Author: Cebu International School

Principal’s Corner

by Mr. Andrew Powell, EY-12 Principal

It has been a busy first semester and much has been accomplished during that time. I have been extremely proud of the way in which our students have sustained their drive and commitment to their studies and After School Activities over the past few months. The whole-school production of Elf was simply incredible and I know that our student athletes were pleased to be able to resume their involvement in ISAC sports. The energy and engagement in classes  is commendable. Our students have one more busy week to work through until their well-deserved holiday break. I wish our students, particularly in Middle and High, the very best as they work on their final assessments for the semester.

December is typically a time of giving and our students have been engaged in an array of school and personal projects to support communities in need. This year’s Tree of Giving is one such example and the Student Council are thrilled that our community has been able to reach their proposed target. This will light up the lives of many.

While acts such as these make a positive difference to the lives of others it is important that we also consider the importance of giving to our students. We are a school that very much values service as an important way to engage in principled action. Research is often quoted that shows that the simple act of giving can be as rewarding as receiving. I certainly see this in the acts of kindness and respect that take place in our virtual classroom environments. In the context of the vulnerable communities that we support however, some have such critical needs that we need to consider the long-term implications of the dispositions we are fostering in our students rather than a short-term “feel good” reward.

 At CIS, our intentional commitment to service learning is such that over time our students are developing a greater awareness and a better understanding of communities’ contexts and our students’ responsibilities. We trust that our students will be the leaders of tomorrow, whether that be here in the Philippines or in various locations around the world. Providing them with a sense of duty, empowerment, and ability to influence and advocate others for the betterment of society and the environment is incredibly important.

I wish our students and families a positive final week of the semester.

Upcoming events of note

• Dec. 3: CIS Tree of Giving
• Dec. 11 – Jan. 2: Christmas Break/Sem. Break

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

Grade 3: How the World Works

by Ms. Katrina del Mar, Grade 3 Teacher

How does the world work? The Grade 3 researchers stepped outside the classroom and went on a nature walk to start answering this question. They felt the warm sun kiss their skin, saw the tall trees, and heard chirping birds. It was a world full of wonder.

Has the Earth always looked the same as it does now? No. After watching a timelapse video of photos taken by Google Earth in different places across the globe, the Grade 3s concluded that the Earth is changing year by year. They wondered what caused the change.

What causes the changes to our physical environment? To answer their question, the Grade 3s conducted a short research project and presented the information they gathered to the class. They found that natural phenomena such as earthquakes, typhoons, and landslides, among others, can change the Earth’s surface.

How does our understanding of our physical environment affect our lives? The effects of natural phenomena on the Earth can sometimes be disastrous. The Grade 3 students saw the need to prepare by performing drills and making posters to inform people about safety tips before, during, and after a natural phenomenon. 

What will the Earth look like in the future? Although natural phenomena cause changes to the Earth, they found that human activities change our world too. Some activities can bring positive effects, some can bring negative ones. The Grade 3 global citizens conclude that the answer to this question can in part be up to us.

Grade 7: Making Mathematical Connections

by Mr. Dan Mondre, Math Teacher

One of the most important aspects of teaching mathematics is to show students how that math can connect to their lives outside of the classroom. Luckily for our students at CIS, the IB program makes this a key component at all levels of the IB continuum. This can look different at each grade level but the concept of bringing mathematical connections into everyday life remains the same. In grade 7 students have been working on balancing expressions and solving equations. This concept is often one of the first times students are exposed to abstract math. Now that we have learned the basics of solving abstract equations we have been applying these skills to word problems using real-world examples to make the abstract more concrete. For the summative of this unit students are working on writing mathematical story books, where each page contains a new word problem. The grade 10 students have taken their equation solving to the quadratic level. They have been looking into how to graph and transform parabolas by identifying roots and key components of the function. To bring these concepts into the real world students found parabolic shapes in the real world and plotted parabolic curves to match the images as shown below.

ELF The Musical

by Ms. Stefanny Hermias, Production Director

Elf The Musical was a product of three months of rehearsals and hard work put in by the students in Elementary and Middle/High School. A big THANK YOU to all the teachers and staff who worked behind the scenes.  Huge kudos to the cast and crew for giving us an amazing musical stage play on Friday, November 25, 2022.

Here are a few reflections and comments from the cast:

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor Corner

College Events (Virtual and Face to Face)

DATE

December 3
Saturday
7:30 – 9:30 PM
Link to register

EVENT

Worldwide Webi Fair: A Virtual College Fair that allows you to explore over 30 institutions from 6 countries.

December 6
Tuesday
9:15 – 10:00 AM
Media Center Conference room

Alumni Chat:  Chantal Elise Schmidt (Class of 2019) – Miss Universe Cebu City representative for 2022, will talk about “Work-Study Balance while in College”.  Chantal is one of the 40 under 40 exemplary individuals. She was selected due to her advocacy for mental health.

“I personally do not believe in settling for one advocacy,” she said. “The very core of being an activist is extending your help to anyone, anywhere. However, while I am very vocal about animal welfare and the emancipation of women, I am mostly recognized for my work regarding suicide prevention. Upon concluding my Miss Universe Philippines journey, I received an influx of messages from hundreds of people, not just Cebuanos.”

December 6
Tuesday
6:00 PM
Link to register

Studying in the UK – Imperial College London and University of St. Andrews (UK): You are invited to join a talk on studying in the UK by two of its best, and very different, universities – Imperial College London and the University of St Andrews. They will cover  the differences between the English and Scottish university system to help you find the best fit when considering the UK as a study destination. You’ll also hear from current students in a live Q&A to  find out all about their student experience.

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.

December 8
Thursday
10:00 PM
Link to register

Virtual Study in Netherlands Fair – Meet up online with representatives of Dutch higher education institutions. Learn more about the English-taught study programmes they are offering. Drop by the virtual booths to have a chat. 

Participating institutions:

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

SAT Test Date	Deadline for Registration, Changes and Regular Cancellation
March 11, 2023 (Digital)	February 24, 2023
May 6, 2023 (Digital)	April 21, 2023
June 3, 2023 (Digital)	May 19, 2023

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.

Admin News

by Dr. Gwyn Underwood, Superintendent

After months of hard work, sweat, and yes, even tears at times, we are so excited to have our wonderful Production team perform the Broadway musical Elf, the Musical to the CIS Community this evening! Here is a sneak preview from the dress rehearsal yesterday – photos of the actual event will be highlighted next week!

As we enter the two-more-weeks-to-Christmas-break period, it is not surprising to experience a bit of “red zone” behavior. This is a period of time when people tend to get impatient and grouchy easily due to the pressures they face over this time. If you are on the receiving end of any grumpiness, please try to be understanding and tolerant, and not react. If you are feeling stressed and in danger of becoming a grouch, then I have a great suggestion for you, summarized from Dan Rockwell’s Leadership Freak article 4 surprising times to express gratitude:

#1. When tempted to complain express gratitude.
A closed mind rages against an unalterable past. Find a way to express gratitude in every situation. You can’t be thankful for tragedy. You can be thankful for helpful people. Honor painful circumstances by learning from them. Feeling like others need to learn but you don’t produces ungratefulness. External adversity forms internal character.

#2. When tempted to quit express gratitude.
Grumbling comes before quitting. Gratitude is energy to keep going. Challenges make contribution relevant.

#3. When tempted to feel sorry for yourself express gratitude.
Ungratefulness finds reasons to moan when others have it easier than you. Kill envy with gratefulness. Say, “Good for you,” when others shine. You’re smaller than the person you tear down.

#4. When tempted to feel resentment express gratitude.
Bitterness poisons attitudes and contaminates relationships. Grateful leaders [and people] build safe environments. Ungrateful leaders [and people] build self-protective teams.

• Gratefulness sees advantage where ungratefulness sees obstacle.
• Unexpressed gratitude is ungratefulness.
• Expressing gratitude shifts your thinking from burden to opportunity. The greatest power of gratitude is it changes you.

I trust these words of wisdom will help you to consider how you can choose to act positively when tempted to react negatively. In addition to the red zone, these are also useful to consider for the upcoming holiday period as well!

Enjoy your weekend, and Production Team, we are proud of you – get some well-earned rest and see you ready to get stuck back into your learning activities next week!

Elementary: Language Acquisition-English

by Ms. Evangeline Belono-ac, K-5 LA-English Teacher 
     Ms. Claudette Colinares, K-5 LA-English Educational Assistant

In Language Acquisition-English classes, students engage in different learning activities to develop the four language domains- listening, speaking, reading, and writing and improve their English language proficiency. They explore words related to their units of inquiry to build their vocabulary, improve their comprehension, and support them in accessing the curriculum. They learn different grammatical rules and structures to improve their oral and written communication skills.

During Culture Week, the students celebrated their diversity and shared their culture with each other.  They learned to appreciate their similarities and differences, developed their research, thinking, and communication skills while embracing the opportunity to be open-minded, principled, and risk-takers. As they learned greetings in other languages, created presentations, read stories, played games, and shared their beliefs and traditions, the students were able to make connections and understood the importance of respecting each other’s diversity. 

Language Acquisition

by Ms. Zirong Chen, PYP Mandarin / DP Mandarin ab initio Teacher
     Ms. Dina Melwani, PYP Spanish / DP Spanish ab initio Teacher

Culture may be defined as a ‘social heredity’ transmitted from one generation to another generation with the accumulation of individual experiences, or a mode of activities differentiating people of one society from another society. Culture cannot be a biological phenomenon but a learned pattern of social behavior to be followed. It is a wonderful and unique phenomenon of human society with colorful diversity always changing its patterns which is the greatest beauty of human society. Culture forms beliefs, conveys ideas, and shares knowledge on customs and values. All of these characteristics are communicated through language which is an integral part of culture.

Culture as a social process deals with the use of language and communication experienced by people in given circumstances. They tend to learn more than one language for the satisfaction of communicative needs in their academic and professional career. The process of learning a second or foreign language not only requires an individual to practice linguistic forms but also necessitates to become familiar with the culture of the target language in order to interpret intercultural communication.

Below are some pictures of how we celebrated different cultures in the Mandarin and Spanish classes.

Grade 11: DP History Internal Assessment

by Ms. Joy Pierra, DP History Teacher

One of the essential components of the DP History course is the Internal Assessment (IA) or the historical investigation. It comprises 25% of the overall grade of a standard level (SL) student and 20% for a higher level (HL) student. It’s an inquiry-based investigation that enables students to demonstrate the application of their skills and knowledge. They can engage in an exciting, stimulating, and personally interesting historical topic of their choice to be the focus of their IA.

The IA exposes students to the methods used by historians to conduct research, such as formulating thesis questions, gathering, analyzing, interpreting data, drawing conclusions, and making decisions. It also allows them to evaluate the factors that could affect a historian’s interpretation of the past.

The Grade 11 History students have begun planning their IAs. They started by identifying their topics, formulating thesis questions, and gathering resources. Here is the range of topics that they’ve picked and their thoughts about them.

DP Visual Arts

by Mr. Jessie Saclo, DP Visual Arts Teacher

“The IB Diploma Programme visual arts course encourages students to challenge their own creative and cultural expectations and boundaries” (IBO, 2017).

The IB Diploma Programme Visual Arts course is a rigorous two-year program geared to cultivate students’ creative abilities through three assessment criteria: the comparative study, the process portfolio, and the exhibition. This thought-provoking course develops critical and analytical skills through the process of art-making and art critique. By studying and creating art from different cultural perspectives and contexts, students are exposed to an extensive range of traditional and contemporary techniques, styles, and media. 

At the heart of the visual arts core syllabus are three interrelated areas; communicating visual art, visual arts in context, and visual arts methods. These have been designed to interlink with the assessment criteria component tasks fully and are central to the students’ holistic learning and understanding. Within the visual arts course, students apply their knowledge and understanding of the relationship between these areas and how they inform, inspire, acquire, and impact their work in visual arts.

The comparative study challenges students to independently explore and contextually analyze artworks, objects, and artifacts from different cultural contexts. Students have the liberty to choose, examine, and compare at least three artworks with contrasting contexts by at least two different artists. This intensive investigation will feature a comparison and analysis of the selected works and evidence of how their work and practices have been influenced by the art and artists they examined. The completed work will be marked against these criteria; identification and analysis of formal qualities, analysis and understanding of function and purpose, analysis and evaluation of cultural significance, making comparisons and connections, presentation and subject-specific language, and making connections to own art-making practice.

Take time to appreciate some excerpts from the initial comparative study work our grade 11 DP visual arts students produced in their journey through the IB DP visual arts course. 

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor Corner

Celebration of the Week

Congratulations to Renoa (Class of 2023), Chantal (Class of 2019), and Samsam (Class of 2003) for making it to the list of Sunstar’s 40 under 40 outstanding individuals in the field of public service, advocacies and support for mental health.

Renoa is the youngest among all 40 individuals. She founded Set Forth PH which transforms communities by providing equal and accessible learning opportunities for Filipino children. “I can confidently say that our biggest achievement would have to be involving more people in our cause. I truly believe that change can only be made through collective efforts as a community, and time and time again, I have seen how fellow Filipinos, most especially Cebuanos, have shared their time, effort and blessings to support underprivileged children to obtain access to quality education,” she said.

Chantal was Cebu’s representative in the recent Miss Universe 2022 competition held in Manila. “I personally do not believe in settling for one advocacy,” she said. “The very core of being an activist is extending your help to anyone, anywhere. However, while I am very vocal about animal welfare and the emancipation of women, I am mostly recognized for my work regarding suicide prevention. “

Even though he has a legacy behind him, Mayor Samsam Gullas of Talisay City is not afraid to challenge the times and has made his own mark, an “Aksyon Agad” governance which means immediate action. “The City government of Talisay is definitely not one man. Everyone is working hand-in-hand. If there are compliments, it’s not just the mayor—I’m just one person.”

College Events (Virtual and Face to Face)

DATE

November 26
Saturday
1:00 PM (JST)
Link to register

EVENT

Ritsumeikan University (Japan) – A webinar on the undergraduate application process to RU.  A recording will be sent to those who register.

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

SAT Test Date	Deadline for Registration, Changes and Regular Cancellation
December 3, 2022	November 3, 2022
March 11, 2023 (Digital)	February 24, 2023
May 6, 2023 (Digital)	April 21, 2023
June 3, 2023 (Digital)	May 19, 2023

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.

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

SAT Test Date	Deadline for Registration, Changes and Regular Cancellation
December 3, 2022	November 3, 2022
March 11, 2023 (Digital)	February 24, 2023
May 6, 2023 (Digital)	April 21, 2023
June 3, 2023 (Digital)	May 19, 2023

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.

Admin News

by Dr. Gwyn Underwood, Superintendent

I was recently asked the question, What makes CIS different from other schools? My immediate thought was, that is easy – it is our wonderfully supportive and friendly community of learners, teachers, staff, parents, and wider community members! Of course, that is just the beginning… here are the other aspects I came up with:

• Our small international community, which enables a high level of personalized, student-centered attention to our learners.
• Our unique collection of diverse international cultures from 27 different countries 
• Our similarly diverse experienced, and qualified faculty from 11 countries
• Our use of three globally recognized International Baccalaureate (IB) programs covering our whole Early Years to Grade 12 program (and the extensive professional development to ensure our faculty are proficient in delivering the programs in an effective manner!). 
• Our international accreditation status through two reputable agencies – the US-based Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and the international Council of International Schools (CIS). 
• The spacious facilities we have that enables us to offer a fully supported curriculum.

I found it interesting to compare my response with a survey from ISC Research (https://iscresearch.com) that asked parents what they valued most from their international school. 

It is reassuring to note that what CIS offers matches well with what parents value in the survey. What do you think? Let me know your thoughts, as it is great to get feedback that both reaffirms and gives suggestions for improvement!

Have a restful weekend everyone!

Grade 2: How We Organize Ourselves

by Ms. Maffy Ocleasa, Grade 2 Teacher

The learning experiences that the Grade 2s engaged in throughout our unit, How We Organize Ourselves, led to action in our community through participation and advocacy. Our Grade 2 inquirers organized their own groups, clubs, or organizations to support the needs of our local and global communities. Using their Approaches to Learning Skills, they gained, consolidated, and transferred their knowledge and understanding about our central idea. 

“Powerful ideas draw people together to achieve common purposes”.

Research Skills
Our Grade 2 inquirers applied what they were learning about the research MISO methods, asking thick and thin questions, and finding and citing reliable sources, evidenced by how they efficiently identified and reflected on the needs of the local and global community using different kinds of media such as Internet, magazines, newspapers, radios, and televisions.

Social Skills
They also followed the norms of collaboration, encouraged others to contribute, took on a variety of roles, and used respectful language as they worked hand in hand with their classmates and teachers.

Communication Skills
Using their knowledge and skills in writing persuasive paragraphs, they wrote a letter convincing others to participate in the groups they organized and help them achieve their group’s purpose to support the needs of our community.

The Grade 2s are thrilled for more people to join their groups and help them support the needs of our community. Which group would you like to participate in? 

DP Spanish – Ab Initio

by Ms. Dina Melwani, Spanish Teacher

Collaborative skills

In a society where information and communication technologies increase the possibilities for collaboration, the question of the media and digital skills required for citizens in the 21st century becomes central (Voogt & Roblin, 2012). In foreign language teaching, collaboration enables pupils to be involved in communicative tasks and makes the latter meaningful to the learners (Council of Europe, 2001). However, collaboration is not innate and requires specific skills (Hämäläinen & Häkkinen, 2010; Voogt & Roblin, 2012). As stated by Dillenbourg and Tchounikine (2007), collaboration relies on many external factors, including the ability of the students in the group to collaborate. 

Here are some examples of how collaborative skills have worked:

MYP English

by Ms. Raisa Romer, English Teacher

G6/7: Language Acquisition

What are some ways you can reduce food waste?

G6/7 is talking about all things food in our current unit ‘Eat to live or Live to Eat’. From our own food preferences to  cultural customs around food, this Unit has helped us understand ourselves and others better. Most recently we discussed food waste and its effect not just on climate change but also on global hunger. Being reflective learners, G6/7 designed posters to inform others about how we could ‘love food and hate waste’.

G8/9: Language Acquisition

Can travel make us better people?

G8/9 has been zooming off all over the world….. through our writing. In our current unit, we ask ourselves the question ‘Can we travel through writing?’. We explore travel blogs and take a stab at writing our own, all while discussing how travel influences us. It has led to a few debates as we discuss whether or not Beijing Roast duck (北京烤鸭）is as delicious as it is made out to be, or what the balance between personal narrative and information should be in a blog post.  A resource that helped us to think more critically about the influence of travel was this video. We had some interesting insights.

Grade 6-8: Language and Literature

How do our 5 senses help us become better writers?

With a few weeks of Reading and Writing workshop under our belts, students in the G6-8 Language and literature class are making better choices when it comes to choosing books to read. They are working with partners to support the development of their comprehension skills and asking each other questions about the books they are reading. In this Narrative Unit, students have explored Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction and Fantasy to identify key components of the genre.

In the writing workshop, students have used what they have learned in their reading workshop to craft several small moment stories from their lives. And they haven’t stopped at the end. They have reviewed their writing and used a checklist to identify areas that they can improve. They have rewritten parts of their stories and asked their classmates for feedback. Here’s an excerpt from a student’s re-write. The aim was to be more descriptive.

DP Spanish B – HL/SL

by Mr. Antonio Melgar, MYP/IBDP Spanish Teacher

Our Grade 11 and 12 IBDP Spanish B High and Standard Levels students virtually visited the OBRASSINGULARES collections of the Museo de Cádiz in Spain.

Students exchanged emails with their representatives, commenting their observations about the displays, the collections and how user friendly the website is.

As part of the IB program, our students explore the topics of Civilization, (Grade 11) and Beauty (Grade 12), thus visiting a very well known museum from La Junta de Andalucía helped them to go deep on knowing firsthand beautiful representations of the culture and civilizations from that side of the globe, expose them to make profound connections with the discussed theories and interact with native Spanish speakers in a formal environment, using the appropriate communication channels and advanced grammar, syntax and vocabulary required at their level.

The Museo de Cádiz representative, Miss María José Castro Caballero, walked the extra mile and explained to them, individually, the commented pieces and artifacts, with insights that only an expert eye could.

Not only that, the Museo de Cádiz team posted part of our students’ letters on their social media, (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) explaining how excited they are that future generations and people physically far from their expected reach can benefit from preserving, studying and displaying cultural elements of past civilizations.

Please find the links to all social media of Museo de Cadiz above and their comments about our students’ involvement. You are of course encouraged to comment, like and share!

If you like, you can also read the letters exchanged among our students and the Museo de Cadiz representatives by clicking here.

Ten Outstanding Boy Scouts of the Philippines

by Renzo K., Grade 12

The ten outstanding boy scouts of the Philippines (TOBS) is one of the most, or the most, prestigious award one can achieve as a boy scout. In order to gain that title, one must go through a rigorous process, from starting at the local council level then to regional then to national, against thousands of other boy scouts all around the nation. One has to epitomize good moral character, maintain academic excellence, and demonstrate strong qualities of leadership in the institution and the community.

In October 2021, I was one of the recipients of the TOBS award. It took me one year of actual preparation, but the activities and awards that gave me the credibility to win the award were accumulated from my 8 years of scouting. I joined international jamborees, and I was also a representative in the council and regional youth forum, wherein scouts gather to develop and discuss their own projects in line with a theme, like the 17SDGs. The most essential factor in my application was the NGO I founded called Project HOPE. Our focus is to help the community through three main areas, which are entrepreneurship, education, and the environment. The goal is to initiate projects that will provide livelihood, improve access to quality education, and increase sustainability. And due to recent events like typhoon Odette, we have also looked into water filter distribution, in order to give remote areas access to potable water. Together with my other extracurricular activities and academic performance, these are the reasons why I was chosen to be one of the ten outstanding boy scouts of the Philippines in 2021.

—

Congratulations, Renzo!

Grade 10 PHE

by Mr. Ace Pierra, MYP PHE Teacher / Athletics Director

The first quarter was a Volleyball Unit for our Grade 10 students. They learned the skills of serving, receiving, setting, spiking, and blocking in this unit. The group also learned the importance of dynamic warm-ups and how it is done properly. The learners approached and engaged themselves through Communication and Social skills that are meaningfully integrated into their formative tasks and assessment. The skills are explicitly taught and each student was also given the opportunity to learn through independent practice targeting specific skills that they wanted to develop, refine or improve. This unit also emphasized the importance of the communal benefits of being in a team, how to accept help and give help, and how to work together toward a common goal. The unit also supports the progression of learning across MYP and helps students reach higher levels of achievement for the unit’s objective. At the end of the unit, students were offered authentic and challenging assessments to demonstrate what they know, understand, and can do. Students demonstrate understanding and engaged learning through actual volleyball games and officiating.

Tree of Giving

by CIS Student Council

Dragon’s Print

Visit the Dragon’s Print website to read the articles below!

The Dragon’s Report Card Podcast

Listen to the last published episode from The Dragon’s Report Card podcast last month!

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 12
Saturday
10:00am – 12:00nn
Cebu Country Club
Link to sign up

EVENT

University of Navarra (Spain) – Open to all G11 & 12 Students & Parents: Face to face info session followed by Q & A with university reps.  This session is scheduled on a Saturday to allow parents and students to attend.  Lunch will be served after the session.

November 12
Saturday
Link to register

National University of Singapore (NUS) – NUS Undergraduate Admissions and Faculties Sharing (International)

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

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

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

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

SAT Update for 2022-2023

2022–23 School Year Test Dates

Principal’s Corner

by Mr. Andrew Powell, EY-G12 Principal

Thank you for sharing in what was an incredibly successful International Day. It was wonderful to be able to finally have a major community event on campus and fitting that it served to celebrate our diversity while recognizing the strong bonds that we share.

 The day was also a reminder of the power of performance. Our students, past and present showcased a range of talents with some impressive and memorable individual and class performances. Our Filipino staff were truly impressive and shared a variety of cultural dances. It was wonderful to share in their passion and pride.

 Our student volleyball teams also returned to ISAC competition for the first time since the pandemic started. They had an incredibly successful trip to Manila with the Girls claiming second place overall in a tight final while the Boys finished fourth. The student reflections below make clear just how powerful and important this experience is, not just from a sporting perspective but also from a social and emotional one too.

 We end this week with a colorful Book Character Parade. Throughout the week our teachers planned a variety of experiences that have served to enhance the importance of literacy and the enjoyment to be had from reading. Students have been exposed to the life stories of some of our alumni through the Living Library and inspired by Heather Adkins, our virtual guest author.

 I’m sure that many of you are looking forward to the long weekend ahead. While it’s a time to relax I recognise that many will be visiting family members and reliving the memories of departed loved ones. I wish you well!

Upcoming events of note

• Oct. 31-Nov. 2: School and Public holiday
• Nov. 25: School Production “Elf, The Musical” (6:30pm)
• Nov. 30: Public holiday
• Dec. 2: End of Sem1 ASAs / Clubs
• Dec. 3: CIS Tree of Giving

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

Book Week 2022

by Book Week Committee

This week, the CIS community celebrated Book Week with the theme “Old Worlds, New Worlds, and Other Worlds.” This theme opened the door to the World of Books as each book brought our young readers to different worlds and time. We discovered the power of reading. We realize that books do not only impart knowledge; they connect us too – to people, to places, and to time.  Throughout the week, students engaged in various learning activities such as DEAR time, Book Talk, Buddy Reading which culminated with the Book Character Parade.  The students had the opportunity to interact and learn from published author Heather Adkins.  Buddy Reading provided a time for elementary and middle high school students to connect with each other.  The involvement of the community in this annual celebration of Book Week was noteworthy. Thank you, everyone for your participation!

This year, the students joined in two competitions- the Door Decoration Contest and the Extreme Reader.  Congratulations to our winners!

Door Decoration Contest

Extreme Reader Contest

D.E.A.R. Time

The CIS bookworms gladly stepped into the library to Drop Everything And Read! There was clear interest in picking up books from the counters. The library was quiet but full of students immersed in reading.

Buddy Reading

Reading is fun when shared with a buddy! Across the school, our students came together for the love of reading. More importantly, we connected with old friends and made new bonds.

Book Talk

Every book on our shelf is an author behind it. This year, the students got the chance to be inspired by Ms. Heather Adkins, author of “What do you see?” Our young writers wondered how her story came to be. They found that it took her 4 years to go through the whole writing process. Our future authors learned that writing takes grit!

Book Character Parade

The characters from our favorite books came alive today. Everyone dressed up and walked around the school. The parade was full of color and each costume had a story to tell!

Spanish ELO

by Mr. Antonio Melgar, MYP/IBDP Spanish Teacher

During our ELO reading session of Como Agua Para Chocolate, by Mexican author Laura Esquivel, our Spanish B High Level students, were requested to write a poem based on what the book inspires them, using vocabulary and ideas drawn from the book itself, and the results are simply amazing.

Please enjoy words of Katrina G. and Alessandra F.

Cuidar Las Flores
Por: Alessandra F.

Una jardinera en su jardín bonito
Es su trabajo por un tiempo infinito   
Ella cuida a cada flor pausadamente
Pero la jardinera es impaciente
Ella está muy cansada 
Las flores son delicadas  
Actualmente, las flores comienzan a morir 
Esto no puede ocurrir 
La jardinera quiere flores mejores 
Porque ahora son las peores 
Últimamente las flores no tienen una cura 
Sin amor, las flores van a ser oscuras
Llega la noche y se va la jardinera 
El aire es dulce como una cañavera
Otra vez, nace una flor 
Y todas las flores crecen con valor

Como agua para chocolate
Por: Katrina G.

mi amor es como las rosas
para ti, mi cariño
como la sangre, roja
que está fluyendo en mi cuerpo
como los ingredientes 
de todas tus recetas
nos vemos bien juntos
como cosas perfectas
el azúcar granulada
un limón con sus gotas
el dulce aumenta
y mi amor no se agota
mis sentimientos están creciendo
son muy calientes
como la llama de un fuego
como agua para chocolate

Grade 7: Science

by Ms. Haydee Montero, MYP Science Teacher

“If change is inevitable, you ought to know how it is done!”

There are so many changes taking place across many things around us. Scientifically speaking, change is a process in which a substance becomes a different one from what it was before. Some of these changes are reversible, some are not. But one thing is for sure – change is inevitable. The Grade 7 students came up with their own design of inquiry on how the Particle Theory Model  helped them visualize the changes happening in matter.

Here are few examples of their works:

Sab is inquiring into, “An Investigation on  the Effect of Different Liquid Substances on  the Compressibility of Water”.

This experiment uses different liquids, namely: oil, vinegar, and water. This intends to find out how the different liquid substances affect the compressibility of water.

The Particle Theory helped me understand the properties of matter by putting the particle image in my brain. It helped me visualise the particles being compressed.

Miggy is inquiring on, “An Investigation on the Effect of Different Filtering Materials on Its Filtering Efficiency”.

In this experiment, the effect of different filtering materials on filtering efficiency (based on the quality of the water-filtrate)  was observed through nine different set-ups. Specifically, it will try to filter out water mixed with dirt.

My understanding of the Particle Theory has greatly helped in doing this experiment, as it has allowed me to visualize what is happening when you filter something on the particle level. The big particles get caught up in the filtering material, but the small ones don’t.

True life is lived when tiny changes occur, as said by Leo Tolstoy.

Indeed it is true! Likewise, change is much more appreciated when it is truly understood at the particulate level!

International School Athletics Conference (ISAC)

by Mr. Ace Pierra, Athletics Director

ISAC is Finally Back!

The International Schools Activities Conference (ISAC) Boys and Girls Volleyball was finally back after three years. It was held in Manila last October 22, 2022, and was hosted by The British School Manila. Cebu International School competes with other international schools around the country namely Brent International School Manila, Brent International Subic, Brent International School Baguio, Southville International School and the British School Manila. CIS placed 4th for Boys’ Volleyball and 2nd place for Girls’ Volleyball. Thanks to all the teachers, parents, staff, and students who supported this trip. Thanks too to Mr. John Devadoss and Ms. Jenny for being the chaperones of this trip. 

Let’s read what the participating athletes have to say about this trip.

My first ISAC was truly a one-of-a-kind experience. Though I understand that the training, preparations, and event itself were different from the ones before the pandemic; I was extremely thankful to have experienced one in my senior year. The biggest lesson I learned was the importance of perseverance and mental strength as there were a lot of challenges, especially with Covid restrictions and risks. I just always kept in mind that my goal – and along with my team – was to have fun and make memories despite the outcome (of winning) in the tournament. This mindset led to the highlights of the trip which were actually the fun we had together as one team (girls and boys), especially the bus rides, meals together, and the night after the ISAC tournament wherein we all played cards and cooked food for each other. I realized that night of just being kids and having fun was the kind of moment we’d been missing for two years. With that, I definitely would recommend ISAC to other students to complete their high school experience, despite the pause in sports and activities we had.

My experience in ISAC was something noteworthy, especially with this season being my first ISAC ever. Despite how physically challenging training could get, I would still often look forward to it. As the date of the tournament came closer, I’d grow more nervous since I honestly was still unsure of how well things would pan out. After some of the preparation, though, I was much more optimistic. A valuable lesson I learned from this experience was knowing how to not let emotions get the best of me. This stuck out to me because emotions play a big role in performing almost every type of physical activity. Besides the thrill of the tournament, a memorable part of the trip was the activities that we did together, such as eating together and overall fun interactions with each other. With all of this together, I would definitely recommend ISAC to other students. Especially when it is a sport that you personally enjoy, a majority of the time there is something to be enjoyed. ISAC is an experience that will remain one of the most outstanding events I’ve participated in, not just within school, but with all other events I have ever done.

This was my first and last volleyball ISAC, and wow was it an amazing experience. Despite it only lasting one day when it usually lasts 3-4 days in the previous years it was still worth it. The preparation for that day was more than just training for the sport. I also built a closer relationship with the students who took part. The biggest lesson I learned from this experience was the ability to cope with the pressure together with my team. Together we learned how to communicate and cope with different external pressure factors like the opposing team’s crowd. My favorite parts of this trip were of course competing against other teams and hanging out with my team. The bus rides going to BSM, bus rides going back, and all the team meals together were definitely some memories that I’ll look back to. ISAC is one of the things that keeps me looking forward to going to school and doing well at it. I would definitely recommend everyone who’s interested in ISAC to try it out as for me it’s the best CIS experience. Finally, I would like to give Sir. Ace recognition for coaching two teams all by himself. Both teams definitely had the potential in winning the whole tournament and without the coaching of Sir Ace that wouldn’t be the case.

This was my first ever volleyball ISAC, it was a really an amazing experience. Before the trip, we were training for only a month, so we were going to this tournament with only a month’s practice. It was a really one-of-a-kind moment being in Manila. Even if we were only there for 3 days, it was still an amazing experience being with everyone and having a good time. A valuable lesson I learned from the trip was that you perform better when just having fun rather than being serious and doing things that you didn’t learn just to show the audience that you are good. It is good to just play what you learned and not do extra things that you didn’t learn. I also learned to make friends with everyone on the team and even friends with people on other teams. It is good to communicate with your teammates and build stronger friendships with them. The main highlight was the game. It was a very good experience being with the team and playing against other teams. It was also nice going out and eating with the team and having fun outside the game. It is really nice playing games with the team. ISAC is a really good experience and I feel like every student should experience it at least once. It creates a lot of amazing memories and you will have a lot of fun there. It also helps people make new friends and helps them be social.

This was my second time playing volleyball in the ISAC. In all honesty, I can say that this was the first time I’ve ever felt confident in our team’s abilities. In addition to feeling like we were more unified as a team, I also felt like we were all more well-prepared thanks to our training. We were able to train the team in several areas throughout this whole process and although it was hard at times, we were all able to work together and help each other improve our skills. Last time, we concentrated more on stamina and less on the precise abilities we required, but this time, we accomplished all of that and much more. Being a team captain this year has also been one of the highlights of this whole experience for me since it has helped me become a more well-rounded teammate and leader. How to operate as a team is one important thing I took away from the entire process. Because of everyone’s attention to all the sessions and readiness to pick things up, our team this year was unquestionably among the best of the ISAC teams because of how much we worked together. I wholeheartedly recommend ISAC to all students since it is not only focused on athletics but also provides you the ability to collaborate with others, pick up new skills, utilize it to motivate your academic performance, make new friends and play against players from other international schools around the Philippines. I am so incredibly proud of both teams for the placements we got and we should all be very pleased with where we got even though we definitely could have done better. Finally, I would like to express my thanks to Mr. Ace for not only organizing our entire trip but also for coaching the boys’ and girls’ teams to success all on his own and for always being accessible to us when we had questions or needed advice.

Dragon’s Print

As Book Week comes to an end, it is now time to reflect on why books are important and why we, as a CIS community, have a whole week dedicated to them. Through various interviews, listen to the CIS community answer diverse questions about their favorite literary works at http://dragonsprint.cis.edu.ph/ or click the link in our bio!

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 7-11
4:00 – 8:00 PM PHT
Link to register and choose the program of interest

EVENT

Hong Kong University of Science & Technology – Virtual Info Week
for International Students:
Nov. 7 – Interdisciplinary Programs
Nov. 8 – School of Science
Nov. 9 – School of Engineering
Nov. 10 – School of Business & Management
Nov. 11 – School of Humanities & Social Science

November 8
Tuesday
Link to register

Windesheim University of Applied Sciences – Learn more about their programs and studying in the Netherlands.

November 11
Friday
9:15 – 10:00am
Canteen Annex
Link to sign up

Jacobs University Bremen (Germany)  – Face to face info session with a student ambassador and learn about the programs, admissions,  scholarship opportunities and living/studying in Germany

November 10
Thursday
11:00am – 12:00 pm
Link to register
(a recording will be sent to those who register)

University of Auckland (New Zealand) – Learn about International Scholarships Opportunities for 2023

November 12
Saturday
10:00am – 12:00nn
Cebu Country Club
Link to sign up

University of Navarra (Spain) – Open to all G11 & 12 Students & Parents: Face to face info session followed by Q & A with university reps.  This session is scheduled on a Saturday to allow parents and students to attend.  Lunch will be served after the session.

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

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

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

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

SAT Update

2022–23 School Year Test Dates

SAT Test Date	Deadline for Registration, Changes and Regular Cancellation
December 3, 2022	November 3, 2022
March 11, 2023 (Digital)	February 24, 2023
May 6, 2023 (Digital)	April 21, 2023
June 3, 2023 (Digital)	May 19, 2023

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.

International Day

Principal’s Corner

by Mr. Andrew Powell, EY-G12 Principal

Throughout the week CIS has placed a focus on learning about others through their culture and on the weekend, we look forward to celebrating International Day and the diversity of our community. While our Parade of Nations will make for some stunning photographs, which will serve as a colorful reminder of the countries and cultures that we identify with, what is even more significant, is that our diverse community learns, plays, and grows together in a caring and accepting environment.

Due to the international nature of our school, and the intentionality of our programs, our students live their lives through a framework that promotes global citizenship and international mindedness. They develop a value and understanding of different cultures while recognizing that diversity brings with it strength through exposure to different perspectives.

The experiences of our students are both individual and shared. Each of them have their own unique experiences, life stories and family histories. Understanding the historical and cultural context of these experiences allows them to appreciate the work and sacrifice of those that have come before them. We trust that through our students’ engagement with each other as well as their academic program at CIS, they are also being well prepared to work towards a better future.

I look forward to sharing in a rewarding International Day on Saturday, October 22nd and know that the ethos of this day will feature in much of what we do throughout the school year.

Upcoming events of note

• Oct. 17-21: Culture Week
• Oct 22 (morning): International day
• Oct. 24-28: Book Week (Book Parade 28)
• Oct 25: Parent Coffee 8-9 am (CIS Annex)
• Oct. 31-Nov. 2: School and Public holiday

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

Elementary: PHE

by Mr. Jaydil Hermias, Elementary PE Teacher

EY2/3

Early Years students have been learning simple dance moves like wiggling, shaking, swaying and stomping. They are also imitating animal movements and making them into dance steps.

KG/1

Kinder and Grade 1 students have been learning different types of dances such as traditional and modern dances. It helps them improve their rhythmic skills, gracefulness, timing, and confidence in dancing. Another goal for this unit is to help them improve health and fitness. As of the moment, students spend time reviewing all the dances that we have been doing in the past few weeks.

Grades 2/3

PHE in Grades 2 and 3 focuses on developing students’ creativity in dancing. They were tasked to analyze the beat of the music in order for them to improve timing and creativity. They have been learning simple techniques to improve their movements such as coordination & expression. Students were also provided with challenging activities like showing emphasis on the dance steps, gracefulness and confidence.

Grades 4/5

Grades 4 and 5 students are improving on their expression and mastery of steps of the song which will be presented on International Day. This helps them understand the importance of dance. They also started rehearsing and compiling dance moves from the past. This will be put together and come up with an “Evolution of Dance”dance presentation.

PYP Art

by Mr. Fher Jun Guiritan, Elem Art Teacher

Celebration of Students’ Work

Introduction
Elements of art are the physical parts of the work, including line, shape, form, space, texture, value, color, and time. Principles of art are the ways in which those parts are arranged, including unity/variety, balance, contrast, emphasis, movement, rhythm, and pattern.

The elements of art allow us to represent and appreciate ourselves.

The PYP  visual arts class explored the concept of SELF-EXPRESSION  through the study of “Elements of arts” These are the physical parts of the work, including line, shape, form, space, texture, value, color, and time. Principles of art are the ways in which those parts are arranged, including unity/variety, balance, contrast, emphasis, movement, rhythm, and pattern.”

The PYP characterizes the ability of each student to create an artwork through the mastery of techniques required by each of the art elements.  It also encourages students to be inspired through the art knowing that art is inspired by persons’ individualized interests, ideas, emotions, needs, or preferences, the accomplishments are most rewarding and self-esteem is boosted.

In EY and K/G1 students were introduced  to the different elements and how these elements may be used to create a  drawing of THEMSELVES, “An appreciation and representation of their own work”. Also highlight that their own uniqueness may create a different yet meaningful art piece. 

In grades 2 and 3, they are tasked to develop refined motor skills that are urged in the process of creating their  own work and through purposeful observation that reflects introspection.   

The grade 4 and 5 are tasks to develop prior knowledge about these elements of art and come up with a concrete art piece that reflects their knowledge, choices, ideas, opinions and beliefs inline with the correct application of these set skills needed.

CIS Book Week

by Ms. Mary Jean Cordova, Media Literacy Teacher

Book Week 2022 is happening next week from October 24-28. This is an annual event at CIS, which has always sparked interest from our young readers. The activities available for our bookworms next week include D.E.A.R. Time, Book Talks, and a  Living Library. Now that we are face-to-face in school, some old favorites for this time of the year are back to inspire the community, such as the Door Decoration Contest, BookShare, and the Book Character Parade. An opportunity to build more connections through reading this school year is happening, too, with Buddy Reading. If you get lost reading a book, then the Extreme Readers Contest is for you! Our theme this year is “Old Worlds, New Worlds, and Other Worlds”. Reading takes us to different places. Where does reading take you?

Digital Citizenship

by Ms. Aimee Underwood, Grade 5 Teacher

Did you know? At CIS, we challenge our students to be globally engaged, positive contributors in a competitive, changing world (CIS Vision Statement). As part of this, we prepare our students to thrive in a constantly evolving technological landscape by teaching important media literacy skills across disciplines and all grade levels.

Learn more about how we use the seven ISTE Standards for Students that help transform and redefine learning through student-driven exploration, creativity, and discovery. 

These ISTE standards are also embedded in our school-wide essential agreements on technology usage, developed in collaboration with members of the CIS community over the last three years.

In what ways have you been an empowered digital citizen and lifelong learner this week? Look out for more information as we continue to celebrate Media Literacy Week next week!

ISAC Pep Rally

On Thursday 20 October, the MHSStudent Council hosted a Pep Rally to support the students who will be traveling to Manila this weekend for the ISAC Volleyball friendly.  This marks the return of ISAC, which has been on hold since just before the pandemic lockdown. 

We wish our CIS teams all the best for a safe and enjoyable tournament.  Go Dragons!

Grade 12: Visual Arts

by Ms. Gerri Ancajas Jumao-as, MYP/DP Teacher

The Gr. 12 Visual Arts students are now in the process of preparing for their Exhibition in March, 2023. They explored varied styles and media such as oil, acrylic, digital and mixed media. The exhibition is a culmination of their 2 years study of IB Visual Arts where each student was challenged by their own creative expectations. The students delved into a variety of themes and concepts, each one drawing on their personal inspiration and experiences to produce their body of work. They also faced some challenges such as selection of materials, planning for each piece, and mastering a technique or style. 

The artworks below showcase the way the students have engaged with their chosen medium and technique, and the development of their ideas.

Dragon’s Print

As a part of International Week, Dragon’s Print wanted to celebrate by releasing one article each school day of this week. The CIS community has a variety of members from all over the world and there is so much to learn from the countries that these members are a part of. Each article aims to highlight an important aspect of these countries and allow us to gain new perspectives on cultures that are not our own. Check out all these articles on http://dragonsprint.cis.edu.ph/ or click the link in our bio!

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor Corner

College Events (Virtual and Face to Face)

DATE

October 25
Tuesday
9:15 – 10:00 AM
Canteen Annex

EVENT

City University of Hong Kong – – Info session with the university rep with Q & A

November 8
Tuesday
Link to register

Windesheim University of Applied Sciences – Learn more about their programs and studying in the Netherlands.

SAT Update

2022–23 School Year Test Dates

SAT Test Date	Deadline for Registration, Changes and Regular Cancellation
December 3, 2022	November 3, 2022
March 11, 2023 (Digital)	February 24, 2023
May 6, 2023 (Digital)	April 21, 2023
June 3, 2023 (Digital)	May 19, 2023

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.

Principal’s Corner

by Mr. Andrew Powell, Early Years – Grade 12 Principal

A quick survey of some of our students provides a small snapshot in relation to how our students think about their teachers. If categorized using a Head-Heart-Hands Model for Transformative Learning, the responses were overwhelmingly of the heart and hands nature and signify the importance that passion, encouragement, connection, and kindness play in learning along with a feeling of connectedness to the school.

We are blessed to have a genuinely committed and talented faculty. What our students are clearly grateful for is how our teachers make them feel. Their approach and the supportive CIS school environment combined with subject-specific knowledgeable and strong teaching practices has a transformational effect. We see this in our strong student learning results and know that this will have a lifelong impact.

Please wish all of our teachers a belated Happy World Teachers Day!

International Day is coming up! Parents, please contribute snacks through your regional booths via the PTA email at pta@cis.edu.ph.

Here’s a teaser made of our upcoming Culture Week leading up to the International Day on Sunday!

Upcoming events of note

• Oct. 17-21: Culture Week
• Oct 22 (morning): International day
• Oct. 24-28: Book Week (Book Parade 28)
• Oct 25: Parent Coffee 8-9 am (CIS Annex)
• Oct. 31-Nov. 2: School and Public holiday

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

PYP Grade 4/5 Students Take Action

by Mr. Sten Coppin, Grade 4 Teacher / Ms. Aimee Underwood, Grade 5 Teacher

In the Primary Years Programme (PYP), students from a young age learn to develop and transfer important knowledge, understanding, and skills to real-life situations in their local and global communities. Students take action individually and collectively through participation, advocacy, social justice, social entrepreneurship, and lifestyle choices. As they do so, they develop international-mindedness and see themselves as competent, capable, and active agents of change who “help to create a better and more peaceful world” (IB Mission Statement). 

Read how a Grade 5 student has chosen to report on the action she and her classmates have taken. The students are just beginning to develop their news reporting skills as part of their new unit.

Please click on the image below to view the virtual gallery.

DP Biology

by Ms. Rebecca Devadoss, DP Biology Teacher

Grade 12

Human Impact on the Environment was one of the subtopics that was explored in quarter one. Several issues related to increased global temperatures were discussed in class. Students also learned about specific chemical reactions that cause acidification of the oceans, which lead to coral reef bleaching and the loss of marine biodiversity. Also, the thinning of the calcium carbonate shells of marine mollusks is due to the change in the chemical composition of the oceans. Those that threaten their survival. The shift in climatic conditions from tropical, temperate, and arctic belts was studied in terms of the impact on the available nutrients, and this was taught using Gersmehl diagrams.    

Students watched two documentaries: “Before the Flood,” presented by National Geographic, featuring Leonardo DiCaprio; and “The Case for Optimism on Climate Change” by Al Gore (TED 2016). Following that, posters based on the impact of increased global temperatures were prepared and presented by them. 

Posters portray various impacts of global climate change, such as an increase in the frequency and intensity of typhoons, flooding, fires, droughts, coral bleaching, rising sea levels, loss of habitat, and many more.

Grade 11 

With the return to face-to-face classes, the Grade 11 students performed two of the IBDP prescribed practicals. 

Practical 1: Use of a light microscope to investigate the structure of cells and tissues, with the drawing of cells.

Students prepared slides using Allium cepa (onion peels) and viewed them under the microscope. Total magnification 100 x

Slide prepared by Dennis. 

Practical 2: Estimation of osmolarity in tissues by bathing samples in hypotonic and hypertonic solutions. 

Osmosis experiments are a useful opportunity to stress the need for accurate mass and volume measurements in scientific experiments. Students also produced a detailed lab report.

An important real-world application based on this concept is that tissues or organs to be used in medical procedures must be bathed in a solution with the same osmolarity as the cytoplasm to prevent osmosis. Saline solutions are also isotonic to the cytoplasm. This ensures that the cells do not get excess water molecules and lyse or lose water and shrivel. 

Grade 9 Visual Arts

by Ms. Gerri Ancajas Jumao-as, Visual Arts Teacher

The Grade 9 class explored identity as the key concept in their ‘Who Am I’ unit.  They investigated the related concepts of composition and representation through a series of formative drawing tasks. They are now planning and preparing to apply their creativity and art skills in an artwork that will communicate who they are through personal expression.

Composition Framework Exercise: The goal of this exercise is to explore how the elements of art can be organized and composed according to the principles of composition. 

Here are some students’ work.

Face Proportion Drawing Exercise:  The goal of this exercise is to improve observation skills and improve proportions for drawing portraits and faces.

Here are some students’ work.

Drawing From Different Angles Drawing Exercise:  The goal of this exercise is to  grasp the concept of the element you are studying and to understand how it works and what it may look like in different states. The task is to observe the objects and note the differences between each form at various perspectives.

Here are some students’ work. 

Self Portrait in Different Genre Exercise:  The goal of this exercise is to explore different genres and examine how artists render portraits. 

Here are some students’ work. 

Symbolism Exercise:  The goal of this exercise is to investigate how artists convey meaning to their audience. This task allows students to develop their artistic expression and represent abstract ideas. 

Here are some students’ work.  

Dragon’s Print

As the world slowly goes back to normal, we are now able to engage in truly missed school activities, one being ISAC. For many of our student-athletes, ISAC is crucial in their experience at CIS and it is something they look forward to every year. As our first face-to-face ISAC since the pandemic approaches, let’s explore what ISAC is and why it is important. Hear from our veteran players at http://dragonsprint.cis.edu.ph/ or click the link in our bio!

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor Corner

College Essay questions

Here is an example of a personal insight question an applicant needs to answer in 250-350 words if one is applying to any campus at the University of California.

College Events (Virtual and Face to Face)

DATE

Oct 19
(All schedules are US Eastern Time – if you register, you will have access to recordings on their website)

EVENT

University of Virginia Virtual Fall Event Series

Wednesday, October 5th (6-7PM): Financial Aid at UVA

Learn about the financial aid process, including different types of financial aid and how to apply, directly from the Office of Student Financial Services. Register here!

Wednesday, October 19th (6-7PM): Hoos Talking-Diversity at UVA

This event will give you a chance to learn about the academic and cultural opportunities available at UVA from current diverse voices on Grounds. Learn about how student advocacy has shaped the University’s community that we see today. Register here!

October 21
Friday
9:15 – 10:00 AM
Canteen Annex

University of British Columbia (Canada) – Info session with the university rep with Q&A.

October 21 
Friday
11:45 – 12:20pm
Canteen Annex

Simon Fraser University (Canada) – Info session with the university rep with Q & A

October 25
Tuesday
9:15 – 10:00 AM
Canteen Annex

City University of Hong Kong – – Info session with the university rep with Q & A

SAT UPDATE for 2022-2023

2022–23 School Year Test Dates

SAT Test Date	Deadline for Registration, Changes and Regular Cancellation
December 3, 2022	November 3, 2022
March 11, 2023 (Digital)	February 24, 2023
May 6, 2023 (Digital)	April 21, 2023
June 3, 2023 (Digital)	May 19, 2023

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.

Admin News

by Dr. Gwyn Underwood, Superintendent

Congratulations on making it through our first quarter! It has been a particularly busy one, but at the same time, it has been so good to be back on campus.

We had a well-attended Parent Coffee Meeting last Tuesday, with a timely session on Mindfulness by our EY-12 Principal, Mr. Andrew Powell, and School Counselor, Ms. Vangie Villagonzalo, followed by an introduction and planning discussion for our upcoming Culture Week (Oct. 17-21) and International Day (Oct. 22) by PTA Board and International Day Committee representatives. Please take note of the information that will be sent home shortly about these events, and I look forward to seeing you all on the morning of October 22!

As we prepare for our Culture Week and International Day, I wanted to prompt some reflection on what culture means to you personally, and to us as a community. When you ask most people what culture means to them, the first answer they give is typically one of what has become known as  “The Five Fs of Culture” – that is,  flags, festivals, faces, fashion, and food. This is quite understandable, as these are very visible, so often the first thing we notice upon being introduced to a new cultural aspect. 

As an international school community member with 27 different nationalities represented, however, I think you at least have an inkling that culture is so much more than the Five Fs. The Culture Iceberg diagram is a helpful visual to remind us of this. While less visible, the multitude of other factors of culture is as important as the Five Fs – and you could argue they are more so as you need to be more aware in order to get to know and understand another culture.

As we prepare for, and experience, Culture Week and International Day, I challenge you to look beyond the obvious Five Fs, and see if you learn about the less visible features of other cultures. In this way, you will gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of others’ cultural norms and practices, leading you to better understand them. In addition, you are likely to find out about interesting new ideas and concepts, and this could learn to see things in a different way!

For now, have a safe, restful, and productive mid-semester break next week, and we look forward to seeing students back on Monday, 10th October.

Upcoming events of note

• Sept. 30: End of 1st quarter
• Oct. 3-7: Mid-semester break
• Oct. 17-21: Culture Week
• Oct 22 (morning): International day
• Oct. 24-28: Book Week (Book Parade 28)
• Oct 25: Parent Coffee 8-9 am (CIS Annex)
• Oct. 31-Nov. 2: School and Public holiday

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

Notice Board

Early Years: Who We Are

by Ms. Aimee Valenzona, EY Teacher

The Early Years wrapped up their unit on Who We Are this week as they continued demonstrating and sharing their understanding of how we are unique or different from others. Identifying and understanding similarities and differences in the community allows our young learners to recognize their characteristics and transfer their knowledge in different ways such as by comparing and contrasting their own and others’ physical characteristics, the materials or resources around them, their interests, and preferences. 

Guessing parents, and teachers’ baby photos helped the students recognize noticeable characteristics and similarities as they showed their curiosity by asking questions and sharing their observations. They were able to conclude how their parents and teachers changed over time.

The importance of getting to know themselves and others encouraged them to share their interests and preferences confidently. The highlights of our conversation were the kinds of food they eat during recess time, particularly healthy snacks. It gave us the idea to show their preferences by choosing the fruit and sandwich spread they liked the most. Our young learners identified and understood each other’s preferences through this learning engagement. They continued the activity by using the yellow counters for girls and red for boys. In connection, identifying beginning sounds, counting manipulatives, and writing numbers were also integrated as they engaged in this meaningful and fun activity.

We divided the class into smaller groups and recorded their responses about their likes and dislikes through a graphic organizer. They also participated in our “Would you rather” game to show their varying likes and dislikes. Acknowledging and respecting others’ perspectives is beneficial to their well-being and building a feeling of trust.

We discovered and learned new things about ourselves and others in this unit. Therefore, the EYs created 3D portraits of themselves using recycled materials and recorded a video of their show-and-tell to showcase their work. 

What a beautiful way to end our first unit this school year! Enjoy your Mid-semester break!

Grade 8: MYP Visual Arts

by Mr. Jessie G. Saclo III, MYP/DP Teacher

The grade 8 visual arts class explored the concept of identity through the study of “portraits”.  The MYP defines identity as “the state or fact of being the same. It refers to the particular features which define individuals, groups, things, eras, places, symbols, and styles. Identity can be observed, or it can be constructed, asserted, and shaped by external and internal influences.”

Students were introduced to different approaches to drawing portraits; the grid method, the classical method, and the objective realist method. More focus was given to the latter as it provided practical lessons from the book “Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain” by Betty Edwards. In the book, Edwards identifies the five component skills that lead to understanding and learning the process of realistic drawing. These are the perception of edges, perception of spaces, perception of relationships, perception of light and shadow, and perception of the whole or gestalt.  

By learning and applying observation, estimation, and shading techniques, students became more adept at distinguishing the relationships between edges, shapes, and tonal values when observing and drawing a subject. With practice and perseverance, students managed to improve their drawing skills to attain a level of confidence and reach an assured point in drawing portraits. Students constructed their understanding of identity as applied in the art of portraiture, and to their own practice as developing artists.

Take some time to view and appreciate the work of our grade 8 visual arts class. 

Grade 11: Math Applications and Interpretation SL

by Ms. Maria Victoria Bacus, Grade 11 Mathematics

Celebrating our 11th Graders’ 1st Quarter of the DP Maths AI-SL Course 

Mathematics (Applications and Interpretation) Standard Level is a course that emphasizes the topic of Statistics, modelling relationships and use of technology.

 

In the first quarter, students were introduced to the unit of Number and Algebra which consists some of the following subtopics:

• Arithmetic and Geometric Sequences
• Financial Mathematics (interest, depreciation, annuities and amortization)

Major conceptual understandings highlighted this quarter are the following:

• Modelling real-life situations with the structure of arithmetic and geometric sequences and series allows for prediction, analysis and interpretation.
• Different representations of numbers enable quantities to be compared and used for computational purposes with ease and accuracy.

The students who are new to the DP Math AI-SL course, completed different explorations, modelling and investigation activities independently and collaboratively. They maximize the use of technology in and out of the classroom to justify their conjectures and explain their reasoning using appropriate mathematical language. 

Photos of group investigation activities to introduce the concepts:

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Task 1:    
Students investigated what is the connection  between compound interest and geometric sequences.  

Task 2:
Students considered who between Peter and Paul earned more after investing for 10 years.

Task 3:
Students familiarize the use of the compound interest formula as well as
the TVM Solver on their Graphic Display Calculator (GDC).

Method 1: Using Formula

Method 2: Using TVM Solver on GDC

Here are some reflections from the Grade 11 Math AI-SL students; from their expectations, to the use of technology in the classroom, to the things that they look forward to over the two-year DP course.

How do you feel about the use of technology in class?

Chess Board

by Mr. Damon Freeman, I&S and English Teacher, Chess Club Advisor

Our school’s brightest minds have been battling it out on the Chess Board each Tuesday during the 1st quarter. 

Well done to Wilson, Grade 9, who soared to the top of the ladder after many sharply contested games with worthy adversaries. 

Congratulations to everyone who participated and became better Chess players during the quarter. We look forward to improving our skills and enjoying the time together in the next quarter. Feel free to come join the club!

Dragon’s Print

With the stressful end-of-quarter week ending today, it is only natural for everyone to want to wind down, with shows, movies, books, etc… Follow Dragon’s Print as we recommend all sorts of manga to help you relax.

Read more here: http://dragonsprint.cis.edu.ph/

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor Corner

IB Diploma Recognition Worldwide

Did you ever wonder how many countries worldwide recognize the IB Diploma?  More than 100 countries recognize the IB Diploma as an international qualification for admission.  For more information, click this link to find countries and universities that recognize the IB.

College  Events (Virtual and Face to Face)

DATE

Oct 5 and 19
(All schedules are US Eastern Time – if you register, you will have access to recordings on their website)

University of Virginia Virtual Fall Event Series

Wednesday, October 5th (6-7PM): Financial Aid at UVA

Learn about the financial aid process, including different types of financial aid and how to apply, directly from the Office of Student Financial Services. Register here!

Wednesday, October 9th (6-7PM): Talking Diversity at UVA

This event will give you a chance to learn about the academic and cultural opportunities available at UVA from current diverse voices on Grounds. Learn about how student advocacy has shaped the University’s community that we see today. Register here!

October 1 Saturday
10:00AM
October 7 Friday
7:00 PM
Pacific time
Link to register

University of Southern California (USA): Discover USC – You will hear from members of the USC Office of Admission, as well as current USC students who will share their experiences and advice on how to navigate the admission process in the upcoming year.

October 4
Tuesday
Venue: Radisson Blu Hotel, Niña Room
6:00PM
Link to register

New York University – Abu Dhabi – In-person info session with the NYUAD rep.  Since this is during the quarter break, the venue & time will be confirmed later next month.

October 7
Friday
5:00 – 7:00 PM PHT
Link to register
(those who register will receive a recording)

Imperial College London and University of St. Andrews (UK): Student Panel & Q/A: They will discuss reasons for studying in the UK, first impressions, adjusting to university life, accommodation, social life and traveling while in the UK and tips for any students considering studying abroad.

October 11
Tuesday
9:15 – 10:00 AM
Canteen Annex
Link to sign up

Hawaii Pacific University (USA) – Info session with the university rep with Q&A.

October 12 & 13
Wed & Thursday
Online
Link to Register

Oxford University (UK): International Student Webinars –  These sessions are for international students looking to apply to Oxford for an undergraduate degree. All of these sessions will be the same, they are at a range of different times to allow for students across all timezones to attend a session that fits.

October 21
Friday
9:15 – 10:00 AM
Canteen Annex

University of British Columbia (Canada) – Info session with the university rep with Q&A.

SAT Update

2022–23 School Year Test Dates

SAT Test Date	Deadline for Registration, Changes and Regular Cancellation
October 1, 2022	September 2, 2022
December 3, 2022	November 3, 2022
March 11, 2023 (Digital)	February 24, 2023
May 6, 2023 (Digital)	April 21, 2023
June 3, 2023 (Digital)	May 19, 2023

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.

Principal’s Corner

by Mr. Andrew Powell, EY-12 Principal

A feature of the International Baccalaureate programmes is the importance placed on making connections between ideas and concepts across different disciplines. There is also a strong emphasis on taking the knowledge and skills that students have learned and used in one discipline and connecting it to learning in other subject areas.

Over the past fortnight our teachers have been working to examine and plan ways in which learning may be integrated to best effect. At a whole school level, we have focused on furthering our commitment to digital citizenship and how to meaningfully integrate and articulate aspects of these standards across the school. This has included emphasizing specific and relevant ATL skills while reflecting upon how this approach supports Learner Profile attributes and the five respects that we are committed to as a school.

At a divisional level our teachers have used collaborative planning time to make intentional connections across subject areas to enhance learning. This is an integral practice in the PYP where a transdisciplinary approach creates a cohesive curriculum in which students collaborate to solve multifaceted problems. At the MYP level our teachers have started to prepare Interdisciplinary Units which aim to bring together concepts, methods and forms of communication from two or more disciplines to solve a problem or create a product. These approaches are utilized in the DP core where subject areas are linked to students’ engagement with the Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge classes. Here students are encouraged to consider the role one area of knowledge plays in producing or validating other knowledge.

Integrating an interdisciplinary approach into the classroom benefits students in a number of ways:

• It helps learners to make more natural connections between different areas of knowledge to understand the world around them and this is something that we want to encourage at all levels of the school.

• It also promotes creativity and young learners often make unique connections between different areas of knowledge, which in turn provide a greater connection to real world contexts.

• Students become better collaborators and communicators as they work in groups, articulate their thoughts and work together to solve problems.

• Interdisciplinary learning promotes mental flexibility and encourages students to understand different perspectives and different ways of learning.

• Introducing and utilizing ATL skills throughout the schools provides students with a toolbox of approaches to learning that they may use. It also helps them to become stronger, more regulated learners.

• This approach also deepens the impact of the learning. Through their experiences students may create new knowledge, something that could not be achieved by looking at a problem or an idea from only one frame of disciplinary reference.

In order to successfully navigate the complexities of an ever-changing world it is important that we develop knowledgeable graduates who are able to process and synthesize information in a critical manner in order to understand complex issues and ideas. We believe that our pedagogical approach stands our students in good stead for this to take place.

Upcoming events of note

• Sept. 27: Parent Coffee Meeting, 8-9 am (CIS Annex) ← Please take the time to come, we have a session about wellbeing from Mr. Powell, followed by a discussion led by the PTA Board (particular focus, our upcoming International Day)

• Sept. 30: End of 1st quarter

• Oct. 3-7: Mid-semester break

• Oct. 22: International day

• Oct. 24-28: Book Week (Book Parade 28)

• Oct. 31-Nov. 2: School and Public holiday

Please refer to the CIS Event Calendar (http://cis.edu.ph/school-calendar/) for the complete calendar of school events.

Notice Board

Kinder/Grade 1 Class

by Ms. Tara Alagao, KG/G1 Teacher

Be Kind

“You just need someone who has a warm heart to cheer you up.”

As we started wrapping up our first unit on Who We Are, one of our Kinder and Grade 1 students shared this after we had our reading time. For the past five weeks, our Kinder and Grade 1 students inquired into the way people live and interact with others and how it influences their personal well-being. Throughout the unit, we read a variety of books that helped our learners understand what social and emotional well-being means, identified the social circles that we are connected to and how these people affect our well-being. One of the books that we read was “Be Kind” and after reading, the students shared connections they made from the story. Some of the students shared ideas on what we can do in our learning community to remind us to always be kind.

An action that the Kinder and Grade 1 students suggested is to write notes when someone is being kind or when you did something kind. This prompted us to share the book “How Full Is Your Bucket” and right after we shared the story, students eagerly started writing down notes when they noticed someone is being kind to them or when they did something kind to others. We then decided to hang it up in our Bucket Tree for everyone to see as we continue to build and grow our kind and caring learning community.

DP Psychology

by Ms. Leanne Healy, DP Psychology Teacher

The grade 12 psychology students have recently been studying post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) under their abnormal psychology unit. PTSD is classified as an anxiety disorder, and the students of grade 12 psychology have engaged in academic journals to discuss its causes and treatment. Here students represent the different participants in Gilbertson et al. (2002), one of their key studies. The students photographed have the task of explaining the experimental method to their peers, as the design is complex, giving space to students to act out the study and its moving parts. The students who were not presenting asked questions about the design to test the ‘actors’ knowledge in this way all students engaged with and learned more about the study. 

Grade 11 psychology students have recently been studying experimental research methods. Here students are testing their reflexes in an independent measures design to determine if the season they were born effects their hand-eye coordination. During this experiment the students had to measure the readiness of their reflexes by the distance in centimeter it took before catching the ruler. These practise experiments are important for developing student understanding of experimental research as they prepare for their psychology IA where they complete their own experiment. 

Grade 10 students studying individuals and societies have had a focus on marketing in their business unit. The students have the task of marketing Tesla’s new safety feature. Imagination was prevalent here. The grade 10 students present their ideas for new features. In the first photo students have created a feature where you must successfully complete a rap before the car will start. The ability to complete the rap is a test of attention and alertness. This is a safety feature which is marketed towards young car drivers as it appeals to their interests. 

Grade 7: Individuals and Societies

by Ms. Joy Pierra, I&S Teacher

The Individuals and Societies 7 class has been learning about U1: How Does Democracy Work? First, the students started exploring the topic by defining democracy. Here are their definitions.

Then, students traced the evolution of the concept of democracy throughout history. They described how  democracy worked in the early days and compared it with contemporary times. They also identified various events that led to the development of democracy, such as the Magna Carta of 1912, the US Constitution in 1787, the French Revolution in 1789-1799, the Declaration of Women’s Rights in 1791, the Great Reform in 1832-1837, New Zealand Women’s Rights in 1893, the Civil Rights Movement in 1954-1965, and the Fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.

Afterwards, they delved deeper into the five categories used by the Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU) to evaluate the state of democracy around the world. The five categories are the electoral process and pluralism, civil liberties, the functioning of government, political participation, and political culture. The students applied their understanding of the categories in their summative task by creating an infographic depicting the state of democracy in a Southeast Asian country. Here are some examples of their work.

Finally, the students discussed their impressions of the system based on the summative task that they had completed. They responded to the question, “Is democracy a FAIR form of government?”

Tubô Art Fair

We’d like to recognise G11 student Marianne G. who has had her artwork showcased at the recent Tubô Art Fair. Marianne’s work was displayed prominently and drew a lot of attention from visitors. 

“I really enjoyed the experience because I was able to share my art with the public. Due to COVID I haven’t been able to do so and I missed that connection. I appreciated the support I received from the community at CIS and the way in which people admired and spoke about my work. I was proud of my exhibition and can see the way in which I have grown as an artist over the past couple of years. I’m looking forward to continuing to paint and I can see the influence of taking art at CIS as it has helped me think more deeply about my work and its meaning.”

Marianne joined CIS in Grade 9 and has distinguished herself academically and through her creativity. We look forward to Marianne continuing to develop her skills and techniques over the coming year and can’t wait for her to showcase more of her work.

Dragon’s Print

If you didn’t know, National Ice Cream Cone Day was yesterday, and what better way to celebrate it than finding out what type of ice cream cone (or cup!) you are? With our short quiz, you are sure to have fun and hopefully get your cone or cup of choice!

Find the quiz on http://dragonsprint.cis.edu.ph/

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor Corner

CIS Centennial Throwback

College Events (Virtual and Face to Face)

DATE

September 24
Saturday
Grand Ballroom,
Marco Polo Hotel
12:00 – 5:00PM

EVENT

Participating institutions:
Australian Catholic University
Edith Cowan University
Federation University Australia
Griffith University
Southern Cross University
Swinburne Institute Of Technology
Tafe New South Wales
Tafe South Australia
The University Of Notre Dame Australia 
University Of Wollongong
University Technology Sydney
Western Sydney Australia
The University Of Auckland

September 28
4:00 PM
UK time
Link to register

University for the Creative Arts (UK) – Portfolio Advice Webinar: Join Jamie Dobson, a professor who can give you advice on your art portfolio.

Sept 28, 29
Oct 5 and 19
(All schedules are US Eastern Time – if you register, you will have access to recordings on their website)

University of Virginia Virtual Fall Event Series

Wednesday, September 28th (6-7PM): First-Year Admission Process

High school applicants, come learn about the admission process from admission deans. Submit your questions ahead of time on the registration form! Register here!

Thursday, September 29th (6-7PM): Common App 101

Learn how to navigate the Common Application, including the UVA supplement. We will talk through frequently asked questions and offer tips and tricks for completing your application to UVA! Register here!

Wednesday, October 5th (6-7PM): Financial Aid at UVA

Learn about the financial aid process, including different types of financial aid and how to apply, directly from the Office of Student Financial Services. Register here!

Wednesday, October 19th (6-7PM): Hoos Talking Diversity at UVA

This event will give you a chance to learn about the academic and cultural opportunities available at UVA from current diverse voices on Grounds. Learn about how student advocacy has shaped the University’s community that we see today. Register here!

September 27
Tuesday
9:15 – 10:00am
Venue: Canteen Annex
Link to sign up

York College Pennsylvania (USA) – In-person info session with the college rep with Q&A.

October 1 Saturday
10:00AM
October 7 Friday
7:00 PM
Pacific time
Link to register

University of Southern California (USA): Discover USC – You will hear from members of the USC Office of Admission, as well as current USC students who will share their experiences and advice on how to navigate the admission process in the upcoming year.

October 4
Tuesday
Venue: Radisson Blu Hotel, Niña Room
6:00PM
Link to register

New York University – Abu Dhabi – In-person info session with the NYUAD rep.  Since this is during the quarter break, the venue & time will be confirmed later next month.

October 11
Tuesday
9:15 – 10:00 AM
Canteen Annex
Link to sign up

Hawaii Pacific University (USA) – Info session with the university rep with Q&A.

October 21
Friday
9:15 – 10:00 AM
Canteen Annex

University of British Columbia (Canada) – Info session with the university rep with Q&A.

SAT Update

2022–23 School Year Test Dates

SAT Test Date	Deadline for Registration, Changes and Regular Cancellation
October 1, 2022	September 2, 2022
December 3, 2022	November 3, 2022
March 11, 2023 (Digital)	February 24, 2023
May 6, 2023 (Digital)	April 21, 2023
June 3, 2023 (Digital)	May 19, 2023

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.

Admin News

by Dr. Gwyn Underwood, Superintendent

Today is House Activity Day (HAD)… Go Dragons!

HAD is a time-honored tradition in CIS, as it is in most schools around the world in some form (see the Dragon’s Print article below for an article about the history of HAD at CIS). Have you ever wondered why this is? Most students will answer, “because it is fun” – but actually, while that is a good reason in itself, there are many other reasons as well! Here are a few of the reasons – can you think of others?

• HAD is designed to be FUN in many different ways. At CIS, we typically include a range of activities to enable this, including physical and sedentary games, individual and team activities, and sports and skills/game-based activities.
• Students are placed in one of four houses, named after common Philippine trees – Mahogany (red), Narra (blue), Molave (yellow), and Acacia (green).
• Houses earn points in a variety of ways, from creating the best house cheer and where they are placed in completing the various activities, to points for enthusiasm, effort, teamwork, and team spirit in the Elementary division. The use of houses allows students to get to know each other better in smaller, multi-grade groups that are different from their daily mix.
• The use of houses also introduces an element of healthy competition that encourages students to do their best for their team in a competitive environment, while also learning life skills such as sportsmanship and learning how to cope with winning and losing in a safe environment.
• HAD activities are good for our students’ physical health and social-emotional well-being.
• HAD provides opportunities for students to try new skills, and develop existing ones.
• HAD provides opportunities to develop multiple Approaches to Learning (ATL) skills (refer to the poster), particularly the social and communication skills, but also a number of thinking and self-management skills too.
• At CIS, HAD is organized by students who are in the ES and MHS Student Councils, with support from their advisors. This brings a further range of benefits to the organizers, such as using research and thinking skills, while also developing leadership skills.

The final combined house competition results of HAD1 2022/23 are:
1st place – Acacia
2nd palace (tied) – Molave & Mahogany
4th place – Narra

Congratulations to team Acacia, but also to all participants who gained benefit from the day. A special thanks to the Student Council members and faculty supervisors for their planning and managing, and the teachers for overseeing the games!

Upcoming events of note

• Sept. 20: CIS Corporation Meeting (members only)
• Sept. 27: Parent Coffee Meeting, 8-9am (CIS Annex)
• Sept. 30: End of 1st quarter
• Oct. 3-7: Mid-semester break
• Oct. 22: International day

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

Mandarin Class

by Elaine Jin 老师 and Zirong Chen 老师, Mandarin Teachers

Autumn, a season of change and reflection. For many areas of the world, it is a time to show thanks to fruits of labor from each year‘s harvest season. There are many festivals and celebrations deeply rooted in this season. Along with it, numerous legends and folktales that have been passed on through the generations. One such festival that is surrounded by these fantastical stories is the Mid-Autumn Festival. Celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth month on the lunar calendar, an ancient calendar that tracked the progression of time by following the moon‘s cycles. It continues to be one of the most celebrated seasonal festivals across the world. 

ES Mandarin Class

In Elementary School, the children have learned the legend of Hòuyì 后羿 and Cháng’É 嫦娥 as well as the story of the Jade Rabbit 玉兔. Not only did we colored the main characters of these legends, we also connected the festive elements of this day, such as the pomelo (柚子yòuzi), mooncakes (月饼 yuèbǐng), and barbeques (烤肉 kǎoròu). The most exciting part would be the mini book creation. Students created their own mini books and drew the legendary figures of the Mid-Autumn Festival, and we also designed the most beautiful and delicious mooncakes of this season.

MHS Mandarin Class

In MHS the Mandarin students have learned a lot information about Mid-Autumn Festival 中秋节 (Zhōngqiū jié). The festival is about lunar appreciation and moon watching. The students have learned the two different calendars – lunar calendar and solar calendar, and the Mid-Autumn Festival falls on August 15 of the lunar calendar which is September 10 of the solar calendar this year. The students learned four basic stories related to the moon: Hou Yi shoots the sun 后羿射日 (Hòu yì shè rì), Chang’e flies to the moon 嫦娥奔月(cháng’é bēn yuè), Jade Rabbit 玉兔捣药 (yùtù dǎo yào), and Wu Gang cuts down trees 吴刚伐树 (wúgāng fá shù)。Based on the Jade Rabbit story, the students made different kinds of handicraft. Grade 6 to 10 students made a rabbit lollipop to share the festival with their family. The students had a lot of fun making the rabbit. The Grade 6 to 10 students also made a rabbit lantern with a big round golden moon. Through these activities they can make connections between the moon and the Jade rabbit. Grade 11 and 12 students made rabbit lanterns with electric candles in them. Grade 12 students have experienced the traditional Minnan Game played mostly by the Filipino Chinese from Fujian Province.  (Please see the class photos below). 

The Mid-Autumn Festival‘s most famous food is the Mooncake. There are numerous varieties of mooncakes consumed within China and outside of China in overseas Chinese communities. This year, we are able to find hand-made ice-skin mooncake 冰皮月饼 (bīng pí yuèbǐng) with red bean flavor and egg yolk flavor. The students enjoyed the mooncakes a lot. 

Dragon’s Print

As we celebrate House Activities Day, it is more important than ever to understand what it is and how it came to be. HAD plays a crucial role in one’s experience at CIS and it has an interesting history that seems to be a mystery to even the oldest students and staff.

To discover more behind HAD, make sure to check out http://dragonsprint.cis.edu.ph/

Dragon’s Report Card

Finally, after 2 years of remote and hybrid learning, the CIS Dragons return back to full in-person classes and are excited to discuss their experiences. Additionally, House Activities Day is coming up and the students have a lot to offer. Let’s hear their thoughts.

To listen to more Dragon’s Report card podcasts, follow them on Spotify!

Finance News

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor Corner

College Events (Virtual and Face to Face)

DATE

September 17
10:00am – 12:00
Starbucks, Level 4
Ayala Center Cebu
Link to sign up

Singapore Institute of Management Global (Singapore) –In-person info session with the college rep with Q&A.

Sept 21, 28, 29
Oct 5 and 19
(All schedules are US Eastern Time – if you register, you will have access to recordings on their website)

University of Virginia Virtual Fall Event Series

Wednesday, September 21st (6-7PM): Why UVA?

Hear current UVA students speak about why they chose to come to UVA and why they’ve chosen to stay. Register here!

Wednesday, September 28th (6-7PM): First – Year Admission Process

High school applicants, come learn about the admission process from admission deans. Submit your questions ahead of time on the registration form! Register here!

Thursday, September 29th (6-7PM): Common App 101

Learn how to navigate the Common Application, including the UVA supplement. We will talk through frequently asked questions and offer tips and tricks for completing your application to UVA! Register here!

Wednesday, October 5th (6-7PM): Financial Aid at UVA

Learn about the financial aid process, including different types of financial aid and how to apply, directly from the Office of Student Financial Services. Register here!

Wednesday, October 19th (6-7PM): Hoos Talking –  Diversity at UVA

This event will give you a chance to learn about the academic and cultural opportunities available at UVA from current diverse voices on Grounds. Learn about how student advocacy has shaped the University’s community that we see today. Register here!

September 27
Tuesday
9:15 – 10:00am
Venue: Canteen Annex
Link to sign up

York College Pennsylvania (USA) – In-person info session with the college rep with Q&A.

October 4
Tuesday
Venue: Radisson Blu Hotel, Niña Room
6:00PM
Link to sign up

New York University – Abu Dhabi – In-person info session with the NYUAD rep.  Since this is during the quarter break, the venue & time will be confirmed later next month.

October 11
Tuesday
9:15 – 10:00 AM
Canteen Annex
Link to sign up

Hawaii Pacific University (USA) – Info session with the university rep with Q&A.

October 21
Friday
9:15 – 10:00 AM
Canteen Annex
Link to sign up

Simon Fraser University (Canada) –Info session with the university rep with Q&A.

SAT Update for 2022-2023

2022–23 School Year Test Dates

SAT Test Date	Deadline for Registration, Changes and Regular Cancellation
October 1, 2022	September 2, 2022
December 3, 2022	November 3, 2022
March 11, 2023 (Digital)	February 24, 2023
May 6, 2023 (Digital)	April 21, 2023
June 3, 2023 (Digital)	May 19, 2023

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.