TIV Issue 3- Summer 2017

The International

Voice News and Views By the Students for the Students

Issue 3 Summer 2017

Another year has come and gone- where did the time go- with so much happening within the months of September and June that it is impossible to sum up in so few words. I will therefore simply take this opportunity to say thank you to all our students, parents, teachers, and community partners for making this year the great success it has been. We hope that you all enjoy a well-deserved summer break and look forward to seeing many of you on August 28th for what we hope will be our best year yet.

Aura Bogdan Executive Director

TIV Issue 3

Message from the Editor Summer has begun and the smell of freedom is in the air. As we put the final issue of TIV to bed for the 2016/17 academic year, I think this would be a good time to thank the team. To Andreea Rus, the silent warrior, thank you for always managing the White Board contributions in such a timely and professional manner; your hard work does not go unnoticed. To Silviu Nastase, our talented resident photographer, your beautiful and dynamic photos always add an extra special element to our issues and we couldn’t do it without you. To my team of student reporters, a list too long to mention, you are not only talented writers, but students making a difference at our school. To Lea Cohen who always manages to put together all the pieces of the puzzle in a highly appealing manner, sometimes at the eleventh hour, your contribution is wholly appreciated. Finally, to all the teachers and SLT members taking time out of their busy schedules to write, inspire and share thoughts and ideas designed to make this issue a memorable one, hats off to you all. The tiny newsletter that was once cobbled together with scissors and glue is now a magazine we can all take pride in since it represents the family that is proudly called IBSB. Have a great summer !

Andrea Carman

Table of Contents SPORTS

Lumina Cup Success: 5 Tournaments, 5 Trophies (4) Fara Asfalt Triathlon 2017 (5) The Color Run (6)

CAS

CAS End of Year Festivity (9) IBSB Charity Initiatives (10) Duke of Edinburgh’s International AwardSilver Preparation Journey (11)

SCHOOL EVENTS

Senior School Spring Show (14) The Kangaroo Competition (15) Middle School Debate Champions (16) CEESA Middle School MUN (17) Year 12 & 13 Cooking Class (18) Year 10 Francophone Reading Marathon (18) British Council Library Visit (19) IBSB Host International School (20) Dobrogea House Cup at Summer Show (21) IGCSE/A Level Art and Design (22) A Memorable Year 6 Graduation (23) This Year’s Award Winners (24) Year 13 Graduation Review (26) Univeristy Offer Destinations (27) ECIS Teacher of the Year (28) Fratii Jderi (29) Maramures (30) Sorrento (31) Humanities Lesson with a Difference (32)

WHITEBOARD

Editorial (35) EYFS (36) Year 1 & Year 2 Spring Gardening (37) Year 4O (38) Year 5 (39) Comic Strip Art in Year 6M (40) Comic Strip Art in Year 6O (41) A Visit to Cervantes Institute (41) Primary School Photography Club (42) Year 5 Mountain Madness ( 43) Year 6 Kingswood Adventure (44) A Culinary Journey in EAL (45)

SCHOOL VIEWS

The Element - Have you found it? (47) Trekking the “Rebel Way”- 8 Days Hiking in the Wilds of Scotland (48) A Special Visit from the Rainbow Fairy (49) An Unexpected Visitor to Year 5 Spanish (50) A Year in Bucharest (50) The 36th Annual COBIS Leadership Conference (51) Duncan Gowen Morocco Bound (54) Teacher Farewell (55) Restaurant Review (55)

CREATIVE CORNER

Creative Literary (58) The Mild Highway (59) The Circle Book Review (61) The Invisible Man (62)

Contributors Emilia Mihaescu (Year 12) Gekko Ioancio (Year 10) Christie Vernon (Year 9) Lena Stefan (Year 11) Ioana Aizic (Year 7) Ana Sporis (Year 5) Adela Ciobotaru (Year 10) Mara Kuibus (Year 9) Ms Manuela Constantin Ms Theresa Cormican Ms Kirsty Deeble Rogers Ms Andreea Rus Mr Robin Morrison Mr Jack Oldham Ms Aurora Stroescu Ms Jayne Baker Ms Mioara Cucu Ms Jane Broadhurst Ms Orla O’Dwyer Ms Cristina Marascu Ms Diana Lia Mr Peter Ennion Ms Johanna Croci Ms Blessy Savu Mr Paul Jennings Mr Ciprian Iacob Mr Paul Georgescu Mr Ciprian Tiplea Ms Andrea Carman Mr Duncan Gowen Mr Alan Cornish Mr Kendall Peet Mr Mark Storey

INTRO TO TIV

It’s Important to set High Expectations Kendall Peet (Head of School) “The greatest danger for most of us is not that we aim to high and miss it, but that we aim to low and reach it.”

Michelangelo Buonarroti – quoted by Key Speaker, Robert Senior, CEO Worldwide Saatchi and Saatchi @ COBIS 2017 If you take a few moments to google ‘setting high expectations’, or something similar to this, you will find a wealth of research and writing available that all points to the fact that parental beliefs and attitudes, especially in regard to setting high but achievable expectations for your children, is not just a good idea, but is in fact ‘essential’ to the process of nurturing self-confidence and self-motivation within our children.

Studies reveal that when parents set high expectations, their children are more likely to strive to achieve, and do achieve; which is to say, the expectations we hold for our children are critical in determining their academic and social outcomes.

This is why as a school, we say little can truly be achieved without the active involvement and support of parents.

In a nationwide study by Columbia University, researchers sought to determine whether there was a difference in “hands-off” and “hands-on” families during the teenage years.

“Hands-off” families were described as those in which parents were passive and had few expectations. “Hands-on” families were those in which parents monitored teen’s activities, took an active interest in the lives of their children, in their progress at school, set clear expectations and boundaries, including internet use and TV time, expected children to do chores, and also expected the whole family to participate in regular family meals together. The study concluded that teens raised in “hands-off” families were more likely to turn to drug and alcohol use, to underperform at school, and had poorer relationships with their parents, whilst “hands-on” parenting was more likely to lead children to achieve academically and to be more socially mature and responsible. Studies also indicate that of all the factors that impact on student outcomes, parental expectations by far have the biggest impact.

Here are a few things research tell us to keep in mind when setting expectations for our children: 1. Aim high, but not TOO high Studies reveal that high expectations for our children can have a very positive affect on student outcomes, but also that setting unreasonably high expectations can be detrimental to a child’s performance. The key in setting realistic goals rests in knowing your child and avoiding making unnecessary and often harmful comparisons with other children. Keeping track of your children’s abilities and progress can help you determine how best to challenge and support your children to progress and achieve success in the various areas of their life.

2. Don’t aim too low Likewise, whilst it’s important to be a good listener, understanding, empathetic, and consoling, it is equally important not to appear too accepting of underperformance or to set your expectations too low. In a recent study in Britain, it was discovered that parents can condemn their children to a life of underachievement simply by underestimating their potential, noting that 47 percent of parents interviewed believed that at age two-and-a-half, a child’s vocabulary is less than 100

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words, when in reality it is 5-6 times this amount. Therefore, just as having expectations that are too high can be detrimental to a child’s social and academic performance, having expectations set too low can also prevent our children from achieving their full potential.

3. Raise your expectations gradually Children gain confidence by successfully completing tasks, and as such it is important to give our children tasks within their ability range, but to gradually increase the difficulty of the task to provide sufficient challenge, as evidence also suggests that completing difficult rather than easy tasks leads to a greater sense of achievement and self-satisfaction. The key therefore is to gradually make tasks more difficult, but not too difficult, because failure can be detrimental, leading to what Martin Seligman describes as learned helplessness, where students lose confidence, lack resilience, and as result give up easily.

4. Finally, Be specific to improve accountability We don’t lose weight by saying “I want to lose weight.” We lose weight by having a specific goal – “I want to lose 10kgs in 3 months” – and then making decisions to help achieve this goal, such as “Not eating after say 7.00pm”, or “Not eating deserts or sweets except on special occasions”, etc. The same can be said about setting expectations. We won’t get our children to the point where they are reading fluently by saying, “Why are you watching YouTube, you should be reading books.” We need to help our children to progress in small meanigful steps, by reading to them every night, by asking them to read to us every night, or agreeing with them to read every day for say 20 minutes by themselves- which might be best achieved by establishing agreed times each day when digital devices are not used at home (to avoid them succumbing to the temptation to chat, game, watch YouTube videos or television, etc.

The bottom line is, we as parents have by and far the biggest impact on the success of our children, which does not equate to simply enrolling them in a good private school - it means, as research shows, amongst other things, setting realistically high expectations, being informed enough to know how and when to help, and holding our children accountable. If we as parents are doing this, and staff are the embodiment of the school mission, INSPIRE, SUPPORT, & CELEBRATE, then our students will be better placed to fulfil their mission, which is to ASPIRE, STRIVE, & ACHIEVE. international british school of bucharest

SPORTS

SPORTS

Lumina Cup Success: 5 Tournaments, 5 Trophies Duncan Gowen (Head of Secondary) “I had the great pleasure of watching the IBSB footballers play in the Lumina Competition on Saturday, May 13. It was wonderful to see the determination, the team spirit, and the skills that were displayed by all players. The level of play was impressive by all teams present, and so I have to congratulate the boys senior team who came 2nd in their competition, the U14 boys team who finished third, and the girls team who also collected the trophy for third place. Particular congratulations go to Maria in Year 9 and Yunis in Year 11 both of whom were awarded the Best Goalkeeper Trophy in their respective competitions. Thank you to Ciprian Iacob for his passion in coaching and to all those who came along and supported.”

A big ‘Well done ’ to the U9 and U13 football teams that took part in the annual Lumina Cup this year. Improving on last years results, the U13 boys came 1st in their group, with the U9 boys coming 3rd. Victor, Year 8, received a special award as goal keeper of the competition for not allowing one goal past the entire tournament, whilst Mihnea, Year 8, received player of the tournament. Andrei R., Year 2A, was the top scorer of the competition with 9 goals scored! A big ‘THANK YOU’ to PE Teachers Paul Georgescu and Ciprian Iacob for their support this year in running the afterschool football club, inspiring the next generation of footballers.

Open Category Boys: 2nd Place U16 Girls: 3rd Place U14 Boys: 3rd Place Lin Dandan : Best Goalie Trophy -U16 Girls Yunus Kablan : Best Goalie Trophy- Open Category Boys

Mentions: Our boys from U14 were extremely brave playing with almost no substitute: Nico Popescu, Mihnea Cristache, Orel Tetruashvili, Radu Gogea, Marius Meita, Tudor Stamatiade were incredibly good carrying the team under difficult conditions game after game. In the last group matches, semifinal and small final, we lost Nico and Mihnea, as they were having games at their clubs. The rest didn’t give up and so Hyeonsoo, Dragomir Bogdan (who came from his club's football game) and Ralph Khachouk struggled, but put in a great team effort until the competition was finished!

Open Category was incredible: Radu Bageac, Radu Florea, Vistor Cristea, Petru Galaseanu, Lukas Panayotopoulos, Matei Surdu, Iuliu Szabo, Yunus Kablan (who saved a penalty kick), Eduard Barabancea (in 1st day) were playing against professional footballs players and they finished the competition UNDEFEATED. Only the result of the cumulative points making the difference.

U 16 Girls: Ioana Balan, Irina Chemencedji, Anastasia Dragic, Ana Maria Erbasu, Ioana Ionescu, Tamara Minea( best field player), Kathleen Hughes, Eva Spiru Dakas, Elian Tetruashvili, Anisia Verdes, Jianong Xin, Asena Yildiz gave their best (motto: never give up) against teams which had regular training, whilst our team had no active training.

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SPORTS

Fara Asfalt Triathlon Success 2017 PE Department

Following on from the success of last year, the IBSB Triathlon Community again brought home a plethora of medals with Paul Georgescu starting things off on the right foot emerging second from the water to win the men’s relay classification, placing 2nd overall. The staff, parents, and students combined teams also did well placing 32nd and 77th/ 124 teams.

In the Junior Aquathon on Sunday, our students placed as follows: Alexis, Year 5, was 1st -in the 9-10 category, Teodor, Year 2, came -2nd in the 7-8 category, David, Year 4, finished -2nd in the 9-10 age group Antonis, Year 3, came 3rd in the 7-8 age group Andreea, Year 6, finished just outside the medals in 4th place in the 10-11 category.

Well done to all those who took part! A great start to triathlon season, boding well for the many events still to some. international british school of bucharest

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SPORTS

The Color Run Mara Kuibus (Year 10) I think that many of you know what “The Color Run” is like. The Color Run is an event that is organised twice a year for the people around the world to have fun and raise some money for charity. The Color Run is normally 5 km long and you don’t have to be the first one to finish. After all the people finish running, there is a huge party that you can stay at, and at the party they cloud you with colored dust and all the people will get colored with that dust if they didn’t get dirty enough when they ran. The colors that they had this year were red, blue, yellow, and orange. They even had a cloud on the road made out of bubbles of soap!

I personally didn’t like the “cloud” made out of bubbles, but the other things were so fun. I did get really dirty with the colored dust, and this year I really liked the unicorn medal they gave us at the finish line. If you have not gone yet, I recommend you to just go and have fun next year.

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CAS

CAS

CAS End of Year Festivity Johanna Croci (CAS Coordinator) This year the Paper Tree focused on raising awareness of current global environmental issues such as: global warming, pollution, deforestation, and waste production.

On the 27th of April IBSB hosted the end of year CAS Festivity an event that marked the completion of one year of volunteer work invested by our Sixth Form pupils in the projects they each committed to. It was a significant opportunity for our CAS team to meet, celebrate accomplishments, learn from each other’s experience, and inspire good will and the certainty that with enthusiasm, initiative, and resilience things can change for the better.

It was also an occasion to highlight that the CAS team does not only consist of Sixth Formers and their coordinators, but it has wider ramifications including the personal voluntary involvement of staff, parents, Primary School pupils, and members of the Secondary School CAS Club. We were honoured to have Ms Claudia Marta, the President of the Parents, Teachers and Friends Association, and a great supporter of charitable work, to present certificates of recognition to the Primary School pupils and to the Secondary CAS Club members who have shown the most initiative and the will to carry out numerous activities to benefit those in need.

We also celebrated the inspiring involvement of Ms Carman and Ms Cormican who completed the West Highland Way journey over the Easter holiday to support the projects of the Light into Europe charity.

The Paper Tree Project was voted the best project of the year to 2016-2017. Congratulations for the impact of the project to Boris Radovanovic, Alex Hotea, and Rei Nishikawa, a team that worked relentlessly to make our school more eco-friendly, and to their coordinator, Ms Mihaela Senzaconi.

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The group’s research shows that in our school approximately 1800 plastic cups are used per day, 9000 per week, which roughly translates into 342.000 cups per year. That is 718.2 kg of plastic disposed in landfills. This waste of resources could be very easily avoided, if we all decided to make a commitment to avoid the use of plastic cups. A petition has been signed by the majority of the school’s pupils, calling for a ban of plastic cups in our school. The Paper Tree has obtained confirmation from the school’s administration that the disposable plastic cups will be replaced with reusable bottles starting next year. Also, the group continued collecting and recycling over 300kg of paper this year! This is excellent news, indicating that IBSB has reduced its waste of paper fourfold over the last 7 years!

The Paper Tree project also has a new logo as a result of student participation in the new logo competition. There were many lovely entries from younger students and choosing a winner was a really difficult job! The winners were awarded environmentally friendly mugs.

The Paper Tree group also advertised the Earth Hour and encouraged the entire school community to turn lights off, and to switch off technology, for one hour on Saturday the 25th of March, from 20:30 to 21:30. Earth Hour is an international event initiated by WWF. The purpose of this challenge is to show our willingness to change our behavior to protect the environment.

The C.A.S Club made lanterns out of scrap paper and donated them to those willing to participate in this event. We hope that participating in this event has made many of us more aware of our use of energy resources.

Finally, The Paper Tree has big plans for next year: from environmental workshops and assemblies, to installing a solar-powered phone charger in the CODECS building. We wish them the drive and energy to continue their mission!

For all the community service work happening in our school, we would like to express our deepest gratitude: to the charitable organizations who have given our young people the chance to contribute, to support great causes and to spread good will; to the young people who put their heart and soul into these projects, sometimes visiting during holidays or learning a new language to be able to provide a high quality service; to the teachers involved in the programme, who guide their groups of volunteers with enthusiasm, and dedication, to allow our students to translate their good will into action, and who facilitate these positive changes; to the parents who credit us with their trust, to carry out our mission in such a way so that their sons and daughters can learn from experiences outside the classroom at least as much as they can learn in the classroom.

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CAS

Primary-Secondary – joint charity initiatives Orla O’Dwyer and Ms Blessy Savu Nerf Battle Charity, Action, and Service (CAS) has been a long-standing tradition in our school, bringing the best out of us. Children in both the primary and secondary school endeavour through a variety of initiatives to bring smiles to the faces of the less fortunate. This year we embarked on a few joint projects so that each side could see the goodwill and efforts of the other, and celebrate our achievements is a whole school.

On Thursday, May 4th, IBSB celebrated Star Wars Day. An epic nerf battle took place between Year 6 on the school’s football pitch as part of this event. For some children, carrying a Nerf Blaster was a first and having to tag the players made it all a little more interesting! The game allowed each child to experience healthy competition and learn from this experience.

Leadership qualities were clearly visible throughout this game which stemmed from the clear rules which were set at the beginning of the battle in a fair manner. Nerf Wars and games require great amounts of focus and concentration which could be seen throughout the battle as many were lying in wait requiring concentration to remain still. Not only did the students gain these development skills but they also raised money, the total sum being 850 ron, which was used to purchase a ping pong table for Sfanta Macrina. The KS5 students responsible for the Sf. Macrina project made this event happen and had a lovely interaction with children from Year 6. What a great experience!

Easter Donations On Friday, April 7th, in the week leading up to the Easter, IBSB were inundated with Easter eggs of all shapes and sizes kindly donated by our primary school students to be delivered to the children in Sfanta Macrina. Our primary house captains delivered the Easter eggs to the children while putting smiles on little faces during the process. It was visible from the mountain of Easter egg donations we received that community spirit and kindness of heart runs deep throughout our school.

On the same day, the KS5 students had gone to Jumbo and purchased sports supplies worth 862 RON for Sfanta Macrina.

This purchase was possible due to their various fundraising initiatives throughout the year. The students picked out supplies for school and outdoor activities, keeping up with the latest trends: there were wave skateboards, regular skateboards, basketballs (large and small for the different ages), badminton sets, roller blades, footballs, volleyballs, scooter, frisbees, water-guns, bubble dispensers and a variety of school supplies such as mechanical pencil sharpener, coloured pens, decorative pencils, glitter pens, sticky notes and more. We wish the children at Sfanta Macrina a summer full of activity and fun!

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CAS

Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award – Silver Preparation Journey Johanna Croci (DofE Coordinator)

until the far end of the village. There, as we had to pass through a person’s yard, a group of seemingly aggressive dogs (which later proved to be very gentle and friendly) stopped us from our way. The owner of the dogs invited us in, allowed us to refill our water bottles, and offered us food and shelter from the thunderstorm that was about to start. We cannot tell you how grateful we were! Third lesson learned: you can find kindness and shelter in the least expected places.

Expedition Diary: Trascau Mountains On the 23rd of May, we left Bucharest for a journey in the Western Carpathians, Trascau Mountains for an exploration of the Ramet Gorge and surrounding villages. Our team of four: Catrinel, Sorana, Radu and Victor, plus two supervisors: Mr Cristea (who kindly offered to join) and Ms Croci arrived at the Ramet Chalet in the afternoon after a 6 hour drive on the route Bucuresti – Pitesti - Ramnicu Valcea – Calimanesti – Brezoi – Cisnadie – Sibiu – Saliste – Sebes – Alba Iulia – Teius – Ramet. Upon arrival we packed our bags for the first day of trekking, and went to sleep early, dreaming of picturesque landscapes.

When the storm eventually calmed down, we thanked our host and continued our way on the red triangle marking, following the Horses Spring through the forest. Due to the rain, the water course ran in a torrent and made the walk seem even more difficult. It felt only normal to want to hold hands, even though that jeopardised our poor balance even more. It was moral support that we were seeking, really. We had a four legged supporter with us: one of the dogs decided to show us the way to Ivanesti, the village where we were going to spend the night.

Fourth lesson learned: make friends easily.

We finally reached our destination: a beautiful and warm cabin in Ivanesti, where we enjoyed a hot shower and grilled mici prepared by Mr Cristea: a luxury that was as much appreciated as it was unexpected. Needless to say we were sound asleep by 11 o’clock. Fifth lesson learned: enjoy the precious small gifts in life.

The Ramet Chalet is managed by the Ramet Monastery and is an exquisitely quiet and tidy place. Whilst you are there, you can also visit the monastery, which is 10 minutes away from your rest place.

The following day we awoke to heavy rain which delayed our departure. Actually, the weather forecast predicted poor weather for the entire duration of our three day journey, but we took this as a challenge and an opportunity to test our waterproof equipment (There is no such thing as bad weather – only inappropriate equipment). Armed with the map, the expedition route-card and waterproof equipment treated with additional waterproof spray, we set off, and then very quickly lost our way.

First lesson learned: asking for information is sometimes easier than expected. A mountain rescue team that was patrolling the area showed us the hidden marking just a few metres away from where we had stopped. Second lesson learned: sometimes, what you are looking for may be closer than you realise.

We carried on with our steep climb through the forest. Actually, on the first day we climbed over 850 metres, through beautiful virgin forests, following the yellow cross marking. When our climb seemed to be endless, we suddenly reached the alpine meadow and the typical spread-out village of Tecsesti. We were grateful that we could finally rest a little, and continue with a relaxed descent. The village seemed deserted except for the fierce dogs guarding the households. We did not see any people

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CAS

Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award – Silver Preparation Journey Johanna Croci (DofE Coordinator)

The following day we awoke to the sound of pouring rain- the forecast indicated that the situation was not going to change.

We did not want to spend all day in the cabin and we could not continue to our next destination, either, so we decided to return through the Intregalde Gorge (some 20 km without a dry stitch on us!). We finally arrived back we all enjoyed a drink of hot chocolate and some hot noodle soup... and vitamin C, too.

Sixth lesson learned: a little rain hasn’t killed anyone. Keep walking!

Yes, we know it is against the rules of trekking, but this was a first time hike for most of us, and it was challenging, and that “helping hand” with all the kindness and support that it offered was what kept us going.

On our final day, we chose a different route to Tecsesti. It was clear by now that we weren’t going to be able to pursue our initial plan, the exploration of the Ramet Gorge. Yet, we knew we had plenty of delightful things to see, and daringly approached the last part of our expedition, on a planned escape route: Intregalde-Modolesti, over the Cetii Mountains (red triangle).

Seventh lesson: things may change unexpectedly at any point in your life. Be flexible and move on.

Again, a steep slope to the top of the Intregalde Gorge, allowed us to rest enjoying fantastic scenery. Yet, not for long, as the large carbonised patches of trees and bushes that were hit by thunder in the previous nights were a constant reminder that we had to keep moving. Eighth lesson: the thunder may strike in the same place twice. Don’t linger to see it happen.

Once out of the forest, our orienteering skills were tested by the rare markings. We were happy we could use the map and learn new skills. In Tecsesti we met our four-legged friend, who offered to escort us again, all the way to Ramet. Thankfully, we all arrived at our destination safely, and completed the last kilometres of our journey holding hands once again.

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In the end it was a journey in which we all discovered more about ourselves and each other. We were inspired by Radu’s patience, by Catrinel’s resilience, by Victor’s kindness and sense of responsibility, and by Sorana’s cheerful nature, sharing a smile even in the most difficult moments.

In Kurth Hahn’s words: “There is more in you than you think!”.

You should give yourself the chance to find out. You won’t be disappointed.

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SCHOOL EVENTS

SCHOOL EVENTS

Senior School Spring Show Emilia Mihaescu (Year 11) our study lessons to rehearsals as it was definitely something we enjoyed and it helped us relax and be more proactive throughout the day. However, it was quite upsetting that we never had a proper space for rehearsals and were always interrupted. The quality of performance in general and the beneficial aspects of acting would be definitely improved if the school gave the Drama department more profile and space.

The months passed very quickly and here we were on the day of our first dress rehearsal. I have to say I was quite impressed with the people I interacted with on this project; I feel like I got to know everybody better and bond with them on another level as acting on stage requires a set of communication skills that is often only required by art projects. The dress rehearsal went smoothly and we were all excited and a little scared for the big day.

The Big day finally arrived: the audience were seated and the play began. We were very impressed with Petru Galaseanu’s performance as he had never had a main part in our school plays before. His stage presence and story-telling abilities surprised us all. I can see him becoming our next school events presenter since he loves being in the lime light!

Another pleasant surprise was David Spiru-Dakas, who embodied not one but two characters perfectly. Radu Bageac and Raluca Sabau’s banter transported very comically on stage and embellished their characters. Alexia Savin and Adela Ciobotaru were very good in supporting roles, which are crucial for a good performance. We also had a rather comical event as one of the poles on stages fell in the middle of a scene; luckily nobody was hurt.

This year our Drama teacher, Ms. Dumitrescu, decided to stage a more difficult play: The Caucasian Chalk Circle, by Bertold Brecht. It is a great example of epic theatre, which basically means to set powerful examples and make the audience think.

It is a play about meritocracy with a strong Marxist influence; it is about social justice and clearly written in the defence of the poor and the oppressed. The main event of the play is the decline of a ruler followed by his murder. After he dies, Natella, his wife, leaves their child behind as she is more preoccupied to save herself and carry as many belongings as possible. The child ends up being taken and raised by one of the maids, Grusha. The central conflict of the play is about who deserves the child, the mother who raised him or his biological mother?

At the heart of this story also lies the famous King Solomon parable which ends, as the play, with an emotional test.

Overall, the play was a very special event for all the people involved as we each dedicated time and effort and especially a piece of us as we tried to bring Brecht’s characters to life, and it also gave us a great feeling of fulfilment. It was also a very interesting teamwork exercise because we had a very big cast and the KS5 students had to work with and look after the KS3 kids. Ms, Dumitrescu’s patience was put to the test on various occasions … learning resilience from her is always a positive thing despite her roaring at some KS3 students on occasions!

Clearly, a strong voice was required to do the job!

It was a very interesting play to examine as a sociology student as well, since it allows insight into the society at the time and reflects back on the postmodern society. Not only did it allow me to express my feelings through the dramatic art, but it also improved my understanding of Marxist sociology as it is a very important aspect in AS sociology.

We started rehearsing in January, 3 months before the play. My classmates and I never complained about dedicating some of

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SCHOOL EVENTS

The Kangaroo Competition Cristina Marascu (Head of the Maths/ ICT) The Kangaroo Competitions are just some of the challenges organized in IBSB beginning with the younger years. The competitions are organized with the support of the school teachers, the clubs which are run by the teachers, and the students are eligible to receive diplomas and medals, laptops, phones and field trips abroad. Annually, the organizers of the Kangaroo Competitions award the top 200 children with field trips in and outside the country.

The Applied Mathematics Educational Kangaroo Project promotes mathematics among years 1-13, where the students verify and develop their knowledge, creativity, applicative thinking and ability to select and make decisions.

The representatives of the Kangaroo educational projects also announced the organization of the Kangaroo International Camp, organized in Romania since 1997, by the SIGMA Publishing House and the Institute for Development Assessment in Education (IDEE).

Young people from different countries have the opportunity to get acquainted, to discover common concerns, to communicate freely in the language of age, play and friendship.

The editions organized so far include students and teachers from: Austria, Armenia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Canada, France, Georgia, Italy, Israel, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Pakistan, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine and Hungary.

The Institute for the Development of Evaluation in Education (IDEE) and the Sigma Publishing House invite students from kindergarten class and grades I-XII to test their knowledge of the Romanian language and literature, Maths and foreign languages (French, German) every year for the purpose of encouraging the study of these subjects, and especially the use of modern languages. Within each section different questions are developed, the participants being able to choose each question for answers in one of the foreign languages.

Knowledge of language and civilization, general knowledge, speed of reaction, perspicacity, intuition or creativity are tested.

The participants will receive as a prize for participation a magazine containing the competition topics, a diploma, games, books, etc.

This year, at IBSB, our students achieved excellent scores in all these competitions and were awarded with certificates and prizes given out in assembly. Among all students who have been involved in the Kangaroo competitions, Maria Sticlea (year 7) qualified for the second round of the Romanian and French language, and Maths, achieving 1st place in French Language and Maths, and 2nd place at the Romanian Language competition. This means that she will visit Greece or Italy in the summer holiday and spend quality time with the other students from all over the world who have achieved excellent scores just like “our” Maria! We are very proud of her!

Taking part in a competition like the Kangaroo Competitions, a competition with six million participants around the world, is a chance for the younger students to be challenged in a fun way outside the regular curriculum.

Extending the school competitions to younger children was boosted by the change in the education law. The new law stipulates that the education portfolio will be very important when admitting a student to high school, so diplomas matter; therefore parents should encourage participation in competitions, and explain to small children that the experience is more important than the outcome.

At the Kangaroo Foreign Language Competitions, the students can practice and develop their French and German skills and knowledge on both grammar and vocabulary, which will definitely help them learn a foreign language.

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SCHOOL EVENTS

International Middle School Debate Champions Gekko Ioancio (Year 10) Congratulations to the IBSB Middle School Debate Team for their recent success in the Sir Winston Churchill International Middle School Public Debate Competition, hosted this year by BSB on Monday, June 12th. Having a large group of passionate debaters in the middle school debate club, IBSB entered two teams in the competition this year, and for the first time ever won both the 1st Place and the Runners-up trophies this yearso well done to all our debaters for this incredible result and a big thank you to Ms Blessy Savu for running the Middle School Debate Club this year, giving up many weekends to ensure they were prepared and ready on the day.

Below are a few comments from some of our debaters: “This event really pushed me out of my comfort zone - it made me realise that I can perform under pressure”- Irina “I really enjoyed myself, and it was a great learning experience.

The debates were exciting and passionate. It was a wonderful experience.” – Christie “It was a great experience, since we all learned new things. I enjoyed it, and it helped me develop skills, such as public speaking and teamwork. I would definitely participate again.” Maria “This exciting experience has taught me how to work under pressure and time limits which I will definitely need in the future.

It has also given me insight on what it means to be a public speaker, motivating me to get better.” – Kyriaki “It was a successful productive day, overall a memorable experience for all. I can’t wait for next time to discuss even more interesting topics relevant to today’s world.”- Milena “Definitely an event I would rank in my top 10 best things I have done so far at IBSB. The debates boosted my confidence in public speaking, and I know the experience gained will help me later on in life as well.” – Gekko

Junior Sir Winston Churchill Debate Competition A healthy mix of competition and cooperation is what makes debate an excellent growth opportunity for the able and talented students of IBSB. With a very young team, this year was all about getting the basics right. The skills that lead to success in debating include confidence, good oratory skills, and a broad general awareness of world history and current events.

Developing these wide ranging skills takes time and practice, however, and we have come a long way over the course of the year.

There is no doubt that the event will remain in the memories of the students for quite some time. For all present, it was a great event to participate in and it really did push both of our teams to do our very best as well as to experiment with newly learned debating techniques.

To our surprise, we won both the 1st and 2nd Place Trophies in the competition, attended by five international schools from Bucharest.

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All debaters are now eagerly awaiting future debate competitions, as debate has brought us closer together.

Through these preparations we got to roleplay as successful members of society who debate in order to solve issues concerning modern day problems and one day soon we will be doing just this in the real world.

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SCHOOL EVENTS

CEESA Middle School MUN Blessy Savu (Economics Teacher) The spotlight was on her; she being one of the main incumbents in the discussion. Taking Tamara’s (Year 9) lead, the two collaborated and pushed forward resolutions in committees and formed new friendships along the way.

The interest and enthusiasm for MUN (Model United Nations) has been thriving within our community. In an ever-complex world of politics, we are glad that our students are taking an active interest in global issues. What’s more, they are not just taking an interest, they are taking it a step further, and starting sooner on the path of becoming engaged citizens. This year we went to the CEESA Middle-School MUN hosted in Bucharest by the American School. Our students debated a variety of issues, surrounding the general theme of ‘water’.

Milena, Irina and Christie (Year 9), represented Cambodia, Switzerland and the Marshall Islands in the Human Rights Committee. Working individually and collaboratively, they shared their research on technologies that can improve water safety. They voiced the concerns of developing countries suffering from insufficient financing, compelling the developed countries to respond and commit to their proposals. They also suggested ways to improve cooperation for disaster management reminding those in their committee that when disaster hits, one tends to need their neighbour’s help.

Max (Year 9) got the most challenging committee, representing Uruguay in the Security Council. Because of the humanist theme: ‘water’ for the conference, the UNSC did not explore its full potential in terms global leadership and crisis management.

Yet, Max has gotten the chance to explore his passion for Politics, looking as well at the more current tints to politics in the case of water privatisation. I hope that he will continue to join the Security Council in future conferences – as it is the most influential committee with the greatest political might within the UN.

I remember when Gekko (Year 10) used to present novel science experiments in assembly just a few years back. His science teachers should be proud, as now he’s taken on the politics of water-based energy sources in this conference. As a humanist that he is growing up to be, he also debated the access to clean, safe, sufficient and affordable drinking water.

Ioana (Year 7) joined the UN Economic and Social Council representing Cambodia. Certainly there are few KS3 students who can boast of such an early experience and exposure to applied social sciences.

The dice seem to fall in Maria’s (Year 7) favour. Out of the hat, Maria got to represent Chile in the Political Committee, where one of the topics revolved around Chile’s dispute with Bolivia over territory and access to the Pacific Ocean.

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Overall, the conference was an excellent precursor for more challenging MUN conferences, as is the one we will be hosting next year.

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SCHOOL EVENTS

Year 12 & 13 Cooking Class Jane Broadhurst (Art Teacher) The Life Skills Programme in Years 12 and 13 is designed to help and support students in their preparation for transition from school and home life to University life. The programme covers important areas such as opening and running a bank account, taking care of bills, managing money, building relationships, writing Personal Statements, interview techniques and University Applications, etc.

As part of this programme, students took part in a Cooking Workshop in the CODECS building. The challenge was to produce a three course meal without the use of an oven or cooker hobs. It was a fun activity which the students seemed to enjoy very much. After a lot of preparation in chopping and blending various ingredients, the students produced: Gazpacho Soup (an Andalusian speciality), crudités of various vegetables with Hummus (Middle Eastern), Tzatziki (Greek) and a Bean Dip followed by a ‘no cook’ Chocolate Cheesecake.

Year 10 Francophone Reading Marathon Ms Diana Lia (Head of MFL)

Year 10 students embarked on a fantastic journey inspired by great French books. With the occasion of the Journée internationale de la Francophonie, our inquisitive French students read French books and created own stories around the characters and plot. The mysterious and fantasy stories transported them to a fabulous world of secrecy, enigmatic clues and vivid descriptions. This was only the preamble of what it was to come: changing identities and becoming detectives or even French spies, reading short riddles and finding clues, looking for missing objects which would save France or a family member! Students seemed to have enjoyed the activities and challenged themselves by creating own treasure hunts. Who knows what will happen in the following lessons?

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SCHOOL EVENTS

British Council Library Visit Year 8 Students Where can you go on a wet, spring day, or perhaps to get some study done, or to find a new book to read, or a DVD to watch, to meet friends at library café and chat in a warm friendly courtyard environment. The answer is the British Council Library, located at 14 Calea Dorobantilor, just across from the Sheraton Hotel. These are some of the excellent reasons Year 8 headed to the British Council library on Friday, April 7, on and English class trip.

Upon arrival we were met by Ms Irina Stoica the library manager and her friendly team of staff and taken on a short tour of the library. We were shown all the resources available to students, and then the students had time to explore the library on their own. Some of our students visited the library café to have a hot chocolate, whilst others asked about taking out library membership to allow them to take books and DVDs home whenever they want. Everyone agreed that it was a great trip and one that will be repeated by many more Primary and Secondary School classes in Term 3.

I ‘BIG’ thank you to Irina and her friendly team for making us all feel so welcome. We can’t wait to return!

To find out more about the British Council, their library services, and the summer programmes they offer, please visit https://www.facebook.com/BritishCouncilRomania/

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SCHOOL EVENTS

IBSB Host International School Conference Advanced Child Safeguarding Conference On Friday, March 17, 2017, 25 teachers from 10 international schools, met at the Crystal Palace Hotel for Advanced Child Safeguarding Training from Robin Watts, a highly respected CSO Trainer with 30 years experience as a police officer in the London Metropolitan Police Force, and 15 years in the Child Protection Unit, which he helped to set up.

Running from 9.00am in the morning until 4.00pm in the afternoon, it was a busy day for everyone in attendance. The workshops covered a wide range of topics and issues relating to child safeguarding, including: • Understand broad definitions of child abuse and neglect • Enhancing knowledge of signs and symptoms of abuse • Dealing appropriately with disclosures • Developing an awareness of how a child’s race, culture, gender and ability inform an assessment of their needs • Acting appropriately on suspicion or knowledge that a child may be in danger • Understanding the Child Protection System and professional roles within this • Understanding child abuse victim and offender behaviour • Having an opportunity to explore attitudes and values with regard to safeguarding children • Understanding that although it is plausible for childcare practitioners to predict the likelihood of certain children being abused, . more robust evidence is needed • Be given the knowledge and skills needed to perform the function of or 'Child Safeguarding Officer' • Identify good practice in working with children and families, and reflect setting's policies and procedures Robin worked as a Police Officer and Detective for 30 years, focusing on the area of Child Protection, creating courses for police officers and social workers, training them in joint investigation, achieving best evidence, and for police officers the national ‘Specialist Child Abuse Investigators Developers Program’. After retirement Robin became a Child Protection Adviser and Trainer, working with international organisations such as COBIS, assisting international schools in improving their Child Protection Practices, Standards and Procedures and helping them to prepare for school inspections in the arena of Safeguarding- all of which achieved 'Outstanding'.

Thank you Robin Watts for flying over from the UK to run this workshop, and to Crystal Palace Hotel (www.crystalpalacehotel.ro) for hosting all attending schools. It was a day of learning and sharing, building a stronger international school community committed to keeping our children safe.

IBSB Child Safeguarding Officers The Lead Child Safeguarding Officer at IBSB is Aida ivan aida.ivan@ibsb.ro , with Manuela Constantin manuela.constantin@ibsb.ro for EYFS, Orla O’Dwyer orla.odwyer@ibsb.ro for Primary, and Jane Broadhurst jane.broadhurst@ibsb.ro for Secondary.

If you have any concerns at all about the health and wellbeing of a child at IBSB, please contact one of the Child Safeguarding Officers listed above.

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Instructor: Robin Watts

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SCHOOL EVENTS

Dobrogea House Cup at Summer Show Friday, June 23rd It has been five longgggg years since Dobrogea last enjoyed the pleasure of raising the House Cup, but finally after four years of Transylvania and Muntenia going head to head with two wins each, it was again time for the Reds to celebrate the sweet taste of success. Well done to all the student in Dobrogea! Enjoy the celebrations!

The Summer Fete was not just about the winner so this year’s House Cup though; it was also an opportunity for the Primary School classes to each perform one last time for their parents, who eagerly awaited, cameras at the ready. The summer show commenced with Years 1-5 joining together in chorus to sing ‘Counting Stars’, getting the show off to a good start, and offering the parent paparazzi the perfect opportunity to enjoy a finger clicking workout.

The EYFS students then confidently mounted the stage and without missing a beat became the embodiment of ‘Get Ready to Wiggle!’, and believe me there was a lot of wiggling going on. Year 1 sang ‘The Cup Song’, Year 2, offered us a ‘Mash up’, and Year 3 danced the ‘Cha Cha Slide’, and the cameras continued to click at a feverish pace. Year 4 then sang ‘Uptown Funk’, Year 5 offered up a moving rendition of ‘Human’, and the Karate Club and Dance Club students all showed us what they have be doing all year, along with many of the students in the individual after school music programme All in all, it was a perfect finish to what has been a great school year, complete with fun activities, a Mexican themed photo boothperfectly matched to the warm summer temperatures- charity stalls, ice creams stalls, and the ever popular student run ‘Heaven’s Delight’ stand- it’s good that we have the summer to run off some of what we ate.

Thank you to all our students who performed, and to the teachers who helped in their preparations. Thank you also to the parents able to make it in, to Ms Claudia Marta for another successful year at PTF President, with many successful PTF events organised, and to the parents for all your support in working with the teachers to keep the students in track and for contributing to school life in so many ways across the school year. Without parent involvement IBSB would not be half the school it is.

As is tradition, the Summer Fete brought the school year to an official close, so we took the opportunity to wish all those present a wonderful summer ahead.

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SCHOOL EVENTS

IGCSE/A Level Art and Design Jane Broadhurst (Art Teacher) Students have been working throughout the year on their Students have working throughout yearCIE on Art their& Coursework andbeen Examination preparation the for the Coursework and Examination preparation for the & Design Examination, which took place in April.

For CIE the Art exam Design Examination, which place April. For exam, students are required to took choose a in theme, andthe research students are required a or theme, and research artists/designers based to on choose the theme art techniques they artists/designers based on theare theme art techniques they would like to explore.

Students thenor required to draw either would like to observation explore. Students aretheir then own required to draw either from direct or from photographs.

The from or from their own photographs.

The main direct part ofobservation the preparation is the experimental work, where main part use of the preparation is the drawings experimental where students their observational andwork, the artist’s students usereference their observational drawings and theproject artist’s research as points. The culmination of the is research as reference points. culmination ofAthe project final compositions through to The a final conclusion. final piece is is final compositions through to a final conclusion.

A final piece is produced in an 8 hour examination for IGCSE and a 15 hour produced in an hour examination for IGCSE and a 15 effort hour examination for 8A Level.

As you can imagine, a lot of time, examination for A Level.

As you can a lot of time, effort and commitment is required bothimagine, at home and at school. and commitmentto is both at home and at school.

Congratulations ourrequired students!

Congratulations to our students!

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SCHOOL EVENTS

A Memorable Year 6 Graduation Peter Ennion (Primary Teacher)

This was the ďŹ rst year that the Year 6 Graduation and Prize Giving Ceremony took place off campus at the Carol Davila Biblioteca, and it was lovely to see the students and parents all dressed so wonderfully for the occasion.

After welcoming drinks and snacks, the our Head of School opened the evening with a warm welcome, congratulating all the students of having successfully completed their Primary Education, and wishing them well as they set sail on their next big adventure ready to face the challenges that await them in the Secondary School.

Head of Primary, Mr Alan Cornish, then entertained all present with some of his memories of the graduating students and commented on how fast time passes between starting school in Year 1 and graduating Year 6, telling all the students to enjoy each and every moment.

The end of Year Prizes were then given out to the various recipients before moving on the ďŹ nal section, being the formal presentation of the graduation diplomas by the Year 6 Form Tutors, Mr Oldham and Mr Morrison.

It was an incredible night and one that I am sure all students and parents will remember for many years to come. Well done to all the graduating students, not just on graduating, but on delivering some very memorable speeches, and on being such great role models for the Year 1-5 students this past year. We wish you all the very best in Year 7 next year!

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SCHOOL EVENTS

Award Winners 2016-2017 Congratulations to the primary and secondary school students who each received special awards at the End of Year Prize Giving Ceremony for 2017, held at the Carol Davila Biblioteca, with a special thank you to His Excellency the British Ambassador to Romania, Mr Paul Brummel, for helping to present some of the awards.

Prefect Awards (from left to right) Catrinel Craiu, Dilara Yildiz, Adriana Bajescu, Boris Radovanovic, Maria Ion, Alex Ciolan, Andrei Marin, Elena Urzica, Maria Popescu

COBIS Award: Rares Padiu

Sporting Excellence: Alina Barbu

CIS Award: Irina Chemencedji

COBIS Award: Christie Victoria Vernon

CIS Award: Emilia Mihaescu

Top Achiever Award : Maria Sticlea

COBIS Award: Lisa Puiu

ECIS Award: Lucas Panayotopoulos

Duke of Edinburgh's International Award - Bronze Level : Silvia Anastasia Dragic

CIS Award : Ana Maria ZamďŹ r

IBSB Award : Abby Opperman

IBSB Award: Mihnea Radulescu

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SCHOOL EVENTS

Award Winners 2016-2017

Abby Opperman, Anastasia Shurubor, Ilinca Comusi, Lara Kalyoncuoglu, Maria Christopoulos, Martina Sielecka, Mrad Haidar, Rares Padiu, Vlad Nedelcu, Zohar Cohen, Luca Rusu, Maria Catalina Cusa.

School Dux Award: Catrinel Craiu Head Girl

Year 10 Academic Top Achiever Award : Gekko Ioancio international british school of bucharest

Year 8 Academic Top Achiever Award: Ana Cristescu

Year 12 Academic Top Achiever Award: Elena Urzica

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SCHOOL EVENTS

Congratulations to the Graduates of 2017 Ciprian Tiplea (Deputy Head of School)

The Year 13 Graduation Ceremony is arguably the most important ceremony in the school year. It is a time when we as a community come together to formally acknowledge the hard work and commitment that went into each student’s individual achievement, and to celebrate their success in having reached their final goal.

This year was another excellent graduating class, with some excellent exam results achieved and university offers from top universities such as UCL, Warwick, Oxford, and Groningen, to name just a few.

Special thanks to our Head Girl, Catrinel Craiu, for her warming opening speech, and to our Deputy Head Girl, Dilara Yildiz, and Student Council Head, Mihnea Radulescu, for their graduation speeches which captured the moment perfectly. Thank you also to the Year 13 Form Tutors Ms Johanna Croci and Ms Jayne Baker for their poignantly written individual student introduction offered, and finally to all our teachers who have contributed to the education of this graduating class of 2017.

As you move on from IBSB, you take with you our hopes and dreams for a better world and join a growing community of IBSB Alumni spread out around the world, and we look forward to hearing news of your future successes in the years to come.

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SCHOOL EVENTS

University Offer List Jayne Baker (University Applications Officer) Congratulations to the IBSB Graduates of 2017. It is clear from the university offer list below that our students have plenty to be proud of and to celebrate this year. All graduates received offers, with 75% of our students receiving offers to their first university of choice.

We would like to wish all our students every success as they leave us to join the growing community of IBSB Alumni. May your dreams become your reality.

Official University Offer List: University

Course Name

Coventry University

Computer Science

Erasmus

Psychology

ESMOD, France

Fashion

EU Business School Barcelona

Business Management

EU Business School Geneva

Business

FABIZ, Romania

Business Management

Groningen University

Chemical Engineering

Instituto Maragoni London

Fashion Business

Kings College London

History

Leiden University

Psychology

London School of Economics (LSE)

Government & History

Maastrict University

Medicine

McMaster University

Computer Science

Breda University

Real Estate & Facility Management

Oxford University, St Benet’s

Turkish

Politechnico Di Milano

Architecture

Queen Mary University

Computer Science & Mathematics with Industrial Experience

Radboud University

Biomedical Sciences

Radboud University

Business Management

Romanian American University

Business Management

Rotterdam Hogeschool

Business Management

Simon Fraser University

Computer Science

SOAS University

International Relations & History

SOAS University

Turkish & History

Southampton Solent University

Fashion

Southampton Solent University

Architectural Design & Technology

The University of Kent

Social Policy and Politics

University of British Columbia

Science

University City London (UCL)

Psychology

University of Amsterdam

Business Management

University of Bath

Psychology with Placement

University of Birmingham

Social Policy With a Year Abroad

University of Brighton

Social Policy & Practice

University of Brighton

English Literature & Creative Writing

University of Brighton

Computer Science

University of Bristol

Social Policy with Study Abroad

University of Bristol

Film & English

University of East Anglia

Film Studies & English Literature

University of East London

Architecture

University of Edinburgh

Middle Eastern Studies

University of Exeter

English & Film Studies with Study Abroad

University of Exeter

Computer Science

University of Exeter University of Harbour Space, Barcelona

Psychology

international british school of bucharest

Computer Science

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SCHOOL EVENTS

ECIS Teacher of the Year Kendall Peet (Head of School)

The ECIS Teacher of the Year Award recognises individuals in an international school community who are actively involved in promoting international education .

This award goes to a teacher who has made a significant and noteworthy contribution to the promotion of international education- above and beyond normal contractual obligations demonstrate the ability to excel at inspiring and leading others.

Recent Winners include: Peter Ennion 2016 Paul Georgescu 2015 Rebecca Hunter 2014 Katie Bickell 2013 Johanna Croci 2012 This year the award went to a teacher who has certainly logged more hours outside of work hours than any other teacher, often staying after school and coming in on the weekend to help students. She has been instrumental in bringing about many positive changes within the school and has helped to promote The International British School of Bucharest worldwide through the organisation of the first ever World COBIS MUN, and in fact will play the central role in IBSB again hosting the World COBIS MUN in March 2018.

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She has supported and helped coach the school debating teams for the past 5 years, filling the school cabinet with trophies, including most recently the 1st place and runner up trophy for both teams entered in the International Sir Winston Churchill Middle School Public Debating Competition. If you haven’t worked it out yet, the ECIS Teacher of the year Award this year went to Dr Blessy Savu. Well done Ms Savu! This award is but a small recognition of all the work you have done over the past years at IBSB.

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SCHOOL EVENTS

Fratii Jderi End of Year Secondary Trip During our time in Fratii Jderi we experienced teambuilding activities; we built social links between one another and independent skills. Most exercises were linked to physical education. We were faced with having to clean our own clothes and making our own beds allowing us to work independently without the help of adults unless needed. One of the most gruelling experiences was when we had to wash our socks in the local river and walk bare foot on the sharp stones in the camp. Ronny lost his socks while trying to wash them in a strong current!’

Our favourite activity was when we went rafting in a large river with a strong wind. We were also left with an interesting race and we used buckets to throw water at each other. One of the trainers lost their go-pro!

Our advice to those going this year is that it is going to be challenging, you are not going to have any parental supervision. You’re going to have to do everything by yourself; you’re going to rely only on your roommate.

-Ronny, Lin

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SCHOOL EVENTS

Maramures Trip Andrea Carman (English Teacher)

Some of IBSB Key Stage 4 students alongside Ms Carman and Ms Aida went off on an end of year trip to Maramures. Visiting beautiful parts of our country, such as Maramures is a "must-visit" on many travellers list. Not only have the students visited this part of our beautiful country but have learnt a lot about the Romanian culture. The students alongside MS Carman and Ms Aida took the tram up to Sighet and visited miles of gorgeous countryside, played football and tasted some of the delicious plates of the Romanian cuisine. On the next day they woke up early to do some trekking in Borsa, whilst visiting the amazing beautiful waterfall “Cascada Cailor� and experienced parts of Maramures village life through the villagers, animals, wooden churches and the scenic horse rides. Their next destination was Pension Domnita in Poienile Izei where they met lots of locals out farming and trekked to the very top of the hills in the area. They were rewarded by some incredible views! Not only have they visited and witnessed beautiful scenery but they got to dress up in the Romanian traditional attire and have conversation with the villagers about their everyday life. The weather was perfect, the locals colourful and friendly and the food was as natural and delicious as one could expect from an organic farm. Anyone interested in visiting Maramures?

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SCHOOL EVENTS

The Amazing Amalfi Coastline Year 8 Of all the places to go on an end of year school trip, top of the list would have to be the Amalfi Coastline, on the west coast of Italy.

Famous for its incredible scenery, white sand beaches, clear blue sea, the Island of Capri, and some of the world’s best cuisine, it was a trip that did not disappoint as a grand finale to the Year 9 & 10 school year.

One of the highlights of the trip was visiting the ruins of Herculaneum, an ancient Roman town destroyed by volcanic pyroclastic flows in 79 AD, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is famous because it is one of the few ancient cities that can now be seen in much of its original splendour, as well as for having been lost, along with Pompeii, Stabiae, Oplontis and Boscoreale, in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79 that buried it. Unlike Pompeii, however, the deep pyroclastic material which covered it preserved wooden and other organic-based objects such as roofs, beds, doors, food and even some 300 skeletons which were discovered in recent years along the seashore, and we got to see this first hand. We also visited Pompeii, which unlike Herculaneum was mostly destroyed, and later that day walked up Mount Vesuvius- a real live volcano with lava and sulfur still pouring out of it! Thankfully it didn’t erupt while we were on it!

It wasn’t all historical sites and volcanoes though. We also got to enjoy some down time on the trip, visiting some of the beautiful white sand beaches, and had a boat trip over to the island of Capri to stopping off to see the famous Blue Grotto on the way, at one point some of us jumped off the boat into the crystal clear waters for a swim. It was a great trip. Oh, and we also had some time to explore Capri itself, which was pretty amazing- it’s easy to see why it’s such a popular spot for the rich and famous, and has been dating right back to the Roman days- it still has ruins from the Imperial Roman villas.

It really was a dream trip and one that I would recommend to all students next year. Rumour has it that the Year 8 students may have the opportunity to go on next year. We definitely recommend it!

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SCHOOL EVENTS

Humanities Lesson with a Difference Jayne Baker (Business Studies Teacher) Since mid-February the Year 9 students have been having “Humanities lessons with a difference.” To enhance their research, team work and presentation skills, the students received instruction and help from Mr Storey (Geography), Mrs Baker (Business Studies) and Mr Gowen (History). The overarching idea was that each group needed to create a tour or holiday to attract foreign tourists to Romania. The students could chose the type of tour or holiday, conduct market research and create the presentation in whatever format they desired; ready to be showcased to an independent judging panel, fellow students, parents and teachers on Friday 5th May. To assist with the project, the students were taken on a trip to Sinaia where they were able to complete an activities workbook based on Sinaia as a tourist destination. They visited various tourist sites and had the opportunity to visit the Tourist Office to obtain resources for their presentations. Luckily the weather was lovely and we had a fun trip.

Since the event, the students have reflected on the whole project. The comments have been very inspiring to read. The overwhelming thoughts of the students were that they enjoyed this style of learning, overcame shyness, enhanced their team working and presentation skills and learned more about Romania and the tourism industry as a whole. It was a pleasure to watch the students blossom through this activity and I look forward to running more successful projects like this again in the future.

The Romanian Tourism Market Place event took place on Friday. The students were a hive of activity getting all of their resources ready to present. The judges arrived at 10am and circulated the teams. Various parents, students and teachers came to view the event. The 8 teams did an amazing job and showed a level of maturity that many people commented on.

The winning team “Unravel Romania” were awarded with some cinema tickets and will be accompanying me to the Bucharest Tourism Conference this Friday at The Radisson Blu hotel. All teams were commended for their outstanding performance by the judging panel, who commented on how difficult the judging was.

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WHITEBOARD

WHITEBOARD

Editorial

Alan Cornish (Head of Primary School)

The Primary School has had a year filled with diversity, growth, opportunities, challenges, triumphs, fun, laughter, and learning.

We have also failed every single day. And we have tried hard to embrace failure as a prerequisite for success and growth. We should not be afraid of failing, we should not consider ourselves a failure if we don’t know something, instead we should consider the power of ‘Yet’. It is important to understand that we are on a learning curve, a journey in which there are many things that we do not yet know. But we will know. With guidance, practice and hard work, we will know. Mistakes are a part of the journey as we stumble along a path into a future that is as yet, unknown.

This is an exciting time in education. As the world continues to change, our job is to prepare our students for a life that we cannot yet imagine. That is our commitment to the children in IBSB. In a Primary School the focus is always on the child; we do all in our power to provide as many opportunities for them to shine, to grow, to be challenged, to do something they never thought they could, and to achieve and reach beyond their potential.

We teach them, of course, in lessons each day, but it is during assemblies, presentations and shows that we see their confidence and personalities grow. It is during competitions, sports days, and residential trips that the real growth occurs.

Where the bonds of trust and friendship are formed, and where character and personality are tested.

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Throughout our final TIV you will see pictures of children doing just that, they have grasped the opportunities we present them every day, practice the skills, and then perform them with smiles on their faces. If they take the time to reflect back on this year, they may remember that back in September there were many things they couldn’t do or didn’t know. I would like them to remember this next year when they come across a challenge or problem they can’t do, YET.

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EYFS Water Adventure

Manuela Constantin (Early Years Coordinator)

Under the water, under the sea‌ In the last term of school the children in EYFS have been learning about Water. They learned about life cycles and water cycles. They made connections between different parts of their life experience. They were able to name some sea animals and describe them. We encouraged them to discuss about the beauty of nature and their responsibility to care for it; the importance of water and keeping the waters clean and to show care and concern for others, for living things, and the environment. The children were engaged in various activities to support their understanding. They investigated waterproof materials and learned about some objects that float and others that sink. They were also involved in many fun activities; eg. ďŹ shing games, playing with shells in water and sand, making soap bubbles and Feed the shark.

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Year 1 Learning Experience Theresa Cormican (Year 1 Teacher) What a fun and exciting year it has been. The children have learned Science, been on Field Trips, celebrated birthday parties, performed on stage, completed art, science and history projects and generally developed an interest in learning which will hopefully stand to them in the coming Years. We can’t fit them all in, so here are just a few pictures which grab some highlights of the Year!! We hope you enjoy them and we know your children will continue to succeed with positive attitudes and a hardworking approach to life.

Year 2 Spring Gardening Kirsty Deeble Rogers (Year 2 Teacher) In Year 2, this term the students worked on a unit about plants.

In class the children identified the parts of a plant and learned about the life cycle of a plant. We then went outside to enjoy the sunshine and plant some seeds and bulbs in order to do an experiment to see how plants differ as they grow. We divided the children into four groups: each took a plant pot, bedded it with fertile soil, carefully placed their seeds or bulbs in the soil, and then watered them with their hopes and aspirations. The children learnt that some plants need water and light, some plants need water but no light, while others have light but no water, and some plants even have no light at all! In the coming weeks we will checking on our bulbs and seeds regularly to make observations about how plants grow. The children are all very excited!

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Year 4O Role Play Orla O’dwyer (Year 4 Teacher) Year 4O were discussing all about respect during PSHE lessons this term. As a group we had to decide what behaviour is and is not acceptable in a school. We thought of ways to develop strategies to promote respect at all times in our school. We used role play to show how it feels to be teased and to display ways in where children could be unkind to others. We worked in groups of 3 on a given scenario where one of the children was teasing, one was being teased, and one as watching. Each child acted what was happening and gave 2 endings; one where the victim and observer are passive, and one where the victim and observer act assertively. To end our lessons on respect we created positive behaviour posters and a code of coduct to show us ways that we can behave more respectfully in school.

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Year 5E Celebrate Cultural Variety Peter Ennion (Year 5 Teacher)

It is very rare to find a person who can be equally enthusiastic when taking part in every activity. We have different tastes, interests and sources of enjoyment, so how can teachers ensure that a group of students can access as many different lessons as possible?

The answer lies in the key word: difference. Students are vastly different people all tied together by their common age, which is why at IBSB we provide such a variety of activities for our classes. Going back through photographs taken in class this year, I was struck by the sheer amount of very different pursuits undertaken by Primary School students on a daily basis.

There remains a valuable place in our curriculum for traditional learning methods, but in the modern world there are just too many opportunities for exploration to ignore. Alongside spelling tests, maths exercises and grammar drills, technology and free thinking allow us to try new ways of learning without having to overhaul our classrooms or alter the groups in our school. Role plays allowed Year 5 students to access the first steps of journalistic writing, even if it is based on fiction. An art lesson instantly became a spontaneous chance to display literacy and research skills, as short biographies of artists are written to enhance our painting and drawing. Mr Pantella has fascinated Year 5 students with a wide range of software and challenging tasks. Of course, the students’ response to these lessons is important, and thankfully our school is teeming with happy, keen students who never fail to amaze us with their own contributions to lessons.

Together, we provide the International British School of Bucharest with a lively and curious environment, where students know that there is always a stimulating and challenging activity around the corner and they can expect to think, discover and smile.

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Comic Strip Art in Year 6M Robin Morrison (Year 6 Teacher) In Year 6 we’ve been busy taking exams, and preparing for the end of the year when we will graduate and leave Primary School to move on to Secondary School. We took a trip down memory lane choosing the language of comics to tell the stories of our favourite moments spent in the Primary School: adventures we’ve shared, lessons we’ve learned, and best friends we’ve made.

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Year 6O Cherry Picking Jack Oldham (Year 6 Teacher)

On Wednesday, June 7th, Year 6O were kindly invited to Mr and Ms Sucu’s Cherry Orchard in Snagov. Here they had the opportunity to pick their own cherries, fish by the lake and were then treated to a delicious lunch with a wide selection of food, finished off with a beautiful desert. There were some interesting fishing techniques on show, with Zohar managing to catch 6, whereas Abby’s patience sadly didn’t pay off. It was a brilliant day in the sun and every child left with fond memories.

A Visit to the Cervantes Institute Aurora Stroescu (Spanish Teacher) On Friday, May 26th, the MFL Department proposed a Year 4 & 5 educational visit to the Cervantes Institute to visit their extensive library, to encourage our students to read more in Spanish, and to enhance our students’ awareness of Spanish culture.

On the trip the students were really excited to discover new aspects about the wonderful Spanish culture. The visit involved educational activities, the presentation of the institute and the library, and even a food workshop (they learned how to prepare guacamole con nachos). In fact, some of the students enjoyed the visit so much that they have decided to go back with their parents to set up an annual subscription. Our visit ended with a quiz about Spain and Spanish culture- all the students did really well and received prizes for their effort.

The Cervantes Institute is a place full of cultural and linguistic interest, and I am sure we will go back there again soon, as the students seemed to have enjoyed it so much.

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Primary School Photography Club Developing a Passion for Photography This year in the Primary School Photography Club we have been looking at different techniques to improve our photographic skills.

We’ve learned how changing our point of view can trick the viewer’s eye and create interesting pictures, even when photographing something we see every day like our playground here at IBSB. We also learned how leading lines work to create a sensation of depth in a photograph and took photographs where interesting contrasts and patterns existed in the playground. You can see the amazing results are below, which are just a small selection of the beautiful photographs we managed to capture this year!

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Year 5 Mountain Madness Peter Ennion (Year 5 Trip Coordinator) In the penultimate week of school, Year 5 enjoyed four days in Predeal on their annual residential trip.

We departed school on a bus at 09:00, Monday morning, arriving in the mountains just in time for lunch: the students were all excited to see their rooms and to meet their instructors: Simona, Mircea, Costin, and Radu.

The first afternoon was spent at an adventure park, where the children followed different obstacle trails through the trees, ending with a zip line. They then had a chance to play on the trampolines and to test their coordination with a game of swingball. The first evening passed with a disco (and a game of football going on outside simultaneously).

One of the highlights of the trip was the weather, which was beautiful throughout the trip, and so it proved on our first morning. The students spent the morning on Day 2 at an aquapark in Brasov, enjoying the slides, jumps and pools. The bravest children even jumped from the five-metre platform!

This activity left our students feeling very relaxed for the afternoon, where on the edge of the forest they built some shelters using nature’s materials. They worked really well together, as by this time they had been organised into three teams for the duration of the trip. The idea was that they worked in their teams on every task, earning points for good communication and collaboration.

As a part of the trip Year 5 enjoyed a day trekking up into the mountains. The students were shown how to recognise different tracks on the ground, and were excited to see the footprints of a mother bear and tiny bear cub, very close to our hotel. Our guides advised us to keep making lots of noise in order to frighten away any animals, and Year 5 didn’t need a second invitation. Making noise is one of their specialties, so they sang happily all the way up the hill, foraging for berries and picking flowers as they went.

Another challenging team activity enjoyed was putting up a tent, which was not so hard; it actually proved more difficult to take it down again afterwards! This was followed by archery, when one person managed to hit the bullseye four times….can you guess who?

A campfire was the perfect way to end our last night in Predeal before we travelled back on Thursday, arriving back at school tired, happy and ready for school on Friday

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Year 6 Kingswood Adventure Jack Oldham Leaving the damp, leaden skies of Bucharest behind them, Y6 had the opportunity to enjoy the scorching sunshine of North Wales on their end of year residential trip….okay, perhaps slightly hyperbolic, but the weather was actually very good, much to our surprise. After a long journey, which the teachers and children completed together in good spirits, the students arrived at their final destination- The Kingswood Colomendy Centre, where a week of fun outdoor activities awaited them, including bouldering, climbing, caving, singing, playing, swinging and learning. They also visited Chester Zoo where they completed a course on the environment and conservation…and they saw some penguins! All in all everyone agreed it a was a fantastic trip that returned our students home feeling excited, smiling, and full of stories to share. A big thank you to Ms Andreea Ruse, Theresa Cormican and Rab Morrison for organising another successful Year 6 trip.

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A Culinary Journey in EAL In Term 3 all EAL groups from Key Stage 2 came together to enjoy a culinary journey across five countries: China, Japan, Turkey, Israel, and Romania. This was not just a delicious breakfast shared, but also an opportunity to learn and use English in a real life context, providing the perfect opportunity to develop speaking skills. It also offered students the chance to create meaningful connections to each student’s first language and home culture.

For the International Breakfast initiative, we asked the students to prepare a traditional meal and to present it to their colleagues so to communicate their cultural identity and share a great time together. We had Mao Tanaka bringing us Temaki from Japan, Zhentai and Tony joined in with a huge effort making more than 50 spring rolls, while Aya, Liya, Ariel and Ethan showed their teamwork spirit with a selection of three main courses and deserts that surprised and enchanted our taste buds. It was a fun and delightful experience, and one that we will surely repeat it sometime soon!

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SCHOOL VIEWS

SCHOOL VIEWS

The Element - Have you found it?

Ciprian Tiplea (Deputy Head of School)

I have decided to write this article as I have been reading a book lately which has inspired me in many ways. I believe this book has a message that needs to be shared with children, colleagues and parents as there is something we can all learn from it.

The book is written by Sir Ken Robinson and in this book he is talking about the journey we all must take in finding our true calling in life. He names it “The Element” and I encourage all of you to read it, as it is one of those books that can change your approach to life.

One of the things he is talking about in the book is a serious crisis of our society. You may think – what’s new? We all know about the economic crisis, the political and environmental crisis and so on… Well, he is not talking about any of those. What he is talking about is the crisis of human resources. According to him, and I think there is a lot of truth in this, most of the people on our planet are going through their entire lives without ever finding their true passions and abilities. Why? A number of reasons which are elaborated in the book, but the main obstacle being our mind and that is determined by our attitude.

It is the constant fear of making mistakes, what will the others think about me, what if I get it wrong and what if it does not work? Fear is many times holding us back from doing the things we love and the things that can give true meaning to our lives.

Children are born with tremendous potential for development, sparkling imagination, fertile minds and a keen desire to take risks with what they do and think. Picasso once said that “All children are born artists”. So, the question is, what happens with us as we grow up and why is it that most people end up never finding their natural abilities and true passions in order to eventually combine these and turn them into a career for life?

You see, people who are lucky enough to be in that situation,

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don’t actually have a job, and they could never see themselves doing anything else. They are happy successful people with families and challenges like any other person. But what a difference it makes to go to work every day and be there physically, cognitively and emotionally. What a difference it makes to be doing what you are really good at and passionate about? Imagine a world where the majority could actually be in that situation. A much better world for all of us, I assume…

To conclude the article, the book is about finding your element, as Sir Ken Robinson puts it. According to him, you are in your element if you have managed to discover and combine your natural abilities and personal passions. If you have, there should be nothing to stop you from following and pursuing your dreams. It is not an easy ride as it takes a lot of work, effort, determination, ambition and consistency. But we must understand how vitally important is for ourselves and for our society to have this approach in life. “Finding our element is essential to our own well-being and ultimate success and by implication to the health of our organization and effectiveness of our education” The school/parents partnership plays a very important role from this perspective. We must be the ones supporting our children and providing them with all possible opportunities and challenges to maintain their curiosity and develop their creativity. We must allow them to dream and we must support them in their aspirations while we constantly promote the importance of effort, hard work, commitment and consistency in whatever they decide to do with their lives. What we all want as parents and teachers is for our children to be happy, healthy and safe and eventually become successful, accomplished and responsible citizens of our society. I believe that if we all embrace the message of this book we are a few good steps closer to that aim.

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Trekking the “Rebel Way”- 8 Days Hiking in the Wilds of Scotland Andrea Carman (English Teacher)

When Theresa and I set off in April with five other hardy women to conquer the famous Scottish trail known as The West Highland Way, we didn’t really have any idea what we were getting ourselves into. We wanted to see some of Scotland, challenge our fitness levels, test our fit bits and contribute to the charity known as Light into Europe.

Right off the bat, let’s get some of the unpleasant stuff out of the way; the trail from Fort William to Kinlochleven on Day 1 was supposed to be 26 k, but our and assorted tracking gadgets were approaching 28k and there was no end in sight.

We were beyond “knackered” as our friends from the Isles like to say, and the trail had become a torturous incline through dense, dark forest; it felt like my feet were hovering over hot coals and my glutes were seriously groaning . We passed a lone hiker heading in the more popular direction (South to North) and were told, “Only 2 more km., just over the next bridge; it’s all downhill from there!” Well, we’d heard that before and I felt the drumbeat of defeat and the slow drip of cynicism begin to overtake me. Could we make it? Would our minds win over our shattered bodies?

“Can you see anything?” I heard Theresa shout again from somewhere behind. “Ya, more bloody forest!” I yelled, cursing the whole business and wondering why I hadn’t opted for a real vacation. And then, after what seemed like an eternity, there it was; a small town glimmering in the distance with our humble bunk house, sustenance and a much desired local pint (or two).

Now I know how Mary and Joseph must have felt.

And we had seven more days of this? Call me a whaaambulance!

The next morning, following one of those massive traditional breakfasts one can afford to eat when you have 20 odd

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kilometres to cover: sausage, bacon, black pudding, eggs, haggis, scones and plenty of coffee- we waddled off with sufficient calories to carry us into the next century. The trail would cover at least 15 k, take us into Glencoe and a stay at King’s House (a renovated 17th century Inn set in the highlands) but first we would have to pay our dues and cross the “Devil’s Staircase.” For all its hype as being the toughest part of the trek, it was a bit of an anti-climax (there would be tougher sections) although we did get plenty of wind-whipped rain and slippery rocks to contend with. The climb down into Glencoe was laborious and there was no place to seek shelter, not even for a quick sandwich or WC break. Needless to say, when we finally arrived cold, wet and dirty, that hot shower and first cold pint were nothing short of golden. It’s also where we saw our first wild life—no, not Theresa hitting on the waiter, but a majestic lone stag that sauntered into the nearby field and stood watching warily as we snapped some photos. He was a real beauty and I felt rewarded for making it to the middle of nowhere.

For the purpose of this condensed version, the next six days were at once challenging, rewarding, frustratingly long, at times exhausting, but full of self-discovery. We witnessed the beauty of the highlands, got off the grid, walked through endless miles of moor, and rocky shoreline, got rained on, saw multiple rainbows, squelched across fields, along ancient roads, slippery tracks and muddy trails. We met fellow trekkers, exchanged weather and trail reports and patted more than a few dogs. I also managed to fall squarely in a sticky mess of cow manure, just for good measure. After all that, imagine how sweet it was to finally reach the centre of Milngavie some 190k later (counting in the extra ks for getting lost), stand as a team in front of the WHW monument, hold our heads high and say, “we did it!” international british school of bucharest

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A Special Visit from the Rainbow Fairy Orla O`Dwyer (Event Coordinator) Our final school week started with something rather special organised for our children and staff, as we had a special visit from the Rainbow Fairy, Pongo the Clown, and Oli their golden retriever who together put on a wonderful show with an important message about healthy eating.

The show was arranged by Noi Orizonturi Familia, a not-for-profit association in Romania, to raise money to enhance the quality of life for all members of the community, especially those who are poor, suffering, or are otherwise disadvantaged.

In the show named “Let’s grow beautiful, grow healthy!” Pongo (Victor) has a sore stomach and is wondering why? We learned that if you are polite and persevering and apply good manners in any situation, you will always be appreciated and you will have lots of friends! The Rainbow Fairy (Alina) helps him and together with Oli teaches Pongo how important it is to eat fruit and vegetables, but also the consequences of an unhealthy diet! Interactive games, humorous skits, songs, dances, and "Oli's stunts", were all a part of the 1 hour show that had our students and staff clapping, cheering, and laughing throughout.

We also managed to raise over 1000 ron for a very worthwhile cause.

If you would like to find out more about this educational presentation by Noi Orizonturi Familia and their work then please visit the following website: www.noiorizonturifamilia.ro.

They are always looking for volunteers to help!

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An Unexpected Visitor to Year 5 Spanish Mioara Cucu (Primary School Spanish Teacher) With another school year almost over, we decided to take advantage of these last few weeks to plan a very special lesson for the Year 5 students learning Spanish.

On Thursday, the 25th of May, the MFL Department invited Milena Vergara, a Year 9 student, who is a native Spanish speaker, to join our Year 5 Spanish lesson. You can’t imagine how excited the students were to talk to her. Milena fascinated them with her origins and they were eager to introduce themselves to her. Since our topic for this term has been I Am the Music Man, it was a great opportunity to have a short introspection into South America and its Spanish speaking countries. During the lesson Milena encouraged them to speak about their favourite musical instruments and their favourite types of music and singers. She did a great job by showing them a map of South America, explaining the origin of each type of music and dance, and the students even discovered a new musical instrument “el flauta pan” and its fascinating origin. We then listened to some beautiful Spanish songs which everyone enjoyed. Finally, at the end of the lesson we all then said goodbye to Milena as she returned to the Secondary School, but remain excited as she promised to return to speak to us all again soon.

A Year in Bucharest Duncan Gowen (Head of Secondary) Published in 1952 Seven Years in Tibet tells the incredible true story of Heinrich Harrer's, an Austrian mountaineer escape across the Himalayas to Tibet and then of the time he spent in Tibet. At the start of the book Harrer is part of a German expedition attempting to climb Everest. The expedition does not succeed and upon returning to India the whole party is arrested as the 2nd World War had just started. He was imprisoned by the British in India but succeeded in escaping and fled to Tibet.

Settling in Lhasa, the Forbidden City, where he became a friend and tutor to the Dalai Lama, Heinrich Harrer spent seven years gaining a deep understanding of Tibet and the Tibetans; the influence that the very young Dalai Lama, in particular, had upon Harrer was profound.

I have certainly not spent seven years in Bucharest but I have spent sufficient time to realise the he city is full of kind, considerate and sensitive people and people who are committed to shaping a better future for their country; I should not forget the wonderful parks, some stunning architecture, a great love of art and music as well as some wonderful restaurants. One evening I went to spend some time with the people who were protesting against the new governments attempt to in effect legalise corruption. This is a moment I shall always remember. A quarter of a million people protesting against morally questionable law making in a peaceful and reasonable fashion. To my mind this illustrates how committed many people are in Romania towards developing a better future for themselves and their children.

As for IBSB, I have been at the school sufficient time to know

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that both the staff and students work very hard to develop their learning together. It is tempting to dwell too much on the challenges without focusing sufficiently on the many good news stories that happen every week at the school. The school says it is seeking to build a community of passionate life-long learners and there is plenty of evidence to support this claim. As I recollect over the year, I can remember many examples of this partnership in learning. The great many lesson observations that I have done have illustrated clearly how committed the teachers are to developing their delivery skills and their curriculum knowledge, and how enthusiastic the students are to further their knowledge and understanding. The enthusiasm shown by a great many students towards COBIS Competitions provides additional evidence of this appetite for learning. The CAS scheme at the school is a real success story developing student leadership as well as a deeper understanding of the needs of others. This is just one example of student achievement outside of the classroom; others include a thriving MUN and debating culture, successful participation in the football and athletics competitions that take place in Bucharest, and finally a commitment towards art and drama: I know of many students who pursue their interests in tap dancing, contemporary dance, community service, music and sport outside of the school. There is clearly an abundance of talent in the IBSB Community.

If I were staying at IBSB I would seek to further develop the partnership between parents and teachers and to say that education is not only about grades; it is also about the social development of students. Trust and accountability are vital to this process.

I shall leave with fond memories of the school and I wish the staff, students, parents and members of the extended community of the school every success in the future.

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SCHOOL VIEWS

The 36th Annual COBIS Leadership Conference Kendall Peet (Head of School)

The theme for the Annual COBIS Leadership Conference this year, ‘Transformations’, is a theme that works in well with the current educational climate, for schools not only play a key role in transforming the lives of students, but are also working hard to transform the curriculum on offer and pedagogy to keep pace with the ever changing world around us.

Change is everywhere evident in our daily lives: in our relationships, in society, in the global economy, in shifting world demographics, in the environment, and in our perception of the world of tomorrow. It is therefore essential that all organisations, including schools, continue to transform and to help those within to transform, change, and adapt in order to meet the future challenges of this evolving world.

We are told that many of the jobs today will not exist in 10-20 years from now, and so to best prepare our students for jobs that have not yet been invented, in companies that do not yet exist, in a world that we can barely imagine, education will be focusing increasingly on acquiring transferable skills and abilities, rather than specific closed sets of content that will soon be outdated. Schools are right now experimenting with new curriculums, with greater emphasis on individualised learning to facilitate students learning at different levels and at their own pace with improved systems of support in place to help where the need for additional help has been identified. We are no longer simply educating students to pass exams to enter university, but rather are providing an educational environment where the problem solvers, critical thinkers, and lifelong learners of tomorrow can aspire and flourish.

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Our school vision for the past 4 years has been to work to ‘Build a Community of Passionate, Lifelong Learners’, and there could be no better vision to match up to the world about us in these current times of change. When our students graduate, statistics tells us that they will change their job on average every two years, will change their career at least three times, and will have to keep abreast of the unrelenting pace of technological evolution if they want to remain employable.

Educating our children to love learning, to become lifelong learners who embrace change is now essential.

It is with this in mind that Alan and I boarded a Wizz Air flight bound for London and the 36th Annual COBIS Leadership Conference, seeking ourselves to have a ‘transformational’ experience…we were not disappointed!

The programme for the conference was as always busy, jam-packed with Keynote Speakers, Seminars and Workshops, with over 100 exhibitors on site to visit and talk shop with in between seminars and workshops.

The Keynote Speakers this year included such names as Professor Dame Alison Peacock (CEO, Chartered College of Teaching), Professor Ian Robertson (Chair in Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, and author of The Stress Test and The Winner Effect), Robert Senior (Global CEO, Saatchi & Saatchi), Mark Garnier MP (Parliamentary Undersecretary of State), and Bill Sweeney (CEO, British Olympic Association), who collectively shared their experiences about the transformations they went

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The 36th Annual COBIS Leadership Conference Kendall Peet (Head of School)

through in their own lives and the part they played in transforming the world and the lives of those around them. In particular, they spoke of the need to ‘manage’ change in order to involve all stakeholders and to set a pace that is sustainable, which in turn will require strong leadership with a clear vision, the courage to aim high, to be wrong, and to deviate from the plan when needed in order to adapt and respond to the changing times.

“If all you do is try to preserve your strategy, it won’t work because the world is always changing” Shantanu Narayen, CEO Adobe The three fundamental questions asked at the conference were effectively: What will the workplace look like in the future?

What will schools look like in the future?

What and how should we be teaching young people to best prepare them for the future?

Mark Steed, the Director of JESS, Dubai, added to the ongoing debate, in a seminar he presented on ‘The Future of Schooling’, describing a world where the majority of children will learn online for free, where a second large group of children will learn online from ‘super (highly paid) teachers’, who will teach vast numbers around the world at the same time, with the minority of children joining a high-tech classroom receiving instruction from a teacher face to face- most likely be assisted by robots.

In his session he gave several examples of teachers already earning over 1 million euros a year teaching online, indicating that this is the future of teaching that awaits the majority of children in the future.

Education’, in which educational change will be led by leading schools networking together, with high performance teachers given more freedom to design their own curricula to better engage, inspire, and support, and to respond more rapidly to the changing and varying needs of students.

Alan and I also attended an interesting and timely session on school improvement and quality assurance, with the 2018 BSO Inspection just around the corner, and an excellent session on ‘High Performance Learning (HPL)’, by Prof Deborah Eyre, which essentially takes the growth mindset approach to teaching and learning and extends it by focusing on building cognitive competence to enable all students to become successful learners. In particular, the HPL approach encourages more focus on problem solving and collaborative work in the classroom, working to develop student confidence and increase resilience, establishing a safe learning environment in which students feel valued and able to take measured risks in the learning process, to reflect, and to learn from their experiences. This is already a big aspect of the IBSB approach to teaching and learning, which will be further developed in 2107-18.

It was a busy two days, and so by the end of it, batteries a little drained, Alan and I boarded the plane for home with lots of information and new ideas (and some Cadbury’s chocolates) to share with our learning team, as we begin the process of planning for the new school year and beyond, transforming our school into a school for future generations.

I would like to finish by saying a special thank you to Colin Bell (Executive Director of COBIS Worldwide) and the COBIS Team for putting together another incredible Educational Leadership Conference. We look forward to returning for more next year.

“The problem with a three year plan is that next week everything changes. A three year plan, you’re joking! A three week plan that “Your only limit is the breadth and depth of your imagination, and the strength of your convictions.” works!” Robert Senior, Global CEO, Saatchi and Saatchi In another session, Mike O’Sullivan, Head of Primary at the British School of Kuwait, overviewed the first three evolutions in education bringing us up to this current point in time, before going on to describe the currently evolving ‘Fourth Way in

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Duncan Gowen Morocco Bound Kendall Peet (Head of School)

Although Duncan has only been with us a relatively short time, he will certainly be leaving his mark when he moves on at the end of this year. He will be remembered for his warm welcoming smile and his early morning staff meetings, which always left staff in good spirits ready for the week ahead, be it because of his offerings of chocolate or is particular breed of dry British humour.

As an inspiring leader should, Duncan has lead from the front, setting high standards and leading by example, early in and usually the last to leave, polite, respectful, a passionate teacher in the classroom, and a great listener; his calm, collected presence has been a welcome addition this year, especially during the busy periods, with Duncan often covering a lesson for staff out, and always happy to set time aside for students and staff to listen and advise when needed.

We will also remember Duncan for the long list of new acronyms and buzz phrases introduced- now used as a common parlance about campus by staff: ‘Growth Mind Set’, ELLI, IGGY, Pods and ‘Class Dojo’, have all contributed in laying the groundwork for an educational journey that has set sail with the secondary staff aboard, and for this we are duly thankful.

As an aspiring Head, IBSB was always going to be a stepping stone for Duncan, and although we would have liked Duncan to be with us a few more years, we are happy that he was with us for this year as he has contributed to the development of the school in many unseen ways.

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We wish him well as he moves on to take up a Headship position in Morocco, where he will be responsible for helping to set up a new British school in Casablanca, and hopefully still have time to play some golf, as I am told his accommodation provided is on a golf course. We look forward to hearing from you in the years ahead Duncan and wish you every success in your new position.

international british school of bucharest

SCHOOL VIEWS

Teacher Farewell Paul Jennings (English Teacher) As a person who some, (rather cruel individuals), might say was ‘vertically challenged’, I was somewhat in awe and envy of ‘The Great Lanky One’ when we first met three years ago: then I discovered he supported Spurs and realised one can’t have it all. What amused me the most when we both arrived at IBSB, was that in the staff-room we were allotted pigeon holes: his?

Two from the bottom. Mine? At the very top. I used to ask him on a daily basis to check if I had anything in my pigeon hole. In his time here Mark has established the benchmark, in my opinion, for pastoral care and thoughtfulness: his patience is remarkable. He has also paved the way in new innovations in Geography most of which a Luddite like me doesn’t understand. His teaching has been imaginative and he has embraced whole heartedly the new whole school ideas in relation to ‘Growth Mind Set’. He has always been a kind and considerate colleague and he will now take those skills to Madrid where he will be welcomed and, I am sure, very much appreciated. He made Dinamo his team whilst here and became a DIGI sport TV sensation but way back when we had not been here long he and I paved the way to Ploesti to see the mighty Faro Islands nearly beat the Romanian national team. A memory that will live with me for a long time, much like the rambling GPS walk back to the station!

Good luck to Mark and Hannah in Espanol; you go with our thanks and best wishes.

Student Reporter: How was your time spent at IBSB and what are your plans for the future?

Hannah Collier: I have really enjoyed my three years here at IBSB. Having worked in Year 2 and Year 3 and being Lower School Co-coordinator, I have got to know the wonderful students of IBSB really well. Next year I will be teaching in a school in Spain, some of my students are trying to help me learn Spanish so that I am prepared! I am very excited about moving to Spain, but will miss all of the happy students and kind teachers here. Thank you all for making me feel welcome and making my time here in Bucharest fun.

Kirsty Deeble-Rogers: I’ve had great 2 years here at IBSB and enjoyed being in Year 2. Bucharest and IBSB are very welcoming and I settled in very quickly. I am leaving teaching next year to join my husband in his digital marketing agency. It specialises in advertising for local businesses like restaurants or dentists to get more customers using Facebook advertising.

I’m very excited to be starting a new adventure but very sad to be leaving the school and the children next year.

Andreea Rus: I’ve spent three years at IBSB and I value the experience, I’ve learned and developed as a teacher, found a place where I could be creative and grow as a person. All of this makes it difficult for me to decide to leave. I am planning to complete a Master’s Degree in Germany, so I will soon be moving to Heidelberg. I will surely miss all the lovely people I met at IBSB!

Restaurant Review Ms Andrea Carman (English Teacher) The Dalboka Mussel Farm, Bulgaria On a recent trip to Bulgaria, we managed to get a reservation at this unusual but very popular seaside eatery. The Dalboka Mussel Farm and restaurant is situated on the coast of the Black Sea near Balchik, Bulgaria and features dozens of imaginative preparations of fresh mussels along with other Romanian favourites such as fried sardines and mountains of cartof prajiti cu branza. For diners with no idea why they’re there, chicken and pork are on the menu as well.

The Dalboka company has been in business since 1993 and specializes in the cultivation and production of ecologically clean Black Sea mussels ; diners can see the “farm” from their tables and the proximity of our meal made it all the more enjoyable. The Kaliakra bay, where the mussels are farmed, is renowned for its pristine waters, a necessary element when raising filter feeders such as these delicious crustaceans. The Restaurant Contact Information: restaurant is now so successful, if you don’t have a reservation, you can expect to line up for up to 30 minutes just to get a table. +359 52 911 977 Having done a little research, we selected table #31 overlooking +359 89 551 2025 (English speaking) the shoreline and opted for a pot of steaming mussels with dalboka@dalboka.com lovage, seafood pasta, a seafood salad and those addictive fries. Hanging out with friends, eating and drinking is always a great combination, but thanks to this adventurous operation, the experience was so much more memorable.

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CREATIVE CORNER

CREATIVE CORNER

Creative Literary Christie Vernon (Year 10)

He snapped back into consciousness like the sudden spark of a match. Cloth sticking to him. His face damp, his cheek pressed against the cold. The taste of metal burned his tongue behind papery lips. His main emotion was all around discomfort. He shifted, lead limbs lifting mechanically, as if they weren’t even attached to his body. His eyes tore open, not to the sound of ripping flesh as his drowsy mind had anticipated but to a violent white. He blinked, eyes resting, closed for a fraction too long, before realizing he was in fact staring upwards at a wall of heavy cloud. Trees hemmed the picture, their black silhouettes too dark for the brightness of the sunless sky.

He sat up. After subduing the initial urge to throw up, he ran his eyes over his surroundings. Thick trunks knitted together, surrounded him, a russet colour stained the bottom of his pant leg. He would wonder later why he noticed this first, and not the bullet hole. But he was glad they had come in this order, as it gave his mind a sliver of warning before it fully comprehended what a dire situation he was in.

There was a lot of blood still flowing. It took him a moment to find the wound through all of it. The shot had gone clean through his foot. He was thankful for that. When his hand reached forward to pull back his pants he noticed there was a frayed rope tied around his wrist. And he remembered.

They had tied him up sloppily. The bark of the tree had scratched at the skin of his arms. They had relieved him of the raincoat he had hurriedly tugged on when they’d come for him.

The big man with the eyes that stung had promised he would sell it for a good price. Those eyes. They would haunt him for the rest of his days.

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Then they had shot him once. The sound had sliced through the night like a dull blade.

He was a bad shot.

They had left him for dead. He had pretended to fall unconscious and either they did not know how to check a pulse or they hadn’t thought of it. The big man had sworn furiously.

He had wanted to inflict more pain. His voice had carried all the way back to the tiny grove as they’d traipsed back. Through that orchard.

The smell of lemons still bit at his nostrils.

They had shot him and left him to die in the cold, hung up like an animal. Because they could. He thanked the lord that he had no children or wife to speak of. That they couldn’t get their hands on anyone he loved.

The knots had been weak, the rope slippery. He’d used the last of his strength to jerk himself free and tear a piece of his shirt to use as a compress. The pain had been indescribable. He recalled now how many nerve endings were located in a foot.

Over seven thousand. It had been a couple hours. He needed sterile cloth, water, disinfectant and pain killers. And he needed somewhere to go.

But he had nowhere and no one. And he was probably going to bleed to death in this icy orchard as time inched by.

He had been proud once, a teacher! But now he was just tired.

So he slept.

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CREATIVE CORNER

The Mild Highway Adela Ciobotaru (Year 10) I remember the day I became a forsaken warrior all too well.

Sitting on the second to last level of the apartment building I lived in, I peeked out the open window, watching miniscule ants make their way to the places they desired to go to. I let my dark, mocha-tinted hair fly effortlessly behind me, as the cool breath of air fluttered about. I was surrounded by four friends all playing some card game I didn’t care to know the name of. The smell of petrol leaking from a car crash on the pavement was overwhelming; it flooded my nostrils as if I was underwater.

Other vehicles flew by the accident, ignorant as always, cutting the air with a swish that brushed by my ears. My parents were brewing coffee, but the collision on the street overpowered the scent of it. Police cars flashed their sirens with a blinding light and blaring alarm. I shut my eyes, trying to block out all the silence-breaking events that were circling around me. And just as I did, I heard it. I heard what I was sure I would live to hear one day.

The clamorous gunshot made my ears ring, making me feel as if they were bleeding. The window next to me shattered into millions of pieces of sharp glass which clattered on the planks of wood I was standing on. I jumped backwards, startled by what had occurred, falling on my back and hitting my head on the ground. An acute pain like a heap of needles piercing my exposed skin scattered all over the back of my head. My vision became unclear as I tried to make out if anyone got hit by the bullet that came towards us. Blake rushed to my side, holding my head and the small of my back, pulling me up on my feet, yelling words that seemed faint and distant.

“Come on Wynter, ge… up, get u…”

It took me some time to come to my senses. I lifted myself up, pushing onto my hands, not realizing I was pressing on shards that wounded my dry palms. I saw the crimson liquid flow down my tanned skin like paint on a canvas. I winced at the sight of that, but quickly moved on. I ducked and held a protective arm over my head as several more bullets shot through the apartment. We all reached the kitchen where I identified both of my parents. Both of them lying motionless on the blood-stained tiles.

Today was November 12th, 2017. It marked one year since that horrific event. I made sure not to lose track of the days that passed by. It had rained overnight. With my hands over my face, I laid down on the freshly-sprayed grass. Whitish clouds wandered above me, free of any worries. I envied them. The potent trees were dressed in dingy, auburn, wood and a coat of warming leaves that had the color of a polluted, musky lake.

The cliff of the slate-gray, grizzly mountain looked like a polished slide. The summit was so tiny and far away, but it still stood proud. It was somewhere around midday, as the Sun was hiding behind smoky clouds right above us.

There used to be five of us. Now there were only two. The others either got lost or lost their lives on the way. As much as I tried, the fact that they were never coming back consumed me.

I felt a hand on my left shoulder.

“Come on. Let’s get going,” Blake’s voice disturbed the chirping of the birds. international british school of bucharest

I groaned whilst picking myself up, a definite sign of fragility. We were heading back to Sheridan, which was one mile away from Buffalo at the mountain edge of Wyoming where we were currently, according to a rusty, green road sign. Sheridan was where it all started. The war, the bloodhounds. So, we fled the area in search of an escape. We walked for days on end. My hair was overgrown and tangled. It fell down my back on my charcoal colored jacket that warmed me up just enough. My swamp green trousers were tucked into my dusty, worn-out boots. I stared down at my cut and bruised fingers whilst pacing the soil below my feet, trying not to trip. I saw Blake had stopped, and he tilted his head towards me.

“Something wrong?”

“We’re starving Blake. We’re dying.”

“Wynter, don’t think-“ “Don’t tell me that’s not what you’re thinking. Admit it. There’s no point in heading back. And for what? A… a lost city buried under ruins? There’s nothing left there. Or anywhere for that matter!”

“Wyn-“ “No!” “Listen to me!” He roughly grabbed me by my shoulders, making me face him. “Should I start talking about not giving up?

Why don’t you try and look at the half-full glass for once!”

“You know why I don’t look at the half-full glass?” I yanked his hands off of me. “Because there isn’t one. It’s all empty.”

That shut him up.

He stomped away in a fast rhythm, and I frantically followed, because even though I was against his plan, I didn’t want to be alone.

We had been walking for some time, in silence, when we reached the highway. We both climbed over the metal fence that lined the pavement, without sharing a single word. Cars were spread all over the road, rolled over on their tops or sides, crushed or missing a door. The asphalt was cracked in multiple places, and there were dents and holes all over the surface. We both remained still and gazed with surprise and shock at what stood before our eyes. We had never passed this road, since we made our way through the dense forest before, and the view sent a chill down my spine. Blake was shifting uncomfortably and I knew he was as stunned as I was. I placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder and he let his head fall down, looking with tear stained eyes at me. I looked away from him to the right, and saw something foggy and misty rise from somewhere in the distance, quite close to us. Smoke. From a car. I dropped my hand from his shoulder and dashed towards the vehicle, dodging the obstacles in my way. I heard Blake shout back in despair, while his brisk footsteps were approaching from behind. I reached the metal chunk from which the smoke emerged and fell to the ground on my knees, searching for an opening. I was trying to rip away at a crunched door that was ajar, but I was weak and tired and there was no way I was going to succeed in what I was doing. I moved my head searching for glass to break, but the car was upside down and the windows had crumbled underneath the weight. I couldn’t see if there was anyone inside, but there must have been as the calamity was fresh. Blake had reached my side and yelled at me to keep pulling on the dismembered door as he started to tug on it.

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CREATIVE CORNER

The Mild Highway Adela Ciobotaru (Year 10) probably at the pain he was feeling. He stumbled to let words out, but all that he could do is squint his eyes and say our names over and over. I shushed him while Blake helped him sit up. He pierced his lips as he was readjusting his position. He opened his mouth to talk again, and a low, soft voice escaped his lips.

With a screeching crack, the door came out of its hinges, and we removed it away. The car let out a faint creek and sunk deeper into itself. A person was upside down in the driver’s seat, clots of flaming red substance smeared over his forehead and dripping from his jaw. I recognized this person from his profile. It was Ranger, who we thought was dead. He had fallen in a river stream about two months ago, and before I could reach my hand out, he was gone. I got a rush of adrenaline to save him and started feeling around with my fingers for the button that unbuckled his seatbelt madly, and pressed it once I had found it, with Blake gently pulling him out by his shoulders.

Once he was sprawled out on the ground, safe, or at least safer than before, I checked to see whether he was alive. His chest was falling and rising so slowly, he might as well have been dead. But he wasn’t. I took my backpack off and dug through it to grab the water bottle that was inside. I gave him some of the remaining drips that were left inside, saving some for later.

Blake took out a cloth and wrapped it around his forehead, lifting his head up carefully. It was going to be okay. He was going to be ok, he had to be.

We waited there some time, leaning against the metal side of the wreck, keeping a close eye on Ranger.

“Are you ok?” Blake broke the silence.

“Depends. Better than before anyways,” I looked for something else to say. “I’m sorry for what I said, I really am, but, you have to understand, I lost everything. My parents, my friends… my home. Hope is something surreal to me now. And I know you lost a lot too,” I was fiddling with my fingers, “but I, I just… It’s different for me.” I sighed. “Um… I-I don’t want to be the negati-“ “Wynter, stop. You don’t have to carry on. I’ve been next to you throughout this hell of a journey, and it ain’t gonna stop. But,” and he put a hand over my shoulder, pulling me closer to him and looking straight into my eyes as he said this, “you still have me. And hopefully, soon enough Ranger.”

“Wynter, Blake. Oh my god, I-I can’t believe it.” He reached out to grab our hands and feel us to see whether we were real. “No, no, no.” He nodded his head, eyes shut. “We, I mean you, have to get away from here. Now.” His hand pointed towards the mass of trees.

He was struggling to talk, so I whipped out my water bottle again and drained it down his throat. He didn’t put up a fight.

“What, why? No way man, we’re helping you out. Plus, it’s not like someone is here.” Blake’s words quickly came out, as he shook his head no.

“How do you think I ended up in a car crash? Some-“ “You’re 16 without driving experience, that’s why.” He let out a small laugh, accompanied by a grin, whilst tapping Ranger’s shoulders.

“No, no. There was a group of people. Someone shot at my front tire.”

I looked at the front tires, and indeed, the left one was flattened with a hole through it.

“A gun Blake, a gun. I know they’re not gone, I just know it. I saw them.” i decided to dive in the conversation. “Guy with a gun or not, we’re helping you out. Just let us help.”

“No, you have to…”

I never got to hear what he said, because the same ringing noise that I heard a year ago for the first time, I heard again now.

But this time, I wasn’t able to stand up, and I saw a splutter of something of a burgundy shade spread out on the fabric of my shirt. I plunged my hands to the spot, clutching the side of my waist, screaming hysterically in pain, as tears started to form in my eyes. The stinging and ache that I felt was agonizing. I was well aware of the fact that even though I was screaming, I was drifting away, as what I identified to be Blake’s voice calling something to me, was very stifled and slurred. I couldn’t know what happened to Ranger, if he was still there, lying on the ground or by my side, because the last thing I remembered was that I was being lifted up, bridal style, in Blake’s arms, carried away from where we were, and hoped that I hadn’t just left a friend behind.

I smiled at that. I had something to look forward to now, and I couldn’t complain about it. It had been a long time since I had widened my lips to show some emotion, and this, the fact that we found someone I thought was long gone, made me happy. I let my thoughts alone for a moment and watched Ranger again. I saw his eyelids flutter out of a sudden, and I leaned forward, quietly calling his name and gently shaking his arms.

His eyes bolted open and he moved his head around, groaning,

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international british school of bucharest

CREATIVE CORNER

The Circle Book Review Adela Ciobotaru (Year 10)

The Circle, by Dave Eggers, also adapted as a movie that is out in theatres now, is a book about modern society and how our demands and obsessive behaviour towards technology may change our world for the worst.

It follows Mae Holland, a young woman who is looking to be hired at the company, The Circle, and her progress at her job.

The Circle is a very influential and well-known company that runs everything related to the internet. As Mae follows her ambitions, she becomes very engaged at the corporation and is one of the top employers. But with her ambitions comes a price, as her ideas make The Circle take steps forward in improving technology that could potentially have a toll on the world and its image- and it’s not a good one.

This is a humorous and suspenseful book that may just well predict our future and shows us just how obsessed we are by the media, that we do not realize what we are doing to ourselves and the rest of the world. It shows the scary side of communications through the web, and demonstrates just how oblivious we are. Dave Eggers paints a rather alarming picture of society and is a very clever and plausible thriller. For anyone who is hooked by the mass media, I suggest this book. It is deďŹ nitely a page turner as it brings your attention to what could be the horrible end our world is heading towards.

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CREATIVE CORNER

The Invisible Man

By Ana Sporis (Year 5)

Photo: Marek Pratt www.1x.com Story starter www.pobble365.com Just minutes before, everything had been completely normal.

He had sat eating his breakfast at the kitchen table, as he did every day of his life.

It was only when he looked in the mirror that he realised something was wrong. For several seconds he had panicked, and a sick feeling grew in his stomach. His mouth felt dry and he started to sweat as he sprinted from room to room, trying in vain to ďŹ nd a reflection.

When he gazed down to where his hands should've been, his eyes widened in terror and he sank to his knees under the sudden burden of ashes without a single wisp of choking smoke; at least one token of his existence, one breath was all he needed, but the flames of spiritual joy were already suffocated.

The harmonious ivory dove wing which once clutched him in symphonies of peace dropped him in an everlasting abyss of shattered melodies. He would never know if the right side was the howl of betrayal or the silvery hymns of kindness. Was he becoming evil? He knew that there was always a tiny faint light in a world of darkness, evading all of your deepest tears of anguish, but now the light was blind even if a luxurious chandelier danced above him. It had happened before to him, having a devil and an angel in his mind, but it made him take decisions. Never before had they embroidered a blurred war

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deep in his miserable thoughts and never before had he felt the excruciating hunger for calmness. He felt like cursing the sky, punching the frigid air in rasping torments of acute agony, yet his fuming hubbubs would not tumble out of the corners of his mouth. He was devoured by expanses of hovering shadows, as his soul surrendered to every razor knife that might want to slice his soul into a barren desert of cries. It was the soul that hummed orchestras of love, sheltered innocent problems until they would puff into dust, but when it was covered in wounds it left itself vulnerable to any intrusion of emotions. His life would be a chaos of alarming errors from now on. He would teeter through grey days and then his footsteps would falter in the daily nightmare of not being normal.

international british school of bucharest