Casablanca American School sort le grand jeu

. Nomination d’un nouveau directeur et adoption d’un plan d’action pour les 3 années à venir

. Organisation en live d’une séance de questions/ réponses en direct de l’International Space Station avec l’astronaute de la NASA, Mr Richard Arnold

. Des expériences d’apprentissage en interaction avec la communauté

Casablanca American School démarre l’année scolaire en force encouragée par l’arrivée de son nouveau directeur. Il s’agit de  Monsieur John Randolph qui a été nommé à ce poste qu’il a occupé il y a 20 ans. John Randolph qui signe son come-back, veut impulser une nouvelle dynamique à l’école  en mettant davantage l’accent sur l’esprit de communauté. Avec le Board, il a mis en place un nouveau plan d’action pour les 3 années à venir.

Fidèle à sa vision, l’école investit dans des méthodes d’apprentissage motivantes et collaboratives dans un environnement à la pointe. Objectif : maintenir l’esprit d’école innovante afin d’encourager chaque élève en tant qu’individu  mais aussi dans une perspective globale. «La Casablanca American School s’efforce d’être la principale institution de la région pour le développement de citoyens pour un monde prospère», déclare John Randolph. Et d’ajouter : «Casablanca American School a été créé en 1973. C’est le seul établissement qui dispense l’International Baccalaureate diploma au Maroc et nous en sommes fiers».

Casablanca American School propose un programme international innovant dans un environnement stimulant, motivant et inspirant chaque étudiant à atteindre l’excellence académique et personnelle.

La vie au sein de la CAS signifie plus que des expériences d’apprentissage en classe. Le staff s’efforce de faire entrer la classe dans la communauté et de faire venir la communauté dans la classe. Qu’il s’agisse d’une sortie éducative, d’un conférencier invité, d’une activité parascolaire ou d’un événement spécial, la finalité reste centrée sur un objectif principal: l’apprentissage.

Favoriser l’innovation

Preuve à l’appui, Casablanca American School vient d’organiser un grand événement au profit de pour 75 de ses élèves. Il s’agit une séance de question réponses live en direct de l’International Space Station avec l’astronaute de la NASA, Mr Richard Arnold. Ce dernier est un ancien professeur de biologie qui a travaillé au début de sa carrière au sein de Casablanca American School. Dans une ambiance bon enfant, écoliers et étudiants accompagnés de leurs professeurs, du staff de l’école, du management à leur tête le nouveau directeur de l’établissement ont échangé avec l’astronaute. Des représentants du Consulat Américain également présents à cet événement phare de l’année.  Le survol de la station spatiale internationale a duré vingt minutes.

Durant cette séquence, l’assistance a posé une panoplie de questions à Mr Richard Arnold sur plusieurs aspects liés à l’espace et à la vie dans l’espace et dans la station spatiale auxquels l’astronaute a répondu avec une réelle sympathie. L’astronaute, qui fait partie d’une mission de recherche dans l’espace depuis plusieurs mois, était aux anges quand il a reconnu une employée de l’école qu’il a côtoyée lors de son passage à l’école. Il a même répété des mots en arabes qu’il mémorise encore pour communiquer avec elle, au grand plaisir de  l’assistance. «C’était un moment de joie et de fierté partagée par toute la communauté présente à cet événement. Pour les élèves ce moment de partage dans une atmosphère motivante est très important pour leur développement personnel. Cela leur permettra aussi de coopérer, d’être créatifs au sein d’un groupe et d’apprendre à apprendre», précise le management.

Cette initiative a été préparée en amont, depuis plusieurs semaines, par le département IT de Casablanca American School en partenariat avec la NASA à Houston.

Témoignages

Oscar Basuyaux – Grade Eleven

The NASA video conference with Astronaut Ricky Arnold was an immense privilege and a great learning experience. I feel very fortunate to have been selected as one of the students who were able to ask Mr. Arnold a question about what he’s doing and how he came to become an astronaut. This video conference was much more than just talking to an astronaut on the ISS, it was a demonstration of how much you can achieve no matter who you are and where you came from. This goes without saying that it took Mr. Arnold hard work and dedication to achieve this milestone, but I think CAS teaches its students to be that way; its rigorous program sets all of them up for success, given that they do their parts. Mr. Arnold is a great representation of the CAS state of mind, even if he was a teacher, that state of mind applies to both faculty and students. This video conference was not only a privilege but an opportunity kindly offered to us by NASA, Mr. Arnold, and CAS, and I’d like to thank them all for that. I think I speak for most of the people who attended when I say that I never thought I could video call someone that’s in space and I am extremely grateful to CAS for having had me at this conference. I think this says a lot about our school because it gives us outstanding opportunities which most other schools wouldn’t even think of. I also think CAS rewards and pushes students who take initiative for their learning and it’s one of the perks of studying in a small, inclusive and comprehending school environment. The fact that this call happened says a lot about CAS and its dedication to their student’s learning and goals. In conclusion, I am grateful to have participated in such an exclusive event and I am proud to be an active community member and learner in such a prestigious institution who gives their students every means they can to set them up for success. I’d like to thank NASA and Mr. Arnold again for taking the time to make this happen.

Fatima-Zahrae Elmouadden – Grade Four

Fourth Grade and Upper School go to have a huge opportunity and we were able to have a call with Mr. Ricky Arnold.  It was amazing and a once in a lifetime event.  We could never imagine that we actually talked with a real astronaut, better yet, he was a teacher at our school!  Some of us were even able to ask questions and he gave us responses that led to interesting facts that we will remember by heart.  Fourth Grade was the only class in Lower School to be able to meet Mr. Ricky Arnold so we were very lucky.  We are so, so, so thankful for this privilege and it is a memory we will remember for sure.

Naserallah Chaouki – Grade Eleven

One of the most memorable events of this year was one that truly made me think. It made me think about my place in the grade, in the school, in my country, in my continent, in the globe. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity, to talk to an individual who has dedicated their life to studying subjects that are quite literally out of this world. On a faithful Thursday in September 2018, I had the honor to view a live event where an astronaut would answer questions while they were in space. The experience as a whole was riveting and marvelous, and to add to that I also had the opportunity to speak with him and ask him a question. I remember that day as if it were yesterday, we were all getting seated, and I just couldn’t hold the excitement I was feeling. The thought of talking to an astronaut had never crossed my mind before, but once CAS gave me that opportunity I couldn’t turn it down. You see that’s what CAS is all about, teaching open-mindedness, respect, and love for the sciences, as well as education as a whole. My school strives to make Morocco and subsequently the world a better place by teaching its students in a way that makes them want to come to school. This event has no doubt inspired numerous children into venturing and studying subjects they would have otherwise never even bothered of thinking of. As our school motto goes; I believe in you, we believe in school, school is you and me.

Alya  Amarouch – Grade Four

The first time I met an astronaut was really unbelievable, because in fact I was actually able to ask him a question.  So I wrote 6 questions.  But my school director chose 1 that was about how astronauts bathe, do their business and sleep.  My teacher said that that question was very interesting.  So all 4thgraders went to the auditorium.  There were also some Upper Schoolers.  So we all sat down and we waited for our school technician could get the connection with Ricky Arnold – that’s the astronaut’s name.  So when we got the connection with him we turned off the lights for us to see him well.

Then my friend was the first one to ask him a question.  Her question was, “What inspired you or helped you become a astronaut?” Then it was my turn to ask him a question.  I was so nervous and in the same, super, super excited so I stood up and went to ask him my question.  I said, “Hello Mr. Arnold my name is Alya I am in the 4thgrade how do you do your business, bathe and sleep?” with a big loud voice then he answered. So we sleep in pods that are the size of refrigerators, but not cold like refrigerators and we stay attached to the wall for the gravity not to push us.  We do our business in super tiny toilets and the solid and liquid get separated and cleaned.  He said that they bath with special shampoo and gel that don’t need water so we use that to bathe.  He also said that it is very important to exercise when you’re in space or bones will get very weak and ill.  Then everyone asked their questions and he answered then we stopped the talking with him and the connection was getting kind of bad.  Then we went back to our class.

Ranya Belmaachi – Grade Twelve

September 28th, 2018 a group of 4th to 12 graders had a video conference with Ricky Arnold, an Astronaut at the international space station. We unfortunately only had 30 minutes with him but those were one of the most interesting and fastest 30 minutes of my life. Students had the opportunity to ask him questions such as: can one see pollution from space? how does the security system work? etc. What was most fascinating was our ability to talk to him during his stay at the station seeing him float and move around was simply inexplicable. Fun fact: he even told us he slept standing up and that his urine was filtered in order to preserve water and be recycled. It was exceptional to see him communicate with my peers and see the relationships he has fostered in our community with recounters with past students, Mrs. Hala, or the head cleaning lady, Mrs. Hajiba. Seeing that a biology Upper School teacher in Morocco was now with NASA in the international space station gave hope and admiration to everyone. Everyone being so proud and shocked at the same time, how can one shift from the field of education specifically in biology to becoming an astronaut. This was a breathtaking experience that I know I will never forget.