From the Director
I am sorry about the delay in getting the textbooks out to you in secondary: it took a little while to collect and register them all and they then had to be in quarantine for a week. We expect to issue them next week as follows:Wednesday: 08:00-11:00 and 12:00-15:00 Grades 10,11 and 12
Thursday: 08:00-11:00 and 12:00- 15:00 Grades 7 and 9
Friday: 08:00-11:00 and 12:00-15:00 Grades 6 and 8
I am delighted to be able to let you know that this year the school set a new benchmark with a 92% pass rate in the IB Diploma. Many congratulations to the Class of 2020. Particular mention must go to Marcelo Moreno, who achieved a terrific 41 points!
The IGCSE results were also a good step forward for us as a school with 88% of grades being at Grade C or better and improvements likewise in the number of A* and A grades. I am also delighted to announce that, with 6 A*s and 3 As, Diego Narvaez is our Millennium Scholar for 2020. Well done Class of 2022!
Thank you to all of you who attended the virtual meetings to introduce the new school year in Week 2. This of you in the Secondary meetings will know that I spoke for a little about our new school values and quoted Mahatma Gandhi in support of them. Here is a little more wisdom from the great man:
Honesty: “I cannot conceive of a greater loss than the loss of one’s self-respect”
Empathy: “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others”
Leadership: “It’s the action, not the fruit of the action, that’s important. You have to do the right thing. It may not be in your power, may not be in your time, that there’ll be any fruit. But that doesn’t mean you stop doing the right thing. You may never know what results come from your action. But if you do nothing, there will be no result.”
“In a gentle way you can shake the world…”
Have a great weekend everyone!
Stephen Lang
Director
Download the First News Newspaper App: Apple Store or Play Store
1. Open the First News app and tap on the Options “cog” and tap “Restore Purchases”
2. Tap “I have a print subscription from the publisher which entitles me to digital access” and enter the WebID: WEKA3445
3. Restart the App and go to Library to download available issues.
Learning to read and write is the greatest challenge our primary children often face, it can also be the greatest source of pride, pleasure and independence. In London I was lucky enough to take part in the Power of Reading Project. The project promotes quality children’s literature and proven creative teaching approaches to support and develop a high quality literacy curriculum and a whole school love of reading and writing. Our experience at the ABC of Power of Reading has led us to adopt a new English syllabus this year called The Literacy Curriculum, which also promotes the use of beautiful children’s books to improve children’s skills and enjoyment of reading and writing. Grade 4 are currently studying a book called Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold. You can see a video of the author reading her story here. Faith Ringgold is an award winning artist, author and activist and our students have loved reading her story and responding with their own writing.
Writing a Persuasive Letter in role by Santiago Angulo
21st street apartment,
Apple Street, SC.
The aldrich on 69th street
and park avenue, NY
Dear Union Club Manager,
Hiy iI am Richard Pots. I am writing to the union because I want to become a member. First of all I want to become a member because I went to harvard university and I got a scollar ship for bank work because since I was a little kid I want to work in a bank. And I want to go in because I understand that the union building is kind for rich people so that's why I want to join.
You know also I want to join because I haven't actually got a bank to work on so thats actually why I want to join you and the other members of the union building and work with you and help all the other people to get a better life.
You must think about it!
Sincerely
Richard
Writing a Character Description by Ana Luisa Tobar
Cassie is a little girl that is very creative because she imagines that she is flying as a bird in the big and soft clouds above the George Washington Bridge. Although she is just 8, she will FLY! She wants the big George Washington Bridge to be hers because it is very beautiful and shiny. The George Washington Bridge was created in 1931, just the same day when she was born! She is very brave because she isn’t scared to fly above the most big bridge in the world. I think that Cassie is the most brave in the world.
Dates for your diary
September
Tuesday 1st - Virtual Extra-curricular Programme starts
Monday 11th to Wednesday 16th - Extended Holiday Weekend (school closed- National Holiday and Independence day)
Thursday 17th - Virtual Learning resumes
From the Head of Primary
This week I would like to introduce you to a new subscription available to you and your children. First News is a weekly newspaper for 7 to 14-year-olds that aims to get kids talking about the news in an easy to understand and non-threatening way. It covers issues which are relevant to children and which specifically affect them. Inside you’ll find a mix of world news and UK news, but also loads of fun stuff, such as entertainment, games, animals, sport and puzzles. We want our students to be global citizens and to be discerning about media and information, so access to the news is crucial. This subscription can be accessed on a phone or tablet.Download the First News Newspaper App: Apple Store or Play Store
1. Open the First News app and tap on the Options “cog” and tap “Restore Purchases”
2. Tap “I have a print subscription from the publisher which entitles me to digital access” and enter the WebID: WEKA3445
3. Restart the App and go to Library to download available issues.
Learning to read and write is the greatest challenge our primary children often face, it can also be the greatest source of pride, pleasure and independence. In London I was lucky enough to take part in the Power of Reading Project. The project promotes quality children’s literature and proven creative teaching approaches to support and develop a high quality literacy curriculum and a whole school love of reading and writing. Our experience at the ABC of Power of Reading has led us to adopt a new English syllabus this year called The Literacy Curriculum, which also promotes the use of beautiful children’s books to improve children’s skills and enjoyment of reading and writing. Grade 4 are currently studying a book called Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold. You can see a video of the author reading her story here. Faith Ringgold is an award winning artist, author and activist and our students have loved reading her story and responding with their own writing.
Writing a Persuasive Letter in role by Santiago Angulo
21st street apartment,
Apple Street, SC.
The aldrich on 69th street
and park avenue, NY
Dear Union Club Manager,
Hiy iI am Richard Pots. I am writing to the union because I want to become a member. First of all I want to become a member because I went to harvard university and I got a scollar ship for bank work because since I was a little kid I want to work in a bank. And I want to go in because I understand that the union building is kind for rich people so that's why I want to join.
You know also I want to join because I haven't actually got a bank to work on so thats actually why I want to join you and the other members of the union building and work with you and help all the other people to get a better life.
You must think about it!
Sincerely
Richard
Writing a Character Description by Ana Luisa Tobar
Cassie is a little girl that is very creative because she imagines that she is flying as a bird in the big and soft clouds above the George Washington Bridge. Although she is just 8, she will FLY! She wants the big George Washington Bridge to be hers because it is very beautiful and shiny. The George Washington Bridge was created in 1931, just the same day when she was born! She is very brave because she isn’t scared to fly above the most big bridge in the world. I think that Cassie is the most brave in the world.
Dates for your diary
September
Tuesday 1st - Virtual Extra-curricular Programme starts
Monday 11th to Wednesday 16th - Extended Holiday Weekend (school closed- National Holiday and Independence day)
Thursday 17th - Virtual Learning resumes
Message from the Secondary Leadership Team
It’s amazing to think that we have already completed our third week back at school and are in full swing for the 2020/21 academic year. I have to say, it’s been a real pleasure to engage with everyone again and to be reminded of what a talented and determined group of students we work alongside.Certainly in my experience over the last weeks, there seems to be a real positive energy despite us remaining online. And, as you know, we will remain online until January at least so I do have to make two important request to all families:
Please help us to implement our mobile phone policy. This remains as it always has. Students should not be using phones unless a teacher explicitly require them to as part of a lesson
- Please make sure your child has access to a microphone during lessons.
- During virtual lessons, it’s crucial that students are able to access a microphone. We still have a number of students who are unable to participate fully because they are unable to articulate their opinions, join in discussions or respond to ideas and questions.
My role is predominantly focused on Grade 11&12, somewhere everyone is heading, so I thought I’d take this opportunity to use some of the central ambitions of the IB organisation to demonstrate how a simple microphone will enhance every student’s journey towards graduation and beyond.
I constantly fall back on these two images whenever I speak about the IB Programme:
The IB Learner Profile
Approaches to Teaching and Learning
The IB programme aspires to equip students with the qualities and skills illustrated in both images. If a learner has the opportunity to practice the qualities illustrated in the IB Learner Profile then they are well on the way to developing the skills illustrated in the Approaches to Teaching and Learning image. If we take a few minutes to reflect on the content of the diagrams, it soon becomes obvious that we all aspire towards manifesting these qualities and skills to varying degrees throughout our day, whether at work or leisure. The humble microphone greases the wheels of communication; allows thoughts to be heard; encourages students to risk trying out an idea or to share their reflections; and helps hone the social skills necessary when working on a group assignment. In short, it’s one of the best tools we have in our current situation to keep these life skills practiced in the school setting so they are as well tuned as possible beyond graduation.
Thank you so much for your support with these requests. I do have one final request of a very different nature:
Please join us in wishing Sarah Diebelius, our Head of Science, the very best as she begins her maternity leave on Monday. She will be leaving the Science Department in the very capable hands of Ms Angela Jayin. All the best Sarah.
SECONDARY
Dates for your diary
September
Friday 11th to Wednesday 16th (inclusive) - Extended Holiday Weekend (school closed - National holidays and Independence Day)
Monday 21st - Peace One Day
Monday 28th to Friday 2nd October - Banned Book Week (LRC)
October
Tuesday 6th - Grade 6 Learning Review Day
Thursday 15th - Grade 7 Learning Review Day
Monday 19th to Friday 23rd - United Nations Week
Tuesday 20th - Grade 8 Learning Review Day
Friday 23rd - ABC Founders' Day
It was fantastic to see the enthusiasm of the Secondary students at the Virtual Extracurricular fair, the students’ engagement is a motor for us. We are looking forward to seeing all our athletes next week in practice.
We would like to remind you some important dates:
August 27th - 31st, Secondary sports registration, Link to access
September 1st, 1st day of virtual practices for Upper Primary.Link to access
September 2nd, 1st day of virtual practices for Secondary, accesses will be sent after registration is completed
Please help us to implement our mobile phone policy. This remains as it always has. Students should not be using phones unless a teacher explicitly require them to as part of a lesson
- Please make sure your child has access to a microphone during lessons.
- During virtual lessons, it’s crucial that students are able to access a microphone. We still have a number of students who are unable to participate fully because they are unable to articulate their opinions, join in discussions or respond to ideas and questions.
My role is predominantly focused on Grade 11&12, somewhere everyone is heading, so I thought I’d take this opportunity to use some of the central ambitions of the IB organisation to demonstrate how a simple microphone will enhance every student’s journey towards graduation and beyond.
I constantly fall back on these two images whenever I speak about the IB Programme:
The IB Learner Profile
Approaches to Teaching and Learning
The IB programme aspires to equip students with the qualities and skills illustrated in both images. If a learner has the opportunity to practice the qualities illustrated in the IB Learner Profile then they are well on the way to developing the skills illustrated in the Approaches to Teaching and Learning image. If we take a few minutes to reflect on the content of the diagrams, it soon becomes obvious that we all aspire towards manifesting these qualities and skills to varying degrees throughout our day, whether at work or leisure. The humble microphone greases the wheels of communication; allows thoughts to be heard; encourages students to risk trying out an idea or to share their reflections; and helps hone the social skills necessary when working on a group assignment. In short, it’s one of the best tools we have in our current situation to keep these life skills practiced in the school setting so they are as well tuned as possible beyond graduation.
Thank you so much for your support with these requests. I do have one final request of a very different nature:
Please join us in wishing Sarah Diebelius, our Head of Science, the very best as she begins her maternity leave on Monday. She will be leaving the Science Department in the very capable hands of Ms Angela Jayin. All the best Sarah.
SECONDARY
Dates for your diary
September
Friday 11th to Wednesday 16th (inclusive) - Extended Holiday Weekend (school closed - National holidays and Independence Day)
Monday 21st - Peace One Day
Monday 28th to Friday 2nd October - Banned Book Week (LRC)
October
Tuesday 6th - Grade 6 Learning Review Day
Thursday 15th - Grade 7 Learning Review Day
Monday 19th to Friday 23rd - United Nations Week
Tuesday 20th - Grade 8 Learning Review Day
Friday 23rd - ABC Founders' Day
It was fantastic to see the enthusiasm of the Secondary students at the Virtual Extracurricular fair, the students’ engagement is a motor for us. We are looking forward to seeing all our athletes next week in practice.
We would like to remind you some important dates:
August 27th - 31st, Secondary sports registration, Link to access
September 1st, 1st day of virtual practices for Upper Primary.Link to access
September 2nd, 1st day of virtual practices for Secondary, accesses will be sent after registration is completed
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