Wednesday afternoon saw the secondary sports, service and activity fair on the green with students going around talking about everything that happens outside of the classroom. This was an opportunity to continue activities they already like but also get exposed to other activities that they may have not considered. The primary students are also selecting their clubs for the first term.
On Monday the Student Government hosted our welcome assembly, officially kicking off the school year. Field trips started this week as well with the M5 off to learn about the making of pharmaceutical products as part of their chemistry class. Learn more about these and other events on campus below.
Also please remember that this Friday the 29th is a teacher in-service day so there are no classes. At the moment, Friday September 5th looks like it will be Maulid so there will be no school. We will update you on the 5th next week.
Bob Cofer – Head of Campus
24-Hr Run
Diploma News
The D2s had a busy week with the first of their assessments and the D1s made some final subject changes. By now, most students should be fairly well settled into their choices and only make occasional changes.
The highlight of the week, however, was the D1 Kiswahili class singing “Jambo Jambo Bwana” at our first assembly on Monday. The song means “Hello, sir” and is often sung as a welcome song to visitors. The students in the Ab Initio (meaning beginner) class are just beginning to learn the language and it is always fun to hear them greeting Kiswahili speakers in the corridor! The song is a representation of our warm and welcoming Tanzanian culture.
The D1s were also introduced to CAS (Creativity, Activity, and Service), which is a core component of the DP program. Students need to demonstrate that they are well-rounded members of the community by being creative, being active and serving the community. We had our Clubs, Activities and Services fair on Wednesday and students signed up for a range of extracurricular activities. These range from frisbee to rugby, from cheerleading to knitting, from choir to basketball, from yearbook to astronomy club – and so much more. It is always a good reminder that we are so much more than academics.
This coming week, the D2 English A students will complete their mock Individual Oral and submit their Extended Essay draft. Students who don’t meet the deadline of Friday 4pm will be required to attend the EE “lockdown” on Saturday which is a dedicated time to complete the task. The EE is a 4000 word research essay in a subject of their choice. It is graded by the IB examiners and can add additional points to students total score.
Please note that there is no school on Friday as the teachers are meeting with the teachers from our Arusha campus.
Catherine Dowie – Head of Diploma
MYP News
With the first full week of classes underway, students have quickly shifted from orientation into active learning. Across year levels, they are already engaging with new concepts, testing ideas, and sharing their thinking in creative ways. It has been inspiring to see the energy in classrooms as students explain their choices, question one another, and discover how different perspectives can shape understanding.
As routines settle, teachers are guiding activities that encourage independence and reflection, helping students take ownership of their learning from the very start. We look forward to sharing more snapshots of inquiry, collaboration, and discovery as the term unfolds.
M1- Integrated Science In their first science lesson, students explored key scientific concepts and vocabulary in a creative way. Each student sketched visual representations of words on mini whiteboards, then compared their drawings with classmates. They explained why they drew what they did, sparking discussion about how scientific ideas can be understood and represented in different ways, a fun way to begin thinking like scientists! Can you guess the word in the picture?
M2 – The Creative Process For the past couple of lessons in The Creative Process, we have been working on cardboard construction techniques where we were instructed to build a prototype and create a guide for using it. Once we finished we put it on a poster and added a QR code which sends you to an instruction manual with a link to a possible YouTube video to help you make it. – Jayden M2
M5 Integrated Science In the M5 Integrated Science class, we’ve been studying “Organic Chemistry” and got the chance to visit the Kilimanjaro School of Pharmacy to see how organic chemistry is used to make medicines we rely on every day. We got to see how different chemical reactions and molecules come together to create safe and effective drugs. It was really interesting to learn about the steps involved, from making the main ingredients to preparing the final medicine. This trip helped us connect what we study in class to real life healthcare and showed us how important chemistry is in keeping people healthy. It also made many of us think about possibly pursuing careers in science or medicine in the future. – Jean M5
Our M5 science students went on a field trip to the Kilimanjaro School of Pharmacy for their Organic Chemistry unit. During the trip, they learned about different organic chemicals, pharmaceuticals and chemical formulas-including the formula of teachers’ favorite thing, coffee! Not only did they gain a deeper understanding of chemistry, the M5’s also got to see the process of creating medicinal drugs and the different types of machines used to create these medicines/pills. – Angelina, M5
MYP Dates to Remember
August 23rd – M1 Camp Craft with New M2 and M3 Students
August 27th – Service Starts
August 29th – Joint Campus Teacher Inset Day – No Classes
September 12th & 13th – 24 Hr Run on Moshi Campus
September 15th to 19th – MYP MAP Testing (M1, M2, M3)
September 29th to October 3rd – Week Without Walls
October 10th – Classes End Q1
October 11th – October 19th – October Break (Inclusive)
October 20th – Q2 Begins
Have a great week ahead, Farah Fawaz – Head of MYP
Service, Clubs and Sports Fair
This week our Service, Clubs and Sports Fair was a great success. Despite the afternoon sun blazing over exhibition stands, our various Sports, clubs, service and activity leaders introduced new students to the best Service, Clubs and Sports that UWCEA Moshi has to offer. With great energy and enthusiasm students have signed themselves into a year of service and fun activities that promote healthy, sport-active lifestyles. We look forward to serving with you, developing collaborative projects with you, playing sports on the fields with you, and simply contributing to UWCEA Moshi’s awesome extra-curricular program. Our vast program is just another feature that makes our community so special.
Please look out for the schedule early next week to see what time and where all the Clubs, Activities, Service and Sports will be held.
Baden Dowie- Service and Community engagement
PYP News
Thank you to everyone who attended the Meet the Teacher evening last Thursday. It was great to see so many people there. If you were unable to attend you should receive a handout from the class teacher covering the salient points of the presentation.
Many of the PYP children enjoyed the Carnival on Friday. Thank you to the Culture and Campus Committee for inviting us. The photo shows Jiyu (P5) dancing.
Primary clubs will start on Monday 2 – 3pm. The locations of the different clubs will be posted on the door of Room 5 (next to the Primary office). Younger children should be collected from the club, older children will follow their usual arrangements. The club sign up is now closed. If you did not sign your child up and still wish to do so, please email me. Please look on Life to see the clubs your child will attend this quarter.
On Friday, 29th August, there will be no classes and the children will remain at home. The Moshi teachers will be meeting with their Arusha counterparts on that day. Due to their being no school on Friday, next week’s Primary Gathering (hosted by P6) will take place on Thursday morning at 7:40am in Rafiki Hall. Please note that the following Friday (5th September) is the provisional date for Maulid so that week might also turn out to be a 4 day week.
Home learning for all classes should now be underway. Please help us by ensuring that your child completes their home learning and checking it before it is returned to school. Home learning provides opportunities for “a teachable moment.” For example, it is far more effective for you to tell your child in the moment that the word Moshi requires a capital letter, than for the teachers to tell them 4 days later when they check the home learning book.
Deborah Mills – Head of PYP
EC/P1 Class
Superheroes in training spent the week defining the word community. We spoke about different communities in our lives. The children drew pictures of their families as well as the people who help them at home. We took it a step further and spoke about friends in our school community. The children drew friendship webs as they named 4 of their friends. These will be ready to view in the classroom once they are complete on Monday.
Next week, we will start to explore the school community in more depth. We will walk to various places around school to learn about the roles and activities of people in those areas and how they contribute to our school community.
Thank you to all the parents who joined us for Meet The Teacher Night. It was wonderful to see such a big crowd. The year is shaping up to be another great year in EC/P1.
Mboka Mwasongwe
P2/3 Class
We had a terrific week in P2/3. The children are settled in nicely and we have filled our days with learning. Brainstorming about superhero powers has made for lively discussions and lots of imaginative ideas. On Thursday, we steered the conversation towards how important it is that powers are used for good. It’s a wonderful topic at the beginning of the school year as we spend time thinking about the best ways to be together in the community of the school. May I suggest that you join in the fun and talk about favorite superheroes or superpowers at home?
I’m grateful that so many of you were able to make it to Meet the Teacher Night. It was lovely to share plans and explain more about the approach in our class. Support from home is so vital at this age. Thanks for all that you do.
Kacey Buckley
P4/5 Class
This week the children created identify charts, exploring the idea of, “What makes you, you?” They looked at some similarities and differences between their own charts and those of other people. We read the inspirational book, “Emmanuel’s Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah” and learned that, due to his disabled leg, Emmanuel had to hop 2 miles to school and 2 miles back each day. The children hopped to their music lesson to see what this would feel like – the verdict was “very tiring and painful.” Emmanuel did not allow his challenges to hold him back. Our focus next week will be on, “How can my thinking shape my learning?” and we will learn about growth mindsets and fixed mindsets. In maths we looked at writing numbers in standard, expanded and word form and how to model them. Next week we will move onto mentally adding units, tens, hundreds and thousands. The class did a very good job of reading each night and completing their home learning. Please continue to support the children by checking their home learning before they return it to class. We were sad to say goodbye to Xixi this week. We have enjoyed his visit with us and hope to see him again one day. Many thanks to Mama Xixi for bringing in candied fruit for the children to enjoy.
Deborah Mills
P6 Class
It’s been a blast from the past with Cleopatra and Hammurabi coming into the classroom to talk to the students about life way back when. My favourite moment was when the two came together and the kids’ eyes brightened up. I love seeing their minds blown, and this was definitely a great way to do so. Thank you Ms. Farah and Mr. Matt for being awesome sports and coming into class.
This week we’ve been working on our unit provocations by continuing to explore different Ancient Civilizations through reading, images and characters. We will wrap the provocations up next week and put together our Central Idea and Lines of Inquiry. In math, we have been working on rounding numbers and expanding numbers. Next week, we will move onto learning some heuristic strategies to solve addition and subtraction problems and tackle everyone’s favourite math topic – fractions!
Elisha Jaffer
Outdoor Pursuits
First week of school and first OP trip completed! The start of term has been very busy, with OP trips kicking off straight away. Last weekend all our D1 students joined their Arusha counterparts on the annual Pamoja (Together) Walk. You can read Cara’s thoughtful reflection on the trip below.
This weekend it’s the MYPs’ turn to test their campcraft skills. The Arusha OP team have prepared a fantastic itinerary of activities to give students a “taster menu” of our Peaks, Plains, Reefs and Rides programs. Think of it as a buffet of the outdoors – minus the cutlery and with a lot more sunscreen. More on that in next week’s newsletter!
We’re also busy planning the first set of Discovery trips: Peaks Discovery to North Pare and Plains Discovery to Makuyu. For many students, this will be their very first OP trip – an exciting opportunity to experience the beauty of Tanzania (and possibly to discover just how heavy a backpack can feel after the first kilometre).
This year, we’ve made a slight change to the sign-up process: only students can sign up. This ensures that students take responsibility for their trip choices. Once a student signs up, parents/guardians will automatically receive an email with further details. Please remember that consent must then be given on Life if your child wishes to attend.
A quick reminder: the OP calendar, kit lists and program catalogues are all available on the OP section of the school website. We encourage all students and parents to review the catalogues, which include overviews, itineraries, fitness requirements and pre-requisites.
The OP team are excited for another year of adventure – and we promise that while not every day will be uphill, most will at least come with a good view!
Mr Andy
D1 Campcraft Review 16th -17th August 2025
The annual D1 campcraft weekend was truly a wonderful experience, and what I took to be a tentative first step into the world of OP trips ultimately turned into a marvellous plunge into adventure in the Arushan savannah. The trip began promisingly with an early start before arriving in Arusha campus. Split into four groups, we then journeyed along some lovely scenic roads and saw a little more of the Tanzanian countryside before beginning our trek shortly after midday. Despite the initial heat and dust, we set out with high spirits and loaded water bottles, fresh minds intent on making the most of what was (for most of us) our first experience of the African plains.
I took part in the challenge group, which began with some gentle inclines before progressing to steeper climbs and battles with thorny scrub bushes. We swiftly settled into a comfortable walking routine and began to enjoy each other’s company and being out together in nature. The more unusual aspect of this trip was the chance it provided to meet with and interact with our fellow D1s from Arusha campus for the first time, and it was lovely to meet and connect with them. Pamoja walk itself was very rewarding, providing beautiful views over the savannah and the uniquely beautiful acacia, juniper and cactus trees. We saw many goats and local bomas, as well as several fascinating bones and moulted snake skins, but the most exciting moment for me came at the camp itself, where I witnessed a family of colobus monkeys cheerfully grooming each other high up amongst the trees.
After a lovely fresh meal and warming campfire, we had the pleasure of experiencing the true expanse of the stars of the southern hemisphere for the first time in their true glory; far away from lights or civilisation, it seemed to me that time stood still. I could have stayed there for thousands of years gazing up there, but we bedded down early enough for a quick sunrise hike in the morning.
Overall, this trip was an incredible opportunity to venture into the wider world of Tanzania outside of our lovely surroundings in Moshi, and a wonderful chance to get to know each other better whilst also enjoying some of the gorgeous nature that abounds in this country.
I’m very grateful to all the wonderful staff and guides who organised this trip and can’t wait to further explore the world of OP trips in the next two years.
Cara (D1)
Student Support On UWCEA Moshi Campus!
The Wellbeing Department is here to ensure that students, parents and the community feel seen, listened to and supported while at school. Our expertise lies in supporting students socially and emotionally and we believe in supporting a student holistically, and we work closely with advisors, the health centre, inclusion, residential parents and teachers. We are committed to the wellbeing of every member of our community and actively promote it in many ways, including through our weekly Lifeskills & Advisory programs in the classroom.
Our room number 18 is located in the heart of the school, opposite the staff lounge and we have an open-door policy. Please swing by to say hi if you get a chance!
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the wellbeing of your child, please do not hesitate to get in touch!
The Health Centre is here to ensure that all students feel safe, cared for, and supported in their health and wellbeing. We provide first aid, manage ongoing medical needs, and coordinate with families and outside healthcare providers when necessary. Whether it’s a minor injury, routine medication, or support for a longer-term condition, our team is ready to help.
The Health Centre is also a place where students can come for health advice or a quiet moment when they’re not feeling well. We are located opposite Kijana Dorm and next to Kiongozi Dorm, and we welcome students at any time.
Our team — Dr. Marieke Dekker, Ms. Faraja, and Ms. Brenda — look forward to caring for you. Please feel free to stop by, say hello, and get to know us anytime!
Tupo pamoja – We’re in this together
The Inclusion Department helps make sure that every student feels supported and has a fair chance to succeed, no matter their learning style, background, or any challenges they might face. We work with teachers, families, and sometimes outside experts to give students the extra help they need—whether that’s support with learning or related to students’ well-being, as we see it holistically. Our goal is to create a welcoming and inclusive environment where all students can do their best, feel valued, and be part of the school community.
Our team consists of Ms Vicky, Mr Leonard, Ms Irene, Mr Kato and Ms Leenster. Feel free to pop into Room 1 to chat or send an email to leenstereloff@uwcea.org.
Karibu sana!
University Counselling provides support for students and families with all things related to life after UWCEA. Thanks to the generosity of our Davis Partners, all UWC graduates are eligible for need-based financial assistance to help make studying at partner institutions in the U.S. a reality. As the University Counselor, I work with students in all phases of the university decision process: research, application, essay, financial aid, and final decision. More information can be found on the UWCEA College Counseling website. My office is located next to the Library, and I am available by appointment through https://calendly.com/elizabethelgeruwcea. As my family and I are brand new to the UWCEA family, please pop by to say hello!
We are thrilled to see the enthusiasm and efforts of our students, staff, parents and wider community, as we settle into another academic year. There are many ongoing efforts as we work towards our mission for a sustainable and peaceful future.
The sustainability committee has been steadily active. Lily (D2) and Sharon (D2) are seen leading by example. A special thanks to Phuc (D2) for his painting efforts as well.
The committee also presented to diploma advisory groups, are managing the compost and solid waste systems and continuing in several capacities as environmental champions.
To those new faces we ask that you take time to read our community recycling station signage and thank you for keeping our waste to a clean, organized minimum.
A special mention with gratitude to Ms. Kacey, Ms. Zitha and the P2/3 class who visited and cared for our campus chickens this week! Another honorable mention to DP Coordinator Ms. Dowie, MacKenzie (P5), Jack (M1), Ewan (P4) for making this a part of their weekly routine.
Of course there is honorable mention to the MYP and DP students who have been stepping up for chicken care. These birds are producing eggs, enriching soils and cutting waste in the process, making our garden extra fertile and productive.
There are many updates and announcements to come from the sustainability team, watch this space. Please reach out with any ideas, concerns or questions to sustainabilitymoshi@uwcea.org.
