In This Issue - International School of Boston

INTERNATIONAL
SCHOOL OF
BOSTON
PRE-K—12th GRADE
Autumn at ISB
NOVEMBER 2009
VIPieces:
Did You Know...?
Thiswas
Issue
ISBIn
Tuition
$300 in 1962!
ISB NEWS
2
PTA....................................6-7
PTO B&B...
All chool
Holiday
Baskets and Holiday Boutique
Congratulations
Maternelle
4, 5
Visit
200SISB Alumni via Lois Dargo’s Facebook page!
Lower
Middle
6
Students
Giving Back
Uppper………………....................
8-10
Reception: Where Are The Apples?
11
IN THIS ISSUE:
DEVELOPMENT
3
MATERNELLE
12
LOWER
13 - 15
MIDDLE
16 - 19
UPPER
20 - 23
ISB IN NUMBERS
24
ISB NEWS SUBMISSIONS
25
Grade 12 Journalism Club Students.
(see pages 22 and 23)
Arlington Campus. Pre-K to K
17 Irving Street
MA 02476
781.646.0510
One School,
2 Addresses.
Cambridge Campus. Grades 1-12
45 Matignon Road
MA 02140
617.499.1451
ISB IN 1962
2
Once Upon A Time An ISB Tuition was $300 and
A Harvard Tuition was $1,1520!
Did you know ISB stated on November 20, 1962
as a “jardin d’enfants” in Belmont?
Did you know the school offered one class for 12 children
between 3 -1/2 to 5 years old from 1pm and 4 pm.
DID YOU KNOW?
Did you know the teacher, Ms. Anne Pfaff, was an experienced FSL teacher
since she had taught in Alsace to French children who spoke in
the Alsatian dialect.
Did you know that tuition for the year was $300 , with financial aid support
being considered.
Cost of Living in 1962:
Average Cost of New House $12,500.00
Average Income Per Year $5,556.00
Tuition to Harvard University $1,520.00
Renault Imported Car $1,395.00
Average Cost of a New Car $3,25.00
Gas Per Gallon 28 cents
Our ISB Annual Fund...
Our Students Depend On It.
Blue Envelope Annual Fund Kick-Off Campaign!
Too busy to mail your blue envelope? Donate online.
Please visit www.isbos.org (Support ISB) tab.
100% family participation is CRITICAL! Please make a donation in any amount that you can.
We have big plans, big projects to be announced soon …your gift is essential to make it happen ! Keep in mind that this donation does not have to be your entire gift as many people prefer to donate in the Spring. Please do not hesitate to email us if you have questions.
KICK-OFF CAMPAIGN!
3
Your Parent Development Ambassadors Are:
Maternelle
Middle School
Lower School
Upper School
Marie Bardon / [email protected]
Jean Bemis / [email protected]
Beth Ann Dahan / [email protected]
Robin Kaiser / [email protected]
Anne Battyani / [email protected]
Mariana Castells / [email protected]
Yves Charles / [email protected]
Robin Kaiser / [email protected]
For more information about the making an ISB Annual Fund donation, please
contact France Crespin [email protected] or Vicci Recckio [email protected] in
the ISB Development Office.
DEVELOPMENT:
Marie Bardon / [email protected]
Jean Bemis / [email protected]
Caroline Le Conte De Poly/[email protected] Beth Ann Dahan / [email protected]
Robin Kaiser / [email protected]
Marina Simmons / [email protected]
4
PTO:
[email protected]
PTO B&B…
B as in Baskets...
PTO B&B…
B as in Boutique...
The ISB PTO invites you and all your friends to the 3rd
[email protected]
5
ISB HOLIDAY BOUTIQUE
on Saturday, December 12, 2009
from 10 am to 4 pm
Multi-Purpose of the ISB Cambridge Campus
OPEN TO ALL!
INVITE YOUR FAMILY AND ALL YOUR FRIENDS
You might be the lucky winner of the great raffle prize:
THE ISB CHOCOLATE VILLAGE!
At the end of the day, 20% of the sales will go towards the Enrichment Program
which benefits ALL the students and is 100% PTO funded.
Thank you for helping us promote this great event!
Please talk about it everywhere, post the event on your facebook page and invite all your friends and family!
We are also designing flyers for you to distribute in places you go (shops, gym, art studios, schools, etc...)
Please contact [email protected] for any question about the event!
Hélène Rieu-Isaacs, Nathalie Tabor, Mariele Taverna & Sharon Zimmer
ISB Holiday Boutique 2009 Committee
PTO:
WE ARE COUNTING ON ALL OF YOU!
THIS IS ORGANIZED FOR YOUR SCHOOL!
ISB Alumni News
6
Meet ISB Global Citizen Alumna, Mary Higonnet.
McGill Graduate &
Recipient of a Full Scholarship to Study in China
Mary Higonnet attended ISB from1987– 1994.
Mary Then & to See Mary, please visit Facebook!
To meet Mary and
other Alumni, please
visit Lois Dargo on
facebook!
Please send all alumni updates to Lois Dargo at [email protected].
ALUMNI:
Dear Mrs. Dargo.
What a loss for all the incoming students at l'École Bilingue that you won't be teaching anymore!
As for a short version of my life since high school at ISB : I went to McGill where I majored in East
Asian studies and minored in Roman history. I got a full scholarship to study in China so spent a
semester there before graduating from McGill and then moved to Shanghai in 2005 after finishing in Montreal. I stayed in Shanghai for a bit but eventually returned to my home away from
home: Beijing, where I studied Chinese some more until early 2007 when I started working there.
The job market (outside of English teaching and "editing") was very poor at the time and after 6
months of being a receptionist at a luxury hotel in Beijing I moved to Paris. I worked in a similar 4
star hotel for about 9 months and then went back to school where I am presently in the process
of getting a Masters in International Relations. This is my last year and I'm looking forward to
getting an internship in April (this is required to validate my degree). Hopefully I will find a way to
get back to Beijing soon! I think that pretty much covers it! I don't know what I'll be doing after
my school year or where I'll be looking for an internship yet. I spent the summer at the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs here in Paris and while I was pretty enthusiastic about a career in diplomacy
that interest has waned a bit... Who knows what the future holds?
Sincerely, Mary Higonnet
ISB Parent Writes a Song About
Common Infectious Diseases
(and Wins 2nd Prize!)
Last September I was honored to accept an award from the San Francisco Department of Public
Health (SFDPH) for a song written to foster healthy habits and stem the spread of common infectious diseases such as influenza. The SFDPH sponsored this songwriting contest as part of
their “Infect Me Not” Education and Outreach initiative. The song is crafted to promote and
reinforce a simple three-pronged approach: 1) use a tissue or sleeve, 2) throw the tissue in the
trash, and 3) wash you hands.
But there was a big problem. After being chosen as a 2nd place winner overall, the SFDPH asked
me to perform the song at San Francisco’s City Hall, and I assured them they would be far happier if I did not. Alas, I can’t sing…well. I can sing, it’s just that the vocal timbre beckons the
sound of a wombat with arthritis, and the tonic is more witch hazel than C Major.
Singing About Germs
7
accompany the raspy raucous. Fortunately the judges heard a message in the mayhem and
noted, “After careful review of all the entries, we felt that your song captured the primary message of the campaign and showed originality and memorability.” Thank goodness they judged
the song and not the delivery!
The SFDPH also expressed interest in getting the song airplay and welcomed a suggestion to
create an arranged, produced version that can better serve as a teaching tool to further
strengthen community efforts toward healthy habits.
Given all of our current concerns over H1N1, it seemed that the ISB community would appreciate learning of the song now, even in its nascent state. Even poor scratch tracks can promote
and reinforce healthy habits for those able to brave the vocal seas! You’ll find the song and lyrics – along with the other winning entries – at www.sfdph.org by clicking “Latest up-to-date
information on Seasonal and H1N1 Swine Flu” and then clicking “Prevention Measures” fol-
Arlington Campus Nurse:
Tina DeAngelo, RN, BSN; 781-646-0510; [email protected]
Cambridge Campus Nurse:
Christine Mabardy-Higgins, RN, BSN; [email protected]
FROM AN ISB PARENT :
So how exactly does one enter a songwriting contest without being able to sing? The other
contestants could sing, and did a nice production job as well. I opted instead for the growl into
the 1-track pocket recorder – the kind you find your keys with – while scratching out guitar to
Making a Differenece
8
A Caring 7th Grade Student is Helping
100,000 Homeless Children in MA.
Did you know that according to Horizons for Homeless Children, there are
more than 100,000 homeless children in MA in any given year? These numbers
are increasing with the rise in unemployment rates. The level of support must increase to meet the projected increase in demand for the essential items including
winter boots, shoes, winter clothing, winter coast & hats/gloves/scarves.
Cradle to Crayons is an organization that equips homeless and in-need children
with the basic essentials they need to feel safe, warm, and ready to learn and feel
valued. While meeting the immediate needs of low-income children, Cradle to
Crayons also sets a foundation providing meaningful volunteer opportunities to
thousands of individuals and hundreds of organizations each year.
For these reasons, if we work together as a community we can help our Massachusetts neighbors. Lets work together so that one day, all children will have
the basic things they need to be safe, warm and ready to learn and feel valued.
ALL SCHOOL:
Celine B.R. Grade 7
The smallest act of kindness is
worth more than the
grandest intention.
-Oscar Wilde
Grade 12 Student (& Future Med Student) Makes
a Difference By Raising Money for
5 Automated External Defibrillators for ISB
Hi!
My name is Oriane L. and I am a 12th grade IB student at ISB. Over
the past year, I’ve been working with the school nurse and the administration on a project to equip the school with AED’s, or automated external defibrillators. An AED is a portable electronic device
that automatically diagnoses the potentially life threatening cardiac
arrhythmias of ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia in a
patient, and is able to treat them through defibrillation, the application of electrical therapy which stops the arrhythmia, allowing the
heart to reestablish an effective rhythm. AEDs are designed to be
simple to use for the layman, and the use of AEDs is taught in many
first aid, first responder and basic life support (BLS) level CPR classes.
You have probably seen them in public places such as malls, and
office buildings. Most commercial aircraft now have them as well.
Making a Differenece
9
I am writing to you today as my final role in this project is to raise
$3,500 to fund a portion of the project. What I am hoping to do is
to find 5 people who will each donate $500 and get naming rights to
one of the units, potentially in memory of a loved one who might
have been saved by such a device. My father has told me that he
would like to name one of the units in memory of my grandfathers,
who I did not have the chance to ever meet, as they both passed
away from cardiac arrest before I was born. The balance of my objective would be obtained from other sources, including potentially
matching gifts from your employers.
As I get ready to leave ISB at the end of this school year with the goal
of pursuing a career in medicine, I aim to leave something behind of value and I hope I can count
on your support.
Thank you so much for your consideration,
Yours Truly,
Oriane L.
Contact [email protected]
or
ALL SCHOOL:
We have selected a provider for the system, Life Support Systems, and plan to equip both campuses of the school with 5 units. Two units are placed at the Arlington campus, and the three
others are at the Cambridge Campus (one in the main lobby, one in the gymnasium lobby, and
one in the administration building). We also purchased CPR certification classes for 30 people, in
order to ensure that we have certified responders ready to use the devices in case of an emergency. However, it is not necessary to be certified in order to use the
device.
ALL SCHOOL:
HELP Collect Food & Support Our Yearbook
10
Support Our
Yearbook Fundraiser!
As a way to target the problem of lost belongings and a large lost and found closet,
the Yearbook Committee is fundraising
with Mabel's Labels, a company with all
types of labels that are colorful, indestructible, easy-to-use and fun!
The Yearbook is a compilation of memories from the school year. The book encompasses Pre-K through 12th grade. You
will have an opportunity to purchase a
Yearbook beginning in January. In the
meantime, you can help us keep our prices
low by supporting us.
Mabel Labels provide Iron-Ons, Stickies,
Bag Tags, Allergy Alert labels & more! You
will be able to personalize your labels with
names, nicknames, initials - whatever you
choose. Cool icons help even little ones
identify their own belongings. Dishwasher,
microwave, laundry & kid tested! Dispatched within 24 hours!
Visit www.isb.mabel.ca to place your order
while helping our fundraiser!
What Are Mabel’s Labels?
“We are moms who were frustrated by
the amount of stuff that left our houses,
never to return. After lots of research and
testing we created the perfect fun, durable
labels for the stuff kids lose!
The labels are customized with a child’s
name, favourite mix of colours and an icon
(animal, symbol, etc.).
We strive to continuously design innovative labels for babies, kids and grown-ups
alike. You’ll be amazed at what you can
label!”
Florence Hamilton
GRADE 5 is Collecting Food for
Homeless Children in MA.
Please Help!
Hi everyone,
Did you know that over 600,000 (six hundred
thousand) people go to bed hungry every day in
the state of Massachusetts?
Did you know that one out of every five children in
Massachusetts goes to bed hungry every day?
The Arlington Food Pantry helps by collecting food
and distributing it to people who do not have
enough to eat.
Every year, the 5th grade at the International
School of Boston organizes a food drive for the
Arlington Food Pantry. We collect donations of
NON-PERISHABLE food which will then be distributed to families in need during the holiday season.
The food drive will take place from November 2,
2009 until November 24, 2009. If you would like
to make a donation, bring it into your classroom
and 5th graders will come around and collect it.
Please, do NOT bring in food that will spoil or go
bad. Do NOT bring in items in GLASS containers.
Some suggestions are: canned soup, peanut butter
and jelly, cereal, dried milk, canned meats like tuna
fish, pasta, meals in a can, coffee, fruit juice and
baby food. You may also bring in items like toothpaste, shampoo, and diapers.
Sometimes, with all of the disasters around the
world, we forget that there are people nearby who
also need help. Here is your chance to help your
neighbors! Thank you for whatever contributions
you can make.
The Fifth Grade
11
Did you know…
…the front desk lends laptops and digital LCD
projectors to teachers for their classes? Some of
our new teachers have been using them almost
every day, as well as many of our veteran teachers! They are great for giving PowerPoint presentations, showing relevant videos, and working
on various projects as a class. And we are sure
the students appreciate that their teachers are
so creative!
Although the apples have been gone from the
Front Desk for months now, hardly a day still
goes by without someone – parents as well as
students – asking me, “where are the apples?” or, worse yet, “when are the apples
coming back?”
For those of you who are new to the school
this year, I’ll just tell you that during the past
couple of years, there was a basket of organic
apples sitting next to the Front Desk. It was
put out twice a day, and so those people who
believe that “an apple a day keeps the doctor
away” were feeling extra well indeed – twice
as healthy as could be, with no need to visit
the doctor!
New visitor badges
You may have noticed the new system for visitors to sign in! Instead of the lanyard passes
from last year (which everyone loved to wear at
home and around town, too!), we now have
sticker badges. When you sign in, you write out
your own badge while also creating a permanent record for us. So the next time you visit
during the day, please be sure to check in at the
front desk and check it out!
-Submitted by Stephanie Izzicupo
Now, to answer the above questions, the apples have gone far, far away, and we don’t
know when they’re coming back. They were a
gift from a very generous family no longer in
the Boston area who have taken their apples
far, far away with them.
SO, until we find another family or families
who would like to donate some apples to the
school from time to time, the apples will not
be returning.
If anyone is interested in learning more about
this opportunity “to bring back the apples!”
please contact me, “Martha the Appl-odian at
the Front Desk! “ Merci mille fois!
-Submitted by Martha Mayne
Stephanie and Martha literally say "au
revoir" as Stephanie moves on to her new
position in the IT Department."
Twas fun, over and out for now!”
-Martha
ALL SCHOOL:
WHERE are the APPLES???
Where Are The Apples?
NEWS FROM THE
FRONT DESK
SO MUCH IS HAPPENING!
12
A LOT is happening in Maternelle,
As witnessed by Hélène Rieu-Isaacs, Nathan’s Mom, PK-A
MATERNELLE DID A LOT LAST YEAR!
THE DVD MATERNELLE 2009-2009 IS OUT!
All the interesting Maternelle happenings of last year are finally on DVD! Please contact Marie
Bardon or Paul Romeo if you are interested in buying one. A great gift for the holidays!
MATERNELLE IS DOING A LOT THIS YEAR TOO!
À LA CARTE
All the Maternelle children had a great time attending this show presented by the ZPUPPET company
(http://www.zpuppets.org). Thanks to the Annual Fund Donations for the ENRICHMENT PROGRAM!
TOUR AROUND THE WORLD
On Friday, November 13th, the children in kinderrgarden have been invited to the ISB Cambridge Campus to participate in the "Tour around the World" event. As much as they will be learning some 41
countries represented in our school, this will also be a good opportunity for them to check out the
campus they will be going to next year! Parents of younger children are encouraged to also go to the
gym on the Cambridge campus after school to have their little ones also discover this great exhibit organized by the PTO, with many ISB parents volunteering to present their country of origin! We need to
take advantage of the international diversity of our school! Thank you to all the parents volunteers
from all around the world! You are awesome!
KIDSTOCK STORYTELLER
The November 16th show by Kidstock (http://www.kidstockinc.org) will sure be a great moment for all!
MATERNELLE:
INTERNATIONAL TALES
For the week starting on Monday, November 16th, Marie Bardon, one of our Maternelle PTO representatives, initiated the "International Tales" week. Volunteer Maternelle parents will come and tell stories to the children about animals (the theme of our school this year), to which they will add an international "je ne sais quoi" to be in sync with the International Week happening on the Cambridge campus! Each Maternelle class will enjoy three stories during the week. Parents are usually quite stressed
by acting in front of a class. But as it is usually the other way around when kids put up shows for parents, it's only fair! Please contact Marie Bardon or Paul Romeo if you are interested in telling the kids a
story. We know you will be great!
The "ARTISTES DE LA MATERNELLE" have worked very hard on a fund raising project for their
school. They all have drawn a picture of themselves and we are ordering dish towels, reusable shopping bags and table place mats featuring their art. These will be sold at the ISB HOLIDAY BOUTIQUE on
December 12th on the Cambridge Campus, and in Arlington after the Winter show. Please check your
mailboxes as we will begin to accept your orders soon. Your children's pieces of art are great gifts for
friends and families. Grand-Parents will love the dish towels, you'll be able to shop with bags featuring
your child's art, and set up a great table every day and when your child has a party! He/she will be so
proud!
13
Maurice Sendak Wrote
Where The Wild Things Are, & Spike Jonze,
Recently Made The Movie.
(out in theatres now)
Here are the different steps about our work on
Max and the Maximonsters:
1st we reinvented the story with the help of the
drawings from Maurice Sendak (partners).
Then we invented a new name for the main character and a new title. After several votes: Nicolas comes first behind Louis, Gabriel, Georges.
The winning title: The King of Monsters!
Getting “Wild” in Grade 1
Jennifer Vix’s Grade 2 Students
Rewrite Their Own Versions Of The Famed Book (and Now Movie)
Where The Wild Things Are!
The children had very nice ideas like “The big journey of Nicolas” or “Cruel monsters.”
Finally, we typed the text on the computer
(individual work) and drew a new cover
(group work)!
Now we will be able to enjoy reading our very own
book in the class library!
Congratulations to all CE1B
for their creativity and hard work!
LOWER:
-Written by Jennifer Vix and her
Grade 2 Students!
Feelings In French and English
LOWER:
14
The 1C First Graders Talk About Feelings During Bilingual Time.
Visit the 1st Grade Hallway to See the Others!
It all started on Tuesday, October 6th,
when we headed off to a farm in
Stow. All the first graders were participating in this traditional NewEngland fall activity: apple picking!
We went on a hay stack truck and
wandered in the orchard, looking for
the shiniest, the reddest and the
yummiest apples we could find.
Once we each had a very full and
heavy basket, we went to pet the
animals of the farm and then had a
well deserved apple-based snack
with delicious little things made from
apples.
French Teachers, Ingrid Aubert and
Julien Tocque, Celebrate Apple Season.
Now, we are in the process of writing all about this to our Spanish pen
pals. They are also attending an international school. But we'll talk
about this part next time!
Submitted by Julien Tocque, CP1A
LOWER:
One Cannot Experience Autumn in
New England (or Grades 1 & 2)
Without Apples.
Back in class, we kept on studying
about apples. We studied the different parts of the fruit in science, we
learn a poem about apples in French,
and we even had a cooking class
when we made delicious apple pies!
of Apples! (see page 11)
October Tastes Like Apples...
...Speaking
15
MIDDLE:
“The Dance”
16
Middle School Students Transform the Cafeteria
(and Themselves) For Their October16thDance
Johns Hopkins University
Talent Search
Every year, the prestigious Johns Hopkins University launches a talent search to identify students who show academic promise. Our school
has been participating in this search for several
years, based on the results of the ERB tests that
ISB students take from 3rd through 8th grades.
This year, based on their Math and English results, 35 Middle School students qualify to participate in the Johns Hopkins program.
In order to better assess the students’ skills and
knowledge, the selected students are invited to
take the college entrance SAT. This gives them
the opportunity to get familiarized with this test
several years before they need to take it, in a
risk-free environment, as the results do not appear in their school files.
Talent Search students who get qualifying scores
on the SAT can also participate in summer programs organized by Johns Hopkins, where they
can challenge themselves academically in their
field of interest.
The high percentage of students identified by
the Talent Search, almost one third of the Middle School, highlights the excellent level of our
school. Our bilingual students can compete
with the best students of American schools.
ISB can be proud of its students!
Don Gurewitz
Mr. Don is a really talented man. He traveled a lot, maybe all around the world. This
time, he went to Burma, the south of Asia. I
went with my family to an exhibit of his pictures of Burma at Cambridge Multicultural
Arts Center: “A Glimpse Of Traditional Life
in Myanmar, Burma.” This exhibit runs until
January 4, 2010.
Don Gurewitz told me that, after one trip to
the south of Asia, he felt in love with this
part of the world. I asked him : “Hey, Don,
which picture is your favorite?’’
He answered me nicely: “Well, I would say
this one.’’ I looked at the picture, it was a
man on a little boat lost in a blue sky rowing in sky blue water and a little golden sunset that would fight to separate the water
with the sky. What was funny is that the
man on the boat was rowing with his foot.
He told me also that he liked the picture
where he was at a market in Burma and
there were a hundred sardines for sale and
only one of them had his mouth open. You
can see Don Gurewitz’s work at
http://
www.dongurewitzphotography.com/ or
simply go to his exhibit. Perhaps Don
Gurewitz will come to see us at our school
and talk about all his travels ?
Theo de Palma, 7th grade.
MIDDLE:
Grade 7 Student Writes About
Cambridge Photography Exhibit—
“Don Gurewitz Photographs Burma”
John Hopkins University& Young Writers
17
Student Exploration Program
18
Thanks to
the
Annual
Fund We
Can Offer
This
Exploration
Program!
Factory Group
Visits and Italian
Food Factory
French Poetry
Group Visits
Harvard,
Leadership Group
Visits JFK Library
Lego Robotics
Group Visits
Robot Company
MIDDLE :
Architecture
Group Explores
the City
With the Support of Annual Fund Donations,
We Have this Exploration Program!
On October 21st, an unseasonably warm Wednesday, the middle school students at ISB left for
their inaugural, day-long Student Exploration Project field trips. From an Italian specialty food
factory tour to an architectural scavenger hunt, the trips were as exciting as they were unique.
Up to this point, teachers and students had been researching their exploration topics at school –
the trip allowed them to gather hands-on information and experience.
The French poetry group started at Harvard’s Museum of Natural History, one housing a large
collection of rocks and gems, glass flowers, fossils, and animal specimens. The students chose
among the subjects and produced three poems, one from each category. The group also read
Longfellow’s poem, "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere,” while following Paul Revere’s path
around Harvard Square.
The English poetry group wrote poems using different paintings and sculptures at Harvard’s
Sackler Museum as “springboards,” and spent time visiting the Woodbury Poetry Room, listening to poets such as T.S. Eliot and Billy Collins read their work aloud on iPods. They were also
given a rare opportunity to visit the Emily Dickinson room in the Houghton Library, which houses
the entire collection of her unpublished work and notes discovered after her death.
Student Exploration Program
19
Both the factories group and the cooking group toured an Italian specialty foods factory, The
Daniele Factory. They learned the ins and outs of procuring and distributing international food,
as well as the production processes for making Italian salami and prosciutto. They were allowed
direct access to the factory floor, and were able to see all of the machines up close. They also
had a delicious tasting at the end of their visit.
The LEGO Robotics exploration group visited the iRobot Company, a company that designs and
builds robots for the public and government. They toured iRobot’s museum of past, present,
and future robots, seeing robots that did everything from wash and clean floors to assist with
security. After the museum, the group was allowed to test out several robots used for ground
surveillance and bomb detonation.
The architecture group followed an architectural treasure hunt around Boston’s Copley Square.
The students had an up-close view of the many styles and periods of structural design in historic
Boston, and took the chance to sketch many of the prominent buildings – The Boston Public
Library, New Old South Church, and others. To quote a student: “I was amazed by numerous buildings built in different periods in Copley Square. I loved making sketches and applying
mathematics [to] the real world."
The “Real World” application of school is exactly what we had hoped for.
MIDDLE:
The leadership group visited the JFK Library and Museum. They started their tour by looking at
JFK’s terrible 7th grade report card, and now appreciate that future leaders aren’t necessarily
perfect in middle school. They also left with a newfound knowledge of the times in which JFK
lived, and the importance of public service.
MIDDLE AND UPPER:
VisitingFrench Author
20
French Writer,Agnès Desarthe, Visits ISB!
She is fun, she is talented, she is French and she is coming to
visit the International School of Boston! On Thursday, November 12th, in the afternoon, Agnès Desarthe will come to
speak to ISB I students, grades 6 to 12, about her brilliant
career as a writer.
Submitted by Veronique Valdettaro
ISB School Librarian
[email protected]
Students preparing for the author’s visit.
ISB Parent who writes for Le Monde Diplomatique Offers
Journalism Club
UPPER SCHOOL JOURNALISM CLUB – Thursdays 3:45 pm
The goal of the club is to create a bilingual quarterly magazine and a website where student
videos, pictures and other resources would be posted.
The club is open to high school students with an interest in writing and journalism (in French
and/or in English), as well as to those interested in video production, photography, visual or
graphic arts and business (fundraising).
The club is mentored by Ibrahim Warde, an ISB parent who is a professor at Tufts University and
a writer for Le Monde Diplomatique.
Email ibrahim at [email protected] for more information.
Congratulations to
Catherine Ribes-de Palma
Catherine Ribes-de Palma, teacher at ISB
since 10 years, has been published in an
International French language literature
and art magazine. Three poems from her
first book titles “Resurgences” were selected to be published in issue 36-37 of
the magazine Passage d’encres for
month October and November 2009.
This issue focuses on the relationship between the artist and language, and the
reason to choose one language instead
of another one to write in and questions
about the use of French. One issue of the
magazine will be available at the library
to be consulted on site.
Connecting Literature
21
.
The tenth grade Advanced English class cooked a West African
feast after they finished reading
Things Fall Apart. Although use
of the kitchen was double scheduled, we had a delightful time
cooking together and everyone
loved the foo-foo, fried plantains
& spicy chicken-vegetable stew.
UPPER:
West African Lunch
@ ISB
Journalism Club Students
22
ISB’s New Directors:
Do You Think You Really Know Them?
Submitted by Grade 12 Calum B. , Journalism Club Student
For the 2009-2010 academic year, several important positions have changed
hands. ISB has received a new Interim Head of School, Dr. David Watson, and two new
Upper School Directors: Tracey Wood, in charge of International Baccalaureate and the
International Program, and Geraldine Guillermin, head of the Bilingual and French Baccalaureate Programs. However, there is much more to know about ISB’s new directing
team than just their position titles. The new ISB journalism club conducted a Proust
Questionnaire to find out more about their personalities.
DAVID WATSON.....
David Watson, hailing from Manchester England, has worked at ISB since this past
August, and before his arrival here in Cambridge, he served as a Headmaster in Houston,
Texas and earlier in the country of Oman. Self described as, “extraordinarily handsome
and charming,” Dr. Watson, who values loyalty and appreciates good listeners, is a keen
gardener and would have like to be Captain of the England cricket team, a tree, or a
long distance coach driver. Dr. Watson enjoys the color blue, going on holiday in Croatia,
reading books by Nick Hornby and Anita Brookner, and listening to music by Jethro Tull
and the Rolling Stones. While he despises Adam Smith and bad manners, Dr. Watson admires Robin Hood, the military retreat from Dunkirk, and the artwork of René Magritte
and Salvador Dali. Watch out for the trick he performs with his arms. Dr. Watson’s
motto? “Live and let live.”
UPPER:
Continued on page 23
ISB Parent who writes for Le Monde Diplomatique Offers Journalism Club,
see page 17 for more information.
23
TRACEY WOOD...
Tracey Wood came to ISB in 1996. She was born in Texas, grew up in Iowa and attended University in the U.S. and France. This lifelong Francophile begged her parents at
age eight for a French tutor because she so longed to learn the language and culture.
Mrs. Wood values honesty, willingness to take risks, and fun-loving people. A one-time
guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Mrs. Wood enjoys books by Zadie Smith and John
Irving, holidays on an “undisclosed island nature conservatory,” and French Impressionist
artists that she learned about on a course in France. This admirer of Harper Lee’s Atticus
Finch despises those who use power to oppress. Mrs. Wood would most like to possess
the natural gift of drawing and if she were to be in a talent show, Mrs. Wood would
dance.
GERALDINE GUILLERMIN...
Geraldine Guillermin comes from Lay, France, a quaint former Roman camp of 700 inhabitants where they “eat some of the finest food and are surrounded by some of the finest
wines.” Mme. Guillermin, who is energetic and values loyal friends, is in her twelfth year of
Journalism Club Student & Proust
Continued from page 22
working at ISB. Reading is her favorite occupation and she has always had a passion for astronomy. When she was nine years old she aspired to be an astronomer, buying pictures of constellations and decorating her room with them. Mme. Guillermin would be happy living anywhere in
the world except Antarctica. She is fond of the color blue, the writer Gilbert Sinoué, Sherlock
Holmes, and Elton John. She admires the architects of the cathedrals of the Middle Ages, the
genius of Hannibal at the Battle of Cannes, and the Antiquity period of history. Mme. Guillermin
dislikes hypocrisy and the use of religion to justify atrocities. The most valuable and grounding
experience of her life was taking care of the elderly in a nursing home at the age of 18. She
people laugh. Mme. Guillermin lives by the motto, “Carpe Diem,” living each day to the fullest.
UPPER:
would most like to be a gifted orator and, if she were in a talent show ,she would like to make
24
ISB IN NUMBERS
ISB in Numbers
1962
22
ISB was Born!
Grade 12 Students
14 French Baccalaureate Students
8 International Baccalaureate Students
2012
ISB turns 50!
25
ISB News
Submissions!
Say it in French. Say it in English.
Say it in the ISB News!
Do You Have Some News to Share With The
ISB Community?
Please send your submissions to [email protected] .
In the subject line, write “For ISB NEWS.” If you submit
images, please send in JPEG format and include captions.
The next ISB News Deadline is Tuesday, December 8.
ISB News is a publication of the ISB Development Office.
For more information about making an ISB Annual Fund donation, please contact France Crespin [email protected] or Vicci Recckio [email protected] in the
ISB Development Office.
You can also make a donation online.
Please visit www.isbos.org (Support ISB) tab.
DECEMBER ISSUE DEADLINE IS DECEMBER 8!
ISB News Submissions
Perhaps you won a competition, played in a concert,
acted in a play, won an award, achieved a goal, took a
fun workshop...
If so, we would love to hear about it!