Parent Information Newsletter

PIN 23 - Friday March 5th 2010

Our mission is to offer a world-class education, empowering each learner by providing a life experience that inspires the development of the whole child within a multicultural environment, enabling students to embrace the diversity of our community both locally and globally. We also seek to build a culture within which every parent, child and teacher can work together to achieve mutual respect and productive partnerships.

A reminder to all parents that the International Baccalaureate (I.B.) Attitude for this Month is
Curiosity!

Calling Island Academy: The School Phone number to reach the front desk is 460 1094.

School Wide Science Fair Winners:
Category 1: grades K-3. This category was very close with a span of only 8 marks separating all of the groups, and it was very difficult to differentiate any more than this.
Winner Group 2 (from Kinder)- “Floating and Sinking”: Luca, Elma, Nikolai, Adeija, and Aurora.
2nd place was also from Kinder, Group 1- “Magnets”: Phoebe, Anastatia, D'Andre, Palmira, and Dylan.
3rd place was the Grade 3 class as a group: “Salt Water vrs. Fresh Water”

Category 2: grades 4-6.
Winner: Kianna and Mikhael, grade 6: “The effect of surface area of an Alka Seltzer tablet on the speed of a chemical reaction”
2nd place: Omar, Shenise and Leon, grade 6: “The effect of starting solution on the mass of a crystal”
3rd place: Kweiza, Gaia, Jessica, grade 5 -Oceanography- “Do the number of boats in Falmouth Harbour have an effect on water clarity (turbidity)?”

Category 3: grades 7-8
Winner: Emma K, grade 7: “The effect of the size of balls on the amount of rebound”
2nd place: Alejandra J. grade 8: “Dissolution rate of different brands of ibuprofen and the importance”
Tie for 3rd: Kai R. “The effect of cloud cover on the temperature of a solar oven”
Jasmin S. “The effect of different liquids on the rate of rusting (on steel wool)”

Category 4: grades 9-10
Winner: Nicole B. & Hannah P. Grade 10 – “To see if the average person can tell the difference between the original substance and the dietary supplement”
Tie for 2nd: Dmitry K. Chaz B. Jahmol R., & Marvin S. Grade 9, – “Wave Power”
and Xavier H., Shaun F., Alex S. & Christpher M-S., Grade 10 – “Solar Heated Homes”
3rd Place: Racquel D., Elijah M., Jake S., and Brandon C. Grade 10 – “Catalytic Converters”

Congratulations to all students who participated! The breadth of the research done in the 39 total projects was truly amazing, and all students are congratulated for their efforts.

Thank you to the judges:
Mr. Elton Isaacs Chemistry Teacher - Ottos Comprehensive
Ms. Dianne Rodrigues Director - Antigua and Barbuda Bureau of Standards
Ms. Carole Faye George Manager - Recycling Plant
Mr. Craig Thomas Ministry of Agriculture
Mr. Novelle Martin Engineer, IBM
Mr. Earl Skerritt Science Director, Ministry of Education
Mr. Dave Fitzmaurice Retired Head of Schools, UK
Mr. Michael Kirk IA Ecology Project Coordinator
Dr. Dion Nittis IA Academic Dean/College Counselor

Mr. Peter Swann IA Board Member, Scientist extraordinaire
Mr. Chris Pratt Biologist, researcher and science writer
Dr. Moreno Dean of Undergraduate Studies, AUA
Mr. Belizaire Professor, AUA
Dr. Torres Professor, AUA
Dr. Cogan Professor, AUA

These 15 individuals gave up their lunch and early afternoon to judge the science fair the past Tuesday, and our entire community thanks them for their efforts. They brought with them a range of scientific backgrounds, and the students benefited from their probing questions and their professional attitudes.

SPRING BREAK 1/2 day camp offering: Early next week Mr. Norton and Mrs. Mendoza will send home an information letter about a new offering from Island Academy. Week one will run Monday 22nd March – Friday 26th March, while week two will be four days and run Monday 29th March – Thursday 1st April. The cost will be: Week 1 $250 EC per child; Week 2 $200 EC per child. A range of activities will include but not be limited to sports, games, reading, computers and crafts. We ask that parents who are interested already please email or call Ms. Matthew at the front desk at the school as soon as possible, and then return asap the forms as specific letters will be sent home with students from 1st through 8th grades early next week.
As a school we hope that this offering can further the services provided by our staff to your children.

BUGZ is on the way!: The Elementary Musical will be on March 17th and parents are reminded to return the paperwork sent home to you about the Bar B Q before the play, as well as paying for your child’s costume. If you have any questions get in touch with Ms. G.-she will be more than happy to answer you. We are excited about the play, and the children and staff and a group of parents are hard at work preparing for the 17th.

IA Movie Night: The grade 9 and 10 students are raising money to fund a “Health and Wellness” magazine as their entry in an island wide contest. To fund their project they are sponsoring a movie night on Friday, March 12th. The movie is “Up!” and all proceeds go towards paying for the student project. Prices will be 5 EC for direct family (siblings and parents) and 10 EC for up to two guests for each family. Refreshments will be for sale (soda and water) as well as popcorn. Doors open at 6 PM and movie starts at 6:30.

Parent Organization General Meeting- second note: The Parents Organization meeting will be held on Thursday March 11th at 6 PM at Island Academy upstairs in the library area. The meeting will focus on a specific agenda of items such as a P.O. financial report; activities done so far this year to support the school; plans for reorganization of the PO to include all school input and activities. The PO will also decide the best way to have official parent representatives while still maintaining their open arms policy of having any parent help at any time with all PO events and activities. The P.O. asks that everyone bring one “citronella candle” as the mosquitoes can be a bit hungry at that time of the evening on our campus.

Final note from the Headmaster….
The IA community continues to amaze me. Tuesday the teachers and students put on a wonderful all school event by running our first K through 10th grade science fair. I say all school as the grade 11 and 12 students participated by taking photos, filming every group, and serving as front door greeters for parents and judges and even judging in the Elementary part of the science fair. All in all it was a wonderful afternoon.

When one looks at an event such as our science fair, and combines it with the way our students and teachers ran their secondary Valentine’s Dance as a fundraiser for Haiti two weekends ago, it is no wonder that I continually here all over the island about how “fantastic Island Academy is!” This combination of focus on academics and commitment to organizing events is fundamental to who we are and what we aim to be- the best school possible, and a school known for academic prowess and social awareness.
It continues to be a pleasure to work with your children, the IA staff, and all of you as we strive to build community spirit and make Island Academy International School the best school it can be.

Sincerely, Jim Pastore, Headmaster