Author: Cebu International School

Principal’s Corner

by Mr. Andrew Powell, EY-12 Principal

We have had an exceptionally busy week with a range of events on and off campus, which started with the opening of our IB Visual Arts Exhibit. This was an opportunity for our Grade 12 students to showcase their work to the community, starting with their parents and peers. Our Grade 3-5 students traveled to Aldawon Farm for a variety of engaging experiences relating to their units of inquiry, while a group of our older students traveled to Manila to participate in ISAC basketball and soccer competitions. Our Grade 10 students are nearing the end of their Personal Project and they engaged in evaluative meetings with students and teachers across the school to get feedback on the degree to which they met their learning product goals. We have also had an array of college preparatory events on campus this week that concluded with a highly successful College Fair for our Grade 9-12 students. Our elementary students, led by the Student Council, also celebrated their learning with their monthly assembly.

A common theme in all of these events that has been very apparent to me as I have worked with students and teachers during my time at the school, is the degree of collaboration that takes place between students of different ages and grade levels. As a small school our students have the opportunity to engage with each other in meaningful ways. This has significant benefits and places them in an advantageous position compared to many of their peers at schools where this sort of engagement is limited.

As a result of these cross-age learning experiences, our students are viewed as unique individuals who have the opportunity to develop into progressive and successful learners. They share a deep sense of “family” with their classmates and are provided with opportunities to support and care for each other in a variety of ways.

All of our students, regardless of age, have the opportunity to act as mentors and to take on leadership roles. Working across grade levels provides students with the opportunity to act as mentors and model more sophisticated approaches to problem solving. They are also encouraged to take charge of their learning and this dynamic leads to a greater sense of ownership and self-direction, a foundation for successful life-long learning.

Our students are also provided with positive role models for academic, behavior and social skills. They learn how to work and play with others of mixed ages and learn how to build diverse friendships. They also learn how to negotiate, support and compromise, which are particularly important skills to have as an adult.

I feel confident saying that our students are kind, caring and compassionate towards others. And I am proud of the way in which our whole school community works together to support the development of our leaders of tomorrow.

MYP Personal Project Promo

Grade 4 Class

by Mr. Sten Coppin, Grade 4 Teacher

This week, the upper elementary classes were able to enjoy a wonderful day at Adlawon Vacation Farm. A bit later than first expected, but we made it! Some of our activities included a hike up the hill, harvesting vegetables, meeting farm animals, starting fires using friction, setting up and taking down tents, and a gardening workshop. It was wonderful to see the students learning, working together, helping each other, and having a blast outdoors! Please read on to see some reviews written by our Grade 4 students.

Biology Class

by Ms. Rebecca Devadoss, Biology Teacher

Grade 10: MYP Biology

As a culminating activity for the unit on “The Twisted Shape of Life,”, students researched and made a presentation on genetically modified organisms (GMOs), which is one of the many applications of genetics. 

To promote “communication” as the chosen ATL skill, each presentation was peer reviewed using a TAG (think of some positives about the presentation, ask a question, and give a suggestion for improvement) feedback form.

Here are some of the presentations.

Click on the video links to watch two presentations.

Glow in the dark fish – by Gabrielle 

Ruby Puppy – by Fiana

These are some of the advantages of GMOs that were identified by the students.

These are some of the disadvantages of GMOs that were identified by the students.

Grade 11: DP Biology

Photosynthetic pigments play an important role in the process of photosynthesis by capturing different wavelengths of light.

Grade 11 students performed a simple experiment to isolate  and identify the different pigments present in differently colored leaves.

Step 1: Extraction of the pigments by crushing the leaves with acetone in a mortar and pestle. – Victoria

Step 2: Isolating and loading the pigment solution onto the chromatography paper.– Bella

Step 3: Placing the chromatography paper in a test tube/graduated cylinder with 5 mL of ethanol and allowing the pigments to separate. – Patrick

Step 4: Calculate the Retention factor (Rf) values for the isolated pigments, process and present the data. – Victoria 

Step 5: Compare it with the published chart to identify the different isolated pigments.

Grade 12: DP Biology

can be broadly classified into categories such as health and fitness, impact on the environment, benefit to the economy, and testing of different plant growth factors. 

The following are some of the graphs generated by the students after they completed their investigations. The trends seen were helpful for them to arrive at a conclusion for their research questions.

Health and fitness

Effect of jogging on different degrees of inclined planes on the breathing rate and time taken to reach homeostasis. – Jooha 

Effect of weight training exercises on the systolic and diastolic blood pressure. – Stephanie 

Effect of jogging for different distances on the breathing rate and time taken to reach homeostasis. – Heinz 

Impact on environment

Impact of NPK fertilizers on Eutrophication leading to hypoxia (oxygen depletion in water). –  Chesca 

Effect of acid and alkaline deposition on plant growth. – Anya 

Effect of using organic fertilizers (cow manure) on root length and shoot length of seedlings. – Andrew 

Plant growth factors

Impact of micronutrient, zinc on root mass. – Sophia

Impact of macronutrient, potassium on the daily growth rate. – Renoa

Effect of the photoperiodism on seed germination. – Lea

Effect of UV light on yeast respiration measured by the circumference of inflated balloons. – Camille 

Effect of acid and alkaline deposition on plant growth . – Anya 

Effect of application of Sodium bicarbonate to mimic the alkaline soil in Cebu on seed germination. – Akeisha 

Dragon’s Print

Basketball remains the most beloved sport in the Philippines, trumping other famous sports such as football and volleyball. As the CIS boys basketball team heads to ISAC, one may be wondering why basketball is so popular in the country.

To learn more, visit dragonsprint.cis.edu.ph!

The Dragon’s Report Card

In this episode, the Grade 12 IB Visual Arts Students share their experiences with art such as their early foundations in the field, all the way until the upcoming art exhibition!

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor Corner

A big thank you to all the parents and students who participated in this week’s events.  It was a wonderful learning  experience for all!

DATE

April 19
Wednesday
9:15 – 10:00 AM
Canteen Annex

EVENT

Nagoya University of Commerce & Business (Japan) – An info session with the university rep.  He will talk about the admissions process, the programs they offer and what it is like to study in Japan

SAT Update for 2022-2023

Admin News

by Dr. Gwyn Underwood, Superintendent

It was a delight to see all the smiles and hear the laughter today as our students enjoyed our third House Activities Day (HAD3) for the year this morning. Well done to and thanks to the ES and MHS Student Councils with their respective supervisors for organizing the event, and to all teachers and staff who helped set up and supervise the activities!

Please take note of an eventful coming week. Our annual IB Art Exhibition commences Monday and is located in the CIS Studio this year. G10-12 Parents, Ms. Basa is hosting a valuable meeting for you to learn how is your child supported through the College Application process, so please plan to come on Tuesday (8-9 am, Annex). And finally, we have our third ISAC Tournament for this year happening next Thursday-Saturday in Manila. All the best to the Girls’ Football and Boys’ Basketball teams as they compete. Go Dragons!

Have an enjoyable, balanced long weekend from tomorrow!

Upcoming events of note

• Mar 16: End of third quarter; HAD 3 (AM)/Faculty PD (PM); No classes in PM
• Mar. 17 – School Holiday (end of term 3)
• Mar 20-Apr 3 IB Art Exhibition @ CIS
• Mar 21: G10-12 Parent Meeting
  “How is your child supported through the College Application process?” (8-9 am, Annex)
• Mar 28: Parent Coffee Meeting
  “Reviewing the CIS Guiding Statements” (8-9 am, Annex)

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

SEL in the PYP

by Ms. Evangeline Villagonzalo, Guidance Counselor

The school continually works on promoting and achieving students’ socio-emotional & personal development, care, and protection. Cultivating a healthy environment for the entire community is considered paramount. For the past weeks, the guidance sessions during homeroom time in the elementary classrooms focused on self-care and being in charge of our bodies.  The students were involved in learning engagements designed to develop good habits and empower students to make good choices.

The lessons and activities were geared towards discussing the personal benefits of  learning how to protect and advocate for oneself. 

Students studied the importance of developing good grooming and good habits. In the process, students  gained an understanding of their bodies and the social-emotional impact it has on them as they grow and experience changes in different aspects.

Furthermore, they learned about basic refusal skills, which is when it is okay to say “No”. While grasping the idea of consent, personal space, and boundaries, we talked about the difference between “safe touch” and “unsafe touch”. Students participated in follow-up activities that gave them an opportunity to recognize safe and unsafe situations and the impact of making smart choices in protecting themselves when faced with difficult situations.

Helpful tips for parents:

• Talk with your child/ren about self-care and being in charge of their bodies. 
• Provide opportunities for your child to practice these skills by respecting their personal spaces and boundaries.  
• Recognize and praise them when they are caught practicing and/or displaying behavior that shows self-care and making smart choices. 

Grade 12: Visual Arts Exhibition

by Ms. Gerri Ancajas-Jumao-as, IB Visual Art Teacher

The Cebu International School Visual Arts 12 Exhibition presents the work of the talented Grade 12 Visual Art students as a culmination of their 2 years study of IB Visual Arts. Working in diverse mediums and styles, these students delved into a variety of themes and concepts, each one drawing on their personal inspiration and experiences to produce an impressive, significant body of work. 

Featured Students:
Naoki 
Patricia Marie
Chewon
Yoonseo (Victoria)
Yongwoo (Roy)

Grade 8: MYP Individuals & Societies

by Mr. Damon Freeman, Individuals & Societies Teacher

The grade 8 I&S students were tasked to each select an Indigenous Group from around the world and embark on an ambitious research project that would promote knowledge and awareness of the group and crucially: the need for us to work to preserve indigenous groups` cultures. 

The idea of preserving Indigenous Groups is intrinsically attached to the international mindedness we try to promote to our students as global citizens. 

The project was divided into four parts. Each student needed to complete a detailed research action plan where they had to find a large quantity, as well as a wide variety, of sources and analyze each source using the OPVL method we had studied in class. Once a bulk of information had been gathered the students created a static display, a short video and participated in a tough interview about the knowledge they had obtained about their Indigenous Groups.

The project culminated in an exhibition where students and teachers were invited as guests to learn about the Indigenous Groups. Our guests asked simple as well as complex questions about the Indigenous Groups which allowed us to ascertain the level of critical analytical thought that each student had put into for their Indigenous Group.

Well done to the grade 8s for producing superb projects and for helping to promote this vital concept of the preservation of Indigenous Groups. 

Indigenous Groups featured: Dine (Navajo), Papuans, Bare, Maori, Ainu, Mongols, Samal Badjao, Maasai, Mi’kmaq, Inuits. 

Grade 6: Science Class

by Ms. Haydee Montero, Science Teacher

“How do changing physical conditions affect the growth & survival of living things?”

An abiotic factor is a non-living part of an ecosystem that shapes its environment. Different types of ecosystems showcase how different abiotic factors affect biotic components. In a terrestrial ecosystem, these include temperature, light, water, pH, and the availability of food, while in a marine ecosystem, the abiotic factors would include salinity and ocean currents. Abiotic and biotic factors work together to create a unique ecosystem.        

Working on Unit Three’s Statement of Inquiry, “A sustainable environment depends on the relationships and interactions between living and non-living components”, the Grade 6 students explored a few of the abiotic factors that might affect the growth of the monggo seedlings.

Here are some snapshots of their actions caught on cam and their realizations on the concepts:

The seedling showed no growth in  clay soil. Clay soil is unsuitable for planting because it cannot effectively absorb water. Because there is little space between the mineral particles in clay soil, which is composed mainly of very minute mineral particles and has little organic content. The soil is sticky and does not drain the water well. Because clay soil is hard soil, the water simply pools on the surface rather than being absorbed. According to Plant Problems Seed Sprouting (2020), heavy clay soils make it difficult for a seedling to break through the cement-like soil because clay soil is heavy and compacts easily, and drains water slowly (Colleen Vanderlinden, 2022; Cathy Pleasant, 2015). -Rebecca, Rhianna, Roy, Creag & Ari

The seedling placed in pH 8.0 which is above normal, made the seedling rot, while the seedling placed in a pH below 7.0 did not rot. A pH above 8.0  allowed the seedling to grow well, while 2.0 pH had the least amount of growth.

For most plants, the ideal pH is slightly acidic and slightly alkaline. At extreme pH, the availability of some nutrients is decreased, thus stunting plant growth(Soil PH | VRO | Agriculture Victoria, 2023). – Dylan, Logan, Anita, Ofri & Kieth

Dragon’s Print

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor Corner

The Australian government announced increased post-study work rights for eligible occupations and also increased the working hours for international students from 40 to 48 hours every fortnight.  For more information, please visit this link.

College Events (Virtual and Face to Face)

DATE

March 21
Tuesday
8:00 – 9:00 AM
Canteen Annex
Open to Grade 10-12 parents

EVENT

How is your child supported through the College Application process? – A session with the College Counselor for parents to understand what their child needs to do in the College Application process and how parents can support them.

March 23
Thursday
9:15 – 10:00 AM
For all Grade 11 students
Venue: Canteen Annex

Writing a College Essay

March 24
Friday
9:15 – 10:00 AM
(Dragon’s Dome)
All Students from Grade 10-11, Grade 9 are invited, Parents are encouraged to attend.

College Fair on Campus – Meet university representatives from different universities from Australia, Canada and the UK. Click on the countries below for participating institutions. Parents encouraged to attend!

List of participating institutions:

April 19
Wednesday
9:15 – 10:00 AM
Canteen Annex

Nagoya University of Commerce & Business (Japan) – This is an info session with the university rep. He will talk about the admissions process, the programs they offer, and what it’s like to study in Japan.

SAT Update for 2022-2023

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

STEM week was launched on Monday with a whole school assembly that featured performances, presentations, and interactive activities from a variety of grade levels. The term STEM refers to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math and is an important feature of our academic programs. The skills gained from STEM education extend beyond those needed to be successful in those specific fields. We are fortunate to have another of Jim Doran-Webb’s sculptures on campus this week and this provided students with the perfect provocation with which to consider the engineering required to transport and set it up as an art installation in a variety of locations, conditions and environments.

Each STEM component brings a valuable contribution to a well-rounded education and encompasses a range of experiences and skills. Science gives learners an in-depth understanding of the world around us. It helps them to become better at research and critical thinking. Technology prepares young people to work in an environment full of high-

tech innovations. Engineering allows students to enhance problem-solving skills and apply knowledge in new projects. Mathematics enables people to analyze information, eliminate errors, and make conscious decisions when designing solutions. STEM education links these disciplines into a cohesive system. Our hope is that it inspires and prepares our students with the ability to transform society with innovative and sustainable solutions.

As our students have engaged in various experiences this week our teachers have purposefully provided them with activities that spark their curiosity and imagination. They have been placed in situations that require them to work collaboratively to solve and complete complex problems. This has promoted active listening, open-mindedness and required them to give and receive constructive feedback. The real-world applications that students have been involved in have enhanced the need for students to actively engage with the material to understand the issue at hand and require logic rather than memorization to solve problems.

It was also apt that during the week the world celebrated International Women’s Day. This provided an opportunity to focus on the significant contribution that women have through their engagement in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. It is also important that in addition to honoring these women’s accomplishments that we focus on supporting and positioning our young women for careers in this field.

Philippine Language & Culture Class

by Ms. Freshal Abcede, PLC Teacher

Endemic Plants and Animals of the Philippines

What is endemic? Do you know some of the endemic plants and animals in the Philippines that became endangered? The Grade 4 and 5 students were introduced to the term endemic, which means native or unique to a particular place or region. We kicked off our inquiry by exploring various endemic plants and animals under the transdisciplinary theme of Sharing the Planet. 

As we identified and familiarized ourselves with some common endemic species, we applied our research and thinking skills to look into human actions in the local community, such as deforestation, disturbance, pollution, poaching, trading, and hunting that threatened their survival. 

The fourth and fifth graders worked hard to create informative posters to share what they learned, discovered, and understood from this unit.

As global citizens, they came up with various ways to show empathy and help protect and conserve our country’s plants and animals.

MYP & DP Spanish

by Mr. Antonio Melgar, Spanish Teacher

Grades 8 and 9 have been engaged in practicing their speaking skills and  demonstrating how teamwork helps them to succeed. They pretended to be travelers in a foreign country dealing with issues of buying a flight ticket, ordering  food in a restaurant, doing some currency exchanges and deciding what to wear, and what activities to do, when and where.

CIS Students Enter 2023 Blue Ocean Student Entrepreneur Competition

by Ms. Emily Cornet, IB DP Coordinator

Over the past few weeks, two groups of Grade 11 students have been working on their entries for the prestigious Blue Ocean Student Entrepreneur Competition.  Open to high school students from around the world, the students work in groups to identify a problem in the world, design a product to meet that need, and prepare a virtual pitch.  Students utilized knowledge from their DP Business Management course, as well as a mini-course on the Blue Ocean Strategy provided by the competition.

This year, over 5200 students from 146 countries submitted their pitch by the February 18 deadline.  The next step for our students is to make it through the judging round, where the top 100 pitches will be identified by the panel of judges to then be presented on the Blue Ocean Competition webpage for public vote and further scrutiny by the judges.

Here are the videos from our two groups:

Good luck in the next rounds of the competition!

CIS Touch Rugby

by Mr. Damon Freeman, MYP/DP Teacher & Touch Rugby Coach

Dragon’s Print

In February, CIS held its annual Art Exhibit, featuring artworks made by the Grade 11s and 12s. Come along with Dragon’s Print as we interview some of the students on their artworks!

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

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor Corner

Alumni Spotlight:

How does a CIS alumnus live the school’s mission and vision?

College Events (Virtual and Face to Face)

DATE

March 21
Tuesday
8:00 – 9:00 AM
Canteen Annex
Open to Grade 10-12 parents

EVENT

How is your child supported through the College Application process?

A session with the College Counselor for parents to understand what their child needs to do in the College Application process and how parents can support them.

March 23
Thursday
9:15 – 10:00 AM
Canteen Annex
For all Grade 11 students

Writing a College Essay

March 24
Friday
9:15 – 10:00 AM
Dragon’s Dome
All students from Grade 9-11 are invited

College Fair on Campus – Meet university representatives from different universities from Australia, Canada and the UK. Click on the countries below for participating institutions. Parents encouraged to attend!

List of Participating Institutions

April 18
Wednesday
9:15 – 10:00 AM
Canteen Annex

Nagoya University of Commerce & Business (Japan)

An info session with the university rep. He will talk about the admissions process, the programs they offer and what it is like to study in Japan.

SAT Update for 2022-2023

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

What is the most important thing you can do as a parent to support your child with their learning? Answers to this question will vary between individuals, and change over time. One answer that is likely to come up in many cases is, “supporting an environment conducive to learning”. The benefits of this are well established by the research and thus the importance we place on learning applicable social and emotional skills.

“Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.” (Source: SEL Signature Practices Playbook – CASEL (p.3))

This past Wednesday, our School Counselor Ms. Vangie Villagonzalo led a helpful session on Socio-Emotional Learning (SEL) at CIS during our monthly Parent Coffee Meeting. 

• We first looked at well-being through an equity lens, in order to demonstrate how we strive to create the conditions for all students to have optimal development and become engaged global citizens. It was noted that well-being skills are not sufficient for creating an equitable and multicultural community unless the values of equity are EXPLICIT in SEL (or well-being education).
• Ms. Vangie then highlighted the whys and the hows of multiple SEL areas that are covered at CIS. This included (but was not limited to) the IB learner Profile and PYP attributes, Approaches to Learning, Five Respects, and the use of a number of other behavior and character development tools in classes, homeroom/advisory times, after-school activities, and so on.
• Parents then broke into small groups to consider the essential question, “How can I (as a parent) support my child (student/s) in developing their SEL skills?”

This session was offered to help us continue our journey toward understanding how we can best provide life skills for our students. This is equally important for adults! The following table from the University of New Hampshire’s Browne Center for Innovative Learning visually represents how SEL approaches can lead to short-term outcomes, which in turn lead to desirable behavioral/academic outcomes. We encourage you to have supportive discussions at the dinner table that reflect and explore how you can support these outcomes for the learners in your family. Please share how you go – your experience may help others too!

(Source: https://brownecenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/SEL-approaches.png ) 

* The five competence areas referenced are Self-awareness, Self-management, Social awareness, Relationship skills, and Responsible decision-making. 

Thanks to all who were able to make it to the Parent Meeting. Please pencil in our next meeting, which will be held on March 28 (8-9 am, Annex), where we will be reviewing our Guiding Statements with the objective of coming up with a new school purpose statement!

Upcoming events of note

• Mar 6-10: STEM Week
• Mar 14: Regular CIS Corporation Meeting – 7 pm, virtual (invites will be sent to corporation members only) 
• Mar 16: End of third quarter; HAD 3 (AM)/Faculty PD (PM); No classes in PM
• Mar. 17 – School Holiday (end of term 3)
• Mar 20-Apr 3 IB Art Exhibition @ CIS
• Mar 21: G10-12 Parent Meeting
  “How is your child supported through the College Application process?” (8-9 am, Annex)
• Mar 28: Parent Coffee Meeting
  “Reviewing the CIS Guiding Statements” (8-9 am, Annex)

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

The Grade 2 Biologists Learning Journey

by Grade 2 Students

Grade 3: Week Without Walls

by Ms. Katrina del Mar, Grade 3 Teacher

Disaster Response Training Camp

The Grade 3 trainees, in collaboration with the Grade 2s, completed the Disaster Response Training Camp for this school year’s Week Without Walls. The training camp gave them the opportunity to learn skills that will help them survive or assist our community during natural disasters.

Day 1: Survival Skills Day
The first day of camping was jam-packed with knot-tying, first aid, sewing, fire-making, water safety, and team building. These activities have equipped them with skills that are helpful during difficult circumstances.

Day 2: Teambuilding and Games
The Grade 3s learned that in everything that we do, safety comes first! They demonstrated positivity to the news that we would be rescheduling our trip to Adlawon Vacation Farm because of the pouring rain. As inquirers, they were curious and had fun learning to play board games, watching a movie about Wild Babies, and investigating electric circuits with Makey Makey.

Day 3: Life Skills and Overnight Camping
It was time to be creative on Day 3. Aside from equipping themselves with important life skills such as sewing, recycling and designing their own water filtration system, the boys and girls also completed a dance workshop in the morning to be performed at night. The Grade 3s displayed independence as they took care of themselves, their belongings and their own dinner. Most of the Grade 3s considered sleeping in school one of the best days of their lives.

Day 4: Service and Action
The last day was memorable. The recycled water bottles they painted carefully the day before will now become homes of plants in the CIS Garden. The Grade 3s learned to sow seeds and take care of plants by watering them. It will be a living and growing memory of this year’s Week Without Walls. The week finally ended with an appreciation of each trainee who participated in the Disaster Response Training Camp.

Grade 11 & 12 Pscyhology

by Ms. Leanne Healy, Psych/Ind & Soc. Teacher

Grade 12: Study and Revision

As grade 12 students have just finished their mock exams, in psychology we have been focusing on what study and revision strategies proved effective for students. Optimizing study time will be key to student learning in the run up to the IB exams. 

Some effective strategies the grade 12 psychology students recommend are:

Some takeaway tips from the grade 12 psychology students:

Grade 11:  Note-taking Strategies

In Grade 11 Psychology students have been practicing effective note-taking skills, in a way that works for them as learners. Many students have been experimenting with strategies like using colour-codes, sketch notes, diagrams and key word glossaries. 

Using color in colour in note-taking can help students organise information, making it easier to remember. Diagrams can be helpful in visualising and explaining complex ideas and relationships between concepts. 

Some suggestions for future grade 11 students included:

MYP Math 

By Ms. Maria Victoria Bacus, Grade 6, 8 and 9 Mathematics Teacher

Investigating Patterns

Investigating patterns is one of the assessment criteria in MYP Mathematics. Students work through investigations to become risk-takers, inquirers and critical thinkers.

In this particular activity, students were able to work in teams and tried to achieve the following goals: 

• Recognize and describe patterns 
• Justify their thinking using different representations
  (visual patterns, tables, graphs, and/or equations)
• Make connections between different approaches and representations
• Use words, arrows, numbers and/or color coding to communicate and explain their ideas clearly to team members
• Ask questions to understand each other’s thinking or challenge the group to go further

Students utilized some manipulatives to be able to build their own patterns as well as present their patterns and rules to the classmates outside their group.

Here are some of the students’ main takeaway from the class activities:

What did you learn from the mathematical discussion?

What mathematical concepts did you learn?

Reflections & Questions from Students

DP Math

by Mr. Daniel Monfre, DP Math Teacher

The DP Math teachers are delighted to inform you that our students are in the final stages of completing their Math Exploration, Math IA, papers. This project is a significant part of the IB and CIS curriculum, it showcases  students’ analytical and critical thinking skills. We are very excited to see this process nearing completion and it is such a great example of students’ hard work and mathematical proficiency.

As part of the process, students will be creating posters, like the samples below, to summarize their projects. These posters will be displayed in the canteen annex as part of our STEM Week celebrations from March 6th to the 10th. We want to showcase the work of our grade 12 students as part of STEM Week since this will highlight their achievements in STEM fields. Students will select to create a poster for the Science or Math IA and a few have selected to create multiple posters. The posters will be an excellent opportunity for our students to demonstrate their creativity and showcase their research findings. They will be using graphs, charts, and diagrams to illustrate their data and results, which will help them communicate their ideas effectively. We hope that their engaging posters will inspire the younger students as they look forward to the DP experiences as well.

We encourage you to come to the school during STEM Week to see your child’s poster and learn about their research. It will be an excellent opportunity to engage with your child’s academic journey and celebrate their achievements.

Thank you to the parents and guardians for your continued support for your students, and we hope you enjoy seeing their IA work celebrated during our STEM Week!

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor Corner

College Events (Virtual and Face to Face)

DATE

March 21
Tuesday
8:00 – 9:00 AM
Canteen Annex
Open to Grade 10-12 parents

EVENTS

How is your child supported through the College Application process? – A session with the College Counselor for parents to understand what their child needs to do in the College Application process and how parents can support them.

March 23
Thursday
9:15 – 10:00 AM
For all Grade 11 students
Venue: Canteen Annex

Writing a College Essay

March 24
Friday
9:15 – 10:00 AM
(Dragon’s Dome)
All Students from Grade 10-11, Grade 9 are invited

College Fair on Campus – Meet university representatives from different universities from Australia, Canada and the UK.  The final list of institutions will be published next week.  Parents are also welcome to attend.

April 18
Wednesday
9:15 – 10:00 AM
Canteen Annex

Nagoya University of Commerce & Business (Japan) – An info session with the university rep.  He will talk about the admissions process, the programs they offer and what it is like to study in Japan

SAT Update for 2022-2023

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

The first Core Belief in our Guiding Statements is that learning is a joyful, creative and open-ended exploration. Joy can be defined as an emotion induced by well-being. It involves experiencing delight or happiness. Joyful learning in the context of education refers to the positive intellectual and emotional state of the learner(s) when an individual or group is deriving a sense of engagement and satisfaction from the process of learning. As our elementary school students engaged in Week Without Walls this week, I can confidently say that their experience lived up to this expectation. For many of our students, I know that it was the highlight of their school year.

Our students were provided with a range of purposefully planned activities that provided them with the opportunity to develop skills and attributes in ways that are not possible during regular classes. It was also a week of firsts for many children. Some of the activities that children engaged in included visiting a farm, learning First Aid, sewing, cooking, using tools, gardening, and learning to light a fire. Our Grade 2-5 students were also provided with the opportunity to sleep at school, which they thoroughly enjoyed. Students were highly engaged in their experiences while demonstrating a sense of wonder and curiosity.

A characteristic of the week was a sense of shared interest and purpose. Learners of all abilities were provided with the opportunity to interact meaningfully with various challenges while also interacting with one another in supportive academic and social interchanges.

These experiences would not have been possible without the commitment of our faculty, who certainly went above and beyond to support their students. We are very fortunate to have such a dedicated and professional group of educators working at the school.

We look forward to offering a highly engaging experience to our MHS students from April 24 – 27. Planning is underway and has also included students so that their voices are heard, and interests accounted for.

Class of 2023 College & University Acceptances

We are proud to announce the initial admission offers from the Class of 2023. This is a partial list since most universities release offers in March & April.

(Click on the images to view the larger version)

Music Class

by Ms. Marie Briones, Music Teacher

What is the Sound of Silence?

In our latest unit the K/G1s have been exploring “Sounds Around Us.” The students looked into how sounds can come from living and nonliving things. They also explored the sounds that they can imitate, sounds that are made by different materials, sounds from nature and the planets, and sounds from gadgets.

 However, in order to develop IB learners who are open-minded thinkers and risk-takers, the K/G1s have been challenged to see (and hear) things from multiple perspectives.  During their previous meeting, K/G1s listened to a book being read, entitled “The Sound of Silence” by Katrina Goldsaito. When asked about the importance and the relationship between sound and silence, the students immediately made connections between two seemingly opposing concepts, that of Sound and of Silence. Through their very own student-driven discussions, they recognized how both concepts are two sides of the same coin, and that Silence served both a pragmatic and an aesthetic purpose in relation to sound and the senses. Here are some thoughts from our open-minded thinkers: 

Grade 8 Science Class

by Ms. Christine Enrile, Science Teacher

Sustainable Gardens 

“Sustainability involves Adapting scientifically tested Resources, for their appropriateness to perform specific Functions, that promote environmentally friendly solutions.” – Statement of Inquiry, IDU of Science and Design

The Grade 8 students have the opportunity to explore an interdisciplinary unit in Science and Design which focuses on sustainable gardens.  They will do inquiry-based learning to promote recycling of water, reducing energy costs, sustainable use of materials and growing food in small spaces.  To be able to do this, the students are learning scientific concepts on the classification and properties of matter as well as the changes they undergo.  Several formative tasks and practicals were done to help the students gain a deeper understanding of the lessons.

In this unit, the students will be creating their sustainable gardens in a designated area in school.  This task will allow them to apply their transfer skills which challenges them to combine knowledge, understanding and skills to be able to create a sustainable product.  In Science, the students will investigate the feasibility of the materials for the vertical garden scaffolding and the plant holders.  They will need to consider the different properties of the materials as well as the reactions involved as these will be exposed to several environmental conditions.  With this, the students have been engaged in testing the durability of several materials for the garden scaffolding.  These include wood, aluminum, iron, and tin.  They developed their own methodology, taking into consideration all relevant variables to make the testing scientifically fair and valid.

Kudos to the Grade 8 students for their diligence and for being critical thinkers!

Grade 11/12 Math Applications and Interpretation SL

by Ms. Maria Victoria Bacus, Math Teacher

As our seniors are completing their mock exams this week, here are some of the strategies they wanted to share, the do’s and don’ts before taking or during an examination as well as some common mistakes that were valuable in their learning. 

Before Taking/During Examinations:

DO’s

DONT’s

As the students worked through the different IB exam-style questions, here are some common mistakes that they hope to be avoided:

• Not reading the questions properly, not putting the answer in the correct units/format
• Not considering the command terms when answering an IB-style question.
• Not writing complete solutions and misreading some information
• Not reading before the exam. Reading before the exam helps you plan how much time you need for each question and which you need to focus on.
• Not using their formula booklet for hints.
• Not paying attention to the points available per question
• Not realizing that the questions are connected so one mistake in one number can affect the others
• Using the wrong formula in the formula booklet

Suggested Strategies for future Math AI SL students:

Grade 11 students have been introduced to Coordinate Geometry, Voronoi Diagrams and Trigonometry this semester.  

Students were busy exploring various resources to help them demonstrate their understanding.

They have used Geogebra and/or Desmos to investigate different concepts as well as gain a better understanding of the graphs of linear equations. 

Learning how to use different ratios to find missing information, solve problems and how it is applied in the real world are some of the essential skills for this unit.

As students continue to enhance their knowledge in a variety of contexts, a cumulative task on applying Pythagorean theorem to find missing sides of right triangles was assigned.

This provided students with the opportunity to work through a series of trigonometry problems that built on one another and to provide multiple and appropriate solution paths. 

Here is the trigonometry pile up task by William Emeny:

Student Reflections: 

As the students worked through this problem, some of them noted the following crucial steps: 

Dragon’s Print

As the end of the third quarter approaches, dealing with exam anxiety and stress can be extremely overwhelming. To serve as a distraction and to help you relax, Dragon’s Print has compiled 5 must-see films to add to your watchlist. Ranging from Fantastic Mr. Fox to Everything Everywhere All At Once, you are sure to find a film you’ll love. To see all the recommendations visit us at https://dragonsprint.cis.edu.ph/!

Dragon’s Report Card

As the second season of ISAC ends, the CIS Dragons share their experience playing girls basketball and boys football against other international schools in the Philippines! Hear from captains Andrew and Sofia, and players Liam and Arianna on the challenges the teams faced, their own advice, and more!

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor Corner

Update from the University of the Philippines (for students from the Class of 2024 who are interested in applying to UP)

The UP College Admission Test is back! UPCAT will be held on 3 – 4 June 2023. The UPCAT 2024 application period will officially open in the first week of March 2023 with the online portal Form 1 (Applicant’s Personal Data) again accessible. Ms. Basa will hold a series of sessions for all students who will apply to UP in March when the applications open. Click here for the official announcement from the UP Media & Public Relations Office.

College  Events (Virtual and Face to Face)

DATE

February 19,
Sunday
Radisson Blu
1:00 – 5:00 PM
Link to register

AUSTRALIA EDUCATION FAIR:  Meet university reps from Australian universities and learn about their programs.

Below is the list of participating universities:

February 21
Tuesday
11:00PM
Link to register

Bocconi University – Don’t miss the chance to learn more about life at our Summer School by listening to past Students who share their experience, Faculty who are going to teach labs and Staff organizing the program.

March 23
Thursday
9:15 – 10:00 AM
For all Grade 11 students
Venue: Canteen Annex

Writing a College Essay – A hands- on session for all Grade 11 students with Mr. Christian diGregori0 – Head of International Recruitment for York College of Pennsylvania

SAT UPDATE for 2022-2023

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

It was lovely to join the Grade 11 and 12 Art students this past Wednesday for the opening of our annual Grade 11/12 IB Art Exhibition. Each year, I am so impressed not only by the range of artistic talent on display but also by the creativity and critical thought that students put into their work. What makes this more meaningful is knowing how much effort each piece takes, so congratulations, art students, and thank you for sharing!

As I reflected on the artwork in preparation for the opening, I was reminded of the following quote by author Gary Fenchuck (and I added “creativity” as I think it is an apt addition to his quote in this case!):

“Surprise and confound the world with your enthusiasm and optimism [and creativity]; you know something they don’t.” 

I love the challenge for us to “surprise and confound” (meaning to cause confusion)! Students, even though you are young, you are unique, and you know something others do not, so are in a position to provoke others (“the world”) in the hope they might think more critically about the essence of life, as portrayed in your artwork. 

Our Elementary School Week Without Walls (WWW) will occur next week. Cebu International school’s Guiding Statements highlight our belief in the importance of experiential, constructivist learning, and the explicit development of a wide range of skills and attributes identified as Approaches to Learning (ATL) and Learner Profile (LP) attributes. Our WWW programs are designed to engage students in purposefully planned activities that enable them to develop many of these skills and attributes in ways that are not possible or are more difficult, in a classroom setting. (Note, the MHS WWW has been rescheduled for April 24-27.)

Upcoming events of note

• Feb 13-20: G12 Mock Exams
• Feb 14-17: ES Week Without Walls
• Feb 23: School Holiday
• Feb 24: Cebu City Charter Day (Public Holiday)
• Feb 28: CIS Parents Coffee Morning (8-9am CIS annex)

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

EY 2/3 Class

by Ms. Aimee Valezona, Early Years Teacher

Living things depend on each other for survival 

The Early Years have had a very successful week this week! We continued our planning and began constructing and setting up our chosen habitats while incorporating our concepts and understanding of living things. The majority of the students have so far explained how plants, animals, and people grow, breathe, and why they are all dependent on one another to survive. They created several models of living things in our small groups based on the habitats to which each one is best suited. The students have discussed the kinds of food that animals and people eat while considering the different living things we created in diverse habitats. They also discussed the various types of animal body covering, people’s clothing, and how these are essential.

The Early Years were inspired to explore and expand their knowledge after creating, setting up, and seeing our classroom transformation by asking questions about the type of body covering, and types of food that animals need to survive in specific habitats.  Additionally, they were able to explain how and why habitats have an impact on living things’ choice of food and ability to survive. We’ll keep learning more about living things and explaining how everything on earth is connected. 

Excellent work this week, EYs!

Grade 6: Individuals and Societies

by Ms. Joy Pierra, I & S Teacher

The Light Bulb Goes Off

This quarter, the Grade 6 I&S class explores the unit “The Light Bulb Goes Off.” This focuses on the use of sustainable and renewable sources of energy. The use of renewable energy sources is becoming an increasingly relevant topic because of the number of challenges humans face at present, including growing concerns about climate change, the depletion of finite resources, and the issue of sustainability. The use of renewable energy sources like wind, solar, hydro, geothermal, and biomass provides clean, abundant, and sustainable power that can help address these critical challenges. This unit also supports and promotes UNSDG #7, clean and affordable energy.

First, the I&S 6 students identified the different renewable energy sources and examined how each one works. 

Then, students evaluated the pros and cons of using these sources of energy.

One of the primary advantages of using renewable energy sources is that they are less harmful to the environment than traditional fossil fuels. In contrast to oil, coal, and natural gas, which emit greenhouse gases when burned, renewable energy sources emit almost no greenhouse gases and are thus beneficial to the environment and public health. Furthermore, renewable sources like wind and solar are limitless, which means they can support future generations (“Benefits of Renewable Energy Use,” 2017).

Currently, the I&S6 class is investigating the factors that influence the success and failure of using renewable energy sources, as well as determining whether these sources are viable in the Philippines. Students will create a video depicting various Asian countries that have been successful in using these energy sources.

Grade 11 & 12: DP Chemistry

by Ms. Christine Enrile, DP Chemistry Teacher

MYP Personal Project

by Mr. Jonathan Denton, Personal Project Teacher

With just FIVE weeks until project products are due, we are well and truly at the business end of the Personal Project, and what a year it promises to be! 2022/23 will be the fourth year the MYP Personal Project Showcase has been part of the CIS calendar and this year will be the first FACE-TO-FACE. Before I give you a little taste of what to expect this year, let’s take a trip down memory lane.

• 2020 SHOWCASE – Deandra’s foley clips, Jenny’s re-cut trailer, Keenan’s football juggling, Johan’s suspense film, Sean’s boxing, Luna’s animations and much, much more
• 2021 SHOWCASE – Andrew bulking up, Selly’s fast fashion artworks, Renoa’s lookbook, Roy’s shoes, Igu’s golf tips, Chewon’s dragons, and a whole lot more 
• 2022 SHOWCASE – Marianne’s black swan, Mahati’s graphic novels, Max’s criminal law case, Ivan’s skating dairies, Hyein’s 3D artworks, and so much more. 

Some of what is coming up on April 14th, 2023:

Essence Art Exhibition

by Victoria B., Grade 11

The CIS Grade 11&12 IBDP Visual Arts students invite you to the virtual showcase of our Essence Art Exhibition. Please click on the image to navigate to the gallery.

Essence is the exploration of the life we live. As individuals exposed to various facets of life, we gradually discover and create aspects of our identity. Our life experiences cultivate us and mold the interpretation we have of our world. 

Each of our artworks were created prior to selecting the theme and as such each student has taken a different approach to the exhibition in terms of diversity of styles, media, and techniques, meaning that each of the students have their own interpretations of essence. We are delighted to be sharing the exhibit with the community and our face-to-face interactions have provided us with the opportunity to dialogue about our work and listen to the interpretations of visitors to the exhibition.

On behalf of Grade 11 & 12, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Mr. Saclo and Ms. Gerri for guiding us in our artistic endeavors.

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor Corner

College Events (Virtual and Face to Face)

DATE

February 11
Saturday
1:00 – 2:00 PM
Link to register

EVENT

SIM Global Roundtable Series: We have then gathered three (3) of our existing Filipino students to share their experiences and motivations in deciding to study in Singapore and at SIM. Get ready to meet Anne (SIM-University of London), Venus (SIM-University of Wollongong), and Micah (SIM) as they generously share their education journey “thus far” at SIM.

February 11
Saturday
11:00PM
Link to register

Engineering Innovation Pre-College Programs at Johns Hopkins: Are you ready to change the world through the power of engineering?  Are you an intellectually curious high school student with an interest in math and science? Join this webinar to find out more.

February 19, 
Sunday
Radisson Blu
1:00 – 5:00 PM
Link to register

AUSTRALIA EDUCATION FAIR:  Meet university reps from Australian universities and learn about their programs.

Below is the list of participating universities:

February 21
Tuesday
11:00PM
Link to register

Bocconi University – Don’t miss the chance to learn more about life at our Summer School by listening to past Students who share their experience, Faculty who are going to teach labs and Staff organizing the program.

SAT Update for 2022-2023

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.

CIS Student Residence

by Mr. John Devadoss, Head of Student Residence

“There is no health without mental health” – World Health Organization

A young person’s social environment (such as their boarding environment) can have an impact on their health. Therefore, we deliberately leverage and modify to create a harmonious and happy environment here at the Student Residence.

We know that happiness is pivotal to a student’s emotional stability. “An excellent boarding school is one that is happy, and happiness is seldom arrived at through the exercise of routines that deprive dignity’ – Tim Hawkes.

Sometimes, happiness needs to be taught and the route to happiness is found by ensuring that students have;

• A pleasant life (a pleasurable life that generates positive emotion)
• An engaging life (finding fulfillment through engagement in worthwhile activity)
• A Meaningful life (forging friendships, understanding each other)

CIS Boarding provides the above to ensure that the students in our care are happy and have a positive sense of self-esteem. For students, CIS Student Residence is a home away from home. We are Caring, Inclusive, and Supportive.

Principal’s Corner

by Mr. Andrew Powell, EY-12 Principal

Experiential learning is an important component of the programs that we offer at CIS. In very simple terms, it can be defined as the process of learning by doing. We believe that by engaging students in hands-on experiences and reflection, they are better able to connect theories and knowledge learned in the classroom to real-world situations.

You will note from the contributions to this week’s Newsflash that our students engage in this in varying ways as they move through the school. There are examples from our young artists and photographers, along with an article on the way in which we promote Mathematical Mindsets in the Middle Years Programme (MYP). Our Senior students also feature in this week’s Newsflash as they share the process and results of their self-initiated exploration of a topic of their choice for the Extended Essay.

Throughout the school, our teachers and students are guided by an inquiry cycle that guides teachers and learners beyond the development of a series of activities and towards a more thoughtful process that assists students to move from the known into the unknown, and as such, engage in the deeper exploration of knowledge and understanding.

This process is also paired with Kolb’s theory of experiential learning, which involves concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation. This process couldn’t have been better modeled by our Grade 12 Art class last week as some of the students delved deeply into each other’s artwork in preparation for the opening of their Art exhibition on February 8th. The depth of thought, action, and the ability to articulate the active conceptualization of abstract concepts were incredible. It also serves to underscore the talents of our students and teachers, as well as the effectiveness of our program.

Experiential learning encourages cooperation and enables students to engage in the development of creative solutions to problems. Next week we will also showcase a taster of one of the Grade 10 Personal Projects in which a student has programmed over 800 lines of code to solve a Rubik’s Cube puzzle from any position in under five seconds.

In closing, I’d also like to recognize our ISAC athletes that traveled to Subic Bay for the football and basketball competitions last week. I know that they return much better for the experience both as athletes and people. There was overwhelming agreement from all schools involved that our students conducted themselves especially well and were the standout team when it came to positive attitudes and getting along with others. Our basketball team battled valiantly while the football team came second overall due to a last-minute goal in the final.

We should be especially proud of these players’ characters and performance. Congratulations on your efforts!

Upcoming events of note

• Feb 13-20: G12 Mock Exams
• Feb 14-17: Week Without Walls
• Feb 23: School Holiday
• Feb 24: Cebu City Charter Day (Public Holiday)
• Feb. 28: CIS-PTA Coffee Morning

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

PYP Arts

by Mr. Fher Jun Guiritan, PYP Art Teacher

The EY2/3 students are so diligent in painting a tree using poster paint on their big box to be used as the main background for their forest nature habitat diorama.

Mixed media gives the flexibility for newer materials in conjunction with older materials to be explored, and a wider range of products, arts and crafts can be created.

Grades 2 and 3 are exploring symmetry, scale, and proportion in art. Balance is an even use of elements throughout a work of art. Symmetry is a very formal type of balance consisting of mirroring portions of an image.

Grade 3 students working on some simple exercises on symmetry.

This student is still working and painting the right eye of her sister, making sure she applies the right proportions to the eye and the nose.

The grade 2 and 3 students are learning about picture planes – foreground, middleground, and background.

Do you look to get outside and make art? Our K/G1 students do!

These students are having so much fun collecting natural materials that can be found at school and with some imagination, created an image that they had in their minds. 

What better way to make a self-portrait using only natural materials than using those that can be found in the kitchen?

Mathematical Mindsets

by Mr. Jon Denton, Assistant Principal-MYP

Last week parents were invited to a workshop that looked at the “revolution” that is happening in the way Mathematics is being taught in the classroom. We started the morning by discussing our own experiences with Mathematics. With participants from China, Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines the experiences were diverse in some aspects, but interestingly,  strikingly similar in others. 

The goal of the meeting was to illustrate how everyone can be successful in Mathematics, there is no such thing as a “maths person”. We explored how Mathematics can be a wonderfully creative subject about creating solution paths that others can see, discuss, and critique. Most importantly, we discussed how depth is much more important than speed – a Maths class is about learning, not performing.

The following three activities are from Jo Boaler’s wonderful You Cubed website (linked below). Each of these is a “low floor high ceiling” task where anyone has the ability to begin the activity, and work at their level, while also being able to extend to higher levels of mathematical understanding. 

The first task, “Paper Folding”, explores our understanding of surface area while also developing mathematical reasoning. Participants are asked to build shapes and then justify their findings through mathematical facts and reasoning.

The second is a group task all about exploring patterns. It is “low floor” in the sense that everyone is able to see how the pattern is growing and would be able to describe or show others in the group. The interesting aspect is that some may see it grow in different ways than others. There are multiple ways to solve problems in Mathematics, which is why it is very much a creative subject. The task gets more challenging as we are asked to predict and then verify how many squares would be in the 10th case. This problem is “high ceiling” as you could discuss what would the pattern look like in the cases of 0 and -1.

The final task I will share is a simple one that works with the order of operations. You need to find all the numbers from 1 to 20 using only four 4s and any operation. It is up to you to make it as challenging as you want. 

For Example

Recommended websites:

• You Cubed offers a lot of free resources and activities –  https://www.youcubed.org/tasks/
• NRich Mathematics is an excellent source – https://nrich.maths.org/
• Illustrative Mathematics is an all-time favourite of mine – https://hub.illustrativemathematics.org/s/
• Desmos Classroom has plenty of fun activities – https://teacher.desmos.com/

Extended Essay Cafe

by Ms. Emily Cornet, IB Coordinator

One of the major pieces of the IB Diploma Programme is the Extended Essay (EE) – a 4,000 word essay which students embark upon during Grade 11, and complete in the first semester of Grade 12.  During this journey, students must identify a topic/subject, develop their own research question, conduct academic research, and then write the paper.  Students work with a supervisor throughout their process in order to stay on track, get feedback, and maintain their motivation.

Earlier this week, CIS Grade 12 students participated in the annual EE Cafe, where they prepared presentations of their journey to share with fellow students, parents and families, and faculty/staff.  These presentations were displayed on a website so that audience members could return to them at another time.  During Homeroom, the Grade 10s, Grade 11s, and Grade 12s all had the opportunity to watch the videos and give feedback on what they learned from each.

This particular group of Grade 12 students underwent much more complicated circumstances than previous groups as they started Grade 11 still attending remote classes online, shifted to offline work in the aftermath of Typhoon Odette, returned to online classes, before finally being able to come back to face-to-face classes.  Our students are to be commended for their hard work and dedication as they continue to strive towards completing their journey through the Diploma Programme. 

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor Corner

College Events (Virtual and Face to Face)

DATE

February 10
Friday
9:15 – 10:00 AM
Canteen Annex

EVENT

Istituto Marangoni (Italy) – Face to face info session with the university rep: Learn all about the programs and application process.

February 11
Saturday
1:00 – 2:00 PM
Link to register

SIM Global Roundtable Series: We have then gathered three (3) of our existing Filipino students to share their experiences and motivations in deciding to study in Singapore and at SIM. Get ready to meet Anne (SIM-University of London), Venus (SIM-University of Wollongong), and Micah (SIM) as they generously share their education journey “thus far” at SIM.

February 11
Saturday
11:00PM
Link to register

Engineering Innovation Pre-College Programs at Johns Hopkins: Are you ready to change the world through the power of engineering?  Are you an intellectually curious high school student with an interest in math and science? Join this webinar to find out more.

February 21
Tuesday
11:00PM
Link to register

Bocconi University – Don’t miss the chance to learn more about life at our Summer School by listening to past Students who share their experience, Faculty who are going to teach labs and Staff organizing the program.

SAT Update for 2022-2023

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

The CIS community was treated to a wonderful Chinese New Year Assembly this week – well done to all the students involved, and our Mandarin teachers Ms. Elaine Jin and Ms. Zirong Chen. Please enjoy this Newsflash featuring the Chinese Lunar New Year Celebration & Activities at CIS over the past few weeks!

We also want to recognize our student athletes who have traveled to Subic Bay this week to compete in the second ISAC Tournament for this year. Months of hard training will culminate in this tournament, and we trust our Girls’ Basketball and Boys’ Soccer teams will do their best and enjoy putting their playing skills and teamwork into practice in an intensely competitive atmosphere. What a great learning opportunity for them – we wish them all the best. Go Dragons!

As we end this week, I wanted to comment on a quote from an article titled “​The Great Delusion Behind Twitter” by Ezra Klein that highlights how our society has become so busy that we are in danger of being distracted from the things that matter most to us.

“I think there is a reason that so little has gotten better and so much has gotten worse. It is this: The cost of so much connection and information has been the deterioration of our capacity for attention and reflection. And it is the quality of our attention and reflection that matters most.”

Over the weekend, how about setting a little quiet time aside to reflect on what matters most to you and your family? Are there areas that need your attention, but are not getting the attention they deserve? As a school, we are also cognizant of the need to do this, both in the classroom to aid learning, and also as an organization. Stay tuned for more on how you can contribute to this as we seek input from various stakeholder groups to review our school’s guiding statements! Have a connected, high-quality weekend.

Upcoming events of note

• Jan 31: Parent Coffee Meeting – “Global Citizenship” (8-9am, Annex)
• Feb 13-20: G12 Mock Exams
• Feb 14-17: Week Without Walls
• Feb 23: School Holiday
• Feb 24: Cebu City Charter Day (Public Holiday)

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

Google Reviews

Chinese Lunar New Year Celebration & Activities

by Ms. Elaine Jin and Ms. Zi-Rong  Chen, Mandarin Teachers

Chinese Lunar New Year is the biggest traditional holiday celebrated by Chinese people all around the world. It took place on Sunday, January 22, 2023, which welcomed the year of the Rabbit. In Mandarin classes, we participated in a range of different activities to celebrate this important holiday

ES Mandarin class
In Elementary School, children have been preparing and practicing for our New Year performances. Grade 2 and 3 played the most important role during the opening of the Whole School Assembly and performed a joyful Dragon Dance 舞龙 (Wǔ lóng) and greeted the audience. Grade 4 and 5 learned “Wing Chun” 咏春, a form of Southern Chinese kung fu and close-quarters system of self-defense. Students have been practicing this kung fu to gain a deeper understanding of this traditional martial arts, and also to have the chance to exercise themselves. Click here to watch the kung fu performance.

Grade 1 and Kindergarten presented a lovely dance to the audience with wishes of good luck and fortunes for the coming Year of the Rabbit. Click here to watch the dance video.

MHS Mandarin class
More than just a modern-day celebration, the Chinese New Year is filled with rich customs and meanings. In MHS, Mandarin students have done different activities to celebrate the Chinese New Year. They have watched some videos to learn about the traditions, legends, celebrations, activities and the meaning of this festival. They have also experienced some activities by themselves. Apart from experiencing the celebration activities, the students also contributed their effort to our first whole school assembly in the second semester which took place on Tuesday.

The MHS students have presented their performance in the whole school assembly and showed their enthusiasm in celebrating traditional holidays. Grade 6/7 Mandarin class has prepared a play about 十二生肖(Shí’èr shēngxiào)-twelve zodiac animals. They have presented the reason we celebrate the New Year along with different animals. They have been working on making their face masks, prompts, and practicing their acting skills. Grade 8/9 class has presented us with fan dances. One group painted their own fan and showed us what a round fan dance looked like and the other group showed us a modern dance with traditional fans. The Grade 10 class ended our assembly by a dance “Rabbit Run Run Run” and called the whole school to dance with them. The Grade 12 Mandarin B representatives, Jia and Rhett, provided us with a lovely rendition of a traditional New Year song while some DP students played the role of MCs and guiders of the CIS Promise. 

Please click the following pictures to watch the video of the MHS performance.

Spanish Class

by Ms. Dina Melwani, PYP and DP Spanish Teacher

As we start the New Year at CIS, the Spanish primary kids were able to celebrate the day of the Three Wise Men. Some of us might not be so familiar with this festival so here is an introduction to the wonderful festival.

Every year, weeks before the arrival of Christmas, children in Spain and some Hispanic countries begin to think about the gifts they want from the Three Wise Men. It is that time to write the letter to the Three Wise Men, a moment of enormous illusion and fantasy for the little ones. In it, the children tell how they have behaved throughout the year and what gift they would like to see in their living room on January 6 when they get up.

There is no standard manner of writing these letters, but each child can choose the format that they like best; just as there are multiple ways to send their requests. Some choose to deposit them in the mailbox of supermarkets or toy stores, and others ask their parents to seal it and send it by conventional mail. The grade 12 students in Spanish were given a template in which they had to ask what they wanted to give back to the community.

It is tradition to leave something to eat and drink for the Kings and their camels. Something sweet or fruit with a little water will surely come in handy to regain strength and fulfill their mission. The Three Kings Parade is celebrated in all Spanish cities, and some Mexican ones, on the afternoon of January 5. The three wise men, accompanied by their assistants, parade in floats through the streets of the municipalities throwing sweets at all the children, representing the path they traveled in their day to Bethlehem. The primary Spanish students got some sweets on that day.

It is a magical night in which tradition is mixed with faith and hope, the illusion of children with the adoration of the Kings to the child Jesus. Every year, during the early morning of January 6, the Three Kings go to the houses of the children to leave their gifts, in the same way that they brought gold, incense and myrrh to the baby Jesus. The grades 1 to 5 were shown videos of the Three wise men and then they were given worksheets on who they were and what they brought on their visit to Jesus.

According to tradition, one of the things required by the Three Kings for children to receive their gifts is that they have behaved correctly and have been good during the year. Those who meet these demands receive gifts, but those who do not behave as they should, instead of gifts, they receive coal, a sweet coal that symbolizes the need for the child to change their attitude.

January 5th is a special day to be with the family. The children are nervous to discover what their majesties will leave them at night and, the older ones, will enjoy seeing their innocent gaze. On the morning of January 5, it’s time to get up early. You don’t have to set your alarm clock, but you don’t have to stay in bed until noon either. There are many things to do!

A fantastic idea that the Three Wise Men will surely appreciate is that the children leave them a letter hand-written, giving them encouragement for that evening of work and to thank them for coming by. If they don’t know how to write yet, they can draw a picture. And since the children know that after coming from the East, Melchor, Gaspar and Baltazar will be exhausted.

It is also very important to clean shoes and leave them next to the nativity scene, so that they know the exact place to leave the presents.The children will never know what time the Kings will arrive, so it is advised that they have an early dinner and something light. This will be easy, but the most difficult thing will be for them to go to bed. So that they have sweet dreams and last the whole night without waking up, it is known for parents to show them beautiful stories about Melchor, Gaspar and Baltazar.

For many children, the Three Wise Men are their great references and even their greatest heroes. Throughout the year they are not very present in their day to day, but the little ones in the house know that they are always being watched. 

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor Corner

Question of the Week: 

Are local universities in the Philippines at par with universities abroad? What are the Big 4 in the Philippines?  Yes. In 2022, 16 universities in the Philippines made it to the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University rankings

The big 4 are located in Manila namely:  University of the Philippines – Diliman, Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University and University of Santo Tomas.

The QS WUR 2023, led also for the 11th year by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) of the United States, ranked almost 1,500 universities around the world with institutions assessed across categories or indicators that capture university performance: Academic reputation, Employer reputation, Faculty/student ratio, Citations per faculty, International student ratio, and International faculty ratio.

This year’s QS ranking reveals two new indicators – International Research Network and Employment Outcomes – to gather feedback from institutions ahead of its full inclusion in next year’s edition. The two categories’ scores did not affect the overall score of the universities. (https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings)

College Events (Virtual and Face to Face)

DATE

January 29
Sunday
1:00 – 5:00pm
Link to register

EVENT

Study in Japan – Learn about studying in Japan and the opportunities that come with it.

February 3
Friday
9:15 – 10:00 AM
Canteen Annex

University of Essex (UK) –Face to face info session with the university rep: Learn all about the programs and application process.

February 10
Friday
9:15 – 10:00 AM
Canteen Annex

Istituto Marangoni (Italy) – Face to face info session with the university rep: Learn all about the programs and application process.

SAT Update for 2022-2023

Admin News

by Dr. Gwyn Underwood, Superintendent

Last week, our students were involved in a number of Culture Week activities, culminating in our annual Sinulog Family Day. For those who are not aware of what Sinulog involves, here is a short outline of its history:

Sinulog Festival is an annual religious and cultural festival held in celebration of one of the country’s most famous historic relics: the Santo Niño de Cebú. This was the statue of the baby Jesus that was handed to the Rajah Humabon of Cebu by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 1521. This festival has grown to become one of the most important events in the religious history of the Philippines, as it paved the way for the birth of Christianity in the country. Source

Sinulog Family Day @CIS combines house activity day (HAD) activities in the morning that are organized by our student councils, a street parade and performance by a group of Sinulog Dancers, and a PTA-organized lunch. It was wonderful to be able to do this in person again, and we are glad everyone enjoyed the festivities. We hope those who attended also enjoyed learning more about the friendly, colorful Philippine culture in a multitude of ways over the course of Culture Week. Thank you to the multiple organizers of the day, your efforts are very much appreciated! Please enjoy the photos of the events below!

Photos by Mr. Marlowe Guinto

Next week, we will celebrate another cultural event, our annual Chinese New Year! The Mandarin classes have already been investigating what this involves and will share details and photos of our celebrations next week. For now, we hope you enjoy the 4-day long weekend to celebrate Chinese New Year.

Xin Nian Kuai Le | 新年快乐 | Happy Chinese New Year!!!

Upcoming events of note

• Jan 20 – 23: Chinese New Year Holiday
• Jan 24: ASAs Start (ASA selection has commenced – refer to the sign-up form send via email from Mr. Pierra)
• Jan 25: ES Conferences (no face-to-face classes for ES students)
• Jan 25-29 ISAC 2 Boys Football & Girls Basketball Tournament (Brent Subic/Wed. & Sun. are travel days)
• Jan 31: Parent Coffee Meeting (8-9am, Annex)

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

Philippine Culture Week

Classroom Activities

Sinulog Dance

Weaving

Jeepney Ride

House Activities Day (HAD 2)

by Seohyun and Jooha, Student Council

Saturday, January 14 was a memorable event for the CIS community. Students got to enjoy the school’s second successful HAD after a two year-long break from online classes.

This HAD stood out from the rest because it was integrated with some of the best aspects of Filipino culture: the food, people, and Sinulog! Through traditional games such as Bato Lata, Takyan, and the Coconut Husk Race, the students from grades 2 to 12 worked together in an attempt to bring their houses up on the leaderboard.

Seohyun and I mainly walked around each station, ensuring that the games were rolling out efficiently. It was definitely hard to resist the temptation of playing the games due to the loud cheers of endless school spirit. Whether it was cheering for their respective teams in the Coconut Husk Race, or celebrating their win when the last bottle got knocked down in Bato Lata, the team spirit was present throughout the day.

The whole event wouldn’t have been possible without the involvement of the Student Council members, teachers, admin, maintenance team, PTA, and the students. On behalf of the Student Council, we would like to thank everyone for their participation in providing an unforgettable experience for this year’s HAD/ Sinulog Family Day. 

Throughout the day, we have seen everyone have fun playing the games, but we would like to recognize the final results for HAD 2. Tied in first place, Mahogany and Molave earned 80 points each. In third place, we have Acacia with 43 points. Finally, in fourth place, we have Narra with 37 points! Now the question is, who will be the winner of the next HAD 3?

Grade 7: Language & Literature

by Mr. Corryn Smith, ELA Teacher

Unit 3: Novel Study
Point of View: How is a character’s point of view shaped by their feelings in a story? 
Connecting to a character’s point of view through sensory language/ description.

In grade 7 Language and Literature, students are exploring the key elements of a character’s point of view in a work of fiction. In this case, students are learning about the first part of our class novel Bamboo People as told through the main character’s(Chiko’s) point of view. Since Chiko is the narrator, there is explicit dialogue told with every little detail. This gives us (the reader) a very good sense of what is going on around the character (his thoughts and feelings; his attitude towards all of the things happening in his life).

Students demonstrate their grasp of Chiko’s point of view through a series of journal responses exploring their own thoughts and feelings during a challenging time in their own lives: the pandemic. 

In the examples below, a student responded to the following journal prompt analyzing the features of descriptive writing and connecting with the tone of the narrator Chiko. Since quarter one, students have been building upon the skills of descriptive writing and sensory language and how these features communicate a writer’s tone:  “What family treasures do you value at home? How were they a source of comfort during the pandemic? Be specific and detailed in your descriptions. Consider the use of sensory language. For example, this can include descriptions such as the sounds of your sibling’s laughter or the smells of a home-cooked meal.”

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor Corner

College Events (Virtual and Face to Face)

DATE

February 3
Friday
9:15 – 10:00 AM
Canteen Annex

University of Essex (UK) –Face to face info session with the university rep: Learn all about the programs and application process.

February 10
Friday
9:15 – 10:00 AM
Canteen Annex

Istituto Marangoni (Italy) – Face to face info session with the university rep: Learn all about the programs and application process.

SAT Update for 2022-2023

Principal’s Corner

by Mr. Andrew Powell, EY-12 Principal

Our elementary students have had a delightful week of activities that have focused on Philippine Language and Culture with the most anticipated activity being the opportunity to take a jeepney ride this morning. As I rode with one of our Kindergarten/ Grade 1 groups it was great to listen to the children’s conversations, observations and some insightful questions that were prompted by what they saw, along with the nature of the ride.

I know that many of you are excited for the return of a face-to-face Sinulog Family Day tomorrow. While it will be wonderful for families to be able to meet and have lunch, we are privileged to have the opportunity to experience the magnificence of the festival through our guest dancers. This is exciting, especially for those members of the community that are yet to experience this festival.

I’ve previously mentioned the importance of establishing and maintaining family traditions and this notion proves to be true of the traditions and experiences that we provide to our students, especially as they relate to local culture and traditions. These positive experiences last for a lifetime and are memories that nurture connection and a greater sense of belonging to the school and its community.

As an international school we naturally place an important focus on global citizenship and how we may prepare our students to successfully contribute to a changing world. While our students are drawn from diverse cultures and engage with an international curriculum, local culture and traditions are important, and a shared commonality through which our students may view the world.

We trust that the focus on Philippine culture, language and traditions as part of our global framework serves to stimulate awareness and pride in the wonders of the country and the various cultures that contribute to such a vibrant way of being. At the same time it serves as an excellent grounding from which to examine dismissions of global citizenship such as respect, service, environmental stewardship and international-mindedness.

 I look forward to seeing you at Sinulog Family Fun Day tomorrow.

Upcoming events of note

• Jan 20 – 23: Chinese New Year Holiday
• Jan 24: ASAs Start (ASA selection has commenced – refer to the sign-up form send via email from Mr. Pierra)
• Jan 25: ES Conferences (no face-to-face classes for ES students)
• Jan 25-29 ISAC 2 Boys Football & Girls Basketball Tournament (Brent Subic/Wed. & Sun. are travel days)
• Jan 31: Parent Coffee Meeting (8-9am, Annex)

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

Philippine Culture Week 2023

by Philippine Language and Culture Teachers

The elementary school teachers and students celebrated Philippine Culture Week to promote and show appreciation of the host country culture by engaging in different Filipino activities. This meaningful celebration has opened an avenue for the students to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of Philippine culture.

The students have shown their knowledge and skills they acquired and their appreciation by participating in arts, sports, games, and dances hosted by our Filipino teachers. To culminate this cultural experience, our students have enjoyed their experience on the most popular and iconic Filipino public transportation, the jeepney.

Grade 12: Theory of Knowledge

by Mr. Alejandro Guerra Tibocha, TOK Teacher

One of the most important tasks from the core components of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program is the Theory of Knowledge Essay. Students in Grade 12 have been working diligently on the final version to submit next week. The TOK Essay is an opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of knowledge and the process of knowing in different contexts. This is a formal piece of academic writing that provides a response to one of six Prescribed Titles (Essay Statements) focusing on the different Areas of knowledge, namely Arts, Mathematics, History, Human Sciences, and Natural Sciences. 

In general, the process has been challenging for the students as they must explore and provide appropriate evidence for some of the possible connections between knowledge and the world around us. One student states that “starting a TOK essay is not easy. From choosing a prescribed title to searching for examples to use, each step in the TOK essay challenged me.” To add on to this idea, another student asserts that “One of the main challenges in my essay was knowing how to write and think critically in the lens of TOK, especially in making implications from my arguments.” As well, some of them are convinced how “reading about the topic and asking help from my teachers when I was confused equipped me with everything I needed to know to write a good TOK essay.” 

Most of the students have nearly finished their final versions after going through a series of formative practices involving three individual interactions that offered feedback according to each stage in the process. Using one student’s words “…getting feedback on my original drafts helped me identify the points in my essay where I could improve on or ponder on a little bit more. Seeing how I did on the mark scheme also helped me identify what I could do to make a better essay…” which also “made finishing the essay all the more worthwhile.” Another student comments “…the feedback has really contributed to the quality of my draft in a way where it offered better word choices to make my essay more focused on the prompt itself. Additionally, the feedback gave relevant insights and ideas that improved the arguments/counterarguments as well as their implications.” And, to add to the idea of implications, one last student concludes that “…feedback from my TOK teachers greatly helped me on this issue as I learned that I only needed to make a slight adjustment on the way I phrase my ideas. This seemingly minor suggestion then greatly improved my essay and overall writing skills.” 

All the best to all the students and thank you!

Spanish Class

by Mr. Antonio Melgar, Spanish Teacher

¡Feliz Año Nuevo! Our amazing students of Grades 11 and 12 Spanish B High Level are starting to read an original book, written in Spanish, by the Nobel Prize awardee Gabriel García Márquez. The above-mentioned book is called El Relato de un Náufrago and narrates the story inside the story of a castaway crew member during a tropical storm in the Caribbean. It incorporates his perils, survival, ascension to the status of national hero and then his downfall when the truth comes out. What is the truth of the
story?

Our Spanish Grade 8 and 9 students designed Día de Reyes cards, to introduce ways to write formal and informal holiday letters as part of their Travel and Tourism topic. Students discovered how to use the dates in Spanish, diverse ways of greeting people and how to wish happy holidays, and bid farewells. Students are now working on how to arrange travel plans to touristic attractions, they are discussing weather conditions, costs and other necessary information for their trip..

Spanish 6 and  7 worked very creatively to design a Rey Mago, filled it with candy and  gave it to some teachers wishing them happy Three Kings Day, as part of our unit on Festivals, Holidays and Traditions.  As of now, we are discussing how each of our families celebrate (or not) Christmas, New Year and we are identifying each culture’s most important celebration, to promote internationalism  and cultural sensitivity.

Grade 10 Spanish students are now working hard to analyze the diverse levels of complexity in human creations, and in particular technological innovations. We are aiming to develop a deep understanding of the world by considering the advantages and disadvantages our creations have given us. Questions asked are: What is technology? Can animals have it too? To what extent is technology always positive for humans? What are the most important inventions that changed human lives for good? Is it dangerous? What could be the ethical issues to be considered?

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor Corner

Celebrations of the Week!

College Events (Virtual and Face to Face)

DATE

January 17
Tuesday
9:15 – 10:00 AM
Canteen Annex
(Uni rep will zoom in)

SUNY Korea: Live virtual information session with the university rep

January 17
Tuesday
5:00PM
Link to register

Carl Benz School of Engineering (Germany)
Everything you need to know when applying to the Carl Benz School and the CBS College Program conveniently packed into one info session! The live Q&A session afterwards will give applicants the opportunity to speak directly with the expert team about any open questions you might have regarding admission requirements and our application process.

January 18
Wednesday
9:15 – 10:00 AM
Canteen Annex
(Uni rep will zoom in

Kyoto University of Advanced Science: Virtual Info Session with the university rep with Q & A including a chat with an undergraduate student.

February 10
Friday
9:15 – 10:00 AM
Canteen Annex

Istituto Marangoni (Italy) – Face to face info session with the university rep: Learn all about the programs and application process.

SAT Update for 2022-2023

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.