27: Friday 22nd March 2013

Information:

Please note that the football field will be out of use from the 25th of March to the 7th of April since it will be being maintained.

School Year Dates for SY13-14: We confirm that the first day of school for the following school year will be Thursday 22nd of August 2013 and that the last day of the school year will be Friday 20th of June 2014.

News from the Learning Resources Centre

Primary News

Easter Holiday

School closes at the normal time on Friday 22nd March for the Easter holiday and reopens at 7am on Monday 8th April. We hope that you and your family have a restful holiday. Please help and encourage your children to continue speaking and reading in both Spanish and English whilst they are on holiday.

Parent/Teacher meetings

In a questionnaire sent out to parents last year some people felt that there were not enough opportunities for parents to meet with teachers to discuss their children's progress. In response to this we are now organising parent/teacher meetings each term. You will be invited to make appointments for these meetings shortly after the holiday.

Punctuality

Registration at school takes place at 7am for all pupils. If children are not in their classrooms ready to begin the school day at this time they will be marked as late and this will be reflected in their reports. We have been lenient in LP, especially with our youngest pupils, but now that everyone is well settled into school and the daily routines, please ensure that your child arrives at school with plenty of time to get to their classrooms in time for 7.00am registration, this is a very important part of the day for all pupils.

Dates for your diary

Lower Primary

Monday 25th March - Friday 5th April: Easter Holiday

Upper Primary

Wednesday 10th April: UP Spelling Bee from 8:50-9:55 and from 11:00-12:00

Wednesday 24th April: 2nd Gilchrist Assembly at the PAC. 9:00am

Wednesday 24th April: 4th Quintanilla Assembly at the PAC. 11:55am

Secondary News

On behalf of all the Secondary Section I would like to wish you all a very happy Spring Break or Easter Holiday. School reopens in two weeks time on monday 8th April. In the meantime we are expecting our older students to be working very hard over the coming holidays as Grade 9 and 11 Exams start the first week we are back and the IB Exams start three weeks after we get back with IGCSE starting soon after. This vacation is an ideal time to rest, recuperate and see family but also to study and prepare for important exams.

We are all looking forward to next term with intertribal volleyball and handball coming up as well as Careers Day and all of the events surrounding the graduation of the Class of 2013. We are also planning some musical performances towards the end of term to encourage our singers and young actors!

We look forward to seeing you all on Monday 8th April. However I would like to add one word. We are very concerned to maintain high standards with respect to school uniform and in particular we expect our girls to wear skirts of the required length and to wear proper ankle socks. We will be enforcing these issues more forcefully next term and I know we have your support so please play your part in ensuring students come to school appropriately dressed.

Secondary dates for your diary

Monday 8th April: First Day of Term Three

Thursday 11th April: Grade 9/11 Exams start

26: Friday 15th March 2013

Primary News

Sally Featherstone - Early Years Specialist

From the 18th - 22nd March we will have Sally Featherstone in Lower Primary working with staff. Sally has been a teacher, headteacher and local authority adviser, specialising in the early years and primary sectors. She now divides her time between training, consultancy and writing, and works throughout the UK and overseas. Her training covers a range of current issues, and she is particularly interested in promoting thinking skills, developing communication, gender, child-initiated learning, and assessment for planning. Among Sally’s many books are titles in the Little Books series, Catching Them at It, and with Ros Bayley, Independent Learning in the Foundation Stage, Smooth Transitions, Carrying on in Key Stage 1 and The Cleverness of Boys, and, with Nicola Call, The Thinking Child.

Characteristics of Effective Learning in the Foundation Stage

Parent Workshop led by Sally Featherstone on Wednesday 20th March 7.15am - 8.30am in the Performing Arts Centre (PAC) - only with confirmation.

Swimming galas

Please check the dates below for Lower Primary swimming galas next week

Assemblies

Wednesday 20th March 

9.10 3rd Garcia Prieto

11.55 5th Molina

School for Parents

At 7am on Thursday 21st March our next school for parents session will cover the following issues:

• What Authority is
• How different types of authority influence a child's development positively and negatively.
• Consequences of each type of authority
• Basic tips on how to practice suitable authority skills

Dates for your diary

Lower Primary

Monday 18th March: Pre-Kinder Swimming Gala 10.00am

Tuesday 19th March: Prepa Swimming Gala 10.00am

Wednesday 20th March: Sally Featherstone Parent Workshop 7.15 - 8.30am

Wednesday 20th March: Kinder Swimming Gala 10.00am

Monday 25th March - Friday 5th April: Easter Holiday

Upper Primary

Wednesday 20th March: 3rd Garcia Prieto Assembly, 9.10am at the PAC

Wednesday 20th March: 5th Molina Assembly, 11.55am at the PAC

Thursday 21st March: School for parents, 7:00am, at the PAC

Secondary News

We have been celebrating Brain Week in secondary school this week and our message has been simple. Each of us has a hugely powerful brian capable of amazing feats but our brains need a number of things to grow to their full potential.

1. Stimulation - our brains need to be challenged to think and to solve problems. They need exposing to information and ideas
2. Sleep - our brains need sleep to process information and get ready for the next day. This should be a minimum of 8 hours a night for teenagers.
3. Food and Water - our brains need good natural food and plenty of water in order to be at their best
4. Physical Exercise - our brains benefit from physical exercise and sporting activities.

We want all our students to understand that their brains can develop and grow even more if they follow these basic guidelines

Our HACIA Democracy team return from Dominican Republic on Monday and we look forward to seeing them back after their conference. WE have had very encouraging reports from Mr. Quijano and Mr. Arnold who are with the team.

On Thursday we are supporting a local Down’s Syndrome charity with a Tshirt day and on Friday, the last day of term, the Student Council are sponsoring a Tshirt day.

Grade 10 and 12 students should be spending time studying and preparing for their forthcoming IGCSE and IB exams.

Secondary dates for your diary

Thursday 21st March: Jeans day with the Down Syndrome T-shirt campaign

Friday 22nd March: Student Council Non Uniform Day. Last day of term two.

Monday 8th April: First Day of Term Three

25: Friday 8th March 2013

From the Headmaster

On behalf of the Board of Governors of the school I would like to invite you to the parents’ information meeting to be held at the school’s Performing Arts Centre (PAC), at 18:00 hours on Wednesday 13th March 2013. Should there not be 50% plus 1 of all parents present, the meeting will reconvene at 18:30 hours on the same day and proceed with those in attendance.

We look forward to seeing you at this important meeting. 

Primary News

Sally Featherstone - Early Years Specialist

From the 18th - 22nd March we will have Sally Featherstone in Lower Primary working with staff. Sally has been a teacher, headteacher and local authority adviser, specialising in the early years and primary sectors. She now divides her time between training, consultancy and writing, and works throughout the UK and overseas. Her training covers a range of current issues, and she is particularly interested in promoting thinking skills, developing communication, gender, child-initiated learning, and assessment for planning. Among Sally’s many books are titles in the Little Books series, Catching Them at It, and with Ros Bayley, Independent Learning in the Foundation Stage, Smooth Transitions, Carrying on in Key Stage 1 and The Cleverness of Boys, and, with Nicola Call, The Thinking Child.

Characteristics of Effective Learning in the Foundation Stage

Parent Workshop led by Sally Featherstone on Wednesday 20th March 7.15am - 8.30am in the Performing Arts Centre (PAC)

UP and 1st Grade Swimming galas next week

Please check the dates below to check the dates for your child’s swimming gala. We look forward to seeing you there.

School Photos next week

Brain Awareness Week

Next week is Brain Awareness week in school and in Life Skills lessons we will be encouraging children to think about the impact that their lifestyle can have on their learning. In primary we are particularly concerned that some of our children do not get enough sleep and that this, definitely, has an impact on their performance in school.

Assemblies

Wednesday 13th March 11.55 - 4th Hernández Spanish assembly

Friday 15th March 7.20am - PK Carbajal assembly

We look forward to welcoming parents to support their children at these assemblies.

4th Grade Camping

The 4th Grade team are looking forward to their camping night on Friday 15th March. We are hoping for clear skies so that we can use the telescopes from the observatory, with help from their astronomers, to view the night sky. Another follow up to 4th Grades recent IPC unit Mission to Mars!

Prepa Exit Point - Buildings

On Friday 15th March Prepa children are going on a sightseeing tour to look at different types of buildings and structures around San Salvador as we have been learning about this topic in our IPC unit "Buildings".

Dates for your diary

Lower Primary

Wednesday 13th March: First Grade Swimming Gala 10.00am

Friday 15th March: Pre-Kinder Carbajal Assembly 7.20am at the PAC

Monday 18th March: Pre-Kinder Swimming Gala 10.00am

Tuesday 19th March: Prepa Swimming Gala 10.00am

Wednesday 20th March: Sally Featherstone Parent Workshop 7.15 - 8.30am

Wednesday 20th March: Kinder Swimming Gala 10.00am

Upper Primary

Monday 11th March: 2nd Grade Swimming Gala 10.00am

Tuesday 12th March: 3rd Grade Swimming Gala 10.00am

Wednesday 13th March: 4th Hernández Spanish Assembly, 11.55 at the PAC

Thursday 14th March: 4th Grade Swimming Gala 10.00am

Friday 15th March: 5th Grade Swimming Gala 10.00am

Wednesday 20th March: 3rd Garcia Prieto Assembly, 9.10am at the PAC

Wednesday 20th March: 5th Molina Assembly, 11.55am at the PAC

Thursday 21st March: School for parents, 7:00am, at the PAC

Secondary News

We hope to see many of you this evening and tomorrow evening at the Teatro Presidente for the final acts of the very exciting Bicultural Arts Festival Week. 

Both evenings the show starts at 6pm and we expect them to be excellent. We know how much our students have enjoyed participating in the Festival and it has been a pleasure to host other students here at school during the week. Thank you to all parents for their support and to all the staff who have given so much to the success of the Festival.

Next Week is Brain Week and we will be helping students think about strategies for helping their brains grow and develop.

Congratulations to the Math Relay team who came first in the regional competition in Mexico yesterday. We look forward to seeing them all back in school on Monday.

Please note the HACIA Democracy trip leaves on Wednesday.

Next Week Grade 6-8 Exams start on Thursday. Students will come to school and depart from school at the usual times. Please help them ensure they get plenty of sleep before and during Exam Week and that they have a healthy breakfast before coming to school. 

The safety of Personal Items is important to us. We have had some items go missing recently from our very busy campus. Students have been told they must only leave valuable items in a locked locker. If we find valuable items not properly secured we will contact you to report our concern. We need to ensure our students understand the importance of protecting their valuable items.

Secondary dates for your diary

Monday 11th March: Brain Week & School Photographs

Tuesday 12th March: Grade 12 Parent Partnership Meeting

Wednesday 13th March: HACIA Democracy trip departs. General Meeting for ABC Parents

Thursday 14th March: Grade 6-8 Exams start

Thursday 21st March: Student Council Spring Formal

Friday 22nd March: Student Council Non Uniform Day. Last day of term two.

24: Friday 1st March 2013

From the Headmaster

The Learning Support Unit-Secondary has created a blog to share ideas and activities that are being carried out in the ABC. You can check it out at: http://abclsu.blogspot.com/

Primary News

Maths workshops

Many parents attended our Maths Workshops for parents last week and reported that they had learnt new ways to help their children with their maths at home. Many thanks to the teachers for taking the time to organise these valuable opportunities for our parents to learn too! On Monday 4th March 1st Grade teachers will be holding their Maths workshop for parents from 7.14 - 7.45am in their classrooms. Please remember to use the emergency carpark if you are attending this event.

World Maths Day

Wednesday 6th March is World Maths Day and children in the primary school will be taking part in a range of maths based activities to encourage their enjoyment and appreciation of this area of the curriculum.

5th Grade camping night

Unusually the children from 5th Grade are being permitted to have their camping night during the week! This is because they are fulfilling a part of the PE and Science primary curriculum while they are away with participation in outdoor activities and scientific investigations into forces and habitats.

Careers Day

This coming Friday, March 8, we will have “Careers Day” in Upper Primary. Boys and girls will be able to come to the school with appropriate clothing of the different professions that exist and/or what they dream about being when they grow up.

All students of Upper Primary (2nd to 5th grade) are invited to participate. Don’t miss it!!

The cost to participate is US$1.00. The money will be used for the grades’ saving funds.

Bicultural Schools Arts Festival

The Bicultural Arts Festival brings together students from different schools to experience and produce Art (art, music, drama, dance, etc.)

We believe that students will have an enhanced experience by working together with students from other schools, as well as by participating in a festival which is put on combining the resources of the schools involved.

The Upper Primary is taking part in this great activity with the Choir and some Strings players. All students are working hard to put together a good repertoire of songs learning about the beauty of music and making new friends.

The Bicultural Festival Concert will take place on Saturday 9th of March in Teatro Presidente at 6:00 PM. Entrance is free!!

Dates for your diary

Lower Primary

Friday 8th March: Pre-Kinder Cáceres Assembly 7.20 a. m. at the PACWednesday 13th March: First Grade Swimming Gala 10.00 a. m.

Friday 15th March: Pre-Kinder Carbajal Assembly 7.20 a. m. at the PAC

Monday 18th March: Pre-Kinder Swimming Gala 10.00 a. m.

Tuesday 19th March: Prepa Swimming Gala 10.00 a. m.

Wednesday 20th March: Kinder Swimming Gala 10.00 a. m.

Upper Primary

Friday 1st- Saturday 2nd March: 2nd grade camping night - Tuscania

Friday 1st: 4th Grade Maths workshop for parents

Wednesday 6th - Thursday 7th: 5th grade camping night - Portezuelo park, Juayua

Friday 8th: UP Career day

Monday 11th March: 2nd Grade Swimming Gala 10.00 a. m.

Tuesday 12th March: 3rd Grade Swimming Gala 10.00 a. m.

Wednesday 13th March: 4th Hernández Spanish Assembly, 11.55 at the PAC

Thursday 14th March: 4th Grade Swimming Gala 10.00 a. m.

Friday 15th March: 5th Grade Swimming Gala 10.00 a. m.

Wednesday 20th March: 3rd Garcia Prieto Assembly, 9.10 a. m. at the PAC

Wednesday 20th March: 5th Molina Assembly, 11.55 a. m. at the PAC

Thursday 21st March: School for parents, 7:00am and 6:00pm, at the PAC

Secondary News

Bicultural Arts week is next week and will involve ABC students working with students from other bilingual schools on a range of artistic projects. If your son or daughter is involved please ensure you know where they need to be. There will be exhibitions and performances at the Teatro Presidente on Friday 8th March and Saturday 9th March which will be open to parents and we hope to see you there.

Please note on Tuesday Grade 6, 9 & 11 Cal 2 reports will be issued to students to bring home at 1.50 pm. Your son or daughter will have the original and a photocopy. Please sign and return the photocopy on Wednesday morning.

There is a very important Grade 8 IGCSE Information Evening on Tuesday starting in the PAC at 6pm. Grade 8 reports will be issued and there will be a discussion of IGCSE and IGCSE Options. Please note the 6 pm start

On Wednesday there is a Grade 7 Parent Partnership Meeting in the PAC at 6 pm. We hope all Grade 7 parents will come to this discussion about relevant issues.

Secondary dates for your diary

Lunes 4 de marzo: Semana del Festival Bicultural de Artes
Martes 5 de marzo: Entrega de Reportes de Cal 2 para 6º, 9º y 11º grados y a la 1.50 p.m. los alumnos se llevan los Reportes a casa
Martes 5 de marzo: Noche Informativa sobre el IGCSE para 8º grado, Entrega de Reportes y entrevistas de padres y maestros para hablar sobre el progreso y posibles opciones, 5:30 p.m. en el PAC
Miércoles 6 de marzo: Reunión de Padres en Sociedad para 7º grado
Lunes 11 de marzo: Semana del Cerebro y toma de fotos para los alumnos
Martes 12 de marzo: Reunión de Padres en Sociedad para 12º grado
Miércoles 13 de marzo: Sale de viaje el grupo de ”HACIA Democracy”. Reunión General para todos los Padres de la ABC
Jueves 14 de marzo: Inicio de los exámenes de Cal para 6º,7º y 8º grados
Jueves 21 de marzo: ‘Spring Formal’ del Consejo Estudiantil
Viernes 22 de marzo: Consejo Estudiantil Día sin el uniforme, último día del Segundo trimestre.