Newsletter
14th
September 2007
Headlines
For This Week
Message
From President
-
Welcome Message
News
From Principal
-
Greetings
Information
-
Updated Contact Details
-
Use Of School Facilities
News
From Secondary
-
Greetings
-
New Secondary Staff
-
Examination
Successes
-
Successes Of Former Students
-
Head Prefects
News
From Primary
-
Greetings
-
New International
Examinations For Year 6
Co-Curricular
Activities
-
Dragon Swimming (Programme Changes)
-
GIS Badminton Club
-
Sponsors
Parent,
Teacher and Friends of GIS
-
Mums and Toddlers Playgroup
-
Welcome All Korean Mothers
to Miga Korean Restaurant
Announcement
-
Musicians Needed
MESSAGE
FROM PRESIDENT
Dear Colleagues, Parents and Students,
On behalf of the Board of Governors’ and
the Taylor’s Education Group, I would like to take this opportunity to extend a
warm welcome to you for the new academic year at
We are pleased to welcome our new
Principal, Mr. Simon Mann who brings with him an extensive wealth of experience
in leading and administrating international schools. We are confident that his
strong leadership, high-level energy, commitment and experience will positively
contribute to the growth and development of GIS at all levels.
We also
congratulate Mr.
I look
forward to working together with the new team and I do hope that you too will
render them the cooperation and support that you have accorded to the previous
leadership team.
Best Wishes for a
fruitful year ahead.
BK Gan
President
NEWS
FROM PRINCIPAL
I am glad to start my first newsletter
by reporting we have had a smooth start to the academic year. Our new students
are settling well and our returning students are rested and prepared for the
first term. I have had the pleasure of attending the welcome assemblies where
the enthusiasm was evident.
As you are aware, we have a new leadership
team in place this year. We are honoured to take our
posts and committed to continue the tradition and development of this leading
international school. We look forward to getting to know our
students and families over the next few months, so please feel free to approach
us and introduce yourself.
It has been a busy summer. The
facilities staff have done a tremendous job preparing
for the return of teachers and students. Teachers have been busy making the
transition from holiday to school as smooth as possible. New building projects
have all been completed in time for the start of term and students have been
enjoying the improved facilities. We are well prepared for another excellent
year.
In the primary school, we are excited
about the introduction of the International Primary Curriculum. The IPC will
provide the structure for a holistic education based on current educational
practice from all over the world. Finally, I would like to congratulate our
Year 12 and 13 students on their outstanding performances in their IGCSE, AS
and A2 exams.
I hope you all have had a great first
week in school and the year continues to build on such a positive start.
Simon Mann
Principal
INFORMATION
UPDATED CONTACT
DETAILS
You
will have received a form this week for your contact details. Could you please
read carefully and update information as required. To support a quality
education for your children, it is essential that we are able to contact you
regularly and effectively. We intend this process to take place through an
email system to minimize paper wastage.
USE OF SCHOOL
FACILITIES
Please
be reminded that students who use the school grounds for unsupervised
recreational activities after CCA can do so at their own risk. Please inform
your children that they must clear the outside areas when there is lightning or
thunder.
NEWS
FROM SECONDARY
A very
warm welcome to everyone associated with the Secondary School at the start of
this new school year. I am especially pleased to welcome the families of the
many new students who are joining the school this term.
Despite
the large number of new students and staff, the new term has started well and
all classes are now settling into their timetables.
We have a new
database system called SIMS which combines all aspects of attendance, time
tabling, assessment, reporting and mentoring of pastoral issues. Implementation
of this will enhance the quality of many aspects of the school and will be an
exciting challenge for all staff as it develops over the next year.
New Secondary
Staff
I
would also like to extend best wishes for a happy and successful year to all
the new teachers who join the Secondary School this term. They have joined us
from schools all over the world and have already been in
The new members of
staff are:
Christopher
Jones
(Deputy Head Curriculum)
Lesley
Cook
(Deputy Head Pastoral)
Cherilene
Smithyman
(Head of Art
Faculty)
Andrew
McConchie
(Teacher of English)
Joanna Heath-Whyte
(Teacher of
English)
Ross
Beattie
(Teacher of
English)
Rhian Page-Jones
(Teacher of History)
Aidan
Futter
(Teacher of PE)
Rodolfo
Fieller
(Teacher of Physics)
James
Grierson
(Teacher of Physics)
Jo
Heyes
(Teacher of
Physics)
Robert
Gavin
(Teacher of
Chemistry)
Zaib Ali
(Teacher
of Science)
Emma
Jones
(Teacher of Business
Education)
Judith
Petersen
(Teacher of
ICT)
Pamela
Sime
(Teacher of Music)
Lisa
Rushton
(Teacher of Drama)
Fiona Seymour
(Teacher
of Learning Support & English)
Susan
Skinner
(Teacher of
Maths)
We are delighted
to have been able to appoint so many talented and experienced teachers. Over
the next few weeks, all of the new teachers will introduce themselves to you
through this newsletter.
I should like to
take this opportunity to say how excited I am, facing
this new challenge as Head of Secondary. This is my third year at GIS, moving
on from my previous role as Deputy Head (Pastoral). I have taught for 23 years
in a mixture of
Examination
Successes
Our
exam results continue to improve, reflecting the hard work and professionalism
of an ever increasing staff. The IGCSE results were the best ever in many
areas, with 56% A* and A grades and 92% A* to C. For the first time we had a
100% pass rate at A Level with our largest ever number of candidates, and the
highest percentage of A grades (48%) at AS Level ever
achieved.
Successes of Former Students
Ernest
Chia who left GIS in July 2006 has been offered a place at
Queen’s College,
Head Prefects
The Head Prefect
for this academic year is Natasha Chan and the Deputy Head Prefects are David
Tan and Ray-Men Chua. Congratulations to all three on their appointments from a
strong body of Year 11 Prefects this year. They will now be leading the Prefectorial board in the organisation of Prefect duties
and the arrangements for Mufti Day which is to be held in November this year.
Head of Secondary
NEWS
FROM PRIMARY
Dear Parents, Guardians and Friends,
I have just
experienced my first Wow Factor! The first week at GIS has been great. I have
been overwhelmed by a number of things, most of which have put a smile on my
face:
- The friendly, polite nature of our children
- The sea of smiles, as children arrive at the school
each day
- The first assembly with approximately 800 children
- The arrival of our nursery children, who have
settled in brilliantly
- The knowledge, dedication and enthusiasm of our
staff
- The huge turnout at both Parent Information Nights
- The buzz surrounding the introduction of the International
Primary Curriculum
- Great teaching and learning throughout the school
These are just a few of the highlights
that have made my first week so memorable. Thank you to all our teachers,
assistant teachers, administration and auxiliary staff for their combined
efforts in the weeks leading up to the start of the new school year. It is
great to work with such talented, dedicated and enthusiastic teams of people.
Best wishes
for the week ahead.
Neil Smith
Head of Primary
NEW INTERNATIONAL
EXAMINATIONS FOR YEAR 6
In May 2007, 169 Year 6 students from
G.I.S. took part in a new set of International examinations from the
This was the first year that G.I.S. used
the
Victoria Aldridge
Assessment
Recording and
Reporting Coordinator
Table showing percentages of students achieving
|
Grade |
English |
Mathematics |
Science |
|
6_6 |
26% |
38% |
26% |
|
6_5 |
43% |
30% |
43% |
|
6_4 |
19% |
15% |
17% |
|
6_3 |
4% |
13% |
10% |
|
6_2 |
7% |
2% |
3% |
|
6_1 |
1% |
2% |
1% |
CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Dragons!
There have been excellent turn-outs for
Dragon Team Trials this week, competition has been
fierce for places. Where possible, we are now running 'B' teams to give more
opportunity to students. Well done to all those students who have made the
teams and who also tried
out. Although trials are
officially finished, coaches will constantly assess their teams, places
are not guaranteed. Students must be committed and attend all training
sessions. For those who perform well in PE lessons, there is also the chance to
be invited to Dragon training sessions in the future.
Dragons Swimming (programme changes)
As usual, the Dragon
Swim Team sessions (CCA) are on Monday & Thursday that will run
from 2.30pm to 4pm.
The GIS Dragon swim club will run from
Monday to Thursday from 4pm - 5.30pm. Cost is RM350 per term. There are still
some places available. Please contact Mr. Ong if interested. Payment made to
Miss.
GIS Badminton Club
This popular club returns with Mr. Alvin
Lai. Details are below:
Days:
Monday and Wednesday (Sports Hall)
Time: 4.30pm – 6.00pm
Fees: RM350 per term,
Payment to Miss Devi
There are 16 places available. So, please
apply quickly to avoid disappointment.
Sponsors
We are always on the look out for
Dragons Sponsors. If you are interested in sponsoring the Dragons and being
part of a successful programme, please contact Mr.
Wellington in the PE Office.
Mr. Wellington
Head of
PE Faculty
PARENT, TEACHER AND FRIENDS OF GIS
Mums and Toddlers Playgroup
This
playgroup will be held weekly this year and there is no charge for attending.
So, bring your little ones or just come for a chat and a coffee with other mums
with kids at
Next Mum
& Tots meeting will be on Tuesday, 18th September from
9.30am to 11am at the EYD hall. A variety of toys are available for the children to play
with and parents can join others for a chat over coffee. Call Marie on 012-610 3431 or 017-2763524 for any
queries or e-mail me at carolinalubienska.r@gardenschool.edu.my.
Marie
Bisby and Clare McAdam
Welcome All Korean Mothers to Miga
Korean Restaurant
On behalf of
all Korean parents, I would like to invite all Korean mothers whose children
are currently studying in
Lee Hyea Sun
Head of Korean parents for GIS
ANNOUNCEMENT
Musicians Needed
Soul Income are looking for musicians to continue the band. So, if you
can play the drums, keyboards, guitar or if you can
sing, please drop me a line.
Rehearsals are on Saturdays from 1pm-3pm in Desa Sri Hartamas. When we're ready, we'll hopefully be doing one
gig a month (usually Fridays or Saturdays).
Adam Briggs
Primary Learning Support Unit
(1st Floor, opposite the Primary Library)