Month: November 2012

Movember ends with teachers versus students soccer game

St. John's International School

Today marks the end of the Movember “no shave” action for a group of St. John’s staff members and students. The initiative aims to raise awareness and funds in the fight against prostate cancer. Movember moustaches were first grown in Australia back in 2003 and have since  spread across the globe. In 2012, the Global Journal listed Movember as one of the top 100 NGOs (non-government organization) in the world. To mark the end of the successful initiative, a game of indoor soccer was played which was narrowly won by the students 2-1. Congratulations to all those who participated and braved facial … Continue reading Movember ends with teachers versus students soccer game

Study ranks best places to be born in 2013

St. John's International School

The Economist Intelligence Unit (sister company of The Economist) has conducted a study to measure which country will provide the best opportunities for a healthy, safe and prosperous life in the years ahead. The top three countries for a baby to be born in 2013, based upon long-term economic forecasts to 2030 when they reach adulthood, are Switzerland, Australia and Norway. Half of the top ten are European but only one is in the Eurozone – The Netherlands. The largest European economies do not do particularly well with France and the UK coming in 26th and 27th respectively, and Germany and the U.S. tying for … Continue reading Study ranks best places to be born in 2013

Embracing our diversity in nationalities

St. John's International School

As an international school, we naturally have many nationalities represented, usually between 50 and 60 in any given school year. This school year, we are delighted to welcome some new nationalities among our students, including China, Syria and Costa Rica. Our new accounting assistant Toky, however, is probably the most remarkable new nationality addition to our community as she is from the small island of Madagascar! It is such an enrichment to our community to have students, parents and teachers from so many different countries and backgrounds learning together and building friendships at St. John’s. Our students would not want … Continue reading Embracing our diversity in nationalities

Space infrastructures and security

St. John's International School

On Wednesday November 14, St John’s International School had the privilege of welcoming Alumnus Phillip Slann in the context of the Speaker of the House Lectures. Phillip is now a doctoral candidate at Keel University and his lecture focused on how outer space security is conceptualized by the European Union and its various institutions. His research is looking specifically at the space infrastructures of the Galileo and GMES programs as case studies for the extent to which measures are put in place to counter the risk of natural and man-made dangers in outer space. The GMES system will aid the … Continue reading Space infrastructures and security

6th grade science: Physical Properties of Matter

St. John's International School

After conducting guided investigations of sound and electrical conductivity, Sixth Graders have designed and carried out their own tests of heat conductivity in metals.  Each group designed an apparatus to test a single variable and limit sources of error as much as possible.  In addition to increased accuracy in developing and recording data, safety considerations were carefully evaluated by each group.  Data analysis was facilitated by graphing techniques learned in Mathematics classes this month.  The Sixth Graders’ success in these investigations reflects an increasingly sophisticated approach to their learning in the methods of science. Purposeful exploration, creative and logical problem … Continue reading 6th grade science: Physical Properties of Matter

It all started with a Story Bang…

St. John's International School

Story Bang is a convention for people who have written their own stories and tales to show that they can write their own stories. The point of Story Bang is that in 7th grade media class, there is a project to make a clay animation or stop motion and in the END 9 stories will be chosen and made into a stop motion animation. The stories are all posted on the bridge to the PAC. Here are the rules: read a story vote for a story wait for the winner of the competition Date: November 22-29             … Continue reading It all started with a Story Bang…

Art Gallery named after Rita Greene

St. John's International School

The board of directors has officially approved the new name of the art gallery to “The Greene Gallery at St. John’s International School”, named after Rita Greene who was the founding art teacher at St John’s. There will be an formal opening ceremony in the present of Mr. John Greene in the spring at one of our vernissages and we hope you will be able to join us for this very special event. The Greene Gallery at St. John’s International School’s mission statement is as follows: The St. John’s International School Art Gallery, named after Rita Greene who was the … Continue reading Art Gallery named after Rita Greene

Learning basic essentials in Art and Geometry in 7th grade

St. John's International School

Students in Grade 7 ART class were faced with a tricky problem. How does one create the perfect colour wheel as designed by Johannes Itten (of Bauhaus fame)? The wheel  has a central triangle for the three primary colours, three more triangles forming a  hexagon for the secondary colours  and finally, 12 outer segments to show the primary, secondary and tertiary colours. The problem poses a geometric challenge (how to draw this colour wheel  accurately?) as well as a scientific one (how do I mix all the colours by using only primary colours?) Math teacher Cate Silcock joined us in the … Continue reading Learning basic essentials in Art and Geometry in 7th grade

Elementary students fill shoeboxes with gifts for children in need

St. John's International School

The Elementary students came out in force today at the so-called “shoebox assembly”, most of them bringing a shoebox with Christmas gifts for a child in need. These boxes have essential school materials, hygiene items such as toothbrush and paste, the very essential cuddly toy and as many other toys and useful items they could cram in! The boxes go to the very poor and needy children of the world, in Africa and Eastern Europe, many abandoned in orphanages and hospitals. Thank you to the Elementary students for their generosity! Middle School students will bring in their boxes next Monday, … Continue reading Elementary students fill shoeboxes with gifts for children in need

Our High School economics team wins again!

St. John's International School

Our Economics team does it again! They gained first place at the International Economics Competition in Pamplona, Spain. The St. John’s High School Economics team participated in the 12th edition of the International Forum on November 15-16, organized by the University of Navarra in Pamplona (Spain) on the topic of Growth and Job Creation.  The University had received 72 proposals from more than 35 high schools in Ecuador, Guatemala, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Poland, Belgium and Spain and invited 25 teams to compete in Pamplona in the second round of the competition.  After passing the semifinals on Thursday, St. John’s took … Continue reading Our High School economics team wins again!

Please keep yourself safe when walking or biking to school – wear a reflective vest!

St. John's International School

We would like to remind everyone to wear that, when walking or biking to and from school in the dark mornings or afternoons, it is advised to wear a reflective vest. Studies have proven that wearing such a vest decreases accidents by 85%! So be like Karl Lagerfeld and focus on what’s important: it can save your life, so whether or not it is fashionable should really not bother you. Thank you for keeping yourself safe! Continue reading Please keep yourself safe when walking or biking to school – wear a reflective vest!

IB History classes visit Berlin

St. John's International School

St. John’s IB History classes went to Berlin November 11-13 to experience the historical sights of Berlin. We took a three hour guided walk from the Brandenburg Gate, taking in the Reichstag , Hitler’s Bunker and the Jewish Memorial. We also visited the Jewish Museum, the Museum of Modern Art and the Stasi (East German secret Police) Museum . This is the first time that we have organised a trip of this nature – 31 students came along and it was a great success. Next year – perhaps Moscow/St. Petersburg or Auschwitz? By Ewan Macdonald – HS History teacher Continue reading IB History classes visit Berlin

Elementary students show off their artistic talents!

St. John's International School

The Elementary Art show opened yesterday, showcasing the incredible talent of our students in Pre-Kindergarten through grade 5. Each grade made different type of art, with PK making chickens, while grade 5 made the Tower of Babel in cardboard, and so on. Many parents and students attended the opening of the show, but if you were not able to attend, please do stop in at the art gallery on school days to see the amazing pieces of art produced by our students. Congratulations to ES art teacher Marianne Behaeghel!                       Continue reading Elementary students show off their artistic talents!

St. John’s reunion in the fast lane – Dr. Doenges goes Formula 1

St. John's International School

Dr. Doenges, director at St. John’s from 2000 to 2008,  and his wife Martha will be at the inaugural Formula 1 race in Austin, Texas this weekend, along with thousands of other race fans. However, they will be one of the few who already visited the track, receiving the VIP treatment last month when St. John’s alumnus and Lotus Formula 1 test driver Jerome D’Ambrosio invited them to attend the official opening of the race track in Austin. Jerome was the first driver on the race track with the Lotus Formula 1 car, after Mario Andretti had driven an older … Continue reading St. John’s reunion in the fast lane – Dr. Doenges goes Formula 1

Grade Two authors

St. John's International School

In October, we held our very first Publishing Party in EB5. Students prepared original writing pieces which were revised and edited. After such hard work, the students decided that it would be great to share their writing with others, just like published authors do. We agreed that a publishing party would be the right kind of celebration. Our guests included Mrs. Bambridge, Mrs. Dawson, and Dr. Blok. Each student had the chance to read his or her story in front of an audience and receive lots of encouragement to continue writing!  Everyone agreed that it was a success and we … Continue reading Grade Two authors

Elementary School celebrates United Nations Week in style!

St. John's International School

On Monday October 22, Mr. Marco Bianchini,  a staff  member of the United Nations Security Council and father of St. John’s students Alessandro and Pietro,  presented to the children of the Elementary School a meaningful explanation of the work of this organization. Mr. Bianchini emphasized the background history of the United Nations and especially the variety of tasks that it performs the world over.  A very interesting power point was presented and the children had an opportunity to ask questions about the work that members of the UN are involved in.  Mr. Bianchini shared his personal experiences especially with his … Continue reading Elementary School celebrates United Nations Week in style!

Friday mornings in the chapel

St. John's International School

Friday time in the chapel is a time for all of us to get together and worship in a fun way. Each Friday morning at 8:35 a.m., different people are expressing their way of worshipping with music, prayer, discussion and even skits.   All children and parents of the Saint John’s community are invited to participate and come together as a community. Last week, a group of wonderful third graders performed a short skit on why it is our responsibility to take care of the planet.  Mrs. Bambridge, in turn, read the scripture story of The Creation and the children discussed … Continue reading Friday mornings in the chapel

Teachers from Norway visit St. John’s

St. John's International School

A group of teachers from Norway, led by St. John’s mum Mrs Karlsen (and baby!), came to find out how the middle school does student-led parent/teacher conferencing. The teachers were introduced to the rationale for adopting this pedagogical approach and how the middle school 7 Competencies curriculum complements and supports such a  form of conferencing.  Middle school guidance counsellor, Mark Silcock, led their deliberations. Continue reading Teachers from Norway visit St. John’s

St. John’s hosts another successful TedXKids event

St. John's International School

St. John’s was once again the host of TedXKids on Friday, November 9. After last year’s successful event, we again had 50 kids from schools all over Belgium (including 19 from St. John’s) participate in science-oriented activities. From 9-17:30, the kids were involved in workshops with mentors: Greg Gage – By dissecting a cockroach, neuroscientist Greg Gage showed how brains receive and deliver electric impulses. Aaron Rowe fabricated Electrochemical-DNA Biosensors for the Reagentless Detection of Nucleic Acids, Proteins and Small Molecules Tito Jankowski – made Plug & Play DIY Pulse sensors with the kids. Eri Gentry showed that the difference between bubble … Continue reading St. John’s hosts another successful TedXKids event

ISST final results: 3 teams earn medals!

St. John's International School

Final ISST update:   It rained medals for St. John’s today.    Boys volleyball – ISST Boys Volleyball Division 1 Champion!!!  Girls volleyball – 3rd place (bronze medal) Boys soccer – 2nd place (silver medal)   Boys volleyball – @ American School of Paris   Championship game: St. John’s – American School Israel 3-0   The boys are ISST Champions! What a great achievement.   Girls volleyball – @ St. John’s   Game for 3rd place: St. John’s – American School of The Hague 3-0   The girls won the bronze medal game and finished the tournament in 3rd place (out … Continue reading ISST final results: 3 teams earn medals!

Weathergrams by Ms. Corcoran’s third graders

St. John's International School

Weathergrams are very short poems of about ten words or less. It comes from sudden insight and hence brevity is essential. The weathergram is hung on a bough or branch in the garden or along a mountain trail. The subject matter is usually seasonal and the weather gram is left out for others to stop for a moment and enjoy. The students used the picture as the inspiration for each poem. Here is what they came up with: Heron standing still in the shining lake    Shimmering little bits of glacial water spilling over the rocks     Dancing snowflakes tumbling … Continue reading Weathergrams by Ms. Corcoran’s third graders

ISSTs Day 1 recap

St. John's International School

Here’s a day 1 update on our teams’ performances at their various ISST championships: Girls volleyball – @ St. John’s Format – 8 teams in pool play, top 4 advance to semifinals Game 1: STJ vs. TASIS 2-0 Game 2: STJ vs. American School of The Hague 1-2 Game 3: STJ vs. Cobham 0-2 Game 4: STJ vs. Cairo American College 2-0 The girls have three more pool games to play tomorrow (at 9:30, 12:00 and 14:30) and are very much still in contention to reach the semifinals. Boys volleyball – @ American School of Paris Format – 8 teams … Continue reading ISSTs Day 1 recap

The kindergarten maze project – an update

St. John's International School

Our maze project has developed since our last blog on October 4.  The children planted the collected wine bottles in the shape of a spiral that they designed. We observed all the different shapes and sizes of bottles and the way light passed through the different colors of glass. We all worked together to get the right design for the maze and decide where the bottles should go. Just before the October break we also planted flower bulbs between the bottles. We talked about the different types of flowers that will grow and when they will bloom. We are all … Continue reading The kindergarten maze project – an update

TV station interviews grade 5 students

St. John's International School

Mrs. Morris Grade 5 students were interviewed today by TVCom. The local television came into the art studio to film Grade 5 Bruegel Tower of Babel project. The students were asked to explain why and how they have made this huge city out of recycling material. They explained how they each made their dream house out of a cardboard box and how the class then realized how different all these houses turned out. They said how exciting it looked when they gathered the houses together to create a city and discovered how creative their neighbor was. This project made them reflect … Continue reading TV station interviews grade 5 students

Tree planted in honor of Ms. Germay

St. John's International School

Today, Middle School students planted a tree outside the PAC in memory of Ms. Germay, their science teacher who died in April this year after battling illness. It was felt the school should have a permanent reminder of Faith’s short presence among us. The middle school science department decided that it would be a nice idea to plant a tree, which could be seen from the middle school science classrooms, in Faith’s memory. This afternoon, the middle school gathered together to celebrate a short liturgy where they gave thanks for the gift of Faith to our community as a teacher, … Continue reading Tree planted in honor of Ms. Germay

No school for students but a busy day ahead for teachers on November 12

St. John's International School

There will be no school for students this Monday, November 12. The teachers, however, have a busy day ahead of them. They will use the day for professional development on the topic of “Differentation in the classroom”. Differentiation defined as “a framework or philosophy for effective teaching that involves providing students with different avenues to acquiring content; to processing, constructing, or making sense of ideas; and to developing teaching materials and assessment measures so that all students within a classroom can learn effectively, regardless of differences in ability.” The teachers will start the day with a guest speaker, Dr. Thérèse McPhillips, from Dublin who will … Continue reading No school for students but a busy day ahead for teachers on November 12

Fall season ISST tournaments week

St. John's International School

The ISST tournaments are taking place from Wednesday through Saturday this week and the Booster program organized their traditional breakfast send-off for all the ISST athletes this morning. The entire school participated in a pep rally this afternoon to wish all the teams well as they finish their fall season with the ISST tournament. Boys soccer will be playing their tournament in Milan, girls soccer at Cobham, boys volleyball in Paris, cross country in Zurich and girls volleyball right here at home. Please come cheer on the girls and/or help out at concessions for an hour or two if you can. … Continue reading Fall season ISST tournaments week

High Schoolers play “St. Jopoly”

St. John's International School

In the High School, Language and Culture students are playing “St. Jopoly”. Based on the famous Monopoly game, the students adapted the game to connect it to their school life.  St. Jopoly also has dice and money but, instead of buying hotels and houses, you get desks and chairs. The students have replaced the famous streets by classes and school-related places.     Continue reading High Schoolers play “St. Jopoly”

No shave “Movember” – teachers raise money for prostate cancer

St. John's International School

Like last year, a group of St. John’s teachers and students will not shave the entire month of November to raise money for cancer research. The photo below shows the teachers “before”, with some seeming to have taken a head-start when it comes to growing facial hair. We will be posting the “after” photo on November 30. Good luck to the students and teachers involved. Continue reading No shave “Movember” – teachers raise money for prostate cancer