A typical CIS school day for secondary vice-principal Nick Kolentse

 

Have you ever wondered how a principal supports their students and teachers at Canadian International School? Here’s a sneak peek of what a day at school for Nick Kolentse, CIS’ secondary vice-principal, looks like.

7.30am: A time to plan and connect

Mornings start early for Nick. He uses this time to have conversations with teachers, check schedules, and attend meetings.

8.30am: Advisory

Nick meets his grade 7 advisory group students for a 50-minute session every morning. One key component of this time includes individual discussions around short-term and long-term academic goals that have been set at the beginning of the year. This helps students develop the skills essential for success, and feel confident they have someone to turn to if they need help or support.

11am: Meeting a new family

After morning meetings with teachers and leadership teams, Nick meets with a family whose daughter will be starting in grade 9 the next day. He gives them a tour of the campus and introduces the student to teachers and classmates to help ease any anxieties.

12pm: Planning/reflective conversations with teachers

Nick checks in with teachers on their specific yearly goals that will positively impact the teaching and learning happening in their classrooms. He provides feedback to them based on classroom observations and educational best practices. This process helps ensure the implementation of differentiated instructional methods at CIS and makes its teaching unique.

1pm: Interacting with grade 7s during lunchtime

As Nick catches up with students informally, he is able to learn more about them and what their hobbies are. It also helps students understand that they can share what is going on in their life at school and outside if needed.

2pm: Visual arts lesson

MYP/DP visual arts teacher Bryn Barnard has asked Nick to join him in a lesson on perspective drawing. Nick shares his knowledge, talks about his experiences and gives students his insights as a learner himself. These arrangements allow Nick to form a better picture of the overall student experience and aid him in planning for academic programmes to implement.

3.30pm: Supervision

All teachers and academic staff have supervision duties to ensure that student wellbeing is looked after. Supervision also provides a great opportunity to connect, get to know and have some meaningful conversations with students.

4pm: Staff meetings with various teams

Nick supports subject level teams as they plan for interdisciplinary learning units of study in the MYP. Collaborative meetings focus on updating assessment methodologies as well as the feedback strategies that teachers can put in place to drive academic growth. Assessment priorities ensure that feedback is data-informed, student-centered and teacher-led.

Ask the Dentist: How do I stop a toothache fast?

A toothache is commonly caused by various conditions such as tooth decay, dental abscess, cracked tooth, wisdom tooth impaction, gum disease, sinus infection and failed dental work. It is important to schedule an appointment with your dental specialist/ dentist immediately, if your toothache has the following characteristics:

• Lasts longer than one to two days

• Severely painful

• Accompanied by a fever or earache

• Pain on opening mouth

During the appointment, your dental specialist/ dentist will help you to alleviate the pain and treat the root cause of the pain in a timely manner to prevent it from worsening. A physical examination and dental x-ray will be carried out to determine the cause.

While waiting for your dental appointment, here are a few tips that you can use to help you feel better:

1) Take medication like ibuprofen or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to stop the toothache temporarily.

2) Sleep in an elevated position if lying flat worsens your toothache.

3) Avoid hard, acidic, cold food as these may aggravate your toothache.

4) Place an ice pack wrapped with cloth on the site of the toothache to dull the toothache.

It is important to avoid toothache remedies that are not clinically proven. These may do more harm than good and make oral conditions worse in the end.

DrTan Kian Meng is a Dental Specialist in Prosthodontics with Specialist Dental Group®. He is also a Clinical Lecturer at the National University of Singapore and Diplomate with the American Board of Prosthodontics. He was formerly a Consultant at Singapore’s Khoo Teck Puat Hospital and Fellow of Maxillofacial Prosthetics and Oncologic Dentistry Fellowship at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr Tan has special interest in prosthetic and implant restorative dentistry.

www.specialistdentalgroup.com | 6734 9393

International Dot Day, an annual school-wide event at Canadian International School (CIS), is a special occasion that brings the CIS community together to celebrate positive values of creativity, individuality and kindness – messages that are inspired by the award-winning book, “The Dot”, by Peter H. Reynolds.

“The book truly emphasizes the importance of creativity and collaboration. I believe International Dot Day empowers students to unleash their potential and creativity, while emphasizing that making mistakes always takes us to a different level in our growth,” says teacher librarian Stojana Popovska.

She shares that the event, a school-wide celebration, engages kindergarten and primary students in fun experiences that revolve around the theme of dots and making connections.

Besides dressing up in their finest polka dot outfits, students participated in library reading sessions and art activities that encourage teamwork, creativity and imagination.

In a kindergarten integrated art class students modelled plastiscines into orbs, and learned the concept of volume and balance by creating an artwork with a spinning circular contraption. They poured paint into the cups hanging off the spinner and had to work together to balance it just right in order for it to work.

For grade 1 French students, the theme of dots and connections go beyond aesthetics. French language acquisition lead teacher Melina Lobos combined elements of art history and pointillism, a painting technique invented by famous Impressionist artists Georges Seurat and Paul Signac. Students observed, compared and drew different circular graphics to create their own interpretation of the theme, and expressed their emotions using colours and composition.

All of the students’ artworks were then displayed at the main foyers of both campuses to share with the whole community how International Dot Day has enriched learning experiences at CIS every year.

“All the masterpieces are a product of collaboration among grades and an example of the ‘unleashed creativity’ that lives in all our students and teachers. Creativity and kindness are contagious and this was evident in all classrooms across the campuses,” says Stojana.

Find out more about the CIS community by signing up for one of our open houses on 18 and 19 November. More information at cis.edu.sg/admissions/open-house.

Ask the Dentist: Is dental sealant necessary for my child’s teeth? Is it safe?

Dental sealants help to protect teeth which have grooved and pitted surfaces. These tiny grooves and pits are mostly found on chewing surfaces of the back teeth and can be difficult to clean. This results in food and bacteria building up in these crevices, increasing the risk of tooth decay.

Teeth that will benefit most from sealants include: 

• First permanent molars: These usually erupt between 6 to 7 years old
• Second permanent molars: These usually erupt between 11 to 13 years old
• Baby or permanent teeth with dental defects 

Other teeth may also benefit from the protection of dental sealants when children are at higher risk of developing dental problems. These include the premolars and baby molars. 

As every child is unique, you are recommended to bring your child to see a paedodontist or child dentist to check which teeth would benefit from dental sealants. 

Dental sealants are made of clear or shaded plastic. The procedure is safe and commonly performed. 

The application of dental sealant is also fast and comfortable for your child. After the tooth is thoroughly cleaned, the sealant is flowed into the grooves and crevices of the tooth and hardened with a special light. After the appointment, your child will be able to eat and drink as per usual. 

When properly cared for, dental sealants can last many years. It is important to note that a dental sealant is not a substitute for routine dental care. Hence it is important to continue brushing, flossing and making regular dental visits to keep your child cavity free.

Dr Tabitha Chng is a Dental Specialist in Paedodontics (Children’s Dentistry) with Specialist Dental Group®. She received her specialty training in Paedodontics from University of Toronto, Canada. She is currently the only Paediatric dentist to be dually certified by both the American Board of Paediatric Dentistry and the Royal College of Dentists of Canada. Dr Chng loves to see children smile and constantly strives to create a safe and relaxed environment for kids to enjoy their visits. Besides fighting cavities, she has a special interest in paediatric sleep medicine (eg. tooth grinding, snoring) and early management of crooked teeth without braces. 

http://www.specialistdentalgroup.com | (65) 6733 7883