Newsflash: August 20, 2021

CIS Parent Coffee Morning

CIS Corporation Info

Principal’s Corner

by Mr. Andrew Powell, EY-Grade 12 Principal

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MYP Personal Project

by Mr. Jonathan Denton, Assistant Principal-MYP

Grade 2 Class

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

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

Congratulations!

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor

Tip of the Week:

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

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

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

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

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

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

DATE

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

August 25
Wednesday
5:00 PM PHT

August 25
Wednesday
8:00PM

EVENT

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

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

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

SAT Update

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

The Optional SAT Essay and Subject Tests have been discontinued.

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