AOSR - VIA CASSIA 811 Phone: 06.33438.1 Web: WWW.AOSR.ORG November 2008

Contents

Peter Yarrow visits AOSR 1 - 2 Elementary School News 12 - 13

Update from Head of School 3 Middle School News 14 - 16

Message from the Board of Trustees 4 News from Tom Connoly’s Desk 17 - 18

Teacher Interview 5 Counselor’s Corner 19

PTO News and Events 8 - 10 Contact Information 22

Special Event Announcement 6 Sports 20

Community Service Project 7 Il Foro 21

Pre-K and Kindergarten News 11 Calendar 23

Peter Yarrow (of Peter, Paul and Mary) Visits AOSR

Peter Yarrow, member of the legendary folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary, came to AOSR on Friday, Oct. 10th to share with our community the Operation Respect program. Operation Respect was founded in September, 2000 by Peter Yarrow to promote the infusion of character education and social and emotional learning principles into school curricula. Toward this end, Operation Respect created and disseminates the "Don't Laugh at Me" (DLAM) Program. The centerpiece of the program is the song, "Don't Laugh at Me," sung by Peter, Paul and Mary.

See additional photos on page 2

The AOSR community joins Peter Yarrow on stage to sing Puff the Magic Dragon.

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All School News

Photos of Peter Yarrow with the AOSR Community October 10, 2008

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All School News

As part of the our recent initiative to strengthen contact with the entire AOSR community, Secondary Principal, Mr. Connolly, and Elementary Principal, Dr. Grunfeld, led informative discussions at Elementary and Middle School Parent Forums. These were organized by grade level to best address specific topics by grade level and academic area. Mr. Connolly will be holding additional meetings with High School parents this month and we encourage interested parents to attend.

Another Parent Forum on October 22 was led by Head of School, Dr. Pfannl. Topics included; 1) an update on the Strategic Plan and progress to date to implement its goals and initiatives; 2) the ongoing Facilities Audit by H2L2 Architects and Planners; and 3) Dr. Pfannl’s mid October trip to the US. She reminded parents about the upcoming Annual Assembly of the AOSR Corporation scheduled for Thursday, November 20th. At that meeting, the Chairman of the AOSR Board of Trustees and the Head of School will report to the Corporation members on the State of the School. Elections will be held to fill four Board seats soon to be vacated.

In the United States, Dr. Pfannl attended numerous events organized by very active Italian-American organizations including the Columbus Citizens Foundation in New York and the National Italian American Foundation in Washington DC. Front and center at NIAF’s two-day Best-of-Italy exhibition

appropriately named “Piazza d’Italia” was the AOSR booth staffed by Dr. Pfannl and Dr. Robert Marino, President of the American University of Rome, further signal to the strong cooperative relationship of these two educational institutions.

In addition, Dr. Pfannl met personally with prominent Italian American business leaders, politicians, and entertainers to trumpet the successes AOSR is realizing in 2008. Among her contacts were US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), ABC News Correspondent Sam Donaldson, NIAF Executive Vice Chairman Joseph Del Raso, Columbus Citizens Foundation President Louis Tallarini, actress Gina Lollobrigida, and former Governor of New York Mario Cuomo and his wife Matilda, herself a strong proponent of the AP Italian Language and Culture Program. Ms. Cuomo was very excited to learn from Dr. Pfannl that AOSR was indeed the first overseas school to offer that program. On this trip, Dr. Pfannl also had the opportunity to meet with several assemblies of AOSR alumni and friends, conduct informative meetings in Philadelphia at the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and the offices of H2L2. She also visited several fine educational institutions in the US to open up opportunities for future cooperation and collaboration.

HEAD OF SCHOOL UPDATE Dr. Beth Pfannl

NIAF Vice Chair Joseph Del Raso & AUR President Dr. Robert Marino

ABC News Correspondent Sam Donaldson

Connecticut Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro

AOSR alumna Ariell Kirylo (‘01)

Gina Lollobrigida

AOSR Alumni Rob Hartman (’65), his son Daniel, and former AOSR teacher Greg Roux

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All School News

Message from the AOSR Board of Trustees Douglas Kneeland, Chair, AOSR Board of Trustees

Agenda

Call to order Approval of Minutes from Previous Meetings - Regular Meeting, November 29, 2007 - Special Meeting, October 2, 2008 State of Corporation Address – Board Chair State of the School Address – Head of School Election of Members to Board of Trustees Approval of Balance Sheet – 2007/2008 Announcement of Results of Board Elections Adjournment

It is my pleasure to call the Regular and Supporting Members of the AOSR Corporation to the Annual Assembly of the Corporation which will be held in the cafeteria of AOSR at Via Cassia, 811, commencing at 19:30 on Thursday, 20 November 2008, on first call and Thursday, 11 December 2008, if necessary, at the same time and place, on second call.

In order to participate at the annual assembly you must be a member of the Corporation. Every parent or guardian of a student of AOSR is eligible to become a regular member. Your regular membership will terminate automatically when your child is no longer officially a student at AOSR. For more information, please contact Ms. Domenica Losani at dlosani@aosr.org or call 06.33438331. Official bylaws are available in the Head’s office.

The Annual Assembly is validly constituted when AT LEAST FIFTY PERCENT of the Regular and Supporting Members are present in person or by proxy. It is the Board’s intention to assemble a quorum (50% of eligible voting members) on the First Call date of Thursday, 20 November 2008. Therefore, we strongly encourage all our Corporation Members to make every effort to attend or execute and send in a proxy in compliance with the procedure set out below.

The Meeting will be conducted in English. Due to the fullness of the agenda and the need for

efficiency in completing the meeting, we will not be able to provide translations into other languages during the course of the meeting. We regret any inconvenience this may cause.

If you cannot attend the meeting, we ask that you elect to participate by proxy. Article 16 of the AOSR Bylaws provides that no member in attendance may hold more than three proxies. Please note that the Board of Trustees has resolved that only those proxies which are delivered to the AOSR office by 17:00 hrs. on November 20th and which clearly identify the individual nominated to hold the proxy will be accepted. Proxies received after the 17:00 deadline, blank proxies, or proxies assigned to a corporation member already holding three proxies will be void.

This year the Corporation is required to elect four members to fill positions on the Board of Trustees. If you are interested in presenting yourself for election to the Board of Trustees please contact Dr. Pfannl by Wednesday, November 12th, so that your name and personal data can be provided to the members of the Corporation before the meeting. Nominations will not be accepted from the Floor during the meeting.

In the interest of our children’s education and the proper completion of the Corporation’s business, I urge you to take the time to personally attend the meeting on 20 November 2008.

I look forward to seeing you there.

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All School News

If you ask HS students around campus about Mr. Sigafoos they either panic because they have to study 120 words for the next vocabulary test or they smile and say that he is one of their favorite tough teachers. In this issue of the Falcon Flyer we asked him about his professional career, his reading choices and what

inspires him.

Mr. Sigafoos was born in San Clemente, California—A small coastal town between Los Angeles and San Diego. He has been living in Rome and teaching at AOSR for the past four years. He received his BA in English Literature from UCLA (University of California in Los Angeles) and MA in Education from National University. What made you decide to become a teacher?

My mom had some friends over when I was home visiting in my late 20s. While we were hanging out around the pool I was teaching the children of her guests how to dive off of the diving board. Their father was the principal of the local High School, and he thought, while watching that I had the qualities of a good teacher. He talked me into quitting my job and becoming a teacher by dinner. They are still friends of my family and the kids still are lousy at diving. Any educators in the family?

My mom is an IB Coordinator, and a Theory of Knowledge and AP European History teacher. My sister is a Junior Dean at Oxford. What do you love about teaching?

You have to learn material and you have to learn the kids in order to teach it to them. By "learn the kids" I mean that they all are so different as people, and they are very changeable from day to day. Everyone learns differently and at different speeds, and we forget that they are also learning in an environment that is also their principle social one. We forget that if a boy or girl that you like doesn't say hi to them in the hallway that their whole day is affected and their behaviors change. (That is probably an exaggeration though!)There is always so much going on with the kids and it is

magnified by their lack of emotional experience. That is why you have to learn them so you can reach them each day whether they are at an emotional peak or valley. Things that annoy you about teaching?

We have a crisis of critical thinking right now. I find the kids are willing to work, but hesitate to think. When things don’t come quickly or automatically they assume that something is desperately wrong, and a lot of them shut down or quit. How do you get students to tap into their creativity?

I think the best way to get students to tap into their inner resources is to try and make sure they understand that nobody in the room is perfect and that being themselves is OK. Which living writer do you most admire?

Martin Amis. My favorite books by him are "The Information" and "London Fields" If you could choose a book that you wish you had written, what would that book be?

The Great Gatsby A quote from an author that has inspired you…

“Loneliness clarifies” Phillip Larkin Favorite books when you were in High School?

Slaughterhouse 5, The Plague, Grendel, 1984, The Grapes of Wrath, No Exit Bedside books/magazines/ newspapers/ comics?

I have a sweet tooth for detective fiction and read it when I am relaxing: Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett, Ross MacDonald, etc. What do you love the most about living in Rome?

There are twined senses of humor, dignity and bathos here that I love. People laugh a lot but are very serious about certain things. I think that matches my personality pretty well. If you weren’t a teacher what job would you do?

I have always dreamed of being a journalist or lawyer—but I do not have a combative enough personality to be good at either. I would like to write a book someday, but nobody in my writing class seems to find my stories very readable.

Talking with Mr. James Sigafoos, HS English teacher by Claudia Sobral, AOSR parent

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All School News

American Overseas School of Rome

is hosting its

First Annual Fashion Show Fundraiser

with dozens of AOSR student models

Tuesday, December 2nd 2008

19:00 AOSR Ballroom (Cafeteria)

Tickets: €20 (this includes a free raffle ticket) All proceeds will go towards the renovation of the Hillside Theatre

RSVP by Wednesday, November 26th 2008

Contact Zoë Hili in the Main Office

zhili@aosr.org

Don’t Miss This Exciting Event!

AOSR THEATER Kip Hendry and Jessica Adams

Invite you To Come And See

CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY 7 p.m.

NOVEMBER 18 and 19 Admission Is Free!!! Rumor has it that STUCO will be selling

Chocolate Bars. Just Think, you could be the lucky winner of your very own golden ticket!!

This is a joint venture between MS and HS

Performance by Middle School actors and props, costumes, stage managers, assistant directors – HS students

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Community Service Project

Bridge to Bahia links two very diverse communities through grassroots, person-to-person contacts. By building a program of community-based cooperation, AOSR is preparing its students for a dramatically different world that looms on the horizon, a world where unconscionable inequalities will only be resolved with new skill-sets based upon direct intervention, enthusiasm and friendship, helping to construct a just and sustainable society.

AOSR High School math teacher Louise Audette spent the month of July in Salvador, as a volunteer at the ICBIE, where she gave English language courses. She was kind enough to offer us this beautiful testimonial.

I am an extremely fortunate person. I have met people, young, wise, kind and caring. This wealth all came from one decision – to volunteer in a small community called ICBIE, in Salvador, Brazil.

My name is Louise Audette and I have been teaching AOSR, where I learned about this organization in Brazil and I found that I now had a chance to work in a place surrounded by people that were giving their lives towards helping those in need.

I cannot describe in words what I found in Brazil. When I was teaching English to the community, I was filled with the joy, laughter and caring that they gave me. One woman, Lu, who works at ICBIE invited me to her home for the best dinner I have had because she was one of the kindest women I have ever met. After dinner, her daughter, and two of my students Diego and Maggie, sat for hours on their roof, enjoying the Brazilian skies, more laughter and more caring than I have ever shared. These moments, these people have touched my heart with their kindness and remind me

what is truly important each day that I live. Lu has a smile and would give anything to help someone and her family reflects her love. Others, such as Julio, take the time to help anyone, even me, to become a happier person. Julio is special. He has traveled the world, but has not been touched by the greed of money. He also gives his heart to his people and asks for nothing in return. Of course none of this would be possible without the pure hearts of Pietro, Marlene and Roy – the people who give their entire lives to help. They ask for nothing but support for their work and they work many hours to help others. They want no thanks, no rewards – they just “do it”.

My moments and memories are boundless, but the

smile of Lu every day, the sun setting as I sat on the roof with the children, the joy and laughter of sharing my language with song and dance and even seeing the pure love of two people that care so much for others have filled me with more life as it should be… a life of love and caring. It is a reminder for a crazy American, not to worry about little things, when she is lucky to meet people such as Paranaguá. He does not have to work for the people – yet he takes time to help the young people and he even took time to make me feel special. The day I left I was given a simple gift from a good friend that I had shared song and dance with. I will treasure my gift as if it was gold, because it is gold. Thank you. So who was really doing volunteer work? I can tell you that the path I chose this summer led me to the grandest resort I have ever been to and I shall return.

Thank you to all for every moment that you have given to me. I will come back for more.

Bridge to Bahia By Mr. Roy Zimmerman

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PTO News

This is an invitation to all parents and staff to attend the next PTO meeting November 17th. There will be a short business meeting starting at 9:15 so please be on time that morning. Following this, we will have a special presentation on child safety and the drug scene here in Rome as relates to our children and teenagers that you won’t want to miss. Two AOSR dads, Mark Webb and Scott Sieben, from the DEA Rome Regional Office at the American

Embassy will be coming that morning to share on this topic. As the DEA’s office works closely with the Italian police force, these gentlemen will be able to respond to many of your questions and concerns in regards to your children’s safety while in and about Rome. We hope to see many of you there as you

don’t want to miss this informative session.

If any of the upcoming booster bars is to raise funds for an activity in which your child is involved, please plan to come that Friday to help with the set-up, sale of booster bar items or clean-up.

If you are interested in helping at your child's club-s p o n s o r e d B o o s t e r B a r o n F r i d a y afternoon from 2:00-5:00 p.m., even if only for an hour, call Anna Clementi, the Booster Bar coordinator at 335.180.7178

The more everyone helps the more fun it is and we are able to serve more people so your child’s club or group can raise more money.

Cari amici, potete vedere sotto elencati le date dei prossimi Booster Bar. Il Vostro sostegno è sempre prezioso e benvenuto!

Venite ad aiutarci a montare, vendere o rimettere a posto. Anche solo un’ora può significare tanto. E…l’unione fa la forza! In questo lavoro, se così si può chiamare, più saremo e più sarà divertente e leggero. Inoltre è un’ottima occasione per conoscersi! Vi aspettiamo!

Special guest speakers at next PTO Meeting

November PTO General Meeting

November 17

9:15 a.m. in Cafeteria

AOSR PTO Excursion PTO visits with Secret Gardens Italy continues on Wednesday, Nov. 12, with a visit to an organic farm outside of Rome, where the olive harvest has started, and the cold-stone oil press --- one of the few still in use used is in full (and laborious swing). The sustainable organic producers of Sabina DOC olive oil, also make interesting cheeses, and

honeys. Optional lunch of regional specialties afterward at a nearby game preserve. Wednesday, Nov. 12, €15. To reserve or for more information, contact Jan Miller, PTO President at jany54miller@yahoo.com or call 06.30090053 or 333-800.2078 For a description of the process, visit the website below: http://w w w . s e c r e t g a r d e n s i t a l y . c o m / _ / S e c r e t _ B l o g /es/2007/11/17_Cold_Comfort_Oil.html 

BOSTER BAR 2008/09 by Anna Clementi, AOSR parent

UPCOMING BOOSTER BARS

Nov. 7 Spanish Honor Society Nov. 21 MUN Dec. 5 Basketball Dec. 12 Cheerleading

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PTO News

AOSR COOKBOOK - INVITATION

Would you like to be a part of a great fundraising project?!

The PTO plans to publish an international cookbook based on favorite recipes from AOSR families including

yours so that they can be shared with our school community, alumni, friends, and other international food lovers. The good news is that you do not have to cook anything! Just type your favorite recipe(s) by using the appropriate form available in the main office, and send it to the following e-mail address: aosrcookbook@yahoo.com. Although we prefer the information to be sent via email, recipes may also be dropped off at the main school office in an envelope marked “AOSR COOKBOOK.”

Don’t worry if you cannot submit the recipe in English. Recipes may be submitted in your native language and will be translated into English. Recipes may also be submitted using either English or metric measurements. A conversion chart will be included in the book.

We are looking for recipes in categories such as:

Breakfast Dishes Appetizers Beverages Soups and Sauces First Courses/Side Dishes Vegetables/Salads Second Courses/Main Dishes Desserts Children’s Recipes Healthy Snacks Easy Meals for Soon-to-Be College Students Dinner with…(insert your family name) and include an entire menu.

Even recommend a wine, if you like.

Your contribution is essential to the success of this project. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

If you have any questions, please contact Raquel Loll at lollfamily@hotmail.com or call her at 333-594-6293.

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PTO News

Vorreste prendere parte ad una bellissima inizativa creata dalle mamme della scuola? Il PTO (Organizzazione di Genitori ed Insegnanti) vorrebbe pubblicare un libro di cucina internazionale, basato sulle ricette preferite dalle famiglie dell’ AOSR, incluse le vostre! Queste ricette verranno condivise con la comunita` della nostra scuola, gli ex allievi, gli amici e tutti gli amanti della cucina internazionale. E' molto semplice: non dovete far altro che inviarci nel formato di una

scheda (le schede sono disponibili in ufficio) una o più tra le vostre ricette preferite all’ e-mail: aosrcookbook@yahoo.com. Sebbene preferiremmo che le vostre ricette ci arrivino via e-mail, le schede completate possono anche essere lasciate all’ufficio della scuola in una busta contrassegnata “AOSR COOKBOOK”.

Non preoccupatevi se non potete presentare le vostre ricette in inglese. Scrivetele pure nella vostra lingua. Penseremo noi a tradurle. Potete anche utilizzare la vostra unità di misura, dato che nel libro sara` inclusa una tabella di conversione.

Le ricette saranno suddivise in questo modo:

Colazione Antipasti Bevande Zuppe e Salse Primi Piatti/ Contorni Secondi Piatti/ Piatti Principali Dolci Ricette per i più Piccoli Merende Facili Ricette per chi andra` all’Universita` Cena con...(mettete il nome della vostra famiglia) e includete un menu completo. (Potete anche

raccomandare un vino se volete).

Non vediamo l’ora di ricevere le vostre ricette! Non potremmo realizzare questo progetto senza di voi! Grazie in anticipo!

Se avete qualche domanda, contattate Raquel Loll all' e-mail: lollfamily@hotmail.com o al numero 333-594-6293.

Di nuovo, Grazie! Il comitato del Libro di Cucina AOSR: Rima Barket Annette Boccaccini Sandy Chacon Anna Clementi Jennifer Freeman Emmy Isbell Hilla Katzir Raquel Loll Elizabeth Minchilli Nara Ngerel

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Pre-K and Kindergarten News

Pre-K Ms. Amy Magazzu, Pre-K Coordinator

The next time you are on campus, be on the lookout for a large group of ‘chipmunks’ and a small group of ‘ducks’! The children of Pre-K 3 and 4 thought about a variety of animals they could use for a mascot and then voted on their favorites. The Pre-K 4 children are the now the ‘Chipmunks’. They have learned a variety of interesting facts about chipmunks and are currently working on constructing a paper maché chipmunk and a tree with nuts! The Chipmunks are very lucky to have the help of their new friend Livy, a high school student who has offered her time and artistic skills to help the children with their mascot! The Pre-K 3 voted to be called the ‘Ducks’. They are currently working on creating a very large duck using paper, paint, feathers, and other materials. The children’s finished mascots will be displayed in the classroom throughout the year.

Kindergarten Ms. Antinucci and Ms. Bleecher

October proved to be another busy and exciting month for the Kindergarten! The students have been learning about the season of Fall and all of the changes that occur as the weather gets cooler and cooler. The students went on a leaf hunt and searched for various types and colors of leaves. While learning about how pumpkins grow, the students were able to use their 5 senses to explore a real pumpkin, and especially enjoyed using their sense of taste to sample the delicious pumpkin seeds! In Math, the students are beginning to learn about and use the “tricky teen numbers” and are exploring estimation and symmetry. The Kindergarten is anxious to see what fun November will bring!

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Elementary School News

Second Grade Ms. Ciuffreda and Ms. Musler

First Grade Mr. Etcheverry and Ms. Tausend

Third Grade Ms. Gist and Ms. Prisco

October has been an action packed month in first grade. We enjoyed performing “The Thirteen Days of Halloween” at the parade. We are learning about the forest habitat and the animals that live there. We are making lots of progress in reading, writing and mathematics and we look forward to sharing your child’s work at the parent teacher conferences November 14th.

Recently the students went to a science lab in the High School and were able to observe one-celled animals under a microscope. This worthwhile collaboration between the Elementary and High School was possible with the assistance of Ms. Crystal Wulff, a HS science teacher. Now we are examining and observing fossils with a hand lens and then we shall be making relief models of fossils with plaster of paris. The second graders have shown themselves to be quick learners of two hakas which they have learnt under the enthusiastic guidance of Tainika’s father, Mr.Kane-Potaka, who comes from New Zealand. They are looking forward to performing these Maori war chants at one and all during the Halloween Parade. The students will be preparing the food for their traditional Thanksgiving lunch. It is a time for all the students to give thanks and think of others less fortunate than they are.

This month the 3rd grade students are beginning their Simple Machines Unit in their science classes. In history they are continuing their studies of Greek Mythology and have learned about Sir Arthur Evans, the archeologist who uncovered the ancient Minoan city of Knossos. In composition writing the children are learning how to develop a three paragraph story that includes an introduction, development, and conclusion. This is an ongoing exercise that the children will work on throughout the of year in preparation for the ERB Writing Exam. Thank you for your ongoing support and feedback.

Fourth Grade Ms. De Paolis and Ms. Piccirilli

We went on a great field trip to the Time Elevator in October. We went back in time to experience a multi-sensory Roman history adventure. In Current Events the students are studying the origins of Halloween while creatively composing acrostic poems about witches, warlocks, ghosts, goblins and other Halloween creatures! This month the students will write Native American stories on “skins” (brown paper that resembles a beaver pelt).

Reading Buddies

Reading Buddies is a wonderful AOSR project encouraging reading. Here a 4th grader is reading to a kindergarten student on our beautiful garden quad. All of the 4th and kindergarten students look forward to the weekly events making Reading Buddies a special time for all.

The Elementary School annual Halloween Parade will take place on Friday, October 31, 2008 with students marching through the gym in their costumes. It is a fun way to end the month and the week. Students look forward to seeing each other’s costumes and sharing a traditional American childhood celebration.

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Elementary School News

The Character Tree in the ES Principal’s office is growing more and more leaves every day. Nadav F. has demonstrated excellent character traits and was recommended by Ms. Dooner for a leaf with his name, date and positive character daily. Nadav’s leaf is prominently placed for all to see as Ms. Dooner looks on.

5th Grade students sing at AOSR United Nations Day Concert

Fifth Grade Ms. DiCori, Ms. Dooner and Ms. Rumsby

Welcome to Ms. Jessica Gibbons and Ms. Kalli Haugo who will be with us as student teachers for eight weeks. They are from the State University of Iowa and are very excited to be in Rome at AOSR.

In history we are busy learning about Romans. All students are commencing a Roman Emperor research project. This entails working in groups and the students will then make presentations to the class. We are also getting prepared for our field trip to Gladiator School on Monday, November 3rd where we will be participating in the ancient art of gladiator combat while wearing authentic clothing. Our instructors will be the guys who trained the actors for the movie The Gladiator.

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Elementary School News

Elementary School Art Program Ms. Phebe Cosentino, ES Art teacher

Every year in September the Women’s Guild of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations sponsors a poster competition for international schools in Rome for World Food Day. Art and science are intergraded with the theme, “World Food Security and the Challenges of Climate Change and Bio Energy”. The classes designing posters have shown a great amount of interest concerning global warming, climate change, and understanding words like, fossil fuel, carbon dioxide, bio fuel, bio energy, greenhouse gasses and organic farming.

Posters will differ in content as children in grades 2-5 express their original ideas when drawing and painting about the topics mentioned above. Four posters in AOSR’S Elementary School will be selected and exhibited at the FAO during the week of World Food DAY. Other posters will be on display in the school’s lunchroom at the end of the month and during the U.N. Day Program.

Drawing and painting flags for the U.N. Day is also an activity of interest and enjoyment for 4th and 5th grade as they select and discuss flags of different countries.

Children in the lower grades are learning about the color wheel and the primary and secondary colors.

Kindergarten colored and cut out different shapes of fruit. Grade 1 colored a rainbow and learned about how it is formed. Outside they took turns holding

a prism and were excited to see the colors of the rainbow reflected on the ground as the rays of the sun passed through it, similar to how it passes through raindrops to form a rainbow. Their next project was to draw 6 balloons with oil pastel and paint over all with a watercolor wash. They were delighted to see how the oil colors seemed to pop out of the paper when watercolor was added. All classes learned or reviewed the process of drawing portraits and self-portraits. Shape, proportion, symmetry, and color were the basic art concepts studied. Children were shown self-portraits and portraits of important artists, like Vincent Van Gogh, Rembrandt van Rijn, and portraits by artists, Leonardo Da Vinci, Pierre-Auguste Renior, Henry Matisse, Frans Hals. They explained what they knew about the artist and gave their opinions of their work. Children used mirrors to depict their features then drew self-portraits with pencil and colored them with crayon or watercolor pencils. Halloween always brings on a lot of fun and excitement to art. Children are now drawing pictures and designing cards. They are making owl masks, witch hats, Jack O’Lanterns, puppets, and large paintings for the decoration of the Halloween Parade. Activities include painting, paper construction, clay modeling coloring with oil pastels. AOSR is very happy to congratulate Sofia P. in 2nd grade for winning 2nd prize in category 1 for The World Food Day Poster Competition.

Second grader Sofia P. wins 2nd place with this World Food Day Poster

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Middle School News

Congratulations to the Middle School STUCO!

Student Council STUCO elections occurred during the month of October with candidates speaking to their Middle School peers to communicate their interest in and plans for the Student Council. Congratulations to the following students on the Executive Committee:

President Emily D. Vice President Sarah P.

Treasurer Luca C. Secretary Sheridan G.

8th grade Ambassador Kyler B. 7th grade Ambassador Sarah H.

6th grade Ambassador Leonardo P.

In addition, students were elected as representatives for their A period classes. The representatives for Sixth Grade are: Yuval T., Henry V.O., Korey B., Austin F., Natalie M., Miki A., and Valentina B. The representatives for Seventh Grade are: Raffy P., Claudia S., Tess W., Leonora G., Maddy L., and Riccardo M. The representatives for Eighth Grade are: Kamila K., Helene F., Juan S., Carlos C., Lazifa K., and Pietro P. The STUCO’s first planned activity was the Autumn Halloween Dance on Friday, October 24 and they are busy planning a special refreshment stand for the Middle School production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, complete with some candies to have a ‘golden ticket’ for the holder to win a free entrance to the next Middle School Dance!

Middle School Academic Culture Trips Send Students and Teachers On the Move!

While you are reading this article, AOSR Middle School students are standing in the shadow of Pont de Gard, one of the most famous aqueducts from the Roman Empire. Another group will be walking along, following the evidence of Claudio Aqueduct in the heart of ancient Rome. Other students will be traversing across the Danube between Buda and Pest while discovering the heart of Hungary. Others will travel by bicycle throughout the beautiful mosaic-filled city of Ravenna and pedal toward the Adriatic Sea. The final group of students will visit London Bridge and follow the path of water which leads out to Kensington Palace. Water has had a major role in shaping civilizations throughout the world and this year our Middle School students will be able to explore these historic and influential locations in our world. Look for students’ accounts of their

journeys in the December edition of the Falcon Flyer!

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Middle School News

Read! Read! Read!

The first two months of Middle School have found our students reading more than ever! The English teachers, Ms. Zangrilli, Mrs. Pestilli and Ms. Adams, have set the stage for a fabulous year of reading with each student tracking their progress of books completed, having the expectation that they always bring their independent reading book to class (and the trips!) to read when they have free time, as well as encouraging students to

share their used books with each other to create or enlarge the classroom lending libraries! Collectively, the students donated over 800 books to their shared libraries, with the 6th Grade collecting 308 books to win a pizza party for lunch one Friday. Congratulations Middle School Readers!

Science SLAMS!

In Miss Rummel’s 6th and 7th grade science classes, the focus has been on communicating effectively on lab reports as well as answering open-ended questions using detail. A mnemonic device that’s been helpful to the students is S.L.A.M.S. The “S” stands for “Sentences,” as students should always be writing in complete sentences. The “L” stands for “Lines,” as students should fill up all the lines given with details. The “A,” stands for “Answer,” as students should always reread the question(s) to make sure they have completely answered it/them. The “M” stands for “Mechanics,” as it’s important that students proofread for spelling, punctuation, and grammar when they are finished writing. Finally, the “S” stands for “Support,” as it’s always important to include supporting evidence or data when writing an answer. The students have been reminded to use this as a checklist when checking over any of their written work. It’s made quite a difference!

The students have also been engaged in various hands-on lab activities that have required students to write hypotheses, detailed procedures, and construct data tables. Furthermore, the classes have been working on analyzing data by determining averages such as the mean. Students are seeing, first hand, how math skills cross over into science. In addition, the students are learning that being an effective writer is important across all academic areas!

World Food Day World Food Day is celebrated every year on 16th October to mark the day on which the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) was founded in 1945. FAO was the first agency created by the United Nations to fight global hunger. Later, further organizations, like WFP, were created to take on specialist roles in the fight against hunger. Mrs. Cosentino’s Elementary school classes and Mrs. Bloem’s Middle School 7th grade art classes have been creating posters to celebrate this day, which are decorating our school walls. FAO had set up a yearly school competition and this year we had one prize winner in second grade, Sofia P. (See photo on page 13)

Poster by Marco P.

Poster by Vlada S.

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Middle/HS School News

From Mr. Tom Connolly’s Desk, Secondary School Principal

Grade 9 Trip: October 22-24, was the Grade 9 camping trip to Carney Park near Naples. The day activities included hiking to Vesuvius, climbing walls and archery while meals were cooked over campfires and grills. The weather was perfect to make the trip a success! Sports: October 10/11 was the final weekend for our tennis and cross country teams. On October 17/18, boys and girls volleyball and boys tennis played against Milan. The girls’ volleyball was nearly victorious but came up short once again. Kudos go out to our boys’ volleyball team as they continue their great play and remain undefeated this season. Boys’ tennis was also fantastic as they swept singles and doubles play. This was the final weekend of regular matches for tennis and CC as they departed October 22nd and 23rd for European Finals in Germany. Boys’ volleyball attend their finals matches Oct. 29-31. PSAT – Students from grades 10 and 11 sat the annual PSAT exam October 15 in preparation for the SAT exams. Those students with top scores will qualify for the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test and receive scholarships to leading universities. According to the College Board, the PSAT is quite simply “an objective assessment of a test taker's requisite foundation of knowledge and skills”. The PSAT is the preliminary standard exam to the SAT exams that juniors and seniors take as part of their application process for many universities in the States and other countries. The SAT exams are offered several times throughout the school year beginning in October and ending in May. AOSR is an official testing site for the SAT exams and students from any school can register for these exams. Visit the registration site at http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/reg.html. The next parent evening will be Thursday, November 6 for the grade 9 and 10 parents to discuss our academic programs (Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate). Please

meet in the cafeteria at 19:00. Report Cards: The end of the First Quarter is October 31. Report cards will be sent home for the High School on November 5 and the Middle School on November 11th. Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held all day on November 14 in the gymnasium. Please plan to meet with your child’s teachers on a first-come, first-served basis. Conferences will run from 09:00 to 12:00 and 13:00 to 15:00.

High School Student Council: Elections for the Executive Board of the Student Council were held in early October and our congratulations go out to the following students who were elected:

President: Jillian K.

Vice-President: Sage R.

Secretary: Carmen F.

Treasurer: Sara T.

10th Grade Representatives: Nate S., Steven T.

12th Grade Representatives: Sapir G., Nick S. (Continued on page 18)

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Middle/HS School News

Semester Exams: The semester exams for grades 6 to 12 will be held from December 15 to 19. Exams will be two per day according to the following schedule: Monday, Dec. 15 for periods 1 and 2/blocks A and B Tuesday, Dec. 16 for periods 3 and 4/blocks C and D Wednesday, Dec. 17 for periods 5 and 6/blocks E and F Thursday, Dec. 18 for periods 7 and 8/blocks G and H Friday, Dec. 19 make-up exams for students who missed their regularly scheduled exam Monday to Thursday. The complete schedule will be given to the students during their review days. Students will have a review period prior to each exam and are expected to be in school the entire day. If a high school student has a free period at the start of the school day, he or she may stay at home and bring in a note from home and be in attendance at the start of the third period for the review. If a high school student has a free period, he or she will only be allowed to go directly home after the first exam if the student presents a note from home. Since Middle School students do not have any free periods, they are expected to be in school the entire time.

(Continued from page 17)

Calendar of Upcoming Events

October 31 – End of First Quarter November 2-7 – Middle School Cultural Trips November 6 – Grade 9 and 10 Parent Information Evening (19:00 Cafeteria) November 7 – High School Report Cards sent home November 11 – Middle School Report Cards sent home November 14-15 – Senior Retreat November 24-26 – IB Trip to Prague November 27-28 – Thanksgiving Holiday December 4 – Grade 11 and 12 Parent Information Evening (19:00 Cafeteria) November 15-19 – Semester exams grades 6-12 November 19 – Last day of classes before Winter Break January 7 – School in session following Winter Break January 16 – End of 2nd Quarter/First Semester

AOSR Middle and High School students were fundraising to help WFP in the fight against hunger. This action is called “Fill the Cup.” An empty cup symbolizes: A full cup symbolizes: Hunger Health Malnutrition & often diseases Education Hungry Families Hope Children out of school Productive Families Weakened communities Strong communities It only takes 25 US cents (20 euro cents) for WFP to feed a child at school. Often, the cup of rice or porridge that a child gets at lunchtime will be his or her only meal of the day. School meals motivate children to attend school and help them concentrate, giving them access to an education that could be the ticket to a brighter future.

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Counselor’s Corner By Ms. Sharice Welch, HS College Counselor

Take time to look around this High School campus. We’re loaded with talent! There are students writing monologues, creating inspired art, working on calculus, serving others, and distinguishing themselves in athletics and music. With all these wonderful things going on, however, there’s still some room for worry. The worries are not related to lofty ideals, but instead are about the basics. Are our students sleeping enough? Are

they eating enough? Do they get hugs daily? Do they take time to just hang out with good friends? Are they getting opportunities to laugh and cry with others who love them? You see, as life increases in complexity, as college entrance becomes more competitive, and as the job market becomes more specialized, we have to remind ourselves and our children to be sure the basics are in place. We have all heard the title “Don’t sweat the Small Stuff.” We propose an additional slogan. Don’t forget the small stuff. As counselors, we are fully aware that medications are absolutely necessary as a safety net for some students. However,

much of the medicine our children need cannot be found in a pill. Some observations: We see students who look as if they might collapse and discover that they are not drinking enough water. We see students who appear depressed and learn that they are not getting enough sleep. We see students who look like they are suffering from anxiety and find out that they are taking in too much caffeine. We see students who think life’s not worth fighting for and find out they need friends. We see students who are failing classes and discover that they need books or have broken printers. We see students who feel dumb and find out they don’t know how to take notes. The common thread with all of the above is that it takes someone to notice the trends. So, remain watchful…remember that sometimes in our own complex way of thinking and living, we don’t recognize the most obvious problems or solutions. In other words, don’t look for zebras where there are horses. Check in with your children and yourself and be sure they (and you) are eating, sleeping, drinking water, exercising, and feeling connected to others. The basics can really go a long way!

Parents’ Place: Don’t Look for Zebras Where There Are Horses Article Reprinted from The College Advisor, Gail Grand, Counselor and Publisher

Don’t forget the small stuff.

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Sports Update By Ms. Linda Fuccillo and Stefan Harroo

Cross Country Championships - Heidelberg, Germany

AOSR boys team traveled to Heidelberg to compete for the Division III Championships on Oct. 25th. Though none of our runners finished first individually. They collectively earned enough points to secure the championship for AOSR. This is now AOSR second championship in 2 years with the girls winning last year. The boys team were represented by Pietro D. (19:18.38) who finished 3rd overall, Sky S. (19:57.17) 7th and Jacopo L. (20:20.90) 10th. Topping up the boy’s team was a solid performance by Stuart L. Congrats to the entire team including Andrew C., Omri I. and Trevor M. Though they didn’t make the journey to Europeans, they pushed ever week and contributed to the teams success. Special thanks to second year coach Ms. Susan Seliquini!!!

Tennis Championship - Wiesbaden, Germany

This year the tennis team competed in Wiesbaden for the Division III Championships from Oct. 23-15th. Carmen F., Elena D., Sofia K. represented the girls while the boys were represented by Alex T., Gabriele B. and Nicolo L. This is one of the more difficult events to compete in because all divisions are thrown into a double elimination tournament. Overall AOSR placed 3rd as a team. Junior Carmen F. finished 2nd in an all Italian final. The remaining members put up hard fought battles that built good experience for next year. Thanks so much to 2nd year coach, Jeff Phillips, asst. Sylvia Moore, and parent volunteer Stephen Fuccillo. As for the rest of the team members: Seth M., Elliot E., Jason D., and Daniel R.; thank you for creating a great team atmosphere for all of us to enjoy.

Volleyball

Boys volleyball completed an undefeated regular season schedule by defeating Naples on Oct. 25th. It was competitive but AOSR was just too experienced as they completed a 3-0 sweep. This was also the final matches for seniors: Gabriele F., Sage R., Ryan A., Dario C., Giuseppe S. and Adis K.

The Mediterranean volleyball championships take place in Aviano, Italy from October 29—November 1.

Winter season practices begin on Monday, November 3rd and season play begins in December. Stay tuned for further details.

Alex T.

Nicolo L.

Seth M.

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Il Foro

Secret Gardens Italy hosts historical garden tours of Rome, Lazio and Umbria. These gardens are

histories of place, as well as of cultivated nature, some, over thousands of years. We include

public and private spaces, indoors and out, which have significant botanical and/or

environmental interest, in addition to social or historical importance. Most have a strong

relationship to Rome’s 3,000 years of history. Please Visit www.secretgardensitaly.com

Need a babysitter?

AOSR High School Student available for babysitting.

For information call: 338 5924561

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AOSR Contact Information

Switchboard: Ms. Zoe Hili 06-33438-300

Head of School: Dr. Beth Pfannl 06-33438-331

Secretary: Domenica Losani 06-33438-331

Secondary Principal: Thomas Connolly 06-33438-326

Secretary: Cathy Garbinsky 06-33438-326

Elementary Principal: Dr. George Grunfeld 06-33438-395

Secretary: Joanne Hoberg 06-33438-395

PreK Coordinator: Amy Magazzu 06-33438-330

ES Coordinator: Susan Prideaux 06-33438-350

MS Coordinator: Sarah Ellyson 06-33438-336

AP/IB Coordinator: Belinda Fiochi 06-33438-337

Admissions Secretary: Manuela Ciocca 06-33438-311

Busing: Kieran Canter 06-33438-372

Business Manager: Elisa Bruno 06-33438-338

HS College Counselor: Sharice Welch 06-33438-327

School Counselor: Elizabeth Escobar 06-33438-373

Nurse: Diane Cullen-Moore 06-33438-321

After School Activities: Christine Hogan, Margaret Ciuffreda 06-33438-320

Resource Room: Silvia Moore (ES) 06-33438-302

Jeff Philips (MS/HS) 06-33438-390

Athletics:

Linda Fuccillo 06-33438-313

Stefan Harroo 06-33438-340

All parent telephone and email address corrections should be

sent to principalsoffice@aosr.org.

Novem

ber, 2008A

OS

R

Sunday

Monday

TuesdayW

ednesdayThursday

FridayS

aturday1SAT & Subject Tests,

07:30-13:00

23Middle School Cultural

Trips, Nov. 3-7, 2008

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6Grades 9 & 10 Parent

Information Evening,

19:00

78

910

11Grade 11 Declamations

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14Parent-Teacher

Conferences - NO

STUDENTS

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19MS Play, 19:00,

Cafeteria

20Annual AOSR Corporation

Assembly - 19:30

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25

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27Thanksgiving Holiday -

NO CLASSES, Nov 27-28

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