ISL Parent Teacher Association Newsletter June 2019

Dear ISL Association,

This newsletter reaches you with just days to go in the school year- as the end of year get closer, things seem to go faster and faster. There’s events every weekend, exams to focus on, and the graduating class starts to firm up those decisions about where to go next. This is also the time of year when people who are moving on begin to say their farewells, and we all look forward to catching our breath over the holidays. This newsletter highlights some of the events that have been happening in the past few months. The last issue went to press the day before the Year 6 Exhibition, which is the biggest event in primary, so we lead off with that. There’s also articles on the secondary play, and we highlight one extraordinary day in the life of ISL, which was extraordinary mostly because this sort of thing happens all the time, but we sometimes forget just how active we are as community.

I want also to take this opportunity to update you on the results of the communications and PTA survey. In April this year, we asked all of you what you thought about communications at school and how the PTA was doing. Response overall was outstanding, with 134 of you taking the time to answer.

We analyzed the findings and presented them to school management, the Board and the PTA itself in late May. If you’d like to see the results for yourself, they can be found here- and we’re obviously happy to talk over this with you at any time. There were lots of good ideas that came out of this, and we are terrifically grateful to all of you. Also on the subject of communication, there’s now an ISL blog, which can be found here. If there’s anything you’d like to see on there, be in touch with ask@islzambia.org. The PTA will be posting there from time to time, but in the meantime there’s plenty of content from the Head of School, principals and others. Go have a look. Finally, we had our last social of the year on 24 May, thanks to all who came, and especially to Nikki, Gabe and Panji, who provided the eats and tunes throughout the evening. Thanks also to the many, many of you who came to the movie and camping night (especially the mystery dad who saved the day by letting us hotspot off his phone- thank you!).

We close by saying we look forward to seeing you all next year at the Welcome Braai, which we’re bringing,

IN THIS NEWSLETTERFrom the PTA Chair: PTA

Survey ResultsISL Blog and ASK service

Year 6 Exhibition

A Day in the Life of ISL… a look at some extracurricular

activities

Oliver

PTA Adult Social Night

Recipe Corner: Carrot Soup from Finland

forward the better to welcome new families- see you on the 23rd of August for that. Have a great break, one and all! JanniePTA Chair

Click for survey results

Year 6 Exhibition: A Showcase of Primary LearningThe IB PYP exhibition is a chance for Year 6 students to show off their hard work and learning throughout the IB Primary Years Program. Throughout their final year in the PYP, students work all together, in small groups, and individually doing in-depth analyses of a chosen central idea.

This year’s central idea was: “Advancement of technology can have varied consequences on human development.” On April 17th families, teachers, and students came to the MPC for the Exhibition Gala night.

Students used a multidisciplinary approach, looking at technology from angles such as its use in Physical Education, prevalence throughout Zambia’s rural districts, relationships with screen addiction and increased learning potential, and through song and dance.

Spectators were able to rove throughout the auditorium to learn about students’ individual research projects relating to the central idea. These ranged widely from technology in bio-medical engineering and wildlife conservation, to video-game evolution, to space navigation, and so much more. Students were able to follow their passions and showed true ownership and pride in their work.

Well done Year 6!

A Day in the Life of ISL: May 4th 2019

The day began early, with the Year 1 students emerging from tents and having breakfast, having spent the night on their first school overnight trip. Over on the playing fields, under the supervision of the Athletics Director, support staff were setting up gazebos and seating, and lines were being marked. From 0800, athletes from schools across Lusaka started arriving to compete at an ISAZ Hockey tournament. By 0900, fans and players were well in place, and games were underway. The tuckshop was doing a brisk business, as hungry players refueled in between games. Meanwhile, over at the Fine Arts building, secondary drama students were in technical rehearsal for Oliver Twist, with opening night only three days away. Elsewhere, the Basketball Academy of Excellence was practicing, as well as 4 different classes of gymnastics, extra curricular activities that take place on Saturday mornings. Around midmorning, the PTA and events coordinator started gathering the supplies they needed for that afternoon’s cardboard boat race in the pool. They had to wait to offload the supplies in the MPC, however, because Coach Jamal was running basketball drills with his players on the courts. By early afternoon, the hockey games on the fields were winding up, and the floormats were coming out in the Covered Area. The gymnasts coached by Cheren started running though their paces, with loads of parents in support. Over at the MPC, the cardboard boat construction had begun, with 14 teams competing to build a seaworthy craft. As the gymnasts were winding up, the cardboard regatta began, with all manner of craft entered to win the prestigious ISL yachting trophy. After four heats, the last team to enter, formed mere minutes before the race, had built a winner, and were crowned champions- at the other end of the pool, the very youngest competitors, less than two years old, were making their way across the water, supported by their parents and ISL team swimmers keeping a close watch. After an enthusiastic late afternoon free swim, the Student Council rounded up everyone out of the water, and a campus wide game of capture the flag (or was it tag?) began. Parents coming for the PTA camping night started putting up tents, inflating air mattresses, and rolling out sleeping bags. At 1830, the two movies began, one for younger audiences in the Fine Arts building, and another in the covered area, with popcorn, snacks and hot beverages all round. Finally, about 2100, the movies ended, and weary movie goers started going home. The 12 tents of campers began to turn in, on a chilly, clear quiet night. The camping high schoolers stayed awake cracking jokes and laughing loudly, but eventually quieted down. If you were there that day, we hope you had fun! If not, there’ll be another one along soon. There are lots of days like this at ISL, and they’re all worth remembering.

Oliver Twist with a “Twist” at ISL

The 7th of May saw the staging of varied performances as the school hosted the ISAZ Speech and Drama Eisteddfod Festival. Out of this, James Rinehart’s Monologue ‘Protector’ (Kid Hero) by D. M. Larson was selected to be performed at the final show during the Lusaka Arts Festival. The full day of entertainment ended with a dance drama adaptation of the classic, Oliver Twist.

This modern take on the classic was choreographed by Dalu, Street Culture, and directed by Ms Chipo and Celia Nyirenda (Student Director). Actors included Chiedza Madzima, Nagamika Mwondela, Adriel Amir, Jaysen Meyer, Youness Heldmann, Ruheen Kumah, James Rinehart, Joshieta Pal, Leila Zacks, Leena Arkram Ali, Saraah Osman, Umethya Rajapakasha, Eleanor Armstrong, Crystal Ciruto, Silvi Dash, Baraka Musembi, and Leah Chimwemwe.

The, lighting, sound design, costume design, set and make up design were by Shaina Patel, Chiegil Changhiec , Madysen Luwizhi, Kirikaki Kypreos, Baraka Musembi and Mushili Wilkie. They brought the stage to life showing that these students know a thing or two about dazzling the audience and keeping them engaged.

In a perfromance filled with hip hop, modern contemporary dance and acting, the ISL Drama club told Charles Dickens’ story.

PTA Adult Social Night, May 24th

The PTA’s second adult social night of the year was a great success, with a great turnout of parents, teachers, and school management, delicious pizzas from ISL parent Nikki’s Mama Rosa Pizza, and great music spun by ISL Parent Panji and played by ISL Student, Gabe!. If we missed you at this one, we hope to see you at our next one next year!

In Finland where I come from, winters are long and cold. Probably longer and colder than anywhere you have ever been. Soup is traditionally a common meal in Finland – usually for lunch or a starter for an elaborate, more formal dinner. Common recipes are with salmon, often smoked, or beef. On the vegetarian side, a ‘summer soup’ is the most common meal with variety of fresh summer vegetables and ‘new potatoes’ done in milk. The window of getting fresh, new potatoes is narrow – once a year in June.Now however, I am sharing a carrot soup: Appelsiininen porkkana-inkiväärikeitto(Orange flavoured carrot-ginger soup)good for 4 persons Ingredients:

● 800 g carrots ● fresh garlic to taste, crushed● 1 tablespoon of butter● 5 cm piece fresh ginger grated or chopped● 1 dl orange juice, freshly squeezed● 1 dl lemon juice, freshly squeezed● 3 dl water● 4 dl fresh cream● black pepper● (salt)

To modify the recipe..

● For coconut lovers, try replacing the fresh cream with coconut milk● For a sweeter taste, replace some of the carrots with sweet potato (the red variety)● Onion lovers can add crushed onion● Chilli will definitely add some character, should you like it● Try one modification at a time; to get the best out of this soup you will need to keep it

fairly simple… 😊 Not too many add-ons.

Method:

Peel and chop carrots, start boiling in the water, add the ginger (equally peeled & chopped into small pieces) a bit later, keep boiling until everything is soft – and stop there! No need to over-boil. Blend it to a smooth, uniform texture, add all the other ingredients, and bring to boil. Let the soup settle a bit… and ENJOY!

Before serving add on top: Freshly cut parsley, bit of butter to melt (or small spoon of honey if you would like to stress on the sweeter bit of the soup..)

Appelsiininen porkkana-inkiväärikeitto(Orange flavoured carrot-ginger soup)!

Recipe Submitted by Saara Kalaluka

To submit your

family’s favourite

recipe, send it to

pta@islzambia.org

Photograph by Katja Niskanen