Moshi Campus News – 19 Oct 2019

For most you, welcome back for the second quarter, and for a select few, welcome to Moshi.  We have a half dozen new students joining us over the next few weeks and we look forward to meeting you.

This first week back we will have members of different aspects of the UWC family joining us for the dual 50th birthday of ISM and opening of UWC East Africa.  This event will be a joining of the roots of the school here in Moshi way back then to connections the school has made through the UWC.  The event will take place on both campuses starting here in Moshi then heading to Arusha in the afternoon.  We do welcome members of the community to join us.  You should have received the official invite email recently for the event.

On a personal note, I find the second quarter an interesting time.  It is when most students are now in the groove of school and when there are a wide variety of events.  We have social events like Halloween, sports events, plays, OP trips and other things that allow students to really get involved in the full aspect of school life.  I know however for the D2 students this can also be a challenging time when they are juggling the aspects of the IB with trying to look to the future and complete university applications.  We wish them luck with this and any support we can offer.

Lastly, let me thank those parents that were able to attend the conferences the last week of school.  And for those that were unable to attend, but would like to talk to teachers, please email those teachers directly to find a way to talk.

Bob Cofer

This week three students; Yahaya, Nikoli and Kelvin; travelled to Armenia to present work done at school on the “Smokeless Kitchen Project” at the Young Aurora Project finals against other UWCs.  These students were representing the service group that has been operational since last school year.  

We have just found out that the group was selected as the winner of this year’s award. Our congratulations go out to these three and everyone involved in the project.

More details to come in the next newsletter.

Halloween Celebrations for Older Students

For the secondary students and brave P5/6 students we will organise the yearly Halloween at three different locations: the scavenger hunt at school; Kishari House which is invaded by Aliens and another haunted house where you are invited to attend the Zombie wedding. Please dress up in a scary outfit!

Secondary residential students can sign up for a place on the bus or the truck, the signup sheets are in the breezeway at school. Secondary day-students and very brave primary kids (P5/6) must arrange your own transportation with parents (sign-up sheet for day-students in breezeway). After visiting the haunted houses, the student council will organize events for the secondary students.

For more information about the secondary event contact Christine: christine@oasis-yp.com or 0756730125. And if you want to help out in a haunted house, karibu!

The aim of UWC is to use education as a force to unite people, to foster international understanding, peace and sustainability. Indeed, the UWC Mission statement reads “UWC makes education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future.”

Looking back over the last couple of months or so, it is important to celebrate our collective achievements, reflect on things we might improve on and take stock. It is also important to stop and breathe. To find moments of peace in such an eventful, dynamic and often all encompassing environment, can be a challenge but, as the saying goes, we should all “beware the barrenness of a busy life.” So, over the break, I hope that you found the time to unplug for a while and enjoy a few moments of peace.

As we get ready for Quarter 2 and before everything kicks into gear again, I wanted to share the words of Masuma, one of our D2 students, who so eloquently shared her thoughts on peace in last month’s assembly. I think we could all learn from what she had to say.

Peace

As the Tanzanians would say Amani
As the Arabs would say Salaam
And as we know it as peace, tranquility
But
There are kids out there that barely know the idea of peace,
They know how to say it, but not how to read it,
They hear it, but don’t know how to write it.

I read a thousand splendid suns recently, and the idea of peace to Mariam was unknown. The Afghanis kept undergoing attacks and they hardly saw any pure happiness, no peace. Just fear of attack.

To me, Peace is not just freedom from disturbance as described by the dictionary,
Peace is much more,
It’s the feeling you get when you’ve completed all your work,
It’s the feeling you get when you know you have food for the night,
It’s the feeling you get when the only sounds you hear are not people screaming or mothers crying, instead birds chirping and children laughing.

Peace is when the sun finally comes out during a cold day, and you just sit and let the warmth take over your face.

But some people are locked in a damp room, the sun will never come out for them. All they can do is wait, and hope for someone or something to help them.

And that is us, we can break down the walls of hate and war, we can try and use our weapons of voice and strength to call out the changes that we want. The chances that we want to see.

Because, I want to see someone smile happily with the sun on their face.
And just the way Mariam fought for the peace of her loved ones, I want to help people and let them experience the sound of the birds happily chirping or the children playing.

So in whatever way you find comforting, try breaking down the walls that leave people crippled with their voices hoarse from shouting, instead carefully take the opportunity and help people.

So think about it,
Because,
If a lot of people have a common goal, they can’t stop all of us.

by Masuma (D2)

The last week before the end of quarter break was a relatively quiet one.

The D2 students received their penultimate school reports which were pleasing for very many of them. All of them need to take note of the comments from their teachers before they come for the final push before the exams in May. They then went off for their break from school, as many of them have realised it is not really a holiday. They are working on their IAs as many drafts and final submissions are due in the first few weeks back. The final Extended Essay is due as well. For many of them this is also a time to work on their college applications. Having said all of this they should also take time to relax and enjoy the time with their families.

At the time of writing 3 of the students are making their final preparation for their presentation for the Young Aurora competition at UWC Dilijan in Armenia. This is a competition for students from across the UWC network to show how they would tackle a humanitarian problem. Our students have been involved in creating a smokeless kitchen to help prevent respiratory diseases. The students flew to Armenia on Tuesday 15th October and will be presenting to the panel on Friday 18th October. More details can be found here. Good luck to all involved.

The D1 students who have joined us from overseas have had an opportunity to travel around Tanzania, with some of them going to Pangani and then volunteering at Pamoja school. Other students have had the chance to see family. I hope all students come back refreshed and ready for the second quarter.

Margaret Brunt

Last weekend, more than 30 students between MYP and D1, with some teachers too, went to the OP Trip to Longido. First, on Friday evening we arrived at Arusha Campus, where some of the students there welcomed us and gave us a tour. It was really good to see them again, and the ice cream they gave us was delicious!

The next morning, we had breakfast very early and suddenly we were on the bus again, this time travelling to Longido. After a quick briefing, we were divided into two groups and then we started hiking. I’m not going to lie, it was tough but completely worth it. As we were hiking, we saw how nature was changing and how small the houses were looking! Five hours later, we reached the top. That feeling… you can’t describe it.

Then, we started to come down. One thing that really surprised me was how everyone helped each other and how the teamwork was present all the time. Finally, we arrived at the camp and had a hot dinner.

In conclusion, going there was one of the most wonderful experiences I have ever had, and that wouldn’t be possible without all the help we received. Thank you!

Ximena

IDU Trip
The M4 will go to West Kili on Tuesday the 12th November and return on Friday 14th November. The trip is an interdisciplinary unit between Mathematics and Science. Details will be given as soon as school resumes next week.

May 2020 eAssessment Registration
The M5 candidates who opted to the above examinations were successfully registered for the May 2020 examination over the October break. The teachers will receive partial French Language Acquisition and Art subjects ePortfolio units from the IB on or before November 1.

It’s important to note that all M5 students will have the same learning experiences and assessments throughout the year regardless of whether they opt for the examinations or not.

Personal Project
The M5 students are currently working on their projects, process journals and reports. They are expected to submit Draft 1 reports before October 28. They will then receive feedback on their progress.

David Ochieng

As our campus puts a Pause button on the year, it is a wonderful time to reflect on successes and areas for improvement in preparation for the next quarter. It was great to see families attending conferences either in person, or via other methods, in order to glean a better sense of how their child is performing, and ways to support their ongoing achievement. In addition to processing how the school year has gone, it is important to take time to help our children work on relaxing and destressing, while reflecting on how the first quarter went for them academically, emotionally, and socially. If there are any lingering issues that you would like to discuss further, please feel free to contact either Ms. Ford or Mr. Kileo so that we can follow up after the break.

Also, it’s Application Season, and our D2s are well underway with developing their plans for life after UWC East Africa. This is a very busy time, and we are looking forward to supporting our stellar students as they continue to refine their career interests and the best path for them to achieve their aspirations. This experience will also be shared with the D1s, and even some of our MYP students, as an opportunity to be aware of their options and the various processes they will be going through in the not too distant future.

Building awareness of some of the options our students have for their future is an important part of the work we are doing, and this will continue with some upcoming events. On Monday, 21 October Dr. Matthew Beatty of Concordia College who will be talking with the students about his university and pursuing a liberal arts education in the United States. We will also have a virtual visit with Colgate University representative on Wednesday, 23 October who will introduce their university, and answer student questions. More opportunities to learn about universities are in the works, but it is also good to ensure that our students are exploring their interests and spending time learning about careers that they may want to pursue in their future. The break is an excellent time to do this both through actual engagement in work that interests them, and through online resources. Our D1 and D2 students have access to BridgeU, but a free resource that all interested students can utilize is College Board Big Future. Although mostly US based, some of the resources can help with the early stages of the planning process.

Wishing you all a wonderful and rejuvenating October break, and enjoy making the most of this great gift of time.

Cassandra Ford

The final week of this first Quarter was interesting as many of our resident students were working hard to complete academic work and at the same time make plans to travel for the October Holiday.

The school week started off on Monday with a whole-school final assembly, during which those Secondary students, (many of whom are residential students), who had excelled in their academic studies and commitment, were rewarded with Learner Profile and Honour Roll awards. Our primary students will be acknowledged at the end of semester assembly in December.

Monday also saw another University Fair attended by M5, D1 and D2 students, and a meeting with students and Mr Cofer who are working hard together to form a Student Government.

During Tuesday evening we held our very first Residential Life Barbecue. This was arranged to celebrate the first 8 weeks of being together as a residential family, and to also give our resident students the chance to pass on their thanks to the Support Staff and Residential Life teams who have worked so hard to care for them during this Quarter. Following heavy rain, the barbecue planned for outside was rapidly moved inside to Rafiki Hall, but the rain didn’t dampen the evening and a good time was still had by all. Some fantastic food was prepared by our school kitchen, and special speeches and gifts of thanks, prepared by students from each Residential House, were given to representatives from each of our school Support Staff teams. These gifts included cakes baked by our students and cards and letters of thanks.

Wednesday saw Primary Teacher-Parent Conferences taking place with the same conferences taking place on Friday for Secondary students.

Our school closed on Friday after the Secondary Teacher-Parent Conferences, with most residential students travelling home on this date. This kept our school driver team very busy from early morning, transporting students to Kilimanjaro Airport or other destinations to begin their journeys home.

Eighteen D1 Moshi resident students not travelling away during the October Break were joined by another 15 from our Arusha Campus during Saturday afternoon. Early Sunday morning these 33 students travelled down with 3 members of staff to our school house in Pangani for a 10-day camping trip. The latest news from Pangani is that although the weather has been challenging at times our students and staff have had an enjoyable time. They are due to arrive back at school this Tuesday evening with a number of D1 Moshi resident students then leaving to take part in a service project at Pamoja School Project in Sanya Juu from Wednesday through to Sunday. Our resident students are to be admired for using some of their holiday to support and help others.

It has been an incredibly action-packed first Quarter in Residential Life. I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank all of our school Support Staff and my Residential Life team for all of their hard work in caring for our residential students during the past 8 weeks. I look forward to working with you all again in during Quarter 2.

I am currently compiling the travel list for those students who require school transport back to school following the October Break. Could I request that Parents/Guardians of residential students forward me any return transport details for their child/children as soon as possible?

Could I please also remind the Parents/Guardians of all residential students to ensure that they update their contact email addresses and telephone numbers regularly to ensure future ease of communication.

Ian Horne

Sports are back in action in week 2 of our second quarter with both primary and secondary competing in NTSAA Athletics days in Arusha closely followed by the swim galas. 

Rugby World Cup is into finals now. Well done to the host nation Japan for topping their Pool and now have South Africa in the Quarter final, don’t miss out on the action. Keep up with all the scores here https://www.rugbyworldcup.com/.

Go Leopards
Robin Marsh

Before break our team of primary swimmers aged between 7-13 years took part in a training gala at Kennedy House School. 6 schools competed with the Leopard Sharks from UWCEA Moshi Campus winning the gala! Many PB’s (personal best times) were made and we clearly dominated the relay races with some very exciting action taking place. Many thanks to all the parents who went to watch and support their children and to Jenny and Ally for their help in timing and marshalling. The final results were:

1. UWCEA Moshi Leopard Sharks – 2194.5
2. UWCEA Arusha Campus – 1784
3. St Constantine’s Titans- 1714.5
4. Kennedy House School – 1598
5. Braeburn – 643
6. Jaffery Academy – 547

Next upcoming swim meet: Primary & Secondary galas at St Constantine’s on 5th & 6th November

Welcome back to a new quarter! Here is an example of one of our children’s learning journeys from the last unit.

We’ll be learning about how to share “Life-Boat Earth”. Diversity is essential, and we can learn about living things, make connections to our own lives and become more responsible in our interactions with nature.

Owain Evans

Welcome back to school! I hope you have all had a restful break and you are ready to start another quarter. We will kick off with a new unit with the transdisciplinary theme: How We Organize Ourselves

Central idea:

Learning communities are enriched by their members and the different perspectives they bring.

Lines of inquiry:

• Identifying what helps learning communities thrive.
• Creating systems that help a classroom function.
• Why collaboration in the classroom is important.

We will be exploring more of our school community as well as other learning communities around us. Since this unit will involve collecting a lot of information, we will begin by looking at how we can do this mathematically as well as how to create questions to get the information we need.

Reading books and homework will be sent out on Monday so please look out for those.

Swimming lessons begin this quarter for us. Our swimming day is on Wednesday.

Mboka Mwasongwe

Welcome back to the start of a new quarter. I hope you’ve all had a relaxing one. I have spent most of this holiday singing in the shower and trying to remember all the lyrics to Africa! At the end of the last quarter, I gave a leaf to the entire P3 class, and used the primary gathering to mention the various attributes that make this class so special. I know this is true because I have often thought about these guys during the break, missed the moments where I have laughed so hard I had tears in my eyes, as well as those moments when I’ve teared up when the students have done something to blow my mind away (positives)!

I look forward to seeing what this quarter has in store for us as a class. It all start with our assembly on the 1st of November. Looks like the next couple weeks are going to be busy with organizing ourselves for the assembly, as well as preparing for Halloween and the UWC opening day!

Elisha Jaffer

The P5 class impressed their audience with excellent presentations to end our unit on Rights, Rules, and Responsibilities. Thank you parents for joining us, and for contributing snacks. We were impressed by some student contributions of banana bread, cake, and bread. They are some young bakers in the class, which just illustrates the wide range of talent we have in our class community.

We will begin our new unit about Migration when we return. Please prepare to discuss your families migration to Moshi, as well as other migrations in your family history. We will also begin book clubs based around Roald Dahl literature. If you are interested in reading with a group please let me know. I hope you all had a restful and fun holiday.

Sarah Brummel

I hope everyone has had an enjoyable break and the children are feeling refreshed and ready for a new quarter. We will start our unit on energy transformation this coming week and I have lots of fun activities planned using stomp rockets, elastic bands  and fizzy tablets to launch things into the air! We started working on probability before the break (see photo) and will continue with this for a few more sessions. We will also be doing some writing and art based on the book, “Only One.” At the last primary gathering Mr. Ben Morley talked to the children about the possibility of a PYP student voice group to help arrange  spirit days and other fun activities which we will start organising this week. We also need to choose PYP captains for Kibo, Mawenzi and Meru. I look forward to seeing the children on Monday.

Deborah Mills