Bring May flowers. Well, we have had the showers, let’s see about the flowers. Despite the rain we continued on as usual with everything including a P4/5 overnight camp.
This week a majority of the D2 students started their last exams and graduation is less than 2 weeks away. For the M5 students they start their exams next week and have about 4 weeks until their ceremony. Yet while we talk about students wrapping up their time in Moshi, this week a new group of scholars found out they will be coming to join us in August.
Friday we had a student organized house event that featured activities for students of all ages. You can see some pictures of the events below. Thank you to the organizers and volunteers that made the event possible.
Over the next month we have a number of events for at all levels of the school so please do read on to see both what has happened and what is upcoming.
Bob Cofer – Head of Campus
Ben’s Corner
Every year, the University of Agder in Norway sends student teachers from their Teacher Education Master’s programme to Moshi to complete one of their teaching placements. It is a great opportunity for their students to experience working in a completely different environment and, for many, with a new curriculum model. Until now, these students have worked alongside our teachers in the Diploma Programme, developing their craft and expanding their knowledge and understanding in various disciplines. At the same time, our students have benefited from this arrangement as student teachers can bring new and innovative ideas to a classroom and offer a fresh perspective on teaching and learning.
At the same time, student teachers can help to alleviate the workload of our existing teachers by taking on some of the teaching responsibilities. This can also provide an opportunity for our teachers to reflect on and develop their own teaching skills.
Next school year, the university would like to extend this opportunity to include student teachers who are training to work with Primary and Middle School students. We are still exploring the logistics of this, but we are excited by the possibility of furthering our collaboration with the University of Agder. I believe that providing mentorship to student teachers is a valuable professional development opportunity for everyone involved, providing each person an opportunity to reflect on their own teaching practices, increasing teacher capacity and, ultimately, having a positive impact on student learning.
Ben Morley – Deputy Head of Campus
Diploma News
Monday may have been a non-school day, but it was an examination day for D2 with Business Management and Language A exams. The exams have continued all week. All students have started now with the English exams on Wednesday and Thursday. A few students have now finished 4 subjects while others have only done 1. They continue to take the exam sessions seriously and are taking advantage of the full time in their exams.
On Friday the Activities Committee organised the first major interhouse event for a long time with netball and football competitions for the whole school. It was really good to see so many students involved, including some D2s who came after their exam. There will also be a cultural night on Saturday.
Margaret Brunt – Diploma Coordinator
Smokeless Kitchen Project
This past Saturday, a team of four D1 students, under the guidance of Mr. Julien and Mr. Josephat, worked on the Smokeless Kitchen Project, the winner of the Young Aurora Prize 3 years ago, which aims to achieve the 3rd and 4th Sustainable Development Goals, Zero Hunger and Good Health and Well-Being. After meticulous planning, preparation, and local communication, they successfully built their first smokeless kitchen this year. Those who rely on open fires for cooking are very prone to respiratory problems caused by the smoke and are challenged by preparing food, especially during the rainy season. Smokeless kitchens can help solve both of these problems. The team plans to construct two more kitchens by the end of the school year and is thrilled to receive support from other students in building a lasting legacy for their school. Anyone who is interested in joining, feel free to reach out to Uliana, Elias, Emira, or Iqbal.
Residential Life
As I write this, I have just returned from a wonderful afternoon of interhouse sports that was almost entirely led by students. What an end to the week and I have to say, it was extremely special watching events from EC1 right up to D2 and staff vs students at the end of the day. True school spirit and thank you to our Activities Committee for working so hard on uplifting and re-energising the house spirit. I also must extend my gratitude to our PTA and many staff behind the scenes to make this event a true success and uniting experience.
In residential matters, it has been quite humbling to be honest. This week of course has been dominated by academics in DP and MYP and I applaud all our students who are going through the motions that examinations bring. When reflecting on the intensity of this week, I truly believe that one of our key pillars to maintaining both sanity and stability is within our mentors. Their professionalism and unwavering assistance in the evenings with not only academic support, but at times, just a listening ear and presence for our students in all ages has been incredibly beneficial to all our houses.
During this time however, I managed to have the privilege on Thursday of taking 5 residential students to network with our local Courage Café NGO. As always, I am in awe of what our students can achieve when they are passionate and genuinely desire to make a difference to other people’s life’s. This networking has now evolved into more projects and campaigns to raise awareness about empowering women and enacting change in our community and beyond.
Looking ahead to this weekend, as always, it is eventful and filled with activities despite the various cohorts studying away. In PYP we have a cooking extravaganza. In MYP, many girls from Kiota are heading to Arusha for Netball. Cultural Night for all ages is on Saturday hosted by our Indian Community and Sunday brings us an opportunity to explore the outdoors with our community. As I say, never a dull moment.
On a different note, may I please send a final reminder to our D2 parents that Graduation is on the 19th of May and on the 20th of May, we kindly ask our students to leave our residences to our off-campus house at cost. If they are not going to Kishari, may you please inform me of their travel plans from here so I can process their permits accordingly. In addition, I am now planning our M5 departures as they graduate on the 2nd of June and are kindly asked to travel home as well that weekend.
Should you have any questions about these departure dates, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at any stage.
Simon Johnston – Head of Residential Life
MYP News
There is a lot of planning happening in our MYP division as our final quarter slowly reminds us that the end of the academic school year is nearer than far!
Our M1-M3 completed their MAP tests last week and are now getting back into their inquiry-based learning experiences and activities in their subjects.
MYP e-Assessments/End of Year Summative Assessments: Our M5 cohort is getting ready for a big couple of weeks ahead. Their last “official” school day was Friday, May 4th, 2023. Coming up are the assessment weeks. We wish them the best of luck and are very sure that they are going to do well and showcase what great learners they are.
M5 e-Assessments are externally moderated by the IB and not by our MYP team of teachers, and the results will come out on August 1st, 2023.
M4 – End of Year Assessment Schedule Our M4 cohort will be sitting for MYP End of Year Summative assessments.
During assessment days, students will be allocated designated study rooms (as per their regular timetable) on campus (after the summative assessments end) in order to study and prepare for the next day with the guidance of the teachers. The aim of this summative assessment week is to practice effective self-management skills in terms of:
Organization skills (time management and study skills)
Affective skills (managing their state of mind in a formal assessment setting)
The summative assessments are based on MYP subject objectives and the MYP assessment criteria.
Important MYP Dates to Keep in Mind:
May 8th- 19th – M5 e-Assessments and End of Year Summative Assessments for M5
May 28th – June 2nd – M4 End of Year Assessments
June 2nd – M5 Ceremony – Photos at 3:30/ Ceremony at 4:00
June 8th – P6 Move up – Day Spent with M1
June 9th – Parent Meet and Greet (P6 to M1)
June 15th – Reports issued
June 12th – 14th – Week of Giving Back (Previously Known as Focus Days, Details to come soon)
June 15th – Sports Day
June 16th – Last Day of School
Farah Fawaz – MYP Coordinator
Sports Update
Our outstanding student athletes from the U15 and Open Girls Netball teams are at the Arusha Netball Tournament. After dedicating their hard work and training tirelessly all year round, we are sure that they will have a great time there. We wish them the best of luck in their upcoming games, and we cannot wait to update you on their progress throughout the tournament.
In other exciting news, our student activity committee, led by Damien, has just organized the first Inter-house Competition of the year led by students, which took place last Friday. This event brought together students of all ages for a day filled with exciting games and lots of creative challenges. It all began with the primary students themselves, from EC1-EC2, who started with some dribbling and throwing games while P1-P6 enjoyed fun games of football and netball. Teachers and students were there to cheer and support them all the way. It was wonderful to see the happy positive energy flowing through our campus.
The excitement continued as the MYP and DP students took to the field for some fast-paced football and netball games among the house teams. The games were thrilling, and the sportsmanship displayed was truly admirable. The day ended with the eagerly awaited Student Vs Teachers football match. The audience was on the edge of their seats as the two teams battled it out, resulting in a 1-1 tie in the second half. In the end, it was Mr. Joao’s outstanding performance and skillful display of saving several penalty shots that led the teacher team to victory. Our heartfelt thanks go out to all the teachers who volunteered their time and helped with the refereeing of the games and Student Activity Committee who organized a lovely event. Your invaluable contributions are deeply appreciated. It was indeed an unforgettable day, and we are excited and hopeful for more such experiences. Keep an eye out for more updates on our upcoming events and activities.
Here’s a breakdown of the upcoming events:
May 13th: Cross Country
May 20th: Touch Rugby – Mix U15 and Open – SCIS Campus
May 23rd: U9, U11 Touch Rugby – Moshi Campus
June 6th: U9 Netball – Kennedy House
June 10th: U11, U13 Netball – Kennedy House
Stay tuned for more updates on exciting events and achievements happening throughout the quarter.
Mostafa Rihan – Sports & Activities Coordinator
Ultimate
Last weekend we hosted an Ultimate Hat tournament amongst staff, senior students and community members. It was a fantastic day of Ultimate, with 30+ people showing up for the contest, we separated all players into 4 mixed teams. Our tournament followed the WFDF rules and Spirit of the Game was there without question. Well done to all the players and a special mention to the tournament winning team – the “Winners”! We hope to see you all again at our next Moshi Ultimate tournament.
From the Counselors
The final decisions have been made for the majority of students. As a school community, we want to celebrate these students on their accomplishments. Please stop by the three bulletin boards nearest to the University Counselor’s office to see the students’ creativity as their excitement builds for the destination of their choice.
D2 Next Steps Beyond creating a decorative star there are many things that need to be completed. Students attending university should be receiving their I-20 form from their university, which allows them to begin the visa process. They should also receive information about housing selection, meal plan selection, and international student orientation. For gap year students, make sure you have at least one letter of recommendation in Maia Learning from a teacher before leaving.
D1 College Preparation Continues D1 students should be working in Maia Learning. Transcripts need to be uploaded, digital profile information completed, an essay on what sets them apart, and a considering list started. As we come to the end of the year, students will begin to review the application process for the UK and the US, and Canada. Europe admissions start considerably later and will be discussed when the students return in the fall.
M5 In late May, M5 students will have a college/ course selection meeting with the University Counselor. This meeting will focus on helping students understand the importance of course selection in D1 with their intended course of study and potential places where they will study in the world.
M4 We are now entering the research stage of career exploration where we will take a deeper look at how to prepare for this interest area moving through high school and into college.
Many thanks to Damien and the Activities Committee for organising such an enjoyable House Sports Competition on Friday afternoon. Nearly all of the PYP children participated and they had a great time.
The PYP children do not have access to the IT lab at the moment as the MYP children have been taking their MAP assessments and now, some of the M5 students will be taking e-assessments. Luckily, we have had a delivery of 30 brand new tablets and the PYP children have already started using these – see the photo of the P2/3 students below – so their IT lessons can continue, uninterrupted.
P4/5 went on a highly enjoyable camp to Wild Tracks, Usa River this past week. In the coming week the P6 class is heading to Namalok, TPC for their overnight camp. The P2/3 camp will be on May 18th at Kishari house. EC/P1 will have a day camp later in the quarter.
On Friday, 12th May, the Daycare Centre will be hosting a Primary Gathering. We will walk over to the centre just after 7:30am and you are very welcome to attend.
Deborah Mills – PYP Coordinator
EC/P1 Class
The children have chosen an area of learning that they would like to focus on and we have placed them into 5 groups. The topic areas are dinosaurs, nature, trucks, sports, and play. It would be wonderful if we could have a parent or two who could spend some time with a group and share what they know about the topics chosen. It does not have to be extensive knowledge. For example, if you work with large vehicles, trucks, or tractors, you could share some pictures and experiences you have had with the group that wants to learn more about them. If you are interested, let me know and we can arrange a time to meet with the children at your convenience.
This coming week, the children will be exploring time and how to read it on analogue and digital clocks. Please remind children to wear their watches to school this coming week.
Mboka Mwasongwe
P2/3 Class
As we wind down our Jobs Unit, it has been fun to see how much the children have learned. We practiced filling out job applications this week and we did role play with job interviews. Students took turns being the employers asking the questions and the people who were hoping to be hired. They did great!
I’m proud of how flexible the class has been while the rains have affected our PE and our breaktime play. We’ve had lots of indoor break and students have been playing very nicely together despite not being able to run around as much. I wonder if you’ve noticed that they come home with more pent-up energy? Please do send in swimsuits and PE running shoes on Tuesday as no one knows what the weather will be.
As a heads-up, our class should have its Overnight Camping trip on May 18th. More information will be sent home next week but the plan is to sleep out in tents at the off-campus school house, Kishari.
Kacey Buckley
P4/5 Class
We have had a lovely week in P4/5. On Tuesday, Martin from M5 visited the class to share his book, “Nobody Chooses to be a Refugee,” as part of our unit on migration. His story was both moving and educational. The children could empathise with him because he became a refugee at the age of 9, the age of the majority of the children in our class. On Thursday we set off on our camp to Wild Tracks in Usa River. We were so lucky with the weather! The children went on a hike in the forest, splashed in the stream, played flashlight tag, enjoyed a campfire, had a tour of the coffee farm and visited the coffee factory. One of the highlights of the trip was when Ms. Beate showed them how to make cappuccinos and iced coffees – it was so much fun! The children were polite, helpful and friendly to all – a real pleasure to spend time with and great ambassadors for UWCEA. Many thanks to Ms. Catherine and Ms. Megan for helping to chaperone this trip. On our arrival back at school, most of the children headed off to the pitch to take part in the house sports tournament. This coming week we are off to Arusha to see the P6 Exhibition. Please send OP equipment back to school on Monday.
Deborah Mills
P6 Class
Today we did a “no talking for 40 minutes, just write from your notes” (see photo). This is unusual in our class where teamwork and communication are often practised. In fact, silence is a VERY rare commodity with this bubbly class but, for this task, they did it. We will share these written reports with their peers soon. We also have two trips next week. On Tuesday, we will go to Arusha Campus to watch their P6 PYPX just as they came to see ours. We will be there and back within school hours: just a school t-shirt plus snack and lunch as usual. On Thursday, we have our overnight camp at Namalok. Thank you for returning the OP equipment letters: we will pick up any equipment to be borrowed on Monday. For Thursday, (non-residential) children need to bring a morning snack as usual and a packed lunch. We will (all activities weather dependent) help with their tree-planting and do two nature walks with their park rangers. We should be back for home time as normal on Friday.
Hywel Davies
Student Government
On Thursday, our Sustainability Committee together with Mr. Simon had a remarkable opportunity to visit the Bonite Bottlers Factory in Moshi. Bonite Bottlers is a Coca Cola franchise company established in 1987. Currently, they are the main distributors of soda and bottled water in the Northeast part of Tanzania. Besides providing almost 900 job opportunities for the community, the factory also supplies the local neighbourhoods with clean water for domestic use. They have also implemented sustainable practices throughout the years and are continuing to adapt their manufacturing processes to ensure that they can reduce their ecological footprint through the means of global cooperation and technology.
It was amazing to see how the wastewater from production and the toilets for that matter, is cleaned throughout many machines and re-used for car washing and as a source for watering the grass. Another sustainable practice that the factory has established is the recycling of soda bottles. The bottles are cleaned and recycled to minimize plastic bottle usage. Moreover, part of their income goes to planting 5000 trees around Kilimanjaro every year.
Thanks to Ms Munira, we were able to enter the factory lines and learn all about production of bottles for water and sodas. Also, the factory’s utilization of highly advanced machinery was truly impressive to witness. They produce and distribute thousands of sodas and water every day.
This has given us an insight into factory production, consumerism, TNC’s and how the factories are trying to be sustainable. We look forward to seeing Bonite Bottlers continue to prioritize sustainability in their everyday operations and in many ways, have learnt more about how we in turn, can be more sustainable.
Jinyoung
Sustainability Ambassador in the Sustainability Committee
Outdoor Pursuits
We love the rain, and after the long dry season, the rain has been incredibly refreshing. But the rain won’t be stopping our OP trip plans. It would be nice if the rain settles a bit for this weekend’s up and coming Plains Level 4 OP Trip. I know the team would gladly appreciate it. However, with this current adventurous group of students heading out to Maramboi this weekend, I know not much would stop them from exploring Tanzania.
If you would like to sign up for the last few trips for the year, get in touch.
