Friday was a wild day on campus. We started with the Primary Gathering with Ms Jamie leading the grades through a sing-along which showcased their hard work and talent. The audience was a bit expanded as we had a decent number of MYP and DP students that joined us.
Later we had the KCMC Blood Drive and the Farmers’ Market which are initiatives that are organized by some of our Diploma student groups. We run the blood drive twice a year to support KCMC. They were able to get nearly 90 units and would have had more but staff and students heading up Kili were advised to wait. The Market which normally has about 30 stalls, charges a small fee for the tables and that money goes to help fund our service initiatives in the community.
This weekend we have students involved in Outdoor Pursuits in the Rides program and in Kili training. Today we also have Netball and Volleyball in action at St Judes. Tomorrow our MYP students will be busy preparing for their week away in packing buses. The D1 students heading to Dar for Project Week will be setting off early tomorrow so they can get the full week at their sites.
Without the MYP and D1 students around next week the PYP and D2 students might find it a bit quiet.
This week I will be accompanying students on a project week trip and next weekend will be heading out on a CIS accreditation of another school which will help us prepare for our own accreditation visit later in the school year. Due to these two trips, there will not be a newsletter next Saturday, but any urgent information will be emailed directly to parents from our Heads of Student Life, PYP, MYP and DP.
Looking ahead, after October Break we will have Halloween towards the end of the month, the Sports Weekend on November 21st to the 23rd, MUN the following weekend along with sports and OP trips mixed in. Parents and students please plan your calendar well.
Bob Cofer – Head of Campus
Upcoming Events
Diploma News
This week our D2 students completed their final English A Orals where they had to discuss how two authors addressed issues of global significance. Oral presentations always carry a level of stress but we are so proud of their courage and resilience during the week. We are now heading into Catch-Up week. While the focus will be on Academics and University Planning, we have arranged some activities outside of the classroom like frisbee, running, a river walk, boardgames and even Mario Kart! We look forward to a healthy and productive week.
The schedule for the week is here. Please note that day students must be on campus and follow the same schedule.
The D1 students are excited about project week. This week, Ms Margaret and Mr Cofer reminded the students about the importance of behaving while they are away and reminded them that they are representing themselves, their school and their countries. Each group has been assigned a supervisor who will check in with them and they have important phone numbers to call (at any time of the day) if they need help. We are excited to hear about their learning when we return.
Please mark your calendars: School closes on 10 October for the holiday.
Catherine Dowie – Head of Diploma
South African Team Math Competition
On Saturday 13th September (only 30 minutes after the end of the 24h run), for the first time our school hosted the South African Mathematics Team Competition (SAMTC). Students from Rafiki Foundation, St. Constantine’s International School, and UWCEA (Arusha and Moshi campus) joined forces to form two junior and two senior teams of 10 students each and took part in this competition. Each student took on both individual and team rounds, with the scores combined to represent the three schools as one united team.
Taking part in SAMTC for the first time as a school meant plenty of learning and adapting. It required a lot of communication and organization to fulfill all the criteria and bring together the three schools. But it was all worth it. The competition pushed students to think creatively and quickly, while also depending on one another for support.
As Rudyard Kipling once wrote: “For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack.”
This first SAMTC experience truly lived up to that spirit. Students described the day as challenging, exciting, and unforgettable, and we look forward to making this the beginning of a new tradition for our schools, and more schools to join.
Lily, Alvis and Mr.Julien
Residential Life
Dear UWCEA Community,
The past two weeks have been filled with energy and connection across campus, from lively Trivia Nights to the joy of Language Speed Dating, to dorm activities that continue to foster bonds in our residential community. Each of these moments reflects the spirit of UWCEA: learning, laughing, and growing together.
But the true heartbeat of these weeks was our celebration of the UWC Day. With the theme “Voices for Peace,” our community gathered not only to mark a day on the calendar, but to recommit to what it means to be part of this movement.
The event, led by our Student Government with the support of the Advancement Office and teachers, created a space where our students shared their lived experiences of conflict and division. These were not easy stories to tell, but they were shared with courage and honesty, serving as reminders that peace is not just a distant dream, but an urgent, personal need for many in our community.
What made the evening so powerful was not only the pain reflected in these stories, but the hope that followed. Students challenged us to raise our voices, to keep speaking loudly for peace, and to remember that each one of us holds the power to push back against silence, indifference, and despair. It was an emotional evening, heavy at times, but ultimately uplifting. Together, under the theme of “Voices for Peace,” we were reminded that while peace may begin in distant negotiations and treaties, it also begins right here: in our conversations, in our classrooms, in how we choose to treat one another.
The night closed under the stars with a community documentary screening on the pitch, a fitting image of reflection and unity, where our differences became our strength and our togetherness became our answer.
And as we carry that message forward, our community keeps moving into busy and exciting weeks. Our MYP students are stepping out of their routines during Week Without Walls, exploring and serving beyond the classroom. Our D1 students are embracing new challenges during Project Week, while our D2 students are using this time to focus and steady themselves for the path ahead.
Finally, as a reminder, please complete the following travel survey by October 1, 2025:
We are very excited for our annual Week Without Walls experiential learning trips to kick off on Monday. I would like to thank parents, guardians, residential parents, students, and above all our teachers for helping us get everything set and ready. So much goes on behind the scenes with our OP department, Mr. Cofer, our kitchen staff, our drivers, our nurses, and everyone on campus to ensure these trips run smoothly.
An email has already been shared regarding the drop-off times on Monday…please make sure everyone arrives on time so that departures run smoothly and activities can begin as planned. A schedule was also sent out regarding packing on Sunday, as well as preparing packed lunches for those who normally eat at school. As a reminder, day students who usually bring their own lunch should bring their Monday lunch with them on the day of departure.
I will be sending a daily email with updates and photos, and I will also keep parents informed regarding arrival times on October 3rd. Should you have any inquiries during the week, please don’t hesitate to contact me by email and I will be happy to assist.
M5 – Personal Project In none other than the infamous GenZ language, M5 students have “locked in” and are working hard on their personal projects. They are carefully constructing their process journals which are detailed documents of their process, and have now started working on their Criterion A section through which they will write about their personal interest leading to a learning goal and a product goal. They will then develop their product success criteria informed by extensive research and develop an action plan for the completion of their projects! Lots of great ideas this year as always and we are very excited to see this all come to life!
M1- English Language and Literature M1 English culminated the “History of Messy Rooms” Unit by looking closely at life and understanding what “home” means to different people. They were asked to research individuals/ communities who may have been displaced or lost their homes either due to a natural calamity or due to war. This research had to be then showcased in the form of a Mini Museum that has objects/ symbols that talk about the loss. They also had to do a short descriptive piece on using similes and metaphors. The idea was to make the experience a bit more tangible. They presented beautiful stories that were both personal and communal. Here are some examples. So we can now confidently say, this lot will no longer have messy rooms! (Right M1s?!)
M3 I&S In I&S, we have been learning about different types of government systems, including monarchies and democracies. Right now, we are working in groups to make presentations on major historical events such as the US Civil Rights Movement (1954–1968), the Magna Carta (1215), the American Constitution (1787), the French Revolution (1787–1799), Votes for Women, and the Fall of the Berlin Wall.
Earlier in the unit, we also created a documentary on monarchies, where we explored different countries and their systems of monarchy.
M3 Integrated Sciences In Science, we have been investigating how our bodies respond to exercise. Working in groups, we measured how heart rate changes after different sets of jumping jacks and recorded our results. Each of us is now preparing an individual lab report where we analyze patterns in the data, explain our findings using scientific reasoning, and reflect on whether our hypotheses were correct. It has been a fun and active way to explore how the human body works!
M3 Music The M3s have been working on the guitar as well as giving helpful peer-to-peer feedback. This is a great way for them to improve their confidence and skills in a way that is more comfortable for them. Concert soon!! Yes? No? Maybe?
MYP Dates to Remember
October 10th – Classes end Q1
October 20th – Classes start Q2
Have a great week ahead, Farah Fawaz – Head of MYP
Advisor time in MYP
Our M4 advisory groups came together to celebrate UWC Day with pizza, soft drinks, and meaningful conversations. Guided by Mr. Amos, students reflected on this year’s UWC Day motto, “Voices for Peace”, engaging in thoughtful discussions about what peace means in their own lives and communities. The gathering was both a celebration of togetherness and an opportunity to honor the values at the heart of UWC.
Sports Update
PYP News
Thank you to everyone who joined us for Friday’s Singalong Primary Gathering – we had a wonderful turnout (see photos). We are especially grateful to Ms. Jamie and Mr. Emmanuel for the effort they put into preparing such a lovely presentation.
Playtime Activities
During the gathering, I introduced some new playtime activity options. While football is always popular, it can sometimes bring out strong emotions, so we are encouraging children to explore a wider range of fun activities. Beginning this week, the schedule will be:
Monday – Playground for all children
Tuesday – Football
Wednesday – Dodgeball
Thursday – Basketball
Friday – Football
These activities are completely optional—children are always welcome to spend break times in the playground if that is their preference.
MAP Assessments
Starting Monday, 29th September, P4, P5, and P6 students will take the MAP online assessments in Reading, Language, and Mathematics. No special preparation is required, but a good night’s sleep and a healthy snack will help children do their best.
Please also ensure they bring:
A jacket or hoodie (the IT lab can be chilly due to the A/C),
A water bottle (to be kept outside the IT lab) so that they have access to drinking water. We will not be allowing children to go back to class or head off to the drinking fountains once the assessments are underway.
MAP results will not be available immediately but will be shared with families at a later date.
After-School Clubs
This coming week many of the Diploma students who run clubs for us on a Tuesday will be off campus due to Project Week. Activities will still be provided for the affected children and the EAs will supervise the children. However, please note that the content of the club might be different for this week. If you prefer for your child to go home at lunchtime that is fine but please let us know so that we don’t spend time looking for them. Next week marks the final week of clubs for this quarter. Clubs will resume in Quarter 2, most likely in the second week after the break. If you are interested in offering a club for PYP children, please email me at deborahmills@uwcea.org. Once the schedule is confirmed (thanks to parents and Diploma students volunteering), sign-up details will be shared during the first week back.
A special thanks to the PTA for arranging Taekwondo sessions on Wednesdays (2–3pm) as part of our after-school programme. This will be a paid activity at 5000 Tsh per session. Further details will be sent in a separate email.
Swim Meet
Please note a correction: the swim meet at Kennedy House will take place on 7th October, not 21st October as previously mentioned. Due to event regulations, the number of children allowed to participate in each event is limited. Eligible students will receive invitations via Life this weekend.
Goal-Setting Conferences
The PYP Goal Setting Conferences will be held on Wednesday, 8th October. Please remember there will be no classes that day. Families will receive a sign-up link this weekend via Meet the Teacher. Kindly ensure you read the PDF instructions shared by Bob Cofer before signing up. People often contact me to say they cannot sign up and the issue is that they did not read the instructions. Our school section is IB Primary Years. Primary has a capital letter and Years has a capital letter. The email address you need to enter is the one that you use to access Learn.
Upcoming Gatherings
On Friday, 3rd October at 7:40am, Ms. Kacey’s P2/3 class will present the Primary Gathering in Rafiki Hall. We hope many of you can join us!
Halloween Celebrations
Looking ahead, our PYP Halloween Celebration will take place on October 31st (outside school hours). Participation is optional, as we understand not all families celebrate Halloween. To make this event a success, we kindly ask for:
The children should wear a costume (this can be simple and homemade if preferred)
Donations of wrapped candy (separate boxes will be provided for PYP and Secondary)
Parents to volunteer by decorating their cars for Trunk or Treat (we need at least 10 cars)
Though it may feel early, classes end on October 10th, and we will only have 11 days after the break to prepare. Starting now will ensure a fun and well-organised event for the children.
Deborah Mills – Head of PYP
EC/P1 Class
We completed most of the interviews this week. Well done, everyone, for participating so well in the interviews. You were polite and very confident as you answered questions. Everyone will receive their job allocations on Monday. The job responsibilities will run through to the end of the quarter. We will begin job rotations when we open for the second quarter, as this will be an ongoing action in our class.
We are approaching our goal-setting conferences, where we will share goals for the upcoming quarters. You will receive home learning on Monday concerning this. Please take the time to review the home learning and return it to us as soon as you are able.
Well done, Yara, Leoandro, and Elvis, for getting the leaves this Friday. The growth you are showing is commendable.
Mboka Mwasongwe
P2/3 Class
It was a terrific week in P2/3! We had our first swim session with every student in the pool. Thank you parents for helping with this! Let’s keep it up. Friday’s sing-along was so much fun, the class felt a lot of connection to the song that they learned. We are looking forward to seeing you on Friday at our class Primary Gathering. Please come and support our presentation!
We have begun our new unit and the class is already enthralled.
The Central Idea is:
Making observations and drawing conclusions allows us to explore scientific principles.
The Lines of Inquiry are:
The scientific method
Testing theories and communicating scientific findings
Materials have unique properties
We kicked off the unit with a quick experiment that involved making Invisible Ink. We also spent time considering the role of Observation in Science and how we use our 5 senses to observe the world around us and lead us to ask questions. Questions on the walk to Music included: “Why do some plants grow thorns?” and “Why is it colder at night?”
Kacey Buckley
P4/5 Class
Last week I forgot to formally welcome Kenaëlle back to class. We were so happy to see her. She returned just in time to celebrate her birthday with us!
As a final activity for our unit on identity and developing a growth mindset, the children carried out an activity called “Saving Fred.” Fred was a gummy worm, trapped on top of a boat (paper cup) with his lifesaver( gummy ring) underneath the boat. The children were only allowed to touch the cup, Fred and the lifesaver using paper clips and they had to put the life preserver on Fred without dropping him in the ocean. Much hilarity ensued as the children learned the benefits of working with a partner (see photo).
Our new Unit of Inquiry about the forms and purposes of storytelling has got off to a very enjoyable start. We have been reading older versions of folktales and fairytales. One of the things that the children have learned is that modern stories with their sanitised happy ever after endings for all characters are different from the older versions which, in some cases, are quite bloodthirsty!
Next week the children will complete online Math assessments. P5 children who were with me last year are familiar with this routine. For P4 children it will be a new experience. We will be working on keeping the atmosphere in class calm and positive. If you have any questions, or if your child expresses anxiety at home, please email me. Please send your child with a hoodie/jacket (the IT lab can be chilly) and a water bottle.
Please note that this coming week is the final week of clubs.
Deborah Mills
P6 Class
We’ve been busy wrapping up our current unit of inquiry. The students are creating Canva presentations to showcase their learning of Ancient Civilizations and their contributions to modern day. We have been prepping for MAP tests next week by looking at the relationship between fractions and decimals. A shout out to Thomas and Parth for gritting their teeth and using long division to convert fractions into decimal places that reached the hundreds of thousandths.
Thank you to Ms. Jamie and Mr. Swai for arranging a wonderful sing along Primary Gathering for us all!
Elisha Jaffer
From the Counselors
Thank you to the 80+ parents and students who attended the Financial Aid Workshop hosted by representatives from St. Lawrence University on Tuesday. There will be an online version of this session on October 1, and the link (and subsequent recording and slides) will be shared with parents and students.
On Monday, September 29, we will have visitors from several Davis partners including: Concordia, St. Johns, College of the Atlantic, Earlham, Middlebury, St. Olaf, Marist, Lewis and Clark, Wartburg, and Whitman. Students will have workshops with all of the representatives and then a university fair.
All D1 families have been invited to a series of Coffee College Chats with me, either in person or virtual. These are held in a casual setting where you can ask questions early and build connections. No need to RSVP. Please refer to the email I sent last week for more information.
Our university representatives consistently remark on the passion, curiosity, preparedness, and empathy our students show. Stay tuned for more information on the UWCEA University and Career Counseling website.
All the best, Liz Elger – University Advisor
Service in Action
We have had an outstanding start to our Wednesday Service Program. Our Student Service Teams have hit the ground running by engaging the community, building empathy and finding creative ways to serve the needs of our community members. From meal plans and patient visits at KCMC hospital to the waste management and compost turning in the Community Garden to the baking of treats to Appreciate our schools ground staff. Every little bit helps and makes a difference in the lives of our community. Below are the images of 2x wool-knitted blankets knitted by our students as gifts to newborn babies, born at KCMC hospital.
Dates to Remember
Wednesday 1st October – Week Without Walls and Project Week
Wednesday 8th October – First Quarter Service Reflections
Wednesday 15th October – October break
Wednesday 22nd October – Service resumes
Sustainability
Sustainability Committee
The Sustainability Committee is excited to share two new measures taken towards making our community greener and more responsible.
First, following our advocacy, the use of napkins in the dining hall will be completely phased out after Project Week / Catch-Up Week /Week Without Walls. To support this transition while maintaining hygiene, students are encouraged to wash their hands with water and soap at the dining hall sinks and use the fully functional hand dryers provided. With more than 51,000 trees cut down every day to produce napkins, this change (though small in scale) represents a meaningful step toward reducing unnecessary deforestation and making our daily routines more sustainable.
In addition, the Duka has introduced important changes to cut down on unnecessary waste and litter. Juice boxes, which are non-biodegradable, non-recyclable, and often end up scattered around our campus, have been removed from sale. Instead, fresh, healthy juice will now be served in reusable cups that have 1k deposit.
Similarly, paper plates previously used for snacks will be replaced by reusable plates, encouraging responsibility and reducing single-use waste on campus.
Together, small changes can lead to lasting impact. For any questions or to get involved, please reach out to a member of the Sustainability Committee. Thank you for your continuous support and cooperation.
Charity (D1)
Sustainability Coordinator
As project week and week without walls approaches, we wish the very best to our students heading out into this great country. Be safe, have fun and make good choices.
For the last year, I have been gathering data around our ecological footprint. This is being done not only as United World College East Africa, but across the United World College movement, and so is an important collaboration with our sister colleges around the world. With the support of Archadis, a group of engineers based in the Netherlands, our UWCEA 2030 goals for sustainability are set to be published in October. Watch this space for more details in the upcoming month.
Efforts on campus: As part of our commitment to sustainability and reducing packaging waste, our committee has partnered with the Duka to eliminate single-serve tetrapack juice boxes. These items are not recyclable, constantly found littering our campus and loaded with huge quantities of sugar. Further to this, our kitchen and garden staff are committed to removing napkins from our canteen in the coming weeks. Though this is a small step, we are moving our campus towards a greener future. If you have any questions, please reach out to williamtaylor@uwcea.org.
William Taylor (Sustainability Coordinator)
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