BIFS Newsletter 31 2015!10!23 en PDF
BIFS Newsletter 31 2015!10!23 en PDF
BIFS Newsletter 31 2015!10!23 en PDF
Contents
(Click to jump straight to the article home icon brings you back to Contents)
Whole School
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Reflections on Resilience
3-Way Conferences - Thank You!
PE Uniform Shop
Image Rights Permission
PTA News
Global Gathering 2015
From the Music Department
School Photo Orders
Flu Vaccine Information
Cafeteria Menu: October 26-30
Turkeys Available from Chef Kim
Elementary School
BIFS NEWSLETTER
Whole School
Reflections on Resilience
What an exciting week of community at BIFS! Last week the BIFS community was a proud participant in the City
of Busans Global Gathering where we were able to share what BIFS offers with, and to, the greater Busan
Community. Then on Tuesday, our community came together for meaningful three way conversations about
each students learning and progress in our school wide parent, teacher, student conferences. Thank you to
everyone who attended. We are in the process of collecting feedback on how we can improve our conferences
and communication about student learning so please send in your comments. A community highlight event for
this fall is the upcoming PTA Family Fall Festival that will be held at BIFS tomorrow! This is an event that you do
not want to miss! Bring your friends! It promises to be an incredible day!
These past couple of weeks have provided me with an opportunity to personally reflect on the importance of
resilience. BIFS is dedicated to building the capacity of resilience in all of our students. Resiliency is an important
learning outcome of the IB and it was one of the featured topics of our recent guest professional, Mr. Lance
King. In fact, if you missed it, here are some of the great things he had to say on the topic when he visited BIFS.
However, students, and also adults, do not know how developed their resiliency skills are until they are tested.
Now, I am not saying tested in the traditional school manner via paper and pencil tests or a quiz. Rather, I am
speaking about being tested by authentic life experiences and personal unanticipated set-backs. These are the
tangible arena where your resiliency skills are on full display.
Kelvin Cochrans The Art of Resiliency blog post highlights that it is what keeps you up, not what knocks you
down, that matters. He points out that resilience is defined as spring back; returning to the original form or
position after being bent, compressed or stretched; readily recovering; buoyant; cheerful. Chochran points out
that these descriptions are not representative of the elasticity of ones body but rather describe the mental and
emotional tenacity we want to see developed in each person. Resiliency is characterized by the internal factors
of Efficacy (building of the self-belief in students that learning is possible for them), Agency (learning skills,
techniques and strategies of effective learning) and Action (learning to reflect, make plans for improvement in
the future, and learning how to learn from failure).
What can we do together to build resilient students? Parents have already laid the foundation for resilience in
their children through their upbringing and role modeling. Additionally, parents can support the further
development of resilience by praising for effort, not ability; by encouraging your students to develop a more
optimistic way of thinking; and supporting and reassuring their students in learning to fail well. (We will explore
this concept more in depth next week).
Finally, schools like BIFS can create a resilience focused school climate by using best practices and strategies to
provide students various opportunities to develop resiliency skills, to develop an internal locus of control and an
optimistic outlook and to celebrate the overcoming of adversity and learning from failure. Additionally the
school can create this resilience focused school climate by directly teaching the process of failing well and
making resilience a high value attribute in the school.
www.bifskorea.org | [email protected] | T. 82 51 742 3332
BIFS NEWSLETTER
PE Uniform Shop
THE PE UNIFORM SHOP is now open Monday thru Thursday! Please check the calendar on the BIFS website for
actual shop hours each week. Note: Shop hours are determined by the availability of our volunteers!
The weather is starting to cool off so it is a great time to consider your cool weather PE Uniform options!! Stop
by the PE Uniform Shop and let us help you!!
Also available: BIFS blankets, coffee mugs and Eco-bags!!
Our vendor has indicated that he is changing factories because of quality issues. If you are having difficulty with the quality of your
uniform, please be sure to let us know! In most cases, we will not be able to replace it but we can ask the vendor to repair it.
BIFS NEWSLETTER
United in our Diversity, Thriving in our Individuality
PTA News
One more nights sleep till the Fall Family Festival. Bring your family and come enjoy the
Festival with us from 10 am 2:00 pm. Wear your costumes for the parade at 1:45pm. The
day will be full of smiles.
BIFS NEWSLETTER
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United in our Diversity, Thriving in our Individuality
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BIFS NEWSLETTER
United in our Diversity, Thriving in our Individuality
Friday, October 30
Grades K, 1, 2R, 3, 4G, 5
Make - Ups
Parent Volunteers needed on Oct 29 and 30 to assist with school photos! If you are available to help out, please
contact Anne Sweet ([email protected]) or Nate Swenson ([email protected]) to let us know which
day(s) you can assist. Thanks in advance!
BIFS NEWSLETTER
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BIFS NEWSLETTER
United in our Diversity, Thriving in our Individuality
Lunch Menu
Sandwich Bar
BIFS NEWSLETTER
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BIFS NEWSLETTER
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Elementary School
Grades KG-5:
On October the 30th from lunch time onward, the Student Council will be running a Halloween celebration for
Kindergarten to Grade 5. Students will have the opportunity to dress up, play games, and participate in a
Halloween parade.
In order for the day to be a success, it would be fantastic if all students could find or create a costume to wear.
They may choose to wear a Halloween costume, or another costume that isnt related, for example a Spiderman
or Fairy costume. Please do not choose costumes that contain fake weapons, such as guns, swords etc, as these
items will not be allowed at school.
In the morning, there will be a professional photographer taking photos of individual students and classes for
our Yearbook. Therefore, students are NOT to come to school in the morning dressed in their costumes.
Students will be given time to change into their costumes after lunch.
As part of the festivities, the Student Council would like to hold a Halloween-themed bake sale during lunch
time. All money raised will go towards running the event, and future Student Council events. If you would like to
contribute to the bake sale, please fill out the Google Form that was sent this week. -- Student Council, Mrs.
Melville and Miss. Toouli
ELC:
The ELC will have a small Halloween celebration in the morning on October 30. ELC students may come to
school in costumes, or change after arrival. Please send regular clothes in case your child wishes to change out
of their costume. The ELC students will have a variety of activities in the three classrooms, and will have
opportunities to work visit the different classrooms to see each others costumes and play together.
BIFS NEWSLETTER
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Field Trips
Grade 2 was off to Gimhae last Wednesday. They visited the Hanok Village to compare the traditional Korean
house structures with modern homes. This is part of their inquiry under the theme, Where we are in place and
time.
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BIFS NEWSLETTER
United in our Diversity, Thriving in our Individuality
Upcoming Events
Date/Time
Event
Details
October 29, 30
School Photos
October 30
Halloween Celebration
October 30
November 9
November 13
Elective Registration Changes Final opportunity to add electives classes for Term 2.
Closed
Elementary Assembly
Elementary Assembly
Grade 2 Assembly
Elementary Assembly
Grade 4G will share what they have learned during their 'Who
we are' unit of inquiry, and they will teach the Elementary about
how to be healthy.
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BIFS NEWSLETTER
United in our Diversity, Thriving in our Individuality
Leading up to conferences, there always seems to be a strange feeling around school. Some are scared of what
might be shared, others are anxious about their preparations, and a few are nervous about the unknown. In
case you didnt guess, we are describing both students and teachers. We, as principals, actually LOVE
conferences and really enjoy getting to know parents, but we are in the minority. Let us explain
During conferences, we move around and introduce ourselves to those we dont know and connect with the
ones we do. We really enjoy connecting parents to their children and we also give feedback to parents about
their children. It is our favorite day of the year because of the connections we are able to make. It is fun to finally
meet face to face with those we have been emailing or talking with only on the phone.
This week we had conferences and over 72% of middle school parents along with 52% of high school parents
attended. Almost all of them brought their children (I only noticed three families who left their children at home)
to allow for the three-way conferences to give students feedback. During this time, teachers were able to give
specific and timely feedback to students so that they can grow in their learning for the rest of the year. It was a
wonderful time for us, as parents, to get very specific feedback for over 2 hours about our own children.
Thank you to all who attended and made this a huge success. Please take a few minutes to send out the survey
that was sent to you and also give any feedback you may have to your divisional principals. We want to make
this the best experience possible for you and your children.
Nate Swenson
Middle School Principal
Jamie Robb
High School Principal
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BIFS NEWSLETTER
United in our Diversity, Thriving in our Individuality
Athletic Update
Upcoming Events:
Events
Location
Date
Chadwick International
October 24
November 11
Jeju (Pending)
November 14
HS Basketball SKAC
November 14
Jeju
November 21
Recent Activity:
Saturday October 17, 2015
This past weekend BIFS athletics had a big weekend of tournaments at Chadwick International School in
Incheon. Students left BIFS with high hopes to bring home trophies for the Girls MS Soccer Program, The Boys
MS Soccer Program and the Boys and Girls Varsity Volleyball teams. Overcoming the first leg of the journey
both teams withstood a long bus trip to Seoul leaving BIFS at 1:30 in the afternoon and arriving at 9:00 PM. Early
the next morning the teams woke up and headed to Chadwick to take on the opposition.
Competition is fierce in the KISAC conference and the Girls Middle School Soccer team rose to the challenge
winning the entire tournament. Every team member on the soccer squad scored a goal including the
goalkeeper Marnie Stutsel who also stopped numerous attempts by the opposition to score as well. Many girls
managed to score multiple goals in the tournament. Great Job Bears!!
Members of 2015 KISAC BLUE Championship Team:
Alisa Zakirova
Cayetana Pendergast
Eve Seeberg
Marnie Stutsel
Grace Monteiro
Kira Seggerty
Erika Manrique
Se Na Julsdorf
Zoe Shields
Congratulations to the boys group who fought hard to secure a fifth place finish of 8 teams. Teams at the
Chadwick Tournament included: North London Collegiate School, Chadwick International, Centennial Christian
School and Seoul Academy International School.
KISAC Blue 2015 5th Place finish:
Jason Park
Peter Galse
Marin Ikac
Robert Greenhalgh
Cole Robb
Min Bok
www.bifskorea.org | [email protected] | T. 82 51 742 3332
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BIFS NEWSLETTER
United in our Diversity, Thriving in our Individuality
Host School
Date
SKAK
DIS, GIFS
SKAC
Div.
Travel
Team
Start Time
End Time
November 14
Daegu
B Team
TBA
TBA
December 7
Busan
B Team
TBA
TBA
AISA
January 28
Seoul
Travel Team
TBA
TBA
KISAC
BISC
January 30
Blue
Seoul
B Team
TBA
TBA
KISAC
CCS
February 26, 27
Red
Seoul
Travel Team
TBA
TBA
Staff Game
BIFS
TBA
No
Both Team
TBA
TBA
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BIFS NEWSLETTER
United in our Diversity, Thriving in our Individuality
Host School
Date
SKAC
ISK
January 23
KISAC
BIFS
February 19, 20
SKAC
BIFS
February 25
KISAC
Chadwick, BISC
March 5
Staff Game
BIFS
TBA
Div.
Red
Blue
Travel
Team
Start Time
End Time
Goje
B team
TBA
TBA
NO
Travel Team
TBA
TBA
NO
B team
TBA
TBA
Seoul
Travel Team
TBA
TBA
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BIFS NEWSLETTER
United in our Diversity, Thriving in our Individuality
November 2015
23rd
ES Assembly
2nd 6th
Mid-term Holiday
24th
7th
28th
HS Parent Coffee
9th
28th 29th
29th 30th
30th
PTA Meeting
ES Halloween
ES Assembly
ES Assembly
HS Assembly
MS House Assembly
17th
ES Parent Coffee
Spirit Day
18th
20th
ES Assembly
25th
MS Parent Coffee
27th
ES Assembly
28th
BIWA Bazzar
30th
11th
13h
BIFS NEWSLETTER
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