From the Head of Secondary 11.03.2023
A common misconception is that schools ‘wind down’ towards the ends of terms; the truth is rather different. Year 12 / 13 students are now back in lessons after taking their mock examinations and they are receiving feedback on how they have done. Lessons continue for Years 7 to 11, and in some subjects the students are taking assessments. All teachers are writing the reports which will be sent out on the 21st of this month. A group of teachers from Primary and Secondary are undertaking the TEMC [Teaching in English in Multilingual Classrooms] course, led by our Individual Needs Co-coordinator, Ms Raywena Lesaya. So far they have completed two 3 / 4 hour sessions, with another two happening before the end of this term, on the 13th and 22nd March. On Thursday four Board members, Gina Pang, Benoit Goossens, B.A. Venmathi Maran and Nick Boura made a formal visit to the school with the aim of gaining a deeper understanding of the everyday operation of KIS from the point of view of the students and the teachers. They were able to meet with myself and Karen Hitchen, Head of Primary, have a tour of the school, visit some lessons, and then have a question and answer session on what they had observed. Also on Thursday our IGCSE and A Level musicians spent the afternoon in the hall practising for the Music Recital, which took place to great acclaim yesterday evening. Friday was Global Arts Day, co-ordinated by Ms Yuen, Head of Creative and Performing Arts, and students and staff had a delightful time both in and out of lessons [at break and lunchtime] participating in a very wide range of Art [in its broadest sense] related activities. As you read this on Saturday morning the Extended Leadership Team and the Board members will be in school discussing future plans for the school.
In between all of this we are consistently working together to ensure that our students are having the very best experience that they can have. Sometimes this can mean talking to them about the challenges or even dangers that they may face in the world, one of which is vaping. We have become increasingly aware that this is something that young people get tempted into trying, sometimes believing that it is a harmless and fun thing to do. Unfortunately it is neither harmless nor fun.
Recently Mr Bromley, Head of Key Stage 4, led an assembly, ‘The Truth about Vaping’, with students in Years 10 and 11 to present some harsh truths about vaping and why it is an extremely undesirable thing to do. There are many excellent websites and organisations out there warning of the dangers of this habit [which can become an addiction]. Unfortunately there are also others which extoll the virtues of vaping and they even give advice on how to vape without anybody really noticing. There is even a name for this: ‘stealth vaping’. It is more important than ever that as parents and educators we do as much as we can to give our young people the resources that they need to make sensible and informed decisions about anything that can impact their health and wellbeing.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Mrs Margaret Renshaw
Deputy Principal / Head of Secondary
FIELDWORK preparation for IGCSE Geography: YEAR 9 successes following their visit to the Kwang Forest.
Wednesday 1st March saw all 35 students in Year 9 undertaking their first off site primary data collection and fieldwork methods day at the Kawang Forest Centre. Divided into 3 groups, the students focused on developing their investigation skills, using a variety of equipment from digital thermometers, anemometers and decibel meters to quadrats and sections of drain pipe.
The day successfully saw all groups of students working tirelessly to successfully complete hypothesis testing with Ms McNutt undertaking a transect survey into the forest reaching conclusions based on their data and observations. With Ms McPherson the groups in their rotation / carousel all tested the infiltration rates and compared them to the vegetation cover and canopy density to reach a conclusion on the impact of the palm oil plantation on soil conditions compared to the natural forest.
9K confidently working on Assessment Fieldwork – IGCSE questions on an investigation undertaken in a forest setting.
While the 3rd activity had the groups getting their feet wet in the small stream undertaking a biological survey, kick sampling the stream bed to see what the biodiversity of aquatic organisms were, and testing the water for chemical pollutants. This was led by the staff from NorthStar Borneo and Mrs Beresford.
It was superb to see the mixed groups of students from 9K and 9S all interacting, developing knowledge, practical skills and competencies which will be beneficial for all moving onto an IGCSE in Geography as well as Biology.
On return to school in a follow up Geography lesson both groups were then shown how their knowledge and skills can be applied to successfully navigate, interpret and complete IGCSE Paper 4 fieldwork questions.
A successful outcome indeed for many getting B’s, A’s and A*s on their final marked answers.
WELL DONE Year 9!
TRUTH ABOUT VAPING
Secondary Eco Warriors News!
Last week the Secondary Eco Warriors were given a talk by Tressie from the social enterprise called ‘Ripple’ which advocates that ’Small actions lead to big change’! They operate at the Tanjung Aru Marine Ecosystem Centre which is known as TAME which provides a space for green activities, events and workshops.
Tressie started the Upcycled shack in 2004 and Ripple in 2019 and runs a number of initiatives under Non Government Organisations (NGOs) in KK to upcycle various waste products and turn trash into treasure within the community to enable us all to have a green and happy earth – rather than it ending up as pollution! In return this creates a circular economy amongst the under-privileged communities, especially those in group B40 and single mothers, by providing jobs and practical skills development.
KIS are taking part in one of these initiatives as we are collecting empty and clean milk or juice cartons which they then turn into a number of items such as shoulder and wash bags (which are in the photos below) which they are taught to merchandise and then sell to the community.
Ripple collects clean glass jars bottles etc. which they then grind down with a special machine called CarlsBOt and mix with cement to make various ornaments. They don’t use sand as it’s harmful to the environment if they dredge it off the beaches.
They also collect thick plastic containers such as fabric softener and shampoo bottles which they break down into plastic resin pellets and then remold into various handcrafted objects such as the heart decoration.
They also turn plastic wrappers, electrical wires and e-waste, coffee capsules, tyre and inner tubes, paper waste, marine flip flops, and aluminum soda tabs into amazing merchandise.
Tressie works on the following Sustainable Development Global Goals:
People 1 – No poverty so uphill our communities
Profit 8 – Decent work and economic growth so upscale their livelihood
Planet 13 – Climate action so upcycle to promote a greener planet earth
SO HELP SAVE THE PLANET AND PLEASE KEEP RECYCLING your clean empty cartons, glass jars/bottles, plastics etc!
