Singapore American School Newsflash, May 2007

Volume 9, Issue 9-06/07 - May 2007MICA (P) 195/08/2006

A Singapore American School community service publication

NewsNewsFlashFlash

BoB Gross MovinG on

SAS Superintendent leaving in June to

work for the US State Department

25th Anniversary of IASAS Celebrated at Singapore American School Pg. 30

PTA Volunteer Appreciation Tea Pg. 24

New SASUniformGuidelines Pg. 6

� SAS NewsFlash – May 2007

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Are You Receiving What’s Happening at SAS?

We are sending all parents and guardians a regular weekly What’s Happening at SAS newsletter by email. If you have not been receiving the weekly email, probably we do not have your correct email ad-dress. Send us an email at [email protected] to give us your current email address. The distri-bution can include both parent email addresses. The weekly What’s Happening at SAS will also be posted on the website at http://www.sas.edu.sg.

We welcome input from the community associated with Singapore American School

(No issue iN JuNe/July)

August NewsFlAsh

Deadline: July 18, 2007Publication Date: August 6, 2007

Email Community NewsInput to [email protected]

Email Trading PostInput to [email protected]

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

RegulaRs3 - Superintendent’s Message7 - Calendar Highlights22 - Booster Club News23 - SAS PTA President Letter

sas HigHligHts4 - Bob Gross Moving On6 - New SAS Uniform Guidelines8 - 8th Grade Service Learning9 - Getting a Taste for Culture10 - Teachers Training Teachers in Cambodia11 - 8th Grade Meets the Challenge12 - “The Chain of Kindness” - Kids CAN Make a Difference!13 - Grade 4, Swim-a-thon14 - Reaching Out to Our Neighbors15 - MS Model United Nations - MATHCOUNTS16 - Knowledge Bowl17 - Local Photographer Speaks to Students18 - Le Grand Concours19 - Tournament of Minds20 - Foreign Language Curriculum21 - Vive Le Monde Francophone26 - NAHS - NJAHS28 - Our First Conceto Concert - Pre-Sch & K’s ‘Fantasia‘ Experience30 - 25th Anniversary IASAS at SAS

Robert GrossSuperintendent of Schools

Rhonda NorrisAsst. Superintendent

Business

David HossPrincipal

Primary School

Marian DeGrootPrincipal

Intermediate School

Robert GodleyPrincipal

Middle School

David NorcottPrincipal

High School

Mark BoyerAsst. Superintendent

Curriculum and Instruction

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 GribbonStaff Editor: Mr. Scott DuncanLayout Design: Ms. Joey Lew

�SAS NewsFlash – May 2007

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T he 2006-07 school year waltzed in under the shadow of the school’s 50th anniver-sary that was celebrated last year. On reflection, a few significant happenings have taken place this school year that are worth noting as the history of SAS continues

to be recorded. They include:

1) Shelley DeFord and Sally Greene will be leaving the Board of Governors af-ter serving for eight years because their youngest children will be graduat-ing from SAS. Shelley has served as Chairman of the Board for the past three years, effectively leading the Board through years of tremendous growth. Sal-ly has served as Chairman of the Curriculum committee for the past several

years. They have had a profound and significant impact in the life of SAS.

2) Melanie Chew, who has served on the Board of Governors for six years, will also be leaving the Board because her youngest child at SAS will be graduating. Melanie is a native Singaporean and the only member of the Board of Governors that is also an alumna of SAS. The vision and insight that she contributed to the Board has been invaluable.

3) The school received the largest single financial contribution, throughout its history, with the donation of $3,000,000 from the Stephen Riady family for the enhancement of the Performing Arts area and the development of the Memory Garden.

4) The Star Appeal dinner held at the Goodwood Park Hotel as a benefit for the SAS Education Foundation net-ted a total of $400,000. The contributions came from the parent and corporate community. The Khoo Founda-tion sponsored the dinner making it possible for all of the donations to be directed toward the enhancement of the academic and extra curricular program at SAS as well as supporting the Endowment Fund.

5) The Board hired Brent Mutsch as the Superintendent of Schools effective for the 2007-08 school year after receiving my resignation following eight years as head of schools at SAS.

6) The school reached another significant milestone in the life of SAS by breaking all previous enrollment records with a student body count of 3,770. The campus is now at capacity and the Board and community are faced with a similar circumstance that has confronted Boards a number of times throughout the history of SAS. Should we simply put out a No Vacancy sign or do we respond to the significant demand for admission by building a second campus?

Of course, the really significant happening at SAS is what takes place daily with the brilliant teaching, thrill-ing artistic endeavors, exciting athletic achievements, school-community partnerships and path breaking student wonderment—it’s all in a day’s work. The real success of this school year is always difficult to quantify but we hope it is in the product of how our students view learning and approach the opportunities before them.

I am completing 43 years as a teacher and school administrator, the last eight years as Superintendent of Schools at SAS. For many reasons, I’m grateful for this length of service and certainly one of them is because it has taught me that our egos and titles aren’t important—how we work with others and how mindful we remain of others are the important pieces of this work. The memories of my years at SAS are rich. On reflection, I hope one of my greatest accomplishments at SAS was to create an environment where faculty and staff can do in more spectacular ways what they’re here to do. It has been exciting to be in a position to create and build in a manner that allows for new possibilities. With your continued support, our faculty and staff will continue to unleash those possibilities for our students and for our community.

Thank you all for the privilege of service.

Bob Gross Superintendent of Schools


T he parents, students and staff of Singapore American School will be saying goodbye to a good friend at the end of the school term. Not an unusual occurrence. The transient nature of the school community means that every year many teachers and students

and their families leave behind good friends and fond memories, moving on to a new school in a different country. However, this year, the friend that is leaving SAS is Bob Gross, who has served as Superintendent of Schools for the past eight years. The school community will long remember the positive impact he has had on SAS.

During Bob’s tenure, the enrollment at SAS grew from 2,600 to 3,770 students, which was made possible by a $75 million building project adding classrooms, supporting facilities and enhancements to accommodate the growth of the student body in a way that supported and improved their educational experience. With his leadership, the building project was completed on time, within budget and without debt. Because of Bob, even with substantial growth, SAS continues to maintain the personal touches of a much smaller school; a place where students are taught by passionate faculty who encourage them to learn by exploring and challenging themselves and where students gain the skills that will enable them to continue to learn far into the future.

When he leaves SAS in June, Bob will be finishing his 26th year as a superintendent and his 43rd year as an educator. Work-ing in public education in the United States as a teacher, an administrator and finally as a superintendent for eighteen years, he came to Singapore eight years ago with no experience in international education. It quickly became evident that this lack of international experience was not going to be an issue as SAS and Bob Gross have grown together over the past eight years. It has been an incredible journey and has set SAS on course for a strong future.

Steering a steady course of growth for SAS over the past eight years, Bob has implemented many positive changes at the school. The increased diversity of the student body has brought a more international feel to the American school and over 50 nationalities are now represented at SAS. The modern language program, in particular Mandarin, has been enhanced and now offers Mandarin teaching at all grade levels. Art and music programs at SAS have been improved: the new high school facility boasts a fine arts suite and three different Advanced Placement (AP) courses in art. At the elementary level, student work is showcased throughout the school and every student has an opportunity to explore their interests in the arts. Music

Bob Gross Moving OnSAS Superintendent leaving in June to work for the US State Department


programs offer vocal and instrumental courses for students at all grade levels, with the addition of an orchestra in more recent years. The high school now offers 28 AP courses, and almost 100 percent of high schools students take at least one AP course during their time at SAS. Students’ special needs have been prioritized, whether through enrichment or remedial services, so that all students have the opportunity to reach their potential and excel. After-school activities have been expanded, includ-ing an elementary program, allowing students the opportunity to enjoy many academic and non-academic interests beyond the traditional school day. Community service has become a part of the fabric of the school, providing opportunities for SAS students to give back to the Singapore community. These changes, along with many others, speak to the myriad of ways that Bob has left his mark on SAS. He would be the first to say that SAS can continue to improve and that the school should always work to make things better. But, with his guidance during the past eight years, the school has thrived and is ready to take on any new challenges.

In recognition of his great leadership at SAS, in 2006 Bob Gross was named the International School Superintendent of the Year by the Association for the Advancement of International Education (AAIE), the preeminent organization for American and international education which is also the group in the United States that speaks for American international schools. He has also served on the board of directors for the East Asia Regional Council of Overseas Schools (EARCOS) for the past five years, most recently as vice-president, sharing his vision and leadership with other interna-tional schools in Asia.

When Bob leaves Singapore in June, he will be moving to Washington D.C. to work for the United States Department of State, Office of Overseas Schools, where he will be responsible for calling on interna-tional schools in Western Europe.

Bob Gross has led SAS with great passion and caring for the past eight years. He will be missed by the entire SAS community.


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28 HS Final Exams (Periods 1 & 2) 8:00am – 12:00noon Grade 8 Student-Led Conference29 MS Students Early Dismissal 11:30am HS Final Exams (Periods 7 & 8) 8:00am – 12:00noon HS Senior Brunch 1:00pm HS Senior Photo 2:00pm Grade 8 Graduation 5:00pm / Reception 6:30pm (Auditorium)30 Alternate Dress Day HS Students Early Dismissal 11:30am Last Day of School for Students PS/IS/MS Report Cards Go Home Grade 6 & 7 Student-Led Conference HS Commencement 6:00pm (NUS)31 VESAK DAY (NO SCHOOL)

May 2007 * Campus Mosquito Fogging, every Sunday 5:00pm – 7:00pm

21 Booster Club General Meeting 9:30am (H301)21-22 HS Decathlon 3:15pm – 6:15pm22 PTA Joint Board Meeting 9:30am (PTA Office) Community Calendar Meeting 11:00am (H301) HS Advance Acting Performance 4:30pm (Drama Theater)23 Alternate Dress Day Booster Club Popcorn Day HS Final Exams Review Day24 HS Final Exams (Periods 3 & 4) 8:00am – 12:00noon25 HS Final Exams (Periods 5 & 6) 8:00am – 12:00noon HS Academics/Service/Activities Awards Evening 7:00pm (Drama Theater) Grade 8 Graduation Dance 7:00pm – 10:00pm (MS Cafeteria)

Jun 1- Aug 12 SUMMER BREAK (NO SCHOOL)

June 2007* Campus Mosquito Fogging, every Sunday 5:00pm – 7:00pm

2 SAT & Subject Tests

Invoices for school fees for the first semester of the 2007-2008 school year were mailed the second week of May. All school fees for the first semester must be paid in full by August 1, 2007 to reserve a space in the school and ensure students can attend when classes begin on August 13, 2007. Late payment of fees will put the stu-dent’s enrollment at risk and they may be subject to re-enrollment fees and waitlists for admission.

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The Singapore government has announced that the GST rate will be increased from 5% to 7% effective July 1, 2007. The 5% GST will apply for payment of school fees received before July 1, 2007. However, GST will be charged at 7% for fees received after July 1, 2007.

GST INCreASe


8th Grade Service learning – Supporting a School in CambodiaBy Ann Godley, MS Teacher and Rob Godley, MS Principal

T his year SAS’s 8th grade teachers piloted a service learning project with all of their stu-dents. Conceived by the social studies team, this interdisciplinary program consisted of supporting activities in Homebase, Social Studies, RLA and Science. As one of the

choices for completing the 8th grade service learning project, students were given the opportu-nity to travel to Cambodia to take part in working with a school in the community of Bakong, just outside of Siem Reap.

In April, the beauty of Cambodia and its people greeted the group of SAS middle school stu-dents and their sponsors over the Easter weekend. Fifty 8th graders, ten parents and five staff members ventured to Siem Reap in partnership with Caring for Cambodia and the Amelio Schools. The group’s jobs included house building, beautifying the school, converting an old storage shed into a kindergarten, and sharing talents with the local children. During their three day adventure, students spent their mornings at the work site followed by a respite in the pool in the afternoon. Evening activities consisted of touring the regal temples and exploring local markets. Dinner was composed of pizza, sandwiches, and some delicious Khmer food in local restaurants.

When the students first arrived they were ushered on to busses and off to work. After a half hour ride, they reached the Bakong School, one of the several Amelio Schools. The children of Bakong were on a school break, but several dozen smiling students were at the school to greet us and see what the commotion was all about. The red dirt, dust, and heat met the kids as they stepped off the busses. Smiling and ready to work, they were split into three teams.

The house building team headed off to their site next to the school. They were faced with the task of hammering down floorboards and weaving palm fronds into walls for the house. Dusty, dirty and sweating, the students worked very hard during the morning hours.

Another team helped to clean out an old shed that was full of pieces of concrete, broken desks, timber and other assorted rubbish. Screams could be heard around the work site every time a spider, mouse, or snake was discovered. The local children found this very amusing to say the least. Once the debris had been cleared, painting began. A sunny yellow hue now graces the outside of the building, while a turquoise blue/green was painted on the inside of the classroom. While the restoration of the shed was being completed, adjacent to it, students were spreading mortar on the new brick wall that will house a generator. The final touches for the kindergarten will be put in place this month when another group arrives to complete the work.

The final group of students worked in the library. The students rolled up their sleeves and began the messy business of cleaning dusty books, shelves, and re organizing the entire library. Many supplies were brought to be left at the school: paints, bubbles, paper, cray-ons, and markers. After the library was sparkling, the students took time to paint together with the local kids. Chalk drawings were made, friendship bracelets woven and rainbow fish sparkled as they were dangled across the classrooms.

The local children, using hesitant English mixed with Khmer and a lot of sign language, communicated with the SAS students and showed their ap-

preciation for all that was being done to their school. The satisfaction of the SAS students was shown through their sweat and muddy faces.

After long hot hours in the sun working at the Bakong School, the 8th graders were bussed to a restaurant for lunch and then back to the hotel for a bit of rest. The group toured: Angkor Wat, the grand dame of all the temples; Ta Phrom, the jungle temple; and Bayon, the temple of faces. Some even had the energy to venture on a rather arduous uphill climb to the top of Phnom Bakheng for a view of a spectacular sunset.


8th Grade Service learning – Supporting a School in Cambodia (cont’)By Ann Godley, MS Teacher and Rob Godley, MS Principal

The trip concluded on Easter Sunday. The eighth graders were physically tired but mentally fulfilled after their labors.

For more information about Caring for Cambodia, please visit their web-site: http://www.caringforcambodia.org

Student Quotes:

“I loved the whole trip! Especially when we were cleaning out the rice shed and we saw a mouse and I ran out of the shed screaming.” - Aditi Gang

“Every face I saw, all the smiles from the kid’s faces kept me motivated to work harder and harder. It made me feel as if I wasn’t doing any work.” - Alan McDowell

“It was a fantastic trip. I learned a lot and how I am fortunate to have what I have now and how people need much more stuff than I need. I want to go back and do it again.” - Jason Hjelm

“Cambodia itself was a life changing experience and so was our success. I loved it!” - Annakate Warinner

“When you finish the job there, you feel good because you know that you made a difference. Their life is better because of you.” - Julian Banister

“It really opened my eyes to the people in Cambodia. I never knew it was so serious. Hope to go again!” - Nathan Dobbie

“It made me happy to see the children so joyful when we finished fixing their school.” - Matt Crema

Getting a Taste for CultureBy Joan Magno and Amy Ferguson

G et a taste of Africa without ever leaving the Singapore American School. No, it’s not a literature or language class – it’s the seventh and eighth graders creating delectable edible concoctions in the International Cooking classes. International

Cooking is an elective that gives students the opportunity to experience various cul-tures through the universal language of food. Traditional cuisines from countries such as France, Mexico, Greece, and Sweden (plus many more) are visited throughout the semester. Students not only create popular foods such as pizza and tostadas, but also dis-cover the popularity of more exotic foods such as spicy curries and Greek Easter bread. International perspectives are further enhanced with guest chefs teaching cooking les-sons focused on foods from their particular cultures. This culinary expertise and cultural diversity can be found within easy reach of our school’s faculty and parent community. For example, Mrs. Halima (teacher assistant in the elementary school) shared a Tanzanian salad recipe with fried plantains. In addition, Mrs. Gross (First Lady of SAS) cooked up German pancakes and

Mrs. McDowell (Middle School teacher) had students dipping into a cheese and chocolate fondue. There was even a professional pastry chef, Mrs. Graddy (SAS parent), who whipped up a heavenly chocolate mousse. So have your cake and eat it too in the International Cooking classes while experiencing the world of food and culture. There is a bit a traveling involved – taking these experiences home to share with friends and family.

10 SAS NewsFlash – May 2007

“I am happy, happy BIG, BIG!” was the heartfelt expression Sokunthea shared with us as we departed the grounds of the Amelio School outside Siem Reap, Cambodia. Sokunthea had

been one of six Cambodian teachers who attended our weeklong teach-er training course over Spring Break. As creators and presenters of this course, we too were elated as we drove out the gate, feeling utterly satis-fied after five full days of a challenging but deeply rewarding exchange of professional development with six devoted Cambodian teachers.

Our training was sponsored by Car-ing for Cambodia (CFC) and our primary goal was defined by Ung Savy, CFC’s Super-intendent of Schools in Siem Reap. Savy requested that we train CFC’s recently hired kindergarten teachers in teaching strategies that promote “independent learning.” At present, there is no official kindergarten pro-gram offered in Cambodia’s government schools, and so, the CFC schools (of which there are four) are breaking new ground in this area. An official from Cambodia’s Ministry of Education attended the course, as she too was interested in understanding the needs of kindergarten students.

On Sunday afternoon—our first day of training—we entered one of the current CFC kindergarten classrooms to find forty child-sized chairs arranged in a semicircle facing a blackboard and a single teacher’s chair situated several meters away. The challenges we would face in adapting this classroom for a developmental learning approach became obvious. What we did not realize at the time, however, was that we were going to be working with six extremely receptive Cambodian educators who enthusiastically learned an approach to teaching they did not even know existed.

For the next four days (with the help of Ung Savy as translator) we all worked 12-16 hours a day explaining our approach, modeling strategies in the classrooms with the kids, reflecting and planning with the teach-ers, making materials for the classrooms, shopping for new materials in the local market, laying new flooring, hanging student artwork and even-tually handing over the implementation of these strategies to the CFC teachers who readily understood the tasks at hand and made them their own. The look of delight on the students’ faces as they sat in groups around small tables learning their numbers using materials like paint, whiteboard markers, play dough and threading laces made a challenging and exhausting week all worthwhile.

We, too, are feeling “happy, happy, BIG, BIG” knowing that we helped make a difference for the CFC kindergarten teachers and their students. We realized over the course of that week how very fortunate we are teaching in schools in Singapore where materials are readily available; and how much we have in our rooms which helps to make our jobs so rewarding. We have the utmost respect for the teachers in Cambodia who do this same job with minimal resources, yet manage to touch the hearts and minds of their students in such a generous way. CFC plans to sponsor future teacher training projects and we certainly hope to be a part of them.

For teachers interested in learning more about future teacher training op-portunities at the CFC schools, please visit the CFC website: http://www.caringforcambodia.org

Teachers Training Teachers in CambodiaBy Kaye Bach, Erin Hopper (SAS teachers) and Katie Sansom (Tanglin Trust School)

11SAS NewsFlash – May 2007

A t the start of the school year, each 8th grade social

studies student was giv-en a challenge: do one thing this year to improve the world.

Both the language arts and social studies curricula engage students with dilemmas and injustices from throughout history and ask the question, “Who is responsible?” This year, the teachers decided to take their questions a step further and request that students become more involved in the world.

As with any assigned scholastic task, the students wanted to know the parameters: “How many people do we have to affect?” “What do you mean improve?” “How am I—a middle school student—supposed to make a difference?” Confident that their students would rise to the occasion, the teachers held firm. There was no size limit. There would be no comparisons. Each student had to make his or her own decision how he or she was going to make the world a better place.

Throughout the year, the teachers guided the students towards projects that reflected each student’s individual interests. They shared stories, films, articles, websites, interest inventories, and examples of young people who were already making differences in the world.

The social studies students crafted action plans detailing their proposed actions and their perceived outcomes. After completing their endeavors, students reflected on the experiences, hurdles, and improvements they would make in the future. As expected, the 310 students found their way towards exceptionally meaningful projects and undertakings. Students volunteered at leprosy homes, helped build orphanages, taught classes in Cambodian schools, donated time and labor to organizations helping the disabled, installed energy efficient light bulbs, participated in Eco-Club,

8th Grade Meets the Challenge – Do One Thing to Improve the WorldBy Becky Green, James Villers, and Patrick Green, Grade 8 Teachers

joined Care Corner, worked at the Metta home, raised money for organizations, wrote congresspersons, encouraged people to donate blood, supplied clothes and supplies to needy children, taught disadvantaged youth, cooperated in house-building trips, installed computers in Indonesian schools, volunteered at the SPCA, gave time, gave money, and gave pause.

The pause is where the learning really took place. Upon reflection, the students saw that Margaret Mead’s words rang true, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed it’s the only thing that ever has.”

Reflecting on her efforts in a two minute talk to her social stud-ies class, Haani Mazari shared her insights after extensive work at an orphanage in Pakistan, “The kids needed someone to play with and to bring joy to their day. For a few weeks I was able to help them with their schoolwork and show them that they are loved and important.” After giving up take out containers from the cafeteria for the school year, Torrey Cullen shared how his ef-forts could truly impact the world, “There are over 3000 students at this school. I alone saved about 150 plastic containers from entering landfills. Think about the amount of garbage we could prevent if every student at SAS made the same commitment.”

Middle school students are often stereotyped as operating on an ‘all about me basis.’ While it’s true that they are focused on their own personal growth as they experience this time of enormous change, it’s also true that in the midst of that, they are powerful forces in bettering the world. They have voices, they have ideas, and they have the ability to bring about great initiatives. After spending time with residents at the Singapore Leprosy Home, Lauren Frogley explained that for her, this wasn’t a one-time ex-perience for the sake of a grade and a course fulfillment. “I will absolutely return to spend more time with the people there. I learned to overcome some of my own fears and they helped me as much as I helped them. I look forward to going back!”

Sayaka Yamada and Rebecca Tsai (l to r) working in Cambodia helping to build a house on a Caring for Cambodia trip many 8th grade students went on in April

Haley Kabus and Olivia Cumming (l to r) help-ing clean and set up classrooms and libraries at a school near Siem Reap, Cambodia on the Caring for Cambodia tripKelly Shuster playing with kids at

the Singapore Children’s Home

Natasha Desai (in the blue shirt) and kneeling next to her, Aditi Gang, at the school they volunteered at in India

1� SAS NewsFlash – May 2007

T here have been a number of fundraisers for Tabitha throughout the year. In fact, our kindergarten just raised $2439.15 by do-ing chores at home! The kindergartners understood that, by

getting paid to do home chores, they were collecting money to help families that didn’t have clean water, food, clothes, beds, or other com-forts we take for granted. Congratulations to the kindergarteners, that’s a lot of money!

A student in my class, Jessica White, was motivated to earn money for Tabitha when Mr. George Bach did a counseling lesson in the fourth grade called “The Chain of Kindness.” The fourth graders were giv-en an assignment to actually plan and perform an act of kindness for someone with the hope that the kindness will prompt the second party into doing a kind thing for another person. Jessica put together an ice tea stand which made over $500 with all proceeds going to Tabitha. She motivated her classmates so much that they were happy to join in on Jessica’s subsequent bake sale where the class raised over $500, again for Tabitha. The money raised is being used to purchase wells in Cambodia.

Thanks to Mr. Bach and the intermediate counselors for such a moti-vating lesson. Maybe it will inspire the readers of this article to partici-pate in an act of kindness!

“The Chain of Kindness”By Alice Early, 4th Grade Teacher

Debbie Woodfield’s kindergarten class raised funds to pur-chase pigs for families in Cambodia.

Alice Early’s 4th grade class helped raise funds to purchase wells in Cambodia. Jessica White is in the front row, second from the left.

O n Wednesday, April 25th all grade two students put on their walking shoes and celebrated their 1st Annual Walk-A-Thon on the SAS High School Track from 8.00 - 9.30 am. This Community Service Project was hosted by all

grade two teachers and parent volunteers as well as the Primary School Deputy Prin-cipal, Mr. Ken Schunk. Many younger siblings of the students also attended. As the music played, the students ran, hopped, skipped and walked with friends, parents and teachers to make a difference. The monies raised will help support underprivi-leged school children in Jakarta, Indonesia (www.kampungkids.org) and orphaned elephants in Chiang Mai, Thailand (www.elephantnaturefoundation.org). Thank you to everyone who put on their walking shoes and helped to cre-ate the success of our 1st Annual Grade Two Walk-A-Thon. We definitely found a new way to walk that CAN make a difference!

Kids CAN Make a Difference!

Deputy Principal, Mr. Schunk, put on his walking shoes too!

Parents, siblings and grade two students joined in the fun! Water and fruit help to keep us walking!We’ve got a new way to walk!

1�SAS NewsFlash – May 2007

T he whistle sounded, and I kicked off and dived into the pool among the other students, with the sounds of muffled splashing coming from everywhere. At the

edge of the pool, I could see the parent volunteers standing as they counted the number of laps swum. Overhead, the sun was beating, scorching hot over the swimming pool. I gasped for breath, along with some of the other students as I reached the end of my first lap. It felt good to think that what I and other students had just done would go to a good cause. Then, I took another deep breath as I took the plunge once more.

The Swim-a-thon was a project that all Grade 4 students par-ticipated in during the first two weeks of March, in the Primary School swimming pool. Prior to the event, students would seek pledges from their friends and family. The sponsors could either give a certain amount of money per length swum, or they could donate a fixed amount. Then, the students would collect the money and give it to their teachers.

There were two classes in the swimming pool for each session. Several people always occupied each side of the lane, swimming in an anticlockwise direction, so the students wouldn’t have to wait for people to finish swimming. Also, it was very efficient since it saved lots of time, so that we could do it all in the mere space of 20 minutes. Parent volunteers would stand at the end of each lane, and every time a student finished a length, they would mark it on the blue Swim-a-thon sponsor paper.

The money that was raised went to three organizations. The first is the Advent-ist Rehabilitation Centre, which is located just down the street from SAS, where people who have lost their motor abilities go. The second is the Society for Each Other, which is for local needy children who do not have enough money for school or college. In donating money to this society, it gives these children scholarships for college. The last organization is the Sumatran Orangutan Soci-ety. Here, volunteers distribute seeds or fruit trees across Sumatra, Indonesia. As part of our unit of rainforests, we learned about how animals are being threatened, including the orangutan. From our inquiry, we discovered that they die from being poached for food and pets, and that their habitat is being destroyed due to forests being cleared for logging. In doing the Swim-a-thon, we were able to take action towards an issue that we felt passionate about. Even though we may not be right there in Sumartra, doing it hands on, we are still helping and supporting the people and volunteers who are doing it, which makes us still play a big role.

Many people from Mr. Scott’s class had something to say about the Swim-a-thon. There was a definite feeling of anticipation before the event. “I felt excited before I got into the pool,” said Ross and Arushi, while Julia and Adam said that they felt a bit nervous and jumpy. James said that at the end of the 20 minutes, he felt really exhausted. I’m sure we all felt like that! I got very positive remarks about how people thought the Swim-a-thon went. “It went really well, I thought it was excellent,” said Arushi and Richard. “I felt really good about it because we were getting a work out, but at the same time raising money for a good cause,” said Julia. To wrap things up, Matthew said that he thought that the Swim-a-thon was a really successful project. After laps and laps of splashes and kicks, we finally finished raising all the money and donating it. In total, we earned 25,000 Singaporean dollars, which we divided up equally and donated to the three charities. I would like to thank all Grade 4 students, teachers, and volunteer counters for a successful project, and a job well done. A good workout and a good cause all rolled into one!

Grade 4 Swim-a-thonBy Nadia Kim, Grade 4


S ingapore American School has been sponsoring community service programs in the Indonesian Riau Islands for more than seven years through an umbrella organization now called “The Bintan-SAS

Friendship Exchange Program.” What once centered around the hand deliv-ery of computers to schools on the nearby island of Bintan has now evolved into a broader program delivering school supplies and computers to Bintan, Batam and Karimun Islands (and their islets), as well as further developing cultural and language exchanges amongst students.

The program started seven years ago when an SAS group took a handful of computers to small islands around Bintan using junk boats and trishaws. After considering the success and impact of this small trip, SAS decided to integrate a Bintan service trip with the middle school Classroom Without Walls program. Eventually, more than 120 students, eight teachers, and three administrators took trips to rural Bintan schools participating in cultural, language, and resource exchange. CWW (which later became “Keyboards for Kids” when CWW changed course) expanded its program into donations of more than 100 computers per year to Batam, Karimun, and other islets. As the middle school students grew older and entered high school, they devel-oped a “Bintan Club” in order to continue these exchanges.

The high school Bintan Club has maintained the computer distribution each year by testing, sorting, cleaning, and repairing computers being sent to Bintan and its surrounding islands. In recent years, Bintan Club has grown enough to split into a technical group and a language and arts group. Throughout this school year the technical group has been responsible for preparing over 150 computer systems; all in all, SAS has donated over 1000 computers to our neighboring islands.

Highlights of each year include the biannual service trips to Tanjung Pinang, Bintan’s capital. This year, due to the added arts and language aspect of Bin-tan Club, students were able to directly interact with local students through cultural exchanges, as well as participate in the computer distribution. Dur-ing our November trip, the Bintan students performed traditional music and dance and challenged SAS students in basketball, Takraw (an Indonesian sport similar to volleyball) and a friendly game of tug-of-war. This trip was also combined with one for the middle school strings group who performed alongside the Indonesian students. Furthermore, we began exchanging infor-mation about our respective school systems through a dialogue. These trips allow students to see how their efforts are having a positive impact on the island schools. “They seemed so happy when we came. That made the trip all the more memorable,” commented Bintan Club member Emily Noble. “Plus the trip is a perfect opportunity to bond with people we’ve never met before,” said Bintan Club Treasurer/Secretary, Sun Woo Kim.

Another addition to this year’s program is the collaboration with the National Art Honor Society, sponsored by high school art teacher, Ms. Barbara Har-vey. In both November and March, Bintan Club members assisted NAHS students in teaching oil pastels and watercolors to the children at a Bintan orphanage school. Some of them, experiencing these particular media for the first time, were timid at the beginning; however, by the end of the session, the children had produced many creative art works of their own!

As mentioned before, the additional language and arts division gives promise to a wider program of future activities. Next year, we hope to continue our de-liveries of computers as well as create a stronger cultural connection between our ‘neighboring’ schools.

reaching Out To Our NeighborsBy Alice Grgas, President of HS Bintan Club

SAS student, Alison Tan, at the orphanage school teaching watercolor painting.

SAS students moving computers out of the shipping con-tainer.

High School Bintan Club members with students from Tan-jung Pinang

High School Bintan Club in a tug-of-war with Indonesian students

An Indonesian student with his final product.


“H onored Chairs and Esteemed Delegates.” Those few words have become very familiar with all of us who par-ticipated in the Junior Model United Nations. After five

months of hard work and perseverance, led by Ms. Book and Mr. Filice, all of us hitched a bus ride at five in the morning on April 20th to go to Kuala Lumpur for the 4th annual Malaysian Model United Nations conference.

That conference, hosted by Mont Kiara International School, brought schools from various parts of Asia to participate in active debates concerning the problems of the world and finding solutions to them. It was also an opportunity to practice public speaking skills and leadership. The conference was a great chance for all of us to have thoughtful active discussions with many different people.

Throughout the time we spent in Kuala Lumpur, we had fun debating in our own committees, modeled after real committees in the United Nations, such as: Environment, Security Council, Disarmament, Human Rights and ECOSOC (Economic and Social). We debated topics such as preventing terrorism, nuclear energy, ensuring human rights, the situation in Darfur, and global warming. We discussed bringing equal rights to women all over the world and the importance of universal education to eradicate poverty. It was inspiring to talk about our current world and how to make it a better place to live.

An enjoyable aspect of the conference was making new friends and acquaintances, collecting e-mail addresses in the process. There was even a dance and banquet that was arranged on Saturday night. Of course, the trip was also entertaining because there was a Mega mall right next to our hotel.

I really enjoyed the conference and preparing for it. I am also sure my fellow delegates felt the same way as well. Things have calmed down now that the conference is over but I really miss the times when my desk was piled high with draft resolutions and position papers. I have to say that I will definitely join MUN again next year in high school and recommend everyone else to do so as well. It is truly a rewarding experience.

Middle School Model United NationsBy Heather Lim, 8th grade student

MAThCOUNTSBy Andy Donahue, Middle School Teacher

M injae Lee, an 8th grade student at SAS, recently competed on the U.S. State Depart-ment team at the National Competition of MATHCOUNTS. Four students from each of the U.S. states and four students from overseas American schools qualified for

this prestigious competition. Minjae received an all expense paid trip to Ft. Worth, Texas from May 9-13 to attend the MATHCOUNTS competition. MATHCOUNTS (http://www.mathcounts.org/) is a mathematics program that promotes middle school mathematics achievement through grassroots involvement. Since the program be-gan in 1983, over 6 million students have participated, with nearly 6,000 schools involved from all 50 states, US territories and US schools worldwide. The SAS chapter of MATHCOUNTS has been ongoing since the early 1990’s. Barb Bergeron, Tim Ramsey, Bob Gould, Valerie Belt, Cam McNicol, and Andy Donahue have all put their stamp on the program over the years.

The mission of MATHCOUNTS is to increase enthusiasm for and enhance achievement in middle school mathematics through-out the United States. With the generous support of all MATHCOUNTS sponsors and volunteers, and leadership of the National Society of Professional Engineers at the local and state levels, MATHCOUNTS is providing today’s students with the foundation for success in science, technology, engineering or mathematics careers. President George W. Bush and former Presidents Clinton, Bush and Reagan have all recognized MATHCOUNTS in White House ceremonies. The MATHCOUNTS program has also received two White House citations as an outstanding private sector initiative. Particularly exciting for our Mathletes were the hour-long ESPN programs on each of the National Competitions from 2003-2005.

Congratulations to Minjae for this outstanding achievement!


What watercraft is depicted in one of Michelangelo’s panels in the Sistine Chapel? 1From what play did John Steinbeck derive his title for the novel, “The Winter of Our Discontent”? 2What two elements are contained in the first period of the periodic table? 3Port of Spain is the capital city of what Caribbean island country? 4

T he Knowledge Master Open, or “Knowledge Bowl,” as we usu-ally call it, started in 1983 with 72 schools. It has gained mo-mentum over the years—now 3,000 schools and 45,000 con-

testants compete. Academic Hallmarks of Durango, Colorado, sets the questions, registers the schools, and determines the standings. Schools compete when they choose but must submit their responses before a stated deadline. Teams work from a programmed disc, and questions are projected onto a screen. The disc is set to run only once in competi-tion mode and it offers running feedback as well as summary results.

Competitions are organized for the following levels: Grade 5, Grade 6, Middle School (up through Grade 8), Junior High (through Grade 9), and High School (through Grade 12).

It is “no mere trivia contest.” The categories for the 200 questions are: American History, World History, Government, Re-cent Events, Economics and Law, Geography, Literature, English, Math, Physical Science, Biology, Earth Science, Health and Psychology, Fine Arts, and Useless Trivia (2 out of the 200 questions!).

The questions represent these cognitive levels: Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, and Analysis.

Furthermore, there is a premium on speed. While each correct answer is worth 5 points, up to 5 additional bonus points are earned for a quick, accurate reply, set on this timetable:0—7 seconds 5 points8—12 413—17 318—22 223—29 130—60 0

So, the 200 questions are worth 5 points apiece, or 1000 total, and the speed bonus conceivably offers another 1000 points. The maximum score then is 2000. 1849 is the record so far from over the 24 years of competition a score that is not easy to obtain!

In late April, 727 schools competed in the High School Division. Led by seniors Tarang Agarwal, Brittany Balcom, Ee-Chien Chua, Michelle Schmitz, Nicole Schmitz, JJ Subaiah, Rachel Witt, and inspired new-comers, Spencer Anderson, Thomas Bynum, and Upa Lahiri, SAS placed 40th out of the 727 schools. Under the leadership of former faculty member Bob Dodge, , SAS has competed at a high level for a number of years.

The team answered 191 of the 200 questions correctly on either the first or second try (2 points are awarded for a correct answer on the sec-ond try, but there is no speed bonus). The final score of 1589 suggests plenty of fast answers to boot. How did schools from your home state do? Full results are posted at <www.greatauk.com>

Knowledge BowlBy Bill Rives, HS Social Studies Teacher


O n the last day of class before Spring Break, HS students from Paul Griffin’s Basic Photography course and Paul Welsh’s Digital Photog-raphy course were treated to a special guest. Scott Woodward ad-

dressed 60 students in the HS Library Media Center on a broad range of topics. He spoke to the students about his early influences, his training as a marketer, and his decision to leave the corporate world to become a self-em-ployed photographer. He was quick to point out that he may not have the best camera or be the best photographer in the business, but the promotional and service skills acquired along the way have made him competitive in a tough field.

Scott is no stranger to SAS. Just over one year ago he hosted a showing of his work at The Photographers Gallery that was well attended by the SAS com-munity. His work has appeared in many local and regional publications, in-flight magazines, and ads. He also happens to be the husband of our own Stacey Jensen, HS English teacher and girl’s softball coach.

Scott also took the time to display some examples of his work. His shots cover a wide range of skills from land-scape to commercial. His subjects span a wide range too, from toothless gurus to fashion models. What made the talk eye-opening for the students were the stories he told as a backdrop to each of his shots; the hours he waited huddled in the rain, the kindness of villagers in China, and the serendipity of lining up to take a shot only to find a better one just slightly to his left. Then there was the story of how his assistant on an exotic shoot (Ms. Jensen) left his tripod in the car.

Our thanks go out to Scott for bringing his life experience and photographic insight to the students. It is not hard to find wisdom in his message and inspiration in his images.

If you would like to hear Scott’s talk in full, you can browse on-line for the “aural doodles” podcast from the iTunes Music Store, or access the following web address:

http://web.mac.com/paul_welsh/iWeb/words%20of%20welsh/podcasts/podcasts.html

Scott’s work can be viewed on his website at www.scottawoodward.com

State College Area High School, of State College, Pennsylvania, came in first in the world-wide competition. Perennial champs, Jefferson HS for Science and Technology (and a leading Advanced Placement school), of Alexandria, Virginia, came in third this time.

The competition is held twice a year, and the next contest will be in December, 2007. Our “SAS Eagles” namesake and neighbor to the north, Shanghai American School, is an enthusiastic and skilled competitor, and we have had preliminary discussions about an “away game.”

Because Knowledge Bowl is so full of learning, enjoyment, and teamwork—great values all—Singapore American School should aspire to promote it throughout our school system.

At the High School, our goals for next year are to field a Grade 9 team for the first time, and to get in more practice and increase participation, across the board. This is an inclusive activity, open to all. State College HS had a team of 26 members. Let’s adopt that approach and try to give them a run for their money!

1 Noah’s Ark 2 Richard III 3 hydrogen, helium 4 Trinidad & Tobago

local Photographer, Scott Woodward, Speaks to StudentsBy Paul Welsh, HS computer teacherPhotos by TJ Son, HS student


O n March 19 and 20, high school students studying French levels 1 – 4 competed in the 72nd annual Le Grand Concours or National French Contest. Le Grand Concours is a national competition sponsored by the American Association of

Teachers of French in which students are evaluated for their written, oral and listening com-prehension skills in French. The results have been released to the French teachers at SAS and they were pleased to learn that 16 SAS students have ranked nationally, (in the U.S.).

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 capa-bilities, who can work and interact successfully in a global community.”

Just over 104,000 students in the United States and international schools in Singapore, (SAS), England, Tunisia and Israel competed in this year’s contest. French teachers Chris-tina Popowski and Laurence Patrick were pleased to see that around 75% of SAS students in French levels 1 – 3 and over 83% of the French 4 students scored at or above the national average.

All of the participating students and their teachers are to be congratulated for their achieve-ment. Students who ranked nationally will be awarded a certificate of achievement as well as a prize which will hopefully inspire them to keep studying French!

le Grand ConcoursBy Christina Popowski, HS French Teacher

L-R: Lindsey Slaven, Level 1 - Rank 6thCaroline Yeheskel-Hai, Level 1 - Rank 10th

L-R: Ashley Wood, Level 1 - Rank 10thRachita Mallya, Level 1 - Rank 7th

Michelle Reade, Level 2 - Rank 3rd

Yuvika Tolani, Level 2 - Rank 5th

Esha SondhiLevel 2 - Rank 7th

Sophia TingerLevel 2 - Rank 7th

Jose AcevedoLevel 2 - Rank 9th

Heather MorrisLevel 2 - Rank 10th

Lourdes SantosLevel 2 - Rank 10th

Winnie MaLevel 4 - Rank 6th

Emily BrotmanLevel 3 - Rank 6th

Mila RusafovaLevel 3 - Rank 5th

Kailen GildeLevel 4 - Rank 7th

Peter BardonLevel 3 - Rank 9th


T ournament of Minds (TOM) is a challenging problem-solving program for teams of students from grades three to ten. It is an inter-school program run in Australia and New Zealand that is now in its sixth year in Singapore. TOM allows students to demonstrate their diverse range of talents and skills in a public and competitive way. This has

become a popular activity in the Intermediate Division and this year we have entered four Math Engineering teams and one Language Literature team in the Singapore competition.

Students are placed in teams of five to seven children which must be a mix of students from at least two grades, with no more than four students from a grade in a team. The teams are required to solve demanding, open-ended problems from one of two disciplines: Math/Engineering or, Language Literature. Each team works on both a Long Term Challenge and a Spontaneous Challenge. Preparing a solution for The Long Term Challenge takes place over a period of 6 weeks. The team solution to the challenge is then presented to a panel of judges on Tournament Day. The Spontaneous Challenge on Tournament Day involves teams thinking creatively on the spot and coming up with a solution to the challenge in a short space of time.

Every Tuesday afternoon over the last six weeks and including some Saturday mornings, teams from the Intermediate divi-sion have been busy preparing their challenge solutions ready to present at the Tournament on Sunday, May 20. They have had to solve challenging problems, write scripts, design and make costumes and practice their presentations. This truly is a team event where everyone has to work hard in order for their team to reach a solution they can then present to the judges on Tournament Day.

Tournament of Minds Teams for 2007 are:Math Team 3 (no photo available): Bradley Schult, Ishira Shrivatsa, Emily Bigler, Jinay Amin, Vivian Wei, A.J. Klukowski, Christina Yoh. Coach: Kim Schult.

Math Team 4 (no photo available): Aryaman Tummalapalli, Hanna Chuang, Gabriel Goh, Nathan Gunawan, Susie Kim, Vritti Sethi, Winston Yoo. Coach: Neerja Sethi.

Tournament of MindsBy Susan Shaw, K-5 Gifted and Talented Coordinator

Math Team 1: Jamila Adams, Richard Law, Carmen Campalans, Christopher Thompson, Jayu Minakshisundar, Andrew Gong, Susan You.

Coach: Alice Shyu.

Math Team 2: Ishaan Madan, Stacey Tapia, Kamille Tapia, Jeanette Yan, Rohan Singh, Jeonie Woo, Juan Paolo Jesus Ridao.

Coach: Karen Tapia.

Language Literature Team: Gabriel Caral, Jes-sica Shung, Tim Wilson, Claudia Lee, Emma Quirk, SungHwan Park, Karlin Wong.

Coach: Susan Shaw.

�0 SAS NewsFlash – May 2007

Foreign language Curriculum - Dr. Greg DuncanF

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Letter of Commendation

April 30, 2007

Dear SAS Teachers of Chinese and SAS Parents,

As I return to the United States following my second visit to work with you on development of performance-based assess-ments, I am in such awe of the ground-breaking work that you are doing. The decision of SAS to mandate the teaching of Chinese to all elementary age children and to continue to make it available throughout the remainder of the grade levels was a bold and visionary step. That decision and the subsequent implementation of the program now afford a rich and rewarding learning experience for SAS students that is seldom seen, for non-native speakers of Mandarin, anywhere on the planet.

You are probably aware that more and more American schools are beginning Chinese language and culture programs. In fact, the funding of language programs in the critical languages (among them Chinese and Arabic) is now a priority of the United States Department of Education. New programs are springing up all over the country with more funding promised through President Bush’s National Security Language Initiative. These are nascent programs—that is, most are opening the door to Chinese language and culture study by providing beginner level experiences. That is not to say there are no mature programs of Chinese that already exist in the United States. Indeed, there are isolated cases, oftentimes located in major population centers where there is a strong context for Chinese study.

The point I would like to make is that all of the efforts of the SAS program to provide the best possible Chinese learn-ing experience for SAS students is also going to lead the way for those numerous American schools who are launching their own journeys. There will be no step along that pathway that SAS has not taken and has had to think through and determine appropriate next steps. Your struggles and your ultimate successes will enable many schools to see around the corner, to have knowledge they couldn’t have otherwise had, and to build strong well-articulated learning experiences that move students along a performance-based continuum toward becoming confident users of Mandarin.

The deep seated willingness of SAS to share with other educational institutions will further extend the opportunity of the school’s Chinese program to assist others along their own journeys to make Chinese language and culture study available to students. Much learning is occurring as your program “grows up,” and the sharing of this information with others will provide a great service to educators around the globe. And no doubt, as SAS students return home to the United States and reintegrate into American schools stateside, the programs into which they continue their Chinese studies may, indeed, be programs that have directly profited by the learning experiences at SAS of how to do it right.

Your work has certainly captured my interest, and I can assure you that many others eagerly await hearing about your successes as you continue down your path to provide the highest quality PreK-12 Mandarin possible.

Please know of my tremendous respect for all that you do to make differences in the lives of these future world citizens.

With great admiration,Greg DuncanPresident of InterPrep, Inc.

D r. Greg Duncan is the President of InterPrep, Inc., which is a major consulting company for foreign language education. In addition to Dr. Duncan’s work with InterPrep, Inc., he actively provides leadership support for several programs and

initiatives through the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (the larg-est professional association for teachers of foreign languages in the United States). Previous to Dr. Duncan’s work with InterPrep, Inc., and the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, he served as Coordinator of Foreign Languages and International Education for the Georgia Department of Education. Dr. Greg Duncan has expertise in a number of foreign language areas, and the area in which he has gained international recognition is in development of performance-based assessments to provide better student understanding for language proficiencies.

Dr. Duncan has provided two performance-based assessment workshops at SAS, and next school year will follow up with Chinese language teachers at SAS on further development and refinement of exemplary performance-based assessments for all classrooms. According to Dr. Duncan, “At its current rate of progress and development, I can see that within the next couple of years that SAS will be in a position to showcase its Chinese language programs with the rest of the world.” The assessments will be a key piece in providing further information on specific student learning needs and abilities, and will help to guide instruction.

�1SAS NewsFlash – May 2007

D uring the months of March and April, Madame Al-len’s Intermediate and Advanced French classes wel-comed the fifth grade classes to their French Speaking

Museum. The Middle School students’ goal was to inform touring fifth graders about the vast French speaking world. Also, the Middle Schoolers had hoped to inspire many to learn French or another language. This was an ideal time to visit the Middle School as sixth-grade elective sign ups were just around the corner. All of tourists enjoyed learning about Francophone customs, history, and most importantly…in-dulged in French cuisine.

The reviews were positive as the fifth graders found our cu-rators informative and fun. Food received the most rave re-views, while several tourists were impressed with the puppet show presented at the Madagascar booth.

Several fifth graders expressed their gratitude for the efforts of the hard-working French students. Here are some of their appreciative remarks:

“Merci for inviting our class to the French Fair. My favorite part of the French Fair was when the girls asked us some ques-tions and rewarded us with a croissant. I hope to be in French class when I am in 7th Grade.” – Nick Fleming

“Merci for the perfect fair! I’ve been waiting for so long to learn French. The Fair was awesome! All the food served was exquisite.” - Josephine

“Thank you for such a fun event! I liked the mix-n-match Jeopardy and the French café. I learned that people spoke French in Québec, Canada. Merci beaucoup! Au revoir!” – Al-fred Chin

“Thank you for the French Fair with all the fun stops in Mada-gascar and Morocco. I think that the passport was a good idea for the fair.” – Josh Dawe

“Bonjour, My favorite part of the Fair was Jeopardy. I think that the maple syrup tasted superb. Au revoir!” – Victoria Bower

“My favorite part was the Jeopardy game because the questions were interesting.” - Melinda Lim

“The French Fair was fun! I enjoyed it and learned lots about the places where French is spoken. I was really surprised with all the countries that speak French.” - Andrew Song

“French students, merci! The croissants were très bon! I learned what France is famous for: romance, fashion, and food.” - Stephanie

Vive le Monde FrancophoneBy Shea Allen, MS French Teacher

�� SAS NewsFlash – May 2007

��SAS NewsFlash – May 2007

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PTA President letter

W ell, here we are at the end of another school year. In some ways it feels like we just got the school year started. When I look back on all that we have done in PTA this year it is hard to believe we were able to accomplish all that we did during this time.

The growth of the school continues to be a challenge for everyone, including the PTA. We have worked hard to ensure that the events we offer meet the needs of the SAS community. Based upon the feedback we have received from the survey sent out to new families in October, we have made significant improvements to our Welcome Program. We hope to continue improving this program in the coming years. 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 in the fall. Please contact Cyndi Sommerfeldt at [email protected] if you wish to volunteer to help in this area.

In addition to helping build a sense of community, the PTA also does a significant amount of fundraising to benefit various organizations and clubs at SAS. The PTA had a record year in raising funds this past school year, and that is due to your gen-erosity. In addition to the Fund Spending donations outlined in a separate article in this issue of Newsflash, we also provided over $14,000 to the High School Community Service Clubs; funds raised from the Pumpkin Sale. We also provided $6,400 to HS Interim Semester Scholarships and $30,000 to PTA Senior Scholarships. Early in the school year, each SAS family re-ceived a school calendar and directory provided out of these funds. We also provided each graduating senior a gift, gave each staff member a gift on Staff Appreciation Day, provided an Ice Cream Social at Open House, will provide for a reception after the High School graduation ceremony and will pay for advertisements in the HS Year Book and Prism publication. This year we also gave $5,000 to MS Tiger Tales, over $4,300 to the 8th grade for their year-end Kusu Island excursion and donated books to one of our school libraries to commemorate the birth, adoption, or death of family members of those within our community.

PTA also facilitated the ordering of books in our Scholastic Book program. The volume of orders we generate allows us to ac-cumulate Bonus Points with Scholastic Inc., which are then used to order books that are donated to the school. This year your purchases allowed us to accumulate enough points to provide over $40,000 worth of books to teachers for their classrooms. This is an amazing amount of support that we are once again able to provide back to the school due to your ongoing participa-tion. Please know that we realize how important your participation and 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 opportuni-ties 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 that are 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


National Art honor Society – National Junior Art honor SocietyBy Barbara L. Harvey, HS Visual Arts Teacher and Jeff Koltutsky, MS Visual Art Teacher

S AS inducted its third group of members into the National Art Honor Society and National Junior Art Honor Society on May 8th. The art suite was bursting with well wishers, administrators, parents and art enthusiasts. Superintendent Bob Gross, Middle School Deputy Principal, Franke Thomas, and NAHS President, Alison Tan,

all spoke on the impact and importance of the arts at SAS and globally. NAHS students must have a minimum of an A- or above in four semesters of visual art and demonstrate both strong leadership and service in the visual arts. NJAHS membership is based upon art achievement, service and character. 7th and 8th grade students must have been in attendance for at least one semester in art at SAS and maintain an A+ average in art class.

The SAS community of artists is often found working in the art suite before school, during their free periods (high school students), and after school. The most notable aspect of these young artists is their commitment to the visual arts community. Yes, they are all extraordinary artist but they have each reached far beyond their technical and conceptual skill to the artists and community around them. This was demonstrated beautifully during the induction ceremony with each new inductee being introduced by current members. The overall sentiment continued to be their impact on one another. Seniors were proudly presented with honor cords to be worn at graduation. Thank you to these artists for their work in the visual arts community at SAS and throughout Singapore.

Gala Opening held on May 2nd at Elementary Theatre

Thinking Outside The CrayonBox

The Elementary Art Departmentis proud to present:


O n April 12, a collaborative concert between Middle School Band, Choir and Strings took place in the Auditorium. Almost all items featured the ‘concerto’

form, where soloists are accompanied by orchestra. Our con-cert featured soloists from the three areas of band, choir and strings, and our soloists showed an outstanding level of talent in preparing and performing music for this occasion. Our evening emphasized the works of Vivaldi and Mozart.

Our First Concerto Concert Middle School Band, Strings and ChoirBy Darrell Townshend, MS Strings Teacher

F rom the classes of Mrs. L’Heureux, Mrs. Morris, Mr. Steuer and Mrs. Woodfield they came – preschoolers, pre-kindergarteners and kindergarteners all in search

of violins, violas, cellos and basses! These young students were

Pre-School and Kindergarten’s ‘Fantasia’ experience!By Darrell Townshend, MS Strings Teacherphotos by Matthew Steuer, Preschool Teacher

Band items included brilliant, sparkling performances of a two-flute concerto by Vivaldi performed by soloists Tamami Niwa and Linda Kim, and the xylophone solo Flight of Fancy by John-son featuring Amish Parekh. Both items were accompanied by the Band.

Pianists Heather and Christopher Aholt performed Mozart’s Concerto for 2 Pianos and Orchestra (first movement) with élan, and Min Jae Lee produced a strong, vibrant tone and displayed considerable stamina in performing Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto (first movement).

serenaded with music from Walt Disney’s ‘Fantasia,’ admirably performed by Advanced 7 and 8 Strings classes. Students be-came dinosaurs (teachers were the fossils!), sharks, jellyfish, and other sea creatures. They watched silent excerpts from ‘Fantasia’


A massed strings group performed del Borgo’s Concerto Grosso, and 15 fast-fingered violinists performed Vivaldi’s Violin Concerto Op. 36 (first movement). Lena Jung and Isa-belle Mulder performed a bouncy, joyful Vivaldi Cello Con-certo movement, accompanied only by Grade 6 Advanced Strings.

Mrs. Brown’s choir performed more Mozart (Confutatis from his Requiem Mass) and soloists Kieren Darbey, Katie Downs, Sumi Yu and Bayley Flint sang Vivaldi’s Laudamus Te with

energy! Orchestra, choir and band joined together for the final Gloria by Vivaldi – a fitting end to an exciting concert!

Particularly exciting was the musical support all soloists had from their respective accompanying orchestra and bands. This concert both showcased the high standard our class stu-dents had mastered, and showed the wonderful abilities of our many talented soloists in Middle School!

while the Advanced Strings played the background music, and the young students were able to enjoy trying out the in-struments with the able teaching assistance of Middle School students. A fun time was had by all.

I n recognition of the 25th Anniversary of the Interscholastic Association of South Asian Schools (IASAS), all six member schools converged on SAS for a massive celebration through athletic competition. All three spring sports (Badminton, Softball, and Track & Field) held their season ending tournaments in one venue for the first time in IASAS history.

The three-sport extravaganza was the brainchild of SAS Athletic Director, Mimi Molchan. The idea began last summer when Mimi began thinking about ways to get more spectators in the bleachers to watch the 10th Annual Badminton Tournament that SAS was due to host in the spring of 2007. When Athletic Director, Erik Richardson, of the International School of Kuala Lumpur (ISKL) expressed concern about hosting the 2007 Track & Field Championships at their school, the idea gained further momentum. In early September, Athletic Director, Roy Tomlinson, from The International School of Manila (ISM) agreed to shift the 24th Annual Softball Tournament to SAS and after a brief proposal at the IASAS fall board meet-ing, the athletic directors of all six schools began working on the joint celebration.

420 athletes and over 100 coaches and sponsors arrived in Singapore on Wednesday, April 18th. The celebration got under-way in the High School Gymnasium where, for the first time in IASAS history, the mascots from all six schools joined in with the athletes of all three spring sports in one location. Student leaders Jennifer Nockels and Sneh Shah served as MC’s for the ceremony. Athletes from each school introduced their respective teams and SAS Superintendent, Bob Gross, set the tone with a heart warming welcome and a message that encouraged the athletes to strive for their personal best while not losing site of the historic opportunity to gather together and truly celebrate friendship through spirited competition.

Both the boys’ and girls’ Badminton teams from Taipei American School (TAS) had won the team competition for the past three years consecutively and they seemed poised to keep their streak alive. In Softball the SAS boys’ team was seeking their third consecutive title and the SAS girls were looking to make it back-to-back championships with a first place finish this year. In Track & Field the SAS title streak stood at 8 years for the boys and 9 in a row for the girls.

All three tournaments were extremely competitive. While TAS did retain both team titles in Badmin-ton, the International School of Bangkok (ISB) girls’ team and the ISKL boys’ team gave them stiff com-petition. SAS boys’ Junior Captain, Wilson Hasan, played extremely well in front of the home crowd as did Senior Captain, Winnie Tan, for the girls. The boys’ team finished 5th and the girls’ team placed 6th. There were no SAS members on the All Tour-nament team this year but suffice it to say that SAS Badminton is alive and well and looking forward to next season.

The Softball fields were packed and the crowds were enthusiastic as several of the Softball contests were decided in the last inning or final at-bat. Most no-tably the SAS girls’ team played numerous see-saw battles and had to rally from behind on more than one occasion to beat ISB and Jakarta Internation-al School (JIS). In the Championship game, also against Jakarta, the SAS girls’ team loaded the bases in the final inning with two outs. Keri Dixon ripped a single straight up the middle to bring in the win-

The 25th Anniversary of IASAS Celebrated at Singapore American SchoolBy Brian Combes, Director of Athletics

�1SAS NewsFlash – May 2007

ning run and secure the gold medal for the Eagles. In the Boys soft-ball tournament the SAS boys’ team emerged as champions but had to overcome a disappointing defeat by the ISM Bearcats on Friday after-noon. In the Championship game, Clay Crawford’s three run homerun over the ISB banner, which was hung on the centerfield fence, seemed to punctuate the SAS boys resolve as they went on to defeat the ISB Panthers 9-1 and secure their 3-peat. Players receiving all tournament honors were: Jeff Kreutter, Mitch Samson, Russell Kreutter, and Clay Crawford for the boys and Keri Dixon, Michelle Lee, Alex Boothe and

Barb Lodwick for the girls.

The Track & Field competition was the closest team competition in recent memory but by mid-morning on Saturday it seemed that the SAS boys would garner their 9th straight team title. Barron Wither-spoon, Sam Lloyd, Gonzo Carral, Adam Anderson, Max Shaulis, Brian Maissen, Alexis Lauzon, Sunny Han and Alex Finch came away with gold medals. The girls’ team com-petition came down to the final relay and last event to determine the 2007 Team Cham-pions. Ultimately the girls’ team from JIS defeated the SAS girls’ bid to achieve their tenth consecutive team title, by just one point. Renuka Agarwal was the only SAS girl to win gold this year but there were many fine individual efforts by the SAS girls.

The closing ceremony featured another historical first as the athletic directors and prin-cipals of all six schools worked together on the same stage presenting the team medals and other awards of distinction. Harold Albert, ISB Athletic Director, provided a brief presentation about the history of IASAS. There was truly a feeling of accomplishment and camaraderie at the closing.

The combined celebration would not have been possible without the 167 host families from the SAS community who opened their homes for the duration of the three days of competition. Our thanks to all the members of SAS community: the PTA, Boosters, parents, teachers and the numerous students who helped make this extraordinary 25th anniversary celebra-tion possible. We would also like to recognize the Board of Governors for their continued support of the athletic programs at SAS. The third season extravaganza will long be remembered as one of the best IASAS events since the founding of the Association 25 years ago. Thanks for the idea Mimi and thanks to all who took part in making it come to fruition.

Singapore American School families are invited to attend an Open House on Satur-day, August 11th. Students and parents will find class lists posted and be able to visit classrooms, meet teachers and pick up schedules.

School uniforms will be available for purchase from the Booster Booth (on the second floor of the high school) and from the PTA in the Elementary Gymnasium. Vehicle Permits will be available in all school offices. Busing information will be available in the Elementary Theater. Community organizations such as SACAC, Scouts, EASA and many others will be at SAS for Open House. Cafeterias will be open as well as

Subway and Juice Zone in the high school.

Before you head home, don’t forget to visit the IS/MS Cafeteria where the PTA will be hosting an Ice Cream Social. Stop by to meet other families and enjoy ice cream compliments of the PTA.

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SAS OPeN hOUSeSATUrDAY AUGUST 11, 10AM TO 2PM

Singapore American School Newsflash, May 2007

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Transcript of Singapore American School Newsflash, May 2007