LEARNING  WITH  ESCA:  FINDING  THE  RIGHT  BOOK  As   parents   and   teachers,   we   are   constantly   encouraging  our  students  to  read.    Studies  have  shown  that  improving  literacy   improves   test   scores   across   all   subject   areas.    While  encouraging  students  to  read   is   important,  we  also  need  to  consider  a  big  question:  What  should  students  be  reading?    The  answer  to  this  is  twofold.    The  book  must  be  interesting,  and  it  should  follow  the  Five  Finger  Rule.  

First  and   foremost,   the  book   should   interest   the   student.    Students   are   more   likely   to   engage   in   important  comprehension   strategies   -­‐   such   as   making   connections,  asking  questions,  and  making  predictions  -­‐   if  the  subject  matter   interests  them.    Before   looking  at  the  level  of  a  book,   I  ask  my  students,  “What  do  you   like?”    Whether   it   is  dinosaurs,  princesses,  or  movie  stars,  this  gives  us  a  good  place  to  start.  

Having  an  appropriately  leveled  book  is  also  important,  and  it  is  a  little  bit  more  difficult  for  us  to  find.    What   exactly   is   the   right   level?     How   will   students   know   it   when   they   see   it?     For   my   students,   I  encourage  them  to  use  a  simple  test  called  the  Five  Finger  Rule.    In  this  test,  students  open  the  book  to  any  page  and  read  the  entire  page.    As  they  read,  they  put  up  a  finger  for  every  word  they  come  to  that  they  don’t  know.    As  a  general  rule,  0  fingers  means  the  book  is  not  challenging  the  student.    1-­‐3  fingers  means  that  students  have  found  an  appropriately  leveled  book.    Four  fingers  means  the  book  will  be  a  challenge   for   the  students,  but   if   they  are  very   interested   in   the  subject,   I  encourage  students   to   still  read  these  books.    If  a  student  gets  to  five  fingers,  it  is  a  good  indication  that  students  will  not  be  able  to  comprehend  the  amount  necessary  to  engage  with  the  text.      

Ryan  Dunn,  Primary  6  Form  Teacher  

SCIENCE  FAIR:  THURSDAY  18  FEBRUARY  It’s  time  to  start  working  on  ESCA’s  Science  Fair!  Time  has  been  scheduled  and  work  will  be  spread  out,  so   students   can  complete   the  work  at  a   reasonable  pace.   In  a   change   from  years  past,   this  project   is  mandatory   for   Secondary   1,2,   and   3   students.   All   other   students   are   encouraged   to   participate   on   a  voluntary  basis.  

ESCA  Newsletter  for  ESCA  Parents  and  Friends  |  www.esca.kg    

  No:  18  /  2015-­‐16    15  January  2016  

 The  primary  objective  of  this  project  is  to  have  students  approach  a  problem  scientifically.  This  includes:  

1.      Asking  questions  and  forming  hypotheses  

2.      Creating  experiments  to  test  those  hypotheses  

3.      Organizing  data  and  drawing  conclusions  

4.      Writing  about  and  presenting  scientific  research  

The  project  must  be  experimental  in  nature  as  opposed  to  demonstration  oriented.  Students  must  do  a  test,   survey,   or   experiment   to   determine   the   answer   to   their   question   instead   of   just   looking   up   a  phenomena  on  YouTube.  We  encourage  students   to  pick   topics   that   they  are  genuinely   interested   in,  since  they  will  be  working  on  these  projects  for  the  next  month.  

All  work  must  be  done  by  the  students;  however,  assistance  may  be  provided  by  teachers,  parents,  etc.  It  is  very  difficult  to  work  alone  without  the  exchange  of  ideas,  so  we  encourage  you  to  brainstorm  with  your  child  on  different  ideas  and  possible  topics  your  child  may  want  to  pursue.  

Students  will  be  coming  home  with  their  first  task  of  choosing  a  topic  and  have  been  given  resources  to  help  them  with  this  task.  

Science  Fair  will  take  place  on  Thursday,  18  February  from  15:30  to  17:00.  

We   encourage   all   parents   to   attend!   If   you   have   a   science   background   or   would   be   interested   in  volunteering  as  a  judge,  we  will  be  looking  for  volunteers  for  the  day  of  the  fair.  

Brian  Totman,  Head  of  Science  Department  

AFTER  SCHOOL  ACTIVITIES  (ECAS)  With   the   start  of   the  new   term  we  have  added  a   few  new  ECAs,   such   as   Improv,   English   Fun   Club   and   Choir   for   the  primary   school   students.  We   also   have  Chess,  Debate  Club  and   Discussion   Club   for   the   older   students   this   term.   Our  IGCSE   1   and   2   students,   as   well   as   Secondary   3,   are  encouraged  to  sign  up  for  the  Debate  Club  as  it  is  offered  by  a   professional   and   well   experienced   Debate   Coach   (Ms  Altynai   Dzhumasheva),     and   it   will   be   beneficial   for   their  college  applications  in  the  future.  

Moreover,   we   are   excited   to   let   you   know   that   ESCA   now  has  their  own  Basketball   team,  which  will  be  competing  on  Thursdays  against  QSI  and  OIS.  

This   term,   parents   have   been   very   supportive,   and   two  parents  in  particular  stepped  in  and  offered  to  lead  an  ECA.  

Ms   Elvira   has   kindly   proposed   to   do   a   Cooking   Club   for  Primary   3   to   Primary   6   students,   and   Mr   Karim   has  volunteered  to  do  a  Scouts  ECA  every  other  Saturday.  Both  

 are   professionals   in   their   fields,   and   we   are   deeply  grateful  for  their  support  and  commitment!  

A   general   reminder   that   the   students   have   till   next  Friday  to  make  up  their  mind  as  the  deadline  ends  on  Friday  22  January,  at  16:30,  and  after  that,  there  will  be  a  fee  of  500  soms  per  change.  

Bahora  Saitova,  ECA  Coordinator  

PAMC  COFFEE  MORNING  ON  MONDAY  Welcome  back  to  school  from  the  Parents  Association!    If  you  are  new  to  ESCA  a  very  warm  welcome  to  our  fantastic  school,  I  hope  your  children  settle  into  school  well.      

PAMC  will  be  working  on  meeting  with  key  people  in  our  school  at  the  beginning  of  this  term:  the  school  management  board   and   the   class   representatives.     If   you  have  any  questions  or   issues  please   talk   to  your  class  representative  or  email  parentsassociation@esca.kg  

We  will  also  be  hosting  our  popular  coffee  morning  again  this  Monday  -­‐  coffee,  muffins  and  school  book  bags  will  be  for  sale  -­‐  pop  in  a  grab  a  coffee  on  the  way  to  work!    

Liz  Dugdell,  Chair  of  the  Parents  Association  Management  Committee  

STAR  ACHIEVERS:  AWARDED  ON  15  JANUARY  2016  

PRIMARY  1 TRISTAN  MATA

For  being  an  enthusiastic  learner!  For  always  being  so  delightful!

PRIMARY  2 ILYAS For  being  a  hard  working,  independent  learner!

PRIMARY  3 WHOLE  CLASS For  returning  to  school  &  working  so  positively  and  cheerfully

PRIMARY  4 AYAN For  a  caring  attitude  and  her  creativity

PRIMARY  5 FRITHJOF For  being  honest  and  open-­‐minded

PRIMARY  6 CASPER For  coming  up  with  great  ideas  and  asking  good  questions

SECONDARY  1,2 GUNNAR For  his  consistent  diligence  and  effort;  for  being  a  well-­‐rounded  student

SECONDARY  3

Postponed  till  next  week  

IGCSE  1,  2 SEO  JUN  For  above  and  beyond  contribution  in  music  &  scholarship  at  ESCA  

ICT  CASPER  SEO  JUN  

For  his  great  work  and  attitude    For  his  constant  willingness  to  improve  

 

DVDS  FROM  “ESCA,  THE  MUSICAL”  DVDs  from  “ESCA,  The  Musical”  are  available  for  purchase  at  the  school  office  and  cost  400  KGS.  Please  note  that  the  cost  covers  the  DVDs,  videographers’  work  and  montage.    

KEEP  IN  TOUCH  

If   you   have   things   you   want   to   discuss   or   suggestions   for   the   school,   please   contact   the   Class  Representatives   or   the  Head  of   Education,  Ms   Erin  McRaith   at   emcraith@esca.kg.   You   can   also  meet  during  the  office  hours  on  Monday-­‐Friday  from  15:30-­‐16:30  or  you  can  set  up  an  appointment.      

MENU  

ESCA   will   offer   Menu   B   from   18   to   22   January.   Please   follow    https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fpCF1fsHKEF5x95aplEEHcdQIRZkArv33F3GJlcwRGM/edit?usp=sharing    to  see  the  menu.

UPCOMING  EVENTS  

Monday  11  January:  First  Day  of  Second  Term    

Friday  29  January:  Winter  Sports  Day  (please  see  the  attached  files  for  more  information)  

 CLASS  REPRESENTATIVES  

 

CLASS   REPRESENTATIVE(S)   CONTACT  INFO  

SPOKEN  LANGUAGES  (If  you  need  assistance  with  translation  please  email  parentsassociation@esca.kg)  

IGCSE  2   AINURA  MAMBETOVA   amambetova@yandex.ru   Russian,  Kyrgyz  

IGCSE  1   KANYKEI  BRIMKULOVA   642064@gmail.com     Russian,  Kyrgyz,  English  

SECONDARY  3  JANNIE  AASTED  SKOV-­‐HANSEN  

jannie.aasted@gmail.com   Danish,   English  

SECONDARY  2   NURGUL  OSKONBAEVA   oskonbaevan@gmail.com     Russian,  Kyrgyz,  English  

SECONDARY  1   Representative  still  needed   parentsassociation@esca.kg      

PRIMARY  6  Representative  still  needed  

 

parentsassociation@esca.kg    

   

 

PRIMARY  5   LIZ  DUGDELL   lizdugdell@gmail.com   English  

PRIMARY  4   VICTORIA  WHALL   vwhall@yahoo.com     English,  Russian,  French  

PRIMARY  3  ANTONIN  FRANK   antonin.frank@gmail.com     Czech,  Russian,  English,  basic  

Mongolian  

PRIMARY  2  EVIE  SURYANI  

 

eviesuryani77@gmail.com       English  

PRIMARY  1  

RINA  DESJARDINS  

NASIMA  KARIM  

rina.desjardins@hotmail.commailto:rina.desjardins@hotmail.com  

nasima.abbas@gmail.com    

English,  Indonesian,  French  

English,  Urdu,  Wakhi,  Kiswahili    

PRESCHOOL  3  Eike  Martin  

 

eike.puck@gmail.com   English,  German  

PRESCHOOL  2   IZABELA  BONTE   pyzunia@hotmail.com     English,  French,  Polish  

PRESCHOOL  1   EMMA  GOATMAN   ejgoatman@gmail.com     English  

             

 PRESCHOOL  Happy   New   Year   from   Preschool,   we   all   hope   you   had   a  wonderful  time  during  the  holidays!    This  week  in  Preschool  we  have  been  talking  about  Gingerbread!    We  have  learned  fun   poems,   riddles,   stories,   and   even   eaten   a   few  Gingerbread  Men!  YUMMY!  

After  the  break  Preschool  1   is  doing  great;  the  children  are  so  happy  at  school  and  following  the  routines  that  we  have  had   a   wonderful   week,   full   of   joy.     We   have   approached  different   learning  areas  all   connected   through  Gingerbread  Men.    For  example  we  have  counted  them,  sang  songs  about  buying   gingerbread   cookies,   we   sorted   them   by   sizes,   we  decorated   them   with   coloured   papers   and   confetti,   we  prepared   and   decorated   cookies   with   clay-­‐dough,   and   we  looked  for  hidden  ones  in  the  big  playground.  

Preschool   2   have   been   singing   all   about   “The   Gingerbread  Man  Running  Away!”    They  really  have  enjoyed  learning  new  poems  about   eating   gingerbread   and   the  ABC  Gingerbread  Poem.    We  also  worked  on  the  letter  /Gg/  and  had  so  much  fun  making  cute  Gingerbread  Men,  and  G  giraffes.    We  also  played  Gingerbread  Bingo  and  the  children  practiced  telling  the  Gingerbread  Story  themselves.    

In  Preschool  3  we  have  been  learning  about  the  letter  /Gg/    and  The  Gingerbread  Men.    We  have   completed  many   fun  activities   this   week.     We   have   played   Gingerbread   Bingo,  decorated   gingerbread   cookies,   made   several   different  types   of   Gingerbread   Men   out   of   different   textures,   we  made   our   own   Gingerbread   Man   book,   and   we   even  graphed  how  we  ate  our  cookies.    Did  you  eat  the  head  first  or  his  foot?!  This  week  we  also  learned  2  new  poems,  “Five  Yummy   Gingerbread   Men”,   and   “ABC   Gingerbread”.     We  also  worked  on  positional  words  such  as:  up,  down,  beside,  and   etc.     Preschool   3   will   start   brushing   their   teeth   again  next  week  if  your  child  does  not  have  a  toothbrush  at  school  please  provide  them  with  one.    Lastly  for  Preschool  3  please  remember  to  return  your  child’s  folder  every  day  if  you  take  it  home.    

Lastly,   we   would   like   to   encourage   you   to   remember   to  bring   your   child   a   change   of   clothes,   towel,   water   bottle,  

 and   if   they   take   a   nap   their   napping   materials.     Check   your  child’s  cubby  daily  to  make  sure  there  are  no  soiled  clothes  that  need  to  be  cleaned  and  replaced,  accidents  do  happen!  

Preschool  Team