Please allow me to step out from behind this blog for a moment... today is the last day at RIS for Ms. Howard and me. We consider ourselves very fortunate to have been a part of the school for a long time, and are proud of many of the things we have been able to accomplish in our time here.
We will miss our interactions with our friends and colleagues and with the parents so involved and concerned with their children's education. We will especially miss the many wonderful, bright, and caring students we have had the opportunity to teach. Ms. Howard and I wish you all much success and great happiness in the future.
So we leave you, RIS Big Brains, with two important pieces of advice:
Exercise for at least thirty minutes every day. Go outside, run around, have fun!
Learn as much as you can about as much as you can.
Effective tomorrow, please see the new RIS blog at http://www.riskorea.blogspot.com/ for all RIS daily announcements and reminders. Mr. Emin has been working hard to ensure that the new blog will be a one-stop forum for school news, events, and activities. As well, the new RIS website is in its final stages of development, and promises to offer many more online features for all members of the RIS family.
The Quarter Two Parent Meeting will be held tomorrow from 10:00-11:15am in the auditorium. All parents are invited to this informal session, and are encouraged to ask RIS administrators any questions they may have.
Please inform Mr. Emin or Ms. Park by this afternoon if you plan on attending the meeting. We hope to see many of you tomorrow.
Did you know that eating a healthy breakfast is the best way to get your body and brain going in the morning? Make sure that you have something nutritious to eat for breakfast (some cereals, milk, yogurt, fruit, juice, and water are all good choices) and give yourself the energy you need to be productive and active. There are many good websites for you to see to learn about proper nutrition and healthy eating habits. Check out Nutrition Explorations for a fun place to start.
Thanks to this week's challenge champions for insight into Spain's San Isidro festival, Canada's Icelandic festivals, Korea's Chuseok, and Christmas, celebrated by Christians around the world. For this great research, Haruka [Gr.8], Rithwik [Gr.1], Sena [Gr.2], and Abdulaziz [Gr.1], you are recognized as our Holiday Facts O'Plenty Masters of the Week. Very well done!
Tomorrow Haruka [Gr.8], Fiffy [Gr.8], Valeria [Gr.6], Burak [Gr.7], and Nahan [Gr.8] take their first steps on the road to the Olympiads. These five super students join Ms. Tuba, Mr. Emin, and Mr. Ahmet on the first of many trips to KAIST in Daejeon, where they will meet Professor Yavuz and begin preparations for next year's competitions in Istanbul and Houston. Great stuff, everyone!
The Quarter Two Parent Meeting will be held next Tuesday, November 23rd, from 10:00-11:15am in the auditorium. All parents are invited to this informal session, and are encouraged to ask RIS administrators any questions they may have.
Please inform Mr. Emin or Ms. Park by Monday afternoon if you plan on attending the meeting on Tuesday. We hope to see many of you next week.
Amal [Gr.8] displays the qualities of a lifelong learner. She strives to work hard and learn something new everyday. She is always attentive in class and tries to put her best effort into all her assignments.
Nahan [Gr.8] displays the characteristics of an individual who is friendly and caring. She always has lots of stories to share and is the first person to greet and smile at the teacher.
From Ms. Kim...
Fatima A. [Gr.7] deserves an ESLR award for being a natural leader by helping the other students in ESL class, and leading a vocabulary game with a positive attitude.
From Ms. Lee...
Bassam [Gr.8] displays the qualities of an independent learner who is self-motivated about accomplishing his goals. Although he is new to the school, numerous teachers have commented on his pleasant, hardworking demeanor toward his classroom work. His positive attitude is commendable.
From Mr. Alexander...
Amal [Gr.8] showed herself to be Independent by taking the time to do her difficult Social Studies test at home.
The best website to use if you are interested in comparing flags from different countries is the World Flag Database. Once you have checked that site out, you will probably be ready to put your knowledge to the test with the flag game, where you can also learn many facts about the countries.
There was something for everyone today - rockets, sharks, dinosaurs, earthquakes, insects, electricity, a playground, and many amazing exhibits. Thanks for having us, Gwacheon National Science Museum, we had a great time!
With the next few days being Eid, a major festival for most RIS families, this week's challenge is about holidays. Holidays can be fun and relaxing, but many holidays also have special meanings.
Your challenge is to learn four facts about a holiday. Sounds easy, right? But...the holiday you choose can not be a holiday from the country, or the culture, or the religion that you are from. This is your chance to learn about a ceremony or festival from a different part of the world, then share your knowledge with your family, friends, and teachers. For example, read about Mexico's Día de Todos los Santos, or Nepal's Dashain, or Brazil's Carnival, or Western Samoa's Teuila. Every country has its own special holidays and observances, so there will be plenty of information for you to gather.
Do your research, and then find Mr. Smith before Friday at 1:18pm. Tell him the holiday you chose, the country where it is celebrated, and four fascinating facts. Students who complete this challenge will be recognized here on Friday afternoon as a Holiday Facts O'Plenty Master of the Week. Good luck!
Once a month, a volunteer from the Seocho Health Centre will come to RIS to teach a Korean Cooking class to Middle School students. In November, the class will be held on Tuesday the 23rd from 3:10pm-4:10pm. This is an optional session, and students who wish to join will be responsible to ensure their own transportation home after the class. There is no cost to the students, and a maximum enrolment of ten. This month, the class will continue to learn how to make 김밥 (kimbab) and 떡볶이 (tteokbokki).
Parents of interested students should email Mr. Emin directly to give permission for their child to join, and to ensure that the student has planned his or her own transportation home after the class. 맛있게 드세요!
Due to the field trip, this week's EC and TaeKwonDo program will be cancelled. Parents should expect their children to return home at regular school-day time tomorrow. The EC and TKD programs will take place as usual next Wednesday.
Tomorrow we will be going for a full-day field trip to the Gwacheon National Science Museum. Please remember your lunch, a drink, a snack, and your curiousity. You'll need to wear your RIS uniform, but don't need to bring any money.
So far five interested students have spoken to Mr. Emin about joining one of the Science Olympiad project teams. There is still room for a few more great scientific minds to contribute and be part of this fantastic opportunity.
Parents of interested students should contact Mr. Emin as soon as possible, as the students will be making their first trip to KAIST in Daejeon this weekend.
