Contents - Sha Tin College 沙田學院

Contents
Message from the Principal
Chinese New Year Celebrations 2014
ISCMS Beijing 2014
Charlotte Kwong 9D2
James Yen 13X1 and Justin Fan 12P1
Book Week 2014: Heroes and Heroines
Hong Kong History Quiz
Visit to STC by author, James Roy
Global Issues 2014 Reflection
Sha Tin Winner at the ESF Philosophy Festival
ISTA High School Festival, Hong Kong
Year 6 Beacon Hill students visit Sha Tin College
SCMP Student of the Year Awards 2014
Peer Support Training
Tutor Time
VOiCE XII Launch – 2nd April
Drama Updates
Message from the Principal
Dear Parents,
This edition of the newsletter comes at the mid-point
of a very busy term. As ever, I am delighted that we
are able to feature so many positive achievements by
Sha Tin students. It is gratifying to see their
achievements and contributions include curricular,
sporting, community and charity events. I am very
conscious that this could not happen with the support
and encouragement of parents and teachers.
Undoubtedly one of the highlights of the term has
been the celebrations and activities leading up to
Chinese New Year. I wish to express my public
appreciation of the outstanding work done by Mr Mike
Chiu and our Mandarin department in coordinating
such a variety of activities.
Year 11 and 13 students have completed their mock
examinations and are currently in the final run up to
the public examinations. We wish them well in the
final phase of syllabus completion and the planning of revision programmes. This is undoubtedly a stressful
time for the students and families concerned. We will do all we can to support, encourage and help
throughout the examination period.
We have just completed the first phase of our annual recruitment which has led to the appointment of
three new English colleagues, a Mathematics and Art teacher and new Heads of the Science and
Geography departments. These new colleagues will be joining us in August 2014. I have been impressed
with the number and quality of applicants and am confident that our newly appointed colleagues will
bring the expertise and enthusiasm needed to allow our students to flourish.
Thank you for your continued support.
Marc Morris
Principal
Chinese New Year 2014
By Mike Chiu, CNY Coordinator
Our Chinese New Year celebration, were brought in, with the banging of drums and the clashing of cymbals
from our very own Sha Tin College Lion Dance team; it is believed, the noise is used to scare away evil spirits
and bring good luck. It was certainly a fantastic way to end the term and bring in the Lunar New Year.
We had a fantastic week with four days of festivities. On Monday and Tuesday, the Chinese department led,
art activities that included: Panda painting, cross stitching, paper cutting and Chinese chess. On Wednesday,
the PTA led events which were very popular with students, especially the free traditional Chinese snacks
prepared by PTA parents. There was also lantern making, and ‘Fai Chun’ or lucky messages written by a
calligrapher. Thank you to the PTA, especially Katherine Liu who helped coordinate the event.
Our Chinese New Year Festival started with a Sha Tin Junior ‘Red Lantern dance’ and a spectacular diabolo
performance which enthralled the audience. This ended with a contemporary Hip-Hop Lion Dance which
everyone thoroughly enjoyed.
Our assembly showcased traditional and modern Chinese performances. The Chinese Orchestra played 南
泥灣 Nan Ni Wan; and a beautiful piece of music played on the Guzheng. Our folk dancers also graced the
stage with two mesmerizing performances: A Snowy mountain Tibetan dance and the Green Bamboo Dance.
Students enjoyed watching their teachers singing in their best Chinese, “Dui bu qi wo de zhong wen bu hao”
which means, “Sorry, my Chinese isn’t good” - this was a fun performance and warmly welcomed by the
school community. Our Y12 and 13 student band also lifted the spirits of the audience, with a fabulous
performance of two popular songs sung in Chinese. To finish our assembly, students from Miss Liu, Miss
Chung and Mr. Zhou’s Chinese classes sang, ‘Mo Li Hua’ or Jasmine Flower, and this was a fantastic way to
end our Chinese New Year Festivities.
This year, we also participated in Oxfam’s, ‘Give a Lai See programme’, where students donate one of their
Lai See packets, the amount however small, goes to those in need. Donations will go to Oxfam and the
Philippines disaster relief.
The Chinese New Year festivities, are now ingrained in our Sha Tin College culture, and we hope that
students and teachers had a memorable experience. We like to take the opportunity to thank all the teachers,
parents and students who participated and helped in the organization of this event. We hope the “Year of
the Horse” brings prosperity and good health to you all.
ISCMS Beijing 2014
By Malcolm Godsman, Head of Music
Sha Tin College students took part in the 7th annual International School’s Choral Music Society, hosted by
Dulwich College Beijing, this year (19th to 23rd February 2014), rehearsing and performing together with some
400 other young musicians and teachers from around the Asia region, culminating in an outstanding concert
performance in Beijing’s Forbidden City Concert Hall. We tackled some incredibly challenging repertoire in
a remarkably short space of time including Haydn’s “Nelson Mass”, Mussorgsky’s “Night On A Bare
Mountain” and also the specially commissioned piece by Grammy award winning composer Christopher
Tin, namely his Bulgarian inspired composition “Temen Oblak”.
Our very own Gordon Yam (Year 13G2) won the prestigious Karl Jenkins award for young composers and
his piece “Rise of the Trolls” was performed by the ISCMS Festival Orchestra – an incredible opportunity,
experience and accolade for Gordon!
Well done to all our students who took part in the superb musical event that offers so much to our students
to further enhance and stretch their musical skills to such a high standard.
Some Student Reflections…
Baronica Cheng (Y12D1)
ISCMS was an eye-opening experience and I particularly enjoyed Masterclass
with our mezzo-soprano soloist! Being able to master the challenging 7/8
beat for Temen Oblak was the highlight of the festival!
Colleen Yuen (Y10X2)
This was my first ISCMS year and the amount of knowledge I have learnt in
just five days still astonishes me. I have learnt so much about my own vocal
tone and the music industry, I feel so privileged to have been taught and to
have had the chance to work with such talented musicians such as
Christopher Tin. It was truly an amazing experience!
Caleb Lee (Y10X2)
At ISCMS, I learned how to musically change the way something sounds by
taking part in the Bass Section of the choir. It was a fun experience finding
new friends and meeting people from other schools and collaborating with
them.
Melanie Tse (Y12G1)
I think being in the alto section made me realize how important its role is
for the choir to sound full and complete, and rehearsing for 8 hours every
day definitely push my vocal skills to unlimited possibilities!
Ysabel Moulders (Y10P2)
During my experience in and participation in this year’s ISCMS 2014 in
Beijing, I was in the choir as a Soprano. This year's ISCMS in Beijing was truly
a great experience, making new friends from all over Asia, gaining knowledge
in music, and most importantly, learning how to work together as a choir.
Siu Yu Yeung (Y12X1)
From spending 4 intensive days practicing in the Alto section, I was able to
develop and improve on a variety of musical skills such as sight singing.
Gordon Yam (Y13G2)
It was phenomenal. Throughout the week, I had the opportunity to work
with Dr Robert Hasty, the conductor of the festival orchestra, to rehearse
my winning composition, “Rise of the Trolls”. During rehearsals, we
discussed possible changes to articulation, tempo and orchestration so that
further improvements could be made to my piece. I was privileged to have
the opportunity to meet Christopher Tin in person. We spent a few hours
freely discussing the art of composition and he gave me valuable feedback on
my work for the orchestra. He said that composition is merely “the art of
artful repetition” and “orchestration is like gardening”. In quite a short space
of time, he shared his highly inspiring music experiences with me, and taught
me a variety of professional tips and tricks that are used in the film music
industry. It was simply a pleasure to meet and work with so many
professionals in the field. What I gained from my week in Beijing certainly
surpassed my initial expectations, and for sure, this experience will help me
grow as a young composer in the future.
Charlotte Kwong (9D2)
Charlotte Kwong (Yr. 9D2) has won the First Prize in the Hong Kong Schools Team Golf Championship
2014 - Girls 13-14 Nett Division on 27th January 2014. A big congratulations to you Charlotte!
Hong Kong Schools Team Championship 2014
Venue: The Hong Kong Golf Club, New Course
Date: 27 January 2014
Results: Girls 13-14 Nett
Position
Name
1
KWONG Charlotte (Shatin College)
2
LAM Shanice (ICS)
3
LAI Queenie (Shatin College)
3
CHAN Ho Sum Ellen (UCCKE)
5
LIU Lok In (Elegantia)
6
NG Hoi Ching (UCCKE)
Scores
72
74
74
76
78
92
James Yen (13X1) and Justin Fan (12P1)
James Yen, 13X1, and Justin Fan, 12P1, represented the Hong Kong SAR in the 2013-14 IIHF (International
Ice Hockey Federation) Ice Hockey World Championships held in Izmir, Turkey in February this year. They
competed in the U18 Men category. Although the Hong Kong team did not win, they played hard, gained
valuable experiences and came away knowing they were just as competitive as their peers on an international
level. We are very proud of their achievements.
Justin Fan in the middle front row seated, James Yen to his left
James Yen
Book Week 2014: Heroes and Heroines
By Lindsay Tandy, Head of English, and Sonia Hansen, Library & Learning Centre
STC celebrated Book Week during 3rd – 7th March and it was a fun-packed week with a range of activities
that students took part in throughout the week. We kick-started the week off on Monday with STC’s first
ever Slumber Party and a number of Year 7 and Year 8 students came along with their pyjamas, slippers,
sleeping bags and an array of cuddly toys! They enjoyed hot chocolate and marshmallows, listened to author,
Deborah Abela, made book marks, watched a film and of course did some relaxed reading before departing
for home at 7.30pm. Other activities during the week included Book Speed Dating in the Library; Y8 Drama
students performing Melodrama scenes to an appreciative audience (which involved lots of booing and
cheering!); flashmob reading by students and staff during morning break; house quizzes; and working with a
number of SJS Y6 students.
Thursday was World Book Day and Year 7, 8 and 9 students came to school wearing their Book Week Tshirts that they had designed in English and D&T lessons, with many other students dressing up as their
favourite fictional hero/heroine. We collected nearly $7000 on the day for Book Week’s charity, Room to
Read – many thanks for your generosity. Alex Scarrow, ‘Time Riders’ author, worked all day with a large
number of students including all Year 7, 8, 9 and 10 students as well as IB Film Studies students and he proved
to be a very popular and engaging speaker.
To mark the end of Book Week, students and staff took part in a Drop Everything and Read session during
the last 15 minutes of period 5 on Friday. This was a great way to encourage and promote reading for
everyone. The attached link is from ‘Common Sense Media’ with 10 top tips as to how to encourage reading
in your children: http://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/how-to-raise-a-reader
Finally, a number of departments took part in Book Week to make it successful for our students – many
thanks to everyone who participated or contributed in some way. Thanks, too, to the PTA who offered
funding for some of this year’s activities.
Book signing
queue
Book speed
dating
Slumber party
with Deb Abela
Book Week T
shirts
Year 8 and Year 6
talking heroes
Year 8
melodramatic
heroine!
Hong Kong History Quiz
Year 12 students attended the International Asian History quiz at Chinese International School on Saturday
22 Feb with History staff. The team performed really well in a fiercely fought competition and were knocked
out by a very strong West Island school team in the semi-finals. Special mention should be made of Justin
Cheng who made it to the final five students in the individual competition. The team was – Kleon Chan, Isaac
Fung, Justin Cheng, Christopher Xia, Bosco Yu and Mel Li.
Visit to STC by author, James Roy
By Lindsay Tandy, Head of English Faculty & Sonia Hansen, Librarian
If you are a fiction writer, embellishing the truth – or lying - is what you are good at and on Monday 24
February, STC was fortunate to have James Roy, a “very good liar” (Roy’s words!) and award-winning
children’s and young adults’ writer speak to many of our Year 8, 9, 10 and 11 English students about how to
become accomplished at the fine art of writing. Roy has written over 30 books for children and young adults
and has won a number of children’s book prizes over recent years.
Roy drew on a range of ideas to illustrate what makes a good story, including sharing his own amusing
personal experiences (or were they!?); the incredible and often unbelievable, but true, non-fiction ‘stories’
that are part of our historical heritage; human nature’s fascination with what Germans term, schadenfreude;
the ever-changing story-telling techniques used in gaming; and the importance of the magicians’ tool of the
trade, misdirecting.
Students and teachers alike were in agreement that Roy was not only highly amusing but was informative and
interesting, too, and that he had a number of great ideas to help us all become better fiction writers (or liars)!
James Roy with a Year 10 English class in the school library
James Roy speaking with students in the school hall
The art of misdirecting
Global Issues 2014 Reflection
By Anson Miu, 11D1, Sha Tin College Student Council and PTA Representative
After participating in this meaningful competition for three years, I was inclined to join this year, given the
infinite number of global issues that require awareness to be raised and solutions to be offered. Having formed
a team with Ryan and Dennis, we were faced with the complication of selecting a global issue that struck a
balance between originality and impact on global society. In light of recent technological developments and
the issues raised regarding the significance of technology in our daily lives, we pursued this path and decided
to base our presentation on ‘Technology for All’, outlining how technology can contribute to the alleviation
of poverty and other aspects, and should be entitled to every human. Personally, I found this year’s
competition to be the most challenging of all, as the contending teams from Renaissance College and ICHK
added a diverse arsenal of creative presentation methods to convey their message to the judges and the
audience, ranging from the use of poetry to mini role-plays. I am delighted to be part of this winning team,
and owe huge thanks to Ryan and Dennis for their professional presentation techniques and responses during
the Q & A session. I would certainly consider participating in this competition once again and strongly
recommend this competition to anyone who is passionate and would like to voice their opinions about social
issues.
Ryan
This year was my first year in the Global Issues competition. I joined Anson and Dennis, and I believe that it
was a worthwhile experience. I entered as I believed I could gain much from this experience, and I have. I
also thought that my interest in technology and such could contribute greatly to the team, and I believe it
did; it led us to develop our topic, “Technology for All” and perhaps the combination of my interests, Anson’s
extraordinary ability to convey large amounts of statistical data in a concise fashion, and Dennis’ speaking
skills helped us to choose an original topic, give a professional presentation, and win the competition. The
talks from the other schools were awesome; there was a lot of enthusiasm and definitely a lot of research
and effort put in by teams at RCHK and ICHK, and of course, the other senior and junior teams at STC. I
enjoyed meeting new people and forming new connections. The entire event was essentially the epic gathering
of the nerds and I really enjoyed it; smart people debating with other really smart people to try and solve
global issues.
Dennis
I first joined Global Issues two years ago, forming a group with Anson and another member. I thought the
event to be a rather serious and formal presentation; I thought wrong. Instead, it proved to be a wonderful
platform in which groups from various schools shared their ideas and opinions passionately and with ease. I
found it very easy to convey my beliefs about the various international issues and at the same time consider
the solutions from multiple perspectives. It is with this knowledge that I decided to enter the competition
again this year, basing our topic on ‘Technology for All’, which highlights the many advantages and solutions
that technology can bring to the table.
The competition this year was friendly, but fierce; teams from Renaissance College and ICHK offered ever
more interesting and creative formats to their presentations. This ranged from the integration of drama to
poetic pieces, all of which provided fresh viewpoints and provoked much thought and discussion over the
issues at hand. I must thank Anson for inviting me to join this event once again: it has opened many new
doors for me, and widened my view on many international issues and dilemmas. Winning the competition
was just a bonus; for me, the event was thought-provoking and allowed me to see the world from an entirely
new stance. I suggest those who have concerns and deep passion for problematic issues to join this
competition; it is an excellent way to express your views and beliefs on matters that affect the world today.
Issac Lau, Winner of Most Eloquent Speaker, leading a post competition discussion on the issues
The Winning Team
Sha Tin Winner at the ESF Philosophy Festival
On 29th January ESF held its first Philosophy Festival. The festival was a celebration of the outstanding
Philosophy work created by Y9 students from KGV and Sha Tin College.
Y9 ESF students were set the task of designing a stimulus which explained the purpose of Philosophy. Students
could choose their own medium but this had to be creative, informative and answer the following questions:
What is Philosophy? How does Philosophy contrast to other subjects? How does Philosophy help us? This
was a challenging task as students were required to simplify complex ideas as well as present them in a
creative and engaging way. The results were fantastic and teachers from all schools have commented on how
impressed they were at the students’ in-depth level of understanding and imaginative forms of presentation.
The best entries from each school then participated in the final of the festival which was held at ESF Centre.
All students under the guidance of Ms Thomson from 9.3 (9G2) were successful in getting through to the
final Festival.
In the final everyone presented their stimulus and these were peer assessed using a strict criteria. It was a
really enjoyable and stimulating afternoon where students and teachers from different schools were able to
interact and share their work.
Samantha Rodgers and a team of ESF Philosophy teachers judged the winning entries.
The winning group from Sha Tin College who created a very professional and captivating film
was:
Theo Hui, Dione Hodges, Hazel Leung, David Hu, Clement Chiu.
Here is the link to their film
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEZ12SQ1l18
Each student was awarded a copy of the Philosophical book “Sophie’s World” which was kindly donated by
The Commercial Press.
Congratulations to all KGV and Sha Tin College students who participated in this event.
Here is a link to some photographs of the Philosophy Festival
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/io55bvs3nbg0eox/jIhBBBGg0_
ISTA High School Festival, Hong Kong
From Thursday 13 February to Saturday 15 February three Sha Tin College GCSE Drama students took part
in an international schools theatre festival at Chinese International School. The three days involved them
working with drama students from around the world – from Korea to Russia – and working with well know
theatre practitioners from around world. The theme of the festival was, aptly, love and all the students
explored love from a range of different perspectives and theatre styles including physical theatre, Commedia
Dell’ Arte, Musical Theatre and Shakespeare. This all culminated in an impressive performance on the final
day of the festival.
For the students, it was an exciting opportunity to work with theatre professionals and gain invaluable
experience and knowledge from them and also work with students from different cultures. As a teacher, it
was hugely rewarding to see the students working in such a professional manner and interacting with students
from such different cultures and backgrounds, and develop international friendships from the experience.
Apart from all the amazing theatre, one of the most memorable moment was watching our students sharing
contact details with everyone and saying an emotional goodbye to all the wonderful students they had worked
with over the three days. It is a real testament to the open-minded and friendly nature of the students at
STC!
Year 6 Beacon Hill Students visit Sha Tin College
February 26 2014 Visit by Year 6 Beacon Hill students to STC. These are the students who will be joining
us in August. Mr Turner, the Head of Lower School, arranged the visit and were happy to also welcome Mr
James Harrison, VP from Beacon Hill.
SCMP Student of the Year Awards 2014
By Anson Miu 11D1
Over the past six months, I had been involved in the ‘Student of the Year Awards’ organised by the South
China Morning Post. The awards covered a range of categories - Visual Artist, Performing Artist,
Sportsperson, Community Contributor, Linguist and the Grand Prize - in which aimed to celebrate the
achievements of senior students.
Secondary schools were allowed to nominate one student from Year 11 or 12 to participate in each category.
It was an honour for me to be nominated by the school for such prestigious awards, to be given the
opportunity to participate in such an extraordinary and worthy event. Putting my name down for the Grand
Prize, I was required to submit a complex application form, as the assessment criteria were rather diversified,
in which I was to be judged on not only academic attainment, but also non-academic achievements and
contributions to the community - the nomination process had also required me to summarise the mentioned
criteria in the form of an essay.
During early January, the SCMP had processed all the nominated candidates, and consequently, and have
reduced the numbers to a mere 20 candidates for each of the categories. I was very fortunate to have been
shortlisted for the award, but on the other hand, was in full understanding of the competition. I was invited
to an interview session along with the other shortlisted candidates, participating in a series of individual and
group discussions, facing a panel of strict judges. During this process, I was required to present my views on
a social issue chosen at random - in my case, regarding the decreased birth rate in Hong Kong - and to
participate in a group discussion - although it turned out to be a rather heated debate - regarding our views
on the current population of Mainlanders in Hong Kong. It was a very challenging yet enjoyable process, as I
had the opportunity to exchange thoughts and ideas with other students, and the ‘promotional video
campaigns’ in which we were ‘persuaded’ to participate in eased out the initial anxiety and stress.
I attended the Award Luncheon last Saturday, where the final winners of the awards were announced. Despite
not being able to win the Grand Prize, I am very appreciative of the loss, as the winning student was definitely
more deserving, with far greater academic and non-academic commitments. Having gained an invaluable
learning experience during the course of the past six months, I am motivated to continue taking on more
responsibilities and opportunities as I progress into senior school.
I would like to thank Ms Lederer for nominating me for the award and continuously supporting me throughout
the entire process. I would also like to express my gratitude for all the support from students and teachers I will look forward to participate in this event once again in the future!
Peer Support Training
By Christine Rowlands, Vice Principal
The Peer Support training programme, led by our school counsellor/psychologist, Larissa Kirpichnikov,
began on Wednesday February 26. This is a wonderful opportunity for the students involved to learn a range
of important skills and attributes which will empower them to support other students within our school
community. There was fierce competition for the limited places so the participants can feel proud of having
met the criteria and being chosen by their respective Heads of Year in 10, 11 and 12.
The training has been possible due to the generosity of the PTA. It is scheduled for ten Wednesday afternoons
between 2:45pm and 4:45pm and occurs in the Senior School Centre here at the College.
Larissa undertook a lot of investigation before arriving at a decision about the specific programme she will
deliver. She decided on Canada's popular Peer Assistance Programme written by Rey Carr and Greg
Saunders. She also chose a set of DVD's to use in training that contain vignettes of peer helpers working with
other students. This is based on the most current international research and includes such topics as: sex and
peer pressure, disputes and mediation, communication with parents, substance abuse, referrals and planning
for the future. The programme itself will include elements of positive leadership, personal values, mentorship
and being a positive and responsible role model, both within the school community, and as a citizen.
We’re all excited about the impact training students in these ways will have so expect the ‘graduate’ students
involved to apply their skills and knowledge in the long term. Having invested in them, we need to know that,
as Peer Support Leaders, they will ‘give back’ to others. This way, both Peer Support leader and other
students will be enriched and benefit in a multitude of ways.
Tutor Time
By Christine Rowlands, Vice Principal
If given the opportunity, students in every year group have thought-provoking comments about both their
Tutors and Tutor Time. I asked one Tutor from each year to elicit written responses from six or seven
random Tutees to a collection of assorted questions. The feedback I received provided a helpful insight. It
reinforced one of the core values of the Guidance and Achievement team which is that building strong
relationships, based upon trust and respect, is essential for the wellbeing of students. It also fosters their
success, in all its forms. Here is a sample of what the ‘student voice’ revealed:
‘Having my
Tutor believe in
me makes me
feel...’
o
o
o
o
‘Tutor Time is a
really important
time of my day
because....’
o
o
o
‘I am proud of
being part of my
tutor group
because…’
‘I like the people
in my tutor
group
because…’
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
‘I know my
Tutor and I have
a special
relationship
because....’
o
o
o
Happy because I know he is always there to give me
unconditional support and I know he will always be there to
listen to me
Believed in
Good about myself because I know that there is someone who
is proud of who I am
Exhilarated that I am not alone, like I have someone to talk to;
happy that I am not alone
Awesome because he is really cool
We get to learn more about other students, as well as our
Tutor. We also get this time to work on our Tutor
eportfolios, as well as books. During this time we get notified
about activities later in the day. We get to interact with the
Tutor or other students in a way we usually are unable
to. Tutor Time is also a good time to relax and read, or do
extra work. We can reflect on the previous school day and
make sure we have signed our Diary or we put our homework
in the Diary
Our Tutor is like our school mum. It is a time we use to find
out about our day, like extra activities and how can earn
House points. I can see my friends before going straight to
lessons. Our Tutor then becomes a person we can talk to if
you need help or company
I enjoy being around my friends
We all share stories, information, happiness and food, of
course!
Everyone is talented in their own way
My House tries really hard in Inter-House events
It is a warm, loving and open community
They are funny, weird, kind and sweet, nice to look at,
AWESOME, smart in different ways, have good taste in music
and because we understand each other and we are different
We are brothers from different mothers. They are really easy
to get along with and unconditionally beautiful.
They are down to earth and really helpful
They are creative and caring
We are good friends, we work well together and we all stand
up for each other; we’re all hilarious
It gives me time to finish my eportfolio and to prepare myself
for the rest of the day
She cares and knows what we’re thinking
We have one-to-one conversations about certain things. She
is a very nice Tutor who cares about everyone in the
class. We have a special relationship and she has helped me
when I’ve been hurt
I’ve sent her part of my book and she showed my work to
other teachers which I do appreciate
‘There is always
something
interesting
happening in
Tutor Time,
such as…’
o
o
o
o
o
Relaxing to classical music and learning new facts about the
world
Watching YouTube about Science, watching motivational
videos, starting the day in a positive atmosphere, catching up
with the Daily Bulletin and spending time on preparing work
Witnessing debates with my friends
Group discussions or being informed about the day’s events
Being with our Tutor who is always supportive and
encouraging
VOiCE XII Launch – 2nd April
By Lindsay Tandy, Head of English Faculty
VOiCE XII Launch – 2nd April, 2.30-3.30pm, Library
VOiCE is a student publication that is produced, written, edited and put together by STC students. This
year’s theme is ‘Tipping Point’ and last term students submitted pieces of written work and artwork to the
editorial teams who have now selected the best pieces for publication.
VOiCE’s editorial teams are pleased to launch this year’s publication on Wednesday 2nd April, from 2.303.30pm, in the Library. Contributors will be reading selected passages from their written pieces and talking
about what inspired their writing; some of VOiCE’s artwork will be on display; and there will be ‘Tipping
Point’ inspired music performed by a number of students. Admission is free and there will be refreshments
as well as copies of VOiCE to take home with you.
Please come along to support the students who have worked so hard to make this year’s VOiCE a reality.
Drama Updates
By Neil Harris, Drama Department
The Drama Department has been busy trialing new topics with Lower School whilst becoming familiar with a new
IGCSE examination syllabus. I thought parents would like to know what is taking place on the sixth and fourth
floors, so here goes….
Firstly, Years 8 and 9 are having a great deal of fun learning two influential genres of theatre. The Year Eights are
looking at Melodrama and their heroes and heroines are gracing the stages of the Drama rooms to foil the plans
of the evil villains. It is, we think, useful for students to understand the basic character and story types that have
been so influential on modern dramas seen on television and cinema.
Meanwhile, in Year 9 classrooms the students have been exploring Commedia Dell’ Arte which encourages the
students to be both physical and comic in their acting. Again, the character types, from masters to servants to
tricksters, are also to be found in Disney films and on TV in programmes such as Mr Bean. We hope your child
may show you some of their learning at home!
Higher up the school, some of the students have been busy doing monologues for their IGCSE course and staging
extracts from the work of Harold Pinter in Year 11. The Year 12s are also doing an extended Commedia project
which they will perform in March and the Year 13s are preparing for their examinations in IB Theatre.
Lastly, the small but perfectly formed Literature and Performance Group are staging extracts from the Russian
Novel A Hero of Our Time. Busy times, as always!