Friday 17 March 2017

25: Friday 17th March 2017

From the Director


We have had an amazing week! Our triumphant Mathcounts Team returned from Mexico from a competition involving teams from all over the Americas and the Caribbean. They followed up the winning of the local competition with a second and a third place in their respective competitions. We are very proud of them. We would also like to particularly recognise Senji Shibata (Class 2021), Diego Narvaez  and Luis Nuñez (Class 2022) who were all placed in the top 10 of the individual students competition.


One of the highlights of our school year is the IB Art Exhibition and this year was amazing. Our heartfelt congratulations go to the nine students who participated. The standard was amazing and shows what young people can achieve. I hope you had a chance to come and see the exhibition during the week.


This evening we have the final event of the Bicultural Arts Festival with the music and choral events. Congratulations to everyone involved in the Drama and Dance last night which was thoroughly enjoyed by the audience. The Art Exhibition was excellent and is still on show this evening if you attend the Music event.


We are all looking forward to the Primary Fair tomorrow. The children are very excited and I have already had a number of promises of ice cream and other goodies.


On a more serious note Ms. Cáceres and myself have recently returned from some training on safeguarding students from abuse and we are looking to develop our policies further in this respect. As a community we need to work together, all of us, to ensure we place the emotional and physical well being of our children at the highest level. We need to be aware of the possible dangers and respond sensibly and firmly. As parents you need to know that we take this as an utmost priority.


On Monday we have the Annual Parents Meeting with presentations by the Board of Directors and we look forward to seeing you there.

Primary News


Dear Parents and Carers,


TOMORROW IS THE PRIMARY FAIR.  - WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ALL THERE.
The Primary Fair is one of the highlights of the academic year for the students. Each class has prepared a game or activity for the other students to try and each student takes a turn in running a stall. We have had some really funny things to do over the last few years and the students have learned a lot about organisation, responsibility, money and being a salesperson in the process. Parents always tell me what a great time they have had as well. We have a good selection of raffle prizes and the now very popular jar tombola and the staff team have worked very hard to organise the thing as a whole. Please come with plenty of change and support the ‘Fairs to Educate’ charity that the Primary School runs.


Tonight is the last night of the BIcultural Arts Festival. Our Primary students will be performing in the choir and the orchestra as will our Secondary students. Please do come along, it is free of charge, and enjoy a very pleasant evening of entertainment. The songs chosen are usually popular ones well known to all.


Our next group of students are preparing for the UK trip this Summer. Their meetings are taking place every Friday. The students learn about the UK, its culture and landmarks and are beginning to get an idea of the things they will do and see. We regard the UK trip as the ultimate primary experience allowing students to be independent and find out more about themselves and the world when parents are not around to support them. However this is a big first step and so we have the build up to it with the grade camps, the ski trip to Mammoth for a week and each year we try to get a Spanish speaking eco trip to Costa Rica off the ground. So far we haven’t had enough students interested to actually go! As a six day visit not too far away it would be the perfect preparation for the longer UK trip. Make sure you respond promptly when our invitation letters come out later in the year.


The teachers have sent out invitations to parent conferences and these are taking place over the next two or so weeks. Please make sure you have responded and that you know when your appointment is.

File:Urval av de bocker som ...

The 23rd and 24th March are the school Book days. We have all got a lot on so we are doing slightly less this year. However we still have the aim of fostering a love of reading and encourage you all to make a special effort to read with your children this week.
Friday the 24th is also when we are going to celebrate Down Syndrome Day and we have a jeans day for those students who bought a Paraiso Down T-shirt. The letters were circulated very recently for you to order your t-shirts. This is entirely voluntary but of course as always supports a very good cause. The school has been closely involved with Paraiso Down for many years and some of our CAS students work there on the weekends. It is our CAS students who have organised this charity campaign. Please support them in their action too.


Finally it felt like a flashmob on Thursday when the Grade 2s had their ‘Chocolate’ exit point. The whole grade demonstrated their chocolate dance with Miss Susie dressed as a Hershey’s Chocolate Kiss leading the way and then every child brought their parent or family member in to join in the dance. The Upper Primary courtyard was full of people waving their arms and following the steps. It was an exciting finish to the IPC unit.


Have a great weekend.
Sharon Short

Head of Primary and Primary Safeguarding Officer.


Dates for your diary

Lower Primary
March
Saturday 18th: Primary Fair - 8.30 am - FIELD
Friday 24th: Pre-Kinder González assembly - 7:45 am - PAC
Friday 31st: Pre-Kinder Siri assembly - 7:45 am - PAC

April
Monday 3rd: 1st Grade Swimming Gala 08:50 - 10:20 am - Big pool
Wednesday 5th: PK Egg Hunt - Tenerife
Friday 7th: Last day of Term 2 - children leave at their normal departure time
Monday 24th: First day of Term 3

May
Monday 1st: Holiday

Upper Primary
March
Saturday 18th: Primary Fair
Monday 20th - Friday 31st: UP Parent Conferences
Wednesday 22nd: 3rd Sullivan Assembly 9:20 - 10:05 PAC and 12:15 - 1:15 PAC
Wednesday 29th: 2nd Spanish Assembly 9:20 - 10:05 PAC and 12:15 - 1:15 PAC

April
Tuesday 4th:2nd Swimming Gala
Wednesday 5th:3rd Swimming Gala
Thursday 6th:4th Swimming Gala
Friday 7th: 5th Swimming Gala
Friday 7th: Last day of term 2
Monday 10th - Friday 21st: Easter Holiday
Monday 24th: First day of term 3


Secondary News

Dear parents and carers,

This has been an incredibly busy week in Secondary and one which marks history as we celebrated our first ever ABC Bulldog Pride Spirit Week! I can honestly say that the theme has matched our sentiment very well. We have been overwhelmed by the number of activities taking place where our students’ and staff’s commitment and pride in our school has been on display.

It was wonderful to see so many students taking part in Book Character day to kick off Spirit week and twin day on Wednesday! Tuesday, our Grade 12 IB Art exhibition was inaugurated; we are proud of their effort and impressed with their talent! Today we are proud of our ROC Merit students and recognised their efforts in Cal 2 and we close the day with PRIDE day celebrations! I would like to thank the Student Council President, Jose Eduardo Monterrosa, and Vice President, Daniela Villalobos, for their tireless efforts to lead the organisation of the week’s events and thank you to the whole Student Council for their enthusiasm and hard work! Finally, the whole week we have also been involved in the Bicultural Arts Festival, again, demonstrating their talent, school spirit and pride! We look forward to their concert tonight at the Teatro Presidente.




Please see links to pictures on these days :

PRIDE WEEK
From José Eduardo Monterrosa (StuCo President) and Daniela Villalobos (StuCo Vice President)
The school’s mindset is fueled by innovation, leadership, collaboration and CORE values. The Student Council shares this mindset and passionately believes on the vital importance of strengthening our school Pride. As a result, the first ever Pride Day has the aim of uniting the ABC Community and create a platform that will continue to enhance our pride for Rocky and the school. There will be a Students vs Teachers Football match, music and food, such as pupusas and pizza. We are #ABCBulldogs.
Book Character day

IB ART Exhibition
From Mrs Lucila Gonzalez
On Tuesday of this week, the arts exhibition of 12th IB was inaugurated in an event where artists, professors, parents and guests participated. This exhibition is the final exam of the subject of Visual Arts and the result to two years of work, in which pieces of art are made from the conventional like painting, sculpture to digital expressions.
The analysis of all those aspects of life as: death, life, violence, hope, ecological deterioration, metaphor, appearances, pain, feelings, influences, water, women and many issues More, it leads us to show that each work responds to a theoretical and rational foundation, and that through aesthetic practice, leads us to a creative and original personal interpretation of our realities. Generating critical and creative thinking.
The students exhibited were full of praise, applause and congratulations for such great exposure, full of talent and creativity.



Salva Regina University visit
From Mrs María Eugenia Díaz- Nuila de Vides - university counsellor
We were happy to host a presentation by Salve Regina University to share information and welcome admitted students from El Salvador. Thanks to our EXABRIT and Salve Regina’s alumna Emma Garcia Prieto for coordinating this event. If you would like to know more about this university, please feel free to contact me.


Celebrating resilience and determination
From Ms Burns- HoY 8
On Tuesday we were very glad to welcome an Exabrit from the Class of 2016 who came to talk to us about the challenges he faced in the football team in his final year at school.
Antonio Safie was dropped from the school team after his fitness levels fell. This was devastating to him, but he made the decision to not give up. He trained every day after school, running laps and swimming to build up his stamina, and was even here on the weekends working on his football skills. His hard work paid off and he won his place again.
He is a true example of resilience in action and the embodiment of our school motto: effort leads to success.

A reminder that next week, our G9 and G11 students will start their Examination period. Mr Hall has sent information out to parents as well as students regarding this period. Please read it carefully and support your children at home  by ensuring they have a quiet place to revise as well as ensuring they get proper nutrition and hydration as well as enough sleep especially during this time.

I would like to end, by asking your support on a very important issue which is the use of technology, in particular Cellphones. We agreed last year, following consultation with staff that Grade 6 and Grade 7 students would not bring a mobile phone to school. This policy was introduced to help protect students from exposure to inappropriate videos or internet sites they may have been sharing with their peers. Staff should therefore confiscate phones from any Grade 6 or Grade 7 student.  G8 and above may have them with them, turned off, in their bags. We ask that parents do not call or Whatsapp their children during the school day as this sends a conflicting message to them and it makes it very difficult for them to understand appropriate use of these devices. Thank you for your cooperation on this matter.

Have a wonderful weekend!
Natalia Cáceres Escalón

Secondary dates for your diary

March
Tuesday 21st- 7th Grade empowerment afternoon (1.00- 3.30 pm)
Tuesday 28th  - KS3 Parent Partnership Meeting on Internet Safety
Wednesday 22nd - Grade 9 and 11 exams start
Friday 24th - 1er Festival Gastronomique-culturel Francophone and Jeans Day for “Paraíso Down”
Friday 31st - Grade 8 Art Trip to Bicentenario (San Salvador) and end of Grade 9 and 11 exams

April
Saturday 1st to Saturday 18th April - Business Department Trip to UK and France
Sunday 2nd - Bicultural Music Festival
Friday 7th - Last day of Term two
Monday 10th to Friday 21st - Easter holidays, school closed

No comments:

Post a Comment