Newsflash: November 18, 2022

Principal’s Corner

by Mr. Andrew Powell, EY-12 Principal

This week our staff engaged in a workshop on global citizenship as we considered our school’s Mission, Vision and Core Beliefs, in which our commitment and responsibility to the local and global feature prominently. The United Nations uses global citizenship as a term that refers to the belief that individuals are members of multiple, diverse, local and non-local networks rather than single actors affecting isolated societies. As one group very aptly reflected, “You take ownership of the world around you.”

We looked at the responsibilities that we have to our students as we prepare them to fulfill our school’s Vision Statement in which we “challenge our students to be globally engaged, positive contributors in a competitive changing world.” At the heart of this preparation is a commitment to the provision of “intercultural learning”. This entails providing our students with global competencies that give them the skills to contribute to sustainable ways of living together in multicultural societies and strongly aligns with the IB’s concept of international-mindedness which focuses on developing inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people committed to creating a more peaceful world. I’m sure that you’ll agree that this is desperately needed around the world at this point in time.

At the heart of our approach as a school is an ongoing commitment to the spirit of respect and an awareness and acceptance of others that are different to us. We are mindful of the consequences of our actions and our responsibility to the environment and engaging in sustainable lifestyles. I’m sure that as parents you are aware of our ongoing commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals that are aimed at addressing interconnected challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change as well as peace and justice.

In this week’s Newsflash we have a number of our Diploma Programme students reflecting on their CAS experiences in which service to others features prominently. On Saturday Mr Pierra is also representing the school in a handover of boats to be distributed to various communities that were affected by the super typhoon earlier in the year. We strongly believe In the value of purposeful action that leads to significant outcomes. We know that these experiences can be profound and life-changing for our students as they enhance their personal and interpersonal development through experiential learning.

You will note from our Grade 5 contribution to Newsflash which examines Mass Media as a Communication Tool that an important aspect of our curriculum is responding and challenging stereotypes. If we are committed to equality and the Universal Rights of the Child, it is important that we recognize and examine bias and the importance of the ability to look at issues from multiple perspectives.

Over the coming months I look forward to providing parents and students with the opportunity to engage in conversation on global citizenship as we look to further develop our own school definition and the core beliefs, values and skills associated with it.

Upcoming events of note

• Nov. 25: School Production “Elf, The Musical” (6:30pm)
• Nov. 30: Public holiday
• Dec. 2: End of Semester 1 ASAs / Clubs
• Dec. 3: CIS Tree of Giving

Please refer to the CIS Event Calendar for the complete calendar of school events.

Grade 5: Mass Media as a Communication Tool

Ms. Aimee Underwood, Grade 5 Homeroom Teacher

The Grade 5 students have been inquiring into mass media as part of their transdisciplinary unit on How We Express Ourselves.  

As Open-Minded and Reflective Inquirers, they followed daily news from around the world and developed their skills to critically evaluate the credibility and reliability of multiple media sources.

As Communicators, they practiced writing their own news articles following the inverted news triangle format and considering the Five Principles of Ethical Journalism (accuracy, independence, impartiality, humanity, and accountability). They also honed their public speaking skills as news presenters.

In connection to digital citizenship, the Grade 5 students also reflected on how mass media influences their perception of themselves and the world around them. They decided to respond to and challenge common stereotypes they have encountered through poem and digital art. 

How do you make sense of the world around you? How do you evaluate your sources? Do you make sure to seek multiple perspectives for a balanced view? Visit the News Literacy Project and watch a Crash Course video to learn more about the concept of “lateral reading,” developed by the Stanford History Education Group (SHEG).

Grade 12: Physics and Mathematics Analysis and Approaches SL

 by Ms. Maria Rosandee Tabada, Physics and Mathematics Teacher

Conducting a scientific investigation in Physics and completing a mathematical exploration in Mathematics are required in each course. These tasks allow students to apply their knowledge and skills and, at the same time, pursue their interests.

The Grade 12 Mathematics AA SL students have just started working on their mathematical explorations. Most have decided to pursue modeling based on the shape or motion of an object and to use calculus as part of their analysis. Their topics include

• model of sets in volleyball,
• analysis of the distance walked per day,
• comparison of a turn made during a car race,
• geometry of medicine and plastic water bottles, and
• triple axel jumps during a world figure skating championship.

The Grade 12 Physics students are nearing the completion of their task and are currently working on their full write-up. The investigations conducted were on

• ball rebound height,
• cooling rate and volume,
• density of solution and drag speed,
• surface area of parachutes and terminal velocity,
• wing-to-body ratio of paper airplanes and distance,
• surface tension and index of refraction of a salt solution,
• diameter of copper wires used in a simple electric train system and
• extended masses of fidget spinners and average rotational speed.

Congratulations to these students! It was great to see how they used their creative and critical thinking skills to meet the goals of their projects and overcome difficulties. 

Grade 11: Creativity Action Service (CAS)

by Mr. Ace Pierra, CAS Coordinator

Through Involvement with the Rise Above Foundation

On August 20th, in support of the Rise Above Foundation, my classmates and I were able to feed about 500 children and their families. We started at about 1:30 pm when we all showed up at one of the many locations the foundation has in Guadalupe. Our end goal was to make a huge pot of a popular dish in the Visayas region called Lugaw (without regard to politics), which translates to a filling form of porridge that is particularly nutrient-dense. Green onions, carrots, and green beans were the vegetables that half of us chopped up while the other half of the group focused on preparing the 20kg of rice that needed to be washed. We added the vegetables, rice, and chicken to the huge pot to let cook, and gave it to the kids in the village. We accomplished this by strolling around the nearby village, which was located just outside the compound. As we walked through the village with some of the workers from the foundation who lived there, little kids approached us and asked for tickets for themselves and also for their families. One ticket equaled one scoop from a decent-sized mug. We were all able to observe first-hand the terrible living conditions that the kids and their families endure while we were wandering the area. Despite how difficult their lives are, as you can see in some of the images of the children, I was impressed that the people always continue to smile no matter how rough their living conditions are.  We even saw several locals playing volleyball on their makeshift court with a net and were tempted to join in.  Even though the feeding time mentioned on the tickets we had distributed was still one hour away, there was already a long queue of children waiting outside with their bowls and glasses as we made our way back to the compound.

I think this experience was beneficial to everyone involved. I do think that everyone truly appreciated having this experience and hopefully it will push us to create and work with other foundations that need our help as well. I have worked with this organization for a very long time, whether it was assisting with food drives, donating clothes and used toys, etc., and used it as my theme for my PYP Exhibition in Grade 5.   It made selecting the theme for my CAS project a no-brainer. I wanted to share this experience with my classmates as well so they can see what giving their time and effort to volunteer work can accomplish while helping others.  I wasn’t able to work with the foundation much during the pandemic, and felt distant from the community, but am happy to be able to reconnect now. Since everyone in CIS has been fortunate to receive a high-quality education and a place to live, I believe that this experience will be beneficial for both myself and my classmates. Contributing to our community is important because we help others but also grow and benefit personally at the same time. – Natalie S. 

On-campus Actions: Yellow Boat of Hope

A group of students collaborated with an NGO to help the families who lost their livelihood from the Super Typhoon Odette. These boats will be distributed to various communities that were devastated by the typhoon. It will be used as a source of sustainable livelihood as well as a transport for their kids to school. 

Here’s what Ara has to say about her learning experience:

After a long period of avoiding physical interactions to ensure safety, we were able to reach out to the Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation to resume the collaboration CIS has with the foundation. This operation aimed to provide a source of transportation for children who struggled to go to school. The organization provided us with fifteen ready-made boats and painting materials needed to accomplish the task. 

It was a meaningful learning opportunity because of the collaborative effort of other students from Grade 11, but most importantly, we were able to provide a new means of transportation for the children and families who struggled in terms of their livelihood. 

The student leaders of this initiative  met virtually with one of the members of the foundation to learn more about their mission and objectives. Together with the other volunteers, all the boats were successfully painted!

This would not be possible without the concerted effort demonstrated by everyone who was involved. This activity was a great indicator of CIS students’ unwavering commitment to extending their compassion and benevolence toward others. 

Beach Adroit Signage Awareness (BASA)

This group of students organized a project on how to protect the environment, particularly marine life. The objective is to come up with signage and put them up at the selected public beaches in Cebu. The students will also talk to the LGUs and communities to raise awareness and empower them to become stewards of the environment.  

Here’s what Maximus has to say about his learning experience:

A group of students gathered together to form this project. The goal of this project is to make and design different signs, making use of our creative and collaborative skills. These signs will be made in hopes to spread awareness to the community about keeping the beach clean. We will be placing these signs on various beaches and boats. We desire that this project will be successful as we want this project to be able to raise awareness of our current dying ocean. Marine life is suffering due to the pollution caused by humans such as littering in the ocean, oil spills, etc. As a group, we will be creating beach signages to remind people to clean up their trash to help restore our beaches and marine life. We know that as students that there aren’t a lot of things that we can do to a very grand scale issue however we do acknowledge that there are impacts to the actions we make therefore we are initiating some action to help this issue in any way possible.

The BASA group has already made its first steps in accomplishing this project. On November 4, we started with the first phase of the project by coming up with the designs for the sign and started working on making them. On this day, we called up some volunteers from our classmates and we were able to receive much support in starting the first phase of the project. The BASA group wishes that there will be more days like this to come to accomplish the project. 

MYP PHE Swimming

At Cebu International School, we believe that swimming is an essential life skill that all our students must learn. We do this through our PHE swimming unit which is taught from  Elementary  to Middle School levels. In this unit, students learn about streamlining, drag and resistance. The teacher will do an actual demonstration of techniques in swimming strokes and survival strokes. Students are allowed to practice various swim strokes such as freestyle, breaststroke, butterfly, and backstroke. This unit also allows our students to showcase their creative and innovative skills. This is done by evaluating solutions to problems, taking risks, considering alternatives, and making smart judgments. Aside from thinking skills, communication is also very important when learning this unit. Students should listen and follow instructions properly, listen to others to understand them, give and receive feedback, interpret non-verbal communication techniques and use them purposely. Students are also expected to be organized and must arrive with appropriate equipment and on time. 

Dragon’s Print

Feeling fruity? Between bananas to grapes, take Dragon’s Print’s new quiz to find out which fruit you are! Access the quiz and tell us which fruit is your favorite! Visit us at http://dragonsprint.cis.edu.ph/!

Tree of Giving

by CIS Student Council

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor Corner

Question of the Week

College Events (Virtual and Face to Face)

DATE

November 25
Friday
9:15 – 10:00 AM
Canteen Annex
Link to sign up

IE University (Spain) – Face to face info session followed by Q & A with a university rep.

December 7
Wednesday
10:00 AM
Link to register

University of Southern California Summer Programs Virtual Info Session: The session will highlight the benefits of attending USC Summer Programs, dive into our USC Summer experience, and discuss application best practices and common mistakes.

Note: College visits will resume in January so students can focus on end of semester assessments.

SAT UPDATE for 2022-2023

2022–23 School Year Test Dates

Test dates labeled Digital means that students will bring a device to the test center and take the exam using their device.  The College Board may provide devices for test-takers who do not have access to a device.  All test-takers for Digital SATs are still required to report physically to the test center to take the test.

To register for the SAT, you may click on this link.  If you need assistance or have any questions, please feel free to email Ms. Jenny Basa at jbasa@cis.edu.ph.