Newsflash: December 3, 2021

Principal’s Corner

by Mr. Andrew Powell, EY-Grade 12 Principal

It has been an incredibly 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 extra-curricular activities over the past few months. The energy and engagement in classes and during our virtual assemblies 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.

A number of our staff are truly world leaders in the development and provision of sustained service-learning activities. I look forward to our ongoing commitment to fostering these opportunities.

Early Years 2/3

by Ms. Mary Jean Cordova, Early Years Teacher

In the Early Years, we explored how people connected to us like our family and friends shaped our community. We looked into the things we like and our roles. Being in different roles, we realized that we also have different responsibilities to our family and friends.  We have concluded that our number one responsibility to make everyone happy is to be a good boy by listening to our parents and siblings. As we are nearing the end of our unit Who We Are, we begin to reflect on how these things shaped who we are as a community and look into ways to show respect to each other’s differences.

In our homeroom class, we started our “Book of the Day,” where we can share our books with our teachers and friends. Our young learners initiated this activity in class as they love to share our books at home.  Every day, we will share at least one book, do picture reading or ask our parents/tutors to read the chosen book in class.

For our math, we practiced our numbers by recognizing the numerical symbol and matching the quantity it represents in our activities.  We had our young learners write the numbers 1-10 on each cup, then place the number of popsicles sticks in each cup. We also had another activity where we matched the numbers on the cups. We counted the number of dots in each circle drawn on paper and then matched them to the numerical symbol written underneath the cups. Our young learners can count and recognize numbers from 1-10. 

Grade 6: Mathematics

by Ms. Maria Victoria Bacus, Grade 6 Mathematics Teacher

Honoring the Grade 6 Students’ Hard work with a Celebration!

Middle School mathematics focused on the world of statistics this quarter.

The Grade 6 students classified and represented information that is gathered from a variety of sources as they explore the global context of Identities and Relationships.

They were introduced to the subject-specific terminologies; and here are some of the brainstorming sessions we had on Mentimeter and Padlet.

Guidance Counselor’s Corner

by Ms. Vangie Villagonzalo, Guidance Counselor

SEL Tip for the Week

Practicing gratitude. Appreciating things, events, and people. 

With the end of the first semester swiftly approaching and the pressure of preparing for the assessments mounting, it is important that we embrace traits that focus not only on building characters; Learner Profile (LP) traits of being balanced, open-minded, and the like are vital, but traits about making a life are equally essential. With this in mind, we would like to share thoughts on being grateful ~ the power of gratitude. The word gratitude comes from the Latin word gratia, which means grace, graciousness, or gratefulness. Gratitude is the quality of being thankful and showing appreciation and kindness. Many studies show that having gratitude leads to greater happiness. From boosting your moods and lowering your stress, the power of gratitude is real. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, persevere through challenges, and build stronger relationships.  

As the holidays are approaching and the year 2021 is about to end, this is the best time for us to look back and reflect on the things we are thankful for. Together with Ms. Claudette, we gathered some thoughts from our elementary students on what they are grateful for.

The Dragon’s Report Card Podcast

College/Careers Counselor’s Corner

by Ms. Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor 

Tip for the Week:

A lot of students ask the difference between a BA and a BS.  Some universities have IBDP subject specific requirements for BA and BS courses.  Check out the basic differences between the two courses of study.

DATE

December 9
Thursday
8:00 PM (PHT)
Link to register

EVENT

NYU Shanghai: Talk to current students and learn about NYU Shanghai from a more relatable perspective.

December 10
Thursday
8:00 PM (PHT)
Link to register

University of Westminster Debate Series: How can social enterprise, business and civil society embrace Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) post COP26*?

Discussion Agenda: We will explore what the United Nation Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) mean for social enterprise, business and civil society. Our panel will discuss case studies within an applied, real-world context of where these goals have been integrated into the strategies of businesses of different sizes. Our panellists will also reflect on how the Glasgow Climate Summit, COP26, will impact on businesses and help shape the net zero transition.

*The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, more commonly referred to as COP26

December 14
Tuesday
6:00 PM (CST)
Link to register

The University of Chicago:Join a UChicago Admissions Counselor for a live virtual information session covering the college admissions process, essay writing, recommendations, scholarships and financial aid, academic programs, extracurricular activities, and campus life.

December 15
Wednesday
6:00 PM PHT

IÉSEG School of Management: Did you know that you can study in English in France? Want to learn more about IÉSEG’s
Bachelor in International Business?

SAT Update

Please refer to this link for the safety requirements.

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.