Message from Ms Matillon, Director General
Dear Parents,
Happy New Year, and welcome to Term 2!
GES teachers and administrators returned to school a day earlier than students this week, and we devoted Monday to staff training on such topics as: an update on First Aid guidelines, Data Protection as it pertains to all aspects of our operations, and safeguarding reporting protocols. At Primary, the afternoon was spent analysing class and individual pupil progress in order to identify each child that will benefit from extra support or enrichment in English, Maths and/or Science. In Secondary, particular attention was given to the mock exam performance of our senior students, with a view to most effectively preparing them for their year-end examinations.
Helena Grant, our new Head of Primary, has arrived and hit the ground running, already familiarising herself with many facets of our programmes, procedures and campus. Most importantly, Mrs Grant is getting acquainted with the children and already knows many of their names! Our young pupils have warmly embraced the messages she has shared in assemblies about friendship and inclusion, using as examples the themes in Paddington stories, The Jungle Book, and the warm reception she, herself, has been extended at GES.
Yesterday, our Years 3 and 4 performers enchanted us with their rendition of the classic tale, The Jungle Book, “revu et corrigé” to feature a bilingual script. The production was of exceptional quality, thanks to the expert guidance of Siân Humphreys, Karen Empson and Réjane Durey. Our parent and staff volunteers,who helped create sets and costumes, as well as the members of our Performing Arts Club who stage-managed and added their own finishing touches to the event, made it truly magical. Thank you, all, and to the very many families who attended the evening show, for creating such a wonderful atmosphere and having us all dancing in our seats!
On a more sombre note, given recent events in Switzerland, I would like to take a moment to provide some information – and, hopefully, reassurance – concerning fire safety at GES.
With respect to fire detection:
· Fire drills are planned termly in Primary and Secondary. The exercises conducted in Term 1 were completed smoothly and efficiently, with all students responding as they have been trained to do in these circumstances.
· Our smoke detectors at Primary were thoroughly inspected during a 6-hour external expert review in November. Our installation was deemed adequate and appropriate. One adjustment was recommended with respect to a storage area in the basement of the Salève building, and it has since been completed.
· On our Secondary campus, the communal authority has declared our current set-up to be up to their standards, however, we will consult with Siemens, our partner for the Primary campus, and upgrade, as necessary, in the coming weeks.
With respect to fire safety protocols and training:
We are very fortunate to have on our staff a fully-qualified firefighter, our Director of Data Systems and Facilities, Gregory Furter, who volunteers in his spare time with the Nyon fire brigade. Mr Furter has kindly volunteered to prepare and deliver training on specifically what to do, and what not to do, in case of a fire emergency. These sessions will address three audiences and will be tailored to the needs and maturity of each, that is:
· Training for Primary School children
· Training for Secondary School children
· Training for Staff
More details will be shared on each element of this practical education programme shortly.
All the best,
Christina Matillon
The Jungle Book
Yesterday was marked by the much-awaited performance of The Jungle Book featuring our Year 3 and 4 performers, and what an amazing show it was.
Our students beautifully took on the roles of the many beloved characters from Rudyard Kipling’s story, with cheeky monkeys, majestic wolves, mischievous vultures and, of course, Mowgli, Baloo, Bagheera, King Louie, Kaa and the sneaky Shere Khan.
Well done to all our amazing performers for taking us on this great adventure to the jazzy musical rhythms of the jungle, and thank you to Ms Humphreys, Ms Empson and Mme Durey for their passion, expertise, and the magic touch they brought to yet another fantastic show!
This week in class
Our little scientists were hard at work this week! Amazed to discover the ice that had formed overnight, our Pre-school students found out that when the temperature drops below 0 degrees water will freeze, and when the temperature is above 0 degrees it will start to melt. They found some balloons that had been filled with water and frozen, and couldn’t wait to see what would happen when they removed the balloons. They expected big ice balls… but instead uncovered magical ice bowls! The shrieks of excitement said it all.
Next, they put their finger muscles to the test, spraying hot water onto ice that had trapped tiny animals inside. They discussed how the hot water would help the ice melt faster, freeing the animals. It was hands-on fun and a perfect way to explore science in action!
Year 1 were amazed to discover a mysterious space crash in the classroom next door! Scattered among the wreckage were pieces of metal and wires, a NASA control centre, and even a space suit. But the strangest discovery of all was the yellow fur and footprints left behind in the snow!
Our learners put on their thinking caps and came up with lots of questions about what might have happened. They suspect a yellow alien may have crash-landed at GES, possibly because of the snow, and might now be searching for a friend.
This exciting discovery reminded Mrs Vavrecka of the story Beegu, about a friendly alien who crashes to Earth while looking for companionship. Our students can’t wait to start writing their own information reports about this friendly alien over the coming weeks!
Year 3 came back to school and dove straight into our brand new set of library books!
They are very excited to start learning about Ancient Egypt and have already begun discovering all kinds of fascinating facts about the different tools used in farming and construction, and the many animals Ancient Egyptians worked with or worshipped.
Year 5 launched in earnest into this new term, enjoying the chance to read and discuss their independent writing in pairs. Following a whole-class feedback session, the students then offered thoughtful and constructive critiques of one another’s biographies and suggested edits and improvements.
There’s nothing quite like teamwork to make learning fun and engaging!
Our Year 5 and 6 artists started a new unit in art this week on landscapes and cityscapes. Taking inspiration from two artists – landscape painter, Vanessa Gardiner, and urban sketcher, Phil Dean – students threw themselves into a timed sketching activity. With just 5 minutes to sketch Durdle Door in Dorset and a Geneva cityscape, the results they produced were truly amazing!
Our Primary students explored the origins of the feast day Epiphany today during their French lessons! Donning their chef’s hats and aprons, they then had fun preparing some delicious “galettes des rois” for their Key Stage 2 peers, practising their cooking vocabulary along the way. A delightful moment of sharing which culminated in the tasting of these galettes and the discovery of the kings and queens of the day.
Beyond the Classroom
A Snowy Day at GES
Students across Primary and Secondary had a real treat on their first week back at school with the first snowfall of the year. Blanketing our campuses with a beautiful layer of pristine snow, our learners enjoyed expending all their extra energy outdoors.
Through teamwork and effort, our Primary courtyard soon had its very own snow penguin standing guard over the premises while, over at Secondary, students came together to build snow figures of different sizes.
We hope it will snow again soon!
Extra-Curricular Activities
After School Care
In celebration of the new term, our After School Care-goers baked some scrumptious cupcakes this week!
What a great way to launch into what promises to be a gourmet and gourmand term at ASC!
The Ski Academy Kicks Off the New Term
The Ski Academy got off to a fantastic start this week with some very excited students!
From complete beginners to seasoned skiers, Year 1 to Year 6 participants all enjoyed a challening and fun first outing.
“I love my instructor” was heard a number of times across the groups, highlighting the fantasic coaching the children receive from ESF Les Rousses instructors.
Bring on the snow and stay tuned for more exciting news from our Ski Academy!
Community News
Our Mathematician Strikes Again
This just in! Following his participation in the Preliminary Round of the German Math Olympiad in which he ranked 87th out of 1401 participants, Year 3 student Yuvaan successfully took part in the Final Round of the competition just before half-term.
His excellent performance has qualified him for the Grand Finale, which will be held in Frankfurt in May!
Well done, Yuvaan!
Interview with Helena Grant
On this first week of term, we are delighted to extend a warm welcome to Helena Grant, who joins us as Head of Primary.
Helena took the time to sit down with us and share her first impressions of the school and of Geneva, and her areas of focus for this term:
What are your first impressions of the school?
I was struck by the friendly community feel of the school and its familial atmosphere from my very first visit. During Monday’s INSET day, I observed and worked with teachers on our school’s values. What was clear is that GES’s professional pedagogical approach is unique in that it is combined with a deep care for the children. This makes for confident and interactive students who are chatty and eager to ask many questions. For example, during my first assembly with them, they were all keen to ask about my family and hobbies, and we spoke about camping, my experiences in Kenya and my love for cats. GES students also demonstrate confidence individually, like one of Year 1 students did this week when he came to introduce himself at the front desk. I was delighted to see how much teachers share with each other what they do in class every day and see the genuine pride they have for their pupils’ progress.
I attended The Jungle Book performance on Thursday and it was a great opportunity for me to meet many parents. I was also struck by the many opportunities offered to children, be that instrumental music and voice lessons, the Ski Academy, or cooking activities both in and beyond the classroom, such as the French class galette preparations – I was lucky and my piece had the fève in it!
What will you be focusing on this term?
My focus this term will be on understanding the teaching and learning as it happens at GES, and the academic rigour for which our school can be justifiably proud, by working closely with the teaching team. In fact, we have already had a very positive professional development session on English and writing and how to we can further use and analyse the data we have to ensure our pupils continue to make progress.
Have you had a chance to visit Geneva?
Everyone said it wouldn’t snow! I was struck by the natural beauty of the area and how quickly the landscape becomes rural around Genthod and Versoix. I am excited to explore and discover the many hidden gems of the region.
Any message for our community?
Just a big thank you for the warm welcome and I wish everybody all the best for the new year!
