Tessa Goes Green

October 24, 2019/in Tessa News /by Team Tessa

Though we all may come from different neighborhoods, cities, and even countries, there is one place that all of us call “home” – Earth! Now more than ever, citizens from around the world have been paying extra attention to taking care of our planet and reducing their carbon footprint. Here at Tessa, we are proud to have joined the cause.

Tessa’s Efforts for a Cleaner Earth

The Tessa Team is thrilled to announce that we have implemented a recycling program for our students! This program allows students in each classroom to learn firsthand both the proper way to recycle and how recycling benefits the planet.

If you take a look into our classrooms, you will now see a few different waste bins for different purposes. Our students are being taught to distribute their waste into these bins according to material (paper, plastic, aluminum, glass, compostable materials).

But what about waste that is not traditionally recyclable? Thanks to Ms. Ana in Spanish Pre-K 3, Tessa is now participating in TerraCycle, a program that strives to eliminate the idea of waste. This program is funded by brands, manufacturers, and retailers around the world to help people recycle hard-to-recycle waste. As part of TerraCycle, here at Tessa, we’ve started collecting dental products such as toothpaste containers and floss and are working to add more products to the list!

How You Can Help

We truly hope that the recycling efforts we are making at Tessa inspire our students and their families to continue these efforts outside of the classroom. If you are already doing your part to recycle at home, on behalf of the rest of the planet, thank you. If you are feeling inspired to start recycling, here are a few helpful tips to get you going:

Reduce your waste! Use reusable coffee mugs and straws as often as you can. Some coffee shops will even give you a discount for bringing your own cup!
Be sure to check your refuse provider website. Sometimes things that we might think are recyclable aren’t. Also, often times, certain materials cannot be mixed together. If this happens, the entire collection of recyclables may just end up in a landfill.
Rinse food and liquid containers and remove any caps prior to recycling
Try to use glass in place of plastic as much as possible. Glass is almost infinitely recyclable!

United Nations Day at Tessa International School

October 18, 2019/in Tessa News /by Team Tessa

The United Nations is an intergovernmental organization that was created after World War II to strive to prevent new international conflicts in the future. The world celebrates United Nations day every October 24 to honor the international organization promoting human rights, social progress, and world peace.

The UN was originally formed by 51 countries. These countries work together to maintain peace, promote sustainable development, protect human rights, uphold international law and deliver humanitarian aid to people in need. Today there are 195 member countries!

Image result for un sustainable development goals

The UN at Tessa

The United Nations are especially close to our hearts as our vision for the future is very much in sync with theirs: to contribute to building a peaceful, collaborative world, in which we all can learn from each other. Each year we celebrate with student performances in Spanish and French and other activities related to various countries of the world. Our students and teachers are dressed in national dress representing over 20 countries worldwide.

This event also contributes to raise awareness of human diversity among our students, but also in the city: this year, Mayor Bhalla, will address the assembly! We will also have a performance of Irish folk music / international music by the talented Shan and Dan.

A few facts about the UN

United Nation’s Four Main Goals:

The United Nation’s four main purposes are to:

United Nations maintains worldwide peace and security.
Developing good relations among nations.
Encourage cooperation between nations to solve economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian international problems.
Provide a forum to bring countries together to meet the purposes and goals of the UN.

How to Celebrate UN Day!

To celebrate, we have to think about many years of history, struggle and achievements. Today is not just a day of looking back in history, it is a day to take note of what the UN is currently doing to build a better life for everyone on the planet, and how it plans to continue like this in the future. Let’s take a moment today to consider the incredible impact that the United Nations has had in every corner of the world for more than 70 years.

Here are some ideas to celebrate UN Day:

This day you can wear your national costume!
Discuss the importance of cultural diversity with your co-workers, friends or family.
Post about this day on social media along with your thoughts about this day.
Check out if there are any cultural activities taking place in your neighborhood and attend one.
Organize an international potluck to explore the traditional dishes of other cultures.
Recycle! The UN is very committed to protecting the environment.

Exploring the biological, chemical and physical aspects of our world with the Liberty Science Center

October 7, 2019/in Tessa News /by Team Tessa

Good morning from your Liberty Science Center community partners! During this past week’s activities, we worked with your children to continue our exploration of who we are! We did this through investigating the pieces and parts that make up a robot’s body and comparing them with what we have ourselves. For example, we looked at how while robots have batteries, we have a heart. We looked at pictures of the heart according to age appropriate children’s story books and squeezed heart shaped stress balls to investigate how our heart moves inside our body.

Our investigations eventually led us to noticing that sometimes we have things that robots do not have. We found that while we have teeth to help us eat nutritious food, robots do not have them! Using an extra large toothbrush, your children brushed the teeth of a model mouth to think about how we take care of these special parts of our bodies and how our teeth might look different amongst the members of our family.

Here at Liberty Science Center, we are dedicated to inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers through the power, promise, and pure fun of science and technology. As we continue our third year together, we are excited to keep bringing STEM learning opportunities that not only align with the school’s program of inquiry but also encourage your children to see themselves as scientists and engineers. We look forward to seeing them again this week!

Curriculum Night at Tessa International School

September 26, 2019/in Tessa News /by Team Tessa

Curriculum Night is an interactive information session hosted by schools all over the country a few weeks after children get back to school every year. It takes place at all levels, from early years to high schools; in public and private schools alike.

Typically, teachers make short presentations focusing on curriculum, routines, expectations, homework assignments and the concepts, skills, and knowledge that will be addressed and attended to during the year–all of which are crucial for a successful year ahead for your child.

A blend of best educational models at Tessa:

Tessa’s mission is to prepare children to be leaders of the 21^st century and happy world citizens. At Tessa, we provide a world-class education, based on the most successful international models. This means that we blend French, Spanish, and New Jersey State Standards and combine them with a progressive educational model called the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Program (PYP). We are currently a candidate school for implementing the IB PYP starting from this month and we hope to get authorized by the end of the academic year 2020-21. The authorization journey is a rigorous process and a transformative experience for the entire learning and teaching community including parents.

The IB PYP is a curriculum framework designed for students aged 3 to 12 years. The PYP transdisciplinary framework focuses on the holistic development of the child as an inquirer–both at school and beyond. The PYP practice is informed by the latest research in how students learn, how educators teach, and the principles and practice of effective assessment. The program places a powerful emphasis on inquiry-based learning.

The International Baccalaureate aims to develop students into inquirers, thinkers, communicators, knowledgeable, principled, caring, open-minded, balanced and courageous learners. To this end, the IB works with schools, governments, and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment.

Unique Language Immersion in Early Years at Tessa:

At Tessa, we offer a unique opportunity to our young learners to immerse themselves in either Spanish or French stream (and Mandarin starting in September 2021) all day long. Apart from immersing themselves either in their native language or a new language, children are provided with opportunities to explore their environment and learn about their world through play and relationships with peers, teachers, family and community members. The IB believes that young learners are intelligent, resourceful and creative individuals who grow, develop and learn at different rates. At Tessa, we aim to make it a holistic learning experience that integrates social-emotional, physical and cognitive development in a dynamic environment that promotes play, discovery and exploration.

Dual language Immersion in the PYP at Tessa:

It is believed that all learners stand to benefit from dual language immersion. Starting from Grade 1, native French or Spanish speakers maintain and develop their first language while acquiring native like linguistic skills in English language or vice versa. Besides language acquisition, children inquire and learn math, content areas (social studies, science) and specialist subjects such as visual arts, music, technology and P.E. through inquiry-based learning. Children will learn to take responsibility for their learning and construct their own understanding in a variety of content areas and strive to become life long learners.

What to Expect on the Curriculum Night at Tessa:

Meet the school leadership team including the founder, the Head and the Deputy Head of the school and the program coordinators.
Meet your child’s teacher in the classroom to gain an insight into what and how your child will be learning this year. Get a glimpse of the daily schedule, routines, and curriculum expectations for the year
Get familiar with your child’s learning environment. This is an opportunity for you to sit in your child’s seat literally as the presentation tends to be in your child’s homeroom. You’ll get a feel for their learning environment.
If you are interested in volunteering, please sign up to become a class parent.

Padmaja Naidu
PYP Coordinator
Tessa International School

At Tessa, It’s Safety First!

September 12, 2019/in Tessa News /by Team Tessa

As parents, you take all the extra steps necessary to ensure your child is safe and healthy. High standards for classroom safety and cleanliness are reassurance that your child’s well-being is our top priority. Every child will experience the usual bumps, bruises, sniffles and sneezes from time to time. But keeping these to a minimum should be the goal. An important question you may ask is “How does your staff make safety and cleanliness a top priority for your students?” Tessa International School would like to share with you our objectives toward safety and security.

Security Features and Initiatives

Mr. Dan and Ms. Rotana are now regularly greeting families at the front door.
A double-entry door is planned behind the front door and architectural drawings are underway.
- A second door will require parents to buzz in twice and will act as a buffer so that no person may directly enter the school without first being authorized.
Hoboken Police Officer Lieutenant Melissa Gigante will soon be visiting the school for a safety survey (and visit to Grade 1!).
The Monroe Center now has an armed guard present in the main space of the Monroe Center.
Tessa staff members have recently taken a CPR/FA course for certification to ensure we are properly trained in up-to-date emergency procedures.
Tessa has continued the Safety and Security Committee. Committee Head Alissa Reeves in conjunction with committee members Maria Cintron and Yoa Meikle are reviewing current safety procedures to denote methods of improvement.
- Child Allergy/Medication Notes
- First Aid/CPR responses
- Procedures for teaching children to recognize and develop appropriate responses for emergency situations (e.g.,.- Dial 911, universal sign for choking, stranger danger, safe play with peers, attentiveness to social-emotional learning)
- Emergency phone numbers posted in each classroom and at front desk.

Preparation and Drills (Continuing)

Monthly Fire Drills.
- Fire drills are announced through our Amazon Echo Dots. Teachers gather the children and exit by the side door and congregate at one of three locations: The corner of Panello pizzeria, the front of the park on Jackson and 7^th, or Hoboken Catholic Academy (inside the gym for Indoor Evacuations).
- Dan Buck, Head of School, times the drill and collects the count of students from the teachers.
Lockdown Drills.
- Lockdown drills are practiced at least twice per year.
- Lockdown drills are communicated to staff by the Head of School. Doors are closed and locked, shades are drawn, quiet activity engaged and emergency escape routes planned.

Tips for Parents

Don’t forget to check Brightwheel for notices about your child and classroom. Did you know you can update your Contact Information in your child’s profile? Please check your child’s Brightwheel page to verify Emergency Contacts and Approved Pickups.
Practice safety and emergency procedures with your child at home.
Inform Alissa Reeves of any changes in your Contacts.
Make sure that your Universal Health form, allergy information, and flu shots are all up-to-date at the front desk.

Thank you for helping keep Tessa International School a safe and secure space for your child’s education and development.

-Alissa Reeves

What is immersion education?

November 18, 2016/in Language Learning, Teaching and Learning, Tessa News /by ruben

Immersion education is a teaching method where students learn all subjects in a target language like French, Spanish, or Mandarin. It works best when children start early, as they can easily pick up language nuances. These classrooms offer efficient learning environments with quick transitions.

Teachers who are fluent and native speakers of the target language, commit to speaking it consistently. They use the target language during instruction, transitions, outdoor play, and meal times. Teachers pay close attention to students’ needs and individual learning styles.

The classroom features a literacy-rich environment with pictures, labels, and meaningful visuals to support the target language throughout the day. Teachers adeptly help comprehension through non-verbal clues and smart teaching strategies.

Days are organized, routines are consistent, and key phrases and vocabulary repeat often to boost vocabulary development. Children make connections across the curriculum as the target language and English curriculum align, reinforcing concepts and ideas in both languages.

Will your child lose their English?

Research indicates that children in immersion settings perform the same or better than their non-immersion peers.

What if you don’t speak the target language at home?

Your child can still succeed and gain proficiency even if you don’t speak the target language. Homework uses songs and games to review classroom learning in a fun and engaging way. Strong communication with your child’s teacher is essential for success.