Shi Jie - Spring 2010

視界 SHI JIE - TO LOOK OUT INTO THE WORLD THE MAGAZINE OF DISCOVERY COLLEGE SPRING 2010 Grow. Discover. Dream.

Arts Week

Celebrating the arts through performance and participation

Bugsy Malone DC takes on Fat Sam and Dandy Dan

No Boundaries

Finding learning opportunities outside the classroom

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Full-time scholarships from Discovery College.

Years 7-10 Applications now open.

The Discovery College Scholarship Programme embodies the College’s commitment to service and the Hong Kong community.

Merit-based scholarships are available for students entering or continuing at Discovery College, Years 7 to 10 from August 2010.

Students must display outstanding ability in one or more of the five areas below: • academics • music • performing arts (dance or drama) • sports • visual arts To apply or find out more go to www.discovery.edu.hk > scholarships or contact the office on 3969 1000.

Grow. Discover. Dream.

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THE ART OF GIVING

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pring is here and with it comes the second issue of 茖 ç•Œ ( Shi Jie), featuring colourful photographs of the many events that have been taking place around the College. Through performing arts, sports, art and classroom activities, our students have had the opportunity to express themselves in so many new and exciting ways, both within the College walls and beyond.

We are fortunate that our students are able to enjoy such a broad range of experiences through the resources the College has to offer, but as with any new school, there are significant financial challenges. College budgets are limited for projects over and above our core needs.

With the goal of 100% participation, Discovery College will launch its Annual Fund this year. Families will be asked to start a legacy of giving through a donation of any size. These gifts to the College will be used to support a wide range of College initiatives.

Our hope is that, as the school reaches full capacity and congratulates its first group of graduates in 2013-14, our students and families will already be a part of a strong tradition of giving, and that we can soon thereafter count on the contributions of our many loyal and successful alumni.

It is the generosity of current students and families that will create new opportunities for those who follow and secure the full promise of the College, to which we are all so deeply committed.

Charles Wong School Council Chairman

THE ART OF GIVING

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CONTENTS

CONTENTS 16

視界 Shi Jie

Spring 2010

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EDITOR Amy Freed

DESIGN & PRODUCTION Amy Freed

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

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CONTENTS | SPRING 2010 Features Developing a Culture of Giving

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No Boundaries

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DC launches the Annual Fund

Building intercultural understanding outside the classroom

Staff Profiles Frank Donnoli

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Ada Chung

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Alumni Where are They Now?

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DC’s Primary Drama teacher is starting a ukulele revolution Climb every mountain

News Year 6 Author Gari de Ramos Lord of the Flies Year 8 & 9 Camps Young Performers Evening Collaborative Mathematics

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DC Sport DC Badminton

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Community Arts Week at Discovery College

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Showcase - Theatre Bugsy Malone

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Taking us to the Champs

Celebrating the arts through performance, demonstration and participation

The curtain goes up for DC’s first ever Secondary production

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CONTENTS

Matt Baron Mark Beach Robert Chaytor Ada Chung Claire Connor Matt Davis Frank Donnoli Amy Freed Andy Kai Fong Leanne Sercombe Paddy Watson

PHOTOGRAPHY Danielle Libine Andy Kai Fong Amy Freed

CIRCULATION & CONTACT Discovery College 38 Siena Ave Discovery Bay HONG KONG

Tel: +852 3969 1000 Fax: +852 2987 8115 Email: office@discovery.edu.hk Website: www.discovery.edu.hk Circulation (1500) 視 界 is printed on Alpine Satin which is PEFC certified, Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) and manufactured under ISO14001 certification, using 100% virgin fibre from well-managed forests.

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DC NEWS

THE ART OF FILM MAKING

PRINCIPAL FOR A DAY

Alive and well at DC

Discovery College is proud to be hosting the 2nd annual ESF Film Awards on 27 May 2010. The inaugural Awards were held in the DC’s performing arts theatre in 2009 and were such a success that the College will once again be hosting this red carpet event.

The awards are an opportunity for Primary and Secondary students across ESF to showcase their storytelling abilities through the medium of film. Discovery College students in Year 5 and Year 6 have become regular contestants in the categories of Best Silent Film and Best Persuasive (Advertisement) Film in the Primary Awards.

This year DC’s Year 6 students were fortunate to have the support of Year 11 and 12 Media Studies students from South Island School (SIS). The SIS students made the trek to Discovery Bay to help the younger students create films for the Silent Film category of the ESF Film Awards. Upon the arrival of the visiting students, the Year 6 filmmakers had completed the pre-production stage, including scripting and storyboarding, and were delighted to have the more experienced film-makers mentor them through the production stage.

Most students try to avoid being sent to the Principal’s office, but on Friday 30 April, Year 5 student Jennifer Allardice walked in willing to spend the whole day with Principal, Mark Beach. In fact, she was in charge!

As winner of the DCPTA’s ArtsFest auction, Jennifer earned the title of ‘Principal for a Day’, granting her the ability to make school-related decisions, sign forms and monitor College activity under the direction of Mr. Beach.

While some students may have wanted to approve Ice Cream Wednesdays and Pizza Party Fridays, Jennifer’s approach was more conservative.

“As Principal for the day, I propose we display more colourful student artwork,” said Jennifer. “My friends and I feel the school can be a little grey.

So a little more colour would be nice.”

As well as supporting the Discovery College students during the filming stage, the SIS students also offered their support through an email buddy system. The older students were an excellent primary resource throughout the inquiry process and provided valuable reflections on the final scripts and storyboards created by Discovery College students.

Both Year 5 and 6 DC students created their films as part of transdisciplinary units of inquiry.

Classroom and specialist teachers worked together with the students to create their films over the course of several weeks. The students used applications such as iMovie and GarageBand to edit their films and to create appropriate sound effects and music.

To celebrate the creation of their films, Year 5 and 6 students screened their films to their peers, parents and teachers. Year 6 students held a mini film festival in which students judged each other’s films from the perspective of film critics and Year 5 students held a media exhibition, asking parents to judge the most effective advertisements based on set criteria.

In Drama, the Year 8 students had an opportunity to explore the genre of silent movies as part of a unit exploring human ingenuity and how communication has evolved over time. The Year 8 students explored the historical, social and cultural context of silent movies and the technical skills of film production. Using a given scenario as a stimulus, classes worked in small groups to devise, film and edit their own silent movies.

The unit was a wonderful opportunity for students to collaborate, develop and showcase their acting and technical skills, including storyboarding, directing, camera operating, sound designing and editing using iMovie.

The unit culminated with a lunchtime screening of the Year 8 silent movies as part of the College Arts Week.

This year also marks the first time the Secondary students have participated in the ESF Film Awards. We look forward to further involvement in this event as our filmmaking goes from strength to strength.

PRINCIPAL

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FEATURE

Developing a Culture of Giving DC Launches the Annual Fund

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ne of the hallmarks of an IB school is developing students who are global citizens, passionate about making a positive contribution towards the world in which we live. Part of our Vision Statement, in fact, describes this as “Dream – dare to make a difference for yourself, humanity and our planet”.

In the past year our students have often been challenged to step outside their privileged lives and think about other people less fortunate than themselves. We’ve seen this manifested in things such as the donations to Mother’s Choice, a remarkable $38,000 raised for the Philippines disaster and ongoing fund-raising for the tragedy in Haiti.

The children have, through thoughtful discussion, been encouraged to develop amongst themselves a culture of giving, so much so that most of the recent fund-raising activities have been entirely student-led.

Slowly but surely we have seen a move from having our children ask for money at home to support others more needy than themselves, to having the students taking responsibility to actually do something themselves to improve the plight of others.

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DEVELOPING A CULTURE OF GIVING

Many of our parents have also seen the positive nature of giving. We have heard many wonderful accounts of DC families who have spent holidays donating time and resources to less privileged communities. The College itself has also benefited from a number of parent donations. Some of these have been tagged to a particular project e.g. our pottery kiln, while

others have simply been given to support the College generally.

This is not an uncommon practice in many schools around the world. I make annual contributions to the high school I attended in New Zealand through their alumni association.

Sometimes my donations are for particular

SPRING 2010

projects (more recently to fund a new aquatics centre) and other times just as a general contribution. In this way I am able to give back to this school something that recognises the contribution it made to my education and life.

Our first two priorities will be the construction of an adventure playground for our primary students and the fitting out of the sports area on the 6/F roof.

Occasionally I receive emails requesting support for individuals I was associated with … the need to provide retirement support for one of the religious brothers who taught me or a request to give to the wife and family of an old school friend suffering from cancer.

The adventure playground is estimated to cost around HK$800,000. Of this, the DC PTA through fund-raising and parent donations has already raised $500,000. The College has committed a further $250,000 towards the cost, leaving us with around $50,000 to complete the project.

It is timely now to launch the Discovery College Annual Fund, which can support a range of College initiatives. The fund would grow through contributions by individuals, families, alumni, PTA and school-based fundraising, and corporate gifts.

It is hoped that with further donations we can achieve this goal as well as have money needed to set up the 6/F sports area with much-needed equipment.

In the last edition of Shi Jie I wrote about the need for Discovery College to provide suitable spaces for formal and informal play, particularly as the College continues to grow by 120 new students each year. The DC Annual Fund will be targeted in the first instance to helping us address this need.

Aristotle once said, “To give away money is an easy matter and in any man’s power. But to decide to whom to give it, and how large and when, and for what purpose and how, is neither in every man’s power nor an easy matter.”

There are obviously parents who would wonder why they should have to contribute further beyond what they pay in school fees, and this is a fair question.

As a newly established school, Discovery College is operating with a significant budget deficit.

Any money we raise through the renting of our facilities or cafeteria income simply goes towards

decreasing this deficit. In other words, it is very difficult for us to find money for particular projects we deem to be important.

The Annual Fund would sit outside of this and allow us to accept money that over which the College would have control. Even the most prestigious and well-funded educational institutions in the world rely on donations and gifts to be able to add value to what they can offer their communities of learners. Given our financial situation, this is especially so for Discovery College.

A contribution from you would make a positive difference not only to your own child’s current learning and school experience, but also leave a legacy for future generations of Discovery College students. It creates a special link between your family and the school, helps establish a tradition of giving and provides a personal investment in our College.

There is no set financial target for the Annual Fund this year. We have a conceivably more ambitious goal of achieving 100% participation among DC families. It is the hope of the College that families will set the example, showing a contribution to the College, no matter what size, is a meaningful part of a student’s education both now and throughout their lives.

Donations to the annual fund can be in the form of cheque payable to ESF Educational Services Ltd., marked on the back with ‘Annual Fund Donation’ All donations over $100 will receive a tax deductible receipt.

- Mark Beach, Principal

DEVELOPING A CULTURE OF GIVING

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NO BOUNDARIES

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NO BOUNDARIES

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BOUNDARIES Building intercultural understanding and civic responsibility outside the classroom

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s a teacher and parent new to international education, one of the joys is the world that opens up for students both in and outside of the classroom. The opportunity to learn in real-world contexts and experience a range of diverse cultures offers exciting potential for our students in terms of their education and personal development. ‘No Boundaries’ Week will give our students new perspectives on the world in which they live and their place in it.

Starting in November 2010, ‘No Boundaries’ Week is an expansion of the Year 3-9 camp programme and is designed, in part, to help students fulfil their IB Middle Years and Diploma Programme’s Creativity, Action, Service (CAS) requirements.

‘No Boundaries’ Week will build intercultural understanding,

10 allows scope to explore further afield in later years. ‘No Boundaries’ will become the Year 10-13 Camp programme as our school grows. The choice of locations will also grow in response to our maturing students’ needs and interests. We envisage that eventually Diploma Programme students will guide the decisions relating to locations, activities, communications, organisation and goals of these camps.

Locations and activities in our inaugural year include:

“Tell me and I will forget, show me and I may remember, involve me and I will understand.”

- Confucius

civic responsibility and engagement, and empathy through first-hand experiences of new situations and locations. It will create opportunities for our students from relatively privileged backgrounds to ‘give’ to, and learn from, others. It will allow our students the chance to be immersed in different cultures, and appreciate similarities and differences to their own ways of living and thinking. Through these experiences, students will learn to appreciate that the worldviews of others can be different to theirs and also be right.

In planning the programme offerings, we have considered what we are trying to achieve, the size of our first cohort, and cost to families.

Staying in the Asia-Pacific region for Year

Hong Kong – the local option will be four days of adventurebased learning activities, including hiking, surfing and canyoning.

It will expand on the earlier years’ camp experiences in building leadership capacity and independence.

China – our Chinese-based offering will be organised by Wild China, a well-regarded provider

of educational excursions. A 5-day itinerary has been proposed in Guiyang, in Guizhou province in central-eastern China. The itinerary includes hiking, local handicraft workshops and service activities in local schools and villages.

Students should also have ample opportunities to use their Chinese-language skills on this programme.

Accommodation will vary from hotels to home-stays, to a traditional Japanese inn.

Borneo (Sabah and Kota Kinabalu) – organised by Dragonfly, students will be hosted in a local kampung. Their community projects may include planting and harvesting, farm work and maintenance depending on the needs of the village. There will be hiking in the Mt Kinabalu National Park, a river cruise in the Gerama Wetland and a visit to a marine research centre.

New Zealand – hosted by ‘Little Brown Kiwi’, this is an opportunity for students to experience a part of New Zealand. This adventure could include sea-kayaking, hiking and rafting. There will be a marae-stay and environmental service opportunities.

With Hong Kong as our home, our school community has an incredible opportunity to access and become involved with communities all over the world. It goes without saying that as a school, preparing our students for study, life and work beyond Discovery College is our highest priority.

As part of this mission, developing caring individuals who see a shared humanity with all and are willing to take stewardship of planet lies at the heart of the school’s mission of ‘Grow, Discover, Dream’.

- Andy Kai Fong, Head of Secondary

Japan – from the bustling modern metropolis of Osaka to the tranquility of the former ancient capital, Nara, students will experience the unique history and culture of Japan. This is an educational tour taking in UNESCO World Heritage sites, and an opportunity to experience Zen meditation and learn about traditional Japanese martial arts.

NO BOUNDARIES

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STAFF PROFILE

FRANK DONNOLI

DC’s Primary Drama teacher is starting a revolution, one ukulele at a time Editor’s Note: When Primary Drama teacher, Frank Donnoli came to me during first term and said his Term 2 co-curricular activity (CCA) would be the ukulele, I must admit I was a little skeptical. Asked to make a purchase so students had a uke in hand on the first day, I went out on a limb and ordered 30. Much to my surprise, 30 was not enough.

The ukulele is experiencing a bit of a revival here at Discovery College. Staff and students alike are spending their lunchtimes plucking away at these little four-stringed instruments.

Due to its popularity, the Ukulele Club now has a long waiting list for Term 3 participation.

Frank is much more than the leader of the DC ukulele revolution. From the profile below you will find he is also a devoted educator and valued member of the Discovery College Staff.

Love of Music My interest in music and playing with other musicians has been something I have enjoyed as far back as I remember. I have developed a love for the guitar, mandolin and ukulele. My motivation for introducing the ukulele as a CCA at Discovery College has come as result of seeing the smile on the

“I believe every person has a song in them and they just need a little something to help them sing it… alas, the uke.” faces of anyone who experiences this tiny instrument played well….and it’s fun.

Making Drama “Real” for Students My take on Drama in the classroom is simply “learning by doing” with the skills developed in the process. The students are able to become involved completely in pretence until what they are doing becomes real, without

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FRANK DONNOLI

losing the sense that it is still make believe.

This suspension of disbelief allows them to imagine environments and experiences as though they exist and they enter a world of ‘real’ pretend where they are able to react spontaneously and with originality to a new situation.

This unique educational experience that Drama provides, allows students to develop artistic imagination, capacity for selfexpression, creativity, physical control, selfconfidence, self-discipline, critical evaluation and both verbal and non-verbal skills.

Increased confidence and self-esteem, the ability to speak loudly and confidently in front of an audience, cooperating with others to develop performances, good use of improvisation and understanding how to be a good audience is the focus of Drama in

the classroom this year. Within a structured framework, students are encouraged to be engaged imaginatively and creatively in order to shape ideas into dramatic presentations through the use of group work, cooperation, problem-solving, teamwork, self-discipline and self-reflection.

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ADA CHUNG

Climb every mountain I started working at Bauhinia school when it opened in 2002 and have grown with the school for the past 8 years.

Before I joined ESF, I worked for EMI Music Asia for more than 10 years. I was involved in several departments and found that working in a regional office helped to expand my world view. I had to contact people from all over the world, which helped to enhance my communication skills and enabled me to learn new things from different cultures.

I started to develop my hiking hobby a few years ago and once I started, I became addicted. Now I hike nearly every Saturday and Sunday, no matter the weather. Once I hiked to at Tai Mo Shan under typhoon signal no. 8! Words can’t describe the conditions and all of us felt so lucky that no one was on the next day’s front page! I would say I’ve visited a third of the mountains around Hong Kong. The scenery is so beautiful and so different between Central, Causeway Bay and TST, sometimes you don’t believe you are in Hong Kong. Often I feel I’m hiking in the English countryside.

In 2003, with some encouragement from my teammates, I decided to take on the challenge of the Trailwalker. The Trailwalker is a 100 km hike starting in Sai Kung and ending in Tuen Mun. The first time out my time was 39 hours.

Since then I have been able to shave 16 hours off my time to 23! The Trailwalker is more than just a physical challenge, you have to be mentally fit as well. Giving each other support and encouragement, my teammates and I were all able to complete this truly gruelling event.

In December 2008 I made a journey to Nepal to do the Poonhill Trek. The highlight of the trip was seeing the local villages and meeting local children, as well as watching the sunrise from Poonhill.

I have taken my hiking passion overseas climbing to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro within 7 hrs in 2008, Mount Kinabalu within 3 hrs in 2009, as well as several mountains in China. My next goal will be climbing Mount Elbrus in Europe this summer. Wish me luck!

ADA CHUNG

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ALUMNI NEWS

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Jack Amrol living in the Windy City 1. Where do you live now?

I live in Glenview, Illinois, USA (20 minutes north of downtown Chicago). Chicago is called the “Windy City” because of the breezes off Lake Michigan. It is also the third -argest city in the United States.

2. What school is Jack attending?

I am a student at Hoffman Elementary School.

I was in Year 4 at Discovery College, but I am in 3rd grade in my new school. My teacher is Mrs. Mathews and there are 22 students in my

class including me. I also take Mandarin twice a week after school.

3. What do you like best about your new home?

My backyard is my favorite thing about my new home. I have a club house for me and my friends. Next winter we are going to have an ice rink in the back yard.

4. What do you miss most about Discovery College?

I miss my friends from Hong Kong the most.

At my new school, we don’t have any Houses and I miss that too. I miss taking the ferry too. We usually drive everywhere.

5. What kinds of activities do you do after school and on the weekends?

On the weekends, I play a lot of hockey. We have also been the the Science and Industry Museum, Lego Land, and the Field Museum.

Chicago also has two of the tallest

buildings in the world, the John Hancock and Sears Tower. The Lincoln Park Zoo is really great at Christmas time with all the lights and animals at night.

6. How does life in the US differ to life in Hong Kong?

Chicago has lots of snow and we never miss school because of it. There are outside ice rinks to go skating and big snow sledding hills and my school gym has a rock climbing wall. There are lots of sports for us to watch like the Chicago Blackhawks and Wolves hockey, Chicago Bulls basketball, White Sox and Cubs baseball, and Bears football.

PYP EXHIBITION students to showcase their understanding of the five essential elements of the PYP (skills, knowledge, concepts, attitudes and action) and share them with the school community.

The exhibition will take place under the transdisciplinary theme of ‘How we organise ourselves’ in which the students will identify, investigate and offer solutions to real-life issues or problems. The central idea of the transdisciplinary unit of inquiry is that ‘organisations can make a difference to human-kind and the environment’.

This year Discovery College Year 6 students will participate in the first PYP exhibition to be held at the College. The exhibition will be held on 8 June and is the culmination of a nine-week collaborative inquiry process. The exhibition is a major event in the life of a Year 6 student and presents an opportunity for

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WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

After an initial inquiry into various organisations that provide services to the environment or human-kind, students will have the chance to identify opportunities for service in their own school, community, or further afield. Students will form small organisations with the aim of making a

difference in an area that they feel passionate about. The theme of ‘Make a Difference’ will run throughout the unit and be a prominent feature of the exhibition itself.

The exhibition is a chance for Year 6 students to demonstrate the independence and responsibility that they have developed throughout their primary school years, as well as being an opportunity to take action as a result of learning. Throughout the unit the students will be mentored by teachers from across the school, as well as seeking current and relevant information from a variety of primary resources.

The exhibition will include oral and visual presentations from students, as well as music and drama performances. This year the exhibition will be combined with a graduation ceremony in which the students will celebrate their transition from primary school to secondary school.

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DC NEWS

YEAR 6 AUTHOR GARI DE RAMOS

Taking us on a Jewel Quest

I was really interested in jewels and travelling.

I thought it would be great to combine those two things in a book. The main characters are a boy and a girl because I wanted the book to appeal to both males and females. Jewel Quest is my third book, but the first to be published.

Can you tell us what the story is about?

Jewel Quest is about a brother and sister, who end up going on an adventure around the world to collect jewels to save their grandpa’s life. Finding the jewels is not easy as they face many challenges, including getting to the top of the Statue of Liberty, searching the pinnacle of the Taj Mahal, sailing across the Amazon River, and climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. While they are doing all those things, an evil villain intercepts the clues they get from a secret source and that adds to the challenges and excitement.

What inspired you to write the book?

I started writing Jewel Quest when I was nine years old. At the time I came up with the idea,

TECH ATTACK

What are you doing with the proceeds?

I am donating the proceeds for two things, the Discovery College playground fund and the victims of the strong typhoon in the Philippines in 2009. The PTA is raising money to build a playground for DC and I want to be able to contribute to that fund. Although it’s been a while since the strong typhoon happened in the Philippines, many of the victims still need

I was born in the Philippines and so I would like to help the victims there.

What plans do you have for future writing?

I plan to write more stories and more books. I’m jotting down ideas for Jewel Quest 2! I am very passionate about writing. I will never, EVER stop writing. When I grow up, I would like to be a doctor AND an author!

help and I would like to do what I can to help.

CHINESE NEW YEAR The Year of the Tiger started out with a crash of the cymbal and the bang of the drums at Discovery College as students were treated to a traditional Chinese Lion Dance. Two brightly coloured and powerful lions performed for a full house of excited students and staff members.

The assembly also included an array of student performances to celebrate the new year, and class captains accepted awards for the CNY door decoration competition.

This year has seen the introduction of a student group known as Tech Attack. The aim of this team is to support learning through the use of technology at Discovery College. This is being done in new and innovative ways with the help of the school’s very enthusiastic and knowledgeable information and communication technology (ICT) technicians as well as many DC teachers.

Services offered by the Tech Attack team include: mentoring for teachers who are new to the technologies used at Discovery College; the creation of support resources for teachers and students such as video tutorials and help sheets; a drop-in centre for teachers looking to find a ‘just in time’ solution to a technical issue; support for the ICT technicians with ICT Help Desk requests; and support for teachers in presenting workshops at conferences.

As well as offering services for other students and teachers, the Tech Attack team is provided with training in a range of areas by the ICT technicians and some of the Discovery College teachers. So far the Tech Attack team have learned how to create animation using Flash, design and create websites using HTML and web editors, use the applications iMovie and GarageBand to create movies and soundtracks, and set up networks using technical equipment.

The Tech Attack team meets every Monday at lunchtime in room 1107 from 1.15 to 2.55pm. Interested students can join the team by contacting Mr. Baron or Mr. Tibbetts. Students who make up the Tech Attack team must have an interest in learning about new technologies as well as a desire to help others.

YEAR 6 AUTHOR GARI DE RAMOS

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LORD OF THE FLIES Lord of the Flies is a timeless piece of work following the central theme of the journey from boyhood to manhood. William Golding described writing his novel as ‘like lamenting the lost childhood of the world’. Our production remains true to the vision of the novel, but in keeping with Pilot’s style of performance, this show is dangerous, contemporary and exciting. (Pilot Theatre) On Thursday 11 February all Year 9 students presented an outstanding Performing Arts

collaboration to an invited audience of almost 100 family, friends and staff, showcasing their curriculum work from Drama and Music.

Each Year 9 class worked as an independent production company to answer the question “How do we choose the environment in which to present our drama?” Their challenge was to create a site specific performance of scenes from the acting version of ‘Lord of the Flies’ by Nigel Williams. The site chosen for the island setting was the Granite Courtyard

DC HITS THE SWISS SLOPES “Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate…..oh, and some boarding” is how one student summed up the Discovery/Renaissance College 2010 Swiss Ski trip. There were initial concerns regarding the scheduling of this trip so late in the season, however, the 17 students and 2 staff were greeted by snow in the streets of Crans-Montana and a fluffy 20 cm of fresh powder on the hill. The days were beautifully sunny allowing all to gaze out onto the expanse of the Swiss Alps during their daily ski lessons and free-ski opportunities. The lodge accommodation was warm and spacious and only 30 m from the lift up the hill, so there were no excuses about getting out there. Fueling us each day were superb, nutritious meals that re-stocked low energy levels and allowed the telling of the sights, sounds and ‘epic’ moments of the day.

The instructional staff were friendly, approachable and had a rapport with all the students as they developed ability throughout the week. All students showed a great deal of improvement, some progressing from the beginners’ areas up onto the groomed trails of the mountain. Numerous après ski activities were organised allowing students to take in some sights of the local town and meet and mingle with some new friends, not to mention giving their French a ‘go’.

So if you ‘melt’ at the thought of fluffy, white groomed trails carving through the upper climes of the Swiss Alps, want to try something new, are keen to meet some new people and want some adventure, then this is the trip for you. Listen out for information regarding the next trip scheduled for Chinese New Year 2011.

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LORD OF THE FLIES

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and students had to compose and record the soundtrack for the production.

After learning about technical theatre and theatre design with Oliver Peneyra and exploring physical theatre techniques with Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre Company, each production company selected scenes from the play and individual students chose roles such as acting, technical design and operation (sound, lighting, projections), costume design, stage management and direction.

What followed was a demanding creative process, which enabled students to research, experiment, plan and create.

Performance night was quite simply fantastic.

The production companies came together to create one seamless performance with a sense of atmosphere that grew progressively darker and more sinister. The audience was totally involved and absorbed as the acting became more frenzied and violent, the lighting became more surreal and the sound became more discordant, conveying the breakdown of order and control.

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DC NEWS

YEAR 8&9 CAMPS Year 8 spent a challenging three nights

during the week of 16-19 March at the YMCA in Wong Yi Chau, Sai Kung. The camp was designed in part to increase the level of self-sufficiency amongst the students.

For example, groups took responsibility for cooking dinner for their peers. Starting with a set of ingredients, students were put to the task of making an edible dinner for fellow campers.

Students were also required to carry tents, cooking equipment and food, along with their own personal items, on the walk to their overnight camp-out. Understanding what to pack, how to pack it and how to share the load of the group equipment became a focus.

Many had not slept in tents before and so putting the tent up to start with, was a new experience for many.

!

Year 9 camp was based at the YWCA in

Cheung Sha during the week of 8-12 March.

Campers had a busy week starting with a visit to Tian Tan Buddha as part of their English/Humanities unit on World Religions.

This hike was followed by a rotation of a ‘self-sufficient’ overnight expedition to Lo Kei Wan, hiking up Lantau Peak and finally a tour of Tai O. These main events were sprinkled with a ropes course, some relaxation time and evening activities organised by staff.

Weather conditions were far from favourable on Monday and Tuesday. Despite some being a little under-equipped, our students coped extremely well and were very supportive of one another, which became essential in the trying conditions.

YEAR 8&9 CAMPS

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SHOWCASE

MUSIC

YOUNG PERFORMERS EVENING At this year’s annual Young Performers Evening we were treated to a wonderful display of the musical talent we have in the Primary school at Discovery College. There was a rich variety of performances from classical and jazz piano solos, rock bands, vocalists and even a rap.

Many of the performers were also accompanied by senior students and staff as backing musicians, giving them experience of working with a band.

The Young Performers Evening was a great opportunity for students to perform in a formal yet supportive environment. All the performers put in a lot of effort in their own time to practice and prepare for the show.

Although they were quite nervous as they waited backstage, they rose to the occasion and delighted the audience with their performances.

The music department would like to thank the audience for their support of the event.

We very much look forward to next year’s Young Performers Evening!

Before the concert, performers were given the opportunity to rehearse and sound check on stage in the professional setting of the Discovery College performing arts theatre.

ANNUAL CONCERT The second Annual Concert was an exciting evening of performance, showcasing the varied and wonderful musical talents of the students at Discovery College.

The evening saw some fantastic solo performances on piano, with students expressing their personalised interpretations of quite complex pieces to an appreciative audience.

There were other contrasting soloists with Ashley Johnston and Chantel Woo, each presenting structured melodic, self-composed performances for vocals and acoustic guitar.

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YOUNG PERFORMERS EVENING

Both students are becoming young, talented songwriters in their own right as developing into performers on their

as well competent combined instruments.

Another outstanding performance came from Sunwoo Nam, accompanied by Reina Kameyama on piano. They presented both an entertaining and complex Vivaldi violin concerto, demonstrating their advanced performance skills capturing the intricacies of this baroque piece.

Olivia Nurmi sang an excerpt from the musical Wicked superbly.

In her performance she was able to beautifully present the complex melodic structure of the piece.

The music on the evening was quite diverse with performances ranging from classical flute to contemporary rock.

With the students’ talents, and their willingness to perform to others, we look forward to further great things from them in the years ahead.

SPRING 2010

COBRA

SPORT

DC BADMINTON GET TO FINALS DC entered three determined teams into the ISSFHK league for our second year of competition. The Under 14 Girls and Boys, as well as the Under 12 Boys all made it to the finals, a tremendous feat considering that throughout the season there were several matches played with key players missing.

Our strongest team was the U12 Boys who went into the finals in 3rd place. In the first round of the finals they played a marathon game into overtime against Singapore International School. All matches were nail biters with only a couple of points winning all games.

Of the match, the most exciting game was played by Nicolas Chan and Nicky Li winning 27/25. Only two extra points could have meant silver and a chance at the gold but it was not to be. The final game was stopped at 15 due to time and the match went to SIS. The final play-off against Australian International School to win a bronze medal was admirable none the less!

Special mention goes to Nicholas Chan and Andreas Thorsen who were invaluable in both singles and doubles. Well done also to the rest of the finals team – Kevin Li, Steven Hung and Krish Chandiramani.

Although the Under 14 Girls and Boys Teams did not receive a medal they showed considerable determination and commitment throughout the entire season. We have an excellent foundation for a winning season for next year. A big thanks to Natalie Fong for all her experience and help with the teams.

DC GOLF A season of success Golf at Discovery College has certainly grown over the course of the year. Under the supervision of J&J Golf Academy based at Discovery Bay Golf Club, students from Year 4 upwards have had the opportunity to develop their swing and gain a deeper understanding of equipment, rules and how the great game of golf is played.

In addition to golf being offered as an extra-curricular activity, Discovery College also boasts a very successful golf team, comprising Mimi Ho (Captain), Galen Law-Kun, Devin Au and Aaron Ng. Being a member of the team has given these students valuable opportunities to represent Discovery College in a number of tournaments throughout Hong Kong and China. The team has also won their fair share of trophies!

It is also worth mentioning that our DC Golf Team Captain and Golf Scholarship student, Mimi Ho, at the tender age of 14, has recently been selected for the Hong Kong Ladies Elite team.

Congratulations, Mimi!

We look forward to the continued growth and development of the Golf Programme at Discovery College in future years.

DC BASKETBALL

COBRA RUGBY

Discovery College entered two teams into the International Schools Sports Federation of Hong Kong (ISSFHK) league with an Under 14 Boys and Under 14 Girls team. Both squads had at least 14 players turning up to weekly training and competition games. The boys team, who played against some strong basketball teams, was always competitive, never giving up until the final whistle.

This year Discovery College introduced rugby to the students. The local club, Discovery Bay Pirates, includes many DC students. The Year 7–9 group trained once a week participating in various skills and drills. With over 40 players from Years 5 and 6, there were two training sessions during the week concentrating on tag rugby.

The girls made the semi–final, losing to ICS 22–15. In this, the first competitive season for the Discovery College teams, all participants improved throughout, showed a positive attitude and used excellent teamwork. Thank you to the coaches Mr Munn and Mr Choi who helped with trainings and games. Also thank you to Mr Watson, Mr Baron, Mrs Broome and Mr Kay who helped out. We look forward to the next season.

A squad of 12 players was selected to play in the annual ESF tag rugby competition. The squad played extremely well at the ESF tag tournament, just missing out on the semi–finals. In the future, Discovery College would like to develop rugby, having teams in Hong Kong competitions, introducing rugby to younger players and increasing player numbers. Thanks to Mr Barry, Mr Watson and Mr Munn for introducing rugby to Discovery College.

DC BADMINTON GET TO FINALS

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SPRING 2010

COMMUNITY

ARTS WEEK AT DISCOVERY COLLEGE Celebrating the arts through performance, demonstration and participation artistic,” said one Year 9 student, “but I’m really happy with my painting.”

stage fright to perform in front of a full house of screaming fans!

In keeping with traditional Chinese art forms, a group of students also had the opportunity to attend a performance of the Gu Zheng and try their hand at the energetic Chinese drums.

Student contributions to Arts Week also included live-action film, with a Year 8 showcase of their own silent movies. DC students also participated by dancing and cheering at the lively inter-house dance competition. A colourful display of student artwork was also hung in foyer of the Performing Arts Theatre for viewing by parents and students.

Opera Hong Kong treated students to an exuberant and funny operatic performance.

Students took part in a question and answer session upon its conclusion asking questions ranging from “What happens if you sneeze on stage?” to “How do you remember all the words?”.

Michael Jackson may be gone, but his dance moves will live on through Year 4 students who participated in the Glenda Allan Dance Academy workshop.

W

e are not all dancers, or artists, or singers. We are not all cut out to be on stage or behind the microphone, but during Arts Week at Discovery College, all DC students had an opportunity to learn from professionals and experience the arts first hand.

As the week concluded, the College was filled with many famous artists, actors and musicians. Vincent Van Gogh, The Jackson 5, Kiss, Hannah Montana and the cast of High School Musical were all spotted participating in the Friday parade of students in costume rounding out this tremendously successful Arts Week.

In conjunction with the DCPTA Discovery Arts Fest Sub Committee, Discovery College hosted a spectacular week of art and performing arts for students of all year levels. During this week, students had the opportunity to view performers at work as well as participate in hands-on workshops.

Capoeira was a favourite among many students with its acrobatic flips, powerful kicks and rhythmic movements all paired with an authentic Brazilian beat. Instructors from Capoeira Brazil Hong Kong spent time with students from Year 7, demonstrating the fundamentals of this unique martial art.

Also new to many Year 8 and 9 students was Judyanna Li’s Chinese Ink Painting workshop. Many students found their inner artist when practicing the minimal brush strokes and time-honoured techniques demonstrated by Ms. Li. As papers filled with ink and colour; birds, insects, goldfish and flowers began to take shape, much to the surprise of many students. “I’m not very

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ARTS WEEK AT DISCOVERY COLLEGE

Performances of the traditional Punch & Judy puppet show were held for raucous audiences of Year 1 and 2 students. Laughter and cheers could be heard throughout the school as puppeteer John Hutton performed the wild antics of the show.

Exposure to various genres of music continued in the Performing Arts Theatre with Sax Max. The quartet performed a range of classical and recognisable songs using its range of soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophones.

In what proved to be the highlight of the week, The Black Box Theatre was transformed into one of Seattle’s late night grunge clubs complete with stage lighting and smoky special effects as Year 8 students rocked Grungestock. Clad in plaid flannel, from Nirvana to Pearl Jam, students overcame their

SPRING 2010

ARTS WEEK AT DISCOVERY COLLEGE

19

SPRING 2010

SHOWCASE

THEATRE

BUGSY MALONE The curtain goes up for DC’s first ever Secondary production

B

ugsy Malone, an all-child cast set in a mobster era, armed with custard instead of bullets and belting out some superb songs, made this the perfect choice for our first Discovery College Secondary school production.

The process began way back in December of last year when auditions were held. All those who auditioned were welcomed into the production company and from there, further auditions were held for principal roles. The standard of work and the skill shown by all those who auditioned made these decisions really hard, and as a result we are immensely proud of the fact that we have such a talented and hard-working cast.

“I’ve done other productions in primary school but this one is much more sophisticated and planned out. It is also great fun. I have really enjoyed working in the actual theatre too!” said one cast member.

With roles cast and musicians selected, the hard work really began with a demanding schedule of rehearsals for dance, acting, singing and band. The process has also

20

BUGSY MALONE

involved ‘The Crew’ who has managed the technical and design aspects of the show from the very beginning. Rehearsals have been

lively and creative with a real sense

of the whole company owning the work.

“As part of The Crew I have had on-the-job training about the role of a stage manager,” said a member of The Crew.

“It has been interesting watching the rehearsals and all the behind-the-scenes components. It takes a lot of commitment to put on a show,” As we go to print, the production company are in full swing with the final two weeks of rehearsals.

Excitement is mounting as acting, music, singing and dance come together with set construction, costume, sound and lighting. The energy and enthusiasm shown by everyone is outstanding and a fantastic team spirit has emerged.

As you read this, performance week will have come and gone so it only remains for us to say – we hope you enjoyed the show!!

SPRING 2010

DC NEWS

COLLABORATIVE MATHEMATICS Year 3 and Year 6 team up to talk about Shape and Space As the teachers in Year 3 and 6 were about to complete a unit on Shape and Space at the same time, it was clear that this was an opportune moment for collaboration across the grades.

Working collaboratively with different age groups has many benefits, both academic and social. Students in Year 6 designed an

end-of-unit assessment of Shape and Space for Year 3 students to complete. It made the world of difference to their learning and self-esteem. The students were engaged and motivated as they wanted to impress Year 6 with their conceptual understandings. It was obvious that by the end of the unit, Year 3 had gained a deeper understanding of shape and space. Confidence was in plentiful supply as they answered a variety of questions and completed many different tasks set by

at the top of the primary school. The Year 3 students were able to share this with their parents at the recent student-led conferences with confidence and clarity.

All Year 6 classes were involved in creating quizzes for the Year 3 classes to demonstrate their understanding of measurement and shapes. Being able to design and implement their own activities with the younger students allowed them to demonstrate their own understanding of the properties of 2D and 3D

the Year 6 students.

shapes.

Communication was evident as each team paired up and discussed properties and features of 3D shapes and shared their understandings in different ways. Students were thrilled with the positive feedback they received from their role models

The students were asked to reflect afterwards on the Learner Profile attributes that both year levels displayed.

DC STUDENT LEADERS Over the past 18 months we have been developing a range of leadership opportunities for students. These are important as they provide the children will the chance to develop skills that will stand them well in life, as well as give them a greater voice in the College. We now have student leaders in the following areas: · · · · ·

Student Council Secondary Community and Service Reps Primary Class Captains House Captains and Vice-Captains (primary and secondary) Scholarship students

The assembly at the end of Term 2 recognised leaders with certificates, and introduced a new range of leadership badges. Every student leader in the school was presented with a DC Student Leader badge, which is theirs to wear for the duration of their term and handed back afterwards. They also received leadership pins representing the different groups they are in.

The pins are to be worn during the duration of their term and can be kept by the students afterwards. We expect all student leaders to adhere to the College code of conduct and wear their badges with pride.

COLLABORATIVE MATHEMATICS

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SPRING 2010

MILESTONES

Ryley with big brother Julian - Jessica Austin Year 3 Teacher

Michelle and Jacques Perche are very happy to introduce their lovely new daughter, Sasha. Sasha is 4 years old and is from Petrozavodsk in Russia. Her big brother, Chad, is in Year 5 Lily, with Lucy and Lisa - Damian Trimingham Year 3 Teacher

Sasha - Michelle Perche EAL/IN Teacher

FAREWELL Discovery College would like to thank the following staff members for their valuable contribution to the College. We wish them well as they move on from DC at the end of this academic year.

Jing Ying Herrington Mandarin

22

MILESTONES

Alan Beeson Lab Technician

Phillipa Beeson Head of Primary

Catherine Broome PE

Paul Kriesch Music

Joan Loader EA 3LSE

Stephenie Rowe Drama

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CATHERINE BROOME PE