MSHS NEWS

MSHS

MYP UPDATE

Written by Mr. Daniele

I am very pleased to promise an exciting week ahead as our students prepare to take over the lobby of the Arts Building with a vibrant showcase of their year’s work—the MYP Personal Project. As the culminating experience of the IB Middle Years Programme, the Personal Project gives students the opportunity to explore a personal interest, develop independence, and apply the skills they have built throughout their MYP journey.

This flagship component of the MYP places students at the centre of their learning, encouraging creativity, innovation, and sustained commitment. Each project tells a story of commitment, problem-solving, and growth, highlighting the skills and qualities students have developed along the way.

For these reasons, Friday, 13 February, is a day not to miss, as our future designers, creators, and inventors proudly share their learning through engaging and thoughtful displays. We warmly invite our community to join us on that morning in celebrating where these journeys began—and the promise they hold for the future.

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

Written by Ms. Fiona

Year 9

This week Year 9 students showcased their learning through engaging presentations on protest poetry. Exploring poems from diverse historical and cultural contexts, students analysed how poets use language, structure and voice to challenge injustice and inspire change. The presentations highlighted strong critical thinking, confident communication skills and a growing awareness of how literature can reflect and respond to social issues.

Year 6

All students have been enthusiastically engaged in their IDU project: From Seeds to Sip (The Butterfly Pea & Compost Project) combining Science, Maths, English and Indonesian as they learn about plant growth, sustainability and responsibility and have submitted ‘How to plant Bunga Telang’ videos as part of the English assessment for their IDU unit. 

SCIENCE DEPARTMENT

Written by Mr. Haoran 

As part of our Grade 9 Biology learning programme, students recently participated in a peer-sharing review activity focused on the human circulatory system. Using a VR Human Model, students worked collaboratively to explore and explain the structure and function of the heart, blood vessels, and overall circulation. They took turns presenting their understanding to classmates, using the immersive model to visualise blood flow, heart chambers, and major vessels. This activity was designed to strengthen conceptual understanding, improve scientific communication skills, and encourage active, student-led learning. By teaching others, students were able to consolidate their own knowledge while engaging critically with key biological concepts. We are proud of the students’ enthusiasm, teamwork, and growing confidence in applying technology to support learning, and we look forward to building on these skills in future lessons.

MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT

Written by Dr. Adilet

Our school is excited to be preparing for Pi Day, which will be celebrated this year on March 12 — a joyful celebration of mathematics, creativity, and school spirit. Students have already begun rehearsing for our Pi Day Dance Competition, and the energy around campus is growing. Music, movement, and teamwork are becoming a lively part of our daily routines as students prepare to represent their School Houses.

Pi Day is not only about numbers and formulas. It is also about showing students that mathematics can be engaging, creative, and connected to real life. Dance allows students to express ideas, collaborate with peers, and build confidence while celebrating the mathematical constant π – 3.14.

This year, we warmly invite parents to join the celebration by supporting and dancing alongside their children’s House during the Pi Day Dance Competition. Parents are welcome to participate as part of their child’s House team or come to cheer and encourage their House. Your involvement strengthens our House spirit and shows students that learning and celebration are shared experiences.

We look forward to celebrating Pi Day together as a school community—full of rhythm, enthusiasm, and mathematical joy!

CHINESE DEPARTMENT

Written by Mr. Charles

Grade 8 students rehearsing for their Peking Opera mash-up performance, bringing traditional Chinese opera to life through expressive movements, colourful flags, and coordinated stage action. The rehearsal reflects their dedication, teamwork, and appreciation for Chinese cultural heritage as they prepare for the Spring Festival celebration. 

The school warmly invites all students and staff to join our Spring Festival Celebration on Saturday, 21 February 2025, 9 - 11 am at the Trini Dewi Theatre. The celebration will feature exciting performances by students from PreK to Grade 11, showcasing songs, dances, drama, martial arts, and traditional Chinese arts. Come celebrate the joy, culture, and spirit of the Spring Festival together! 🧧🎉

INDONESIAN DEPARTMENT

Written by Ms. Stephanie

Indonesian Language Acquisition Through Personal Recount Writing

Grade 6 students engaged in a meaningful Indonesian language learning activity by writing past-memory recounts based on their holiday experiences. As part of the process, students first selected their four most significant holiday moments. These moments could be happy, interesting, memorable, shocking, or sad, depending on their personal experiences. This selection process encouraged students to reflect deeply and apply deductive thinking to choose the memories that were most meaningful to them.

After selecting their moments, students illustrated each event through drawings. Once the drawings were completed, they began writing detailed recounts in Indonesian, describing what happened, when and where the events took place, who was involved, and why each moment was memorable. Through this structured approach, students learnt how to retell events that occurred in the past using appropriate language features and vocabulary.

To support authentic language acquisition, the use of ChatGPT and Google Translate was strictly prohibited. Students were encouraged to rely on their existing Indonesian language knowledge and could only seek translation support directly from the teacher. Additionally, the activity was fully conducted at school to ensure academic integrity and guided learning.

As a result, students successfully produced detailed and personal recount texts that reflected their understanding of past-tense structures and descriptive language in Indonesian. This activity effectively strengthened students’ thinking, creativity, and communication skills, as they practised organising ideas, recalling details, and expressing personal experiences in written form. Overall, the task provided a valuable opportunity for students to develop confidence and proficiency in Indonesian language acquisition through meaningful and engaging storytelling.

INDIVIDUALS & SOCIETIES DEPARTMENT

Written by Ms. Vera

In Grade 6 Individuals & Societies, students began the IDU project From Seed to Sip: The Butterfly Pea and Compost Project by planting bunga telang. They planted two boxes using seedlings and cuttings. Students then researched ancient civilisations and connected their learning to the IDU project by studying agricultural innovations that helped societies survive. The most exciting moment was seeing one group’s bunga telang grow, while a challenge was losing many seedlings. Despite this, students continue caring for their plants. This week, they will plant again using their own compost, water daily, measure weekly, and compare results.

In Grade 8 Individuals & Societies, students are conducting research for the IDU Waves of Change, linked to their unit on natural hazards and societal responses. Using the real-world case study of Pantai Mutiara flooding, students investigate assigned phases of community response. This research will be used to develop scripts for their skit presentations taking place in March.

PHE DEPARTMENT

Written by Mr. Sean 

The MYP PHE programme assesses students across four criteria. In Criterion A (knowing and understanding), Grade 7 students demonstrate their grasp of Tag Rugby rules and tactics, as shown in the photo below.

Reflection (Criterion D) is key; Grade 6 students are writing about their interpersonal skills and Handball performance.

For Criterion B (planning for performance), Grade 9 students in the net games unit set goals to improve badminton or volleyball skills. They conducted baseline assessments, created practice plans, and will self-assess by late February, reflecting on progress.

Grade 8 students, focusing on striking and fielding, are assessed under Criterion C for applying skills and knowledge in game situations.

MUSIC

Written by Mr. Freddy

This term, Grade 7 students are exploring music arrangement through vocal music, alongside digital instruments and technology. By singing existing vocal arrangements—from simple two-part harmony to more complex textures such as SATB—students learn about form, structure, mood, and sound production through direct experience. In the video above, students are practising a two-part harmony, with an interlude that creatively combines instrumental playing to enrich their vocal performance.

Singing in harmony strongly trains students’ focus and discipline, as they must control pitch steadily, maintain consistent sound quality, and listen carefully to others. It is a challenging process, especially when extended to applying dynamics, expression, and vocal ornaments, but these experiences support students in developing ideas for their own vocal arrangement projects. Students are currently preparing a Chinese song for the Spring Festival performance on Saturday, 21 February 2026, as part of a collaborative project between the Chinese and Music departments, supporting international mindedness and Chinese language skills.

We also encourage all music students to join FLAME 2026 – Arts & Music Festival, featuring a music recital in collaboration with Royal Music Studio. Instrumentalists are invited to perform a solo repertoire of their choice and will receive an official recital certificate. Please register through the school admin and complete the registration form to be part of this exciting opportunity.

VISUAL ARTS

Written by Ms. Jeanie

Recording Art Ideas Through Mind Mapping and Practical Experiments

Students in Grades 7 and 8 have been mastering technical tools to support their art-making practice, using rulers and triangles to measure and draw perpendicular lines. Grade 7 students are currently creating surrealist streetscapes, while Grade 8 is depicting natural disasters; both levels utilise linear perspective to establish a strong sense of place.

For IGCSE Visual Arts students, practising with various compositions is a vital step before finalising their work. They begin with primary source drawings, eventually evolving their concepts through original photography discovered during the idea-expansion phase. Similarly, Grade 9 students are focusing on landscapes, while Grade 10 uses specific prompts as creative catalysts.

To initiate their projects, all students employed visual thinking strategies like mind mapping. They deepened their concepts by analysing them through the Sustainability Compass, which considers four distinct perspectives:

• N (Nature): Ecological systems and environmental concerns.

• E (Economy): Resource conversion, industry, and services.

• S (Society): Institutions, culture, and social conditions.

• W (Wellbeing): Individual health, happiness, and quality of life.

This investigative approach helps students move beyond superficial interpretations, allowing them to integrate personal and local contexts into their final pieces.

UGC

Upcoming University Visit

SWA is pleased to announce upcoming university visits on 9 March 2026. The list of universities are as follows: (Please note that this is still subject to change).

1. University of Pécs - Hungary

2. Kaunas University of Technology - Lithuania

3. University of Debrecen - Hungary

4. Lethbridge Polytechnic - Canada

5. Campus France Indonesia - France

6. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University - Hong Kong

7. Emlyon Business School - France 

8. ESSCA School of Management - France

9. EDC Paris Business School - France

10. ISC Paris Business School - France 

11. Savannah College of Art and Design - USA

12. Skema Business School - France

13. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - USA

14. Essec Business School - France