Moshi Campus News – 25 May 2024

Congratulations to the M5 students for officially completing the MYP Program, next stop for many, the Diploma Program. Many thanks to the parents of the M5 students who helped make yesterday so memorable for them. It was a sight to behold. Thank you as well to the team of Ms Farah, Ms Grace, Mr Emmanuel and Ms Agnes for their work. Again this week, the kitchen, housekeeping and gardening teams did a lot of work for a student celebration, thank you for this.

As you will see below, the celebration was the last part of a week focused on the transition from M5 to Diploma and what that means. Over the next few weeks, the P6 will also spend time looking at their move to MYP. While all of these programs are part of the IB, they each have their unique characteristics that take time and practice to master. These days are just an introduction to those aspects.

We are approaching the end of the year and with the D2 and M5 students leaving we will be a smaller, but somehow not always quieter, school community. This does not mean however that we have slowed down. You will see below that there is still a lot happening from end of year exams to swap meets. Today, as this goes to print, there is our last market of the year happening.

Please keep an eye on the newsletter and school calendar for upcoming events and details.

Bob Cofer – Head of Campus

M5 Ceremony

M5s spent lots of time this week with their D1 counterparts, finding out more about all that is to come in DP and exploring some of their burning questions. On June 6th, the P6s will have a similar opportunity to shadow their M1 friends ahead of their transition to the MYP. Each PYP class will also enjoy a ‘Move Up Morning’ before the end of the Quarter.

It is a common perception that each school year is primarily preparation for the next. In a through school, this can become amplified. The purpose of PYP is getting students ‘ready’ for MYP and, again, the underlying focus of MYP is to set students up for DP. Even at a DP level, you can continue this notion and present that DP is about preparation for university, university for life and so on. Of course, there is some truth in this idea, but I feel it is a fairly simplified view.

Each year, students explore specific content and skills that are important for their academic and personal growth. These are not just stepping stones but are valuable in their own right. For example, learning to read in early grades is essential not just for future academic work but for functioning in daily life. Similarly, unpacking critical thinking and problem solving is applicable in countless contexts, not just the next academic year. These skills help students navigate challenges in and out of school.

You could argue that the most important development in a school is an individual’s social and emotional growth. Students learn to interact with peers, manage emotions and develop resilience. These social and emotional skills are crucial for success in all areas of life.

My education guru, Loris Malaguzzi, talked about children being ‘agents of the now,’ that learning is valuable far beyond merely preparing for the next level of education. At the same time, such a huge part of the holistic experience here revolves around civic and moral education and this is important all the time for everyone.

Lastly, much of what we gain from our school is immediately applicable…Milo is a daily reminder to me of this. In essence, while preparation for the next school year is an important function of each grade level, it is far from the only purpose.

Ben Morley – Deputy Head of Campus

Dear M5s (for the last time),
That was an epic Oscar’s Evening!
When I first joined the school, you were the only class I didn’t teach. We only met in disciplinary hearings and some –  well – unfortunate events. But, I am very glad that I eventually got to teach you and spend time getting to know you all.

Throughout this academic year, we laughed together, cried together (mostly me), and celebrated your achievements together. I watched you grow and mature into the young humans you are today, and you have definitely come a long way. Today you close this chapter and get ready to embark on a new journey. I think each of you has qualities that make you adaptable, gritty, determined and always ready for new challenges. MYP taught you how to be problem solvers, risk takers, caring and persistent. You learned how to fail well and appreciate the value of trying… And this is plenty. Now it is time for you to carry all that and transfer it. I wish you the best of luck and I know you will find your way. Remember to recognize small victories because greater things come after that. Remember to be kind to yourselves and one another and always remember that everything has a solution. Congratulations!

Dear M5 Parents/Guardians,
THANK YOU! You stopped at nothing to bring the Oscars to Moshi. Hollywood’s got nothing on us! I am grateful for everything, and I am humbled by your kindness.

MYP Theatre
“In Week 8 (first week of June) there will be three free theatre performances:

On Monday 3rd of June and Tuesday 4th of June the M4s will be performing two different productions of ‘Twelve Angry Jurors’ by Reginald Rose. Two different casts. Two different interpretations! On Thursday the 6th June, the M3s will be performing ‘Three Suitors: One Husband’ by Guillaume Oyônô Mbia.

Come along and enjoy one, two or even three evenings of theatre! We would love to have you come along and enjoy the talents of our amazing young actors!

• Monday, 3rd June – ‘Twelve Angry Jurors’, performed by the M4 Monday Group

• Tuesday, 4th June – ‘Twelve Angry Jurors’, performed by the M4 Tuesday Group

• Thursday, 6th June – ‘Three Suitors: One Husband’, performed by the M3 Class.

ALL PERFORMANCES ARE FREE!!!” – Mr. David and Mr. Erick

MYP Life Skills

“This week the M2s got into the student kitchen and did some cooking in Life Skills. They have been learning about healthy eating and eating from the different food groups. We needed more time than we had expected but we enjoyed sharing the food at lunch time and then ended the day with dessert!” – Mrs. Dowie

“During our M4 Life Skills class, the students enjoyed cooking various meals. This activity enhanced their collaboration and communication skills as they had to work in teams to come up with a tasty dish. The menu included: Rolex, Honey Garlic Chicken and Tanghulu. Being the caring students that they are, they decided to share their culinary crafts with the M5s as a goodbye treat while they were preparing for their ceremony.” – Mr. Ramy

MYP Dates to Remember:

• June 3rd – ‘Twelve Angry Jurors’, performed by the M4 Monday Group
• June 4th – ‘Twelve Angry Jurors’, performed by the M4 Tuesday Group
• June 6th – ‘Three Suitors: One Husband’, performed by the M3 Class
• June 6th – P6 to M1 Move Up Day
• June 10th to 13th – M1-M4 Week of Giving Back
• June 14th – Last day of Classes

Farah Fawaz
MYP Coordinator

Dear UWCEA Community,

The past week has been an emotional one, on so many levels. We bid farewell to quite a few students, celebrated staff through a staff appreciation dinner organized by D2s; and today we marked another significant transition, M5 into D1.

This week, to help M5 students ease into the transition, they’ve been part of various workshops: Diploma Program Introduction, University Finances, Residential Life, etc. Student Government also organized a Comfy Talks session, advice from D1, and a day where M5 students shadowed D1 students and got to experience Diploma classes and Diploma dorms.

This morning, in Kivuli, they had the last wake-up call by Coach Pickell with quite the fanfare and banana smoothies. Good luck in D1!

Enjoy some photos for the week.

Best,
Adnan Mackovic, Head of Residential Life

I have been reminded recently of the phrases “many hands make light work” and “it takes a village”. This has been so true recently during the exams and graduation.
Some examples

• The week before graduation the student government helped me put letters for our 80 students into envelopes – with a group of students it only took us 15 minutes.
• The fabric that was used to decorate Karibu Hall during graduation needed to be folded. A group of students came and helped and that was sorted quickly.
• The long list of people who helped make the exams and graduation go well.

The campus is quieter now with most D2 students having left although some still remain. When I see them “I ask is this it?” so I know when to do the final farewell. Many have written notes and sent messages to say thank you and we have promises to keep in touch. Thanks to Mr. Mateusz and his team (again it takes a village) we have some amazing photos and videos of the graduation ceremony. They can be seen here.

For D1 there have been summative assessments and revision. Students have also been finalising their products from project week. We have some amazing documentaries. They can be seen here. Next week we have the end of year examinations. These are a chance for students to show what they have learned and understood but also to get used to the formalities of exam procedures.

The exam timetable is

The two weeks following the exams are a chance to experience two compulsory parts of the IB Diploma Programme with the Collaborative Project for the sciences and the TOK exhibition.

Margaret Brunt – Diploma Coordinator

A few weeks ago community member and previous ISM Head of Primary, Ms Gabi van der Wel, helped replace our school’s backstroke swimming flags. The challenge was the old swimming flags, made of plastic, had started to deteriorate and fall into the pool which was not a sustainable way forward. Our school’s “down with plastic” mission materialized at the swimming pool with two new lines of banners made of cloth. A huge thank you to Ms Gabi who managed the project, Mr. Sabini who chose the colours, Mr. Patrick for sourcing the fabric, Mr. Pickell for running the order, Mr. Afzal for advicing on the cord choice and the women from Miinjeni who cut, hemmed and sewed 88 triangle banners flags. The finished product looks great. Well done team.

Our U11 Rugby team went to Kennedy House on Tuesday. They had a long but enjoyable day and finished 3rd place overall. On Thursday, the P2 class enjoyed their overnight camp at Kishari House. They did not let the rain dampen their spirits. Thank you to Ms. Kacey, Mr. Emmanuel and Ms. Catherine (who went along on Friday to help break the camp) for making this experience possible. The P3s are heading off to Simba Farm on Thursday for their own camp – we wish them lots of fun and clear skies.

Please come along to the PYP Gathering of Gratitude in Karibu Hall on Thursday at 7:40am. This is an opportunity for the children to say thank you to you, their parents, and also to the many people on campus who help them during the school day. Ms. Jamie will lead the children in the singing of different songs that they have learned during the year – it will be a joyful and positive event and we look forward to seeing you.

Upcoming dates:

• Thursday, 30th May – Gathering of Gratitude, 7:40 am in K-Hall
• Thursday, 30th May – P3 overnight camp to Simba Farm (departing after our gathering)
• Thursday, 6th June – P6 leaving ceremony (7:40am Rafiki Hall)  and PYP move up day
• Thursday, 6th June – last day of primary clubs
• Monday, 10th June – final whole school assembly (7:45am)
• Wednesday, 12th June – fun sports day
• Friday, 14th June – last day of classes

Deborah Mills – PYP Coordinator

We had a lovely day out on Wednesday. Our day camp went very well even though some were very tired after a long walk. The picture shared shows our helpers for the day. Thank you Mr Isaac and Mr Salim for showing us how to put up tents and for allowing the P1s to set up with you. Thank you Mr. Mushi for guarding us as we walked outside the school gates. And thank you to all for walking with us all the way to the top of the hill.
Only one student had to be carried across the bridge but otherwise, everyone walked all the way. We are proud of them all for their resilience. We also had a lot of fun exploring Kishari house, playing tag and hide and seek. Everyone agreed that we will need to do this more than once next school year.

This week, we completed our fish project. The children drew two kinds of fish each in response to a book read in class. Next week, we will begin creating our own individual stories and think of how to illustrate them. 

Mboka Mwasongwe

We survived P2 camp! Our class camping trip was a great success despite the weather. We set up our tents, had a wonderful hike, a delicious break at Jackfruit courtesy of Mama Alisa, dinner at school and S’mores around a campfire. The rain didn’t start until we were already tucked into our sleeping bags and it cleared in time for us to play before breakfast. I imagine children may have been very tired on Friday afternoon, but it was an outing we won’t forget! On Monday, please return any OP equipment that was borrowed.

In the meantime, P3 had a normal class time without us. The roles will be swapped this coming Thursday when P3 sets off with Mr. Emmanuel and me to camp at Simba Farms. Permission slips, money, and OP sign-out sheets should be returned by Monday. We will be checking out the needed equipment on Monday.

Please do make it to the Gratitude Gathering on Thursday morning. We have so much to be thankful for this year!

Kacey Buckley

A highlight of the week was our visit to the Sunni Mosque last Monday. The children had a tour of the mosque and the imam answered all of their questions. Our visit ended with a visit to the classroom followed by a treat of soda and cookies. Another highlight was an art lesson with Ms. Heloise. Ms. Janet lent us the special sketching pencils from the secondary art department and Ms. Heloise taught the children how to use shading to make their drawings appear to be 3 dimensional. We also worked with clay and made coil pots – all being well, these will be decorated next week.  In maths we revisited multiplying 2 digits by 1 digit and completed some fractions assessments. We received some letters from a class at the Sheredes School in the UK which was very exciting.  The children have started writing their replies telling them all about life in Moshi. We hope to complete these letters next week. We are looking forward to seeing many of you at our Gathering of Gratitude next Thursday at 7:40am in Karibu Hall.

Deborah Mills

Getting first-hand information is an important part of the research process because it provides direct, unfiltered knowledge. This was a key aspect of P6’s PYPX research. When students engage with primary sources, they think for themselves, understand better, and remember what they have learned. This week, P6 had the opportunity to visit the Sunni Mosque, explore inside, and ask questions to the Imam. This experience, together with our visit to St. Margaret’s Church two weeks ago, enabled them to gain a deeper understanding of the structure of different Abrahamic religions. It was also a great way to end our current Unit of Inquiry.

Next week, we will start our final Unit of Inquiry. As a starting provocation into the changes we go through, we had a P6 baby photo wall, where the class had to guess who was who. It was very cute!

Our new Unit of Inquiry is:
Transdisciplinary Theme: Who We Are
Central Idea: Humans change physically, socially, and emotionally throughout adolescence.
Lines of Inquiry:

• Puberty
• Healthy Bodies and Choices
• Organization Techniques for MYP

P6 also performed at the MYP assembly on Thursday, in preparation for their transition to MYP. They used this opportunity to practice before their performance at the Gathering of Gratitude next week.

Natasha Berri

As our D1 students and their parents continue to research and plan for college applications, please make sure to review and use the resources available on our University and Career Counseling website.  Did you know that you can watch an overview video to learn about the various resources available on the site?  And if you’ve missed any of our D1 parent presentations (including Wednesday’s presentation with an overview of different application systems around the globe), you can find recordings of them here!

Megan Morris

UWC East Africa Welcomes More Than A Drop School

Over the weekend, UWCEA had the pleasure of welcoming students from More Than A Drop School for a get-together celebration. The event took place on Sunday and featured a delightful lunch at the UWCEA dining hall.

During their visit, students from both schools toured the campus and engaged in sports and a variety of activities, including cooking, the spectrum game, badminton, and football. This event was a wonderful opportunity to conclude our annual DP service meetings. It also served as a farewell to the girls from More Than A Drop before they begin their end-of-year exams. They will soon embark on professional field experiences across various locations in Tanzania.

Throughout the year, our service group has explored themes such as self-esteem and women’s rights. These discussions have been insightful and beneficial for students from both schools. Participating in this service has been an enriching and rewarding experience, allowing us to make a positive impact in our community.

By Gasuza and Polina