NPH Giving Tree

Nuestro Pequeños Hermanos (NPH) is an international organization that takes in abandoned and orphaned children, providing a home and education.  Here in Honduras, the NPH organization provides for over 500 children in at large ranch near La Venta and home in Tegucigalpa for severely handicapped children.   While many children at the ranch have aunts, uncles, or grandparents that come to visit them and can provide some Christmas gifts, some children at a ranch have no family to visit.  It is these children, whom we would like to provide for this Christmas.   On the second floor of the secondary building, a NPH Giving Tree will be set up.   If you wish to participate, choose a paper tree that has a child’s information about his/her size for shoes or socks.  Purchase the new item and return it to Mrs. Agurcia’s Room (Rm. 7) by Friday, December 5^th, with the tree tag taped to it.  As well, there are tree tags for basic food items that will be donated to the orphanage.  Cash donations will also be accepted to provide shoes and socks for children whose tags were not selected.  Thank you for giving this Christmas!

If more information about NPH’s work in Honduras, please visit http://www.nph-honduras.org/ and watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYC2A5njQTk .  

Pictures from previous year's NPH Christmas celebrations at Discovery School!  Thank you for your continual support!

Technology Surveys

TECH AUDIT VISIT – We thank our school community for the enthusiasm, good will and hospitality shown to the EmTech consultants during the technology audit last week. We are eager to see what the future holds for our school in terms of technological innovations!

We encourage all of you to fill out a survey by clicking on the appropriate link.  Please encourage your children to also fill out their surveys! The surveys will be available up to October 10, 2014.  

            PARENT SURVEY LINK:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/parents_discoveryschool

            STUDENT SURVEY LINK: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/students_discoveryschool

The resulting report--with all data, observations, focused interviews and benchmarks-- should come back to us sometime around November 15.  This document will be an important resource for launching a strategically sound initiative in the development of technology at our school. 

Midterm Reports

Midterm Reports

Last week, midterm reports were passed out to students.  Parents and students are encouraged to discuss the grades and comments, visiting Engrade for more details.  If there are any questions, please contact the teacher of the specific class for more detail.  Email addresses for all staff are found on the school website, as well, parents can also contact the office to set up an appointment for a conference. 

Parents should sign the report and have the student return it to his or her homeroom teacher as soon as possible.

Students and parents are reminded that this report gives an outlook into how the students is progressing up to this point of the quarter.  There is still time to change the grade, for the positive or negative, before the end of the quarter.  Students should strive to meet the recommendations of teachers to achieve the expectations for the quarter.  Parents are encouraged to support their students in this pursuit by providing the necessary time and supervision the student needs for reading, studying, and completing homework and projects.   If a parent or student is unsure of what steps to take to ensure positive progress, they are encouraged to contact the teacher.

Welcome!

                Welcome to a great year of learning about the beautiful world that surrounds us!  I am excited for a new school year to begin and to join with you in educating your student about the wonders of the world.

                My name is Christina Agurcia, and I am originally from Illinois.  I graduated from Lincoln Christian College with a BS in Bible and from Illinois State University with a BS in Biology.  I am certified by the State of Illinois to teach a wide range of science subjects, including biology, chemistry, and physics.  As well, I have taken graduate education courses in zoology, botany, chemistry, physics, and AP Environmental Science.  To continue gaining knowledge about pedagogical technique, I also have participated in teacher workshop events, such as the ones offered by Discovery School and Escuela International Sampedrana in San Pedro Sula, and most recently, a workshop on environmental education hosted by the Wildlife Conservation Society.

I have over 10 years of teaching experience in the secondary science classroom, and this will be my eighth year at Discovery School.  Previously, I taught one year at a private school here in Tegucigalpa and three years at a public school in the United States of America. 

I am looking forward to developing an excellent working relationship with you.  It is important that we keep in close contact about your student’s progress.  Each week I will be updating a blog, which will have information about the material being covered in class, student activities and homework, as well, as upcoming dates for projects and tests.  The blog address is www.dshighscience.blogspot.com, from this page you will find a link specifically related to physical science.  Students and parents should check the blog weekly.   As well, you can follow your student’s progress through checking the online grading program, Engrade.  This program creates a personal, secure account by which you can access your student’s grade and list of outstanding work.  Personal access codes will be given to each student.  From that code, parents can create an account to review student’s scores.

Students will be given homework, as listed in class and on the blog.  Students are responsible for turning this homework into my classroom by 8:00 AM on the day the assignment is due.  Any work submitted after 8:00 AM will be considered late.  Only excused tardies (for medical appointments or late bus) will be accepted as a reason for turning in work after 8:00 AM.  Late assignments will be graded at 70% of the value, if one day late, or 50% of the value, if two days late.  Work after two days late will not be accepted.  Students will be required to stay in at snack and/or lunch to make up late work.

Classtime is valuable, and therefore, a student should attempt be at school as much as possible.  However, if a student is absent, he/she is responsible to complete all make-up work.  Make-up work can be found in the “make-up” folder for his or her class.  Any missed notes can be copied from a fellow student.  If a student missed a test/quiz/lab, she/he will need make an appointment to complete the work.  For excused absences, students are given one day to make-up work per each absent day.  For one or two day excused absences, the students should be prepared to take any pre-scheduled test or quiz and submit any large project upon returning to school. For a longer absence, the student will not be required to take a test or quiz on the first two days after returning to school.  For preplanned absences, a student is to notify the teacher in writing previous to the absence (at least 3 days).  The teacher will assign work, giving a schedule for work to be complete.  No credit will be given for unexcused absences or absences due to suspension. 

If you need to contact me individually, the best way is through email.  My email address is cagurcia@discoveryschool.edu.hn.  The office will also take messages for me.  If you would like to meet with me, I would be happy to schedule an appointment with you. 

If your student has any concerns or does not understand a topic, please encourage him/her to see me.  I am available most days before school, during snack, and during lunch.

Thank you for entrusting me in joining you in the education of your student!

                                                 Sincerely,

                                             Christina S. Agurcia

     

Annoucements

MAP TESTING – This is week three (the final week) of our second MAP testing session for this school year. Reports will be sent home along with the Midterm Progress Reports on Friday, Febrary 14.

PICTURES FOR THE YEARBOOK – The individual and class pictures for the 2013-2014  yearbook will be taken from Tuesday, February 11 to Wednesday, February 19. 

	Wednesday  February, 12	Thursday February, 13	Friday February, 14	Tuesday February, 18	Wednesday February, 19
Period 1	KA	2nd grade A	4th grade B	7th grade	11th grade
Period 2	Pre Kinder	2nd grade B	5th grade A	8th grade	12th grade
Period 3	Nursery	3rd grade A	5th grade B	9th grade	Make up
Period 4	Kinder B	3rd grade B	6th grade A	10th grade A	Make up
Period 5	1st grade	4th grade A	6th grade B	10th grade B	Make up
Period 6					Make up
Period 7

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CHOIR PARENTS – On Monday, February 3, at 3:15 p.m., there will be a mandatory meeting in the school Library for parents of all Choir students who are planning to travel to New York City in June 2014 to perform at the prestigious Carnegie Hall. Information will be given concerning the trip and payments needed, and Important decisions about the trip will be made. We need at least one parent for each Choir student to attend this meeting.

SCHOLASTIC BOOKS! - This month your child(ren) will have the opportunity to purchase books through the International Scholastic Book Clubs.  This is an optional activity offered by the school, in case you want to motivate your child to read at home and to increase their own library.  With your purchase, our library will accumulate points to redeem for more books for the benefit of your children in our school. Order forms and catalogues were sent home previously. The final date to purchase the books online is February 10. The books will arrive at the school in one single delivery, and we will distribute them to the students according to their orders, approximately three weeks after the purchase due date. Please email Ms. Marilis (mzambrana@discoveryschool.edu.hn ) if you have any questions.

FROM THE DPTO – PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS – The DPTO has been organized the traditional Movie Event for Discovery School families. This year, it will take place at NOVACENTRO on Sunday, February 9 at 11:00 a.m. for the presentation of THE LEGO MOVIE 

Annoucments

ECOND QUARTER REPORT CARDS AND CONFERENCES – Report Cards for the second quarter will be issued on Friday, January 17. Conferences for this quarter are on a need basis, and notices will be sent home on Monday, January 13. If a parent does not receive a notice from a teacher but would like to meet for a conference, please contact the teacher to set up a time for the afternoon of Friday, January 17. Students will be dismissed at 11:45 a.m, and conferences will be held from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m.

 

HOLIDAY – There will be no school on Monday, January 20 in recognition of the contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

MAP TESTING – Our second MAP testing session will take place from Tuesday, January 21 to Friday, February 10.  

 

For Grades 4 and up:

 

NEW LATE WORK POLICY – To provide our students with consistency between the different grade levels, from Grade 4-12, the school has adopted a new policy for late work that went into effect on January 7, 2014.  Please check your child’s blog for more information.

 

For Middle and High School:

 

REMINDER FOR PARENTS – Please take note that the passing grade according to the Ministry of Education is 70%. If your child scored less that 70% in the final grade for the second quarter, then he/she needs to take a recuperation exam scheduled for Saturday, January 25  at 8:00 a.m.