Volume 8, Issue 9-05/06 - May 2006

MICA (P) 234/08/2005

A Singapore American School community service publication

FlashNewsNewsFlash

ART At SAS

2NewsFlash Contents

Shelly DeFordChairman of the Board

Carl StockingChairman Finance

Sally GreenChairman Curriculum

Garth SheldonVice Chairman of the Board

Chairman Facilities

We welcome input from the community associated with Singapore American School

(NO ISSUE IN JULY)AUGUST NEWSFLASH

Publication Date: August 7, 2006

Email Community NewsInput to bgribbon@sas.edu.sg

Email Trading PostInput to trade@sas.edu.sg

Trading Post advertising is restricted to non-commercial items only from SAS students, parents and staff

NEWSFLASH is published monthly by the Communications Office of the Singapore American School. It is distributed free of charge to the parents, faculty members and organizations served by the school.

COMMUNICATIONS OFFICESingapore American School

40 Woodlands Street 41Singapore 738547

Tel: 6360-6303SAS Website: http://www.sas.edu.sg

Editor: Mrs Beth GribbonAssistant: Ms Joey Lew

In This Issue

03 ART at SAS06 Boosters07 Message from Superintendent08 Development11 PTA12 Calendar Highlights13 EASA14 Libraries at SAS18 TV Turnoff Week/MS Strings19 MS Choir Trip20 Chinese Trip to Beijing21 MS Drama/HS Student Author22 Community Service23 Faculty24 National French Contest25 IS Marathon Club26 IASAS

Board of Govornors

William BallBoard Member

Melanie Ng ChewBoard Member

Bob ComstockBoard Member

Tom LintonBoard Member

Maya RollBoard Member

Sheila WangBoard Member

Richard BorsukBoard Member

Bart BroadmanChairman Trust

ART at SAS

4ART at SAS

National Art Honor Society - NAHSNational Junior Art Honor Society - NJAHSChapters Launched at SAS

on Tuesday, May 16th the National Art Honor Society (NAHS) and the National Junior Art Honor Society (NJAHS) official opened their chapters at Singapore American School. Started in1978 by the National Art Education Association (NAEA), the NAHS program seeks to inspire and recognize students in grades 10

to 12 who have shown an outstanding ability in art. The NAHS also strives to aid members in working toward the attainment of their highest potential in art areas, and to bring art education to the attention of the school and commu-nity. In 1989, the NAEA introduced the NJAHS for students in grades 7-9 to help generate interest in art programs at the sec-ondary levels and inspire and recognize younger art students. Art teachers, Barbara Harvey (high school) and Jeff Kultusky (middle school) presented certificates to the selected students at a ceremony held after school in the high school art suite.

The following high school students were selected to NAHS: (Grade 12) Christopher Fussner, Hye Jin Kim, Sarah Knowl-ton, Amanda Sievers, Rachel Spencer, (grade 11) Sylvia Chew, Aubrey Jackson, Hye Na Kim, Tae Son Kook, Joanne Liu, Xenia Stafford, Abigail Wong (Grade 10) Shannon Middle-ton, Katherine Patterson, Marina Patterson, Elizabeth Stanton, Elizabeth Stocking and Alison Tan.

The following middle school students were selected to NJAHS: Cindy Cherng, Clarissa Eck, Jennifer Ho, Willow Johnston, Angela Kim, Aisling Leow, Kirsten Miranda, Ellie Rava, Michelle Reade, Alex Rebeck, Elise Ringen-berg, Leah Sacks, Kathryn Tinker and J.D. Ward.

(L-R) HS art teacher, Barbara Harvey and seniors se-lected to NAHS: Chris Fussner, Hye Jin Kim, Sarah Knowlton, Amanda Sievers, and Rachel Spencer

Student Art on Display

student artwork was showcased at several SAS art shows in May. Thinking Outside the Crayon Box, was an ex-hibition of work from the elementary art classes of Ms. McFadzen and Mr. Sheerin. The Gala Opening featured a musical performance by The Treblemakers. Kaleidoscope, provided a venue for the art work done by 5th grade

students as a part of their Student-Led Conferences and the High School Visual Arts Department Art Show showcased high school student art work from second semester.

Displays of student work can be found throughout the campus not only during art shows, but throughout the year. Aided by the work of dedicated volunteers from the Arts Council, displays of student artwork can be found in almost every nook and cranny of the school. Central Administration offices are a prime location for a regular rotation of magnificent displays of student art. The Middle School foyer also provides a venue for an ever changing and dramatic display of student art.

Parents interested in volunteering with the Arts Council next year will find helpful information on the back cover of Newsflash this month.

5ART at SAS

Student Printographers - Lessons at the Tyler Print InstituteBy Priscilla Masagung, HS Student

funded by the high school Photo Club and the PTA, eight students were given the opportunity to participate in a two day silk screen printing workshop at the Singapore Tyler

Print Institute in April. The objective of the workshop was to show how photography and printmaking could be fused together to cre-ate an exciting style of art that is becoming increasingly popular in the art and fashion scene.

On the first day, our instructors, KC and Jacqueline, introduced silkscreen printing and tips and tricks to make a striking print. Afterwards, we prepped our screen and image for the actual print-ing. On our second day, we got down and dirty! The screens were exposed with a photograph or design and we began our journey as printmakers. The designs can be printed on any soft surfaces, such as cotton fabrics and cardboards; in numerous colors and color schemes. For three solid hours, we were busy printing and explor-ing different ways of printing.

After being splattered with ink, ached from standing and splashed from washing the screens, we printographers were thrilled with our sensuously attractive prints.

Participants: Priscilla Masagung, Chris Fussner, Assem Nambiar, Ken Cheng, Ji Ye Kim, Ji Young Choi and Tani Shaema.

Sponsor: Paul Griffin

The Booster Club The Booster Club has had a truly wonderful year! These ambitious and hard working women have raised funds through the Home Tour, Booster Booth sales,

special event sales and bake sales. Thank you to the parents and students who have supported the Booster Club endeavors.

Michelle BrunoehlerBooster Club President

Funds raised have been used to sponsor:Three Honor Roll Brunches

Two free popcorn days before semester examsRefreshments at visual and performing arts evenings

Brunch for all graduating SeniorsSix $1500 Interim Semester Scholarships

Ten $1000 Senior AwardsFour Senior Spirit Awards

Advertisements in the Islander Yearbook and PrismTravel shirts for all high school students who travel representing SAS

Participation patches for students in sports and the performing artsIASAS sports bag for all IASAS athletes

Eagle mascot costumeDance and Yulefest costumes

The Booster Club has made monetary donations to the following clubs: Art Club, Badminton

Executive Council, Jazz BandNational Honor Society, Peace Initiative

Peer Support, Photography ClubTheater Make-Up Club and Thespians

The Booster Club tries to support as many of the high school students’ activities as pos-sible. If you have a student in the high school next school year, I hope that you will join the Booster Club; whether you work a shift in the Booster Booth, or are a team mom for

one of the sports teams or work on one of the Booster Committees I know you will find the experience rewarding.

Boosters have also provided gifts for:Career Day Speakers

High school students moving in DecemberSeniors graduating in December

Singapore International School Math Competition

Booster Club Race NightSeptember 1, 2006

Turf Club$50 per person with a cash bar Race time: 6:30pm – 10:30pm

Watch out for more information!Best Hat Contest

Prizes to be award for wearing the best hat

7Superintendent of Schools

A Message from the Superintendent

unlike the happy endings that fairy tales are made of, school improvement re-quires more than a kiss to convert a frog into a stunning prince. It requires the commitment and dedication from an excellent staff and an army of parent

volunteers.

The 2005-06 school year, in addition to the normal program improvement initia-tives, included the planning, organizing and execution of the school’s 50th Anni-versary and the launch of the Singapore American School Educational Foundation. The school also experienced an enrollment increase of 325 students raising our total school enrollment to 3460 students.

We started the school year against the fading noise of the jack hammers. The school building construction that started four years ago is mostly behind us. We now have a vastly improved facility with significant renovation and major building additions that reach into every corner of the campus that can now accommodate 3700 students.

The faculty, in addition to their classroom responsibilities, has been involved in numerous professional devel-opment activities throughout the year and many of them are scheduled for summer training opportunities on college campuses around the world. Significant time and energy has been dedicated to the review of our social studies and language programs. Preliminary discussions have started on the study of the mathematics, library services, special services and counseling program.

The college admissions profile looks very strong again this year. Our graduates, for the most part, are getting into the college of their choice. The students are finding ample rigor as they now have 26 Advanced Placement courses available to them. Seven hundred and fifty plus advanced placement examinations were administered this past month.

On the extra-curricular front, an all time IASAS record was set by SAS athletic teams this year by earning 14 out of 20 team gold medals. The SAS math team won the IASAS math competition. Many individual medals were won by our students in debate and forensic competition.

The school year has offered us the opportunity to witness some marvelously beautiful student art exhibitions, music concerts, drama and dance performances from pre-school through grade 12. Many of these performances were enhanced by the generous parent volunteer support offered by the Arts Council, PTA and Booster Club.

Regrettably, this is also the time of the year when we have to say goodbye to a number of faculty members who have decided to retire, move back to the States, take on some other international school or join a spouse who has been transferred to another part of the world. We wish them well and thank them for their dedication and loyalty to Singapore American School.

Forty new teachers will be joining us at the start of the new school year in August. Most of them have served in other international school assignments. We are confident that we have identified another quality group of educa-tors.

Our best wishes to our parents and students for a pleasant, restful and stimulating summer. May you find time to enjoy the beauty of our world, the wonder of our diversity and the enchantment of people everywhere. Take time to appreciate yourself, to enjoy your home and to simply rest from the hectic schedule of the school year.

Bob GrossSuperintendent of Schools

8Development

Singapore American School Educational Foundation Donors2005-2006 School Year

ORCHID CIRCLE $1,000 - $4,999Bill and Jaime Amelio Amy Yip and Gary Lee Kian Ming OngSantosa Tati and Gozali Boyke Lee Susan Yew Edan Cho ParkCheng Tien Hsing Raymond and Lily Leong John and Sue PitfieldPaul and Elizabeth Chmelik Shincee Leonardi RSP Architects, Planners & Engineers Pte LtdLie Fie Chen and P. Djojonegoro Norman and May Lem Maile and John RogersPing Daramawan Yang Hem Lim Seck Fong Yoke DatinJane Darmadi Paul and Dorcas Ling Helman SitohangThe DeFord Family Gretchen Liu Carl Stocking and FamilyMike and Eva Denoma Calvein Lo Fae VarinataSally and Gary Greene Devika Misra Nany TanasalehJim and Beth Gribbon James and Susan Murray Tijoe Ka LieHock Lee Lau Suzie Nam Evi Carolina TjandinegaraKirk and Janice Hulse Bee Bee Ng Phillip WidjajaJudy Hunt Ginny Ng Rayanusin WidjajaLilies Irawan Albert Njoo Maddeline and Anne WilsonKok Tong Ho BeBe Ong Shew Yee WongIdriati Latief

TRAVELER’S PALM CIRCLE $1 - $999Daniel and Shea Allen The Haas Family James and Parick McAdamBart and Valerie Broadman Laird and Becky Hamberlin Brianne McDougallSusan Buesinger Regina Jamieson Annie OngThe Brunoehler Family Hilda Johnston Paula St. JamesBob and Monika Comstock Nicholas Laveris 2005-2006 Senior ClassRichard and Cathy Cunningham Doug Thurman Susan ShawMarian DeGroot Marc and Heidi L’Heureux John and Marie SmallWendy Dwyer Elizabeth Mainguy Katherine TanChris Fussner Andres and Dolores Makalinao Thomas and Rebecca YunRob and Ann Godley Lauren Merhbach and Paul Welsh

1956 CIRCLE $50,000 AND ABOVE EAGLE CIRCLE $30,000 - $49,999The Khoo Foundation Singapore American School Parent/Teacher Association

Susan and Frank MarsVisa International

TIGER CIRCLE $10,000 - $29,000Citibank Private Bank Elizabeth Khoo AnonymousDBS Bank Ltd Kwee Liong Phing and Chai Tek Ai Standard Chartered BankDHL Express (Singapore) Pte Ltd Lee Hsien Yang Jerry TanHussein El-Lessy Lee Wei Ling Wee Ee ChaoForbes Incorporated Ng Family (Terry, Russell, Melanie) Wee Ee LimGinga Petroleum Mavis Oei Peter Yan Medical Service Pte LtdING Asia Private Bank Ltd Richard Seow Yung Wah Industrial Company Pte Ltd

GECKO CIRCLE $5,000 - $9,999Bob and Judy Gross Susanna Wong Steven and Maya RollVictor and Carol Heo Anil Thadani Yeow Ming ChooJanie Ooi

9Development

A Message from the Development Office

this has been an exciting year for SAS. We celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the founding of the school in a grand style and, more importantly, we looked towards the future of Singapore American School with the establishment of the

Singapore American School Educational Foundation. I wish it were possible to list the names of all of those who were so integral to the successes of this year. A special thank you is due to the Steering Committee for the 50th Anniversary: Birgit Impkamp, Beth Gribbon, Gillian Han, Cindy Jahner, Greg Rutledge, Susan Studebaker-Rutledge, Jacki Dixon, Jim and Junia Baker, Ron Starker, and Kathy Tan. In addition, countless others volunteered their time and effort to make each event a success. Thank you to all of you.

Listed in this edition of Newsflash are the donors to the Singapore American School Educational Foundation for 2005-2006. The money which was raised this year will be used in financial aid and scholarships, the visual and performing arts, as matching (or challenge) grants for community service projects, and to promote intramural sports among other projects. In addition, a sum has been placed in an endowment account to help secure the fi-nancial future of SAS.

Initiatives for 2006-2007 may include the creation of a scholarship dedicated to bringing a student from a devel-oping country to SAS, and the creation of a garden dedicated to the memories of our school and the people who are a part of it. In addition, the Development Office will continue to explore other fundraising options for the Educational Foundation. Thank you for your continued support.

A special Commemorative DVD featuring video and pictures from the 50th Anniversary Celebrations is now available for sale in the Development Office. This DVD features the complete Commemoration Ceremony in-cluding speeches by Singapore Minister Mentor, Lee Kuan Yew, U.S. Ambassador, Patricia Herbold, Bob Gross and James Baker in addition to performances by the High School Wind Ensemble and SAS Singers. Previously unseen photographs of the BBQ and fireworks as well as live video are also included. This DVD is on sale online at http://alumni.sas.edu.sg/?estore for shipment overseas for S$15 and in the Development Office for S$10.

In response to a request from alumni, students and colleagues, the Bob Dodge Commemoration Fund has been established to thank Mr. Dodge for his contributions to the school on the occasion of his retirement. For details please go to https://alumni.sas.edu.sg.

Susan MurrayDirector of Development

PTA Volunteer Appreciation Tea

judith Fergin, SAS parent and Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in Singapore, graciously opened her home to

SAS PTA members for the PTA Volunteer Ap-preciation Tea and Annual General Meeting on May 16th. Following the election of PTA officers for 2006-2007, PTA donations for each division were presented to the principals. Details of the PTA donations are highlighted in the PTA Presi-dent’s message on page 10.

PTA Executive Board for the 2006-2007 school year (l to r): Parliamen-tarian, Monika Comstock, Vice President, Lindsey Iacovino, President, Susan Fay, Secretary, Mae Anderson and Treasurer, Anne Chan.

10PTA

A Message from the PTA

i know it sounds like a cliché, but it is hard to believe we are at the end of another school year. As a child, I do not remember thinking that a school year ever went by fast. I guess times have changed because even my children think this year has

flown by.

PTA has once again had another busy year. The growth of the school this year has been a challenge for everyone, including the PTA. We have worked hard to ensure that the events we offer are meeting the needs of the community. Next year, one of the first changes you will see is with our Welcome Committee. Based upon feedback received from the New Family Survey sent out in October, we have made some improvements to the program. If you were new to SAS this year, you are a perfect person to join the Welcome Committee and assist those new to the school next year.

Please contact Tracy Perez-Menendez at tracymenendez@yahoo.com to find a match between your interests and the needs of the community.

As many of you know, PTA is a nonprofit organization. All of the funds raised throughout the school year are later returned back to the school in various ways. At our recent Volunteer Appreciation Tea, we were able to present Bob Gross with a check for over $110,000 to cover the cost of Fund Spending requests received from each of the four divisions. Every year, in early February, each of the four division Principals are asked to turn in a wish list for their division to support the needs for items not included in their regular budget. Our Fund Spend-ing Committee then reviews and recommends to the PTA Board the items that should be approved.

In addition to the Fund Spending donation that the PTA provided to SAS this year, we also provided a $50,000 donation to the Endowment Fund, $25,000 to the Speaker Fund, $11,000 to the High School Community Ser-vices Clubs which was raised from the Pumpkin Sales, $6,400 to HS Interim Semester Scholarships and $20,000 to Senior Scholarships. We also provided each SAS family with a school calendar and Directory, gave each graduating senior a gift, gave each staff member a gift for Staff Appreciation Day, provided an Ice Cream Social at Open House, will provide for a reception after the High School graduation ceremony and pay for ads in the High School Year Book and Prism publication. This year we also gave approximately $5,000 to MS Tiger Tales, $3,600 to the 8th grade for their year-end Kusu Island excursion and donated books to our school libraries to commemorate the birth, adoption, or death of someone within our community. This is not a complete list of all the support we provide, but I think you can see that a lot of good comes from the funds that we are able to raise and later return to the school.

Please be assured that any funds generated are put to good use to enhance our children’s educational experience at SAS. Without you and your continuing involvement, this level of support would not be possible! Please know that we realize how important you and your support are to our organization, and that we appreciate all that you do for our community.

As with the end of every school year, we unfortunately have to say goodbye to many of you as you move on to new opportunities in your lives. For those of you that are leaving us, we thank you for all the support that you have given to both the PTA and the school. Please know that you will be missed. We all wish you the best of luck in your return home or to wherever you may be heading. Please remember to keep in touch!

For those of you leaving for the summer but will be back again in the Fall, please enjoy the summer break and we look forward to seeing you back refreshed and ready to start the new school year!

Susan FayPTA President

JJooiinn tthhee PPTTAA SSaalleess tteeaamm!!

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MMaakkee nneeww ffrriieennddss,, ttrraaddee ttrraavveell ttiippss,,mmeeeett yyoouurr cchhiilldd ffoorr lluunncchh aanndd ssoo mmuucchh

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CCaallll SSoonnddrraa WWeebbeerr aatt 99113377--00885544

2006 – 2007PTA

Uniform Sales (Pre-K thru 8th Grade)

August 10, 11 & 12 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Elementary Gym

Volunteer Sign-upCall Sondra @ 9137-0854 skweber@singnet.com.sg

PTA THANK YOU!!! Thank you to our Hospitality Chairs, Karin Stolarski and Caroline Faris for organizing the PTA Volunteer Appreciation Tea. Thank you also to all of you who have given of your time this year to PTA. We truly appreciate all that you do!

12

Are You Receiving What’s Happening at SAS?

We are sending all parents and guard-ians a regular weekly What’s Hap-pening at SAS newsletter by email. If you have not been receiving the weekly email, probably we do not have your correct email address. Send us an email at communications@sas.edu.sg to give us your current email address. The distribution can include both par-ent email addresses. The weekly What’s Happening at SAS will also be posted on the website at http://www.sas.edu.sg.

Calendar Highlights

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOLGrades 3 – 12 : Monday August 14

Pre-K – Grade 2 : Wednesday August 16Preschool : Thursday August 17

May 200629 Grade 1 Field Day 8:15am – 9:30am Kindergarten Field Day 9:45am – 11:00am 8th Grade Slide Show 2:00pm – 3:00pm (Drama Theater) HS Semester Finals 8:00am – 12:00pm Grade 6 Temple Tours30 Spring Soccer Tournament 2:00pm (Stadium) Grade 2 Field Day 8:15am – 9:30am Grade 3 Field Day 9:45am – 11:00am Grade 7 Excursion Grade 8 Student-Led Conferences

HS Semester Finals 8:00am – 12:00pm Grade 6 Temple Tours31 No School for HS Students (Exam Grading) MS Student’s Early Dismissal 11:30am Grade 4&5 Field Day Grade 6 Pool Party Grade 8 Graduation 5:00pm (Auditorium) Grade 8 Reception 6:30pm (MS Foyer) HS Senior Brunch 10:00am (American Club) Commencement Rehearsals 1:30pm (NUS) HS Senior Photo 12:00pm (Merlion)

June 20061 Alternate Dress Day Last Day of School for Students HS Student Dismissal 11:30am Commencement 6:00pm (NUS) PS Make Up Field Day 8:15am – 11:30am PTA Sponsored Playground Picnic for K-2nd Grade 10:45am – 12:45pm Grade 6 S.P.A.M.

Grade 7 Student-Led Conferences Grade 8 Excursions IS/MS Report Cards Go Home2 No School For Students Teacher Work Day3 HS SAT4 Campus Mosquito Fogging 5:00pm – 7:00pm

SAS OPEN HOUSESaturday August 12

10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Teachers will be available, classrooms will be open

Class lists will be posted

Student schedules will be available

Complimentary ice cream – courtesy of the PTAin the

IS/MS cafeteria

PTA Sales (in the elementary gym)and the

Booster Booth (at the HS)will be open for the sale of uniforms and other items

Cafeterias (Mr. Hoe), Juice Zone and Subway will be open

Vehicle permits for the 2006-07 school year will be available in all division offices

Community organization representatives will be in the elementary gym with information about their

organizations and programs

Bus route information and bus representatives will be available

(in the elementary theater)

13Elementary After School Activity (EASA)

Learn More about EASA

What’s new next year with EASA?• 3 sessions of 8 weeks each starting in October running till May• New name for Extended Day Modern Language Program – now EASA Language Program• Concurrent Registration period for EASA and EASA Language to allow parents to plan after school activities better

Watch for registration details in the August Newsflash.

EASA ActivitiesElementary students at SAS can choose from a wide range of organized after school activities. EASA classes have been designed to enhance and extend the student’s learning experience in Music, Performing Arts, Arts & Crafts, Computers & Technology, Mind Stretch and Recreation. Classes are taught by dedicated and professional teachers—many of whom are part of the SAS faculty. EASA flyers and registration forms are sent home with Elementary Students by backpack mail at the beginning of each session.

• Kindergarten to Grade 5 Students• Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays• 3:15pm to 4:15pm• 3 sessions—Fall, Winter, Spring• Classes in Recreation, Music, Performing Arts, Art & Craft, Mind Stretch, Computers & Technology • Fees and classes vary based on session length and activity

EASA Language Program Singapore American School brings you another enrichment opportunity for your children through the EASA Language Program. This program provides an opportunity for your child to experience learning a second language in an activity-based curriculum. Students will be engaged in activities that are rich in visual cues and focus on developing communica-tive enjoyment and confidence. The program has been designed as a continuous three session curriculum and students are encourage to participate for the entire three sessions to get maximum benefit from the program.

• Kindergarten to Grade 5 students• Tuesdays and/or Thursdays• 3:15pm to 4:15pm• 3 sessions—Fall, Winter, Spring• Classes in Mandarin, French, Spanish & Korean taught through an activity based curriculum

Adult Community EducationThe EASA office sponsors and manages classes for the SAS Adult Community. SAS parents, faculty & staff are wel-come to attend. Classes and fees vary from session to session based on type of activity and length of session. All classes are held on campus Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays after school hours and are taught by professional & expe-rienced teachers. EASA has offered classes in Beginner & Intermediate Mandarin, Conversational ESL, PowerPoint, Computer Safety, Jewellery Making & Art. Information and registration forms are sent out through Community Wide emails and through the SAS What’s Happening emails.

Need more Info? Visit our Website for current program and registration info on all EASA sponsored activities at http://www.sas.edu.sg/easa, phone 6360-6283 or email at vcrocker@sas.edu.sg.

14Libraries at SAS

SAS Libraries: New Ideas are CirculatingThe fourth in a series of articles about the libraries at SAS.By Ron Starker, High School Librarian

sAS requires each academic department and subject area to undergo a curriculum review every 5 years to evaluate our practices and to upgrade and enrich our curriculum. While the

libraries have always been evaluated as part of the WASC accredita-tion reviews at SAS, we have never been included in the Curriculum Review process. History was made in the 2005-2006 school year as Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Mark Boyer readily accepted a request by the librarians to be included in the Curriculum Review process.

The Curriculum Review occurs in two stages over a two year pe-riod. The first year is intended to be the Curriculum “Study Year” where the

current state of the program is evaluated and goals are set for the future. The second year is the “Development Year” designed to establish plans and processes for thoughtful and effective implementation.

As a result of extensive feedback from students, staff, and parents, the following Study Year recommendations were identified as areas for improvement and enhancement:1. Develop a compelling and meaningful philosophy for preschool through high school libraries at SAS.2. Continue to develop systematic communication with parents, students, and staff regarding library resources, ser-

vices, and support.3. Review library policies, procedures, and handbooks for preschool through 12th grade.4. Develop a preschool through 12th grade Information Lit-

eracy (Library) curriculum for integration into all sub-ject areas.

5. Continue to develop “just-in-time” learning opportuni-ties in the library that are connected to classroom learn-ing.

6. Continue to review and upgrade all library systems to support staff and student needs.

7. Work with parents and staff to develop strategies de-signed to encourage students to be “good readers”.

8. Conduct an external review to validate effective prac-tices and to note possible areas for further improve-ment.

State of the Union: Our DestinyWe started our school year by implementing new library software in all four division libraries. While we stayed with our same vendor, Follett Software, we upgraded our system to software known as Destiny. The features of Destiny were discussed in Tim Ramsey’s second Newsflash article in our library series. One major result is that we have something similar to a Union Catalog that allows us to check on materials and to share records in one software system for all four libraries.

A Checkup from the DoctorEarly in our Study Year process we agreed it would be useful to obtain an external expert review from a seasoned li-brary evaluator. Dr. Elizabeth Miller, from the University of South Carolina, came to SAS and spent four days with us to evaluate our programs and to suggest improvements.

Prior to Dr. Miller’s visit, the Curriculum Office sent out surveys to all SAS students, parents and faculty for feedback on the library facilities, program, and staff. The results of these surveys were shared with Dr. Miller and are being used to implement new changes in our programs. The statements listed below reflect some of the goals we have set for the coming school year.

15Libraries at SAS

Let’s Talk: Improving CommunicationThese newsflash articles are only a small part of a focused effort to better communicate library initiatives. We are also planning:

LMC Night: Libraries Meet the Community: On an evening in late September; all four SAS libraries will offer an Open House to familiarize parents with our facilities and services. We will offer workshops in online database use, informa-tion on resources we can offer families, and provide tours of all four libraries.

Cyber-makeover: We are changing the look of all four library web pages and we are creating a new preschool through high school Library webpage to make information easier to access and to make online navigation more uniform from one library to the next.

Library Updates: There will be additional Newsflash articles, emails to staff, presentations at Parent Coffees and web-based updates provided by the libraries.

Suggestion Boxes: A box will be placed in each library to solicit student, staff and faculty input, and there will also be a virtual Suggestion Box on the SAS centralized web page for libraries.

Library Handbook: We are developing a school-wide library handbook that will be distributed to all staff, students and parents at the beginning of the 2006-2007 school year. The handbook will provide detailed information on library hours, staff, resources, and instructions on how to use online databases and other resources.

Instructional Technology: Participate in communications with the SAS Technology Committee (beginning of the year, midyear and end of the year).

Teamwork & CollaborationResearch on the effectiveness of library programs stresses the importance of collaborative work among librarians, teachers and students. We plan to further our collaborative efforts in the following ways:

Teaching Teachers: Several workshops will be offered to help teachers keep up to date with print and online resourc-es. Teachers will also receive training on how to help stu-dent access the best possible information.

Teaching Students: Information Literacy workshops will be offered to help student access, understand and utilize informational sources.

Teacher Collaboration: We will meet regularly with depart-ments and grade level teams to increase our understanding of the content and issues that are being addressed in the curriculum.

Information Literacy: The librarians have developed standards, indicators and outcomes for the “exit skills” all students in grades 2, 5, 8 and 12 are expected to achieve.

Curriculum Adoption: The librarians will participate in the curriculum review process each year to review that the col-lections, resources and services fully support the curriculum changes.

Professional Learning Communities: The librarians will participate in processes that facilitate professional learning communities within the school.

16So What Do School Librarians Actually Do?The role of librarians is rapidly changing, with schools of library science advising librarians to work more closely with teachers in curricular design, collaboration and program planning. Librarians are being urged to help students move from simple fact finding to higher level thinking involving applications of knowledge, analysis of information, synthe-sis and evaluation of ideas. The library is the perfect place for interdisciplinary studies, cross fertilization of ideas and experimentation with different teaching methods.

Increasingly, the Library Media Specialist is called upon to be……..A story teller and reading specialist.A teacher and group leader.An information broker.A cybrarian or internet and online researcher.A mediator between database vendors, technical staff and end users.An instructional consultant for teachers and students.An informational resources instructor.A facilities and personnel manager.An acquisitions and collection development expert.An advertising and marketing specialist.

As our job roles change, so must our job descriptions and our staff-ing needs.

Job Descriptions: Librarians will review and update the job description of the Library Media Specialist as well as the job descriptions for library support staff to insure that they properly reflect the requirements of the job.

Promoting Lifelong ReadingThe key role of librarians is to promote lifelong reading and to ensure that the proper resources are in place for the li-brary to best serve its constituents.

Monthly Displays: Each library will promote reading through displays that highlight different themes.

Book Bridge into Summer Reading: A Book Bridge Project will be introduced to purchase a book for each 5th grade student to read over the summer of 2006. Each student will be allowed to select a book from a comprehensive list and once school begins, they will then meet in “literature circles” to talk about the books. This pilot project, initiated by the middle school, will then be used to promote other summer reading and follow-up opportunities for all grade levels in the summer of 2007.

Reading Projects: The librarians plan to increase reading promotions with projects such as read-ins, literature circles, peer reviews in print, morning news programs, student library patron clubs, reading contests, sustained silent reading, book clubs, reading buddies, book fairs and other events.

We believe that the library should be the heart and soul of any school. It is the gathering place for access to great ideas and for sharing and collaboration. School libraries support, enrich and enhance the curriculum and then allow us the latitude and resources to explore beyond the courses offered. Next year we will enter the second stage of our Curriculum Review. We welcome your input in this process and look forward to meeting you. All parents at SAS are automatically signed up as library patrons, so the next time you are at SAS stop by one of our division libraries and talk to us about how we can best serve your needs.

Libraries at SAS

17Libraries at SAS

one of the recommendations from the Library Study Year was to develop a meaningful philosophy that represented all four Libraries at SAS. Betsy Chmelik, Middle School Librarian, provided the leadership in this area of development. After a few revisions, the following emerged as the stated Mission and Phi-

losophy for Libraries at SAS:

SAS Library MissionThe mission of the school library is to support and enrich the curriculum taught at the school, promote life-long learning, and promote life-long reading by using a variety of strategies to promote recreational reading for leisure and personal growth.

SAS Library PhilosophyQuality libraries and library programs are recognized as essential ingredients in the educational process at the Singapore American School. SAS students are entitled to libraries that provide access to resources that are ap-propriate to their age and ability levels, that help them to develop information literacy skills, and that promote reading for information, for problem solving and for recreation.

The time-honored delivery system for information has been the printed book. While books still hold an important place in our school library collections, information may be more efficiently provided through electronic books, audio or video sources, online databases or internet websites. The function of contemporary library service is to find the most appropriate format for information, teach our students how to use it and, in some instances, how to produce it. The library may be the venue where innovations for learning are introduced. The resources selected for the libraries must be relevant, should support and be consistent with the educational goals of the school, and should, ultimately, foster curiosity about topics beyond the curriculum and generate a desire for life-long learn-ing.

Information literacy skills are the tools any learner needs to access and use information effectively. Incorporated in meaningful ways in the school curriculum, these skills enable members of the learning commu-nity to locate, evaluate, synthesize, and communicate information. As informa-tion specialists, the library professionals must take the initiative to collaborate with teachers to ensure that our students attain our adopted information literacy standards. There is equally an ex-pectation that all staff will effectively use the library to promote student learning.

The SAS libraries also foster a culture of reading throughout the school community. The libraries have collections that appeal to a wide variety of interests and reading levels, from the beginning reader to the education professional, from interested parents to re-luctant adolescents. The libraries host guest speakers and authors who contribute to the free flow of ideas that libraries represent. Li-braries are the guardians of society’s collective memory; the Prima-ry, Intermediate, Middle and High School libraries fill that role for the constituencies that comprise the Singapore American School.

Responsive, relevant libraries will help to create responsible, adept and adaptable global citizens who are critical thinkers and ethical consumers of information. Never before have we been faced with such an overwhelming quantity of information, nor have we had such an array of ways to access it. The librarians and the libraries play a crucial role in preparing students to competently and confidently participate in that world.

18

Music Time with a Difference!By Mr. Darrell Townshend, Middle School Strings Teacher

in mid-April, the pre-school classes of Mr. Matthew and pre-K class of Mrs. Heidi made a trip to the Middle School for music lessons with a difference.

Advanced Strings and Advanced Strings 6 provided the content for stringed instrument music lessons for our young Mozarts. Using creative play, demon-stration, action activities, and hands-on try-outs, the boys and girls from the Early Childhood Center (and some parents!) learned about the violin, viola, cello and double bass. Boys and girls sang Twinkle Twinkle, Rowed a Boat, marched, and had an imaginary lunch before being chased by a Troll, all to an orchestral accompaniment! Children were then able to work with MS stu-dents to try out the instruments. The big hit was the double bass!

Many thanks to Mr. Matthew and Mrs. Heidi for having their children come to MS Strings. The experience was a very good cross-age teaching/learning experience for Advanced Stings and Advanced Strings 6, and they enjoyed working with their young friends!

TV Turnoff Week/MS Strings

Grade 4 Students Turnoff Their TV’sBy Mark Davidson, 4th Grade Teacher

last month, for the first time ever, Grade 4 students at Singapore American School were encouraged to participate in TV-Turnoff Week. Beginning April 24th

students were challenged to go a whole week, including the weekend, without turning on their TV’s. Despite this being a very daunting prospect for many students, almost 70 stu-dents successfully completed the challenge. To verify that they didn’t watch any TV, the students and their parents were asked to keep a TV viewing log and sign it each day to say they didn’t watch any TV. The students who success-fully went the whole week without watching TV received a certificate of achievement. TV-Turnoff Week is promoted by the TV Turnoff Network, a nonprofit organization that encourages children and adults to watch less television in order to promote healthier lives and communities (http://www.tvturnoff.org). Founded in 1994, TV Turnoff Network is dedicated to the belief that we all have the power to determine the role that television plays in our own lives. Rather than waiting for others to make “better” TV, we can turn it off and reclaim time for our families, our friends, and for ourselves.

Some of the Grade 4 TV Turnoff Participants

19MS Choir Trip

AMIS - An Association of Friendship and MusicBy Pat Brown, MS Choir Teacher

every year, every state in the US has High School, Middle School, and Elementary School All-State Music Festivals. After a

rigorous audition process only the best and most talented performers are invited to perform.

In 1975, a group of international school music teachers based in the UK decided to organize an honor band and choir festival for high school stu-dents. Shortly thereafter the festival expanded to in-clude students from Europe, and later incorporated schools in the Middle East and Asia as well. The international community quickly embraced this academic and social opportunity, so they continued

having the festival each year. Soon, out of this one festival came two, then three, then more, and in 1995, the people organizing these festivals decided that they needed a formal organization. They needed to give themselves a name. The main purpose of the festivals was to bring together students and teachers from different cultures to create music and friendships, so it seemed fitting to incorporate both music and friendship into the name. Hence, the Association for Music in International Schools was born. Take the letters A-M-I-S and you spell the French word for “friends,” AMIS (pronounced “ah-MEE”). This year, AMIS celebrated its tenth anniversary and its seventh year as an official non-profit organization registered in the UK. During the academic 2005-2006 year, AMIS hosted ten music festivals for middle and high school students and four academic and/or professional workshops.

The SAS Middle School Choir represented SAS for the first time ever at an AMIS event by auditioning and sending six delegates to the 2004 Middle School Mixed Honor Choir in London. Since then several music groups have attended AMIS festivals. SAS High School Strings, Middle School Strings, Middle School Band, and Middle School Choir have attended AMIS festivals in England, Turkey, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and China.

In March several SAS High School Strings students and their di-rector Stephen Bonnette attended the AMIS festival in Geneva. In April three Middle School groups participated in AMIS festivals. Darrell Townshend, MS Strings director, traveled with six of his students to Vienna. Patricia Brown’s MS choir was represented by six singers in the festival in Munich, Germany, and three of Brian White’s instrumentalists were chosen to play in the AMIS Band Festival in Beijing.

Guest conductors for each festival are chosen by the AMIS Board of Directors. It is an honor to be chosen from a large number of very talented conductors. Darrell Townshend of SAS Middle School di-rected the AMIS Middle School Strings Festival in Vienna this year. Patricia Brown has been invited to conduct the AMIS Middle School Honor Choir in 2008. SAS will host an AMIS festival, The Interna-tional Middle School Honor Choir, in late April of 2007. It will be our first opportunity to host an AMIS event. The European schools are very excited about coming to Singapore and visiting SAS.

20Chinese Trip to Beijing

Beijing - Facts of the PastBy Jared Broadman, 5th Grade Student

welcome to Beijing!! About 70 SAS students and parents went on an educational tour to Beijing for one week during the last week of March. In this trip, we got to see an amateur Kung Fu (‘wu shu’ in

Mandarin) show, the Children’s Palace, the Temple of Heaven, the Forbid-den City, a Silk Factory, the Beijing Opera School, a Beijing Acrobat show, the Summer Palace, a Chinese Jade Factory, Tian An Men Square, a profes-sional Kung Fu show, an Acrobat show, a Chinese school (for kids only), and probably the most important highlight of the trip: The Great Wall of China.

All of us headed out to a Martial arts school on Sunday. There was a demonstration of kung fu. In the end, everyone got into groups and each group was assigned a master. The master taught us 10 basic moves and some forms of cool kung fu kicks.

On the weekdays, the children all headed off to a Chinese school early in the morning. At the school, we learned traditional Chinese crafts, like knot tying, calligraphy, opera mask-decorating, etc. At a silk factory, we learned that one silk worm can spin 1,600m of silk, and that silk never tears. Did you know that a silk worm, fully grown, is a special kind of moth? Maybe you will see it in your closet one day! Beijing Opera was interesting, but the stories were a bit hard to follow even though they had the English translation for all to see during the performance.

At the Forbidden City, we found that the emperor owned 999 rooms. I joked that the emperor had his architects design for the future tourists that would be coming to visit as well. Speaking of which, it took seven years to plan and another seven years to build the Forbidden City. Some wood that made up the pillars was among the highest qualities in the Qing dynasty from Hunan province, which, I suspected the emperor didn’t even notice. In the courtyard, there is no tree. Why? Because a tree and a courtyard put together signified difficulty -- and you could guess that the emperor didn’t want any task to be difficult for him. In front of his office, there is a male lion putting his paw on top of a globe, which meant that the men rule the world. On the other side of the entrance, there is a female lion embracing a baby lion, which meant that women care for the young.

We went to a ‘hutong’ too. A ‘hutong’ is a traditional Chinese alley, and, there are so many ‘hutongs’ in Beijing that if all of them were lined up together, it would equal a distance longer than the Great Wall! We got to view some ‘hutongs’ by going on a trishaw ride which was really fun. Our SAS group made up one long parade of tri-shaws. After that, we went to the bell tower. That bell tower held a 660 ton (or thereabouts) bell that was rung during the day to tell people time.

The main highlight of the trip was the Great Wall. My family and I climbed to the utmost top available to touring. I counted all the steps I went on. 1,519 steps, I counted, but the tour guide later said there were 1,523 steps in this section. Still, I think that was a pretty good count considering we stopped to take pictures and enjoy the scenery many times along the way. Mao wrote on a stone, “You are never a true hero until you have climbed the Great Wall.” I hope all of you are planning to go on the Beijing Educational Trip. Beijing was a blast!!

21MS Drama/HS Student Author

“Why?” you ask. Simply because cast members from the classic musical, West Side Story, came to visit 8th grade drama classes on Friday, April 21st. That’s

right! The group of nine included the actors who played, among them, Officer Krupke, Doc, Maria & Anita (both of whom sang for us), with five other dancing/singing men and women who were members of either the Jets or the Sharks. They came to the Middle School drama classroom to answer questions about being actors, which included some hilarious moments from their varied ex-periences. Our audience was comprised of eighth grade drama students, along with some MS choir members and dancers. After having seen the show, meeting some of the cast members in person was a dream come true! Long after they left, a buzz of excitement hung over the eighth graders that attended. Each and every one probably boasted about the experience with friends and family.

Talking with professional actors about their careers, experiences, and lifestyles was a unique opportunity for us drama, music, and dance enthusiasts. Some questions that came up were about the audition process, their most embarrassing moments on stage, and what kinds of problems occur on tours. We were given some excellent advice regarding audi-tions, such as, “Go to every one you possibly can get to!” The embarrassing moments included bloody injuries and some really scary moments when lines were completely lost during performances! It was surprising to find out first-hand about the sicknesses and injuries that occur on tour: One of their players was in hospital here in Singapore, post-surgery, and another had just got his voice back. Actors must be very flexible and prepared people, as an understudy might sud-denly be called upon for any given performance!

When I later attended the (excellent!) show, my enjoyment was certainly increased by the fact that I recognized so many of the players. Overall, it was a wonderful opportunity that we were lucky to experience. Personally, I had a lot of fun meeting and talking with the cast. My only regret?...That we couldn’t have had more time with them! Thanks to Ms. Meyer and Ms. Mollie Whitson for arranging a memorable afternoon.

Rachel Witt - Student AuthorBy Bill Rives, HS Faculty

the upcoming Summer 2006 edition of The Concord Review, “a quarterly review of essays by students of history,” with subscribers throughout the US and in 33 countries (our library subscribes), will publish a paper by SAS high school stu-

dent, Rachel Witt. Rachel, a member of the Class of 2007, wrote on The Cuban Missile Crisis, and did the work in her sophomore year for a term paper in History and Govern-ment of the United States.

The Concord Review remains the only quarterly journal in the world to publish the academic work of secondary students. To publish in The Concord Review is competi-tive and prestigious. Many of the articles come from IB Extended Essay work or from courses in AP US History. The publication is endorsed by Harvard Admissions Dean Bill

Fitzsimmons, Yale Admissions Dean Richard Shaw, Ted Sizer, Arthur Schlesinger, and David McCullough, among others.

This is the second time SAS has had an article published in The Concord Review. 1994 Masahiko Endo published a paper on Frank Lloyd Wright.

To read more about The Concord Review, visit their website at http://www.tcr.org/tcr/index.htm.

I Feel Pretty ... Cool!By Yuvika Tolani, 8th Grade Drama Student

22Community Service

Grade Seven’s Tiger ChallengeBy Ian Coppell, Middle School Teacher

in April 2005 the seventh grade (now Grade 8) raised over S$19,000 in an incredible effort to help children in the Indian state of Rajasthan. The money goes to the Prakratik Society which was recently featured on the

BBC and was honoured by receiving the Ashden Award for Sustainable De-velopment.

The money went to improve the quality of edu-cation among the children that live around Ranthamb-hore, a National Park in Rajasthan. Goverdhan Ra-thore, the Director of the Prakratik Society responded to our donation by saying, “…it is inspiring to know that the young generation is so deeply concerned about their environment no matter where on earth it may be en-dangered.”

More specifically the funds raised in 2005 have helped purchase four computers which will allow the Ranthambhore community to increase the number of students from the villages who get free computer education. They are mostly from local village schools for whom even seeing a computer is rare. The funds will also help support the books for female students from the villages and will enable the society to run the village school bus free of cost for all the village children (more than 40) who attend school on scholarships. The funds also helped support the mobile library that the Prakratik Society maintains for the 4000 children that are part of their nature clubs.

The name of the fundraiser is the ‘Tiger Challenge’. The grade seven students created a huge bank of geography ques-tions. Through an arduous selection process the number was whittled down to 150. Students then learned these ques-tions and answers and were tested on them in the auditorium. Students had secured pledges for the amount of questions they successfully answered.

This year 32 students scored 100%, an incredible feat considering the variety of questions. At the time of press money was still being collected and it is hoped that we can raise as much as 2005 and help as many people in Ranthambhore break out of the Cycle of Poverty as possible.

Several SAS teachers and parents have visited Ranthambhore over the last few years, and have shared positive feedback regarding the positive support SAS has given the villages in the area. It is believed that only about 15 tigers remain, but it is hoped that each and every dollar raised will help raise awareness of the importance of protecting the remaining tigers of Ranthambhore and help the people living close to their habitat.

23Faculty

Eagles Roar in the Lion City - The JP Morgan Corporate Challenge 2006By Ian Coppell, SAS Team CaptainPhotos by Paul Griffin, HS Faculty

on a cool, damp Wednesday in late April over 11,400 partici-pants from the Singapore corporate world took part in the third Singapore version of the JPMorgan Corporate Chal-

lenge at the Padang. SAS had 99 participants, up from 71 in 2005 and 39 in 2004. In 2005 our Women’s Team swept the honors and represented Singapore in the Championship in New York. We had set a very high standard for ourselves. Resplendent in vivid yellow the teachers, administrators, aides, technicians, nurses, and security personnel representing SAS battled to secure decent starting line positions. The overcast conditions were excellent for fast times and our crew of volunteers waiting at the finish knew that our team had done well by the high number of SAS shirts crossing the finish line early on.

It took some strategizing to decide to enter our fastest two women and fastest two men in the Mixed category but it paid off and the Singapore Police were toppled as Andrew Hallam, Ian Coppell, Annika Ferrell, and Cary Greegor will represent Singapore in New York in October. Their combined time beat the Gurkha Contingent by nearly three minutes and was fast enough to have won the recent Johannesburg race. Such was the strength of our ladies’ team that our women filled seven of the top 22 places. Our 3rd to 6th place women won the female category by over nine minutes from the Inland Revenue Authority. Katherine Hallam, Becky Green, Lau-ren Mehrbach, and Wendy Liddell will also travel to New York in October. Hopefully, our NY-bound athletes will again meet up with some former SAS students in the Big Apple prior to the race and strengthen SAS alumni relations.

For the same organization to have two teams represented in the championship is an incredible achievement, especially when there were 298 companies taking part in Singapore. The competitive element of the race is evident, but the themes of healthy lifestyle habits, camaraderie and team-building are perhaps the fundamental goals of the event, and the major reasons why Singapore American School continues to be an active and successful participant. All the runners, joggers, strollers and volunteers who represented the school had fun and although participation is a key theme of the event, win-ning is a very powerful stimulus and we hope to increase our number of entries in 2007!

SAS Teachers Win Ambassador’s Cup Golf TournamentBy Chip Miller, MS Faculty

steve Betts, Eric Burnett, Steve Bonnette, and Frans Grimbergen brought fame and glory to the Singapore American School once again as they captured the 2006 Ambassador’s Cup championship on Saturday, May 6! The American Association of Singapore sponsored “Texas Scramble” golf tournament was held at the

Palm Resort in Malaysia and saw over seventy teams, including five teams of SAS teachers, try to walk away with this year’s trophy. Playing on the Chempaka course, Team Betts put together a seven-under-par round which placed them in a tie with a team led by another SAS teacher, Mark Guggisberg. However, Team Betts won the tie breaker and advanced to the two-hole playoff against the winning team from Palm Resort’s other course, Allamanda. With a large contingent following them, SAS’s Team Betts handled the playoff pressure beautifully. On the first playoff hole, Steve Betts hit the team’s tee shot into the middle of the fairway, Eric Burnett followed with an 8 iron shot onto the green, Steve Bonnette hit his 25 foot putt to within three feet, and Frans Grimbergen knocked in the three footer to finish off the par. This proved to be the match, as their opponents self-destructed, taking an eleven on the hole! Congratulations again to Steve, Eric, Steve and Frans!

SAS 1st Place Ladies Team: Wendy Liddell, Katherine Hallam, Becky Green, and Lauren Mehrbach

SAS 1st Place Mixed Team(L-R): Ian Coppell, Cary Greegor, Annika Ferrell and Andrew Hallam

24National French Contest

Le Grand ConcoursBy Christina Popowski, High School French Teacher

on March 21st and 22nd SAS high school students studying French levels 1 – 4 competed with just over 100,000 of their peers in all 50 United States and at an international school

in Israel in the 71st annual Le Grand Concours or National French Contest. This competition is sponsored by the American Associa-tion of Teachers of French and students are evaluated for their writ-ten, oral and listening comprehension skills in the language. The results were recently sent to the French teachers at SAS and they were extremely pleased with the results. They were also pleasant-ly surprised to learn that the scores of 34 students at SAS ranked among the top 10 best national scores.

AATF President Margot Steinhart stated that “Our students who rank nationally in this competition reflect well on the schools and French programs from which they come. They also constitute an asset in our nation’s response to produce citizens with multilingual capabilities, who can work and interact successfully in a global community.”

French teachers Christina Popowski and Laurence Patrick were pleased to see that over 75 % of SAS students in French levels 1 – 3 scored at or above the national average and nearly 90% of the French 4 students scored at or above the national average.

All of the participating students and their teachers are to be congrat-ulated for their achievement. The 34 students who ranked nationally will be awarded a certificate of achievement as well as a prize which will hopefully inspire them to further their studies in French.

Jose Acevedo

Jared Djuhar

In-Woo Jung Hui Xiang Koh Esha Sondhi

Alexander Kua

Peter Bardon

Sanskriti Ayyar

Tatiana Gerebtzoff

Kailen Gilde

L-R: Matthew Bardon, Brian Leung, Peck Yang, Alex Hoffer, Daksha Rajagopalan

L-R: Karen Ngo, Jessica Lin, Alice Grgas, Evelyn Lo, Evan Edmond

Level 1 -------- RankEsha Sondhi 7Alexander Kua 8Jose Acevedo 10

Level 2 -------- RankWinnie Ma 2Emily Brotman 5Emma Sheldon 5Peter Bardon 6Sanskriti Ayyar 8Jacqueline Whitaker 8Bryna Djuhar 9Jhila Farzaneh 9Karin Ito 9Mairead Ross 9Julia Vasko 9Jon Cheng 10In-Woo Jung 10

Level 3 -------- RankMallika Rao 6Duncan Benjamin 8Elisabeth Stocking 8Natalie Ong 9Tatiana Gerebtzoff 10Kailen Gilde 10

Level 4 -------- RankAlex Hoffer 2Evan Edmond 4Karen Ngo 4Evelyn Lo 6Alice Grgas 7Matthew Bardon 8Jared Djuhar 8Hui Xiang Koh 8Jessica Lin 8Brian Leung 9Daksha Rajagopalan 9Peck Yang 10

25National French Contest/IS Marathon Club

Marathon Club in the IS

from April 10th to May 11th, 3rd through 5th grades students had the chance to participate in the first ever SAS Marathon Club. For those accepting the challenge, the Marathon Club gave students an opportunity to run at least one mile per day over a month, with the goal of running a grand total of at least 26 miles

(not coincidentally the same distance as a marathon). Over 130 students signed up for the Marathon Club and 80 completed all 26 miles.

The Marathon Club met in the mornings before school at 7:50am and ran a mile with the elementary PE teachers on the high school track. Students also had the option of running at home on their own time. It was the student’s responsibility to keep track of the miles on a running log and parents monitored their progress. At the end of the month the students who completed all 26 miles were rewarded with the official Marathon Club t-shirt.

Congratulations to the students who participated (too many to list in a short article) in the Marathon Club. By joining the Marathon Club, students were able to set a firm goal and then work hard (sweaty hard!) to meet that goal. It wasn’t always easy and it wasn’t always exciting, but they knew in the end it was worth it. All the stu-dents involved were promoting both individual and family fitness. It was exciting to watch the miles get easier as they went along and to hear how some families were jogging together. The effort and dedication of the runners is commendable. Good job Marathon Clubbers. The Intermediate School PE department thanks you and we look forward to another fun Marathon Club next year.

L-R: Emily Brotman, Julia Vasko, Emma Sheldon, Jackie Whitaker, Karin Ito, Jhila Farzaneh

L-R: Emily Brotman, Julia Vasko, Emma Sheldon, Jackie Whitaker, Karin Ito, Jhila Farzaneh

IASAS

Softball in JakartaBOYS:1. SAS 5-02. ISKL 4-13. ISB 3-24. TAS 2-35. JIS 1-46. ISM 0-5

ALL- TOURNAMENT: Casey BrightAkio Takahashi Jeff KreuterDaichi Moriyama

GIRLS:1. SAS 4-12. JIS 4-13. TAS 2-34. ISB 3-25. ISM 1-46. ISKL 1-4

ALL- TOURNAMENT: Lexi KochHaley SueMichelle LeeVanessa Peck

Badminton In Kuala Lumpur

BOYS:1. TAS 5-02. ISKL 4-13. ISB 3-24. JIS 2-35. SAS 2-36. ISM 1-4

GIRLS:1. TAS 5-02. SAS 3-23. ISB 3-24. JIS 2-35. ISKL 2-36. ISM 5-0

Third Season IASAS SportsTrack and Field: Continue a decade-long winning streakSoftball: Gold medals for boys and girls teamsGirls Badminton: First time silver medal – a strong 2nd place finishBoys Badminton: Fifth place finish – an improvement on last year’s performance

Track and Field in Manila

BOYS POINTS:1. SAS 1232. TAS 933. ISM 65.54. ISB 59.55. ISKL 596. JIS 26

GIRLS POINTS:1. SAS 141.52. JIS 118.53. TAS 704. ISM 395. ISKL 316. ISB 28

introduce a child to the wonders of Bach performed live,chaperone a trip to the ballet or symphony,

help host a children’s art show,provide refreshments for a choir,

help a teacher to help a child,create quiet reading corners on campus,

archive our extensive art collection,build community through creation of community spaces,

plan a museum outing,bring visiting artists to campus,consult on campus aesthetics,

witness students waltz for the very first time,expand our after school opportunities,engender a positive learning climate,

send a personal invitation to a performer’s parent,create display space on campus,

lend support to teachers and administrators,provide dinner to hungry performers,

host a poetry reading,

develop the talents in others by utilizing your own.

The Arts Council’s vision is as diverse as it is far-reaching. Please consider donating your time in the upcoming school year so that we may

continue to enrich the experiences of our growing school community.

mary gruman at wishforpar@pacific.net.sgviki zulkoski at cabbydog@pacific.net.sg