Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
News and events at UNIS Hanoi Week 33, 2014-2015
Citation preview
UNIS Hanoi’s Weekly Community Newsletter Volume 21, Edition 33, Friday 8 May
Notes from the Head of School and
the Director of Learning (p.2)
Notes from the Board of Directors
(p.3)
MAP Test Grades 3-5 (p.4)
Robotics Kickoff (p.4)
Library News (p.4-5)
Music for Music (p.5)
ES Garage Sale (p.6)
Grade 4-5 Swim Meet (p.6)
Do you have a bike? (p.7)
Counselling News (p.8)
UMA Concert (p.8)
Through the lens - A multimedia
Exhibition. Save the date! (p.9)
Summer Programme update (p.9)
World Asthma Day (p.10)
Best job in the world. Apply NOW!
(p.11)
SCO Annual General Meeting (p.11)
New shopping time! (p.11)
A tribute to Lita update (p.12)
NEXT WEEK MONDAY, 11 MAY Discovery Exhibition, 11-14 May IB Diploma Exams, 11-26 May MAP testing Grades 3-5, 11-14 May Grade 9 Parent Info Evening: Personal Project, 18:00-
19:00, Black Box
TUESDAY, 12 MAY ES Garage Sale, 15:30-16:00, B9 Courtyard Board of Directors Annual General Meeting, 19:00-
21:00, Black Box
WEDNESDAY, 13 MAY Discovery Parent Performance, 9:00-10:30, Black Box Advancement Committee Meeting, 12:00-14:00,
Conference Room SMP 2015-2020 Task Force, 17:30-19:00, Conference
Room
FRIDAY, 15 MAY Grade 4-5 Swim Meet, 8:30-11:30 MSHS Parent Coffee with the Counselors (Leaving Families), 8:30-10:00, Community Room UNIS Music Academy Concert, 17:00-19:00, Black Box and Theatre
SATURDAY, 16 MAY Saturday Soccer Spring Tournament Robotics Kickoff, 9:00-16:00, Centre for the Arts
COMING SOON MONDAY, 18 MAY Multimedia Exhibition - Through the Lens, 18-23 May MS Band Concert, 18:00-19:30, Theatre
TUESDAY, 19 MAY School Community Organisation Annual General
Meeting, 8:30-10:00, Community Room Board of Directors Meeting, 17:30-18:00, Community
Room
WEDNESDAY, 20 MAY Volunteer Appreciation Event, 18:00-20:00, Don’s Bistro
THURSDAY, 21 MAY MRISA Middle School Volleyball Tournament @ VIS,
21-22 May MSHS Band Concert, 18:00-19:30, Theatre
FRIDAY, 22 MAY Grade 3-5 End of Year Party, 16:00-17:30, Centre for the Arts
MS Formal Dance, 18:00-20:30, Off Campus
SATURDAY, 23 MAY ES Drama Production for the Community, 17:30-18:30,
Theatre
IN THIS WEEK’S TIN TUC - The Highlights...
Thank you to the 30 or so parents who
came to the Head of School Breakfast on
Thursday. The notes from that meeting are
being processed and will be published in
next week’s Tin Tuc. There were also two
presentations made. Ms. Janet Field, our
Director of Learning, presented a Power
Point summarizing the CIS/WASC/IB Visiting Team
Report which we received around TET. You can find the
our full report to the board here. You can also find Janet
Power Point here.
Also, I shared some highlights of the results of the Annual
Climate Survey. This survey is completed by parents,
faculty and students and we have longitudinal data now
going back to 2008. You can find our summary report
here.
Finally, I highly encourage you to attend this coming
Tuesday’s Board Annual General Meeting. In addition to
getting an update on Scholarships, Campus Development,
and the development of the next Strategic Management
Plan, we hope to engage attendees in an exercise to explore
how we can continue to be competitive in attracting and
retaining top quality teachers.
Respectfully,
Dr. Barder [email protected]
As Dr Barder mentioned in his article, we
have recently received reports from the
International Baccalaureate
Organization (IB), the Council of
International Schools (CIS) and the
Western Association of Schools and
Colleges (WASC). These are a result of the
visit last December from a team representing all three
agencies. The team’s job was to verify the school’s own year
-long self-study by interviewing members of the school
community, visiting classrooms and looking at
documentation and then coming up with findings,
recommendations and commendations to help the school
move forward for the next five years.
This process enables us to maintain our accreditation from
CIS and WASC, which is an important indication of our
quality and standing amongst international schools. The IB
is not an accrediting agency; it evaluates the way that we
deliver our IB programmes. All three agencies have
standards against which we have measured ourselves.
We are very proud of the feedback we received and grateful
for the guidance that it entails. In particular, it was satisfying
to find that almost everything mentioned as an area for
further development had already been identified by the
school and has already been included in our ongoing action
plans.
Here are a few examples of the feedback:
“Throughout the visit there was significant and passionate
support for the programme from students, parents and
teachers alike.” (DP report)
“Attitudes of understanding and respect are observed in
interactions between teachers and teachers, teachers and
students, and students and students, both inside and outside
the classroom.” (MYP report)
Teachers “highlight the quality of collaboration and provide
copious examples of how collaboration has supported
provision for providing quality outcomes, inspiring learning
engagements, student centred teaching and learning an
opportunities to review and improve pedagogy and the
programme of inquiry.” (PYP report)
“UNIS is clearly a school that is not content to rest on its
laurels as a very fine international school. The Visitors saw
ample evidence, confirmed through daily consultation with
their colleagues from the International Baccalaureate
Organization, of an organization that is driven to meet its
Mission at every level.” (CIS-WASC report)
Please read our summary report on all the outcomes here.
If you have any questions, contact Janet Field
On behalf of the Board, I am pleased to
announce that Mr Barry Knaggs has been re
-appointed to the Board for a final four year
term. Mr Knaggs has served on the Board
since 2009 serving in various capacities and
currently is Chair of the Campus
Development Task Force. We would like to
thank Barry for continuing to volunteer his time on the
UNIS Hanoi Board.
On behalf of the Board, I am also pleased to announce that
Mrs Ngo Thi Quynh Hoa will be our new Board appointed
member replacing Dr. Nandini Oomman who steps down
in June. Her position as Board Appointed Member has
been ratified by Dr. Pratibha Mehta, United Nations
Resident Coordinator, Vietnam. Mrs Hoa will assume
Board duties at the close of business at the last Board
meeting of the 2014-2015 School Year on 2nd June 2015.
Please find below her profile and personal statement in
English, Vietnamese,
Best regards,
Nguyen Van Hieu, Board Chair
Name: Ngo Thi Quynh Hoa
Nationality: Vietnamese
Grade of children: Son – Grade 2
Personal Statement:
My reasons for being interested in taking on
Board Member responsibility include:
I believe that investing in people, especially in young
people’s education, is key to making the world a better
place. I seek to harness my skills, qualifications and
experience to help UNIS as an institution, current and
future students, and the broader community to
maximize their potential.
I have a strong personal interest in contributing to UNIS
as my son is a student at the school. I would like to help
build on the achievements of the past 27 years, to enable
UNIS to go from being a great school to becoming a
truly world class educational institution.
From what I can see, the Board of Directors and the
School’s management and faculty already have a strong
and positive relationship. I would be delighted to
contribute to further building and strengthening this
partnership.
Tên: Ngô Thị Quỳnh Hoa
Quốc tịch: Việt Nam
Lớp của con: Con trai – Lớp 2
Tuyên bố cá nhân:
Lý do vì sao tôi muốn trở thành một thành viên của Ban
Giám Đốc trường UNIS:
Tôi tin tưởng rằng đầu tư vào con người, đặc biệt là thế
hệ trẻ là một công việc đặc biệt quan trọng để làm cho
thế giới tốt đẹp hơn. Tôi mong muốn nâng cao các kỹ
năng, kinh nghiệm và năng lực của mình để giúp phát
triển UNIS, với tư cách là một thể chế giáo dục, giúp
các học sinh hiện tại và tương lai và giúp đỡ các cộng
đồng xung quanh đạt được những tiềm năng của chính
họ.
Tôi có lý do riêng thực sự mong muốn đóng góp sức
lực của mình vào UNIS vì con trai tôi là học sinh của
trường. Tôi muốn giúp trường tiếp tục phát huy những
thành tựu đã đạt được trong 27 năm qua, để biến UNIS
từ một ngôi trường xuất sắc thành một thể chế giáo dục
đẳng cấp quốc tế.
Từ những gì tôi biết, tôi nghĩ rằng Ban giám đốc và
Lãnh đạo nhà trường cùng các giáo viên đã xây dựng
được một mối quan hệ tốt đẹp. Tôi muốn đóng góp sức
mình để tiếp tục vun đắp và tăng cường sức mạnh của
mối quan hệ quan trọng này. Rugby Tournament. Photos by Tim Barnsley.
At UNIS Hanoi standardised testing is one
way that we gather information to promote
and inform student learning. A
standardised test should allow students,
teachers and parents to identify a student's
strengths and areas of need in the different
subject areas that are tested. At the school-
wide level the standardised test can help to identify areas of
the curriculum that may need adapting. It will also help the
school to determine how its students are performing in
comparison to other students around the world and to
evaluate the effectiveness of our programme.
The school currently uses two different forms of
standardised tests. One of these is the Measures of
Academic Progress™ (MAP) which are computerized tests
in Reading, Language usage, and Mathematics.
The MAP test at UNIS Hanoi is done twice a year so that
we can check for growth in students’ development of
knowledge and understanding in the areas tested. Students
in Grades 3-8 took part in the MAP test in September. The
schedule for this semester is as follows:
Grade 3-5 student: May 11–14, 2015
MAP tests are unique because they adapt to each student’s
level. As students complete each test item the test alters
direction, depending on whether the response is correct or
incorrect. By the end, the test has focused in on the
student’s level of ability, without ever becoming too
difficult for them. As a result, each student has the same
opportunity to succeed and maintain a positive attitude
toward testing.
Please be aware that there is no additional preparation that
students can do to prepare for these tests. It is helpful for
students to have a good night’s sleep and a sufficient
breakfast prior to testing. If your child is anxious you can
help to alleviate their worries by talking, listening and
reassuring. Encourage your child to simply do their best as
he or she would do with any school assignment, test or
project.
Contact the homeroom teacher if you have a concern
regarding your child’s reaction to the test. If you would like
more information about the MAP test in general please
contact Janet Field, the Director of Learning
On May 16 we are happy to be hosting our first ever
Robotics Kickoff.
The Tech for All service learning group is collaborating
with the Robotics ASA, the MS Geeksquad, Hanoi
International School, St. Paul's International School, and 10
public Vietnamese middle schools in the Bac Tu Liem
district to have a fun day of learning and friendly
competition.
In the morning from 9:00am-12pm, our students will be
teaching their peers about how to solve various challenges
with Lego Mindstorm robotics kits. In the afternoon
from 1-4pm they will be building robots to compete with
one another in races, mazes, and 'sumo' wrestling. We are
also happy to welcome our friends at the FPT Technology
Research Institute, who will be demonstrating the latest of
their own robotics creations and helping judge the
competitions.
If you are interested in learning more about this event, or
robotics at UNIS Hanoi, contact the MSHS Tech
Coordinator, Paul Swanson, at [email protected].
Many thanks to SCO for a grant that has enabled us to
hang a beautiful new piece of art in the Library. Stop by the
library to see the colorful "Hanoi Old Quarter", painted
by Vietnamese artist Tran Quang Vinh. Tran Vinh is a
graduate of the Hanoi College of Fine Arts and has had
numerous exhibits in Hanoi as well as in France, Sweden,
India, and Japan. We are grateful to SCO for this painting
that will beautify our environment and inspire our students
for years to come.
Deborah Wells-Clinton, MSHS Librarian
Students share their favourite book using a bag. Any paper
bag (which can stand up) may be used. Students decorate
the outside of the bag to
represent the book and
should include artifacts
inside the bag to help tell
the story. Book choice
can be a work of fiction
or nonfiction, a UNIS
Hanoi library book or
home book and may be in English or a home language.
Please bring to Ms. Conroy in the Library with
STUDENT’S NAME and CLASS written on the bag.
Should a book from home be used, please write the
owner’s name inside the book. Book in a Bags shall be
returned before the end of the year.
THIS IS AN OPTIONAL HOME PROJECT
Questions? Please email Ms. Conroy at
Before the April break ES Beginner Band had the
opportunity to visit Mai Dich kindergarten for a music
exchange. Our visit began with the band playing three
pieces of music, including a rendition of Brother John
where there Kindergarteners joined in. After the band
played the Kindergarten students shared a few songs with
us. Our music exchange concluded with the Beginner Band
students presenting the school with instruments that were
purchased with funds raised during Festive Fundraiser. The
selection of instruments included drums, a guitar, chime
bars, tambourines and maracas and a class set of claves.
Thanks you to Beginner Band, Singers United, teachers,
and parents for your support!
Krista Ramsay, ES Service Learning Coordinator
Tuesday May 12, 15:30-16:30, outside the Grade 1 and 2
classrooms
Do you have any toys you no longer play with?
Do you need to clear out some space in your
bedroom?
Would you like to make some extra pocket money?
Would you like to help buy toys for children who
have nothing to play with?
If the answer to all the above is Yes then read on.
What a HUGE HOT Success our first ES Garage Sale was
last year. We had over 53 stall holders who had rummaged
through their play cupboards to bring in unwanted toys to
sell to the UNIS Hanoi community. Altogether we raised
an incredible 8,711,000 VND.
The Grade 1 and 2 Student Council reps have been
communicating with the founders and directors of an
organisation that helps blind children here in Hanoi. The
students have selected toys that have been donated to the
drop in centre for these blind children from your
donations.
Please join in with our second ES Garage Sale this year and
help us to raise more funds for this worthy cause.
If you want to sell some of your own toys you can get a
form from the ES Office or your teacher but you need
to return it by Monday lunchtime May 11.
Half of all proceeds will be donated to buy toys for young
blind children in Hanoi.
The Grades 4 and 5 swimming unit will conclude with a
traditional Swim Meet on Friday, May 15. The meet will
run from 8:30-11:30 and will include the following
individual races - 25 meter Kickboard Race, Freestyle,
Backstroke, Breaststroke and Butterfly, 50 meter Freestyle,
Backstroke, Breaststroke and 100 meter Individual Medley.
Teams of students will also participate in fun House relays.
All friends and family members are warmly invited to
attend the meet and support our Grades 4 and 5 swimmers!
Eleonora Healy, Aquatics Coordinator
…
If you answered “Yes” to any of these questions you
can help someone break the poverty cycle.
We are the G5 Poverty Exhibition Group and we would
like you to pledge to donate your ‘in great condition’ bike
to us so we can help Humanitarian Services for Children
of Vietnam give bikes to rural children so they can get to
school. Education helps break the poverty cycle.
Will you help keep children attending school by donating
your bike and so becoming a positive change to the poverty
cycle for some of the families of Vietnam?
Here are some children who have already got a bike from
HSCV, but lets help more children get a bike so they can
get to school and get an education that will help them break
the poverty cycle.
http://www.hscv.org
Please sign up here on our pledge sheet so we
can contact you with more details about the donation drop
off point and date.
“But I do not have a bike and want to
help”. No problem, we are also accepting new bikes or if
you are a bike expert, your time to check over the donated
bikes to ensure they are safe would be greatly appreciated
Thank you in advance for your support
Ananya, Ben and Ms Tracy
HS Day. Photo by Tim Barnsley
Friday, May 15 at 8.30, Library Group Study Room
This is an informational meeting for parents from D-12
who are leaving UNIS Hanoi this year. We will be sharing
information on strategies for families in Transition
including things to do for families leaving UNIS and Hanoi.
Monday, May 11
13:20 – 14:00
Common Room B5 G29
Leeds Beckett University
Mr. Joe Rossiter, International Officer for South East Asia
Monday, May 18
13:20 – 14:00
Common Room B5 G29
Shannon College of Hotel Management
Ms. Sarah O'Mahony, International Officer for South East Asia
World Asthma Day is an annual event organized by the
Global Initiative for Asthma with a goal to improve asthma
awareness and care around the world. This year it was held
last May 5 with the theme of “You Can Control Your
Asthma”.
1. WHO estimates that 235 million people currently suffer
from asthma
2. Asthma deaths will increase in the next 10 years if
urgent action is not taken. Asthma cannot be cured, but
proper diagnosis, treatment and patient education can
result in good asthma control and management.
3. Asthma occurs in all countries regardless of level of
development. Over 80% of asthma deaths occur in low
and lower-middle income countries. For effective
control, it is essential to make medications affordable
and available, especially for low-income families.
4. Asthma is a chronic disease characterized by recurrent
attacks of breathlessness and wheezing, which vary in
severity and frequency from person to person.
5. Symptoms may occur several times in a day or week in
affected individuals. For some people the symptoms
become worse during physical activity or at night.
Failure to recognize and avoid triggers that lead to a
tightened airway can be life threatening and may result
in an asthma attack, respiratory distress and even death.
6. Through appropriate treatment such as using inhaled
corticosteroids to ease bronchial inflammation, the
number of asthma-related deaths can be reduced.
7. Asthma is the most common chronic disease among
children. But it can be controlled through different
prevention and treatment plans according to individual
symptoms.
8. The strongest risk factors for developing asthma are
exposure to indoor allergens such as house dust mites in
bedding, carpets and stuffed furniture; pollution and pet
dander; outdoor allergens such as pollens and moulds;
tobacco smoke and chemical irritants in the workplace.
9. Asthma triggers can include cold air, extreme emotional
arousal such as anger or fear, and physical exercise.
10. Asthma is often under-diagnosed and under-treated,
creating a substantial burden to individuals and families
and possibly restricting individuals’ activities for a
lifetime.
Control of asthma is the goal of treatment and can be
achieved in the vast majority of asthma patients with
proper management. A person’s asthma is under control
when he or she has:
No (or minimal) asthma symptoms.
No waking at night due to asthma.
No (or minimal) need to use “reliever” medication.
The ability to do normal physical activity and exercise.
Normal (or near-normal) lung function test results (for
example, FEV1 or PEF).
No (or very infrequent) asthma attacks.
Low risk of future asthma attacks or other negative
outcomes. Doctors consider many factors when
evaluating future risk. A few examples include a
person’s history of severe asthma attacks, smoking, side
effects of asthma medications, and how regularly a
person takes their asthma medication as prescribed.
For more on World Asthma Day, read on http://
www.ginasthma.org/World-Asthma-Day and http://
www.cdc.gov/asthma/world_asthma_day.htm.
School Health Centre
MSHS Chair
MSHS Vice Chair
ES Chair
ES Vice Chair
Treasurer
Communications Officer
Book Sale Coordinator
Spring Fair Coordinator
To enhance and foster supportive partnerships throughout the school community in support of the UNIS Hanoi Mission.
Look not in your bank account, but instead in your heart.
SCO Annual General Meeting Tuesday 19 May 2015, 8:30 Community Room, Admin Building 7
19 August 2015
Questions? [email protected]
May 19, 8.30 - 10.00am
Community Room (Administration Building, room 104)
You are invited to attend and participate in the Annual
General Meeting of the School Community Organisation.
The Treasurer will present a year-end financial report, a
projected budget for the coming year and shall indicate
projects that have been approved for funding.
Elections for the BEST JOB IN THE WORLD will be
held. Self-nominations can be made at the Annual General
Meeting. It is great to give back to your community!
SCO Committee Coordinators will also be appointed. We
are still looking for a Spring Fair Coordinator and a Book
Sale Coordinator. Please let us know if you are interested.
Lastly, the SCO Constitution was created in May 2009.
Sections of the Constitution are out of date and need to be
updated to reflect the current changes of the school. We
are currently in the process of revising the Constitution.
Suggested amendments to the Constitution will be
published in next week's Tin Tuc. Please come to the SCO
AGM if you are interested in finding out more about the
Constitution amendment process and if you have any
suggested amendments to make.
Wednesday, May 20
Time: 18.00 - 20.00
Location: Don's Bistro Rooftop (16 Quảng An Road,
Tây Hồ)
What would our school community be like without the love
and support of our generous volunteers?
We VALUE everyone who has given their time and
talents to help the UNIS Hanoi community over the
year. Your spirit of volunteerism makes our school
community thrive and flourish.
To THANK our volunteers this year, we would like to
invite everyone who has supported UNIS Hanoi with your
time and talent to a VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION
NIGHT!
There will be delicious food and drinks (wine, beer,
cocktails, juice) for all to enjoy on behalf of the School
Community Organisation and the Advancement Office as a
final THANK YOU for all your help.
Please register HERE before May 17th.
Please keep in mind that this is an adult function and we
kindly ask that you arrange childcare beforehand.
Should you have any additional questions, please feel free
to contact the Community Liaison Officer, Nathalie Grun
Sungsub Billy Choo, Trâm
Phương Nguyễn, Nina
Reinhardt in the Class of 2010
would like to make an official
tribute to their close friend
Lalita. We have updated the
tribute page in a previous issue
of the Tin Tuc. To read the full
tribute, please click here.
"She truly had transformative and empathetic powers and
has left a beautiful, shining legacy at UNIS and beyond.
Her life was, as she would probably put it, epic and we are
so happy to celebrate her life in every way possible." .
Lita’s Friends
