Category: Newsflash

Admin Notes

by Dr. Gwyn Underwood, Superintendent

We have had an interesting and informative Book Week this week, thank you for joining in the activities. We will include pictures and event reports in next week’s Newsflash, but for now, I wanted to recognize the efforts of those who contributed in any way, particularly Ms. MJ and the Book Week Committee members, alumni speakers & visiting authors, and students and teachers who participated in the activities.

As we have a lot of media for you this week, I will keep this admin section short, and just finish part 3 of our coverage of the SEL “CASEL 5”, which outlines SEL competencies that are useful for our students, as well as adults!

SEL Competencies: The CASEL 5, Part 3

(refer to the Sept. 24 and Oct. 15 Newsflash for Parts 1 and 2)

Many of the CASEL 5 competencies may seem to just be common sense. And yet, it is often so challenging to apply them to real-life situations, and particularly in a crisis like the COVID pandemic, where factors outside of our control pressure us into feeling like we cannot do anything. It is critical to keep in mind that in fact, we have total control over our decisions – even if some decisions are off the table for now! Consider the following competencies now – how can your awareness of these competencies help you to prepare yourself for the next time you are faced with difficult decisions?

RESPONSIBLE DECISION-MAKING:
The abilities to make caring and constructive choices about personal behavior and social interactions across diverse situations. This includes the capacities to consider ethical standards and safety concerns, and to evaluate the benefits and consequences of various actions for personal, social, and collective well-being. Such as:

• Demonstrating curiosity and open-mindedness
• Identifying solutions for personal and social problems
• Learning to make a reasoned judgment after analyzing information, data, facts
• Anticipating and evaluating the consequences of one’s actions
• Recognizing how critical thinking skills are useful both inside & outside of school
• Reflecting on one’s role to promote personal, family, and community well-being
• Evaluating personal, interpersonal, community, and institutional impacts.

(Source: CASEL’s SEL Framework)

*Click here for a link to a poster summarizing the CASEL 5!

Dates for your attention

• Monday, November 2: National Holiday (All Saints’ Day)
• Monday, November 8: School Holiday (Compensatory holiday for faculty professional learning weekend)
• Tuesday, November 23 at 9-10 am: Parent Coffee Meeting. This is a monthly meeting where you get the opportunity to chat with fellow parents, receive details of topical areas, and ask parent-related questions. The November meeting will be run by our PTA – please join us!

Refer to our online School Calendar a complete listing of school events

Enjoy your weekend!

Physical & Health Education

by Coach Jay, PHE Teacher

Early Years

Early Years students have been participating in simple games that focus on improving individual physical fitness. Games include This or That, Stop Light, Virtual Hide and Seek, Freeze Dance, and Ball Gymnastics. We were also able to do locomotor and non- locomotor exercises and distinguish the difference between the two types of movements.

Kinder/Grade 1

For the past few weeks, K/G1 students were actively engaged in different PHE activities. They showed eagerness and enthusiasm every time we had synchronous sessions. They also showed interest in animated exercises like Chasing and Dodging Games, Freeze Dance, and Mr. Hippo’s workouts. Students enjoyed receiving virtual trophies and toys after each PHE session.

Grade 2 & 3

Grade 2 and 3 students have been responsible in working on their PHE asynchronous seesaw learning engagements. Likewise, they have been consistently performing our fitness activities with high endurance during synchronous sessions in PHE. Keeping them physically active is not much of a challenge nor a struggle as they all enjoy playing and exercising with their classmates simultaneously even if it’s in a virtual set-up.

The Grade 4 and 5 students have been working really hard on performing different superheroes’ workouts. They have shown great endurance, flexibility and strength during our fitness challenge and most especially in our 60-second challenge which has brought them to the next level of their fitness. All of them have mostly achieved the skills needed at their age. Currently, Grade 4 and 5 students are extremely engaged in creating their movement sequence of the song titled “My Own Drum” by Missy Elliot. They are looking forward to their virtual dance presentation in front of the other PHE students from the other grade levels.

K/G1: How We Organize Ourselves

by Ms. Claudette Colinares & Ms. Belen Tubilan, KG1 Teachers

In our Unit, How We Organize Ourselves, we inquired about how “Systems evolve in response to human needs.” Our inquiry led us to talk about the different goods and services in our community and the systems involved to have these goods and services available to us. Using Google Earth, we explored and saw many different communities. We discussed the diverse needs of each community and shared ideas on what goods and services could be made to fit our needs. To deepen our understanding, we built our mini-community. We designed what it would look like and what goods and services are available in it. We identified the systems in our mini-community that provide goods and services. Here are some responses from our KG1 students:

In Math, we are learning about the different two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes. We described and drew two-dimensional shapes such as squares, rectangles, circles, and triangles. We went for a shape hunt and looked for three-dimensional shapes in our house. In Literacy, we are continuing to develop phonological awareness and practice recognizing and reading sight words and emergent text. In celebration of Book Week, we had DEAR (Drop Everything And Read) time and shared our favorite books with the class.

Grade 4 & 5: Philippine Language and Culture

by Freshal Abcede, G4/5 Phil. Lang. and Culture Teacher

The Prehistory of Philippine Pottery

As Grade 4 and 5 explorers continue to unearth the different traditional arts in the Philippines, we started to look into the prehistory times of pottery this week. We went on a virtual field trip to the National Museum of Anthropology – Philippines. In the museum, the students witnessed different forms and types of pottery that tell us how ancient people lived and interacted with other countries. Moreover, we looked closer at the common and different jars’ designs and exchanged ideas about their meanings.

Grade 10: Drama

by Ms. Stefanny Hermias, Drama Teacher

In our unit one “Creative Body Movement”, Grade 10 students have been exploring facial expressions, expressing themselves without words and learned different improvised body movements. Each of them contributed a series of unique movements to create and choreograph a three-minute summative performance. Students recorded their own choreographed body movements and combined their final videos together. The summative ‘edited’ video was showcased in one of our Monday assemblies. They also had an opportunity to do live performances via Google Meet. Grade 10 Art and Grade 6/7 PHE students graciously accepted our invite to be the audience and witnessed the summative presentation of Grade 10 Drama students.

Grade 10 Students Unit 1 Reflection

As we begin our second unit on “Voice Acting and Characters”, Grade 10 students have been doing pre-assessment activities such as One Word Scenes and Voice Over.

Grade 11: History Internal Assessment

by Ms. Joy Pierra, History Teacher

The Internal Assessment  (IA) or the historical investigation is one of the fundamental requirements of the IB History course. It comprises 25% of the IB grade for HL students and 20% for SL students. The investigation consists of four sections; identification and evaluation of sources, investigation, reflection, and bibliography. Students are given one year to complete this requirement.

The IA allows students to apply the methods used by historians in their investigation of the past. It will enhance their historical skills such as their research skills, analysis and interpretation of data, drawing conclusions, and decision-making.

It also allows students to assess the challenges faced by historians in writing a historical investigation and determine the factors that could influence the outcome of their work.

Our Grade 11 students started their internal assessment by choosing a personal historical interest. With this, they formulated a thesis question to be the focus of their investigation.

Here are their thoughts about History IA:

Grade 11: Service Learning

by Katrina, Grade 11 Student

The Grade 11s are taking on a new project: CIS Sewpports and Drop Your Share!

CIS Sewports has the goal of supporting the livelihood of two mothers from Umapad Mandaue who lost their jobs due to the lockdown. These mothers were tailors of branded sports apparel in Lapu Lapu City clothing factory. They’re in need for a new source of income, so the CIS Sewpports end of the project are aiming to provide that. Two sewing machines have been anonymously donated and will be given to these mothers alongside fabrics and ideas from the CIS Sewpports group. They’ll also help market the mothers’s products online to further support their self-sustained business. Furthermore, they’ll help create the designs for the products using research, and gather materials (such as fabric scraps) for the mothers to use. The objective is to empower the community and expand this king of livelihood among the mothers who are unemployed in Umapad Dumpsite. 

On the other hand, Project Drop and Share takes care of the communities affected by the lockdown through donations from our own CIS community! There will be 5 boxes placed in the CIS lobby: box 1 for hygiene supplies, box 2 for educational materials, box 3 for toys, box 4 for food, and box 5 for preloved clothes. The boxes are decorated really nicely by the team, you’ll be sure to spot them! We encourage you to donate if possible, as not only are you supporting the Grade 11’s dream, you’re supporting the lives of multiple communities too. These communities have been supported by CIS for many years, and we want to keep that up.

Language Acquisition Department

Last week during the culture week, we hosted a language challenge activity for ES and MHS. We got over a hundred responses on Flipgrid! Each participant is learning 5 basic conversations in 5 different languages from Monday to Friday. Grade 3 in ES and Grade 7 in MHS has the highest participant and best performance for this new language experience activity. Congratulations to Grade 3 class and Grade 7 class!

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor

Upcoming Virtual Events and Fairs: (students & parents are welcome)

DATE

October 30
Saturday
9:00am – 6:00pm
PH time
Link to register

EVENT

University of Hong Kong
Virtual Open Day

October 30
Saturday
9:00 PM
Zoom link to join

November 3
Wednesday
10:00 PM PHT
Link to register

Joint Info Session on the World Bachelor in Business
(University of Southern California, University Bocconi, HK University of Science & Technology)

November 3
Wednesday
6:15PM
Link to register

HK Polytechnic University & HK University of Science & Technology Info Session – talk to Admission officers and current students

SAT Update

The dates below indicate that registration is open. However, it is highly likely for future dates to be cancelled depending on quarantine restrictions.

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.

Dragon’s Print

It’s Spooky Season, and it’s time for everyone to get in the spooky Halloween spirit, literally. We’ve got a list of horror stories to set you up for the perfect Halloween! From nostalgic reads such as Coraline to the darker and graphic Junji Ito, we’ve got something for everyone.

Principal’s Corner

by Mr. Andrew Powell, EY-Grade 12 Principal

Culture Week has been a colourful and vibrant celebration for many of our students and International Day promises much of the same. The week has provided us with an opportunity to proudly celebrate who we are while gaining an insight into the cultures and perspectives of members of our wider school community.

As a diverse school, we have students that can proudly declare themselves as being from a particular country, while many others identify with multiple nations due to their backgrounds and consequently have multiple ways of being. While we may currently be limited in the way we travel physically, new technologies and social media have enhanced their capacity to belong to many communities simultaneously. Our students share a dynamic culture that is open to many creative possibilities.

 For international school communities, difference has the potential to be a great opportunity. In schools such as CIS, where there is a diverse student body, difference provides students and teachers with opportunities to explore different ways of living and learning. 

Difference in this context provides individuals with the chance to learn and develop consideration for others. It is no longer a matter of teachers providing students with something. Instead, the cooperative that is formed in the international classroom fosters a mutually beneficial relationship for all involved.

 Learning is reciprocal and the diversity experienced in our classroom provides teachers and students with opportunities to learn and grow. They are able to develop new pedagogical practices and approaches that promote reciprocity and an acknowledgment that there are many and varied ways of knowing and being.

 While the array of colors and costumes worn on International Day may highlight our differences, a look beyond the superficial provides us with a view of a community that shares many similarities and the potential for unlimited opportunity.

 CIS is truly privileged in this respect, and our students, through their experiences, are well positioned to contribute to the development of a better world.

Grade 12 DP Spanish Class

by Mr. Antonio Melgar, Spanish Teacher

Beauty and Its Significance

The Diploma Programme Spanish classes have had a number of guest speakers this school year and our Grade 12 students in particular benefited from a virtual round table discussion as part of a unit that explored beauty and its significance in different cultures and environments. 

The class hosted four native Spanish speakers that represented diverse areas of the arts world: a design teacher, a prima ballerina senior, a theater director, and a multidisciplinary artist. Each of them contributed to a vivid discussion on the topic and helped our students to grasp the meaning of beauty from their own professional perspectives.  It was so refreshing to see the students interacting with professionals and discussing a deep topic in a second or third language. ¡Orgulloso de ustedes, muchachos!

Here are some reflections from our students:

Novel Studies in English Language Acquisition Class

by Ms. Lana Lautamus, English Language Teacher

For the past 6 weeks, the EL-A classes have been immersed in a novel study, directly linked to our units. 

In Grade 6 and 7, we are looking at “The Giver” by Lois Lowry and making connections to our previous unit “How Do You Pass The Time?”   When thinking of the central idea (“Hobbies and leisure activities allow for connection, creativity and support our emotional well-being”), we explored our own hobbies, cultural connections and if they support our mental health. We then thought about the lack of leisure activities, personal choice and the lack of individualization in “The Giver” and the impacts that has on the characters and the plot. 

Our next unit will have us looking at “Friends Around The World.”  We will switch our focus slightly to look at the concept of relationships and deduce how different ones in “The Giver” exist and the impacts they have. 

We will also be having virtual penpals from Vietnam to meet with third culture students living there and practice our communication skills!  Directly linked to some of our inquiry questions (What is school life like in other countries? What sayings have hidden meanings? How can you understand hidden meanings from words and phrases? Are all students the same around the world?), we will have a chance to make connections with people from other backgrounds.

In Grade 8 & Grade 9, our character analysis of characters from “The Hunger Games” linked very closely to our first unit, “How Can I Connect With Others?” Delving into personality traits, analyzing friendships and contemplating if different people can be friends are themes prevalent throughout the novel.  

Here are some student samples of their analysis of different characters’ personality traits within the novel:

As we begin our new unit, we will keep our statement of inquiry, “Teens around the world have different goals and face different challenges”, in mind as we continue to explore how Katniss, Peeta and the other teenaged characters decide on their goals for survival and react to challenges within the novel. 

We will also be reviewing and working towards the goals we set at the beginning of the semester.

Mandarin & Spanish Classes

by Ms. Gloria Rodriguez, Spanish Teacher/Jinhua Zou, Mandarin Teacher/Elaine Jin, MYP Mandarin Teacher

Language Week
In conjunction with Culture Week, the Language Acquisition Department also created Language Activities for the school. On the website International Day & Culture Week 2021 – Language challenge, we provided a challenge for the whole CIS community to be multilingual and try their best at speaking Cebuano, Mandarin, Japanese, Korean and Spanish. These are the major languages spoken within our community, along with English of course! We have quite a big amount of participants this year and let us listen to some students’ voices.

Kinder/Grade 1 – Exchange Class

In celebration of culture week Kinder and Grade 1 had their language exchange lesson. Students were happy to share and show  what they have been learning in Mandarin and Spanish. They also challenge themselves by saying in English, Mandarin and Spanish, greetings, numbers and farewells.

Grade 4/5 Class

During the language exchange class, Grade 4 and 5 practice using three different languages to introduce where they are from – English, Mandarin and Spanish. Students were actively teaching each other how to pronounce words about country and color in Mandarin and Spanish. They had a quick review of the “Bring Me” game about color at the end which is finding the items with color yellow.

Grade 6 – 10 Class

In the MYP classes, the students had their peer teaching on the topics of number and time. They did a mini lesson and some activities, like Kahoot and Booklet. The students enjoyed learning about how to count in both languages and it was a fun experience for them. Let us hear some voices from the students:

These past weeks in World Language Mandarin and Spanish students have been practicing successfully different learning engagements.

ES Mandarin

In Grade 2 and Grade 3 students practiced naming parts of the body and the five human senses in English and Mandarin. They also practiced using accurate descriptive words to describe appearance for different people  or animals.

MHS Mandarin (Mandarin Ab Initio)

This week, Grade 12 Mandarin students are focusing on special occasions celebrations in China. For example, the Mid-Autumn festival and Spring Festival. Students are practicing their language skills with the topic of celebration through Paper Two Reading, IA and Videos. 

Grade 11 students came up with a short story telling about the twelve Zodiac animals to introduce how Chinese people use animals to mark the year and how these animals are being chosen.

MHS Spanish  (Spanish ab Initio)

The Grade 11 students  have started  practicing how to describe daily routines, ask and answer open ended  questions related to habits. It is important that students know and practice verb conjugation and forming sentences.  As part of our daily class routine students are asked to conjugate one or two verbs and write them down in their notebooks.

This week, our students from Grade 12  shared their presentations about travel agency packages to some Spanish speaking countries. We focused on the following topics: food, accommodation, places to visit, food, transportation, indoor and outdoor activities. 

ES Spanish

Mandarin B classes

To celebrate multiple languages in our school,  MHS Mandarin students chose the song “Part of Your World” and some students participated in singing this song. The song is formed with eight languages which are the languages spoken by most of our students in MHS Mandarin class. Please check the link for the video.

Grade 10 Spanish

Our Grade 10 Spanish students took us on a tour of the world as they learnt about people that they considered important in shaping various countries’ culture and society. This included a Broadway singer, the first Puerto Rican female judge in the USA, a Venezuelan musician and songwriter, a Filipino boxer and a Brazilian football player. Through their explorations they discovered how these individuals have touched the lives of millions or people through their and how they are looked upon as positive role models and symbols of national pride.

Book Week

by Ms. Mary Jean Cordova, Media Center Coordinator

We are excited to announce our virtual book week with the theme “The World of Mystery, Magic, and Myths!” This year’s Book Week will be happening on October 25-29, 2021, and we have tons of fun activities planned for you! Please visit the book week website at  bit.ly/2021CISbookweek  for details on all of the events mentioned below.

Drop Everything And Read (D.E.A.R.) Time

We want to start Book Week with BOOKS! On Monday, Oct 25th, we ask that everyone in the CIS community DROP EVERYTHING AND READ! Snap a photo of you reading in your favorite spot and share it with your class on Seesaw or Hangouts! MHS will DEAR from 12:30 PM-1:00 PM then will have another session on Thursday, Oct 28th, and Elementary will DEAR from 8:00 AM-8:15 AM.

Story Time Videos

We invite parents and students to submit a video of them reading their favorite children’s book, short story, poem, or novel excerpt for our Story Time Video collections. We would love to have stories representing the vast diversity of the CIS community, so please feel free to share stories from your culture and in your mother tongue. These videos will be available on the CIS book week website for students to view on their own time. For elementary, please see the Seesaw learning engagement posted or reach out to Ms. Maffy (mocleasa@cis.edu.ph) for your videos. For MHS, please email Ms. Maria (mbacus@cis.edu.ph) or Ms. Jin  (ejin@cis.edu.ph)  – by Tuesday, October 26, at 7PM.

Character Parade

This year students are going to truly bring their favorite characters to life in the new version of the Character Parade! Students should dress up as their favorite character and record a 10 to 20-second video of them reading one of their favorite quotes from that character or reading 1-2 lines from the book. They can choose books in their own language.  We will post these videos together on the Book Week website by grade level. For elementary, please see the Seesaw learning  engagement posted or reach out to Ms. Vangie B. (ebelono-ac@cis.edu.ph) for your videos. For MHS, please  email Mr. Alejandro (aguerratibocha@cis.edu.ph)  by Tuesday, Oct. 26th, 7PM. 

Living Library

The Living Library is a chance for students to hear first-hand stories of a wide variety of careers from CIS Alumni. Check the Book Week website for details about these guests.

Guess Who’s Reading Contest

Take a look at the photos on the “Guess Who’s Reading” page of the website and see if you can identify your teachers behind the book. We’ve used props to make it a little tricky. Good Luck!

Book Talk 

This year, students are going to meet and have a live chat with these two inspiring authors. There will be two sessions for both authors in Elementary and MHS. Please check the Book Week site for the schedules. 

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor

The Virtual Living Library for Book Week

Please take time to view the Living Library videos on the Book Week Website next week.  It is highly recommended that Grade 10, 11 and 12 students view the videos, these will be very helpful as you start to forge your career path.  Learn about the variety of careers as CIS alumni talk about what they do.   They will share insights about their jobs, what it entails and some advice on how to choose one’s career.

Upcoming Virtual Events and Fairs: (students & parents are welcome)

DATE

October 27
Wednesday
8:00PM PH time
Link to register

EVENT

Northwestern University in Qatar 
Virtual Open House

October 30
Saturday
9:00am – 6:00pm
PH time
Link to register

October 26 and 27

University of Hong Kong
Virtual Open Day

Brussels School of Governance Open Lecture Series:
“The EU and the Rule of Law: about foundational values, enforcement possibilities and limits”
Prof. Kristin Henrard – International and European Law
October 26, 2021    1800H CEST/ 12:00MN PHT 
Link to register

“U.S. reputation after Biden’s withdrawal from Afghanistan: Implications for US-China competition”
Prof. Tongfi Kim – International Affairs
October 27, 2021   1800H CEST/ 12:00MN PHT
Link to register

October 30
Saturday
9:00 PM
Zoom link to join

SAT Update

The dates below indicate that registration is open. However, it is highly likely for future dates to be cancelled depending on quarantine restrictions.

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.

Dragon’s Print

Seven billion people in the world, thousands of languages, and several continents we can simply count with our fingers; yet there is much more in the world to explore! Read more about cultural diversity as Akeisha M. shares her perspective as a new student in CIS on https://dragonsprint.cis.edu.ph/.

Admin Notes

by Dr. Gwyn Underwood, Superintendent

It was wonderful to see our students return from October break looking rested and eager to start our second quarter! In addition to the publishing of MHS quarter 1 reports today, we now look forward to an eventful couple of months, starting with our virtual Culture Week next week, which culminates with our virtual International day on Saturday 23 October. We then transition to our annual Book week from Oct. 25! You will receive details of all these events via your registered email address.

Please read on for our weekly showcasing of various class activities at both elementary and middle/high school levels. Firstly, however, we will take a quick look at another two “CASEL 5” competencies (Refer to our Sept. 24 Newsflash for Part one).

SEL Competencies: Social-Awareness and Relationship Skills (The “CASEL 5” Part two)

To recap, the “CASEL 5” competencies (refer to CASEL’s SEL diagram) can be “taught and applied at various developmental stages from childhood to adulthood and across diverse cultural contexts to articulate what students should know and be able to do for academic success, school and civic engagement, health and wellness, and fulfilling careers.”

This week, we reflect on Social-Awareness and Relationship Skills. Please review the descriptors for each of these competencies below, and consider how you could respond to the following questions: 
• To what extent am I (and/or my child/ren) aware of, and understand, these areas?
• What can I (and/or my child/ren) do to recognize what behaviors I can choose to develop my competencies in these areas?
• These areas can be particularly challenging with remote learning and communicating virtually. What are some of the challenges I am facing, and how can I compensate for not being able to see my peers in person? 

SOCIAL AWARENESS
The abilities to understand the perspectives of and empathize with others, including those from diverse backgrounds, cultures, & contexts. This includes the capacities to feel compassion for others, understand broader historical and social norms for behavior in different settings, and recognize family, school, and community resources and supports. Such as:

• Taking others’ perspectives
• Recognizing strengths in others
• Demonstrating empathy and compassion
• Showing concern for the feelings of others
• Understanding and expressing gratitude
• Identifying diverse social norms, including unjust ones 
• Recognizing situational demands and opportunities
• Understanding the influences of organizations/systems on behavior

RELATIONSHIP SKILLS 
The abilities to establish and maintain healthy and supportive relationships and to effectively navigate settings with diverse individuals and groups. This includes the capacities to communicate clearly, listen actively, cooperate, work collaboratively to problem solve and negotiate conflict constructively, navigate settings with differing social and cultural demands and opportunities, provide leadership, and seek or offer help when needed. Such as:

• Communicating effectively
• Developing positive relationships
• Demonstrating cultural competency
• Practicing teamwork and collaborative problem-solving • Resolving conflicts constructively
• Resisting negative social pressure
• Showing leadership in groups
• Seeking or offering support and help when needed
• Standing up for the rights of others 

(Source: CASEL’S SEL FRAMEWORK: What Are the Core Competence Areas and Where Are They Promoted?)

Kinder/Grade 1 Philippine Language and Culture Class

Ms. Bebelin Tubilan, K/G1 Teacher

In Philippine Language and Culture, the Kinder and Grade one students have been learning about famous/ influential people from their home countries, especially the Philippines. Our Unit, Who We Are, connects to how these influential people affect our community. We talked about the different traits and characteristics they possess, the talent and skills they showed, and the positive impact they contributed to their country.  

We got to know Mr. Manny Pacquiao, a famous boxer; Ms. Hidilyn Diaz, a weightlifter, the first Filipino to win a gold medal during the Olympics and Mr. Remy Presas, the Father of Modern Arnis. Arnis is the Philippines’ National Martial Arts. We dive deeper into how Arnis was played before and how it changed over time.  

In the first few weeks, we tried to create our own baton/ arnis sticks using some newspapers or other recyclable materials at home. We also learned some basic skills of Arnis, or they call it stances. Stances are the different positions we do when we play Arnis:

1. Grip or hawak, it is how we should hold our sticks properly.
2. Salutation or pugay,  how we give respect to our opponents.
3. Ready or handa means that we are now ready to play Arnis.

Then the forward stance or pasulong, it’s how we position ourselves when we want to attack, and the backward stance or paatras when we want to defend ourselves from getting struck. 

To get the point in Arnis, we should hit or strike the twelve (12) different parts of our opponent’s body, but we only focused on five (5). The right and the left temple is part of our ulo, the stomach or tiyan, and the left and right knees or tuhod.  

We showed what we learned by playing Arnis with one of our family members. We tried to demonstrate the different stances while playing and scored a point by hitting the right areas. 

We will be getting to know more influential people/ athletes from the Philippines in the coming months.

Grade 2 / 3 Philippine Language and Culture Class

by Ms. Ann Codoy, G2/3 Teacher

In our Philippines Language and Culture, we talked about influential people. We shared some of the influential or famous people we know and are from our country. We continued exploring the different influential people in our host country, the Philippines, particularly in Cebu. We discussed the Influential Cebuano Artist from Carcar Cebu, named Martino Abellana, who is considerably recognized as the “Dean of Cebuano Painters.” Most of his paintings significantly represent the culture, values, daily life of Cebuanos, and beauty of nature in Carcar, Cebu. As the Grade two and three students observed Abellana’s painting, we reflected on how we might show the things that reminded us about Cebu. 

We mentioned Bahay Kubo which is the native Filipino house, the whale shark, one of the animals you could see in one of the tourist spots in Cebu and others. We used our creativity in painting, drawing and coloring to show what we think best represents Cebu, Philippines.

CIS students participate in the MUN LOCALS Conference

by Emily Cornet, MUN Co-Advisor

Each year during Quarter 1, the CIS Model UN club participates in the MUN LOCALS Conference, usually hosted in Manila.  This year the conference was held virtually towards the end of our October Break on October 8 & 9, involving 272 total delegates from nineteen different schools across the Philippines.

Each student chooses to represent a country in an assigned committee — all based on the allotment we are given.  Then that student must represent that country’s viewpoint in arguing for solutions to the problems being discussed.

Of particular note in our group this year, we had three students present as Main Submitters of a Resolution — Selly P. (G11), Daigo K. (G12), and Dominic L. (G12).  We had another seven students co-submit a resolution, and five who authored and presented amendments.  The group as a whole was actively engaged in the two-day conference.

An additional part of the MUN LOCALS Conference is what is called Crisis, when students are presented with an unpredictable scenario where they must use the MUN-style debating and resolution-building techniques to create solutions to an unpredictable (and slightly unrealistic but entertaining) scenario.

Of our full group of 22 CIS students who participated, this was the first ever MUN Conference for a number of them, and just the second or third conference for even more.  The group did a superb job, despite their anxiety and relative newness to Model UN, and represented CIS well!!

Alessandra F. (G10) was a first time participant and was also selected to be a member of the Press Team, reporting throughout the weekend on the MUN LOCALS Social Media page.  And Dominic L. (G12) was selected as Best Speaker for his committee.  Well done not only to Alessandra and Dominic, but also to all of the CIS students who did such a great job!!

Grade 11 Extended Essay

by Mr. Jessie Saclo, MYP/DP Teacher

The Extended Essay, alongside CAS and TOK, is one of the three components of the IB Diploma Programme core. An essential requirement for all students in the DP, the EE is a 4,000-word paper students write independently through self-directed research of a focused topic from any of the available DP subjects. 

More than a DP requirement, the Extended Essay provides a practical preparation for undergraduate research to prepare students for success at university and other pathways beyond the DP. Through the process of research, students develop skills in formulating a research question, engaging in a personal exploration of the topic, communicating ideas, and developing an argument. Students, through this process, develop their capacity to analyze, synthesize and evaluate knowledge. 

Around this time of the year grade 11 students have already begun to formulate research questions for their chosen topics. By next week, the research skills teacher will present these research questions to the rest of the faculty and staff, a custom signifying the start of the supervision process. Incidentally, during the same period, the incumbent grade 12 students are intensively completing the final stages of their Extended Essays. With this system in place the load is spread amongst supervising teachers and staff, allowing for a seamless transition between incoming and outgoing students. 

Ideally, grade 11 students are encouraged to complete their first EE drafts by mid-August of the following year. The draft is then endorsed to their respective supervisors for review and evaluation. Based on the feedback they receive, students revise and develop their EEs for completion, leading to a final reflection session with their supervisors and a concluding interview known as viva voce. 

The Extended Essay process culminates with the EE Cafe, an event held in January, where grade 12 students prepare a short presentation of their research journey, challenges, and successes in completing their Extended Essays. 

To have a glimpse of the extensive process involved in writing the Extended Essay, here is a list of the research questions developed by the graduated Class of 2021.

Physical & Health Education (PHE)

by Mr. Ron de Villa, Design & PHE (MYP) Teacher

Physical & Health Education (PHE) can be the starting point for our students to be physically active throughout their lives. Positive experiences in PHE – especially when students feel a sense of responsibility and accomplishment –  have been beneficial for long-term physical activity, most especially in this time of pandemic where a lot of students are still ‘locked-in’ their homes. 

This year, the PHE Department has introduced a program wherein students have a choice on whether to take the Standard Class or an Extended option. The standard class promotes physical activity from a more casual, or social perspective. We might not be a Novak Djokovic, a Florence Griffith Joyner or even a Patrick Dangerfield, BUT we do appreciate that physical activity is important in our lives. The Extended class allows students to really push themselves and strive for excellence (it must be pointed out that this innovation was put in place with face to face lessons in mind). Both classes follow the same units and complete the same assessments. 

Giving the students an option on which class to take allows them to be more responsible for the task they will undergo and give them a sense of accomplishment. Our PHE program highlights different physical activity capabilities and allows students to experience multifaceted fitness activities, movement, and individual sports – at least those they can do indoors or in a limited space and equipment set-up –  culture in order to find their individually preferred activity. This way, the units are designed in such a way that daily lessons could address each student appropriately.

The PHE Units this term focused further more on student’s choice wherein they chose the exercises they wanted to perform and master in a span of at least 6 weeks. This gives them the opportunity to evaluate their progress and identify which areas they need to work on. Also, as they learn to master each skill, they now have a chance to impart their knowledge by creating workout videos or slideshows which can be used by fellow students.

We understand that students usually learn by observing others. They require someone who can act as a role model and help them to exercise. Grade 10s have created workout videos that are presented in virtual school assemblies. Since these are exercises which the Grade 10 students have chosen themselves, there is a sense of mastery and accomplishment as they teach the proper way to perform these to their fellow students.  With these, we hope that the students are inspired to work out on their own too even beyond the PHE classes as they see a co-student exercising and teaching them how each exercise is done well.

Here are some examples:

Grades 6/7 (Standard)

Grades 6/7 (Extended)

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor

Quotes from Alumni on career choices:

Upcoming Virtual Events and Fairs: (students & parents are welcome)

DATE

October 16
5:00 PM
Link to register

EVENT

Japan University Consortium:  Why Study in Japan?

October 22
7:00 – 8:30 PM
Link to register

Explore Singapore Universities:  Singapore Management University (SMU) and Singapore University of Technology & Design (SUTD)
Participants will have a chance to learn more about the education landscape and opportunities that students can look forward to in Singapore, including an introduction of exciting programmes that are offered by SMU and SUTD.
There will also be breakout sessions where students and parents can interact with the admissions representatives from the different universities.

October 23 – December 31

EduCanada Fair
Link to register

SAT Update

The dates below indicate that registration is open. However, it is highly likely for future dates to be cancelled depending on quarantine restrictions.

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-Grade 12 Principal

The first quarter has positively flown by and I’d like to extend my appreciation to everyone that has helped to make my transition to the school a smooth one, and trust that all of our new students have had as equally a positive start to the year.

I’m sure there have been many highlights. In reflecting on the quarter, I would like to recognise our youngest students who have navigated their school journey for the very first time. They have certainly taken on a new challenge and have been supported by teachers and caregivers who have helped them to explore new possibilities through a range of creative activities.

Many of our students will be looking forward to the break as it provides an opportunity for them to relax their focus, sleep in and enjoy some downtime. With the increased screen time that our students have had to engage in as a result of our Remote Learning situation I do hope that computers are set aside and time in front of gaming consoles is limited. Getting as much physical activity as possible over the next week is strongly recommended.

While the majority of our students will be able to take a break, I know that many of our older students have already committed themselves to using some of this time to make a start on their Personal Projects, work on Internal Assessments and finalise their Extended Essays. This is commendable but it is also important that it is done in a balanced manner and enough attention is given to recharging batteries. Our Kindergarten and Grade 1 students recently reminded me that the keys to a healthy lifestyle are having balanced meals, getting enough sleep, exercise, practising good hygiene, and having a positive attitude. Please do heed their advice.

I’d like to thank all of our families once again for their positive support and know that through continued communication and commitment we will achieve the best possible emotional and intellectual growth for our children.

I look forward to the commencement of the second quarter and the opportunity to share in our community’s diversity during our International Day which will shortly be upon us.

Early Years Class

by Ms. Freya Abella, EY Class Assistant and Ms. Mary Jean Cordova, EY Teacher

In the Early Years, we read the story Not a Box by Antionette Portis. This book showed us different ways of what we can make out of our box. Our young learners used their imagination and created their own interpretations of their boxes. One student says it’s their house, and the other one made a car. We have asked the young learners to describe what they made and what materials they used. By using different kinds of materials, we have also developed a sense of resourcefulness. Our young learners have created their own stories from what they have made, and through this, we also developed our communication and thinking skills. We have encouraged them to have characters, the setting, and the plot. With the help of several guiding questions, they were able to narrate their stories. 

Our young learners continued to have different adventures. We drew our favorite toys during one of our drawing parties and described what materials we used and how we made them. Our EY students made stories out of their drawings with the help of guiding questions. Through this, we aim to develop our thinking and communications skills. We made interpretations, and we expressed our thoughts by creating and narrating our stories.

We have now started practicing our letters, as this is one of the goals we want to learn for this school year. We begin with our names by identifying the letters and their sounds. To better understand our letters, we sound them out first, then think of words that start with letters in our name. We also looked around our house and searched for things that began with the letter asked. We used various materials to create each letter, such as playdough, clay, or painting.

Grade 9: Individuals and Societies

by Ms. Florimee Joy Pierra, I&S Teacher

This quarter in I&S, the Grade 9 students explored the topic “The Impact of the Past to Present” focusing on the impact of technological breakthroughs and how they changed people’s lives. Students identified different technological innovations and discussed their roles in improving the lives of people. 

Then, they were asked to choose one innovation that is very useful to them and explain its significance.

Here are some of the responses from our Grade 9 students:

How about you, what do you think is the most important technological breakthrough and how did it help you at present?

Grade 11: Math Applications and Interpretation SL

by Ms. Maria Victoria Bacus, Grade 11 Mathematics Teacher

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

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

In the first quarter, students were introduced to the unit of Number and Algebra which is comprised of the following subtopics.

Major conceptual understandings highlighted this quarter are the following:

“Modelling real-life situations with the structure of arithmetic and geometric sequences and series allows for prediction, analysis and interpretation.”

“Different representations of numbers enable quantities to be compared and used for computational purposes with ease and accuracy.”

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

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

Things Students Look Forward in the Math AI-SL Classes

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor

Tip of the Week

Three basic differences  between the CommonApp Essay and the UCAS Personal Statement:

Upcoming Virtual Events and Fairs (students & parents are welcome)

DATE

October 1-14

EVENT

NYU Virtual Events in Southeast Asia
Link to the Registration & Schedule per Event
Topics:
• The “Why NYU?” Supplemental Essay
• Meet your NYU Rep – Southeast Asia
• Common App 101 – Southeast Asia
• Standing Out in the NYU Application Process ( 1 in 100,000)
• Selecting a Major & Professional Pathways
• High School Visit

October 5 – Tuesday
8:00 PM
LINK to join

National University of Singapore (NUS)
Information Session on:
• NUS and NUS Scale
• NUS Learning & the Campus Experience

October 7
Thursday
7:00PM
LINK to register

Explore 7 Universities: From the East Coast to the Rockies

SAT Update

The dates below indicate that registration is open. However, it is highly likely for future dates to be cancelled depending on quarantine restrictions.

The Optional SAT Essay and Subject Tests have been discontinued.

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.

Dragon’s Print

Do you ever get the random feeling of wanting to go back to your childhood days? Although we can’t go back in time, what we can do is remind ourselves of that childhood feeling by reminiscing on movies we all loved as kids and no movie can bring back memories like Disney movies can! Read about some of our favorite throwbacks at http://dragonsprint.cis.edu.ph/

Admin Notes

by Dr. Gwyn Underwood, Superintendent

As we finish up the week with only one more week before our mid-semester break, it is heartwarming to see and hear how our students doing well in both classes and school-related activities, such as ASAs and last Friday’s House Activity Day (HAD). Please enjoy the various report below from representative classes and events!

SEL Competencies: Self-Awareness and Self-Management

The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) framework introduced in a previous Newsflash article indicated five broad, interrelated areas of competence: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. 

These “CASEL 5” competencies can be “taught and applied at various developmental stages from childhood to adulthood and across diverse cultural contexts to articulate what students should know and be able to do for academic success, school and civic engagement, health and wellness, and fulfilling careers.”

This week, we will be highlighting the attributes of two of the CASEL 5. As we reflect on our week and prepare for next week, we encourage you to take some time to go over these competencies, and consider: 

• To what extent am I (and/or my child/ren) aware of, and understand, these areas?
• What can I (and/or my child/ren) do to recognize what behaviors I can choose to develop my competencies in these areas? 

SELF-AWARENESS: 
The abilities to understand one’s own emotions, thoughts, and values and how they influence behavior across contexts. This includes capacities to recognize one’s strengths and limitations with a well-grounded sense of confidence and purpose. Such as:

• Integrating personal and social identities
• Identifying personal, cultural, and linguistic assets 
• Identifying one’s emotions
• Demonstrating honesty and integrity
• Linking feelings, values, and thoughts
• Examining prejudices and biases
• Experiencing self-efficacy
• Having a growth mindset
• Developing interests and a sense of purpose

SELF-MANAGEMENT: 
The abilities to manage one’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors effectively in different situations and to achieve goals and aspirations. This includes the capacities to delay gratification, manage stress, and feel motivation & agency to accomplish personal/collective goals. Such as:

• Managing one’s emotions
• Identifying and using stress-management strategies 
• Exhibiting self-discipline and self-motivation
• Setting personal and collective goals
• Using planning and organizational skills
• Showing the courage to take initiative

(Source: CASEL’S SEL FRAMEWORK: What Are the Core Competence Areas and Where Are They Promoted?)

PTA Matters

Please join us for our September virtual Parent Coffee Meeting next week, 29 September from 9-10 am. (The meeting link will be emailed to our registered email address prior to the meeting.) 

We will be forming our PTA Board for the year, looking at our classroom parent reps and a WhatsApp group system, and providing time for discussions and any questions you might have!

Grade 5 Philippine Language and Culture Class

by Ms. Freshal Abcede, Grade 5 PLC Teacher

The Art of Weaving
In our unit How We Express Ourselves, the Grade 5 students have been learning about the different traditional arts in the Philippines. One of the traditional arts we have been exploring is the art of weaving. The students shared that weaving highlights Filipino artistry and creativity. This kind of traditional art is a form of expression and part of the culture and heritage of the Filipino people.

The students made their basket-weaving out of paper with the colors, patterns, and styles they chose. This activity helped the students better understand how weaving culture is distinct among the various Filipino indigenous people. The experience of doing the weaving process made them realize that weaving may differ and be distinct but it has the power to unite people. 

KG1 Class

by Ms. Belen Tubilan and Ms. Claudette Colinares, KG1 Teachers

In our Unit, Who We Are, our KG1 students have been inquiring about how our daily choices and routines help us be balanced and healthy. We identified the four pillars of a balanced and healthy life. These are having a balanced meal, sleep and exercise, hygiene, and a positive attitude. 

We named our favorite food and sorted it into five groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins, and dairy. We planned our healthy meals and made breakfast together. We shared the exercises we do at home and what our bedtime routines are. To connect this to literacy, we made a book about our habits at home, including practices during bedtime, brushing teeth, and washing hands. We also learned about hygiene and its importance. We experimented with soap and pepper to prove how washing our hands can make germs disappear. We have also been learning alongside our friends, Katie and Mojo. Their experiences help us to reflect and think about how we can develop a growth mindset. 

We are very impressed with how our KG1 students demonstrated their understanding of their new knowledge and skills!

IB Math Class

by Mr. Nick Arnsby, IB DP Math Teacher

Paying it Forward is one of my favourite films. As a teacher (and a human) it inspires me. Simply put “paying it forward” is when someone does something for you, and instead of paying that person back directly, you pass it on/forward; ideally to more than one person. Personally I see this mantra as a mechanism to create a utopian society and a life that we deserve. This theme appears throughout CIS’s guiding statements to paraphrase, we believe students should positively contribute to a better world. Indeed, our ATL skill indicators of helping others to succeed and practising empathy align with this lofty goal; as does the IB Learner profile trait of being principled. I encourage my students to take a long hard look in the mirror and ask themselves how are they paying it forward? I’ll let you into a secret, CIS students never disappoint.

The video above from Jhon Kim is an excellent example of this philosophy. She created this instructional/reflection resource for the juniors which gives a taste of the challenging Maths Internal Assessment (IA) worth 20% of their IB diploma. The IA allows students to explore the awesome power and beauty of Maths by applying it to a real life situation that intrigues them.  

Jhon modelled tuition fees for one of her prospective colleges, giving insight into her budgeting decisions. She uitilised linear and quadratic regression techniques. However, Jhon did not just want to use the linear regression formula (we’re far too curious to rely on another person’s formula), she derived it from scratch using calculus (partial derivatives), and then used matrices to solve the normal equations generated. All of which are beyond the rigour of this course. I’m sure Maths savvy parents will be impressed by this video and the copy of her full IA.

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”…….Winston Churchill

“Together, we can change the world, one good deed at a time.”…… Ron Hall.

Grade 6-7 Science

by Ms. Haydee Montero, Grade 7 Science Teacher

Grade 7 Science Class

Introduction to The Changes that Rock the Scientific World!

In search of evidence and patterns as the related concepts covered in Unit 1: The Changes that Rock the Scientific World, the Grade 7 students went off to explore Matter. They were exploring concepts on What makes up Matter? while they Built an Atom and gained an understanding of how temperature and heat change on the Heating & Cooling Curve Diagram, which shows the Phase Change of Matter to be a Physical Change only. 

Build an Atom emphasizes the idea that all matter is made up of atoms. While noticing some patterns, the students were brought to “Aha” moments through their explorations. Here’s what a few shared:

When adding protons one by one, it will change elements. The number of protons (atomic number) determines the element in the periodic table. – Hinata

The net charge can be determined from the number of protons and electrons. More protons mean a positive charge, while more electrons make it negative. – – Chloe

Phase Change of Matter, on the other hand, emphasizes phase change as a reversible process, hence it is only called a Physical Change. As evidenced, there was no new substance formed in any of the phase changes. Boiling Point and Melting Point as intensive properties of matter are inherent to a certain matter. From their explorations, they realized that:

The temperature of the water rose while it was being boiled. This was the process of vaporization. When reaching the boiling point the temperature doesn’t rise until the process is completed. While the water was melting the temperature also rose but stopped at its melting point. This was because to change solid to liquid the temperature had to change for it to melt. – Niño

At 0 degrees Celsius temperature and 10 (KJ) heat,  the ice cube started melting. It starts to melt little by little. The temperature starts rising again when it turns into a gas. – Hana

Grade 6 Science Class

How does the planet work?

In Knowing how the planet works, the Grade 6 students explored natural calamities that occur on Earth, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, tsunamis, typhoons, and many others. These are natural occurrences that play a role in shaping the Earth. Understanding these occurrences is a very important part of the mitigation of their adverse effects on humankind. Thus, understanding the Earth’s system using models and patterns of natural events helps us realize the impact of humans on the environment.

Working on the Related Concepts: Models and Patterns, the students navigated Google Sheet as they transform data into a model representation through graphs such as pie, bar, or column graphs in order to see patterns and gain a  better understanding of how things work as a system based on what the patterns reveal.

The Dragon’s Report Card

Get your ears and headphones ready because The Dragon’s Report Card is back for a second year! Meet the new voices and talent for the podcast and entice yourselves with all the exciting things coming up this year.

Dragon’s Print

Christmas in the Philippines is a treasured event, and boy do we like it early. It’s as if the world transforms at the stroke of midnight on September 1st — suddenly there’s red and green everywhere, the lights are warmer, the air is cooler, and everyone’s spirits become jollier than ever. But how did this all begin? Why does the Philippines have the world’s longest Christmas season? To find out, read more at https://dragonsprint.cis.edu.ph/.

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor

Tip of the Week

Here are a few common acronyms used in college applications:

Upcoming Virtual Events and Fairs (students & parents are welcome)

DATE

September 27
Monday
8:00 PM PHT
LINK to register

EVENT

Brown University, Columbia University,
University of Pennsylvania and Princeton University

Links to register
Tuesday Sept. 28
7:00AM Pacific time
Tuesday Oct. 2
9:00AM Pacific time

University of California – Los Angeles (USA)
Information Sessions: You will have the opportunity to learn more about the academic and student life at UCLA, the admission process and meet guests such as current students and alumni.

September 25
Saturday
9:00AM PHT
LINK to join

New Zealand Universities Info Session:
Auckland University of Technology
University of Auckland
University of Canterbury
University of Otago

September 25
Saturday
9:00PM
LINK to join

Alumni Chat Series: Focus on Stem Careers

September 27
Monday
9:00 PM PH time

September 28 & 29
Tuesday & Wednesday
5:00-8:00 PM PH time

Application Review and Financial Aid at Harvard,
Pomona, Stanford and Wellesley
LINK To register

European Universities Virtual Fair 2021
• Study in Europe Live Session
• Careers in Europe Session
• Country and University Specific Sessions
•Virtual booths
•1-on-1 meeting options
Participating universities:
Bocconi University (Italy)
EHL (Switzerland)
IE University (Spain)
Jacobs University (Spain)
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (Germany)
Modul University (Vienna)
Trinity College Dublin (Ireland)
Brussels School of Governance (Belgium)

September 30
Thursday
7:00 PM
Link to register
(zoom link will be sent after registration)

Parent Conversations: Studying Abroad
A Question/Answer session for parents to learn about the experiences of parents when their child studies abroad. 
Guest Panel:
• Mr. Bernard Villamor : father of Bianca who studies at UCLA (USA)
• Mrs. Chorie Chan: mother of  Andie who studies at UBC (Canda)
• Mrs. Mylene Suarez: mother of  Catrina who studies at Polimoda (Italy) and Joaquin who studies at Simon Fraser University (Canada)
• Dr. Clementino Diez: father of Dominique who studies at University of Toronto (Canada)

September 30 – 
October 14

NYU Virtual Events in Southeast Asia
Link to the Registration & Schedule per Event
Topics:
• The “Why NYU?” Supplemental Essay
• Meet your NYU Rep – Southeast Asia
• Common App 101 – Southeast Asia
• Standing Out in the NYU Application Process ( 1 in 100,000)
• Selecting a Major & Professional Pathways
• High School Visit

October 5 – Tuesday
8:00 PM –  LINK to join

National University of Singapore (NUS)
Information Session on:
• NUS and NUS Scale
• NUS Learning & the Campus Experience

SAT Update

The dates below indicate that registration is open. However, it is highly likely for future dates to be cancelled depending on quarantine restrictions.

The Optional SAT Essay and Subject Tests have been discontinued.

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-Grade 12 Principal

We’ve had a busy week at CIS with a number of significant events taking place in addition to our regular classes and After School Activities. The Elementary School held Student Goal Setting Conferences which provided students, parents, and teachers with an opportunity to reflect upon the start of the school year and work together to set preliminary goals for the year ahead. Our Grade 11 Values Meeting took place through a series of virtual presentations, which provided our students and their families with an opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of the IB Diploma Programme courses while also reflecting upon the values that underpin CIS, and the commitment we all share to supporting our students. And we ended the week with our first House Activity Day and an afternoon of Professional Development for our teachers.

While these activities are diverse in nature there are some common threads that are worth highlighting:

A sense of connectedness
We strive to provide our whole school community with a sense of connectedness. This is of paramount importance, especially during a time when physical connectedness is so difficult. Research on student leadership indicates that in addition to increased educational outcomes, students who are connected to school have improved longer-term health and wellbeing benefits. Providing students with opportunities to have meaningful engagement with school decisions and show leadership at school are ways of enhancing students’ sense of belonging. They are also an important way to develop social competencies.

Active student involvement
Student agency is an important facet of the IB programmes and in the context of CIS it involves a firm commitment to the principle that students have the potential to positively influence in their own lives. Student agency involves setting goals, reflecting, and acting responsibly to effect change. We encourage our students to make responsible decisions and choices rather than simply accepting those determined by others. When students are actively engaged in their learning and wider community events, they are more likely to be motivated and achieve long-term goals.

Community approach
The power of school-community relationships is transformative in nature. When schools and their communities work together to support learning, everyone benefits. Partnerships serve to strengthen, support, and transform, resulting in a better alignment of goals and learning outcomes. While a focus on curriculum, instruction and student engagement with the learning process is important, parent involvement makes a significant difference in academic achievement and school success.

CIS strives to be an innovative school. The way in which our student leaders have been able to plan and run our House Activity Day online, is testament to the incredible commitment our teachers have made over the past few years to foster a space and place for student agency. As is evident from the current global situation, it is not possible to eliminate challenges from our lives but providing students with opportunities to learn and overcome them ensures that they are well positioned for the future. We could not do that without the support and involvement of our parent community.

Diploma Programme Update

by Ms. Emily Cornet, IBDP Coordinator

September DP update!

September is a busy month for students in the Diploma Programme at CIS.  While the Grade 11 students are only in the second month of their DP courses, the Grade 12 students are busy working on completing their Extended Essay, as well as working on their Internal Assessments in many classes.

This week, Grade 11 students and parents were sent a link to the Grade 11 DP Values Meeting website. While we would normally gather in person to mark the beginning of their two-year journey towards High School Graduation and the IB Diploma, we presented the information virtually. Students and parents had the opportunity to watch the videos presented by their teachers, introducing the journey that they will take in their classes over the next two years. They were presented videos about where they should be, as Grade 11 students, in their path towards university, as well as videos about the CIS Diploma Programme. Lastly, students and teachers signed a digital version of the banner that we normally hang in the Media Center, showing our shared commitment to making sure that all students will be successful in the first year of the Diploma Programme.

On Wednesday 29 September, Grade 12 students and their parents will have the opportunity to view a similar presentation, aimed towards their 12th grade year and their recommitment to being successful in this final year of high school. Grade 12 students will also be learning more in the second half of September about their IB Diploma options, as they meet with the DP Coordinator, the Principal, and their parents, to discuss their Anticipated Grades. Grade 12 students and parents—stay tuned for more about these upcoming events!

Grade 4 Art Class

by Ms. Thea Raagas, Elementary Art Teacher

Google Art Coloring Book

Our Grade 4 students have been examining color as an element of Art. We have discussed warm and cool colors as well as making a color wheel. To further explore this element our students took a break from the traditional art materials and explored color through a digital medium.

The  Google website “Art Coloring Book” provided students with the opportunity to engage with famous works of art and our students thoroughly enjoyed their opportunity to learn about and individualize these paintings. Their results are absolutely amazing. Many thanks to Mr. Jessie Saclo III for sharing this resource.

Grade 4 Class

by Mr. Sten Coppin & Ms. Freshal Abcede, G4 Teacher

The Grade 4 students have been exploring and learning about the economy in our unit “How We Organized Ourselves”. We’re looking at supply and demand and  cause and effect, as well as hyperinflation and how this has impacted countries such as Germany (Post WW1), Zimbabwe (2000s) and Venezuela’s current situation. These students made this presentation especially for Newsflash so that they could share their learning.

Biology Class

by Ms. Rebecca Devadoss, MHS Biology Teacher

Grade 10: Unit 1 – The twisted shape of life

Students started this unit by studying about the structure, functions and replication of DNA. They also studied that a parent cell divides to form two daughter cells that are identical to the parent cell. This is possible because of the replication of the DNA and other events that take place during Mitosis, a type of cell division. Remote learning conditions did not hinder them in taking part in group activities to be engaged in the learning process.

JamBoard was used as a primary tool to enable students to learn about the “Structure of DNA”, “Replication of DNA” and stages of cell division by “Mitosis”.

“Structure of DNA”

Stages of Mitosis:

Students drew the various stages of mitosis. They were able to infer that the daughter cells are identical to each other and to the parent cell.

Grade 11: Topic 1 – Cell Biology 

In cell biology, apart from exploring the various parts of the cell, students are also studying the structure, composition and functions of the plasma membrane. Several factors can cause stress to the cell membrane. For example, change in pH, salinity, change in solute concentration, temperature, etc.

Students performed a home based lab investigation, “Stress on Plasma Membrane” due to change in temperature. Beetroot tissue samples were placed in a range of temperatures to observe if extreme temperatures fractured the plasma membrane to release the betacyanin pigments into the water.

House Activities Day (HAD)

by Mr. Ron de Villa, Activities Coordinator

At the beginning of a student’s studies here at CIS, they are assigned to one of the four Houses (Acacia, Mahogany, Molave, and Narra). HAD stands for House Activities Day, an inter-house event conducted three times a year. It is a fun day where every house team competes against each other through different  activities. While members are supporting each other and working together to win activities, friendships are formed between students of different grade levels. HAD serves as a school day where students don’t have to learn in a classroom setting, but instead,  practice valuable skills such as teamwork, communication, and leadership.

Given the online setting, the Student Council put in an enormous effort to make the remote HADs just as much fun as they were in previous years. Instead of solely relying on ideas for activities from council members, we now send out surveys before every HAD to give each student a chance to share their input and use the results to organize a line-up of more fun and engaging activities!

Additionally, with the extra time we have allocated during the homeroom session before HAD, the House Captains fruitfully used this time for the members to get to know one another and to get the team spirits high in preparation for HAD. With the help of all faculty and staff, every HAD is a success as all students – whatever house they belong in – are sure to be engaged and are having a blast while participating in these fun activities!

At the end of the day, a House is awarded the Overall winner and by the end of the year, the House winning most points from all 3 HADs are declared the Champion! This just makes HAD more exciting and a much-awaited event every year! Here’s a list of past Champions:

Dragon’s Print

Looking to play a new sport or find out which sport is best for you? Choosing which sport to play can be a tricky process, there are a couple of factors to consider before trying something new like your athletic ability, interests, and goals. Find out which sport best suits you at https://dragonsprint.cis.edu.ph/

HAD 1 Winners

by CIS StuCo

After much anticipation, here are the winners for our very first HAD for the school year 2020-2021! In fourth place, with 77 points, we have Acacia!! Coming in third place with 83 points, we have Molave!! That leaves with two more house teams… the runner-up for HAD 1 with 88 points is house Mahogany! Coming in the first place, with 101 points, the winner of HAD 1 2020-2021 is none other than Narra!

Congratulations everyone for participating in our first every HAD of the school year!

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor

Question of the Week:

Q: Will I need a letter of recommendation (LoR) for my college applications?

A: Most universities will require a letter of recommendation from a subject teacher and your counselor.  LoR’s can either be

• An Open letter – required by most US & UK universities
• A prescribed form with a checklist and specific questions 

Some universities do not require a letter of recommendation.  The application checklist will indicate if a LoR is needed. Most Canadian universities do not need an LoR for a student to submit an application.

Upcoming Virtual Events and Fairs: (students & parents are welcome)

DATE

September 18
Saturday
8:00 AM PHT
LINK to register

September 27
Monday
8:00 PM PHT
LINK to register

Links to register:
Sunday Sept. 19
6:00PM EDT
Monday Sept. 20
7:00PM EDT
Tuesday Sept. 21
7:00PM EDT

EVENT

Brown University, Columbia University,
University of Pennsylvania and Princeton University

Exploring College Options : A special informational program hosted by USA’s top leading universities. You are invited to a 90-minute webinar  hosted by admission officers to help you explore your college options and prepare a strong and reflective application in this time of change and new challenges.

If you have questions about accessibility or these programs in general, see our FAQs. Please note that the schedules indicated are all in Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), 12 hours behind PH time.

Links to register
Tuesday Sept. 21
4:00PM Pacific time
Friday Sept. 24
8:00PM Pacific time
Tuesday Sept. 28
7:00AM Pacific time
Tuesday Oct. 2

University of California – Los Angeles (USA)
Information Sessions: You will have the opportunity to learn more about the academic and student life at UCLA, the admission process and meet guests such as current students and alumni.

September 25
Saturday
9:00AM PHT
LINK to join

September 25
Saturday
9:00PM
Link to join

New Zealand Universities Info Session: Auckland University of Technology
University of Auckland
University of Canterbury
University of Otago

Alumni Chat Series: Focus on Stem Careers

September 27
Monday – 9:00 PM PH time

September 28 & 29
Tuesday & Wednesday
5:00-8:00 PM PH time

Application Review and Financial Aid at Harvard, Pomona, Stanford and Wellesley
LINK To register

European Universities Virtual Fair 2021
• Study in Europe Live Session
• Careers in Europe Session
• Country and University Specific Sessions
• Virtual booths
• 1-on-1 meeting options
Participating universities:
Bocconi University (Italy)
EHL (Switzerland)
IE University (Spain)
Jacobs University (Spain)
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (Germany)
Modul University (Vienna)
Trinity College Dublin (Ireland)
Brussels School of Governance (Belgium)

September 30
Thursday
7:00 PM
Link to follow

Parent Conversations: Studying Abroad
A Question/Answer session for parents to learn about the experiences of parents when their child studies abroad. 
Guest Panel:
• Mr. Bernard Villamor : father of Bianca who studies at UCLA (USA)
 • Mrs. Chorie Chan: mother of  Andie who studies at UBC (Canda)
• Mrs. Mylene Suarez: mother of Catrina who studies at Polimoda (Italy) and Joaquin who studies at Simon Fraser University (Canada)
• Dr. Clementino Diez: father of Dominique who studies at University of Toronto (Canada)

SAT Update

The dates below indicate that registration is open. However, it is highly likely for future dates to be cancelled depending on quarantine restrictions.

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 Notes

by Dr. Gwyn Underwood, Superintendent

We hope you all enjoyed having a catch-up day yesterday (Thursday, Sept. 9) with it being Osmeña Day holiday. Such days are great for social and emotional learning (SEL) activities – relaxing, reflecting, spending time with family and friends, learning… and so on! This year, we will be focusing a lot on SEL, so I wanted to provide a little information on what SEL is. For some, this will be a refresher, but it is a critical area for us all to consider – and not only during the COVID-19 pandemic!

So, what exactly is Social and emotional learning (SEL) anyway?!

PTA Matters

CIS Corporation Meeting Notice

Thanks to parents who signed up for membership to the CIS Corporation. Please be reminded our AGM is on Sept. 22 at 7pm. Details will be sent to your registered email address next Tuesday.

Grade 3 Music Class

by Ms. Natasha Arnsby, Music Teacher

MYP Visual Art Class

by Mr. Jessie Saclo, MYP/DP Art Teacher

In visual art class, the Da Vinci group of grades 6 and 7 students explored the key concept of communication. In art, communication is the process that transpires between the artist’s work and the audience. Intended communication through the effective application of images, symbols, and visual composition enhances the understanding of concepts, ideas, and experiences. As artists, students visually interpret their experiences through the reference frame of their own reality and contexts to give meaning to their creative work and artistic expression. As the Da Vinci group explored the statement of inquiry, ‘artistic expression communicates a message between the artist and the audience’, they began to investigate the art-making form of ‘illustration’. Guided by the MYP criteria for the arts, students conducted an inquiry on different illustration types and styles. Using the information they have gathered about illustration, students developed their art skills with drawing exercises that aimed to enhance their confidence in creating their own stylistic approach. The Da Vinci group is now at the phase of creating their final summative for this unit.

Grade 12 Mathematics Classes

by Mr. Nicholas Paul Arnsby, G12 Math (Analysis and Approaches SL) Teacher & Ms. Maria Victoria Bacus, G12 Math (Applications and Interpretation SL) Teacher

G12 Math AA SL and AI SL IT Collaboration

The Grade 12 Math AA SL and AI SL students got together for a few classes to talk about using IT for Linear Regression. After previously learning about the topic, the AA SL seniors were assigned to teach some AI SL students all about it. In groups, they were assigned to create an instructional video applying their knowledge onto their own data sets. Through this experience, the two Math sections were able to develop many of their ATL skills, 

In addition to that, they were introduced to a new concept that may be used in their internal assessments worth a staggering 20% of their diploma!- Deandra G12

G12 AA SL Students’ Reflections

What did you learn by being a
peer coach?

Why do you think it’s important to do activities and collaborate like this?

G12 AI SL Students’ Reflections

Name one thing you learnt that was your WOW moment?

You are going to be a peer coach soon, how do you think being a peer student helped you with this?

Student Support Club

Dragon’s Print

Welcome the SSC Weekly emails! SSC Weekly was created for those who may not be able to fully commit to the club but still want to learn more about mental health and what goes on in our club. The SSC Weekly emails are sent out once a week on Thursdays, around lunch time. This gives students the chance to join the club session for that day if they are available.

If you are interested look out for the next Google Form to sign up for SSC Weekly which will be sent out via email later this month!

Dragon’s Print is back!

Back for another year, our Dragon’s Print members, from Grades 10-12, are here to bring to you another annual meet the team video!

Look forward to Dragon’s Print’s articles every Friday on dragonsprint.cis.edu.ph

S.Y. 2021-2022 – Meet the Team

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor

Tip of the Week

What is our school’s CEEB Code?  705230

CEEB stands for College Entrance Examination Board.  The CEEB code is a standardized number assigned to a high school, college or organization.  Students who apply to the USA usually have to fill in the name of their high school.  To find the name of your high school, you search by typing in our school’s CEEB code. 

Upcoming Virtual Events and Fairs (students & parents are welcome)

DATE

September 18
Saturday – 8:00 AM PHT
LINK to register

September 27
Monday – 8:00 PM PHT
LINK to register

EVENT

Brown University, Columbia University,
University of Pennsylvania and Princeton University

Links to register:
Sunday Sept. 12
6:00PM EDT
Monday Sept. 13
7:00PM EDT
Tuesday Sept. 14
7:00PM EDT
Sunday Sept. 19
6:00PM EDT
Monday Sept. 20
7:00PM EDT
Tuesday Sept. 21
7:00PM EDT

Exploring College Options : A special informational program hosted by USA’s top leading universities. You are invited to a 90-minute webinar  hosted by admission officers to help you explore your college options and prepare a strong and reflective application in this time of change and new challenges.

If you have questions about accessibility or these programs in general, see our FAQs. Please note that the schedules indicated are all in Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), 12 hours behind PH time.

Links to register
Tuesday Sept. 21 4:00PM Pacific time
Friday Sept. 24
8:00PM Pacific time
Tuesday Sept. 28
7:00AM Pacific time
Tuesday Oct. 5

University of California – Los Angeles (USA)
Information Sessions: You will have the opportunity to learn more about the academic and student life at UCLA, the admission process and meet guests such as current students and alumni.

September 25
Saturday
9:00AM PHT
LINK to join

New Zealand Universities Info Session:
Auckland University of Technology
University of Auckland
University of Canterbury
University of Otago

September 25
Saturday
9:00PM
Link to follow

Alumni Chat Series: Focus on Stem Careers

September 27
Monday
9:00 PM PH time

September 30
Thursday
7:00 PM

Application Review and Financial Aid at Harvard, Pomona,
Stanford and Wellesley
LINK To register

Parent Conversations: Studying Abroad
A Question/Answer session for parents to learn about the experiences of parents when their child studies abroad. 
Guest Panel

• Mr. Bernard Villamor: father of Bianca who studies at UCLA (USA)
• Mrs. Chorie Chan: mother of  Andie who studies at UBC (Canda)
• Mrs. Mylene Suarez: mother of  Catrina who studies at Polimoda (Italy) and Joaquin who studies at Simon Fraser University (Canada)
• Dr. Clementino Diez: father of Dominique who studies at University of Toronto (Canada)

SAT Update

The Optional SAT Essay and Subject Tests have been discontinued.

The dates indicate that registration is open. However, it is highly likely for future dates to be cancelled depending on quarantine restrictions.

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-Grade 12 Principal

This week I took some time to reflect on the first month of school, prompted in some way by a group of Grade 2 students who interviewed me about my role and purpose at the school. A feature of their questioning revolved around my “needs”. This was a great question as it prompted me to think more deeply about the way in which I had started a new role, in a new school while being based in a different country. Who would have thought?

 In reflecting upon my needs, which were many and varied, I realised how crucial certain skills were and how they aligned nicely with the IB Approaches to Learning (ATL) that feature prominently and are categorised into five areas: social, communication, self-management, research, and thinking. As a school we are committed to supporting our students developing these skills through a continuum that stretches from the Early Years through to Grade 12. Students are expected to grow in their confidence in the use of these skills in a developmental manner as they move through the programs.

 While all of these skills have been essential for our students to utilize as they have commenced the new school year, one that has certainly stood out to me has been self-management. With the nature of schooling changing due to the pandemic, students of all ages have had to really step up to be able to self-manage themselves and their learning. This can, and has been a point of difference, especially for some of our older students who are in the process of developing and managing complex projects and commitments.

The IB breaks self-management skills into two areas: 1) organization skills – managing self, time management and goal setting, and 2) affective skills or “states of mind” – mindfulness, perseverance, emotional management, self-motivation, and resilience. Our faculty are committed to explicitly teaching and supporting our students in their development of these skills, which I believe are even more crucial to student success during Remote Learning.

 Some parents have asked me how they can support their children’s balance and regulation of time, resources and emotions. Some quick tips include:

 Creating a daily routine: Keeping to routines and daily rituals can lead to a greater sense of purpose and accomplishment, especially when students have a voice and choice over how their day is spent.

Using a weekly schedule: Learning to create, manage and follow a larger schedule helps students to take an aerial view of tasks and projects that need to be completed. It also provides a good point of reflection, especially with respect to scheduling and committing to a healthy and active lifestyle.

 Supporting children with deadlines: It’s easy for students of all ages to get stuck, to procrastinate or become easily distracted, especially if they don’t have a plan or schedule. Checking in with your children about the nature of the tasks they need to do, along with deadlines can be helpful. While most due dates are clearly assigned through Seesaw (Elementary School) or Google Classroom (Middle & High School), it can also be useful to write these due dates down on a physical calendar, especially for more visual learners.

 Planning for breaks and self-care: In order to learn effectively our students need to be in a good physical, mental and emotional state of mind. Ensure your children take adequate breaks from their devices, that they are moving and that they know that they are loved. Good work-life balance requires down time and a degree of relaxation to recharge those batteries. Please check-in to see how they are doing and know that our teachers are here if you need to reach out for support.

Early Years Class

by Ms. Mary Jean Cordova, EY Teacher and Ms. Freya Abella, EY Teacher Aide

As we started our first UOI “How We Organized Ourselves”, we have been exploring routines for different situations and places. We started by looking at the routines that we do to get ready for the day. Our young learners shared what different routines they do right after they wake up in the morning. As we continue to reflect on their responses about our unit, we have fashioned different learning engagements with different adventures every day to ensure that learning in the Early Years is fun, meaningful, and authentic.

Our EY students shared their morning routines at home. We have encouraged them and their families to let them do their morning routine by themselves or with limited help.

Drawing/Painting adventure – Students looked around their room and drew the things that they liked. 

Here we have Basquiat drew one of his balls and Lincoln drew his T.V. and Drawer. 

Building adventure – Students built their tallest tower using different materials available at home. By letting the young learners choose their different materials, they develop their creativity and resourcefulness. This engagement has also helped in enhancing their gross and fine motor skills. 

DP Chemistry Classes

by Ms. Christine Enrile, DP Chemistry Teacher

The class continues to use different forms of technology to sustain inquiry-based learning in the course. The Grade 12 students had used a simulation to investigate a real-life application of Le Chatelier’s Principle: a soda drink. In addition, the Grade 11 students conducted a simple measurement activity at home which challenged them to practice good techniques in reporting and propagating errors in measurements. These skills are important as they collect and analyze data and write lab reports.

Furthermore, these chemistry enthusiasts use ThinkIB resources as well as Adaptive Practice in CK-12 online platform to supplement their learning.  Adaptive Practice helps each student to improve gradually by building knowledge at each student’s skill level.  This extends to lessons in Grades 1-5, Math and English (Spelling).  

Grade 8 Math Class

by Ms. Maria Victoria Bacus, MYP Math Teacher

Grade 8 Math students are currently learning about the language of Algebra, which uses symbols in place of numbers. They first played a game which we accessed through their MyiMaths account, then solved a puzzle. This can also be called an assessment for Criteria B and C, which is ‘Investigating Patterns’ and ‘Communicating’ (or explaining) what they have discovered.

Part 1: Spot the Patterns

In class, the students read the rules of the game:

After reading the rules, students can then try to solve the puzzles and change the number of frogs to be able to investigate the minimum number of moves to swap the places of the blue and red frogs.

Part 2: Communicate (Explain) their Discoveries

For each example, the students then put their findings on a table and try to identify a pattern from the results. Students then find an algebraic expression either based on the sequences of numbers or on a description of the relationship between the two variables( in this case the number of blue and red frogs). 

Here is an example of a student communicating her recording strategies and discoveries:

YiChen, G8
Putting Results on a Table:

Pattern: With every increase in the number of a red/blue frog, a consecutive odd number is added . 3+5 = 8, 8+7 = 15

Writing a Possible Formula:

Spanish Class

by Ms. Justine Condor, Marketing Manager and translated by Señor Antonio Melgar, DP Spanish Teacher

¡Enhorabuena a nuestros estudiantes por su esfuerzo colaborando con el Museo de Cádiz, España! En su clase de castellano, su profesor, Señor Antonio, les encomendó enviar un correo electónico al Museo de Cádiz , hablando sobre la belleza y la historia usando las exhibiciones del Museo como referencia. ¡Estamos muy agradecidos con el Museo de Cádiz por su cálida acogida a nuestros estudiantes, y por guiarlos en esta maravillosa oportunidad de aprendizaje!.

Congratulations to our students for their hard work in collaborating with Museo de Cadiz! In Spanish class, their teacher Señor Antonio tasked students to write an email to the Museo de Cadiz, about beauty and history using the museum exhibits as a reference. We are grateful that Museo de Cadiz welcomed our students with positivity and guided them in this learning opportunity!

CIS Health Advisory

Student Support Club

Clubs are in session! Get to know CIS’s Student Support Club. With our club, we aim to advocate mental health to the student body through creative discussions and fun games. Make sure you keep an eye out and click this Instagram link to follow us and keep up with what we do: @studentsupport.cis

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor

Tip of the Week

Applying to the UK?  If you are, you need to write a UCAS Personal Statement.  Check this LINK for tips on what to write and how to write it and a worksheet to help you plan your statement.  Remember, you are allowed 4000 characters and 47 lines for your personal statement.

Upcoming Virtual Events and Fairs (students & parents are welcome)

DATE

September 9
Thursday – 1:00 PM

September 18
Saturday
8:00 AM PHT
LINK to register

September 27
Monday
8:00 PM PHT
LINK to register

Links to register:
Sunday Sept. 12
6:00PM EDT
Monday Sept. 13
7:00PM EDT
Tuesday Sept. 14
7:00PM EDT
Sunday Sept. 19
6:00PM EDT
Monday Sept. 20
7:00PM EDT
Tuesday Sept. 21
7:00PM EDT

September 25
Saturday
9:00AM PHT
Link to follow

EVENT

University of British Columbia (Canada)
LINK to join

Brown University, Columbia University,
University of Pennsylvania and Princeton University

Exploring College Options : A special informational program hosted by USA’s top leading universities. You are invited to a 90-minute webinar  hosted by admission officers to help you explore your college options and prepare a strong and reflective application in this time of change and new challenges.

If you have questions about accessibility or these programs in general, see our FAQs. Please note that the schedules indicated are all in Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), 12 hours behind PH time.

New Zealand Universities Info Session:
Auckland University of Technology
University of Auckland
University of Canterbury
University of Otago

SAT Update

The dates below indicate that registration is open. However, it is highly likely for future dates to be cancelled depending on quarantine restrictions.

The Optional SAT Essay and Subject Tests have been discontinued.

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 Notes

by Dr. Gwyn Underwood, Superintendent

As we finish up our week in preparation for our long weekend, I wanted to send a quick thank you to students for the effort they have been putting into their learning, and to cover a few parent matters involving how we can support our students learning this school year.

The success of any parent group at school is dependent on the proactive collaboration of a key number of members. Our vision of what we can do as a PTA is depicted in this slide.

As the pandemic limits our ability to operate in a number of areas, the PTA has discussed keeping things simple this year and focusing on relationships and Social Emotional Learning (SEL).

How can you contribute? I am glad you asked! As the slide notes, we would love for you to actively support class, school & PTA activities through participation and volunteering to assist with the organizing. More specifically, in order to help us reach our goal, we need your support by:

• Attending parent meetings and volunteering to help with PTA events
• Volunteering to be a Class Parent for your child’s grade
• Volunteering to become a CIS PTA Board member

We will be emailing you directly with more information about these opportunities soon. A good reminder of what is important for any group to succeed is given by Nafeez Ahmed, who highlights, “Getting through coronavirus will be an exercise not just in building societal resilience, but relearning the values of cooperation, compassion, generosity and kindness, and building systems which institutionalize these values.” Your involvement in CIS PTA activities will contribute to ensuring the CIS community is one that supports student learning and health and wellbeing, both in and out of the classroom. I look forward to seeing you at our next Parent Coffee meeting on September 29th at 9am (typically held last Wednesday of each month).

Enjoy the Monday holiday (National Heroes Day), and have a wonderful long weekend!

CIS Corporation Membership

Early Years Arts Class

by Ms. Thea Raagas, Art Teacher

In Early Years, our Central Idea is “The Elements of Art allow us to represent and appreciate ourselves.” Some of the questions we are asking ourselves as we explore this unit are: “How can we use the elements of art to create an effective artwork?” And, “How can we use the art elements to share who we are?”  We hope to be able to look at lines, colors, shapes and texture as elements of art as we explore this unit, and we are currently focusing heavily on LINES.

Artwork by Basquiat

In Early Years, during our class synchronous call with Ms. MJ, we looked at the lines on Basquiat’s helmet. Basquiat was showing us his blue helmet that had yellow lines on top of it. We used his sharing as a springboard, to connect to our Art Unit which is all about Lines. We explained to him that he had to make different lines using materials like yarn and straw, and then take a screenshot and upload this to Seesaw. Here are some photos of what Basquiat uploaded on Seesaw. Good job Basquiat! Keep those lines coming!

In our second class, the following week, Basquiat demonstrated how to create Squiggly Lines using the tools on the Seesaw Creative Canvas Template. He created this artwork after listening to the story called, “Lines that Squiggle”, by Candace Whitman. In his artwork we can see blue lines, yellow lines and a variation between thick and thin lines.

Artwork by Lincoln

In Early Years, Lincoln has submitted this photo of his popsicle sticks on Seesaw. This is in connection to our discussion about lines. We can see that Lincoln was able to form zigzag lines and straight lines using his materials. These even combined to form triangles and this shows that Lincoln is already learning about shapes. (Shapes are lines that meet at both ends!)
Great job Lincoln! Keep up the good work!

Here is a photo of Lincoln with his Squiggly Lines. He created these after listening to the book, “Lines that Squiggle”, by Candace Whitman. His artwork shows blue, purple, red, yellow and green squiggly lines.

Grade 11 Psychology Class

by Mr. Michael Stewart, IBDP Psychology Teacher

Diagnosis of a Zombie Brain

Grade 11 IB Psychology students are currently learning about the brain and behavior. Because studying brain anatomy can be a dry subject, we decided to learn about the different structures of the brain and their functions by diagnosing the brains of zombies. Why do zombies walk so strangely? Could it be that their motor cortices are damaged? Maybe a problem arising in the cerebellum? Why can’t zombies create meaningful speech? Perhaps they’ve suffered trauma in Broca’s Area, a structure located in the left frontal lobe. Watch the videos below to find out what some of our budding neuroscientists came up with in answering these and other intriguing questions!

Click for the students’ videos below!

Health Advisory

Dragon’s Print

To start of the school year strong, Dragon’s Print’s interviewed some of our seniors to give our newly DP1 students or future IB students advice on starting the rigorous curriculum the right way.

Read about their IB experiences at dragonsprint.cis.edu.ph

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor

Tip of the Week

When applying to universities, the first step is always to create an account using the application portal using your email address.  Here are some important tips:

SAT Update

The dates below indicate that registration is open. However, it is highly likely for future dates to be cancelled depending on quarantine restrictions.

The Optional SAT Essay and Subject Tests have been discontinued.

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.

Upcoming Virtual Events and Fairs

(students & parents are welcome)

DATE

Sunday Aug. 29
11:00AM PHT

Links to register:
Sunday Sept. 12
6:00PM EDT
Monday Sept. 13
7:00PM EDT
Tuesday Sept. 14
7:00PM EDT
Sunday Sept. 19
6:00PM EDT
Monday Sept. 20
7:00PM EDT
Tuesday Sept. 21
7:00PM EDT

EVENT

Study in Japan Virtual Fair
Link to register – Please refer to the LIST of participating institutions.

Exploring College Options : A special informational program hosted by USA’s top leading universities. You are invited to a 90-minute webinar  hosted by admission officers to help you explore your college options and prepare a strong and reflective application in this time of change and new challenges.

If you have questions about accessibility or these programs in general, see our FAQs. Please note that the schedules indicated are all in Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), 12 hours behind PH time.

CIS Parent Coffee Morning

CIS Corporation Info

Principal’s Corner

by Mr. Andrew Powell, EY-Grade 12 Principal

It has been a whirlwind start to the year and my time as EY – 12 Principal at CIS. Testament to the community nature of the school, I have found myself immediately welcomed and feeling valued despite working from Jordan, close to 9,000km away from Cebu; such is the strength of the community and the power of technology.

I have spent my first month actively engaged with faculty and getting to know students throughout the school. The year has commenced in an incredibly positive manner and our students from the Early Years all the way through to Grade 12 appear to be genuinely happy to be back in their “virtual classrooms”. For many, they are thriving on the ability to reconnect with each other. The importance of personal connections has been a consistent feature of conversations with students and the provision of such experiences by our teachers was an intentionally planned priority throughout the school. It will continue to be a focus of our attention throughout the year.

At CIS there is a belief that the wellbeing of each student is vital for personal and academic success. Our teachers are cognizant of the complex world of our students’ personal lives and they have been particularly responsive to the immediate challenges that our sustained engagement with Remote Learning have presented. The time and energy that our teachers have devoted to constructing a truly engaging and developmentally appropriate experience under the circumstances should not be understated and is testament to the professionalism and quality of our staff.

As our students return to the routines of a new year a key focus that I have been particularly pleased with has been the commitment to the development of formal and informal leadership. Being an effective leader requires students to develop qualities in themselves and to nurture those of others.

Formal leadership has been encouraged through classes representation systems such as Student Council across the Elementary, Middle and High School. I was particularly impressed with the maturity of the students that were prepared to put themselves out there and campaign for President and Vice President positions. Doing their best for others was central to their campaign messages. In the Middle and High School, we have also had the recent election of House Captains which also carry important formal responsibilities. Student leadership elections link strongly with learning about citizenship and the processes involved in democracy. It is important to note that all these leaders were elected by the students themselves.

The commitment of the school to nurturing our students as leaders has meant that by the time they reach their senior years, they are well equipped to lead committees and clubs across the school. The number of students that have been excited and willing to lead After School Activities has been incredible and this aspect of our ASA program sets the school apart from most others around the world.

I am excited for the year ahead and the wonderful opportunities that CIS presents our students and staff. I look forward to doing my best to contribute to the community and  further develop and challenge our students as globally engaged contributors to a better world.

MYP Personal Project

by Mr. Jonathan Denton, Assistant Principal-MYP

Grade 2 Class

by Ms. Maureen Juanson, Grade 2 Teacher & PYP Coordinator, and Ms. Maffy Ocleasa, Grade 2 Teacher

In our Grade 2 class family, we continued to reflect on who we are as learners and as we looked into our hopes and dreams, many of our Grade 2 learners expressed that they hope to improve their math skills this year. This then led us to dive deeper and wondered about the word Mathematics, what mathematicians do, and what math means. Using the Color-Symbol-Image routine, our Grade 2 mathematicians reflected more deeply by choosing a color, symbol, and image that will best represent Math. Let’s take a look at how our Grade 2s visually represented such an abstract and big idea. 

Congratulations!

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor

Tip of the Week:

If you are interested in applying to any of the University of California campuses, you should create an account and apply through the UC system through this LINK.

Part of the application process is to answer 4 of 8 personal insight questions. Below is one of the questions: ( Source: https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/how-to-apply/applying-as-a-freshman/personal-insight-questions.html)

Question: What would you say is your greatest talent or skill?  How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?

Things to consider: If there’s a talent or skill that you’re proud of, this is the time to share it. You don’t necessarily have to be recognized or have received awards for your talent (although if you did and you want to talk about it, feel free to do so). Why is this talent or skill meaningful to you? Does the talent come naturally to you or have you worked hard to develop this skill or talent?  Does your talent or skill allow you opportunities in and outside the classroom? If so, what are they and  how do they fit into their schedule?

Check the link above to view the rest of the personal insight questions. 

Upcoming Virtual Events and Fairs: (students & parents are welcome)

DATE

August 21
Saturday
Part 1 – 11:00am PHT
Part 2 – 2:00pm PHT

August 25
Wednesday
5:00 PM PHT

August 25
Wednesday
8:00PM

EVENT

Study in Japan Virtual Fair
Link to register
Please refer to the LIST of participating institutions.
Future sessions:  Aug. 29 and Sept. 4

Doctors on Call Webinar for Students in Southeast Asia
Meet one of the graduates from St. George’s University Medical School to talk about her experience with a Q & A session. LINK to register

Virtu-8 University Info Sessions
LINK to register with info on future sessions
Participating institutions:
Chapman University (USA)
Lynn University (USA)
Northwestern University (Qatar)
New York University (Abu Dhabi, UAE)
Rollins College (USA)
Sewanee: The University of the South (USA)
Santa Clara University (USA)
University of Tampa (USA)

SAT Update

The dates below indicate that registration is open. However, it is highly likely for future dates to be cancelled depending on quarantine restrictions.

The Optional SAT Essay and Subject Tests have been discontinued.

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.