9th September 2015

A special welcome (back) to all new and returning families

10th - 14th SeptemberMerite Jeunesse (Gold)

Monday 14th SeptemberMeet the Teachers, Year 1&2, classroom (3:30-4:00pm)

Tuesday 15th SeptemberMeet the Teachers, Year 3&4, classroom (3:30-4:00pm)

Wednesday 16th SeptemberMeet the Teachers, Reception, classroom (3:30-4:00pm)

Thursday 17th SeptemberMeet the Teachers, Early Year classes (3:30-4:00pm)

Thursday 17th SeptemberYear 6 Students moving to Year 7 Information EveningBarthel Hall, (6:00pm)

Saturday 19th SeptemberFreshers and Followers Event(12:00-3:00pm)

Important Notices

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A Big Welcome Back To St George’s!

Principal’s Welcome

Dear Parents,We are now into our first full week back at St George’s and it has been wonderful to see so many new faces as well as welcome back students who have moved up in the School.

It has been a very busy time and I hope that parents and students have found their way around the changed routes at School without too much difficulty; in particular as we have also made a small number of changes to our drop-off procedures, some adjustments to our canteen provision and some adjustments to the arrangements in classes during the School day.

I was very grateful for the very positive turn-out at the Friends of St George’s Coffee morning this morning. Planning is also well underway for the Freshers and Followers event on the 19th September at the School. Further details of the arrangements regarding our proposed charity collection for refugees can be found in the newsletter.

On a very topical note you may be aware that this day Queen Elizabeth II becomes the longest reigning monarch in British history, having served her country assiduously and faithfully for 63 years and 213 days. We have sent a message of appreciation and congratulations on behalf of the School to the British ambassador in Luxembourg. www.facebook.com/britishembassyluxembourg

As always, if you have questions about the School day or the routine for students, please do not hesitate to ask a member of staff.With my very best Regards,

Dr BarkeiPrincipal

St George’s Students Celebrate Successful IGCSE, A/S and A- Level Results

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Whole SchoolNews

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IMPORTANT Class List InformationFollowing feedback from parents regarding the information shared on the class lists, we have replaced the full home address with the name of your village – this should allow you to see who lives nearby without disclosing too much personal information. Similar to last year, we have replaced the home phone number with the mobile phone number and have included the email address of the parent listed as the main contact. As always, you are free to let the School know if you do not feel comfortable with this information being shared. Please email communications@st-georges.lu by Thursday 17th September, 10:00am if you do not want any of your contact information to appear on this list. As always, the lists are only distributed to the parents in your child’s class and we ask that parents keep the information strictly confidential.

Student Medical FormsPlease be reminded it is important to fill out and return the ‘pink’ medical form you recieved in the welcome pack. If you have misplaced the form you can find a copy at the Reception Desk or on the Parent Portal under the ‘forms’ tab.

Primary and Secondary Students Raise Money for Unity FoundationWell done to the Primary School Council and the Secondary School Parliament for raising an impressive 3,908 euros for Unity Foundation last academic year. The Unity Foundation is a non-profit organisation committed to empowering

communities through education. Thank you to Unity Foundation for coming into School on numerous occasions to present their ongoing projects to our students, raising money for these projects and allow our students to learn through giving.

Call for donations: Clothing for refugeesNone of us can be untouched by the recent news coverage of the refugee situation in Europe. At this time of year you may be making some changes to your wardrobes and clearing out clothes that no longer fit (summer or winter). Please consider donating items of clothing to the School. We will arrange the transfer of the collected items to the relevant refugee centres here in Luxembourg and beyond. You can simply fill a black bin bag with clothes or, if you like, mark individual bags or boxes with their contents: adults, children, summer or winter etc. Blankets are also welcomed. Please hand these in at Reception before 10th October.

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Whole SchoolNews

Do you want to know what is going on at St George’s? Sign up to our news stories Summer Fayre 2015 FundraisingThe families and staff made the most of the sunny weather at the St George’s Summer Fayre last academic year. The Fayre, organised by the Friends of St George’s with the support of the School, provided lots of activities for children and adults alike; including football, basketball, bouncy castles, welly throwing, face painting, origami and other competitions. Performances by the School’s “George and the Dragons” band, Double Entendre and the St George’s singers entertained and a barbecue, finger food from the various national stands and an ice cream van made sure there was no need for anyone to go hungry. Fun and games aside,

the Summer Fayre served a serious purpose, raising funds for the Friends of St George’s funds (to be used for purchasing special equipment and supporting the activities of the Friends events), Save the Children (Nepal) and Unity Foundation. The total figure raised was 4200 euros of which 1050 euros has been donated to each of the chosen charities.

Summer Fayre 2015 - Raffle Prize winners – Unclaimed Prizes

1 Ben Carter signed print 01022 Gourmet BBQ by Keenox 07133 Lexon Tykho Radio 01274 Travel Hairdryer 07475 SoundTech -Bluetooth 02006 Bath Towels - BCEE 01987 Crémant 0196

8 Pink Fizz 01049 Dunoon Pottery Mug 016410 Glenkinchie Malt Whisky 074311 We’re going on a Bear Hunt 012012 Chapter 1 Book Token - €50 019513 Childs Water Toy - Dog 073514 Kitchen Robot - mixer 0727

Unclaimed Raffle Prizes: The raffle was drawn at the end of the Summer Fayre and several prizes remain unclaimed. Please see the list here and on the community noticeboard. If the winning tickets are not presented to Reception by Wednesday 30th September the prizes will be entered into the next event raffle. Please check your pockets for the winning tickets!

Freshers and Followers Event Saturday September 19th | 12:00-3:00pmThe Friends of St George’s are organising a ‘Welcome to the new School Year’ event. There will be entertainment, refreshments and fun for all the family. This event will also mark the start of the 25th anniversary celebrations of the School.

The aim of the event is to provide new (and existing) families with information about the various clubs, associations and services that are available in Luxembourg. The is also an opportunity for new members of the St George’s community to meet with those who have more experience of Luxembourg and the community at large.

There will be stalls and representatives from dance, yoga, fitness and sports clubs, information and media organisations as well as support networks, charities and social groups. Come along to sign up or just find out what is possible for you and your children.

The Friends of St George’s will also have a table with general information, a chance to sign up for upcoming events and information about how to get involved.

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New After School Extra-Curricular Activities on OffterIf you wish to enrol your child please contact clubs@st-georges.lu.

MondayAnimation Club Deborah Edge Year 3 to Year 6 3:30-5:00

TuesdayCeramics Club Julie Tyrrell Year 4 to Year 6 3:30-4:30Needlework Club Becky Dixon/Rachel Connolly Year 1 and Year 2 3:30-4:30

WednesdayMilepost 1 Singing Club Lorraine Morris Year 1 and Year 2 12:05-12:30

Mrs Morris will run a singing club for interested students from Years 1 and 2. It will take place every Wednesday at 12:05pm in H43 Primary Music Room starting from Wednesday 16th September. Activities will include singing, dancing and musical games. There is no charge for this activity.

ThursdayArt Club Mrs Kearey Year 3 and Year 4 3:30-4:30pmSpanish for Teens Ms Nicolle Year 7 to Year 10 3:30-4:30pm

FridayItalian Club Mrs Massoli Year 3 to Year 6 3:30-4:30pm

After School Activities with Spaces

MondayEnglish for Adults Beginners Mrs Lang Adults 1:25-2:55pmStudent School Magazine Mrs Kraus Year 7 to Year 13 3:30-4:30pmBand - Advanced Mrs Ni Year 5 to Year 13 4:45-5:45pm

TuesdayBand - Beginning Mrs Ni Year 5 to Year 13 3:30-4:30pmArt Ms Elliott Year 5 to Year 6 3:30-4:30pmDebating Club Mr Todd Year 7 to Year 13 3:30-4:30pmStrategy Games Mrs Suplee Year 6 to Year 13 3:30-4:30pm

WednesdayTeam Challenge Mrs Walker Year 3 to Year 6 3:30-4:30pmLuxembourg Touch Rugby Mr Hancock Year 3 to Year 6 3:30-4:30pm

ThursdayMandarin Mrs Poh Year 4 to Year 8 3:30-5:00pmShowtime Ms Williams Year 7 to Year 13 3:30-4:30pmOcarina Ms Elliott Year 3 to Year 4 3:30-4:30pmMerite Jeunesse Mr Shaw Year 9 to Year 13 3:30-5:30pm

FridayMandarin Beginners Mrs Poh Year 4 to Year 5 3:30-5:00pm

SaturdaySaturday Football Mr Tranter MAMER Year 7 to Year 13 9:30am-11:15am

Clubs Information

IMPORTANT: Cancelling the School BusPlease be reminded if your child joins a new club and is currently registered to take the school bus, please inform Reception and cancel the days you no longer need. If the club is cancelled for any reason seats cannot be automatically reallocated on the bus.

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PrimaryNews

Upcoming events & Important dates

Monday 14th SeptemberMeet the Teachers, Year 1&2, classroom (3:30-4:00pm)

Tuesday 15th SeptemberMeet the Teachers, Year 3&4, classroom (3:30-4:00pm)

Wednesday 16th SeptemberMeet the Teachers, Reception, classroom (3:30-4:00pm)

Thursday 17th SeptemberMeet the Teachers, Early Year classes (3:30-4:00pm)

Friday 18th SeptemberInternational Pirate Day

Friday 18th SeptemberMeet the Teachers, Year 5&6(3:30-4:00pm)

Saturday 19th SeptemberFreshers and Followers(12:00-3:00pm)

Tuesday 29th SeptemberParent Forum Conference room (8:45-9:45am)

Tuesday 6th OctoberInformation Session (8:45-9:45am)Conference room

Friday 9th OctoberParent Invitation AssembleyHollenfels Year 3, Hamilius Gym(08:30-8:50am)

Tuesday 13th OctoberInformation Session: Singapore Maths (KS1) (8:45-9:45am)Conference room

Friday 16th OctoberParent Invitation AssembleyStolzembourg Year 5, Hamilius Gym(08:30-8:50am)

Tuesday 20th OctoberInformation session: Singapore maths (KS2) (8:45-9:45am)

Friday 23th OctoberParent Invitation AssembleyDudelange Year 2(08:30-8:50am)

Primary School News

Dear Parents,

I would like to welcome you all back after the long summer holiday, and extend a warm welcome to all of our new families. I know from experience that the St George’s community will do their utmost to welcome and include you. It has been a good start to the term, with the children coming in enthusiastic and positive. Walking around the school it has been lovely to see the children getting straight down to work, and taking a keen interest in their learning.

You may have noticed some changes to the school site over the holidays. In fact, it all seems to have gone very smoothly so far, and the changes are causing us minimal disruption. It will be interesting to watch the building progress and grow – a good learning experience for budding engineers and architects.

The changes to the playground have meant a few changes to our routines:• Year1and2studentswillnowgatherintheKS1playgroundinthe morning with Year 3-6 in the old KS2 playground.• Year1and2studentswillbecollectedfromoutsidetheYear1 classrooms at the end of the school day.• Duringwetweather,wewillbring thechildrento theshelterunder

the Admin building. As this is reduced in size, please be prepared to collect children promptly to avoid congestion.

• Atbreaktimewewillnowbeusingthebackfield.Asthiswillbecomemuddy in wet weather, we ask that instead of bringing indoor shoes, children bring in a pair of waterproof boots (wellies) which they can change into on wet days.

As the year progresses we may need to implement other changes, and ask that you bear with us during this time. However, we will do what we can to minimise disruption.

We have a variety of events for parents coming up over the next few weeks, including ‘Meet the Teacher’ evenings, ‘Maths’ and ‘English’ workshops, ‘Parent Forum’ and a session on the changes to assessment. I look forward to seeing you all then.

Best regards,

Claire Nuttall Primary Headteacher

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PrimaryNews

‘Meet the Teacher’ SessionsThis year at St George’s we have arranged sessions for parents to meet their child’s Class Teacher and get to know more about the daily routines. These will take place in each classroom from 3:30-4:00pm. The dates are as follows:Monday 14th September: Years 1 & 2Tuesday 15th September: Year 3 & 4Wednesday 16th September: Reception Thursday 17th September: EYFS Friday 18th September: Years 5 & 6 Parents evenings are scheduled for later in the term, when you will have the opportunity to talk to the teacher about your child individually.

Parent ForumLast year we introduced a Parent Forum at St George’s, where Primary parents are able to discuss and input ideas into school life. Last year we discussed a range of topics including homework, school clubs, and the lunchtime menu. This has resulted in a range of positive changes in the school.Our first meeting for this term is scheduled for Tuesday 29th September from 8:45-9:45am reflecting requests from parents for an earlier time. Our agenda will include:• Reviewofhomework • Snacksinschool • ItemsforfutureagendasAll parents are welcome to attend.

‘Our World in a Box’ Year 6 Fabulous Summer Homework Project Over the summer break students from Year 6 were very busy. Not only have they been enjoying themselves and visiting a range of different countries, they also used their experiences to produce a fabulous piece of homework.Inspired by Joseph Cornell, the students were asked to produce a personal response to the title ‘Our World in a Box’. The students produced fantastic results! Students created beautiful pieces of work ranging from studies of home countries to mapping journeys across their summer.They took great pride in showcasing their work with their classmates, and explaining the concept. A great start to the year.

Student AbsencePlease be reminded if your child is absent from school (e.g. illness, school sponsored trip) you need to inform the school before 8:45am on the day of the absence by sending an email to primaryattendance@st-georges.lu. Please refer to the Parent Handbook for more information. This can also be found on the Parent Portal.

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Upcoming events Important dates

SecondaryNews

10th - 14th SeptemberMerite Jeunesse (Gold)

Thursday 17th SeptemberYear 6 students transitioning to Year 7 Information EveningBarthel Hall, (6:00pm)

Saturday 19th SeptemberFreshers and Followers Event (12:00-3:00pm)

21st - 22nd SeptemberKey Stage 5 Bonding Trip

Thursday 24th SeptemberYear 12 Information Evening

5th-9th OctoberYear 7 Space Camp Trip Belguim

Wednesday 14th OctoberWorld Mathematics Day

20th-23th OctoberYear 10 Futurewise Interviews

Secondary School News

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The Faculty for Modern Foreign Language is Now on Twitter!Follow (@mfl_stgeorges) and you can read our latest news, a variety of resources and weblinks. We would like to encourage all the parents of students in Secondary to start following us and use this opportunity to discover or share this popular social media with their children. We will always promote the safe use of any social media and highlight the benefits of it in terms of learning languages and developing critical thinking. We advise you to read the guidelines for families on the use of Twitter on the following webpage https://support.twitter.com/articles/470968 and discuss the various issues with your children beforehand. For any help or further advise feel free to email Mr Foz (mflhof@st-georges.lu).

Follow The Faculty for MFL

the Word

Commence. verb to begin, to start, to embark.

Year 6 students transitioning to Year 7 Information EveningYou may have already seen articles on the school website and in the local press on the outstanding examination results achieved by the students of St George’s at IGCSE and A level this summer.

Although the transition to Secondary education for your son/daughter is still a year away, you may already be thinking about the next stage of your son/daughter’s education. You will probably be keen to find out more about what we offer in the Secondary school, how we prepare our students for university entrance and why we believe that we offer the best quality education at IGCSE and A level in the country. You may also want to know how IGCSE and A level compare to the International Baccalaureate and why the top universities rate IGCSE and A level as the ‘gold standard’ for university entrance.

Therefore St George’s would like to invite you to the Year 7 Information Evening on Thursday 17th September at 6:00pm in the Barthel Hall. At this time there will be the opportunity to find out why we believe St George’s is the best choice for a British secondary education in Luxembourg, meet the Secondary Head Teacher, Mr Mark Fleet, and ask any questions you may have.

Further information can be found on the school website and in the school newsletter. We look forward to meeting you on Thursday 17th September.

Welcome to all new and returning students. This year I am pleased to announce we will have over 230 students in the Secondary section, with over 50 students in the Sixth Form. The academic results achieved over the summer were a fitting testament to the hard work and efforts of both our students and staff and I am delighted that all of our graduates were accepted onto the university courses of their choice.

Welcome back to Mrs White and Mrs Pereira, who return after maternity leave and a warm welcome to Mrs Roe who joins the English faculty.

As always, should you have any questions regarding the Secondary section of the school, please do not hesitate to contact us.With my best wishes for another successful year.

Mark FleetSecondary Headteacher

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This Newsletter is Copyright St George’s International School Luxembourg A.S.B.L.All rights reserved - please refer to our Terms of Use. Data Protection Statement: In order to fulfil our educational, administrative and pastoral obligations, St George’s International School Luxembourg A.S.B.L. holds and processes personal data about students and their families. This data may be communicated to local authorities or other schools/universities. All information is kept confidential. Students and families have the right to access to and rectify the data concerning them.

SecondaryNews

St George’s Students Participate in Shakespeare Schools FestivalThis academic year will see the 400th anniversary of the death of Shakespeare. As part of the commemorations St George’s will be participating in the UK’s Shakespeare Schools Festival. Each year international schools join their UK counterparts to participate in a performance festival of Shakespeare plays. This will be the first time students from St George’s have participated in the event. Selected students will perform a reduced version of The Tempest on Monday 9th November 2015 in a professional theatre in Richmond, England.

More information about the festival can be found online by following www.ssf.co.uk.The cost for participation in the festival will be chargeable to parents and will be confirmed once travel and accommodation have been finalised.Auditions are open to ALL Year 8 students and will take place during lunch time on Wednesday 9th and Thursday 10th September in the Barthel Hall. Students will be informed of final casting decisions on Friday 11th September. There are only 17 roles available so we cannot promise everyone who auditions a part. If your child is not successful on this occasion please reassure them that there will be further opportunities for public performance in KS3.

Brain Expert Visits St George’s Fourth Year RunningDr Guy Sutton will be visiting the school for Brain Awareness week for the fourth year running. Each year his visits inspire psychology students to explore more about general health, genetics and neuroscience. They are introduced to the theory and practice of forensic and clinical psychology, criminal profiling and offender populations, schizophrenia and informed about the latest ground breaking research in neurobiology. Dr Sutton’s enigmatic presentation skills are

inspiring and engaging with up to date information and interactive activities.

By popular request he will be offering a twighlight workshop for parents, staff and the general public on Tuesday 13th October from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. Spaces are limited so it is important that you book your place. Entrance is free but any donations will be gratefully accepted and the proceeds will go towards the Make-a-wish foundation. For more information or to book your seat, please contact Jackie Moody, j.moody@st-georges.lu.

Guy Sutton's primary areas of interest are the genetics of neurodevelopment and neuropathology and the interactive nature of genetic, biological and behavioural factors in chronic disease processes. Dr Sutton has several years experience in public and private sector work and is an associate tutor for a number of educational trusts and organisations, including Villiers Park Educational Trust, Cambridge. He has developed courses and modules for the National Academy of Gifted & Talented Youth and the Global University Alliance.

Economics Essay Writing CompetitionCongratulations to Isabel from Year 13 for receiving a 'Highly Commended' award for her recent economics essay which was submitted to the prestigious Royal Economics Society essay writing competition. Her 2500 word essay focused on the issues of inequality and how this impacts on economic growth. There were over 2000 essays submitted to the competition, which was open to all students who study economics at either A Level or IB Level. Only 60 essays were chosen for the 'Highly Commended' award.