Dear Parents,
ICT in Key Stage Three
This week we have seen a change in teaching staff for Form 7, 8, and 9 ICT lessons. Firstly, we would like to thank Mr. Jan Kellner for stepping in at very short notice at the beginning of the year and helping the ICT department. His enthusiasm and dedication has been very much appreciated.
We would like to welcome Frédéric Mognol to Mougins school. He will be teaching Form 7, 8 and 9. Frédéric has had an extensive career with a great deal of experience in the Industry. He is a Computer Engineer and Mechanical Engineer and brings with him a very wide range of skills and knowledge. Frédéric’s teaching experience is also broad and we have no doubt that our students will be engaged, challenged, and learn a great deal from him.
Mougins School Music Department
Fun through Excellence: Mougins School Youth Orchestra Initiative.
At Mougins, we are very lucky to have a strong love of music, currently centered around rock and pop, choirs, including many performance platforms for soloists and ensembles. As a community, it would be great to take this to the next level, and offer a greater variety of instrumental tuition, as well as the access to a greater number of orchestral instruments. The additional instrumental tuition we will be offering includes; Clarinet, Flute, trumpet, trombone, tuba, viola, and cello. Students will have the opportunity to see and explore the possibility of these new instruments very soon, and together, we can decide which instrument could be a good fit. Learning an instrument can be challenging, but incredibly rewarding too.
When your child can reach the point where they can express themselves through music you will understand what it really means when they say “The view from the hill made the climb worthwhile”.
We are delighted to inform you, that we have recently upgraded our musical instrument collection, purchasing orchestral instruments which can be borrowed, and rented (for a small fee) for a longer-term period. The long-term goal, is to establish an orchestra with all four sections of the orchestra’ woodwind, brass, string and percussion. Learning to practice correctly can be a battle for budding musicians, but once the discipline is in place, playing an instrument becomes a true joy.
At this moment in time, we are also very keen to acquire a greater number of orchestral instruments, and therefore, if you do have any instruments lying around which aren’t being used, and could be donated to this exciting project, please get in touch! We will be more than happy to take them off your hands.
If you have any doubts about the positive effect learning an instrument can have on your child please read some of the many benefits of playing an musical instrument can have on your child’s education and development:
- enhances academic skills, b) improves memory, c) helps to develop creative thinking and motor skills, d) builds social skills and character, e) teaches discipline, which later, a student can apply to all aspects of their education, f) relieves stress and improves self-confidence, g) inspires a sense of ambition, both as an individual performer, and as part of a team and h) gives students a sense of belonging.
The PTA is also very keen to help us with this project and will be raising the subject in their next newsletter after the break. We are very excited about this project and thank you in advance for sharing in our enthusiasm.
WhatsApp Groups
Many of you are members of WhatsApp or other social media groups that connect parents in a particular class. Ideally, the group chats are useful places to share information regarding your child’s day in School. Most of the time, these group chats can be a great resource and an enjoyable place to be in. There are times, however, when someone in the group says something inappropriate. Some tips:
a) Individual concerns about your child or a teacher are best dealt with directly, face to face.
b) When writing on social media, be aware that your entry maybe forwarded to someone outside the group and in a few minutes be seen by half the School.
c) The group should never be used as a platform to air views / grievances regarding a child, parent or teacher.
Any form of defamation or intentional harm practiced through social media platforms is totally unacceptable. Everyone using social media forums must, at all times, demonstrate respect for members of the community and be careful not to breach confidentiality, defame or make threats to any person in the community.
If children are made aware of the contents of these groups, we consider this to be a safeguarding issue for them, and it will be treated and recorded on our confidentiality safeguarding platform as such.
International Speech Competition
The 12th International Schools’ Speech Competition was held via Zoom link on Wednesday, 3rd February. Participants from Mougins School, The International School of Nice, the International School of Monaco and the ASEICA collèges competed in front of a virtual audience of more than 100 spectators. Mougins School was represented by Andrea Vodenicharova (8a) and Oscar Craven (9a). The standard was extremely high; Oscar made it into the second round, achieving a very creditable 4th place overall. The winners were: 1st place – Eleonor Doody (Niki St Phalle); 2nd place – Anais Overbeek (ISM) ; 3rd place – Heidi Jasdrow (Collège César).
For us, however, Andrea and Oscar are both winners. The speeches were on “If you could live in a different time and place, when and where would you choose, and why?” Durng the vacation, we will send you the link to be able to listen to the speeches yourselves. Once again, thanks to the English Department for their coaching and encouragement of these students.
We would also like to thank Mr Jon Hallett for filming Andrea and Oscar in the open air of the school grounds, thus conforming to the COVID safety regulations that are in place but allowing Andrea and Oscar to perform their speeches without masks.
Sharing Good Practice – Globeducate
This week, a large number of teachers in Mougins School were involved in a shared training session, on the use of Zoom, with one of the Globeducate School in Paris. The big advantage of being in a group of schools is the possibility of us all sharing expertise and good practice with colleagues from other Globeducate schools. A big thank you to the Super User Trainer from ICS Paris.
Inter House Orienteering Results
After a very successful Orienteering cycle throughout the half term in PE, the season ended this week with the inter-house orienteering competition. In a period when we are not able to use the gymnasium because of the national Covid protocol in schools, we are so fortunate to have a mapped area next to the School. We can give the students the opportunity to be involved in a physical activity in the open air.
Setting out and collecting in different courses each week is a huge task and we would like to say a big thank you to Jérôme and his team for all their hard work. Here are the house results for the orienteering:
1st – Chagall with 8710 points
2nd – Matisse with 7410 points
3rd – Renoir with 6520 points
4th – Picasso with 5930 points
And finally ….. our vacation
We are so pleased to have been able to complete this half-term with face to face teaching. Now it’s time for a break! BUT, we need to be very careful about how we use this time. Remember, travelling outside the EU is not permitted. If you travel in Europe, you will be required, by law, to self-isolate for 7 days on your return, which means your children will not be able to return to School until the end of that period and with a negative PCR test.
Let us keep our excellent track record and stay safe, by being responsible, and setting a perfect example.
Have an excellent vacation,
Kindest regards,
Brian G. Hickmore
Headmaster
