Hornbill June 2015

June 2015 • Hornbill

June 2015 • Volume 19 • Number 3

MISSIONThe International School of Kuala Lumpur

provides an exceptional education that challenges each student to develop the

attitudes, skills, knowledge and understanding to become a highly successful, spirited, socially

responsible global citizen.

ISKL Turns 50! p. 5

ISKL Graduation 2015 p. 13

Celebrating Performance p. 19

Green ISKL Year End Review p. 25

Melawati Wet & Wild p. 27

Malaysia Week -

A Parent's Perspective p. 31

I n t e r n a t i o n a l S c h o o l o f K u a l a L u m p u r Highlights of the Project Oversight Committee For 2014 – 2015

The POC met monthly throughout the year with active attendance and participation from most members as well as external consultants, experts and contractors, as needed.

Over 2014/15 the POC noted significant achievements across all areas of the Project which now conclude the planning phase of our New Campus. There are a few remaining legal items which need to be completed before we can formally move into execution.

The Board and POC is aware that the additional efforts have been necessary to bring internal stakeholders and multiple government agencies together to create a lasting and cohesive legal framework as the foundation for our New Campus. Collectively, we are optimistic that ISKL is now at the end of what has been an involved and complex process.

POC is pleased to highlight notable achievements over 2014/15 in the areas of Project Design and Technical Scope, Finance and Legal presented below.

Areas that represent upcoming challenges have also been noted to provide a complete functional area review.

1. Project – Design, Planning & Technical Scope:

Final Design completion with first draft of detailed drawings complete.Downward rationalization of costs from RM 388M with a cap of RM 350M. This was recommended by the

POC and approved by the Board in March 2015.Reduction in DBKL fees from RM 17.3M to RM 6M (work on this is in process to obtain a further reduction

to RM 2M).DO (Development Order) readiness – the project is ready to be issued a DO to start demolition and construction

as soon as the Board is ready to accept the DBKL fee.Completed removal and clearance from the current site of its 32 tenants.Cap on Architectural and Design Fees saving RM 1.4M.Hoarding around the site is now in place and we are ready to begin demolishing legacy structures.The project will bid for tender for the Main Contractor from June to August with appointments expected in

early September.A risk paper has been procured from an external technical consultant to help the Board and Society understand

the implications of pricing, timing and delivery risks for each phase of development. Areas where we need to improve documentation have been identified and are currently being addressed in time for tendering.

A website to update society members has been created to help ongoing communication and development.

2. Finance:

In addition to using ISKL’s capital reserves of RM 200 RM, the EPF agreed to fund our project with an additional RM 100M. This left an at inception shortfall of RM 50M.

To mitigate this shortfall the POC spent considerable time in securing external financing for the new project. Given its legal status as a Society, whereby banks have no re-course in a clean line of credit despite ISKL’s strong financial history, the POC successfully oversaw procurement of an adequate bridging facility.

Eight external financing proposals for the project were sought over the year and 3 final proposals were secured to cover cash shortfalls over the building period of the project. These proposals:

Ensure that the School abides by the Board policy to maintain reserves covering 3 months operating expenses Ensure a 10% project contingency fund is built into the project costing to cover cost over-runs.External funding is required for up to RM 65M to cover certain months where revenues and expenses differ

By Omer Ehtisham, Vice-Chairmanon behalf of the Board of Directors

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June 2015 • Hornbill the most. While this scenario is unlikely in reality, the POC mandated that fee collection and project continuity remain separate. Final pricing, security and ancillary conditions are being negotiated. The Board is required to approve the funding so that firm letters of offer can be obtained from the finalist banks.

The objective structure of the finance proposals is to obtain a low cost line of revolving credit whereby the school minimizes interest and fee costs over the life of the project.

An external financial analyst was hired in the second semester to help develop project cash-flows.A final submission is being made to UKAS for assistance funding of up to 10% of our project costs. We anticipate

that an additional RM 20-25M of public funding will be successfully obtained offsetting our total ownership cost down to RM 325M from an estimated RM 373M at the beginning of the school year.

The finance team is reviewing all consultancies, some of which are over 2 years old. Many of these were represented a very different economic environment in Malaysia as compared to today. We expect further cost rationalizations over the summer.

3. Legal:

The legal structure of the project on the Ampang-Hilir site is summarized below: Cabinet has approved use of the land in a soft lease for education as part of the Prime Minister’s 2010 ETP.The Federal Land Commission (FLC) leases the land in a Main Lease Agreement (MLA) to EPF and EPF then

provides beneficial use of the same land to ISKL through a Sublease Agreement (SLA). At the end of the lease period (60 years), ISLK will vacate the premises and land for public use or as re-purposed

by the FLC.The agreement structure is complicated and the POC and Board members have been tasked to ensure that

ISKL interests are protected over the long period of commitment and high investment into the new campus.Achievements:Over 56 legal issues in contention in the MLA and SLA at the start of the School year were successfully resolved

to the satisfaction of all parties.The relocation agreement as part of ISKL terms and commitments with Tasputra was successfully negotiated

and signed.FLC are now open to compensation to EPF and in turn to ISKL in the event of early termination. This change

of position has taken a very substantial effort this year and has been one of the most important points relating to delay.

All changes in the standard FLC MLA are to be approved by the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC). AGC are receptive to reasonable notice and compensation claims which bodes well for the Society.

4. Challenges:

The POC is now at the conclusive stage of finalizing agreement clauses. However, late demands by the EPF for their own compensation in the event of early termination have recently emerged. ISKL and EPF are in dialogue to submit a revised version of the compensation demands of which POC is hopeful will be acceptable to all parties.

Once this is achieved a revised cabinet paper with the changes to the MLA will be circulated for final approval prior to contract signing. This is not expected before the start of the 2015/16 school year.

5. POC structural changes:

Due to the time-sensitivity, complexity and increased workload, monthly meetings were proving to be insufficient to oversee the various elements in the Project. In March / April, the POC re-organized itself to better manage oversight functions as it moves into execution phase.

Functional sub-committees or Board Liaison teams were created in the 3 areas including Project, Finance and Legal. These teams report to the POC and to the Board where necessary. The members of these liaison committees are:

Project - Kelly O’Hale (Board)Jason MullinsRoger Poulin (Project Manager)

Finance - San San Kee (Board) Rob Thompson (Admin)

Legal - Omer Ehtisham (Board) Dr. Norma Hudson (Admin)Dato’ Naban (Legal Counsel)

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I n t e r n a t i o n a l S c h o o l o f K u a l a L u m p u r

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As I look back at 2014 - 2015 there is a common theme of “celebrations.” Throughout the year, we have had the opportunity to celebrate student learning and our community in a variety of ways. Celebrations are an important part of any school and of honoring and valuing what is accomplished throughout the year.

What an amazing year ISKL has had during 2014 - 2015! Our 50th Anniversary was just one of the highlights of the year, and certainly a major focal point. When I think about that very special time this year, it is easy to smile and think of the very special community that we have at ISKL. This does not exist everywhere. We were fortunate to have over 225 alumni return to our campuses, along with seven previous Heads of School and three different principals. Our community certainly celebrated the weekend in style...complete with student and adult entertainment, great food, amazing fireworks, celebratory assemblies, several receptions, two fashion shows (one of uniforms throughout the year and the other Malaysian designers with our parents and teachers as models), a gala dinner for almost 700 participants, and fond memories shared by many. Of course, we will always

be able to reflect upon the special community that ISKL is through our 50th Anniversary Book which certainly is a wonderful memory of our first 50 years.

Our students were amazing this year, as always. They are the essence of our school. It

is wonderful to see d e m o n s t r a t i o n s of their learning throughout the year as they participated in various events in the different divisions. Our SLRs were evident throughout. Their talents, artistically, dramatically, and musically, were amazing as demonstrated at art shows, concerts, assemblies, and drama

performances. Their academic knowledge was in evidence throughout the year culminating with our high school senior graduation. And, they organized and hosted the first ever TedxISKL talk demonstrating their passion and commitment to making a vision happen.

Our PTA supported our community this year through their various events

focused on bringing our community together. We had another wonderful celebration of our our diversity with this fall’s International Festival. Over 2000 ISKL students, parents, faculty and staff members, and others from the community joined

together to celebrate one of the things that makes ISKL so very special... our 62 different nationalities. As well, Quiz Night was once again a highlight of the year for the PTA! It was a wonderful celebration in coming together for an evening of entertainment!

As well, our faculty and staff had a very active year which included focusing on their own professional growth and development. Our colleagues are committed to their own professional learning. Our faculty attended over 680 different professional learning events. Some of the learning opportunities that we had this year were on “Looking for Learning,” cross-cultural training, service learning, word inquiry, common core standards in English Language Arts and mathematics, cognitive coaching, design thinking, and the use of iPads in the elementary schools. As well, several of our faculty members participated on accreditation teams. As we develop

A Look Back at a Year of Celebrations!By Dr. Norma Hudson, Head of School


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learning opportunities for our faculty and staff, it is important that they support us in meeting our mission.

Our Board has played an integral strategic role in our school this year. One of the items that they have worked on is the new campus project and ensuring that we continue moving forward with the architectural designs, various contract agreements, and financing of the project. They have devoted countless hours of volunteering their time and talents to ISKL with a primary focus of ensuring that our mission is met.

We will see several colleagues and families leave us this summer for new locations around the world, or retiring in Malaysia. We wish everyone well wherever your next home may be. We would like to acknowledge Mr. Syed Abu Baker, Middle School Science Lab Assistant, who has worked at ISKL for 49 years! Amazing! Syed has been unbelievably dedicated to our students, and has certainly positively impacted the learning of thousands of students throughout

his career. We will miss him and his professionalism and wish him all the best and great health in the coming years. Retirement is around the corner! Thank you, Syed, for all you

have given to ISKL during these past 49 years! We celebrate you!

Finally, as we look forward to the future, we do so with great anticipation of building our new campus on Jalan Ampang Hilir. Our newly established Office of Strategic Development will be quite engaged with our community as we relaunch our annual fund and develop our capital campaign to focus on strategic priorities in a way which celebrates philanthropy as a key value. Our new state-of-the-art world class facility certainly supports our goal of being the “premier school of choice in Malaysia with a reputation of excellence world-wide.” We are excited to break ground!

Syed Abu Bakar49 Years of Service to ISKL


Photos from Thursday's Alumni Reception.

ISKL Turns 50!Highlights of the 50th Anniversary Weekend • April 9-12, 2015

2015 marks the 50th Anniversary of ISKL, a milestone which we have been planning to celebrate for the past few years. All of the planning came to fruition starting April 9, as the ISKL Alumni Department began the program for the approximately 250 alumni who came “home” to celebrate the 50th Anniversary. The weekend was attended by numerous alumni faculty/staff, alumni parents, and alumni from each decade of ISKL’s 50 years of existence. Many who could not attend remotely were able to follow the lead up to the 50th Anniversary on the website www.iskl50years.org and through a special 50th Anniversary Facebook group.

The first event of the 50th weekend was the Alumni Cocktail Reception on April 9 at the Renaissance Hotel. Approximately 230 alumni attended this function and it was the first time in decades for some alumni to reconnect. It was a great social occasion and a good way to kick off the long weekend’s festivities.

Friday morning the ISKL Alumni program continued with a continental breakfast, 50th assembly in the Robert B. Gaw Theatre, and a luncheon in the indoor canteen. The 50th “Alumni Welcome” assembly began with a slideshow of past Robert B. Gaw Theatre productions, followed by a welcome from the emcees of the day: Sally Painter, John Stupka, and Bilqis Hijjas, and the national anthem performed by the ISKL Singers.

The Friday assembly was a trip down memory lane with Dr. Norma Hudson recognizing the former heads of school, and all alumni in the audience, as well as much deserved recognition for our long-serving current faculty and staff. Five

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June 2015 • Hornbill former Heads of School gave remarks with seven (Bob Fendley, Robert B. Gaw, Ron Dowty, Dexter Lewis, Dr. Dick Krajczar, Bill Powell and Paul Chmelik) in attendance. Dixie Wai, the first employee hired at ISKL, shared memories of “Life at ISKL,” particularly from the school’s first year.

The background behind the 50th anniversary Commemorative Book “50” 1965-2015 was shared with alumni along with slides of pages from the book. The 50th book took many months to compile by a very dedicated team of people, including alumni faculty Emily Salim, Rosemary Chin, Leslie Muri, Joanne Mahendran, Lyn Thompson and current ISKL faculty/staff, Paul Ubl and Zaini Ariffin. Alumni, Raymond Tait ‘78, Drake Weisert ‘90, David Watson ‘75, and Roger Beermann (Faculty Alumni), also shared memories of time at ISKL. Bilqis Hijjas then reflected on the history of the Robert B. Gaw Theatre in reference to an article she recently had written about the theatre.

During the assembly, our ISKL Middle School students modeled ISKL uniforms throughout the decades. Much thanks to our own Donna Lyon for reproducing these uniforms for the day! At the end of the program, former ISKL Alumni Director, Toni Mullen, shared a history of the ISKL Alumni programs and department and later that afternoon she shared a presentation to alumni on Third Culture Kids. The morning ended with the alumni being thanked for making the 50th so special by attending. We then wished them a warm welcome “home” to ISKL.

Following the luncheon there was an optional tour of the new school site on Jalan Ampang Hilir where our Director of Project Management, Roger Poulin, brought drawings of the new school and answered questions from alumni about the new facility. The bus tour then proceeded to the Jalan Maxwell “Old School” site, where former students and faculty took pictures. Saturday provided an optional bus tour to sites in Kuala Lumpur for those alumni who had not been back in quite awhile. Sunday morning ended the alumni specific programming of the weekend with a dim sum brunch. Thanks to everyone who made this alumni program so successful!

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Malaysian Stalls NightISKL packed the Ampang campus on the evening of

Friday, April 10 with over 600 alumni, current community members, and guests attending the 50th Anniversary Malaysian Stalls Night. The Stalls Night gave recognition to our host country with a celebration of the culinary delights of Malaysia, including a buffet consisting of a multitude of foods representing the cultures of Malaysia and stalls for roti, ABC, and satay. In addition to the excellent food, the entertainment for the evening consisted of our own talented ISKL student musicians. The evening commenced with our Elementary students performances on the gamelan, continuing with performances from each musical division and collaborations among the Elementary, Middle and High

School musicians. The three divisions performed together two songs, “Walking on Sunshine” and “Celebration.” Following the student musical performances we had a reunion of the ISKL alumni faculty “Tidak Apa” band, led by faculty alumnus, Chip Barder. The band was accompanied by some of our current faculty members and their hit “Ipoh Road” proved to be quite a success. The indoor canteen was transformed into a place for alumni to visit “decade” tables highlighting their ISKL yearbooks over the years. The Booster Hut was open for those attending to stock up on their favorite ISKL gear. The evening was an amazing success that finished with a bang with a tremendous fireworks display! Many thanks to our fantastic Malaysian Stalls Committee who helped facilitate this fabulous event: Anne Baillie, Tina Williams, Katie Milton, and Hilda Alposilva.


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On Saturday April 11, ISKL celebrated its 50th anniversary in style with over 700 guests to commemorate this wonderful milestone! The foyer was alive with conversation, laughter, flashing cameras and music as our 20 ISKL strings students played various melodies. The ISKL Malaysian Club drummers then performed with great gusto while our guests made a grand entrance into the ballroom. Alumni came from all corners of the globe joining faculty and staff, past Heads of School and our current ISKL community!

The ISKL Singers opened the evening with the National Anthem, followed by the launch of the 50th Commemorative book “50” 1965-2015. “50” is truly a magnificent collection of memories which makes a wonderful keepsake for all the community! The book was launched with much pomp and ceremony as Dr. Norma Hudson, current

Head of School, Saif Malik, Chair of the Board, The Hon. Mr. Khairy Jamaluddin, Minister of Youth and Sports and The Hon. Mr. P. Kamalanathan, Deputy Minister of Education II all assisted with the unveiling of the book. The launch was accompanied by the wonderful song “Blue Skies” sung by the ISKL Singers.

Following the book launch were speeches from Dr. Norma Hudson, Mr. Saif Malik, Mr. Robert B. “Bob” Gaw, (former Head of School from 1970–1978) and Dr. Dick Krajczar (former Head of School from 1989-1996). Mr. Gaw thoroughly entertained the crowd with some funny stories from the past of a student who

ended up being a hero of the day during the insurgency in 1974, a teacher getting bitten by a snake on his way down to the field and his unusual visits to parents to ensure school fees were paid! Dr. Krajczar shared stories of fond memories of faculty and students, including a time he received blood transfusions from ISKL staff and hoped he would wake up multi-lingual and his reflection on ISKL “small but mighty” as the school grew from 730 to 1,400 students during his tenure. The evening continued with another collection of fond memories “A Trip down Memory Lane,” a video created by Mr. Paul Ubl and Ms. Choojit “Tuk” Kongsawat. A scrumptious dinner followed which was accompanied by lots of laughter and discussions!

Another highlight of the evening was the fashion show “Let’s Celebrate in Style” featuring fabulous choreography and great music spanning the last five decades. Malaysia’s top designers Bill Keith, Khoon Hooi, Variante, Justin Yap, and Pink Jambu graciously showcased their talents and designs. Parent and teacher volunteers, representing the multicultural ISKL community, transformed themselves into gorgeous

catwalk models. MAC Cosmetics and Toni&Guy Salons Malaysia were on hand to complete the fabulous looks for the evening. Each designer featured three sets of designs, starting with smart casual, followed by cocktail and ending with formal eveningwear.

The finale brought all the models on stage

together with the popular Bruno Mars song “Uptown Funk” and clearly showcased the diversity of fashion right here in Kuala Lumpur. The tagline for the event was “Let’s Celebrate in Style” which it truly was! Memories of the evening were snapped by our ISKL

photography students.The 50th Anniversary

Gala Committee, was a full community project made up of the following parents, faculty and staff: Anna-Marie Pampellonne, Ratna Barrow, Phillippa Flynn, Tricia Brannan, Carol Octoman, Nancy Church, Bridgette Miller, Hilda Alposilva, Zaini Ariffin, Bernie Williams

and Ross Idris.ISKL wishes to thank all of our

designers and sponsors without whom we could not have pulled off such a wonderful event!

Congratulations, ISKL, on a most amazing 50th anniversary celebration!


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I n t e r n a t i o n a l S c h o o l o f K u a l a L u m p u r Congratulations, ISKL Graduating Class of 2015Introductory Remarks:By Jeff Farrington, High School Principal

Congratulations on 50 years, ISKL! What a rich historical and cultural record. Much like the students graduating

this year, throughout this year I have marvelled at how bustling ISKL is, how much is accomplished in a very short period of time, and of course, how exceedingly fast this year has passed. As the weeks wound down in May, many seniors were engaged in exams and therefore the regular buzz on the senior deck was subdued. During these past few weeks I was pondering how lonely school is without all 150+ seniors present, and I became a little nostalgic. While most students are likely very happy to be finishing their high school experience, it is also possible some feel a little sad to be moving on from the ISKL "home". Without wonder. This place has been home for so many, some for a very, very long time. We have 7 lifers who have been here continuously from grade 1 to grade 12. We have some who have been here longer than that!

Congratulations to our graduates. I am certain that they are prepared to take the next step in their lives, whatever (and wherever) that step may be.

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June 2015 • Hornbill Head of School Remarks:By Dr. Norma Hudson

Good evening students, parents, faculty, staff, and Board members, and a very special welcome to The Honorable Deputy Minister of Education II, Mr. P. Kamalanathan, Ministry of Education Malaysia and Encik Abdul Halim bin Ismail, Director of Private Education Division, Ministry of Education Malaysia.

It is a pleasure to share a few thoughts with you this evening. Students, it has been a wonderful experience to see you develop and mature this year, from the first days of walking up the sidewalk as our new seniors to this evening when you are walking across the stage as graduates of ISKL’s class of 2015.

You have been prepared well. You have teachers and administrators who care deeply about each and every one of you and

who want you to be successful young adults. You have parents who have loved and nurtured you during these past 17 or 18 years. And, you have each other...friends who will remain life-long friends. As we celebrated our 50th anniversary this year, it would be interesting to see how many of you will return to ISKL for our 75th anniversary, or perhaps even our 100th!

As you enter this next phase, I would like to share with you four thoughts about life.

First, be courageous in your actions. It is isn’t always easy to be courageous when faced with adversity. But, you have what it takes. You have your instincts to know what the right decisions are when faced with challenges. It is not easy to be courageous, but it’s the right thing to do. Muhammad Ali, the famous boxer, said “He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.” You have proven

that you can accomplish so much. You are here tonight as scholars, athletes, artists, composers, musicians, scientists, mathematicians, and much, much more. You didn’t get here tonight without being courageous.

Second, be grounded in beliefs. Your parents raised you well. You now are ready to leave the safe nurturing environment of home, and for many of you, you will be thousands of miles away from your parents. You will have choices. You will have opportunities. Be grounded. Remember the life lessons and the foundation that your parents gave you. Remember what you stand for. Remember what you believe.

Third, be committed in all you do. Kenneth Blanchard said, “There’s a difference between interest and commitment. When you are interested in doing something, you do it only when convenient. When you are committed to something; you accept no excuses, only results.” That is what commitment is all about... results.

Finally, be passionate about life. I’ve seen it in you. I have seen you walking in to school, at sporting events, in the classroom, in performances, on the deck, and even at the mall. It is obvious that you are passionate about life. Your smiles, laughter, engagement and interactions all demonstrate how much you care. Do what you love to do. Continue. Find your passion. Follow it. Dream it. Most important, live it.

Graduates, this is your night. Your night to be acknowledged for all you have achieved and your night to celebrate your success. We wish you well. We are proud of you. Congratulations, class of 2015.

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Good afternoon to my friends, family and proud parents of the class of 2015. Our teachers, Mr. Farrington, Mr. Petersen, the board of directors, members of the administration, the PTA, honourable guests and above all, the graduate class of 2015.

The first thing that I would like to say is thank you, thank you to the class of 2015 for giving me the honour to speak here today and for the stress caused by trying to come up with this speech.

To the soon to be graduates, as I’m standing here about to give this speech, I’m sure most of you are probably thinking of five words after Ross’ very entertaining speech last year: “Aiyahhh, this guy GG lah”.

Wherever we may be in the world, the years to come will be hard for us all as we will be without each other. It will not just be because we will be far away from our beloved Cheeku, our school cafeteria, but because we have played such a huge and important role in each other’s lives and it is hard to leave such comfort. Soon, we will leave our homes and ISKL; we too will be on our own journey much like Ash Ketchum from Pokémon.

In the past four years, you and I have experienced something very special at ISKL. We will miss ISKL

deeply, not because of the “well-priced” beef rice or the soft and juicy Pac-shack burgers but because of

the people within it. You have continually inspired and challenged each other.

Together as a class we have managed to accomplish a lot. Our senior lounge has been a great place for everyone

to come together and bond especially with the smell from all the sweat that you and I left behind, and all the countless random objects in the room such as the touch and go sign. Don’t worry parents, we found it in the river.

And we have also practically lost every tug-of-war

I n t e r n a t i o n a l S c h o o l o f K u a l a L u m p u r Address to the Class by Senior Class

President, Kris Lee

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challenge despite having started “Varsity gym,” but at least it was together. However, what to take out of this senior year experience is that we have come closer together as a class. We came closer during spirit week when we dominated the challenges and came up with our senior prank.

I don’t think any of us will forget when we started a rave at 7 in the morning. Before, during and after our prank, we acted as one class. There were no individuals or small cliques. Everyone worked together to give the school the best senior prank that they have ever seen. We celebrated togetherness. As our year came closer to the end, we all got a little closer.

This past year has been an experience that we can look back upon as moments we have shared together as the class of 2015.

A lot of graduation speeches will tell us to do something worthwhile in our lives, some say to strive for greatness, some say to do something for mankind. Whether it is to excel in our careers or to deliver a cure for a disease, the word ”success” is everything we tell ourselves we need to be.

We are constantly in a search to do something meaningful and fulfilling with our lives. We are asked to be successful. We are told to apply to “great universities,” to find “great jobs” and to have “great careers.” We read about success.

We talk about wanting to be successful. We turn successful people into icons and heroes. We glorify them. They become in our minds who we want to become.

The longer other people tell us that we need to be successful, the more that becomes our truth. We do this until we begin telling ourselves that “success” is a measure of our own self-worth. And when we don’t achieve this, we become frustrated and we blame ourselves. So we tell ourselves that we are to try and achieve a certain level of success and that it would lead to happiness. And we try so hard to keep up with this balancing act of obtaining success and pursuing happiness, but actually what happens is that our relationships suffer.

We grow further apart from the people that we are supposed to care about. We end

up distancing ourselves from each other. We lose interest in the people around us. We forget how we are supposed to care. Perhaps this chase for “success” is distracting us from the "good stuff" in life.

What is the world telling me to do? What do I tell myself?When Ash Ketchum was on his journey to learn about

Pokémon and to become the very best trainer he could be, he had his two best friends right beside him, Brock and Misty. Through his ups and downs, Brock and Misty were always in his corner. When Ash competed, they cheered for him and when Ash was defeated, they were there to comfort him. And when Ash was lost, they were there to guide him.

Our relationships and friendships are the “good stuff” that counts.

I’m not saying that having relationships is the key answer to all of life’s questions, but that once in a while we need to remind ourselves that the people in our lives do matter, that the people around us do deserve attention, that we need friends, that we need people in our lives.

Perhaps even after all of this, you may still feel that you need to have some success in your life. But I am here to remind you that when you do fall, your Brock and Misty will always be by your side.


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By Tina Casey, ISKL Middle School Drama TeacherArtists abound at ISKL in every way shape and form.

Whether sketching or painting, molding or dancing, acting or singing, playing or shooting (photos

that is), you can find artists in every nook, cranny, classroom and venue at ISKL. Our budding artists work all year long, to care, water, and feed their creativity. And there’s no better time to see the blooms of all that nurturing throughout the year than in our academic spring. May and June at ISKL are like a garden of creative color, movement and song.

This year was no different from the past years and yet everything seemed new again. In

elementary school we continue to see how the development of the artist begins. With the ES art

show, we see the early developmental stages of the visual artist and although we are surprised at how these young children can create such art work, we are excited to know that their possibilities and potential are endless at ISKL.

MS and HS students continue to grow in the visual arts. They can try their hand and hone their skills with classes in photography as they develop themes and cultivate their creative eye using the lens of a camera. Or more traditional art classes that continue from elementary, develop in middle school and high school and eventually flourish and impress in the IB. The month of May sees many different art exhibitions around both campuses, all kicked off with the IB art exhibit.

Our music program continues to delight as well. With a wide range of concerts demonstrating the varied and developmental stages of music education, we have heard from bands, the strings, the gamelans and recorders, and all levels of choral and solo singing. From gamelans to guitar recitals, from solos to combined choir concerts, from the beginning instrumentalist to the jazz band or violin soloist, there is differentiation and artistic growth in our music program that is “awe”some.

Although dance and drama programs don’t “officially” start until middle school, we know that through PE and core classes, our students begin moving and role

Visual and Performing Arts at ISKL:Spring Has Sprung.


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playing creatively at an early age. Even MS drama classes head to Melawati to perform six times a year to most grade levels with their reader’s theatre

performances and our drama studio, dance studio

and stage are used day in and day out for curricular programs

and after school activities.The dance program culminates

at our school with a MS/HS dance show that is always a spectacle to behold.

Combining beginner, intermediate and advanced capabilities, our dancers reinterpret a theme through dance. This year it was Reimagined, a collection of dances based on several historic and iconic photos from around the world.

Culminating programs are always a treat as a parent or audience member. It is so uplifting to see how much the programs have grown and to see the potential of growth for your child. With over 200 students in the ES music concerts or in the Disney Song and Dance, everyone had a lift in their spirits, something needed after the months of practicing, encouraging and supporting that the parents of our students often endure all school year long.

Our arts programs are like a garden of budding and blossoming artists and performers. Spring has sprung and we’ve all been basking in the glow of their colors, sights, sounds and emotions. It’s a fabulous time to be an artist/performer at ISKL and an even better time to be the patron of those arts.


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I n t e r n a t i o n a l S c h o o l o f K u a l a L u m p u r Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)

2014-15 Sustainability & Service Learning Wrap UpBy Laurence Myers, ISKL Sustainability & Service Learning Coordinator

2014-15 has been a busy year with regard to Education for Sustainable Development and Service Learning. The year was filled with student-initiated projects, educational experiences related to sustainability and great opportunities for learning and growth. But when so much happens in a short period of time it's difficult to keep track of it all. This is a good sign as it means that such initiatives are part of the culture of the school and people are taking part in conversations and action regardless of the grade level. What an action-packed year! Below are some key highlights:

Service Learning Exemplar of the Year!• Three grade 1 students approached their teacher to complain about the lack of shade in the playground. • With the teacher's (Ms. Tindall) feedback they decided to "take it on" and presented to their peers on the issue as well as collected data to support a proposal to Mr. Busk, ES Principal.• The proposal to Mr. Busk arrived in the form of 80 letters written by grade 1 students requesting trees be planted in their playground area.• This prompted conversations between Mr. Busk and grade 1 as well as between Mr. Busk and other stakeholders such as the facilities, sustainability & service learning office and the nursery staff who identified places where new trees could be planted.

• Students determined the tree species they wanted and Mr. Myers (Sustainability) ensured that the nursery would deliver and plant them on a day when the students would

be available to support.• Due to the size of the trees (6-8 ft high) it was necessary to have contractors plant them, but the students were in attendance and each contributed their little bit by adding a handful of soil to the base of the trees.• 7 new trees now adorn the Melawati playground, all because a few students wanted to make a difference and were invited to follow through with it!

Other Project/Initiative/Classroom Highlights• This year there were over 100 documented projects/initiatives related to ESD, service learning and/or community engagement.• The HS Green Council was host to several visiting groups involved with the Eco-Schools program in Malaysia and Singapore as well as hosted the

second Eco-Schools Mini Conference focusing on sustainable solutions to global and local issues. • Every child in grades 6 through 11 (almost 900 students) were exposed to natural settings through their Malaysia Week or Global Action Program trips!• Nearly every student in HS and ES was engaged in one way or another in Earth Week 2015.• Grade 1 service learning initiative for the ES playground (leading to seven trees being planted).• Our HS Earth Club initiated two successful Farmer’s Markets.• The MS Transformers Club was initiated, aiming to transform the campus. Their work this year revolved around gardening (across from the bussing office at Ampang).• Grade 3 also planted a number of trees and flowers along the front of the Melawati campus.• Our MS service learning classes initiated a number of projects related to various topics, from the flooding in eastern peninsular Malaysia to reusing water bottles.

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• Year round Trash Free Fridays throughout Melawati (almost every day in the Preps).• Grade 3 performed several water testing data collections on behalf of the Global Environment Centre and Department of Irrigation and in support of Earth Echo.• Grade 8 challenge-based learning opportunities involved climate change and human trafficking.• The Prep classes focused on positive interactions with nature (e.g. planting, supporting animal species).• Set up of a solar array for the Ampang waiting area (outside the guardhouse) which powers four fans and an electrical outlet.• A number of new projects/clubs were initiated by our CAS students.

Looking ForwardLooking forward to 2015-16 and beyond, our goals for

the next year include:• Continued use of administrative structures (e.g. Leadership Councils) and student-based organizations (e.g. Green Council) in moving forward with ESD and service learning inside and out of the classroom.• Creating a new Operational Sustainability committee to

focus on facilities and maintenance sustainability.• Introduce the Global Citizen Project to our MS • Introduce a new HS course named Global Issues. Local Solutions.• Continue efforts to reduce energy, paper, water, waste and carbon emissions.• Continue efforts to increase recycling and composting• Continue assisting in the design and building of a new

sustainable campus.• Expand collaboration regionally in the development of resources for ESD and service learning.• Identify a partner organization for a multi-year reforestation project to offset carbon from operations/new campus development.• Develop a Global Issues Network (GIN) program both at MS and HS.• Increase leadership capacity in our student population and empower authentic engagement with the broader community.

*Note: 2014-15 indicator data with an asterisk (*) is for the period August to April which is the most updated data as of the time of this report. For appropriate comparison both 2013-14 and 2014-15 data is based on August to April.

Sustainability Indicator Overview • Green indicates a positive change relative to 2013-14• Red Indicates an area of concern relative to 2013-14

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By Anna-Marie Pampellonne, ISKL PTABright and early on Friday morning, our

parents congregated at Melawati poolside and within minutes we could hear the excited voices of 200+ kids meandering down the path, ready for two hours of “organised wet fun”! At this point the team split into two - half went to participate in very wet game stations manned by brave parents and the other half were poolside with the fearless PE Teacher Team who quickly split the students into groups and explained the fun to be had poolside! Students had the opportunity to show off their talent be it in backstroke, breaststroke or freestyle and even some strokes in between! The poolside was buzzing with excitement and plenty of splashing added to the fun. All the kids were happy with the learning and achievements they made during the last year! As soon as they finished in the pool, they were ready to swap with the field crew for some wild and very wet games. The teams on the field were all hyped up and only too happy to hit the pool and cool down!

The parents were a team of very busy bees setting up the field into four stations. The kids split into groups and had a turn at each of the activities. The field was full of excitement, laughter and lots of smiles as everyone participated in Run the Gauntlet, an activity of running the gauntlet and getting very wet by the opposing team spraying water!

Ant Hospital, a fun wet tag game,

involved lots of wet sponges and paddling pools. The kids had to stick by the rules, but there was lots of helping, carrying and water spraying! What would a Wet & Wild party be without a Slip N Slide? For the first time at Melawati the students were treated to a longer and wider slide. There was huge excitement from everyone. They couldn’t get to slide fast enough and crammed in as many “slip n slides” as possible into their ten-minute slot!

What better way could we wrap up the year, than being treated to a delicious surprise smothered in melted chocolate from a cascading chocolate fountain! Everyone had a lot of fun and laughter - parents (grown up kids) included! Well done to all the teams of helpers and teachers who really went out of their way to make it a fun day and one we will all remember!

Melawati Wet & Wild Swim Carnival Year End Party!


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By Suji DeHart, ES LibrarianOn Wednesday, April 15th, students at Melawati were

treated to a fun and educational show, as Grade 4 and Grade 5 students competed in our very own mini-Novel Knockout competition.

The students on the teams have been working hard all semester to read and remember hundreds of details from 8 pre-selected books. They have given up their lunches, their recesses, and some even come to the after-school activity to practice, read and learn! During the contest, these amazing students pulled on their recall of many details from

the 8 books to answer 80 questions in 24 minutes - it was thrilling and tension-packed!

A big shout-out to the many people who helped. Ms. DeHart emceed the event. Mr. Busk thoroughly entertained the audience with spectacular (if somewhat dubious) magic tricks, and Ms. Cheng led the students in fun and rhythmic oral poetry! Mr. Wright got them all moving while Ms. Flahspoler taught them new whistling skills. Ms. Roth, Ms. Thompson and Ms. Emerich all carried the day with timing, scoring and judging and we had some great help from parents Rana Burley, May Chen and Kristin Cosgrove. WOW, it really does take a village.

On May 12th we all traveled to the British international School for the “real” competition. But only eight of our contestants were representatives in the KL Novel Knockout, competing against very strong teams from international schools such as Garden, Mont Kiara, Alice Smith and Australian International. It was a big day!! Congratulations to these hard-working, book-loving, fun-making kids - we wish them all the best in the future.

Mini-Novel Knockout Competition

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Authors and Illustrators and Storytellers, Oh My!By Suji DeHart, ES Librarian

The ES Library has been host to a number of incredibly talented educational presenters this school year! This is particularly exciting, not only because we get to see the joy, enthusiasm and rapt attention of the students, but we know from research that author visits stimulate a love of reading, and meeting authors makes the writing process, books, and the authors themselves accessible and real to students.

In November, we started off with a fun one-day visit by Korky Paul, a British author and illustrator who is most famous for his Winnie the Witch illustrations. The students enjoyed watching him draw, and then also taking turns themselves. Watch out for future book illustrators!

In January, we were able to host both Candace Fleming and Eric Rohmann.This was a real coup, as Candace is an award winning author who is much sought after for school visits. Her husband, Eric, has won the Caldecott Medal (twice!) for his brilliant illustrations. Teachers and students all were educated and entertained by Candace’s detailed presentations about using primary sources to write narrative nonfiction. You could also hear the giggling and cheering in the library when Eric showed students and teachers how to change an illustration to convey different meanings. Such fun, and so informative; we could see kids’ imaginations just firing up!

Tanya Batt, a fabulous storyteller from New Zealand, graced us with scary stories, funny voices, call-and-response, singing and movement in March. Her bright dresses and expressive body language held all of us enthralled, from Prep Reception to 5th Grade. The entire population of ES Melawati would like to thank the PTA for granting us enough money to fund Ms. Batt’s visit for three full days of educational excitement!

Lastly, on April 30th, we hosted Mr. David Schwartz, another award-winning author. He used giant bags of popcorn to illustrate to children the mathematics surrounding very large numbers, orders of ten, place value, and multiplication. He also used photographs from his beautifully illustrated books to show children about science, animals, observation and camouflage. A nice way to round out ES Library’s offerings of visitors to Melawati. It’s been a great year!

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By Nancy Church, Grade 7 ParentLast year, my daughter experienced Malaysia

Week for the very first time. It was a rainforest site and sounded quite interesting. But at the same time, I actually wondered if it was really necessary for her (or any of them) to be away for five days. What was the point of it?

I soon found out that there were many points and that one of the points was that she had a wonderful experience. She came home happy and exhausted. I heard all about the interesting activities, lessons learned and new friends.

Sure, I knew what all the other parents knew about Malaysia week. I thought I had a pretty good understanding of the program's goals.

-Learn a new skill or gain knowledge in an area not ordinarily found in the school curriculum.

-Increase knowledge, understanding, enjoyment and appreciation of Malaysia.

-Learn to co-operate in a group situation with peers as well as adults.-Reinforce skills and content in the existing curriculum.-Gain an increased sense of independence and responsibility.-Experience the positive aspects of living in a community.

But I still wasn't sure if I really got it or if I fully realized how those goals were accomplished. So this year I decided to sign up as a volunteer and see "Malaysia Week" for myself. Ms. Palko kindly asked if I had any site preference. I hadn't really investigated any of them in depth so I just told her that I was open to any of the sites.

I soon received a call asking if I would be interested in the "Survivor Island" trip. Uh, oh! Just the name alone could spark a bit of fear in a relatively sane person. It sounded like one of those scary American reality television shows!

I knew that it was one of the more challenging destinations so I was a tad apprehensive. No beds! No bathrooms! No showers! With a healthy dose of trepidation I still agreed to go.

As the time neared, like my daughter, I was getting very excited. I was looking forward to the adventure, to see the "real" Malaysia and to experience life away from the city. I had no real concept of what truly awaited me.

The planning that takes place behind the scenes (thanks to the superb efforts of Ms. Palko and her MW staff) really does set the course and tone for the entire trip! It begins by carefully considering every individual and team member.

One of the wonderful ways to foster new relationships is by special grouping. The Malaysia Week sites are comprised of boys and girls from 6th, 7th, and 8th grades. This "mixing up" of the grades and gender gives the students the opportunity to interact closely with their fellow middle schoolers, many of whom they might never see or know. The end result is a much stronger middle school body with a palpable team spirit.

Knowing that your group is going to continually bond and strengthen is a perfect way to start the week! Our crew was challenged with simulating the "survivor" experience.

The first day began with us being plopped into the water, away from shore, with the expectation that we would swim to the island from the boat while laden with our "bursting at the seams" backpacks.

We hit the island running. There were many items on our checklist that had to be completed. The boat was unloaded and we salvaged any items available. The time flew by quickly with the tasks at hand! Dividing the daily food rations, starting a fire and building the waste management facilities!

Team work was an absolute requirement. There was so much to accomplish before nightfall and all of these activities required a group effort. It was a tiring day and we were pretty thankful that all we had to do for dinner was roast some

Malaysia Week • A Parent PerspectiveI n t e r n a t i o n a l S c h o o l o f K u a l a L u m p u r

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hotdogs!Finally it was time to sleep! I could not wait to get off my feet! That

was until I actually realized I would be lying on my "bed" of hard-packed sand!

Each day would begin the same. Awake at sunrise and then it was time for the students to prepare breakfast for the tribe. It was an opportunity for them to think creatively and outside the box. They were provided with the rationed ingredients and then it was totally up to them to decide, as a team, what meal they would cook. This was the same scenario for all of our meals on the island.

In the beginning it was amazing to see how very challenging this could be. Then there were those victorious moments when you observed them diligently working together to create ideas that were so wonderful and unique.

The crew worked together to make a fire, cook the meal and then handle the clean up duties. The pride they exhibited in fulfilling their responsibilities was a thing to behold.

Each meal just got better. We had a diverse crowd so it was pretty neat to watch them putting their heads together and sharing all sorts of ideas to create these meals.

Once we established our routine things began to get a bit easier on the island. Camp was set up and meals were under control so it was time to really delve into the survivor theme. How would we survive and keep our spirits up if we were actually stranded on a remote island?

The group used machetes to chop wood, went fishing and cooked. They also took trips to another beach to collect shells, go swimming and enjoy the fresh air and nature. All this time a strong community was being formed.

On the island there was nothing to differentiate us. We were all wearing the same type of clothing. We all had one bag. We all looked the same with our unwashed hair and the constant patina of sand on our bodies. There were no electronics at all. All of these things, in the real world, serve as distractions from what is really important. On this island we were free of the material items that can sometimes create a sense of inequality. We were all equal. We slept together as a group and we protected each other. Different folks rotated for night watch duty. Every single one of these kids had a place within our island community. We were all one and there was a very real sense of belonging.

I, too, learned a lot of valuable lessons. It was eye-opening for me as a parent. It would never have entered my mind to send my daughter into the kitchen to prepare whatever she wanted with the available ingredients or to go out back to light a fire for cooking. This experience has caused me to rethink this. I was surrounded by middle schoolers, just like my daughter, who were planning, creating, working and successfully fending for themselves. This was one of the truly important lessons for me.

In closing, I have to say that I enjoyed the trip immensely. I experienced what these kids experience each year and I am now so very appreciative of this opportunity for our children.

I now get the point of Malaysia Week.My biggest surprise was witnessing the enormous benefit that this

program provided to our children. Teachers do their very best to promote learning and prepare our children each day. But this usually occurs in a classroom and in an institutional setting. There are some things, like those big life lessons, that just cannot be taught within four walls.

Malaysia Week fulfilled every goal that it promotes. There were learnings that could only take place outside a classroom. There is a deeper appreciation for Malaysia and her natural beauty. All ages cooperated in group situations. Classroom skills were reinforced. The importance of increased independence was realised. The positive aspects of a community were respected by all. Thank you for allowing me this opportunity to share the wonderful experience of Malaysia Week!

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Printed by: Akitara Corp. Sdn. Bhd., Lot 1&3, Jalan TPP1/3, Taman Industri Puchong, 47000 Selangor, Malaysia

ISKL’s Commemorative Book “50” 1965-2015On sale now for RM 55!

For ISKL’s 50th Anniversary, five faculty alumni worked tirelessly for over a year on a book celebrating 50 years of ISKL and telling our history. These books were launched the weekend of ISKL’s 50th celebrations. Thank you to our 50th book committee: Emily Salim, Rosemary Chin, Leslie Muri, Joanne Mahendran, Lyn Thompson, Zaini Arrifin, and Paul Ubl for all their work on this beautiful book! Books can be purchased for RM 55 at the Melawati Office or the Ampang Bookstore.

The Hornbill is a publication of the Board of Directors of the Society for the International School of Kuala Lumpur (ISKL), the organization composed of all parents of ISKL students. All families with students enrolled at ISKL receive it free of charge.

Board of Directors:Saif Malik (Chairman),

Omer Ehtisham (Vice-Chairman),Paul Rusch (Treasurer),

Kelly O’Hale (Secretary),Zahris Sham Abu Musa,

Andrew Davis, Lim Beng Guan, Edgard Kagan, San San Kee,

Helene Seiler, David Thomas, Frank Whitaker,

Dato’ Sri Johann Young

The International School of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia P.O. Box 12645,

50784 Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaTelephone Numbers:

(603) 4259 5600 (Ampang) (603) 4104 3000 (Melawati)

E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.iskl.edu.my

Fax: (603) 4257 9044 (Ampang)Head of School • Dr. Norma HudsonMarketing Director • Hilda Alposilva

Editor, Design & Production • Paul S. UblProduction • Zaini Ariffin

Copy Editors:Bridgette Miller & Tracy Woodward

KDN PERMIT NO.: PP 18374/01/2014(033757)

June 2015, Vol. 19 Number 3hornbillthe

Alumni UpdateCLASS OF 2015

Congrats to our newest ISKL Alumni. 153 students graduated from ISKL on May 28, 2015 and became our newest ISKL alumni. We also welcome to our alumni family all those who left ISKL throughout the year. Please continue to join us at ISKL functions around the globe! Go to www.iskl.edu.my and click on the Alumni link and sign up there for the online alumni directory.

June 27, 2015- Houston ISKL GatheringJoin alumni for an informal alumni gathering at the home of alumnus David Watson ‘75. All alumni and

current ISKL parents that are in Houston over the summer are invited Saturday June 27, 2015 starting at 6:30 p.m. Address and directions to David Watson’s home will be given following your RSVP. To RSVP email us at [email protected].

London Alumni Reception October/November 2015(more details to follow)

Sydney Alumni Reception November 2015(more details to follow)

Save the Date - Dec. 19, 2015- Annual KL Alumni ReceptionJoin us for student alumni sports competitions in touch rugby and volleyball followed by an alumni reception

for alumni, current and former faculty, and alumni parents. Reception starts at 5:30 pm and is held in the MPR1, ISKL Ampang Campus. More detail to come in the first months of 2015-2016 school year.

Boston Alumni Reception February 2016(more details to follow)

Please connect with us on our “Official ISKL Alumni Fan Page” on Facebook, on Twitter @isklalumni, on LinkedIn at International School of Kuala Lumpur Group.

Documents

Hornbill June 2015