Garden International School

Newsletter

20th April 2007

 

Headlines For This Week

 

News From The Principal

-         Welcome Back

 

News From Secondary

-          Dates of Examinations

-          Important Dates Term 3

-          Year 11 & Year 13 Graduation Awards Evening

-          Examinations Results (IGCSE and A Level)

-          Poetry & Art Anthology

-          Vacancy

 

News From Primary

-          Year 3 Earth Day Assembly

-          International Primary Curriculum (IPC) Update

 

Co-curricular Activities

-          GIS Swim Club

-          GIS Badminton Club

 

Parent, Teacher and Friends of GIS

-          Mum & Tots Group

-          Family Fun Day / Walk The World

 

 

NEWS FROM THE PRINCIPAL

 

The new term is now well underway and I would like to welcome all of those students and families who have recently joined our Garden International School Community.

 

It is not unusual for children to suffer from a little uncertainty whilst they adjust to their new surroundings. If you have any concerns about your child, our staff will be only too happy to assist you.

 

Parents of primary students should consult their class teachers whilst parents of Secondary students should consult their child’s form tutor. I look forward to a long and fruitful association with your family.

 

The school will be remain open Thursday 26th April.  Despite much conjecture this day, upon which the new Agong is crowned, has not been declared a public holiday.

 

The school will be closed on the following days:

Monday 30th April                for staff In-service Training

Tuesday 1st May                   Labour Day

Wednesday 2nd May           Wesak Day Public Holiday

 

May I remind you that the CCA programme begins on Monday 23rd April.

 

Ray Davis

Principal

 

 

NEWS FROM SECONDARY

 

Dear Parents,

Welcome back to the final term of this academic year. This is an especially important term in which all secondary students will be taking examinations. Details are given below please make a note of these. It is the responsibility of students to know exactly when and where their examinations are. Please ensure that other appointments or family commitments do not cut across examinations or the important periods of preparation for them.

 

Year 11 students should now have completed all of the coursework requirements and will already have started the final examinations with IGCSE Art, Music and language oral examinations taking place this week.

 

During the next week, all secondary students will receive a copy of the GIS “Poetry and Art Anthology 2007”. This is the third time since I have been at the school that we have produced such an anthology. This year’s edition is, in my view the best yet!  Congratulations to all our students who have contributed poetry and art work and especially to the winners of the poetry competition.

 

First                  Adelene Lai

Second          Tan Ming Han

Third                Forentyna Leow

 

Many thanks also to the staff of the English and Art Faculties who supported and encouraged students to participate and especially to Mrs. Renie Leng of the English staff who initiated, organised and coordinated the whole project.

 

Robert Lloyd

Head of Secondary School

 

Dates of Examinations

Please note the times and arrangements for secondary school and external examinations below. It is essential that all students attend examinations. Please do not make medical, dental or other appointments for your children at these times.

 

IMPORTANT DATES For This Term

Year 7 to 9

Year 9 Checkpoint tests 24th to 27th April

Year 7, 8 & 9 exams 29th May to 1st June

 

Year 10

Exams Week 1:         21st May to 25th May

            Week 2:         11th June to 15th June

 

The Year 10 exams have been divided into two separate weeks because of the U15 FOBISSEA games taking place during the intervening week

 

Year 11

All Year 11 students to attend school following normal timetable to 7th May.

 

IGCSE exams start on 8th May and continue until 13th June (Examination leave during this period.)

 

Year 12 and 13

Year 12 and 13 to attend school following normal timetable to 18th May.

Year 12 & 13 AS/A2 exams start on May 21st (examination leave from this date).

Year 12 return to normal A2 lessons on June 18th

 

Please note that students in Years 10 to 13 have leave, when not timetabled for examinations during the periods indicated above. However teachers will sometimes arrange extra revision lessons at these times which students are expected to attend.

 

Except for the designated periods of examination leave, students should be in full attendance at school at all times.

 

The Year 11 work experience programmes takes place in the two weeks beginning 18th June.

 

Year 11 and Year 13 Graduation Awards Evening

All students in Year 11 and their parents will receive invitations to this important occasion, marking their graduation. The ceremony will take place at 7.15pm on Friday 29th June in the Grand Hall. Please note that due to the pressure of space guests are limited to two per student. 

 

Examination Results (IGCSE and A level)

Please note that -

CIE AS and A2 examination results will be available in the school from 10.00 am on Friday 10th August

 

CIE IGCSE results will be available from 10.00 am on Tuesday 14th August

 

New arrangements have been introduced by Edexcel which will enable students to access their own results directly from the examination board for Edexcel entries (GCSE, AS and A2). These results will be available from the following dates.

 

Edexcel AS + A2 available from 16th August 2007

Edexcel GCSE available from 27th August 2007

 

Candidates will receive log-in details in due course.

 

Robert Lloyd

Head of Secondary

 

Poetry and Art Anthology

The first GIS Poetry and Art Anthology should have been arriving home this week with your secondary son or daughter.

 

The anthology represents the very best work received from both the poetry and art competitions run in the autumn and early spring terms.

 

We hope you share our delight and pride in the quality of work displayed.

 

Annette Owen.

Head of English Faculty

 

Vacancy

Student Support Assistant (GIS Secondary)

An assistant is required for an able Year 8 boy in school

·       to accompany him to lessons including PE, Art and   

        DT

·       to support with social interactions

·       no teaching is required

 

An encouraging, patient individual is required. Would suit a young graduate or similar.

An excellent opportunity to gain an understanding of the Secondary international learning environment.

Male applicants are particularly encouraged.

 

Hours and days are negotiable but will be approximately half the week and until July in the first instance.

Please contact student’s parents directly on 012 2261281

 

Lorna Prestage

Head of Learning Support

 

 

NEWS FROM THE HEAD OF PRIMARY

 

Reminders for your diary :

Year 3 Parents

Friday 27 April

Year 3 Earth Day Assembly

Details below

All Parents

Monday 30 April

School Closed

All Parents

Tuesday 1 May

Labour Day / Wesak Day School Closed

All parents

Wednesday 2 May

School Closed

 

 

Advance Warning for your diary :

Year 4 Parents

Thursday 3 May

18.00 in AVA Room

Meeting about Year 4 Camp

More details next week

 

Year 3 Earth Day Assembly

A reminder that the Earth Day Assembly for parents of children in Year 3 will take place on Friday, 27th May. Parents of children in Year 3 are encouraged to attend this special Assembly which will take place in the Grand Hall at 12.45pm.

 

Earlier in the morning Year 3 will perform their Assembly – as their ‘Dress Rehearsal’ – for the whole Primary School.

 

International Primary Curriculum (IPC) Update

In preparation for the introduction of the IPC, the Primary Staff will be involved in training on Saturday, 28th April. During the day, all staff will be involved in a programme which takes them through the essential elements of the IPC.

 

In May and June several teachers will visit schools in Miri and Penang in order to observe how they have implemented the IPC and to see firsthand what is involved. For parents, as announced at last term’s PTF Coffee Morning we are planning an evening session on Tuesday, 29th May when we will go into a little more detail about the IPC. More details in a future Newsletter.

 

Christopher FitzGerald

Head of Primary

 

 

CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

 

GIS SWIM CLUB

Will be running as usual, Term 3 Monday to Thursday with coaches Mr. Ong & Mr. Cope.

 

The criteria for joining is to be able to swim 100m in at least three strokes.

 

Please be at swimming pool 3.30 till 5.00pm. Payments of RM350 for the term to Miss. Devi in front office.

 

If you have any further questions please get in touch with Mr. Ong.

 

Mr. Wellington

Head of PE

 

GIS BADMINTON CLUB

Badminton Club will continue as usual this term for students. The club is headed by experienced coach Alvin Lai and is the perfect opportunity for students to refine Badminton skills. The cost for 2 sessions a week, per term is RM350. Sessions will take place in the Sports Hall from 4.30pm – 6.00pm (Monday) & 4.30pm – 6.00pm (Wednesday).

 

The club is limited to 16 players to ensure quality of coaching. Payments to Miss. Devi in the school office.

  

Mr. Wellington

Head of PE

 

 

PARENT, TEACHER & FRIENDS

 

Calendar Term 3

8th May – Mum and Tots Group

10th May – PTF Coffee Morning, Topic to be confirmed

12th May – Family Fun Day/Walk The World

 

Mum & Tots Group

Therese has scheduled the first meeting for Tuesday, 8th May. As usual, it will be in the EYD hall between 9.45am – 11.15am. Come and join Therese for a chat and catch up on Easter break news.

 

Family Fun Day/Walk The World, Saturday, 12th May, 10am-5pm

Combined with Walk The World is the Family Fun Day. As aptly named, it’s a fun day for everyone. It was a big hit last year especially for football enthusiasts.

 

The programme for the day has yet to be finalized but it will be similar to last year’s. There will be lots of fun activities for everyone. We will also have a mini bazaar in the under cover hard court area.

 

Louise Hill will be setting up a Bric N Bracs stall to raise funds for the Cambodia Orphanage trip. Anyone with any unwanted items please pass to Deepika who will be manning the second hand uniform and lending library in the Arts Foyer on Wednesdays afternoons.

 

Tina and Cheryl

PTF Communications Sub-Committee

 

 

Garden International School

Walk the World and Family Fun Day

Saturday 12th May 2007

10am – 5pm

 

10am             The fun begins

11am             Walk with us and do your bit for the WFP

Please assemble in the Grand Hall at 10.30am. Talk and opening ceremony by Dr Rudi Luchmann, Deputy Representative, UNICEF

12pm             Fashion Cat Walk – Grand Hall

 1pm              Bush Dancing for all – Grand Hall

 2pm              Band Performances – Grand Hall

3.30pm          Disco – Grand Hall

 

All day bazaar – shop till you drop!

 

There’ll be Clowns ! Sand Art ! Henna tattoos!

Face & Nail painting! The Bouncy Castle! Lots more!

 

Games in the Sports Hall from 12pm – 3pm

Food galore – you can’t go hungry!

 

Entry: RM 10 per head

all money raised from entry fees and sales of WTW merchandise will go to the WFP - UNICEF (World Food Programme)

to help fight child hunger around the world

 

See you there!