PRINCIPALLY SPEAKING
Aaron Wise, Principal
Last weekend, I had the privilege of competing in the Ironman 70.3 Desaru Coast. It was a race I had trained hard for, and while my swim and bike legs were strong, the brutal heat of the day left me struggling on the run. In fact, I ran slower than I ever have before. It was a humbling experience—one that could easily have led me to make excuses or question my commitment to the sport.
But failure, as difficult as it can be, is an inevitable part of life. No matter how much effort we put into preparing for success, setbacks will happen. What truly matters is how we respond to these moments of adversity. After my race, I took time to reflect on what went well and what did not. I asked myself hard questions: Was my hydration plan adequate? Did I train sufficiently for the heat? From there, I created a plan to address these areas and ensure a better performance in the future.
This same principle applies to our students at AISM. Schools set students up for success, but the reality is that they won’t always achieve their goals. Whether it’s not performing as expected in an exam, struggling in a sport, or facing a challenge in their social lives, students need to learn how to handle setbacks with resilience and determination.
At AISM, we aim to create an environment where students feel safe to fail and supported to grow. By encouraging them to see failure not as the end, but as an opportunity to learn, we’re equipping them with the tools they need to thrive in life. A key predictor of long-term success is not avoiding failure—it is learning how to respond to it constructively.
How Parents Can Help Their Children Handle Failure
Here are some practical ways parents can support their children in developing resilience:
- Model Resilience: Share your own experiences of failure and how you overcame them. This helps normalise setbacks as a part of life.
- Focus on Effort, Not Just Outcomes: Praise your child for the effort they put in, regardless of the result. This builds a growth mindset.
- Encourage Reflection: Guide your child in assessing what went well and what they can improve next time.
- Avoid Overprotecting: Let your child face age-appropriate challenges and learn to solve problems on their own.
- Reframe Failure as a Learning Opportunity: Help your child see setbacks as stepping stones to future success.
Just as I am already preparing for my next race with a renewed plan, we want our students to approach life’s challenges with determination, resilience, and the confidence to try again. By learning to fail well, they will not only overcome obstacles but also discover their true potential.
JUNIOR SCHOOL
Michelle Chaplin, Head of Junior School
This week has seen our students continue to make the most of every opportunity - whether it is a maths or language competition, an incredible excursion, a lunchtime basketball game, or competing at chess on the playground, they are passionate about being the best they can be!
Read on to find out more about what your child is up to each day - you may be in for a surprise!
How We Grow Readers at AISM
Ms Felix and Ms Kila, Teacher Librarian
At Australian International School Malaysia, the library is more than just a place to borrow books—it’s a space where curiosity, imagination, and a love of learning are nurtured every week. I’m so pleased to share some of the ways our students have been engaging with books and building their reading habits this term.
Diverse Stories, Big Ideas
Across the Junior School, students are exploring a wide range of texts that reflect their interests, support their classroom learning, and open windows to different cultures and perspectives.
In the upper years, students have been engaging with stories that explore identity, empathy, and global understanding. These discussions have sparked thoughtful reflections and encouraged students to think deeply about the experiences of others.
Middle years students have been reading nonfiction texts linked to their inquiry topics. These books help bring science, discovery, and history to life through beautifully illustrated storytelling and rich vocabulary. Our younger readers have been enjoying traditional and modern fairy tales. They’ve been learning to identify different types of characters—such as heroes, villains, and tricksters—and how these roles contribute to the plot and message of a story.
Encouraging Good Habits and Independent Choices
Each class visits the library weekly, and it's been wonderful to see our students developing their independence and responsibility as library users. They’ve been learning how to use shelf markers to browse respectfully and return books to the correct place—an essential step in building early library skills.
We’ve also been encouraging students to bring their library bags each week, and it’s been fantastic to see them arrive ready and eager to borrow. These small routines help students care for the books they choose and support a lifelong love of reading.
Most importantly, we celebrate student choice. Whether they enjoy stories, fun facts, colourful illustrations, or graphic novels, every reader is supported in finding books they truly enjoy.
Reading Anytime, Anywhere: ePlatform by Wheelers
To support reading beyond the library walls, we also offer a fantastic digital reading option through AISM's ePlatform. This user-friendly site allows students to borrow eBooks and audiobooks anytime, from any device. Whether your child prefers reading on a tablet at home or listening to a story in the car, our Wheelers collection makes it easy to enjoy quality literature wherever they are. With a growing range of titles to suit all ages and interests, it's a wonderful way to keep reading accessible and exciting.
Year 5 Newsletter – Term 2 Highlights
Mr Ryan McIntyre, Miss Iman Engelbert and Miss Taranpreet Kaur
It has been a busy and exciting time in Year 5 as we move towards the end of Term 2.
Rehearsals for our highly anticipated Year 5 Production, The Wrong Way Round, are well underway and the energy is electric! Students have shown incredible enthusiasm and creativity as they practise lines, perfect dance moves and collaborate to bring the story to life. Without giving too much away—expect laughter, surprises, and plenty of fun. Save the date: The Wrong Way Round premieres on 11 September in the Blackbox Theatre in Term 3!
In English, our focus has been on persuasive writing. They explored how to use a range of persuasive devices to strengthen their arguments, such as emotive language, rhetorical questions, repetition, facts and statistics. They have analysed examples of effective persuasive texts, identified key features and applied these techniques in their writing.
Meanwhile, in Inquiry, our learners have been working hard as our Parents’ Afternoon will take place during Week 10. Their learning this term revolves around community and governance, with a focus on building a responsible future. They have collaborated closely, asked thoughtful questions and brought their ideas to life with colour, detail and care.
As always, thank you for your continued support. We are looking forward to an exciting end to the term and a wonderful Term 3 ahead.
Just say… Cheese! - Year 2 & 3 Withdrawal Enrichment
Mrs Charlotte Spence, Head of Diverse Educational Needs
This week, our enthusiastic Year 2 & 3 photojournalists stepped behind the lens with real cameras for the very first time—and what a week it’s been! With their eyes wide open and creativity in full swing, the students explored our Junior School campus, snapping all sorts of exciting shots.
From action shots of Mrs Janett having a tantrum, to birds-eye views of our friends lying down and worm’s-eye shots lying flat on the ground (yes, we got a little dusty!), our photographers experimented with angles, perspective, and composition like pros.
Keep your eyes peeled — can you spot each type of shot in our photo gallery below?
📷 Action Shot
📷 Bird's-Eye View
📷 Worm's-Eye View
📷 Wide Shot
📷 Close-Up
Watch this space… we’re just getting started!
Term 2 Adventures
Ms Manpreet Kaur Puarr and Miss Bianca Chep, ELC Homeroom Teacher
ELC: Explore Big Ideas in STEM
The Prep and Nursery learners were excited to take part in STEM Week, hosted by the Middle and Senior School. This experience helped build a sense of community and opened their eyes to new learning beyond their classroom. They enjoyed hands-on activities, learning from older students, and left inspired, curious, and full of big dreams for the future!
Robotic Show
A highlight of STEM Week was ELC learners’ exciting visit to the Middle and Senior School. Full of curiosity, they stepped outside their Early Years Learning Centre to explore new experiences. They were amazed by the robotic car demonstration and an impressive drone show. With support from Middle School students, they took turns using remote controllers to move robotic cars. This hands-on experience sparked joy, curiosity, and even inspired some to dream of becoming drone experts one day.
Beautiful Bubbles and Mindful Moments
Who doesn’t love bubbles? Our learners were bubbling with excitement as they explored the science behind how bubbles are formed. They also discovered a new vocabulary word—iridescent—to describe the shimmering colours within each bubble. As they blew bubbles and counted how many they could make, they used numeracy words like big, small, more, and less. This sensory-rich activity tied in beautifully with our mindfulness practice, as children took deep breaths and focused on their breathing. It was a joyful mix of science, language, numeracy, and wellbeing, all through the magic of bubbles!
Nursery: Exploring the Land of Fairytales!
In Term 2, our Nursery learners started a magical journey through their favourite fairytales. We enjoyed the exciting chase in The Gingerbread Man and climbed tall beanstalks with Jack and the Beanstalk.
“My favourite part is when the Gingerbread Man reaches the river, the Gingerbread cannot swim, the fox helps the Gingerbread Man. The fox bites the Gingerbread Man.” - Avery.
The children explored the Gingerbread Man using their five senses — seeing, touching, smelling, hearing, and tasting. It was a delicious and exciting experience!
“I like eating the Gingerbread Man because the Gingerbread Man is crunchy and sweet.” - Eunice.
The fun continued with a special letter from The Giant! He challenged us to use his big footprint to measure different objects. We also measured the beanstalk by seeing how many giant and little footprints it took to reach the top.
“In the story Jack and the Beanstalk, the Giant footprint is big, my footprint is small. I need six Giant footprints to reach the castle. I need twelve small footprints to reach the castle. I don’t like the Giant but I like Jack. The Giant is scary, Jack is nice.” - Nora.
Along the way, we learned about size and measurement — all while having fun! We can’t wait to see which fairytale adventure comes next
Prep Inquiry: Regrowing Onion Experiment
As part of our inquiry unit on Change, the Prep learners explored how living things grow by regrowing onions! Through this hands-on experience, they peeled and cut onions, then observed how the bulbs changed over time. The experiment supported their understanding of plant life cycles and encouraged them to make predictions, observe daily growth, and record findings. It also connected beautifully to our Care Movement - Care for the Environment, promoting environmental awareness and sustainable practices.
AIMS Language Competition 2025 at HELP International School
Junior School LOTE Teachers
On May 24, 2025, HELP International School hosted the AIMS Language Competition, celebrating the linguistic talents of students across Bahasa Malaysia and Mandarin. Our school proudly sent 15 enthusiastic participants who showcased their language skills through various engaging and meaningful activities, while deepening their appreciation for cultural diversity.
We are proud of all our students for their dedication and strong performances throughout the event. A special mention goes to Rachelle Roy Raja (Year 3G), who earned a Silver Medal in the Key Stage 2 Bahasa Malaysia as a Foreign Language category, reflecting her commitment and effort. Every student who took part demonstrated growth, confidence, and a willingness to challenge themselves in a new environment.
A big thank you to the AISM Junior School Languages Department — Cikgu Adila, Cikgu Fadhly, Mr. Fong, and Ms. Wan — for their guidance and preparation, and to the parents for their continuous support and encouragement.
Congratulations to all our participants for representing our school with pride, enthusiasm, and a love for languages!
Well done to our language learners for their enthusiastic participation and efforts leading up to the competition and on the day - a fabulous team effort!
List of Participants
NO. | PARTICIPANT | CLASS | CATEGORIES | 1ST / FOREIGN LANGUAGE | LANGUAGE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Nur Medina Sofea Binti Dato' Hishammuddin | 1W | MP 1 (Y1&Y2) | First Language | Bahasa Malaysia |
2 | Isha Riyana Murugan | 1G | MP 1 (Y1&Y2) | Foreign Language | Bahasa Malaysia |
3 | Alyssa Ji Yin Ng | 2G | MP 1 (Y1&Y2) | Foreign Language | Bahasa Malaysia |
4 | Rachelle Roy Raja | 3G | MP 2 (Y3 & Y4) | Foreign Language | Bahasa Malaysia |
5 | Lum Yi Hong | 3W | MP 2 (Y3 & Y4) | Foreign Language | Bahasa Malaysia |
6 | Jessie Kumar | 4G | MP 2 (Y3 & Y4) | First Language | Bahasa Malaysia |
7 | Laura Mikayla | 5G | MP 3 (Y5 & Y6) | First Language | Bahasa Malaysia |
8 | Ammara Abdul Rahman | 5G | MP 3 (Y5 & Y6) | First Language | Bahasa Malaysia |
9 | Derek Tan | 5G | MP 3 (Y5 & Y6) | Foreign Language | Bahasa Malaysia |
10 | Cherish Tay Hoi Ping | 5W | MP 3 (Y5 & Y6) | Foreign Language | Mandarin |
11 | Huam Yaw Yeat (Vince) | 4W | MP 2 (Y3 & Y4) | Foreign Language | Mandarin |
12 | Vernise Zhang Min | 3G | MP 2 (Y3 & Y4) | Foreign Language | Mandarin |
13 | Leopold Chang Shih Jie | 3G | MP 2 (Y3 & Y4) | First Language | Mandarin |
14 | Jasper Lin | 2W | MP 1 (Y1&Y2) | First Language | Mandarin |
15 | Tan Yan Faye | 2G | MP 1 (Y1&Y2) | Foreign Language | Mandarin |
Take-Apart Challenge
MIDDLE & SENIOR SCHOOL
International Jazz Day
Mr Matt Fisher, Head of The Arts
On Saturday, 3 May, Mr Fisher and five Music Elective students joined 70 others from around the globe to celebrate International Jazz Day (officially, it was on 30 April). Students and teachers from Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand and India came together at ISKL to learn a variety of Jazz performance techniques and apply them to a variety of performing ensembles. A large part of the day was devoted to improvisation, as well as reading Jazz charts.
Our vocalists, Alaani and Asha discovered the joy of scat singing, while Sayuki got out of her comfort zone, learning new improvisation techniques on Baritone saxophone. Oliver, on bass guitar, developed some great rhythmic bass lines, while Hayden on guitar blended chordal playing with melodic and improvised lead breaks. All this while jamming out with a bunch of like-minded young musicians and making connections with other musicians, both locally and abroad. The day concluded with a concert of all the pieces worked on throughout the day.
All had an awesome day and learned valuable skills from some inspirational tutors. Hopefully, we will see another contingent of AISM Musicians celebrate this great day in 2026.
Dragon Maths Relay: A STEM Week Triumph!
Mathematics Department
On Thursday, 9 May, as part of our exciting STEM Week celebrations, the Maths Department proudly hosted the Dragon Maths Relay - a high-energy, team-based maths competition that showcased the talent and enthusiasm of our brilliant Year 5 students.
Organised by Mrs Bunn, Ms Rashina, and Ms Malini, the event brought together 11 energetic teams, creating a lively and competitive atmosphere throughout the relay.
The event was expertly facilitated by a fantastic group of volunteers from Years 8, 10, and 11, who took on the roles of question masters, scorers, and enthusiastic supporters. A huge thank you to these students for their leadership and for helping the day run so smoothly!
The competition featured 26 challenging questions, worth a total of 52 marks. It was fast-paced and fun, with teams racing to solve problems and sprinting to submit their answers. In a remarkable show of mathematical skill, the winning team achieved a perfect score of 52, and the lowest score overall was an impressive 47 - a very narrow range that highlights the strength of our young mathematicians.
There’s no doubt about it — our Year 5 students are Mathematician Rockstars. And it’s thanks to the dedication and support of their incredible Year 5 teachers that they were so well-prepared to shine.
Well done to everyone involved — what a fantastic way to celebrate maths during STEM Week!
Kuala Lumpur Junior Maths Competition (KLJMC) 2025: A Fantastic Experience!
Mathematics Department
On Saturday, 17 May, a group of our talented students from Year 7 and 8 proudly represented our school at the Kuala Lumpur Junior Maths Competition (KLJMC) 2025 with support and supervision from Mrs Bunn, Mr Pollock and Ms Rashina.
The competition featured both an Individual Round and a Team Round, giving students the opportunity to showcase their skills independently as well as collaborate with their teammates under time pressure. It was an inspiring and engaging experience that not only tested their maths knowledge but also helped them build confidence, communication and resilience.
Our students thoroughly enjoyed competing alongside peers from other schools and embraced the friendly yet competitive atmosphere. It was a valuable opportunity to stretch their abilities beyond the classroom and gain exposure to new problem-solving strategies.
This experience has certainly ignited a passion for mathematics and built motivation to continue challenging themselves. We hope this inspires even more students to participate in enrichment opportunities like this in the future.
A huge congratulations to all our participants - you represented the school with pride, determination and a love of learning. We're already looking forward to KLJMC 2026!
A Student's Experience Delivering His Spoken Word Poem: Tongue-Tied in Translation
Ms Sarah Boam, English Teacher & Year 9 and 10 Pastoral Coordinator
Andy delivered his spoken word poem as his Year 10 Term 2 assessment, earning him full marks and lots of kudos from his peers and the judges.
The topic of my poem was about encouraging other English learners to be confident enough to express their identity through the shared struggles of learning a new language, but in a comedy way, which is funny to listen to. It was based on my personal experience and the effort that I’ve made to improve my English. I would say that the poem is a mirror of my own journey in an English speaking environment.
I used allusions in the poem to topics like Shakespeare, English movies and Gen Z slang words to connect with known cultural references to create familiar and humorous context for the audience, especially other English language learners.
As this was in the stand-up comedy style, I wrote lots of conversational addresses and rhetorical questions in order to reflect the audience’s own experiences, to make it interactive and engaging. It reflects the common problem of lack of confidence in ourselves and self - deprecating, even satirical, examples of misunderstandings that happen in our lives as non - native speakers, to form emotional resonance.
On Monday, I told myself to get even more excited before stepping onto the stage. Keeping these words in mind: ‘This is finally my time’ and it worked. I avoided using too fast a pace and used pauses, varied tones to let the audience enjoy listening to me. I felt I was connected to the audience, I knew when they would laugh and be curious to hear my next line. It was very enjoyable.
An extract from my poem:
Are you a newbie to English?It feels like I bought a discount dictionary?
Like I just committed a linguistic crime?
Or do you mean that I finally got qualified for a disability parking spot?
Oh well,
‘Pardon me Mr Perfect! I guess I forgot that you never ever make a mistake!’
Cause you know what -
Every awkward stumble, every weird phrase, is a badge on the journey.
Don’t wait until you feel confident enough,
your confidence builds as you take action.
WHOLE SCHOOL
School Nurses Conference 2025
Mrs Mac and Nurse Alice, School Nurses
Saturday, 17 May marked a significant milestone for the AISM Health Services as we proudly hosted the International School Nurses Conference. This special event brought together school nurses from across the Klang Valley, providing a meaningful platform for professional networking, knowledge sharing, and collaboration.
This year’s conference centred around two key themes: nurses’ well-being and children’s injuries—topics that are essential to fostering safe and supportive school environments.
We were honoured to have our School Principal officially open the event. His inspiring message and heartfelt stories resonated deeply with the attendees, setting a warm and encouraging tone for the day.
A highlight of the conference was a session led by Dr. Shona, a highly experienced Consultant Paediatric Surgeon and AISM parent. Her insightful presentation on playground injuries provided invaluable knowledge and practical strategies to enhance child safety in school settings.
We are also incredibly grateful to Leigh, who generously stepped in to deliver a session on mindfulness when one of our scheduled speakers was unable to attend. Her thoughtful and calming approach to self-care was well-received and greatly appreciated by all participants.
The event was a resounding success, reinforcing the importance of community, collaboration, and continued professional development among school healthcare professionals.
Semester 2 CCA Update
Mr Ivan Yoong, Whole School CCA & Sports Coordinator
CCAs Open for Booking - From 9:00 PM, Friday, 6 June until 12:00 PM, Monday, 9 June
CCAs Commence - Monday, 21 July
CCAs Conclude - Thursday, 20 November
Click here for more information.
Rock of Ages
Mr Matt Fisher, Head of The Arts
Join us for an unforgettable production of Rock of Ages, rocking the Australian International School Auditorium from Thursday, June 12th, through to Saturday, June 14th, 2025. Each performance begins at 6:00 PM, with an intermission offering a range of food and drinks for purchase. There is ample parking at Gate A, but ID and signing in will be required.
This special production marks a milestone, as it will be the final show directed by Mr. Dale Keys and the last musically directed production by Mr. Matthew Fisher before they both embark on exciting new postings overseas. Their incredible leadership and passion have helped shape countless unforgettable productions, and Rock of Ages promises to be a spectacular send-off.
Featuring standout choreographed dance scenes arranged by the talented Jada Hensarling, this show also highlights the final performance by Jia En Yap before she moves on to the stages of New York. Taking center stage as the legendary Stacee Jaxx is Ethan Selvindoss, while the roles of Drew and Sherrie are brought to life by the talented Gabe Jones and Isabelle Heng.
Don’t miss this high-energy celebration of rock, dreams, and the magic of live performance — a night that promises to be as heartfelt as it is electrifying!
Tickets are on sale now at only RM30 per ticket. To get your tickets, either scan the QR Code, or go to Cloudjoi.com and search for ‘Rock of Ages’.
Arrowhead Skills Summer Camps
Arrowhead Skills are back at AISM with their unique, popular and fun multi-activity holiday camp. Open to children from Foundation to Year 7.
Two weeks are available to book and will be packed with brand new activities that are fun, challenging, engaging and educational. Each week will have different activities too.
- Drop off between 8:30 AM to 9:00 AM and pick up 2:45 PM - 3:00 PM, Monday to Friday.
- Early bird or group discounts are currently available.
Your children will be doing a range of activities across our four pathways of "Move", "Build", "Create" and "Perform" with our team of professional, caring and engaging instructors. Focusing on developing essential skills such as team working; leadership; resilience; problem solving and critical thinking along with good food, no screen time and lots of mental and physical activity your children (and you) are guaranteed to enjoy the experience.
To secure your child's place please complete the Google booking form HERE
