FALCON FLYEr - American Overseas School of Rome

FA L C O N
F LY E r
AOSR Falcons celebrating winning the European Boys Varsity Basketball
Div. II Championship in Germany! (Photo courtesy of Michael Abrams,
Stars and Stripes)
Spring 2015
T h e A m e r i can O v e r s ea s s c h ool of r o m e
A Message from Dr. Pfannl, Head of School
As you turn the pages of this edition of the Falcon Flyer, you will see that our school is an incredibly vibrant
learning environment. There are activities going on constantly inside and outside the classroom as we prepare
tomorrow’s global leaders to the meet the challenges of our changing world with courage and integrity.
Congratulations to our Falcon Varsity Boys Basketball team! For the first time in the history of AOSR, we
won the Div. II European Championship in Germany. This win adds to our winning streak this year. In the fall
we came in 1st place in Varsity Boys Volleyball, Varsity Boys Cross Country, followed by Boys Basketball.
Who knows what the soccer and track and field season will have in store for us this spring. GO FALCONS!
On another note, I would like to thank those of you who were able to attend our 2nd Annual
Fundraising Gala in March. We enjoyed a beautiful evening at Villa Laura with a delicious dinner prepared
by AOSR mom Francesca Aielli, all to support the building of our new state-of-the-art Performing and Fine
Arts Center. You’ll be able to read about this exciting project more in this issue.
We’ll be back after the spring break as we get ready for Mayfair and the push towards the end of the school
year. Best wishes to all for a restful spring break.
Above: AOSR’s Global Issues Network club presenting their donations for the UN’s
Cookstove Project and SAFE program to UN representatives and representatives from United
States Mission to the UN Agencies. Read more about GIN’s initiatives in this edition.
AOSR Board News
Message from the AOSR Board Chair
It has been another busy year for the board starting with our Annual Corporation Assembly back in November.
The Assembly saw the election of new Board members who quickly got down to work on the Board’s various
committees. In January, at our Board retreat, we took time to review our goals from last year and set new goals for
2015. This year we are updating our Strategic Plan, developing our long-term financial blueprint and implementing a
fundraising and marketing strategy. Work in these areas will strengthen our School’s capacity so that when approval
is granted, we are ready to build our new state-of-the-art Performing and Fine Arts Center.
In March we held the second AOSR Fundraising Gala. Everyone who attended had a wonderful evening with
excellent food, wine, music, and company. A special thanks to everyone who contributed so generously to this
event. We hope that the Gala will become an established evening that celebrates AOSR’s community and, together
with Mayfair, raises significant funds. This year, the Gala provided an ideal opportunity for Board members to talk
with parents and friends about the Performing and Fine Arts Center project. We spoke about why the building is so
important to AOSR, the time frame for approval and the design features of the Center. Board members talked about
the possibilities for funding the building and how all members of the school community can help.
The evening concluded with dancing and the cutting of a wonderful cake modeled on our new building.
This was later put on display in the gym during Parent -Teacher Conferences, where it received a great deal of
attention. If you want to know more about the Performing and Fine Arts Center and how you can help, contact me at
[email protected] or Dr. Pfannl at [email protected] We would also like to invite you to Mayfair where there will be
Board members available to answer your questions.
Wishing you and your family a very Happy Easter and a safe journey if you are traveling.
Ms. Joanne Martin, AOSR Board Chair
AOSR Board Treasurer Mr. Marco
Figus; Board Chair Ms. Joanne
Martin; Board member and Chair of
the Fundraising Committee Ms. Adele
Rosetti, adressing the guests at the 2nd
Annual Fundraising Gala
Ms. Petrana Colesanti wife
of AOSR Board member
Mr. Edoardo Caltagirone;
Board Chair Ms. Joanne
Martin with architect Mr.
Antonio Rizzo; Board
member Col. Kobi Regev
and his wife Idmit
Towards the Future
Performing and Fine Arts Center
On March 20th, AOSR’s Board of Trustees hosted its 2nd Annual
Fundraising Gala to raise support for our new Performing and Fine Arts
Center. In our global environment, it has been proven that students of
art, drama, music, dance and public speaking learn the advantages of risk
taking and respect for the work of others. These qualities develop into
life-long confidence, leadership and communication skils.
The new Performing and Fine Arts Center will enhance, enrich and
broaden the curriculum and programs available to our students and will
become a visible testament to AOSR’s continuing development and
pursuit of excellence, as well as reinforce our commitment to AOSR’s
mission to prepare tomorrow’s global leaders to meet the challenges of our
changing world with courage and integrity.
Elementary News
Pre-K Contributed by Ms. Magazzu and Ms. Andrews
Celebrating Fathers and Special Friends
The Pre-K children celebrated dads and special friends at our annual
Fathers’ and Special Friends’ Breakfast on March 19th. The Eagles and
Cats were very busy as they prepared for the breakfast.
In the science center and during small group time they baked a yogurt
cake, a fruit tart and made their own butter by shaking heavy cream. In art
they created and painted a very unique envelope holder made of clay and
recycled cds to give as a gift to their guest. The children also described their
dads and what they do together. These special words and thoughts were
written down and presented to the fathers along with their gifts.
As they arrived at school, the Eagles and Cats had breakfast with their guests
and then spent time playing together in the various learning centers. The
children were proud of all their hard work to get ready for this memorable
event and we were happy to have so many dads and special friends join us!
Kindergarten
Contributed by Ms. Cuenca and Ms. Kirby
Leprechauns, shamrocks, rainbows, oh my!
The kindergarteners have been learning all about Ireland. We
have read a variety of Irish folklore featuring leprechauns,
fairies, and giants, and we’ve made text-to-text connections
between them. We learned that the flag is green, white, and orange,
danced a jig, and explored maps and photographs of Ireland. The
kindergarteners worked with their families to make clever
leprechaun traps, and then placed them around the classroom.
On St. Patrick’s Day, they were amazed to find a path of green
footprints, glitter, and coins in their traps. Unfortunately, no one caught
the leprechaun, but wonderful
kindergarten memories were made!
Elementary News
Contributed by Ms. Tausend and Ms. Warlick
Grade 1
Dear Tooth Fairy...
In first grade this month, students have been learning about the ways to have healthy teeth.
They have read books, learned about tooth tradtions from around the world, enjoyed guest
readers and even kept a record of their own teeth care activities. As a culmination of this work, they
spent time making and sewing a personalized tooth pillow. More than 17 moms and dads joined the
classes to help cut, sew, and decorate the pillows. Now each student has a very special tooth
pillow of their own for when their baby teeth start to fall out! It was a wonderful experience!
Right:
Sewing their
tooth pillows
Busy at work at
reading and writing
workshops
Written by grade 2 students
Grade 2
Gae’s tessellation after
learning about Escher.
Exploring Escher
We recently visited the M.C. Escher exhibit at the Chiostro del Bramante in Rome. Escher was a
famous graphic artist. He made lithograms, woodcuts, and lots of drawings. We learned a lot about
his art and life, including his inspirations from the time he spent in the Netherlands, Italy and Spain.
While we were at the museum we saw lots of amazing mathematical tessellations. One of our favorite
pieces was his work called, Metamorphosis II. It was a very long tessellation that started and ended as a
checker board, but included bees, birds, and fish. We also saw his famous, Drawing Hands sketch. We are still
debating over which hand was drawn first. Before we left the museum, we stepped into a room full
of mirrors where you could see yourself a thousand times! Our wonderful guide at the museum,
Giorgio, taught us a lot. We had a terrific visit and it was an “Escher-mazing” day. We even made
our own tessellations back at school with Ms. Waite and Ms. Joseph! Field trips are the best!
Elementary News
Grade 2
Continued
Digging up Prehistory
We have been learning about early humans and so we visited an experimental archeological site in Blera. First, we
went inside some examples of prehistoric homes. Inside the homes we saw models of spears, drills, and even a loom
that was used for weaving wool into clothing. Second, we dug for artifacts and experienced what it is like to work as
archeologists. Next, we learned that early man used selce (flint), pyrite and mushrooms to start a fire. Archaeologists
know this because these three materials were found in the backpack of a mummified early human that was found in
Italy, named Ötzi. After lunch, we learned how to make pottery and we created our own pinch pots to take home.
We really dug this bone-tastic field trip!
Grade 3 Contributed by Ms. Antinucci and Mr. Shaffer
Preparing for Paestum
Third graders continue to learn about all things Greek and are excited for our trip to visit Paestum in May. As part
of our social studies program this semester we have studied about the Mycenaean civilization of ancient Greece. We
researched the archeological discoveries found, and challenged ourselves in building replicas of the Beehive tombs
. In language arts we have recently focused on the
and Trojan horses. Below are some of our models.
fantasy genre with fairytales, discovering that not all of us know the same ones!
Depending on what culture we are from, we are familiar with different tales. We are
presently using our vivid imaginations to write our very own original fairytales. It
is no surprise our “once upon a time” can
go back to Ancient Greece!
Work = Force x Distance
How much work did you do today? Can you measure it? The third
graders can! They’ve been learning about simple machines and how they
make work easier. Using the equation Work = Force x Distance, they’ve
created experiments to find out how much work each machine is
doing to lift a load. The four simple machines they’ve tested are a lever,
an inclined plane, a wheel and axle, and a pulley. As you can see, there has
been a lot of work happening in the third grade classrooms.
Elementary News
Written by grade 4 students
Grade 4
“Find something you’re passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it.” ~Julia Child
The fourth graders are typing up recipes on their Symbaloo page
for everyone to see using Google Docs. We have worked hard to
learn how to format our text, photos, and other document elements.
With these recipes, you can prepare the food at home by
yourself. The recipes come from all over the world. These recipes
are our favorite ones and we will print a book of them that will
also be in the Elementary Library. Each student chose his or her
own favorite to include. We designed and created the cover and
chapter illustrations as well.
You will love it!
Cover
design
Inspired by their visit to the Norman Rockwell exhibit, fourth graders are
by
currently working on a project with Ms. Joseph where they have created
Yuyoung C.,
a photo tableau based on a vacation they have taken recently. They are
Livia S.,
currently using PhotoShop to change their backgrounds and personalize
Angelica P.
their tablaeu even more. While Mr. Rockwell depicted scenes from everyday
life in America, our students are depicting scenes from all over the world.
Contributed by Ms. Rumsby and Ms. Schneider
Grade 5
A Lesson in Social Entrepreneurship
Fifth grade was honored to host Ms. Jessica Hansen from KIVA, a microfinance company. Kiva
is a non-profit organization that allows people to lend money (microfunds) via the Internet to
low-income/underserved entrepreneurs and students in over 70 countries. At no cost to our school, as Ms.
Hansen was funded by Citibank, she came to talk to us about her work as a social entrepreneur. Ms. Hansen
spoke to many students from 5th grade all the way up to seniors in high school. She spoke to us particularly
about her work with refugees. Fifth graders sat and listened attentively for over one and a half hours, which is a
feat in itself! She is a truly inspiring speaker and touched our hearts in so many ways. Ms. Hansen also left
us with ‘loan codes’ from a benefactor who wanted students to decide which projects they would like to fund
from the ones that KIVA is offering. The amazing thing about these micro-loans is that they have a 99%
payback rate, far above the payback rate for other banks that generally refuse to lend to people in
poverty. You can check out KIVA links to downloadable curriculum and handouts at www.KivaU.org.
Elementary News
Grade 5
Continued
On March 20th, the same date as the Spring Equinox, the Moon passed
between the Earth and the Sun. In Rome, this caused a partial solar
eclipse and 5th grade made very simple pinhole projectors in order to
view it. All you need are two pieces of strong white card. First, puncture one piece of card in the middle with a push pin. Make sure the hole
is flat. With your back to the sun hold the punctured card at shoulder
height and aim the beam of light that comes through the hole onto the
other card which you should hold at arm’s length away from you. Adjust the card until you get a good projected image.
With our pinhole projectors we observed the eclipse at about 10:00 am
and again at its zenith at about 10:30 am., when about 62% of the sun
was covered. The next solar eclipse to occur in Europe will be in August of 2026, so we wanted to be sure we didn’t miss this one!
ES Field Trips
Grade 3 students had a great visit to
Castel Sant’Angelo in Rome
Grade 4 journal writing at the Etruscan ruins
in Cerveteri
Grade 2 students at Blera, in front of a
replica of a cave painting
Kindergarteners visit Teatro Brancaccio
to see Fumbles
Elementary News
Read and Write Across AOSR Day!
Contributed by Ms. D’Aquanni
The more that you read, the more things you will know.
The more that you know, the more places you’ll go.
~Dr. Seuss
On March 2, elementary school celebrated our love for reading and writing with Read and Write Across
AOSR Day, a new AOSR tradition.
Throughout this fun-filled day, students were engaged in special activities to promote a love for reading and
writing. Many classes held birthday celebrations for the late Dr. Seuss, the beloved children’s author who
wrote many books including The Cat in the Hat and Horton Hears a Who.
Along with elementary teachers and students, parents, administrators, secondary teachers and
secondary students also took part in the fun. Many volunteered to visit elementary classrooms to read
their favorite books to our younger students. This event is a great way to celebrate and share the love and
passion for reading, and is also a fantastic way to connect our AOSR community from our ‘little whos’ in
Pre-K all the way to our administrators and parents.
AOSR Libraries
Vatican Library Visitors
Contributed by Ms. Rahm, Secondary Librarian
The Vatican Library School of Library Science (Scuola Vaticana di Biblioteconomia) visited on March 9th. It has
been 30 years since the first time they came to our campus in 1995. The Scuola Vaticana di Biblioteconomia was
created by Pope Pius XI in 1934. The Pope himself had a personal experience as a librarian and considered the library
a place which fosters the love for study and knowledge: a place which is good for the soul.
Professor Ciminello, with 45 students coming from many regions of Italy, visited both the Elementary School Library
and the Secondary Library. Dr. Pfannl greeted the students in both libraries. Vatican Library students were extremely
interested in learning about American school libraries where the love of reading and respect for community resources
is fostered from an early age.
Vatican Library students were interested in the automation and circulation programs used in both libraries. It was
important to them to understand our AOSR libraries’ cataloging procedures, as well as details about each library’s
important role in our students’ academic and community lives. It was interesting to learn that it takes about a week to
catalog a book in the Vatican Library, while it takes about 10 minutes to catalog one of our books.
Professor Ciminello presented a donation to our AOSR libraries of a volume titled: One Hundred Images of the
Nineteenth Century From the Photographic Collection Of The Vatican Apostolic Library. The volume, cataloged
in the Secondary Library, is both in English and Italian. It contains beautiful 19th Century pictures of several cities
including Rome, Florence, Venice, Pisa and Urbino.
It is a wonderful privelege to have this continued relationship and sense of community between our school and the
Vatican Library, we look forward to welcoming them again in the future.
RISA 2015
Rome International Schools Association
Annual Conference
‘for teachers, by teachers’
On March 14th, AOSR hosted the Annual Rome International Schools
Association (RISA) Conference. This year’s conference welcomed
close to 250 participants from 16 international schools in Rome.
Dr. Michael Thompson, a world renowned consultant, author and
psychologist specializing in children and families was this year’s
keynote speaker. He has worked with more than 700 schools throughout
the United States and internationally. We were also fortunate to have him
host several mini-sessions throughout the week for AOSR parents and
small student groups.
Following Dr. Thompson’s keynote address were the two workshop
sessions including more than 25 different presentations ranging in
topics from Mindfulness to music education, educational technology,
math, science and teaching language and reading. AOSR
was represented well with 11 faculty members hosting workshops. All
presentations were ‘for teachers, by teachers’, supporting RISA’s
founding goal to encourage intra-school communication and
collaboration among Rome international schools.
Dr. Michael Thompson presenting
his keynote address
Preparing Tomorrow’s Global Leaders
AOSR’s National Honor Society (NHS) hosted it’s 2nd Annual Leadership Conference with an impressive
guest speaker list including; US Ambassador David Lane, US Deputy Chief of Mission, Kathleen Doherty,
Officer in Command Engineering Security Office of the US Embassy, Mr. James Johnston and Professor
Emilio Iodice, Director of Loyola University of Rome. Speakers also included AOSR parents Mr. Javier
Martinez, Mr. Marcus Snipe, Captain Anthony Parisi, Dr. Marja Pronk, and Ms. Annamaria Marasi, former
Italian national volleyball team captain. The students in attendance said they really liked that the speakers
represented a variety of careers ranging from politics to athletics. The students particularly commented that
they liked the personal examples and reflections that the speakers shared with them.
“With strong foundations, hard
work and academics, one
can achieve true leadership
qualities.”
~ Chailert O. (Gr.12)
Mr. Marcus Snipe
Captain Parisi
“Leadership is based on your surrounding circumstances.
You can be a leader in the various roles in your life.”
~Dongmin S. (Gr.11)
Ms. Annamaria Marasi
Falcons Rise to the Challenge
AOSR Geography Bee
Contributed by Mr. Shaffer
The coastal city of Monrovia, settled in the 1820s by
freed American slaves, is located in which present
day African country?
This was one of the questions that the contestants in the
first ever AOSR Geography Bee had to answer. On March
3rd, 2015, fifth through eighth graders battled hard as they
answered questions about continents, countries and cultures.
In the end, Brando M. (Gr. 5) was the champion! A special
thank you to Mr. Shaffer, a third grade teacher, who organized
the entire event!
Congratulations go out to all of this year’s participants who
spent an afternoon after school, and before homework to
challenge themselves even more. It’s not too early to
start practicing for next year’s bee! By the way, in case
you’re still scratching your head about the question above,
the answer is, Liberia.
Pupils of Rome International Mathematics Event
Contributed Ms. Hogan and Ms. Ellyson
AOSR Middle School students participated in the Pupils of Rome International Mathematics
Event (PRIME), hosted this year by Ambrit. Six international schools participated including AOSR. Our
AOSR Falcons won first, second, and seventh place out of 17 teams competing! Being successful in
math team competition involves knowing some math, but it also involves students working in teams to
solve complex problems. This is where our teams excelled. Our students proved to be both talented
mathematicians and marvelous ambassadors for our school. Congratulations to all our mathletes!
Second place winners: Elinor T.F.
(Gr. 8), Jason L. (Gr. 6),
Josh M. (Gr. 8)
Yoojin S. (Gr. 8), Mrs. Hogan,
Theo L. (Gr. 8), Yixin K., (Gr. 8)
Giovanni C. (Gr. 8),
Simone C. (Gr. 8),
Cata J. (Gr. 7)
AOSR Welcome
New ES and MS/HS School Secretaries
Elementary School Secretary, Ms. Pamela Porreca was born in Naples, Italy and moved
to Rome when she was one year old. As a child, she moved to Philadelphia, PA (USA) with
her family because her dad worked for the Italian Navy and she attended school there for four
years. Ms. Porreca earned a degree in Foreign Languages and Literature at the Universita’degli
studi della Tuscia. She spent several months at the University of Glasgow during her last
year of college, with the ERASMUS project. Married since 2002, she has two children,
Mattia who is in 5th grade and Rebecca who is in 4th grade. The last, but not least member
of the family is Nikita, their German shepherd. Ms. Porreca says “Traveling is my main
interest. I believe it is the only way that allows our minds to open to the variety of cultures
and ways of living.”
Secondary School Secretary Ms. Chiara Creason was born in Rome and is an AOSR
alumna. Her parents worked in the Foreign Service, so she had many opportunities
to travel the world and live in several countries as a child. After graduating from
AOSR, she attended Università la Sapienza where she studied Arabic and Turkish,
and then LUMSA University where she earned a degree in modern languages. She
has worked in the health unit of the American Embassy here in Rome, and also as
an interpreter for a film production company. Having played soccer for seven years,
Ms. Creason loves sports, especially soccer and is a proud AS Roma fan! After all
of her traveling, Ms. Creason says, “I’m happy to be part of a community that feels
like home. It’s great to be back!”
AOSR Gymnastics
Contributed by Gymnastics Coach, Ms. Costa
On Sunday, the 10th of May we will have our annual
GYM CUP at AOSR where all our gymnasts will have the
opportunity to perform the skills they have been learning in
gymnastics throughout the year. We will also be performing
our floor routine and are very excited to share it with our
AOSR community. We invite all families, friends, teachers
and faculty to come and cheer for our athletes! Hope to see
you there!
All photos are from the 2014
AOSR GYM CUP
Middle School News
Grade 6 ~ Adventures in Umbria
AOSR 6th graders recently embarked on a five day cultural trip to explore Umbria and learn about the
history of the area. They were guided through the cities of Spoleto, Norcia, Narni and Perugia, and learned
many historical, political and architechtural facts. They also learned about the specific traditions and
customs of each city and how those customs came to be. Do you know why the bread in Perugia is unsalted?
If not, ask a 6th grader!
“I think that if you only listen to yourself
you don’t expand your mind.” ~Nathan C.
“Taking a risk is one of life’s
keys to success.” ~Brandon C.
“Some of the moments we
shared on the trip were the
ones in which we were united
as a big family.” ~Isabella V.
“The orienteering race in
Norcia was fun, challenging
and action packed.” ~ Sam C.
Grade 7 ~ Coast to Coast
Our 7th grade students traveled coast to
coast with their first stop at the crater of
Solfatara, then on to hike Mt. Vesuvius to
continue their study of volcanoes. Their five
day itenerary took them to many UNESCO
World Heritage Sites including the unique tuffa
and limestone town of Sassi Di Matera, the
trulli houses of Alberobello and the Royal
Palace of Caserta. They also enjoyed a hands-on
bread making workshop, a guided tour through
the stalactites and stalagmites in Castellana, and
an adventurous and challenging ropes course in
the treetops.
“I thought the trip was really fun because
we got to go to a lot of cool places. I
think my favorite of the field trip was the
adventure park. That was my favorite place
because we got to do obstacles and the zip
line was the best part.” ~ Zach M.
“The best part of the trip
for me is that I can stay
with friends all the time,
and then we can do things
together all the time. And
about the adventure park, I
was happy when I knew I
could see the finish line.”
~ Simone Z.
Middle School News
Grade 8 ~ Road Trip to Genova & Torino
On the Genova trip, we visited a lot of museums like for
example Galata Museum. The museum was about the ancient times
of Genova. My favorite part was the aquarium; it was full of marine
animals. There was a specific one which I liked called the manatee.
The manatee is a mammal; the average adult manatee is about 10
feet long and weighs between 800 and 1,200 pounds. ~ Luca L
We visited many museums
like the Automobile
Museum, which started
with the very first cars and
ended with some Chinese
prototypes. When we went
to visit Alenia Aermacchi
they treated us very well,
like if we were customers.
They usually only show
their airplanes to buyers so
we were lucky. ~ Sami M
One of my favorite parts was when we went in the
elevator in the cinema museum to the very top of the
building. The cinema museum was built inside of a
Jewish synagogue and it was huge. The glass elevator
went to the very top of the synagogue and we got to
step out onto a platform that went all the way around
the elevator and you could look out and see the view.
The view was very beautiful but being up so high
was a bit frightening. ~ Eden M.
I thought that the Villa Ada
park was the most interesting
and my favorite park of the
field trip because it was very
peaceful. I saw beautiful fish
and also turtles, they rarely
even moved an inch. It was
amazing. I also loved getting
gelato at the gelato stores. It
was so good, I loved it.
~ Blessing A. (Gr. 6)
Roaming in Rome
My favorite part of the Rome trip
was when we went to Villa Ada. Villa
Ada was very fun because we got
to play volleyball, swing on swings,
slide down slides and ride on a metal
duck named Steve. ~ Kylie K. (Gr. 7)
One of the highlights was the
adventure park. It was pretty
fun and at the same time it
was also scary because you
also needed to challenge your
fears. For example, for me the
most challenging part was the
height because I was really
scared of it. After the
adventure park I understood
that you can also stay high in
the trees but still have fun with
your friends because you are
safe. ~ Micol M. (Gr. 7)
Middle School News
Baker Street Irregulars
Contributed by MS Theater Co-Director, Ms. Warlick
Who Poisoned Sherlock Homes?
If you saw the middle school production of The Baker Street Irregulars written by Flip Kobler &
Cindy Marcus, you would know. The Baker Street Irregulars are a group of street children who
assist Holmes from time to time. Upon investigating a mysterious murder at the Wainwright Circus,
Sherlock Holmes mysteriously falls gravely ill and is unable to perform his usual duties. Luckily, the
Irregulars show up and get the low-down from the acrobats, clowns, animal trainers and more.
Seventeen brave and talented middle schoolers played these many fun and interesting roles, all
while making us laugh! A big thank you to Mrs. Tierney-Fife and Ms. Warlick for their
direction and guidance to make this a special experience.
Congratulations to all of the actors for their wonderful, hard work on this production!
High School News
HS Theater
The high school drama class recently presented Check Please! by
Jonathan Rand. The production is a series of vignettes which
follow blind dinner dates that go terribly (but hilariously) awry!
“Be not afraid of greatness.. ”
~W. Shakespeare
____________________________________________
On March 25th and 26th, the Grade 7 Drama students
performed scenes from Twelfth Night and fortunately with
cooperating weather one class was able to perform their
scenes in the Hillside Theater! All grade 7 students have
been reading this work of Shakespeare in their English class
with Mrs. Tierney-Fife and the work is also the selected play
for this year's Shakespeare Festival! All are invited to come
watch the combination Middle and High School performance
of Twelfth Night scheduled at 19:00 on May 21 and 22 in the
Hillside Theater.
High School News
AOSR Model United Nations
Written by Charles B. (Gr. 12)
This past January, I and 15 of my fellow junior and senior high school students traveled to The Hague,
Netherlands to represent AOSR at the International Model United Nations conference. We are part of the Model
United Nations course at AOSR taught by MUN director Dr. Jason Schipper who accompanied us on the trip
along with Language Arts teacher Ms. Daniella Gates, who accompanied as our chaperone. For over 50 years the
International Model United Nations program has served as a program for secondary students to participate
in simulated functioning of the United Nations. The intent of the program is to expose students to critical
thinking about major global issues using authentic United Nations parliamentary procedures and debates. This year,
AOSR sent its largest delegation of students ever.
It was with great honor at the
beginning of the year that I was
given the position of head delegate
and Ambassador for our delegation
and the radiant nation of Antigua
& Barbuda, which we were assigned.
This compelling feeling didn’t come
from the temporary honorary title
that was given to me, but from being
the first one to witness the dedication,
hard work, and organization that
my peers put into this endeavour in
order for it to be successful. Under
the leadership of Dr. Schipper, who thoroughly taught us parliamentary procedure, geopolitics, history, and about
the culture of our tiny Caribbean Island, we went to the largest Model United Nations conference in the world,
with over 3,500 students coming from every corner of the world.
The first day, we descended on the World Forum Center, where the conference took place, and lobbied
for the resolutions of our Antigua and Barbuda delegation. During this phase, the strength of the delegate
is tested, as they have to campaign for the interest and vision of the country that is assigned to their school.
Specifically, they have to lobby on a wide spectrum of issues specific to the nation he or she has became an expert
on. After country alliances were built, while many others disrespected, aligned delegate nations put together a
resolution that they deemed beneficial to the whole world with no negative externalities. Then, for three straight
days, debating of these resolutions took place. Finally, these resolutions were put to the mercy of democracy.
If they passed a vote conducted with the 500+ student General Assembly, the resolution had the likelihood of
being brought to the attention of the actual United Nations Headquarters located in New York, USA.
High School News
MUN continued
In addition to our experiences at the conference during the day,
we had the opportunity to explore and embrace the culture of the
Netherlands by visiting the ‘Venice of the North,’ Amsterdam.
Visiting the Van Gogh Museum with its unique color combinations, the
sight of brilliantly engineered canals, and the overall architecture left
us completely mesmerized by the city and we were all grateful for
the cultural experience.
As I reflect on the trip and specifically the conference itself, I remember
that even after months of preparation and anticipation, when speaking
and interacting in front of a crowd of hundreds of other students who
are armed to the teeth with their own political agenda in form of resolution,
my heartbeat was still kicking like a baby in the womb. Yet we all
overcame our reservations and butterflies and displayed command and
poise in all of our speeches and interactions. The THIMUN (The Hague
International Model United Nations) experience didn’t limit itself to
this; it was also an organic place to grasp tremendous knowledge of
modern global issues. Being surrounded by other students that are equally passionate for foreign politics, and
the United Nations’ goal of reaching an international consensus to problems generates the most thought
provoking conversations where no stones are left unturned. We all left feeling like global political
scholars. Through it all, I believe it is truly one of the most humbling yet rewarding experiences that the
American Overseas School of Rome can provide for its students.
It was through the generosity of the PTO, the significant contribution of
the school administration, and the support of all of our parents (who also
turned into amateur chefs due to the many bake sales we held) that we
were able to attend this conference. Our sincerest thanks to all of them;
you will see from the smiles in our pictures that this was an experience
that we will never forget.
Falcon Sports
This year’s AOSR Annual
Varsity Sports Banquet will
be held on
Monday, June 15th at
18:00 in the gymnasium.
Join us in celebrating all our
varsity Falcon
student-athletes.
High School News
Boys Basketball
Written by Coach Davis and Team Captain Leonardo P. (Gr. 12)
WOW! AOSR Boys Varsity Basketball Team won the school’s 1st European Boys Basketball
Championship! It was very special because we dedicated this basketball season to our beloved AOSR teacher
and alumnus, Jonus Ullman. Mr. Ullman was a big sports fan, loved basketball, and was always present at our
7:00 am practices looking in on us. This season I would look up in the bleachers during our morning practice and
he was always there in spirit. We played and practiced with such passion, hence the motto work hard, play hard.
After our captain, Leo P. suffered an injury right before Europeans, we as a team, also dedicated the European
Championships to Leo. We played Baumholder and won 63-40, a treat for assistant coach Daryll Sandoval who
played for AOSR in 2009 when we suffered a loss of the Division III Championship by only four points to
Baumholder. Congratulations go to Otis R. (Gr. 10) who was awarded All Tournament and MVP, and Greg C. (Gr.
12) who was awarded All Tournament. We have young men from all over the world on our team and we are family.
We played together, and helped each other on the court, and off the court.
It was an honor and a pleasure being their coach. Twenty guys coming together who are now friends for
life. As coaches, Daryll Sandoval and myself, Coach Phil, we will enjoy that memory and feeling today and for
years to come. Congratulations to the 2015 Boys Varsity Basketball European Division II Champions.
GO FALCONS!
Greg C. (Gr. 12)
Otis R. (Gr. 10)
On the front of our sweatshirts we wrote “DREAMSZN”, which stands for “Dream Season”, and it is exactly what
this season was about. This was a season based on fulfilling our dreams. Now, each and everyone of us had a
specific dream for themselves, whether it was to dunk, hit more three-pointers, or simply learn to play a better game.
But most importantly we all shared one dream in common: Win the European Championships for the school’s very
first time. This dream has been passed on for many years by past players, such as our new assistant coach and former
guard, Daryll Paul Sandoval, and our famous coach, Phil Davis. Although we started off on the wrong foot with a pair
of losses to Aviano, and have had our portion of low-performing games like any team, this year was different as we
succeeded in fulfilling our ambitious dream of bringing that long-deserved Championship title home to AOSR,
and in the process we all improved both individually and as a team. When it started out I was curious to
see how all those new puzzle pieces were going to fit in and help depict our picture of victory and family, and
frankly I can say that I couldn’t be more proud and thankful for each and every addition to our team. They all gave
something, whether it was a speech or just a word to break out to. We decided to dedicate this entire season to
one of our biggest fans, Mr. Jonas Ullman. My teammates insisted on also dedicating their championship games
to me, after my injury during senior night. My injury, although unfortunate, showed me that the bond we all have
between each other, is actually way stronger than what I had thought. They visited me, sent me messages, and
wrote “Picchi #33” on their left shoe, then our Falcons flew to Germany where they continued a dream that was
passed on by generations, and they came back to leave something new: a legacy, which we hope will be maintained
in the future years.
~Team Captain, Leonardo P. (Gr. 12)
High School News
Written by Team Captain Olivia M. (Gr. 12)
Cheer Team
AOSR’s 2014-2015 Cheerleading team has
been a great success all season. We are a great group
of guys and girls who mesh well together, work hard
and are serious about the sport. We’ve grown as friends
and as a family, making this year one of the best in
recent AOSR Cheer history. Everyone picked up
quickly on the hard work, skills, and dedication
that is needed to perform a solid routine as
well as a supportive and energetic sideline team.
This year’s squad has a very high level of spirit and
passion for the teams we are cheering for, as well as
for our own team. We have come so far since the
beginning of the year and we executed a good routine
when we represented AOSR at Europeans.
For the seniors, cheering our last game was
the boys basketball Championship game, which was
exciting and very rewarding. Recently, we also
performed our routine at Italian Nationals and
won 3rd place in Senior Coed Cheer Routine and
1st place in Game Time Cheer. It has been a very
successful, exciting season and we thank everyonewho
participated and traveled throughout the season!
We love you all!
Written by Team Captain John G. (Gr. 11)
Wrestling
In my first year as team captain, and second year wrestling, I've seen a lot of growth in the AOSR
Wrestling Squad's character. I've seen previously unmotivated guys forge themselves into competent,
dedicated members of the team. I've seen a greater sense of camaraderie amongst all the guys. I've seen
the first two AOSR wrestlers to make it to Europeans in over 15 years. I've seen a group of six boys be
tutored by great coaches, Marco Tincani and Mark Kibler. And I've seen a squad of six guys improve
immensely. I can’t wait to see what we will achieve next year!
High School News
Girls Basketball
Written by Team Captain Alison C. (Gr.12)
The girls basketball team had many high and low points in the
2014-2015 season. We started strong with two victories over
Sigonella but then lost two games against Aviano the following
week. However, we redeemed ourselves when we returned to
Aviano to play against Division 2 German teams Aunsbach and
Hoenfells. We won both and played our hearts out with most
definitely the closest game we had encountered, winning by only
one point against Hoenfells.
Unfortatetly we were unable to perform with our
usual zeal in Germany for Europeans, but what is
important is that this season we came together through
thick and thin, and learned a lot about teamwork,
individual responsibilities and basketball.
Operation Smile Fun Run
AOSR participated in the Operation Smile Fun Run for the first time! The run took place in conjunction with the
Rome Marathon on Sunday, March 22nd. AOSR raised enough money to fund operations for four children to
repair their cleft lips. The AOSR PTO and National Honor Society also donated one smile each, bringing our
total to six! The team of doctors will meet in Madagascar in April to preform these operations. These children
will now enjoy beautiful smiles for life! Thank you to all who registered to run and to those who offered their
time, efforts or resources to make this a successful event.
High School News
AOSR Global Issues Network
Contributed by GIN sponsor Ms. St. Onge
On March 19th, delegates Sophi M. (Gr. 10), Jesulayomi A. (Gr. 12), Anna C. (Gr. 11), Vanessa S. (Gr. 10),
Oluwasayo A. (Gr. 10), Yoojeong S. (Gr. 10), Emmy L. (Gr. 9 ), and Pantea T. (Gr. 9 ), from AOSR’s Global Issues
Network (GIN) attended the 10th annual GIN conference in Milan. After three days of intense schedules, the
conference concluded with inspirations, a broader global vision, and new friendships. Our delegates gave two
presentations on global gender inequality issues and our effort to help improve women’s education by working with
both the Cookstove Project (a UN initiative) and the Grandmother Project. Our presentations sparked passionate
discussions with the audience and a welcoming sign was that male participation in our second presentation rose
by 900%! This helped show us our mission to promote gender equality got the attention of our male counterparts.
At the end of the conference, we had valuable reflection time and we wrote our action plan for next year, which
Anna and Vanessa presented on stage. A compliment came from another school, who remarked in their action plan
presentation that their GIN team was inspired by our presentations and had made plans to pursuit the same cause
next year. We spent Saturday evening and Sunday exploring Milan before heading back to Rome. We visited the
Duomo and the castle. Even with a grey sky, we had lots of fun and we came back informed and inspired.
This year we have conducted many fundraisers like
bake sales, movie night, and one Euro day. We have
raised €2000 thus far and these funds will be donated
to the Cookstove Project and the Grandmother
Project. We have also participated in the One
Billion Rising worldwide movement to combat
violence against women. AOSR GIN Club will
continue our work on promoting gender equality,
and we aim to involve more participation from both
genders within our school and local community next
year.
High School News
Declamations
Contributed by Ms. Gates and Ms. Sykes
Declamation is a time-honored tradition at AOSR going back decades. It has transformed over the years but the
spirit and importance of the event has remained.
This year’s theme was “commitment.” Each 11th grade AOSR student chose a literary text that inspired them and
also fit with the theme. After weeks of preparation, they presented their choices for their teachers, Ms. Sykes and
Ms. Gates, and for each other. From this initial recitation, 11 finalists were chosen based on their merit in four
categories: quality of literature, memorization, vocal interpretation and physical interpretation.
On Tuesday March 10th, these 11 students presented their pieces for the high school in an assembly that would
ultimately yield the final winner(s) of the contest. The judges are always AOSR staff and faculty that are
also alumni of the school along with the winner(s) from last year. This year our judges were Mr. Zacaroli,
Ms. Telmon, and Jesulayomi A. (Gr. 12), last year’s winner.
This year’s finalists were truly spectacular. They held their audience’s attention from start to finish with
beautifully rendered extracts from pieces ranging from Spoken Word poetry to films to speeches. Our final
winner this year is Anna C. (Gr.11) with her excerpt from “How to Live With Someone Who Can’t” by
Antonella Gonzalez. It was an unforgettable day for all and our finalists deserve great respect and much praise
for handling exquisitely what is a very challenging task. We are already looking forward to next year! Go to
AOSR.org to view this year’s finalists’ declamations.
Alumni News
San Francisco & New York City
AOSR and the American University of Rome (AUR) were honored to host
two alumni gatherings this winter, one in San Francisco and the other in New York City. Our San
Francisco gathering on February 8th was the first joint event with AUR. It was wonderful to see our
alumni connect and share their special memories of time spent in the Città Eterna. On February 23rd, in
New York City, we again partnered with AUR and neither sleet nor snow detered our more than 70 guests
who gathered and showed that once you become a part of the AOSR family - you will always be family!
A special thank you to AUR and all our alumni who attended to make these
events memorable for all.
Elementary News
Math is Everywhere!
Contributed by Ms. Warlick and Ms. Rumsby
Math is a universal language. We can all communicate through math. On March 31st AOSR elementary students
celebrated math learning by having a Math Day! Students in grades Pre-K through five engaged in different
math activities throughout the day. The culmination of this work was our Math is Everywhere! assembly in the
gym. Students from different grade levels shared fun and exciting ideas that focused around math. Kindergarten
students sang a song counting to 100, first graders rapped their way through the doubles addition facts, second
grade students presented math jokes, third graders performed a song about geometry set to the tune of Lady
Gaga’s hit song Pokerface, and we all joined in with fifth grade as they clapped and snapped a pattern, getting
faster with each round. The ceremony ended with the entire Elementary School, teachers and students included,
following a Just Dance routine in the gym. We really proved that math is everywhere and in everything! What a
great way to come together and share learning before spring break!
Around Campus
Faculty & Staff Appreciation Luncheon
On April 1st, PTO hosted its
annual Teachers and Staff
Appreciation Lunch. The lunch
featured Thai cuisine and a
beautiful spread of delicious,
homemade desserts. An apron
with the AOSR logo on it and
a copy of the famous AOSR
cookbook were given as a
special thank you to all teachers
and staff members.
AOSR Parent Academies
Our AOSR Parent Academy sessions are a wonderful collaboration where parents and
professionals work together to support student success!
Our next session is entitled: Moving On and Transitions
Presenters: Resource & Counseling Department
Location: HS Classroom 2
Intended Audience: All Parents
Date/Time: Wednesday, May 6th, 9:15-10:15
Description: Presentation and discussion focused on what it means to be a
Third or Cross Cultural Kid, and how to successfully navigate the challenges
involved in a high mobility lifestyle. In particular, we will focus on the process of
transitioning for those leaving AOSR, and also provide tips for those who stay behind.
Coming Soon...
MAYFAIR
Come and celebrate with us on Saturday, May 9th, 2015 from 11:00-16:00.
The AOSR PTO has organized many games and prizes for the children, local vendor tables selling
wonderful merchandise, fantastic entertrainment, our very popular raffle baskets and prizes, and
we can’t forget all the delicious food from all over the world, prepred and brought in by our
AOSR families!
Tickets are on sale in the Villa office beginning April 13th.
All proceeds earned from Mayfair help to enrich our school and AOSR community!
Be prepared to enjoy yourself! See you at Mayfair!
**If you would like to learn more about how you can contribute to Mayfair, please contact PTO President
Stacy Mansager at [email protected] .
Important Dates to Remember...
April 13th ~ Classes resume
April 17th ~ 17:15-22:00 - 10th Annual Middle
School Talent Show, BBQ & Dance
April 22nd ~ 19:00-20:30 - Grade 5 performs
Fifth Grade’s Got Talent
April 23rd ~ 18:00-20:00 - NHS Induction
Ceremony & Honor Roll Event
April 29th ~ 19:00 - 21:00 - MS & HS
Spring Concert
May 5th ~ SAT Exams
May 9th ~ 11:00 - 16:00 - Mayfair
May 10th ~ 9:00 - 14:00 - AOSR Gymnastics Competition
May 21st and 22nd ~ 19:00 - 21:00 - Shakespear Festival
May 29th ~ Last Day for After School Activities Session 2
June 5th ~ 19:00 - High School Commencement
June 6th ~ SAT Exams
June 6th ~ Prom - held at the Hotel Forum
June 15th ~ Varsity Sports Banquet
June 17th ~ Last Day for ES & MS students
June 18th ~ Last Day for HS students
TBD ~ 7th and 8th grade dinner & dance
TBD ~ MS & ES Sports Day
Contact Information
Villa Reception and Staff
Villa Secretary: Ms. Manuela Ciocca 06.33438.300
Head of School: Dr. Beth Pfannl 06.33438.331
Secretary: Ms. Domenica Losani 06.33438.331
Director of Finance & Human Resources:
Dott.ssa Elisa Bruno 06.33438.338
Admissions Officer: Ms. Sabine Neumann 06.33438.311
Busing: Mr. Kieran Canter 06.33438.372
Secondary School
Principal: Mr. Ken Kunin 06.33438.326
Secretary: Ms. Anna Chiara Troisi 06.33438.326
Elementary School
Principal: Ms. Melissa Kay 06.33438.395
Secretary: 06.33438.395
Faculty & Coordinators
Pre-K Coordinator: Ms. Amy Magazzu 06.33438.330
ES Coordinator: Ms. Susan Prideaux 06.33438.350
MS Coordinator: Ms. Sarah Ellyson 06.33438.336
AP/IB Coordinator: Ms. Belinda Fiochi 06.33438.337
College Counselor: Ms. Jessica Samet 06.33438.327
School Counselor: Dr. Simona Reichmann 06-33438-373
Nurse: Ms. Lynn Lenox & Ms. Jan Miller 06.33438.321
After School Activities: Ms. Christine Hogan
06.33438.350 (between 9:00-15:30)
06.33438.320 (between 15:30-17:00)
Athletics: Mr. Daniel Zacaroli 06.33438.324
American Overseas School of Rome
811 Via Cassia 00189 Rome, Italy
http://www.aosr.org
Phone: (+39) 06.33438.31 Fax: (+39) 06.3326.2608