It's been a busy week at Paterson and I'm sure you are all looking forward to the holiday on Monday. The PYP Exhibition displayed some amazing learning this week. All of the students had worked with great commitment to produce some amazing products and engage in some deep and meaningful action.
Middle School students who sat the ISA's received their results this week and the reports are available on ManageBac. Unfortunantly the result of the Grade 3-5 tests have been delayed and are now expected to be with us by the end last week of May. Have a great May Day. Elementary School News Thank you to all those who were able to visit our Exhibition this week. The Grade 5 students were proud to share their learning journey and celebrate the experience with the students, parents, teachers and members of the ISS community. Congratulations to Grade 5 and we wish you well on your camp trip next week! Students in School after Pick Up It is lovely to see parents and students enjoying the facilities at ISS to socialise after the students have been picked up. Please reminder however that parents are responsible for ensuring that students are not interfering with ECA's, meetings or other activities taking place after school and that they return any blue Imagination Playground equipment and balls after use. Talented Teachers Christine Arnold presented a workshop titled, ‘Math Interventions’, at the SENIAS Conference. Alison Camire was featured on an IB PYP Early Years Webinar titled, ‘How does the PYP meet the needs of the Early Years?’ Lichun Rong has written an article “How to use Y-Chart to teach Oral” which will be published in “International Chinese Teaching Cases and Analysis ” published by Peking University press this year on 15 July 2017, Upcoming Events Monday, 1st May - Labour Day (Public Holiday) No school Wednesday-Friday, 3rd-5th May - Grade 4 and Grade 5 Camp Thursday-Friday, 4th-5th May - Grade 3 Camp Wednesday, May 10th - Vesak Day (Public Holiday) No school Middle School News We are truly lucky with the students we have at ISS. This week we had a visit from an international school from Mumbai, India. In the space of one break time, the Indian students related how they already had new friends at ISS and look forward to returning. Wonderful opportunities from both sides and great to see internationalism alive and well. The ‘Into the Woods’ cast and crew ‘trod the boards’ for the first time at the Alliance Francaise theatre on Tuesday. By all accounts rehearsals are gathering pace, costumes are almost ready and the stage is just about set. Have you got your tickets to the show? Plays over Wednesday 31st May to Thursday 1st June. Contact [email protected] for further details about tickets. Grade 8 took the next step on their learning pathway and spent the day at Preston Campus. This was an opportunity to taste what life is going to be like as a Grade 9 student next academic year. Grade 8 have also made some initial subject selections, as they move towards the final stages of the Middle Years Programme. We are coming into our examination period for MS students. It is a time to work with students about creating effective learning environments, that are stress free and healthy. Parents, guardians and teachers all play an important role in supporting our students to make mindful choices. Lastly, one of the events of the social calendar is the MS School Disco. Next Friday 5th May from 5:30pm-7:30pm. Get your dancing shoes on! Have a good long weekend. Upcoming Events Monday, 1st May - Labour Day (Public Holiday) No school Friday, 5th May - School Disco (530pm-730pm) School Hall Wednesday, May 10th - Vesak Day (Public Holiday) No school Monday-Friday, 15th-19th May - Examination Week Wednesday-Thursday 31st May- 1st June - Into The Woods The last few weeks have been a very busy time with students sharing their learning with parents at the Grade 7 Science/Humanities display as part of the excellent Science Week, Student Led Conferences and next week the PYP Exhibition.
It is so important to students that they feel they have a real audience for their work and I am sure that all parents will have loved sharing in your child's enthusiasm for learning. Elementary School News At our Paterson campus, we are lucky to be able to attend and enjoy Middle School events throughout the year. Last week the Elementary students visited the Middle School Science Fair which allowed them to explore, ask questions, and develop new interests. As our Grade 5 students approach their Exhibition, this also presented them with a great opportunity to learn from their peers as they observed the Middle School sharing their learning with our school community. The central idea for this year's Exhibition is: Our actions change the future. The Exhibition is the culminating assessment of the PYP where our Grade 5 students get to apply what they have learnt to inquire deeply into an area of interest to them and take action as the result of what the have found out. This year the Exhibition will be in the MPR this coming Tuesday and Wednesday. On Tuesday morning from 8:30 to 9:00 the Exhibition will kick off with an opening for Grade 5 parents and invited guests. Other members of the ISS community are warmly invited to attend during the rest of Tuesday or Wednesday morning. It was wonderful to see all of you here on Tuesday for the Student Led Conferences. We really welcome your feedback to ensure that we can continually improve the experience. If you could spend 5 minutes completing the attached feedback survey it would be greatly appreciated https://goo.gl/forms/BzVw8evdXGbFeALy1 Upcoming Events Tuesday, 25th - Wednesday, 26th April - Elementary PYP Exhibition Monday, 1st May - Labour Day (Public Holiday) No school Wednesday-Friday, 3rd-5th May - Grade 4 and Grade 5 Camp Thursday-Friday, 4th-5th May - Grade 3 Camp Middle School News What a wonderful few weeks we have had at Paterson Campus. It has been Science Week and the diverse range of opportunities that have been afforded students and staff alike, has been amazing. There have been films highlighting why we must look after our planet; the ever popular Science Exhibition; and the challenge of the Science Quiz. For mine though, the highlight was the visiting scientist who joined us. A chemist by trade, she enlightened and inspired our students with tales and descriptions of working for a major perfume company. All present had new found respect for how and why we create perfumes, soaps and shampoos. Well done to Dr Jeremiah for her drive and passion for the sciences. Tuesday 18th April was Student Led Conferences (SLC). It was again great to see so much engagement from students and parents. The rich conversations being held can only benefit learning for both the student and the parent. This week it has been all about Grade 8. On Thursday 20th April they began, in earnest, the next part of their academic journey. Each student interviewed with the College Counsellor and the MYP Coordinator to identify subjects that they are suited towards and subjects that will assist them when it comes time to choose IB Diploma courses. Prior to this Grade 8 had been given insight into subject selections for next year from the Visual Art, Design, Music and Drama teachers from the Preston Campus. As part of last weekends HSBC 7s Rugby a group of Paterson Campus student from Grade 4-8 participated in the Adopt a Country programme. Our chosen country was South Africa. The students produced a number of art works supporting South Africa, that will be displayed in the players area and around the stadium. Don’t forget tickets are already on sale for the Paterson Campus production of Stephen Sondheim’s ‘Into the Woods Junior’. The show will take place from Wednesday 31st May to Thursday 1st June. Inquiries to [email protected] if you want to purchase. Upcoming Events Wednesday, 26th April - Trinity International School (India) visiting Thursday 28th April - Parent Focus Group (Paterson Campus) Friday 29th April - Alumni Event (Preston Campus) Monday, 1st May - Labour Day (Public Holiday) No school Welcome back after what I trust was a very restful break for everyone. We are particularly pleased to welcome all of our new students who joined us this week. A very big welcome to the ISS community to all or new families.
Good Friday Next Friday 14th April is a public holiday in Singapore for Good Friday. The school will be closed on Friday 14th April. A very happy Easter to all our families who will be celebrating next weekend. Student Led Conferences I look forward to meeting many of you at the Student Led Conferences on Tuesday 18th April. Please see below as to how to sign up and remember that there is no school on that day. There will also be a book fair in the Library at the same time as the conferences. Please note that all students are expected to attend the Student Led Conference and there is no other school on Tuesday 18th April. Returning information As we enter the final two months of the school year we begin to make our plans and preparations for the 2017/18 academic year. To assist us with this if you have not already done so please could you let the school know whether you intend to return to ISS in August. Middle School Mandarin I'm sad to inform you that Ms Adelia Mu will be leaving her position as Middle School Mandarin teacher on the 13th of April. Adelia has to return to China for personal reasons and I am sure you will all join me for thanking her for her hard work in the time she has been at ISS. Adelia's role will be taken over by Ms Qian Hong. Qian has most recently been working at Hillside International School here in Singapore having previously worked as a Chinese Lecturer at the University of Rhode Island in the USA. We are pleased to welcome Qian to our team. PTA The ISS PTA would like to invite you to the PTA General Meeting, next Monday April 10th, at 8am. The meeting will be held in the Elementary School Multipurpose hall (3rd floor) of the Paterson campus. We will be giving you an update on the proceeds of the recently held Fun Fair, progress on our Middle School’s upcoming performance "Into the Woods", and updates on upcoming activities the PTA will participate in during the last quarter of the school year, including a summary on collaboration with the school Arts and Drama departments, and a joint venture fund raising activities for the benefit of students. Light refreshments will be available. Come along, catch up and meet other w parents! Summer School The annual ISS Summer School will run this year from 3rd to 28th of July. There is a great programme of fun activities. The Summer school is open to everyone whether ISS students or not so tell your friends. More details can be found on the Summer school website: http://isssummer.edu.sg/?_ga=1.110160389.1883729651.1486434614 Elementary School News Welcome back, I hope everyone had a relaxing and enjoyable holiday. It was wonderful to see everyone back at school this week as we also welcomed many new families to ISS. You will have noticed that during the break, our playground gained a new slide and racing track for our Early Years students to explore and enjoy. We ended our first week back by cheering on our finalists in the ISS Ninja Warriors House event. Thank you to Mr. Nathan for organizing the event! Student Led Conferences On Tuesday 18th April, the school will be having one of the highlights of the school year the Student Led Conferences. At the Student Led Conference your child will share with you their learning journey at ISS. It is always a highlight of the school year in any PYP school. While teachers will be present in and around classrooms, the purpose of this event is for students to discuss their own learning with their parents or guardians. If you would like to speak to your child's teacher individually, please schedule a separate time to meet. Please see below for the online sign up for the Student Led Conference: https://tinyurl.com/slciss17 As there are only 4 slots during each hour block please sign up early to ensure you can come at the time you would most want. After visiting your child's classroom, your child should take you around the school to show you what they have been learning in Mandarin, ESL, Art, Performing Arts and PE. Please note that all students are expected to attend the Student Led Conference and there is no other school on Tuesday 18th April. Swimming Starting on Monday 17th April, all students in the Elementary School will begin swimming lessons as part of the Physical Education Curriculum. This year the swimming program and Swim Gala will again take place at the Sports Lifestyle Centre in Bukit Merah (3500A Bukit Merah Central, Singapore 159837). Students will travel by bus to and from the venue. Mr Nathan & Mr Dino will oversee the swimming program in collaboration with Sports Lifestyle's qualified swim coaches. The swimming schedule is below and as you will see, the students will spend a double PE period each week to travel to the venue and complete their swim lesson. MONDAY 8:00 - 9:30am - 2.2 & 2.3 10:05 - 12:00pm - 5.1 & 5.2 12:55 - 2:20pm - 4.3 & 5.3 TUESDAY 8:00 - 9:30am - 3.2 10:05 - 12:00pm - 4.1 & 4.2 WEDNESDAY 8:00 - 9:30am - 2.1 & 3.1 10:05 - 12:00pm - 1.1 & 1.2 THURSDAY 8:00 - 9:30am - K1 & K2 On the days when you child has swimming lessons they will need to bring the following: - Swimming costume - Towel - Plastic bag for wet items. - Flip Flops or Sandals to be worn to and from the pool - Goggles and swimming caps are optional - Suncream (highly recommended) Please note that the swim program is an integral part of the ISS educational program and is not optional for students. We invite parents of students in K1 & K2 classes to accompany us to the pool to assist with transitions and organising students after they exit the pool. If you have a child in K1 or K2 and are interested in volunteering to assist please email me at [email protected]. At the end of the Swimming Period we will have our annual Swim Gala on the morning of Monday June 5th and all parents will be invited to attend. Further details of this will be sent closer to the date. If you have any questions about the swimming portion of the physical education curriculum please feel free to email [email protected]. Grade 3, 4 and 5 Camps The Grade 3, 4 and 5 camps will soon be upon us. Grade 3 Camp: Date: May 4- 5, 2017 Venue: People's Association Pasir Ris Holiday Camp Pasir Ris Grade 4 Camp: Date: May 3-5, 2017 Venue: BB/GB Sembawang Grade 5 Camp: Date: May 3-5, 2017 Venue: Sentosa Costa Sands Kampong Hut Talented Teachers Ms. Musiowsky presented at the ASCD Annual Conference, Empower17 in Anaheim, California over spring break. The session was called "5 Teacher Behaviours That Prepare Students to Lead", based on a blog post that was featured in ASCD Express. The session was a success, as about 80 educators from around the world joined me in reflecting on their own behaviours as teachers. Upcoming Events Monday, 10th April - PTA meeting (8am ES MPR) Wednesday 12th April - G5 transition to G6 evening (6pm MS Hall) Friday, 14th April - Good Friday ( Public Holiday) Monday, 17th April - Swimming begins Tuesday, 18th April - Student Led Conferences Middle School News Greetings and welcome to Term 4. Where has the year gone? I hope everyone had a restful, exciting and fulfilling March break. So much happens in Term 4 and we hit the ground running. Science Week starts Monday Dr Jeremiah has a truly exciting list of events taking place: MONDAY 10 APRIL Lunch time 11:25am-12:10pm Watch a movie with a message about Earth Day in the MS Hall (First half) TUESDAY 11 APRIL Lessons 1-3 8:10-10:45am Student Exhibition in the MS Hall Grade 6 60s video challenge 8:10-8:55am Grade 7 Home design for climate change 8:55-9:40am Grade 8 From Electricity to Electromagnets 10:00-10:45am TUESDAY 11 APRIL Lunch time 11:25am-12:10pm Watch a movie with a message about Earth Day in the MS Hall (Second half) WEDNESDAY 10 APRIL 11:10-11:30am Science in the real world... Listen to our guest scientists talk about their jobs in the perfume industry (presentation will be in the MS Hall) THURSDAY 11 APRIL Lunch time 11:25am-12:10pm Eat lunch and play Kahoot in the Hall to celebrate the end of MS Science Week! Grade 5 transition to Grade 6 evening On Wednesday 12th April, from 6pm-7pm in the MS Hall, there will be an information evening for Grade 5 parents. The session will revolve around the transition into Grade 6. The move from Elementary to Middle School. It’s an exciting time in a student’s life and this evening is aimed at smoothing out any misconceptions, answering any questions and setting up expectations for students and parents alike. Please RSVP via this link. Student Led Conferences On Tuesday 18th April, the school will be having one of the highlights of the school year the Student Led Conferences (SLC). At the SLC your child will share with you their learning journey at ISS. It is always a highlight of the school year in any MYP school. While teachers will be present in and around classrooms, the purpose of this event is for students to discuss their own learning with their parents or guardians. If you would like to speak to your child's teacher individually, please schedule a separate time to meet. Please see below for the online sign up for the Student Led Conference: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0f4daca82fa2fa7-student1 As there are only 3 slots during each hour block please sign up early to ensure you can come at the time you would most want. A ManageBac email was sent home and this also included some parent homework for the SLC! Please make sure you complete this task after the SLC :) Please note that all students are expected to attend the Student Led Conference and there is no other school on Tuesday 18th April. Upcoming Events Monday, 10th April - Science Week begins Monday, 10th April - PTA meeting (8am ES MPR) Wednesday 12th April - G5 transition to G6 evening (6pm MS Hall) Thursday 13th April - G8 interviews for High School Friday, 14th April - Good Friday ( Public Holiday) Tuesday, 18th April - Student Led Conferences |
Susan Tilney
Paterson Principal Archives
April 2020
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