PRINCIPALLY SPEAKING
Aaron Wise, Principal
This week marked the highly anticipated start of our Co-Curricular Activities (CAAs), and it was truly wonderful to see students across all year levels actively engaging in a wide range of activities. From sports and arts to technology and community initiatives, the energy and enthusiasm displayed by our students were inspiring.
CAAs are more than just an opportunity for students to have fun; they are a vital part of their holistic education. Research consistently highlights the benefits of learning outside the classroom. A 2019 study by the University of Illinois found that students who participated in co-curricular programs demonstrated enhanced problem-solving skills, improved self-confidence, and stronger social connections. These activities foster teamwork, resilience, and the discovery of personal interests—all of which contribute to a well-rounded individual.
Building on this foundation, next week we turn our focus to another exceptional learning opportunity: the Year 3 to 10 camps. These camps are designed to challenge students to step outside their comfort zones, develop leadership skills, and forge deeper bonds with their peers. Whether they’re navigating a hiking trail, building a shelter, or solving group challenges, students gain invaluable life skills and a sense of accomplishment that only experiential learning can provide.
Outdoor education programs like our camps have been shown to improve students’ cognitive, emotional, and social development. A report from the Outdoor Education Research Group states that such experiences can increase a child’s adaptability, independence, and decision-making abilities—skills that are essential for success in the 21st century.
At AISM, we believe that these co-curricular and camp experiences are integral to fostering the values of resilience, responsibility, and relevance. By participating in both structured activities and immersive outdoor challenges, our students are not only broadening their horizons but also building skills that will serve them for life.
We are proud to see our students embracing these opportunities and encourage them to continue exploring their interests, developing their talents, and growing into well-rounded individuals. Here’s to a week of CAAs well spent and an exciting camp experience ahead!
JUNIOR SCHOOL
Michelle Chaplin, Head of Junior School
This week has been a full five days of learning with our students showing amazing academic progress. Our new literacy program from ELC to Year 2 is already showing great results and our Mathematics cluster groups are evidencing some remarkable mathematical thinking!
The week concluded with our Sports sessions on Friday with special guest “Arrowhead Skills” here to show the students what the holiday camp would be like. Many of our students are keen to join the camp in the first week of the coming term break. Be sure to chat with your child and sign them up!
For more information, see the poster under the ‘Whole School’ section.
We are excited about the upcoming camp and the great experiences our students will have! Please read through the following reminders to ensure everything runs smoothly on the departure day:
Year 4 and Year 5
- Bus departure is at 7:00 am from the breezeway. Please arrive at least 15 minutes early.
- All medication must be labeled with instructions by a doctor and placed in a zip-lock bag for your student's homeroom teacher to administer. Otherwise, teachers cannot administer it.
- Ensure your child has morning tea packed in a disposable bag only.
- Ensure your child's luggage is no larger than carry-on size and can be lifted independently.
- Ensure your child is dressed in outdoor gear, and ready for their first activity upon arrival at camp.
Year 3 Camp
- Bus departure is at 8:30 am from the breezeway. Please arrive at least 20 minutes early.
- All medication must be labeled with instructions by a doctor and placed in a zip-lock bag for your student's homeroom teacher to administer. Otherwise, teachers cannot administer it.
- Ensure your child has morning tea packed in a disposable bag only.
- Ensure your child's luggage is no larger than carry-on size and can be lifted independently.
Camps are a wonderful experience for all students and provide a safe and secure environment amongst trusted teachers and friends, where you can take a few risks and step outside your comfort zone. Good luck to all our campers!!
“Ignite Passions, Inspire Dreams: Camp Awaits!”
Reminder - No CCAs next week. All students are to be collected from GATE C at 3.10 pm
Foundation Fun with 'M'!
Mrs Sheridan Hill and Miss Amariah Chep, Junior School Foundation
In Foundation, we have just started learning our very first letter—M! Mmmmm, what an exciting start! We've been busy making marvelous monsters, mouthwatering muffins, and even magnificent moustaches (a big thank you to Steward for the idea!).
To top it off, we used marshmallows and M&Ms for measuring—what a delicious way to learn! It’s been an Mmmmm-azing week!
Year 2 News
Ms Fiona and Ms Tamara, Year 2 Teachers
Year 2 has had an exciting and energetic start to the year, and the momentum continues. We have had many wonderful reasons to celebrate being back at AISM, including Chinese New Year, Australia Day, and our school’s 25th anniversary. These celebrations have beautifully highlighted the diverse cultures and backgrounds that make our school community so special.
In Mathematics, our Year 2 students have been deepening their understanding of place value as they recognise, represent and order numbers up to 1,000 and beyond. It has been wonderful to see their growing confidence in working with numbers. They have also been exploring measurement, using informal and formal units to compare and measure objects, and applying their skills in real-world contexts.
This year, we are delighted to introduce the InitiaLit–2 program in Year 2, and we are thoroughly enjoying it. This excellent, evidence-based program is helping our students strengthen their reading, writing, and spelling skills in a structured and engaging way.
What Does InitiaLit–2 Teach?
- 📖 Reading and Comprehension – Developing fluency and deeper understanding.
- 🔤 Spelling and Phonics – Practising spelling patterns and rules.
- ✍️ Writing Skills – Constructing clear sentences with correct punctuation.
- 📚 Building Vocabulary – Expanding language skills through new words.
Why We Love It
The structured, step-by-step approach ensures that all students progress at their own pace while fostering a genuine love for reading and writing. The engaging lessons, interactive activities, and high-quality reading materials have made learning both effective and enjoyable.
In Inquiry, Year 2 has been exploring how we are connected to different places through our families, travels, and experiences. Students have been learning about Malaysia’s significant landmarks and their importance to different people. To showcase their learning, they will step into the role of travel show hosts, creating green-screen video presentations about iconic places. We can’t wait to see their creativity shine!
As we move further into the term, we are excited to see our Year 2 learners continue to grow in confidence and curiosity. Their enthusiasm for learning has been inspiring, and we look forward to more discoveries, challenges, and achievements in the weeks ahead!
LOTE Mandarin: Celebrating Chinese New Year with Engaging Activities
Ms Wan and Mr Fong, Junior School LOTE Mandarin Teachers
Our students had an exciting time celebrating Chinese New Year with hands-on activities that enriched their learning experience!
To brighten up our classroom, we created snake-themed crafts by folding traditional Chinese paper fans and personalizing them with our Mandarin names. This not only added a festive touch to our space, but also reinforced our writing skills in a meaningful way. More importantly, this activity fostered a sense of belonging, as students took pride in showcasing their work and seeing their names beautifully displayed in the classroom.
We also explored traditional Chinese games, including Chinese Chess (中国象棋), Chinese Handkerchief Game (八角巾/手绢), Pitch-Pot (投壶), and Shuttlecock Kicking (毽子). These activities provided a fantastic opportunity for students to immerse themselves in Chinese culture while applying their Mandarin language skills in an interactive setting.
As part of our thinking routines, our Year 2 learners explored the Chinese zodiac（生肖）using the 3-2-1 Bridge routine. They listed three zodiac animals, formulated two questions about the topic, and identified one simile or adjective to describe the zodiac system. The interaction among peers enriched their learning experience, encouraging deeper curiosity and discussion. Meanwhile, our Year 3 students delved into the fascinating topic of Chinese New Year taboos（农历新年禁忌）, discovering customs and superstitions to avoid during the celebrations. Year 4 and Year 5 students took their learning further by creating their own Google Slides presentations. They researched the 15 days of Chinese New Year, as well as traditional foods and their symbolic meanings. This activity allowed them to develop their research and presentation skills while gaining a deeper understanding of Chinese cultural traditions.
It was wonderful to see our learners having so much fun while engaging with Chinese traditions! As the year continues, we look forward to more enjoyable and meaningful experiences, ensuring that our Mandarin learning journey remains both enriching and inspiring.
Discover the Joy of Learning Bahasa Malaysia!
Cikgu Adila & Cikgu Mohd Fadhly, Junior School LOTE Bahasa Malaysia Teacher
Selamat Datang! (Welcome!)
We are thrilled to embark on a fun and engaging journey of learning Bahasa Malaysia this term! Our focus will be on basic conversations, phonics, and reading skills, using interactive activities that make language learning enjoyable.
Building Communication Skills
Developing confidence in speaking is key to learning a new language. This term, students will practice simple greetings such as "Apa Khabar?" and "Selamat pagi!" while also using polite expressions like "Terima kasih," "Tolong," and "Maaf." Through role-playing activities, students will engage in daily conversations, making their learning more practical and fun.
Exploring the World of Reading
Reading is vital to language learning, and we will introduce students to letters, syllables, and simple words. Through phonics games, they will learn to recognize and pronounce words like ba, bi, bu, be, bo. We will also use the See, Think, Wonder routine to explore exciting stories, helping students develop comprehension skills and curiosity.
The awesome ELCG learners excitedly explored the vowel phonics; a,e,i,o,u in Bahasa Malaysia.
Engaging Classroom Activities
Students will engage in fun, hands-on activities like sing-along sessions, interactive storytelling, role-playing, and arts & crafts. These approaches make learning enjoyable and improve memory retention and comprehension.
We look forward to an amazing term filled with learning, laughter, and discovery! Thank you for your support in making this journey a meaningful one.
Terima kasih, The Bahasa Malaysia Team
MIDDLE & SENIOR SCHOOL
LOTE Language Competition
Stephanie Rajani, French Teacher
Last November, both French and Chinese students participated in the “Language Nut” Competition, an international event that allows students to demonstrate their language abilities while competing with peers worldwide. Throughout the month-long competition, students completed a series of challenges and tasks to earn points. The competition assessed all aspects of language learning, including grammar, vocabulary, and fluency, helping students develop their overall proficiency. In total, more than 16,000 students from across the globe took part in the November event.
We are pleased to announce the top 3 linguists of the school, all competing for French:
- 1st place: Fiza Gupta was ranked 32nd out of all students in the world.
- 2nd place: Yuet Kah Loo was ranked 55th out of all students in the world.
- 3rd place: Ginny Sam was ranked 69th out of all students in the world.
Congratulations to all participants.
The Arts Department
Matthew Fisher, Head of The Arts
The ARTS Department has been off to a flying start in 2025. We welcomed, and are privileged to have on board, two new staff members this year. Miss Suhana Zainal Abidin is in our Music Department, mostly working with our Junior School classes and some Middle School classes, while Mr Adam Cooke joins our team as the Middle and Senior School Visual Arts teacher. Both of these new staff members fit very well into our Arts Department and are inspiring students across all ages of our school.
Other major events, which heavily involve our Arts Department, are also coming up. With AISM’s Got Talent (sponsored by Gamuda Land SplashMania) to be showcased in March, an Inter-School Talent Show scheduled for April, an Inter-School Jazz workshop in May, and of course our major school Musical production ‘ROCK OF AGES’ in June, (not to mention the CCA’s offered), the Arts team has a very busy semester ahead.
WHOLE SCHOOL
AISM 25th Anniversary
On 14 February, we marked our 25th anniversary—a milestone made possible by the incredible students, parents, staff, and alumni who have been part of our journey. Thank you for your unwavering support, dedication, and contributions to our community.
Watch our 25th Anniversary Video and celebrate this special moment with us!
