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ISSUE 45 VOLUME 4 OCTOBER 2016

ISK’S DYNAMIC LEARNING Ways to ensure international schools are safe and dynamic learning communities. Read more on page 4.

SOLGENERATION HeArts @ ISK ISK partnered with African award winning band, SautiSol to collaborate through the HeArts service group.

Read more on page 24.

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About ISK The International School of Kenya (ISK) is a private, non-profit PreK-Grade 12 school created in 1976 through a joint partnership between the governments of the United States and Canada. Nestled on 40 acres of a former coffee plantation, ISK serves the educational needs of both expatriate and Kenyan students who seek a challenging international curriculum which leads to the rigorous International Baccalaureate Diploma program.

ISK’s internationally focused curriculum has helped Kenya become a magnet for foreign business investment and a desired posting for those working for the continuing development of East Africa. Expatriate families consider Kenya a quality career opportunity, in part due to the quality education they find at ISK. Likewise, Kenyan families who want an international, culturally diverse education for their children see ISK as the school of choice.

ISK has over 915 students from more than 60 countries. Graduates earn an ISK North American accredited diploma and approximately 70 percent of ISK graduates earn the IB Diploma, enabling them to study at some of the most respected and competitive colleges and universities in the world. ISK students form a supportive, spirited and diverse community, which enables new students to adapt easily to campus life. Interacting in such a welcoming crosscultural milieu, ISK students celebrate the unique and wonderful differences and similarities of people from around the world.

The value of respect for each other and for Kenya is evident at ISK, as is a commitment to giving back to the community. Our scholarship program for Kenyan students, together with a broad and dedicated service-learning program which serves our local and national community, have shaped our school values since 1967 and continue today.

In keeping with ISK’s strategic mission and vision, we are dedicated to empowering each student to create solutions for tomorrow’s challenges. Therefore, we have embarked on a multimillion dollar facility and program expansion project to provide students and faculty with the programs, tools and facilities necessary for success. Once completed, ISK will be able to accommodate 1,200 students with expanded programs and facilities.

EDITORIAL TEAM Lynn Wells Pamela Pappas Janet Muasya DESIGN & PRODUCTION Mario Zamfir - SchoolBrand.com Copyright © 2016 The Link Copyright © 2016 ISK. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Trademarks: The Link, ISK and their associated logos are trademarks of the International School of Kenya. All other names, logos, and trademarks of other companies shown in this publication are the property of their respective owners.

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6 Message from the Board of Directors The Board held its second board meeting of the year on October 25, 2016 19 TLC ISK hosted a Professional Learning Institute with Paul Andersen from Bozeman Science as the facilitator for 17 teachers and TA’s from 6 different schools.

20 ISK Athletics Department It’s been a busy schedule for our Season 1 teams! See the results on page 20.

22 Service Learning RSIC Germany Keynote Speaker Reflection.

32 PTO A successful “PTO Open Coffee” event was held in the ISK library on the morning of 25th October.

34 Advancement News A Sign of the Times. A new look for ISK. 41 ISK News Read about our latest news and events

4 8 12 16 37 Director Letter

ES Report

MS Report

HS Report

HeArts @ ISK

Sustaining a Safe and Dynamic Learning Community

A very sincere thank you to each and every one of you for attending or helping to ensure that we all had a fun-filled 201617 Costume Party.

Each of the Inter Cultural Trips this year were very successful; filled with great fun, learning, and new and exciting experiences as you can see from the pictures in this article.

Prior to the break, we held our semester one Parent-Student-Teacher conferences, which were very well attended and provided students with the opportunity to reflect and collaborate around next steps with learning.

We’ve had a pretty exciting couple of weeks here at ISK! SautiSol has been on campus and working closely with students from HeArts and The Little Prince School.

Check out some of these photos from their visits to the campus.

Read more on page 4

Read more on page 8

Read more on page 12

Read more on page 16

Read more on page 37

Cover Photo: Jodi Watkins, ES Art Teacher The Link

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Sustaining a Safe and Dynamic Learning Community Over the past few years accrediting and recruiting agencies, child protection groups, the U.S. Dept. of State’s Office of Overseas Schools, and school administrators/counselors have been focusing on improving ways to ensure international schools are safe and dynamic learning communities. The International Task Force on Child Protection (ITFCP) has led the way in getting all these various groups to work together on child protection.

The ITFCP took a three-pronged approach to their work on ensuring safe learning communities at international schools. This approach focused on three areas; school recruitment, school policies and practices, and school evaluation.

The School Recruitment Committee’s main thrust was strengthening screening processes used in hiring international educators. After

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looking at practices that were piloted last year, the key elements that the committee recommends as best hiring practices are now finalized.

ISK follows these recommendations in its hiring practices as well as with adults that work or volunteer on our campus. The School Policies and Practices Committee’s objective was to develop resources that schools can use to enhance their own policies and responses that apply within their context.

These policies and practices mirror much of the child protection work originally spear-headed by the Association of International Schools of Africa (AISA).

The School Evaluation Committee produced recommendations to school accreditation and inspection agencies on what protocols should exist around the world that would ensure child protection and well-being. They worked with the premise that schools

have a duty to protect children and prevent them from harm, and act with a sense of urgency if a child is at risk of harm. This committee concluded that expectations for agencies should be grouped in four areas; policies, people, procedures, and accountability. They also agreed that there are five key parts in which accreditation standards should apply; professional development for faculty and staff, a proactive approach to polices and practices,

ensuring student learning on protection, personnel recruitment, and implementing a regular review of child protection measures.

With the work of the task force in mind, ISK continues to be a leader in the area of child protection in Kenya, helping to found and head Kenya’s Child Protection Advocacy Network (CPAN).

CPAN currently has 27 member schools here in Kenya and is supported by the Kenyan Association

of Independent International Schools (KAIIS) and ISK. Just last week ISK hosted the first of three annual meetings for CPAN members and its Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT). The Multi-

Disciplinary Team has been established to work as an advisory/ consultative team that provides advice on specific issues as well as informational support at regular CPAN meetings.

ISK understands that ensuring a safe learning community is not something that you check off of a list, but rather something that you continually work at improving and monitoring.

APPROVED 2017-18 SCHOOL CALENDAR

The Board of Directors approved the 2017-18 ISK School Calendar at the October 25 Board meeting. During the drafting of next year’s school calendar, various factors that might affect the school were taken into consideration. One driver was the evolving landscape of when likely additional national holidays might be declared, the most likely time being near the beginning of the school year or near the end of the first semester.

With this in mind, the 2017-18 ISK School Calendar has a couple of extra school days scheduled while staying within the ISK Board parameters for the school year. This

In a positive, stable school environment, where students’ commonalities are strengthened and their individuality is supported, students feel safe to take educational risks

as they explore and construct their learning.

Sincerely, David G. Henry Director

gives the school flexibility to add some additional holidays depending on the circumstances. You are welcome to contact me with questions you might have.

MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL SEARCH

Thank you to all the parents, students, faculty, staff and board members that participated in various aspects of the MS Principal search. Your feedback was valuable in the decision-making process. We hope to announce the new MS Principal in the next two weeks. The new MS Principal will join ISK in July 2017 with an ISK transition visit during this year’s second semester.

2017-18 SCHOOL CALENDAR

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GREETINGS FROM THE

BOARD OF DIRECTORS We held the second board meeting of the year on October 25, 2016. Following brief remarks from the Faculty Council, the Board heard from Jodi Lake, Director of Teaching and Learning on the results of the MAP test (grades 3 and 6) piloted in the areas of reading, math and language usage. A high percentage of students scored well above the world mean in all subjects. More importantly, the test provided teachers with immediate and individualized feedback on each student, giving the teachers data that will allow the teacher to personalize student learning.

It is very important that the Board goes through an evaluation process each year. We have a detailed questionnaire that board members fill in, as well as all those who regularly attend board meetings, and this was reviewed. The Board Chair also receives an evaluation by Board members. The Board evaluates the Director throughout the year, and the process and documents for this were reviewed.

The Board approved the calendar for the upcoming 2017-18 school year, and this will be made available soon.

The Board heard a presentation from Director David Henry on the impact generative thinking can have on board governance, encouraging members to “think outside the box” when examining problems. David noted that incorporating generative thinking into the Board’s governance tool box is not an easy task and may take time. However, focusing on generative thinking in the course of our board work encourages members to reframe problems, generating deeper consideration of issues and encouraging innovative solutions to problems.

Finally, as the Board will be one of the groups meeting the shortlisted candidates for the MS Principal position, we planned how that would go and who would be involved.

Our next Board of Directors meeting will be at 4:00pm on November 15, 2016. The ISK community is always welcome to attend.

Mimi Steward Board Secretary

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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

By Patricia Salleh Matta Elementary School Principal

REPORT

I do hope that you all had a chance to recover after the busy Friday afternoon last week. A very sincere thank you to each and every one of you for attending or helping to ensure that we all had a fun-filled 201617 Costume Party.

A few people are worthy of special mention: • Our busy ESPTO group for coordinating with homeroom parents & staff in order to get all the games organized. Thank you for all the extra meetings, emails, phone calls and ensuring the orders for this event arrived on time.

• Homeroom and volunteer parents, I know that you spent hours in discussions and gathering of materials for your booth. They were great and truly enjoyed by the students.

• Scott Lavack & Karen Moore our

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resident MCs for keeping us all entertained during the parade.

• Elementary staff, for an efficiently managed parade, and for manning the Trick n’ Treat stations as well as being such sports with all those great costumes.

• Tech Support, for the PA system and helping with the music throughout.

We were lucky that the rain did not manage to spoil this event and thank you everyone for your flexibility in moving the booths to drier ‘spots’. The ESPTO is seeking your feedback on what worked

well and what might be considered for next year’s event. We will have a reflection meeting next week to review this year’s Costume Party planning and execution and make notes for the 2017-18 event.

Please send any feedback to Lillian Livondo (llivondo@isk.ac.ke) who will collate all responses for consideration at this meeting.

Patricia Salleh Matta Elementary School Principal

4th Graders go to the High School!

By: Ayush,Piper,Lina, Albert, Thurein (Students in 4F)

While the HS students were at parent teacher conferences the Grade 4’s went to the high school. First on the schedule was Mr. Robinson’s chemistry class where students took an energy science assessment.

Chemicals and periodic tables surrounded everyone. Next, they went to Mr. Parson’s,

Mr. Hire’s, and Mr. Pierce’s classrooms for reading groups.

After that, they visited the Snack Bar to buy popcorn, pies, pizza, and delicious juice.

Ms. Sibrian’s math class was the most terrifying where students memorized the entire high level math textbooks, which

Holiday Bazaar

ES Music Concerts in December Tuesday, Dec. 6th - 2:00 p.m.

All students in Grades 2 & 3 Thursday, Dec. 8th, - 2:00 p.m.

All students in Grades Kg & 1 Friday, Dec. 9th, - 2:00 p.m.

All students in Grades 4 & 5 All 3 Elementary Music Concerts will be held in the ISK Theater.

All ISK families and parents are invited to attend any and all of the concerts. In conjunction with the ES Concerts, the ES Art Department will be staging the December Art Show, “Safari Njema,” featuring artwork from every ES student.

This year we are asking for a children’s book/ or a food item, such as a bag of rice, maize or a tub of Kimbo. A schedule for each class to visit is currently being put together.

Volunteers are needed to help with wrapping on the material day! Please contact, Shekufeh Monadjem, Samela Priestley, Kavita Shivadey, Eleanor Miller or the ESO for further information.

In the library, Ms. Jones took them to the HS section. They had a class meeting in Mr. Saenz’s room and loved all the superhero bobble heads and toys. Finally, they went to Mr. Amirouche’s class for

“activity period” aka, freetime! Surrounded by scary specimens in jars and the human body, 4th Graders played games and finished up work. Overall it was an amazing Experience Day in the High School!

“Safari Njema!”

This year the ISK PTO will be hosting the 19th annual Holiday Bazaar on Friday, November 25, 2016. It will be held on the main sports field. This offers the Elementary School children a chance to do some holiday shopping in school and have it gift wrapped to insure surprises! The Bazaar will be open from 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. and as in previous years there will be a price for admission, which will be donated to a local project.

Each child has the opportunity to shop.

Kindly note that all items sold are under 400kshs.

were almost too heavy to pick up!

Dates to Remember in

NOVEMBER

15 – 17

Tue – Thu

Grade 3 IC Trip

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Fri

ISK Holiday

No School

25

Fri

Holiday Bazaar

9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

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the angry birds of ISK

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MIDDLE SCHOOL

By Craig Baker Middle School Principal

REPORT

IC Trips & Projects Each of the Inter Cultural Trips this year were very successful; filled with great fun, learning, and new and exciting experiences as you can see from the pictures in this article.

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8th Grade Capstone and 6th & 7th Grade IC Trip Projects Sixth and seventh grade students continued work this week on their Inter-Cultural Trip integrated projects, while eighth grade completed work on their Capstone projects on global issues.

ing earlier this week. If not, for sixth grade parents please contact Chitra Mohan (cmohan@isk.ac.ke) and for seventh contact Courtney Pierce (cpierce@isk.ac.ke). All of the projects, including the eighth grade Capstone, are based on the ISK Aims.

Our sixth grade students will be presenting their projects on November 8 at 2:45 p.m. and November 9 at 8:20 a.m. The seventh grade will be presenting their projects on November 9 at 8:20 a.m. and November 16 at 8:20 a.m.. Hopefully you received the details of when your children will be present-

MIDDLE SCHOOL SOCIAL

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF KENYA

Our middle school social is set for Friday, November 4th, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the Commons canteen area.

It’s a Halloween costume party with a costume contest, a scary photo booth, great music and more! Students who bring

enough food for 10 people will get in free (please consider healthy snacks). Admission for everyone else is 400 KSH, which will include a snack and two drinks. Additional drinks will be sold at 50 KSH. Please try be in the upper parking lot to collect your children by 7:45 p.m.

PARENT TEA

Our next middle school parent tea is set for Thursday, November 24th, from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the High School MPR. The focus of the evening will be our middle school math program, and will also include

information on our “growth mindset” initiative in relation to how we learn math at ISK. This is a continuation of some of the parent programs from last school year.

SPORTS AWARDS

The middle school sports award program is set for November 15th from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in ISK Arts Centre.

More information will be forthcoming from the athletic department.

Middle School Intercultural Trips 2016

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Middle School Intercultural Trips 2016

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HIGH SCHOOL

By Rob Blanchard High School Principal

REPORT

I hope that all high school students and families enjoyed a restful October break. Shortly prior to the break, we held our semester one Parent-Student-Teacher conferences, which were very well attended and provided students with the opportunity to reflect and collaborate around next steps with learning.

We also had two student groups attend exciting trips overseas, one to London for a Theatre learning experience and one to Germany to attend a RoundSquare conference.

Since returning from the break, high school students have been hard at work in their classes, applying feedback from the Parent-Student-Teacher process. Seniors have begun the university application process and are methodically moving their IB internal assessment tasks. Two more student groups have travelled to international ISSEA tournaments, one to South Africa and another to Uganda. I also travelled to the Uganda event, where ISSEA school heads met to discuss issues and collab-

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oratively chart the way forward for this network as more varied options become available for enriching student interaction.

Recently, we held our second High School Parents & Principal Tea of the year, a special evening session. The main agenda items were: • Community news • Experiential Learning and Advisory • Digital citizenship: use of IT in support of learning • End of Semester Assessments (schedule for students and parents to be finalized and distributed soon) • HS Handbook (standing item) • Sharing ideas around topics for Teas this year.

One exciting new experiential learning program rolling out this year is the grade 9 Experiential Design, with student groups applying the design process to real-world challenges that they are interested in trying to address.

The high school welcomed parents to a thrilling theatre production, And Then There Were None. It was a great night of excellent theatre entertainment.

Kind regards, Robert Blanchard, Ed.D. High School Principal

Hello LIONS! There will soon be a new store on campus COMPLETELY RUN

BY STUDENTS. Simba Soko will launch on Saturday, November 12th from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. during the Middle school sports tournament and swim meet. If you are participating or watching the Elementary through High School Swim Gala, Middle school girls basketball or boys football tournament swing by SImba Soko store.

Come support your children, team and hang out with friends while enjoying the food, snacks and drinks provided by Simba Soko.

There is also quality ISK merchandise for those who want to let their Lions pride show. Simba Soko will be a permanent addition to the campus located close to the sports facilities you will see us as you make your way down to the pool, courts or fields!

For more information on the grand opening email us at simbasoko@isk.ac.ke or follow us on our facebook page ISK Simba Soko (official)

By Emma Rigassio Business & Entrepreneurship Student

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Work Experience. we need your support.

Can you help?

As some of you may be aware, the High School successfully piloted a work experience program for our Grade 10 students, with eleven students in different sectors across Nairobi for one week last March. The aim of the work experience program is to encourage Grade 10 students to explore and develop their passion(s) and give them meaningful exposure to the workplace.

For school year 2016-17, we plan to unfold Phase 1 of the program, with a target of 50% of Grade 10 students off-campus and in the workplace during the week of March 6th-11th, 2017. In order to begin the process and gather all stakeholders, the High School will be hosting a Career fair on

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February 8th, 2017.

We are currently looking for community partners who could help with the program, and you are our best resource!

If you know of anyone within the Nairobi community who may be willing to support the program please feel free to forward this information to them. Please contact SĂŠverine Fumoux (sfumoux@isk.ac.ke) or Jarrod Dale (jdale@isk.ac.ke) if you are interested in supporting the program or have any further queries.

We look forward to hearing from you.

By Severine Fumoux

WAYS YOU COULD SUPPORT THE PROGRAM:

1. As a guest speaker for our working seminars. We are looking for speakers who can share their professional experiences and words of wisdom about the sector they work in (taking place on Mondays 11:20am - 11:50am); 2. As presenters during the Career Fair hosted by ISK on February 8th, 2017; 3. As hosts during the work placement week of March 6-11, 2017; 4. As potential mentors at the workplace during the week of March 6-11, 2017.

By Jodi Lake Director of Teaching and Learning

WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING?

We enjoyed a very successful and stimulating visit with Paul Andersen from Bozeman Science who worked with students and teachers on ensuring that we ‘don’t kill the wonder’ in Science. ISK also hosted a Professional Learning Institute with Paul as the facilitator for 17 teachers and TA’s from 6 different schools.

Once again, ISK is on the map!

WHAT’S COMING UP? Mathematics: Last year we had 14 parents involved in the Stanford online course, How to Learn Math for Teachers and Parents (click here for more info).

It was so popular we will be organizing for a group to begin in the next couple of weeks. We need at least 7 to get the discount. We have 6 parents already on board. Please contact Jodi Lake (jlake@ isk.ac.ke) if you are interested.

MAP Test Results for students in grade 3 and grade 6: This year we are piloting the MAP test in 2 grades and we will be

hosting a session for parents to learn about the assessment, the results and what it means for your child. Date to be determined but a message will be sent to parents in the next 2 weeks.

Our next Professional Learning Institute focuses on the Creative Arts. Donald Schleicher is the conductor of the University of Illinois Symphony Orchestra.

He will be working with teachers and musicians in Nairobi on conducting skills.

The Teaching and Learning Center is always hopping - drop in for a cup of coffee and a chat.

GREG CURTIS

Consulting, has been on campus this week as he helps ISK think about how we clearly articulate and operationalize our Educational Aims.

The Aims committee has been reading his books Leading Modern Learning and Learning Personalized. Both of these books clearly align with ISK’s mission, vision and aims as well as the strategic plan.

The excitement is brewing.

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By Will Moore Athletics Director

ISK ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT

It’s been a busy schedule for our Season 1 teams! As we reach the end our our local league season we have building drama, with our Blue tennis team leading the table on equal points with two other teams and our U19 football team set for a place in the semis! By the time this article comes out we’ll know how our ISSEA teams got on and you can expect all the details in the next edition!

BOYS FOOTBALL - RVA TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS!!

21st October, 2016, the International School of Kenya, boys football team headed out to the Rift Valley Academy for a football tournament. The ultimate aim of the day was to play free-flowing, attractive football. In most cases, we would have set out to win the tournament; however, prior to the tournament, we had found ourselves in a little bit of a slump. It wasn’t that we weren’t winning, it was our consistent failure to win playing the attractive football we all know we’re capable of.

Despite this aim to perform, we slipped up in the first game of the tournament, drawing 1-1. It was a less than flattering result, as we deserved all 3 points. Building on our shaky start, we were pitted up against the Rift Valley Academy Junior Varsity team. They came at us quick, showing high levels of intensity, but lacking the quality to pose a serious threat. We ended up winning the game 3-1, as we finally began to grow into the tournament, playing close to the level we aimed to be performing at.

Leading up to our final group stage game, we knew we needed at least a draw to qualify to the next stage. Brookhouse were a very talented side, posing a threat every time they got on the ball. We went into the game with determination and grit, leaving all on the

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field to get the result we required. To be honest, it was the game that produced the best football of the tournament. We were lively and vibrant, quick and free-flowing. It was stunning. Although our play failed to materialise into goals, we were very proud of what we had managed to produce. Brookhouse capitalised on a lapse in our concentration, taking the lead. 1-0 down, 5 minutes left. Things were looking very bleak for us. However, we rallied together on the field, played with determination and managed to pull a goal back. We were ecstatic. We got the goal we needed, and as the referee called time on the game, we celebrated qualifying to the next stage.

Onto the next round we advanced, having built up confidence within the ranks, playing the football we are capable of. A few weeks prior to the tournament, we had played Strathmore and beaten them 6-1. We were drawn against them in the next round of games in the tournament. We went into the game fully expecting to win, which is exactly what we did! 4-0. Thrilling encounter, with the boys producing an exciting spectacle for the fans. This win was significant, as it meant we had made it to the finals. Despite starting poorly, we grew into the tournament and managed to give performances that were both attractive and effective, leading us to the finals.

The finals was a highly anticipated match against Brookhouse. We had previously played against them in a very entertaining match, drawing 1-1. In the finals, it was expected to be a cagey affair, with few chances due to all the players being very fatigued.

They sat back and were very solid defensively throughout, difficult to break down. We kept piling on the pressure, they kept resisting.

It was as if an unstoppable force met an immovable object. With barely 3 minutes left on the clock, we caught Brookhouse out of position, for once breaking their shape. We attacked with poise and purpose, delivering a killer blow; header from our novice centre forward, winning us the game and subsequently, the tournament. We went wild. It was a thing of dreams. We won the tournament, while playing the attractive football we have been accustomed to in the past 3 years. It was a sublime way to end an incredible day. We did what we loved and found success in it.

Champions!

Richard Kalu and Kinnar Shah

SWIMMING: REPORT ON THE KSF-NRB BRANCH LEVELS 2 & 3 SWIM GALA

The ISK swim team participated in this semester’s KSF – Nairobi County Championship on the 8th and 9th October, 2016. This competition featured the top swimmers in Nairobi county. The ISK Lions swim team had Level 2 swimmers, whose main aim was to better their times, and Level 3 swimmers, who wanted to see how they ranked in the county of Nairobi.

ISK Lions team captain Marie Vanderneulen started off with the first time doing 1500 meters event for her first time at level two group she was rated 1st overall on his category for the 14/15 years after the swim. Ezell Wambua followed closely after with 100m backstroke coming 2nd overall in her category of 12/13 years old girls.

LEVEL 2 INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

Courtney Hereward 1st swimmer girls position overall 14/15 years category Nathaniel Taylor 1st best swimmers girls 16/ over year’s category.

Yashna Khatry 3rd best girl swimmer 12/13 year’s old category.

Barbara Kalu 3rd best swimmer 14/15 years old category Rushan Manek was 4th overall.

LEVEL 2 TEAM SCORES

ISK Girls team - 1st overall best team 14/15 years old with 124 points ISK Boys team - 2nd best team with 80 points.

LEVEL 3 INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

Marie Vanderneulen 1st best girl’s swimmer 14/15 year’s old category.

Peter Vogtlander 3rd best male swimmer 16/over category.

Ezell Wambua 4th best swimmer 12/13 year’s old girls category.

Rayan Khan 4th best swimmer 12/13 year’s old boy’s category.

LEVEL 3 COMBINED TEAM SCORES

ISK Girls - 1st best team overall 14/over girls.

ISK Boys - 2nd best team overall 14/ over boys.

Congratulations to all ISK Lions swimmers for their amazing performances. We are really looking forward to our ISK Swim Meet on the 11th and 12th November 2016 at our home pool, with over 12 schools in attendance. Let’s go Lions!

Zack Musembi Head swim coach

ISK VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT

This tournament was truly a wonderful opportunity for our ISSEA teams to prepare for the tournament in South Africa. The girls victoriously took home first place, as did the boys. We were able to exercise our strengths and identify our weaknesses, leading to every single individual challenging themselves to improve after each rally, aiming to play their best during every game.

This tournament allowed us to become a more tight knit unit, a stronger team. There is always something to improve upon, but I feel like the girls volleyball team is ready to bring it at ISSEA!!

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SERVICE LEARNING AT ISK RSIC GERMANY KEYNOTE SPEAKER REFLECTION During this conference, we had a variety of keynote speakers come in and deliver inspiring and informative speeches about their life endeavors and some aspects of their lives that have made them who they are today. The keynote speakers that we had the pleasure of listening to during the conference were: Ben Saunders (a British polar explorer who is famous for leading the first ever return journey to the South Pole on skis), Dr. Manfred Spitzer

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(a college professor in the Department of Psychiatry in Germany), Souad Mekhennet (a Muslim journalist who works with the Washington Post), Saria Semakie (a Syrian refugee who had encounters with various rebel groups in Syria when growing up) and Henry Donovan (a filmmaker who portrayed Saria’s story), and John Deverell (a British security expert and retired British Army officer who was a former director of defense diplomacy).

All keynote speakers had incredibly interesting stories that were able to link to the theme of the conference, the journey that makes us, however, the speaker that most influenced my perspective and that had the most impact on me, was Souad Mekhennet.

Souad Mekhennet was our third keynote speaker who came in and told her story on her encounters with various terrorist groups in the Middle East and how she overcame the difficulties she came across in her pursuit of becoming a journalist.

Souad Mekhennet was born in Germany as the daughter of a Turkish mother and a Moroccan father, and growing up, had difficulty in chasing her dreams to become a journalist because of her social status and her gender. However, now, Souad has worked as a reporter for the well-known Washington Post, has worked for the German TV channel ZDF and Daily Best, and is now a member of the New York Times. Souad began her speech by talking about how a lot of people would doubt her actions and her aspirations when she was growing up, especially since she was a girl and because she was Muslim. She had also talked about the disadvantages of being a Muslim when she was trying

to live in Germany. She had talked about how the 9/11 attacks had influenced her in Germany and how she overcame the demoralizing criticism she was getting when she was younger as well.

In the middle of her speech, Souad Mekhennet talked about how, after 9/11, she started to research and look at radical Islamic movements. Nowadays, I have heard a lot about Islamic radicalism and have wondered what that meant in our society. So far, I have learned that the Islamic religion in itself is somehow radicalizing people who follow this specific faith. However, Souad Mekhennet said something that I found truly interesting.

She had said that: “the Islamic religion does not radicalize the people, but the people radicalize the religion.� This was interesting to me because I have not heard this opinion before. I think that she has a good point in saying this as well.

Continuing with her speech, Souad talked about how she met with various extremists in the Middle East when she was reporting and talked about her emotions and thoughts when she was in the presence of such intimidating people. She had also talked about the Jihad war and how she was able to research the strategies of

terrorist networks in the Middle East.

I think that Souad Mekhennet was very inspirational because she talked about how she developed her courage when she faced various sources of prejudice in her pursuit of becoming a journalist. I think that the fact that she is a female and that she is Muslim did have an effect on forming her ambitions, however, she was able to push through the criticisms and overcome the obstacles that stood in her way and truly inspire others and impact the world of journalism today. She also was able to provide information about what was going on with the Jihad war, even though she was struggling with her own emotions, which, in my opinion, makes her a truly inspirational and strong individual.

I enjoyed listening to the Keynote speakers. All of them obviously talked about an event or learning experience changed their journey to make them who they are today.

Andrea Taylor Grade 12

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SOLGENERATION HEARTS @ISK

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This year ISK partnered with African award winning band, SautiSol to collaborate through the HeArts service group, a pre-existing and student led organization that works with Little Prince School and Gertrude’s Children’s Hospital.

HeArts believes that through collaboration, kids can learn to embrace their creativity and grow their self esteem. HeArts has already conducted several meetings with the kids from Little Prince School and the year is off to a great start.

Continue reading to take a look at some of the great work being done by the HeArts group here at ISK.

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The average HeArts meeting starts out with some ice breaker activities outside the art room. This is a great opportunity for the ISK and Little Prince students to start interacting and make sure that everyone is comfortable with each other. In photo (5 on page 21) you can see everyone dancing and getting warmed up for the day’s session.

Once everyone is ready to do some art the real fun begins.

Stations are set up where kids can work on a variety of different projects. HeArts is not a program that teaches kids how to do art, we believe that everyone already has an artistic side and they just need an outlet to express their creativity.

In photo (1) above you can see Polycarp of Sauti Sol, Vanessa and some students working with clay as they enjoy a pleasant conversation.

HeArts isn’t just about the fine arts either, we believe that kids should be free to express their creativity in whatever

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way feels most natural to them. This way we make sure that there are always a range of activities, from painting, to dancing, to percussion, we’ve got it covered. In photo (3 & 4) we see Tracy Odhiambo leading a dance in the amphitheater.

We believe in building relationships and experiences. By working together with the Little Prince kids, HeArts aims to provide them with a nurturing environment where

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creativity can flourish while building both social and leadership skills.

In photo (2 above) we see Ella Blanchard and Bien-Aime Baraza of Sauti Sol working together with Little Prince students to make a necklace.

At the end of a long day we like to relax and enjoy a snack with the Little Prince kids. This is a great time for students to

relax and hang out while discussing the activities of the day. This gives the students a chance to build relationships and gain a deeper insight into each other’s lives.

In photo (6 below) Delvin Mudigi of Sauti Sol shares a drink with a girl from Little Prince School.

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SOYSAMBU Soysambu was one of the new trips this year that I was very fortunate to go on. The description of this trip could not have been more accurate.

Filled with adventure and new experiences, as well as activities that pushed everyone out of their comfort zone, this intercultural trip truly was spectacular.

There were many challenges that arose during the trip a few examples being , abseiling, camouflage, cave exploring and the escape activity. These were all activities that we participated in. Starting with abseiling which we did on the last day, it was an activity that I had never done before, so as a result I went into it completely unaware of what I was about to get myself into.

Now imagine this, you’re standing at the edge of a cliff. You’ve been walking for the past 45 minutes up a steep hill covered in thorn bushes, plants and shrubs of all kinds. You’re taking in this beautiful scenery of small huts

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surrounded by long grass that seemed to sparkle and sway under the almost setting sun. All of a sudden a helmet is given to you along with a harness, you put all the gear on. A man standing behind a large rock tells you to make your way down to him. As you cross over you look over the edge and all you see is rock, after rock, after rock. I was terrified, I didn’t realise how far up I was. I very cautiously made my way down and the kind man tied multiple ropes onto my harness.

These ropes were my only support as I made my way down the side of a cliff.

Throughout my way down I keep thinking why did I do this to myself? The whole way down a kind lady just kept encouraging me to keep going, I remember her saying “I’ve got you Khadijah, you’re almost there” I hadn’t even seen this lady yet, but I trusted her entirely, considering she literally had my life in her hands. It was an exhausting, exciting, scary experience, and I am still so glad that I had a chance to partake in the activity. I

IC Trip

was really pushed out of my comfort zone with the abseiling and it made me realise that taking risks and simply participating in activities that you wouldn’t usually do, can turn out to be a wonderful experience.

Now although this activity wasn’t as terrifying or adventurous as the abseiling, I found camouflage to be a challenge of it’s own. On the first day we were told to use our surroundings as well as a few given items such as a sac and face paint, to hide ourselves from the opposing team.

We were taught how to use paint and leaves to hide our most prominent features that allow people to identify us. It was a challenge to find an area that would conceal you properly and also to make yourself completely unrecognisable to the opposing team. There was also the fact that the opposing team would drench you in water if they found you, that added a bit more competition to the mix. It was a really fun task and it was overall a

great way to have us start the trip.

The Intercultural part of the trip was phenomenal.

It was educational being with the Somali herdsmen and seeing their way of life. We had a 3 hour camel ride to their camp. Which was great, however painful.

We got to see beautiful scenery and passed by a few villages. We got to build a Somali hut that we slept in. That night was probably one of the most peaceful nights, as we all just relaxed and talked by the campfire.

Overall this was one of the best IC trips I have gone on. Two things I took from this trip was, trusting and getting to know people that I wasn’t as close with before, and an ability to try things that I otherwise wouldn’t. For that I am so grateful to have gone on this trip, and gain the experiences that I believe will be with me for life.

By Khadijah Manjang Grade 11

“The Intercultural part of the trip was phenomenal!

It was educational being with the Somali herdsmen and seeing their way of life�

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The Sagana/Hell’s Gate Trip provided students the opportunity to participate in a number of outdoor pursuits and to interact with people from the local area. Outdoor activities included rock climbing, abseiling, rafting, hiking, camp set-up and meal preparation. At the initial camp base in Hell’s Gate, students learned proper techniques through introductory rock climbing lessons, developing the basic skills required to sport climb single rope pitches.

Over the course of the five days of this trip, we completed a variety of outdoor pursuits which included a boat ride, rock climbing, bike riding for about 15 km, gorge walk, stand up paddle boating, raft building, kayaking, white water rafting, zip lining, archery etc. All these activities spread out over the course of the 5 days were really amusing and I enjoyed them thoroughly.

On scale of 1 to 10 in terms of risk, this risk was a big 8 for me. The activities

were amusing however the water-based activities were difficult for me as I have paranoia for being suffocated by water, which may have tampered with my overall experience of the trip. Furthermore, the rock climbing was also a huge risk for me as I have trouble keeping my feet stable and I am a clumsy person.

Throughout this trip, I encountered multiple difficulties while participating in the activities.

The activities were mostly psychologically challenging for me as stated before, I have paranoia for suffocating with water. This challenged me in the kayaking as well as the rafting. However, I survived through these activities. First of all, if I hadn’t tried an activity, I would feel immense amounts of guilt, which forced me to do these activities. However, after this trip, I have 2 major guilt for activities, one being not trying the surfing activity the second time.

Also, I could have also enjoyed the wild water rafting which was the highlight of the trip if I wasn’t scared. If possible to go to Sagana again, I would remove these and try my best to get through them. A physical difficulty I had during this trip was the lack of upper body strength. When I fell off the paddle boats, it was difficult for me to get back on and the same with the kayaks. Hence, these were the difficulties I encountered during the trip.

Along with the difficulties, I enjoyed multiple aspects of the trip. I loved the biking a lot as well as the gorge walk. It let me interact with a variety of people on the trip as well as figuring out how to get passed the obstacles. Along with the biking, I also liked the team building activities, my favorite being the one where we had two in a group communicating to a third person. It was my favorite as I really interacted with my group

mates and splashing water on people can never be boring.

The activities during the trip also helped me interacted with the other people on the trip. I bonded with my classmates as well figuring out how to overcome obstacles as well as the 10th graders and helping them. I also had a lot of fun conversing with my roommates. One interesting thing they did was that when I refused to wake up one day, they stole my blankets and raised my bed. It was annoying however we had a good laugh about it. I also had an amazing time interacting with the teachers. This trip was an amazing in getting to know a lot of people.

In conclusion, this was a super fun and enjoyable trip. If I ever go again, I would try and not be scared and have loads of fun.

By Ishani Khanna

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SERVICE PROJECTS:

ROUND SQUARE Round Square schools are bound by their shared belief in how education should be approached based on the six ideals derived from the theories of education philosopher Kurt Hahn. The six ideals are as follows; International, Environmentalism, Adventure, Democracy, Leadership and Service.

Round Square have been running International Service Projects since 1953 when a group of schools with connections to Kurt Hahn created a active group to help rebuild destroyed infrastructure after a massive earthquake on the Ionian Islands. Since then, Round Square Schools have worked on projects in Ladakh, Kenya, Romania, Guatemala and Cambodia helping communities in need and allowing young students from around the world to develop important lifelong skills.

Service learning is the exercise of getting students actively involved in the community.

At the International School of Kenya it is a form of experiential learning, targeted at enriching and strengthening student’s learning experiences, understanding of civic responsibilities and academic

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and personal development.

Service learning remains studentcentered, hands- on and directly associated to the curriculum.

Its perpetual emphasis on addressing the needs within the community and students learning are the distinguishable characteristics that differentiate it from other learning strategies and procedures.Students are encouraged to participate actively and that simultaneously enhances their social skills, self-efficacy, analytical ability, creativity and civic and ethical responsibility and awareness.

On Wednesday 12th October at the Round Square International Conference in Louisenlund, Germany. Each student delegate attending was assigned a service learning project that ran from 9am to 3pm. There were a large variety of service learning projects, the Refugee project being the most intriguing out of the selection. Large-scale involuntary migration is one of the serious problems facing the world. On the migration issue, European unity has proved to be an unattainable goal. There are countries such as Germany who have welcomed the newcomers.

However there are countries such as Hungary who have built a wall. And the issue will

only increase in importance for several reasons.

The student delegates taking part in the refugee project left campus and headed to a school, that is designated as a place where refugees within the community can attend language courses.The school was located five minutes off campus. The students had the opportunity to interact with Syrian refugees and hear the stories and the struggles they’ve endured.

After visiting the school the students were invited to join a small group of refugees at their home. The group played games, asked questions and discussed variety of different topics with the refugees. It was a great opportunity for the students to expand their worldview and learned how to be a better advocate for any cause.The project allows students to acquire practical knowledge, cultural awareness and presents the opportunity for students to learn how to adjust when working with culturally diverse people.

Maya Nyachae Grade 10

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The PTO’s main aim is to support staff in facilitating a friendly learning environment for ISK students and provide a support network to parents. The PTO constitution and general information regarding PTO activities can be found on the ISK website.

PARENT TEACHERS ORGANIZATION A successful “PTO Open Coffee” event was held in the ISK library on the morning of 25th October. Barbara Jones, Elementary School Librarian and Bobbi Nicholas, Secondary School Librarian, did a great job talking about the resources available to both parents and children. They emphasized the need for parents to encourage their kids to use

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these resources to assist them with homework and their study times. It’s also worth noting that the school has deemed online facilities such as for example, “Britannica Image Quest”, “Pebble”,” Science online” etc., important enough as to pay for them.

Also in attendance at the Open Coffee Meeting was the ISK

Director, David Henry, who gave an update on the search for the new Middle School Principal. The search has been narrowed down to three candidates who have been invited to visit the school. A few parents volunteered to work with Ms. Patricia Salleh Matta as part of the preparations for this visit.

PTO DUKA (SHOP)

ot is n a k du day The y Tues ides : e t c n *No n on a at coin n h e ope ning t O Op r mo the PT nings. r with ee Mo f Cof

The PTO duka is fully stocked and open for business. Located in the Arts Centre, it is an outlet for non-profit organizations and artisans to sell their products to the ISK community.

The revised opening hours are: Tuesday 8:00 - 9:30 a.m. // 3:00 - 4:30 p.m.

Thursday 3:00 - 4:30 p.m.

Friday 8:00 - 9:30 a.m. // 3:00 - 4:30 p.m.

Come along and visit us and find locally made African crafts and gifts available to purchase in a relaxed and welcoming environment. The PTO shop management team would like to thank all the volunteer parents who have offered their time to allow the duka to open this year.

For each shift, we require four committed volunteers to ensure the shop can open. We still need additional volunteers for Wednesday mornings. If you are willing and able to help on a weekly basis, please come forward.

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By Lynn Wells Director of Advancement

GREETINGS FROM THE ADVANCEMENT OFFICE!

SIGN OF THE TIMES A NEW LOOK FOR ISK

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By the time January rolls around, ISK will have new directional signage to reflect the more modern look and feel of our ever-evolving campus. The new signs incorporate ISK’s colors and branding and were designed to be easy to read, durable and easy to install and maintain.

The Advancement Office thought you’d like a preview of what to expect! Here are a few samples of various signs and their locations.

We’ve had a pretty exciting couple of weeks here at ISK! SautiSol has been on campus and working closely with students from HeArts and The Little Prince School. Check out some of these photos from their visits to the campus.

By Pamela Pappas Communications Manager

Click here to read more from the HeArts Co Presidents Ella and Ben.

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WHAT A GREAT TEAM SAUTI SOL AND HeArts MAKE!

Last week we hosted over 40 guests for Open Day @ ISK. Prospective parents were blown away by our very confident and energetic Peer Helpers who welcomed them onto the campus. David Henry and the Leadership Team gave a presentation on ISK’s Learning Story, and educational vision, followed by a tour of the campus from the Advancement Office.

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SCHOLARSHIPS FOR 2017/18

Please spread the word about this great opportunity for Kenyan students! The ISK Scholarship Program provides financial support for outstanding Kenyan students who would otherwise be unable to afford the tuition & fees. These scholarships cover all program costs through High School including the IB Diploma program.The specific aim is to provide opportunities for low to middle income Kenyan students to participate in an academically rich and culturally diverse experience that offers them a Stepping Stone to the World’s best colleges and universities.

Click here for more information.

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ISK CANTEEN

WELCOME!

KARIBUNI SANA!

Once again, welcome to the ISK Canteen where we aim to make every meal you have on campus both enjoyable and healthy.

The month of October has seen an increment in the number of students signed up for the hot lunch program and if you’d like to register your child please drop by the customer service office. You can also top up your card and find out the balance at the same place as well. The card system is open to the middle school, high school, staff and parents. The system is very efficient as it allows you to keep an eye on spending as well as have a clear plan on how much will be spent on food within the semester.

The school provides various lunch options for students which include carrying food from home, having hot lunch from the school canteen on the prepaid hot lunch program or buying using cash from the various canteens i.e. sandwich bar, snack bar, coffee place, hot lunch area or the breakfast joint. For those carrying food packed from home, microwaves are provided at the middle school and high school eating areas. Since they are easier to access for the MS and HS, we encourage ES parents

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to pack food in thermos-like containers so as to keep the food warm or provide options that don’t require re-heating.

All students on the card system are encouraged to bring their cards with them whenever making purchases as the cashiers will only accept cash or card for all points serving snacks. This is a measure to ensure that only the owner of the card is the one using the card and for accountability purposes. If a student does not have a card they should

visit their school office or the Tech office if the card is lost for re-printing (a small fee may be incurred if lost).

If you are yet to try out our new Early Bird Breakfast options please do stop by right next to Valentine’s coffee shop every day from 7.00 a.m. till 9.00 a.m. Newly introduced items include chapatti rolls, mandazis, sweet potatoes and arrowroots. You can have a look at the menu right here. If you’d like to have a look at the week’s menu please check the website under Food Services

every Friday for the new week’s menu.

For any suggestions, complaints, compliments or inquiries please contact the customer service office on the below details: Nancy Mwithi Customer Service Representative Email: nmwithi@isk.ac.ke Office line: 0733 639 343

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It is our pleasure to introduce our newest member of staff, Caroline Wang’ombe.

Caroline was selected to fill the position of Health Clinician beginning October 31, 2016 Caroline previously worked as the School Nurse at the French School, Nairobi Academy and most recently at the Braeburn School.

Please make Caroline feel welcome to the ISK Community!

SCOLIOSIS SCREENING

The Health Office will be conducting a physical spinal screening of students in grades 6,7, 8 and 9 from November 21st 2016 to November 24th. This screening is done with the use of a scoliometer. It is a non-invasive procedure.

NUT ALLERGIES

Scoliosis is an abnormal lateral curvature of the spine with twisting of

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the vertebrae within the curve. This usually occurs during the adolescent growth spurt. If undetected and/ or left untreated scoliosis may result in serious physical as well as psychological health problems.

If your child is thought to have scoliosis, this information will be communicated to you upon completion of the screening.

Please note that we have a number of students who have severe/ life threatening nut allergies in elementary school.

As this number has increased this year, we kindly request that parents send their children with nut-free lunches/ snacks. Please have a look at the guidelines below the school has put in place for serious allergies. Feel free to contact the School Nurse on 0733-639-344 or Patricia Salleh Matta at 0733-639-340 with any further queries.

SWAHILI LESSONS

Swahili lessons for parents are in full swing now. There are currently classes that have started and are ongoing.

There is one Beginner class for first timers to Swahili and two Intermediate classes composed of parents who have had some basic training of the Swahili language.

If you are interested, please contact Donovan by email at Donovan.luhila@ gmail.com. Swahili language lesson details are also posted on the ISK Community Forum Facebook page.

LOST & FOUND

The PTO volunteers have sorted, hung and categorized all the Lost & Found items collected so far this semester.

The new Lost & Found is located in the temporary building between the MS & ES near the stairs to the Lower Parking Lot. The Lost & Found is now open from 8:15am-3:30pm every day except for Wednesday when it is open from 8:15am-10:00am.

If your child has lost something, encourage him or her to check in the Lost & Found!

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Accredited fully by the Middle States Association of Schools in the United States and the Council of International Schools in Europe.

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