▪ 1 ▪

ESOL Vision and Mission

The first ever ESOL Professional

Development Conference will take place

October 4-6 at the Universal American

School and the Deira International School in

Dubai Festival City, with over 600 educators

from the ESOL schools participating.

The conference will be based on

the theme of “Engaging Learners,” with

workshops following 8 different topic strands

over the three-day course of the event. The

theme is intended to highlight the importance

of engaging students in their own learning.

Topic sessions will reflect this key dimension

of student learning, with an emphasis on

practical application.

Each of the event’s 3 external

presenters will address the full conference in

a morning plenary session on one of the 3

days of the conference and then lead

workshops with smaller groups throughout

the day. The conference will also feature

over 100 teacher-led workshops, a

student-led session, a musical performance, a

“job alike” session, and a few social

gatherings where teachers from the 9

participating ESOL schools can enjoy some

free time together.

The main goals of the conference

are to facilitate sharing of best practice among

the ESOL schools’ diverse and talented

faculty bodies, and the creation of a broad

ESOL learning community. ESOL teachers

will take the lead in sharing their own best

practice with colleagues. Some external input

will also contribute to the shared body of

knowledge through a variety of presentations

and workshops.

ESOL has launched an online

portal for workshop registration and

communication among participating teachers

before and after the event. This electronic

communication platform will enable

conference participants to continue their

professional interaction after they have

returned to their schools.

Organizing an event of this size,

involving over 600 educational professionals

spread across two school campuses for 3

days, requires significant organization and

planning. With close to 300 teachers traveling

to Dubai from Abu Dhabi, Cairo, Cyprus,

and Lebanon to participate, the ESOL team

has been working hard on arrangement for

travel, accommodations, and other logistical

matters. Anticipation is high for the inaugural

edition of this exciting new ESOL initiative.

As organizations grow and evolve, it is always useful

for their leaders to reflect on their past, present, and future.

ESOL underwent this process over the past year as its

Leadership Team and Heads of School worked to craft its new

Mission and Vision Statements.

The exercise raised a number of daunting questions:

What kind of students do we seek to serve? What are the

essential qualities of a graduate of an ESOL school? What are

our goals for the future of the organization and its schools?

Though the process seemed unwieldy at times, the

Leadership Team and Heads of School were able to identify

ESOL’s most essential values, goals, and qualities. The

resulting Mission and Vision Statements capture ESOL’s

overarching goal and its aspiration:

Mission: To provide outstanding education to students and

excellent professional opportunities for educators in

international communities, instilling the knowledge, skills, and

character necessary for success in the 21st century.

Vision: To be the most reputable and trusted provider of high

quality international education.

The team also devised and introduced a set of ESOL

Values and a new and improved ESOL Strategic Plan,

providing for practical measures of progress in three Key

Result Areas: Learning and Teaching, Our People, and

Governance, Management, & Growth.

With its Mission, Vision, and Values now articulated clearly

and succinctly in its new guiding statements, and its path to

continued progress charted in precise and measurable terms in

its Strategic Plan, ESOL has answered some major existential

questions and has introduced a framework for assessment of its

future progress. Now comes the most important part, which is

abiding by the principles and achieving the aspirations reflected

in its guiding statements.

ESOL to Hold Its First Professional Development Conference

Engaging Learners :

The official newsletter of Educational Services Overseas Limited

ES LNewsletter SUMMER 2013

WWW.ESOLONLINE.COM

▪ 2 ▪

ESOL Hosts Annual Dinner at AAIE Conference in

San Francisco

On February 15, 2013, ESOL hosted a gathering of many of the most distinguished leaders

in international education at the annual conference of the Association for the Advancement of

International Education (AAIE) in San Francisco.

ESOL has been an engaged participant in AAIE’s activities for a number of decades and the

ESOL Dinner has become an annual highlight of AAIE’s annual conference. Over 150 international

school Heads, State Department representatives, and other educational leaders attended this year’s

dinner.

This year’s attendees witnessed the introduction of the Walid Abushakra Award for Impact

on International Education. Dr. Daryle Russell announced the introduction of the award, and Dr. Keith

Miller, Director of the US State Department Office of Overseas Schools, accepted the award on behalf

of its first recipient, Dr. Ernest Mannino, founder of the Office of

Overseas Schools. ESOL made a charitable contribution of

$5,000 US in Dr. Mannino’s name to the St. Jude’s Children’s

Research Hospital.

Apart from a wonderful meal, elegantly served in a

ballroom of the conference hotel, and some very stimulating

conversations, the guests were treated to a performance of some

classic folk and rock songs by a number of international school

Heads, including former ESOL Associate Superintendent Chris

Bowman who sat in on a few tunes. Though no one was advising

the performers to quit their day jobs, the audience was duly

impressed!

The conference rooms hosting ESOL’s

annual leadership meetings have become

increasingly crowded as the organization’s

leadership team has grown. In the recent months

ESOL has strengthened its roster with a few new

players who are sure to make valuable

contributions to its future.

The first new face among the ESOL

crowd is actually a familiar one. Dr. Daryle

Russell has been a close associate of ESOL for

many years. In 2013-2014 he will serve as Interim

Director of the Universal American School,

succeeding Dr. Gunther Brandt. This will be Dr.

Russell’s second tour of duty with ESOL in

Dubai, the first having come in 2004-2005 when

he played an instrumental role in the

establishment of ESOL’s two Dubai schools. Dr.

Russell has spent close to 40 years in international

education, including 10 years as High School

Principal and Assistant Superintendent of the

International School of Manila, 11 years as

Superintendent of the Saudi Arabian International

School in Riyadh, and 3 years as Superintendent

of the International School of Islamabad. More

recently he has made a specialty of interim

assignments, completing successful one-year

interim tenures at international schools in

Belgrade, Vienna, Mumbai, Bandung, Paris, and

Kampala. Dr. Russell is also a former President of

the Association for Advancement of International

Education (AAIE) and the Near East South Asia

Council of Overseas Schools (NESA).

Dr. Gunther Brandt, also a longtime

friend and associate of ESOL and its founders, has

chosen to semi-retire to his home in

Williamsburg, Virginia after four successful

years as UAS’s Director. Dr. Brandt will con-

tinue to work with ESOL on a part-time basis,

assisting with recruitment for key positions and

other tasks.

The Cairo English School will

welcome a new headmaster in August 2013

when Mr. Martyn Smith arrives in Egypt to take

up the post. Mr. Smith completed two university

degrees in the UK before embarking on a career

in teaching and educational leadership. He has

spent the past six years as Head of Secondary at

the Regent’s School in Bangkok, a high

performing British international school in the

Thai capital. Mr. Smith brings to CES a detailed

knowledge of the National Curriculum for

England and the International Baccalaureate

Dr. Daryle Russell

Dr. Gunther Brandt

Introducing the New Faces in the ESOL Crowd

Diploma Programme (IBDP), a wealth of

experience in leadership of high quality British

schools in the UK and abroad, and a passionate

and dedicated approach to school leadership and

the service of young learners.

Last but not least, ESOL has added Ms.

Dina Daouk to its ranks as the organization’s

Communications Manager. Ms. Daouk, a UK

citizen, completed her BA and MBA in her home

country. Her prior professional experience

includes eight years in international marketing

with Kraft Foods, L’Oreal, and other

multi-national companies, as well as a previous

role as Communications and Outreach Manager at

the Dubai School of Government. She is already

hard at work on ESOL’s communications

initiatives as well as those of the individual ESOL

schools.

Mrs. Dina Daouk

Mr. Martyn Smith

Remembering Alan Travers

▪ 3 ▪

A Personal Tribute by Walid Abushakra

Alan’s touch and impeccable organization

made the Queen’s fair a warm and pleasant

experience, and that is why it is now in its 25th year

and going strong. I was one of the beneficiaries of his

great work and insight. Alan singlehandedly helped

my schools grow and flourish in quality and size

with the good candidates he used to refer to me. He

would insist on visiting the schools where he placed

his teachers and paid us a handful of visits to the

Middle East. Through his work, he ended up visiting

most countries of the world.

Alan Travers was a man of unique

qualities. He was extraordinarily kind, uniquely

committed to his work, and reliably wise. He did

what he loved and he loved what he did.

Alan retired last year, or more accurately,

he semi-retired for he couldn’t completely leave his

love of education behind. His greatest enjoyment

came from advising the students in their career paths.

His warmth and vision made him a great counselor.

Alan was recognized by AAIE on

February 15, 2013 and inducted into its Hall of

Fame. Two days later, Alan and I went to Chinatown

in San Francisco for lunch. He was in good spirits

and good shape and had no issue braving the hilly

streets of the city. We discussed his semi-retirement

and opportunities that came his way.

He returned home on Monday, February

18. When his walking buddies called him Tuesday

evening to schedule their daily walk, they received

no answer. They found him the next morning in his

easy chair with his glasses fallen to his lap. He was

reading the Queen’s University News Bulletin.

Alan’s life of 66 years ended suddenly, but

it ended at a time when he was fulfilled. He had

accomplished all he had set out to do. He felt truly

honored by his Hall of Fame induction and truly

deserved it. My consolation is that he went away

happy. I really hope he finished reading that bulletin,

because I know just how much he loved Queen’s.

International education has lost a pioneer.

We have lost a dear colleague and I have lost a

cherished friend. I will always think of our talks, his

wise words and our camaraderie and joint dedication

to international education. Alan had a lasting impact

on my schools professionally and on me personally. I

am sure those who knew him feel the same.

ESOL Acquires Inspire Children’s Nursery in Dubai

ESOL has acquired the Inspire Children’s Nursery in Dubai’s Al Safa neighborhood. The

nursery was established in 2010 by a group of specialists in early childhood education and has gained

a good reputation in the surrounding community. ESOL has assumed management of all of the

nursery’s educational and non-educational functions and has begun to integrate it into its broader

operations.

Inspire Children’s Nursery serves children from the ages of 3 months to 4 years. It follows

an individualized approach based on the Creative Curriculum of the United States and the Reggio

Emilia philosophy. The nursery was the recipient of the Arabian Child Association’s Early Learning

Service Provider of the Year award November 2011.

The acquisition marks ESOL’s first venture into the growing nursery sector. Current

educational research assigns ever-increasing importance to the earliest stages of children’s

development so it is appropriate for ESOL to expand into this domain.

ESOL will manage Inspire Children’s Nursery in the same way in which it manages its

schools: by entrusting its day-to-day management to qualified and dedicated professional educators

and establishing clear and effective mechanisms for reporting and accountability.

Remembering Alan Travers

Alan Travers served as the Coordinator of

Educational Services at the Faculty of Education at Queen’s

University for 33 years, retiring just last year. He had

dedicated the majority of his career to quality international

education. He had a masterful talent for finding the perfect fit

between quality teachers and international schools. It was his

passion.

His sudden passing in February was a huge loss to

our community of international educators, but his years of

work and dedication have left an indelible impact that re-

mains steadfast, not only on international education but also on education in his native Canada. He is

quoted on the Queen’s University website as saying: “I have always believed if teachers teach

abroad and have that experience, they’ll come back to Canada and be stronger teachers as a result.”

Alan truly believed that.

I met Alan in the late 1970’s. I was in the early stages of establishing a quality American

school in Kuwait and he arranged for some nine candidates to meet me for interviews in Toronto.

Some time after that, three superintendents of American schools in Colombia made a trip to Queen’s

University to interview candidates Alan had lined up for them. Later on Alan established his now

prominent annual recruiting fair in Kingston, Ontario, and kept mentioning those three

superintendents as his first foray into placing Queens University graduates in overseas schools. I

would always tell him that I came first, but he disagreed. Some time later, I got a call from Alan

saying: “Walid, you’re right. You were the first.” He was that meticulous. He went to the trouble to

look it up and to be honest.

▪ 4 ▪

Darb 1718 is an Egyptian contemporary art

and culture center located in the Fustat area of

Old Cairo. As a registered non-profit, charity

organization Darb 1718 seeks to encourage

experimentation by supporting new works by

emerging artists with particular attention to

artistic merit, diversity of media and aesthetic

traditions, along with originality of cultural

influences.

Earth without art is just “eh”

Visual Arts at AISE By: Renee Gian, MS Art Teacher

On January 27, AISE Students were able to view a

contemporary art exhibit that explored the theme of

Women’s Empowerment. The exhibit included young

Egyptian artists who had been mentored for three months by

professional artists from the European Union and included

paintings, photography and sculptures.

Students then had the choice of attending one of

three workshops: paper-making, pottery and recycled art.

Students participating in the paper-making workshop learned

how to make paper by hand from rice straw. Then they used

the handmade paper to decorate cardboard gift boxes.

Those who chose the pottery workshop used molds and a

pottery wheel to create original pieces of pottery. They also

painted ready–made pieces. And students in the recycling

workshop used everyday, discarded items like bottle caps to

create useful and decorative objects.

A tour of real, working artists’ workshops was also

on the agenda. All in all it was a wonderful day of learning

with friends and fun was had by all involved!

Well Spring – More than Just an Adventure Camp!

By: Hana Sabah, 8th Grade Student The American International School of

Egypt (AISE) teaches its students in many

different ways. A school acts as a place for

learning, but learning knows no limits. At

AISE, students learn not just academics, but also

teamwork, perseverance, and maturity.

With that in mind, the AISE Main

Campus Leadership Team decided to take this

year’s eighth grade class on a field trip to

experience a few lessons outside of the

classroom. They arranged a creative way to

teach us those extra values by having us

venture out to “Well Spring,” an adventure camp

right outside of Cairo.

Our goal was to enjoy our two-day trip

with a bunch of friends and have fun! Some of

our teachers from school, and the camp

counselors were as full of enthusiasm and

excitement as we were, which made the two

days even more thrilling.

The time we spent there was filled

with challenges and amusement, all very

Darb 1718 is an Egyptian contemporary art and

culture center located in the Fustat area of Old

Cairo. As a registered non-profit, charity

organization Darb 1718 seeks to encourage

experimentation by supporting new works by

emerging artists with particular attention to artistic

merit, diversity of media and aesthetic traditions,

along with originality of cultural influences.

creatively organized. Each lesson was worth learning

at the end of the day. After every challenge lay the

sweet taste of accomplishment, after pushing

ourselves to the max!

When it came to teamwork, they devised a

method that challenged us mentally as well as

physically. It required thinking, leadership, and

creativity. Our goal was to scale a flat wall, 15 feet

high, in order to get to the other side. We built a

human ladder to get everyone up and over, even

after many failed attempts. That taught me never to

give up, as well as the importance of communication

rather than yelling at each other.

Another challenge focused on the power

of the mind as well as that of the body. The student’s

challenge consisted of scaling a rock wall and sliding

back down a three-story zip line. A lot of students

that day conquered their fear of heights and it was all

thanks to the encouragement of their classmates and

counselors.

After a day of hard work we gathered to

enjoy an evening of food, dancing, and

socializing. The evening ended with

everyone holding roasted marshmallows

around a big campfire. We all relaxed and

enjoyed our time with friends, teachers, and

counselors.

It was a trip packed with

stimulating, new, fun ways to get together

and build a real team. There is indeed more to

learning than just books. Thank you AISE!

▪ 5 ▪

AISE’s IB students left the

bustle of everyday life in Cairo bound for

the shores of Marsa Allam for what

would prove to be a truly unforgettable

experience! Following a tiring 11-hour

bus ride, the students unloaded their bags

and headed to their tents for some much-

needed rest and recuperation.

The following morning, the

students were raring to go! Dayma, the

company that had planned a number of

activities for this trip, had organized a

snorkeling outing for the students during

which they were introduced to the

concept of “biomimicry,” meaning

imitation of nature in the modern world.

Students were also given the opportunity

to look at and identify a number of

different living organisms. For some this

experience had a significant impact as

fears and phobias of the sea diminished,

while for others an incredible passion for

nature was ignited!

The second half of the day was

spent planning activities for the following

day: “Community Day.” The concept

behind Community Day is to encourage

AISE students to give something back to

their community. In this particular

instance, AISE students worked in groups

to devise educational and fun activities to

share with children that were less

fortunate than themselves. Each group

member was assigned a specific role to

ensure that the activities ran smoothly.

This allowed for the creativity of the

students to be challenged as solutions and

options were required.

The community day was held at

a place in Marsa Allam called Kalaan.

Students spent the day teaching the

children about a whole host of things

including: biomimicry, art, and health.

Ironically it was the students who viewed

the day’s events as a learning experience.

They learned of the beauty their country

possesses, and the hope that is so clearly

reflected in the children’s eyes despite

their uncertain future. For many that was

something that they had never before

experienced. Most of the students bonded

extremely well with the children, which

gave them a new outlook on life.

“The optimism these children

have fills me with hope” said Maria Azer.

“We complain about everything even

though we are privileged. It will

definitely make me think twice about

how much I have.”

The children’s hope and positive

outlook was infectious and it encouraged

the students to start thinking about what

the future holds, not just for them but for

those around them as well. The CAS re-

treat encouraged the students to form a

close family-like bond and to experience

a sense of belonging. For most, the

experience was overwhelming as they

discovered more about their culture and

heritage in a few short days than they had

experienced in a lifetime.

“I now know that I don’t

actually have to leave my own country to

see beautiful things” said Yasmeen Abu

El Naga. “This trip has shown me that

my country is indeed historical,

interesting and beautiful.”

By: Rebecca Tenna, 11th Grade Student

IB Students discover themselves in Marsa Allam

▪ 6 ▪

What springs to your mind

when you first think of Egypt?

Perhaps it’s the breathtaking

Pyramids? Or the Arab Spring and

political change? Maybe even desert

sands or oases? But as any scuba

diver worth his fins will tell you, it is

undoubtedly the Red Sea and the

incredible corals and sea life Egypt

has to offer! We at AISE West are

enjoying the underwater world as our

Lynx Divers (students) and our White

Tip Dive Squad (teachers) prepare to

be mesmerized by the beautiful sea

life Egypt has to offer!

Although a few teachers and

students were already certified, the

school had no official certification

program of its own. That was until this

school year, when a PADI certified

teacher (and a diving nut I might add)

arrived! It wasn’t long before AIS had

its very own after school scuba

training activity! And that was just for

starters! Having looked at various

options for dive facilities and

instructors, it was time to test an

operation out…on the teachers first,

of course! A group of ten teachers

successfully completed the course and

soon began diving, even experiencing

the wonders of the beautiful white tip

reef shark on the sixth dive (hence,

our name, ‘White Tip Dive Squad’).

Everyone at AIS is very enthusiastic

about the diving squad! The athletics

director (one of our newly certified

divers) is an avid supporter of the

student diving program, going as far as

to give a one credit PE course for high

school students. Another one of our

teachers serves as our club

“administrator”, taking care of all the

logistics and paperwork!

The first ten students

began their training as an after

school activity. We had two full days

of pool training spread over two

weekends. Then, it was off to

Hurghada for our certification dives.

The students performed wonderfully

and are now excited about going on a

fun dive weekend to build up their

dives so that they can begin their

advanced course! We hope to have a

fun dive weekend for the students

in a few weeks time, with a new

course (looks like 24 students this

time) scheduled for after the spring

break. The students love the sea life

and are looking forward

to doing an underwater

beach clean-up for Earth

Day/Project Aware in the

fall. We are also going to

be studying fish

identification and

participating in marine

ecology activities, maybe

even leading to specialty

certification.

There possibilities are

endless..

As a side note,

six teachers have already gone on to

become advanced divers with

another four just about to start their

Open Water Training. We have even

teamed up with the Main campus and

the British Colombia Canadian

School to offer combined diving

trips as well!

By bringing together

enthusiastic students, supportive

administration, caring teachers and

the ever welcoming Red Sea, Egypt

is certainly becoming more alive –

above and below water!

Going underwater with AIS Egypt West By: Linda Lankenau, AISE West—Middle School Teacher

▪ 7 ▪

Starting an IB theatre

program at AIS West in Cairo was, if

nothing else, an immense challenge:

the first being that our students didn’t

really have a connection with the

stage. Most had never been on one

and none had ever seen a live theatre

performance with the exception of

school plays that is. The IB

programme requires students to be

familiar with the theatre in terms of

understanding its value in our social

fabric as well as its historical context

in the world at large. Students need

to not only see theatre as an act of

artistic expression but also as an

academic exercise, seeing their

world through lenses they did not

have.

My first and foremost goal

with my students, far beyond the

understanding of physicality and

voice, was to instill a passion in them

– a love for the stage! To help them

discover themselves in an art that was

new to them, yet ancient to the world.

One cannot teach passion, we as

educators know that, but one can

nevertheless, expose and inspire. So,

there was no better place to take them

than to Stratford; Shakespeare’s birth-

place and home of the world

renowned, Royal Shakespeare

Company. London was also on the

agenda as no theatre trip would be

complete without a visit to the West

End, the heart of London’s stage life.

After arriving in Heathrow, I

loaded my 7 teenagers in a van,

started the task of driving a manual

car on what for me constitutes the

wrong side of the street, and took off

for Stratford. I was unsure how my

students would take it. They thought

Shakespeare was stuffy and used

words that they just didn’t

understand. They liked the stories

but struggled with the poetry. Their

desire to understand each word held

them captive and in class we were

looking at all the ways to let that go

and just listen and absorb everything

in.

The following day I had

arranged for them to do a workshop

centered around creating and

exploring ‘A Winter’s Tale” with

some RSC practitioners and other

students from around England of the

same age. They were terrified. They

said they had no idea what to do, they

didn’t want to get up in front of peo-

ple they didn’t know and they begged

me to change my mind and tell them

that they did not have to go. I knew

this fear was good, and perfectly

healthy. They needed this workshop

more than anything else.

As I dropped them off at the

theatre, I felt like a father saying

goodbye to his kindergartner on the

first day of school. They looked at me

and tried one last time to change my

mind. I just kept telling them to be

brave, take risks, and have fun. I

turned and left, fearing that I would

come back in the afternoon and be told

that my students had all left the venue

screaming and were taking solace back

at the hotel!

Luckily this was not the case.

When I arrived to see their

performance, one of the directors

immediately found me and told me

what an inspiration my group had

been. How they had taught everyone

to belly dance and their energy made

the entire group shine. I sat through

their performance and was profoundly

proud of the work I saw them doing.

Each one took risks. Each one went

beyond their comfort zone. Each one

felt the thrill and passion that I had

wanted them to find.

The following night we saw

the RSC perform a 3 hour production

of “A Winter’s Tale” and I watched as

each student was enraptured by story,

poetry and the magic of theatre.

Overall we saw four wonderful

plays, toured a west end theatre and

rambled through the hotspots of

Stratford. However, what the kids

remember most about their theatre

experiences was the day they spent

with the RSC and the adrenalin rush

they got from their very own

performance. To quote one student,

“That was the best day of my life Mr.

Adam!”

By: Adam Herzig, Drama Teacher

To Be or Not to Be?

AISE West Visit Shakespeare’s Birthplace

▪ 8 ▪

By: Dr. Walther Hetzer, AISE West Director

Caring for Students in Turbulent Times

An International School Living through Cairo’s On-going Revolution

“learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.”

Some international schools are familiar with revolutions and indeed civil wars, and stu-

dents whose countries are at war with each other. No student should be identified by and

burdened with the larger conflicts surrounding us.

At the same time, education needs to enable students to understand these

conflicts. Many of our mission statements embrace the goal that students should become

aware of fundamental issues of national or global importance, and to contribute to their

solutions, as expressed in the IBO mission. Students at AISE West are bombarded with

a bewildering chorus of information: arguments between secular and religious parties of

varying degrees of fundamentalism; a highly contentious struggle to create a constitution

and Supreme Court justices dismissed or re-instated in a climate of uncertainty about

previous rulings. There is universal recognition of an ailing economy and an unstable

local currency. Questions prevail about the continuing role of the military, formerly all

too prominent in the daily news, and at the moment, with an all too quiet presence. We

hear different views about Egypt’s role in the Arab World and on the global stage, an

ailing country which is still considered by many a leader and broker in the region.

How can our students make sense of what is discussed at school and no doubt

around many a dinner table?

The vast majority of AISE West

students are Egyptian; they and their

families are observers and participants in

the on-going fundamental changes taking

place in our host country. As an

international school, we are guests in this

country catering to a community which

contains members of the pre-

revolutionary regime as well as highly

westernized liberals and religiously

conservative families. As guests, we need

to leave it to the Egyptians to discuss and

hopefully resolve their differences. At the

same time however, we cannot help but

be drawn in by our empathy with our

students and our Egyptian colleagues.

One of the fundamental aims of

any school is to provide students with a

safe place in which to learn. We are a

school “which makes every effort to keep

the political tensions out of the school

and to provide our students with a sense

of stability and normalcy by continuing

to do what we do in the same

way” (Tammam Abushakra – AISE

Board member).

No student should ever feel

pressure because of the political stance

of their family. Opposing views, often

reflecting those of their parents, can be

talked about openly. This validates the

IBO Mission statement, aiming for

“My painting shows a lion which is very tired and not able to move,

and beside it I painted the Egyptian flag. This is a reflection of what is

happening in Egypt. The lion represents sadness, depression, and above all, a

fear of the unknown.”

(By Mohamed Yousry, Grade 11)

First Published in IS Magazine in May 2013

▪ 9 ▪

There is a further consideration influencing the daily discourse which is all too

familiar to many schools in the region. As a secular American international school, we

embrace values embodied in the UN Declaration of Human Rights, notions of democracy

Our students and parents encounter a chorus of arguments, questioning some of these

notions. It remains to be seen whether Egyptian society at large is becoming more

conservative. Every day our teachers need to be sensitive to differing views and enable

students to find and express their own through dialogue rather than confrontation.

When appropriate, direct links from historical events to current events are made.

For example, revolutions are a major theme in our 9th grade World History course. The

students discuss overall societal transformation, such as the Scientific or French

Revolutions. Students are asked repeatedly to make comparisons to the events of the last

two years. They make connections and in many cases offer insightful commentary as to

how they believe the “on-going” revolution should progress and what errors may or may

not have been made up to this point. Their history teacher states that they are “fascinated

with the concept that, if not careful, history truly can repeat itself.”

Other links can be found in the IBD Geography course, in which the topic is

approached primarily from an economic perspective. Students analyse how Egypt’s

economy has been affected and how events have impacted population migration both in

Egypt and throughout the Middle East. The class discusses what might happen to the

economic and social landscape of the country. Will policy change help turn around the

economy? Will it remain heavily reliant on foreign aid (last week the IMF was in town)?

How successful will the government be in stemming a perceived brain drain? The

teacher encounters mixed emotions of concern and hope and the sentiment that only

time will tell. Our high school students observe the revolution through academic

disciplines such as the social sciences, the arts, literature, and media studies. Theory of

Knowledge also provides rich vantage points.

Our youngest students too are keen observers; from their daily lives they see,

hear and feel the unrest in Egypt. When a teacher asked a KG student how the weekend

was, he replied: “I did not go anywhere because it is not safe.” Then the child added:

“Many people are protesting at the Presidential Palace because they want the best for

Egypt.” Once started, the teacher prodded: “What do you think would be best for

Egypt?” The boy answered, “We are the

good people fighting for people’s rights.

They don’t have enough money to go to

good schools, eat good food, go to good

clubs or even go to cinemas like we do.”

This is Egypt, seen by a “privileged” child,

who will continue to express his views, and

who will also hear those of others in a

supportive classroom.

As with many schools in “crisis”

situations, we care for the wellbeing of

students and staff by having excellent emer-

gency plans ready, by making sure we can

communicate with all students, even if they

cannot come to school on a certain day, by

trying to find the right mix of keeping

unrest at bay and yet by also encouraging

awareness and understanding of it. Most

importantly, we value divergent views,

whether those views are of this nation as a

tired lion or as a beacon of hope for the

future. and open societies, critical thinking

and questioning of dogmas.

▪ 10 ▪

The end of 2012 saw

months of hard work pay off for

over 500 of Cairo English School’s

students, with two spectacular

musicals brought to life on the

Auditorium stage.

On December 17, children

from FS1 and FS2 performed “A

Sunny Christmas” and “Joy to the

World” to a packed audience of

parents, grandparents, and friends, while December 19 saw 300 children from Key Stage

One perform “An Out of this World Christmas” to another packed house. The

extraterrestrial production saw humans work to spread the Christmas message to aliens

from another planet.

All the students worked

Christmas Extravaganza By: Patrice Williams, Performance Art Director

exceptionally hard and spent more than

two months preparing dances, songs and

speaking roles for both productions. As a

result pupils displayed talent and

dedication far beyond their years.

Spectacular costumes really

brought the show to life. A big thank you

goes to those parents who spent hours sewing outfits ranging from ballet skirts to

silver and gold waistcoats to tinsel lined silk ponchos.

Lead roles were played by Maya Louis, Lara Louis, Kevin Ihab Sefein, Omar

Sabet, and Tamara Fayed, who

played starring roles as Astronauts in

‘An Out of this World Christmas’.

▪ 11 ▪

Lying in the northern part of

the Eastern Desert, running east to

west for 30km to drain into the Nile

Valley at Maadi, sits Wadi Degla – a

winding valley that stretches out as

far as the eye can see. Encompassing

60km², flanked by rock formations

around 50m high, this natural

protectorate is a perfect escape for

hikers, bikers, runners, rock climbers

and nature lovers alike.

This is where a group of

enthusiastic IB CAS and AS1

International Award students have

been training on their weekends in

preparation for their upcoming

expeditions which will take place

both locally, within Egypt, and

overseas in remarkable Ethiopia -

one of Africa’s most dramatic and

beautiful countries.

The core focus of their

training has centered on trekking.

With each session, the duration,

distance covered and the level of

challenge is increased to help

participants improve their aerobic

capacity, strengthen their muscles

and acclimate their bodies to walking

for longer periods of time and over g

greater distances of varying terrain.

Alongside working on their

physical endurance, students have

also been learning about teamwork

and the responsibilities that come

with undertaking physical challenges

as a group. This includes setting

distance goals, keeping pace,

monitoring time, negotiating routes,

timing regular water breaks and

collaborating as a group to make

sure nobody walks alone and no-

body gets left behind.

With each training session, it

becomes more evident that these

students are developing a real

enthusiasm for outdoor adventure as

they undertake new challenges and

succeed in surpassing personal limits

while learning new skills and

enjoying novel experiences. As a

group, they have nurtured an

independence of spirit that is

allowing them to take care of them-

selves and their peers.

As their supervisors, we

have seen a lot of growth in charac-

ter take place in a very short time,

witnessing students carrying their

own packs with provisions, settle on

plateaus to cook meals over camp

stoves, administer basic first aid

when needed and navigate steep

inclines or descend sharp declines as

a team. The level of positive collabo-

ration has been truly commendable.

Students complete each

session with a sense of achievement

and an appreciation for the valuable

learning experiences they are gaining

outside the confines of the

classroom. We look forward to them

reaching their targets, whether it

involves fulfilling the requirements

of the Bronze Award or undertaking

service projects of global

importance. We are certain that

whatever their challenge entails, it is

going to be a journey of a lifetime!

Wadi Degla: World Challenge and International Award Training

By: Tamara Bronskill, IB CAS & International Award Coordinator

▪ 12 ▪

For the past eleven years, UCA

students have proudly participated in the

American University of Beirut’s (AUB)

annual Folk Dance Festival. Students spend

all year learning and perfecting a dance

routine related to a specific country. Cou-

pled with weekly practice sessions held on

the UCA campus, students are fully pre-

pared for what will be a challenging final

program. The practice sessions are an

invaluable lesson to students as they learn to

work together, develop strong technical

skills, and above all, develop a positive

sense of self-esteem and personal confi-

dence as they perform in front of a huge

audience including their peers.

In addition to the weekly practice

sessions, UCA students attend monthly

dance workshops on the AUB campus with

other school groups. What a wonderful

opportunity to meet and associate with stu-

dents from other parts of Lebanon! The

positive and wholesome interaction among

the participants fosters a great deal of social

and personal growth for UCA students at a

critical time in their development. School

pride and loyalty are also nice by-products

as students represent their school and com-

munity.

One of the promotional tactics that

the AUB utilizes to announce this event is a

yearly poster featuring one of the groups.

In 2010, UCA students were honored with a

centerpiece placement in the poster

background preparing for their perfor-

mance. Participation in the AUB’s Folk

Dance Festival has become something

of a UCA tradition.

heartwarming and this is exactly what we

want from UCA students.

Each school is allocated two days

to share their presentations with the

community. Projects presented ranged

from novice level (first-timers) to the very

sophisticated and advanced Math and

Science Models. Parents were invited to

the fair at scheduled intervals to browse

through the project displays and hear indi-

vidual students make their presentations.

Of special note are the Grade-1 students

who confidently and competently

presented in front of a large audience of

parents.

Following the UCA fair, six

projects are then selected to participate in

the American University of Beirut’s

Science Fair. UCA participating students

annually take home awards and receive

honors and commendations for their

efforts. Moreover, twice in the last three

years, UCA has won

the overall

‘DISPLAY

AWARD’ at the

AUB Science Fair.

UCA Dancers Excel at Folk Dance Festival

By: Walter Day, UCA Director

Each year for the past 12 years,

the UCA Science & Mathematics Fair has

grown as remarkably as the school has.

The 2013 fair is no exception, with every

student from Grade 1 through Grade 12

participating. Considerable coordination

between departments was required to

ensure the event’s success, but this was not

the biggest challenge facing the organizers.

The biggest challenge was ensuring that

there was sufficient display space to

accommodate the vast number of

participants. And what a nice problem to

have I might add!

Students developed projects in:

biology, chemistry, physics, robotics,

environmental studies, and mathematics.

Of course, doing the research and

developing the project and display are

important, but the critical element of the

fair is the “presentation day,” when

students are given the opportunity to

present their projects to their peers and

parents. The level of appreciation and

interest from fellow students is always

By: Walter Day, UCA Director

Science and Math Take Center Stage at UCA

▪ 13 ▪

For the last four years, UCA students have

successfully participated in the prestigious

Zaki Nassif Choir Competition, held at the

AUB’s auditorium. Under the direction of

Mr. Bahaa Daou, the choir director, the

choir’s performance has improved

significantly each year as they advance

closer to their goal of winning the

competition. The 2012

competition saw the choir mak-

ing it to the final round and

reaching 5th Place overall –

their best showing to date!

While most choirs are

accompanied by music

professionals, the UCA Choir is

proud to have its very own

Grade 9 student, Elissa Shehayeb,

accompanying the choir on the piano.

Mabrouk (congratulations) to Mr.

Bahaa Daou (Choir Director) and to his

choir students for this significant

accomplishment. Here’s hoping you can

do even better in this year’s competition!

Day is particularly important in Lebanon due

to the centuries of deforestation of the

landscape in order to harvest the Lebanese

national symbol, the “cedar tree,” which is

displayed on the country’s flag and has grown

to be synonymous with all things Lebanese!

UCA has been observing Arbor Day

proudly since it reopened its doors in 2000.

Until 2007 the entire school

participated in planting a

tree on the campus grounds,

and every year since 2007,

when we had our first

senior class in the school’s

modern era, the seniors

have been charged with this

important task. Each and

every senior at UCA has a

turn at digging in the

shovel during the planting

process. Through this

initiative, we hope to increase environmental

awareness in our school and in the local

community.

Congratulations to the Class of 2013

for upholding this very special and much

needed tradition!

Arbor Day is a day on which individ-

uals and groups are encouraged to plant and

care for trees. The idea originated in Nebraska

City, Nebraska, United States by J. Sterling

Morton and the first Arbor Day was held on

April 10, 1872, when an estimated one million

trees were planted. Many countries have adopt-

ed this practice and now observe a similar day,

and Lebanon is proud to be one of them. Arbor

By: Walter Day, UCA Director

UCA Choir sing their way to the final round of the

“ZAKI NASSIF” Choir competition!

ARBOR DAY AT UCA By: Walter Day, UCA Director

▪ 14 ▪

The American International

School in Abu Dhabi has just launched the

integration of its Library‘s OPAC

electronic catalogue into a new era of

blended learning. AISA is the first school

in the world to synchronize Synergetic, its

Australian-made school management

software, with the American Follett

company’s Destiny Library Manager

software. As a result of the software

synchronization, library records can now

automatically track changes in a student’s

school profile in Synergetic, like a change

of grade or class, without inputting the

changes manually as would have been

required previously.

Students and teachers,

collectively referred to as Patrons, can

now log into the Destiny system as

individuals and not “guests,” as was

previously the case, enabling them to have

full access privileges. This opens up a

wide range of new integrated research

options. Patrons can now access Destiny

through AISA’s portal from any internet

connected device and search an extensive

collection of over 20,000 books, DVDs,

and videos. They are also now able to

create and save personal resource lists for

their research projects. These lists can

include library books, WebPath Express

websites (70 000+ educationally filtered

websites) and One Search databases (both

free and paid subscription journal and

magazine data bases, including EBSCO).

Patrons only need to use a keyword once

to search all these different types of

sources.

Another exciting change created

by individual log-ins to Destiny is the

ability to use eBook collection in

FollettShelf, which has also been

integrated into Destiny. EBooks are

available for all age groups and most have

unlimited simultaneous access, meaning

they can be used by multiple readers at

the same time. Patrons can use a range of

functions with these eBooks: highlight

passages, make notes connected to a page,

search by keyword, print sections and

even listen to audio versions of most

books.

An individual patron does not even need

to check out an eBook for their personal

highlights and notes to be saved, even

with the unlimited access titles. Only the

Patron who actually makes the

annotations has access to view or delete

comments and make changes.

The opportunities created by

individual log-ins to Destiny are endless.

Our Patrons can send book

recommendations to other AISA Patrons

and can rate titles with stars and written

reviews. Both the recommendations and

reviews are vetted by the Librarian before

they are received by the intended Patrons

or published in Destiny.

AISA has also activated the use of

Destiny Quest, a more ‘student-friendly’

interface for Destiny that allows students to

create shelves of books they have read or

want to read. After a program of Digital Citi-

zenship education, there are plans to launch

MyQuest, a social networking interface,

linked to Destiny Quest, that allows the crea-

tion of groups of friends who can view each

other’s reading lists and create discussions

about titles.

Destiny has truly revolutionized the

way research is done at AISA. The Library’s

catalog is now a one-stop, one-search re-

source for everyone, and what’s more, you

can access it from anywhere in the world!

By: Arlene Morley, AISA Librarian

AISA goes High-Tech with its Own ‘Destiny’

▪ 15 ▪

AISA has had a longstanding relationship with the Terry Fox

Foundation, a non-profit charity committed to raising money in the fight

against cancer. For over 15 years, parents, teachers and pupils at AISA have

supported the foundation’s objective of a ‘World without Cancer’ through a

number of fund raising activities.

In January, AISA elementary school partook in their second annual

Terry Fox Run. Throughout the month of January, students and teachers were

Later that month, Abu Dhabi

hosted its 17th annual Terry Fox Run

along the Corniche. Many AISA stu-

dents and teachers took part in the fam-

ily event. Students walked, ran, or

jogged in support of cancer research

and the inspiration of Terry Fox.

Terry Fox will remain an important part

of AISA as our students are determined

and committed to supporting this very

worthwhile cause.

Terry Fox Events

By: Stacey Sharon, AISA

3rd Grade Teacher

encouraged to learn about Terry Fox and his efforts to raise money for cancer

research. Students were asked to make connections to their own real -life heroes

and create a classroom hero cape that included a symbol for each of their

heroes. In the same week, all AISA students were treated to a visit from Judith

Fox, Terry Fox’s sister. She spoke of his determined attitude and his message

of never giving up. AISA was then given 3 different posters as a token gesture

for its 15 years of fundraising efforts.

AISA also connected the story of Terry Fox to one of the PYP learner

profiles: “being principled.” Students modeled this learner profile by helping

to raise over 7000 dirhams through purchasing a Terry Fox T -shirt or donating

to the cause. The AISA Terry Fox Run was held on the school’s soccer field

and students were also encouraged to bring in a canned food item to collect for

the Red Crescent.

The fundraising efforts continued into the month of February as

AISA’s secondary students chipped in with t -shirt sales and an awareness

campaign through the Advisory Program. In addition, individual students in

the high school volunteered at Abu Dhabi malls to help sell t -shirts, raise

awareness, and collect donations from the community. Overall, AISA’s fund-

raising efforts of t-shirt sales and donations totaled over 10,000 dirhams!

▪ 16 ▪

It was an exciting few weeks for DIS’

Creative Arts Students when they hosted their

very own “Night at the Movies.” Students and

staff worked together to create a superb evening

of entertainment which included drama,

dance, film, and music performances from many

old time classic films. The event was a great

team effort with wonderful student leadership

from our IB Diploma students, fabulous teacher

costumes and prizes, and support from parents

too!

Further excitement was generated when

five DIS students participated in the prestigious

Young Musicians of the Gulf 2013 competition.

This year the competition took place at Dubai

College with DIS students involved in the Solo,

Ensemble and Composition categories. Eleven

schools from all over the Gulfs competed includ-

ing schools from Kuwait and Bahrain as well as

from around the UAE. Competition was strong

and the standards were exceptionally high this

year. Nevertheless, two DIS students, Lorenzo

and Igor, both IB1 students, made it through to the

quarterfinals with their solo performances. In fact

the students performed so well that Igor managed

to get a special mention from the judges, who

described his performance as "something really

special” and noted that he had "real intimacy and

Pumping Up the Volume at DIS!

By: Laura Ireland, Subject Leader for Music

beauty in his playing."

It was fantastic to see so many young people perform to such a high standard and a great

opportunity for our students to showcase their exceptional musical talents. DIS is extremely proud of

these achievements and would like to acknowledge the following students for their outstanding

contributions:

Further exciting events are of course lined up at DIS and these include ‘DIS’ got talent’ which will be

run and performed by the secondary school.

Emma Plumb 10C

Igor Van Der Put IB1

Lorenzo Eelen IB1

Aman Sherif 10C

Rashed Alagroobi IB1

▪ 17 ▪

Camp was a time for determination, a time for inspiration, and a time for spirit

as all of the activities included these amazing qualities. What a happy Year 5 it was when

we got to our campsite in Dibba that afternoon! Everyone was ready for their first

activity after a tummy-filling, energizing lunch. There were four groups each that

separated into four different activities. Archery and Rock climbing we hit lots of

bulls- eyes from a 10 meter distance and many of us reached the top of the climbing wall

and came down abseiling. Then we had some free time where we could just enjoy in the

sand, play volleyball, play football or play basketball. Then we had a delicious dinner

and not soon after went to bed.

The next morning we had a mouth-watering breakfast of cereal and were ready

for our next 2 activities. We started with mountain

biking where we went up and down bumpy hills

and steep mountains. Then we had some more free

time and then were ready for our third activity,

where we used GPS as we went around looking for

codes. After three hours of walking around we

were back at camp and had more free time. Later

we had our dinner and after that we were ready for

our second night.

Fun and Adventure in Dibba for Year 5 Students

By: Pranay Nanda, Year 5D

The third day was the last day so we

woke up half an hour earlier to pack our bags.

Then we had our breakfast as usual and then we were ready for our final activity. The

fourth and final activity was obstacle course and raft building. First we had to build a

raft and sit on it in the swimming pool and many of us slipped into the freezing cold

water, but then we just got used to it. Then we did obstacle course where we had to

walk on a single tight rope and then on wobbly planks.

Then the time had come that we would say goodbye but we knew it would

always be one of our greatest memories!!!

▪ 18 ▪

At the Universal American School

in Dubai, all students in Grades 11 and 12

participate in the IB’s Creativity, Action,

and Service (CAS) program. CAS is at the

heart of the IB Diploma Program and

places considerable emphasis on the

importance of life outside of academics. It

involves students participating in a range of

activities in parallel to their academic stud-

ies. The three core strands of CAS, which

are often interwoven, are characterized as

follows:

Creativity: arts and other experiences that

involve creative thinking.

Action: physical exertion contributing to a

healthy lifestyle. Anything that makes you

SWEAT!

Service: an unpaid and voluntary exchange

that has a learning benefit for the student.

Students find the CAS program

both rewarding and challenging as the

excerpts below clearly highlight:

“If there is one thing I'm glad the

IB offers it is the CAS program. I don't

think I would have been balanced in the

three areas (Creativity, Action, and

Service) without the program.” Omar Al

Mutawa Class of 2012

“CAS helped me last year,

especially when I was a new student at

UAS, by helping me make new friends,

adjust, and fit in. Through CAS I met like-

minded people that I could talk to which

made the school experience and the

activities much more enjoyable and

interesting. I don’t just do CAS for CAS. I

do it because I love to do it.” Corin Lobo,

Class of 2012

“Self-confidence isn’t easy to

build. Even so, it is really important in our

daily life. I wanted to be able to speak and

live knowing my strengths and my

weaknesses. I wanted to know more about

myself. And my last goal was just to

challenge myself. I just wanted to prove to

myself that I could make a difference

around me, prove to myself that I could get

stronger physically, and prove to myself

that I could dance!” Julien Rappe, Class of

2013

By: Christina Callaway, UAS CAS Coordinator

Creativity, Action, and Service (CAS) at UAS

“My CAS ac tivi t ies have

led me to consider cer ta in

avenues tha t I previously had

never considered. For example,

my exper iences in tutor ing made

me des ire to s tay in contac t wi th

education in the future , and thus

led me to consider educat ion as

par t o f my future asp ira t ions.” J i

Hyun Yu, Class o f 2013

“For me learning i s more

than memor iz ing something for a

test or s tudying for an exam. I t i s

doing something tha t wi l l a lways

remain wi th you for the res t o f

your l i fe , and change the way

you act as a human be ing. I have

made a lot o f mis takes in the

pas t , and I have learned from

them. Same for my CAS

act ivi t ies - - I learn something

new every t ime I a t tend an ac-

t ivi ty.” Sa laar Chawhan, Class o f

2014

▪ 19 ▪

climbing and absei l ing were

des igned to not only build up

confidence leve ls but to chal lenge

the s tudents to be more ‘r i sk

taking’ . Our third tr ip of the year

saw 25 Grade 8 and 9 students

a t tend a week - long Leadership and

Adventure Trip to Nepal in

February.

The f ina l t r ip o f the

academic year wi l l be taking place

later this year in June. 30 Grade 10

and 11 students wi l l t ravel to

Mongol ia and China on a

three -week Leadership and Service

tr ip

I t i s t ruly humbling to see

ho w these experiences evoke

posi t ive change in the s tudents. By

the end of the current academic

year , UAS wi ll have successful ly

run four exper iential t r ips. We

hope this ini t ia t ive wil l see us

expand our par t ic ipa ting s tudent

base from 150 current ly to over

400 par t ic ipants.

UAS is commit ted to

develop ing the socia l , physica l ,

and emot ional gro wth of i t s

s tudents by crea ting opportuni t ies

for them to par t ic ipate in

experient ia l t r ips. We

continuously chal lenge our

s tudents to be r i sk - takers, to be

open -minded, and above al l , to be

car ing global c i t izens .

The fir s t t r ip o f the

academic year took p lace in Octo-

ber when 19 grade 11 and 12 stu-

dents t rave lled to rura l Ethiopia .

The tr ip was designed to he lp stu-

dents work towards the ir CAS

component o f the IB diploma in a

meaningful way. Pr ior to the tr ip ,

the students had worked t ire lessly

to ra ise funds to comple te the

construc tion of a l ibrary tha t

Experiential and Leadership Education By: Hattie Smith, UAS Leadership and Experiential Education Coordinator

UAS has been build ing for the last

two years. The l ibrary was an

essential resource not only for the

school but also for the

impover ished rural communi ty o f

Debra Zei t . The students have

raised over $12,000 US this year

alone to ensure tha t children

wi thin the communi ty, who could

no t a fford an educat ion,

nevertheless have access to

educa tional resources.

During their t ime in

Ethiop ia, UAS s tudents l ived as

members o f the loca l communi ty

experienc ing the same l iving

condit ions and day - to -day l i fe .

The s tudents handled this step

outs ide thei r comfort zone

admirably. Many commented on

ho w it gave them a deeper

apprec ia t ion for the bas ic

necessi t ies which are of ten taken

for granted. The Ethiop ian s tudents

taught our students to find joy

from the s imple things in l i fe . I t

was an experience they wi l l

undoubted ly remember forever .

More recent ly 75 of our

grade 7 s tudents a lso par t icipated

in a 3 day adventure camp, here in

the UAE.

The act ivi t ies such as wal l

▪ 20 ▪

The Grade 7 and 8 students the

American International School in Cyprus

recently took field trips to Choirokoitia

(Khirokitia), considered one of the most

significant Neolithic sites in the world. On

December 7, the eighth graders were

accompanied by Dr. Rachel Iannacone and

Ms. Dina Coppes and were joined by a

special guest, Dr. Nikolas Bakirtzis, an

archaeologist at the Cyprus Institute. Since

it was quite rainy, they first visited

Panagia tou Kampou (παναγιά του

κάμπου), where they had a wonderful

conversation about archaeology,

architecture, wall paintings, and Byzantine

Cyprus. After a break for photographs

and snacks, the class visited the modern

reconstructions of Choirokoitian houses,

where students made keen observations

about the setting, design, and planning of

the village. Walking through the ancient

site afforded an opportunity to compare

observations of the reconstruction with the

authentic Neolithic remains. Upon

returning to Nicosia, the students enjoyed

a mini-seminar in which they synthesized

what they observed and learned.

A few days later, the seventh

graders, along with Dr. Iannacone, Ms.

Coppes, and Ms. Dora Zessimopoulos

headed for Choirokoitia again. Sunny

weather allowed the class to spend the

whole day enjoying the archeological site.

Students examined the modern

reconstructions as well as the extensive

excavations. They tried to decipher the site

through sketching, writing, discussing, and

questioning. Among other things,

students learned about hierarchy,

community living, prehistoric building

techniques, and the maintenance of world

heritage sites. Most importantly, the class

enjoyed the beautiful natural setting of

Choirokoitia, gaining and understanding

of the importance of geography to the

success of civilization.

All K-12 AISC Students are Rosetta Stone

users with access to 25 languages! AISC believes that

language learning is a very important part of 21st

century learning and a “must” in creating globally

responsible world citizens. A fully immersive

environment engages AISC students interactively

with a variety of activities and scenarios to motivate

each child. AISC students are beginning to speak confidently and develop conversational abilities

using speech recognition technology. At AISC, students are

gaining access to language in a natural environment – without

translation - encouraging a natural, confident progression from

simple words and phrases to whole sentences and complex

dialogue. Our students think in a new language!

AISC Middle School Chirokoita Trip

By: Dr. Rachel Iannacone, MS Social Studies Teacher

العربية

普通話

Dutch

English

Français

German

ελληνικά

עברית

ह िंदी

Italiano

Na hÉireann

日本人

Polish

한국의

فارسی

Portuguese

русский

Español

Svenska

Tagalog

Türk

Viêt

The following languages are offered at

AISC: By: Anastasia Papanstasiou

AISC goes multi-lingual with Rosetta Stone

Spanish Teacher / Head of Department for Modern Language