Produced by students,supported by the PTO and AOSR faculty

Murad

AOSR Via Cassia 811, Rome, Italy 00189 Phone: 06.33438.1 www.aosr.org March 2011

American Overseas School of Rome

AOSR

In This Issue:

AOSR Alumni & Friends Page 2Role of Board of Trustees Page 2MacBook Program Updates Pages 3-4Elementary Updates Pages 5-8Middle School Updates Pages 9-10High School Updates Pages 11-15PTO Updates Page 16Self-Esteem Conference Page 18RISA Conference Page 19

AOSR Contacts Page 22

Day 1 of the 8th grade 1:1 MacBook program on March 1, 2011.

The 5th grade MacBook laptop cart is a big hit with both students and teachers.

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On e o f t h e

q u e s t i o n s p a r e n t s , especial ly new par-ents, often have about AOSR is about the role of the Board of Trustees. I will have the honor of an-swering questions related to Board functions, elections, the AOSR bylaws, the annual Corporation Assembly, the role of the Head of School and others, when it will be my pleasure to participate in a monthly meeting of the PTO. The meeting will be held Monday, March 14 in the school cafeteria from 9:15- 10:30 am. Each year, the Board of Trust-ees holds a two day retreat in order to orient new members regarding pending board issues and set goals for the year. One of the sugges-tions that grew from this year’s retreat was to establish one email address that the AOSR commu-nity could use to send questions, comments or suggestions to the AOSR Board. That email address has now been established: aosr-board@aosr.org. Please include your name with your correspondence. We will make every attempt to respond as quickly as possible to your ques-tions.

Role of the Board of Trustees

By Mr. Steven CohenBoard President

AOSR Alumni & FriendsBy Dr. Beth PfannlHead of School

An AOSR Alumni and Friends Gathering took place in San Fran-cisco at the Hyatt Regency Embar-cadero on Saturday, Feb. 5. Lots of fun was had by all!

Alumni Vinod Aggarwall and Charles Cunningham enjoy reminiscing together.

Hiriam DeWitt and his wife mingle with Vinod Aggarwal and Dr. Pfannl.

The event was attended by many alumni and friends of AOSR.

Mary Ann Haas and friends

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Technology Update: 8th Grade 1:1 MacBook Program LaunchedBy Dr. Robin WorleyTechnology Resources Specialist

This is an exciting time at AOSR. On March 1, the 8th grade 1:1 Mac-Book program was launched and

all 45 of our 8th graders now have laptops to use in the classroom and at home as a 21st century learning tool. Here’s what the teachers are saying about the program:“The MacBook program allows students to have a direct contact with the French speaking world thanks to the Internet. The students can cooperate enthusiastically on projects.”~Ms. Sandrine LeBail, Secondary French

“It’s really helping the students with vo-cabulary. They are really excited about the games I’ve found online and the vo-cabulary Jeopardy PowerPoints.”~Ms. Heather Hanson, Secondary English

“MacBooks are an excellent resource to allow my class to tap into primary source materials that bring greater depth and un-derstanding to the world of social stud-ies.”~Mr. Brian Brackrog, Secondary Social Studies

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Dear Parents,

As part of our continuing policy to promote responsible environmental actions, we no longer provide a paper version of the School Directory. Instead, this information is posted on our website in a secure manner. We trust that you will appreciate and understand this important direction the school has taken this year. Earlier in the year, you received an email from the school with your account name and password which allows you to log into the Parent Portal. There you have access to the School Directory. Click on Community Login at the top of our website (www.aosr.org). Then enter your login information and then click on the Parent Portal to see the School Directory option.

Login information, originally sent to all parents with a valid email address on file, was sent on Oct. 8, 2010. If you have not received your password, or if you forgot it, please email Mr. Geoff Miller, Director of Technology at support@aosr.org. He will send your login information to you as quickly as possible.The new AOSR website provides us with exciting ways to communicate with our school community. Please be sure to let us know if you have any questions or comments. Sincerely, Dr. Beth Pfannl

5th Grade MacBook Cart on a Roll

School Directory Online

What the teachers have to say (Ms. Moose, Ms. Johannesen and Ms. Rumsby):

aWriting the essay on Appreciating Dif-ferences was a lot of fun. Being able to hold pictures, your ideas and the ideas of your friends all in one place. First we used F3 and then Lollo found you can do the same thing with 4 fingers.

aThe kids have enjoyed looking for sounds on Garage Band to use for Our Legacy Musical that we're working on. They're brainstorming great places to in-sert sounds to enhance the performance.

aMs. Johannesen’s kids have used the Pages program to write up little book re-views of books they've enjoyed.

aAlso, we've had the students using the ERB Writing Practice Program where the students wrote a short writing sample. It was then scored and they were able to watch and read fun little mini-lessons about improving their writing.

What the students have to say:

a"When I write on paper I have to con-centrate a lot and it’s really hard and it doesn’t go the way I want it to. But on the computer, I don’t even have to think of what I need to write. It just comes out as really good writing. The Macs can help us a lot with our writing.”~Nicole E.

a“We get to teach Ms. Rumsby for a change!”~Virginia

a“I feel important and special because I can show the others.”~Luca

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There is no school subject quite as ripe for family fun as science. And it’s an area where children need extra enrichment now, more than ever, because the national No Child Left Behind initiative is causing schools to focus more intently on math and reading and spend less classroom time on science. That’s where you can make a big difference in your child’s learning, and have a great time

On the InternetThere’s no excuse ever again for a child to say he or she has nothing to do. The Internet is your family’s door to a wonderland of science games and activities—and your children won’t even notice they’re learning. These are just some of the excellent sites available for you and your kids.

Puzzles, games, and science fair ideas are just a few of the resources in this sci-ence-dedicated site for children and their families. www.sciencenewsforkids.org

From developing “accidental scien-tists” in the kitchen to exploring human perception, this site is chock-full of some of the most fun science activities ever assembled. www.exploratorium.edu

Find interactive games galore on geog-raphy, astronomy, and zoology. http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Games

Remember that old game Operation? Kids can play a virtual version online at this site, while learning how different systems of the body work. This fun site, from London’s Centre of the Cell, will keep school kids (and their parents) entertained and informed. www.centreofthecell.org/centre/?page_id=301

This great resource for families offers dozens of safe, educational home experiments using materials easily found around the house.

senses, patterns, life sciences, forces and energy, engineering, and chemistry. http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/sci

Check out the cool resources available at this site from the land down under, the National Science and Technology Centre in Aus-tralia. www.questacon.edu.au/activities

From egg-speriments to fun tricks like the giraffe spit experiment, this great site lets kids have fun learning through experiment-ing, discovering things like how polar bears stay warm and the

ecological consequences of oil spills. www.sandiegozoo.org/education/science_experiments.html

Games, puzzles, and activities about the Earth and the solar sys-tem can be found at this site. www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/games/games.html

Enlisting the help of Tinker Bell and the rat from the movie Rata-touille, the U.S. Department of Energy provides a great selection of games and activities on energy and conservation. www.eere.energy.gov/kids/games.html

site, you can check out the other activi-ties that get kids’ brains engaged too. www.funology.com/laboratory

On TelevisionThe Discovery Kids Channel is prob-ably the best source of science-oriented television shows for kids these days, offering both Bindi the Jungle Girl and Grossology.

BooksThe Magic School Bus series, a classic collection of books, lets kids follow Ms. Frizzle into the bizarre and amazing world of science, from inside the body to outer space.

Looking for a great collection of activi-ties to do at home? Get your hands on

either of these: The Kids’ Science Book: Creative Experiences for Hands-On Fun or The Everything Kids’ Science Experiments Book: Boil Ice, Float Water, Measure Gravity—Challenge the World Around You!

MagazinesChildren love getting their very own magazines in the mail dur-ing the year. Depending on the age of your children, any of these will open their eyes to the science and the world around them: Click Magazine, ASK, Odyssey Magazine, Ranger Rick, and National Geographic Kids.

Build bonds with your children by exploring some of these sites online. Go to the library to pick up back issues of the magazines or copies of the books, and set some time aside to help your chil-

never been so much fun!

RP 32:6

Report to Parents, written to serve elementary and middle-level principals, may be reproduced by National Association of Elementary School Principals members without permission. Current year back issues are available to members at www.naesp.org.

Science Fun for Your Kids

Submitted by Mr. Stephen FosterElementary School Principal

Elementary News

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KindergartenBy Ms. Kate Bleecher and Ms.

Katherine Antinucci

As always, we have been busy bees in Kindergarten. During the month of Febru-ary we have celebrated Carnevale with arts and crafts and Valentine’s Day by making cards for our classmates. We also cele-brated the 100th day of Kindergarten and compiled ten groups of ten to make 100 posters. We read Ms. Bindergarten gets ready for the 100th day of Kindergarten. In math we are learning about tally marks, counting by 2s, 5s and 10s and playing many math games. Subtrac-tion will be tackled next. Our language arts theme is Adventure. We will be reading, writing and drawing about the many real adventures we have had and the ones we create in our imagination. We celebrated Dr. Seuss’ birthday by reading his wonderful books throughout the day and cooked and ate green eggs and ham!

Grade 1By Ms. Jill Gozdowski and Ms. Carrie Heffern

We are officially 100 days smarter in first grade! We are continuing to work on our amazing facts about the real things around us! We fix our misconceptions that we thought were facts. We investi-gate answers to our questions and show our evidence in our thinking. We are get-ting clearer pictures in our mind of all the information that we are reading. We notice that all of our visualizations are different but have some similarities. It is so powerful to know and recognize what

are brains are doing while we are reading. In math we are number investiga-tors. We continue to solve problems with ones and tens. We are able to draw, write and demonstrate our thinking through a number sentence! Collecting data is one of our favorites because we get to see what is most popular with our friends. It looks like pizza, electronic toys and nonfiction are the winners in first grade! Keep up the good work reading at home for 20 minutes. March 2 was Dr Seuss’ Birthday and we celebrated in our pajamas with our favorite books! Carnivale was a fun little celebration on the 4th with some typical yummy treats! We also have a special treat for all you dads out there for Father’s Day on March 16! Cheers to a marvelous February and looking forward to a captivating March!

Grade 2By Ms. Robin DeVito andMs. Margaret Ciuffreda

Second graders visited the prehistoric section of the Pigorini museum at E.U.R. on Feb. 18. They saw fossilised skeletons of early man, leaf prints and fossilised an-imal bones. They also had the opportunity to see pottery and metal artifacts. This visit is related to their studies on early man. In class we have been finding out facts about sabertooth tigers, making jig-saw puzzles and masks too. We are now busy doing cave paintings and learning how difficult it was to paint on cave walls.

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Grade 3By Ms. Kim Wheeler and Ms. Laura Gist

On Feb. 10, third grade students had a fabulous field trip to Castel Sant’ Angelo on a gorgeous, sunny day! Students enjoyed the company of their classmate while taking an educational tour of the castle given by Ms. Prideaux. Students saw bastions, a mausoleum, a mongonel, cannonballs, cannons, bridges, a draw-bridge, sculpted angels, armory, and walked through what used to be the castle’s moat. It was an exciting day for all, and one that will not soon be forgotten!

Grade 5By Jessica Johannesen, Ms. Anita Moose and Ms. Jane Rumsby

Fifth graders have started work on their famous year-ly performance. Once again the majority of students have chosen to express themselves through dance and song. Music really is a language that all our stu-dents share, particularly in their free time. We know that a pasttime most of them share is posting links for their friends to listen to songs and watch dancers in action. They have voluntarily given up their recess time in order to practice for their performance. We have been amazed at their creativity and passion to perform. We hope you all get the chance to come and watch the show when it is ready. Watch this space!

We have been studying size in science. From the atom to the known universe The students have expressed their amazement at what they’re learning, “It’s kind of weird to realize that size doesn’t really exist” and “It makes your head spin, I thought our planet was big and an atom was small.” We had a long debate about the probable existence of aliens and related it to the amazing diversity of life forms on our planet alone. We used the MacBooks to look at what is happening in Cern in Switzerland and researched black holes. We are also getting ready to start our next big project on mammals in Abruzzo. We are also really excited about the field trip we will be making to Abruzzo in May. We hope to see a Marsican bear, but they are very shy.

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ES Library NewsBy Ms. Amy Popp, ES Librarian

Once again, like every year, ES students celebrated the Chinese New Year, Carnival, and Val-entine’s Day by creating color-ful pink cherry blossoms with crepe paper and paint, whimsi-cal masks embellished with se-quins, glitter, and feathers, and original Valentines with various shades of pink and red construc-tion paper. Some students had the opportunity to visit the Vin-cent van Gogh Exhibit in Rome and were so excited to talk about it in art class. .

Art in the Elementary

The Author of the Month in February for kindergarten through grade five was Cynthia Rylant. Students enjoyed reading her “Henry and Mudge” books, as well as her chapter books, such as Missing May.

There were a lot of Star Librarian proj-ects this month as well as participants in the Author of the Month program! Congratulations to all!

Star Librarian Awards

Sarah A., Kindergarten, Ms. BleecherColin H., Grade 1, Ms. GozdowskiAmanda H., Grade 2, Ms. CiuffredaCorinne S., Grade 2, Ms. CiuffredaNiccomedo A., Grade 2, Ms. Ciuf-fredaYan B., Grade 3, Ms. GistKaleb H., Grade 3, Ms. GistSara S., Grade 3, Ms. GistDavide N., Grade 3, Ms. Wheeler Raffi A., Grade 3, Ms. Wheeler

Marsya H.A., Grade 4, Ms. PiccirilliGwanghyun A., Grade 4, Ms. DePaolisSophia P., Grade 4, Ms. DePaolis

Author of the Month Awards

Colin He., Grade 1, Ms. GozdowskiSummer S., Ms. Gozdowski, Grade 1Marsya H., Grade 4, Ms. Piccirilli

By Ms. Phebe CosentinoElementary Art Teacher

Students’ creative artwork is displayed in the lunch room for all to see.

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The MS STUCO sponsored Bake for Brazil fundraiser earned 300 euro. Mrs. Connolly’s mother, Mrs. Moraes e Castro, brought the raised money directly to the prov-ince of Rio de Janeiro to help people in need. Please see photos which show damage to the area and the loca-tion where the raised funds went to assist them rebuild. Thank you to all who contributed and supported this cause.

Below is the Thank You letter that was recently re-ceived.

Caros amigos da American School of the American Overseas School of Rome,Com alegria e gratidão viemos por meio deste agradec-er a oportuna ajuda e generosa importância que recebe-mos neste momento de luto e dor que vivenciamos. Confirmamos o valor de R$ 675,00 recebidos em nome da titular Marion Tamara de M. e Castro, no. protocolo 775407. Rogamos ao Bom Deus vos conceda toda a sorte de bênçãos espirituais e vos abençoe em todos os vossos empreendimentos! Unidos em Cristo, um cordial abraço a todos e sau-dações da Igreja do Brasil!

With joy and gratitude we thank you for helping and for the generous importance that we received from you in this moment of mourning and pain that we are experi-encing. We confirm the deposit of R$ 675.00 received in name of Marion Tamara of M. and Castro, in the pro-tocol 775407. We ask that God grant you all the luck of spiritual blessings and blesses you in all your undertakings! United in Christ, a cordial embrace to everybody and greetings from the Church of Brazil!

Middle School NewsMiddle School Students Raise Money for BrazilBy Ms. Sarah EllysonMiddle School Coordinator

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The next planned dance is will be held on Friday, March 25 and STUCO wants students’ input to make it

the best dance this year! Song requests and voting will take place in the weeks leading up to the event and we plan to re-introduce the dance ‘cube’ to make it more fun.

Also planned is May 2–6 Spirit Week with specific details to follow.

Friday, May 6 will be the 5th Annual MS BBQ, Tal-ent Show and Dance. Check

the Villa Bulletin Board for information about Talent Act sign ups!

The Annual Middle School Formal Dinner Dance is planned for Saturday eve-

ning, May 28 (the same day as the HS Prom).

What’s Up in the Middle School?

7th Grade Study SkillsAuthors and Storytellers for 2nd Grade

By Ms. Christine Hogan, Middle School Math

The 7th grade study skills class is currently working on a project, studying the life and work of the famous British author Beatrix Potter. The students then wrote and illustrated stories in the style of Miss Potter. Then the 7th graders were invited by the 2nd grade to read their stories . It appears that the 7th graders are excellent authors and illustrators because the 2nd graders sat enthralled while they listened to the stories. The 7th graders had a complex task; not only did they have to write in a style which resembled another author but they had to study the relationship between the text and the illustrations that they were including in the story. They also had to bear in mind that their audience was a 2nd grader. I was thrilled with the results of their work: interesting sto-ries, well recounted and beautifully illustrated.

March 25

May2-6

May6

May28

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High School Upcoming Events

March 10-11 – HS One-Act Plays 19:00 cafeteriaMarch 11 – Assembly for HS 14:30 One-Act PlaysMarch 16 – MS assembly for 150th Anniversary for Italian Unifica-tion 14:45-15:20 cafeteriaMarch 17 – NO SCHOOL (St. Patrick’s Day and 150th Anniversary of Italian Unification)March 18-19 – ISTA Drama Festival (Marymount)March 19 – RISA Teachers’ Conference (Marymount)March 22 – Italian II Field TripMarch 24-26 – GIN (Global Issues Network) in LuxembourgMarch 25 – End of 3rd Quarter / MS Dance 18:00

March 28 – Italian 1 and III Field TripMarch 29 – French National Honor Society Induction 09:45-10:20 cafeteriaMarch 30-April 1 – IB Italian Trip to FlorenceApril 1 – MS Wellness Day / Pre-K Bake sale / Report Cards sent home (Secondary)April 4-7 – Spirit Week (HS)April 5 – French Field Trip to theatreApril 6 – Spanish Honor Society 09:30-10:20 cafeteriaApril 7 – Stuco Bake sale / Stuco Talent Show / Spring Concert 19:00April 8 – Parent and Teacher ConferencesApril 15 – Course registration requests due for secondary (Grades 5-11)

Model United Nations Students Represent East

Timor at The Hague

On Jan. 25-28, nine AOSR high school students participated in the Model United Nations Conference in The Hague, Neth-erlands. The Hague International Model United Nations is an academic simulation of the United Nations that aims to educate participants about civics, current events, effective communication, globalization and multilateral diplomacy. In standard Model UN, students take on roles as dip-lomats and participate in a simulated ses-sion of an intergovernmental organization (IGO). AOSR MUN was assigned to represent a small island to the south of Indonesia called Timor L’este (East Timor). Students were accompanied by high school teachers and advisors Mr. Haskell and Ms. Telmon.

MUN member Tamar Z. describes the experience below.

None of us had heard of it before (East Timor), and so we were called upon to do extensive research on the views of its gov-ernment and write resolutions about its re-sponse to certain political issues. The week passed in a blur of speeches, debates, flirtatious notes and mental ex-haustion. Resolutions were passed, con-flicts were aired, and the weather got cold-er and colder. To summarize, it was a blast.

Top Row: Max V., Sky S., Brittany R., Nick P., Valerio T., Josh D.’Bottom Row: Danny Z., Tamar Z. and Franziska N.

High SchoolNews

Junior Jumpstart Review

Junior students are actively engaged in activities that are preparing them for their college admission process. Junior Jumpstart for students was on March 1st. All grade 11 students met with me and learned about topics regarding components of an application, recommenda-tion letters from teachers and the counselor, criteria for admission, standardized & college admission tests, how to conduct a college search and what resources to use and much more. Students also had a one-hour workshop on the college essay and personal statement which was presented by university colleagues Ms. Anna Carlson, Assistant Director of Admission and Ms. Cindy Bom-ben, Associate Dean of Students at Loyola University Chicago, Rome Start program. A second event, Junior Jumpstart for parents, was held the following evening, where parents also received an overview of these topics.

***Junior REMINDERS***

All 11th Graders should schedule a college planning conference.

ALL 11th graders should make an appointment with Ms. Welch to dis-cuss college and post high school plans. Parents, please encourage your son or daughter to schedule a meeting.

11th Graders Should Register for the upcom-ing SAT and Subject Tests

ALL 11th graders should consider taking the SAT even if the student is not sure whether he/she will go to college in the United States. Many of the UK, Cana-dian, and European Universities expect AOSR students to have an SAT score be-cause we are an American High School.

Counselor Page SAT Reminders:

Test date: May 7th

Register by: April 8th or

Test date: June 4th

Register by: May 6th

You must register ONLINE at: www.collegeboard.com

By Ms. Sharice WelchSecondary School Counselor

Message for 9th Graders:

Grade 9 students will receive visits from me in their Health classes this month as I work

with them on their Four Year Academic Plan. Stu-

dents will be required to look ahead three

years and to de-velop a course

schedule. In the process of

doing this, we will talk

about gradu-ation require-

ments and plans for after high

school.

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By Ms. Eva St. Onge, Secondary Science

Our school's Edible Garden has received a make-over. We are introducing the new concept of a "community garden". It will be a common space

for all of us in our learning community. Thanks to Ms. Bleecher, Ms. McRedmond, Ms. Magazzu, Ms. Ciufredda, Ms. DeVito, and Ms. Antinucci, our garden will be beauti-fully planted and maintained. Our Edible Garden is open to all teachers and students. We would like to invite you to share the garden and take advantage of the unique outdoor and authentic learning opportunity our garden has to offer. We encourage you to

On March 24-26, seven students and one teach-er will be attending the Global Issues Network Conference in Luxem-bourg. This will be the first time that AOSR has participated in this

growing organization. Over 200 students will attend the conference from schools around Europe.

This year's theme is "Creating Equal Opportunities."

The Student News Action Network was created, and is main-tained, by students and teachers at Washington International School in collaboration with TakingITGlobal and bureau schools worldwide. The Student News Action Network takes the concept of the school newspaper beyond school walls and the confines of print media, allowing students to work collaboratively on a glob-al level to create an interactive, multimedia-rich student-driven online newspaper. AOSR students are regular contributors.

Read an AOSR student’s article on seed banks funded by FAO:http://newsaction.tigweb.org/article/gene-banks.

The Incredible Edible Gardenincorporate learning activities at the garden into your cur-riculum, or just take your students there to get some fresh air of the spring. During the month of March, the video production class and the photojournalism class will document any learning activities that can relate to the garden. A short video will be produced and enter into a competition. If you plan to take your students to the garden, or to do any lessons relating to the garden, please kindly let me know a day in advance so that we can coordinate with the film crew. Enjoy Spring and our school's Edible Garden. Better still, enjoy spring at our Edible Garden with your students!

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AOSR VARSITY SPORTS SPRING SEASON

2010-2011

MEET THE COACHES

Gail McBride -Girls Track and Field

Coach McBride has extensive experience coach-

ing MS and HS student-athletes. She is certified in

aerobics and circuit training in addition to having

worked as a ski instructor, cardio kick and dance

instructor, netball, rugby, soccer, hockey and vol-

leyball coach. She is excited to use her experience

to work with student-athletes in training for the

high jump, long jump, triple jump, discus and shot

put.

Sergio Cocozza – Boys Track and Field

Coach Cocozza is a certified PE teacher with

over 20 years experience. He is a member of the

Italian Track and Field Federation, FIDAL. Coach

Cocozza started training in track and field at the

age of 16. He is the founder of Atletica Futura, a

Rome based track and field club. He still com-

petes in national competitions in the “master”

category. Coach Cocozza will co-coach the boys’

track and field team with Coach Ingargiola.

Gianluca Salvatori – Girls SoccerCoach Salvatori is a professional soccer coach who

holds an UEFA A coaching license, the highest in-

ternational soccer coaching license available. He

earned a diploma from ISEF (Istituto Superiore

Educazione Fisica) in sports education and worked

as a trainer for the Italian women’s national soccer

team. Coach Salvatori has his own soccer school and

has significant experience coaching both boys and

girls teams.

Fabio Ingargiola – Boys Track and FieldCoach Ingargiola is a member of the Ital-ian Track and Field Federation, FIDAL. He directs the Fitness Program at the Due Ponti

Sporting Club. Coach Ingargiola was a mem-ber of the Italian national track and field team as a 400m runner. Coach Ingargiola is

a fluent English speaker and has extensive experience working with students from PreK

through HS. Coach Ingargiola will co-coach

the boys track and field team with Coach Cocozza.

The Spring season is right around the corner and AOSR will be offering a new sport this year: Track and Field! The discipline includes running events, such as 100m sprints and the 3000m run, as well as high jump, triple jump, long jump, discus and shot put. The boys’ soccer team will defend the European Champ title won last year while the girls will try to obtain a spot on the podium with Gianluca Salvatori as the new soccer coach. Following are the coaches’ bios.

Anthony DeNicola – Boys SoccerCoach DeNicola has multiple years experience as a coach in the US and Italy. He served as the AOSR boys’ soc-cer coach in 2010 when the team won first place in the Division II European Soccer Championships in Germany. Coach DeNicola is in his third year as a secondary math teacher at AOSR.

By Mr. Max SquarciaAthletic Director

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French Department News

DELF

After the great success of last year, our students interested in taking the DELF are in the pro-cess of signing up for this year. DELF is an official exam of the Ministry of National Education. It is the official French profi-ciency exam just as the ‘TOE-FL’ is for the English language. It is a great opportunity for our students to get a diploma that is recognized worldwide and will allow them to see their level in comparison with the Common European Framework of Reference for lan-guages. Last year, 11 of our students participated and they did great!

FRIENDSHIP WITH SENEGAL

Email communication with our friends in Senegal is not easy. The exchange is slow because they have just one computer for the entire school. We were happy to discover the smile of our new friends and we are learning a lot about their traditions. Let’s hope we’ll continue to keep in touch with them for a long time and create a real friendship. Thank you to the French I class that decided to organize a bake sale to help them to buy supplies for the school.

FRENCH HONOR SOCIETY

Congratulations to the French Honor Society 2010/2011! They raised more than 400 euro this year for the Grandmother’s project! This association helps African villages by creating connections for grand-mothers within the villages to share their wisdom and influence the well-being in the community. It is a great example for the new students that will join the Society. The induction will take place on March 29.

FRENCH THEATER

On April 5, 50 students of the French department will attend a play in French at the French Cultural centre. The play, called “Saint Germain des Prés,” describes life in Paris after War World II through music with references to great philosophers, writers and musi-cians from the 50’s in France. We are very excited to discover more about French culture and, of course, to practice French!

By Ms. Sandrine LeBailSecondary French

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PTOIt’s Good to Know

Monday, March 14, 9:15 in the Cafeteria

Monday, March 14, 9:15 am in the Cafeteria - Meet with the Chair of

the AOSR Board of Trustees! Learn about the role, the functions and operations of your School Board. The agenda is designed by your questions. Contact amartinelbehri@gmail.com.

Monday, March 21, 9:30 in the Boutique Mayfair meeting of all PTO Mayfair project co-ordinators and interested

volunteers. Bring ideas! Bring friends! Bring coffee! Pastries will be served.

A big thank you to Martha Klinck for volunteering to oversee the 4th grade pub-lishing project this year. Our fourth graders will see their names in print as well as bring home their

own published works. Who knows who may join AOSR’s alumni list of esteemed authors, including Elizabeth Minchilli and Pulitzer Prize winner Justin Davidson. It takes only a determined set of teachers and a supportive volunteer!

An on-going Thanks to Anna Clementi, PTO co-ordinator for the famous Booster Bar, and Barb Lents, coordinator of the posh PTO boutique: the PTO’s ongoing fundrais-

ers will be back at work until Spring Break. We are in particular need of assistance with the Booster Bar through the rest of the school year. Please step up and learn the easy way to make the school a community. Contact Anna at annclem20@alice.it.

The PTO Field Trip this season takes us into Rome Centro and the world of Bernini. Join PTO parents and students for an eve-ning of Music in Bernini’s

Rome, Thursday, April 14. To take advantage of the group discount, we will need at least eight people to reserve tickets at these prices: 24 € instead of 27 € and 1 free admission for every 15 people. We will meet at the entrance of Sant, Agnace of Agone, Piazza Navonne at 18:00. Contact Amanda Martin-Elbehri at am-artinelbehri@gmail.com to secure your place at this unique event. For more information about this and other music and art programs visit http://www.romaoperaomnia.com/en/events/music-in-berninis-rome/.

Interest is growing in or-ganizing a Hook, Yarn and Needle group. Join us to learn yarn skills and to continue your own work in the company of those who share your interests in crocheting, knitting,

embroidery, quilting, etc. Contact amartinel-behri@gmail.com to let us know of your inter-est and best day of the week to meet.

Teachers, did you know that you can purchase items at the boutique for your class at a 33% discount? There are puzzles, learning

games, rugs, and more! Just another way your PTO is here to help!

Your next GENERAL PTO meeting will be Monday, April 4, 9:30

in the Boutique.

The PTO is happy to an-nounce a new initiative at the boutique! Student groups now have the op-portunity to sell mer-chandise at the boutique, raising funds without any

percentage of sales going to the PTO. This will further our goal of supporting AOSR by providing direct assistance to its school orga-nizations and clubs. Guidelines do apply, so please stop by the bou-tique any Friday between 14:00-17:00 or Tues-day from 10:30-13:30, or just email Boutique Coordinator Barb Lents at barb.lents@gmail.com for further details. These guidelines must be reviewed by a representative from the stu-dent group before any item can be sold at the boutique.

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ThankYou

Thankyou

fieldtrip

HookYarnneedle

Teachers'discount

makemoney

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AMERICAN OVERSEAS SCHOOL OFROME

~ MAYFAIR ~Saturday, 14 May 2011

11:00 – 16:00

Where: AOSR Campus, via Cassia, 811Who: YOU!, Family and FriendsWhat: Annual AOSR Community Celebration

Games with PrizesInternational Food CourtEntertainment – Music Art & MoreLocal MerchantsRaffle

Goal: Fun (draiser) – Bene (ficienza) for AOSR

Buy Raffle Tickets €3,00 each or €25,00 for a booklet of 10

Prizes include Apple ElectronicProducts

Tickets are sold in the Villa OfficeMayfair is a festive, fun filled event for all ages to enjoy.It’s the perfect place to meet new friends and catch up

with old friends. There will be many forms ofentertainment throughout the day – art exhibits, musicand other performances. All proceeds to Mayfair, directly

benefit our AOSR students!!

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PreK Coordinator: Ms. Amy Magazzu 06-33438-330ES Coordinator: Ms. Susan Prideaux 06-33438-350MS Coordinator: Ms. Sarah Ellyson 06-33438-336

AP/IB Coordinator: Ms. Belinda Fiochi 06-33438-337Admissions Secretary: Ms. Sabine Neumann 06-33438-311

Busing: Mr. Kieran Canter 06-33438-372HS College Counselor: Ms. Sharice Welch 06-33438-327School Counselors: Ms. Elizabeth Escobar 06-33438-373

Dr. Simona Reichmann 06-33438-373Nurse: Ms. Diane Cullen-Moore 06-33438-321After School Activities: Ms. Christine Hogan

Resource Room: Ms. Ann Macoul (ES) 06-33438-302Ms. Silvia Moore (MS/HS) 06-33438-390Athletics: Mr. Max Squarcia 06-33438-313

AOSR Contact Information

Villa ReceptionSecretary: Ms. Manuela Ciocca 06-33438-300Head of School: Dr. Beth Pfannl 06-33438-331Secretary: Ms. Domenica Losani 06-33438-331

Secondary SchoolPrincipal: Mr. Thomas Connolly 06-33438-326

Secretary: Ms. Anna Chiara Troisi 06-33438-326Elementary School

Principal: Mr. Stephen Foster 06-33438-395Secretary: Ms. Joanne Hoberg 06-33438-395

Faculty & StaffBusiness Manager: Ms. Elisa Bruno 06-33438-338

Photo credit: Teri-Lyn O’Hara

Alumni Vs. Falcons

By Mr. Phil Davis, Secondary PE and Basketball Coach

Wow, what an awesome game was played on Friday, March 4, at the Falcon’s Nest. From tip-off until the buzzer ended, it was non-stop excitement for players and fans alike. The contest by both squads was a thrill and the spirit in the gym was fantastic. The alumni held onto a 91-89 victory over the 2010-11 Boys Varsity Team. The coaches for the alumni, Ki-eran Canter and Bru Baldwin, said it was an exhilarat-ing offensive display led by Ezio Belli, class of 2009,

with ten 3-pointers. Cheers to Nick Seiben (’09), Daryll Sandoval (’10), Ale T. (’12), Luka Mestrovic (’09), Fred Arnaldi (’05), Moses Chikuse (’01), and the super subs who helped the alumni coach Harroo with 10 points and coach Phil, who hit a 3 and yelled “money” and the crowd erupted. I would like to thank the Kneelands and all the fans who came out to support the Falcon basketball season.