Admin News
by Dr. Gwyn Underwood, Superintendent
Reflecting Back to Move Forward
As we approach the last full week of our school year, it’s the perfect time for reflection, which is an essential element of the learning journey.
Being reflective is one of the ten IB Learner Profile attributes that outline what we want all of our learners to strive to be. This involves more than just looking back. It is giving thoughtful consideration to your learning and experiences, and considering what we can improve on moving forward.
Throughout this school year, our students have had numerous opportunities to learn about, develop, and demonstrate the IB Learner Profile attributes—from Inquirers exploring real-world questions to Principled individuals standing up for what’s right in class or on the playground. These attributes aren’t just about academics. They shape the kind of people our students are becoming!
Dear reader, we invite you to join our students in meaningful reflection by asking yourselves these questions:
- What am I most proud of this year?
- Which Learner Profile attribute have I developed the most? (Refer to the graphic for the list of all 10 attributes!)
- What challenges did I face, and how did I grow from them?
- What goal can I set for next year as a learner and as a person?
As you think deeply and purposefully on your answers, can you see that learning is not just about learning content knowledge? It also includes learning about a range of academic, social, and personal skills.
We invite families to share reflections at home. Share with your child your successes and challenges, and how you grew from them. Ask your child which Learner Profile traits they saw in themselves this year, and which ones they hope to strengthen next year. Their answers might surprise and inspire you!
Keeping in mind that the Learner Profile is often characterized as the IB mission statement in action, let’s use reflection to identify areas we are grateful for, and areas that could help us by developing further over the summer break and into next year. This habit of acting on what we learn from reflection is more than a skill—it’s a mindset for lifelong learning.
Class of 2025 University Acceptances
Congratulations to the Class of 2025! 🎓
Our recent graduates have been accepted into a wide range of universities and colleges around the world. We are very proud of them as their hard work as IB DP students have paid off!
Take a look at the full list of acceptances and see where their next chapters will begin.
Upcoming events of note
- Fri, Jun 6: Classes held (Public holiday: Eid Al Adha – compensatory holiday on June 30)
- Sat, Jun 7: CIS Centenary Gala
- Wed, Jun 11: Last day of School / Moving Up Ceremonies (am only)
- Jun 16 – 27: CIS Summer School Activities
- Tue, Aug 5: New Family Orientation Day – 1-3pm
- Wed, Aug 6: Holiday (Cebu Provincial Charter Day)
- Thu, Aug 7: Classes Start, Semester 1
Please refer to the CIS Event Calendar for the complete calendar of school events.
Dear CIS Community,
You are invited to the CIS Centennial Gala Dinner!
We are delighted to invite you and your family to a very special occasion — the Cebu International School Centennial Gala, as we celebrate 100 years of learning, leadership, and community.
This milestone is a proud moment for all of us, and we look forward to gathering with our students, parents, alumni, faculty, and friends to honor our school’s rich history and bright future. The evening will feature meaningful reflections, entertainment, and opportunities to connect with the wider CIS family.
Event Details:
Date: June 7, 2025 Saturday
Time: 6:00 PM
Venue: Oakridge Pavilion
Attire: Business Formal
Gala seats are priced at Php 2,500 per adult and Php 1,250 for children aged 5 to 11. Children below 5 years old may attend for free. Kindly indicate in the comments if you are purchasing a ticket for a child
We warmly encourage you to be part of this historic celebration. Your presence will make this milestone even more meaningful for our community.
Kindly RSVP through this link.
We look forward to celebrating this unforgettable evening with you.
Alumni News
by Ms. Jenny Basa, College Counselor, Admissions Manager, and Alumni Liaison
For next week’s Centennial Gala, we are proud to honor the following CIS alumni for their outstanding achievements and contributions as part of the Cebu International School community over the years.
We hope to see you all there to celebrate 100 years of CIS. Everyone who is part of the CIS community is welcome to attend!
CIS Summer Activities & Sports Programs 2025
We are back again with fun and exciting Summer Activities and Sports Programs this June 16-27, 2025!
Open to everyone, whether you’re from CIS or other schools. Join us for 2 weeks of creative, fun, and active learning on campus.
Registration form: https://go.cis.edu.ph/summer
More information: https://go.cis.edu.ph/summer-info
Elementary: Philippine Language and Culture Grade 4/5
by: Ms. Janelle Dorothy Belono-ac, Philippine Language and Culture Teacher
The Grade 4 and 5 students have been developing their research and thinking skills as they explore the unit under the transdisciplinary theme “Who We Are,” focusing on the purpose and evolution of Philippine celebrations and festivities.
Grade 4 students kicked off the unit with a surprise provocation: Welcome aboard PLC Airways! As the “flight” took off, students enjoyed an in-flight game inspired by the playful contests on Cebu Pacific. In true airline fashion, they participated in a special version of See-Think-Wonder. Each group received a mysterious suitcase containing clues and artifacts from one of the following Filipino celebrations: Sinulog Festival, Panagbenga Festival, T’nalak Festival, Christmas in the Philippines, and Birthdays in the Philippines.
Inside each suitcase were vibrant cultural hints—colorful fabrics, traditional decorations, masks, photos, and more. Students worked together to observe the items, discuss what they might represent, and share their ideas and questions. This fun and engaging start sparked their curiosity and set the stage for a deeper inquiry into the meaning and significance of Filipino celebrations.
To extend their thinking, students added questions and ideas to a Wonder Wall, making their curiosity visible. They also used the K-W-L visible thinking routine to identify what they already Know, what they Want to know, and what they eventually Learned by the end of the unit.
Meanwhile, Grade 5 students began their inquiry with an interactive provocation called “Can You Guess the Word?” Using riddles and clues, students discovered that their new unit would also focus on Filipino celebrations and fiestas.
They then responded to prompts on Padlet, such as: “What comes to your mind when you hear the word celebration or fiesta?” and “What Philippine festivals do you already know?”
To deepen their inquiry, both Grade 4 and 5 students engaged in a Chalk Talk routine to explore key vocabulary such as migration, technology, globalization, and modernization—important factors that have influenced how Philippine celebrations have changed over time. Using Seesaw, students compared the Sinulog Festival: Then vs. Now, examining how traditions and practices have evolved through time.
In preparation for their summative task, students are now designing their own cultural booths for the upcoming Festival of Festivals. Their challenge? To reimagine and transform an existing Filipino festival into an inclusive celebration that fosters cultural appreciation and understanding within our international school community.
Through these rich learning experiences and engaging provocations, students are strengthening their Approaches to Learning (ATL) skills in meaningful ways. Visible thinking routines such as See-Think-Wonder, K-W-L, and Chalk Talk, along with digital tools like Padlet and Seesaw, have helped students organize their thoughts, ask deeper questions, and connect ideas. These routines supported the development of research skills through the analysis of clues and discussions, while enhancing thinking skills through observation, inference, and reflection. Collaborative group tasks nurtured social skills, as students listened, shared, and built on each other’s ideas. The various presentations, digital responses, and group sharing activities also strengthened their communication skills.
Experiences like these not only deepen students’ understanding of Filipino celebrations and how they have evolved, but also empower them to become thoughtful, curious, and collaborative learners with a growing appreciation for Filipino culture.
MYP Music Class
by Ms. Marie Briones, MYP Music Teacher
The Final Strains of Baroque: Grade 6 Students Perform Vivaldi as MYP’s Musical Journey Comes to a Close
As part of their inquiry into how music reflects the identity of a time and place, Grade 6 music students explored the Baroque period through a performance-based study of Largo from Vivaldi’s Winter. In this unit, they were challenged to apply fingerstyle techniques on the ukulele to interpret key Baroque stylistic features such as precise rhythmic patterns, arpeggios, contrast, ornamentation, and expressive phrasing.
Fingerstyle was chosen intentionally for its ability to reflect the clarity and detail of Baroque plucked instruments like the lute and to mimic the sound of the harpsichord. This technique helped students bring out the intricate melodic and harmonic qualities typical of the era.
To support their learning, students used information literacy skills to research the historical and musical context of the Baroque period. They explored how composers like Vivaldi used music to express the identity of their time, allowing them to make more informed and purposeful performance choices.
Students also reflected on the strategies they used to develop their skills, the challenges they encountered, and how they overcame them.
This unit culminates in a Criterion C summative assessment, where students will perform the piece on the ukulele. Their interpretations will demonstrate not only technical ability, but also a nuanced understanding of genre identity and historical context—hallmarks of MYP Arts learning. Students are making meaningful connections between historical context, personal expression, and technical skill, reminding us that even a centuries-old composition can speak clearly through the voice of a modern learner.
Soundtracks of Identity: G9/10 Music Shaping Messages in Media Project
This term, Grade 9 and 10 students in the MYP Music engaged in a thought-provoking unit that explored how music can shape stories and influence perspectives. Centered around the Statement of Inquiry — Music in films, media, and campaigns serve as a tool for communication, shaping narratives and influencing audiences by reflecting and expressing personal and cultural identities — the unit encouraged students to think critically about how sound and message intertwine in public media.
Students examined how musical choices impact the way messages are interpreted across different media platforms—whether in advertising, film, or protest movements. Through guided inquiry and real-world case studies, they analyzed the role of genre, culture, and context in musical storytelling.
As their culminating summative assessment, students created an original piece of media—such as a protest song, a music-driven ad campaign, or a scored film scene—that used music to communicate a message of their choice. The work challenged them to present a clear artistic intention and develop their ideas using relevant musical tools and strategies.
One group, for example, developed a video campaign to promote the identity and community spirit of CIS (Cebu International School). Their artistic intention was to use music to showcase the diverse and vibrant student body. The team explained,
“Our music choice can shape the emotion and message our piece is trying to share, which is all about promoting CIS and its community. To do this, the emotion aimed to show is happiness and energetic songs. As an example, an energetic song like ‘I Love Cebu’ can help reinforce joyful moods.”
Their video blended joyful footage of campus life with upbeat, culturally resonant music to communicate a celebratory message of belonging, unity, and positivity.
Throughout the unit, students not only learned how to create meaningful media—they also learned to evaluate it. They explored how music can subtly influence emotions, reinforce bias, and carry cultural meaning depending on its use and context. These skills helped them become more aware, reflective, and ethical artists and consumers of media.
The unit concluded with a class showcase where students presented their final creations, articulated their artistic intentions, and reflected on how their musical choices supported their messages. It was a celebration not just of sound—but of student voice.
SAT Update
SAT Registration Is Now Open
| Test Dates | Registration Deadlines | Deadline for Changes, Regular Cancellation and Late Registration Deadlines* |
| June 7, 2025 | May 22, 2025 | May 27, 2025 |
*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.
