Phoenix Flyer

2015/16 Issue 5

November 16, 2015

Korea International School

In This Issue:

Professional Development at KIS

Gaelic Football
Seoul Campus Showcase
Pangyo Trunk or Treat
Middle School Let the Music Begin
High School NHS
Phoenix Athletics - Cross Country
Phoenix Activities - Speech & Debate

KIS Today

Professional Development at KIS: The FishBowl

Korea International School has a rich history of investing in the professional development of its teachers. The
desire to create a culture of learning that focuses on improving teacher practice has led to ongoing and relevant
professional development opportunities for faculty. The KIS EdTech Team is proud to be a part of this tradition by
providing technology-based training as a seamless part of teachers everyday routines.
This training is supported by the FishBowl: a purpose-built training center for teachers that is located on the
third floor of the G-Building. With its glass walls and adaptable furniture, this customizable space is ideal for offering technology-based professional development. Over the past four years, FishBowl sessions have provided
a weekly concept which is delivered four times per day, 20 times per week, all during school hours. This unique
access to daily professional development has built the technological capacity of teachers immeasurably.
Over the next four weeks, the EdTech Team will be piloting the newest iteration of its innovative FishBowl model.
Each member of the five-member EdTech team will be offering two sessions that draw on their individual skill
sets. These ten sessions, ranging from using virtual reality in the classroom to using video in teaching, will allow
for deeper exploration with technology and an opportunity for broader dialogue between teachers. The EdTech
team is excited and confident that this latest evolution of the FishBowl will continue the outstanding tradition of
professional development at KIS.
Daniel Kilback
Director of Educational Technology

Amalia Kingsbury

Art Schultz

Daniel Kilback

Richard Poth

Rick Mallon

KIS Spotlight

Gaelic Football at KIS: Shanghai Tournament Champions

KIS-Seoul Campus embarked on a new adventure and took the first ever group of elementary students abroad
for a global competition and cultural exchange. Fourth and fifth grade students from KIS-Seoul Campus participated in the widely successful trip of a lifetime when they travelled to Shanghai, China for the Fexco 2015 Asian
Gaelic Games. Our young group of KIS ambassadors experienced friendly competition at the tournament, while
sweeping the opposition and bringing home a gold medal as the Gaelic Football tournament champions. Good
sportsmanship and teamwork were staples of their championship run, coupled with strong skills and strategic
play. Our tournament hosts, the Shanghai Gaelic Football Club, were warm and welcoming every step of the way
and ensured that our visit was most enjoyable. Everyone was excited when the president of the Gaelic Games
Association presented our medals, along with the 4th in command for the Peoples Republic of China. Big thank
you to them, as well as the parents and organizers from the Shanghai Gaelic Football Club that went above and
beyond to make us feel welcome.
Students and staff alike also had the amazing opportunity to visit historical sites around the city and experience
Chinese culture firsthand. Many students who study Mandarin at KIS found themselves presented with an authentic opportunity to demonstrate their learning and practice what they have learned in class. One of the clear
cultural highlights included a trip to the Korean Government in Exile museum, which many students had learned
about in Korean class. Actually seeing where the government was housed and worked almost 100 years ago left
many feeling moved by the experience, and an incredible sense of pride radiated from our group. We also had
time to navigate to the Pearl Tower in Shanghai, which students had studied in social studies class. Standing
close to 500 meters tall, students enjoyed dancing on the clear glass floor as they looked down to the ground
below.
This is a great example of the authentic learning experiences we are creating for our students here at KIS. Pushing back the walls of our classrooms and giving our students opportunities to not only learn about topics in
school, but experience them as well will help create a learning environment where students feel confident taking
safe risks with their learning. Creating that critical thinking and problem solving mindset through real life applications will in turn lead to self driven lifelong learners as they graduate to middle school, high school, and beyond.
We are very excited for the future years to come as we see more and more opportunities for our students to apply
their learning in authentic ways.
Jeff Kordick
SC PE Teacher

Seoul Campus
Elementary School

Cross Country Jamboree: at SC!

Highlights

On Saturday October 17th, KIS Seoul Campus hosted their 2nd annual Elementary Cross-Country Jamboree
race. Over the last eight weeks, cross-country runners from Grades Three, Four, and Five prepared for this event
by training twice a week on the hiking trail, school soccer field, and elementary school rooftop, to ensure that
they were ready to run!
On the day of the big race, eight different schools were in attendance, bringing the total numbers of runners close
to 130! Both male and female students from Grades Three, Four and Five participated by running a challenging
course with steep hills and long turns. The Third Grade students ran a 1km road race, while the Fourth and Fifth
graders ran an extended course of 1.6km.
KIS runners demonstrated excellent spirit, sportsmanship and athletic ability. After the races, the athletes were
given ribbons for their efforts and had a chance to discuss their experiences with parents and other competitors.
It was clear that they were already looking forward to competing in the event next year. The proceedings were a
huge success thanks to all of the participating athletes, volunteers, parents, and coaches. A big thanks to KIS
Seoul for putting together an excellent event. Go Phoenix!
Pete Hill
PE Teacher

Grade 2 Showcase

Second Grade students at Seoul Campus celebrated the

end of our first trimester with a presentation showcasing
their iBox project. This project pulled together skills learned
in Social Studies, Writing, Design, Art and IT classes. Students brought in a variety of objects that represented their
likes, hopes, dreams, personal experiences and family life.
Using the Tinkercad program, they created a 3D object
representing themselves, had it printed with a 3D printer
and added it to their collection. Next, they designed and
built a container meant to specifically showcase their personal items. A great time was had learning how to use the
tools in the design lab to build their iBox! Along with their
iBox, students wrote a Small Moment Story surrounding
one of the objects in their box. In addition, they learned
how to create an eBook on iPad and made a short book
explaining the symbolism behind each item. The final touch
was attaching a personal flag that was made in Art class.
The Second Graders would like to thank all of the parents,
teachers and students who showed up to view their work
and make it a really special event for them. They enjoyed
sharing about themselves and showing off all of their hard
work. Way to go, Second Grade!
Jamie Koch
Grade 2 Teacher

Upper Years Showcase

Seoul Campus has been buzzing as Grades 3-5 students have been working hard, putting final touches on their
culminating projects from the trimester 1 transdisciplinary units. Recently, school and community members were
invited to view projects and listen to students present their new understandings. Each event was a prime example
of how hard work pays off!
Students in Grade 3 were able to display their new understandings from their World Around Us themed unit.
Besides making connections to the world and others around them through reading and writing-based activities,
students were challenged to demonstrate their understanding of how communities around the world can find and
use solutions to reduce the impact of weather related hazards. By using research of weather and weather related
hazards from a chosen country, students put their science and engineering design knowledge to work in creating
a prototype, or model, of a solution to the hazard.
Grade 4 students were able to gain appreciation of how communities use art, engineering, science, and storytelling to share about important people in history. Through novel-based activities, students interests in the American
Revolution and Civil War were sparked, with each choosing a historical figure from these time periods to research.
4th Graders then designed and engineered a statue of their individual figures that could withstand weathering and
erosion, in addition to writing a realistic fiction narrative based on their character.
In Grade 5, students got a taste of what it truly means to protect the Earths resources and environment. After participating in their own long walk to water inspired by their reading of the novel, A Long Walk to Water by Linda
Sue Park, 5th Graders were able to design and test a prototype for a gravity fed water system that would improve
our schools rooftop garden. Students even tested out their own writing skills by creating a missing chapter for
their novel, as well as studying the availability of water and other natural resources in the world and how pollution
and other factors affect their existence.
Students and parents also enjoyed an hour of Tea Time Math in which parents had the opportunity to enjoy tea
and cookies while participating in math activities with their children. Grade 4 students presented their Function
Machines and everyone took part in activities such as Tile Math, Everyday Math Games, 24 Game, and various
multiplication activity centers. It was fun to see parents utilize problem solving strategies along with their children
in order to find solutions to their various tasks. Much fun was had by all!
Jennifer Wright
Megan Greene
Grades 3, 4, 5 Teachers

Cultural Exchange: From Thailand to Korea

As part of the Thailand - Korea Cultural Exchange Programme, a group of Thai dancers, whose ages ranged from
8-17 years old, came to visit Seoul Campus! We were pleased to welcome these young girls from the Kamphaeng
Phet Rajabhat Universitys Arts and Culture Centre in Bangkok, Thailand to our school. Ms. Koong, the Director at
Absolutely Thai, spoke to our students about the cultural dress, various regional dances, language, and traditions
in Thailand. Absolutely Thai is a company that specializes in Thai and Southeast Asian traditional performing arts.
Before the dancers began, we wanted to share some of our students cultures with our guests. Our students
from Libya sang their national anthem and two other students shared information about Chinese traditions and
holidays.
Between graceful dances, Ms. Koong taught the audience how to say hello and thank you in the Thai language. She also mentioned that the original name for Bangkok, Thailands capital, is the longest name of all capital cities in the world! A Thai girl impressively said the entire name. It was a name none of us could easily repeat,
but Charlotte, a first grade student at KIS, tried her best! Truly a difficult task! (See below for the full name).
Just after, Ms. YoonHee Kim, our Korean and Library teacher, as well as several of our students were called up to
the front to try on Thai pants. These resemble harem pants, or baggy pants pulled in on the bottom. Ms. Koong
showed us how Thai people have the option of wearing these pants at different lengths. Surprisingly, these pants
are just a large piece of fabric tied around an individual.
The Thai girls were dressed in breathtakingly beautiful garments. The movements in the dances were fluid and
precise. We were so happy to experience the Thai dancing culture and look forward to more cultural exchange
programs in the near future!
{Bangkoks original name: Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop
Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prast}
Miller Zhou, YoonHee Kim,
Laura Sterner
SC Teachers

Soccer Jamboree: at SC!

KIS-Seoul Campus has done a great job demonstrating their

sportsmanship, teamwork, and competitiveness this fall throughout their soccer jamboree schedule. Students have had amazing
opportunities to demonstrate the skills they have learned in PE
class through friendly competition amongst international schools.
Attending the Gyeonggi Suwon International School (GSIS) Soccer Jamboree on October 24th and the Chadwick Soccer Jamboree on October 31st, students were given an authentic stage
to demonstrate the skills they have learned and practiced in PE
class, as well as in after school clubs. Ball control, strategic
movement, and field awareness are just some of the many areas
in which we have noticed great improvement at all levels from
last year. Students enjoyed getting out and participating with
their peers from the KIS-Pangyo campus, as well as meeting new
friends from the various international schools that attended. Special thanks to all the parents that have continued to support our
Saturday Sports schedule, as well as all those that have attended
the jamborees with their child and helped out with transitions and
cheering our teams on. We are very lucky to have such a wonderful Seoul Campus family. The weather has been beautiful this fall,
and we look forward to wrapping up our fall sports season with
the Songdo 7 Soccer Tournament in Incheon on November 14th15th, as well as our end of the year hike and BBQ on November
21st. See you there!
Jeff Kordich
PE Teacher

Pangyo Campus

Trunk or Treat!

Elementary School

Highlights

For international students and families, living in Korea can be hard to beat. You can find anything you need, people are patient and kind, the public transportation system is second-to-none, there are a multitude of wonderful
attractionsthe list goes on and on.
Still, there are things we miss a lot. Certain traditions and customs that, when woven together, make up the tapestry of our lives, but are next to non-existent here in the ROK. So, if we want to have those special memories
for our children here, we have to use a little ingenuity and create them ourselves. Halloween is a great example.
For many children in the USA, it is their favorite day of the year- and why wouldnt it be? They get to dress up in
delightful costumes and go door-to-door getting candy from everyone they meet!
Can you imagine what would happen if your children went trick-or-treating in your apartment complex? Talk
about Halloween horrors!
It was with this thought in mind that our ES PTO put on our first ever Trunk or Treat event. More than 30 cars
pulled into the lower parking lot of the school on Halloween night, transforming it into a trick-or-treating fantasy
land. Every car was decked out in wild and wonderful decorations- from the land of Oz to the world of Minecraftand each had a cornucopia of candy confections to share. People had a frightfully good time at the event, which
we hope will become an annual tradition at KIS. Its like weve been magically transported to a neighborhood in
California! exclaimed one parent,who perhaps not coincidentally, was dressed in a Star Trek costume. Others
explained that the KIS Trunk or Treat was their first real Halloween experience. Of all the comments, however,
perhaps the best and most succinct came from Kindergartener Liberty D. who said, It was real Halloweeny.
Thanks, Liberty. Thats exactly what we were going for!
Travis Peterson
ES Associate Principal

Eye on India: Diwali Event at KIS!

Diwali, the ancient Hindu festival of lights, has been celebrated in India for
well over 2000 years. Here at KIS, the tradition doesnt go back quite that far
(just TWO years!), but has already become a much loved event. We all look
forward to the raucous dancing and vibrant colors that make this holiday so
special, and this year did not disappoint!
Two of our fabulous KIS parents kicked off the celebration by transforming
one corner of the ES lobby into a delicate and gorgeous piece of Ringoli
(sand art). The students all learned just how delicate it really was when a
wayward broom brushed by it, marring one edge of the gorgeous piece with
its bristly tines. At first blush, this unfortunate accident appeared to have
ruined the Ringoli, but it actually served to enhance it. One could really see
how much attention to detail was paid to it, and just how complex the process was. It also served as an even more powerful symbol for what Diwali is
all about: the triumph of light over darkness. None of us are without flaws.
Time and circumstance sometimes leave a scar. But, just like the Ringoli, we
can persevere and shine on!
Then, to close out our assembly on gratitude, the whole school was treated
to a delightful show put on by our students of Indian descent that gave us
a taste of Diwali. There was a raucous Bollywood routine, a solemn Hindi
prayer, a Punjabi folk dance, and a very cute attempt to tell the tale of Diwali
by a 2nd grader! All together, the performers provided us with a window to
peer into this special festival and into Indian culture in general.
For many of us, November is a time of reflection. It is a time for us to take
stock of our blessings and to show gratitude for those people and things that
enrich our lives. So it is with this in mind that we wish to say thanks to all the
families from the far flung corners of the earth who have come to call KIS their
home away from home. Like vanilla in a cake, adding that extra bit of flavor
takes us from good to great!
Travis Peterson
Elementary Associate Principal

GSIS: Soccer Jamboree

What have your kids been doing after school? They have been having a great time training for the Soccer Jamboree hosted by GSIS (Gyeongi Suwon International School). We had 24 ES athletes participate in the Soccer
Jamboree on October 24th: two boys teams and one girls team. Every team had four games to play, which made
for a very fun and eventful Saturday. It was so great to see the kids working together on and off the field. We had
a few wins, a loss, and a tie, but the kids played so well in every game. They showed great sportsmanship and
leadership on and off the field. Our coaches are happy to have had the opportunity to coach these amazing kids
over the past eight weeks. A big shout out goes to all of the amazing parents for waking up early and supporting
all the kids at GSIS. All of you have been awesome! We all appreciate your support and encouragement during
the soccer practices and Jamboree. Thank You!
Natasha Yanuszeski
Elementary PE

Grade 5 Field Trip Drives Student Learning!

Grade Five went on their second field trip of the year to the Seongnam Eco Park and Wastewater Treatment
Plant. Teachers planned the trip as an entry event into their second unit of the year: Innovation and Design. During the first part of the field trip students toured the control room and facility to learn how waste is converted into
drinkable water, fertilizer for farming, and concrete for building projects. During the second half, they took water
samples from the stream and tested them for such things as pH, turbidity, temperature, and conductivity. Students will be learning about the spheres of the Earth during KoLab. In social studies they will study trade routes
and economics. Writers Workshop will focus on creative narratives, as well as some persuasive techniques to
prepare students for their Trade Show in January. Finally, the culminating task for unit two will be to design, build,
and market a product to rehabilitate or preserve an element of the environment.
David Archer
Grade 5 Teacher

Pangyo Campus
Middle School

Connecting Better: Beware of White Noise

Highlights

Merriam-Websters dictionary defines white noise as a constant noise that is a mixture of many different sound
waves. However, informally the term white noise is often used to represent conversation that is meaningless or
distracting. How often in our busy lives do we find ourselves conversing with our friends and family in ways that
are not meaningful. Quality conversations with your child is their first exposure to demonstrate what it means to
develop a meaningful relationship.
This month is honesty month in the middle school. As parents, we hope that our children are born with integrity
and understand the importance of honesty. However, integrity is not something were born with. It is a character
trait that we develop over time by watching how others respond to experiences that happen in life. Parents are
able to provide students an opportunity to foster this trait by talking purposefully with their kids on a daily basis.
A great place to hold these daily conversations would be during family dinner or even breakfast if time allows.
It is important to remember that our children model their behavior from us, the parents. How do you interact with
your children in a way that builds trust? One important approach is to allow your child to share their truth without
fault or consequence. The other important part of this process is to create an opportunity for them to do so by
regularly asking questions about their thoughts and things that happen in their everyday lives. This can be difficult
to do with middle or high school students as they are often reluctant to engage in extended conversations which
is why its so important to start at a young age developing a conversational bond with your child.
The challenge for this edition of Connecting Better is to identify places in your life where you have more white
noise conversation rather than meaningful ones. Be honest with yourself whether its at work, at home, or with
friends. Next, you must devise a way to start changing these relationships by making the dialogue more meaningful. Connecting with your child: the second part to this challenge involves establishing a set of questions that you
ask your child on a daily basis about their day. Some examples include: What was the happiest part of your day
today and why? If you could sit by anyone in class who would it be and why? If you could only go to one teacher
all day which one would that be and why? The idea is to ask questions that require a more specific response other
than yes or no. Have fun with this challenge and I hope you and your student keep Connecting Better.
Dr. Billy Bowie
MS Associate Principal

Grade 6: Prehistoric Field Trip

On October 16th, the entire Sixth Grade visited Amsa-dong
Prehistoric settlement where our KIS (Korea International
School) students experienced life as an early Korean settler.
The trip was broken into two parts - a museum and reconstructed stone age village tour and crafts projects. Students
who have been studying prehistoric humans, adaptability, and
migration had the unique opportunity to explore prehistoric
housing while gaining a better understanding of everyday village life through a hands on play with reproductions of ancient
tools. The trip also gave the students a chance to conduct primary and secondary research for their human migration and
resettlement presentations. The second half of the visit allowed
students the chance to use their imaginations and creativity as
the Amsa-dong staff helped the Sixth Graders create their own
prehistoric housing models and pottery. Overall, this trip was
a success and infused the Grade Six students with the feeling
that, I cant wait for next year! Amsa-dong Prehistoric settlement is a great celebratory ending to our our thematic unit
on Adaptability and a valuable introduction for our new unit on
Civilization.
Josef Gerbase
MS Social Studies

Experiential Education: In The Middle School

8th Grade Fall Experiential Education Trip: Think Beyond Yourself
The 8th grade students at KIS literally pushed themselves to new heights last month at the Yongin Recreational
Forest. On October 8th, the eighth grade class successfully completed 1,238 meters of zipline on the Dynamic
Ecotainment Zipline Course. Comfort zones were pushed to the maximum; students supported one another as
each person made their first jump, while screaming at the top of their lungs. The level of difficulty increased from
line to line, and students made the most difficult jump at the sixth and final zipline which was 330m long. As each
student zipped along, they had an amazing view of the surrounding forest area.
On this trip, students were able to experience a classroom without walls. Real world applications of knowledge
learned from their teachers were put into place. Students were able to go on hikes, explore the forest area, design
their own wooden medallion, engage in team building activities, and enjoy the company of their friends. Teachers
and students grew as individuals that day, and the entire 8th grade created stronger bonds by challenging themselves and having new experiences together. All the teachers are so proud of the students because they took the
ziplining challenge head on, and showed no fear.
7th Grade Fall Experiential Education Trip: Challenge Yourself
Thanks to the fall Experiential Education Trip, every 7th grader has now kayaked the Hongcheon River, and getting wet was only part of the fun. Some students even challenged themselves to learn how to climb back into a
kayak after capsizing, a skill Dr. Lovelin didnt quite master. Additionally, we explored the riverside finding and
collecting aquatic specimens for scientific observation. We also skipped stones to our hearts content. Memories
were made and bonds strengthened among teachers and students that will last through the year and beyond.
6th Grade Fall Experiential Education Trip: Forging Friendships
Students in grade 6 overcame challenges both individually and in teams during the fall Experiential Education trip
to the Outdoor Challenge Course near Hanwha Resort in Yangpyeong. Students, and a few brave teachers, had
the chance to climb nearly ten meters to balance on a log, walk a tightrope, or jump off the platform and trust in
your rope. It sounds, and even looks, easy until you try it yourself. Although your team is shouting encouragement
from the safety of the ground it is ultimately your mind that must be overcome and trust that you can step out of
your comfort zone and be alright, however scary it might be.
Josh Curtis
MS Social Studies

Middle School Students Debate: Global Issues

Last week all Grade 8 Social Studies students showcased
their debate skills in their US History Classes with Mr. Evans
and Mr. Hernandez. Students debated topics ranging from
the unification of North and South Korea to school topics
like school uniforms and whether or not anti-bullying campaigns are effective in schools. The QR Code is a link to one
of the most engaging, and earliest debates, on whether or
not North and South Korea should unify. Here you can see
the students passion for the topic come out in their arguments. It was too bad we ran out of time in the classroom!
Although, the audience and the debaters were able to continue their question and answering portion of the debate online through a Schoology discussion.

The students prepared for weeks in researching their topics

and practicing their debate and argumentation skills. We
utilized the vast resources available in the MS Library to begin the research and we held mock debates in class to work
on skills. Their practice debate was especially interesting
as it was deciding the type of phone Mr. Hernandez would
be purchasing. After much deliberation, it was a resounding YES for Mr. Hernandez to buy the new Samsung smart
phone, which he did!
Brad Evans
MS Social Studies

Middle School Student Council: Innovators at KIS

For the past few months, the Middle School Student Councils (MS StuCo) 18 leaders have done an amazing job
by creating original ideas that have surprised the Middle School students and faculty members. These 18 students, who have proven themselves to be responsible and creative students, have taken great strides forward
without fearing mistakes and failure.
The MS StuCo is in charge of planning and implementing many activities and events, including: assemblies, socials, and promotions. However, another important job of the Student Council is in promoting school rules, including: computer privacy, cheating, language, and appropriate behavior. In Augusts Behavior Assembly, students
watched creative videos that amused and informed the students regarding the seriousness of these problems.

In September, the MS StuCo went on a trip to the Hongcheon River. We did team building exercises, and we
planned for future events like socials and assemblies. Another goal for this trip was for the members to get to
know each other better in order to promote more open discussions. The trip was a success. The MS StuCo members returned to their classes full of ideas and better connections.
On October 30th, the MS StuCo hosted their first social: the Halloween Social... also known as the Terror Fiesta.
It was a very successful event and more students were able to attend than in previous years because it was
hosted during school hours. The main attraction was the Haunted House! In the Haunted House, students had to
go with a guide as they ventured through stairways to a mysterious room at the end. The first part of the house
featured ghosts and creepy dolls that frightened many students. The second part included holograms that made
students fall through the door, literally. Overall, the Haunted House was a fresh idea that made the Terror Fiesta
extra terrifying.
For more diversity at the social, there were various booths like the Pin-the-Skeleton Booth and the Haunted Ball
Toss Booth. Also, the Food Booth and the Mocktail Booth were popular with the food and drinks offered. ...And,
we can certainly not forget the amazing performances, including: Jazz Combo; and Eugene and his exhilarating
DJ performance. The Seventh Grade girls beautiful singing performance added even more excitement for MS
students and teachers!
The Terror Fiesta was a success for the hardworking MS StuCo team! We will continue to do our best to provide
a fun and interesting year with creative events. We aim to be the true leaders and innovators of Middle School at
KIS!
Andrew
MS Student Council
Trevor Cory
MS Student Leadership

Pangyo Campus
High School

The College Admissions Process and the SAT

Highlights

The SAT Test is a rite-of-passage that many students and parents are familiar with. Most colleges use SAT
scores as just one piece of information, of many, in a holistic admissions review. While different colleges
have varying admissions policies, and differing selectivity, the majority of American colleges and universities
look first and foremost at the students transcript: Which classes has the student taken in high school? How
did the student challenge himself or herself?
The best time to take the SAT I test for the first time is during spring of the students Junior year. Students
planning to apply to college early will want their testing completed before their Senior year. Many students
will see an improved score the second time taking the SAT, but it is less common to see an increase beyond
that.
Very few colleges use SAT Subject Tests as part of their admissions decision. Most colleges allow students
to choose two from the 20 offered by College Board. Math, Science, or Engineering majors may be asked
to take specific Subject Tests.
Score Choice allows students to choose which score reports to send to colleges. KIS does not send test
scores. Colleges do not have access to students test scores unless the student orders them to be sent
directly from College Board. This allows students to do their best on test day, and decrease stress. Remember, SAT scores are just one piece of information that colleges and universities will be reviewing when
making an admissions decision.
Christine Collings & Valerie Scates
College Counselors

Famous Francophone Museum

Mr. Plamondons Middle School Intro French students became famous

Francophones on Tuesday, October 6th and Wednesday, October 7th.
Guests from the Elementary School, from Grade 2 to Grade 5, came
to visit the museum in rooms G507 and G508. There, they discovered
statues which came to life when they pressed the start button.
For about one or two minutes, the French speaker would give basic
personal information about his/her life in French, such as name, nationality, city of origin, and age. This was then followed by an explanation
in English of why he/she is famous, and two or three interesting facts
about his/her life. For two days, the museum was open for about 30
minutes in the afternoon, and the entrance fee was free for everyone.
Guests could also listen to as many presentations as they wanted to in
that time.
The Elementary students, teachers and administrators left the museum having learned a little something about people such as: Napolon
Bonaparte - the emperor, Jeanne dArc - the heroine, Andr le gant
- the wrestler, Zindine Zidane - the soccer player, Gustave Eiffel - the
architect, Cline Dion - the singer, and Coco Chanel - the fashion designer. Some of Mr. Plamondons students were even famous fictional
characters such as the Pink Panther, Tintin, le Petit Prince, and Idfix
(the dog from the popular comic book Astrix le gaulois).
Mr. Plamondon and his students would like to share their appreciation
to the attentive audience.
Kim Plamondon
MS/HS French Teacher

Tancheon River Project: Assessing Local River Water Quality

Possibly the most important natural resource on Earth, freshwater is something that must be used and
protected wisely in the face of growing populations and urban development. Students of the Environmental
Science class have taken field trips to three different locations along the nearby Tancheon River to investigate our own local fresh water source. Prior to the trips, the students learned about storm-water runoff and
its impacts on rivers in urban settings. While at the river, the students used sensors and probes to test the
water for chemicals, physical properties, and micro-invertebrates. They have been tasked with answering
the question: What is the ecological health of the river?
Specific testing parameters were selected on their ability to help answer this question. These parameters include: temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, biological oxygen demand, turbidity, ammonium, nitrates, phosphates, and conductivity.
Using the test results and a standard Water Quality Indicator (WQI) formula used by many U.S. states and
governmental agencies, the river water was ranked with a WQI score. Students then evaluated which parameters had the most adverse impact on water quality, possible sources, and potential remedies.
In addition to chemical and physical parameters, students sampled a biological component of the river by
dragging a plankton net to collect micro-invertebrates. Using microscopes, students set out to identify the
most common species present in the water, photograph them with their cell phones, and prepare a digital
library of the most abundant species. Similar to chemicals, plankton species can be used to evaluate the
health of a river.
For their assessment, students will be presenting their data and findings in a poster session. Poster sessions are a very common way for professional scientists to communicate their research on new topics. The
Environmental Science students will display and present their posters in a single location, and students from
other classes at KIS will visit the posters and presenters to ask questions about their findings. The entire 5th
Grade class at KIS, who is also doing a significant learning unit on water, will be visiting the poster presenters.
This project has global interest and participation. Storm-water runoff is becoming an increasingly important
topic as cities expand, and increased agricultural demands add nutrients to waterways. The Tancheon River
project is being coordinated with a storm-water research grant run through the University of Maine and funded by the National Science Foundation. Our data are being shared with students from across Maine, and
collaboration on ways to control and reduce impacts on freshwater will soon be coordinated. This project
exemplifies how project-based learning can be used by students to develop 21st century skills to explore
real-world problems.
In addition, some 11th Grade students will be continuing the work in the Tancheon River as an independent
research project to present at the next Korea Water Forum conference.
Ted Taylor
HS Environmental Science

Straight Platinum: International Music Education

On Tuesday, November 3rd, the Phoenix Wind Ensemble and Phoenix Orchestra competed in the KAIAC/
KIMEA Large Ensemble Festival hosted at KIS. (KAIAC stands for the Korean-American Interscholastic Activities Conference; and KIMEA stands for the Korea International Music Educators Association.)
Each group gave an adjudicated performance for a panel of three judges, rated on a range of musical aspects. Both ensembles performed outstandingly; each were awarded Platinum ratingsthe highest ranking
possible. Our Middle School Phoenix Band and Phoenix Strings programs also received Platinum ratings,
marking the second consecutive year of straight Platinum ratings from all four KIS ensembles.
This week, we also learned that nine of our High School Band students and 11 High School Orchestra students were selected for the Association of Music in International Schools (AMIS) Honor Festival to be held
at the American School of Doha in March. An additional seven KIS instrumentalists have been named alternates to the event. These 27 students have been selected by rigorous blind audition from a global pool of the
finest international musicians, making this one of the highest honors that a high school musician can attain.
We are excited to have such a plethora of our students representing KIS so prominently on the world stage.
Please take a moment today to congratulate our outstanding student musicians!
Audrey Duncan
MS/HS Orchestra Director
KIMEA Orchestra Division Chair

Eric L. Majors
High School Band Director

KIS: Mock Trial Club

Soon to be known as the third branch of KIS Public Speaking Clubs, along with Forensics and the Model
United Nations, Mock Trial demonstrates a different atmosphere. Slightly foreign to many, Mock Trial takes
a unique approach to different categories, styles of questions, and issues. It combines all elements of public
speaking into a creative sphere where members conjure up styles and characters to their liking, including:
assertive, passive aggressive, emotional, humorous as you like it.
On November 5th, 2015, KIS Mock Trial Club hosted their first ever In-Club Competition (ICC), pitting four
teams competing randomly amongst club members. As these first-time, competing rookiesand some
experienced membersonly had half the usual preparation time (about a month) to prepare, many were
skeptical of what the teams would bring forth. I was nervous about placing authority in the hands of inexperienced members; and about a month in, I became genuinely worried that no one would return to club next
semester. However, what I saw at the ICC on Thursday was way beyond my expectations. From blank-faced
expressions on the first day of our club, all the members returned from their one-month, self-led bootcamp
as bright-eyed, reborn mock trialers.
Throughout the whole tournament, I was captivated by the eloquent speeches, twists and turns, and entertaining witnesses. One mock trialer, in an Indian accent, memorably said, Karmia Kahn... if youre listening... I still love you, and I want you back (sobs). As if they had lived the lives of the characters, as if
they were real attorneys fighting against domestic violence (or against false accusation of abuse), the trials
engrossed me, the other student judges, and teachers who came to observe. Mr. Kennedy, who dropped by
to see the championship round, lauded everyone for the drama-rich, two hours.
With the one-month progress that everyone managed to make, I am excited to witness what the future of
KIS Mock Trial holds. In addition to the high-quality performances, there were some outstanding demonstrations of leadership and sacrifice, which cant make me feel any prouder of our members. The skys the limit
for the members of KIS Mock Trial 2015!
Yu-Jeong
Grade 11 Student
Carmen LaRue
Social Studeis Teacher

KIS Choir Students: International Honor Choir

Way to go, singers! This year, KIS choirs set a new record for the most KIS students passing the audition for
an honor festival hosted by the Association for Music in International Schools (AMIS). Twenty-three students
auditioned. Eleven were accepted, and three more were listed as alternates. A total of ten students will represent KIS at the festival, to be held March 2nd to 6th at International School of Luxembourg.
The students and Mr. Brown will also spend two days in Brussels before the event, doing musical tourism
and recovering from jet lag. They will take the express train to Luxembourg, then spend three days in extensive rehearsals before the Gala Concert Saturday night, March 5th, at 7:00 p.m. at the Conservatoire de la
Ville de Luxembourg.
The AMIS international high school honor choir festival is held once yearly, with students from international
schools all over the world attempting the very demanding audition. There is a womens choir, a mens choir,
and a mixed choir (women and men). Last year, all KIS students who participated were members of either
the mens or womens choir. This year, all students will be in the mixed choir, directed by internationally acclaimed choir director Doreen Rao.
The acceptance rate for KIS students was one of the highest of all the international schools in the world!
So, a big Phoenix shout-out of congratulations to: Suahn, Stacy, Christy, David, Chris, Danny, Eddie, Harry,
Andrew, Andy, Hyun Jae, Daniel, Jin Ho, and Matthew!
Jack Brown
MS/HS Choir Director

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Grades 3-5

Thursday, November 26th

8:30 - 10:00
in the PAC

Featuring: singers, dancers, musicians, and much more!

Korea International School

Korea International School

27 Daewangpangyo-ro 385 beon-gil, Bundang-gu

Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do
Korea 463-420
www.kis.kr