International Studies Program 2014-15 Please scroll down for information pertaining to the week of September 8th. Welcome Week: Inside, Outside & Human Rights  Our students began orientation on Monday, September 1st, focusing on two major themes : understanding Human Rights and the duality of the ‘insider/outsider.’ Mr. Christopher Hunter, Head of School, launched the theme and then introduced the guest speaker, JJ Kent, an accomplished Native American cultural educator, traditional storyteller and musician. Under the guidance of their teachers, and especially of Mrs. Ann Gardiner and Mrs. Judith Hamery, the students then did theater and art exercises to put the theme into practice. That evening, we were very pleased to welcome many of our families for a BBQ in the Wagram Gardens where new and returning members of our community were able to connect and enjoy a concert by JJ Kent. You may view a video of one of JJ's performances by clicking on his photo to the right.
Tuesday’s program was centered around discovering the history, geography and spirit of Maisons-Laffitte which was of special interest to the many new students arriving from very distant places abroad. On Wednesday, students explored Paris through visits of the Ile de La Cité, Eiffel Tower, Musée du Louvre and Paris Aquarium. During this time, our IB2 seniors were hard at work in the Science Lab preparing their "Group 4" presentations. Please click the photo to the right to view our Orientation Album. To close the orientation week, on Thursday, the FND1 - IB1 students, with their teachers as facilitators, worked collaboratively to prepare presentations reflecting the issues and values introduced during this week. The IB2 students presented their Group 4 projects to their class and teachers, including subjects such as "Mushroom Homes for Human Rights," "A Liter of Light" and "Right to Water." Students also attended a Round Square in Action fair to learn about the various athletic, cultural and service co-curricular activities that will be available to them this year. 
Friday morning’s Student Assembly centered on "Understanding how we work together and the importance of rules." Using a ‘case study’ method, students separated into small workgroups to discuss everyday disciplinary issues with their teachers. They then shared their recommendations with the student body. Following the assembly, students living on campus departed for an overnight stay at Fontainebleau where a guided tour of the Château and then rock climbing, under the guidance of a local adventure company, awaited them. Students also challenged their teachers to do the "Ice Bucket Challenge," where some lucky IB2's had the opportunity to douse their teachers in an effort to build awareness and fundraise for ALS research. Spectators donated 1€ to watch, and we encourage you to get involved as well. Please visit the link to donate and spread the word to help fight ALS. Relive our #IceBucketChallenge video in all of its glory by clicking on the photo. Student Boarding Community Did you know that nearly a third of the students in the International Studies Program live on campus? To help students living on campus connect with the local community, families living locally are encouraged to host students throughout the year. Should you be interested in inviting a student for dinner, a weekend or even a long vacation, please contact boarding@ermitage.fr  If you're curious as to what it looks like inside Wagram, please click the photo to the right!Boarding students within the International Studies Program currently live at the Wagram and Vergniaud Houses. The Wagram House, residence to our female boarding students, has been completely renovated during the summer holiday. If you're curious as to what it looks like inside Wagram, please click the photo to the right! Round Square 
Have you visited our RS Reporters Blog? News pertaining to leadership, adventure, humanitarian trips and conferences is regularly posted here throughout the year. If you're interested in being a RS Reporter, please see the Round Square Rep, Mr. Ben Hunter! Round Square also releases a regular newsletter, where Ermitage students have been featured for their partnership with the ICU2 India and El Araki Morocco humanitarian projects as well as the Herlufsholm Denmark group exchange. Coming up this fall, the annual Round Square International Conference 2014 will be taking place at the King’s Academy from 7th to 13th October 2014 the theme is “Al Salamu Alaikum” or “Peace Be With You”. The conference logo is the olive tree, a symbol of peace in the region, and the conference aims to celebrate differences and encourage its young delegates to grow stronger through appreciating and applying their collective wisdom. Ben Hunter, Round Square Rep, will be accompanying the following students: Mae Eichner (IB2), William Torie Allen (IB1), Oliver Vasseur (IB1), Thibaud Kegels (IB1) and Eloise Rocher (IB1). To continue our partnership with the Herlufsholm School in Denmark, the following Ermitage students will be welcoming students on a cultural and academic group exchange from the 25th - 29th of September: Toni Bencic (FND5), Margo Sneyers (FND5), Cedric Clauson (FND5) and Mosa Molapo (FND4). The Round Square "Heads & Reps" meeting will be taking place from September 12th - 14th at Boxhill School in the UK. Our Head of School and Round Square Rep, both actively involved in the Round Square planning for the European region, will be in attendance. This annual meeting enables school leaders to connect and brainstorm the student opportunities and objectives for the year to come. Upcoming Round Square trips include India, Costa Rica and more... Information about these opportunities will be distributed as they come available. Mark Your Calendars Monday, September 8th, 8:25am - Student Assembly Monday, September 8th, 3:30pm - Round Square in Action Activities Begin Wednesday, September 10th, 6-7pm - FND 1-5 Parent Meeting @ 46 avenue Eglé Friday, September 12th, 3:30-5pm - POISE Parents have organized a used book sale at the "46," a small number of used uniform items may also be available. House Keeping Uniforms should be worn as of Monday, September 8th. For students who have not yet received their items, please follow the dress code and wear appropriate attire. Lockers will be assigned next week so students should bring their locks with them on Wednesday, September 10th. To support upcoming STEM projects for the Foundation Students, a collection bin will be available in the Library for old newspapers.
How to Connect Our website and blogs will be regularly updated throughout the school year. Should any students wish to get involved with the website, this can be done via CAS and Round Square. Students are welcome to upload photo folders to their google drive accounts and share these with communications@ermitage.fr throughout the year. Feel free to join our Facebook page! 
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