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Quarter Three, 2007
Australasia
Operation Bula: Fiji International Service Trip
Eighteen Ravenswood Year 11 and 12 girls have just returned from an International Service Trip to Fiji, where they worked with the community of Tagaqe District School (Kindergarten to Class 8), near Sigatoka, on the Coral Coast of Fiji. This was a simply amazing, hands-on experience for all.
New linoleum laid in all classrooms; blackboards repainted; lighting installed in the Kindergarten classroom; art, reading and maths lessons; sports and games; and the Library re-modelled to include the nine laptop computers donated by the Ravenswood IT Department. These were just some of the activities that had the girls passionately involved.
It was not only a great opportunity for the International Baccalaureate students in the group to enhance their Creativity, Action, Service (CAS) programme, but also proved to be a life-changing experience for all involved, including the CAS and DP Coordinators who accompanied the students.
Funds raised over the last two years enabled students to purchase from local retailers guitars, ukuleles, radio/cassette and CD players, a keyboard, a printer and a digital camera for the school. The ‘toothbrush drive’ back at Ravenswood had yielded hundreds of brushes and tubes of toothpaste for the Tagaqe kids to use in their daily post-lunch ‘toothbrush drill’. This initiative, designed to help with dental hygiene awareness, proved to be very popular!
The most rewarding aspect of the trip was the strong, ongoing bond built between the two schools, emphasised by the firm friendships formed between the Ravenswood girls and the Fijian students and teachers. Tagaqe School’s hospitality was as warm and heartfelt as their gratitude for Ravenswood’s efforts.
A moving farewell ceremony and delicious ‘lovo’ (earth oven) prepared feast made saying goodbye very hard, but some of the girls are already planning individual trips back to Fiji, and they are all looking forward to Operation Bula! 2009!
If the principal goal of education is to help young people chart a course towards a fulfilled life, then this Fijian experience has been a definite catalyst. Although a word that should be used sparingly, the first Fiji International Service Trip can comfortably be described as ‘awesome’!
Our thanks to Robin Julian, DP Coordinator for this report.
AAIBS Conference
The recent AAIBS conference in Canberra attracted around 240 participants and was a great success judging from the feedback so far. We are grateful to Narrabundah College for being such wonderful hosts.
Be sure to note down the dates of next year’s AAIBS Conference which will be hosted by Monte Sant’ Angelo in North Sydney. The conference will run from the 12 - 14 April and it will be followed by IBAP Workshops for all three programmes.
Next year’s conference theme is ’Knowing the Heart, Knowing the Mind’, and as with the conference just past, it will cater for schools at all stages of their journey with the IB.
For more information and to register your interest, please contact Monte Sant’ Angelo at +61 2 9409 6240 or email conferences@monte.nsw.edu.au
Please note that registration for IBAP Workshops do not open till six months before the workshop date.
Articles for the PYP Inclusive
If you or a staff member have written or would like to write an
article that would be relevant and of interest to fellow PYP colleagues, then please don’t hesitate to submit it to Kathy Saville for the next PYP Inclusive. The PYP Inclusive is a network of PYP schools in Melbourne which has expanded to support PYP schools across Australasia and beyond. Articles sent as plain word documents with photos attached separately are preferred. For questions & submissions please contact:Kathy Saville Glen Waverley CampusWesley College Melbourne Kathy.Saville@wesleycollege.net
MYP Activities in Adelaide
On Monday 6 August at Walford School for Girls, over sixty MYP Coordinators heard a presentation by Regional Representative Greg Valentine on “Enhancing Practice through the IB Mission”.
The focus of the session was on how to create a learning environment which would foster the attributes of the IB Learner Profile in IB MYP schools and promote the IB Mission.
The following day, on Tuesday 7 August at Norwood Morialta High School over 40 current IB and interested Principals attended a presentation by Greg Valentine on “The IB Mission—what it means for Schools”.
At this presentation emphasis was placed on the IB Mission, the Learner Profile and the IB Standards and Practices and how these help shape school culture and organisation. The pivotal role of the Principal and leadership of the programme was central to the discussion.
Both presentations were organized by local support networks, the SA MYP Coordinators group and the SA IB Principals Association (SASSIPA).
The importance of the role being played by local networks can not be over emphasized.
Greg Valentine, Regional Representative Australasia
Stefanie Sandford, Assistant
Email: ibapausreception@ibo.org
Operation Bula
The children
The team
Quick Facts: IB Students/Staff numbers
PYP:34,232 students
MYP:18,236 students
DP: 3,786 students
5,479 teachers
(includes Candidates)