News

Lunch Menu May 20 - May 24

Fri, 17 May 2013 02:03:03 -0700

To download a printable version of this week's menu, click here (This will automatically download to your computer). Parent feedback on the menu is also welcome!

Swimming Unit in PE 2013

Wed, 08 May 2013 02:48:16 -0700

Concordia PE Swimming Unit - 2012- 2013

As part of our PE program, students will receive swimming lessons from May 13 - 31 at the outdoor pools at The National Aquatic Center adjacent to The Newton School, about a ten-minute bus ride from the Concordia campus.

This is a great opportunity for students to improve their swimming and water safety skills, while having a safe and enjoyable experience.

Please read the following guidelines in preparation for the swimming program:

(REQUIRED) BATHING SUITS (in good condition) :

Girls must wear a one-piece bathing suit. Boys may wear Speedos, trunks or knee length Lycra suits; however, they should not wear bathing suits that are below their knees.

Please clearly write your name on your bathing suit.

(REQUIRED) TOWEL, SUNSCREEN:

During each class students need to provide their own clean towel. Students also need to bring a water bottle and sunscreen, as we are using an outdoor pool.

DO NOT BRING: toys, flipper, armbands, mask and snorkels, etc.

(REQUIRED) Long hair should be tied back or tucked into a swimming cap.

(OPTIONAL) SWIMMING SHIRTS sometimes called Rash Guards:

For additional sun protection, students may also wear shirts made from swimming suit material. Shirts made from other materials are not permitted.

(OPTIONAL) GOGGLES & CAPS:

Goggles are optional. Swimming caps are encouraged, but not required for students.

Please clearly write your name on the cap and goggles.

PARTICIPATION:

We understand that there is a wide range of swimming ability levels within each class. We encourage students to do the best that that they can, each time you come to the pool.

If for some reason a student is unable to participate in a class, s/he should provide a note from a medical authority. Generally, we believe that students who attend school are healthy enough to participate in all PE classes, including swimming.

SCHEDULE:

Preschool–Grade 1

Smaller, covered pool

May 15, 22, 29 (mornings)

Grade 2-5

May 13, 16, 20, 23, 27, 30 (afternoons)

Grade 6-8

May 14, 17, 21, 23, 28, 31 (afternoons)

For inquiries regarding this unit, feel free to contact your child's Principal.

Elementary School: Kristin Kappelmann

Upper School: Patrick Frerking

Email: patrick.frerking@concordiahanoi.org

Concordia News: May 2013

Wed, 01 May 2013 00:32:17 -0700

There were so many events going on at Concordia that this month is a double-issue! From field trips to field day, we have all the great happenings around the school in this issue of the Concordia News, which can be seen below, on our website or go direct to the e-book.

Tomorrow is Teacher Appreciation Day and a huge THANK YOU to all the parents for making it so special for the teachers with the special lunch going on tomorrow. We are so happy to have such wonderful teachers and parents!

We are looking forward to enjoying the wonderful Broadway hits that the kids will be singing this Saturday and hope to see lots of families there. Please note a change in the Spring Concert date- the new date is Saturday, May 11 at 3:30pm.

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At the Top of the World

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 20:25:28 -0700

Written by Concordia 8th Grader, Grace Ong

Yahoooooo!!!! Did you hear that? It’s the sound of the victory of summiting a 3,300m peak. This was achieved by 12 middle school students from

Concordia Hanoi and Shanghai on their 2013 spring interim trips to the

mountains of Dali, China. Nothing feels better than feeling like you’re at the

top of the world.

12 Kids Summit 3,300m Peak

It was a tough hike up through the cold high-speed winds, but each of them took their time as they slowly made their way closer to the summit. “Yeah we made it!” It seemed like the shouts and cheers of victory and success could be heard from below. It certainly was a spectacular sight with a 360 view of surrounding mountains and the minuscule villages below.

“I felt like I could accomplish anything.” commented Andrew Jones, a

Concordia Hanoi student. “I can’t believe I have hiked 3300 meters in only a few days!” exclaimed Josh Winkelman, another Concordia Hanoi student. For these kids, it was an unforgettable experience. Their shouts of victory tell the world they have earned the bragging rights to say that they have reached the summit of a 3,300m peak.

Read more of the Concordia Hanoi student reflections in the their e-journal published under the title "The Concordia Chronicle" below.

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1st Annual Concordia Ladies Golf Tournament

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 18:58:51 -0700

Date: May 28, 2013

Venue: Van Tri Golf Club

Format: 18 hole stroke play

Time: 9:00 AM Shotgun Start 1:30 Luncheon

Goal: Fun and raise funding for Concordia athletics and activities

Ladies and gentelmen golfers, please register using the form below or use the link here. For those just joining the lunchen, please make sure to register as well.

For any questions, comments, or to register by email contact communications@concordiahanoi.org

Lunch Menu April 22 - April 26

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 02:38:26 -0700

To download a printable version of this week's menu, click here (This will automatically download to your computer). Parent feedback on the menu is also welcome!

Concordia on Broadway

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 00:41:13 -0700

The Concordia International School invites you to indulge in a celebration of music from over 15 much-loved Broadway hits such as The Sound of Music, The Music Man, Oliver!, The Lion King, Les Miserables, and many more. Students in grades Reception to Middle School will show their musical talent that is sure to entertain. We are also expecting a feature performance from the preschool students and judging by their ongoing rehearsals, not only will it be adorably fun to watch but expect their song to be quite colorful as well.

Concordia on Broadway

Concordia International School Hanoi Spring Concert

When: Saturday, May 11 at 3:30pm (please note that this is a date change!)

Where: Concordia Hanoi Auditorium

Parents wishing to help with refreshments after the show, please email the Concordia communications office or conact your classroom parent. For more information, please email the Concordia Communications office.

To see pictures from last year's Spring Concert, please click visit our Concordia Hanoi Facebook page.

Concordia Field Day 2013

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 20:36:54 -0700

April 18 is our annual Concordia Field Day and parent volunteers are needed!

Students have the opportunity to dress in non-uniform clothing so that they can be comfortable doing sports activities outside. Please help your child remember to wear sports shoes (tennis shoes) on Field Day. Sunscreen and a hat are HIGHLY recommended - it’s forecasted to be a bright, hot day. We will have a regular school day that day with field day in the morning and classes in the afternoon with regular buses for students after school at 3:30pm.

Parent help is still needed to help operate our school wide FIELD DAY on Thursday, April 18 at our nearby soccer fields. The event runs from 8:30-11:30 AM. Lots of fun (in the sun!).

Volunteers will help with activities such as:

Water Sponge Relays
Three-Legged Race
Over/Under the Bridge or Through the Tunnel
Spin and Run
Shoe Relay Search
Scoop Ball Golf
Track meet event
Tennis Ball on a Racquet relay
Football Ring Toss
Laundry Basketball

Supervise the Bouncy Castle
Hand out refreshments
Take students to the First Aid Tent if they are injured

Please contact Middle School Principal, Patrick Frerking if you wish to help. Take a look at pictures from last year's field day to get an idea of what kind of fun awaits!

Concordia Spirit Spot

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 20:36:29 -0700

We got spirit, yes we do! We got spirit, how 'bout YOU?

Students- Show your Concordia Spirit in the Hanoi community by wearing any shirt that says "Concordia" at any location around town where you see a "Concordia Spirit Spot" poster like the one on the right and you can get a little something special! A huge thank you to our Concordia Spirit Spot particpants below:

Joma Bakery Cafe

#54 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho

#22 Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem

Puku Cafe

16-18 Tong Duy Tan, Hoan Kiem

Tea Talk Cafe

#9, Lo 1G, Trung Yen 11C, Cau Giay

COMGA Restaurant

#1 Cua Dong (on the corner of Cua Dong and Hang Da), Hoan Kiem

Commune

#20A Duong Ven Ho, Tay Ho

Questacon Science Discovery with the Australian Embassy

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 20:33:28 -0700

The best way to learn about Science is to dive right in and experiment for yourself. Concordia students had a wonderful day out at the Questacon Science exhibit to do nothing but just that. Besides the hands-on exhibits, the Questacon crew gathered all the students together to talk about the history of movement and how it has evolved out of necessity to be what it is today. Student volunteers came to the stage to help demonstrate the use for leavers, pulleys, reducing friction when trying to move something, and the invention of the wheel.

One of the favorite demonstrations involved calling upon the Concordia teaching staff to volunteer their strongest two male faculty members to see if they could win a battle of muscle. Middle School Principal, Patrick Frerking, and 5^th Grade teacher, Ken Horvath, were chosen to go on stage and show their strength against no one more ferocious than…….little fifth grader, Judy! The idea was that the teachers had to keep two metal poles as far apart as possible as Judy tried to pull them closer together. Whichever team accomplished their goal first would win. In less than five seconds, the sound of clanking medal could heard as the two poles came together with a single pull.

In the end, the presenter explained that through the use of levers to help pull, the teachers really had no chance since it was as if they were competing against a whole swarm of little fifth graders instead of just one.

The interactive games and puzzles throughout the entire library on the Bach Khoa University campus were both entertaining and educational. Students not only learned about movement, but also how the mind works, electrical charges, and how sound travels.

A huge THANK YOU to the Australian Embassy in Hanoi for extending the invitation to Concordia students and teachers. The Questacon exhibit is part of the Embassy's celebration of 40 years of diplomatic relations between Australia and Vietnam. Learn more about other great Australian Embassy events for the 40th anniversary here.

Pics: Top left- Learning about how wheels have a center of gravity; middle right- Judy vs. Mr. Frerking and Mr. Horvath; Left- Sitting on a chair of nails...why won't it puncture you?

See more photos of the student field trip to Questacon on our Concordia Hanoi Facebook page.

Learn More About Questacon in this video:

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PSO Coffee Morning at Landscape Cafe

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 20:23:12 -0700

When: Friday, April 26 from 10am-noon

Where: Landscape Cafe, Le Duc Tho, My Dinh (directly across the street from My Dinh National Stadium)

This event is free and open to all Concordia parents and their guests. Since this is an off-campus event, we ask that you let us know you are coming by registering here or below. Make sure to look for the Concordia banner at the restaurant!

Any questions, please email Lia Garcia Halpin in the Concordia communications office- communications@concordiahanoi.org

Concordia Hanoi News: April 2013

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 00:50:16 -0700

It looks like the cold Hanoi winter is behind us and we’ve gone straight into hot summer. Some great events are happening this April, including our annual Field Day, the Inter-School Art Show on campus, Yearbook Photos, the Book Fair, and so much more- make sure you don’t miss out by keeping up with the latest events and news in our Concordia newsletter!

Don’t forget the PSO meeting this Wednesday, April 3 from 9-10:30am. All parents are welcome to come and we hope to have most Classroom parents that for sure. Upcoming events will be discussed including the PSO structure for next year.

Make sure to catch this month's edition of the Concordia news below by clicking on the document for a full screen view. If that doesn't work, you can also take a look here for a direct link.

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What makes Concordia Hanoi different?

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 21:27:28 -0700

On March 6, 2013 the Vietnam Business Review published an article highlighting the achievements of a Hanoi-based LCMS school that boasted the title: “Concordia International School Hanoi: Creating a New Identity for Vietnam's Education & Training Sector". So, just what makes Concordia Hanoi different from other schools?

The following is the original published article that illustrates just some of the reasons why Concordia stands out above the rest. You can also view the online version here on the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Indistry website.

Concordia International School Hanoi: Creating a New Identity for Vietnam's Education & Training Sector

Posted: Wednesday, March 06, 2013

As an international school with more than 150 years of experience providing education and training for students of all ages, from pre-school to secondary school, Concordia International School has many educational institutions worldwide and is voted as one of 10 best quality international schools.

After operating in Hanoi two years, Concordia School has become increasingly attractive to many families looking for a brighter future for their children. To learn more about this school, the Vietnam Business Forum interviewed Mr Steven Winkelman, Head of School. Doan Tien reports.

Could you please give us overview about Concordia International School and talk about why it came to Vietnam?

Concordia International School Hanoi was founded in 2010 with the idea that the booming economy of Vietnam, with its attraction for foreign investors and international companies was in dire need of quality international educational institution. Previously, other international schools were at full capacity and turning away students, which led to high-level managers not relocating their family to Vietnam. Concordia Hanoi was meant to not only serve the expatriate families that would live and work in Hanoi, but also the growing number of Vietnamese families looking for an international education and have their children matriculate to overseas universities of their choice.

Please tell us about what can be confirmed as the achievements of Concordia International School in Vietnam up to now, can they be regarded as a contribution to the innovation of Vietnam’s present education and training?

Community is one of Concordia’s key values and this is something that the school put a great deal of effort in working towards. To date, the administration at Concordia has successfully brought other schools in Hanoi, both international and local, together to collaborate on many levels.

Concordia’s Athletic Director, Patrick Frerking, in conjunction with other area athletic directors has developed Hanoi’s “All Schools Sports League” with the goal to compete in the areas of basketball, volleyball, football/soccer and many other sports. The IT departments of the different schools, led by Concordia Director of IT, David Elliott, meet on a tri-monthly basis to discuss how technology can be integrated into the classroom and serve as a learning tool for our 21st century students. Teachers and administrators have led training programs for teachers in both local and international school in Vietnam. Even the school counselors at Concordia have met with other schools to discuss how, as a group, we can meet the social and emotional needs of the students throughout the city.

Can you explain more about the differences of Concordia International School’s training programme compared with that of other schools currently operating in Vietnam?

Concordia as an institution is unique in that it is part of family of schools- Concordia International School Shanghai and Hong Kong International School- both of which have been ranked in the top 10 best international schools in the world. Over 90 percent of the educational faculty at Concordia holds a Masters Degree or higher and amongst those educators, the average teaching experience is 18 years. Couple that expertise with the small class sizes and Concordia packs a powerful educational punch.

Could you tell us about Concordia International School’s plan for the coming time?

Concordia plans to build a purpose-built campus in the Van Tri area of Hanoi. This would connect the new Concordia campus with the West Lake community.

Construction of the new site is expected to start soon, looking at relocation to the new campus expected for sometime in the 2014-2015 school year.

In the short term, the opening of Concordia’s high school next year will give residents of Hanoi accessibility to a quality international secondary education that leads to matriculation to overseas universities, including those in Australia.

Concordia T-Shirt Order

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 20:17:57 -0700

Nothing says school spirit better than wearing a fun Concordia t-shirt! These t-shirts come in standard uniform sizes for the students and US Adult sizes for parents. Please take a look at the designs on offer below and fill out this order form to get your t-shirts.

Orders for T-shirts close on Thursday, April 4 and it should take approximately 2 weeks for the shirts to be made (just in time for Field Day!). You will be notified by email when the shirts have arrived.

Please note that these shirts may be worn by students as part of Concordia Spirit Shirt Fridays, every Friday.

From left to right: Concordia International School Hanoi WHITE T-shirt, Proud Concordia PARENT GREEN* T-Shirt, or Proud Concordia STUDENT GREEN T-Shirt. All t-shirts cost 200,000 VND

* Please note that the actual green t-shirt color may vary from the pictures below.

Lunch Menu Mar 25 - Mar 29

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 04:32:51 -0700

To download a printable version of this week's menu, click here (This will automatically download to your computer). Parent feedback on the menu is also welcome!

Concordia Book Fair 2013

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 20:49:40 -0700

Concordia Book Fair- April 11-12 (Thursday and Friday) from 8am-5pm in the Concordia Multipurpose Room
This celebration of reading is taking place on the Concordia International School Hanoi Campus and includes over 600 titles from international publishing companies like Scholastic and Houghton Mifflin. Buying children's books can be tough in Hanoi, so make sure not to miss this exciting event that is open to the entire Hanoi community, so make sure to tell a friend! Books available for Preschool to High School readers.

This is a cash only book sale.

Hanoi Inter-School Art Show 2013

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 19:25:57 -0700

Isn’t it great to live in a city where artistic talent can be seen everywhere? Some of the budding artists may come as a bit of a surprise, considering that they are still young students but equally deserving of a little showcasing.

With this in mind, Concordia is excited to announce a total of eight international schools planning to participate in the second annual ‘Hanoi Inter-School Art Show’. The event itself is a mixture of student art pieces- painting, photography, sculpture, drawing, jewelry, collage and other media are expected to be part of the exhibition.

Each participating school will submit up to 10 pieces of art to this year’s exhibition, selected by each schools’ Art teacher, for display in the traveling exhibition. Pieces are selected based on criteria set by each school that represents their students joy for art, regardless of age, grade or ability.

The Inter-School Art Show will take place throughout April and May, debuting on the Concordia Campus starting April 8. Parents and Concordia friends are encouraged to stop by the campus and view the exhibit before it leaves on April 12.

Hanoi Inter-School Art Show Exhibit Dates and Schools:

April 8-12: Concordia International School Hanoi

April 15-19: Singapore International School

April 22-26: Vietnam American International School

April 29-May 3: Hanoi International School

May 6-10: Wellspring Bilingual School

May 13-17: QSI International School of Hanoi

May 20-24: Hanoi Academy

May 27-31: The Olympia Schools

PSO- HIWC 3rd Annual Joint Coffee Morning

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 19:07:51 -0700

For the third year in a row, the Concordia parents held a joint coffee morning with the Hanoi International Women's Club (HIWC) to celebrate International Women's Day.

This fun event was made even better with the added theme of "Women Helping Women" and attendees had a chance to listen to Ms. Binh Rybacki, founder of Children for Peace International. Ms. Binh is the recipient of the United Nations humanitarian award and the Kiwanas International Humanitarian Award (other recipients of this award are Mother Teresa and Katherine Hepburn) and that she founded her organization 20 years ago to serve the children and poor of Vietnam. Ms. Binh will share her inspirational story of growing up in Saigon and how her and her family fled Vietnam after the fall of Saigon during the American/Vietnam conflict.

The HIWC charity committee recently provided funds to furnish a dormitory she built for the boarding students in Sapa. Without this dormitory the students would either have to walk 3 hours each way to school or not go to school at all. In this month of International

Women's Day everyone should come hear how one woman who started with only a drive to help the children of Vietnam has made a tremendous impact on the lives of thousands. Ms. Rybacki's inspirational story had the audience of

almost 80 parents and HIWC ladies laughing, crying, and overall contemplating ways of doing their part to help others in need.

Also present at the morning were Mekong Quilts, a non-profit group that trains and employs women in communities in the Mekong Delta region, New Beginnings, an organization that resells clothing and with the profits generated helps fund their humanitarian aid projects around Northern Vietnam.

Thank you to all the HIWC ladies and Concordia parents who came and made the event such an enjoyable one and a special thank you to Concordia parent, Christina Reed, for being the MC.

See more photos from the event on our Concordia Facebook page.

PSO Bat Trang Pottery Village Tour

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 18:07:19 -0700

“I wish I could marry you/ I will buy Bat Trang bricks to build our house”

Words of this love song resonate the pride that the Vietnamese have in the craftsmanship and tradition of Bat Trang Pottery. Concordia parents will have a chance to go straight to the source of the charming trade in this exciting PSO tour from Concordia parents, Dennis and Christina Reed. You won't want to miss out!

Not only will you learn more about the country and culture of Vietnam but this will be a great chance to meet other Concordia parents and make new friends. All Concordia parents are invited and please feel free to bring a friend.

When: March 22 from 8:30-noon

This half day tour departs from Concordia at 8:30am and returns to the school at noon. Bat Trang Village is about a 30-45 minute drive from Hanoi.

Cost per person is VND 100,000/person which includes the bus but DOES NOT include lunch. Make sure to register you and any friends here.

A Celebration of Concordia Cultures

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 01:51:41 -0800

The excitement began as soon as students started arriving on campus that morning- a US Cardinals Baseball jersey, a Korean hanbok, a Japanese kimono, a Singaporean t-shirt and many other representations of each child’s culture could be seen through dress and other culture-sharing activities.

Parents put on a spectacular event for the students to get to know all the nationalities represented at Concordia. From Mexican bingo and Swiss Egg painting to German Traditional foods and Japanese Origami, the Concordia parents had so many varieties of experiences to share with the students. Everyone was encouraged to wear clothing from his or her culture (or a culture they had lived in), which made for a spectacularly colorful day.

Thank you to all the WONDERFUL PARENTS who helped to organize such a spectacular event and an even bigger thank you to all the ROOM PARENTS who helped to organize each of the tables. The festival was a true celebration of Concordia cultures and our community!

Check out our Concordia Facebook page to see more great pictures of the day!