Thursday, January 25, 2018

Dear all,

Happy long weekend!  Enjoy the extra day Friday and travel safe for all those travelling.

Thank You’s (don’t forget to let us know if you’d like to acknowledge someone here!) 

• To Sherene from Sharon: I would like to thank Ms. Sherene for her dedication, compassion, sincerity, cooperation, and positive and pleasant attitude in her tenure (5 years) with me. I am so grateful for all she has been and done, and I wish her all the very best as she moves on to being the new admin assistant for the Office of Advancement.
• Deepa, and the Grade 2 team; Becky and the Grade 5 team, Rachael and Alex for being so open to let the NGO educators observe a planning meeting - they were impressed!
• Rachael, Karen and Alex for their thoughtful participation in Cognitive Coaching last weekend - through Tuesday.

Congrats to Lakshmi & Javed - their baby girl was born on 13th January.

 

Faculty Update

• Congratulations also to Uma, who has accepted our WL EAL teaching position for next year!
• Ken will be out from Monday afternoon for the next couple of weeks as he recovers from knee surgery. Clinton and Priya will be working together to cover Ken’s art classes.

Tutoring Meeting

Anyone, teacher or TA who is involved in any tutoring relationship on or off campus must come to a meeting next Monday 29 January in the BBT at 3:30pm

This pertains to:

-  Tutoring AISC students or adults on campus
-  Tutoring AISC students or adults off campus/at home/another venue
-  Tutoring non AISC students or adults on campus
-  Tutoring non AISC students or adults off campus/at home/another venue
Please pass this message on to ensure every Elementary TA and teacher is aware of this meeting and able to attend.

Responsive Classroom - Feb 5 to 8

In addition to coverage, a (reasonably final) specials schedule can be found here. Homerooms should read across the columns to see which teacher their students go to each day. Specialists should read down the rows to find their names. See Lori with any questions.

Some miscellaneous notes about the week:

•  If your class misses their library period, you can coordinate with Teena and Jet to take them down for a book exchange (note that both Teena and Jet are covering classes for that week, so you’ll have to coordinate a time that Sarat can help with the book exchange).
• Third grade will not have world language. Fourth and fifth grade will; Jet will be teaching French. TAs who are covering homerooms will have their WL English classes covered by either Sarah or Teena.
• A new duty schedule for Feb 5-8 is still to be created - watch for that next week.
• Friday will follow a regular schedule for everyone!  Phew!

TA Evaluations

A reminder that TA evaluations are due to the ES office no later than 9am on February 2nd. Directions can be found in last week’s blog, and here’s the link for your convenience.

Field Day reminders - from the PE team

A reminder of the Field Days taking place on

• January 31st 10:15-12:15 (Grade 2 & 3),
• February 1st 10:30-12:30 (Grade 4 & 5)
• February 2nd 10:15-11:35 (EY3-Grade 1).  *Ending a few minutes earlier than planned so children can change out of wet swimsuits before lunch.

v  PE classes before and during these field days are cancelled. (If this affects a planning meeting, please work within your teams with TAs and ask TAs to provide cover). 

v  All afternoon PE classes will continue as normal.

If your class has a specialist lesson during Field Day, please communicate with Specialist teacher and decide whether to reschedule the class or to have the Specials teacher take on your responsibility at Field Day.

Homeroom teachers: please make an Edmodo post reminder to wear swim gear for Field Days, and to bring an extra set of clothing to change into. Parents can be encouraged to come watch or help out. 

Field Day T- shirts

We will send the field day T-shirts to the classrooms on Monday. All students and teachers will receive a t-shirt. Generic sizes were ordered for students; they can take an appropriate size. Please distribute to students only on the morning of their Field Day and not earlier, as we may not have enough extras if they forget to wear it on that day. Boys should wear swim trunks and their t-shirts. Girls should wear swim suits under shorts and the t-shirt. Specialists you are welcome to come on Tuesday and take a T- shirt.

Expectations of working with coaches (repeat link) - this document here adds greater clarity to the role of coaches, and what the expectations are of planning meetings when working with coaches.

Emergency drill - code blue - Thursday 8 February

There will be a code blue emergency drill at 1:45 pm on Thursday 8th February.  This is not likely to affect classes as it is a localised emergency, involving security and pertinent personnel.  No alarms will sound, no evacuation or response required.

Meet AISC - Carl Knudsen - Elementary Design Studio Teacher

Originally hailing from Denmark, Carl is in his fourth year at AISC, and is joined here by his wife, Lori Newman, and his two sons Jakob and Ben.  Carl loves ‘creating stuff with kids!’ and also chocolate. When Carl immigrated to Canada, he travelled by ship across the north Atlantic and the ship hit an iceberg! Sadly, his parents lost most of their possessions as the hold carrying their belongings was flooded. Carl would love to have super vision as a super power.  Carl is leaving AISC at the end of this academic year to move to Tunis where he will be an Elementary Art teacher and also work to set up their Design Studio.

Report card information update (repeat announcement)

This time is coming up again soon - the style guide has been updated, please everyone read thoroughly.

New students who have been with us less than a month - joining after the winter break do not receive a full report card.  Please instead write an introductory welcome to school type overview with a transition/settling in comment.  This can go on a google doc, be shared with Hazel/Cheryl to be put on AISC letterhead, and uploaded into powerschool.

Any students who withdrew from school over the break also do not receive a report card.

                                                          

PSE Narrative comments - should use the AISC Vision of a learner attributes

Specialist teachers - 3 bullet points per student.  2 areas of success and 1 growth area.

Proof Readers (** specialist teachers please share comments with all proofers listed below)

LSS - Lori

EY3, 4 & 5- Lori

Grade 1 - Rachael

Grade 2 - Hilary

Grade 3 - Keryn

Grade 4 - Dan

Grade 5 - Alex

Reporting Timeline

Wednesday 14 Feb	Faculty meeting time dedicated to writing/proofing report cards
Thursday 15 Feb	Report card comments due to colleague proofreader
Tuesday 20 Feb (9am)	Report card narratives (google doc) due to admin for final proofing
Monday 26 Feb (9am)	All reports returned to teachers. Can begin entering narratives into powerschool
Wednesday 28 Feb (EoD)	All report information comments and level indicators into Powerschool
Friday 2 March (EoD)	Reports go live to parents

Teachers needed for library display

The library is creating a special bulletin board and display on staff members' favorite books! We think this will be a great way to promote reading and also help students learn about different teachers they may not already know. Maybe some students will even have the same favorite book as you! Would you as a staff member be interested in having your photo taken with your favorite book to help with our display? If so, please fill out this very shortGoogle Doc (name, favorite book, author).

Have a wonderful long weekend!

Warmly,

Keryn & Lori

Friday, January 19, 2018

Dear Faculty,

A great first week back - Lori and I have been in many classrooms and have seen wonderful planned lessons with children already very engaged and striving towards the high expectations set. Thank you everyone! It has been a great week catching up and hearing all the stories of the fun adventures everyone had over the break.

This week’s blog contains a lot of important information, so settle in with a beverage of your choice….

Staffing Updates

• With Lakshmi on maternity leave, Ms. Gayathri has taken the TA position in EY5 JR.
• Welcome Ms. Raji to AISC who is working with Tomas.
• We also welcome Ms. Sowmiya to EY4 SP who is taking over for the year from Sherene. As of January 29th, Sherene will be the new admin assistant for the Office of Advancement. Sherene, we wish you good luck!

Thank you

• To everyone with your flexibility with today’s indoor recesses, especially the PE team who moved hoop building, the electric maze, parachutes and jump ropes into the atrium.

Cognitive Coaching

Keryn, Rachael, Alex and Karen will be out (although on campus) on Monday and Tuesday in part two of the Cognitive Coaching course. Lori, Hilary and the counselors will be holding down the fort.

Visiting NGO educators
Next Thursday 25 January, we have 6-7 visiting NGO teachers. They will be popping in to observe a few classrooms during the following times:

10:50 - 11:15 - EY5, Grade 2, Grade 3

11:15 - 12:00 - Grade 4, Grade 5

You may have 1/2 visitors at this time. They will pop in to observe our kids in action and also how an inquiry environment is set up. Thank you in advance for welcoming these visitors.

Report card information update

This time is coming up again soon - the style guide has been updated, please everyone read thoroughly.

New students who have been with us less than a month - joining after the winter break do not receive a full report card. Please instead write an introductory welcome to school type overview with a transition/settling in comment. This can go on a google doc, be shared with Hazel/Padmapriya to be put on AISC letterhead, and uploaded into Powerschool.

Any students who withdrew from school over the break also do not receive a report card.

PSE Narrative comments - should use the AISC Vision of a learner attributes. Specialist teachers - 3 bullet points per student.  2 areas of success and 1 growth area.

Proof Readers (** specialist teachers please share comments with all proofers listed below)

LSS - Lori

EY3, 4 & 5- Lori

Grade 1 - Rachael

Grade 2 - Hilary

Grade 3 - Keryn

Grade 4 - Dan

Grade 5 - Alex

Reporting Timeline

Wednesday 14 Feb	Faculty meeting time dedicated to writing/proofing report cards
Thursday 15 Feb	Report card comments due to colleague proofreader
Tuesday 20 Feb (9am)	Report card narratives (google doc) due to admin for final proofing
Monday 26 Feb (9am)	All reports returned to teachers. Can begin entering narratives into powerschool
Wednesday 28 Feb (EoD)	All report information comments and level indicators into Powerschool
Friday 2 March (EoD)	Reports go live to parents

Responsive Classroom, February 5-8

Here is the list of participants with our current thinking about who can cover the homeroom classes. HR, EAL teachers and TAs not listed will continue in current roles. As we won’t be able to provide subs to cover specialist classes, an entirely new specials schedule will be created just for that week. Each class of students will get one 60 minute block of specials each day. Look for that schedule next week.

And from the library...

Responsive Classroom is coming! Please note that we have a few of their resources in the CIC. If you would like to view what we have, please click here. Please let us know if you need any assistance in finding them. Here to help!

Thanks, Jet

Field Days - from the PE team

We are excited to say that Field Days are coming up!  They will be taking place on

• January 31st 10:15-12:15 (Grade 2 & 3)
• February 1st 10:30-12:30 (Grade 4 & 5)
• February 2nd 10:15-11:45 (EY3-Grade 1)  

When signing up for your Field Day Responsibility, it may be beneficial to view the Field Day Agenda and Activity Descriptions and then sign up via this link.  

All homeroom teachers, EAL teachers, and teacher assistants need to sign up. (specialists, see below)

Once everyone has signed up, in depth instructions for each particular activity and its location will be sent out.

If you are supposed to have a Specials class during Field Day, you need to communicate with that Specials teacher and decide whether to reschedule the class or to have the Specials teacher take on your responsibility at Field Day for that time. Or you could both come participate in the fun :). If you do decide to have a Specials teacher take on your Field Day responsibility, please let us know prior to the day, and indicate this on the sign-up sheet.

** All teachers should be signed up for Field Day by the end of the day Thursday, January 25th.

Please remind your students and their parents that the students will be getting wet on Field Day and should wear swim gear on that particular day. They should also bring an extra set of clothing to change into after. Parents can be encouraged to come watch or help out. Please contact us with any questions you or they might have about this.  

Thanks so much,  ES PE Team

Expectations of working with coaches - this document here adds greater clarity to the role of coaches, and what the expectations are of planning meetings when working with coaches.

Bill Harley Comes to AISC

Bill Harley, a two-time Grammy award-winning artist and an NPR commentator is coming to AISC. Two years ago the Visiting Experts committee gathered nominations for people to come. Bill Harley was a unanimous choice as he is a singer, storyteller, and author with the Elementary School as his main audience. His music is fun and great for little kids as he does hand motions with the songs, and his books are great for older ES.

He is coming February 12-15. He is able to do:

• Music and Story Assembly- 45 minutes. Separate ones for EY-Grade 2 and Grades 3-5.

• Workshops - 40 mins -  Grades 3-5 ‘Telling Stories – the pictures in your head’: Brain science shows how strong oral skills provide a clear pathway to literacy. In these workshops, basics of storytelling are explored through examples. Teachers will learn some simple techniques to continue exploring the world of story as a way to increase students’ confidence and their oral and literary fluency.
  MAX 40 students for each session.

• Kids can read his books and do A Closer Look: A participatory, animated classroom workshop about the nitty-gritty aspects of Bill’s work as an author using one of his books as an example (to be read by the class in advance). Workshop encourages and supports young writers (and teachers). Questions from students will be an important guide for this session.
  MAX 40 students for each session. These can last 30-45 minutes.

There will also be a family concert for all, mostly likely on Tuesday, February 13 after school. Logistics are still being sorted.

Let Kirsten know if you and your class would like to be part of his visit, and she will create his schedule.

TA Evaluations

Sometime in the next two weeks, teachers and TAs should find time to discuss and complete the TA Feedback Form. TAs are evaluated in the areas of Professional Behavior, Rapport with Students, Social Behavioral Support, Instructional Support & Non Instructional Support. Our TAs hold a variety of responsibilities, many of which differ depending on their job assignments. Any of the indicators that do not apply can be marked as not applicable.

TA standards and the feedback form can be found here. The form can be printed and completed by hand, or an electronic copy can be made, completed, then printed so that appropriate signatures can be added. Either way, a signed and completed paper version should be turned in to Lori by 9am Friday, February 2nd.

See Lori with any other questions about the process.

Message from the Discovery Studios

Happy New Year and welcome back to school. Just a quick reminder that the Discovery Studios are open for business and ready to help you in any way we can with any design projects or challenges.  Just drop by, catch us in the hallway or send Dilip and I an email with your ideas and we will do our best to make them happen.

Just a couple quick reminders:

Please don't forget to use use my calendar to book the Discovery Studios before you arrive so we can make sure we are there to help you with what you are doing.

Secondly, please remind students in Grade 4 and 5 that the Discovery Studios are open for lunch recess on Tuesdays and Thursdays unless the studios are booked by another class.

Have a great second half of the year. Carl and Dilip

Calling ALL Student performers!

Do you know a group of students who can sing, dance, juggle, play an instrument, read poetry, or any other special performance talent?

There is an excellent opportunity to share talent with educators from every continent (except Antarctica) for the ECIS Library Conference Feb 16th + 17th.

This performance is open to any age level and any type of performance. Can be done in groups with friends or solo.

If you’re willing to oversee a group of students, take a deep breath and send an email to Jason Kennedy. You can do it!

Have a great weekend - enjoy Cognitive Coaching for those doing that here this weekend!

Warmly,

Keryn & Lori

Sunday, January 14, 2018

Dear Faculty,

Happy New Year! Welcome back to 2018 for a fun filled second half of the year in Elementary. There is a lot of information below, please take the time to read this before school begins tomorrow.

Why Argue? By Mary Ehrenworth

"There has never been a more important time to teach young people to suspend judgement, weigh evidence, consider multiple perspectives, and speak up with wisdom and grace on behalf of themselves and other." Interested? Read the rest of Mary Ehrenworth's article to learn strategies for teaching argumentation and the rationale for intentionally including argument into the TCRWP Units of Study.

ES Admin Support

From January onwards, Padma Priya will be working together with Hazel in the ES Principals office, and Cheryl will be in the Counselor's office. They will retain many of their existing roles, whilst flexibly learning new responsibilities too. 

·      Duties

If you are on PD, or a known absence such as a FRRO trip or personal leave, please swap your duty in advance or arrange to have it covered. We are only covering duties in case of sudden absence. 

·      Attendance

Please mark attendance before 8:45 each day. If you are unable to access Powerschool, let the office know about your absentees.

#AdoptaGarden project

9 classes have signed up for this, in addition to John’s garden club, so we are ready to get growing.

Kay, Morgen, Kristina, Fer, Ula, Megha, Julia, Janna and John have all got a garden bed for their class! Only 1 or 2 left - let me know if you want them. We’ll let you know when Priya, our garden expert, confirms to come in and run a teacher orientation session.

PAY IT FORWARD - Social Buddies (repeat announcement)

We need faculty to act as Social Buddies for incoming staff next year. Interested in Paying it Forward? We are seeking faculty who are willing to be a "buddy" to one of next year's new hires.

What does being a social buddy entail?

Buddy 'duty' would begin on Saturday, July 28th.

Duties include:

·   Corresponding with their assigned new teacher once assigned (before the end of the school year).

·   Offering to Skype/email over the summer to answer last minute questions and give packing tips.

·   Attend parts of the last few days of New Teacher Orientation specifically:

- Lunch and local shopping trip followed by dinner at Andrew’s (Sat, 7/28)

- Coordinating individual shopping trips to Phoenix Mall and/or other places (Sun, 7/29)

- Helping to coordinate dinner delivery (if desired) on days when group dinners are not provided (Mon/Tues, 7/30 &31; 8/1)

·   Act as the new teacher’s “go-to” person for non-academic matters throughout the year.

While there is no compensation for coming forward to be a buddy, you will receive the unending thanks of the new person (or people) you befriend and our eternal gratitude! Of course it goes without saying that your meals are covered on the four days of New Teacher Orientation AND you are invited to attend all Newbie social events!

Another way to help is to offer to "host" an activity of your choice for the new hires during the first couple of months. Some examples might be to show them the best restaurants, natural foods stores, activities for small children, or book stores.

                               PLEASEVISIT THIS LINK TO SUPPORT NEW HIRES

HoD

As you know, for ES, HODs act as team leads in for our specialist subjects. HoDs serve for two years and, then, the position is opened for application.  

To that end, should you be interested in serving as HOD of any of the below departments after reading this job description kindly email your principal no later than January 25th.

Interviews will be completed in late January with new HOD appointments announced in early February. Please note that HODs return to school two working days before returning teachers (30th July). Please factor this date into your summer ticket plans should you wish to apply for the position.

Open positions for 2018/19 - 2019/20 term:

Counseling (EY-12)

Learning Support (EY-12)

PE (EY-12)

This link is the JD for this leadership role.

See you all tomorrow!

Warmly,

Keryn & Lori