Newsletter 22 - saints.project4.webfactional.comsaints.project4.webfactional.com/wp-content/... ·...
Transcript of Newsletter 22 - saints.project4.webfactional.comsaints.project4.webfactional.com/wp-content/... ·...
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Dear parents/students,
The past couple of days have seen a welcome
change in the weather. However, last week on the
field it was 37 degrees on several days. Please
ensure that your son/daughter is prepared for this
with plenty of water and sun block for those with
sensitive skin on those hot days.
We received our new pick-up truck last week which
is a welcome relief. Our old pick-up was very tired!
Here it is, making friends with our minibus!
Thanks must go in advance for everyone who is
helping out, or taking part in, the 24hr Swimathon
this Friday/Saturday. The PTA and kitchens have
been organising the food this week. It should be a
great event; just no lightening please!
Last week was particularly bad for power on the
SAIntS site. We were without power all of Monday
and Tuesday and a significant part of Wednesday
and Friday. We continue to power up the generator
to keep things operational, but we are concerned
that the pattern appears to be a worsening supply
week by week. We shall keep you updated about
this.
This week was International Anti-Bullying Week and
SAIntS joined in with a series of events. We voted in
28 'Power for Good' Ambassadors for the week
whose role is to spread positivity and kindness
around the school. Students have sold lanyards with
positive messages such as 'awesome', 'kind' and
'generous' to give to their friends this week. We
held a whole school assembly with a focus on Anti-
Bullying and tutors were given activities to do with
their tutor groups.
Our students returned on Saturday from a sporting
trip to Bishop Mackenzie International School and
came back with 2nd Place in the swimming and
plenty of commendations/awards for our excellent
Junior Football team. Mr Parker has written a report
near the end of this newsletter.
K P Smith, Head Teacher
Interactive School calendar link below.
http://saints.project4.webfactional.com/events/
Calendar Dates - November
18th - 19th 24 Hour Swimathon
21st - 26th Senior Public Speaking
21st 1pm-4:30 Yr 11 Geog field trip Group 1
22nd 1pm-4:30 Yr 11 Geog field trip Group 2
24th 5pm-7pm Year 10 Parents' Evening
25th pm Afternoon Gala Time Trials
25th/26th PE Fixture (BMIS Vs SAIntS)
28th - 2nd Junior Public Speaking
December
3rd Fashion show
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
The following students are to be congratulated on
officially completing their Duke of Edinburgh’s
Award this term. They will receive their certificate
and badge in due course, and will be warmly invited
to the school D of E Awards Ceremony to be held at
the end of the academic year. Mr Dodd
Newsletter #22
November 18th 2016
Muhammed G 11 DPE Silver
Dalitso M 11 DPE Bronze
Grace K leaver DPE Silver
Natasha N 11C DPE Bronze
Zoreen G 11C DPE Bronze
Christos S 12S DPE Bronze
Sadaf D 11S DPE Bronze
Luca C 11N DPE Bronze
Malika G 11N DPE Bronze
Kaavya S 11C DPE Bronze
Aliyah K 12 DPE Bronze
Jack T 12 DPE Silver
SAIntS Library Book Fair
SAIntS Library was pleased to host Anglia Books
(email [email protected]) on Monday 7th to
Wednesday 9th November. The mini-book fair
comprised teen-friendly fiction, some historical
tomes about Malawi from DD Phiri, and the
acclaimed Heinemann ”African Writers” series of
texts. Students browsed these books on the library’s
khonde. Here you see some of our students
practising their Things Fall Apart poses.
SAIntS library continues to enjoy generous book
contributions from parents and friends of the
school. If you’re running out of shelf space for
novels and reference books, why not let students
benefit? Your donation will be labelled as a gift from
you and will be perused by the next generation of
SAIntS students. Contact Mr Simon Oulton
([email protected]) for further details.
Year 12s help Year 11s prepare for their mock
IGCSEs
Last week many Year 11 students benefitted from
the expert advice of their Year 12 peers to help
improve their study skills in preparation for the
upcoming mock IGCSEs. The exams, which start on
28 November and continue until 13 January, are an
important stepping stone on the path to exam
success.
At a “drop-in clinic” run by Mr Izzett, over a quarter
of the year group gained from the Sixth Formers’
one-to-one expertise. Of course, Year 12s took their
IGCSE exams only a few months ago so they are
ideally placed to advise this year’s cohort on the
best study skills, revision strategies and tips for
overcoming exam stress. Many students walked
away with individually tailored study timetables and
a clear plan of action for the hard weeks of revision
ahead.
Well done to all the Year 11s who attended and a
big thank you to the many Year 12s who gave up an
afternoon to help our future Sixth Formers!
Mr Izzett
Head of Years 10 & 11
Geography fieldtrip to the Mulunguzi River in Zomba
On the 26th of October, the Year 12 Geography group accompanied by Mr. Puteke, Mr. Colliver and Ms Chitalo travelled to the Zomba Plateau on a field trip.
On reaching our destination (the Mulunguzi River), we discussed our objective to determine the applicability of the Bradshaw Model to the Mulunguzi River in terms of channel depth, width, velocity and discharge.
We learnt how to use various geographical instruments such as a flow meter (to measure velocity) and techniques such as sampling along a transect line. We needed to work as a team helping each other in climbing or walking carefully through the water. Many people got wet, but dried off quickly in the hot October sun. The walk through the forest by the river's bank was beautiful and we were lucky enough to spot a Crowned Eagle, an extraordinary sighting. We saw horses near the Trout farm, (nickamed the 'Ghost horses' by Loretta and TK as they apparently don't show up in pictures). By 12.00 pm we had finished our investigation at the first six sites, all of which yielded different results. We broke for lunch at the magnificent Williams Falls, where we swam and stood under the powerful waterfall, which of course only the students were brave enough to do. We completed our final two investigation sites after
lunch. The source of the river was incredible with a carpet of floating vegetation growing over marsh land, much like a giant water trampoline. Most of us sank through the marsh covering the source. We stopped for refreshments at the KuChawe Sunbird hotel where we discussed our results and shared data that had been collected throughout the morning. We also managed to play a quick game of chess with the giant chessboard and pieces. We began the bus trip back around 4 pm, feeling very tired, but still singing songs and joking. We returned as the sun was setting at school around 5.30 pm, our adventure had come to an end. We look forward to the next trip. Thank you to Mr. Colliver and Mr. Puteke for organising the trip and thank you to Femia for joining us; it was definitely a trip to remember. Kamilah B
Music Department News - Christmas Concert 2016! This year's Christmas Concert will be on Wednesday, 7th December in the School Hall at 7pm. An eclectic range of music will be on offer, ranging from congregational carols to jazz-inspired renditions of festive songs. Year 7 will be on stage to help us usher in the Christmas holidays. We are also thrilled that Year 12 and 13 pupils from the English Department will be performing a selection of their own poetry and drama compositions to highlight the theme of gratitude. Likewise, there will be presentations from our Head Boy, Zaithwa G, and Head Girl, Palesa N, during the concert. Admission is free with a retiring collection going towards charity.
We in the Music Department very much hope you will be able to join us! With all good wishes, B Moss Subject Leader for Whole School Music
SCUBA Dooba Do!
With an understated splutter, we were off! In the
heat of the afternoon the bus felt like a microwave
on wheels, but nothing could dampen our spirits
because we were on our way to Eco Lodge, Cape
Maclear, and five days of sun, sand and SCUBA
diving.
Day 1: Friday
We arrived at dusk, driving down the dusty dirt road
to Eco’s in a golden haze. We were met at dinner by
David and Adi, who introduced themselves as our
two SCUBA instructors and trip co-ordinators. They
outlined the plan for the next few days, and we
ended the day full of good food and excitement,
edged with slight nervousness but eager to begin.
Day 2: Saturday
The next morning, we were up bright and early and
after a noisy breakfast headed to the Dive Centre, to
be divided into two groups that would alternate
activities; one group in the water to develop the
practical skills of diving, the other group hitting the
books and doing some diving theory.
My group began with the theory, and watched
somewhat enviously as the others donned wetsuits
and masks, shouldering the heavy tanks and heading
down to the beach, flippers in hand. We dove into
our books, studying BCD setup, hand signals,
emergency ascents and the dangers of high altitude
diving. After a few hours, we took a break from our
studies and went for a swim, then switched with the
other group to do our Confined Water training. As
we prepped, we were all bursting with anticipation
and the atmosphere of excitement was palpable. For
a few minutes, we floated effortlessly on the surface
– thanks to our BCDs (Buoyancy Control Device) –
then, before we knew it, David had given the signal
to descend and we were underwater!
I looked around, amazed and filled with a serene joy.
Air flowed into my lungs steadily, and there was a
wonderful stillness and silence around me. Looking
around, everyone seemed to be moving in slow
motion, floating above the lake bed. That half-hour
underwater, doing exercises and putting to use our
newly learnt hand signals, passed so quickly and
soon, too soon, we were breaking the surface of the
water again. After lunch, we continued to study
theory as the other group finished the second part
of their Confined Water training. We followed them,
and as evening fell and the sun set behind Thumbi
Island we sat together on the beach, elated. Later in
the evening we went over to Funky Cichlid’s, and
chatting and board games ensued. Sleep came easy,
and we were up early the next day for the sunrise.
Day 3: Sunday
The day ran the same: one group studying as
another worked on their Confined Water diving,
although one group went off to do their first Open
Water dive at Otter Point. While they were gone, we
blitzed our studies and took some time off to be
tourists at Cape Maclear, visiting the HEEED garden
(one of Eco Lodge’s community projects), Mgoza
Lodge for ice cold strawberry smoothies and
shopping for the mandatory bracelet/necklace curio.
We retreated from the heat of the afternoon into
the shade, which acted as a tranquilizer by sending
us all into a doze. The other group returned late in
the afternoon and we all headed together to Otter
Point. Cue sunset rock jumps and some epic slow-
motion videos. Post Otter Point, we headed off to
Gecko’s for a pizza night and more games.
Day 4: Monday
Up early again for the sunrise, I greeted this day
with excitement, for it was the day that we were to
do our first Open Water dive. After we loaded up
the boat, and a brief stop to collect tanks from the
Cape Maclear National Park office (ESCOM had not
been consistent at Eco’s and an air compressor is a
powerful thing), we were at Otter Point. We
dropped in backwards off the side of the boat,
checked that our buddy was with us, and then down
we went. It was another world, of dark greens and
blues, shifting beams of light glancing off the fish
that darted this way and that all around us. All I
could hear was my own steady breathing, visible in
the gilded bubbles that rose to the surface from our
regulators in great columns. Algae covered rocks
emerged from the aquamarine around us, and the
lake bed was lunar, a moonscape of sand drifts and
craters. It didn’t take long for us to complete our
exercises, and then we were free, Adi leading us
around the area. Again, although everything was
slower, time passed so quickly, and after an all too
brief thirty minutes we were heading back up.
By the end of the afternoon, both groups had
completed their second Open Water dive, and one
group had done their third. We also received our
results for the theory test, which we all passed,
breathing a collective sigh of relief. That evening we
went on a sunset boat cruise, and then played
volleyball on the beach. Later on after dinner, we
headed down to the beach for a bonfire. Mr
O’Donnell’s guitar proved invaluable, and we sang
songs and talked for hours. Some of us fell asleep by
the fire, struck by the weary, warm exhaustion of 4
days of good, solid activity.
Day 5: Tuesday
We were heading back in the afternoon and still had
three dives to do between the two groups, so we
were up and heading out by 8 o’clock. On the third
dive, we went down to 18 metres – the depth limit
for the Open Water qualification. Down there, there
was still enough light filtering down for us to see
each other, and the two catfish that we stumbled
across. We were up and out and back in again
quickly, and our fourth and final dive was as good as
any other we had been on, though tinged with
sadness. We headed back victorious, and qualified
Open Water divers.
After a few photos, we were packed back on to the
bus, a weary, grinning group of newly qualified
SCUBA teenagers. The bus journey back was muted,
as we had all been mellowed out by the whole
experience. There was an atmosphere of
companionship, of bonds formed through the
enjoyment of the shared experiences of 5 days
together. This report, in the interest of brevity and
conciseness, cannot contain all the conversations,
the jokes, the banter, the everyday things that made
the trip extraordinary. All of us stepped off that bus
closer than we had been before, and returned home
to our families, happy.
Tom B – 6HGr (Soche)
BMIS Sports Fixture (11th-12th November 2016)
Last weekend the SAIntS Swimming team, under 13
Football team and under 13 Netball team travelled
to Bishop Mackenzie in Lilongwe to compete. The
trip began in an eventful way when the second bus
had to stop to replace a burst tyre.
Fortunately the bus containing the Swimming team
arrived unscathed and the night gala proceeded as
planned.
Swimming
SAIntS competed with courage and commitment
and finished second (marginally) to BMIS. There
were a number of winning individual and team
performances and the SAIntS support was fantastic
throughout.
The following swimmers won their races:
Biko B: (Individual medley, 50m Butterfly, 50m
Backstroke, 50m Freestyle)
Constantinos Y: (50m Butterfly, 50m Backstroke,
50m Freestyle)
Nathan T: (50m Backstroke, 50m Breaststroke)
Ammara P: (50m Butterfly, 50m Backstroke, 50m
Freestyle)
Nate B: (50m Breaststroke)
Annika M: (50m Butterfly, 50m Breaststroke)
Jason N: (4 x 25m Medley Relay) Nate B Bo D Nathan T
Biko B: (4 x 25m Medley Relay, 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay) Liam G Constantinos Y Michael S
Ammara P: (4 x 25m Medley Relay, 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay) Aila D Kamillah B Joanne F Biko B also finished the evening as the strongest overall senior boy.
Football and Netball
The following morning came the turn of the year 7 and 8 Footballers and Netballers. Four teams competed in each competition and SAIntS finished second in both behind Kamuzu Academy.
The Football team played with real passion and spirit and won games 5-1 and 4-0 before narrowly losing to KA by one goal to nil. The boys produced 3 of the 5 joint-top goal-scorers (Mikael, Alistair and Clement), as well as the player of the tournament (Jacob W).
The Netball squad was comprised of 11 under 13
girls who were enthusiastic and full of energy.
SAIntS won the first match against BMIS with ease (9
-0), followed by a 19 to nil victory against Good
Shepherd. Rania, Zoe and Layal were outstanding in
these first two matches.
The Last match against Kamuzu Academy was a
turning point for SAIntS as KA won by 12 baskets to
nil; co-ordination and passing accuracy dropped off
and tiredness may have contributed to the result.
Return Journey Following the Football and Netball competitions the buses were due to leave for Blantyre at 12:30pm but due to a headlight issue, one of the buses was unable to depart. The students waited patiently in the heat before we decided to let the first bus leave and find a solution for the remaining students and staff. We eventually arrived home 4 hours later than planned courtesy of a very helpful parent and a public coach. It was a valuable, albeit exhausting trip for all involved. Mr Parker (PE)
Are you a UK Passport Holder?
If you would like to be added to a list of UK
Nationals held by me in my role as a Blantyre
Warden, then please complete this online form:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GKKCYCQ
K.P. Smith
#Anti-bullying Week
By Namrata Z 13C
SAIntS has embraced anti-bullying week this week
through the pledge ‘POWER FOR GOOD’ by electing
an ambassador from each form group. The
ambassadors are figures that the younger students
can look up to and turn to through strenuous
situations and times they may be facing. SAIntS also
spread positive vibes through selling ‘POWER FOR
GOOD’ chains with encouraging words on them such
as ‘KIND’ and ‘UNIQUE’, which students have been
exchanging with each other, showing one another
the appreciation they deserve.
The funds raised from the sales, MK 165,000, are
going to be donated
to the Kachere
Rehab Centre (MAP)
to further spread the
kind, positive vibes
SAIntS has been
embracing this
week.
In addition to this, each form group has created
their own anti-bullying pledge which they will now
constantly be aware of. The whole school assembly
this week has increased awareness in our students
of the kinds of bullying that may occur around them
so that they can stop it if they find themselves
around it. Another campaign the school has been
following is the ‘REPORT IT, DON’T SUPPORT IT’ that
educates students to refrain from enabling bullying
Ambassadors Staff wearing their ‘Power for Good’ chains
by reporting it at first glance rather than turning a
blind eye.
This week we have leant that, however small it may
be, bullying exists and through togetherness and
mutual support it can be put to an end.
SAIntS says NO to bullying!
Year 11 Mock Examinations
Some of our Y11s begin their mock examinations
with language speaking and listening tests on
Monday 21st of November. Some Practical exams are
also beginning on the afternoon of that day.
The first section of exam leave for eligible students,
who have returned the parent permission slip to Mr
Izzett, begins on 1 December and lasts until
Thursday 8 December.
Exam leave will recommence after the Xmas break
on Tuesday 10 January until Friday 13 January when
the last examinations take place. During this period,
students do not have to attend school unless they
have an exam. On days when they do have an exam,
students should arrive at school a minimum of 25
minutes before the start of the paper to allow
enough time to sign in to school, be arranged into
group order, be correctly seated and the papers be
given out.
Please note that all students must be in school on
the last day of term, Friday 9 December.
Thank you, Mr T Izzett, Head of Years 10/11