Admin Note
As we finish up our first term, I would like to congratulate all of our students for focusing and making progress thus far this school year, and thank you as parents for the support you provide to our students on a daily basis.
Today happens to be World Teacher’s Day, so it is good timing to also thank our wonderful, caring teachers for all that they do.
Have a safe, rejuvenating October break, and see you all back on October 14. Keep in mind we then only have ONE WEEK before our much anticipated annual International Fair Day (Saturday Oct 19)!
Regards
Dr. Gwyn Underwood, Superintendent
Language Week
by Elaine Jin, Mandarin Teacher
CIS prides itself on being a multicultural and multilingual school. To celebrate the different languages we use, we want to promote a language week full of activities. During the week of October 14-18, we will learn to speak a few words in different languages. To honor our host city and country, we will learn some Cebuano on Monday. That will be followed by Spanish on Tuesday, Mandarin on Wednesday, Korean on Thursday and Japanese on Friday.
This activity is open to Kindergarten to Grade 12 students. Each day, students are going to scan a QR code for one language (please see the sample attached QR code). They will look at the video and practice eight sentences. During the ES and MHS lunch times, the students will go to the canteen annex to say these sentences to our judges (please see the poster for the judges for each day). If the students are able to say the sentences correctly, they will win a stamp for their homeroom class. After five days, we will calculate and find the homerooms in ES and MHS which have the highest percentage of stamps.
The winning homeroom class will be awarded one uniform-free day! (Students still need to follow the dress code to be respectful!)
Please join our language week and let’s learn to speak in different languages.
World Language
Grade 10 PE Class
by Students of Grade 10
During PE class, we have been learning about a type of exercise called HIIT. It stands for High Interval Intensity Training. We, Chae Eun and Deandra, have taught the class an example of one. We had 10 types of exercises for this whole workout. We placed mats on the floor so that everyone would not get hurt when their classmates worked out. For each exercises, there are 3 reps. One rep would be done 5 times with a resting interval of 5 seconds. Between each exercise, there would be a 10-second interval. It started with exercises that focused on the glutes, then their thighs, then their core areas. We made this our work out because we did not want the class to be so exhausted since we are still starting this unit. We were supposed to make the class do 15 exercises for each rep, but we changed it to 5. We had to do this work out for two cycles, but there wasn’t enough time during class. We chose to focus on these areas of the body because we need that the most. We want to improve those parts of our body. After doing the HIIT, to make sure that no one would get muscle pain, we added a cool-down session. As seen in the picture, we let them stretch their muscles. This part was not intense as it is supposed to relax the stressed muscles.
Ask the Counselor
by Jenny Basa, College/Careers Counselor/Alumni Liaison
1) What is the Common App and which universities are linked to the Common App?
The Common Application (Common App) is a platform for an undergraduate college admission application that applicants may use to apply to more than 800 member colleges and universities in 49 states and the District of Columbia, as well as in Canada, China, and many European countries. All applications are submitted electronically which includes document submissions like transcripts and recommendations.
2) What is the advantage of using the Common App, which universities are members and what are the Common App Essay Prompts?
The Common App saves time and effort in completing multiple college applications. It cuts down paperwork and cost of mailing application documents since all submissions are electronic.
The list of member universities globally are found in this link. You may access the CommonApp Essay Prompts here.
3) What is the difference between the IB Diploma, IB Certificates and the CIS HS Diploma?
The IB Diploma is a qualification awarded by the IB after studying the curriculum for 2 years and culminating in external examinations in May in the final year of high school. To earn the IB Diploma, one has to take 3 Higher level subjects and 3 Standard level subjects and fulfill the core requirements in Theory of Knowledge (TOK), Extended Essay (EE) and Creativity, Activity & Service (CAS).
Taking IB Certificates means a student takes the IB exams for specific subjects. They can choose a minimum of one subject (any level) up to 6 subjects. Most US universities do not require the IB Diploma for admission but students earn credit with their HL certificates if their marks range from 5 to 7. The IB credit scale for universities in the US is dependent on the institution.
The CIS HS Diploma is earned by all students who complete the school’s graduation requirements. This basically means studying 6 subjects (with the option to take all SL if desired) and sitting internal exams at the end of the year set by their subject teachers. Students also need to fulfill the TOK, EE and CAS requirements to earn this diploma. The CIS Diploma is equivalent to a North American HS Diploma. Due to our WASC (Western Association of Schools & Colleges) and CIS (Council of International Schools) accreditation, the CIS Diploma is recognized by major universities abroad. If a student is a graduate of an accredited school, they usually waive the English Proficiency requirement and a student is eligible to apply for admission.
Creativity Action Service (CAS)
This event has made me realize the intensity of the issue regarding waste disposal. I noticed that the residents living within Punta Engaño did not have a proper waste management system. There were no garbage bins present in site for the residents to properly dispose of their trash. As a result, much of the trash produced ended up scattered around the houses and on the beach. By participating in this event, I was able to provide a positive example to the residents of Punta Engaño about the importance of waste management. This event has allowed many organizations to spread awareness, especially to children, about how they can learn to keep their areas clean. – Denise
Dragon’s Print
Dragon’s Print is composed of members from different year levels and interests, but one thing we can all agree on is that we love food! Last Friday, some members visited Sugbo Mercado, an open-air food market in IT Park. We had a great time exploring Sugbo and getting to know each other, but did all the dishes live up to our standards? Read our review at http://dragonsprint.cis.edu.ph/
House Activities Day
It has officially been one week since HAD 1! The first House Activities Day of the school year was met with positivity and excitement.
Students (and teachers too!) engaged in sports, indoor games, and various activities and the four houses competed for the overall first place—finally won by Molave. 100 points for school spirit!
