KGIS Weekly Newsletter 23 February 2023

THE KNOWLEDGE

A Message from the Executive Principal

Dear parents and carers

What a fantastic week we have enjoyed at KGIS! As our students took part in their Sports Days, and our KG Parents came into school for a picnic, I am reminded of the strong community that is KGIS. We are a community school, and we take pride in celebrating the diversity within our community. The sense of togetherness that exists within the school community is hugely important in ensuring our students, parents and staff feel safe and secure, feel connected, feel accepted and have a strong sense of belonging As a community we all work towards the same goal: to provide our children with the best possible learning experiences and opportunities, and to teach them the shared values that we believe are important for a life well lived in any community.

Over the next few weeks, we have many events taking place so that different members of our community can engage with each other Next week we look forward to Book Week and World Book Day We are also coming together to raise funds for those who have suffered as a result of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria with our NonUniform Day on Monday. Throughout March, we have a number of parent engagement events focusing on the transitions between different phases of the school. We also have our school musical theatre production of 'High School Musical', and during the Holy Month of Ramadan will be holding our Community Iftar. I hope to see as many parents as possible at these events, engaging as active members of the school community Collectively we are so much stronger and your input is valued highly. Thank you for your support!

Ms. Liz Stanley Executive Principal

Key Dates

Please make a note of the following important dates:

Wednesday 8 February-Wednesday 8 March: KGIS Student Art Exhibition (Azura Cafe Al Mouj)

Sunday 26 February: Book Week Starts

Monday 27 February: Non-Uniform Day in aid of the Turkey & Syria earthquake appeal

Tuesday 28 February: Hot Chocolate Story Evening, for KG to Grade 6 and Parents (5:30pm)

Wednesday 1 March: Academic Review Day for Grades 10, 11 and 12 (3:30pm-5:30pm)

Thursday 2 March: World Book Day (dress up as your favourite book character)

Monday 6 March & Tuesday 7 March: 'High School Musical' performances

Wednesday 8 March: KG2 Transition to Grade 1 Parent Event (1:30pm)

Wednesday 8 March: Grade 5 Transition to Secondary School Parent Evening (4:00pm)

Wednesday 8 March: Grade 8 Parent Information Evening for IGCSE (5:00pm)

Sunday 12 March: Maths Week Starts

Wednesday 15 March: Grade 10 Parent Information Evening for A Level & GED (5:00pm)

Please click here to access the Academic Calendar for this year

Clickonthelinksbelowtoaccessthelearningoverview,homelearningexpectationsand assessmentdatesforeachgrade:

KG1 KG2

Grade 1

Grade 2

Grade 3

Grade 4

Grade 5

Grade 6

Grade 7

Grade 8

Grade 9

Grade 10

Extra-Curricular Activities

a-Curricular

Sports Fixtures: Week Commencing 26 February

Tuesday 28 February: U9 and U11 Boys and Girls Athletics

Book Week & World Book Day

Timetable for this term

Next week is Book Week at KGIS, ending with World Book Day on Thursday 2nd March! The English Department have planned lots of exciting events for parents and students to participate in An overview presentation of all the events can be found by clicking here.

Please do encourage your children to participate in as many of the events as possible. On Tuesday 28th February, we will be hosting our first 'Hot Chocolate and Story' evening at 5:30pm in the KG Hall. We invite children in KG to Grade 6, and their parents to join us for this fun filled evening! Please come along wearing your cosiest pyjamas ready to hear some of your favourite stories!

On Thursday 2nd March we will celebrate World Book Day. Students in all grades are encouraged to come to school in costume, dressed as their favourite character from a book! There will be House Points and prizes for the best characters and costumes!

Non-Uniform Day for Turkey & Syria

On Monday 27 February, we invite all students to come to school in their home clothes to participate in our NonUniform Day in aid of the victims of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria. Students who wish to wear their home clothes should bring RO 1 to donate on Monday 27 February. Of course if you wish to donate more to this very worthwhile cause then you are welcome!

'High School Musical' at KGIS! Tickets now available!

The Performing Arts department is proud to announce KGIS’ inaugural musical theatre production, 'High School Musical'. The cast is buzzing with excitement as they gear up for their highly-anticipated performance! The show, which is set to take place on the 6th and 7th of March, promises to be a grand spectacle filled with music, dance, and drama. The cast has been working tirelessly to perfect their routines and bring the best possible performance to their fans!

Doors to the venue will open at 6:00pm sharp, and the show will commence promptly at 6:30pm. To avoid disappointment, audience members are encouraged to book their tickets as soon as possible through Ms Naveen by emailing naveen.h@kgis-edu.com. With only a limited number of seats available, it's best to act fast to secure your spot and avoid missing out on this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

In addition to the stunning performance, the evening will also feature refreshments for those who would like to enjoy a snack or drink during the show. Whether you're a fan of musicals or just looking for a fun and entertaining night out, 'High School Musical' is a must-see event that you won't want to miss!

KG News

KG Update

What a wonderful week we have had in KG! The children have enjoyed exploring the new play and explore areas created in our KG Garden, and topped off their exciting week with a fantastic Sports Day! We hope that you enjoy the photographs!

The children amazed us with how brilliantly they carried out all of the different sports activities and it was lovely to see their confidence grow throughout the morning. We especially enjoyed welcoming our parents and carers into school for a picnic afterwards - it was great to see so many of you Thank you, as always, for your continued support and for sending in delicious food contributions, they were greatly appreciated after such a busy morning of sports!

Primary News

A Message from Mr. Ian, Head of Primary Book Week is upon us once again, hooray!

For 2023, we have a jam-packed week full of activities and events taking place over the course of Book Week from 26th February to 2nd March For a full run-down of all of the activities that will be taking place please click here

We are delighted to be hosting our first 'Hot Chocolate Story Evening' on Tuesday 28th February in the KG Hall at 5:30pm. All students from KG to Grade 6, and their parents will be invited to wear their comfiest pyjamas for an evening of story-telling! If you would like to sign-up to volunteer your time to read a story please click here to register your interest as soon as possible!

We encourage all parents to support their child(ren) by submitting any entries for any of the competitions taking place next week. Please make sure you upload any pictures on Class Dojo or Google Classroom, with the competition title clearly labelled e.g. ‘Book Face’.

Grades 1 & 2

Grades 1 and 2 had a great day on Wednesday for their Sports Day. They had a great afternoon playing a wide variety of games, tug of war, and competitions.

Primary News

Grades 3 to 5

Grades 3, 4 and 5 were very excited to attend Sultan Qaboos Sports Stadium for their Sports Day. They took part in dodgeball tournaments, games and a tug of war tournament. All of the children have had a fantastic time and I am sure they will need a long rest to recover over the weekend!

Secondary News

Message from Mr. James, Head of Secondary

As we finish one week with a fantastic showing by all athletes during our annual Sports Day, we have another extremely busy but exciting week ahead which will include a thrilling Book Week. Along with these exciting events, we also have some very important events coming up which I would like to draw your attention to.

Next Wednesday, 1st March, we will have an Academic Review Day for Grade 10 to 12 parents. We are reaching a crucial point in the year for exam students so I strongly urge you to attend along with your child The meetings will take place from 3:30pm-5:30pm. Our Grade 11AS and Grade 12 students will receive their exam results from January on 2nd March and we wish them the very best of luck!

Furthermore, we have two very significant Information Evenings for Grade 5, 8 and 10 Parents. Grade 5 Transition to Secondary School Evening is on 8th March at 4:00pm, and Grade 8 IGCSE Options Evening is on the same evening at 5:00pm. We invite all parents to attend as you will get a chance to meet Heads of Department and ask any questions you may have. Finally, there will be a Grade 10 Transition Information Evening to discuss the different options available in Grades 11 and 12 This will take place on 15th March at 4:30pm We hope to see you all attend these very critical events.

Learning & Teaching:

Our Grade 6 Science students started the topic of Acid and Alkalis this week. The cabbage indicator was a simple and fun experiment that the students did to demonstrate the use of indicators in Chemistry. They had to determine whether the two unknown substances they were given were either an acid or alkali. This was observed through a colour change when the indicator was added to the solutions.

The students also learned about the pH scale and how it is used to measure the acidity or alkalinity of a substance. They discovered that acids have a pH value lower than 7, while alkaline substances have a pH value greater than 7. The lesson emphasized the importance of safety precautions when working with chemicals, such as wearing gloves and goggles. Overall, the students had a great time learning about the properties of acids and alkalis and are looking forward to conducting more experiments in the future

Secondary News

Grade 11BD students, whilst studying Oscillations, conducted an investigation into the period of a harmonic oscillator, in which they sought to explore the factors that affect the period of oscillation. To conduct the experiment, the students set up a simple harmonic oscillator using a spring, and measured the period of oscillation for various masses attached to the spring Through the experiment, the students were able to observe how the period of oscillation was affected by changes in the mass attached to the spring, and how this relationship was described by the equation for the period of a harmonic oscillator.

The investigation provided the students with an opportunity to develop their skills in experimental design and data analysis, as well as their understanding of the principles of harmonic motion By conducting this investigation, the students were able to gain a deeper appreciation for the importance of careful experimental design and accurate data collection, as well as the ways in which mathematical models can be used to describe physical phenomena

Secondary News

Revision Tip - Using Mobile Phones

As technology has become increasingly integrated into our daily lives, it's important to acknowledge the potential dangers associated with its use. In particular, the overuse of mobile phones has become a major concern, especially for teenagers. While mobile phones can provide many benefits such as quick communication and access to information, excessive use of mobile phones can have negative consequences It's important to monitor your teenager's mobile phone usage and set boundaries to ensure they are using their device responsibly. Here are a few suggestions to help you regulate mobile phone usage in your home:

Set specific times for phone usage:

Encourage your teenager to set aside specific times during the day for phone usage, such as during designated break times.

Limit screen time:

Encourage your teenager to limit their mobile phone usage and to take regular breaks from the screen to prevent eye strain and other associated health issues.

Encourage other activities:

Encourage your teenager to participate in other activities such as sports, reading or spending time with friends and family.

Model responsible behaviour:

As parents, it's important to model responsible behaviour and limit your own mobile phone usage in front of your teenager

Overall, it's important to be aware of the potential dangers associated with the overuse of mobile phones and to take steps to ensure that your teenager is using their device responsibly By working together to set boundaries and monitor usage, we can help our children become responsible digital citizens.

Studies have shown that excessive use of mobile phones can lead to decreased academic performance, poor sleeping habits, and social isolation. Problems that may arise include:

Distractions:

Mobile phones can be a major source of distraction for students. With constant notifications and access to social media, games, and other apps, students may be easily distracted from their studies, leading to decreased concentration and productivity.

Poor sleep quality:

Mobile phone use can disrupt students' sleep patterns, as the blue light emitted by the screen can interfere with the body's natural sleep cycle, making it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep. Poor sleep quality can lead to daytime drowsiness, decreased focus, and reduced academic performance.

Reduced academic performance:

Students who spend excessive amounts of time on their mobile phones may have reduced academic performance. Studies have shown that excessive mobile phone use can lead to decreased reading comprehension, lower grades, and decreased motivation to learn.

Secondary News

Physical health issues:

Excessive mobile phone use can also have physical health impacts such as neck and back pain, headaches, eye strain, and poor posture.

Social isolation:

Mobile phone use can lead to social isolation, as students may spend less time interacting with peers in person and more time communicating through their devices. This can lead to decreased social skills, reduced opportunities for collaboration, and increased feelings of loneliness

Overall, it's important for students to be mindful of their mobile phone use and to establish healthy habits that prioritise their academic and personal well-being Encouraging students to set boundaries, limit screen time, and take regular breaks from their devices can help them stay focused, engaged, and productive in their studies.

A proven method is for students to leave their devices outside their bedroom so as not to disturb or impact their sleep.

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