aas sofia weekly newsletter · this week @ the library weekly 5 dear parents, the aas library has a...
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Anglo-American School of Sofia, P.O. Box 31, Sofia 1784, Bulgaria Phone: (+359 2) 923 8810, 923 8812 Fax: (+359 2) 923 8859
www.aas-sofia.org
Weekly Newsletter
From the Director’s Desk
AAS Sofia
Dear Anglo-American School Community / Уважаеми родители и приятели на
ААУ,
Something to Ponder
Below is a fictitious yet possibly poignant letter to consider in relation to report
cards…
Dear Mom and Dad,
I’ve asked the receptionist to give you this as soon as you get back from work, so
you’ll know where I am. Ivan’s mom is taking me to the bus station. I will be riding
the bus to Varna. I met a nice girl from there when we were on holidays. She said I
can move in with her.
I am doing this because I feel terrible for setting the house on fire. I fell asleep while
smoking. The fireman said I need to be more careful. I know this is one of many
mistakes I have made. Fortunately, for me, I only burnt my left arm and cracked a
rib while running to save the family photo album. You’ll be glad to know our cat is
okay, too.
Also, someone from school called, they said for you to call back later. I am sorry,
love,
Jimmy
P.S. I am fine and the house is fine. The note is only a joke but my report card is not
so fine. It is enclosed with this note. I have four low grades. I am eating supper at
Ivan’s house. Please call when it is safe for me to come home.
December
The month of December is here. Thus winter is just around the corner. Please see
the following page for some helpful reminders regarding the winter months. The
month of November at school is often a month of learning celebrations,
tournaments and events – it was wonderful seeing so many parents at the many
events hosted at AAS. The month of December often entails performances and
community celebrations. This December is no exception. We hope to see you at
school this month at one or perhaps more of the students’ performances – from
Pre-School students dancing to Grade 12 students performing their own works of
theatre – there is something for everyone. Finally, do not forget the PTO Holiday
Bazaar and Crafts Fair on Saturday, December 13.
Wishing everyone a pleasant weekend,
In Partnership,
Jim Urquhart, Director - Anglo-American School of Sofia
5 Dec: 1st
Trimester reports
go home
11 Dec: Grade 3-5
Winter
Performance
@18:30
13 Dec: PTO
Winter Fair : 3-7
pm
Inside the issue:
1. From the Director’s
Desk
2. Admission Info
3. MSHS News
4. ES News
5. This Week @the
Library
6. Students Share:
Food Drive
7. Arts @ AAS
8. News from
Secondary Athletics/
Activities
9. PTO
10. Announcements
11. FAQ
12. Gallery of the
Week
Upcoming Events
Volume 21, Issue 15 Dec. 5, 2014
AAS
Weekly Admissions Info
2
Admissions for 2015 - 2016
Dear AAS Parents,
It is almost the middle of the school year
and applications for next school year
have already been submitted to our
admissions office. I would like to remind
everyone that we would appreciate
your earliest notification if you plan to
send a younger/youngest child in your
family to AAS next year.
Over the last two years we have experi-
enced a substantial growth in the num-
ber of new inquiries for admissions in Ele-
mentary School. Unfortunately, the num-
ber of vacancies does not match the demand. This is why a later submission of
an application may significantly reduce the chances of your child gaining an
entry. Therefore, we would recommend that you begin submitting the applica-
tion forms to [email protected] in the next several weeks. If you have
any further questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Please note that this announcement refers to younger children in the family who
have never been registered at AAS. It doe not apply to present AAS students.
You may start the process by sending an email with the younger child’s full
name, nationality and date of birth as well as the other older siblings' names and
grade level at AAS. You can find the relevant application checklist on this site:
http://www.aas-sofia.org/page.cfm?p=522
Kindly,
Maria Mihailova
AAS
Weekly MSHS News
3
Dear Secondary School Parent,
It is our pleasure to produce our first of three trimester reports for your son/daughter
over the course of the 2014/15 School Year. Today your daughter/son will be given
a first trimester report highlighting the teachers’ assessments of ‘each’ student’s
progress thus far. The entire AAS community has focused on assessment and
reporting over the past couple of years. We continue to do so in this school year as it
is a dynamic process of refining and adapting with a goal of being able to meet our
mission.
Back in October we highlighted the progress and content covered in each course
your son/daughter is enrolled through the Wolf Den. In the Trimester report you will
see today, teachers have reported on learning habits as they are crucial
connections between academic progress and the deeper goals of learning. For
students in grades 6 and 7 you will notice that teachers will also report on progress
against a set of academic/content standards reflecting the curriculum being
taught. As well, every student will find a report of ‘Overall Academic Progress” to
date.
While the purposes of grading and assessment vary from school to school, our policy
and approach has been designed to align with other international and IB schools to
keep the focus entirely on learning. Our formal Assessment Policy states,
“Assessment at the Anglo-American School of Sofia is intended to enhance
teaching and learning and ultimately to promote student understanding and
achievement.” As such, you will also find an individualized comment intended to
highlight successful achievements as well as areas of growth and learning for
students going into the next trimester and beyond as they explore and access
deeper and new components of our curriculum.
We hope this report continues a reflective process for your child that you are
strongly encouraged to participate in towards their continued growth AND areas of
success. We, as their teachers, want to invite you into this discussion and encourage
you to communicate with us as you participate in this learning journey. We are here
to guide, assist and collaborate in this process.
Jeff Marquis,
MSHS Principal
AAS
Weekly ES News
4
AAS
Weekly This Week @ the Library
5
Dear Parents,
the AAS Library has a new section
completely devoted to you! Stop by
and check out a book from our NEW
Parent Resource Center. With
gracious donations from Ms. Laura
Markov, ES Counselor, and a re-
shelving of books already in the
collection, this new section is
dedicated to helping you find the
parenting resources you need. Books
and CD’s on topics such as Love &
Logic, social issues, parenting a teen,
helping with homework, and raising
children with values can all be found
here.
AAS
Weekly Students share: Food Drive
6
So much food has been collected! THANK YOU! A variety of math, science and
language activities have happened in many of the classrooms related to the food
drive. Our HS Student Council leaders
learned a lot from organizing the event,
and the Bulgarian language students
surely extended their food vocabulary
while sorting and packing! Well done all
of us! The most exciting part - the visits
with our buddies from The Deaf School,
The Elderly Home and Hospice Milo-
surdie are planned for next week. We
are not only going to deliver food, but
we hope to bring joy and light with our
songs and surprises.
We will still accept your donations
through Monday, December 8.
БЛАГОДАРЯ!
By Ms. Rossitsa Anastassova, MS/HS/IB Bulgarian
AAS
Weekly Arts @AAS
7
Dear Community,
Don't miss this opportunity to
witness our senior IB Theatre
class at the peak of their
powers! Welcome to the IB
Theatre, Class of 2015,
Graduation Show in the
Black Box Theatre!
Wed 17 Dec at 19:00
Thu 18 Dec at 16:00
Willy Russel's Blood Brothers is
a fast-paced one-act play
and incredibly demanding
on the performers. Our
students are not performing
the rather sterile West End
musical, but rather the raw,
edgy studio play that Russell
developed with his Young
People's Theatre Company in
Liverpool.
This performance is certainly
not to be viewed by
Elementary School students.
There is no charge for
admission, but please reserve
seating to avoid
overcrowding. Send a
message to mmerrick@aas-
sofia.org to reserve a seat.
Students can even book a late bus after the Thursday performance.
A Liverpudlian West Side Story: twin brothers are separated at birth because their
mother cannot afford to keep them both. She gives one of them away to wealthy
Mrs Lyons and they grow up as friends in ignorance of their fraternity until the
inevitable quarrel unleashes a blood-bath. (Publisher, Methuen)
'Willy Russell is less concerned with political tub-thumping than with weaving a
close-knit story about the working of fate and destiny ...it carries one along with it
in almost unreserved enjoyment" (The Guardian)
Michael Merrick
Theatre Education
AAS
Weekly Secondary Athletics/Activities
8
Unbelievable participation for Basketball in
the Middle School
The МS participation this season has been
staggering with over half of our entire
school participating in basketball practices
on Tuesday and Thursday. This is exciting
news as research has proven that when
young adolescents engage in daily
physical activity they have an increase in
endorphins (the “happy” chemical); they
have more concentration in school; and
they build and maintain healthy bones and
muscles to name just a few benefits.
MS Boys Basketball Intramural Update:
Team 1 was victorious over Team 2 with a
score of 24-14. Please be reminded that
games are now on A and C days from
11:30-11:50am.
AAS Robotics participated in the First Lego League
Competition in Vienna.
Congratulations to Stefan, Sotiris and Jamieson for
receiving the prestigious Judges Award in Vienna last
weekend. The entire tournament was conducted in
German, thus it was impressive that the boys
managed a 5th place finish. The description of the
Judges Award is described as, during the course of
competition, the judges may encounter teams whose
unique efforts, performance or dynamics merit
recognition. Some teams have a story that sets them
apart in a noteworthy way. Sometimes a team is so
close to winning an award that the judges choose to
give special recognition to the team. Judges Awards
allow the freedom to recognize remarkable teams.
HS Boys and Girls Basketball Games @ AAS on December 10
Come join our Wolves in games against the American College. Girls
will play at 4:00 pm and boys will play at 5:30 ,pm. On Friday
December 12 the boys will have a game at 5:30 pm against the
Finance School.
MS Basketball Invitational January 23 & 24, 2015 There has been a
change of date, so please mark it on your calendar! Please be
reminded that we will have a friendly invitational basketball
tournament for middle school boys and girls on January 23 and 24,
2015.
HS Knowledge Bowl has started! Practices are every Tuesday and
Thursday from 3:45-5:15 pm. Eight lucky participants will be invited
to compete in Budapest on February 5-8, 2015. See Ms. O’Leary for
more details.
AAS
Weekly PTO
9
AAS
Weekly PTO
10
AAS
Weekly PTO
11
Our AAS parent, photographer Katarzyna Lason will join the Winter Fair,
Saturday, December 13th, from 3 -7 pm.
You can book a professional photo session online, here
The price is 25 BGN. For more details, please contact her at [email protected]
Thank you,
Your PTO
Sign up link:
https://docs.google.com/a/aas-sofia.org/spreadsheets/d/1w9D0evifvhtuYPZQeo-
aWeFhZ7i_YVBsfF7i_JcuZeo/edit#gid=0
AAS
Weekly Frequently Asked Questions
Important contact information:
Reception: Ivanka Papazova (Miss Vanya)
Tel: (+359 2) 923 88 10; mobile: 0889 428 324
Director: Jim Urquhart
Director’s Secretary: Elise Staevska
Tel: (+359 2) 923 88 12, Fax: (+359 2) 923 88 59
Director of Teaching and Learning: Shary Marshall
ES Principal: Tim Fries Nurses: Diana Docheva, Valentine Ivanov
[email protected] [email protected], [email protected]
MS/HS Principal: Jeff Marquis Communications: Svetla Stoyanova
[email protected] [email protected]
IB Coordinator: Kaylene Connell AAS Cafe (LFS Catering): Manager Peter
Gavrilov
[email protected] [email protected] 0884-668104
HS Counselor & College Advising: ES Counselor: Laura Giosh-Markov
David Stephenson [email protected]
Athletics Director, MS Counselor: Facilities / Operations: Todor Todorov
Andie Urquhart [email protected]
Registrar: Dola Kay Admissions / Alumni: Maria Mihailova
[email protected] [email protected]
Security: Tzvetan Bashev 0885 146 863 Transportation Coordinator: Zhivko Vichkov
[email protected] [email protected] 0889 901 916
Note:
To contact a member of staff by telephone, please call the reception number. Staff emails are
available from our website: www.aas-sofia.org/contact
Please visit our website on www.aas-sofia.org to find the latest information about our school.
Become a fan of the Anglo-American School of Sofia on Facebook or follow @AAS_Sofia
on Twitter.
16 12
AAS
Weekly The School Week Gallery
13
Well done, boys and girls —great fun at the
second grade dance last night!
Composting
Projects—
our students
are
responsible.