Issue 11 - Raffles International School

Campus News
Updates from South Campus
Term 2/Issue 11 - 2010-2011
April 2011
1 to 9 April 2011 Spring Break
2 to 9 April 2011 Trip to Switzerland (Middle & High School students)
10 April 2011 Term 3 Begins
20 April 2011 Open Day—School
21 April 2011 Tree Planting—Whole School
27 April 2011 White & Black Day—Nursery
May 2011
1 May 2011 Grade 10—Study Leave starts
4 May 2011 Grade 3 field trip: Dubai Mall Aquarium
9 May 2011 IGCSE Examination Start—West Campus
12 May 2011 Movie Day-Nursery & Grade 3- Arabic Civilization
15 May 2011 Mid Term Holiday
19 May 2011 Superintendent coffee morning -All Grades
26 May 2011 Brown Day—Nursery
29 May to 9 June 2011 Grade 9 Examination
31 May 2011 Parent Volunteer Appreciation- Coffee
June 2011
1 June 2011 Open Day
5 to 9 June 2011 Grade 6,7, 8 Examination
5 to 14 & 19 to 22 June 2011 Splash Pool (Morning) - Nursery
9 June 2011 Careers Day- Grades 9 & 10
9 June 2011 Annual Production-1-5
12 & 13 June 2011 Aquaventure Trip-(Grades 3 to 10)
15 June 2011 End of Term Concert-Nursery
16 June 2011 KG Graduation
21 June 2011 Graduation Ceremonies-Junior
23 June 2011 End of Year Reports
23 June 2011 Last Day for Students
26 & 27 June 2011 Middle & High School- Re-Sit Exams
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62 Page 1

Message from the Principal (cont)
Dear Parents,
Fever in a child is one of the most common symptoms for
which parents and caregivers seek medical attention from
Paediatricians and other healthcare providers. Fever, is a
physiologic response that helps the body to fight infection;
therefore, it is not the primary illness. Appropriate counselling
on fever management should help parents understand
that fever, in and of itself, is not harmful in a generally
healthy child. Therefore, the main goal in treating a child
with fever should be to improve the child‘s overall comfort level, rather than lower body temperature
to the normal range. Clinicians should emphasize the child‘s overall well-being, the need
to monitor the child‘s activity and encouragement of appropriate fluid intake when they advise
parents of a febrile child. According to a new clinical report issued by the American Academy of
Paediatrics (AAP). March 3, 2011
―Many parents administer antipyretics even when there is minimal or no fever; because they are
concerned the child must maintain a ‗normal‘ temperature. The study author‘s note.‖ fever, however,
is not the primary illness but is a physiologic mechanism that has beneficial effects in
fighting infection, ―they write. ― There is no evidence that fever itself worsens the course of an
illness or that it causes long-term neurologic complication.‖
According to the study authors, there is ―no evidence that reducing fever reduces morbidity or
mortality from a febrile illness‖ or that it decreases the recurrence of febrile seizures.
When used in appropriate doses, acetaminophen and ibuprofen are generally considered to be
safe and effective in most clinical situations, and both have analgesic as well as antipyretic effects.
As with all drugs, however, acetaminophen and ibuprofen should be used judiciously to
minimize the risk for adverse drug effects and toxicity.
The use of alcohol baths is not an appropriate method to reduce fever because of reported
adverse events associated with systemic absorption of alcohol.
School Clinic
Raffles International School
South Campus
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62
Page 2

Message from the Principal (cont)
What is PARIS?
PARIS (Parents Association Raffles International South) is a dedicated group of Mums to support teachers and
staff, facilitate communication between school and home, and to help build a vibrant school community. We
encourage you to attend and support future events as they directly benefit the school, faculty and students.
Volunteers are always welcome. If you are interested in volunteering for future events or if you have
resources that could benefit our group please contact us: pasouth@raffleis.com
Tess Viira, Charmaine Chetty, Georgina Alfardan, Nadya Ghazal Usmani, Hessa Saeed, Noha Samy, Morag Sjolin,
Biljana Rasmuson, Zineb Fourrier, Saira Faiz, Saima Kashif, Fatima Al Arreyedh, Bridgette Whisenand.
Mother’s Day Picnic
On Sunday March 20 th , we celebrated our 1 st Annual Mother’s Day Picnic. The picnic included a variety of coffee,
tea, juices, cupcakes and long stem roses. A memorable time was had by all. A Huge Thank You to all of
the Mums that helped organize such a wonderful afternoon. Also, a very special Thank You to all of the Mums
that attended the Picnic.
PARIS would also like to recognize our Mother’s Day Picnic Sponsors for their generous donations. Aswaaq,
LuLu Hypermarket & Floverme.com.
Lost and Found: Please be sure to check the lost and found for any items your child may have misplaced.
All items must be claimed by March 31 st . All unclaimed items will be donated to PARIS and will be sold in the
uniform second hand shop. The uniform second hand shop will be open every Monday between 08:00 and
10:00 am beginning April 10 th . All proceeds will go to PARIS. If you would like to donate gently used school
uniforms, please contact tereseviira@hotmail.com.
Future PARIS Events: Stay tuned for future events. Movie night
coming in May. Be sure to check out the PARIS information
board located in the atrium behind the reception area.
Parent Association
Raffles International School, South Campus
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62
Page 3

Message from the Principal (cont)
Dear Parents,
This week you have been receiving the information about registering for the next school year. We do
hope that you will continue with Raffles International School, South Campus. We also encourage you to
complete the forms and return them soon to the admissions office. The interest in our school has grown
steadily this school year. The kindergarten classes are rapidly filling. Our enrollment has increased by 160
students currently compared to the last school year.
With the anticipated increase in enrollment we are planning on the addition of sections at all grade levels.
Our present class groups will be rearranged to provide for well-balanced learning communities.
The changes that occur during the year can result in some classes having a majority of one gender or the
other. Some classes may have added more students who are learning English for the first time. The regrouping
takes into consideration the strengths and needs of the students to create a class with a mix of
nationalities, balance of gender, and social needs. New students joining a class of students who are all
getting acquainted are more easily settled as all become familiar with a new teacher. The groups are created
equally and not structured for any specific teacher.
Our Parent Association has again delivered a very enjoyable event. The Mother’s Day picnic was planned
and developed by a great core group of parents. Please take a moment to thank the organizers. Remember
everyone is welcome to join in the development of this organization. During the Parent- Teacher
conferences, March 30 and 31, the PA-RIS will have the collection of Found items available, which they
hope will be retrieved by those who have Lost them.
During the Spring Break a group of our students will participate in a Ski Trip organized by Lisa Butcher and
chaperoned by Alison Pead. We hope they have a very enjoyable experience in Switzerland.
The Spring Break is beginning on April 1 and school resumes on April 10. We hope you enjoy this time
with your family and friends.
Communication with South Campus
Admissions: For any admissions related query to South Campus, please email:
admissions@rafflesis.com
For any Nursery admissions query, please email: nurseryadmissions@raffleis.com
Accounts: For any accounts related query, please email: accounts@rafflesis.com
For any general academic queries, please email: StudentservicesSC@rafflesis.com
For any school administration and feedback, please email: feedback@rafflesis.com
For general enquiries, please email: info@rafflesis.com
Regards,
Donavon Reinsmoen
Superintendent
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62
Page 4

Message from the Principal (cont)
Dear Parents,
We are almost through with term two and looking ahead to the final term. We end the term with
parent/ teacher conferences on March 27th and 28th for the nursery and on the 30th/and 31st for KG to
Grade 5. Though communication between teachers and parents is a continuous process, parent /teacher
conferences provide a formal opportunity to meet with teachers and learn about children’s progress,
areas of strengths and weakness and go through their work portfolios. While you are here in school you
will be delighted to see your child/children’s art work displayed in the atrium behind the reception.
Math Fun Day: On March 17 th the Maths Committee organized Math Fun Day –‘Every Day Math’.
All Junior School children had a great learning experience outside their
regular classrooms and in a relaxed and fun way. Thank you to the Grades
3, 4 & 5 dads for your support and encouragement.
Look forward to: In Term 3, the English, Arabic and the Science
committees will be organizing similar activities to enhance student experiences
and focus on core areas of the curriculum.
KG transition to JS: We have
begun preparations for the transition of our KG2 students to
Grade1 in the new academic year. We held our first information
morning for KG2 parents and shared information on the transition
process and the expectations and routines of Grade 1. Some KG2
students have visited Grade 1 classrooms and spent some time
with the Grade 1 teachers. These classroom visits are on-going
and form an integral part of the transition process. We will have
our next information mornings on 17 April & 15 May at 8:15 a.m.
These information sessions are a great opportunity for parents to
be informed and get involved in the next big step for their child/children. We endeavour to make the
transition from Kindergarten to the Junior school as smooth and seamless as possible.
Mother’s Day: The South Campus Parent Association
(PARIS SA) hosted ‘Muffins with Mum’ to celebrate Mother’s
Day. In the green areas of the school, mums and children sat
with their picnic baskets and enjoyed special bonding time and
socialized with other parents and children as well. Thank you to
PARIS members for all the hard work, enthusiasm and joy they
brought to the Raffles community. I am certain that Sunday
March 20, 2011, will be remembered by many in the years to
come.
Lost and Found items: A big ‘thank you’ to the Parent Association for organizing our Lost and Found
area. Among other lost items, books, water bottles, shirts, shorts, jumpers, hats, swimming suits, Karate
suits and shoes waiting for the rightful owners.
The Lost and Found area is located next to the IT department. Parents and students are encouraged to
have a look in this area if they are missing any of the above items.
Continued on page 6
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62
Page 5

Message from the Principal (cont)
On Parent /teacher conference days the lost items will be put out in the atrium next to the grade one
and two classrooms. Please make sure to visit the area in case you are missing any of the above
items.
Annual Production: The Junior School is looking forward to its annual production to be held in June
2011. At this time, teachers are busy writing the script for the school play and having a lot of fun at
the same time. Teachers will be asking parents for assistance and I am sure, like always, there will
be many parents volunteering their time and using their skills to assist the teachers and students.
Class parents: At the beginning of the academic year, class parents were appointed from those who
had volunteered for the role. As you may know, being a class parent involves time and effort and
being available to the teacher for some time is essential. In case you are an appointed class parent
but are unable to devote time, or be of assistance to the teacher, please let the teacher know so that
we can appoint another class parent. In this way, the teacher and the students will not be deprived
of the additional support they can get from the class parent.
Parent/ Teacher Conferences: I hope all of you have booked your appointment with your child’s
homeroom teacher. Please use these appointments to get feedback from teachers as well as to express
your appreciation, concerns and queries. If this times is not sufficient for you, please do not
hesitate to let the teacher know so that she can schedule another appointment for you.
Thank you for your continued support and I wish all of you a safe and relaxing spring break.
South Campus staff and management look forward to the third and final term of 2010- 2011.
The school reopens after the spring break on Sunday 10 th April.
Important dates for March 2011:
Thank You,
Zeba Khan
Head of Junior School
27 & 28 March 2011 - P/T Conferences—Nursery
30 & 31 March 2011 - P/T Conferences—KG to Grade 10
30 March 2011 - Double Decker Fun Bus—Nursery
31 March 2011 - End of Term / Green Day
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62
Page 6

Message from the Principal (cont)
Dear Parents,
This is
We have been very daring with the theme for this week, but I have actually received words of thanks
and appreciation from some of our parentsJ. Miss Suzanne from CASA B shared the idea for this and I
must say that it has certainly given a lot of the parents food for thought. I hope that you have found
the alternative suggestions useful. Here are some points for your information:
What a TV Network station says about TV:
'Models violence. A Pennsylvania State University study of about 100 preschoolers found that children
who watched violent cartoon shows were more likely to strike out at playmates, argue, and disobey
authority, and were less willing to wait than other children. "The violence is replicated the next day in
the playground," says mother and writer Ellen Augustine Schwartz.
Interferes with literacy. TV "actually undermines reading," adds Lewis. "While reading is active and
requires practice, TV is passive and offers instant gratification."
Undermines family time. According to A.C. Nielson Co., the average American watches three hours and
46 minutes of television per day. That's time they're not spending talking or doing things with their
families.
End of Term
The Mother’s Day picnic was nice; the children had fun!
All After School Activities for the term finish on Wednesday the 23rd March.
We are planning a Pizza party for the end of the term and I will send a note home about this next
week.
The last day of term will be Thursday the 31 st March; school closes at 12 noon.
Should you wish to talk to me about any aspect of the curriculum, please pop into the office. I have
placed a small table in front of the office so that parents may leave a message for me, if I am engaged
during drop off or pick up times.
This week we will be focusing on KG CASA G, Galina Lutchmaya’s
class.
Happy Reading and have a safe Spring break!
Patricia Mezu
KG Coordinator
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62
Page 7

Message from the Principal (cont)
Dear Parents,
The children in the South Campus had a great time on their day trip this term. Casa A through E went
to see the dolphins at Dubai Dolphinarium. While Casa F ventured into the main school to visit the
school library and meet Susan the Librarian. We have more fun coming up with our End of Term
party. The nursery children will see many different types of animals during the party; Posh Paws will
be bringing their Petting Farm to us. Each Casa will be spending half an hour with the animals,
brushing, walking and feeding them. The London Double Decker Bus will also be joining us on this
day, and much more. What a treat we have in store for our nursery children.
If you are picking your child up before 2:00 pm and are using the main school entrance, please collect
an ‘Early Leavers Form’ from your child’s class teacher. This will inform the school security that your
child has left the premises as well as ensure the safety of all our children in the nursery, in the case of
an emergency evacuation.
Parent/Teacher Conferences
On Sunday 27 th and Monday 28th March, we will hold this year’s Parent/ Teacher Conference.
The meeting will give you the opportunity to discuss the progress of your child. Please be sure to
book an appointment with your child’s class teacher. The sign-up sheets will be located on the
window of each Casa. Please note that the pick-up time for the nursery children on those days will be
12:30 pm to allow the teachers to prepare for the afternoon meetings.
What a nice surprise we had in the nursery this
month! Mickey Mouse and his friend Mini came
back to see us. They spent time with the children,
shaking hands and making friends.
Susie Mcshane
Nursery Coordinator
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62
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 –
K a g a n S t r u c t u r e s
Message from the Principal (cont)
According to the teachers‘ development strategy the Arabic and Islamic Department
held a workshop about cooperative learning strategies –Kagan Structures on
Thursday 10 th March 2011.
At the beginning the Coordinator of the department, Duaa Arabiat, welcomed the
teachers and asked them about the expected outcomes for the workshop. The
teachers showed their ambitions.
Duaa presented a power point on the outcomes of the workshop then
discussed with the teachers the different learning methods. After that, they
used brainstorming to define the concept of cooperative learning.
The main topics discussed in the workshop were:
The Differences between Traditional and Cooperative Learning
Groups.
The 5 Underlying Principles of CL
Social Skills Acquisition
Teacher‘s & Student‘s roles in Cooperative Learning.
Cooperative Learning Activity
How to Work Cooperatively in Group
Inclusion Strategies
Engaging Curriculum
Group‘s assessments
Reflections
The Coordinator explained Kagan structures in Cooperative Learning
and how to apply it in Arabic & Islamic lessons in each class. The
structures are:
Stand Up, Hand Up, Pair Up.
Mix Pair Share
Rally Robin
Rally Table
Rally Coach
Simultaneous Rally Table.
Quiz-Quiz-Trade.
Timed Pair Share
Single Round Robin
Continuous Round Robin
All Write Round Robin
Timed Round Robin
Stand-N-Share
Fan-N-Pick
Numbered Heads Together
Single Round Table
Continuous Round Table
Simultaneous Round Table
Duaa handed the teachers hard copies of cooperative learning strategies, samples of lesson plans according to
cooperative learning and Kagan structures)
At the end of the workshop the coordinator thanked the teachers for their attendance and interaction. The teachers
suggested the next workshop topic (Lesson Planning).
Duaa Arabiat, Coordinator-Arabic & Islamic Studies
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62
Page 9

Message from the Principal (cont)
Dear Parents,
On Thursday the 17 th of March, the Middle and High school students had a school trip to the
‖Royatee Society‖ escorted by three teachers. We began our trip with a lecture about respecting
our mothers followed by a question and students answering. There were also three workshops
which were a lot of fun and creative. We had to make a Quran cover for our mothers, make
bracelets and make a card for Mother‘s Day. It was a great trip and the‖ Royatee Society‖ is a
place we would like to visit again.
Heba Al Saadi
Islamic Teacher
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62
Page 10

Message from the Principal (cont)
Dear Parents,
Grade 2 has learnt about ““ " The Kitchen‖. They learnt the kitchen equipment
in Arabic and the use of each item. The children visited the staff kitchen and practised
using this vocabulary. At the end of the session they had some cake and juice, and
learnt how to order food by using Arabic vocabulary.
في المطبخ
Grade 2 were very enthusiastic and excited to be able to use the new vocabulary as
well as they were very happy to be able to structure their sentences in Arabic
perfectly.
Ghada Fahad Abu Shareb
Arabic Teacher
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62
Page 11

Message from the Principal (cont)
Dear Parents,
The month started with all of us running in a group with our green shirts on for the ‘’Fun Run’’. We
were enthused with the spirit of outdoing each other and ran as fast as safely possible. On Monday
21 st March, Mickey Mouse visited us with his troupe, including Minnie and a Clown. Since this was a
surprise visit, it added loads of excitement and we keenly met and took pictures with them.
Culture topics: This month our culture topic discussions included animal habitats. We discussed
different habitats for different animals - how their body equips them to cope in their environment
made learning easy when we talked about fish anatomy. This progressed to our topic of ‘sea life’ and
saw us off on our big trip to see real dolphins and seals. Currently, we are discussing the anatomy
and types of insects & bugs. The larger than life size pictures of bugs were received with awe and not
many comments!!!!!!!!!
Birthdays: Ava’s 4 th birthday was celebrated in usual Montessori style; went around the sun with
globe in hand, while mom and dad brought cakes and bags for the children and added the parent
touch to our celebration.
Songs: Our music theme was centred on the sea and its inhabitants in anticipation of the
Dolphinarium trip. The children can probably sing for you ‘The Sea Horse Said to the Little Fish’
Note of thanks
To all the moms for cleaning the lunch boxes and bags
of children—we keep repeating and chatting about
how important it is for the children to regularly clean
and empty their bags.
Gabriel and Felix’s moms volunteered and joined us on
our trip to the Dubai Dolphinarium. They were a big
help, thank you.
Asma Mufti &
Edna Dias
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62
Page 12

Message from the Principal (cont)
Dear Parents
It is hard to believe that this term which has flagged a series of fun events is coming to an end. I
would like to start by welcoming the new addition to Casa D – Talia, who has settled well and is seen
to be an enthusiastic learner.
Topic: In the last two weeks, we have covered the topic –
‘Under the Sea’. We talked about sea animals and worked on
different ways to remember their characteristics. Children
have had a great time role-playing animal movements, noises
and playing memory games using 3D models. I have received a
lot of feedback from parents about the two new songs introduced
on this topic – ‘Slippery Fish’ and ‘Five Jelly Fish’. It is
wonderful to hear that the children have grasped it with ease
and enjoy singing no matter where they are.
Trip: What created a wonderful memory for the children to
home with this topic was our fun trip to the Dubai Dolphinarium. The fur seals’ appearance brought
an element of fun and some humorous gestures, bringing an easy smile to every child’s face.
The breath-taking dolphins that were highly interactive and talented, were one of the highlights of
the show. From the merry bus ride to the dazzling dolphin performance, children enjoyed it
thoroughly. I would like to thank our helpful class parents – Zineb and Katherin who accompanied us
for the trip and has been extremely supportive.
Montessori Curriculum: Montessori recognises the concept of freedom for self-directed learning. It
is delightful to see how our Montessori work-cycle is reflecting this freedom that allows children to
follow their inner guidance for self-directed learning. On several dimensions, children are displaying
interest to work on complex materials when they have accomplished learning through simple materials.
This is a great achievement!
Reminders:
The sign-up sheets for the Parent /Teacher Meeting are displayed on the classroom board. Please
ensure you have confirmed a time to discuss your child’s progress.
Early leavers, students who get picked up before the nursery gates open -kindly ensure you have
completed the Early Leavers Form signed by the Class Teacher and Nursery Co-ordinator.
Thank you,
Elizabeth Antony & Lorna Aguipa
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62
Page 13

Message from the Principal (cont)
Dear Parents,
Casa G has grown into its own little community. As the
children come in, they get to work putting the furniture in
place by positioning the chairs and tables quietly. They
demonstrate ‗grace and courtesy‘ as they greet each other
at the start, and end, of the day. They are also currently
practising to use their indoor voices. This instils a respect
for both the environment and each other. They are able to
concentrate on choosing
the material they would like to work with and completing it
without being distracted.
During the 7 th week of this term the children learned about
health and exercise and how it affect our body. At the end of
each day, the children practised different stretches and exercises
to strengthen their body, as they learned about their anatomy.
This topic is stretching through the remaining weeks of this
term. At least twice a week the children are asked to do simple
exercises during circle time, at
the end of each day. They are very proud and eager to show off
their new skills, so please ask them to show you a few stretches
at home (swan stretch, v-sit, table, etc.).
The children have learned about global warming and they have
understood why plants are important for our environment as
well as what happens to the earth, and all of us, if we do not take
care of it. They have also learned that each person needs to start
by taking care of the environment they are in and, as we work
together, our combined efforts will make the world a better place to live in.
Transportation was one of the topics for the KG section last week. Casa G has enjoyed this theme.
To implement it, the children have made beautiful cars using shapes they cut out and coloured.
They have also learned a little about the history of flight, the famous Wright brothers, what
makes objects aerodynamic and a song on transportation.
In closing, I would like to thank all the Casa G parents for your efforts in working together with
me to aid the children as they have settled into their new environment and learned to follow the
routine. It is our combined effort that helps mould the children of today into the future generation.
Galina Lutchmaya
KG Casa G
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62
Page 14

Dear Parents,
Message from the Principal (cont)
Grade 1A- has had an action packed week!! We are so excited to start swimming this week
and are extremely glad that the temperature has heated up, making the experience that
much more enjoyable.
We have also had a wonderful time with Ms. Alison during our computer classes. We have
explored the different types of font, size and even incorporated colour into our works.
We will be displaying our work, next week, on the display board close to the main entrance.
In English we have been reading and acting out some of our favourite poems. This is one that
we especially liked and wanted to share with the rest of Raffles International School.
Five Fluffy Little Robins
Five Fluffy Little Robins,
Looked up at the sky.
It was time to leave the nest,
And find out how to fly.
Four flitter-fluttered off,
But one was full of fear.
He said, "It's far too high,
I think I'll stay right here!"
"Come on! ‖said the others,
Flying freely in the sun.
So their little brother tried it
And found that it was fun.
Michelle Jenkins—Grade 1A Homeroom Teacher
Dear Parents,
On Thursday 17 th March we had a Math Fun Day organised by the Math committee and it was truly an enjoyable
day for the children from Grades 1 to 5! Amongst the games arranged for Grades 1 and 2 were several board
games; pictures of various shapes where children had to find the correct shape to fit the puzzle; a bingo game with
subtraction and addition; re-arranging and putting numbers in order on the washing line; balancing items on the
weighing scale and Snakes and Ladders. Grade 1C thoroughly enjoyed participating in different games and did not
want to leave the hall! It was a fun, interactive and knowledgeable day for all of the children. Some of the quotes
from the children of Grade 1C were as follows:
Alizeh: ‗Exciting and fun‘
Tae: ‗I liked it very much.‘
Macy: ‗Terrific and fun‘
Kimberley: ‗Cool and terrific‘
Omar: ‗We would like to have this again, it was so much fun!‘
Albert: ‗Fun and easy.‘
Shafraz Saju—Grade 1C Homeroom Teacher
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62
Page 15

Message from the Principal (cont)
Dear Parents,
In 1B we enjoyed performing our Penguin Assembly
about Antarctica. We researched the facts we learned by
reading non-fiction books and internet articles. Our
favourite research clips about the Antarctic penguins were
from National Geographic Kids and the BBC video clips.
We learned how to find out the weight of objects using
units and a balance. It was so much fun.
Aoife Hurley—Grade 1B Homeroom Teacher
Dear Parents,
In Grade 1C we have been studying the different types of
seasons and various types of transport. We performed our
assembly on the ‗Four Seasons‘ which the children were
very excited to perform and enjoyed thoroughly. Our
display board shows a variety of work done on the Four
Seasons. We have been learning different forms of
transport and labelling cars, aeroplanes and some children
have learnt how to make a paper boat. We have also done
a Tally chart on transport and various types of worksheets
including a word search on transport.
In Maths we have enjoyed subtracting using different methods such as using the number line or
simply using cubes to take away. We have been learning real world problems in subtractions.
We have been busy learning things and we wish to continue to learn more each day!
Shafraz Saju – Grade 1C Homeroom Teacher
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62
Page 16

Message from the Principal (cont)
Dear Parents,
Grade 2B Picasso Mania
This week the Grade 2 B students stepped into the famous shoes of Pablo
Picasso to create the most interesting, eye-catching portraits based on the
artist‘s style. It was great fun to choose magazine cut-outs to produce our
own fascinating masterpieces.
Liesel Nel - Grade 2B Homeroom Teacher
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62
Page 17

Message from the Principal (cont)
Dear Parents,
We are just a week away from the term end and at the moment busy with our assessments. Along
with doing our decimals and percentages and writing summaries and story endings, we are also
honing our science skills by doing inquiry activities on water and its properties. Our lab sessions
have been enlightening and we are now completing the lab reports…. but all work and no play makes
us all a dull bunch!!
So we have got ourselves into serious physical activities like the Swimming Gala, where four of us
got a certificate of participation and the Fun Run where altogether we raised more than Dhs..1100/-
for the environment.
As the seniors of Junior School, we take pride in leading the school while singing the school song
every Thursday, just as we did when we read to the Grade 1s on World Book Day.
And then the “Math Fun Day” was a blast! We just could not have enough of making graphs, and
shopping at the supermarket, reading time and measuring the perimeter of the room and so much
more. Thank you dads for being there and helping us on the day.
Wishing you all a great Spring Break .
Shabana Bashir
Grade 5A Homeroom Teacher
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62
Page 18

Message from the Principal (cont)
Dear Parents,
BOOK FAIR AT RIS ( SOUTH )
The RIS Book Fair was held on March 20 th – 24th, 2011 in
the foyer outside the Library. Running for five days, we
were thrilled to offer this educational experience to our
students. The main aim of this Book Fair was to promote
the importance of reading. The students were able to
choose books that suited them, while teachers and parents
took an active role in selecting books and resources as well.
The RIS Book Fair featured some good reasonably priced
books which got the students excited about reading.
‘ Mickey, Minnie Mouse and the Clown’ made special appearances at the book fair which thrilled the
Kindergarten and Primary school kids. Nursery children had a wonderful and exciting time with
these book characters. Prime Technologies products along with Child Play books were on display.
Debi Evans is the author of the Dragon Series and also co-writes Children’s fantasy adventure. stories
with John MacPherson. Debi conducted story telling sessions with children of younger Grades She
also spoke to Grades 4 and 5 about creative writing and her inspiration behind writing the dragon
books.
Hosting a book fair has been a rewarding experience as it supports the schools reading efforts.
We are thankful to all the people who have supported us in this event.
Susane Joseph
School Librarian
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62
Page 19

Message from the Principal (cont)
Dear Parents,
Grade 8 Art - Cubism Self Portrait after Pablo Picasso)
Grade 8 students enjoyed their Cubism Self portrait project. They started by researching and
looking at Picasso and how he used brushstrokes to draw self portraits in the cubist style.
Students then used different techniques in mixing colours and shapes to achieve Picasso-like
cubiest self portraits. They truly enjoyed their Picasso experience and the outcome was brilliant!
Take a look at our young Picassos and their impressive self portraits…
Wafaa Mohammad
Art Teacher
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62
Page 20

Message from the Principal (cont)
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62
Page 21

Message from the Principal (cont)
Dear Parents,
During the term two gymnastics after school activity, twenty two
students from grades one to five took their shoes and socks off
and showed off their talents!
We began learning the basic shapes in gymnastics; stars, rockets…superman! Once we had the basics
down, students were learning and performing cartwheels, handstands and bridges. We jumped,
twisted and turned and rolled around sideways, backwards and forwards!
The grade four and five students displayed great leadership qualities when they were asked to each
take a group of younger students and create and perform a gymnastic routine. The grade one to
three students were such great team members and made the whole experience a fun and enjoyable
one.
Well done to everyone!
Chanelle Black
Physical Education and Music Teacher
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62
Page 22

Message from the Principal (cont)
Dear Parents,
To show the Arabic A&B students in the middle and high school
the contrast between new Dubai and old Dubai and to train them
on their report and essay writing skills, the Arabic department
(Ms.Duaa and Ms.Najwa) took them on the ―Big Bus‖ tour around
Dubai. The first round was about new Dubai, which included Burj
Khalifa, Dubai Mall and Emirates Towers etc. then they moved on
to older Dubai, which showed them the Creek and how they used to transport through it and
how it was a source of income for Dubai. They were shown the local heritage through the
Bastakaya village, the Diving City and Heritage Village. The students took many notes and photos
of the difference between old Dubai and new Dubai. They observed the development of
Dubai that occurred after the Union of the seven emirates. They also discovered that no matter
how far the city has come and the heritage is still held and is unforgotten. At the end of the trip
the students enjoyed their lunch and ice cream.
Duaa Arabiat
Coordinator-Arabic & Islamic Studies Department
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62
Page 23

Message from the Principal (cont)
House Results
Term 2 so far….
Atlantis Emirates Palm Burj
49 40 50 37 Term 2
61 94 82 71
25 13 20 16
3 34 37 33
20 31 30 19
3 1 4 3
8 5 6 9
4 3 4 1
10 15 20 15
16 18 17 20
15 5 20 10
11 14 12 8
6 3 1 4
25 25 25 25
30 41 38 32
2 2 7 2
14 14 16 20
14 0 4 14
26 32 28 40
12 4 4 8
17 0 5 2
100 50 125 25 Sports Day
160 100 170 40 Beach Run
36 27 34 19
31 56 28 51
68 62 64 69
22 25 20 20
4 8 6 4
792 722 877 617
http://www.rafflesis.com| +971 4 4271261 /62
Page 24