Escuela para Padres Bullying Conference

posted September 5, 2013

Wallace Ting, Deputy Director of Academics

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Dear Interamericano Parents,

Escuela para Padres kicks off the 2013-14 school year with a special conference on bullying from an expert from Mexico, Maria Teresa Mendoza Estrada. This conference will be held on September 10, 2013 from 6 PM – 8 PM in the school cafeteria.

Many parents, teachers, directors, and other staff members will be attending, so purchase your ticket while you still can!

Entrance tickets cost Q 150 each or Q 250 for a couple. Tickets are available in the school “caja” and will also be available at the door during the day of the event.

We hope to see you all there!

Elementary Homework Club – A Message from Mr. Bellemare

posted September 4, 2013

Gregory Bellemare, Pre-Primary and Primary Director

Dear Parents,

Homework Club was created to support the students, from Kindergarten to Grade 5, with their homework after school (from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.) on a daily basis from Monday to Thursday.

If you want your child to attend Homework Club on a regular basis, please fill out the attached form and send it back to the Elementary Office. If you want your child to attend once in a while you don’t need to fill out this form. You just need to send a note to Nancy Swadesh, Homework Club Coordinator, indicating that your child is going to stay for Homework Club. Please do not forget to specify the transportation information for that specific day.

Colegio Interamericano Open House 2013

posted August 30, 2013

Wallace Ting, Deputy Director of Academics

Colegio Interamericano opened recently opened its doors to the parent community as we hosted several Open House events. The Open House events were a great opportunity to learn more about our academic programs, see the progress of our construction projects, and get to know the directors, teachers, and other staff members.

Middle and High School Open House took place on August 22, PK – Grade 1 Open House took place on August 27, and Grade 2-5 Open House took place on August 29.

We had a significant turnout at all three Open House events and would like to thank all of the parents and students that were able to attend.

Early Dismissal Changed from August 21 to August 23 – A Message from Mr. Wieburg

posted August 20, 2013

Carl Wieburg, General Director

Dear Parents and Students:

As you know, we have a shortened day scheduled for this Wednesday, August 21.

Unfortunately, due to a maintenance/construction problem that must be taken care of on the afternoon of Friday, August 23, we are going to move our shortened day to Friday, instead of Wednesday.

That way, we can take care of the maintenance problem, give the teachers the shortened day they need to work on SACS, and still only have one shortened day during the week.

Just so you are clear:

  • There will be a NORMAL DAY of school on Wednesday, August 21.
  • There will be a SHORTENED DAY of school on Friday, August 23.

(School will be dismissed at 12:50 on Friday for all students.)

I am sorry for the short notice, but the maintenance problem was just brought to my attention and it must be dealt with on Friday.

Thank you for your attention to and support in this matter.

Have a wonderful week.

Carl Wieburg

Director

Estimados padres de familia y alumnos:

Como ustedes saben, tenemos calendarizado el día miércoles 21 de agosto como medio día de clases.

Sin embargo, debido a un problema de mantenimiento/construcción, el cual debe atenderse el día viernes 23 de agosto por la tarde, vamos a mover nuestro medio día de clases al día viernes, en lugar de miércoles. 

De esta manera podremos atender el problema de mantenimiento y darles a los maestros el medio día que ellos necesitan para trabajar en la preparación de la visita de SACS.  Aun con este cambio, tendremos  únicamente un día corto de clases durante la semana. 

En resumen:

  • El miércoles 21 de agosto del 2013, tendremos DÍA NORMAL DE CLASES.
  • El viernes 23 de agosto del 2013, tendremos MEDIO DÍA DE CLASES. (Todos los estudiantes salen a las 12:50 este día) 

Les ruego su comprensión por el corto tiempo de aviso pero no fue sino hasta hace poco que me avisaron acerca del problema de mantenimiento, el cual debe solucionarse el día viernes 23 de agosto. 

Gracias por su atención y apoyo en este asunto.

Qué tengan una excelente semana.

Carl Wieburg

Director General

Elementary Assembly August 19, 2013

posted August 19, 2013

Greg Bellemare, Pre-Primary and Primary Director

Our assemblies on August 19th went very well. It was the first time we split the students into two separate assemblies and the success was noteworthy.  We had our Kinder, Grade 1 and Grade 2 assembly first followed by another, exclusively for Grades 3 through 5.  This division gives each group a little more attention and time, which in turns allows for better student comprehension and a more personalized approach to that week’s message.  Kindergarteners, for example, need a slower more playful approach to the bimonthly values than say, fifth graders.

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As part of the Six Pillars of Character, Citizenship is encouraged through singing the national anthem at every assembly.

During these assemblies we recognized students for last year’s academic efforts and excelling on certain facets of the MAP tests. Acknowledgment was also given to last spring’s 4th quarter Honor Roll and Principal Honor Roll students.

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Succesful MAP testing allows us to evaluate students’ progress with each passing year.

One of the school’s main objectives is to accentuate our excelling students in a variety of ways and to this end we have gone to great efforts to see them get the due credit they deserve.  To this end, pictures of outstanding students will be posted on the elementary office TV and hung on the hallway bulletin board.  Secondly, the students signed their names on colorful posters, which were put up on the Honor Roll Board, in one of the school’s main hallways. We hope you will take a minute to see these pictures and names when you are at the school.

 

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Mrs Diaz helps Greg demonstrate how to give a proper handshake: eyes foward, body towards the other person and attention is focused on the greeting.

Likewise, a special emphasis was made this month on the importance of a good handshake when receiving an award. Remember a good impression, manners and respect can be displayed by a simple handshake.

Starting September, assemblies will begin at 8:20 and will be held every two weeks.  The next Kinder, Grade 1 and Grade 2 assembly will be on September 9th and on September 23 Grades 3 through 5 will have theirs. The website calendar will be updated accordingly, reflecting the different assemblies date.

This month’s “Grizzly Award” goes to Kari Ward’s 2nd Grade class and Peter Holmes 3rd Grade. For those of you know don’t know, this prestigious award is given to the class that enters and exits the assembly in the most orderly manner and behaves best behaved during our school ceremonies. This means students were attentive, participative and displayed a superb behavior.

 

MAP top Scores:

Honor Roll:

 

 

 

The Flag Bearers:   

 

 

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Flag Bearing is a privilege left exclusively for  the very best of students.

 

ECA inscriptions start with a massive fair

posted August 19, 2013

Katrin Huenemoerder, ECA Coordinator

Exactly one hundred and seventeen clubs are available to our student population. The range of clubs includes athletic teams such as basketball, volleyball and soccer, as well as other sports such as badminton and table tennis, ultimate Frisbee and baseball. On August 13th we held our annual Extracurricular Activities (ECA) Fair to allow students to get to know our wide array of recreational programs and the wonderful people behind them.

Hundred of parents came by to get to know our highly diverse ECA program.
Hundreds of parents came by to get to know our highly diverse ECA program.

If you’re interested in learning another foreign language, you could sign up for German, Mandarin or French. Do you play an instrument? Violin, cello, piano, marimba, flute and guitar are included in our music program. If all that didn´t catch your attention, you could sign up for one of the many different arts and crafts clubs. New to the program is our media club in Elementary and Middle School, were students will be producing a school newspaper and learn how to research a topic, write about it, proofread it and design a layout for it.  Other innovative programs include various dance clubs where Middle School and High School students practice jazz and funk in our completely new and unique dance group.

For those who like to work their brains, we have several science clubs and a chess club to keep your mind at the top of its game.

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Kids were able to try a “hands-on” approach to several club activities.

For those parents who couldn’t come to the ECA Fair to meet ECA teachers and sign their kids up for a club, inscriptions are still  available online. Through Renweb, parents can request a space in a club online. Even though demand is quite high this year, there are several clubs that are more than ready to accommodate new members. If you still haven’t signed up for an ECA, the inscription period will end on Friday, August 23rd, and confirmations will be sent out on August 25th, so hurry up and not miss out on all the fun!

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Our ECA teachers are ready to begin activities on September 2nd – we hope you are too!

 

 

Elementary Assembly August 5, 2013

posted August 5, 2013

Today we had our first elementary assembly at Interamericano for the 2013-14 school year. It was my pleasure to meet all of the children. They were very well behaved. We started out with the Anthem and then introductions of new staff.

I spoke to the kids that their goal for the year was to learn as much as they could. My expectations of them were that every day they give their best effort and that they be respectful. I told them if they do those 2 things everyday they will be successful in school and in life.

I reviewed my expectations and talked about which group could do the best at the assemblies. The best class that enters the assembly orderly, listens and participates, the best, and leaves the assembly orderly will receive the “Grizzly Award”. This award will be given out after each assembly and will be held in the teacher’s classroom in honor until the next assembly. It will be a tradition that I hope will instill in them how to properly act in a public forum.

We finished with a competition between the 4th and 5th grades versus the 1st through 3rd grades singing the school song. It was very impressive for the first day back but the 1st through 3rd graders were outstanding.

It is going to be a great year at Interamericano!

Greg Bellemare

Pre-Primary and Primary Director