IGBIS Newsletter, Issue 337.

IGBIS Newsletter, Issue 336.

April 28, 2023

IGBIS Newsletter, Issue 338.

May 12, 2023

May 5, 2023

From the Head of School

By Jason McBride

Hello IGBIS Community,

We are thrilled for International Day tomorrow and want to thank everyone ahead of time for their time, energy and effort to bring it all together from the students, parents and teachers, to staff, family and friends. A special thank you to Mr. Chee Weng and Mr. Warren in Marketing who have been the central organizers. We know there will be great food, music and dancing on display tomorrow as we learn about and celebrate each others’ cultures, regions and nationalities. We hope that everyone will be on hand at 9:30 am for our community to take our “#9” photo out on the field ahead of the Parade of Nations just after 10:00 am.

The booths are set up inside the sports hall which is good as the weather has been hot and the air quality has been pretty bad at times. We monitor the air quality closely during the day and adjust accordingly, but the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health are issuing reminders to treat heat stroke seriously as per the graphics below. Remember to stay hydrated and look for signs of heat exhaustion before it turns into heat stroke.

Last, but not least, another event that will keep us indoors while the weather is hot is our TED2023 Watch Party this coming Monday. Be sure to see the details below and let us know if you would like to join as the license is limited to 100 families. This is such an exciting step towards us hosting our own TEDxYouth event at the end of the month with our very own student speakers!

With thanks,

Jason

From the Secondary Principal

By Sandy van Nooten

It has been a busy few weeks in Secondary. Here are some of the highlights.

DP Exams

The Grade 12s are one week into their final DP exams. So far, the exams have been ‘as expected’ and most students have felt well prepared. Fingers crossed this trend continues.

Grade Level Day Trips

On Friday, 28 April 2023, Grade 6 to 11 students all went to different places for a day out. Huge thanks to the Grade Level Coordinators who worked extremely hard to make these trips happen. Here’s a quick summary of each trip.
Grade 6 – Last Friday, 28 April 2023, we had our first day trip in Secondary School! We went to District 21, a theme adventure park, at IOI City Mall in Putrajaya. There are different attractions that allow everyone to challenge themselves. There was an amazing maze with tunnels and challenges, an interactive climbing zone, a huge trampoline field with a launch pad, a free fall device that gives the sensation of a true free fall, and a Ninja Warrior-style course. It is a place we definitely have to come back to, as some kids could not make some of the challenges because of height or weight! Lots of energy left in the park and a return to school bus full of excited, and happy but exhausted kids. Enjoy the photo album with kids in action and lots of happy faces! By Ms. MJ (GLC and HR teacher for Grade 6)

Grade 7 – Last week, Friday, our Grade 7 students went on an exciting field trip to an edutainment park and a bowling alley. The park was packed with exciting activities, including a ninja course, bounce areas, an awesome Just Dance floor, and karaoke room. It was great to see them having a blast and trying out as many activities as they could. After a delicious lunch at the Food District, students competed against each other in bowling. The day was filled with lots of smiles, laughter, and fun. We have some great videos and photos of the students bowling and dancing, so be sure to check them out! By Ms. Flavia (GLC for Grade 7 and 8)

Grade 8 – Grade 8 spent last Friday on an action-packed trip to 1 Utama where they impressed us with their climbing ability at Camp5 by scurrying up and down the rock faces and solving problems on the bouldering wall. Students also demonstrated their skills by competing in teams at 10-pin bowling. There was much laughter, a lot of noise and of course a few gutter balls along with the strikes and spares! A great day was had by all. Please have a look at the photo album to see the students and staff in action. By Ms. Flavia (GLC for Grade 7 and 8)

Grade 9 – Companionship is worth any pain as grade 9 learned on this day. For the Grade 9 day trip, we decided to go paintball! We were accompanied by Mr Rohit, Ms Barcega and Mr Rasyid. We started the trip by heading to Mcdonald’s for a heavy, definitely delicious breakfast. Then we headed to the paintball venue which they claimed was the biggest in Asia. In total, there were 4 rounds. Sometimes the pain was a little too much and some had to back out and take a break, even for the teachers! But it was definitely a memorable experience for all of us to bond. Even with all the bruises made, this trip was full of laughter, chatter, and smiles. We had fun, it’ll be hard to better this trip with the next :). Here are some photos. By Brinda (Grade 9 student)

Grade 10 – The day trip to Berjaya Times Square meant a lot to our grade. It was truly the best time to bond amongst ourselves and show the teamwork we have been working on in the school community. Both our activities (laser tag and escape room) required group strategy and work, and the trip provided us with an opportunity to use our in-school skills on a more practical obstacle. By Julie (Grade 10 student and HR Representative)

The trip provided an opportunity for us to interact with our classmates and teachers outside of the classroom, fostering a sense of community and teamwork. Through shared experiences of laser tag and escape room, we developed friendships and built trust with each other. The class trip was an effective way to strengthen the bonds between students and teachers, it also promoted a positive and close-knit relationship within our grade. By Veda (Grade 10 student and HR Representative)

Grade 11 – Grade 11 enjoyed a day trip to 1 Utama last Friday. We started the day with rock climbing at Camp5. Students were able to enjoy everything Camp5 has to offer, including climbing under the guidance of professionals, trying the automatic belay machines, and climbing on the bouldering walls. After refuelling with some lunch, we tested our musical skills at Diva Karaoke, where students sang for each other in four different languages! All in all, it was a great day out for Grade 11. Here are some photos of the day. By Ms. Wencl (Grade 11 and 12 GLC)

Photo taken outside 1Utama and enhanced by a proud homeroom teacher.

Guest Speakers (a StuCo initiative)

One of the exciting STUCO projects this year was to invite guest speakers to share their passions, occupations, and experiences. We were thrilled to have Ms. Ranjini, Mr. Cleary, Mr. Benke, Mr. Orlov, Mr. Ian, and Ms. Valerie join us as guest speakers on 3 May 2023.

The students had an amazing opportunity to learn from seven professionals from different fields, including an engineer, an author and publisher, an electric guitarist, a medical science researcher, a doctor, and an NGO executive director. Through their real-life experiences, the students were able to gain valuable insights and knowledge.
A big thanks to all the guest speakers who took some time off their busy days to talk with us. Thanks also to our supervisors, Ms Flavia and Ms Hernandez, for helping us and also to IT and Facilities for setting the screens and the rooms. We really hoped that the students enjoyed it and we look forward to organizing similar events in the future. (by Brinda Grade 9 StuCo Executive)

MYP e-assessments

Final e-assessments for registered Grade 10 candidates start on Tuesday, 9 May 2023. We wish them the very best of luck.

Ski Trip

We are hoping to run a Ski trip to Switzerland partnering with Les Elfes in March of 2024. A message has been sent to parents and students from Grades 8 to 11. The preliminary information session is next Thursday (11 May 2023 at 3:15 pm)

Have a great weekend

Regards

Sandy

Parent Information Session – Supporting Transitions

Changing grades, changing teachers, changing schools, changing countries, friends moving away?

This workshop is for everyone. Come along and find out more about supporting your child or family with whatever transition may be ahead of them now or in the future.

Date: Tuesday, 9 May 2023
Time: 8:15 am
Location: PVO room

A transition is essentially any change from one stage or thing to another. As such humans go through many transitions in their lifetime. How they manage these transitions depends very much on how they are supported at this time. Support needs to be put in place before, during and after the change.

Is your child moving from; Early Years to Elementary School, Elementary School to Secondary School, MYP to DP/CP/HSD, School setting to a College/University setting, one school to another or from Malaysia to another country. These are all big changes, but for some students just changing grades and teachers is a transition that they need support with. Frequently, time is put into supporting students who are moving on or moving away, but we need to take time to consider the needs of those who are facing smaller transitions and those who are struggling because their friends have left them behind.

We hope to see many of you, no matter the age of your students. There will certainly be lots of discussion, interactive activities, and learning for all.

Please complete the attached Google form if you would like to participate or if you are unable to join but would like to meet with one of the counsellors.

Kind Regards

The Counselling Team,

John Schuster (ES) john.schuster@igbis.edu.my
Leanne Harvey (MS) leanne.harvey@igbis.edu.my
Amanda Lopez (HS) amanda.lopez@igbis.edu.my

Saturday, 6 May 2023: International Day 2023

IGBIS Community, get ready to experience the vibrant celebration of diversity this Saturday! Bring along your family and friends to join this exciting celebration filled with fun, cultural experiences and meaningful connections.

We can’t wait to see you there!

IGBIS Open Days

IGBIS will be having OPEN DAYS on:

12 May 2023, Friday from 1.30 pm to 3.30 pm
28 May 2023, Sunday from 10.00 am to 12.30 pm

It would be great if you could share this Open Day information with your friends and family members who are looking for an international school for their children.

On these Open Days, there will be a talk by Mr. McBride, our Head of School about how IB Education prioritise the inquiry-based approach that empowers students to cultivate personal well-being and acquire knowledge for their pathway towards university; a school tour to have a look at our state-of-the-art facilities and to better understand how lessons are conducted; and a counselling and enquiry session.

All attendees receive a *100% rebate on the application fee and a *75% waiver on the enrolment fee worth up to RM19,750 when enrolling at IGBIS.

*T&Cs apply

You may share this link, https://igbis.edu.my/admissions/openday/ with your friends or family members to know more about IGBIS Open Day and to register.

IGBIS parents who refer new students to IGBIS will be entitled to RM2,000 per student or *RM3,000 per family (where there are two or more students in K – 12) through the *Referral Incentives Programme. Please notify Warren Chew at warren.chew@igbis.edu.my after you have referred a new student to IGBIS.

*T&Cs apply

TEDxIGBIS Live Watch Party

We are excited to share that IGBIS will be hosting a TEDxIGBIS Live watch party for our community this 8 May, 3:15 pm – 4:30 pm.

The theme of TED2023 is possibility, and technology is one of the exciting areas that will be explored at this year’s conference.

Leading figures like cofounder of OpenAI Greg Brockman, TikTok CEO Shou Chew, computer scientist Yejin Choi, Web3 designer Tina He and Khan Academy CEO Sal Khan are taking the stage in Vancouver.

Our official licensed in-house event will rally our school community around the “TED 2023 Possibilities” top 5 talks selected to showcase the possible future pathways for our youth and their parents and inspire their thinking about the future of our communities and our children’s passions and unique potentials possibly turning into future professions that do not yet exist.

As the event has a license-limited number of participants (100 families). We would like to ask that you sign up to participate via this Google Form: https://forms.gle/eiYusEPPVUB3JAHw6

TEDxIGBIS Youth

This 30 May, IGBIS is proud to present 20 exceptional youth speakers who will take to the official TEDxIGBIS Youth stage to present their unique ideas and perspectives on the variety of aspects of our today’s lives.

The event theme: Igniting Minds and Impacting Lives (IGBIS motto), will create a thought platform for our young TEDx speakers to advocate new world views, life choices and unexpected solutions to topics ranging from human rights, mental health, human ingenuity and creativity, community welfare and many others.

Stay tuned! More updates on the live stream will be available on our social media channels and our TEDxIGBIS Youth website.

Summer is almost here, and we are thrilled to announce our Summer School this July! Offering this to children between Kindergarten to Grade 8, we have engaging learning experiences designed to help students unleash their creativity and improve their social, communication and thinking skills while enjoying a variety of extracurricular activities. Our team of experienced teachers will be leading the classes, ensuring your children get the most out of their summer break.

The programme will run from 17 July to 21 July 2023 and 24 July to 28 July 2023 and will include classes in Fun English, Design and Team Building, and a range of fun activities such as library games, swimming and sports as well as arts and crafts. Register now, as we have limited spots available. Enjoy our Early Bird Discount when you register before 15 April 2023!

If you have any questions or want more information, please do not hesitate to contact us at marketing@igbis.edu.my. We are excited about this new programme and look forward to sharing it with our students and their families. Thank you for your continued support.

IGBIS Social Media Parents Survey 2023

Dear IGBIS Parents,

This year, we would like to conduct a social media survey for all parents in the IGBIS Community to gain insight into the usage of social media platforms among parents and to understand how we can improve our communication strategies to better engage with the community on these platforms. Your participation in this survey will only take a few minutes and will greatly assist us in understanding the social media habits of our parent community, enabling us to tailor our social media strategies in order to improve our social media reach for both the IGBIS community and the wider public. Please click HERE to participate in the survey.

IGBIS Yearbook 2022/23

For people who grew up with yearbooks, they are an annual right of passage that you look forward to; for others, they are fun, but not a part of the end-of-the-school-year experience you had as a student. A lot of conversation has been happening behind the scenes debating and discussing the financial and environmental costs of printing +400 copies of a 150-page yearbook for all grades every year, and as a result, in conjunction with the Yearbook Committee—the wonderful team that created this year’s version of the annual book—we are going to make a change:

All graduating Grade 12 students will receive a copy of the full yearbook.
All students in Grades 11 and below will:
- Have access to the full version digitally for free.
- Receive a smaller version of the yearbook with their grade level, the levels around them and pages for signatures for free (excluding those who have purchased and received the full yearbook).
All students and staff will have the opportunity to purchase a full yearbook (at cost) so that we print on demand and do not use more paper than is needed.
- To indicate that you wish to pay for a full version of the yearbook, please click HERE.

Future Planning Weekly Update

Amanda Lopez

Highlights of the Week

Parent Coffee Morning: Talking Transitions with the Counsellors

Date: Tuesday, 9 May 2023
Time: 8:15 am
Location: PVO room

So this workshop is for everyone. Come along and find out more about supporting your child or family with whatever transition may be ahead of them now or in the future. We hope to see many of you, no matter the age of your students. There will certainly be lots of discussion, interactive activities, and learning for all.

Please complete the attached Google form if you would like to participate or if you are unable to join but would like to meet with one of the counsellors.

Professional bodies to share real-life insight in KL career con in May –

See the full article HERE

Have you ever dreamt of being a doctor, lawyer, accountant, architect, engineer or even a teacher but have doubts about your future prospects after reading the news about the challenges facing these professions lately?

Fret not, the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) is organising a career guidance conference from 13 May to 14 May 2023 to help students make informed decisions when choosing a career. It will be held at the Gardens Hotel and Residence Ballroom in Mid Valley City, Kuala Lumpur from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Admission to the career guidance conference is free, but seats are limited and advance booking is advised.

The programme is available at: www.mma.org.my/category/mma-Events/

For more information on the MMA Career Guidance Conference, contact Rafikah Nordin at tel: 03-40411375 (ext 113), or email: schomos@mma.org.my.

SAVE THE DATE: AI Summer Programme Taught by Stanford Alumni at International School of Kuala Lumpur: 12 – 23 June 2023

Inspirit AI is offering an in-person, 30-hour pre-college AI programme hosted at the International School of Kuala Lumpur that teaches students in Grades 8-12 fundamental AI concepts and guides them to build socially impactful projects such as safe ChatGPT bots, exoplanet search, self-driving car systems, and more! Stanford and MIT graduates in AI will be present in person from 12 – 23 June 2023 to teach. Please read more information in the program brochure and apply here. If you cannot attend in person, students may apply to the live online programme at www.inspiritai.com. Programme contact: Jared Greene, jaredgreene@inspiritai.com.

SAVE THE DATE: Parent/Counsellor Coffee Morning with Amanda

**Date Change – Wednesday, 31 May 2023

8:15 – 9:15, PVO

Due to grade 11 AMP sessions, we are moving our monthly Wednesday coffee morning to the LAST Wednesday of April. Parents from Grades 9 – 12 can gather together, have some coffee and curry puffs, and just chat and ask questions with Ms. Amanda to help support the future planning process.

Our April session highlighted an activity on values and priorities in choosing a university.

Our upcoming May session will provide calendars and timelines for the next school year in relation to future planning/university applications. Please join us if you can.

Grade 11 College/University Information

From this week – Updates to session dates, please see below.

From last week – Please refer to THIS EMAIL for more information.

Tuesday, 18 April 2023 – slide deck HERE
Wednesday, 3 May 2023 – cancelled due to StuCo guest speaker
Friday, 12 May 2023
Wednesday, 24 May 2023
Friday, 2 June 2023

NEW Future Planning Platform Coming!!!! – Unifrog

Throughout this school year, students and parents have been using Cialfo to plan for life after IGBIS. As we move into the 23-24 school year, we will transition to a new platform, Unifrog. Grade 11 students will be the first to transition to the new platform, and this will take place during the May and June Future Planning sessions in AMP. Current grade 9 and 10 students will transition to the new platform during the 23-24 school year. More information will be shared as we migrate to the new platform.

UCAS Parent Guide

For parents/carers of students who plan to apply to the UK, THIS is a fantastic resource for you.

Info, Opportunities, & Resources

Free USA University Virtual Fair – 11 May 2023

Thursday, 11 May 2023, 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm (Malaysia time)

There will be Directors of Admission from 17 great universities and colleges from all over the USA!

This is a great opportunity to learn about:

Scholarship opportunities
The U.S. Application Process
Majors and Programmes of Study
Living in the USA
Careers in the USA after graduation and More!

Students, parents, and counsellors can register by clicking on the button below or by visiting:

University Fair 2023

Navigating 2024 Applications for Prospective Students! Ritsumeikan University, Japan

Ask us! Navigating 2024 Applications for Prospective Students

How do I apply? What are the requirements? Come attend our webinar on 20 May 2023 (Japan Standard Time) and receive a walkthrough of our application process!

Can’t make it? Don’t worry, the recording will be shared with all who have registered.

Application Periods

Application periods and other important dates for 2024 entry have been updated on our website. Also, the Admissions Overview, a convenient digital flyer listing our admissions schedule, has also been published. We recommend counsellors and students keep a copy of this for quick reference.

Application Handbook

The Application Handbook is a central reference for the whole application process, from the start of your application to your enrolment at Ritsumeikan University. The newly released Application Handbook for 2024 enrolment is available for download here.

From The College Essay Guy

May Resources

9th-graders

Values Exercise (video): If you have not already, identify your core values with this simple exercise. What did you learn about yourself?
Uplevel your study skills: This is a good time to review what worked and what didn’t this year, and set some intentions moving forward.

10th-graders

Build an awesome summer reading list, starting with some picks from this list of titles that college freshmen are reading.
Values Exercise (video): Identifying your core values now can help guide your major and career exploration. And it only takes 5 minutes.
Tips for Planning a College Visit: Make a commitment to visit one local college between now and the end of the school year. Learning about different types of schools will help you figure out which schools you want to spend time researching.

11th-graders

Ask the teacher(s) for letters of recommendation you will need in the fall: Many teachers cap the number of letters they will write, so it is good to make the ask early. They may write your letter this summer while your work and contributions to the classroom are fresh in their mind.
How to Create a College List (with tracking spreadsheet): Keep making progress. Make sure you’re excited about all the schools on your list, not just the reaches. Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be is a great read.
Free test prep:- If you are planning to test in late summer into the fall, take advantage of these resources:
How to Write a College Essay: Wondering how to get started on your college essays this summer? Read this step-by-step guide, which walks you through the process.
5 Resources and Tips for Getting Scholarships and Financial Aid: These are a great set of tips and resources as you begin your scholarship search. Use this template to keep track of opportunities that might be a good fit.

12th-graders

Values Exercise (video): This 5-minute video could help you figure out what to do this summer.
Keep searching for scholarships.
Build a personal campus resources directory: Learn about the services available on your college campus, and keep track of them here. It will serve as an important guide as you settle in on campus in the fall.
The Summer Before College: A Five-Step Guide (for Productivity or Fun): It is your last summer before heading off to college. Make it count.

Worth a Read:

Why Those Super Low College Admissions Rates Can Be Misleading

Popular Resources and FAQs

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