1

ISHCMC - American Academy Welcomes 2 new PE Teachers

For the 2013-2014 school year, ISHCMC - American Academy has two new teach-ers in the Physical Education Department: Ms. Suim Shin and Mr. Darren DePass.

Before moving to Vietnam, Ms. Shin taught PE in Korea, Myanmar, and Mongolia. Ms. Suim double majored in Physical Education and Sports & Leisure studies at Yonsei University in Seoul and got a master’s degree in Interna-tional Teaching from Fram-ingham State University in Massachusetts. She teaches at ISHCMC in the morning and

at ISHCMC - American Acad-emy in the afternoon.

Mr. DePass earned a Master’s degree in Physical Education from Adelphi University in New York state. This is his third year teaching in Ho Chi Minh City. He specializes in impact games such as foot-ball, soccer, rugby and hock-ey, however he also enjoys teaching games such as base-ball, badminton, ping-pong and tennis.

To learn more about Mr. De-Pass, check our our Meet the Teacher interview on page 4.

Fall

Start: August 19thEnd: November 10thHigh school volleyball

Middle school basketball

Winter

Start: November 13th End: February 16th or 21st

Middle school soccer (Feb 21)High school Basketbal (Feb 16)

Spring

Start: February 19th / February 26th End: April 6th / May 18th High school soccer (Apr 6)

Middle school volley ball (May 18)

Teacher of the Month

Sports News

Sports Seasons 2013-2014

3

Luu Nguyen Phuc

Student spotlight

Reminder: All students must leave school by 3:15pm unless they are

signed up for an ASA or have teacher permission.2

Middle School

“

High School

Although this is my first year at American Academy, I’ve been trying so hard. This award means a lot to

me. I was surprised when the principal said my name. I promised myself that I will try even harder to achieve

the best scores.”

Emily went above and beyond in all her homework and classwork assignments, showing consistent

participation and clearly demonstrated higher-level thinking skills in her responses.

I just don’t know what to say. I felt happy and proud when I found out that I was one of the stu-dents of the month. My advice for other students

is: Keep moving forward.

Zac regularly employs critical thinking skills and applies his knowledge and understanding of

newly learned concepts to other areas.

I still can’t forget the feeling I had when I got the Sun Bear Award. I was so proud of myself, and I knew that all the time I’ve spent studying and

practicing hard is not useless.

Thai My Uyen (Emily) 8A

I was surprised and proud to be “Student of the Month.” This remarkable honor highlights my en-thusiastic labor for this very first successful month.

“Nam scored 2nd highest on a Cubism exam by earning 94%. Great job!

Mrs. Carreiro is a very nice and enthusiastic teacher. She helps us a lot in our studies and with college and career choices. She is a wonderful English teacher who creates many op-portunities for us to get college credits through SUPA and to be involved in after school

activites. She also gives helpful advice whenever we have questions: about college, English or life in general. The Literary Magazine, run by Mrs. Carreiro & Mr. Russell, is also

a great activity for students to show their talents and gain leadership experience.

Mrs. Heather Carreiro

Student of the Month Student of the Month

Teacher Talk

Vo Giang Nam (11B)

Teacher Talk

“I consider my senior year a challenge. I was sur-prised to achieve “Student of the Month” just one month before I leave American Academy to

pursue university studies in Switzerland.

Teacher Talk

Khoa is a high achiever who can succeed at any ca-reer he chooses. We wish him all the best in Switzer-land, and congrats on earning a whopping 104% on

the Cubism exam!

Nguyen Dang Khoa (12B)

I was proud to receive an award named af-ter the mascot of ISHCMC American Acad-

emy I am grateful for the nomination!

Chu Thi Tra My (12A)

Teacher Talk

My is a well-deserved winner of the Principal’s Sun Bear Award. She embodies the spirit of the school with her willingness to put her full effort into her

studies and after-school activities.

Teacher of the Month

Teacher Talk

Nguyen Hoai Bao (Zac) 8B

Bui Thinh Khang (Kenny) 8B

Teacher Talk

Kenny is a pleasure to have in class. He is cour-teous and respectful, and he always prepares for class. He is also a helpful student and an excellent

sportsman. Congratulations Kenny!

Student Talk

Mrs. Heather Carreiro is English Department Head and coordinates ISHCMC - American Academy’s dual enrollment program with Syracuse University. She is also the Field Trip Coordinator and the current Uni-versity Counselor, so she is very busy!

This semester she is teaching university-level Aca-demic Writing, university-level Creative Nonfiction Writing, and the Students Publications class. One of her passions is to help students discover and hone their writing talents.

For our first Meet the Teacher interview, Reverberations staff members Nguy-en Thanh An and Tran Ngoc Tu Trinh caught up with Mr. Darren DePass, the new full-time Physical Education teacher at American Academy.

Mr. DePass, tell us, if you had to de-scribe yourself with only three adjec-tives, what would they be? I’d say un-derstanding, appreciative, & motivated.

What places have you lived besides Vietnam? Long Island NY (USA), Sardin-ia (Italy), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Port Lincoln (Australia), Cali (Colombia), & Valparaiso (Chile)

Wow, that’s a lot of different places! Can you speak any other languages? I can speak English, Spanish, & Italian.

That’s so cool. Can you tell us about one memorable moment that you’ve experienced in Vietnam? One mem-orable moment here in Vietnam came when I was exploring the northern part of the country, mainly Hanoi, Halong Bay, and Sapa.

What do you like to do on the weekends? We’re guessing it’s not always as crazy as running with the bulls. On the weekend I love to go out for fun dinners with my friends and family. That being said, I also enjoy taking it easy, ordering in, and enjoying a movie with my beautiful wife!

Do you have a favorite movie or TV show? My favorite movie is still Pulp Fiction; I just love it. As for TV shows Seinfeld and Arrested De-velopment are tops, even though they ended a long time ago!

If you could have any superpower, what would it be? If there was one superpower I could have it would be time travel. This life has been pretty great and I wouldn’t mind re-living some of the highlights again…and improving on some of my shortcomings!

Now let’s talk about school for a little bit. Why did you choose to teach Physical Educa-tion? I chose to teach PE because it has been my passion for as long as I can remember. It has taught me so much about myself and life.

The opportunity to share some of these things with such wonderful students is what makes me so excited to get out of bed every morning.

And finally, what all the parents want to know: How can students be successful in your classes? For a student to be successful in my class you need to be in control of the “con-trollables.” That is, giving your best effort (it doesn’t matter if you are successful), being pos-itive with your attitude (even when you don’t feel like it), and being respectful to yourself, others, and your school. These are also keys for success in life as well!

Thanks so much for taking the time to talk to us! We hope someday you’ll get that beach house in Mexico, but not too soon, as we’re happy to have you here with us at American Academy.

It was my pleasure!

Thanks for stopping by.

Meet the Teacher: Darren DePassThis was the first get-away I had here and it was with some new friends. We motor-biked until we couldn’t motor-bike any longer, and then we motor-biked some more! It was a fantastic time that really opened my eyes to the kindness, diversity, and beauty of Vietnam. Describe one of your favorite dishes, either from Vietnam or another country. Being a huge seafood fan, a favorite dish of mine is crab, especially curry crab. This is a Southeast Asian specialty and done very well in Vietnam. Love it!

If you could own a summer house anywhere in the world, where would it be? As a beach lover, my sum-mer house spot would be somewhere on the Pacific Coast of Mexico. Beautiful weather, great people and food, warm water to play in, and a comfortable ham-mock to sleep. Simple yet perfect.

That sounds relaxing. On the flip side, what is the riskiest or most dangerous thing you’ve ever done? Without a doubt the most dangerous thing I have done is running with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain. You really are running and there really are bulls and they are really trying to get you. Happy to have done it but would never do it again!

What did you want to do for a career when you were a child? Did you have any other jobs before becoming a teacher? I’ve always wanted to be a professional athlete, from the time I was little until now. Many jobs paved the way to ISHCMC - American Academy, including bartender, oyster farmer, painter, mechanic, and sheep shearer, to name a few!

That’s quite an interesting list of jobs! We’d like to know, what were you like as a teenager? As a teen-ager I was involved with sport, and a lot of my friends were teammates of mine. Not a bad choice of friends either, as I still consider many of them some of the most important people in my life. Believe it or not my style in clothes hasn’t changed much over the years, I’m still a tee shirt and jeans guy (except in Vietnam where shorts take over for jeans). The only real dif-ference between now and then would be a lot more hair…then!

Watch out for next month’s interview with Mrs. Kealy McCleery, ISHCMC - American Academy’s new Biology teacher.

Photos by Nguyen Hoang An (Annie)

54

How to Make Your College Application Shine

Do you have a dream university you want to apply to, but you think you can’t be-cause you have neither a 4.0 GPA nor a sport talent? Don’t worry, because this article will show you how to make your application shine compared to others, not by actual-ly putting glitter on it, but by helping you prepare, organize and select information for your transcript.

Step 1: Good Grades

Remember, good grades doesn’t mean they have to be perfect. You just have to try your best and get between A’s or B’s. A competitive grade point average will be between 3.3 to 4.0. If you have any problems in class, don’t hesitate to ask your teachers. Don’t worry about being awkward; teachers usually have more precise answers than your friends…or the results of Google searches on the Internet.

Step 2: Extra Curricular Activities

Even if you have perfect grades, the majority of universities are looking for a “well-rounded student” who is involved in things other than academics.

At ISHCMC - American Academy, there are many activities you can be involved with after school such as sports, Global Issues Network, and the literary magazine. Choose a place where you can participate in several charitable activities and earn yourself certificates as community service. If you are social and outgoing, sign yourself up right away for Student Representative Council, to plan events and activities for the school. Most impor-tantly, choose an activity where you can show leadership skills and responsibility. A strong rec-ommendation from a club advisor can really make your application stand out.

Step 3: Special Talent

You may have special talent in sports, mar-tial arts or music that you think you will look great on your resume. This is completely wrong. You cannot prove your talent just by saying you can do it. Certificates are the only way to prove it. There-fore, apply to as many competitions as you can! Who knows, you may win 2nd prize in a martial arts competition, or a gold medal from a piano contest. There’s no harm in trying, and if you suc-ceed, your application will immediately stand out.

Step 4: Standardized Tests

Standardized tests are another important part of the college application. Start early by taking your PSAT in your sophomore year. This will give you an idea how the SAT is structured and what your areas of strength and weakness are. Spend the rest of Grade 10 and Grade 11 devel-oping your vocabulary, critical reading, math and writing skills. Check out tips on CollegeBoard.com and sign up for the SAT Question of the Day to get more practice. Take the SAT in the spring semester of Grade 11, and again in Fall of Grade 12. Research has shown that re-testing can improve scores. Trying again can be worth it, as often merit-based scholarship selection relies on SAT scores.

Step 5: College-Level Classes

One way to show admissions officers that you are ready for college-level work is to take Advanced Placement courses or concurrent enrollment classes during high school. If you score a 3 or higher (out of 5) on an Advanced Placement exam, you can often get university credit for that subject. This helps save money on college, but AP exam scores of 3,4 and 5 also look great on your college application. If you can take AP tests at the end of your junior year, you’ll be able to add these scores to your re-sume. ISHCMC - American Academy also offers concurrent enrollment classes through Syracuse University Project Advance (SUPA). Our teachers go to Syracuse University during the summer to becoming certified instructors of SU classes, and then our students get to take these classes for university credit. Upon completion of the course, students get official Syracuse Universi-ty transcripts. Sending in a university transcript with your college application can be a HUGE advantage, especially considering that this program is not available at any other school in Vietnam.

Step 6: College Essay

Chances are you’ll need to write at least one essay for your college application. How can you make your essay stand out from the rest? College admissions officers need to read hun-dreds of essays each application season. The way to make yours shine is for it to be interest-ing, creatively written, and unique. Don’t write about a topic that everyone else in your class could say the same thing about it. Don’t make your essay a basic five-paragraph “school es-say” about some vague philosophical topic. Be personal. Be interesting. Make the admissions officer laugh. Make her cry. Make your essay, and therefore your application, something to be remembered. Start thinking about your essay at the end of your junior year, so you can work on it over the summer and perfect it before sending it out into cyberspace.

Nguyen Hai Nguyen

Syracuse University Courses Offered at American Academy

2013-2014

BIO 121-124 General Biology (8 credits) ECN 203 Economics (3 credits) PAF 101 Public Affaris (3 credits)

WRT105 Academic Writing (3 credits) WRT114 - Creative Nonfiction (3)

Advanced Placement Courses Offered at American Academy

2013-2014

AP Calculus BCAP Chemistry

AP Comparative Government AP Computer Science A

AP English Language & Composition AP Microeconomics

AP Physics AP Psychology

7

So, there you go. You now have 6 stellar tips to follow to make your college application shine. All the best!

6 7

Letter from a GraduateGreetings from Canada!

It was a surprisingly hot day when I arrived in Montreal. My relatives here inform me, however, that days like that are mere anomalies of the summer. Roads here frequently crack due to thermal effects, a constant reminder that the legendary Canadian win-ter is coming. I feel glad to have arrived quite early, three weeks before school starts, and as a result have had plenty of time to recover from the jet lag and adapt to the new environment. I recommend my readers to do the same, if possible. I visited McGill University’s Downtown Campus multiple times – both by myself and during Orien-tation – and felt delighted every time. It is in fact a combination of an educational institution, a museum and a public park. It has only nominal gates and no fences. Students may study almost anywhere: on the grass, on the benches, in the lounges, in the librar-ies, in empty lecture halls and in the cafeterias. The only thing I can really complain about is that it takes up to an hour to get to campus from my new home in Laval, which lies alongside Montreal on the huge St. Lawrence River. On the bright side, however, we

The week of September 23rd, all students grades 6 through 10 completed MAP Testing. Below are answers to some frequently asked ques-tions about MAP.

What is MAP testing?

We give students the Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) to determine your child’s instruc-tional level and to measure academic growth throughout the school year in the areas of Math and Reading. Your child will take the tests on a computer, and his results are compared to all students that take the MAP test across the world. MAP tests are unique in that they adapt to be ap-propriate for your child’s level of learning.

How will teachers use the MAP scores to help my child? Teachers will use MAP scores to:

• Help students set academic improvement goals. • Use the scores to identify academic strengths and areas of concern for each student. • Revise classroom goals based upon data. • Identify student groupings to differentiate instruction. • Select appropriate materials for instruction. • Compare class group with a visual snapshot from September to April testing sessions.

Planning teams and school administrators have been busy preparing for this year’s 4-day field trips. Our goal is that trips will be educational, safe and fun.

Education ISHCMC - American Academy’s trips are built into our curriculum. Each student will receive a Learning Adventrue Guide to use for classroom activities before, during and after the trip.

live in a tranquil residential district far away from the boisterous city. Most of the buildings I visited have exhibitions on display. My favorite is the Rutherford Physics Building. Once in-side, one immediately sees an eminent statue of Ernst Rutherford, surely the most famous faculty member at McGill. Photographs of some Nobel Laureates in modern physics are also on permanent display on every floor. It is impossible to traverse this building without encounter-ing some kind of presentation. In fact, a nuclear physics poster is just a few steps from the first-floor restrooms! The McGill Bookstore is a wonder that I have not yet fully explored. Out of necessity, I spent much of my time the basement, where textbooks of various sizes are sold. Some will demonstrate their importance by mass. Some will de-light you and conceal their profundity by compactness. Others will dazzle you with their covers and illustrations.

My collegiate career has started well.

September MAP Testing

Le Quang Thanh Tue (Scott, Class of 2013) writes from McGill University in Montreal, Canada, where he is enrolled in the Physics program.

Scott’s Fall 2013 Classes

Linear Algebra and GeometryCalculus A

Mechanics and WavesGeneral Chemistry I

Learn more about McGill via Naviance or the university’s website:

mcgill.edu

parents’ cornerLearn about school improvements, curriculum development, the principal’s latest news, and what’s going on with the PTA.

Parent Teacher Association In US schools, from kindergarten through grade 12, over 85% of parents attend Parent Teacher Asso-ciation (PTA) meetings to be more involved with their children’s education (NCES, 2013-028). To encourage greater parent involvement at ISHCMC American Academy, we held our first PTA planning meeting on Wednesday, September 18th, 2013. School officials and PTA co-presidents, Mr. Tran Trong Thuy and Ms. Hoang Nguyen Thi Mai Anh, cre-ated the Aims and Objectives for the ISHCMC - Amer-ican Academy PTA. These will be shared shortly with all parents. Please read these Aims and Objectives and let the PTA know how you would like to be involved.

The next PTA meeting will be Wednesday, October 23rd from 17:00 to 18:00.

Email PTA@aavn.edu.vn to learn more.

Annual Overnight Field Trips

Safety School officials and trip leaders have conducted exhaustive risk assessments for each field trip and all accompanying activities. All contracted tour operators must provide proof of all necessary certi-fications documents to run activities such as snorkeling, swimming, kayaking and rock climbing. For more adventurous activities, students will be educated re-garding the rules and procedures that must be followed at all times to ensure safety. No high-risk activities that have been scheduled for any field trip. In addition, all ISHCMC - American Academy trip chaperones have completed an intensive CPR and First Aid certification course presented by the Red Cross.

Fun One of the goals of the field trips is to encourage group bon-din and teamwork. Activities have been designed to help students learn to work together and support each other, even when they are out of their comfort zones.

Le Quang Thanh Tue

aka “Scott” P.S. Here’s a picture of me next to the statue of James McGill, rector of the university.

98

House Competition Who’s that Baby?

Crossword Trivia

In order to engage students in various activities, awaken their fighting spirits, and create bonds between different groups, students are randomly picked to join one of ISHCMC American Academy’s four houses: Phoenix, Dragon, Lion, or Shark. After being assigned to houses, students have the opportunity to compete academically, in sports, in class games, and in writing contests to earn points for their houses. By the end of the year, the house with the most points will be the winner, and those members the champions of the year-long competition. Let’s wait no more, and let the competition begin! May the best house win.

Email your guess to news@aavn.edu.vn. The first 3 students to submit the correct answer will get house points.

Down 1. The country where Mr. DePass would like a summer house3. The book grades 6 & 7 are reading for the field trip 4. The name of the school literary magazine5. The city where McGill University is located 6. Mr. DC’s middle name 7. The “a” in SUPA stands for this 9. Mr. Hamilton’s pet

Across 2. The basic organization of a living thing 6. The state where the Swansons are from 8. The grade 10 field trip is going here (two words, write without a space) 9. A middle school elective during period 6 10. The country where Nguyen Dang Khoa will study 11. The 3rd “c” in CCC stood for this 12. A university in Texas who came for our first College Lunch

Bring your completed crossword to the library. The first five students with 100% correct answers will get house points.

10

Hello students and welcome to Letter-Box!

Ask us about study tips, dating, cooking, anything! Then, we will post your questions and our answers

in the school monthly newsletter.

Email your questions: news@aavn.edu.vn

Letter Box

11

Calling all writers! National Novel Writing Month happens every November! It’s a fun and exciting challenge to write an en-tire novel. Pre-writing activities will begin in October organized by Ms. Jessica Maley and Mrs. Sarah Shnack. Interested? Contact Ms. Jessica in Room 201 or at jessica.maley@aavn.edu.vn and visit http://ywp.nanowrimo.org for more information.