Special Subjects

On Friday 9th December we took our best swimmers to represent FBCS at the annual Inter-Primary Swim Meet at the Lions Pool. All students entered the 25m Freestyle (frontcrawl), breaststroke and back stroke races with some also competing in the 4×25m freestyle relay races too. FBCS was one of 8 schools competing and had a great day with all students doing their best and 3 getting first places!

An excited team pulling some crazy faces before the gala starts !

Alex and Matthew getting ready to start 25m Freestyle

Luke with a proud Coach Claire. He came first in the freestyle race.

Jared got first place his heat for freestyle boys age 11.

Katriona gets a good start in the 7-8 Girls 25m Freestyle race

Isabella about to start the backstroke race

Jessica doing great at backstroke

Matthew got first place for breaststroke!

A big well done to all our swimmers!

Our very own FBCS annual swim gala will take place on the 1st June 2012 where all students take part in a fun, friendly competition! See you in the pool!

Healthy Blessings - Coach Claire

FBCS students in Grades 4, 5 & 6 will get to experience a professional tennis match tomorrow at the Ritz Carlton. The KPMG Legends Tennis Tournament has stars such as Jennifer Capriati and Martina Hingis and Mark Philippoussis playing and the former British Prime Minister Tony Blair is a guest spectator.

For me as an avid Wimbledon fan I’m very exited to be going! Schools were generously given complimentary tickets to help get school children excited about this wonderful game.  More information can be found at www.compasscayman.com/tennis/

What a fantastic time we had at Motions Unlimited Gymnastics Studio.  All students grades K to 6 participated! We have been doing gymnastics as part of our school curriculum and this was a special treat to be able to go and put our skills in practice at the amazing studio.

As you can see we all had a great time and hope to go again next week..er I mean year! It would be great to go each week though!

Healthy Blessings - Coach Claire

Yes it’s true - Coach Claire likes computers. Both myself and the students are having lots of fun!

Kindergarten have been learning about the parts of the computer and rules in the lab, as well as mouse control and we just started Microsoft Word! We are learning to log on and how to open programs. Here are the things we are working on -

Grade 1 are building on the foundation from last term and are able to log on and open a program, they have great mouse control and have been creating some great drawings in Tux Paint. They are learning to insert clip art into a word document and are getting better at finding the right keys when typing.

Grades 2&3 have been learning about internet safety and did an online quiz on the cbbc website.

They created their own internet safety word document and have been improving thier typing on Paws Network and online in Dance Mat Typing at bbc.co.uk/schools.

Here’s to more computer fun in term 2!

Its less than 9 weeks to the Kids Fun Run. Children aged 6-12 can enter and I hope to see lots of FBCS students there. Click here for more information and to register online. The fun run, is just that, it’s about taking part and having fun!

And….I have just read in the Caymanian Compass that the organisers of the Cayman Islands Marathon are encouraging walkers to participate! This is great news because anyone can now enter, so parents come on, what are you waiting for?! See you on the course!

Healthy Blessings

Coach Claire

The Wellness Policy was introduced in January 2011. It was handed out to all parents (if you didn’t get a copy please visit the school office)  and has been formulated to improve the health and wellness of all students at FBCS and WEE Care.

This is an exciting time! Here are some things we have done -

Implemented Fruity Friday (to replace the bake sale) each Friday afternoon to provide students with a much needed healthy snack whilst raising funds for PTF.

With funding from PTF we have painted new playground markings to encourage more physical activity at lunch and recess.

We are encouraging children to drink more water with signs up at the water fountains and asking them to bring water bottles to school.

Provided healthy snacks at events such as the Swim gala and class trips.

Helped with the decision to have hats as part of the school uniform.

FBCS is the first Private School to comply with new government standards for the food we supply to students through Food for Thought.

AND JUST LAST WEEK - with the help of the Be Active team and Project Grow we have our very own school garden. There are 2 new planting beds for our children to plant, care for, grow and hopefully eat the various plants and learn about healthy food that grows in the ground and not manufactured. Cayman 27 came and captured our first seeds being planted! Click here for news report.

A BIG thank you to all parents who send in healthy snacks and lunches for their children. As a parent I know it can take a little more time and preparation to cut up fruit or make a sandwich but not only does this have such great health benefits and forms eating habits that will last a life time but it also can help improve concentration and academic performance.

Here are some helpful ideas on healthy-packed-lunches from Bethany Smith our Nutrition expert.

Healthy Blessings - Coach Claire

We are having great fun in music this year!    Themes and objectives are taught through a variety of activities that incorporate listening, performing, and creating.

In Kindergarten - we are learning children’s songs that go along with class themes such as bears, and transportation.    Students are learning to follow rules and routines through song activities that encourage active participation.

First Grade - Students are learning about piano, forte and crescendo!   You will have to ask one of them if you are not sure what it means!   We are also exploring language through rhythm activities using a CD called “Leaping into Literacy”.   

Second Grade - Students in grade two have been reviewing concepts learned in first grade, as well as visual and aural recognition of rhythms using quarter note, eighth note pairs and rests.   

Third Grade - Students in third grade have been learning a movement game from New Zealand using rhythm sticks!   It requires them to use a variety of positions and coordinate it with a steady beat!   We are also learning the names of the instruments of the orchestra, and recognizing them by sight and sound.

Fourth Grade - We have begun learning the recorder and reviewing notes and rhythms from grade three.  Once these are mastered we will add more songs to our repertoire and add some percussion instruments to create ostinatos and follow a rhythm score.

Fifth Grade - Students are eager to expand their learning, and we are going to begin a unit on guitars.   Students will learn basic chords and strumming.

Sixth Grade - students in sixth grade are learning band instruments.   We are working on instrument assembly, embouchure, hand positon, breathing, and fingering of notes!   Once this is mastered you should be able to hear us play recognizable tunes such as Mary Had a Little Lamb and Hot Cross Buns.

IT Update Grades 4-6

Likewise Coach Claire…. I am also enjoying the computer lab!  It is peaceful and quiet, without the colorful sounds of band instruments, recorders, handbells, and a myriad of other musical activities!   Mr. Brent has left a great legacy behind and big shoes to fill!   We are so grateful for all that he has done for FBCS!

Here is what is lined up for grades 4-6!

Students in grades 4-6 will continue improving their keyboarding skills through a program called “Mavis Beacon”.    This program is specific to each student and tracks their progress.  Keyboarding is one element of the curriculum that is taught from grades 1-6.   

Students will also learn new skills in Microsoft Office programs such as Powerpoint, Word, and Publisher.    Improving their knowledge and skills will assist them in creating presentations and reports in other subjects.  

We are excited that we have been able to purchase a set of Nikon Cool Pix cameras for the computer classroom, to enable students to learn about digital photography, photo editing, and inserting photos into presentations.  

Internet safety and cyberbullying are also addressed in age-appropriate ways throughout the IT curriculum.    Some useful websites are:  NetSmartz.org, Bullying.co.uk.

I am looking forward to exploring IT with students this year!

Janet Durksen

Don’t tell anyone but I’m secretly thinking of teaching computer full time! The contrast to the noise of the gym and students actually staying mesmerised in their seats is very appealing. We’ve had a month transition as Mr Brent has been as busy as usual installing 22 new desktop computers and adding more laptops for our growing class numbers. Mr Brents last day is tomorrow (Sept 23) and he is going to be missed greatly. Mr Brent is one of those teaches that the kids adore because lets face it, he’s a big kids himself and loves to play soccer or shoot baskets at lunch, he plays just about every musical instrument, can sing, works the sound booth, helped with soccer club, ran a photography club and has done so much more in his 3 years at FBCS.

Thank you Mr Brent, you will be missed! But… we have your email and phone number for when those pesky technical questions arise!

(Check back soon for an update on computers and what our students have been working on.  Miss Janet is teaching grades 4-6 and I am teaching Grades K-3. )

Coach Claire