3 December 08 (09:38 EAT)

Arusha Parent News: 7 December 07


  Dear Parents,

Men at Arms

Moshi campus’ drama performance - Men at Arms - will be staged in El Rancho on Saturday and Sunday, 15th and 16th December. Tickets are available for TSh 12,000/- (adults) and TSh 8,000/- (children under 13) and the ticket price includes a full buffet at the restaurant. Space is limited and tickets have already sold fast. Tickets are available at reception on the Arusha Campus. Further details at www.ismoshi.org/menatarms.

Staffing

We welcome back Mike Johnson who has now returned from NZ. We would like to express our sympathy for his loss. Leebeth Armon has also returned from the UK. Leebeth will not be returning to full time permanent work at this time. We wish her and her family all the very best.

Adopt a Garden

You will notice some significant gardening work being done in the circular plot near primary. This is one of our new adopted gardens. Parents will be working with students and the ISM gardeners to create and maintain a section of the garden grounds. Names of students who regularly work on a particular garden will go on a plaque in the garden along with the names of the gardener and the parent.

On Wednesday 10 students were involved in the preliminary stages of preparing the garden bed.

This is an initiative from the parent community to work positively with the school by contributing their time to work with students to beautify and promote ISM. Although early days yet, in the future we are also planning a school vegetable garden, recycling vegetable waste to make mulch and landscaping in the murram pit next to the field.

Parents' Association

We welcome Sandra Kusserow, Joyce Msengi-Mullings, Rashida Nurbhai and Ekko Oosterhuis from Arusha Campus and Sylvia Vlaskamp, Satti Bhamra, Christine Baissac and Pauline Martin from the Moshi Campus to the PA committee.

The objectives of the Parent Association are to:-
  • Support the Mission, Philosophy and Objectives of the School by encouraging all members of the parent community to actively support the School’s mission, and supporting the principle of International School Moshi as one school with two campuses.
  • Support and enrich the School community through encouraging parents to promote, organize and support cultural events, organizing social events to foster links within the community, including welcoming new parents and community members. promoting the image of the School by assisting with marketing and promotion activities.
  • Raise funds for School activities/resources or for wider community activities endorsed by the School, through various events.
The PA meeting structure does not begin with a parent forum. Individual parents are welcome to contact the administration with any questions or concerns regarding the educational programme.

M3/4 Maths Challenge

Congratulations to all the M3 and M4 students from both campuses who took part in a Mathematics Challenge in Moshi this week. The various tasks included logical thinking skills, applications to life and a series of mathematical questions. Many thanks to the Moshi student teacher, Todd Richert, for the fantastic organisation of the event.

Sports Weekend

We are looking forward to an extremely busy and active weekend on the Moshi Campus as we host a sports tournament for ISM sudents from both campuses and also students from International School Tanganyika (IST) in Dar es Salaam and International School of Uganda in Kampala. Sports activities start with basketball on Friday evening and are followed by football, swimming, cricket, rugby, badminton, tennis, netball, volleyball and hockey on Saturday and Sunday. The students will also be holding a dance on Saturday evening (organised by the Moshi Student Council). The full schedule of events is available to view at www.ismoshi.org/sportsweekend.pdf.

Diving

Kasa Divers will continue their diving course after school on February 7th and 8th.

S5 Introduction to IB Diploma

Yesterday, Thursday 6th December, S5 students were welcomed at the Moshi Campus and stayed the night in boarding in Moshi to experience weekday boarding life including study hall. Today they joined with the Moshi S5 students for a morning of IB Diploma style classes to serve as an introduction to the IB Diploma.

S5 IGCSE Mock examinations

The mock examinations will begin Monday, January 28th.

Presentations in Dar es Salaam

This weekend ISM is providing two presentations in Dar es Salaam for prospective parents and others who may be interested to learn more about the school. On Friday, 7th December we shall be presenting at the Terrace Restaurant at Slipway at 6pm and following that with a dinner for all ISM alumni in or near Dar. On Saturday, 8th December there will be a presentation at the Mövenpick Hotel from 9am to 3pm. If you know of any families in Dar who may be interested, please encourage them to join us at any of these times.

Independence Day

Tanzania celebrates Independence Day this Sunday, 9th December. Monday will be a normal working day.

Coffee Mornings

Next term we will continue our informal coffee mornings with parents in different sections of the school. The provisional dates for these are:-
  • Thursday, January 24 - P3/4 Parents
  • Thursday, January 31 - P1/2 Parents
  • Thursday, February 7 - M1 Parents
  • Thursday, February 14 - M2 Parents
  • Thursday, March 6 - M4 Parents

End of Term Arrangements

Classes will finish for secondary students at 12.00 p.m. on Wednesday, 19th December and students will be free to leave school at that time. There will be a full school assembly at 11.00 a.m. in the performance area.

ABRSM Theory Exams

Students who wish to register for the ABRSM theory examinations must inform Andrena Gorman by Friday, 14th December at the latest. The exams will take place in Arusha (and Moshi) on Wednesday, 27th February.

School Office during School Holidays

During the school holidays the office will be open on all working days (excluding weekends and public holidays) from 8:00am to 5pm. However the office will be closed during the period from 24th December to 1st January inclusive.

Upcoming events

  • Friday, December 7 - Sports weekend Moshi, P3/4 Camp
  • Saturday, December 8 - Sports weekend Moshi - ISM, IST, ISU
  • Sunday, December 9 - Independence Day Sports weekend Moshi
  • Tuesday, December 18 - Secondary Term 1 reports
  • Wednesday, December 19 - End term 1 – 12 p.m. finish

Book Fair

The annual Book Fair has been postponed until next term due to some delays with materials from Dar es Salaam. Apologies for any inconvenience.

Term Two 2007/08

Classes restart on Tuesday, 15th January at the normal time.

Regards
Adrian Moody
Head of Campus


Secondary News

S5 in Moshi

The S5 class travelled to Moshi campus at the end of the school day Thursday, for an introduction to boarding life and the IB Diploma programme. The students were given a briefing on boarding life, rules and activities, and then joined in on after-school CAS (Community, Action, Service) activities. The students played cricket and basketball, worked out in the gym and helped make dinner (including a delicious non-Greek salad!) in the kitchens. They also had a chance to relax, meet up with old friends, play football, and take advantage of the on-campus duka (definitely a highlight!). After dinner – at which they were introduced as the special guests – they had two hours of study hall, followed by a lively game of kickball in the gymnasium. All slept well in the dorms after that!

Today they have followed a course of IB Diploma classes, in which they met the teachers, got an introduction to what the coursework is like and what they can expect next year. It was a full programme for the students, and they all were tired from the experience, but they found it useful and worthwhile. IB Diploma, here we come!

Sports Weekend

This weekend, the majority of our secondary students are travelling to Moshi for a full weekend of athletic and social events. Students from the International School of Tanganyika in Dar es Salaam and the International School of Uganda in Kampala will be joining ISM students from both Arusha and Moshi for an exciting sports competition. Students will be camping in tents or staying in the boarding dormitories and enjoying a full schedule of exciting sports and fun dances, parties and social gatherings. Asante sana to Charles Schofield for organizing the weekend for our campus, and also to Steve Brown, Betty Brown, Madeleine Cox, Michele Curley, Annette Wood and Marilyn Simonson for helping to supervise the students and make sure the weekend goes smoothly. Play well and have fun!

Culminating Activities

On Monday, 17 December, and Tuesday, 18 December, students in the secondary school will have activities designed to bring their work for the term to a close. These culminating activities are a fun way to wrap-up the themes and content of their studies for the term.
  • The M1 class will conclude their work studying communities with a visit to a Masai boma and an analysis of the roles played in that community versus those played in the students’ communities.
  • The M2 class will wrap up their work studying why people move with some in-school activities simulating refugee experiences.
  • The M3 class will finish their work studying what we need to survive by playing a game of "Survivor Arusha" off campus.
  • The M4 class will use the time to begin preparing for their Personal Project, a key aspect of the MYP certificate which begins in M4 year and continues through the M5 year.
  • The S5 class will have a different timetable in which they can concentrate on specific areas of coursework, study skills, and revision techniques to help prepare them for the IGCSE mock exams at the end of January.

Final Assemblies

We will have two final assemblies in the upcoming weeks. On Friday, 14 December, the secondary school will have a Kwaherini assembly to say goodbye to those students who will be leaving us now at the half-way point of the school year. We will also recognize various student accomplishments. On Wednesday, 19 December, there will be a whole-school final assembly just before dismissal for the break. During that assembly, there will be some singing and presentations by classes as we say safari njema and wish everyone a good holiday.

John Iglar
Head of Secondary


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