Update from Alfonso – 10/3
What a terrific Run for the Arts we had last week. The students from three years old and up ran with heart warming determination. Their olympic efforts and the support of sponsors make possible our thriving art and music programs and support the wonderful work of Peter, Julie, Carolina, and our newest addition, early childhood music teacher Martha Evans Osborne, who completed a very successful career as a music teacher In Hillsboro . . .and has now graced us with her presence. Welcome Martha! And thank you students as well as Super-Organizer Joan Francis and all the volunteers who made the day happen.
Last Monday School Council representatives were elected in Grades 2-5, and I am hoping one of their initiatives will be to help me keep the glass doors clean around campus.
Last Thursday, the grade 5 students had a wonderful experience dissecting frogs and fish as part of their PYP unit on reproductive processes and body systems, and those who opted out joined me for a fascinating virtual dissection of a frog, and then of a salmon from whom we first had to scrape a lot of caviar! Thanks to the teachers for planning this event and to the parent health professionals who came in to talk about safety, identify organs and give scientific guidance. As one student told me “That was awwweesome!”
As you saw in a note this weekend you are invited to an open session with the master plan architects from Mahlum at 1:45 on Tuesday. Because of photos in the gym, the meeting will be held in room 25 of Stearns Hall (last room on left before music room). If you cannot make it, don’t worry; there will be other opportunities to participate. If you can make it please click here to rsvp. I am so excited that we are making our first steps toward really establishing our home on the hill.
If you haven’t yet had your picture taken and posted outside your child’s classroom, please stop by any receptionist – or take it at home holding a sign with your name and send it to Linda (marketing@Intlschool.org). Knowing one another is not only nice for our community but it’s important for our school security. The receptionists may not be able to take photos at the busiest drop-off/pick-up times, so try to stop by a bit before or a bit after.
I am glad that so many parents made it to Curriculum Nights. Whether or not you attended, please help make future Curriculum Nights better and weigh in on the best times to have parent meetings by clicking here for a very short survey. Please enter the survey from this link for each child and again for each English teacher that your children have. It’s really very quick.
Our grade 4’s will be heading off to Mt St Helens this Tuesday as part of their study of fast and slow processes of change in the earth.
Finally, a reminder that tomorrow is photo day. (I got a hair cut this weekend. I’m ready.)
The rain is coming for just a few days but the sun will be back before May I am confident. In the mean time, please make sure your child always has a rain jacket and boots at school. Classes go outside every day, otherwise they go stir crazy . .
Have a lovely week and see you at the corner.
Alfonso
Dr. Alfonso Orsini, Head of School, AOrsini@intlschool.org, 503-226-2496 x109