1. education
2. school

February 13, 2014
Issue 125
How to Clean Dirty Water!
What’s happening soon?
By Andrew Wright, Grade 1 Elementary Teacher
GISS Global Issues Service
Summit
In January, the Grade 1 classes visited KAUST’s experimental
desalination plant in Building 7 where Dr. Huguet, Dr.
Saththasivam and Dr. Singh showed the students different
ways to filter and treat water using chemical coagulation,
charcoal filters and polymer membranes.
February 12-16
February 16
Mid-Semester Break – no
school
February 20
Grade 1 students were given the opportunity to see what
scientists do here at KAUST in terms of studying water and
also given a tour through the tanks, pipes and filters of the
desalination apparatus.
GSS House Sports Day
It was an inspirational trip and the students were very
interested in seeing the scientists in action! One student in
Class 1W, Nadeen Ghawanmeh, was so inspired by the visit
that she brought some purple water (made with chalk) to
the school and the rest of the class resolved to filter it using
BBQ charcoal from Tamimi. To our surprise, it worked –
although we then need to find more filters to filter the
charcoal out of the water!
TKS Accreditation Team Visit
February 26
TKS Partners for Learning
March 2-6
TKS International Week
March 28 – April 5
Spring Break – no school
April 6
School Resumes
May 28
Graduation
June 5
Last Day for Students
August 26
School Resumes for Students
Diploma
Information
Parents
Programme
Session for
There is no need to make an
appointment; just drop in
any Thursday from 3:10 4:00pm to see Edwige ThivinBoutry in the IB Office at the
Gardens Secondary School.
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February 13, 2014
Issue 125
Model United Nations
By Lindy Nichols, Secondary Humanities Teacher & John Arunski, Secondary English Teacher
This year marked the second year of the Middle School MUN Program. In January, ten
middle school students traveled to the British International School of Al Khobar to
participate in a two-day Model United Nations Assembly.
The TKS students represented ten countries, in five different assemblies. In the Security
Council, Nadya Ibrahim represented China, while Ali Abdelsalem represented
Luxembourg. The Security Council debated the legality of pre-crime actions.
In the Arab League, Arjun Rajkumar, representing Morocco, and Joaquin Dilao,
representing Saudi Arabia, addressed the topic of implementing non-proliferation of
nuclear arms in the Middle East.
The European Union evaluated its current structure and membership - Zafina Sinha and
Zoha Qureshi took on the roles of Austria and Ireland, respectively.
In another assembly, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) debated the logistics of
financing post-conflict reconstruction in Libya, with Neeka Ghodsi representing France
and Mayar ElBaz representing Kuwait.
In the largest assembly, the General Assembly, Abril Rivera, representing Australia and
Hyegyo Cha representing Belgium, took action to strengthen measures against the use
and manufacture of biological weaponry.
By participating in the parliamentary process, our students learned to debate,
collaborate and create resolutions with other assembly members. Zoha Qureshi
received a special recognition, winning an honorable mention for Distinguished Delegate
for her work as the delegate for Ireland. Students described the conference as “an
experience of a lifetime with different people and different things”. Others found it
personally rewarding as “MUN helped me be more confident and less shy” as well as
“helping with public speaking and my English classes” and “life changing and fun which
made by first year perfect”.
These students have helped continue a club that provides a great new opportunity for
middle school students and valuable preparation for the high school MUN program.
2
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February 13, 2014
Issue 125
3
The Ras Tanura Cross Country Meet
By Virginia DeZerne, Secondary English Teacher & Denis Boutry, Secondary French
Teacher
Twelve TKS secondary students travelled to Damman to attend the Annual
Inter-Kingdom Cross Country meeting on Ras Tanura Beach Trail (Aramco
Compound). Students from throughout the Kingdom, 400 in total, participated
in a 1.5 mile race. Despite the cold rain and windy conditions, the TKS
delegation did very well - all the students ran really well with the majority being
placed in the first half of their age group. Mohid and Rodain surprised their
competitors with a very fast run, winning second and third place overall and
Mohid achieving a new personal best.
The team spirit at the meeting was excellent with all students supporting each other during race preparations and cheered
throughout the races. The day was long, starting at 4.00 am and returning to KAUST at 10.00 pm on the same day, but it was
extremely rewarding to watch the runners do so well.
The TKS runners were: Grade 10-12: Mohid Malik (2nd), Rodain Skinner (3rd), Mustafa Yapic (10th), Arief Jasmin, Rawad Skinner,
Nizar and Ammar Hindi. Grade 9: Arnaud Lery (12th), Jake Richards. Grade 8, Girls: Gladys Douglass (10th). Grade 8, Boys:
Edan Doxen (10th). Grade 7: Mohamed Sami (18th), his first competition.
The meeting was the culminating point of the TKS Cross-Country season which started in early
November. TKS students, coached by Michelle DeZerne and Denis Boutry, have been practicing
twice weekly on the Harbor Recreation track and around the Island.
Last month, the students also participated in the WEP 5K Fun Run, with Rodain winning second
place overall in the adult category.
TKS are so proud of all the runners and hope to have even more runners to compete next year!
The TKS Elementary Library (East) Needs You!
By Vivien Sewell, Library Media Specialist
Our KAUST community offers many opportunities for work and, as people settle into KAUST, they volunteer to assist in our
schools in the classrooms or the libraries and TKS has been rewarded with many wonderful volunteers.
The TKS Elementary Library (East) is currently seeking volunteers to help shelve books on
Sundays, Wednesdays and Thursdays – our busiest days!
If you would like to volunteer for any of these days (morning or afternoon), on a regular weekly
basis, please contact [email protected] or [email protected] – we would love
to hear from you!
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February 13, 2014
Issue 125
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Middle School Students at the WEP Science Fair
By Joumana Norseth, Secondary Science Teacher & Matthew McEwan, Secondary Science Teacher
Grade 7 and 8 students recently participated in the WEP Science Fair. Students researched, designed and carried out
investigations on a wide variety of topics, including growing crystals, sports science, catapults, the physics behind bubbles,
duct tape, potato cannons and Mentos, water rockets, color chromatography and hot air balloons.
Students followed the scientific method to collect and analyze data and write scientific explanations, over three weeks which
ended with presenting during the KAUST WEP Science Fair.
The WEP Science Fair judges identified three winners for the event:
♥ Gladys Douglass-Usov and Malak Fayad for “Music and the Brain/Body Electric”
♥ Andrew Norseth, Nic Johnstone and AbdulMalek Alsalim, for “Can-Crush Investigations”
♥ Cara Black, for “How to Detect a Lie”
Congratulations to all students in Grades 7 and 8 for participating and doing a great job at the fair!
And Grade One Went Too!
By Andrew Wright, Grade 1 Elementary Teacher
Grade 1 also visited the WEP Science Fair and experienced many fascinating and incredible
experiments conducted by both KAUST students and TKS students.
The Grade 1 students had an exciting time recording the experimental results they saw, what
they learned and which things they found awesome. Highlights included exploding water
balloons, can crushers, waterproof sand, energy drink powered rockets, smart robots,
homemade paper, crystals that grow on string, and why we need to save the sharks!
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February 13, 2014
Issue 125
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Personal Project Celebration
By Katrina Englart, MYP Coordinator
TKS Grade 10 students recently showcased their individual project to the school community at the Annual Personal Project
Fair. For an entire morning, our students shared their creative visuals and were confident speakers, answering questions from
younger students, all the way to Grade 3.
This week, the secondary school teachers scrutinized the students’ final report and journals in a standardization exercise of
assessment practices. Final grades will be issued to the students by February 20, after a final round of moderation.
Congratulations to TKS Grade 10’s!
Towards Zero Waste at TKS
By The Zero Wasters
TKS Zero Wasters Group has identified some initial focus areas to support the KAUST Environmental Stewardship Policy. One
of these areas is Curriculum Outreach and Coordination where we have been examining curriculum links that support the
goals of the Environmental Stewardship Policy.
The Grade 5 PYP Exhibition provides one such link – Grade 5 students are in the process of deciding on an issue to explore and
take action as part of their Exhibition Unit.
A recent visit from Ms. Jacqueline Piper, the Environmental and Sustainability Specialist at KAUST, gave students some
excellent ideas for sustainability action at KAUST.
If you would like to share your sustainability expertise or ideas, please email [email protected] .
Don’t Forget
Sunday, February 16 is TKS MidSemester Break – it’s a no-school day!
All schools will
resume on Monday,
February 17.