IGBIS Newsletter, Issue 326.

From the Head of School

By Jason McBride

Hello IGBIS Community,

Back in November, we welcomed a large team of IB, CIS and NEASC visitors as part of our five-year accreditation review cycle. The reports that come out of those visits provide feedback on how well we meet the various standards and practices of those organizations, as well as to what extent we live our own — and their — mission and philosophy. While we are still awaiting the combined CIS and NEASC report, we have received the one from the IB and would like to share some of the key takeaways highlighted within it. 

For the purpose, governance, leadership and culture, some of the strengths of the school came through in comments including that:

• The school’s identity is shaped by the IB philosophy and programme implementation of all four programmes is guided by the principles of an IB education.
• The IB philosophy is reflected clearly in the school’s mission and vision, and in the actions and support of the governing board, leadership team and staff.
• The concepts of community, diversity, inclusion and compassion permeate and frame the work of all members of the school community as members embody international mindedness.
• The school’s commitment to educational equity and access for students of all backgrounds and abilities is highly evident from the school offering all four IB programmes, three different pathways for grades 11-12 students, a designated student support department ensuring all students have choice, and needs-based flexible payment options and financial assistance. 

For the school environment, teaching and learning, strengths included:

• Learning spaces are designed and used in innovative and flexible ways to reflect students’ needs and interests. 
• The school has a safe, healthy, nurturing environment that reflects the school’s purpose for learning and is characterized by respect for diversity, fairness and trust.
• The school provides services and strategies to support students’ well-being and optimize access to learning opportunities through having an active learning support department.
• Students are actively involved in their own learning, as demonstrated by the examples of personal inquiry, self-reflection and peer evaluation observed in lessons and in the different learning projects throughout the school.
• The school provides support for students and families making transitions into, and out of, the school and between programmes and learning stages.
• Throughout the continuum, there is strong evidence of student support. This is demonstrated through the provision of resources, learning support and counselling, and a whole school focus on well-being and agency.

As much as it is great to hear about the strengths of the school, we also pay close attention to their feedback on what areas might be considered for improvement. Some of the thoughts in the report include:

• Ensuring that as we begin the next phase of strategic planning, a wide range of stakeholders is included.
• Post-Covid, rethinking how time might be better used in meetings in order to prioritize deeper collaborative planning, to better connect single-subject and classroom teachers and to focus on the development of MYP interdisciplinary units (IDUs).
• Ensuring that all teachers have access to updated professional development in a timely manner (Note: Much of this comment stems from a decrease in external training during Covid and the impact on our budget due to the enrollment decrease. Training has been booked for many teachers in semester 2 already who had been delayed.)
• Ensure that the school has a consistent process for reviewing policies and communicating them to the stakeholders.

In their conclusion, the report highlighted that: 

“IGB International School continues to be a successful full IB continuum school offering all four IB programmes. The student body and staff remain a diverse population which now have expanded their language offerings. The school continues to be supported by the [management] board and IGB [corporate office]. It is focusing on developing well-rounded students who are compassionate, diverse and inclusive. … The school has created a positive, supportive environment where the students are able to articulate their strengths and how the different aspects of the IB programmes influence their learning and experiences.…

Regardless of the staff and leadership turnover after the Covid-19 pandemic, the school has a committed leadership team of programme experts and staff working together on common goals, constantly reflecting on strengthening their pedagogical practices further. The schools’ continued aim is to provide an environment that nurtures a passion for lifelong learning and critical thinking which empowers students to make a positive contribution to their environment.” 

We are proud to have received a report that highlighted so many of the strengths that we sometimes take for granted at a school that has engaged students, skilled teachers, committed staff and a parent and wider community who wants nothing more than for IGBIS to succeed. We look forward to sharing the results of the CIS and NEASC report when we have them and then using these documents to weave together a plan for the next five years. 

Be well,

Jason

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From the Elementary Principal

By Simon Millward

An important part of learning in an IB school is using field trips as a part of the learning process. These may be used at the start of a unit as a ‘provocation’ (a way to ‘hook’ students into the unit that is starting- provoking their thinking), midway through to reinforce the information that has been uncovered and at the end of the unit to round off their understanding. 

This week our grade 1 students as a part of their ‘how the world works’ unit went on a field trip to use their understanding of simple machines to identify the use of simple machines in the real world and to consider ‘are these machines making our lives easier?’

The grade 4’s also went on a field trip to Bank Negara as a provocation for their new unit about ‘how we organise ourselves’ and the role of trade. This particular unit will be taught in collaboration with the Host Nation and Bahasa Malaysia classes so Ms Meena and Ms Farah accompanied the trip also.

A learning of a different form for our under 9’s football team happened this week also. They travelled to Cyberjaya to play at King Henry VIII’s school against three other teams. This was a valuable learning experience and although they drew two and lost one game they learned a lot. The draws were close games and could have been turned into wins with a little more luck.

This week has also been an opportunity for our students to have their school photos taken, sports team, house captain and social council photos were also taken. We look forward to being able to share these with you soon.

Dates for your diaries:

• Wednesday, 15 February 2023: U9 & U11 Boys & Girls football @IGBIS
• Friday, 17 February 2023: Day 2
• Friday, 17 February & Saturday, 18 February 2023: AIMS Maths competition Penang
• Monday, 20 February 2023: Day 7 replacement for 6 February 2023 (this was previously a holiday)
• Tuesday, 21 February 2023: Day 3

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What’s Happening with the Counsellors

By The Counselling Team

AMP and Homeroom Sessions, Parent Mornings, Uni Visits, Student Meetings, the Friday Feel Good Messages, and Weekly Newsletters – it’s been ANOTHER packed 4-day week this week!

Make sure to check the IGBIS School Counseling Website for this week’s updates – we’ve added new articles, updated our “What’s On” section, and updated the parent sessions from this past week. 

Parents and students can access the website directly from their Splash Pages, and remember to use your IGBIS email address as the website is only accessible to current IGBIS families.

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Future Planning Weekly Update

By Amanda Lopez

Highlights of the Week

*NEW Parent Session* What’s Next? Wrap-Up – Wednesday, 1 March 2023!

This past Wednesday we hosted our last official parent session of our What’s Next? Series (focusing on Australia). By demand, we’ve decided to host a final wrap-up session that will be an informal information session – come have some coffee and curry puffs, meet other parents, get a simple overview of the sessions covered, and have time to chat and ask questions with me. 

What’s Next? Session: The Wrap-Up

• Wednesday, 1 March – 8:15, PVO

Access the previous What’s Next? Sessions & information HERE.

Upcoming Uni Visits

SAVE THE DATE

• Monday, 27 February 2023, 9:35 am – 10:30 am
• UK, Ireland, Hong Kong & Macau In-house University Fair

More info coming soon!

Grade 12 Applications

For students continuing to apply – 

Please keep in mind that I do NOT have access to your applications, thus if you want me to look over your application, you need to make an appointment with me. Our next round of holidays runs from Saturday, 4 March – Monday, 13 March 2023, please plan accordingly. 

Grade 11 College/University Information 

On Friday, 27 January grade 11 students met with Ms Amanda to start preparing for university applications – Access the Slidedeck HERE from that meeting. Our future meeting dates are listed below. Students (and parents) please make sure to check and update Cialfo regularly. Students, you need to have a long list of universities in Cialfo for our next meeting in April. 

• Tuesday, 18 April 2023
• Wednesday, 3 May 2023
• Friday, 12 May 2023
• Friday, 2 June 2023

Grade 10 Course Selection Support 

From January – April, grade 10 students (and parents) will work through selecting courses for Grades 11 and 12. IGB will have multiple events taking place through various outlets to support students and parents in this process – from the Counseling Office specifically, please take note of the following dates:

• Tuesday, 7 February 2023 AMP – **slide deck HERE
• Tuesday, 28 February 2023 AMP 
• Friday, 17 March 2023 Study Hall
• Tuesday, 28 March 2023 Study Hall
• Thursday, 6 April 2023 Study Hall

*Students and parents, PLEASE make sure you can access Cialfo, as this will be a very important tool 

Nanyang Technological University (Singapore) Open House Series

NTU will host 2 open house events in Feb for students and families to explore programs and learn more about NTU. Thank you to parent, Amy Lee, for bringing this to my attention

Virtual Event – 11 February 2023 – check out the programming HERE – so many great sessions!!!

In-Person Event – 25 February 2023

More information HERE.

UCAS Changes for 2024: Early Application Deadline, Recommendation, and Student Choices

The deadline for applications for Oxford, Cambridge and most courses in medicine, dentistry, and veterinary medicine/science has moved to Monday, 16 October 2023, to allow advisers to support students on that day. You can see all of the anticipated changes and the full admissions dates and deadlines HERE.
It is strongly encouraged that students who plan to apply to the UK, create an account now on UCAS, so that they can access all of the resources and support available – like these sessions focused on application planning and tips.

University of the Week – Applying Australia

To coordinate with this week’s What’s Next? Session on Australia, we are highlighting a favourite Foundation College and University – Griffith College and Griffith University.

Resources & Opportunities

From The College Essay Guy (US focus)

9th-graders

• College App & Admissions Timeline: These resources and calendar will help you stay on track.
• Values Exercise (video): Spend some time thinking about your core values with this simple exercise. Your answers may help drive how you spend this upcoming summer.

10th-graders

• Virtual college fairs: There are many opportunities to attend college fairs from home, including sessions that focus on STEM programs and the visual and performing arts. These easy-to-attend virtual events can be a great window into what college is all about.
• YouScience aptitudes test: If you haven’t already, take this online assessment, which uses a combination of personality, interest, and aptitudes testing to help you explore careers that might be a good fit. Then see if you can connect with someone working in the field for an informational interview or job shadowing opportunity.
• Identify a summer programme: Browse through options for day programmes, residential programmes, and online options that match an interest you might like to pursue.

11th-graders

• Virtual college fairs: There are many opportunities to attend college fairs from home, including sessions that focus on STEM programmes and the visual and performing arts. These easy-to-attend virtual events can be a great window into what college is all about.
• Start looking out for fly-in program opportunities: These subsidised travel programs offer overnight campus visits for populations traditionally underrepresented in higher education.
• QuestBridge College Prep Scholars: See if you qualify to apply for this top-notch college admission support program.
• Pre-work for your teacher recommendations: Take a look at this form and imagine how your teacher(s) might fill it out. What are your strengths/areas for improvement? What words will come to their mind when they think of you? You’ll request teacher recs in May, so this is a good time to start thinking about these important pieces of the college application process.
• 5 Ways to Spend Your High School Summer: Think about your summer in the context of how your choices can help you to lead a happier life (really!).

12th-graders

• Senioritis: This is not the time to slack off. Colleges will see your final transcript this summer, and they do have the right to rescind (i.e., take back) their offer of admission if your spring grades drop significantly (gulp).
• Admitted student events: If possible, attend in-person and virtual events for admitted students to get your questions answered and help inform your decision-making process.
• Scholarships: Search for possible fits based on your academic interests, gender, religion, and more.

Venture For All (VFA) Program summer 2023

We are excited to announce the summer 2023 VFA schedule taught by Prof Dan McQuade and would like to invite your high school students to participate and avail this opportunity. Founded by  Dr. Jack McGourty, Director of Entrepreneurship, Columbia Business School, High School students learn the process of new venture creation which is modelled on Columbia’s MBA course, Launch Your Startup, an interactive project-based program to foster entrepreneurship and innovation. Students come in with a business idea and through a vetted process take it to the launch stage in just a few weeks! Graduates move on to become a member of VFA, the young entrepreneurs club and a TA position, depending on their engagement and understanding of the course. Besides the completion certificate, their letter of recommendation can be uploaded on the common app as an external recommender. Here’s some information about the course and some testimonials.

Scholarships at Sinclair College

Sinclair College offers more than 300 academic programmes, so you are sure to find something that fits your educational goals. With one of the lowest tuition rates in Ohio, it’s also affordable. Additionally, Sinclair offers international students scholarships of $600 per semester for the first two semesters. 

Sinclair College Scholarships Overview

✔️ New International Student Scholarship: Newly admitted international students can apply for this merit-based scholarship. Recipients will be awarded $500 toward tuition for two semesters while enrolled at Sinclair. 

✔️ ESL Scholarship: F-1 students enrolled in the intensive ESL program will receive a $600 scholarship each semester until they have successfully completed the program. The scholarship is automatically awarded. 

✔️ Sinclair Institutional Scholarships: Sinclair offers a variety of scholarship opportunities to qualified applicants. Visit the Scholarships and Application Information page for more info. 

✔️ CCID International Student Scholarship: Students who are admitted to Sinclair and took the iESOL exam are eligible to apply for a $1,000 scholarship. 

Learn more about Sinclair College.

Inviting Applications for the Biggest Sustainability & Innovation Challenge 2023 by Harvard Undergraduate Clean Energy Group at Harvard University

Greetings from Learn with Leaders!

Learn with Leaders is delighted to bring the first-ever Sustainability & Innovation Challenge 2023 by Harvard Undergraduate Clean Energy Group (HUCEG) at Harvard University for high school students aspiring to become change agents at an early age! 

The challenge aims to give students the opportunity to kick-start their sustainability journey with the help of Ivy League mentors and global leaders. Students will get an opportunity to start their Sustainability changemaker journey, come up with solutions to problems, participate in a competition and get Ivy league mentorship as they move to the final stages of the competition.

The program is an excellent opportunity for any student who has an interest in the field of sustainability and is keen on learning more about sustainable practices, as well as developing solution-oriented projects to tackle sustainability-related challenges in their communities. All participants will get certificates from Harvard Undergraduate Clean Energy Group and Learn with Leaders.

Structure of the program:

• Attend seminars by HUCEG on the most pressing issues in Sustainability
• After attending seminars, submit Solutions on one of the three competition themes
• Shortlisted Semi-finalist and Finalist teams get project mentorship from Harvard mentors

What Will Students Gain?

• Learn about sustainability and sustainable practices from Ivy League mentors.
• Identify problems, work on a proposal and submit your solution to enter the competition
• Semi-finalist and Finalist teams get project mentorship from Harvard mentors
• Get participation certificates from Learn with Leaders and Harvard Undergraduate Clean Energy Group (HUCEG)
• The top 3 teams get prizes from a total cash pool of USD 1,000, as well as mentoring to take their business solution to execution. 

We are looking for high school students (Grades 8th-12th) who are passionate about sustainability and making a real difference in society. 

• Challenge Start date: 11 March 2023
• Challenge Duration: 4 weeks 
• Application Eligibility: Grades 8th – 12th
• Program Fee for Early Applicants: USD 80 
• Regular Application Fee: USD 120 
• Early Application Deadline: 25 February 2023
• To know more about the challenge, visit: https://learnwithleaders.com/competitions/sustainability-and-innovation-challenge-2022/
• To apply, click here, or schedule a call.

Unlock your global career potential with Career Premium

Want to Participate in a Virtual Internship at Google, Microsoft, Tesla, and more?  

With employers around the world embracing remote-first practices, it is critical for you to have experience in a virtual work environment. You can now apply for a virtual internship and prepare for the global workforce from anywhere in the world through Shorelight’s Career Premium!

Career Premium enables you to take additional courses that lead to certificates, attend exclusive training workshops, and apply for virtual internship opportunities (p.s. and it doesn’t affect your OPT or CPT eligibility).

The Three Pillars of Career Premium: 

Certificates and training – Career Premium offers unlimited access to training courses that lead to certification in Amazon Web Services, Java, Microsoft Azure, and Python, among many other in-demand skills. 

Coaching and mentorship – Receive direct guidance from career coaches and industry experts on career exploration, skill training, and professional development. 

Applying – Career Premium works with more than 12,000 multinational companies that have unique projects for you to leverage your new skills, experiences, and professional network to land your dream job.

More information HERE.

Learning Differences Virtual College Fair – February 23, 2023

This fair’s programme focuses on opportunities for students with a history of IEPs, 504 plans, or therapeutic supports and accommodations. Each year, about 20 percent of graduating high school students fall into this category.  It will also aid students who do not have formal accommodations because learning differences can come in many forms.

The fair will provide attendees with information that can assist them in postsecondary transition planning. We will host a safe and engaging forum for students with learning differences (and their families) so they can explore the many available college options and learn from experts on how to make the most of the college experience. The virtual college fair format allows students time to process information at their own pace.

• Learn more about what to expect in college and find some colleges that fit your needs
• Get access to virtual college booths loaded with resources, virtual educational sessions, and live representatives
• This entire experience will be ADA & WCAG compliant
• College Matchmaking™ provides students with a list of participating colleges & universities that match what they are looking for in a school

The Learning Differences College Fair is free to attendees.

Save the date and keep an eye out for the formal invitation coming soon!  

More information HERE.

Popular Resources and FAQs

• Cialfo
• 2022 – 2023 Future Planning Handbook
• Class of 2023 Future Planning Timeline

Questions, Support, and Help

Amanda Lopez (Grades 9 – 12 Universities Counselling & Social/Personal Counselling)

To schedule an appointment – 

• Parents – https://calendly.com/lopez-igbis/parent-community-meeting 
• Students – https://bit.ly/IGBHSCounselor
• Email – amanda.lopez@igbis.edu.my