From the Director
I want to thank everyone for their patience in terms of dealing with our drop off and pick ups in the morning and afternoon. We realised at the start of term that with the changes to the Panamericana we could not cope with all our cars arriving at the same time in the morning and that required a change. Our changes in the morning have worked well and the traffic throughout the morning drop off period is now much improved. Everyone tells me they are happy with this! The afternoons are now where we are facing some issues and we are working to deal with them. it is our intention to change nothing more for a few weeks while we monitor the situation and we try to improve the internal pick ups. I want to reassure you that it is our intention to try to make everyone's life easier during the pick ups and we are considering various ideas.
Please note that Eleanora Daura is to be Acting Chair of the Board for the next six months and we look forward to working more closely with her.
Primary News
Children’s day on the 1st of October is a very special day in the Primary school.
In Lower Primary we will have an entertainer in school to perform for the children and we ask parents to send in a simple but meaningful card for each child. The children will receive this before they go home. Imagine your child is the only one in the class who doesn’t receive a card. How hurt and upset they would be. Please make sure your card is handed in well in advance.
This year in Upper Primary the children are allowed to wear non-uniform. However, clothes must still be suitable for school activities. No beach wear or unsupported, or high heeled shoes. No spaghetti straps or offensive slogans etc. The teachers will also have special activities going on in some of their lessons.
Keep an eye out for your child’s class assemblies below so that you can get time off work to attend.
The Lower Primary curriculum nights start this week. Pre Kinder parents please come along on the 1st October so that you are better informed about what is happening in school and so that you can support your child in the right way at home.
Sometimes as parents we are tempted to become too involved in our children’s arguments and sometimes we do not support our children enough! Come along to our School for Parents on the 8th of October and learn about helping children resolve conflicts in a constructive way which also helps the children move forward. This event, arranged by our school psychologists, is in the PAC at 7.10 am.
Have a wonderful week.
Sharon Short
Dates for your diary
Lower Primary
October:
Wednesday 1st: Children’s day - please send your child’s card in
Wednesday 1st: Pre Kinder Curriculum Night - 6:00pm PAC
Friday 3rd: First Vásquez Assembly - 7:35am PAC
Tuesday 7th: Kinder Curriculum Night - 6:00pm PAC
Thursday 9th: Prepa Curriculum Night - - 6:00pm PAC
Friday 10th: First Aguirre Assembly - - 7:35am PAC
Wednesday 15th: First grade Curriculum Night - 6:00pm PAC
Friday 17th: Prepa Watt Assembly - 7:35am PAC
Friday 17th: LP United Nations day - 8:00am PAC
Monday 27th - Friday 31st - Mid-term holiday
Upper Primary
October:
Wednesday 1st October: Children’s day
Wednesday 1st October: 5th Linares assembly
Wednesday 8th October: School for Parents: Helping children resolve conflicts. 7.10am PAC
Wednesday 8th October: 3rd Padilla assembly
Wednesday 22nd October: 2nd Elisa Hernández assembly
Wednesday 22nd October: 4th Avilés assembly
Monday 27th - Friday 31st - Mid-term holiday
Secondary News
Student Council
Thank you to the Student Council for their continued support and valuable contributions.
At the ABC we encouraged our students to share their ideas and concerns. The Student Council also organises a number of fundraisers during the year.
Elections were recently held and it is my pleasure to announce the new Form Representatives. Newly elected from Grade 6 to Grade 12 we have:
Grade 6: Sebastian Arce (6A), Isabella Bolaños (6B), Rocio Guerrero (6C), Luciana Molins (6D), Alfredo Sanchez (6E)
Grade 7: Carlos Vasquez (7A), Michelle Ramirez (7B), Vanessa Nuñez (7C), Catherine Sanchez (7D), Paola Ponce (7E),
Grade 8: Michelle Kawas (8A), Marco Samour (8B), Rodrigo Melara (8C), Alejandro Orellana (8D), Clarisa Arteaga (8E)
Grade 9: Diego Behrens (9A), Irma Choto (9B), Carmen Reyes (9C), Ximena Sanchez (9D), Diego Arevalo (9E)
Grade 10: Jose María Mejía (10A), Diego Daura (10B), Sofia Rodriguez (10C), Lucia Soto (10D), Ximena Nosthas (10E)
Grade 11: Paola Lopez (11A), Saul Padilla (11B), Max Mendez (11C), Roberta Bara (11D)
Grade 12: Jimena Vega (12A), Roberto Iglesias (12B), Hans Dorcich (12C), Adriana Valladares (12D), Gabriela Landaverde (12E)
Congratulations.
ABC Student Council - 2014 to 2015 Academic Year
Panama Classic 2014
Congratulations to Paola Maria Molina Guzman Grade 9 on her success in the recent Panama Classic gymnastics competition.
Paola competed in Level 4 in the 12 years and older categories. She competed against gymnasts from Trinidad & Tobago, Panama, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Colombia and Costa Rica.
Paola said “It was a very fun experienced. At first I was nervous because of the level of competitors in my category”. Commenting on her performance on the bars “...I started to gain confidence in myself {and} … I was determined I could do it well.” Paola eventually came second place. She is now looking forward to her next competition. We wish her every success.
The Duck Project
The Duck Project, supported by some of our IB students, is a donation campaign that focuses on helping communities in El Salvador that live below the poverty line. The targeted community at the moment is Siguanango in Sonsonate. Siguanango has a population of approximately 300 people that suffer from hunger, water shortage and lack of education.
How YOU can help
The students have set up collection boxes in the bottom car park by the PAC, the top car park and by the LRC. You can donate anything including clothes, toys, blankets and food (dried food and canned food would be much appreciated, but do not include any perishable foodstuffs); however, please make sure that the items are in good condition.
Please do what you can to support this worthy project.
Stephen Spicer
Head of Secondary
Secondary dates for your diary
Tuesday 30th September: Know Your School (KYS) meeting for Grade 6, 5.30 PAC
Thursday 2nd October: KYS meeting for Grades 11 and 12, 5.30 PAC
Monday 6th October: KYS meeting for Grades 7 and 8, 5.30 PAC
Wednesday 8th October: KYS meeting for Grades 9 and 10, 5.30 PAC
Thursday 9th October: Johns Hopkins University, Vanderbilt University, NYU, Northwestern University visit - 2.00pm to 3.00pm & 4.00pm to 5.30pm in the PAC (parents and students Grade 9-12 are invited).
