Weekly Newsletter Sept 24-28

Weekly Newsletter Grade 5

Dates:  September 24-28, 2018

Dear Parents,

Curriculum Information for the Week:

Digital Literacy:

It takes a team to support our students as they learn to be educated, digital citizens. We are
lucky to have Mr. Steve Katz as a resource for us. It is also important that you are talking with
your child (in any language!) at home about the choices they are making online (this includes
ISKL email). This week we reviewed with fifth graders on three important topics…

• How to keep your passwords private (ONLY share with parents and teachers).
• What to do if you come across inappropriate content online.
• ISKL email is for school-related items. Students should not be chatting with each
• other through ISKL email. If you or your child needs support with other online

• communication options, please talk with your child’s teacher.  

Check out Common Sense Media for resources such as Here's the Secret to Raising a Safe,
Smart Kid and other ways to support your 5th-grade digital citizen!

Literacy:

The students will continue to read and discuss their book club novels or short stories.
They are using ‘think marks’ to promote rich discussion about their books. They will continue
to discuss connections, predictions, characters, setting and most importantly THEMES
(life lessons). Most importantly, you can support by making sure that your child is reading
for 30 minutes a day (365 days a year!) at home on a just right book (graphic
novels/comics count!).  

During writing, the students will continue to work on making a claim (opinion) about a
theme(s) of a short story and provide evidence from the story to support their claim. This
practice will prepare the students for writing literary essays.   

Math:

The students will continue to work on using their basic division facts, extended division
facts and dividing larger numbers by multiples of 10, 100, 1000 etc. to prepare them for
using the partial quotients long division algorithm and solving division problems with
double-digit divisors. This week we are finishing up our first unit of study. You can support
by talking to your fifth grader about how they solve math problems (What strategy did you
use?).

Unit of Study:  

The students will be introduced to various forms of government: monarchy, democracy
dictatorship etc. and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of these government
systems. This work helps us to explore the essential question: How does government
affect people’s lives?

For more information and ways to support your child please visit the Parent Learning
Connection page.

Important Reminders/Information:(also see GLC updates)

• Picture Day is this week Monday, September 24: Individual Photos (Smart-Casual)

Wednesday, September 26: Class Photos (School Uniform)

• Tuesday, October 2-Parent Band Workshop

• ISA testing: Monday and Tuesday

• Three Way Conferences on Thursday, October 4 and Friday, October 5, watch for

your appointment time coming home this week.

• G5 Melaka Trip Parent Information meeting and Q & A on Thursday, October 11 from

9:15-9: 45 am in the ES Community Room. Parents are invited to attend.  

• G5 Social Change Makers Conference will be on Thursday, October 11 from

10:30am -12: 30 pm. A list of presenters will be available shortly. Parents are invited

to attend.

• G5 Melaka Trip First Parent Information Letter will be sent home with your child on Mon.

24 Sept. Please complete, sign and return the parent permission, medical information

and emergency contact form by Wed. 3 Oct.

Band Master Class continues:

Day 1-Flute

Day 2-Clarinet

Day 3-Saxophone

Day 4-Trumpet

Day 5-Trombone

Day 6-Baritone and Tuba

Day 7-Percussion

Highlight from Last Week:

RED HAT LEADERS are everywhere at ISKL! Fifth graders were spotted…

• Collecting over 2000 RM for free dress day (money to be donated to charity)
• Helping clean up the common area
• Being role models throughout the hallway
• Choosing to be KIND

Thank you and have a great week!

Ms B

A note from our PE department...

Hi,

The construction of the new elementary school gym floor, basketball hoops, bleachers, and changing rooms has been finished.  The facility is beautiful and we invite you to stop in the gym and meet your child's PE teacher during parent teacher conferences (October 4 and 5, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM).  If you plan on visiting your child's PE teacher, please email the teacher directly with a day and time in order to avoid waiting around.

Throughout the last few weeks we have allowed students in grade 2,3,4, and 5 to come to school in their PE clothes, and remain in their PE clothes throughout the entire day.  With the completion of our facilities, we will now ask all grade 2,3,4, and 5 students to change back into their school uniform after PE class. To minimize changing time and maximize PE class time, students will continue to come to school in their PE clothes.

Please remember to pack your child's school clothes in a separate bag (preferably a small bag that will fit inside the school bag) on PE days. Also remember to pack a hat and water bottle.

Free Dress / School Photos Day -  Please remember to pack your child's PE uniform on free dress and school photo day.  Students will change into PE uniform (shirt, shorts, PE shoes) on these days. *If your child has school pictures after swimming class and you are concerned about the appearance of your child's hair, please email your PE teacher and a plan will be worked out.

Swim Day -  Please remember to pack your child's swimsuit and towel in a bag on swim day.  Students have the option to wear their swimsuit under their school uniform before swim class.  Students must wear the school uniform after swimming class for the remainder of the school day.

Thank you,

Elementary PE Staff

GLC Update

We start this week on day 2. 

Quick Tip #1: This week is Elementary Photo Week! Your ES students will take both individual (free dress) and class photos (uniform) on different days. Please note schedule links below :if you have more then one child in ES your children may not take their photos on the same day: Click HERE for details, HERE for schedule  HERE for family photo details, HERE to book family photos. 

This Week: 

• Elementary Photo Week! Click HERE for details HERE for schedule HERE for family photo details and HERE for family photos 

Upcoming Events :

• Mon Oct 1, ES ASA fees due 
• Tues Oct 2, 8:40-9:50, Grade 5 band workshop , room details forthcoming 
• Wed Oct 3, 9:30-11:00, MPR1, South Asia Subcontinent Community Coffee morning click HERE
• Thur Oct 4 & Fri Oct 5, ES NO SCHOOL Parent/Teacher Student Led Conferences: watch email for details
• Sat Nov 10, ISKL Annual International Festival, 4:00 pm - 8:00pm, see flyer below for volunteering info 
• Looking to support Boosters? Click here: ISKL Boosters and thank you for volunteering!

A note from Mr David Herbert.....

Thurs. 11 Oct:

1. Parents are invited to attend our Melaka trip parent meeting with G5 teachers from 9:15-9:45am in the Community Room. Teachers will present a slideshow overview of the trip and there will also be a Q & A session.  

2. Parents are also invited to attend our 2018 G5 Social Change Maker's Conference (SCMC) from 10:30am-12:30pm. We have 6 presenters - see below - who will share what they are doing to support various local and national social issues/challenges. Each presenter will be located in a room in the G5 pod. They will do 15 min. presentations with Q & A sessions, while groups of 15-17 students rotate around the presenters. The SCMC is an important event on the G5 calendar and directly supports our ISKL mission statement; helping students on their journey to become 'socially responsible global citizens'.

Thanks,

David Herbert

ISKL Grade 5 Teacher & Team Leader

Social Change Maker Conference is happening! 

List of SCMC Presenters - Thurs. 11 October, 2018:

• Janine Williams - volunteers at the CWO (Chin Women's Organization) School - cjmcnamara55@gmail.com - in 5DH

• Suan Tan - works for WWF Malaysia - stan@wwf.org.my - in 5KC

• Dr. Veena Pillai - volunteers at the MSRI Refugee Medical Clinic - vnapillai@gmail.com - in 5CC

• Siti Kasim - volunteers as a legal advocate for Malaysian indigenous people - the Orang Asli - sitikasim@gmail.com - in 5JV

• Munirah Hamid - set up and volunteers at the Pertiwi Soup Kitchen - pertiwisoupkitchen@gmail.com - in Amy Schneider’s room 206

• Ana Popovich - volunteers in ‘Trash Heroes’ - a group of ISKL High School students who do neighborhood street clean-ups - apopovich@iskl.edu.my  - in 5CB

Schedule:

10:30 - 10:45   (Session 1)

10:50 - 11:05   (Session 2)

11:10 - 11:25   (Session 3)

11:30 - 11:45 (Session 4)

11:50 - 12:05 (Session 5)

12:10 - 12:25 (Session 6)

12:35 - 1:25 Presenters have lunch in the faculty lounge.

12:35 - 1:00 Students go to lunch recess.

1:00 - 1:25 Students have lunch in the cafeteria.

1:30 - 2:00 Thank you presentation in the G5 common area   

Photos: 

Dear Elementary School Parents:

PTA has organized professional photographers from Pret-a-Portrait to take photos of our Students.  These photos will be going to our yearbook at the end of the year. For more information about Pret-a-Portrait please check their website click here.

For pricing click here

September 24th and 25th

Individual/HeadShot Photos: your child’s class will have their Individual photos either on the 24th or 25th. (schedule is attached with this email)

What to Wear: For individual, it is parents’ choice to let the children wear the attire you choose. You may also have them dressed in School Uniform BUT NO P.E. Uniform and Scout Uniform.  Send your child to school in the clothes you would like them to be photographed in.  If they have P.E. on the same day as photos, do put their P.E. Uniform in their bag so they can change for P.E.

For those who are concerned about P.E. before photos, you may write a note to the P.E. teachers to excuse your child from PE activity that day.

September 26th and 27th

Class Photos: your child’s Homeroom class will be assigned either on 26th or 27th to have their class photos taken with their homeroom teacher.

What to wear: ELEMENTRY SCHOOL UNIFORM ONLY. if they have P.E. put their P.E. uniform in their school bag for P.E. Class.  

September 29th

Family Photo Sessions

Dear Parents, 

We are pleased to announce that during the upcoming school photography event, we are holding a Family Photo Day on Saturday 29th September 2018. 

Please take a moment to visit the booking portal –  https://iskl_family_day_sept_2018.eventbrite.sg – and make an appointment for your session. Sessions are free to attend and last for 15 minutes. Any images you would like to buy will be available for sale in the Pret website shop at school photo prices.

Queries and questions should be directed to our Customer Service team at customerservice@pret-a-portrait.sg who will be happy to assist you. 

The Team at Pret-a-Portrait

 Carla Lewis +65 9724 7955 schools@pret-a-portrait.sg

 

Questions about ES Photos please email esphotos@iskl.edu.my

Questions about MS/HS Photos Please email photos@iskl.edu.my

Have a great week! 

Ms B

Math video tutorial available

Dear Parents and Students, 

I have included two videos under 'Math' tab for 2 different methods of division: Partial quotient and Standard Algorithm. I hope this helps, 

Ms B

School Photo

Dear Parents and Students,

So sorry for the late notice but on MONDAY  our students' individual photos is taking place before lunch. As some of our students have PE in the morning, they are required to bring along a change of 'Smart casual clothes'.

On Wednesday, we will then have Class Photo. The students are to be in FULL UNIFORM. If the students have PE that morning, they are to bring along the Blue school top to change into.

Thank you,
Ms B

A reply from Melati

Dear Parents and students, 

I have already shared this with the students today but thought I'd share it here again. Since Melati's visit almost 2 weeks ago, the students had more questions from the talk. They were genuinely curious to know how the movement started. So, I forwarded the questions to Melati and she kindly responded! 

Here is the text: 

Hi! 

These questions are amazing and so was my time spent with the grade 5's! 

It was truly a pleasure and I look forward to keeping in touch with the school to build and bring Bye Bye Plastic Bags to Kuala Lumpur.

Allow me to answer the questions below: 

1. Was there someone or an issue that was against the movement? When we first started there were many people who believed in what we do. But there are also, always, going to be the people who think otherwise. One of our biggest challenges as young change makers is working with the government and understanding the many layers we needed to get through before seeing change happen. One example is when the paying for plastic policy was introduced across 23 cities in Indonesia in 2016. During the 5 month test phase policy Denpasar city in bali saw a reduction of 45% in the use of plastic bags. THAT WAS HUGE! But they pulled back the policy for revision and since then, nearly 3 years later, the policy has not been re introduced :( which has been frustrating for us.

2. How many people are currently in the team? Our team consists of around 30 students who join us on a volunteer base, contributing as much or as little time and energy as possible. Our youngest team member just turned 9 years old and our oldest one just got his PHD.

3. Where does the garbage go? Whenever we do clean ups we partner up with local grassroots or privately owned waste management facilitates. It is very rare that we will team up with the government to pick up our waste.

4. What was the biggest problem/issue? It is the consistency of keeping the campaign going, the motivation of the team on a long term, and working with governments.

5. If you could go back in time, what would you change about the movement? Hhmmm this is an interesting one! Lots of things to choose from but we would probably have applied earlier for grants and looked stronger for financial support in order to be able to have a stronger foundation for the movement to grow.

6. When the plastic etc was collected, what was done to it? It is first separated, recycled and then some of it is sent to landfill, and some of it is sold back into the industry.

7. Would she consider opening a school? YES! you could say I'm currently working on something similar to a school. Our next project is all about empowering kids like YOU with the tools they need to be change-makers. We hope to have you join us someday.

8. How long did it take for the initial team to grow big? When we first started it was just the two of us, my sister and I. We pulled together our closest friends, and within the first few months we were building our team. Social Media is a huge tool for us to recruit new team members but it took a few years to build our following.

Let me know if you feel like anything is missing! 

Looking forward to what the kids think!! 

Have a great week! 

Pretty cool, huh? 

Ms B