It is my pleasure to welcome all new students, staff and families to Utahloy International School. I would also like to extend a warm welcome to all returning students, staff and families.  We have settled into the new school year and look forward to a positive, successful academic year. Information sessions for parents and the first UPTA meeting were well attended. This weekend we have the UPTA Welcome Picnic on Sunday. I hope to see many families attend. It is an opportunity to welcome new staff and families into our school community with a shared lunch and plenty of fun activities for children.

We are ready to launch our new school mission over the next few weeks and look forward to sharing it with the school community. The new Mission is succinct and comprehensive; it places emphasis on the three most important aspects of our school in a simple statement. “Utahloy International School Guangzhou is an inquiry-driven learning community that embraces the uniqueness of all and commits to an International Baccalaureate education.”  Parents, teachers and students had input into the final wording of the Mission. A team of students and teachers worked on an image to be placed alongside the Mission. We hope that you will see the Mission words and images as truly representing what we do well at Utahloy.

The IB Diploma scores were the best results in the six year history of Diploma examinations at Utahloy. Four students attained exceptionally high scores: Kathy Liu 43; Victor Yu 41; Sharina Mahtani 40; Hyoung Meen Lee 40. The maximum score is 45 points. Worldwide, approximately 5% of students score above 40 points. Similarly, we had 10 students score 35points or above, which is exceptional for our school. The school average is 3 points higher than the world average. Most Utahloy students obtain a Bilingual Diploma because we offer an excellent mother tongue programme leading up to the Diploma. Please read more about our wonderful results in the Diploma Coordinator’s article in this newsletter. Congratulations to all students, teachers and parents who helped to make it a successful year for our IB Diploma students.

Many new changes are happening in our school. This year we have a whole-school focus on improving reading levels. Every teacher will be part of the action plan to improve reading levels, which in turn will improve comprehension, vocabulary and writing skills. We would like to see all students reading regularly for pleasure in all their languages. Parent support is needed. Please buy books, magazines and newspapers for your children, in all their languages, and share the experience of reading with them whenever possible. Other changes include our Evening Classes. As a school committed to creating a ‘learning community’ we will offer evening classes for parents, commencing in October.  Saturday activities were a great success last year. This year, in addition to music and sport on Saturday, we have cooking classes. Two sessions will be offered every Saturday morning. Come along and sign up for GYSL (soccer), Music School, and/or cooking classes (for children). Later, we will offer cooking lessons for aiees and an international food club for mothers.  Secondary students have a new Design Technology class being equipped at the moment and the Art Department is introducing ceramics this year, with the addition of a kiln to the department. The new lecture room, with tiered seating for 100 people, is now in use and adds another dimension to our school facilities. The UPTA meeting will be held there on the last Thursday of each month at 9.00am. Please come and see this new teaching space.

Our school has 870 students, the highest number ever. Our facilities are improving continuously. Our staff and teaching faculty are talented, experienced and dedicated to improving the quality of education at Utahloy every year. I look forward to my fifth year as Head of School.

Elaine Whelen
Head of School

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Off to a Great Start

We are delighted with the very positive start to the scholastic year and take the opportunity to thank staff, students and parents for their contributions towards creating a warm, purposeful environment. Students are eager to learn and happy to be in school. Even our youngest, newest students are settling in very well. There is a tangible sense of excitement and anticipation for all that 2011-12 will have to offer.
                                 

Parent Involvement
The Parent Introductory Meetings were very well attended and successful in providing essential information about the daily routine and the curriculum for this year. They also served as a platform for parents to meet the teaching teams and one another.

During the meetings teachers requested parents interested in the role of class representative to come forward. We hope to have a representative for every class in all the Primary Section year levels from K to P6. We would like to thank those parents who have already volunteered and encourage anyone else who is interested to get in touch. A job description is available from Ms Caldwell on request. We will be back in touch with more news about this important role in the school in our next newsletter.

We now look forward to the Three Way Conferences which will take place on September 21st.  Detailed information will be sent out in a timely fashion but please note that this is an important day for your child and your attendance is imperative. It is not a normal school day since children only attend school for their appointment with their parents and the class teacher. They then leave school again with their family members, returning on Tuesday 22nd.

Reading      
Our whole school focus this year is on reading. We believe strongly in the importance and power of reading and will keep you informed of any special events or particularly interesting activities which relate to our efforts to encourage a greater love of reading throughout the Primary Section. You can help with this straight away if you are not already doing so. Reading with your child is vital so put aside some time for it every day. Think of ways to make reading fun; you want your child to learn how pleasurable books can be. Read with them and to them as well as asking them to read to you. As they grow older talk about their book and author choices and share your own favourites with them.
There is a strong body of research evidence to suggest that free voluntary reading is the most effective way to develop levels of reading comprehension, writing style, vocabulary, grammar and spelling. Please join us in encouraging all of our children to read, read and read some more...

Last year we published Australian author Mem Fox’s Ten Read-Aloud Commandments. We support her suggestions so strongly that we included them here again:

It’s been just over a week now that school has been in session and I can see most of the children settling in nicely.  In K class, Ms. Angela busily guides the children to explore around the classroom and spends time with the few who need a bit more TLC (tender loving care).  Already her students play happily alongside each other.

In K1, both Ms. Helmy and Ms. Josie started with small numbers which are already growing.  The teachers are currently preparing for the children’s first ever experience with a PYP unit of inquiry which will focus on PLAY and will start next week. 

The K2 classes are also near capacity with many returning familiar faces.  As one of the K2 teachers, I am excited to start our first unit of inquiry together with my K2 colleague Justine Cordwell. We will be exploring how, ‘Stories can be shared in many ways’. 

The Prep classes started their unit of inquiry on friendships last week and children have already experienced a wide range of learning engagements.   As you walk into these PYP classrooms, you can see big storybooks and other class library books, students’ art work and class work which are all related to the current unit of inquiry.

Mr. Ly (P.E.) and Ms. Lisa (EC Arts) are getting to know all of the children and have discussed classroom essential agreements making connections with games as appropriate.  Our two specialists regularly collaborate with the class teachers to plan interactive learning experiences for all of their classes.

In many of the parent information meetings, I sat and listened to the teachers talk about the importance of play.  Interestingly, I spoke with a parent and she mentioned to me how stressful her job is, but how on weekends when she, her daughter and her husband go to the park and play, all her tensions disappear.

I have included an article compiled by Julie Creighton, an independent play consultant who works for the Board of Education in Saskatchewan, Canada. You can see that Julie has used many words (in bold) exhibited in our PYP Learner Profile and PYP Attitudes.  For your enjoyment, I have also included a few photographs of our EC children in action.

Connie Chan
K2 Teacher and EC Coordinator

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Kids of the present generation are very fond of computers. They can sit for hours in front of one. As a result, there's much less physical activity. Engaging in outdoor games, such as basketball, volleyball, football and swimming will help them to stay active; and an active body is very important.

Many people mistakenly believe that fitness is not a priority for kids because they are already more flexible, have higher metabolic rates and more energy than most adults. Kids, however, need to exercise (in appropriate ways) to avoid injury and to build strength and endurance, avoid obesity and to stay fit.
Physical fitness is also important for children because it will help them develop healthy habits which will benefit them later in life.

Most young people today exercise less than they should because there are so many alternatives and distractions available to them.  It is during the formative years that individuals lay the foundation for what later become healthy or poor habits.

Exercise routines designed for adults will quickly bore today’s children but an activity doesn't have to involve formal group sports. A gentle jog with an adult, a tennis game, swimming, golf, martial arts, bicycling, dancing, gymnastics and many other sports are enjoyable for everyone.

Exercise routines should be appropriate for the child’s age.

The primary focus for children under 8 should be the development of basic physical skills, such as coordination and balance. During this time period, a child’s motor skills and eye-hand coordination are still developing. Children take to these activities naturally, as well. Jumping rope, hopscotch and other simple activities help with the development of these skills.

For children aged between 8 and 12, exercise can become more vigorous in order to keep the metabolism from turning food into fat. Adults, however, do need to steer them in order to develop good habits and avoid injury. Weight machines are almost always a bad idea for pre-teens, for example.

Gymnastics, by contrast, helps to build on those basic motor skills learned earlier while developing strength, balance and keeping the endocrine system active and healthy.

Storytelling allows people to express themselves in unique ways

Every week P2 will go to the reading theatre to hear a guest speaker present a story in a unique way.  On Wednesday 17th August, Ms. Caldwell read Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book to all the P2’s.  She chose this story because its subject was favourite books and it is cleverly written and beautifully illustrated.
Please talk to your child at home about their favourite books and read some of your own favourites to them. This will help to encourage a long-lasting love for reading.

Sharing the Planet

The P4s had a great start to the new school year. We are inquiring into water conservation and responsibilty towards water. Several P4 students brought in their own personal books about water in different languages. The children enjoyed sharing their books and reading them to each other in their Mother Tongue!
: This book says that water is everywhere but we have to save water.
Rachel P4Y: This book is about how to save water and I wanted to share it with the class.
Kyoko P4R: My book tells a lot of things about water.
Jimmy P4G:I brought in a Chinese weather book, there is many things about water inside and it has about wind and rain.

	Procedural Texts P3's showed their knowloedge of procedural texts and healthy lifestyles by working in paris to create a yummy egg salad sandwich snack!

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Standard units allow us to have a common language to identify, compare, order and sequence objects and events.

P3 has been making links between its math programme and its current unit of inquiry into balanced choices and healthy lifestyles. This past week we have been busy measuring our bodies using centimeters and meters.  One student wondered… “If we eat more vegetables will we grow faster?” Great question! Let’s find out…

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Dear Everybody,

Let me also add a big warm welcome to everybody in this 1st edition for the year. The initiative for this communication newsletter, across the whole school is, I believe, testament to the friendly atmosphere that the school embraces. Having all three programmes in close proximity, I certainly see as most positive. We can see students’ emotional, intellectual and physical transitions across the school.

I am pleased to see Grade 7 quickly settling into the Middle School. They bring with them lots of energy, inquiry, and curiosity. To the other end of our spectrum: Grade 10 students have an important year to fulfill, with their personal projects and developing their potential skills as emergent young adults.

With all Middle Year Programmes, we have an exciting year ahead. I look forward to Camps  (September 26 -30) and AOC’s (Activities Outside the Classroom) commencing September 5th Students have dedicated teachers who will make all this possible, exciting and worthwhile. Look out for further circulars on this.

I’ll also look forward to learning about your son and daughter’s progress, when we conduct three-way conferences. On this occasion, student, Home room teacher and yourselves, confer about progress to date. This provides an opportunity for students to evaluate their performance, to consider what they are learning and an opportunity to reflect upon how well they are doing so. Three-way conferences date is September 21st; please await further communication on this.

Lastly, a school wide goal this year is to improve reading. In MYP this means reading for meaning. Students are encouraged, therefore, to read, to develop wide interests, but also importantly, to be aware of what they read, to question, to engage with the text, question and be able to critique what they read. Encouraging reading in Mother Tongue should also be encouraged, as it develops skills which are transferable and helps second language acquisition. Reading includes many types of genres, from books to electronic media, from leaflets to fiction. Encourage a broad approach to widen interests and engage with the text.

I look forward to working with you all, to ensure students journey through Middle School is a memorable, productive and happy one.

Jonathan Kelly

Deputy Head / Head of Middle Years

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DP Results 2011
While the rest of the school enjoyed a relaxing summer vacation, the class of 2011 had to nervously await the publication of their DP examination results at the beginning of July. This year was particularly successful with a number of school records broken and a good showing when compared to worldwide results.
Congratulations must obviously go to the 29 students who successfully obtained the full IB diploma however special mention to the following students who achieved 40 points and above:

An Duo Liu: 43 points
Victor San Hou Yu: 41 points
Sharina Nanik Mahtani: 40 points
Hyoung Meen Lee: 40 points

Worldwide around 5% of students score above 40 points whereas these four students represent around 10% of our candidates from 2011.

In addition it should be mentioned that 83% of the diplomas obtained were bilingual, demonstrating that the diploma represents the highest performance in two languages. This clearly demonstrates that Utahloy International School’s commitment to mother tongue language is benefitting our students – on average 30% of diplomas issued worldwide are bilingual.
In other performance indicators: percentage pass rate, average score and average point Utahloy performed above the world average for 2011.

As a school we continue to support those who did not obtain their IB diploma by looking at remark and retake options on a case by case basis.

The 2011 results represent a continuing trend of building upon past successes; from 2010 we saw a 42% increase in full diploma candidates and that growth is set to continue. We will analyse our results in detail and identify areas where further improvement is possible.

2011/2012 Academic Year
This is an important year for both Year 11 students who are beginning their diploma level exam courses and the Year 12 students who are rapidly approaching the end. Both grades have a busy year ahead.
Year 11 will be evaluated at the end of September to ensure that they are in the appropriate classes/levels and to determine what level of support they need.
Year 12 will soon start to submit work that will contribute to their final result, starting with the extended essay and followed by a steady stream of Internally Assessed assignments.
My aim is to ensure that each and every student has a smooth a year as possible.

Finally…
During the coming three-way conferences on 21st September there will be an opportunity during the day to find out more about the Diploma Programme. More details will follow but I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible during that event.

David Morgan
Diploma Coordinator

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From the MYP Desk
Dear Parents,
Welcome back to the new academic year and welcome to the new parents and students.
A few things to note:

1. Managebac.  This is our online curriculum system. Here you can see all your child's assignments and grades. It is designed for you to help them in their learning.  The link is on the front page of the school website. However, you need a user name. To enable your user name, the school needs your email address (not your child’s). If you cannot logon to Managebac, please email communications@utahloy.com with ‘Managebac access’ in the subject box. Ms Yoyo will create a user name for you that will be sent out to your email to set up your password. It is important that your email is added, as reports are emailed out only via Managebac.

2. If you are a new Parent to Utahloy and have not attended an information session about MYP, I encourage you to attend.  Time, date and venue are: School Hall – Wednesday September 21st -

3. Parents of Year 10 Students – Personal Project.  Students are just starting their Personal project. This is a year long research project that student’s under-take in their own time.  They need your support. Please sit down with them and go through the Personal Project handbook that outlines what they have to do. This is the key-stone of the MYP, and can mean the difference between students achieving their IB MYP certificates, or not depending on what mark they achieve. It is important that students under-take rigorous research for this project.

As ever, in MYP this year we are working towards being Rigorous, Real and Community Focused.
If you have any questions, feel free to send me an email, or make an appointment.

Hugo Drummond
MYP Coordinator

hdrummond@utahloy.com

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Welcome back to the new 2011/12 academic year. This year we will be informing parents about a number of exciting new projects and activities like the "Done in a Day" Projects for our Student Council outlined below, and great new articles to keep you informed.  We will start the new school year with a two part article series on academic honesty.

Student Council Mini-Grant Program
"Done In a Day" Projects

This year Student Council will make available mini-grants to students and/or student groups who want to undertake a "Done in a Day" project to benefit our school community. A mini-grant can be up to 800RMB and depending on the nature of the project to be undertaken and at the discretion of the student council, additional time for completion and grants may be considered.  Read more…

Academic Honesty – Part One
Cheating Goes Hi-Tech

What is digital cheating?

Personal technologies have been real game-changers for schoolwork. Information has never been easier to access, and computers provide powerful tools for presentation, collaboration, and creativity. Many people believe that the mobile phone also has potential as a learning tool.  What can parents do? Read more…

Student Welfare Coordinator. Email: nroberts@utahloy.com

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Cross Country at Utahloy

We are glad to be part of the ACAMIS Cross Country race for the first year. Cross Country is a long distance race comprised of hills and flat ground. All secondary students can take part. It will help them to improve their fitness level while giving them a sense of great achievement. Training will take place on Monday after school starting from August, 29th, 2011. The competition will be held at UISZC on November 4th and 5th, 2011. Come and join!

Mr Ly and Ms Portier

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