Dear friends,
This week’s edition of News de Nous demonstrates how we are putting our IB Units into action at FASTB! Please read on to discover the fun and creative projects happening in the classrooms.
I want to send a special thanks to all of the students and teachers at FASTB for an amazing week of Showcases! Even though the year is only starting, it was amazing to see how much our students accomplished in that short time.
As we wrap up another fantastic week at FASTB, I would like to remind you all that next week is October Vacation. If you are traveling- bon voyage! I look forward to seeing you all after vacation on October 16th!
Sincerely,
Colin LeBihan
School Director
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Upcoming dates to keep in mind
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Friday, October 6: Grades 4-5-6 Showcase #1 at 8:30 am
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October 9 - 13: October Break
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October 16: Classes Resume
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October 24: Café et Conversation at 8:30 am
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October 31: Halloween Celebration at 2 pm
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November 2: Parent-Teacher Conferences start at 3:15pm
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November 3: Early Release 11:45am, PT Conferences start at 12:00pm
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November 14-16: Art Week!
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To better understand who we are and to study our similarities and differences with others, we continued our observations and worked on our portraits in the style of Pablo Picasso. We discovered that Pablo Picasso painted portraits mixing front and profile views during his Cubism period. We, therefore, worked on the children's profiles by studying what could be seen on a profile portrait and drew our mixed portraits by adding color and glued papers to express our emotions or what we wanted to say or share with others...Great experience and lots of fun! |
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Art Week Volunteers Welcome! |
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The second edition of Art Week is just a little over a month away: from Tuesday November 14 to Thursday November 16. Art Week will consist of workshops on November 14 and 15, and an exhibition on November 16.
Past workshops have included:
- Mandala Sand Art
- Paper Crafts
- Stop-Motion
- Land Art
Should you be interested in presenting your own artistic passion to our community, or know someone who would, we please ask that you write to the office and let us know.
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Over the past few weeks, our youngest students began the IB unit of “Who we are”. Through this unit, they began to understand their role in the classroom, as well as how to interact with their classmates.
“I helped my friend tidy up, I'm altruistic".
They also learned how to introduce themselves, how to interpret a story, and to understand and share roles.
The PS class also spent this week learning about wind. More specifically, “What is wind?”. Through the classic story of the “three little pigs” the PS class learned about the wicked wolf who uses his powerful blows to destroy the homes of the three little pigs. This got them thinking, "What is breath? Is it like the wind?".
Through fun and entertaining workshops, they dedicated the week to the study of wind, air and breath. This culminated in the building of a windmill, a tool that enabled them to see the effects of wind for themselves.
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In a snapshot from the MS (EC4) class, Emilie gathered her students and told them that a special surprise was waiting for them in her mysterious purple box. She told them that there was an image of someone in that box who truly exemplified the characteristics that they have been learning about in class: Generous, Intelligent, Kind, Courageous… Emilie told them that what they would see in the box was a secret, and that each of them would get a turn to see what was inside. As each of them came up to take their turn, Emilie opened up the box and reveled a mirror.
It is activities like these which help bolster self-confidence, and allows the students to see these traits reflected in themselves.
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Agency is the keystone of the PYP as it allows students to take learning outside the classroom. Students with agency have the voice, choice and ownership to take meaningful and intentional action, acknowledging the rights and responsibilities of individuals and by supporting the voice, choice and ownership of everyone in the learning community. |
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Student-initiated action will be considered a dynamic outcome of agency, and an integral part of the learning process that can arise at any time.-- The Enhanced PYP
Student-initiated action can be as small as changing opinions on a subject after reflection or as large as contacting local authorities about an important issue. The size of the action is far from what is important as what really matters is how action and agency along with the other elements of the PYP framework work to strengthen students’ confidence in their capacity to make a positive change in the world.
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Thank you to everyone who attended the IB potluck on September 25th. Families got to eat amazing home cooked dishes, and thanks to Emmy Decker, learned more about the IB program here at FASTB. |
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This week we were greeted by several new faces in the pond. A family of ducks has now taken up residence on the shore of the lunch area. We hope they stick around! |
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Please join us on Tuesday, October 24th
Café et Conversation
8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
Under the Tiki Hut! - All are welcome!
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Join us for casual coffee gatherings that bring teachers, parents, and school administrators together in an informal setting. These meetings hold significant importance in nurturing communication, cultivating connections, tending to queries, and establishing a school atmosphere that is both encouraging and accommodating. Café et Conversation gatherings present an opportunity for cooperation and shared comprehension that proves advantageous to students, parents, and the entire school community. |
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Pick-Up and Drop off Procedures |
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Drop-Off: 8:15 am to 8:30 am
Drop-Off at FASTB begins at 8:15 am and goes until 8:30 am. Upon entering the parking lot, parents should follow the drop-off route marked with cones. Parents are advised to pull up to the marked point before parking to expedite the drop-off process for all. Once parked, a staff member will greet and escort students to the gate adjacent to the car circle. Parents can then proceed out of the parking lot. Once inside the gate, students are divided into two groups according to age, with older students going onto the playground and the younger students remaining in the lunch area. At 8:30 am, students walk to class. To remind you, the use of cell phones is strictly prohibited in the parking lot unless you are safely parked. Thank you!
Late Drop-Off: 8:30 am onward:
Parents who arrive after 8:30 am are advised to park and escort their child to the marked door in the car circle area. Once at the door, please ring the bell, and the student will be let in.
Pick Up: 3:00 pm to 3:15 pm.
Dismissal at FASTB begins at 3:00 pm when the students are walked by their teachers to the lunch area adjacent to the car circle. The gate which leads to the car circle remains closed at all times. Using walkie-talkies, teachers standing outside the gate communicate with their counterparts inside to call students when their parents arrive in the car circle. Parents are advised to pull up to the marked point before parking to expedite the pick-up process. Once parked, a teacher will walk the student to their respective car, open the door, and ensure the child gets in. However, the parent is responsible for securing their child’s seat belt or car seat before driving away.
Late Pick-Up: 3:15/3:20 onward
We highly recommend that parents notify the school in advance of delays or changes in pick-up times for students. Without prior notification, students still waiting to be picked up by 3:15/20 will be escorted to the office. The school office will then contact parents to remind them to collect their child, and the student will be placed into aftercare until the parent arrives.
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What to do if someone has COVID-19?
Below are our recommendations
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We want to hear from you!
Please use the email address office@fastb.org for general school correspondence. Questions and requests sent to this address are forwarded as needed. We do our best to respond to emails quickly; thank you for your patience. Alternatively, please know that you can call us anytime for an immediate response! School Office Phone: (727) 800-2159
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The French American School of Tampa Bay
2100 62nd Ave N, St. Petersburg, FL 33702
Telephone: (727) 800-2159
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