This weekend we had the 3rd edition of the 24-Hour run. This event involved students, parents, staff and community members coming together to raise funds in the name of two teachers that passed away this year. First let me thank all of those that made the event possible, there was a fair amount of behind-the-scenes work required to keep people moving for 24 hours from lights, music, food, drink and medical.
Secondly let me thank all those that participated or donated to the cause. There was an amazing distance covered, and we are still working out the total, but there were a fair number of people that ran or walked over a marathon’s distance and some amazing soles (pun intended) that covered about two marathons or the distance between our campuses. It is something to be congratulated. And while this event has a serious purpose, there was a lot of fun to the event as can been seen by the phots below. I wish I could have shared a few from the 1am illumination time with everyone covered in glowsticks, but it was more a sight for eyes rather than photos. If you still would like to contribute, please contact Mwegelo Kapinga for help.
On other news you can see that we are kicking off activities this week and the OP program is underway for semester two. The PYP exhibition material is now online for you to view, and school is returning to full activity. Please also note that we will be the MYP trips and D1 project week starting January 31st, so plan accordingly.
Lastly, in the next few weeks, we expect to start work on the redesign on the school playground. It will result in a few weeks disruption as we carefully remove some items and install others. This has been a work long in planning, so we are excited to see it installed. During that time it is important to know that it will be a construction site, so if you visit with your kids during non-school time, please keep a close eye on them.
Bob Cofer – Head of Campus
24-Hour Run
24-Hour Run
Respects for Brian Garton
It is with great sadness that we received news that Brian Garton died on the 4th December 2021. Brian was the Head of International School Moshi between 1984 and 1988.
Brian oversaw the first CIS/MSA accreditation and nearly forty years later we are still accredited by these bodies. It was also during his time as head, that the now famous school lorry was purchased.
Brian suffered a stroke a year ago but remained at home with his wife Sid until a few weeks before his death. The thoughts and prayers of the entire school community are with Sid, Nic, and Simon.
Picture is of Sid and Brian with friends at Anna Marsdon’s mother’s house in 2018
Ben’s Corner
Many people start the new year with a set of resolutions. One or two goals for self-improvement that they are determined to keep…at least, to start with. These often seem to encompass fitness goals, time spent on social media, sleep or some form of abstinence or another.
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 tend to over indulge and see the new year as a fresh start and 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.
“There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.” C.S. Lewis
Ben Morley – Deputy Head of Campus
Diploma News
The first week of the semester has gone well, the majority of students are back. The D2 students have had their first major deadline with their final Extended Essay submission. They have now received the mock timetable and should be preparing. The mock examinations are a chance for students and teachers to check what they know and for students to be aware of the procedures for examinations. They are used to predict grades but are only one part of the decision.
The big event at the moment is the 24 hour run, where we are trying to raise money for scholarships.
Margaret Brunt – DP Coordinator
Residential Life
Welcome back to a new year and Karibu Sana to all,
I am pleased to announce that we have successfully managed to welcome 163 residential students back into their ‘home away from home’ from all corners of the globe and we are awaiting the final students to arrive over the coming weeks. This will officially place us at 191 residential students with the prospect of some remaining MYP students still to join. To date, this is the largest number of Residential Students UWCEA and/or ISM has ever hosted. Personally, I am thrilled to see new faces mixing and mingling so well with their new peers.
This week our focus has been on transitioning into routine, settling back and looking ahead. To this regard, we held our first Diploma meeting on Thursday which was run by our house representatives and reviewed our policies, Covid-19 guidelines, and important dates for the term. What stood out to me was their leadership, engagement, and desire to take ownership of the term ahead and their education. Furthermore, listening to our leaders talk about planning activities for the weekend and being more engaged in our MYP and PYP years brought home to me the essence of what residential life truly is – a family.
On the topic of leadership, I am thrilled to announce that we have established our new Student Government for 2022. This Government will be led by Tendo and Aika and has three committees compromising of M4 to D1 students. This week we will be reviewing our class representatives in M1 – M3 respectively and combined with our primary voice, we will have a holistic team that represents all ages, cultures, and a mixture of residential and day students. Watch this space as we hold our very first meeting this coming Tuesday.
As always, please feel free to contact me should you have any questions or concerns and I look forward to seeing our late arrivals soon.
Simon Johnston – Head of Residential Life
MYP News
MYP Success Stories Growth Mindset Episode #9
Our first week back was a great success for our MYP learners. It was very refreshing to see how the skills we explored during the first semester were effortlessly transferred to the second! It was refreshing to see the links being made, the referrals to previous knowledge and the self-management skills that fell right into place after a long yet well-deserved break.
This brings us to our goal for this week: empowerment and agency. Student empowerment is when students are given the ability and the agency to make informed decisions and implement changes in their learning. Empowerment includes learning, teaching and leadership in the learning journey as part of the teaching and learning team. Agency is when learners are trained for the ability to set smart goals, reflect and act responsibly. It is “acting” as opposed to being “acted upon,” “shaping” rather than “being shaped” and above all making decisions and having choices rather than accepting what it determined and “dictated” by others. This is the beauty of the MYP programme. Though confusing at times because of its “nonconforming disposition” to traditional teaching and learning, it truly shapes and molds our learners into the types of citizens and leaders that our world needs.
MYP is simply rigorous and authentic learning experiences that extend beyond lesson plans. Learners are encouraged to be self-aware of their decisions and behavior through each learning experience in all subjects.
Rigorous does not mean difficult or hard. In fact, it is a “function of” critical and creative thinking that extends towards problem solving. Our MYP teaching and learning curriculum requires the students to have to think in ways that “reorder” and “reshuffle” ideas. It is how students find the interaction between the content and the thought processes to demonstrate their learning. Hence, we work with our factual, conceptual and debatable questions to target cognitive and metacognitive goals.
What does all this mean? This simply means that the MYP team continues to present learners with experiences in which they have to build arguments, construct knowledge and synthesize multiple perspectives in order to come up with understanding.
So, yes it is noisy and maybe a little bit chaotic, but we LOVE it!
Farah Fawaz – MYP Coordinator
From the Counselors
Application Season is Here!
I am very proud of our senior D2 students as most dedicated their holiday break to finishing up essays and completing college application materials. Prior to the holiday, we had 16 seniors (D2) apply for universities in the US under early decision and early action. Of those that applied 15 acceptance letters were received. Of those acceptance letters, 15 students received scholarships covering tuition, and room and board.
Over the holiday break, D2 students continued to work on their college applications. We had 23 additional students apply to over 160 colleges. To date over 50% of the senior class has applied to attend college. But, application season is not over yet as applications for Canada, the UK, Europe, and other places across the world are still open for application submission into June depending on the location.
As students receive acceptance letters, I am asking that they be shared with me along with their financial aid award letters. Once I review the letters, I am providing an explanation of the financial aid award letters individually to students to help them understand what additional costs will need to be covered. I am more than happy to discuss with parents the contents of the financial aid letters to provide a fuller understanding of costs covered by the institution and out-of-pocket costs for parents. In December, D2 students heard a presentation on the visas process and fees, benefits of on versus off-campus housing, and additional college-related fees that can be expected depending on the country’s location. Please ask your student to share this information with you that is located on ManageBac.
Preparing D1 Student for the College Search Process This semester D1 students will learn information about the following:
how to select the right college fit based on criteria
the difference between a reach, target, and likely college
how to open a Common App and UCAS accounts
should students take the SAT or ACT and how to prepare for test-taking
how to select teacher recommenders
understanding the UWC college guidelines for parents and students
M5: Career Exploration This quarter M5 students will begin career and college readiness activities. These activities will focus on helping students understand themselves, various career fields and industries, and what countries across the world have to offer students seeking to study in English. Students will take interest assessments, learn what different pathways are available after high school, and create a post-secondary plan that includes Diploma course subjects as they prepare for the IB DP.
Swimming unit The Swim unit for MYP students started this week. As part of the unit, our students will improve their technical abilities, build on their water safety skills and set goals for themselves. This event will culminate in the Secondary Swim Gala later in the semester.
Afternoon clubs and activities Afternoon clubs and activities will start on Monday. The list of activities and sign up forms have already been sent to PYP parents and secondary school students. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me by email.
Upcoming sports events We have a host of sports fixtures and activities scheduled for this semester:
TALISS Invitational Swim Meet 2022 on the 26th and 27th of February
NTSAA U13 Basketball Tournament at Braeburn on Saturday March 5th
NTSAA Primary Swimming Gala at UWCEA Arusha on Friday March 11th
NTSAA Secondary Swimming Gala at UWCEA Arusha on Saturday March 12th
Gilbert Kaburu – Sports and Activities Coordinator
TALISS Invitational Swim Meet 2022
This prestigious event will be held in Dar on the 26th and 27th of February, 2022. Only swimmers who meet qualifying times can participate. Swimmers who wish to enter this event must participate in a minimum of 3 training sessions a week. The approximate cost that includes flights, all meals, transport in Dar and accommodation is 300-350 USD. Deadline for signing up and payment is Monday 24 January. Payment can be made in TZS via M-pesa as long as transaction and withdrawal costs are added. The team will fly out on Friday night and return on Sunday evening. Please contact Ms. Debbie Bachmann or Mr. Sabini if you would like to participate in this event.
Secondary Student Activities
Community Activities
Outdoor Pursuits
Welcome back, I trust everyone has had a restful and great break. Here are the upcoming trips for the semester.
As you can see, we have a very busy quarter 3 coming up, with several weekends holding two trips. And that starts next week with the Usambara L3 and the Rides L2 going out. Then we have the Week Without Walls at the end of January/start of February. February is going to be very full, with 5 trips going out in 3 weekends. So, there is plenty of opportunity to get out into the Tanzanian wilderness and enjoy time with your friends.
Robin Marsh – Experiential Learning Coordinator
PYP News
What a lovely first week we enjoyed back at school and how nice to have a day’s holiday mid-week. Welcome to those new families who have joined the PYP. We hope you will be very happy with us. Many of the PYP children participated in the 24 hour run – well done to them! School clubs will begin this coming week so please check your email for the sign up link. If you experience any difficulty signing your child up for clubs you can contact Mr. Gilbert directly on gilbertkaburu@uwcea.org
The P6 Exhibition (PYPX) took place the week before we broke up for the holiday in December. It was a wonderful event and we are very proud of our P6 students, Ms. Sarah and Ms. Zitha. The display boards compiled by the P6 children will be displayed on the breezeway this week so that everyone has the opportunity to see their research and admire their work before it is taken down and sent home.
Given the hot weather we are experiencing we strongly recommend you send your child to school with a hat and a water bottle. This is especially important on the days that your child has PE or an outdoor club.
This week marks the beginning of our new unit on how the world works.
The central idea that we will be looking at is: The things we use come from somewhere else.
The three lines of inquiry are as follows:
The process of how things change.
Material changes according to intended use.
How we get resources.
This week, we will be exploring natural materials and listening to the observations and questions that the children pose.
Reading books for ECs and homework for P1s will be sent home on Monday.
Mboka Mwasongwe
P2 Class
We’ve kicked off this week with a bang from multiple popping balloons as we try and paper mâché helmets for race car drivers. We’ll continue designing these next week and will turn them into both race car and pilot helmets. The P2s have been exploring cars this week, and the different parts of cars. We used our learning from videos to identify the different parts of Ms. Elisha’s car. I can confidently say every child’s favourite part was the horn. Sadly no one could identify why my car’s engine light keeps going off!
Next week we’ll explore airplanes and will hopefully be visiting an airplane at Moshi airport. I’ll confirm this with parents over email. Each child has picked a mode of transport they want to research and a big part of next week’s homework is to design a model of the mode of transport. Please help your child find materials for their model.
I hope everyone who participated in the 24 Hour Run had a wonderful time and hit their step counts! Thank you for supporting the school’s scholarship program!
Elisha Jaffer
P3/4 Class
It was a wonderful start back to school this week. We stretched our math muscles with a big review of borrowing in subtraction and carrying over in addition- after a whole month home, every student needed this! It was really fun to look at New Year’s traditions from around the world. Students liked the Spanish idea of eating 12 grapes at midnight! We also discussed the traditions involved with Chinese New Year though it will not be until February. 2022 will be the Year of the Tiger so we linked that to an art lesson that involved looking at some of the gorgeous jungle paintings of Henri Rousseau. We started creating our tigers and will take time next week to work on layering in a jungle.
On Tuesday, we are looking forward to a visit from Navya, a D2 student who is willing to come and share with us about the celebration of Diwali. Remember, we’d still love to have more visitors who would be excited to talk about traditions or rituals from their culture. This week, we will move away from holidays and look at customs that are practiced with weddings, funerals and births.
Thanks to all who have continued to send substantive snacks, water bottles and hats. Let’s keep that up- our class is super energetic!
Kacey Buckley
P5 Class
The P5 class is nearly complete – we are just waiting for the arrival of Massy, our new student from Uganda. It was fun to all be back together and hear about each other’s holiday news. In maths this week we looked at reflective symmetry and then used this knowledge to create symmetrical origami paper “sculptures”. Next week we will revise doubling and halving numbers and will start collecting data to link with our unit of inquiry. The children have completed some spelling assessments and will have some lists of words to learn so keep an eye out for these in the home learning folder. On Monday we will begin our book clubs, working in groups of 4 to read and discuss different stories. In UOI we will carry out different investigations to learn how we can keep our different body systems healthy. After school clubs will start on Monday so please use the emailed link to sign them up.
Deborah Mills
P6 Class
The electrical engineers are in action in the P6 classroom. They enjoyed making closed circuits to power lightbulbs, fans, and buzzers. Next week they will begin to design their vehicles that will be for land or water. If you have any 9-volt batteries at home, they could be brought it to give the vehicle more power.
Today marked the end of the PYPx journey with their final reflections written in class. They also took home their binders today, so please ask them to share with you all the work they put into their personal unit. Next week we will have the display boards up in the breezeway, and the website will be complete. You can visit it at pyp.uwcea.org to see their narrated slideshows, excerpts from the presentation night, and highlights from the journey. If you want to know how to make Rolex, check it out!
