ISF's Monthly Newsletter - April 2016

eISF

The Newsletter of the International School of Florence

Masquerade Gala April 2016 - Volume 48

HEAD OF SCHOOL MESSAGE Dear Parents of ISF, Dreams ‘When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are, anything your heart desires will come to you. If your heart is in your dream, no request is too extreme when you wish upon a star as dreamers do.’

Who better than Jiminy Cricket singing to Pinocchio to express the feeling that is running through our school at the moment. This May is a month to dream, and dreams take many shapes and forms.

Our seniors are dreaming of the direction their life paths are taking.

Seniors finish classes this week, and are in a frenzy of anticipation for their IB exams. Their immediate dream is … to finish in one piece! However, this culminating activity is the last in a long string of considerations and decisions that will lead our students to achieve their dreams.

From another perspective, our 5th graders are busily working on their Exhibition projects, and at the heart of each of these projects lies a dream to change something in our world for the better. Raising awareness within the school community is an important part of creating change, whether it be related to gender stereotypes, hunger or pollution.

Finally, ISF is dreaming! Our very tangible dreams of extra equipment for our students to enhance their school experience will come true through your participation in our Gala, on Friday, May 6th. Thanks to our Gala dream team, and the creation of a first ever Gala website, our fundraising auction has already begun. I look forward to seeing you on the evening of May 6th at the Montalto villa.

Thank you for helping us make our dreams come true! With best wishes, Debra Williams

Stay in the loop! different

From site visits to the Villa Montalto to ticket and bake sales, our Gala Masquerade Team is busy organising a most fabulous event.

News from the School Board Have you bought your Gala ticket yet? No, you say, not yet, and why should I? We're The International School of Florence. Why do we even need a fundraiser? We pay tuition!

We Board Members hear this. We understand - it's not the norm in Italy (unlike in other countries) to fundraise for a private school - perceived as privileged and well-funded.

Here's what you may not know: our budget is stretched thin every year to provide the highest quality education to be found in Italy. We have no extra room in the budget for any of the educational luxuries such as the smart boards, state-of-the-art playground equipment, or school van - that your Gala tickets and auction bids have paid for in years past.

Moreover, we are dreaming big now on the Board. We don't just want more small educational luxuries to supplement ISF's world class educational offerings. We want to look to a new campus - a campus with a gym! Pool! Playing fields! Parking! Even, perhaps, boarding capacity! But this will take serious fundraising. That means ALL of us need to think in a new way about giving. We are all a part of the legacy of ISF. Let's all step up and participate! Go to the Gala, bid extravagantly for the future of ISF, and think big! ISF can grow to be even more excellent, but we need to dream and ask ourselves: am I doing everything I can do to secure ISF's future as a world leader in international education?

Are you following us? facebook.com/isf.florence - twitter.com/isf_florence - instagram.com/isf_florence - flickr.com/photos/isf-florence

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF FLORENCE

BID FOR ISF IN THE 2016 ONLINE AUCTION! ISF is traveling to the beautiful Villa Montalto on May 6th

for a Masquerade Gala. At the event you will have the opportunity to

bid on unique and exciting Silent and Live Auction items.

We are thrilled to offer an Online Auction as well. We have created a

gala website in order to increase mobility and convenience for

our supporters. This gives online bidders an opportunity to view

and bid on items from the comfort of your home -- or wherever you happen to be -- via our Online Auction site!

www.isfgala.org

iTunes Recording Portrait Hotel Firenze Sardinia Golf & Spa Personal Shopper South Africa Michelin Star Cooking Venice Sardinia Swan Cup Tuscan Weekend Interior Design Florence for Kids Antinori Vineyard Art History Classes Beauty In- & Outside London Borgo Santo Pietro A Girl’s Dream Learn Italian Private Yoga Palazzo Belfiore Izhar Cohen Art Cashmere Robe

Grade 11 Science - Individual Investigation

At the end of March all I.S.F. grade 11 students practiced being scientists for three days. The "Individual Investigation" is a new requirement for all IB Diploma students in which each student must design, carry out, and write up an experiment on a topic of his/her choosing. The entire project, from start to finish, represents at least 10 hours of work -- our students typically invested much more. This year, our students investigated various topics including the effect of pH on seed germination, factors influencing the performance of digestive enzymes, the effect of reactant concentration on redox reactions, the viscosity of liquids, the terminal velocity of falling objects, and many others. Is that call for me? From Stockholm? By Michael Landolfa, Science

ICT Grade 9 - Building Robots Grade 9 students are using Lego Mindstorms to design, build, and program robots. They spent some time in the beginning of the year learning some basic programming skills and are now using those skills to create robots that deal cards, throw a ball, play golf, and sweep floors. They are also applying trouble shooting and engineering skills when designing and building their robots. It is a fun project that encourages team work. When the group successfully programs their robot to do something as simple as moving forward, it is an exciting moment for them.

By Dustin Fairchild, ICT

Provence Trip

Considering that the teachers had to organize the trip form scratch, I must say that this was one the best trips I have ever had. S.A The places we visited were all beautiful and we all had fun together exploring France. V.C E stato molto bello, mi sono divertita moltissimo e ho avuto la possibilità di conoscere meglio i miei professori, i miei compagni, i piatti francesi e la lingua. È stato un viaggio piacevole e istruttivo. T. B Je pense que le voyage est le meilleur depuis mes 5 ans à ISF! N. B C'était un voyage magnifique et j'espère y retourner l'année prochaine. G. S

London Trip Vlog (Video Blog) created by Jim Shih: Day 1 : https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=DmRSmFbCDRc&nohtml5=False Day 2 : https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=HV_Y3Gx9klY&nohtml5=False Day 3 : https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=1jV_HVTVM7c&nohtml5=False Day 4 : https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=LCVCCjNDO_8&nohtml5=False Day 5 : https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=i41FIpJrFUc

SAIMUN Dublin Trip “I do not think there are the next presidents and prime ministers in this room, but I have no doubt that this room is full of leaders, ready to show to others what is truly possible in this world.”

And just like that, it was over.

Those were the words the Co-Secretary Generals - the principal administrators of the conference - used to both open and close the St. Andrews Model United Nations Conference.

During the ISF Trip Week, over 600 students from over 45 schools and 20 countries across the globe convened to attend the St. Andrews Model United Nations Conference - known as SAIMUN for short - in Dublin, Ireland. Of those 650 students, 7 were 9th and 10th Grade students from the International School of Florence comprising the delegation of the Republic of South Africa.

For four days we put our minds to the test, working with other students to solve the most challenging issues of our time in the form of resolutions - documents proposing solutions to problems ranging from the question of climate change to the financing of international terrorism. Resolutions were debated; amendments passed; placards raised; but above all, memories made. On behalf of the 7 ISF ‘SAIMUNers’ who attended this conference, we would like to thank the school - both St. Andrews and ISF - for giving us the opportunity to experience such a rewarding trip. In particular, we would like to thank Mr. Harpham and Ms. Millenaar who, be it when choosing where to eat in the evening (Nando’s all the way!) or waking up early in the morning to make sure we were on time for committee, really helped to make the trip so much more fun and memorable. Nicholas Accattatis, Grade 10

Spain Trip Durante la semana del 20-26 de Marzo, nosotros (el grado 9) fuimos a España; estuvimos en Madrid y Barcelona. Estuvimos tres días en Madrid y tres días en Barcelona. Fuimos al museo Reina Sofía en Madrid, donde vimos “Guernica”, un cuadro de Pablo Picasso, al Parque el Retiro, Plaza de España, Palacio Real, Calle y Plaza Mayor, Puerta del Sol, Plaza de Cibeles, visitamos el Ayuntamiento, la Puerta de Alcalá y terminamos el viaje a Madrid con el tour al Estadio Santiago Bernabéu.

Los lugares eran muy lindos, y todos nos divertimos mucho y tuvimos también tiempo libre, donde pudimos descansar y hacer compras. Los primeros tres dias (en Madrid) cenemos tapas y vimos un espectáculo de flamenco, donde comimos comida española, en cambio, en Barcelona cenamos un día en un restaurante Argentino.

Para ir a Barcelona tomamos el tren veloz, allí fuimos al Palau de la música, Catedral, Barrio gótico, Iglesia Santa Maria del Mar, fuimos en un tour guiado en bicicleta por toda Barcelona con parada en la Barceloneta, una playa muy linda. Allí comimos perritos calientes y descansamos un poco. Nos divertimos mucho, tomamos fotos y tuvimos suerte porqué además estaba soleado.

El viernes (el último día) fuimos a la Casa Batllò y Parque Guell y vimos toda Barcelona con el autobús y tuvimos también tiempo para descansar y terminar las compras. El sábado regresemos a Florencia y todos terminamos el viaje con buenos recuerdos. Por Francesca (Flor) Cetta

Grade 8 - Trip to Trento 100 years have passed since the First World War, and now the trenches, fortresses and battlegrounds of the conflict between Italy and Austria have been turned into a memorial to the fallen. The grade 8 class visited Trento and Rovereto for three days, and had the chance to revisit the life of soldiers on both sides of the conflict, as well as exploring two of Italy's most modern and exiting museums: the MUSE (Museum of Science in Trento) and the MART (Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Rovereto).� Massimo Boscherini, Science

Grade 9 - William Shakespeare A Midsummer Night’s Dream

A Midsummer Night's Dream Word Search

https://issuu.com/tuskantimes/

The Backpack Project Sponsored by the Middle School Student Council ISF is now a part of a new project, the Backpack project! The hardest part of the school day can sometimes be the sitting through lessons of endless classes at school, but at Malawi the hardest part is just getting to school. Imagine walking all the way to school without having a backpack to carry your stuff in. Children in Malawi have to walk to school. “Can you pass on a message to the people that donated these backpacks? Please say thank you. They have made these children so happy, they’re now proud kids!” - Patrick Masiye, Standard 6 teacher, Bangwe CCAP Primary School, Malawi. The Student Council would like to make even more kids in Malawi just as happy and proud. Here’s one way students can start: Mary’s meals helps children around the world get a better education just by doing small manageable tasks.

By providing a backpack this helps the children in Malawi have a better education at school and home.

The Student Council would like all I.S.F students to bring a backpack to school with second hand or new items in good condition which will be later shipped to Malawi, in order to make a difference in these children’s lives. The backpack should contain at least some of these items: • backpack • notepad • pencils • pens • crayons • eraser • ruler • sharpener • pencil case • bath-towel • shorts or skirt • t-shirt or dress • flip-flops or sandals • small ball e.g. tennis ball • soap • toothbrush •toothpaste • spoon Please do not put in any extra items in the bag, because this will cause problems with customs. Also, please label your backpack to show whether it is suitable for a boy or girl and suggest what age. The final deadline to bring in the backpack is at the end of Friday, April 29th. In conclusion, we would like to get students involved in a donation which they can physically participate in and open up to a global issue around the world, where they can easily help others. For more information see the link below. Students can also always ask Mr. Dean, Ms. Bruckner, and any of the Student Council members for more information regarding this topic https://www.marysmeals.org.uk/assets/global/The-Backpack-Project-flyer-A5.pdf Written by Rita and Tara Byrne

Film at https://vimeo.com/162245727

This is Poetry Month!

In celebration of all things poetic the US Library sponsors:

* A Poetry Contest (submissions accepted until April 28th)

* Spine Label Poetry

* Poem in Your Pocket Day (April 21st)

* Poetry Break Performances " * International Poetry Readings (MS & HS lunch recess in the Library) and

The ISF Poem

T h e

m o

Please see the Library bulletin board or Ms. Allen for more information!!

Social Studies - Grade 6 The 6th grade Social Studies class will go on an Archaeology field trip to the Museo Archeologico. The students will be looking at the artifacts on display and take part in related project work. To prepare for the field trip, 6th grade dug up and examined different objects from soil and wrote down inferences about the artifacts. They worked on primary and secondary objects that were oral artifacts, historical documents, physical objects and photographs. It was a fun way to learn how real archaeologists do this!

Anna Sverchevsky and Tatiana Pronina, Grade 6

IB ART - MIDDLE EAST NOW

The students worked with the theme “Going Beyond Stereotypes” Each student chose one person from the Middle East that they wanted to pay tribute to through an artwork. They selected people that range from artists, musicians, writers, and activists to name a few. Each student’s artwork pays homage to their person in a variety of media. Some students created an artwork highlighting the person’s accomplishments while linking to his or her artistic style. In the end, all of the students’ artworks are vastly different, but hopefully reflect his or her appreciation for the person they selected.

College Visit Sean Fairchild from Savannah College of Art and Design - SCAD spoke to 11th and 12th grade art students about how to find a program to meet your career aspirations in art.

 

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/03/17/advicecollege-admissions-officers-give-their-own-kids/? action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=MothVisible&moduleDetail=inside-nytregion-3&module=inside-nyt-region&_r=1

Welcome Serenella Aurora Dupré and congratulations to the proud parents, Vanessa Regnier-Dupré and Andrea Dupré. Serenella was born on March 31st.

Welcome Elisa Victoria Forte and congratulations to the proud parents Paola Scopelliti and Fedele Forti.

Elisa was born on March 22nd.

OLA High School Choir from McDonough, Georgia

UPPER SCHOOL ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE / HONOR ROLL Middle School - Academic Excellence

Pre-IB High School - Honor Roll

Grade 6 Giangiacomo Rossi Zenaide Castellano-Pucci Aurora Stefanacci Savannah Culpepper Stella Franceschi

Grade 9 Sarah Amantini Costanza Bacci Sebastian Culpepper Kayla Middleton Matteo Penlington

Grade 7 Margherita Pratesi Mathias Volkai Antonio Santana Lies Verbanck Filippo Giacometti Reina Reilly

Grade 10 Elena Bagagli Sky Bonan Alec Campbell Martina Chen Adriana Chiesa Duuk Junggeburt Ginevra Lapi Sabrina Marrani Anna Pacciani

Grade 8 Maria Sole Franceschi Nicoletta Marrani Daniil Tiugaev Kathleen Zhang Dean Bogner Sara Vicari Pre-IB High School - High Honor Roll Grade 9 Sebastian Arora Niccolò Bagnoli Luca Fagotti Grade 10 Nicholas Accattatis Kojin Minorikawa Chen Shih

IB - High Honor Roll Grade 11 Diana Barta Michael Chen Sophie Culpepper Leo Horiuchi Sebastian Lindmark Tessa Mair Lorenzo Papini Kathryn Randene Rita Reznichenko Riccardo Talini Sofia Volpe Gianni Zhou

Interview with ‘The Lifers’ We interviewed four Seniors who have been at ISF since Kindergarten.

Vivia Marchi, Camilia Pulidori, Claudia Santiago and Nikolaus Panconesi all started ISF at age four.

The four Seniors (Class of 2016) sat down to share their experiences over the years at ISF.

Vivia Marchi What is your fondest memory at the Junior School? I always loved Halloween, including all the candy What three words describe you (group answer)? Lunatic (in a positive way), bossy, funny What is your favorite subject? Art What is your greatest accomplishment at ISF? The Art Vernissage What was your funniest moment at ISF? Claudia drawing the digestive system during the IB Biology test What do you do in your free time? Sleep, study, swim What makes ISF unique? The teachers and the fact that you meet people from different countries What are you going to miss about ISF? My friends Where do you see yourself in 10 years? I see myself working and traveling the world

Camilia Pulidori What is your fondest memory at the Junior School? I share the same memory with Claudia What three words describe you (group answer)? Unique, funny, insistent What is your favorite subject? Art What is your greatest accomplishment at ISF? The IB Extended Essay What was your funniest moment at ISF? The making of the Marimar film in Spanish class during Grade 9 What do you do in your free time? Study What makes ISF unique? The uniform infractions What are you going to miss about ISF? Everything, as ISF is my family Where do you see yourself in 10 years? I’m still open to everything, just as ISF has taught me to be

Claudia Santiago What is your fondest memory at the Junior School? There was this student in kindergarten who would always bite my hand. I still remember his face actually.

What three words describe you (group answer)? Very funny, caring, special What is your favorite subject? History What is your greatest accomplishment at ISF? Making it through IB Biology What was your funniest moment at ISF? The Soccer European Championships two years ago. Also IB Spanish and IB Biology classes What do you do in your free time? Listen to music, procrastinating and swimming What makes ISF unique? All the ISF staff and the opportunities the school gives you What are you going to miss about ISF? Friends and teachers Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Hopefully I will be working in a human rights organisation

Nikolaus Panconesi What is your fondest memory at the Junior School? When the music teacher made me participate in the High School Musical dance, even though initially, I didn’t want to do it.

What three words describe you (group answer)? Sweet, shy, determined (if he wants to be) What is your favorite subject? French What is your greatest accomplishment at ISF? The IB What was your funniest moment at ISF? The first day of Physics, when Mr. Wood entered and said ‘Welcome to Physics' What do you do in your free time? Watch movies What makes ISF unique? That we have to assist in cleaning the mensa What are you going to miss about ISF? My friends Where do you see yourself in 10 years? I will most likely be working in my father’s fashion retailer company

Going through old yearbooks together

CAS - PERGOLA PROJECT The Pergola Project group, formed by Patrizia Tyfaniuk (11), Maria Sole Campinoti (10) and Sky Bonan (10) is working on fixing and redesigning the pergola area at the ISF Upper School. It all initially started as many scattered ideas, but due to the enthusiasm and determination of the trio, we were able to transform these ideas into action. We want to take advantage of the potential of the pergola area, to create a healthy environment where students can relax and study.

We have already taken out dead plants and bushes and replanted new ones. We also planted two peach trees and two pomegranate trees. We are planning on carrying out more work and our goal will be reached if all is finished for the senior graduation.

We are organizing CAS experiences so that students can contribute with their help. It would be a great pleasure to see not only students, but also parents and teachers involved in this project since it contributes to giving the school a better environment. Mariasole Campinotti, Grade 10

CAS & ART Dignity through ART Together with some 11th grade art students, Saint Mark's Church in Florence and the Comunità di Sant Egidio, Sue Yiannakis and Jessica Russo Scherr worked on a project to help destitute people in Florence, by presenting an exhibition of portraits of those people, with their stories and employment skills. It literally puts a face to these people. The exhibition will be held on May 15th at the Museo dell’Opera.

His name is Gimi. He is from Romania and has been in Italy for 5 years with his wife and family. His ambition is to find building work here to support his family. Better than sitting in the rain on a public holiday.

Gimi by Jessica Russo Scherr

Type to enter text

He is Romanian and his name is Posa. He was a gardener in Romania and that is the sort of work he would like to do here in Florence. But at the moment he is without a work permit.

Posa by Elena Ivanaj

Sofia is from Bosnia. She begs outside La Calza or in the Piazza there on Sunday mornings. She came to Italy 5 years ago - but her Italian is not all that understandable at times. She has 4 children, one of whom needed hospital treatment this week. Her immediate hopes are for the child to get well soon.

Sofia by Madison Elya

An “economic” migrant. When it was impossible to find work in Senegal, Muar got enough money for a flight to Spain and was there before arriving in Italy. He came to Europe to find work, to send money back to his mother and father. In the mornings he works as a pedlar outside Carrefour in via Romana. He sells umbrellas, helps shopkeepers with heavy lifting and turns his hands to most jobs.

He is good-natured, friendly, well-liked by the regular passers-by, always asks how they are and seems to have faith in God. His short-term ambition would be to go to England; although long-term his heart is with his family in Senegal. He seems to follow current affairs quite closely – and some football! Muar by Sofia Volpe

A pedlar/beggar from Ghana, with no fixed place to stand for his work. (a “new kid on the block� to this part of Florence.) He says he came to Italy by way of Libya and the Mediterranean. He has a wife (and children? here? With him?) In Ghana he worked as a painter and decorator and his ambition is to find similar work here in Italy.

He can speak English.

Nicolas by Tessa Mair

Cinzia is Italian and comes from Rome originally, but has been in Florence for many years. Because she suffers from depression she is unable to find work.

She begs outside Carrefour (via Romana) in the afternoons. She was living in a caravan near Galuzzo, but it has become unusable over the winter.

Cinzia by Diana Barta

Amadou came from Mali, by boat across the Mediterranean. He now scavenges from bins to survive. His ambition is to stay in Italy and find work, gardening.

Armadou by Rita Reznichenko

As seen on Social Media..our soccer teams at Rome Marymount Girls 2:0 / Boys 2:2

Varsity Soccer ISF vs ASOR 3:2

Pictures @ flickr.com/photos/isf-florence/albums

ISF vs ASOR 1:1

Grade 2 PYP - Who We Are The 2nd grade began their unit of inquiry, Who We Are by first discussing, investigating, and exploring the big idea, “homes reflect personal and cultural identities.� The students began reflecting on who they are and investigating their own homes. They then began to work in small groups investigating different types of houses from around the world: houses on stilts, Trulli houses, Ger houses, Togo houses, traditional Japanese houses, and Tulou houses. In their groups they worked collaboratively researching, illustrating, and writing up the information about the artifacts found in these homes and collecting information about the cultures of the countries where they are found. Together they created a poster which they presented to their class. We then dedicated one entire morning, with the help of parents, building models of these homes. This was a wonderful experience for the students. We would like to express our gratitude to the parents who volunteered to build the homes and assisted the children to research their project at home. Diane Lutz, Grade 2 Teacher

Grade 2 Music Class

Grade 3 Pablo Picasso

Grade 3 & 4 Field Trip Parco delle Biancane a Monterotondo Marittimo

Professional Photo Shoot - stay tuned for pictures

Grade 3 - Science Renewable Energies

Grade 5 Exhibition Time to end world hunger! According to the United Nations World Food Programme, 795 million people (one in eight) are starving. The vast majority live in developing countries where 12.9% of the population is undernourished. Sign up and join the ISF group on freerice.com, an education trivia website which donates 10 grains of rice for every correct answer. Our goal is to earn 200,000 grains of rice by April 28th. The three players who donate the most rice grains will receive a prize, however, you must join the ISF group to compete. Sign up and join now at: www.freerice.com Team Members - Andie Sherman, Christian Skeini, Vittoria Shao, Elettra Miniati

Free Rice Challenge Dear ISF Upper school students, our 5th grade Exhibition group is taking action against world hunger by sponsoring a competition through the free website FreeRice.com.

FreeRice.com is a non-profit trivia game website owned by the United Nations World Food Programme (UNWFP). Every time you get an answer correct on one of the trivia questions, 10 grains of rice are donated to the UNWFP which are then sent to refugee camps and impoverished areas around the world.

Ten grains of rice may not sound like much, but when millions of people play, 10 * 1 million equals 10 million grains donated to hungry children and grown-ups all over the world.

To support this cause, we are holding a contest to see if I.S.F. can donate 200,000 grains by April 28. The three students who manage to donate the most rice will receive prizes. If we reach our goal of 200, 000 grains, then the entire ISF school will win a dress-down day. Our exhibition group would love it if you could support us by signing up and joining the ISF group on FreeRice.com. Thank you for your support! It means very much to our group, and families who go to bed hungry every night.

by Grade 5 Exhibition Food Group Member Christian Skeini

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Junior School Dance Off Grade 4 and Grade 5, as a component of their PE programme, had their Dance Off competition. There were many worthy performances but the group winners were Grade 4 for their Elvis performance and the grade winners were G4.

Congratulations to all participants!

at the Junior School

Bridgewater College Students & Coaches at the Junior School

Pictures at flickr.com/photos/isf-florence/albums Films at vimeo.com/user49375810