ISN NEWSLETTER July 26, 2019

Week 3 Dear Parents, Guardians and Friends,

This Newsletter is quite long, for which I apologise. However, it contains much

that I think is important for you to see, apart from the typical information you see

every two weeks. Please take the time to read the Newsletter, look at the

attachments and, if you feel so inclined, respond to them. They set the tone and

direction for the future of the school – your input is important.

But first, I am very happy to let you know that Fun Day is back on. The date has

shifted to 17 August, between 10 am and 2 pm, but the format is basically the

same as what was planned. Thanks to the Fun Day Committee and the PTA

Committee for deciding to push through the problems that led to the original

decision to cancel it.

Mr Harley: Some of you will be aware that Mr Geoff fell awkwardly on the school

camp and has fractures in his right shoulder. He flew back to Australia last week

and had an operation yesterday to put a rod in his upper arm. I will keep you

informed of his progress. I’m sure you will join me in wishing him all the best for a

speedy recovery.

As I indicated in the last Newsletter, Mr Geoff was finishing at ISN at the end of

this term and Ms Jill was going to take over his role as Head of the Arts

department. That will now occur more or less immediately.

School Committee AGM: This will be held on August 20 at 6 pm at the school. I urge everyone to come along

and hear what an amazing year we have had since the last AGM and to be involved in choosing the next

School Committee.

The outgoing committee has been very busy since their election in August last year. You will be aware that we

now have a Masterplan to guide the development of the school facilities in the next few years. Many of you

provided input into that plan which has now been signed off on. You are also aware of the painting of the

outside of the school, a very visible indicator of what the Committee has achieved.

Building Plans: You will be as excited as I am to know that a builder is in the final stages of being appointed to

build a block of four classrooms and offices in the area between the back fence and the High School building.

The building will be raised to avoid potential flooding and will include a wheelchair access ramp. The

undercroft area will be concreted to provide a place for students to have lunch and stay out of the sun and the

rain. We are very hopeful that these rooms will be available to us by the end of this year.

SCHOOL CONTACT

INFORMATION:

Landline:

7762960

Email info@isn.school.fj

Website

www.isn.school.fj

UPCOMING EVENTS

July 29: EC week begins

August 5: MYP Science

Fair week begins

August 15, 16:

Basketball Nationals

August 17: PTA Fun Day

(10 am to 2 pm)

August 20: School

Committee AGM

Plans for a playground for the younger children are also well under way. Most recent indications are that it

should be ready by the end of November, so the students will still need to be patient, but it is coming.

Strategic Plan: These are some of the major projects that this Committee has initiated. While this has been

going on, the Committee has also been working on a strategic plan for the next five years. It is attached and

we invite your response to it. The initial thoughts for the plan came from your responses to the survey done in

preparation for the search for a new Principal in the first part of 2018. Those responses were used to develop

the five pillars on which the Strategic Plan is based:

1. Education and Learning

2. Individual Well-being and Resilience

3. Communications and Community

4. Leadership and Sustainability

5. Physical Environment

Each of these pillars has been further developed into goals, objectives and actions. Once these have been

finalised (after your responses), timelines will be created to guide the school leadership in making these things

happen. If you have any thoughts on any of this, please send me an email so they can be considered.

Vision and Mission: While the Strategic Plan was being developed, the School Committee also considered the

Vision and Mission of the school. Again, the feedback you provided at the start of last year was the catalyst for

making amendments to the Vision and Mission currently in place. A copy of the revised document is attached

for your consideration and response.

School Motto: Finally, the Committee has also decided that, in connection with the development of the new

strategic plan and refreshed vision and mission, it would be an opportunity to “take stock” of the relevance

and current suitability of that “untouchable”: the school motto. On behalf of the Committee, I invite you to

send me an email with your suggestions for an alternative motto. There is no need for it to be in English but,

being a motto, it should be fairly short and easy to say. If you make a suggestion in another language, please

provide a translation. The Marketing Committee will choose what they consider to be the best five. Those

choices plus the current one will then be put to you, the school community, to vote for. A prize will be

awarded to the person (parent, student, staff, friend) for the motto that is chosen by the school community.

School Committee Constitution: The final work of significance that the Committee has been working on are

some constitutional changes, the main one of which is to extend the tenure of the elected Committee

members to two years. This will provide much needed continuity, the plan being for half the eight member

Committee to stand for election each year. When the formal notification of the AGM is sent out in the next

week or so, a copy of those proposed changes will be included.

I do encourage you to have a look at the documents attached and to email me with your thoughts on them by

Friday August 2.

Best wishes,

Erik Hoekstra

Principal

Weekly Updates

Science Fair Students will be displaying their findings on the different experiments they chose to do. It will run for 4 days and will be scheduled as follows: Monday - MYP 1 (Lunch time) Tuesday - MYP 2 (Lunch- Period 7) Thursday - MYP 3 (Lunch time) Friday - MYP 4 (Lunch time) Please feel free to show your support!

French ASA There will be no French ASA on Wednesday 14 August. There will be a Make-up class on the following week on Tuesday August 20. Classes will resume as per normal from Wednesday August 21, 2019. PE Uniform A request from our PE Teachers that all Primary students must have a hat for PE class. Please note the rule still applies, No Hat No Play. Secondary students must bring their PE Uniform on the days they have PE Class.

EARLY- CHILDHOOD – First Swimming Class

Swimming is an important life skill that all children should learn at an early stage in their life. With every new stroke

a child learns; they will be developing self-confidence and a sense of accomplishment. Thus Early Childhood swimming

classes started last week. Thanks to all the teachers and parents for their support in making swimming fun and enjoyable

for the little ones.

-Sofina Bibi

PYP 2 – 100 Days Celebration

Last week, PYP 2 was very busy experiencing the number ‘100’ through different activities. On Friday, the 19th of July PYP 2 became 100 DAYS SMARTER. To help visualize what 100 looks like, students brought in their projects like:

100 collections

T-Shirts with 100 things on it

Posters about 100 Students also enjoyed activities that were integrated with some of our learning areas at school like, Math, Writing, Reading, Art, PE, and Library Skills. We ended the day with a scavenger Hunt and a Science Experiment.

MYP 1 Camp

MYP 1 students were treated with a taste of Fiji’s national heritage, identity and cultural practices during this year’s camp. Based on the global context of Personal and Cultural Expression, the students were taken on a three-day excursion around Sigatoka that allowed them to discover and explore the various aspects that make this country unique. After taking in invaluable conservation and cultural lessons at the National Heritage Momi Battery Gun Site, Shangri La’s Marine Education Centre and Nakabuta Pottery Village, the students were rewarded with the opportunity to impart some of the knowledge they have acquired by interacting and teaching the Chinese language to students and teachers of Nokonoko District School. The camp proved to be an experience that would remain in the minds of all students forever.

Our trip to the local

school was so much fun.

The students were very

kind and I felt so lucky.

-Tagici Sowane

Playing rugby with the

students of Nokonoko

District School was

tough but I really

enjoyed it.

-Patrick Spillane

It was a great learning

experience going to the

pottery village and learning

how they made pottery as

well as learning a bit of the

background of the village.

-Eva Bell

We learnt a lot at

Shangri La about sea

creatures and how

important it is to save

the mangroves.

-Harry Wotta

As I was teaching, I realized

how respectful the

students are and they are

so open to learning.

-Joana Goodrich

We learnt a lot at

Shangri La about sea

creatures and how

important it is to save

the mangroves.

-Harry Wotta

MYP 3 – Camp Reflections

This year 2019 camp was exceptionally entertaining since I got to stay away from my electronic devices for 3

days. I thought I wouldn’t survive without music on the 6 hour road trip to Namosi but it turned out pretty good,

After all we did have a Riff-off where it involved singing and other fun games including everyone to enjoy and

laugh. Also because of that anyhow we had to leave our phones back home, we got to bond more with friends

and talk with others every day. In spite of that, the best thing about this camp for me was waking up in the chilly

morning looking up and seeing the foggy mountains and breathing in the clean air. Plus the river was really nice

to play in.

This year’s camp was interesting as it was held at Namosi, in the highlands. We were surrounded by large hills

and mountains, which seemed to be the barrier which has allowed Namosi to remain so ‘untouched’. As the

place was so untouched from electricity and the internet and some other technology we are used to, it was fun

to step out of our comfort zones. I left the highlands, being more open-minded. We also visited the kindergarten

of Navunikabi Catholic School. It was a lovely experience getting to meet the children and sharing toys and songs

with them.

Camp was a really good experience to get away from electricity and wifi and our electronics. It really helped me

to appreciate nature more. I liked waking up every morning and seeing how the fog/mist rested on the

mountains and when we went for hikes, how beautiful and calm the river looked. I enjoyed eating different food

that I usually don’t eat, and I loved going for swims in the river. Sleeping in a bure was really fun because you got

nice fresh air and at nights was cool. Camp helped me bond with a lot of students from MYP 2 and some of

mine.

Camp was really fun because there was no electricity, no service and the camp itself was secluded. We got the

opportunity to learn new skills such as being taught to build and use a bilibili (bamboo raft). Camp also provided

a good bonding experience for all of us. In my opinion it also enabled me to do something that I love and have

not done in years. The views that the mountain ranges provided were amazing. It was also a great experience to

visit the Kindy students of Navunikabi School.

Ryeojin Yoon

Federica Dressino

Atalya Cavalevu

Jack Spillane

MYP 4 Reflections

I enjoyed camp alot.

I wish we had done

more activities.

Camp was exceptional. I learnt

a lot of life skills and deepened

my relationship with my

classmates.

Camp was fun as I got to

spend time with my

friends.

Camp was an enjoyable

experience. We did alot

of fun activities and I got

to know my classmates

better,

Camp this year was very fun.

I feel like we all bonded as a

class and got to know each

other more. I enjoyed it a lot.

Our camp was incredibly fun

and enjoyable. I really enjoyed

the activities we did as a class.

We all bonded well and had lots

of fun.

Camp was fun and exciting. The

Sigatoka Safari was a good experience

for me. I felt proud as I had the

Opportunity to do service at

Rampur Primary.

My favorite part of the

camp was sand dunes as it

was a new experience and I

had fun climbing with

friends.

MYP 5 & DP 1 Survivor Camp

The MYP5 and DP1 participated in an action-packed Survivor themed

camp at Nukulevu Island. Within their tribes, students developed their

teamwork and communication skills through a series of challenges from

bamboo raft building to a blindfolded obstacle course.

Student Reflections

“Camp was full of fun, challenging

activities: teamwork saved the day!”

Riddhi, DP1

“The camp was an excellent bonding

experience. We all managed to “survive”

and work on our team building skills”.

Tanisha DP1

“Camp was an experience despite the fact that I'm new. I was able to bond and make friends. The team activities were fun but I personally enjoyed making the rafts.” Eunice, MYP5 “Camp was a great experience and I really enjoyed the survivor themed activities. I especially enjoyed the construction of a bamboo raft and the other challenges I took part in. However I still am not a fan of tents and camp toilets!” Matteo, MYP5 “The camp that we went to was a lot of fun and we were able to experience many new things that will help me in the future. We were given different challenges that were difficult in their own way. This was an experience that I will cherish forever” Enoch, MYP5

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