theASPect TEACHING AND LEARNING AT ASP
LIVING OUR MISSION JUNE 2011
INSIDE theASPect:
LIVING OUR MISSION Table of Contents: 2 3 4
From the Board of Trustees Introducing a New Future for ASP by Head of School, Mark Ulfers
ASP’s Strategic Plan Our Bridge to the Future
6
International Day
7
Serving Up Poetry!
8
Engaged Global Citizens
10
Celebrating ASP’s Multicultural Global Family
Poet Laureate & Cafe
Walkathon & A Service Trip to India Spring Sports Success Our Winning Teams
11
A Kalahari Experience...
12
Graduation
14
Promoting Learning and Service
15
What is Intelligence?
16
The Excellence Fund
18
Celebrating our Teachers
19
Out of Africa!
A Service Trip to Africa
An Exceptional Vintage
Learning for Life
Investigations Conference
The ASP Community (Fund)raises the Roof!
Retirees 2011
FROM THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES Dear ASP Community, As the 2010/11 school year comes to a close, there are many celebrations, emotions and activities. Special congratulations to the Graduating Class of 2011 – this was a very special class which embodied the richness, talent and friendships that make ASP the special school that it is. On behalf of the Board, we are so proud of you and wish you the very best as you move on. Thank you to dedicated faculty, staff and administration for all that you have done for our students as outstanding educators and role models for each and every one of them. Parents, thank you for your partnership with ASP and the trust you have placed in our school during these important and formative years of your children’s lives be it one year or many. At our final meeting of the year, the Board approved a new 5-year strategic plan inclusive of mission, beliefs, objectives and parameters. As you will read in this ASPect, the plans to move forward are ambitious and relevant. They are the culmination of a process that was inclusive and thorough. Above all they are ready to become more than only plans, but actions, and we look forward to working together to ensure that we are able to make continuous improvement and provide the very best for our students every step of the way. At the same meeting the Board elected the following officers for 2011/12: Elisabeth Seeley, President; David Tancredi, Vice President; Sue Carden, Treasurer and Claire Staniforth, Secretary. We are delighted that all 15 members of the Board will be returning next year and therefore did not elect any new trustees at this time. As we continue to work on the important land acquisition and facility improvement, move forward on the feasibility study for fundraising and ensuring oversight of the ambitious Strategic Plan, we are very fortunate to have such a dedicated and skilled group of Trustees continuing to work together. Mark Ulfers has led ASP through an incredible first year with energy, vision and enthusiasm, leading by example and bringing the community along with him. On behalf of the Board and the entire ASP community I would like to thank him again for a fantastic year, very fast paced at times, but an important step in the future of ASP. For those of you not returning next year, all the very best as you move on to new places and experiences. Please know that you all remain a part of the ASP community always and do stay in touch. For those returning, we look very forward to welcoming you back with renewed energy and enthusiasm. To one and all - safe travels, relaxing time with family and friends and a healthy, happy summer. All the best,
A Cultural Immersion
Lis
Seeley
President of the Board of Trustees 2
the ASPect
JUNE 2011
FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL INTRODUCING A NEW FUTURE FOR ASP On June 8, 2011, our Board of Trustees approved the school’s strategic plan that provides a bridge from the school we are today to what we must represent in the future.
COLLEGE COUNSELING: We are increasing our college counseling faculty in order to begin the college counseling process earlier with students and their families. We are also expanding the teacher-student advisory program to include grade ten.
Life at ASP has always included high expectations and superior performance by all, within a climate of caring and support. Our new strategic plan builds upon 65 years of history where teacher-student relationships constitute the basis of a strong academic program, character development, motivation and learning within and beyond the classroom.
BECOMING LAND OWNERS: We are purchasing the ASP campus from the French State. As our home to be, the stakes are higher and we now have every reason to be uncompromising when it comes to providing the highest quality student experience. The change in our professional climate has been palpable with the news that we are soon to be landowners. Ideas for how we must improve seem to come more quickly and with greater conviction. A very exciting time in the life of our school.
We are all part of a new age where both exciting possibilities and unsettling questions exist. Our students must develop adaptable skills today to greet the jobs, opportunities, uncertainties and technology that await them tomorrow. We want our young people to have all the tools to get to the future before anyone else. Our ideas and decisions on how we engage students in learning will be measured against our new ASP mission. Expected and deserved by everyone in your family is a school with strong direction.
FACILITY DEVELOPMENT: Becoming the property owners provides an historic opportunity to assess how we can improve our learning facilities to meet the needs of our students and strategic plans. Nine architectural firms are submitting bids and proposals to develop purpose-built facilities, especially focused on plans that integrate learning technology and provide sufficient community and flexible-use spaces.
ASP does and will continue to emphasize traditional knowledge and skills, yet must also ensure new fluencies and added emphasis for critical thinking, problem solving, leadership, environmental stewardship and communicating in multiple languages. Our students must be wholeminded thinkers who are flexible in working analytically, creatively and compassionately – and people of uncompromising character. Our school’s newly minted strategic plan makes the promise to deliver on the above skills. In the past year, we didn’t wait around for a plan. We worked for and implemented changes at ASP while simultaneously adopting a new strategic plan. A few examples follow: TEACHING PERFORMANCE STANDARDS: During the fall of 2011, a new teacher performance review process will be introduced to all ASP faculty with consistent teaching standards (using the rigorous National Board Standards for Professional Teaching) used by teachers across the school. Our goal is to ensure continuous improvement and meet a high standard of teaching effectiveness for every student. ENSURING A RELEVANT CURRICULUM: A curriculum review process has been adopted to ensure consistency and a proper sequence of student skill development as they move through the grades. We strive to ensure continuous improvement of a viable, relevant and reliably taught written curriculum across the school. ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT LEARNING: Student learning assessment practices were reviewed and changed. We’ve adopted the Measures for Academic Progress where students in grades 3-8 are assessed in critical reading, mathematics and science concepts and knowledge. This online testing protocol adjusts to student responses, so there is no “ceiling” on the test– we are finding out what our students know and can do, then prescribing instruction to their proper challenge level. We’ve implemented an important new teaching tool– for individual student growth and for our own curriculum review. STUDENT ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY ACROSS THE SCHOOL: We know every student needs meaningful access to learning technology. Our three-year plan, specific to each school division, ensures this goal is achieved and will begin next school year. Ensuring improved student access to computers– and Smartboards too– and other devices that help our students learn smarter requires improved teacher training, which will also begin next school year.
www.asparis.org
FEASIBILITY & PLANNING STUDY: We have a goal to create a capital fund that will support the land purchase and our ambitious plans for new teaching and learning facilities. To determine the size, scope and timeline for a global fundraising campaign to support this, we are working with consulting firm CCS to conduct a planning study. Everyone in the ASP community will be asked for their feedback on our plans – through personal discussions, small group gatherings and an online survey. I encourage all of you to participate in this important information-gathering process. At our recent graduation ceremony, I had the opportunity to speak about our Class of 2011. They acquitted themselves well, on so many levels–from academic dexterity to sophistication in the arts. I spoke about their remarkable college acceptance record (30% into the world’s top 20 colleges), that we have 26 Advanced Placement scholar candidates, three national merit finalists– and they are a group of holistic learners, with many students going to the finest music, art and design schools in the world. They are multi-lingual, from 26 countries and are committed to getting beyond themselves in service to others. These statistics that instill both confidence and pride are surely no accident. Our young people have gained from strong teaching and support of their families. Our partnership between home and school is solid too. And just as I also want to tell you how well our Lower School and Middle School students scored in critical reading, math and science– they are above national and international norms as a group in all subsets– I want to say that our faculty and staff at ASP have completed a very productive school year for every student. We are changing, and we know that our future depends on our willingness and unequivocal commitment to continually improve our teaching and learning practices. Our teachers possess the curiosity and courage to move beyond the familiar– and they’ve demonstrated the same all school year. We built the bridge together and we’re moving across. Please accept our wish for a safe and happy summer with family and friends. Everyone…be so careful and we look forward to being with you for the 2011-2012 school year. All Good Wishes.
Mark E. Ulfers Head of School
theASPect
3
purpose. Our mission describes the extraordinary purpose of our school– and it serves as our target toward which we
ASP’s STrategic Planergy.
concentrate disciplined action, effort, resources and en-
Our Bridge to the future... OUR MISSION
The American School of Paris is a vibrant, international, family-oriented community. Our mission is to inspire and prepare every student to achieve personal and academic excellence as an engaged global citizen by providing a challenging, innovative program within a compassionate environment.
>>
Our declaration of ASP’s unique identity to which we aspire–describing whom we serve, our specific purpose– what we will achieve with our students– and the means by which we will achieve our purpose. Our mission describes the extraordinary purpose of our school– and it serves as our target toward which we concentrate disciplined action, effort, resources and energy.
OUR BELIEFS
PARAMETERS
Our fundamental values or ethical code that establish our moral and ethical priorities, our bedrock convictions, which serve to guide all American School of Paris activities.
Boundaries within which ASP will accomplish its mission. Parameters describe self-imposed limitations that sharpen our focus on accomplishing the intent of our mission.
We Believe That:
• Every person has equal worth. • Honesty and integrity are central to all we do. • Individuals are responsible for their choices and actions. • We best meet the needs of learners when we understand them as individuals. • Through hard work and determination individuals can achieve their potential. • Every member of a community has the responsibility to contribute to the greater good. • Seeking to understand diverse cultures, ideas and practices enriches a community. • A culture of high expectations and striving for excellence leads to higher achievement. • Learning is a continuous lifelong endeavor. • Great schools nurture passion, curiosity, creativity, selfexpression and joy. • Going beyond the familiar and taking risks stimulate growth, innovation and self-discovery. • In a rapidly changing world, achieving excellence demands commitment to continuous improvement. • Everyone shares responsibility for our global community and environment.
4
the ASPect
• The best interests of our students and their diverse needs will always be at the center of our decision-making. • We will always provide a safe, supportive, and healthy environment conducive to learning and wellness. • We will always provide a broad, balanced, exemplary educational program. • No existing program will be maintained unless it makes an optimal contribution to the mission and the benefits exceed the costs. • No new program or service will be accepted unless it is consistent with the strategic plan, the benefits justify the cost, and provisions are made for professional development and program evaluation. • Behavior that demeans or is disrespectful to any individual or group will always be addressed. • We will actively encourage family involvement in the life of the school.
The Planning Team: Students: Eli Rivkin, Anna Bradley Webb, Guillaume Julian, Anthony Ghosn, Zaahir Badruddin, Michael Carden, Stefanos Bennink, Berangere Judis Parents and Alumni: Terry Bachmann, Nasreen Badruddin, Jordan Lewis, Omnia Nour, Anne Schwartz, David Zeiler Board of Trustees: Lis Seeley, Claire Staniforth, Giovanna Monnas, Betsy Blackwell Faculty and Staff: Elvi Keulen, Emma Silva, Greg Jacks, Janet Stettner, Agnes Poudou, Gillian Lynch, Joseph Scanlon, Andrea Neubauer, Tim Trainor, Craig Vezina, Hal Judis, Mario Chioini Administration: Margaret Coleman, Kathy Miner, Aaron Hubbard, Larry Love, Laurence Feniou, Michele Calon, Mark Ulfers JUNE 2011
Putting the plan into action
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT OBJECTIVES
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT STRATEGIES
“The What”
“The How”
Our commitment to achieve specific, measurable, observable, or demonstrable results that exceed ASP’s present capability. Our objectives are practical and specific manifestations of the mission and represent the highest priority results we must achieve to improve the school and best meet the intent of our mission. Objectives are goals with school-wide implications for change.
ASP’s bold resolutions that dedicate resources and energies toward creating systems, or the means to achieve the objectives and be true to the intent of our mission. The objectives are the “what”, and the strategies are the “how.”
• Each student will set and achieve challenging educational goals related to academics, aspirations and personal interests. • All students will meet or exceed appropriate performance standards and proficiency levels in English and French, and we will increase the percentage of students learning additional languages. • Every student will understand and consistently demonstrate the character attributes to be a contributing global citizen and responsible leader. • All students will demonstrate increasing proficiency in such cross-disciplinary skills as critical thinking, problem solving, communication, collaboration, digital literacy and creativity.
To read the detailed action plans, the teams that created them, and the specific results for each strategy go the ASP website:
• We will develop, implement and communicate rigorous, relevant, assessed PK-12 curriculum, specifically designed to achieve academic excellence and aligned to our mission and objectives. • We will fully exploit the benefits of technology to best achieve our mission and objectives. • We will develop and implement long-term plans to secure our finances, facilities and campus necessary to fulfill our mission. • We will develop, implement and assess an expanded French and additional language-learning programs. • We will develop and support faculty, administration and staff to continuously improve professional performance and maximize student learning. • We will design a system to support students in setting and achieving educational goals related to academics, aspirations, and personal interests. • We will identify, model, reinforce and recognize the attributes and skills that enable every student to be a contributing global citizen and responsible leader.
www.asparis.org/strategicplan www.asparis.org
theASPect
5
INTERNATIONAL DAY “CElebrating ASP’s Multicultural global Family”
H
undreds of the ASP community joined together in the sunshine to celebrate the multicultural mosaic of our school at International Day.
Through food, music and games, we are able to share and celebrate many of the 60 cultures and traditions which make up our international community. Our ASP families enjoyed food & drinks, the bounce houses and a multi-sport arena, dance, music, and performances from around the world... and the younger children followed the passport trail of discovery around the country booths. From the International Hat Parade at start of the day, to Giles Croulard on his accordion at the close, the crowds sat in sunshine to enjoy all the performances. Thanks to the scores of parent volunteers who worked tirelessly to prepare for the event and on the day itself, the entire ASP community enjoyed a wonderful day together. Enjoy photos special from the day!
6
the ASPect
JUNE 2011
SERVING UP POETRY! Poet LaureatE & Cafe few weeks later that the results were served up at the Poetry Café, an idea developed by First Grade Teacher and the Lower School reading and writing coach, Maria Lagoutte after her work with the late Bambi Betts whose work on reading and writing curriculum and continuums in international schools has been so successfully implemented at ASP. From K1 upwards, the students memorized favorite poems or ones that they themselves had written and offered them in a traditional French Bistro setting as Entrée, Plat, and Dessert to delighted customers – parents, teachers, other Lower School students and visiting groups from Middle and Upper School. The aim of the café was to share the students’ creativity whilst developing writing and presentation skills, and the Kindergarten took the experience one step further, performing Poetry Raids on unsuspecting Lower and Middle School classes.
A
delicious menu of poetry was served for three full days at the Lower School’s first ever Poetry Café, brimming with rhyme, imagery and onomatopoeia.
The Poetry Café was the climax to an extensive poetry module that all grades from Kindergarten through Grade 5 took part in during their Readers and Writers Workshop times and was launched by a visit from the US Poet Laureate for Children, Mary Ann Hoberman.
Mrs Lagoutte said: “It was great to see how involved the children became in the poetry, not just the creation and the language but also the performance and sharing of their work, and it was an experience that was made greater by having the whole Lower School focus on one aspect of language learning at the same time.”
Ms Hoberman was delighted by the enthusiasm the children showed for her poetry as they greeted her with a specially rehearsed poetry Flash mob of her Windshield Wipers poem in the Performing Arts Center and then joined in with her reading as she selected favorite poems from her recent collection: “Llama in Pajamas.” Her visit sparked the poet in all our students and it was a
www.asparis.org
theASPect
7
ENGAGED GLOBAL CITIZENS Walkathon & A SERVICE TRIP TO INDIa
DAY 1
To celebrate the end of the year, the Middle School student council announced the final result of the 4300km Middle School Walkathon – a staggering 24,000 Euros! It was a record breaking success for the annual all student and faculty event in support of the Jyoti School in India where earlier this year a team had spent two weeks. Over Spring Break, 16 ASP Middle and Upper School students participated in the fourth bi-annual India Service Trip to Rishikesh, India. In all, these students provided over 27 hours of service each at the Jyoti Special School and visited the Laxman Jhula Medical Center. This included many innovative lessons and activities which were organized, several suitcase loads of donations delivered and countless smiles on the faces of all involved. ASP students were quick to recognize how much they learned from the Jyoti students and expressed admiration towards the Jyoti teachers for their yearround dedication and selflessness.
DAY 2
In preparing for the service trip, students collected school supplies and toys that were later distributed to Jyoti School students, as well as other neighboring schools. Medical supplies were also collected and donated to the neighboring Laxman Jhula Medical Center. The funds raised through the walkathon will help to create a technology center at the Jyoti School and assist with the development of an early childhood intervention facility. Special thanks to the PFA and Middle School Student Council for their tremendous support in the success of the event.
THE WALKATHON!
“We began our second day at the Jyoti School by finalizing preparations from the previous night in the planning room. Activities presented to Jyoti School students included, among other things: mask making; instrument creation; treasure hunts; picture frame making; origami and finger painting. The activities succeeded except for a few minor challenges and both ASP and Jyoti School students left the day’s first session with smiles on their faces.” (Ryan and Sam)
DAY 3
8
the ASPect
JUNE 2011
DAY 5 Student Voices... “Our greeting was more than we could ask for and very thoughtful, we fell in love with all the kids and their smiles made us so happy to be helping them. They lined up to greet us as we entered and handed us flowers as we gave high fives and handshakes. We were thrilled to see that the Jyoti school was in very good condition and the dormitory, that we fundraised for, was fully completed and in the process of being used. We toured the classrooms and thought about the lessons that we would be presenting. We also saw the weaving workshop and weaving rooms where students learn the skills they will need one day to get a job.” (Tess and Natalie)
DAY 4
“At 8 o’clock, all students were equipped and motivated to begin the lessons with the children of the school. On the bus, the team leaders gave a quick briefing regarding what was to be done, including advice to help us all in the following four and a half hours at the school. They also talked more extensively about the structure of the school and the different rooms in the Jyoti School. Essentially, there are six different rooms: Severely mentally challenged; mildly mentally challenged; moderately mentally challenged; autistic; hearing impaired; and the workshop room.” (Bryan, Bill and Evan)
“We modified our activites for students in rooms with different abilities. The entire second floor of the school was converted into a ping-pong golf obstacle course creating a fun challenge for the hearing impaired students. Other students smiled for a photo and finished up picture frames made of popcicle sticks. Outside, sporting events were making good use of everyone’s energy.” (Adam and Alex)
www.asparis.org
DAY 8
9
SPRING SPORTS SUCCESS OUR WINNING TEAMS The end of the year was celebrated by our ASP athletes with gold, silver and bronze medals in Varsity Softball and Track and Field, and promotion into Division One for our tennis champions. In addition, our Lower and Middle School teams took home medals and trophies in their own end-of-year tournaments closing a very successful soccer season for the younger athletes. The International Schools Sports Tournaments were held in May and we are proud of the results from all our teams, but special mention goes to the silver medals for our Varsity Softball team after a record 26 undefeated games in two years! Three of the team were awarded All Tournament Team Awards: Danielle Iwata, Brooke Hodenfield and Hannah Nowicki. And in addition our Junior Varsity Softball Team got a chance to join the senior athletes when they were invited to fill a spot in the Division Two tournament. Congratulations, Girls! And due to the ASP tennis team’s promotion, ASP has now all sports in Division One! For a relatively small school, to be one of the four schools (ASL, Cobham, St. John’s) in that position is a fact to be very proud of!
ASP Sports Awards 2011 Every year the most valued and the most improved athletes for each season’s sports are celebrated at the Sports Awards ceremony. Full listings are posted on the website: www.asparis.org/athletics And congratulations to the following athletes who went home with the top trophies: ACADEMIC ATHLETES OF THE YEAR: Jonathan Dunlap and Danielle Iwata SPORTSMANSHIP OF THE YEAR: Rayan Sharara and Danielle Iwata
ATHLETES OF THE YEAR: Matt McDermott and Brooke Hodenfield
FULL SPRING ISST RESULTS Golf: 8th place Baseball: 11th place Softball Division One: Runners Up All Tournament players: Brooke Hodenfield, Hannah Nowicki and Danielle Iwata. Softball Division Two: 7th place Track & Field: Overall 10th (Boys Varsity 9th, Boys JV 5th, Girls Varsity 11th, Girls JV 10th) Individual medal winners: James Mackenzie 3rd 110 hurdles, Rayan Shahara 2nd 400 hurdles, Braden Pape 1st shot put, 3rd 200m, Jordan Burgess 2nd 800m, Annie Miner 3rd high jump, Boys JV 4X100 relay team 1st (Braden Pape, Augustin Marignier, Juan Rodriguez and Olivier Van Hauwermeieren) Tennis Division Two: Overall Champions! (Boys Runners Up, Girls Champions) Individual medal winners: 3rd Lidia Lagioia, Girls’ singles; Guillaume Kress & Alex Murdock, Boys’ Doubles; 1st and 2nd Girls Doubles (Jules Healey & Juju; Alexia Legrand & Mana Frazier). 1st Martina Belloni, Girls’ Singles
10
the ASPect
JUNE 2011
A KALAHARI EXPERIENCE... A Service Trip to Africa “Imagine waking up at 5am, preparing a lunch of approximately 50 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and heading out on an hour long bus ride along a dusty dirt road to a local school, with a full day of teaching ahead of you. Once we, the participants embarking on the Kalahari Education Experience arrive, we will be greeted by the students, many of which are our age and in whom we see a mirror of ourselves. Equally curious, ambitious, and at times unsure, but drastically different from us in opportunity. This is where we wish to see ourselves in less than a week’s time.”
cue cooked by Pete Sinclair (The Upper School Principal at FIS who has been volunteering in the Kalahari for over 5 years now).
We worked together with Pete throughout the evening on all aspects of the trip, doing our best to learn from his vast experience. We also finally had a chance to partake in the legendary game that is “Chuck the Chicken.” As we approached midnight, we settled down in the Upper School Cube with our sleeping bags and watched the South African movie, Themba.
While ASP already has a rich tradition of service trips and initiatives, this summer a group of thirteen ASP rising seniors will add a new branch to this legacy, deep in the Kalahari Desert of South Africa. This team will be teaching English and Math to Middle Schoolers in the remote village of Ganap as they help prepare local students for rigorous national high school entrance exams. The preparation for the trip has been extensive and intensive for the small group of ASP students. They have already been busy researching exam requirements, collecting books to build a library at the Ganap School and creating a 140-page English anthology to help guide lessons.
Waking up together in The Cube to the theme tune from the Lion King was quite an experience. We were greeted with a breakfast laid out for us all by Mr. Ulfers and were ready for another day of preparations. In addition to completing our anthology, we were fortunate enough to be led in discussions on EAL Learning and Leadership by Mrs. Nowicki and Pete Sinclair (the benefits of which we are now truly realizing as we plan our lessons for the Kalahari). As we left the ASP campus both exhausted and excited, our collective motivation to make a success of this project was unquestionable. We’re about to embark on a truly life changing journey and hope that more and more members of the ASP community will join us in the years to come.”
In addition they spent their June holiday weekend at ASP with the ASP faculty team who will be chaperoning the trip focusing on teambuilding, leadership training, EAL instruction, and lesson planning.
Ganap students, who are on regular school holiday during the time of the two-week ASP visit, will receive free lessons, meals and school supplies. In addition, ASP students, under the guidance of visiting chaperon Max Urick, will help to make essential repairs to the school windows, desks and chairs.
“We began with a presentation on the country’s history and culture at the South African Embassy in Paris before returning to the ASP campus to be greeted by a wonderful barbe-
www.asparis.org
The ASP service trip has been organized to coincide with those of three other international schools. All the students will lodge together but will be responsible for schools in different villages in the Moshaweng Valley area. Sharing their experience with peers from other inter-
national schools will also enrich their learning experience. The ASP Kalahari team has been successful in raising over 13,500 Euros for the project through a grant from the Excellence Fund, a Car Book Sale at International Day, a South African School-wide BBQ, a bake sale and the support of generous donors. All funds raised will go towards the education of Ganap students and the betterment of their school. “Our aim is to enhance and sustain the education of the students at Madua Intermediate School, by focusing on English learning and pushing their skills. We hope to inspire, motivate and empower them to reach their potential through our teaching, a potential that many of them may not think possible. The two weeks of our trip are during their vacation, and the children choose to come to school not only to learn, but because they know they are ensured two meals. Within a student to student environment, we can instill in them a sense of confidence and a love for learning.”
The 2011 Kalahari Service Team includes ASP Students: Yasemin Aksoy, Jose Alencar, Luca de Ruggiero, Katie Dumke, Lauren Hamery, Ryan Hunter, Peirce Kirkham, Evan Knox, Tess Miller, Allie Miller, Salome Mirigay, Hannah Nowicki, and Kandi Pendleton. The Faculty Members of the Team include: Melissa Trainor, Tim Trainor, Sandy Karam, David Lynn, Max Urick and Head of School, Mark Ulfers.
The pictures on this page are from a visit to the project by Sandy Karam in 2010 in preparation of this summer’s trip. Look out at the start of the new school year for the photos and reports from this year’s trip.
theASPect
11
GRADUATION 2011! AN EXCEPTIONAL VINTAGE...
T
he Class of 2011 has a lot to be proud of and at the end of another successful year, ASP recognized their exceptional accomplishments on Graduation Day. Enjoy this photo special and the excerpts from the speeches by students Lukas Papenfusscline and Kelly Morrison
and commencement speaker, US Ambassador to France, Charles Rivkin, whose son was amongst the graduating class.
12
the ASPect
JUNE 2011
EXCERPTS... Ambassador Rivkin Commencement Speaker “When I decided to help Barack Obama the candidate, I didn’t do it because it was in my best interest. In fact, who really thought that a relatively unknown junior senator from Illinois named Barack Hussein Obama, raised by a single mother in Hawaii and Indonesia would stand any chance of even winning the Democratic primary - not to mention the American Presidency? I didn’t do it because I thought he would win, but because I was enormously impressed by him and thought he SHOULD win. I bet my economic, political and social capital supporting a seemingly unlikely cause that I believed in, when others only laughed.
Kelly Morrison
Lukas Papenfusscline
Graduating ASP to attend McGill University, Montreal
Graduating ASP to attend Tufts New England Conservatory
“Today is a day of celebration. Today is a day that many of us thought might never actually happen. Today is a day where graduates can relate to the people on either side of them. Today is our graduation. But, our graduation is no normal graduation. Our graduation doesn’t even compare to ASP’s class of 2010. Our graduation is different. There are 104 seniors;
“ASP is undoubtedly both one of the most dynamic and evanescent places that we will ever encounter. Each of us has labored to make our own figurative mark on the walls of this institution. The artsy kids have hung their works in the cube, the thespians have persevered through performances in the theater, gym and cafeteria, student politicians have helped retool the school during strategic planning, and the jocks have won games everywhere from Africa to the Netherlands. What makes this class so special, though, is the abundance of high caliber results in the arts, academics and sports. There are those who claim that quality is merely a probabilistic function of quantity. Yes, this class is the largest to have ever graduated from ASP, but even without the numbers, there would still be something distinctly distinctive about us. To twist Mr. Eliot’s words, we are leaving with a bang and not a whimper…
In doing so, I’d never felt that young in years, and the feeling has just grown stronger ever since. As a young Senate candidate, Barack Obama delivered the keynote address at the 2004 Democratic Convention. He gave it the title “The Audacity of Hope.” I hope — I know — you’ll be audacious enough to pursue your own dreams. No one knows where they’ll take you — not even you. But that’s what makes the journey so worthwhile.
the biggest graduating class ASP has ever had, sitting in front of me, each heading on very different paths. We have students going to universities all around the world from Kaist University in South Korea to Harvard University in the US. There are several students taking gap years to study languages, work, travel, and volunteer. Two students will even serve in their respective country’s militaries. Continue to inspire us, remember your roots, and always stay true to who you are. In thinking about your future, I urge you to follow the words of Mark Twain who once said: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.
Congratulations Class of 2011! The world is in your hands.”
www.asparis.org
…But parting, it seems, is such sweet sorrow. As we are being nudged into the beyond, we recognize how we have given and drawn from the always-evolving ASP spirit. Each gap left behind by a senior will both intimidate, yet inspire underclassmen. I still recall the majesty with which we as freshman regarded the seniors, who we were convinced included the best songwriter ever known, the best actress, the best baseball player, the smartest student. These daunting models compelled us to achieve. We have gloried in our own year as role models, and we’ve proven to be good ones
However, none of these things would have been even somewhat possible without the support, love and care from a few individuals. Spending two years in a class with the same students and teacher creates an unbreakable bond. We, the students, want to thank the people who shaped and gave us our top-notch learning experience: our teachers. You gave us the most useful gift in life—an education. Today is a day we will always remember. But graduation isn’t something that should be remembered as an ending. It should be remembered as a new beginning. After today, each graduate sitting in front of me will start a new chapter in his or her life. We all have great lives ahead of us and it is because of our time at ASP that we are able to lead such privileged lives. Today is a day of celebration. Congratulation guys, we finally did it!”
-- at least until we start all over as freshmen this fall in college. I believe I’ve now touched upon what is possibly the only depressing aspect of ASP: we must all leave it at some point. Even this is part of the dynamism and evanescence that makes our community special. To be sure, we will take what we’ve learned at ASP from our classes, our teachers and our friends, with their tremendously diverse backgrounds and breadth of experience, to fortify us as we shape our futures. We will always have ASP in our hearts and we could never forget Paris.” 13
PROMOTING LEARNING AND SERVICE LEARNING FOR LIFE Record Breaking Service… “At the beginning of this school year I used to wonder, what is service all about? What does it mean to serve? Some may believe that, as a Middle School the only way we help out our community is by recycling, which we do quite a lot, but today I can tell you that we do a bit more and our results are much more rewarding than that. All these achievements would not have been possible without the help of the whole Middle School.
The end-of-year Middle School assembly celebrated a year of learning and service, especially recognizing the promotion of our eighth graders from Middle to Upper School. Enjoy these excerpts from the speeches made by President of the Student Council, Stefanos Bennink and Vice-President, Nick Grande. Learning for Life… “What a year of learning it has been. Great learning in our classes and all of our school-related activities, but also, very importantly, learning from our mistakes, learning from the world’s misfortunes, and even learning from our failures. Dear Parents and Relatives, I am sure that you feel that your children that are graduating here on this day are so different and so much more mature from the ones that left to go to Outward Bound in September. Our learning experiences this year have helped transform us from dependent children in to decision making, confident, and thoughtful young teenagers. Dearest Teachers, much of this transformation we owe to you. Of course, the learning we had in your classrooms is priceless. It gave us the skills to understand the world around us in every dimension and the tools to take advantage of it. But the biggest learning you helped us get was by being our role models. By your behavior you taught us patience, acceptance, second or third chance giving, teamwork, and compassion. Having said that, we in 8th Grade didn’t have only successes. We did experience divisiveness and differences between people. But the same responsiveness and responsibility that we had demonstrated in external events throughout the year helped us rally together, make a big effort, and finish the year strong and united. Talking about learning, this was the biggest learning in my opinion, how we can reverse self-inflicted problems by teamwork, positive attitude and effort. Fellow students of Middle School, thank you for having all participated in making this a very special Middle School year of service, and giving. It was a pleasure and an honor for me to work with all of you and to enjoy your confidence and trust. I feel that the words of Mahatma Gandhi appropriately highlight our journey in Middle School and Beyond. “Live as if you were to die tomorrow, Learn as if you were to live forever.”
The “Canned Food” drive that we have been doing for many years now, is a fundraising project to help out the “Resto du Ceour,” a charitable organization devoted to feeding the needy, serving over 50 million meals per year. With the help of the whole middle school, we were able to collect 1,150 cans and donate them to this worthy cause. “Love-in-a-box” was another traditional fundraising event that we embraced this year. Each advisory was asked to fill some boxes with supplies, toys and other goods that would be distributed to children who might not receive a present for Christmas. Each advisory did a great job and together we managed to donate 78 boxes, the highest number ever… The “Japan Lunch” was a new initiative this year, aimed at supporting the victims of the terrible earthquake. With the help of the cafete-
ria staff, we organized one day where all the food as well as decorations in the cafeteria were Japanese. The event was a great success, the food was wonderful, and we were able to help out this worthy cause with over 2,500 euros raised during that one lunch and with the help of other Middle School clubs. For a long time, ASP has been supporting the Laxman Juhla Medical Center and the Jyoti School in Rishikesh, India, through the “Toy Drive” and the “Walk-a-thon.” I am sure you will be delighted to learn that this year Middle School broke all previous records, collecting one toy and one school supply for each child in Jyoti school as well as a neighboring one in India, and raising 24,000 Euros through the “Walka-thon,” surpassing the past record by 2,000 euros. So, it sounds like we did pretty well this year right? After a long rewarding year I was able to see how much we can achieve if we all work together as a team. It is inspiring to see the exemplary level of engagement with the community that Middle School students have shown. We should be all very proud of what we have achieved. I can only hope that all of us will keep this generous spirit deep in our hearts for the years to come, and hopefully we will be able to surpass all the good we have done this year.” - Nick Grande, Vice President of the Student Council
- Stefanos Bennink, President of the Student Council
14
the ASPect
JUNE 2011
WHAT IS INTELLIGENCE? INVESTIGATIONS CONFERENCE
Not afraid of examining the big questions in life, our seventh graders used this question as the focal point of a year of studies and personal growth.
to show them that through small steps they can achieve the larger goals that we set with them individually at the start of the year.”
And in the climax to the year, each student presented an analysis of their annual goals, growth and achievement to rapt parents in individual Student Led Conferences.
Advisor Laura Forish-Ferguson added: “This is not just about academic studies in the classroom. This is about becoming more cultivated and intelligent in a holistic sense, and it is as much about what they do and who they are outside of school as it is about the classroom.
Seventh Grade Advisor, Paul Albright explained: “In Grade Seven we lead our students through independent investigations of the nature of intelligence using Howard Gardner’s eight definitions and his theory that you may have natural strengths but through hard work you can also develop and improve intelligence in areas which you recognize as weaker.
In the culminating interdisciplinary unit of the year – Inventions – they study some of the famous people who have excelled in areas of intelligence and present their research as they chose at the end of year ‘museum.’
“At the start of the year we all take a detailed test which clearly shows our existing strengths and weaknesses in the eight areas of intelligence: Logical, linguistic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, bodily kinesthetic, spatial, musical and naturalist.
And what they discover about themselves, their own intelligences, and how their year builds to success is shared with parents in Student Led Conferences in the final weeks of school.
“And then we empower the students with the knowledge that they can get smarter through hard work and see measurable differences. We insist that it is a personal choice – they can be smarter if they want to be. We work with them “It starts with the Outward Bound trip at the start of the year which is central to discovering and using different intelligences and then continues across all the curriculum areas. For example logical skills of sorting and classifying can be used to appreciate or understand music and similarly the logical understanding of patterns can help improve your tennis return!” www.asparis.org
Paul Albright said: “The students are responsible for all aspects of preparation for the conference at which they present the case for their education, arguing and offering evidence for the ways in which they have improved with confidence and reflective maturity. “Seventh grade is the perfect age for this type of personal investigation which we hope will establish patterns for learning for life.”
theASPect
15
THE EXCELLENCE FUND THE ASP COMMUNITY (FUND)RAISES THE ROOF!
“We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.” - Winston Churchill
At ASP, we are steadfast in our mission to offer students the best education in Paris, and to do so requires significant resources that go beyond what tuition allows. June 30, 2011 marks the end of the most successful fundraising year ever for the American School of Paris. As a result of a community-wide fundraising effort, the school has, for the first time, broken the 300,000€ mark in annual gifts and pledges to the school, including an impressive total of 133,770€ raised at the Bollywood Gala in March. The entire ASP family – trustees, administrators, parents (past and present) faculty and staff, alumni, and friends of the school – all pitched in this year to make sure that students don’t need to wait to have the best possible classroom experience.
YEARLY TOTALS: 300,000 +
>>
Your donations at work The Excellence Fund raises money for ASP in order to make great ideas come to life for our students, provide updated technology to nurture 21st century skill sets, and provide funds so that our faculty and staff can continue to be life-long learners. The Excellence Fund Grant Committee (Michele Calon, Mary Carley, Margaret Coleman, Aaron Hubbard, Gregory Jacks, Harold Judis, Larry Love, Kathy Miner, Meg Seaver and Mark Ulfers) reviews grant applications monthly. The process is a detailed one and only well researched and documented applications in line with ASP’s strategic plan make the final cut. Your donations are very carefully spent. Since March alone, 23 grants totaling €124,443 and ranging from €500 to €21,000 have been approved and many implemented including:
• Media Lab Recording Studio • Forensic Science Field Day • European Literacy Coaching Cohort 116,121 91,769
• Smart Boards in classrooms across all three divisions • Kalahari Education Experience • Video recording, monitoring and communication systems for the PAC
09 8-20
200
l: tal: tal: tota 1 to 0 to 1 1 0 0 0-2 9-2 201 200
In addition to maximizing the funds made available for teaching and learning, The Excellence Fund has encouraged maximal parent participation this year. Close to twice as many current parents have made a contribution this year (last year 20% and this year close to 40%!) 16
the ASPect
• Workshop and concert for African Arts • Dance in residency and Symposium of the Arts • Exterior fine arts & sculpture atelier
JUNE 2011
{
ort to go and pus, please make an eff cam on are you en wh d d at work an ence every day. show the Excellence Fun al giving makes a differ nu The photos on this page an ch mu w ho t jus see ms in action. You will see some of these progra
}
NUMBERS QUIZ: Test your ASP Excellence Fund knowledge by guessing the total number for each item below. If you get stuck, the answers are listed at the bottom of this page!
A. The number of auction items donated to the gala B. The percentage of trustees who made a gift to ASP in 2010-2011 C. The number of parent volunteers already working on next year’s Excellence Fundraising D. The number of gifts of between 5 and 10,000€ in 2010-2011 E. The number of gifts of between 5 and 10,000€ in 2011-2012 F. The number of multi-year pledges to ASP by faithful annual donors G. The number of donors who have already made significant commitments toward our imminent capital campaign
PLANNING FOR OUR FUTURE PUTTING THE strategic plan to work One of the key action steps to strategic planning is making sure that the resources are in place to make great things happen. ASP community members across the globe will have the opportunity, whether through interviews, focus groups, or e-surveys, to help us determine how best to move forward. We appreciate the volunteered time of our planning committee members, interviewees, and alumni as we move forward toward a transformative capital campaign for a school that will allow us to fully live up to our new mission.
theASPect
17
Numbers Quiz Answers: A. 225, B. 100%, C. 30, D. 16, E. 4, F. 40, G. 4
CELEBRATING OUR TEACHERS RETIREES 2011 It was broad smiles and laughter that characterized the first ASP Faculty and Staff Service Recognition Ceremony at the end of the year. Led by Head of School, Mark Ulfers, more than 80 members of the teaching community and administration were recognized and rewarded for long and distinguished service, culminating in a standing ovation for Chris Chater for his 42 years at ASP. Lis Seeley, President of the Board of Trustees, addressed the full faculty and staff gathering, to pay tribute to those retiring after exceptional service to the school. She was joined by board members Giovanna Monnas, Lois Fink, Claire Staniforth, Zarif Badruddin and André Brenninkmeijer. She said: “Tonight we are here to recognize and thank many people here for their dedication to our students and contribution to ASP. As a school we have much to look forward to. Our future, however, would have not been possible without all that has been done before. One of the most important messages I would like to leave you with tonight is that ASP is a school that builds on the past. For those of you that are moving on from ASP, we wish you well on your new paths . Please know that you remain a part of ASP always. For those celebrating a milestone of service, we want to take a special moment to thank you and look forward to next year and beyond. “Staying or leaving, you all leave invaluable gifts to those people at ASP which matter the most – our students. From you they have learned, not only in the classroom, but every day, from the outstanding examples that you set. So again, on behalf of the Board, but also as a parent, thank you all. ASP is so very fortunate to have such dedicated faculty, staff and administration – past, present and future.” And in recognition of the crucial role that excellent faculty play in education, President of the Parent Faculty Association, Jordan Lewis, made a donation of 20,000€ on behalf of the PFA to help build a Faculty Professional Development Center.
18
the ASPect
Hal Halvorsen “Since his arrival, the general energy level around the school has probably been raised by ten percent! Nobody burns as much energy as Hal. If you see him after a rehearsal or a concert, he has a definite glow. From the first chop-chop or back rub of his choir rehearsal to the time the last student leaves, he is energizing himself and everyone around him, urging them to go beyond the level they reached yesterday. He has high standards and expects a lot from people, but he gives even more of himself.” - Neal Yocom
Neal Yocom “Neal established the band program and guaranteed its permanent place in our school, winning the hearts of thousands of young musicians over his years of service.” - Chris Chater
Ginny Stead “I have worked with Ginny for over 20 years and she was always there when I needed her. She taught me that there’s nothing more important than the needs of the kids. She has been a teacher, coach, advisor. She is generous, wise, and kind.” -Diane Smith
Dave Stead “Dave Stead is an exceptionally gifted sportsman, but it is as an outstanding teacher with boundless energy that he will be remembered. His enthusiasm for teaching sporting skills to all of his pupils day after day is difficult to match.” -Brian Miller
Julie Tracanelli “I remember Julie in 1978, with long blond hair, coming from California and teaching sixth grade. I returned to ASP in 1990, hired late in August to teach a third section of fourth grade, and we cleared out what is now the Lower School office to set up my classroom. Julie kept me from panic from that moment on, always having the supplies, the ideas and the organization to carry on. She has been the grade 4 anchor, held us from drifting away for many years, and set many young people on their way, including my own Julie.” -Ellen Fetu
Jim Ferguson & Laura Forish Ferguson “Jim, you always made feel valued - as an educator, as a colleague, and as a friend. Helpful in so many ways, I can’t count – an old Greek guidebook, a doctor visit, or those taxes I had to send, you have that classy spice of life that keeps you so good looking, or maybe it’s just all of that saffron seasoning in your seafood cooking...? Tremendous supporter of all my ideas – you gave me flexibility to create. Playful with the kids, a smile for all - about this you were truly great. And you were never too busy to give up even a moment when asked- Especially... when it came to the EGGNOG at Christmas or champagne at the middle school dance!” -Kate Powers (quoting a poem written by an MS colleague) JUNE 2011
OUT OF AFRICA! A Cultral immersion By Agnes Leonard A visit to ASP at the start of the year by the African Children’s Choir started a voyage of discovery for our youngest students that followed geography, culture and nature through the art and music of the continent. First immersing themselves in the culture with children’s stories and songs, the kindergarten students explored patterns and symbols from Africa which they used to decorate unique African crowns for the French festival of Gallette des Rois, and then went on to create their original artwork based on what they learned. To enrich their investigations, a field trip to the Dapper Museum was organized where the children’s guide from Mali explained the significance and the spiritual purpose of many works of Art, such as masks used in ceremonies and statues which are believed to be inhabited by the spirit of ancestors and to be possessing special powers. Another fascinating moment was the discovery of the Baobab tree also called the tree of life. Some baobabs can be thousands of years old and are capable of storing life-saving water during the drought season. Baobabs have many medical properties and have ensured the survival of many people in Africa.
The African theme stretched out as an interdisciplinary unit; in Music the children learned an African song “olélé” that they choregraphed with Gym teacher Agnès Poudou; in French the children listened to folktales among them “Abiyoyo” and “L’oiseau de pluie” with French teacher Mariane Kennedy and after “reading” together the story of “Le Doudou de Siyabou” K1 retold this story to K2 classes and showed them the Doudou they made. As the year came to an end, the children enjoyed a visit to the Parc De Félins – fascinated by close encounters with impressive mammals from Africa – and then donned costumes to perform their end of year musical, Rumpus in the Rainforest, in our Performing Arts Center to the delighted parents of the three classes.
In Art we painted a baobab tree “à la manière de” Alechinsky who is a Belgian painter and graphic artist and currently lives and works in Paris. After studying book illustration and typography he founded the Belgian wing of Cobra, an international movement that brought artists from Copenhagen, Brussels, and Amsterdam together in a search for new means of expression. Cobra artists by-and-large rejected Western culture and aesthetics, taking their lead instead from primitive art and children’s drawings. So it was only fitting that we should bring it back to children. So inspired by his work, the children expressed their very special and personal story of Africa.
This was the first time a single theme has been explored in such detail to such an extent with the Kindergarten classes and for us, as teachers, it was also a rich learning experience always ensuring that even with such young children we went beyond the stereotypes and into meaningful learning. Ask a Kindergartner about Africa – you may be surprised by what you hear!
And so interested in the magical baobab trees, the children planted seeds and watched their very own trees grow daily in the classroom. To prepare to celebrate Carnival with a parade we made some African costumes called “boubou” and masks in Art classes. These masks were crafted after examining some real African masks in the Dapper Museum and in class to create their design.
www.asparis.org
19
AMERICAN SCHOOL OF PARIS JUNE 2011