The Weekly Bulletin of

Stonehill International School Volume 7, Issue 117

26th October 2018

FEATURED STORIES

Dance for a Cause For my personal project I had to think really hard about what I was passionate about. After some serious introspection, I was certain I wanted to include Bharatnatyam in my project. Bharatnatyam is a classical Indian dance form that I have been learning for over eight years and it has become an integral part of who I am today. Bharatnatyam has elements that allow me to explore different artistic ideas, while still having a structure to create a sense of comfort and stability. As someone who has spent most of their growing years in various countries, Bharatnatyam was something that was constant. It has also taught me lessons and values like resilience and focus; it is a big part of my life. It is also the reason I moved to Bangalore while my father lives in Indonesia – I wanted to pursue this art in its home country where it can be nurtured effectively. For my personal project I wanted to utilise the dance form in a way that it becomes more than just a performing art. Instead, I wanted it to be used in a way that could aide others.

CONTENTS  

01/FEATURED STORIES 

02/MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF THE SCHOOL 

04/WHOLE SCHOOL NEWS 

08/PRIMARY NEWS 

09/SECONDARY NEWS 

10/ SPORTS NEWS 

11/INTRODUCING… 

12/PTA NEWS 

 

 

  

THE TIGER IMPORTANT DATES

OCTOBER 27th – STONEHILL FOOTBALL 7s 27th – STONEHILL COMMUNITY DIWALI PARTY – 7:30pm ONWARDS 31st – PTA DIWALI MELA 31st – PYP MID-SEMESTER REPORTS PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 1st – 11th – SCHOOL CLOSED FOR DIWALI BREAK 14th – MYP PARENT WORKSHOP – CONCEPTUAL TEACHING AND LEARNING 16th – 18th – GOOGLE FOR EDUCATION SUMMIT 16th – SECONDARY MID-SEMESTER ONE REPORTS PUBLISHED 20th – SECONDARY PARENT-TEACHER-STUDENT CONFERENCES 21st – 24th – PHUKET SOCCER 7s 23rd – IB DP DINNER

Hence, I decided to use this project to organise a fundraiser to raise money for the victims of the recent flood in Kerala and Coorg, through a ticketed dance performance by my dance school. I have partnered with two NGOs for this cause - Native Medicare Charitable Trust (NMCT) for Kerala flood victims and the Lions Club Kodagu for Karnataka flood victims I will be performing a rendition of the great Hindu epic – Ramayana. This performance will be take place on Saturday, December 1st from 5:00 to 6:30pm at the KEA Prabhath Rangamandira. The tickets are priced at INR 500. The tickets will be on sale at the Diwali Mela on Wednesday, 31st October – please do come and buy your tickets then. Your contribution would be greatly appreciated and will help in the efforts to rehabilitate flood victims. Shreya, M5

FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL Governing Council Update

Our thanks to Mr. Vikram Shah The new GC Chair, Mr. Stefano De Napoli

This month, Mr. Vikram Shah stepped down from his position as Chair of the Governing Council at Stonehill. Vikram has been a part of the Governing Council since 2011. He has contributed enormously to the success, growth and development of our school over the past seven years. On behalf of the entire Stonehill Community I would like to offer my sincere thanks for his leadership, guidance and service to our learning community. I am now delighted to announce that Mr. Stefano De Napoli has been appointed by Stonehill Education Foundation as the new Chair of the Governing Council. Stefano is originally from Italy and has lived in India since 2000. His children graduated from Stonehill. He is an Investment Banker by profession and is also on the Board of Directors of several Indian companies. He has been a part of the Stonehill Community since its inception and has been serving as a Governor since 2014. I have no doubt that Stefano’s experience and expertise will continue to contribute to the purposeful development and ongoing success of our school. Please join me in thanking Vikram for his contribution to our school and congratulating Stefano on his new position.

Using Technology for Learning All too often, in classrooms across the globe, schools are claiming to be meaningfully integrating technology, when in fact all they are doing is replacing traditional practice with traditional practice that uses technology. This means that technology then becomes little more than an expensive tool to do the same thing that has always been done. Increasingly, education leaders around the world are recognising that substitution alone has no impact. A worksheet completed on an iPad is still a worksheet. There is little evidence to suggest that technology alone improves teaching and learning. It can be a powerful tool, but teachers need to make a pedagogical shift if they are to use technology to redefine the way children learn. At Stonehill, we believe that technology can enhance the teaching and learning of all subjects. It supports a student-centered classroom, frequent formative assessment, feedback, differentiated instruction, collaborative learning, access to varied resources, and authentic audiences for students. We believe that teachers should have the skills to utilise technology to enhance their practice and improve student learning. It is for this reason that at Stonehill we employ two technology integration teachers to support teachers’ understanding about the way technology can be used to enhance and redefine learning. It is also the reason why we provide significant funds for professional development. One example of the training that we will be providing this year is the Google India Summit that will be hosted at Stonehill on 17th November. The Google Summit will feature speakers and trainers from across the globe who will be running sessions for educators which focus on the purposeful application of technology in the classroom, based on leading best practice. This ongoing training is designed to align with our stated mission of ‘providing enhanced opportunities for technological innovation’. Soccer 7s at Stonehill This weekend we are looking forward to an exciting festival of football. We will host the Canadian International School, Bangalore International School, Greenwood High, Legacy and Trio World Academy for the Stonehill Soccer 7s Tournament. Students from P6-M3 will be participating. This tournament is designed to provide match preparation for our teams travelling to the Soccer Sevens in Phuket next month as well as help our players make connections with students from other local schools. Have a great weekend. With best regards, Simon McCloskey Head of School

WHOLE SCHOOL NEWS Improved Security

You may have noticed that we have now almost completed the construction of new security fencing and the installation of security entrance doors in the academic block. We have made these changes for the following reasons:

● To ensure that we can account for all persons on site in the event of an emergency evacuation. ● To ensure that we do not have unknown visitors entering the learning areas. ● To keep your children safe during the school day.

Please take note of the following important points.

● The main gate will only allow cars with a Stonehill Car Sticker to enter the campus at pick-up and drop off times.

● Parents should collect students from the entrance to the school building (outside the glass entrance doors in Primary and Secondary).

● If parents want to enter the academic building at pick-up and drop-off time, they will be asked to register their name with the security guard at the entrance to the building (this includes parents who are attending workshops or school events).

● If any parent wishes to enter the learning areas during the school day when lessons are in session, they will need to sign-in using the Visitor Management System at the Main Gate. They will then be issued with a temporary Visitor ID that must be worn until leaving the school campus. This ID should be returned to Security while exiting the school campus.

● If parents are spending extended periods of time in school while volunteering for activities or projects (such as sports coaching or assisting with guided reading) they may apply for a permanent ID card with approval from the relevant principal.

Please cooperate with security staff to help us implement this new security protocol.

What is Diwali?

Diwali, or Deepavali, is celebrated by Hindus across the world. In 2018, Diwali will be celebrated on the 6th of November in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu and on the 7th of November in other parts of India. Diwali is also called the Festival of Lights. The word ‘Diwali’ or ‘Deepavali’ refers to rows of diyas (clay lamps). Followers of Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism also observe different customs related to Diwali. Traditionally, Diwali celebrations last for five days. The five days are celebrated as Dhanteras, Choti Diwali, Badi Diwali, Govardhan Pooja and Bhai Dooj. During these days of celebrations, houses, temples and public places are all lit with fairy light and diyas/candles. According to Hindu mythology, the festival marks the return of Lord Rama to his kingdom Ayodhya after a 14-year exile. Every house in his kingdom lit lamps to welcome him home. Government offices, post offices and National banks are typically closed in India during Diwali. It is considered auspicious to buy new things during the days preceding Diwali, especially on Dhanteras, as it signifies the beginning of a new year. It is common among Hindu families to paint their houses and purchase new home appliances, clothes, jewellery and so on during the festival.

Diwali 2018 Dates in India

Diwali 2018 Dates Diwali Festival

Dhanteras 5th November 2018

Chhoti Diwali/Narak Chaturdashi 6th November 2018

Badi Diwali/ Lakshmi Pujan 7th November 2018

Govardhan Puja 8th November 2018

Bhai Duj/Bhau Beej 9th November 2018

Ms. Raji Host Culture Teacher

Diwali at Stonehill

On Wednesday, 31st October there will Diwali celebrations at school. Students and staff are encouraged to wear traditional Indian clothes on this day. Cultural performances will take place in the MPH during the afternoon (Primary 1:15 pm– 1:45 pm and Secondary 2:00 – 2:45 pm). The school will be closed for the Diwali holidays from Thursday, 1st November to Sunday, 11th November. We hope you enjoy the Diwali festivities in this region of India.

PRIMARY NEWS

Some notes from the Primary School

These Are The Skills That Your Kids Will Need For The Future (Hint: It's Not Coding) The jobs of the future will involve humans collaborating with other humans to design work for machines and value will shift from cognitive to social skills. Read more here. Extended Leave - Leave Beyond 2 School Days Our school is open for 182 days per academic year and we expect children to be in attendance during these 182 days. Please make sure that your family holiday plans coincide with the school holidays. Parents who wish to take their children from school at other times are expected to meet with Karen, the Primary School Principal, two weeks before the leave begins to gain permission for extended leave from school. As you can imagine, the research conclusively supports a direct correlation between attendance and attainment from kindergarten through to secondary school. A 97% attendance rate is considered appropriate. This equates to 6 days out per academic year. Allowing these to be sick days ensures your child does not miss meeting essential targets/goals. Playing After School We have no problems with children playing after school; however, parents must supervise. Please be within sight of your child and make sure you check on them regularly. Thank you. Drop-off safety Please encourage your driver to drive up to the curb and stop. Have your children alight on the footpath/sidewalk/pavement side of the vehicle. They are much safer in this situation. We can then monitor their movements into the building from this point. Best regards, Karen Crooke Primary Principal

News from P2

The P2s have just completed their first inquiry of the year. We have been exploring the different relationships that are important in our lives. The children have consistently demonstrated knowledge of their roles and responsibilities within their relationships and especially how to be a good friend. They have used the attitudes and concepts of being a good friend to create our Class Essential Agreement. In the end, no matter which relationship you are in, it is all about being kind.

Mr. David Gostelow and Ms. Sonia Wright P2 Class Teachers

SECONDARY NEWS

Secondary Mid-Semester One Reports

The Secondary Mid-Semester One Reports will be released electronically on ManageBac on Friday, 16th November at 3:30pm. Please get in touch with Ms. Tanuja Arora (tanuja.arora@stonehill.in) if you have any issues with login to ManageBac.

Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences

We would like to invite you to the Mid-Semester One Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences on Tuesday, 20th November from 8:00am to 4:30pm. The details and sign-up procedures will be emailed to all parents after the Diwali break. Have a good weekend.

Warm regards, Narendra Mehrotra Secondary Principal secondaryprincipal@stonehill.in

SPORTS NEWS

Inter-house Football Tournament

On Tuesday, 16th October all students aged 6 – 16 participated in the Stonehill Inter-House Football Tournament. As part of our extensive physical education programme, we promote sporting opportunities for all students. The aim of this is to encourage our students to live a healthy and active lifestyle.

The PYP tournament operated in 3 different age groups: P4, P5-P6 & P7-P8. Students played in their House Teams. Congratulations to Chawla who won the PYP football tournament!

The MYP tournament involved M1 – M3 students competing against each other, and M4 – M5 students competing against each other. It was great to see all students participating and encouraging each other. Congratulations to the Nehru teams who won the MYP football tournament!

Ms. Amanda McCloskey P.E. Teacher

INTRODUCING… Each week we will feature a Stonehill Teacher in our weekly bulletin. This week we interviewed PYP Teacher, Suparna Mitra. Name: Suparna Mitra Qualification and certifications: BA English (Hons) from University of Calcutta, B.Ed from Osmania University What do you teach at Stonehill? P6 Where are you from and where else have you lived? I was born and brought up in Kolkata, West Bengal. I have since lived in Singapore, Hyderabad and now Bangalore. What inspired you to become a teacher? Being a teacher was a chance, not a choice! When I moved to Singapore, I had just graduated from university and was newly married with no particular career goal. Job hunting on a dependent visa was a struggle there. However, luck was on my side and through a friend, I found my first job as a Daycare Teacher. A few months into working there, I realised I loved being with children and found my calling. My love of learning and teaching continues to motivate me to become a better teacher and a lifelong learner. What is your educational philosophy? Building an emotionally safe space where no child is invisible; developing a creative and inclusive learning experience where learners have voice, choice and ownership.

What made you choose Stonehill? “The best and only authentic international school in Bangalore”- that is how SIS was introduced to me by a colleague when I was moving to Bangalore. When I visited the school for a workshop in 2016, I could not find anything to refute what she said. From then, Stonehill was on my wish list! What is the best part of your job? Surrounded by innocence for the longest part of the day, the perks of being a teacher are love and appreciation. What are your hobbies and interests? Cooking, gardening and listening to music. What is your favourite book? Some of my favourite books are Animal Farm, Rabindra Rachanabali - a collection of books by Rabindranath Tagore, Malgudi Days, stories by Ruskin Bond and Feluda by Satyajit Ray. What is your favourite music? I am a Bollywood buff, so I prefer listening to mostly all Hindi songs, be it classic or modern.

PTA NEWS Dear Parents, The PTA invites you to our annual Diwali Mela on October 31st from 10:00am – 3:00pm. Come prepared to shop! We have some fantastic vendors this year like:

● Sunshine for a School ● Sunsita ● Megali Photographs ● Lotus Vibes ● Kris Bags ● Ssara Designs ● Bishnu Oil Painter ● Thermomix ● Mills and Brown Gluten Free Products ● Flames of the Forest ● Homeware goods ● Blighty Desserts ● Kalavilasa Rugs ● Happy Knots ● Amarkosa Boutique Clothing ● Pottery by Anand ● Cards for Animals ● Make up design and Products ● Infinity Jewellery

Be prepared to feast with our hot food vendors:

● Café Noir ● Subway ● Baskin and Robbins ● Waffle Walle

It’s going to be a great day with some super shopping, eating and of course special Diwali entertainment by the kids!

Please note that the children are encouraged to attend school in traditional Indian attire, if they do not wish to be attired so, they must wear their school uniforms. Also remember to send your child in with some pocket change as they will be given time to shop as well. We are looking forward to seeing you all there!

The response to the ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’ poster contest has been outstanding. A big thanks to all the children who have participated! The winner will be announced on Wednesday, October 31st during the Diwali Mela. Team PTA

Japanese Food Festival

The Japanese Consulate has organised a food festival at the Shangri-La Hotel on Sunday, 11th November. The festival will be held from 11:00 am to 4:00pm. Entry for this event is free.

Stonehill International School

259/333/334/335 | Tarahunise Village Post | Jala Hobli (Bangalore North) Bangalore 562157

T +91.80.43418300 | E info@stonehill.in | www.stonehill.in