2010 September Shark by The American International School of Rotterdam

Shark attack! It was a feeding frenzy on the courts...

Inside: • Director’s and Principal’s letters • Counselor’s Corner • Nurses Corner • Grade 5 Update • Sporting News

The American International School of Rotterdam

September 2010

SHARK

Graham Gamble

From the Director

Graham Gamble

Dear Parents, A few red faces and the proliferating sounds of sniffs, snuffles and sneezes (what marvelous alliterative possibilities in the English language!) mean that the Autumn season of colds and coughs is now upon us. Perhaps the children brought back germs amongst their other souvenirs and the dirty laundry from Trips Week… I wrote quite extensively about Trips Week in the last Bulletin so won’t spend any more time on that now. There are some pictures of Grade 5’s adventures in this month’s edition and other photographs will follow when we have had a moment to sort them all out. In the two weeks leading up to the Autumn Vacation (already??), don’t forget other events coming up: Coffee, Croissants and Curriculum at 8.15am on Friday, October 1 in the High School Lounge area; the English as an Additional Language (EAL) night on October 7. More information on that event will also follow. I am looking forward to seeing everyone at the Welcome Picnic on Sunday. Once again, a huge thank you to the team organizing this event and please don’t be shy about volunteering to help, even at this stage! Have a very good weekend and, above all, let’s hope it stays dry!

Graham Gamble Director

There has been great excitement among the Elementary students during the past couple of weeks. Once the signs went up for auditions for “Snow Queen” there was a long queue outside my office of budding young actors and actresses. All were hoping for a chance to take part in this production. The auditions were held last week, and as of today, the following parts have been cast:

The Snow Queen Gerda Kay Kay’s Grandmother Robber Maiden

Julietta – Grade 5 Catalina – Grade 4 Brian – Grade 2 Charlotte – Grade 4 Kelly – Grade 5

Many other parts still need to be cast. We will have another meeting with all the students who have already auditioned on Tuesday, 28 September from 3p.m. to 4p.m. We are also in need of volunteers to help us with costume and stage design. Even if you can only volunteer for a short time, please contact me – my e-mail address is: a.blitz@aisr.nl. If enthusiasm has anything to do with it, it promises to be a splendid production! Mark your calendars now for the performance of “Snow Queen”: Thursday, 16 December. More details about the evening will be sent out closer to the actual date. Report Cards will be posted home on Friday, 22 October. Parent Teacher Conferences are scheduled for Wednesday, 27 October and Thursday, 28 October from 3:30 to 6:00. The specific time for your parent-teacher conference will be sent out with your child’s report card. If you are unable to attend at that time, please contact the school to make a new appointment. I look forward to seeing many of you at the picnic on Sunday – let’s hope that the weather will be kind to us. Have a lovely weekend,

Sincerely, Anne-Marie Blitz

Anne - Marie Blitz

From the Elementary Principal

From the Board of Trustees

From the Board of Trustees For those of you with especially busy lives who would prefer only to read the first sentences of this article, the Board of Trustees would like to invite you to join us for our Welcome Picnic this Sunday September 26th! This picnic is organized for you: staff, parents and students. New parents socialize with returning ones, staff meet parents, students get to go to school for an extra day (!), it is a truly a joyful event in a relaxed atmosphere. The board has started the year energetically. Our first open Board meeting of this school year was held on August 24th. We welcome every reader to attend these meetings. The people who do can confirm that it is the best forum to get an overall picture of the running of the school. We thank the handful of people who loyally attend these meetings and continue to challenge us and offer constructive criticism. As always, many issues were discussed at the last Board Meeting. We would like to highlight the following. At the end of each school year, the school conducts an extensive survey of parent opinion. These surveys have been used by School leadership and by the Board to focus their attention on the areas that need it the most. Some of you may have been wondering what exactly was being done with these surveys. We listened and decided that we would communicate the Board’s and Administration’s top issues for this year, and report regularly on the progress. The board will focus this school year on two areas: the improvement of its communication with the community and the generation of a Strategic Plan. The board approved a communication plan that aims, amongst other things, to make all the information in support of our open board meetings more accessible to all, and to report on a regular basis on what was discussed and what was decided. With regards to the Strategic Plan, most of you will know by now that the process has started in August 21st, and that we expect to organize a first presentation this Fall. The school administration also presented its top three priorities for this coming year. These include improving communication, developing our Dutch program in Elementary and making our High School program even more exciting than it is now. The School Administration will report on these topics separately. We are looking forward to following-up on the progress of these initiatives. During the last Board Meeting, we also held the yearly re-election of the officers. The board unanimously approved the reelection of Tim Chambers as Chair, Michael Engelen as Treasurer and Thomas Van Craen as Secretary. Furthermore, Willem Koolhaas has been voted as Chair of the Public Relations and Marketing Committee, Thomas Van Craen as Chair of the Policy and Vision Committee – in replacement of Peter Ford – and Margriet Berkhout as member of these two committees. In the interests of completeness, may we remind you that Akiko Mori is the Chair of our Governance Committee, and Michael Engelen of our Finance Committee. Profiles of all Board members on our website are currently being updated. A final thought: many of the good things that take place in our school don’t just happen. Several people volunteer their free time, effort, skills and wisdom, and by doing so, contribute to what makes this school such a fine place. The scale of what we can achieve is only limited by the number of people who step forward. At this moment, it appears that our school will not have a PTSA (committee of parents organizing social and fundraising activities) this year – something that has not happened in the last 30 years. This will obviously not directly affect the education of your children. However, it does mean that some of the activities that you may have become were used to will not be organized, or that the PTSA scholarships may not be awarded at the end of this year. We know that many of you have very good reasons not to step forward. We still believe though that there is someone willing to take on the challenge to lead a group of motivated parents to enrich the life of our school. If you are that person, please let yourself known to the Director!

Thomas Van Craen Secretary

Board Meeting Dates* 2010

2011

October: Tuesday 26th

February: Tuesday 15th

December: Tuesday 14th

April: Tuesday 19th

AISR Board of Trustees board@aisr.nl

June: Tuesday 7th

*Please note: All meetings are held at 7:00 p.m. in the Library.

These dates are correct at time of going to print, but might be liable to change for unforeseeable circumstances. Any changes made will be announced in the Shark in advance where possible. Many thanks.

Laurence Chambers

Reminder to all parents: Any member of the community (students, parents, childminders, staff) showing a fever of 38°C (100.4°F) or above with or without any of the following symptoms MUST be kept at home and is not allowed at AISR for a minimum of 24 hours after the symptoms have disappeared without medication. • • • • • • • • • • •

Nurse’s Corner

A sudden cough Headache Tiredness Chills Aching muscles Limb or joint pain Diarrhea or upset stomach Sore throat Runny nose Sneezing Loss of appetite

If your child is unwell and unable to come to school, please contact me at:

nce e r u a L

l.chambers@aisr.nl 010 422 5351.

The PTSA ...an reminder As is usual in the expat community, some valued members of the current PTSA Committee have moved on and some are still with us. We ended the school year on a high note with a sincere thank you to the community for all of the support we had received throughout the year. Without all of you, our AISR community, wouldn’t have had such success. If you would like to get involved at AISR, playing a vital part in your children's education then the PTSA is a great way to make a difference at your child’s school while also enjoying the company of fantastic people living the same expat experience. We need new volunteers, and new ideas, for the PTSA. Volunteers are needed to serve on the PTSA Committee for the 2010 – 2011 school year. Positions include President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Outreach Committee. Please contact the PTSA, at PTSA@aisr.nl. or enquire at the school office.

Please consider getting involved with the organization dedicated to raising funds for the students of AISR. Without parent volunteers, there will be no PTSA! 4

The PTSA

Laurence Chambers

Grade 5 Update

Grade 5 Class Update... by Bianca Rimbach

In the beginning of the year the teachers were reminded to try to put magic and excitement back into learning. We think Grade 5 is off to a great start! Our language program takes us on amazing fantasy trips to various places and challenges the students with interesting and thought provoking literature. Our first IPC unit “Historical overview” took us on a journey through time. We boarded our self- designed imaginary time machines and visited early civilizations, studied connections between history and our present times, important people in history and historical events. Our timeline in the hallway took some hard work and will accompany us through the whole year.

Our first math unit “Prime Time” has been based on two essential questions: How can numbers be classified? What makes a strategy both efficient and effective? We have been learning about factors and multiples while playing to win the Factor Game and the Product Game. We have been classifying numbers in several ways – as prime, composite, even, odd, abundant, deficient, square, perfect and near-perfect. Our “gallery” in the classroom displays our work so far and will be the place we share our “Special Numbers” at the end of the unit.

The highlight of this unit was for sure our trip to the past of Holland in Arnhem.

Besides studying the history of our host country, everybody was challenged in very different ways. Some discovered that they could bike ride long distances and against fierce winds, others were challenged by walking and chatting at the same time and some had to find out that being friendly and nice is not always that easy. Our 5th Grade really bonded during this trip. The surprise disco bowling brought a lot of laughter and we finished by sending everybody off to sleep with one last task: We had to think of a happy thought that made us go to sleep with a smile on our faces.

Grade 5 wants to try to keep smiling and with this special class it will be a success!

Message from the Library

Message from the Library... Maria Teresa Sorondo de Lara Dear parents, Our Library is a very real treasure for all of our students, staff and many parents too. We are reminded of this every time we visit, either because of academic research or just the wish to browse during a quiet moment. It is always a pleasure to see the younger students peering amongst the shelves looking for ‘that’ special book, anxious to take home and discover. This valuable treasure needs to be maintained. It is important for these students and for the rest of our Library community to have the library well managed, allowing our borrowers an easier time amongst the shelves.

Would you like to come to the Library as a volunteer just an hour a week? Please get involved with your child’s school, help the students and enjoy in their discovery! Just send an e-mail to m.lara@aisr.nl indicating which day of the week and what time suits you best. Many thanks from our avid Library borrowers. Maria Teresa Sorondo de Lara AISR Library

Kate Driver

I’m very excited for a new year and I think we are off to a great start. For those of you that I have not yet met, my name is Kate Driver and I’m the School Counselor. I have the pleasure of working with all of the students in the school in various ways. I work with students individually, in small groups, and in the classroom from time to time as well.

Counselor’s Corner

For elementary students, I am part of the Community of Respect, and I present class lessons on our COR monthly themes. For secondary students, I am the academic and university advisor. At all levels I play a role in the academic, career, and personal and social development of our students. If you have any questions about what I do or would like to discuss your child’s emotional or academic well-being, please feel free to email me at k.driver@aisr.nl.

A Road to a Better Future

Article and photos by Joyce Merceij Last school year, the Graduating Class of 2010 were asked for ideas for a Senior gift. The Seniors decided to make a donation to a good cause. The Seniors raised the money by selling hotdogs at the Craft’s fair, among other things. The good cause that was chosen is based in Surinam, a poor, Dutchspeaking country in South America. The cause is called “De Toekomstweg” and was started by William and Nila Verheij. They are rebuilding the Moiraschool. Nila, and her sister, Asha, lived in Surinam and went to that school when they were young. They now live in the Netherlands. When the sisters went back to visit family at the beginning of 2010, they went to visit their school and were shocked by the state of it. The building was very damaged and looked like an old stable. The farm animals in the Netherlands live in a five-star hotel compared to that school! During my holiday in Surinam, I visited the school. The building looked like it had not been cleaned in years! It was a very emotional experience for me. It was horrible to see the children sitting in a classroom that was partly flooded.

The sisters decided to set up an organization to help the school by building a completely new building. The building is almost finished and the school is due to be opened in October! More on this will come your way after this has taken place. For more information on this, visit their website at www.toekomstweg.nl.

A Road to a Better Future

Kate Driver School Counselor

Rob Zeilstra

Sports -

Sporting News

Rob Zeilstra

NEWS FROM THE ATHLETIC DEPT. THE LADY SHARKS HAD A FEEDING FRENZY! The AISR U12 and U14 Volleyball teams have had some fantastic games results in Antwerp. Our determined AISR girls defeated the much bigger schools of Antwerp, The Hague and Amsterdam in 5 out of 6 of our games. Great job Coaches and...

....WAY TO GO, GIRLS! Get the full coaches report and more photos from AISR's Athletic Website.

http://www.aisr.nl/athletics/fall_sports/ fall_sports.php

GO SHARKS! A great start to the season! 9

September 20 - 24, 2010. Dabin is a very young member of the U14 Soccer Team. From the start of the season, Dabin showed great eagerness to work as hard as he could during practice. His keen eye for the ball and his insight in the game make him a talented player. Dabin is not our largest player, but yet he manages to tackle and steal the ball from players almost twice his size. His eagerness to play soccer is an example to others. When he kicks the ball into the goal during practice he shows others what is possible. He inspires the team with his spirit and enthusiasm. Way to go Dabin!

EXPLANATION OF THE RECOGNITION: Each week AISR coaches select a student/athlete that has shown outstanding achievement in one or more of the following: Leadership, Sportsmanship, Skill Improvement, Outstanding Play at Games, Excellence in Practice, Concern for fellow Teammates, Encouraging Others, and other efforts deserving recognition. This person can be chosen from any of the SHARK Teams.

Away Games Coming Up.... Saturday September 25 - JV Girls @ Amsterdam for games with ISA and Hamburg Tuesday September 28 - HS teams @ Eindhoven Thursday September 30 -MS teams @ The Hague Please check the Athletics page on the AISR website ical for future scheduled games:

http://www.aisr.nl/athletics/

Sporting News

Athlete of the Week...

Community Announcements And Classifieds

To Advertise here contact:

g.gamble@aisr.nl or Tel + 31 (0)10 422 5351

If you have an article you would like to publish in the Shark, please send it to :

theshark@aisr.nl The deadline for submissions is Monday 25th October.

Expat Socials - Internationals In Rotterdam Monthly Expat Drinks @ Cafe Engels (in front of Central Station) Open from 18:00 to 23:00hrs

Therapy and Personal Development “Hands to help and hearts to care” Do you need to talk to someone to express your difficulties and challenges with raising your child? Katherine Fortier, an educational and child psychologist, will lead the parents group. “...an opportunity to discuss their concerns and develop strategies to help their children and manage their own stress.” For further information or to register, Please email hearts.2care@yahoo.com or call Rubina Anis on mobile 06-52072084.

If you would like an invitation to this get together or any of the future events, please join us on Facebook: www.engels.nl/internationals and subscribe to: www.meetup.com/INTERNATIONALS-in-rotterdam We look forward to welcoming you all.

Languages LIFE COACHING – MIND AND BODY INC. With my skills, I can help you: • UNDERSTAND YOURSELF BETTER! • USE YOUR INHERENT SKILLS MORE EFFECTIVELY • CONTROL YOUR WEIGHT AND STAY FIT IN A NATURAL WAY • UNDERSTAND YOUR CHILDREN BETTER • ULTIMATELY LEARN THAT JOY IS WITHIN YOU

Would you like to improve your English ? Now is a great time to start studying in small friendly groups of adults with English teacher, Susannah Tomlinson. “Why not give it a go?” More details are available at reception, or contact Susannah via email: susannah.tomlinson@yahoo.com or telephone: 040-8428486

SPECIAL NEEDS TUTORING for Children • Gifted and Talented (including underachieving gifted), ADD and ADHD, Learning Disabilities, Behavior Management, Asperger's, Autism, Down's Syndrome, Fine Motor Skills.

DUTCH BEGINNERS CLASS OFFERED AT AISR Monday’s from 9am till 11am, starting on Monday the 20th of September My name is Arjan Blokland and I offer a Dutch beginners class at AISR. The course focuses on practical language skills. The course has been designed for people with no or almost no knowledge of Dutch. The course consists of 12 lessons. The first lesson will be held on the 20th of September. The minimum number of participants will be four and the maximum will be nine. The prices of the classes are between € 15,- and € 24,- per class, depending on the number of students.

• HELP AND SUPPORT FOR PARENTS of children with Special Needs PLEASE CONTACT ME, SANDRA, @ EMAIL: joyandpower@gmail.com MOBILE: 06-16593856.

Sandra B.A. Psychology, M.A. English Literature, M.S. Special Education (USA).

Culture Ballet classes: For ages 3 and up in the AISR building. The classes will be taught by Sue Manville who trained at The Royal Academy of Dance in London. Sue has 20 years experience of ballet teaching and choreography, in the United States, UK, Australia, Greece, Spain and Brazil.

e-mail: lindenlanguages@hotmail.com or telephone: 06-41585013.

Services

If interested, please email Sue Manville at sue.manville@gmail.com stating your child’s age.

Treasured memories? Old or damaged photos restored: I can repair most images to a high level of presentation and provide a digital image and photo-print of the restored image. If interested please email me, David Blackburn.

Guitar Lessons: Private Guitar Lessons, after school at AISR or at home. Please contact bob@bobhamilton.net or visit www.bobhamilton.net more info. All ages and styles, flexible scheduling for both students and parents!

Email: mrblackburnart@gmail.com

Email: bob@bobhamilton.net

The AISR accepts no responsibility for the community announcements, services and items advertised.