Welcome and FarewellThis is the final newsletter of the year and there is much to celebrate as we head into the last few days of term. I want to take this opportunity to thank all the parents who have supported their children, who have taken the time to thank the teachers for their professionalism and commitment, offered their expertise to others and just quietly got on with the business of becoming a key part of the learning experience at BSQ. I wish you all a very happy holiday and look forward to seeing you as we move forward into the new school year. Student Voice: We have so many talented students at BSQ and, in particular, they have demonstrated an extraordinary talent for expressing themselves in writing during the last term. Last week we read about the Ocean School adventure written by Anabella in Year 10. This week I welcome the first in a new slot on the newsletter where are our student council will explore school and other matters each month next year. We start at the end though with a joyful recap from one of Year 12 students – Sofia. Another year comes and another year goes… BSQ closes yet another cycle, saying goodbye to some of our lifetime students while welcoming new ones with open arms. The already hectic nature of a conventional school year became almost like a fantasy to us, after being forced to re-evaluate and reconstruct our educational system whilst watching a global pandemic unfold before our eyes. The intense period of adaptation to online learning brought multiple challenges, relative to each student, a true character-building experience, imploring us to truly appreciate our seemingly mundane quotidian lives. The graduating class especially, have been faced with unimaginable challenges as they advance into adulthood through an unstable world stage. In the uncertainty of recent times, the former year 13 students have nonetheless managed to gracefully and successfully finish their IB Diplomas from home, while at the same time, assuring their plans for September remain as concrete as possible. The unpredictability of the last few months, however, does not take away from their consistent hard work and determination of the entire school year that has allowed them to achieve some of their utmost goals, including university enrolment. From the Netherlands, to the United Kingdom, to the United States, our BSQ students begin to scatter around the globe, in the pursuit of their dreams, their lives may begin. Taking a step back, our year 12 students, knee deep into the IB, have been making the absolute most of this year by completing and expanding their CAS projects. Our two main groups; Beyond Lagartococha and Lago Agrio, have both completed trips into the heart of their projects, interacting and connecting with the communities in question. As a second generation of Beyond Lagartococha in BSQ, students have managed to continue the legacy, while at the same time initiating their own foundation in bringing health and education to the Secoya community on the Peruvian border; a place where countries seem to be merely a construct as we all become subjects to the same trees, river and sun. Meanwhile, in Lago Agrio, the leader Mathias Bustos, explains the insight they got when visiting the community, something that has allowed them to “establish our goals by establishing connections; we plan to go back with an umbrella project in an attempt to expand their tourism income and increase their access to safe drinking water”. As the new cycle starts, year 12s look forward to handing the baton over to the current year 11 students, as they emerge from their IGCSEs into the world of the IB, and we look forward to seeing these projects grow in their hands. Along those lines, one of the most anticipated student accomplishments of every year is the Duke of Edinburgh award, one led by geography teacher Mr Dobson. Year 10s have come tantalizing close to the official completion of the Bronze award, after twelve months filled with active new experiences and skills, with only the Cotopaxi qualifying expedition left to complete once the waters settle in September. Meanwhile, a few lucky students managed to complete their Silver award after their expedition in February; Nicolas Anhalzer, Martin Castañeda, Maite Peñaherrera and Tomas Rodriguez are all proud holders of the Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award; the first group to achieve this level since the introduction of the certificate three years ago. Back in KS3, students have been working furiously throughout the entire year, an effort materialized thanks to our values and subject awards. Some of our most consistent students have managed to achieve multiple subject awards throughout the partials, the most collected being an outstanding total of five, by no other than year 7 student Kailani Minster. Kailani bursts into secondary with a committed streak of achievements, having also won a House Points Silver Award. In the same realm, Isabela Albuja of year 8 is also a proud holder of the Silver Award, as well as having won an amazing total of four subject awards. Meanwhile, one of our year 9 students, Lucas Tapia, has kept busy in his accomplishment of his multiple subject awards, all the while also being a true exemplar of our values at school, an achievement rightly merited by our BSQ Values Award. Amidst the COVID-19 crisis, it becomes even more important to value the mental health of students, an important issue thoroughly discussed by year 12 students Gala Gomez, Martina Sierra, Bianca Burbano and Ana Marquez. In their presentations to the KS3 and KS4 students, they addressed various ways for students to maintain their mental health at home and ways to deal with their struggles, as they attempt to simultaneously juggle their school lives with their domestic lives. As our sombre farewells morph into excited greetings once more, we look forward to the closing of this eventful school year and the inevitable welcoming of a new one, promising many more wonderful achievements and new faces in the constant development of our cherished BSQ community. Sofia F. B. - Year 12 student Year 4 poems Following on from our exploration of anti-racist texts and stories earlier this term, our Year 4 students' imaginations were captured by the need for a deeper understanding and empathy towards everyone. As a result, and with thanks to the support of Ms Backhouse, Ms Dean and Ms Martinez, they have written two class poems that you can read here. 4A We are all different The things that make me, me, You may never see, If you judge me by the way that I look, Just you ask me a question, I am an open book. I am from a faraway place, but you cannot tell by looking at my face, if you start to talk to me, there is much more you will see. I am from the middle of the world, The name of my country is Ecuador, My home is a beautiful land, The animals and plants are grand. I come from the land of smiles, To get there you travel for miles, I remember a little of Thai, But it was complex to say hi. I come from a land in the middle of the world, Enjoying jungle, mountains and islands where eagles swirled, My favourite is the beach were I bump into waves in the ocean, Swimming like a shark fills me with emotion. I come from a place full of sausage and beer, When I think of it, I give a cheer, if you look beyond my skin, You will see where I have been. I am from Colombia you see, and nobody can be like me, and if you want to know something just ask, because it is not a complicated task. Do you know where I was born? It’s not where you may think, I warn! It was in Argentina of course, Where eating lots of meat is what they enforce! I live in a great continent with my family, I like to drink hot tea naturally, You can find me anywhere, just beware, the continent is shiny; you can’t help but stare. I come from Quito, it is a very beautiful place, with 4 regions that you can discover if adventure is what you chase, We have beautiful beaches and one incredible jungle, You will never be bored so come with your uncle. I am from a world full of hills, Just thinking about it gives me chills, If you judge me because of my skin, You will never hear the story of where I’ve been. It doesn’t matter if I come from Ecuador, Palestine or Spain, Because all of us have blood in our veins, All places have beautiful things, And that is what happiness brings. We are all different and that is ok, It makes the world an interesting place to play, Be sure not to judge and do not assume, Take the time to find out so we can all bloom. 4B We are all different The things that make me, me You may never see If judge me by the way that I look Just you ask me a question, I am an open book Don’t judge me by the colour of my skin Or where I’ve been It's better to be judged by what you think Or your personality or friends which you interlink I can be black, or white or a blend, What really matters is I can be a good friend There is one thing for sure I can say, I will be here if you want to play. I come from a country near the sea You might assume we have lots of trees We like to eat figs But we also eat pigs I come from the country of Samba and football And I will be there when you give me a call My skin tone is white and I have a heart like everyone was dealt Making new friends makes my heart just melt. I come from a big country The food is so delicious it will make you hungry San Martin was our liberator And Simon Bolivar was his co-operator I am from Mexico, a country with a lot of wildlife I left that country when I was 3 months and went back when I was five. Tacos, Chilaquiles and Pozole are my favourite food I like the colour of the beach; the pyramids and nice places make me feel so good. I came from a place surrounded by beauty It has lots of animals that are such cuties You might think that I like seafood But what I really like to be clearly viewed I come from a country that’s not far away And there everyone is happy and likes to play Colombia is the country where I come from In my family was born there my dad, my granny and even my mom I live in a country surrounded by sea You might assume I don’t like fleas Don’t judge the skin that I am in Otherwise you would never see the places I have been I am a boy who likes maths and science. I am always looking for defiance. I like animals and to play football and the world goes around like a ball. We are all different and that is ok It makes the world an interesting place to play Be sure not to judge and do not assume Take the time to find out so we can all bloom Diary Dates are often lost in the busy world of life so please make sure you are fully aware of the events taking place towards the end of term by reading emails and checking the Dates for your Diary and reading the messages from your Heads of School below. e-Learning at BSQ School Year 2020-2021 You will have received a Parent Portal message about the enrolment information for 2020-2021. Please ensure that you have completed this very short survey by the end of Tuesday June 23rd. This is to support us to prepare for our new school year. Michelle O. Fried recipes. Here is our final recipe published in conjunction with Michelle with huge thanks to her for her support over the last few weeks to keep us all cooking and eating with great ingredients. You may find this and other healthy recipes in Michelle´s book Un Mundo de Comida con los Ingredientes del Ecuador, available at all bookstores in the country. Also you can find more information by visiting her blog and website. BSQ 25th Anniversary Scholarship We are delighted to announce that #BSQ25thAnniversaryScholarship opportunities are available for current and potential families! If you are an outstanding student and would like to become part of our vibrant community, please send your scholarship application by June 30th. More information about the application process, terms and conditions here. Important Announcement - time HAS run out. If you are reading this newsletter, then you have accessed it through the Canvas Parent Portal – thank you for signing up. With almost all the BSQ families now using this tool we are reaching a wide audience but not one that is quite complete. Please remind your friends and fellow class parents to make sure they are on Canvas. All letters with important information will also be placed there if they are for the whole school community. From the Staff and the Students Continuing with our teachers and their stories about e-learning this new period. This week we have Mrs. Helen Dávila, Ms. Nicole Camacho and Ms. Antonella Coronel from Primary. Mrs. Helen Dávila - Y3 Teacher This week year 3B took a look at some recent news about a diesel spill in the Arctic circle. We discussed the effects this might have on the surrounding landscape and wildlife. The class then carried out an experiment to see how oil affects wildlife with an oil spill in a jar. Their investigation led them to researching what happens when oil is spilt into the water. Does it mix or float and do they think it is heavier or lighter than the water? We looked at what happened to the wildlife, how to clean them up and what with. We had some interesting discussions and experimental ways to remove the oil from the water. The year 3s could relate to real life events and even carried on their research by looking up solutions online. We also have very talented artists at BSQ and you will have already been enjoying the fabulous IB art exhibition pieces through our social media channels and on our e-learning video this week. Here the Y6 class show how they have taken inspiration from those older students and with the guiding hand of Ms Camacho, have produced their own art show here. Year 6 Abstract Art Exhibition. - Bomomo Paradise Bomomo Paradise is a compilation of digital Abstract Art created by the Year 6 students during their Art Online Lessons. The pieces are based on exploring the emotions that the students felt, and had no objective but simply the expression of their feelings. Link: https://www.artsteps.com/view/5ee79bf8b714752eb788c889 Ms. Nicole Camacho Ms. Antonella Coronel - Head of EYFS Wow what great energy from the students and parents during the 14th week of online learning! This week in early years the children have all been learning about measuring and telling time. The first step in this activity was learning about what is a clock and the different parts it has. What is the long and short hand used for when telling time. The children were very quick at grasping this. In nursery the children have been familiarizing with telling the hour while the Reception children have been rehearsing half past. The children rehearsed this information through a fun online game, then they moved onto making their own clocks! The children used this throughout their day in the different moments of their daily routines. Fantastic job everyone! During literacy lessons, the reception students have been very busy bees learning about the different elements that make a story great, such as the setting and characters. The children now understand that these are the first steps to creating any great piece of literature. Here are some good examples of settings made by the children This week we want to say thank you to Ms. Thompson, our Reception B teacher. She is a teacher that brightens every room and knows just how to support the children. Her positive attitude and great energy keeps her children motivated. Well done Ms. Thompson and thank you! I hope all dad’s had a marvelous father’s day! Enjoy the rest of the week. Kind regards. Dates for your Diary
Emma Newman Principal Being BSQ – Primary Update Welcome to our final newsletter of what has been a unique year at BSQ, for a great many reasons. In August last year, we welcomed a group of new teachers to the school and you quickly welcomed them into our community, demonstrating your caring nature. We also welcomed lots of new students to BSQ, both at the beginning of the year and throughout the year – and with a tinge of sadness, we have also had to say goodbye to students as they moved away from our school. Although we talk a great deal about our school values and share real-life examples with the students, it is quite hard to describe in words the feeling of being part of such a wonderful community, which deeply cares about each other and looks after them, particularly when facing adversity. In the second half of this academic year, we have all experienced a massive challenge, both in terms of changes to our normal ways of living and learning, but also in our outlook and looking to the future. The way that you have all supported each other in this period of home learning and living has been a testament to the strength and character of our community and I am proud to be a part of that. We will have a few more opportunities to come together as part of that community, both to celebrate our achievements and to formally say goodbye to both students and teachers who are leaving the Primary School this year. On Thursday 25th June at 10am, we will host our Year 6 Leaver’s Assembly on the Parent Portal section of Canvas (please share this link with anyone who has not managed to join this yet). Throughout the week, your child’s class teachers will be organising opportunities for our students to celebrate the end of the year, including the opportunity to turn on their cameras in selected sessions, following the guidelines and supervision of their teachers. On Monday 29th June, we will hold the three BSQ Award Ceremonies: 8:30am for Years 1-6, 10am for Secondary and 11:30am for Early Years students, all on the Parent Portal. Finally, on Tuesday 30th June at 11am, all students are invited to our End of Year Goodbye Assembly, on the Parent Portal. If you have joined this area of the canvas portal and have not yet received an invite for these events, please do contact Mr Madden ([email protected]). I would like to formally thank you all for your continuing support throughout this year and I hope that you are all able to spend some time over the long break relaxing with family and friends. I look forward to welcoming you back to school in the new year and reconnecting this fantastic community of learners. Please do find the time to thank your child’s class and subject teachers personally for all their efforts and dedication this year. Marcus Madden Head of Primary Being BSQ – Secondary Update Antiracism Activity Days True to our values of respect and care, we believe that to remain neutral in situations of injustice is to choose the side of the oppressor. And as a school, and as teachers, we believe strongly that the best way to engage with bigotry, hate, and inhumanity in the world is to educate our students about why and how these problems exist, provide them with the critical thinking skills necessary to dissect and discuss these issues, and ensure that they have the platform to do so. This week, Years 7, 8, and 9 will join together to learn about the history and the present reality of issues surrounding race, colour, and culture, both in Ecuador and elsewhere, that they may better understand the world they live in today and be better equipped to navigate and participate in discussion and action as the agents of change we aim for them to be. Goodbye And finally, goodbye. This will be my last contribution to the weekly newsletter, as I hand over the role of Head of Secondary to Mr Lee Moors, who will be joining you in August. Thank you all for your support over the years in our attempts to ensure success and happiness for every student, and I wish you all the very best in the future. Jim Wild Head of Secondary From the BSQ Counselling Team This week our school counsellor, Andrea Carrera, talks about everyday ways to be kind to yourself as a parent.
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May 2024
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