PRINCIPALLY SPEAKING
Aaron Wise, Principal
I am delighted to share the fantastic success of our recent Quiz Night! The event was a resounding triumph, filled with fun, laughter, and a wonderful sense of camaraderie. I extend my heartfelt thanks to all the organisers, participants, and volunteers who made this evening possible. Your enthusiasm and dedication are truly the heart of our school community.
The Quiz Night not only provided an evening of entertainment but also showcased the incredible spirit and support within our AISM family. Special thanks to the PTC for their tireless efforts in organising this memorable event. Your hard work in planning and executing the night’s activities ensured that everyone had a fantastic time.
Building on this momentum, I am excited to announce our upcoming Shades of Pink Gala Dinner, scheduled for 26 October. This elegant evening will feature delicious cuisine, live entertainment, and opportunities to support a noble cause by raising awareness and funds for breast cancer research.
As we prepare for the Gala Dinner, we once again turn to our vibrant community for support. The PTC needs your help to make this event a grand success. We invite parents to join the planning committee and contribute to various aspects such as decorations, sponsorships, and event coordination. Your involvement is crucial in creating an unforgettable evening that highlights the generosity and unity of AISM.
If you are interested in joining the planning committee for the Shades of Pink Gala Dinner, please reach out to the PTC at ptc@aism.edu.my. Let’s come together to make this event as successful and enjoyable as our recent Quiz Night.
Thank you once again for your continued support and participation. I look forward to seeing you at the Shades of Pink Gala Dinner.
JUNIOR SCHOOL
Michelle Chaplin, Head of Junior School
As we approach the final week of Semester 1 2024 and I read through the Junior School Student Reports I am incredibly proud of our students and teachers. The progress of many students has been rapid and in many year levels, we are seeing fabulous results across all subjects. Our reports will be released on Tuesday and I encourage all parents to chat with their children regarding their learning goals, achievements this semester, and where to next semester. As a staff, we have investigated the data and results and looked at each student and what we can do to ensure they attain the best possible results this year.
Semester One has been - as always - busy and unpredictable! Lots of highlights and memorable moments. Again, I encourage us all to celebrate the highlights, learn from the challenges, and get ready for an even bigger and better Semester 2!
Congratulations to our teachers, parents and students for a fabulous Semester 1, 2024.
There Was A Grumble in the Jungle in Foundation
Cayli Russell, Junior School Foundation Teacher
This term, our Foundation students have embarked on an exciting journey into the world of plants and animals. Immersing themselves in this unit, each student researched an animal of their choice and created detailed information reports. Their curiosity and enthusiasm shone through as they crafted dioramas to showcase their chosen animals' habitats and wrote imaginative stories about their animals in Literacy.
The students' inquiries led to thought-provoking questions like, "Which animals lay eggs?" These questions sparked deeper understanding and engagement with the subject matter. The culmination of their hard work and learning was evident last Friday when they presented at the Foundation Assembly with a captivating performance titled ‘The Jungle Grumble.’
In ‘The Jungle Grumble,’ our talented students remembered all their lines as they narrated the importance of brushing teeth. They played drums, sang, and danced on stage, delivering a spectacular performance that showcased their confidence and talent. The assembly was a true celebration of their learning and creativity.
Our Foundation class has truly embraced the unit on plants and animals, demonstrating their ability to research, create, and perform with enthusiasm and dedication. We are incredibly proud of their achievements and look forward to more exciting learning adventures ahead!
Exciting Updates on Our Bahasa Malaysia Lessons!
Cikgu Adila & Cikgu Mohd Fadhly, Junior School LOTE Bahasa Malaysia Teacher
Our Bahasa Malaysia program is designed to enrich learners’ linguistic abilities, cultural understanding, and appreciation of this beautiful language. Our target for this term is to improve our learners’ reading skills by providing timely and effective verbal and written feedback based on our reading rubric. Different strategies are being used to increase student vocabulary and understanding of Bahasa Malaysia. Recently, we used Blooket.com and bilingual reading activities to enhance student capabilities in reading and increasing their vocabulary.
The learners shared the reading experience with their friends, practising their pronunciation, through the Visible Thinking Routines, Colour-Symbol-Image and think-share-pair. The Year 4 learners participated in Bahasa Malaysia spontaneous role-play, where they wrote dialogue in Bahasa Malaysia in showing their expression to show the act of kindness words that they learnt during the lesson. The ELC and Lower Junior School learners were learning more words in Bahasa Malaysia through songs and hands-on activities such as knowing the name of colours in Bahasa Malaysia by making the patterns. It was amazing!
Our Year 5 Bahasa Malaysia students have been diving into the important topic of 'Kebersihan Diri’' (personal hygiene). As part of their learning journey, they unleashed their creativity by creating captivating comics in Bahasa Malaysia. These comics not only demonstrate their understanding of personal hygiene practices but also showcase their language skills and artistic talents. It’s inspiring to see how they brought the lessons to life through storytelling and illustrations.
In an exciting exploration of 'Musim dan Cuaca' (seasons and weather), our Year 3 Bahasa Malaysia students have been learning about the different seasons and weather conditions in Malaysia. Through interactive lessons and engaging activities, they have gained a deeper understanding of how weather affects our daily lives. The students enthusiastically shared their knowledge through colourful drawings and lively discussions, making the topic both educational and fun.
Here’s a glimpse of what we’ve been up to in Bahasa Malaysia Classes:
Highlights from Our Lessons
- Interactive Storytelling Sessions: Our learners have been enjoying interactive storytelling sessions where they not only listen to traditional Malay tales, but also participate in acting out scenes and discussing moral lessons. These sessions have been a hit, sparking creativity and a love for reading among our young learners.
- Language Games and Quizzes: Incorporating games and quizzes by using Blooket.com and Kahoot.com into our lessons has made language learning exciting. Learners compete in teams, building their vocabulary and grammar skills while fostering a healthy sense of competition and teamwork.
LOTE Chinese-Dragon Boat Festival
Ms Wan and Mr Fong, Junior School LOTE Mandarin Teachers
Our Junior School LOTE Chinese students came alive with the vibrant celebrations of the Dragon Boat Festival! This traditional Chinese festival, also known as Duanwu Festival, was an exciting opportunity for students to immerse themselves in a rich cultural experience.
In class, students participated in a variety of engaging activities. One of the highlights was the 3D dragon boat making workshop. Armed with cardboards, colour papers, glue, and lots of creativity, students created their own mini dragon boats. These beautiful creations now decorate our classrooms, reminding us of the fun we had. Colouring and 2D dragon boat making were also carried out.
We also held a culture sharing session where students learned about the history and traditions of the Dragon Boat Festival. They discovered the story of Qu Yuan, the ancient poet whose legacy is celebrated with dragon boat races and the eating of zongzi (sticky rice dumplings).
To deepen their understanding, students engaged in a "Step Inside" thinking routine. They imagined themselves as participants in the dragon boat races or as villagers preparing for the festival, considering their thoughts, feelings, and motivations. This activity helped them develop empathy and a deeper connection to the cultural significance of the festival.
Overall, our Dragon Boat Festival celebrations were a fantastic way for students to learn, create, and appreciate a beautiful tradition from another part of the world. We look forward to more such enriching experiences!
Year 2
Ms Kerr, Junior School Year 2 Teacher
This term has been full of engaging, hands-on, learning experiences for Year 2. We started off the term with a fantastic Earth Day assembly, where each student confidently presented and educated the junior school on ways to protect and preserve our planet, emphasising the importance of leaving it better than we found it.
In Mathematics this term, we have explored 2D shapes and 3D objects, understanding their properties and how they relate to the world around us. We thoroughly enjoyed making 3D objects out of marshmallows and toothpicks. Our focus on multiplication and division has helped us develop strong foundational skills in these key areas.
As part of the 7 Steps Writing Program, we worked on "Sizzling Starts" to make our narrative writing more engaging. In reading, we practiced comparing and contrasting, and making predictions to enhance our comprehension skills. For spelling, we learned about silent letters and how they affect the pronunciation of words.
Our Inquiry unit on "Patterns in the Sky" took us on a journey through Earth and space science. We explored various celestial patterns and learned about the fascinating science behind them. We discovered interesting facts about the planets, enhancing our understanding of our solar system. Using Oreos, we made the phases of the moon, turning a fun activity into a learning experience about lunar cycles. We also explored the sun and the shadows it creates, understanding how the position of the sun affects shadows throughout the day.
In our Art lessons, students learned about primary, secondary, and tertiary colours. They created a colour wheel to be the iris of their eyes, combining creativity with their understanding of colour theory.
Outside the classroom, we dived into class swimming lessons and thoroughly enjoyed our time in the pool, improving our strokes while having fun.
We were also the lucky recipients of a pizza lunch as a reward for collecting the most money in the Walkathon. Well done, Year 2, on a super term and we are looking forward to more exciting learning adventures ahead!
MIDDLE & SENIOR SCHOOL
Inter House Soccer
Aaron Wise, Head of Middle & Senior School
I am delighted to announce the outstanding success of our recent Inter-House Soccer Competition! The event saw a fantastic turnout with many students enthusiastically participating and showcasing their athletic skills.
This competition was expertly organised by our dedicated Sports Prefects, Ryan Wong and Lucas Yong, along with the senior school house captains. Their leadership and organisational skills ensured the event ran smoothly, from planning match schedules to overseeing logistics. Their hard work and dedication exemplify the leadership qualities we strive to nurture at AISM.
The competition fostered a sense of camaraderie and school pride, with each house displaying incredible enthusiasm. It was heartening to witness the high level of participation and support from our student body.
The Game of Gamelan
Matthew Fisher, Head of the Arts
Term 2 has been a time of World Music for the 7G Music class with Mrs Taylor. With students from around the globe in the class, it is important that they all become aware of the traditional music of our local region of the world. Not only have the students learned what traditional Gamelan instruments look like, but they have spent many weeks learning to play a variety of Gamelan instruments as an ensemble. Not only have they been playing as a group, but each student has gained skills in writing their own musical score for a Gamelan ensemble. It has been impressive to see and hear the enthusiasm for performing on these instruments.
WHOLE SCHOOL
Shades of Pink Gala Dinner
Aaron Wise, Principal
We are excited to announce the Shades of Pink Gala Dinner on 26 October, an elegant evening filled with delicious cuisine, live entertainment, and more! This event supports breast cancer research and promises to be a highlight of the year.
Join the Planning Committee
We invite parents to join the Gala Dinner Planning Committee. Your help with decorations, sponsorships, entertainment, or event coordination is invaluable. It's a great way to get involved and meet other parents.
How to Sign Up
Interested in joining? Contact the PTC at: ptc@aism.edu.my.
Mark your calendars for 26 October, and help make the Shades of Pink Gala Dinner an evening to remember!
Vaccination Program
Mrs Mac and Nurse Alice, Health Services Nurses
Health Services in collaboration with BSM clinic organised a vaccination program for the students, staff, and parents.
This was conducted at Health Services last Friday after school. Dr Sharin and his assistant were very professional, making the students feel comfortable and at ease.
We would like to thank the BSM group for their services.
CCA
Ivan Yoong, Whole School Sport and CCA Coordinator
Reminder: Semester 1 CCA
CCAs conclude - Thursday, 20 June
iSAMS to Replace Engage
Aaron Wise, Principal
At the beginning of Term 3, staff and students will begin to use our new school management system (SMS), which is called iSAMS. This system will replace Engage.
We will be using iSAMS for all day-to-day functions from the 17th of July, on campus, but the parent portal will launch later in the year. To ease the transition a little, we will undertake two important processes one last time in Engage. We will use Engage for Semester 2 CCA sign-ups as well as for sign-ups for the Parent-Teacher-Student (PTS) Conferences, that will be held on the 31st of August.
iSAMS is an SMS that is widely used in international schools and is highly rated by its users. We look forward to embracing this platform and to making full use of its many tools.
Introducing the AISM Music Academy
Performing Arts Staff, AISM Music Academy
The AISM Music Academy provides students the opportunity to learn a musical instrument with professional music tutors during school hours.
Instrumental lessons involve private tuition on an instrument of choice.
Our music tutors provide specialised instrumental tuition and music reading skills. Choices of instruments include piano, strings, guitars, drums, vocals, and woodwinds. HSC Music students in AISM who have taken lessons with our tutors have historically done well in the HSC Music Examinations.
As we approach semester two, students in the Music Academy will begin to prepare for the annual Music Academy Concert. If students would like to get involved in that and start learning a musical instrument, please click here for the enrolment form to sign up. To read more about our music tutors, please visit the Music Academy page on the school website here.
