BRITISH INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE

February 2010 NEWSLETTER

Johannesburg Campus

ACADEMIC MATTERS

• We are now a month into the Academic Year. The 2010 Timetable was finalised and made available on
Tuesday 9th February. On that day each student/parent and lecturer was sent an email message, with an
attached copy of their personal timetable, notifying that it would be effective from 08.15 am on
Wednesday the 10th February. Those who could not be reached by email were telephoned and asked to
collect their new timetables from the College the following morning. A Master Timetable is also in place
on the student notice board. Thank you for your patience in the weeks that our Administration staff
worked on the Timetable to resolve student clashes and reduce class sizes; we are aware that it may have
been a difficult time for everyone and appreciate your cooperation. Future amendments to the Timetable
will only be made if there is a splitting of a class to reduce class size, or at the request of a lecturer. Such
changes will only be made if they do not cause a clash for a student. In these cases students will be
informed by the lecturer concerned and new timetables will be issued by that lecturer once the change has
been effected.

• The first term interim Reports were released to the Mentors on 18 February 2010. All students are
advised to collect their reports from their Mentors during their normal Mentoring class.

• The first full Reports will be available for discussion and collection from 22 March 2010. Students will
collect from either the Dean or the Director of Studies. Lists will be placed on the notice board to
indicate from whom you should collect. Please note that each student is required to collect their own
report before 25 March 2010 when parents meet the lecturers at the Meet and Greet.

• Our usual Maths support classes are now operational. Any student, at any level of Maths, can go for
assistance on Wednesday period 9 ( 14:30 – 15:15) in L3 and on Thursday period 9 ( 14:30 – 15:15) in
S2. There is no charge for this service.

• Exam entries for the June 2010 session have been sent to Cambridge. Late entries can still be made but an
additional late entry penalty is incurred.

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 CAMBRIDGE EXAM RESULTS

Our students have once more excelled in the Cambridge Examinations. In November 2009, they placed BIC
again in the top half worldwide. We congratulate the following students who excelled in specific subjects

A Level

Dady, Hayley(Psychology & Geography);Horn, Zander(Chemistry & Physics);Oh, Seung Young(Biology,

Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics);Macarthur, Chloe Louise(Psychology); Jordan, Alcindor(Business Studies,
Economics);Tafa, Christine Rumbidzayi(Mathematics); Paterson, Kyle Andrew(Chemistry, Mathematics);Kim,
Boram(English Language);Van Zyl, Jessica Nicole(Biology & Art and Design);Machingawuta, Dzingai
Giuli(Business Studies & Literature in English);Hunter, Graham(English Language);Banda, Natasha (Biology,
Chemistry & Mathematics);Thorburn, Jemma Zoe(Mathematics);Luo, Jessica(Art & Design);Luca, Julien
(Geography);Buzuzi, Lazollia (Literature in English & History);Bakshi, Aritra Kanti(Business Studies
,Economics & English Language);Christie, Cherice Anne (English Language);Wiggil, Kim
Anne(Mathematics);Marais, Shane Gabi(Afrikaans Language); Chen, Zi Yu (Mathematics)

IGCSE

Ibrahim, Azza(Business Studies, Computer Studies,1st Language English, French & Mathematics);Okoko,
Reuben Euler(Business Studies,Co-ordinated Science, Computer Studies,1st Language English, Geography &
Mathematics);Hukamdad, Danial(History);Eastoe, Maxine Constance (Co-ordinated Science & 1st Language
English);Daniels Caley (1st Language English);Maimon, Adam (1st Language English & Geography);Ryan,
Jaime (2nd Language Afrikaans & 1st Language English);NG, Chrysta shao Hua (Co-ordinated Science);Telford,
Nicholas Scott(Business Studies,Co-ordinated Science, Computer Studies,1st Language English &
Mathematics);Magliolo, David James (1st Language English & History);Illiev, Daniel(Business Studies,
Computer Studies,1st Language English History & Mathematics);Mothoa, Botlhale (Co-ordinates Science,
Mathematics);Mashabela, Khanya Naledi (Co-ordinated Science,1st Language English & History);Murombedzi,
Tapuwanashe (1st Language English, Geography & History);Barret, Phoebe Rose (1st Language English);Mak,
Diana (Business Studies & Mathematics);Ali, Zain(Co-ordinated Science & 1st Language English);Isaacs, Simon
(Computer Studies);Havenga, Nicolas (Computer Studies & History);Dahab, Ahmed (Arabic);Littelefield, Grant
(Co-ordinated Science, Computer Studies, 1st Language English & Mathematics);Burcher Jones Cody
Owen(Business Studies,Co-ordinated Science, Computer Studies, 1st Language English, Geography
&Mathematics);Moyane, Sina Tracy (Business Studies,1st Language English & Geography);Bolofo, Tselane
Kabelo (Business Studies,Co-ordinated Science, Geography & Mathematics);Kumarajothy, Adrian Preman
(Business Studies, Co-ordinated Science, Computer Studies,1st Language English & Mathematics);Otukpa,
Godswill(Co-ordinated Science,1st Langauge English & Mathematics);Sato, Kirara (Co-ordinated Science,1st
Language English, French, History & Mathematics);Thomas, Andie Robyn (1st Language English);Wright,
Kathryn(Co-ordniated Science, Computer Studies & 1st Language English)

¾ The following students have been awarded Cambridge BIC Scholarships for 2010 based on their 2009
Cambridge exam results

Checkpoint: Christian Stoud,Lucy Sure, Liam Pulles and Ola Ibrahim,

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IGCSE : Reuben Okoko,Azza Ibrahim,Nicolas Telford, Daniel Iiiev, Cody Burcher Jones and Adrian
Kumarajothy

COLLEGE MATTERS

• Please note College hours for Foundation and IGCSE students. All these students are required to be at
College from 08h15 until 14h00 Monday – Thursday. (13:00 on Fridays).If a student’s lectures continue
past these times, they may only leave campus once the lectures are completed and then only to be
collected to go home. If students need to be off campus at any other time, parents must sign them out at
Reception. This is for the safety of students and we trust you will understand the need for this procedure.
We are obliged by the authorities to abide by these regulations.

• Students who will be completing their studies in June are reminded that the period of notice is three
months and BIC will require a letter of notification no later than 30 March 2010.

• All tog bags etc are to be left with Security and not at Reception.

• The Bookshop hours are from 7:45 to 9:00 and from 12:00 to 12:30 daily. We trust that these times suit
our students and parents .

EXCURSIONS, EVENTS AND PRODUCTIONS:

• Excursion Day took place on Tuesday, 25 February 2010. There were no lectures on this day and it was
compulsory for all students, including A Levels, to participate.

Venues visited were:

Foundation: The Military Museum

IGCSE 1: The Voortrekker Mounment & Freedom Park
IGCSE 2: The Origins Centre at Wits
A1: The Sterkfontein Caves & Maropeng
A2: The Traanvaal Museum

• Parents are reminded that the Foundation and IGCSE 1 Parents and Students Forum is scheduled to
take place on Tuesday 2 March, from 6:30 – 8pm. Parents and students are expected to attend.

• The A Level Camp takes place from 5-7 March. All A Level students are expected to attend. The venue
this year is Hadeda Creek on the Vaal. Departure time from BIC is at 1:00pm on Friday 5 March and
arrival back at BIC at 2:00pm on Sunday. Students should be able to confirm the arrival time at BIC on 7
March if there is any delay. Please organise prompt collection of your son/daughter at the College.

• Our Job Shadow day will be taking place on Wednesday 17 March. Students must ensure that they have
organized a ‘day at work’. Mentors will be more than happy to assist with placement. This activity is
compulsory for all students, who must spend a minimum of 6 hours in the workplace of their choice and
must be in College uniform (Golf Shirt, Blue Jeans and Takkies) The assignment to be completed ensures
the educational benefit of job shadowing.

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 • Our annual production this year will be a Comedy – The Plaza Suite. It will be held on 30 and 31
March 2010 at the College in the theatre from 7:00pm. The tickets are R40 for students and R60 for
Adults

REPORT BACK

• A big thank you to all those parents, whose sons and daughters are now in A Level, for taking the time to
attend the A Level Orientation evening which was held on 4 February. The discussion and information
about being an A Level were found to be very useful by all who attended.

• The BIC Valentines fair was held on 11 February. This event was hosted by the SLC and was a great
success. The Dean loved the setup! Thank you to the SLC for organizing such a wonderful, fun-filled
event.

• To all our Chinese students and parents, we wish you a happy New Year for the Year of the Tiger.

DATES TO REMEMBER

• 2 March - Foundation and IGCSE 1 Parent and Student Forum at 6:30 to 7:30

• 5 – 7 March - A Level Camp

• 10 March – Physics Day ( it was changed from 15 March)

• 17 March - Job Shadow Day

• 25 March - Meet & Greet ( Parents evening ) 16h30 – 18h30

• 30-31 March - Annual Production

MESSAGE TO TEENAGERS ABOUT LIFE AND DRUGS: (Teen Drug Scene by Laura Edmonds and
Lee Wilcocks )

South Africa is the worst country in Africa with the highest levels of drug and substance abuse. South Africa is
also known as the’ Drug Heaven!’

• There is no quick chemical fix for emotional pain and problems

• No chemical will make the world, reality, or problems go away on a permanent basis. A chemical can
only provide a temporary crutch that may help us initially to limp through life.

• Reliance on a chemical to help us cope will cause our coping resources to wither and die, leaving us
totally barren and crippled when the crutch breaks.

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 • No chemical will cure loneliness, no chemical will make us what we are not, and no chemical will make
us love ourselves more, or hate ourselves less.

• Blocking out reality is not coping with life.

• Life is all about making the right choices and taking responsibility and control.

• Drugs make promises but they don’t deliver.

• Fairy tales end with childhood; life is about making your own happy endings.

• Actions have consequences. Not taking into account the possible consequences of actions is irresponsible.

• Drugs are not cool and glamorous!

• Taking drugs is self induced abuse, treating your body, mind and soul like a trash heap means you do not
value yourself or believe in your uniqueness as an individual, or the gift of life.

• Because ‘everyone’ takes drugs does not make it right. Think! Be an individual, not a sheep.

• Invest in yourself, value yourself and love yourself enough not to do drugs.

• Take responsibility for yourself, your life and your generation.

Note

To assist our students to say “no” to drugs, the College organises a police drug sweep of our premises and
students from time to time. To date, they have never found any of our students in possession of drugs, although
our staff have twice in the past 12 years found students in possession, by virtue of the presence of drugs in their
blood stream. It is our policy to be open about this so you will certainly be informed if the next drug sweep finds
that any of our students is in breach of our code of conduct in this regard.Another sweep has already been
requested, so therefore could take place at any time from now on.

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