InterAct Magazine | Winter 2016 - Issue V by Colegio Interamericano

INTERACT Winter 2016 | Issue V

Let’s continue

making history

together!

Elementary students participating in the 2015 Independence Assembly.

interamericano’s

legacy

In 1976 a group of Colegio Americano alumni had the vision and courage to create a new school in Guatemala and from those efforts Colegio Interamericano was born. As we returned to school from the winter holiday break, we joined together as a community to celebrate the start of 2016 which marked the 40th year of Interamericano. The celebration included all of the current students, parents, and faculty, but it also included alumns that represented each of the 4 decades our school has been educating students and working with families here in Guatemala. A lot has changed since 1976, but what has remained consistent is our commitment to providing students and families the very best bilingual education possible. This includes providing graduates not only with both a US and Guatemala High School Diploma, but just as importantly with the tools necessary to be successful in any location they chose to study and live in the future. Today our campus looks very different and our enrollment has grown from a handful of students and teachers to its current level of 1240 students and 150 faculty and staff members respectfully. Our community consists of a wide-variety of different languages and cultures that help promote our mission and our ongoing goals to promote international mindedness and respect for individual differences. We provide this education not only directly through classroom instruction, but also through learning experiences which include the fine arts and athletics. Some of these take place during the school day, but they also occur before and after school with our ECA programs. Each of these opportunities work in harmony together to not only provide students with countless opportunities to grow and become proficient in many different ways, but also they learn independence and the importance of being balanced in their daily lives. These are life-long skills that will continue to serve them well in the future as they move on from school to have their own careers and their own families. As we are all aware the world is changing rapidly and as a school we can no long only focus on the issues that impact our lives today, but we must also be mindful that our programs and methods must evolve also. To encourage and promote self-reflection this past November we created three ad-hoc committees to take a look at specific areas of our school to review our practices and to make recommendations. These committees include teachers and administrators from each of the divisions as well as parent volunteers. The areas of focus for each of the committees include the current Interamericano curriculum, the daily schedule, and homework/ assessment policies and practices. These are important topics to be considered and with the help of outside consultants we are working together to make improvement recommendations that not only improve the academic experience for our current community, but also for future generations. This is a truly exciting time in our schools history. As we contemplate future initiatives, I would also like to invite you all to join me in the year long celebration of the 40th anniversary of Colegio Interamericano’s founding. This will include numerous activities and involvement opportunities for both alumni and current community members. Throughout 2016 we ask everyone to ask themselves the question, “What makes the Interamericano experience so valuable and so special?” Even though I have only been part of the school since this past July, for me the answer is very simple, “people.” It is the friendly and caring adults and children associated with this school that have defined its legacy. At Interamericano, programs can come and go, but what remains the cornerstone of the school is amazing people that believe in the school and what it has to offer. That will surely never change and I want to say thank you to everyone who does their part in helping make this a reality.

EVAN HUNT

General Director Interact magazine | issue v 2016

CONTENTS

ACADEMICS

TABLE OF

DIRECTOR Evan Hunt | General Director EDITOR IN CHIEF Marcel Guadrón | Communications Coordinator EXECUTIVE EDITOR Michelle Hernández | Communications Assistant

ACTIVITIES

FEATURES

ACADEMICS PAGE # 06 - International Awards Program. 08 - M.S. Digital Citizenship Program. 09 - Leading by example. 12 - Interact Club. 16 - If your actions inspire other to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a Leader! 18 - Giving honor to whom honor is due. 29 - Seniors being successfull locally and abroad. 35 - Music develops life skills. 38 - Watering our kids’ minds with words. 39 - After School Math Program. 40 - Students Art Work

FEATURES PAGE # 14 - I teach! What’s your super power? 22 - Educating the leaders of Guatemala since 1976. 30 - Life long learning. 32 - Promoting positive behaviors. 34 - What can the Couseling Department do for me? 36 - Social Media. 37 - New Features on our Student/Parent Portal.

ACTIVITIES PAGE # 10 - Making a difference in thousands of guatemalan lifes. 24 - Great challenge = Great future. 26 - So many reasons to love Interamericano – here´s one of the Best! 28 - Inter goes Inter-national.

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INTERNATIONAL AWARDS PROGRAM

Interamericano is the first school in Guatemala licensed to offer the Duke of Edinburgh International Award Programme by: Sarah Cusworth | High School Teacher

This year we are incredibly happy to announce that our school has become the first school in Guatemala to be licensed to offer the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award programme. The programme is currently delivered in over 140 countries globally, with over 8 million young people taking part to date. Open to young people aged 14 years and older, it is recognized as the world’s leading youth achievement award, with a fantastic reputation amongst employers and universities worldwide. Students will take part in four areas of the award, with an ultimate aim of achieving either Bronze, Silver or Gold awards at the end. The four areas that students work on during the programme are service, skills, physical recreation, and adventurous journey.

In the service section, students will volunteer in their communities to make a positive contribution to society. The skill unit will enable students to develop their talents and self confidence in an area which involves non-academic expertise.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (commonly abbreviated DofE), is the generic name for a youth awards programme founded in the United Kingdom in 1956 by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh that has since expanded to 140 other countries. The awards recognise adolescents and young adults for completing a series of self-improvement exercises modelled on Kurt Hahn’s solution to the “Six Declines of Modern Youth.” In the United Kingdom the programme is run by The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, a royal charter corporation. A separate entity, The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation, promotes the award abroad and acts as a coordinating body for award sponsors in other nations, which are organised into 62 National Award Authorities and a number of Independent Operators. Award sponsors in countries outside the United Kingdom may title their awards Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards, though the recognition also operates under a variety of other names in countries without a historic link to the British monarchy, or that have severed such links.

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Physical recreation allows our students to develop their fitness and wellbeing, to encourage them to live a healthy and balanced life. Lastly, during their adventurous journey section, students will take part in two camping expeditions in which they will gain a deeper appreciation and understanding of the outdoors, and their surrounding environment. Last year the bronze level students completed their award successfully with an amazing expedition climbing Volcan Acatenango here in Guatemala. In October this year, students undertook their practice expedition for their bronze award, with a two day expedition hiking and camping in Corazon del Agua. Here they

learned how to survive in the outdoors, and to prepare themselves for their assessed expedition on Acatenango. This is a superb opportunity for our students to be involved in such a prestigious programme, and also to be the first in Guatemala to achieve the award. Please speak to our International Award Coordinator, Ms. Cusworth if you would like to know more about how to be involved in the programme.

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M.S. DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP PROGRAM

Empowering students to think critically and participate responsibly in their digital lives by: GERAlD schaeffer | m.s. TECHNOLOGY teacher

Technology evolves rapidly as it affects our lives in every single aspect. Nowadays, teenagers socialize and make new friendships through cyberspace, a place unknown by adults. As teachers, this is a new challenge. We must develop in our students the necessary skills and habits so they become responsible digital citizens.

Facing this rising inquiry, Middle School, supported by the Principal, will be working throughout 2016 to get the “Common Sense Digital Citizenship” certification. The educational community (parents, students and teachers) will be involved during the process, to guarantee that everyone is aligned to the program, as the main objective. Some of the guidelines are the proper use of technology, digital citizenship, netiquette (network etiquette), and the correct use of information, such as copyright among other subjects. Our goal is to create practical and conscious culture based on the appropriate usage of Information and Communications Technology –ICT-. We hope that everyone is able and ready to be part of this Project, to make it grow and expand throughout our Inter Community.

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VALUES PROGRAM leading by example by: aura de mejía | pk - g2 counselor

Colegio Interamericano’s education goes beyond academic subject, it includes the Six Pillars of Character in the curricula, which comprehend the universal values such as Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring and Citizenship. The Six Pillars of Character are built from Pre Kinder through Grade 12. Each counselor is in charge of the design and organization of various activities throughout the year in every level. In Elementary, the counselors prepare a conference for parents every seven weeks. The purpose is to empower parents in a specific Value so they can work on it with their children’s class. Each conference includes a powerpoint presentation that emphasizes the characteristics and rules for each Value and examples of how they can practice it with students. Subsequently, the parents will share the activity in each grade by using a video to discuss it, listen to a story and perform it later. In closing, the students color the symbol that represents the Value of the month. In Middle School, each value is presented through videos. By leading individual and collective deliberations in class, we teach students by example. To reinforce it, during Homeroom (each Wednesday) students develop skills such as solving problems and analytic proficiency, using Arthur Costa and Bena Kallick’s “Habits of Mind” method (2008). Students learn how to control impulsiveness and be respectful to the opinions of others. In High School, the Values program is incorporated into every class and activity throughout the school year. We remind students about the Value of the month in our daily announcements and homeroom, we also reinforce the Value with specific activities. Our priority is that every student practices each Value. For example, Citizenship is about patriotism and in the Inter community it also includes environmental care. We practice Respect from two perspectives: respecting each other and respecting oneself. Interact magazine | issue v 2016

IVITIES CT

community community service service at inter Compassionate Interamericano community makes a difference in thousands of Guatemalan lifes by: katrin Hünemörder & theresa fernau

“EVERY single Interamericano family has been involved in at least one community service project in the past semester”, says Theresa Fernau, Elementary Community Service Coordinator. “This is an incredibly compassionate and loving school community, and I’m proud to be a member of it.” The second half of 2015 has been a difficult one for Guatemala, with many sad and unfortunate events. In October 2015 an entire community was literally buried under a mountain, in Santa Catarina Pinula, Cambray II. Colegio Interamericano became a Center for donations for the victims of Cambray II. Many families donated clothes, food and medicines, and for an entire week our students went to Santa Catarina Pinula to help by sorting donations and giving them to those in need. It was an overwhelming response by our entire community to a major catastrophe. All levels also participated in the McDia Feliz sale, of which the entire sales from that day went towards the victims of the Cambray II landslide. A definite highlight of the first semester school wide community service activities was our annual Christmas activity for the service personnel. High School and Middle School students gathered money and items for 125 big and colorful Christmas baskets. These were handed out to our bus drivers, monitors, gardeners, security, cafeteria and maintenance staff on December 8, during a big breakfast. Elementary sections took care of sending a big and meaningful Christmas gift to each child of our service personnel. To make the activity even more meaningful, the Elementary students wrote cards to the children they gave to, and wrapped and decorated the gifts themselves. During the breakfast, around fifty students and parents were present – even though already officially on vacation – to serve breakfast to those who serve us all year.

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Middle School community service students organized a dog food donation for a dog shelter, a project they had started last year. National Honor Society students organized their annual visit to the hospital “Hermanos Pedros” in Antigua and spent a day there, giving out Christmas gifts and food to people with severe disabilities, many of them cannot count on families to support them. It’s our way to say thank you to the work they do every day – and we hereby thank our wonderful community for their incredible efforts and willingness to give. The Best Buddies did several activities again this year with the children and youth from the Margarita Tejada foundation, who support people with Down Syndrome. It`s the third year now that Colegio Interamericano has a chapter within the worldwide Best Buddies organization.

“It is an incredible satisfaction to see how involved the entire community is when it comes to helping those in need”, says Anahi Pelaez, High School Counselor and NHS advisor. “Not only do these projects make a difference, they also change the perspective of our own students and make them realize how much work is still to be done in many parts of Guatemala.”

Middle School students also cooperated with the Margarita Tejada foundation, delivering Christmas gifts to the kids and putting activities together, which they carried out for the students from the foundation. Elementary students donated countless school supplies to a special education school at lake Atitlan, “Cerro de Oro”, and to “Loving Arms”, a local school outside Antigua. Toys and clothes also made it to both schools, hopefully helping the projects to have an easier start to the school year. The High School community service group donated bedsheets for a local orphanage.

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interact interact club

proactive students in search of a better world by: sarah cusworth | high school teacher We are very happy with the number of students involved in the sports program this year. A great job has been done with every team during the first semester, with the objective of providing students with better quality training. When 12th grade students Hans and Luis Carlos spoke to me last year about being their teacher representative for Interact, it was a real honour and a genuine privilege to take on. As part of the International Rotary Club organization, Interact is a club for young people aged between 12 and 18 years old, who want to connect with other young people in their community or school. Members are responsible for organizing and carrying out at least two service projects every year which either benefit their community, or promotes international understanding. When 12th grade students Hans and Luis Carlos spoke to me last year about being their teacher representative for Interact, it was a real honour and a genuine privilege to take on. As part of the International Rotary Club organization, Interact is a club for young people aged between 12 and 18 years old, who want to connect with other young people in their community or school. Members are responsible for organizing and carrying out at least two service projects every year which either benefit their community, or promotes international understanding.

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As a teacher at this school, it is such a fantastic opportunity to not only be part of this admirable and well-respected global organisation, but also to be given the opportunity to work with this fantastic group of young people who we have inaugurated this semester as Colegio Interamericano’s first generation of Interact members. Being a part of Interact is a huge responsibility for students, however they have not only stepped up to the challenge, but are all doing an amazing job in setting the standards for our future generations of Interact members at Colegio Interamericano.

I have seen this group of students develop over the last few months into outstanding global citizens, and the type of lifelong learners we can all be incredible incredibly proud of. Some of the projects they have been working on, not only provide a positive change for their immediate communities, but also a difference both nationwide and internationally. I recently shared with some of my old students from Malaysia how impressed I was with the initiative that our students had created to encourage voting during the elections in Guatemala. After hearing this, these students went on to develop their own project which they will use during election time in Malaysia. Sometimes, we don’t realise how the small things we are involved in have a much greater impact well beyond what we can ever imagine.

much this is greater only theimpact beginning, well and beyond lookwhat forward we to can seeing ever more of what we can do as a group, and the positive imagine. impact we will see around us. If you are interested in A finding changeout thatmore our students about the made Interact here in community, Guatemala, feel not has freeonly to either benefited contact us and myself our community, (Ms. Cusworth) but also or alternatively, spread to the speak other side to one of the ofworld the existing and made members its way who willinto across be Asia. more than I am happy extremely to help. excited to know that this is only the beginning, and look forward to seeing more of what we can do as a group, and the positive impact we will see around us. If you are interested in finding out more about the Interact community, feel free to either contact myself (Ms. Cusworth) or alternatively, speak to one of the existing members who will be more than happy to help.

A change that our students made here in Guatemala, has not only benefitted us and our community, but also spread to the other side of the world and made its way across into Asia. I am extremely excited to know that

Torneo de La Amistad – Friendship Tournament This past 14th and 15th of November, the school enjoyed the second International Friendship Tournament, organized by Colegio Interamericano. Twenty teams participated in 4 different categories. In this edition, we had the special participation of the Panamerican School of El Salvador. It was a great event in which kids and parents enjoyed a weekend full of soccer. Interamericano achieved the following awards: •

First Place: U-10 Boys Category (Grade 4 students)

•

First Place: U-12 Boys Category (Grade 6 students)

•

Second Place: U-12 Girls Category (Grade 5 and 6 students)

•

Second Place: U-16 Boys Category (High School students)

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STAFF HIGHLIGHT

TURES EA

good teachers know how to bring out the best in students -charles kubalt

All of us are capable of learning, but not everyone has the ability to teach. Teaching is about a calling, dedication, humility, and responsibility. Being a teacher goes beyond applying knowledge about specific subjects; it requires some versatile powers such as listening (when students express themselves and being aware that he/she doesn’t know all the

answers), self-motivation (be positive in order to inspire others), being capable of making fun of yourself (the honesty of kids and teens is limitless in every circumstance), observing (getting to know all of his/her students to be able to support them individually), creativity (finding techniques so that every student understands a subject), and being

a life coach (there’s always time to listen, advise, motivate and support students, academically and personally). The following teachers, whom were selected for this edition, have developed some “powers” that prove that being a teacher is much more than just reviewing assignments, checking tests and giving grades.

claudia diaz - HIGH SCHOOL

t rea s g ee in e m r eco deg the n b the s for a n rk “M tly i low c he wo is fel ndhi a x a h e ich of aG wh lfare hatm we Ma n”. e m

HOME COUNTRY: Guatemala. MAJOR: Del Valle de Guatemala University. Teacher Certificate in Learning Disabilities and Deaf Children Education. Language and Literature Degree. Master in Trainer of Trainers in conjunction with the Huelva of Spain University and Del Valle de Guatemala University. Master in Educational Coaching. STUDENTS’ PUPIL: Every instant is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, that’s what my students have taugh me. HOBBIES: Family time, outdoor walks, go over small

ME CO Gua UN sar tem TRY ah a la a : I’ yo MA m nd uJOR orig Uni ELE : t i e n Ma ME dS ally Ele nag NTA t m a f t r ent es. om e RY ary STU ment Kor e DE Cla a , N rk but you T Uni hav do S’ PU ver PIL with e s s and : pen i t T t y r h / ue C e leav t m y h inte ildh tau ea ost WH g g o r h o g ity AT of t d rea m and my eh t im DO P syc ow bea hon pac life YO h l o i utif f e t U in log ea sty, ul p LIK on ot n y d y o her eop E T HO and ur w relat BB peo l H e i o h ! E ns oleh IES Bus MO ple’s : I li ines ear hips a ST l ke t ted s FRO ives. ly d re. If y ow o M one atc ud GU hm o w w ork ATE ovie will hatev MA s an e be LA: d tr kno r y/e The wn xplo w eat re n her, ew foo res tau d, and ran ts a nd caf es.

towns in Guatemala. I enjoy my silent moments, listening to good music, reading.

“Life is short, always choose happiness”

“Critically open-minded”

brody lukus - MIDDLE SCHOOL HOME COUNTRY: Minnesota, USA. MAJOR: Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Bachelor of Science Degree, English/Speech Education. Bachelor of Science Degree, English/Speech Education. License in Communication Arts and Literature (5-12). STUDENTS’ PUPIL: They have taught me that I need to enjoy life more, relax a little, and not take things so seriously. WHAT DO YOU LIKE THE MOST FROM GUATEMALA: The people! Are very friendly, welcoming, fun-loving, and just all around nice. HOBBIES: Photography, film, traveling, basketball, reading, writing. Interact magazine | issue v 2016

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FAMILY STUCO DAY - m.s. 2014

by: michelle irene tobias Hernandez | opai president | communications

did as a team last year. Their job hasn’t been a “piece of cake” due to their main goal being the support of the 6th graders in order to make the transition from Elementary to MS easier, more comfortable and friendly. This was a success!

Having interviews is one my favorite things in life, because when you interview a person you have the opportunity to discover different personal and professional aspects of his/her life. Listening to the personal experiences of others has always taught me a life lesson. For me it has always been interesting to walk through the M.S. halls, surrounded by positive energy, happy faces, and colorful posters about some activities organized by a group called STUCO MS. I had no idea who they were, but I was determined to find out. During a recess, a valuable 15 minutes, I discovered what STUCO’s initials meant. And beyond its meaning, I learned what this group represents to its members and MS. There were 4 teens waiting for me wearing their gray sweatshirts with blue letters. Being a teenager symbolizes energy, the idea of not being a child anymore, and starting to make your own decisions. Character and personality are developing and they become extremely curious and consider themselves “rebels” when their opinion differs from that of others. Parents call this stage “difficult”, but it’s one of the most fun phases of all. Why? Because of unexpected mood changes, ideas

and dreams multiplying and, last but not least, your will to live is so great that you wish the day lasted 48 hours and even this wouldn’t be enough to accomplish every task in one day. Isabela, Alexandra, Katia, and Diego are the 4 teens who I have seen involved and helping in some of the activities, so when I became aware that they were STUCO MS members, it all made sense. Students Council - STUCO - 5 letters that comprehend a list of qualities such as being a leader, encouraging others, being positive, responsible, and respectful to everyone. Being part of STUCO MS goes beyond creating a successful campaign; it portrays skills like being a role model to your peers, an excellent student, listening to everyone’s opinion, taking criticism and turning it into continuous improvement, creating a friendly environment as a space where anybody can express what they think and feel comfortable. In summary: have MS come together, because everyone is important. The 8 students from Grade 8 were also members in 2014-2015 and they decided to continue with STUCO MS this year because of the great job they

On Saturday, November 15, OPAI and

STUCO MS has 20 students (4 from Grade 6, 8 from Grade 7, and 8 from Grade 8); 20 young leaders who decided to work as a team and become the voice of 242 MS students, instead of just focusing on their own individual goals. The team organizes different activities throughout the year, for example bake sales to raise money for other activities, they support community service actions, prepare special activities for Children’s Day, Character Day, and Family Day. Some of their members are part of NJHS (National Junior Honor Society), building up the Six Pillars of Character to continue the role model approach. They are aware that everyone looks up to them, which makes them stay conscious of their actions inside and outside of school. Alexandra’s little sister has mentioned to her that she hopes to have a STUCO MS team as great as they are when she gets to MS. The team has been positively influenced as well, since they are now more confident and sympathetic, great speakers, planners and guides. These are qualities they have discovered and developed through STUCO. My mom says that every day is a learning experience. That day was no exception. These 4 students who represented the entire MS taught me that becoming a role model is ageless. These kids and teenagers are fearless to express themselves and good advice can come from any age and being respectful and responsible is cool and trendy.

if your actions inspire others to dream

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you are a

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STUCO - h.s. FAMILY DAY 2014 by: carolina meléndez | stuco hs officer STUCO stands for Student Council. Our goal is to unite High School and to do activities that promote school spirit. Our officers are Valeria Valenzuela as President, Hans Erben as Vicepresident, Valeria Lucas as Secretary, David Font as Treasurer, Ana Lisa Cabrera as Cultural Vocal, Paulina Rosales as Social Vocal, and Carolina Melendez as Activities Coordinator. All the officers, with the help of our Grade and Class representatives, form FISH (Friendly Innovative Students Helping) and we always try to reach our goals and do the best for the school. We’ve done many activities this year but the most important thing would probably be the “Houses”. There are eight groups that we formed with all the students in High School and they each have a color and a character that distinguishes them so in most of the activities the students compete with their house to win points. The goal is to have a winner at the end of the year.

Other activities that we’ve done is the Food Rally for Halloween and Pink Day in October, where all the students paid to wear pink and all the money raised went to a foundation that supports breast cancer. We also encouraged the students to stay after school to watch and support our teams at different games. We decorated the lockers of our AASACA basketball, Knowledge Bowl, and track participants to motivate them and show them our support. For Thanksgiving we created a mural in which all High School students, teachers and staff could express what they were thankful for. We also joined NHS to help them raise funds for the Christmas baskets that they do every year. For this upcoming year, we want to end it in the best way possible and do lots of activities as FISH, so that High School can enjoy what’s left of the school year. One of the activities that we have planned is the end of the year rally in which the winner of the houses will be decided. Also there’s the Valentine’s Day activity that we have every year during which we always try to do new and innovative things. And as our biggest project right now, we want to try to get Subway to sell at the school so that the students have a variety of things that they can buy and also eat in a healthier and delicious way. We want to continue working on the school spirit, especially now that the school is celebrating 40 years since its foundation; we want to show how proud we are of our school. In conclusion our goal as STUCO is to motivate the students and get them excited about participating in school activities, unite High School so that we can all know each other, improve the school spirit and organize the best activities during the year.

more, learn more, do more & become more,

leader

-John quincy adamsInteract magazine | issue v 2016

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student SPORTS UPDATE awards & achievements

talended kids with a promising future giving honor to whom honor is due by: michelle hernandez | communications We are very happy with the number of students involved in the sports program this year. A great job has been done with every team during this first semester, with the objective of providing students with better quality

ELEMENTARY “Always be exceptional” is a line as ancient as history. When I was little and my report cards were issued and one of my grades was a 95, my father used to tell me “this should be a 100, not a 95,” and I thought “he should congratulate me for my grades instead of lecturing me for 95!”. 20 years later I finally understood him. He wasn’t lecturing me about the 95, he was trying to make me realize that I was capable of getting the highest score, but I didn’t go “the extra mile” to get it (either because I didn’t want to or because I had a conformist attitude). At university, I forgot my assignment one day and I told my professor “Can I bring you the assignment tomorrow? Please, don’t get mad at me!” he just simply replied “Why should I get angry? You didn’t fail me, you just failed yourself!”… I was speechless. I’ve been invited to graduations, recognition ceremonies, championship finals, etc. but I’d never been to an Awards Assembly. Regardless of the grade (Elementary, MS, or HS) the parents’ excitement is always the same when they hear their child’s name announced as Honor Roll member. The students’ reactions are a little bit different - some get excited and others are shy, but they finally accept the diploma and pose for mom or dad’s camera. Every time we accomplish one of our goals we feel fearless. Beyond making it public, what really matters to us is that our effort and hard work are worth it. The happiness that our parents and friends feel throughout the process, makes them accomplices as they witness our failures and achievements.

Regardless of age, the amount of effort, dedication, and motivation, always being exceptional is the same for kids, teens and adults. The method (how you do it) and context (situation) are different for each person. Regina, a 7th grader, knew the meaning of “where there’s a will, there’s a way” exactly. When she was an Elementary student, she was sometimes on Honor Roll, but when she got to MS this goal was slipping from her hands. Just because of one class! This situation frustrated and annoyed her. She believed that her effort was invisible by “one point”, until her mom explained the situation to her. Her issue was not the “one point” missing or her lack of dedication, but it was the moment that she decided to start working hard for that “one point”.

Being part of the Honor Roll is about commitment, as your grades are from 85 to 100. It doesn’t mean that the students who weren’t listed are less dedicated to studying. On the contrary, some of them missed the list just because of one class that they had an 84. When I heard this, I wanted to talk with an Honor Roll student about his/her attitude toward excellence.

When the bimester started, Regina readjusted her commitment to study. She focused on every assignment and test she had since the beginning, by dedicating more time to doing homework. It meant that her spare time and sharing time with her friends would decrease. Being a perfectionist in every task, no matter how tired she was, made her stay up until

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“I’m not here to be average. I’m here to be awesome”

midnight even when she had to wake up early for Math Counts the next day. She learned to organize her agenda, since she plays football, basketball and volleyball, and she swims after school. She was not prepared to quit spots because of studying or vice versa. She was convinced that making schedules (without excuses) and sacrificing her TV time or playing with her cell phone or tablet, her success was guaranteed.

Does Regina have new goals to reach? The answer is yes. Her future accomplishments are to stay on the Honor Roll until she graduates from HS, and get a scholarship to study Engineering abroad, among others. She will make it happen due to her commitment and effort. Her experience is an example to her friends and peers. If you’re wondering if Regina has super powers to make her dreams come true or what you’re missing to achieve your dreams, the answer is NOTHING! Each one of us has the same ability to accomplish any goal. The gap between success and failure is YOUR ATTITUDE. This is the moment where you decide whether to leave your comfort zone and move towards your dream, or to abandon the potential you have. Family and friends are important as well, they will cheer you up and lecture you to make you keep on going. And last but not least, BELIEVE IN YOURSELF. If you are capable of thinking it, then you’re halfway there. Are you ready to show the world how exceptional you already are?

The next Awards Assembly was about to happen when Regina got her parents’ invitation to the ceremony. The invitation was a recognition of her hard work. The adrenaline you experience when you accomplish one of your goals is magic! It makes you want to pursue more dreams. She wanted to be part of the NJHS. She asked about what she needed to do to be eligible.She wrote her essay and application letter and presented her report cards (from Elementary to Grade 7), and was ready for the NJHS Induction Assembly, where the results would be announced. The ceremony started, and the MS Vice-Principal started to call each new member. Suddenly she heard her name! When her parents appeared with the white band she knew it was real. She was so overwhelmed, that she didn’t hear her friends cheers and applause. Interact magazine Interact | November-december magazine | issue v 2016 2014

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student awards & achievements

1 gold & 6 bronze medals AASCA Cross Country & Track and Field bi-cultural champions boys & girls basketball

Nicole Tenenbaum 1st Place at the FEI World Dressage Challenge

JAVIER MORENO TOP GOAL SCORER INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT “DI NO A LAS DROGAS”

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christian wever - PANAMERICAN KARATE CHAMPION AND 5th IN THE World Junior Karate Championship

bi-cultural champions boys & girls basketball

Natalia Girón and Estefanie BethancourT (Class of 2014) - Central American U-21 Beach Volleball champions

Congratulations students! The inter community is proud of

you!

Elementary Values Assemblies Responsibility & Citizenship

Academic Awards Assemblies CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OUR HONOR ROLL STUDENTS!

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40 years anniversary educating the leaders of Guatemala since 1976 Colegio Interamericano announces to its community the beginning of a special and commemorative year, as we celebrate our 40th Anniversary. Everyone at Inter is thrilled for this moment and we invite you to be part of the celebration. Colegio Interamericano was founded in 1976 by the alumni of Colegio Americano in Guatemala City. The founders sought to provide another school alternative for Guatemalan families other than Colegio Americano, since their alma mater was at capacity in enrollment and frequently did not have space for the children of its alumni. The school has been located on its present campus in the suburbs of Guatemala City since 1981. As the school grew and matured over the years, it gradually assumed its own mission, identity, and purpose, and in 1989 it secured US accreditation to guide its bilingual program. Inter (as we call it) has offered an alternative for Guatemalan families seeking a US education for their children. Diversity is one of Inter’s features as it has become the academic home for foreign students

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and internationally mobile families. Our family-like atmosphere and sheltered environment have given us the great opportunity to educate, guide, motivate and shape the leaders and professionals in Guatemala throughout 29 generations of graduates. One of our goals for this year-long celebration is to continue strengthening the bond between students, parents, alumni, faculty, and staff, as a merged and built-in community.

Events -

40 years Opening Assembly:

Students, alumni, parents, staff, and special guests participated in a special assembly to kick off 2016. Our General Director, Mr. Evan Hunt welcomed everyone and our special guests Olga Cáceres (Alumn – 1st graduating class -1987) and Rodolfo Neutze (Alumn – 2nd graduating class -1988) shared their memories about Interamericano’s evolution throughout these four decades. The assembly concluded with a Happy Birthday song from students, staff and parents.

Gathering with Inter Ambassadors

Easter Egg Hunt Arts & Music Festival – Special Guests Alumni Sports Day Inter 10K

To celebrate Inter’s birthday we have some memorabilia for sale. You can buy them at the warehouse office and uniform office. You can see all our items at www.interamericano.edu.gt/40years. We have prepared some activities to celebrate Inter’s four decades. Over the last 40 years we have measured our success through every student and alumni achievement. We would like you to be part of it, since you have been part of Inter’s history.

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SPORTS UPDATE GREAT CHALLENGE = GREAT FUTURE by: ALLAN SECAIDA | SPORTS COORDINATOR The Athletics Department at Colegio Interamericano seeks to provide students with an enjoyable environment that allows them to grow through their involvement in sports. We believe that the best way to accomplish this is through their constant and disciplined participation. This helps students develop the courage needed to do their best in the different competitions and learn the values needed to accept the victories and the defeats as part of a real life experience.

ELEMENTARY & MIDDLE SCHOOL SOCCER: Practice sessions are available to PreKindergarten, Kindergarten, and Grade 1 students. Students start to familiarize themselves with the soccer ball and learn with fun games. Grade 2 to Grade 8 students practice twice a week and they participate in friendly matches as well as school tournaments. The school has 1 category per grade for the boys, and 1 category per two grades for the girls.

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BASKETBALL: This is taught from Grade 2 to Grade 8, for both boys and girls. The teams practice twice a week and there’s a category for every 2 grades. Our teams participate in different school tournaments. VOLLEYBALL: There are both a boys and girls team for Elementary and Middle School. The teams practice twice a week. ATHLETICS: Interamericano has a boys and girls team in Elementary and Middle School that practice twice a week. Their competitions are during sports days in other schools and sports festivals.

BADMINTON AND TABLE TENNIS: Elementary students practice these sports every Monday and they compete during sports days.

HIGH SCHOOL Basketball, Volleyball, Athletics, and Soccer teams practice throughout the school year to represent our school in local tournaments such as the Copa Bi-Cultural and Liga Metropolitana. Both tournaments help our teams get ready for our main competition, which is the AASCA tournament (Association of American Schools of Central America). This tournament is held in different countries of our region. We would like to congratulate our Boys and Girls Basketball teams for winning the Copa-Bi Cultural last semester. Each sport has its tournament during a different month: Basketball – October, Athletics – November, Soccer – February, and Volleyball – April. Amongst our last outstanding participations, we can mention the 1st place in Girls Volleyball in 2014, 2nd place in Athletics in 2014, and 3rd place in Boys soccer in 2015.

UPCOMING EVENTS AASCA Soccer: H.S. Teams Soccer Copa Bi-Cultural: H.S. & M.S. Teams Volleyball Copa Bi-Cultural: H.S. & M.S. Teams Liga Metropolitana: All sports for our Elementary, M.S. and H.S. teams. Copa Montessori: All sports for our Elementary, M.S. and H.S. teams. Torneo de la amistad: Basketball and Soccer teams. Sports Day: All sports for our Elementary, M.S. and H.S. teams. Alumni Sports Day: Soccer and Basketball.

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eca UPDATE

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So many reasons to love Interamericano – here´s of the Best! GREATone CHALLENGE = GREAT FUTURE by: huenemoerder eca COORDINATOR by: katrin ALLAN SECAIDA | SPORTS |COORDINATOR “The diverse and well organized Extracurricular Activities Program is one of the unique characteristics of our school, and as a working parent it makes my life so much easier knowing that my daughters are supervised, entertained, and that they can practice sports on a team, learn an instrument or learn a language”, says Ceci de Leon, mom of a fourth grader and a Kindergartener. “The best part is – it’s integrated into the school day with no extra pay, security and bus service.” More than 900 Interamericano students take advantage of the broad ECA and Athletic program at Colegio Interamericano. This year our school offers 125 different club- and team options for students from Pre-Kinder to grade 12. Especially in Elementary many students participate in a number of activities, staying the extra hour between three to five times a week. Many students are practicing sports, be it soccer, basketball, volleyball, track and field, badminton or yoga. The second semester will be filled with tournaments and games, stop by at any given day in the afternoon – surely you’ll be able to cheer for one of our countless Inter teams. Our dance groups are quite active this year, we offer dance classes in eight different age categories and styles. During our Christmas Show all of our dance classes presented their choreography. The

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show was opened by our colorful Flamenco group, led by Ms. Daniela Ruiz, followed by various dance presentations by our dance students from PreKinder, Kinder and grade 1, Tap Dance groups and Jazz and Funk Dance group. A special recognition goes to Camilla Scheel from grade 2, who was the bravest participant, presenting a stunning Zumba dance all by herself on stage. Way to go, Camilla. Not to forget of course our two adorable cheerleading teams, who are ready to cheer for Inter all through the entire second semester, and who prepare themselves for upcoming competitions.

You don’t like to dance? No problem, in that case our music program might be more appropriate for you. At Inter you can join Piano, Marimba or Cello classes, or you become one of our violin students. You’d have lots of company if violin was your interest, since there are almost seventy students now at Colegio Interamericano taking violin lessons in the afternoon with the Suzuki method. All music clubs presented their work as well during the Christmas Show, including a beautiful presentation by our newly formed orchestra. All music students will present themselves various times during our Arts- and Music Festival and in other occasions. All Art classes will be exhibiting their work as well during the Arts- and Music Festival, additionally to developing some colorful surprises for all of us in the Elementary hallways. Just wait and see. Another highlight in December, marking the end of the first semester work, was the presentation of the grade 2/3 Drama Club with their Musical “The last Christmas Tree”. Once in Middle or High School, most students participate in either academic or in athletic activities, which offer more opportunities to travel. High School Student Council members participated in the AASCA Leadership Conference in Panama, and Middle School Math Counts students are getting ready for their trip to El Salvador at the end of January.

Very successful were all of our science clubs in the first semester, especially with the little ones. Science clubs usually end with a “big boom” and lots of new knowledge. If you happen to be at school and hear strange sounds like “Oui, je mapelle Ana”, you bumped into one of our language classes, in this case French. German is another option for foreign languages here at Inter. Our second semester is dedicated to our main productions, shows or tournaments or festivals, which we will organize for all teams and clubs. All events will be communicated to our community via Newsletter, email or the website, so stay connected, and be prepared for lots of fun and great entertainment.

This y e a r

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Inter international SPORTS goes Inter-national UPDATE activities

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by: katrin Hünemörder | eca COordinator

For the third time now Interamericano students will have the opportunity to go on an international study trip to Europe in March 2016. The journey “Learning from the past – Looking towards the future” will take 24 students to Germany, Czech Republic and Poland on a time travel through history. We will visit authentic sites from World War II, such as the “Fuehrer Center”, the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, the Anne Frank Center and the Holocaust Memorial, and the Auschwitz Death Camp in Poland. In Dresden, Germany, we’ll pay a short visit to the Renaissance time and the glorious imperial ages, with a climax in visiting a ballet at one of the most famous European Opera Houses, the “Semper Oper”. In Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, and one of Europe’s most vibrant and exciting capitals, we’ll explore the multicultural nature of the city, and the special role of Prague during Europe’s darkest times. Back in Berlin, the students will learn about the crazy times of the Cold War, with Berlin – the divided city – being the symbol for a forty year long nuclear proliferation and power struggle between the Soviet Union and the United States. This time our students will be able to meet international students from Berlin and from Krakow, Poland, which adds a new element to the tradition of international study trips.

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In February, Middle School will be the host for eight American exchange students for ten days. The students from Knoxville, Tennessee, will stay at Interamericano Host Families and will get to know their routines, food, hobbies and family lives. The students will take part in classes for a week at Inter, including extracurricular activities. This exchange is being organized by the organization “Faces & Cultures” and will hopefully be a fruitful and enriching intercultural experience for the host students as well as for our students.

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where colleges ECA are UPDATE our list of graduates? 2015

seniors being successfull locally and abroad to be outstandingget comfortable with by: karla de gonzález | high school counselor being unconfortable. Airik

States. The seniors who graduated in June 2015 were accepted to prestigious universities, which highlights that they have the abilities, resources and commitment to succeed in any university they decided to pursue. You can find the different universities our 2015 graduates (70 students) are attending on the following lists: LOCAL UNIVERSITIES (48.6%)

Our seniors are preparing themselves in the process of choosing a career, and defining where they want to study. The process of choosing a career in which they have a passion for, and selecting the university that is the best fit for them is a difficult process for students. When the students are working on the admission process they need to fill out information about themselves, write essays, and explain in detail about their activities in and outside of school. They dedicate several hours to work on the application process to be selected in the university they dream of attending. The universities select their students based on their academic performance throughout high school (which include test scores), extracurricular activities, and the commitment the students have with people in need.

INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITIES (51.4%)

In Colegio Interamericano we have several students that apply to programs abroad; not only because they want to have an experience abroad, but also because they want to interact with people from other cultures. This experience helps them to grow as a human being, and to place more value on what they own. Our students have applied to different parts of the world, but most of the students apply to the United Our senior students are preparing themselves in the process of choosing a career, and defining

where they want to study. The process of choosing a career in which they have passion for, and selecting

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professional development LIFE LONG LEARNING by: maria del carmen de cruz | hr manager

As part of the academic strategy of Colegio Interamericano, it is essential for its teachers and leaders to stay in a continuous learning and growing cycle that impacts the achievements of our students. It is necessary for the school that all teachers continue learning, growing, and staying up to date with the content in the subjects they teach, learning methods, technology, and overall with the changes in the students’ needs. Effective teachers and administrators are the result of preparation, studies, practice, and hard work. We would like to share a few of the professional development opportunities that our teachers and administrators have been part of: Graduate Studies Teachers have the opportunity to study a Masters Degree in International Education by the University of Framingham. The program started two years ago, so we will have our first graduates soon. We have received several applications from our teachers to take part in the specialization in Neurolearning and a Masters program in Educational Psychology from Universidad Rafael Landívar. A Financial Aid program has been implemented so teachers can get their teaching certificate/ profesorado or a Bachelor’s degree in their subject area. Thanks to this program, three teachers will be obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Education from Universidad Rafael Landívar.

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with the objective of sharing with peers from other Latin American countries. Last but not least, Human Resources participated in a conference for human resource managers. During the school’s summer break; the school creates a professional development week for administrative staff, where different topics are discussed that allow us to have a dynamic administration with a first-class customer service. We all know that to make this effort and investment effective, the goal is to apply the knowledge and help our students become more successful, as they are the reason for Colegio Interamericano.

Consultants It has been very effective for our school to bring specialists and consultants to provide and discuss new information and abilities with all our staff. Literacy consultant Vincent Ventura, Singapore Math specialist Annie Stypek, and Curriculum consultant Judi Fenton visited campus this year to support our school and students. Other opportunities To improve their learning and leadership skills, teachers and administrators continuously participate in different workshops where they obtain new knowledge, skills, and positive attitudes. The workshops are held in our facilities and are provided by national and international professional development companies. It is important to highlight that during the summer of 2015, representatives in the different levels and curriculum participated in the first two courses of the Principal’s Training Center for International Schools Leadership (PTC) program. On the other hand, the school’s Administrator and Operations Assistant participated in a Business Manager Conference,

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school for parents promoting positive behaviors by: Regina Chamorro | Middle School Counselor

“Si quieres y puedes regalarle algo a tus hijos, hazlo sin ninguna condición y da justamente eso: un regalo, no premios.” Vidal Schmill On Wednesday, September 23rd, Colegio Interamericano held its first parent conference hosted by Escuela Para Padres. The theme for this conference was Intelligent Discipline. Vidal Schmill Professor and specialist in human development, development of thinking skills, and a specialist in education of values was our guest speaker. During this conference Mr. Schmill expanded on disciplining without resorting to bribery. Mr. Schmill stated that, giving a prize for good behavior only conditions good behavior and therefore in the future good behavior will only be given in exchange for something in return. According to Schmill, parents who do this remove the value to positive actions giving a greater importance to the prize; losing the child’s internal motivation; also losing the educational meaning of having good behavior, turning it into a variant of “bribery.” So what are the tools to then correct unwanted behaviors?

A system; such as the nature of consequences. If you want to promote responsibility and promote the ability of your child to correct his/her own behavior, you need to accept that most of the things that happen to us in life, good or bad, are the results of what we have done or failed to do so. Under this idea your child will understand that he/ she is ultimately responsible for their OWN results. Before turning to a reward offer verbal recognition, if your child is behaving positively then do just that… recognize him/her, don’t let it go unnoticed but don’t confuse recognition with praise or an exaggerated greeting. Express your contentment in a simple way, being sincere and doing it in a timely manner. Instead of punishment, when there is failure; you must consider a relevant consequence, which is also proportional to its importance and seek to amend or repair the damage caused. There are three degrees of behavior: Moderate: is an unacceptable behavior, but irrelevant. Sometimes as a parent we must moderate ourselves to deal with our children. Intermediate: is a mild behavior that occurs repeatedly or a conduct occurring for the first time but has a real involvement or relevance. Parents must be

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also need to know that mom and dad will always take responsibility as the authority they need, to give them more than just advice, but guidance for life.

stricter in the placement of a consequence or consequences. Grave: endangers your life or that of others. With consequences your child learns, repairs and amends the damage, they create a link between cause and effect and place an importance to the respect that was not present at the time of the offense.

As parents, we cannot be our child’s friend, Mrs. Sibony, mentioned the importance of setting rules at home and that these need to be according to our child’s age. Teenagers need limits in order to feel safe, they are still in a stage of development where making decisions is difficult, but they are also willing to try and challenge their parent’s points of view on different subjects such as: digital citizenship, clothing, friends vs. peers, grades, parties, sexuality, etc. Claudia emphasized how important it is to talk about these topics with our children, before they become teenagers. By doing this, you build a relationship of reciprocal trust.

CONSEQUENCES: to know what the consequence will be of a certain an act, you must consider a few things: age, the context and the seriousness of the violation. What happens when you are raising a teenager who wants to negotiate the consequence you are setting for him or her to change attitude/behavior to a better one? Claudia Sibony, Clinical Psychologist and specialist in Family and Marriage Therapy, came to Colegio Interamericano to give parents guidance on how to improve their relationship with their teen child. It is important to understand that, we weren’t raised in a world like the one our children are living in these days. They have access to information we could never think of when we were their age; we must keep in mind that if we are not the ones giving the information they need, they will look for answers somewhere else and these may not be the best ones. Teens are ready to negotiate consequences, they are seeking for justice; they need to feel like they belong somewhere, where people around them accept them and are willing to listen to them. Our teens need to feel that parents accept their points of view, but they

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THE counseling DEPARTMENT WHAT CAN THE COUNSELING DEPARTMENT DO FOR ME? by: Anahí Peláez | Counseling Department Head

The Counseling Department at Colegio Interamericano is formed by 5 counselors divided among the levels, but who work together as a team. Their main responsibilities are described below.

COUNSELING: • Provide individual and group counseling to students • Follow up on students with learning differences or personal difficulties: meetings with students and parents, referral to professionals outside the school when needed, implementation of relevant accommodations • Follow up on students with high achievement to identify areas of opportunity for continuing growth • Support during parent teacher conferences • Conduct grade level meetings with teachers to share appropriate information on counseling processes or students • Observation of students in classes (social interactions, particular difficulties, etc.) • Organization of conferences for students on selected topics when necessary • Vocational counseling in upper levels that includes career options (and events related to career choices), university visits and events, local and foreign university fairs… • In High School, support to students applying to local or foreign universities COUNSELING PROGRAMS • Promote the values program (Six pillars of the character) among all stakeholders • In Elementary, teachers work with students on the Second step program and in Middle School students put into practice the Habits of Mind • Development of the Anti- bullying program: Guidelines to prevent bullying or harassment and strategies to address any incidents between students

CONFERENCES FOR PARENTS • Propose topics and possible speakers • Support the Escuela para Padres group of parents

STANDARDIZED TESTS • Counselors proctor standardized tests • Share individual and group results with all stakeholders

NEW STUDENTS ORIENTATION • Induction for new students to share important level information and tours with parents and students, along with the principals

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music - A universal skill music develops life skills by: ludim arriaza | music teacher

Music is a universal skill that lies in every human being. It begins in childhood develops throughout lifetime. Musical intelligence is about appreciation, transforming and expressing yourself using sounds. Plato used to say that music is the movement of sound to reach the soul for the education of its virtue. During Music class we have different activities which develop diverse skills like memory, hearing discrimination, timing, attention, involvement, teamwork, and other important features that show us a limitless world of possibilities that can’t be ignored. At Inter we have different ways to teach music and develop students’ talent though our instrumental areas like Band, Guitar, Strings and the vocal area in Choir. Students have the opportunity to show what they have learned and their evolution through the different activities prepared by the school. Events like Talent Tour from Prensa Libre, Art and Music Festival and other events during the entire year, are great opportunities for Kinder to Grade 12 students to showcase their skills. Everyone is invited to enjoy our performances. Don’t miss them!

Music is so important because it encourages artistic sensibility and increases social and emotional capabilities. When you create music (individually or in group), your self-esteem is boosted by selfknowledge and self-acceptance, and you discover what you are capable of achieving.

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connect - communicate - learn LITERACY AT HOME Interamericano’s presence on social networks by: marcel guadron | commucations coordinator

Schools around the world are adjusting their marketing and communications strategy to fit the needs of their community. One of the most powerful tools not only for schools, but businesses around the world, is social media. This is not an exception for Interamericano. Being present on social media has allowed us to continue telling our story and reaching a broader audience, from current students, to prospective parents, to alumni.

Social media is about storytelling and it helps our community stay connected and informed. With the objective of sharing the great things that our community does in our school week after week, Colegio Interamericano has official accounts on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

Why and where should you follow us? The school has many stories to tell to different audiences through different channels:

FACEBOOK: Find content for current and prospective parents and students. Engage in conversations, give feedback, learn about events, and more.

TWITTER: Stay up to date with school news, sports scores, and activities happening at school.

LINKEDIN: Professional network for parents, teachers, and alumni to interact. Read publications on education, leadership, and more. It is also a recruitment tool.

YOUTUBE: Watch interviews, event highlights, promotional videos, educational material, internal campaigns, and learn about school life.

We want to take this opportunity to thank all our social media followers and influencers. Without your interaction these tools would be pointless for our school.

Please, don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any comments, ideas, or feedback.

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student/parent portal new features on our portal (renweb) by: LUIS MASAYA | EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY COORDINATOR

Interamericano’s Student/Parent Portal (Renweb) allows parents to actively participate in and be informed about their child’s academic progress, attendance, and assignments amongst others. The school has added new features to the Student/ Parent Portal that will improve the interaction between teachers, parents, and students: • New design and access from www.interamericano.edu.gt. • Photo Galleries • Library • Master Calendar • Announcements • Staff Directory • Newsletters & Important Files Remember that you also have tutorials available that will show you how to use Student/Parent´s new features and will also let you have information about the basics of your account, such as login in instructions, changing or recovering your password. To access tutorials you can follow this link: http:// www.interamericano.edu.gt/video-tutorials/ • A new way of communicating with your Counselor using our Parent/Student portal! It is important for us to know that all of our students feel safe in school. Starting in 2016, students will have access to a new way of communicating with their level Counselor; via Parent/Student portal. Reporting any situation that may go against our school policy: Safe School Zone!

As students log in to their student portal accounts, they will find a station called Web Forms; as they click on this link they will find a form titled “Stand up & Speak up!” The form is very easy to fill out, nevertheless students will be receiving a small workshop by their level Counselor teaching them how to use it. What we as Colegio Interamericano want is to reinforce the ability of reporting, being responsible for what it is being reported and knowing that students have people around them who they may trust and who are here to support them. Remember that you need a username and password to access this site. If you need assistance please send an email to luis.masaya@ interamericano.edu.gt or the level secretaries. Please feel free to send your comments, feedback, and questions as we want this portal to be as useful as possible to our community.

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literacy program

Watering our kids’ minds with words by: beth wyatt | elementary TEACHER Literacy at Inter has been on the move! During the first semester, we began the year with Vincent Ventura, Director of Litlife Latin America, who cheered us all on and shared new ideas for helping our students grow. With encouragement from Vincent, we have taken the literacy lesson from a whole group experience to a whole group/small group combination. The teacher introduces the lesson and strategies as a whole group then students meet in small groups according to their needs. Teachers work with each small group at least three times per week. While the teacher is working with one small group, the rest of the groups are working on refining their reading and writing skills through independent reading, independent writing, phonics activities, spelling activities, and many more fun learning experiences. The students not only learn the academic side but also the social side of school as they are working together to problem solve, expand their understanding, and helping each other when necessary. It’s amazing to see them working so well together for a common goal and they are so excited to see the understanding come to life within the classroom. It has brought students closer together as a learning community.

Fourth and Fifth grade teachers spending time in a classroom as Vincent demonstrates a lesson! Another big literacy event was our character day! The students and teachers went all out to depict their favorite book character along with the door decorating contest! I was blown away by the creativity and student-made displays! What’s planned for the spring semester? Well, we have many activities planned to encourage our students to continue to read. I will be forming a book club during lunch recess for students who wish to meet once a week to discuss books they are reading. This club will be open to all interested students and it will be a fun way to share books. I will also be inviting parents up for a Breakfast with Beth reading meeting. I will be demonstrating small group lessons in reading and writing, sharing new ideas for helping our students at home and at school, and sharing new websites for home use. Please watch for dates and times to be announced later. What can you do at home? Read to your child, let your child read to you, and talk in English as much as possible. Our children are so smart and I’m so impressed with their ability to communicate in more than one language, I’m actually jealous!! Thank you all for your support of our literacy program!

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after school math program giving the support and encouragement needed in this developmental stage by: tom hamilton | math coach

Everyday after the elementary day has finished a selected group of students meets with me for targeted math support. Students can only enter the program with a referral from their homeroom teacher. Once registered in the program students receive math support from us on the specific concepts that they are studying. Keeping the group small is the most important part because it means that I’m able to spend the most amount of time possible with each child. Once a student’s achievement in class improves, the student “graduates” from the program, and the teacher selects a new candidate. So far this year I have worked with almost 50 students from grade 1 to 5 in this program alone! One of the greatest benefits of this program is that it supports teacher remedial sessions by decreasing the number of kids that stay for it, therefore the teacher is also able to spend more time with each student during remedial time. It’s a great program, and I hope to have more like it soon.

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student artwork HABITS OF MIND

Sit back and enjoy some of the art projects our students have been working on throughout the year. You can observe a variety of techniques our art teachers have thought students all the way from PK to Grade 12.

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