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IB Asia Pacific Newsletter

Quarter One, 2008

Focus on Schools

1. Brent International School Manila, Philippines

Brent International School Manila is a co-educational day school

associated with the Episcopal Church in the Philippines.  The

beautiful campus is situated in the south of Manila and boasts of

its world-class facilities and quality education.  The Brent family

consists of students from over forty-two different countries. 

With a Christian ethos, the school seeks to help students to

become rational, intellectually curious, and tolerant learners

receptive to new ideas.  While developing the talents and

interests of students, the school sees to instill a strong sense of

values.  Brent provides a well-rounded education.  Academic

pursuits are complemented by extra-curricular activities, such

as sport competitions and social and humanitarian projects.

Brent Upper School is fortunate to be able to offer a very rich

and wide range of IB courses taught by a group of talented and

dedicated professionals. This year we are conducting no less

than 130 sections of fifty-two different IB courses! Thirty-eight

of our fifty-four Brent Upper School faculty teach at least one

course in the IB Program. In fact, eight of those professionals

have been or currently are recognized by the IB as Assistant

Examiners in their subjects. Over the past four years,

sixty-eight upper school teachers have participated in a total of

fifty-one IB workshops in thirty-two different discipline areas.

Most of those workshops have been here in the Asia Pacific

Region with a few happening in the United States of America.

The school has remained consistent with the International

Baccalaureate Organization’s policy to provide equal opportunity

to all students in IB diploma schools.  We continue to provide

quality education, nurture the talents that are entrusted to us,

and excel in all areas of student development by promoting the

IB learner profile.

On 28 November 2007, Dr Monique Seefried, President of the International Baccalaureate Organization’s Board of Governors, visited the Brent International School Manila south campus and met with the administrative team, the faculty, and the IB students.  During her short campus visit, she was able to witness a Theory of Knowledge student presentation as well as visit a few classrooms of the upper school and meet with the EARCOS executives.  In her session with the upper school faculty, she discussed the expansion of the IB program, the availability of on-line training for IB examiners, and the newly launched School to School program to assist in schools around the world. 

In an open forum with the grade 11 and 12 IB students, Dr Seefried encouraged questions, saying that it was part of the IB education to think critically and to freely express themselves.  Dr Seefried listened to the students as they gave their feedback on the various IB courses and learning opportunities.  It was indeed a day of productive endeavor at Brent International School Manila graced by the presence of an energetic, warm, and knowledgeable guest in the person of Dr Monique Seefried. 

Kristi Pozon

DP Coordinator

2. Stradbroke Schools, Adelaide, Australia

IB Community Theme in Practice

In this issue we would like to highlight Stradbroke Schools and their recent activities and initiatives which put the IB’s community theme of ‘Sharing our Humanity’ into practice.

Stradbroke Schools, located in Adelaide, South Australia, offers

both the Primary Years and Middle Years Programmes to over

700 students who identify with over 45 cultures.

Late last year as part of their Community and Service

Programme many of their Year 7 students volunteered to

become Junior UNICEF Ambassadors.  The IB Community

Theme “Sharing Our Humanity” was taken up by the School’s 40

Junior UNICEF Ambassadors to help celebrate Universal

Children’s Day with a week full of different cultural activities.

To celebrate and learn about cultural diversity, the UNICEF

Ambassadors taught simple games to all classes.  The games

were from places such as West Africa and Afghanistan, and

gave students first-hand experience of what play is like for

children in other countries and cultures.

A lunchtime concert, where students performed musical and

dance items from their personal cultures was also organised by

the UNICEF Ambassadors.  The Ambassadors spoke about the

IB Community Theme “Sharing Our Humanity” and the universal

work of UNICEF. The money collected went to the schools’

ongoing fundraising for UNICEF helping to fight poverty and

provide a basic education for all.

A colourful and vibrant parade of students, dressed in their

national costumes in front of parents and visitors  was a fitting

culmination for the week’s activities and helped to strengthen

the schools’ commitment to developing internationally minded

young people and compassionate life long learners.

Peta Mitchell

 

 


Snapshots

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Dr Monique Seefried with the team from Brent International School Manila

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stradbroke School students in their national costumes

strad1

Twin sisters Skevi and Niki Panatsos in their Cypriot National Costume

strad2

Mikhala Beaumont, although not a Japanese, loves everything Japanese!

strad3

Sachit Chawla and Karn Bal are from India and are wearing Kwita Pyjamas