Cari at
the Kinder graduation
May 24, 2010
Cari at the Kinder Graduation
HEADMASTER’S MESSAGE
1.
Greetings from the Main Office.
I sincerely hope that you and your families are well and happy. Things
are going well here. This is the last
weekly Update Newsletter of this school year.
The year has gone by quickly!
2. Important News:
·
I
am pleased to announce that after years of discussion and consideration on
this, the Education Committee and the Board have approved a new grading system to come into effect
the first day of school in August next school year. The grading system shows the numbers, letter
grades, and grade point averages which will be used in all subject areas
beginning in August from grades 3 – 12 inclusive. We are very pleased that this has come to
pass and I would especially like to thank Frances Rivera, Secondary Principal,
for her work on this. The new grading
system is attached to this Update.
·
The
Board has approved that we try the K-12
program beginning in August as a one-semester pilot High School program. Therefore, work has proceeded and students
have signed up for K-12 courses to begin in August. So far students will be working in
Anthropology, Computer Game Design, and Personal Finances as subject
areas. I am very pleased that this is happening
and hope that it will be a success.
·
Parents
and families are being notified in regard to students or new students who are
either recommended or required to attend our summer school during the month of June. Information is going out to parents and is
included as an attachment with this email.
·
As
usual the students have required summer
reading. Summer reading lists are
attached to this email.
·
We
have received official word from the Middle
States Association (MSA) that they will visit us to review our new self-study
in school year 2011-2012.
3. Please
mark your calendars:
Ø
Monday,
May 24, last teaching day for grades 1 – 5, full day of classes
Ø
Tuesday,
May 25, grade 6 Moving Up Ceremony at 10:00 AM
Ø
Wednesday,
May 26, grade 8 graduation, 7:00 PM
Ø
Thursday,
May 27, grade 12 graduation at Teatro La Perla, 7:30 PM
Ø
Friday,
May 28, Last day of school, grades 1 – 5, dismissal at 11:00 AM
Ø
Monday,
May 31, Memorial Day, school campus closed
Ø
Thursday,
August 5, First day of classes, grades 1 – 12
Ø
Monday,
August 9, First day of classes, PK and K
4.
Please
be aware that the school calendar for
next school year, 2010-2011, has been approved and is now official, both
Parts 1 & 2. A copy of both pages is
included.
5.
Please be aware of the new additions
to the Conditions of Enrollment for everyone on the Registration Form for next
year: “Spaces will be held for students in each grade in the order in which
the families pay registration and fees, up to June 30. After June 30, spaces will no longer be
guaranteed or held for families who are not fully paid.”
CONGRATULATIONS
·
Thank
you to Mr. Gonzalez who attended a meeting of the Puerto Rico Association of
Private Schools this past Friday in Bayamon with government experts who had
just returned from Haiti speaking about earthquake safety. Mr. Gonzalez has received new information and
directions on what we should do in case of an earthquake and those directions
will be put in force for next school year.
·
The
End of the Year Assembly this past Tuesday was a touching event at which we thanked
those who volunteered their time for the school and those employees who are
leaving us at the end of this school year.
·
The
Kindergarten graduation on Friday morning was a fun event which had “the 60’s”
as its theme. Some of the outfits were
hilarious and the event was enjoyable and also an honor for the Kinder
graduates and families. Special thanks
to Lorraine Ortiz and Aleli Vazquez and to all other teachers and families who
contributed to the success of the event.
·
Congratulations
to the students who made their first holy communion this past Saturday at
Siervas de Maria. It was a beautiful
event and well planned and well handled.
Congratulations to the students and their families and to everyone who
helped to make the event a success, especially Sonya Joubert and Elena
Gutierrez.
The
Imam (spiritual leader) of the Ponce Mesquita, Mr. Youssef Elagami, visits Mr.
Di along with Mr. Badran last week.
The Bishop of Ponce, Monseñor Felix
Lazaro, visits Mr. Di along with his assistant and Sonya Joubert last week.
“The only thing better
than education is more education.” Agnes
E. Benedict, American Educator
PTO
INFORMS
Summer
sale will be June 2 and 3 in the AV Room and Elementary Library. Casa Lopez will come and sell uniforms at
school. For more information, please contact Michelle Serralles at (787)
375-4782.
ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL
Please, everyone, return any outstanding library books.
This
past Friday, the Kindergarten Moving Up Ceremony was a huge success. I hope that everyone enjoyed the trip back to
the sixties. Thank you to Ms. Vazquez,
Ms. Ortiz and everyone who helped make it a wonderful event.
The
6th grade Moving Up Ceremony will be on Tuesday, May 25th. The 6th grade celebration will be
at the upper school pavilion beginning at 10 am.
There
will be students receiving certificates in their classes today, honoring the
academic achievements of the second semester.
Report cards will not be ready for distribution until June.
Today marks the last day of classes for
students; thank you all for a great school year! Have a fun-filled summer and make sure your
children get plenty of rest. It is
important to review skills and read at least three books so that they are
prepared to return after the summer is over.
We will miss you and look forward to seeing everyone in August.
MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL
Parents- As the school year comes to an end I would like to congratulate
you and your children for all of the hard work done this school year.
Enjoy the summer and get some well deserved rest. The reading lists for
the Spanish and English classes are in each of the offices.
All student sign out sheets are due before distribution of report cards,
transcripts, and/or diplomas. If you
have any questions, please contact Ms. Rivera.
If your son or daughter is currently in 8th grade, remember that
Wednesday is the Moving Up ceremony in the Sports Pavilion at 7:00pm. The
diplomas for the 8th graders will be distributed beginning on May 28th.
If you are a parent of a senior student please remember that the Senior
Graduation is this Thursday at 7:00 pm in Teatro La Perla. Senior
Diplomas will be available for distribution on June 1st. Parents also
remember to request the final transcript for your son or daughter; these will
be mailed to the appropriate institution during the month of June.
From
the Middle/High School Library
This
year, like in previous ones, I have asked students to donate 25 cents for
Haiti, whenever they come for my signature at the end of the course. I want to thank all of the students who have
contributed the 25 cents and especially those who have given more. As you all
know, the children in Haiti are still suffering from hunger, abandonment and
slavery (Restaveks). The money that we
make will be sent, as usual, to Matenwa Community Learning Center in Haiti.
They teach children, feed them (usually their only meal of the day), and teach
some skills to women in order to help them make a living. Thank you!!
“We cannot do great things on this Earth, only
small things with great love.” ----Mother Teresa
Please, everyone, return any outstanding library books. Middle and High
School reading books are being sold at Libreria Paliques in Centro del Sur
Shopping Center.