Exams Approaching - Get your CAS under control

I am pleased to write that most people now have green flags and those who don't are mostly one document away from it!  I feel confident that all of you will qualify to have your CAS portfolio marked complete in June and be able to pick up the IB Diploma at the end!

However do not start to forget about CAS as it must continue into the end and you must keep up with reflections and evidence.  It would be crazy to fall behind now.

Don't jump off the bike yet - there's still 6 months to go!

Good luck with your exams next week and see me if you have any questions about your CAS portfolios.  Next Tuesday Advisory lesson will be a study period and time for me to meet up with anyone that I still have some questions or concerns about.  

Feeling stressed?  

The QQ is going to run an article about exam stress.  Why not tell them your story? Look out for a reporter near you.

Projects Covered!

Great effort most of you!  All but 9 students have shown the almost completed the CAS stages for their CAS projects as well as met the other requirements and are well on the way to having complete CAS portfolios.

The 9 people with red flags have until the end of the exam week to get it fixed before I will have to contact their parents and warn them that their child might not get a Diploma.  I am not expecting this will happen because no one gets this far and then doesn't bother to fill in one document and miss out on a Diploma.  Do they?

You should all be proud of the effort you have put into your CAS projects.  There have been some amazing achievements.  Here is a list of what you have done:

• Started a football club for younger students after school
• Read to children after school in the library
• Created a website for the Nepal Project
• Held fundraising activities for the Rhino project
• Started a film club for students 
• Made films to raise awareness about anti-bullying
• Started a sports club for DP students and made a vlog about it
• Ran activists projects for Amnesty International
• Made cartoons to tell people about the need to protect rhinos
• Held concerts to raise money for the Nepal project
• Organised MUN conference at the school

Time to Tidy your Portfolio

It's been a while between blogs but I see that there has been some action on the CAS portfolios.  I know that it is easy to forget about CAS in the middle of all the assessments but try to give it a few minutes each week as it is much easier to add evidence and reflect as you go along than it is at the end.  With regards to reflections - they must be continuous.  You will not be able to have a completed CAS portfolio if you have not taken time to reflect as you go along.

Next term I will run some CAS sessions in advisory to make sure you get a chance to reflect informally and formally, individually and in groups.  Towards the end of the term, before the exams, you will need to :

• show how you have worked towards the 7 outcomes, 
• demonstrate the CAS stages for you collaborative project 
• have a balance of Creativity, Activity and Service

Axel's Clothing Drive

Axel is once again organising a clothing drive for Xmas.  Here is a note from him:

Hi everyone. I am organizing a refugee clothing drive on behalf of the Annexe C student council, in partnership with Stockholm's Stadsmission. Boxes have been placed in the main building, annexe B and annexe C. Donated clothing will be highly appreciated. It's for a good cause! Thanks.

Decoders wanted for Amnesty International

I just received an sms from Amnesty about an urgent project they need help with.  Unlike many other Amnesty projects you can do this by sitting at your computer. It involves mapping the most remote and vulnerable villages of Dafur. It is done by looking at satellite images and clicking on villages.  They have so many images, they need as many people as possible to log villages.  All explanations are in English and easy to follow.  Remember to take a screenshot of your work as evidence for CAS.  https://decoders.amnesty.org/

Amnesty again death penalty

Our school Amnesty group recently sent off around 80 signatures to get the case of death sentenced Kevin Cooper re-heard.  Let's hope it has an impact.  From what they group could see this man is most likely innocent, and to put him to death would be a travesty of justice.  

Rhino Gala

On Friday the rhino group held their gala event.  It was not so well attended which gives them something to reflect upon in their CAS portfolios.  Despite that they were able to add over 300kr to their fundraising efforts for the Project Rhino KZN .  Thank you to all the wonderful people who supported them by performing and attending the event.  They still have plenty of postcards and friendship bands for sale and hope to reach their goal of €300 euros.  Look out for an opportunity to support them by purchasing items.