Funded Projects 2023-2024

The projects below have all been funded through APEEE Project Calls. They are scheduled to take place during the 2023-2024 school year.

Francis Pirotta Creative Arts Prize - 6th Edition 'Our Sea- a Magical World'

An annual art competition aimed at Primary and Nursery classes in Uccle to celebrate Francis Pirotta's short but creative life and ensure that his spirit and determination remain alive through the creativity of other children.

The prize is intended to stimulate pupil's artistic creativity, with an emphasis on teamwork as the prize is awarded to whole classes. The teachers and art coordinator are heavily implicated in the programme, and a committee including the teachers, the family, the parents, the students and the APEEE decides on the theme of the competition each year in autumn and also serve as the judging panel in spring.

The theme of the 2024 edition is the sea. Teachers and students were invited to explore and interpret the theme of the sea in an artistic manner. The sea can be viewed in myriad ways: the beauty and magic of the sea as a seascape whether calm or stormy, the sea which holds multitude of various creatures. Finally the sea can also be viewed from an ecological perspective: the necessity to preserve the sea and save sea life from extinction/contamination.

Winners of the 2024 edition

MAT-P2 Winner: P2FRa

P3-P5 Winner: P5PLa

All participating classes will receive a prize and certificate of participation.

School site Uccle | Sections involved DE, DA, EN, ES, FR, HU, IT, PL, SWALS, ONL | Levels involved MAT, P1-P3, P4-P5
Total project budget 600 EUR | APEEE contribution 600 EUR
Date of project delivery 03/05/2024 | Status completed

"Besos para la bella durmiente". Compagnie de théatre en espagnol Parabolorum

The Spanish-language theatre company began work last school year with the staging of the play "Pluft el fantasmita" by Maria Clara Machado. The aim of the Parabolorum troupe is to create a space for artistic expression, in which the pupils and teachers who take part can stage a play in Spanish each school year, in order to perform it in front of the entire educational community. The work required to make this possible means developing different skills that will be quite useful in the future of our students: improving control of the body, the voice, interacting with others, sharing emotions, using music and light to enhance the emotion of the words, interpreting literary texts, creating the dressing room and attrezzatura, etc.

The EEB1 Parabolorum theatre company has weekly rehearsals, every Monday from 16:00 to 18:30. In addition, this school year we will be performing the play "Pluft el fantasmita" a second time in the French Lycée, for the Lycée community who study Spanish and their parents.
The new play to be staged during this school year is called "Besos para la bella durmiente", and it's a theatrical adaptation of the well-known folk tale "Sleeping Beauty'"

The play will be presented to the public in May 2024 and will be performed for Primary school pupils in Uccle and in Berkendael.

School site Berkendael & Uccle | Sections involved DE, DA, EN, ES, FR, HU, IT, PL | Levels involved P4-P5, S1-S3, S4-S5
Total project budget 2000 EUR | APEEE contribution 500 EUR
Date of project delivery 15/06/2024 | Status ongoing

Psycho-educational seminar to parents of MAT-P1

EXTERNAL SPECIALIST: The seminar will be delivered by Nikolas ANTONIADES, a Child and Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist registered with the Association of Child Psychotherapists in the UK since 2010.

METHOD OF DELIVERY & TARGET GROUP: The seminar will be delivered online to the parents of the MAT-P1 classes in Uccle and Berkendael, for 1.5hours in the second Semester of the school year 2023/24.

PROJECT SCOPE:
The seminar will cover the following themes:

  1. How we support our children to develop Emotional Resilience; what we mean by Emotional Resilience, what we aim for and how we foster this in our children.
  2. How we develop our understanding and communication with our children and think about difficult subjects, that are crucial to their developmental stage; we examine common issues of children at the ages. 4-6.

Material will be presented from current Child Development Research, Attachment Research and Mr Antoniades' extensive clinical experience of providing Psychoanalytic psychotherapy to young children, adolescents, and support to parents. Several recommendations will be made for further reading. The resources used will be made available to parents. There will also be an opportunity for parents to forward specific questions prior to the seminar date, so as to make best efforts to include such topics in the seminar itself, where appropriate. During the seminar there will be an opportunity for parents to ask questions on the material presented and develop their thinking and understanding.

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Dear NUR and P1 Parents,

please find below the presentation and the links to the videos shown during the psycho-educational webinar of 12 April 2024.

Attachments:

 Presentation_Webinar for EEB 1 Mat and P1 parents_slides.pdf
 2024 04 16 MAT-P1 Psycho-educational webinar.pdf

School site Berkendael & Uccle | Sections involved All | Levels involved MAT, P1
Total project budget 400 EUR | APEEE contribution 400 EUR
Date of project delivery 15/06/2024 | Status completed

II Edition of the Spanish as Foreing Language Literary Contest for European Schools

Unlike the first edition, the second Edition of the Spanish Literary Contest for European Schools and Accredited Schools is going to be much more ambitious and will reach a large number of students and teachers who attend all levels of Secondary school, from S1 to S7. The Spanish departments of the 13 European Schools and the 22 Accredited Schools present in 15 countries collaborate in this contest, with a huge volume of students from all sections and teachers.

The contest will focus on European values ​​through a visual stimulus, from which students will have creative freedom.

This contest shall encourage students to produce and create literature as a first contact and initiation, helping and encouraging reflection on European values, and understanding language not only as a vehicle of practical communication, but as a vehicle of artistic expression. As it is a project for students from different sections, it shall also improve the feeling of belonging not only to EEB1 but to the entire community of European schools.

There will be two modalities, poetry and narrative, and six prizes:

  • A prize for category A in Spanish as L1 from among all the works presented, both poetry and narrative.
  • A prize for category A in Spanish as L3 from among all the works presented, both poetry and narrative.
  • A prize for category B in Spanish as L1 from among all the works presented, both poetry and narrative.
  • A prize for category B in Spanish as L3-L4 from among all the works presented, both poetry and narrative.
  • A prize for the Cen Español category as L1-L2 from among all the works presented, both poetry and narrative.
  • A prize for category C in Spanish as L3-L4-L5 from among all the works presented, both poetry and narrative.

L1= Spanish language and literature as mother tongue.
L2-5= Spanish as a foreign language.

Category A: S1-2-3
Category B: S4-5
Category C: S6-7

School site Uccle | Sections involved All | Levels involved S1-S3, S4-S5, S6-S7
Total project budget 6800 EUR | APEEE contribution 300 EUR
Date of project delivery 15/06/2024 | Status ongoing

Eurosport 2024

Eurosport took place from Wednesday 13 March 2024 until Saturday 16 March 2024 and involved all European Schools and some accredited schools, a total of 20 schools. Each school selected 30 students for the event and 4 coaches. The host school (European School Luxembourg II, Mamer) has chosen as sports: volleyball, football, badminton, aquathlon (running and swimming). This is an official sports event within the European Schools curriculum.

The participation in our school was open to boys and girls from all Sections, ultimately only the most able athletes all-round, 15 boys and 15 girls were selected.

For this event our students wore a team outfit which they then kept as a souvenir. The School already made a very large contribution; the APEEE  provided extra funding to cover this part of the costs.

[caption id="attachment_26602" align="alignnone" width="747"] The EEB1 uniform for Eurosport 2024, co-financed by the APEEE[/caption]

Results of Eurosport 2024

This was truly an exceptional edition.

The EEB1 Team won the football girls and the badminton tournament! They were second in football boys and volleyball boys. So two golden cups next to two silver ones. They also got a price for most valuable player for football girls, Rebecca Maravall, and most valuable player for badminton boys, Sebastian Aamann.

Unfortunately they were ninth in the aquathlon which made them drop in the general ranking from place 1 to place 5 overall.

Nevertheless an excellent Eurosport edition with 4 out of 6 finals!

School site Uccle | Sections involved All | Levels involved S1-S3, S4-S5, S6-S7
Total project budget 8000 EUR | APEEE contribution 1500 EUR
Date of project delivery 15/06/2024 | Status completed

EEB1 Secondary Choir - Golden Voices of Montserrat International Choir Festival and Contest 2024

Aim: to participate in the competition of the Golden Voices of Montserrat International Choir Festival and Contest, which takes place from 7 to 11 April 2024.

Scope: the year-long preparation of a choral repertoire by the EEBI Secondary Choir in order to participate in this Festival (including the Weekend Workshop in Monschau, Germany, 10-12 November 2023).

Methodology: to anticipate and prepare the students for the judging criteria of the Festival Concours as outlined here:

  1. Technical Proficiency: This criterion assesses the quality of performance, pitch accuracy, intonation, diction, rhythmic precision, breath control, and other technical aspects.
  2. Interpretation: It evaluates the choir’s ability to convey emotions and ideas of the musical composition, expressiveness, artistry, depth, and insight into the musical work.
  3. Musicianship: This criterion focuses on the choir’s musical understanding and expressiveness, their ability to work in unity, maintain tempo and dynamics, and use dynamic nuances effectively.
  4. Repertoire: The evaluation includes the selection and diversity of musical repertoire, the complexity of the pieces chosen, and how well the choir adapts to different styles and genres.
  5. Ensemble Interaction: This criterion assesses the unity and coordination of the choir during performance, their ability to listen to each other, synchronize movements, and interact with the conductor.
  6. Accuracy of Interpretation: It evaluates how well the choir follows the provided scores and accurately interprets the musical notations.
  7. Overall Impression: It encompasses the overall assessment of the choir’s performance, their level of professionalism, originality, and uniqueness.

The 70 participating students will represent years S2-S7 and will be drawn from ALL language sections (inc SWALS). In addition to the Festival itself, the participation acts as a year-long catalyst for musical learning and presentation at at least four additional Brussels-based concerts. This extra-curricular activity is a significant contribution to a school curriculum which is otherwise under-representing the performing arts and humanities.

Outcome of the project

The Choir eturned from Spain with great success, winning first prize in the Academic Singing category and second prize in the World Sacred Music category!

Thanks to the financial support of the APEEE, they were able to rent a bus: thanks to this, they attended an unforgettable and very successful concert for students from four Secondary schools at the Conservatorio Municipal de Música de Barcelona, which was one of the highlights of their stay.

A full report of the project can be found here and on the EEB1 School website.

School site Uccle | Sections involved All | Levels involved S2-S7
Total project budget 1500 EUR | APEEE contribution 1100 EUR
Date of project delivery 15/06/2024 | Status completed

EEB1 Symphonic Orchestra concerts in Paris (La Madeleine Church and Bazoches)

EEB1 Symphonic Orchestra Concerts in Paris: La Madeleine Sunday 25 February 2024, preceded by a concert (tbc) the previous day in Jean Monnet House in Bazoches (suburbs of Paris). All information related to the Concert and our orchestra biography is available on line in the Madeleine website.

Transport and accomodation is organised and booked by the Parents Committee.

Children will leave Brussels by coach, from school, early on Saturday morning returning late night on Sunday.

Parents, friends, etc. will be welcome to attend to the concert as well the local Parisian public. Concerts will be free and no reservation will be required. Donations asked in the Madeleine church will be given in full to the parish to help vulnerable.

A series of additional Sunday rehearsals will be organised in the school premises in order to prepare for Paris. This represents a huge opportunity for the Orchestra to act as ambassadors in Paris of the European School of Uccle and the European educational and cultural project.

The finance of the project by the APEEE will help to partially finance the costs of transport and accommodation in Paris as well as related costs.

About the EEB1 Symphonic Orchestra

The Symphonic Orchestra of the European School of Brussels I (EEB1) brings together an eclectic and dynamic group of 64 young musicians aged 10 to 19 from all over the European Union.

The orchestra’s main objectives are to give students the opportunity to make music of a high standard in a genuine orchestra setting, and to encourage an appreciation of classical music. The Orchestra follows closely and promotes the values of respect, solidarity and mutual help as enshrined in the Kiva project endorsed by the School.

The aim is also to have fun and to teach kids the benefits of working and playing as a group, with an emphasis on inclusion and mutual respect.

The orchestra presents several concerts each year, including the Christmas concert, the Spring concert and the End of the Year concert.
The Orchestra enhances and deepens the existing music school programmes.

School site Uccle | Sections involved DE, DA, EN, ES, FR, HU, IT, PL, LV, SK, EL, Other: SWALS, ONL | Levels involved P4-P5, S1-S3, S4-S5, S6-S7
Total project budget 9600 EUR | APEEE contribution 1000 EUR
Date of project delivery 15/06/2024 | Status ongoing

The power of Folk Dance

Folk dances and folk music are an important source of joy, celebration, good mood and movement. In addition they offer multiple benefits supporting physical and mental wellbeing of pupils. Mutual understanding and acknowledgment of each other's cultural value and traditions are all in focus of folk dances.

The goal of our project is to provide an opportunity for Primary pupils of different language sections in P1 to P3 classes, with the help of expert instructors, to get an insight into their own and each other's folk dances and folk music in a playful way.

According to interest, we will distribute the individual classes using a rotation method and will always mix at least two classes from different language sections. For this purpose, from January to the end of June 2024, the school's music room and two folk dance instructors are available 15 times on Mondays between 2:15 p.m. and 3:45 p.m., who would welcome the interested P1-P3 classes in the framework of two 45-minute lessons. The teachers of the given classes would also participate in the supervision of the children and accompany them within the school premises. The planning with the Primary level coordinators is ongoing.

Our instructors, Brigitte Langlois and Veronique Langlois are retired teachers with decades of teaching experience, who know the spirit and abilities of Primary students, and are able to pass their knowledge and skills to children in an interactive way.

Being active dancers and folk dance teachers, they are masters of dances from France, Germany, Hungary, Great Britain, Greece, Denmark, Italy, Romania, Belgium and the Czech Republic.

They are able to teach in French, English and Dutch.

The added value of this project is that it supports children's physical and mental well-being and community building ability. The mixed groups will unite the kids from different nationalities in an inclusive way, sensitising them to each other's culture, similarities and differences. The project supports and complements the educational programme in a playful and joyful way.

 The Power of Folk Dance_short description of the project

School site Berkendael & Uccle | Sections involved All | Levels involved P1-P3
Total project budget 1500 EUR | APEEE contribution 750 EUR
Date of project delivery 15/06/2024 | Status ongoing

Building More Meaningful Connections and Developing Teamwork Skills With The Bridge Theatre

The Bridge Theatre will design and implement 15 tailormade interactive workshops that will enable participating students to connect with each other in a manner that goes beyond the way that is feasible in a normal classroom environment. They will do it through participating in drama exercises in English. A series of 15 classes during different L2 English class times implemented by The Bridge Theatre. Artistic Director Edward McMillan will be in charge of choosing their best fitting professional actors, briefing and preparing them for the specific workshop. He will also be responsible for the quality of the instruction and liaise with project coordinators Heidi and Brendan (who in turn will liaise with the APEEE). The aim of the coordination between Edward and Heidi/Brendan will be to tailor the workshop at hand to the needs of the specific class and also to make sure that feedback on the sessions will be integrated into the conception of future sessions.

School site Berkendael & Uccle | Sections involved DE, DA, EN, ES, FR, HU, IT, PL, LV, SK, EL | Levels involved P4-P5, S1-S3 (P5 L2 English classes and S1 L2 English classes)
Total project budget 1500 EUR | APEEE contribution 1000 EUR
Date of project delivery 15/06/2024 | Status completed

Napping Room

The project of a Napping Room aims for students to have a place to relax during their day at school. As stress and fatigue is an issue for students in the school, the CdE has come up with a project to create a room available for S4567 students where they can lay down and take a rest from their lessons. The room selected for this project is the small class inside the S4567 library. The room would be used as a napping room during periods 1, 8 and 9. The materials needed for the project are: 4 or 5 beanbags, carpet and a screen to hide the beanbags. The room would have a poster put up on the door stating the general rules for the usage of the room. The rules would be implemented by keeping the doors open at all times, as well as punishment (such as banishment from the room or confiscation of the student card). Each student will be obliged to fill out a small form stating what time they came in, as well as what time they came out of the room.

School site Uccle | Sections involved DE, DA, EN, ES, FR, HU, IT, PL, Other: SWALS, ONL | Levels involved S4-S5, S6-S7
Total project budget 1200 EUR | APEEE contribution 950 EUR
Date of project delivery 15/06/2024 | Status ongoing

Un potager à protéger

Nous continuons le projet potager. Il a toujours un fort pouvoir d'attraction auprès des enfants et suscite la curiosité des adultes. Le rond-point est un lieu convivial de rencontre. Les enfants ont d'ailleurs eu l'idée d'aménager au centre du rond-point un cercle de discussion comme un espace classe nature.
Mais nous avons également la visite d'animaux!
Afin qu'il puisse être véritablement un lieu de culture nourricière, il doit donc être protégé du renard et des attaques des corneilles qui déterrent et abiment les plantes. Il est également plus facile de travailler sur des zones délimitées pour les enfants afin de ne pas piétiner et de pouvoir enrichir le sol plus spécifiquement sur ces zones. Il faudrait délimiter des carrées potagers et pouvoir y ajouter des arceaux amovibles recouverts de voile de forçage ou de filets de protection suivant la saison. L'idée de délimitation en osier tissé et d'osier en arceau permettrait de répondre à ces besoins tout en restant naturel.
Les enfants seraient donc amenés à tisser l'osier et à fabriquer eux-mêmes ces dispositifs. Un devis clef en main a été réalisé par une experte en tissage de l'osier.

School site Berkendael | Sections involved DE, EN, ES, FR, HU, IT, LV, SK, EL | Levels involved P1-P3, P4-P5
Total project budget 1479 EUR | APEEE contribution 1479 EUR
Date of project delivery 15/06/2024 | Status ongoing

Last update: 14/05/2024