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DIGITAL CHAPEL Issue #53 | Oct 2018

TALENT SHOW

TT SS IB

IB NEWS

ECEC NUTRITION

EC C D C

ECEC CHILDREN'S DAY

NEW ARRIVALS

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CHAPEL’S BEST UNDER 40

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TALENT SHOW: STUDENTS SHINE ON STAGE AND BEHIND THE SCENES The 2018 Talent Show, which took place on September 28 and featured a range of artistic presentations from 51 students in second to sixth grade, owed its success to a variety of factors: the commitment and performance of all the Elementary School classes, the organization of sixth grade teachers and students, and the participation of parent volunteers.

“With the aim of encouraging students to explore their artistic talents -- not just singing and dancing, but also with instruments, choreography, dramatic reading, magic, or whatever they like -- we organized the biggest talent show ever, with 51 presentations,” explains event coordinator, Vanessa Almeida. The students in first grade participated by creating the external mural for the event in art class. The Art Club also produced paintings that decorated the inside of the auditorium.

“We worked to supplement the artistic talents on stage with visual art work from our students,” explains art teacher Cristina Maesano.

The musical aspect of the show was coordinated by music teacher Roberta Braga, who helped students with some presentation techniques: “It’s an opportunity for the kids to build self-esteem, gaining self-confidence by performing for a large audience,” she explains.

The students in sixth grade were responsible for organizing the event and everything that happened backstage – and that was no small task. Under the leadership of teacher Colin Weaver, students got an opportunity to learn how the world works: “They learned the relationship between responsibility and success.”

The classes were responsible for the creation, preparation and sale of invitations, the proceeds of which will go to the graduation party for the 6th grade class.

They also supported the acts – on stage and backstage – directing student presenters and taking care of the microphones, light, sound, and video recording of the event. "They learned to work as a team, and that although each individual has his or her own responsibilities, they need to work together to succeed," said teacher Mehir Desai. The organizing teachers also credited the success of the event to parent and teacher volunteers. The song presented by the 6th graders at the end of the show was a tribute to all who worked hard for the success of the show.

Click here to see the photo album.

CC BY-NC 4.0 Licence

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IB NEWS HS EXPLORES RIVER ECOSYSTEM As part of their IB Internal Assessment for Geography, “Testing the Bradshaw Model of River Dynamics,” students in 11th and 12th grade traveled to the coast of São Paulo in September to explore the Jaguareguava River – whose name comes from the Tupi language, and means “place where the jaguar drinks water.” Located in the city of Bertioga, which is made up of about 60% preserved Atlantic rainforest, the river starts in Serra do Mar, receives water from waterfalls along its path, and is surrounded by mangroves on both river banks that host various species of animals, making it an ideal environment for geographical study. During their trip, students measured the width, depth, speed, and sedimentation in 12 locations along a two-kilometer stretch of the river. “The field work aims to put what students learn in the classroom into practice, but it is also a fun social experience, since the kids are excited explore the trails that lead to the river,” commented Benjamin Vaughan, the IB coordinator and Geography teacher who accompanied the students on the trip, alongside teachers Christiaan Rombaut and Vinicius Carmello.

VISITING THE CAMPI OF INSPER AND IBMEC For the students who intend to study at Brazilian universities after graduating from Chapel, the school’s Brazilian Program offers visits to excellent academic institutions, chosen by students in a survey of 10th, 11th, and 12th graders. This semester, students visited Insper on August 27 and IBMEC on September 24. On both occasions, the group visited the campus, met with coordinators and DIGITAL CHAPEL #53

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professors, and talked to students in order to learn about the admissions process, campus life, and course offerings they might pursue. “The external experiences aim to help students not only choose a good university, but discover the course they want to study,” affirms Daniela Gattai, director of the Brazilian Program.

FIELD RESEARCH AT THE CIENTEC PARK In November, 12th grade students will visit the Park of Science and Technology at USP (University of Sao Paulo) in order to explore aspects of biology, chemistry, and physics that will help them with an integrated IB science project.

"The research is done in interdisciplinary groups, but each student must reflect on the research question individually, which is then sent to the IB for evaluation," explains Ingrid Vompean, the head of the Science Department.

The CIENTEC Park is located in the Água Funda neighborhood, in front of the São Paulo zoo. It contains 112 hectares of protected forest, being considered an “Ecological Reserve of USP.” The area is intended only for conservation, restoration, research, extension and teaching.

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VISITING THE BIENAL DE SÃO PAULO This year, several groups of Chapel students will visit the 33rd Bienal de São Paulo: students from 9th and 10th grade in the Brazilian Arts program, and students in 11th and 12th grade who are studying IB Visual Arts. The 9th and 10th grade students are involved in an i n t e rd i s c i p l i n a r y p ro j e c t w i t h t h e Portuguese and Art departments, and the trip to the Art Exhibit is part of the program. Connected to the exhibit's theme, "Affective Affinities," the 9th graders will make a visual poem, and the 10th grade will create a watercolor tree that represents their identity. The IB Visual Arts students will include the experience in their Investigation Book, a place where students document and plan their own artwork. After the event, these artistic productions will be displayed in the hallways of Chapel. About the visit to the biennial exhibit, art teacher Sylvia Almeida says, "Students are expected to extend what they learn in the classroom to a contemporary art show; the experience of visiting a museum is empowering because they get to reflect on their own creation."

TAKE ACTION CLUB DELIVERS ITS FIRST PROJECT With the donation of toys to Fundação Maria Helena Dextrel, the Take Action Club finished its first project. Over the course of one month, the club collected toys donated by ES and HS students and promoted a bake sale during the basketball games on September 18 – the proceeds were used to buy more toys.

The club coordinator, teacher Ingrid Vompean, said that "the Take Action Club offers students an opportunity to get involved in community service, completing projects for the school and the local community, in addition to social and environmental projects." Anyone interested in joining the club can come to the meetings every Wednesday from 3:15 to 4:00 in room 21.

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PREPARING FOR ESD TRIPS The Education for Sustainable Development program has chosen the destinations for its annual field trips, which will happen in February 2019: 7th grade – Paraty (RJ) | Ubatuba (SP) 8th grade – Petar | Apiaí (SP) 9th grade – Extrema (MG) 10th grade – Foz do Iguaçu (PR) 11th grade – Chapada dos Veadeiros (GO) | Brasilia The communication about the parent meetings will be sent soon, and registration will begin at the end of the month. "It is a can't-miss event, because students get the chance to travel with their classmates and experience both socially and academically enriching activities," says Luciana Brandespim, a teacher and one of the ESD program coordinators.

Chapada dos Veadeiros

Ubatuba

Petar

Foz do Iguaçu

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FUN ACTIVITIES BRING ECEC NUTRITION UNIT TO A CLOSE A series of activities concluded a unit on nutrition in Early Childhood Education. The students in Pre-I and Pre-II visited the school's kitchen, where nutritionists showed how food was prepared for the different parts of the school. In addition to this tour, the Pre-II classes also watched an educational video about nutrition and healthy eating choices.

Kindergarten students also had the school nutritionists visit their classroom to participate in a symbolic game that simulated a trip to the grocery store to purchase food for a healthy meal. "The main goal of this unit is to teach children to cultivate healthy eating habits and make them understand that everything that they eat serves some function in their bodies," explains Ms. Juliana Menezes, ECEC principal.

In a playful manner, the ECEC students were exposed to many important concepts, including the communal nature of meals and the independence that comes from being able to feed yourself. In addition, students learned that is possible to eat a little bit of everything, as long as they maintain balance. "We encourage them to have at least four colors on their plate, which helps them diversify their choices and incorporate various food groups," Ms. Menezes added.

"We talk about the food pyramid and focus on each group, acknowledging the benefits that foods from each group bring to our bodies," said Ms. Mayara Del Dotto, Pre-I teacher. From one grade to the next, the content gets more complex, but always keeping the focus on varied choices measured by hunger, without wasting food. "We have a project called 'Try a Bite Club,' which encourages DIGITAL CHAPEL #53

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students to try a different type of food each day," explained Pre II teacher Ms.Monica Rossini. "This also helps students gain the self-esteem so they feel safe with new experiences." Ms. Del Dotto echoed this idea, saying that "The students feel proud and confident when they are able to feed themselves independently.”

T h e teachers also affirmed that visiting the school's kitchen was essential, so that students understand the processes undertaken for food to reach their tables. "It is important that children learn about food preparation, and that they see how many people are working with great care to deliver healthy food to them. It is necessary to value food and the way it is prepared so that the children become aware about reducing waste and improving their choices when eating," concluded Ms. Menezes.

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ECEC CHILDREN’S DAY Check out the photo album from the Children's Day celebration in the ECEC.

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NEW ARRIVALS Meet six of the new teachers from ECEC to HS EXPERT ON GUIMARÃES ROSA Magna Martins | HS Portuguese teacher With a degree in Literature from Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, the new 9th and 10th grade Portuguese teacher is a specialist in Guimarães Rosa, one of the most renowned Brazilian authors. Magna Martins is from Belo Horizonte, in the state of Minas Gerais, and spent her childhood in Cordisburgo (MG), the author's birthplace. She founded the first generation of the group "Contadores de Estórias Miguilim," dedicated to keeping the oral tradition of Guimarães alive.

She has been living in Sao Paulo for 12 years just to have access to the author's collection, which is housed at the Universidade de São Paulo (USP), where Ms. Martins is finishing her Masters degree in literary theory. "I work with manuscripts of the works and letters of Guimarães Rosa from the period when he was in Germany, as a diplomat during the Second World War," she explains.

Having taught for more than a decade, Ms. Martins comes to Chapel after working at Ítaca, Escola Viva and Elvira Brandão, serving as head of the Portuguese language department at the latter. At Graded School, she also worked with students to study the dynamics and literary sensibility of Guimarães Rosa, with emphasis on the oral tradition.

Magna Martins is loving the academically stimulating atmosphere at Chapel: "I find it extraordinary, the cultural awareness and skills of the students are great, and the students are very respectful," she commented. The teacher went on to compliment the affection and relationships cultivated in the Chapel community.

In her free time, Ms. Martins enjoys running and cycling. She often participates in night races and other athletic events, and she usually trains at Ibirapuera Park and Buenos Aires plaza.

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ADMIRATION FOR THE SCHOOL Carolina Cimino | ES English support teacher Carolina Cimino considers Chapel her second home, and rightfully so: besides being a student at the school from grades 4 through 9, she spent two years working as an assistant for 1st grade. This year she has taken over as a reading and writing support teacher for the 1st and 2nd grade classes. "I feel extremely comfortable here, and everyone is very welcoming. Chapel is like one big family for me," affirms Ms. Cimino.

It was at Chapel that she decided to become a teacher: "It was because of my wonderful teachers that I am here. I still remember all of their names and what they taught me; my teachers made a strong impression on me, so I decided that one day I wanted to be like them," she recalls. After finishing with her IB Diploma, which she completed at St. Francis, young Carolina Cimino moved to Canada to study English. When she returned to Brazil, she taught at two bilingual schools, Maple Bear and Aubrick, before coming to Chapel. "Now I am seeing Chapel from a third point of view, and my admiration has only grown," she said.

Ms. Cimino always liked working with Early Childhood education, but said that she fell in love with literacy as an Elementary assistant: "Each age group has its own moments of discovery, but I have discovered that this age group is something special. The students are developing autonomy and independence, but they show a lot of affection; they tell me their achievements with such joy, and I love to hear about their discoveries."

When she is not working, the teacher likes to travel to the interior of São Paulo, where she can spend hours relaxing on the grass or in a hammock, lost in a good book. "I love to read, to listen, and to imagine stories," she said, summing up her favorite pastime.

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FROM THE LABORATORY TO THE CLASSROOM Theopi Rados | HS Science teacher A Nursing School graduate from the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) with a Biology degree from Universidade de Franca (SP), the new high school science teacher also has a Master's degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Although she is the daughter of two teachers, Theopi Rados always felt at home doing research in laboratories; despite having taught English, she did not see teaching as her ideal profession until she started teaching in regular schools. "I really liked working in the lab and conducting research, but teaching brings me the satisfaction I was seeking," she said. She started her teaching career as a middle school teacher at Stance Dual, a bilingual school in the capital.

Her desire to work at an international school spurred her to interview for the job at Chapel. "Definitely, it was one of the best decisions I've made. I am loving it. I feel very welcomed by everyone and I think the students here are great," commented Ms. Rados, who also had many compliments for her colleagues in the Science Department: "They are very competent and professional. It is truly a pleasure to work with them."

During vacation, the science teacher loves to travel. Every year, she visits her family and friends in Greece. This year, in addition to spending Christmas with her best friend in Athens, she is eager to visit a new country: Romania. Ms. Rados also likes to spend her free time with her two beloved cats or playing board games.

"That is one hobby that I have," she concluded.

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EDUCATION IS AN EXCHANGE Adriana Alves | ES and HS Portuguese teacher “The presence of two teachers in the classroom is very productive. I always thought that working in the classroom was quite solitary, so having a partner to exchange ideas, evaluate your work, and give feedback is very important. Our attention is more focused on the students, because we have someone working alongside us.” The co-teaching adopted by Chapel was one of various aspects that captured the attention of the new Portuguese teacher Adriana Alves, who had not yet had that experience in her 26 years of teaching.

With degrees in Literature and Communication, Ms. Alves has experience teaching early childhood and elementary school. She also has experience training teachers, even in bilingual schools – currently, through Instituto Singularidades, which provides distance learning for Projeto Versar, which aims to reduce the dropout rates in public schools in Belo Horizonte (MG). When she learned about the opportunity to work at Chapel, she decided to go after the challenge of working in an international school: “It is a new world to explore, a big challenge and a new routine, but the experience has been very enriching, especially the chance to interact with students from different nationalities and the opportunities for continuous learning offered at the school,” she said. Another aspect highlighted by the teacher was the behavior of the students: “the students are focused in class and are receptive to our feedback and interventions,” she added.

In her free time, Ms. Alves enjoys going to see shows, plays and films, in addition to reading – often and voluminously – and traveling, as a way to experience new cultures and get out of her normal routine.

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SAILING INSTRUCTOR Caroline Boscariol | ECEC and ES Physical Education teacher

It was family tradition that brought Caroline Boscariol into the world of sailing: the grandfather taught his son, who taught his granddaughter. “Sailing has always been a familiar sport for me,” says the new P.E. teacher for the ECEC and Elementary school.

As a 13-year-old girl, she worked in her grandfather’s marina as a sailing instructor: “It was my allowance,” she said. “I always knew that I wanted to work with sports and that I wanted to have an impact on people’s lives with my job, and with time I realized the I really enjoyed teaching kids, especially when they were discovering new things that they would carry with them the rest of their lives.”

With a degree in Physical Education, Caroline Boscariol joined Chapel in May of this year as an intern before taking on classes of her own this August. “I am loving my job, and all of my colleagues in the P.E. Department are very generous, sharing their wisdom and information. It is important to see that everyone is committed to working with the kids,” she said. What she considers most engaging part of her job is the playful part of physical activity: “More and more I see how much I enjoy working with children; it’s really rewarding to see them learn by playing.”

Her favorite leisure activities are still to spend time with her family and to sail, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. But her newly-wed life also requires dedication: “I haven’t been able to sail as much as I would like. That’s why I have been setting aside some time to teach my husband to sail,” Ms. Boscariol said.

She certainly has the talent to do so.

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PROFESSIONAL ACTOR Rodrigo Carvalho | HS Math teacher

The new high school Math teacher entered college certain that he wanted to be a teacher: “I got my teaching license and never changed courses,” he said. With a degree in Mathematics from Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Rodrigo Carvalho has a masters in teaching Science and Math from the same institution. He was still in his last semester as an undergraduate when he became an assistant teacher at St. Francis, another international school in São Paulo.

He began teaching Math in English less than two years later, at the International School of Alphaville, and later returned to St. Francis, where he stayed another six years. In search of new challenges, he joined Chapel this y e a r, a p p re c i a t i n g t h e d i v e r s e a n d multicultural environment. “I am really liking i t h e re , w h e re t h e re i s s u c h g re a t infrastructure and a strong sense of appreciation for the teachers, which is admirable,” he commented.

In addition to teaching, Mr. Carvalho has practiced Karate for 18 years, and he also teaches karate classes for students of all ages as part of a social project where he volunteers. The teacher is also a fan of anime, a hobby that led him to complete a course in professional voice-over work. “I always liked Japanese cartoons, and since I was a kid, I watched a lot of dubbed series,” he shared.

Soon after finishing his course, he already completed his first project, a “fandubbing” (voiceovers for fun and not for profit) for a superhero film.

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CHAPEL’S BEST UNDER 40: Andrezza Duarte Age: 31 Where he lives: São Paulo, SP Years enrolled at Chapel: Kindergarten to 12th grade (1992-2005) What is your academic background?

I graduated with a degree in Journalism from Mackenzie and I have an MBA in Business and Marketing from ESPM. Briefly describe your professional life. What do you do work with, and where?

I am a journalist – in my training and in my soul. I always knew I wanted to be a jour nalist. I never thought of other possibilities. I no longer work in the field, but I spent 10 years as an editor for some of Brazil’s major magazines, like Claudia and Cosmopolitan, both from the publishing group Editora Abril. I also spent some time with Editora Globo, working with the publications “Quem Acontece” and “Crescer.” Making magazines is the greatest passion of my life, and quitting was the hardest decision I ever made. Since then, I have opened two companies: one to help older people return to the labor market (a company inspired by my grandmother Salua and winner of the Sebrae Prize for Start-ups in Creative Economy) and the other one, Água com Sal, which produces baby beachwear, where I work directly and daily. The brand is in its third year and is already available in more than 10 states and three countries.

Your greatest goal in life is: I believe that my greatest goal would be to raise happy children – good at heart, feminists, who are proud to have a mother who likes to work and who fought for her place in the job market. And that this also inspires them to be caring but resilient fighters.

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Tell us your best memory from Chapel.

It’s hard to choose just one, since they were 13 of the best years of my life, spent alongside people who remained my best friends for the rest of life. Chapel gave me this privilege. Everything that was born there – in the halls, athletic fields, games, and trips – was very authentic. But it goes beyond that: starting with the Elementary field trips, the choreography we created for the talent show – which we never won, by the way, but we had a lot of fun – the graduation trip to the Amazon, and the Senior Fashion show, which was really special to me. One of the fondest memories I have of Chapel actually happened a few years after graduation. In 2009, unfortunately, my father passed away. My youngest sister Audrey (class of 2010) was a Senior at the time. Unexpectedly, a bus filled with teachers and friends of my sister arrived at my dad’s funeral: the school, by its own initiative, organized all of this to support us in a difficult moment. That made a deep impression on me and represents exactly what makes Chapel so special: the sense of community.

How did Chapel influence your life?

I brought Chapel with me for life – literally. In addition to the friends Chapel gave me, it also brought me my husband, Rodrigo Ferreira, who is also a “Chapolino.”

He is from the class of 1999, so, due to our age difference, we didn’t meet during my years there. But, just the fact that we have the same background and reference points makes our story very special. I always say that Chapel prepared me for the world. And not just because of the English literacy, which opened up doors to professional opportunities, but because it helped me grow as a human: Chapel allowed us to grow up in a multicultural environment and to live with so many different nationalities. It made us see the world with less prejudice and with curiosity about other cultures. For example: I lived in Spain and the United States, and I did an extensive project with the NGO Doctors Without Borders in Mozambique; although these cultures were completely different, adapting to them was easy for me. And this ease, resilience, and thirst for discovery I owe to Chapel.

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