Singapore American School Newsflash, February 2011

MICA (P)107/09/2010

A Singapore American School community service publication

February 2011 Volume 13, Issue 4-10/11

Empty Bowls

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By Lori McConaghy SAS Parent

n November, high school ceramics teacher Ellen Levenhagen and her class organized the first ever Empty Bowls event at SAS. Empty Bowls is a U.S. organization that raises money to help fight hunger, raise awareness about the issues of hunger and food security, and bring about an attitude that will not allow hunger to exist.

Levenhagen found this program to be successful at her prior school in Shanghai and wanted to continue its success at SAS.

According to Levenhagen, “My goal was to connect an authentic learning opportunity with a service component. My ceramic classes all made and glazed bowls for the event. In addition, the students were involved in the whole process of organizing the event, making and distributing posters, displaying the work, serving the food and cleaning up. The class got the whole picture of what a fund raiser is all about.

“I hope students realize they can make a difference as artists with causes they care about. They do not have to be separate activities but can work together.”

Continued on page 4

Highlights 6 SAS Chinese Language Summit 14 Grade 3 Visits Leprosy Home

18 Basketball Shootout

Editor’s Note

Happy Year of the Rabbit

By Tamara Black Assoc. Dir. of Communications

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appy New Year and Gong Xi Fa Cai! This year brings us to the fourth position on the Chinese zodiac calendar— the Year of the Rabbit—and is predicted to be calm and relaxing as it provides us with an easygoing pace for our endeavors. Other predictions for the next twelve months?

Pantone proposes that vibrant pink will be the new black, and Microsoft expects Windows tablets to emerge as contenders. (Although they’ll have a difficult time luring me away from my beloved iPad.) The new year also brings with it some significant changes to NewsFlash. If you’re reading the print version of this issue, you’ve probably noticed that it has a different feel from past issues. That’s because we are now printing on 100% recycled paper, which is not only more earth friendly but also allows us to move to offset printing, which is more budget friendly for this particular publication. These changes, along with the new layout and the enhanced online version that debuted back in October, are helping us move toward our goal of being more effective and more efficient in our communication with the SAS community.

As you read through this month’s NewsFlash, you’ll find the theme of new beginnings reflected throughout the stories. On page 4 you’ll discover how first graders developed new relationships with Flat Stanley pen pals in California and learned just how much they have in common. “Making the Most of College Trips” on page 5 offers advice for high school seniors who are searching for just the right college as they prepare to embark upon new journeys after graduation. Students and teachers from our middle and high schools acted as young ambassadors (page 8) when they traveled to Cambodia, providing new educational resources and story-telling training to preschool teachers. And find out how our facilities department is promoting the transformation of electronics from old tech trash into new tech treasure on page 15.

Coincidentally, I am a Year of the Rabbit baby. I’ll leave it to you to guess the year, but be kind when you guess.

According to soothsayers, I was born with an inclination to be a good communicator, and an appropriate career choice would be writer or publisher. Perhaps that’s something I should consider for the upcoming year.

Contents Regular Features 3

From the Superintendent’s Office

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Booster Club News

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From the SAS PTA

Highlights 4

Where in the World is Singapore?

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Making the Most of College Trips

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Young Ambassadors

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Newbery Author to Visit SAS

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Riverdance Motivates, Encourages and Inspires

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From Tech Trash to Tech Treasure

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Kendra Payne Memorial Biathlon

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 Layout Design: Alfi Dino Photography: Karen Cortezano

Contacts General Inquiries and Comments communications@sas.edu.sg NewsFlash Submissions Tamara Black, tblack@sas.edu.sg Deadline for submissions is the first of the month prior to the proposed month of publication.

Singapore American School, 40 Woodlands Street 41, Singapore 738547 Tel: 6360-6303 www.sas.edu.sg Newsflash is printed on 100% recycled paper.

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From the Superintendent’s Office

By Brent Mutsch, Ed.D. Superintendent

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At Singapore American School, we understand the importance of building vibrant communities at the classroom, division and school levels. Research accentuates the positive and long-lasting effects for students who learn in schools with a strong sense of community. They are far more likely to be academically motivated and to act ethically and altruistically when they learn in environments that are nurturing and caring, and where community members model what it means to treat others with compassion, fairness, honesty, respect and responsibility.

An annual activity that is vital to further building our school community is the annual recruitment of new faculty, a process that was initiated for the 2011-12 school year in mid-October. Each year, a team of SAS administrators participates in international recruiting fairs, both in our region and in the United States, as we search to identify and attract outstanding teachers to our school community. Each year, I find that dedicated teachers are also actively searching out Singapore American School as a place to combine their passions and interests in ways that further promote the learning, growth and development of our students. We recruit professional educators who have been well trained, give evidence of a professional career with quality experiences, exhibit a passion for making a positive difference in the lives of their students, and demonstrate the potential to be positive and contributing members of the SAS community of learners.

Katherine Johnson, SAS director of human resources, Brent Mutsch, superintendent of schools, and Tim Stuart, high school principal, discuss the recruitment of new faculty for SAS.

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At Singapore American School, we understand the importance of building vibrant communities at the classroom, division and school levels.

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recently received a letter from a parent who had relocated from Singapore and transferred her children from Singapore American School to another school in Asia. In the letter, this mother praised the positive impact that SAS had in the lives of her children. In addition to giving tribute to the influence of specific teachers and counselors who had been instrumental in nurturing her children’s development, this parent acknowledged the strong sense of community her family enjoyed during their multi-year tenure at SAS. The letter concluded with an expression of sincere appreciation for the emphasis placed on our school’s Core Values of compassion, fairness, honesty, respect and responsibility. As a result of the school community embracing these values in ways that were real and meaningful, her children are today demonstrating behaviors that reflect their commitment to these values well beyond their SAS experience.

I feel extremely fortunate to be part of a very special community known as Singapore American School. It’s a pleasure to daily join with so many who collaborate to make SAS what it is today. All of us—students, parents, faculty, staff, and friends of SAS—play essential roles in building and nurturing the strong sense of community that serves to support our students in their journeys to acquire the confidence and courage necessary to contribute to the global community and achieve their dreams.

www.sas.edu.sg

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Continued from front cover Students throughout the school attended this event during their lunch periods and participated by purchasing ceramic bowls with small portions of food.

The event raised over $1,000, which will be donated to the Caring for Cambodia (CfC) Food For Thought program. This program ensures every student at the CfC schools receives at least one balanced meal a day.

“My kids were riveted by the potter’s wheel and the whole experience of filling a plate was a powerful message. We came back and shared our two bowls of food among 16 hungry four-year-olds who asked for more. I sadly exclaimed ‘there is no more,’ and told them that many of the kids in Cambodia ask the same question and receive a similar reply.”

Empty Bowls also helped raise awareness about hunger. Teacher Kaye Bach explains her experience:

Where in the World is Singapore?

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By Patricia Quick Grade 1 Teacher

here in the world is Singapore? That was the question Haley Sue’s first grade students asked when she began student teaching at Flory Academy in Moorpark, California as part of the requirements toward a master’s degree in education.

To help her students learn more about Singapore, Haley contacted SAS teacher Patricia Quick and asked if their two classes could be Flat Stanley buddies, which are similar to pen pals. Both classes had read the book Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown, which is a story about a boy who awakes one morning to find that he is only one inch thick. As a result of being so thin, his parents mail him to a friend in California for a visit.

Each student in Sue’s class made a Flat Stanley buddy and wrote a letter to send to their counterparts at SAS. They were curious about Singapore, SAS, and the students who live here. Over the Thanksgiving break, Sue visited Singapore and dropped the buddies off with Quick’s class where they were matched to students whom they “followed” for a day to learn what it is like to be a first grader at SAS. They learned about Writing and Reading Workshop and how pinwheels are used to study the wind. The first graders also took their buddies to lunch and to the playground. They even went to PE and Mandarin classes. In addition, the Flat Stanley buddies met Mr. Hoss, Mr. Schunk, librarian Mr. Palmer, grade 1 counselor Ms. Jo, literacy

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coach Mrs. Donaghey, and the school nurses.

Quick’s class put together a book about the buddies’ adventures at SAS. The SAS students wrote letters to their new friends in California and answered their questions about favorite colors, food and toys. The Flat Stanley buddies were mailed back to California along with a small Singapore souvenir for each student. Both classes learned that even though they live on opposite sides of the world, being a first grader is the same.

Haley Sue graduated from SAS in 2006.

Making the Most of College Trips

By Trevor Sturgeon HS Counselor

Tips for College Visits 1. Start planning early. The logistics can be a lot of work.

2. Research the college prior to visiting. It’s important to know about the college before arriving on campus.

3. Pack a camera and notebook. Was it X College or Y

University that had excellent exercise equipment in the gym? Where did I talk to that cool psychology professor? You think you’ll remember everything, but colleges start to merge after you’ve seen a few.

4. Know what’s important to you. Make a list of what

college characteristics are most important to you, so you know what to evaluate. Do you feel overwhelmed in a large lecture hall? Check out the class size.

Do you have your heart set on joining a sorority or fraternity? Is there a particular major that you want to pursue? Are you able to complete your studies at the school? Talk to current students and/or professors in that department.

5. Develop a list of your preferences. Take this list to the schools that you visit and use it to compare schools when you return home.

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ach summer high school students are faced with a multitude of options. Some travel home to spend time with extended families they only see once a year, others find enriching internships or summer jobs, and others explore new places, learn a language or embrace a new experience. These are all brilliant options. It is important that high school students use their summers productively instead of simply hanging out for eight weeks. Colleges do not really care what students do as long as they do something of interest to them that provides opportunities for further knowledge or growth.

organized tour with experienced counselors who have direct connections with the college administrations, the college tour is a vital link in a student’s education. What matters most is that she or he applies to the most fitting selection of colleges to suit his or her individual needs.

A personal visit provides insights not available from books, pamphlets, or the Internet. As one international student said, “College brochures only include a fraction of the information. The college tours and information sessions give you a much better idea of what a school is like and whether you would be happy there.”

A valuable option for sophomores and juniors to consider is visiting colleges—the fast approaching next step of their educational journey—to get a sense of what types of colleges might be the right fit. An old adage says, “College is a match to be made, not a prize to be won” and there is simply no single better way to determine a good match than to see colleges firsthand.

While the inevitable college road trip has long been a tradition for many families living in the United States, international students and families have recently begun to see the benefits and advantages of personally experiencing different college environments as well.

Last summer, 17 SAS students joined eight students from international schools in the Philippines, Japan, and China on an exciting and educational tour of colleges from Boston to Washington, D.C. The students found the experience invaluable, enlightening, and a ton of fun. One student said, “It helped solidify my initial choice of schools but the tour also got me thinking about applying to certain schools I hadn’t previously considered.” Another added, “not only do you leave knowing where you want to go, where you want to apply and what to look for in a college, but you also experience a lot of friendships and great times.” Parents shared their pleasure, with one parent calling it tremendous value for the dollar and another sharing that “the tour enabled my daughter to focus on the colleges of her choice. She now knows where she wants to apply.”

The benefits of walking around the campuses, hearing directly from admissions’ representatives about their programs, sitting in classrooms, eating in the cafeterias, seeing dormitories and talking with real students are unmatched. In fact, research indicates that college tours are the single most influential factor in determining where students apply. EDUinReview.com calls college visits “one of the essentials when deciding on a college.”

Whether you visit as family or have your child join an

www.sas.edu.sg

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SAS Chinese Language Summit

By Angela Frye, Georgia Kolettis, Sukanya Pushkarna, Nanci-Beth Routhier, and Teresa Smith, SAS parents

On November 8 and 9, SAS hosted a Chinese Language Summit to evaluate the current Chinese language program. Participants included administrators, teachers, principals, board members and parents. Dr. Susan Zhang, SAS Director of Chinese Language, and Nan Zhiguo, Vice Dean of Curriculum at the Singapore Centre for Chinese Language, attended.

As summit participants, parents learned more about the Chinese language program and the school’s dedication to continuing to improve it. They were encouraged by how seriously faculty, administration and board members consider parents’ opinions and needs. They also began to understand the complexity of Chinese language instruction and the amount of hard work required to ensure an effective and successful program.

In preparation for the summit, the school gathered information from the parent community on six occasions through online surveys and parent forums, and they visited Chinese classrooms to observe current teaching practices. The information indicated several areas for desired growth including methods of instruction, coordinating the curriculum across the divisions, and frequency and time of instruction in the lower grades.

The data also showed the need for a more interactive classroom environment in which both students and teachers speak more Chinese. Participants discussed refining and/or increasing the number of levels of Chinese within each grade and within the heritage level.

The recurring themes of the discussions were that the time and frequency that students in grades K-6 spend in Chinese class need to be increased. Currently, kindergarteners have Chinese 30 minutes twice a week, grades 1-5 study 40 minutes twice a week, and grade 6 studies 45 minutes every other day.

Increasing the time in Chinese class seems like the obvious, easy solution, but parents learned that there are significant ramifications in doing this, and finding the time presents a hurdle in itself. Options include integrating technology and counseling with regular class time, decreasing the amount of time for other specials (music, PE, art, library), lengthening the school day, and decreasing core instruction time in RLA, math and science. Another option was to change the current structure of course offerings in PS and IS to make specials classes optional and allow parents to choose their children’s specials classes. Many of these options would impact staff numbers and the school budget.

The IS and PS principals are open to options but they emphasize that we not lose sight of the development of the whole child. Any changes that would affect students’ developmental needs must be carefully considered.

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After in-depth consideration of the data and dilemmas presented, summit participants deliberated the future of the program within two contexts, continuous improvement and transformation. Continuous improvement considers how to improve the overall program within current structures, while transformation looks at how to improve the overall program within different structures. Parents were impressed with the school’s willingness to consider transforming the Chinese program if that is in the best interest of the students.

Chinese teachers at SAS are truly dedicated to student learning and language acquisition. Each year they review the curriculum and develop appropriate study materials with the goal of improving the program. The result is a flexible program that segregates students by level of ability to maximize individual learning capacities.

Participants became increasingly aware of the need for an active partnership between parents and school to have a successful Chinese language program. Research has shown that a native English speaker requires 2,200 hours of study to achieve professional speaking and reading proficiency. According to National Virtual Translation Center (2006), a U.S. organization that rates language acquisition difficulty, students need four times longer to master Chinese (a category 4 language) versus languages such as Spanish, French or Dutch (category 1 languages). Even if classroom time was increased to 40 minutes a day—which is an average of 120 hours per year—students likely would not be successful without extra support at home. Parents can provide help by increasing the opportunities for children to hear and speak the language outside the classroom such as watching Chinese movies, engaging tutors, reading Chinese books, and participating in immersion experiences.

SAS realizes that parents need more information, communication and resources to support Chinese learning at home, and the school is committed to assisting parents in finding these resources. Through this experience, participants learned the value and importance of completing parent surveys and participating in focus groups. The administration takes parent feedback seriously and uses it as a basis to improve programs at the school. The school hears us and values our opinions.

Supporting Chinese Language Learners

By Dr. Susan Zhang Director of Chinese Language

Collaboration between school and home is directly pegged to student success in academic studies, especially in language studies. The evidence is irrefutable; studying Chinese is challenging for anyone. The Chinese language is often described as a category 4 language for native English speakers, which means that proficiency requires almost four times the amount of time and effort that would be required to learn a category 1 language such as French or Spanish. However, the effort required to meet the challenges of Chinese language acquisition is more than offset by its rapidly emerging importance on the international stage. To the extent that parents are shareholders in the investments of their children, there are many ways they can help them succeed even if the parents are not Chinese language speakers.

Most important is to show interest in your children’s learning. You can also share occasional anecdotal stories (say, from television or print media) that show the increasing interest in Chinese language

learning worldwide and the increasing demand for speakers with proficiency in the Chinese language.

You can ask your child to relay a simple story in Chinese.

If you are not versed in Chinese, also ask for a simple translation. Of equal importance is to provide your children with situations calling for natural application of their language skills, such as traveling to Chinese speaking countries or even making occasional trips to Chinatown. Many taxi drivers and shop assistants in Singapore speak Chinese, and this can provide natural extracurricular application of and practice in Chinese.

As we continue the journey to realize a new vision for the Chinese language program at SAS, parents play a significant role in helping make it exemplary among international schools in Southeast Asia.

With the bulleted items below as a template, the partnership between school and home will accelerate SAS in its quest to realize that vision.

Supporting your child’s Chinese language learning nn Have your children read stories, jokes, shopping lists, etc. to reinforce learning.

nn Help your children make connections between in-class learning experiences and real-life applications.

nn Include Chinese channels in your cable TV service; Chinese-proficient parents should watch selected programs with their children.

nn Communicate with the Chinese teacher directly if you have questions or concerns. If you have hired a tutor, please ask him or her to coordinate instruction with the teacher.

nn Use online resources to provide additional opportunities for practice. Please refer to the Chinese Department blog page for a list of online resources. nn Provide resources for your children, such as a Chinese-English dictionary, Chinese picture books, storybooks, and magazines.

nn Provide support for and interest in your children’s homework. nn Try to focus on overall progress in language proficiency rather than simply on grades.

nn Encourage your children to participate in Chinese cultural activities inside and outside of school.

nn Be sensitive to your children’s feelings and readiness (and reluctance) to speak in front of strangers.

Learning any foreign language is emotionally taxing and can sometimes lead to embarrassment.

nn Take your children to Chinese cultural places and events.

nn Focus on your children’s performance without making undue comparisons with siblings or other students.

nn While on the street, in the subway, or on buses, ask your children to read and translate signs and notices written in Chinese.

For parents of middle and high school students nn Remind your children to make up missed work resulting from school-sponsored events. nn Check Blackboard for homework or upcoming tests.

nn Ask your children to share one thing from their

Chinese language learning experience: exciting, fun, confusing, hard, etc.

www.sas.edu.sg

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By Kaye Bach Pre-Kindergarten Teacher

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s a team of SAS teachers traveled to Siem Reap over Thanksgiving weekend for teacher training in Caring for Cambodia (CfC) schools, so did middle and high school students Paris Cullen, Emily Ropiki, Emily Bucknall Starker, Alexandra Bucknall Starker and Zoe Bonnette. These students helped train CfC preschool teachers and assistants in telling stories to young children. Teachers Kate Bucknall and Kaye Bach led the training.

Before their trip, the SAS students had prepared resources that could be readily replicated in Cambodian preschools and rehearsed their story telling. As much as they were nervous, so too were the women they were training. After just one morning, however, fears were allayed and friendships were established, and the team worked enthusiastically together.

Once the Cambodian teachers had prepared their own resources and rehearsed their stories, they showed their skills to the mothers and children of the village.

The SAS students observed the Cambodian teachers presenting their stories to the attentive audience with obvious pride in the lessons they had taught. The students returned to Singapore knowing how very fortunate they are, and knowing how beneficial it can be to be a part of a teacher training experience in Cambodia.

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Photos by Kate Bucknall

Young Ambassadors

The Gift of Teaching

By Kaye Bach Pre-Kindergarten Teacher

25th day of November, Thanksgiving 25 SAS teachers and their assorted children 250+ kilograms of luggage 2,500 hygiene packs prepared by SAS students

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bove is a recipe for a Thanksgiving gift played out in Caring for Cambodia (CfC) schools in Siem Reap. As in past years, dedicated SAS teachers once again devoted this holiday to the training of Cambodian teachers.

Jenny Redlin and Sarah Farris led the Thanksgiving team that delivered teaching techniques and lessons about Core Values relevant to Cambodian classrooms. Both of these SAS teachers dedicated endless hours preparing for this trip.

Their efforts, along with the efforts of a fabulous team, contributed to a successful training weekend.

As SAS teachers worked alongside the CfC teachers, relationships were strengthened, trust was established, and professionalism was enhanced. SAS teachers were able to move beyond being teacher trainers for the CfC staff to become collegial friends who shared the

learning journey of delivering new knowledge in Cambodian schools.

The 2,500 hygiene packs that were kindly donated and prepared by SAS families and students were put to excellent use during this weekend. Over 700 families from Bakong Primary School, one of our CfC schools, came to listen to instruction about hygiene, brushing teeth, and keeping the environment clean. Families attending this community presentation were given a hygiene pack to take home. The additional packs collected by SAS will be used and distributed at future community educational gatherings.

The 25 teachers and their children returned home to Singapore 250 kgs lighter and knowing that they had made a difference. As Jamie Amelio, founder of CfC, says, “A hand up. Not a hand out.”

www.sas.edu.sg

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Newbery Author to Visit SAS

By Kirk Palmer PS Librarian

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ward-winning Korean American author Linda Sue Park, winner of the Newbery Award, will visit SAS from February 28 through March 4. The Newbery Award, given by the American Library Association, is the most prestigious American children’s author award.

Park writes historical novels for intermediate school children and picture books for younger readers. Her award winning historical novel, A Single Shard, tells the story of Tree-ear, a thirteen-yearold orphan in medieval Korea who lives under a bridge in a potters’ village and longs to learn how to throw delicate celadon ceramics.

As with all PTA-sponsored authors, Park’s presentations are open to parents.

Her schedule will be posted on the SAS website and a note with more information will be sent in early February. In addition, there will be a special parent session on Wednesday, March 2 at 6:30 pm. There will be a translator assisting with the presentation for Korean parents who wish to attend.

Park’s books will be available for purchase. For more information please visit her webpage at http://www.lindasuepark.com/.

Raising Awareness of Human Rights

By Devansh Pasumarty HS Student

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any of us are familiar with the concept of human rights, but what exactly are our rights? Perhaps they are the right to free speech, the right to religion, and the right to live regardless of skin color, gender or belief system. In the world in which we live, these rights are continuously and mercilessly violated. Few people are aware of these problems and even fewer attempt to resolve them. Even more rarely do we find someone willing to devote their life’s work to solving

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these societal wrongdoings. One of those people is Dr. Mallika Sarabhai.

On Monday, November 8, 2010, world-renowned speaker, activist and philanthropist Dr. Sarabhai treated more than 40 SAS High School students to a presentation on the violations of human rights in India. The presentation was coordinated by senior Devansh Pasumarty as his Modern Asian Perspectives final project under the guidance of teacher Jason Adkison.

As part of the project, Devansh had to raise awareness for human rights issues that are currently present in society. He was able to contact Dr. Sarabhai and organize her two-day trip to Singapore. Dr. Sarabhai spoke fervently on human rights issues that India faces including female infanticide, religious discrimination, and human trafficking.

Dr. Sarabhai is also a famous singer and dancer, and through her performances she seeks to raise awareness for her causes. For instance, one of her plays depicted the life of a Pakistani woman whose siblings were raped by gangs in Ahmedabad. Dr. Sarabhai

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seeks to create platforms “for people to care about people, about non-violence, about nature and about cruelty” and calls herself— above all—a communicator.

After the talk at SAS, Dr. Sarabhai spoke to women from the Indian Women’s Association (IWA) at the Pasumarty’s residence. You can find more information on her cause at www.mallikasarabhai. com or www.darpana.com.

Dr. Sarabhai’s presence in Singapore has allowed her and other human rights activists to spread their beliefs and help those who are less fortunate. You may ask, “How can I help such a large cause that seems far away from me?” All of us can aid others on an individual level; we can donate to charities, buy products without chemicals that harm laborers, join causes such as the Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics (which aids abused domestic workers) and advocate causes like those of Dr. Mallika Sarabhai.

Riverdance Motivates, Encourages and Inspires

By Donna Hinton Grade 4 Teacher

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hen Riverdance came to town, it not only had an incredible run of entertaining and mesmerizing performances, but it also reached out and inspired SAS Irish dancers with an incredibly rich and memorable experience they are not likely to forget. Most of the dancers attended one of the amazing performances and were invited to meet and chat with the dancers after the show, as well as participate in a dance workshop.

SAS Irish dance teacher Sharon Pawley and Tanglin Trust made arrangements for 115 students from SAS, Tanglin Trust, UWC Dover, UWC East, Canadian International School, Australian International School, St Joseph’s International School, German European School, Chinese Girls School, CHIJ Kellock, and several local pre-schools to participate in a workshop led by six principal dancers and the dance captain. The Riverdance performers presented a brilliant and fun class that motivated, inspired and encouraged the students to continue dancing and to learn more about Irish culture.

Dividing the students into six small groups, the dancers taught stretching techniques, basics in Irish dancing, how to perform, nutrition and the importance of fitness. After the workshop, photos and autographs, three of the dancers stayed well beyond the allotted class time for a question and answer session. The students wore custom designed t-shirts to commemorate the event that were autographed by the dancers.

Both parents and students thank Singapore’s Irish dance teachers Sharon Pawley, Kellie Wheeler, Charlotte Haynes, Anne-Marie

O’Donoghue and Alison Forrow for teaching and encouraging this next generation of Irish dancers and Sharon for organizing this wonderful opportunity. A special thank you to the six Riverdancers, Padraic Moyles, Niamh O’Connor, Brendan Dorris, Laura Minogue, Rachel Mulvihill and Christina Halvin, who so thoughtfully and sincerely inspired the students in so many ways. Their dancing was incredible and the care and the interest they showed each student were truly amazing. Thank you, Riverdance, for an unforgettable experience.

Third Grade Poetry Beat

By Gail Hanagan Grade 3 Teacher

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n November 23, the grade 3 group room was transformed into a lovely café, including candle lit tables. As a culminating activity for their study of poetry, the classes of Danielle Carrier, Gail Hanagan, Chris Hobson and John Kennedy gathered in the café to share original and favorite poems.

Students enjoyed the opportunity to share their writing with their peers. Their performance included memorized poems from the heart, inspired by the coaching of poet and author, Dr. Georgia Heard. It was clear that students included

many of the tools she taught them to create music in their poetry.

The café included readings by a variety of well loved poets such as Jack Prelutsky, Shel Silverstein, Douglas Florian, Judith Viorst and Ogden Nash.

Students also had the opportunity to reflect on what they heard and to discuss the poets’ efforts.

It was a memorable experience enjoyed by all. We look forward to making the Poetry Café an annual event. And the beat goes on.

www.sas.edu.sg

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SACAC Counselling and Community Programs offer a wide variety of resources including: counselling and psychological support for individuals, couples, and families; workshops; assistance with adoption; a comprehensive mental health library; and community liaison groups.

At the American Club: Tel +65 6733 9249 Fax +65 6733 9321

10 Claymore Hill, Singapore 229573 Email admin @sacac.com Web www.sacac.sg

Singapore’s Comprehensive Mental Health Practice, est. 1973.

Booster Club

The Booster Club Luncheon held at the Rendezvous Hotel on November 11th was a great success! Sunita Vira, California Living Cuisine Chef and SAS parent cooked and prepared a 5-course raw food luncheon. Under Sunita’s tutelage, parents volunteered in the kitchen for 2 days to help chop, create and assemble the dishes. 50 SAS parents dined on a welcome appetizer followed by a sit down lunch skillfully and artistically plated. Everyone was astounded to realize that none of the food had been cooked or heated over 118° F (50° C). Sunita gave a brief overview about her background and a presentation on the innovative cuisine that she has embraced which proved to be appealing, nutritious and delicious! Two beautiful decorative items were donated, one by Anne Lockett, of The China Collection and the other by Nicole Brandon, of Taylor B. Each piece was raffled off and all funds raised from the event will be used by the Booster Club to support SAS High School activities. We hope everyone enjoyed themselves and we look forward to seeing you at our next….

A special thanks to our dedicated volunteers: Shelby Pazos, Michele Goulding, Heidi Virshup, Judy Damas, Arathi Nilakantan, Kara Wong and Sandi Remson

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From the President As I write this, we are just starting our Winter Break. I hope that you had a restful holiday and the transition back goes well. I have heard so many people say that the first half of the school year just flew by. I have to agree and the scary part is I know the second half always seems to go faster. This being my last child’s senior year I plan to savour these last few months at SAS and enjoy the many wonderful relationships I have formed in our almost nine years here.

Boosters would like to welcome the new incoming High School families. We will have about 12 new students joining us in the HS in January. It can be very hard to get connected when you arrive midyear. We would love to help you in any way we can. Our Booster Board meetings are open and we welcome you to attend and find out more about what the Booster Club achieves. Our next Booster Meeting is Tuesday, February 15th at 10 am in H301. The rest of the dates for our meetings and events are on the SAS calendar. Stop by the Booster Booth and discover our many items for sale or just have a chat.

It may seem early but we are already planning for next year and we have several board positions that will be open due to those of us leaving or having our last child graduate. I highly recommend getting involved. If you are interested please contact me and we can find something to suit your interest.

Susan Fay 9657-0691 susanfay@aol.com Second Quarter Honor Roll Luncheon - Delicious!

Students, congratulations again on your academic achievements and we hope you enjoyed the luncheon provided for second quarter Honor Roll recipients by the Booster Club and your parents. Our appreciation goes to the parents of 11th and 12th grade students for providing the extras that makes the luncheon so enjoyable.

Students, we wish you continued success in the third quarter and hope to see you again in April.

Alice, Kay & Shelley Booster Club Honor Roll Luncheon Committee Chairs

Booster Club

Thanks, also, to our many committee members - without your many hands our past luncheons would not have gone as smoothly.

Let’s Raise Some Dough!

Booster Club

A big thank you to the moms who helped with our last Bake Sale in December. Thanks especially to the Indian parents who shared their secret recipes for their flavorful foods.

Booster Club

The Booster Club will be having its next Bake Sale on February 18th on both levels of the high school cafeteria from 9:15 am until 12:30 pm. Donations of individually wrapped baked goods can be left in the Booster Booth on the morning of the bake sale. Cookies, cupcakes, brownies or rice krispie treats would be greatly appreciated! This sale will include Japanese foods, prepared by and sold by a team of moms who do a wonderful job! Any Japanese foods contributions can be left in the Booster Booth on the morning of the sale. Thank you for your support. The high school students enjoy all the treats and the foods. All proceeds benefit the Booster Club.

Cynthia B Fuller Bake Sale Chairperson

Booster Club

Booster Club

Grade 3 Visits Leprosy Home

By Jane Dodge IS Teacher

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ne of the social service projects that the third grade supports is working with residents of the Singapore Leprosy Home (SILRA).

On Friday, November 19, a group of 46 third grade students met high school students at the Leprosy Home for a fun game of bingo with the residents.

The third graders had made cards for the residents which included photos of themselves. Each third grader met and helped one resident play the game.

The smiles on everyone’s faces brought joy to the students and the residents alike. We wanted to be able to share the basic need of being part of a family with the residents as well as demonstrate our kindness and compassion toward others.

Thankfully, there are SAS students with the dedication and compassion to continue to visit the Leprosy Home residents week after week, year after year.

The third graders plan on visiting the home again in the spring along with the high school students.

This partnership with the high school group began in 1990. The money raised by the third graders during our fund raising project in the spring has been used to support the residents of the Leprosy home. We give them a holiday hong bao in December of each year.

During the past seven years the extra money is used to buy special meals made by Mr. Hoe which the high school group delivers on Fridays. The warmth of both the food and the students is greatly appreciated by the residents.

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NewsFlash SINGAPORE AMERICAN SCHOOL

Some reflections of students who visited the home: When I helped my resident I realized he is just as regular as any other adult. I felt really good when I got him to smile, and being there was a great experience.

– Anna S. I felt a bit shy once we got there, but once I saw a resident I thought that’s not so bad. Afterward I felt happy, cause even if you’re different you are all the same. – Thomas C. I was with a girl (woman) and her leg was gone and I was scared at first. Then I remembered they’re just the same as us. And we played bingo and I felt good. – Libby W. On the bus I was excited and nervous but when we went in I was terrified. We played bingo and my resident got a green bottle of shampoo with conditioner.

When we went home I felt good inside. – Nicole E. My resident got happy because I won the bingo game with her. – Declan W. It was challenging to look at no fingers on people’s hands. I liked how the resident I was partnered up with gave me some candy. – Gustav T. I loved when she smiled and her name was Ang! We were playing bingo and we won! Wow!! We won 2 times and Ang got body wash and shampoo and she loved it! I felt so happy I went to the Leprosy Home. I really like her! – Oceane B.

From Tech Trash to Tech Treasure

By Jamie Alarcon Facilities & Services

The Recycling Point consists of e-waste recycling bin and the bins for paper, aluminium and plastic wastes located next to the PTA Office.

D

id you beat down the door to the Apple Store the day the iPad came out or do you pride yourself on owning a stillfunctional Atari 2600? Or both?

Whether we upgrade every six months or every six years, our society is throwing away more electronics than it knows what to do with. Just think: in 2005 alone, 46 million electronics went into storage or secondhand use, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

This refuse did not include the 2.2 million tons of electronics that became obsolete and were scrapped the same year. How much of this amount was recycled? Less than 380,000 tons. What’s even more sobering is that all of these statistics come from the United States alone.

The good news is that people are taking action. There are 175 parties to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal. While the U.S. has not yet ratified the Basel Convention, more than 20 individual states have passed laws to manage e-waste.

Electronics manufacturers are stepping up in terms of product stewardship. By eliminating hazardous substances, slowly but surely greening their manufacturing processes and initiating take-back schemes, they’re moving closer to the closed loop or cradle to grave ideal.

On the grassroots level, websites like Freecycle, Craigslist and eBay help find new homes for old gadgets, — keeping them out of the waste stream for a little longer.

There is also increasing advocacy for conscientious consumerism which, in its simplest form, can mean less consumerism to begin with.

For the SAS community, it’s now easier than ever to recycle e-waste.

Big and bright yellow, the new e-waste bin is hard to miss. It takes all types of computers, mobile phones, game consoles, cameras, TVs, media players, GPS units, peripherals and accessories.

This ongoing service is provided to the school free of charge by Cimelia, an ISO-certified e-waste recycling company recommended by Singapore’s National Environment Agency. Tours of Cimelia’s recycling facilities can also be arranged.

HS Sports Physical Examination Every high school student participating in a schoolsponsored interscholastic sport must submit an updated physical examination form to the High School Nurse’s office annually. The physical form may be picked up from the HS Nurse or downloaded from the website.

All students interested in participating in third season

sports (Badminton, Softball, Track & Field) must have a physical examination completed and turned in before Monday, February 14. Coaches will not allow an athlete to attend practices or competitions until the physical exam form is turned in.

www.sas.edu.sg

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From the SAS PTA

By Mae Anderson PTA President

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hope everyone has enjoyed a good start to 2011. Let me also say Gong Xi Fa Cai to those who celebrate the Chinese New Year.

On January 21, we held our mid-year Newcomer Coffee at the Riady Performing Arts Center. If you are new to SAS, we hope that you were able to join us to find out more about the SAS PTA, meet new friends and settle into the SAS community. If you were unable to attend the Newcomer Coffee, please be sure to stop by the PTA Sales window during sales hours and pick up a PTA Welcome Packet. Each packet contains a complimentary copy of the SAS PTA Directory, an SAS wall calendar and some information about PTA. With a school as large as SAS, it is sometimes easy to feel lost in the crowd. We are here to assist in any way we can and to help you adjust to your new community.

Our contact information is listed in the PTA section of the SAS website at http://pta.sas.edu.sg. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have questions about school life, and we will try to point you in the right direction.

This month features two of PTA’s most anticipated annual events. The PTA Gala Dinner will be held on February 19 at the Meritus Mandarin Hotel. The event committee is dedicated to putting on a fabulous evening.

The event has a Bollywood

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NewsFlash SINGAPORE AMERICAN SCHOOL

theme, a lovely gourmet dinner, a live band and a popular silent auction. I would like to thank Deb Christian and Kim Rowe for their efforts in organizing this event. If you’d like to attend the dinner, please contact dmhchristian@yahoo.com or rowest3@gmail.com.

The PTA County Fair brings our entire community together to enjoy a day of fun for the whole family. The fair will be held on Saturday, February 26. It is the one family day that you should not miss. We promise you a fun-filled day with food, games, rides, vendor booths, entertainment, a Used Book Sale, Silent Auction and much more. Coupons are on sale at the PTA Office.

Please contact County Fair Chair Jodie Stone if you’d like more information or if you’d like to jump in and help out. You can reach Jodie at jnjstone88@yahoo.com.

As we begin the second half of the school year, we look forward to working with each of you to further develop the sense of community within SAS and to support the school in its mission.

Mae Anderson PTA President mae.anderson@mac.com

SAS PTA Gala Dinner Dance 6:30pm February 19, 2011

Mandarin Orchard Singapore Hotel An Incredible Evening of Food, Friends & Dancing with

“One Degree North” Four Course Indian Dinner with Wine Pairings Silent & Live Auction Ticket Sales PTA Office & Booster Booth $180 per person For additional Information please contact: Kim Rowe - rowest3@gmail.com Deb Christian—dmhchristian@yahoo.com We appreciate our Major Sponsors Santa Fe Relocation Services, Eastern Carpets & Menu Group

Basketball Shootout 2010

By Adam Miller IS PE Teacher

IS Shootout Results 3rd Grade Girls

Champion 1st Runner Up 2nd Runner Up

Tamanna Wason (Mr. Hobson) Stephanie Eristoff (Mrs. Burnett) Kolbe Bachman (Mr. Kennedy)

3rd Grade Boys

Champion Reid Terrile (Mr. Fabian) 1st Runner Up Christian Heng (Mrs. Dodge) 2nd Runner Up Nate Sock (Ms. Balshaw)

4th Grade Girls

Champion 1st Runner Up 2nd Runner Up

Ally Abeles (Mr. Davidson) Kira Sehgal (Mr. Peterson) Tiffany Dimond (Mrs. Redlin)

4th Grade Boys

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his year over 400 students participated in the Intermediate School Basketball Shootout.

Students have one minute to score as many points as they can and become one of the three finalist contestants from their grade on Finals Day. As the preliminary rounds came to a close we couldn’t help but notice the high level of basketball talent that we have in our intermediate school.

On Finals Day we had numerous close shootouts and some awesome basketball was on display.

In the end we had six very deserving winners.

Congratulations to all the students who participated in the shootout. You all did a tremendous job.

Champion Justin Bieker (Mrs. Hinton) 1st Runner Up Jackson Carmichael (Ms. Dalland) 2nd Runner Up Zachary Cook (Mrs. Cullen)

5th Grade Girls Champion 1st Runner Up 1st Runner Up

5th Grade Boys Champion Tie for 1st Runner Up

Kendra Payne Memorial Biathlon

Amy Naughton (Ms. Hooykaas) Yana Mihova (Ms. Bucknall) Annie Allen (Ms. Vaught)

John Hahn (Mrs. Clayton) Michael Bennick (Ms. Paxson) Eli Haas (Mr. Burk)

By Mimi Molchan and Mike Molly HS Athletics

Michael Baker and Tanvi Ahuja.

From left to right: Pat Chiota, Michael Baker, Kai Dornel, Kei Hyogo, Therese Vainius, Saki Mihori, Tanvi Ahuja and Rick Payne.

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n a beautiful sunny Saturday morning on November 13, 17 girls and 22 boys from the SAS swim team participated in the Kendra Payne Memorial Biathlon. The participants swam 40 lengths of the pool and then ran 2 kilometers around the SAS campus under the direction of coaches Peter Clark and Marco Martinez.

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Placing first for the boys was freshman Kei Hyogo at 19:02, which was a course record previously held by three-time winner and 2010 graduate, Ted Chritton. Therese Vainius was the top female finisher for the third year in a row, and she holds the record at 22:45. In second place were Kai Dornel and Saki Mihori. Placing third were

NewsFlash SINGAPORE AMERICAN SCHOOL

A highlight of the race this year was the presence of Kendra Payne’s mother and father, Pat Chiota and Rick Payne. Before they presented the certificates and medals to all the participants, they shared their memories of the wonderful times they had watching Kendra compete with her teammates. Kendra, an outstanding athlete with a zest for life, people and social causes, graduated from SAS in 2002. She died in 2006 when a truck hit her bicycle during triathlon training at the University of California at Santa Barbara. The annual SAS biathlon was renamed in her memory.

Afterward everyone enjoyed a delicious potluck breakfast courtesy of the swim team parents.

COWS in IS (Computers on Wheels)