Crossroads March 2014, volume 18

18 issue 3 13/14

MEASURING UP: SAS SCORES HIGH ON THE PISA pg 08

MIDDLE SCHOOL ROBOTICS pg 29

SAS DANCERS PERFORM IN THE CHINGAY PARADE pg 42

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EDITOR’S NOTE/CONTENTS

A TASTE FOR LEARNING VANESSA SPIER DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

I was recently invited to peek into Amy Ferguson’s middle school cooking and nutrition class, where to celebrate Chinese New Year they teamed up with Vivian Lin’s Chinese class to create traditional dumplings.

Seeing students integrate skills from two very different classes and create something real, meaningful, and delicious was exactly the kind of experience that so many of us seek for our children. Check out the article on page 36 to learn more.

As we set to work putting together this issue of Crossroads, we were awed again and again at all that can take place in the duration of a couple of short months, and how learning at SAS extends far beyond a standard curriculum. From the primary division’s Spanish-speaking field trip to Sungei Buloh to the intermediate division’s Read to Feed initiative that will feed the hungry, and a high school service club that teaches courses to migrant workers, it is easy to see why an SAS education is known for more than just test scores or college admission.

We invite you to step into our pages and discover many of the moments that make this an extraordinary learning place. Our students are connecting knowledge and skills in experiential learning, are making a difference in our world, and are building ties to this little island that will always remain in their hearts. And if you end up hungry after you finish with the issue, it could very well be from reading about all the cooking that our language students have carried out.

02 04 05 06 07 16 24 29 40 52 56 60

EDITOR’S NOTE/CONTENTS

Our mission

From the superintendent

Five Minutes

The learning environment

PRIMARY SCHOOL

Intermediate school

MIDDLE SCHOOL

HIGH SCHOOL

BOOSTER club & PTA

Community

CAMPUS SCENE

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OUR MISSION

VISION & MISSION

THE JOURNEY OF LEARNING LOOKING BACK AND LOOKING AHEAD

DR. CHIP KIMBALL SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS

Learning is a personal journey for each of us. Some of us learn our greatest lessons in structured environments like school, while others may learn those great lessons through unanticipated experiences, work, and even great failure.

For each of us, learning is life-long and personal, and the journey may take a variety of paths.

When I look back to my time in school there were many high points. I will always be grateful to a number of teachers that gave me foundational skills that I rely upon today. And for me there were dark times as well, particularly in high school, where I was a regular attendance problem because I didn’t feel like I fit at school, and wasn’t sure that anybody cared. I barely graduated.

VISION mIsSION

This was one of the low points in my life and it would have been easy to never return to school. But along the way my life was profoundly changed, leading me to three degrees, a fulfilling career, and a passion for the education of children.

As I look back on the turning point that ultimately inspired me to change course, I can point to two things that were game changers: people in my life that cared deeply for me and who were willing to guide and challenge me, and opportunities to truly engage in my areas of interest. My story is a transformational one. Many of our parents have stories of their own that are just as dramatic.

I knew when I came to SAS that ensuring that we have a great school for every single student was an absolute priority. We already do a phenomenal job of preparing motivated students for university admission and beyond.

But what about kids like me? And what about students that struggle with where they fit, lack confidence, and are still figuring out what they are capable of? How do we make sure that each student has a personal journey at SAS that shapes who they are in a life-changing way?

Thanks to the tireless efforts of our committed faculty and staff, through an ethos of extraordinary care, we have accomplished a great deal as our students are on their own learning journey. And that same faculty and staff are just as tireless in their own efforts to improve and be a world leader through our research and development process. These are exciting times at SAS! As the high school R&D team visited the top schools throughout the world last year, and as the elementary and middle school divisions are doing the same this year, we have consistently seen that the most innovative and effective schools all have a focus on relationships and personal learning as part of their defining traits. We believe that institutionalizing these two pillars will be fundamental to all other innovative programming implemented at SAS.

05

From the Superintendent

Relationships In our research, our teams have found that relationships are fundamental to strengthening students’ sense of identity and belonging, they impact student learning, and they help to make a big school feel small. The R&D process has reaffirmed that when every student is known, cared for, and guided, they can better take risks and explore their passions and thus find greater success.

We do this well in many parts of the school. But in this increasingly competitive and global environment, we can do an even better job to ensure that our students are ready for what is ahead. We know that mentoring is critical so that our students will be challenged and cared for. And this can’t occur by chance. It has to be deliberately designed into our systems and culture so that every student is served in this way. Our high school team is working hard to put in place structures for mentoring. Our middle and elementary schools are researching the best ideas to do the same, and will be considering new programs and systems as they begin developing ideas for our school next year.

As we think about the future of schooling for our students, we know that relationships will be central to the SAS learning agenda. Relationships help make learning happen, and relationships change lives.

Personalized learning A student’s academic journey begins with acquisition of transferrable skills and foundational knowledge. There are things that students will always need to know and be able to do. This is something that we do incredibly well at SAS and will make sure that we continue as students explore their interests.

But interests, and ultimately passion, cause students to do things differently. They work harder, become more focused, learn more, and just have more fun doing it.

We know more than ever about how the brain develops and we believe that the best learning environments are those where students are challenged to think, and where learning aligns with their strengths and interests.

As interests and opportunities for exploration continually increase, students at SAS will be able to identify their passions and study them more deeply. As students progress, their learning will become increasingly more specialized, and more personalized, to ensure that they have a successful personal learning journey.

Our high school development team is working on recommendations for the creation of flexible institutional structures to offer all students the time and opportunity to explore, pursue, and demonstrate their passion. We believe this personalized learning will make SAS students even more distinctive than their global peers, and will create opportunities for learning that we can’t even imagine today.

Shifting Approaches to Learning As students dive deeper into their interests, with

mentors working alongside them, we also know that approaches to learning need to shift. We see teachers in cutting-edge schools shift their role from transmitter of information to facilitator of learning. The role of a student has transitioned from a consumer to that of an active learner. And we see the most productive learning happening when students are engaged in academically challenging work through interdisciplinary studies and problem/project-based learning opportunities.

According to the Buck Institute, a world leader in projectbased learning: • Projects that engage students’ hearts and minds and provide real-world relevance for learning keep them wanting to learn more.

• Meaningful projects help students remember what they learn and retain it longer and leave them better able to apply what they know and can do.

• Meaningful projects help students understand content more deeply and also learn how to take responsibility and build confidence, solve problems, work collaboratively, communicate ideas, and be creative innovators – all skills we know that they will need in college and in life.

As the learning research continues to emerge, we know that SAS will need to adapt our practices for our millennial learners. The senior Capstone project is a great example of what we are already doing that offers project-based learning and inspiring outcomes for our students. As we learn from great schools around the globe, we are invigorated by the possibilities.

As we strive to fulfill our vision - A world leader in education cultivating exceptional thinkers prepared for the future – we know that we will need to continue to adapt and change. We also know that if we build a base of our work upon relationships, personalized learning, and deep projects that are relevant and interest-based, we will have the opportunities to prepare them for university and work, and we will change students’ lives.

As we think back on our own personal learning journey we can easily identify those relationships and personal experiences that changed us. At SAS, we are designing a school that will ensure that each student is challenged and nurtured so that they can contribute to the most talented generation our world has ever seen.

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Five minutes

MINUTES WITH TIM STUART HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL

Dr. Stuart has served as the SAS high school principal since 2010; next year, he will begin a three-year position as principal on special assignment to oversee the research and development process across every division. He will also design and implement SAS summer programs and develop partnerships for SAS.

Let’s get to the most important question first… what is your favorite restaurant in Singapore?

Da Laura (Da Laura is an Italian Restaurant & Wine Bar located at 47 Neil Road, Singapore 088827) If you had the power to change one problem, what would it be?

Access to high-quality education for all What was your favorite music group in high school?

Chicago What is the most fun thing you did in school?

I acted in a movie between my junior and senior years called A Long Way Home.

What do you do that most embarrasses your kids?

I try to do different accents.

What is the best advice you ever received?

I was advised that when hiring teachers, to ask myself one question…would I want this teacher teaching my child?

What would you like to be known for?

Someone who cares What is the best part of being part of SAS? SAS is a school where when you get hired, you feel like you have reached the pinnacle of your career. Then you come into this place where you are surrounded by such talented teachers, parents,

and students that you are challenged to go even further than what you thought was possible. I have grown more here than anywhere else. This is a place where anything is possible. The only limiting factors are courage and imagination.

What in the R&D process so far has made the biggest impression on you?

This idea of what can happen, what kind of educational experience we can offer our students, if we remove the current limiters and take the cap off What do you most look forward to next year as principal on special assignment to oversee the R&D process (among other things)?

I look forward to the opportunity to think about education reform from a K-12 perspective and the opporutnity to challenge the current state of affairs and begin to redefine “school.” There is nothing like being high school principal. It is the best job in the world, and I will miss working with and inspiring teachers and phenomenal students in the high school every day, but I look forward to working with teachers, administrators, parents, and students in all three divisions next year.

If you could add a face to Mount Rushmore whose would it be?

President Obama. He represents the hope for our future; he is our first Third Culture Kid president and represents diversity and the beauty that comes through diversity.

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The learning environment

PARENTING THE DEVELOPING TEENAGE BRAIN MAUREEN MURRAY COORDINATOR, SPEAKERSERIES@SAS

On February 11, Dr. Roby Marcou wowed a crowd of more than 250 SAS parents with her examination of the neurological factors that impact adolescent brain development. She shared meaningful and humorous anecdotes from her practice and family and gave advice on parenting teens in Singapore.

procrastination, over-commitment, lack of sleep, lack of exercise, relationships, and feeling out of control. She encouraged parents to discourage their teenagers from multi-tasking. She also discredited the belief that unless teens are pushed to their max in secondary school, they will not have optimal opportunities in adult life.

Perhaps the highlight of the presentation was when Dr. Marcou showed slides of activity in the brains of four-, thirteen-, and nineteen-year-olds. As many of us know, teenagers’ brains are in a very active and critical stage of development. The dynamic mapping clearly illustrated that while thirteen-year-olds’ brains are accelerating the capacity for deep emotion and logical thinking, their pre-frontal cortex lags behind. In short, young teens experience high feeling, become better at arguing “their case,” but do not have the best decision-making skills.

Dr. Marcou concluded by listing responsibilities of parents: “to love and connect; guide and limit; provide and advocate; model and consult; and monitor, observe, and recognize.”

In terms of parenting, Dr. Marcou emphasized putting habits and boundaries in place that protect your adolescent. She debunked the myth that a teen can make up for lost sleep over the weekend and reminded us that the recommended amount of sleep for a teenager is eight and a half to nine and a half hours per night. She talked about the adolescent brain’s particular vulnerability to addiction by citing the statistic that 47% of teens who drink by the age of fourteen become alcoholics. “The teen brain gets addicted faster, longer, and stronger,” she said.

Addressing the risk of depression and anxiety, Dr. Marcou detailed what makes teens stressed:

Very familiar with our community, Dr. Marcou is a developmental and behavioral pediatrician practicing in Singapore. We hope to have her speak at SAS again in the very near future.

Dr. Marcou’s presentation is available at http://youtu.be/ jxvp9kKgXjk.

SpeakerSeries@SAS, formerly known as Community Library, hosts experts who address important and timely topics on parenting, child development, and family life.

Funded by the SAS Foundation, SpeakerSeries@SAS is a volunteer, parent-run organization. This year, we introduced TechTalks@ SAS specifically to tackle issues regarding the rapidly changing role of technology in students’ lives.

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The learning environment

MEASURING UP: SAS SCORES HIGH ON THE PISA JENNIFER SPARROW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING Worldwide, the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is given every three years to a random sampling of students who are fifteen years old. The PISA measures to what extent students can apply their knowledge to real-life situations and be equipped for participation in society through both multiple choice and openended questions.

During the 2012 administration of the PISA, SAS was invited to participate by the Singapore government. In total, approximately 510,000 students were assessed in 65 economies; in Singapore, 5,369 students from all 166 public secondary schools and six private schools participated. Although the sample size for SAS is small (thirty-five students), it is a random sample selected by the Ministry of Education and is considered statistically reliable.

The number above the country/economy shows the ranking of that country/ economy. The results under the country/ economy name show the average score of each group. Massachusetts was included because it was the highest performing state in the US.

#1

Shanghai 613

SAS 584

#16

#2

Singapore 573

#26 usa

ma, usa 573

481

SAS 584

mathematics

9 SAS 588

#1

Singapore 566

The learning environment

#1

Shanghai 570

SAS 588 computer-based

SAS 570

#9

reading

SAS 570

science

SAS 633

#3

Singapore 551

#21 usa

ma, usa 527

498

SAS 572

mathematics

#1

#17 usa

ma, usa 527

usa 498

#3

Singapore 542

#6

#15

Shanghai 580

SAS 572

#1

Singapore 567

#12 usa 511

SAS 633 computer-based reading

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The learning environment

SCHOOL FINANCE 311 : SAS SCHOOL UNIFORMS WILLIAM SCARBOROUGH, CPA ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF FINANCE AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS For SAS students, the weekday usually starts with a quick selection from a drawer full of red, white, and blue uniform components. SAS students have been wearing uniforms since the school opened in 1956, and students and parents consistently tell us that they like having uniforms because they make morning routines easy and help kids avoid social competition based on clothing. However, few realize the immense amount of work put in by parent volunteers to provide us with these uniforms. As some aspects of our uniform offerings will be changing over the summer, and to provide transparency around our uniform policies, we take this opportunity to provide some information about this subject.

The SAS school uniform of a white polo shirt, navy bottoms, and a separate PE outfit has been in use for many years. Unlike most other foreign system schools in Singapore, most of which direct parents to outside vendors, SAS sells its uniforms primarily through its support organizations, the PTA and the Booster Club.

Families benefit through lower prices allowed by the support of parent volunteers, and all of the proceeds are donated to school programs that enhance our children’s educational experiences.

In the past, some uniform items have also been available at other vendor locations, such as Lim Meng Keng Department Store or by ordering through Lands’ End. Within the last few years, the problems and inefficiencies of this “hybrid” system, and of certain style choices, have become apparent. Parents found buying uniforms confusing, as some items, such as tops, were offered on campus, but others, including some bottoms, were only sold elsewhere. Many different style options, particularly for girls, also resulted in confusion, and in parents buying items that their children rarely used. Having various providers also meant that sizing, color, and quality varied. Some styles were uncomfortable, and some leant themselves to student manipulation. Other Singapore schools’ uniforms were rated as neater and more “professional” looking. Finally, the money spent at outside stores didn’t benefit the school at all.

For all these reasons, a few years ago the administration decided that our uniform offerings should be streamlined, and that all standard uniform choices should be available only on campus. A committee composed of deputy principals and PTA and Booster Club members, with input from current vendors and from twelfth graders that tried on clothing options and gave feedback, worked on revamping our uniform styles with the goal of providing a

“cleaner” look for our students while allowing for different shapes and sizes.

Once the updated styles had been determined, the committee turned to finding the best partner to provide the uniforms, keeping in mind many different considerations. They looked at both local and non-local vendors, searching always for the highest degree of quality and consistency. Fabric, thread count, weight, and other such details were thoroughly explored with each possible supplier. They also considered which items are more “disposable,” such as the white shirts, versus items that are likely to be kept and used by siblings and friends, such as the navy bottoms, and of course the pricing for each item. Whether a supplier could keep up with the large volume also had to be considered - the first delivery of new tops alone will include 12,000 polo shirts! One aspect of a better system had already been phased in: the new online ordering option which has received a positive response. Following a competitive bidding process that spanned this school year, NY Sportswear and DEO Silver have been selected as our uniform suppliers, and we look forward to working with them.

We would like to recognize and thank the Booster Club and PTA volunteers who have spearheaded the effort to update our uniform offerings and procedures. They are very excited about the new system, and feel that it will allow the school to take advantage of economies of scale to get the best price per unit on a higher quality product. They note that this year, in particular, they had an exceptionally knowledgeable group of parent volunteers, many of whom have worked in clothing production and retail sales, and that therefore this was a great year to take on this mammoth project. In conjunction with the new policies, they are also producing a new SAS uniform sales manual, which will help all incoming volunteers to quickly and easily step into their roles, thus avoiding “reinventing the wheel” each August.

So what will you experience if your back-to-school list includes purchasing new uniforms?

• Most clothing options remain, while a few options that were less popular or presented particular problems have disappeared; the remaining styles look smarter and more appropriate for an educational institution.

• The quality of items is standardized, and we have secured the best material, stitching, and production available for reasonable prices.

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The learning environment

• All your uniform options are available on campus (except for a few special sizes or styles, which will be available through special-order).

• You will be able to pay with cash, check, or SASCard, or if you prefer you can order and pay with a credit card online, with the options of collecting purchases at school, having them sent home with your child, or having them delivered to your doorstep.

Finally, you may rest assured that stocking and ordering will have become more efficient, with less money and storage space tied up in inventory that doesn’t move.

When school starts, you will see students that look great, feel comfortable, and are benefitting from the special programs funded by the PTA and Boosters, in part through uniform sales proceeds. The goal of both organizations is to provide service to the SAS community, and their work with the school uniforms certainly does this.

UNIFORM UPDATES FOR AUGUST 2014

Uniform items that will be discontinued are now on sale at discounted prices in the PTA and will be in the Booster Booth at a later date. Any items purchased on sale can be worn in the upcoming school year, but cannot be returned once purchased.

All of these discontinued items are 50% off in the PTA shop as of March 1: Yoga pants Capri pants Girl's jumper Girl's cardigan Boy's long pant Little boys all elastic waist short All single knit white polo shirts They will be replaced with updated styles of: Girl's short Girl's knit skort Girl's twill skort All uniform pieces will only be sold on campus or through the PTA and Booster online stores beginning next school year, and all uniform proceeds will be returned to the school and students in the form of special programs and scholarships. You may still purchase a few special styles and sizes from Lands’ End. If you would like to buy, sell, or trade used uniforms, there is a Facebook page called SAS Uniforms, Buy, Sell, Swap. Please note that this is not a school-sponsored group and the site is only for uniforms.

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The learning environment

TRAINING FOR OPI TESTER’S CERTIFICATION – CHINESE LANGUAGE TEACHERS DR. SUSAN ZHANG DIRECTOR OF CHINESE LANGUAGE PROGRAM

In January during the SAS winter break, eighteen Chinese teachers participated in a four-day intensive training through the American Council on Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). Twelve among the group will be working toward Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) tester’s certification for the next nine months, in addition to teaching full-time.

The oral proficiency interview has been officially used in the US as an instrument to measure one’s oral communication ability for purposes of job seeking or advancement in a teaching career. However, for SAS Chinese teachers, the ultimate purpose is to help teachers build a solid knowledge base about language proficiency and to develop their skills to use the process to assess our students’ learning.

The training is intensive and our teachers worked very hard. For the first two days, they worked from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with additional homework at night. However, our Chinese teachers expressed feeling great about the learning opportunity and appreciated the strong support that was provided by the school administration.

The most significant benefit of this training is for the language teachers to be mindful while they plan their lessons and learning activities of helping students move forward on the spectrum of proficiency.

Last year, three Chinese teachers obtained the certification, one from middle school and two from high school. One primary Chinese teacher is currently working on it and has already successfully completed the first two stages of the process. By the end of 2014, sixteen of them will be able to obtain the certification if they successfully meet the requirements, which will make SAS the only American school among all international schools in the world to have so many Chinese teachers with ACTFL OPI tester's certification. This will not only increase the quality of teaching and assessment for students but will increase students' language proficiency and the credibility of our Chinese program.

By the end of 2014, SAS will be the only American school among all international schools in the world to have so many Chinese teachers with ACTFL OPI tester's certification.

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The learning environment

REFLECTIONS OF A STRENGTHS COMMUNICATOR LOUISE DONAGHEY PRIMARY DIVISION LITERACY COORDINATOR

Do you have the opportunity to do what you do best every day?

“Gallup research proves that people succeed when they focus on what they do best. When they identify their talents and develop them into strengths, people are more productive, perform better, and are more engaged.” - www.gallupstrengthscenter.com In September 2012, I was introduced to my strengths: 1. Maximizer 2. Individualization 3. Achiever 4. Woo 5. Communication I immediately embraced them. I wasn't exactly sure what each one meant, but I liked the way they sounded.

I loved reading the descriptors and seeing how they applied to my life and work. I enjoyed having a common language to share with my colleagues who had also taken StrengthsFinder™.

A few days later I embraced Leadership Vision Consulting (LVC). Counselors, librarians, and technology and literacy coaches spent two days with this dynamic team. Through StrengthsFinder™ 201 we gained an understanding of each of the thirty-four themes and strengths-based behaviors. Additionally, we each had a one-on-one conversation with LVC consultants to gain a deeper understanding of our personal top five strengths.

Our new understanding gave us a way to discuss and develop our unique combination of skills, talents, and knowledge - our strengths. At the end of the training I was energized and wanted to know and understand the strengths of every person in my life.

We then had the opportunity to learn more about strengths and help build capacity and understanding here at SAS. Twelve individuals representing all four divisions volunteered to become SAS Strengths Communicators.

Our training has included individual learning, book studies, four days with LVC, and one-on-one strengthsbased conversations with new staff members, as well as other one-on-one strengths-based conversations with teachers and other members of the SAS community.

To date, more than 170 employees at SAS have taken StrengthsFinder™. This includes the SAS Board and leadership team, teachers from all four divisions, IT, and support staff.

Gaining a deeper understanding of strengths will allow learning communities to have collective conversations to better leverage the talent of each individual.

We look forward to sharing with you more about StrengthsFinder™ in the coming months!

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The learning environment

#SAS #TCRWP #REA #TWITTER #COLLABO

BY SAS LITERACY COACHES, TECHNOLOGY COACHES, AND LIBRARIANS

In this 21st century world, technologies are playing an increasingly large role in all facets of education.

Twitter has become an important tool in the teaching world for connecting educators to one another, to ideas, and to resources. Educators access and use this free networking system to improve the learning in their schools, districts, and parts of the world.

On February 17, SAS hosted Columbia Teachers College’s first international twitter chat abroad. The topic was technology integration with reading and writing. This was an opportunity for educators worldwide to collaborate, share ideas, inspire, and be inspired. Educators tweeted from Singapore, Vietnam, China, the United States, and other unknown destinations.

The host of a Twitter chat tweets relevant questions, responses, quotes, data, useful articles, and pictures that pertain to the topic at hand. Collaborators join in or follow live-time. Participants can join just by tweeting. To make sure that they are part of the group conversation, all they have to do is use the hashtag (#) associated with the chat. Columbia Teachers College hashtag is #TCRWP, and was use for our chat.

From 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., all hands were on the TweetDeck. SAS literacy coaches, technology coaches, and librarians all collaborated with their counterparts around the world. The conversation revolved around the following questions: 1.How are you using technology to inspire young readers and writers?

2.How do you use technology to provide meaningful and timely feedback to readers and writers?

3.How do students use technology to self-assess in reading and/or writing?

4.What would be your "must haves" in a tech toolkit for teachers?

5.How do teachers use technology to develop their professional reading and/or reading lives?

Ideas were generated, conversations sparked, and resources maximized!

Scan the QR code for some highlights from the chat!

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The learning environment

ADING #WRITING ORATION #INSPIRING

PRIMARY SCHOOL

80

30

100

60

16

To celebrate the 100th day of school, the Early Childhood Center spent the week engaged in lots of fun number activities. They learned a song about a 100-legged worm, and each student added a leg to a giant worm in the ABC hall. The day culminated in a 100th day cake that they decorated with 100 M&M's, and the highlight was a visit from Zero the Hero!

20

40

DAYS SMARTER!

90

10

70

50

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PRIMARY SCHOOL

ONCE UPON A TIME GERI JOHNSON PRIMARY SCHOOL/ECC DEPUTY PRINCIPAL

“Once upon a time” continues to entice children into the world of make believe, expanding their imagination by offering journeys to unknown lands, meeting new friends, conquering problems, and arriving successfully to live “happily every after.”

But fairy tales take on added fun in the Early Childhood Center (ECC) when your teacher is Goldilocks, one of the little pigs, or the big, bad wolf.

After numerous readings and several versions of a fairy tale, ECC teachers don costumes as fairy tale characters and playfully act out the story, modeling an array of skills like role-playing, character development, sequencing skills, vocabulary, and turn-taking.

As ECC pre-kindergarten students venture into the world of fairy tales, little do they know they are building essential skills for literacy. As they discuss story events and characters, they build capacity for imagination, perspective taking, understanding cultures, evaluating issues, and problem-solving.

Comparison between real and fairy tale characters helps young students differentiate between fiction and non-fiction, as well as between dreams and real life.

During this unit, pre-K students use puppets, create masks, paint houses and bridges, and construct castles with blocks as props to retell stories. During their perceptual motor class they may climb a beanstalk or two. They may make porridge and compare what is “too hot” or “just right.”

Yet the most fun comes when students put on costumes and re-enact the story. While pre-K students assimilate these many experiences, it is the wonder of play that stimulates their imagination, encourages creativity, and builds special relationships with both books and friends.

“If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales.

If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.”

- Albert Einstein

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PRIMARY SCHOOL

DIFFERENT

A CHILDREN’S STORY YASMIN TAN SCHLEIDER AND MICHELLE GALICIA SAS PARENTS

This is a children’s story; a story of twelve children ages seven to twelve, studying at Singapore American School, who saw a need and acted selflessly and with compassion to help others less fortunate.

On November 8, 2013, Haiyan, the deadliest typhoon in history struck the Philippines. It affected the lives of 11 million people, killed more than 6,000 and left thousands upon thousands homeless. A few days after the storm struck the country, we watched in grief as the faces of children who had lost loved ones and their homes came across our TV screens into our living rooms. The children cried out for food and water, and we felt helpless from a distance.

As parents, we tried to help in our own small ways by participating in different fundraising activities or volunteering our time. In one conversation, we felt that perhaps it was time to expose our children to the reality of this disaster and explore with them what they could do to help. Because Christmas was around the corner, we had a hard time getting into the spirit of the season. At the back of our minds was the thought of “our people back home.”

So the idea emerged, “Why not combine the spirit of Christmas and involve the children in raising funds for the typhoon victims by singing carols?”

Most of the children didn't have a clue as to what caroling was all about. The idea of a group of very young kids going from house to house at night singing Christmas carols to receive money was not just novel for them, it was in fact, quite daunting.

You see, most of the kids were not singers, nor were they used to performing in front of people. In fact, this is one thing they probably dreaded the most. So we thought it would never happen. But a few days later, one by one, the kids agreed, since the devastation they saw on TV deeply saddened them.

So there, the idea saw light, and the desire to help moved the hearts of the children, and whenever seeds are planted in our hearts, the possibilities become limitless!

That was it - an idea, a movement of hearts, twelve brave, generous, and talented children who were willing to

give their time, their voices, and their love to those left desolate and destitute by perhaps the strongest storm ever to make landfall were joined by a teacher, eight concerned and determined moms, and two supportive dads.

When the idea started, the thought was just to have one or two Saturdays where the kids would carol at their own condo buildings and sing for whoever was willing to open their doors. As often happens with causes that touch people’s hearts, what began as a modest idea gained momentum as groups and individuals found ways to invite the carolers to sing at various activities and gatherings.

Doors opened literally and figuratively…the school provided logistical support, the Philippine Red Cross endorsed the caroling project, and the singing began.

Some days were quite long, starting shortly after the kids got out of school at 3:00 p.m. all the way until almost 11:00 p.m. They sang with all their hearts all the way to the last songs, even if they could hardly keep their eyes open at times. After singing in each venue, they would pass around a box for donations, and it was perhaps the thought of collecting as much as they could for the typhoon victims that kept them singing all through those long nights. The kids were exhausted, but they were never daunted.

When the sounds of caroling voices finally ended, eight caroling nights in twenty-four different venues had raised more than $18,000 and benefited thousands of suffering people in need. In the process, an incredible group of children had provided a humbling example of what it means to be compassionate, responsible citizens of the world.

Over the course of their eight nights of caroling, Dominique, David, Cal, Raef, Ethan, Luke, Margi, Nina, Joshua, Ava, Ali, and Abigail discovered that there is great truth in the words of Margaret Mead, an American cultural anthropologist who once said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has!"

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PRIMARY SCHOOL

ELEMENTARY KIDS RING IN THE LUNAR NEW YEAR, CHINESE-STYLE ZHĀNG LÁO SHĪ AKA PAULI HAAKENSON PRIMARY SCHOOL CHINESE TEACHER

Lions dancing, drums beating, red envelopes opening must be Chinese New Year! The day before the Chinese lunar new year holiday, the Elementary Theater came alive with a celebration for students. The lunar new year is the major Chinese holiday, and worth celebrating loudly.

At Singapore American School, we are fortunate each year to invite local performers to give students a taste of Chinese talent, such as the mysterious and dramatic face-changing man, the gravity-defying plate spinning acrobatic woman, and the resplendent lion dancers easily the highlight for most kids.

What first grader can resist reaching out to touch the brightly colored lion’s mane as it meanders through the aisles? None! The fourth and fifth graders could not hold back either. The acrobatic lions jumped and jaunted across the stage to the rhythm and cacophony of cymbals and drums before heading into the audience to greet the students. All of this was to ward off unwanted spirits and to welcome good luck for the new year. To conclude, the lions were fed cabbage and lucky tangerines (cultural note: Chinese lions also like red envelopes containing cash!).

The Chinese teachers got on stage as well, with an intricate umbrella dance known as the 江南舞 (jiāng nán wǔ), based on a traditional song. This year’s dance was superbly choreographed by a veteran of the stage, new Chinese teacher Carol Xu. The younger students sat wide-eyed, gazing up as their teachers floated across the stage in sync with their Chinese umbrellas. Afterward, one kindergartener shouted to her teacher, “I didn’t know you could dance!

New to the assembly this year were three elements: bilingual emcees, a cultural quiz, and more singing by students. Four fifth grade students of Chinese were selected as emcees and they introduced the performances in Mandarin, followed by English. They handled the task very well, and showed how our daily world language program is yielding positive results.

A short cultural quiz show at the start was also a surprising new feature: “Answer these questions before the show can go on, kiddos!” The emcees expertly tested the audience, cajoling them into responding to questions such as, “Who do we see dance at Chinese New Year?

A: Perry the platypus, B: a lion, or C: a dragon?” (Correct answer: B and C). Another question was: "What color is best at Chinese New Year? A: 红色 hóng sè (red) or B: 黑色 hēi sè (black)?" The crowd roared out in Chinese, "红色 hóng sè (red)!!" Ah yes, music to the ears of a language teacher.

For more audience participation, we asked students of Chinese in second through fifth grades to learn a traditional song called 贺年 hè nián; they rose to the challenge and filled the rafters with shouts of “beat the drums!” and “hey!” The assembly ended with a whole audience sing-a-long to 恭喜 gōng xǐ, which means “congratulations.” As the lyrics go, these are the first words out of everyone’s mouth in the new year as friends and family members greet one another.

In hindsight and with “Year of the Horse” in mind, we probably should have ended the show with the Korean horse dance hit, Gangnam Style. Horse hooves beat on, nonetheless. May the spirit of the horse bring good luck and prosperity to your family in this new lunar year!

Were you born in the Year of the Horse?

February 3, 1954 to January 23, 1955 January 21, 1966 to February 8, 1967 February 7, 1978 to January 27, 1979 January 27, 1990 to February 14, 1991 February 12, 2002 to January 31, 2003

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PRIMARY SCHOOL

A NEW YEAR, A NEW BOOK, A NEW FRIEND: SECOND GRADE’S TRIP TO SENG KANG DANIEL GACH SECOND GRADE TEACHER

On February 5, twenty-six student ambassadors and three teachers took a trip to Seng Kang Primary School to deliver more than 250 books to children and families in need. The experience was an enriching and enlightening one for many of the students.

When our bus rolled up, hundreds of Seng Kang students and teachers were waiting and waving. One SAS student described it as “feeling almost like a famous person!” The SAS envoy was taken to the new library for a brief but touching ceremony.

The students were partnered with new Seng Kang friends and presented the books to them. The Seng Kang students then presented our students with personal thank you certificates. These Seng Kang

students and their families are the same families that second grade classes donated food to when they revisited the campus a few weeks later.

The principal of the school then said a few words thanking SAS for its continued support and the special friendship we share with the school.

On the way back to the bus, Seng Kang, ever the gracious host, also provided a little thank you snack and drink for the students’ trip home.

Leading up to the trip, all second grade students were asked to bring in a new or gently used book to donate to the students at Seng Kang.

As a cross-curricular activity to match the current writing unit, the students wrote a persuasive letter/book review for the book they had donated.

The SAS students took the time to

really dive into their books and write detailed letters to get the students of Seng Kang excited about reading their new books!

The last thing we asked of our ambassadors was to relay their experiences back to their respective classrooms. There were wonderful discussions about the rewarding feeling of helping others, as well as realizations such as, “Their library had a lot less books than the one at SAS, we are really lucky.”

Our students are very fortunate, and SAS continues to do a wonderful job inspiring our students to realize that because of those fortunate circumstances, they have the ability to positively affect the lives of others in the community.

To get the students of Seng Kang excited about reading and to practice their persuasive writing skills, second graders wrote book reviews for each book they donated.

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PRIMARY SCHOOL

SECOND GRADE SERVICE

SUPERHEROES!

LISA HOGAN & SUE BARBER SECOND GRADE SERVICE LEARNING REPRESENTATIVES

Our students have become service superheroes!

With eight wonderful parent chaperones, we set off to make a difference in our community.

Working with Food From the Heart, a local Singaporean organization that supports Singaporeans in need, we were poised and ready to make a difference. We are pleased to be working with Food From the Heart, completing our fourth year of partnership with this empowering group.

We accepted our service mission: to purchase enough staples for two Singaporean families for one week.

Just after eleven we set off, with our shopping list in hand, and buddies in our hearts, our minds and feet ready to move. We walked to Sheng Siong Supermarket.

When we arrived, everyone scattered to locate their items, including rice, Milo, chicken curry tins, or canned mushrooms. With S$5.00, students were ready to find their chosen item, comparison shop for the best deal or for that familiar brand and buy as many of that item as possible. A couple of items, like Milo and a tin of biscuits were more than S$5.00, but students worked in teams and found ways to share their funds.

After students purchased the food items, they combined their change and headed back into the market for personal care items, like toothbrushes and soap. As we were shopping, we were approached by a Singaporean, who was inspired by

our young second grade students' efforts. He wanted to acknowledge their efforts and give back, and he generously bought two huge bags of favorite local snacks: cheese balls and cheese rings for our students and our buddies. We started a ripple with our service efforts! We then walked back to SAS, a bit prouder and confident that we were making a difference.

"Remember there's no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end."

Scott Adams When we walked to the market, students took along iPads. Students started a blog post and then they will try their hands at making their own short iMovie.

Class ambassadors personally delivered our bags of food, along with a class collection of personal letters.

22 READING MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD! ALISON CUTHBERT PRIMARY LIBRARY MEDIA SPECIALIST

Our primary students celebrated the Festival of Stories in January. This is an exciting time when we celebrate our love of reading and literature. Classes were given wrapped presents in December with a top-secret message instructing them to open the gifts on January 15 at 8:00 a.m. We were thrilled to find a copy of Todd Parr’s Reading Makes You Feel Good inside! Todd Parr himself created a special image for Singapore American School and sent a video wishing us all well. He even read Reading Makes You Feel Good to us on the video. We were excited to have this authentic connection to an author. Students in some tech classes created Todd Parrinspired artwork, and every student from kindergarten to second grade made READ posters.

We had fun events, like poetry breaks and BEAR time (Be Excited About Reading) with Ben the Bear. Teachers, administrators, and intermediate school students dropped into classes to read poems. Deputy Superintendent Landau created a lovely song and video called Reading Makes Me Feel Good (http:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfJoMSAV_ p4&list=UUiHEfI7yc_Nz9kD7tC34NMw).

One of our favorite days was pajama day, when we all wore jammies to school and curled up with good books. The last day of Festival of Stories was dress up as your favorite book character day. What a fantastic way to celebrate our love of reading!

Many thanks to the Festival of Stories committee for helping to organize such a meaningful and enjoyable event for our students and staff.

PRIMARY SCHOOL

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PRIMARY SCHOOL

EXPLORING SUNGEI BULOH IN SPANISH CRIS EWELL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SPANISH COORDINATOR

Sachis began Spanish in kindergarten last year at SAS. I saw her in the hall on Thursday and asked her, “Sachis, would you like to make an announcement for the WHOLE school in Spanish?”

Her inquisitive eyes lit up, “For the whole school? That sounds like fun!”

On Friday morning, I handed her the script. “Would you like to practice?”

She took the clipboard and read confidently. We conversed briefly in Spanish about what she was looking forward to on this big day. The heads of the school secretaries turned to see this little girl converse so confidently in Spanish.

At 9:10 a.m. sharp, Sachis' voice rang out over the primary loudspeaker: “Estudiantes de Español II, vamos a los autobuses. Necesitamos agua, comida, y mochilas. (First and second grade Spanish II students, we are going to the buses. We need water, lunch, and backpacks.)”

And thus the adventure began.

Students began to pour in from different classes and gather in front of the primary school office. Teachers and parent volunteers began to organize excited students into groups. “Peces, siéntense aquí (Fish, sit here).” Another voice rang out, “Mariposas, aquí (Butterflies, over here).”

This was a new adventure for the Spanish program. What would it be like to take students outside the comfort of the classroom and put them in a new environment?

Would they still be able to function in Spanish? How would they communicate with other Spanishspeaking adults whom they had never met? Can we teach them at this age that language is alive and is available outside of the walls of a classroom, that it is accessible and real to them?

Do they know that they have another means of communicating now?

As a teacher, it was simply magical to watch little fingers pointing off of the path and to hear little voices, “¡Mira! ¡Mira! (Look! Look!),” and to hear other students answer easily, “¿Qué es? (What is it?),” and “¿Dónde?

(Where?).” As we approached the boardwalk above the mangroves, a group of voices rang out, “¡Basura!

(Trash!).” Just as we had studied in our short stories, the ocean tides had brought in trash that littered the mangrove.

I look at the future of my children and my students. I wonder what their worlds might be, and how I might best prepare them for that future. I wonder about the interconnectedness of the mangroves of Central America and South East Asia. I wonder how our students, young and impressionable, are already beginning to identify and discuss in basic language, challenges to the ecology of our planet.

The fact that they have begun the journey of learning, exploring, and expressing challenges in a new language leaves me with a feeling of hope and fulfillment. I know now that they can experience the world through the eyes and ears of another language.

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Intermediate school

THE SOUND OF STILLNESS CARMINE FILICE INTERMEDIATE DIVISION COUNSELOR How do you keep hundreds of fifth graders quiet with their eyes closed for an extended period of time?

Give up?

Well this mysterious phenomenon actually occurred here at SAS on January 24 when the grade level was visited by Tibetan bowl player Bill Cael. Students in the fifth grade have been slowly introduced to the concept of mindfulness through their counseling lessons. They have learned that mindfulness involves quieting the mind and the body in order to improve focus and concentration and simply better appreciate the present moment.

It is actually quite difficult to peruse any source of news these days without reading something about the application of mindfulness practice in clinics, corporations, athletic performances, government, and indeed more and more in schools all over the world. A growing body of research indicates that this practice is effective in providing assistance with a range of difficult experiences, including stress, anxiety, transition, and chronic illness.

Mindfulness is showing great promise in improving our general health, well-being, and sense of connectedness. In Mindful Schools, Susan Kaiser Greenland tells us, “By practicing mindfulness kids learn life skills that help them soothe and calm themselves, bring awareness to their inner and outer experience, and bring a reflective quality to their actions and relationships.”

Bill arrived with his beautiful collection of Tibetan bowls and arranged them carefully on a table in the group room. He talked to the kids about attaining a clear mind and a quiet body, then directed them to lie on the floor allowing the sound generated by the bowls to assist them to enter a relaxed state.

With great precision, Bill gently tapped the bowls individually and at times simultaneously to produce a continuous cascade of harmonic overtones.

Amazingly, a lovely (Friday afternoon) calmness fell over the room as the students simply soaked in the long, sustained notes, enjoying the opportunity to be still and be present. filicecounseling.blogspot.sg

Quotes from Mrs. Clayton’s class “The first time I heard it, I felt a little buzz and vibration, then I started to visualize a calm river with lots of trees around them.”

Y.S. Kim

“I felt really calm (which never happens in school) and I liked it. Hearing the sounds of the bowls brought back many memories.

I liked hearing what I never chose to remember.”

Alex S.

“The only movement I was doing was breathing in slowly. Then there was a small, but bright, flash of light, and soon I saw colors swirling around slowly. My skin felt tingly and my eyelids relaxed. I had never felt so calm.”

Anoushka N.

“What was I thinking? Not much. I shut down my body and just listened.”

Nate T.

“It was almost like the bowls were actually singing and chatting with each other, but in a very calming way.”

Vainavi G.

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Intermediate school

THIRD GRADERS PASS ON THE GIFT BETH BURNETT, DANIELLE CARRIER, AND JANE DODGE THIRD GRADE TEACHERS “Why are people hungry and impoverished, and what can I do to make a difference?”

Third grade students this year are learning how basic needs are met in developed and developing countries. Two of the important needs we focus on are food and family. As part of their “Village Called Earth” unit, students help to make a difference in the lives of others by participating in a sponsored reading program through Heifer International called Read to Feed.

Heifer International is an organization that works to end hunger and uses the money we raise to buy live animals to help families in developing countries. These animal gifts help to create positive and sustainable changes in the lives of families and communities struggling for self-sufficiency. The third graders at SAS are striving to help others prepare for the future and meet their basic needs.

For more information on Read to Feed visit: http://www.readtofeed.org/

Through reading, students help hungry families all over the world Students record the number of hours they read They prepare a short speech to obtain pledges of money based on the hours they read Money raised purchases farm animals for families

Families’ health and standard of living greatly improve by what the animal provides (milk from a cow or goat, eggs from poultry, meat from rabbits, wool from llamas, etc.)

Heifer International provides training in animal care Animals’ offspring are passed to other needy families, creating a sustainable resource

26 JUMP ROPE AND HULAPALOOZA 2014 PAUL CLAYTON AND ANNE WENSTROM PRIMARY SCHOOL PE TEACHERS

There was a great turnout by students and faculty for the annual Jump Rope and Hulapalooza extravaganza in the SAS elementary school gyms. Every morning before the start of school, the students got their “jump on” and started the day with some exercise to get their blood pumping and their brains in gear for the upcoming day.

All the gyms were full of students and faculty jumping over ropes, hurdles, and helicopters. They also could try pogo sticks, hula hoops, hippity hops, vaults, and even “virtual jump rope” at the Kinect stations. Our own SAS superintendent, elementary administrators, and elementary colleagues joined in the fun!

To promote the event, SAS faculty contributed video footage of themselves jumping rope at various locations around Singapore and the world. You can view the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch ?v=Z2OyYbyi10U&list=UUiHEfI7 yc_Nz9kD7tC34NMw&feature=c4overview or use the QR Code below on your mobile device.

The event was a great success with hundreds of students filling the gyms with energy, laughter, and curiosity!

Thanks everyone for “jumping” at the opportunity to participate!

Intermediate school

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Intermediate school

UNDER-10 BOYS SOCCER ACSIS FINAL TOURNAMENT PRINCE JASPER EMAVIWE UNDER-10 BOYS SOCCER COACH The SAS under-10 boys A-team made us proud this season. They improved tremendously from the day I started coaching them. They embodied the tenacity and motivation a coach hopes to find in a football team. Faced with challenges, they never gave up, and instead worked together as a team and played their hearts out.

We applaud them for simply appreciating great football and wish them great success in the next season. It was a great pleasure to be their coach.

SUPPORTING IASAS RUGBY AT SAS BEATRICE B. AND ANUSHKA N. GRADE 5 STUDENTS When the IASAS rugby tournament in Bangkok was canceled, SAS volunteered to host it. Many schools arrived from all over Asia. That is why for the week of February 3 to February 7, SAS hosted several teams competing in IASAS. There were the boys and the girls championships, and all schools were working very hard to win. However, the schools that had come didn’t have a lot of supporters or people to cheer them on. So, many students from the intermediate school at SAS came to cheer them on. We hoped that this would boost their confidence to do better during the games.

There was a lot of competition and you could tell that all the teams had practiced very hard that season. Each team had different strategies and they all played as tough as they could. Some were more about planning and seeing how to get it past, others were more about speed and strength.

The tournaments seemed very organized because whenever a ball was kicked out of the field, almost immediately the teams had another ball on hand. Even though there was only one winner, everyone did a great job and were winners already.

We hope that cheering the teams on helped them do their best and that the teams felt more at home. Signs and posters had been made. Names of teams were being chanted from the sidelines. There was a bit of competitiveness on the stands. Even though people may not

have been families, they really seemed to have feelings for them. Think of it this way, if you were competing somewhere else, wouldn’t you want someone to cheer you on?

After a very tough semi-final with neck-to-neck battles, we had the finalist teams. The two teams for the girls were Taipei American School and our very own SAS. Both teams worked very hard and it was a tight game. The winner for the girls IASIS rugby tournament was, drumroll please...SAS (woo hoo)! Now, for the boys. The two teams in the finals were SAS and International School Kuala Lumpur. It was a very close match with SAS behind on the last play of the game. They went in for a try and SAS kicked the conversion which gave them the winning point!

A very big congratulations to all the teams that played!

This was a well fought tournament and all the players worked hard. All teams did a great job. Teams were gracious and didn’t get mad if they lost. All teams were true winners. Fantastic job to everyone and good luck next year at IASAS rugby tournaments!

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Intermediate school

FIRST LEGO LEAGUE ROBOTICS COMPETITION SUSAN SHAW INTERMEDIATE GIFTED AND TALENTED ADVISOR

The First Lego League (FLL) competition embodied the 21st century competencies of cooperation, collaboration, critical and creative thinking, as well as effective communication, making it a perfect learning opportunity for students.

as a team, their presentation and innovative solution, and their ability to accomplish the robot missions. In addition, at the competition venue, teams were given a surprise mission and only forty minutes to complete it, so they had to be able to perform under pressure as well!

Twenty-five students from the intermediate division recently competed in the First Lego League competition at ITE in Choa Chu Kang.

Students spent hours after school learning about programming their robots, how to work together in a team, how to problem solve, and how to present their work to an audience.

One student’s comment echoed that of several others, “I felt like a real engineer, especially when we had the surprise mission and had to complete it quickly. It was just like it would be in the real world.” Others commented on how difficult it was to make their robots perform how they wanted them to and how they had to keep trying and persevering in order to get the robots to work correctly.

Robotics is a great way for students to build their science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) skills, and the First Lego League offers a venue for students to compete against others in teams.

The First Lego League emphasizes three different categories for the competition – core values, project, and robot missions. This year’s theme was “natural disasters,” and students had to research a natural disaster of their choice, create an innovative solution for assisting in that disaster, and then program robots to accomplish certain missions during a natural disaster. Students were judged on their ability to work

It was a very busy weekend and it could not have happened in the intermediate division without the support of many parents who helped supervise students on the day, with one even organizing a guest speaker for a training session.

29 MIDDLE SCHOOL ROBOTICS JIM DIEBLEY AND DAVID OSWALD MIDDLE SCHOOL ROBOTICS CLUB SPONSORS

Thanks to an academic innovation grant from the SAS Advancement Office, more than forty middle school students had the opportunity to build and program their own robots this year. The middle school Robotics Club was formed to give students the time, space, and resources to explore and be creative in a technological setting.

Middle school students love working with robots because it is hands-on and intellectually very engaging.

Getting a robot to perform any type of task requires the students to apply concepts from science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Equally important, in order to be successful at robotics competitions, student teams must develop effective communication skills.

So, is the robotics initiative helping us meet the SAS vision of "cultivating exceptional thinkers prepared for the future"? We think this question is best answered by sharing some of the student reflections: "I like that the competition challenged us to make and program robots that can do something useful."- Lilian "I really liked that we all had to figure out how to collaborate with each other even when we didn't know each other. I learned that we need to work together and not freak out."- Caitlyn "We earned third place in robotic design at the First Lego League competition this year, but I already have ideas of how we could do better."- Aidan For a closer look at the middle school Robotics Team, check out our blog http://sasmiddleschoolfll.blogspot.sg/

MIDDLE school

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MIDDLE school

CARING FOR CAMBODIA - MIDDLE SCHOOL SERVICE TRIP 2014 RITIKA R. GRADE 8 STUDENT

The sun beat down on our backs as we hunched over our shovels digging at the seemingly endless piles of dirt that lay in front of us. One look at the Cambodian children’s’ faces and we immediately knew it was all worth it.

There were more than forty of us in total, along with the four teachers who brought us and organized the trip - Mrs. Tewsley, Mrs. Torpey, Mr. Alexander, and Mr. Ryan, as well as several parent chaperones. Our goal for this service trip was to help Caring for Cambodia (CFC) schools in any way possible, which landed us with one of many jobs - to even out a soccer field-to-be; build and paint garbage and recycling bins; help finish creating sidewalks outside the schools; and clean materials used for water filtration.

I spent a lot of time finishing the sidewalks. We first had to collect dirt from the piles and bring it to the pavement to level it out. When it was leveled, we then proceeded to layer powdered clay on the ground. At this stage, I shoveled huge piles of clay, and put it in small baskets that others distributed along the path. This was actually much harder and more tiring than it sounds. That’s when a few of us came up with the idea to ask a few of the Cambodian students if they wanted to join us; they eagerly agreed. It was amazing, as some of us had been complaining about the heat, how tired we were, and about our sore, blistered hands. But, these kids jumped right in, actually fighting over the minimal amount of baskets available. They managed to make a game out of it, trying to beat each other on the amount of clay they could carry at one time. A few kids even asked me for a hundred scoops of clay to carry in their baskets.

Even more important than the work was the opportunity to interact with the kids and build strong relationships. We asked each other questions and played games like volleyball and soccer. And once we got to know them well, which didn’t take long at all, we found ourselves really enjoying the time we spent with them. We stopped thinking of each other as strangers, as kids living completely different lifestyles, and started thinking of each other as lifelong friends. They really weren’t that much different from us. Just because they live under much harsher circumstances didn’t prevent us from all having fun together and bonding over common likes and dislikes.

We continued to bond with the Cambodian kids when we met up with our pen pals who we had contacted a few times from Singapore. They all attend CFC schools and were joining us for a Cambodian cooking class. My pen pal, Srey Mao, and I clicked instantly and had a great time right from when I gave her a backpack until the very end. We had all brought along backpacks for our pen pals filled with school supplies, a toothbrush, toothpaste, water bottle, etc. I also brought her a pack of earrings because I knew her ears were pierced, and a soccer ball because she said she loved playing soccer.

When she pulled them out of the bag, I could see her face light up and she repeatedly thanked me. The thing she did next was what touched me the most - she gave me her ring.

It was a thin, golden ring, which she slipped off her finger and gave to me, asking me if I liked it. Of course I said yes.

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MIDDLE school

The cooking class was a new experience. We got to cook all kinds of local Cambodian food from scratch and it was delicious. We cooked together with our pen pals, and we had a good laugh watching, as the Cambodian kids cooked with skilled perfection while we, on the other hand, were not as talented.

They didn’t seem to care, making sure we got a chance to try and helping us whenever we needed it.

Learning about the culture of Cambodia opened up our minds to help us understand how different other people’s lives are. Not everyone lives in a world of wealthy expats in a completely urbanized environment like Singapore. None of us had ever really thought beyond our own little bubble in the developed world; we had never really opened our eyes to see past our own personal circles.

Through all this, we also got to know our own little group from SAS better. Traveling to a new country really helped us to learn more about each other. We got to see our friends in new situations. Some of us were really able to interact with the kids well, while others were very easygoing when it came to everything. Everyone did something on the trip that was out of their comfort zone in the name of service.

We had gone with the simple idea in our minds that we were going to help the CFC kids, but we came back with so much more than we could have ever asked for. Service really isn’t a one-way street. It impacts people on both sides. I could tell that we changed the kids’ lives just by the way they were eager to do everything with us and were reluctant to let us go.

Not only did we learn a lot about people, but we also had the opportunity to learn more about the country of Cambodia. We spent time learning about the history of Cambodia and what caused its poverty. We visited the beautiful temples such as Angkor Wat, not at all like anything we could imagine seeing in Singapore. Shopping at the Old Market and the Night Market was also a great experience - wandering around through all the colorful, lively stalls, and at the same time practicing our bargaining skills.

We ended our trip with a bike ride through Cambodia’s countryside, which isn’t an opportunity that many will get very often in their lives. Biking through the rice fields and little villages was definitely unforgettable.

I also know this trip really made a difference in my life, in my understanding of the generosity and humanity that lies in people who live under very difficult conditions.

It taught me that being generous with your spirit is just as important as being generous with your resources.

This trip was one that the other students and I will never forget, and it has inspired me personally to do even more service work and make it a part of my life.

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MIDDLE school

STRATEGIC LEARNING, EMPOWERED LEARNING, HOLDING ON LOOSELY, HERDING CATS JOHN KONCKI MIDDLE SCHOOL STRATEGIC LEARNING TEACHER Strategic learning, empowered learning, holding on loosely, herding cats.

to identify areas of their weekly schedule where they are taking healthy risks (music, sports, dance, etc.). It matters.

These are all phrases I use to describe what I do. And what I do is work with kids to create a consistent, efficient, and effective plan of action for their lives. This plan takes into account:

And kids get it. They love to see how the “have-to-dos” of academics, sleep, and family time define the space for the “want-to-dos” of healthy risk-taking and staring-at-theceiling time (science: daydreaming is a good and natural brain function for kids).

• Academic responsibilities • Extracurricular activities • Family time • Adequate sleep • Choice time The organizational tools and protocols I use are designed to take the emotional “sticking points” out of the planning process. I utilize a handful of concrete tools to accomplish this. These tools serve as objective (read: non-emotional) interfaces for information (academic tasks, e-grade data, feedback from teachers, after school schedules, commitments, etc.).

This practice quickly transcends scholastic responsibility and becomes responsible living. In that regard, I counsel kids on the importance of adequate sleep and the need for healthy risk-taking. The scientific research on sleep is compelling. Obesity, ADHD, and depression are real effects of chronic lack of sleep in kids. Many people cry out for a later start to the school day as a fix for this issue, but I don’t have that kind of policy-making bandwidth.

Instead, I ask kids to plan for eight to nine hours of sleep from Sunday through Thursday as a personal commitment to their health. I realize that not all kids will follow this to the minute, but it does create awareness by at least making sleep a planned priority.

Research is also normalizing risk-taking in adolescence. It’s part of their developmental process.

As a parent, it was always intuitive that our own children would be involved in extracurriculars. Our family rule was, “You’ve gotta pick something you’re interested in, and you’ve gotta finish what you start.”

My wife and I thought this was just a life lesson in responsibility. What we know now, eighteen years on, is that these athletic and artistic outlets are also infrastructures for our kids to take healthy and authentic risks. Trying out for a team or a production and performing on the pitch or on stage are comfort-zone stretching experiences. They don’t mitigate all their risk-taking but they definitely give much of it a place to be cultivated.

As a result, I am constantly challenging the kids I work with

And parents get it. They are looking for ways to manage their kids so they can feel like positive partners (shared responsibility) in their child’s development. Unfortunately, by the time most kids get to middle school, parents can hardly get more than a one word answer from them when asked about something they learned during their day: “Nothing.”

There's nothing I hate more than nothing Nothing keeps me up all night I toss and turn over nothing Nothing could cause a great big fight -Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians (1988) And fights are common with adolescents in the 21st century.

“Do you have homework?”

“Why don’t you have homework?”

“I got an email from your teacher stating that your homework wasn’t turned in. Why?” “Why, why, why?”

Because we are responsible for our kids.

But they, too, need to be responsible for themselves. In a world where most things are managed for kids, where do they learn responsibility?

So what can parents do? Unfortunately, it’s really hard to motivate parents to shift from cheerleading to coaching mode this late in the game. It’s no fun, and it is not rewarding for parent or child. It is also counterintuitive, particularly for parents who have spent more than a decade helping their child be as happy as possible and avoid pain.

It requires parents to be witnesses to minor and possibly major train wrecks: getting Fs for missed homework, being sucked into the black hole of online games, discovering marijuana - things that make pet tricks look like harmless

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fun by comparison. The phase requires parents to tolerate anxiety, self-doubt, and failure, not just in their child but, even harder in some ways, in themselves as parents. But it’s absolutely critical, because parents and their kids construct a reality together that at this stage only the parents can undo.

As parents, we can get caught in the day-to-day unfolding “story”- the simplest sequence of events in our lives. We find places for our child to have fun and succeed. He is happy. We are good parents. We are happy. End of story.

Helicopter parenting has crippled American teenagers.

Here’s how to fix it (By Dan Griffin in Slate.com).

So, I teach parents as well. I teach them to ask different questions: “How’s it going?” This question hooks the kids with an easy “good,” “fine,” or the Neanderthal/middle school boy’s guttural grunt.

But the next question demands proof. “How do you know?” As an adult advocate (teacher, parent), I get to vault into mental gymnastics with my kids.

Me: “How’s school?”

Child: “Good.”

Me: “How do you know?”

Child: (now thinking a bit) “Because I have an A in math.”

Me: Pausing to decide whether or not to open up the gradebook and check. “Great. How about science?” Etc. Recently, I gave a couple of workshops for parents to help them learn more about "helping our kids learn to help themselves" as a part of the strategic learning program in the middle school division. These are unique times in learning, and this course is designed to prepare our kids to meet the unique challenges accordingly.

I took parents through the program’s four phases: 1. Getting ready: physical organization (everything labeled, no loose papers, ear buds, pencils) 2. Making a plan: using data to write a purposeful plan (Google Calendar, eGrades, weekly time table, digital sticky notes) 3. Checking the plan: adult advocate reviews the written plan

4. Executing the plan: complete tasks, revise, get help according to the written plan Each phase has clear and effective components. For example, loose papers in phase one are black and white - they are either filed correctly or they are not.

Furthermore, it’s an easy win to get papers put away in the right place. Most importantly, the act of filing one’s papers systematically is practical, tactile, and effective for the child. It builds and leverages awareness and ownership of the their responsibilities which are, in turn, empowering for the parent.

Parents can use the protocol to first observe, then to decide whether or not to engage.

Empowerment is a win-win for adult and child. Kids get to manage their responsibilities and the parent is able to keep an informed eye on things. This keeps the ownership defined and shared and the emotions mitigated.

Parents have a tough job in the 21st century. Kids have access to unlimited information and they have little responsibility beyond “school.” It’s no wonder kids and parents fight the homework battle so often and so vehemently.

Strategic learning, empowered learning, holding on loosely, herding cats.

It’s not rocket science. It is, however, a departure from the old paradigm of raising kids, from, “Because I told you so,” to, “How do you know?”

From parent to adult advocate.

From old school to real life.

Our kids are going to need us to be there when they’re heartbroken or need advice when they’re at a crossroads. If our relationship is characterized by our micro-management of their interests and academic responsibilities, then there will be no room for the kind of empathic thinking needed for healthy adolescent development.

The 21st century is a renaissance in learning. Kids, therefore, need the real-life skills of planning. If the adults in their lives (parents, teachers) mainly teach them to follow directions they will have cheated them of the opportunity to make sense of the unlimited information and opportunities available. It’s a big scary world, but with the right plan, anything is possible.

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LEARNING DESIGN WITHIN THE LIBRARY SETTING RON STARKER MIDDLE SCHOOL LIBRARY MEDIA SPECIALIST

The Need for Change There is a growing body of evidence indicating the need for change in our school systems and in our libraries.

No matter which country you look to you will find school reform movements currently underway or being planned.

Sir Ken Livingston conveys this well in his TED talk on changing educational paradigms.

The demands of today’s global society are far different from the demands of the 19th or 20th centuries. The factory model is no longer a viable way to conduct education. Libraries, in turn, cannot simply be warehouses for books and other print materials. Libraries, like schools, must meet the challenge of an ever-changing world where content in all fields is increasing at an exponential rate and mashups between different fields of study are now commonplace.

Students have already significantly adapted to the demands of the digital world, leaving schools and libraries far behind. Most individuals under the age of eighteen regularly Skype, use social networks, obtain news from online sources, capture information through text, video, and audio sources, and do this all on mobile devices.

As Dr. Michael Wesch shows in his video, A Vision of Students Today, the contrast between students of today and the university settings many find themselves in is striking and disturbing. And as the authors of the video titled Learning to Change Changing to Learn point out, “When fifty-five sectors of the economy were analyzed for technological sophistication, schools ranked fifty-fifth, just behind coal mining.”

The Tipping Point Malcolm Gladwell, in his book The Tipping Point, illustrated how demand for change often reaches a tipping point and then suddenly everything changes.

School libraries are approaching that tipping point. Today libraries are in great jeopardy. Many believe that libraries are no longer necessary or viable in a digital age. Why do we need libraries when we have Google?

This same argument was made in the 1960s, when advertisements stated that microfiche readers placed in homes would end the need for libraries. Today a more compelling argument is being made for the Internet along with eBooks as a replacement. It is the concept of book warehouses that is in jeopardy; the concept of libraries

as gathering points for collaboration, innovation, and authentic learning is only just beginning to take shape.

Libraries as Innovation Centers Modified libraries of the future transformed into innovation centers are perfect settings for implementing change within a school. Adapting to exponential growth in knowledge is not a matter of running faster or working harder; we will never keep up; we have to work smarter.

The Connections Project We are experimenting with new ways of learning in our middle school library by providing learning environments conducive to exploration and creative innovation. Since we are looking for ways to make connections between different subjects and styles of learning, we have termed this part of the school-wide R&D as “The Connections Project.”Currently we are looking at the work of Howard Gardener at Harvard University and his now wellestablished theory of multiple intelligences. Since all learners are not alike, we need to find ways to differentiate learning to support and nourish all forms of human intelligence. The forms of intelligence that Gardener found in his research are outlined below. Our library staff are looking at ways in which we can better support all these forms of learning by creating purpose-built “learning design studios.”

Verbal–Linguistic People with high verbal-linguistic intelligence display a facility with words and languages. They are typically good at reading, writing, and telling stories. Libraries in their traditional form do a good job of supporting verballinguistic intelligence, but we are not as successful in our support of the other forms of intelligence.

Musical–Acoustic Musical and acoustic intelligence has to do with sensitivity to sounds, rhythms, tones, and music. People with a high musical intelligence are able to sing, play musical instruments, and compose music.

Ben Robertaccio (middle school counselor) and Robert Choi (middle school music teacher) have helped us to establish a learning design studio for musical and acoustic intelligence. It includes a digital cello, viola, violin, lead guitar, bass guitar, drum set, and keyboard controller that simulates many instruments. It has state-of-the-art

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recording equipment and provisions for voice recordings.

We hope to train students in how to use this equipment as a practice studio for musicians and as a place of experimentation with sounds and music.

Visual–Spatial Visual and spatial intelligence deals with spatial judgment and the ability to visualize with the mind's eye. Heather Dowd (middle school educational technology coach) and Patrick Green (middle school technology coordinator) helped us to develop a second studio to support visual and artistic intelligence. This studio has an HD video camera, an HD digital camera, pull down green screens, and high-intensity LED lights. We hope to add a largescale color printer for artwork and other elements to support artistic work.

Naturalistic Naturalistic intelligence has to do with nurturing and relating information to one’s natural surroundings.

We are at the beginning stages of working with middle school science teachers to create a naturalistic quiet zone.

This is a quiet, serene area which captures elements of a forest or garden in the design. At present, we are thinking of calling this area the living room since it will emphasize our relationship with nature and the living ecosystem of which we are a part.

We have not yet developed learning design studios for the remaining forms of intelligence, however we are in the process of formulating ideas for future development.

Bodily–Kinesthetic People who have bodily-kinesthetic intelligence learn better by involving muscular movement (e.g. getting up and moving around in the learning experience) and are generally good at physical activities, such as sports, dance, acting, and making things.

We are looking into the possibility of creating a learning design studio that utilizes gesture-based computing so students can experiment with physical movement and learning using technology such as the XBox. We are also working with our middle school health teachers to develop ways to promote health and wellness within the library setting.

Logical–Mathematical Logical-mathematical intelligence involves logic, abstractions, reasoning, numbers, and critical thinking.

Our middle school math teachers Chris Raymaakers, Rhian Murgatroyd, and Craig Becker are investigating the use of serious games to teach concepts of probability, and Jim Diebley (middle school technology teacher) introduced logical and mathematical thinking through his Rube Goldberg project.

Interpersonal Learners with strengths in interpersonal intelligence typically learn best by working with others and often enjoy discussion and debate.

We currently receive more than 1,000 visits per day to the middle school library, and we are a hub for interpersonal interaction. At present we do not have plans for a learning design studio specifically designed for this purpose, but we will continue to support clubs, organizations, presentations, and exhibitions that promote interpersonal intelligence.

Intrapersonal Intrapersonal intelligence refers to having a deep understanding of self and our strengths and weaknesses as individuals. Through intrapersonal intelligence we learn how to predict our own reactions and emotions and gain a sense of what makes us unique as individuals.

Reading is certainly a rich source for intrapersonal development.

Design-Based Thinking Design-based thinking involves prototyping and testing out new ideas before going into full development.

Through the Connections Project we are testing out new curricular ideas across all subject areas. Learning design studios and multiple intelligences are only part of this exploratory work.

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COOKING CULTURE AMY FERGUSON MIDDLE SCHOOL HOMELIVING TEACHER Cooking and culture are deliciously connected. It is impossible to think of certain foods without linking them to the country of their origin. If foods like sushi, Peking duck, pasta, or crepes remind you of certain places, it is because these foods are part of a particular heritage.

The middle school cooking room is a great place to explore both food and culture. Recently, cooking students were given the opportunity to make Chinese New Year dumplings from scratch and shared this hands-on experience with Mrs. Lin’s language classes. Together, students were able to learn about traditional Chinese New Year cuisine and even learned how some dishes varied from region to region. Classes in grades 6 to 8 made the filling and dough together and then attempted to fold them into perfect dumplings. As always, the eating was the easiest part of the process. Several students took the recipe home with the idea of impressing their families with flawless dumplings.

This was not the first time cooking students have shared their talents with language classes. Earlier in the year, eighth grade Japanese classes came to the kitchen and

learned about bento boxes (elaborate Japanese lunch sets). Students were given all the ingredients and supplies and competed with their peers to design artistic and unique bento boxes. Their creations were almost too beautiful to eat.

Another amazing collaboration took place just before winter break when middle school Spanish classes prepared paellas. This was the culminating activity for the Spanish classes after learning about this traditional dish in the classroom. The cooking students shared their talents and with their language class partners created the tastiest paella this side of the Johore Straits! Classic paella pans filled with saffron, rice, and chicken would have delighted you into thinking that Spain had come to SAS. Cooking is not only a life skill, but also a way for all to connect and appreciate our blended cultures that we are so lucky to be exposed to at Singapore American School.

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2014 HUNGER GAMES: MATHCOUNTS TANVI G. GRADE 8 STUDENT Math is a subject that a large number of us may have decided is reserved for school alone. In fact, when encountered elsewhere, the best solution might seem to be to run away screaming, especially if it involves solving another quadratic equation.

But quadratic equations faced a counterattack in the shape of seventy-two students sitting in the middle school library on February 8.

These students had been selected from their respective international schools as the best and brightest math students in their middle schools based on their scores on preliminary regional tests. And now they were ready to destroy/solve any equation coming their way in an epic showdown between schools across the entirety of Southeast Asia.

Welcome to MathCounts. A competitive series designed to encourage and recognize mathematical achievement, it not only fosters team spirit, but often

creates friendships tested by fire.

Through four different rounds, various skills are tested to their limit, ensuring the success of only the most versatile and agile mathematicians.

Who said math’s not tiring? Anyone would be panting after completing thirty questions in forty minutes during the sprint round (and all this minus calculators).

However, we’re talking mathletes here. These seventy-two students were no ordinary kids. They had already proven they could face this at their regional levels, and who’s to say that the chapter competition would be any different for these battlehardened aficionados? But then they faced the target round. This was the marathon; given out in sets of two problems at a time, competitors had six minutes to solve each pair. There were four pairs in total. Calculators could be utilized here, but that’s like telling a runner they can drink water in a twenty-six-mile race.

And that was just the first day.

The next day, the ultimate challenge of cooperation, the relay race: the team round. Twenty minutes, ten questions, four people. Sounds like a recipe for disaster in most hands, but with minimal damage to friendships, the mathletes sailed through it.

Next was the countdown round.

The top eleven scores of individuals on the target and sprint rounds combined were eligible, four SAS students among them. This was tension at its finest. Two competitors on a stage, questions on the screen, two buzzers, and a steadily lessening pool of contestants. Think Hunger Games, math-style.

So, are you up for the challenge?

Or would you rather stay home in a quadratic equation-free world?

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SAS 2014 SUMMER CHINESE LANGUAGE AND CULTURAL IMMERSION PROGRAM FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS DR SUSAN ZHANG, DIRECTOR OF CHINESE LANGUAGE PROGRAM AND JULIE ZHANG, MIDDLE SCHOOL CHINESE TEACHER Language learning should not end with the school year. This year, the SAS Chinese department is offering a two-week immersion program in Wuxi, China over the summer. This program will provide opportunities for intensive language communication training and cultural experiences and service learning in the target language. The program will consolidate and expand students’ oral Chinese language skills and deepen their cultural understanding and appreciation.

Canal, Huanxiou Villa, Humble Administrator’s Garden, and Zhouzhuang. These excursions will provide students with full linguistic and cultural immersion.

Wuxi, the cultural and historical center of Jiangsu Province, is a 3,000-year-old city that lies in the heart of the fertile Yangtzi River Delta. While maintaining its deep historical roots, Wuxi is quickly becoming a modern city and an important center for international businesses, such as silk, pottery, and bricks. Among the historical riches that students may experience are Liyuan Garden, Donglin Academy, Xihui Park, Nanchan Temple, and Taihu Lake.

Students may also go for cultural exploration and excursions to Shanghai and Suzhou. In Suzhou, students may explore the past and present of China by visiting Grand

Equipped with external excursions, this summer program in SUIS gives students opportunities to explore this richly historical city while participating in intensive language study. SAS teachers Julie Zhang (middle school) and Holly Xi (intermediate school) will teach language and culture classes in the mornings, and students will participate in art, music, and PE classes with local Chinese students at the host school. Then in the afternoon, they will be engaged in skill-based learning classes, such as making Chinese noodles or dumplings with a Chinese chef or learning martial arts with a kung fu master. In the evenings, students

Shanghai United International School (SUIS) at Wuxi Campus will serve as our host school. SUIS has more than twenty years’ experience in international education and features facilities with music and art rooms, computer labs, a library, outdoor sports pitches, and an indoor gymnasium.

will do their reflections or watch a Chinese movie.

On weekends, students will go on excursions to Suzhou attractions.

In the course of these short trips, students will not only apply what they have learned from the class in authentic situations, but also gain meaningful cultural experiences and deeper knowledge of what it means to be a citizen of the world.

Through the immersion language classes and excursions, students will find many opportunities to sharpen their language skills and their appreciation for Chinese language and culture. At the same time, students will be surprised by many “aha” moments when they connect what they’ve learned in the classroom with real-life experiences.

Middle school and high school students are eligible to apply for the immersion program. The program brochure and application are at http://mschinese.wordpress. com/summer-immersion-3/.

Students will leave on June 8 and return June 21.

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THOSE GREEN BINS MAX H., FAISAL H., JORDAN M. GRADE 8 STUDENTS

More than twenty years ago, SAS formed the middle school Eco Club. The members were dedicated to pursuing various methods of helping the environment.

A few years ago, the Eco Club expanded its reach, and became Roots & Shoots. Roots & Shoots is a worldwide network of clubs like ours, dedicated to helping people, animals, and the environment. Dr. Jane Goodall, who received the title of United Nations Messenger of Peace in April 2002, started the worldwide Roots & Shoots initiative.

Despite being nearly eighty years old, she still travels the globe promoting her message and inspiring both young and old to do more for our world.

Roots & Shoots has many accomplishments to celebrate.

Currently, our club focuses on recycling paper waste.

About 82 percent of student-led recycling at SAS is paper.

In fact, students are doing all of the paper recycling on campus. Between July and December 2012, SAS waste generation dropped 3 percent. This reduction is equivalent to the weight of nineteen elephants.

Currently, the Roots & Shoots club is recycling paper every other Thursday. We divide into small groups, collect green paper bins located all around the middle school, and bring them to the middle school foyer. Later, recycling trucks come to collect the paper and it is sent to a recycling center called Impetus Conceptus.

Thanks to the efforts of the middle school Roots & Shoots and the high school SAVE Club, student-led recycling has increased by 56 percent from July to December 2013. However, there is still much work to be done. We are still producing 361,850 kg of waste per year. These materials include non-recyclables and objects that could be recycled, but aren't. For example, aluminium cans, plastic bottles, and juice boxes end up in trash bins around the middle school campus. Despite the overall efforts of students and faculty, only 11 percent of waste is recycled at SAS. The rest is brought to a waste-to-energy incineration plant. Clearly, there is much more to be done.

Although it will require time, resources, and a conscious effort to reduce waste in the first place, we believe the reduction of waste at SAS is an action that needs to happen.

Roots & Shoots also participates in other activities to benefit people, animals, and the environment. The club discusses ideas, plans, and actions to support the world in which we live. For example, we are working with elderly members of the Singapore community as well as teaming up with SAVE Club to support the visually handicapped.

We also work with ACRES to protect animals in Singapore.

Our mission is to carry out Jane Goodall’s message and turn it into action.

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IN THE NEWS: STRAIT TIMES

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LIGER FOUNDATION SCHOOL, MENTORED BY SAS ROBOTICS TEAM, ARRIVES IN SINGAPORE FOR FIRST LEGO LEAGUE COMPETITION MEREDITH WHITE, HIGH SCHOOL CHEMISTRY TEACHER AND BHARATH SRIVATSAN, GRADE 12 STUDENT

Do you remember the first time you flew on an airplane?

How about the first time you rode a train or even used a drinking fountain? All those experiences and more happened in early February to six guests from Cambodia - courtesy of the Liger Foundation, Duck Learning of Singapore, and the SAS robotics team. How did this come about?

This past November, with the encouragement and direction of Deputy Superintendent Robert Landau, seven SAS students and two teachers (Bart Millar and Meredith White) traveled to Phnom Penh to set up a robotics program at the Liger Foundation School. The trip itself was very successful - the students at Liger are the most promising to be found in that country. Though the initial idea was to ground the students in robotics principles, the SAS students quickly realized that the Liger pupils were extraordinarily quick at assimilating concepts and procedures.

The original plan had been to register a Liger team to compete in a robotics contest in February 2015, after about fifteen months of work. Instead, the SAS mentors made the decision to jump the program ahead an entire year. Accordingly, the team was registered to compete in Singapore at the regional First Lego League event.

On arrival, teacher-chaperones Jeff Holte, Maxwell Cady, and Sophorn Un noted that the children were thrilled and even ecstatic to see the amazing city of Singapore close up.

Then it was on to the contest!

Held at the ITE-West Center and featuring forty-two teams (including seven teams from the SAS intermediate

and middle school divisions), the competition was one regional of many held in multiple countries as part of a worldwide contest.

Liger Foundation students Ketya, Semnang, Vornsar, Sreynith, David, and Vuthy were interviewed by engineers as to how their robot was designed and why. They needed to demonstrate strong mechanical, programming, design, and public speaking skills.

The students had competition rounds wherein their robots performed pre-assigned tasks, announced weeks earlier; but after that, they had to collaborate with another team to design and build a robot to perform a task that had only been announced one hour earlier.

The team had an outstanding rookie year, securing the judges’ award for Rising Star and a second award, First Runner-up for Innovative Project Solution.

The Landau, O’Driscoll, Rozen-Levy, and Millar-Colvin families all acted as hosts for both students and teachers from Liger.

The O’Driscoll family noted that not only did the Cambodian children fit in seamlessly, their own SAS children benefited when they saw how amazed the visitors were by things many Singaporeans take for granted, such as the MRT and high-rise buildings.

We were sorry to see our Cambodian friends depart, but they have invited SAS robotics back next autumn to help them move to the next level of competition, as well as to form additional teams to return to Singapore next year.

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NATIONAL DANCE ASSOCIATION HONOR SOCIETY

SAS DANCERS PERFORM IN THE CHINGAY PARADE

CATIE LEE GRADE 11 STUDENT, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL DANCE ASSOCIATION

NATALIE MCDANIEL GRADE 12 STUDENT

On February 11, the SAS chapter of the National Dance Association inducted twenty-two new members who have shown passion and dedication in dance throughout their time at SAS. NDAHS’s primary goal is to recognize hard work and excellence in dance and to share this with the wider community.

When the opportunity to participate in the Chingay Parade National Travelling Dance Competition arose, no one knew the exact scale of the production. Some dancers had never heard of it, while others merely knew it as a Singaporean street parade.

The last time SAS performed in Chingay was seven years ago, and the location and format of the parade have changed during this time. To represent our school in the parade and in an attempt to stand out among the other beautiful cultural groups, we chose to wear bright red, white, and blue costumes with lots of glitter and big smiles. Our choreography included salutes, turns, and high kicks.

The Eagle mascot was a highlight and made everyone smile when she danced.

Before application, students must participate in a range of dance-related programs and activities. This includes Dance Club rehearsals, dance classes inside or outside of school, and volunteering for the middle school or Happy Feet Dance programs.

Once a student has been accepted into the Dance Honor Society, they must continue to grow and discover more about dance and also continue to share their passion within our community. The National Dance Association Honor Society dancers continue to run free workshops for high school students during flex period and they are working on a piece for the upcoming high school dance show in April.

Working with middle school dancers was not a new experience for most of the high school dancers, but dancing side-by-side with them was. Despite a large age gap between sixth graders and twelfth graders, everyone worked together well. The high school students applied the middle school students' makeup, which led to more conversation between the age groups. The older dancers learned to assume positions of leadership and mentorship, while the younger dancers learned how to become more accomplished performers.

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The first night of Chingay Parade was the most mind-blowing experience I have ever known. There were 8,000 performers, amazing floats, and fireworks. It was impressive to see so many groups and communities represented. An audience of 40,000 people could easily be the largest any of us perform in front of in our lifetime.

Participation in Singaporean activities is relatively rare for SAS. Yet, being able to participate in the Chingay Parade as an international student group put our positions here into perspective. While we may be our own little community, it is essential to recognize that every other little community is equally vibrant and has the same great potential to be excellent performers. If we had not participated, we would have never been able to appreciate the time and dedication everyone put into making this parade a spectacular show.

At Chingay, the SAS students were certainly different, but not innately more special than any other group. In order to be a part of the “One Fabric� of Singapore, we had to respect that we were no more than a red, white, and blue strip in a massive tapestry.

Performing in the Chingay Parade is an experience that I value and that I will always remember.

HGH school

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GLOBAL YOUTH SUMMIT SUCCESS ROOPAL KONDEPUDI, GRADE 9 STUDENT AND MADDY CASEY-ASHTON, GRADE 12 STUDENT

From January 15 to 18, sixteen SAS delegates and facilitators took part in the Actions for Earth Global Youth Summit (GYS), held at the Singapore Science Center. The summit, hosted by the Hemispheres Foundation, aimed to create a global platform that allowed students to network and discuss a range of sustainable solutions to problems in their schools or communities. There were students from all around the world, including China, Vietnam, Oman, and Thailand. The main theme, “Waste Not,” seemed to be relevant to everyone attending the summit, no matter what their background. Keynote presentations and group discussions were all centered around the main concept of using the three Rs: reuse, reduce, and recycle to minimize our waste.

There were several hiccups during the summit regarding logistics and management, all of which were out of our control, but we were able to come together as a team and see the benefit of the summit as a whole.

On the last day, we were given the opportunity to work as a delegation to create and pitch a student-led project that focused on the essence of the theme, “Waste Not.” The SAS team decided to pitch a project initiated by senior Maddy Casey-Ashton to implement an aeroponic system at our school. Aeroponically grown vegetables, unlike traditionally farmed vegetables, are grown in the air as opposed to the ground and are sprayed with a nutrient mist at intervals throughout the day. This method of agriculture is pesticide and disease-free, making it 100 percent organic. Aeroponic agriculture is incredibly sustainable as it uses 90 percent less water than traditional farming. This seemed like the perfect project to pitch. After a long day of planning, pitching, listening, and waiting, the final decision was announced. We had won!

We received a trophy, medals, and $2,500 to put toward purchasing the aeroponic system. It was a huge success.

All the delegates and facilitators that took part in this summit are part of the Global Issues Network (GIN) here at Singapore American School. Our involvement in the club helped us work hard even through tough and sometimes frustrating circumstances.

Maddy Casey-Ashton has taken up her project as a Capstone this semester and is working very closely with SAS alumnus Stuart Oda, who recently started an aeroponics company. The system, if all goes as planned, is expected to be implemented early next school year so that the SAS community can have fresh, organic, sustainable vegetables right on their doorsteps.

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MIGRANT WORKERS OUTREACH PROGRAM MAKES DONATION AND MEETS WITH PHILIPPINE AMBASSADOR CLAIRE O’BRIEN MWOP COMMUNICATIONS, GRADE 12 STUDENT

A group of SAS high school students has not forgotten the victims of Typhoon Yolanda in the Philippines. The student-led Migrant Workers Outreach Program (MWOP) teaches courses to workers in Singapore, many of whom are Filipino and were impacted by the typhoon. Over the last two years, the program has enjoyed a budget surplus, allowing them to recently donate S$10,000 to the Philippine Red Cross relief fund.

“Our group focuses on improving the lives of workers here in Singapore. Our courses have become very popular and we have had fundraising success, allowing us to use some of our resources to help people in the Philippines,” explained SAS senior Oscar Adelman, president of MWOP. “While attention has been diverted from the typhoon to other more recent events, we hope to remind everyone that many people in the Philippines remain without basics such as shelter and food. They are still trying to put their lives back together.”

Adelman and other leaders of MWOP recently met with the Philippine Ambassador to Singapore, Her Excellency

Minda Calaguian-Cruz, to make the donation directly and to discuss their ongoing efforts. Ambassador Cruz expressed her appreciation to the students for their generosity and continued focus on the lives of Filipinos.

Ambassador Cruz was impressed to learn about MWOP and the efforts that SAS students are making to empower workers by giving them the skills they need to find better jobs in the future. In just the past two years, hundreds of Filipinos have taken the Sunday classes offered at SAS and taught by volunteers. Courses in English language and computer skills are taught by students and SAS teachers.

The next computer skills course sessions will be held on March 30, April 6, and April 13. The course costs $10, however scholarships are available. Information about course registration is available on the group’s Facebook page, SAS Migrant Workers Outreach Program.

For further inquiries, please send a Facebook message directly to our page or email us at migrantworkersoutreachprogram@gmail.com.

Did you know?

More than 70% of SAS high school students voluntarily participate in service activities

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THE TRUTH JEFF DEVENS, PH.D HIGH SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST

“I’m never going to get any better am I?” Shelly’s words punctured the silence that filled the office. “No matter how hard I try, I always come up short of my parents’ and teachers’ expectations.”

Over time, and with constant parental support, Shelly began taking captive her thoughts, running them through a healthy set of filters, and finding degrees of freedom in areas of her emotions that had long held her captive.

Knowing that I needed to be confrontational in order to redirect Shelly’s thinking, I remarked, “You know, Shelly, in order for a lie to be effective, it has to be believable.”

Our Thoughts Have the Power We Give Them Sadly, Shelly’s story is a common one. Many instances of anxiety and depression have roots in persistent negative pervasive thinking. It's not that kids don’t want to change; many simply don’t know how. When this happens, our tendency as parents is to either become manic, running from emotional episode to episode trying to assuage our kids' feelings, or relegating their behavior as immature and childish. To this, I would like to suggest a middle path, one of consolation, clarification, and confrontation.

First, a bit of the psychology behind what kids are thinking when it comes to extremes of thought.

Shelly assumed a defensive posture, slouching further into the couch. “What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about the lies you tell yourself, and then believe them as if they’re true. For example, that voice in your head that says you’ll never be good enough, no one will ever like you, or you can’t do anything right.”

Shelly protested, “But those things are true!”

“How so? How do you know they’re true? What filters are you using to determine if your thoughts are actually based in reality?” I countered. Shelly seemed confused by the question, so I tried a different tact. “If I said that I weigh eighty pounds (36 kg), would you believe me?”

Smiling as she pondered the thought, she replied, “No, but you would look funny.”

“But I am! Why doesn’t anyone believe me? If I step on a scale, people would know I’m lying. But they already know I’m lying, don’t they?”

“Yes, but now you will know that you’re lying.”

“So it’s the outside evidence that counters or confirms my thoughts?” I asked.

Shelly got the point.

Over the course of the next several weeks, we scheduled a series of meetings with parents, teachers, and friends based on the emerging themes Shelly noted to confirm or debunk her thinking on these matters. This wasn’t an easy undertaking. However, as long as she was allowed to continue thinking this way, without challenge, her spiral of depression, anxiety, and self-injury would continue.

Having conversations with others forced her to confront the perceptions she held in isolation.

When kids (or adults) use words such as always, never, all the time, no one, everyone, or everybody, they are thinking in emotional extremes. As long as they are allowed to persist with these thoughts, some not-so-good patterns emerge. For example, if your son or daughter says, “I can’t do anything right,” or, “I’ll never be good enough,” they are trying to convince themselves and you that they’re victims of circumstances beyond their ability to control. Adopting this mentality, they take on the role of either a martyr or victim. It’s from this emotional vantage point they'll justify passivity. Kids are primarily emotional thinkers. Not able to compartmentalize their feelings, their mood colors all areas of their lives. When this occurs, parents must help them sort through their pain, use words to communicate, and develop a plan of action. With practice and consistency, and there will be lots of opportunities for this, parents can move kids from being emotionally passive to logical thinkers who can own their emotions. The steps in this process are outlined below.

Consolation: Validating Their Feelings The way to kids’ heads is through their hearts. When kids speak with emotional extremes, it’s vital for parents to acknowledge and validate their feelings. This doesn't mean they agree with the feelings, but it does mean they're acknowledging that their child feels this way.

Saying, “I’m sorry this is happening,” or, “I can see how you would feel this way when…” are ways parents can validate feelings. When you do this, expect them to be more emotional initially. Why? You are providing an outlet for their feelings. Doing this also allows you access to

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HGH school

H OF A LIE the cerebral side of their brains. In short, they need to be allowed to vent.

Clarification: Asking the Difficult Questions The process of validating feelings and clarifying the issues takes time, sometimes a lot. In fact, your timing of questions is more important than your words. The clarification process is where parents usually run into trouble. Some approach this like a lawyer interrogating a client, instead of a parent cultivating a heart. When parents demand evidence to support emotions, this process closes down. Instead, get your kids talking by asking them questions such as, “When you say you can't do anything right, can you help me understand what you mean?” or, “When you say you have no friends or your teachers don't like you, can you help me understand what you mean?” These open-ended questions provide insight into what they're thinking. In many cases, the extremes won’t be sustained beyond one or two specific events.

Confrontation: Addressing the Extremes Once parents have an understanding of what the specific issues are, it's time to develop a plan of action. Continued passivity and emotional extremes won’t produce positive outcomes. If your child doesn't want to do this, you must take the lead. Expect your child to either become more emotional or close down. Parents need to have the courage to look beyond the present emotional state of their child and think about how they would like them to handle similar situations in the future. For example, what would you do if your child came to you in tears saying that their teacher doesn’t like them, and is using this excuse as plausible justification for not doing work or putting in effort? After validating their feelings and asking for specific examples, a conversation with the teacher should be had. The purpose of this meeting is to confirm or deny and clarify the thinking of all parties. It is difficult for kids to persist with negative or extreme thinking when confronted with contradicting information.

What About When a Child’s Feelings are Accurate?

In some cases kids don't have many friends, can’t seem to do things as well as others, and consistently underperform. To deny this is to deny reality. Sometimes reality is really painful. There aren’t quick fixes or easy solutions to some of life’s problems, but there is still hope.

It is important to focus on what kids can do. Can they persist in spite of obstacles? Can they, with support, find ways to demonstrate competence in other areas? With maturation, motivation, and, yes, emotions, kids can find

ways to overcome challenges. A time for wallowing may be necessary, but this is no place to park. Sometimes in order to get through painful circumstances, kids have to go through painful circumstances. There is no joy in this, at least not in the immediate, but there are opportunities for growth if we help them develop healthy action plans.

If your child is thinking in persistent negative patterns, and you need help, reach out to their counselor or teachers.

Kids will need guidance from parents in order to cope with their emotions, deal with negative self-talk, and find positive ways to own their emotions and resulting behaviors.

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High school

THE NEXT STEP IN DEBATE BART MILLAR AND DEVIN KAY HIGH SCHOOL DEBATE COACHES

Brandon Lewis is a senior at SAS who has both passion and a plan. He is a long-time debater for our school, and was as an active reserve for the IASAS debates held in Taipei in early March.

As he looked at his schedule this past fall, he realized he could do more. Due to the expansion of the debate program at SAS under the direction of Devin Kay over the past three years, our school has enjoyed a much higher visibility in the Singapore and international debate community. This meant that Brandon felt confident when he contacted Mark Gabriel, a director and senior trainer at Julia Gabriel Centre and chief adjudicator of the World Schools Debating Championships, that he would receive good advice and a path to the next step in debate. This past November, Brandon signed on for adjudicator (judging) training for official Singapore-sanctioned debates. For him, it is a way to go deeply into understanding and applying judging techniques used in worldwide debate tournaments.

The training consists of multiple three-hour instruction sessions conducted by the debate association. Though there is no cost for the training, certified adjudicators are paid for judging rounds. Singapore-certified judges are recognized throughout the world.

Last month, after shadowing a number of rounds, Brandon was qualified as an official Singapore judge, enabling him to judge both secondary school debate championship rounds and junior college rounds as well. Brandon’s qualification as a judge has opened many doors in the region, as he regularly has the opportunity to attend tournaments in Malaysia and Indonesia.

Brandon has attended SAS for six years. His father works for Exxon-Mobil, and his mother is a pharmacist. The family intends to stay in Singapore after he heads off to university this fall (Northeastern, Purdue, or Boston). Brandon plans to return regularly to Singapore to continue his involvement in coaching and judging debate.

This means that SAS teams will get the added benefit of regular access to a certified judge who is working for the love of the activity, and is deeply connected to Singapore American School.

SAS Makes It to Debate Semi-Finals Claire O'Brien, Sae Hun Jang, and Shiv Subrahmanian took part in the Jean Marie Beurel Debate Open held at SJI International. This is the largest debate tournament in Singapore. Out of the fifty-five local and international teams who flew to Singapore to compete, our SAS debate team made it all the way to the semi-final round. In short, they were one of the four best teams in the tournament having defeated teams from Raffles Girls' School, Anglo-Chinese Junior College, and the number one seed Hwa Chong before losing to an international team from the Philippines that they had beaten previously.

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HGH school

THE HOUSE OF PAIN EMMA GAMMONS GRADE 11 STUDENT

“Ok, if I don’t do my essay now I can finish it during lunch.

I’ll do my math right after school. I’ll finish my AP Psych project while I eat dinner, while simultaneously studying for the SAT. If I get that done by 10:00 p.m., I’ll have time to review for HOJ.” Sound familiar?

If you're not an SAS student, this might seem a little over the top. But if you are, you’re currently nodding your head, thinking, “Oh right, I have an AP Psych project due tomorrow.” With the ever-growing demands at school, it is often hard to find the motivation, much less the time, to work out. We are taught in health that as teenagers, exercise is crucial. It can reduce stress, release endorphins, and help to form strong muscles and bones. Regardless of this knowledge, we are often weaker than our excuses.

For this reason, seven years ago, a small group of girls approached Ms. Pong, a PE teacher, asking for her help to create something they could do to stay active. Their little group started in the weight room, and as their enthusiasm for fitness grew, so did their group. When the weight room had reached maximum capacity, they ventured outside, as Ms. Pong says, “to make the world [their] gym.”

Seven years later, Ms. Pong’s House of Pain generates between forty and seventy participants each session, offers students the chance to lead group workouts, and its counterpart, Group Fitness, is the most sought after PE class offered. House Of Pain is the ultimate excuseproof workout. No time? No worries. “It’s flexible because you can join for however long you’re able to,” said Olivia Whittaker. Not fit? No problem. “House of Pain is not a competition. Everyone is there to improve, wether they are IASAS athletes or first-timers,” said Sarah Quinlan.

No friends interested? No trouble. Everyone at House of Pain is family, encouraging each other, laughing at the sometimes silly moves, and smiling while wrapping a sweaty arm around your new best friend for the end-ofsession photo.

House of Pain isn’t about temporary fitness. It’s about giving us, students, the chance to discover that a workout isn’t confined to a gym. It’s about learning to use a watermelon in place of a medicine ball, gaining confidence in our athleticism, and making connections with other students who have a similar desire to better themselves. It’s about making us stronger than our excuses.

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High school

TRAVELING YOUTH THEATER COMPANY FINISHES ITS FIVE-MONTH WORLD TOUR IN SINGAPORE

SPONSORED BY THE PTA VISITING ARTIST FUND FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL DRAMA TOM SCHULZ HIGH SCHOOL DRAMA TEACHER Star of Wormwood is a new theater piece by Joachim Matschoss with music by Matthew Baker that deals with the issue of prejudice. It was presented January 24 at SAS by BYTE (BackYardTheatreEnsemble), a youth arts company presenting theater from and for young people. The piece told the story of a high school student researching the life of Mary Webster, a woman accused of witchcraft in 1680. The student became so fascinated by her topic that time and space became irrelevant and she suddenly found herself centuries ago on a hill in desolate surroundings talking to Mary Webster.

This haunting theater piece was presented on a bare stage, but soon the empty space was occupied by a strange mix of characters, all part of a shadowworld. They shared their thoughts, their innermost feelings, longings, and desires. The piece was based on a true story, researched from articles, interviews, and snippets of reality. Star of Wormwood used physical theater, dance, song, puppetry, and visual elements to create a moving experience.

Star of Wormwood premiered in South Australia before moving to the ACT, Tasmania and rural Victoria. The show was also presented at The Lawler in the Melbourne Theatre Company’s Southbank Theatre Centre. The production later toured Germany, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Austria, and the Netherlands, before transferring to Singapore.

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HGH school

IASAS CELEBRATING

RUGBY@SAS

Photo credit Iqbal Texeira

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BOOSTER club

BOOSTER CLUB LAN FISHER BOOSTER CLUB PRESIDENT

Thank you to Thea Koh, Publicity Co-Chair, for the printing of the SAS program that went into the welcome bags. A very special thank you to our BBQ Committee, Henrietta Hurst and Jack Brick, for organizing and grilling hamburgers and hot dogs – always a crowd pleaser. And a huge thank you to all the parent volunteers for your never-ending support. All of this would not be possible without your help.

After the much-needed winter break, Booster Cub had to quickly shift gears to prepare for the unexpected co-hosting of IASAS rugby in Singapore February 6 to 8, due to the political unrest in Bangkok. The joint effort between SAS and the International School of Bangkok proved to be a successful tournament for all the coaches, students, and parents involved, as both schools worked arduously in finalizing all the details. Thank you to ISB for all their hard work and thank you to ISB Booster Club for providing the welcome bags. On our end, I’d like to thank our Special Projects Committee, Kay Schot and Doreen Chou, for collaborating with ISB Boosters on the goodie bags.

On January 23, Booster Club was proud to honor the 628 students who made the Scholar’s List for the first semester of this school year and second semester of last year. In celebration of their accomplishments, students were treated to a themed lunch of “East Meets West” buffet consisting American, Korean, Indian, and Chinese food. A highlight of the occasion, desserts were lovingly baked and provided by our generous parent community. Thank you to Tammy Charter, Honor Recognition Chair, for organizing this special day for our well-deserved students.

With second semester well underway, we are already in the midst of preparing for these upcoming activities and hope you will consider volunteering at some of these events:

Bake Sale and Indian Food Sale

Our next bake sale will be March 20 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the high school cafeteria. We are in need of bakers who would like to donate

homemade, individually wrapped cookies, brownies, cupcakes, Rice Krispy treats, etc. Donations can be sent in with your student and dropped off at the Booster Booth.

This sale will also include Indian food prepared by a team of dedicated moms. And back by popular demand we will also be selling shaved ice!

If you would like to volunteer at the bake sale, please email Leslie O’Brien at boosterbake@gmail.com

Senior Award Scholarships

Booster Club is pleased to announce that it will award ten $1,000 scholarships to the graduating Class of 2014. All applicants must submit an essay on how their participation in extracurricular activities has contributed to the spirit, leadership, and overall high school experience at SAS. Financial need is not a factor in applying for this scholarship.

Winners will be announced at the senior awards ceremony.

Applications will be available on March 31 in the counseling office.

Students must return completed application materials to the

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counseling office by April 16 at 3:00 p.m. For more information on the selection process, please contact Booster Club President Lan Fisher at sasboosterpres@gmail.com.

Pep Rally/IASAS Softball and Badminton BBQs

BOOSTER club

Volunteer Appreciation Lunch

We are blessed with an amazing group of parents who generously volunteer their skills, talents, and precious time. The success of our mission and programs would not be possible without their dedication. To show our heartfelt appreciation, we would like to invite all our volunteers to a lunch on Friday, May 16.

Invitations will also be emailed. We look forward to seeing you. You truly make a difference in the experience of our high school students!

Popcorn Day

Our dynamic BBQ team will be grilling our famous hamburgers and hot dogs in support of school spirit and the pep rally on Tuesday, April 8. Come on down to the Atrium and grab some delicious grub. Food will be ready by morning break and available until we run out! Don’t forget to bring cash.

Then, on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, April 10 to 12, the BBQ team will be in the middle of the action grilling at the baseball concession stand during IASAS softball and badminton. Come out and support our Eagles! Contact Jack Brick at jkbrick62@gmail.com to be a part of this fun and exciting weekend. Dads come out and show off your BBQ skills!

To celebrate our students’ hard work, our Popcorn Committee will be handing out free popcorn all day to high school students on May 28 and wishing them success as they prepare for their final exams. If you wish to help on this day, please contact our Popcorn Chair, Anne Wilhoit, at boosterpopcorn@gmail.com.

Senior Lunch Celebration

On June 3, Booster Club will host a celebration lunch for the Class of 2014 at the Turf Club.

2014-15 Booster Club Executive Board Nominations and Committee Volunteers

The Booster Club Nominations Committee is seeking nominees for the following Booster executive board positions: president, vicepresident, secretary, and treasurer.

A slate of candidates will be submitted at the Booster Board meeting on April 9 at 10:00 a.m. in the Library Media Theater. If you would like to submit your name or nominate someone, please contact Heather Hoffmann, Chair of the Nominating Committee, at boosterparliamentarian@gmail.com.

Nominations must be received in writing by May 7, two weeks prior to the election on May 21.

The Booster Club is also seeking volunteers for the 2014-15 academic year to chair or work with the following committees: Bake Sales, Booth Manager, Design, Design Events, Honor Recognition, Hospitality, Popcorn Day, Publicity, Social Fundraisers, Special Projects, Sports Team Coordinator, Uniform, and Visual & Performing Arts Coordinator. To express an interest in volunteering for one of these committees or to find out more, please contact Booster Club President Lan Fisher at sasboosterpres@gmail.com.

As always, you are invited and welcome to attend our monthly board meetings (please see the high school calendar for schedule). We are always looking for new ideas to help support our high school students.

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BOOSTER club

IASIS COMES TO SINGAPORE KAY SCHOT BOOSTER CLUB

IASAS is a very important part of Singapore American School, so when International School of Bangkok could not host this treasured event, SAS stepped up. SAS worked along side ISB parents to make this rugby tournament an exciting and successful event. Even though we are competitors on the field, off the field we all share the same love for IASAS. All the volunteers worked hard to provide the visiting players, coaches, and parents a great experience.

The excitement of the students through out the school was evident.

From kindergarteners cheering for their adopted school, to high school students chanting for the Eagles, this makes one realize why IASAS is so important to us all.

The games were intense, but the championship game was one to remember. Both SAS girls and boys teams won gold with the boys winning in the last seconds of their game.

SAS will be hosting the third season IASAS in April, so if you have not experienced this long tradition, then you need to come out and experience an exciting time!

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THE HONOR OF VOLUNTERRING JEN LOI PTA TREASURER Twenty-five years ago I never thought I would become a professional volunteer. I had a fabulous career, and then life happened; I became an expat wife and mother, living in places where I wasn’t allowed to work. Not one to sit and twiddle my thumbs, I entered the world of volunteerism.

PTA

Kubota, a PTA Assistant Treasurer, leads the online sales crew. Sarita Kalia, a former AMEX customer service agent, is our online sales customer service rep. Deepa Bhartia, a freelance web designer, has been enhancing our store front. And Diana Martinez-Cutter coordinates our twentyfour store volunteers. Store volunteers work about eight to ten hours per month. They are a multi-national crew with impressive backgrounds, including an export coordinator, an urban planner, an international economics researcher, and a risk manager. And of course, they are all MOTHERS. At Singapore American School, service to the community - both the school and the world - is a huge part of who we are. Professional volunteerism is not for everyone. But no matter how we volunteer, we can make a difference.

PTA elections are forthcoming - take a chance and join the team. Volunteer at your next class event. Read in your child’s classroom. Be a part of who we are as a school and set an example for our children to emulate.

I am confident that one of the most important life lessons that I will teach my children, just as my parents taught me, is I have been a school volunteer for almost thirteen years and that SERVICE MAKES A DIFFERENCE. am proud of it. It is probably in my genes – my father was an elementary school principal, my grandmother started the school lunch program in my dad’s elementary school in the 1940s, and both my parents were always in charge of some school or community activity. I started as a room parent (being a pre-K room mom was one of my all time favorite jobs) and have now moved on to SAS PTA Treasurer.

This past Christmas a friend (who happens to be a male accompanying spouse, Harvard law graduate, and past president of two Southeast Asian international school boards) included this quote in his annual newsletter: “Some people are born great. Some achieve greatness.

And others have greatness thrust upon them due to a lack of volunteers.”

While I chuckled like most “professional volunteers” would, it is a shame that volunteerism so often takes on a negative connotation. I, and I would guess my fellow PTA board members, would characterize volunteerism as an honor and a privilege.

2014-15 PTA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE NOMINATIONS AND REQUEST FOR VOLUNTEERS

The SAS PTA is led by a very dedicated group of women.

They donate hundreds of hours to organizing events and raising an incredible amount of funds. Collectively they have volunteered in schools for more than 200 years.

Some are working now, and some are “retired.” They are marketing executives, teachers, bankers, event managers, CPAs, and nurses. And most importantly, they are MOTHERS.

The PTA Nominating Committee is seeking nominees for 2014-15 PTA executive committee positions: president, vice president, treasurer and secretary. A slate of candidates will be submitted at the PTA Annual General Meeting on May 12. Nominations will be accepted until April 28, two weeks prior to the election. If you would like to submit your name or nominate someone, please contact one of the following Nominating Committee members: Arathi Nilakantan (Committee Chair) saspta. parl@gmail.com.

The SAS PTA Store team, provider of uniforms for the elementary and middle school divisions, deserves a special thank you. All of their efforts ensure that we have affordable uniforms, as the PTA has virtually no overhead costs. Paige Hervey, a store owner herself, manages the inventory and general operations. Sachiko Sakai, an SAS Japanese teacher, performs our daily cashier accounting. Luiza

The PTA is also seeking volunteers for the 2014-15 academic year to chair or work with various committees.

Detailed descriptions of the committees are available on the PTA website at http://www.sas.edu.sg/page. cfm?p=469. To express an interest in volunteering, please contact PTA President Becky Moseley at saspta.president@gmail.com.

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Community

“HIT FOR HAIYAN” TENNIS EVENT RAISES MORE THAN $15K FOR TYPHOON VICTIMS ALEX CHU GRADE 9 STUDENT In November 2013, Typhoon Haiyan, one of the most powerful typhoons ever recorded, hit the Philippines.

The SAS Gawad Kalinga (GK) Club, a club dedicated to alleviating poverty by building communities in the Philippines, helped SACAC’s Tennis Director Mark Clemente and SACAC Tennis Council committee members Emily Chang, Sheri Feast, and Mary Kuo run a tennis exhibition charity fundraiser called “Hit For Haiyan” held at the Hollandse Club on December 1, 2013.

In total, more than 150 kids and adults came to the event, and with the generous support of Columbia University Club (Singapore), Crown Relocations, Hilton (Singapore), The Hollandse Club, Royal Bank of Scotland, SACAC, Wilson Sports, and other sponsors, we raised more than $15,000. One hundred percent of the proceeds were donated to GK1 World (Singapore) Ltd, the official representative of Gawad Kalinga Philippines in Singapore.

Our donated funds will be specifically used to build four homes in Barangay Crossing, San Isidro, Philippines.

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At the event, kids and adults played a variety of tennis games like “hit the prize” and “beat the pro.” I had fun playing and “coaching” the younger kids. Other GK Club members helped out with selling homemade baked goods and raffle tickets.

“I am so proud of the turn-out for this great event, it truly exceeded all my expectations,” said Mark Clemente.

“It is heartwarming to see the overflow of support and generosity by so many different people here in Singapore, especially within the tennis community.”

One of the highlights of the event was watching Singapore’s top-ranked men’s players, Adelo Abadia, Mark Clemente, Shoki Kasahara, Rohan Kamdar, Rocky Paglalunan, and Ochi in singles’ and doubles’ exhibition matches. The spectators, cheering at every good shot,

Community

enjoyed themselves. This event was special and moving, as it was the first time I’ve seen the top players of Singapore and participants come together to help the typhoon victims in the Philippines.

A GK1 World (Singapore) Ltd board member, Anita Langlois, said, "The success of this fun-filled event is a testament of the solidarity that is possible when commitment and compassion come together to benefit a good cause. GK is very grateful to all the sponsors and participants for their generous support.”

Overall, it was a fun-filled afternoon of tennis, and I have learned that if everyone works together, we can make a difference in people’s lives.

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Saturday, April 26, 2014 Goodwood Park Hotel, Windsor Ballroom R EC EP TION : DINNER : AT T I R E :

7:00 PM

7:30 PM

Cocktail

Please join us for Star Appeal 2014, an evening of celebration in support of

Singapore American School

Community

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Community

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CAMPUS SCENE

CAMPUS

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CAMPUS SCENE

SCENE

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CAMPUS SCENE

SAS

What is your MEKO H. PRE-K

NATALIE C. 11TH GRADE

TRUMAN H. 5TH GRADE

I want to be a builder.

A teacher

A paleontologist

SAM D. 12TH GRADE

OLIVER H. KINDERGARTEN

COSETTE K. 9TH GRADE

A spy, but i don't know what one looks like, so I'll be a race car driver to add to my trophy collection

An oncologist

The general manager of a baseball team

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CAMPUS SCENE

VOICE

dream job?

CAROLINE H. 4TH GRADE

MEAGAN C. 8TH GRADE

ERIC R. 1ST GRADE

A journalist

An Olympic swimmer

A toy maker

STANLEY K. KINDERGARTEN

TUCKER B. 3RD GRADE

I want to be just like my dad. He's a vet.

A dad

ELEANOR B. 12TH GRADE

I want to be paid to travel!

SINGAPORE AMERICAN SCHOOL

40 WOODLANDS STREET 41 SINGAPORE 738547 PHONE: (65) 6363 3403 WEB: WWW.SAS.EDU.SG QUESTIONS? EMAIL US AT COMMUNICATIONS@SAS.EDU.SG CPE Registration Number: 196400340R Registration Period: 22 June 2011 to 21 June 2017 Accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)