FROM THE PRINCIPAL
We are happy and proud to announce the commencement of the 136th academic year at BHS with 900 students from 30 different nationalities and varying backgrounds. Despite the unsettled situation in the country, BHS remains an attractive institution to many who seek quality education and good values for their children. Welcome to all our students, particularly the 200 newcomers (147 day students and 53 boarders), and to all our new and returning staff members. We look forward to a peaceful and productive academic year with a disciplined student body dedicated to service and academic excellence.

SWINE FLU - H1N1
The swine flu virus is particularly affecting children and young adults. Since it is transmitted by droplets, practicing good hygiene can slow the spread. The school is committed to a proactive approach in dealing with the pandemic and preventative measures are being taken. These were outlined in a letter to parents (in English and Arabic) which was sent home at the beginning of the academic year. The letter is posted on the school website along with other information which you may find useful. Any updates about swine flu, and the measures we are taking, will also be posted there. Parents are reminded not to send their child to school with a temperature of 38° Celsius or more. In case of absenteeism due to illness, we will ensure that students are not penalised and that they have the information needed to catch up with any missed work.

FAMILY DATA UPDATE FORM
Parents of students registered with the school prior to the 2009/10 academic year, and some new families, are being sent a Family Data Update Form. The purpose of this is to help us update our records. Please note that it is important to give an emergency contact in case your child needs to be sent home due to illness and you cannot pick up your child immediately. 

STAFF DEVELOPMENT
New Staff
We warmly welcome the following new staff who join us this academic year:

Nursery: Maral Malakian (Assistant Teacher)

Infant Section: Cherine Ghaoui (Teaching Assistant) and old scholar Sabine Rehayem (Homeroom KG1A)

Elementary Section: Nadine Antoun (Secretary LE), Chantal Al Avalas (Homeroom 3A), Samuel Hage (maths), old scholar Rula El Khoury (Lower School Counsellor), and Eliane Semaan (UE science)

Upper School: old scholar John Abi Farah (Film Production), Najib Abou Mansour (history and sociology), Hanna Daher (Arabic), Zeina Ghosn (EFL and English), Raed Hanna (human rights), Nehme Moussa (psychology and social studies), Johanna Nassar (English), Kamal Ramadan (physics), Zeina El Riachy (French), and Gisele Tannous (maths)

Boarding: Old scholar and former boarder Elie Baaklini and his wife, Karla, have been appointed as Houseparents to work alongside the existing team.

Administration: Roger Nabaa joins us as the Director of the French Language Programme throughout the school (Playgroup to Grade 12) with the objective of ensuring that students graduating from Grade 12 are fluent in French and proficient enough in the language to be able to attend universities which teach in the French language.

In-Service Week
Faculty In-Service Week was held from 14 to 17 September. In addition to intensive day-long sessions for French teachers with CCF trainers, teachers attended departmental meetings, advisory meetings, section meetings, and special orientation meetings for new teachers. Director of Studies Samar Barakat held a workshop for Upper School teachers on differentiated instruction and a second workshop with some returning teachers on mentoring new teachers. A post in-service session took place with school doctor Mireille Zalzal focusing on issues of swine flu awareness and prevention.

Workshops
IT Technician Youssef Abi-Haidar attended a workshop called HP Printing Solutions on 7 October 2009 at Habtoor Hotel.

IS teachers and staff attended a 3-day on-campus workshop called "Findings of New Brain Research" with Dr. Najla Nusayr Bachour on 15-16-17 September.

ONLINE DONATIONS
BHS faces many challenges as it aims to maintain its rightful place as an international day and boarding school of excellence and quality in academics, sports and the arts. The school is therefore reaching out to its old scholars, parents of existing scholars, and friends of the school with a plea to raise funds to upgrade the school buildings and grounds. In addition, the school intends to continue with its tradition of providing scholarship funds and bursaries to help needy students whose families’ circumstances have changed.

We have recently introduced an online donation facility on the school website, where donors can donate money to the school. The donation page can be accessed from the home page of the school website. We therefore appeal to you to visit the home page and kindly donate as much, or as little, as you feel able to.

SUMMER CAMPUS USE
Over the summer months we hosted:

- The OSA 18th International Convention on 3-5 July.

- The BHS Summer Camp & Nursery from 6 July to 28 August. Numbers increased dramatically from last year, and we had 950 day campers, 175 boarders, and 42 Nursery children.

- The Brummana Festival organised by the Municipality of Brummana from 9-12 July. The Upper School campus was used by vendors of various handicrafts.

- BHS Summer Educational Programme from 13 July to 21 August. The programme was attended by 67 Summer Camp students and 27 BHS students.

- Brummana Sports Club, for whom the tennis facilities were restored to their former glory, from 1 July to 15 September. The two upper clay courts were reconditioned and changing facilities and an office were provided. The sports club organised the 69th local tennis tournament on 15-30 August, with the finals covered live by MTV and Radio One. Club members also organised a basketball team and used the Basketball Court.

- An expatriate camp for youth of Lebanese descent on 19-26 July. The camp brought together around 215 youngsters aged 18 to 24 from 20 different countries.

- A Librarians’ Workshop from 6 August to 15 August. The ARCPA group organised a residential workshop for librarians who work in deprived areas across Lebanon. The group consisted of 135 librarians and monitors. 

- The Surveying Brummana Exhibition on 7-9 September in the Meeting House. This was an exhibition of work by AUB architecture students who surveyed Brummana buildings. It included an open lecture series and a guided tour of the buildings surveyed.

Our school has wonderful facilities and we are glad that so many people had the opportunity to enjoy them.

PROPERTY IMPROVEMENTS
Over the summer the Administrative Building Annex was refurbished, and this necessitated the temporary relocation of offices. The work included replacement of tiles, central heating, and electricity cables, and repainting. In the Administration Building the kitchenette was refurbished. Around campus the rusty perimeter fence was also replaced.

ONLINE PARENTS’ INFORMATION SYSTEM
Parents can access report cards, tuition fee statements, and pocket money statements (if applicable) online. The user name and password received last year is still valid. For lost passwords, please contact the Chief Accountant, Sami Geara, for assistance.

Parents of all new students have been notified of their user name and password by an SMS message to the mother’s or father’s cellular phone. Parents of new boarding students were also notified by email. Parents of new day students are kindly asked to pass by their eldest child’s HoS office to collect a letter about the system.

DAYLIGHT SAVING - A Reminder
The clocks go back on the night of Saturday, 24 October. Don’t forget to adjust your alarm clocks!

OLD SCHOLARS NEWS
Once again, one of our graduates, Ingrid El Helou (2009), has been awarded a full Merit Scholarship to study at AUB. Congratulations, Ingrid.

PARENTS ASSOCIATION NEWS
The PA would like to welcome all parents to this new academic year and to inform them that thanks to their help and support the PA managed to raise over $7,000 last year which will go towards helping the school. We look forward to another fruitful year.

UPPER SCHOOL NEWS
Online Students’ Information System
Upper School students can access assignments (updated on a weekly basis) and fact sheets online. Grade 7 and new students have been notified of their user name and password. For other students the user name and password received last year is still valid. For lost passwords please contact your Head of Section. For any other queries please contact the Administrative Assistant in the Office of the Director of Studies.

IGCSE and AS Results
The IGCSE and AS results for the June 2009 exams were released online on 10 August. The official certificates will be given to students during the Secondary assembly. A total of 42 students sat for these exams in the following subjects: Arabic first language; Arabic second language; French; English language; English literature; maths, physics; chemistry; biology; history; business economics; information and communication technology; art and design.  The next IGCSE exams are scheduled to begin in October 2009 and some of our Grade 11 IP students will be sitting for these exams.

Last Date for Drop and Add
Secondary students have been informed that the last day for drop and add is Friday, 16 October. Approval for drop and add is NOT granted automatically, and requires the student to obtain signatures of approval from the teacher of the class being dropped and  the class being added, the Head of Department of the class being added, and the final signature of consent from the student’s parent or guardian. Once these signatures have been procured, the Director of Studies examines each case and informs the student of the decision.

SAT Orientation Session
Director of Studies Samar Barakat met with the Secondary Section students for an orientation session preparing them for the SAT trial exams. Students were given a basic description of the SAT I exam, an outline of the different sections and the types of questions asked in each section, and pointers for improving their performance. The first SAT I trial session took place on Saturday, 10 October and the second session is scheduled to take place on Saturday, 17 October.

SAT I Preparation Sessions Begin
Secondary students are invited to sign up for the Saturday SAT I preparation sessions which are due to begin on 24 October from 8:30am- 12:30pm. The course will be taught on campus by professional teachers from AMIDEAST, the organization that administers the SAT exams, and will run till Saturday January 23, 2010. The exact dates and times have been sent to the students in a separate letter. The course fee is $300, including three books, to be paid at the Accounts Office no later than Tuesday, 20 October 2009. Students in Grades 11 and 12, especially, who have had no exposure to the SAT requirements, are urged to sign up for this important course.

Electives Offered in 09/10 Students in the International Programme have an interesting variety of electives to choose from this year, including French, Art and Design, Graphic Design, Film Production, Drama, ICT, Psychology, Sociology, History, Peace Studies, Human Rights, and Health and Nutrition.

US Parent Orientation and Back to School Night
Upper School Parent Orientation and Back to School Night will take place on Wednesday, 21 October   from 5-7 pm. This important event introduces parents to the courses that their children are taking. A series of mini-classes will be held, simulating a student’s regular school day, and parents will be introduced to each subject teacher and will hear about the course syllabus, assessment methods, course requirements, and applicable rules and regulations. Parents of intermediate students and of students in Secondary I LP, Grades 10 IP, and Secondary I IP are invited to attend.

Mid-Quarter Progress Reports Distribution
Mid-quarter progress reports will be given to all new students, all Grade 7 students, all Secondary III students and students on probation on Friday, 23 October, as stated on the school calendar. These reports will include comments from all subject teachers regarding a student’s performance in each subject.

Reinforcement Classes
As indicated on the school calendar, reinforcement classes are scheduled to begin on Saturday, 24 October at 8am. Students on Academic Probation and students with promotion conditions requiring attendance of Saturday reinforcement classes are required to attend. Other students having difficulty in certain subjects will be invited to attend and parents will be informed. Letters specifying fees for reinforcement classes will be sent to the students concerned and payment should be made at the Accounts Office by Thursday, 22 October.

Secondary Section
The academic year began for Secondary III LP on 15 September. Students came back with high hopes and ambitions preparing for university & dreaming of graduation.

On 24 September, HoS Ghada Yared held an orientation session for new Secondary students. She emphasized the importance of academics and student’s involvement in school culture at that level. After introducing section policies, she distributed a handout for students to follow in case of any concerns. All new Secondary students received the “Student Handbook”, which they are supposed to read and follow.

On 28 September, the new academic year began for all classes. The day started with students meeting Principal Dr. Walid El Khoury and their advisers. Dr. El Khoury welcomed all new and returning students. He asked the new students to stand up and be proud of being part of the BHS learning community. He urged the returning students to bear in mind the values that they were taught to cherish and follow and to welcome and help the newcomers.

Returning students were informed of the number of community service hours they completed last year. Grade 11 and Sec. II LP students are requested to complete the graduation requirement by the end of the year.

The Swine Flu awareness campaign was well accepted by the students. Tips on how to stay healthy and prevent the flu are displayed in the hallways and on bulletin boards. Supervisor Fadi Badr assigned the responsibility for monitoring classroom hygiene to a number of students.

Graduating students interested in becoming Prefects received an application form to be completed and returned to the HoS. The applications will be reviewed by the HoS and the names will be proposed to the Principal, who will have the final decision.

On 9 October, the Canadian Embassy sent representatives of Canadian universities to meet BHS graduating students and Grade 11/Sec. II students.

The team which included the Senior Trade Commissioner, a representative from Foreign Affairs and International Trade, and nine universities, spent one and a half hours explaining life and education in Canada. Principal Dr. El Khoury, who welcomed the team, urged students to set goals and work hard to achieve excellent results at school and on their SATs. The Canadian team was impressed by the maturity level of our students and the exemplary behaviour they demonstrated.  

Secondary students were allocated their lockers. Graduating students also received their ID cards. 

Test schedules are displayed on the Advisory Room bulletin board. Students are responsible for noting the dates and being prepared for the tests.

Secondary advisers met with their advisees and reviewed the school rules with them. The adviser’s role is to follow up on the students’ academic, social, and emotional wellbeing. The advisers are:
Lebanese Programme: Samir Ayache Sec. I A, Ferial Naimy Sec. I B, Dr. Lilian Nehmeh Sec. II SE, Gaby Girgis Sec. II S, Rabih Aouad Sec. III LS/GS, and Hanna Daher Sec. III SE;
International Programme: Najib Abou Mansour & Nehme Moussa Grade 10, Edmond Joukhdar & Zeina El Riachy Grade 11, and Jana Thoumy & Chadi Nakhle Grade 12.

Intermediate Section
Academic New Year: We would like to welcome all the Intermediate students and in particular the 37 new students and the 7th graders who have moved up from the Lower School and joined the Intermediate Section. May this year be a peaceful and healthy one for all.  

Advisory: Students with their advisers read through the “Academic Integrity Booklet” and terms such as plagiarism and cheating were discussed. The students ended the session by pledging the code of honour.

Assembly: “Tolerance” was the topic of the 8 October assembly. The importance of accepting all people, despite any differences they may have, was stressed.

Personal Development Class: The teachers of this particular class have been working diligently with the 7th graders to make sure they have adapted to the Upper School ways and that they settle in comfortably. Also as part of this class, the grade 7 students will be watching a DVD which explains the 33 steps to improve grades at school.

School Service: As part of their 9th grade programme, each student will be required to accomplish a certain number of hours of duties within the MTB Intermediate building. The first group of 20 Intermediate Junior Prefects for Quarter 1 was selected and began their duties on 5 October.    

Points for Parents: -
Please be informed that when a student is absent for a test, they will sit for a make-up the day after they return to school.

Students who are absent from school are responsible for all work which is completed in classes and assigned for homework. In case of absence, students can check the website and call a classmate for details.

LOWER SCHOOL NEWS
Another exciting school year has started. The anxious students and their anticipating teachers have set off to an academic year with ambitious goals to achieve.

After 2 weeks of in-service workshops and preparation, the staff have decorated the classes to receive students in a friendly, welcoming environment that promotes a sense of confidence and security. In their writings about their first week at school, students’ reflections showed that the teachers’ hard work has paid off beautifully. 

To ensure the safety of our children, the School Doctor, Mireille Zalzal Batrouni addressed parents on Orientation Day to raise awareness about H1N1 flu, as did the School Nurse at the first assembly with students.

The Head of Elementary Section, Shatha Abou Khalil, highlighted the Quaker value of accepting and respecting others through a PowerPoint presentation. She asked children to take turns in reading the "Whoever You Are" book, which shows that all people share the same feelings and react to the same factors, no matter where they're from, or who they are. Other disciplinary issues were made clear to students, and they were urged to aim for the honorary certificate that can be attained at BHS: the “I Serve” award.

Dr. Elsie Zalzal, a paediatric dentist, visited our children and made an explicit presentation on how to care for our teeth. It was simple, interesting and clear.

Three weeks into the school year and already the competitions are underway. The English language coordinator, Liliane Alam enrolled the 6th graders in the “Bust-A-Rhyme” poem writing competition with the Young Writers of Forward Press, UK. Students have started to bring those rhymes in. May BHS be the winner in this competition.The monthly reading contest is also underway. Many students have already read and written book reports on three books. Keep going. The end of the month is just around the corner.

In June 2009, our grade 5 and 6 students participated in a competition called "Mini Sagas" organized by Young Writers, UK.  Students had to write a story of their own in 50 words or less.  Congratulations to all students whose work was selected for publication.  A copy of the published work will be displayed in the Upper Elementary Library. 

UE students enrolled in one of seven clubs whose work will be interpreted in the Christmas Show.

With all this we wish everybody at school to have fun as they learn and grow in every way. Sit back and enjoy the ride.

Lower Elementary students enjoyed their Art classes where they worked on various projects related to autumn. They designed trees with falling leaves.

Grade 1 students wrote about their summer vacation and decorated their pages with lovely pictures. Moreover, they worked on a maths project where they used the addition strategy with different shapes to make the sum of 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. 

Grade 2 students are studying about the human skeletal system. This Science lesson was integrated with the Art lesson where the students are making models of other students.

For safety reasons, grade 3 students have memorized their phone numbers. As a mathematical activity, they wrote their phone numbers in word form and expanded form.

Special Arabic students went for a tour around the school, where they observed the autumn trees. They picked up leaves and learned the autumn colours.

Thank you to Friedrick Al Aswad for taking care of the Lower Elementary fish all summer.

Infant Section We have had a very smooth beginning this year at the Infant Section. The children seem eager and ready! These first few days have been spent learning routines and expectations. New friendships have already begun. Thanks for the teachers' help in making this transition a smooth one.

KGI and KGII students had a walk on the school campus and enjoyed gathering autumn leaves.

Special Reminders:
* As the weather is changing, please be sure your child is dressed appropriately for school. Write your child’s name clearly on coats and sweaters in case they are left behind.
* Jewellery, flip-flops and crocs are not permitted at school (earrings are allowed).
* If your children go by bus, make sure that they have the bus tag pinned to their shirts every day.
* Emphasize to your child that toys must stay at home, unless they have show and tell.

Hot Meals: Following requests from parents, we have started providing an optional daily hot midday meal for students in the Infant Section. The menus are chosen to be tasty and appealing to young children and are approved by the School Doctor to ensure a varied, healthy, and balanced daily nutrient intake. A nutritious and healthy meal is a vital part of child's day with a direct link to concentration and behaviour. A monthly menu is posted on the school web site, and a copy will be sent home every month with your child. These meals are delivered everyday to the IS, and are served at exactly 12:00pm. This service is proving to be successful and popular and we hope it has a positive impact on students’ health and attainment. 

We are looking forward to having another great year!

Nursery
We start the year with the younger Nursery age group in Akl Building and the older ones in Clare House. Parents are reminded that vehicular access to the Elementary Drive is for dropping off and picking up only. Parents who wish to enter Akl Building with their child are kindly requested to park outside the Elementary Drive.

STAFF NEWS
Congratulations to…
- Secondary Supervisor Fadi Badr who was married to Verena El Homsi, a marketing manager, on 27 June 2009.
- Assistant Registrar Nathalie Nicolas who gave birth to a beautiful baby girl called Jennifer on 21 August 2009.
- Chef Nabil Daniel who had a healthy baby boy called Rawad on 25 September 2009.
- Lower School music teacher Camille Khalil who was awarded a Licence d’Enseignement in Music and Musicology from the Antonine University Music Institute.

The Newsletter will be published approximately every 3 weeks. If you would like to receive a free copy of the Newsletter by email, please send an email with “subscribe” in the subject line to: najat.wakim@bhs.edu.lb.

BHS Newsletter
4 June 2010
13 May 2010
23 April 2010
18 March 2010
25 February 2010
4 February 2010
14 January 2010
3 December 2009
5 November 2009
16 October 2009
12 June 2009