News
Ramallah - With the start of the 2016/2017 school year, the Upper School campus welcomed a whole year group into its student population. Sixth grade students, who were traditionally situated at the Lower School campus, were migrated to the Upper School and moved into the newly opened Middle School building, completed thanks to the support from USAID/ASHA. Accordingly, the Upper School’s student population this year has reached 724 girls and boys, while the Lower School’s population is now at 689 pupils.
This change serves for the benefit of Middle Years Program (MYP) teaching process, particularly because the MYP program is targeted for 6th grade through to 10th grade students. The Lower School, currently a candidate school for the Primary Years Program (PYP), will remain host for LKG students all the way through to 5th grade.
With the Middle School building completed over summer, and with all the furniture having been fitted in its various teaching rooms, lounge areas, and administrative zones - grades six, seven and eight will enjoy their own unique and fresh teaching environment. The open collaborative learning space will allow our teachers and students to explore various learning techniques, settings, and approaches that all focus on student-centered and student-led learning.
Ms. Huda Shamieh Faramand, previously a chemistry teacher and head of the science department at the school, has now been appointed as the Assistant Principal for the Middle School, and accordingly became a member of the RFS Executive Committee. Ms. Huda is optimistic; she sees the integration of sixth graders into the Upper School and the completion of the Middle School building as a positive move towards more innovative and cooperative teaching environment which will eventually be of great benefit to the students.
The Middle School building, host to grades six through eight, will also have its own library on the bottom floor. This library will be in addition to the Upper School’s main library, which will remain situated in the main administrative building.