Newsletter

25th April 2008

 

 

Headlines For This Week

 

News From Secondary

-          Sports Day

-          My MYMUN Experience

-          Blue Reef Day

-          UK Intermediate Maths Challenge

 

News From Primary

-          Stealing – Criminal Act

-          Children’s Author Yangsook Choi visited GIS

 

Co-Curricular Activities

-          MSSM KL Tennis

 

Parent, Teachers and Friends of GIS

-          Walk The World/Family Day – Saturday, 24th May

-          Parents’ Forum

-          Mum & Tots Group

-          2nd Hand Uniforms/Book Library

 

NEWS FROM SECONDARY

 

Sports Day

Sports Day was a success again this year with many students involved. A big thank you to all the PTF who worked hard all day providing the food and to parents who came to support. I also would like to thank the staff and support staff who worked together to help the PE Faculty run the day so well.

 

Graham Wilson

Head of Secondary

 

My MYMUN Experience

Once again, for the second time, I had a superb learning experience attending the MYMUN V Conference. Along with other Malaysian International schools, International schools around Asia made the effort to attend this MUN conference held at Mont Kiara International School. Students and teachers alike were rewarded with a fruitful spectacle from 3 days of debating many current issues. Personally, I believe students had a better immersion in politics and current issues as “delegates” while debating than their teachers, who kept and eye on each and every student.

 

The first day was dull, partly because everyone spent most of the day going through the formalities of sitting through the opening ceremony and making opening speeches for one’s delegation. This quickly changed as delegates had time to lobby, introducing themselves to one another and discussing the agendas at hand. Everyone not only had the opportunity to make new friends, but also sign on to resolutions made by other delegates. Knowing who agreed with your views and who did not was essential.

 

The second day started with the usual roll-call, ensuring all delegates were present and there were no cases of skiving. Thankfully there weren’t any, creating a cause for more argument. The debates began. In their separate committees, delegates submitted resolutions. One by one, these resolutions were either passed or failed; the decisive factor being the vital votes from delegates.

 

The third and final day ensured the conference ended on a high note. Discussion of resolutions became more active as delegates made more speeches, in an effort to prove their point. Soon, realizing that almost all resolutions had been debated on, delegates started to become lethargic, some even falling asleep. To cure this boredom, delegates were given time to give their fellow delegates superlatives.

 

In my committee, General Assembly 1, I made the effort to punctuate every single one of my speeches with relevant analogies, to lighten the mood and voice my opinion on resolutions clearly. Analogies also helped convinced other delegates to believe in your view. As the delegate of the United States of America, I was expected to be in the heat of all action. I fulfilled it and soon dominated the debate, everyone irked and went queasy the moment I approached the podium to make yet another speech. To add the icing on the cake, I was voted the “delegate most likely to dominate the universe” and received the award for the “Most Passionate Delegate”.

 

Andrew Ang, 9W

 

Blue Reef Day

It was a sea of blue in the corridors and in classrooms as the GIS Secondary community celebrated Earth Day belatedly on the 23rd of April. Embracing the various hues of the oceans in their attire, we celebrated 2008’s theme, the International Year of the Reef, with a sale of quality stationery products from O-Bon, all fabulously designed and manufactured from recycled paper and from plants. Also on offer was merchandise from the World Wildlife Fund, from key chains to t-shirts. The aim of the event was to raise awareness that every action counts in our efforts to preserve our environment. Needless to say, the reception from both students and teachers was overwhelming!

 

The SMART Rangers would like to thank everyone for making the event a success. All profit from the sale will be channelled to funding conservation of reefs and turtles in Malaysia. The sale will be held again during Walk the World Day on the 24th May.

 

SMART Rangers

 

UK Intermediate Maths Challenge

15 students from Years 9 – 11 were selected and participated in the final round of the UK Intermediate Maths Challenge on Thursday. The challenge lasted for one hour and comprised multiple choice questions. We should receive the results of the challenge before July. Well done to all who took part!

 

Nigel Wildgust

PSHE Coordinator

 

NEWS FROM PRIMARY

 

Advance Warning for your diary :

All Parents

1 & 2 May 2008

School Closed

Year 6 Parents

5 – 9 May 2008

Year 6 Camp

 

Dear Parents, Guardians and Friends,

 

The week ahead sees the start of swimming lessons for our younger pupils. We look forward to seeing them take to the pool and develop their swimming prowess. Please remind your children to pack their swimming things the night before school.

 

On a sad note, we have had another theft from the school shop. We have decided that children in the Primary School are only to visit the school shop if parents have specifically requested them to do so. Should you need your child to visit the school shop, please send a note to the class teacher who will endorse the visit. We will be talking to the children in assembly about this and to reiterate that stealing is a criminal act. Please take the time to remind your child at home too.

 

On a brighter note, it has been fantastic to have a second children’s author Yangsook Choi in the school this week. Many thanks to Ms Siobhan and to the PTF for all of their efforts in bringing Ms. Choi in to inspire our students. A great initiative!

 

Please be reminded that next week is a short week. The school will be closed on Thursday, 1st and Friday 2nd May. We do hope the children have a good break.

 

Neil Smith

Head of Primary

 

CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

 

MSSM KL Tennis (14th – 18th April 2008)

A total of 30 students from GIS took part in this year’s tennis tournament held at the National Tennis Stadium. We did very well in all the categories. Joshua Liu emerged champion in the boys’ singles U-12, beating compatriot Corneill Spaapen. In the doubles, Gan Ming Hong paired with Dhiraj Joshi (6I) for the first time, losing in the finals to SK Kuen Cheng.

 

In the U-15 boys’ singles, Jason Lee was runner-up. Arjun Menon made it to the semifinals, losing to compatriot Jason Lee. Khevan made it to the quarterfinal round, losing to the eventual champion from SMK Wesley. Another competitor, Masafumi Hara however made it to round 3, showing another credible performance. In the doubles, both GIS’ pairs met in the finals. Shaneel Shah & Fraser Barton eventually defeated Gan Seng Tsan & Rahul Menon in 3 sets.

 

In the U-15 girls’ singles, we had 2 players – Asees Bajaj (Round 2) and Krupa Narayanan (Quarterfinals). In the doubles section, Janice Quah & Nicole Tan lost in the semifinals. However, Nadja V.D. Drift & Tan Jean Li made amends for their compatriots’ loss by crushing the opponents 6-1, 6-0 in the finals.

 

In the U-18 girls’ singles, our sole entry, Burcu Ozturk, made it to the quarterfinal stage before bowing out to the top seed. In the boys’ singles, our captain, Marc Lee lost to Edwin Heng in the quarterfinal round. Edwin then lost in the semifinal stage. Credit must also be given to Nicholas Lee who gave a good account of himself in the 1st round. The surprise of the tournament was Jonathan Lee & Tony Yu, despite being U-15, both were entered in the higher age group. They managed to make it to the semifinal stage, before losing to SMK Kiaramas.

 

Roll Of Honour

(U-12 Boys)

Joshua Liu – Champion (singles)

Corneill Spaapen – Runner-up (singles)

Cavan Ang – Round 2 (singles)

Gan Ming Hong & Dhiraj Joshi – Runner-up (doubles)

Saaj Shah & Juliyan Somasundram – Round 1 (doubles)

 

(U-15 Boys)

Jason Lee – Runner-up (singles)

Arjun Menon – Semifinalist (singles)

Khevan Somasundram - Quarterfinalist (singles)

Masafumi Hara – Round 3 (singles)

Shaneel Shah & Fraser Barton – Champion (doubles)

Gan Seng Tsan & Rahul Menon – Runner-up (doubles)

 

(U-15 Girls)

Asees Bajaj – Round 2 (singles)

Krupa Narayanan – Quarterfinalist (singles)

Nadja V.D. Drift & Tan Jean Li – Champion (doubles)

Janice Quah & Nicole Tan – Semifinalist (doubles)

 

(U-18 Boys)

Edwin Heng – Semifinalist (singles)

Marc Lee – Quarterfinalist (singles)

Nicholas Lee – Round 2 (singles)

Jonathan Lee & Tony Yu – Semifinalist (doubles)

 

(U-18 Girls)

Burcu Ozturk – Quarterfinalist (singles)

 

Andrew Gui

Tennis Coach

 

NOTICE

 

Yet More Live Music – Soul Income

Thanks to everybody that came and supported as at Bojangles last time out. If you missed us then, don’t worry, you have another two chances during the next few weeks.

 

Wednesday, 30th April (Thursday, 1st May is a public holiday – Labour Day!) @ Bojangles in Desa Sri Hartamas - Starting at about 9.30pm.

 

Friday, 9th May @ Finnegans in Desa Sri Hartamas - starting at about 8pm. Entry is free. However, there is also an ‘all you can eat’ BBQ which is RM50 (tickets from Finnegans).

 

Hope to see you there!

 

Adam Briggs

 

PARENT, TEACHER AND FRIENDS OF GIS

 

Walk the World/Family Day

Date: 24th May 2008 (Saturday)

Time: 9.30am – 4.00pm 

Venue: Garden International School

 

All proceeds in aid of the UNICEF End Hunger campaign.

Please keep this day free to participate in our fundraising and fun day. The fundraising part is organised by the students and Ms Peers and PTF will be helping by running some enjoyable activities for everyone.

 

Do you have any novel ideas for raising money? If you would be interested in having a sales table on the day, it will only cost RM100 – Contact Jessie on 016 395 2507 for more info.

 

We also need volunteers to organize refreshment stalls and games, and sponsors for prizes and games.

 

Thank You.

 

Parents’ Forum

Email address is gisptf_forum@gardenschool.edu.my

 

Mum & Tots Group

This group is for all mums with children under school going age. They meet every Wednesday from 9.40am - 10.55am in the EYD hall. Call Marie on 012-610 3431 or 017-2763524 for any queries or e-mail her at carolinalubienska.r@gardenschool.edu.my

 

2nd Hand Uniforms/Book Library

Second Hand Uniforms/Book Library will next be open on Thursday, 8th May from 2.30pm – 3.30pm. Thereafter, it will be open on the first Thursday of each month in the Foyer of the Arts Block.

 

Mrs. Helen Wilson

PTF communications sub-committee