Newsflash: August 16, 2024

Elementary Principal News

Ms. Maureen Juanson, Elementary School Principal, PYP Coordinator, & Accreditation Officer

Student Leadership at CIS

Last Friday, the Middle and High School (MHS) Executive Student Council led a high-energy whole school assembly to kick off the new academic year. This event ignited school spirit and set an enthusiastic tone for the year ahead, uniting the entire CIS community in anticipation of the exciting activities and initiatives to come.

This week, leadership opportunities extended to our youngest students as the Elementary School (ES) held elections for class representatives. These newly elected leaders will form the ES Student Council, tasked with being the voice of their peers, promoting positive communication, and initiating inclusive projects that ensure every student feels valued and safe. The ES Student Council will also play a key role in raising awareness of the school’s purpose, while modeling the IB Learner Profile and the Five Respects, which are essential components of our school culture.

Simultaneously, MHS students are electing House Captains who will serve as leaders during House Activities Days (HADs) and assist in planning these spirited events. In addition to their roles in HADs, House Captains will contribute to the broader student council efforts, including school activity planning and committee work.

CIS continues to foster leadership through various avenues, including student-led after-school activities, service initiatives, and outdoor education programs. These opportunities are designed to develop the teamwork and leadership skills essential for our students’ growth.

At CIS, we are committed to empowering lifelong learners in a caring environment that promotes intercultural understanding and respect. Together, we adapt, innovate, and proactively contribute to a changing world, embodying our core beliefs and living out our mission each day.

We look forward to a year of growth, learning, and leadership as our students rise to meet the challenges and opportunities ahead.

Upcoming events of note

• Aug 7-31: CIS Literacy Month
• Mon, Aug 19: ASAs Start
• Fri, Aug 23: No School (Public Holiday)
• Mon, Aug. 26: No School (Public Holiday)
• Thu, Aug. 29: PTA Coffee Morning (7:30 am) – Welcome to the PTA!

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

MHS Principal News

by Mr. Ben Martin, Middle & High School Principal

ManageBac to School at the MHS!

Welcome back to school! A big congratulations to our executive Student Council on a very engaging first assembly! This week Mr. Ace and a few CAS students also kicked off our After School Activities Fair and the Media Center was buzzing with excitement with the beginning of Literacy Awareness Month.

As we start the year, it is important to remember that while we use Google Workspace (including Google Classroom, Drive, Mail, and other programs) for daily tasks at the MHS, much of our learning platform needs can be found on ManageBac .

Cebu International School adopted the ManageBac platform at the beginning of the 2021 academic year and MHS families were given full access to their child’s learning at the beginning of the 2023 academic year.

At the MHS, our educators use ManageBac for most of the planning, assessing, and tracking of student learning. Our students are expected to log into ManagBac everyday to see their calendar, learning units, and gradebooks. With ManageBac, our families also now have a holistic view of their child’s learning. Whatever we are looking for at the MHS can usually be found on ManageBac!

We (thanks Ms. Julie Sykes!)  have created a simple, informative document for our families to better understand and better use ManageBac to view their child’s learning. Click here to view this document!

As we begin this school, please make sure that you are aware of how to log into ManageBac to follow your child’s learning journey. Using ManageBac, help them plan and prepare for upcoming tasks and reflect on their performance. If you have any questions on how to best view this platform, don’t hesitate to contact us.

Grade 5 Class

by Mrs. Aimee Underwood,  Asst. PYP Coordinator / Grade 5 Co-Homeroom Teacher and Ms. MJ Cordova, Grade 5 Co-Homeroom Teacher / Media Literacy Teacher

As we start this new school year, our Elementary School has been inspired by the message from the picture book You Will Do Great Things. This theme is more than just a story—it’s a belief that every child has the potential to achieve remarkable things. How do we help every student realize this potential, both in the classroom and as part of our larger school community?

Dreaming Big in Grade 5
To kick off the year, our Grade 5 class delved into You Will Do Great Things, sparking conversations about their hopes and aspirations. Each student reflected on what they want to achieve, both personally and as a class. These discussions helped students identify shared goals, setting the stage for a year of collaboration and growth.

Aligning Goals with Our Core Beliefs
Next, students explored how their personal goals align with our school’s new CIS Purpose Statement and updated Core Beliefs. After immediately nodding and identifying with the statements, they discussed what each belief would look like, sound like, and feel like in their daily lives. In the process, they practiced fostering a culture of collaboration, active listening, and mutual respect.

From these discussions, students also identified specific actions they could take to embody these beliefs every day. For example, they explored strategies and tools to overcome challenges and learn to collaborate effectively (see our article on Approaching The Learning Pit with IB Learner Profile Attributes). This ensured that students moved from understanding to action, making these values a living part of our classroom culture.

From Reflection to Action: Creating Our Essential Agreement
Finally, the actions identified during these discussions naturally led to the creation of our Grade 5 Essential Agreement. This is more than just a list of rules—it’s a living document that reflects our class’s values and goals, crafted through the collaborative efforts of the students themselves. By taking ownership of this agreement, students have a vital role in shaping the environment in which they learn and grow.

Building Leadership and Community
As the year progresses, our Grade 5 students will continue to explore what it means to work together toward common goals. They’re discovering that leadership is not just about taking charge but about empowering the entire group to move forward. This understanding is central to our first unit of inquiry under the theme “How We Organize Ourselves,” where students will investigate different systems of governance and how communities address human needs, rights, and responsibilities. These explorations are essential for their growth as global citizens.

A School-Wide Commitment to Growth
While these activities are specific to our Grade 5 class, the principles and goals we’re working toward reflect a larger, school-wide commitment to fostering growth, collaboration, and meaningful achievement. 

We invite the entire school community—parents, teachers, and students alike—to reflect on how these principles can apply to your daily lives. How might you actively contribute to living out our Purpose Statement and Core Beliefs in your own classroom, home, or workplace? What concrete steps will you take to embody these values in your interactions and decisions? Together, we can make this a year of significant growth and accomplishment. We’re excited to see how we can all work together to achieve great things!

College & Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College Counselor

World University Fair

To all Parents:

If you are interested in attending the Cebu World University Fair on Friday Sept 13 at 8:30-11:30am in CIS, please register here.

Class of 1994 celebrates 30th Year Reunion

The Class of 1994 reunited for a weekend of fun and reminiscing about their CIS days with their families.

SAT Update

SAT 2024-2025 Test Dates

August 2024–June 2025 SAT Registration Is Now Open

*Additional Fees apply

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.