Edition 21 - March 26, 2018
Important upcoming dates
Tuesday March 27 EMS Spring Party
Wednesday March 28 Middle School Science Fair
Wednesday March 28 Oral Health and Down Syndrome presentations
Friday March 30 Student Led Conferences 9am - 5pm
Monday April 2 Spring Break commences
Tuesday April 10 School resumes after Spring Break
Friday April 20 International Day
Saturday April 21 Spring Bazaar
Wednesday May 23 Simultaneous Storytime Read-a-loud
Dear Parents,
Student Led Conferences - Friday March 30
Staff and students have been busy preparing for the upcoming Student Led Conferences that will take place this coming Friday (March 30). By now you will have received a sign up request form in the same format that we usually use for Parent Teacher Conferences. The only difference is that there will be 4 time slots per hour for families to sign up for. That way there will be up to four children presenting to their parents at a time in each classroom. You can also follow this link to all sign up pages.
A student-led conference is a meeting between the parent and child, where the student has the opportunity to present and explain samples of their learning to their parents, and together they agree on goals for continued development and growth. The homeroom teacher is in the room, but the responsibility for the meeting is with the student. It is a very effective way to teach students to take ownership of their learning, and for the parent to get a clear idea of their child's progress and what they are learning. The conference will last for approximately an hour. To help you better understand what a SLC looks like, you are welcome to view this short video clip that further explains the concept.
Exit Points
I have had the great pleasure of observing a number of Exit Points as we conclude some of our International Curriculum Units. There is a clear learning focus for each unit. This begins with a fun ‘entry point’ to immerse children in the unit’s theme and finishes at the end of the unit with the ‘exit point’, which provides a great way to celebrate learning. In between the entry and exit points are a range of engaging learning opportunities across the curriculum as well as a focus on personal and international learning goals.
Grade 8 Field Trip - This Thursday
This Thursday, all of the Grade 8 students will participate in their Exit Point at the conclusion of their "Challenge" Unit. This field trip is an integral part of the unit we look forward to seeing all students in attendance. If you want to learn more about the "Challenge Unit", please follow these links. Curriculum and Planning
MS IMYC Science News
In the past month, students in Grade 7 were learning about structure and functions of complex systems in humans, including the skeletal, muscular system and skin. Their learning was supported with a practical laboratory activity that involved a "Chicken Leg Dissection". The purpose of the laboratory work, was to assist students to become familiar with dissection techniques and to compare the chicken leg structures (muscles, bones, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and skin) to what they have learned about the human body systems. You can find pictures of this exciting activity in the slideshow below.
Kindy IPC News
Throughout our unit The Stories People Tell, students have been looking at a variety of stories and how information can be passed along over time. Kindergarten students learnt about legends, and how through time, it becomes unclear what parts of stories are fact and what parts are fiction. They experienced this first-hand, when we played many silly rounds of the game 'telephone''. Another activity involved students writing their own legend. First they learnt about real people and events in their lives, and then adding in some elaborate parts that may or may not be true! Please find pictures of what we have been learning in the slideshow below.
They then went on to learn about Greek culture, and how often stories are conveyed without words. We compared our lives today with those of children in ancient Greece. We learnt how actors often wore masks which hid their voice and facial expressions. This gave students an opportunity to communicate ideas non-verbally, as well as decorate their own masks. We learnt that Greeks used Terracotta pots as a way to record stories and events. Students read a Greek Myth, Hercules, and just like ancient Greeks did, they recorded their favorite scene on a Terracotta pot.
Grade 2 IPC News
Grade 2 have been learning about the importance of timelines, and have practiced creating timelines of the lives of the people who have made a difference in our world, as well as of our own lives. We may be young, but that only means we have a lifetime to make a difference in our world. Our Wonderwall shows all of the learning and wonderings we have been doing in the past month on the topic of significant people. Like detectives, we are asking questions and doing research to find out the answers.
PTA - ES Spring Party
This Tuesday, March 27th from 3pm-5pm the NOVA PTA will host an EMS SPring party and Bake Sale. This PTA event will feature games, easter themed treat and delicious food. You are invited to support this event by donating some baked items ( store bought, sweet or salty). Please drop off your donations at the EMS cafeteria on TUESDAY March 27th. Donations are accepted throughout the day and at the time of the party and are sincerely appreciated.
In addition to the Spring Party, each Homeroom will be supplied with 3 toys encased in a plastic egg. During the day at appropriate breaks, the teachers will distribute these to students who will participate in a hunt to find them.
Donation of books from the Polish Embassy
I would like to thank the Polish Embassy for their wonderful donation of two Polish books that have been translated into Macedonian. They are now located in the ES library and are a popular item with the students.
Classical Evening
Young musicians from all three Nova divisions - Elementary, Middle and High School, showcased their instrumental skills on our 7th Annual Classical Evening. The topic of the concert was "Instruments of the Future" and the special guest of the evening was the exquisite Macedonian piano player Dunja Ivanova. We also had an art exhibition of elementary and middle school students as well as a short presentation on couple of newly invented instruments. Please find a selection of photos from this wonderful evening in the slideshow at the end of the newsletter.
Student Council News
The Student Council is currently working on a community service project that is collecting donations to support Disabled People in Demir Kapija.
One of our Student Councillors, Natalie from Grade 7 has written a paragraph about what they are requesting. Please find it below.
Our school was contacted to help an Institution for Disabled People in Demir Kapija, and as you know they are asking for towels. The people there don’t have enough towels to dry themselves after taking showers. These people can’t experience the nice feeling of a towel warming you up after a cold bath. That’s why we encourage you to donate towels. The towels you donate don’t have to be new, unless you want to buy new towels and then donate them. They can be used old towels and maybe have a few rips in them, however, they have to be clean. Please donate, because maybe this won’t mean anything for you, but it will change those people’s lives. There is a box right when you enter the ES, and there will always be student council standing next to it. We are also preparing shoeboxes with essential items that we can give them in addition to the towels. These are the items we need. Any support you can give will be very much appreciated.
Underwear, Socks, Undershirts, Long Underwear, Moisturizer/Lotion, Wax Crayons, Colored Paper and Shoeboxes to put the donations into. Here is the flyer that the Student Council have prepared.
This is also a great article about teaching you child charity. Please follow this link.
How many units are there in the new International Curriculum?
We know that children learn best when they want to learn. That's why the new International Curriculum has over 160 different thematic units of learning, designed to appeal to children’s interests and help them to learn more about the world around them. Themed units help children to see how subjects are both independent and interdependent. This enables them to see the big picture of their learning, make connections across different subjects, and talk about a topic from multiple perspectives.
Donate Towels for a very worthy cause
We are currently collecting donations for used (or new) bath towels that we will donate to the special institution for people with disabilities in Demir Kapija. This is an extremely worthy cause as they are in dire need of support. We are also planning to donate shoeboxes of essential items and will provide that list later. For now however, we would like to collect as many towels as possible as this is the most pressing need. They can be dropped off at the entrance to the EMS building in the box provided.
Kindest regards,
Russell O'Neill
EMS Principal
Important upcoming dates
Tuesday March 27 EMS Spring Party
Wednesday March 28 Middle School Science Fair
Wednesday March 28 Oral Health and Down Syndrome presentations
Friday March 30 Student Led Conferences 9am - 5pm
Monday April 2 Spring Break commences
Tuesday April 10 School resumes after Spring Break
Friday April 20 International Day
Saturday April 21 Spring Bazaar
Wednesday May 23 Simultaneous Storytime Read-a-loud
Dear Parents,
Student Led Conferences - Friday March 30
Staff and students have been busy preparing for the upcoming Student Led Conferences that will take place this coming Friday (March 30). By now you will have received a sign up request form in the same format that we usually use for Parent Teacher Conferences. The only difference is that there will be 4 time slots per hour for families to sign up for. That way there will be up to four children presenting to their parents at a time in each classroom. You can also follow this link to all sign up pages.
A student-led conference is a meeting between the parent and child, where the student has the opportunity to present and explain samples of their learning to their parents, and together they agree on goals for continued development and growth. The homeroom teacher is in the room, but the responsibility for the meeting is with the student. It is a very effective way to teach students to take ownership of their learning, and for the parent to get a clear idea of their child's progress and what they are learning. The conference will last for approximately an hour. To help you better understand what a SLC looks like, you are welcome to view this short video clip that further explains the concept.
Exit Points
I have had the great pleasure of observing a number of Exit Points as we conclude some of our International Curriculum Units. There is a clear learning focus for each unit. This begins with a fun ‘entry point’ to immerse children in the unit’s theme and finishes at the end of the unit with the ‘exit point’, which provides a great way to celebrate learning. In between the entry and exit points are a range of engaging learning opportunities across the curriculum as well as a focus on personal and international learning goals.
Grade 8 Field Trip - This Thursday
This Thursday, all of the Grade 8 students will participate in their Exit Point at the conclusion of their "Challenge" Unit. This field trip is an integral part of the unit we look forward to seeing all students in attendance. If you want to learn more about the "Challenge Unit", please follow these links. Curriculum and Planning
MS IMYC Science News
In the past month, students in Grade 7 were learning about structure and functions of complex systems in humans, including the skeletal, muscular system and skin. Their learning was supported with a practical laboratory activity that involved a "Chicken Leg Dissection". The purpose of the laboratory work, was to assist students to become familiar with dissection techniques and to compare the chicken leg structures (muscles, bones, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and skin) to what they have learned about the human body systems. You can find pictures of this exciting activity in the slideshow below.
Kindy IPC News
Throughout our unit The Stories People Tell, students have been looking at a variety of stories and how information can be passed along over time. Kindergarten students learnt about legends, and how through time, it becomes unclear what parts of stories are fact and what parts are fiction. They experienced this first-hand, when we played many silly rounds of the game 'telephone''. Another activity involved students writing their own legend. First they learnt about real people and events in their lives, and then adding in some elaborate parts that may or may not be true! Please find pictures of what we have been learning in the slideshow below.
They then went on to learn about Greek culture, and how often stories are conveyed without words. We compared our lives today with those of children in ancient Greece. We learnt how actors often wore masks which hid their voice and facial expressions. This gave students an opportunity to communicate ideas non-verbally, as well as decorate their own masks. We learnt that Greeks used Terracotta pots as a way to record stories and events. Students read a Greek Myth, Hercules, and just like ancient Greeks did, they recorded their favorite scene on a Terracotta pot.
Grade 2 IPC News
Grade 2 have been learning about the importance of timelines, and have practiced creating timelines of the lives of the people who have made a difference in our world, as well as of our own lives. We may be young, but that only means we have a lifetime to make a difference in our world. Our Wonderwall shows all of the learning and wonderings we have been doing in the past month on the topic of significant people. Like detectives, we are asking questions and doing research to find out the answers.
PTA - ES Spring Party
This Tuesday, March 27th from 3pm-5pm the NOVA PTA will host an EMS SPring party and Bake Sale. This PTA event will feature games, easter themed treat and delicious food. You are invited to support this event by donating some baked items ( store bought, sweet or salty). Please drop off your donations at the EMS cafeteria on TUESDAY March 27th. Donations are accepted throughout the day and at the time of the party and are sincerely appreciated.
In addition to the Spring Party, each Homeroom will be supplied with 3 toys encased in a plastic egg. During the day at appropriate breaks, the teachers will distribute these to students who will participate in a hunt to find them.
Donation of books from the Polish Embassy
I would like to thank the Polish Embassy for their wonderful donation of two Polish books that have been translated into Macedonian. They are now located in the ES library and are a popular item with the students.
Classical Evening
Young musicians from all three Nova divisions - Elementary, Middle and High School, showcased their instrumental skills on our 7th Annual Classical Evening. The topic of the concert was "Instruments of the Future" and the special guest of the evening was the exquisite Macedonian piano player Dunja Ivanova. We also had an art exhibition of elementary and middle school students as well as a short presentation on couple of newly invented instruments. Please find a selection of photos from this wonderful evening in the slideshow at the end of the newsletter.
Student Council News
The Student Council is currently working on a community service project that is collecting donations to support Disabled People in Demir Kapija.
One of our Student Councillors, Natalie from Grade 7 has written a paragraph about what they are requesting. Please find it below.
Our school was contacted to help an Institution for Disabled People in Demir Kapija, and as you know they are asking for towels. The people there don’t have enough towels to dry themselves after taking showers. These people can’t experience the nice feeling of a towel warming you up after a cold bath. That’s why we encourage you to donate towels. The towels you donate don’t have to be new, unless you want to buy new towels and then donate them. They can be used old towels and maybe have a few rips in them, however, they have to be clean. Please donate, because maybe this won’t mean anything for you, but it will change those people’s lives. There is a box right when you enter the ES, and there will always be student council standing next to it. We are also preparing shoeboxes with essential items that we can give them in addition to the towels. These are the items we need. Any support you can give will be very much appreciated.
Underwear, Socks, Undershirts, Long Underwear, Moisturizer/Lotion, Wax Crayons, Colored Paper and Shoeboxes to put the donations into. Here is the flyer that the Student Council have prepared.
This is also a great article about teaching you child charity. Please follow this link.
How many units are there in the new International Curriculum?
We know that children learn best when they want to learn. That's why the new International Curriculum has over 160 different thematic units of learning, designed to appeal to children’s interests and help them to learn more about the world around them. Themed units help children to see how subjects are both independent and interdependent. This enables them to see the big picture of their learning, make connections across different subjects, and talk about a topic from multiple perspectives.
Donate Towels for a very worthy cause
We are currently collecting donations for used (or new) bath towels that we will donate to the special institution for people with disabilities in Demir Kapija. This is an extremely worthy cause as they are in dire need of support. We are also planning to donate shoeboxes of essential items and will provide that list later. For now however, we would like to collect as many towels as possible as this is the most pressing need. They can be dropped off at the entrance to the EMS building in the box provided.
Kindest regards,
Russell O'Neill
EMS Principal