From the Director
I would like to welcome you back to the second part of this term and I hope you had an enjoyable vacation with your children. We have noticed that most of our children are refreshed and ready to come back after their break. At the moment we are promoting our ABC Value of Ethical which is one of our CORE values. Ethical covers so many things which we value in our children, each other and in our community. It includes being honest and being fair but it also implies a commitment to doing the right thing at all times. Being “ethical” challenges all of us to monitor our own behaviour and attitudes and to ensure we are seen to be true to our beliefs in all we do. It is also a challenge to the school and everyone who represents it, including of course staff and my leadership team, but also all of us who are parents and role models in our community. So please - let us reflect on our actions and let us embrace being ethical at all times.
As I mentioned in the previous issue of this publication we are undertaking a uniform trial this half term to see how the school community feels about secondary girls being allowed an option to wear trousers. Towards the end of this month we will be asking for feedback via a community wide survey. I want to reiterate that we are simply considering allowing girls an option to wear trousers as some girls have requested. There will be a small number of girls trialing trousers this half term.
Our afternoon pick up is much smoother this week with less cars arriving early and blocking the access roads or the pick up areas. Thank you for your patience and cooperation. There are a couple of points our traffic team would like me to reiterate.
- Please advance as far into the pick up area as you can so other parents behind you can also enter the pick up area and collect their children. We then expect your children to walk to your car
- Please note the PAC car park is now open to secondary parents with primary siblings from 2 pm (provided your secondary child has obtained a car park pass) but if you use this facility please do not arrive until after 2 pm)
- The PAC pick up area is open from 2.20 pm for all parents
- On a Wednesday when we have many children picked up at 3 pm - please do not arrive early as you are blocking access for parents trying to collect their children at 2.30 or 2.45 pm
On another note tomorrow is the 99th anniversary of the end of the First World War. A war with an estimated 41 million casualties. On 11th November 1918 the machine guns stopped firing and there was peace. We mark the end of this terrible war in Britain and in many countries with a poppy flower which many people have been wearing in school this week. The saddest part of the story of the First world war is that it has been followed by so many more wars and loss of life. The poppy reminds us of hope for a new generation which will not be blighted by war.
I am looking forward to seeing many of you at our Guy Fawkes party next Friday as a climax to our British week celebrations. We will enjoy music, dancing and fireworks as well as food, shopping and each other’s company.
I hope you have a very enjoyable weekend with your children.
Primary News
Dear Parents and Carers,
We finally have some photos of our IPC International Mindedness activity where we discussed how we belong to various communities - our family, our class, our grade and our school.
The Stones are now being cemented onto the wall outside of my office as a permanent reminder of the activity and the idea of belonging as part of one’s identity.
Here is a link to a video of the completed stones on the school field.
In primary we had several different colour runs but everybody had an amazing time. Thank you to everyone who bought a Colour Run Kit all the money raised will go to Save the Children.
Following the Primary Friendship Fair we were able to present those classes who sold the most raffle tickets with their ice cream treat. The winning classes were 2nd Tutty, 3rd Borgo, 4th Guzman and 5th Navas. Well done to all those students and their families for supporting such a good cause.
This week Grade 5 had their entry point for their new unit ‘Investigators’. The staff had carefully planned a crime scene and the students became the detectives investigating what had happened. They looked for clues and evaluated their significance. All of the students participated really well and some were very creative in their ideas about what had happened.
Nov 21st there will be no PE for Primary as the PE staff will be running a sporting event in the local stadium.
Next week is British week. In Primary we will be focussing on activities on Friday because of the accreditation team in school. The week will round up with the wonderful Guy Fawkes evening. There will be entertainment, food and fireworks. There will also be some stall holders selling items that could make great Christmas presents. There are Sparklers for sale. We recommend the children have gloves to hold them and they must be supervised by an adult as the spent wires can be very hot and they need to be disposed of correctly in the sand bins. We all enjoy this school tradition and we look forward to seeing you there.
In case it has slipped your notice, this coming week is our IPC accreditation visit. We are very excited and a bit nervous but everyone in school has worked really hard towards this and whatever the outcome we have had an amazing journey, deepened our learning and evaluated our practices. The students will be the ones to benefit from all our improvements. Wish us luck. We know all of our students will be amazing and ‘do us proud’ by being friendly, open and sociable with our visitors and sharing all they have learned.
We will not get our official feedback for several weeks but I will let you know the general feel next week.
Best wishes for a wonderful weekend
Sharon Short
Head of Primary and Safeguarding officer.
Dates for your diary
Lower Primary
November
Wednesday 15th - 1st grade field trip to playa San Diego to release turtles
Thursday 16th - Pre Kinder Curriculum Night 6:00pm - PAC
Friday 17th - Prepa Macdonald Assembly 7:30am - PAC
Friday 17th - Guy Fawkes Celebrations 6:00pm
Monday 20th - Lower Primary Christmas Toy Collection begins
Tuesday 21st - Kinder Curriculum Night 6:00pm - PAC
Tuesday 21st - No PE or Team Sports Extras
Friday 24th - Prepa Pashley Assembly 7:30am - PAC
Upper Primary
November
Wednesday 8th - 3rd Mena Assembly - 9:20am & 12:15pm - PAC
Monday 13th - Friday 17th - British Week
Friday 17th - Grade 3 Bake Sale (rearranged)
Friday 17th - Guy Fawkes and Christmas Fair Celebrations - 6:00pm - Field
Wednesday 15th - 2nd Aviles Assembly - 9:20am & 12:15pm - PAC
Tuesday 21st - Shoe Box Campaign Begins
Wednesday 22nd - 4th Grade Spanish Assembly - 9:20am & 12:15pm - PAC
Friday 24th- First Camping day 4:00pm (2nd Grade)
Saturday 25th - Last Camping day. Ends at 11:00am (2nd Grade)
Wednesday 29th - 4th Molina Assembly - 9:20am & 12:15pm - PAC
Thursday 30th - Last Golf class from Term 2.
Please note Ana Gloria Mena and Edda Padilla are Primary Safeguarding Officers
Secondary News
Dear Parents and carers,
MOVEMBER is HERE!
From Mr Anthony Pike
Following the successful Cancer Awareness assemblies at the end of last half term, and October’s well supported Breast Cancer Awareness month it is time for ‘Movember’!
Movember began in Australia in 2004 when 30 friends decided to grow a moustache for one month. Inspired by the amount of conversation their facial hair created the following year they decided to use their moustaches to raise money and awareness of men’s health issues - setting up the Movember Foundation.
Since 2004 the Movember Foundation has raised hundreds of millions of dollars around the world supporting charities that are involved in testicular cancer, prostate cancer, mental health and male suicide.
This Movember at the ABC Grade 9 - 12 students have been challenged to grow the most impressive moustache that they can (there will be a competition for the best towards the end of the month) and to donate $5 which will go towards men’s health charities here in El Salvador.
ACTUA activities for Cancer Awareness NEXT Week!
ACTUA, a student organization in school is promoting Cancer Awareness among our students and staff through CAS activities.
Girls will be allowed to use pink nail polish from Monday 13th through Friday 17th, and asked to contribute a $1 donation on Monday. All proceeds will be donated to fund cancer research. NOTE: PINK polish! No other colours allowed.
Also, on Friday 17th, girls will be allowed to wear pink shirts and boys will wear blue, and asked for a $1 donation to fund cancer research. NOTE: PINK and BLUE only; no hoodies of any other colours on top of your shirt!
Sports Day
We are really excited and looking forward to the Sports Day coming up and we have sent parents a handbook with all the information regarding the event. Please read it carefully, especially as it asks for parents to confirm whether they will pick up their children from the Stadium or back at school.
We have also sent via email the permission slip which we need to have back by Wednesday 15th of November.
Thank you for your support!
Cal 1 Grade 12 and Grade 10 reports
Our iSAMS parent portal is working and we have have published our Grade 12 and Grade 10 Cal 1 reports there. Please look at the report carefully with your child and reflect upon their performance in light of how they did at the end of last year.
Please note we have our Learning Review Days coming up (see calendar below) for Grade 12 and Grade 10 and this will be an ideal opportunity to discuss with us a plan of continued support for them. Letters were sent home and we need you to send back the time which is suitable for you.
We hope everyone has next Friday afternoon marked on their agenda as we have our traditional ommunity celebration of Guy Fawkes. We look forward to seeing you all there!
Have a wonderful weekend,
Kind regards,
Natalia Cáceres Escalón
Dates for your diary
November
Friday 10th - Grade 10 and 12 Cal 1 Reports published on iSAMS parent portal
Monday 13th - British Week
Tuesday 14th - Parent Partnership KS3 (Grades 6 to 8) "Looking after our child's wellbeing" (to be confirmed!)
Wednesday 15th - Parent Partnership KS4/IB (Grades 9 to 12)"Looking after my child's wellbeing" (to be confirmed!)
Friday 17th - Guy Fawkes Party & Christmas Fair (afternoon)
Friday 17th - Grade 12 Learning Review Day (all day and by appointment)
Tuesday 21st - Secondary Sports Day, Estadio Mágico González
Tuesday 21st to 11th December - Shoe Box campaign starts for whole school
Friday 24th - Grade 6, 7, 8, 9 and 11 Cal 1 reports published on iSAMS parent portal
Friday 24th - Grade 10 Learning Review Day (all day and by appointment)
December
Friday 15th - End of Term 1. Last day of school
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