The Week @ St George's - 15 November 2019

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The Week @ St George’s

Volume 2 Issue 10 Friday 15 November

City Centre Junior School • La Storta Junior School • Senior School

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Principal's Message Dear pupils, parents and alumni, As the rain has lashed and battered the campus this week we are all crossing our fingers that there will be a break in the weather to allow us all to enjoy the postponed Fireworks celebration.

We have not, however, allowed the weather to dampen the mood and spirits within school. The highlight of the week so far has been the visit of our Board of Trustees for their annual meeting.

The Board of Trustees performs a very important governance role in the school by providing wise and independent counsel on matters of significant importance. They are made up of three individuals with significant managerial, diplomatic, corporate or executive experience. There is more information about the role of the Trustees within the governance section of the school website.

Prior to the Board of Trustees meeting, our pupils led the Trustees on a tour of the La Storta campus to show them the summer works that have taken place and to visit a number of classrooms in both the Junior and the Senior School.

The pupils and their teachers all did a wonderful job and the Trustees were highly complimentary about their eloquence, their commitment to the school and their strong sense of self. All pupil guides proved themselves to be the very best of ambassadors for the school.

David Tongue, Principal principal@stgeorge.school.it

Please Note:

The Principal’s Clinic will not be running on the morning of Tuesday 19 November. Instead, this will be replaced by the monthly Parents of St George’s (PSG) meeting, commencing at 8.45am in the Refectory. All parents are welcome to attend.

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The rain is not going to stop us having fun!

Whether outdoors or indoors, the event promises great fun and excitement as always.

The theme: “Once Upon A Time‌" with a Halloween twist!

It is a wonderful opportunity to get together just as the winter approaches and enjoy our usual variety of food, drinks, toys, games and other activities like face painting and much more...

Don't forget to...

KEEP YOUR COSTUME HANDY! Join the Costume and Pumpkin challenges!

Win prices for the most creative and scariest costume and most creative, scariest and funniest pumpkin. Prizes include: a special gift pack for Juniors, TuckShop vouchers for Seniors and a Wine bottle for adults.

Thank you to those who have already volunteered. And if you haven't, you can still help!

Please contact your parent link or the parentsofstgeorges@gmail.com Hope to see you all tonight!

The Parent's of St George's

Games Costume Competition BBQ Pumpkin Competition Bonfire Night Event tonight from 6pm, La Storta - All Welcome!

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Anti-Bullying Week: Celebrating Diversity at St George's All pupils at both City Centre and La Storta participated in Anti-bullying Week between 11 - 15 November. The key message was that bullying under any circumstances is not acceptable in our school and everyone has a responsibility to make our school a safe place for all.

If you are being bullied: • • • • • •

Tell someone you trust Keep a record of what is happening Don’t retaliate Surround yourself with people that make you feel good Don’t blame yourself, its not your fault Be proud of who you are

On Tuesday as part of Anti-bullying Week we held a hugely successful odd socks day sending an important message that people should be allowed to be themselves, free from bullying. It also helped celebrate our wonderfully rich and diverse international community.

City Centre Junior School

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La Storta Junior School

Senior School

Do you want to know more about how to spot the signs of bullying?

What to do if your child is being bullied?

Or even talk to your child about bullying? Please visit www.bullying.co.uk/advice-for-parents/ for helpful guidance.

CITY CENTRE JUNIOR SCHOOL

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City Centre Junior School

Odd Socks Day: Antibullying Week - More on Page 4 & 5

Year 6 trip to Passoscuro On Wednesday Year 6 went on a trip to Passoscuro for a beach clean-up as part of a workshop they will be doing alongside the FAO Fisheries Department. They removed rubbish and identifyed items that could be recycled and used for artwork.

The new lunch menu, effective until beginning of April 2020, is now available on Firefly

CITY CENTRE JUNIOR SCHOOL

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ANNOUNCEMENTS FRIDAY 15 NOVEMBER MONDAY 18 NOVEMBER

Bonfire Night at La Storta from 6.00pm. Please see page 3.

Connected Families Forum (repeat session): Mr Marson, Director of Digital Learning,

will be running a session on communication and e-safety/digital citizenship in the CC library at 2.30pm. A forum for those who wish to share their ideas on ways to improve communication between parents and the school as well as discussing e-safety and the challenges involved.

WEDNESDAY 20 NOVEMBER

Y6 at FAO workshop: Year 6 will be attending a workshop at FAO HQ. They will work alongside

THURSDAY 21 NOVEMBER

PSGCC Meeting: Lunch room at 8.45am. Mr Barber will be present. All welcome!

FRIDAY 29 NOVEMBER

Christmas Carol Concert: Whole school Carol Concert (SGCC Choir) at La Storta Cathedral (situated next to the school) begins at 5.30pm.

a local artist to create their own piece of art using the materials which they will have collected from Passoscuro earlier this week.

All clothes in school must be named and if you would like to buy nametapes please complete an order form and return it to Ms Ciorba (stephanie.ciorba@stgeorge.school.it). The labels are iron-on only. Small print and black only. A pack of 15 labels costs â‚Ź5 with a name up to 11 characters (including spaces).

LA STORTA JUNIOR SCHOOL

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La Storta Junior School

The Reds and Greens having a wonderful day at the Volo Alto nature park The Dragons had a super day at the Volo Alto Nature Park as they were greeted by two park helpers who looked after them all day. Pupils were also and treated to some delicious fresh bread and oil for their snacks. Pupils were fascinated by the range of birds and animals which included a five-day-old day guinea pig, a white hedgehog, a fluffy chinchilla and a baby python! Pupils were very well-behaved as they didn't want to scare the creatures!

After lunch, a surprise treat awaited pupils; a sensory trail! In bare feet, Dragons stepped carefully through different items including cotton wool, dried pasta, rosemary stems, leaves, stones, squishy mud and finally cold water so that they could clean their feet!

LA STORTA JUNIOR SCHOOL

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Adding Music To Stories In Music lessons, Year 1 and Year 2 had fun reading "Good-night, Owl" by Pat Hutchins in which an Owl tried and tried to get to sleep but the bees buzzed, the squirrels cracked nuts and everyone else in the hollow tree did their best to keep him awake. But he got his own back when night came.

The children added a range of instruments to imitate the sounds made by the noisy animals.

What a lovely racket!

ANNOUNCEMENTS Bonfire Night Notice: Parents are reminded that Junior School pupils are not allowed to stay after school for this event unless supervised by a parent/adult carer (not a Senior School sibling) from 3.30pm onwards. Please keep Ms Girgenti informed at justine.girgenti@stgeorge.school.it. More information about Bonfire Night on page 3.

MON - FRI 18 - 22 NOV MONDAY 18 NOVEMBER THURSDAY 21 NOVEMBER

Managhigh Maths Challenge: This is a prime opportunity for our whole pupil body to

practise their Maths skills. Rather than take away anything from their love of Maths, it should increase their enthusiasm.

Connected Families Forum (repeat session): Mr Marson, Director of Digital Learning, will

be running a session on communication and e-safety/digital citizenship in the Refectory at 9-10am. A forum for those who wish to share their ideas on ways to improve communication between parents and the school as well as discussing e-safety and the challenges involved.

Coffee with Chris: We look forward to welcoming as many of you as possible to the next Coffee with Chris session from 9-10am in the Junior Music room. Please see the agenda on Firefly.

FRIDAY Christmas Carol Concert: at 5.30pm at the La Storta Church, next door to the school. Everyone 29 NOVEMBER is invited to attend and performers will receive details separately.

TRIPS

All Trip information is available on the Trips page

Christmas Productions The Junior School Christmas Productions will be held on Thursday 12 and Friday 13 December.

Information regarding the exact timings of the performances will be available soon.

Morning drop-off points in wet weather During wet weather children in Years 1- 6 should wait in the Drama Theatre before school (instead of the playground). Class Teachers will come to collect them from the Drama Theatre prior to morning registration. Please remind the children to bring a book to read while they are waiting. Pupils in Red and Green Dragons are asked to wait in the Junior School Entrance area outside the Year 2 Classroom until 8.30am.

SENIOR SCHOOL

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Senior School

French Class: Year 11 pupils writing poignant letters, page 11.

Compassion has been at the forefront of our minds over the past two weeks. Monday 11 November 2019 marked the one hundred and first anniversary of the Armistice which brought an end to the ‘Great War’.

In the full school assembly we commemorated those who have given their lives in service of others, both during the First World War and in the many conflicts fought during the past century.

Poignant and moving readings were given by Sixth Form historians, wonderfully supported and accompanied by the school choir and individual musical performances. On Sunday staff and pupils attended the Remembrance Day service at All Saints Church, with the school choir again at the heart of proceedings. My thanks are extended to all pupils involved, and Mr Everhart and Mr Dobson, for such moving and thoughtful contributions to both events.

This week the call has been “change starts with me”, as we have seen the focus shift from the global to the local community with the launch of Anti-Bullying week. The pupils have been encouraged to consider carefully their words and actions, and challenged to stand up to bullying in any form. We are committed to maintaining a supportive and safe environment, where each individual can thrive. You will find more information about Anti-Bullying week elsewhere in the newsletter.

That just leaves me with time to wish you all a safe and happy weekend. I hope to see you at the Bonfire Evening this evening, or at one of the eagerly awaited performances of Chicago in the coming week.

FRIDAY 15 NOVEMBER

Bonfire Night at La Storta from 6.00pm.

Please see page 3.

SENIOR SCHOOL

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In French Class: Paroles de Poilus: KS4 and KS5 pupils learn about the experience of French First World War soldiers This summer, Ms Duggan, Head of French, solider who was about to be executed for failing to took part in a training course for teachers comply with orders to continue fighting. He told his of French as a foreign language in Nice. She wife that he thought he would be “oublié de l'hislearnt that Poilus was the nickname given toire” (forgotten from history); perhaps it would to the soliders who fought in the First World have been of some comfort to him to know that War as it means hairy and the soldiers were pupils and teachers in a school continue to read his unable to shave properly! The letters they words over 100 years later. sent to their families and loved ones were compiled into a book called Paroles de Pupils also studied a poem about the futility of the Poilus. To commemorate Armistice day, First World War, Familiale, by Jacques Prévert, pupils read some of their letters in class. imagining that they were a French solider in the They studied the horrendeous conditions trenches, and produced some very creative and that soldiers endured in the trenches and poignant letters of their own. Read their letters on read a particularly moving letter from a Firefly.

In English Class: To Be Or Not To Be...

This week Year 10 wrapped up their studies of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet with a debate. Pupils worked in groups to defend surviving characters claiming that they were not to blame for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet.

Pupils carefully constructed their arguments rhetorically and as well as defending their character, they pointed the accusing finger at another character. The Year 10's were able to demonstrate their excellent presentational skills at the same time as demonstrating their knowledge of the play.

Great work!

ANNOUNCEMENTS MONDAY 18 NOVEMBER

Connected Families Forum (repeat session): Mr Marson, Director of Digital Learning,

will be running a session on communication and e-safety/digital citizenship in the Refectory at 9-10am. A forum for those who wish to share their ideas on ways to improve communication between parents and the school as well as discussing e-safety and the challenges involved.

FRIDAY 29 NOVEMBER

Christmas Carol Concert: at 5.30pm at the La Storta Church, next door to the school. Everyone

FRI - SAT 22- 23 NOV

Chicago Musical Performance: Please see the poster on page 12.

is invited to attend and performers will receive details separately.

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High School Edition

Reserving a Seat If you would like to reserve a seat for one of the Chicago performances on Friday 22 November and Saturday 23 November at the theatre at the City Centre site, please complete the google form: Chicago Seat Reservation Form Car Parking Parking in the City Centre school is limited due to other activities provided onsite (i.e. AS Roma youth team training, Petriana basketball training and the use of the indoor swimming pool facilities), hence car parking will be on a first-come-first-served basis. Please note: Parking will be at a fee (payable through the cash machine onsite).

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Amber Edwards Librarian (La Storta)

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What is your role and how long have you worked for St George's?

I’m the school librarian and I’ve worked at St George's since January 2019. The year has flown by!

What are your main responsibilities?

My main responsibility is to manage the library space and to ensure pupils have access to information, both physically through books and digitally through databases and other online materials. This involves purchasing and processing new materials, I am also responsible for teaching referencing and research skills to the IB students, and organising various initiatives to promote reading.

Do you have a favourite memory from your time at St George’s?

Yes, quite recently when we had visiting author Neil Griffiths come into school to read to the pupils and staff. It was lovely to see the pupils so engaged and to see staff discussing the importance of reading. It was a nice initiative to be part of.

What is your favourite movie?

Stuart Little 2 What are your hobbies outside of school?

Reading and running, but never at the same time, although I do sometimes read books about running. I also really enjoy walking through forests because I love trees, and I have a huge interest in philosophy.

Who is the most famous person you have ever met?

Former Lincoln City FC manager Danny Cowley.

What is your fave holiday destination in Italy?

I’ve only lived in Italy since January so I don’t think I have a favourite spot yet…but I really enjoyed visiting Rieti and Tagliacozzo.

St George’s British International School • Rome • Italy www.stgeorge.school.it