Words from the Director
We have had another interesting and busy week in school. We seem to have had events every day and it has been fantastic to see so many of you in school. I have particularly enjoyed the Class 2033 swimming lessons and the confidence the children show on their learning.
On Tuesday the secondary school pastoral team with the LSU hosted a parent partnership event looking at issues related to mental health and well-being. It was well attended but we feel this is an area all parents need to be aware of. Across the world we read of young people struggling with mental health issues in an increasingly complex world. In many cases the situation is exacerbated by social media and online abuse. As a school we are determined to do all we can to protect our children and we will be taking action as appropriate within our community. The primary school has organised meetings to help parents protect their children as they emerge into a social media world. I want to make the clear point that primary children should not have access to social media, since most social media apps contain a clear health warning that they should not be used by children under the age of 16 because of the risks associated with wellbeing, online bullying and self esteem.
My senior leadership team and I will be hosting a coffee morning for parents next Wednesday at 7 am until 8 am. We will finish at 8 because there is a Primary assembly at 8.15! We will be discussing issues you would like to raise as well as presenting information on our recent annual parent survey.
Words from the Head of Primary
Internet Safety- The School Senior Management team have been discussing ways to ensure all of our students learn in a safe environment. Modern technology is now apart of everyone’s life and generally it helps us with our lives. However there is a dark side to modern technology, which includes such things as inappropriate material or nasty comments on Social Media.
This ‘dark side’ of the internet can cause very serious problems at school. The negative comments or images usually come from outside of school but often the reaction comes into school. It can cause sadness, anger, loneliness and/or low self esteem. I hope you have had a chance to read Mr McNeil’s letter about this subject. We insist that if Primary students bring their mobile phone to school, they MUST hand it in to the office when they arrive at school.
We also encourage parents to take greater control of their children’s mobile devices. We invite ALL parents to attend out Internet Safety inset in the PAC on Tuesday, April 9th starting at 7.20am. Together we must ensure all our children are safe whether they are at home or at school!! Support ABC in eliminating the harmful effects of the internet.
Love Books
There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom By Louis Sachar
Bradley Chalkers is the boy no-one wants to sit next to in class. His only friends are a collection of animal ornaments in which he confides. When he visits Carla, the new school counsellor, Bradley’s life starts to change in this tender and funny story.
Dates for your diary
Lower Primary
APRIL
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
Tuesday 9th -Prepa Chadwick and Prepa Kennedy-IPC Topic "Buildings" trip-9:30am-12m
Wednesday 10th - Prepa Ware and Prepa Pashley-IPC Topic "Buildings" trip-9:30am-12m
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
Friday 5th - Grade 3 Camping - Residencial Tuscania (until Fri 6th)
Saturday 6th - Retiro Comité Católico - 7:00am - 12:00pm - ABC
Monday 8th - Grade 2 Swimming Gala - 11:30am - 1:00pm
Tuesday 9th - Internet Safety Parent Workshop - 7.20am - 8am - PAC
Wednesday 10th - Grade 3 Swimming Gala - 11:30am - 1:00pm
Wednesday 10th - 5th Hernandez Assembly - 8:15am & 12:20 pm - PAC
Wednesday 10th - Last day to bring food items for Food Baskets
Thursday 11th - Grade 4 Swimming Gala - 11:30am - 1:00pm
Thursday 11th - UP online enrollment for Session 5 (until April 14th)
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 - Easter and Half Term Holiday
Monday 29th - Back to School/ Term 3 starts
Monday 29th - UP Extracurricular Session 5 starts.
Words from the Head of Secondary
Dear parents and carers,
It was wonderful to see so many parents at the recent Parent Partnership evening this week, and I start by thanking you for making the time to be here to discuss such an important aspect for our children. I also start by saying thank you to our LSU team for putting in so much work and dedication to offer this event which is beneficial to all of us.
Yesterday we had our class of 2019 final “Family Day” at the ABC. It was wonderful to see all the parents coming together to celebrate and the students dedicated a lovely speech to their parents and staff. Next year, we plan on blending this lunch with our graduating class’ senior exit. We know it will be a fantastic day, once the exams are over to truly mark their final day!
As you know we have been looking at the impact of the use and access to mobile devices at school and I thank so many parents who have contacted me to express their support in a ban on mobile devices for children.
Next week we will send a letter home informing the trial we will have to HAVE NO MOBILE PHONES in USE on school campus as of term 3. Research clearly shows the detrimental aspect of having unlimited access to mobile devices and social media and we are going to ban the use of mobile phones on school campus, including car parks, in the LRC, before and after school. There is an interesting Blog entry you can read on the topic of the effect on school grades. In this blog entry, there is a parent guide regarding the dangers of INSTAGRAM.
Sometimes, students say they must have a mobile on them so you can contact them to inform them the time they will be picked up. We ask that you have these conversations and make arrangements ahead of time so children can come to school secure in their knowledge of the time and place of pick up and then focus 100% on their learning and social connections with the friends physically present with them on campus. Thank you in advance for your support at home with this!
Tomorrow we say Bon Voyage to our French department and students who are leaving for their trip to France! We wish them the very best! We look forward to their news and stories of their adventure!
Intercollegiate Spelling Bee
From Spanish Department
Next Friday, 12th April the ABC will host an intercollegiate spelling bee, which is being organized by the Spanish Department. The aim of this unprecedented event in San Salvador, is to promote at a local level, the importance of the correct use of the Spanish language amongst the participating schools. There are four schools participating in the Spelling Bee: Escuela Panamericana, Escuela Americana, Colegio Maya, and the ABC. Each school will present a theme to 8th grade students, who will undergo different tests from 9:30 am until 14:00 hours. Of course there will be participation certificates and medals for the winners. After an arduous preparation with Mr Orestes Posada, the students who make up our team are: Gabriela Echeverría, Nelson Salinas y Emilio Armijo. Well done to all of them for their hard work, dedication, and effort. We know you will proudly represent the ABC.
Parent Partnership (Padres en sociedad) 11° y 12° grado-Financial Coaching for Our Children
From Maria Eugenia Diaz-Nuila, University Counsellor
Financial Coach, Mr Mario Magaña, will deliver a lecture on: The Importance of Financial Education for our Children next Thursday, April 11th, 7:00 am at the PAC.
What will you learn?
- Financial Education and its importance
- Why should young people learn about personal finances?
- Financial paradigms
- The importance of money as a financial tool
- Money management at university, how to save parents some money?
- Important information about current debt, and how it affects people´s economy
- Tips for household finance management
Art IB students- Saying thank you to our maintenance staff!
From our IB class of 2019 art students
Today we offered a breakfast for all 17 maintenance staff who helped us with the setting up of our Art exhibition. They all worked really hard and helped us during those 2 days whilst we prepared for the evening. We thought that it was important for them to know how grateful we all are for their continuous help not only for the exhibition but also for all these years that they've been here with us. They are a part of our community and this was just a tiny gesture compared to what they deserve. They are all amazing people, who work really hard and deserve the best. We are glad that we were able to make this breakfast and share with them and get to know them a little bit more.
Last Grade 12 PE lesson- Throwback to Primary Sports day!
The PE department held a special PE lesson for the class of 2019 as it was their last ABC PE lesson. They had a primary style sports day! A lot of fun was had and we thank all the PE team for putting this activity together for them!
ReciLectura Club!
From Hilda Gómez- LRC Librarian
Last Wednesday, together with the ReciLectura Club, we went to the Municipal Library of Nuevo Cuscatlán. And I would like to share with you how wonderful our students are when it comes to pursuing activities of social interest to benefit the community.
Our students gave up their lunch time in order to prepare the sandwiches which would be the snack for the children participating in the children’s story activity about “Día de la Tierra” (Earth Day).
Visit of the ReciLectura Club to the Municipal Library of Nuevo Cuscatlán:
By Daniela Nasser- Class of 2020
On Wednesday, 3rd April, the ReciLectura Club and a group of 11th grade students, met to prepare a snack for the children at the Municipal Library of Nuevo Cuscatlán. The packed snack consisted of sandwiches, biscuits, and iced tea. The ingredients and material needed were bought thanks to the active support of students, and with the money collected from the sale of “Animacetas Ecoamigables”, a project I undertook for the STEAM Fest along with a group of girlfriends (Andrea Reyes, Valeria Handal, and Nicolle Elahian).
While preparing the snacks, the students showed the importance of teamwork. They dedicated time and effort to make the activity a great success.
The children enjoyed our visit very much. The theme around the visit was ‘Earth Month’; and to commemorate this visit and promote recycling and caring for the environment, we donated an “Animaceta” to the Library, and read the children a story about the importance of taking care of our Planet Earth. The children were very attentive, and many of them commented that they liked the cat- flower pot very much, and would try to make one at home with their parents.
I feel very happy and proud of having been able to represent the school and its values in such a positive way, and for promoting amongst the children, the importance of taking care of the environment.
On behalf of the ReciLectura Club, I would like to thank the Municipal Library of Nuevo Cuscatlán for their hospitality and kind welcome. I am sure I speak for all the members of the club when I say that we had an excellent time with the children. We had fun during the outdoor games we played at the park; we played games like Simon Says, Cops and Robbers, and Musical Statues. I felt like a little girl again!
I would like to take this opportunity to invite the students of the Secondary Section who wish to join or take part in the activities of the ReciLectura Club.
Please visit this album in Flicks to see the pictures: https://cutt.ly/hwRV4S
PLEASE SUPPORT our G10 student CAMPAIGN!
This week our G10 student, Luis Rosales, presented a new campaign he is launching to help children in need of kidney dialysis. Please see the sticker below and support by purchasing these useful and reusable plastic water bottles! Well done Luis for being a youth activist and thinking globally and acting locally!
I sign off this week reminding all the community there is still one week left of school and this is important learning time for which we expect all our students to be in school, punctually, for. It is very upsetting when we hear of families deciding to take children of holiday before the scheduled time thus hindering their children’s learning and our staff’s work and effort. We respectfully ask that you observe the school calendar and schedule your holidays accordingly. We publish these calendars in advance so that the whole community can work with it.
This coming week is the last teaching week for Grade 10 before their IGCSE exams and G12 will be returning and expected in school for one more week after the Easter holidays. We ask that parents of the class of 2019 and class of 2021 in particular, support their children in structuring a proper revision schedule and make preparing for their International Examinations a real priority. All of my colleagues have been working really hard preparing our students to attain their highest levels, including setting up after hours revision programmes including Saturday mornings! and we trust that you as parents will continue and support this message at home.
We know, from experience, that time spent revising and preparing during this school break pays off when our students receive their examination results from the IGCSE and IB boards; and likewise, sadly on the contrary, time not spent well is regretfully thought upon when these grades are not enough for their next academic step. It is important to remember that the brain is a muscle and it needs to be trained actively just like athletes’ muscles do in the time running up to a marathon.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Kind regards,
Natalia Cáceres Escalón
Head of Secondary School
Dates for your diary
April
Saturday 6th to Sunday 21st - French trip to Paris, France
Friday 12th April- Concurso de Ortografía Intercolegial
Friday 12th - Last Day of Term Two
Monday 15th to Friday 26th - Easter (end of term) holidays
Monday 29th - First Day of Term Three - IGCSE exams start for Grade 10 students
Monday 29th to Thursday 13th June - IGCSE exams for Grade 10 students
Monday 29th- Friday 3rd May- last week of lessons for Grade 12
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