The Wave - March 2020

Distance learning

As The KAUST School has embarked on this new path of learning during what are uncertain times, it has been wonderful to see the TKS community come together showing patience and support during the launch of the Distance Learning Programme. The school continues to learn and adapt to make the distance learning experience even better for both students and parents.

Please feel encouraged to share photo’s and videos of your childs learning, by sending to tks.communications@thekaustschool.org - so that we can share these on our TKS Sharks Facebook page, and they may even make an appearance in the 2020 Yearbook!

March 18, 2020

Contents _ Counselors Corner

3 4 6

_ From Elementary

7

_ From Secondary

9 15

_ Director’s Message

_ From Kindergarten

_ Sport News

In a Nutshell:

Summaries of March’s PAC Meetings The PAC Meeting this month was a joint meeting between all divisions and was a Q&A session regarding Distance Learning and feedback from parents after the first day. Jeff Woodcock, Elementary School Principal We met with the PAC on Wednesday 11 March, the evening of the first day of the Distance Learning Programme. The general response of parents demonstrated appreciation of the programme and the level of detail of the preparation. Concerns were voiced about the effect of the DLP on students. It was felt that some students may feel isolated from their classmates and teachers. The value of teachers checking in with students was emphasised. David Tigchelaar, Secondary School Principal

From the Director Dear Parents, What a month this has been! We started with some wonderful learning in many areas around the school. The Personal Project exhibition in the Secondary School was a true highlight. Students worked so hard to demonstrate some amazing personal learning and the exhibition evening was a huge success. We also had students participating in SAIK choir and RSAC basketball where TKS students were able to shine. I am always so proud of how our students perform not only here in KAUST, but how well they represent our community when visiting other schools. We also had a secondary school variety show where our students demonstrated their amazing talents. In GES our grade 5 students were working hard on their exhibition projects and students in all grades were showing tremendous growth in their reading after mid-year reading assessments. We were so pleased to see this. In KG our team has implemented weekly assemblies where our KG students get to show their leadership and presentation skills. They have grown so much since the beginning of the year.

Moving to Distance Learning was not what any of us wanted to do, but one of our Core Values is Adaptable, so we have certainly been able to demonstrate why this is a critical value to possess. I want to thank the parents for all their help and support during these difficult times. I know it is not easy to have your children in the home when you’re meeting many demands for work. The teachers are working hard to give your children their best and ensure an uninterrupted learning program. Many teachers are also balancing with their own children in the home while preparing and delivering lessons online. They have been so appreciative of the support that they have received from the parents.

We know at these times it’s important to keep up the positive spirit and morale for the students. It is difficult on many fronts for our students, socially, emotionally, and academically. Many of them are missing their chance to participate in a sport or activity and many students are working hard to prepare for their final exams. One way we hope to continue to build spirit is by continuing to share our learning online. If you have a great photo or video that you’d like to share of your child doing distance learning, we ask that you email the photo to tks.communications@thekaustschool.org. These photos may be used for Facebook posts or in the yearbook.

While it is easy to get down about the struggles at this time, it is important to highlight the positives. As we look at the learning taking place, I am amazed at what I have seen with regard to the resilience of our students. We know this is a critical skill to possess as we look towards the work capacities of the future. To witness seven-year-olds logging into Google Meet sessions and participating with their classmates, and kindergarten students showing their learning on Seesaw is amazing. Not to mention, seeing our IB DP students and how they are using this opportunity to show how they have become independent learners. This situation allows us to introduce new approaches to teaching and learning which will further develop our students’ resiliency, preparation, and technology skills. Let us use this situation to continue to focus on the growth that can come from individual and collective challenge. I know there is no other community I would rather be in at a time like this because of the amazing support that we can all provide for one another.

Yours in learning, Dr. Michelle Remington Director of The KAUST School

from Tiany Hill, KG Principal Dear Parents, This month in Kindergarten, we celebrated the new TKS Guiding Statements during an all-school assembly. It was an exciting opportunity to come together as a community and share what makes TKS such a special place to be a part of. The KAUST School values are the foundation of what we do, coming to life in our Kindergarten through our students and staff every day.

When asked about our new mission statement, students were able to connect by identifying what it means to be curious, creative, and problem-solvers. When asked about the new vision statement, students related being courageously bold to being strong and brave. Students were also able to identify within themselves ways that they demonstrate the TKS values. Learners embrace responsibility as they take on different jobs in the classroom each day and begin meeting their own needs. KG learners demonstrate adaptability and inclusivity in their play, taking on different roles and including others.

Our environment demands diverse thinking as we engage with learners from different cultures who bring with them different experiences and ways of thinking. Creativity ignites innovation in children through our sensory room, loose parts spaces, and the tinkering lab as students interact with different materials and problem solve.

Warmest, Tiffany Tiffany Hill Kindergarten Principal

K1 Large Canvas Art Show at the IRC As part of our ‘How We Express Ourselves’ unit of inquiry, K1 classes worked collaboratively to create 11 unique, student-led artworks on a large canvas. Each class explored different media and techniques while discussing and incorporating the elements of art in their works. The children used their thinking, risk-taking and communication skills in order to work together to create their works.

Opening night was on Wednesday March 4, 2020 at the Island Recreation Center and it was a great success! The children proudly described and shared their artworks with friends and family. The exhibit was a celebration of their hard work, knowledge, and communication skills.

We hope that the community enjoyed it as much as we did.

By: Olga Pacheco Oreamuno, K1 Teacher.

K2 Collaboration_Forces During the first week of March, K2 children enjoyed some amazing collaborative learning with 8th graders from GSS as well as a scientist from KAUST University.

The learning was around their current unit; “forces create motion in our work and play”.

One of the 8th grade students, Jad Sleiman, reported on the experience: “On Sunday, March 1st, 2020, my class and I visited the kids in K2 and taught them a little bit about forces and motion. We worked with them using the concepts of push and pull and taught them how to use Boinks and Slinkys which helped teach them more about force. For the Boinks, we showed them how to push it in and blast them very far which made them very excited. We built on that by allowing them to play around with the slinkys and swing them around which helped us teach them motion. Everyone really enjoyed it and we would love to visit again to add on what they learned the last time.”

On the Monday, scientist Ronell Sicat spent the whole morning in the Kindergarten and ran an interactive workshop with all of the K2 classes. Together, they explored magnets, which Mr Ronell described to the children as “invisible forces.” The children were so excited to use magnets to make toy cars race, play a fishing game, and “magically” make paper clips move inside a water bottle!!

Hannele Al Uariachi, KG Pedagogical Coordinator Photos: Serdar Mutlu & Hannele Al Uariachi

Counselors Corner Dear Parents* The coronavirus (now officially named COVID-19) has been declared a public health emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO) and uncertainty around this can bring about fear and worry with our students.

It is important to remember our children are looking towards us for reassurance and cues on how to react and respond. Five strategies to build resilience, and have reassuring conversations with kids are: 1. Stay Positive: Remember to keep calm. If you show anxiety or fear, your child will pick up on this and also feel nervous and afraid. Changes to the environment and routines can create unease. Having calm, panic-free discussions can ease emotions around these changes.

Check-in on how your child is feeling and acknowledge and address their worries rather than ignore them.

2. Stick to the facts: It is important to have thoughtful conversations regarding the coronavirus to reduce anxiety, worry or fear. Look at the facts. Consider your child’s age, processing, and emotions to determine how to frame these conversations to ensure your child understands. Check-in on what your child is thinking and address their worries. Discuss that not everything they hear or see is real. It can also be comforting to be reminded that doctors around the world are looking for ways to address the coronavirus and highlight positive news as well (eg. people have recovered and been discharged).

3. Consider Media Consumption: When looking online, consider the source and factcheck to prevent fake news, and think before you share. Be mindful of how much media you are checking and minimize how often you are reading stories. Try to keep a healthy balance (both online and offline) in your daily routines and lifestyle.

4. Eliminate Stigma: It is important to be aware of how the coronavirus is explained to your children to avoid any person/group being blamed. Also, to communicate that if someone has a fever or cough does not mean this person has the coronavirus.

5. Strategies: Change or uncertainty can create some levels of worry or anxiety. When this occurs, it is important to use positive coping strategies to manage those emotions. As every person is different, so too are our coping strategies. Regardless, it is important to practice positive strategies to calm down or modify our thinking to improve our outlook and overall well-being. Coping strategies can include: positive self-talk, singing, dancing, reading, drawing, music, movies, creating a gratitude list, meditation, yoga, coloring, exercise, cooking/baking, talking to a friend or family member, or other activities that are fun.

If you notice your child is still worried or anxious, be assured that this is a normal reaction, and continue conversations and providing care for your child. If you find that additional support is needed, please reach out to one of our counselors via email. *Reference: Parental Letter, Chatsworth International School, Singapore (ISCA, 2020) Warm regards, The Counseling Team, Top to Bottom: Yasmeen Ghunaim, KG West Aisha B. Oliver, KG East Jennifer de la Montana, GES Steve Otten, GES Lujain Alafif, GSS Dr Paul O’Callaghan, School Psychologist

from Je Woodcock, GES Principal For much of February, The KAUST School was busy preparing for the possibility of Distance Learning.

We were focused on putting systems in place, building lesson plans for the first ten days and gaining clarity with all staff regarding their potential roles in such a situation. We knew this would be a challenging situation for all families, including our teachers with children of their own. What we were not prepared for was the enthusiasm and adaptability our students have shown immediately upon introduction. We have launched new platforms and routines, such as Google Meet, and while there have been some challenges, students have amazed us in these first few days.

I have had the opportunity to participate in many virtual class meetings and a few things stand out.

First, students are excited to see their classmates and their teachers again. This daily interaction has proven to be so important for their well-being and resilience. Teachers have been astonished with the students’ ability to participate in meaningful dialogue online with 17 of their classmates.

Students and teachers have quickly transferred their classroom routines and expectations into the virtual classroom.

We have also been so pleased by the level of engagement we have seen in students across the elementary school. Teachers are often receiving up to one hundred posts a day on Seesaw, with students sharing the evidence of their learning. Students are also enjoying the opportunity to learn from each other’s posts and the feedback they receive.

As we slowly add more elements to our Distance Learning Program in the days ahead, we are using these first few days to make us aware of what is working for students, what elements are students enthusiastic about and what can we add to provide further support for children.

One thing is clear though, the students of GES have made us proud.

Jeff Jeff Woodcock GES Principal

Distance Learning Adventure March 11th of 2020 is a historic day here at KAUST. Today, I’m writing not as a teacher nor a parent, today I’m a mother at home with three children experiencing for the first time something out of the ordinary!

Since yesterday, we all got busy finding a spot for each of my three kids. Not any spot, a place where all feel comfortable, having their stuff easily accessible, and quite enough for routine and work to be done. After we settled, all went to bed very looking forward for tomorrow’s adventure with mixed emotions controlling them and myself. As the sun rises, we all took our spots with many questions in mind and a face to remember on them all.

The minute we started our Distant Learning adventure, I realized how awesomely ready are all TKS schools. My kids attend kindergarten, elementary, and secondary at kaust. Teachers, students, and the online tools were all actively busy delivering what any kind of school should deliver, a learning experience.

This COVID-19 has brought us all together in a way I would never imagined. This is KAUST and it’s community members, one family goes through anything together with a smile and success in kind. Thanks TKS!

Rawdhah Radwan, GES Islamic Studies Teacher

from David Tigchelaar, GSS Principal Looking Back: * The 2nd TKS Saudi University Fair on 4 March was well attended and appreciated by students and parents. We also hosted students from Thuwal schools * Grade 12 students and teachers enjoyed a camp out in the desert on 5 - 6 March * The Variety Show on 8 March in the GSS Auditorium displayed GSS’ creative talents. * A number of Sports events were cancelled in relation to the Coronavirus outbreak Looking Forward: * We had many plans for events in April but the school closure has led us to reconsider our plans. All sports tournaments and the Grade 12 Art exhibition have been cancelled. We are looking into ways to organise a virtual Art exhibition. The traditional Parent Information sessions for Grade 10 and Grade 12 in April will most likely be replaced by pre-recorded videos, containing the same information. Individual parent questions can be answered by email or through telephone or video conferences.

David Tigchelaar, GSS Principal

Virtual Reality G11 English Language & Literature/ The New Odyssey During Ms. Beth Lincoln’s Grade 11 English Language and Literature class on a February morning, the class was presented with the opportunity to visit Zaatari, the world’s largest Syrian refugee camp in Jordan through Virtual Reality (VR).

Ms. Azra Hanif and Ms. Naseem Akhtar, along with a few grade 11 students assembled Google Cardboard headsets which were used to view Virtual Reality experiences. The students wore the headsets and through their phone application, “Within” virtually immersed themselves in the reality of Sidra, a 12-year-old girl who lives in Zaatari, as she shows the viewers a day in her life in the camp. The film, “Clouds Over Sidra”, increased the students’ ability to tie two of the course’s core conceptual understandings of Identity and Representation together with the texts they are studying in their current unit, including Exit West and Tell Me How it Ends. Both of these texts also talk about migration and escape from war, which relates very closely to Sidra’s journey. It was very insightful for the students with not only understanding the position of these refugee kids who aren’t very far from their ages, but also their coursework and the experience was enjoyed by all.

Photos By: Beth Lincoln, Dalal Eljishi, Ruba Gari, Ben Powell, Cyril Givero Google Cardboard By: Ms. Azra Hanif, Ms. Naseem Akthar, Huzaifa Imran, Mohammed AlYahya, Faroze Shafiq, Mariam Ejaz Article By: Raahat Mohammed, G11 Student

HS Music Festival Ten TKS musicians from grade 9-12 rehearsed at the American International School of Jeddah on March 4-6th. Students prepared music in advance, putting in time both at school and at home to make sure they knew their notes. Their hard work paid off in a fantastic performance that featured a concert band and chorus. Students’ abilities were expanded by performing a new and ranging repertoire. The relationships and connections formed were heart-warming and meaningful. The theme of the entire festival was “Stand Together” or “‫”اعم فقن‬, encouraging students to be united in musical intention, though we come from different places. The unified sound of the students was beautiful and the memories of this weekend will stay with the students for a long time. Please congratulate the following students on their participation and performance: Angelina Shevchenko (9), Abigail Mani (10), Blake Remington (11), Brieanna Smith (9), Cameron Johnson (9), Chloe Versoza (10), Louis Davidson (10), Mimmie Tegner (10), Naomi Nason (9), and Sierra Remington (9).

By: Emmalee Johnson, GSS Music Teacher

MS Music Festival On the last weekend of January, (Jan. 30 - Feb. 1) ten students from our middle school traveled to the Jeddah Prep and Grammar School to participate in the annual SAIKAC Music Festival. Seven students joined the choir and three joined the band, working with students from different schools around Saudi Arabia. We all enjoyed it a lot and made several new friends.

It was amazing to meet so many people with similar interests as us and all work together. One of our favorite experiences was warming up for the final concert by singing ‘Count on Me’ by Bruno Mars together. We all enjoyed every moment - even waking up early to get on the bus to Jeddah! Special thanks to our teachers Ms. Emmalee Johnson and Ms. Isabel Norwood.

By: Elena Ketcheson, G8 Student Its the weekend, but it is a special one.

Not to spend time on my bed nor be at Discovery square to watch a movie, eat good food, and share stories with friends.

Its a weekend of dedication to one of my favorite passion, SINGING. I, together with other more talented students of The KAUST School joined the SAIKAC Music Festival held in Jeddah Prep and Grammar School. It was a festival of talents across the International School in the Kingdom which showcases a wonderful concert with varieties of sound and music.

It is an experience of learning and sharing of what you’ve got. From students, teachers, and staff that support the event, a big thank you for the experience, opportunity, and friendships we have gained. Someday, I am sure, looking back from this wonderful event will make you smile and hope that you will have another chance meeting and performing again with each other.

By: Daphne Pisig, Grade 8 Student

Social Media CAN Affect You Social media impacts many people, but who are affected most are teenagers like us. We don’t know what to do with it exactly and so we just randomly post things that we think others want to know, and over time we can create an addiction to it which can impact us mentally and physically. Some examples of this are depression, anxiety, poor body image, and loneliness (Child Mind.org).

I want to tell you that you don’t have to post Every. Single. Thing. Some things are good to share with people, but some can end you up with bad consequences. This has happened to several people in our school of TKS, me being amongst them.

Let me tell you my story.

It all started at the Volleyball U14 SAIKAC, November 15th, 2019. One of my team members and I decided to create a video or a ‘story’ about the school. At the time, we thought that it was funny to post that since we thought no one would care about what we did or even think about telling others, so I posted it on my Instagram account. Of course, this video showed a negative aspect of both of us representing the school and influencing people to think that this is how students at TKS acted, which is not true.

We let a couple of weeks pass completely forgetting about what we posted. But then I found myself in a situation that I never thought I would end up in. I ended up with an in-school suspension and no access to co-curricular activities until the 1st of February, this meant that I couldn’t do any of the activities that I wanted to do until then, which were track and field, and SAIK choir.

But what hit me the hardest was that I lost trust in some people, I lost a strong friendship, I learned that people might not be who they seem to be. But I am happy that there are people who think that there is always room to grow, to learn and to change, and I can’t thank them enough.

Now you know my side of the story, but I want to tell you that social media CAN affect you both mentally and physically (depression, anxiety, poor body image, and loneliness (Child Mind.org) or it can affect you for good or for worse. I want to say that you have to THINK before posting anything. If that video didn’t get out, I would probably not been writing this right now, but it did. Nobody is perfect, so we all make mistakes, but we have to learn from them in order to become stronger and better human beings.

Reflect and think before you post something, think about how it could affect you and others around you, but above all is it necessary to post it and why would people want to know?

By: Nora Gutierrez Avello, Grade 7 Student

Variety Show On the 8th of March the Secondary School saw 20 performers from grades 6-12 perform in the second variety show of the year.

Almost all of the acts were music, there was one drama contribution, a scene from the upcoming grade 8 production, Starmites. This scene was an interesting taster of what is to come, giving us a hint of the story.

Daphne Pisig played Eleanor Fairchild and Sai Katuri played her mother.

Together they showed us the beginning of this intriguing story, a girl who is strangely obsessed with comic books and even hears them calling to her to join in the adventure. To find out what happens next come and see the full show on the 7-8 June.

The remaining performers sang and played music from all types of popular music, ranging from Nat King Cole to Frozen. Grade 12 students Xarlasht Khan, Esra’a Othman and Mariyah AbuAlnaja gave particularly memorable performances. Esra’a and Mariyah sang Maps by Maroon 5 in beautiful harmony, while Xarlasht finished the show spectacularly with a passionate rendition of The Joke by Brandi Carlile. This is the last time these girls will perform at GSS and as they have all been regular participants in all types of Art Department events they will all be missed when they graduate this year.

Mariyah

Isabel Norwood, GSS Music and Art Teacher Photos by: Reece Lennon, Educational Technology Coach

Esraa Othman

Xarlasht Khan

Lizzie McEwen

The Second Saudi University Fair at TKS On Wednesday, 4th of March, nine universities from Saudi Arabia, the Education & Training Evaluation Commission (ETEC), Lanterna Education, and the Swiss Education Group, visited The KAUST School (TKS) for the second Saudi University Fair. The event was well attended by TKS high school students and their parents, as well as students from Thuwal schools, looking to acquire more information about undergraduate programs, admission requirements, scholarship options, and costs associated with attending universities.

We started the event with the Student Support Director welcoming all attendees and guests. This was followed by brief introductory remarks from each university/college about what they offer and what their entrance requirements are. The Education & Training Evaluation Commission’s representative had the opportunity to present about standardized assessments and the aptitude tests (Qudrat and Tahsilli).

Following the formal presentations, students and parents were able to visit each of the eleven booths to pose personalized queries and questions. All of the attendees enjoyed learning about the different options offered by the universities and the requirements of the Qudrat and Tahsilli.

This year we expanded the Fair offerings to include visits by Lanterna Education (study habits and IB examination preparation) and The Swiss Education Group (hospitality). Each of these groups was very well received by the audience and fielded many questions about their special bouquet of programs.

Participating Organizations: • Education & Training Evaluation Commission.

• Dar Al-Hekma University • Jeddah University • Effat University • Batterji Medical College • University of Business and Technology • Saudi Electronic University • King Abdulaziz University • Princess Norah bint Abdulrahman University • Taif University • Lanterna Education • Swiss Education Group

By: Lamyaa Aladwani Office Coordinator, Student Support Services

U14 Girls Football

By: Hala Badroun, G7 Andrew Wright, GES ELL Teacher and Mother Tongue Coordinator Photos by Arnab Chakraborty, G10 Reece Lennon, Educational Technology Coach

Over the past couple of months, the U14 girls have worked really hard to achieve one common goal which was to improve our football skills and have fun. We all committed to that goal and tried our hardest in every practice until the tournament, where we had three teams: TKS Blue, TKS White and TKS Black. At the start, TKS Black were quite nervous when we first played however, with all the support of our coaches we both improved on our skills and grew together as a team. We learned how to communicate with each other in a respectful manner as well as crush the other teams who were playing us. During the RSAC tournament, we first were quite confused and hesitant to go and steal the ball from the other teams, however, we did get used to the fact that if we didn’t steal the ball and pass to a team member soon we would either be crushed by the other team or the ball will be stolen from you. Although we might have not won all the games we played our hardest against the other teams of BISJ, AISJ, and JPGS. The most memorable moment of the RSAC tournament was when my team and I heard the whistle and assumed the game was over (the whistle blew for a foul on the other pitch). I remember throwing my shoe off just to figure out that we had 3 minutes left and the other team was coming towards the goal.

At that moment of time, I sprinted back near the goal as I was defence and our team managed to kick the ball out before they got the chance to score again.

That day was fantastic as TKS tried their hardest after having Sports Day the day previous as well as practice after school. In the end, it was a great time to make friends and play football. TKS Blue finished second, TKS White came fourth, and TKS Black were eighth out of nine teams. All our teams scored goals and we played hard! Big thank you to all our coaches: Mr Adam Llevo, Ms Kelly Maclarn, Mr Andrew Wright, Ms Shorooq Alhazmi, Mr Zack Smith and Ms Myriam Abdulbaki, and also to Mr Richard Davies and Mr Ron Gatenby for organizing the 2020 U14 RSAC tournament.

Unit 3 PHE G6 – Movement - TT The theme of the movement unit in grade 6 is ‘Peace and Conflict’. The students choreograph an interpretive movement sequence to communicate this theme. Throughout the unit, the movement concepts such as time, force and relationships are developed and assessed.

G7 – Fitness - FO G8 – Movement - TT The grade 8 PHE students have been investigating through martial arts the statement of inquiry ‘different movements offer choice to express creativity’. They collaborated and brainstormed ideas to create a movement routine. Students then use the movement concepts to refine their group performance by developing goals and planning new ideas. The idea is to stimulate an understanding of the language of movement and to develop aesthetic knowledge and skill in movement expression.

G9 – Aquatics - CH The grade 9 students have been exploring the statement of inquiry, ‘the choices we make and interactions with others will determine the outcome’. The students learned how to communicate and apply lifesaving skills to the 4 A’s of Rescue (Awareness, Assessment, Action & Aftercare) to respond to a lifesaving scenario. The students also developed their swimming technique in freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke.

G10 – PCUP - KM Grade 10’s have spent the past 8 weeks working on their PCUP Coach Carter Unit, which is an externally assessed unit for IB. They had to coach their peer in one of the following sports: Badminton, or Table Tennis. Students identified areas of weakness, then together identified a physical and mental goal to work on. Each student created a coaching plan with 4 sessions targeting to improve their client’s performance in and around the game.

U14 Girls Netball The 2019-2020 netball season brought lots of fun and new techniques into our lives. The girls faced many challenges but with perseverance, resilience, commitment and a positive attitude, we all overcame these challenges. We did have some interruptions during the season, however, the girls still stayed committed and always did their best.

The girls practiced hard for weeks leading up to the tournament and it was so great that we were able to create three full teams. The girls cheered each other on and supported one another all the time. Unfortunately, due to certain circumstances, BISJ couldn’t attend the tournament and we ended up playing the Grade 5 netball teams instead. The GSS netballers gave the GES netballers tough competition, making all the matches exciting. Our team spirit stayed high throughout the season which made every session enjoyable. A huge thanks to Ms. Teddy, Ms. Clarke and Ms. Johansen for their motivation and guidance. The team’s hard work and dedication to each practice didn't go unnoticed and the coaches were super proud of all the effort and learning that took place.

Blue and white team: GSS netballers (grade 6&7) Red and black team: GES netballers (grade 4&5)

By Aabish Imran, Grade 7 netballer

U19 Basketball

Grade 7 Girls Kayak Trip Unit 3 in PHE was kayaking for some of the grade 7 students. This unit brought a lot of fun and new skills into our lives. The first few weeks of the unit were spent learning new skills and concepts related to swimming and kayaking.

On the 19th of February, we had an opportunity to go kayaking from the south beach to Thuwal corniche. The trip was a mixture of learning new techniques and skills that are required to kayak and the students enjoyed the trip to their fullest. It is very impressive to see that the students who weren’t able to paddle correctly at the start, took part in a kayak trip and returned independently without having the rescue boats helping them. Skills that were developed are: * forward and backward stroke to move forward/backward * sweep stroke and draw stroke to turn * capsize which is falling off the kayak into the water and try to get back in.

There were a lot of challenges encountered during the trip such as heavy wind, high tide and lack of practice for some students. All the challenges were thoughtfully overcome by everyone with their effort and strategies. A huge thanks to Ms. Teddy, Ms. Giulia for preparing us for the trip and encouraging us to do our best. Also, thanks to the instructors from Coastline - Mr. Rainbow, Mr. Duncan, Mr. Isodene and Ms. Jessie for being there with us during the whole trip and supporting us in every way possible. Due to everyone’s supervising, support and spirit the trip was lively, pleasant and enjoyable.

By: Aabish Imran, G7 student

Grade 7 2020 Kayaking Trip Over the course of our unit, the grade sevens learned to work with different people as partners, and to communicate effectively when hindered in normal communication by environmental challenges, such as strong, loud waves. Our main learning outcomes were communication, and developing kayaking and swimming skills effectively. Initially, we focused on learning basic kayaking skills and strokes, preceded only by a swimming self-evaluation. Later, our classes were divided into two groups to effectively improve our swimming techniques and abilities.

We learned about communicating in harsh or difficult situations where it is impossible to do so normally, and it was an authentic experience, with mishaps that were bound to happen along the way, but we enjoyed ourselves, and learned a lot of new skills.

The trip itself was really windy, and that caused many of us to stray away from the group and forced us to make more of an effort, but we had a lot of fun and it was worthwhile, even for the people that accidentally capsized towards the end of the trip.

Lastly, we would like to once again thank our instructors and teachers, who had the patience to take us on this amazing trip, filled with wonderful experiences, and to wait for us as we struggled through difficult situations.

Isabella Palescandolo, G7 Co-Ed PHE

Thuwal Schools and GSS U14 Boys: Football Bringing Youth Together On Sunday 23rd February 2020 from 4pm until approximately 6.30pm, Thuwal Schools played football against the U14 GSS boys’ squads. Three football teams from each school played against each other in a round-robin format, in a spirit of friendly but competitive football matches.

The matches took place on the GSS sports field. Games were hard-fought but fair and it was an enjoyable experience for all who participated. There were a number of photos taken at the event which highlighted the cooperation that exists between the two schools.

After the matches, all the players were invited to the school cafeteria to enjoy drinks, burgers and doughnuts! Many thanks to the people at Community Life for organizing this wonderful sporting opportunity. Thank you to all the players who attended and thank you to the Grade 11 boys who volunteered to referee – Ben Powell, Ali Alkubaish and Mohammed Khojabakkah.

By: Peter Powell, MYP Coordinator