ISSUE 2 | APRIL 2022
Spotlights A MONTHLY CELEBRATION OF THE CIS COMMUNITY
WHAT'S INSIDE Field trips • Grade 12 Visual Design Exhibit • Fastelavn • Team Peru Talent Show • and so much more...!
For any queries, please contact dani.bell@cis.dk
Contents 4
WELCOME TO SPOTLIGHTS A welcome note and introduction to this month's edition
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FIELD TRIP SPOTLIGHT See where our students have been this month
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CLUB SPOTLIGHT Here's what some of our student-led clubs have been doing this month
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CURRICULUM SPOTLIGHT See what our students have been doing as part of their IB learning this month
25
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT Meet some of the faces behind the scenes at CIS
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EVENT SPOTLIGHT Take a look at the school activities from across the month
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STUDENT LIFE SPOTLIGHT See this month's after-school activities including sports, music and more.
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SUSTAINABILITY SPOTLIGHT See snippets of our sustainability in action.
A glimpse of March at CIS Welcome to the second issue of Spotlights! It's been a wonderfully busy month both on and off campus here at CIS. From basketball tournaments to art exhibits and talent shows: March has been a real hive of activity. In this issue you'll be able to dive into some of the highlights of the month - I hope you enjoy reading about the events as much as I've enjoyed writing about them! As ever, if you have any questions, comments or feedback, please do reach out any time.
Dani Bell Head of Community Relations
OUT AND ABOUT
Field trip spotlight This month our students have been exploring everything from architecture to producing art for real-world clients at Copenhagen zoo. Here's just some of the things they got up to.
Grade 1 looks for signs of Spring This month, teacher Ashlyn Salisbury took our Grade 1s to Østre Anlæg Park for a spot of learning in action. Here's how the day went, in Ashlyn's words... As part of our inquiry into cycles, Grade 1 took a trip to the park to look for the first visible signs of spring. We will return to the same place a few weeks later to notice how things have changed. We saw baby swans, squirrels, people walking, flowers blooming, buds forming and a lot of bird song. Working in groups, students took photos of all the signs of spring they could find. When returning back to school, we printed out many of the pictures taken and students worked to place the photos into the cycle. For example, if they chose a photo of a budding flower, they placed the bud in the cycle and added the rest of the cycle. What a wonderful way to put student learning into practice - thank you for sharing, Ashlyn!
Grade 6 trip to Copenhagen Zoo Grade 6 is currently working on a Surface Design unit and learning to cut out stencils to create screen prints. The screen prints will be printed on tote bags and t-shirts as a mode of communication. Best of all, their client for the current project is Copenhagen Zoo, who the students went out to visit this month in preparation for their final designs. Students went to the zoo to visit their facilities and had a workshop on understanding the philosophy of the Copenhagen zoo and its unique breading program and how it's supporting the sustainability of certain species across the globe. Students took lots of photos of animals and created mood boards which helped them to generate designs for their t-shirt designs. This project is now entering an exciting next phase. The famous Welsh Screen Printing Artist Sarah Hopkins will now work with all sections of grade 6 students to create original hand-crafted screen print Designs. We hope to send images of the screen prints to the Copenhagen zoo with the hope of building a greater partnership for our Design students for the next year.
Grade 6 took a trip to Copenhagen Zoo this month to work on a realworld art commission... watch this space!
LEARNING
Curriculum spotlight Take a look at some of the wonderful things our students have been doing as part of their IB curriculum at CIS
Grade 12 Visual Art Exhibition Om March 22nd, the CIS Theatre transformed into a wonderful exhibition space, showcasing all of the incredible work that our Grade 12 students have produced. We know that sometimes we may be biased when we say that our students are really outstanding, but truly, our Grade 12 Visual Arts students are such a talented group of young individuals, as we all got to see at this year's DP Visual Art Exhibit. The school was treated to a series of highly thought provoking and skilfully executed collections, covering everything from architecture in Ukraine through to bodies and womanhood. It was a moving and inspiring event; one that really showcased just how deeply our DP students think about the areas of enquiry that they choose to explore. Thank you so much to all the students who exhibited their work, and bravo!
My moral code project Continuing the focus on one’s values and being a supportive community, this month a collection of Grade 7 artwork went up in the area across from reception. The pieces express students’ personal moral codes and core values. Students were asked at the end of their World Religions unit to consider which values are most important to them, and which experiences in their lives helped to make those values an integral part of who they are and/or want to be. They then adapted those values into a moral code and were invited to share their expression of that code in any way they wished. Make sure to check it out when you’re next on campus!
Grade 8 Product Design Pitches Working on solving real-world challenges is an integral part of the learning experience at CIS. Here's one example of that in action. Read on to see how our Grade 8 Product Design Students have been tasked with designing a solution to combat noise in the library. As it is in a central location within the school, there is often background noise that leaks into the library, so our students were given the opportunity to put everything they have learnt about sound absorbing materials into practice, and design products that could fix this noise issue. Here are some pictures of students presenting their final designs to Librarian Urania Beyer.
I’ve been so impressed with how many different approaches the students have taken to fulfil the brief! It’s been so brilliant working with them on this, and the final design pitches have been so great… it will be hard to pick! - Librarian Urania Beyer
Tips to Speak Danish - a PYP Personal Project Showcase by Theodor Meister-Paustian and Noah Madsen A vast majority of our CIS community don’t speak Danish as their first language. This can make it a struggle to navigate around the city. As part of their 5th grade PYP Exhibition, students Theodor Meister-Paustian and Noah Madsen would like to help our school community to use basic Danish phrases. Undskyld, jeg forstår ikke hvad du siger. Vil du sige det på engelsk? (Sorry, I don't understand what you're saying. Do you want to say it in English?) Det er svært for mig at forstå Dansk. Vil du sige det langsommere? (It is difficult for me to understand Danish, I am still quite new to the language. Do you want to say it slower?) Undskyld, må jeg spørge om noget. Jeg har ikke boet i Danmark i ret lang tid så ved du hvor…………er henne? (Sorry, can I ask you something? I haven’t lived in Denmark for so long so do you know where ………… is?) Tusind tak. (Thank you very much.) Må jeg bede om…….(May I ask for.) Tak for mad (Thank you for the meal.) Vil du hjælpe mig med……..(Can you help me with.) Hvor (Where) / Hvordan (How) / Hvorfor (Why) / Hvornår (When)
Tips to Speak Danish - a PYP Personal Project Showcase by Theodor Meister-Paustian and Noah Madsen Funny phrases in Danish Danish: Jeg ejer ikke en reje. Worldly English translation: I don’t even own a shrimp. Meaning: I don’t have anything - I’m broke. Danish: Den skal du længere ud på landet med. Worldly English translation: You have to go further out on the country with that. Meaning: I can’t believe that. Danish: Have rotter på loftet Wordly English translation: To have rats in the attic. Meaning: You're kind of crazy. Danish: Tage nogen ved næsen. Wordly English translation: Take someone by the nose. Meaning: You cheat someone into thinking something that isn’t actually true. Danish: Sælg ikke skindet, før bjørnen er skudt. Worldly English translation: Don’t sell the fur until the bear is shot. Meaning: Should not promise anything until the foundation is in order. Danish: Tabe hovedet. Wordly English translation: Lose your head. Meaning: To do something that isn’t so smart.
EVENTS
Event spotlight Here's a look at just some of the special events that have been taking place around campus this month
Fastelavn celebrations In Denmark, there is a tradition called Fastelavn that is celebrated seven weeks before Easter Day every year. Here's how we got into the Fastelavn spirit on campus...
Fastelavn is a carnival of sorts, where children dress up in costumes. Fastelavn is an old tradition and has deep cultural roots. It is based on the Roman Catholic tradition of celebrating the days before Lent. At Fastelavn, kids “knock the cat out of the barrel” with a bat. Or in Danish, "Slå katten af tønden". In the old times, a black cat was literally put in a barrel as a symbol of evil and beaten to death. This was done to ward off evil. Poor cat! Thankfully, nowadays, the barrel is filled with candy instead. When the children knock the barrel, they compete to become “Cat Queen” and “Cat King”. "Cat Queen" is the one who knocks the bottom off the barrel so that the candy comes out, while the person who becomes "Cat King" is the one who knocks the last remaining board off the barrel.
Some wonderful pictures of our students dressing up and celebrating Fastelavn on campus!
Panel event to empower young women on campus This month, The Above and Beyond Group organized a panel discussion, as part of their Lead The Future initiative, for 11th Grade, which aimed to empower young women to take leadership positions in their future careers. The panel opened with a presentation regarding the gender-split within the labor market, highlighting the importance of gender equality in leadership careers. The students had an opportunity to ask questions throughout the event as the panel shared their experience and advice on speaking up and following your passions. Thank you to our incredible panelists; Ifeoma Okpala, Marie Jacobsen, Jennifer Ruscelle, and Lone Mortensen, for inspiring our students and encouraging thoughtful discussions. Also, a huge thank you to Above and Beyond Group for organizing this amazing opportunity for students! Our students are now ready to lead the future!
World Down Syndrome Day 2022 This month marked World Down Syndrome Day. In Primary, teachers used the Morning Meeting to talk about Down Syndrome, and everyone was encouraged to wear their funkiest socks for the occasion.
One of our student's parents came in to give a presentation on Down syndrome inspired by the student questions that were collected last week. It was a beautiful day full of colour and great conversations across campus. Thanks to everyone for making it such a great day for us all! In case you are wondering, the idea for #LotsOfSocks was created because chromosomes are shaped “like socks” and people with Down syndrome have an extra chromosome. It's a global day that is celebrated on the 21st March each year, (the 3rd month of the year) was selected to signify the uniqueness of the triplication of the 21st chromosome which causes Down syndrome
CLUBS
Club spotlight Take a look at some of the wonderful things our school clubs have organised this month for the wider CIS community
Student-led Gender and Inclusion Talks On Wednesday 9th March, the RSJU and GSA leaders came to speak with Grades 6-8. Leveraging the power of student voice and role modelling, these interactive discussions focused on topics including discrimination, racial slurs, homophobia, and ableist narratives, and why such commentary is not ok, and how can be more supportive of one another! Many thanks to our student leaders Roumpini, Anwita, William B, Isabelle, Nour, Liv B and Iona for taking the time to lead these conversations!
Team Peru talent show! This month Team Peru students organized a Talent Showcase to raise funds for the Mama Cocha center in northern Peru, which Team Peru has supported substantially over the past years. Over 140 students, teachers and CIS families attended the event and raised over 7000kr, which will go to directly to supporting the families in northern Peru, who have been hit hard by one of the longest and strictest Coronavirus lockdowns in the world. Team Peru students organized the talent, logistics and catering for the event, donating not just time but also their impressive baking skills for the intermission snacks! 12 wonderful performers from Grade 4 to Grade 12 took part in the showcase, with singing, instrumental performances, contemporary dance, skits and a performance by some incredibly talented secondary teachers!
GSA Panel Event - how to be an inclusive parent After many COVID-related delays, this month, the Gender and Sexuality Alliance (the GSA) were finally able to host their much awaited panel event "How to be an inclusive parent". Here is how it went, in organiser Audrey Ivester's own words. The event was a discussion panel of CIS parents and staff, including Kristine Siegel, Catarina Correia, Rob Caranahan, and our school counselor, Isolde Wanegard (who has a degree in sexology). Roumpini and I were student moderators for the event, and we posed questions to our panel speakers on inclusive parenting, LGBTQ+ awareness, coming out, and more. Our objectives for the event were to educate interested parents in the CIS community on how they can bring more LGBTQ+ inclusion into their household, and to give parents a forum to ask other knowledgeable parents specific questions. Roumpini and I are both very satisfied with how the event went, and we received lots of positive feedback from the attendees! Because Roumpini and I are graduating soon, we are transitioning the leadership to the DP1 students, so that's mostly what we are working on now, but we also have a few projects in the works such as our school-wide LGBTQ+ support network.
If you were unable to attend, you can find many resources as well as LGBTQ+ media suggestions for all ages on our website.
PEOPLE
Community spotlight Turn the page to meet some of the wonderful people from around the CIS community.
Staff Spotlight - Meet CIS' librarian, Urania Name: Urania Beyer Title: Secondary School Librarian Years at CIS: 20 years in July Nationality: Brazilian (Hometown: Salvador, Bahia (NE Brazil) and a Danish citizen since 2015 Hi, Urania! Can you tell us a little about yourself? I was originally trained as an architect in Brazil, and worked as one for 6 years before I decided I wanted to try something completely new. That's how I got a job working as a library assistant in an international school in Brazil. I thought it was really fun working with the students, teachers and collections! I also found it exciting because I was a part of the process of digitalizing the library. My boss at the time encouraged me to go for a Masters in Library & Information Science to add to my degree in Architecture, so I could work as a librarian.
Since Brazil didn't have such a Masters, I moved to the US and got my degree at Louisiana State University, and then returned to Brazil to the same school and started as the Head Librarian. After two years, I thought it was time to explore. I was inspired by the international school environment, so I went to a job fair in London and that's where I was interviewed and got the job at CIS in 2002. So I moved to Denmark and a year later met my Danish husband. Together, we have a 15 year old son and a Westie terrier. Many people ask me how I can live in cold Denmark after being raised in Brazil, and although it's true I could go to the beach nearly any day of the year in Brazil, I appreciate having four different seasons here in Denmark, and I also appreciate the safety.
Staff Spotlight Wow! and can you tell us about your role at CIS? The role has developed a lot in the last 20 years. Essentially my job is the administration of the library, teaching, and selection of the books and electronic resources. I'm also involved in research and testing of resources, and I collaborate with teachers on teaching information literacy skills and some reading encouragement activities. For example, teaching students how to find and evaluate relevant information that they can use for projects, and how to use the resources from our library, the public library and the Royal Library resources. Tell us about your favourite part of working at CIS It's the contact with the students. I also have some nice colleagues. :) I like where I sit because I can see the students come and go and it's a nice familiar feeling. I enjoy having the opportunity to help them, and I like to see the light come on in their eyes when they learn something new!
I like where I sit because I can see the students come and go and it's a nice familiar feeling. I enjoy having the opportunity to help them, and I like to see the light come on in their eyes when they learn something new!
Parent Spotlight This month we are delighted to introduce you to Hiroko Hirase, who has two sons currently at CIS. Dive in to find out more! Hi Hirase! Firstly, can you tell us: where did you grow up? I grew up mainly in Japan. So I think I am very Japanese in spirit, for better or worse. However, my first education, Kinder & First year of Primary, was in South Africa, and I see this experience as having a great influence on my personality development in a positive way. And, how many years have you been living Danishly? It is already the end of fourth years since we came to Denmark. Time flies, doesn't it? My Danish hasn't improved much, but I manage to get on in English with Google Translate in my hand.
How many children do you have at CIS and what grades are they in? I have two sons in CIS. They were accepted without being able to speak everyday English, and with the full support from many teachers, friends and
their
parents,
they
are
still
surviving at G12 and G9. I am deeply grateful that my sons, who looked so anxious four years ago, are now able to live their lives with a reasonably good expression on their faces. What surprised you most about Denmark? II take my hat off to Denmark's welldeveloped digital infrastructure. I am also surprised that Denmark is a cashfree society. I haven't touched cash in my daily life for all these years.
Parent Spotlight Important question: what’s your favourite pastry? I love Danish sourdough bread. I am happy just to eat it with butter. It has a taste that you don't find in Japan and I tend to eat too much of it. Since I came to Denmark, my weight has increased every year and my clothes don't fit anymore, so now I’m trying to lose weight! Where’s your favourite place to go when the sun is shining? After COVID restrictions have been removed, I've been walking in the park with my family to soak up the sun as much as I can, but these days the sun feels dazzling, which makes me feel I've been in Denmark for a long time. What does being at CIS mean to you? Like my sons, I struggled to survive day to day in an unfamiliar English-speaking environment. Now my children don't need as much help from me, CIS is a place where I am accepted for who I am. I can meet parents from all over the world and even practice my English! Ha ha! A place to have fun for me!
Now my children don't need as much help from me, CIS is a place where I am accepted for who I am. I can meet parents from all over the world and even practice my English!
Parent Spotlight What’s one piece of advice you’d give to anyone coming to Denmark? First of all, that Denmark is a safe place to live in all way! This is very important for me! However, in winter, when you don't get to see the sun for long periods of time and the sideways wind and rain can make you mentally weak, I recommend bringing an adult version of Andersen translated into your own language so you can chew on the happiness of having a roof over your head and the warmth of home with a book of Andersen in your hand. And lastly, just for fun: What’s a phrase from your language that might seem odd to others, and what does it mean? For example, in Danish they say "Det er ingen ko på isen", which loosely translates to "no problem". There is a saying: No problem! In Japanese we say 'Saiou ga uma'. It is a Japanese proverb that was passed down from China. The old man's (Saiou’s) horse (uma) ran away from a man and he returned with another horse that was superior. But then, the old man's child fell off that horse and broke his leg, but it saved his life by allowing him to escape military service. The proverb is used to mean that 'misfortune and happiness cannot be predicted', and there is nothing to be wasted in what we experience in life. As long as we're alive, we'll be fine! No problem!
Celebrating St Patrick's Day 17th March saw us celebrate our wonderful Irish community on campus!
One of the most wonderful parts of being home to such a vibrant international community is the array of national days and customs that we can share with one another. This is exactly what happened on St Patrick's Day this year, when parent Dan McGuigan, father of Francis, Maeve and Patrick, came in to share about St. Patrick's Day with our Grade 3 class.
EXTRA CURRICULAR
Student life spotlight Here are just some of the things our students and staff have been doing on campus when the school day ends
NECIS Tournament 2022 NECIS, or Northwest European Council of International Schools Sports Council was founded in 1980 by three schools, whose goal was to organize inter-school tournaments in basketball, soccer and volleyball. Since then, NECIS has grown into an organization that boasts eleven member schools from seven different countries located in northwest Europe, of which CIS is one!
This month, we were lucky enough to host the U14 basketball tournament. The whole school was a hive of excitement and activity. Games were played throughout the day for a whole week, and the corridors were alive with the sounds of cheers and celebrations as we moved from one game to the next. A NECIS tournament provides an outstanding opportunity for our young athletes to develop their athletic prowess while being guided by experienced coaches and officials. For many students, the tournaments provide experiences and friendships that last beyond their time at one of our member schools and many alumni report that a NECIS tournament remains their abiding memory of their time in international education.
Drawing Studio This week our Drawing studio had a very special event: an artist talk and workshop on character creation by Kseniia Demchenko, digital artist from Room 8 Studio and now a Ukrainian refugee in Denmark. Thanks to Katya Stukalova for organizing this!
EXTRA CURRICULAR
Sustainability spotlight Our mission at CIS is to Educate Champions of a Just and Sustainable World. Here's a look at some of the ways we are doing that.
Litter Picking Finding ways to be a more sustainable school environment is a crucial part of our commitment to Educating Champions of a Just and Sustainable World. That's why, for the 4th year in a row, CIS students are participating in the annual, week-long, Denmark-wide Affaldsindsamling (Litter Clean-up) 2022 sponsored by Danmarks Naturfredningsforening (The Danish Society for Nature Conservation). This year the Litter Clean-up week is 28 March to 3 April - it's not too late to get involved! Collect litter in your neighbourhood, in local parks, at beaches, in forests, or anywhere that you find litter! Last year more than 150,000 students from hundreds of schools all around Denmark collected more than 10 tons of litter!
Thank you! A WARM THANK YOU TO EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR ANOTHER GREAT MONTH.
For any queries, please contact dani.bell@cis.dk