I have just come back from the “Pamoja Walk” which is actually a cross campus exercise in team building and developing personal connections for our D1 students. This along with the MYP orientation really focus on the non-academic side of school life here. In our guiding statements we use phrases like: “sense of belonging, acceptance and tolerance”; “diverse portfolio of learning experiences” and “engage with the culture and nature of East Africa.” These in essence mean that our school is built on relationships and this weekend was about either strengthening current relationships or starting new ones. From what I could see and hear this weekend started us on a solid path for the year.
As you read through the newsletter, please note that we have several events over the next few weeks and are starting clubs and activities tomorrow. Please also note that there are a few MYP virtual events for parents over the next two weeks.
Lastly thank you to the parents that attended either or both the coffee morning or the PYP Meet the Teacher last Thursday.
Bob Cofer – Head of Campus
Upcoming Events
September is International Spinal Cord Injury month!
International Spinal Cord Injury Day Awareness Walk Saturday 2nd September at 7 am Hindu Mandle Temple Grounds
In order to raise awareness about the trauma caused by spinal cord injuries, a walk is taking place on the 2nd September in Moshi town centre. The International Spinal Cord Injury Day Awareness Walk will be a great way for us to meet and support people with disabilities and help raise awareness about the challenges, needs and realities of those affected by Spinal Cord Injury in the Moshi area and beyond. Come and show your support and solidarity on the day! The walk will start at the Hindu Mandle Temple grounds at 7:00 AM. The police will be showing their support by stopping all traffic on Double Road and around the Clock Tower area for this memorable event. This is also an exciting way for any new students, teachers and people from the community to get to know the roads of Moshi while also supporting a great cause. We will be sporting homemade banners with our slogans and would like to also thank the MYP advocacy team for their tremendous effort with their banners. Feel free to make your own and join us!
24-Hr Run
Our annual fundraiser — the 24-Hour Run — is fast approaching. Even though the event begins on Friday, 29 September, you can actually help us fundraise RIGHT NOW.
We have already raised nearly 2,500 British pounds (or over $3,100 US dollars)! Remember, if we can meet our goal of $50,000, then the Davis Dare to Dream to Dream program will match our donations, doubling the amount for our scholarship fund.
For newcomers not yet familiar with the 24-Hour Run, this event involves “teams” moving around the pitch for an entire day and raising money towards our school’s scholarship fund. It is a big party! We not only have fun and enjoy each other’s company but work to make our school accessible to as many students as possible.
To commemorate this special event, you can purchase 24-Hour run t-shirts. Show your support by wearing this merchandise during the run. All proceeds from merchandise sales will be dedicated to the cause.
In addition to the run, we have planned some exciting activities for participants to make this event even more enjoyable. You can pledge to shave your heads, and the funds raised will be added to the donation pool. Furthermore, you can buy a slot to play your personalized playlist at the DJ station. Let’s add some fun and entertainment to this noble cause!
To sign up for the 24-Hour Run or find more information about the event, please visit our information board close to the room of the Head of Residential Life on UWCEA Moshi campus. Remember, this event is open to students, parents, and the community, providing an opportunity for everyone to get involved!
Together, we can make a difference. Your participation, donations, and support are invaluable in our quest to give the gift of education to those who deserve it most.
Thank you for your incredible enthusiasm and belief in the power of community. We can’t wait to see you at the 24-Hour Run!
Ben’s Corner
Over these first couple of weeks, we receive a lot of information…as parents, students and, even, teachers. Schedules, deadlines, activity lists, OP trips, Service groups and so on. Lots of details to remember and digest. Inevitably, there are double bookings, crossed wires and oversights as we all settle into the rhythm of the new school year.
Getting your head around everything and staying on top of it as the year progresses takes considerable time and effort. Often, you may hear teachers reference organisation or executive functioning (EF) skills. In a nutshell, this is an umbrella term in neuroscience for a set of processes that are necessary for the cognitive control of behaviour that, in turn, facilitate the attainment of chosen goals.
As our EF skills develop, we are better able to sustain attention, keep goals and information in mind, refrain from responding immediately, resist distractions and tolerate frustration. At the same time, we begin to consider the consequences of our behaviour as we reflect on past experiences and plan for the future.
Time management is the executive function that comes up time and again from EC to D2…and, also, in the Staff Lounge! Keeping schedules is one of the most useful tools in developing time management. Exploring ways to map out larger projects or assignments over time and using resources such as journals, diaries or electronic calendars to monitor progress is also extremely beneficial. Eat the elephant one bite at a time as they say!
Anything parents and guardians can do at home or on the end of a phone to reinforce the importance of these skills can also have a hugely positive impact. Inviting your child to explain their assignments and share their deadlines means that you are better able to support them going forward. After all, “You may delay, but time will not.”
Ben Morley – Deputy Head of Campus
MYP News
It was a busy week this week all leading up to our main event: MYP Orientation Weekend. This immersive experience not only provided them with a glimpse into the enriching curriculum that awaits, but also served as a platform to enhance their social dynamics and organizational aptitude. Through engaging activities and collaborative projects, our students had the opportunity to cultivate vital social skills, establish new connections and foster teamwork. Additionally, the orientation weekend offered a sneak peek into the structured and inspiring learning environment of the MYP, where critical thinking and exploration take center stage in our inquiry-based curriculum. Through engaging team-building activities, students discovered the power of working towards common goals as day students and residential students seamlessly mingled, sharing stories, insights, and laughter, fostering a sense of unity that extends beyond campus boundaries.
One of the most heartening aspects was witnessing all our school’s core values in action! Our students exemplified warmth and inclusivity as they extended a hearty welcome to newcomers. This hospitality resonated with the spirit of our community and what makes each one of us a true internationally minded UWC member!
This weekend showed us that MYP is not just about subjects and assessments. It’s about learning in a way that helps us in real life. It’s about working together and being nice to everyone. Our MYP journey is just beginning, and we’re excited to see how much we can learn, do, and be together. With the foundations of inquiry-based learning, collaborative spirit, and open-hearted inclusiveness firmly laid, we are excited to witness the growth, achievements, and remarkable contributions that our MYP students will undoubtedly make
I for one learned how to put up a tent… well almost!
MYP Dates to Remember:
August 28th – M1 Intro to MYP
August 28th – Whole Secondary Assembly
August 28th – Clubs and Activities Start for MYP
August 29th – Virtual MYP “Coffee” for Parents and Guardians (Link)
September 6th – Virtual M5 e-Assessments Parents’ Meeting (Link)
September 29th – 24 Hour Run
Farah Fawaz – MYP Coordinator
Residential Life
Dear UWCEA Community,
As we close our second week of school, things are slowly settling down and, at the same time, many more activities are starting up.
As far as the residences go, we are making final maintenance arrangements in each dorm and welcoming our final D2 arrivals this week.
Students have started having their weekly dorm meetings with the residential parents, setting norms and expectations for life in the dorms. We have also started our introductory sessions on service and students have had an opportunity to sing up for their semester/quarter activities as well. Student government is back in session too, and has started planning events for the community and laying out their plans for the year ahead.
As usual, we are already planning a multitude of trips and residential activities that will kick off pretty soon. This weekend D1s were out on their Pamoja walk with D1 students from Arusha campus. And Friday afternoon, our MYP students started their orientation weekend that centered around teambuilding games, academic orientation, and most importantly, sleeping in tents on the school football pitch.
Looking forward to an eventful weekend! Adnan Mackovic – Head of Residential Life
The D1 students learning about tent maintenance
Some D1 students documenting interactions with some camels
Diploma News
During mentor time on Monday the DP students wrote a letter to their future selves. This will be kept and will be given to them at graduation. This allows them to see how they have changed over the year or two years.
On Wednesday we started with service. Students have started making plans about what they will do. They have a teacher to support them, but they are the ones who need to make it happen. There were a lot of good ideas being discussed. Hopefully we can share more details next week.
The D2 students in Economics and Geography had their first IA submission and all students were able to meet the deadline. These were drafts and the teachers will be giving them feedback before they work on the final version. We have started the process of registering students for the final IB exams and they will get a chance to check the registrations soon. It is good to see the vast majority of D2 students back on campus and they seem to be ready for the year ahead.
During Life Skills on Wednesday, we talked with the D1 students about CAS. CAS or Creativity, Activity and Service is at the core of the Diploma. It one of the aspects of the diploma which makes DP students popular with universities. However, it is more than that, it is about finding balance and learning new skills. Many students tell me at the end of the course, that it was the best part of the diploma and is the aspect they will remember. Reflection and documentation are part of the process and they have all created a document they will use. They will discuss this with their mentor but also have 3 formal interviews over the course of the two years.
This weekend some D2 students (and 1 D1 student) are taking the SAT exam, I hope it went well. The D1 students are meeting with their Arusha counterparts for a chance to walk, camp and get to know each other.
Margaret Brunt – Diploma Coordinator
Sports Update
Leopards on the Move
This week we have been busy getting the signup sheets to students and parents so we are ready to start next week August 28, with clubs. I imagine that there will be some changes made next week depending on how many students sign up for each club. Our goal is to get students where they want to be as long as facilities can accommodate. D1 and D2 students are also getting organized and will be offering clubs. I have told them to sign up for the clubs that they want first so they know where they have free blocks, then we will add their clubs to the schedule.
NTSAA league tournaments have been scheduled for this semester. This link shows you the full set of offerings. UWCEA participation in each of these events is not guaranteed. More information will be provided as to which events we attend.
Our Community Swim block will be Thursday from 4:30 – 6. Come enjoy the pool. There are also some other activities where community participation is encouraged.
Ultimate Frisbee on Thursday from 4:30 – 6 Yoga on Thursday from 5 – 6 (fee)
As more opportunities open we will let you know.
Josh Pickell – Sports & Activities Coordinator
PYP News
It was lovely to see so many parents at Meet the Teacher night. Many thanks to the PYP Educational Assistants who worked hard to make the classrooms look their best. If you were not able to attend, your child should have brought home a hand out that covers the most important information shared on the night.
PYP Clubs start on Monday. Many thanks to Coach Pickell for putting together the schedule. Thanks too to parents Jennifer and Megan for giving up their time to lead a club. If you are interested in offering a club for Quarter 2 please contact joshpickell@uwcea.org.
The P4/5 primary gathering will take place on Friday, 1st September in Rafiki Hall at 7:40am. We hope to see you there.
Deborah Mills – PYP Coordinator
EC/P1 Class
Thank you to all who came for Meet the Teacher Night. As discussed, this coming week, let us schedule individual meetings for new parents and any who wish to request one. This will be a good time to review the first two weeks of school.
The children drew self-portraits this week using 1 vertical and 2 horizontal lines as guides. They are very proud of their work. Next week, we will be learning about Andy Goldsworthy, an artist who uses nature to create wonderful pieces of art.
Home learning was amazing. Thank you to everyone who took the time to review it with the children. Your comments have helped me gauge your time and the children’s interests. Hopefully, they will enjoy it even more this coming week.
Next week, we begin clubs. Your child’s club slip was sent home on Friday.
Mboka Mwasongwe
P2/3 Class
We made it to the 10th Day of School! We celebrated the achievement by thinking about the #10. Students made lists of 10 things that they love with families and ice cream topping most lists! We played some 10-pin bowling with Mr. Emmanuel. Students were asked to quickly calculate how many pins fell and how many were standing. We also figured out that, if you included me and Mr. Emmanuel in the class circle, our class has 200 toes!
Thanks to all the parents who came out on Thursday. Please let me know if you have any remaining questions. We will continue with the Home Learning routine, new reading books and work will come home on Monday in the red zipper folders. This folder should return to school on Friday.
The class is looking forward to more imagination and Superheroes this week. We intend to put our capes and masks to good use and look for ways to spread kindness across the Primary. In the meantime, we are flying high above the cities that we created. This photo shows Super Lennox on the move!
Kacey Buckley
P4/5 Class
We celebrated two P4/5 birthdays this week – many happy returns to Luna and Jack. Another cause for celebration was that Raphael joined the class. We have started our inquiry into positive thinking and developing a growth mindset. In maths we have been working on place value, writing numbers using digits, words and expanded form. Next week we will look at rounding numbers. The children have done very well at filling in their reading records at home, returning books to school and changing them independently. Next week for home learning, the children will have some words to practice for their Primary Gathering. We hope that many of you will be able to attend our presentation at 7:40am on Friday in Rafiki Hall.
Deborah Mills
P6 Class
Why did they stop trading goods and use coins instead? Why and how was our current writing system invented? How could people design maps without satellites? These were some of P6’s wonderings as we began our new Unit of Inquiry this week ‘Early civilisations have shaped how the world is today’ under the Transdisciplinary Theme of Where We Are in Place and Time.
The lines of inquiry that will guide our unit are:
Aspects of past civilisations that have survived.
Reasons these systems and technologies developed.
Why modern societies continue to use adaptations of these systems and technologies.
Implications for the future.
We look forward to learning more about what systems and technologies we use today that originated from long ago.
This week we welcomed Niko from Canada and Devraaj from Indonesia. It is so wonderful to have such diversity in our class which we celebrated by marking our countries of origin on a giant map outside of our classroom. We also read the book Have you Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud and discussed ways that we can be ‘bucket fillers’ and bring happiness to others. We wrote these down and made buckets of our own. In Maths we investigated Roman Numerals and completed some challenging problem-solving activities.
I would like to thank you for attending Meet the Teacher last night. It was a great opportunity to share with you what we will be covering in P6 this year.
Natasha Berri
Outdoor Pursuits
Last weekend a group of students from the two campuses went up Mt Meru, our second highest peak in Tanzania. Here are comments from two students about the trip:
“Climbing Mt. Meru is one of the most challenging feats I have accomplished (seriously). The 12-hour trek up and down the peak, the swelling cold turned to blistering heat and the merciless altitude, all while going on two hours of sleep. Nevertheless, Mt. Meru was an inspiring trip. It taught many of us to keep pushing no matter what, sometimes even past our limits. The people on this journey were also spectacular, and this might have been impossible for me without them. There is usually Arusha vs Moshi on trips like these, but this time, there was only UWC East Africa.
From my peers in Moshi and Arusha, the teachers, the OP staff involved, and not to mention Mr. Oli and Mr. Foya, our gratitude goes out to you. Asanteni Sana!”
Gurtej
“The first OP of the year is behind. We made it to the top of Meru. And what’s no less important, we all also made it back to the ground. All safe and sound, all alive and happy. The journey was more than just a “journey” – some unbearable wind, excruciating pain, the feeling of nausea, desperation, thoughts of giving up, pushing through our personal limits, one step at a time. In the end, though, what could be more rewarding than meeting the prettiest sunrise in the world above the clouds at the top of the second-highest mountain in Tanzania contemplating our majestic and most mesmerizing Kili.”
Uliana
From the Counselors
Hello Students,
I hope you have had a nice week and already adjusted to the working/studying mode after the summer break.
I do not know about you, but this week passed so quickly for me with meeting so many of D2 students individually. Thank you for that, and I can not wait to meet the rest of you to assist you with your post-secondary plans. As of now, the highlight of my week was being a guest in Dr. Wade’s global politics class and witnessing the hot debates. I am so impressed with your active listening skills, level of preparation and passion for this subject, well done guys!
Also thank you for D1 students who are already preparing and applying for research and summer programs, the work you put into various applications will for sure pay off in future.
For your information we have following meetings available for students next week:
Lewis and Clark university meeting – Wednesday 3:30-5:30 Rafiki hall
University of Chicago virtual presentation on supplemental essay writing – Thursday 7:30-8:30
Aizhan Smagulova – University Counselor
Community Garden
Do you have a love of plants? Do you enjoy growing organic vegetables? Do you have a special expertise you would like to share? We would like to invite you to get involved with the “Community Garden”.
UWCEA has a lovely garden spot which is full of potential. If you would like to get your hands dirty improving our garden space or if you want to share your love of plants with students, please contact Ken Grob (kengrob@uwcea.org). Everyone is welcome!
