The Weekly Bulletin of

Stonehill International SchoolVolume 6, Issue 95

16 March 2018

FEATURED STORIES

PYP Cross Country Run

All students from P1 – P8 participated in the annual Primary Cross Country Run this week. Our P8

students ran with the P1s and helped them through some of the challenging parts of the course.

IMPORTANT DATES: MARCH

20th

FRANCOPHONIE DAY

23rd

TALENT SHOW

26th - 30th

MID-TERM BREAK

APRIL

2nd

SCHOOL RE-OPENS AFTER MID-

TERM BREAK

10th

PRIMARY SPORTS DAY

12th

INSTRUMENTAL CONCERT

13th

PRIMARY MID-SEMESTER

REPORTS ISSUED

CONTENTS

01/ FEATURED STORIES

04/ MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD

OF THE SCHOOL

05/ WHOLE SCHOOL NEWS

07/ PRIMARY NEWS

13/ SECONDARY NEWS

15/ SPORTS NEWS

17/ PTA NEWS

HIGHLIGHTS PYP Cross Country Run

Learning in P3

Win a Kindle Reading

Challenge

ISACI Boys Cricket Report

PTA Charity Gala

THE TIGER

It was wonderful to see students encourage each other through the run. Thank you to all the

parents who came out to support students by cheering on, as well as running with them.

We would also like to thank Ms. Zoe Howarth and the rest of our excellent PE Team for organising

such a positive event that encouraged fun, fitness and full participation.

FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

Dear friends,

There is an organisation—a very special group of people—who provide enormous support and

benefits to Stonehill, usually behind the scenes. They are always there, supporting our students and

teachers, befriending new families and introducing them to the community, organising events, and

making a huge difference in Bangalore through charity outreach.

They are the PTA—Stonehill’s Parent Teacher Organisation. They put on bake sales at school

events, such as sports meets; they promote school spirit through the sale of Tiger gear; they

connect and support new and existing Stonehill families through class reps; they promote

internationalism and acceptance of our diversity through events such as the recent International

Food Fair; they improve the lives of countless children outside of Stonehill’s school walls through

their work and donations to the Stonehill Government School, the IKSHA Foundation, and the

Morning Star Ashram — the list goes on and on. And they do it all selflessly, behind the scenes,

and with a palpable passion.

It has been a distinct privilege for me to work with the PTA during my time here at Stonehill. The

PTA is an invaluable asset to the school—and it is fun, too! Meetings are productive, stimulating,

and a great way to spend the morning.

We will be electing a new PTA in May, to take forward the excellent work done so far. Please help

make a difference by becoming an active member—there are so many ways to help, which can be

tailored to your skills and available time. This is an outstanding opportunity to get involved and

leave a lasting impact. Please contact Melissa Chin at melissa.a.chin@gmail.com for more

information.

And finally—it’s time to buy your Gala tickets and support children in need. The Gala is the PTA’s

largest charity fundraiser and will be at the Conrad Hotel, Saturday, April 14th. It’s always a great

evening out and lots of fun. See you there!

Wishing you a pleasant weekend.

With best regards,

Dr. Beverly Sortland

Head of School

WHOLE SCHOOL NEWS

Recruitment Update

Over the past few weeks I have been introducing you to the new teachers who will be joining

Stonehill in August 2018. I am now pleased to announce the two latest teachers to accept a

positions at Stonehill. You can read a short bio for each teacher below. We are now very close to

completing our recruitment for the 2018-19 academic year and are delighted with the quality of

teachers we have recruited to date.

Sophie Croteau will be joining us as a Secondary

Mathematics Teacher. She has a Bachelor's degree in Pure

and Applied Mathematics and a BEd in Secondary

Mathematics Education from Sherbrooke University. Sophie

is from Quebec in Canada and is currently teaching MYP

and DP Mathematics at the International School of Moshi in

Tanzania. Sophie brings with her the sporting skills of

gymnastics, cheerleading and the flying trapeze.

Jenny Bautista will be joining us a PYP Learning Support

Teacher. Jenny has a BEd in Elementary Education with a

Major in Special Education from the University of the

Philippines and a Master's Degree in Special Education from

St. Louis University. She is an experienced IB educator who

has worked at international Schools in both the Philippines

and in China. She will be joining us from the International

School of Nanshan Shenzhen. Jenny brings with her a

talent for cookery.

Emergency First Response Training

This week an Emergency First Response Instructor visited Stonehill to run a training course for our

Lifeguard, Nurses and PE Staff. The course taught participants how to respond to life-threatening

emergencies. It focused on primary care through a combination of knowledge development, skill

development and realistic scenario practice to make sure participants have the confidence in their

ability to provide care when emergency situations arise.

Health Safety and Security Update

Students and Staff at School regularly participate in Evacuation Drills to ensure that they are able to

exit the buildings quickly and safely in case of a fire. Recently, the Health, Safety and Security

Committee have also developed a Whole-School Lockdown Procedure. A lockdown may be initiated

for the following reasons:

● An out of control student who is a threat to the safety of our students, staff, or themselves

● An intruder

● Someone on campus with a weapon

● Hazardous chemicals outside the building

● A weather related event

This week the new lockdown procedure was communicated to all students and staff at Stonehill.

The information was conveyed in manner that was designed to reassure students and to not cause

anxiety. Lockdown Drills will now become a regular event in the yearly calendar.

Calendar Changes

Please note two changes to our community calendar:

● The Early Years Track and Field morning will now be combined with the PYP Track and Field

event and will take place on Tuesday 10th April.

● The Instrumental Music Concert has been moved forward one week to Thursday 12th April.

Best regards,

Simon McCloskey

Deputy Head of School and Primary Principal

PRIMARY NEWS

PYP Music Concert

Our annual Primary Music Concert was held on Friday 9th March. Every student from P4 – P8

participated in the concert, showcasing the skills they have learnt in music lessons this year. The

audience was treated to a wonderful variety of instruments and musical styles. I would like thank

Mary Macaulay for organising this fantastic event.

Important Upcoming Primary Dates

● Friday 23rd March - Talent Show at 1:00pm

● Monday 26th March - Mid-term break begins

● Tuesday 10th April - PYP Inter-House Track and Field Day

● Thursday 12th April - Instrumental Music Concert

● Friday 13th April - Mid-Semester Reports published

● Friday 20th April - Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences

● Thursday 26th April - PYP Exhibition

Learning in P3

In the P3 ‘How the World Works’ Unit of Inquiry, students explored how people use forces and

energy to make things move. These young scientists worked to carefully observe forces all around

us, make predictions and test their hypothesis.

The students explored and experimented with magnetic and wind energy and identified how pushes

and pulls are used in everyday life.

P3 is currently inquiring in our Sharing the Planet Unit. The students will consider their rights and

responsibilities when interacting with natural habitats. P3 students have been tasked with becoming

an expert on a habitat. Using books, online resources and their own knowledge they are identifying

the unique features of habitats large and small and how plants and animals depend on their habitats

to survive. Our inquiry will lead up to a presentation to the Primary School about Earth Day. P3

student will share their knowledge and ideas about how to make good choices in order to protect

plants, animals and their habitats.

The Forest Group

The Lakes and Rivers Group

The Ocean Group

Rain Forest Group

Tundra Group

Ms. Kelly Esiyok & Mr. David Abbott

P3 Class Teachers

SECONDARY NEWS

Secondary Assembly

The Secondary assembly was organised by the Student Council on Thursday, 14th March. Mr.

Orlando presented certificates for the Diwali mathematics challenge. Ms. Bender announced sports

achievements from the ISACI Middle School Sports Festival and the recent ISACI volleyball and

cricket tournaments. We also saw the awards for various Book Week competitions that were

presented by Mrs. Stalder. The assembly ended with me giving a presentation on the school

lockdown procedure, as well as the importance of responsibility within the Stonehill community.

Pi Day

World Pi Day was celebrated by the Mathematics department on Wednesday, 14th March. As is

tradition, students calculated Pi with a bunch of pies that they immensely enjoyed eating!

Issues or Concerns Regarding Your Child/Children

If your son/daughter has any problems at school, please contact (by email) their Homeroom Teacher

or the relevant Subject Teacher directly in the first instance, and then the Head of Department or

appropriate Coordinator (MYP or DP) if required. Please do not call on their personal mobile number

at home or during class time.

Early Leave and Late Return after School Holidays

There are several parents who are booking tickets and then informing the school that their child will

miss school due to flights. This is not acceptable and will be treated as unauthorised absence.

Parents are NOT encouraged to withdraw children during term-time for vacations. Parents are also

asked not to ‘leave early’ or ‘return late’ in order to extend scheduled school holidays. In cases

where students will miss routine classes because of voluntary absence, the school does not provide

extra work for them to take on vacation.

The school is sometimes asked to ‘authorise’ absences during school time for family vacations or

other trips. It is not the school’s policy to do so.

If a student’s attendance falls below 90% during the course of the year (without extenuating

circumstances), parents will be asked to attend a meeting with the relevant Principal. The school

reserves the right to request students to repeat the year if attendance is lower than 90% by the end

of Semester Two.

UPCOMING EVENTS

20th March Francophonie Day

21st March Lockdown Drill

23rd March Talent Show

24th March – 1st April Mid-Term Break

Warm regards,

Narendra Mehrotra

Secondary Principal

narendra.mehrotra@stonehill.in

Win a Kindle Reading Challenge

Here are some snippets from the students who recently participated in the ‘Win a Kindle Reading

Challenge’ in the Secondary School.

Taking part in the reading challenge was lots of fun. It got me to read books I might not normally

read and I'm really thrilled that I won! I think that the challenge was a really great idea and I’m sure

everyone else who participated also enjoyed it. I also think that it was really interesting to read such

a diverse mix of books! I really want to thank Ms. Preethi Stalder for setting up the challenge, it

was a great experience.

Anna M3A ‘Winner of the Challenge’

Participating in the Kindle Reading Challenge was a very fulfilling experience. I got to read 5 exciting

books. Almost every day for a week and a half, I looked forward to reading my book all the time.

Even though I myself may not have picked up a couple of the books I read, I can now say with

confidence that every book is a journey in itself and gives the reader a wonderful experience in the

end.

Sachin M5B

As a participant in this challenge, it has been a great experience as I have read books that were

recommended, books that I would normally not choose. Reading one and a half books a day took

time and mental energy. Even though I did not win, I feel like I just entered five different realms at

once, observing the characters and their various journeys! It is such an appreciable feeling.

Samuel M5B

Ms. Preethi Stalder

Secondary Librarian Teacher

SPORTS NEWS

ISACI Boys Cricket Report

We, at Stonehill, firmly believe that sports and physical activities play a very vital role in shaping

student's overall development and adhere firmly to the belief that “participation is more important

than winning”.

At the recently held Senior Boys ISACI Cricket Tournament in Hyderabad the Stonehill team

enthusiastically played and won their 1st match against Mercedes-Benz International School, Pune

(MBIS) by 7 wickets.

Unfortunately, we later lost against the International School Hyderabad (ISH) team by 17 runs. Our

3rd match was against the reigning champion team of The British School, New Delhi (TBS); we lost

this game by 40 runs.

Though three teams were tied with 1 win each after league matches, Stonehill couldn't qualify for

the final match due to ISH having a better Strike Run Rate.

Despite our losses, the Stonehill boys played with much heart and enthusiasm and had a great

experience through this tournament. I’d like to congratulate everyone on the team for challenging

themselves and putting their best foot forward.

Mr. Avinash Kumar

Coach

PTA NEWS

PTA Charity Updates

Please reach out to Kavitha at (Email:kavithagopal@gmail.com) (Phone: 963-204-6735) if you'd like

to join us and help with ANY of the events below:

Upcoming charity visits

Morningstar Ashram

Tuesday March 20th – Grocery drop-off

Wednesday, April 4th – Summer Angels gifts drop off

Iksha Foundation

Wednesday, March 21st – final Summer Angels gifts drop off at 2 hospitals

Upcoming Charity Events

TCS 10K fundraiser for Iksha Foundation - Last year, 13 Stonehill parents and teachers ran the

TCS 10K event and raised INR 70,000 for Iksha Foundation, which we donated to help children

with eye cancer. We'd love to continue to do this again this year. The TCS 10k (and the

untimed 6K Majja run) is one of the best organised running events in Bangalore and registrations

fill up fast. It is scheduled for May 13th. Please help us raise money for a great cause, while

staying fit! Contact us ASAP for more details (run registration is already open) and thank you!

Morningstar Ashram's Summer Arts Volunteer Day – We are planning a Stonehill

parent/student/teacher volunteer-led arts day for the children at Monringstar Ashram on any

Saturday in April/May. Please let us know if you'd like to join and we will connect with you with

additional details

As always, thank you to the Stonehill community for your continued support for the PTA's adopted

charities.

Dear Parents,

It’s that time of the year again when the PTA hosts its annual Stonehill Charity Gala. By now you

should have received your invitations and will see that this year’s event is being hosted at the

gorgeous new Conrad Hilton Hotel on MG Road.

We’ve got a great night planned! Delicious food in a sophisticated venue, with entertainment from

Whitefield’s Andy Ambat and his band – The Fernandes Trio. There will be amazing items for you

to bid on during the Silent Auction – spa and yoga weekends, designer furniture, and of course

fabulous artwork from Stonehill Students and Professional Artists. There is a lot of buzz about the

Gala, so RSVP soon to reserve your tickets. This event is open to the Stonehill Community as well

as their friends and family. Table reservations are available to ensure you get to sit with your

nearest and dearest.

In conjunction with this event, the Conrad Bengaluru has offered Stonehill a special room rate of

11,000+taxes including lunch in their Marketplace restaurant the following day. To book, please

follow this link: http://conradhotels.hilton.com/en/ch/groups/personalized/B/BLRKRCI-GSISA-

20180413/index.jhtml?WT.mc_id=POG

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch with Melissa

(melissa.a.chin@gmail.com) or Jenine (jeninelowson@gmail.com)

Start looking for your party shoes!

Stonehill International

School

Tarahunise Post Jala Hobli Contacting the School: Bangalore North 562157 India Admissions Ms. Rishika Ganapathy T + 91 8043418300 Primary School Ms. Nijika Bhardwaj + 91 8043418318 Secondary School Ms. Saathi Vinay M + 91 9008307684 Transport Mr. Rahul. I E info@stonehill.in Head Nurse Ms Charlette Macdonald