Dear all,
What a start! There definitely is something special about ‘firsts’ and joining the AISC community this year is no different. I am genuinely excited to be working with you all this year and know that we will have a successful and fun year together - permission granted!
Thank you for welcoming me, along with Rachael, Amy, Nicole, John, Leontheen and Farhana so warmly into the school. I’m sure I speak on behalf of us all when I say that the genuine welcomes have been so appreciated.
Weekly Notes
Consistent with Alan and Joelle, I will be sending out my weekly faculty notes on a blog this year. I will aim to get these out to you Friday afternoon before the upcoming week. Please take the time to read these as they really will contain important information items and reminders.
If any of you have items you would like included, please let me know by Friday a.m at the latest.
Section Meeting
The Wednesday meeting schedule will be published soon once Dan, Alan, Joelle and I have a chance to meet to confirm this.
There is a slot reserved next Wednesday 3 August from 2-3pm should we need to meet as a section. This will be confirmed early next week.
Thank you’s
A big thank you to Anna, Karen, Megha, Lauren, Jet, Lori & Kristie for running our informative and helpful Adaptive Schools sessions this week.
Also, a huge thank you to Lori - I personally would not have got through this week without all your help and support - and I know many of us are feeling the same way too.
Thank you Hazel and Cheryl for all the behind the scenes organization too - this week has definitely gotten off to a smooth start because of you two.
TGIF
The wonderful tradition of these WILL continue this year - watch this space for more info & dates.
New Student Orientation: Wednesday, August 3rd
TAs, please place yourselves near the entrances to guide new families to classrooms upon arrival. New parents will take their children to classrooms between 11:00 and 11:15.
The parent session in the cafeteria will run from 11:15 to 11:45.
At 11:45, students can be brought to the cafeteria to be reunited with their parents. Each teacher is responsible for taking his/her own students.
First Day of School
PK, KG and Grade 1 - continue to receive children in the classroom when the bell rings.
Grade 3 - continue to pick-up children at the base of the stairs
Grade 2, 4 and 5 - pick children up in the covered area.
Please can all Grade 2-5 teachers come down to the pick-up area a few minutes prior to the 8:25 bell on Thursday and stand at your pick-up point.
Hazel and Cheryl will give you a sign with your name so that new students can identify you.
At the end of the day, please return students to the same point and hand-over to students to parents. TAs please escort the remaining students to the nanny/driver pick-up point beyond the turnstiles in front of the Elementary Reception.
Duties
This year to avoid the lengthy lottery process, Lori will be devising a fair and equitable duty schedule that has everyone assigned an area for their supervision duty. If you really feel compelled to change this, please see Lori directly to inquire into the option of swapping. TA duties will be determined immediately following Monday morning’s sectional meeting on “Protocols and Practices”; see Lori as the meeting is wrapping up.
Personal Leave
Please be reminded that personal leave can be granted for up to 3 days, and can be used for
- Required religious holidays
- Immigration and customs department appointments
- Personal business that cannot be scheduled after school hours
- Legal court appointments
- For other reasons at the Head of School’s discretion.
In keeping with the MS and HS, if you need to leave campus for up to 90 mins (prep block) you do not have to apply for ½ day leave, although I do need to know you will be doing this. This is very important in case of an emergency drill. If you cannot find me in person, please ensure you send an email and cc Hazel/Cheryl too. As with last year, if you regularly leave campus during the day, you may be called upon to do an extra recess duties as needed.
Anything longer than 90 mins needs to be applied for, and will count as ½ day leave.
Assemblies
We will be having a far more regular assembly schedule this week - some whole school, some upper/lower grade levels and some grade level specific. Ron & Meg will be helping coordinate these (thank you both) so look out for a schedule coming your way soon.
Welcome Back Assembly: Friday, August 5th
This coming Friday morning in the theater. All students should be seated by 8:45 - no water bottles, coffee cups and food please.
I will introduce new teachers and TAs, and ask new students to stand to be acknowledged.
Teacher Absence and Substitute Lesson Plans
It is the responsibility of each teacher to inform Hazel regarding an absence. Please call her in the morning before 7 a.m. Lesson plans then need to be emailed by 8am.
If you know that you will not be in the following day, you need to submit your lesson plans by email to Hazel before 4:30 pm.
If you know that you will not be in the following day, you need to submit your lesson plans by email to Hazel before 4:30 pm.
The expectation is that children will be engaged in meaningful and productive work throughout the day to continue their learning. Ms. Valar will be our permanent sub again.
A daily email from Hazel or Cheryl listing will list daily absences. This allows homeroom teachers to inform kids if their specialist teacher may be away.
Morning Attendance
Please enter your attendance into Skyward no later than 8.45 am each morning. Hazel and Cheryl will begin calling each absent student’s parents beginning at 9.
Phew - thank you for staying with me to the end of this, I know there was a lot of information to digest. As always, any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask!
Here’s to a great year together.
Warmly,
Here’s to a great year together.
Warmly,
Keryn
