May 2015 - the International School of Stavanger

Transcription

Published by ISS as a Community Newsletter
27 May 2015 - Volume XXXVII - No 6 2014/15
The Informer
The Class of 2015 eyes their future
From the Director:
It seems as though I was just welcoming you to the
new school year in August, and here we are already
preparing the final Informer of the school year.
During the final weeks of the school year, there are
always a wonderful variety of events for our families
to enjoy. Please feel free take part and enjoy every
aspect of these last weeks—whether it is out on the
fields at one of the Field Days, or inside at one of the
upcoming assemblies, you are very welcome.
We also annually extend a very warm welcome to
anyone who wishes to attend our Baccalaureate,
(Wednesday, June 10 at 18:00), and Graduation,
(Thursday, June 11, at 19:30 at ISS).
We invite you to enjoy every day that is a part of your
child’s school life here at ISS.
One of the very special events that marks the end of
each school year is the Graduation ceremony for the
members of our senior class and their families. As
always, all members of our school community are
warmly invited to join and again this year we have an
outstanding guest speaker.
This June we are honored to have one of our own high
school graduates, Mr. Mark Bezos. As all members
of our school community know, service to others/
service learning is an essential part of the ISS ethos.
Mark Bezos has devoted both his professional and his
personal life to serving others. His day job is working
at the Robin Hood Foundation, a poverty fighting
charity in New York City. And in his personal life,
he is the captain of the volunteer fire department in
Scarsdale, New York. Wish to know more about this
remarkable gentleman? Then take a look at his Ted
Talk: “A Life Lesson from a Volunteer Firefighter”
https://www.ted.com/talks/mark_bezos_a_life_
lesson_from_a_volunteer_firefighter?language=en”
It has been my responsibility and my absolute pleasure
to choose and invite the commencement speaker each
year and Mark Bezos will be an outstanding speaker
for our ISS seniors to hear on their last night before
becoming alumni themselves. As always, all members
of the school community are invited and following
the graduation ceremony, a marvelous reception will
take place in our cafeteria. Welcome!
And as our annual thank you back to the Parent
Association, once again the administration has
invited the old and new Parent Association Boards
to breakfast. In a school that prospers throughout
the year by countless acts of generous volunteering
by a huge number of parents, how best can the
administration thank each individual? We like to
turn the tables and serve the parents, instead of us
always watching the reverse in action. This breakfast
is a symbolic way for us to extend our appreciation
2 • THE INFORMER
• 27 M ay 2015
to each of these individuals and, in a wider sense, to
all the parents in the school who give of their time
throughout the school year. Thank you from all of us
here at ISS.
On a practical note, are you aware that if your child
is leaving the school—either moving or graduating-we are happy to refund any unused funds from
your school lunch account. To do this, our business
office must have your bank account number. Our
assumption is that anyone who is returning to ISS in
August does not have a problem in leaving unused
funds in their lunch account where they can again
access them in August with the new year starting
up. If our assumption is incorrect and you would
like the money refunded now in June, that is fine—
just communicate that information to our Finance
Manager, Linn Åsheim, and give her a bank account
number where the funds can be transferred. Any
questions? Just check with either Linn Åsheim or
Anne Brit Winters and they will be able to help you.
This is also the issue of the Informer where we pay
tribute to our ISS employees who will be ending their
employment with the school in June. The foundation
of the institution is based on the skill of the people
who work with your children on a daily basis. We are
privileged to bring people to work at the school from
a range of backgrounds and geographical origins.
When they leave us, they leave an indelible, positive
impression on the school and we thank them for
sharing their time and their talents with us.
While it has already been mentioned in several venues
that Len and I will be retiring from the school in June,
there are two other long-serving and dedicated ISS
employees who will “graduate” in June as well. Randi
Westlye, our long-time Norwegian language teacher
will retire after a wonderful career in teaching. She
has taught at ISS since 1996 and has worked with
all age groups during the time she has been on our
faculty. We wish her all the best for a long and happy
life and we are grateful for her service to the school
and students.
The second lady that I would like to honor is Inger
Grindheim. Did you know that there are only three
people who have worked every year at the Revheim
campus since it was opened in 1982? Our dear friend
and colleague Inger Grindheim, actually has worked
at the Revheim campus even longer than Len and I!
That is because she was one of those who came in
to get the construction remnants cleaned up before
the faculty started moving in back in 1982. Inger
has been coming to work to keep the classrooms and
corridors spotless ever since, always with a smile on
her face and huge patience with the rest of us. It is
the ending of an era as we bid a fond farewell and
wish a very happy retirement to our beloved Inger
Grindheim.
www.isstavanger.no
Time to brush up on your French language skills!
ISS is very pleased to be opening a new French
Maternelle/pre-school section in August for French
mother tongue three, four and five year old students.
Outstanding cooperation and collaboration between
the Stavanger French School, Total E & P and ISS
has led to this new and exciting element to the Early
Childhood section of our school. The pedagogical
leader for the Maternelle section will be our own
Ms. Caroline Dorne, who is presently teaching
in the English language pre-school, but has long
and excellent experience in teaching in Maternelle
programs in France before moving to Norway and
ISS several years ago. If readers of the Informer
know of additional French-speaking families in the
community who might find this information useful,
please encourage them to contact Sarah Osborne at
[email protected] and she can assist them in
enrolling their children. Merci!
We are here for the students.....
Congratulations to Ms. Freya Newberry, who was
recently elected by our employees to become the new
employee representative on the ISS Board of Trustees.
She will officially join the Board in August.
We also congratulate Mr. Gareth Jones who will also
join the Board in August when he moves into the
role of Director. We additionally thank the following
individuals who leave the Board in June after devoting
their time and talents to making ISS a better place for
the students: Mr. Dominic Genetti, Mr. Are Manneråk
and Mr. Hans Christian Næss. Thank you and best
wishes to all three of you.
And to each of the members of our school community
who may be reading this and are planning a move to a
different school and a different land, go with our best
wishes and our request that you keep in touch with us
here at ISS. Whether your stay was a long or a short
one, you have enriched our school community and
your touch will have an impact on this school forever.
Come back to visit in a few months, a few years, or a
few decades. We love to have former students drop
by with their families to ”show where Mum or Dad”
went to school. Stavanger is a town that seems to have
a permanent hold on all those who spend time here
and you will always be welcome back for a visit!
Despite the sometimes dire predictions in the media
about the current downturn in the oil industry, the ISS
Admissions Office is very busy handling applications
for new students. Some are transferring to us from
other schools in the area and many are new expatriate
families taking up job assignments in Stavanger. We,
of course, will be saying good-bye to a number of
families, but Ms. Sarah Osborne, our Admissions
Officer, has already completed the paperwork to admit
more new students in August than we are losing in
June. The fact that it is still only May means that we
can expect to hear from quite a few more newcomers
www.isstavanger.no
.. and w are here for each other.
THE INFORMER • 27 M ay 2015 • 3
during the summer, including several new companies
that are setting up in the Stavanger Region.
The ISS office will be open all summer--drop by!
Many think that once school is over for the year that
we lock the doors and don’t open them again until
August. In actual fact, the school is a busy place
throughout the summer. Many “behind the scenes”
activities preparing the school for August take place.
A literal mountain of new supplies is processed during
the summer. And one of the most important things
that we do is welcome new families and give them
tours of the school.
The school will be open from 08:30 to 14:30 every
Monday through Friday. You are welcome to come
by with new families. We have received information
on many, many new families who will be joining
the school and we are always delighted to help them
become more familiar with their new surroundings.
A final few words. . .
In 1976, I wrote my first piece for the Informer. In
fact, it was in the very first edition of the Informer,
which was produced as a community service by
a class I was teaching in the high school. In those
days, communicating information to the school
stakeholders was a very different process than all the
tools we have today. And the name, the “Informer”.
. . it was suggested by a student, of course. Over the
years, the publication has been one of the enduring
features of the school edited so beautifully by the
incomparable Liv Nærland Høie. And so while it is
fun to write that I was there for the creation of the
Informer, it is infinitely more satisfying to be able to
write that it is even more fun to know the publication
will carry on far beyond my tenure at the school.
I look forward to continuing to read it for many
years to come so I can keep up on all the great things
happening at ISS from our home in Tananger.
It is not my intent to try to name everyone to whom I
am grateful to in this wonderful forty-year opportunity
I have had to serve the school community here in
Stavanger. That would be too long of a list and would
almost certainly leave out someone by mistake. So I
will just write that it has been my pleasure and honor
to work alongside my remarkable colleagues over the
past four decades at the school. Serving our engaging,
inquisitive and caring students and our tremendously
supportive parents has been first and foremost on our
collective agenda as school employees.
The real strength of the school always has been and
always will be directly connected to the skills of the
legion of gifted teachers and wonderful support staff
that make up the backbone of the school.
4 • THE INFORMER
• 27 M ay 2015
The most creative thing I have done over the years
is to have the opportunity to select the adults who
work with the students—I know I can count on them
to always put the students’ best interests first. The
school has enjoyed great success by being closely tied
and attentive to the cooperation it has with the local
government and the companies and NATO nations
that entrust us with the education and well-being of
the students.
But I will take a few sentences to publicly thank the
Board Chairs that I have worked with over the years
since I was named Director in 1996: Greg Lewin, Bob
Marlin, Keith Conrad, Janet Peppers, David Horensky,
Tor Minsaas and Åshild Hanne Larsen.
The educational research clearly states that the most
important relationship in an independent school
is between the Board Chair and the Head. If that
relationship works well, the school will flourish—if
it is flawed, the students in the classrooms will no
longer be the beneficiaries of a functional, smoothly
operating routine that creates a successful learning
environment.
The ISS Board of Trustees made a splendid decision
in naming Gareth Jones to be my successor and we
have worked hard to see that the transition from one
to the other goes seamlessly. I have full confidence
that Gareth will be treated with the same high level
of respect by the Board that I have enjoyed over the
years. The ISS Board’s Code of Conduct has as its
first priority to take every decision with a child-focus
first. Our students deserve no less
Finally saving the best for last, I will repeat the
same sentence that I used to dedicate my doctoral
dissertation, that my career “is dedicated to my family
for their wisdom, patience and encouragement.”
And just like every good Norwegian fairy tale ends. .
. ”Snipp, snapp, snute, så var eventyret ute.”
With love and thanks to all in the incredible ISS
community,
Dr. Linda Duevel
Director
[email protected]
ps Go Vikings!
www.isstavanger.no
From the Deputy Director
Dear All,
In each of my informer articles over the course of this
academic year I have tried to provide an insight into
the link between our guiding statements and both our
strategic and operational planning.
In my previous articles I have further described what
our core values and objectives (Learning, Well-being
and Community) mean to us and how they are
evidenced and nurtured at ISS.
In my last edition of the Informer I turned to the first
of our supporting objectives, that of Infrastructure
and Resources and in this last Informer article I will
turn to the last of our supporting objectives, that of
Governance and Leadership. Again, as with each of
the values and objectives, there is a board committee
and a school strategic and operational planning
process structured around these supporting objectives.
In the area of Governance and Leadership the
following objective was articulated to guide our work:
Governance & Leadership: Maintain effective
governance and leadership to ensure optimal operation
of the school
The committee has the following key areas of
responsibility and focus:
1. Maintain and update vision, mission and guiding
statements as required.
2. Establish & maintain a set of overall Key
Performance Indicators (KPI´s) constituting an
ISS governance dashboard.
3. Ensure high quality board governance processes
such as Board selection, induction of new
members, committee structure, goals and
objectives, alignment and development as well as
Board evaluation.
4. Perform an annual performance and compensation
evaluation of the Director.
5. Ensure compliance with relevant school legislation
requirements.
6. Custodian of overall ISS risk picture.
7. Serve as immediate response team in cases where
the full Board cannot be engaged
Having approved the review of our updated guiding
statements the school governance and leadership
committee moved to establish a set of KPI´s that
have now been in place for nearly two years. Over
the course of this year the dashboard has been further
developed as the committee has sought to include
annual perception survey data within the governance
dashboard. In May of this academic year we sent out
our first annual family perception survey based on
our guiding statements. The survey was established
www.isstavanger.no
to gather families’ perception in regard to how well
families believe ISS is meeting its Mission and Vision.
More specifically to what extent families believe we are
meeting our core and supporting values. I would like
to thank those of you who completed the survey that
was sent out this spring providing valuable feedback
for our review. As we process this data we will include
key indicators in our governance dashboard. I hope
to share the feedback in greater detail with you at the
beginning of the 2015-2016 academic year in one of
our Informer articles and our second annual report.
As we review and update our strategic and operations
plans we will use this feedback to inform our planning
with the aim of continued school development and
improvement.
As we draw to the close of the academic year I would
like to thank our students and employees for all
their efforts over the course of the academic year and
parents your their support. This combination and
collaboration really makes ISS a special place to come
to work on a day to day basis.
For those families and employees who are leaving ISS
at the end of this year we hope that you have enjoyed
and benefited from your time here at ISS and are able
to take a part of your rich experience with you and
share it with those you encounter in whichever part of
the world you find yourself
It would also be remiss of me not to make a special
mention of three long serving employees. Inger
Grindheim has been a valuable member of our
cleaning crew since 1982 ensuring the general school
environment is one that is conducive to and promotes
learning.
Additionally I would like to pay tribute to Len and
Linda Duevel who will be leaving ISS after 42 and 40
years of loyal service. ISS would not be the place it is
today without their commitment and loyalty to the
school. We have a number of events planned at the
end of the year to recognize their service to ISS and
we wish them all the very best as they enter the next
stage of their lives.
And finally and importantly congratulations to the
Class of 2015! We wish you well in your future
endeavors.
With kind regards
Gareth
Gareth L Jones (B.Ed Hons, MBA)
Deputy Director
International School of Stavanger
[email protected]
News from the IBDP/IGCSE Coordinator
International Baccalaureate students at ISS excel again
As you may have already seen in the news, ISS students
again were extremely successful in the annual ‘Unge
forskere’ (Young Researchers) competition.
A very important part of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is the Extended Essay:
a personal research project within one of the IB
subjects. Students must decide on a topic area to
investigate, plan their research and carry it out, and
finally write a 4000-word fully referenced academic
paper. Each year the judges of this prestigious national
competition praise our students’ work, and stress how
important it is for our future that our young people
are excited by research, and have the creativity and
critical thinking skills necessary to complete such a
major academic project while still at school.
You can read more about the individual projects
below and at http://www.proscientia.no
In the Science and Technology class, Magnus Freya
won a second prize with his project “Investigation
into water level, volumetric flow rate and economical
aspects and their effect on the optimum capacity of a
hydropower plant on the Nkusi River in Uganda”. He
has also been invited to attend the massive Intel/ISEF
science fair in the USA next year!
Anna Townsend’s project: “Investigating Changes in
Beach Morphology on the Coast of Rogaland, Stavanger”
was also awarded a second prize and she was invited
to attend the International Wildlife Research week in
Switzerland this summer.
Benedetta de Luigi wrote on the topic “How are
irrigation practices influencing soil salinity and crop
production?” and was awarded a third prize.
There were two winners in the Arts and Humanities
class, who have both been invited to attend further
events as part of their prize.
Second prize winner, Nick Eden, with his essay
entitled “How culpable was Sir Douglas Haig for the
outcome of the first day of the Battles of the Somme?”
will be attending the London International Youth
Science Forum.
Blanca Yáñez Serrano impressed the judges with her
analysis of the question “How far were the conditions
of female prisons in Spain a result of Franco’s political
aims or the ideological influence by the Catholic Church
in 1940-50?” and she was awarded the first prize in
this class. She has also been given the opportunity
to participate in the EU Contest for Young Scientists
6 • THE INFORMER
• 27 M ay 2015
in Milan.
All five national finalists from ISS also received
substantial cash prizes and had a great time at the
final in Oslo in April!
As I write this article, I am in the midst of the many
IB written examinations, and it can sometimes
be difficult to remember just what the students
have achieved by participating in a whole range of
activities outside the traditional school subjects. The
IB Diploma at ISS also stretches our students through
other aspects of the programme.
In addition to studying six subjects, all IB Diploma
students take a course which encourages them
to actively examine the nature of knowledge and
critically analyse real-life situations from different
perspectives, always asking themselves the deceptively
simple question “how do we know that?” Students
are assessed in Theory of Knowledge (ToK) through
a formal essay, and a group oral presentation.
Through their CAS (Creativity, Action, Service) IB
students at ISS have touched the lives of people both
in the local community and in far distant countries.
Our students continue to support children in
Thailand (through the School for Life project) and are
making a vast difference to the lives of schoolchildren
in Stephane’s village (through the Cameroon Service
Project).
Shocked by the devastation of the recent earthquake
in Nepal, the International Red Cross Group quickly
organized a cash collection around the school to
provide much-needed emergency help.
Our students continue to be key volunteers at the
local Fretex shop, putting environmental and social
awareness into practice, and the Girl Effect Group
raises our awareness of the continued inequality
between men and women around the world.
And here in school, IB students are a fantastic resource
helping younger students in the arts, in sports and in
their academic studies.
I would like to congratulate all our graduates as they
don their caps and gowns for the final celebration of
13 years of schooling, and wish them every success in
their future endeavours. I look forward to the release
of the IBDP results on 6th July and hearing the final
decisions that these young people make about their
university studies.
www.isstavanger.no
News from the IBDP/IGCSE Coordinator
And, of course, we are always happy to get news of
our latest alumni – whether through the wonders of
electronic communications or a personal visit!
Liciatur? Benedetta
Magnus
Best wishes to all – have a relaxing and peaceful
summer.
Lynn Park
IBDP/IGCSE Coordinator
[email protected]
Blanca
Nick
Anna
Winning smiles
www.isstavanger.no
The Counselors’ Corner
[email protected]
[email protected]
CONGRATULATIONS
to our
Graduating Class of 2015!
Our ISS graduates have grand plans to continue their studies at
universities, folkehøgskoler, and in the world of work!
To date our graduates have received offers from the following colleges/universities*:
Anglia Ruskin University
Arts University of Bournemouth
Bath Spa University
BI Norwegian School of Management
Boston University
Buckinghamshire New University
Central St. Martins
City College New York
City College Portsmouth
Dalhousie University
Falmouth College of Art
Florida Southern University
Florida State University
Georgia Technical Institute
Georgia Perimeter College ?
Glasgow Caledonian University
Hereford College of Art
Heriot Watt University
Highbury College
Illinois Institute of Technology
Jagellionian University
Keele University
Kings College London
Lethbridge University
London School of Economics
MacEwan University
Manchester Metropolitan University
McGill University
Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Norwegian School of Economics and Business
Oxford Brookes University
Plymouth College of Art
Plymouth University
Purdue University
Queen Mary University of London
Queen’s University
Regent’s University London
Rennselaer Polytechnic Institute
Richmond, the American International U.
Robert Gordon University
Royal Holloway University of London
SOAS University of London
Southampton Solent University
Trent University
University of Aberdeen
University of Abertay
8 • THE INFORMER
• 27 M ay 2015
University of Alberta
University of Bath
University of Bournemouth
University of Bristol
University of British Columbia
University of Calgary
University of Cambridge
University of Cardiff
University Centre Farnborough
University College London
University College Utrecht
University of Colorado (Boulder)
University of Coventry
University of the Creative Arts
University of Durham
University of Dundee
University of East Anglia
University of Edinburgh
University of Exeter
University of Florida
University of Georgia
University of Glasgow
University of Gloucester
University of Kent
University of Leeds
University of Leicester
University of Liverpool
University of Loughborough
University of Maastricht
University of Manchester
University of Michigan
University of Newcastle
University of Northampton
University of Northumbria
University of Oslo
University of Ottowa
University of Portsmouth
University of St. Andrews
University of Sheffield
University of South Florida
University of Southampton
University of Stavanger
University of Stirling
University of Strathclyde
University of Surrey
University of Sussex
www.isstavanger.no
[email protected]
[email protected]
University of Toronto
University of Tromsø
University of Waterloo
University of the West of Scotland
University of Winchester
University of Wolverhampton
University of Worcester
* Many offers from universities in Norway and
other countries in Europe are not confirmed
until after the IB results come out in July.
We are all extremely proud of our graduates and
are confident that they will continue to exceed
expectations as they pursue their various postsecondary endeavors.
To the Class of 2016, your time is just around the
corner! Come August, you will revisit your High
Five goals and we hope that you will feel prepared to
apply to university or to follow your post high school
plan. Don’t forget that our ISS University Handbook
is now available from the Counselling Office if you
need more information. Definitely relax this summer,
but be sure to also make time to plan for next year.
This is the LAST SUMMER of your high school career!
Make the most of your time so that you will enter
your senior year recharged and ready.
UNIVERSIT Y VISITS
through the summer. Call or email ahead to let them
know you are coming.
Whatever country you are in it is worth visiting a
campus or two to get a feel for what university life
will be like.
NOTICE TO ALL 11th grade students
planning to apply to Oxbridge, Medicine,
Dentistry or veterinary science in the UK
It is important to determine whether you need to
take the BMAT or UKCAT or other admissions
tests. Information can be found at http://www.
admissionstests.cambridgeassessment.org.uk/adt/
bmat and http://www.ukcat.ac.uk/.
Please make sure to check for deadlines and exam
locations.
Reference materials on preparing for these exams are
available in the library. Applications for these
courses are due in the Counselling Office by
September 15th 2015, so it is important that you are
checking the application requirements and working
on your personal statements, if you plan to apply.
NOTICE TO ALL 10th, 11th and 12th grade
students planning to apply to colleges/
universitues in the U.S. or CANADA
The standardized tests PSAT/ACT/SAT will be
offered at ISS on the following dates during the 20152016 school year:
Recommended year levels for students to take the
tests are indicated next to each test and its date.
Test
PSAT (Gr. 10, 11)
Date
Oct. 28, 2015
ACT PLUS (Gr. 11, 12)
Sept. 12, 2015
April 9, 2016
If you are travelling this summer visit a university
campus. Most universities welcome prospective
students who want to learn more about their
programmes:
Open Days are currently scheduled for many UK
universities. You can go to www.opendays.com for
specific university Open Day dates. Also consider a
UK University Guided Tour go to www.osc-ib.com to
view arrangements.
SAT Reas/Subj (Gr. 11, 12) Nov. 7, 2015
Dec. 5, 2015
May 7, 2016
If you are going to the USA most universities will
have two or three tours and information sessions daily
To register online for an ACT exam that will be given
here at ISS go to www.actstudent.org
www.isstavanger.no
(SAT Reasoning and SAT Subject tests cannot be
taken on the same date)
To register for the PSAT sign up in August on the
clipboard outside of the Counseling Office.
[email protected]
[email protected]
To register online for an SAT exam that will be offered
here at ISS go to www.collegeboard.com
bulletin board or ask in the Counseling Office for
more information.
PSAT - 11th graders take this exam as practice for
the SAT as well as to be eligible for merit-based
scholarships. 10th graders who also intend to take the
SAT or ACT exam the following year should consider
taking this preliminary exam for practice. This exam
is only offered in October during the school year.
INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATESUMMER RE VISION COURSES 2015 and
SUMMER UNIVERSIT Y TOURS
www.osc-ib.com, www.revisioncourses.com
www.oxintstudy.centre.com or www.ibwise.com
SAT Reasoning and SAT Subject Tests - For
current 11th grade students check the requirements of
the universities you are considering applying to. If
your desired university requires both the SAT and
the SAT Subject Tests please be aware that you can
only take the SAT OR SAT Subject Tests on a given
day, therefore, plan accordingly and if you need both
exams you will need to schedule two different test
dates. Be sure to check the specific requirements if
your university requires the SAT Subject Tests (they
usually require 2-3 SAT Subject Tests) and know
that THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE SAT TESTS ARE
ONLY OFFERED IN NOVEMBER.
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR GRADUATES:
Ada, Aga, Anna (x3), Annabel, Anne, Arnor,
Ben (x3)and Ben -Aloysius, Benedetta, Bjørnar, Blanca,
Celina, Cindy, Dagmara, Dalila, Daniel, David,
Duncan, Emily, Federica, Felix, Gabriel, Gokce,
Guillaume, Ingrid, Irina, Izabela, Javier, Janieke,
Katharine, Kennedy, Lina, Lotte, Louisa, Magnus,
Mahnoor, Massimo, Michal, Michael, Miles, Minnah,
Nicholas, Nick, Noah, Øystein, Peter (x2), Rakel,
Rebecka, Rebekka, Ruymand, Sara, Satrab, Sergey,
Shreesha, Sofia, Sven, Sylvia, Taylor, Vegard, Wouter
ACT PLUS WRITING TEST - For current grade
11 students, check the requirements of the universities
you are applying to. Many universities are now
accepting the ACT Plus in lieu of the SAT subject
tests.
It is most helpful to become familiar with the
format and content of these exams so please
carefully review our Testing booklet in Naviance
and use the study books that are available in the
ISS Library and Counseling Office.
To our Grade 8 students
Welcome to Grade 9 and the realm of HIGH
SCHOOL! We look forward to getting to know
all of you next year. Remember that even though
we are in the same building, high school is a whole
new educational experience. Middle school laid the
foundation for your transition, but now as you step
into this next phase of schooling, remember that
GRADE 9 COUNTS! We will talk more about this
theme in the fall…stay tuned…
Our warmest wishes and congratulations to you all.
And as the school year ends, we would like to
congratulate all of our high school students on a
great year. We wish you continued success as you
work towards your goals. Your teachers and parents
also deserve a tremendous thank you. The quality
teaching and parental support you receive is reflected
in your success.
SUMMER STUDY PROGRAMS
Mrs. Brown
Ms. Jetabut
We have received a wide variety of brochures and
information from summer study programs in Europe,
the U.K. and the U.S.A. Please check the college
Cheryl Brown High School Counselor
June Jetabut
High School Counselor
10 • THE INFORMER
• 27 M ay 2015
Have a great summer holiday!
[email protected] [email protected]
www.isstavanger.no
Properly dressed for a Consitution Day!
www.isstavanger.no
High School NEWS
17th MAY
The 17th of May is always a day of fun, for everybody.
People dress up and take part in parades and such.
This year was no different, town was buzzing and
everyone was ready to get going in the parade. The
weather was much better than everyone expected,
with sunshine and not much rain. Everyone was
smartly dressed, either in the traditional Norwegian
’bunader’ or nice dresses or suits. Nobody was dressed
down. Many people from school turned up and
everyone was excited.
I started asking questions and getting peoples’ opinion
in the 17th of May and many people generally enjoy
the day.
I began asking some friends, who would be walking
in the parade representing High School. The question
was ”What is your favourite thing about the 17th of
May”. They do not want to be named, but a few said
they enjoy spending time with family and that it is a
fun tradition others simply said they enjoy it because
there is no school and that its only a half day. I also
asked a 4th grader what her favourite thing was and
she answered, ”the parade”.
I went on to ask band students if they enjoy playing
the band, in the parade. A few answered yes because
12 • THE INFORMER
• 27 M ay 2015
they think it’s a good way to celebrate the day and it’s
good to have music but many agreed that they don’t
enjoy having to learn the music by heart and it’s not
fun playing when the weather is bad. Luckily, we had
a good outcome this year.
The teachers were next to be interviewed. I asked
teachers who are not from Norway ”Since you are not
from Norway, what do you think of the celebrations
for the 17th of May?”.
”I prefer the national day over here, much more than
in Belgium. In Belgium and many other countries it’s
just a military parade, but over here normal people
are in the parade. Everybody’s in their national outfits
and have their Norwegian flags, I think it is a better
atmosphere” said Mr. DeBleser who teaches 7th grade,
in Middle School.
”I love seeing how proud all of the Norwegians are,
that’s my favourite thing. Everyone’s so beautiful and
so proud and happy to be celebrating today” Said Mr.
Williams who teaches 2nd grade, in Primary School.
Many people said they enjoy the atmosphere of the day
and how social everybody is. It is a good day to go out and
have fun and be social because everyone is excited and the
town is busy and everybody is just out in full force.
www.isstavanger.no
High School NEWS
Interview
Here is an interview with Dr. Duevel about the 17th May and her
view on things. She describes the day and the events and personal
experiences associated with the day.
1. For how many years have you participated in the 17th of
May parades?
This is the 40th year I’ve worked in the school, but I have missed
two parades, so this year will be my 38th. One time I missed
was when we were on a study tour for a year and the other one
I missed was when my doctor told me I was too pregnant to
march!
2. How would you describe the 17th of May in a few
words?
It’s the best day of the year! I love it, because its a day full of so
many things. You know, we start out early, everybody’s up and
going early. The ‘barnetog’ is fantastic. Then after that there’s
the ‘russetog’, and then the ‘ folketog’. In the meantime, our
family goes to the International Festival, which is held at the
new concert house
3. What is your fondest memory from the 17th of May?
That’s hard to say… When we do the route through Storhaug,
I’m always at the front of our group and we go up a hill. One
of the things that I love doing is we always turn around from
the top of the hill and take a picture down, because the ISS
delegation takes up the whole area and it’s the only time that I
actually see all of our group, because we’re so big and spread out
and it’s always a fantastic view to see.
4. Where were you before you came to Stavanger?
I taught for two years in England and I also taught for two years
in the US before moving to Norway in 1975.
5. Were there events such as the 17th of May?
Not during the school year, I mean I think the seventeenth of
May is really special to Norway. I’ve been to events in the UK
such as the Queen’s Birthday and that’s wonderful and I’ve been
to 4th of July things in the US but Norway does it better by
including everybody.
It’s a great and wonderful celebration for the whole country, you
know in all the small towns everybody’s doing the same thing at
ten in the morning, everybody’s watching the barnetog. It’s so
unifying and everybody is dressed up in their national clothing.
17th May 2015
Pippa Attrill
www.isstavanger.no
High School NEWS
Interview with Mr. Bakke
“...but the main thing that got me interested
was my grandfather. He was a starter at the
meets, so he was the one with the starter’s gun
starting the races. He did that for a really long
time... he was the starter at the North Dakota
State High School track meet for 60 years.”
Mr. Bakke is very well known here at ISS. Not just for
being a teacher, but also for being an Athletic Director
and a great head coach for Track and Field.
In late March, I got the chance to sit down with Mr.
Bakke and ask him a few questions about his time
here at ISS. This is how it went.
To start with, tell us a little about yourself?
I’m from North Dakota in the US and I grew up in a
town called Grand Forks.
Now, I’m obviously at ISS and I´m the Athletic Director
and I also teach P.E. and Health in various levels in
Middle and High School.
14 • THE INFORMER
• 27 M ay 2015
1. What about Track and Field interested you
so much? Was it a certain event or was it the
sport in general?
Well, I think I kind of got interested in Track and
Field at a pretty young age...but the main thing
that got me interested was my grandfather. He was
a starter at the meets, so he was the one with the
starter’s gun starting the races. He did that for a
really long time... he was the starter at the North
Dakota State High School Track meet for 60 years,
so he was always interested in Track and through
that I kind of got interested and my older brother
was in Track and Field as well.
2. How was your experience as a track coach
here in Stavanger compared to your previous
destinations?
Previously I was in Colorado and I was actually
coaching at university level so that´s obviously
with a little bit older students and at a little
bit different level. But while in Colorado I
also did coach with some younger kids as well
for a local club...but when it comes down to it
I mean coaching is really coaching anywhere,
so there were a lot of similarities as well just
because of the nature of the sport and coaching.
www.isstavanger.no
High School NEWS
3. The weather in North Dakota is a lot colder
than here, why does that appeal to you, being an
athletics coach?
Well I have always done a lot of things outdoors and I´m
used to a little more snow and not quite used to so much
rain as we get here, but I think you can find a sport or
activity that suits any season or any type of weather, and
when you can do that it can be really fun. As long as
you’re having fun, the weather doesn’t really matter.
4. What was your most memorable experience in
Stavanger so far with Track and Field?
I think I’ d probably say last year during the NECIS trip.
We took more students than we’ve ever taken before, We
took 35 students and we had 5 coaches. We had great
weather so that of course helped, but really just all the
athletes, all the students, everyone behaved well, everyone
performed really well and it was just a really fun time.
I couldn’t of asked for a better group, everything just
seemed to go extremely well and everyone had a good
time.
5. Would you rather be a track coach, or be the actual
athlete? Why or why not?
I think I do prefer the coaching aspect and that´s mainly
because I was an okay athlete but really wasn’t that good
I would say, so I think I´m a better coach than I was an
athlete and I have enjoyed that part of it.
6. What do you hope to bring to your next track
team you coach?
I think the main thing that I´m trying to do is to get
people to realize that its so much more than just an
individual sport. Of course there are individual aspects
but there is a lot of teamwork and a team aspect to it
that really can be enjoyable and really get people to enjoy
running and jumping and to hope they have fun and
don’t just see it as exercise or punishment, but they see it
as something fun to do.
7. Are you hoping to stay in North Dakota? Or are
you still looking at using your coaching abilities in
other schools around the world?
To be honest I’m not really sure, I just had a chance
to get back and closer to family and friends so I
kind of had to follow my instincts there, but I don’t
know, we’ ll really just have to see how it goes.. I
don’t really know where the road will take me.
Noah DuBois
www.isstavanger.no
High School NEWS
16 • THE INFORMER
• 27 M ay 2015
www.isstavanger.no
High School NEWS
www.isstavanger.no
High School NEWS
18 • THE INFORMER
• 27 M ay 2015
www.isstavanger.no
High School NEWS
Author: Kaia Kjos (Grade 9)
www.isstavanger.no
High School NEWS
D.E.A.R. Day
By Stephanie Unger
Events purpose
The day is supposed to spread awareness to other
schools around the world and to help the child
population get more interested into reading at an
early age.
Interview with the student
Third grade student:
What did you do on D.E.A.R. day?
Well, we read a lot and we decorated the door so it looked
like the story King Midas and the Golden Touch.
Do we really drop everything and read?
Did everyone in your class read different books?
”Drop everything and read day” is celebrated for the
whole month of April and its purpose is to persuade
people of all ages to make reading a new priority
in their lives. The specific day of April 10th is to be
highlighted in schools, libraries and book stores. All
you need to do is find a book and start reading. Our
school’s theme this year was mystery. Schools around
the world can pick different themes.
No, different classes did different books. We all worked
on the doors to make it. (They decorated their doors to
fit the book that they were currently reading in English
class)
Reading portion of the day!!
Did your class go to the library to do activities?
I have observed that on this day primary school
teachers read books to the children and in addition to
that they have a visit to the library for more activities
related to reading books. The activities were run by
Mr. Jordheim who set up stations relating to mysteries.
Yes.
Character dress up
I only got one because I did not know that you could get
prizes for this.
To show school spirit a handful of teachers dressed up
as fictional book characters.
This is the table that was set up in the library. The
primary school students had to guess certain mysteries
to collect more stickers in the contest.
20 • THE INFORMER
• 27 M ay 2015
What was the idea of the contest?
I guess to see who was the best at describing stories and
remembering what happens.
Did you win any stickers for completing the
activity? (The students would have stations at tables
to have a contest to see which students can win the
most stickers by solving the mysteries.)
Mr. Jordheim, our primary school librarian, said
that they could get a sticker for each activity and
mystery found in a book letting them be rewarded
with a sticker. Each table would have different
difficulty levels. By the end they could see how good
of a detective they were by seeing how many stickers
they’ve collected.
www.isstavanger.no
High School NEWS
www.isstavanger.no
Drama at ISS
Sandy Landis
I’ve been teaching at the International School of
Stavanger for the last 13 years and continue to direct
productions at both the middle and high school levels
each year. I am also
an amateur writer
and have now
written eight plays
for our high school.
Productions
almost exclusively for the annual musical, so they
emerge as, essentially, specialized ensembles including
cast, instrumentalists, set-building, art and design,
publicity, backstage/properties, and tech. Toward the
end of the process, we add a front of house crew and a
high-school-led makeup crew. Our participation level
for these projects tends to be about 80% of students
and staff in the middle school, which makes it a true
team collaboration.
At ISS, we attempt
to link our extracurricular offerings
with our curricular
program whenever
possible. So, when it comes to dramatic productions,
we approach this endeavor in a way that may differ a bit
from other schools. We have four major productions
a year, two at the primary level, one in the middle
school and one in the high school.
In each school division, we attempt to find those links
that will enhance students’ learning in the classroom
or that will help students grow as performers and as
people. We feel that drama can provide a window
into history, other ways of being, and other ways of
thinking, so the selections we make are driven by our
desire to use performance as a type of excursion.
Our primary drama team tends to choose texts written
for primary children which always focus on a current
event or on an issue that is relevant for children of
that age group. Last spring, for example, our primary
school produced Go for Goal, a children’s musical
inspired by the World Cup, an event dominating
the news at the time of production. This year, they
produced Shakespeare Rocks, a musical exploring
the life and plays of William Shakespeare. This
production provided a foundational experience to
prepare students for a Shakespeare festival that we
will be hosting school-wide this spring. Both texts are
available from Musicline and have flexible casting and
minimal production demands. The rehearsal period
for these performances is approximately ten weeks,
with two to three meetings a week. Our goal for these
productions is to get kids thinking and talking and
provide them with opportunities to express themselves
and learn in the process.
Our annual middle school musical is a co-curricular
program which we offer through our exploratory
program (weekly ungraded classes offering exploration
of a skill or topic in which our teachers have expertise).
Our students meet during the school day once a
week for one quarter (approximately eight meetings)
and outside of school three times a week for the
same period. During quarter 3, we run exploratories
22 • THE INFORMER
• 27 M ay 2015
In terms of shows, we tend to choose for this project
crowd-pleasing, family-friendly musicals. We have
just completed Camp Rock: The Musical (Josef W
Weinberger), which is high-energy and good fun for
this age group. In 2014 and 2013, we tried junior
versions of Beauty and the Beast and Seussical
respectively (also available from Josef W Weinberger),
both of which were quite a good fit for our middle
schoolers. The draw-back of the junior versions,
however, is that they require pre-recorded musical
accompaniment, rather than providing orchestration,
and we prefer to use live music and student
instrumentalists when possible in our middle school
productions. All three of these texts are demanding,
particularly vocally, for middle schoolers, but they are
also very accommodating in terms of roles, cast sizes
and role assignments. Because we have an all-inclusive
www.isstavanger.no
Drama at ISS
policy, with no selective casting, flexibility is key for
our choices.
Other
productions
we’ve done in
recent
years,
which have all
been
effective
options
for
middle school,
include My Son
Pinocchio (Josef
W Weinberger),
The Wiz (Samuel
French), Arabian Nights (Stage Scripts), and A Little
Princess (Princess Musicals). Again, we found these to
be effective choices for our students. Each provides for
the flexibility needed for a middle school production.
For our high school productions, we attempt to build
on what has come before. We maintain an all-inclusive
philosophy and work in an ensemble format, with
various groups responsible, once again, for different
areas of the production, including tech, backstage,
art and design, publicity, and management. When we
incorporate music, we use student instrumentalists
whenever possible. Our goal is to ensure that each
participant feels that he or she is making a contribution
to the whole, rather than distinguishing between
“leads” and “chorus”.
www.isstavanger.no
Since 2007, we have foregone producing published
texts and have developed a process for creating
original productions specifically written for our high
school students.
We happen to
be lucky enough
to have a very
cohesive team of
teachers working
on the project
each year who
have
expertise
in
writing,
composing, and
arranging,
as
well as in choreography, costuming, technology and
design.
In addition to providing our team with a yearly
challenge, which they seem to enjoy, the rationale
behind doing original pieces is two-fold. Firstly, the
text can be catered to our students, regardless of the
number we have, and to their strengths, interests
and availabilities. Secondly, it provides us with the
opportunity to make the project a co-curricular
venture. More often than not, the pieces are works of
historical fiction (though this has not always been the
case) which expose students to significant historical
events and social, political and/or cultural movements.
We also do a great deal of genre exploration,
introducing students to various performance styles.
Drama at ISS
The process for this begins each spring with a selection
of the event or era and location to be explored. In recent
years, these have included the Roaring Twenties, the
Battle of Britain, and the swinging 60s.
With a selection made, the production team discuss
ways of exploring the chosen context and then begin
the development phase, which is, at first, limited to
my work as playwright and researcher. I then present
a proposal, we discuss possibilities, and the creative
work goes forth from there. When the audition and
rehearsal process begins the following fall, the script in
normally in about a 75%-complete stage, and students’
auditions and input at this stage help to solidify and
finalize the text. From there, the rehearsal process
lasts for approximately ten weeks, with meetings three
times a week.
We feel strongly that this process allows students to
take ownership for the project. They must do research
and immerse themselves in whatever context we’ve
chosen. And they must take the risk of originating a
role without the help of previous performances to guide
them. It also allows us to ensure that all students feel
validated and have the opportunity to shine. While
we inevitably feature students in what are essentially
“leading” roles, we strongly resist the creation of cast
hierarchies. All students have characters with names
and featured moments on stage, and we feel that this
builds camaraderie among the cast and helps us to
achieve the goals of the project: helping students to
develop their skills and confidence as performers,
allowing them to take risks and push the boundaries,
and encouraging them to find their voices. The best
way to sum up the approach is that it is process-driven
rather than product-driven.
The following are some comments made by students
who have come through this program:
24 • THE INFORMER
• 27 M ay 2015
• “I think that having the opportunity to perform
original works written specifically for our school is
incredible. Performing original works forces an actor
to create their own vision for characters and to dig
into the script for ideas on how to portray a particular
character. It pulls you away from mimicking another
actor’s portrayal and pushes you to perform with
integrity....I love discovering a brand new world
and unveiling it to an audience for the first time on
opening night. The audience has no preconceived
ideas and we have an empty canvas to paint with
our performance.”
• “I think there is huge educational value in performing
an original piece. First, it allows for as many people to
join as possible as roles can be easily modified to fit the
number of people in the cast. This encourages many
people who may not have thought about performing
to give it a go. Second, the original script means that
each actor/actress has the opportunity to explore their
character without falling back on a predetermined
”stock” that is laid out for them.”
• “What’s nice about the plays is that the way you
interpret your character is not influenced by how
other previous actors have interpreted it, since you’re
the first and only one to ever perform as that character
in that show. So what you put down is 100% your
own.”
While this type of process wouldn’t work for every
school, we feel we have developed a system that works
for us and from which our students can benefit.
Overall, across school divisions, we try to ensure
that we have a rounded program that maximizes the
educational potential of the dramatic form.
Sandy Landis
English and Drama Teacher
[email protected]
www.isstavanger.no
Drama at ISS
www.isstavanger.no
Middle School News and Events
Thinking inside the box - during Spirit Week
Welcome to the last Informer of the year!
We are now in the very busy run down to the end
of the school year but please remember that regular
schedule classes continue until the last week of school.
All middle school students will clear out their locker
and clean their locker in readiness for the next school
year.
Middle school homeroom advisory sessions are
focusing on ‘Transitions’ and ‘Coping with Change’
Projects and assessments are still being completed
that will contribute to their final grades. It is most
important that students remain focused during these
busy last few weeks of school.
Middle School Field Day
This article will outline some of the events which
will take place in the near future. Please mark your
calendars so we can help our middle school students
stay organized.
This event will take place on the Tuesday, 9th from
13:00 until 15:15 It will take place outside, so please
send your son/daughter with appropriate clothing
that day.
Homeroom
Middle School Beach Afternoon
Leading up to the last week of school, middle school
students will begin the process of clearing out their
lockers. All students are required to return all text
books that were issued to them this year. Now is
the time to start searching for those class books and
library books! Students will be billed for any lost/
damaged books. Please ensure that students search
their bedrooms thoroughly!
The 6th and 7th grade students will be travelling from
school by bus to Vigdel beach on Wednesday, June
11th. Students are asked to bring a packed lunch
(and bring appropriate clothes for the weather) to
school that day.
26 • THE INFORMER
• 27 M ay 2015
Tuesday, 9th –13:00 until 15:15
Wednesday 10th June from 12:00 until 15:15
The bus will return to school in time for the regular
school bus at 15:15.
www.isstavanger.no
What do you mean - not fast enough!
The 8th grade has been invited to join the high
school Beach Afternoon which will take place at the
Three Swords on the Wednesday, 10th June in the
afternoon. 8th grade students will walk to the beach
with their HR teacher and return in time for the
regular school bus at 15:15.
Recognition Ceremony for Q4
This event will take place on Thursday, 11th June
starting at 9:30am in the theatre. This will be the
final ceremony of the year where many student
achievements will be recognised and will conclude
with a memory picture slide show of the school year.
All parents are welcome to attend.
into the next grade level and for life.
For those of you who are leaving ISS, I wish you all
the very best. Keep us in your hearts and please do
not hesitate to come back and visit your ISS family.
For those of you who will be returning next year have
a great summer, rest well and return to make 20152016 another great year.
Good luck to our wonderful 8th grade class as they
move from Middle School into High School and 9th
grade next year.
Now is the time for the final words…
I have had a marvellous time working with our
wonderful Middle School faculty, you, the parents,
and the Middle School students this year.
Students are LEARNING, students are happy,
supported by wonderful teachers, cared for and have
had amazing experience, both inside and outside the
classroom, to remember always. They have acquired
academic skills and social skills that they can carry
www.isstavanger.no
ve
Ha
nt a
a fa
st ic
m
sum
er!
Carol Wallace
Middle School Principal
[email protected]
Adiós!
The 13th exchange between our school and Agora
Sant Cugat International School came to an end last
week.
It was another interesting and educational experience
for both teachers and students of two schools who
share a long history together.
The first leg of this school year’s exchange program
took place in November 2014. 16 of our seventh and
eighth graders who take Spanish class visited Sant
Cugat International School in a town called Sant
Cugat near Barcelona, Spain. Our students stayed with
a Spanish host family where they got the opportunity
to improve their Spanish language skills and where
they got to learn about the Spanish traditions and
lifestyle.
A visit to the FC Barcelona stadium, the famous
Ramblas, the impressive Park Güell and Gaudi’s
unfinished masterpiece Sagrada Familia were only a
28 • THE INFORMER
• 27 M ay 2015
few highlights of this 10-day trip.
During the second part of the exchange program,
our students welcomed their Spanish buddy here in
Stavanger to give them an unforgettable Norwegian
experience in return.
Every year the Spanish group visits around the 17th of
May so they get to see the wonderful celebrations of the
Norwegian constitution. Hiking Dalsnuten, cruising
Lysefjord and dancing to the beats of modern music at
the Middle School dance make it a unique once in a
lifetime event, which they will always cherish.
Goodbye!
Wim Keereman
and Brent de Bleser
www.isstavanger.no
www.isstavanger.no
During this spring, the sixth graders read The True Confessions of Charlotte
Doyle by Avi.
We also worked on persuasive writing in class.
How could we link the two?
Students often want to know if the book they are reading in class has been
made into a film.
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle has not yet been made into a movie.
However, further research revealed that Danny DeVito has owned the film
rights for a number of years, and even though he has written the script and
actors have been cast for various roles, problems always seem to stop any
chance of the film being produced.
In sixth grade, we have now for a few years used the idea of writing to a
famous Hollywood film producer, Danny DeVito, in order to persuade him
to make the film.
This year, just as in past years, we looked at the elements of persuasion, wrote
drafts and then the whole sixth grade produced letters which we sent on to
Danny DeVito. As we have told sixth graders in previous years, if we get a
reply then their persuasive writing has done its job!
Last week we actually received an e-mail from Jersey films regarding
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. They said they were passionate
about the project and hope the movie will be made soon.
They also sent a small videotaped private message to the grade in which
Danny DeVito himself talks to the students and thanks them for their letters.
Here is a small screen shot taken from his message to the grade – we are sure
he won`t mind us including one picture.
Well done sixth grade.
Now we will have to adjust your persuasive writing grades accordingly!
From the sixth grade teaching team
30 • THE INFORMER
• 27 M ay 2015
www.isstavanger.no
?? and ?? with their handbells in the 17th of May parade
Primary School News
This spring has been busy like all months at ISS.
Students have been challenged by rigorous academic
study and have taken part in many activities beyond
the obligatory school day.
Imagine that during a single week, beyond regular
academic classes, students have taken part in a wide
variety of activities: Maths Road Show from the
University of Cambridge, Food from the Heart service
project, Science Club, Choir/Band/Strings concert,
mother-tongue language lessons in Dutch, German,
Spanish and Italian, field trips (like to the fairytale
forest in Årdal), Share in Our Learning Music, Track
and Field, cricket club, Japanese hobby crafts, modern
dance on Friday afternoons, practice for the musical
The Tempest on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons as
well as Sunday afternoon.
That was just one week, and it only includes activities
in one week and just in Primary School and does not
include the activities like ballet, baseball and the wide
variety of activities offered by parents and the wider
community.
As I was quoted about children’s theatre in Solabladet
on 21 May, activities beyond academic subjects
are vital because they engender life-long skills and
attitudes like self-confidence and help children develop
a balance in life. Balance shows recognition of whole
child with skills, knowledge and understanding that
can be applied in a healthy manner and in readiness
for a constantly changing environment.
www.isstavanger.no
The role of the school is to facilitate development of the
child’s potential through a wide offering of curricular
and co-curricular activities. Thank you, parents, for
supporting your children in building these life-long
skills and balance in life.
Last Day of School
Our last day of school classes is Thursday, 11 June.
Buses will leave at 12:15. No lunch will be served at
school on 11 June.
First Days of School in August 2015
A letter will be sent in early August to new and
returning students announcing a 20-minute
appointment to meet the teacher on Wednesday, 12
August. This day provides a transition so children see
where things are and build a comfort level at school,
knowing where to go and feeling at home in a new
room at school.
Pupils in Early Childhood classes and Primary School
children in grades 2- Grade 5 can start riding the buses
from 13 August. We will have a full day of classes
from 8:30-15:15, Thursday, 13 August, for children
in Grades 2-5.
The Early Childhood and Primary School Open
House for children in Kindergarten through Grade 5
will be 18:00, 26 August.
Summer Family Fun in Stavanger
Here are some websites of places near Stavanger to
consider for more summer activities.
•
There is a handy brochure online with maps and
ideas of what to do right in Stavanger.
http://www.stavanger.kommune.no/PageFiles/5805/
Friluftskart_Stavanger2_.pdf
•
• Right on Store Stokkavannet is Stavanger
Friluftssenter (outdoors centre) at Dyrnes,
with rowboats, canoes and a barn to hop
in the hay. It is open 10:00-15:30, Sundays,
Tuesdays and Thursdays: http://www.
stavanger.kommune.no/Tilbud-tjenester-ogskjema/Kultur-idrett-og-fritid/Friluftsliv/
Stavanger-friluftssenter/Dyrsnes-naturhave/
• Lundsvågen Naturskole. Individual families
can drop in a long as school classes are not
disturbed. They have boats to rent and an
aquarium, open 8:00-15:00 Mondays through
Fridays and 11:00-16:00 on Sundays: http://
www.minskole.no/minskole/lundsvagen/pilot.
nsf/vArt?Opennavigator&u=English%20version
• Gausel Fritidsgård has vegetable gardens and
farm animals (goats, sheep, cows, chickens,
turkeys, pigs, rabbits, and two horses: http://
www.stavanger.kommune.no/Tilbud-tjenesterog-skjema/Kultur-idrett-og-fritid/Friluftsliv/
Stavanger-friluftssenter/Gausel-fritidsgard/
• The Rogaland Arboret (Arboretum) was visited
by our preschool and Grade 3: http://www.
rogalandarboret.no/index.cfm?id=91902
• Stavanger Turistforening (They have a
children’s group, Barnas Turlag with trips to
join. http://www.stavanger-turistforening.
no/activity.php?ac_owner=217&fo_id=3878:
http://www.stavanger-turistforening.no/
• Rogaland Museum of Fine
Arts: http://www.rkm.no/
• Stavanger Maritime Museum: http://
www.museumstavanger.no/museums/
stavanger-maritime-museum/
• Stavanger Museum Natural History: http://
stavanger-museum-natural-history-/
• Norwegian Canning Museum: http://
the-norwegian-canning-museum/
• Breidablikk: http://www.museumstavanger.
no/museums/breidablikk/
• The Royal Manor Ledaal: http://www.
museumstavanger.no/museums/ledaal/
• Jæren Museums: http://www.
jaermuseet.no/english/english
• Stavanger School Museum: http://
stavanger-school-museum/
• Archaeological Museum: http://
am.uis.no/frontpage/
• Norwegian Children’s Museum:
32 • THE INFORMER
• 27 M ay 2015
•
•
•
•
•
•
http://www.museumstavanger.no/
museene/norsk-barnemuseum/
Norwegian Petroleum Museum: http://www.
norskolje.museum.no/uk/hovedframe.htm
Engøy Coastal Culture: http://
www.engoyholmen.no/
Bird Park in Nærbø: http://www.
visitnorway.com/no/Product/?pid=31432
Grødaland, one of the Jæremusets pearls: http://
www.jaermuseet.no/english/english/grodaland
Lima Farm (on your way to Sirdal, just
past Ålgård): http://www.jaermuseet.
no/english/english/limagarden
Stavanger Botanic Garden: http://
www.stavanger.kommune.no/Tilbudtjenester-og-skjema/Kultur-idrett-ogfritid/Friluftsliv/Stavanger-botaniskehage/Information-in-English/
Iron Age Farm at Ullandhaug: http://
am.uis.no/looking_for_a_venue/
Aviation Museum (Sola): http://
www.flymuseum-sola.no/
Farewell and Hello
We are used to saying goodbye and hello at our school.
We will say a fond farewell in the Primary School to
some very special students and our staff members Jeff
Bakke, Jeanne Bouvier, Ceri Britton, Helen Brian, Ryan
Walker, Randi Westlye (who is also retiring) and Trent
Williams. As with every year, we wish students leaving
ISS all the best in their new schools. In August, many
new students will be welcomed who are moving to
Stavanger. Please welcome them and make them
quickly feel a part of our community.
Each morning I see students eager to get to school and
almost running to get to class, followed by wanting to
stretch the day longer after a full day of learning.
As I am retiring and this is my last issue of The
Informer, I want to thank all the students, parents
and staff of ISS through over four decades for the
tremendous effort everyone has made in making ISS a
world-class and high-quality school with a reputation
for its sense of community, feeling of being safe
physically and emotionally, and strong culture for
learning.
When I started teaching at ISS after the summer
of 1973, I had no idea this would be the start of a
professional career of teaching, learning and leading
in one school. It has been an honor and privilege to
serve the students and community of International
School of Stavanger. I know ISS is poised and ready
for an exciting and fulfilling future.
Sincerely,
Len Duevel, PhD
Primary School Principal
[email protected]
www.isstavanger.no
Primary School News
The Tempest
Click the picture to see the video!
The Tempest
The Tempest
www.isstavanger.no
Early
Childhood
‘Vi ere en nasjon vi med, vi små en alen lange’
34 • THE INFORMER
• 27 M ay 2015
www.isstavanger.no
Early
Childhood
Norway’s Constitution Day was celebrated in style by
everyone, but especially ISS and Early Childhood!
Preschool 3 & 4 had their own parade on Wednesday
May 13. The school band led the way while all of the
other students and staff cheered them on.
Kindergarten and Grade One participated in the May
17 parade in Stavanger. The children were incredibly
patient as they waited to start the parade downtown.
Once we had got moving, the time passed quickly,
and the children were very merrily waving to everyone
as we walked along.
It has been a busy spring. All of the Early Childhood
classes have been exploring, learning and celebrating
spring. The children have been learning about
different life cycles.
All of the classes in Early Childhood have been part of
the “Early Childhood Chicken Project”.
The project began with an incubator and 16 eggs from
the farm. The children in EC have been watching and
journaling the process.
On day 8 the children were able to see one of the High
School Science teachers, Mrs. Barnes, candling the
eggs to keep track of how the eggs were developing.
Candling involved her shining a bright light into each
of the eggs which then allowed the children to see
the contents and check whether they were developing
properly.
It was explained to the children that there will never
be a 100% hatch rate; some eggs will not be fertile
to begin with (called ”yolkers”) while others will
stop developing at some point during the incubation
process (known as ”quitters”).
It was emphasized to the children that everyday eggs
they see in the supermarket have never been chicks.
Mrs. Barnes carefully held a bright light to each egg,
and the children were in awe at what they were able to
see. We could already see the eyes in many of the eggs,
and each group of children found at least one yolker,
and a potential quitter.
On day 20 the chicks started entering the world. This
happened over a long holiday weekend so the tech
department set up a web cam. We all could watch
for chicks hatching from home. We have 3 beautiful
chicks that are growing their feathers and trying to
fly! Once the chicks have their full set of feathers, they
will be returned home to the farm they came from.
Below are pictures of our chick family.
Stop by the Early Childhood hallway and check out
the work that the EC children have produced during
this project. If the chicks are still here, stop by Mr.
Jack’s office and meet our little family of chickens!
Jill Raven
Early Childhood Principal
[email protected]
‘I gave the chicks a worm and they shared it, a half each!’
What do you say - shouldn’t we get out of here?
www.isstavanger.no
Early
Childhood
Constitution Day picnic
I made this!
‘Hurra for 17. mai!’
36 • THE INFORMER
• 27 M ay 2015
Well dressed Pandas
www.isstavanger.no
Library News!
The ISS Book Fair
We need your help!
Even though the summer is fast approaching and new adventures beckon, the ISS Libraries want the
school community to keep reading.
The library is holding a book fair/sale
on Friday, June 5
in Room 228.
Families are asked to bring in any gently used books that they would like to donate to help keep our
school community reading throughout the summer.
The libraries are happy to accept books for ALL reading levels, languages, and interests.
As an extra incentive patrons who donate books will receive one voucher for a free book!
Any additional books would cost only 10 NOK.
www.isstavanger.no
The Father-Daughter Dance •••••WONDERLAND
38 • THE INFORMER
• 27 M ay 2015
www.isstavanger.no
WONDERLAND••••• The Father-Daughter Dance
www.isstavanger.no
40 • THE INFORMER
• 27 M ay 2015
www.isstavanger.no
www.isstavanger.no
42 • THE INFORMER
• 27 M ay 2015
www.isstavanger.no
www.isstavanger.no
ISSAlumni Spotlight
I graduated from ISS in June 2011 after 14 years
of enrolment, having experienced everything
from playing in kindergarten to wrangling the IB
programme in high school.
I remember visiting universities with my dad as an
11th grader when I all of a sudden realised that I
would soon be leaving ISS to enter the big scary world
with no clue where I should go or what on earth I
wanted to study.
Although grateful for the wide scope of opportunities
I had, the vast amount of choices was staggering.
Feeling indecisive and overwhelmed, I decided then
and there to take a gap year, where I would work,
apply for universities, and end up travelling to
Namibia for 5 weeks to volunteer at the Naankuse
Foundation’s wildlife sanctuary. Although I didn’t
know it at the time, this was my first encounter with a
social enterprise; an organisation that uses innovative
thinking and new solutions to tackle social problems.
A few months later, I embarked on a 4-year bachelor
degree in International Business at the University
of Edinburgh, still being extremely unsure about
what future career I could see myself in. Despite the
slight panic and feeling of time running out, I learnt
to open my mind both in and outside of school to
experience and learn about myself, through travelling,
new friends, and societies, as well as a multitude of
interesting courses at my home stay in Edinburgh and
at my current erasmus exchange in Vienna.
Subsequently, an increasingly stronger personal
interest in sustainable economic development and
social innovation in emerging markets occurred.
I have now been lucky enough to have been chosen
to go to Kenya with Balloon Ventures for 6 weeks in
August to work with impoverished local entrepreneurs
in Nakuru and Kericho in the Rift Valley.
In a team of two, I will be working with 5-6
entrepreneurs, teaching them basic business models
while also thinking of and implementing innovative
solutions to the difficult market challenges they face.
The tasks I will encounter include testing the target
market, finding innovative solutions through market
research, financing and conducting profit projections,
learning about the economics of the business, making
sales, creating marketing and advertising campaigns,
and finalising pitches to investors.
This whole trip will allow me to play a part in lifting
individuals and communities out of poverty by
helping them help themselves, an essential skill for
long-term improvement and increased independence.
Due to the organisation being a relatively new social
enterprise with very limited funds, the internship
is unpaid and costs for accommodation, food,
transport, airfare, security, investment capital for the
entrepreneurs, vaccinations, visas, and other factors
add up to a significant sum for any student. Despite
how challenging the fundraising and the internship
itself will be, it is something I absolutely cannot wait
for.
I believe my time at ISS, featuring students coming
and going annually, played a large role in my
determination towards travel and embracing every
culture I encountered. Although it was difficult being
constantly left behind while my friends embarked
on new adventures around the world, it inspired a
personal dedication to do the same.
I highly recommend you all to take whatever
opportunity you have to travel, and to learn and
work in as many international settings and countries
as possible. It opens your eyes and matures you in
ways you can’t imagine, and has been an integral
supplement to both my personal life and academic
career.
I hope this growth continues during my time at
Balloon Kenya, and would be extremely grateful for
any donations made to my experience abroad.
If anyone has questions or comments about this
organisation or my involvement,
please visit www.balloonkenya.com
or email me at ehvistendahl@gmail.
com.
Donations can be made at:
www.gofundme.com/Erikakenya
Erika Hvistendahl
44 • THE INFORMER
• 27 M ay 2015
www.isstavanger.no
www.isstavanger.no
Parent Association News
Reading Incentive
2014-15
PS3 thru 5th Grade
Fall Program Results:
71% of Student Participated
96% of Precipitants Received a Book Order Voucher,
totaling over 12,900 NOK.
*****************************
Spring Program Results:
64% of Student Participated
90,954 Minutes Read
Overall Winners –
Ms. Gonzalez’s Class (5C)
Grade Winners –
Ms. Dorne (PS3B), Ms. Walker (PS4C), Ms. Rhodes (KB), Ms. Jones (1C),
Mr. Williams (2C), Ms. Johler (3C), Ms. Hvidevold (4A)
Thank you to all the students, parents and staff
for all of your support this year!
Happy Reading!
-Amy Moss, Reading Incentive Coordinator-
46 • THE INFORMER
• 27 M ay 2015
www.isstavanger.no
2014-2015
Book Order Recap
School Year Stats:
4 Book Orders Offered
# of Books Purchased:
# of Student Orders Placed:
Amount Spent:
Rewards Spent by Libraries:
Rewarded to Students (fall/spring Incentive):
Rewarded to Teachers (Spring Incentive):
Reward Amount Earned:
Total:
2,293
608
183,724 NOK
16,000 NOK
14,411 NOK
1,200 NOK
36,211 NOK
*First ever ONLINE Book Order*
76 Orders Placed – 6682 NOK Earned in Rewards!
Thank you to everyone who ordered books…
because of your support the PA Book Order Program is able to
continue to provide FREE book to our ISS libraries and
teachers and help their collections grow.
Happy Reading!
-Jacqueline Veen, Book Order Coordinator-
www.isstavanger.no
ISS PA Kiosk
Grade 5
Smith
Your ONE STOP SHOP for
all school supply needs!
Pre order NOW for the 2015-16 school year.
All you have to do is go to Online Supply Order Form
and fill out the order form. Your child(ren)’s bag will be
ready for pick up on orientation day in August.
The PA will send you an invoice that you can
pay directly from your bank account.
Or you can pay with CASH ONLY at time of pick up.
For more information visit the ISS PA Facebook page at ISS Facebook Page
or the PA page at ISS’ website at PA Page on ISS Website
You can also stop by the kiosk or email the PA at [email protected].
*School Supply Bags are being offered for Grades Kindergarten thru 12th.
Clothing items, water bottles, specialty and lunch boxes are NOT included
in school supply bags but can be purchased as an add on item.*
48 • THE INFORMER
• 27 M ay 2015
www.isstavanger.no
How would you like to check off SCHOOL SUPPLY shopping in June? Let the PA Kiosk help you with that! We are now offering School Supply Bags by grade. All you have to do is fill out a form and we will prepare all the school supplies your child needs for the 2015-‐16 school year.
This is available for all students Kindergarten thru High School! Prices: K – 200 NOK 1st – 1000 NOK 2nd – 1200 NOK 3rd – 1200 NOK 4th – 1800 NOK 5th – 1200 NOK 6th – 1700 NOK 7th – 1400 NOK 8th – 1500 NOK HS Basic – 1400 NOK All Items are from the ISS supply list! *Add on items available at Ume of order. (Sandwich Boxes, Water BoYles, Sketchbooks, ReflecUve Vests, PE Kit.)* FREE selected ISS Gear Item Included with any purchased BAG! Bag(s) that are pre-‐ordered will be available for pick up at orientaOon. You can also stop by the kiosk to place an order or to receive more informaOon about this school wide offer. *Itemized lists are also available upon request.* Please feel free to contact the PA at [email protected] with any quesOons or concerns you may have. All orders will receive an invoice from the PA, payments can be made electronically or with CASH at kiosk. www.isstavanger.no
from the Parents Association Team
To all the members of the
Parent Association....
What a wonderful year we
have had, so many great
events and activities for the
entire school. Everyone has
done a tremendous job!
The PA also wants to extend
a BIG thank you to all the
volunteers who has helped
create so many memories
this school year. Without
everyone's help we could
have never had such a
successful year!
Another BIG Thank you to all parents, teachers and staff at
ISS. We appreciate all of your time, effort and support
during the 2014-15 school year! We look forward to seeing
everyone in the fall for another incredible school year.
50 • THE INFORMER
• 27 M ay 2015
www.isstavanger.no
Congratulations
to all Graduates!
The ISS Parent Association would like to wish all seniors
MASSE gratulasjoner med avgangseksamen!
We are all very proud of all the hard work, time and
energy you have put into your schooling.
Best wishes for your future adventures,
we know that you will be very successful in life!
The PA would also like to send out
a special congratulations and thank you
to Dr. Linda Duevel and Dr. Len Duevel.
We hope for nothing but the very best for the both of you.
Thank you for all you have done for our school
in the past 40/42 years.
You will truly be missed!
www.isstavanger.no
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Babysitting
&
tutoring available
I am a 27 year old female, former student at ISS, currently studying
journalism at the University of Stavanger.
I speak English, Spanish and Norwegian fluently.
If interested, please contact: Astrid on 483 53 533
52 • THE INFORMER
• 27 M ay 2015
www.isstavanger.no
www.isstavanger.no
Lunch Menu
In addition to the daily HOT MEAL and the soup of the day, the cafeteria also offers a vegetarian option for lunch
M ay 2015
W27
Th28
F29
June
M1
Tu 2
W3
Th 4
F 5
M8
Tu 9
W 10
Do you want your Lunch money back?
Lasagna
Chicken stew
Fish nuggets
Are you aware that if your child is leaving the school—either
moving or graduating--we are happy to refund any unused
funds from your school lunch account?
To do this, our business office must have your bank account
number.
Risotto
Pasta w/creamy zucchini sauce
Burritos
Lapskaus
Pasta with smoked salmon
Pizza
Pasta Chorizo
Chili con Carne
Our assumption is that anyone who is returning to ISS in August
does not have a problem in leaving unused funds in their lunch
account where they can again access them in August with the
new year starting up. If our assumption is incorrect and you
would like the money refunded now in June, that is fine—just
communicate that information to our Finance Manager, Linn
Åsheim, and give her a bank account number where the funds
can be transferred.
Any questions?
Just check with either Linn Åsheim or Anne Brit Winters and
they will be able to help you.
The menu of the Valhall Cafeteria is regularly updated on the ISS website:
http://www.isstavanger.no - Cafeteria
Issues of the Informer in the school year 2014-2015 are due: 03.09, 29.10. and 10.12. 2014.
In 2015: 28.01, 11.03. and 27.05. Deadline is one week before.
To have CLASSIFIED ADS published in The Informer, please e-mail: [email protected].
The editor reserves the right to edit ads to fit the space requested by you.
Companies
Full page (260 x 180mm)
NOK 2400
NOK 1200
NOK 600
1/2 page (130 x 180 mm):
NOK 1200,-
NOK 600,-
NOK 300,-
1/4 page (125 x 88 mm):
NOK 800,-
NOK 400,-
NOK 200,-
1/8 page (60 x 88 mm):
NOK 400,-
NOK 200,-
NOK 100,-
1/16 of a page (28,5 x 88 mm):
NOK 200,-
NOK 100,-
NOK 50,-
1.
2.
3.
Private persons
ISS Teachers/
Students and
their parents3*
Prices:
1
2
If you do not wish to receive the Informer any more or if you have changes to your e-mail address,
please notify Liv N. Høie at 51 55 43 22
or e-mail: [email protected]
The Informer is issued on the ISS web-page: www.isstavanger.no
Go to “News” and then to “Informer” and current issue.
Editor: Liv Nærland Høie
Phone: +47 51 55 43 22 E-mail: [email protected]
If you run a business/company/activity that makes your living, you are a “company” price-wise.
If you have a small activity, a non-profit foundation, organise a charity, advertise your belongings for
sale, insert small personal ads, etc., you are charged a “private person” price.
*These prices are valid from January 2010
54 • THE INFORMER
• 27 M ay 2015
www.isstavanger.no
Calendar of Events School year 2014-2015
The Informer is published by
International School of Stavanger
Treskeveien 3
NO-4043 STAVANGER
Norway
Tel: +47 51 55 43 00
Fax: +47 51 55 43 01
E-mail: [email protected]
www.isstavanger.no
High School Office: +47 51 55 43 43
Middle School Office: +47 51 55 43 11
Primary School Office: +47 51 55 43 23
Director: Dr. Linda Duevel
Deputy Director: Mr. Gareth Jones
High School Principal: Dr. Liam Browne
Middle School Pricipal: Ms. Carol Wallace
Primary School Principal: Dr. Len Duevel
Early Childhood Principal: Ms. Jill Raven
Business Manager: Ms. Linn Åsheim
IB Coordinator: Ms. Lynn Park
High School Counselors: Ms. Monchaya (June) Jetabut
and Ms. Cheryl Brown
Middle School Counselor: Mr. Matt Armstrong
Primary School Counselor: Dr. Jack Raven
School Nurse: Ms. Heather Melhus
M ay
26-29
28-30
End of Year Exams (grades 9-11)
NECIS Track and Field Tournament - Copenhagen
June
5
9
10
10
11
11
11
Early Childhood and Primary School Field Day + 8th Grade
Middle School Field Day - 13:00
Middle School Beach Afternoon - 12:00
Baccalaureate, 18:00, in the Primary School gym at ISS
Middle School Recognition Ceremony, 09:30
Graduation, 19:30, at ISS
Last Day of School - half day
Summer holiday
August 2015
6
Returning staff orientation starts
10
MS/HS new students registration/testing
12
First day of school for MS/HS students
12
Meet-the-Teacher Day for Early Childhood and PS students
13
First day of school for Early Childhood and PS students
September
4
Employee AMU Day – No school for students
October
5-9 12
December
The ISS Vision Statement
Inspire a community of responsible, globallyengaged, empowered learners.
The ISS Mission Statement
ISS provides an internationally-accredited, engaging and challenging English-language education
in a supportive, multi-cultural environment where
students have the opportunity to fulfill their
potential.
Our Values
Learning, Well-being, Community.
The International School of Stavanger (ISS), founded
in 1966, is an independent, non-profit Norwegian
foundation accredited by the New England Association
of Schools and Colleges and the Council of International Schools. The school enrolls students from ages
3 through 18. ISS offers an international university
preparatory curriculum that combines the best features
of many national educational systems. Both the International Baccalaureate Diploma programme and the
International General Certificate of Secondary Education external examinations are available to students.
In 2013, the school has an enrollment of nearly 800
students who represent over 50 nationalities, including
students from six of the earth’s seven continents.
www.isstavanger.no
Autumn Break
Employee in-service – No school for students
17.12.2015 – 5.1.2016 Christmas Vacation
3
2015 . 2016 4
January 2016
6
School resumes
February
15-19
Winter Break
M arch
21-28
Easter Vacation
29
Employee in-service - No school for
students
M ay
5
6
13-15
16
17
Ascension Day - No school
No school
50th Anniversary activities
Whit Monday - No school
Constitution Day – Half day
June 8Baccalaureate
9 Graduation Day and last student day – Half day

May 2015 - the International School of Stavanger

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An venim digna alit ulput ipisl ea adiam verat Congratulations to the

October 2015 - the International School of Stavanger

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