eISF

September 2015 - Volume 41

The Newsletter of the International School of Florence

Welcome back!

Head of School Message Dear Parents,

September is a bit contradictory. Nature tells us that an end is near – the shadows grow longer, the Chianti grape vines offer up their final fruit and a welcome nip in the early morning greets

us. On the other hand, the day the doors of ISF open for students, a new start awaits everyone. The first three weeks of school are full of activities to ensure a smooth but exciting beginning. Pre-schoolers to IB Diploma students have met their new teachers and been presented with new goals for the year. Our extra-curricular programs are up and running, with a myriad of activities starting on Monday, September 21st, an opportunity for students to try something for the first time and develop new interests or talents. Staff are not only presented with new students to get to know, but also new goals in relation to our Strategic Plan, which is in its completion year. Two of our three broad areas of focus this year relate to life both in and outside the classroom. One question that we are asking with increased focus is what the ‘international’ in The International School of Florence

means to us. Competing definitions of ‘international schools’ will include curriculum, student make-up, teacher backgrounds and extra-curricular activities in their discussions. These are important factors, but I would suggest that a further essential point relates to how we, as a school community, view difference. Is it a discovery? a crisis? a challenge? an opportunity? Another area of focus is environmental awareness. Recycling at both schools continues, and increasing student awareness of why we must all make choices that preserve our resources and protect our planet is an aim. A third area of focus relates to preparation for our PYP site visit this spring and IBDP self-study this autumn. Five years of continued progress in improving the content and delivery of our two programs comes to fruition as we prepare to demonstrate to external visitors what we have achieved. It is an exciting time for our students and staff, as this newsletter shows, and with all that lies before us, I close with words from Robert Frost’s poem ‘October’ ‘Make the day seem to us less brief’!

Warm regards, Debra Williams Gualandi

For more than three decades now it has been my very great pleasure to welcome students, whether Seniors or Juniors, to the new academic year. Each year is a beginning for each of us, the opportunity to progress and to develop in the company of fellow students and a school community.

As Junior School Principal my wishes for the new year encompass all that is good for my students from Preschool to G5. My desire is that they continue to grow in knowledge, skills and character. My hope is that they enjoy learning now and establish habits of learning for life. And that they recognize early in their young lives that we are all part of a global community increasingly intertwined and that for all the depressing and terrible events we regularly hear about these days, there are many more uplifting and redeeming human characteristics evidenced daily in every corner of the globe.

Tempus fugit … time flies. Have a great 2015 – 2016 school year, seizing and enjoying each day it brings and every new experience it presents.

Martin Donnellan

Junior School Principal Corner HAPPY NEW ACADEMIC YEAR!

Sign up at reception today!!Corri La Vita - September 27th, 2015

International Baccalaureate & Italian Program Exam Results School Year 2014-2015

Congratulations to our Senior Class of 2015 for their outstanding I.B.D.P. results. 

Of the 36 I.B. seniors who sat the full diploma, 94% passed, with 10 students scoring at or above 36 points. This is well above the world pass average of approximately 78%. 

The Italian Program students performed exceptionally well. All students passed the Terza Media and Quinta exams.

Oggi inizia la scuola. Siete pronti? (Italian Language Advanced High School)

Ieri non ci credevo ancora che era l’ultimo giorno delle vacanze. (Francesca C.)

Stamani avevo un sentimento nello stomaco che in inglese si dice”butterflies in your stomach”...un sentimento di gioia che si può provare quando sei sulle montagne russe e che certi dicono si provi quando sei innamorato.(Sebastian V.)

Questa è una domanda assurda, è come chiedere ad un criminale se è pronto ad andare in galera. (Joseph B.)

Ora mi sento pronta. Mentre ero in vacanza mi sono data degli obiettivi:concentrarmi maggiormente in classe, essere sempre ordinata, fare tutti i compiti prima di uscire. (Sofia G.)

Sono finalmente arrivato alle superiori. Sono pronto ad affrontare questa esperienza nuova, tutta da scoprire.(Matteo U.)

Poi ci sono gli amici .E’ sempre bello ritornare a scuola e vederli ancora.Credo che questa sia la cosa per cui sono sempre pronto. (Sebastian C.)

Il giorno prima che comincia la scuola ti ricordi tutti i momenti più belli dell’ estate. (Vittoria C.)

Due quaderni, un lunch box e un astuccio:tutto questo è il contenuto della mia cartella: ne’ poco ne’ tanto per cominciare quest’anno. (Eva V.)

Oggi è il primo giorno di scuola. Tutti i miei compagni devono affrontare questo giorno e anche loro si sentono come me. Questo vuol dire che non sono solo. (Sebastian A.)

No, non sono ancora pronto, ma mi sento molto felice di tornare a scuola. (William C.)

Il primo giorno di scuola sembra una cosa terrificante, invece per me ogni anno è un’ esperienza nuova perché incontro nuovi insegnanti e nuovi amici. (Nikita B.)

Il primo giorno è anche divertente perché possiamo rivedere gli amici e conoscere nuovi compagni. (Federico Z.)

Sto pensando alle persone con cui ho passato l ‘estate...avrei bisogno di più tempo da trascorrere con loro. (Aline K.)

Non so cosa succederà quest’ anno, quali ostacoli dovrò superare, ma so che quando verrà il momento, sarò pronta. (Emily V.)

..andare al mare, girare per la pineta in bici, stare in spiaggia fino a tardi sotto le stelle magari vedere qualche stella cadente...Ora la mia vita sarà consumata da compiti, scuola e sonno. (Nicholas A.)

S U M M E R W O R K S

Thanks to the gracious parent donations from last year’s gala event, we were able to build the Early Childhood Playground at the Junior School, as well as the Ceramic Center at the Upper School. In addition, we have added a food display at the Junior School mensa, so that our children can easily choose between the healthy food offerings.

We are equally thrilled about the installation of a full sound system and a backstage curtain at the Aula Magna of the Upper School, graciously donated by one of our families.

THANK YOU !!!

The Philosophy behind Theory of Knowledge The philosophy of Theory of Knowledge, if that isn’t a tautological statement, is very much the philosophy of the IB Diploma programme, founded in 1969. This is to provide a wide-ranging educational programme that fosters a love of learning, autonomy, tolerance, internationalism, critical thinking, and various other desirable and hopefully-not-utopian ideals. Theory of Knowledge (TOK) is particularly involved in the last of these, as it gets students thinking about where and how they have acquired the knowledge they possess, the extent to which they can rely on it. As the IB guide to theory of knowledge states, students have “accumulated a vast amount of knowledge, beliefs and opinions from academic disciplines and their lives outside the classroom. In TOK they have the opportunity to step back from this relentless acquisition of new knowledge, in order to consider knowledge issues.” It is this stepping back from what they think they already know that makes TOK so worthwhile, allowing the students to see the woods without the trees getting in the way, so to speak.

12th Grade Group 4Individual Investigation

Science is a way of life. Science is a perspective. Science is the process that takes us from confusion to understanding

in a manner that's precise, predictive and reliable. A transformation, for those lucky enough to experience it,

that is empowering and emotional. Brian Greene, American Theoretical Physicist and String Theorist

12th Grade IB Art Our$ first$ project$ began$ by$ opening$ the$ first$ 25$ kg$ bag$ of$ clay.$ Students$ are$ crea<ng$ a$sculpture$of$their$own$by$choosing$from$ini<al$techniques$taught$to$them:$$wedging,$pinch$pot,$addi<ve/score$and$slip$and$subtrac<ve$techniques.$For$sure$they$got$their$hands$a$bit$dir<er$this$<me$round.$

Debra Williams Gualandi Head of School

Which living person do you most admire? There are many. One person I admire in particular is Daniel Barenboim, an Argentinian born pianist and conductor. He has used his enormous musical and intellectual talent to promote intercultural dialogue and peace. I admire someone who engages with the problems of the world using beautiful sounds to create a language of understanding. danielbarenboim.com

Do you have a motto? Not really. I might borrow one from time to time. You reap what you sow. No (wo)man is an island. Just do it.

What is your favourite journey? When I was studying in New York City, I loved the Amtrack train journey out of the city up the coast towards Boston. The sudden contrast between underground city and open, green countryside made me happy.

Which quality do you admire most in a person? Open-mindedness, because with that come other qualities that I respect. An open-minded person tends to listen carefully, is fair, is curious and is willing to suspend judgement in the face of lack of understanding until things are clearer.

What is your favourite ISF moment? The first day. A silent school immediately transforms into a hive of voices, laughter and footsteps.

Which book are you reading right now? All the Light We Cannot See by Doerr, The Swerve: How the World Became Modern by Greenblatt, South of the Border West of the Sun by Murakami.

What’s your favourite past time? Just one? I like reading, jogging, walking in the mountains, weeding my garden, writing little poems, chatting with my daughters …

A warm welcome to all our new and returning families and staff!

The Board would like to thank Debra Williams for her seamless transition to the role of Interim Head of School and equally seamless opening of the school year.

A special welcome also to our new Board members: Silvia Quiroga, Gherardo Soresina, Eric Goulder, Arpad Abraham and David Aspin. They join Marco Uzielli, Catherine Maternowska, Cathleen Compton, Giovanni Liberatore, Natalie Rucellai, Deborah Sassorossi, and Mary Louise Culpepper to make up your volunteer ISF Board.

This year we will be conducting a search for a new Head of School. The job has been posted, and we are receiving assistance from The Council of International Schools (CIS) in the search process.

Please watch this space for communication from us, and be on the lookout for our annual Meet the Board event later in the fall (date to be announced soon).

We look forward to working with you for another great year at ISF.

News from the School Board

The Upper School Library Corner Where in the world are you from?

As part of ISF’s focus on internationalism, the Upper School Library is asking that all teachers, staff and students (who are not originally from the Florence area) put a pin in a world map on the Library bulletin board, indicating the city from wherever in the world they do come from. Those who are from the Florence area will have a chance to stick pins in a Florence map next week!

There are quite a few exciting activities on the calendar for the coming weeks, the most important being our annual celebration of the freedom to read - Banned Book Week - s t a r t ing September 28th! This year, to increase the international focus of the event, we are highlighting the censorship of web sites as well. Everyone is welcome to come into the Library, look at the

displays and pick up a copy of the outstanding titles and sites which schools, organizations, and even countries have challenged or banned access to.

What do cows, chickens, bees and goats have to do with reading? Just ask any student who has participated in Heifer International’s Read to Feed program! Once again this year the US Library will be actively supporting this organization’s efforts by encouraging all students, teachers and staff members to participate. The goal is to promote reading, introduce students to global issues such as economic sustainability, and help Heifer International assist millions of people around the world feed their families and reach self- reliance through gifts of livestock and training. Ultimately the program fosters a love of reading, a passion to help others and a desire to create a better world!! We hope that you will join us.

Please check the Library Corner in the months ahead to find out more about what is going on!! Thank you!! Sharon Ann Allen, Librarian

Congratulations to Vanessa Regnier and Andrea Dupré, who got married this July in Cortina d’Ampezzo.

SEPTEMBER 21, 2015 Remember to sign up!

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Mixing it up at the Uniform Store 10 e Lode