ISPP Pulse August - September 2014

ispp.edu.kh ISPP PULSE 01

ISPP PULSEWWW.ISPP.EDU.KH

AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 2014

Grade 12 Geography students accompanied their teacher, Mr. Brown to the central area of Phnom Penh. They collected data for their Internal Assessment (IA). Students were investigating "To what extent does Phnom Penh Central Business District fit the Core/Frame Model as proposed by Waugh" and recorded land use, building height and conducted traffic and pedestrian counts.

02 ISPP PULSE ispp.edu.kh


The road so farWe are quickly approaching the midway point of the first semester of the 2014 - 2015 school year and it would appear that the rains have finally begun in earnest. I am thankful for the rain because the more we get the greener our campuses will become.

The Environmental Action Committee (EAC), led by Mr. Webster and Ms. Garewal, invited Mr. Sutherland and Mr. Thompson, from ACH Management Ltd., to discuss the environmental sustainability of the new school design. ACH Management Ltd. is the School’s project management company.

The School’s underground waste water treatment plant, a Klargester system; roof insulation; indigenous trees, solar power; energy efficient lighting and our efficient central air conditioning system were discussed. Students also learned that the majority of our building materials have been procured locally or within a 500-mile radius of Phnom Penh.

Students discussed surveying our classrooms to learn where different teachers set the temperature setting for their air conditioning and whether they use all three air-conditioning units or less. They learned that they can individually and collectively have a great influence on how energy efficient ISPP becomes in the future.

Energy Efficient

By Barry SutherlandDirector

Accreditation Self-StudyI want to thank parents for making time for ISPP in your busy schedules during the first several weeks of school. You have attended orientation meetings, curriculum presentations, networking nights, coffee mornings, BBQs, picnics, an Amazing Race and our first friendly basketball tournament. All these events are in place to build and strengthen our community. Likewise, our new Parent Community Organization (PCO) will also provide another great option to be involved at ISPP.

In early September, we gathered representatives from all our stakeholder groups: parents, students, teachers, support staff and Board trustees to discuss the accreditation standards we are measuring ISPP against for our self-study report. The CIS/WASC/IB Self-study report is written collectively by the school community and provides a snap shot for the accreditation agencies to demonstrate where ISPP is in its evolution in relation to their standards for top international schools. There will be other opportunities this school year to be involved in what will become the final self-study report that we send to the agencies in May 2015. A visiting team of about 12 international educators will visit ISPP in September 2015 to verify what we said about ourselves in the self-study and to leave us with recommendations for continued

improvements. These recommendations will be woven into the new strategic plan that will be created in 2015 - 2016.

SafetyAlso in September, we ran a crisis management simulation exercise with our faculty. The scenario was that school was closed and we activated our learning continuance protocol. Faculty discussed how they would use email, Skype, Google Apps, ManageBac and other internet-based programs to allow school to carry on in all subject areas. From Early Years to Grade 12, ISPP now has plans place to keep the learning going if physical attendance at school is not possible.

I also wrote to parents about providing the school with more emergency contacts for your family, including drivers and bodyguards. If we had a safe haven situation where parents were required to come to school to pick up their students, we would need to be able to positively identify the person requesting to receive the student. For drivers and bodyguards, we will need photo ID and their phone number. Please make a point of contacting the School Offices to give them this information.

Finally, I want to remind parents that you are welcome to get involved on our three Board standing committees (Governance, Policy, and Finance and Facilities), which meet monthly. The meetings are open to all and we list the time and place for the meetings in the Weekly Announcements in the week prior. If you are interested and would like to learn more, feel free to contact me or one of our Board trustees to discuss.


FEATURES

07The Road So FarEnergy Efficient

Vision & GoalsSafe & Supportive Learning SpaceThe Importance of PlayHealth

12 Peer EditingHealthy HabitsSupporting Our StudentsSkill Boost

ISPP PULSEThe ISPP PULSE is produced by the Admissions and Communications Department in line with ISPP’s Guiding Statements:

Vision StatementLearning together, growing together, each making a difference.

Mission StatementISPP empowers students, in a caring international environment, to achieve their full potential by pursuing personal and academic excellence, and to grow as responsible global citizens who celebrate diversity.

International Mindedness Students develop their curiosity about the world, extend their understanding and appreciation of both shared values and cultural differences, and strive to effect positive change.

Telephone +855 23 213 103Email [email protected]

Advertising Ms. Sok Leng HengEmail [email protected]

Editor Ms. Belinda JonesDesign Ms. Belinda [email protected]

Cover photograph: Mike Brown

© International School of Phnom Penh

FOCUS07 PERSONAL &

SOCIAL EDUCATION

12 ACADEMICS

16 ACTIVITIES

20 LEARNING BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

24 INTERNATIONAL MINDEDNESS

28 COMMUNITY16 The Great Race

Global CitizensAll the Right MovesOctoberNovember


P: 089 477 789 - [email protected]

We specialize in printing- Brochures, Leaflet, Flyer, Poster, Folder- Book, Booklet, Annual Report

Q u a l i t y P r i n t i n g S o l u t i o n s

Address: No 59, St. 240, Chaktomuk, Phnom Penh

16The return of ISPP’s Amazing Race. Ten amazing teams signed up, with more than 40 contestants competing.

THE GREAT RACE

The Road So FarEnergy Efficient

Vision & GoalsSafe & Supportive Learning SpaceThe Importance of PlayHealth

20 Stairway to EnlightenmentRealising Your DreamsHope & LightLay of the Land

24 World View & CultureWhat do Lip Syncing & Baking have in Common?International Day

28 Community BuildingHappy Birthday ISPPWWelcome Back BBQAddition to the CommunityLike Us


PERSONAL & SOCIAL EDUCATION DDD



By Winnie KuefnerBoard of Trustees

The new school year promises to bring both exciting changes and new challenges as the Elementary portion of the new campus is completed. The Board retreat was an excellent opportunity

to begin the year with a new focus on looking forward, beyond the new campus, in order to help ensure the school’s long term future through strategic legacy planning.

The Board of Trustees met in August, for their annual retreat. The Board was joined by Director Barry Sutherland and guest speaker Jim Ambrose who contributed his extensive experience with international school boards to the retreat.

It was fitting that we held our Board retreat at our newly completed Secondary Campus. What a fantastic

looking forward, beyond the new campus, in order to help ensure the school’s long term future through strategic legacy planning.”

ISPP is a non-profit school and revenue received goes back directly into the School to support its educational mission by investing in quality teachers, staff, and facilities. Our school community has always been centred first and foremost on providing excellent education services, and the Board firmly believes this is what makes ISPP special.

Over the past several years, ISPP has gone from strength to strength, from our academic performances through the IB Programme, to our sporting achievements, to our artistic excellence. It is essential that this momentum of expansion and excellence continues.

Now that the first phase of the new school facility has been completed, we look toward to completing the next phase. The Board works in partnership with the School’s Director in order to provide oversight, leadership, and support as the school strives to achieve its mission.

achievement and a great milestone for ISPP, as it was not without hard work and challenges.

As the Board of Trustees, we are tasked with setting the vision and goals that service our School’s mission. The goal of the retreat is to take time together as a Board to

reflect on the past year, learn from current trends in not-for-profit and school governance, promote appropriate best practices and begin to set the strategic direction and priorities for the coming year(s).

Katie Scheding Longhurst, Vice-Chair of the Board, commented:

“The new school year promises to bring both exciting changes and new challenges as the Elementary portion of the new campus is completed. The Board retreat was an excellent opportunity to begin the year with a new focus on




By Kim Engasser, Elementary School Assistant Principal/PYP Coordinator, Karen Skelly, School Counsellor & Mia Jordanwood, Board Member

ISPP is committed to embodying the IB mission statement. Everyone at the school works hard to make ISPP the close, caring community that it is. Last spring several parents suggested that it would be helpful if we shared information about the steps that teachers take to make the school a supportive place for children of all ages to learn and grow.

The Secondary CampusOn the Secondary Campus the Home Group teacher is the first point-of-call for a student experiencing problems. This teacher meets with his/her class each morning and for an extended period once a week. During the weekly advisory time, students work on developmentally age appropriate topics supporting their well-being, health and resilience.

In the classroom environment, each subject teacher is responsible for developing strategies consistent with the school’s behaviour and expectations guidelines. We expect and appreciate students, staff and parents who consistently demonstrate positive behaviour towards others. However, we understand there are times in our interactions with others when things can go wrong. When this happens there are clear guidelines to follow. We work with all parties on a no blame approach and concerns are dealt with at an informal level in the first instance. This will include speaking to the student(s) involved and in many instances parents are asked to meet. We try hard to resolve issues at this informal level, but if issues persist, then the all parties meet with the view to negotiating an agreed approach to solving the issue before it becomes a more serious matter.

The Elementary CampusOn the Elementary Campus in May, Team Leaders presented to interested parents about behaviour management in the Elementary grades and how this is addressed through the current curriculum framework. This school year, an action plan was created, shared and completed with input from teachers in order to develop a complete and comprehensive behaviour management procedure.

We took several steps to introduce these procedures. For example; to support and enrich Kindergarten’s Who We Are Unit of Inquiry about friendship, Ms. Ashley, learning support teacher, worked with students on what a friend is and how to deal with friendship issues. Recently, she introduced Gecko’s

SAFE &SUPPORTIVEL E A R N I N G S P A C E

Choice, which is conflict-management curriculum for Elementary students based on the premise that every child is capable of becoming a peacemaker. The program offers nine options students can choose from to resolve minor conflicts on their own. Students are taught to determine the difference between minor problems that they can handle, and serious problems that require an adult’s help.

Ms. Ashley will teach lessons throughout Kindergarten to Grade 5, with faculty remaining abreast of weekly plans in order to build a common language around conflict resolution and to ensure that everyone guides students in a similar way during recess times.

You may have noticed the introduction of the lime green sashes that all teachers on duty can be seen wearing when on recess duty. Students now can easily identify and ask for help from the duty teachers.

Additionally, throughout October, we look forward to seeing Elementary parents at a series of workshops we will offer in a variety of related areas:

• Policies and practices• Curricular links to

Personal, Social and Physical Education (PSPE)

• IB learner profile & PYP attitudes

• Cyber-safety• Education Continuance

Plan in case of school closure

At ISPP, we feel that students have a right to be safe and happy, and that we are all responsible for supporting students to develop positive interactions and acceptable behaviour with others. It is important, if students feel they are experiencing difficulty, that they are confident that the issues will be addressed.



By Ishbel HowKindergarten

In Early Years and Kindergarten at ISPP, teachers recognise and understand that our students want to learn when they are engaged and enjoying themselves. We know that our students learn best when their learning environment is set up for play. We provide time and resources for children to engage in structured play, child-directed free play, and integrated play activity throughout their units of inquiry.

Play is essential for all children’s healthy development and learning, because it:

• enables children to make sense of their world;

• develops social and cultural understandings;

• allows children to express their thoughts and feelings;

• fosters flexible and divergent thinking;• provides opportunities to solve real

problems, and• develops language and literacy skills and

concepts.

At ISPP, teachers in Early Years and Kindergarten, ensure that children engage in rich, sustained and complex play everyday. To do this, children need blocks of time and plentiful resources, which include open-ended materials, and supportive interactions with educators. Everyday our students have opportunities for indoor and outdoor play that includes construction play, imaginative play, creative play and physical play.

The IB Early Years Project Final Report (April, 2014) found that even the youngest children who had opportunities for play during the school day demonstrated a range of learner profile attributes, and presented as knowledgeable, caring and reflective inquirers, thinkers, communicators, and risk-takers.

Please don’t forget that adults need to play, too! Just a bit more play in your life, or even changing the way you relate to playful activities that you’re already doing, can have great benefits in your life. Choose to sprinkle some play in your life today.

When children engage in dramatic or constructive play, they are required to engage in activities that can demonstrate learner profile attributes, such as planning, problem solving, co-operation, and use of knowledge.(Source: IBO, 2013)

The importance of play in developing children’s cognitive ability and language skills has been recognised amongst educators for many years. New research commissioned by the International Baccalaureate (IB) and carried out in Australia and South East Asia, has found that children that have the opportunity to play in school also demonstrate a wide range of learner profile attributes.

theIMPORTANCE OF PLAY



By Alison DurrantSchool Nurse

Children need to be in school so they can learn. Although there is no way to completely avoid catching a cough, cold, or flu there are steps parents can take to minimize the chances. Here are some tips for keeping children healthy year-round.

Wash hands with soap and waterWarm water is best, but cold water is fine. In most places, liquid soap or foam soap is best. Antibacterial soap isn’t necessary.

Use proper hand-washing techniqueChildren should wash their hands often - before eating, after using the bathroom, after sneezing, and after playing outside. Teach your child to scrub well between the fingers and wash for at least 20 seconds, which is enough time to sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice.

Cough and sneeze into a sleeveIt’s tempting to cover your mouth with your hands, but an elbow or upper arm is a much better way to prevent the spreading of germs.

Resist the temptation to share a water bottle with a friend. Children think nothing of drinking out of the same water bottle or cup or eating with the same fork. Explain to your children why it’s important not to do so.


Get everyone in the family vaccinatedIt’s important to make sure everyone in your family is up-to-date with vaccinations every year. Make it a family outing and go out for a treat afterwards.

Make sure everyone eats a healthy dietA healthy, well-balanced diet builds a healthy immune system. No matter how busy your family is, make time to eat a varied diet that includes a range of foods. Keep everyone hydrated by making sure water is always accessible.

Make sure everyone gets a good night’s sleepA good night’s rest gives your body and immune system a chance to recuperate after a long day. This can be an especially challenging task with middle and high schoolers. Despite their insistence otherwise, everyone needs sleep.

Keep children home if they are not wellIf your child has a fever or is vomiting please keep them at home until they are well again

It can be frustrating when you take steps to minimize the spread of germs, and still your child gets sick. But don’t think the prevention techniques don’t work - they do. Although there’s no way to keep 100% of germs from infecting your child, healthy habits give children the best chance to stay well and in school.


By Simon UnderhillIB Diploma Programme Coordinator

The ISPP Class of 2015 has started their final year of the Diploma Programme and are currently hard at work on their extended essays, the 4,000 word individual research project that is an integral part of the core elements of the Diploma Programme. Students have already submitted a rough draft and are currently meeting with their supervisors to refine this. Over the past two weeks in Home Group, they will be peer editing one another’s essays to provide another layer of feedback that they can use to improve them.

Some of the titles our students are working on include:

“To what extent can the conventions of Brecht’s Epic Theatre be used in Peter

ACADEMICS DDD

Peer Editing

Hall’s adaption of Animal Farm?” (Theatre)“To what extent does the KRT defenses portrayal of the evacuation of Phnom Penh differ from what actually happened?” (History)“To what extent do the coffee shops in BKK1, Phnom Penh, represent a monopolistic market structure?” (Economics).

The extended essay is a unique feature of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme and provides an opportunity, according to the IB, “…to promote high-level research and writing skills, intellectual discovery and creativity.”1 Universities are increasingly recognizing the rigour of the extended essay and how it improves students’ preparedness for university study. A recent series of studies focusing on the influence of the extended essay by the Universities of Virgina (USA), MacGill (Canada), and Warwick (UK)2 found evidence to support this. Compared to non-IB Students, IB students were more likely to report that they felt prepared for university research; more likely to have completed a research project at university; and more likely to undertake future research. IB students were also more likely to report enhanced organisational, reading, writing and reasoning skills and to show higher ratings of self-regulation in learning. These benefits were directly attributed to having completed the extended essay.

In the midst of what can be a very stressful time for our Grade 12 students, where it can be hard to see beyond the next assignment, it is reassuring to know that their hard work will benefit them in the long-term.

1 IBO, 2010. Extended Essay Guide. Cardiff; IBO. p22 IBO, 2014.


By Anita MathurGrade 2/3

Our Grade 2/3 classes recently inquired into how our daily choices affect our health and well-being. This falls under the wider theme of Who We Are and includes the disciplines of science, Personal, Social, Emotional and Physical Education (PSPE), Language and Mathematics.

We began by keeping a weekly journal of our health habits and we were surprised to see some of the not-so-healthy habits we have!

Through inquiry, students researched a range of nutritional information. They used their findings to plan and create their own healthy snacks to share with their classmates. They took action and wrote a letter to the company that sell snacks at recess time to ask if healthier choices could be included.

As part of our Physical Education programme, students explored the benefits of different exercises. They monitored their heart rates, before and after different exercises using the My Heart Rate App on the iPads. This offered some interesting insights into how different exercises help our bodies to function. Data from this was used during mathematics classes to create graphs and to help students identify the best exercise regimes for their health.

At our school, students are encouraged to form positive lifelong habits. Guest speakers, video and research helped students recognize the importance of sleep. Many were surprised that they should be having 10 to 12 hours each night!

Our School Nurse reinforced good hygiene habits like coughing or sneezing into their elbow rather than spreading germs via their hands. Educating their families about this has been further action from this unit.

We recognise that healthy bodies and minds are important to our well-being. Students inquired into mental health and learned strategies to help them with their anxieties. This included a yoga session with a parent volunteer. One student reflected:“When I did them [yoga routines] my brain just cleared off and I was focusing on the happy things and not the negative things. Afterwards I felt calm and relaxed. I learned that yoga is an exercise from India and people use it to calm themselves down and it can help aches and pains. The most important thing is breathing. It is a great exercise because it is good for your body and mind.”

Our class reflected that in order to be healthy and happy we should be risk-takers and try new things. We should live a balanced life that involves a variety of activities, plenty of rest, and different foods along with taking time to be mindful and appreciate the moment!

Healthy Habits

ACADEMICS DDD


By Anthony ColesSecondary Principal

Researchers in the US came up with the astonishing finding that parental involvement in children’s schooling makes no difference at all to test scores and exam grades. This longitudinal study found that no matter how much a parent supervises their child’s homework, liaises with their teachers about progress and behaviour, their child’s academic progress will be unaffected.

Authors of the US study, sociologists Keith Robinson of the University of Texas, Austin, and Angel Harris, of Duke, in North Carolina don’t want parents to stop supporting their children at school. Instead they argue the need to look at their support differently by setting up a secure and encouraging home environment that reinforces the value of learning. Here are six things parents can do:

AttitudesModel the attitudes you want to see in your son or daughter. Encourage them to see learning as interesting, enjoyable and exciting.

HealthProvide a healthy diet. Omega-3 fatty acids, found

ACADEMICS DDD

What parents can do to help their son or daughter be successful at school?

Supporting our students

in foods such as salmon, walnuts and kiwi fruit, help support brain synapses, which in turn help turn on critical brain functions such as memory and learning.

RelationshipsTeach them thoughtfulness, good manners and how to think about other people’s feelings.

ChoicesTeach your son or daughter to weigh up their options and think about consequences. Discuss short and long-term benefits and to examine their priorities.

LearningReinforce the notion that learning is a journey that everyone does in their own way, and that setbacks and mistakes are part of it. Also, reinforce the fact that effort really does matter when it comes to success!

OrganisationManage family time for calm mornings and a proper breakfast. Students thrown late and frazzled into school lose significant learning time. Plan the week ahead with your son or daughter.

Every Day CountsIn a recent study, the attendance records and national standardized test

results of over 400 000 students from Western Australia were analysed and it was found that any absence from school leads to a reduction in academic performance. This study dispels the common belief that there is an acceptable level of absence students can get away with before their grades will suffer. I share these findings with you because it supports our attendance policy. ISPP does not endorse students being taken out of school for holidays or extending the holidays on the school calendar. While

some students may take schoolwork on a trip, they risk missing out on the classroom experience where a teacher’s instruction cannot be replaced. We understand that there will be times when health complications or athletic and cultural commitments sanctioned by the school require absence from the school programme. Please take this new information into account when considering taking students out of their regular school programme. It does matter!


By Susan JohnsonLearning Support

The Elementary Learning Support Programme at ISPP provides specifically designed instruction in the areas of reading, mathematics and written language to any student who demonstrates a need for this type of additional help. The programme also reaches out to our younger learners in Early Years 1 and 2 in areas such as fine motor and early language development.

The service to students can either be in their own classroom, supplementing the instruction of the classroom teacher, or provided in the Learning Support Centre for a more

ACADEMICS DDD

specific skill instruction approach.

Needs of students sometimes expand into the social/emotional arenas. Small social skill groups, specific behaviour plans, friendship groups, and just a chance for a student to talk one-on-one with a Learning Support teacher are all examples of strategies we use to help the child be happier and more successful in the social world of an Elementary School.

Our service operates under the belief that “one size does not fit all.” We do everything within our power to identify when a student is struggling, either academically or socially, search for the reasons

behind the struggle and then provide creative and researched-based strategies, interventions and resources to guide the student back onto a pathway for success.

A new service was implemented at the Elementary level that runs parallel to our existing support programme. We call this service “Skill Boost.” It is a more fluid and ever-changing experience. Students are identified by their classroom teachers for a short term “boost” in a specific skill area. The “boost” is usually a 20 minute one-on-one session, once a week with either a teacher or teaching assistant and is provided in the child’s classroom or just outside in a

quiet area. The emphasis is always: let’s give the child a boost in whatever he or she needs to get back on track within the classroom or on the playground.

Last year, students loved the Skill Boost Programme because it was tied so closely with what was expected of them in their classrooms and teachers loved it because it was a quick, efficient way to get support to their students right when they needed it the most.

We are now turning our exploration to the needs of students with special talents and gifts and how we can expand their learning within the classroom, the school and the community.

Skill boost


By Holly GardnerSecondary School Assistant Principal

If you stop by the Secondary Campus on Wednesday afternoons, you will find some exciting things happening as this is the time that we focus on Global Citizenship Activities. Students become involved in activities outside the regular classroom where they can either better understand the wider world or take part in making the world a better place.

To begin the programme, over the next two weeks, students will take field trips to visit a variety of NGOs. During this time, students will be able to see the facilities, hear about the programmes they offer, and, in some cases, get a chance to see the places where the families live. These trips are a necessary start for our Global Citizenship Activities.

In early October, the activities go into full swing as we welcome over 120 children from five different NGOs to our campus every Wednesday. The organizations include Indochina Starfish (ISF), Cambodian Children’s Fund (CCF), Kampuchea Balopp, Seedling of Hope and Chibodia. Our students, led by the Grade 11s have planned learning activities that range from teaching English to maths to basketball to swimming to art to

By Akinori Miura, Monica Mean & Savna Ouk SavouthGrade 12

Late August saw the return of the annual ISPP’s Amazing Race. Ten amazing teams signed up and with more than 40 contestants competed. Starting off at the Elementary sports field, contestants were challenged to find an egg which contained their first clue. That was not as easy as it may seem as real eggs were hollowed out and the clues inserted. Although some of these initial clues were taken by the local dogs, in the all the teams found their clue and the race began. From there, everyone whizzed off in tuk tuks to places like Kids’ City for climbing and to the Independence Monument to create “ISPP” out of people and take a photo. Like last year’s Amazing Race there were stops that challenged their stomachs. Participants were put to the test with fried crickets and tarantulas as well as downing three burgers and taste-testing a variety of cupcakes. Teams hurried around the city in just over two hours with ten different tasks to complete with the last one being a swimming showdown at the Elementary pool. Finally, the teams returned to the field for a slip and slide to the finish line.

The first team to cross the finish line was “Josh’s Guns”. Congratulations to Sung Hyun Park, Hugh Smith, HaEun Sarah Kim, Hadi Nazari and Jasper Van Beers! The runners up were “Carlos and 4 Girls” and “Whitewalkers” who placed third! The “Whitewalkers” were the very last team to leave the field, at least 25 minutes behind the first place team. They should be congratulated on making up a lot of time to finish third.

A huge thank you to all the teams and to the volunteers who went above and beyond to make sure everything ran smoothly. This event would not have been successful without each and everyone of you. Make sure to sign up for next year’s Amazing Race, it is a great community spirit event.

ACTIVITIES DDD

dance to playing the guitar. In addition to these activities, teachers from the Deaf Development Programme are continuing to teach sign language to our students. For the past year, these lessons have only been available for Khmer speakers. This year we are happy to include all students in this amazing opportunity. And finally... two groups are working with NGOs that focus on helping animals, Phnom Penh Animal Welfare Society (PPAWS) and Free the Bears; these groups will be working on fundraising projects and creating enrichment toys for domestic and captive animals.

Beyond our work with the NGOs, Model United Nations (MUN) is offered where students learn about what goes into a regional or local MUN event and practice the skills needed to take part. Students are also running an activity entitled Speakerbox where they create short videos about the events and programmes going on at ISPP which are later posted for the school community to view.

So if you’d like to come by and see what’s going on, have ideas for future Global Citizenship Activities or have questions about the programme, please contact Ms. Holly Gardner via [email protected].

Global Citizens

The great race


By Greg StantonAthletics Director

There is much excitement about this year’s MRISA (Mekong River International Schools Association) Sports Programme. Our Season One teams, Junior Basketball and Senior Volleyball are enjoying our brand new Sports Complex and we have a record number of participants. Our Inner City or ISSAPP (International Schools Sports Association of Phnom Penh) games are underway. Because of our later finish time, our teams will not be traveling midweek to other schools and games will take place only at ISPP during training times or on a designated Saturday morning. Coaches will keep you and your child updated via ManageBac, the Weekly Announcements and email. This will also apply to Season Two and Three teams. Parents, please note that school buses will be available for students after scheduled training sessions in all three seasons. Bookings will need to be requested 48 hours in advance with Ms. Rya at the Central Administration Building via [email protected].

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UniformsWe thank Ms. Suzie Hammel for designing the new Physical Health and Education (PHE) and MRISA uniforms. The latest design incorporates the updated school logo and colors. The fabric is made from eco-friendly bamboo charcoal fibers and is much better suited to Cambodia’s climate. The girls have one uniform for the three sports and the boys have a shirt for both volleyball and football and a singlet for basketball. All uniforms use the new PHE shorts, which are available for purchase at the Secondary Office for $10 each. The tops are $22 each, which also includes the cost of printing names and numbers on the shirts. Parents, please note that the new MRISA uniforms should not be worn to PHE classes but students can wear the new PHE uniforms, the older PE and past MRISA uniforms.

On the horizonThe new Secondary pool and field will be open shortly. We are currently working on a policy for out-of-hours community use in the Second Semester. In late November (28-29) and early February (5-8) respectively, we are hosting an International Invitational Swim Meet and MRISA Senior Basketball. These will be the first ever MRISA Tournaments hosted on ISPP school grounds. Once again, we will seek your support in the homestay of visiting athletes. It is an expectation that families of MRISA athletes participate in this programme as well as any other interested families. For all up to date sport news follow the Weekly Announcements or visit our website.

All the right moves


WEEK 1

5:30pm ISPP Board Meeting(Central Office Auditorium)

7:45am Elementary Assembly (Elementary Basketball Court)

6:00pm Lip Sync & Cake Auction (Secondary Campus) Swim Meet (NISC)

WEEK 2

International Schools Assessment (ISA) Testing for Grades 3 - 10 Students

International Schools Assessment (ISA) Testing for Grades 3 - 10 Students

SAT

ISSAPP Senior Volleyball

WEEK 1Term 2

Commemoration Day of King Father, Norodom Sihanouk(Schools & Offices Closed)

No After School Programme

Secondary 3-Way Conferences

Phnom Penh Model United Nations (PPMUN) @ ISPP



WEEK 2

Secondary 3-Way Conferences

ISSAPP Junior Basketball

WEEK 1King’s Coronation Day,Norodom Sihanouk


MRISA Senior Volleyball @ UNIS


Student Council’s Halloween Event

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Artwork by Molly Heath, Kunvecheada Blain & Anna Bloom

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WEEK 2

Independence Day

WEEK 1

8:00am Parent/Admin Coffee Morning(Central Office Auditorium)

MRISA Junior Basketball @ ISHCMC




WEEK 2

6:00pm Elementary Candlelight Read Aloud

WEEK 1


Invitational Swim Meet @ ISPP

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The Hague International Model United Nations (THIMUN) 17 - 21

Water Festival (Schools & Offices Closed) 5 - 7 No After School Programme

Artwork by Sung Min Lee

ACTIVITIES DDD


By Guillem Gonzalez-PaciousGrade 5

Sun shone above us. It was crazy hot. A huge hill towered above us, you couldn’t see the top. It was called Phnom Chisor. Our Grade 4/5 classes arrived there to learn about Hinduism and Buddhism, as part of our Belief Systems Unit of Inquiry. At the temples we asked questions like, “What does that mean?” and “Who do you pray for?”

The stairs were so high they looked like they were leading to Mount Olympus. The risers were really high, you needed to spread your legs so wide you almost broke them. People were everywhere. You could always hear deep breaths, and footsteps of people taking food for the monks. “Finally, almost there!” I said but I was wrong. It was just a place to rest. When I drank water it felt like Royal D but better, so tasty, I almost drank a whole bottle. “Just a quarter of the stairs left!” somebody shouted.

LEARNING BEYOND THE CLASSROOM DDD

I finally arrived. At the top of the hill we met an enormous statue. “They look like Apsara dancers”, someone said. It was true, but they were fairies. The fairies had white pigeons, golden clothes, and really tall, golden pointy hats. You could see some pink lotus flowers made from stone next to their feet. The fairies help you when you are lost because they face north, west, east and south. Next, we saw an enormous golden reclining Buddha who represented Buddha in the last stage of his life, before he reached enlightenment. It smelled like incense everywhere. A smaller Buddha, protected by a Naga, sat in front. Hanging everywhere were decorations that looked like people, but they represented the souls of others. Alongside were three kings on white horses that went to war. Beautifully painted stories decorated the wall. Kelly told us a story of one of the paintings, she said, “When you die, if you have done something bad, crows will come and eat you.” It was really scary, like a horror movie.

I did not want to leave the temple, I wanted to stay there longer, and I wanted to learn more. You should go there because it is really interesting. When you go up those stairs you will want to go all around the temples at first sight. You will be amazed about how much there is to learn about Buddhism and Hinduism. All those stairs are worth it!St

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By Holly GardnerSecondary School Assistant Principal

We began the school year with our second NGO Fair in August. The theme, Field of Dreams was chosen because it fits so much of what we do with service with many of our organisations. The bulk of our service projects focus on helping the youth of Phnom Penh realize their dreams, helping to give our most vulnerable beings, animals, a better life or working on environmental sustainability. Our keynote speaker, Zach Bonner started the NGO Little Red Wagon when he


was just seven years old. This NGO began by helping homeless children in the United Sates and now has expanded into working with children in Africa. Zach is now a Grade 12 student in Florida and came to ISPP to inspire our students to make a difference.

Students in Grades 4 - 10 moved around the school visiting the NGO booths, listening to presentations by the organisations, participating in activities run by the NGOs and making pledges for how they would help others reach their dreams. Each of the NGOs gave presentations about

their organizations and then had question and answer sessions with small groups. Some groups ran activities; Free the Bears ran a quiz about their organization, the Deaf Development Program taught sign language, and the Environmental Action Committee ran some fun activities geared at helping kids understand how to help our environment. The day ended with a performance by the organisation EPiC Arts from Kampot. EPiC stands for Every Person Counts, and this organization works with disabled youth and adults where they “use the arts as a form of expression and

empowerment, and to create a dialogue within cultures around disability issues.”1 They performed a powerful piece combining pantomime and dance called “Moto Moto”.

It was an inspiring day to see what all these organisations are doing here in Cambodia and around the world and to see how they sparked the interest and ideas from our own students. Pledges the students made are displayed on the Secondary Campus.

1 www.epicarts.org.uk

Realising your dreams


By Boromey MongGrade 12

Last year, while visiting the Keo Pos community, I came up with a project to try and make a difference. We called our project Hope & Light. The main aim was to encourage people to be proactive and improve their lives through education. I was hoping to do this after university, but I realized that this could happen now. I spoke to one of my friends, Nadia, to help me with the project. On the first trip it was just Nadia and I going to the villages within the community, talking to adults, children, the village chief and teachers, trying to figure out in what ways we could help them. On the second trip we taught the children about hygiene, and got a doctor and a midwife to teach the adults about family planning.

On the third and most recent trip, we decided to try and inspire the children to dream big and work towards their dreams. The reason for this is because on the last trip, we learnt that the children either wanted to be plantation workers or didn’t have ambitions at all. Inspired by this event, we decided to do something to encourage the children to dream and have faith in themselves. A mural of cartoons with different professions was designed and painted. Chalk was given to the children to draw anything they wanted on the wall. We wanted them to have creative freedom, to have fun and let their imaginations go wild. The results were amazing. In the end, when we asked them what they wanted to be, some said a doctor, some said entrepreneur; it was amazing to witness this change.

The days spent with the children were filled with so much hope and happiness. Every single person involved showed so much love and support. They went out of their way to help these children, even though it wasn’t their job. I feel so privileged to have this kind of support. It’s amazing when other people have faith in your dreams and help in whatever way they can to make it come true. This whole project has given me so much hope and it’s so fitting because this was what we wanted to show the children during this trip; we wanted them to dream big and follow their dreams.

I’d like to thank every single person who has supported this project in any way shape or form, including to those who have spoken to me and given me the confidence to go through with it.


Hope & Light



“Why are we learning this?” is an important question that is addressed when planning for student learning. What students’ learn in the classroom should have a real world context. I like to think that this is easy to address in Geography as much of the syllabus covers global issues. But it is also great when we can get the students out of the classroom and use a local resource to enhance their learning and help develop skills that will be useful to them throughout their lives.

The Grade 12 Geography students are currently studying Urban Environments. In class the students had analysed a land use model for a central business district of a city called the Core/Frame model. But does this model apply to Phnom Penh? How could the students investigate this? By analysing the model the students decided on a set of criteria that could be measured, for example, land use and building height. Having collaborated in the design of the data collection sheets, the students then had to devise a sampling method that would hopefully enable them to collect the data in an unbiased way without covering the whole of the centre of Phnom Penh. In early September, Grade 12 Geography students spent the morning in the central area of Phnom Penh collecting data to

Lay of the landinvestigate the question “To what extent does Phnom Penh fit the Core/Frame Model of the CBD?”Understanding land use patterns helps both city planners and businesses. City planners will hopefully gain knowledge that enables them to plan for changes and business will have a better idea of the location factors that will ensure their business is located in the best place.

This piece of work that the students complete is their Internal Assessment for geography and will count towards their final grade. And the answer to the question? That is for the students to answer...


INTERNATIONAL MINDEDNESS DDD

world views and culture



PYP teachers at ISPP teach units of inquiry that develop five strands of international mindedness: world views, global issues, language, culture, and human society. For example, in Grades 4/5, the current unit entitled Belief Systems fostered student growth in the strands of world views and culture. As students blossomed in the area of world views, they inquired into how they interact with schoolmates, local communities, our host country of Cambodia, and the world beyond. They noticed, asked questions about, and appreciated similarities and differences between people.

During this unit, students became aware of the beliefs, values, and perspectives of major religions around the world by visiting sacred places around Phnom Penh. At all of these destinations, students engaged with local and international spiritual leaders. In the classroom, students reflected on the trips and conversations they had with these gracious experts, shared their understandings of their own belief systems with each other, parents and family members, and clarified their own knowledge of the variety of belief systems represented in our community; they were amazed at the similarities between these systems. Students were likewise encouraged to see connections between morals taught by major religions and the codes of conduct that institutions, including their own school, strive to create and adhere to.

In terms of culture, as students become internationally minded they inquire into the heritage of Cambodia and often become fascinated by various traditions, places, and facets of society here. As students develop in this strand, they also maintain and cultivate an appreciation of the cultures of their homelands and their international friends from school.

Through learning about various major belief systems, students grew in their appreciation of the culture of Cambodia with a visit to Wat Langka to hear monks discuss the major tenets of Buddhism. They awed over the murals relating the history of the Buddha and monkhood. Students moved into inquiries about Hinduism with a visit to the ancient temple ruin dedicated to Vishnu at Phnom Chisor. From here students went to a Catholic Church, a Chabad House, and a mosque and interviewed a priest, a rabbi, and an imam! All these experiences cause students to become aware of the diversity of beliefs and cultures represented in Phnom Penh and in the world at large, as can be seen in the knowledgeable mind maps and comparative matrixes and Venn diagrams they created to show how they consolidated their understandings. By Jon Banules, Grade 4/5


By Jeremy Thompson & Julie Shaw Project Advisors

One of ISPP’s annual fundraising events, the Lip Sync and Cake Auction, is certain to be a thrilling event this year. The evening’s entertainment will get under way at 6:00pm on Friday October 3, in our brand new Sports Complex on the Secondary School Campus. This means that there should be room for everyone! All proceeds from this popular, fun event will go towards the ISPP Community Service Bank and the Tabitha Housebuilding Project.

Last year, more than 30 fantastic cakes were donated by various members of the ISPP community last year, and the auction of these, together with ticket and refreshment sales, raised in excess of $1800. This money was used to fund the building of several houses in Pursat province, providing a number of local families with much needed shelter and their own home, something that the vast majority of us take for granted. The ISPP students involved in the fundraising, the organisation of the evening’s activities, and participating in the housebuilding trip itself, all demonstrated the IB Learner Profile traits of being principled, caring and reflective in addition to

gaining a greater understanding of what it means to be a true global citizen.

With a larger ISPP community body, and fewer restrictions on ticket sales, we are hoping this year’s proceeds will far exceed the figure raised last year. Apart from providing more much needed homes, funds deposited in the Community Service Bank will help to support new, innovative ventures initiated by our students and faculty.

If you are willing to contribute to this worthy service venture with a cake donation, please contact Ms. Julie Shaw [email protected] with a brief description of the type of cake you intend to provide. Whether you provide a cake or not, we hope that you will lend support by coming along to the evening in anticipation of being thoroughly entertained and heading homeward with some mouth-watering goodies to share with the whole family.

Tickets, at a cost of $4 per person are on sale now at the Secondary, Elementary and Finance Offices. We look forward to another exciting and enjoyable experience, each of us making a difference together with others in the ISPP community.

WHAT DO LIP SYNCING & BAKING HAVE IN COMMON?



International Day

ISPP’s International Day is a community spirit-building event. Parents, students, teachers and staff all come together on this day to share and learn about each other’s cultures. In addition to this, the proceeds from this event will go to the Community and Service Bank. This bank has been set up at ISPP and gives students in Grades 1 - 12 a place to apply for money for service projects.

This year International Day will be held at the Secondary Campus on Saturday January 24, 2015 from 10:00am until 2:00pm and will be based on our ongoing theme, Field of Dreams.

One of the main events on the day is the Parade of Nations, where hopefully all our nationalities are represented and have the opportunity to parade through the campus with their national flag and dressed in their country colours. Short performances will be scheduled throughout the day and if you are willing to perform something unique to your country, please let us know.

Each country can set up a booth (following the theme) which could include information, displays, games, music, videos, items from your embassy (they’re usually good places to get national memorabilia) quizzes and food (always popular).

Sounds interesting? Please contact Ms. Holly Gardner via [email protected] for more information.



By Paula BaxterElementary Principal

As a respectful learning community, all decisions made at ISPP are determined by what is best for our students. We aim to build community through inclusion, listening, and effective communication skills. We do this every month on the Elementary Campus in the form of our assemblies, and one remarkable knock-on effect is the emerging leadership skills of our young learners.

These assemblies are an opportunity for students to present their learning in a safe and caring environment for their peers and parents and we believe that this can make a difference to how your child sees and values his/herself as part of a larger community. We believe that a child’s sense of belonging within the ISPP community will be enhanced by their participation in these assemblies.

It’s the small steps that help build a strong foundation from which your children will thrive and ultimately learn. The pre-cursor to the monthly assemblies, is team time. Weekly or fortnightly, grade level teams meet for team time, and students have the opportunity to share their learning with peers and teachers in their grade level. It is during these times; often whilst being entertained by their peers, they make connections1 and feel a sense of belonging within the grade level community.

Our first assembly of the school year saw students,

COMMUNITY DDD

teachers, parents, nannies, and even some grandparents, coming together to build community across the school and bridging all ages and many cultures. We also saw the Grade 2/3 students take risks2 as they enhanced their participation and enjoyment through facilitation of the proceedings and also their own presentations and performances.

We remain committed to building community and presenting students with leadership opportunities. We are thankful to our students’ parents for the role they play in building that sense of community, whilst supporting their own and other children as they take their initial steps into leadership.

1 There is a set of eight key concepts in the PYP, each of which is of major importance in the design of a transdisciplinary curriculum, they are: form, function, causation, change, connection, perspective, responsibility and reflection.2 The IB learner profile is a set of ten attributes, which IB learners strive to be: inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, open-minded, caring, risk-takers, balanced and reflective. The aim of the IB programmes is to develop internationally minded people who, recognising their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world.

COMMUNITY BUILDING


COMMUNITY DDD

By Thida LeiperAlumni & Community Relations

This year, ISPP celebrates its 25th Anniversary since its founding in 1989. To mark this milestone in our history, we are launching a website, www.ispp25.com, to honour the school’s greatest achievements and to connect with our outstanding community! The site invites all members of our school community to join us in commemorating 25 years of ISPP by:

Remembering the PastTo recognize the students, parents and staff that established the school and to those that have helped make ISPP what it is today.

Celebrating the PresentTo mark the achievement of our long-term goal of creating a purpose built campus for our expanding community.

Looking to the FutureTo nurture the best of ISPP’s spirit and values as we move into the next era with new dreams and ambitions

Past and present members of ISPP are also invited to take part in our 25th Anniversary projects by visiting the Get Involved section of the site. Send a congratulatory message by downloading, printing and signing the ISPP Birthday Card, which you can photograph and send back to [email protected]. You can also share your old ISPP photos by following the instructions on the Share Your Memories page.

The 25th Anniversary site provides us with an opportunity to engage with our growing international community and we invite you to connect with us. Register your details and learn how to join our social media networks by visiting our Stay Connected page. You can also track our 25th Anniversary activities online by using #ispp25.

We will be regularly updating information about 25th Anniversary events on our Join the Celebration page so check back for those and other new features, such as ISPP’s first online timeline!

Join us in this exciting time in ISPP’s history by being part of our 25th Anniversary celebration! Visit www.ispp25.com.

Happy Birthday ISPP!


Baby Arlo joined the Pontius clan (Andy & Kirsten) on August 27. He weighed 2.79kg (6lbs 2oz) and was 51cm (20in).

Welcome back BBQISPP welcomed back all new and returning Elementary and Secondary families by holding a BBQ on the Elementary Campus. This provided a great opportunity for the ISPP Community to get to know one another. The highlight of the event was the student band and the younger community were kept amused by the abundance of games.

www.facebook.com/internationalschoolofphnompenhcambodiawww.facebook.com/ISPP.AlumniAddition to the community

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COMMUNITY


COMMUNITY


Documents

ISPP Pulse August - September 2014