IGBIS Newsletter, Issue 213

Message from the HoS

Our school’s Youth Theatre Company ‘Rise’ shared their latest production this week. ‘Ms MANZAR’ was completely student-led, student-written, performed by students and directed by Sophie Lim. The performance was fantastic. The cast interacted with the audience and drew them into the nuances of the story with expertise. Congratulations Sophie and Grade 10!

It seemed like nearly all of our school community threw themselves into another role on Tuesday with the ‘Dare to be Different’ theme during Inclusion Week. There was certainly a huge array of dress-ups which left some of our visitors to the school wondering! I would like to thank Ms Lizzie and the PVO Inclusion Committee for all their work to bring inclusion to our attention with all of the activities organised each day. The Community Event this evening will be the culmination of this week, but the start of many more things to come in the future.

The Instrumental Music Academy concerts on Tuesday and Thursday were well attended with many proud parents watching their children perform. Thank you Ms Hadewych and the music tutors for another wonderful semester of music.

A reminder to everyone that the Winter/Christmas Assembly is coming up on Tuesday December 10 with both morning and afternoon performances in the theatre.

Have a good weekend.

Anne Fowles, Head of School

From the Elementary School Principal

There has been a hive of activity this week as we have been celebrating ‘Inclusion Week’. There has been an incredible amount of planning and work that has gone on behind the scenes, and I would like to thank all the parents and teachers that have made this week a success. The children have been read to throughout the week at lunch times in the library by parents. The movie shorts on Wednesday were a great way for students to consider inclusion from different viewpoints, and many students on Tuesday ‘Dared to be Different’. We look forward to the community night on Friday evening where students can cooperatively interact playing inclusive games.

Some of the Elementary classes had the chance to be the audience for a matinee performance of ‘Ms. MANZAR performed by some of our Secondary students. The play itself was a part of Sophie Lim’s MYP Personal Project. We would like to thank Sophie for inviting us, we ‘loved’ the play!

I mentioned in last week’s newsletter that the Music Academy concerts were taking place this week. It was an opportunity for the students to be risk-takers and to showcase their learning. We weren’t disappointed – the students truly were risk-takers whether they were performing as individuals, pairs or groups. They performed to the best of their ability and had an appreciation of how difficult it is to perform in front of a live audience of their peers. 

I had the privilege of attending the G3 Me-useum on Friday morning. Through the Unit of Inquiry ‘Where we are in place and time,’ the students were inquiring into analysing evidence to make judgements about the past, present and future. They used themselves as test cases to present their new understanding, which were also inspired by their visit to the National Museum. It was wonderful to see so many parents attend to support their children who spoke and presented very well.

On Tuesday, as we celebrate Christmas, students can wear red and green or festive outfits instead of their regular school uniform.

I look forward to seeing you on Tuesday for our Christmas Assemblies that take place twice in the day at 8.00am and 2.00pm. In the Elementary School we have grades 2, 3 and 5 students performing.

Dates for your Diaries:

• Tuesday 10th December: Christmas Assembly and Holiday Bazaar
• Tuesday 10th December: Last day of school before the winter holiday
• Monday 6th January: First day back from the winter holiday: Day 5
• Thursday 9th & Friday 10th January: AIMS G5 Maths competition
• Friday 10th January: Semester 1 report cards sent out.
• Thursday 16th January: ES Sports day

Simon Millward, Elementary School Principal

From the Secondary School Principal

Dear parents/guardians,

It has been a very busy week in the Secondary School, with several highlights to share with you. I enjoyed taking part in the wheelchair basketball activity on Tuesday, as part of our Inclusion Week. It was great fun to see several Grade 12s take part and have an enjoyable break from their studies. The overall experience was very valuable, as the participants (and I) experienced different mobility for a brief moment what others experience all the time. 

Our third student-led production was a huge success this week, during both the matinee showing on Wednesday and also the evening showing that same day. Seeing the range of students involved and how much they enjoyed themselves was inspiring, and a good reminder of why our culture of student leadership is so important.

Lastly, we sent off our basketballers in style on Thursday, with a nice lunch provided by parents. The teams looked great in their new tops and ready for their travel to Phuket this weekend to compete against international schools in the region. I am sure they will thoroughly enjoy the trip and will be interested to hear about their experience!

Next week on Tuesday are our Christmas Assemblies, which we will hold in the same manner as the previous whole school assemblies. There will be one assembly at 8am and one at 2pm – parents are welcome to attend either assembly. The Holiday Bazaar will happen from 9am to 4pm in the Level 3 Performing Arts foyer, so please make sure to stop by for some Christmas shopping! Parents are encouraged to come dressed in red and green Christmas colors to celebrate the occasion and the last day of school before the holidays. 

I look forward to seeing everyone on Tuesday!

Best regards,

Michael Arcidiacono, Secondary School Principal

Generosity Market

Hi, this is the Generosity Market again!

Thank you so much to everyone who supported the Generosity Market on Friday! We will be selling the remaining crochet trinkets made by the refugees themselves at the Holiday Bazaar on Tuesday, 10 December. If you do purchase the refugee’s trinkets at our bazaar booth next Tuesday, your money will go directly and entirely to the refugees themselves. These trinkets are cheap and adorable and will serve as perfect Christmas gifts or ornaments to be hung up on the Christmas trees. So if you didn’t manage to get some, there will be more waiting for you!

Regarding donations, if parents have any old clothes or toys for the refugee children, they will be greatly appreciated. Spare notebooks for them to study and revise with will be great as well. And if you don’t have these items, cash will be immensely appreciated as well. It’s nearing the season of giving, so if you could support these children in anyway possible, it’ll certainly make their holidays brighter. 

We will be accepting donations until next Tuesday. Teachers can either pass them to us in school or parents can drop them off at our booth next Tuesday afternoon during the bazaar. Please put your donations in bags so we can easily and efficiently transport them! 

For more inquiries, you can contact us at sidnee.lim020@igbis.edu.my.

We hope to see you soon! 🙂

Lim Sidnee, Kabelan Arrumugam and Stephanie Pei Yi Wu, Grade 12

Inclusive Schools Week

Our message is that regardless of religion, gender, culture/race or ability you are welcome here! 

We celebrated International Inclusive Schools Week this week with this message in focus and a wonderfully varied programme of activities. The school was decorated with poster displays, hanging banners, and everyone was prepped for their involvement – we’ve had library displays and related storytelling events everyday for Elementary School. Tuesday’s “Dare to be Different” dress-up day really brought out the creativity of our students with coloured hair, multi-coloured outfits and lots of odd socks! Others chose to glam up for the occasion, with Ms Lisa shining out in her spectacularly sparkly Ball Gown! “Godt klaret!” (well done in Danish). 

The Language Lunch event was a great success with students learning phrases from Danish, Polish, Portugese, Thai, Korean, Russian, German, French and Bahasa Melayu all during their lunch break!

Wednesday saw very informative presentations from a representative from Befrienders (A KL-based charity group who support people with depression and mental health concerns), who helped students to understand what mental health might feel like and look like in others and how to self-care. The presenter then spent an enlightening hour with parents, helping them to understand mental health in teens and how to listen and support their concerns.

Parent Ajitha Doranegama said, “This session should be shared with all parents to help us understand them and all the stresses they experience that are different to those we experienced.”  

Thursday saw the return of the Random Acts of Kindness and lots of photo opportunities. It was really great to see students and teachers really happy to participate in the activities. We got lots of fabulous photos! 

And finally, we look forward to the community event for families this Friday evening with the screening of “Life Animated” in one room, whilst other rooms will be hosting co-operative games and picnicking with family and friends . We appreciate that this has been a super busy week but especially to those who still plan on attending what surely will be a very pleasant evening. 

We would like to say a huge thank you to all of the school staff, parents and students who supported the many activities in school to make this busy week extra fabulous!

A huge, extra special thank you to Ms Lizzie (Elementary Learning Support Teacher) for her tireless support of this agenda in school, for managing the enthusiastic PVO Inclusion Committee and for pulling this extra special week together for all. 

If you want to know more about how the school approaches inclusion and the work of the PVO Inclusion Committee Group there will be a short presentation during the next PVO meeting on the 8th January.  

Tina Webster, PVO Committee Member 

PVO News

Community Choir – Christmas Assembly performance

Our final rehearsal will be in the Theatre on Monday, 9 December at 8:00 am. The link to the song can be found here. There will be two Chistmas Assemblies on Tuesday, 10 December, and please remember to wear festive colors to the performance.

Holiday Bazaar – 10 December 2019

Please extend the enclosed invitation to your friends and invite them to come along to our Holiday Bazaar on 10 December, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm at the Level 3 Performing Arts Foyer.  The full list of confirmed vendors can be found at the Holiday Bazaar website.

Many thanks in advance to the parents involved in the PVO Holiday Bazaar Committee – Pauline Bourquenez, Chickie Dumalag, Sarah Wee, Shamina Nordin, Sujatha Bhaskaran, Fathima Azaha Hamza and Pappu Sruthi. There were hours of good fun in the organization of this festive occasion and much to look forward to during the event itself!

PVO Meeting & Welcome New Parents Coffee – 8 January 2020

Our next PVO Meeting will be held on Wednesday, 8 January 2020 from 8:00 – 9:30 am in the Level 3 ES Drama Room. All parents and caregivers are invited to join.  We will welcome new parents to IGBIS, hear updates from the PVO Inclusion Committee and Phoenix Foundation working committee, and begin planning for International Day, which will be held on Saturday, 14 March 2020. If you cannot attend the PVO Meeting, the minutes will be shared after the meeting on the PVO website (Splash Page). 

Uniform Drive – 10 January 2020

Save the date for the Uniform Drive on Friday, 10 January 2020 from 1:00 – 3:00 pm in the Level 2 PVO Room. At the Uniform Drive, parents will be able to buy, swap or donate used uniforms in good condition. If your child has any outgrown items, save them for the uniform ‘swap’ or donate them to school. Uniform donations can be dropped off at Reception on Level 5 at any time.

International Day – 14 March 2020

International Day is a day where the school’s cultural diversity is celebrated, and all of the community is invited to attend. It will be held on Saturday, 14 March 2020. As in the past, it will be held in the Sports Hall where we will have a Parade of Nations, country booths and games, as well as cultural performances. If you are planning on going back to your home country over the holiday break, this would be an ideal opportunity to bring back typical clothing for you and your family to wear, as well as artefacts and typical small nibbles to share. Details will be shared next year during the PVO Meeting and via email. 

Julie Arcidiacono, Community Support and Services Coordinator

Friends of the Phoenix

London Annual Dinner – 18 January 2020

IGB International School is pleased to invite all ‘Friends of the Phoenix’ to our annual event in London on Saturday, 18 January 2020, where Mrs Fowles will host a typical Malaysian dinner at Sage & Chilli restaurant, St Giles Hotel London. Please see the enclosed invitation for registration details and encourage others to attend as well. 

Who are the ‘Friends of the Phoenix’? Anyone who has ever been a part of the IGBIS community is a ‘Friend of the Phoenix’. That includes all of our former students, their parents, and former staff members, in addition to our school’s alumni. Please visit the website to add your contact information to our shared social and professional network at www.igbis.edu.my/friendsofthephoenix. There are countless reasons why one would reach out to a fellow ‘Friend of the Phoenix’ – to enquire about a university, about life in a specific country, for an employment connection… the possibilities are endless.