From the Director
I have spent a few days this week at the Latin American Heads Conference in Bogotá which has been very interesting. It has been interesting to talk about education and best practice and understanding ways we can continue to develop our world class learning at the ABC. As part of the Conference two of our staff Ana Raquel Suarez and Ana Cabrera presented a brilliant session on Reggio Emilia learning ideas and our early years learning philosophy. There were many positive comments about the work we are doing with our early years children. As part of the LAHC we also had two of our students participating in the conference. They did an amazing job representing our school and it was a pleasure to work with them.
We have finalized our infrastructure developments for next year and we are producing a special version of this newsletter next week. We are really excited about the plans and the further improvement of our learning environment.
This Sunday is World Earth Day and we have been fundraising in school to support it. The focus this year is in raising awareness of plastic pollution and committing to Ending Plastic Pollution by Earth Day 2020, the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. This also fits with our support for the Sustainable Development Goals and especially numbers 6 and 14. This link is useful.
I am looking forward to being back in school on Monday and seeing many of you.
Primary News
Dear Parents and carers,
Following on from Mr Keslake’s comments please read a snippet from our Reggio Emilia expert Mrs Yolanda Siri. Ms Yoli has been fully trained in the Reggio Emilia inspired approach, including spending some time in Italy.
The Reggio Emilia philosophy of education began in north Italy in 1945 in a region called Reggio Emilia. Its founder is Loris Malaguzzi.
It is recognised worldwide as one of the best education methods for early childhood and furthermore, the Harvard School of Education studies it as a model for their learning groups. The approach is centred on the following; the child as protagonist, the teacher as the guide, the learning space as the third teacher, the involvement of families and the documentation of the child’s learning.
The next two weeks are very hectic and there is a lot going on for you and our students to get involved with. We sent you out the letter about the Funzel Fundraisers this week and we hope the students will participate in order to raise as much as possible for this worthy an very important cause.
On Friday April the 27th at 6.00pm it is Latin Music Night. A chance to enjoy music from the region, performances from students across the school and a local professional group Ligia Morales and Salsa Clave will be playing for us to ‘dance our socks off’.
Entry to the event is free and refreshments will be on sale. The PAC is decorated to create an exciting atmosphere and it always a really enjoyable evening. Do please come along and support the students.
Book Week is the last week of April in school. You have received letters explaining what will be happening and inviting you in to buy books for your children. Reading is a key skill for life and we want our children to love books and reading. It is very important that they have books at home to treasure.
The focus this year is poetry and we are looking forward to the students performing some poems for us.
On Monday the daily poetry reading will start and students will prepare their ‘poem in their pocket’ to read to anyone at a moments notice. Tuesday they will be sharing these poems. Wednesday is the Lower Primary Pyjama Day where the students can wear their night clothes to school for a bedtime story. Please make sure the night wear is not skimpy in any way. Thursday there will be classes sharing with each other and Friday is when the students dress up as a character. Each class has been set a theme so please check with the teacher if you are not sure what your child should be wearing. Over the week there will be some story dramatizations for LP students as well.
Please note that the school is closed on Monday 30th April for a mid term break.
Have a great week.
Sharon Short
Head of Primary
Lead Safeguarding Officer.
Dates for your diary
Lower Primary
April
Monday 23rd - Friday 27th - Book Week (parents are invited to read to the class)
Tuesday 24th - Prepa & First Parents invited to visit Book Fair
Wednesday 25th - Pre-Kinder and Kinder Parents invited to visit Book Fair
Wednesday 25th - Lower Primary Bedtime Story - Pyjama Day
Thursday 26th - First Grade Trip to Balsamar
Friday 27th - Primary Book Character Fancy Dress Parade
Friday 27th - 4th session of extracurricular activities finish
Friday 27th - Latin Music Night
Monday 30th - No school for students
Upper Primary
April
Wednesday 18th - Spanish Assembly - 9:20 am & 12:15 pm- PAC
Wednesday 18th - Charla COESAL Escuela para Padres - 7:30 am - 8:30 am - PAC
Friday 20th - UK Trip 2018 Study Groups
Saturday 21st - Retiro Comité Católico 3rd, 4th y 5th Grades - (8:00am-12:00pm)
W/B Monday 23rd - World Book Day & Book week celebrations
Monday 23rd -FUNZEL Fundraising Week
Tuesday 24th - No GOLF this week (Session has ended)
Wednesday 25th - 5th Caceres Assembly - 09:20 & 12:15 - PAC
Wednesday 25th - Charla COESAL 5o grado Madre e Hija - 7:30 am - 8:30 am - Seminar Room
Wednesday 25th - Charla COESAL 5o grado Padre e Hijo - 7:30 am - 8:30 am - Lecture Theater
Friday 27th - UK Trip 2018 Study Groups
Friday 27th - Last Day Extracurricular Programme (Session 4)
Monday 30th - No school for students
May
Tuesday 1st- Labor Day Holiday
Wednesday 2nd - Session 5 Extracurricular Programme starts
Wednesday 2nd - No Upper Primary Assembly today
Please note Ana Gloria Mena and Edda Padilla are Designated Primary Safeguarding Officers
Secondary News
Miss Caceres is attending the Latin American Heads conference in Bogota this week so has asked me to write the weekly.
Nothing separates successful people from unsuccessful people more than how they use their time
John C Maxwell
Never is this quote more pertinent than at this very moment, particularly for our Grade 10 and 12 students. We are very proud of the successes of ABC students across the school and beyond. We celebrate their achievements in a wide variety of areas, not least in the incredible performances in the recent school production or our students successes in maths and debating competitions. We also welcome back our Exabrits and enjoy following their successes beyond the ABC.
However, whilst it is right to celebrate achievement, we cannot lose sight of what comes before - hard work! It is too easy for us to see others enjoying success and to attribute it to ‘talent’ or ‘luck’. However, nearly all success comes as a result of determination, resilience and, above all, effort. Often this hard work and the struggles involved are not apparent to others, but they are always there. As our Grade 10 and 12 students embark on their final week of school before their exams, they need to keep this in mind, and maintain the motivation to ensure they achieve the very best results possible in their exams. In most cases they have and it has been pleasing to see the effort, commitment and hard work being shown. I am sure this will be reflected in their exam results. I am also grateful for the generosity and energy shown by our teachers at this time of year as they support those students with their final exam preparation. Our students are lucky to be taught by such a talented and committed group of professionals who work tirelessly to ensure they achieve success.
This work will continue next week and it is imperative that students maintain a sensible routine and continue to come to school every day prepared to work hard right up to the final day of school. They need to use their time effectively, following a revision timetable and ensuring they have plenty of rest and exercise.
There is more information about the exams below, as well as information about some of the amazing events that have been taking place around the school to celebrate Earth Week. There is also some information about Book Week which is rapidly approaching. Please encourage your son or daughter to get involved and celebrate the joy of reading!
I wish you and your families a restful weekend.
Adrian Hall
Deputy Headteacher
Grade 10 and 12 - External Exams
Mr Hogan and Mr Hall have led Life Skills lessons this week outlining the expectations and procedures for the upcoming IB and IGCSE exams. It is crucial that students and parents fully understand these, as failure to adhere to the exam regulations may have serious consequences. Below you can find links to the exam timetables and regulations, as well as the presentations used in the Life Skills lessons. We would be very grateful if you could discuss these with your son or daughter before the exams begin next week.
Exam Regulations and Procedures (includes link to exam schedule)
Grade 9 and 11 - End of Year exams and Learning Review Days
This week, students and parents in Grades 9 and 11 were sent details of their exams which take place at the end of May. This are internal exams which will contribute to their Grade for Cal 3. Below you will find a link to the exam schedule and exam procedures. Over the next few weeks, subject teachers will be discussing these exams with their students and helping them to prepare.
ABC Earth Week 2018
To celebrate Earth Week, Mr Arevelo and students have been learning about the environment around us and how we can better care for our planet. As well as assemblies on Thursday and friday, students participated in many activities over the week to increase awareness of our responsibility to the planet and to raise money for charity.
Monday 16th
Recycling in the LRC
Tuesday 17th
Tree planting by the English/Spanish green area from 2:10 pm.
Wednesday 18th
KS3 Assembly in the PAC at 7:00 pm
Thursday 19th
KS4 & KS5 Assembly in the PAC at 7:00 pm and visit of the ABC Botanical Garden by the Science pond area at 2:10 pm
Book Week is Almost Here!
We are very excited to announce the start of Secondary Book Week 2018! This annual event will begin on Monday 23rd, and run all week long.
Book Week offers opportunities to students and staff to engage with a breadth of literature genres and formats through a variety of activities. The activities, including displays and special guest, help to highlight the significance of literary interactions in our lives and allow us to engage in important discussions which focus on on literature related themes.
The LRC, in conjunction with the Spanish department have prepared a set of dynamic activities for students during timetabled lessons next week. Other activities such as competitions, a book fair and special display work will take place in and around the LRC.
On Friday there will be a dress up as your favourite character day. In order to participate, students must complete a Google form indicating their intent to participate and their character ( prior to 3pm on Wednesday April 15th).
Click here for the schedule of activities for the week.
Happy Book Week, ABC!
We Will Rock You - Encore!
Today students and staff were able to enjoy the first of our Friday lunchtime concerts on the lawn in front of the LRC. There could be no better inauguration then an encore of the fantastic ‘We Will Rock You’ and the stars of the show ran through several of the big numbers. Again they did a magnificent job and sent everyone away happy to their final lesson of the week! Thanks to the amazing cast, and to the staff who helped organise the concert. We can’t wait for next week!
Team Sports
TSP Closing Ceremony
Graduation- Master in Competitiveness -
The graduation for the Master in Competitiveness took place this morning at UCA. Our graduating ABC teachers are Cecilia Hernández, Hugo Alfaro, Eduardo Salazar, and Giovanni Portillo who received their diplomas today.
Congratulations!!!
TSP Table Tennis
Student games- Table Tennis-La Libertad –
The Student Games continue with Table Tennis. The ABC hosted this event during the day. The Bulldogs participated in the U11-12 and U15-17 categories. It is important to mention that they were able to classify for the national stage.
Luis Miguel -1st place
Camilo Aguilar – 2nd place
Juan Antonio Varela – 3rd place
Congratulations!!!
TSP Soccer
Bulldogs Cup – U10 (m) –
Exciting games and excellent goals were the delight of today’s matches.
TSP Handball
Trojan League-Handball
Handball began this afternoon at the American School. The ABC had two participating teams, and both gave their Best! Here are the results:
U12
ABC 8 - 12 Colegio Nazareth
TSP BKB
57th Student Games - BKB - Mini (f) –
Second game for the children in the Bulldogs team. They showed a good defense and control which enabled them to score the three points for the ABC.
ABC 33 - 12 Colegio Bethania
TSP BKB
57th Student Games - BKB - Mini (f) –+
Girls Bulldogs team had a very difficult match against Colegio Belén, while fighting for the Student championship of La Libertad.
TSP Soccer
Bulldogs Cup – Soccer –
The championship continued this afternoon with exciting matches and many emotions!
Go Bulldogs!!!
TSP BKB
57th Student Games - BKB - Pasarela (m)
The Bulldogs are off to a good start this week. During their second game of the Championship they were able to score the first three point, winning against Colegio Maya. 20 seconds before the end and losing by one point, the ABC managed to score and thus, won the match.
ABC 22 - 21 Colegio Maya
TSP Soccer
Student Games-Soccer - U17 (m) -
The Bulldogs were back in action as visiting team in the INDES League.
Results:
I. N. de Ilobasco 5 - 1 ABC
TSP Soccer
Opening Tournament "El Cafetalón" - Soccer - U8 (m) –
U8 Bulldogs team won today playing against Olimpía Azul y Oro.
ABC 3 - 2 Olímpia Azul y Oro
Go Bulldogs!!!
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