Singapore American School Newsflash, October 2010

MICA (P)107/09/2010

A Singapore American School community service publication

October 2010 Volume 13, Issue 1-10/11

An Exemplary Chinese Language Program Page 6

A Great Year for Learning Page 4

Class of 2010: University Bound Page 9

Top 10+1 Laptop Tips Page 18

October 2010 Volume 13, Issue 1-10/11

Mission

The mission of the Singapore American School is to provide each student with an exemplary American educational experience with an international perspective.

Vision

The vision of the Singapore American School is to inspire a passion for learning, encourage emotional and intellectual vitality, and empower students with the confidence and courage to contribute to the global community and to achieve their dreams.

Vital Few

The vital few represent the operational priorities of the Singapore American School.

• Academic rigor • Extraordinary care for the welfare of each child • Commitment to professional excellence

Appointment to the Board of Governors The SAS Board of Governors is pleased to announce the appointment of Oral Dawe to the Board effective September 21, 2010. Oral takes the seat of Shaila Bettapdapur, who resigned last month to take a job in the United States. The Board wishes to extend its appreciation to Shaila for his dedicated service.

Oral recently retired as CEO of Asia Pacific Commodities Group at JP Morgan and was formerly president of Goldman Sachs (Singapore). He and his wife, Vida, have three children, a son in grade 9 and two children who are recent graduates of SAS. Oral will serve out the remainder of Shaila’s term, which expires in October 2011.

Contents Regular Features 3

From the Superintendent’s Office

14

From the SAS PTA

22

Booster Club News

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Calendar

Highlights

NewsFlash is published monthly during the academic year except September and January by the communications office of Singapore American School. It is distributed free of charge to the parents, faculty members and organizations served by the school. We welcome input from the community associated with Singapore American School.

Editor: Tamara Black, Associate Director of Communications Staff Editor: Junia Baker Layout Design: Alfi Dino Photography: Karen Cortezano Singapore American School www.sas.edu.sg 40 Woodlands Street 41 Singapore 738547 Tel: 6360-6303

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High School Learning Support

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The Tough Stuff of Confrontation

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Reading, ‘Riting and Relevance

13

SAS Advanced Placement 2010

Contacts

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SASCard Technology

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A Hand Up

General Inquiries and Comments communications@sas.edu.sg

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MS Athletics Benefits from ACSIS

NewsFlash Submissions Tamara Black, tblack@sas.edu.sg Deadline for submissions is the first of the month prior to the proposed month of publication.

Trading Post Submissions trade@sas.edu.sg

From the Superintendent’s Office

A New Year by the Numbers

By Brent Mutsch, Ed. D. Superintendent

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s I stood on the school’s front sidewalk on the first day of school greeting students of all ages as they arrived on campus, I was struck by the fact that I was welcoming a record number of students to SAS. Our opening day enrollment of 3,868 students was 50 more than last year, placing us near-capacity on the first day of the year. This growth, along with our robust waiting list, reinforces what we already know—families in Singapore and around the world highly value the learning experiences that we daily provide at SAS. Our 355 faculty members, 190 support staff and 21 administrators have collaborated to ensure that the 2010-2011 academic year will be both challenging and rewarding for each student. Nowhere was this more evident than with the school-wide Open House held on Saturday, August 14. Students and parents met new teachers, reconnected with friends after the summer holiday, and developed new friendships with the 761 new students that were welcomed across campus. In addition, each division recently hosted their own Open House to provide parents, faculty and administrators with even more opportunities to develop the working relationship that is so critical to a successful home/school partnership.

The SAS facilities team worked over the summer to successfully complete many projects that further enhance our learning environment. No doubt you’ve noticed many of the upgrades that include:

• New floor covering in 55 primary and intermediate school classrooms

• Refurbishment of 8 intermediate school classrooms • 6 middle school group rooms remodeled to

accommodate the new reading/language arts teachers in grades 7 and 8

• 2 newly created middle school PE/health classrooms • Enlargement of a high school dance studio • Remodeling of the high school Tech Help Center • Resurfacing of the entire roadway system and the high school basement car park

One of the hallmarks of SAS is our spirit of community. As we move further into the school year, the faculty, staff and administration are pleased to work in partnership with the PTA, High School Booster Club, Community Library and SACAC to create a set of experiences that will be engaging and meaningful for our students and their families. Last but definitely not least, I want you to know that we are honored and excited to collaborate with you—as members of the SAS learning community—to provide each student with an exemplary American educational experience with an international perspective.

Diversity among the SAS New Faculty

United States 28 Canada 10 Australia 3 China 2 New Zealand 1 UK 1 45 new faculty members, 35 with previous international school experience

Diversity among the SAS Student Body

United States 66% Korea 7% Singapore 5% India 5% Canada 3%

• Resurfacing of the roof top tennis courts

UK 2%

• Repainting of the primary, intermediate and middle

Philippines 2%

division exteriors

• Installation of additional road blockers, including

enhancing the security of the pedestrian walkway at the front gate

Other Countries 10% 84% of eligible students returned for 2010-2011 Graphs not to scale

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A Great Year for Learning

By Mark Boyer Assistant Superintendent for Learning

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s we have been interacting with teachers, administrators, students and parents for the start of this school year, we are excited about the educational opportunities that are unfolding at the Singapore American School.

Artist-in-Residence Programs

At the end of last year, the PTA contributed helpful financial support for programs and resources in each division. The PTA also helped to make a long-time dream of institutionalizing artist-in-residence programs come true. In addition to the exemplary arts programs that are available, there will be opportunities for student and faculty collaborations with professional artists in theater, dance, music, visual arts and writing.

Her responsibilities will be to oversee the development, coordination and articulation of the Chinese language program from preschool through high school. This will include curriculum development, assessment development, classroom instructional support, professional development, coordination of purchases of classroom resources, internal and external communications, and recruitment and supervision of Chinese language teachers. Dr. Zhang will be engaged with faculty, administrators, students and parents during the first semester in establishing short-range and long-range plans for Chinese language instruction. Dr. Zhang may be contacted at szhang@sas.edu.sg.

Special Services

Deputy principals from each division will assemble a small work team to look at articulation issues and needs of the special services program. The members include Ken Schunk (PS), Marc L’Heureux (IS), JohnEric Advento (MS) and Doug Neihart (HS). Administrators Lauren Mehrbach (HS) and Geri Johnson (ECC) are also involved in the identification of issues and needs.

Service Learning

Updated Curriculum

Updates in school-wide curriculum were achieved last year in science, health, physical education, reading language arts(RLA)/English, visual and performing arts, and technology education and careers. Some updates resulted in greater specificity and coherence of the K-12 curriculum.

Others connected school curriculum with classroom units to ensure the written, delivered and learned curricula are aligned. Within all of these conversations are agreements on common student assessments that will occur in the same grade level or the same course. Jennifer Sparrow, Director of Assessment, is actively engaged with faculty on the development and use of quality common assessments. The school’s curriculum is posted on the SAS website under the Office of Learning.

Chinese Language

SAS has been fortunate in acquiring Dr. Susan Zhang as Director of Chinese Language. Dr. Zhang formerly served in this position at Shanghai American School.

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SAS believes that an essential component of lifelong learning is learning how to care about others. SAS has an abundance of service learning opportunities, and last year a school-wide committee established agreements on the standards for an exemplary service learning program.

Representative faculty in grades K-8 have offered to develop and/or refine service learning programs that align to these standards and the school curriculum. Because of the altruistic nature of the faculty, it is anticipated that articulation of these programs will become a lively and meaningful component of learning at SAS. The high school has over 40 service clubs in which the majority of students participates; these clubs are largely student-led.

school programs and to maximize learning opportunities for the entire SAS community. As a parent-helping-parent organization, the program relies on the support of parents to facilitate discussion groups in response to the needs of the community. To submit interests or to inquire about volunteer opportunities at the Community Library, email Mary Reagan at communitylibrary@sas.edu.sg.

Office of Learning

Middle School RLA

As many of you may know, time allocation for grades 7 and 8 RLA has doubled this year to an amount that SAS believes is essential for quality learning in reading, writing, speaking and listening. SAS has been fortunate in acquiring an additional six outstanding middle school RLA teachers to support this additional time. The new teachers, principal Devin Pratt, and returning teachers Karen McDowell and Scott Riley attended a week-long literacy training program at Columbia University, and several current PS, IS and MS teachers have recently participated in similar programs.

In terms of school-wide literacy, great work was accomplished last year in creating greater clarity and articulation within the RLA/English curriculum. This was made possible through the expert efforts of many faculty who worked with Louise Perdana, Director of Curriculum.

To support this updated curriculum, the school provided approximately one million dollars in purchases of engaging resource materials for classrooms in preschool through high school.

College and AP Results

Once again, SAS has had great success in its 2010 college placements and Advanced Placement results. In this issue of NewsFlash, high school counselor Dale Ford shares the exciting news about the 2010 college placements, and AP coordinator Mark Devine shares information on last spring’s stellar AP results.

Community Library

The Community Library/Speaker Series program, sponsored by the SAS Foundation, is a resource for parents and others in the school community for information on an array of topics pertaining to family life. The Community Library provides diverse parent night presentations by guest speakers on a range of topics as well as group discussions, book studies and a dedicated room of resources for parents.

The Office of Learning and the Community Library collaborate on programs to provide connections with

The Office of Learning will provide an article in each issue of NewsFlash with important updates and to communicate opportunities. If you enter the SAS website and go into the Office of Learning section, you will also have access to the Student Learning Strategic Plan. This strategic plan emerged out of a 16-month community self-study in 2007-2008 of the school’s performance within four major areas of school effectiveness including Organization for Student Learning, Curriculum and Instruction, Support for Student Personal and Academic Growth and Resource Management and Development.

Also included was a review of 154 criteria recognized by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), the school’s external agency for school accreditation. WASC affirmed that the school’s self-assessment was accurate and that the school’s strategic plan for student learning directly correlated with the findings of the 500 staff, students and parents who were involved in the self-study process. The Student Learning Strategic Plan guides the work of the school in continuous improvement, and an external midterm WASC visiting team will be at SAS in April to check on the school’s progress in fulfilling its plan. The WASC report is posted in the Office of Learning section of the SAS website.

One of the school’s international consultants said— after intensive and frequent on-site involvement with administrators and teachers over the past two years—that SAS “is a great school that is looking at how to get even better.” All of this is possible because of the proactive support and involvement of staff and parents in the learning of phenomenal students. Last spring, the Office of Learning introduced a Parent Learning Forum. Because of its positive reception, the Office of Learning will offer fall and spring Parent Learning Forums for sharing and feedback on programs. Dates of these two forums will be announced soon. Each division will continue to offer Parent Coffees that provide division-specific venues for engaging the parent community and communicating the exciting and diverse range of learning opportunities at SAS. We thank you for selecting the Singapore American School as your school of choice. The staff at SAS is collectively committed and passionate about providing each student an exemplary American education with an international perspective.

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An Exemplary Chinese Language Program

By Dr. Susan Zhang Director of Chinese Language

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am excited to have this opportunity to work with the Chinese language program at SAS. Given the meteoric rise worldwide in the importance of China and Chinese language learning, I feel that my charge in leading this program is significant. In keeping with this school’s reputation as a leader among international schools, I hope that by building a culture of collaboration that brings students, parents and teachers together for a common purpose with common agreements on practices, our Chinese program will likewise become exemplary.

To make our collaborative efforts successful with parents, we ask for their trust and support.

The increased demand for Chinese language education has established deeper research and understanding of effective teaching and learning strategies, particularly as they relate to second language learners. I will assume the responsibility of identifying those practices, and will work collaboratively with teachers to implement effective strategies and resources in classrooms.

To make our collaborative efforts successful as a school, we need to work proactively together. I have already met many people who are genuinely excited about the unlimited potential of this program, and it is important that we sustain this positive momentum.

There is already evidence of effective practices in place, and our work will be to make sure that school-wide practices are consistent and coherent within clearly targeted areas of student learning. The learning needs to be appropriately challenging (not too hard and not too easy), interactive and authentic. In short, our #1 goal for Chinese language is to help students to be progressively effective communicators in authentic situations, as well as have cultural understanding and sensitivity.

We will be working to produce both short-term and long-term improvements. We know that our students deserve our very best each day. We want to make sure that students enjoy learning Chinese, and that they understand the rigor and discipline that is involved in learning this complex language.

When a student understands and commits to learning another language, this perseverance has transferability to other subject areas and life.

To make our collaborative efforts successful, the administration has already established points of interdependence where various roles and responsibilities are explicit for the administrative team. To make our collaborative efforts successful with teachers, we need to work as a unified team from preschool through high school in progressively meeting the learning needs of our students.

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We will be involving parents this year in providing input into various issues related to student learning of Chinese that will include parent workshops, focus groups, and a parent learning forum. These will focus on ways to support your children’s enjoyment of learning a language, as well as ways to establish and support student self-discipline effectively.

Our vision is to create an exemplary Chinese language program that students enjoy and that is appropriately challenging. I welcome any constructive input that leads to realizing this vision.

You may contact me by email at szhang@sas.edu.sg or you can call me at 6360-6026.

Thank you in advance for your support.

Launching Reading, Writing and Word Study

By Jodi Bonette IS Literary Coach

H

ow does a school the size of SAS strive toward clarity, consistency and coherence within classrooms and across grade levels? A short answer is through a lot of coordination, a lot of planning, and of course, a lot of commitment.

I am not sure where I heard it before, but it is a phrase that seems fitting in pretty much every aspect in life, “Nothing is as simple as it seems.” When working with 13 classrooms at a single grade level and 39 classrooms division-wide, there is nothing easy or quick about creating clarity, consistency and coherence, but it is definitely worth the effort.

Last year, the RLA curriculum committee undertook the arduous task of revising its curriculum. After a year and a half of conversations with a committee of nine faculty members, drafting and fine-tuning, we created the clearly articulated, user friendly curriculum that can be found on the SAS website. Our next step was to draft units of study for each grade in the areas of reading, writing and word study. The purpose of these units was to outline the key understandings, skills and knowledge for student learning.

The expectation from the curriculum office was that we would begin that work in the second semester of 20092010, and we would continue that work in this school year.

However, knowing that it would be best for teachers and students to have everything in place at the beginning of the year, we dedicated ourselves to drafting all of the units of study. In the end we completed almost all of them, and we concluded the year with 44 units of study on the last day of school. That alone was quite an accomplishment and one of which we are proud.

study units. Together, teachers carefully studied each unit, discussed the key understandings for students, and collaborated to plan the intended learning for each unit.

The enthusiasm and the collegiality were palatable. I can definitely see a common theme in classrooms as well as the confidence with which teachers are delivering the units.

The feedback from the teachers has also been overwhelmingly positive. Comments such as the following have been echoed over and over again:

• After many years of teaching, I have never planned so well.

• I’m grateful for the time to actually plan lessons with my team.

• It is the first time, since being at SAS, that I actually felt •

like I am on the same page as all other grade 4 teachers.

This is the most useful in-service I’ve ever attended at SAS. I left there feeling inspired to get into the classroom and start the units.

New teachers have added:

• I am clear as to what is expected and where I am going with each unit.

• I have lesson plans which are in line with SASexperienced colleagues.

• I love collaborating and having a group to work with and support me throughout the year.

On returning to school for the 2010-2011 year, we had still more work to finish. The week before Open House, the RLA committee members continued to meet to finalize the last few units and to put the final touches on the planning guides. On August 25, 26, and 27, all grade level teachers participated in in-service sessions to plan the implementation of the new reading, writing and word

To continue this wonderful work in the Intermediate School, teachers participate in after-school sessions two Mondays a month. These sessions are literacy specific, with the focus on planning, sharing and looking at student work. Through these efforts, we anticipate significant levels of clarity, consistency and coherence in all classrooms.

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From the Admissions Office As we head toward the end of the first semester of the 2010-2011 academic year, there will be SAS families who discover that they will not be returning to SAS for the second semester, perhaps due to relocation or another reason. If your child will not be returning to SAS for the semester that begins on January 10, 2011, please notify the Admissions Office of your intention to withdraw from school by November 1, 2010. You may either complete the online withdrawal form at www.sas.edu.sg/admissions/online_withdrawal.html or you may contact Mr. Farouk Maricar, Senior Admission Specialist, at farouk@sas.edu.sg or 6360-6308.

High School Learning Support

By Frank Olah HS Special Services

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fter three years of planning and implementation, the Learning Support department (formally known as Guided Learning) has been transformed into an academic department that supports many different students who need academic support regardless of their intellectual gifts. The department, under the leadership of Karen Olah, has redefined its mission from helping the few identified special education students to supporting high school students who have academic setbacks.

The Learning Support department has five fully certified teachers, all trained in the United States. Its mission is to support high school students at the Singapore American School who have met with academic setbacks, ensuring that each student receives the full rigor of the high school curriculum with individualized academic support.

A student support meeting (SSM) brings high school counselors, the school psychologist, administrators and the Learning Support department together weekly to discuss students who are experiencing academic issues.

The counselors, parents or students may request academic support through the counseling office. After a review by SSM members, students may be placed into one of three types of support.

semesters to a few years.

“Our last level is based on Dr. Devens’ testing of a student or the testing that a student brings from his/her home school,” Olah explained. These are the more traditional special needs students who have defined learning issues that need specific sets of accommodations and co-taught classes. “Each student has an Individualized Educational Support Plan or an IESP. The student and parents may make adjustments before it is approved.” The plan is then sent to the student’s teachers.

“This plan is implemented by each of the student’s teachers and a quarterly report is written by the student’s support teacher. These reports will become part of the student’s educational file.” A positive impact of these IESPs is that these files are required for students requesting adjustments to the SAT and ACT test-taking process.

“Every one of us has our strengths and weaknesses; we all need assistance and support at some point and when it’s a need for academic support, the SAS Learning Support team will be there,” concluded Olah.

Olah explained, “The three levels of support range from periodic support to full academic support for students whose testing reveals learning issues that are best handled by trained Learning Support teachers.”

“We have been very successful in working with students in the past three years,” she reported. “Our students fully participate in all aspects of the high school and have been accepted to U.S. universities.”

The first level of support allows students to use the support services for a marking period or a semester by focusing on improving a student’s organizational and follow-through skills in academic work. This active support assists students in pulling themselves out of their academic issues by giving them the tools to go back into the classroom with academic behaviors that can lead to academic success.

The second level of support focuses on specific in-depth subject area support and may last anywhere from two 8

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L to r: Karen Olah, Department Chair, Frank Olah, Kate Febianowicz, Sara Heerens, Michael Petrosino

Class of 2010: University Bound

By Dale Ford HS Counselor

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he SAS Class of 2010 has left high school and— except for those completing Singapore National Service or heading to Australia, Japan or Korea in early 2011—most have started their university studies.

Beginning university is just one more step in a process that began as far back as kindergarten. While high school teachers and counselors were the ones who wrote hundreds of recommendation letters, taught vocabulary that later showed up on the SAT, and gave students the knowledge and skills needed to earn high scores on AP exams, teachers all along the way contributed to student success. SAS graduates share their achievements with their parents and all of their teachers, and they have a lot of success to celebrate.

As seniors, the 277 members of the Class of 2010 submitted 1,450 applications to 404 colleges and universities in 13 countries. Applications to schools in Australia and Asian countries, which have a different application cycle, and the 21 National Servicemen, who often don’t apply until their final year of NS, will increase the number to around 1,600.

We expect that all of our graduates will be going to university.

The most popular universities for the Class of 2010 were New York University, which enrolled ten students, and Boston University, which enrolled nine. Other well-known institutions enrolling two or more members of the class include Stanford, UC-Berkeley, Duke, Yale, Northwestern, Columbia, Carnegie Mellon, U. Penn, and U. Southern California. Universities from outside the US include Oxford, University of Toronto, Waseda (Japan), University of Auckland and University of Melbourne. A full list can be found on the counseling section of the high school website.

HS Counseling

The goal of the HS counselors is to help students identify colleges and universities that are good matches. Each student has a different set of needs; some students seek financial aid, others want to study outside the United States, and still others seek specialized programs. The counselors work with students to match their interests, needs and abilities with colleges where they will thrive.

While counselors do not get a student in—the student’s own record does—they maximize students’ chances of admission. It is no secret that colleges want students who demonstrate academic success, contribute to their community, and bring something special to their campuses.

Counselors advise students about how to highlight their accomplishments and they emphasize these attributes in their recommendations.

Three counselors work exclusively with students in grades 9 and 10. By assisting the younger students in successfully transitioning to high school, advising them to develop appropriately rigorous courses of study, and encouraging

them to pursue non-academic interests, the chances of successful college admission are enhanced. In their final two years of high school, students are teamed with one of five counselors and focus more on college admission. Each counselor has approximately 55 to 60 juniors and a similar number of seniors, which ensures that the service is personalized.

What Others Say

The HS counselors are pleased that the work they put into assisting students in choosing and applying to university paid off this year, and that both the graduates and their parents were satisfied with the SAS counseling services they received.

An anonymous survey completed in May by parents of the Class of 2010 rated the SAS counseling program extremely high. On a five point scale, with 1 being poor and 5 being excellent, parents felt their counselor: held productive meetings with the family (4.4); was knowledgeable about college admission (4.5); was able to suggest colleges (4.3); offered realistic advice about acceptance chances (4.5); and offered assistance with application questions (4.4).

When asked to comment on the level of focus on college admission at SAS, 84 percent of the parents indicated that it was “at about the right pace.” Three percent felt it should be emphasized less while 15 percent felt it should be emphasized more.

SAS is fortunate to have an experienced team of high school counselors to help students and their parents navigate the process of selecting and applying to university.

Our college counselors have made professional visits to over 350 universities; they also attend and present at international college admission conferences, serve as leaders in international counseling organizations, and host more than 200 admissions representatives annually at SAS. These activities foster strong and cordial personal relationships with the admissions officers who read our students’ applications. One Ivy League admission officer calls SAS counselors the “dream team of international school counselors.”

While perhaps the dream team comment is a bit of hyperbole, as the Class of 2011 begins the application process parents can be assured that the counselors will continue to inspire students’ passion for learning, encourage emotional and intellectual vitality, and empower them with the confidence and courage to contribute to the global community and to achieve their dreams.

Extensive information about the high school counseling program, college admission, and details about SAS graduates’ college choices is available on the high school counseling website.

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Chief Advancement Officer Appointed Dr. Brent Mutsch, Superintendent of Singapore American School, is pleased to announce the appointment of Michael Kingan as Chief Advancement Officer at SAS. Mr. Kingan will relocate to Singapore to assume his professional responsibilities in mid-October. He will be joined by his wife, Maribeth, and their children, Will (10th) and Madeleine (6th), during the winter break.

Mr. Kingan joins SAS from the University of New Mexico, where he most recently served as Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer for the University of New Mexico Foundation.

Previous professional assignments have included Associate Vice President for Development and Vice President for Advancement (University of New Mexico), Senior Director of Development (University of Iowa Foundation), Assistant Dean, Development and Community Relations (University of Washington School of Law) and Major Gifts Officer (University of Michigan Law School). Mr. Kingan received his undergraduate degree in political science at Austin College and a graduate degree in public administration from the University of Texas.

Mr. Kingan is looking forward to providing dynamic leadership to advancement, alumni/community relations, communications and marketing in the months and years ahead. The emphasis of the work of the advancement office will be to enable SAS to continue to deliver an exemplary American educational experience with an international perspective to each student.

The Tough Stuff of Confrontation

By Jeff Devens, Ph.D. HS Psychologist

O

ur world is rife with conflict. Conflicts occur between nations, people groups and individuals. One of the definitions Webster’s uses to describe conflict is mental struggles resulting from incompatible or opposing needs, drives, wishes, or external or internal demands. I suspect that this definition incorporates much of the conflict that takes place in homes, particularly between parents and children. In this regard, one of the most important skills for young people to learn is how to handle conflict.

It’s important for kids to understand that conflict will be with them throughout their lives. Our goal should be to equip our children with the necessary tools to deal with conflict. Parents then are the templates by which children learn how to deal with conflict.

It’s important to draw a distinction between confronting and affronting parents. Affronting parents tend to be caustic, critical and cutting. Their primary goal is submission, which usually comes about by the use of denigrating remarks. In stark contrast, confronting parents lovingly speak the truth regarding something that needs attention.

The goal is to define the issue of concern and develop a plan of action to address it, maintaining the dignity of the child.

Below are some suggesting for dealing with confrontation with your child: Speak to the issue at hand without resorting to exaggeration.

When confronting a child do not dig up the past. Having said this, many times the issue you will be addressing will be based on the cumulative effect of past not-sogood choices. If you do need to speak of past choices, do so without resorting to exaggerated statements, such as “always,” “never” or “all the time.” While it may be true that your child “always,” “never” or “all the time” does or does not do certain things, stick with the specifics.

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Avoid escalating the situation by being overly emotional.

Mature adults tend to filter confrontation through their values, beliefs, experiences and emotions. Children primarily use the filter of emotion when confronted, which often determines their level of receptivity. If your emotions take precedence over the issue at hand, your child will seize this opportunity to shift the focus of the discussion from them to you (i.e., “You are being mean” or “Why do you always yell”). Simply put, it’s not about your feelings; it’s about their choices. Because kids are emotional thinkers, they respond emotionally to confrontation. That’s why it is vitally important that you validate their feelings. To say, “I am sorry you’re upset” or “I understand how this is frustrating for you” does not imply you are agreeing with them. Rather, you are allowing them to express healthy emotions, all the while keeping the focus on them.

Don’t confront publically. When we confront publically we may receive compliance, but most often this is due to two factors: shame and humiliation. Confrontation isn’t about a public display of parental power but rather a time when mom or dad speaks one-to-one with a child regarding an issue.

The overall goal is not submission but rather age appropriate ownership for choices the child makes.

Put a plan of action in place that will promote change.

Sometimes the conflict itself will result in change. At other times, a series of follow up steps or consequences to address the conflict may be needed. In either case, parents should willingly take the lead in promoting a resolution to the conflict. When an impasse is at hand, a cooling off period may be necessary before putting a plan of action in place.

How fortunate are kids with parents who are willing to lovingly confront and help them to become responsible young men and women who take ownership of their choices and lives.

Reading, ‘Riting and Relevance

By Nancy J. Johnson Grade 8 RLA Teacher

T

here’s something exhilarating about becoming a member of a popular club. Kids as well as adults know the power—and the ego boost—that accompanies acceptance of membership. This year middle school reading language arts (RLA) is committed to making language arts a popular inclusive club where all students become members and are invited to become active, participatory, engaged readers and writers. It is a club in which language arts feels relevant to kids’ needs and interests, and where they experience language arts, using reading, writing, listening, speaking and viewing to create and reveal meaning in their lives as middle schoolers.

How are we doing this? It begins with philosophy and is supported with pedagogy. This year, grades 6-8 have a new schedule that offers daily RLA in 80+ minute blocks.

During this time students engage in the rigor and reward of reading and writing workshops that are focused on process and supported by lessons designed to teach the skills and strategies necessary to become confident, competent language users. The learning centers around units of study in genres that include personal narrative, poetry, fiction and nonfiction, and essay.

Threaded through each unit of study are offerings of choice and ownership. Students will tap into and expand on their reading taste, they will explore the challenges and joys inherent in choosing writing topics, and they will experience the hard work and pleasure associated with going public with their work. This commitment to time, choice and ownership honors what we know about learning anything, especially learning to read and write. When it’s personally relevant, it is easier to endure the hard parts. It is not work to dedicate hours to the task, and it is simply more motivating.

Relevance drives motivation, especially for middle schoolers. For example, recently the third book in Suzanne Collins’ popular Hunger Games trilogy, Mockingjay, was published and created somewhat of a reading frenzy at SAS. Not only is every book in the series checked out from the SAS libraries, but the new and improved classroom libraries in grades 6, 7 and 8 can’t keep these books on the

shelves. Nor can Borders or Kinokuniya bookstores. Middle schoolers are sneak reading throughout the day, they’ve created waiting lists, and the lucky few who’ve read all three books are doing their best not to divulge the ending to Mockingjay. The popularity of a book series that results in kids begging for time to read is every teacher’s (and parent’s) dream.

What does this mean for RLA? It makes us mindful to seek ways to make reading and writing relevant and engaging, to honor and expand on kids’ interests, and to make RLA the kind of club where membership is valuable. Stay tuned in upcoming issues of NewsFlash for middle school experiences in the new RLA program.

Trading Post on the SAS website The Trading Post is a non-commercial classified ad service for SAS parents, students and teachers. The Trading Post will be posted on the SAS website on the second Friday of each month. Notice of the posting and a link will be included in our weekly school-wide email newsletter, What’s Happening. To find the Trading Post, go to School Publications on the main menu of the SAS website. Please send submissions to trade@sas.edu.sg. If you have any questions or would like more information, email communications@sas.edu.sg.

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First Year Excitement

By Tamara Black Associate Director of Communications

… my husband and I are very excited about the fact that our son Oscar will be starting his first year of school at SAS next year. – Erin Tewsley … of the people! – Grant Walker … of the amazing team of people I get to work with.

– Gretchen Clow … this is a great school and there are incredibly professional people to work with. Students are ready and willing to learn. – James Shin-Gay

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AS welcomed 45 new faculty members to our school community for the 2010-2011 school year.

While the reason for joining SAS may be unique to each person, the group does share a passion for education and the desire to facilitate their students’ learning through an international perspective.

Hoping to capture the spirit of this group of talented educators, and to help tell their stories about why they chose SAS as a place to continue their careers, we asked them to complete the sentence, “I am excited to be at SAS because…” Interestingly, the main reason given across the board was the same; they are excited to be at SAS because of the amazing people that make up the school community.

We then asked the group to share their number two reasons, and we got the following (often humorous) replies.

I’m excited to be at SAS because…

... I can have a footlong BMT on honey oat for lunch without going off campus and I can be a nerd with my iPhone and not be the nerdiest one around! – Jay Atwood … Mr. Hoe’s doughnuts! – Jonaca Blaize … I get to travel around the world with my husband and dog doing what we love–teaching! And to expand our teaching skills with individuals that have taught all over the world. – Katie Fabianowicz …lifelong learners are encouraged and supported along their unique journeys. – Laura Arleth … coming from Shanghai American School (SAS North), I moved here with a trunk full of shirts with SAS logos. I am so excited to be able to seamlessly work my old wardrobe into my new location. – Mark Kolinski … there is a racetrack only 5 minutes away! – Mark Lewis

… it’s great to be in an environment where the kids are always talking about where they were last or where they’d like to go next. – Andrew Tewsley

… as a returnee I already know that I will have great students, enthusiastic and committed colleagues, a supportive administration, and involved parents.

– Meredith Racicot White

…there are savvy student readers who are enthusiastic about making books part of their lives. – Brian Arleth

… I get to work with such a dynamic and dedicated group of colleagues. – Mike Pelletier

… as a lover of foods, I can try every kind of food imaginable and still stay in one city. – Carole Moore

… middle schoolers are at the perfect place to read and write with passion, emotion, and voice. And I have the luxury and the privilege of learning with and from them as they discover this power. – Nancy Johnson

… I have the opportunity to teach my favorite subject (U.S. history/current events) and to become intimately involved in service learning projects, both as a mentor and as a participant. – Chris Strance … I found that stone Buddha I have always wanted at Anne Lockett’s. – Cindy Dodge-Hobson … I have been very welcomed by the community and I love everything from the facilities and resources to living in Singapore. – Danielle Carrier … even after only two weeks I can see the potential in the eagerness and great character of the students here and all the variety in the great cafeterias. – Ellen Levenhagen 12

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… acronym mania! PIE, SAS, ECT, etc. – Scott Townley … I get to work with great professional people.

– Susan Walker … the view from my HS classroom stretches from the Riady Center to the rugby field—a daily reminder of the breadth and depth of the community here. And it’s an incredible place to watch the thunder-monsoon storms roll by! – Terry Leipold

Accolades for HS Research Paper

By Rick Bisset HS Teacher

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ast year, NewsFlash recognized HS student Wei Li when her history essay, “Convivencia in Medieval Spain,” was published in the Fall 2009 issue of The Concord Review.

The essay was on the ethnic and religious way of life in medieval Spain. Just last month, Wei learned that her essay had been awarded the Ralph Waldo Emerson Prize.

This recognition is bestowed on the five best history essays published in The Concord Review from the previous year.

Over the past 18 years, the purpose of The Concord Review has been to find exemplary academic work by high school history students and to distribute it as widely as possible to teachers and other students. According to Will Fitzhugh, the editor of the journal, “We publish about seven percent of the essays we receive.” Copies of prize-winning essays are available online at www.tcr.org.

Below are excerpts from the letter Wei wrote to Fitzhugh: In writing my paper, I have learned so much more about myself—my interests, capabilities and passions. I have enjoyed every minute of the months I spent researching. And the long process of drafting, editing and revising allowed me to discover that I was truly capable of producing an extended piece of work of high quality.

My experiences with The Concord Review inspired me to continue writing academic history papers. Last year, I wrote a research paper on China’s One Child Policy and I am looking forward to writing another one of equal caliber for AP Art History. Most importantly, working on Convivencia made me realize that my interest in history is a true passion — something I want to pursue for the rest of my life.

Thank you for allowing me to find my passion in life and for believing that all high school students can rise to the challenge you have set for us.

SAS Advanced Placement 2010

By Mark Devine HS Teacher, TEC

Top Five Reasons Why Students Submit to AP Classes and Exam Pressure

The College Board Recognized 285 SAS Students

• Students compete with their peers for

• 81 students received the AP Scholar Award.

college acceptance.

• Students want to take the same courses as their friends.

• Parents make the decision for them.

• The rigor and the additional GPA weight of 0.5.

• Students have a passion for a particular content area.

Results • 1,338 exams were taken, an average of 2.3 per student.

• The average score was 4.23.

• 93.5% of the students received a 3, 4 or 5.

• 70 students received the AP Scholar with Honor Award.

• 134 students received the AP Scholar with Distinction Award.

Record Breaking Highlights • Largest ever: 130 AP English language exams all in one room. Best results in the last 20 years: 98.5% received a 3, 4 or 5. AMAZING!

• The overall AP average of 4.23 is the highest level ever achieved at SAS.

• SAS students submitted the most AP Art Portfolios

(63), while attaining the topmost GPA for Studio Art Drawing, 2D and 3D.

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From the SAS PTA

By Mae Anderson PTA President

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hope you and your family have enjoyed settling into the new school year. By now, I’ve had the opportunity to welcome a good number of new families to SAS and have enjoyed meeting many of you at PTA Newcomer Coffees and at the Welcome Back Coffee and General Meeting. Many of us also attended divisional Back-toSchool Nights and enjoyed meeting teachers as well as gaining insight into our children’s classroom environments and routines.

The PTA’s annual Pumpkin Sale begins at 9:00am on Saturday, October 23. Pumpkins of all sizes, gourds, and decorative corn will be available for purchase at great prices.

Proceeds from this event support the High School service clubs and are dispersed among the charities that the clubs support. The Pumpkin Patch and Pumpkin Sales are not possible without the generous sponsorship of APL. APL purchases pumpkins from the northwestern region of the USA and ships them to SAS. We once again thank APL for their sustained and kind support over the years.

Participation in the monthly Division Coffees is one way to help advance the home-school partnership. News pertinent to each division is shared and parents have opportunities to engage division administrators and faculty in issues of interest. Parents are also able to raise questions and participate in discussions by grade level. Representatives from the PTA attend these coffees to meet parents and provide information about upcoming PTA events. Please do not hesitate to contact your Division Representative whenever you need assistance.

PTA Division Representatives High School

Kim Hamby casahamby@gmail.com Middle School Garima Lalwani garima.lalwani@gmail.com Intermediate School Jo McNaughton jo_mcnaughton@yahoo.com Primary School Tracie Cohen tracieandjason@aol.com Early Childhood Center Tanuja Kumar tanuja.gkumar@gmail.com

Pumpkin Patch and Pumpkin Sales

The PTA sponsors a number of seasonal events at SAS. Families in the ECC and PS divisions should mark their calendars for the October 21 and 22 Pumpkin Patch. Each ECC and PS class will visit the kindergarten group room, which will be transformed into a charming pumpkin patch complete with bales of hay and a multitude of pumpkins, corn and gourds. The children will enjoy a story and receive a treat with the compliments of the PTA. Best of all, the children will get to pick out their own mini pumpkin or gourd.

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International Food Fest

On Saturday, October 30, join us at the PTA’s International Food Fest in the Middle and High School gymnasiums.

Tickets are available on the day of the event, which will be held from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. Enjoy a feast of ethnic cuisines and make sure to stop in at the High School Library to view the tantalizing theme baskets put together with donations from PS and IS students. Purchase a raffle ticket and stand to win one of these baskets of treats. Also at Food Fest is the Holiday Vendor Fair in the High School Foyer, which offers a good opportunity to catch up on holiday shopping while supporting many small business owners from the SAS community.

October is a busy month for the PTA, and we look forward to seeing you at these events. If you would like to help out at these or any other upcoming events, we welcome your support. Please contact us at pta@sas.edu.sg.

This school year has gotten off to a terrific start, and the PTA looks forward to working with you to help shape a positive school experience for all of our children.

Mark your calendars NOW for this popular event...with an inventory of OVER 10,000 BOOKS, there’s something for everyone ages 0-99!

DO YOU HAVE A FEW HOURS TO HELP?

Late October/Early November...volunteers are needed to help inventory & sort books During the Book Fair...volunteers are needed to organize books & cashier

...Discover the Riches of Reading

OPEN TO ALL STUDENTS IN GRADES K-5

For more information or a copy of the Bookmark Contest entry form, go to www.sas.edu.sg/pta and click on PTA Events - Book Fair

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SAS PTA FOOD FEST

Saturday, Oct. 30th, 2010, 11am to 3pm Middle School & High School Gyms

DELICIOUS! BOTACHAR! OISHII! SARAP! KEKOU! ENAK! MATITSEOYO! Whatever your language, you’ll LOVE Food Fest where you’ll find: Exquisite AROMAS and TASTES from around the world!

Exciting THEME BASKET RAFFLE with something for everyone!

Enticing VENDOR FAIR to start your holiday shopping!

VOLUNTEERS ARE WELCOME & NEEDED! Please consider joining us as a volunteer at Food Fest. To volunteer and to find out more about the event, please contact Food Fest Chair: Sue Lieberman, kslieber@aol.com

THE THEME BASKET RAFFLE While enjoying your food from our international Country Booths, buy your raffle tickets for only $1 each to try and win a fabulous theme basket. Look out for these great baskets: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

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Preschool/Boys: Animal Safari (any animal toys) Preschool/Girls: Chocolate Pre-K/Boys: Lots O’Legos Pre-K/Girls: Mexican Fiesta Kindergarten/Boys: All Boy (Superhero/Action Figures) Kindergarten/Girls: Coffee & Tea 1st Grade/Boys: Crayola 1st Grade/Girls: Spa 2nd Grade/Boys: Flicks ‘N Chips (anything for a family movie night) 2nd Grade/Girls: Beach Club 3rd Grade/Boys: Sports 3rd Grade/Girls: Aroma Therapy & Candles 4th Grade/Boys: Go Organic 4th Grade/Girls: Accessorize It (makeup, hair, belts, nail polish) 5th Grade/Boys: Mad Science 5th Grade/Girls: Music / iPod

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without the ‘fenced-in’ feeling.” The bars, for example, had to be horizontal to avoid looking like a prison.

A Welcoming Entrance

By Jamie Rose Alarcon Facilities Engineer

Build bridges, not walls.

But what about fences?

The new security fence at the SAS main entrance is defying convention and bringing smiles to people’s faces every morning. Instead of shutting people out, the fence welcomes people in. Literally.

Capturing the beauty of diversity and the spirit of the international

community, the fence features the word “Welcome” in eight languages —English, Korean, Hindi, Tagalog, Bahasa, Japanese, Chinese and Afrikaans—recognizing the countries that are most represented at SAS. The aluminum letters, covered in clear acrylic, seem to float just above the black iron bars separating the walkway from the driveway.

Anthony Wong, Facilities and Services Director, said that while the fence was necessary for security, it was also an opportunity to create a friendly first impression. “We tried to make it more open,” he explained. “It’s a fence but

On the other side of the fence, the walkway can also be converted into an art gallery and student showcase.

Holes in the black bars make it easy for students to hang artwork, event posters, or seasonal decorations like palm fronds for Hari Raya Puasa on September 10. The fence marries form and function, keeping pedestrians off the road and funneling them through to the guardhouse. In the future, turnstiles will be installed so that people can check in with SASCards.

An intercom system and two additional road blockers were also installed over the summer. In the event of a high threat level, SAS will be able to implement the use of an interlocking or “airlock” system. A vehicle’s driver and passengers would be required to clear the first point of entry. The vehicle itself must pass a thorough inspection at the second point.

SAS worked with CLLA Architects and security consultants to bring these welcoming upgrades to reality.

Freedom from Chemical Dependency

By Lauren Merbach HS Deputy Principal

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our health educators from FCD Educational Services spent the week of September 13-17 working with MS and HS students.

Diana Wilson and Rob Wharton worked with grade 7 students, while Jerome Posey and Shannon McMullen met with sophomores and seniors.

FCD, which stands for Freedom from Chemical Dependency, is a nonprofit substance abuse prevention organization that works hand-in-hand with schools to provide students with the knowledge and skills they need to make healthy choices about alcohol and drug use.

Finding moralizing and threatening messages to be ineffective, these educators approach prevention from a health perspective by providing information and an open climate for

discussion. Extremely knowledgeable, friendly, funny, and approachable, the FCD educators speak from their hearts—and from their own experiences. Each of them has at some point in his or her life been addicted to alcohol or other drugs and is now in long-term recovery. This unique “been there” perspective lends authenticity to their message and provides students with important information about the progression of addiction.

by a single assembly, course, or meeting. They believe it to be a collaborative process involving faculty, administrators, students, parents, and board members, which results in a school climate that favors healthy decision-making. The educators’ visit was a positive part of that process, and discussions are underway about ways the school can continue to support substance abuse education.

All seventh and tenth graders participated in the FCD 4-day course.

Despite giving up their free periods, most students felt the time was well spent. Our seniors met one time with counselors to discuss challenges in their last year in high school and what they might face next year at university.

• What does the FCD’s message

Some discussion topics for home: “delay, delay, delay” mean?

• What can a student do if she or he is worried about a friend using substances?

• What are some natural highs that your family enjoys?

FCD feels that an effective substance abuse program comes about not SINGAPORE AMERICAN SCHOOL

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Top 10 + 1 Laptop Tips

By Ed Gilbreath Director of IT

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laptop or tablet computer is a key item in a professional person’s toolbox. For students, the laptop should be a key to learning. Below are some tips to consider in the use of a laptop.

1. Protect your laptop and online accounts with strong passwords. The name of your pet, current boyfriend or girlfriend, or any other familiar word is not a good choice. Create a phrase or acronym that is meaningful to you. For example, the phrase I moved to Singapore in June of 2005! could become the password ImtSiJo2005.

2. Your laptop will fail at the worst possible time.

Perhaps you have completed a paper that will make up 50% of your grade for the year. When you click submit to send it to your teacher, you see a blue spark and your laptop dies. The important point here is to always back up your data to a CD or another drive.

3. Small flash drives (aka thumb drives) are everywhere. While they are wonderful for quick file transfers between computers, please consider them only as temporary storage and not as your backup media of choice.

4. Thumb drives are wonderful for transferring files between computers, and this includes viruses and malware. Invest in antivirus software from a reputable company and update it regularly.

5. Peer to peer (P2P) products like BitTorrent are often used to illegally share content. Sites that promote illegal sharing of content often include unwanted payloads during the file sharing process and open your computer to viruses and keystroke loggers. Keystroke loggers can identify important account information, including your login and password. Once indentified, that information may be sent to another location and used for criminal activities.

6. Free WiFi is rarely free. Industry watchdogs have reported cases of hackers using their laptops to create hotspots (sometimes referred to as honeypots) in public places. Once you access a honeypot, the hacker has free access to everything on your computer. Only use secure hotspots. If you are unsure about the authenticity of a hotspot, don’t access it.

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7. While recent reports of laptops overheating and starting fires have not been substantiated at the time of this writing, it is a good idea to use your laptop only on hard surfaces. The hard surface allows better air flow around the laptop, which improves cooling and prolongs equipment life.

8. Unplug all accessories before storing your laptop in a bag for traveling. The plugs and sockets are not designed for connections during travel.

9. Shut down your laptop completely before storing it.

Sleep mode is not perfect and a laptop may awaken in a bag. The minimum effect will be a drained battery, and the heat generated in an enclosed space will reduce the life of your laptop.

10. Adjust the power levels of your laptop in order to extend battery life. Screen brightness should be as low as possible.

11. Laptops encourage poor posture habits. Consider investing in an external keyboard and mouse for home use and arrange your study area to allow you to sit in a proper position. Proper positioning improves productivity and reduces fatigue.

Here We Go. BYO!

By Jay Atwood HS Tech Coordinator

1,500

That was the number of laptops, tablets and wireless devices that our 1,150 high school students used to successfully log on to the SAS network by the end of the first week of school. Laptops, tablets, iPhones, BlackBerry devices, and even a few iPads are suddenly everywhere. We have made a huge leap as our Engaged Learning initiative comes to life; all students in grades 9-12 are now required to bring their personal laptops to school each day.

With the entire campus covered by a secure wireless network, these devices provide learning opportunities that used to be impossible. History students collaborate by using GoogleDocs to organize and analyze information, students chat in French and Spanish on Skype, biology students discuss online videos, and others review digital

teacher comments on their paperless essays written at Turnitin.com.

Unlike at many other laptop schools, SAS students may choose their own laptops and operating systems. This has many benefits but also poses a few challenges. The students have nearly equal numbers of Macs and PCs, which increases the demands

on the Technology Help Center.

Teachers must decide the best way to accomplish their goals in this mixed platform environment; some software runs only on Windows, some is crossplatform, and increasing numbers are web-based or in the cloud. However, having a choice increases the sense of ownership and helps develop responsible digital citizens.

SASCard Technology

By William Scarborough Director of Finance and Business Operations

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AS is implementing a chip-based Identification Card (ID) to replace its older single-purpose card. The technology chosen for the SASCard is the new standard in Singapore called CEPAS, or Contactless e-Purse Application. By using the national standard, SAS can offer added utility and convenience to students, faculty, staff and the wider community.

Already, Middle and High School students use their cards instead of cash to purchase meals and snacks.

This same system also integrates the CCTV system used for security along with the vehicle access control system used at the campus entrance. This capability is being extended to provide door-locking and access in critical areas, eliminating the use of keys.

If you have a student in High School or Middle School, you may wish to

take advantage of the current cafeteria account by topping up your child’s card. This will help ensure the money you provide for your child’s lunches is used to purchase food on campus.

If your child loses his or her SASCard these cafeteria funds remain safe and cannot be used off campus.

The card has two purses or accounts.

The cafeteria account may be used only on campus while the Nets FlashPay portion may be used only off campus.

The Nets FlashPay portion of the SASCard is not accepted on campus, and these funds are unrecoverable if the card is lost.

For more information and a schedule of SASCard release dates, visit the SASCard website at http://www.sas.edu.sg/SASCard or contact sascard@sas.edu.sg.

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A Hand Up

By Peter Cuthbert MS Teacher

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uring my first Tabitha house building trip four years ago, I worked shoulder-to-shoulder with a man who had saved for three years to contribute his family’s share to upgrade their rustic dwelling to a Tabitha house. Before our vans pulled out of the village at the end of an exhausting yet rewarding day, I watched him take his family up the stairs into their new home. The pride that emanated from his face was palpable. I saw his whole family embrace him at the top of those stairs. It was a feeling and an image I will remember for all my days and that captures why house-building with Tabitha will always be so very important to me.

Each May, two groups of dedicated grade 8 students travel to Phnom Penn and make a difference in the lives of local Cambodians. Through their commitment to this trip, students are able to complete their social studies service requirement as well as learn 20

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about the history of Cambodia, sustainable development, hard work, and themselves. In working with Tabitha, students offer a hand up instead of a handout.

Tabitha is an non-governmental organization (NGO) that has been October 2010

assisting people in Cambodia since 1994. It encourages and aids Cambodians in becoming selfsufficient through savings programs, cottage industries and the provision of wells, pigs and improved housing. One of its most successful initiatives is house-building, where the residents

raise funds for construction materials and volunteers work with them to build their new homes.

Upon arrival, group participants are greeted by Tabitha representatives before going to the headquarters where Janne Ritskes, Tabitha founder, briefs them on local village customs, safety, expectations, and her real-life experiences during the Khmer Rouge conflict. Students enjoy Cambodian cuisine at local restaurants, including Friends Restaurant, which trains street children to become waiters, chefs and managers. The learning continues when they visit Tuol Sleng, a school turned into a prison during the genocide in the 1970s, and the Killing Fields at Choeung Ek. The highlight of the visit is the trip into the villages to finish the construction of ten houses. Students, teachers and parents work in the blazing heat to nail down bamboo flooring, saw timber frames, and hammer tin siding. During lunch and water breaks, SAS students play games with the local children, bringing smiles and laughter to the entire village with their hilarious antics. When the houses are complete, Tabitha and SAS hold a brief ceremony in which each new homeowner receives a Tabitha-made quilt. The families move into their new houses that very night.

Students in grade 8 who are interested in more information about the Tabitha trips should see Mr. Peter Cuthbert, Mr. David Hevey, Mr. Kurt Johnson, or Mr. Dan Chassagne. For information about the Tabitha Foundation, visit www.tabithasingapore.com.

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Booster Club Booster Club Booster Club

Booster Club Booster Club From the President For those of you who were unable to attend the Booster Welcome Back Coffee or HS orientation or those who do not have children in the High School, I would like to take this opportunity to explain the role of the Boosters. PTA membership is automatic for all SAS parents, while Booster members are parents with high school students. This does not mean that our events are only open to HS parents; it just means our focus of support is on HS activities, while PTA activities encompass the entire school. All the funds we raise go toward supporting HS athletic, academic, and visual and performing arts endeavors.

The most visible Booster activity is the Booster Booth where we sell school uniforms, school supplies and design items. I know it is frustrating to new parents who would like to volunteer to work in the Booth and find that the spots were filled prior to the start of the school year. Please do not give up hope, as new parents may sign up on the sub list and probably get a regular spot next school year. We do have many other opportunities to volunteer, including the design committee. All of the school spirit and gift items in the booth are sourced by a committee, which is always looking for new ideas and members. If there is something that was popular at your former school and you think we should try it here in Singapore, please contact us. Sometimes logistically things do not work here due to large minimum quantities that would be required to order or the costs for the product and shipping, but we are open to new ideas and suggestions.

Another way we sell merchandise is at events such as Homecoming, Football Opening Ceremonies, PTA Food Fest, PTA County Fair, IASAS, swim meets and many more. We are always looking for volunteers to work a shift during these events.

I have only highlighted a few of the many ways to be involved with the Boosters. Please check out our webpage at http://booster.sas.edu.sg for more information or contact any of the board members if you wish to become involved in our organization.

Susan Fay, Booster President

Booster Club

The Booster Club thanks all of you who baked goodies and volunteered to help make the Booster Bake Sale a success. Because of your support, we are able to continue our support of our students. A special thanks to all the Korean moms who cooked those tasty dishes.

Does your HSchooler answer all your questions with a one word answer? Come to our monthly meeting and find out what is going on in the HS. All high school parents are members of the Booster Club and are welcome to attend.

Booster Club 22

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Booster Club

Booster Club

Booster Club Bake Sale Thank You

BOOSTER CLUB MONTHLY MEETING Tuesday, November 9 10:00 am, H301

Booster Club

Stop by the Booster Booth and check out the new SAS and Eagles apparel wear. The booth is stocked with t-shirts, sweatshirts, shorts and more for the whole family. The booth also carries gift and spirit items. Show your school spirit with an Eagles fan! Buy a coffee mug for a friend or colleague! And check back regularly, the design team will be stocking new items this year, including holiday items. Support the Booster Booth so we can support the high school students!

From the Khoo Teck Puat High School Library ByJohn Johnson HS Librarian

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ver the summer the high school library expanded both its fiction collection (now on level two) and non-fiction (now ALL of level one). Please visit, browse, and check out one of our many and diverse books. We are always eager to have parents as patrons. Just drop by, fill out a simple form and borrow a book instantly. And remember, a great way to learn more about the library and have easy access to your favorite titles is to become a library volunteer.

New Non-Fiction Arrivals You have to wonder who in their right mind would voluntarily fly on an airline with one of the world’s worst safety records, or ride on a commuter train on which passengers die on an alarmingly regular basis. The answer is obvious: for most of the world’s travelers, Carl Hoffman tells us, travel is no luxury. Hoffman, being an adventurous travel writer, thought it might be instructive to take a few months and travel the world the way most of its nontourist population does: on the least safe airlines, the most crowded buses, through some of the most inhospitable and dangerous places on the planet. The result is a thoroughly fascinating book, full of shocking stories and plenty of things to make your skin crawl (cockroaches, anyone?). This is one travel book whose audience is restricted to armchair travelers; let’s face it, would we really want to follow in the author’s footsteps? – Booklist

Ben Macintyre takes readers on an exciting World War II adventure as he details one of the most famous military intelligence operations of the 20th century. In July 1943 the semi-decomposed body of a man who seemed to be a British soldier was discovered floating off of southwestern Spain. When the body was examined by Spanish officials (Spain was neutral but sympathetic to Germany), they identified him as Royal Marine officer William Martin and passed on the information discovered in his belongings.

It was all a deception that included love letters from a fiancée, her photograph, stubs of London theater tickets, bank notices, and so on. More crucially, Major Martin was carrying sealed letters to senior military figures in North Africa. When these documents reached Berlin they induced a response from the German military that greatly enabled the Allied invasion of Sicily. Mcintyre turns this successful Allied endeavor into a rousing story, recounting also the life of the Welshman who died down on his luck and became the body of “William Martin.” – Library Journal

In 1986, photographer Lefevre was hired by Medecins sans Frontieres (MSF; Doctors Without Borders) to document a mission into northern Afghanistan. Along the way, he and the doctors, guides and interpreters with whom he traveled endured physical hardship and the fracas of war. In one memorable scene, the group must cross an open plateau where Russian planes fired on the previous MSF caravan. Photographs acting as panels emphasize the vast openness of the plateau, while drawings allow a glimpse of the small human gestures of the travelers. Arriving on the other side of the plateau, they reach a wooded area “where, two years ago, they buried the man who didn’t make it.”

Originally published in three volumes in France, the book has sold more than 250,000 copies there, and the reach of this magnificent work promises to extend far beyond the graphic novel community. – Publishers Weekly

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Grease: A Blast from the Past

By Kelly McFadzen IS Art Teacher

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rease is the word! The musical that has kept people singing since its Chicago debut in 1971 is about to hit the SAS stage. The lovable students from Rydell High will transfer to SAS October 27-29.

version of the movie was released over the summer. Greased Lightning, Look At Me, I’m Sandra Dee and Summer Nights are just some of the songs that will have you singing as you leave the theater and possibly, while you’re in it!

Created by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, Grease has been entertaining crowds around the world for almost 40 years. The Tony Award winning show and the hugely successful movie now have several generations of fans.

With an unforgettable soundtrack, it is not surprising that a sing-a-long

Well over a hundred students will be involved in this high-energy production. While the cast is busy in rehearsals, the pit band is practicing, the crew is setting the lights and the Make-up Club is hard at work. Don’t be surprised if you see a car parked in the art room; the Art Club is working

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on the sets. When the staff and students of the Usher Society welcome you into the theater, you will be treated to a performance you won’t soon forget.

Tickets are $10 and go on sale October 4 at the PTA and Booster Booth.

Matinees are Wednesday, October 27 and Friday, October 29 at 4:30pm, while the evening show on Thursday, October 28 starts at 7:00pm. Grab your chiffon scarves, grease up your hair and enjoy a true blast from the past where 50s Americana rules!

Breaking the Silence

By Madeline Jackson, Shreya Soota and Kendall Covington HS Students

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ast year, high school students were able to work with the Stairway Foundation on an Interim Semester trip to the Philippines. The Stairway Foundation is a non-profit organization that advocates for the rights of children and against child sexual abuse. Sexual abuse is an issue often shrouded in silence that allows children to remain hidden victims. The Stairway Foundation aims to not only break the silence, but to take a stand against child-sex tourism, child pornography and child prostitution.

Through partnership, capacity building, direct service, and creative advocacy the Stairway Foundation is able to address the issue of child abuse. Child sexual abuse is complicated and requires the help of more than one organization.

Therefore, Stairway ensures that partnerships are made with organizations to cover more regions and give more expertise to victims of such abuse.

The Stairway Foundation also addresses the issue of abuse through direct service to the community. Every year Stairway provides intervention services and short term residential treatment programs to a group of boys ages 13 to 17 who have previously been abused. Finally, capacity building and creative advocacy work hand in hand to bring awareness to today’s society. The foundation accomplishes this through various visual arts such as animations, music, drawings, dance and theater.

Free Performances

From October 18-23 the Stairway Foundation will be visiting SAS to spread awareness among our community.

The founders, Lars C. Jorgensen and Monica D. Ray, will be visiting the HS freshmen health classes, working in coordination with the health curriculum and teaching our students the severity of the issue of child sexual abuse.

The Stairway Foundation will also be performing their theater production entitled Cracked Mirrors, a drama consisting of three moving monologues and music numbers performed by three young actors who are part of Stairway’s TASK (Talented Ambitious Street Kids) and who have experienced the hardships of street life. It is an attempt at understanding the deep pain and suffering children go through as a result of sexual abuse. Through this play one meets Aira, a 13-year-old girl who is held captive in a brothel, and Jhonny, a young boy, who was befriended and abused by a pedophile and who struggles with society’s indifference to his plight. Free performances of Cracked Mirrors will be held on Wednesday, October 20 at 3:30pm and Thursday, October 21 at 3:30pm and 6:30pm in the drama theater. The SAS community is invited and encouraged to attend this unique performance. Parental discretion is encouraged. Your attendance and support of this NGO would be much appreciated.

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MS Athletics Benefits from ACSIS

By Chip Miller, MS Athletic Coordinator and Jamie McDougald, MS Assistant Athletic Coordinator

S

ingapore American School has historically been an athletic force in IASAS (Interscholastic Association of Southeast Asian Schools) competitions. High School sports teams often return from trips in the region with suitcases full of trophies and medals. As student athletes in the Middle School look ahead to High School, many aspire to be part of a varsity team and have the opportunity to enjoy such IASAS glory. However, with the newly formed Athletic Conference of Singapore International Schools (ACSIS), Middle School students need not wait nor leave Singapore to find quality competition.

In the past two years ACSIS has expanded its sports offerings to the 12U and 14U age groups. This provides the 20 memberschools an opportunity to access a broad and balanced athletic program within the Singapore international school community.

Prior to the inception of ACSIS, most schools simply organized friendly matches with no formal leagues or culminating tournaments. Thanks to the vision of coaches and educators from the ACSIS schools, our students now have the opportunity to compete in 14 different sports, multiple age classifications, and countless leagues.

The creation of ACSIS has had a recognizable impact on the SAS Middle School athletic program. More opportunities have been provided for student athletes to compete and they have embraced these opportunities as a chance to shine. Currently, the Middle School has 35 select teams and well over 400 students who are scheduled to compete in ACSIS-sanctioned activities during the 2010–2011 school year. Add this to the 20 intramural sports that are offered in the Middle School and it is quickly evident that students are keen to be active.

During the 2009–2010 school year, Middle School athletes enjoyed excellent competition and were obvious benefactors of the ACSIS mission to provide a quality athletic program as an integral part of the educational experience. SAS teams won a total of eight league championships, were runners-up six times, and also collected a total of five bronze medals. However, beyond the league championships and medals, students were most notably able to experience and exemplify the ACSIS goals to provide a winning effort, exhibit sportsmanship, and demonstrate respect for all.

The growth of the Middle School athletic program would not have been possible without the generosity of the SAS Foundation, which provided stripends for the additional coaches, and the PTA, which supplied uniforms to the student athletes. We would like to encourage all students to try out for a select sport team and earn the chance to experience the benefits of ACSIS first hand. To learn more about Middle School athletics, please consult the SAS Middle School web page (Athletics and Activities). To learn more about ACSIS, please visit their web page at www.acsis.com.sg

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YOG Torch Relay

By William Ng Card Systems Coordinator

I

n March 2009, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided that torch relays for all future Olympic Games would be held solely within the host city. However, an exception was made for Singapore 2010. Being the first YOG, it was important that the spirit of Olympism reach out to as many youths as possible around the world. And the Journey of the Youth Olympic Flame (JYOF) was the link that connects the young people of the world to the Olympic movement.

In keeping with Olympic tradition, the JYOF started its journey in Greece.

The Flame then traveled to one city in each of the five continents, namely:

• • • • •

Berlin, Germany representing Europe Dakar, Senegal representing Africa Mexico City, Mexico representing the Americas Auckland, New Zealand representing Oceania Seoul, Republic of Korea representing Asia

At each city, the Youth Olympic Flame traveled to iconic sights before ending the day with a city celebration. The people of each continent, and especially the youths, were invited to the Celebration City to celebrate the arrival of the Youth Olympic Flame to their continent.

William Ng holds the Olympic torch that he carried in the torch relay for the YOG in Singapore.

The Youth Olympic Flame then traveled to Singapore, where the journey continued through the five community districts with a traditional round-island torch relay. Each relay day ended with a community celebration. The Youth Olympic Flame was lit at the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games Opening Ceremony on 14 August 2010, marking the commencement of the first YOG.

Summer Volleyball Camp

By Kim Criens PE Teacher

T

he third annual SAS Summer Volleyball Camp was held from August 10-13 and was once again a tremendous success. Players and coaches alike took great pleasure in developing skills, meeting new students, and getting back into the swing of volleyball before the school year started. A record 93 students participated in the camp this year. We as a coaching staff are very excited to see if the program will grow even more next summer! More information for next year’s edition of the camp will be available in May. “It is so fun to be able to play the game you love with girls your age who love it, too. The camp helps to shake off the rust of not having played volleyball in a few months and gets you ready for try-outs with new tools and tricks to make you a better player. This camp is great for all skill levels because having never played before it taught me the game. Now in my second year as an experienced player we are playing high level games with three hits and an attack on both sides. A majority of the time it comes over the net.”

—Elizabeth Creech, grade 11 “This is my third year doing the Eagles Summer Volleyball Camp and all of them have helped me improve tremendously. I can even say it helped me make the varsity team last year as a junior. The coaches are amazing and know exactly what they are doing. In this camp, I learned every skill including passing, setting, attacking, blocking and serving.”

—Matt Crema, grade 12 SINGAPORE AMERICAN SCHOOL

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Dance Exchange in Kuala Lumpur

By Kendall Covington Grade 12 Student

I

n September, a group of ten seniors (Avery Lim, Kendall Covington, Emily Lin, Taylor Chapman, Jem Magbanua, Ben Teo, Julia Mac Meekin, Brittney Dimond, Michael Too, Karisa Sukamto) took a bus to Kuala Lumpur to participate in a Dance Exchange with all of the IASAS schools except Taipei American School. The weekend-long event included workshops on a variety of dance styles from the familiar hip hop and contemporary to the unfamiliar Malaysian Zapin and Indian Bollywood.

The dancers also led a flash mob at the popular Pavillion Mall to raise awareness for endangered species, with mini lessons so that the shoppers could participate as well. Though exhausted by the end, all of the students enjoyed the two busy days, and as with all IASAS and exchange events, it was a great opportunity to meet those from all around Asia who share similar passions.

Please check out the website with photos and video clips from the exchange: http://sites.google.com/a/iskl.edu.my/dance/hs-dance-exchange

Bike Champion

By Lynda Scott Kindergarten Teacher

D

uring the summer vacation while most are enjoying a relaxing time in their home countries, kindergarten teacher Lynda Scott was spending hours cycling in Singapore’s jungle training. On July 18th all the hard work paid off when she was crowned Singapore National Mountain Bike Champion in the Women’s Open category. The cross country race consisted of 3 x 8.5km loops with most of the race covering the oldest and possibly the most technical mountain biking trail in Singapore—Bukit Timah Nature Reserve.

After days of nonstop heavy rain, the race course had been turned into a very muddy and slippery danger zone. Lynda’s race report confirmed, “I ride that trail pretty much every weekend but it was an absolute mess with trees down and huge deep puddles of mud and water. Bukit Timah is my back yard! Being familiar with every rock, root and hole was a huge advantage in the very challenging conditions.”

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Art Students Create ECC Murals

By Geri Johnson ECC Director

F

or the past three years, High School AP Art students have created larger than life murals for their Early Childhood Center (ECC) neighbors.

Our first joint venture involved HS AP Art students observing the pre-kindergarten and preschool students in the course of their active days, and then creating a students– in–motion mural. Next, the HS artists jumped into the perceptual motor fun room to capture the learning that occurred when the younger students developed their gross motor skills. Another project involved turning a cement pillar in the pre-kindergarten group room into a three dimensional tree that changes with the seasons.

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Last year, the art students focused their efforts on curricular themes. They captured the plant life cycle from seed to bloom, which is now planted near the preschool garden.

They also painted various buildings as inspirational models for the block construction zone.

ECC students benefit in several ways from the interaction and generosity of their HS friends. In a week’s span of time, ECC students observe how artists bring an idea to life from the beginning to the end, and they enjoy seeing scenes of themselves and school life on a day-to-day basis. Most of all, these young students enjoyed talking to and being with their big buddies.

Calendar

October 4 October

• 8:15am-9:15am

IS Parent Coffee

5 October • 7:00pm

Interim Semester Parents Information Evening in the Drama Theater

6-8 October

• MS Classroom Without Walls C Side Trip

9-10 October

• 10:00am-7:00pm

AP Art Exhibition at the National Art Gallery

11-13 October

• PS/IS Parent Teacher Conferences for Preschool through Grade 5 No School for Preschool through Grade 5

11 October • 10:00am

MS Parent Coffee (M301)

13 October

25-29 October

• 1st Quarter Ends

• Visiting Author Georgia Heard

Alternate Dress Day

25 October

14-15 October

• 8:30am

• Fall Break

PS Parent Coffee in the PS Faculty Lounge

18 October

27-29 October

• In-Service Day

No School for Students

• MS Parent/Teacher Conferences No School for MS Students

19 October

• 8:30am -10:00am

ECC Parent Coffee, Guest speaker Pamela Phelps

• PTA Pumpkin Patch

28 October

22 October

• 7:00pm

HS 1st Season Awards Night (Theater Studio / Drama Theater / Auditorium / M301 / H301 / S208)

23 October

• 9:00am-12:00pm

• Alternate Dress Day • 4:30pm Grease, HS Musical in the Auditorium

21-22 October • 7:00pm

27 October

Grease, HS Musical in the Auditorium

30 October

• 11:00am-3:00pm

PTA Food Fest in the MS / HS Gyms & Library

Pumpkin Sale at the MS Playground

November 1 November

• 8:15am -9:15am •

IS Parent Coffee 10:00am PTA Coffee in H301

4 November • 8:10am

HS Peace Initiative Assembly in HS Gym

5 November

• Public Holiday

No school for Students

8 November • 10:00am

MS Parent Coffee in M301

10 November

• Alternate Dress Day

11-13 November

• IASAS Model United Nations in Singapore

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ECC HS Murals