February 2013 newsletter

Marymount News from Marymount International School Rome

M O N T H L Y

H

appy New Year! I begin with gratitude to the Marymount Community for your support during the Head of School search process. I am thrilled and honored to accept the position of Head of School and excited to continue the work of developing 21st century learners and leaders of tomorrow.

Many memorable events filled the first half of the school year: welcoming new families, presenting a variety of school performances, participating in retreats, and, of course, continuous learning on the part of both students and staff.

Sadly, we also experienced a sense of great loss with the

passing of two beloved staff members, Sana Laitinen and Robert Hix. These experiences remind us that life is precious and, as our mission indicates, that we must live life to the fullest.

Continued on Page 2

2013

February

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Head of School Named / 2 Human Rights / 6

Christmas at Marymount / 8 Faculty News / 12

Above: Elementary School teachers get into the spirit of Crazy Hair Day, the first of our Zambia fundraisers in 2013.

Creative Collaboration / 10

2

M

A R Y M

O U

N

T

M

O N

T H

L Y

Maria Castelluccio is confirmed as Head of School

Head of School Named n January 11, Fr. Greg Apparcel, Chair of the Marymount Board of Regents, announced the appointment of Ms. Maria Castelluccio as Head of School following an extensive worldwide search. Ms. Castelluccio, who had served as Interim Head of School since the start of the school year, is the third lay person to lead Marymount. Her appointment as Head of School comes three years after she arrived at Marymount in the role of Elementary School Principal.

O

During her tenure as Elementary School Principal Ms. Castelluccio worked closely with teachers to establish strong teaching teams. She introduced the teachers to the readers and writers workshop and the

As Interim Head of School, Ms. Castelluccio worked closely with the Board of Regents to create a Strategic Plan and led Marymount through the final phases of its CIS/NEASC reaccreditation. She also created committees within the school to ensure effective communication, consistency, and future planning so that Marymount remains on the vanguard of the best and most innovative educational practices. Believing strongly in continuous learning, Ms. Castelluccio will continue to provide professional

From As we move forward in 2013 we look to a bright future and all the possibilities with which the year holds. During the second half of the year, our Second Graders prepare enthusiastically for their First Holy Communion, our Seventh Graders will be confirmed as young adults in the church, and our Seniors anxiously await acceptance into the universities of their choice.

All the while, learning continues at Marymount.

the Nichols Elementary School in Stratford, and Assistant Principal at the Coleytown Elementary School in Westport. She also taught Third and Fourth Grades. She earned a Sixth Year degree in Administration and Supervision from Sacred Heart University and a Masters of Science in Science Education from Southern Connecticut State University.

responsive classroom and collaborated with the curriculum coordinator to review, refine and develop the Elementary curriculum to further improve the quality and rigor of our educational program.

the

PHOTO: P. SILOBRCIC

development opportunities for all teachers.

Originally from the Bronx, New York, Ms. Castelluccio came to Rome from Connecticut where she was the Principal of the King's Highway Elementary School in Westport, Principal at

Upon accepting the position Ms. Castelluccio stated, “I am truly excited and very honored to be offered the position as Head of School at Marymount, a school to which I am extremely dedicated and truly love. I look forward to our continued work together in furthering the RSHM mission and preparing our students to be 21st century learners and the leaders of tomorrow.”

Headmistress

We are working together to review and refine our instructional practices so that we meet the needs of all students. Our goal is to prepare our students effectively so that they enter the world with the knowledge and skills necessary to meet with success in both their personal and professional lives.

We also want to inform and educate parents as we move forward and will offer a number of informational sessions this

month to help parents more fully understand our programs.

These include a presentation about our IB program mainly for parents of our current Tenth Graders (although all parents are welcome to attend) on February 6, and an 8th to 9th Grade transition meeting for parents on February 7.

Additionally, we will offer a technology workshop for parents in early March to share information about the benefits and dangers of technology –

(Cont. from Page 1)

an important matter in this day and age that deserves our attention.

As always, I look forward to our continued work together in making Marymount the best learning environment for all of our students!

Ms. Maria Castelluccio Head of School

F e

b r

u a

r

y

2

0

1

3

3

Sweet Charity Grade 5 students organize a bake sale and crazy hair day to raise money for Zambia

very year Fifth Grade organizes a fantastic bake sale and donates the money raised to Zambia. Donating money to Zambia is a great way to learn that giving is actually better than receiving.

Also, we are learning lots of new skills, like to be independent and help each other. But most important we are learning to give and help people.

– Sofia B., 5T

E

learned how important teamwork is because by

I

collaborating together we make new friends and have a chance to work together. This experience reminded me that giving is better than receiving.

– Claudio C., 5T ll the money raised will probably make a difference in the harsh lives of those poor children. The profits will help build education establishments and buy adequate clothes for our friends in Zambia. The amount of money made can revive hope in the souls of those who have lost it and give

A

them strength to fight problems in their countries.

– Lorenzo G., 5T

ne thing I remember is that we were working as a team.

For example, we shared the customers, we helped each other with the change, and if the napkins finished, somebody would go and get them without arguing.

– Ilaria I., 5D

O

hen the whole Fifth Grade was counting the money we raised, we were so excited

W

because we didn’t know if we were going to break the record or not. The whole class did a drum roll, and Mrs. Davico said, “We raised €1,251.43!”

We all jumped up and screamed. We were so happy!

– Vera S., 5D

es!! We broke the record!

Everyone shouted. We were all running around the room hugging each other. We were so happy. This was one of the most exciting days of my life.

– Erik G., 5D

Y

Above: The Grade 5 bake sale on the patio was truly giant! Far left: The students took responsibility for selling the baked goods and learned how to work as a team.

Middle: Grade 1 student Adriano P. gets into the spirit of Crazy Hair Day. Near left: Grade 4 students (lr) Emma W., Ruth D., Arianna R., and Giuliana S. model their crazy hair.

4

M

A R Y M

O U

N

T

M

O N

T H

L Y

W W to our

elcome orld!

Elementary School students assume a leadership role in promoting international mindfulness.

ne of the reasons that Marymount is such a special school is the fact that we enjoy an opportunity to learn and work in an international environment. As a school we celebrate our internationalism in many ways, from big events like the Marymount Passport Project to the small but important things we do on a day-to-day basis, such as promoting crosscultural awareness, practicing

O

inclusiveness, and celebrating multilingualism.

for students of all ages

• Knowing and appreciating our own culture and being open to other cultures

• Taking inclusive approaches that honor the experience and values of students of diverse nationalities and cultural backgrounds to enrich the learning process at the school as a whole

At Marymount we believe that the hallmarks of a truly international environment include:

• Being receptive to the points of view of people from different countries, cultures, religions, and languages • Being willing to learn other languages and understanding the cultural value of multilingualism

• Appreciating the way that differences can enrich and enhance teaching and learning

• Incorporating the values of cooperative learning and peaceful (or negotiated/nonviolent) conflict resolution

• Ensuring that all students gain cross-cultural awareness and understanding as well as skills to solve problems that inevitably arise in a globalized world

F e

b r

u a

r

y

• Recognizing the importance of developing global citizens

e also know that the best way to ensure that these qualities remain at the forefront of our students’ awareness is to allow the students themselves a leadership role in promoting them. Recently, the Elementary School established an International Club to teach Fourth and Fifth grade students how to be leaders and role models in our international environment.

W

Working alongside their teachers, the students will serve as leaders to:

• Support the arrival and departure of students during their transition by creating welcome signs, checking in on them at lunch and recess, and other activities that promote camaraderie

2

0

1

5

3

• Explore the nationalities, religions, ethnicities, and languages present in our school and continue to promote this diversity

• Collect and make visible various words and phrases that represent the many languages spoken by our students

• Create posters and works of art that celebrate diversity and other languages

• Share what it means to be internationally minded through workshops and presentations to classmates and at whole school meetings

This club will meet two Thursdays each month from 7:45-8:30am in the elementary art room. If you have any questions or would like to participate, please speak to Ms. Tess or Ms. Fenneman.

• Discuss global issues and promote our school’s Global Calendar

• Delve more deeply into Italian culture and discuss how we can reach out to those in need here in Rome • Celebrate our students’ national festivals through dedicated bulletin boards, decorations, and special morning announcements

Getting to Know You

fter the holiday break, Grade 3Z came back to school happy and excited to meet a new special guest that was a part of our class. Miss Aitala is our student teacher until the beginning of March.

She is from The College of New Jersey and is finishing her graduate work to earn a masters degree this coming May.

A

As a “getting-to-know-you” activity, we created posters that describe our culture, list things we like, and include adjectives that describe ourselves. After making our posters, we took

turns sharing with the class so that Miss Aitala could get to know each one of us. We were very happy to share and invite our new student teacher to be a part of our class!

We also looked forward to starting our poetry unit, in which we will send acrostic poems about ourselves to our pen pals at Woodland Elementary School in Florida. The project we did with Miss Aitala will help us in writing poems about ourselves.

We look forward to a very exciting month in Grade 3!

PHOTO: J. AITALA

6

M

A R Y M

O U

N

T

M

O N

T H

L Y

Human Rights Understanding Our

Grade 5 students studied a range of human rights issues and presented their findings to their classmates.

“D

oes anybody know what Human Rights are?” Mrs. Davico asked us. “Politeness,” one boy said. “Bullying,” another kid said. “Well, let’s find out,” said Mrs. Davico. For the next week, I made a project based on child labor and slavery, which fall under the category of Human Rights.

Human Rights are the rights you have because you are human. Every human should have some rights but not all countries have made Human Rights law, and that’s the problem. Without Human Rights blacks and whites are different. American and Chinese people are different.

We can’t speak for what we want. Not everyone can get an education. What the

government says is the law without anyone voting or approval by different courts and much, much more. The only thing is… not every country has them.

– Nicholas A.-P., 5D My class studied Human Rights. Everyone made a project about what they thought was the most interesting. I chose discrimination against women, and my classmates chose other things. When we finished reading, we started doing our projects.

The first was my friend, Pietro.

When Pietro was telling us about his project, my hands and feet were trembling. I felt so nervous that I thought that I wouldn’t be able to speak.

When it was my turn, I read my

mini cards, and when I finished I felt very good. Everyone clapped for me, and I felt so happy that I could have screamed “Yea!” I will remember this moment for the rest of my life.

– Beatrice M., 5D I got the idea for my project from YouTube. I already knew a little about child labor, so I was glad to do some research.

I became more enthusiastic about the project as I discovered more things about child labor.

I didn’t realize just how many children are exploited in the world and the research helped me to understand. I enjoyed doing my project because I worked hard with my mom and dad. I was really pleased with

F e

b r

u a

r

y

2

0

1

3

7

the outcome and even happier when I received an “A” from my teacher, Mrs. Davico.

– Matteo B., 5D

I chose child labor because I think it is very interesting that many children are working.

When I read the information about child labor, I was surprised by how many children are working in the world. It is really horrible. Many children die because they work every day. The pictures of child labor are ugly.

– Johana B., 5T

I chose human rights activists as a subject because I wanted to know who made a big effort to change human history. I learned a lot on Aung San Suu Kyi, Rosa Parks, Nelson Mandela, and my favorite who was Martin Luther King. I enjoyed it because it made me become more independent and serious about my work, even though it was very difficult organizing the work. But by the end, everything turned fun.

– Costanza D., 5T

I chose slavery for my topic because it really touched my heart how badly slaves are treated, and I just finished reading the book Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe. So this could help me feel the pain of those people.

– Vittorio B., 5T

I chose racial discrimination as my topic for Human Rights because last year I went with my family to South Africa, and I saw how terrible the effects of racism are even today. When I saw those terrible things, it really touched my heart, so I decided to investigate and learn more about racism.

– Claudio C., 5T

Human Rights is an extremely interesting topic. It teaches us that we are all born equal. We are all the same, from the President of the United States to people with the most basic jobs. It tells us who we all are: humans. We need our rights to live. Here in this school we are children and can’t do much, but I think we should fight for our rights. Superheroes don’t exist, but real heroes are those who fight for their dreams – those who are undaunted to help the world.

–Lorenzo G., 5T I learned that we are all the same in every nation in the world. Many are suffering from hunger. How can we lead them to a wonderful life?

–Francesca M. Di L., 5D

Top: Aisha A. cleverly thought to use note cards in delivering her presentation about children’s rights during the Grade 5 project on Human Rights. Above left: Sofia B. chose to speak about discrimination against women. Above right: Riccardo K. gives his presentation on racial discrimination. Opposite page: Alessandro C. (top photo) speaks about child soldiers to Mrs. Tyrrell’s class while Cosimo A. (bottom photo) delivers his presentation about anti-semitism to his classmates in Ms. Davico’s class.

C hristmas 8

M

A R Y M

O U

N

T

M

O N

T H

L Y

A Very

Marymount

3

2

The joyous spirit of Christmas was present throughout the school in December 1

T

he Christmas season was a magical time at Marymount with a number of holiday events that filled all of us with the holiday spirit.

On December 5, our talented Third Grade students showed us what Christmas is all about during their annual Christmas show, which focused on Mary, a woman of great faith as she says "yes" to God, and a Son is born.

That same day, our High School choir greatly enjoyed taking part in the Christmas

7 Tree lighting ceremony at the American Embassy.

On December 6, the Feast of St. Nicholas, Early Childhood and Elementary School students received special treats thanks to Santa’s helpers in the Parent-Teacher Organization. That evening, the Secondary School Music Department presented a Ceremony of Carols at the Church of San Silvestro in the historic center. The ceremony featured traditional Christmas carols and verse, as well as a sing-along.

On December 7, the creative students of Early Childhood 2 (with a little help from their teachers) presented their endearing version of a Christmas story, complete with sheep, shepherds, innkeepers, and angels. The following week, on December 14, students in First Grade presented their version of the classic story "The Night Before Christmas" complete with a musical finale.

The day before school let out for the holidays, December 18, was one of the most festive at all, starting with our youngest

F e

b r

u a

r

y

2

0

1

9

3

4

6

5

9

8 students in EC1 performing several endearing Christmas songs in the Chapel to the delight of their parents. In the afternoon, Santa Claus himself paid a visit to the Early Childhood Center, where he collected gifts from each of the classes to distribute to less fortunate children in Rome.

Lastly that day, the ParentTeacher Organization hosted its annual Christmas party, which included lots of hot chocolate and panettone as well as artisanal cookies, a photo opportunity with Santa, and other fun activities for children of all ages.

11

10

Photos: 1. In a role reversal, Early Childhood students bring gifts to Santa Claus that he would then distribute to less fortunate children in Rome.

2. The shepherds take center stage at the EC2 Christmas show on December 7. 3. EC1 students perform Christmas songs in the Chapel.

4. Santa collected a large number of presents from the Early Childhood students. 5. The EC2 show recreated the story of the Nativity. 6. Grade 1 students performed their own version of The Night Before Christmas.

7. Secondary School singers and musicians presented a Ceremony of Carols and Lessons at the Church of San Silvestro on the evening of December 6. 8. The three kings bring gifts to Mary during the Grade 3 Christmas show on December 5. 9. The High School choir performs at the American Embassy Christmas Tree lighting ceremony on December 5.

10. The Grade 3 show was both festive and inspirational. 11. The ParentTeacher Organization hosted its annual Christmas Party, which featured hot chocolate and panettone, on December 18. (Photos 7 & 9 by R. Evans)

10

M

A R Y M

O U

N

T

M

O N

T H

L Y

Creative Collaboration Grade 10 students work together to bring ‘Frankenstein’ to life. he English 10 Advanced classes have combined their creative writing skills with the study of the cultural context surrounding Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein to create dramatic scenes that illustrate the story behind the novel. We know that Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein as the result of an informal competition with three other famous Romantic writers, namely, Lord Byron, Percy Shelley (her husband), and John Polidori.

T

This competition, proposed by Byron during the summer of 1816, required each participant to write a ghost story; however, Mary Shelley’s contribution became the most famous, as it was later published as Frankenstein. In recreating the inception of this famous novel, each student was assigned a character, but they had to write the scripts for their scenes together in groups of four.

Filling in the gaps from the recorded history and breathing life into these literary figures allowed students to discover the challenges of writing historical fiction. Another specific aim of this assignment was to illustrate to the students

that the Romantic period was an exceptional age of collaboration as Romantic writers worked together, edited, and even censored each other.

Students used both oldfashioned modes of collaboration such as working together during X block, as well as more technologically minded methods, such as working together via Skype and Google documents. Stavros A., Halla M., Ryo S., and Alessandra Y. wrote their entire script in verse, a creative and challenging approach to the assignment which produced exceptional results. An excerpt from their engaging script appears in the box at right.

Ms. Samantha Hardin Secondary School English

Above: Grade 10 English students act out their original scenes depicting the inception of the novel Frankenstein. Right: Portrait of Mary Shelley by Richard Rothwell, 1840.

(National Portrait Gallery, London)

LORD BYRON Your words are offensive, but I will not be defensive.

That is why I’m in the position, to make a rather unusual proposition.

We will hold a competition in which there will be one winner, the one with a story, frightening enough to scare a sinner.

F e

b r

u a

r

y

2

0

1

11

3

Students describe the satisfaction of volunteering at the Caritas soup kitchen

Soup for the Soul

ne Saturday a month, about 15 students and a few teachers gather together at the Caritas Soup Kitchen in Colle Oppio as energetic volunteers to offer service for the needy. This is not only an opportunity to help those in need, but also an occasion to feel complete and gratified. It is amazing to meet people who have different stories – some funny, some deep, some sad, but all very touching.

O

There is always the same man who sings the songs of his youth and tells a few jokes.

Listening to him, we think about how strong he must be to think so positively to the point that he can make others laugh. Another man, who seemed particularly sad, once told us he was waiting for a friend “who never comes.”

The first time we went to the soup kitchen we expected no one would want to talk much, but many actually want to make friends and share their stories or hope to meet again.

It is a way of doing something productive while enjoying the company of close friends and a chance to interact with people who are often cast out of society. The experience is special and changes one’s view of the less fortunate.

Sitting next to a woman who was about to cry and asking her if there was anything we could do to make her feel better makes us realize how difficult life can be for her.

Being at the soup kitchen, in a way, is a small portion of the help we can manage to give.

Moreover, having the possibility to choose and change jobs

every now and then throughout the morning allows one to experience various activities that include both human contact and enjoyable duties.

One can choose to manage the registers, making sure that the people who come to eat have valid subscriptions. Students can also choose to wash and wipe trays or hand them out.

The rest can stay in the main room where the people eat.

Here volunteers refill the jugs,

PHOTOS: N. OLACO

clean the tables, and talk to the people who are there. When everyone is finished eating the students and teachers clean the cafeteria and prepare it for the next day.

Through the soup kitchen one can learn and assist at the same time. A number of us go regularly because we enjoy it and are happy to help. We truly encourage any students, teachers, and parents who would like to try the experience to volunteer. We would like to express the meaningful and exciting characteristics of the soup kitchen and its contribution to the community, and we thank Ms. Olaco, who organizes it joyfully and energetically.

Giulia P. and Tahira A. Grade 11 Students

12

M

A R Y M

O U

N

T

M

O N

T H

L Y

Marymount

Faculty News in the

TESS DEEKS, our Elementary School art teacher, recently completed her International Teacher Certificate (ITC) through the European Council of International Schools (ECIS) and Cambridge University. The ITC is an integrated, standards-based professional development program geared towards promoting excellence in teaching students in multilingual and multi-cultural environments and supporting learning communities on global awareness.

The program focused on five standards: (1) education in an intercultural context; (2) teaching competencies for the international teacher; (3) the language dimension; (4) student transition and mobility; and (5) continuing professional development as an international educator.

As part of her studies, Ms. Tess created Walking Stories in

conjunction with the Fabula in Art project, worked with a Fifth Grade class so that they could learn more about children's rights around the world, offered a professional development workshop on language acquisition to Elementary and Early Childhood teachers, and studied and created ways to acknowledge and assist children in transition, not to mention the countless hours she spent reading current research, reflecting, and writing about her experiences.

Her international focus continues as she works towards ensuring that the art curriculum is internationally minded. She will also be a facilitator in the upcoming Fourth and Fifth Grade International Student Club.

Additionally, she continues to work on her own projects related to language and culture.

Congratulations to our inquisitive physics teacher, DR. ALAN BATES, whose article about fluids was published in the January 2013 issue of The Physics Teacher magazine. The article, entitled “Pressure-Height Properties of Water with Automated Data Collection,” describes in detail an experiment he conducted using the data logger-sensor system to explore the relationship between the pressure exerted by a fluid in a cylinder and its height.

A publication of The American Association of Physics Teachers, The Physics Teacher is distributed to schools and colleges around the world. The publication provides a medium for teachers to share ideas, creativity, classroom experiences, and inspiration. It also allows ideas to be peer reviewed.

Secondary School Italian teacher GIOVANNA IORIO continues to enjoy a very active literary career. In November she began collaborating with Italy’s most popular national literary blog, Finzioni (www.finzionimagazine.it), where she contributes weekly articles in the Bookatini and Tempo di Leggere sections.

On December 12, Ms. Iorio was a guest speaker at seminar entitled "Journey into creativity, from translation to poetry" held at the University of Leicester in the UK. On December 22, her short story, “La fine del mondo,” was broadcast nationally on Radio Rai.

Lastly, Delta 3 Edizioni published her collection of poems called “In-chiostro” in January. The cover art for the book (pictured above) is a work by prize-winning animator, director, and illustrator Simone Massi.

F e

b r

u a

r

y

2

0

1

13

3

MARYMOUNT

PHOTO: P. SILOBRCIC

ParentTeacherOrg. The Marymount Dinner

Teacher Appreciation Day

Friday, February 8 at 8pm

Thursday, February 14

Following last year’s great succes, the PTO is pleased to host the 2013 Marymount Dinner. This fun and elegant evening includes a cocktail party, seated dinner, a surprise performance, silent auction, and raffle. All proceeds will support a new sound system in the Marymount Auditorium. Dinner tickets are €80 and raffle tickets are €5. Invitations were sent to all families by Paperless Post in January.

You can reserve your place at the dinner by responding to Pam Edmonds in the Villa, Erika Nickel in the Elementary School, Gia Sales in the Secondary School, or members of the PTO at the bar in mornings. Or email parents_org@marymountrome.it.

Places are limited, so sign up today!

As is tradition, the PTO will show its appreciation to Marymount’s faculty and staff with a bountiful selection of desserts during lunch on Valentine’s Day. If you would like to contribute a baked good or volunteer to help serve, please contact the PTO.

Marymount’s varsity sports teams wear their school colors proudly thanks to the Marymount Booster Club and Parent-Teacher Organization.

The generous members of the PTO and Booster Club, who work so hard to support our school and students, purchased warm up suits for all of the athletes this year.

Now whether on the road or playing here at home, the Marymount Royals show their team spirit in more ways than one.

Get in Shape with the PTO Monday, Wednesday, Friday

MONDAY - Boot camp in the lower park (EC gym if it rains) WEDNESDAY - Power Yoga in the EC gym FRIDAY- Boot Camp in the lower park (EC gym if it rains) All activities start at 8:45am sharp, last for 1 hour, and cost €10 per lesson. The PTO asks that you prepay until Easter.

14

M

A R Y M

O U

N

T

M

O N

T H

L Y

Allow us to introduce

the newsletter to your iPad See Marymount in a whole new way

tarting this month, members of the Marymount community can enjoy reading a digital edition of our newsletter, Marymount Monthly, on their iPads. After downloading the Marymount News app, which is available for free on the Apple App Store, subscribers can download issues of the newsletter from anywhere in the world and will be notified each time a new issue is available.

S

The digital version of Marymount Monthly contains all of the articles appearing in the print version of the newsletter, as well as many

extra features, including photo galleries, interactive content, and website links. The app and the issues are free to download and available to anyone with an App Store account.

“Our new digital version of the newsletter has many advantages for readers,” says Director of Development Jim Dunn, who publishes both the print and digital versions of the newsletter. “Subscribers to the digital version will enjoy an engaging, interactive experience and have immediate access to new issues as soon as they are published. Additionally, parents will no longer have to rely on

Download the Marymount Calendar

Now you can download the Marymount calendar directly onto your iPad and enjoy the convenience of having the same information found on the printed version at your fingertips wherever you take your iPad. The tablet version of the Marymount calendar is simple to use, and just like the iPad edition of the Marymount Monthly, it’s free!

The calendar is available as part of the Marymount News app on the Apple App Store.

their children to bring home copies of the newsletter, which sometimes end up in the bottom of a locker or backpack.”

Mr. Dunn says that the school benefits as well. “Aside from saving money and paper by producing fewer printed copies of the newsletter as more people subscribe to the digital version, we can also share this publication and all of the great news about our school with anyone who downloads our app, such as family members and friends who live in other cities or other countries.

Moreover, Marymount’s great strength as a technologically

advanced school will be evident to prospective students and families.”

arymount will continue to publish the school’s newsletter in print and as a pdf available for download through the school’s website.

As with the pdf version, content in the new digital version is slightly modified to respect the privacy of our students.

M

To download the Marymount News app and start enjoying the digital version of the newsletter, please visit the Apple App store and type Marymount News in the search field.

F e

b r

u a

L

r

y

2

0

1

15

3

n o d n o

Summer Camp

Children can enjoy an educational and fun international experience this summer he Discovery Summer Camp at Marymount International School London is truly an experience your child will cherish forever.

Last July, I was fortunate enough to chaperone a group of 12 students from our school and Marymount Nomentana to this amazing summer event.

T

From the moment we arrived at Heathrow airport we were cared for in every way possible by the Discovery staff and their student hosts (students from English schools who take part in the camp).

The camp days are packed with fun and educational activities. Students have little time to feel homesick because they are kept busy and entertained throughout the entire day. Lessons take place in the morning and are structured around fun projects that the students work on during the week and then present at an end-of-the-week assembly on Fridays.

In the afternoons there is some time to relax in the “chill-out room” (the kid’s favorite spot on campus!) with tv, music, chatting or games, and then it’s activity time. Each week the students choose their activity for the week – choices include

soccer, dancing, volleyball, drama, horseback riding, and many others.

Evening activities are no less entertaining. They include fun games and races, a talent show, a fashion show where the students had to make clothes using recycled materials, and a circus workshop where they learned how to juggle, walk on stilts, and ride a one-wheel bicycle.

Every Friday evening is disco night.

Last but not least we took day trips twice a week. We visited Kew gardens, Buckingham Palace, Richmond Park, the National Gallery, and a medieval British castle (Arundel) as well as famous

London toy store Hamley’s.

Meals on campus are also nutritious and full of variety.

All of the students in my group were crying when they said goodbye to their friends. Many of them have since told me that they still keep in touch with the friends from around the world that they made at camp and will always treasure their experience at Marymount London.

This year the camp offers two sessions: June 29 – July 13, and July 13 – July 27. Sign-up is limited to 24 students, so sign up today!

Ms. Francesca Fava Early Childhood

For more information about the Discovery Summer Camp at Marymount International School London, please contact Elementary School Assistant Principal Karyn Wynn at: kwynn@marymountrome.it

16

M

A R Y M

O U

N

T

M

O N

T H

L Y

IB Meeting for Parents February 6, 2013 On February 6, an informational meeting about the International Baccalaureate program at Marymount will take place in the Auditorium from 5:30pm-6:15pm. Details on the IB program, Grade 11 and 12 course options, and college counseling will be provided. The meeting will also feature 'guest appearances' by current Grade 11 and 12 IB students as well as an opportunity for questions. The presentation will be primarily for parents of our Grade 10 students, but all parents are warmly welcome to attend. If you are unable to attend the meeting or have immediate questions about the IB Program or College Counseling please do not hesitate to contact the school's IB Coordinator, Ms. Lucy Alexander, or the College Counselor, Mr. Terry McAndrews, at your convenience.

february

2 0 1 3

1 / Friday

9 / Saturday

17-18 / Friday - Saturday

1-2 / Friday - Saturday

8-9 / Friday - Saturday

18-22 / Monday - Friday

Secondary Retreats

Varsity Basketball: MMI at Vicenza

2 / Saturday

Mère St. Jean’s Birthday

Caritas Soup Kitchen (Colle Oppio) Volunteer Opportunity Varsity Basketball: MMI vs.

Naples

10 / Sunday

3 / Sunday

S. Susanna Mass in the Chapel at 11am

4 / Monday

RSHM Sports Festival in London

S. Susanna Mass in the Chapel at 11am Faculty Meeting at 3:45pm

6 / Wednesday

IB Meeting for Parents at 5:30pm

7 / Thursday

8th to 9th Grade Transition Meeting for Parents

8 / Friday

PTO Marymount Dinner

11-14 / Monday - Thursday 13 / Wednesday

Ash Wednesday

14 / Thursday

PTO Teacher Appreciation Day

17 / Sunday

1st Sunday of Lent No Mass in the Chapel

Varsity Basketball: MMI at AOSR White Week SCHOOL CLOSED

20-22 / Wednesday - Friday

DoDDS Basketball Championships in Wiesbaden

21 / Thursday

International Mother Tongue Day

24 / Sunday

S. Susanna Mass in the Chapel at 11am

Anniversary of the Founding of the RSHM

28 / Thursday

International Schools Theater Association (ISTA) High School Festival

Marymount

International School Via di Villa Lauchli, 180 00191 Rome, Italy (+39) 06 362 9101

www.marymountrome.org

This newsletter is published monthly by the Development Office for the Marymount community.

Designed and edited by J. Dunn Photography by J. Dunn unless noted otherwise

The Forest Stewardship Council guarantees this paper to be 100% derived from well-managed forests.

PLEASE RECYCLE