What is Special About Today?
This is a question I hope is in the mind of each student as they wake up on a school morning. Anticipating an exciting event, a certain topic of study and most importantly time with classmates/colleagues makes getting out of bed a joy for our kids and the adults that work at ISA. Our teachers do a remarkable job of creating happy classrooms where the routine is consistent, but the manner and content of the lessons is dynamic so that feelings of ‘anticipation’ are followed by smiles of satisfaction when lessons take place.
Here’s a sampling, (not complete), of some magic currently taking place in classrooms:
PE: Swimming has been restarted. (1st through 5th)
Music & Drama: Waving the Flag Dance with a drone recording
Art: Constructing Gigantic Mushrooms (Grade 1)
K: Animal Research with Chrome books
1: Comic Book Projects
2: ‘Teapot and Ties’ Parent Appreciation Project
3: Building Recycled Communities (Rural and Urban)
4: Climate Tales (Including worms as decomposers)
5: The Eco System Study (with David Attenborough)
In addition to classroom projects, trips and large scale events planned in the Elementary School traditionally have played a big role in promoting spirit and momentum and a sense that the school offers a continuous excitement week to week. While Covid has greatly reduced our ability this year to do all the beloved activities that have evolved over the years at ISA, such as the Ceilidh and the International Festival, there are still some exciting plans to hold traditional activities, such as Sports Days, and take class field trips before we finish the year. I’ve listed some of the plans in place so far. (Some grades are still finalising field trips.):
Special Events in May & June
• Visit of the owls to ISA with Kindergarten & Second Grade
• Three Fifth Grade Adventure Days
• May 17-21 Art & Writing Fair
• Fourth Grade Sailing
• May 31 Elementary Spring Concert
• June 3 K-2 Sports Day (1-3pm)
• Second Grade trip to the grounds of a Castle
• June 10 3-5 Sports Day
• Visit of the French Consul to Award Prizes to the Grade5/6 Students for the newspaper they created
• June 14 Fifth Grade Leavers Assembly
• Third Grade Stone Circle Trip
• June 16 End of Year Assembly
The sad part of the events we have planned is that they don’t include invitations for parent participation. However, please look out for ways, communicated through classroom blogs, where parents can be virtually involved with the excitement created in school. This is particularly true with our Art and Writing Fair. In the meantime ask your son or daughter when they wake up on a school morning what they have to look forward to that day.
Don Newbury
Elementary Principal
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