2023 September

Do you have a special talent you wouldn't mind sharing with the entire IB program? I (Krista) have started planning for our Winter Assembly on December 21st and would welcome student performances.  Please send me a note of interest (which is non-binding) so I can see how many might be interested. Note:  Year 2-3 students, it can count for CAS as Creativity and Service if you meet one/some of the learning outcomes :-) 

Math and Science Homework Help Club (in English) is up and running. You are welcome on Wednesdays at 1630 in S407.

In fact, CAS clubs have started: Check what you might like  on the CAS Wall outside the leadership offices in the South building. And, if you want to start one, forms can be found outside IB Coordinator’s office on the bookshelves.

There's even a "Mattestuga" in S202 Mondays through Thursdays from 17-19. There they help in Swedish mostly but, I'm sure they can help specific students in English too.

20 IB Students from the May 2023 exam session received a scholarship whereby 15 000 sek was the highest amount. In total, the 20 students received 157 490 sek! The scholarships are awarded based on final IB exam results.  Kudos to them! Maybe you will be the next in the 2024 or 2025 exam session? We expect to announce the new Ambassadors at the start of October.

Scholarship information (other kinds and more than one) has just been posted on Vklass news. Be sure to check out if you are eligible to apply for any of them. Open the message to read the information in English if needed!  More info about scholarships here.

A CSN reminder about applying if you are 20 or over was posted 5 Sept. Does it apply to you? Check it out on Vklass news.

Did you know we have an active and exhibiting artist in our program? He happens to be our Visual Arts and Design Technology teacher, Eric Saline. He has an ongoing show now at Ålgården in Borås and I highly recommend you visit and see his impressive body of work.

A new tab has been added to this website called "University Resources". Check it out!   If you need to apply to a University outside of Sweden, there is a form to complete: it helps us and you coordinate our efforts.  See that same tab and "University support form".

Attendance and Absences: a reminder that if you must be out absent, you must announce it through Vklass AND follow up with a message to the mentor about why you are absent.  It is only the school that can categorize your absence as valid or invalid.  If you have invalid absences, you can expect to get a CSN warning letter.  We only send one warning letter. If the behavior improves but then starts up again, the school will need to report you to CSN and you will not get another warning letter.  Remember that CSN can revoke your study support and even require you to pay back retroactively in time, depending on when your invalid absences started.

Class visits from the Principal:  You'll see me around!  I'm looking forward to seeing what you are learning. 

I as Principal will be attending an IB Heads of School Conference in Dublin in early October. I expect to come back fully inspired and ready to share alot of great ideas and dialogue about best practices. 

Did you see the message from Renée in Vklass about applying to be an IB Student Ambassador? We hope so, we would love to have you on board. I've already started to get messages from students who want to come and shadow. Perhaps you'd like to help them out or help out at Open House in November?  Apply!

September 28 is an outdoor activity day. IB23 Group 1 starts at 0945 and IB23 Group 2 starts at 1045. You will be out for 1-3 hours depending on how well you perform :-) Your Physical Education teacher has given you the details.

Welcome Student Class Council Representatives to the IB Program Council week 38 at about 1250 in S202 for our first meeting this school year.

November 23, in the morning, are development talks (student + guardians + mentor). Please pencil it in. More details will come next month.

This year you must start using Managebac. There you should find a calendar with your summative assessment dates and other important IB deadlines. 

Have you already put in your first CAS experience? If not, you should be sure to do so soon. Remember CAS is required to be consistently done over 18 months of the program and documentation of it must happen on Managebac.  (IB Manager > CAS > Add CAS Experience)

Week 43 is when the CAS coordinator will see you (in the North Aula) to review how to put things in Managebac. Or Drop-in to see her on a Thursday in an "even" week in the DPC office  from 1300-1500.

Year 11 will be having a Theory of Knowledge field trip to Denmark to visit the art museum Louisiana on 24 November.  Students should arrive to the N building parking lot by 07.30 and they will return by 20.00. Students should bring their own picnic food (no microwave options) to eat outside of Louisiana.  Options for purchasing fast food exist as well.  Be sure to check the weather and dress appropriately. Students are expected not to wander off on their own.  Things can be left on the bus, but, it parks somewhere else and can't be accessed while at the museum.

Update: Christophe Tarkowski will continue as Johan's substitute for IB Economics until June 2024.  He collaborates weekly with Dr. Freitas, our other IB Economics teacher as well as our DP Coordinator Renée Elfving. Together they will help him deliver the IB curriculum and help our students continue in the syllabus.

Preparing applications to Universities outside of Sweden?  Please complete this form to help both us and you coordinate your needs: https://forms.gle/m8v2zx9Mpc5Z9p979    Check out our "University Resources" portion of this website too, helpful links abound!

Extended Essay exam writing days happened September 13-14.  Congratulations you have accomplished an important milestone by now! Thank you for your participation and hope you found it supportive so that you are now on track with your EE. Should you have missed the deadline, the DPC and Principal will contact you to let you know what to expect next.

We note that there are 46 students "on track" with CAS, 18 with a "concern" flag and 17 further whose status is still to be determined.  I share this so that you will log into Managebac and check your CAS status.  Being that you are in Year 3 and CAS requires regular, consistent experiences, getting behind could risk you not getting your Diploma.  Have a look and if you need help getting on track, be sure to visit Cecilia on a Thursday (in an even week) from 1300 - 1500 in the DPC's office.

Parents and students: be sure to pencil in November 23rd as "Subject Talks" day.  More info about signing up will come next month.

Year 3 Visual Arts (only) students will be having a field trip to Denmark to visit the art museum Louisiana on 24 November.  Students should arrive to the N building parking lot by 07.30 and they will return by 20.00. Students should bring their own picnic food (no microwave options) to eat outside of Louisiana.  Options for purchasing fast food exist as well.  Be sure to check the weather and dress appropriately. Students are expected not to wander off on their own.  Things can be left on the bus, but, it parks somewhere else and can't be accessed while at the museum.

Update: Christophe Tarkowski will continue as Johan's substitute for IB Economics until June 2024.  He collaborates weekly with Dr. Freitas, our other IB Economics teacher as well as our DP Coordinator Renée Elfving. Together they will help him deliver the IB curriculum and help our students continue in the syllabus.  Additionally we are supporting the year 3 HL students with a revision session on Wednesday with Frida Jodin, a former IB Economics teacher, and we have planned for a more intense workshop with only diagrams/models later in April with either Johan or Dr. Freitas.