THE
November-December 2015
Volume III Issue IV
PHOENIX
TIMES
THE OFFICIAL STUDENT PUBLICATION OF
CHATSWORTH INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
Inside This Issue
Interview with Mr
Louis 2
Pri Sch Digital Media
Team 2
Yr 7 CEW Trip to
Bintan 2
Yr 8 CEW Trip to Siem
Reap Cambodia 3
CEW Trip to Phang
Nga Thailand 4
Secondary School
Curriculum
Enhancement
Week 2015
CEW Trip to Sapa
Vietnam 5
Yr 9 CEW Trip to
Malaysia 6
Happy Deepavali 6
Middle School Arts
Night 7
Sec Sch Student
Council Update 7
U10 Netball Update
8
Primary Cross
Country 8
November is
Movember 8
Dates to Remember
DECEMBER 2015 - JANUARY 2016
11 Dec: Sec Sch Student Council Spirit Rally
12 Dec - 03 Jan: School Holiday
01 Dec: Yr 10 and Yr 12 Exams
04 Jan: First Day of School (2nd Sem)
7-11 Dec: Sec Sch Student Council Spirit
08 Jan: Sec Sch Sports Day Sign Up
Week
8 Dec: Newcastle Grammar School and Music
Students Concert (Main Hall / 6:00 pm)
11 Dec: Pri Sch End of Year Assembly @ ACS
14 Jan: Whole School Coffee Morning for New
Parents
15 Jan: Sec Sch Sports Day / Sports Day
Assembly
Interview with Mr Louis
Organising CEW Trips
Mr Elgin Louis, our PE Department Head and CAS Coordinator, is the
overall in-charge and organiser of the CEW trips. We had a chance to
interview him to ask a few questions on how he prepared for this
memorable event for us.
Why are CEW trips important?
Chatsworth has had a strong tradition of doing these trips, and I
feel that by bringing students away from the environment I see
them in everyday, I get to see a different side to the students, and
see how their character and demeanor are outside of school. I
also get to socialise with them more and create stronger bonds
and relationships with the students.
How are the activities for the individual CEW trips planned?
We plan our trips based on what the learner profiles require.
We also think about what is beneficial towards each year group
and the different needs and maturity levels in terms of the
appropriateness of the activities. Asian Detours and I are trying
to plan more service trips and outreach programmes in the
future, as we feel the students should help out more, and learn
Yr 7 CEW Trip to Bintan
about the environment and the
less fortunate.
How are locations selected for
CEW?
Well first of all, we look at safety and whether our locations
chosen are near hospitals and medical treatment in case one
were to fall ill or injured during the trip. We also think about
political unrest and conflict and whether the area is too distance
or remote. Trips such as Cambodia for the year 8’s have not
changed because of the success of the locations and activities,
but trips in year 7 have changed several times so it all depends
on the feedback and how well the trip went for the students,
teachers, and counselors.
Is there one trip that stands out in your mind?
This year I went to Vietnam with the Year 10’s and 11’s which
was extremely fun, but I would say the one I had the most fun on
was trekking in Mount Bromo in Java, Indonesia in 2012 because
of the simplicity of the location, and being surrounded by
beautiful scenery throughout the entire trip. I also very much
enjoyed the community service trip in Phuket where we built
fences and did arts and crafts with the children in 2013.
by: Sam Lee (Yr 11)
#thephoenixtimes Editor-in-Chief
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2 | thephoenixtimes
Yr 8 CEW Trip to
Siem Reap Cambodia
T h e Ye a r 8
students along with
their supervising
teachers Ms Jackson,
Mrs Von, Mr Bowman
and Mr Luu went to
Cambodia to understand
t h e c u l t u re a n d g a t h e r
research for Individuals and
Societies case study based on
one chosen topic .
During
of trip, one group
helped Caring for Cambodia
(CFC) pave tiles on the ground
of a high school that had been
built solely through funds from different
schools and charities, while the other group
helped CFC primary school children improve
English by talking to them and asking them
their
questions.
They also went on a walking tour of a local village. The students also visited
a land mine museum and heard how Cambodia still has many active land
limes. On one day the students took a traditional Cambodian cooking class
and prepared their own dinner. Students also got to make pottery and use
a pottery wheel. The weather was bright and sunny and the students had a
great time. On behalf of all of Year 8
group, we think going to
Cambodia and working with CFC
was a brilliant experience because it really helped us understand the
lifestyle of the people who live in a not-so-developed country, and how
much they depend on tourism to support their families.
by: Ragini, Neha and Soha (Yr 8)
thephoenixtimes | 3
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Students from Yr 10, 12 and 13 along with their teachers Mr Serong and myself went to
Phang Nga, Thailand for one week for CEW. Community service was the main purpose
of the trip and it was successful experience. Students mainly worked with Community
Development Centre (CDC), which is a school founded by a Singaporean man after the
South Asian Tsunami in 2004. The purpose of the school is to provide education for the
Burmese children, whose parents immigrated legally or
illegally from Burma.
Students donated stationery to CDC and offered their
time to the children at the school. They gained valuable
experience in teaching English to the students. They also
painted the walls of the new nursery classroom, sanded
and painted the legs of the tables and played games with
school children. They also had a lot of fun by
themselves.
They went to
the beach,
digged up
clams in the
river, paddled kayaks at
the fish farm and had fun at a waterfall.
Chatsworth students also had the opportunity
to fly sky lanterns with firecrackers.
by: Mdm Wang Xiaoyan
4 | thephoenixtimes
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thephoenixtimes | 5
Yr 9 CEW Trip to Malaysia
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Happy Deepavali
Deepavali is a Hindu festival celebrated every year in
Singapore on the 10th of November. It is also known as
Diwali or Deepawali. This festival marks the end of the Hindu
New Year and the Indians have this festival to celebrate the
victory of light over darkness but it is also to celebrate good
over evil, knowledge over ignorance and hope over despair.
In Little India, the streets are covered with lamps to
represent light. Bazaars are open and selling colorful flowers
and fabrics, golden jewelry, gems, Indian species, lamps and all
kinds of Indian oil. To celebrate it, Indians wear new clothes,
buy gifts and sweets for their siblings. People decorate their
houses with colorful flower designs and play lots of games
during these days including card games, hide and seek,
scavenger hunt and others. There are also great firework
displays and lots of food to eat. Most Hindus are vegetarian.
At Chatsworth Ms Debbie’s class (Y1 "The Narwhals") has
made a Rangoli drawing in front of their classroom. A Rangoli
is a Hindu folk art symbol of Fortune and is used to attract
good luck.
The students in Ms Debbie’s class used dried rice, food
powder and flour to make their design. Rangoli is usually a
flower but Ms Debbie’s class wanted to make a Peacock.
6 | thephoenixtimes
by: Jacobo Garcia Arnaiz (Yr 8)
Middle School Arts Night 2015
November is the month in which one of
the first and most important art events
take place. Middle and Senior School Arts
Night is the big opening of the year for the
arts, here at Chatsworth.
“To me, arts is fundamental.
That’s one of the reasons
why I work in International
Schools - all across, state
schools are cutting the arts.
Music, Visual Arts, Drama
and Dance. I work in
International Schools
because I’m working with
what I love. Arts is
fundamental; that’s why we
have arts nights.”
Middle School Arts Night (for performers
from years 7~9), held after school on
November 12th, was a success. With 9
music pieces, 4 theatre acts, and 2 group
performances, the arts night was
entertaining and all in all a great night.
Other than a small technical problem,
everything went smoothly - and although it
was very different from the arts night last
year, it seems like this year’s arts nights are
just as good enough to continue on the
legacy Ms Lazareck and Mr Scheer left
behind.
by: Alyssa Suzuki (Yr 9)
Scariest
Abigail Nicolson (7-3)
Secondary School
Student Council
Update
During the month of October, Student Council planned a
number of activities for Secondary students to celebrate
Halloween! The activities included: lunch time apple
bobbing, movie night, and our annual dress up
competition. On Friday during lunch time, students split
up into their Houses and competed for House points in a
game of apple bobbing. The first House that picks up the
apple using only their mouth, and finishes eating the apple
after will be the winner. All the kids enjoyed racing against
the clock to see which team could win first. Raffles ending
up winning first, Changi second, then Sentosa in third so
well done to all who participated!
As well as the apple bobbing during lunch time, the
Student Council
has
also
organized their
annual dress up
competition
which was judged
by two teachers.
This year’s
categories were:
most scary, most
creative, and the
funniest costume.
Mr. Hudson and
Ms. Burroughs
were the judges and here were their top picks! Thank you
to everyone who dressed up and celebrated along with
Student Council.
by: Sam Lee (Yr 11)
Treasurer, StuCo
Why does Chatsworth hold
arts nights? One of the
reasons is stated above - to
show the parents and
students what each class is
doing at the moment.
Another one, quoted from
Ms Burrough, is this;
Most Creative
(Voodoo Doll)
Isabella Pflaster (9-3)
thephoenixtimes | 7
U10 Netball Update
The Chatsworth 10 and Unders Netball Team have been taking part in
a series of Netball Carnivals at Dulwich.
Whilst there, they played against teams from SJI, Dulwich, Avondale
and Dover. The team has enjoyed taking part and meeting other
teams. They have grown in confidence and ability since the season
started. Out of the thirteen matches they scored many important
goals. Well done. They only lost against one team by a single goal. Well
done to all the team for their great enthusiasm and commitment.
by: Jeanette Brennan, JY PE Teacher
Primary Cross Country
On a sunny day in November, The Primary Cross Country Team
participated in the inter-schools championships. The students
competed against schools from across the whole of Singapore,
including UWCSEA, Tanglin and SAS. There were teams
representing each of the year groups. Bedock Reservoir provided a
beautiful backdrop for this run. As always, the Phoenix Team
showed amazing team spirit. Well done to all of those involved!
by: Ms Alison Crosbie
November is MOVEMBER
Mr Snell and his Year 6 class are raising money during November to donate to the
Movember Foundation. This foundation seeks to make a global contribution to men
living happier, healthier, longer lives. They do this by funding initiatives to combat
prostate and testicular cancer, as well as mental
health issues. These problems impact men's
health and reduce their life expectancy. During
Movember, students in Year 6 will have a chance
to vote for which moustache Ms Snell will wear
and make a donation along with their vote.
by: Mr Steve Snell (Yr 6 Teacher)
#thephoenixtimes
Editorial Staff
Writters / Contributors
Jacobo Garcia Arnaiz
Siwon Kim
Alyssa Suzuki
Ragini, Neha, Soha (Yr 8)
Ms Sara Lynn Burrough
Ms Jeanette Brennan
Mr Elgin Louis
Ms Judith Anne Rene
Mr Steve Snell
Ms Tarla Varney
Mdm Wang Xiaoyan
Photographer
Warren Wern Jin Wee
Asian Detours
Editor-in-Chief
Sam Lee
Pri Sch Correspondent
Ms Alison Crosbie
Sec Sch Correspondent / Adviser
Ms Mattie Jackson
Layout Editor / Adviser
Mr Ericson Gutierrez