Published by ISS as a Community Newsletter 12 March 2014 - Volume XXXVI - No 5 2013/14 The Informer Can you not taste the spring? From the Director: One of the real pleasures of my job is to hear from graduates on a regular basis. Our ISS alumni are out doing a variety of wonderful things around the world. Recently, I heard from one of our Norwegian citizen graduates, Kamilla Mauseth, who wrote to me with a request that I was happy to agree to help her with by connecting her with our school community and our high school students and parents. Rather than paraphrasing, I will quote directly from what she has written to me: “Dear Dr. Duevel, Traditional Norwegian decorative painting in Art class After graduating from ISS in 2011, I am now in the process of achieving a Bachelor’s degree in psychology at Boston University. Due to the IB program, and the resulting points allocated based on my scores, I had the opportunity to graduate from my university a year prior to schedule. As I didn’t have the restraints of normal freshman to complete prerequisites and college requirements, I am now able to explore psychology on a deeper and more initiated level. In the past year, I’ve come to interest myself within cross-cultural and developmental psychology, and the implication of moving for ’TCK’s. [Third Culture Kids—the definition is one who has spent some part of their childhood and/or adolescence living outside their own passport culture.] Through an honor’s program at my university I am able to research, (with the assistance of a resident professor), an area of interest and prepare a study and ultimately a paper fit for publication. My area of interest lies in the differences of personality between TCKs and their parents. Research suggests that there are many positive aspects to being an Third Culture Kid. TCKs have higher rates of cultural empathy and open-mindedness on personality scales. Interviews with TCKs indicate that they truly appreciate and enjoy the cultural lifestyle and circumstances they grew up in. There is also a trend for very strong family relationships. Since they are uprooted every few years, the only constant in life is family and many develop a ‘ family bubble’ where relationships are closer and more tightly knit. Results have shown that the TCK community share more personality traits than with their own peer group from their passport country. TCKs tend to grow up very independent and mature quickly, but they are culturally adept and sensitive which helps in getting along with people of any culture. Artful watercolour painting at a tender age 2 · THE INFORMER 12 M arch 2014 Our interest lies within the development of personality within the TCK community and its relation to parental influence. The four main reasons that parents go abroad with their families are business, military, religious and governmental and the motivation and founding characters of these parents differ immensely. Though the parents’ similar openness is present in the children, we www.isstavanger.no are interested in the factors that differ from their parents. Due to recent study, 30-60% of behavior/personality can be explained by genetic inheritance from one’s parents. Since there are differences between TCKs and their parents, there should be a pronounced difference between TCKs and their parents compared to nonTCKs and their parents. We believe that through the experience of growing up abroad, the sheer impact of interacting with different environments, languages, cultures, belief systems and personalities (as well as students/children in similar situations), will affect them more in their development than their non-travelling counterparts. In our investigation we seek to attain a compilation of questionnaire and surveys distributed to a student/parent population (international school and comparison local school). The survey will be accessed online by the student/ parent who will be delivered a code to email to parent/ student, as to pair data anonymously. As to achieve a statistically applicable response, it is necessary to pair the parents with their children anonymously and we are working with the tech department on a system that doesn’t reveal or connect any personal information. Rose painting ...? The survey will be a compilation of parental and personality questions, delving into well-being, stress levels of forgiveness,(reconciliation scales) and emotional intelligence. This survey would be accessed online and hopefully distributed through email/newsletter to parents and students, and take an estimated 15-20 minutes to complete. As mentioned earlier we are interested in pairing the TCK data with nonTCK data, and to do this we need the contribution of a local Norwegian school. I hope ISS would be interested in contributing to my study and your participation would be greatly appreciated. It takes a steady hand... If you are interested in supporting my research please respond and ask any questions you may have. Best, Kamilla Mauseth” Not surprisingly, my reaction to Kamilla’s research idea was very positive. I am also helping her to be in contact with a Norwegian high school much farther north as the “nonTCK” sample. Here in Rogaland, the local schools all have a comparatively large sample of TCKs as well, so it was useful that I could make connections with a school I know in a part of the country that is less impacted by our very international environment here in the Stavanger Region. Later in this issue of the Informer you will find the survey information. Personally and professionally, www.isstavanger.no A wide variety of tecniques to explore in Art THE INFORMER 12 M arch 2014 · 3 I hope there will be a number of our students and parents who choose to take part in this anonymous research that Kamilla is involved in. Nothing makes me happier than to watch our ISS graduates in action transforming concepts into educational research. Plus as the mother of two TCK’s myself, I’ll look forward to reading the results of her research when they are published. Good luck, Kamilla! Whenever I am asked my favorite day of the year, it is always an easy question to answer—without a doubt, it is May 17th, Norway’s Constitution Day. This year, that day will be even more special as Norway celebrates its 200 Year Anniversary of the Norwegian Constitution. Attached is a listing from the Chamber of Commerce on what should be an outstanding concert by the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra in honor of the 200 Year Anniversary of the Norwegian Constitution, which will be held at the Stavanger Concert House on Wednesday, April 30 beginning at 18.00. “The evening’s performance schedule lists Norwegian music from the national romantic Grieg, and a brand new composition by Gisle Kverndokk. The orchestral works is specially commissioned by the orchestra. It draws on folk music collected from the varied countries and cultural backgrounds found in Stavanger. Grieg often used rich influences of Norwegian folk music as inspiration for his own compositions. This unique musical reflection has never previously been heard.” There is a cost to the concert, (NOK 285), but that includes the concert ticket, canapès and drinks. (As a side note, I have been given the honor of speaking, along with the County Governor and the composer— that’s not reason for you to attend, but hopefully won’t scare you off either from what should be a wonderful evening!) Mahnoor Raja! I have written previously in the Informer this year about Mahnoor’s wonderful art project of creating elephants that are printed on t-shirts with the proceeds going toward a variety of charities including the School for Life in Thailand and the local support magazine, “Asfalt.” She has also created an exclusive design for the Autism Association of Rogaland and is in communications with the World Wildlife Fund about a potential colloboration there as well. Next week the national magazine, Hjemmet, will run a terrific two-page article about Mahnoor and her project. Congratulations, Mahnoor—you are an inspiration to all of us about what can happen when talent, hard work and a will to do service for others converge. Although there is really no time on the ISS calendar when there aren’t lots of things going on, this is a particularly busy time of year. We salute all of our winter series athletes who are coming close to the end of their seasons and thank their coaches and their parents for their support and involvement. Good luck to our Boys and Girls Varsity Basketball teams that will journey to the big NECIS tournament in Antwerp. And another big event taking place soon is “Beauty and the Beast,” the 2014 Middle School Musical. Our talented students year after year astound their audiences with their skills and their pure joy at entertaining their applauding public. It should be yet another outstanding success. Congratulations to one and all who are involved. Regards, Dr. Linda Duevel Director lduevel@isstavanger.no Details for booking tickets are below. (An alternative is to bypass the speeches and the pre-concert reception and book seats through the normal Stavanger Konserthus website for the concert which will start at 19.30.) Either way, it should be a memorable evening marking an important date in the history of Norway. Congratulations once again to high school student, 4 · THE INFORMER 12 M arch 2014 www.isstavanger.no Title: Third Culture Kids: How does moving internationally develop children? Hello, I am an undergraduate student in the Department of Psychology at Boston University and a 2011 graduate of ISS and I would like to invite you to participate in my research study on the parental and environmental influences of personality and attitude development in the international student. This study aims to understand the influence that the overseas cultural experience has on our personality development in contrast to parental influences. You will be asked to complete a 45 minute survey that consists of questions on personality, parental behavior, emotional regulation, societal perspectives and forgiveness. To understand the differences and similarities between parents and their children we aim to survey both Third Culture Kids and their parents. After completion of the survey a participation code will be provided. If you are interested in participating we would ask for your consent to allow your adolescent child (above the age of 16) to participate as well. You can forward the link to the survey to your child with the addition of the participation code you receive at the end of the survey so we can pair your responses together. The addition of this code is vital to analyzing the interaction and relationship between you and your children. Your involvement would help me greatly in my senior research paper and the development of knowledge of TCKs. If you have any questions, please contact me at mauseth@bu.edu or my advisor, Dr. Catherine Caldwell-Harris, at charris@bu.edu. Thank you for your consideration and contribution, Kamilla Mauseth Please use this link to begin the survey: https://bostonu.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_abGUwzzYRKYWnKR www.isstavanger.no THE INFORMER 12 M arch 2014 · 5 International Choral Festival Concert! Free Admission The International School of Stavanger is proud to host the 2014 AMIS European Middle School Honor Girls’ Choir Festival! Saturday, April 5 19.00 – ISS Theater Every year, AMIS (the Association for Music in International Schools) sponsors a variety of music festivals designed to benefit students in international schools around the world. In April 2014, 96 middle school girls from 15 international schools will spend several days in Stavanger rehearsing as part of an honor choir and perform a concert at ISS on Sat., April 5 at 19.00. Mark your calendar and spread the word! 6 · THE INFORMER 12 M arch 2014 www.isstavanger.no All School News In April, 2014, we are welcoming 90 girls selected from 14 international schools around the world, to spend several days rehearsing as part of an honour choir. This festival culminates in a choral concert on Saturday, 5th A pril. We would like to thank the ISS families who are generously opening their homes to host these students, from Wednesday, 2nd April until Sunday, 6th April. M ark Your Calendars! Come along and listen to the AMIS Girls` Honor Choir Concert! When? Saturday, April 5 7:00pm - AMIS Honor Girls’ Choir Gala Concert Where? In www.isstavanger.no The Lovelace Theatre at ISS THE INFORMER 12 M arch 2014 · 7 From the Deputy Director Dear all, CIS Team Members As we find ourselves in March the faculty and staff at ISS are very much looking forward to the CIS (Council of International Schools) and NEASC (New England Association of Schools and Colleges) reaccreditation visit. Perry Morten Barlien HoD Social Studies Upper School, International School of Prague, Czech Republic For those of you who are new to ISS or unfamiliar with the CIS / NEASC accreditation the process is one recognized in international school circles as a highly effective means of initiating and maintaining school improvement and demonstrating adherence to a set of publicly stated standards. Over the past 18 months ISS has conducted what may best be described as a rigorous 360 degree selfexamination based upon our own Guiding Statements and externally recognised standards and benchmarks articulated under the following framework. Etienne Chabilan, Head of Mathematics, Collège du Léman, Versoix, Switzerland Richard Tong Head of English and Coordinator of Languages A, Sotogrande International School, Cadiz, Spain Patrick Lee Lower School Assistant Principal, The American School in London, United Kingdom Angela Louise Harris Primary Principal, St Julian’s School, Lisbon, Portugal NEASC Team Members Janusz Rzonca Humanities Teacher, Bavarian International School, Haimhausen, Germany The process of self-review is followed by an objective external appraisal by a team of peers mostly from other international schools as can been seen from the listing below: Carmel Platt (CIS Team Chair) Primary School Principal, Emirates International School, Dubai Danuta Thibodeau (NEASC Co-Chair) Executive Director Education Connection, Litchfield, USA Jenna Bowie (CIS Team Secretary) Council of International School, Leiden, The Netherlands 8 · THE INFORMER 12 M arch 2014 Brenda Christopherson Junior School Principal, International School Basel, Switzerland Tobin Bechtel Deputy Director/Secondary School Principal, International School of Berne, Switzerland Aaron Deupree ESL Department Head, Leysin American School, Switzerland Graeme Michael Chisholm Primary Principal, Riverside School, Prague, Czech Republic At the beginning of the visit there will be a welcome www.isstavanger.no reception held at ISS for our visiting team on Sunday 30th March between 16:00 and 17:00 where the team will introduce themselves to our school community. As parents of our school community, you are most welcome to join us in welcoming our visitors at this rececption. The visiting team will then have a busy week ahead of them visiting classrooms and other work places and campus facilities, examine documentation compiled by the school, and speaking with students, parents, members of the administration, faculty and support staff, and the Board of Trustees. As mentioned above over the course of the week they examine all aspects of the school in the light of the self-study findings and our own Guiding Statements. In due course the team will provide the accrediting agencies (CIS and NEASC) with a recommendation relating to the status of re-accreditation for ISS. When this decision is made by the accrediting bodies they will confirm the outcome to us as well as providing a full and comprehensive objective report which provides an assessment of the conclusions of the self-study and articulates specific recommendations for school improvement and notes specific commendations. Can I ask a question, please ..? Again I would like to express my gratitude to all those who have in some way participated in the process and as a school we look forward to acting on the findings as we continually seek to improve as learning organization. With kind regards, Gareth Jones Deputy Director gjones@isstavanger.no Visitors? Come on in! www.isstavanger.no THE INFORMER 12 M arch 2014 · 9 The Counselors’ Corner MJJetabut@isstavanger.no Cheryl.brown@isstavanger.no “Life stands before me like an eternal spring with new and brilliant clothes.” - Carl Friedrich Gauss DEAR 12TH GRADE STUDENTS, This time of year can often bring along a colorful array of change and experiences – snow drops and crocuses begin to make an appearance as well as lighter and brighter days. At the same time, you may be receiving university acceptances and offers alongside a few rejections and disappointments. This is the normal chain of events and we see these highs and lows of the university admissions process every year. Know that it is not personal and oftentimes has more to do with numbers. The challenge lies in how you handle change, disappointment, and surprise. Life is full of unpredictability and various elements that we can and cannot control. Focus on that which you can control and forge ahead! The finish line is within reach - revise your work, review your notes, and renew your spirits! Take care of yourself by eating well and getting a full night’s rest. Take advantage of the daylight hours and make productive use of your time here at school by seeking teacher support and working with your peers. Whenever you begin to feel restless, anxious, or stretched, remember to look around you. We are all in this together until the bittersweet end and the 12th of June will be here before you know it! ALL 9th, 10th, AND 11th GRADE STUDENTS At this point everyone should have submitted their course selections for next school year. If you have missed the deadline, you may risk not getting your first choice classes. If you are having difficulty please come to see us – we are happy to help. Next step will be to meet with your teachers and then your counselor to discuss your selections and future plans. COLLEGE NIGHT If you happened to miss College Night on 6th March, be sure to stop by the Counseling Office to pick up a copy of the new ISS University Planning Handbook, which gives guidelines to help you through the planning and application process. Those of you who attended Career Day will know the importance 10 · THE INFORMER 12 M arch 2014 of university study in keeping your options for the future open. NOTICE TO ALL 11th GRADE STUDENTS AND THEIR PARENTS If you are planning to apply to a US, Canadian, or American-style university in Europe, it is strongly recommended that you take either, or both, the ACT with writing or the SAT Reasoning Test once this next semester and once during the first semester of your twelfth grade year. Check the registration deadlines for international students and make sure you register on-line prior to the deadline. Test centres fill up very quickly! Also check to see if the College/University you are planning to apply to requires the SAT Subject Tests. If these are required then it is recommended that you take these during the fall semester of your senior year. Also if you are not a native English speaker consider taking the TOEFL test, which can help you fulfill English language requirements worldwide. To register online for the SAT exam or SAT Subject Tests that will be offered here at ISS on Saturday, May 3, 2014, go to www.collegeboard.com. Registration deadline is April 4, 2014. Spaces are limited. Do not procrastinate! For students interested in applying to study Medicine, Dentistry, or Veterinary medicine in the UK, it is important to determine whether you need to take the BMAT or UKCAT admissions test. Information can be found at http://www.admissionstests. cambridgeassessment.org.uk/adt/bmat and http:// www.ukcat.ac.uk/. Please make sure to check for deadlines and exam locations. Reference materials on preparing for these exams are available in the library. NOTICE TO ALL University-bound high school STUDENTS AND THEIR PARENTS Check out the following opportunities! Open Days - Open days are currently scheduled for UK universities. Go to www.opendays.com for specific university Open Day dates. Many students take advantage of their Easter vacation and summer holidays to visit Universities and/or attend college fairs and open days. If you are on www.isstavanger.no The Counselors’ Corner MJJetabut@isstavanger.no Cheryl.brown@isstavanger.no vacation and in the vicinity of a university or higher education institution go and take a look. It will give you a sense of what to think about when choosing a university and also maybe give you ideas about what you do not want. University Taster Course Programme 2014 - The Taster Course Programme aims to provide students, looking towards starting university in September 2015 (currently in grade 11) with a taste of what life at a university in London is like. Through your chosen course you will experience the different teaching methods used by university academics and gain an insight into the additional facilities available, whilst meeting students from across the UK. You can choose a course from a variety of subjects at various university institutions, including courses organized by The Careers Group, University of London. Courses range from voice and drama, to medicine and nursing, to computing and business. Check out: http://www.london.ac.uk/tasters SUMMER STUDY PROGRAMS – all students GAP Medics are offering an exciting project for students that are looking to apply for university courses in medicine, nursing, dentistry, or midwifery. Placements operate in Tanzania, India, Thailand and the Caribbean. Students can spend from 1 to 4 weeks on placement. Placements are designed for students aged 16 or older who are thinking of applying for a health care-related degree program. Check out: http://www.gapmedics.com/ We have also received a wide variety of brochures and information from other summer study programs in China, Europe, the U.K. and the U.S.A. Please check in the Counseling Office for more information. Welcome the daylight that spring brings. Have a warm and wonderful Easter vacation! Sincerely, Cheryl Brown Monchaya Jetabut High School Counselor High School Counselor Cheryl.brown@isstavanger.no mjjetabut@isstavanger.no www.isstavanger.no THE INFORMER 12 M arch 2014 · 11 News from the Exams Coordinator IB Diploma news: What is ATL and why is it important? Lance King, in IB Global News, explains the meaning of ATL in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme: “Approaches to Learning (ATL) is a curriculum of skills of effective learning. These are the skills that students need in order to be successful at school, at university and in the world of work, business and enterprise. For success in the 21st century all students need to learn to be effective, self-regulated learners … those who can learn in any situation, at any time, in any place, from any person using any media or technology – without the support of teachers.” In the High School at ISS, we have been exploring how these skills can be more explicitly incorporated into our teaching programmes. There are five generic categories of skills that the IB has identified: research skills, communication skills, thinking skills, social skills, and self-management skills. It is clear that these skills are addressed in many and varied ways throughout the students’ schooling at ISS, but it is also becoming clear to me that we need to look at exactly when and how these skills are developed in our students – they are skills which can be ‘taught not caught’. In addition, as the skills are a fundamental part of the IB programmes, forming part of the core of the IB visual model of the curriculum, we need to be able to document clearly how we are addressing the students’ development in these areas. The IB acknowledges that implementation of ATL may require a shift of emphasis in the High School, with more cross-departmental and whole faculty planning and collaboration, and the IBDP Coordinator being considered more of a pedagogical leader in the school. 12 · THE INFORMER 12 M arch 2014 A focus on ATL will also help support the school in meeting a number of the required IB programme ‘standards and practices’ which are a part of the fiveyear IB programme evaluation. So what is the next step here at ISS? We are currently discussing some of these ideas with teachers in the High School, and they are providing a focus for faculty meetings. The IB expects that there will be a gradual integration of ATL into all the IB courses at the school and at ISS it will be an ongoing process over the next years. The IB plans to publish all ATL documents in January 2015 for official use from September 2015. This is a major project with potentially wide-reaching effects on both teaching and learning: the IB hopes that it will result in ‘more engaged teachers and students’. We look forward to an exciting time as the IB Diploma programme at ISS continues to develop and grow! Sources: Approaches to teaching and learning across the Diploma Programme Executive summary, International Baccalaureate, March 2012 Approaches to teaching and learning in the DP: Project Update, International Baccalaureate, January 2013 Lance King in IB Global News Vol. 2, Issue 2, 2014 www.isstavanger.no Middle School News and Events In the process of mummification.... The advisory theme for March will be ‘Teamwork and Cooperation’. There are many examples of this taking place on a daily basis in the Middle School and the next big event coming up is a special example of that. MS Musical (2014) – ‘Beauty and the Beast’ The next major event THIS WEEK in the MS calendar will be the musical ’Beauty and the Beast’. This production is both curricular (Wed exploratory) and extra-curricular (Monday and Wednesday after school and Sundays). By the time of the performances, the vast majority of our MS students will be involved in some way. The majority of our Q3 exploratories are related to this production: • Backstage Exploratory • CDT Exploratory (set building). • Art Exploratory (set design, painting, poster design, and t-shirt design). • Publicity Exploratory (have produced an excellent website and designed the program and tickets. www.isstavanger.no • Drama Exploratory - comprises all cast members! In addition, we have a group of volunteers for Lighting and Sound, Hair and Make-up as well and a group of students who will be our Front of House crew. ALL of the students involved in the above groups are invited to the Cast and Crew party after the final performance on Saturday, 15th March. Pick up time is 21:00. Tickets are on sale from the Main Office (20kr). Hurry, Hurry, Hurry! 8th Grade Leirskole – Trysil Sunday, March 16th-Friday, March 21st This exciting and memorable trip is coming up this week for our 8th grade! Please re-read the information and the packing list. Please contact Mr. Keereman if you have any further questions. THE INFORMER 12 M arch 2014 · 13 Middle School News and Events The result of this experiment is... Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences Thursday, March 13th and Friday, March 14th (8am-3:45pm) • I look forward to seeing you at these conferences this week. Please stop by and say hello . • Please remember to bring your son or daughter to these conferences – it is very important that they are part of the conversation. • These conferences are timed so that a conversation can take place regarding progress during Q3 and also how close students have come to achieving their own goals that they set themselves at the end of Q2. • Students will receive a copy of the self-reflections (written for their Q2 report) and they will be able to use them to discuss progress and achievement during Q3. • Remember: there will be NO school for middle school students on Thursday, March 13th and Friday, March 14th. Please sign in at the Main Office as normal and then make your way to your first conference. Looking Ahead to Q4 Extra-Curricular Activities – Q4 Sports Here is an advance preview of the sports activities that will be offered during Q4. Of course we still have NECIS swimming tournament coming up at the end of March and we wish all team members the best of luck. Middle School Girls Soccer/Football Practice will begin on Tuesday 1st April at 15:30 and all who intend to play will meet their coaches, Ms. Russell and Ms. May in the girls changing room after school. Practice times will run on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 15:30-17:00. Please be sure to have proper athletic clothing and football boots/cleats. The girls should come with athletic shorts and tops as well as athletic pants, sweatshirts and a beanie/knit hat to be prepared for cold weather. Junior Varsity Rugby Practice will begin on Tuesday, 18th March at 15:30 and all who intend to play will meet their coach, 14 · THE INFORMER 12 M arch 2014 www.isstavanger.no Middle School News and Events Mr. Sygrove in the boys changing room after school. Practice times will run on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 15:30-17:00. Please be sure to have proper athletic clothing and rugby boots/cleats. The boys should come with athletic shorts and tops as well as athletic pants, sweatshirts and a beanie/knit hat to be prepared for cold weather. If you have rugby practice gear (rugby shorts and tops) you are encouraged to wear these to each practice. Track and Field Practice will begin on Monday, 17th March at 15:30 and all who intend to play will meet their head coach, Mr. Bakke on the track after school. Practice times will be on Mondays, Wednesdays and optional Fridays from 15:30-17:30. Please bring proper running shoes, and if you have track shoes, you are encouraged to bring these to practice as well. Students should make sure they have proper athletic clothing (shorts and T-shirts) and are advised to bring athletic pants, sweatshirt and a beanie/knit hat to be prepared for cold weather. That is all for this month! Carol Wallace Middle School Principal cwallace@isstavanger.no www.isstavanger.no THE INFORMER 12 M arch 2014 · 15 High School NEWS Holly Barnes, High School Biology Teacher HBarnes@isstavanger.no Crossing the Ages: High School and Elementary Science Join Forces This has been an exciting year for science at the ISS. The high school science team has joined forces with primary school teachers to bring more technology and hands-on experimentation into the classrooms. ISS provides a unique opportunity for students from the lower grades to visit the labs and students in the upper grades. First graders extracted chlorophyll from leaves and then used chromatography paper to see the different colors. They also tested the osmotic properties of gummy bears (they swell up when you put them in water!) and graphed their own temperatures while “hibernating.” High school students who traveled to Svalbard spoke with the second grade about the Tundra during the primary students’ biomes unit and fielded many “burning” questions about the far north. Third grade was able to test the pH of many different substances to determine if they were acidic or basic with the help of lab discs and pH probes. 16 · THE INFORMER 12 M arch 2014 In the spring, they are looking forward to further collaboration with the biology department when they study plants. Fourth grade made clouds in bottles and investigated the local weather using the weather station located on the school roof. Fifth grade was able to visit the 10th grade again this year for heart dissections. Only one or two had to be excused! It is such a great class as the 10th graders are able to lead the dissection for the 5th grade as they discover and learn together. These efforts were originally special requests from individual teachers, but have grown into involvement at every grade level. When the high school students are hosting the events, it requires them to give “teacher” answers and know the material thoroughly; most enjoy being role models for the younger students, who can imagine themselves having the same expertise in just a few years. www.isstavanger.no High School NEWS Now, let’s have a look inside the heart .. A lung dissection is done the following way... The gummy bear before getting wet How many atria are there ..? www.isstavanger.no All hands at work! THE INFORMER 12 M arch 2014 · 17 Two young ladies from the Middle Ages visited the Primary School lately Primary School News If Winter was not busy enough, the activities this Spring will keep us even more involved. There are lots of activities at school that are sponsored by ISS and by parents. Grade Five students will be attending Outdoor Education Week at Gullingen Leirskule 24-28 March. This is always a highlight for our students as they learn and practice cross-country skiing and getting out in Norway’s great outdoors. Check out the snow and activity at the live webcam: http://www. gullingen.no/index.php/gullingen-live-webcam Track and Field for Early Childhood and Primary School will run for five Thursdays starting April 3. We tend to have about 100 children participate, so parents are needed to help. Please contact Dr. Jack Raven if you are interested. An information sheet will be sent soon from Dr. Raven. Can I take a bite ..? 18 · THE INFORMER 12 M arch 2014 Practice for the PS Musical for students in Grades 3-5 We are so pleased with the great number of students who are participating! Thank you to students, Mrs. Kemp, other teachers and parents for your support and participation. Mark your calendars now for the performances on May 22, 23 and 24. Thank you to parents for attending the recent studentteacher-parent conferences. Later in the spring, students will have a chance to show what they have been learning during the year as they share their learning portfolios with you. Thank you to parents who attended our roundtable discussion. Two of the topics discussed were reports and communication about curriculum. These discussions and feedback are helpful as we continually try to improve ISS to better support learning, wellbeing and community. Not sure I’m in the right job.. ‘O Fortuna velut luna .....’ www.isstavanger.no I hereby declare the ISS Olympic Games to be opened! Primary School News Professional Development is an important part of continual improvement. We have a special treat in store this spring as Carl Anderson of Teachers College Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University will spend the weekend with our teachers and then he will demonstrate strategies to effectively confer with students about their writing and reading. circulation in our library gets even faster then. Len Duevel, PhD Primary School Principal LPDuevel@isstavanger.no Please welcome Mr. Erik Jordheim. He came back to ISS after paternity leave in a new role, Librarian. We are so pleased to have him help make the library a central part of our school. We have extended goals to have students learn more library skills, integrate technology in research and make the library a direct link to support conceptual understanding in topics for all classes. This does not diminish from the role the library plays in a fantastic resource for books and reading for pleasure. Coming up soon is a reading incentive, and the Coordination is the clue .... www.isstavanger.no I am in the lead! Here comes the Olympic flame! THE INFORMER 12 M arch 2014 · 19 To infinity and beyond! Second grade students had the fortunate opportunity to go far beyond their study of the solar system with a recent visit to the planetarium at the Vitenfabrikken (Science Factory) in Sandnes. Students enjoyed the opportunity to sit back and enjoy a movie about our universe on the huge, dome-shaped projection screen. Starting with the Big Bang, in chronological order, students watched the formation of stars, solar systems and the first life on Earth. The movie also covered the great extinctions, as well as the search for (primitive) life beyond planet Earth. The students enjoyed the inspirational journey through time and the celebration of life on Earth. Alban Peyrat, a student in Mr. Williams’ class, said, “It was so cool how the movie showed the creation of the universe, the galaxies and our Earth!” After the film and lunch in the Science Factory’s café, second grade students had a full hour to explore the interactive exhibits at the museum. They used controls to operate a construction site, manipulated mirrors to refract lazers, experimented with infrared light, explored hydroelectricity and much more! Katie Roberts, from Ms. Miller’s class, said, “It was fun to experiment with the water to get the lights to turn on!” All in all second grade had a fabulous time at the Vitenfabrikken and the trip was out of this world! 20 · THE INFORMER 12 M arch 2014 www.isstavanger.no Our solar system Did you know that it is possible to fit our entire solar system into the Primary School gym? Second graders proved that it is indeed possible! For their study of space, they worked in teams to make a living model of the eight planets and the sun that comprise our solar system. Students worked in teams to draw each planet to scale. Next, they traveled to the gym and used their newfound measuring skills from the sun. With their scaled-down version, they discovered that: find the distance each planet is • the sun is 25 feet long, • Earth is 56 centimeters away from the sun • and Neptune is an incredible 17 meters from the sun. That is almost the entire expanse of the gym! In the end, students cheered and were astonished to see that it was feasible to fit our solar system into the gym. www.isstavanger.no THE INFORMER 12 M arch 2014 · 21 Early Childhood 14 cats in their hats! Thank you, parents for taking the time to come and meet with your child’s teacher on 21 February. The parent-teacher conferences are meant to provide an opportunity for the teacher to share with you their insights of your child’s learning. Jill Raven, Early Childhood Principal, JRaven@isstavanger.no In Early Childhood, celebrating friendship has been a focus during the month of February. Preschool 3 children discussed what it means to be friendly. The following were suggested by the children; kissing, hugging, not pushing, not hitting, sharing, saying I am your friend, I will play with you …….. In Preschool 3 the children explored numbers and patterns, worked as the class photographer for the day and focused on health with a visit to the nurse office and special visitors such as Doctor Marion, and Dentist Venessa. In Preschool 4 the children hopped on the city bus. Destination: Mosvannet! The children behaved beautifully on the bus and they all enjoyed walking on the path, watching the ducks and sitting on the rock wall drinking hot cocoa and eating pretzel sticks. Kindergarten has wrapped up their unit on winter and begun a new unit on folk tales and fairy tales. They will be learning all about the characteristics of a fairy tale. Grade One has enjoyed a variety of hands-on experiments learning about prediction, carrying out an experiment, and then drawing a conclusion from the results. Following the winter break the children jumped right back into school with high energy and enthusiasm for learning. Kindergarten and Grade One celebrated Dr. Seuss’s birthday by focusing on books by Dr. Seuss, participating in special Dr. Seuss activities including dressing up in a variety of Dr. Seuss based themes. Who is Dr. Seuss? Theodor Seuss Geisel (March 2, 1904 – September 24, 1991) was an American writer and cartoonist, better 22 · THE INFORMER 12 M arch 2014 known by his pen name, Dr. Seuss (often pronounced /su:s/, but he himself said /sois/). This year he would have been 110 years old. Dr. Seuss published over 60 children’s books, which were often characterized by his imaginative characters, rhyme. His most notable books include the bestselling classics Green Eggs and Ham, The Cat in the Hat, and One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish. His work has been adapted numerous times, including eleven television specials, three feature films, and a Broadway musical. Dr. Seuss, wrote The Cat in the Hat in response to a perceived literacy crisis in the United States. In the mid1950s, many Americans were asking themselves: Why can’t Johnny read? In a Life magazine article, Pulitzer Prize-winning author John Hersey maintained that American children couldn’t read because the Dick and Jane primers were boring and could not compete with cartoons, comics, and other more fun and interesting stimuli, so he challenged Dr. Seuss to write a story “first graders wouldn’t be able to put down.” And that’s just what Dr. Seuss did, using a vocabulary of only 236 words. Seuss’ 236 words revolutionized the way children learn to read. Originally published by Random House in 1957, The Cat in the Hat was embraced widely and enthusiastically, becoming an instant bestseller and turning Dr. Seuss into a household name virtually overnight. Random House has since sold an estimated 10.5 million copies of the book, not including the millions more sold by Random House via a direct mail program administered by Scholastic-at-Home. Look for a Dr. Seuss book to read with your son or daughter. Watch out for the tongue twisters! Remember— “You’re never too old, too wacky, too wild to pick up a book and read to a child”.—Dr. Seuss. www.isstavanger.no Early Here’s my idol Dundam dolles dolum www.isstavanger.no Childhood Pe excernam, quam Temposandi ut Saperibe rumquae conserepudi THE INFORMER 12 M arch 2014 · 23 News from the Health, Security, Safety and Environment (HSSE) Committee March 2014 At the end of February/beginning of March we have conducted safety audits in both the cafeteria and the playground with no serious findings, but with items that have been identified and added to our regular maintenance schedules, so that they can be addressed in short order. Next month we will continue our safety audit schedule with the Early Childhood and Primary School, Physical Education facilities and basement. As outlined in December we have a continuous challenge to ensure that students are wearing seatbelts on the school buses. We continue to conduct random inspections on the buses, but would ask that you reinforce the importance of wearing a seatbelt on the bus with your child/children. We informed earlier this school year, one of our priority areas was to review our Lockdown Procedures. Over the course of the year we have had our procedures evaluated by the Police, Stavanger kommune and the HSSE Department at Conoco Phillips, who also conducted a table top lockdown exercise with our Crisis Response Team. As a result of feedback from each of these organisations we have made appropriate updates and are now making preparations to conduct a pre-announced lockdown practice with students present in the building during the week of the 24th March. We will be approaching the lockdown in a form of low stress educational perspective, talking the students through the process in a formative way. If you have any questions about the process please do not hesitate to contact your section principal or me at school. With kind regards Gareth Jones Deputy Director 24 · THE INFORMER 12 M arch 2014 www.isstavanger.no Parent Association News International Festival 2013 The Numbers Are In! Net Profit for Festival: 126, 288 NOK Net Profit for Festival Cookbook: 8,937 NOK The PA would again like to recognize its sponsors. Donations from our sponsors totalled 28,032.45 NOK! www.isstavanger.no THE INFORMER 12 M arch 2014 · 25 Parent Association News PA MONEY TRAIL The PA Donations Committee, after consulting with parents, teachers, and school administration, has decided to make a 50,000 NOK donation to the school to be divided among five purchases. This money is from the International Festival. 10,000 NOK towards four sets of modular wooden blocks for the Early Childhood program. These sets introduce children to concepts of math, technology and design in 3D. 10,000 NOK to purchase new display cases for the Art Department. 15,000 NOK towards new microphones. Due to a change in national regulations, the school needs 11 new microphones for its outstanding plays, concerts, assemblies, etc. 10,000 NOK to purchase a new display case for the MS-HS library. 5,000 NOK for a storage container for outdoor play equipment (e.g., jump ropes, hula hoops) for the primary school. In addition to these planned donations, the PA has already given: 10,000 NOK toward the annual author visit 10,000 NOK toward fall field trips 10,000 NOK toward spring field trips GRAND TOTAL , PA DONATIONS: 80,000NOK Thank you, parents and contributors! 26 · THE INFORMER 12 M arch 2014 www.isstavanger.no Train outside with a small group or in a private session We focus on making you faster, stronger and healthier! We offer daytime and evening sessions. We offer classes for adults and for kids (ages 6-8 and 9-12). We believe that we all benefit from being active, regardless of age or fitness level. Contact us today for your free session and to find out more! Telephone: 51 53 73 00 Email: post@naturesgym.no Website: www.naturesgym.no www.isstavanger.no THE INFORMER 12 M arch 2014 · 27 SYBL 2014 Stavanger Youth Baseball League Everybody is welcome to PLAY Baseball is offered for ALL youth ages 4-18 No experience or knowledge of baseball is required! The league is designed to teach the fundamentals of baseball to all youth regardless of skill level. Practices start early April (weather depending) and are held Tuesday through Friday between 17:00 and 20:30, one day a week for all levels. Games begin in April and are played Saturday mornings at the baseball fields located next to the International School of Stavanger (Madla, Stavanger) until June. For detailed information on the 2014 schedule, fees etc. please visit our website:https://sites.google.com/site/syblnorway2/ And Facebook: Stavanger Youth Baseball League Any questions regarding players ages 5 to 13 please contact: Rafael Rosales: Rosales3@slb.com For players ages 14 to 18 please contact: Bruce Nester: bnester@slb.com Important dates: Registration period has started • Field clean up March 15th • Start of season 25th March 2014 (Tuesday first practice) First Game 29th March • Season games on March 29th, April 5 & 26, May 3, 10, 24, 31 and June 7th is the playoff. No games on April 12 nor 19th neither on May 17th • 12-April to 21st April = Easter Vacation (No Games) • 17th May = Holiday (No Game) • End of season 7th June 2014 28 · THE INFORMER 12 M arch 2014 www.isstavanger.no ADMINISTRATION ONLY: Paid _____ Stavanger Youth Baseball League BASEBALL REGISTRATION FORM Season 2014 Please fill out IN PRINT. Complete one form per child. Scan and mail Registration: E-mail completed form to: rosales3@slb.com by March 14th. Payment: Payment ONLY via NETBANK, Account: 3201 58 80642 (in text box PLEASE put “Last Name, First Name(s) SYBL Baseball”). ____________________________________________________________________________________ Player Information: Players Name: Birth Date: ---------------------------------------------------------Played Baseball before: Yes / NO st Age (on Mar 1 ): Gender M/F ---------------------Number of years played: ______ -----------------Players mobile: Mothers Name Mothers e-mail: Mothers mobile: -------------------------------------------------------Fathers Name ------------------------Fathers e-mail: ----------------------Fathers mobile: -------------------------------------------------------Address *): Street Name and number: ------------------------ ----------------------Postal Code: City: ----------------------- ------------------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------* address must be filled in for valid registration. League Boys Girls (Check one) Age* (Grade) Age* (Grade) T-Ball 4-6 (PK-K-1) 4-6 (PK-K-1) 400 NOK Minors 7-9 (2-3-4) 7-10 (2-3-4) 450 NOK Majors 10-13 (5-8) 11-13 (5-6-7-8) 450 NOK Pony 14-18 (9-12) 14-18 (9-12) 450 NOK ------------------------ Registration Fee -------Grade 2014 -------- Registration Fee Covers Uniform/hats/trophies Practices will be held Tuesdays through Fridays, and are generally 1 hour long between 5:00 and 8:00 pm. INDICATE AVAILABILITY FOR PRACTICE ON ALL EVENINGS: A=Available N=Not available. NB! No indication will be assumed available! Tuesday A N Wednesday A N Thursday A N Friday A N PARENT INFORMATION: Please note – All teams NEED Coaches, Assistant Coaches, and others help during the season. Your participation in the program is a must! Please check the appropriate boxes – specify M for mother and F for father. Please check at least one box. Each parent will be asked to participate in Field Clean-Up Day. Each parent will be asked to assist the Kiosk Coordinator by working in the Kiosk at least one Saturday and helping with baking items or making chili. Head Coach Asst. Coach Umpire Team Mom Kiosk Coordinator Kiosk Asst. More information will be available at: https://sites.google.com/a/syblnorway.com/stavanger-youth-baseballleague/home. And Facebook: Stavanger Youth Baseball League www.isstavanger.no THE INFORMER 12 M arch 2014 · 29 Chef: Jean-Pierre Duc Lunch Menu In addition to the daily HOT MEAL and the soup of the day, the cafeteria also offers a vegetarian option for lunch NB! The symbols Veg and GF means vegetarian and gluten free, respectively. Every day we serve either a vegetarian option or a vegetarian soup. The soup variety is announced on the on-line menu daily M arch 2014 W 12.03 Beef Burritos w/ salsa and salad T14.03Lammefrikassée (= Lamb stew w/ root vegetables & potatoes) F 15.03 Fiskegratin (= Norwegian cod soufflée w/maccaroni) M 17.03 Hot dogs and mashed potatoes served with gravy T 18.03 Pasta Bolognese W19.03 Chicken Chop Suey (= Chinese stew w/soy sauce) T20.03Karbonder w/ fried onion, gravy and potatoes F 21.03 Breaded cod with butter sauce and potatoes and broccoli M T W T F 24.03 25.03 26.03 27.03. 28.03 Cajun fried rice w/beans and chorizo sausage ( Mediterranean pasta w/tomatoes, feta and chicken Stir-fry w/meat, potatoes and vegetables Nachos and beef wsalad and salsa Salmon Tandoori w/rice M 31.03 Fried rice w/curry and chicken (GF) A pril 2014 T 01.04 Pasta Carbonara w/bacon and paresan sauce W 02.04 Chili con Carne w/rice (GF) T03.04Lapskaus (Norwegian stew w/sausages &vegetables) F 04.04 Salmon & feta gratin w/potatoes and t omatoes M 07. 04 Chicken stew w/creamy sauce and root vegetables T 08.04 Pasta w/salsiccia, pork meat sauce and tomatoes W09.04 Beef fajitas served w/rice, salad and guacamole T 10.04 Meat balls in gravy w/carots and tyttebær jam F 11.04 Breaded cod and potato wedges w/broccoli 14 - 21 April - Easter Break T W T F 22.04 23.04 Pork 25.04 Thai Chicken stew w/lemon grass & green curry (GF) Pasta Bolognese Pork Tandoori w/Basmati rice (GF) Pollock w/Hollandaise sauce and carrots The menu of the Valhall Cafeteria is regularly updated on the Issues of the Informer in the school year 2013-2014 are due: 05.09, 30.10. and 11.12. 2013. In 2014: 29.01, 12.03. and 28.05. Deadline is one week before. To have CLASSIFIED ADS published in The Informer, please e-mail: LHoie@isstavanger.no. The editor reserves the right to edit ads to fit the space requested by you. Companies Full page (260 x 180mm) NOK 2400 NOK 1200 NOK 600 1/2 page (130 x 180 mm): NOK 1200,- NOK 600,- NOK 300,- 1/4 page (125 x 88 mm): NOK 800,- NOK 400,- NOK 200,- 1/8 page (60 x 88 mm): NOK 400,- NOK 200,- NOK 100,- 1/16 of a page (28,5 x 88 mm): NOK 200,- NOK 100,- NOK 50,- 1. 2. 3. Private persons ISS Teachers/ Students and their parents3* Prices: 1 2 If you do not wish to receive the Informer any more or if you have changes to your e-mail address, please notify Liv N. Høie at 51 55 43 22 or e-mail: LHoie@isstavanger.no The Informer is issued on the ISS web-page: www.isstavanger.no Go to “News” and then to “Informer” and current issue. Editor: Liv Nærland Høie Phone: +47 51 55 43 22 E-mail: LHoie@isstavanger.no If you run a business/company/activity that makes your living, you are a “company” price-wise. If you have a small activity, a non-profit foundation, organise a charity, advertise your belongings for sale, insert small personal ads, etc., you are charged a “private person” price. *These prices are valid from January 2010 30 · THE INFORMER 12 M arch 2014 www.isstavanger.no Calendar of Events School year 2013-2014 High School event The Informer is published by International School of Stavanger Treskeveien 3 NO-4043 STAVANGER Norway Tel: +47 51 55 43 00 Fax: +47 51 55 43 01 E-mail: info@isstavanger.no www.isstavanger.no High School Office: +47 51 55 43 43 Middle School Office: +47 51 55 43 11 Primary School Office: +47 51 55 43 23 Director: Dr. Linda Duevel Deputy Director: Mr. Gareth Jones High School Principal: Dr. Liam Browne Middle School Pricipal: Ms. Carol Wallace Primary School Principal: Dr. Len Duevel Early Childhood Principal: Ms. Jill Raven Business Manager: Ms. Linn Åsheim IB Coordinator: Ms. Lynn Park High School Counselors: Ms. Monchaya (June) Jetabut and Ms. Cheryl Brown Middle School Counselor: Mr. Matt Armstrong Primary School Counselor: Dr. Jack Raven School Nurse: Ms. Heather Melhus The ISS Vision Statement Inspire a community of responsible, globallyengaged, empowered learners. The ISS Mission Statement ISS provides an internationally-accredited, engaging and challenging English-language education in a supportive, multi-cultural environment where students have the opportunity to fulfill their potential. Our Values Learning, Well-being, Community. Middle School event Primary School event All School event M arch 13-14 Middle School Student/Parent/Teacher Conferences 13-15 Middle School Musical: ’Beauty and the Beast’ 13-16 NECIS Boys’ & Girls’ basketball in Antwerp 16-21 8th Grade Leirskole, Trysil 24-25 High School Parent-Teacher Conferences 24-28 Outdoor Education Week for Grade 5, Gullingen 25-27 International Award trip 27 First day of practice for EC/PS Track & Field 27-30 NECIS Swimming in Luxembourg 29 Middle School Ski Day 29.03 - 04.04 CIS/NECIS visiting Team at ISS 30 High School ISTA A pril 2-6 10 11 14-21 25 25 29-30 30 Middle School AMIS Honour Choir Festival hosted by ISS Middle School Recognition Ceremony for Q3, 08:45-10:15 All-School DEAR Day Easter Break StuCo Spring Elections SWEC Spring Fling, (evening) 6th Grade trip to Oslo IGCSE exams M ay 1 - 2 6 8 9-18 10 17 21 22-24 23-25 29-30 National holidays - NO school 5th to 6th Grade Transition Evening Grade 5/Middle School/High School Band Concert Spanish Exchange - part 2 Middle School Dance, 18:30-21:00 Constitution Day (with ISS in the parade at 10:00) 7th Grade Science Fair Primary School musical NECIS Track and Field National holidays - NO school June 6 6 11 11 12 Early Childhood Field Day, 09:00-10:00 Primary School Field Day, 10:00-11:30 Early Childhood Final Assembly, 13:00 Primary School Final Assembly, 14:00 Last day of school -half day - classes end at 12:00, buses leave at 12:15 The International School of Stavanger (ISS), founded in 1966, is an independent, non-profit Norwegian foundation accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and the Council of International Schools. The school enrolls students from ages 3 through 18. ISS offers an international university preparatory curriculum that combines the best features of many national educational systems. Both the International Baccalaureate Diploma programme and the International General Certificate of Secondary Education external examinations are available to students. In 2013, the school has an enrollment of nearly 800 students who represent over 50 nationalities, including students from six of the earth’s seven continents. www.isstavanger.no THE INFORMER 12 M arch 2014 · 31 Oh, look ... a puddle!!!!!!!
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