Friday news
Dear Parents, Guardians, Students, Graduates and Friends of Open Gate,
We are in mid-November, a quarter of this school year has passed, and the traditional weekly newsletter is coming to you again. This time uncommonly on Thursday and unconventionally from the city of Edinburg. Both places are enjoying similar autumn weather, it’s two degrees warmer here.
To begin with, let’s return to Friday’s quarterly pedagogical meeting, at which besides much more we named students who will be awarded in the form of a certificate for their outstanding results and achievements so far. The conditions are very difficult; scores of 95% and above in at least a half of the subjects are required. However, despite these tough requirements, there were more than enough students who were able to fulfill them. These people will be awarded at the forthcoming assembly and you will be introduced to their names. Congratulations! Obviously, we dealt with many other amazing accomplishments, be that in just two or three subjects or one educational area. You can await the summary of the first quarter in the upcoming newsletter by my colleague Ms. Kožnarová, the school’s headmistress.
Naturally, on Monday there was a Middle School assembly, this time organized by students and under the supervision of colleagues Mr. Michalík and Mr. Marks. The topics were the expeditions of the Duke of Edinburgh Award and community work in India within the Creativity, Activity, Service framework of the IB program. That afternoon led our Spanish-learning students to the Fiesta Flamenca event in Vinohrady, where they devoted themselves not only to this popular popular musical genre and folklore but also to Spanish cuisine and personalities from history, culture, theater, and literature. For the ‘IB year 2’ students, we have prepared a seminar on the topic of stress on Wednesday, and the Kvarta students, on the other hand, are visiting an event in Říčany today.
As I mentioned in the introduction this letter is being born in Scotland, where this year's giant CIS Forum on International Admission and Guidance takes place, bringing together representatives of more than 400 universities and 300 international high schools from around the world. The program is very busy, including 45 expert seminars in 8 blocks in two long days, plus a number of "semi-formal" and informal meetings. On Tuesday afternoon, before the three evening programs organized by three groups of universities (Boston - Fenway, Canadian and Scottish) in three different locations, there was time to meet OPEN GATE graduates and take a short tour of their university. We can only be proud of how well they represent us in the world.By the way, seven of our former students are studying in Edinburgh and in all of Scotland, there are almost twenty. An final evening reception concluded this afternoon, and I promise to give all the new information to the students, interested colleagues and yourselves, the parents and legal representatives, at the next coming meeting in the school’s theater.
Let me also remind you the next week's class meetings and the Open House day, so see you soon. https://www.facebook.com/opengateschool/
Have a pleasant long weekend and all the best wishes from,
Petr Chára