• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

AOSR News February 2004 WWW.AOSR.ORG TEACHING NEW TEACHERS By Dr. Larry Dougherty, Headmaster Excellent schools with excellent teachers have a responsibility to educate the next generation of teachers. As some of you know, we have had eight student teachers in our school this year. We have had an outstanding group of young people finishing their university practicum with us. All of the students who come to our school first have to pass a rigorous screening by their colleges and universities. They must have outstanding references and they have to demonstrate tremendous independence to be selected for an international student placement. If they are teaching in a discipline, they have to have fulfilled all of the requirements to qualify for a teacher in that discipline. Our student teachers have come from Iowa State University, the University of Northern Iowa, Minnesota State College, Christian Brothers University, and Boston College. From Iowa State University, Kelsey Wallace completed her student teaching in the Kindergarten class- room with Patricia Robertson; and Karen Hoover has worked in the P.E. program together with Carlyn Zaniboni. (Continued on page 14) HOW THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES DETERMINES TUITION By Richard Zacaroli Chairperson, AOSR Board of Trustee At the annual January Board of Trustees meeting, the Board of Trustees will consider and decide what the tuition and fees will be for the 2004-05 school year. This is a responsibility the Trustees take very seri- ously. So, what are the Trustees’ objectives in establishing the tuition and fees schedule for the next school year? The Board determines tuition necessary to address our priorities for strengthening our academic pro- grams, attracting and retaining outstanding teachers and improving the physical and learning environment for our children. In addressing these goals, we consider the following financial considerations: The tuition and fees must be sufficient to cover our projected costs, and maintain a positive cash flow. Importantly it is not AOSR’s objective to make a profit. While AOSR pays Italian taxes, we operate as a Not- For-Profit corporation. Simultaneously it is our objective to keep tuition within the range of other international schools, as Rome is a very competitive market for English Language students. Our student population has grown because of the high quality of our faculty and our educational programs. The tuition increases we have had over the years have financed the improvements to our academic programs that have contributed to our success. We must continue to make prudent decisions regarding tuition and fees now and in the future to ensure our pro- (Continued on page 17) Contents Message from the 1 More PTO News 10 MS News 17 Bon- 24 Headmaster Appetito Trustees’ Report 4 Poetry 12 HS News 18 Il Foro 25 All-School News 3,4,6, Pre-K News 13 News from the 19 Calendar 26 7,8 Counselor AOSR 2004 Ball 5 Carnevale 14 Sports Briefs 20,21 PPAC 8 ES News 15 Notes from the Field 22 1 PTO Corner 9 MS News 16 Rome ‘N’ About 23 Publisher’s News Welcome to Mariela Ortiz who has volunteered to be the Falcon NO CLASS DAYS Flyer’s Graphics Editor. She joins Marlene Der-Khachadourian Ski Week (Distribution) as well as our regular Monday 16 through Friday 20 columnists, Doug Kneeland, Sue Ber- School begins Monday, February 23 ton, and Claudia Sobral. We are really happy to announce a contribution to “Rome’N’About” by Sabine Neumann. Welcome to newcomer columnist Katherine Berton who will tell us what is going on in Grade 6. Corrections: In last month’s Falcon Flyer, the last line was left off of Dr. Pfannl’s National Principals’ PTO Partners Award report on page 3 of the December/January Falcon Flyer. It should read: Carol Atwood [email protected] Susan Berton [email protected] Dr. Pfannl was also presented Julie Deptula [email protected] with a U.S. Department of State Cer- Grazia Deulus [email protected] tificate of Appreciation for dedicated Lisa Finerty [email protected] Susan Haight [email protected] service and outstanding contributions Francesca Kelly [email protected] to children overseas, by the Office of Laura Rumpf [email protected] Overseas Schools directed by Dr. Monique Smits [email protected] Keith Miller. The award was given by Ana Volk [email protected] Assistant Secretary of State, Dr. Wil- Moshira Zelenka [email protected] liam Eaton. As always, please call if we can help! Happy Valentine’s, Carnevale, Mardi Gras, Chinese New Year, and Ski Week everyone! Lisa Finerty Editor Important Phone Numbers School Number: 06-334-381 Fax: 06-3326-2608 is a monthly publication of the Headmaster: Larry Dougherty 06-3343-8331 Headmaster’s Secretary : Domenica Losani 06-3343-8331 American Overseas School of Principal: Beth Pfannl 06-3343-8326 Rome (AOSR) Principal’s Secretary: Alessandra Cozzi 06-3343-8326 Admissions: Don Levine 06-3343-8300 To make comments or suggestions, or to submit an Reception/Secretary: Joanne Hoberg 06-3343-8300 Financial Consultant: Elisa Bruno 06-3343-8338 article to the Falcon Flyer, please call editor Lisa Fin- Boarding/Finance: Estelle Dougherty 06-3343-8339 erty at 06-4782-6192, or send an email to ptonewslet- Guidance Counselor: Donna Ross 06-3343-8327 [email protected]. A Flyer submission box is also located Nurse: Diane Cullen-Moore 06-3343-8321 in the Principal’s office. After School Activities: Christine Hogan 06-3343-8320 Margaret Ciuffreda MS Actvities Coord.: Angela Santangelo 06-3343-8336 Resource Room: Karen Lee 06-3343-8302 Next Deadline 2-18-04 Records Office: Marina Benetti 06-3343-8315 The deadline for submission of articles for the PTO/Boutique 06-3343-8322 March Flyer is Wednesday, February 18, for news Via Cassia 811 and announcement for the period, March 1st 00189 Rome, Italy to April 3, 2004. Internet: www.aosr.org 2 All School News AOSR Music Gets a Teachers bring Giant Technology Upgrade back ideas By Roy Zimmerman, HS Music Teacher from ECIS Exciting new equipment in the computer lab conference means good news for AOSR music students. The school By Jane Rumsby and has just purchased eight music production workstations, Carlyn Zaniboni enabling Mr. Zimmerman’s theory and composition stu- dents to explore the Number One musical instrument of In November, teachers who went to the Euro- today, the computer! pean Conference of International Schools (ECIS) in The specific description of the equipment may Hamburg attended an inspiring pre-conference work- not impress the layman, but try telling a recording engi- shop, called “Operation Respect.” It was run by Peter neer about our sleek Roland PC-100 keyboard midi- Yarrow (of Peter, Paul & Mary musical fame). controllers, which plug straight into Steinberg’s Cubase The workshop focused on de-escalation of con- sequencer, equipped with their hot new grand piano, flict, assertiveness training, communication skills, and virtual guitarist, and synthesizer/sampler plug-in mod- mutual support. These issues permeate all aspects of ules. Students will wear professional headphones as our lives --- from the way we talk to bus drivers, the they cook up their musical concoctions; they will be cleaning staff, our children, our spouses, and even to producing a whole CD full of their work by the end of the tellers at the bank. the school year. The topics learned at the workshop have been Since the advent of the digital age, every note of introduced at the MS, and the students’ response is music we hear has passed through computer processing. positive and encouraging. Grades 2-5 have the materi- Only very recently, however, has it been possible for a als also, and teachers who attended the conference have school budget to acquire complete music production offered to do hands-on workshops in the other classes. packages for its students. Without exaggerating, AOSR It has already been implemented in the Grade 3, and can say that its music production gear make mythical third grade students will present the topic of “Respect” 1960’s studios like Abbey Road or Muscle Shoals seem at an ES assembly on Friday, January 30, at 2:15. very tacky indeed. American Women’s Associa- tion of Rome members and guests celebrated the holi- days together at an elegant reception held at Villa Tav- erna. The December event featured a special perform- ance by the American Over- seas School of Rome choir. AWAR President, Lori Hickey Mucci, wrote in their newsletter, “It was definitely a very special occasion we will all remember for many years to come. Without ques- tion, the children from the AOSR Middle School Choir provided the ultimate festive touch.” (photo courtesy of www.awar.org) 3 AOSR Board of Trustee Biographies Don Levine is at it again…. •The Pinus table now has a top, with its biography and Last issue the Falcon Flyer presented the biographies of reason for being wood-carved into it. the four Board of Trustee members elected at the Novem- •The container classrooms out back now have a wooden ber corporation meeting. This month, we present the bi- porch designed and built by our own Matt Tupper. A ographies of an additional four Trustees, and present the table and chairs will be added as another work remaining four in our next issue. Contact information for area for the students and the surrounding area is being all Board members is in the School Directory. dressed up with flowerbeds and laurel bushes. It should TODD ATWOOD be very nice when completed. Todd Atwood is an American citizen and has been a •Teachers have been using the new tables and chairs resident of Rome since March 1998.

Load more

  25

Copy Link