Newsletter - PDO School · 2013. 10. 6. · PDO School Admissions Please note that PDO School is currently only accepting PDO Direct Hire and Shell families. Should you know of any

School Year 2013-2014 Issue 4 – The PDO School Newsletter is compiled by Claire Bonham

Newsletter

Date: 3rd October 2013 Issue: 4

Dear Parents,

On Saturday 21st September there was an International Day of Peace. The UN Secretary-

General Ban Ki-moon shared the following:

“On this International day of Peace, let us pledge to teach our children the value of

tolerance and mutual respect. Let us invest in the schools and teachers that will build a fair

and inclusive world that embraces diversity. Let us flight for peace and defend it with all

our might.”

In addition to this newsletter you will find the attachment Helping your

Child with their Learning that will help you to teach your children the

value of tolerance and mutual respect. It outlines the ten things you

can do with your child to help them develop an understanding of

who they are and their place in the world. All of these activities will

help your child to start developing a sense of themselves and of

others. This is essential for the development of International

Mindedness; a vital part of learning and a fundamental part of the International Primary

Curriculum. We hope you will take the time to both read and try out some of the

suggestions it makes.

As there will be no newsletter next week we would like to take the opportunity to wish

everyone a very happy Eid. Eid al Adha is the most joyful of Muslim holidays. On this day,

Muslims celebrate in several ways. A large feast is the high point of the day. The name of

the holiday, Eid Al-Adha, means "The Feast of the Sacrifice". Coming at the end of the Hajj,

it is a family celebration involving gift giving and gathering as a family.

Kind regards,

The PDO School Team

PDO School

PO Box 81, Muscat 100

Sultanate of Oman

Website: www.pdoschool.com

Tel: (+968) 24675864

http://islam.about.com/od/hajj/ss/hajj_steps.htm

http://www.pdoschool.com/


P4L Learning – Great Fun

P4L have begun their learning year in style! We have been learning to follow, identify the key

features, improve and write instructions in Literacy. We made Origami bookmarks and swans during

Learning Week which helped us in our Literacy learning as we had to follow non verbal instructions.

Next we presented a cookery show to make pizza and finally made pizza ourselves for which we

wrote the instructions. The pizza was delicious!

Habitats found

around the

school

environment.

How did you solve the

Bipods and Tripods

problem?

In Numeracy we have been

learning about place value and

adding and subtracting 1’s, 10’s

and 100’s to 2, 3 and 4 digit

numbers. We have also been

focusing on problem solving:

Identifying the important

information and solving the

problem using different methods.

Cooperation and

communication in action.

Making pizza using

Cooperation and instructions Our pizza!

TV Chefs presenting their

pizza show.

Checking we followed the

instructions to make a paper

aeroplane correctly.

Making an origami swan.

We needed resilience!

In IPC we have begun

our topic—Habitats. We

have been on a learning

walk around the school

identifying habitats. We

have used maps and

atlases to find out about

the different climates

and habitats around the

world. Using our great

communication skills we

discussed the habitats in

our home and host

countries.

Grouping to help

count large

numbers.


Welcome to Nursery I

Put on your learning hat and join us in Giraffe Class

We have been very adaptable in Nursery. Adaptable like

We have adapted to a new building, new the chameleon

teachers, a new room and new rules and in our story.

routines. Miss Ineke is very proud of all of us.

Our first IPC Unit is ‘Houses and Homes’. We

learned to use our cutting and sticking skills to

make a house.

We know the names of different shapes and used

these shapes to make our house. The roof is a

triangle, the windows are squares and the door is

a rectangle. You can go inside and meet our

families.

We have been sorting

according to different criteria.

We sorted animals according to

where they live; water, land or

air. We learned that some

animals fall into 2 categories like

the crocodile, the frog and the

hippopotamus.


We learned that houses can be made of different

materials. After listening to the story of the wolf and the

three sheep we made a house of straw, a house of wood

and a house of bricks. The house of bricks was so strong

that the wolf could huff and puff but it did not fall down.

We worked together and

learned to cooperate while

we were making the three

houses.

We have PE with Miss Jamie Mr John teaches us music

We also enjoy going to the cookery

room, listening to stories, building houses

and castles and so much more.

Learning is fun in Nursery!


The Ras Al Hamra International School

Parents as Partners

At PDO School we recognize that many of our parents come from different backgrounds

and professions. We would like to use your knowledge, skills and talents to help us deepen

the learning of the children.

Some topics lead themselves perfectly to have guests in to help us learn. This can be done

by talking about the subject or showing us how to perfect a certain skill. For example, when

Milepost 2 was learning about volcanoes and earthquakes they had a parent geologist in

to explain to them how volcanoes are formed and what causes earthquakes. The children

thoroughly enjoyed learning from the expert.

Our plan is to set up a database with a list of parents who are enthusiastic to share their

expertise with us. The teachers can access this database and will contact you if your

expertise links in with the learning taking place within their current IPC unit. Please contact

[email protected] with your name and area of expertise to enter the

database or if you have any questions.

The Eye on the I.P.C Read all about what is happening at

P.D.O school with regards to the I.P.C

mailto:[email protected]


Music at PDO School

Firstly Mr John (PDO School’s new music teacher) would like to say a big thank you to all

the students, parents and staff of PDO School who have made him and his family feel so

welcome.

Music is an important subject in schools as it is the only subject that deals explicitly with the

organization of sound and with specific listening and vocal skills. It encompasses a range of

intelligences and caters for many different learning styles. The language of Music is

universal – it is one of very few languages that is spoken the same throughout the world!

Music is simply about the control of noise. Most of all however, Music is important because

it is sociable and fun!

Mr John believes that the best way to learn music is through making music and listening to

music from a range of different styles and cultures. Music lessons should be fun and

practical so that students are able to learn to manipulate sound and all about the theory

of music through practical and engaging activities. It is his aim to instill in every student that

they have the ability to enjoy music and be a musician – it is not a difficult thing that only

special people can do!

This year, all students in P5, P6 and P7 will have the opportunity to learn both keyboards

and guitars. Students in P2, P3 and P4 will learn to read and perform music using a range of

tuned percussion instruments and playing the recorder. Students in P1, Nursery and Pre

Nursery will develop skills on untuned percussion mainly focusing on loud and soft and

rhythm and pulse. As often as possible, students will work collaboratively in groups as music

is an art form which is supposed to be an ensemble activity. All Mileposts will have singing

and vocal control as a key learning outcome and students will learn a range of age

appropriate songs. A range of music technology will be introduced across the school.

Mr John will also be starting a range of co-curricular ensemble groups including choirs,

guitar and keyboard groups and maybe a school band later in the year.

He is particularly keen to meet parents who are interested in supporting their children’s

music or who are musicians themselves and may be able to join us in demonstrations to the

children and sharing experiences.

During parent consultations, Mr John will be available from 16.30 to 18.30 in the new look

Music room – a short stroll across the playground. Please feel free to drop in for a chat.


Scholastic International Schools Book Club

Please remember that you can order books through the following website:

http://world.clubs-school.scholastic.co.uk/pdo-school

These books will then be delivered directly to school. You will need to order your books by

Friday 15th November 2013. After that date, the books will be delivered to school and

handed out through the classes.

Class Parents

Please help! We still have many classes who do not have a Class Parent. This role is to

primarily act as a liaison with the class teacher and to help organise help for end of term

parties, school trips etc. If interested please see your child’s class teacher.

News from the Parent Teacher Association (PTA)

The first meeting of the year took place on 23rd of September. If you would like to receive a

copy of the minutes please contact the PTA via: [email protected] .

We still have two vacancies: the position of Secretary and Class Parent Coordinator. Don’t

hesitate to contact one of our members or send an email to [email protected] .

Wanted: Coordinator for Christmas party on the 16th of December

Last year we held a very successful Christmas party as an after school activity. This year we

have lots of people who would like to help, but we are looking for someone who could

coordinate this event. It will be a great way of getting to know some new people, the

school organization and last but not least giving at least 150 children a great Christmas

feeling. Don’t hesitate to contact Hannah Loudon, one of the PTA members or send an

email to [email protected] .

PDO School Admissions

Please note that PDO School is currently only accepting PDO Direct Hire and Shell families.

Should you know of any new arrivals, we now have a dedicated email address for

admissions: [email protected]

http://world.clubs-school.scholastic.co.uk/pdo-school






Dates for your Diary

Please find below important dates that are coming up soon. A reminder that all term dates

are available on the school website: www.pdoschool.com .

Date Event

6th October International Schools Assessment

week for P5-P7

8th/9th October Parent/Teacher Consultations

11th October Half term holiday

20th October School Resumes

31st October P5T Class Assembly

http://www.pdoschool.com/


Documents

Newsletter - PDO School · 2013. 10. 6. · PDO School Admissions Please note that PDO School is currently only accepting PDO Direct Hire and Shell families. Should you know of any