Family Newsletter 2 – August 5, 2010

Dear New and Continuing ISPN Families,

Opening News: We look forward to opening the 2010-11 school year with
nineteen students in seat, nine returning and ten new, on Wednesday, September
1! As we shared in our first newsletter, we would love to meet you as a family
before the start of the school year and look forward to making arrangements to do
so on Thursday and Friday, August 26 or 27. An email with details will be sent
following our arrival in Pointe Noire August 11!

French Classes and the Daily Schedule: In making final preparations for the
2010-11 school year, we want to share a change that reflects community input
from last year. We are pleased to announce that ISPN will include instruction in
French as a foreign language. It is customary for international schools to offer the
language of the host country, in this case French, as part of the curriculum. As
ISPN celebrates and builds upon its first two successful years, the time is right to
add the study of French to the school program.

In order to accommodate this additional area of instruction, the school day will be
lengthened—8 am to 2:30 pm, for students in Kindergarten through Grade 6, an
extension of thirty minutes. Pre-Kindergarten students will continue to attend from
8am – 12noon.

Please know that French instruction will begin approximately four to six weeks
into the school year, so that appropriate materials and methodologies are in place.
In order for students to become familiar and comfortable with the schedule
change, we will open the school year using the 8 am to 2:30 pm schedule.
Extending the school day beginning September 1, will also allow us to devote
additional time to building our relationships with the children and theirs with each
other, and to establishing a community of learners. We hope that you are as
excited as we are to add this area of instruction! Read the Full Newsletter