Category: Newsflash

Principal’s Corner

by Mr. Andrew Powell, Ey-12 Principal

We are blessed with an outstanding group of Visual and Performing Arts teachers at CIS. While the work of the department has featured prominently throughout the year, this week they worked with their students to showcase some of their ongoing projects. This included an Art Exhibit, interactive posters with QR codes of student musical compositions, student musical performances during lunch and a Grade 10 Musical Revue, presented by the Grade 10 drama class. A special performance was also held for parents and PTA members, which was particularly well attended.

At CIS we intentionally strive to inspire and one of the qualities that we look to model and value is creativity. While often referred to in the context of the arts, creativity is defined by the ability to produce or use original or unusual ideas. Throughout the year there have certainly been a great deal of creative ideas, approaches, and solutions at play. 

Prospective families are increasingly looking to CIS for its creative culture. Our Virtual Arts programmes are in demand by students who are looking to nurture their creative talents. This is not only providing our students with opportunities to learn and experiment with new techniques and skills but as I have mentioned previously, it  is resulting in their heightened visibility to prospective universities.

The nature of our program encourages student agency and consequently is open to creative possibilities. While our faculty work hard to inspire, we have such an incredible group of students that they also serve to motivate our teachers. They provide them with a vivid image of future possibilities which leads to a dynamic approach to lesson planning and unit development, enhancing the overall school experience.

One important aspect of the way our visual and performing arts programmes are delivered, is the commitment that our teachers have to making this learning joyful. As a key principle of the school’s Guiding Statements, this provides a mode of learning in which students are given the opportunity to experience happiness while nurturing curiosity and interacting with meaningful content through a supportive community of peers and teachers.

Elementary: Physical and Health Education

 by Coach Jay Hermias, Elem PHE Teacher

In a recent physical and health education class, elementary students demonstrated impressive skills in a variety of games and activities. From traditional favorites like slide tag, soccer, basketball, dodgeball and kickball to newer games such as improvised capture the flag and ultimate frisbee, these young athletes showed determination, teamwork, and sportsmanship in our game tournament.

In addition to the physical benefits of these activities, students also learned important lessons about health and wellness. They were taught the importance of staying hydrated, warming up before exercise, and taking breaks when needed to prevent injury.

The students also showcased IB Learner Profiles such as being reflective, risk-takers, communicators, and thinkers, as they participated in a variety of physical activities and challenges. They demonstrated their commitment to teamwork, their ability to persevere through difficult challenges, and their willingness to take calculated risks.

Here are some highlights in PHE for the past few weeks: 

Working out to improve strength and endurance

Practicing their attacking and defending strategies in soccer

Having fun participating capture the flag

Learning the rules in playing basketball

Improving balance and control

 Students showing off their  kicking skills in soccer!

Builders Bulldozers

Attacking strategies in touch rugby

Teamwork in human tug of war

Students learning some strategies in soccer

Students learning how to pass and catch the ball

Playing dodging, coordination and agility games

Improving their arms, core strength, and coordination

Students practicing  their dribbling skills in basketball

ARTS WEEK!!

by Arts Week Committee

The Annual CIS Arts Week & Student Exhibition ran from Monday, May 8 to May 12, 2023.  The week included music and performances and a visual arts exhibition. Here are some photos of the week.

Art Exhibition

Interactive Posters:

Busking:

Grade 10’s Musical Revue Unit Summative performance

Arts Week

by Ms. Stefanny Hermias, MHS Drama Teacher

Theatre Class Presents Successful Musical Revue!

In celebration of Arts Week, Grade 10 Theatre class has just presented their highly-anticipated class production summative to an audience that included MHS students and teachers, G10 parents and PTA Board. The performance, which showcased the students’ talents in acting, singing, and dancing, was met with thunderous applause and positive reviews. 

Students had been working tirelessly for two months to perfect their musical revue, which tackled stages of love. It was filled with catchy songs, elaborate costumes, and stunning choreography. It is sure to be remembered as a highlight of Grade 10’s last year in Theatre class and MYP.

Student Reflections:

Grade 8/9 Creative Body Movement 

In 8/9 Theatre class, students engaged in a creative body movement lesson and explored various ways to use their bodies to express emotions and convey messages. With music playing in the background, the class was a flurry of energy as students experimented with different movements, from slow and deliberate to fast and spontaneous. The lesson not only helped to build physical dexterity but also fostered a greater understanding of the importance of body language in theatrical performance. During the unit, the level of  creativity and enthusiasm displayed by the Grade 8 and 9 students was remarkable and impressive! 

(Please click each  photo to watch their ‘Creative Body Movement’ videos!)

Currently, Grade 8/9 theatre students have been quite busy and working hard perfecting their waltz dance routine class. They are looking forward to their next showcase which will be at the End of Year Assembly. 

Here are giphy teasers of their Waltz dance!

CIS Touch Rugby

by Mr. Damon Freeman & Ms. Leanne Healy, CIS Touch Rugby Coaches

On Saturday May 6th, Cebu International School (CIS) hosted the inaugural CIS Touch Rugby Championship, with teams from Pardo, Guadalupe, Mango and Talamban SOS participating. The event also included exhibition 7’s (seven-a side rugby) games from Cebu Dragons Rugby Club, making it a day filled with rugby excitement.

Families, friends and teachers came out in full force to support, their presence was greatly appreciated. The players and club are fortunate to have such a strong support system, thank you all for your unwavering and generous support!

Aside from the competitive aspect of the tournament, the event also provided an opportunity for the players to develop community ties. Rugby is not just a physical sport, but also a sport that focuses on building character and forging friendships. The players had the chance to interact with other schools and make new friends, which is an important aspect of their overall development.

In the Under 12s division, CIS emerged as the champions, winning a well-deserved trophy. The coaches are extremely proud of all the players, and their hard work and dedication has certainly paid off. The U15`s and U19`s also made it to the finals, losing extremely narrowly. 

The tournament was a huge success, with all teams displaying impressive skills and teamwork. The players have clearly put in a lot of effort and enthusiasm into their training, and it was demonstrated on the field.

The Touch Rugby Championship is a testament to the growing popularity of rugby in Cebu, and it is heartening to see so many young players taking an interest in the sport. Rugby is a sport that teaches core values; Integrity, Discipline, Solidarity, Respect and Passion. It is clear that the players have embraced these values.

A note from the coaches:  

It was a pleasure to witness so many young players displaying their skills on the field. All players should be commended for their hard work and dedication, we are proud of every one of you. Thank you to all staff, parents and guardians who supported the players and event to make the day possible and filled with a community atmosphere. Congratulations to the Under 12s division for their trophy-winning efforts, and to all the teams for their impressive performances. The future of rugby in Cebu looks bright, and we can’t wait to see the players develop their game even more through the rugby events and training.

Thank you all!

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor Corner

Question of the Week:  For an incoming 12th grade student, do I need to take the SAT since I’ll be applying to college next school year?

It depends on where you are applying to and if you are going to register for the full IB Diploma.  Taking the SAT is an option especially for those who do not present a recognized high school qualification. At CIS, our HS diploma is recognized by universities abroad because we are accredited with the Council of International Schools (CIS) and the Western Association of Schools & Colleges (WASC) In the US, there is a growing number of colleges and universities who have gone test optional.  Here is a list list you can refer to.  This list can change so the best resource is to check the university’s website.

College Events (Virtual and Face to Face)

DATE

May 23
Tuesday
9:15 – 10:00 AM
Canteen Annex
Link to sign up

EVENT

Bond University (Australia) – An information session with the university rep to learn about the programs, scholarships and the application process.

Admin News

by Dr. Gwyn Underwood, Superintendent

With only five more weeks till the end of the 2022/23 school year, we are all faced with various levels of pending change. Teachers will complete the academic year, students are preparing to move up a grade or graduate, and some families are preparing to leave CIS and Cebu. During this time of change, research has suggested that it is beneficial to consciously consider how transitions can affect us, and our families. The following is an adaptation of an article I like to share at this time of the year to remind us all to consider how we can be prepared for the upcoming changes.

Building your transition RAFT 

David Pollock and Ruth Van Reken1 outline the transition process as a normal process that uses the following associated feelings:

It is helpful to consider emotions involved during transitions, so as to understand and be ready to deal with any stress these emotions may cause. Failure to cope with these will result in an unhappy transition and poor re-engagement in your new environment. For students, this will certainly affect their social and academic achievements.

Dr. Pollock2 also developed the acronym and visual image “RAFT” to help explain pre-departure processes needed for successful transitions. Here is a summary for your reference:

Reconciliation – Begin building your raft by asking yourself if you have any relationships that need mending. Is there any unfinished business between you and someone you are in a relationship with? This is the time to give and receive forgiveness. Bitterness and regret stemming from lack of closure and resolution inhibit good grief and adjustment to a new location.

Affirmation – This is the time to thank the people who have been involved in your life. Affirm the relationships you have made and what they have meant to you. Take the time to tell people what you have learned from them and how grateful you are for them. Try to leave as little unsaid as possible when you leave a place.

Farewells – Say goodbyes to people, places, pets, and possessions that have mattered to you. Take lots of pictures. Take the time to say culturally appropriate goodbyes. Some cultures require a lengthy departure process. Particularly difficult farewells are the ones that are generally rushed or put off, so plan ahead and give the farewell due attention.

Think destination – Think and dream about where you are going and what it will be like. Be very honest about the expectations you have for the people and situations that you are going to. Be honest with yourself about how you feel about this transition. Think ahead to what scares you or excites you about where you are going. Research the realities of your destination. If at all possible, put concrete plans in place.

These last few weeks will pass quickly. Please take time to build a RAFT for your transition, and go out of your way to help your friends build theirs. Consider how change may impact the feelings of all of our students whether they are leaving or not, as the process will help them face new situations as they move into a new grade, and as some of their friends and teachers leave.

*References & Credits:

• Third Culture Kids: The experience of growing up among worlds by David C. Pollock and Ruth E. Van Reken
• Adapted from: http://theirrationalseason.blogspot.com/2008/04/raft.html
• Raft Photo: Joshua Earle on Unsplash.com

Upcoming events of note

• April 27-May 19: IBDP Exams
• May 8 – 12: Arts Week
• May 9, 7:45 am: PTA planning meeting (save the date – more details to come next week!)
• May 19: School holiday
• June 2: Graduation Day (*Note adjusted date from previous calendar) 
• June 8: Last day of school & Moving up ceremonies (half day)

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

PTA Board Meeting

Join us for a PTA Meeting with the details below:

Theme: “Working together to make the most out of our children’s CIS journey!”

Date: Tuesday, May 9, 2023
Time: 7:45 AM
Venue: MB – Rm. 203
RSVP: Al Cergneux +63 917 523 4247

See you on Tuesday!

Grade 5: PYP Exhibition 2023

Mrs. Aimee Underwood, Grade 5 Homeroom Teacher

The Grade 5 students kicked off their PYP Exhibition showcase last Friday, April 28, 2023.  It was wonderful to see and hear the excitement in the community, as we celebrated our first in-person showcase in three years!

What is the PYP Exhibition? In the students’ own words…

A Community Experience 

Following the opening performance, the CIS community delighted in exploring and participating in a wide range of student passions and actions. Together, we celebrated the learning process — the failures, the false starts, the light bulb moments, the milestones, and the many, many successes and massive achievements that the students have made as IB learners during their PYP journeys.

An Invitation

We now invite everyone to visit the PYPx 2023 Virtual Showcase and explore each student’s individual website to read, watch, and learn about their unique learning journeys.

What might you say, think, do, have, or believe differently as a result of visiting their showcase? How will you also be inspired to develop as “inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect” (IB Mission)?

MHS: Week Without Walls

by Ms. Raisa Romer, OLC Coordinator

Row Row Row!

One of the many highlights of the MHS Week Without Walls was the thrilling and educational experience of the “Build a Boat” activity, which challenged students to design and construct a 1-2 person boat using only cardboard and tape. This 90-minute activity encouraged teamwork, communication, collaboration, and creativity while helping students to apply important physics, design, and math concepts.

Students had to concentrate on their communication and teamwork skills in addition to the technical components of the activity to ensure that their team worked efficiently. To create the best race design and strategy, they had to assign work, listen to one another’s ideas, and compromise. Making a team flag and chant enabled students to collaborate and build team spirit, making them feel more connected and motivated.

During and after the race, students had the chance to evaluate their boats and compare them with their competitors. Through reflection, students could identify areas where they could have improved their design or teamwork. This reflective process encouraged critical and analytical thinking, helping students develop their problem-solving skills and prepare them for future challenges.

The “Build a Boat” activity was an engaging and unique learning experience that integrated physics, design, and math principles while fostering teamwork, communication, and reflection. It allowed students to apply their knowledge and skills practically and enjoyably. We look forward to more exciting learning opportunities like this in the future!

Grade 9 – 11: Week Without Walls

by Ms. Vangie Villagonzalo, School Counselor

In keeping with the school’s philosophy to enrich and broaden the educational experience of students, MHS students were engaged in a variety of fun and challenging learning experiences during the Week Without Walls. For Grades 9 to 11 students, we set aside one session for them to take some time to reflect and listen to  important messages on chemical substance dependency and abuse. We invited speakers from Safe Haven Recovery Village and Battle Against Ignorance (BAI) Foundation to talk to our students about this topic. 

The said talk aimed to promote understanding of the science behind substance abuse and addiction as well as making students aware of the dangers and harmful effects of getting into it. Specifically, it includes the value of taking responsibility, advocating for oneself by learning how to say ‘no’ to peer pressure, and the importance of choosing to live a healthy lifestyle. 

Here are some of our students’ learnings after the talk.

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor Corner

Study in the Netherlands

Here are 5 good reasons to study in the Netherlands:

• A wide range of programmes offered in English
• Low tuition fees  (for non-EU: € 6,000 and € 15,000/EU: € 2,314 )
• International community
• A good place to live
• Excellent career opportunities

For more detailed information, please visit this website.  

Higher education in the Netherlands is known for its high quality. There are two types of higher education in the Netherlands: research-oriented and profession-oriented.  Below is a quick overview of both types:

Research about the IB: Key findings from research on Impact of the IB Diploma Programme

The IB partners with institutions to examine the impact and outcomes  of  its programmes. This particular resource looks at the DP Core: CAS, TOK & Extended Essay. 

“A study in Australia, England and Norway investigated whether student participation in the DP contributed to higher levels of critical thinking. Results indicated that IB students had significantly higher levels of critical thinking than their non-IB peers—an advantage that held even after matched samples of IB and non-IB students were used for comparison.”

A study across six countries (Australia, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Spain and the United States (US)) measured DP and Career-related Programme (CP) students’ global mindedness. Researchers used the World Values Survey (WVS) to benchmark IB students against their non-IB peers from a similar age range.To view the entire report, please check this link.

SAT UPDATE for 2022-2023

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

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

Principal’s Corner

by Mr. Andrew Powell, EY-12 Principal

This week the campus has been especially busy as our Grade 5 students prepare for their culminating PYP Exhibition, while Grade 6-11 students engage in a variety of activities on and off campus as part of Week Without Walls. The progressive nature of the education provided to these groups of students is considerably different from that experienced by other students at schools in the Philippines. This approach places students at the center of the learning experience while offering them a safe and supportive environment that prepares them for life beyond the classroom.

The practical nature of many of the Week Without Walls activities have been purposefully planned. Our students have engaged with the wider community through a series of service-learning opportunities off-campus. They have also enjoyed working with a racing car mechanic to get a better understanding of how cars work, participated in First Aid sessions to ensure that they can respond to critical emergencies, engaged in self-defense c classes, and worked together on various campus beautification projects, including the development of a garden. Jewelry-making and watercolor painting classes were also provided as optional activities while a remarkable CIS dragon was sculpted from wood and stands proudly in the lobby of our building.

The Grade 5 PYP Exhibition (PYPx), while showcasing individual explorations into various real-world problems, was also an exciting opportunity for students to share how they have grown in their knowledge and understanding. Resilience has proven to be a quality that is vital to thriving in an ever-changing world and this has been on display as students have engaged in problem-solving-based learning, which has challenged them to explore and take risks in a positive and constructive manner. Listening to students proudly speak about their explorations into topics and connecting them to Sustainable Development Goals was a powerful experience for many community members.

Creativity and innovation sets successful entrepreneurs apart from their peers and we know that through the activities that we offer, our students are well-placed to embrace this mindset. Learning extends beyond simple rote memorization and test-taking. In the real world, when faced with challenges it is not a matter of providing the right answer, but rather a matter of assessing a situation and thinking creatively to consider a range of possible answers. We strive to encourage our students to embrace their imaginations and skill sets so that they may experiment and innovate.

As a school, we believe that we are uniquely positioned to address the challenges of educating children in an ever-changing world. As such, we focus on the needs of our students in relation to life beyond the classroom. To respond to these changing and challenging times our progressive approach to education creates an environment that is filled with learning opportunities, and ignites passion and innovation while fostering meaningful relationships and the ability to solve practical problems and challenges.

Upcoming events of note

• April 27-May 19: IBDP Exams
• May 1: Labor Day (Public Holiday)
• May 5, 1-3 pm: CIS Open Day (Contact Admissions for info)
• May 8 – 12: Arts Week
• May 9, 7:45 am: PTA planning meeting (save the date – more details to come next week!)
• May 19: School holiday
• June 2: Graduation Day (*Note adjusted date from previous calendar) 
• June 8: Last day of school & Moving up ceremonies (half day)

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

Elementary: Media Literacy

Mary Jean Cordova – Media Literacy Teacher 

In Media Literacy class, students have the opportunity to expand their learning, which helps them develop a deeper understanding of concepts. They were able to engage in activities aligned with their unit of inquiry, allowing them to apply the knowledge and skills they’ve learned in class.

As we wrapped up the recent unit under the transdisciplinary unit, Where We Are in Place and Time,  students in Kinder and Grade 1 were able to recognize how our choices today affect and influence our future as they looked into the problems of transportation. They were able to acknowledge the importance of having sustainable transportation. Additionally, the students also explored different forms of transportation. They learned about their impact on the environment, prompting them to think critically about how they can contribute to a more sustainable future. 

Students in Grades 2 to 4 did a novel study and looked into the adversities and challenges that the characters encountered throughout the story. They were able to develop their empathy and perspective-taking abilities as they put themselves in the characters’ shoes and considered the challenges they faced. They also explored the literary elements such as plot and characterization that provide them a greater appreciation for the art of storytelling and how authors use language to convey meaning and emotion.

As the Grade 5 students are wrapping up their PYP Exhibition, in this unit, they were able to apply the skills that we’ve learned from the previous units. They were able to practice their research and thinking skills as they evaluated the sources they found to support their inquiry. This unit provided the Grade 5 students an excellent opportunity to integrate their learning and apply their skills in real-life contexts.

Spanish Class

by Mr. Antonio Melgar, MYP/DP Spanish Teacher

Grades 8 and 9 really like to play, so for Spanish class, they created diverse board games to express their learning, realizations, and discoveries, according to their level of readiness, on the topic of the 3 Rs: recycle, reuse, repurpose. Here are some of the students’ comments in Spanish about the nature of these activities.

1. Pienso que los juegos son muy divertidos y tienen muchos información. Cuando hacer mi juego con mi compañeros, queremos un juego que agradable pero tienen informacion sabes la tema de polución. – N.V.
2. Hemos creado el juego por hablar y decir nuestras opiniones e ideas- me encantan las miniaturas, y por eso, sugerí a mis compañeros. Después, hemos mejorado el tema básico y hemos completado el juego. Me gustan mucho los juegos de la clase, creo que es muy divertido y los temas de reciclar, reducir y reutilizar son muy aparentes. – YC 
3. Creo que crear los juegos es muy divertido. Aprendí muchas palabras y gramática nuevas. Sé más sobre la planeta y como ayudar al planeta. – R.B.

Grade 11: Spanish Language B

This quarter students from Grade 11 Spanish B, are discussing the positive and negative aspects of globalization, and how this aspect impacts on each of our lives at diverse levels and degree. The students created essential open-ended questions to reflect on universal language and currency, our personal impact on pollution, capitalism versus indigenous communities, how media and entertainment changes our perspective and how important moral values are in a capitalist society. 

Below are some of the questions that students created questions and this coming week we will attempt to try to answer them.  They are proud to announce that their CAS collaboration with Museo de Cadiz in Spain is almost complete, so watch out for our next posting on how their contribution will looks like on the MdC website

WWW Reflection

by Gabby, Grade 10

WWW has been a very productive week. It was full of fun and new experiences. It was really enlightening. I learned a lot of new things, especially during the field trip. The Day trip was one of a kind. Through the trip, we were able to connect with and better grasp the experiences of local public school students and be more in touch with the reality of it all. I was able to experience and see the inequality of life. Through this experience I was able to think and reflect about my life, the environment I am used to, as well as how lucky I am to be living a stable life. Despite our differences, for instance, language, as a diverse community, we were able to get along with them and fully immerse ourselves in the process of both teaching and learning. It was a pleasure to see the children having fun and enjoying our presence. After the day trip, we spent the rest of the week getting involved in beautification and art projects such as making artificial coral reefs and jewelry making, learning survival skills such as basic first aid and leaving no trace on the environment. Through these activities, we were able to develop awareness of how we can make positive impacts on the environment and people around us. Overall, WWW was a joyful and meaningful learning experience.

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor Corner

Study in Japan

Two weeks ago, Mr. Freddy Mason from the Nagoya University of Commerce & Business shared some interesting data about studying in Japan. These slides were extracted from his original presentation with permission to publish.

Below is the average tuition cost per year depending on the type of university.  “Scholarships” may range from a one-off tuition discount of 10% up to 100% with room and board.

The figure below breaks down the cost distribution for a student to live and study in Japan and a cost comparison among different cities/prefectures.

Japanese University Consortium

To learn more about universities in Japan, visit the Japanese University Consortium website. The figure below shows the logos of all universities.

SAT UPDATE for 2022-2023

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

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

MHS Week Without Walls 2023

by Mr. Jon Denton, Assistant Principal-MYP

We in the Middle/High School are excited to share with you our plans for our upcoming Week Without Walls Experience on April 24-27. 

WWW23 was designed through a series of collaborative meetings between students and teachers. Student voice was a huge factor in selecting the type of activities we put together into a final schedule for our students. 

This year we have worked hard to include four key elements for students: 1) to develop new skills, 2) to participate in physically challenging activities, 3) to give back to the community, and 4) to engage in the arts. Specific outcomes for students include working collaboratively to gain essential skills and attributes for work and life such as resilience, problem-solving, team-working, communication, and drive. 

On-campus activities include beautification projects in and around the school as well as sports events, and workshops in the arts, mechanics, self-defense, scouting, and first aid. We have invited experts to campus to deliver some of these courses. All experts are required to meet our health protocols – fully vaccinated with 2 shots – and will wear a mask while working with our students. A particular highlight will be working on a group sculpture under the guidance of members from James Doran-Webb’s workshop. 

In addition to the on-campus activities, each grade level will participate in a day-long field trip to the Umapad Community in Mandaue City. The focus of this trip will be Learning Through Teaching. Students from CIS and UES will have the opportunity to learn from each other through sports, the arts, and environmental care. Also, for CAS experiences, our G10 and G11 students will take into account possible long-term collaboration between Umapad students and CIS students. These days’ events will all take place at Pahara Park, which is only a 3 to 4-minute walk from Umapad Elementary School. As for our safety protocol, both CIS and UES students will be required to wear a mask. 

If you have any questions before then, please do not hesitate to contact us. 

Congratulations to our 38 Grade 12s on completing two years of the challenging IB Diploma Programme! Today is their last day of regular classes and we wish them the best of luck as they prepare to sit for the IB exams.

They have shown hard work and dedication throughout this journey and we believe that they have what it takes to succeed. The skills they have gained during their IB DP journey will serve them well, and we wish them all the best in their future endeavors. Congratulations again Grade 12, and best of luck in the upcoming exams!

Elementary: Language Acquisition-English

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

In Language Acquisition-English classes, students engage in interactive learning opportunities that enable them to develop proficiency in the four language domains: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Students explored and learned new vocabulary words that are closely linked to their units of inquiry. Through these connections, they were able to understand subject-specific concepts and themes, build their overall vocabulary, and improve their comprehension.

Kinder & Grade 1

The KG1 students have been developing their reading, writing, and grammar skills through various activities. In their recent unit of inquiry, Sharing the Planet, students explored a variety of informational stories that related to their unit and examined the cause-and-effect relationships between individuals and their environment to support their reading comprehension. Through close analysis of these texts, students were able to gain a deeper understanding of how our actions impact the world around us.

In their grammar instruction, students focused on forming plural nouns, pronouns, possessive nouns and pronouns, and ensuring subject-verb agreement. They practiced through targeted exercises and participated in classroom discussions to gain a better understanding of how proper subject-verb agreement impacts a sentence’s meaning.

In writing, the KG1 students created a book using cause-and-effect stories. Students were able to exercise their creativity while also strengthening their writing skills. This activity encouraged them to think critically about how different actions can lead to specific outcomes.

They were able to organize their ideas and ensure that their writing made sense.

Grade 2/3

During their most recent unit, Where We Are in Place and Time, the Grade 2/3 students read autobiographies and biographies and gained an understanding of the key differences between these two genres to enhance their reading comprehension. Through close analysis of these texts, students examined the cause-and-effect relationships within biographies, exploring how specific events and circumstances can profoundly impact an individual’s life. 

As part of their grammar instruction, students focused on subject-verb agreement and simple verb tenses, particularly emphasizing the past tense of verbs. Through targeted practice exercises and classroom discussions, students developed a stronger understanding of how verbs change to indicate the past tense and how these changes impact sentences’ overall structure and meaning. 

To connect their reading to their writing, students actively engaged in creating timelines of their own lives and using these as foundations for writing their autobiographies. Through this process, students explored the various elements of narrative writing.

Applying their learning in a real-world context, the G2/3 students explored small moments and wrote about their experiences on their field trip at Adlawon Farm. As they shared stories about their experiences on the farm, students were able to apply their understanding of verb tenses, using the past tense to describe events during the trip.

Grade 4/5 

Throughout their last unit, Sharing the Planet, Grades 4 and 5 worked separately.  Grade 4 focused on Energy, while Grade 5 used the class time as an opportunity to receive additional support for their PYP exhibition. 

The Grade 4 students worked hard to develop their grammar and writing skills through a range of activities. As part of their grammar instruction, they revisited verb tenses and formed plural nouns. To connect their reading to their writing, the grade 4 students actively engaged in creating procedural writing pieces, specifically focusing on the topic of windmills. Through this process, students were to explore the various elements of procedural writing and nonfiction text features, developing a deeper understanding of how to communicate complex processes and concepts in a clear and simple way. 

The Grade 5 students, on the other hand, used their reading and research skills to gather information that they can use for their PYP exhibition. They revisited and employed the grammatical skills they previously learned in writing their paragraphs and essays related to their exhibition. 

Although they had different foci, there were still times when they were together to engage in different activities to develop their English language proficiency. One activity they did together was writing a narrative about their Adlawon field trip using small moments.  

Grade 11: Physics and Mathematics Analysis and Approaches SL

by Ms. Maria Rosandee Tabada, Physics and Mathematics Teacher

Introduction to the Expectations of Internal Assessment

Now that the Grade 11 students are in the last quarter of the school year, they are closely studying the expectations of the non-examined component of each course—the Internal Assessment (IA). The IA allows students to demonstrate the transfer of learning and, at the same time, pursue their interests without the limitations associated with written examinations.

The Grade 11 Mathematics AA SL class just completed a guided investigation on determining the optimum dimensions of a soft drink can. This formative task was a chance for students to use processes and interpret results that will be valuable when they work on their IA. The Math IA is an individual exploration that involves investigating an area of mathematics.

The Science IA is an investigation based on generated measurements or secondary data. To help students familiarize themselves with the expectations, the recent practical for Grade 11 Physics students was an investigation of factors that could affect the rate of evaporation. They collaboratively planned and conducted experiments based on their chosen independent variable.

Best of luck to the Grade 11s as they complete the first year of the IB Diploma Programme!

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor Corner

If you are in Grade 11 and planning to apply to university via the CommonApp, here are the essay prompts for next school year. The essay should be between 250 – 650 words.

Common App Essay Prompts for 2023 – 2024

1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
4. Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?
5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
7. Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

You may refer to Breaking Down all 7 Common App Essay Prompts for further details. 

Note: There are no college events scheduled next week since all students from Grade 6-11 will be in Week Without Walls.

SAT UPDATE for 2022-2023

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

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

Principal’s Corner

by Mr. Andrew Powell, EY-12 Principal

Parent engagement and involvement in learning is known to lead to improved outcomes for students of all ages. As a school CIS encourages parent engagement by building partnerships to connect learning at home and school. Schools and teachers with a partnership mindset can value and support learning at home by communicating effectively, building trust, and sharing information. This has the effect of building children’s confidence, motivation, capability, and competence as learners.

It has been wonderful to have a more open campus of late and the number of opportunities for parents to be able to be involved in their children’s learning has increased. Over the past five school days we have had parents join us to celebrate in a variety of ways.

Our Early Years parents and guardians were invited onto campus for a collaboration between Art, Music and PHE teachers. It included a number of performances as well as the opportunity for parents to view the very impressive garden that has been nurtured.

Our Grade 4 students have been learning about renewable energy and as part of this have engaged in an engineering component which had them move through the design process to build windmills that could successfully power the lights of a small house. Parents enjoyed the opportunity to hear about this process and also learn more about the nature of various renewable energy sources and how students believe they may be deployed to support humanity while recognising the impact on the environment.

Grade 10 showcased their Personal Projects this week. Parents were certainly impressed by the outcomes and appreciated the unique opportunities that students had in undertaking an independent exploration in an area of personal interest. While the outcomes were impressive, the way in which students spoke about the design cycle and the process of inquiry-action-reflection proved how powerful this engagement is in developing ATL skills such as critical and creative thinking as well as qualities such as persistence and resilience. Projects included fashion design, music composition, dance choreography, robotics, and computer design.

While the pandemic has naturally curtailed the level of parent involvement in on-campus activities over the past couple of years I would like to recognise the parents, particularly of our Senior class, who see their children move into the final week of classes before their final exams. Many families have been with the school for quite some time, and I know that their active involvement in their children’s education has supported their growth into the mature young adults that they are today.

To our Seniors, I wish you the very best as you prepare for your exams and trust that your final days on campus are filled with joy. I know that you are well prepared for the challenges that await you.

PYP Spanish Class

by Ms. Dina Melwani, PYP Spanish Teacher

KG and Grade 1

When teaching primary students a new language, puppets are an excellent motivator and encouragement. When a puppet is playing along, activities are much more enjoyable. To practice vocabulary related to clothing, for instance, the students played games like “What is the Puppet wearing?” Below shows how the students were able to describe what each of their puppets were wearing using the vocabulary already learned. When using puppets, there are countless varieties. Have fun incorporating the puppet into your class activities and watch as student engagement soars.

Grade 2 and 3

For students, learning new words is a constant task. Teachers are aware that when students are playing with other students, employing games is one of the strategies that might benefit the students. This method will therefore aid in the improvement of their vocabulary and social abilities. They will be urged to use the target language with assurance. Making students see images or activity is one technique to increase their capacity for learning. Here the students had to make puzzles of the topic on transportation and later name them in Spanish to review the vocabulary learned in class.

Grades 4 and 5 

Young students can be actively involved in the writing and storytelling process by creating comic strips. The Spanish students had the opportunity to brainstorm and create their own comic strips and complete with their own imagined storyline, characters, dialogue, and illustrations. As we are learning about traveling, the students created comic strips on their favorite holidays or trips they had experiences or would like to experience.

MYP Mandarin Class

by Ms. Elaine Jin, MYP Mandarin Teacher

The Qingming Festival (清明节Qīngmíng jié) is one of the most important traditional festivals in China. It falls on April 4th or 5th. In 2023, Qingming Festival falls on April 5th, when most Chinese people will enjoy a public holiday. Qingming Festival is also called Tomb Sweeping Day as it is the time for Chinese people to show respect to their ancestors by cleaning their ancestors’ tombs and placing offerings.

In the MYP classes, the students watched the video and learned the information about the Qingming Festival. They made connections with the similar holiday in the Philippines which is All Saints Day and All Souls Day. In each class the students made a few handcrafts to show their appreciation of the festival.

Grade 6/7 and Grade 10 菊花(Júhuā) chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemum has been cultivated in China for thousands of years, and has inspired literary authors throughout the country’s history. Grade 6/7 students used recycled box oil paintings to paint chrysanthemum. Grade 10 students used paper and iron sticks to make chrysanthemums with different colors. 

Grade 8/9 中国乡村（Zhōngguó xiāngcūn）Chinese Village

The Grade 8/9 students used clays, oil painting, etc. to draw a picture of a traditional house in a Chinese village. It is a  typical rural Chinese house with white walls and black tiles. Besides this, they also painted the unique scene of rural spring, green rice fields and yellow rapeseed flowers. Wicker is dotted in the sky, symbolizing the arrival of spring. Through this activity, students can learn more about the season of the Qingming festival while the weather becomes warm and the greens starts to show.

Grade 8/9 清明时节雨纷纷 （Qīngmíng shíjié yǔ fēnfēn）Tomb-sweeping Day rains

The Grade 8/9 students used their palms to draw the shape of mountains, and draw clouds and rain. This is a relatively common phenomenon during the Qingming Festival. There is an ancient Chinese poem “清明时节雨纷纷(Qīngmíng shíjié yǔ fēnfēn)”, which means that it often rains during the Qingming Festival. People go to the mountains to weed and worship their ancestors.

Grade 11 & 12: DP Mandarin Class

by: Ms. Zirong Chen, DP Mandarin Teacher

清明节, or as the Tomb-Sweeping Day in English, is one of the most important traditional festivals in China. It is the time for Chinese people to show respect to their ancestors by cleaning their ancestors’ tombs and placing offerings. Qingming (清明) in Chinese mean ‘clearness’ and ‘brightness’. It is the fifth of the 24 solar terms of the traditional Chinese solar calendar, marking the start of the warm weather of spring and the beginning of farm work. 

In Grade 11 and 12 Mandarin Ab Initio classes, students are introduced to this tradition and its related customs. Students also practiced traditional calligraphy for the first time. In its distinctive Chinese form, calligraphy offers an important channel for the appreciation of traditional culture and for arts education. 

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor Corner

CIS Education Forum 2023

Every two years, CIS hosts an Education Forum where our teachers share best teaching and learning practices with educators from all over Cebu.  Our last Educ Forum which was online last 2021 was attended by more than 200 educators nationwide.  On Friday April 21st, we will welcome more than a hundred educators from schools in Cebu.

College Events

DATE

April 18
Tuesday
9:15 – 10:00 AM
Canteen Annex
Link to sign up

EVENT

April 19
Wednesday
9:15 – 10:00 AM
Canteen Annex
Link to sign up

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

SAT Update for 2022-2023

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

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

Admin News

by Dr. Gwyn Underwood, Superintendent

A quick search on the topic will show that defining a school’s (or company’s) purpose has been well-established as being a critical factor for growth by serving to clarify to your customers/clients/members what you stand for. A well-thought-out guiding statement used well, can serve as a base, anchor, guide, inspiration for action, and strategic driver.

Over the past few months, we have had sessions with teachers, staff, CIS Board members, parents, and students, to consider what a purpose-driven school might look like. We have considered our current guiding statements (mission, vision, and core beliefs), and collaboratively developed proposed purpose statements that reflect what each stakeholder group thinks reflects CIS’s purpose. 

The next step in this guiding statement review process is for a task force to incorporate the major themes that have emerged into a draft CIS Purpose Statement, which can then be shared back to the community for final input, so it can be presented to the Board for approval by the end of the school year. Thank you to everyone for contributing to clarifying our purpose, so it can effectively drive CIS as a premium educational institution as we prepare to enter our pre-centennial year! 

Congratulations on making it to the end of our third quarter. We wish you a safe, joyful time with family and friends, and look forward to seeing you back on Tuesday, April 11th. 

Personal Project

by Mr. Jonathan Denton, MYP Coordinator

On behalf of the Grade 10 students, we invite you all to our first-ever CIS Personal Project Showcase. The event will be held for parents on Friday, April 14th from 7:45 – 9:00am. While our Grade 10 parents have a vested interest this is also an excellent opportunity for Grade 9 parents to see what awaits next year and for all other parents to see first-hand the wonderful things our students are capable of producing. 

The MYP personal project itself is an independent learning experience which allows students to consolidate and celebrate their learning. It serves as both the culmination of their MYP studies and as a stepping stone towards future academic work, and the DP core (International Baccalaureate Organization, 2021)

The Personal Project provides a unique opportunity for students to undertake an independent exploration into an area of personal interest. Through the process of INQUIRY-ACTION-REFLECTION, students are encouraged to demonstrate, develop and strengthen ATL skills such as critical and creative thinking, communication, research and self-management.  

The showcase has quickly established itself as an exciting part of CIS culture with students in younger grade levels already considering what their project product may look like. This will be CIS’s  fourth edition and first-ever face-to-face. 

We have a wide variety of projects to share with you including fashion design, artwork, film and photography, music composition and arrangement, crochet, a book nook, K-Pop choreography, Korean-fusion foods, computer design and a robot that solves the Rubick Cube! 

We hope to see you there!

Upcoming Open Day

Kinder & Grade 1 Class: Waste Management

by: Ms. Bebelin Tubilan and Ms. Tara Alagao, Kinder & Grade 1 Teacher

What would you do if you walked into your classroom seeing trash everywhere? This is what the Kinder and Grade 1 students experienced when we started our unit on Sharing the Planet. After seeing all the mess, we sat together and reflected on the situation using the See-Think-Me-We Visible Thinking Routine. 

Click on the photos below to see their routines in detail!

The students unlocked the waste management words as we inquired about the unit. To further understand waste, the students investigated what is inside the trash bins around the school. They discovered that most of the thrown waste is mixed up in one trash bin. They also noticed that the labels are faded, and the colors of the trash bins are also different from different places in the school. The Kinder and Grade 1 students invited Mr. Bill to discuss how CIS manages our waste. 

DP History

by Ms. Joy Pierra, History Teacher

Assessment is an essential component of both teaching and learning. Different assessments are given to support the DP’s curricular goals and encourage appropriate learning in students. The Paper 2 exam is one of the assessments given to both History SL and HL students. This exam is an essay paper based on the twelve (12) world history topics. Students answer two (2) questions, each selected from a different topic, and they’re given ninety (90) minutes to write their essay. This is a critical exam as it weighs 45% of the total IB grade for SL students and 25% for HL students (History Guide First Examinations 2020, n.d.).

How do students ace a Paper 2 exam?

Here are a few tips for successfully writing a Paper 2 essay from Mr. William Dobbie, an IB History teacher.

What are the challenges of writing Paper 2?

What advice would you give to those who will be taking Paper 2 exams in the future?

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor Corner

Question of the Week

Is the UCAS personal statement changing for the seniors next school year 2023-2024?

No. The UCAS personal statement will still remain as a 4000-character essay to convince university admissions one’s suitability for a chosen course for the seniors next school year. Here’s a worksheet that can help one write the statement. For the 2024-2025 cohort, more information will be provided once the official changes are published in the UCAS website. 

College Events

DATE

April 8
Saturday
2:00PM
​​Link to register
(a recording will be sent to all registrants)

EVENT

Ritsumeikan University (Japan) – Japan is an excellent place to be a student – did you know that many Japanese universities offer undergraduate degree programs instructed in English?  Did you know the average annual tuition fee for Japanese universities is less than 15,000 USD?  Attend this webinar to learn more about Ritsumeikan University.

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

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

SAT Update for 2022-2023

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

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

Principal’s Corner

by Mr. Andrew Powell, EY-12 Principal

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

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

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

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

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

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

MYP Personal Project Promo

Grade 4 Class

by Mr. Sten Coppin, Grade 4 Teacher

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

Biology Class

by Ms. Rebecca Devadoss, Biology Teacher

Grade 10: MYP Biology

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

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

Here are some of the presentations.

Click on the video links to watch two presentations.

Glow in the dark fish – by Gabrielle 

Ruby Puppy – by Fiana

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

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

Grade 11: DP Biology

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Grade 12: DP Biology

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

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

Health and fitness

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

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

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

Impact on environment

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

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

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

Plant growth factors

Impact of micronutrient, zinc on root mass. – Sophia

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

Effect of the photoperiodism on seed germination. – Lea

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

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

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

Dragon’s Print

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

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

The Dragon’s Report Card

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

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor Corner

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

DATE

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

EVENT

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

SAT Update for 2022-2023

Admin News

by Dr. Gwyn Underwood, Superintendent

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

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

Have an enjoyable, balanced long weekend from tomorrow!

Upcoming events of note

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

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

SEL in the PYP

by Ms. Evangeline Villagonzalo, Guidance Counselor

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

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

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

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

Helpful tips for parents:

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

Grade 12: Visual Arts Exhibition

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

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

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

Grade 8: MYP Individuals & Societies

by Mr. Damon Freeman, Individuals & Societies Teacher

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

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

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

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

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

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

Grade 6: Science Class

by Ms. Haydee Montero, Science Teacher

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dragon’s Print

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor Corner

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

College Events (Virtual and Face to Face)

DATE

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

EVENT

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

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

Writing a College Essay

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

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

List of participating institutions:

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

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

SAT Update for 2022-2023

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

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

Principal’s Corner

by Mr. Andrew Powell, EY-12 Principal

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

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

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

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

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

Philippine Language & Culture Class

by Ms. Freshal Abcede, PLC Teacher

Endemic Plants and Animals of the Philippines

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

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

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

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

MYP & DP Spanish

by Mr. Antonio Melgar, Spanish Teacher

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

CIS Students Enter 2023 Blue Ocean Student Entrepreneur Competition

by Ms. Emily Cornet, IB DP Coordinator

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

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

Here are the videos from our two groups:

Good luck in the next rounds of the competition!

CIS Touch Rugby

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

Dragon’s Print

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

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

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor Corner

Alumni Spotlight:

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

College Events (Virtual and Face to Face)

DATE

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

EVENT

How is your child supported through the College Application process?

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

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

Writing a College Essay

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

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

List of Participating Institutions

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

Nagoya University of Commerce & Business (Japan)

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

SAT Update for 2022-2023

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

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

Admin News

by Dr. Gwyn Underwood, Superintendent

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Upcoming events of note

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

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

The Grade 2 Biologists Learning Journey

by Grade 2 Students

Grade 3: Week Without Walls

by Ms. Katrina del Mar, Grade 3 Teacher

Disaster Response Training Camp

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

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

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

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

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

Grade 11 & 12 Pscyhology

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

Grade 12: Study and Revision

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

Some effective strategies the grade 12 psychology students recommend are:

Some takeaway tips from the grade 12 psychology students:

Grade 11:  Note-taking Strategies

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

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

Some suggestions for future grade 11 students included:

MYP Math 

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

Investigating Patterns

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

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

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

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

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

What did you learn from the mathematical discussion?

What mathematical concepts did you learn?

Reflections & Questions from Students

DP Math

by Mr. Daniel Monfre, DP Math Teacher

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

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

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

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

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor Corner

College Events (Virtual and Face to Face)

DATE

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

EVENTS

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

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

Writing a College Essay

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

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

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

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

SAT Update for 2022-2023

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

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