Admin News
by Dr. Gwyn Underwood, Superintendent
With just four weeks remaining in the 2023/24 school year, many of you are likely thinking about the upcoming changes in your lives. Teachers are wrapping up the academic year, students are getting ready to advance a grade or graduate, and some families are preparing to leave CIS and Cebu. During this transitional period, it’s important to acknowledge the impact these changes can have on us and our families. I’d like to share an adapted article that I find particularly useful at this time of year, to help us all prepare for what’s ahead.
Building your transition RAFT
David Pollock and Ruth Van Reken1 outline the transition process as a normal process that uses the following associated feelings:
As we navigate transitions, it’s crucial to address the emotions involved to manage any related stress effectively. Unaddressed, these emotions can lead to an unhappy transition and poor reintegration into new environments. This is especially true for students, as it can significantly impact 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 goodbyes to people, places, pets, and possessions that have mattered to you. Take lots of pictures. Take the time to say culturally appropriate goodbyes. 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.
These last few weeks will pass quickly. 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:
Third Culture Kids: The experience of growing up among worlds by David C. Pollock and Ruth E. Van Reken
Adapted from: http://theirrationalseason.blogspot.com/2008/04/raft.html
Raft Photo: Joshua Earle on Unsplash.com
Upcoming events of note
- Apr 24 – May 16: IBDP Exams
- May 11: Touch Rugby Tournament
- May 18-19 & May 25-26: MFC x CIS Friendship Cup
- May 23: Last day of ASAs (After School Activities)
- May 24: G12 Graduation (no classes in PM)
- May 28: Parent Coffee Morning (last meeting for SY)
- June 6: Moving-Up Ceremonies (students on half day) / Last day of School
- June 10-21: Summer School Activities
Please refer to the CIS Event Calendar for the complete calendar of school events.
CIS is offering on-campus Summer Activities and Sports Programs for 2 weeks this June! Our programs are open to everyone.
📅 Dates: June 10-21, 2024
📍 Location: Cebu International School, Pit-os
➡️ Registration form: https://go.cis.edu.ph/summer2024
Have fun while learning new skills and making new friends in a safe and nurturing environment!
ℹ️ More information: https://go.cis.edu.ph/summer2024info
Kinder/Grade 1A Class
by Ms. Tara B. Alagao, K/G1A Homeroom Teacher
Moving and Grooving with Storytelling!
Have you ever tried telling a story with more than just words? Our Kindergarten and Grade 1 students are discovering the magic of using music and movement to bring stories to life! Last week, they began an exciting journey to explore how music and movement can be used to tell stories.
We kicked things off by encouraging our budding storytellers to unleash their creative thinking skills. Students had the chance to share different ways they like to express themselves.
To get their bodies and minds moving, we set up a series of interactive stations that explored the wonderful connection between music and movement. The students then reflected on and shared how these various activities made them feel.
Through these engaging activities, our young storytellers are developing their understanding of how music and movement can be used to tell stories. We also introduced the concept of interpretation. Through fun games, lively music, and engaging stories, we’ve been practicing different ways to interpret stories.
The excitement is building as our young learners are now taking their first steps towards creating their own stories. We can’t wait to share the amazing stories our Kindergarten and Grade 1 students create through music and movement!
Grade 11: Physics
by Ms. Maria Rosandee Tabada, IBDP Physics and Mathematics Teacher
This fourth quarter, Grade 11 Physics students completed a practice Internal Assessment (IA) investigation on the thermal properties of coffee and tea. The goal is to allow students to select variables and design a method to investigate the relationship. This practical experience should help students prepare for the formal Internal Assessment (IA) in Grade 12.
The opportunity to conduct a practice IA will help students further develop essential scientific investigation skills. There was an emphasis on conducting pre-trials to refine their approaches so they are efficient and produce minimal waste. Thus, students understood that being open to adapting their plans based on the limitations of their method is a crucial aspect of the scientific process.
Student reflections on what they should keep in mind when working on the IA next school year are as follows:
After completing the practice IA, I will try to minimize uncertainty and keep in mind that the experiment will be smooth by clearly presenting the plan for the experiment. Also, during the experiment, I learned that it should be conducted with focus to reduce mistakes as much as possible.
The three things that I should keep in mind are to have a clear research question, minimize sources of error in the procedure, and conduct thorough data analysis.
I will have to make sure that I have controlled every variable so I can truly isolate the dependent and independent variables and create the most accurate data I possibly can in the lab. Another thing I will have to keep in mind is already setting up the theory and calculation process before doing the experiment so that I am familiar with everything. Lastly, just enjoy the process, as experiments are fun and curiosity-feeding. At the end of the IA, I will for sure have learned something.
The first thing I realized is that preliminary research is very important. Often, applying something that you learned in class to real life is not that straightforward; there are many other factors that you must consider in your experimental design and theory. Secondly, collecting data can be very time-consuming, so it’s good to prepare beforehand if you can. For example, my experiment involved tea of different concentrations, and I could’ve finished my data collection in just one session if I’d prepared the tea in advance. Finally, it’s also good to familiarize yourself with the lab apparatus before deciding what to do so you know how easy or hard it would be to do it.
College & Careers Counselor Corner
by Ms. Jenny Basa, College Counselor
DATE
May 11, 2024
Saturday
8:30AM – 7:00 PM
Golden Prince Hotel
Facebook Link for more details on the event.
EVENT
CHEF: Cebu Higher Education Fair 2024
Are you interested in going to Europe for university?The fair is a new initiative of France, Germany, Italy, Spain, together with the European Union in the Philippines. We’ll be organizing panel talks and information booths from these EU countries to raise awareness of the academic opportunities and funding options that the EU has to offer to young students, researchers, and academicians.
There will be a panel talk at 4:30 p.m. on the theme
“International cooperation as the Gateway to Endless Opportunities: Student Mobility,Research Cooperation and University Partnerships”
Careers and Employability in a Post-Pandemic AI-Driven World
The world is changing rapidly, and in an AI-driven world, many jobs of the 20th Century will not exist by 2025. Students and parents are invited to join Professor Shanton Chang to learn how the University of Melbourne applies future focused thinking to its curriculum design ensuring that along with opportunities outside of the classroom, graduates are highly sought after by employers and prepared for a career in the 21st century.
SAT Update
2023–24 School Year Test Dates
Test Date | Deadline for Registration, Changes and Regular Cancellation |
May 4, 2024 | April 19, 2024 |
June 1, 2024 | May 16, 2024 |
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.
SAT 2024-2025 Test Dates
August 2024–June 2025 SAT Registration Is Now Open
Test Dates | Registration Deadlines | Late Registration Deadlines* |
August 24,2024 | August 9, 2024 | August 13, 2024 |
October 5, 2024 | September 20, 2024 | September 24, 2024 |
November 2, 2024 | October 18, 2024 | October 22, 2024 |
December 7, 2024 | November 22, 2024 | November 26, 2024 |
March 8, 2025 | February 21, 2025 | February 25, 2025 |
May 3, 2025 | April 18, 2025 | April 22, 2025 |
June 7, 2025 | May 22, 2025 | May 27, 2025 |
*Additional Fees apply
[…] read it yet, please take the time to review the transition “RAFT” introduced in the May 10th Newsflash. Using the concepts of RAFT can help both adults and students approach upcoming transitions […]