Volume 7 23/11/18
Newsletter of International School Suva
Principal’s Report Dear Parents, Staff, Students, and Friends of ISS, The year is quickly coming to an end and I trust all of you plan to spend some quality time with family and friends to re-charge your batteries. At this point in the year, most students and staff are ready for a break! As we near the year’s end, we have enjoyed some dazzling athletics, art and music events. I hope many of you got to attend the high School Art Night, the Primary Art Night, the International Film Festival, the music concert, and the Chow Games. Those events showcased the talents of our remarkable students. The best news for the school, I think, is that we have agreed on a new Strategic plan that will guide ISS to new heights of quality, engagement, sustainability, reputation, and student outcomes. I wish to thank all the parents and students that contributed to that work. The plan is available on the school website and has four main strategic goals: 1) Strong student results at all levels, 2) Increase ISS’s standing as a top globally reputable international school, 3) Develop and expand needed resources for ISS, and 4) Provide improved systems to guide and inspire the school. The plan can be seen as a promise to the school community to make meaningful improvement over the coming years in the areas identified. I believe all families will see and enjoy the positive growth and change each of the coming five years. We will report back to you about our achievements toward the strategic goals. We can announce that ISS is now a candidate school* for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Program (MYP). The school is pursuing authorization as an IB World School (for the MYP in addition to the PYP and DP). IB World Schools share a common philosophy – a commitment to high-quality, challenging, international education – that we believe is important for our students. (*Note: Only schools authorized by the IB Organization can offer any of its four academic programs: the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP), the Diploma Programme (DP), or the Career-related Programme (CP). Candidate status give no guarantee that authorization will be granted.) We are excited and committed to implementing the MYP well and making every student’s school experience memorable and life changing! Please watch for further opportunities to learn about what this means as we move forward. Thank you to all who attended previous MYP information and feedback sessions! When you return after the Christmas break, you should see some dramatic changes in our facilities. Foremost, you will be able to walk up past the library to the Primary office, and to walk on a new open area looking down on the site of the new building (J Block) that is under development. Right now the area behind the construction wall looks like this: Notice the new space will include steps that can be used for events and performances. The upper level will become the new Primary platform and open area. I believe this will be a change that will allow several new improved activities. At this time of year, we also experience some of the sadness of some students and families departing from ISS. While we will never forget those who have touch our lives, we will miss their presence every day. We will have several farewell events during the final two weeks of the year, as well as celebrations of our students’ achievement with prize giving's and graduations. I hope most of you can attend some of those. They are always touching and meaningful! The next Talanoa will be in the new year. I look forward to the new year with its new opportunities. We will have some great new staff as well as some new programs and activities. We will also plan to make the whole year the best ever! So, please hurry back! I will be here when you return! Thanks for being a great school community! Stephen Cathers Children’s Advocate (and Principal/Head of School)
Inside this issue:
ISS Surfers
Year 3 Article
Year 2 Article
Reception
Fijian Studies
Athletics Carnival
2019 Primary Programs
School Nurse
Library
3D Art
Year 6
Chem Quiz
Music Concert
Counselor
Upcoming Events
Term Dates