I do a lot of interviewing. If you were in my shoes, what would you be asking in those interviews? What would you be looking for? What would you hope to hear? Because I have realized over the course of the past few years that I take quite a different approach both in tone and content to that of quite a lot of my peers when I am interviewing. I am looking for many different things in candidates, of course, but one thing above all others…..
I recall when I worked in Kenya how, when we were on family shopping trips in Naguru, I would be approached as soon as I got out of the car by a woman saying, “I have passion, Sir. Do you want to buy some passion?” Once I had recovered my composure, I realised I was being offered passion fruit. Passion. Passion is what I am looking for in candidates I interview: passion for working with young people; passion for facilitating learning; and (more so with secondary teachers) passion for a specialist subject. Other schools are often looking for particular skill sets, knowledge or experience; they want to know if a teacher has taught “such and such” a syllabus and can offer “such and such” a club as an extra-curricular activity. Not me. I am interested in personal qualities and values, in intellectual capacity and in passion!
I am delighted to confirm that we have drawn a really strong field for our Head of Secondary vacancy. We will be conducting Skype panel interviews on March 2nd and 3rd and then bringing the best two candidates to El Salvador for the community to meet and assess. Let’s see which one of them we think will be the most passionate and committed Head of our secondary school. Will keep you posted!
Have a great holiday!
From the Head of Primary
It seems a distant memory since we started back after New Year. Now it is the mid-term break. This is an opportunity to reflect on what a great place the ABC is. I want to thank all of our hard working staff who put a lot of effort into our students at ABC. Many of our students understand better the different concepts and experiences offered to them by their wonderful teachers!
The Virtue we are focusing on currently is being RESILIENT. This is defined as "the ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change.” The ability to bounce back or recover is important. A resilient child recovers from challenges, but they also learn from that experience.
It seems a distant memory since we started back after New Year. Now it is the mid-term break. This is an opportunity to reflect on what a great place the ABC is. I want to thank all of our hard working staff who put a lot of effort into our students at ABC. Many of our students understand better the different concepts and experiences offered to them by their wonderful teachers!
The Virtue we are focusing on currently is being RESILIENT. This is defined as "the ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change.” The ability to bounce back or recover is important. A resilient child recovers from challenges, but they also learn from that experience.
We welcome the return of Rachel Clarke (Literacy Advisor from the UK) from March 2nd. She will be here to support teachers with their Guided Reading. This will include observing lessons, modelling Guided Reading and supporting teachers to become better at ensuring children get the best out of the lesson. Teachers also have an inset which is facilitated by our Literacy Coordinator Edda Padilla.
Congratulations to the 3rd Grade team for organising such a great camp during this week. With a variety of games and activities and even the chance to use the pool at Residencial Tuscania, the children look as though they have had a fantastic time.
We now look forward to the First Grade sleepover on March 6th.
A reminder that Secondary are holding their sports day on March 5th, so there will be no swimming, PE lessons or sports extras on this day. Also, no Primary children can go down to the cafeteria this day- food MUST be ordered and it will be delivered to classrooms.
I hope you all manage to have a good break. If you are travelling, please do so safely. I look forward to seeing you all back on Monday, March 2nd.
Book of the Week
The Song of the Tree by Coralie Bickford-Smith
Coralie Bickford-Smith’s new picturebook is as beautifully designed as her earlier volumes The Fox and the Star and The Worm and the Bird. She uses strong patterns and two distinct colour palettes to tell this story of a bird who is loath to leave the tree it loves.
Dates for your diary
Congratulations to the 3rd Grade team for organising such a great camp during this week. With a variety of games and activities and even the chance to use the pool at Residencial Tuscania, the children look as though they have had a fantastic time.
We now look forward to the First Grade sleepover on March 6th.
A reminder that Secondary are holding their sports day on March 5th, so there will be no swimming, PE lessons or sports extras on this day. Also, no Primary children can go down to the cafeteria this day- food MUST be ordered and it will be delivered to classrooms.
I hope you all manage to have a good break. If you are travelling, please do so safely. I look forward to seeing you all back on Monday, March 2nd.
Book of the Week
The Song of the Tree by Coralie Bickford-Smith
Coralie Bickford-Smith’s new picturebook is as beautifully designed as her earlier volumes The Fox and the Star and The Worm and the Bird. She uses strong patterns and two distinct colour palettes to tell this story of a bird who is loath to leave the tree it loves.
Dates for your diary
Lower Primary
March
Monday 2nd - Extracurricular activities, Session 4 start
Tuesday 3rd - 1st Grade Let’s celebrate Exit Point - 6:00-8:00pm (pick up at 11:30 a.m. on the blue benches. No extracurriculars for First Graders. Sala Cuna will be available) Thursday 5th - No swimming/PE lessons or Sport Extras
Friday 6th - Pre-Kinder Rampone assembly - 7:40am - PAC
Friday 6th - 1st grade Sleepover - 4pm (pick up at 11:30 a.m. on the blue benches. No extracurriculars for First Graders. Sala Cuna will be available)
Thursday 12th - Prepa & 1st Grade Sports evening - 6-7pm
Wednesday 18th - Prepa McNeil and Prepa Isley trip to FURESA
Thursday 19th - Prepa Gordon and Prepa Chadwick trip to FURESA
Friday 27th - Pre-Kinder Cáceres assembly - 7:40am - PAC
March
Monday 2nd - Extracurricular activities, Session 4 start
Tuesday 3rd - 1st Grade Let’s celebrate Exit Point - 6:00-8:00pm (pick up at 11:30 a.m. on the blue benches. No extracurriculars for First Graders. Sala Cuna will be available) Thursday 5th - No swimming/PE lessons or Sport Extras
Friday 6th - Pre-Kinder Rampone assembly - 7:40am - PAC
Friday 6th - 1st grade Sleepover - 4pm (pick up at 11:30 a.m. on the blue benches. No extracurriculars for First Graders. Sala Cuna will be available)
Thursday 12th - Prepa & 1st Grade Sports evening - 6-7pm
Wednesday 18th - Prepa McNeil and Prepa Isley trip to FURESA
Thursday 19th - Prepa Gordon and Prepa Chadwick trip to FURESA
Friday 27th - Pre-Kinder Cáceres assembly - 7:40am - PAC
Upper Primary
March
Monday 2nd - Back to School from Half Term Holiday
Monday 2nd - Session 4 Extracurricular Activities start
Thursday 5th - No swimming, PE lessons or sports extras on this day due to Secondary Sports Day.
Wednesday 11th - 5th Linares Assembly - 8:15 am & 10:55 am - PAC
Friday 13th - “Chocolate” Exit point
Thursday 19th - Grade 2 & 3 Sports Evening - 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm - Field
Saturday 21st - Upper Primary Catholic Retreat - ABC
Wednesday 25th - 4th Hernández Assembly - PAC
Thursday 26th - Grade 4 & 5 - Sports Evening - 6:00 – 7:30pm - Field
Friday 27th - Grade 2 Swimming Gala
Monday 30th - Grade 3 Swimming Gala
Tuesday 31st - Grade 4 Swimming Gala
From the Head of Secondary
Dear parents and carers,
We reached the half-term mark and what a busy half-term it has been! Beyond busy, it has been extremely rewarding to see our students working hard together and individually, as well as our staff who I would like to thank and acknowledge for their wonderful dedication to offering the very best possible learning experiences to our students.
There are so many activities in store for next half-term! Grade 10 and Grade 12 are quickly coming to the end of their days in lessons before they start their IGCSE and IB exams after Easter. We also have Mathcounts trip to Mexico, Grade 11 introduction to their Extended Essay, Knowledge Bowl competition, STEAMFEST 2020, SATs and IB Art exhibition, Empowerment days, IB and IGCSE options evenings, Dramatic performance of “A Brave New World,” Spanish ortografía competition. All this will culminate with our ABC Bulldog Pride Week organised by the Student Council which will include the student election of the New Student Council President!
Please keep an eye on the school calendar to ensure you are able to support and attend all parent events. Your support is truly valuable.
I wish everyone a well-deserved rest this coming week! See you bright and early (before 7.00am!) on Monday 2nd of March.
Kind regards,
Natalia Cáceres Escalón
Head of Secondary School
Dates for your Agenda
February
Friday 21st to Sunday 1st March - Art trip to Europe
Monday 24th to Friday 28th - Half Term holidays, school closed
March
Monday 1st - Back to school normal day
Tuesday 3rd - Grade 12 Bio SL Deininger National Park Trip, 7:30am to 12:30pm
Tuesday 3rd to Saturday 7th - Mathscount Trip - 10 students G6/8
Wednesday 4th - Knowledge Bowl Trip - after school
Thursday 5th - Secondary School Sports Day, 7am to 2:00pm
Friday 6th - Grade 9 PSAT Tests, 12m to 3pm
Tuesday 10th - Grade 10 Parent/Teacher Meetings/IB Options Evening, 4:30pm, PAC
Friday 13th - Central American College Tour, in Colegio La Floresta, 10am to 12:30pm
Saturday 14th - SAT TEST, 8 to 9am
Friday 20th - Spanish Poetry Competition; Grade 10 Francophonie Day 2020
Friday 20th to Saturday 21st - Grade 9 Empowerment - Camping at school
Tuesday 24th - Grade 8 P/T Meetings / IGCSE Options Evening
Tuesday 31st - Grade 6 Learning Review Day in LRC all day
We are very proud to share that this week the Basketball Pasarela boys got the Bilingual League Championship, well done to all team members and coaches, your effort led to our success!
Secondary students have been preparing for the traditional Sports day on March 5th, which will take place at ABC this time. The sports department along with Tribal Chiefs are working very hard to organize this big event in which every student will have the opportunity to shine, break down Athletics school records and play different sports.
We are expecting that all students attend this important learning sports activity, everyone will have a role to play and a chance to show ABC spirit!
To read more about this week’s Sports events, please visit our Instagram and Facebook pages.
March
Monday 2nd - Back to School from Half Term Holiday
Monday 2nd - Session 4 Extracurricular Activities start
Thursday 5th - No swimming, PE lessons or sports extras on this day due to Secondary Sports Day.
Wednesday 11th - 5th Linares Assembly - 8:15 am & 10:55 am - PAC
Friday 13th - “Chocolate” Exit point
Thursday 19th - Grade 2 & 3 Sports Evening - 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm - Field
Saturday 21st - Upper Primary Catholic Retreat - ABC
Wednesday 25th - 4th Hernández Assembly - PAC
Thursday 26th - Grade 4 & 5 - Sports Evening - 6:00 – 7:30pm - Field
Friday 27th - Grade 2 Swimming Gala
Monday 30th - Grade 3 Swimming Gala
Tuesday 31st - Grade 4 Swimming Gala
From the Head of Secondary
Dear parents and carers,
We reached the half-term mark and what a busy half-term it has been! Beyond busy, it has been extremely rewarding to see our students working hard together and individually, as well as our staff who I would like to thank and acknowledge for their wonderful dedication to offering the very best possible learning experiences to our students.
There are so many activities in store for next half-term! Grade 10 and Grade 12 are quickly coming to the end of their days in lessons before they start their IGCSE and IB exams after Easter. We also have Mathcounts trip to Mexico, Grade 11 introduction to their Extended Essay, Knowledge Bowl competition, STEAMFEST 2020, SATs and IB Art exhibition, Empowerment days, IB and IGCSE options evenings, Dramatic performance of “A Brave New World,” Spanish ortografía competition. All this will culminate with our ABC Bulldog Pride Week organised by the Student Council which will include the student election of the New Student Council President!
Please keep an eye on the school calendar to ensure you are able to support and attend all parent events. Your support is truly valuable.
I wish everyone a well-deserved rest this coming week! See you bright and early (before 7.00am!) on Monday 2nd of March.
Kind regards,
Natalia Cáceres Escalón
Head of Secondary School
Dates for your Agenda
February
Friday 21st to Sunday 1st March - Art trip to Europe
Monday 24th to Friday 28th - Half Term holidays, school closed
March
Monday 1st - Back to school normal day
Tuesday 3rd - Grade 12 Bio SL Deininger National Park Trip, 7:30am to 12:30pm
Tuesday 3rd to Saturday 7th - Mathscount Trip - 10 students G6/8
Wednesday 4th - Knowledge Bowl Trip - after school
Thursday 5th - Secondary School Sports Day, 7am to 2:00pm
Friday 6th - Grade 9 PSAT Tests, 12m to 3pm
Tuesday 10th - Grade 10 Parent/Teacher Meetings/IB Options Evening, 4:30pm, PAC
Friday 13th - Central American College Tour, in Colegio La Floresta, 10am to 12:30pm
Saturday 14th - SAT TEST, 8 to 9am
Friday 20th - Spanish Poetry Competition; Grade 10 Francophonie Day 2020
Friday 20th to Saturday 21st - Grade 9 Empowerment - Camping at school
Tuesday 24th - Grade 8 P/T Meetings / IGCSE Options Evening
Tuesday 31st - Grade 6 Learning Review Day in LRC all day
We are very proud to share that this week the Basketball Pasarela boys got the Bilingual League Championship, well done to all team members and coaches, your effort led to our success!
Secondary students have been preparing for the traditional Sports day on March 5th, which will take place at ABC this time. The sports department along with Tribal Chiefs are working very hard to organize this big event in which every student will have the opportunity to shine, break down Athletics school records and play different sports.
We are expecting that all students attend this important learning sports activity, everyone will have a role to play and a chance to show ABC spirit!
To read more about this week’s Sports events, please visit our Instagram and Facebook pages.
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