The Stallion News 009

Principal’s Ponderings

1. I am associated with the following school(s):

YANBU Count = 147

2. Information is sent from my school to home at least:

Once a Week Count = 62

Once a Month Count = 61

Once Every 2 Months Count = 4

3. I receive communication from school from the following

people:

Teachers Count = 87

Counselors Count = 31

Administrators Count = 109

PTO Count = 28

Superintendent Count = 45

Other Count = 32

4. I receive communication from school in the following ways:

Journals/Planners Count = 30

Phone Calls Count = 45

E-Mail Count = 135

Newsletters Count = 87

Website Count = 39

Moodle Count = 35

Twitter Count = 0

Other Count = 8

5. I prefer to receive communication from school in the

following way:

Hard Copy Count = 22

Electronic Copy Count = 120

6. I would like to see communication improved in my school

from the following people:

No change Count = 38

Teachers Count = 85

Counselors Count = 41

Administrators Count = 25

Superintendent Count = 17

Other Count = 7

MISSION STATEMENT Yanbu International School, a K-12 college preparatory institution, is

committed to providing the highest quality U.S.-based education.

Dedicated professional educators will empower our community of

multi-national students to achieve their wildest dreams in a world

increasingly without borders.

March 27, 2013

Edition 009

During the first week of March, a communications survey was sent to all YIS parents from the ISG district office. ISG schools

are always interested in how we are doing with communication, where we can improve, and what is valued. I had a meeting with our

superintendent, Dr. Norma Hudson, and she discussed the results of the survey. She also asked me to distribute these results to our YIS

community through this newsletter.

I was very pleased that the response rate from our YIS parents was the second highest in the ISG district. The highest number

of responses came from ISG-Dammam but they have an enrollment of 1200 students. I would like to thank all of the parents who

responded to this communication survey and I want all YIS parents to know that I will continue to improve our school communications.

Below, please find the results of the district communications survey:

7. Overall, I am pleased with communication from my school.

Strongly Agree Count = 25

Agree Count = 90

Disagree Count = 22

Strongly Disagree Count = 7

Other Count = 6

8. I feel free to contact the school if I have any questions.


Agree Count = 84

Disagree Count = 6


Other Count = 4

9. On average, I contact the school at least:

Once a Week Count = 11


3-4 Times a Year Count = 50

2 Times a Year Count = 10

Never Count = 7

Other Count = 17

10. I access my school's website at least:




Never Count = 6

Other Count = 13

11. My school's website is easy to navigate:


Agree Count = 98

Disagree Count = 21


Other Count = 6

12. I access the ISG District website at least:




Never Count = 65

Other Count = 8

What’s Going on in Mrs. Syed’s Art Class?

I’m really proud of my grade 8 art students who followed

through with the challenging assignment of painting winter

birch trees. The assignment is not just about birch trees. It is

also a lesson on color; particularly winter color. This is a bit

foreign to students who live in a perpetually sunny world.

Students used black and white and one color of their choice to

complete the painting, showing perspective, value to a defined

space focusing on nature, and overlapping which gave their

painting a 3-D effect. The source of light in the winter scene

led the students to create beautiful and realistic shadows. On

the whole, it was greatly enjoyed and a well done project!

Another mentionable project done by the 8th graders was a

math incorporated lesson about illusions, leading the students

to conjure some eye-catching illusion. Using creativity and

color schemes to enhance the 3-D element of the project, the

illusions turned out to be brilliant! To further project the 3D

effect, student work was put together in the shape of cubes

before putting them up for display.

I am also very proud of my Grade 11 art students and their

Expressionist paintings. Each piece, painted in acrylic,

expressed deep emotions which were depicted by an array of

colors. The concept of each painting displayed deep thought

and expression. When displayed in the hallway, they surely

received a lot compliments! Thank you to all the art lovers out

there.

Presently, the 11th graders are working on watercolor self-

portraits. Students are displaying their creativity through

painting colorful and intricate patterns, grid-by-grid, for each

section (background, hair, skin, clothes). They used two

different color combinations to complete their self-portrait in

the style of the artist, Chuck Close. It is amazing to see how

well the objectives of this lesson are being incorporated and

completed in such a fun way!

SPRING TESTING

Children in grades 2, 4, 6, 8 and 9 take the Stanford

Achievement Test Version 10 (SAT 10). These tests are very

important for us in terms of measuring the continued progress

of your children. This year the SAT 10 will be administered

between April 16th and April 24th.

I think the best description of the SAT comes from the

publisher’s website:

The standard of excellence in achievement testing

for over 80 years, the Stanford Achievement Test

Series now offers a state-of-the-art tenth edition to

measure student progress toward high academic

standards. The Stanford 10 multiple-choice

assessment will help educators find out what

students know and are able to do. This technically

excellent instrument provides the valid and reliable

tool needed for objective measurement of

achievement. Administrators will obtain reliable

data to evaluate progress toward meeting the

challenges set forth by high expectations. Teachers

will identify areas of strengths and weaknesses.

I am asked every year about things that you can do to improve

your children’s performance on these tests. Use the following

tips to help your child prepare for the SAT10 testing:

Make sure your child gets plenty of sleep the night before

the test.

Make sure your child eats breakfast.

Attendance and promptness are critical. Make sure your

child arrives at school on time; testing usually begins

immediately after class starts. Please don’t schedule

appointments or vacations during SAT 10 testing.

Help your child leave the house in the morning on a

positive note. Say something encouraging or

complimentary as your child leaves. For example, you

might tell your child, “I’m proud of you,” or “I know

you’ll try your best today.”

Help your child keep a positive attitude about testing.

After school, ask your child how the day went. Allow

your child to express any concerns. Remember testing

can be stressful, so listening to your child and

encouraging them to do their best is great motivation. In

the evening, strive to create a stress-free environment

free of required activities.

Counselor’s Chronicles

All About 1 M

Math:

We are having fun discovering different kinds of graphs and

analyzing their data during our math time. The students are

interested in different 3D shapes and this week they will make

the shapes themselves. Working with odd and even numbers and

counting by 2’s, 5’s, and 10’s are daily routines in our class.

Social studies and science:

We had fun getting to know different countries, including their

flags, capital cities and famous places through the cultural boxes

the students designed. We are learning about our globe,

continents, and the oceans. As we are also learning about family

trees, the students will be asked to illustrate their own family

trees using pictures and present them in the class.

Rocks and minerals are our current subject in science. The

students are having fun categorizing and classifying rocks into

gravels, pebbles, sands and silt.

Reading and writing:

Students are learning to compare and contrast different genres

such as fiction, nonfiction, realistic fiction, and folktales. We

have been working on adjectives, nouns, pronoun, and verbs as

well as the subject and predicate.

Thanks to all of you who are taking time reading with your child.

I have seen a profound change in many of my students’ reading

progress in both fluency and comprehension.

Elementary Arabic

In elementary Arabic the students are learning how to sound out

and write the alphabet and the different positions of writing them

in order to form words and sentences. The students are also

learning how to count and write the Arabic numbers. In class we

are reading and learning lots of Arabic stories and songs.

Throughout the year we will cover different themes that will help

the students remember the Arabic vocabulary, such as and not

limited to, greetings, days of the week, family members, shapes,

colors, body parts, animal names, etc.

Over all, we are very pleased and happy with how much our

students are enthusiastic and showing interest in learning this

language. Please encourage them to do their best in class and ask

questions if they need to. Shukran!

Mrs. Rose’s News for 7th and 8th Grade

Is spring in the air? Did the groundhog see his shadow in

February? Although the days appear a little warmer now than in

February, spring is still just around the corner. As the year

continues to progress, Mrs. Rose’s classes continues to bloom.

During the months of February and March, Mrs. Rose’s 7th

grade geography classes have been learning about the History of

Early Modern Europe 1500-1900. This era is extremely

fascinating for everyone because it marks the time of The

Renaissance and Reformation. The students have been learning

about the different voyages of discovery at that time. These

significant events opened the door to new wealth, conquests and

government. The 7th grade geography classes have also been

learning about World War I and World War II and the events

that have surrounded this era. We are planning a field trip to a

textile company.

The students have done a variety of activities which coincide

with our school’s AFG (Accreditation For Growth) goals. In

addition to reading and building vocabulary, the students are

producing Word Walls. The students have been incorporating

technology into their routine by taking online quizzes from the

curriculum text. These online quizzes are a great way for the

students to practice and review taught material for mastery.

In Mrs. Rose’s 8th grade U.S. History classes, during the months

of February and March, Mrs. Rose has been re-teaching The

American Revolution, The Bill of Rights, and The Constitution.

We have watched documentaries and films relating to these

topics, read related articles, and held open discussions as well.

The students watched their very first inauguration speech, as

well as The State of the Union address from President Barack

Hussain Obama.

The month of February marked an important time of celebration

and acknowledgement known as Black History Month. Black

History Month is a time where the entire month of February is

set aside to pay tribute to African - Americans and their

contributions to America’s History. These contributions have

marked pivotal moments in American History. Mrs. Rose’s U.S.

History classes have been introduced to many noted Americans

of African descent such as: Crispus Attucks, Benjamin

Banneker, Mary McLeod Bethune, The Buffalo soldiers,

Matthew Henson, Frederick Douglass, Ruby Bridges, Vivien

Thomas, George Washington Carver, Marion Anderson, Barbara

Jordan and Harriet Tubman- just to name a very few. Have you

ever heard of any of these people?

Mrs. Rose’s U.S. History classes have also been involved in

several class debates. It is such a joyful experience to see Y.I.S.

students express themselves in such an intelligent way. The

students will truly be ready for next year’s Knowledge Bowl.

As the days continue to get warmer, spring definitely begins to

fill the air. Mrs. Rose’s classes are so very happy and blooming

with excitement for all the wonderful fun activities they are

enjoying. They are feeling a sense of pride to step out of their

comfort zone and take risks. Mrs. Rose is so very proud of her

future leaders. The students are on their way to fulfilling their

Wildest Dreams! Bravo!

Reviving “Hakawatee”

The Ancient Art of Storytelling

One of the most revered traditions of oral storytelling in the Arab

world was the Hakawati who with his way with words, spun

yarns and breathed life into the heroes of history, fables from the

Quran, and legends about warriors.

The 10th graders are reviving the “Hakawatee” by telling an

Islamic story and learning a few morality lessons along the way.

They’re accompanying their story with gestures and different

voices, dressing, and acting; encouraging the class to listen and

then participate. Wow!! It’s amazing how creative students can

be.

The 4th graders enjoyed learning about the five pillars of Islam,

learning songs, and most of all doing some project about it.

Really!! They were artist by making a lantern for Ramadan and

an Islamic card about Hajj.

For the Calligraphy in Islam, they were very happy to learn about

the 6 styles of calligraphy such as Kufi, Dewani, and Farsi. The

students ended the lesson by writing some words using

Calligraphy style. I am really enjoying teaching this class.

GOT Math

Math teaches logic and order. You can expect a mathematical

equation to have a predictable outcome and precise steps must be

followed in order to attain that result. The discipline of mind that

children develop in math can carry over into everyday life. Not

every child wants to be a mathematician. However, all children

can benefit from strong math skills.

The GOT Math program started in March 2013 for grades 1-6.

Every month, on the last Saturday of the month, a selected

number of questions will be put up on the class bulletin boards

which the students have to solve during school time. The results

will be declared by Wednesday of the same week. The monthly

scores will be recorded and the winners will be selected from

among them at the end of the year. The math problems are going

to be interesting and quite challenging.

Do encourage your child to participate.

GOT Math team (Ms. Kumar, Ms. Abbeneni, Ms. Layug, Ms.

Baldoz and Dr. Patil)

FESTIVAL OF FOOTBALL

For the fifth consecutive year, YIS students between 9 and 11

years of age had the opportunity to participate in the British

International School of Jeddah’s (BISJ) “Festival of Football.”

This is a unique 7-a side soccer tournament where students from

participating schools, instead of playing for their school team, are

mixed together to form special “Festival of Football” teams.

Teams are named after famous clubs such as Manchester United,

Real Madrid, Barçelona, etc., and are organized into eight groups

of four in the round robin part of the competition. After the round

robin section of the tournament is complete, teams are matched

up for the knock out round. This goes on until four teams are left

to play off for the Bronze, Silver, and Gold medals.

It is a full day of soccer for participating students and a great

opportunity for them to meet and play with children of the same

age from other schools. Participants receive a team T-shirt, hat,

and team picture for the day and, besides playing a lot of soccer,

participate in contests in soccer trivia and art. The “Festival of

Football” is held in conjunction with BISJ’s Winter Carnival, so

there is a real party atmosphere with many things for the whole

family to do. Although this year’s “Festival of Football” just

ended, many of this year’s participants can hardly wait for next

year. Following is a list of YIS students who participated and

their teams.

Student Team Student Team

Damien Caldwell

Daniel Hurley

Mustafa Istanbuli

Abdullah Khan

Dalha Lawan

Danial Mustafa

Abdul Khalique

Qureshi*

Basil Saeed

Arsenal

Barçelona

Inter Milan

Liverpool

Bayern

Munich

Lyon

Man.

United

Marseilles

Hassan Khalid

Abdullah

Ahmad

Annas

Maghoub

Bilal Matmi

Rayhan Murad

Vinayak

Thampi

Rafay Mughal

Mastan

Kareem

Real Madrid

Newcastle

Ajax

Al Itihad

Galatasary

Tottenham

PSV

Eindhoven

Roma

*Bronze medal winner

Mr. Naso

April 6 - 10 Spring Break

April 16-24 SAT 10 Exams

May 18 School Holiday

June 16 High School Graduation

June 18 Last day of school for students

(minimum day)

DATES TO REMEMBER

Les classes de Français

Bonjour!

Students in French I, II and III have been engaged in a variety of

activities.

Dans un café

French I students were busy learning about how to order food in a

French cafe. They were asked to act out a scene, "Dans un Cafe"

by giving it a name, including a menu, and using props to make it

realistic. They had to videotape the scenario, role play a café

meet and greet with friends which included making an order from

the menu, asking for the bill, and having a discussion about the

weather and places they like to visit.

Les Fêtes en France

French II students were asked to do an investigation on the most

significant holidays and celebrations in France such as: Mardi

Gras, Epiphanie, Premier Avril, 14 Juillet- La fête nationale,

Chandeleur, Saint Nicolas, La fête du Muguet, et La Sainte-

Catherine. They learned about the purpose of these holidays,

what they mean to the French, and what traditions and foods are

associated with each one. Students worked in groups and

selected a specific holiday to research on and present about it to

the rest of the class. By presenting the cultural significance and

comparing different kinds of holidays, they demonstrated an

appreciation for the practices, beliefs and values of French

culture.

Une maison à louer

French III students were asked to compose an advertisement for a

house or apartment rental. In the advertisement, they had to

provide a description of the space, specify the location, number

of rooms, cost of rent, and contact details. The assignment

included videotaping the different items in the apartment/house

and describing each for the advertisement.

Some of the students’ work has been posted on YouTube. Please

feel free to visit our site yisworks and check out their fabulous

work! (Magnifique!!!)

A bientôt!

Solution to March 7th puzzle.

Solution to this week’s puzzle can

be found in the next newsletter.

The Stallion News 009

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