December 2008 Community news Vol. VIII No. 4 AN OFFICI A L PUBLIC A TI O N O F TASIS THE AMERIC A N SCH oo L IN ENGL A ND The Headmaster’s View INSIDE THIS Neither happened. In fact, the butterfly ISSUE spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and deformed wings. It was never able to fly. Upper School 2 What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand, was that the restricting Dean of Residential Life 3 cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the small opening of College Counseling 3 the cocoon are nature's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings Student Activities 4 Tastes of Thanksgiving were in abundance during the so that it would be ready for flight once it TASIS Cub Scout bake sale. Scouting groups at TASIS achieved its freedom from the cocoon. are open to all students of all nationalities and offer Admissions 5 opportunities for action, adventure, and learning. Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need. If we were allowed go through our life Middle School 5 LEARNING TO FL Y without any obstacles, we would be crippled. We would not be as strong as we could have I was recently reminded of the story below Lower School 7 by another headmaster when talking about been and we would never be able to fly. our enormous responsibility as educators to Helen Keller put it this way, “Character cannot Sports and Activities 9 prepare children for life. be developed in ease and quiet. Only through the experience of trial and suffering can the THE BU tt ERFLY – AU T HOR UNKNOWN Fitness Center 10 soul be strengthened, ambition inspired and One day a man found a cocoon of a butterfly. success achieved.” When a small opening appeared, he sat and Theatre 11 watched the butterfly for several hours as it Human beings are constantly faced with struggled to force its body through the little difficult choices, and adolescence is a crucial Music 11 hole. time to teach children to live with integrity, to honor their word, and to begin the struggle Then it seemed to stop making any progress. to become loving, trustworthy human beings. Summer Programs 12 It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it It is also the time to learn to engage self- could and could go no farther. Then the man Romanian Children's discipline when faced with a choice that, 13 Relief decided to help the butterfly. at the moment, may seem to be the most desirable, but which is fraught with danger. He took a pair of scissors and snipped the Scouting 14 remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly Real integrity is making the right choice, even then emerged easily. if no one else will ever know. Parents’ Council 16 However, something was strange. The Therefore, whenever the administrators and teachers at TASIS England are faced with butterfly had a swollen body and shriveled PIRC 18 wings. The man continued to watch the difficult decisions concerning the behavior butterfly because he expected at any of our students, we remind ourselves we are moment, the wings would enlarge and here to prepare the child for the path, not the expand to be able to support the body, which path for the child. would contract in time. (Continued on page 2) THE TASIS SCH oo L S A ND SUMMER PR O GR A M S A RE O WNED BY THE TASIS FO UND A TI O N , A SWI ss N O T -F O R -P R O FIT EDUC A TI O N A L F O UND A TI O N REGI S TERED IN DELÉM O NT , SWITZERL A ND . The Headmaster’s View, continued Dean of Residential Life The decisions that we make are arduous, sometimes students. These characteristics do not come about by contentious, and at times believed to be “unfair.” However, accident; they are a direct result of our high expectations and please be assured they are made with all the facts available parental support. For, to make the struggle too easy means and with the welfare of all our students in mind. In our they will never learn to fly. recent Ofsted inspection, the examiners commented on the respectful nature, kindness, and good behavior of our Dr. James A. Doran HEADMASTER Upper School ACADEMIC PL ANNING IN THE HIGH SCHOO L A goal without a plan is just a wish. Following the Winter Break, Course Registration Forms —Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and Upper School Course Handbooks will be distributed Helping our students plan for the future, set goals, and at class meetings. Whether our students are AP, IB, or realize ambitions is something the Upper School Academic International Section bound, they will begin the process of Team takes very seriously, and in an effort to enable each determining their classes for next year. Whilst it is important student to recognize and develop their full potential, we to ensure graduation requirements are met and our students provide academic counseling throughout the school year. are prepared for post high school ambitions, students Counseling begins for our rising ninth graders in January. are encouraged to explore and develop their passions. Each student benefits from an individual meeting where discussion about priorities for the next academic year will The philosophy of academic counseling at TASIS is based begin. Students will begin to work on mapping out their on a personal approach. One of the most important academic Four Year Plan. This Plan, a future road map, will services a school can provide is academic counseling, of course be initially written in “pencil”, and throughout and we strive to make our students feel cared for their upper school career and at yearly intervals, students are and valued. For specific deadlines regarding course encouraged to revisit and redefine, if necessary, their goals. registration forms, please refer to the dates listed below. Michele Bett ACADEMIC DEAN DEAD L INE S F OR COUR S E REGI S TRATION FORM S January 7, 2009: Distribution of Course Registration Forms to rising 10th, 11th and 12th Grades January 10, 2009: AP/IB meeting for 9th and 10th Grades, 7 p.m. January 28, 2009: Distribution of Course Registration Forms to rising 9th Grade January 29, 2009: Rising 9th Grade Parent Meeting February 6, 2009: Rising 12th IB Year 2 Course Registrations due February 27, 2009: Rising 9th Grade Course Registrations due March 6, 2009: Rising 10th Grade Course Registrations due March 13, 2009: Rising 12th Grade Course Registrations due March 27, 2009: Rising 11th Grade Course Registrations due Page 2 Dean of Residential Life BOARDING LI F E TASIS will assist in transporting boarding students to the airport for their flight home in December only if they leave The first semester is coming to a close—and with it the anxiety after all final exams have finished on Friday, December 19th. of finals as well as the anticipation of the Holiday Break when Faculty are on duty Friday, December 19th from 3:15-10:30 TASIS boarding students will travel both near and far. Most p.m. and again Saturday, December 20th from 9:00 a.m. to of the boarding parents have submitted travel plans. If you 1:00 p.m. Students needing a ride to Heathrow Airport will have not already done so, please provide travel details to the be given the option to join a school shuttle at stated times Upper School Office as soon as possible. Please communicate during these duty periods. Students needing transportation to your son/daughter the travel information (flight details and at any other time will have to make their own arrangements. host information) so he/she may complete and return the Ms. Feltham and Ms. Calton in the Upper School Office can necessary forms to Ms. Feltham in the Upper School Office. assist students in arranging taxis. You may also send an e-mail ([email protected]) or a fax (+44 1932 560493). Full information can be obtained Please note that students are responsible for their own return on the TASIS website at http://england.tasis.com, click on to school at the end of their break. Taxi information may be Campus Life, Boarding and, then Christmas Break. We must found on the above-listed TASIS website and also on the have this information no later than Monday, December 8th. Gemini Taxi website (www.geminicars.co.uk; telephone 0044 1784 471111). The dorms will close at 1 p.m. on Saturday, December 20th. Students may move back into the dorms no earlier than We hope this information will prove useful in completing Sunday, January 4th, 2009. All students are expected to be travel plans for the TASIS Holiday Break. back on campus no later than 7:00 p.m. Monday, January Wishing all of you a restful and rewarding holiday, 5th, 2009. Please understand that no boarder may stay beyond Saturday 1:00 p.m. on December 20th. They may Michael Bett not return earlier than Sunday, January 4th, as we have no DEAN OF RESIDENTIAL LIFE supervision in the dorms during this period. Monday, January Denise Levesque 5th is a professional day for teachers only. Classes resume on ASSISTANT , DEAN OF RESIDENTIAL LIFE Tuesday, January 6th. College Counseling The College Counseling Office is about playing an increasing role in admissions processes around the to enter our busiest time of year. With world, so these predictions can be helpful for many of our college application deadlines looming, students.