Back to summer school

INTERVIEW

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Making the best choice for your little ones >80-86

> ARTS / EVENTS > FILMS / SHOWBIZ > TRAVEL > BEST OF TV > MUSIC / BOOKS > GAMES / DVD > CROSSWORDS > RECIPES MORE THAN JUST A WEEKEND READ • Friday, May 15, 2015 • No. 2144 • €1.60

Diplomacy underway to change guarantor intervention rights and other thorny issues

Reshaping Cyprus security B Down to business Anastasiades–Akinci have broad agenda >5,7 cyta

Sale in 2016 Privatisation process is moving fast >18

LEGAL SERVICE

Paper war

AG and Deputy in all-out fight for survival >3 finance

Growth returns Economy up for first time in nearly 4 years >15

A night at the museum

Photo: Stefanos Kouratzis

politics

ehind-the-scene efforts are in progress to reshape the island’s security landscape to ensure that re-launched Cyprus peace talks have a chance of succeeding.

Players in the UN-backed negotiations agree that a solution cannot be reached without a coherent and workable plan on security and guarantees. This core issue will play a pivotal role in how Cypriots will vote when an agreement is put to a referendum.

Today, leaders Nicos Anastasiades and Mustafa Akinci resume talks but security is not on the agenda at this stage. Nevertheless, the Cyprus Weekly understands that diplomats and experts have started looking into different scenarios, hoping they can be tabled successfully at the appropriate time.

The two sides stand diametrically opposed, with each sticking to proposals that leave no margin for compromise. Greek Cypriots demand the abolition of guarantor powers – Greece, Turkey, and Britain - while Turkish Cypriots insists on Ankara retaining intervention rights. >6

Tomorrow is European Night of Museums and Monday is International Museum Day so what better time for a free visit to one of Cyprus’ many fascinating museums? The theme this year is ‘Museums for a Sustainable Society’ and plenty of related events have been organised until May 25

nepal

football

Dark hours

Title drama

Death toll from 2nd big quake rises >32

Managerless APOEL in crunch tie against AEK >94

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FRIDAY MAY 15 2015

summer schools

With the summer holidays nearly upon us, it’s time to consider how your children will be spending their time when schools close

There’s plenty of fun to be had at summer school

Back to summer school Making the best choice for your little ones

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hether attending a private or state school, each year children in Cyprus look forward to long summer holidays away from the classroom.

These ten-plus weeks away from daily care are often a challenging period for parents. Work and daily commitments mean most parents and caregivers cannot take full-time responsibility for their children during the time they would otherwise be at school.

For most families, both parents require some form of employment Older children can also just to make ends meet these days.

Even grandparents, so often a Godbenefit greatly from send, are not as available as they spending some wellmay once have been to help out organised time with their with much-needed child care.

Younger children definitely peers need a safe and constructive (hopefully fun) environment over the summer break.

Many older teenagers can, perhaps, be left to their own devices for some of the time but even older children can benefit greatly from spending some well-organised time with their peers. This becomes an even bigger plus when the summer school they attend also helps them pick up a new skill or develop an existing talent.

Some schools even help prepare them for the coming academic year or coming exams. This is so much more useful than getting an overdose of beauty sleep and computer games.

As any carer knows, there are Children can only so many times even the most also learn a lot loving parents or other caregivers can come up with during their time a mutually acceptable response to the frequent comat summer school plaints from a child that they are ‘bored’.

Also keep in mind that, if your children have spent part of the summer engaging in some kind of constructive activity, the time you will all be able to spend together as family will become even more special and better appreciated by all.

Good news The good news is that for every member of the family, there are plenty of summer school choices

available around Cyprus. These offer something to cater for every age group and provide lots of choices for how the children can spend their time.

Sometimes finding the ideal place is easy. It could be right on your doorstep if your child’s usual school has a summer programme. This would have the benefit of keeping your little (or not-so-little) one in a familiar environment and around children and staff they already know.

If you or your children, however, would like to try somewhere new there is a range of summer schools options around in most towns.

For the most part, these venues offer much more than simply a safe environment in which to leave your child while you’re at work. These programmes bring your little ones into contact with people who are trained to provide them with professional care.

Sometimes, the many options out there make it hard to home in on the perfect summer school for your child.

The most basic concerns include suitability, convenience and budget but there is also a lot more to the decision, including what type of activities your child is interested in.

The first thing to find out is how suitable a specific summer school is for your child. Does it cater for their age group and do the facilities and care provided fall in line with a child at their level of development?

Decision time All children need to be properly supervised but little ones, for example, need have an especially close eye kept on them. Also, do the activities that Summer school can be the perfect place to brush up on skills or learn a new one

are provided fit in with your child’s capabilities or are they too “babyish” or perhaps even too advanced for them?

Next is convenience: is the summer school situated in a place you have easy enough access to from your home or workplace? And, perhaps even more importantly, does the length of the summer school day fit in with your needs as a family? Many summer schools, for example, take it for granted that late afternoon supervision will not be necessary.

When it comes to budget, there can be vast differences in prices but it’s always best to dig a bit deeper than the advertised bottom line. For example, does the quoted price include the price of meals or snacks?

What about materials for activities or transport costs and venue entry fees for excursions? Some summer schools also require a down-payment to keep a place open for your child.

Many little boys are happy to kick around a football with their friends all day but a lot of children need more structure and even the most hardcore little football fan can benefit from engaging in a variety of other activities.

Find out what pursuits your child will be able to look forward to at the summer school you are considering, from arts and crafts to cooking and trips to the swimming pool, cinema or theatre.

A wide range of interests is often catered for. This means that, as well as having had the opportunity to make new friends, your child is certain to return to “ordinary” school in September an even better-rounded person than they were at the start of the holidays.

FRIDAY MAY 15 2015

SUMMER SCHOOLS

Join The 2015 Heritage Summer School!

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he well-established and always very popular Heritage Summer School for 2-18 year olds will take placefrom Monday June 22 to Friday July 24 from 8.00am-1.20pm, every weekday.

The School is set in a stunning and easily accessible location in the hills along the main Limassol to Troodos road, and its extensive facilities include fully air-conditioned classrooms and Cafeteria, a state-of-the-art Multifunction Hall for indoor sports, drama and dance, and a Stadium area including a FIFA Star 1 full-size football pitch, basketball, volleyball and tennis courts, cricket practice nets and running tracks.

The educationally stimulating, fun and varied programme includes English, Foreign Languages, Mathematics, Science, Computers, Art, Music, Dance, Drama, Sports, Games, Day Trips – and a fantastic opportunity to make new friends! The €110 per week fee includes all excursions.

You do not need to be an existing Heritage student to join Summer School, so everyone is welcome to share in this valuable and

rewarding experience over the summer holidays. Flexibility allows attendance for anywhere between one and five weeks, and for convenience there is also an optional daily bus service organised by the School, which serves various Limassol locations.

For children who would additionally benefit from intensive one-to-one or small group teaching in specific subjects, to enrich and extend learning, and to help prepare for the new school year in September, targeted academic lessons in English, Mathematics, Science, Languages, ICT and other subjects are offered at an extra fee.

In The Heritage Summer School your children will remain in safe, professional care throughout, as it is run entirely by the School’s own qualified and highly experienced permanent staff. With everything it has to offer, the Heritage Summer School is THE choice in Limassol.

Registration is now also open at this thriving, top-quality and awardwinning UK curriculum school for the 2015/16 academic year.

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Fun-packed Summer Activities Programme:

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he Academy has prepared another funpacked Summer Activities Programme designed to provide a stimulating and purposeful holiday programme for children aged 3 to 13 running from June 22 until July 31, 2015.

This year’s programme, once again includes a wide range of activities. For young people wanting to develop their creative gifts we include Arts & Crafts, Creative Workshops, Kitty Katz drama Workshop, Music Workshop and indoor Cooking and Baking.

Our sports and adventure activities this year include Soccer, Basketball, Volleyball and Badminton, Hip Hop Dance, Zumba and Olympic Gymnastics, Archery, Indoor Rock Climbing, Park Adventures and Treasure Hunts.

There are also Swimming Lessons, Water Polo and Pool Games for those who enjoy water sports.

We are also pleased to include a range of activities

to develop innovation and skills in technology.

These include indoor games, board games, Master Kids Workshops, Educational Robotics, Computer Gaming, Brain Games and 3D Scale Modelling. The programme is led by well qualified staff and instructors, fluent in both the English and Greek languages, providing a safe and caring environment for the children.

The school opens at

7.30am to provide supervision until 8.00am when this rich programme of activities begins. When activities are concluded at 1.00pm, further supervision is in place until 2.30pm.

Extended Day Programme that provides supervised care until 5.40pm is also available upon request.

For more information contact our school at 22 664266 or via email info@aan.ac.cy

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FRIDAY MAY 15 2015

SUMMER SCHOOLS

L.I.T.C. English Language & ICT Summer School 2015 T Summer fun at the G C School of Careers T his summer the G C School of Careers, in collaboration with Salto Health & Fitness, is organising two summer club programmes, offering a variety of activities in the fun and safe environment of its secondary and nursery school premises.

For children aged 3-6, the Summer Club will be organised at the G C School of Careers Private Greek Nursery in Acropolis, from June 29 to July 29, offering a wide range of activities including art, swimming, music, physical education, dancing, cooking lessons, board games, robotics, and computers (for ages 5+).

Children aged 4-14 can attend the CityKids Summer Club at the GCS Secondary School in Strovolos from June 22 to July 31. Activities include football, basketball, swimming,

dancing, martial arts, jewellery making, origami, computer drawing and typing, cooking classes, photo editing and many more.

The children are grouped according to age to better serve their individual needs and interests; all activities, competitions and games organised are therefore adjusted appropriately for each age group. Activities start at 08.00 and finish at 13.00, but there will be adult supervision from 07.15 to 15.00. Classes will be taught by members of the GCS teaching staff.

The children are transferred from the school to the gym on the privately owned school minibus, accompanied by their teachers.

Interested parents can visit the school website (www.gcsc.ac.cy) or call 22464400 (Strovolos) and 22464420 (Acropolis).

he L.I.T.C. English Language & ICT summer school has operated every summer for the past decade by the L.I.T.C. RussianEnglish Private School. Our summer school welcomes students aged 6-17, mainly from Cyprus and Eastern European countries. Three hours of intensive English lessons and a one-hour ICT class in English are taught daily.

The summer school will be operating from June 8 until August 14, Monday-Friday, from 9.00-13.00. During their

first day of the summer school children are assessed and are placed in one of five groups according to their level. L.I.T.C. summer school has a weekly fee and you may enrol at any time, for as many weeks as you like.

Classes are taught by highly qualified and experienced ICT and English Language teachers of which most are also native speakers. Upon completion of the course, a certificate is issued.

During recess, children have the chance to practise

their table tennis skills and at the end of every summer school the L.I.T.C. Table Tennis Championship is organised to reveal the best player of the season; all the participants are awarded with medals. Transport, hot meals or snacks are offered upon request.

Excursions around Limassol are organised periodically. Tel. 25 343376, admin@litcschool.com 340-342, Ayiou Andreou str., 3035, Limassol - Cyprus

At the French-Cypriot School of Nicosia A journey through The Odyssey

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alling all inventors, time-travellers, scientists, historians, or anyone with a bit of imagination! Take a fascinating journey through history and brush up on your French skills at the French-Cypriot School’s summer school!

The French-Cypriot School of Nicosia is holding an action-packed, fun-filled Summer School to keep your children happily occupied and learning new and exciting things during the long, hot, summer holidays, with the added bonus of improving their French at the same time!

Knowledge of French is not a prerequisite and Greek and/or English are also spoken by all staff.

The Summer School programme is open to children from age 3 to 12.

Through creative and imaginary play, they will travel back through The Odyssey story to meet interesting and exciting characters such as Ulysses, Ariadne, Homer, the Trojan Horse and the Cyclopes.

The children will also enjoy a wide range of activities including arts and crafts, sports, scientific experiments, cooking, song and dance and French storytelling.

The many activities on offer will be used to introduce and reinforce the learning of the French language in a pleasant and relaxed environment.

There will be qualified, responsible, en-

thusiastic staff supervising and supporting the children and organising the activities, as well as helping them with their French.

The programme will run for five weeks in total and children can be at the school from 7.30am to 4pm, although dates and times are of course flexible.

The activities will be in French although Greek and English are also widely spoken and there will be full support for

non-French speakers. It is not necessary to have any prior knowledge of French to attend the Summer School.

The aim is to develop children’s French language skills through the many activities on offer, as well as providing them with an appealing and friendly environment where they can make new friends and share their interests while having fun.

The price per week is €80, from 7.30am

to 2pm; including the afternoon child-care service, the weekly cost is €90. Attractive discounts are granted for parents booking for several weeks.

For further information or to book a place on the programme please call 22665318 or 99793885, go to www.efcn.info or to www.facebook.com/pages/ Ecole-Franco-Chypriote-de-Nicosie.

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FRIDAY MAY 15 2015

SUMMER SCHOOLS

Summer learning

The perfect time to develop skills, whatever your age

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hilst fun and relaxation are an important part of summer, it can also be a great time to brush up on existing skills or learn a new one - whatever your age.

Some summer schools are focused on particular activities such as art or sports or even learning a new language, while many provide a variety of activities through their daily programmes.

It’s not only the very If your child or teenyoung that can benefit ager has displayed an inin creative pursuits from the opportunity to terest or athletics, for example, expand their horizons the summer break could be the perfect time to deduring the summer velop these skills further.

Some summer schools provide an opportunity to be immersed in a new language and culture or provide access to improving other skills, such as how to make the most of computer technology.

It’s worth keeping in mind that it’s not only the very young that can benefit from the opportunity to expand their horizons during the summer.

In addition to, and sometimes in cooperation with, summer schools, many organisations offer specialised seasonal programmes. These give participants of all ages, including teens and adults, the opportunity to learn something new.

There are numerous benefits to adult education. For one, it can provide us with the knowledge, skills and confidence we need to make life-changing decisions or take us further in our career.

Making the conscious decision to participate in training courses that develop a specific set of skills or to study a particular subject of interest also has a number of benefits that we often don’t even immediately realise.

Benefits of learning new skills, such

as a foreign language, include opening up new opportunities that might not have been available to us before.

Learning empowers us and helps us achieve our aspirations and career goals.

It can also serve as evidence of our capabilities to employers.

On a more personal level, discovering things you’re good at and expanding your skills portfolio increases your self-esteem and helps you gain a sense of pride for your achievements.

Engaging in adult education can also enable us to make better informed decisions and have thorough conviction in our beliefs. Learning new skills, meanwhile, also boosts the body’s natural production of the ‘feel-good hormone’ dopamine.

Even the exercise of learning itself stimulates the brain and helps to keep your mind sharp. Experts also believe learning something new in one area can have a ripple effect in others‚ contributing to longevity and good health in later life. Learning

Learning something new is not just a privilege of the very young

transforms who we are as people‚ not just because it gives us knowledge we otherwise would not have had‚ but also because it gives us confidence in our ability and

transforms our attitudes as a result.

Through, the power of learning we may soon feel we have the ability to do whatever it is we want.

Bilingual benefits There are many benefits of speaking a language other than language skills than other learners for whom the motor region your native tongue but did you know learning a new language of the cerebral cortex developed more. also increases the size of your brain?

The discovery was made by Swedish scientists using brain scans to monitor what happens when someone learns a second language. The study is part of a growing body of research using brain-imaging technologies to better understand the cognitive benefits of language learning. Tools like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and electrophysiology, among others, can now reveal what is happening in our brains when we hear, understand and produce second languages.

The Swedish study showed specific parts of the brains of the language students developed in size whereas the brain structures of the control group remained unchanged.

Also, learners whose brains grew in the hippocampus and areWhy not learn a second as of the cerebral cortex related to language learning had better or even third language?

Fresh interests

How to encourage your child to try something new Some children have no problem trying a new activity while others are just never quite up for it.

Many children consider new things to be outside their comfort zone and there are many reasons they might not be enthusiastic about heading down that path, even in the secure surroundings of summer school.

Doing something unfamiliar or uncomfortable means not knowing what the outcome will be and that it may very well result in failure. It means a child might not be “good” at a new activity and this puts many of them off.

Most adults have come to realise many of the best things in life have come from stepping outside our comfort zones - trying new activities, learning new skills, and having different experiences.

Pushing ourselves just a little bit is how we learn and grow. Of course we want our children to become just as experienced

and diversified.

When considering how to encourage your children to try something new, keep in mind children need a strong sense of autonomy - a realisation of their basic skills and capabilities in taking care of themselves.

Teach them how to choose their own clothes, get themselves dressed, start their own baths or showers, make their own simple meals and snacks, fix things, build things, clean things.

Children also need a sense of confidence. It’s not heaps of superficial praise from a parent that builds a child’s confidence, but regular encouraging words that draw out a child’s own thoughts on the experience. When encouraging children to try new things, start with small challenges.

Build up confidence with the small things and they’ll be ready to tackle bigger “new things” in time.

Children need a sense of security but

they must also know that they can survive life’s challenges and hardships.

You can set a powerful example of resilience by trying new things together with

your child. Take a new class together.

Try a new activity. Go somewhere you’ve never been, or do something you’ve never done before… together.

FRIDAY MAY 15 2015

SUMMER SCHOOLS

Summer school 2015

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he International School of Paphos will, again, be holding its popular Summer School this year for children aged 4 to 16. There will be an Infant Programme (ages 4-5), Primary Programme (ages 6-12) and a Secondary Programme (ages 13-16). The Summer School is led by well-qualified staff who provide a safe and secure environment in which students can experience a wide range of learning activities. Some mem-

bers of our team are also trained in First Aid. The school has outstanding facilities for sport that include a swimming pool, a well-equipped Sports Hall and a wide range of indoor and outdoor courts and pitches so that staff can offer football, basketball, team games and swimming.

Central to the aims of the ISOP Summer School is the provision of opportunities for students of all cultures and backgrounds to work in

harmony together and make new friends. Tuition is in English so students, for whom English is not the first language, will have the chance to learn vocabulary and practise their skills with others.

The staff ensure that the message ‘learning is fun’ is key to the success of the programme.

The Summer School is about enabling students to enjoy an exciting and stimulating programme and to learn to work and play together.

The Summer School also provides a valuable opportunity for children who may be considering joining the school to gain first-hand knowledge of the school, its staff and facilities.

The school is very happy to welcome back students who have attended the Summer School for several years, often coming from as far afield as Russia and Europe and extend a warm welcome to those joining for the first time.

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The International School of Paphos The International School of Paphos is a fully recognised private school which ranges from Kindergarten to A-Level.

Its curriculum, while modelled on the English National Curriculum, is specially enhanced to suit the needs of the Cypriot community as well as those of its multicultural student intake.

Its facilities include fully airconditioned and centrally heated classrooms, four science and three computer labs, interactive whiteboards in several rooms and outstanding sports facilities including an Astroturf football pitch, tennis and basketball court as well as a heated indoor swimming pool, an indoor gym and performance centre.

The playgrounds are enhanced with artificial grass and coloured stamped concrete surfaces, lending a friendly, park-like appearance to the school’s spacious campus.

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FRIDAY MAY 15 2015

summer schools

Aigaia School of Art and Design Summer Visual and Performing Arts School July 2015

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ll activities take place in the premises of Aigaia. Students have the opportunity to create in secure and fully equipped studios and workshops, instructed by professional artists, designers and theatrologists with experience in education.

For 4-12-year-old children each day includes a specially designed educational programme according to the age and abilities of the children including all the following activities: • Painting, Portrait Drawing & Life Drawing, Printmaking, Ceramics, • Photography, Sculpture, Crafts and Design, Animation, Comics, • Street Art & Graffiti, Theatre & Performance, Fashion and Textiles Design, Graphic Design, Architecture, History of artists & art movements.

Teenagers and adults will follow a personal programme with the possibility of selecting from all the above activities as well as preparation for the GCSE, AS & A Level art & design examinations and portfolio preparation.

Seminars for individuals 15+ interested in getting acquainted and developing specialised techniques within the fields of Printmaking (etching & collagraphy), Fashion Design, Painting, Ceramics and Theatre.

All seminars will be 4 days long and will be held in the afternoon.

Art and Drama Glamping for one week (Monday, June 2 -Saturday, July 4, 2015) in the majestic mountains of Troodos. A summer creative adventure for individuals 13+.

For more details regarding the programme and the fees contact us on 22445757.

Parlez-vous français?

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f you are seeking French language courses in Cyprus for teenagers or adults, the French Institute of Cyprus (IfC) has unique options for you!

The IfC has been offering top quality French language courses in Cyprus since 1963.

The French Institute has gained a solid reputation for excellency in teaching French as a foreign language.

In July, it offers students a special language learning experience delivered by teachers who are qualified language educators, trained to help students to improve their communicative skills in various ways. Besides Young Learners’ Courses, the IfC also offers a series of intensive adult-focused French

language courses in July.

The Institute is also an accredited DELF, DALF and TCF examination centre and provides students with opportunities for official certification of their French language ability. Courses offered are

designed to aid learners in their DELF test preparation by developing their communicative skills in authentic situations.

Speaking French opens up study opportunities at renowned French universities and business schools, ranked among the top higher education institutions in Europe and the world.

July 1 to July 29, 2015 - 10% discount if the full tuition fee is paid before May 31, 2015.

For more information: contact@ifchypre.org – 22 459 335/4/8.