2023 August

#1 Update: If you want to be a student safety representative, there is training being held Sept 20 from 1300-1600 at Burrgården "konferenscenter" Room: Don Juan. IB can have 2 representatives.   The program for the day is listed below in Swedish. Since you just had mentor time recently and we didn't have time to take this up, I think you just need to write to me directly: krista.baker@educ.goteborg.se and I will discuss with your teachers and we will make a decision who can be the representatives. 

• • The training will be in Swedish.

  • When the local group here at Hvitfeldtska meets, I know the teacher in charge can adapt and speak in English.

  • I must inform the education department by Sept 12th so let me know asap if interested!

Program

Dagens program (tiderna är ungefärliga)

13:00- 13:15

Välkomna och introduktion

13:15-13:45   

Diskriminering och kränkande behandling

 13:45-14:15

Rollen som facklig förtroendeman

14:15-15:00

Fika och workshop

15:00-15:30

Redovisning workshop

15:30 – 15:55

Elevskyddet och lagen

15:55-16:00
Avslut med utdelning av diplom

#2 update for year 1 students only:

If you are a complete new beginner to learning the Swedish language, we have a goal to offer you new beginner lessons once a week.  We have not yet found a teacher, but there is hope that one can eventually start. I will keep you updated.

If you want to study your mother tongue, you must apply by 7th September. You apply by going to Expedition and asking for an application.  Info and summons is happening on Vklass. 

#3 New students who missed photographing for a student card

See Vklass "news" update.

General:

We have welcomed all our students to a new school year and mentors have spent some times with their new students.  Year 1, and Year 2-3 had as Assembly with me (Krista) and we focused on some important policies while also getting into mixed groups and getting to know one another.  An evaluation of the assemblies showed that 76% thought it was "thumbs up", 22% thought it was "eh", and 3% thought it was "thumbs down" (3 people).  I'm really happ you enjoyed our time together and with one another. 

New students have gotten computers and the login to their account and have gotten an overview on what systems and applications we use to communicate.  Parents, if you're looking to get into Vklass, the place where you go to announce an absence or see students' attendance overview, then please read more here: https://sites.google.com/educ.goteborg.se/internal-ib-at-hvitfeldtska/it-tips-and-tricks 

A reminder that if students are over 18, parents will not have a Vklass or Managebac account unless students give permission. (Managebac is only used in years 2-3). A student can write (by hand or by email) to me (Krista) that they give their consent for us to communicate with parents so the student has even further support from home.  Then we can arrange for the parent to have access to Vklass and Managebac. Note that Google Classroom is where the bulk of day to day work and resources exist, and that is only between teachers and students.

The IB Program Calendar details many of the things I discuss that have happened or will be happening. If you use Google regularly, click "+" (bottom right) to add it to your list of Calendars you can access in Google.  

Year 1:

• After getting to know you activities, Year 1 has started the regular class schedule. In week 34, there were no modern languages. Note that not all students have a modern language scheduled. This could be for a few reasons. 1) None was requested in the application period.  2) The student's Swedish language is at new beginner level (modern languages have an instructional language of Swedish).  Please note that French is now full so if a request to join comes after the original application period, we may not be able to fulfill it.   We've tried to arrange so that there is no clash between Physical Education and Modern Languages. If you detect a clash, let Krista know.

• We are aware the transition between Physical Education and modern languages (if you have one) is tight. Teachers are aware and will try to be understanding if you have to leave one class early or be late to the other class.

• Let Krista know of any mistakes you think exist in your study plan/schedule.

Year 2:

• Has had a Creativity, Activity, and Service (CAS) Workshop. Next you'll learn how to put in your first experience into Managebac. Can't wait to see what your first experience will be! Remember, CAS happens regularly over 18 months of the program and is a pass/fail and keeping evidence of the happenings is key.  If you fail CAS, you will not get your Diploma until it is complete (and assuming you met all the other requirements).  

• Speaking of requirements, please be sure to see the General Regulations. It's good to read them all, but Article 13 tells you exactly what is required to earn an IB Diploma.  You can find that here https://sites.google.com/educ.goteborg.se/ib-hvitfeldtska/policies-and-important-information and look for "General Regulations".  

• Students in Year 2 have also had the first session of their "Collaborative Science Project". This is an interdisciplinary science project required in the IB. Session 2 will be on September 6th.  

• Finally, new to Hvitfeldtska students have gotten their photographs in order to get their school card which will be distributed soon.  If you missed it, stay tuned to the IB Program Calendar for the retake date.

Year 3:

• Depending on which science students in this year group have, they may have participated in internal assessment sessions last week (Bio and Physics).  If they missed it, it's very important they have a catch up plan immediately and get back on track as this time cannot be recovered.  Students will know what is due when, when it comes to IB official summative assessments that we work towards at school, by looking at the Managebac calendar.  

• All students have been given time to work on their Extended Essay  whereby the inspection draft was already due Aug 21st.  (noted in Managebac!) More EE days are coming Sept 1, 13, 14. For details see the IB Program Calendar.

All details for events can be found in the IB Program Calendar.  Until everyone gets used to referencing that calendar, I will flag some events in this newsletter.  

Parents!  You are welcome to a parent meeting Sept 4 at 1715 in the North Aula.  This meeting is for all parents of students Y1, 2, or 3.

Year 1

• The study and career counselor will visit you in "mentor" (homeroom) half-class in week 35 and half class in week 36. You'll know when it's your turn by following your schedule.

• You will have "klassens dag" in week 36 and on that day you will get to visit the Collaborative Science Presentations from Year 2 students. Then you can see what you will be doing next year!

• Class council coming up in week 37 followe by Program council in week 38

Year 2

• DP Coordinator visits you in week 36

• Collaborative Science Project in week 36

• Class council coming up in week 37 followe by Program council in week 38

• In week 39 the student health team will come say hello to you in your "mentor" time.

Year 3

• IB Bio field trip in week 35

• DP Coordinator meetgs you in week 35 during mentor time

• EE Day on Friday week 35 and again EE days in week 37.

• CAS coordinator visits

• Class council coming up in week 37 followe by Program council in week 38

Kudos to:

• Eric Saline, Sue Lewis, Simon Gebrahiwot., Emma Lundgren: the Group 4 science teachers who collaborated to create a very special (and new) Collaborative Science Project. Thanks for helping to coordinate the efforts, Eric! 

• Cecilia Segerberg, our CAS coordinator, for organizing a lovely CAS workshop for Year 2 students.

• Renée Elfving for supporting students and teachers as the results came in over the summer.

• Johan Lindström and Ingrid Whitehammer for a great start to leading our professional learning sessions.

• The entire team of teachers, and May 2023 graduates. Teachers for the work they did leading up to the exam session May 2023. Our gradutes for all their hard work and good results! 

• Our latest results show that we are, for over 22 years now, above world average.  In Sweden schools,  there were 1, 136 Diploma Candidates registered and our graduating class was 76 students.

  • Our average points earned by candidates was 33 (out of 45) .   The world average is 30.24

  • Our highest diploma points was 43

  • Our average grade obtained at the school by candidates who passed the Diploma was 5.13. The world average was 4.83.