Volume Twenty Eight

Issue One

August 12, 2011

Message from the School Head, Roy G. Crawford

Our NISC Vision: Inspiring ethical, respectful and compassionate global leadership.
Welcome new and returning NISC families! After what we hope was a restful and relaxing summer, we are pleased to welcome you to the NISC Community for the 2011-2012 school year. Please look for these Mekong Messenger publications on alternating Fridays. They will be sent home with the students, and will appear on our school website. On Wednesday, 3 August, your children were given a folder with detailed information about our security and safety procedures which included a number of forms we asked you to complete and return. It is vital that we get current family contact and medical information, vehicle registrations, and caregiver, driver and body guard information as soon as possible so we can issue security passes and stickers. Please help keep our campus as safe as possible. It is critical that you register vehicles immediately so we can better monitor traffic in the parking lot. Parking Area: As we attempt to enlarge the parking area and move traffic through the parking area quickly and safely, it is very important that you and your drivers obey the signs and the security officers. Some people do not follow the rules and this compromises safety and causes traffic jams. My office will telephone parents whose drivers are not following instructions and ask those parents to speak with their drivers. I am hopeful that as a school community we can work together as we transport our children. Please welcome teachers who are new to NISC. And lastly, please be reminded that every Monday classes will begin for students at 10:00 AM so teachers can plan the curriculum and classroom experiences for children as we grow into the International Baccalaureate Programs. Children should not report before 9:30 AM on Mondays. Thank you for your patience in this matter. Upcoming special events: please remember that Open School will be on 25 August and our NISC Family Picnic will be 3 September. Again, welcome back to school and thank you for trusting us with the very important job of educating your children.

Fulfilling Our Vision

The 2011-2012 school year, my third at NISC, brings many new student and faculty faces to our school. Please join me in welcoming all of the new members to our school community. The beginning of every school year brings a flurry of paperwork to your home. While much of it may appear to be the same as last year, there have been some significant changes in some of the handbooks. Please take some time to review the handbooks with your student to ensure that you have the most current information. This year our focus is on fulfilling the NISC vision. Our vision to inspire ethical, compassionate and respectful global leadership is integral to everything we do. It is the responsibility of every member of our community to strive to reach our vision. As parents, how can you support your students in this? The simplest way is by asking them about their daily lives: Are they acting ethically? Are they showing compassion to other people? Are they treating themselves, others, and the world with respect? What is their place in the world? How are they being a leader? This is no small thing we are asking our students to achieve and they will be challenged along the way. Students who fulfill the NISC vision will enter the next stage of their lives with confidence, prepared to make a positive impact on the world. Together, the school and parents can guide our students to meet the challenges that lay ahead. I look forward to sharing the next year with you and partnering to fulfill our shared vision. Sincerely, Mr. Steve Paterson, Upper School Principal

Counselors Corner
Welcome back to School! Please allow me to introduce myself; I am John Nash - NISCs new school counselor and known by NISC students as Mr. John. This is my first year at NISC. Prior to this I was the school counselor at the International School of Dakar in Senegal and the American School of Yaound in Cameroon. I am very happy to be at NISC and am looking forward to working with our students, parents, and teachers. What does a counselor do? Well, a variety of things. Primarily, I will be working with students to overcome issues that are making it hard for them to experience success at NISC. This may involve counseling about personal issues, resolving interpersonal conflicts, and addressing learning difficulties pretty much anything that is getting in the way of students enjoying their time at school. Another significant part of being a school counselor is assisting students with their transition to university. I will be working with Upper School Principal Mr. Steve to help our upper school students schedule a variety of exams: PSAT (for 10 th graders), SAT, AP, and TOEFL (for 12th graders). Students will learn more about these exams in the upcoming weeks. We will also be helping 12th graders investigate universitys they may want to attend and assisting them in their application process. As you can see, a counselor helps students in many interesting ways! I welcome you to stop by my office (which is located in the main buildings office) and say hello. Mine is the office with the happy faces on the door. Take care, Mr. John Nash, Counselor

Parent Involvement at NISC

Welcome back to NISC. It is exciting to watch parents and students alike meet and greet old and new friends. The new school year looks to be exciting as we have our PYP Authorization Visit and we start our WASC Accreditation self study. There will be many opportunities for parents to be involved (more information will follow in the coming months). If you cannot get involved on committees here at NISC the following lists can help you stay connected with your childs education. Staying involved makes a difference in your life as well as your child. Decades of research show that when parents are involved students have: Higher grades, test scores, and graduation rates Better school attendance Increased motivation, better self-esteem Lower rates of suspension Decreased use of drugs and alcohol To help you stay involved, NISC will make extra efforts to constantly alert you of upcoming meetings and events so you can stay active in your childs education. Research shows that families whose children are doing well in school exhibit the following characteristics: Establish a daily family routine. (Example: Attend an after school activity, homework, play, family dinner, quiet reading and a firm bedtime). Monitor out-of-school activities. (Example: Limits on TV watching and arranging for after school activities). Model the value of learning, self-discipline, and hard work. (Example: Demonstrating that achievement comes from hard work). Express high but realistic expectations for achievement. (Example: Recognizing and encouraging special talents, working as a team with your child in reflecting on past performance). Encourage childrens development / progress in school. (Example: Maintain a warm and supportive home, showing interest in your childrens progress at school, stay in touch with teachers and school staff). Encourage reading, writing and discussions among family members. (Example: Reading, listening to children read and talking about what is being read). How does your family rate with the above list? Not so well make it better. Doing great keep it up. Please put NISC events on your priority list. Being involved will reinforce the view in your childs mind that school and home are connected and that school is an integral part of the whole family life. Information taken from the Michigan Department of Education http://www.michigan.gov/documents/Final_Parent_Involvement_Fact_Sheet_14732_7.pdf If you have any further questions about being involved please contact me at rob_cody@nisc.edu.kh

Relentlessly Positive, Robert Cody Primary Principal

The IB Diploma Programme Grade 11

The academic year is off to a great start with our first cohort of IB diploma students coming to school enthusiastic and excited about starting the new programme. Our new teachers have found NISC students to be motivated and a pleasure to teach in the classroom, the atmosphere at NISC is wonderful and our students are embracing the opportunities that lay ahead of them. Students have selected six courses from the following options available: English Language and Literature English Language Khmer Literature Korean Literature Mandarin French Information Technology History Maths Biology Physics Visual Art Music

In addition, students will take the course Theory of Knowledge which challenges students to think about knowledge issues. Students will be provided, as part of the CAS (Creativity, Action and Service) component of the Diploma Programme, an exciting range of activities to inspire our students and give them the opportunity for personal expression and reflection. Further details of these courses and how the Diploma Programme is designed to provide a world class education for your son/daughter can be found in the Diploma Programme Handbook that each student was given at the beginning of the academic year. If you have any questions about the Diploma Programme at NISC please feel free to email ian_hunt@nisc.edu.kh or come along to any of the IB information evenings that will be held throughout the year. Further details will be in upcoming editions of the Mekong Messenger. Mr. Ian Hunt, IB Coordinator

Do you have any questions about safety on the NISC campus? Does NISC have emergency drills? (Yes) Do parents need a security badge? (Yes) Are there life guards at the NBC pool after school? (No) Mr. Steve, Mr. Rob and Mr. Michael will be available to answer your questions.

17 August 6:30 7:30 pm at the NISC Library

Middle Years Programme

THE FIRST YEAR OF THE MIDDLE YEARS PROGRAMME (MYP) BEGINS! NISC students in grades seven to ten have begun the first full implementation of the International Baccalaureates MYP! The information pack that your son or daughter received on the first day of school contained an important document called the Middle Years Programme Handbook. Please take the time to review it carefully as it includes essential information relating to the MYP, such as: grade descriptors, the areas of interaction, the subjects your son or daughter will be studying and grade boundaries. With many of our new staff being experienced in the principles and practices of the MYP and returning teachers having received extensive training, the activities and learning experiences in the classroom have changed remarkably. With the emphasis now based on inquiry in the classroom, students can expect more experimentation in the science labs, more reflection in physical education and a greater emphasis on how mathematics can be applied to real life situations. Students will also be expected to undertake community and service activities as part of their graduation requirements during the MYP. The requirements for this increase each year from grades 7 to 10. For specific information on the changes occurring this year in grades seven to ten please refer to the handbook. As always, any questions can be directed to me at peter_donkin@nisc.edu.kh. Mr. Peter Donkin, MYP Coordinator

Meet your childs teacher(s). Put it on your calendar today. More information to follow. 25 August 6:30pm On the NISC campus

Lunch
Monday, August 15 - sandwich bar, garden vegetables with butter, herb crusted fish fillet with lemon butter sauce, Hokkien fried noodles with beef, steamed rice, Khmer dessert, lemon tea Tuesday, August 16 - sandwich bar, vegetable soup, chicken with cashews, noodle soup with beef , steamed rice, fruit slices, lemon tea Wednesday, August 17 - sandwich bar, buttered vegetables, grilled pork with pineapple, fish and chips, fries, ice cream, lemon tea Thursday, August 18 - sandwich bar, crispy fish dumpling, grilled chicken breast with fettucine, garlic mash potatoes, steamed rice, coconut crepe, lemon tea Friday, August 19 - sandwich bar, steamed cabbage with garlic and soya, seafood curry, roast duck with hoisin sauce, steamed rice, fruit slices, lemon tea Monday, August 22 - sandwich bar, corn soup, stir fried seafood with chick peas, beef noodle soup, steamed rice, pandan cake, lemon tea Tuesday, August 23 - sandwich bar, creamy vegetable soup, roast chicken with grilled vegetables, stir fried chicken with basil, steamed rice, fruit slices, lemon tea Wednesday, August 24 - sandwich bar, grilled zucchini in herbs, duck orange, fish fingers, potato wedges, ice cream, lemon tea Thursday, August 25 - sandwich bar, steamed caisin in garlic, stewed pork in herbs, prawn tempura, steamed rice, banana fritters, lemon tea

Dates to Remember
August 15, Monday - After School Activities #1 begins August 17, Wednesday - Safety Meeting at NISC for Parents August 25, Thursday - Open School Evening at NISC August 29, Monday - no school September 3, Saturday - NISC Family Barbecue September 6, Tuesday - Board of Trustees Meeting September 7, Wednesday - PYP Parent Meeting About the Learner Profile September 9, Friday - Progress Reports Sent Home September 14, Wednesday - Early Learning Parents Meeting September 21, Wednesday - PYP Parent Support Night

Summer Camp Photos If you ordered photos from last years Summer Camp, you will be contacted soon to give you details about how to get them. If you would like photos or the CD from the camp, please contact Mr. Lance. Email: lance_jackson@nisc.edu.kh Self Defense ASA A new after school activity is being offered this year. Self Defense Using Aikido. This ASA is also open to parents and invited adults of the wider community. So if you would like to learn some Aikido please come along to the cafeteria every Thursday, 3:00-4:30.

Northbridge International School Cambodia

P.O. Box 2042, Phnom Penh 3 Kingdom of Cambodia Phone: Fax: E-mail: (855-23) 886-000/ -006 (855-23) 886-009 info@NISCambodia.com