FRIDAY NEWSLETTER from Secondary – 10th Feb 2017

Week 24-In Full Swing

This is the time of year when it feels like everything is on the go.  Our students have many different balls in the air and are pushing their learning in all of their courses and outside endeavors.  Personal Projects are wrapping up, Internal Assessments are coming due and the Extended Essay process is starting up for grade 11.  Couple that with students taking on fund raising for Bali life, IISAAC Basketball and a talent show!  Please ask your student all of the things that they are involved in and remind them to take one task on at a time!

ISA Testing

This semester BIS will be conducting our ISA testing for this academic year.  The ISA Test is:

• Chosen because it is in line with BIS’s mission, vision, and student aims

• The ISA is not based on any one curriculum but tests core skills in mathematical literacy, reading, writing (narrative and expository.)

• An assessment with a broad cultural base (ie. no dollar or pounds)

• A combination of multiple-choice and open-ended questions and prompts.  The open-ended questions require students to generate meaning, explain their reasoning, find evidence and justify their opinions.

• based on the internationally endorsed reading, mathematical literacy and scientific literacy frameworks of the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).

We will be conducting this test on the 15th-17th of February and the test will be administered to grades 7, 9, & 10.  We have just completed a practice test for the online science test on the 9th of February.  It is extremely important that all students are present during these testing dates.  We recognize the loss of instructional time as we look to gather this important data about the learning progress of our students.  Administering make-up tests takes away from your child’s access to the learning that will be going on in their class rooms.  Thank you for your help through this testing session.

Below is a link to some informational slides about this test, how we use it and how scores can be interpreted to better inform our teaching.  Please take a few moments to go through this information.  If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/17ywYYYuCeUuxwwp5xvKB_7yY99HorEkvYZHBQnX7MVE/edit#slide=id.p

BIS Class Photos

On the 20th of February BIS will be having it’s class photos for the 2016-17 school year. Students can purchase a package of photos in an A5 size portrait (individual) and landscape (group photo) 400 gsm art paper frame, printed with the BIS logo. This package will also include a soft copy (Electronic) file sent to parents. The cost is IDR 60,000 for all. The ordering form will be available starting this coming week in the main administration reception and we will be taking the orders until the end of February.

BSSA and Transportation procedure

We are in full swing with this term’s BSSA-basketball.  In order to ensure the safety of our students BIS will be busing all BSSA participants for away games.  All students will go on the bus together with their team and coach.  The coach will be taking attendance as kids get on the bus at BIS and as they get off at their destination.  If a parent would like to take their child home after watching the contest they must inform the coach.  Students will not be allowed to get into any vehicle other than their parents or their parents designee.  A form will be coming home with your child where you will be able to state whether or not your student will return back to BIS on the bus or will be picked up at the away game destination.  Please help us ensure the safety of our students by keeping the school informed of your child’s travel arrangements. ***I would like to apologize for the mix up this past week with the busing.  We have reconfirmed with our bus company and will not run into this problem again.  Thank you to Mr. Lennan and Mr. Sutherland for their help with the logistics and communication and thank your for your patience and flexibility.

Mindfulness at BIS

We live in very fast paced, stressful times-even in Bali!  As a school it is important to help our students strike a balance within their lives.  We have an opportunity to learn more about Mindfulness and how it can be used to help alleviate stress and focus our students towards a better understanding of themselves. Teachers will be attending a workshop during the 11th and 12 of February. We will also be running a session for the students on the 14th in the afternoon in specific classes.   This was a teacher led initiative, looking for ways to help our students balance all of the events that they must juggle each day as they learn and grow.

Valentine’s Day STUCO Dance

This past Friday STUCO hosted a Valentine’s Day dance.  It was a well attended and well run event.  I was amazed at how well the students mixed and carried themselves, as we as how quickly they were able to take down and clean up the MPR.  A big thank you to our STUCO for organizing and Mr. Wilson and Mrs. MacDonald for chaperoning this event.  Our students had a great time!

Diploma Course Selection

This coming Monday at 8am in room 1 Mr. Hjelm will be presenting to our 10th-and any other interested parents, the Diploma course that we offer.  He will be speaking about how to navigate this decision process, what things students should focus on as they build their Diploma Program and how as a school we aim to support them through this two year learning process.  Please make sure to attend.

https://vimeo.com/150160168

Film Club/Historical Connections

Mr. Wood is hosting a Historical film club three days a week to show and highlight some of the historical connections that DP students are covering in their classes.  These films are great representations of the events that the students are working through and attempting to make meaning of.  A great way to make connections and prepare.