Banking

Hi.

I was wondering, how much money should we bring with us...approximately. Do we need enough to cover us for the month before we get paid at the end of the month? Also, is there a way to set up our italian accounts with our canadian accounts? or do we just send cheques home?

Thanks
Anuka

Medical Coverage

Hi Day,

A question I probably should have asked back in January...

Our contracts state that we will be reimbursed for Blue Cross or similar insurance for the first six/nine months (maximum 5oo euro). What happens after this? When we renew our insurance after this initial time period will we be responsible for paying costs on our own?

Thank you!

Hope all is well with everyone,

Alison

Shipping

Hello everyone,

I had a quick question about shipping excess baggage. On our contract it says the school will allow up to €450 for extra baggage. I'm just curious, as I've never shipped excess baggage, how much this involves? Also, do we bring all our luggage that we want shipped with us to the airport, or is some of it shipped in advance of our arrival? I hope everyone is doing well!

New Teachers!

Greetings to the newest addition to our team for next year, Maria McCabe! Maria will be teaching in one of the upper grades in the Primary School. She hails from New York and has been teaching at the Int. School of Amsterdam for the last two years. Before that she worked with me at the American School of Milan. Maria is excited that she will be a teaching fellow at Project Zero at Harvard this summer. Go, Maria!

On Friday we offered a contract to a new Italian teacher who will replace one of our faculty members who will be taking a maternity leave. Marco Bruno has three years experience in Italian Primary Schools near his home town of Novara, between Milan and Turin. Marco speaks fluent English and has also been an English teacher. He is completing his degree in Elementary Education and is working on a thesis about constructivism. Welcome, Marco!

Mary Marjerrison will be our new PYP Coordinator for Years 1-5 as well as Curriculum and Language Coordinator for Years 1-8. Mary is currently PYP Coordinator and Deputy Head of School at the Bilingual School of Monza. She brings to BES more than 25 years of experience in education, as a classroom teacher, teacher trainer, and school administrator. Mary is a faculty member at Harvard University's Project Zero Summer Institute.

Nathaniel Katz will join our Middle School as a teacher of Art and Computers. Nathaniel is currently working at the Bilingual School of Monza in the same subject areas. Nathaniel is a professional artist and has put on numerous art shows.

Blue Cross Emergency Medical

Hi Day,

I called Blue Cross and told them I would be travelling to Europe for an indeterminate amount of time at the end of August. They quoted me at $444.00 for 212 days of coverage. Does this amount sound about right to you?

Program and Schedules

Questions and Answers from Antonella and Liz (2009)

1. What are the important dates of the school year?

We do not have the official calendar for next year yet. We will construct it in the next few weeks. We now know that the first day of school for students will be September 13. (updated by Day, 2010)

2. Do we have our own classrooms, or do we share with our Italian counterparts?

You will share it with an Italian teacher but when you teach, you have the room to yourself. As far as wall displays and furniture arrangement goes, the teams here talk and compromise about who gets what wall, how desks are arranged, etc. The staff room is where most of the teachers stay when they are not teaching to do work or some work at home or in another free space in the school.

3. What schools do BES students compete against in sports?

As of right now we do not compete with any schools but our PE teacher is working to start a soccer club. (In the last year we have had two informal tournaments with other international schools in Milan competing first in soccer and then in basketball. Day, 2010)

4. Does BES have any community outreach programs or service learning opportunities?

Our biggest outreach program is a school in Kenya. The owners of BES have a huge project in Kenya where most of the school's energy is dedicated. As far as community programs, some have started and stopped over the years. Ideas or suggestions are always welcome!

5. May we have the password to access the news/events section of the BES website?

I will email you the password. (We have put you on the distribution list for all Parent Newsletters. Day, 2010)

6. What does the work day schedule look like in Milan?

I have attached a schedule. In addition to what is on the schedule, you will have lunch/recess duties and 2 times a week, two 45 minute sessions with another class for small group support. You will also have 1 hour when you go into your class during Italian time to co-teach. You also plan one day after school from about 4:15 to 5:30 and once a month on Wednesday are our staff meetings.

Travel to Milan

We will make arrangements for your travel to Milan and will pick you up at the airport. You will fly from Canada on August 26 with arrival in Milan on the morning of August 27 (precluding additional atmospheric cataclysms!). The school will send you an electronic ticket in July.

I will return to Milan on August 25 in order to be here to greet and assist new faculty members from August 27. BES offices will not open until Monday, August 30. 



Keep us informed at all times of your plans.

Day

School-Home Communication

Last year I introduced the idea of adding two days with no students to the school calendar so that we could have parent conferences in the first semester and then student-led or at least three-way (with student present) conferences in the second semester. The faculty was not in favor of this. There is a requirement for a minimum of two parent conferences to take place during the course of the year. Teachers schedule them at a time that is convenient to their and the parents' schedules, e.g. before school, after school, during a planning time, etc.

I remain committed, however, to introducing student-led conferences and some of the new teachers have asked me to add the issue of days with no students to the agenda of our May faculty meeting for further discussion.

Day

Banking in Milan

The school sets you up with a bank account and your monthly salary will be directly deposited into your account at the end of every month. It is very easy and convenient! 


Phones, DVDs, Internet

Here is some info on phones, dvd's, and internet. (from Liz and the 2009 blog)

As for cd's and dvd's, i brought both. I play my dvd's on my computer or else you have to buy an international dvd player to play multiregion codes. Most of the teachers use their computers to watch dvd's and if you use the program VLC, that is free on the internet, you can watch dvd's from any region. As for cell phones, wait until you get here as it is very easy and we will help you get set up. Internet is the same in Italy as in Toronto. You have to call the internet company and set up an installation appointment for them to come and give you equipment. The school helps you do this as the company only speaks Italian. You have to pay for the internet so you can decide what plan to get.

Apartments

Luca, our Board President, and I have begun the task of looking into accommodation for you. Ideally we would like to match you up with someone who is not new to BES and who can show you the ropes, but that will not be possible due to the availability of bedrooms in the apartments that are sponsored by the school. If you have any special requests or requirements, please let us know now. All of the apartments that will be available will be two-bedroom flats with shared bathrooms, kitchens, and living areas. Apartments are fully furnished, including kitchen equipment, and will be cleaned over the summer prior to your arrival. Each apartment will have a washer, but no dryer. (Driers are not used in Italy. They are just now beginning to be marketed locally.) Utilities are paid, but not telephone or internet connection. All the apartments are within walking distance from the school.

New Blog for 2010 Teachers

I was unable to edit the blog that I sent you from last year's new teachers, so I have started a new blog. You will have to have a google account in order to post to it, but the directions blogger.com will send to you should be self explanatory.

Passports and Visas

I have followed your questions about passport renewal and visas. It appears that Tatiana needed only to indicate to the authorities in Montreal that she would be leaving the country in order to apply for a renewal whereas Anuka was told that she would need a letter from BES.

Given that your passports do not expire until 2012, Paola, at my suggestion, has indicated that you may go ahead and apply for your student visas with your current passports. When they expire, you can either renew them through the Canadian consulate in Rome or when you are back in Canada during one of your holidays.

In Tatiana's case, since the Montreal officials did not require any further documentation, she will go ahead and apply for a new passport.

Alison has applied for Italian citizenship and will follow a different route for her Italian adventure!