AP2 News 16/1/2015

1. BISbuzz Issue 18 | 1
BRITISH INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL - HO CHI MINH CITY| SECONDARY CAMPUS
JANUARY 16 | ISSUE 18
IN THIS ISSUE
Council of Interna onal Schools Five‐Year Visit 02
From the Head Teacher 03
No nos dejemos engañar 04
Ac vi es 05
ABRSM Theory 05
Community Service 06
University Informa on Evenings 08
PTG 09‐10
From The BIStro & Underground 11
January
19th Ac vi es start
19th University Informa on Evening ‐ UK, 6.30pm
21st World Wise Geography Quiz, 2.45pm
21st University Informa on Evening ‐ US & Canada, 6.30pm
22nd—30th IGCSE Mock Exams / IB Mock Exams
22nd University Informa on Evening ‐ Asia & Australia , 6.30pm
26th—30th Trips Week ‐ Year 7, 8, 9, 10 & 12
UPCOMING EVENTS

2. BISbuzz Issue 18 | 2
Dear Parents
Council of International Schools Five-Year Visit
You may be aware that BIS was granted full accreditation by the Council of International Schools (CIS) in
November 2009. This accreditation was awarded for 10 years subject to a review after five years.
Last November a CIS team visited the school for three days to conduct the Five-Year review. I am
delighted to inform you that the visit was successful and that we continue to be a fully accredited school.
The visiting team was very complimentary about the school and as a summary statement wrote ‘BIS knows
itself exceedingly well and is not satisfied with the status quo at any level of its operation. This attitude is
shared by the range of stakeholders in the school and ensures that the school will continue its growth and
improvement.’
The Visitors identified the following strengths for the school:
 A commitment to providing high quality education for all students through classroom programmes,
teachers’ continual professional development (CPD) and resourcing
 A visible commitment to facilities improvement, providing learning and recreational spaces that are
equitable across all campuses
 Its commitment to the care and support of all staff
 The high quality of senior management
 A serious commitment to the accreditation process exemplified by the exceptional progress the school
has made in meeting the Visiting Team’s recommendations
 A Mission Statement that is clear and truly serves as a focus for all school operations
 Owners and a Principal who are focused on students’ learning and to creating an environment to
support the school’s aim to be one of the best international schools in the world
The Visitors also identified a small number of areas for improvement that are linked to changes in the
Standards for Accreditation under which we will be assessed in five years’ time. A full report is available
in each campus reception for parents to read.
For the parents of the school this award provides further confirmation that their children are receiving a
high quality education from a caring and skilled team of educational professionals. I would like to
congratulate all of my colleagues at school and thank them for their continued dedication and commitment.
The whole school community can take great pride in retaining this formal recognition for the school.
Yours sincerely
Shaun Williams
CEO and Principal
From The Principal

3. BISbuzz Issue 18 | 3
From The Head Teacher
Welcome back to the start of Term 2 and a very Happy New Year!
We are delighted to start this term with the announcement of a very successful Five Year Review from the
Council of International Schools. More detail is on page 2 of BISbuzz where you will find a letter from
Shaun Williams. My thanks go to the parents of AP2 for their help with the CIS visitors and for their
continued support.
CIS report that we are “an exemplar of a mission-driven institution”. Our mission does, indeed, guide us in
our work. In many ways this is easy as our mission was created and developed by ourselves and has stood
the test of time. I have often said that all schools have mission statements. Good schools, however, have
good mission statements. Our difference, as an outstanding school, is that we use our mission statement.
Our mission is referred to in lessons, in praising and rewarding students, in assemblies and on the sports
fields. You see the “aide-memoire” on display around the school, in our yearbook, in Spectrum and in our
newsletters. At the top this aide-memoire, the words “integrity, respect, care” appear under the phrase
“global citizens”. This resonates with the IB Mission which challenges us to do nothing less than “develop
inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world
though intercultural understanding and respect.” It urges us to encourage students to “become active,
compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be
right.”
Watching the events in Paris last week, and in Pakistan and elsewhere, I have to wonder what might have
been different in the lives of the perpetrators of the attacks if they had attended a good international school
such as ours, driven by a consistent message of intercultural understanding and respect. I am heartened by
the commitment of our students to making the world a better place. They have some work to do. One sixth
form student of IB Diploma Programme Spanish, Raul, put his language skills to the task with a response
in Spanish to the attack on the Charlie Hebdo staff. Raul has been to school in Italy, Mexico and now
Vietnam, and while condemning the violence, reminds us to be cautious about the conclusions we may
draw.
Richard Dyer
Head Teacher, Secondary
From The Head Teacher

4. BISbuzz Issue 18 | 4
El 7 de enero de 2014 dos hombres con metralletas entraron las oficinas del semanario satírico, Charlie
Hebdo en Paris y empezaron a matar a los editores uno por uno, para vengarse de las burlas hacia el Islam;
en total hubo 12 muertos y 11 heridos. Al finalizar el tiroteo, los hombres se metieron en un coche y es
caparon; no obstante la policía acabó ubicándolos el 9 de enero y tuvo que recurrir a matarlos.
En los días siguiendo al atentado, la prensa ha tomado una postura en contra del Islam, atacando a los
musulmanes y declarando que la religión promueve la violencia. Sin embargo, también ha habido otra gen-
te que se ha dedicado a defender al Islam, con el argumento de que a pesar de que gran cantidad de terroris-
tas son musulmanes, la mayor parte de la población musulmana no lo es en absoluto.
Además, el Islam está absolutamente en contra del uso de la violencia contra los ciudadanos inocentes,
incluso es una religión que prohíbe dañar el medio ambiente y cortar árboles. Recientemente, con el
incremento de atentados relacionados al Islam, los inmigrantes de orígenes musulmanes han sido grave-
mente afectados debido a los prejuicios que se imponen sobre ellos. Como ha sucedido esta semana, una
gran cantidad de la población mundial, esta echando la culpa a gente que no tiene nada que ver con los
atentados.
Raul Carvajal Vásquez
12C
(Translation by Google Translate)
On January 7, 2014 two men with machine guns entered the offices of the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo
in Paris and started killing editors one by one, to avenge the insult to Islam; in total there were 12 dead and
11 wounded. At the end of the shooting, the men got into a car and escaped; however the police finally
found them on January 9 and had to resort to killing them.
In the days following the attack, the press has taken a stand against Islam, attacking Muslims and declaring
that religion promotes violence. However, there have also been other people who are dedicated to defend-
ing Islam, arguing that even though many terrorists may be Muslims, the majority of the Muslim popula-
tion is not at all.
Moreover, Islam is absolutely against the use of violence against innocent citizens, it is even a religion that
prohibits harming the environment and cutting trees. Recently, with the increase in attacks related to Islam,
immigrants from Muslim backgrounds have been badly affected due to prejudices that are imposed on
them. As has happened this week, a lot of the world's population is blaming people who have nothing to do
with the attacks.
No nos dejemos engañar

5. BISbuzz Issue 18 | 5
ABRSM Theory
The next ABRSM theory exam is 7th
March at 9am and the deadline for application is 16th
January
Please check out www.abrsm.org/vn for more details
Ian Alexander
Music Teacher
Activities
Please be reminded that ECA’s begin on Monday 19th
January.
All students would have now received a confirmation email detailing their activities for term 2. If there
are any ECA’s that students still want to join they need to talk directly with the teacher/coach leading the
activity.
Phil Drake
Director of Sport/Ac vi es & Trip Coordinator

6. BISbuzz Issue 18 | 6
Community Service

7. BISbuzz Issue 18 | 7

8. BISbuzz Issue 18 | 8
Dear Parents and Students of Year 12,
Next week we will be holding a series of university information evenings. This year we will be focussing
on different destinations on different evenings so students and their families can choose the most appropri-
ate session for them. The destinations are based on the most popular choices made by our students. Should
a country you are interested in not be covered in this series we will of course work with the student and
family to establish entry requirements and other factors related to the application process.
Following Trips Week each student will have a one-one guidance interview which parents are welcome to
attend. Details of the interviews will follow after the information evenings.
The information evenings will take place in the Study Room [Room 124] at the following times:
Please register your interest on CHQ. We very much look forward to seeing you next week.
Kind regards,
Aidan B Crowley
College & University Guidance Counsellor
KOREAN UNIVERSITY UPDATE
We will be holding a separate information event for Korean University applications and requirements. The
time and date will be confirmed later in the term but we envisage we will hold the event in early April in
time for this year’s application cycle. Students and families in Years 10-13 are more than welcome to at-
tend.
We are delighted to announce that SEOUL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY will be visiting BIS on the 4th
February. The time is not yet confirmed and we will notify students and families in due course. We look
forward to welcoming SNU to the BIS community.
Day/Date Time Destination
Monday 19th
January 18.30-20.00 United Kingdom
Wednesday 21st
January 18.30-20.00 USA & Canada
Thursday 22nd
January 18.30-20.00 Asia –
specifically Hong Kong, Singapore & Australia
UNIVERSITY INFORMATION EVENINGS

9. BISbuzz Issue 18 | 9
PTG
The first coffee morning of this year was held on 14th
January.
Nearly 30 parents attended this coffee meet. It was a very good
opportunity to meet new parents and get to share information
amongst each other.
Welcome back and New Parent Coffee Morning

10. BISbuzz Issue 18 | 10
Wine and Cheese Night
A good chance to catch up with old friends a er the holidays
and a chance to make some new ones!
It promises to be a relaxing evening of wine, food and lots of
interes ng people!
Thursday, 5th
February 2015
From 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Tickets 200,000 VND per person
Available at the AP2 recep on.
Venue: Dist ‐2 ,Thao Dien
AP2 PTG

11. BISbuzz Issue 18 | 11
From the Underground & BIStro
Menu 3 (19 January)
From the Underground & BIStro
DAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY
MAIN COURSE
CHOOSE 1
Chicken Carbonara
OR
Roast Pork, Rice
Pasta Bolognese-Pork
OR
Sweet & Sour Fish,
Rice
Battered Fish &
Chips
OR
Nasi Lemak
(Chicken & Egg)
Chili Con Carne -
Beef, Rice
OR
Won Ton Noodle
Soup
VEGETABLES
Bok Choy & Carrot
Salad
Long Bean, Carrot
Salad
Morning Glory,
Carrot
Salad
Choy sum &
Carrot
Salad
SOUP Choy sum Spinach & Melon
Tomato & Tofu
Soup
Mixed Vegetable
DESSERT Mixed Fruit Mixed Fruit Mixed Fruit Mixed Fruit
VEGETARIAN
Braised Tofu &
Beans, Rice
Choy sum Soup
Mixed Fruit
Veggie Pasta
Chickpeas Salad
Mixed Fruit
Vegetarian Chili
Con Carne, Rice
Tomato & Tofu
Soup
Mixed Fruit
Tofu Noodle
Soup
Choy sum &
Carrot
Mixed Fruit
DELI BAR
OPTION
Baguette & Wrap
Fill it with a variety of choices including ham, chicken, cheese, tuna mayonnaise, beef, baked bean,
mixed bean, bolognese sauce
SNACK MENU
Curry Puff
Samosa
Fruit Cup
Chocolate Mud Cake
Swiss Roll
Fruit Cup
Curry Puff
Samosa
Fruit Cup
Banana/Carrot
Muffin
Sponge Cake
FRIDAY
Honey Lime Chicken,
Sautéed Potato
OR
Beef Rendang, Rice
Broccoli & Carrot
Salad
Watercress
Mixed Fruit
Dhal
Broccoli & Carrot
Mixed Fruit
Donut
Cream Puff
Fruit Cup