As we head into the long weekend and with March right around the corner we are at the mid-point of this longer quarter. With Mocks completed, the D2 students are moving back into classes for the final push and in Primary the P6 students are getting ready to start the Exhibition Journey. Over the next month we have the Personal Project Exhibition, the D2 Art exhibition a couple of swim galas and the MAP testing, so a bit of everything. You will get targeted information concerning these and other events like the student conferences in the upcoming weeks.
On Monday we had another Zoom parent meeting and I thank those that were able to join us. There were some interesting discussions. For those that missed this one we expect to have the next one in a few weeks time.
Bob Cofer – Head of Campus
Illness in M1
Early on Tuesday one of our M1 students who started feeling unwell went to see the school nurse. The student did not return to class and on the same day went to see a doctor. The student has not been in school since. Yesterday evening, we were informed, based on tests carried out by the doctor on Tuesday, that this student has to undertake further tests for a respiratory Illness in 10 days’ time. As a precaution we are now preparing for all of M1 to move to remote learning for the four days after the long weekend to resume face-to-face classes on March 1st. Classes will be held at the normal times according to the school timetable. Furthermore, next week the M1 class was due to go to Lake Eyasi for their IDU trip. This has now been postponed and we are actively looking for an alternative date.
I thank the family for apprising us promptly of the situation and for keeping their child away from school as soon as they knew that they were feeling unwell. All siblings and other close relatives of this student will be isolating away from school. We will continue to monitor the health of our community and think carefully about social interactions, and we ask that you do the same for your child.
I thank you for your understanding as we navigate through this. Please do not hesitate to contact us should you have any questions.
We continue to ask that all families perform the self-screening before sending students to school and they should stay home if they or a family member are sick. This self-screening in students and staff is key in preventing the spread of any illness. We also ask visitors not to group in enclosed spaces on campus.
Ben’s Corner
You may recall that, just before the December break, Mr. Phil Bowen (Head of Arusha Campus) shared a mailshot with the whole community regarding the UWC East Africa Guiding Statements. He explained how, in 2020, the Board of Governors approved our new, revised Guiding Statements. This was a long process which involved feedback from parents, students in all classes, teachers, support staff, administrators and alumni. In this way, our Guiding Statements represent the aspirations of all our stakeholders. In creating the revisions, the Guiding Statements from our former school, International School Moshi,and those of the UWC Movement were taken into consideration.
The next stage of our Action Plan related to our Guiding Statements is how to make these ‘visible,’ tangible’ and ‘referenced’ across the different sections of our community. In light of this, I am going to take my ‘corner’ of the newsletter each week to draw our collective attention to one of our Values. Each week, I will ask a member or members of our community to unpack one of these and explain what it means to them.
It makes sense to start at the beginning, so, this week, our Primary Student Voice representatives will explain what “A safe, collaborative and caring community” means to them:
“If the school wasn’t safe, then lots of children would be getting hurt. More and more kids would be leaving and the parents wouldn’t keep their children here. Feeling safe is also about your mental protection. We promote kindness.
It is important to care for other people. One day, you might find yourself all alone and nobody else will do anything about it. Treat people the way you want them to treat you.
If we were rivals and did not collaborate, we’d probably make no friends in school and be alone all the time. If you don’t work together as a team, you won’t learn to work with other people when you are bigger and get a job. When we are by ourselves, it will never be as good as when we are together. Being together is our greatest force. We can do anything. If you don’t collaborate, you will never accomplish anything. Life is easier when we work together.”
Ben Morley – Deputy Head of Campus
Diploma News
The D2 students have been receiving their mock papers back, and hopefully, have been looking at the ways they can improve. A reminder they will be issued a report with the grades on Friday 26th February. We will be in contact with parents of students of concern after this. Yesterday I spoke with all students in school about their IB Internal Assessment submission status and hopefully students will be finalising work over the long weekend. For many of them it is about finishing touches and then actually submitting it.
Next week we start oral exams with mocks for English A, followed by mocks for Swahili A and the language Acquisition subjects. Then we start again with the final ones. Students in School Supported Self Taught do not get a mock oral but have been encouraged to present to a peer. Students have the full details of times and the requirements.
In Life Skills they were given an opportunity to debrief on the mock exams and what they have learned before doing some yoga to help with relaxation techniques. It is really important they take the time to destress as this will help them perform better.
For D1 life continues as normal with classes, assessments, sports, service and OP trips. Students who swim regularly are invited to participate in the Swimming Gala on the 2nd March. In Mentor time we looked at presentation skills and the importance of body language while presenting. In Life Skills they have been looking at post-secondary planning and were presented with the Internal Deadlines schedule for college admissions. As with many things at the moment this may change but it helps students plan. They need to use their end of D1 reports and their current progress to help guide their choices.
Margaret Brunt – DP Coordinator
From the Counselor
Keep the Kindness Going
The week started with lovely expressions of caring as Valentine’s Day sentiments were expressed throughout our community. Then the thoughtfulness continued throuhgout the week as Random Acts of Kindness Day/Week was observed and celebrated. We hope that you will continue the mission of this week through helping us cultivate and maintain a community of kindness through intentional actions and reflection. The Science of Kindness is explored in this article that we hope you will find a moment to review, and use it as a stimulant to keep the kindness going.
Next week is the last week of Black History Month, but the exploration of Black History does not have to end when February does. This weekend offers an excellent opportunity to learn about the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in the United States during the HBCU Fair occurring virtually on 20 February. During this event students and families will have a chance to learn about over 70 HBCUs and information regarding the college application process. If you would like to learn more about this free (but you have to register in advance) event please watch the brief video on this link.
In addition to the HBCU Fair, we have access to quite a number of virtual presentations by institutions from around the world. Families and students are invited to register and attend events as you explore your options. There is a UWC specific event for BINUS University in Indonesia on 25 February that will be an excellent opportunity to expand horizons. Please see information about this event and many others by visiting this link.
Finally, as we continue to receive news that is concerning to students and our community, we invite you to utilize the array of items available via the COVID-19 Counselor Resources. Please take some time to explore what we have compiled, and reach out to any member of our team if you have any concerns that we can assist with.
Take care and stay safe,
UWCEA School Counseling Team
MYP News
Dear MYP parents, Happy Long Weekend. Take the time to reconnect with the family and get some rest. Or, better yet, enjoy all that beautiful Tanzania has to offer.
Looking ahead I would like to share a few dates:
Thursday March 11th – M 5 Personal Project will be presented on campus, Please Note this is a change of date and mark your calendars accordingly (more information to come)
Monday March 22nd to Thursday March 25th – MYP MAPS testing
Wednesday March 31st – Secondary Parent Conferences
April 1- April 10- Mid-Term Break
In addition, I want M4 and M5 students and families to know there will be end of year exams. They will be based on the year’s learning and I will provide a schedule as we get closer to the end of the year.
I hope you all have a restful and enjoyable long weekend.
Jeanne Aman – MYP Coordinator
Residential Life
I would like to take this opportunity to thank our residential staff. Whilst we are only entering the half-way point of the term, the work our staff have put in place to ensure that our residential students are safe, well-looked after and cared for on a multiple of levels has gone above and beyond the, ‘call of duty’.
During our safety restrictions our staff worked 24/7 whilst managing their teaching load, family commitments and their own personal anxieties. They put this aside and put the students in their care above all else. It has not been an easy environment for our 156 residential students and each morning our staff wake up to a new day, new challenges and continue to create and foster a community that entrusts one another in a home away from home. Margaret and Grace in Kimbilio, Ally and Emmanuel in Kivuli, Jaime and Hilda in Kiongozi, Marniel and Penny in Kijana, Janet and Abdul in Kilele and Kipepeo and Alannah in Kisiwa. You have been exceptional Parents and role models.
Each house brings its unique challenges with the respective age groups and our staff are always there to mentor and guide our students through these critical ages, in such stressful times. I cannot thank them enough.
To our support team and our mentors – you add such value, new characters and personalities which are crucial for our students to engage in and learn from. Your worth and contribution never goes unnoticed and for that, I would like to thank you too.
Students and staff for that matter, thrive off routine and the last few weeks have been anything but that. I applaud our residential students for their resilience but want to show my gratitude to everyone involved in our residential community. It is an amazing environment filled with students from every corner of the globe. Each day we learn new perspectives, understand more about cultures and societies and our staff adapt to ever-changing situations that evolve from day to day beyond the realms of the classroom.
This weekend brings us an opportunity to bond more in our respective Diploma, MYP and Primary years, with a range of fun-filled activities; from our Diploma students’ ‘Big Day Out’, to our Primary students’ realm of activities, as well as a unique opportunity for our MYP students to navigate the wilderness at TPC after resting in the beautiful hot pools.
Please note that the Diploma trip has been planned for Friday, to avoid public gatherings at the hot pools due to the nature of the holiday not being public; our primary activities are school based, and if they venture outside of Moshi, they will be planned for Friday and Monday respectively and dependent on the nature of how many people are at the venues. Finally, our MYP trip is subject to change if there are gatherings of the public on Sunday at the Hot Pools which we deem to be unsafe and TPC will be isolated for our afternoon and evening. Our trips are planned in accordance with our safety protocols in these times. Futher to this, weekends leave for each student to their Uja family or immediate families is reviewed on a case-by-case basis to ensure that they too are following all safety precautions as asked by the school.
Simon Johnston – Head of Residential Life
Outdoor Pursuits – Usambara Mountains
Last weekend, D1s from both Moshi and Arusha campus embarked on a journey towards conquering two of the most notable peaks of the Usambara Mountains: Kigulu Hawkewa and Vuli Peak. The journey was quite strenuous because of the ceaseless rain that was pouring on us every day, the heat that followed the rainy episodes, and the remarkably steep inclines drenched in mud at some points.
Despite the difficulties, it was a truly great experience nonetheless, as the views were breathtaking in most parts (especially at Kigulu Hawkewa, where it seemed like we were floating in the clouds), and D1s from both campuses had the opportunity to meet each other, which does not happen often throughout the school year.
The wide smiles on the faces of fellow hikers after reaching the peaks were heart-warming and made me appreciate the importance of teamwork once again because it would be impossible to successfully finish the trip without meaningful cooperation among ourselves. I can confidently state that overall, this was an amazing OP trip because of the challenging yet rewarding hikes, as well as the sense of a supportive community which was always willing to help others in need.
Kristaps (D1)
Sports Update
MYP and PYP swimming lessons will move away from stroke technique and will start to focus on life saving strokes and techniques. These are very important lessons and I ask parents to make sure students are ready with their equipment on the days they have swimming, so they do not miss any sessions. Do not forget the inter house galas coming up on Tuesday 2nd March (MYP) and Wednesday 3rd of March (PYP). As always, any assistance from the community would be greatly appreciated at these events so please email me if you are available to help out (robinmarsh@uwcea.org).
Student Activities
Tennis with Coach Charles Tennis with Coach Charles continues with him offering private and/or group lessons Wednesdays at 3:30pm to 4:30pm and Saturdays from 9.30am to 11.30am. Please contact Coach Charles at the courts at the above-mentioned times or call/message on 0710606766. .
Go Leopards
Robin Marsh
Community Activities
PYP News
We are delighted that our Primary Gathering schedule will resume next week. The gatherings will take place in the open area behind Ms. Elisha and Ms. Kacey’s rooms. Below are the dates for the gatherings this quarter and the class that will be presenting.:
26th February P4
5th March P5
12th March P2/3
19th March EC/P1
26th March P6
There are still children who are not bringing a hat to school. Please make sure that your child brings one each day. Bringing a hat every day is an expectation in the primary school.
The 100th day IN school is on Tuesday March 9th 2021. Primary Student Voice would like you to help us out by celebrating Kindness. Please look at the attached posters and a video explaining what we’re doing here.
EC/P1 Class
The little ones were learning to work together this week. They got together in groups of two and built number towers. They learned how to negotiate, count together and take turns. They will keep working on this in the coming week.
P1’s placed their food items in the freezer. They are eagerly waiting to find out how long their items will take to thaw and what they will look like afterwards. This will be the investigation for Tuesday afternoon.
We welcomed Nicholas to our class this week. He has quickly become a friendly addition to our little group. We are looking forward to enjoying more days with him.
We hope you have a restful long weekend, ready for school on Tuesday.
Mboka Mwasongwe
P2/3 Class
This week, we’ve been exploring night and day with the students. We’ve used the globe and a flashlight to look at how we get day and night. The students have also been thinking about how space relates to telling time. We’ve created paper clocks which we will use to help us in perfecting our quarter past, half past, quarter to, and o’clock time telling.
Students have begun researching their planet of choice, and we’re hoping the research part of our summative will conclude by next week so we can begin creating our products.
I hope everyone has a wonderful mid-term break.
Elisha Jaffer
P4 Class
We packed a lot into our short week. The class has enjoyed jumping into the study of Shapes during Math. The kids have been surprised by how much more there is to know than just shape names! We’ve also been excited to learn about the stories of some famous inventors and innovators. It is remarkable to look around and think about how everything we use was, at some point, invented. We’ve considered a range of inventions from light bulbs to basketball. Our class took on a challenge to invent new sports. They came up with some really creative ideas! I think we may try some of them in PE soon though probably not the sports that involved elephants or being underwater with scuba gear! We will continue next week with looking at how specific inventions (like airplanes, telephones or cars) have evolved over time. I hope you all enjoy the long weekend. If your child complains of boredom, tell him or her to invent a new game!
Kacey Buckley
P5 Class
Thank you to everyone who came to watch the P5 children present their models and leaflets about the interconnected nature of our body systems and how to take care of them on Wednesday. The children were very proud. Our new unit on using our voices to express ourselves is well underway. The Central Idea is “Our voice is an important form of expression to communicate different emotions, ideas and feelings”. The lines of inquiry are:
Ways in which people use voice
How communication has changed over time
Ways voice influences others
We have been playing word games and rhyming games this week in preparation for writing some poetry and we will also be writing stories to share. Please note that the P5 children will be singing a song in Primary Gathering on Friday, 26th February and performing a poem in Primary Gathering on Friday, 5th March. The Primary Gatherings will be taking place in the open area behind Ms. Kacey and Ms. Elisha’s classrooms.
Deborah Mills
P6 Class
The P6 class is learning how to use Animoto for their personal summatives. An assignment sheet went out this week that describes what is expected of them for the personal and group summatives for the current unit. To begin the personal summative the P6 spent time brainstorming what product they would like to advertise and the packaging they will create to sell the item. They also made short slideshows to answer their initial questions for the unit, and practiced citing sources on the slides.
In two weeks, on the 4th and 5th of March, we will be having a retreat to start the PYP Exhibition experience. Next Tuesday they will take home a letter with information and a permission slip to return. There will also be a math assessment next Friday that will cover the topics learned during the geometry unit. Please encourage them to study with the reviews that will be going home.
