By Dr Gregory Brunton
Dear IGBIS Community,
I hope all is well with you and your families. If you had the chance to participate in our recent Coffee Morning, I am sure you were excited to learn about some new and extraordinary opportunities for IGBIS students. As the only IB school in Malaysia with all four IB programmes, I am incredibly proud to announce the expansion of our IB Career-related Programme to include two new pathways. First is our dual enrolment pathway with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) for those highly motivated students aspiring for careers in Aeronautics, Aviation, and Engineering. Founded in 1926, ERAU is the world’s oldest, largest, fully accredited university specializing in aviation and aerospace. Second is our dual enrolment pathway with the Sustainability Management School (SUMAS) in Switzerland with their Career-related Studies (CrS) “Business and Sustainability” pathway, which is available for highly motivated students with a clear career path in the field of sustainability leadership. We will provide more details about these exciting opportunities through school communications and presentations soon. These extraordinary programmes are found here in Malaysia, only at IGBIS! Nowhere else in Malaysia will you find these and other innovative and unique opportunities for students empowering them to forge their paths and reach their aspirations.
If you ever miss a Coffee Morning, workshop, or presentation, please look on the parent Splash page on our website to see the PowerPoint slides for details of what you missed. Thank you to those who completed the short survey at the Coffee Morning. We are currently reviewing your feedback, and I will share a summary of the results and the improvements we will make because of that feedback at the next Coffee Morning.
As a solid collaboration with parents significantly contributes to a school’s success, we are looking to fill a new, full-time Community Liaison position. This opportunity is a paid position open to current IGBIS parents. Details about the position can be found on the Coffee Morning PowerPoint slides mentioned above. I invite interested applicants to send a cover letter and CV/Resume to Ben Hor, Manager of HR at IGBIS. We hope to find the ideal candidate very soon.
As always, please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions.
Take care,
Dr Gregory Brunton
By Sandy van Nooten
We have had a great start to the year. Thanks to everyone for being flexible, enthusiastic and fun to be with.
A special shout-out to all our new teachers and students for surviving their first cycle of the timetable. Being new is tough! I hope that all our new Phoenixes feel included, appreciated and welcome… feeling ‘normal’ and ‘part of the furniture’ tends to take a bit longer. Hang in there.
Secondary Trips - Thank you to Magnus and the Grade Level Coordinators for all their work getting our Secondary trips off the ground. Thanks also, to all the parents who came along to the meetings. Having the trips so early is challenging (logistically) but perfect for team building and expanding friendship groups. The trips run from Monday, 04 September 2023 to Friday, 08 September 2023 (except for Grade 6, who come back on Thursday, 07 September 2023). I will be the emergency contact for parents during this week. I will be in contact closer to the time to clarify communication channels.
Back to School Afternoon - We will be holding the secondary Back to School Afternoon on Thursday, 24 August 2023. All parents are invited to school from 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm. We will start together in the Theatre, then parents will meet with each of their child’s teachers. Here is a link to the schedule. Remember to wear comfortable shoes as you will cover some ground moving between classrooms. Refreshments will be provided.
Here are some happy snaps from around the school (courtesy of Mr Aherne, Ms Harriet and Ms Leanne)
Have a great weekend!
Regards
Sandy
‘This is a new year. A new beginning. And things will change’. (Taylor Swift)
As a school, transitions or changes are something, we spend a lot of time focusing on at the start of the year. As parents, you will also notice that the start of the year is about helping your young people with the many changes that are happening around them. Our counselling team at IGBIS has also been placing an emphasis on supporting students in transition. It is particularly valuable to spend time supporting transitions and developing strategies to help students and parents understand that change is a normal part of our lives. The quality time spent doing this results in a more connected, successful, calm and inclusive community.
We are so fortunate to have a wonderful student body who are supportive, inclusive and accommodating. Because of this, our 75+ new students across the school have all transitioned very smoothly. Comments from both teachers and parents are a strong indicator of this.
The secondary counselling team (Ms Leanne and Ms Amanda) have connected with new students at break times and in classes. This week they organised a number of Cookies with the Counsellors Socials for new students to come together and debrief their experience of being new at IGBIS. This was definitely a fun way to welcome and support our new friends. The amazing feedback (see the photograph) that they shared about what makes them love IGBIS already was incredibly reaffirming.
In Elementary, Mr John is seeing the new students and checking in with their teachers and will continue to check in on them to make sure they feel comfortable and are fitting in.
And in the spirit of transition, newness and change, the counselling team has launched our *NEW* social media accounts on Instagram and Facebook.
Follow us on Instagram and/or Facebook - @igbiscounselling
And as a reminder, you can always find us on our webpage.
The counselling team will share our very first coffee morning with parents on 29 August 2023 from 8:15 am - 9:15 am. Come along to meet and socialise with your counsellors, Mr John, Ms Leanne, and Ms Amanda, and learn more about the counselling programme at IGBIS and how we help support and strengthen our community.
We look forward to continuing the year in the amazingly positive way that it has begun. Have a wonderful weekend, and know that the counselling team is available to both students and parents.
What is the significance of IB Approaches to Learning skills for students?
These skills empower students to develop their critical thinking, effective communication, research proficiency, self-management abilities, and strong social skills.
To know more, join our OPEN DAY on: 26 August 2023, Saturday from 10.00 am to 12.30 pm
Meet our leadership team and engage in a talk about how the IB Approaches to Learning skills, together with the IB education approach, could support lifelong learning and prepare students for their university journey and beyond. There will also be a school tour for you to explore our state-of-the-art facilities and a counselling session for your better understanding of the school.
All attendees receive a *waiver worth up to RM26,000 upon enrolment to IGBIS.
*T&Cs apply
Register now at: https://igbis.edu.my/admissions/openday/
“Celebrating our ability to tune in and connect through the arts.”
IGBIS will be hosting this coming November's ISTA Inter-Arts Festival for Music, Drama and Visual Arts. This time, we will host visiting schools and need families to host these students.
Stay tuned! An email with the details for the sign-up will be available soon. Visit HERE for more information.
Amanda Lopez
Follow Us on Instagram, Facebook and our In-house Counselling Website
It’s about time we joined Social Media, so please follow us!
The IGBIS Counselling Team is now on social media, and we will highlight all things counselling, which includes future planning information, resources, and events coverage.
Follow us on Instagram and/or Facebook - @igbiscounselling and on our in-house Google webpage.
Save the Dates - IGBIS University Fairs
All university fairs will begin at 9:30 am and will typically last until 10:00 am+. Fairs will be held in the MYP and DP/CP Lounges unless otherwise noted. Parents are welcome to attend. More information will come out soon.
Grade 10 and 11 PSAT Registration and Information
On Thursday, 26 October 2023, the PSAT Test will take place at IGBIS.
The PSAT is a “trial run” for the SAT, which is a common standardised entrance exam for colleges and universities in North America. PSAT results will provide useful information about student writing, mathematics, and reading comprehension abilities, and help students prepare for the SAT. For US citizens in the 11th grade, the PSAT also serves as a qualifying test for National Merit Scholarships.
Due to COVID, many North American colleges/universities no longer require students to take the SAT as part of their admission process, however, as the world returns to “normal”, we are unsure if the SAT will return as a requirement. Thus, for students who plan to apply to colleges/universities in North America, it may be to your advantage to take the PSAT in preparation for the SAT.
Testing space for the PSAT at IGBIS is limited and is open to grade 10 and 11 students only. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration will close on Friday, September 1, and you will receive a confirmation email from me by Friday, 15 September 2023. Please note that the cost of the test is roughly RM 140, and you will be billed directly from IGBIS.
To register, please click HERE. (Access is only available through IGBIS Gmail)
To help students get prepared:
The only resource I recommend for both PSAT and SAT preparation is Khan Academy, as the CollegeBoard specifically partnered with the platform as part of their redesign to end testing inequality in 2016. The data supports that students spend at least 30 minutes per week studying on Khan.
Testing Timelines:
The timeline for the PSAT and SAT for students in Grade 11:
The timeline for the PSAT and SAT for students in Grade 10:
As we get closer to the actual test date, I will send out specifics for test day procedures.
Upcoming Student Counselling Sessions
*All information and resources will be shared with both students and parents via email after each session
Upcoming Parent Counselling Sessions
*All information and resources will be shared with parents via email after each session
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For those interested in University of Pennsylvania (updates to the 2024 application)
Only students applying to the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences will be asked to declare an intended major this year.
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This is a critical time for seniors. By this point, you should (we hope) have a close-to-final college list and be working on your college applications.
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Amanda Lopez (Grades 9 - 12 Universities Counselling & Social/Personal Counselling)
To schedule an appointment -