28: Friday 29th March 2019

Words from the Director

This week we have enjoyed the multicultural arts festival which climaxed with amazing shows at the Teatro Presidente. We are celebrating the twentieth anniversary of the festival this year. It is a festival which has successfully promoted the arts and inspired a generation of children. A huge thank you to all ABC staff, parents and children who have contributed this year, as in previous years.

This morning we opened our fourth annual STEAMFEST with an opening speech by Mr. Mark Johnson from the US Embassy. We have record numbers of ABC students participating, discovering their passion for creativity, design and technology as well as record numbers of visiting participants from other schools. I want to thank Jenny Gracia, Silvia Serrano and their team for an amazing job preparing for STEAMFEST and ensuring its success.

In our digital world we have a number of dangers which our children are exposed to. As you will know we strongly recommend that parents set up internet protection at home which covers any device children may use. We are particularly concerned at the moment with the MOMO challenge that allegedly is appearing in some Youtube videos. Similar to different challenges online it is supposed to persuade children, through different challenges, to harm themselves or others. The MOMO challenge, started last year, targeted children and teenagers by contacting them through WhatsApp to accept different self-harming challenges

If you need more information please visit: https://smartsocial.com/momo-challenge-safety-guide/.

For information in Spanish, please visit: https://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias-44952770

Please do take action if you hear your children talking about MOMO challenges.

I hope you all have a good weekend with your children.

Words from the Deputy Heads of Primary

This week Mr Bridge and Ms Edda Padilla are visiting the Latin Heads Conference in Mexico City this week. They have had the opportunity to visit schools, watch as well as deliver a presentation on the play based “child-centred” approach that the ABC Lower Primary section take. They will return next week to enthuse and give ideas on how we can develop our practice even further.

Reading

In primary we are continuing our focus on reading and are investing in new books to promote reading to Every week we will recommend a high-quality text for you to consider. Many of the books will be written by award winning authors, and research has shown that a great book has the power to transform children into engaged and motivated learners, thinkers, critics and authors.

Book Recommendation of the Week:

Where the Wild Things Are, By Maurice Sendak Bad-tempered Max, having been sent to bed, takes a voyage to the land where the wild things are and becomes their king. He eventually returns to find his supper is ‘still hot’.

*All classes will be using this story for Book Week (29th April-3rd May) if you have a copy (in Spanish or English) at home that you are happy to lend to us, please send it to your child’s teacher labelled with your child’s name.

Author Visit To School

Last Friday, Juan Pablo Moscoso Fernandez aged 9, a former ABC student (he now lives in Lima, Peru) and author of the comic book “The Adventures of the Guy with a Hat” came to school meet some of the Upper Primary children.

It was a wonderful opportunity for students to meet a real author, especially one the same age as them! Juan Pablo met with each of the classes in Grades 2 and 3 to speak about the book and the writing process. He also explained that half of the profits from the book will go to The Hat Life Foundation. The foundation develops and motivates creativity in children from vulnerable backgrounds all over the world. For further information you can visit Juan Pablo’s website - https://www.theguywithahat.com/

If you would like buy a copy of his comic book, “The Adventures of a Guy In a Hat”, they are available from the UP Office. Each copy costs $10.00 with $5 being donated to the Hat Life Foundation.

Ski Trip 2020

This week in Grades 3, 4 and 5 children had the opportunity to watch a short video about the ABC Ski-trip. The video, which has been created using footage from this year’s trip, has excited and enthused the children about the possibility of attending next year. If you are interested you can view the video on the following Link.

Next year's trip to Lake Tahoe is in the planning stages, if you think that this could be a trip for your child then next week there is a parent information evening - Wednesday, April 3rd at 6pm in the Lecture Theatre.

Social Media - Reminder

Last week a letter was sent out from the school advising parents of the dangers and possible consequences of using social media at a young age. We would like to remind you about the school’s position on the student in the primary section using social media and having social media accounts.

“Should a Primary aged student be found with social media accounts including WhatsApp, when a problem comes to our attention that involves the safety or wellbeing of any of our children, the school will take action, we will discuss with parents and may consider not offering a place in the following year if access to social media is not controlled and becomes a safeguarding risk to others.”

Lower Primary Swimming Lessons

This week we started the Lower Primary swimming lesson demonstrations. The children have loved showing their parents how their swimming skills are developing.

Swimming is an important life skill that children and adults should learn as early as possible. Drowning is still one of the most common causes of accidental death in children, so being able to swim is an essential life-saving skill. There are many other health benefits:

Swimming increases the metabolism and helps energize your body and mind
It maintains your heart rate and takes away stress from the body.
It builds muscular strength and increases immunity.
Exercises your lungs and helps to keep you fit.
It is the only physical activity which involves and tones all of bodies muscles.

STEAMFEST

Today we had our amazing Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths Festival. The students presented the projects they have been working on in teams and had a chance to visit and learn from all the other projects. So many school values were on show today - Leader and Team Work, Resilience, Creativity, Curiosity, Enthusiasm and Reflection. Thank you to the Grade 12 Mentors that took groups of Lower Primary children around.

If You Love Me, Keep Me Safe

We know how much you love your children, we love them too. Which is why we want to continue with our campaign to promote the use of seatbelts. Children don’t like wearing seatbelts and it can be a fight that you just don’t have the time or energy for. However like everything else you have faced as a parent, consistency and routine will always triumph.

Getting them to wear a seatbelt is a battle you must have, when you consider that the consequences of not wearing a seatbelt in an accident can be fatal.

Dates for your diary

Lower Primary

APRIL

Monday 1st - Prepa Kennedy (Koala) Swimming lesson - 7:25-8:10am - LP pool

Monday 1st - PK Frances (Aztecs & Incas) Swimming lesson -10:30-11:15am- LP pool

Monday 1st - 1st Henríquez Swimming Gala - 12:20-1:05pm - Big pool

Tuesday 2nd - Prepa Chadwick (Pineapples) Swimming lesson - 7:25-8:10am - LP pool

Tuesday 2nd - PK Carbajal (Mayas & Pipils) Swimming lesson - 10:30-11:15am - LP pool

Tuesday 2nd - 1st. McNeil Swimming Gala - 12:20-1:05pm - Big pool

Wednesday 3rd - Prepa Ware (Squares) Swimming lesson - 7:25-8:10am - LP pool

Wednesday 3rd - Kinder González (Aztecs & Mayas) Swimming lesson-9:45-10:30am - LP pool

Wednesday 3rd - PK Cáceres (Incas & Pipils) Swimming lesson - 11:15-12:00m - LP pool

Thursday 4th - Prepa Pashley (Volcanoes) Swimming lesson - 7:25-8:10am - LP pool

Thursday 4th - Kinder Bonet (Aztecs & Maya) Swimming lesson - 9:45-10:30am -LP pool

Thursday 4th - PK Siri (Mayas & Incas) Swimming lesson - 11:15-12:00m - LP pool

Friday 5th - PK Cáceres assembly - 7:40am - PAC

Friday 5th - Kinder Suárez (Pipils & Aztecs) Swimming lesson - 9:45-10:30am - LP pool

Friday 5th - Kinder González (Incas & Pipils) Swimming lesson - 11:15-12:00m LP Pool

Saturday 6th - Retiro Comité Católico - 7:00am - 12:00pm - ABC

Saturday 6th - Extras enrollment starts - 9am

Tuesday 9th - 1st Padilla Swimming Gala - 10:55 - 11:40am - Big pool

Wednesday 10th - PK Egg Hunt Field Trip to Los Sueños

Friday 12th - 4th session extracurricular activities ends

Friday 12th - PK Francés assembly - 7:40am - PAC

Sunday 14th - Extras enrollment finish

Monday 15th - Friday 26th - Easter holidays

Monday 29th - 5th session extracurricular activities begin

Upper Primary

APRIL

Wednesday 3rd - 2nd Walls Assembly - 8:15am & 12:20pm - PAC

Wednesday 3rd - Ski Trip Meeting 6pm Lecture Theatre

Friday 5th - Grade 3 Camping - Residencial Tuscania (until Sat 6th)

Saturday 6th - Retiro Comité Católico - 7:00am - 12:00pm - ABC

Monday 8th - Grade 2 Swimming Gala - 11:30am - 1:00pm

Wednesday 10th - Grade 3 Swimming Gala - 11:30am - 1:00pm

Wednesday 10th - 5th Hernandez Assembly - 8:15am & 12:20 pm - PAC

Thursday 11th - Grade 4 Swimming Gala - 11:30am - 1:00pm

Friday 12th - Grade 5 Swimming Gala - 11:30am - 1:00pm

Friday 12th - 3 Way Conferences end

Friday 12th - Last day of Term 2

Monday 15th - Semana Santa Holiday

Monday 29th - Back to School/ Term 3 starts

Words from the Head of Secondary

Dear parents and carers,

I start this week’s message by sharing with you the list of Prefects appointed in the class of 2020. I know they will do a superb job representing the school and its values.

Head Student and Prefect team- class of 2020

STEAMFEST

We close this week with another fabulous event for the ABC: Steamfest 2019! Thank you to our guest speaker, Mr Johnson from the American Embassy who came to offer an inspirational message to our community, reminding us of the importance of never stopping asking “Why?” and to reflect upon the fact that “necessity is the mother of all invention.” He challenges our students to think about how their curiosity and inventions can make the world a better place for everyone.

Thank you to the amazing LRC/ IT staff at the ABC! Ms Jennifer Garcia, Ms Silvia Serrano, Ms Judith Mendez, Mr Raúl Martinez, Ms Hilda Gomez, Ms Melissa Hernández, Mr Alfaro and Ms Hazel Jenkins. Truly our students are so lucky to have such passionate and caring teachers as guides in their life. Thank you for all your work and dedication!

Thank you to the enthusiastic ROCs we have in our student body who take every opportunity to shine and to engage wholeheartedly in these activities!