Even in the brightest of times there are more somber moments. This week has been one of those moments. In addition to the memorial events for the late President John Magafuli we have lost two members of our community as you can see below. Our condolences and thoughts are with their families and friends at this difficult time.
This past week our D2 Diploma Art students had their exhibition, in MYP the M1 to M3 have taken the MAP test, the M4 had their IDU trip and the M5 started looking at Diploma Course options. In PYP we had the student led conferences with students getting to share a range of work from the year, and the new skills they have acquired, with their parents. On Wednesday it will be opportunity for the parents of Secondary students to talk with the teachers.
This is our last newsletter until after we return from the break. Please remember that Wednesday is the last day before the April break and that classes restart at 7:30am on April 12th.
Bob Cofer
Condolences
I am sad to announce that Surjeet Singh Dhani passed away on March 24th in Dar es Salaam. Surjeet was a long-standing member of the ISM/UWCEA community who has been linked to the school through multiple generations. He will be missed in Moshi for his involvement across so many areas. Our hearts go out to the family at this time.
Additionally, this week we lost Morgan Amani Mbuya on March 20th. Morgan was one of the founders of the Pamoja Tunaweza Boys’ and Girls’ Club which is one of the campus’s service partners dedicated to helping vulnerable youth in Kilimanjaro. Through this organization many of our secondary students and staff know Morgan. Our deepest condolences go out to his family.
Ben’s Corner
Over the last two weeks, I was lucky enough to be part of the D1 Pecha Kucha presentations. Pecha Kucha, Japanese for “chit chat,” is, apparently, the world’s fastest-growing storytelling platform. Each student chose one of our Values and shared their connection with it across 20 slides, with an allowance of 20 seconds of commentary per slide. It was amazing to see the creative, thoughtful and hugely diverse way our students are connecting with our Values and bringing them to life.
Several students chose to focus on our fifth Values statement from our UWC East Africa Guiding Statements, namely “Innovation over perfection within a supportive community where learners are motivated to embrace personal challenge and reflection.”
In line with this, it seemed fitting to ask the wonderful adults in our student support departments to share their insights on our fourth Values statement.
“It is all about the journey, not the destination. We are excited to see what the students bring to the table, with their ideas, their challenges, their resources and how they grow and develop. Everyone has a unique path and our goal is to help students navigate their time here in the best possible way.
We encourage students to consider new ways of thinking and help them understand that it is through making mistakes that we really, truly learn. We teach them by doing and adding context to their learning from our environment.
We value students’ strengths and use those to help them navigate any challenges they come across. We encourage them to advocate for themselves which builds resilience when they are confronted by certain circumstances.”
Ben Morley
Diploma News
The big event this week was the DP Art Exhibition. The D2 students have spent nearly two years preparing for this. Despite the restricted access, those that attended thought it was a great success.
The D1 students have been notified for their Extended Essay subject and supervisor. The vast majority have been given their first choice. However, for a few popular subjects we had to select the students who had written the best justifications. Students need to meet their supervisor before the Easter break, just to confirm that the topic is workable and then start their research. After the break they need to have a formal meeting and finalise their topic. More details about the Extended Essay can be found here.
On Thursday the M5 students were introduced to the diploma programme, the presentation can be viewed here. They now need to start talking to teachers, other students and their families about their choices. I am available to meet students and parents to discuss this.
Margaret Brunt
Residential Life
For this week’s notice, I would like to keep our update brief as we breathe a sigh of relief nearing the end of what has been a very hectic term. Our Residential Students have been busy with academic deadlines of late and many are now looking ahead to the Spring Break as a time to stop, reflect and recharge. Whilst we have many students leaving for Spring Break, we also have almost 90 students remaining on campus. With this in mind, we are busy creating schedules of activities to keep them occupied and contributing to our campus life. It is a unique opportunity to get stuck into projects many have talked about for so long.
I am also pleased to announce that we have completed our interior re-designing of Kivuli House and Kisiwa House now has the addition of a mini study centre. Our focus moves to improving the layout of each house and students in-put here is invaluable, as it will be the legacy that they leave.
If there are any changes to any Spring Break plans, please do contact me in the first instance and I look forward to updating you all soon with the new changes to and upgrading that is to occur.
Simon Johnston
Student Government
Last week brought a unique opportunity to create our new Secondary Student Government. Every student from M4-D1 had the opportunity to nominate themselves into either position of Co-President, Cultural and Campus Life committees, Health, Safety and Well-being Committees and our Activities Committee. Once nominations were completed, we opened our voting to every student from M1 – D2. As such, we have a Government that is truly formed from student voice. I would like to congratulate every successful nominee, but at the same time, I want everyone to know that their voice and their action matters. If you did miss out, please do not be disheartened, but express your enthusiasm and passion through joining the initiatives that are already in motion through action – For it is everyone here at UWCEA, Moshi that can, and will create change. With our departing D2’s their legacy surrounds the opportunity to guide, advise and assist our new Government in putting in place actions and measures they would like to see passed on.
A message from our Co-Presidents Navya and Otto:
Who are we?
The UWC East Africa’s new Student Government consists of two Co- Presidents and twenty members in three branches: Cultural and Campus life, Activities, and Wellbeing committee. Each committee contains a head and a secretary with the roles being swapped between the members monthly. Together they will combine their experiences to work for better mental health, inclusivity and communication at the UWCEA Moshi Campus. We want all students to feel confident in their resources and their chances for success. Help us build a better community for our future generations!
Currently we are planning a variety of exciting events for the campus community. Here’s a sneak peek of what’s to come:
Wellbeing Activity Day (Filled with lovely fun mini-games!)
Movie Nights
Discos + Karaoke Events
Pool Parties
UWCEA’s Got Talent
Fashion Show
There’s a friendly poster on the way to the dining hall to help you get acquainted with the many facets of our student government (alongside all our faces)!
MYP News
This is a short week and we have parent conferences on Wednesday, please sign up if you have not done so already. Come with questions prepared and be mindful of the time. Monday is the final day of MAP testing which has gone well, thank you to all of the students for their flexibility with the scheduling. Make up testing will be Monday and a few will take place after the holiday.
The mid term break is finally upon us, please have a restful and safe holiday. Check managebac and google classroom to make sure you are not missing any assignments during the holiday and enjoy your family and friends.
Jeanne Aman
Lake Eyasi
Last week the intrepid M1 tribe set off to Lake Eyasi to work on an interdisciplinary unit focused on knowledge and understanding between their I&S and design learning. The trip was a huge success with engaged students learning how the Datoga Tribe live and how they melt and shape metals. The students went hunting with the Hadzabe where they saw some excellent bowmanship and smoked bees out of their logs to reap the benefits of the floral and sweet tasting honey inside. They then transferred some of their skills to cooking dinner on an open fire for all the staff and themselves. The students should be very proud of themselves as they were the most enthusiastic, friendly and inclusive group I have taken. After half an hour together it was hard to tell who was from Moshi or Arusha campus, they got along so well. They were real advocates for the UWC East Africa values.
Outdoor Pursuits
Do you know the moment when you realise you are actually in the middle of a dream you never knew you had? If not… you have to go to Ngorongoro!
Recently a group of students from Moshi and Arusha went on the OP trip to Ngorongoro and had the time of their lives!! The views were more beautiful than we could ever have imagined. The first evening already the people from Arusha and from Moshi bonded in the freezing cold over very nice and hot soup next to a game of Uno. Even though it was very cold almost every evening it was very nice as we just had more reason to cuddle all together in our tents. While hiking we came by some little villages and met many children with whom we then continued walking and talking a bit. We had a lot of fun and were constantly amazed by the many different views. We went into the crater and witnessed a magical sunset in the middle of a beautiful and untouched nature. We even saw a rhino, as well as many zebras, wildebeasts, many monkeys, some cheetahs and giraffes. The last evening we arrived happily but exhausted at the last campsite. We celebrated a birthday and even had a chance to shower!! The best thing about the campsite probably was the pool though! It was the best ending of an awesome op trip imaginable!! Thank you very much to everyone who made the trip so awesome! It was an amazing experience and none of us will ever forget it!!
Christine
House Update
The second hotly contested Cook Off happened recently with Kibo, Meru and Mawenzi going head-to-head. Kibo and Meru showed their skills in the flavour identification rounds with an equal 1st, Kibo shone in the egg boiling skills challenge with a perfectly boiled egg, however when it came down to the creation of a 5-star breakfast menu Mawenzi showed their flare with a very well presented and creative breakfast dish showcasing many culinary skills. Final scores for the event were Kibo – 25, Meru – 26 and Mawenzi – 27, a very, very tight competition indeed.
The results of the MYP cook off were –
3rd – Kibo
2nd -Meru
1st – Mawenzi
So the updated scores are
Mawenzi is creeping closer to the top, Meru has slipped a little and Kibo are holding on. There is 1 more secondary event this quarter and if Meru or Mawenzi can get a win in both they will be nipping at the heels of Kibo for the lead.
Don’t forget to support your team, the March Madness Basketball for M1 to M4 will be soon. Next quarter we will be looking at more competitions with chess, touch rugby, science quiz, earth day quiz, netball and more.
Remember 1 point could make the difference, you could earn that point.
Robin Marsh
From the Counselor
Take a Break with SEL and Major University Fairs
Social Emotional Learning and Major College Planning Events
With the changes/challenges that we continue to face in our world, the importance of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) increases exponentially. Our UWCEA Guiding Statements speak to the type of adults we are working to develop, and SEL is a major component to making that happen. From direct lessons to modeling and recognizing, there are many ways that we reinforce the character, values, and skills we want our children to embody throughout their lives. SEL is a tool to help us teach the essential lessons that will lead to the desired outcomes.
26 March was International SEL Day, and this year’s theme was “Building Bonds, Reimagining Communities.” We invite you to learn more about how SEL enhances the learning environment both inside and outside of the classroom by visiting this link https://selday.org/. In order for SEL to be effective in any institution, it requires a strong collaboration between the school and the community it serves. We strive to enhance this through our curriculum, communication, and engagement of all stakeholders on behalf of the students we educate in a multitude of ways. Through this collaborative effort we are able to send young people out into the world who are empathetic and civically-engaged global citizens.
We are also preparing students to head off into the world in the pursuit of their post-secondary aspirations, and over the break is a great time to explore their international options. Please take some time to learn more about these events, and try to attend at least one if your child is at the M4 or above level:
On Wednesday, M5-D2 students had the opportunity to participate in the UWC Virtual Visit Day with 26 UWC Davis Scholar Partner institutions. If you missed the event, and/or would like to explore the resources that were shared that day (ie. recordings of presentations and video introductions to the institutions), feel free to visit this link: smieconsulting.org/uwc-virtual-visit-days
On Tuesday, we were able to host an informative session on the US Visa process and matriculating to the US with the US Consular’s Office in Tanzania and EducationUSA officials for Tanzania and Kenya. If you would like to learn more about the US Visa process, please visit this link. More information will come, but make sure you are in contact with the International Student office at the institutions you are exploring because they are a tremendous resource.
There will be at least two major international fairs over the break that we invite you to attend if you would like to learn more about global institutions.
More events will continue to be added on this link, so please be sure to sign up to attend one or two that interest you. Then talk with your child about what you learned and how this might apply to their post-secondary plans.
Finally, as you spend time over the break resting and rejuvenating for the final quarter, we once again welcome you to access resources that we have compiled in the COVID-19 Counselor Resources.
Take care and enjoy the break,
UWCEA School Counseling Team
PYP News
Wednesday was the day that many children enjoy the most in the school calendar – Student Led Conferences! It was a time for the children to share their daily routines, celebrate their learning and put into practice leadership and speaking skills. We were proud to see our young learners shine and hope you enjoyed seeing them in action. There is still the fourth quarter of the school year to go which is plenty of time for the children to set some learning goals and work towards them. We hope the conference enabled you to see where your child is on his/her learning journey and how you might support them at home. On Wednesday the P6 class will be presenting in an end of Quarter 3 primary gathering. They will be presenting work from their unit of inquiry about the media and will also be sharing their PYP Exhibition plans. We look forward to hearing the Central Ideas and Lines of Inquiry that they have chosen. Tuesday is the last day of PYP after school clubs. Please note that Wednesday, 31st March, is not an early finish day and the children will be in class until 1:10pm. We would like to take this opportunity to wish you a relaxing break with your children and look forward to seeing them back in school on Monday, 12th April.
Deborah Mills & Mboka Mwasongwe
EC/P1 Class
Thank you to everyone who came to the student led conferences. The children enjoyed sharing their work with you. They shared their reflections with the rest of the class on Thursday and the majority of their discussions centred on how happy and proud they were to show their parents their learning. Thank you for taking the time to be with them.
We are coming to the end of the 3rd quarter, so we will be wrapping up our unit this coming week. We will also review the sounds and number work we went through this quarter. P1s will be reviewing their learned math concepts, completing short assessments on these as well as reading comprehension assessments.
Clara, Emmanuel and I hope that you will all have a restful and peaceful Easter break.
Mboka Mwasongwe
P2/3 Class
We had an exciting start to this week with the return of Tiago to our classroom. Welcome back Tiago!
It’s also been a strange week with two teaching days and the Student Led Conferences taking place in between them. Thank you to all the parents who came out to support our learners!
We were all rather upset at not being able to have our high tea on Friday, so be on the lookout for an email informing you of a P2/3 high tea next quarter.
Next week, the students will be learning about different transport modes, conducting surveys, and designing a road for the EC/P1 class. We’ll also be discussing creating signs for bike zones around the school.
I hope everyone has a restful holiday and I look forward to seeing all the students back in Q4!
Elisha Jaffer
P4 Class
With a shortened week and a class still split with quite a few home learners, we managed to fit a lot in! Our Student-Led Conferences were a wonderful chance to reflect on all we’ve learned so far. Any parents who were not able to make it to the conferences on Wednesday are welcome to schedule for an afternoon of their convenience.
We are all very excited to kick off our new unit- Endangered Animals!
The Lines of Inquiry are:
Factors leading to the endangerment of species
Actions by humans which affect animal survival
The responsibilities humans have for the survival of other species
If any parents have a connection to the unit, we love to have guest speakers or resources from home!
As you know, next week is short. Normal class schedule from Monday to Wednesday (with PE Swim on Monday) with clubs on Monday and Tuesday only. Then on to Spring Break! It’s hard to believe how quickly the school year is passing.
Kacey Buckley
P5 Class
The main focus on our week was the Student Led Conferences. It was lovely to see all of you. If you check on Seesaw you will see comments left by your children about how happy they were to be able to share their portfolios. Many of them were pleased to win at the different games – those young brains are a real advantage when playing memory games. Kaisaar turned 10 this week – many thanks to Nadia who brought in a cake that she and her mother had baked at home! In maths we have been looking at probability and in language we have started a unit on fictional narratives. We will continue with both of these activities next week. Please note that Wednesday follows a regular schedule and the children will finish at 1:10pm.
Deborah Mills
P6 Class
Thank you parents for attending the SLCs this week. It was great to hear conversations about their work, and read such positive feedback from both parents and students. As you may have noticed, their bulletin boards are up for their PYP Exhibition. They worked really hard this week due to the shortened time in class, and impressed me with their commitment and dedication. They have interviews ready to go for visits, and are working on their surveys on Google Forms. Thanks to Ms. Brunt they had a great introduction on how to make a survey.
Next week, they will start their visits to organizations in the Moshi area. After break, they will continue with visits in Moshi and Arusha. I sent home a letter on Thursday explaining special procedures due to the current situation. Please remind them to bring a mask on the days they have a visit with an organization. I am excited to hear how the first few go this week, and I think the class is even more excited to start their next level of research by interviewing experts in their chosen area.
