Primary Newsletter 06/09/2024
Dear Parents and Carers,
It has been great to have the students and staff back in school. Everyone has been very happy to see each other and welcome our new arrivals. I am sure you are getting positive feedback from your children.
In the first few days of school we negotiate a small set of classroom rules to set the tone for the year. We call these the ‘essential agreements’ and all of the students sign up to them. After this teachers carry out initial tasks to see where the students are academically after the holidays. It is surprising how much they forget when they have been out of the swing of school for a few weeks. We know it comes back to them after a week or two, but it helps us to know what to revise. The first IPC units the children study are the Brainwave or Metacognition units where they students think about how they learn best. A big part of this is a ‘growth mindset’. Students are encouraged to realise that making mistakes is part of learning and that we are all capable of learning new things if we give ourselves time and make an effort. We don’t say ‘I can’t do that.’ We say, ‘I can’t do that yet.’ acknowledging that with time and practise we will be able to do it. We also acknowledge that the time and practise it takes may be different for each individual.
In Early Years the students are learning the classroom routines and each other’s names ready to start their first IEYC units. EYF is studying the unit ‘Going places’ and Mrs Harwood set up a campsite in the classroom. It is very exciting. EYR will be starting their unit ‘This is me’ next week. PLease remember Early Years are wearing their sports/PE kit all week and will therefore need at least two sets so they can be washed each day.
In order to learn well children need to be in a relaxed but alert frame of mind. Pressure, anxiety, relation difficulties and so on freezes students’ minds so that they cannot learn. Last year a few of our classes trialled a programme known as the ‘Zones of Regulation’. This year the whole of primary will be following it. Children identify their frame of mind and learn strategies to move themselves back to the ‘green’ zone, which is the mental place where they can learn best. We will be sharing more information on the Zones of Regulation with you soon. You will see images to support the programme displayed in the classroom next time you are in school.
For last week’s class 1 to 5 assembly we talked about why we come to school – What makes it so important to learn? We linked it to our school vision word of Dream and thought about the future. I was really impressed that so many of our students have a clear idea of why they come to school and their goals for the future.
This week’s assembly was about introducing the school song. Last year our music teachers and some students composed a school song but we didn’t get the chance to officially launch it although the choir sang it at the school show. Today all of the class 1 to 5 students had a chance to learn it. We hope it will further engender a sense of belonging and pride in our school. We know all of our students are happy to be here.
ISBe School Song Intro / Verse 1: We’re a school like no other, Supportive to each other Friends from every culture Dress up in every colour House competitions Unique, no repetition Student Council is here Killin’ it like every year Pre-chorus At ISBe, we dream big and head for the stars At ISBe, Achievement is always in sight At ISBe, we celebrate on and on for hours Let ISBe unite, let our passions ignite Verse 2: Music, drama and art, We follow what's in our hearts, At the end of year show, We dance and act like real pros, Sports day is big here, We’re all there and we cheer, The yearly Benelux cup, ISBe Lions always reach the top! (Heeeey!) Chorus: In the heart of Belgium, where cultures unite, Dragons, Phoenix, Unicorns, ISBE shines bright, From every corner of the globe, we stand as one, International School of Belgium, where dreams are spun Where dreams are spun, where dreams are spun
We recently received some of the trophies and medals from the SOF olympiads and these have been presented to students. We are very proud of the academic achievements of some of our students and their excellent results, but we are equally proud of the genuinely kind and pleasant students that try their best every day too. ISBe is a great school to be in.
We already have a variety of events coming up. Dot Day is the 15th September but we will be celebrating the creativity of Dot day the week before. 20th September is ‘World clean up day’. The state of the planet versus monetary gain is such a big issue for our future generations that this year we are going to be having a variety of cleaning up activities in the local area and we hope to join some of the larger activities in Antwerp. Please check out clean up activities in your local area and take your children along. Here is the link for Antwerp https://www.antwerpen.be/info/zwerfvuil-opruimen-met-je-bedrijf-school-of-vereniging#rubrieken-uuid-971b0850-3b59-4e42-8e79-23eab8381318 but there are activities all over Belgium.
I wish you a wonderful weekend and a great week ahead.
If you want to read more about our NEW CLASS 4 TEACHER go HERE.
Read the UPDATE from MS MAC HERE .