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THE PRINCIPAL'S NEWSLETTER

Successful IB Diploma evaluation visit

By Mr Robert Muntzer

Dear Parents and friends

IB Diploma Evaluation Visit – 16th-18th October. First of all, I would like to thank everyone who was involved in this three day IB DP Evaluation Visit. In a series of meetings with teaching and administrative staff, the governing board, parents and students, the IB Visiting Team assessed how much Hanova adhered to and demonstrated the IB Standards and Practices that are required to remain our IB World School authorization.

At the end of the Visit, there was an ‘Exit Interview’ involving Ms. Sharon Zhu, our IB Diploma Coordinator, Mr. Aristipo Rodriguez, our Head of Secondary, myself, as School Principal, and our two IB Visitors, Mr. Stan Covington (Team Leader) and Ms. Joanne Lee (Team Member).

The purpose of the ‘Exit Interview’ is for the IB Visiting Team to inform the school of its initial findings in relation to the extent a school meets IB Standards and Practices. If a school meets these requirements, the Visiting Team will not comment on them. If a school exceeds these requirements, commendations will be made. If the IB Visiting Team evaluates that a school needs to improve certain standards and practices, recommendations will be made.

It should be pointed out that the ‘Exit Interview’ does not reflect the Final Evaluation Report, which will indicate if a school retains its IB World School status. This final report, which has to go through procedures within IB, will be released within six weeks’ time.

However, at this point in time, I would like to share the commendations made by the IB Visiting Team. Subsequent to meetings with our DP students and parents, two commendations were made. Hanova was congratulated upon its dedication to the IB Philosophy and it’s “strong partnership” between teaching staff and the community.

The recommendations made by IB to the school are being discussed at Board and PLT (Pedagogical Leadership Team) levels and will be shared with you over the next few weeks and months.

Hanova Parents Teachers Association – HPTA Annual General Meeting (AGM). As an IB World School, it is essential that whatever we do as a school involves input from all its stake-holders – school staff, students and parents. Therefore, we strongly encourage all our parents to attend the HPTA AGM that will be held on Friday, 8thNovember at 2.30pm.

We have had to change the venue; the HPTA AGM will take place in the school Library.

Thank you to all of you who have expressed interest in joining the HPTA Committee; I will arrange a meeting before the HPTA AGM with you so that I can explain everything in more detail.

International Day – Friday, 25th October. First of all – again – I would like to thank our parents who turned out in force and provided us with an amazing array of tasty national foods!

This, our eighth International Day, was marked by some significant developments. Our ‘Parade of Nations’ included a running commentary and quiz about national capitol cities, we increased the number of national activities, and in the afternoon, we had a very elaborate and carefully-organized ‘scavenger hunt’ that focused on international-mindedness.

Photos and a report will follow in the next newsletter but, in the meantime, I would like to thank the organizers of this year’s event; Mr. Aristipo Rodriguez, Ms. Alexandra Beltrane Cassalas, Mr. Richard Haigh, Ms. Kimberley Reimann, Ms. Megan, Ms. Rae and Ms. Jessica Wang.

Halloween – Thursday, 31st October. On Thursday, October 31st the MYP and PYP students will be invited to participate in a celebration for Halloween. Students may dress up in costumes, but please remember nothing too gory or too violent and no toy weapons as these may upset our younger students and may set a bad example. The students will enjoy a ‘Costume Parade’ in the morning to showcase their costumes. In the afternoon, there will be some additional festivities. Look for more details coming soon from your student’s homeroom teacher.

Christmas Market/Winter Concert – Saturday, 7th December. The next whole school events are on the immediate horizon! Being jointly organized by Ms. Jessica Xue and Ms. Amelia Hall, the annual Christmas Market and Winter Concert are being scheduled on Saturday, 7th December.

News from Primary School

Primary ECA Programme. Wednesday Period 7 is a favourite period for all students and teachers. It is Extra-Curriculum Activity (ECA) time!

Hanova International School offers many different clubs for PYP and MYP students to support the development of balanced and open-minded learners. Thanks to our talented and dedicated teachers, students have opportunities to choose from a variety of enrichment activities. In PYP each student can experience up to four different clubs per school year. This ECA block we had many exciting activities such as Nature Art, Baking, Ceramics, Comic Club, Fit Punch and many more. (Ms. Petra and the Year 3 students)

This is what Year 3 says about their ECA club:

“I like my Ceramic Club as I can take my artwork home and give it to my mum.”

“It is fun to roller-skate and also I am getting better at it. “

“I like my Cooperative Game because I like to run and play with my friends.”

“I have improved my calligraphy and my writing is more beautiful.”

“I like my club because I can make beautiful things.”

Primary Parent/Teacher Conferences. Thank you to everyone involved on Wednesday and Thursday, 23rd-24th October when our Primary Teachers hosted our PYP parent conferences. It was a great ‘turn-out’ by our parents as these conferences were an opportunity to meet with your child’s homeroom teacher and to discuss your child’s learning and development at school.

PYP Football Match. On Friday 18th October, XIS came to Hanova with their U10 teams for two football matches.

In the first game Hanova worked really hard and earned an emphatic 3-0 win courtesy of two goals from Hun (Y5) and one from Evan (Y6). The second match was a very close game; however, it finished 3-0 to XIS.

In the true spirit of Hanova and collaborative learning, the whole of Primary came out to support both matches. Needless to say a fun time was had by all and we hope to make competitive games against other schools a more regular occurrence. (Mr. B Year 6)

News from Secondary School

Visiting Guest. Mr. Gavin Fish, Headmaster of Fish Hoek High School in Cape Town South Africa, experienced teacher, popular local speaker and author of ‘Taming the Teenager’, will be here in Xi’an at Hanova, after the International Confederation of Principals’ Convention in Shanghai. Please join us on Monday 4thNovember at 4pm in the librarywhere he will speak to staff and parents about ‘Protecting Teen Self-esteem’. All staff, parents and friends are welcome to join us to hear about this topic, that affects everyone of us!

(Sandy Trull)

MYP Chinese Pen Pals. This exciting project has started again in the Year 10-11 Chinese Phase 3-4 class. Students will be exchanging letters with their pen-pals from the Singapore Canadian International School. The students will be writing their letters in Chinese, and will be writing about the topic of teenagers’ relationship with their parents and issues. Not only will this improve their Chinese writing skills, but it will also allow the students to explore and learn more about the relationships of students from another school and country with their parents.

(Xun Khang from Y11)

MYP Arts Assemblies. We are happy to announce that Secondary School and the Hanova community will enjoy two more Arts Assemblies in November. On Friday November 22nd,we will have three MYP year groups performing musical and dramatic presentations:

- Year 7 GN Drama ‘Hamlet’
- Year 8 MW Music ‘Eastern and western fusion pieces’
- Year 10 Drama ‘Antigone’
- On Friday November 29th, four other MYP classes will be performing:
- Year 7 JL Music ‘Eastern and western fusion pieces’
- Year 8 DM Drama ‘A Pirate Show!’ pantomime
- Year 9 Music Eastern and western fusion pieces
- Year 11 Drama ‘The Mystery at Twicknam Vicarage’

Thank you again for your continuing support.

Yours,

Robert C. Muntzer

 

Upcoming Events

Please take note of these dates. As soon as they are confirmed, we will inform you about any additional events and activities that may take place in the following weeks:

Thursday, 31st October              Halloween
Monday, 4th November             Visiting Guest
Friday, 8th November                HPTA AGM
Wednesday, 20th November    IB DP CAS Workshop for Parents
Friday, 22nd November            MYP Arts Assembly I
Friday, 29th November             MYP Arts Assembly II
Saturday, 7th December           Winter Concert/Christmas Market


About our Head of School


Mr Robert Muntzer

School Principal

Mr Muntzer is the current School Principal of Hanova. He is highly experienced International Baccalaureate (IB) educator who has worked at Hanova as Deputy Principal, and Secondary IB Diploma Coordinator. His former posts include DP Coordinator in Dulwich College Shanghai, founding Director of Studies and IB Coordinator at Repton School Dubai along with Head of English and Head of Languages at schools in Thailand, Ethiopia, Zambia, India and Vietnam. He holds a Bachelor Degree in English from University of Warwick (UK). He has two children both educated in IB World School International schools


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