Issue 11 - Raffles International School
Issue 11 - Raffles International School
Issue 11 - Raffles International School
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Campus News<br />
Updates from South Campus<br />
Term 2/<strong>Issue</strong> <strong>11</strong> - 2010-20<strong>11</strong><br />
April 20<strong>11</strong><br />
1 to 9 April 20<strong>11</strong> Spring Break<br />
2 to 9 April 20<strong>11</strong> Trip to Switzerland (Middle & High <strong>School</strong> students)<br />
10 April 20<strong>11</strong> Term 3 Begins<br />
20 April 20<strong>11</strong> Open Day—<strong>School</strong><br />
21 April 20<strong>11</strong> Tree Planting—Whole <strong>School</strong><br />
27 April 20<strong>11</strong> White & Black Day—Nursery<br />
May 20<strong>11</strong><br />
1 May 20<strong>11</strong> Grade 10—Study Leave starts<br />
4 May 20<strong>11</strong> Grade 3 field trip: Dubai Mall Aquarium<br />
9 May 20<strong>11</strong> IGCSE Examination Start—West Campus<br />
12 May 20<strong>11</strong> Movie Day-Nursery & Grade 3- Arabic Civilization<br />
15 May 20<strong>11</strong> Mid Term Holiday<br />
19 May 20<strong>11</strong> Superintendent coffee morning -All Grades<br />
26 May 20<strong>11</strong> Brown Day—Nursery<br />
29 May to 9 June 20<strong>11</strong> Grade 9 Examination<br />
31 May 20<strong>11</strong> Parent Volunteer Appreciation- Coffee<br />
June 20<strong>11</strong><br />
1 June 20<strong>11</strong> Open Day<br />
5 to 9 June 20<strong>11</strong> Grade 6,7, 8 Examination<br />
5 to 14 & 19 to 22 June 20<strong>11</strong> Splash Pool (Morning) - Nursery<br />
9 June 20<strong>11</strong> Careers Day- Grades 9 & 10<br />
9 June 20<strong>11</strong> Annual Production-1-5<br />
12 & 13 June 20<strong>11</strong> Aquaventure Trip-(Grades 3 to 10)<br />
15 June 20<strong>11</strong> End of Term Concert-Nursery<br />
16 June 20<strong>11</strong> KG Graduation<br />
21 June 20<strong>11</strong> Graduation Ceremonies-Junior<br />
23 June 20<strong>11</strong> End of Year Reports<br />
23 June 20<strong>11</strong> Last Day for Students<br />
26 & 27 June 20<strong>11</strong> Middle & High <strong>School</strong>- Re-Sit Exams<br />
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62 Page 1
Message from the Principal (cont)<br />
Dear Parents,<br />
Fever in a child is one of the most common symptoms for<br />
which parents and caregivers seek medical attention from<br />
Paediatricians and other healthcare providers. Fever, is a<br />
physiologic response that helps the body to fight infection;<br />
therefore, it is not the primary illness. Appropriate counselling<br />
on fever management should help parents understand<br />
that fever, in and of itself, is not harmful in a generally<br />
healthy child. Therefore, the main goal in treating a child<br />
with fever should be to improve the child‘s overall comfort level, rather than lower body temperature<br />
to the normal range. Clinicians should emphasize the child‘s overall well-being, the need<br />
to monitor the child‘s activity and encouragement of appropriate fluid intake when they advise<br />
parents of a febrile child. According to a new clinical report issued by the American Academy of<br />
Paediatrics (AAP). March 3, 20<strong>11</strong><br />
―Many parents administer antipyretics even when there is minimal or no fever; because they are<br />
concerned the child must maintain a ‗normal‘ temperature. The study author‘s note.‖ fever, however,<br />
is not the primary illness but is a physiologic mechanism that has beneficial effects in<br />
fighting infection, ―they write. ― There is no evidence that fever itself worsens the course of an<br />
illness or that it causes long-term neurologic complication.‖<br />
According to the study authors, there is ―no evidence that reducing fever reduces morbidity or<br />
mortality from a febrile illness‖ or that it decreases the recurrence of febrile seizures.<br />
When used in appropriate doses, acetaminophen and ibuprofen are generally considered to be<br />
safe and effective in most clinical situations, and both have analgesic as well as antipyretic effects.<br />
As with all drugs, however, acetaminophen and ibuprofen should be used judiciously to<br />
minimize the risk for adverse drug effects and toxicity.<br />
The use of alcohol baths is not an appropriate method to reduce fever because of reported<br />
adverse events associated with systemic absorption of alcohol.<br />
<strong>School</strong> Clinic<br />
<strong>Raffles</strong> <strong>International</strong> <strong>School</strong><br />
South Campus<br />
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62<br />
Page 2
Message from the Principal (cont)<br />
What is PARIS?<br />
PARIS (Parents Association <strong>Raffles</strong> <strong>International</strong> South) is a dedicated group of Mums to support teachers and<br />
staff, facilitate communication between school and home, and to help build a vibrant school community. We<br />
encourage you to attend and support future events as they directly benefit the school, faculty and students.<br />
Volunteers are always welcome. If you are interested in volunteering for future events or if you have<br />
resources that could benefit our group please contact us: pasouth@raffleis.com<br />
Tess Viira, Charmaine Chetty, Georgina Alfardan, Nadya Ghazal Usmani, Hessa Saeed, Noha Samy, Morag Sjolin,<br />
Biljana Rasmuson, Zineb Fourrier, Saira Faiz, Saima Kashif, Fatima Al Arreyedh, Bridgette Whisenand.<br />
Mother’s Day Picnic<br />
On Sunday March 20 th , we celebrated our 1 st Annual Mother’s Day Picnic. The picnic included a variety of coffee,<br />
tea, juices, cupcakes and long stem roses. A memorable time was had by all. A Huge Thank You to all of<br />
the Mums that helped organize such a wonderful afternoon. Also, a very special Thank You to all of the Mums<br />
that attended the Picnic.<br />
PARIS would also like to recognize our Mother’s Day Picnic Sponsors for their generous donations. Aswaaq,<br />
LuLu Hypermarket & Floverme.com.<br />
Lost and Found: Please be sure to check the lost and found for any items your child may have misplaced.<br />
All items must be claimed by March 31 st . All unclaimed items will be donated to PARIS and will be sold in the<br />
uniform second hand shop. The uniform second hand shop will be open every Monday between 08:00 and<br />
10:00 am beginning April 10 th . All proceeds will go to PARIS. If you would like to donate gently used school<br />
uniforms, please contact tereseviira@hotmail.com.<br />
Future PARIS Events: Stay tuned for future events. Movie night<br />
coming in May. Be sure to check out the PARIS information<br />
board located in the atrium behind the reception area.<br />
Parent Association<br />
<strong>Raffles</strong> <strong>International</strong> <strong>School</strong>, South Campus<br />
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62<br />
Page 3
Message from the Principal (cont)<br />
Dear Parents,<br />
This week you have been receiving the information about registering for the next school year. We do<br />
hope that you will continue with <strong>Raffles</strong> <strong>International</strong> <strong>School</strong>, South Campus. We also encourage you to<br />
complete the forms and return them soon to the admissions office. The interest in our school has grown<br />
steadily this school year. The kindergarten classes are rapidly filling. Our enrollment has increased by 160<br />
students currently compared to the last school year.<br />
With the anticipated increase in enrollment we are planning on the addition of sections at all grade levels.<br />
Our present class groups will be rearranged to provide for well-balanced learning communities.<br />
The changes that occur during the year can result in some classes having a majority of one gender or the<br />
other. Some classes may have added more students who are learning English for the first time. The regrouping<br />
takes into consideration the strengths and needs of the students to create a class with a mix of<br />
nationalities, balance of gender, and social needs. New students joining a class of students who are all<br />
getting acquainted are more easily settled as all become familiar with a new teacher. The groups are created<br />
equally and not structured for any specific teacher.<br />
Our Parent Association has again delivered a very enjoyable event. The Mother’s Day picnic was planned<br />
and developed by a great core group of parents. Please take a moment to thank the organizers. Remember<br />
everyone is welcome to join in the development of this organization. During the Parent- Teacher<br />
conferences, March 30 and 31, the PA-RIS will have the collection of Found items available, which they<br />
hope will be retrieved by those who have Lost them.<br />
During the Spring Break a group of our students will participate in a Ski Trip organized by Lisa Butcher and<br />
chaperoned by Alison Pead. We hope they have a very enjoyable experience in Switzerland.<br />
The Spring Break is beginning on April 1 and school resumes on April 10. We hope you enjoy this time<br />
with your family and friends.<br />
Communication with South Campus<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Admissions: For any admissions related query to South Campus, please email:<br />
admissions@rafflesis.com<br />
For any Nursery admissions query, please email: nurseryadmissions@raffleis.com<br />
Accounts: For any accounts related query, please email: accounts@rafflesis.com<br />
For any general academic queries, please email: StudentservicesSC@rafflesis.com<br />
For any school administration and feedback, please email: feedback@rafflesis.com<br />
For general enquiries, please email: info@rafflesis.com<br />
Regards,<br />
Donavon Reinsmoen<br />
Superintendent<br />
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62<br />
Page 4
Message from the Principal (cont)<br />
Dear Parents,<br />
We are almost through with term two and looking ahead to the final term. We end the term with<br />
parent/ teacher conferences on March 27th and 28th for the nursery and on the 30th/and 31st for KG to<br />
Grade 5. Though communication between teachers and parents is a continuous process, parent /teacher<br />
conferences provide a formal opportunity to meet with teachers and learn about children’s progress,<br />
areas of strengths and weakness and go through their work portfolios. While you are here in school you<br />
will be delighted to see your child/children’s art work displayed in the atrium behind the reception.<br />
Math Fun Day: On March 17 th the Maths Committee organized Math Fun Day –‘Every Day Math’.<br />
All Junior <strong>School</strong> children had a great learning experience outside their<br />
regular classrooms and in a relaxed and fun way. Thank you to the Grades<br />
3, 4 & 5 dads for your support and encouragement.<br />
Look forward to: In Term 3, the English, Arabic and the Science<br />
committees will be organizing similar activities to enhance student experiences<br />
and focus on core areas of the curriculum.<br />
KG transition to JS: We have<br />
begun preparations for the transition of our KG2 students to<br />
Grade1 in the new academic year. We held our first information<br />
morning for KG2 parents and shared information on the transition<br />
process and the expectations and routines of Grade 1. Some KG2<br />
students have visited Grade 1 classrooms and spent some time<br />
with the Grade 1 teachers. These classroom visits are on-going<br />
and form an integral part of the transition process. We will have<br />
our next information mornings on 17 April & 15 May at 8:15 a.m.<br />
These information sessions are a great opportunity for parents to<br />
be informed and get involved in the next big step for their child/children. We endeavour to make the<br />
transition from Kindergarten to the Junior school as smooth and seamless as possible.<br />
Mother’s Day: The South Campus Parent Association<br />
(PARIS SA) hosted ‘Muffins with Mum’ to celebrate Mother’s<br />
Day. In the green areas of the school, mums and children sat<br />
with their picnic baskets and enjoyed special bonding time and<br />
socialized with other parents and children as well. Thank you to<br />
PARIS members for all the hard work, enthusiasm and joy they<br />
brought to the <strong>Raffles</strong> community. I am certain that Sunday<br />
March 20, 20<strong>11</strong>, will be remembered by many in the years to<br />
come.<br />
Lost and Found items: A big ‘thank you’ to the Parent Association for organizing our Lost and Found<br />
area. Among other lost items, books, water bottles, shirts, shorts, jumpers, hats, swimming suits, Karate<br />
suits and shoes waiting for the rightful owners.<br />
The Lost and Found area is located next to the IT department. Parents and students are encouraged to<br />
have a look in this area if they are missing any of the above items.<br />
Continued on page 6<br />
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62<br />
Page 5
Message from the Principal (cont)<br />
On Parent /teacher conference days the lost items will be put out in the atrium next to the grade one<br />
and two classrooms. Please make sure to visit the area in case you are missing any of the above<br />
items.<br />
Annual Production: The Junior <strong>School</strong> is looking forward to its annual production to be held in June<br />
20<strong>11</strong>. At this time, teachers are busy writing the script for the school play and having a lot of fun at<br />
the same time. Teachers will be asking parents for assistance and I am sure, like always, there will<br />
be many parents volunteering their time and using their skills to assist the teachers and students.<br />
Class parents: At the beginning of the academic year, class parents were appointed from those who<br />
had volunteered for the role. As you may know, being a class parent involves time and effort and<br />
being available to the teacher for some time is essential. In case you are an appointed class parent<br />
but are unable to devote time, or be of assistance to the teacher, please let the teacher know so that<br />
we can appoint another class parent. In this way, the teacher and the students will not be deprived<br />
of the additional support they can get from the class parent.<br />
Parent/ Teacher Conferences: I hope all of you have booked your appointment with your child’s<br />
homeroom teacher. Please use these appointments to get feedback from teachers as well as to express<br />
your appreciation, concerns and queries. If this times is not sufficient for you, please do not<br />
hesitate to let the teacher know so that she can schedule another appointment for you.<br />
Thank you for your continued support and I wish all of you a safe and relaxing spring break.<br />
South Campus staff and management look forward to the third and final term of 2010- 20<strong>11</strong>.<br />
The school reopens after the spring break on Sunday 10 th April.<br />
Important dates for March 20<strong>11</strong>:<br />
Thank You,<br />
Zeba Khan<br />
Head of Junior <strong>School</strong><br />
27 & 28 March 20<strong>11</strong> - P/T Conferences—Nursery<br />
30 & 31 March 20<strong>11</strong> - P/T Conferences—KG to Grade 10<br />
30 March 20<strong>11</strong> - Double Decker Fun Bus—Nursery<br />
31 March 20<strong>11</strong> - End of Term / Green Day<br />
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62<br />
Page 6
Message from the Principal (cont)<br />
Dear Parents,<br />
This is<br />
We have been very daring with the theme for this week, but I have actually received words of thanks<br />
and appreciation from some of our parentsJ. Miss Suzanne from CASA B shared the idea for this and I<br />
must say that it has certainly given a lot of the parents food for thought. I hope that you have found<br />
the alternative suggestions useful. Here are some points for your information:<br />
What a TV Network station says about TV:<br />
'Models violence. A Pennsylvania State University study of about 100 preschoolers found that children<br />
who watched violent cartoon shows were more likely to strike out at playmates, argue, and disobey<br />
authority, and were less willing to wait than other children. "The violence is replicated the next day in<br />
the playground," says mother and writer Ellen Augustine Schwartz.<br />
Interferes with literacy. TV "actually undermines reading," adds Lewis. "While reading is active and<br />
requires practice, TV is passive and offers instant gratification."<br />
Undermines family time. According to A.C. Nielson Co., the average American watches three hours and<br />
46 minutes of television per day. That's time they're not spending talking or doing things with their<br />
families.<br />
End of Term<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The Mother’s Day picnic was nice; the children had fun!<br />
All After <strong>School</strong> Activities for the term finish on Wednesday the 23rd March.<br />
We are planning a Pizza party for the end of the term and I will send a note home about this next<br />
week.<br />
The last day of term will be Thursday the 31 st March; school closes at 12 noon.<br />
Should you wish to talk to me about any aspect of the curriculum, please pop into the office. I have<br />
placed a small table in front of the office so that parents may leave a message for me, if I am engaged<br />
during drop off or pick up times.<br />
This week we will be focusing on KG CASA G, Galina Lutchmaya’s<br />
class.<br />
Happy Reading and have a safe Spring break!<br />
Patricia Mezu<br />
KG Coordinator<br />
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62<br />
Page 7
Message from the Principal (cont)<br />
Dear Parents,<br />
The children in the South Campus had a great time on their day trip this term. Casa A through E went<br />
to see the dolphins at Dubai Dolphinarium. While Casa F ventured into the main school to visit the<br />
school library and meet Susan the Librarian. We have more fun coming up with our End of Term<br />
party. The nursery children will see many different types of animals during the party; Posh Paws will<br />
be bringing their Petting Farm to us. Each Casa will be spending half an hour with the animals,<br />
brushing, walking and feeding them. The London Double Decker Bus will also be joining us on this<br />
day, and much more. What a treat we have in store for our nursery children.<br />
If you are picking your child up before 2:00 pm and are using the main school entrance, please collect<br />
an ‘Early Leavers Form’ from your child’s class teacher. This will inform the school security that your<br />
child has left the premises as well as ensure the safety of all our children in the nursery, in the case of<br />
an emergency evacuation.<br />
Parent/Teacher Conferences<br />
On Sunday 27 th and Monday 28th March, we will hold this year’s Parent/ Teacher Conference.<br />
The meeting will give you the opportunity to discuss the progress of your child. Please be sure to<br />
book an appointment with your child’s class teacher. The sign-up sheets will be located on the<br />
window of each Casa. Please note that the pick-up time for the nursery children on those days will be<br />
12:30 pm to allow the teachers to prepare for the afternoon meetings.<br />
What a nice surprise we had in the nursery this<br />
month! Mickey Mouse and his friend Mini came<br />
back to see us. They spent time with the children,<br />
shaking hands and making friends.<br />
Susie Mcshane<br />
Nursery Coordinator<br />
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62<br />
Page 8
W o r k s h o p - C o o p e r a t i v e S t r a t e g i e s –<br />
K a g a n S t r u c t u r e s<br />
Message from the Principal (cont)<br />
According to the teachers‘ development strategy the Arabic and Islamic Department<br />
held a workshop about cooperative learning strategies –Kagan Structures on<br />
Thursday 10 th March 20<strong>11</strong>.<br />
At the beginning the Coordinator of the department, Duaa Arabiat, welcomed the<br />
teachers and asked them about the expected outcomes for the workshop. The<br />
teachers showed their ambitions.<br />
Duaa presented a power point on the outcomes of the workshop then<br />
discussed with the teachers the different learning methods. After that, they<br />
used brainstorming to define the concept of cooperative learning.<br />
The main topics discussed in the workshop were:<br />
The Differences between Traditional and Cooperative Learning<br />
Groups.<br />
The 5 Underlying Principles of CL<br />
Social Skills Acquisition<br />
Teacher‘s & Student‘s roles in Cooperative Learning.<br />
Cooperative Learning Activity<br />
How to Work Cooperatively in Group<br />
Inclusion Strategies<br />
Engaging Curriculum<br />
Group‘s assessments<br />
Reflections<br />
The Coordinator explained Kagan structures in Cooperative Learning<br />
and how to apply it in Arabic & Islamic lessons in each class. The<br />
structures are:<br />
Stand Up, Hand Up, Pair Up.<br />
Mix Pair Share<br />
Rally Robin<br />
Rally Table<br />
Rally Coach<br />
Simultaneous Rally Table.<br />
Quiz-Quiz-Trade.<br />
Timed Pair Share<br />
Single Round Robin<br />
Continuous Round Robin<br />
All Write Round Robin<br />
Timed Round Robin<br />
Stand-N-Share<br />
Fan-N-Pick<br />
Numbered Heads Together<br />
Single Round Table<br />
Continuous Round Table<br />
Simultaneous Round Table<br />
Duaa handed the teachers hard copies of cooperative learning strategies, samples of lesson plans according to<br />
cooperative learning and Kagan structures)<br />
At the end of the workshop the coordinator thanked the teachers for their attendance and interaction. The teachers<br />
suggested the next workshop topic (Lesson Planning).<br />
Duaa Arabiat, Coordinator-Arabic & Islamic Studies<br />
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62<br />
Page 9
Message from the Principal (cont)<br />
Dear Parents,<br />
On Thursday the 17 th of March, the Middle and High school students had a school trip to the<br />
‖Royatee Society‖ escorted by three teachers. We began our trip with a lecture about respecting<br />
our mothers followed by a question and students answering. There were also three workshops<br />
which were a lot of fun and creative. We had to make a Quran cover for our mothers, make<br />
bracelets and make a card for Mother‘s Day. It was a great trip and the‖ Royatee Society‖ is a<br />
place we would like to visit again.<br />
Heba Al Saadi<br />
Islamic Teacher<br />
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62<br />
Page 10
Message from the Principal (cont)<br />
Dear Parents,<br />
Grade 2 has learnt about ““ " The Kitchen‖. They learnt the kitchen equipment<br />
in Arabic and the use of each item. The children visited the staff kitchen and practised<br />
using this vocabulary. At the end of the session they had some cake and juice, and<br />
learnt how to order food by using Arabic vocabulary.<br />
في المطبخ<br />
Grade 2 were very enthusiastic and excited to be able to use the new vocabulary as<br />
well as they were very happy to be able to structure their sentences in Arabic<br />
perfectly.<br />
Ghada Fahad Abu Shareb<br />
Arabic Teacher<br />
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62<br />
Page <strong>11</strong>
Message from the Principal (cont)<br />
Dear Parents,<br />
The month started with all of us running in a group with our green shirts on for the ‘’Fun Run’’. We<br />
were enthused with the spirit of outdoing each other and ran as fast as safely possible. On Monday<br />
21 st March, Mickey Mouse visited us with his troupe, including Minnie and a Clown. Since this was a<br />
surprise visit, it added loads of excitement and we keenly met and took pictures with them.<br />
Culture topics: This month our culture topic discussions included animal habitats. We discussed<br />
different habitats for different animals - how their body equips them to cope in their environment<br />
made learning easy when we talked about fish anatomy. This progressed to our topic of ‘sea life’ and<br />
saw us off on our big trip to see real dolphins and seals. Currently, we are discussing the anatomy<br />
and types of insects & bugs. The larger than life size pictures of bugs were received with awe and not<br />
many comments!!!!!!!!!<br />
Birthdays: Ava’s 4 th birthday was celebrated in usual Montessori style; went around the sun with<br />
globe in hand, while mom and dad brought cakes and bags for the children and added the parent<br />
touch to our celebration.<br />
Songs: Our music theme was centred on the sea and its inhabitants in anticipation of the<br />
Dolphinarium trip. The children can probably sing for you ‘The Sea Horse Said to the Little Fish’<br />
Note of thanks<br />
To all the moms for cleaning the lunch boxes and bags<br />
of children—we keep repeating and chatting about<br />
how important it is for the children to regularly clean<br />
and empty their bags.<br />
Gabriel and Felix’s moms volunteered and joined us on<br />
our trip to the Dubai Dolphinarium. They were a big<br />
help, thank you.<br />
Asma Mufti &<br />
Edna Dias<br />
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62<br />
Page 12
Message from the Principal (cont)<br />
Dear Parents<br />
It is hard to believe that this term which has flagged a series of fun events is coming to an end. I<br />
would like to start by welcoming the new addition to Casa D – Talia, who has settled well and is seen<br />
to be an enthusiastic learner.<br />
Topic: In the last two weeks, we have covered the topic –<br />
‘Under the Sea’. We talked about sea animals and worked on<br />
different ways to remember their characteristics. Children<br />
have had a great time role-playing animal movements, noises<br />
and playing memory games using 3D models. I have received a<br />
lot of feedback from parents about the two new songs introduced<br />
on this topic – ‘Slippery Fish’ and ‘Five Jelly Fish’. It is<br />
wonderful to hear that the children have grasped it with ease<br />
and enjoy singing no matter where they are.<br />
Trip: What created a wonderful memory for the children to<br />
home with this topic was our fun trip to the Dubai Dolphinarium. The fur seals’ appearance brought<br />
an element of fun and some humorous gestures, bringing an easy smile to every child’s face.<br />
The breath-taking dolphins that were highly interactive and talented, were one of the highlights of<br />
the show. From the merry bus ride to the dazzling dolphin performance, children enjoyed it<br />
thoroughly. I would like to thank our helpful class parents – Zineb and Katherin who accompanied us<br />
for the trip and has been extremely supportive.<br />
Montessori Curriculum: Montessori recognises the concept of freedom for self-directed learning. It<br />
is delightful to see how our Montessori work-cycle is reflecting this freedom that allows children to<br />
follow their inner guidance for self-directed learning. On several dimensions, children are displaying<br />
interest to work on complex materials when they have accomplished learning through simple materials.<br />
This is a great achievement!<br />
Reminders:<br />
The sign-up sheets for the Parent /Teacher Meeting are displayed on the classroom board. Please<br />
ensure you have confirmed a time to discuss your child’s progress.<br />
Early leavers, students who get picked up before the nursery gates open -kindly ensure you have<br />
completed the Early Leavers Form signed by the Class Teacher and Nursery Co-ordinator.<br />
Thank you,<br />
Elizabeth Antony & Lorna Aguipa<br />
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62<br />
Page 13
Message from the Principal (cont)<br />
Dear Parents,<br />
Casa G has grown into its own little community. As the<br />
children come in, they get to work putting the furniture in<br />
place by positioning the chairs and tables quietly. They<br />
demonstrate ‗grace and courtesy‘ as they greet each other<br />
at the start, and end, of the day. They are also currently<br />
practising to use their indoor voices. This instils a respect<br />
for both the environment and each other. They are able to<br />
concentrate on choosing<br />
the material they would like to work with and completing it<br />
without being distracted.<br />
During the 7 th week of this term the children learned about<br />
health and exercise and how it affect our body. At the end of<br />
each day, the children practised different stretches and exercises<br />
to strengthen their body, as they learned about their anatomy.<br />
This topic is stretching through the remaining weeks of this<br />
term. At least twice a week the children are asked to do simple<br />
exercises during circle time, at<br />
the end of each day. They are very proud and eager to show off<br />
their new skills, so please ask them to show you a few stretches<br />
at home (swan stretch, v-sit, table, etc.).<br />
The children have learned about global warming and they have<br />
understood why plants are important for our environment as<br />
well as what happens to the earth, and all of us, if we do not take<br />
care of it. They have also learned that each person needs to start<br />
by taking care of the environment they are in and, as we work<br />
together, our combined efforts will make the world a better place to live in.<br />
Transportation was one of the topics for the KG section last week. Casa G has enjoyed this theme.<br />
To implement it, the children have made beautiful cars using shapes they cut out and coloured.<br />
They have also learned a little about the history of flight, the famous Wright brothers, what<br />
makes objects aerodynamic and a song on transportation.<br />
In closing, I would like to thank all the Casa G parents for your efforts in working together with<br />
me to aid the children as they have settled into their new environment and learned to follow the<br />
routine. It is our combined effort that helps mould the children of today into the future generation.<br />
Galina Lutchmaya<br />
KG Casa G<br />
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62<br />
Page 14
Dear Parents,<br />
Message from the Principal (cont)<br />
Grade 1A- has had an action packed week!! We are so excited to start swimming this week<br />
and are extremely glad that the temperature has heated up, making the experience that<br />
much more enjoyable.<br />
We have also had a wonderful time with Ms. Alison during our computer classes. We have<br />
explored the different types of font, size and even incorporated colour into our works.<br />
We will be displaying our work, next week, on the display board close to the main entrance.<br />
In English we have been reading and acting out some of our favourite poems. This is one that<br />
we especially liked and wanted to share with the rest of <strong>Raffles</strong> <strong>International</strong> <strong>School</strong>.<br />
Five Fluffy Little Robins<br />
Five Fluffy Little Robins,<br />
Looked up at the sky.<br />
It was time to leave the nest,<br />
And find out how to fly.<br />
Four flitter-fluttered off,<br />
But one was full of fear.<br />
He said, "It's far too high,<br />
I think I'll stay right here!"<br />
"Come on! ‖said the others,<br />
Flying freely in the sun.<br />
So their little brother tried it<br />
And found that it was fun.<br />
Michelle Jenkins—Grade 1A Homeroom Teacher<br />
Dear Parents,<br />
On Thursday 17 th March we had a Math Fun Day organised by the Math committee and it was truly an enjoyable<br />
day for the children from Grades 1 to 5! Amongst the games arranged for Grades 1 and 2 were several board<br />
games; pictures of various shapes where children had to find the correct shape to fit the puzzle; a bingo game with<br />
subtraction and addition; re-arranging and putting numbers in order on the washing line; balancing items on the<br />
weighing scale and Snakes and Ladders. Grade 1C thoroughly enjoyed participating in different games and did not<br />
want to leave the hall! It was a fun, interactive and knowledgeable day for all of the children. Some of the quotes<br />
from the children of Grade 1C were as follows:<br />
Alizeh: ‗Exciting and fun‘<br />
Tae: ‗I liked it very much.‘<br />
Macy: ‗Terrific and fun‘<br />
Kimberley: ‗Cool and terrific‘<br />
Omar: ‗We would like to have this again, it was so much fun!‘<br />
Albert: ‗Fun and easy.‘<br />
Shafraz Saju—Grade 1C Homeroom Teacher<br />
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62<br />
Page 15
Message from the Principal (cont)<br />
Dear Parents,<br />
In 1B we enjoyed performing our Penguin Assembly<br />
about Antarctica. We researched the facts we learned by<br />
reading non-fiction books and internet articles. Our<br />
favourite research clips about the Antarctic penguins were<br />
from National Geographic Kids and the BBC video clips.<br />
We learned how to find out the weight of objects using<br />
units and a balance. It was so much fun.<br />
Aoife Hurley—Grade 1B Homeroom Teacher<br />
Dear Parents,<br />
In Grade 1C we have been studying the different types of<br />
seasons and various types of transport. We performed our<br />
assembly on the ‗Four Seasons‘ which the children were<br />
very excited to perform and enjoyed thoroughly. Our<br />
display board shows a variety of work done on the Four<br />
Seasons. We have been learning different forms of<br />
transport and labelling cars, aeroplanes and some children<br />
have learnt how to make a paper boat. We have also done<br />
a Tally chart on transport and various types of worksheets<br />
including a word search on transport.<br />
In Maths we have enjoyed subtracting using different methods such as using the number line or<br />
simply using cubes to take away. We have been learning real world problems in subtractions.<br />
We have been busy learning things and we wish to continue to learn more each day!<br />
Shafraz Saju – Grade 1C Homeroom Teacher<br />
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62<br />
Page 16
Message from the Principal (cont)<br />
Dear Parents,<br />
Grade 2B Picasso Mania<br />
This week the Grade 2 B students stepped into the famous shoes of Pablo<br />
Picasso to create the most interesting, eye-catching portraits based on the<br />
artist‘s style. It was great fun to choose magazine cut-outs to produce our<br />
own fascinating masterpieces.<br />
Liesel Nel - Grade 2B Homeroom Teacher<br />
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62<br />
Page 17
Message from the Principal (cont)<br />
Dear Parents,<br />
We are just a week away from the term end and at the moment busy with our assessments. Along<br />
with doing our decimals and percentages and writing summaries and story endings, we are also<br />
honing our science skills by doing inquiry activities on water and its properties. Our lab sessions<br />
have been enlightening and we are now completing the lab reports…. but all work and no play makes<br />
us all a dull bunch!!<br />
So we have got ourselves into serious physical activities like the Swimming Gala, where four of us<br />
got a certificate of participation and the Fun Run where altogether we raised more than Dhs..<strong>11</strong>00/-<br />
for the environment.<br />
As the seniors of Junior <strong>School</strong>, we take pride in leading the school while singing the school song<br />
every Thursday, just as we did when we read to the Grade 1s on World Book Day.<br />
And then the “Math Fun Day” was a blast! We just could not have enough of making graphs, and<br />
shopping at the supermarket, reading time and measuring the perimeter of the room and so much<br />
more. Thank you dads for being there and helping us on the day.<br />
Wishing you all a great Spring Break .<br />
Shabana Bashir<br />
Grade 5A Homeroom Teacher<br />
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62<br />
Page 18
Message from the Principal (cont)<br />
Dear Parents,<br />
BOOK FAIR AT RIS ( SOUTH )<br />
The RIS Book Fair was held on March 20 th – 24th, 20<strong>11</strong> in<br />
the foyer outside the Library. Running for five days, we<br />
were thrilled to offer this educational experience to our<br />
students. The main aim of this Book Fair was to promote<br />
the importance of reading. The students were able to<br />
choose books that suited them, while teachers and parents<br />
took an active role in selecting books and resources as well.<br />
The RIS Book Fair featured some good reasonably priced<br />
books which got the students excited about reading.<br />
‘ Mickey, Minnie Mouse and the Clown’ made special appearances at the book fair which thrilled the<br />
Kindergarten and Primary school kids. Nursery children had a wonderful and exciting time with<br />
these book characters. Prime Technologies products along with Child Play books were on display.<br />
Debi Evans is the author of the Dragon Series and also co-writes Children’s fantasy adventure. stories<br />
with John MacPherson. Debi conducted story telling sessions with children of younger Grades She<br />
also spoke to Grades 4 and 5 about creative writing and her inspiration behind writing the dragon<br />
books.<br />
Hosting a book fair has been a rewarding experience as it supports the schools reading efforts.<br />
We are thankful to all the people who have supported us in this event.<br />
Susane Joseph<br />
<strong>School</strong> Librarian<br />
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62<br />
Page 19
Message from the Principal (cont)<br />
Dear Parents,<br />
Grade 8 Art - Cubism Self Portrait after Pablo Picasso)<br />
Grade 8 students enjoyed their Cubism Self portrait project. They started by researching and<br />
looking at Picasso and how he used brushstrokes to draw self portraits in the cubist style.<br />
Students then used different techniques in mixing colours and shapes to achieve Picasso-like<br />
cubiest self portraits. They truly enjoyed their Picasso experience and the outcome was brilliant!<br />
Take a look at our young Picassos and their impressive self portraits…<br />
Wafaa Mohammad<br />
Art Teacher<br />
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62<br />
Page 20
Message from the Principal (cont)<br />
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62<br />
Page 21
Message from the Principal (cont)<br />
Dear Parents,<br />
During the term two gymnastics after school activity, twenty two<br />
students from grades one to five took their shoes and socks off<br />
and showed off their talents!<br />
We began learning the basic shapes in gymnastics; stars, rockets…superman! Once we had the basics<br />
down, students were learning and performing cartwheels, handstands and bridges. We jumped,<br />
twisted and turned and rolled around sideways, backwards and forwards!<br />
The grade four and five students displayed great leadership qualities when they were asked to each<br />
take a group of younger students and create and perform a gymnastic routine. The grade one to<br />
three students were such great team members and made the whole experience a fun and enjoyable<br />
one.<br />
Well done to everyone!<br />
Chanelle Black<br />
Physical Education and Music Teacher<br />
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62<br />
Page 22
Message from the Principal (cont)<br />
Dear Parents,<br />
To show the Arabic A&B students in the middle and high school<br />
the contrast between new Dubai and old Dubai and to train them<br />
on their report and essay writing skills, the Arabic department<br />
(Ms.Duaa and Ms.Najwa) took them on the ―Big Bus‖ tour around<br />
Dubai. The first round was about new Dubai, which included Burj<br />
Khalifa, Dubai Mall and Emirates Towers etc. then they moved on<br />
to older Dubai, which showed them the Creek and how they used to transport through it and<br />
how it was a source of income for Dubai. They were shown the local heritage through the<br />
Bastakaya village, the Diving City and Heritage Village. The students took many notes and photos<br />
of the difference between old Dubai and new Dubai. They observed the development of<br />
Dubai that occurred after the Union of the seven emirates. They also discovered that no matter<br />
how far the city has come and the heritage is still held and is unforgotten. At the end of the trip<br />
the students enjoyed their lunch and ice cream.<br />
Duaa Arabiat<br />
Coordinator-Arabic & Islamic Studies Department<br />
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62<br />
Page 23
Message from the Principal (cont)<br />
House Results<br />
Term 2 so far….<br />
Atlantis Emirates Palm Burj<br />
49 40 50 37 Term 2<br />
61 94 82 71<br />
25 13 20 16<br />
3 34 37 33<br />
20 31 30 19<br />
3 1 4 3<br />
8 5 6 9<br />
4 3 4 1<br />
10 15 20 15<br />
16 18 17 20<br />
15 5 20 10<br />
<strong>11</strong> 14 12 8<br />
6 3 1 4<br />
25 25 25 25<br />
30 41 38 32<br />
2 2 7 2<br />
14 14 16 20<br />
14 0 4 14<br />
26 32 28 40<br />
12 4 4 8<br />
17 0 5 2<br />
100 50 125 25 Sports Day<br />
160 100 170 40 Beach Run<br />
36 27 34 19<br />
31 56 28 51<br />
68 62 64 69<br />
22 25 20 20<br />
4 8 6 4<br />
792 722 877 617<br />
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62<br />
Page 24