IGB International School’s Weekly Newsletter - Issue 114. Week 2. April 2017.

Grade 3: Super Quiet Uninterrupted Individual Reading Time (S.Q.U.I.R.T.)

Happening. + Mon, 15 May

~ Minerva Schools at KGI - Talk with Alumna Cindy Leow @L6 Learning Lounge 1:00 pm - 1:30 pm

+ Tues, 16 May ~ First Aid Workshop - Burns & Scalds @PVO Room | 8:00 am - 8:30 am ~ Staff Appreciation Lunch @L5 Staff Lounge 12:00 pm - 2:30 pm

+ Wed, 17 May ~ Yoga for Parents @Classroom 3-38 8:00 am - 10:00 am ~ G7 Host Nation Field Trip to Jadi Batek 9:00 am - 11:45 am ~ Zomi & G9 Performing Art Project @IGBIS 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm ~ KLISS U9 Tee Ball @KTJ | 4:00 pm- 5:30 pm ~ KLISS U11 Tee Ball @Help | 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm

+ Thurs, 18 May ~ G4 Field Trip to places of worship 8:00 am - 3:00 pm ~ U13 Boys Volleyball @BSKL 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm

+ Fri, 19 May ~ ES Assembly (EYS) @ES Music Classroom 8:00 am - 8:40 am ~ Open Day | 9:00 am - 12:30 pm ~ G10 Drama Performance “The Little Prince” @Theatre | 10:45 am - 11:30 am

+ Sat, 20 May ~ Ultimate Frisbee Tournament @ IGBIS 8:00 am - 3:00 pm

+ All Week ~ PYP Art Exhibition @ Visual Arts Studio ~ IB DP Examinations @ L7 MPR

Grade 3: Super Quiet Uninterrupted Individual

Reading Time (S.Q.U.I.R.T.) ~ Pg. 3

IBDP Exams ~ Pg. 5

Food Allergy Awareness Week - 14-20 May ~ Pg. 6

From the Admissions Desk ~ Pg. 7

PVO Brunch and Summer Bazaar ~ Pg. 7

Inside This Week

Message from Head of SchoolMrs. Anne FowlesHead of School....................................................News from Elementary SchoolMrs. Claire McLeodElementary School Principal....................................................News from Secondary SchoolMr. Michael ArcidiaconoSecondary School Principal

2 Igniting Minds Impacting Lives

Message from Head of School

Dear IGBIS Parents and Community Members,

This has been another busy week for staff at IGBIS who came

into school on Wednesday to work on the self-study for the CIS

and NEASC accreditation process.

Congratulations Grade 10 for completing your MYP Personal

Project to such a high standard and sharing this with us last

week. I am sure that the process will stand you in good stead

as you move into the IB Diploma next year.

We look forward to seeing all of our parents at student-led

conferences this Saturday.

Mrs. Anne FowlesHead of School

News from Elementary School

After School ActivitiesT-Ball has proved to be very popular with our Grade 2 to 5

students and this season we have two teams training on

Thursday afternoons. Using a stationary tee, students

learn basic ball skills and the rules to help prepare them for

baseball or softball. Building fitness and having fun are also

fundamentals to the sport. Whilst l was watching the students

training this week I noticed a number of students without

hats. Parents are asked to remind their children that hats are

required when they are on the field in the intense heat.

RamadanRamadan starts on the evening of Friday 26th May. It is

important for teachers to be aware of Elementary School

students who will be fasting so we can monitor their energy

and wellness levels, provide alternative locations for lunchtime

and contact parents if required. If your child/children will be

fasting please make sure you inform their class teachers and

pass on if there are any special requests.

What’s coming up• 16th May: Teachers Day.

• 19th May: Open Day for prospective parents and students.

• 6th, 7th & 8th June: Music Academy Concerts at 2pm.

• 13th June: Reports will be sent home.

• 14th June: Class parties during periods 7 & 8.

• 15th June: Final Assembly at 8.10am and dismissal at

12.00pm.

Until next time,

Mrs. Claire McLeodElementary School Principal

News from Secondary School

The opening of our third edition of the Personal Project

Exhibition this Friday was a great success - congratulations

to all of our Grade 10 students and Mr Clark for their efforts.

As a culminating project in the MYP, the Personal Project is

a unique element of the IGBIS education and one that nicely

encapsulates our mission. Through the project our Grade 10

students are “empowered” to develop themselves as learners

and consider what contributions they can make. Please stop

by the Personal Project Exhibition this Saturday, when you

attend the Student-Led Conferences with your son/daughter.

The Student-Led Conferences this Saturday is one of our most

important events of the year (and my own personal favourite!) -

I look forward to seeing all of our families tomorrow!

Sincerely yours,

Michael ArcidiaconoSecondary School Principal

Igniting Minds Impacting Lives 3

Grade 3: Super Quiet Uninterrupted Individual Reading Time (S.Q.U.I.R.T.)

Simon MillwardPrimary Years Programme Coordinator...............................................................................................

On my travels in school I see a variety of teaching practices. I

stopped by Grade 3 this week and you could hear a pin drop in

the classrooms as they were all reading — as the newsletter

title suggests super quietly, uninterrupted and individually.

From the photos you can see that where the students were

sitting was varied. They were comfortable, they were relaxed

and they were completely engaged. Their choice in reading

material was appropriate for them and they were enjoying the

experience.

Developing a love of reading is so important for children as

we want them to read not only now but in the future and as

adults as well.

Modelling reading at home is wonderful for our students

to see, whether you are reading in English or in your home

language, the message that we are communicating to children

is, reading is enjoyable.

Think about when you read for pleasure, where do you sit?

How comfortable and relaxed are you as you read? It would

be wonderful to think that you could have S.Q.U.I.R.T. in your

household too!

Igniting Minds Impacting Lives 5

IBDP Exams

Mary BoydDiploma Programme Coordinator................................................................................................................................................................................................

Congratulations to our Grade 12 students, approaching the last week of DP exams next week, with Psychology, Physics,

Spanish, Geography and French left. Although some students have already finished this week, we look forward to welcoming

them back to school next week, and beyond.

Just as the Grade 12 students finish, the Grade 11 students will start their examination week from Monday 22 May - Friday 26

May. Good luck to all with their preparations.

6 Igniting Minds Impacting Lives

Azilah ChanSchool Nurse...............................................................................................

In honour of the 20th anniversary of Food Allergy Awareness

Week, created in 1998 by the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis

Network (now called FARE), we would like to raise awareness,

encourage respect, promote safety, and improve the quality

of life for the several IGBIS students who suffer from food

allergies, some of whom are at risk of life-threatening

anaphylaxis. During the upcoming week information will be

shared with staff; cafeterias will display awareness posters;

and at next Friday’s Elementary assembly students will be

able to watch a short video on how they can be a P.A.L. -

Protect A Life.

What is a food allergy?A food allergy results when the immune system mistakenly

targets a harmless food protein as a threat and attacks it.

Nearly any food is capable of causing an allergic reaction,

but there are eight foods that cause the majority of reactions:

peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, wheat, soy, fish, shellfish.

What are the symptoms?An allergic reaction to food can affect the skin, the

gastrointestinal tract, the respiratory tract, and, in more

serious cases, the cardiovascular system. Symptoms typically

appear within minutes to several hours.

What can we all do?The entire IGBIS campus is peanut/tree nut allergy aware.

Students are not allowed to share food and everyone is

reminded to wash their hands before and after eating. Our

School Clinic has up-to-date Emergency Care Plans for

all students with severe food allergies. An updated IGBIS

Guidelines for Allergy Management will be shared with parents

at the beginning of the next academic year, as it is currently

being reviewed by our school’s Health & Safety Committee.

Parents who send in lunch from home for their child should

not send foods containing peanut butter or nuts (including

Nutella, for example). There are special days or occasions in

which students may want to bring a snack to share - please

do not send in products (such as cakes or cookies) containing

nuts. If nuts are served at home, encourage and remind your

child to rinse or brush teeth and wash hands before coming to

school. Even the smallest traces of food allergens can trigger

life-threatening symptoms in those with food allergies.

It is important to take action at the first sign of reaction. Should

a child under your care break out in hives, complain of an

itchy mouth, begin sneezing, coughing, having stomach pain,

nausea or vomiting, and especially if it progresses to swelling

of the lips, tongue and throat, trouble swallowing, wheezing,

feeling faint or having chest pain, immediately administer

an Epipen and call the emergency line. The child must then

immediately be taken to a hospital to seek care, as the

medication may wear off.

What is an Epipen?An Epipen is an epinephrine injector used to treat anaphylaxis,

which is a life-threatening allergic reaction in which the airway

is often affected, resulting in tightening of the throat, chest

tightness and difficulty breathing. All IGBIS staff receive

Epipen training during their first aid courses. If you are

interested in learning more about the Epipen, please contact

the School Clinic.

How might a child describe his/her symptoms?• “This food is too spicy.”

• “My tongue is hot [or burning].”

• “It feels like something’s poking my tongue.”

• “My tongue [or mouth] is tingling [or burning].”

• “My tongue [or mouth] itches.”

• “It [my tongue] feels like there is hair on it.”

• “My mouth feels funny.”

• “There’s a frog in my throat.”

• “There’s something stuck in my throat.”

• “My tongue feels full [or heavy].”

• “My lips feel tight.”

• “It feels like there are bugs in there.” (to describe itchy

ears)

• “It [my throat] feels thick.”

• “It feels like a bump is on the back of my tongue [throat].”

Sources:

https://www.foodallergy.org/anaphylaxis

http://www.epipen.co.uk/patients/epipenr-user-guide/

Igniting Minds Impacting Lives 7

From the Admissions Desk

Wayne DemnarAdmissions and Marketing Director...............................................................................................Thank you very much to parents for responding to our re-

enrolment survey via Open Apply. We are grateful for your

assistance and we are now able to proceed with our planning

for the new school year accordingly. We would also ask that

you let us know whenever your contact details change so that

they are up to date on our system.

Open DayOur last Open Day for the year will be held next Friday 19th

May. The last time that we held an Open Day on a school day,

it was a big success with lots of visitors eager to see what ‘life

at IGBIS’ is really like. I would like to ask for your assistance

in asking any of your friends or colleagues who might be

interested, if they would like to join us on the day. Anyone who

is, can contact me at the school and I will organise tours for

them — wayne.demnar@igbis.edu.my

Summer SchoolWe have a limited Summer School programme scheduled for

July. If you are interested in enrolling your child in Robotics

with Mr Derry, please let us know by next Wednesday 3rd May.

The programme is open to students in grades 5 to 11.

Date : Monday 24 July to Friday 28 July

Time : 8:30am to 12:30pm

Cost : RM800

Please contact me at wayne.demnar@igbis.edu.my if you

would like to enrol your child.

PVO Brunch and Summer Bazaar

Julie Chen ArcidiaconoCommunity Support & Services Coordinator......................................................................................

Staff Appreciation LunchTuesday, 16 May 2017

All contributions should be dropped off on 16th May

at the Level 2 turnstiles from 7:45-8:00 am or at Level

5 Reception from 11:00-11:30 am. One of our PVO

members will receive the dishes at that time and parents

will be able to fill out labels with their names if they so

wish. Gentle reminder that all foods should be nut-free.

There’s still time to join in the event! Please contact

your class parent representative if you would like to

be involved with Staff Appreciation Lunch, either by

contributing food & beverages or by helping out on the

day itself.

PVO Brunch and Summer Bazaar Thursday, 25 May 2017

Only 2 weeks away! We have over 20 vendors

confirmed, selling a wide range of food and crafts, such

as fashion accessories, educational toys, stationery,

and homemade food & remedies. If you are interested

in volunteering, parent help would be much appreciated.

There will be a Summer Bazaar event committee

meeting on Wednesday, 17 May at 2:00 pm in the PVO

Room. Please join us!

All parents are invited for the PVO Brunch on 25 May

from 11:00 - 2:00 pm in Level 3 Classroom 3-38, right

before the Summer Bazaar. Stop by for nibbles and a

good time with fellow parents before checking out the

Bazaar!

8 Igniting Minds Impacting Lives

Book donations for Achiever’s Academy

Sumire UenishiGrade 11...............................................................................................

“Thank you so much for the books. I love some of the novels and am looking forward to reading them. Please help convey our most heartfelt thanks to all donors of the books.” - A message from a volunteer teacher at Achiever’s Academy

I organised a book donation for our partner refugee school,

Achiever’s Academy. Overall, 445 books were collected: 115

novels, 256 children’s storybooks, and 75 educational books.

Initially, my goal was to collect 300 books, so this result was

well beyond my expectations.

I am impressed by a number of books donated by the IGBIS

community and greatly appreciate everyone’s help and effort

to contribute to this donation. This significant achievement

can change the quality of education at the refugee school. In

addition, I am glad that the contribution reflects some attributes

of our IB learner profile - being caring and open-minded. I

would like to say thank you to my teachers for assisting me to

make my project successful. I could not have done this project

without support from so many people.

Again, thank you all for making this project meaningful.

Correction and apology

Last week, the “Book donations for Achiever’s Academy” article was credited to the wrong person. The article was written by Sumire Uenishi, a Grade 11 student. We unreservedly apologise to Sumire and any other people who were distressed by the error, and would like to reprint the article, with the credit going to the correct person.

The Newsletter Team

Book donation booth at International Day. (S. Uenishi)

Kindergarten refugee students learning maths. (S. Uenishi)

Refugee students helping to bring books over to the school. (S. Uenishi)