square conference they have just attended in Germany. ASB rep Shadwal told us about the Simba Soko shop that has just opened. DeeDee Werner gave us an update on university acceptances for the ISK Class of 2016. The top three destinations for ISK graduates were the USA, the UK and Canada, but there were many other countries represented. 80% of students were happy that they had been accepted at one of their top choices. Total scholarship offers for the Class of 2016 were over $1.8 million! Well done to our newest alumni. David Henry gave a quick overview of a dashboard that is used by many international schools for comparison purposes in areas such as tuition fees, student demographics and many others.

Vicky Cole Chair Elected

Nadeem Noordin Vice Chair

Susan Learoyd Appointed by CHC

René Berger Member Elected

Mathieu Roy Appointed by CHC

Ambasador Josiah Frost Appointed by Board

Lane Bunkers Member Elected

Mimi Steward Member Elected

David Henry Ex-Officio

With best wishes to all the ISK community for a wonderful vacation! Vicky Cole Board Chair

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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Patricia Salleh Matta Elementary School Principal

REPORT

A very sincere thank you to the elementary school PTO team: Shekufeh Monadjem, Kavita Shivadey, Samela Priestley, Eleanor Miller and Karen Leteipan for all their hard work that went into ensuring that the annual Holiday Bazaar was such a wonderful success. We all really appreciate your organization, set up and monitoring of the process during the day. The venue was wonderful this year and though this was an elementary school initiative all the ISK community benefited. Sincerely asante sana. We have another busy week ahead of us as the Creative Arts Music Department is preparing for the end of semester one holiday concerts. Please note that the ES Art Show will be showing in the foyer of the Arts Centre from next week. It is a wonderful display of semester one learning and every child has at least one piece of art displayed. Please be sure to come to ISK so you can have a chance to browse through this wonderful exhibition. STUDENTS ARRIVING BEFORE 8AM IN THE MORNING Increasingly it has been brought to my attention that students are arriving as early as 7.30am and playing on the ES playgrounds, unsupervised. Please do not drop off your child before 8:00am in the morning, as this is the time we have staff on duty. Students in and around the ES and on the playgrounds before this time are completely unsupervised and if there

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is an accident then there is no adult to take care of any emergency. I realize that there may be times that you need to bring your child in early. If this is the case, please bring them to the ESO where Lillian &/or I are available to supervise them until 8:00am. Thank you for your understanding.

and ensure that the child is not left waiting at the ISK security office for an unreasonable duration of time. The same expectations apply for weekends and holidays.

As per our handbook please note that our dropping off procedure is as follows:

• Permission to walk home requires residency in close proximity to the school and a letter from the parents submitted through the relevant divisional office. No student is allowed to walk off campus without explicit permission of the parent.

It is the parent’s’ responsibility to ensure that their child arrives on time each school day and is picked up promptly at the end of the day’s activities. For families that do not use the bus service and arrange their own transportation, students should be dropped at school by 8:10am. Pickup time is dependent on student afterschool activity choices. For all after-school activities that finish after 5:00pm, it is the responsibility of parents to collect their student from the ISK Upper Parking Lot in a timely manner. From 5:30pm onwards, students will be expected to await collection at the upper gate pick-up area next to the ISK security office. The High School and Art Center parking lots will not be available for afterhours student pick-up except in the case of special events that take place after hours in the arts center or high school buildings. If needed, students can use the security office phone at the upper gate to let parents know that they are awaiting collection. It is the parent’s’ responsibility to make appropriate arrangements for their child’s safe collection from school,

Important additional information about student departure from the ISK campus:

• Permission to leave campus by means other than private ISK-stickered transportation or school transportation (e.g., taxi) requires explicit parental permission submitted through the relevant divisional office, otherwise the student will be held at security in the interest of safety until the parent collects their child. ISK does not support the use of motorcycle taxis as a safe means of student transportation. • In an after-hours emergency, parents can communicate directly with the ISK security office (0733-524174) to inform the school and grant permission for alternate transportation arrangements. Patricia Salleh Matta Elementary School Principal

“Safari Njema!” ES Music Concerts in December Dec. 6 - 2:00 p.m. All students in Grades 2 & 3

Dec. 8 - 2:00 p.m. All students in Grades Kg & 1

Dec. 9 - 2:00 p.m. All students in Grades 4 & 5

All 3 Elementary Music Concerts will be held in the ISK Theater. All ISK families and parents are invited to attend any and all of the concerts. In conjunction with the ES Concerts, the ES Art Department will be staging the December Art Show, “Safari Njema,” featuring artwork from every ES student.

Dates to Remember in

DECEMBER

05 –09

Mon-Fri

ES Concerts/ ES Art Show

Thu

End of ES Q2 Co-curricular Activities

2:00 pm

Mon

Jamhuri Day (Public Holiday)

No School

Tue

ES Farewell Assembly

10:00 am

Fri

Last day of Semester 1

Noon dismissal for students

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MIDDLE SCHOOL

Craig Baker Middle School Principal

ANNUAL SPECTATHLON On the morning of November 3rd, we completed our annual Spectathlon, a fund-raising event for our various service projects connected to our

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REPORT Inter-Cultural Trips. It was a drizzling, rainy morning, but our runners, walkers, and swimmers persevered. This year we added a new event, a dance-athon, which was a huge hit with

probably half of our middle school students. Thus far the students have raised an amazing amount of funds with the sixth grade at $5615, seventh at $1533, and eighth at $3241,

with more money being deposited. Thanks for supporting this event and for your generous donations.

HEALTHY DIGITAL LIFE For the past two weeks, middle school students have been learning about living a healthy digital life in their advisories. Our students face the digital world 24/7 in their daily lives. The advisory activities addressed learning about digital footprints, thinking before posting online and in chats, and the effect of online activities in the present and future. Students also learned tips on how to handle situations where inappropriate things may happen online, such as meanness, harassment, and cyberbullying. The objective of these activities was to give students

toolboxes with the skills to navigate the digital world and cultivate conversations with peers about things they can do to have a positive impact on their relationships. The teacher-advisors have shared some amazing conversations that they have had with their advisees around this topic. We encourage you to speak with your children about what they have learned and discussed in their advisories. FINAL ASSEMBLY FOR SEMESTER ONE Our last assembly for this semester is scheduled for Wednesday, December 14th,

beginning at 8:20 a.m. This assembly will be a showcase of student learning as well as some music and dramatic performances. You are more than welcome to attend. HOLIDAY SOCIAL Our Holiday Social is set for this Friday, December 2nd, from 5 to 8 p.m. in the Commons. Dancing, games, videos, and snacks are all a part of the plan. The cost is 400 Ksh, or students bringing a snack for ten will have free admittance. Parents, please be in the upper parking lot by 7:45 p.m. to collect your children.

MIDDLE SCHOOL CONCERT Our semester one middle school concert on Thursday provided a wide range of musical performances. This included our Beginning Band, Concert Band, a String Ensemble, African Drum Circle, and MS Choir. This concert demonstrated the amazing talent and creativity we have in our middle school. Thanks to Tim Willson, Barissa Dhidha, and the Creative Arts Department for a very successful program. The middle school private lesson recital will be after school on Tuesday, December 13th.

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7th Grade Website Design for Irura School

In the third week of October, our middle school students embarked on intercultural trips where they had the opportunity to learn from cultures and lifestyles different than what they are accustomed to. The seventh grade had this opportunity while on their trip interacting and working with their peers at the Irura School just outside of Ol’ Pejeta. One group of seventh graders took on the task of creating a website for Irura School. The requirements were that the website would be professional quality and tell the story and mission of Irura. Prior to the trip, the web design group structured themselves into three smaller sub-groups: photographers, journalists, and coders.

Middle School Spanish students celebrate the Day of the Dead! This past month Middle School Spanish students took part celebrating the Day of the Dead. This day is celebrated on the 2nd of November in Latin America. Some countries highlight this day with great enthusiasm, color, traditional food, parades, arts, crafts, and so much more! During Spanish class, students learned about the significance of this cultural event and took the opportunity to remember someone special.

The photographers spent time browsing the various websites of other schools to see the quality of photos that they have, while also keeping an eye out for the artistic qualities of how photography can be an important factor for telling the story of that school. On the IC trip, they used that artistic eye to capture quality photographs, which they then edited and put on the site upon returning to ISK. Just like their photographer counterparts, the journalists also scoured through various websites. However, they were looking to see how the language for a school’s website is worded, as well as what information is needed. They came up with numerous interview questions for students, teachers, and the director of Irura School. Each journalist was tasked with trying to get a true sense of the culture within Irura School, while bringing those interviews back to ISK and condensing it into shorter chunks of information that would convey to the reader Irura’s mission and philosophy. The last third of the web design groups, the coders, had the laborious task of looking through basic building blocks of HTML5, CSS, and JavaScript to code the video banner on the homepage of the website. They quickly learned just how important every period, colon, or space was within code; one small missing part would cause it not to work.

Spanish A students put together masks with colourful skulls and enjoyed some time together along with sweet and savoury treats. Spanish B and C students learned how to make authentic corn tortillas and took part in the celebrations as well. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support which makes activities like this possible. Muchas gracias! Mrs. Taylor

All three sub-groups within the Web Design project came together to create what is now a live responsive website with a custom domain name, www.IruraSchool.com . They added an “Our Community” page, which features the work of two other ISK project groups, the performing arts group and digital storytelling group, to give insight into the broader Kikuyu culture and neighborhoods surrounding the Irura School. All the students participating to make this a reality should be proud of their work! Please do take the time to check it out at www.IruraSchool.com to see the scope of what they have accomplished. Daniel Corrigan, 7th Grade Faculty

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MS Art Exhibition Throughout October, the creative talent of the MS ART classes was highlighted by an exhibition at the CAD Arts Center. In collaboration with the drama department, ISK hosted a reception to celebrate the accomplishments of faculty and students in both programs. Works of art from students in grades 6, 7, 8 and the new semester-long Art Explore class demonstrated the innovations and creative talent of our students in individual and group projects. Self-portraits, monoprint and collograph printmaking, paintings, digital photoshop prints, and mixed-media experimental and conceptual work, including artwork that addressed a social issue support the role of visual thinking and media literacy as a part of core art curriculum. Congratulations to everyone who contributed to an exciting, skill-based, colorful and diverse celebration of the arts. Teresa Tipton MS Art Teacher

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MS Art Exhibition

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HIGH SCHOOL

Rob Blanchard High School Principal

REPORT

It has been a great semester in the high school – hard to believe that we are now heading into our last full week of classes for semester one, with culminating assessments/examinations taking place from December 10-16. This message is dedicated primarily to helping parents to understand and keep track of plans and expectations over the next few busy weeks. But before the nuts-and-bolts side of this article let me take a moment to say how proud I am and honored I feel to serve as principal in a high school where students, teachers, and parents work so openly and constructively together to promote a common vision as a community while helping to ensure the supportive, positive development of each student. Day in and day out I see ISK students committed to knowing themselves and owning their learning, setting a high bar, working hard and taking the right kinds of risks, actively listening to the perspectives of others, caring deeply about peers and communal well-being, and dreaming big while taking ethical action when it comes personal aspirations, serving others, and efforts to better our world. GRADE 9, 10, AND 11 PARENT INFORMATION 1. End-of-semester final assessments span Dec 8-15 Students will sit a 2-hour final assessment for their courses during the final assessment week in December. Please refer to the schedule in Moodle or this Link. Here are some special notes:

• Art 1, Art 2, Yearbook and IB HL/SL Art 1 have special culminating tasks that require them to be on campus until later in the school day. Please ensure you have the appropriate transport

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arranged as there are no 5:00 p.m. buses during this period. • Monday December 12th is a public holiday - no school • Wednesday December 14th and Thursday December 15th are for conflicts and make-up exams only. • All students are expected at school on Fri 16th December - this school day follows a special schedule and finishes at 12:00 noon. 2. Narrative report comments and Semester One Grades In order to help our students prepare for these assessments teachers will be writing narrative report comments. The purpose of the narrative comments is to provide students with feedback for their upcoming end of Semester Assessments.

• On Friday 25th December, Grade 9-11 students narrative report comments were posted in PowerSchool. • All High School students and parents can access final Semester One grades in PowerSchool on Friday 16th December. 3. ESOL and Learning Support students All ESOL and Learning Support students will receive more information from their Learning Support or ESOL teacher in regards to the location of their exam and accommodations.

4. Transport/Buses and leaving campus: 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 10:30 a.m. If your child does not have an exam from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. and you allow them to leave campus after the morning exam finishes, we require parental permission. Please email the HS office in advance if you allow your child to leave early. GRADE 12 PARENT INFORMATION 1. End-of-Semester Assessments span Dec 8-15 Seniors will sit a 2-hour final assessment for all courses except second year IB courses. All Year 2 IB candidates will work on their IB internal assessment requirements during the final assessment week in December, as follows:

• TOK presentation

• English A Lit SL & HL, French A Lang & Lit SL, and /or Italian IOC’s • Group 4 Individual Investigations (use of lab space • Work on IB internal assessments (decided in consultation with the IB coordinator) • Write final exams (except for second year IB courses). Please see Moodle or refer to the schedule in this Link.

• A letter from Mrs Henderson was given to all Grade 12 students, which allows students to list the major assessment tasks to be completed during the December final assessment session. Please review this form with your child and ensure that is has been returned to the High School office. 2. Narrative report comments and Semester One Grade In order to help our Grade 12 students prepare for these assessments teachers will be writing narrative report comments. The purpose of the narrative comments is to provide students with feedback for their upcoming end of Semester Assessments.

• On Friday 2nd December, Grade 12 students narrative report comments will be posted in PowerSchool. Please be aware that PowerSchool grades

will not be accessible from Friday 25th November as faculty upload their narratives. • All seniors can access their final semester grades in PowerSchool on Friday 16th December. 3. ESOL and Learning Support students All ESOL and Learning Support students will receive more information from their Learning Support or ESOL teacher in regards to the location of their exam and accommodations. 4. Transport/Buses and leaving campus Students should arrive to school using their normal means of transport. School buses will run as normal in the mornings. Grade 12 students must sign into school. All students must sign out (obtain a gate pass) if they leave campus before 1pm.

LATE BUSES Last day for 5:00 p.m. late buses this semester will be Friday Dec 9th (also, no late buses on Wed Dec 7th). 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. Kind regards, Robert Blanchard, Ed.D. High School Principal

During the exam session only, seniors are allowed to leave campus whenever they are done with their work for the day, regardless of the time. Seniors simply sign out in the office with parents responsible for transportation. Buses will run at 1:15 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.

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Work Experience. we need your support. Can you help? The aim of the ISK Work Experience program is to encourage Grade 10 students to explore and develop their passion(s) and give them meaningful exposure to the workplace. For school year 2016-17, we plan to unfold Phase 1 of the program, with a target of 50% of Grade 10 students off-campus and in the workplace during the week of March 6th-11th, 2017. In order to begin the process and gather all stakeholders, the High School will be hosting a Career fair on February 8th, 2017.

We are currently looking for community partners who could help with the program, and you are our best resource! If you know of anyone within the Nairobi community who may be willing to support the program please feel free to forward this information to them. Please contact SĂŠverine Fumoux (sfumoux@isk. ac.ke) or Jarrod Dale (jdale@isk. ac.ke) if you are interested in supporting the program or have any further queries. We look forward to hearing from you. Severine Fumoux

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WAYS YOU COULD SUPPORT THE PROGRAM:

1. As a guest speaker for our working seminars. We are looking for speakers who can share their professional experiences and words of wisdom about the sector they work in (taking place on Mondays 11:20am - 11:50am); 2. As presenters during the Career Fair hosted by ISK on February 8th, 2017; 3. As hosts during the work placement week of March 6-11, 2017; 4. As potential mentors at the workplace during the week of March 6-11, 2017.

NATIONAL

MERIT

SCHOLAR FINALISTS

LETTER OF COMMENDATION: Marshall Frey SEMIFINALIST, IN RUNNING FOR FINALIST: Ella Frigyik This year, two ISK students were honored in the National Merit Scholarship Program. The National Merit Scholarship Program is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships that began in 1955. High school students enter the National Merit Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT) in 11th gradeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a test which serves as an initial screen of approximately 1.6 million entrants each year. Marshall Frey was awarded a Letter of Commendation for outstanding performance on the PSAT/NMSQT. More than twothirds (about 34,000) of the approximately 50,000 high scorers on the test receive Letters of Commendation in recognition of their outstanding academic promise.

Marshall Frey

Ella Frigyik has been named a semi-finalist based on her outstanding performance and academic promise and is entered to be a finalist in this competition. Approximately one-third of the 50,000 high scorers, are notified that they have qualified as Semifinalist. Dee Dee Werner HS Counselor

Ella Frigyik

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Jodi Lake Director of Teaching and Learning

WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BEEN HAPPENING? In the Teaching and LEARNING Center we have been so busy with learning for students, teachers, and parents.

Our music teachers participated in a special instrumental conducting institute with guest conductor, Donald Schleicher.

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Initial MAP scores for students in grades 3 and 6 are back and the results were very strong!

Melanne Randall (our consulting Occupational Therapist) worked with teachers and TA’s in the Sensory Integration Center. Nine parents have embarked on an online course on “How to Learn Mathematics.”

Gr. 7 students created a website and installed an interactive whiteboard for Irura School while on their IC trip.

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Will Moore Athletics Director

ISK ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT

SEASON 1 - Conclusion What an exciting season we have just completed! Read on to find out about how our teams bonded, improved and achieved……. VARSITY FOOTBALL 2016/17 Rosslyn Tournament- For many of us this was the second time participating in the Rosslyn tournament, but all of us had big hopes to follow the win from last year but we knew it wouldn’t be

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easy. We started the tournament with 3 wins and 1 draw against Strathmore, Aga khan, Braeburn Garden Estate and NIS. We were quite inconsistent with our performances in the group stage, some games we played very fluid, expansive and entertaining football while other we were quite rigid and unimaginative, but we managed to get the results nevertheless which got us the top spot in the group. This meant that we qualified directly to the semi-final where we played Rosslyn who were out for revenge after the friendly game at ISK. It was very high tempo and endto-end game neither team was able to score in the regular time, but we were able to snatch the win in golden goal. Shortly after we were up against Brookhouse in the final, a team who we had played last year in the tournament. Brookhouse were very hungry for the win and fought very hard on the field, so did we which could have been reflected in the amount of chances we had, but at the end it was about who fought harder and Brookhouse just edged out with a 1-0 win.

RVA TOURNAMENT The RVA tournament was our second tournament this season, seeing as though we did not perform to the standard that we wanted to in the previous tournament, this was a good chance for us to try reach our goals and play to the standard that we would like. So for the first couple of games we played well enough to keep our lead on the table but still felt like we were able to do better. After those few games it was lunch time, during that time we got the chance to reflect on the games and for our coach to think tactically. This clearly boosted us throughout the rest of the tournament. We drew our next match, more importantly we played well and managed to advance into the knockout stages. After that we still kept our form despite us being really fatigued. We faced a very talented side but we were not there to give as we were still far from done. We went there with passion and confidence and we played the way we wanted to play,

entertaining football. We showed the other teams what we were capable of doing as we won 4-0 against Strathmore. We then had Brookhouse in the finals where we had played them in the group stage and they proved to be our hardest game of the tournament drawing 1-1. This time we were not going to let them win. We had the advantage because we knew how they played and we could alter our formation and the way we play. We went out with nothing to fear and fully focused. It was a difficult game but will still managed to dominate but we weren’t gettining goals. In the last moment we pulled ourselves together and finished the game courtesy of Caleb’s goal.It was a wonderful tournament and we took a lot out of that expierence. LEAGUE The season started off with a bang, We the varsity boys were winning game by such great margins. We were scoring goals for fun, players like Richard and Caleb Kalu showing off what it means to be an ISK Varsity striker. It was a comfortable winning streak with many goals. Most teams would be satisfied with those scores, but not us Varsity boys. We were winning big, but not playing the type of football we would have liked, we were not playing to our full potential. Coach Sags believed that we were capable of playing a dominating style of football that would be envied by other teams. It took a while but after the RVA tournament everything clicked. We started to play really good football, the ball

was flying smoothly and our connection was brilliant, but we were unable to put away as many goals. Our goal average dropped from 5 to 2. This was us the real Varsity boys playing as a team. We had been undefeated last season, that run continued for the first few games of the year. Even though we were dominating the league our run came to an end when we managed to pick up a 1-0 loss to Rosslyn Academy.

This was a great lesson for the boys, we learned that the dominant team isn’t always

the one that ends up on top, a single goal can- make the difference, no matter how well or poorly you play. This is something we would carry all the way through the season. We picked ourselves up and we continue to play entertaining football as a team. We played well in the last few fixtures as we won all of them.

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Some very strong opponents we had and their aim was to stop the mighty lions but we had to put everything on the field and not give up till the last whistle. This helped us to succeed. There was a three-way tie with 2 other teams but we made it to first spot in the league due to goal difference. That said we managed to drop less points this season than any year before. We would play a fourth place team in the league which was the talented side, Strathmore. We had played them in the past so we knew how the played and the coach was spot on with the tactics. We scored 3 early goals to give them no chance to comeback but the scored 1 early in the second half and they were able to prevent us from scoring more. We were able to win 3-1 moving on to the league final. LEAGUE FINAL We came out league champions this season, playing one of the most intense games ever. We played our league final against Rosslyn and at this point they were the only team in the league who had beaten us for the last two years, making that much more stressful. The game started off quite horribly for us, going down 2-0 before halftime. We then started the second half and started playing more like ourselves. Before the end of the second half we had scored 2 goals and had evened the game out, forcing it to go to extra time. Extra time passed and right before the end, disaster struck. It was the last few seconds of the second half of extra time and we gave away a penalty. This was the second penalty

MS A BOYS FOOTBALL TEAM

This season brought mixed results. A strong start in our first game, a four in a row sudden dip, a consolation draw in our last game and a reprieve in the ISK end of season tournament. The games produced good individual skills but the results did not always follow. Our Lion Paws remained retracted and we could not claw our opponents. We are looking forward to developing a Lion’s pride that will hunt as a group and sharpen its claws with a more “pressing game” and positional awareness. A good impression was made at the ISK tournament. There was determination and good progression from the regular season. A quarterfinal and semi final spot form the two A teams entered was well earned. Well-done Jai, Gerald, Max T, Adam, Nick, Bart, Rayan, Miguel, Sebastian, Max L, Alexis, Jordi, Peter, Marco, August, Jack, Ethan, Aidan, Avik. Keep roaring. Keep hunting. To our parents, thank you for your support. Your presence at the games was appreciated and valuable. Captain: Max Thomle Assisted by: Jai Shah Coach: Mr. Otieno

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Rosslyn had been given during this game. The Rosslyn player placed the ball and got ready to take. The team looked over at our goalkeeper, Derrick and saw him smiling. We had made it this far and he looked happy that Rosslyn had the chance to possibly win the game. Then we all thought about why he may be smiling and after the penalty was taken is when we knew. The penalty was saved by Derrick and then cleared off the line by Slate and that is simply why derrick had a big smile, because he knew he was going to save that penalty. Once extra time had ended it was time for a penalty shootout. We had 5 penalty takers in total. Up until the final penalty everyone had scored except for one Rosslyn player, meaning it ended up going down to our captain to win it. Of course Richard scored it and we ended up being victorious as everyone ran and jumped on him. When Richard struck the ball and it bulged in the net, the scene was insane. The sound the fans were making and the stampede of people running onto the field was amazing and unforgettable for anyone who was there on the day. As we now look on to ISSEA it was a very memorable season for each and every individual. Hopefully ISK can repeat this success for years to come. Contributors: Tazanal, Marcel, Lei, Caleb, Moses, Kinnar and Derrick

ISK SWIMMING GALA NOVEMBER 11-12, 2016 This Swimming meet was a great opportunity for ISK to test the newly acquired score board and touch pads. This time around we attracted fourteen schools and well over 1500 entries for the various age groups. The youngest age group was 8yrs with the 16/over coming together for the chase of the medals. The first event was the 200m with a total of four swimmers from the Lions: Marie Vandermeulen, Fatma Ahmed, Ezell Wambua and Kareena Padamshi. The Lions finished 1,2,3 heading into the finals, giving hope for dominance in this event. The results were as follows. MENâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S TEAM ISK Lions Peponi School Hillcrest International WOMENâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S TEAM ISK Lions Kenton College Oshwal Academy

1st Place (337 points) 2nd Place (151 points) 3rd Place (139 points)

1st Place (272 points) 2nd Place (219 points) 3rd Place (176 points)

MEDAL COUNT GOLD ISK Lions 26 Kenton College 20 Hillcrest 13

SILVER 31 7 4

BRONZE 19 13 4

Thank you to all the parents and professional officials who helped run this 2-day meet. Kind regards Zak Musembi Head swim coach-ISK

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The Middle School Boys B Football Team had a great season and remained undefeated this year! Their Captain Aliyaz did a great job in leading the team and ensuring that they maintained their high level of discipline. Tawana showed great goal scoring capabilities, scoring 9 goals throughout the season. The team had great chemistry and worked extremely well together. In the course of the season all the players confidence improved tremendously and it was amazing to watch them grow from strength to strength. HULL CITY COACHES AT ISK At the U14 Football tournament we were lucky enough to welcome two coaches, Richard

Naylor and Kris Blakeston from Hull City Football Club in England. Richard Naylor also played in the Premier League for Ipswich and Leeds United. They are working on a project with Sportpesa to select a team from all over Kenya to go and play against Hull City in the UK in February. Coach Anthony Kimani is involved in the selection and is narrating a documentary of the whole process. The coaches really enjoyed watching the Middle School teams play and the boys had the chance to ask them questions and get some top tips! We are hoping they will come back in January to work with the boys again.

ISK VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT This tournament was truly a wonderful opportunity for our ISSEA teams to prepare for the tournament in South Africa. The girls victoriously took home first place, as did the boys. We were able to exercise our strengths and identify our weaknesses, leading to every single individual challenging themselves to improve after each rally, aiming to play their best during every game. This tournament allowed us to become a more tight knit unit, a stronger team. There is always something to improve upon, but I feel like the girls volleyball team is ready to bring it at ISSEA!! ISSEA VOLLEYBALL BOYS It’s All About the Journey. This year’s ISSEA boys volleyball tournament in Johannesburg, South Africa, was a highly anticipated event. With a the most experienced squad in the field, expectations were high going in. In fact, six Lions would be playing their final volleyball matches for ISK - Macune Gilruth, Jason Musee,

Jordan Orth-Moore, Omer Millo, Jason Travis and Max Weltz. All had competed in multiple ISSEAs and were hoping to cap off their respective careers with a gold medal. Following a spirited opening ceremonies, complete with traditional dancers and drummers, it was time for matches to begin. ISK found themselves in a pool with ICS (Ethiopia), IST (Tanzania), and ISU (Uganda), a team ISK had failed to beat in the previous two tournaments. Despite a few moments of ragged play, ISK came out of pool play unscathed, defeating all three opponents in straight sets. The overwhelming feelings among the team was “This is our year.” Even more impressive than the 3-0 record was the fact that all team members were able to make positive contributions in every single match, including 9th grader Michele Zandri, who was quickly making a name for himself as a clutch server.

The first two play-off matches also went according to plan, with ISK dispatching AISL (Zambia) and HIS (Zimbabwe) with relative ease. The stage was set for a showdown with the home team from Jo’burg - AISJ. The Eagles were in the process of creating a bit of a dynasty, having won the title two years in a row, and they were not to be overlooked. The atmosphere for the final was electric - loud, raucous and largely proAISJ, but there certainly was a vocal pocket of ISK fans as well. Coaches Secret and Werner hoped for a quick ISK start, but with nerves a little rattled, it wasn’t to be. AISJ pulled ahead early, compliments of a few ISK unforced errors, and simply didn’t look back. The Lions were handed their first loss of the tournament, and found themselves in familiar territory - down. However, they weren’t about to roll over, and come out in the second set doubly focused. Led by the quick-attacking

of JD OrthMoore, the Lions creating a narrow cushion for themselves mid-way through the set. However, once again, unforced mental errors were their undoing, and AISJ took advantage of a few hiccups to secure their third straight ISSEA crown. It was a heartbreaking loss, and one that will surely be difficult to forget. For some, it was a four year journey that was supposed to culminate in victory. But in competition, as in life, the best laid plans often go a little haywire. However, the time spent together - the blood, sweat and tears - is what matters more than anything.

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ISSEA TRACK AND FIELD UGANDA Despite thunderstorms forecast for every single day of the competition, the blue skies held, and the earth cracked open, drier with each passing day. Cross Country was, as always, on the first day. The bustle of the Opening Ceremony absorbed us all for an hour or so, but the clock ticked reliably towards 10. In a funny turn of events, the race would be our first of the season, and our nerves were on high tension. The course was fairly straightforward, but the sun was intense. We ran out of the school and through some pasture, racing between small trees before turning onto a tarmac road. The gravel soon gave way to dirt, which twisted and turned through small villages and houses with corrugated

tin roofs. Our team held together near the front, with Molly taking the lead from the very beginning. By the end we were more spaced out, but still held our own. The sun was blistering, unforgiving, and after crossing the finish line we soon forgot our own pain, supporting collapsing runners to the sidelines. Dehydration was pervasive, and our team spent the entire morning helping out those who had pushed themselves to their limits. Despite the toughness of the course, we won silver overall in Cross Country. The performances only got better from there. Molly shattered records in half of her track events, winning all of them by a sizeable margin. We had impressive

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efforts in field events, where many of our athletes made it into the finals. Other brilliant performances included a breathtaking 800m by Marcel and Slate, first and second respectively, incredible sprints by two of our youngest runners, Talya and Keshia, and back to back gold for girls and boys in the final two events of the competition: the 4x400m relays. Every athlete on our team pushed as hard as they could, and the level of support was exceptional. We have just one meet left, Kasarani, and after such a solid performance at ISSEA, we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait to see what the future has in store. Ella Frigyik, Grade 12

To simply look at B Teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s record, or even the scores of games, would be to miss the most important lesson of the season: hard work pays off. We began the year as a group of girls who wanted to learn to play basketball of which many did not know the rules of the game and struggled with the simplest skills needed to play. We ended the season not only winning a game, but

as a cohesive unit that had grown immensely and each girl walked away holding their head up because each knew she had contributed to the growth of the squad. Keep it up, girls! Congratulations to: Ankita, Anne, Jimin, Moe, Maisha, Soraya, Vaunshika, Yanna, Tessa, Abby, Hana, Aashima, Marta, Hibo, Albright, Caroline, Azza

SERVICE LEARNING

Pierina Redler Service Learning Director

There is more in you than you think. - Kurt Hahn

PHILOSOPHY

The ISK Service Learning program provides meaningful opportunities for students to initiate and reflect upon sustainable community projects that are mutually beneficial. These projects cultivate both personal and community growth, while building recognition of human interdependence.

AIMS

The over arching aim of our service learning program is to develop students who are confident and competent in contributing to and learning from their community. Students will be able to apply these learned skills and dispositions, starting with their home and family and working towards impacting the global community. ISK’s service learning program therefore aims to:

A. DEVELOP INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE:

• Reflective thinkers who are balanced intellectually, physically, creatively and emotionally • Willing to accept new challenges and new roles • Responsible for and aware of each other, the community and the environment • Aware of their personal impact on a community and are empowered to act upon it • Initiating opportunities which broaden their understanding of community • Dedicated to a sustainable, collaborative project

B. HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON A COMMUNITY BY: • Creating community networks

• Modeling positive values of altruism, selflessness and community responsibility • Identifying and addressing real world issues • Ensuring environmental stewardship

At ISK service learning is integrated into the academic learning experience through a wide and varied community program. Each week our enthusiastic students participate in various school service programs with many more participating in projects on the weekends with their families. Some of the projects

our students undertake are reforestation projects, painting murals, bead making with the women of Kibera, peer mentoring and reading programs, animal protection, building programs, library assistance and special needs and care. During our afternoon service

learning program, students learn to work for a common goal and by doing so acquire a variety of skills, such as how to lead, how to be accountable, how to communicate ideas, how to listen to others, and how to work as a team to reach a goal. It also empowers our students with the realization that they can make a difference in our world today.

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HeARTS CHRISTMAS PARTY

HeArts members had the privilege of organizing a Christmas party for Little Prince, a local school here in Kenya. HeArts has been working with Little Prince for the past semester and saw it fitting to throw a fun Christmas party to end the year. Members of the group along with Ms. Pappas worked really hard

to make decorations and transform the Art Room into a festive environment, by wrapping presents and setting up a Christmas tree among other preparations. The real fun, however, started when the kids arrived. Little Prince students and HeArts members were free to roam around and enjoy various Christmas

activities such as decorating cookies, creating Christmas cards, and making snowflakes as they wished. It was truly a beautiful environment to be in, filled with not only good people but good Christmas music and food. Looking back, there was so much joy, happiness and laughter that filled the Art Room that afternoon that one can never forget it. A

special thank you to Mr. Bruce Buckingham for being such a fun and cool Santa for the Little Prince students! Sauti Sol were also in attendance sharing their love for music and art with the group as they sang, drew, and interacted with the kids. They made sure to leave the group with so much joy and inspiration closing the day with

their song Kuliko Jana and even more festive music wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. The HeArts Christmas party was truly a success and as members it felt amazing seeing how happy the Little Prince kids were throughout the entire day. Tracy Odhiambo Grade 11

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OLOLOKWE GRADE 12 IC TRIP For our IC Trip we went to one of the sacred mountains, Ololokwe, that was roughly a seven to eight hour bus ride out of Nairobi, and is located in the national park of Samburu which is in the central part of Kenya. The region was very dry at the base of the mountain, but it got more and more green at the trop. The higher we got on the mountain, the acacia trees turned to these leafy green trees and it because a very beautiful surrounding. We had to split up into groups of four that were in charge of making a meal for everyone, and in charge of cleanup and all that not-so-fun stuff you have to do afterwards. We spent four nights at Ololokwe, one night in a tent at the base of the mountain, and three nights outside on the rocks. Sleeping outside was just an amazing experience. The things I learned were a lot of problem solving techniques. You had to problem solve when you were on top of a mountain and you could not get anything that you hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t brought up. I also learned how to make eggs for 50+ people; that was a struggle. All in all it was a wonderful trip with some wonderful people. I would gladly do it again. Ben Bunkers Grade 12

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ABERDARES INTER CULTURAL TRIP The Week Without Walls Intercultural Trip is an annual CAS/L activity that seeks to challenge students to engage in rigorous and self-improving activities that they normally wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t partake in. This year, I chose to go to the Aberdares for my Week Without Walls Intercultural Trip.

know me knows all too well that I am terrified of heights. This trip pushed my ultimate fear to its limits by consistently calling for heightrelated activities. Last year, I termed it a divine miracle that we ran out of time before I had the chance to go abseiling. To my initial dismay, I found out that the Aberdares trip would too entail the daunting venture. I knew there was no evading it this time as there were several time slots allocated specifically to the activity.

A typically inactive person, the experience provided a muchneeded physical exertion for me. Anyone with the slightest inclination to say they

I came away from the week-long adventure feeling more accomplished than ever before, having partaken in two of the three abseiling

expeditions. I abseiled down a six metre dry rock structure as well as a twelve metre waterfall. I was too nervous to go down the monster thirty metre waterfall, but by then I was already so content with myself that â&#x20AC;&#x153;chickening outâ&#x20AC;? did not make me feel disappointed in myself at all.

I believe there comes great pride in challenging oneself. I never thought I would ever see the day that I would willingly take a submissive stance to throwing myself off anything higher than my own height. As much as I was horrified during the process of actually putting my life in the hands of a couple of ropes, I can confidently

say that the feeling that came after staring my biggest fear right in the eyes is unmatched. I learnt from the whole experience that fear can be such a crippling and hindering thing. I cannot count the activities that I have previously skipped out on because of a number of personal fears. I have let fear limit me time and time again, and this trip facilitated the realization that I am bigger than my fears. I now know that I am capable of doing something that I was once entirely opposed to, and that the final waterfall is just a reminder that I still have a ways to go before I can fully conquer my fear of heights. For the purpose

of sustainable selfimprovement, that third waterfall is very necessary in all aspects of our lives. This milestone aside, the trip was all in all a wonderful getaway from the worries and stresses of senior year, and a great final intercultural trip. It is sad to say that it was my last, but I am glad to have had one more chance to bond with my classmates and to develop as a person. Indeed it was an adventure for the books that helped me achieve a much better outlook on life, as well as countless beautiful memories from new and amazing experiences. Stella Njoroge Grade 12

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I was put in Group A for the Mt. Kenya IC trip which was on 3rd to 7th September and I found the trip to be absolutely amazing. My favorite thing was definitely summiting Point Lenana. When I finally made it to the top I was so happy. It was the most accomplished I’ve ever felt in my life, and looking back it was probably the most difficult thing that I’ve ever done- both mentally and physically. The way that I overcame the difficulty of climbing up and down Point Lenana was just by being positive. I told myself over and over again that I had the ability to make it to the top and just enjoyed where I was instead of focusing on ‘how far to the top’ or ‘how cold it is’. Another thing that helped me make it to the top was my friends. We all stuck together

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and encouraged each other, and that completely changed the experience and made it better. I was surprised by my ability to summit. When I started to see people falling back because they were getting sick I thought that I was going to need to as well, because compared to other people I am not as physically strong. I started to realize that it wasn’t strength it was ability to cope with altitude, and I didn’t suffer many side effects. When I finally got to the top I was overwhelmed with a sense of surprise and achievement and I was super proud of myself. I was principled on this trip because I expressed a lot of gratitude to everyone that helped out on the trip, from the porters and the kitchen staff to Mr.

Savage and the guides like Joseph. I also followed all of the school rules like not expressing profanity and abiding by the dress code. I also didn’t bring anything on the trip I wasn’t supposed to. I was respectful to all of the adults that helped make the trip happen by thanking them and was respectful to all of my peers by encouraging and being kind to them. I didn’t disrespect any of the surroundings or environment, whether it be in the cabins or the nature. I was open-minded, persevering and a risk-taker by doing things that I would never have thought I could’ve done before, like summiting and making it as far as I did. I reflected a lot on my own after the whole trip was over, and I think a lot of

reflection also came with telling stories from the IC trip to others. I don’t think I could have expressed any of the aims any more on the IC trip. I believe that the nature of this IC trip demanded a lot of the aims, the only one that was really self initiated was the persevering with the willingness to continue, and I think I did well on that front. Overall I loved the IC trip and would do it a hundred times over if I could. Emily Langlois Grade 9

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REVIEW ON KEYNOTE SPEAKER

BEN SAUNDERS @ RSQ CONFERENCE GERMANY Ben Saunders was the opening keynote speaker for the Round Square International Conference 2016, held in Louisenlund, Germany. Saunders was suitably selected, given his international prominence and experience as a polar explorer. He has gone on many different expeditions through both the Arctic and Antarctica. The presentation highlighted the experiences and lessons learnt on a particular expedition to the South Pole. The main objective of the adventurous trek was to traverse from the Antarctic shores to the center of the South Pole and back again. Moreover, the aim was to achieve this with minimal assistance from the outside. And if this were accomplished successfully, then Saunders would have been the first man in history to do so. The presentation recounted the tremendous efforts that were undertaken to prepare for this epic journey. It took months of endless training in order to be just physically fit enough to just embark and complete the expedition. The talk also highlighted the efforts taken to ensure how the team aimed on making the journey as naturally as possible, i.e. with little to no outside help.

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The presentation gave a glimpse of how Saunders’ team set of for the expedition, and the grueling weeks that they had to endure to reach their initial goal (of the South Pole), and all the challenges that they had to overcome during this journey. But within the whole grueling journey, the moment of reflection that stood out the most, was during the final weeks towards the tail end of the journey. Upon reaching the South Pole, the team needed to head back to the shore line. So in order make positive progress during the first phase of the journey, the team had planned to bury their food rations and supplies along the trail and path which was already mapped out. The plan was to of course lessen the load and hasten the travel time. However, it turns out that the circumstances did not favor them and the events did not unfold as planned. The first stockpile of food and supplies was stored upon a three-day journey which the team felt could easily be achieved. But during the return trek from the South Pole, the weather turned for the worse and the winds changed against the team, forcing the group to now walk into a head-wind and through a blizzard. This not only

slowed the pace of journey tremendously, but it also meant that the team were beginning to lose days and time – on the mapped route. Being visually impaired (not being able to see the trek and path ahead of them) and slow the pace – fatigue and anxiety began to set in within the team. A trek that was originally planned for 3 days turned into 6 days. Supplies and rations had also begun running out. It also meant that if the team decided to forge ahead, the compounded delays would prove to be disastrous – since the team would have had less than half of their rations for the rest of the journey to reach their destination. No doubt the morale must be very low at this point. As any true leader, Ben Saunders had to make very difficult choices. As the team leader, he had to choose whether to risk the life of his team members, and keep on going, or make the hard choice and pull his team out. He chose to do neither, instead what he did was, he ordered the world’s first takeaway (in his opinion) to the Antarctica - and decided to keep trekking on with his crew. In this way at least they were able to achieve their targeted goals.

Ultimately the team reached their goal and their destination of the coastline. At the time, Mr. Saunders felt that, perhaps he hadn’t made the right choice, by breaking his code and seeking out for outside help. It must have felt that like betraying the original principles of the trip and his ultimate goal that was being attained. Reflecting back on the decision, it turned out to be the right choice to make. And that from a leadership standpoint the decision teaches us how sometimes as leaders we must let go of our personal goals and egos for the sake of others and the larger good. This presentations tied in with the conference’s motto: The Journey That Makes Us, because of the decisions and the choices that Mr. Saunders made, decided how the rest of the journey would shape out. It showed how the small, and what seemed like little decisions, end up having a significant impact and end up shaping us into who we become. Rushan Manek Grade 10

ISK DRAMA STUDENTS PERFORMING

MY SILVER

NANYUKI

IN THE PARK 2016

BIKING TRIP EXPERIENCE You’re always faced with obstacles in your life and what makes you the person you are is how you deal with them. This lesson has been especially prevalent throughout my Silver Nanyuki Biking Trip experience. This trip measures your determination, persistence, and spirit. It pushes you to your limits while teaching you to be strong, mentally and physically. Each day we would have to bike a certain distance over rough terrain and sometimes harsh conditions. As independent students, we were also required to prepare our own meals, set up our tents, and use the navigational skills we learnt. The only thing that kept me pedalling was looking forward to the last day when we could proudly say we had accomplished this daunting experience, the moment we got off our bikes for the last time and survived the 120 kilometer journey. This has been one of the hardest and most physically demanding experiences of my life. While I was biking, I wished I hadn’t signed up for this trip but reflecting back, I probably would have regretted not doing it. As difficult as it was, it taught me to take risks and push myself out of my comfort zone. By the end of this trip, I was confident and comfortable with my bike: two things I lacked in the beginning. As Vernon Law says, “Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterward.” Aadrita Chatterjee Grade 10 The Link

Lynn Wells Director of Advancement

GREETINGS FROM THE ADVANCEMENT OFFICE! 40TH ANNIVERSARY & SAUTI SOL REBOOTED Capturing the magic of a day like August 17 isn’t easy but with the help of Corder Productions we’ve done our best! Relive the music, magic and amazing ISK spirit in this 12 minute made-foryour-computer video. We hope you enjoy it!

WATCH IT NOW! 40

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF KENYA

Pamela Pappas Communications Manager

INTRODUCING ISK CONNECT!

The Advancement Office is very excited about our new Alumni platform powered by Graduway! Graduway has transformed the way alumni stay in touch with their school and each other. This new platform has made it easy for us to have our own branded web and mobile platform. By combining the power of the ISK brand with the connectivity of social networks, Graduway helps schools like ISK find their lost alumni,maximize their donations and engagement.

by using LinkedIn or Facebook! Graduway makes it easier for our alumni to stay up to date with each other because it always displays their most up to date personal and professional information. Another great feature is that the network expansion tool enables our current alumni to find those they have lost contact with.

If you know of any alumni, please tell them that they can easily register to this platform

Graduway enables ISK Alumni to:

Kindly share this link (www.iskconnect. com) with former students, parents, faculty and staff!

• Re-connect – Find and reminisce with

classmates, see what they have been up to and stay in touch. • Give back – Introduce, employ or be a mentor to our graduating students • Expand – Leverage their professional networks and get introduced to people they should know • Get ahead – Advance their career through inside connections working in top companies and access to exclusive opportunities.

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SCHOLARSHIPS FOR 2017/18

Please spread the word about this great opportunity for Kenyan students! The ISK Scholarship Program provides financial support for outstanding Kenyan students who would otherwise be unable to afford the tuition & fees. These scholarships cover all program costs through High School including the IB Diploma program.The specific aim is to provide opportunities for low to middle income Kenyan students to participate in an academically rich and culturally diverse experience that offers them a Stepping Stone to the Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best colleges and universities. Click here for more information.

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2017

MERCHANDISE CATALOG

SHOP | CONNECT | WEAR WITH PRIDE

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PARENT TEACHERS ORGANIZATION The PTO’s main aim is to support staff in facilitating a friendly learning environment for ISK students and provide a support network to parents. The PTO constitution and general information regarding PTO activities can be found on the ISK website. Message from Co Chairs: November has seemed to fly past as we gear up for the holidays and for time to travel and see family and friends. The PTO had an informative coffee morning on November 15th, with Will Moore our director of athletics talking to us about our robust sports program. He also reported that, “Simba Soko” a shop created by the HS Business & Entrepreneur class is now open and is being run by students from Lions Pride. At the same event, Jodi Lake, Director of Curriculum and Instruction spoke to us about

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the different ways of assessment at ISK. She also informed the meeting about the IB options available and advised parents on choices that need to be made at the Middle School level in order to ensure that such subjects can also be taken at the higher IB level; for example Maths and Languages. The next PTO coffee morning is Dec 13th, so please come and have fun with us. We are planning on celebrating the diversity at our school. For example, many of us will be commemorating Christmas and Hanukah shortly, while

many others have already commemorated Eid and Diwali. We are hoping to have a small performance by our students, and we are asking parents to please bring a small plate of food that you would serve at your own celebration. Please also note that our January “Open Coffee morning” will be on the 24th. After the meeting, Service Learning has organized a bus tour at 9:30am for us to visit two of the organizations they support, i.e. Children’s Garden Center and Shangilia.

PTO DUKA (SHOP) THE HOLIDAYS HAVE ARRIVED EARLY AT THE PTO DUKA Located in the Arts Centre, the PTO Duka is fully stocked with an extended range of African arts and crafts from local nonprofit organizations and artisans - ideal gifts for family and friends for the festive season.

COME ALONG AND START YOUR CHRISTMAS & HOLIDAY SHOPPING

ot is n a k du day The y Tues ides : e t c n *No n on a at coin n h e ope ning t O Op r mo the PT nings. r with ee Mo f Cof

The revised opening hours are: Monday 3:00p.m. - 4:30p.m. Tuesday 8:00a.m. - 9:30a.m. 3:00p.m. - 4:30p.m. Wednesday 8:00a.m. - 9:30a.m. Thursday 3:00p.m. - 4:30p.m. Friday 8:00a.m. - 9:30a.m. 3:00p.m. - 4:30p.m.

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INTERNATIONAL DAY WILL BE HELD ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2017

WELCOME TO PARENTS, STUDENTS, FAMILIES & FRIENDS Come join us for this incredibly diverse event where students will represent a country of their choice for the Parade of Nations followed by the delicious Taste of Nations hosted by the PTO. PARADE 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, will need to choose one country to

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF KENYA

represent for the parade. If you are traveling home over the December break, please pick up something from your country. TASTE OF NATIONS The PTO is recruiting volunteers and country reps! Please contact Tanya Cox at tanyacox1@gmail. com for further information. Click here to sign up for the Taste of Nations. Look for more information about International Day coming up after the break!

ISK CANTEEN

WELCOME!

KARIBUNI SANA!

Once again, welcome to the ISK Canteen where we aim to make every meal you have on campus both enjoyable and healthy. We had the pleasure of celebrating Thanksgiving with some delicious roast turkey, brussel sprouts, baby carrots, baby potatoes topped off with some cranberry sauce, ravioli, garden salad and the classic tomato soup. Valentine’s coffee place also introduced Spiced Pumpkin Latte which has now become a hit and if you haven’t tried it you should drop by as soon as possible. If you’d like to top up your card or your child’s or even to just find out the balance, please drop by the customer service office. The card system is open to the middle school, high school, staff and parents. The system is very efficient as it allows you to keep an eye on spending as well as have a clear plan on how much will be spent on food within the semester. The school provides various lunch options for students which include carrying food from home, having hot lunch from the school canteen on the prepaid hot lunch program or buying using cash from the

various canteens i.e. sandwich bar, snack bar, coffee place, hot lunch area or the breakfast joint. For those carrying food packed from home, microwaves are provided at the middle school and high school eating areas. Since they are easier to access for the MS and HS, we encourage ES parents to pack food in thermos-like containers so as to keep the food warm or provide options that don’t require re-heating. All students on the card system are encouraged to bring their cards with them whenever making purchases as the cashiers will only accept cash or card for all points serving

snacks. This is a measure to ensure that only the owner of the card is the one using the card and for accountability purposes. If a student does not have a card they should visit their school office or the Tech office if the card is lost for re-printing (a small fee may be incurred if lost). If you are yet to try out our new Early Bird Breakfast options please do stop by right next to Valentine’s coffee shop every day from 7.00 a.m. till 9.00 a.m. Newly introduced items include chapatti rolls, mandazis, sweet potatoes and arrowroots. You can have a look at the menu right here. If

you’d like to have a look at the week’s menu please check the website under Food Services every Friday for the new week’s menu. For any suggestions, complaints, compliments or inquiries please contact the customer service office on the below details: Nancy Mwithi Customer Service Representative Email: nmwithi@isk.ac.ke Office line: 0733 639 343

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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.

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF KENYA