The first week back to school is an odd mix of the new and old. We are fresh off the holiday and have new faces around, but things quickly drop back into old routines. It was really great to see everyone catching up on what happened over the holidays and a thank you to the student buddies that helped the new students feel welcome.
This quarter already has a number of events on the calendar so please check this to keep informed. As well the coordinators have noted some important dates for those grades. I would like to highlight a few items including the production on February 1st and 2nd. More details on this and getting tickets will be posted soon. The MYP Week-without-walls, the D1 Project week and the D2 Mock exams are all in February with the trips starting on February 12th.
I hope everyone has a great quarter as we push into 2024.
Bob Cofer – Head of Campus
Upcoming Events
Sunday 6:45pm in Rafiki Hall
I’d like to emphasise that it’s open to the entire Moshi community. If you bring food it’s free entrance and if you are just coming to try other people’s food it’s Tsh6,000 entrance.
Quick summary about how my event works: It’s about learning more about the different cultures of our community through sharing cultural dishes, allowing others to try yours and you theirs. There’ll be music and games and will be on Saturday 27th Jan from 4:30 to 6.
Ben’s Corner
“My New Year’s resolution is to stop procrastinating…starting tomorrow!”
HAPPY NEW YEAR! Like many people, I start the new year with a set of resolutions. One or two goals for self-improvement that I am determined to keep. In classes and the Staff Lounge this week, I heard talk of study goals and grade aspirations, fitness targets, heartfelt promises of reduced time spent on social media and plans of action for healthier sleep routines! Of course, the very act of creating a New Year’s resolution seems illogical. Why should January 1st be any better than any other day to make a change? However, over the holiday period, many of us, like me, tend to overindulge and see the new year as an opportunity to hit the refresh button.
Often, our resolutions only focus on our individual failings and, ironically, we then fail to keep them. So, as we move into a new semester, I challenge you to focus on the collective. To multiply your positive impact on others through shared resolutions that will benefit us all. UWCEA Resolutions if you like. Do what you can to make our community a little bit better for everyone. In addition, let us try to expend our energy on starting things rather than stopping things. To concentrate on possibilities rather than shortcomings.
Our rapid response to the disastrous mudslide in the Hanang District before the break is a perfect example of the power of the collective.
Representatives from our Student Voice delivered the generous donations from the UWCEA community to the Regional Commissioner’s office on the last day of Quarter 2. These were added to existing contributions from across Moshi and delivered to the residents of Katesh and nearby towns.
Ben Morley – Deputy Head of Campus
Diploma News
I am writing this while sitting with a group of D2 students who are trying to catch up with their submissions. It has been a hard week for them with the TOK draft essay and final Extended Essay having been due this week along with the Mathematics IA draft. We understand that the work they are submitting is important and that they want to produce their best work. The phrase I hear a lot is “It is done but I just want to check it one more time”. Organisation and Communication are so important and there may be some flexibility with deadlines. The DP residential parents are helping the students who are behind with making plans on how to tackle the work left.
On Wednesday we talked about what they need to do still, the mock examinations and graduation. The mock examinations take place from the Wednesday 7th February to Friday 16th February. Graduation takes place on Saturday 18th May and students are expected to be off campus on Sunday 19th May. There are many events planned as part of their final few weeks.
The D1 students have started semester 2 well. They are no longer new and have hopefully settled into their subjects. The new student government have already started planning events – an assembly on Monday and a sports event on Friday. Project week is a focus now and they will do their final planning on Tuesday. This will be shared with you as part of the trip permission process.
Please note the school year ends for D1 on Friday 14th June. In the last two weeks we have the Collaborative Science Project and the TOK Exhibition. Both of these are compulsory parts of the Diploma and missing them will have an impact on their progress. Please consider this when booking flights.
Margaret Brunt – Diploma Coordinator
Music
The D1 Music students have been treated to an exploration of Music of the Balkans, lead by Kenan Mackovic, this week. This will be followed by a practical workshop next week. We’re very grateful to have such a prominent musician in our midst. Anyone in the community, who feels they are able to expose our students to different musical traditions from anywhere in the world, are most welcome to contact Mr. Samuel.
A Clean Community
We in the Community Clean Up Service Group do not only speak of sustainability, but act accordingly as well. Every week, we strive to ensure that the school and its surrounding areas are cleared of waste and trash. Tanzania is still only in the early stages of a circular economy, and so much of the trash, whether it be glass, plastic, metal or paper, is thrown into the roadside. This creates an ugly and polluted environment for us, and can cause harm to local wildlife. Every Wednesday, we split up into groups to collect the waste that has accumulated in our local community. Furthermore, we have also broadened our ambitions, and now seek to improve the very recycling at our school campus. Some of us may even visit the Moshi recycling facility shortly. Through this, we hope to create a cleaner, healthier and happier community, one week at a time.
– The Community Clean Up Service Group
Residential Life
Dear UWCEA Community,
Welcome back!
Week 1 is almost behind us and residential life is back in full swing. This week, we already have the first event of the quarter: Colombian Culture Night.
Our new Student Government met yesterday to start planning for the year, and they are happy to announce the first Interhouse Track and Field Competition to be held on January 26th. If you are in Moshi, please come and support it.
Adnan Mackovic – Head of Residential Life
M1 and M2 representatives planning meeting
Well-being Committee planning meeting
Secondary Student Government
Welcome back everyone and a happy new year!
This week we had our first full student government meeting. As a government, we got to know each other, and plan our goals, expectations and projects for the year. We broke off into our separate committees and met with the previous student government representatives to help guide our new members as they take on the new posts.
The activities committee got off with a good start, working hard on our upcoming interhouse athletics competition next Friday the 26th. The wellbeing committee worked on upcoming mental health based projects. The culture and campus committee filled up our culture night calendar for the rest of the school year!
We are all excited and looking forward to continuing the legacy of previous governments and bettering our community!
Alina & Eugene – Co-Presidents of Student Government 2024
Activities Committee planning meeting
Culture & Campus Committee planning meeting
MYP News
Welcome back! As we kick off Q3, here’s a friendly reminder that every effort counts, big or small. Students, you’ve got this, so embrace challenges as opportunities to shine. Parents and guardians, your support is invaluable… and of course the MYP team of educators at school, you are superstars!
Let’s make this quarter a collective success! Welcome to a new chapter of growth and achievements.
New Students Welcome! We are very excited to welcome Maya, Aasron, Sinza, Imaran, Carlos, Rhys and Siima to our MYP community! It has been a wonderful week getting to know you all… and what can I say, it feels like you have been here for much longer! Our existing students’ “buddies” and mentors helped our new students get on board with
IT/Tech essentials
Life and Learn (our school platforms)
Timetables
School Tour
Service
Subject Choices
Our residential parents introduced them to their new home, and I had a short orientation session with them about the MYP essentials in terms of academic expectations, assessments, assessment criteria and the framework in general. Best part is, they ended the week “sweetly” as demonstrated in the picture!
M2 Music: The M2s started guitar this week with our in-house expert, Mr. Emmanuel Swai. Since last term the students learned ukulele, they have been able to transfer the skills acquired to the larger instrument. The goal is to play “Hold Me Down” by Shawn Mendes. Stay tuned for their performance!
Thank you Ms. Jamie and Mr. Swai!
MYP Dates to Remember:
January 20th – M5 PP Products Due
January 30th – M5 PP Criterion B due
February 12th – 16th – Week Without Walls
February 22nd – 27th – Long Weekend
March 4th – 8th – Book Week
Farah Fawaz – MYP Coordinator
From the Counselors
Appreciating our Alumni
We can’t thank our alumni enough for being a part of our annual January event. This year’s theme was Jumuika nasi katika ya wiki ya Alumni (Connecting with Alumni Week) as we emphasized the importance of creating connections and building your network through engaging with alumni. Our alumni answered the call (email, Google, WhatsApp, etc.), and were open to answering a slew of inquiries from current students who wanted to know more about their on campus experiences. One tool for this that we discussed was LinkedIn, which is reemerging as a popular platform for establishing professional connections. I shared with students a recent blog about how high school students can utilize LinkedIn, which was written by an outstanding University Counselor who I am fortunate to have in my network. As our alumni community continues to grow, it is exciting to see how far the connections will go. Asanteni sana to our amazing alumni for staying connected and sharing your expertise. Please continue to keep the lines of communication open! We also thank Nero for expanding our network by establishing an Instagram account for the College and Career Counseling department. Stay tuned for more images and information coming your way via @fursafari_uwcea.
UPCOMING College and University Events
29 January: During mentor time King’s University College at Western University (Canada) in person visit
Please make sure you are checking the calendar on the UWCEA Careers website for a slew of virtual programming that is available across the globe.
Aizhan Smagulova – University and Career Counselor
Sports Update
Leopards on the move!
Welcome back Leopards, the weather is trying not to rain all day and the fields are looking full, let’s get back out there and be active!
PYP clubs will start Monday, hopefully everyone has signed up for one of the many clubs that are offered during the week.
Secondary clubs will start Monday also, but there are many clubs that are adding, so keep a lookout for new opportunities that will be communicated in the coming weeks about new clubs offered.
NTSAA sports in season include U16 football boys and girls, U19 basketball boys and girls and U13 mixed basketball. The dates for games have not yet been set, but it is looking like the first tournament date could be Jan. 27th.
The Athletics makeup dates have been announced. The PYP runners are invited back to Arusha on Thursday Feb. 1st and the Secondary plan to travel Friday, Feb. 2nd. Mr. T is working on building the PYP team and there is an after-school club in order to give them some practice before the meet. Secondary should start practicing on their own now! We will need to finalize our team members by Jan. 22nd, so students interested please respond to my email as soon as you can.
There will be a PYP Swimming Gala at SCIS on March 1st and for secondary on March 2nd. More information will be coming, but our swimmers should start getting in the pool to be ready for this event.
U13 mixed basketball have a tournament in St. Jude’s on Feb. 10th. Mr. Ramy has communicated with students and is looking to start practice next week.
U11 mixed football have been invited for a friendly competition also at St. Judes on Feb. 10th. Mr. T is looking at the students that participate in Saturday football for this team.
An M5 student, Malo, is putting together a U19 volleyball competition with local schools. The invitation letter has gone out, if schools accept that could start on Feb. 3rd.
If you would like to offer a Secondary club, get in touch we are finalizing that schedule soon.
Coach Pickell
PYP News
Happy New Year. It was very nice to see the children return to school, full of news about their holidays. Saturday football club with Coach T has already started for the semester. After school clubs will begin next week on Monday. Coach Pickell emailed the sign up link last week. There are no paper and pencil sign ups – please make sure to sign your child up on Life. If the sign ups are closed, please email Coach Pickell on joshpickell@uwcea.org and he will help you. On Monday we have a welcome back to school whole school assembly at 10:30am in K-Hall. The P6 children will present a musical performance on the glockenspiels and xylophones. The class will also talk briefly about their upcoming PYP Exhibition (PYPx). We are looking forward to seeing their final presentations on March 20th and 21st. Parents should have received an email last week explaining that for the moment swimming lessons have been replaced with PE lessons so the children should wear appropriate sports footwear on their “swimming” days. As soon as we have news to share about swimming lessons you will be informed. For the time being, we all wish Coach Sabini a speedy recovery. Sharon (M5) is keen to have some P4 – 6 children plus parents attend her cultural cafe on January 27th at 4:30pm in Rafiki Hall. The children need to be accompanied by an adult. You will see further details about this fun and educational event near the start of the newsletter. We have 2 new children in EC1. Welcome to Sia and Zavier and families – we hope you will be very happy with us.
Upcoming dates:
22nd January – Welcome back whole school assembly
24th January – P4/5 trip to TPC
24th January – P6 parents information session regarding the PYPx 3:00-3:45pm in room 15
25th – 26th January – P4/5 camp at Kahawa Shambani
2nd February – Primary Gathering (PE)
Deborah Mills – PYP Coordinator
EC/P1 Class
Happy New Year to you all. Welcome back to school and welcome to our new parents as well.
We have had a wonderful week of settling into class routines and reviewing our letters, reading, and number work knowledge. This coming week, we will be starting our unit of the quarter. It will be an exciting one.
Transdisciplinary theme: Sharing The Planet Central Idea: Animals have a place in our world and people can care for them. Lines of Inquiry: The role of animals in our community How humans and animals share our community Our responsibilities towards animals
From the 29th of January to the 23rd of February, we will welcome Maylinn to our class. Here is a brief bio from her.
My name is Maylinn, I’m 26 years old and I come from the south of Norway. I’m in my third and final year of studying as a kindergarten teacher. In my spare time, I enjoy swimming, drawing, climbing, and traveling.
Mboka Mwasongwe
P2/3 Class
We enjoyed a wonderful start back to school in P2/3. Despite a few sleepy mornings, children jumped back into routine with excitement about the new semester. We enjoyed our look into Archaeology and thinking about artefacts. We also had fun learning about New Years traditions from around the world.
We are looking forward to having 2 visitors to class in the week to come. Mama Harjeet will be talking about Diwali and Mama Aarefa will be talking about Ramadan. Isn’t it amazing all the cultures that we are able to learn about at our school?
As we get back into the rhythm of school, please help us with the following days:
Monday- Library books
Tuesday and Thursday- PE shoes, water bottles and hats (We will keep you updated about a return to the PE Swim.)
Friday- return Home Learning folders
Kacey Buckley
P4/5 Class
This week the children have made calendars, decorated with a beautiful “4 seasons” tree painting. We have spent some time practicing reading a calendar and also using time related vocabulary and learning how many days are in each month. In our language lessons we have been writing simple sentences to show feelings. Next week, we will move onto writing complex sentences and using powerful verbs. As part of our unit on food production, we have looked at avocado farming, Tanzania’s “green gold” We considered the challenges and opportunities facing small farmers and how the government could help with food production and distribution. Next week we will go to the OP store on Monday to check out equipment for our camp and we will also learn how to put up a tent in preparation for our camp. Wednesday will be our trip to TPC to learn about sugar manufacturing. Thursday and Friday will be our camp to Kahawa Shambani to learn about coffee production. We are hoping for good weather – if the rains force a change of plan I will let you know as soon as possible. We will visit the OP store on Monday. The photo shows some MYP students who supported the class in their basketball lesson last Thursday – thank you for giving up your time MYPs!
Deborah Mills
P6 Class
Welcome back! I hope you had a great break and are now all set for an exciting Quarter 3. Our preparations for the PYP Exhibition are in full swing, with P6 just wrapping up a fantastic retreat at Kishari House over the past two days.
During the retreat, the students finished exploring the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and wrote their own Central Ideas. Alongside some serious work, P6 also had a lot of fun—swimming, playing games, toasting marshmallows over a campfire, enjoying a movie night, and even making their own tie-dye t-shirts.
Next week, they’ll be finishing up writing their Lines of Inquiry and starting their independent research. Don’t forget, there’s a PYPX Parent Information session next Wednesday, January 24, at 3pm in Room 15. I look forward to seeing you there.
