Singapore American School Newsflash, May 2006

NewsFlash

Volume 8, Issue 9-05/06 - May 2006

A Singapore American School community service publication

MICA (P) 234/08/2005

ART At SAS

2

NewsFlash Contents In This Issue 03 06 07 08 11 12 13 14 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

ART at SAS Boosters Message from Superintendent Development PTA Calendar Highlights EASA Libraries at SAS TV Turnoff Week/MS Strings MS Choir Trip Chinese Trip to Beijing MS Drama/HS Student Author Community Service Faculty National French Contest IS Marathon Club IASAS

NEWSFLASH is published monthly by the Communications Office of the Singapore American School. It is distributed free of charge to the parents, faculty members and organizations served by the school.

COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE Singapore American School 40 Woodlands Street 41 Singapore 738547 Tel: 6360-6303 SAS Website: http://www.sas.edu.sg

Board of Govornors

Shelly DeFord Chairman of the Board

Garth Sheldon Vice Chairman of the Board Chairman Facilities

Sally Green Chairman Curriculum

Carl Stocking Chairman Finance

William Ball Board Member

Richard Borsuk Board Member

Bart Broadman Chairman Trust

Melanie Ng Chew Board Member

Bob Comstock Board Member

Tom Linton Board Member

Maya Roll Board Member

Sheila Wang Board Member

Editor: Mrs Beth Gribbon Assistant: Ms Joey Lew

We welcome input from the community associated with Singapore American School (NO ISSUE IN JULY) AUGUST NEWSFLASH Publication Date: August 7, 2006 Email Community News Input to bgribbon@sas.edu.sg Email Trading Post Input to trade@sas.edu.sg Trading Post advertising is restricted to non-commercial items only from SAS students, parents and staff

ART at SAS

4

ART at SAS Student Art on Display

s

tudent artwork was showcased at several SAS art shows in May. Thinking Outside the Crayon Box, was an exhibition of work from the elementary art classes of Ms. McFadzen and Mr. Sheerin. The Gala Opening featured a musical performance by The Treblemakers. Kaleidoscope, provided a venue for the art work done by 5th grade students as a part of their Student-Led Conferences and the High School Visual Arts Department Art Show showcased high school student art work from second semester.

Displays of student work can be found throughout the campus not only during art shows, but throughout the year. Aided by the work of dedicated volunteers from the Arts Council, displays of student artwork can be found in almost every nook and cranny of the school. Central Administration offices are a prime location for a regular rotation of magnificent displays of student art. The Middle School foyer also provides a venue for an ever changing and dramatic display of student art.

Parents interested in volunteering with the Arts Council next year will find helpful information on the back cover of Newsflash this month.

National Art Honor Society - NAHS National Junior Art Honor Society - NJAHS Chapters Launched at SAS

o

n Tuesday, May 16th the National Art Honor Society (NAHS) and the National Junior Art Honor Society (NJAHS) official opened their chapters at Singapore American School. Started in1978 by the National Art Education Association (NAEA), the NAHS program seeks to inspire and recognize students in grades 10 to 12 who have shown an outstanding ability in art. The NAHS also strives to aid members in working toward the attainment of their highest potential in art areas, and to bring art education to the attention of the school and community. In 1989, the NAEA introduced the NJAHS for students in grades 7-9 to help generate interest in art programs at the secondary levels and inspire and recognize younger art students.

Art teachers, Barbara Harvey (high school) and Jeff Kultusky (middle school) presented certificates to the selected students at a ceremony held after school in the high school art suite.

(L-R) HS art teacher, Barbara Harvey and seniors selected to NAHS: Chris Fussner, Hye Jin Kim, Sarah Knowlton, Amanda Sievers, and Rachel Spencer

The following high school students were selected to NAHS: (Grade 12) Christopher Fussner, Hye Jin Kim, Sarah Knowlton, Amanda Sievers, Rachel Spencer, (grade 11) Sylvia Chew, Aubrey Jackson, Hye Na Kim, Tae Son Kook, Joanne Liu, Xenia Stafford, Abigail Wong (Grade 10) Shannon Middleton, Katherine Patterson, Marina Patterson, Elizabeth Stanton, Elizabeth Stocking and Alison Tan.

The following middle school students were selected to NJAHS: Cindy Cherng, Clarissa Eck, Jennifer Ho, Willow Johnston, Angela Kim, Aisling Leow, Kirsten Miranda, Ellie Rava, Michelle Reade, Alex Rebeck, Elise Ringenberg, Leah Sacks, Kathryn Tinker and J.D. Ward.

5

ART at SAS Student Printographers Lessons at the Tyler Print Institute

By Priscilla Masagung, HS Student

f

unded by the high school Photo Club and the PTA, eight students were given the opportunity to participate in a two day silk screen printing workshop at the Singapore Tyler Print Institute in April. The objective of the workshop was to show how photography and printmaking could be fused together to create an exciting style of art that is becoming increasingly popular in the art and fashion scene.

On the ďŹ rst day, our instructors, KC and Jacqueline, introduced silkscreen printing and tips and tricks to make a striking print.

Afterwards, we prepped our screen and image for the actual printing. On our second day, we got down and dirty! The screens were exposed with a photograph or design and we began our journey as printmakers. The designs can be printed on any soft surfaces, such as cotton fabrics and cardboards; in numerous colors and color schemes. For three solid hours, we were busy printing and exploring different ways of printing.

After being splattered with ink, ached from standing and splashed from washing the screens, we printographers were thrilled with our sensuously attractive prints.

Participants: Priscilla Masagung, Chris Fussner, Assem Nambiar, Ken Cheng, Ji Ye Kim, Ji Young Choi and Tani Shaema.

Sponsor: Paul GrifďŹ n

Booster Club Race Night

September 1, 2006 Turf Club $50 per person with a cash bar Race time: 6:30pm – 10:30pm Watch out for more information!

Best Hat Contest

Prizes to be award for wearing the best hat

The Booster Club The Booster Club has had a truly wonderful year! These ambitious and hard working women have raised funds through the Home Tour, Booster Booth sales, special event sales and bake sales. Thank you to the parents and students who have supported the Booster Club endeavors.

Funds raised have been used to sponsor: Three Honor Roll Brunches Two free popcorn days before semester exams Refreshments at visual and performing arts evenings Brunch for all graduating Seniors Six $1500 Interim Semester Scholarships Ten $1000 Senior Awards Four Senior Spirit Awards Advertisements in the Islander Yearbook and Prism Travel shirts for all high school students who travel representing SAS Participation patches for students in sports and the performing arts IASAS sports bag for all IASAS athletes Eagle mascot costume Dance and Yulefest costumes The Booster Club has made monetary donations to the following clubs: Art Club, Badminton Executive Council, Jazz Band National Honor Society, Peace Initiative Peer Support, Photography Club Theater Make-Up Club and Thespians Boosters have also provided gifts for: Career Day Speakers High school students moving in December Seniors graduating in December Singapore International School Math Competition The Booster Club tries to support as many of the high school students’ activities as possible. If you have a student in the high school next school year, I hope that you will join the Booster Club; whether you work a shift in the Booster Booth, or are a team mom for one of the sports teams or work on one of the Booster Committees I know you will find the experience rewarding.

Michelle Brunoehler Booster Club President

Superintendent of Schools

7

A Message from the Superintendent

u

nlike the happy endings that fairy tales are made of, school improvement requires more than a kiss to convert a frog into a stunning prince. It requires the commitment and dedication from an excellent staff and an army of parent volunteers.

The 2005-06 school year, in addition to the normal program improvement initiatives, included the planning, organizing and execution of the school’s 50th Anniversary and the launch of the Singapore American School Educational Foundation.

The school also experienced an enrollment increase of 325 students raising our total school enrollment to 3460 students.

We started the school year against the fading noise of the jack hammers. The school building construction that started four years ago is mostly behind us. We now have a vastly improved facility with significant renovation and major building additions that reach into every corner of the campus that can now accommodate 3700 students.

The faculty, in addition to their classroom responsibilities, has been involved in numerous professional development activities throughout the year and many of them are scheduled for summer training opportunities on college campuses around the world. Significant time and energy has been dedicated to the review of our social studies and language programs. Preliminary discussions have started on the study of the mathematics, library services, special services and counseling program.

The college admissions profile looks very strong again this year. Our graduates, for the most part, are getting into the college of their choice. The students are finding ample rigor as they now have 26 Advanced Placement courses available to them. Seven hundred and fifty plus advanced placement examinations were administered this past month.

On the extra-curricular front, an all time IASAS record was set by SAS athletic teams this year by earning 14 out of 20 team gold medals. The SAS math team won the IASAS math competition. Many individual medals were won by our students in debate and forensic competition.

The school year has offered us the opportunity to witness some marvelously beautiful student art exhibitions, music concerts, drama and dance performances from pre-school through grade 12. Many of these performances were enhanced by the generous parent volunteer support offered by the Arts Council, PTA and Booster Club.

Regrettably, this is also the time of the year when we have to say goodbye to a number of faculty members who have decided to retire, move back to the States, take on some other international school or join a spouse who has been transferred to another part of the world. We wish them well and thank them for their dedication and loyalty to Singapore American School.

Forty new teachers will be joining us at the start of the new school year in August. Most of them have served in other international school assignments. We are confident that we have identified another quality group of educators.

Our best wishes to our parents and students for a pleasant, restful and stimulating summer. May you find time to enjoy the beauty of our world, the wonder of our diversity and the enchantment of people everywhere. Take time to appreciate yourself, to enjoy your home and to simply rest from the hectic schedule of the school year.

Bob Gross Superintendent of Schools

8

Development Singapore American School Educational Foundation Donors 2005-2006 School Year 1956 CIRCLE $50,000 AND ABOVE

EAGLE CIRCLE $30,000 - $49,999

The Khoo Foundation Singapore American School Parent/Teacher Association

Susan and Frank Mars Visa International

TIGER CIRCLE $10,000 - $29,000 Citibank Private Bank DBS Bank Ltd DHL Express (Singapore) Pte Ltd Hussein El-Lessy Forbes Incorporated Ginga Petroleum ING Asia Private Bank Ltd

Elizabeth Khoo Kwee Liong Phing and Chai Tek Ai Lee Hsien Yang Lee Wei Ling Ng Family (Terry, Russell, Melanie) Mavis Oei Richard Seow

Anonymous Standard Chartered Bank Jerry Tan Wee Ee Chao Wee Ee Lim Peter Yan Medical Service Pte Ltd Yung Wah Industrial Company Pte Ltd

GECKO CIRCLE $5,000 - $9,999 Bob and Judy Gross Victor and Carol Heo Janie Ooi

Susanna Wong Anil Thadani

Bill and Jaime Amelio Santosa Tati and Gozali Boyke Cheng Tien Hsing Paul and Elizabeth Chmelik Lie Fie Chen and P. Djojonegoro Ping Daramawan Jane Darmadi The DeFord Family Mike and Eva Denoma Sally and Gary Greene Jim and Beth Gribbon Hock Lee Lau Kirk and Janice Hulse Judy Hunt Lilies Irawan Kok Tong Ho Idriati Latief

Amy Yip and Gary Lee Lee Susan Yew Raymond and Lily Leong Shincee Leonardi Norman and May Lem Yang Hem Lim Paul and Dorcas Ling Gretchen Liu Calvein Lo Devika Misra James and Susan Murray Suzie Nam Bee Bee Ng Ginny Ng Albert Njoo BeBe Ong

Steven and Maya Roll Yeow Ming Choo

ORCHID CIRCLE $1,000 - $4,999 Kian Ming Ong Edan Cho Park John and Sue Pitfield RSP Architects, Planners & Engineers Pte Ltd Maile and John Rogers Seck Fong Yoke Datin Helman Sitohang Carl Stocking and Family Fae Varinata Nany Tanasaleh Tijoe Ka Lie Evi Carolina Tjandinegara Phillip Widjaja Rayanusin Widjaja Maddeline and Anne Wilson Shew Yee Wong

TRAVELER’S PALM CIRCLE $1 - $999 Daniel and Shea Allen

The Haas Family

James and Parick McAdam

Bart and Valerie Broadman

Laird and Becky Hamberlin

Brianne McDougall

Susan Buesinger

Regina Jamieson

Annie Ong

The Brunoehler Family

Hilda Johnston

Paula St. James

Bob and Monika Comstock

Nicholas Laveris

2005-2006 Senior Class

Richard and Cathy Cunningham

Doug Thurman

Susan Shaw

Marian DeGroot

Marc and Heidi L’Heureux

John and Marie Small

Wendy Dwyer

Elizabeth Mainguy

Katherine Tan

Chris Fussner

Andres and Dolores Makalinao

Thomas and Rebecca Yun

Rob and Ann Godley

Lauren Merhbach and Paul Welsh

9

Development A Message from the Development Office

t

his has been an exciting year for SAS. We celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the founding of the school in a grand style and, more importantly, we looked towards the future of Singapore American School with the establishment of the Singapore American School Educational Foundation. I wish it were possible to list the names of all of those who were so integral to the successes of this year. A special thank you is due to the Steering Committee for the 50th Anniversary: Birgit Impkamp, Beth Gribbon, Gillian Han, Cindy Jahner, Greg Rutledge, Susan Studebaker-Rutledge, Jacki Dixon, Jim and Junia Baker, Ron Starker, and Kathy Tan. In addition, countless others volunteered their time and effort to make each event a success. Thank you to all of you.

Listed in this edition of Newsflash are the donors to the Singapore American School Educational Foundation for 2005-2006. The money which was raised this year will be used in financial aid and scholarships, the visual and performing arts, as matching (or challenge) grants for community service projects, and to promote intramural sports among other projects. In addition, a sum has been placed in an endowment account to help secure the financial future of SAS. Initiatives for 2006-2007 may include the creation of a scholarship dedicated to bringing a student from a developing country to SAS, and the creation of a garden dedicated to the memories of our school and the people who are a part of it. In addition, the Development Office will continue to explore other fundraising options for the Educational Foundation. Thank you for your continued support.

A special Commemorative DVD featuring video and pictures from the 50th Anniversary Celebrations is now available for sale in the Development Office. This DVD features the complete Commemoration Ceremony including speeches by Singapore Minister Mentor, Lee Kuan Yew, U.S. Ambassador, Patricia Herbold, Bob Gross and James Baker in addition to performances by the High School Wind Ensemble and SAS Singers. Previously unseen photographs of the BBQ and fireworks as well as live video are also included. This DVD is on sale online at http://alumni.sas.edu.sg/?estore for shipment overseas for S$15 and in the Development Office for S$10.

In response to a request from alumni, students and colleagues, the Bob Dodge Commemoration Fund has been established to thank Mr. Dodge for his contributions to the school on the occasion of his retirement. For details please go to https://alumni.sas.edu.sg.

Susan Murray Director of Development

PTA Volunteer Appreciation Tea

j PTA Executive Board for the 2006-2007 school year (l to r): Parliamentarian, Monika Comstock, Vice President, Lindsey Iacovino, President, Susan Fay, Secretary, Mae Anderson and Treasurer, Anne Chan.

udith Fergin, SAS parent and Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in Singapore, graciously opened her home to SAS PTA members for the PTA Volunteer Appreciation Tea and Annual General Meeting on May 16th. Following the election of PTA officers for 2006-2007, PTA donations for each division were presented to the principals. Details of the PTA donations are highlighted in the PTA President’s message on page 10.

10

PTA A Message from the PTA

i

know it sounds like a cliché, but it is hard to believe we are at the end of another school year. As a child, I do not remember thinking that a school year ever went by fast. I guess times have changed because even my children think this year has flown by.

PTA has once again had another busy year. The growth of the school this year has been a challenge for everyone, including the PTA. We have worked hard to ensure that the events we offer are meeting the needs of the community. Next year, one of the first changes you will see is with our Welcome Committee. Based upon feedback received from the New Family Survey sent out in October, we have made some improvements to the program. If you were new to SAS this year, you are a perfect person to join the Welcome Committee and assist those new to the school next year.

Please contact Tracy Perez-Menendez at tracymenendez@yahoo.com to find a match between your interests and the needs of the community.

As many of you know, PTA is a nonprofit organization. All of the funds raised throughout the school year are later returned back to the school in various ways. At our recent Volunteer Appreciation Tea, we were able to present Bob Gross with a check for over $110,000 to cover the cost of Fund Spending requests received from each of the four divisions. Every year, in early February, each of the four division Principals are asked to turn in a wish list for their division to support the needs for items not included in their regular budget. Our Fund Spending Committee then reviews and recommends to the PTA Board the items that should be approved.

In addition to the Fund Spending donation that the PTA provided to SAS this year, we also provided a $50,000 donation to the Endowment Fund, $25,000 to the Speaker Fund, $11,000 to the High School Community Services Clubs which was raised from the Pumpkin Sales, $6,400 to HS Interim Semester Scholarships and $20,000 to Senior Scholarships. We also provided each SAS family with a school calendar and Directory, gave each graduating senior a gift, gave each staff member a gift for Staff Appreciation Day, provided an Ice Cream Social at Open House, will provide for a reception after the High School graduation ceremony and pay for ads in the High School Year Book and Prism publication. This year we also gave approximately $5,000 to MS Tiger Tales, $3,600 to the 8th grade for their year-end Kusu Island excursion and donated books to our school libraries to commemorate the birth, adoption, or death of someone within our community. This is not a complete list of all the support we provide, but I think you can see that a lot of good comes from the funds that we are able to raise and later return to the school.

Please be assured that any funds generated are put to good use to enhance our children’s educational experience at SAS. Without you and your continuing involvement, this level of support would not be possible! Please know that we realize how important you and your support are to our organization, and that we appreciate all that you do for our community.

As with the end of every school year, we unfortunately have to say goodbye to many of you as you move on to new opportunities in your lives. For those of you that are leaving us, we thank you for all the support that you have given to both the PTA and the school. Please know that you will be missed. We all wish you the best of luck in your return home or to wherever you may be heading. Please remember to keep in touch!

For those of you leaving for the summer but will be back again in the Fall, please enjoy the summer break and we look forward to seeing you back refreshed and ready to start the new school year!

Susan Fay PTA President

PTA THANK YOU!!!

Thank you to our Hospitality Chairs, Karin Stolarski and Caroline Faris for organizing the PTA Volunteer Appreciation Tea. Thank you also to all of you who have given of your time this year to PTA. We truly appreciate all that you do!

Join the PTA Sales team!

Volunteer two days per month selling school uniforms.

Make new friends, trade travel tips, meet your child for lunch and so much more . . .

Call Sondra Weber at 9137-0854

2006 – 2007 PTA Uniform Sales (Pre-K thru 8th Grade) August 10, 11 & 12 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM Elementary Gym Volunteer Sign-up Call Sondra @ 9137-0854 skweber@singnet.com.sg

12

Calendar Highlights May 2006 29

30

Grade 1 Field Day 8:15am – 9:30am Kindergarten Field Day 9:45am – 11:00am 8th Grade Slide Show 2:00pm – 3:00pm (Drama Theater) HS Semester Finals 8:00am – 12:00pm Grade 6 Temple Tours Spring Soccer Tournament 2:00pm (Stadium) Grade 2 Field Day 8:15am – 9:30am Grade 3 Field Day 9:45am – 11:00am Grade 7 Excursion Grade 8 Student-Led Conferences

31

HS Semester Finals 8:00am – 12:00pm Grade 6 Temple Tours No School for HS Students (Exam Grading) MS Student’s Early Dismissal 11:30am Grade 4&5 Field Day Grade 6 Pool Party Grade 8 Graduation 5:00pm (Auditorium) Grade 8 Reception 6:30pm (MS Foyer) HS Senior Brunch 10:00am (American Club) Commencement Rehearsals 1:30pm (NUS) HS Senior Photo 12:00pm (Merlion)

June 2006 1

Alternate Dress Day Last Day of School for Students HS Student Dismissal 11:30am Commencement 6:00pm (NUS) PS Make Up Field Day 8:15am – 11:30am PTA Sponsored Playground Picnic for K-2nd Grade 10:45am – 12:45pm Grade 6 S.P.A.M.

2 3 4

Grade 7 Student-Led Conferences Grade 8 Excursions IS/MS Report Cards Go Home No School For Students Teacher Work Day HS SAT Campus Mosquito Fogging 5:00pm – 7:00pm

SAS OPEN HOUSE

Saturday August 12 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Teachers will be available, classrooms will be open Class lists will be posted

Are You Receiving What’s Happening at SAS?

Student schedules will be available

We are sending all parents and guardians a regular weekly What’s Happening at SAS newsletter by email.

If you have not been receiving the weekly email, probably we do not have your correct email address. Send us an email at communications@sas.edu.sg to give us your current email address.

The distribution can include both parent email addresses. The weekly What’s Happening at SAS will also be posted on the website at http://www.sas.edu.sg.

Complimentary ice cream – courtesy of the PTA in the IS/MS cafeteria PTA Sales (in the elementary gym) and the Booster Booth (at the HS) will be open for the sale of uniforms and other items Cafeterias (Mr. Hoe), Juice Zone and Subway will be open Vehicle permits for the 2006-07 school year will be available in all division offices Community organization representatives will be in the elementary gym with information about their organizations and programs Bus route information and bus representatives will be available (in the elementary theater)

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

Grades 3 – 12 : Monday August 14 Pre-K – Grade 2 : Wednesday August 16 Preschool : Thursday August 17

Elementary After School Activity (EASA)

13

Learn More about EASA What’s new next year with EASA? • 3 sessions of 8 weeks each starting in October running till May • New name for Extended Day Modern Language Program – now EASA Language Program • Concurrent Registration period for EASA and EASA Language to allow parents to plan after school activities better Watch for registration details in the August Newsflash.

EASA Activities Elementary students at SAS can choose from a wide range of organized after school activities. EASA classes have been designed to enhance and extend the student’s learning experience in Music, Performing Arts, Arts & Crafts, Computers & Technology, Mind Stretch and Recreation. Classes are taught by dedicated and professional teachers—many of whom are part of the SAS faculty. EASA flyers and registration forms are sent home with Elementary Students by backpack mail at the beginning of each session.

• • • • • •

Kindergarten to Grade 5 Students Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays 3:15pm to 4:15pm 3 sessions—Fall, Winter, Spring Classes in Recreation, Music, Performing Arts, Art & Craft, Mind Stretch, Computers & Technology Fees and classes vary based on session length and activity

EASA Language Program Singapore American School brings you another enrichment opportunity for your children through the EASA Language Program. This program provides an opportunity for your child to experience learning a second language in an activitybased curriculum. Students will be engaged in activities that are rich in visual cues and focus on developing communicative enjoyment and confidence. The program has been designed as a continuous three session curriculum and students are encourage to participate for the entire three sessions to get maximum benefit from the program.

• • • • •

Kindergarten to Grade 5 students Tuesdays and/or Thursdays 3:15pm to 4:15pm 3 sessions—Fall, Winter, Spring Classes in Mandarin, French, Spanish & Korean taught through an activity based curriculum

Adult Community Education The EASA office sponsors and manages classes for the SAS Adult Community. SAS parents, faculty & staff are welcome to attend. Classes and fees vary from session to session based on type of activity and length of session. All classes are held on campus Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays after school hours and are taught by professional & experienced teachers. EASA has offered classes in Beginner & Intermediate Mandarin, Conversational ESL, PowerPoint, Computer Safety, Jewellery Making & Art. Information and registration forms are sent out through Community Wide emails and through the SAS What’s Happening emails.

Need more Info?

Visit our Website for current program and registration info on all EASA sponsored activities at http://www.sas.edu. sg/easa, phone 6360-6283 or email at vcrocker@sas.edu.sg.

14

Libraries at SAS SAS Libraries: New Ideas are Circulating

The fourth in a series of articles about the libraries at SAS.

By Ron Starker, High School Librarian

s

AS requires each academic department and subject area to undergo a curriculum review every 5 years to evaluate our practices and to upgrade and enrich our curriculum. While the libraries have always been evaluated as part of the WASC accreditation reviews at SAS, we have never been included in the Curriculum Review process. History was made in the 2005-2006 school year as Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Mark Boyer readily accepted a request by the librarians to be included in the Curriculum Review process.

The Curriculum Review occurs in two stages over a two year period. The first year is intended to be the Curriculum “Study Year” where the current state of the program is evaluated and goals are set for the future. The second year is the “Development Year” designed to establish plans and processes for thoughtful and effective implementation.

As a result of extensive feedback from students, staff, and parents, the following Study Year recommendations were identified as areas for improvement and enhancement: 1. Develop a compelling and meaningful philosophy for preschool through high school libraries at SAS. 2. Continue to develop systematic communication with parents, students, and staff regarding library resources, services, and support.

3. Review library policies, procedures, and handbooks for preschool through 12th grade.

4. Develop a preschool through 12th grade Information Literacy (Library) curriculum for integration into all subject areas.

5. Continue to develop “just-in-time” learning opportunities in the library that are connected to classroom learning.

6. Continue to review and upgrade all library systems to support staff and student needs.

7. Work with parents and staff to develop strategies designed to encourage students to be “good readers”.

8. Conduct an external review to validate effective practices and to note possible areas for further improvement.

State of the Union: Our Destiny We started our school year by implementing new library software in all four division libraries. While we stayed with our same vendor, Follett Software, we upgraded our system to software known as Destiny. The features of Destiny were discussed in Tim Ramsey’s second Newsflash article in our library series. One major result is that we have something similar to a Union Catalog that allows us to check on materials and to share records in one software system for all four libraries.

A Checkup from the Doctor Early in our Study Year process we agreed it would be useful to obtain an external expert review from a seasoned library evaluator. Dr. Elizabeth Miller, from the University of South Carolina, came to SAS and spent four days with us to evaluate our programs and to suggest improvements.

Prior to Dr. Miller’s visit, the Curriculum Office sent out surveys to all SAS students, parents and faculty for feedback on the library facilities, program, and staff. The results of these surveys were shared with Dr. Miller and are being used to implement new changes in our programs. The statements listed below reflect some of the goals we have set for the coming school year.

Libraries at SAS

15

Let’s Talk: Improving Communication These newsflash articles are only a small part of a focused effort to better communicate library initiatives. We are also planning: LMC Night: Libraries Meet the Community: On an evening in late September; all four SAS libraries will offer an Open House to familiarize parents with our facilities and services. We will offer workshops in online database use, information on resources we can offer families, and provide tours of all four libraries.

Cyber-makeover: We are changing the look of all four library web pages and we are creating a new preschool through high school Library webpage to make information easier to access and to make online navigation more uniform from one library to the next.

Library Updates: There will be additional Newsflash articles, emails to staff, presentations at Parent Coffees and webbased updates provided by the libraries.

Suggestion Boxes: A box will be placed in each library to solicit student, staff and faculty input, and there will also be a virtual Suggestion Box on the SAS centralized web page for libraries.

Library Handbook: We are developing a school-wide library handbook that will be distributed to all staff, students and parents at the beginning of the 2006-2007 school year. The handbook will provide detailed information on library hours, staff, resources, and instructions on how to use online databases and other resources.

Instructional Technology: Participate in communications with the SAS Technology Committee (beginning of the year, midyear and end of the year).

Teamwork & Collaboration Research on the effectiveness of library programs stresses the importance of collaborative work among librarians, teachers and students. We plan to further our collaborative efforts in the following ways: Teaching Teachers: Several workshops will be offered to help teachers keep up to date with print and online resources. Teachers will also receive training on how to help student access the best possible information.

Teaching Students: Information Literacy workshops will be offered to help student access, understand and utilize informational sources.

Teacher Collaboration: We will meet regularly with departments and grade level teams to increase our understanding of the content and issues that are being addressed in the curriculum.

Information Literacy: The librarians have developed standards, indicators and outcomes for the “exit skills” all students in grades 2, 5, 8 and 12 are expected to achieve.

Curriculum Adoption: The librarians will participate in the curriculum review process each year to review that the collections, resources and services fully support the curriculum changes.

Professional Learning Communities: The librarians will participate in processes that facilitate professional learning communities within the school.

16

Libraries at SAS

So What Do School Librarians Actually Do? The role of librarians is rapidly changing, with schools of library science advising librarians to work more closely with teachers in curricular design, collaboration and program planning. Librarians are being urged to help students move from simple fact finding to higher level thinking involving applications of knowledge, analysis of information, synthesis and evaluation of ideas. The library is the perfect place for interdisciplinary studies, cross fertilization of ideas and experimentation with different teaching methods.

Increasingly, the Library Media Specialist is called upon to be……..

A story teller and reading specialist.

A teacher and group leader.

An information broker.

A cybrarian or internet and online researcher.

A mediator between database vendors, technical staff and end users.

An instructional consultant for teachers and students.

An informational resources instructor.

A facilities and personnel manager.

An acquisitions and collection development expert.

An advertising and marketing specialist. ing needs.

As our job roles change, so must our job descriptions and our staff-

Job Descriptions: Librarians will review and update the job description of the Library Media Specialist as well as the job descriptions for library support staff to insure that they properly reflect the requirements of the job.

Promoting Lifelong Reading The key role of librarians is to promote lifelong reading and to ensure that the proper resources are in place for the library to best serve its constituents.

Monthly Displays: Each library will promote reading through displays that highlight different themes.

Book Bridge into Summer Reading: A Book Bridge Project will be introduced to purchase a book for each 5th grade student to read over the summer of 2006. Each student will be allowed to select a book from a comprehensive list and once school begins, they will then meet in “literature circles” to talk about the books. This pilot project, initiated by the middle school, will then be used to promote other summer reading and follow-up opportunities for all grade levels in the summer of 2007.

Reading Projects: The librarians plan to increase reading promotions with projects such as read-ins, literature circles, peer reviews in print, morning news programs, student library patron clubs, reading contests, sustained silent reading, book clubs, reading buddies, book fairs and other events.

We believe that the library should be the heart and soul of any school. It is the gathering place for access to great ideas and for sharing and collaboration. School libraries support, enrich and enhance the curriculum and then allow us the latitude and resources to explore beyond the courses offered. Next year we will enter the second stage of our Curriculum Review. We welcome your input in this process and look forward to meeting you. All parents at SAS are automatically signed up as library patrons, so the next time you are at SAS stop by one of our division libraries and talk to us about how we can best serve your needs.

Libraries at SAS

17

o

ne of the recommendations from the Library Study Year was to develop a meaningful philosophy that represented all four Libraries at SAS. Betsy Chmelik, Middle School Librarian, provided the leadership in this area of development. After a few revisions, the following emerged as the stated Mission and Philosophy for Libraries at SAS: SAS Library Mission The mission of the school library is to support and enrich the curriculum taught at the school, promote life-long learning, and promote life-long reading by using a variety of strategies to promote recreational reading for leisure and personal growth.

SAS Library Philosophy Quality libraries and library programs are recognized as essential ingredients in the educational process at the Singapore American School. SAS students are entitled to libraries that provide access to resources that are appropriate to their age and ability levels, that help them to develop information literacy skills, and that promote reading for information, for problem solving and for recreation.

The time-honored delivery system for information has been the printed book. While books still hold an important place in our school library collections, information may be more efficiently provided through electronic books, audio or video sources, online databases or internet websites. The function of contemporary library service is to find the most appropriate format for information, teach our students how to use it and, in some instances, how to produce it. The library may be the venue where innovations for learning are introduced. The resources selected for the libraries must be relevant, should support and be consistent with the educational goals of the school, and should, ultimately, foster curiosity about topics beyond the curriculum and generate a desire for life-long learning.

Information literacy skills are the tools any learner needs to access and use information effectively. Incorporated in meaningful ways in the school curriculum, these skills enable members of the learning community to locate, evaluate, synthesize, and communicate information. As information specialists, the library professionals must take the initiative to collaborate with teachers to ensure that our students attain our adopted information literacy standards. There is equally an expectation that all staff will effectively use the library to promote student learning.

The SAS libraries also foster a culture of reading throughout the school community. The libraries have collections that appeal to a wide variety of interests and reading levels, from the beginning reader to the education professional, from interested parents to reluctant adolescents. The libraries host guest speakers and authors who contribute to the free flow of ideas that libraries represent. Libraries are the guardians of society’s collective memory; the Primary, Intermediate, Middle and High School libraries fill that role for the constituencies that comprise the Singapore American School.

Responsive, relevant libraries will help to create responsible, adept and adaptable global citizens who are critical thinkers and ethical consumers of information. Never before have we been faced with such an overwhelming quantity of information, nor have we had such an array of ways to access it. The librarians and the libraries play a crucial role in preparing students to competently and confidently participate in that world.

18

TV Turnoff Week/MS Strings Grade 4 Students Turnoff Their TV’s

By Mark Davidson, 4th Grade Teacher

l

ast month, for the first time ever, Grade 4 students at Singapore American School were encouraged to participate in TV-Turnoff Week. Beginning April 24th students were challenged to go a whole week, including the weekend, without turning on their TV’s. Despite this being a very daunting prospect for many students, almost 70 students successfully completed the challenge. To verify that they didn’t watch any TV, the students and their parents were asked to keep a TV viewing log and sign it each day to say they didn’t watch any TV. The students who successfully went the whole week without watching TV received a certificate of achievement.

Some of the Grade 4 TV Turnoff Participants

TV-Turnoff Week is promoted by the TV Turnoff Network, a nonprofit organization that encourages children and adults to watch less television in order to promote healthier lives and communities (http://www.tvturnoff.org). Founded in 1994, TV Turnoff Network is dedicated to the belief that we all have the power to determine the role that television plays in our own lives. Rather than waiting for others to make “better” TV, we can turn it off and reclaim time for our families, our friends, and for ourselves.

Music Time with a Difference!

By Mr. Darrell Townshend, Middle School Strings Teacher

i

n mid-April, the pre-school classes of Mr. Matthew and pre-K class of Mrs. Heidi made a trip to the Middle School for music lessons with a difference.

Advanced Strings and Advanced Strings 6 provided the content for stringed instrument music lessons for our young Mozarts. Using creative play, demonstration, action activities, and hands-on try-outs, the boys and girls from the Early Childhood Center (and some parents!) learned about the violin, viola, cello and double bass. Boys and girls sang Twinkle Twinkle, Rowed a Boat, marched, and had an imaginary lunch before being chased by a Troll, all to an orchestral accompaniment! Children were then able to work with MS students to try out the instruments. The big hit was the double bass!

Many thanks to Mr. Matthew and Mrs. Heidi for having their children come to MS Strings. The experience was a very good cross-age teaching/learning experience for Advanced Stings and Advanced Strings 6, and they enjoyed working with their young friends!

19

MS Choir Trip AMIS - An Association of Friendship and Music

By Pat Brown, MS Choir Teacher

e

very year, every state in the US has High School, Middle School, and Elementary School All-State Music Festivals. After a rigorous audition process only the best and most talented performers are invited to perform.

In 1975, a group of international school music teachers based in the UK decided to organize an honor band and choir festival for high school students. Shortly thereafter the festival expanded to include students from Europe, and later incorporated schools in the Middle East and Asia as well. The international community quickly embraced this academic and social opportunity, so they continued having the festival each year. Soon, out of this one festival came two, then three, then more, and in 1995, the people organizing these festivals decided that they needed a formal organization. They needed to give themselves a name.

The main purpose of the festivals was to bring together students and teachers from different cultures to create music and friendships, so it seemed fitting to incorporate both music and friendship into the name. Hence, the Association for Music in International Schools was born. Take the letters A-M-I-S and you spell the French word for “friends,” AMIS (pronounced “ah-MEE”). This year, AMIS celebrated its tenth anniversary and its seventh year as an official non-profit organization registered in the UK. During the academic 2005-2006 year, AMIS hosted ten music festivals for middle and high school students and four academic and/or professional workshops.

The SAS Middle School Choir represented SAS for the first time ever at an AMIS event by auditioning and sending six delegates to the 2004 Middle School Mixed Honor Choir in London. Since then several music groups have attended AMIS festivals. SAS High School Strings, Middle School Strings, Middle School Band, and Middle School Choir have attended AMIS festivals in England, Turkey, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and China.

In March several SAS High School Strings students and their director Stephen Bonnette attended the AMIS festival in Geneva. In April three Middle School groups participated in AMIS festivals.

Darrell Townshend, MS Strings director, traveled with six of his students to Vienna. Patricia Brown’s MS choir was represented by six singers in the festival in Munich, Germany, and three of Brian White’s instrumentalists were chosen to play in the AMIS Band Festival in Beijing.

Guest conductors for each festival are chosen by the AMIS Board of Directors. It is an honor to be chosen from a large number of very talented conductors. Darrell Townshend of SAS Middle School directed the AMIS Middle School Strings Festival in Vienna this year.

Patricia Brown has been invited to conduct the AMIS Middle School Honor Choir in 2008. SAS will host an AMIS festival, The International Middle School Honor Choir, in late April of 2007. It will be our first opportunity to host an AMIS event. The European schools are very excited about coming to Singapore and visiting SAS.

20

Chinese Trip to Beijing Beijing - Facts of the Past

By Jared Broadman, 5th Grade Student

w

elcome to Beijing!! About 70 SAS students and parents went on an educational tour to Beijing for one week during the last week of March. In this trip, we got to see an amateur Kung Fu (‘wu shu’ in Mandarin) show, the Children’s Palace, the Temple of Heaven, the Forbidden City, a Silk Factory, the Beijing Opera School, a Beijing Acrobat show, the Summer Palace, a Chinese Jade Factory, Tian An Men Square, a professional Kung Fu show, an Acrobat show, a Chinese school (for kids only), and probably the most important highlight of the trip: The Great Wall of China.

All of us headed out to a Martial arts school on Sunday. There was a demonstration of kung fu. In the end, everyone got into groups and each group was assigned a master. The master taught us 10 basic moves and some forms of cool kung fu kicks.

On the weekdays, the children all headed off to a Chinese school early in the morning. At the school, we learned traditional Chinese crafts, like knot tying, calligraphy, opera mask-decorating, etc. At a silk factory, we learned that one silk worm can spin 1,600m of silk, and that silk never tears. Did you know that a silk worm, fully grown, is a special kind of moth? Maybe you will see it in your closet one day! Beijing Opera was interesting, but the stories were a bit hard to follow even though they had the English translation for all to see during the performance.

At the Forbidden City, we found that the emperor owned 999 rooms. I joked that the emperor had his architects design for the future tourists that would be coming to visit as well. Speaking of which, it took seven years to plan and another seven years to build the Forbidden City. Some wood that made up the pillars was among the highest qualities in the Qing dynasty from Hunan province, which, I suspected the emperor didn’t even notice. In the courtyard, there is no tree. Why? Because a tree and a courtyard put together signified difficulty -and you could guess that the emperor didn’t want any task to be difficult for him. In front of his office, there is a male lion putting his paw on top of a globe, which meant that the men rule the world. On the other side of the entrance, there is a female lion embracing a baby lion, which meant that women care for the young.

We went to a ‘hutong’ too. A ‘hutong’ is a traditional Chinese alley, and, there are so many ‘hutongs’ in Beijing that if all of them were lined up together, it would equal a distance longer than the Great Wall! We got to view some ‘hutongs’ by going on a trishaw ride which was really fun. Our SAS group made up one long parade of tri-shaws. After that, we went to the bell tower. That bell tower held a 660 ton (or thereabouts) bell that was rung during the day to tell people time.

The main highlight of the trip was the Great Wall. My family and I climbed to the utmost top available to touring. I counted all the steps I went on. 1,519 steps, I counted, but the tour guide later said there were 1,523 steps in this section.

Still, I think that was a pretty good count considering we stopped to take pictures and enjoy the scenery many times along the way. Mao wrote on a stone, “You are never a true hero until you have climbed the Great Wall.” I hope all of you are planning to go on the Beijing Educational Trip.

Beijing was a blast!!

MS Drama/HS Student Author

21

I Feel Pretty ... Cool!

By Yuvika Tolani, 8th Grade Drama Student

“

Why?” you ask. Simply because cast members from the classic musical, West Side Story, came to visit 8th grade drama classes on Friday, April 21st. That’s right! The group of nine included the actors who played, among them, Officer Krupke, Doc, Maria & Anita (both of whom sang for us), with five other dancing/singing men and women who were members of either the Jets or the Sharks. They came to the Middle School drama classroom to answer questions about being actors, which included some hilarious moments from their varied experiences. Our audience was comprised of eighth grade drama students, along with some MS choir members and dancers. After having seen the show, meeting some of the cast members in person was a dream come true!

Long after they left, a buzz of excitement hung over the eighth graders that attended. Each and every one probably boasted about the experience with friends and family.

Talking with professional actors about their careers, experiences, and lifestyles was a unique opportunity for us drama, music, and dance enthusiasts. Some questions that came up were about the audition process, their most embarrassing moments on stage, and what kinds of problems occur on tours. We were given some excellent advice regarding auditions, such as, “Go to every one you possibly can get to!” The embarrassing moments included bloody injuries and some really scary moments when lines were completely lost during performances! It was surprising to find out first-hand about the sicknesses and injuries that occur on tour: One of their players was in hospital here in Singapore, post-surgery, and another had just got his voice back. Actors must be very flexible and prepared people, as an understudy might suddenly be called upon for any given performance!

When I later attended the (excellent!) show, my enjoyment was certainly increased by the fact that I recognized so many of the players. Overall, it was a wonderful opportunity that we were lucky to experience. Personally, I had a lot of fun meeting and talking with the cast. My only regret?...That we couldn’t have had more time with them! Thanks to Ms. Meyer and Ms. Mollie Whitson for arranging a memorable afternoon.

Rachel Witt - Student Author

By Bill Rives, HS Faculty

t

he upcoming Summer 2006 edition of The Concord Review, “a quarterly review of essays by students of history,” with subscribers throughout the US and in 33 countries (our library subscribes), will publish a paper by SAS high school student, Rachel Witt. Rachel, a member of the Class of 2007, wrote on The Cuban Missile Crisis, and did the work in her sophomore year for a term paper in History and Government of the United States.

The Concord Review remains the only quarterly journal in the world to publish the academic work of secondary students. To publish in The Concord Review is competitive and prestigious. Many of the articles come from IB Extended Essay work or from courses in AP US History. The publication is endorsed by Harvard Admissions Dean Bill Fitzsimmons, Yale Admissions Dean Richard Shaw, Ted Sizer, Arthur Schlesinger, and David McCullough, among others.

This is the second time SAS has had an article published in The Concord Review. 1994 Masahiko Endo published a paper on Frank Lloyd Wright.

To read more about The Concord Review, visit their website at http://www.tcr.org/tcr/index.htm.

Community Service

22

Grade Seven’s Tiger Challenge

By Ian Coppell, Middle School Teacher

i

n April 2005 the seventh grade (now Grade 8) raised over S$19,000 in an incredible effort to help children in the Indian state of Rajasthan. The money goes to the Prakratik Society which was recently featured on the BBC and was honoured by receiving the Ashden Award for Sustainable Development.

The money went to improve the quality of education among the children that live around Ranthambhore, a National Park in Rajasthan. Goverdhan Rathore, the Director of the Prakratik Society responded to our donation by saying, “…it is inspiring to know that the young generation is so deeply concerned about their environment no matter where on earth it may be endangered.”

More specifically the funds raised in 2005 have helped purchase four computers which will allow the Ranthambhore community to increase the number of students from the villages who get free computer education. They are mostly from local village schools for whom even seeing a computer is rare. The funds will also help support the books for female students from the villages and will enable the society to run the village school bus free of cost for all the village children (more than 40) who attend school on scholarships. The funds also helped support the mobile library that the Prakratik Society maintains for the 4000 children that are part of their nature clubs.

The name of the fundraiser is the ‘Tiger Challenge’. The grade seven students created a huge bank of geography questions. Through an arduous selection process the number was whittled down to 150. Students then learned these questions and answers and were tested on them in the auditorium. Students had secured pledges for the amount of questions they successfully answered.

This year 32 students scored 100%, an incredible feat considering the variety of questions. At the time of press money was still being collected and it is hoped that we can raise as much as 2005 and help as many people in Ranthambhore break out of the Cycle of Poverty as possible.

Several SAS teachers and parents have visited Ranthambhore over the last few years, and have shared positive feedback regarding the positive support SAS has given the villages in the area. It is believed that only about 15 tigers remain, but it is hoped that each and every dollar raised will help raise awareness of the importance of protecting the remaining tigers of Ranthambhore and help the people living close to their habitat.

23

Faculty Eagles Roar in the Lion City - The JP Morgan Corporate Challenge 2006

By Ian Coppell, SAS Team Captain Photos by Paul Griffin, HS Faculty

SAS 1st Place Ladies Team: Wendy Liddell, Katherine Hallam, Becky Green, and Lauren Mehrbach

o

n a cool, damp Wednesday in late April over 11,400 participants from the Singapore corporate world took part in the third Singapore version of the JPMorgan Corporate Challenge at the Padang. SAS had 99 participants, up from 71 in 2005 and 39 in 2004. In 2005 our Women’s Team swept the honors and represented Singapore in the Championship in New York. We had set a very high standard for ourselves. Resplendent in vivid yellow the teachers, administrators, aides, technicians, nurses, and security personnel representing SAS battled to secure decent starting line positions. The overcast conditions were excellent for fast times and our crew of volunteers waiting at the finish knew that our team had done well by the high number of SAS shirts crossing the finish line early on.

It took some strategizing to decide to enter our fastest two women and fastest two men in the Mixed category but it paid off and the Singapore Police were toppled as Andrew Hallam, Ian Coppell, Annika Ferrell, and Cary Greegor will represent Singapore in New York in October. Their combined time beat the Gurkha Contingent by nearly three minutes and was fast enough to have won the recent Johannesburg race. Such was the strength of our ladies’ team that our women filled seven of the top 22 places. Our 3rd to 6th place women won the female category by over nine minutes from the Inland Revenue Authority. Katherine Hallam, Becky Green, Lauren Mehrbach, and Wendy Liddell will also travel to New York in October. Hopefully, our NY-bound athletes will again meet up with some former SAS students in the Big Apple prior to the race and strengthen SAS alumni relations.

SAS 1st Place Mixed Team(L-R): Ian Coppell, Cary Greegor, Annika Ferrell and Andrew Hallam

For the same organization to have two teams represented in the championship is an incredible achievement, especially when there were 298 companies taking part in Singapore. The competitive element of the race is evident, but the themes of healthy lifestyle habits, camaraderie and team-building are perhaps the fundamental goals of the event, and the major reasons why Singapore American School continues to be an active and successful participant. All the runners, joggers, strollers and volunteers who represented the school had fun and although participation is a key theme of the event, winning is a very powerful stimulus and we hope to increase our number of entries in 2007!

SAS Teachers Win Ambassador’s Cup Golf Tournament

By Chip Miller, MS Faculty

s

teve Betts, Eric Burnett, Steve Bonnette, and Frans Grimbergen brought fame and glory to the Singapore American School once again as they captured the 2006 Ambassador’s Cup championship on Saturday, May 6! The American Association of Singapore sponsored “Texas Scramble” golf tournament was held at the Palm Resort in Malaysia and saw over seventy teams, including five teams of SAS teachers, try to walk away with this year’s trophy. Playing on the Chempaka course, Team Betts put together a seven-under-par round which placed them in a tie with a team led by another SAS teacher, Mark Guggisberg. However, Team Betts won the tie breaker and advanced to the two-hole playoff against the winning team from Palm Resort’s other course, Allamanda. With a large contingent following them, SAS’s Team Betts handled the playoff pressure beautifully. On the first playoff hole, Steve Betts hit the team’s tee shot into the middle of the fairway, Eric Burnett followed with an 8 iron shot onto the green, Steve Bonnette hit his 25 foot putt to within three feet, and Frans Grimbergen knocked in the three footer to finish off the par. This proved to be the match, as their opponents self-destructed, taking an eleven on the hole! Congratulations again to Steve, Eric, Steve and Frans!

24

National French Contest

In-Woo Jung Level 1 -------- Rank Esha Sondhi 7 Alexander Kua 8 Jose Acevedo 10 Level 2 -------- Rank Winnie Ma 2 Emily Brotman 5 Emma Sheldon 5 Peter Bardon 6 Sanskriti Ayyar 8 Jacqueline Whitaker 8 Bryna Djuhar 9 Jhila Farzaneh 9 Karin Ito 9 Mairead Ross 9 Julia Vasko 9 Jon Cheng 10 In-Woo Jung 10 Level 3 -------- Rank Mallika Rao 6 Duncan Benjamin 8 Elisabeth Stocking 8 Natalie Ong 9 Tatiana Gerebtzoff 10 Kailen Gilde 10 Level 4 -------- Rank Alex Hoffer 2 Evan Edmond 4 Karen Ngo 4 Evelyn Lo 6 Alice Grgas 7 Matthew Bardon 8 Jared Djuhar 8 Hui Xiang Koh 8 Jessica Lin 8 Brian Leung 9 Daksha Rajagopalan 9 Peck Yang 10

Hui Xiang Koh

Esha Sondhi

Peter Bardon

Jose Acevedo

Le Grand Concours

By Christina Popowski, High School French Teacher

o

n March 21st and 22nd SAS high school students studying French levels 1 – 4 competed with just over 100,000 of their peers in all 50 United States and at an international school in Israel in the 71st annual Le Grand Concours or National French Contest. This competition is sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of French and students are evaluated for their written, oral and listening comprehension skills in the language. The results were recently sent to the French teachers at SAS and they were extremely pleased with the results. They were also pleasantly surprised to learn that the scores of 34 students at SAS ranked among the top 10 best national scores.

AATF President Margot Steinhart stated that “Our students who rank nationally in this competition reflect well on the schools and French programs from which they come. They also constitute an asset in our nation’s response to produce citizens with multilingual capabilities, who can work and interact successfully in a global community.”

Jared Djuhar

Alexander Kua

French teachers Christina Popowski and Laurence Patrick were pleased to see that over 75 % of SAS students in French levels 1 – 3 scored at or above the national average and nearly 90% of the French 4 students scored at or above the national average.

All of the participating students and their teachers are to be congratulated for their achievement. The 34 students who ranked nationally will be awarded a certificate of achievement as well as a prize which will hopefully inspire them to further their studies in French.

Sanskriti Ayyar

Tatiana Gerebtzoff

L-R: Matthew Bardon, Brian Leung, Peck Yang, Alex Hoffer, Daksha Rajagopalan

L-R: Karen Ngo, Jessica Lin, Alice Grgas, Evelyn Lo, Evan Edmond

Kailen Gilde

National French Contest/IS Marathon Club

L-R: Emily Brotman, Julia Vasko, Emma Sheldon, Jackie Whitaker, Karin Ito, Jhila Farzaneh

25

L-R: Emily Brotman, Julia Vasko, Emma Sheldon, Jackie Whitaker, Karin Ito, Jhila Farzaneh

Marathon Club in the IS

f

rom April 10th to May 11th, 3rd through 5th grades students had the chance to participate in the first ever SAS Marathon Club. For those accepting the challenge, the Marathon Club gave students an opportunity to run at least one mile per day over a month, with the goal of running a grand total of at least 26 miles (not coincidentally the same distance as a marathon). Over 130 students signed up for the Marathon Club and 80 completed all 26 miles.

The Marathon Club met in the mornings before school at 7:50am and ran a mile with the elementary PE teachers on the high school track. Students also had the option of running at home on their own time. It was the student’s responsibility to keep track of the miles on a running log and parents monitored their progress. At the end of the month the students who completed all 26 miles were rewarded with the official Marathon Club t-shirt.

Congratulations to the students who participated (too many to list in a short article) in the Marathon Club. By joining the Marathon Club, students were able to set a firm goal and then work hard (sweaty hard!) to meet that goal. It wasn’t always easy and it wasn’t always exciting, but they knew in the end it was worth it. All the students involved were promoting both individual and family fitness. It was exciting to watch the miles get easier as they went along and to hear how some families were jogging together. The effort and dedication of the runners is commendable. Good job Marathon Clubbers. The Intermediate School PE department thanks you and we look forward to another fun Marathon Club next year.

Badminton In Kuala Lumpur BOYS: 1. TAS 2. ISKL 3. ISB 4. JIS 5. SAS 6. ISM

5-0 4-1 3-2 2-3 2-3 1-4

GIRLS: 1. TAS 2. SAS 3. ISB 4. JIS 5. ISKL 6. ISM

5-0 3-2 3-2 2-3 2-3 5-0

IASAS

BOYS: 1. SAS 2. ISKL 3. ISB 4. TAS 5. JIS 6. ISM

Softball in Jakarta 5-0 4-1 3-2 2-3 1-4 0-5

ALL- TOURNAMENT: Casey Bright Akio Takahashi Jeff Kreuter Daichi Moriyama

GIRLS: 1. SAS 2. JIS 3. TAS 4. ISB 5. ISM 6. ISKL

4-1 4-1 2-3 3-2 1-4 1-4

ALL- TOURNAMENT: Lexi Koch Haley Sue Michelle Lee Vanessa Peck

Third Season IASAS Sports Track and Field: Continue a decade-long winning streak Softball: Gold medals for boys and girls teams Girls Badminton: First time silver medal – a strong 2nd place finish Boys Badminton: Fifth place finish – an improvement on last year’s performance

Track and Field in Manila BOYS POINTS: 1. SAS 2. TAS 3. ISM 4. ISB 5. ISKL 6. JIS

123 93 65.5 59.5 59 26

GIRLS POINTS: 1. SAS 141.5 2. JIS 118.5 3. TAS 70 4. ISM 39 5. ISKL 31 6. ISB 28

introduce a child to the wonders of Bach performed live, chaperone a trip to the ballet or symphony, help host a children’s art show, provide refreshments for a choir, help a teacher to help a child, create quiet reading corners on campus, archive our extensive art collection, build community through creation of community spaces, plan a museum outing, bring visiting artists to campus, consult on campus aesthetics, witness students waltz for the very first time, expand our after school opportunities, engender a positive learning climate, send a personal invitation to a performer’s parent, create display space on campus, lend support to teachers and administrators, provide dinner to hungry performers, host a poetry reading, develop the talents in others by utilizing your own.

The Arts Council’s vision is as diverse as it is far-reaching.

Please consider donating your time in the upcoming school year so that we may continue to enrich the experiences of our growing school community.

mary gruman at wishforpar@pacific.net.sg viki zulkoski at cabbydog@pacific.net.sg