Middle School Handbook

MIDDLE SCHOOL HANDBOOK

General Information and Procedures
Admissions Policy
Enrolment Procedures
Financial Obligations
Middle School Program Options

Policy
Absences
Attendance Procedure
Extended Vacations
Accidents or Illness/Health Records
Values
Merit System

Discipline and Behaviour
Dress Code
Grievance Policy
Lateness
Parent/Teacher Email Policy

Academic Affairs
Books & Materials
Homework
English as a Second Language

Student Evaluation
Reporting (Parent Conferences)
Testing
Special Needs
P olicy on Academically Advanced Students

School Life
After-school activities
Parties & School Dances
Buses & Bus Change Form
Daily Schedule
Field Trips
Fire Drills
Food
Library
Lost and Found
Recitals
Yearbook
Friends of Ambrit (Parent Association)
Student Council
P.E. & Sports

GENERAL INFORMATION & PROCEDURES

ADMISSIONS POLICY

General admissions criteria
Admission is open to all students regardless of race, gender, creed or socio-economic background. Ambrit aims to create heterogeneous groups for each grade level. The school makes every effort to maintain a student body composed of at least 20% English first language, 45% third language students and 35% Italian first language. A classroom that is balanced by gender, academic and language abilities facilitates appreciation of diversity, positive social interchanges, and cooperative learning. At the end of each academic year teachers and specialists will meet to decide student class placement for the following year. Classes will be composed annually to reflect the above criteria and the philosophy of the school.

If there is a question as to a student's placement for the subsequent year, parents will be informed by the beginning of the Spring term of that calendar year. Students entering the school mid-year will be informed of the placement decision for the following school year within two months of entry. Students entering the school with known special needs or who are subsequently identified as having special needs will be reviewed individually as to placement each year. In certain circumstances, it may be necessary for the parents to pay for an assistant in the classroom for students with special needs.

New Pupils - Screening - All new students entering the Middle School are routinely screened. Further assessment can be done by the Special Needs Department. This is usually done after referral by staff (or parents) or may be indicated as a result of the initial screening. Parental permission is sought for this additional testing and parents will be informed of the results.

Italian first language students are accepted:

if they have attended school abroad and require no ESL support.

Third language speakers with no English:

are admitted in grade 6;
may on occasion be admitted in grade 7 and 8 if half-day, private ESL instruction is provided by the family.


ENROLMENT PROCEDURES
Applications are screened by the Administrative Assistant. Parents will be required to have an interview with the Director. Previous records will play a vital role in the decision to admit a new pupil. A decision on admission is made within two weeks of the interview. Once a place has been offered it will be held for one month. It should be noted that entry into a 'year' group is based on the student's age as of December 31st and thus students are placed with their peer groups. Classes shall not exceed 22 pupils.

FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS
School fees are payable either in four instalments or one of the various payment schemes, giving parents the chance to choose the most suitable. Click here to view current payment schemes.

The enrolment form and the first instalment must be received by May 1st. If the completed re-registration form and payment are not received by the given date, new applicants will be offered the remaining places. If fees are received late, a 2% interest is levied for each month after the due date.

Enrolment is for a full academic year September - June unless alternative dates have been agreed upon with the administration. If the child is withdrawing from the school, notice must be given three months prior to the date, otherwise the family will be responsible for the full year's fees.

POLICY

ABSENCES
Parents should notify their child’s homeroom teacher directly be email by 08:45 when the student is absent. If absence is longer than 3 days a medical note from your physician must be brought in the day the student returns.

ATTENDANCE PROCEDURE
It is very important that the School keeps accurate attendance records on a daily basis. We therefore ask students and parents to adhere to the following procedures:

1. The parent(s) of any student who is absent for morning attendance will receive a phone call verifying the whereabouts of their child(ren). This is to ensure that we have an accurate record of the students present each day at school.

2. If your child arrives late to school (defined as: after morning attendance in class) you and/or your child must check in with Ms. Ginger in the atrium. Ms. Ginger will give the late student a late pass and change his/her status on the morning attendance. Teachers cannot admit students to class without this late pass.

EXTENDED VACATIONS
Parents are strongly advised to avoid planned, extended periods of unnecessary absence during the school year, as this hinders the learning process and puts students at a disadvantage. An explanatory letter addressed to the Middle School Principal should be sent via email no later than 2 weeks before any planned, extended absence. Students are expected to make up any work missed. While teachers can assist with this, it is the student's responsibility to organize and complete necessary assignments utilizing the Moodle and other resources available.

ACCIDENTS/ILLNESS/HEALTH RECORDS
During registration parents are asked to fill out and sign an emergency release form in case of an accident. Emergency and home numbers are very important. Please notify the office of any changes in contact numbers.

Accidents - Minor accidents are reported to the office and treated by the school nurse or staff member with knowledge of first aid. The teacher will write a note to the family explaining what happened. The heads of school will be informed.

If a student is seriously injured or ill, he/she will be taken to the nearest hospital (usually San Camillo) accompanied by a school official who speaks Italian. Parents are notified immediately and told to meet at the hospital.

Illness - If a student arrives at school ill or becomes sick during the school day, parents will be called by phone to come and collect their child. Please do not send in medicines of any kind. If a student is not fit enough to play outside please keep him/her at home as we cannot supervise a student in a classroom at break time.

Infectious Disease - When a student returns after having had an infectious disease (measles, whooping cough, strep throat, etc.), the student will be allowed to enter class only if he/she has a medical note. If the student has an infectious disease, please notify the school office so other members of the class can be informed.

Policy on Administering Medicine - The school is not authorised to administer medication.

Policy on Keeping Children Indoors - If a student is well enough to return to school, he/she should be able to play outdoors.

Head Lice - To prevent head lice, take great care with personal hygiene. Head lice cause itching and sometimes skin infections. If a student has lice, treat him/her at once and inform the homeroom teacher or the school office. Parents of other children in the concerned class will then be informed and recommended to use a preventive shampoo such as Pidix or Mom. The shampoo can be purchased in most pharmacies and must be applied more than once in the course of a week.

If your child is found to have lice or eggs while at school, parents will be notified and asked to take their child home immediately. Re-admission to school can only occur when your child is nit free.

Health Records - All new students must provide the school with a copy of completed vaccinations (including DPT, Hepatitis B and boosters) certificate. Each student should have a complete physical/health examination before entering school, which must be repeated every year. The school doctor will send the necessary form home with the summer information mail. Parents are asked to return the completed forms promptly. You can also download the medical form by clicking here.

School Health Policy
Ambrit regards safety and health as a primary concern for the school community. All students entering school are required to have an immunisation record with current inoculations of DT and the polio vaccine. (Bivalente or Trivalente). The Hepatitis B vaccine is optional but advisable.

Fevers - Students who develop fevers during school hours will be taken out of class and the parent will be called to collect the student . The student will rest in the nurse's office until the parent arrives.

Stomach Upset. Students who have upset stomach with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and fever, will also be taken out of class until the parent is able to pick them up. If a student has vomiting or diarrhea, the family is requested to keep the student home for 36 hours after the last episode of sickness.

Cuts and Bruises. All minor injuries (e.g. cuts, sprains, bruises) will be treated immediately with disinfectant and bandage. All injuries of a serious nature will receive prompt attention. Parents will be notified and, if they can not be reached, the student will be taken to San Camillo Hospital in Monteverde.

Conjunctivitis. If a student presents the following symptoms: itching, burning sensation, redness, profuse tearing and eye secretions, parents will be notified and a medical doctor should be consulted to make a correct diagnosis. Viral conjunctivitis is extremely contagious and the prescribed doses of medicine for treatment must be taken before re-entering school.

Chicken Pox. (Varicella) Chicken pox is a highly contagious virus that usually occurs in spring and has an incubation period of 1 to 2 weeks. After a child has developed pox marks, usually on the abdomen, they will spread over the body. There can be 2 separate occurrences of the rash and the child may have a fever. Treatment is based on soothing the rash. A student may not enter the school with any open sores which usually last for 7-10 days after the first spot. A doctor's certificate will be needed to return. The class parents will be notified for each case.


VALUES
We recognize that the path toward a fulfilling and happy life requires the steady practice of enduring values:

Respect - Appreciation of and esteem for oneself, for others, and for the diversity of opinions and backgrounds at Ambrit and in the larger community.
Honesty - A high regard for truth, sincerity in action, and genuine concern for honor and integrity.
Scholarship - Intellectual curiosity, active engagement in learning, and a foundation in the academic disciplines.
Balance -Time for work and play, a mix of mastery and experiment, and a foundation in the academic disciplines.
Courage -The quality that enables students to explore new ideas, to create imaginative solutions, to give and accept help, to make difficult decisions, and to grow into confident, compassionate adults.

MERIT RECOGNITION SYSTEM
To reinforce our value system, stars are given as a reward for good work or behaviour or efforts toward improvement demonstrated by a student. They can be given for:

• a homework that is well done
• maintaining a very high standard
• working very well in a lesson
• a good presentation or project
• a marked improvement in behaviour
• maintaining consistently high standards
• on-time to class
• all materials brought to class
• homework turned in on-time
• following dress code
• effort on homework
• courteous and polite to others
• working well in a group
• taking responsibility for actions
• being sympathetic towards other’s needs
• being helpful towards others

Stars are stamped and signed in the homework diary, on the following pages.
10 stars lead to the awarding of a merit sticker by the homeroom teacher,
which is stuck into the homework diary.

•15 more stars (a total of 25 stars) student receives a bronze certificate.
•15 more stars (a total of 40 stars) student receives a silver certificate.
•15 more stars (a total of 55 stars) student receives a gold certificate.
•20 more stars (a total of 75 stars) student receives a medallion.

Each year begins a new star accumulation and no stars are carried over from the previous year.


DISCIPLINE AND BEHAVIOUR
Students in the Middle School at Ambrit are expected to be polite and respectful of others and the school environment. If a student exhibits out of bounds behaviour, the Homeroom teacher will give the student ample warning about the consequences and the course of action to be followed. Incidents of unacceptable behaviour are logged in the ‘Behaviour Incident Book’. If the misbehaviour continues the student will be taken to the Middle School Principal and finally to the Director. If there is no improvement the school reserves the right to temporary suspension or complete expulsion.

MIDDLE SCHOOL GENERAL RULES:
All students will:
- respect all members of staff and school peers
- speak respectfully at all times and demonstrate good behaviour
- respect property of the school and peers
- be in designated areas during recess
- remain on the school grounds
- move around the school quietly
- keep the school clean
- only eat outside the school building
- refrain from chewing gum throughout the school campus

All dangerous substances (tobacco, alcohol, drugs) are strictly forbidden.

CLASSROOM RULES:
All students will:
- be punctual for lessons
- be prepared for lessons
- behave responsibly in the classroom
- hand in assignments on time
- present only their own work
- keep lockers and classroom tidy and clean
- be responsible for personal belongings

Gum Chewing: is strictly forbidden throughout the school campus.
Vandalism: the cost of any damage to school property including books and equipment must be paid for by the responsible student.
THREE DETENTIONS CAN LEAD TO THE LOSS OF THE SCHOOL TRIP.
A SUSPENSION CAN LEAD TO THE LOSS OF THE SCHOOL TRIP.

AFTER SCHOOL REGULATIONS - All students must go home at 15:45 hrs except for students participating in after school activities. - If students are waiting for late parents to pick them up, they must wait in the adventure playground where there is a teacher on duty until 16:45 (on rainy days students will wait in the Atrium). However, parents are asked to be punctual collecting their children. The Administration has warned that a fine will be given to parents who are consistently late picking up their children - The money will go to the "Friends of Ambrit'. - Students cannot go to the bar unless they are accompanied by a parent or babysitter. - The Library is out of bounds after 15:45. - The football pitches, gyms, school building and grounds are out of bound areas after 15:45. Students must stay in the adventure playground. These rules are for the safety of the students. BUS RULES Students will be expected to know and follow all Bus Rules. Students who continually break bus rules will be reported to the school office by the bus driver, teacher or monitor, resulting in disciplinary measures for offenders. Any kind of vandalism to the buses means that the student(s) responsible will have to pay to repair damages. Every student will be responsible for his/her own behaviour while travelling on the school bus. Older students will be expected to remind younger children of the bus rules and to set a good example at all times.


DRESS CODE
Middle School Dress Code (Slide presentation on the dress code)
Students are expected to dress appropriately for school. Clothing should be sensitive to the variety of cultures and values represented in the school community and should not detract from the learning environment. The expectations for "appropriate dress" are that students:

Wear neat and clean clothes, outerwear and footwear.
Wear proper footwear befitting the climate and weather; no flip-flops.
Wear clothes covering the shoulders, midriff and cleavage; no spaghetti straps, off the shoulder, haltertops or tube tops.
Do not wear see-through clothing.
Do not dress in a provocative manner.
Do not wear clothing that displays offensive or inappropriate words, pictures or slogans.
Do not wear hats including baseball caps, visors and bandanas inside the building.
Jeans are permitted as long as they do not have tears or holes.
Ensure trousers are pulled up to the waist so that undergarments are not visible.
Skirts, dresses and shorts should be of an appropriate length for school and should not have tears, holes or be frayed.
No make-up except for middle school dances.
Ensure that your clothing does not offend any of our diverse cultural sensitivities.

Please note that the above dress codes apply to field trips, travelling groups and other school related activities.

The final judgment on the appropriateness of student dress will rest with the Principal.

Consequences for Infringements of the Dress Code

Students who do not honour the dress code will be asked on the first occasion to secure alternative clothing from the office at a rental of 10.00 euros which will be donated to one of the Ambrit charities.
For a second infraction of the dress code students will follow the above protocol and will be required to contact home via telephone.
If a third infraction of the dress code should occur then the student will be sent home accompanied by a note indicating the expected school dress. If, for any reason, sending the student home is not possible, then the student will remain at school, but not in class. In this case the student is responsible for making up any missed school work. In addition, on that day the student will not be permitted to participate in after-school activities.



GRIEVANCE POLICY
* When parents have specific concerns about the school or their child's academic progress, it is important to deal with these concerns in a timely and constructive manner.
* The first step is to contact the appropriate member of the teaching staff, (e.g. your child's homeroom teacher) directly stating what problems or concerns exist.
* If issues are not resolved at that level, the Principal of the student's grade level should be brought into the discussion. This constitutes the second step. Parents and staff should try to resolve problems at the lowest possible level. (i.e. teacher/parents)
* The third and final step should only be used in extreme and unresolvable situations. The parent should:
a) submit in writing a statement detailing the grievance;
b) request a meeting with the Director to provide additional insights and back-up information concerning the grievance; c) the Director will meet, discuss and finalise a statement and/or action which in his opinion best solves the problem to the benefit of AMBRIT and the family involved.


LATENESS
Pupils should be at school by 08:45. If a student is repeatedly late the parents will be informed and asked to have child(ren) arrive on time.

EMAIL POLICY FOR PARENTS AND TEACHERS

E-mailing is a great medium to promote communication. We hope that its use at Ambrit will contribute to our students' educational needs while respecting the time constraints of our staff and parents. Consequently, we ask that you please follow these guidelines:

Use e-mail only for non-urgent matters.
Do not expect all e-mails to be read in a given timeframe. Remember that this is an extra task for teachers to take on. They will answer your e-mail as soon as they can. This will depend on the importance of the matter in question and the teacher's availability.
Please identify your purpose in the subject line of your e-mail message.
Your child's academic progress and behavioral issues are best addressed by telephone or by scheduling a personal conference with your child's teacher. An e-mail message on these matters is not appropriate.
Use e-mail to give teachers advance notice of planned absences. For bus changes, you may email Gigi at buses@ambrit-rome.com before 1pm.
We welcome your ideas for field trips, guest speakers and curriculum related activities.
Do not use this medium for personal advertising.
Please DO NOT send group emails to the parent body. Everybody's time is precious!

ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

BOOKS AND MATERIALS

Exercise books, workbooks and a student planner are supplied by the school and may be kept by the student. Any textbooks, reading series or class/school library books are to be returned at the end of the school year in good condition. A fine will be levied on books returned in poor condition.

Materials - At the beginning of each year and periodically throughout the year, make sure your child has these supplies: - a pencil case with coloured pencils, pens, 2-3 pencils, pencil sharpener, 2 rubbers (erasers) and measuring instruments. - a book bag. - a lunch box. - a dictionary and markers. - a calculator, a compass, a protractor and a ruler.

HOMEWORK

Purpose
Homework is an important aspect of being in the Middle School at Ambrit. There are various reasons why a homework assignment may be given which can include to check understanding, to practise skills learned in class, to preview something to be learned in class and to review for a test.
Whilst homework can be a contentious issue in any school, moreover with over 50 nationalities represented in the Middle School at Ambrit, each having a slightly different educational background and expectations, a consistent policy is necessary, however difficult this may be.

We are aware though that there is a need for balance in our pupils’ lives. Homework should not be an unnecessary burden or unduly interfere with family life and other important activities and pastimes in their lives.

Time
The homework given in total will approximately be:
Grade 6: one hour per night,
Grade 7: 70 minutes per night,
Grade 8: 80 minutes per night.
It should be realised that pupils in the Italian full programme may well have more homework than this on occasions. If a pupil is not able to finish an assignment in the allocated time, parents should write a note to the teacher explaining the situation.

Organisation
Pupils in the Middle School are given a homework diary in which all homework assignments should be written. In addition, details of homework and other assignments may be found on the Moodle.

Absences
It is a pupil’s responsibility to catch up any homework assignments missed due to absence. Details of work missed can be found on the moodle, by contacting a friend in the class or by asking the subject teacher. Please note it is not the homeroom teacher’s responsibility to collect homework assignments for missing pupils.

Responsibilities of Parents
Parents play an important role in making homework a positive experience for their children. Homework should be made a top priority with a specific time set aside, and parents should provide students with necessary materials and a quiet study environment. They should encourage their children with an effective mixture of support, discipline and praise. Teachers should be informed of difficulties in homework completion. If parents are experiencing difficulties with their child completing homework, they are encouraged to contact the homeroom teacher as soon as possible.

Study Skills
Having appropriate time management and study skills is very important for homework to be effective. Therefore, study skills classes are given to all pupils in Grade 6. For any pupil entering the school in Grades 7 or 8, their parents are encouraged to contact the homeroom teacher for support if necessary.



WAYS TO HELP YOUR CHILD IN AMBRIT'S LANGUAGE PROGRAMME
The following suggestions were offered to parents by Dr. Virginia Rojas and are key ideas to best help emerging bilinguals.
1. Maintain the mother tongue. Parents should always enrich language with their own mother tongue. An elaborate, developed mother tongue will significantly help the acquisition of a second language.
2. Be bilingual models. Be consistent in maintaining the bilingual model within the family.
3. Supply multicultural models. When you travel, bring back language and cultural material to share with your child. Talk about the languages and cultures that surround you.
4. Give wait time. Five to seven years of instruction is required to achieve academic competence in English and other second languages.
5. Clap for every effort to victory. Just as we delight when an infant says his first words, remember to continually praise your child for every step forward in language acquisition.
6. Create language playtime. To fully enjoy a language, remember it must also be fun. Playtime in English is important. Encourage opportunities for your child to develop hobbies in the second language. Attend a summer camp or join a creative arts club after school.
7. Do not create anxiety. Give your child time to acquire the second language. Don't pass on indecisiveness about bilingualism to your children. They will certainly feel and react to your doubts. Such doubts may well interfere with your child's progress in the new language.
8. Plan bilingualism. Both parents must fully support the decision they have made to provide a bilingual education for their child. If one parent is in disagreement with the educational plan taken, acquisition of the second language will probably be less successful. The family must be committed to the decision they have made.
MAKE USE OF TEXTS IN NATIVE LANGUAGE AS WELL AS ENGLISH
We recommend that parents participate as much as possible by discussing themes and topics being studied in various subjects, in their native language. It is highly beneficial when support material in the native language can be purchased as it reinforces the understanding of content while at the same time facilitates the student's language acquisition.
Many Middle School English texts are literary classics and are likely to be available in the native language of the E.S.L. student. It is highly recommended that parents purchase versions of the relevant books in their own language. Film versions on video may also be a valuable support. A student who is reading a Shakespearean play in both languages will undoubtedly come to a more thorough and enriched understanding of the play.

AMBRIT English as a Second Language (ESL) POLICY
Ambrit's ESL programme is designed to provide English language instruction to non-native English speakers. Our aim is to prepare students to participate in normal curriculum activities as soon as possible after their arrival at the school.
Italian first language students are accepted in Middle School only if they have attended school abroad and require no ESL support.
Third language speakers with no English are admitted in grade 6 and are supported by ESL staff.
Third language speakers may on occasion be admitted in grade 7 and 8 if half-day, private ESL instruction is provided by the family.
ESL teachers collaborate with subject teachers to facilitate the integration of ESL students into mainstream classes. This is done by the subject teacher and the ESL teacher working in partnership to meet the student's needs.

This partnership operates in any or all of the following ways:

ESL teachers participate in mainstream classes where he/she works with ESL students (and any other students who may request assistance) on specific activities.
ESL teachers develop programmes to support classroom content areas, thereby providing opportunities for students to develop their competence in specific language skills through the study of relevant, curriculum related subject areas.
ESL teachers work with subject teachers to produce assessment procedures to monitor ESL students' progress. All documented information pertaining to students progress is kept in the students' ESL files and is available on request to students, teachers, and parents.
ESL teachers, in certain cases, work intensively with students, outside the regular classroom, to support mainstream classwork and to address individual needs.
ESL teachers act as a resource for subject teachers through the provision and preparation of materials, consultation on support strategies and practical assistance

ESL teachers are available, on request, to meet with parents to discuss their child's progress. On these occasions, ESL teachers will stress the importance of continuing to develop oracy, literacy and cognition in the student's primary language.



STUDENT EVALUATION
REPORTING AND PARENT CONFERENCES
Subject teachers present the goals and objectives of the year at the September class meetings. Student/ Parent Conference Day is held in February, during which pupils present to their parents a portfolio of a selection of their work from across the subject areas. In the Middle School, report cards are issued by email towards the end of January and at the beginning of July. Mid term progress reports are sent at half term dates listed on the school calendar. There is a week of final exams in June for pupils in the Middle School. See the Middle School calendar for exam dates. The following is the grading system:
A+

100-97

B+

88-85

C+

76-73

D

64-60

A

96-93

B

84-81

C

72-69

A-

92-89

B-

80-77

C-

68-65

TESTING
The school recognises the advantages of testing in certain situations but does not consider 'across-the-board' annual testing to be of sufficient relevancy to justify the time and disruption required.
The occasions upon which we would consider testing relevant and appropriate are as follows:

when a pupil is not succeeding or progressing within his/her class, shows signs of anxiety or the teacher suspects an area of learning difficulty. In this case the tests used would be diagnostic rather than achievement oriented.
to assess the need for ESL teaching where appropriate.
when screening is done for diagnostic purposes on all children entering the Middle School and on all new students.

Any teacher may refer any student to the Special Needs coordinator for formal testing or informal assessment if there is any cause for concern.

SPECIAL NEEDS
Ambrit acknowledges the importance of providing support for students with special needs and has developed a programme to meet its responsibilities towards the international community in this specialised area of education.

The special needs programme provides assessment and specialised teaching and/or class support for students. It is run in close cooperation with homeroom teachers, subject teachers, and includes parents and external professionals when appropriate.

Students entering the school with known special needs or who are subsequently identified as having special needs will be reviewed individually as to placement each year. In certain circumstances, it may be necessary for parents to provide an assistant in the classroom for a student with special needs.

POLICY ON ACADEMICALLY ADVANCED STUDENTS
The faculty and special needs department have given careful consideration to questions raised by parents about their child's year placement when the student appears to be academically advanced. Students are considered academically advanced when they are tested and assessed to have an IQ above the 95th percentile and are achieving one to two grade levels above that of their age group. After identification, the special needs coordinator, school principal, teachers and parents will consider the social, emotional, physical and cultural implications of the various educational options. Generally, it is considered preferable to keep the student with his/her peer group and to provide an enriched programme where appropriate, with possible grade-jumping in particular subjects. In rare cases, the school will elevate a student a full grade, but only after a very careful examination of all the implications.

SCHOOL LIFE

AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES
Every year a range of after-school activities is offered at an extra charge. Click here for this year's listings.

SCHOOL DANCES & PARTIES

The Student Council organizes two Middle School dances a year, one in February and one in June. The dances take place at school, usually from 7 to 10 pm, and are chaperoned by members of the Middle School staff.

Parties
If you are planning on inviting students to a birthday party you MUST invite everyone in the class. If you prefer to only invite a select few you NEED to phone the parents, send invitations via post or email or directly speak to parents. Please DO NOT distribute only a few invitations at school. This hurts children's feelings and is unfair.

For the safety and security of all students, please note the following rules:

1. If you are organizing a party OUT OF SCHOOL, please make sure that your invitations CLEARLY say that for all children going home in a different way than usual (i.e. not taking the regular school bus), each parent MUST contact Ms. Gigi with a written note or a phone call (339-1115419) or email buses@ambrit-rome.com BEFORE 1:00.

2. Please do not expect Ms. Gigi to phone parents! Ms. Gigi cannot phone every parent of invited children to confirm party attendance. Parents must contact Ms. Gigi in advance.

3. Please see Ms. Gigi the morning of the party to provide a list of all confirmed participants. Confirming party attendance to the host parent must also be accompanied by notification to Ms. Gigi.

4. NO STUDENTS MAY LEAVE THE SCHOOL WITHOUT PARENTAL PERMISSION TO MS. GIGI. IF Ms. Gigi does not receive confirmation, children will be sent home in their usual manner.

5. If you would like to arrange for a PARTY BUS for your party please contact Ms. Gigi at least one week in advance. Payments need to be made through Ms. Gigi.



BUSES

Bus rules and expectations for students
Bus procedures and Bus change procedures and forms

Please remember if you need to make a bus change or have any questions about procedures you can contact Gigi at the school.

The following table outlines the rules and expectations for all students who use the buses. Please discuss these with your child, so that everyone is familiar with the expectations.



Bus Procedures

The following list outlines the basic Bus procedures and guidelines for the AMBRIT buses. PLEASE READ CAREFULLY!

Bus Changes:
Any changes to the regular bus schedule need to be made through the school office. Dial the school number. 06 5595305, 'press 1 for bus inquiry' and ask for Gigi. The 'bus change form' (also available on-line) should also be completed and given to your child's homeroom teacher in the morning.
In case of an emergency bus change please contact the school as early as possible, preferably before noon. Bus lists are completed by 1:00 and any changes after this time are extremely difficult to make.
Parents should report any unexpected absence due to an emergency or sickness in the morning directly to the driver. All buses have telephones for receiving calls. The drivers do not speak English, but they can understand enough to communicate. It is important to remember that DRIVERS ARE NOT PERMITTED TO WAIT LONGER THAN 2 MINUTES FOR ANY STUDENT.

Guests on the bus:
Parents must request permission 24 hours in advance for a guest to ride the bus.
All guests on the bus are subject to seat availability. We suggest that students not have 'sleep overs' during the week, as there is never space on the morning buses.
Parties or groups of students are forbidden to take the bus. The 'Center Bus Co.' can provide small buses at reasonable prices to help transport groups of children.

Changing routes:
Drivers are not permitted to change their regular bus routes in order to drop students off at a different location (ie. Karate or swimming lessons).

Safety:
All buses are equipped with seatbelts. Please remind your child/children to buckle up their seatbelts.
All child-care helpers who wait for students must be introduced to the drivers first.
No student is to be dropped off at the appointed spot without someone to meet them. In this case the student is brought back to the school

Late buses:
Late buses are for the use of students who do after school activities. Students wait in the adventure playground where role is taken before they board the bus. These buses travel to FAO, IFAD and WFP. The FAO bus leaves the school at 5:00 and arrives at about 5:15. The other buses usually arrive at their destinations at around 5:45.

Pickup/Drop Off- FAO
Pickup and drop off is now at the front entrance (new entrance) directly behind the front parking lot. Students must be met by a parent outside the building. Students are not to enter the building alone unless written permission is given.

Pickup/Drop Off-IFAD/WFP
The pickup and drop off site is alongside the guards' offices. The guards are not responsible to wait with the student so parents should meet their children at the appointed time. AMBRIT buses do not go inside the gates of these buildings.

Other concerns:
There are times when students miss their bus due to lack of communication. Should there be need to contact the school Gigi should be contacted.
Every effort will be made to find a convenient pick up and drop off spot for students who join the school in the middle of the year.

EMERGENCY CONTACT NUMBERS
Bernard Mullane - 3473813188
Gigi - 3391115419
School Fax - 065595309
School email - ambrit@ambrit-rome.com


DAILY SCHEDULE
School receives students at 08:00 hrs. They are supervised in the garden until 08:45 hrs. Classes end at 15:30 hrs Monday through Friday. Buses depart at 15:30 in the order of their distance from the school. Parents are expected to collect their children not later than 15.45 hrs. In case of unexpected lateness, the school must be notified.
Middle School includes a break of 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes after lunch.

FIELD TRIPS
Living in Rome with its rich cultural heritage makes local visits to archaeological sites and museums an important aspect of host culture study. In the upper levels of the school students travel to Italy's art cities. All field trips are included in school fees.
Grade 6 Medieval Cities in Umbria Grade 7 Florence Grade 8 Venice

FIRE DRILLS
Fire drills are held monthly. Students walk in file and in silence out of the building when they hear one long continuous ring. After the building has been evacuated, the all clear signal (three short rings) is rung. The total evacuation takes about 3 minutes.


FOOD
The students should bring a healthy mid-morning snack such as a sandwich, crackers, cookies, fruit or fruit juice. Please do not send chocolate, sweets or drinks in glass bottles. Students enrolled in the lunch programme are provided with a full hot lunch. The expense of this programme will be invoiced separately.

LIBRARY - visit the Library Homepage

Ambrit library has expanded in recent years to become a shared central resource area, providing stimulus, enjoyment and entertainment for students, teachers and parents.

The library offers a wide variety of fiction ranging from picture books for Early Childhood to novels for the Middle School encyclopaedia and other reference books, and a good selection of non-fiction books catalogued using the Dewey Decimal system for school libraries. Our growing CD-Rom collection adds another dimension to library research.

Students spend one lesson a week in the library learning a variety of library skills from care of books to use of the cataloguing and Dewey systems.
The video library may be used by parents and teachers only. Videos may be taken out for a maximum of one week. Library books should be treated carefully and returned promptly. Lost or damaged books or video cassettes must be paid for.


LOST AND FOUND
All lost items will be placed in the lost and found boxes located at the Adventure playground entrance area. If an item is not found, the concerned student is requested to ask his/her class teacher for assistance. The lost items will be kept in the boxes for two weeks. Then they will be stored until the end of term. If the items remain unclaimed by the end of term, they will be given to relief organisations in Rome.

RECITALS
Every December all classes are involved in presenting a winter recital. The performances take place over several days. Musical recitals are also held throughout the year. Please check the music web site for dates.


YEARBOOK
Each year the journalism club produces a school annual. It contains a review of the year and photographs of the classes and students at work and play.


FRIENDS OF AMBRIT
The Parents Association, Friends of Ambrit, welcomes all families to each new school year. All parents are members of the Association, and involvement in its activities is both rewarding and meaningful.
Its purpose is to promote social interchange between parents, teachers, friends of Ambrit, and students and to raise funds for specific projects. Annual events include the October Family Barbecue, the Holiday Bazaar, the International Dinner, Family Evenings and the Mayfair.
Monthly meetings are held regularly throughout the year. All parents are encouraged to attend and to participate actively in the Association. Click here to go to the FRIENDS OF AMBRIT web page

STUDENT COUNCIL

provides opportunities for students to develop leadership skills
organizes service projects for the school and community
coordinates social activities to promote school spirit and pride
works through committees and homerooms which share the responsibility for the various activities
provides for an exchange of ideas among the faculty and student body through its elected officials and representatives


P.E. & SPORTS (P.E. web site)
The overall goal of the Physical Education program is to provide individuals with the knowledge and skills to enjoy a physically active, healthy lifestyle. Extracurricular sports include soccer and volleyball and Ambrit teams compete regularly with other international schools in Rome.

BACK TO MIDDLE SCHOOL

Philosophy and Goals | Prospectus | Application & Fees
Calendar | Parent-Student Guide | Friends of Ambrit

THREE DETENTIONS CAN LEAD TO THE LOSS OF THE SCHOOL TRIP.

A SUSPENSION CAN LEAD TO THE LOSS OF THE SCHOOL TRIP.