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ISU PARTNERSHIPS
The International School of Uganda has always been committed to Uganda as demonstrated by numerous student service projects through the years and generous donations to charities such as the ISU Charity Run sponsored by the PTA. As ISU re-positions itself as an integral partner in developing Uganda, I am very pleased to announce two initiatives which furthers ISU’s commitment to the community.
The first is based upon a partnership between ISU and Harvard University. A year and a half ago, two faculty members from Harvard University Graduate School of Education visited four international schools, St Dominic’s International School in Lisbon, Portugal, International School of Amsterdam, Chinese International School in Hong Kong and The International School of Uganda. These schools were selected for exemplary work in developing inter-disciplinary curriculum. The samples which caught their eye were written by Middle Years Programme Co-ordinator, Marcie Mehta with the collaboration of former Senior School Music teacher Rita Sabiiti and Pascal Bogaert, Art teacher in the Senior School. During their visit one of the Harvard faculty members, Dr Veronica Boix-Mansilla suggested the idea of a formal partnership which would allow Harvard to study how our faculty develops an inter-disciplinary curriculum and ISU to study best practice of teaching and learning. This has the potential for significant improvement of instruction at ISU.
After studying and implementing these practices ISU teachers will assist local Ugandan teachers to improve the quality of teaching and learning in their schools. Currently we are identifying candidate schools. The ISU/Harvard partnership will definitely establish ISU as a leader for instructional excellence in Uganda and East Africa.
The second initiative is a scholarship programme which will “fully enable a select number of academically superior Ugandan students from economically challenging backgrounds to enroll at ISU (in Grade 9) with the intention of pursuing higher education opportunities abroad and returning to Uganda to contribute to the development of the country”. This programme was developed through a partnership between ISU and the Uganda North American Association (UNAA) and approved by the Board of Trustees in 2007. One of our trustees, Noel Brown, has devoted countless hours and immeasurable energy developing the scholarship and partnership. His leadership is to be admired. Katherine Sherwen, newly appointed Coordinator of Institutional Advancement will co-ordinate the fundraising efforts for the scholarships.
ISU is committed to Uganda now and well into the future. It is our desire for Uganda to succeed in the 21st century through the educational preparation of its future citizens and leaders. We consider it as our moral responsibility to assist in the development of this fine country. The Harvard and UNAA partnerships provide both a substantive and sustainable commitment to Uganda’s success.
WATCH OUR PROGRESS
On your next visit to the campus, we encourage you to take time to view the progress being made with our three new construction projects. Work began last summer on the Early Childhood Centre in the area behind the swimming pool and next to the Junior School. This project is in response to the growing enrollment of our two-and-a-half to four year old students. The playgroup building was completed in early January. The remainder of the complex including an exciting outdoor learning area will be ready by July, 2009.
On the other side of the campus next to the track and football pitch, construction of the dining hall has been completed. It features both indoor and outdoor seating with a beautiful view overlooking Lubowa and Lake Victoria. This state-of–the-art facility has been specially designed to serve as a venue for school Music and Drama productions until a Visual and Performing Arts Centre is designed, funded and built.
Plans for a Centre for Science and Technology, a Black Box Theatre and a covered stage in the amphitheatre are under way. These facilities will provide much needed instructional space for our drama classes as well as performance space for drama and music productions. The Center for Science and Technology addresses the long-term need of the school in ensuring large enough space for lab experiments and technology projects. It is intended that all three facilities will be state-of-the-art classrooms where the very best learning opportunities will be available for our students.
Construction of the new perimeter wall has been underway for several months and is now complete. The wall has been made possible, thanks to a generous security grant of $750,000 from the United States Office of Overseas Schools.
SERVICE SUMMIT - AFRICA 2009: – A HUGE SUCCESS
Barak Obama’s now famous inauguration message captured the essence behind Service Summit-Africa 2009, the first-ever event of its kind on the continent: “I’m asking you to believe not in my ability to bring about real change . . . I’m asking you to believe in yours.” The International School of Uganda was host to the Summit from 26 – 31 January and with 19 schools from 12 different countries, and keynote addresses by Dr. Jane Goodall and Thom Henley, it proved a great success. The idea behind the Summit conceived by ISU Senior School Assistant Principal and University Counselor, Michael Lees was simple: bring together like-minded individuals from local and international schools, NGO’s, and socially responsible corporations for the purpose of affecting positive change in their communities, both locally and globally.
Modeled after the AISA Administrators’ and Teachers’ Conferences hosted by ISU last October, participants were responsible for offering workshops and presentations focusing on community service learning. The goal was to inform each other about the myriad issues we are faced with and to inspire us all to action. But the Summit went one step further; instead of just talking about the issues and offering up action plans for change, one full day of the Summit was set aside to take the 200+ student participants out into the community and engage in hands-on service projects. Over 100 students went off to Jinga to a depleted forest reserve to plant 1000 trees; another group went to chronicle, in film and print, the stories of urban slum teenagers; others went to learn how to make paper and energy efficient stoves and learn about the need to protect and utilize our natural resources in creative ways. Two of Reproductive Health Uganda’s sites also had students assisting with their Youth Days, painting murals, making skits and assisting with various games all with the theme of safe reproductive health practices. The last group met with disabled children and learned about the challenges families face in bringing up children with special needs; they also engaged in a Natural Art activity designed to support the displaced Acholi people of northern Uganda.
There were over 50 different workshops covering diverse topics offered by the varied participant groups. “How an Ass Can Make a Difference” described the personal project of ISU senior, Carly Jefferson, who raised thousands of dollars to buy donkeys for a town in western Uganda to alleviate the burden and associated health issues of women carrying the fantastically heavy loads we see daily on the streets and paths of Africa. From identifying community needs to saving gorillas through improving the health of people, there was something for everyone . Perhaps the most lasting effect the Summit had on participants is the validation they received after inspiring other people to act. It is one thing to have a successful service project at one’s own school, but it is another thing entirely to bring it ‘on the road’ and have other students and even some inspired adults piggy-back on your ideas. That domino effect is why the Summit was so successful and the main reason why students are asking when the next one is. Stay tuned as the visiting schools discuss plans for future hosting sites in the coming years. The first Service Summit which was initiated by Michael Lees took place at the American International School of Guangzhou in China back in January 2007 and brought together schools and NGO’s to celebrate their service successes and traditions. The 2009 Summit did that and more. Watching over 35 corporate sponsors, 40+ NGO participants and an army of passionate students coming together to talk about and do service was something to behold. A recent email to Thom Henley summed up the effect on many: “I wasn't exactly very passionate about nature till I watched [your keynote]... The research behind it still amazes me and suddenly I feel inspired to keep in touch with nature and sensitize other people around me about its values!”
Today’s students are tomorrow’s leaders and it is our moral obligation to ensure they are empowered to take on the challenges we are all faced with in the world. If we fail to do this, we are doomed. This sentiment is the underlying reason for Service Summit Africa 2009.
Log on to www.isu.ac.ug/Service_Summit for more information and a gallery of pictures.
SERVICE SUMMIT - AFRICA 2009: A REASON FOR HOPE by Daniel Noble, Grade 10 student
The first ever African Service Summit took place from 29 – 31 January, 2009. It was an initiative of The International School of Uganda and involved students, NGOs and corporate representatives from across Africa and beyond. Keynote speakers included environmentalist and human rights advocate Thom Henley and the world’s greatest primatologist and protector of chimpanzees, Dr. Jane Goodall.
My friend, Christian Zamundu asked Jane Goodall to describe herself in one word. She responded “Hopeful.” In her presentation she gave four reasons why she had hope. Firstly, humans are creative and will always search for innovative solutions to the problems around them. Secondly, nature is resiliant. A little seed can push its way through a crack in the concrete; a polluted river, given the chance, can recover and again sustain a multitude of life. Thirdly, throughout the world she sees thousands of people creatively transforming the world around them. Lastly, human beings are compassionate. Whenever they see something wrong they want to change it.
The Service Summit showed that students want to make a difference for good in the world. Young people travelled thousands of miles to hear inspiring stories, meet other creative, vibrant students and discuss ideas on how to make this world a better place. However, for me it was a presentation by Thom Henley on the first day of the Summit, that most inspired hope.
Thom Henley has spent years living with and learning about (and from) a tribe in Indonesia. In their society every person is completely equal. Newborn infants receive exactly the same amount of food as everyone else. Since they aren’t going to eat it, people would come up to the baby and ask if they could have some of the baby’s food. When Henley asked why they didn’t just give the baby less, they responded “How could you ever treat someone less because of their size?” There is no conflict. In their culture they have a legend of a murder; they have never heard a definite story of one human killing another. They live in unity with their environment and are not damaging their surroundings in any way. Furthermore, they are safer from hunger, disease and natural disaster than most of us here. In a single day they can produce enough carbohydrates to last them a year. One in every six people are doctors, i.e. they have a knowledge of which herbs can cure diseases (and whom Henley said were more successful than normal doctors). Lastly, in the 2004 Tsunami, they knew from oral tradition that whenever the water suddenly retreated a giant wave was coming and not a single person in their tribe was killed.
I could not believe it at first. I thought that people were too selfish to live without inequality, conflict and separation. I thought that whatever I did, whatever anyone did, such relationships, such a society, such a world view, could never be attained. In a way, I still do not believe it, so I have resolved to visit Indonesia myself. But I hope that such a life is really possible and I hope that one day, that is how the world can become.
ISU MISSION STATEMENT
Thanks to the exceptional work of the Academic Council, led by Jan Groves, Dean of Studies and Admissions, The International School of Uganda has adopted a new Mission Statement document. This unique document details the vision, educational principles and values which serve as a basis for decision making. With inputs from students, parents and teachers the document reflects the unique educational philosophy of the school.
View Mission Statement.
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