2022 Talanoa Volume 2

International School Suva

Volume II

NEWSLETTER OF INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL SUVA

PRINCIPAL'S REPORT Ni sa bula vinaka and warm greetings to parents, staff, students It is no secret what a difference face to face, unmasked contact makes and friends of ISS. to communication and learning.

It was almost exactly a year ago when we were looking forward to Construction on the 50 vehicle underground car park is well underway the term break and hoping to put Covid behind us. As it turned out and is something we are all looking forward to as we continue to we all had another wave to ride before our eventual and full return manage the logistics of our traffic parking and drop off/pick up system. to school in January 2022.

Thank you for your continued patience as we continue to work on the However, much has changed in Fiji’s Covid landscape and it is car park at pace. testament to the resilience of our entire ISS community that we continue to forge ahead with the learning and social needs of our Finally, I trust this two week break will be an opportunity for us all to recharge our batteries after a hectic start to the year. There is much to students foremost in our minds.

We also continue to celebrate a number of milestones as we look forward to as we reinvigorate our programmes and systems and experience the reintroduction of several events including the engage our students and the ISS community in the many activities and hosting the Model United Nations at the end of Term 1 and learning programmes planned for the remainder of 2022. planning for upcoming camps and after school activities next term. Enjoy the break and we will see you refreshed and ready for the start With the removal of the mask mandates and a relaxing of of Term 2, Wednesday 20th April. restrictions we have been pleased to be able to welcome parents back on to campus and to enjoy communicating with students with increased freedoms.

Hector Hatch Deputy Head of School

April 2022 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Primary Review KEIK News Library Highlights ISS Production DismISSed Podcast Year 4 Magazines MYP Visual Art Secondary P.E MYP Theatre MYP Music MYP Design Science Community & Service New Teacher Profile Term Dates www.iss.school.fj

The Return to the New Normal - Primary Review Term 1, 2022

By Ms Becki Clentworth It has been a great term especially having the students back on campus. The campus is buzzing and the students are settling back into their routines, games and developing relationships. We have been really pleased with the students' transition back on campus and are looking to further return to our additional programs. Next term we will begin our after school activities, options and assemblies.

Highlights of Term One  Return of our students to campus  Student leader elections  Return of our parent workshops and coffees  Resumption of our parent reading program  Completion of our swim program  Our ECH & Reception CAS run swim program  Seeing the students play in their designed playground equipment Term Two Planned Events  Year 4 and Year 5 Camp  After School Activities  Options Program  Assemblies

Rehearsals Begin For 2022 Production Neverland Directed by Ines De Torres Troncoso and Kashish Daswaney

Zara Ludher, Year 5 Cast Member: Michael “Michelle” Darling It’s really fun. My favorite thing about rehearsals so far is becoming the character. For me, becoming my character is a lot about being active and energetic. It’s an adventure! The biggest challenge has been learning my lines by heart. The directors have helped me by teaching me to not be myself “Zara”, but to become my character “Michelle”. The best acting advice I've heard is to leave everything on the stage and give your most to your character’s thoughts and emotions. I’m looking forward to doing more actions in our rehearsals in Term 2.

Addyson Lobendahn Wood, Year 5 Cast Member: John “Jenna” Darling It’s been really exciting because this is the first year of primary students being involved as principal roles in an ISS secondary production. That makes it a great opportunity. Before becoming part of the cast of Neverland, I was never really fond of the story of Peter Pan. I didn’t exactly find it interesting. However, now that I’ve joined the production, it's cool to see all the little things behind the scenes that make the story come to life. Something I really like about the story now is how unique the characters are. It’s a really cool coming of age story that shows the audience the importance of imagination and using your creativity to view the world.

Skye Wade, Year 6 Cast Member: Wendy Moira Angela Darling The most surprising part of joining production so far this year was the environment and joining other actors in performing their roles. The biggest challenge in taking on Wendy has been learning to project my voice. Wendy is a very motherly and gentle character, so I’m still working on being soft-spoken, but loud. I didn’t know much about the story of Peter Pan before joining this cast. I didn’t even realize how big of a character Wendy is, I just took a chance to audition for the experience and I was surprised to get such a big role. It’s my first time acting, so I didn’t know what to expect... In fact, I thought I may be cast as a tree if anything at all. I’m looking forward to spending more time with the other cast members and characters, performing with props and costumes, and figuring out who the characters are and how to portray them.

Add MYP Visual Arts 2 pages

Secondary Physical and Health Education After a strong start, the swimming units for MYP Physical and Health Education were unfortunately cut short with notification from the Sports Council that the Natonal Aquatics Centre was closing for renovations. In three short sessions, all students were making progress in terms of stroke development and cardiovascular endurance and we were looking forward to preparing for the swimming carnival.

Students had fun at the pool for their last lesson where they participated in a variety of traditional, and non-traditional, relay races.

Year 6 (MYP1) Theatre

By Scarlet Bentley Fisher and Elijah Clark

The experience we had in theater was amazing! We learned many aspects of acting, directing, writing and other things. My personal favorite was when we got to write a short scene about an actor, director and playwright. Our class wrote about how you have to work together to put on a stage show. We discussed how every role of people who work in theatre is equally important. Ms Manning was really fun to have as a teacher, she would make the learning fun so that we wouldn't get bored.

Working together with my classmates to make scenes was a really good teamwork activity that helped me work better with others. In theatre class everyone has a voice, nobody would walk into that classroom without being heard. On the last day of class for our first arts rotation, we got to look at and help organize costumes from past productions and classes. There were many amazing outfits and costumes and we wanted to try on all of them! I can't wait to do theater again later this year. Theatre is the art of storytelling and expression, so it really brings me joy. Overall theatre class is super cool!

Theater class is very fun (in my opinion it's the best subject). In theater you get to do a variety of things. In Theatre we learned all the different jobs needed for a play and why each role is needed. During my time in theater, we got to write scripts and perform mini plays and perform them to the class. At the beginning of each class we played drama games that were always really interactive and fun. The best part about theater class is that we have a great teacher in Ms Manning.

Year 6 (MYP1) Music

Bomi and Niya presenting research assessment

Shon, William and Aman presenting their performing assessment on the “djembe”.

Skye and Alice practicing for their performance assessment

Year 7 (MYP2) Music

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Estella playing her piece.

Oliver trying out his coordination skills on the drums.

Year 10 (MYP5) Music

Kiara and Jada performing in the classroom.

Tea practicing for her performance assessment.

MYP Design Year 6, Year 7 and Year 8 In the early years of MYP Design students are given problems to solve using a variety of materials and techniques so they have the skills in the later years to manage and choose the materials and methods of solving these problems independently. These problems often link to other subjects, ATL skills, or real life problems. Students develop critical thinking, independent learning, creative thinking, research and collaboration skills as well as technical skills using equipment, tools and machines.

Year 6 are currently using the whole Design Cycle including: Inquiring and Analyzing, Developing ideas, Creating solutions and Evaluating with a prototype shoe project where they are learning about model building skills in the workshop to create their final design.

Year 7 has been tasked with creating a 3D printed cookie cutter that represents an Approaches to Learning (ATL) skill. They have researched 3D printing, cookie cutters before refreshing and expanding on their hand drawing and Tinkercad CAD (computer aided design) drawing skills. They received feedback from their designs which were then printed and evaluated by making cookies at school. Students then evaluated the cutters by looking at improvements such as strength, size, shape and clear designing. The next project involves IT design where they will be linking to their I and S work making a video to promote a local sustainable food product.

Year 8 are also creating using the 3D printer. They have just completed a 3D printed “Barrel of ATL’s” game

where students designed an individual game piece on Tinkercad after prototyping in plastercine. Each piece needed to hook onto another so it was challenging to allow for this in the design process. In the evaluation stage we collaborated with the science department using field and performance tests to evaluate our game pieces. In the next unit we will be linking with the science department again to promote science concepts through toys.

Term 1 in the Science Department The Science Department has been busy buzzing with activities this term. We managed to run a lot of hands-on practical, dissections or classroom based activities.

Moreover, teachers took the students out on two different field trips to the Nasese Foreshore.

Querencia An online brand developed by Year 12 CAS students Querencia, a place where you are the truest to yourself.

Querencia is an initiative developed by Year 12 students, Sanskruit and Aastha, who have come together to build a platform that allows you to be the best of yourself. Collected and presented with personal experiences, we have the study chronicles that offer a blog, from how to do well in school to just general tips about school life.

We also have authentically created music that offers you the chance to relax and vibe along to the beats of life.

Last but definitely not the least!! We have created a place where you can be surrounded by words of comfort. Oftentimes we find it difficult to push past our negative emotions and all we need are those words to help you push yourself. A free of cost service that allows you to just do the exact same! Register online on our website and get yourself the blanket of comfort!!

Don’t forget to follow our Instagram that has live updates and cool posts for you to join us in! @querencia.ty Check it out now!!! Website link: https://querenciaity.wixsite.com/going-beyond

Model United Nations (MUN) at ISS!

By Eliot Seam With more than 100 students from 7 different institutions from around the country participating, ISS was able to run a smooth and successful Model United Nations after a lapse of one year, despite the pandemic complications. The schools that participated in this year’s Model UN included Adi Cakobau School, International School Nadi, Jai Narayan College, Natabua High School, Saint Joseph’s Secondary School, Suva Grammar School and Yat Sen Secondary School. According to Ms. Waqainabete, the Model United Nations coordinator, ISS has “developed the procedures for COVID 19 by keeping up with the Ministry of Health and government regulations”. Furthermore, she added that “the rooms are quite well spaced out for the delegates and there are regular temperature checks”. All in all, ISS has organized Model UN in keeping with the Covid 19 Level 2 response, creating a safe environment for all students.

ISS ably organized the event, as students were organized into executive roles as Chairpersons, Logistics and Media, led by the Co-Secretary Generals, Ashleigh Singh and Kashish Daswaney.

- The council for the General Assembly, chaired by Samantha Bellman and Xiaoming Cao focused on food shortages and famine in Third world countries, and climate change impact on women, children, and at-risk populations.

- Baylian Saberi and Joshua Kwon chaired the Security council, discussing the agenda on Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and the Taliban’s influence on the Afghanistan military.

- The Economic and Social Council, chaired by Milan Haer and Zubeyda Dadasheva debated issues on poverty and pandemic effects in education due to Covid 19, and the lack of physical and mental health care access to minority groups.

- The fourth committee, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees focused on providing asylum and sanctuary for Afghans as well as Rohingya refugees in Myanmar and was Chaired by Sahil Dahal and Cindy Sobtafo.

MUN is important at ISS due to its unique nature and its teaching components. As stated by Ashleigh Singh, one of the two Secretary Generals, MUN teaches its participants ‘’about what is currently going on in the world, how the global political system is so complicated and how our generation has all the tools to make a difference”. She also added that ‘’MUN teaches diplomatic, political, and debating skills as well as critical thinking and essentially all the skills that you will need in life but it forces you to do it on the spot’’. Finally, Ashleigh said that ‘’Model United Nations can be a good opportunity to debate and work with people you have never met before and ultimately increase interschool bonding’’.

New Teacher Profiles Paul Horkan Head of Secondary School Mr Horkan originally hails from Ireland and is pleased to have been able to touch down in Fiji on January 1st 2022 - a wonderful start to the year. Paul joins the ISS community with 26 years of educational experience, teaching and leading in the IB MYP & IB DP. Paul has worked at IB World Schools in Bangladesh, Jordan, and more recently in Ukraine. He also supports IB schools globally by facilitating workshops, leading authorization & evaluation teams, and consulting schools on their IB journeys. Paul enjoys sports, books, music, movies, and travel. He is joined by his wife, Mrs Hourston and their two children (Freya & Ruaridh). He looks forward to learning more about Fiji, the wonderful people, and supporting the learning for all at ISS.

Katy Hourston Middle Years Programme (MYP) Curriculum Coordinator Secondary Teacher—Global Politics and Personal & Social Education It is exciting to be able to introduce myself to the ISS community! Having finally arrived in Fiji on the first day of the year, it has been an exhausting, exciting and exhilarating first term at ISS! I am originally from the beautiful Scottish Highlands but I have come to Fiji with my family after over 18 years overseas, including time in Bangladesh, Jordan and most recently the past 12 years in Kyiv, Ukraine.

My teaching background is in MYP Individuals & Societies, and DP/ACT Global Politics. I also work with the IB as an examiner, workshop leader and school evaluation visitor. Outside of school, I enjoy new places, new people, reading, music, cycling and swimming.

I have been so grateful for the warm and enthusiastic welcome we have had to Fiji and to ISS especially.

I look forward to the year(s) ahead!