Welcome This part of the year is always full of moments to celebrate and reflect and full of hellos and goodbyes. I am excited to share with you that our new Principal, David Jones, will be visiting the school at the end of this month and is very much looking forward to his first visit. He introduces himself below and more information about the visit will follow. To all members of the BSQ community, As your incoming Headteacher, I have been invited to briefly introduce myself to you prior to my forthcoming visit to the school at the end of May. Firstly, I would like to convey to you all the great sense of pride that I feel in having been given the opportunity to work with you. As a Headteacher with many years of experience in Latin America, I am aware of the British School of Quito’s reputation as a leader in British international education and I am absolutely delighted to be joining you. For the past few months, I have been working closely with Orbital Education, Mrs Newman and other BSQ community members so that I can adapt and integrate as quickly and effectively as possible for the start of the new academic year. That said, let me now try to introduce myself to you as succinctly as possible. My name is David, and I am originally from North Wales. After graduating from Middlesex University, I trained as a Geography teacher at London University’s Institute of Education and later studied for a master’s degree at the LSE. I have been working as a professional educator for over 35 years in the UK, Africa, and Latin America. Over the years I have worn many different hats and worked across a wide variety of age groups as a teacher, consultant, director, and headteacher, but I am always happiest when I find myself fortunate enough to work directly with young people. I like to think of myself as someone who is approachable and always willing to listen. I am a passionate supporter of sustainable and inclusive education and an advocate for community participation and the student voice. I am happily married and have two adult daughters. We are a bilingual family (English and Spanish) and currently live, work and study in Mexico City. When I get the chance I enjoy walking, fly fishing, and meeting people. My wife and I are looking forward to moving to Ecuador and getting to know you all over the coming months. From what I have already learned about the BSQ community I feel confident that this will be the start of a new and happy chapter in our ongoing growth and development. Yours respectfully, David Jones Road Awareness Day On Thursday 28th April the whole of primary took part in a day all about road safety, learning the importance of wearing a seat belt, how to stay safe whilst riding a bike, how to read different road signs and creating video adverts informing others of how to keep safe as a passenger or as a driver. As parents and careers, it is our responsibility to encourage our children to wear their seat belts. It is often easy to say, the trip was short, I am a safe driver, they have always been safe before. However, you can’t plan for other drivers on the road, accidents happen and if your children or yourselves are not wearing your seatbelt you are 50% more likely to be seriously injured or die. Key facts
Not only is it important for all persons in a car to be wearing a seat belt, but it is also vital that they wear the correct car or booster seat. Please see the graphic below to help you know what your child needs. We had this day to promote safety for all of our students, to help them understand the importance of staying safe on the roads and in the cars. We hope to see all of our students putting their seat belts on in your cars at the drive-through and using the correct car or booster seat. Please see the poster the children created as well as photos of the day below. Year 5-6 winners: Indie, Franchesca, Victoria, Martina, Natalia British Sign Language (BSL) This week two of our Primary students will be demonstrating two new signs: sun and rain, using BSL. Please watch this brilliant video: Ms. Hayley Dean, KS2 Lead Music Corner Reception students are starting to develop their musicianship by relating notes to colours and playing xylophones. They are learning a familiar song called Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and enjoying the outcomes. As a teacher I feel very proud of them and how fast they all understand music. Ms. Valeria Cano, Music Teacher Message from the PA - Family Funday Dates for your Diary As always please check this section carefully and ensure that you have all the details in your calendars.
Mrs. Emma Newman Principal Being BSQ – Primary Update The past few weeks have seen an exciting new development, with our Primary BSQ students joining Mr Ruiz and Mr Edwards for swimming lessons for the first time in over two years. The enjoyment and delight was clear to see, alongside a little trepidation, as the students faced a new challenge and set of routines. The teachers were all extremely proud of their students’ resilience and determination to demonstrate their water skills. We then hosted an Ocean Awareness Day, with the majority of the Primary students supporting our Secondary CAS students in raising our awareness of pollution in our oceans and motivating people to take more care of the marine environment. The money raised (over $400 at the last count) will enable a group of CAS students to support an NGO called Mingas por el Mar, that encourages fishermen and divers to help collect garbage in difficult places that people cannot reach, alongside providing training and give talks to local people and public schools. The Road Safety Awareness Day led and organised by Ms Dean really highlighted the importance of road safety and keeping safe at all times when on a public highway. Hopefully this campaign will keep our community safe and encourage others to wear seat belts, cross roads safely and ride our bicycles sensibly. Finally, please be aware that the final class photos will be taken on Monday 9th May: these will be for the remaining classes: 2A, 2B, 3B, 4A, 4B and Year 6. The students should wear their full school uniform, including sweaters for Key Stage One and Two students. Mr. Marcus Madden Head of Primary Year 2A update In science this term, the children in 2A have been learning about experiments. They have been making predictions and learning how to conduct a fair test. Last week, we watched a video about making invisible ink and predicted whether the experiment would be successful. The children wrote a report which included a list of equipment, their predictions, and the steps that we would need to follow to try this experiment for ourselves. This week, we used their reports to conduct the experiment. The children managed to make their own invisible ink. They wrote secret messages and then used grape juice to reveal the messages! In art we have been learning about different artists. The children enjoyed learning about Yayoi Kusama and creating their own art inspired by her work. They liked how she uses lots of bright colours and dots to create paintings, sculptures and even clothes. In literacy, we have read the story ‘The Day the Crayons Quit’. This has inspired the children to write their own letters using adjectives, adverbs and other interesting words. It has also been a helpful reminder that we need to treat our crayons, pencils and other classroom equipment well, so that they do not run away like in the story! Year 4 update Before the break, we read 'The Wolves in the Walls' by Neil Gaiman, and the students wrote the next installment, 'The Elephants in the Walls'. The focus of their writing was on describing the setting and aiming to use different literary devices such as metaphors, similes and personification. As well as improving our level of description, understanding of language and punctuation, 4A have been working hard this year on improving their handwriting. We are all aiming to be joining fluently and legibly by the end of the academic year. Our focus is on fluency, but also on the shape and creating aesthetically pleasing writing. The students have been practising almost every day. I am sure you will all agree from the examples that their efforts have paid off. Well done, 4A! Mr. Tomos Prosser, Year 4A Teacher Celebration We would like to share with our BSQ community that Emilia, Year 2A, participated in a Gymnastics Tournament in Ibarra, where she obtained 5 medals: one for first place, three for 2nd place and one for 3rd place under her category. Well done Emilia, congratulations for this achievement! Being BSQ – Secondary Update Well done years 11 and 13!! What a fantastic start to the exam season. This is a hugely stressful time normally and both year groups have not experienced the formality of the ‘real thing’ as they embark on achieving their international qualifications this year. As teenagers, the stress and anxiety manifests in many ways but I am really pleased with the determination and approach of everyone this week. They have been organised with their timing and prepared with what they need. Walking around I see relaxed faces, smiles, and some teamwork with their revision activities. Staff at school are managing revision time carefully and where possible teaching them right to the very end. I have not had any grumbles about the fact that there is no ‘study leave’. I sense that everyone is really happy with being at school and having the opportunity to be with their teachers. We are all super proud of you all. Once again our senior Year 12 CAS students delivered an excellently planned and considered theme day - this time on sustainability and the oceans. Everyone came with a colour theme and the Primary children enjoyed a slightly belated Easter Egg hunt and some learning on the day’s theme. Well done to everyone involved. I am aware that over $400 was raised in the process which is a significant sum. I am really pleased to say that finally we are able to launch some new after-school sports activities to see us through to the end of the year. I have also had meetings this week with two external activity providers in our push to relaunch the residential trips again. There will be more detail to follow on this in the next couple of weeks but as a small taster, I was very excited by the opportunities at the Galapagos, the jungle, and at the coast with the provider I met today. In our surveys, there is a clear desire for enhanced extracurricular activity and I hope that you will be pleased with what is being planned for the next academic year. It is also pleasing to note that the swimming pool is now back on the curriculum for Primary. Mr Edwards has already been using it for his IGCSE class as will I in a couple of weeks. We are planning to have swimming on the PE curriculum in KS3 next year so I hope again that this is well received. Just a quick reminder that we have the family fun day this week and I am really looking forward to it. It will be an excellent opportunity for us all to have some fun together. We also have the PTCs for years 7, 8, 9, 10 and 12 the following week. This is an important opportunity to catch up with teachers about performance this year and areas of focus going forward. Y12 contribution In 12A the students have been working hard as we move into the last term of the year. It is an important time of the year as students are completing their Extended Essays, as well as completing other types of coursework. In form time we have been discussing the importance of time management and this is an important skill, as managing and prioritising work is vital, in ensuring overall quality but also helping students to maintain good mental health. Students have also been practicing interview skills, which is something they will be able to use in the next few years. Outside of the classroom, 12A won the science week plant growing competition, which was a good team effort! In addition to this, many of the forms are involved in the school production of 'Aladdin', which promises to be great fun! Hopefully we will all be able to see it. Mr Parkinson and Mr Samaniego, Year 12A tutors. Celebrations Following on from our ‘gifted and talented’ students, one of our young tennis stars José Andrés won the doubles championship and singles vice championship of the South American COSAT G4 Tournament under the 16-years old category. Congratulations José Andrés! Have a good week everyone.
Mr. Lee Moors Head of Secondary
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