FRIDAY NEWSLETTER from Secondary- 21st April 2017

Week 32-Full Steam Ahead

We are off and running!  The fourth term is always a busy and exciting one.  This is where we get to put all of our learning together and showcase what we have accomplished throughout the whole school year.  With IB exams, end of the year assessments, academic, artistic, athletic and community service celebrations we are able to really witness all of the hard work that our students have put in.  With all of these opportunities come the anxiety of preparation.  Please make sure to help your student plan out their time and work through their activities one step at a time.  Open communication and forward planning are the best way to help our students present their learning in the most effective manner.  Please make sure to use ManageBac as a tool to help your child plan and prepare.  The more that we work together the more we can accomplish.

Kartini Day

On Friday we were able to celebrate Kartini day here at BIS.  Our 11th grade Indonesian Language students put on an informative assembly, highlighting why Kartini was such an inspiration and symbol of hope to the people of Indonesia.  The students presented their classmates with information and then offered some discussions questions that were used within our respective homeroom classes to discuss why educational opportunities for all is such an important idea and right.  Our students also wore national dress to commemorate this special occasion.  It is fantastic that we have such invested students, who want to share the importance and value of our host culture with the rest of the school community.

I would also like to thank our Indonesian parents for preparing local food and information about Kartini to share with our students during break.  It is really nice to see the whole school community come together.

ASA’s have begun.

Our after school activities  began this week.  Students have had the opportunity to sign up for activities within their homeroom last week.  Please ask your student what they have gotten involved in.  There is still time to sign up and join, so please help your student find something that they are interested in, being involved helps with attention, learning and growth!

Community Service and Learning in Action

This past week our Business Management students have been selling salt as a part of their class assessment.  They had to develop a marketing plan, look at their costs and overhead, decide on the market that they wanted to focus on and present their product to consumers.  This course work also coincides with the grade 11 and 12 EOTC trip and continued community engagement product.  The students have worked with the salt farmers of Les Village to help them develop a broader and more sustainable market for their hand crafted salt.  All of the proceeds of these sales have gone directly back to this community and the development of this sustainable project.

BSSA Althletics

This term we are participating in Athletics for our BSSA Conference.  We have had a large number of secondary students sign up, but there is always room for more.  It is a great way to stay active and be a part of the larger school community. Go Dragons!

IISSAC Swimming

Next Friday we will be hosting the IISSAC Swimming competition.  Coming off our BSSA Swim Championship victory our students are very excited to compete against other athletes off the island.  Mr. Lennan and Mr. Sutherland have been putting in a great deal of work to organize this event, as it is another highlight of the BIS School year.  Our PTFA is also providing refreshments and concessions throughout the event.  Please contact the PTFA if you would like to help out.  IISSAC Events are a great way to establish long term friendships with different students and when we host it allows us to be ambassadors for BIS and Bali.  I hope to see you there.

Grade 12 Farewell Assembly

This coming Thursday we will take time to honor and congratulate our grade 12 students.  Thursday will be their last ‘official day of class’ as the following day IB exams begin.  Our seniors will take one last tour around the school, being congratulated by the students and teachers before they head into the MPR for their final assembly as BIS students.  We will take this time to honor their accomplishments, thank them for their contributions to the BIS community and wish them well on their upcoming examinations.  I look forward to celebrating all that our seniors have accomplished.