Welcome back and I hope everyone had a relaxing break. Like usual we have a few new faces after the break, and one student who has left. We wish our leaving family the best of success in the future.
As you can see below, we jumped in fully to being back. The first Outdoor Pursuits trip is already in the water as of yesterday and hopefully our Uhuru Peak trip will go off as scheduled. The information that was provided to us late yesterday suggests the trip will be able to go ahead as planned. Please be on the lookout for the semester 2 signups which should be out by the end of the month.
We have a few events on and off campus over the next three weeks so please look for information about the PTA picnic, Farmers’ Market and Halloween below. There is also some information about the link parents for Diploma Students.
If you have been on campus you may have seen the fenced off area near K-hall. Over the break we started the delayed building of the new building that will house two science labs, three classrooms and an elevated art room. There is a rendering of the building and a picture of the start of construction below.
As we move through the month, please also be aware that it is likely that we will not have school on October 28th and 29th due to the election and Maulid.
Bob Cofer – Head of Campus
Conceptual image of elevated art room
PYP Halloween
Secondary Halloween
On Friday the 30th of October we will have a Halloween celebration for the secondary students at UWCEA. There is a box in the front office for donations of wrapped candy to be distributed at this event.
The celebration for the secondary students (and some brave and older primary kids and parents) will start at 6:40 pm in front of Rafiki Hall. All transportation to the different locations will be provided by the school, this year there are no private cars. This time there will be a ticket system, without tickets it isn’t possible to visit the different locations. There is a limit of 156 tickets, so if you want to join, don’t wait with the registration. To apply for tickets:
You have to get a group together of exactly 13 people, including a group leader.
Day students need an adult/parent as a group leader
Sign up your group with all individual names (and the class they are in) on the forms in the breezeway
The group leader should also write down his or her phone number
The tickets can be collected in the days before Halloween from Mr. Coldwell, the drama teacher at UWCEA
We have been busy planning events for next quarter so here are a few dates for the diary:
1) Welcome picnic to welcome new teachers and new families – Friday 6th November from 4-6pm at Kishari house
All are welcome. Food and fun will be provided but we ask families to please bring either a side dish or dessert.
Please RSVP to adiele@me.com. by 23rd October so we have an idea of numbers.
2) Our PTA AGM will be on – Wednesday 11th November at 6pm
3) International Day – Planned for this term with more information to come
4) We are planning to hold a PTA meeting every month for Moshi resident parents (the first one will be held on Wednesday 21st October at 7.35am).
Ben’s Corner
What a difference a year makes! This time in 2019, I had just returned from accompanying the “Smokeless Kitchen” CAS team on their triumphant trip to the Young Aurora finals in Armenia. An awful lot has happened since then and, at times, it feels like a lifetime ago. As we begin Quarter 2, the world continues to face the ongoing challenge of a global pandemic. Here at UWCEA, we will continue to do all we can to focus on teaching, learning and our collective wellbeing, both inside and outside the classroom. We will continue to control what we can control. We will continue to try and make the best decisions for all based on the data we have available to us at any given time. We will continue to do all that we can to make the UWC experience a positive, enriching and meaningful one for the whole community. We will continue to move forward together.
I hope that you found time to pause and take stock over the October break and are ready for this next Quarter of living and learning together…and are ready for whatever the world throws at us next! A huge thank you to the staff who sacrificed their holiday to supervise the students who were unable to travel and remained on campus.
This time next week, I am hoping to be accompanying a group of intrepid adventurers to the summit of Africa as we attempt to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. As we all know, this may well depend on the fire that has, unfortunately, taken hold high on the mountain slopes. Fingers crossed the brave people involved will manage to get things under control and make the area safe without too much damage. After all, a lot can happen in a week let alone a year!!
Ben Morley – Deputy Head of Campus
Diploma News
It is good to see the majority of students back on campus after the break. Students got a chance to recharge their batteries but also to catch up on some work. This morning a large group of students left for Fish Eagle Point on the Level 2 Water OP trip. Many of these students are in the Coral Reef service group and so will be implementing some of the ideas they have been working on. Next week another group will be attempting to climb Kilimanjaro.
Before the break we had an amazing Cultural Night put on by the Tanzanian students. We got to eat typical food and then to see the variety of different forms of traditional dress. Then they talked about five different tribes. In a continuation of our informing students about Tanzania the next mentor session will be focussing on the upcoming Tanzanian election.
In addition to Cultural Nights we are looking at different festivals that our students might celebrate in their home countries. Next week we are celebrating the colours of Navaratri where we are asking secondary students to come dressed in a particular colour. Please see the chart below for more information.
We are also planning for Dia de los Muertos a Mexican festival and there are others in the pipeline.
Margaret Brunt – Diploma Coordinator
Ujafamilies
Ujamaa means family life, and this is what you might miss every now and then. Families in the wider school community have been hosting Diploma students who like to get out of the school environment from time to time. These families are called Ujafamilies, and their Ujadaughters and Ujasons are all over the school! From other UWC’s we know that such students and their ‘link families’ may remain in touch for life. This link is a loose principle where some will want to come for a dinner or just hang out for a bit, others get rides to a camping trip, a church picnic or join a hash on a Sunday afternoon. Some Ujafamilies hosted their Ujachildren for a number of weeks when the school had to close earlier on this year, and we remain very grateful to them. There are no strings attached for family or students in terms of frequency or programme. Some will choose not to go because of homework, others end up with friends visiting other students’ families. This should be fine as long as everyone communicates what is happening.
This was really successful last year, and we hope to continue If you are willing to be an Ujafamily or indeed you already are please fill in this questionnaire to give us some more information and to help us make the best matches.
We once again find ourselves with an opportunity for a fresh start after what we hope was a relaxing and rejuvenating break. Before break we sent the last Wellness Wednesday Weekly for this school year, and filled it with strategies and you have hopefully begun to tap into as you made the most of your break. In addition, we invite you to explore a couple other resources that may be beneficial to reflect on while you are still settling into the new quarter:
If you missed the 2 October CASEL CARES webinar, Permission To Feel for Kids, you can view the recording at https://youtu.be/S8Bm8SToz18. You may also view this link for additional resources that Dr. Brackett and CASEL have put together to support your work with children: https://bit.ly/3cRNEVU.
If you’re looking for a quick guide to more ideas for self-care, take a look at these Portable Practices for promoting care on the go.
On the University side, we were so fortunate to engage with institutions from around the world over the break. There were a range of virtual presentations that involved going beyond just learning about international institutions of higher learning, but also strategies for writing essays and determining best fit institutions. If students (and parents) missed those opportunities, don’t fret, there are more coming our way. One major event that we have been invited to participate in is the British International School in Cairo’s International Fair with over 20 country specific presentations. Please visit this link for more information and to see the site for registration.
Finally, here is the current list of upcoming virtual presentations that our students and families are encouraged to participate in. Please take a look and plan ahead. List of upcoming College/University Virtual Visits:
Take care and enjoy quarter two,
UWCEA School Counseling Team
MYP News
Welcome back! I hope that everyone had a chance to spend time with loved ones and relax during the time off. I have had a lovely visit in the United States with my much missed children. As we look to the next few weeks I encourage you to support your MYP student (s) in their efforts to stay organized and to continue to practice solid organizational skills. Ask them to share their diaries with you, discuss their assignments and talk through a plan to organize their work over a period of time so they do not become overwhelmed at the last minute. These efforts will pay off in the future when the work becomes more challenging and the planning more important.
Prior to the break we had a successful MYP gathering where we discussed the assessment process and criteria. If you missed this session I will happily have another session or chat with you individually and present the information. If there are areas of the MYP you would like explained further please contact me and I will do my best to explain or organize another gathering for MYP parents.
MAP testing finished up just before the break and we have the results. I will be sending each of you individualized results with an explanation of their meaning within the week. After you have reviewed them please ask any questions you may have.
This quarter I will be introducing a new club for the MYP students, it will be called “MYP Success Skills.” We will spend time on the ideas and skills we are discussing during mentor time with a more personal focus on the students in the club. In addition to the ATL skills we will be working through “The 7 Habits of a Highly Successful Teen.” I will be handing out invitations to students, if your child receives an invitation please encourage him or her to join us. I will have the exact days and times for next week’s newsletter.
Again, welcome back and I am looking forward to having a great second quarter.
Jeanne Aman – MYP Coordinator
Sports Update
Welcome back for quarter 2. This quarter we have a few friendly games with UWCEA Arusha planned, there is a triathlon in Arusha and we are hosting the UWCEA Sports Weekend (a modified version) November 20-22nd. The Sports Weekend will be between UWCEA Moshi and Arusha Campuses with a staff team entered in some sports for the Open category. To ensure as many students as possible can get in on the tournament we will be holding events from U11 up to Open in all the usual sports with the addition of Badminton. Look out for more information soon.
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.
PYP Saturday Soccer Saturday Soccer is back this Saturday with Mr T and several of our skilled M5, D1 & D2 students helping to run the club. It kicks off at 9am and finishes at 10.30am just in time for the PYP swim squad to get their laps in.
Go Leopards Robin Marsh?
Community Activities
Outdoor Pursuits
Kilomeni Peak
A group of 16 MYP students from Moshi Campus along with 7 students from Arusha Campus, Mr Ian, Mrs. Delphine and Mr. Foya hiked up to Kilomeni Peak at the weekend. The first 3 kilometers were very steep and challenging but with plenty of water breaks and breathers, everyone pushed through and made it! Once at the top, we had lunch, admired the stunning views and took some photos. We then carried on our hike for a further 6 kilometers to our campsite for a well-earned rest before descending the following morning! A very successful trip all round!
Longido
On Saturday 26th September, a group of 27 students and 5 teachers from both Arusha and Moshi campus set off at 6:30am for a hiking trip to Longido. We made it to Longido and started our 4-hour hike. Unfortunately, due to some transportation delays, we were unable to summit and hiked up to the 2300m level. We trekked through huge rocks, uphill-downhill plains and not-so-flatland. On our way down , our eyes caught sight of the picturesque, panoramic view of the sun setting. Wow! What a sight it was!
We reached the campsite in good time and rested for a few minutes. Then, we began to pitch our tents and sleeping bag for the adventurous night. After good rest to our feet, we began to help for dinner. Some of us were so tired after our long hike that we didn’t think of having dinner and were knocked out. The next day, we woke up at 6am, packed our tents and prepared for breakfast. After a scrumptious first meal of the day, we set off back to school. We would like to thank our teachers: Mr. Matt, Mr. Isack, Ms. Parisa, Mr.Emmanuel, Ms. Margaret and Mr.Salim who made our trip memorable. It was definitely a wonderful experience.
PYP News
Welcome back! We hope you all enjoyed the break.
Our after school clubs program will begin on Monday. The children should have brought home a slip of paper with their club choices on Friday.
Friday, 23rd October the P5 class will present in the Primary Gathering. We would love to see you there – please plan to wear a face mask when you enter the school building.
Friday, 30th October the PYP children are invited to participate in the optional Halloween celebrations, details of which are shared elsewhere in this newsletter. Parents, please sign up to decorate the trunk of your car. There is a collection box for wrapped candy in the front office.
Take action now! Donate wide brimmed hats, sunglasses and stationery items!
Do you enjoy feeling lonely or being discriminated against just because of the way you look? Of course not! Today, I will tell you about a group of people who go through those things every day. These people are called Persons With Albinism or PWA. How do I know this you ask? Well in class our unit is Rights and Responsibilities and we have been learning about local groups that do not enjoy their full rights. PWA are often discriminated against because of their looks. Some people say they are bad luck and abandon them. Some people say they are good luck and sell their bones and body parts as good luck charms. Imagine how dreadful that would be! That is exactly why we want to help them. Children with albinism sometimes find it difficult to make friends because people avoid them. They have challenges learning at school because of eye problems and because they find it uncomfortable to go out in the sun. You can help by donating wide brimmed hats, sunglasses and stationery items – there are boxes outside the P5 classroom (Room 16.) Another thing you can do is raise awareness or just be kind.
Thank you for your support.
Rhea P5, Poster by Otis P5
EC/P1 Class
Welcome back to the 2nd quarter of school. I am glad that we all had a restful holiday. Two days of school already and we have had busy days. Our class has grown. Welcome Aarefa, Re’em and Ottilie!
This coming week, we will begin working on our new unit.
Transdisciplinary Theme: Sharing the Planet
Central Idea: Animals have a place in our world and people can care for them.
Lines of Inquiry:
The role of animals in our community
How humans and animals share our community
Our responsibilities towards animals
Already, the children are talking about bringing their pets to school and sharing how they take care of them. Get ready parents.
Aarefa has kindly brought in her fish to put in our class aquarium. With this much excitement at the beginning, the rest of the days look very promising.
There is one area of our class which is under construction. I believe the children are thinking of creating a type of zoo. More to come as they deliberate.
Mboka Mwasongwe
P2/3 Class
P 2/3 really enjoys working and learning. They thrive off each other’s successes and are always eager to help one another. This week we’ve managed to work on some detailed holiday stories in writing, begin our new Unit of Inquiry, and get started on shapes in math.
Parents, please note that P 2/3 students will begin swimming on Monday, 19th October 2020. Please ensure students come to school with their swimming trunks, a towel, sunscreen and a drink of water.
Elisha Jaffer
P4 Class
The class was happy to be back together and excited about the upcoming unit.
The Central Idea is: Making observations and drawing conclusions allows us to explore scientific principles.
We will enjoy learning about the Scientific Method this unit while exploring properties of matter. On Thursday and Friday, we discussed the wide scope of science and did some initial brainstorming about how useful science is to us all.
Our schedule stays the same this term so please send in Swimsuits on Monday for PE, running shoes on Wednesday for PE and library books on Friday. As always, hats and water bottles are a must. Clubs will begin on Monday.
Kacey Buckley
P5 Class
It was lovely to see the children’s smiling faces and hear all of their holiday news. They are looking forward to sharing their learning about rights and responsibilities with you in Friday’s primary gathering. The P5 children are taking action to help Persons With Albinism in our community. They are collecting wide brimmed hats, sunglasses and stationery items. They have been busy making collection boxes, pinning up posters and practicing a skit to inform the PYP about this issue. See Rhea’s article elsewhere in this newsletter for further information. We look forward to seeing you there.
Next week the children will be working on angles in maths and will continue with our new unit of inquiry: “Human Migration is a Response to Challenges, Risks and Opportunities.” If anyone has a migration story that they would be happy to share we would love to hear from you.
Deborah Mills
P6 Class
Welcome back families to the second quarter. We have started our next unit looking into plants. Our central idea is plants are a life sustaining resource for all living things. The lines of inquiry are: the ways in which plants are connected to other living things, the anatomy and function of plants, the ways we use plants, and causes of plant destruction and conservation of plant species. The class has shared ideas for activities that include plant experiments, working in our school garden, sharing a plant-based feast, and visiting a farm or greenhouse.
One of my first positions as an educator was a guest teacher who visited schools to do gardening with inner city kids. I am excited to explore this unit with them, and learn more about plants. If you have any ideas or expertise in plants, please let me know.
I hope you all enjoyed your holiday break and look forward to a quarter packed full of fun and science.
