Secondary Newsletter 1 – August 6, 2021
Welcoming Our New Families to the BIS Community
BIS Library Availability During Distance Learning
Counseling Department
College Counseling
Welcoming Our New Families to the BIS Community
Tuesday, August 3rd, BIS welcomed our new students and families to the BIS community officially during New Student Orientation. Secondary students were able to meet some of their current Student Council peers and tour the campus (between bouts of rain). We are so happy to have you join our BIS family, and we hope that our lovely community will continue to reach out to our new members and welcome them with open (albeit socially distanced) arms. Please enjoy a selection of photos from the student’s Secondary Scavenger Hunt.
BIS Library Availability During Distance Learning
The BIS Library would like to support reading and learning during distance learning; therefore, we have devised 2 systems for BIS community members to use the library for book circulation.
The first option is to use the BIS Library Checkout Distance Learning Support form to schedule short in-person visits to check out books from the library. These visits will be limited to 15 minutes. All of the relevant information is contained in the form. Please fill it out completely, wait for a confirmation message (which will come very shortly), and then come during your scheduled time. Please return any current library materials at the time of your appointment.
The second option is to use the BIS Library Book Online Request & PickUp form. This option allows you to search our online book holdings catalog (called Destiny), request books you want using the form, and then having the library package these books for pickup at the front gate of BIS without having to enter the campus. On the form, there are a few screenshots to demonstrate the process, a link to the Destiny catalog as well as a tutorial video on how to use Destiny.
And of course, the BIS Library Resources website is always available to find e-books, audiobooks, databases, and other online sources to support learning.
Counseling Department
Thanks for reading my first post in the E-news counseling section.
My name is Noortje Janssen and I’m the new counselor at BIS. I’m from Holland and have been working abroad since 2012, working as a counselor in different settings. For the last 6 years, I have been a school counselor in several international schools in Kenya and Qatar.
I hold a bachelor’s in Pedagogy and a master’s in Special and Inclusive Education. At BIS, I will be the whole school counselor and work with all students and parents. I love working with children of all ages and you will see me around in primary as well as secondary school, guiding the new students in their transition to BIS and engaging with all students about social and emotional well-being. Support can be given during individual or small groups sessions, as well as in regular Social and Emotional lessons in the class of your child. I aim to break down any stigma around mental health and social and emotional well-being, by creating a safe and warm environment where students are given the opportunity to share their experiences and feel free to express their emotions.
I also support our secondary students in the preparation for college and university admission, by walking next to them providing support and advice through the application process. College and university admission is a big milestone for our senior students and as long as they are capable and want to do a big part of the process themselves, as a guidance counselor, I will guide them through the process of decision making and deadlines to reach their utmost potential.
In addition to working with the students, I also support parents and teachers in different areas related to social and emotional counseling, child development, and university applications through workshops and by sharing relevant information in the weekly E-news.
My door is open for all students and parents and I want you to know that I’m only one email away. If you have a question or concern, drop me an email at njanssen@baliis.net.
College Counseling
Are you planning to apply for a university or college in the US in the near future, read this article including a video with tips from university admission officers.
“Every admission officer in the United States over the next couple of years will recognize that students in high school, in the last year, all faced some unusual circumstances,”
Robert Springall, executive director of undergraduate admissions at Penn State, told USA TODAY.
Although the process still looks a little different, due to pandemic disruption, students shouldn’t be worried about being evaluated fairly.
PSAT: For students in grades 9 – 11 who would like to take the PSAT exam in October, we still have slots available. Please register by emailing Ibu Thari in the Counseling Office at: counselorsecretary@baliis.net The PSAT is a practice version of the SAT exam used in university admissions in North America. Scores are for your own use only and are not sent to universities.
SAT & ACT: For students in grades 11 & 12 who would like to take the SAT and ACT exam, please find below the upcoming test date & registration deadline;
SAT Test Date & Deadline: How to register for the SAT
ACT Test Date & Deadline: How to register ACT
Virtual Events
Monash University: Data Science workshop for Indonesian HS between Year 11 and Year 12 (Aug 11)
Join Study UK for a pre-departure briefing to get the latest information on studying and living in the UK in 2021-22 (Aug 18)
Why Study Business of the Creative Industries @ University of York (Aug 20)
Fall AI Program for Middle and High School Students Taught by Stanford Graduate Students
AI Scholars Live Online is a 10-session, 25-hour enrichment program that introduces middle and high school students to fundamental artificial intelligence concepts in order to work through socially impactful projects in areas including art, healthcare, education, and more. Developed and taught by our team of graduate students from Stanford and MIT, students receive a personalized, interdisciplinary learning experience with a student-instructor ratio of 5:1, and a custom curriculum appropriate for complete beginners to more advanced students. Students may apply to our program here by August 30th and can find more detailed course information on our website and brochure. You can also read more about our vision on Forbes. For information on our middle school programs, please visit our website to learn more. Please contact Program Manager, Aidan Goltra at arg2198@columbia.edu, or call our team at +1 (240) 226-1366 with any questions. Thank you!
Resources from BridgeU