the tiger - stonehill.in · students ran with the p1s and helped them through some of the...
TRANSCRIPT
The Weekly Bulletin of
Stonehill International SchoolVolume 6, Issue 95
16 March 2018
FEATURED STORIES
PYP Cross Country Run
All students from P1 – P8 participated in the annual Primary Cross Country Run this week. Our P8
students ran with the P1s and helped them through some of the challenging parts of the course.
IMPORTANT DATES: MARCH
20th
FRANCOPHONIE DAY
23rd
TALENT SHOW
26th - 30th
MID-TERM BREAK
APRIL
2nd
SCHOOL RE-OPENS AFTER MID-
TERM BREAK
10th
PRIMARY SPORTS DAY
12th
INSTRUMENTAL CONCERT
13th
PRIMARY MID-SEMESTER
REPORTS ISSUED
CONTENTS
01/ FEATURED STORIES
04/ MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD
OF THE SCHOOL
05/ WHOLE SCHOOL NEWS
07/ PRIMARY NEWS
13/ SECONDARY NEWS
15/ SPORTS NEWS
17/ PTA NEWS
HIGHLIGHTS PYP Cross Country Run
Learning in P3
Win a Kindle Reading
Challenge
ISACI Boys Cricket Report
PTA Charity Gala
THE TIGER
It was wonderful to see students encourage each other through the run. Thank you to all the
parents who came out to support students by cheering on, as well as running with them.
We would also like to thank Ms. Zoe Howarth and the rest of our excellent PE Team for organising
such a positive event that encouraged fun, fitness and full participation.
FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
Dear friends,
There is an organisation—a very special group of people—who provide enormous support and
benefits to Stonehill, usually behind the scenes. They are always there, supporting our students and
teachers, befriending new families and introducing them to the community, organising events, and
making a huge difference in Bangalore through charity outreach.
They are the PTA—Stonehill’s Parent Teacher Organisation. They put on bake sales at school
events, such as sports meets; they promote school spirit through the sale of Tiger gear; they
connect and support new and existing Stonehill families through class reps; they promote
internationalism and acceptance of our diversity through events such as the recent International
Food Fair; they improve the lives of countless children outside of Stonehill’s school walls through
their work and donations to the Stonehill Government School, the IKSHA Foundation, and the
Morning Star Ashram — the list goes on and on. And they do it all selflessly, behind the scenes,
and with a palpable passion.
It has been a distinct privilege for me to work with the PTA during my time here at Stonehill. The
PTA is an invaluable asset to the school—and it is fun, too! Meetings are productive, stimulating,
and a great way to spend the morning.
We will be electing a new PTA in May, to take forward the excellent work done so far. Please help
make a difference by becoming an active member—there are so many ways to help, which can be
tailored to your skills and available time. This is an outstanding opportunity to get involved and
leave a lasting impact. Please contact Melissa Chin at [email protected] for more
information.
And finally—it’s time to buy your Gala tickets and support children in need. The Gala is the PTA’s
largest charity fundraiser and will be at the Conrad Hotel, Saturday, April 14th. It’s always a great
evening out and lots of fun. See you there!
Wishing you a pleasant weekend.
With best regards,
Dr. Beverly Sortland
Head of School
WHOLE SCHOOL NEWS
Recruitment Update
Over the past few weeks I have been introducing you to the new teachers who will be joining
Stonehill in August 2018. I am now pleased to announce the two latest teachers to accept a
positions at Stonehill. You can read a short bio for each teacher below. We are now very close to
completing our recruitment for the 2018-19 academic year and are delighted with the quality of
teachers we have recruited to date.
Sophie Croteau will be joining us as a Secondary
Mathematics Teacher. She has a Bachelor's degree in Pure
and Applied Mathematics and a BEd in Secondary
Mathematics Education from Sherbrooke University. Sophie
is from Quebec in Canada and is currently teaching MYP
and DP Mathematics at the International School of Moshi in
Tanzania. Sophie brings with her the sporting skills of
gymnastics, cheerleading and the flying trapeze.
Jenny Bautista will be joining us a PYP Learning Support
Teacher. Jenny has a BEd in Elementary Education with a
Major in Special Education from the University of the
Philippines and a Master's Degree in Special Education from
St. Louis University. She is an experienced IB educator who
has worked at international Schools in both the Philippines
and in China. She will be joining us from the International
School of Nanshan Shenzhen. Jenny brings with her a
talent for cookery.
Emergency First Response Training
This week an Emergency First Response Instructor visited Stonehill to run a training course for our
Lifeguard, Nurses and PE Staff. The course taught participants how to respond to life-threatening
emergencies. It focused on primary care through a combination of knowledge development, skill
development and realistic scenario practice to make sure participants have the confidence in their
ability to provide care when emergency situations arise.
Health Safety and Security Update
Students and Staff at School regularly participate in Evacuation Drills to ensure that they are able to
exit the buildings quickly and safely in case of a fire. Recently, the Health, Safety and Security
Committee have also developed a Whole-School Lockdown Procedure. A lockdown may be initiated
for the following reasons:
● An out of control student who is a threat to the safety of our students, staff, or themselves
● An intruder
● Someone on campus with a weapon
● Hazardous chemicals outside the building
● A weather related event
This week the new lockdown procedure was communicated to all students and staff at Stonehill.
The information was conveyed in manner that was designed to reassure students and to not cause
anxiety. Lockdown Drills will now become a regular event in the yearly calendar.
Calendar Changes
Please note two changes to our community calendar:
● The Early Years Track and Field morning will now be combined with the PYP Track and Field
event and will take place on Tuesday 10th April.
● The Instrumental Music Concert has been moved forward one week to Thursday 12th April.
Best regards,
Simon McCloskey
Deputy Head of School and Primary Principal
PRIMARY NEWS
PYP Music Concert
Our annual Primary Music Concert was held on Friday 9th March. Every student from P4 – P8
participated in the concert, showcasing the skills they have learnt in music lessons this year. The
audience was treated to a wonderful variety of instruments and musical styles. I would like thank
Mary Macaulay for organising this fantastic event.
Important Upcoming Primary Dates
● Friday 23rd March - Talent Show at 1:00pm
● Monday 26th March - Mid-term break begins
● Tuesday 10th April - PYP Inter-House Track and Field Day
● Thursday 12th April - Instrumental Music Concert
● Friday 13th April - Mid-Semester Reports published
● Friday 20th April - Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences
● Thursday 26th April - PYP Exhibition
Learning in P3
In the P3 ‘How the World Works’ Unit of Inquiry, students explored how people use forces and
energy to make things move. These young scientists worked to carefully observe forces all around
us, make predictions and test their hypothesis.
The students explored and experimented with magnetic and wind energy and identified how pushes
and pulls are used in everyday life.
P3 is currently inquiring in our Sharing the Planet Unit. The students will consider their rights and
responsibilities when interacting with natural habitats. P3 students have been tasked with becoming
an expert on a habitat. Using books, online resources and their own knowledge they are identifying
the unique features of habitats large and small and how plants and animals depend on their habitats
to survive. Our inquiry will lead up to a presentation to the Primary School about Earth Day. P3
student will share their knowledge and ideas about how to make good choices in order to protect
plants, animals and their habitats.
The Forest Group
The Lakes and Rivers Group
The Ocean Group
Rain Forest Group
Tundra Group
Ms. Kelly Esiyok & Mr. David Abbott
P3 Class Teachers
SECONDARY NEWS
Secondary Assembly
The Secondary assembly was organised by the Student Council on Thursday, 14th March. Mr.
Orlando presented certificates for the Diwali mathematics challenge. Ms. Bender announced sports
achievements from the ISACI Middle School Sports Festival and the recent ISACI volleyball and
cricket tournaments. We also saw the awards for various Book Week competitions that were
presented by Mrs. Stalder. The assembly ended with me giving a presentation on the school
lockdown procedure, as well as the importance of responsibility within the Stonehill community.
Pi Day
World Pi Day was celebrated by the Mathematics department on Wednesday, 14th March. As is
tradition, students calculated Pi with a bunch of pies that they immensely enjoyed eating!
Issues or Concerns Regarding Your Child/Children
If your son/daughter has any problems at school, please contact (by email) their Homeroom Teacher
or the relevant Subject Teacher directly in the first instance, and then the Head of Department or
appropriate Coordinator (MYP or DP) if required. Please do not call on their personal mobile number
at home or during class time.
Early Leave and Late Return after School Holidays
There are several parents who are booking tickets and then informing the school that their child will
miss school due to flights. This is not acceptable and will be treated as unauthorised absence.
Parents are NOT encouraged to withdraw children during term-time for vacations. Parents are also
asked not to ‘leave early’ or ‘return late’ in order to extend scheduled school holidays. In cases
where students will miss routine classes because of voluntary absence, the school does not provide
extra work for them to take on vacation.
The school is sometimes asked to ‘authorise’ absences during school time for family vacations or
other trips. It is not the school’s policy to do so.
If a student’s attendance falls below 90% during the course of the year (without extenuating
circumstances), parents will be asked to attend a meeting with the relevant Principal. The school
reserves the right to request students to repeat the year if attendance is lower than 90% by the end
of Semester Two.
UPCOMING EVENTS
20th March Francophonie Day
21st March Lockdown Drill
23rd March Talent Show
24th March – 1st April Mid-Term Break
Warm regards,
Narendra Mehrotra
Secondary Principal
Win a Kindle Reading Challenge
Here are some snippets from the students who recently participated in the ‘Win a Kindle Reading
Challenge’ in the Secondary School.
Taking part in the reading challenge was lots of fun. It got me to read books I might not normally
read and I'm really thrilled that I won! I think that the challenge was a really great idea and I’m sure
everyone else who participated also enjoyed it. I also think that it was really interesting to read such
a diverse mix of books! I really want to thank Ms. Preethi Stalder for setting up the challenge, it
was a great experience.
Anna M3A ‘Winner of the Challenge’
Participating in the Kindle Reading Challenge was a very fulfilling experience. I got to read 5 exciting
books. Almost every day for a week and a half, I looked forward to reading my book all the time.
Even though I myself may not have picked up a couple of the books I read, I can now say with
confidence that every book is a journey in itself and gives the reader a wonderful experience in the
end.
Sachin M5B
As a participant in this challenge, it has been a great experience as I have read books that were
recommended, books that I would normally not choose. Reading one and a half books a day took
time and mental energy. Even though I did not win, I feel like I just entered five different realms at
once, observing the characters and their various journeys! It is such an appreciable feeling.
Samuel M5B
Ms. Preethi Stalder
Secondary Librarian Teacher
SPORTS NEWS
ISACI Boys Cricket Report
We, at Stonehill, firmly believe that sports and physical activities play a very vital role in shaping
student's overall development and adhere firmly to the belief that “participation is more important
than winning”.
At the recently held Senior Boys ISACI Cricket Tournament in Hyderabad the Stonehill team
enthusiastically played and won their 1st match against Mercedes-Benz International School, Pune
(MBIS) by 7 wickets.
Unfortunately, we later lost against the International School Hyderabad (ISH) team by 17 runs. Our
3rd match was against the reigning champion team of The British School, New Delhi (TBS); we lost
this game by 40 runs.
Though three teams were tied with 1 win each after league matches, Stonehill couldn't qualify for
the final match due to ISH having a better Strike Run Rate.
Despite our losses, the Stonehill boys played with much heart and enthusiasm and had a great
experience through this tournament. I’d like to congratulate everyone on the team for challenging
themselves and putting their best foot forward.
Mr. Avinash Kumar
Coach
PTA NEWS
PTA Charity Updates
Please reach out to Kavitha at (Email:[email protected]) (Phone: 963-204-6735) if you'd like
to join us and help with ANY of the events below:
Upcoming charity visits
Morningstar Ashram
Tuesday March 20th – Grocery drop-off
Wednesday, April 4th – Summer Angels gifts drop off
Iksha Foundation
Wednesday, March 21st – final Summer Angels gifts drop off at 2 hospitals
Upcoming Charity Events
TCS 10K fundraiser for Iksha Foundation - Last year, 13 Stonehill parents and teachers ran the
TCS 10K event and raised INR 70,000 for Iksha Foundation, which we donated to help children
with eye cancer. We'd love to continue to do this again this year. The TCS 10k (and the
untimed 6K Majja run) is one of the best organised running events in Bangalore and registrations
fill up fast. It is scheduled for May 13th. Please help us raise money for a great cause, while
staying fit! Contact us ASAP for more details (run registration is already open) and thank you!
Morningstar Ashram's Summer Arts Volunteer Day – We are planning a Stonehill
parent/student/teacher volunteer-led arts day for the children at Monringstar Ashram on any
Saturday in April/May. Please let us know if you'd like to join and we will connect with you with
additional details
As always, thank you to the Stonehill community for your continued support for the PTA's adopted
charities.
Dear Parents,
It’s that time of the year again when the PTA hosts its annual Stonehill Charity Gala. By now you
should have received your invitations and will see that this year’s event is being hosted at the
gorgeous new Conrad Hilton Hotel on MG Road.
We’ve got a great night planned! Delicious food in a sophisticated venue, with entertainment from
Whitefield’s Andy Ambat and his band – The Fernandes Trio. There will be amazing items for you
to bid on during the Silent Auction – spa and yoga weekends, designer furniture, and of course
fabulous artwork from Stonehill Students and Professional Artists. There is a lot of buzz about the
Gala, so RSVP soon to reserve your tickets. This event is open to the Stonehill Community as well
as their friends and family. Table reservations are available to ensure you get to sit with your
nearest and dearest.
In conjunction with this event, the Conrad Bengaluru has offered Stonehill a special room rate of
11,000+taxes including lunch in their Marketplace restaurant the following day. To book, please
follow this link: http://conradhotels.hilton.com/en/ch/groups/personalized/B/BLRKRCI-GSISA-
20180413/index.jhtml?WT.mc_id=POG
If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch with Melissa
([email protected]) or Jenine ([email protected])
Start looking for your party shoes!
Stonehill International
School
Tarahunise Post Jala Hobli Contacting the School: Bangalore North 562157 India Admissions Ms. Rishika Ganapathy T + 91 8043418300 Primary School Ms. Nijika Bhardwaj + 91 8043418318 Secondary School Ms. Saathi Vinay M + 91 9008307684 Transport Mr. Rahul. I E [email protected] Head Nurse Ms Charlette Macdonald