SIS Phoenix Magazine - December 2014

16th EDITION l OCTOBER 2014

S I S G R O U P O F S C H O O L S C O M M U N I T Y A N D A L U M N I M A G A Z I N E

7 t h E D I T I O N l D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 4

Collaboration Unleashed! Real World Learning

Immersions Around the Globe

2 PHOENIX I SIS GROUP OF SCHOOLS COMMUNITY AND ALUMNI MAGAZINE

2 SIS KJ Celebrates their UN

and Children

8 CSR SIS KG JKTM Marathon 13 Testimonials 15 New Exemplary IGCSE Results

14 Kelly Skating to Success

Around the World

10 SIS Palembang Inspiration

9 SIS Art Festival 2014 “Circle of Life”

5 Learning Immersions SIS Medan

& SIS Semarang

4 Learning Immersions SIS KG &

SIS PIK

3 SIS KJ Learning Immersion in Bali

7 SIS KG Expanding Learning in

New Directions

12 SIS KJ Committed

to Supporting Orphanages

6 SIS PIK Celebrates Global Dignity

Day 2014

ontents

“Singapore School Kebon Jeruk – family-

focused, great location and excellent

academic results. We develop the whole-

person and winning the Australian Beef

Chef competition was just one of the

many exciting extension activities our

students excelled in,” says Head Teacher,

Craig Hansen.


The printer and designer (PT. Phoenix Communications, Jakarta) accept no responsibility for the Print-Ad materials and contents thereof.

No part of this publication printed without prior permission of the SIS Group of Schools. Editorial enquiries or submissions should be addressed to :

The Editor, Mr Craig Hansen, SIS Group of Schools

Publication Date : December 2014Editor : Craig HansenAddress : SIS Bona Vista, Jln. Bona Vista Raya, Lebak Bulus, Jakarta 12440, Indonesia

Front Cover : John Torr, SIS Bona Vista

Design, Layout and Printing : PT. PHOENIX Communications. Jl. Benda Raya No. 98 A-B Cilandak 12560T: +62-21 781 3212 | F: +62-21 781 2476 | E: [email protected] | www.phoenix.co.id/csdth

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... is a Publication of the SIS Group of Schools, Indonesia.A C O M M U N I T Y A N D A L U M N I M A G A Z I N E

Pioneers in Education

An early education pioneer in Indonesia, SIS Group of Schools has been leading the way in curriculum

innovation for nearly two decades. By blending international best practices to suit the local context and

culture, SIS has prepared our many thousands of students for global success while cultivating respect and

commitment to their host country.

At the heart of our evolving curriculum is our Council of Head Teachers, through which the Leaders of our 8 Schools

in Indonesia continually develop the common curriculum and standards that guide SIS Schools. The Council, with

representatives from 7 diff erent countries, ensures world-class standards and drives the success of SIS academic

programs.

While much attention is invariably placed on our excellent international examination results [see below], the true foundations for such success are

anchored in our Preschool and Primary years programs, which nurture the character development, learning dispositions and thinking skills in Languages,

Maths and Science necessary for later academic achievement.

Learning activities at all levels are guided by the principles of student-centered, inquiry learning. Classroom experiences are hands-on, and students are

encouraged to leverage their existing knowledge and skills in order to further develop their critical and creative capacities. Interdisciplinary activities

lead students to address real-world problems that transcend individual subject areas, and require meaningful exposure to local and international

communities. The past year has seen SIS students volunteer teaching in Cambodia, exploring the arts in the Netherlands, and studying mangrove

conservation in Bali.

Results also matter. SIS Schools are also renowned for their academic rigor, high expectations, and disciplined focus. It goes without saying that we take

great pride in the stellar academic achievements of our students. Though not the only measure of our success, our world-class scores on the IGCSEs are

certainly one indication of the strength and balance of our programs across subject areas. A snapshot of some of our 2014 SIS-wide IGCSE results, sat for

by nearly 150 of our Secondary 4 students:

W h e n c o u p l e d w i t h t h e i r social

development, community service work

and extracurricular successes, these

results indicate the readiness of our

students to move on to our demanding

IB Diploma and A Level programs – in

SIS Bona Vista, SIS Kelapa Gading, SIS

Pantai Indah Kapuk, and SIS Medan –

and ultimately, top universities around

the globe.

Chris Toomer

Academic Head - SIS Group of Schools

Singapore School Bona VistaJl. Bona Vista Raya - Lebak Bulus, Jakarta Selatan 12440. Indonesia. Tel : (+62 21) 759 14414Fax : (+62 21) 759 14418

Singapore School Pantai Indah KapukJl. Mandara Indah 4, Pantai Indah KapukJakarta 14460 Telp : (+62 21) 588 3835Fax : (+62 21) 588 3836

Singapore School Kelapa GadingJl. Pegangsaan Dua No.83, Kelapa Gading, JakartaTelp : (+62 21) 460 8888Fax : (+62 21) 460 7306

Singapore School Kebon JerukJl Meruya Ilir No 89, Meruya Utara, Kebon Jeruk, Jakarta Barat 11620, [email protected]: (021) 5867570 / 49Fax: (021) 5867573

Singapore School SemarangJl. Bukit Candi Golf, Golf Residence, Graha Candi Golf, Semarang 50274.Tel: (+62 24) 850 9108Fax: (+62 24) 850 9107Email: [email protected]

Singapore School MedanRoyal Sumatra ComplexJl. Letjen Jamin Ginting Km. 8,5 MedanTel: (+62 61) 836 2880 Fax: (+62 61) 836 0148

Singapore School PalembangJl. Letda Abdul Rozak No.1Taksam/Chuan Ho, PalembangTel. (0711) 562 6778 / 426 4860, Fax. (0711) 562 [email protected]

Singapore School CilegonJl. Raya Merak No.49, Bonakarta, Cilegon, Banten 42414Tel: (+62 254) 394 460Fax: (+62 254) 394 335

7th EDITION l DECEMBER 2014 1


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SIS KJ CELEBRATES their UN and Children’s Day

Singapore School KebonJeruk

celebrated their UN and

Children’s Day in style! We held

an all-nighter, where our students

made costumes of other nations,

were quizzed on the UN history,

challenged each other in games

and team points were awarded.

Over 50 students and 20 staff stayed

overnight on campus, shared dinner,

breakfast and a water-balloon fi ght

at 6AM. It was one of the best special

days of the year.

Says Head Teacher Craig Hansen,

“This was a time of celebration, fun,

bonding and a little bit of naughty

for our school! It was great to see

it so well supported by students

and parents. Without the hard

work of our teachers to plan this

event, and the support of our non-

teaching staff , we could not run

such an event. I am delighted that

we have such strong teamwork at

Singapore School Kebon Jeruk!”

This year, Beaconhouse broke the Guinness world record for the largest art class at a youth festival held in Pakistan. The event hosted almost

6000 Beaconites ages 10 – 15 and a team from the Guinness Book of World Records to verify the record. It was an experience of a lifetime for the students who were thrilled to have become part of an international record-breaking attempt and even more excited to have succeeded.

BEACONHOUSE RECORD SETTING


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37th EDITION l DECEMBER 2014

On the 20th of October, the

students of SIS Kebon Jeruk

from the class of Primary fi ve to

Secondary four gathered together

at the Soekarno Hatta International

Airport, all excited for their fl ight

to Bali.

The fl ight didn’t take long and soon

enough, the students were alighting

from their planes and walking in

the Ngurah Rai International Airport

of Bali to claim their luggage. After

everything was settled, the students

boarded a bus which would be their

transportation that they will use for

the next fi ve days.

The activities that came after

included a brief lecture on the history

of Penglipuran Village, the study of

biogas-making, playing traditional

games with the Primary students of

SDN 2 KUBU, a local school there, as

well as visiting the bamboo forest.

Dinner, of Indonesian cuisine, was

held at the village. After that, the

entertainment, which is watching

the villagers do the jogget dance,

came. The SIS Kebon Jeruk students

even got a chance to go onstage and

learn on how to do the dance.

When the entertainment was over,

the students were sent back to their

rooms to do their EAI Booklet, in

which each of their grades would be

based from, before they went to bed.

The second day was just as hectic.

After breakfast of spicy Balinese food,

the students planted frangipanis

around the village using their

gloves and were given free hats for

gardening as a souvenir. Then, they

took a photo with the village leader

before the students left for the

gamelan-making workshop.

In the workshop, the students

inspected the gamelans, which are

Balinese musical instruments made

for several festivities and occasions.

There was a brief introduction on

how to make gamelans and the

students were able to play them,

hearing the high and low pitch

melodies produced.

The third day of the trip was the

time where the students did some

of the most exciting activities. They

visited the Blanco Museum, which

is built in honour of Antonio Blanco,

a famous artist who could paint

extraordinary sceneries.

The tour guide of our visit in the

museum was none other than

Antonio Blanco’s son himself, named

Mario Blanco. He took us to see some

white starlings, a small white bird

native to Bali before explaining on

how they breed these birds here. It

was an amazing experience, to be

learning about this endangered bird

and have time to pet other birds

there, such as parrots and macaws.

Lunch was held at a Balinese

restaurant and the next destination

of the trip was the glass blowing

factory where the students were

given a chance to see up close the

processes on glass blowing.

The next stop was a small building

where the students were able to

make and bring home two arts and

crafts of their choice. These included

wood-carving, painting, pottery,

batik-making, kite-making as well as

clay-moulding.

On Thursday, the students ate

their breakfasts at the hotel before

moving on to Pantai Karang Beach

to do some cleaning and trash

picking activity with some of the

secondary students of a school

named SMPN 9 Denpasar.

This activity encourages the SIS

KJ students to mingle with other

students from diff erent schools

and work together to do an eff ort

in caring for the environment. This

activity also shows the students the

importance in taking care of the

beaches by not littering random

junk on the shores.

After that, the students visited the

TCEC, or also known as the Turtle

Conservation and Education Center.

This place teaches the students

about the stages in a turtle’s life as

well as the common predators and

dangers that these turtles face.

A short video and a tour around the

turtle conservatory was prepared for

the SIS students so that they could

have close experiences with the

turtles. This part of the trip was quite

educational for the students.

As the students boarded their bus

again, they went to the Mangrove

Plantation Center after attending

their lunch at a restaurant called

Tempo Doeleo.

There was a slide show regarding

the uses and basic information

of mangroves. Moreover, some

students were selected to experience

planting some mangrove plants in

the muddy ground.

The activity that came next included

the students going to Jimbaran

Bay and experiencing the fun

on releasing the adorable turtle

hatchlings out to the ocean.

By that time, the sun was starting

to set as the sky turned to pink and

orange. The students had some

time to enjoy the view before they

ate their dinner of seafood at the

beach shores.

The last day of the trip was used to

visit the sparkling blue waters of the

Pandawa Beach as the students got

another opportunity to play in the

water under the supervision of the

teachers.

The students’ lunch was at Krisna

Culinary Center where the students

were given the freedom of choosing

their own meal. There was also some

time after that for the students

to buy souvenirs as a keepsake at

the Krisna gift shop before they all

reached the Ngurah Rai International

Airport for boarding their planes

back to Jakarta.

By: Vania Cheryl Antono

SIS KJ Reporter

SIS KJ Learning Immersion in Bali



LEARNING IMMERSIONS SIS KG & SIS PIK

Many of Singapore School, Kelapa

Gading Secondary students

participated in the Lombok Learning

Journey. Everyone gained something

from the trip. Here are some of our

experiences.

ON DAY ONE, Monday, we arrived

at Lombok International airport and

were very surprised that we had a

police escort all the way to our fi rst

experience, which was to an 8th

century Hindu temple which had a

sacred well. The area is a beautiful

park with a swimming pool. We

also visited a local museum which

displayed social and cultural

artifacts and samples representing

the mining industry in Lombok.

ON DAY TWO, Tuesday, we

travelled to a traditional Sasak

village. Sasak is the name of the

people of Lombok and their

language. Our guide, who spoke

fl uent English, told us about their

family and marriage traditions.

We toured the village where the

houses all have grass roofs. The

people grow rice and weave

wonderful cloth.

In the afternoon we visited a

pottery factory. Each of us made

a small pot and we also did some

painting.

ON DAY THREE, Wednesday, we

participated in Outbound activities

at the hotel. We learned the

importance of cooperation and

teamwork, which were all important

to successfully complete the tasks.

The ‘Second Waterfall’ In the Mount Rinjani National forest

In the afternoon we went to

Rinjani national park. We hiked

into the park to visit two waterfalls.

It was hard work, but it was also

fun to get out into the forest.

ON DAY FOUR, Thursday, we

took a ferry to Gili Trawangan.

We participated in ecotourism by

cleaning a half kilometer of beach.

In the afternoon we visited the

sea turtle sanctuary and set

turtles free into the ocean.

We encourage all students to

take part in Learning Journeys

in the future. It’s a great way to

learn new things and have new

experiences.A woman weaving in a traditional Sasak village

Fifty-one Secondary 1 students

participated in a 5-day-4-night

learning adventure to East Java from

13-17 October. Students, parents,

and school staff convened at the

school grounds as early as 4:00 in the

morning on October 13, 2014 with

traces of excitement and energy as

they carried suitcase and backpacks

for the trip.

The group left Jakarta via a Citilink

fl ight to Malang where fun activities

awaited them for Day 1. Upon

arrival, they went to Lawang where

they learned the life and what-

to-do in Bee Keeping. They even

experienced hands-on activities

involving beehives, honey-

extracting, and many more.

After lunch at Kantri Restaurant in

Batu Malang, the troop proceeded

to Museum Angkot where

they witnessed the history of

transportation means in Indonesia, as

well as some other facts pertaining to

travel and vehicles. They proceeded

to the Museum Topeng where they

came face to face with diff erent kinds

of masks in the history of Indonesia,

SEC 1 Learning Adventure to East Java

They also experienced canoeing in a

man-made pond. After a sumptuous

dinner, they proceeded to a 2-hour

drive to KaliandraSejati Eco Resort

where they will be housed for the rest

of the adventure.

Day 2 started with aerobic exercises

followed by character building and

conditioning activities through

high-rope course, fl ying fox,

paintball game, leadership games,

and building-a-tower. After dinner

and before retiring for the night,

a neuro-linguistic programming

seminar followed where students

experienced thinking outside the

box and mindset changing by

making a bottle stand on two other

lying bottles.

Day 3 started with trekking to

Perhutani tropical forest ecosystem.

Then, the students proceeded to

immerse being English teachers in a

local Islamic school where they get

to interact with local students in the

classroom and in games. Then, they

proceeded back to the resort where

they get to experience becoming

organic chefs through a cooking

competition. The winners received

aprons on top of the prestige being

cooks themselves.

Day 4 started as early as 12:00

midnight as the group, in their

half-open eyes secured their seats

in the bus bringing with them

layers of clothing as they proceeded

to Bromo. Arriving at 3:00 in the

morning, the group was greeted

by some mothers who went their

way up to Bromo to also experience

some of the activities for the day.

Riding 5 persons-in-a-heavy-duty-

big-tired vehicles, they proceeded

to GorongPenanjakan to witness the

dawning colorful and spectacular

sunrise. This was followed with

a 45-minute hike to the Bromo

volcano crater. The troop proceeded

to have breakfast at Lake View Bromo

Hotel and continued with a lecture

on volcanology and tree-planting.

By noontime, they proceeded back

to a 3-hour drive to Kaliandra resort

where they got the chance to move

to the groove of traditional dances.

Then, each student and staff was

provided with Javanese attires

that will be used during the fancy

dinner that night. Each student and

staff paraded to the dinner venue in

their elegant attires wearing them

with pride and nationalism.

Day 5, the last day of the adventure,

began with a yoga relaxing activity

before the troop fi nally packed up

heading to another 3-hour drive to

the Surabaya Airport in time to catch

their 1:15 p.m. fl ight back to Jakarta

where home and family is excitedly

waiting for them.

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In October 2014, 15 Junior College

students from SIS Medan (Grade

11-12) visited Beaconhouse Sri Inai

International School.

The students shared experiences of

their schools, countries and cultures.

This trip has resulted in forming

new friendships and promises

to continue future exchange

programmes.

57th EDITION l DECEMBER 2014

21-24 October 2014

The fi eld trip to Malang was

one of the most memorable

moments in my life.

In a short but sweet span of three

days and two nights, my secondary

mates and I with the teachers,

experienced an onslaught of

adrenaline-pumped activities such

as motocross and komodo ride; our

visit to the theme park where all of

us had a splendid time trying out all

of the available rides were nostalgic.

It posited a recall of childhood where

one leaves anything behind and just

indulges. Not only were the activities

LEARNING IMMERSIONS SIS Medan & SIS Semarang

planned full of action, they were

educational as well. Indeed, learning

should not be confi ned in the four

walls of the classroom – with avenues

like these; the real world is our lab.

Our visit to the ‘Kota Batu’ museum

where a vast array of preserved

animals and all sorts of creepy-

crawlies were displayed - the latter

making my skin crawl (personifi ed)

was a reservoir of knowledge to

learn from. Best of all, it was just

next door to the hotel, Pohon Inn we

were staying in! Now that's what I

call convenient! While the activities

had no doubt brought smiles to our

faces and mine as well, personally, the

best part of the trip for me was the

quiet nights I spent at the hotel lobby

where I looked up upon the crystal

clear sky and a good number of stars

were visible due to the unpolluted

mountain air – quips!It was one of the

most peaceful moments where I was

able to contemplate over what the

future may bring. This will not last but

the learning(s) and memories live on.

Before I knew it, all of us were in the

bus and on our way back home.

All in all, it was a splendid fi eld trip

and with graduation looming closer

- where all of us would have to go

on our separate paths. However, the

joyful memories shared with my

friends in Malang would stay with

me forever.

Waldemar Kane Curtis

Secondary 4

Our Bali adventure, where to

begin? The Bali experience was

something that couldn’t be

explained; it’s a very cultural and

spiritual journey that needs to be

experienced in order to be understood.

Joining the trip, I was lucky enough

to enjoy some of the most beautiful

locations the island has to off er. We

began in Nusa Dua, then to Uluwatu,

Ubud and Kuta. We swam and went

kayaking in a possibly new beach

named Pandawa. The water though

not blue; it has mesmerising corals.

The beach’s jolting and rejuvenating

waves were worth paying a visit.

Shopping in the entrancing

boutiques, relaxing at the cool cafés

as we were in the mall, and dining

at the beach were the most exciting

parts. The thing I loved most about

Bali was that it off ered something

for everyone -- picturesque scenery,

unique shopping experience,

enthralling get away to some of the

most beautiful beaches in the world

and fanciful restaurants too.

On the fi rst day, we got the chance

to watch Bali’s common yet typical

cultural dance called Kecak; I haven’t

seen anything similar to it. When the

show was over, we all went for dinner

in a seafood restaurant. We reached

the hotel, and we rushed to our

respective rooms to get some rest.

Touring around got us all exhausted-

--quips!The rest of the days were

visits to museums, monuments and

historical sites – which were very

relic-fi lled experiences of sightseeing.

There was this one thing that seemed

lasting, thus kept replaying in my

mind (for quite sometime). I realised

fi rst days were always the merriest. I

recalled - when we went to ‘make a

scene’ in Pandawa beach;the place

was crowded! So many people were

enjoying the sun; surfi ng, tanning,

sipping fresh coconut water and

swimming.We had no swimming

apparel at all in hand; the bus was

parked kilometres away and we’re

given only three hours to enjoy!We

had no choice, but to jump in the

water and rent kayaks.

There we went - raced, fl ipped,

and tipped. Oh, we cherished that

moment! No dry clothes, sandals,

towels or anything; the only choice

we hadwas to purchase this ethnic

Balinese cloth that was certainly very

cosy to dry up with. Going back to the

bus, we were soaked and dripping

wet as we just hopped out off the sea.

That was just pure fun! Learning at

this point was taking on a diff erent

face and phase.

On some nights, the sky was fi lled

with thousands of silver shining

stars, especially the night before

we left. Bali is an island that is so

humble and serene to experience. I

was so glad to be a part of this trip.

The atmosphere and lovely faces of

its people showed its distinct

Indonesian hospitality.

Jihane

Secondary 4

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6 PHOENIX I SIS GROUP OF SCHOOLS COMMUNITY AND ALUMNI MAGAZINE6 PHOENIX I SIS GROUP OF SCHOOLS COMMUNITY AND ALUMNI MAGAZINE

SIS PIK CELEBRATESGlobal Dignity Day 2014

On October 15th, 2014, close

to one thousand SIS students

celebrated the 7th annual Global

Dignity Day along with our

Beaconhouse sister schools and

students in over 70 countries

worldwide.

Founded by HRH Crown Prince

Haakon (Norway), Professor Pekka

Himanen (Finland), and John Hope

Bryant (United States), Global

Dignity Day aims to empower

people through dignity. According

to the co-founders, "In a world

where it seems no-one agrees on

anything, a world where politics

divides, religion divides, and race

and even cultural borders seem to

divide, dignity is something that

everyone can agree on."

SIS PIK, SIS Semarang, SIS Kebon

Jeruk and SIS Cilegon all celebrated

the day in their own unique ways.

SIS PIK students, for example,

hosted their Grandparents for

the day, recognizing the role that

Grandmothers and Grandfathers

play in teaching us values. These

honored visitors were treated to a

special assembly presentation and

invited to participate in the classes

of their grandchildren. Some shared

stories of when they were young,

gave advice for the future, and

one Grandfather even sang for his

grandson’s Preschool class!

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76th EDITION l OCTOBER 2014 77th EDITION l DECEMBER 2014

SIS KJExpanding Learning

in New Directions

Singapore School Kebon

Jeruk encourages varied and

interesting guests and teachers.

One such visitor was Vania

Wibisono, one of the famous chefs

in Indonesia. Vania Graduated

cum laude from the University

of Indonesia, moving to receive

a scholarship opportunity to

Australia. She chose to enjoy life.

After that, she decided to become a

chef. The recipe for her message to

students and her life is eating lots of

vegetables and raw food because

he said it increases energy. Vania

actively campaigns that home

cooking is more delicious, easy

and healthy. In addition, she is the

“I like to eat. I want to grow

healthy food habits in students for

the sake of helping others to reach

their potential," said Vania.

Alysha Wang

“I felt happy

and excited

about the

event. The

event was

very-much

fun and

gave me more experience in

cooking for the fi nale”

Celine Hardi

“I feel

happy”

Chiara Nathania

“I am really

happy and I

appreciated

being the

1st-place

winner; it

gave me

more experience in cooking.

I really enjoyed the event. I

hope we will have it again next

year, so that other students can

feel the fun too”

Kartika Priyanka Shan

“I feel really

happy that

I won the

competition

with my

team. I was

also excited

and I look forward to the next

competition”

Student

Testimonials from

the Beef Chef

Competition

guest chef for Australian Beef which

enabled her to share her skills and

knowledge with the students of

Kebon Jeruk.

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8 PHOENIX I SIS GROUP OF SCHOOLS COMMUNITY AND ALUMNI MAGAZINE8 PHOENIX I SIS GROUP OF SCHOOLS COMMUNITY AND ALUMNI MAGAZINE8 PHOENIX I SIS GROUP OF SCHOOLS COMMUNITY AND ALUMNI MAGAZINE

CSR SIS KGJKTM Marathon

On Sunday, October 26 over

15,000 runners from over

50 countries descended on the

Monas in Central Jakarta before

dawn to run the Jakarta Marathon.

Twenty-fi ve students from SIS Kelapa

Gading (SIS KG) - all our Junior

College students and some of their

Secondary school peers - along with

two of their teachers formed part

of this international crowd Sunday,

running the 5k race and using it as

an opportunity to raise over 5 million

rupiah from sponsors in the SIS KG

community to go to Wisma Cheshire,

a residential vocational training

programme located in South Jakarta

for adult men and women with

mobility disabilities.

As an authorized International

Baccalaureate (IB) World School, our

Junior College students at SIS KG

take the IB Diploma Programme.

A core part of the IB curriculum is

a course called Creativity, Action,

Service (CAS) wherein students

take the initiative to create or fi nd

opportunities to express themselves

creatively through the arts, maintain

a holistic approach to learning by

being physically active, and serve the

needs of others in their community.

“Creativity, Action, Service is in

fact the heart of the IB Diploma

Programme,” explained Mr. Sencer

Donmez, the IB Diploma Coordinator

at SIS KG. He continued, “the IB

Diploma Programme is designed

so that academic achievements go

parallel with social developments

of students taking the programme.

As a dedicated IB educator, I am

happy to see the enthusiasm of

our IB students and teachers in this

purposeful activity with signifi cant

outcomes. SIS KG made a very good

beginning to the programme.”

The students feel the same

enjoyment about their experience

with the IB thus far and have learned

a lot from it as well.

“I’ve enjoyed the IB even though

my workload has increased

exponentially,” affi rmed Brandon

Guntoro, a fi rst year IB Diploma

student. “In particular, CAS has

made me more disciplined. I have

guitar lessons, and now that I have

to count my hours, I don’t skip any

of my lessons. It has also let me try

new experiences, like writing for the

school newsletter.”

As part of their CAS eff ort, some of

the Junior College students visited

Wisma Cheshire during their term

break a couple weeks before the

marathon and there witnessed the

dire need for community support.

“Most of the people there had their

disability from an accident. The

bedrooms were small, there was no

AC, and the beds were hard,” explained

Christian Hoetama, another fi rst year

IB student.

The students also saw that Wisma

Cheshire’s need was less well-known

than that of the Red Cross, the offi cial

charity linked to the Jakarta Marathon,

so they resolved to donate their raised

funds to Wisma Cheshire.

But fi rst, the students upped the ante

to their sponsors, stipulating that

the students themselves would pay

the amount their sponsors agreed

to donate if they didn’t fi nish the

race within the time limit, but that

the sponsors would double their

donation if the students fi nished the

race in under 45 minutes.

The Jakarta Marathon thus became a

way of “challenging ourselves while

also raising even more money for

charity,” said Prisca Yaputri, the fi rst

year IB student who organized the

whole event for the school.

Prisca spearheaded the eff ort

to involve SIS KG in the Jakarta

Marathon, acting as a liaison

between the school and the Jakarta

Marathon. From raising interest and

securing registrations from other

students to sorting out registration

and payment with the Jakarta

Marathon team, Prisca said she

learned how to ensure eff ective

communication, meet deadlines,

solve problems on her feet, and be

responsible for a group of people.

This was Prisca’s fi rst time organizing

a large event, so she was happy to

see it have gone smoothly. She said

that although the experience of

organizing the event and running

the race was challenging, it was also

very satisfying and fun.

“The most fun part was running the

race and the accomplishment of

everyone fi nishing!” Prisca exclaimed.

EV

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96th EDITION l OCTOBER 2014 97th EDITION l DECEMBER 2014

This year’s Art Festival was a

SIS-Wide event. SIS KG has

the privilege to be the host.

Our objectives for this event

were to highlight the subject

of Visual Art and to provide

an opportunity for our best

and most enthusiastic young

artists to be recognized and

given an opportunity for

some advanced skills training

and inspiration. Circle of Life is

this year’s theme, which is an

exploration, collaboration and

expression of Visual Art based

on the Circle theme.

Each SIS School was requested

to submit up to 8 collaborative/

individual artworks to the SIS KG

campus. Any form of visual art

or materials (drawing, sculpture,

painting, photograph, etc) was

permitted. Students supplied

nice written explanations of

their artwork, with their name,

age and school and the price

for sale, to be displayed with

their artworks. All artworks were

proudly displayed for sale in our

Art Gallery and proceeds were

donated to the Hope Worldwide

Indonesia. Parents had the fi rst

opportunity to purchase their

own child’s artwork. The Art

Sale for Charity from the Gallery

created from students raised

over IDR 8 million.

On this day there was Artisan’s

Bazaar from Local Artists, the

artists sold many creative

handmade products. Hope Indonesia

also had a booth, which prepared

useful information about the

foundation. They also sold bags,

which were made by recycled

material such as detergent plastic

wrap.

Face Painting was one of the instant

hits as students lined up with

excitement to get their face/hand

painted by our Art Teacher from

SISBV, Ms. Rina. She also had a booth

: Red Rina, which provides handmade

jewelries made of clay and resin.

Precious One was also one of

students’ and parents’ favorites,

as they sold many interesting

SIS Art Festival 2014“Circle of Life”

handmade products for home

supply. Base mats, tissue box, fi nger

puppets, aprons were some of

their most-selling items during the

day. 2 crews were there to serve

and create some special requested

items. Their products were the work

of those who live in silence but have

sensitivity and passion to make

good quality production. They were

talented people who do not give in

to limitations.

Bizzy Bee was also participated

and supplied various kinds of DIY

and craft tools, such as pom-pom

makers, shaped-hole puncher,

paper quilling, etc.

Inspiring Young Artist

Azzura Indrakusuma is a

Secondary 1 student in SIS

KG. In her presentation as

an inspiring young artist,

Azzura shared the story of

how she got an off er to be an

illustrator for children books,

published by Kinokuniya

book store.

During her presentation

she also showed 3 of her

illustrations published by

Kinokuniya, the title of the

books are ‘ The Heart of

Aslopan’, Nosy Dinasour ,

and The Bee Keepers, and

she also explained her long

experience as a kid joining

many drawing competitions

and that she always had the

support from her parents.

Comic Workshop

Mr. Handri Satria Handjaya,

a Comic Artist, conducted

this 3-hour Comic Workshop

regarding “How to make

a comic character” on 26

September 2014 at SIS

Kelapa Gading. At the fi rst

session Mr. Handri showed

slide presentation about his

work, and his preference

comic style. At the second

session Mr. Handri is giving

an advice on how to fi nd

inspirations, motivation, and

tips to participant to create their

own original comic character.

At the third session Mr. Handri

demonstrated on how to draw comic

character with manual and digital

techniques how to use drawing

pad, using Photoshop software, etc.

Participants were asked to follow the

steps and techniques showed by

Mr. Handri.

The overall goal of the workshop

was to have all participants create

original comic character, to learn

how to do basic drawings of humans

and how to use Photoshop software

in drawing and coloring the comic.

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1 0 PHOENIX I SIS GROUP OF SCHOOLS COMMUNITY AND ALUMNI MAGAZINE

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SIS PALEMBANGInspiration


We have choosen SIS

Palembang for the

educational needs of our

children. SIS Palembang

is the only international

curriculum school in

Palembang. With the

affi liation to the SIS

group and curriculum of

Singapore, we believe it’s

the right choice for the

future of our children. By

educating in the English

language and learning

Mandarin Chinese, this

will gain an advantage for the future in this competitive world. Our 3

children, are always happy to go to school and keep on talking about

the activities they do. The CCA activities are a great way of exploring

and educating the childen in a fun and relax way. Our children, started

at SIS palembang in the early stages, and their development has grown

overtime in the same way as the growth of the school. Keep up the good

work, educating the children and preparing them for a bright future.

Regards,

Herman & Nadia Courbois

Our daughter Chelsea

has been enrolled

in SIS Palembang since

Nursery and has now

progressed to K-1. Before

she joined SIS, Chelsea

was a shy girl and was

hesitant to communicate

and interactive with

new people. We have

witnessed a dramatic change in her character where she now enjoys

participating in group activities, especially in singing and dancing,

and even enjoys performing on stage during school events.

We thank you for for widening her experiences and the development

of her personality, in that she is not shy to try the new things; it’s

fantastic that at such a young age we see her bilingual (Indonesian &

English) and now her Mandarin is improving! A big thank you to SIS

Palembang from proud parents.

Bramwell & Elly

I am a mother of 3 children. When

SIS Palembang was fi rst established

in 2012, we only enrolled two of our

younger children in SIS (Fiona in

pre-Nursery and Darren in K2). The

eldest daughter, Clara was already in

P3 studying in another school. After

seeing her own brother and sister

having enjoyable times studying in

SIS, Clara asked to be moved into SIS

as well. Knowing that Clara had a good

academic life in a well-established and

reputable school, we did not see the

need to move her into any new school

as we were also afraid that she could not cope adapting to an English-

speaking school. We only started to change our views towards the end

of SIS Palembang’s fi rst academic year. We saw that SIS has a diff erent

approach to teaching students, not in the stiff , old-fashioned or one-way

teaching, but students are very much involved in interacting with one

another and the teachers. They are taught to have self-confi dence through

mini presentations and public speaking. In just a few months in SIS, our

son Darren could already communicate with others in English fl uently.

Students are also taught to do numerous creative activities through

arts and CCAs. So, we decided to enrol Clara into SIS the next academic

year. She is a shy girl by nature, especially meeting new people in a new

environment. She had diffi culty mingling with her new classmates and

communicating with the teachers in the fi rst few weeks as she was really

new to a totally English-studying environment. Special thanks to her class

form Teacher, Mr Johan, under his patient guidance and encouragements,

Clara fi nally opened herself up. Within the fi rst semester, Clara could

communicate and write in English fl uently! We are glad to see her many

positive progressions. She has developed strong self-confi dence and

motivation to achieve not just academically, but also in sports and music.

As for Darren, he is a more playful, active and sociable boy. We were not

worried about his social life, but more for his academics. He started out to

be slower than other children at his age who could already read and write

far better. But in his third year in SIS now (P2), we are relieved to witness his

positive academic and emotional developments. The youngest one, Fiona

was always a timid girl especially after each school holiday. She would

have a crying session every morning when she arrives in school. But now,

Fiona has become a very cheerful girl and never cries in school. Thanks

to all the teachers who are always dedicated and patient in helping her

in class and making her a more independent girl both in school and at

home. One diff erence of SIS with other schools is that it is a friendly school

where parents are always welcome to have an open discussion in terms

of the welfare of the school and students, so we can support one another

and progress together. I believe SIS Palembang will continue to grow in

student numbers and also in its teaching quality in the years to come.

Sutian Goeretthie, - SIS Palembang, K1, P2 and P5 Parent

1 16th EDITION l OCTOBER 2014

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SIS PALEMBANGInspiration

My daughter, Clea loves to study at SIS Palembang. In my opinion,

SIS is a serious yet enjoyable school. SIS Palembang’s tagline is

“Serious learning is seriously fun” makes my child easily master the

lessons delivered by teachers. Not only transferring the knowledge,

SIS Palembang is also

teaching the pupils about

politeness, respectful,

sharing and discipline

that can be implemented

in their daily life at home,

school, and society.

Moreover, SIS Palembang

is a school which really

appreciates their students’

achievements. Good luck

to SIS Palembang.

Gustina - SIS Palembang,

P4 Parent

I have two kids, Pieter and Paris, in Primary 1 and Primary 3 classes.

SIS Palembang is the fi rst English school for my children in where

they are learning and developing speaking and writing skills.

Previously, my daughter Paris didn’t want to join SIS Palembang and

she insisted to continue at her Kindergarten school. She was a shy girl

actually, but the SIS environment enabled her to be active and cheerful

kid.

Above all, as a

parent I’m so

pleased to see

m y c h i l d r e n

learning and

g r o w i n g i n

this school.

Lidya Sutanto

SIS Palembang,

P1 & P3

Parent

Two years have passed since I enrolled my daughters, Manishaa

and Mannpriya at SIS Palembang. Cheerful students, motivating

teachers, supportive parents and a friendly environment………. it’s all

about SIS Palembang.

My daughters have gained so much confidence since they began at SIS

Palembang. They have made new and dear friends, their school is none

other than their second home.

Thanks to the very motivating teachers and warm hearted staff

members that make the learning process easier at SIS Palembang. They

put in their best efforts to provide students with the best of education.

Not only that, the curriculum at SIS is able to engage and challenge their

minds in dynamic ways. It provides a strong foundation which enables

students to pursue further education in life.

I watch my daughters grow along with their school and it’s truly an

amazing journey. I wish SIS Palembang their continued success. Thank

you all!

Vicky Kaur - SIS Palembang, P1 & P2 Parent

1 17th EDITION l DECEMBER 2014


Over the past year Singapore School Kebon Jeruk has committed to

supporting over 300 children in four orphanages around Jakarta. This has

provided an opportunity for our students to raise funds, understand that not

everyone has the same advantages and to build an ongoing relationship with

an organization with similar values.

So far we have provided Christmas Presents, given school bags with stationery,

funded a nutrition programme, hosted an Easter event and supported an all-

orphanage camp! In December this year Singapore School Kebon Jeruk will

AC

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SIS KJCommitted to Supporting

Orphanages

1 2

www.mentaribooks.com

again host over 300 children for their Knights & Princesses celebration where

awards, dancing, food and birthdays will be celebrated as one family. Our

prefects and senior students have the opportunity to serve on the night and

help coordinate.

As a school we know we are making an impact both inside our school with our

students and outside our school in our wider community. Singapore School

Kebon Jeruk – Committed to Supporting Orphanages


1 36th EDITION l OCTOBER 2014 1111 33336666thth EDEEEEDITIITITTT ONONNNNN llll OCCCCCCCTOOOOOOBEEEER 202222 1444 1 3

TESTIMONIALS What our alumni

say...

My school life

I am one of the Korean students

at SIS BV. I have been in my

School since 2013. When I was

a new student, the fi rst month

was absolutely challenging for

me to speak English with my

classmates whose nationalities

are diff erent from mine

However, soccer provided a

chance for me to be closer

with my classmates. I had a

debate about ‘who will win the

El Classico (Real Madrid CF vs

Barcelona FC)?’ and it helps to get closer to others.

Thanks to such a quick adaptation, I had plenty of events in the School. For

example, I got two Gold Medals and one Silver Medal in the SIS Olympics

and I won the English Monologue Competition against other branches of

SIS. At the end of 2013, our class built a ‘haunted house’ for the SIS Mega

Bazaar Day then we showed our teamwork to customers who got really

scared. Although, IGCSE exams were hard to prepare because I skipped

one year, the Academic Year 2013 was really awesome and a positive

challenge.

Today I am familiar with studying at SIS and able to speak English just like

Korean – I made a “buddy” whose favorite team is Manchester United.

I always think that moving to SIS BV was an inspiration from God in my

student career. Moreover, if I didn’t have any support from my teachers

in the School, my School life wouldn’t be what it is today. Lastly, I hope I

can make my School proud as a student of the fi rst IB batch in SIS BV –

my aim is 45!

Myung Ha SONG (Singapore International School, Bona Vista)

Testimonial from Ms. Dwiristiana Murti

My daughter has been

studying in SIS BONA VISTA

Preschool for the last year as a K2

student. The Preschool teachers

here are excellent, they are very

approachable and are always very

nice and kind.

They always make studying for

my daughter very interesting and

certainly lots of fun for her and

have given her many memorable

exper iences. She has loved

studying here and looks forward to going to school every day and seeing

all the lovely friends she has made.

The progress which she has made this last year has been huge and very

noticeable. Thank you SIS Preschool for giving her such an unforgettable

start to her school life.

SIS BONA VISTA: The Ultimate Experience

When I fi rst enrolled at SIS

BONA VISTA in January

2003, I had never expected my

experience as a SIS student

to be such a memorable one.

However, it did turn out to

be the best nine years of my

life – not only in terms of its

high-quality education, which

allowed me been to secure

a place at The University of

Melbourne, Australia – but also

in terms of the friendships I have

made, most of which are still

going strongly - be it among

fellow classmates, juniors and/

or seniors, SIS students have always been united. That’s something you

can’t always fi nd anywhere else. For me, going to school every day felt

almost like going home to my family, with many “siblings” being there to

welcome me with open arms. The fact that I have always tried my best to

perform well in my academics, whilst being a part of as many activities

as possible, has also enabled me to form strong, positive bonds with

the teachers, all of whom I still remember fondly as an omnipotent

force that shaped my life journey with their kindness, humor and never-

ending guidance.

Another, most important part of my life as a SIS student that I will always

cherish is the sense of belonging I experienced, which, in SIS, was unlike

any other. We may not have been a very big school in size, but we were

(and still are) known as a “family school” – and I personally felt that this

was an advantage. In SIS, I had gotten the chance to involve myself in

numerous activities, ranging from the school musical (which I was very

passionate about), the yearbook committee, and even sports (which I

was not very good at) – but that’s the beauty of it. SIS is very open in

that sense, as it gives us all a chance to develop our true potential in

any area we choose, regardless of our backgrounds, strengths and/or

weaknesses. In SIS, there’s always something for everyone, and the sky

is the limit – as long as we are willing to reach for it.

Fast forward to 2014, and I am now proud to say that I am a graduate of

SIS Bona Vista. My advice to current SIS students is that the battle may

seem tough at fi rst, but you’re all really lucky to have SIS as a training

ground to face any and all challenges that you’ll encounter in your

university lives and in your future career. Regardless of where you end

up in life, you will always remember your SIS experience as the most

life-defi ning one, as it will shape you not only as a student, but also

as a person with the courage and willingness to go for your dreams,

knowing that ultimately, you can achieve anything as long as you set

your mind to it. SIS BONA VISTA will always be home to me, and that will

never change no matter what.

Nur Azuraa Datau Soegiarto

SIS BV Alumni

Class of 2013

AL

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Low Res.

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KELLYSkating to Success Around theWorld!


Singapore School Kebon Jeruk is

proud to have Kelly (11yrs) as part

of our school family. She has been

skating since 2010 and competed

in a number of top level events

such as Skate Asia in Bangkok and

Malaysia, Development Trophy in

Manila, Asian Open Figure Skating

Trophy in Taipei, Asian Junior Figure

Skating Challenge in HongKong and

Indonesia Figure Skating National

Championship in Bandung.

“It takes a lot of practice and

perseverance to become good and

commitment to become great.

Our Head Teacher Mr Craig keeps

reminding us that perseverance is a

SIS value, so I can’t forget it. My mum

and dad have given me so much

support, I could not do this without

them. I have two families that help

me be successful; Singapore School

Kebon Jeruk and my home family,”

says Kelly.

Kelly’s teachers say they are always

impressed with her focus, positive

attitude and determination to do

well in her homework, tests and

exams. As a school we understand

the pressures of an international

career in skating and support Kelly

100%. We know Kelly will succeed

in anything she does – on and off

the ice.


with Singapore Schools’ partner Prodigy Learning Center’s Janise Petty

There was a strong performance

from SIS KG again in 2014,

the highlights being:

• Prisca Yaputri with 5 “A*”s and 3 “A”s - this is our best ever result

• Andre Christian

received 4 “A*” and 4 “A”s

• The total number of ‘A*’ received by students was: 30

• The total number of ‘As’ received by students was: 45

Singapore School students face a number

of exams, both internal and external.

We asked Singapore School partner Prodigy

Learning Center’s Janise Petty,

“What are the best four study tips you

would give to them?”

Here are her answers:

Since Prodigy embraces “out of the box” strategies to master test preparation,

here are some unconventional, but highly eff ective study tips:

• Memorize using silly acronyms. What if you need to memorize the fossil fuels

for science? Instead of trying to memorize natural gas, oil, and coal, why not

memorize “Nice Girls Obey Cats”. Yes, this is silly but much more fun to remember.

• Draw pictures or illustrations to summarize your class notes. Instead of

simply memorizing the process by which government branches work together,

why not draw it out and make sense of it all visually? It can give you a holistic

understanding you might not have been able to achieve any other way.

• Study in bursts with a timer and a specifi c goal. Instead of dreading a 2 hour

INTERVIEW

IGCSESuperb Results SIS-Wide

1 57th EDITION l DECEMBER 2014

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1 6 PHOENIX I SIS GROUP OF SCHOOLS COMMUNITY AND ALUMNI MAGAZINE1 6

study session, why not break it up into 20 minutes segments? Tell yourself,

“I’m going to practice my math review for 20 minutes or until I reach the 14th

review problem, whichever comes fi rst!” Without even realizing it, you will

concentrate better and retain much more information.

• Make your own fl ashcards. What if you have to explain the Six P’s in Marketing?

Instead of staring at a page of typed notes, create colorful fl ashcards you can quickly

study anytime. Long car rides from Jakarta’s traffi c jams are perfect for quick and

meaningful fl ash card races. Challenge yourself to do it faster every time!

Try adapting one or all of these tips into your study program and see how much more

interesting studying can actually be.

For the students interested in studying overseas, particularly in North America,

Canada, Australia, the UK or New Zealand, what would you recommend are the

best exams for them to pass in addition to their A-Levels or IB?

While A-Levels and IB grades are

the most important element to any

university acceptance, standardized

tests are mandatory requirements

for most reputable universities.

Standardized tests are a means

to ensure a universal standard of

achievement is met. The standardized

tests that are the most commonly

required are SAT/ACT and TOEFL/IELTS.

The fi rst step is deciding where the

target schools are located and then

familiarizing yourself with their specifi c

requirements. For example, the US

requires either SAT/ACT and TOEFL as a

general rule while the UK requires SAT

and IELTS.

Prodigy is running exam preparation

classes hosted at SIS PIK, SIS KJ, and

SIS BV. What is the focus of these

classes and who would benefi t the

most from them?

Prodigy is off ering SAT and TOEFL test

preparation at each of the campuses

above.

SAT is separated into two broad

categories: Verbal and Math. While

SAT may seem like devilishly twisted

random collections of questions, in

actuality the test is formulated around

predictable mathematical and verbal

principles that we examine and explain

during the course. Prodigy’s method

is based upon analysis of questions

that have appeared on the actual

exams, and students will learn how

to break down those questions and

recognize the principles used by the

test makers. Our exclusive techniques,

methodologies, and strategies,

combined with the best instructors,

course materials, and student support,

will help you exceed your SAT goals.

TOEFL is separated into four main

categories: Reading, Listening,

Speaking, and Writing. Just as the

overall prerequisite to gain admission

into universities have skyrocketed,

TOEFL minimum score requirements

have followed suit. Now, in order to

even be considered by most programs,

many universities require an iBT TOEFL

score of 90 or more. Prodigy equips

students with the strategies to master each component of the TOEFL.

Singapore School spends a lot of time recruiting great teachers that have the

qualifi cations and experience needed for success. How do you choose the

Prodigy teachers and why?

Prodigy’s teachers/test preparation trainers are the key to its success. We are the

only test preparation center that TRULY off ers 99th percentile teachers. This means

each and every teacher must actually score within the top 1% on all these rigorous

exams. Our teachers are carefully screened, including detailed background checks

and education verifi cation. While having the ability to score highly is important, the

most important characteristic of a Prodigy teacher is enthusiasm! They love what

they do and it shows based on the countless rave reviews all our teachers receive

from both parents and students.

Please see the Prodigy notice inside this magazine for more information.

PHOENIX I SIS GROUP OF SCHOOLS COMMUNITY AND ALUMNI MAGAZINE

