Dragon Tales
Primary Concert
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Celebrating the end of the year with songs that matter
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Grade 5 Art
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Preparing for change
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Peer Support
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Forging links between grades
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Graduation
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The class of 2014 graduate in style
Issue 17: April - June 2014
Thank you
to everyone who contributed to this edition of Dragon Tales. If you would like to submit an article for the next issue please make sure you do so by Friday 4th October 2014.
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If you are a student or a member of the teaching sta please submit your article to Mr Jon (Primary) or Ms Jo (Secondary).
Other members of the community should submit their articles to Ms Annie (Communications Manager).!
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From the Director Dear VIS Community,
The fourth quarter of any year is filled with action and engaging activity. This year has been no different here at VIS. The focus has been on performance with our students across all grade levels involved in activities that draw an audience. From the Global Issues Network (GIN) conference to the culmination of our Diploma Visual Arts course and our Co Curricular Programme (CCP) showcase, there have been plenty of students involved in doing what they enjoy. I invite you to enjoy the many aspects of performing that you will view in these pages. Dragon Tales, because of the e-format, is a great way to share these events and performances with friends and family who can't be in Vientiane with you.
!The fourth quarter is also the time that we bid
farewell to many families who move to new places around the globe, and to our graduating class. This year was our largest ever graduating glass of grade 12 students and we can look forward to seeing them take their place on the world stage in the future. To those families who will be leaving VIS, we hope that you will continue to stay connected to our community here in Vientiane. To our staff who are moving to new schools, we say thank you and sok di. You have all contributed much to make VIS a special place to live and work.
!Next year we will launch our new strategic plan
which takes us through to the year 2020. The new strategies are built upon the success of our 2009 - 2014 plan which really concentrated on building the school.
We built our student population up toward our capacity of 550. Many of our classes now have waiting lists.
We built the facilities so that we can offer a broad EY - 12 curriculum
We built our quality and were awarded
authorization and accreditation by international agencies
We built our curriculum so that we became an International Baccalaureate World School.
!Our next strategic plan, our 2020VISion will take us to the next phase of development as a school.
!Best regards and thanks for a great year,
! ! ! ! ! ! Greg Smith
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Field Trips ! 08
Design with a Purpose ! 20
4
Peer Support ! 26
Graduation! 34
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Primary Reflections
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Jon Davidson Primary Principal
As we come to the end of another school year at Vientiane International School it is always a time of mixed emotions. On the one hand we see our students grow and learn so much that they are eager to move on to the next grade level. We see our youngest ones learning to read and by the end of the year they are reading to learn. Our oldest students in grade 5 came out of their final unit of inquiry all set for the challenges of the Middle Years Programme. It is endlessly rewarding to watch the children in your care spread their wings and take off. Unfortunately the end of the year is also time to say goodbye to friends we have
known for many years. With each leaving certificate I sign I picture the student moving on to new countries and new schools. We hope that they will take with them precious times they have had at VIS and will visit us should they ever come back to Lao.
Of course we also have staff members moving on to new job opportunities around the world. We have friends going to places as diverse as Uganda, Thailand, India and the USA. We are sure that those moving country will take fond memories of their times here in Lao with them. There are also some staff members who are staying in the country and contributing further to various communities throughout the country, bringing their expertise to many areas of this wonderful country.
If you are moving on to another country or just going on vacation, I would like to wish you safe journeys and happy landings. I look forward to seeing many of you again next year and if you are starting a new chapter in your life please take with you my very best wishes for the future.
Under the central idea “changes people experience affect their sense of self” we composed self portraits that reflected how we had changed though out our lives so far.
Linda Kent Primary Art Teacher G r a d e 5 ’s l a s t u n i t w a s designed to prepare them for the changes that will be happening to them as they move up to the Middle Years Programme. We took photographs and merged them using a number of software applications.
Under the central idea “Changes people experience affect their sense of self” we composed self-portraits that reflected how we had changed throughout our lives so far.
After mounting them in frames we used them to gather good wishes from all our friends and
teachers. This was part of the process used to help Grade 5 students move on to new schools – whether that be the Middle School here at VIS or in a new country.
I hope they will value the memories that are encapsulated in these photographs and look back on their time in Grade 5 with pride and a sense of fondness. It was wonderful working with such creative and imaginative students and I wish them all the very best wherever they move to next.
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Field Trips Jon Davidson Primary Principal Field trips most often make up some of our fondest memories of our time at school. They always provide a layer of excitement mixed with some serious lessons about education. As I looked at the transdisciplinary skills we teach in the Primary Years Programme I was struck that every one of them was addressed through taking the students on a field trip. The students are encouraged to refine their thinking skills (with aspects such as acquisition of knowledge, comprehension, analysis, synthesis and evaluation) their social skills, communication skills, selfmanagement skills and their research skills.
!This last area is one which they will need for the
rest of their academic lives and beyond. A challenging concept for children is the idea that that just because it is written down, doesn’t make it true. One way to find information that is not available elsewhere is to go and see for yourself and to interview people. It is through this process that we can begin to evaluate the quality of the information we use and is important when remembering that the internet does not have the answer to everything. When I Googled great sayings I found that Abraham Lincoln once said:
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“The trouble with the internet is that you don’t know if everything on it is true”.
!By taking our students out into the community
and giving them the skills to gather firsthand information we can prepare them for life. This is why field trips are important. And beside all that, they are great fun!
! Here is a small collection of some of the field trips taken this last academic year. !
Grade 1 Students
Grade 1 Students at the Rice and Fish Farm
Grade 5 at the Recycling Plant
Grade 1 looking at Public Spaces
Field Trip to COPE
Primary Concert Anna Cervantes Primary Music Teacher
At the end of the school year the primary students joined together to present to the school community a selection of songs that were important to them.
This year the concert theme took its inspiration from the recent VIS IB PYP Exhibition: ‘This Matters to Us”. The students connected to the themes by choosing songs that reflected a diversity of issues.
Some classes collaborated to create a sequence of movements to accompany their songs.
As each grade level was involved in the selection of songs, the students chose the songs that they found most meaningful, either because they address important global or personal issues or, simply because the students particularly enjoyed performing them.
!Through song and movement
the students expressed a range of emotions including happiness, anger, or pride. They sang about friendship,
freedom, knowledge, the cycle of life and the destruction of the Earth.
!Through performing together, through
their songs and movements the s t u d e n t s r e fl e c t e d o n t h e cooperation, enthusiasm and creativity that had gone into preparing this performance. They explored what matters to them. Their final choices reflected what it is to be caring, openminded and balanced.
!Thank you to all the staff and parents who helped out with this production.
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It might seem crazy what I’m about to say Sunshine she’s here, you can take a break
I’m a hot air balloon that could go to space
With the air, like I don’t care baby by the way Because I’m happy
Pharrell Williams
CCP Showcase
 Rachael Phiasanaxay CCP Sponsor The CCP Showcase provided an opportunity for the students participating in co-curricular activities to demonstrate the skills that they had learnt over the semester. Both audience and participants enjoyed sharing the songs, dances and demonstrations from martial arts, ballet, hip hop and international dance routines to West End musical theatre numbers.
!Each year the choice of activities in the
CCP programme expands giving students a greater opportunity to explore their passions or to try something new. As a sponsor working within this programme, I have watched my students grow over the year in self-confidence and in their ability to support each other as a team.
It is a wonderful way to be a part of the students’ learning journey and builds a stronger sense of community within the school.
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VIS Mekong Dolphins
2014 BISP Swim Meet
Olwen Millgate Primary Teacher
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Congratulations to the 41 swimmers who proudly swam in Phuket in May at the British International School of Phuket (BISP) for a 15-school swim meet. Not only did they show commitment to the team, empathy for others and enthusiasm levels that were beyond expectations, they also swam hard to improve their swim times, and in many cases won ribbons and medals. They were easily recognizable in their green VIS Mekong Dolphins shirts and Mekong Dolphins swim suits as they moved through the swim complex.
The team swam their way to 4th place with 1118 points.
!This was a MASSIVE effort from the team, showing FANTASTIC
improvement, moving from 11th place two years ago when we last competed with 22 swimmers in Phuket.
!As a team we strove to improve personal best times for all
swimmers.
The results of race after race demonstrated that our team is on the rise; almost all swimmers improved their times in at least one of their events.
Some amazing time improvements were recorded and we look forward to seeing this continued.
!There were many top individual performances and strong relay
swims that all contributed to the success of the team as well as swimmers who finished strongly in their heat divisions. Special mention to Isabel taking the overall silver medal in her age group of ‘Girls 6 and under’.
!The support displayed by 48 family members who travelled with
our swimmers was AMAZING. A number of the other swim coaches and team managers commented on the strong sense of community and tremendous support shown during the three days.
!The Headmaster from the British International School said,
“It is rare to see a team be supported in such a way, not only did they support their own team but when there were lone swimmers left in the pool these students and their parents stood and cheered the swimmer to the finish.
This was a proud moment for me, this is what competitions are all about, we have a lot to learn.”
!The first ever trophy for ‘Team Spirit’ was proudly accepted by the team.
!The swimmers and parents give special thanks to Coach Katya for her work through out the year and to Coach Nicholai for his work leading into and at the swim meet.
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A Green Year at VIS Julia Lachet Secondary Teacher This year has definitely been a busy and productive time for the Green Team. Thanks to a group of students and motivated collaborators we have been able to achieve significant outcomes and we are looking forward to next year.
Green Bins!
Science movie week at VIS Environmental short movies! GIZ, and Mr Philipp Magiera gave us the opportunity to screen short movies related to environmental issues in both secondary and primary school. Raising awareness about environmental issues is crucial and we hope to continue and expand this experience.
Green Bins have been placed all around the school to collect plastic. These Green Bins have a double purpose in our community; they limit our footprint, as the plastic is recycled and they provide extra income to the ground staff selling the plastic cups and bottles to recycling factory.
But remember, it’s best not to use plastic at all: SAY NO TO PLASTIC!
No more paper cups! Thanks to the wonderful example set by primary school, the last paper cups have disappeared and everyone in the community is using a water bottle.
Greenest classroom trophy! Through initiating daily practices that are environmental-friendly (e.g. turning off lights and devices and a reasonable use of the air conditioner) the grade 5 team have proved themselves to be the most active Green members of our community.
Sunlabob audit The Parents and Friends Association together with GIZ sponsored an energy pre-audit at the school and the report results were shared with the school during an assembly. To save energy, major changes in the classrooms and offices have occurred and old air conditioners have been replaced and light reflectors installed. However, the energy pre-audit highlights the fact that our everyday behaviour at school generates the highest waste of energy. We need to change our habits and behaviour! The Green Team would like to invite you to reflect on the use of resources and energy on a daily basis both at school and at home.
Next school year, we are looking forward to collaborating with student representatives from the Primary and Secondary schools to encourage greener actions and initiatives within our school community. Let’s become a Green model school. We hope to see you next year at Green Team! “Green Team is a fun and interesting experience. It is a good way to help people and the environment. GO GREEN TEAM!” Teddy (Grade 5)
"Give me a place to stand," Archimedes said, "and I will move the world."
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Secondary Reflections Kim Green Secondary Principal So this is it! We have now finished the school year. You would be impressed by the pace and energy that was still around at VIS right up to the last day. It certainly made me feel like it was not the end of another school year. To end the school year we had Special Focus Days. To give you a snapshot of what the end of
the school year looks liked for Investigation
us during our focus days: · Grade 9 – A overnight student
developed field trip as a · Grade 11 – ToK, CAS, IBDP result of a unit of learning Group 4 Project
in Humanities, planning · Grade 10 – Planning their for their Secondary Action Secondary Action Learning Service Learning Service Adventure for 14-15 and Adventure for 14-15, Community and Service
CAS with Grade 11, · Grade 8 - Peer Support Training, Math/Science Peer Support work with
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Grade 5, i-Time Passion Project
· Grade 7 – Peer Mediation, i-Time Passion Project
· Grade 6 – i-Time Passion Project
!The i-time Passion Projects were opportunities for students to
inquire into an area of passion. This year they framed their inquiries through the new MYP Global Contexts. Areas of passion on offer by our team were public speaking, social and thinking skills through adventure and action (overnight), Physical Activity and Training, Photography and creating Videos. The students undertook these projects in multi-grade (Grade 6-8) self-selected groups.
A significant event at the end of each school year is the Grade 12 Graduation. This is an opportunity for us to recognize our Grade 12 students learning journeys at VIS. It seems like yesterday that I met many of our beautiful graduates. Some were in grade 5 at the time. Some moved in and out of VIS and some of our graduates we met much later in their school life as they transitioned into school. In 2005 two students graduated and this year 19 students received VIS High School Diplomas and became VIS Alumni. This is the final year the graduating class will be less than 20 students with graduating cohorts in the future being 30 or more. Therefore, as the 10th graduating class for VIS, this particular group of graduates represents the end of an era for VIS and the beginning of another.
The challenge to our graduating class in 2014 was to redefine success as they continue their life journey. This is also a challenge that I present to all of our VIS learners. Why? Our VIS Dragons are entitled and will be prepared to take their place in the world and to be at the top of every field BUT what I urge all of our learners to do is not just take their place at the top of the world but to change the world and to believe that ‘anything is possible’.
As I write in Dragon Tales for the final time after eight years and before heading to my new role as Head of Secondary at the International School Dhaka, Bangladesh, I cannot help but reflect on the journey that we have taken at VIS. After arriving at VIS in 2006 I have seen, felt and been part of the ongoing growth that has led to the implementation of both the IB Middle Years and Diploma programmes. I have had the privilege to witness the growth of a curriculum that is rigorous, challenges and inspires our learners. I have watched our graduates head to exciting destinations to pursue tertiary studies and turn their dreams into reality and each year welcomed new students into their secondary journey. I have also had the privilege of learning from amazing people from around the world and experienced the joy of collaborating with practitioners who have philosophies that align with VIS, the IB programmes and who continue to enrich the VIS learning community.
!I am constantly impressed by and proud of the growth and
improvement that has occurred at VIS and the culture of continuous improvement that exists amongst our teaching team and students. I am proud that VIS is a school of opportunity where we strive to nurture our students and ensure that they fulfill their greatest potential and provide an environment for our teaching team to be innovative and take risks. Therefore we have students and teachers who are filled with passion, courageous and innovative. VIS is a rare gem and I am incredibly proud to have been part of the VIS Community and lead the Secondary Team.
So VIS Dragons find your place to stand -- your place of wisdom and peace and strength. And from that place, lead the revolution of the heart and remake the world in your own image, according to your own definition of success, so that all of us can live our lives with more grace, more joy, more empathy, more gratitude, more love.
!Sok Dee VIS
Design with a Purpose Nicky Shaw Secondary Teacher This semester Grade 8 DT students inquired into whether systems are influenced and affected by their audience. With related concepts in the unit e x p l o r i n g s u s t a i n a b i l i t y, relationships, process and productivity, these students went through the Design Cycle process discovering many ways to approach this inquiry. Students investigated into mechanisms and their uses in everyday situations. Watching a documentary produced in 2013 by directors Zach Ingrasci, Sean Leonard and Chris Temple aided the students to make connections between different countries with different problems and solutions to the topic of sustainable development.
Stella Park
After further group and class discussions, the students approached me and asked if their wooden toy designs could share a message about sustainable development. Choosing an audience of the local sister school, students took to re-designing their work with a renewed purpose.
Whilst learning to use the new machines such as the sander, scroll saw, drill press and band saw and applying accuracy to skills such as measuring there was a pleasant industriousness of engagement from 8H as they problem solved a plethora of i s s u e s w i t h c re a t i n g t h e s e products. Knowing the toys were now in production to pass on to others made some students care about the craftsmanship of their final product more. We visited our sister school Ban Saphanthong Tai in May. 8H became student teachers with an activity that they 20
devised themselves around recycling and caring for the planet. Before we left, Antonia Lang, on our behalf donated the toys to the school f o r s h a re d p l a y. I n t h e s t u d e n t reflections it became obvious the learning experiences through this unit were of value to them. The students are proud of their achievements this semester. Well done 8H!
Above:
Inspired by the film Living on One Dollar
Daria Laroy
Antonia Lang Nya Gnaegi “I realized how spoiled I am because I always complain about little unimportant things like how the food is not delicious and how I don’t know what to wear to school tomorrow while someone else on the video shares how they don’t have food or anything to wear. It has made me consider how to give something I don’t need to others instead of just throwing my things away when I don’t want them anymore.” Nammom 8H 21
Photos
Students from the sister school testing their own products, mini kites.
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Right and below
Brian Kang getting involved with the learning and testing.
“The more precise the measuring the more precise the construction was of my device. As in this mechanism the cogs and levers are planted so closely the precision of measuring is crucial to guarantee the function of the device and the fluency of the parts. If two of the mechanisms were to touch then strain and resistance would occur within the device hindering its effectiveness.” Chris 8H
Left
Student from the sister school testing their own products, mini kites.
“Measuring is the most important part of the process. If you do not measure your wood accurately the pieces will be disproportionate and the mechanism will either have many problems or just not work at all.” Luther Wilson 8H
“I think the impact on society that these toys have is layered. On one layer it is just the kids now have something new to play with but then the deeper layer is that it communicates a message of sustainable development which could help a lot of people.” Antonia Lang 8H
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Community and Service
Earlier this month a group of students joined the Sop Jak Dormitory project, and after the final painting was completed, took part in a hand-over ceremony.
Click here to read the evaluation report and we wish to give our sincere thanks to VIS for all the support and hard work. The digging and cement mixing your group did last November really paid off, and the new dormitory already in use. I know the teachers and students at Sop Jak High School will be really happy to welcome you back in October. Thank you again for all the support and please let all your students know how much their hard work has paid off.
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Peer Support Nicky Shaw and Helene Boissinot Secondary Teachers During the last day’s activities of the school year, grade 8 worked collaboratively as a team having workshops in becoming good peer support mentors. Through activities such as baking and team games the grade 8s prepared for the following days activities with grade 5.
!Grade
8s watched the grade 5 students transition out of Primary School in the Primary assembly and they started a fun day of activities together. The students were put into 5 mixed aged teams for the day and had just over an hour to accrue as many points as possible for activities completed within a scavenger hunt.
There were over 30 options to choose from as teams had to consider strategies and team work to gain as many points as possible. Some activities needed the whole group to participate such as team raps, human pyramids and street dance routines. Whilst other activities such as drawing portraits, creating anagrams, demonstrating the phonetic alphabet and finding 10 uses for a blade of grass could be done in pairs or individually. Eventually there was a winning team scoring over 650 points; well done to the 'A Team.' The aims of the morning session to have an environment conducive to team work and getting to know each other worked well, was active and fun and had something for everyone to get engaged with. 26
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The afternoon saw grade 5 and grade 8 learn some tie dye techniques and work together to create their colourful T-shirts. Thanks to the staff and students involved and we all welcome grade 5 to secondary for next year.
“It’s nice that I’ll go into secondary knowing that I have friends in grade 7 and grade 9.” Amelie, grade 5 27
Performing Arts Merrilee Mills Secondary Teacher
Grade 11s performance of ‘Easter’ by August Strindberg
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Above!
Grade 8 performance of ‘Homework Eats Dog’
Grade 11 photos contributed by Ari Vitikainen
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Chanon Wiriyaudomphon
Visual Arts Nicky Shaw Secondary Teacher Being a part of the DP Visual Art Class 2014 was a privilege and an honour. I really enjoyed seeing the students experiment with their ideas and grow in confidence with scale, media and debating concepts. Guiding where necessary, I saw how having a voice about issues that concern them and using visual arts as a means of communication became important to them as their ideas progressed. Expressions about wealth and poverty, being a modern woman in conservative Laos, family relationships, being a survivor of a UXO bomb and how man depends on his environment were just a few of the inquiries that were expressed in the final exhibition.
! ! ! I was proud of how the students curated their own exhibition in town. They all commented on how this was a huge achievement and a positive experience they will remember forever.
Grade 12 DP Visual Arts Students
Kaleb Reimann Sketchbook Investigations
Natalie Vongkhamsao The thinking behind the Art Sketchbook Investigations
“Making art I had time with myself in a different way to studying in other subjects. I had time to think alone and figure out some of my life problems as I worked on my art pieces. Art lessons gave me time to think.”
“Visual arts helped me to organise my thinking across all subjects and to relieve stress at times.”
Recueil de Poemes French Mother Tongue Julia Lachet Secondary Teacher
Anthony Grade 10
Hiver
Laura Grade 10
Sophia Grade 10
Le ROMANTisme!
!Il y a un arbre solitaire
Qui écoute le matin dans le silence absolu
Et la neige a recouvert toute la terre
Les branches ne dansent plus.
!Sur son trône de glace
Eternelle, la mélancolie repose
Enveloppée dans un typhon de flocons de grâce
Elle attend le retour des roses.
!Et le paysage, pâle et dénudé,
Meurt doucement, entouré par les cadavres des fleurs
Sous le blanc de l’hiver qui a commencé
!Mais sous les profondeurs du
froid
On entend un tambour invisible
Un cœur, doucement, qui bat.
Automne
!Les feuilles tombent des ar-
Hiver
bres, comme les larmes de mes yeux Et tout ce qui était avant en vie, Doucement, perd son esprit
!Et le vent qui souffle
Début d’Hiver et c’est déjà la fin,
Les nuits sont tellement longues,
On ne penserait jamais revoir le lendemain,
Comme une attente qui nous rapproche sans cesse vers la tombe,
!Il fait froid et tout est mort,
Me rend encore plus triste Car il passe à travers moi Et me rend encore plus vide.
!Car avec lui il emmène
mes derniers souvenirs de toi et me laisse seule sans aucun souvenir de joie.
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Dans la nature comme dans le Cœur,
Tout doit partir, même les plus forts,
Tout le monde meurt,
!C’est un temps triste et plein de
désespoir,
Même la neige est d’un blanc cassé,
Mais du fond de ton Cœur s’allume la flamme de l’espoir
Et sous ce tas de tristesse et de neige le nouveau “toi” nait,
Comme un petit arbrisseau,
Plein de vie et tout beau,
Prêt pour le printemps,
Il était temps.
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Le Symbolisme Musique
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La plus douce des mélodies,
Sans rime ou poésie,
Juste des notes,
Qui virevoltent,
Sur un clavier,
Tout délabré,
!
!!
Est la plus belle des musiques,
Aux oreilles des humains,
Qui suscite l’imagination élastique,
Ça c’est un plaisir certain
Mais rien que l’homme n’ait créé,
Ne peut compléter
Ou même imaginer,
L’immensité de ta beauté,
La lune
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Grâce à elle le ciel était illuminé, Rien ne peut se comparer à sa beauté. Perchée dans le noir absolu Entourée de mille étoiles. On dirait, Que toutes ces petits astres l’admiraient.
Cette couleur crème qui la couvrait Donnait un effet de sérénité à ceux qui la regardaient. Elle irradiait une tendresse inexplicable Qui rendait ce monde un peu plus agréable.
!!
Coucher de soleil
!
C’est le début de la fin d’une journée
Et les dernières lueurs
Illuminent de tous les côtés
Dans un kaléidoscope de couleurs
!
Et au bout de l’horizon enflammé
Derrière les nuages incandescents
Pris par les couleurs éparpillées
Se couche le soleil doucement.
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Graduation
Photo Gallery !
We congratulate our graduate class of 2014: Silayan Bertomeu Khanin Buddharaksa Billy Chamnongphanij Johanna Fogde Anouphong Keobounphanh Hye-Mi Ki Jun Ha Kwon Dieu Huong Do Le Ju Hui Lee Darren Low Yong Hwan Nam Kaleb Reimann Hazwan Shamsudin Max Terry Nga Linh Tran Natalie Vongkhamsao Chanon Wiriyaudomphon Benjamin Wright Dalita Xaysoulivong
! 34
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Big photo Omnesque inciderint nec at, minim commodo vim te, in paulo consectetuer est. Aliquyam moderatius an nec. Hinc impedit est ea. Vix quas bonorum neglegentur at, an veniam definitiones cum, est at copiosae forensibus. Docendi recteque et eum, assueverit inciderint ullamcorper id eos. Omnesque inciderint nec at, minim commodo vim te, Omnesque inciderint nec at, minim commodo vim te,
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Student Spotlight Chakkavane Saysanith Grade 10 Student
My name is Chakkavane Saysanith. I recently entered a singing contest which was organized by Pepsi. I fought my way up to win third place in this competition. My experience at the Pepsi Singing Contest was something that I will never forget. It was full of excitement and I made a lot of friends after that too. This was a risk-taking moment for me because this is my very first contest in my life, and it was not easy standing up on a stage by myself singing to thousands of people. I would like to give a big THANKS to all of my friends, teachers, parents who supported me right from the start.
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The Phu Bia Mining Passport to the Future Scholarship Greg Smith Director
In 2011 Phu Bia Mining agreed to a sponsorship that was designed to be a partnership to provide a promising Lao student with the opportunity to graduate from an IB World School. The recipient of the scholarship was Natalie Vongkhamsao.
Natalie impressed the selection committee with her academic work history and her ideas for the future development of Lao. She was a unanimous selection by the committee.
Now, three years later Natalie has graduated from VIS and heads off for further studies as a successful recipient of an international education. Still deeply connected to family, her plans for the future include attending university in Australia and earning a degree in Environmental Studies. This will set her up perfectly to lead the next phase of development in Lao on her return.
Phu Bia Mining is committed to the development of the most important resource in the Lao PDR, the Lao people. VIS and Phu Bia Mining are proud to see the results of this Scholarship opportunity for an outstanding young adult and leader of the future.
Natalie Vongkhamsao Graduate 2014
Farewell to all of our leaving staff! Thank you for your contribution, commitment and passion! 
 We wish you all the very best in your new chapters.