International School Moshi Letter from the CEO - 16th March 2009
Dear Parents,
I am happy to be back in Tanzania after working for the past week in Lusaka, Zambia on behalf of the Council of International Schools (CIS) on an accreditation visit to an international school there. These visits are always instructive and allow you to see your own school in a new light. This visit was no exception.
I am also delighted that the Board has decided that Mr. Bob Woods will be the next Director at International School Moshi. Mr. Woods will be joining us from the International School of Helsinki in Finland. He will be joined by his wife, Amelia and they will live on Moshi Campus. I am sure they are going to really appreciate the beautiful climate in Tanzania along with the very welcoming ISM community. I will invite Bob to join us for a week in May to learn our systems and meet everyone again before he starts in earnest in August.
International Day
Speaking of community, I want to thank every ISM family who made the effort to join us by the pool on Moshi Campus on Saturday for International Day. This event was organized by the Parent Association to celebrate the diversity of ISM’s many cultures and, more importantly, to celebrate our unity as a school. I was very impressed with our amazing student performers from both campuses who sang, danced and entertained us during the day. We also had some parents who were brave enough to perform. The spirit of this event was easily the most positive community event we have hosted at the school in the past five years and the following people deserve credit for making it a great day: Sandra Kusserow, Christine Baissac, Pauline Martin, Rashida Nurbhai, Sunita Somaiya, Khari Lee and Rosi Uluiviti. It is great to see our entire community coming together as one school.
Kilimanjaro Marathon
To date, our ISM community has raised more than $ USD 5,000 for the ISM Tanzanian Scholarship Fund from the big fundraising effort related to the Kilimanjaro Marathon at the beginning of the month. Many thanks to Kate Robertson, Chinta Beez, Charles Schofield and Chris Dawson for organizing this event. This huge community event has the potential to change the life of a Tanzanian boy or girl forever. We will be interviewing scholarship candidates this month for two D1/D2 scholarships for capable Tanzanian students. If you would like to learn more about how you personally can help us raise money for this worthy cause, please contact our Development Office today Our aim is to give these students the opportunity to earn an IB Diploma and then try to earn a scholarship to study at university abroad. The greater goal is for these students to return to Tanzania after university and find ways to help the country during what we hope will be long and meaningful professional careers. If you have contributed in any way, you should be very proud of your effort.
I also wanted to let you know that Catherine Kayila, who is currently studying at Cottey College in Missouri, gained top academic honours at her school in a recent ceremony there. Catherine wanted to thank everyone in our ISM community who have made her university education a reality.
Kivuli Boarding House extension
I think this picture tells the story. Our 8-room extension to the Kivuli Boarding house is developing apace. We intend to have it completed by the end of May and the Development Office will be marketing the school in Dar in April to fill these places. This expansion to the boarding programme is the first to take place since 1992.
New Teachers
I wanted to let you know that we have completed all the teacher hiring for 2009/10 and we have some very positive teaching professionals joining us next year. We have managed to get a good mix of teaching couples, families and single teachers. All of our teachers are joining us with IB training in their area and they are very happy about coming to the most beautiful country in Africa. I really believe there will be a great sense of lift, enthusiasm and promise with this new group which will complement the teachers who are extending their commitment with ISM. I am pleased that Bob Woods will find a professional teaching faculty, inquisitive and well-mannered students and a supportive Board and parent community. We will be publishing their photos and biographies in the next two weeks.
All the evidence, including enrolment trends, indicate that 2009/10 will be an excellent year in the history of ISM. It has been an honour to play a small role on the team that has brought us to this point.
Have a great week,
Barry Sutherland Chief Executive Officer
International School Moshi
