EDITION 05 / 09 OCT 2020
ALL THE NEWS...
We are so close to achieving the number of survey responses we need. If you have not yet completed our ISM PARENTS SURVEY 2020 please try to do so ACCESS HERE
From the Director's Chair
Painting the Forth Bridge
There is a phrase in the UK - “like painting the Forth Bridge” - which refers to a never-ending task. Painting the Forth Bridge can never be truly finished because by the time you have reached the end you need to start again at the beginning.
I think of this phrase whenever the subject of a school dress code is raised!
All schools have different expectations, but whether they have a uniform, a dress code, or no uniform at all, the one thing that binds them together is the prodigious number of hours spent each year policing this aspect of school life. Hours that could be spent on education. It feels a bit like painting the Forth Bridge. Never ending.
Ask any Director, Principal or Head Teacher – and I have done this many times – and they will tell you of the efforts made by school staff, and how soul-destroying it can be when they are so desperate to impart knowledge and inspire, rather than prod and cajole over dress code infringements.
I want ISM to be different. I want ISM teachers to spend all of their time educating.
This is the reason why we will, from now onwards, have a zero-tolerance approach to dress code at the school.
From Monday, I expect all students to arrive in school looking smart, ready to work and in adherence to the Dress Code Policy set out below. No excuses. No exceptions. For students who are unwilling or unable to adhere to the dress code the following will apply:
Students in Years 10-13 will be sent home immediately
Parents of students in other year groups will be telephoned and asked to pick up their children immediately. Those students will not be allowed into lessons.
This policy will continue indefinitely.
I know that the dress code is an issue that many parents discuss, and which causes much concern. I hope that parents will remember that they have a huge role to play and can help immensely by ensuring that their children leave home dressed ready for school.
Please note three of the issues that are most common:
Hoodies are not permitted
Trainers (if worn) should be plain white or dark
Shirts should have a collar
I like my weekly blog to parents to be upbeat and so I am sorry to be writing for a second week in succession raising a concern.
I greatly appreciate your support. Let’s work together to make ISM one of Europe’s top schools.
Best wishes,
Julian Thomas
Director
DRESS CODE REQUIREMENTS
FOR EARLY YEARS AND PRIMARY
Plain navy blue or white polo shirt or collared shirt (blouse for girls).
Plain navy blue jumper or cardigan.
Plain navy blue or beige trousers or skirts/skorts (skirts with concealed shorts), knee-length shorts.
Plain navy blue winter coats or summer jackets.
Plain navy blue Pinafores and Polo Shirt style dresses
Shoes: closed toe, comfortable and dark in colour. Plain white or dark-coloured trainers are also acceptable.
SPECIFICALLY EXCLUDED (K-6):
Large logos or other decorations or motifs
Sweat shirts
Jogging pants
Hoodies
Anything in denim
Uggs, flip flops, crocs, shoes with lights and shoes with a high heel or wedge
Multi-coloured trainers
FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL (CLASSES 7-11)
For girls:
Smart navy blue or beige skirts or trousers (skirts to be within 2 inches of the knee);
White shirt or blouse (with a collar) for formal days. Polo shirts are permitted out-with formal days;
Navy blue jumper or cardigan (in colder months).
For boys:
Smart navy blue or beige shorts or trousers;
White shirt (with a collar) or white or navy polo shirts on non-formal days;
Navy blue pullovers or cardigans (in colder months).
FOR IB STUDENTS (CLASSES 12-13)
The IB students can wear the regular dress code and can also wear smart business attire to school
SPECIFICALLY EXCLUDED (7-13):
T-shirts or any shirt or blouse without a collar
Large logos or other decorations or motifs
Sweat shirts
Jogging pants and leggings
Denim jeans
Hoodies
Uggs, flip flops, crocs, shoes with lights and shoes with a high heel or wedge
Multi-coloured trainers
From the Health Coordinators
Weekly Covid-19 Update
Covid-19 update:
We are confident that our procedures and protocols are working effectively and can report no positive Covid-19 cases in the last few weeks in the student, or staff body.
As a reminder:
Please note that Distance Learning is only in place for Covid-related reasons which have been authorised by the Head of Wellbeing, or a Head of School. The Distance Learning programme is not an opt-in, opt-out option, but there to support our students who are obliged to be out of school for specific reasons related to Covid. If a student is out of school for any other reasons, including a medical reason unrelated to Covid, they will not be granted permission to be on the Distance Learning programme.
Students should be bringing 2 masks to school
Communications relating to a class, will only be sent to parents once authorised by the Monaco Health Authorities and according to the strict protocols we are following
To check your child's temperature before arriving at school.
***
In addition to the school support, Monaco has a call centre (available in French and English) which you can call 7/7 days between the hours of 8.00am and 8.00pm starting from Monday 21st September.
Monaco also has a dedicated testing centre at L’Espace Leo Ferre in Fontvieille which is open Monday to Friday from 9.00am to 4.00pm. A prescription from your Doctor is obligatory and you must make an appointment by calling 92.05.55.00.
Further information can also be found on the dedicated Covid-19 website set up by the Monaco Government.
School Health Coordinators:
anna.koren@ismonaco.comcindy.hamon@ismonaco.comDeputy Director (Wellbeing):
lindsay.wright@ismonaco.comSymptoms to stay home for and alert the school for an absence COVID RELATED SYMPTOMS are:
- Cough, difficulty breathing, rapid breathing rate
- Temperature over 37.8C
- Loss of sense of smell and/or taste
- Diarrhea
If a PCR test has been ordered for your child, the child needs to stay home until the result has been received. Once you have the result, please forward it to the School Health Coordinators and await further instructions from them on when to come back to school.
YOUR PICTURE DAY IS NEXT WEEK
Individual pictures sessions will take place at school from the 12th to the 15th of October 2020. Please refer to the table for details by class.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, no group photos will be taken at this time of the year.
** SIBLINGS PICTURES WILL TAKE PLACE AFTER SCHOOL MONDAY 12 OCTOBER FROM 15H45 to 16H45 ON THE EARLY YEARS PLAYGROUND**
Please note that the entrance will be done by the double door of the roof playground on the left side when facing the sea.
Click below for all the news & information from your child's section of the school
From the Early Years
Dear Parents,
Here we are in our fifth full week of school! I would like to thank you all for respecting the new policies and protocols put in place, as we work hard to regain a normal daily life, here in the Early Years! Our students have really adapted well to the challenge of staying in one place for most of the day. This is admirable from students who are used to working collaboratively together on their shared tables, as well as having free movement in classrooms.
Our Dress Code is well respected in the Early Years and I thank all our parents for their support here. Please note that jewellery or tattoo transfers are not allowed in school! All long hair must be tied back. Children in Classes 1-3 were given a school mask on Wednesday. Please follow washing instructions before use.
Our ECA Programmes started this week and ‘Arts & Crafts’ have now been added to the Programme on Tuesday, for Year 2 and on Thursday, for Year 1. Taekwondo is also added on Tuesday, for Year 2.
Please email Annabelle if your child is interested in joining these activities.
EXTRA-CURRICULUM ACTIVITIES FOR TRANSITION
UPDATED EXTRA-CURRICULUM ACTIVITIES FOR CLASS 1, 2 & 3
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the Early Years Team for their highly professional, and dedicated approach as we get on with the job that we all love where our students are our number one priority. Everything we do, children come first and we are here to ensure that every child works hard and flourishes, reaching his/her potential and is very happy along the pathway! I have been busily going around the Early Years and recording some students, about impressions of being back in the classroom as well as reflections from our new students on their new school.
In response to Storm Alex last week, the Early years supported High School ISM students in their efforts to help L’Association Les Anges Gardiens de Monaco provide basic necessities to people in distress, experiencing such devastation. This gesture helps our younger students to learn about others who are facing hardships and take actions to help them. I thank you for sending in the various items and for supporting this incentive. PHOTOS HERE
By children developing compassion through acts of caring and kindness towards others as they grow, helps guide their actions and behaviours in positive ways, applying these values to their relationships and interactions later on.
The first step in kindness for a young child is helping. Lessons of kindness are integrated into your daily routines. We host a ‘Kindness Week’ and our school values include being kind and respectful to each other. Acts of kindness are celebrated in class and in our assemblies. Your child may come home with the class teddy bear or House points. We are in the process of creating ‘playground friends’ amongst our Class 3 students who will help children play harmoniously together, at breaktime.
Parent Conferences for all New Students from Transition- Year 3
Parents whose children who recently joined the school will now have received a Parent/Teacher Conference letter stating the time of your appointment with teachers, on Wednesday 21st October. KAM Parents will receive their letters once we return from our half-term break. For all other students, Parent/Teacher Conferences will take place in November.
'Witches & Wizards’ Morning To thank our children for all their efforts and hard work, the Early Years will host a ‘Witches and Wizards’ Morning on Friday 23rd October. We look forward to having a fun filled morning with a little snack provided by our PTA mothers. Many thanks to all
Wishing you a lovely weekend!
Best wishes from Mrs Ragi and the Early Years Team
From Primary
Dear Parents,
It’s the little things that matter….
Unfortunately, Storm Alex put a stop to last week’s virtual Primary School assembly, therefore I didn’t get the opportunity to share the “It’s the little things that matter” story and how the little things in schools (what I refer to as the nuts and bolts) are essential if we are to reach and maintain the high standards we have set for ourselves.
Nevertheless, I will have the opportunity to share this story, and what it means to me and the Primary School, in today’s assembly. As part of this I will also speak to the students about the dress code and the importance of respecting this. On the whole, the dress code is very well respected in the Primary School, however, there are two items of clothing that we need to focus on in particular: hoodies (tops with hoods) and footwear. On a daily basis, I am having to instruct a small number of students to remove their “hoodies” as they are not permitted in school. We will ensure that students are in no doubt that this item of clothing is not permitted. With regards footwear, shoes should be closed toe, comfortable and dark in colour. Students may wear trainers, but these must be white or dark-coloured. Brightly- coloured trainers are not permitted (this includes trainers that are partly brightly-coloured or with brightly-coloured laces).
Helping the local victims of Storm Alex
You will all have seen the terrible level of destruction that Storm Alex wrought on towns and villages nearby. These are towns and villages that many of us will have visited or passed through on our way to the ski slopes or on a day out in these beautiful mountainous regions. The trail of destruction has left many people in urgent need of basic supplies as whole towns have been “cut off” by the damage to roads and bridges.
Students and parents were informed on Wednesday about a collection that has been organized by secondary school students and is being supported by the Primary School. I was delighted to see how quickly so many of you reacted as children arrived at school, Thursday morning, with bags full of urgent supplies. Many thanks for this excellent response. We will keep you informed about how you can continue to support this cause.
Extra-Curricular Activities
This half term we have been running a reduced extra-curricular activities programme due to the restrictions in place to protect students and staff from the Covid-19 pandemic. Whilst these restrictions will not be eased in the near future, we will be looking to extend our extra-curricular offering after the October half-term break. To avoid mixing students from different year groups in enclosed spaces, we will not be able to offer a full programme, however, we will be able to offer some additional activities run by Primary School staff. Mlle Nahjari (Head of Primary School Curriculum Enrichment) will inform students and parents about the extended programme prior to the half-term break.
Mad Hair Day!!
At a time when we face so many restrictions in life, students and staff need (more than ever) an opportunity to “let their hair down”! And what better way than with a fun, fundraising event such as Mad Hair Day! This has been a great success in the past with students and staff coming up with some very creative hairstyles. Further information about this event, which will take place on the final day of this half term (Friday 23rd October), will be provided to students and parents in next week’s assembly and ISM Pulse newsletter.
Kind Regards,
Chris Benson
Head of Primary School and Deputy Director
From Secondary
Dear Secondary Parents (Class 7 - 13),
I hope this finds you all well and that you have had a good week. Firstly, could I remind any of you who have not yet completed the Parent Survey to take a few minutes to do so today. It will take around 2 minutes per child and is an important part of our self evaluation process. Your time is appreciated.
This week's learning principle is:
“Learning is driven by high expectations of behaviour,
individual effort and positive collaboration ”
I have chosen this principle as it partly fits with this week's Director's Chair blog regarding uniform. This is an example of high expectations. Dress Code or uniform is certainly not the most important thing in education but if we have it we must have high expectations around it. This is true in a classroom too. If we state that we want students to put their hands up to answer questions (not the only and not always the best tactic) then we need to hold true and reinforce these expectations. Many research studies and a good bit of common sense tell us that these high expectations raise achievement.
This works with effort too. We want students to enjoy learning and to embrace it. We therefore need them to know that we have high expectations. When we talk about this in a learning sense it should not be confused with simply doing lots of work and meeting all deadlines. Instead this principle asks us to think about having high expectations of the learning itself and the effort a young person puts into. Speaking to a colleague from King's last night he summed this up quite nicely with the phrase “thinking should be hard”. If it’s hard it requires effort!
The final element of the principle refers to collaboration. This has always been a fascinating one for me. I have heard it argued that if you want people to learn to work together you just have to get them in groups. The learning will naturally come. I don’t think so! It’s entirely possible for a group of people to be forced to work together for many many years and to remain utterly dysfunctional. You may have even experienced this.
If this is true our high expectations around collaboration mean the explicit teaching of what good and effective collaboration looks like. I could (and probably will) write an entire piece just on this but I hope that for now you get the general idea.
For further information on the expectations we have of Secondary students please visit the Parent Room Website
Have a lovely weekend,
James Wellings
SECONDARY CURRICULUM EVENING - (ACCESS TO THE RECORDING)
YEAR 7 - BAGS
YEAR 7 - GEOGRAPHY VOLCANO PRESENTATION
ART FESTIVAL AUDITIONS
SCHOOL PHOTOS
From the Board of Trustees
REMINDER: ANNUAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY (AGA)
All Members are welcome to attend the AGA but due to social distancing rules currently in place, spaces will be limited. It is very important that your views on the proposed amendments are recorded.
We therefore encourage Members to use the directed voting proxy form (links below) to cast your vote if you will not be able to attend the meeting in person.
Date: Thursday 15th October, 6 pm (doors open at 5:30 pm)
Venue: School Cafeteria, 16 quai Antoine 1er, Monaco - Entrance through Early Years building ground floor entrance only.
DID YOU KNOW...
Did you know that you could run the London Marathon in France ?
This year's event was "virtual" with 40,000 runners signing up from all over the world and we are very proud of ISM's own entrant, Business Management teacher Danielle Phillips, who completed the London Marathon by running seven times between Roquebrune Cap Martin and the Italian border to cover the distance!
Entrants were invited to plot their own routes and were tracked and logged by a central application in London, making it completely official.
Well done to Danielle who is looking forward to her next marathon !
HOT OFF THE PRESS
MEET KRISTINE OUR NEW HEALTH COORDINATOR
My name is Kristine. My home country is Denmark and I have been living in Monaco with my husband and our three children aged 3, 6, and 8 for ten years. I am a French and Danish nursing diploma holder and I have a master’s degree in Medical Anthropology from the University of Copenhagen. My clinical experience includes both staff nursing and clinical supervising roles on a hospital gastrointestinal unit, home care nursing, gynecological clinic medical assistant, and emergency room nursing.
I enjoy working with others and do so with integrity. I take pride in providing the best in class service and care.
In my free time I enjoy reading, traveling, and spending time with my family.
I would like to thank everybody for the warm welcome and I'm looking forward to being part of the Health team and also, the ISM Community.
CANTEEN: Our Satisfaction Survey
Dear Parents, Students,
The school canteen is a great place to promote an enjoyment of healthy eating. For students who use the canteen regularly, the food purchased makes a significant contribution to their total food intake and nutrition; therefore it makes sense to ensure the best food possible is available to enhance their ability to learn and take in the information presented to them in class.
Aiming at continuous improvement of the ISM canteen, we would like to request you if you would be so kind as to complete the following online questionnaire.
Thank you in advance for your participation and your support.
Disaster relief drive by our Student Council
Following the devastating floods of October 2nd-3rd which wreaked untold damage and loss of life in our neighbouring valleys, including Breil sur Roya and St Martin de Vésubie, our Student Council, notably Classes 7-9, organised an emergency relief drive.
In two days, and thanks to the generosity of our whole ISM community, they managed to fill an entire van for "Les Anges Gardiens de Monaco", full of non-perishable foods, torches, candles and toiletries.
With many thanks to all who donated in aid of the residents of these beautiful valleys where we have enjoyed so many hiking and rafting trips.
Last chance to send us your Recipe: TEDxYouth Event
The first ever TEDxYouth event in Monaco is still scheduled to happen at ISM with a new date planned for February 2021.
In order to help raise awareness and funds for this event, the organising committee are producing an 'ISM Cultural Cook Book' to sell to parents and our community this Christmas. Therefore, we would ask students and parents to share their favourite recipes from their home countries to include in our compilation.
The format of the recipes should include:
Name of the dish
Category (starter / main / dessert)
Ingredients with quantities (preferably in grams)
Method & timings
Name of the person or family sharing the recipe
Country or region of origin
These should be emailed to tanya@nalbantis.co.uk and tedxyouth@ismonaco.com by Friday 16th October 2020.
'ISM and King's: Bringing Two Worlds Together' Fitness Challenge
Many students and members of staff have contributed to the first ever collaborative fitness challenge with King's. Every student from Year 4 to Year 13 is expected to participate in the challenge, travelling as many kilometres as possible by either running, cycling or rowing. Please encourage all students to get active this weekend and contribute to this special event. Results should be entered here before 6pm on Sunday. Good luck!
IMG_5526.HEICIGCSE PE - Tennis at Monte Carlo Country Club
Next term, additional lessons will be offered to students in Year 11 who will benefit from our partnership and specialist coaching sessions at Monte Carlo Country Club.
Few pictures of the Via Ferrata done by some ISM Staff members at la Colmiane, two weekends ago.
SPORT AT ISM: Join a Team
Our school sports teams have started their after school training sessions, and COVID-willing we are hopeful to be able to enter competitions and tournaments later in the academic year including UNSS and the Mediterranean Cup for Football, Basketball and Volleyball. Numbers are increasing every week, but the more students in attendance the more competitive we will be as a school. We are always looking at other sports and activities that we can offer to encourage even more participation so please keep an eye on the updates.
The sports trainings that we are currently offering are:
Monday
Year 7 - 9 Boys Football
Year 7 - 9 Girls Football
Tuesday
Year 10 - 13 Basketball
Thursday
Year 7 - 9 Volleyball
Year 10 - 13 Boys Football
Year 10 - 13 Girls Football
