Newsflash: December 2, 2022

Principal’s Corner

by Mr. Andrew Powell, EY-12 Principal

It has been a busy first semester and much has been accomplished during that time. I have been extremely proud of the way in which our students have sustained their drive and commitment to their studies and After School Activities over the past few months. The whole-school production of Elf was simply incredible and I know that our student athletes were pleased to be able to resume their involvement in ISAC sports. The energy and engagement in classes  is commendable. Our students have one more busy week to work through until their well-deserved holiday break. I wish our students, particularly in Middle and High, the very best as they work on their final assessments for the semester.

December is typically a time of giving and our students have been engaged in an array of school and personal projects to support communities in need. This year’s Tree of Giving is one such example and the Student Council are thrilled that our community has been able to reach their proposed target. This will light up the lives of many.

While acts such as these make a positive difference to the lives of others it is important that we also consider the importance of giving to our students. We are a school that very much values service as an important way to engage in principled action. Research is often quoted that shows that the simple act of giving can be as rewarding as receiving. I certainly see this in the acts of kindness and respect that take place in our virtual classroom environments. In the context of the vulnerable communities that we support however, some have such critical needs that we need to consider the long-term implications of the dispositions we are fostering in our students rather than a short-term “feel good” reward.

 At CIS, our intentional commitment to service learning is such that over time our students are developing a greater awareness and a better understanding of communities’ contexts and our students’ responsibilities. We trust that our students will be the leaders of tomorrow, whether that be here in the Philippines or in various locations around the world. Providing them with a sense of duty, empowerment, and ability to influence and advocate others for the betterment of society and the environment is incredibly important.

I wish our students and families a positive final week of the semester.

Upcoming events of note

  • Dec. 3: CIS Tree of Giving
  • Dec. 11 – Jan. 2: Christmas Break/Sem. Break

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

Grade 3: How the World Works

by Ms. Katrina del Mar, Grade 3 Teacher

How does the world work? The Grade 3 researchers stepped outside the classroom and went on a nature walk to start answering this question. They felt the warm sun kiss their skin, saw the tall trees, and heard chirping birds. It was a world full of wonder.

Has the Earth always looked the same as it does now? No. After watching a timelapse video of photos taken by Google Earth in different places across the globe, the Grade 3s concluded that the Earth is changing year by year. They wondered what caused the change.

Source: Google, www.youtube.com

What causes the changes to our physical environment? To answer their question, the Grade 3s conducted a short research project and presented the information they gathered to the class. They found that natural phenomena such as earthquakes, typhoons, and landslides, among others, can change the Earth’s surface.

Typhoon Simulation
Earthquake Simulation

How does our understanding of our physical environment affect our lives? The effects of natural phenomena on the Earth can sometimes be disastrous. The Grade 3 students saw the need to prepare by performing drills and making posters to inform people about safety tips before, during, and after a natural phenomenon. 

What will the Earth look like in the future? Although natural phenomena cause changes to the Earth, they found that human activities change our world too. Some activities can bring positive effects, some can bring negative ones. The Grade 3 global citizens conclude that the answer to this question can in part be up to us.

Grade 7: Making Mathematical Connections

by Mr. Dan Monfre, Math Teacher

One of the most important aspects of teaching mathematics is to show students how that math can connect to their lives outside of the classroom. Luckily for our students at CIS, the IB program makes this a key component at all levels of the IB continuum. This can look different at each grade level but the concept of bringing mathematical connections into everyday life remains the same. In grade 7 students have been working on balancing expressions and solving equations. This concept is often one of the first times students are exposed to abstract math. Now that we have learned the basics of solving abstract equations we have been applying these skills to word problems using real-world examples to make the abstract more concrete. For the summative of this unit students are working on writing mathematical story books, where each page contains a new word problem. The grade 10 students have taken their equation solving to the quadratic level. They have been looking into how to graph and transform parabolas by identifying roots and key components of the function. To bring these concepts into the real world students found parabolic shapes in the real world and plotted parabolic curves to match the images as shown below.

ELF The Musical

by Ms. Stefanny Hermias, Production Director

Elf The Musical was a product of three months of rehearsals and hard work put in by the students in Elementary and Middle/High School. A big THANK YOU to all the teachers and staff who worked behind the scenes.  Huge kudos to the cast and crew for giving us an amazing musical stage play on Friday, November 25, 2022.

Here are a few reflections and comments from the cast:

This year’s production had to be one of our most hectic, beautifully chaotic pieces. Not to undermine previous works, but this three hour production was done in under three months and while it wasn’t perfect, it was a miracle in and of itself. It was an arduous challenge. Through the whole process we were practicing, chafing under the grueling time frame and demanding script, but it all paid off in the end. We had our fun, we had our time in the limelight, and everyone from the cast and crew gave it all up for the show. It was an experience that wasn’t all too dissimilar from previous years, but this being the first year after the pandemic with a proper in person production, it feels so much better. What an amazing show, an amazing feat, and congratulations to everyone. 

Zeke

The production this year was very challenging for me, especially since it was my first time getting a big role in a play. At first I was regretting my choice to be in production since I never really sung in front of many people alone, but now I couldn’t be happier with my decision. I met so many new people and in the end I knew everyone’s hard work paid off. 

Chloe

Despite the difficult process that we had to undergo before presenting, I would say that the production was a lot of fun to participate in. Some of the highlights were talking to people in the production that I had not talked too much before, along with eating meals with my friends that participated too. I would definitely recommend participating in the production, as it brings a lot of new experiences and memories to look back on, and I saw that it was also a way to hang out and share experiences with the friends I had. 

Kasey

I really enjoyed working with other grades and meeting new amazing people to work with during production. I’ve learned a lot about theatre. The practice lessons were so draining but so fun at the same time. I was happy to learn more about myself by joining production and the final show was really rewarding to watch. It was nice learning how to act like a different character and memorizing different dances and lines. I enjoy and thank everyone I worked with for this pleasant experience.

M

“Elf the Musical” was a very big achievement for me. After all the practices we’ve done it has been a journey to see me in the spotlight performing. I have always dreamt of performing in a musical production. It was a dream come true! Honestly, being in production wasn’t so easy! I was crying in tears of joy because I’ve seen my parents how proud they were. I love the cast and the crew and I will be surely missing them! But overall, it was a very fantastic experience as a first time to play in person. 

Thea

College/Careers Counselor Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor Corner

College Events (Virtual and Face to Face)

DATE

December 3
Saturday
7:30 – 9:30 PM
Link to register

EVENT

Worldwide Webi Fair: A Virtual College Fair that allows you to explore over 30 institutions from 6 countries.

December 6
Tuesday
9:15 – 10:00 AM
Media Center Conference room

Alumni Chat:  Chantal Elise Schmidt (Class of 2019) – Miss Universe Cebu City representative for 2022, will talk about “Work-Study Balance while in College”.  Chantal is one of the 40 under 40 exemplary individuals. She was selected due to her advocacy for mental health.

“I personally do not believe in settling for one advocacy,” she said. “The very core of being an activist is extending your help to anyone, anywhere. However, while I am very vocal about animal welfare and the emancipation of women, I am mostly recognized for my work regarding suicide prevention. Upon concluding my Miss Universe Philippines journey, I received an influx of messages from hundreds of people, not just Cebuanos.”

December 6
Tuesday
6:00 PM
Link to register

Studying in the UK – Imperial College London and University of St. Andrews (UK): You are invited to join a talk on studying in the UK by two of its best, and very different, universities – Imperial College London and the University of St Andrews. They will cover  the differences between the English and Scottish university system to help you find the best fit when considering the UK as a study destination. You’ll also hear from current students in a live Q&A to  find out all about their student experience.

December 7
Wednesday
10:00 AM
Link to register

University of Southern California Summer Programs Virtual Info Session: The session will highlight the benefits of attending USC Summer Programs, dive into our USC Summer experience, and discuss application best practices and common mistakes.

December 8
Thursday
10:00 PM
Link to register

Virtual Study in Netherlands Fair – Meet up online with representatives of Dutch higher education institutions. Learn more about the English-taught study programmes they are offering. Drop by the virtual booths to have a chat. 

Participating institutions:

Note: College visits will resume in January so students can focus on end of semester assessments.

SAT UPDATE for 2022-2023

2022–23 School Year Test Dates

SAT Test Date Deadline for Registration, Changes and Regular Cancellation
March 11, 2023 (Digital) February 24, 2023
May 6, 2023 (Digital) April 21, 2023
June 3, 2023 (Digital) May 19, 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.

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