Transforming Education: WAB's Award-Winning ES Library Redesign
Release Date: 10/25/2024
Year-End Reflection with Students and School Leadership
The WAB Podcast
As the school year draws to a close and the summer holiday approaches, we bring you a special end-of-year episode and the season finale. In this episode, two Grade 11 students, Francesco and Grace, took the mic. They sat down with our Head of School, Marta Medved Krajnovic, and Stephen Taylor, WAB's Director of Innovation in Learning and Teaching, to reflect on the year’s highlights and look ahead to the future. A Year of Celebration and Connection From September 1, when our community came together to launch the 30th anniversary, this year has been a joyful celebration of WAB’s...
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Toddle Comes to Middle School: A New Era of Learning
The WAB Podcast
Welcome to the WAB Podcast! In this episode, Kevin Crouch, WAB's Head of EdTech, IT, and Libraries, sat down with three students, Ville from Grade 5, Sophie and Ciara from Grade 7, along with Middle School Principal Marina Frias-Gavidia, to discuss the exciting rollout of Toddle in Middle School next school year. They also talked about how it can facilitate student learning, increase student agency, and incorporate AI-powered support. Why Toddle? For the past four years, Toddle has been a cornerstone of learning in the Elementary School, streamlining everything from lesson...
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Exploring Minds, Shaping Futures in Middle School
The WAB Podcast
Welcome to the WAB Podcast! In this episode, we're learning about Middle School Individuals & Societies. Joining us were Grade 6 student Justin, Grade 7 student Frederic, Grade 8 student Iris, along with their I&S teacher, Claudia Gomez. Claudia explains how Individuals & Societies goes beyond traditional social studies. Rooted in the IB Middle Years Programme framework, it’s an interdisciplinary, skills-based subject where students learn to: Formulate meaningful research questions Design and implement action plans Reflect deeply on their learning journey ...
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How Elementary School Student Council Shapes Their School
The WAB Podcast
Welcome to the WAB Podcast. In this episode, we take a closer look at what student leadership looks like in our Elementary School, and how even our Elementary students are making a difference in their school community. We're joined by three members of the ES Student Council: Carolina and Maya from Grade 5, and Julian from Grade 3, as well as Elementary School Principal Catherine Pierre-Louis. Together, they reflect on what it means to be part of Student Council, why they chose to get involved, and how they’ve worked together to lead projects that matter to them and their peers. ...
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Student Social Entrepreneurship Partners with Tiger Den
The WAB Podcast
What happens when students combine creativity, community values, and real-world challenges? You get student-led initiatives like Empowering Entrepreneurs and ProFarmer, socially driven projects supported by Parent Link with promotions, and through Tiger Den, WAB’s parent-run shop. Co-led by EJ and Morgan and run by a group of dedicated parent volunteers, Tiger Den opens weekly and hosts pop-up shops at school events. They sell WAB-branded apparel and merchandise as well as student-developed products that raise funds and awareness for community partners. EJ emphasized the idea to start...
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From Idea to Impact: How STEMx Club Sparked Science Day
The WAB Podcast
Welcome to a new episode of the WAB Podcast. Today, we’re exploring how student leadership, innovation, and the power of science come together to connect and inspire. Joining us are members of WAB’s High School STEMx Club, Grade 11 students Hannah, Utkarsh, and Shane, along with their teacher and advisor, Paul Wagenaar. Together, they share how a group of passionate students reimagined what science learning could look like, culminating in WAB’s first-ever interschool Science Day. STEMx began as a student-led initiative aimed at making science more engaging for younger...
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WAB Wild Takes Learning Beyond the Classroom
The WAB Podcast
Welcome to the latest episode of WAB Podcast! In this episode, we explored WAB Wild, WAB's very own outdoor learning program, and one that's all about adventure, teamwork, and connecting with nature. We were joined by Stephen Boyko, the coordinator of WAB Wild, and two Grade 8 students, Gustav and Kenzie, who shared their unforgettable experiences. From abseiling to cooking breakfast under the open sky, we uncovered how this program builds resilience, fosters community, connects with classroom learning, and changes perspectives on sustainability. Led by coordinator Stephen Boyko, WAB...
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Celebrating Cultures and Community at the Student-Led Night Market
The WAB Podcast
Welcome to the latest episode of the WAB Podcast, where we explore one of WAB’s growing student-led traditions: the Night Market. Joining us are Audrey and Rachel from Grade 11, and Chloe from Grade 10, three of the students who helped make this event happen. From cultural showcases and global cuisine to student performances and an all-new Open Mic stage, the Night Market was a celebration of creativity, collaboration, and cultural connection. For the first time, the event also welcomed students from APAC schools who were visiting WAB for a badminton tournament, adding an exciting...
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Student STEM Innovation: From Code to Cardiovascular Care
The WAB Podcast
In this episode of the WAB Podcast, we take a look at STEM learning at WAB. Grade 9 student Zane and Grade 10 students Anna, David, and Xander take us behind the scenes of their robotics, game development, and biomedical engineering projects. What they share isn’t just about technology, it’s about creativity, collaboration, and learning with real-world impact. Building, Breaking, Rebuilding: Robotics in Action Xander and David have been working together to design a competition robot using the VEX V5 system. David focuses on 3D modeling with Onshape, while Xander brings the...
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WAB DP Artists: Advocating Through Art
The WAB Podcast
In this episode, we explored DP Art with student artists, Emmett and Bella from Grade 12, and their teacher, Daniel Avila. Together, they talked about the recent DP Arts Exhibition, the hard work behind completing the final portfolio, the enjoyment of experimenting with innovative mediums, and the passion and creativity that drove them through this two-year art journey. Emmett’s work explores the irony of human development, using repetitive techniques like dot-making and woodcuts to critique industrialization and AI. He expressed that he became the instrument of labor in his own art, in...
info_outlineWelcome to the fifth episode of Season 5 of the WAB podcast, where we're excited to announce that WAB's Elementary School (ES) Library has won an Interior Design Award. Joining us in this episode are Architect Erica Borsa from Studio Vapore, Catherine Pierre, WAB's Elementary School Principal, and Beth Rohrbeck, Elementary School Librarian. Together, they talked about the redesign journey of our ES Library, discussing the collaborative efforts behind this community project, its impact on learning experiences, and the feedback received from our students.
Erica shared that the Interior Design Award is a platform that recognizes innovative design spaces on a global scale. Notably, our ES Library has also been shortlisted for two other awards. One is the Plan Award, which is a prestigious Italian architecture and design award hosted by the Plan magazine. We have been also nominated at the World Festival of Architecture (WAF) for the interior category.
Catherine reflected on the redesign of the ES Library, driven by the necessity to address acoustic challenges, refresh the collection, and create a conducive environment for reading. Through the collaborative effort, the redesign increased natural light by leveraging the adjacent Chinese garden and created a magical and welcoming place for reading.
Beth shared the students' enthusiasm for the redesigned library, emphasizing the design elements that cater to various age groups. The updated collection includes a diverse range of literature and award-winning books. The library is also a hub for reading events, hosting visiting authors, engaging parent volunteers, and promoting multilingualism through its varied language offerings.
Erica also mentioned the evolving landscape of design awards, noting a recent focus on educational spaces tailored to specific needs. She commended WAB's innovative teaching approach, emphasizing that the library serves as more than a mere repository of books but a dynamic space for student learning and exploration.