Newsflash: April 22, 2022

Admin News

by Dr. Gwyn Underwood, Superintendent

It was great to see many of our Grade 12 students walking around with big smiles on campus yesterday. Why, you may ask? Because after two challenging years, yesterday was their last day of official classes! We will officially recognize their achievements in their official graduation ceremony on May 27, so for now, let’s offer a well-earned congratulations!

As we approach the end of the school year, we are all faced with various levels of pending change. Students and teachers are finishing up their school year and some families are preparing to leave, so there are upcoming changes to face. 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 have shared before but will do so again as it is directly applicable to consider at this time of the year.

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 good-byes to people, places, pets, and possessions that have mattered to you. Take lots of pictures. Take the time to say culturally appropriate good-byes. 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.

As we move into our last 2 weeks, 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:

Upcoming events of note

April 26:  Parent Coffee Meeting 9-10 am run by the CIS PTA

Agenda:

  • online store directions and action plans
  • welcome pack and guide for incoming parents

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

Grade 12 Farewell

Our Grade 12 students celebrated their final day of classes on Thursday April 21st. Congratulations to our graduating class – we wish you luck in your future endeavors!

Elementary: Physical & Health Education

by Mr. Jaydil Hermias, PHE Teacher

Early Years

As we begin our face-to-face classes, EY students are focusing on improving their motor skills, balance, and coordination. They have been playing noodle tag games, pickleball racket games and different obstacle courses.

KG/Grade 1

PHE classes in Kinder and Grade One have been participating in several sports and activities which were not being covered during our remote learning sessions. Everyone in class was active and engaged in playing games such as tag games, fun ball games, race relays, racket games and dodgeball.

Grades 2 & 3

“Tubig-tubig”, monster ball and dodgeball were one of the favorite games for Grade 2 and 3 students. These games have helped them improve some of the body components like endurance and agility.  Focus, cooperation, teamwork and coordination were also developed in the games they played. 

Grades 4 & 5

Grade 4 students are quite busy participating in different fields of PHE. They have been practicing their badminton skills such as the proper way of serving and handling the racket. Students are also learning the basic rules of the badminton game. They had the chance to participate in their favorite games like dodgeball and noodle tag games. Currently, our Grade 5 students are preparing for their PYPX opening and closing performances. All of them are already excited to share these to everyone in CIS.

Grade 9: Math

by Ms. Maria Victoria Bacus, MYP/DP Math Teacher

Exploration allows us to discover the unknown

The Theorem of Pythagoras

Grade 9 Mathematics students are currently learning about the world of Trigonometry, as the name might suggest is all about triangles. In this unit, students will explore mathematical relationships which will allow people to calculate what they can’t measure.

To explore the rule discovered by the Greek mathematician, Pythagoras, students completed an investigation regarding the relationships between the sides of the triangles.

Here are some students’ answers shared on the Padlet:

Figure 1 (Investigation) – Pythagoras’ Theorem

Figure 2 (Problem-Solving) – Taco Truck by Desmos

In this particular Desmos activity, students encounter situations that they may experience in real life- taking a shortcut to save time. They then utilized the Pythagorean theorem as a tool to solve problems involving diagonal distances. They reviewed their prior knowledge on speed, rearranging formulas and manipulating equations, to determine the best path to a taco truck from a spot on the beach.

Here are some students’ work on their Desmos activity:

Here are some students’ Main Takeaway:  (shared on mentimeter.com)

Grade 11: IB Psychology

by Mr. Michael Stewart, Psychology Teacher

As part of our Unit on the Cognitive Approach to Psychology, Grade 11 IB Psychology students have been learning about and researching cognitive biases. Cognitive biases are predictable, systematic errors in judgment that arise from the way our minds process and organize information – we are all susceptible to them, regardless of background, age, education level, and so forth. To find out more about cognitive biases, please check out these short documentaries created by the students:

Alumni News

Alya Laplana from the Class of 2020 was recently featured in the ANC (ABS-CBN News Channel) morning news to talk about Habilin, an organization with the goal of creating an education revolution in the Philippines.

We are proud of our graduates for going out and making a change in the world!

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor Corner

The Digital SAT

Last Saturday, April 16th, CIS participated in a pilot test study for the Digital SAT.

Here are some FAQ’s about the Digital SAT taken from the College Board website

We are making a full transition to digital, so once we begin administering the SAT Suite digitally we will no longer offer a paper and pencil version of the tests. Though we will continue to support students who test with accommodations that require a paper and pencil test. Starting in March 2023, all students taking the SAT at international test centers will take the digital test.

Students will be able to register for the first digital SAT administrations at international test centers starting in Fall 2022.  More information about registration and administration dates will be published later this year.

Students will bring their own devices using a custom-built digital application which they will download prior to the test date.  The proctors will be giving them an exam code that they will input on the day of the test day so they can start the test.

Students will practice for the digital SAT using Official SAT Practice on Khan Academy. Students can receive free practice—anytime, anywhere. Digital SAT practice material will be added to Official SAT Practice in fall 2022. At that time, we’ll also have full-length practice tests available in the exam application. These full-length practice tests will be adaptive so students can get the full digital SAT experience while practicing. We’ll share more information about practice resources this summer.

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

DATE
April 25-26
April 30, May 2-3
May 7, 9, 10

Glion Institute of Higher Education (Switzerland)
Masterclass 1: Discover the New World of Luxury (Link to register)
Masterclass 2:  Event Management: Creating a Memorable Experience (Link to register)
Masterclass 3:  The Art of Leadership and Multicultural Team Management (Link to register)

Admissions Office

SAT Update

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.

2021-2022 TEST DATES* Registration Deadline
May 7, 2022 April 8, 2022
*The Optional SAT Essay and Subject Tests have been discontinued. 
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