Friday, October 27, 2017

Hi everyone,

Welcome back - it is wonderful to see everyone so refreshed after the break! We are heading into a very busy couple of weeks so please look out for each other and let us know what you might need in terms of support.

Thank you’s (anyone to thank?  Let Lori or Keryn know)

• All  Curriculum Area Leaders (CALs) who have planned such thoughtful curriculum area meetings this trimester
• Bindu and Anu for all their organisation for our India Month Celebrations
• Amy, Alex, Amritha, Morgen and Megha for their work with the EAP search committee
• Everyone for focusing on report cards!
• Priya V for offering all the VLD support and training sessions

"What Research Says About Teaching Grammar"
Ever wonder what research tells us about teaching grammar? The Atlantic article, The Wrong Way to Teach Grammar points to over a century of research on traditional grammar lessons and what we have learned. This is an equally worthy read for anyone who feels like the grammar police or their victim."

Responsive classrooms

Coming to AISC in February!  Training available for 30 ES faculty. Can all teachers please Click here to take the short survey relating to experience in these approaches.

VLD
After the review of the continuity of instruction plan we want to ensure every teacher is prepared for a VLD.

There are requirements for all teachers that include a video recording to be created on the day

* EY-2, this is a welcome message for children and overview of the day

* Grades 3-5, each lesson should have a video that includes explanation of task and/or instruction

There are two options to learn how to do this; watch a video or attend face-to-face training.

Here is the video that will help you learn the screencastify skill independently. (Other video platforms could also be used but this has found to be straightforward).

After watching, if you now understand how to create and post a video message please change your response on the Unified Classroom Tracker Sheet.

We need your response to be updated and accurate by next Wednesday 1st November.

Anyone indicating they require help after then will need to attend one of the following sessions:

Thursday 2nd - 7:50am - 8:05am

Friday 3rd - 7:50am - 8:05am

Friday 3rd - 3:50pm - 4:05pm

Monday 6th - 3:50pm - 4:05pm

VLD - guidelines and policy can be found here  

Report card information update

New students who have been with us less than a month - joining after the October 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.

PSE Narrative comments - should use the AISC Vision of a learner attributes when applicable, instead of just referencing  the 4C’s.  

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

Sherriden and team are creating a short video for how to upload comments and standard levels into powerschool.  Please look out for this early next week.  Following this video, if you or your team have questions, please invite Priya to a team meeting to go over.

Proof Readers (specialist teachers, divide and send your bullet points by grade to the below proofers)
LSS - Lori

EY3 and 4 - Lori
EY5 - Lori

Grade 1 - Rachael

Grade 2 - Hilary

Grade 3 - Keryn

Grade 4 - Dan

Grade 5 - Alex

Reporting Timeline reminder

Weds 1 November	faculty meeting dedicated to reports; time could be used for entering proficiency levels (MP/B/P/IA) writing narrative comments, or for proofing a colleague’s narratives
By Friday 3rd	Narratives written on google doc and given to proofing buddy in triad/team
Monday 6th EoD	report card narratives (google doc) due to admin for final proofing
Thursday 9th	Admin proof reports  (will return as completed)
Monday 13 Nov	Reports returned to teachers, can begin entering narratives into powerschool
Wednesday 15 Nov	All report information entered into Powerschool
Friday 17  Nov	Reports go live to parents

India Month feedback

Click here to fill in an optional survey from our Indian Studies team about India Month.

Halloween Parade - 31 October (repeat announcement)

Please remind students that they will have the opportunity to change into costumes at some point after lunch (teachers can decide the appropriate time); there is no need to wear costumes to school in the morning.  Please remind your students - no weapons please!

Class parties and the parade are listed on the calendar from 2:00-3:30. Grades will begin their parade at the following times:

9:00     EY3

2:15     EY4 and 5

2:25     1st grade

2:30 3rd grade

2:40     2nd grade

2:55     4th grade

3:05     5th grade

(Changes to this schedule are possible for classes with specials that conflict with these times. Coordinate with your team leader and let Lori know.)

Route (Adults will be handing out candy at each station):

1. ES Office/Counselling Office

2. Cafeteria

3. ES CIC

4. Head of School’s Office

5. Main Reception

6. Nurse’s Office (to be confirmed)

Return to class (please try to go via a route that is not on the parade route if possible).

Kids can change out of costumes or go home wearing them.

Please check your schedules carefully if you have afternoon specials. In some cases, special classes can likely be held (particularly those right after lunch). In some cases, they will need to be cancelled, and specialists should join in on the halloween walk. HR/EAL teachers and specialists can make those decisions on a case-by-case basis.

Head’s Round Table

We will have a Head's Round Table meeting on Tuesday, October 31. If you have any topics that you would like us to discuss, please contact Carl, Fer or Morgen through email or talk to them directly. Thank you.

Overseas Ordering
Grade level leaders and HoDs will be collecting your orders; Calley will collate Math orders for Bridges, and Alex workshop supplies so individual teams do not need to do this (pens and writing folders for EY5-5, Reading and Writing notebooks for Grades 3-5).

Thanks everyone!

Have a great weekend.

Warmly,

Keryn & Lori

Friday, October 13, 2017

Dear all,

A busy quarter and we’ve all made it to the first official break. We hope you are reading this somewhere relaxing! Please enjoy your break. It’s a time to recharge, reconnect and relax! We will be heading into what can seem like the busiest quarter, so switch off and enjoy some much deserved vacation time.

Thank Yous

• Grade 5 CWW chaperones - Vanessa, Elliot, Salome, Jack, Adithya, Carl, Becky and Julia
• Security and lifeguards and drivers who also were a fabulous help on this trip; Lenin, Elumalai, Lawrence, Srinivasan, Mani and Kumaresan.
• Ross and Marcus would love to thank Uma for her warm, positive attitude that she brings to her work each and every day.
• Grade 4: A warm welcome from the Grade 4 team to Fiona, who has made a smooth and seamless transition into the team!
• Karen for stepping full time into the Grade 5 co-teaching role and being flexible with all the changes this year
• Julia and Becky for being so adaptable with changing triad configurations
• All our newbies who have made it to the first quarter - thank you!  Your contributions to AISC Elementary are so appreciated already

Thank Yous from Anu and Bindu

• EY-Grade 2 teachers and TAs for their support, flexibility and cooperation during today’s India Month Assembly; especially keeping the students calm and quiet backstage.
• EY3 and EY4 team for teaching the students their song and dance.
• Preethi, Evelyn and Chandra for teaching the spectacular dances.
• Joseph for decorating the ES with lovely thoramans and Clinton for volunteering to distribute programs.
• Shannon for photographs, Vijay and Thyagu for sound and lights.

Change of Personnel

We welcome Fiona Babu to work in Grade 4 as an EAL co-teacher with Marcus and Ross. (Anita Gregor will be moving to teach the World Language English programme). Fiona comes from England, and moved to India 8 years ago.  She has two daughters, Babeena and Reena, and has a wide range of Elementary teaching experience from homeroom teaching to working with children with learning needs.  Please be sure to welcome Ms Fiona to our Elementary learning community!

TGIF date - Friday 17 November - more information coming soon!

Elementary Associate Principal
The search team to replace Lori is developing a rubric to assess potential candidates against. They would like your input into the types of qualities we are looking for in our next Associate Principal.  Please enter any thoughts under 3 questions in this document.

Meet AISC - Captain Thomas - Head of Security

Captain Thomas joined AISC 8 years ago after retiring from the Indian Army, which he had served in for 32 years. He is very excited about the work he does because the school is very supportive and has an amazing environment. He enjoys the respect and thanks he received from the students and teachers. Captain Thomas has fought in wars on behalf of our country at Sri Lanka, Siachen Glacier, and Kargil. He would like to share that he has been rated an A+ student in all of his courses in the Armed forces. His proudest moments were when he and the team were congratulated for protecting the school during the Chennai Floods, the death of our ex-chief minister, Cyclone Vardah, and the Jallikattu. If Capt. Thomas could trade lives with a person for 24 hours, it would be Karna from Mahabharata. He would like to proclaim to the world about the great leader’s generosity. Captain Thomas is very proud of his job and he says cannot thank the school enough for giving him this opportunity.

Global Leaders in Education Network (GLEN) Visits AISC - Friday 27th October

GLEN is a group of 25 Indian-based educators that have been looking at innovative educational practice around the world. They've already visited Finland and Singapore, and now they are coming to AISC to learn about our mission, futures planning, parent engagement, curriculum and technology innovation, professional learning, instruction and assessment, and student engagement. They will be spending Friday, October 27 at AISC.

Faculty are welcome to engage with them in two different ways. All faculty are invited to the meet with the GLEN team from 8:00-8:30am in the Unity Courtyard. Faculty are also welcome to attend a panel discussion led by the GLEN educators where they share what they have learned in their travels about education. This panel discussion is from 1:15-2:15i in the Madras Hall.

Report Cards
Style guide - attached this time!

Please remember that you are reporting on this snapshot of time of the child’s success. It is important for grade levels to talk about what is expected at the end of trimester one; not the end of the year.  

Halloween Celebrations on October 31

Please remind students that they will have the opportunity to change into costumes at some point after lunch (teachers can decide the appropriate time); there is no need to wear costumes to school in the morning.  Please remind your students - no weapons please!

Class parties and the parade are listed on the calendar from 2:00-3:30. Grades will begin their parade at the following times:

9:00     EY3

2:15     EY4 and 5

2:25     1st grade

2:30 3rd grade

2:40     2nd grade

2:55     4th grade

3:05     5th grade

(Changes to this schedule are possible for classes with specials that conflict with these times. Coordinate with your team leader and let Lori know.)

Route (Adults will be handing out candy at each station):

1. ES Office/Counselling Office

2. Cafeteria

3. ES CIC

4. Head of School’s Office

5. Main Reception

6. Nurse’s Office (to be confirmed)

Return to class (please try to go via a route that is not on the parade route if possible).

Kids can change out of costumes or go home wearing them.

Please check your schedules carefully if you have afternoon specials. In some cases, special classes can likely be held (particularly those right after lunch). In some cases, they will need to be cancelled, and specialists should join in on the halloween walk. HR/EAL teachers and specialists can make those decisions on a case-by-case basis.

Note for classes that meet with Bindu for Indian Studies:

Please note that students need to meet at the following locations for Indian Studies classes when we return from break. TAs need to be present during this time to support.

• Monday - Thursday: Madras Hall
• Frida: Hall of lights

Students will participate in yoga during this week and are encouraged to wear comfortable clothes. Yoga mats will be provided.

India Month Lunch

The school will provide a free Indian lunch for all faculty and students on Friday 27th October as part of the India Month celebration.

Other lunch options will not be available, so if you do not want to have this meal kindly bring lunch from home or purchase from the i-Hub. Faculty Lunch will be served in the FAC Cafeteria from 11.30 to 13.15 Hrs.

Fourth and fifth grade teachers - Please let your students know that MS and HS will be on an alternate schedule that day and all three sections will overlap in the FAC cafeteria. Extra seating will be arranged.

Family Math Mornings

Coming up in November we have scheduled Family Math mornings as a way for parents to better understand our math programs. The structure of these will start with Calley explaining some core fluencies etc for each grade in a parent-coffee style presentation. Then parents will join with their children in class to explore a math engagement together. Dates for this are on the community calendar:

• EY5 and Grade 1 - Wednesday 8 November
• Grade 4 and 5 - Thursday 9 November
• Grade 2 and 3 - Friday 10 November

For this week's Coaches Corner, Rachael sends you on your way to Fall Break with a few of her favorite sites to peruse--

https://4-24project.org/- The 4-24 Project is committed to inspiring leaders to set aside 4 minutes every 24 hours (totaling one full day each year) to ask better questions.  

https://littlealchemy.com/   Explore earth, fire, water, and air. Mix, build, and see what happens.

http://en.akinator.com/personnages/  An oldie, but goodie.  Think of any character in the entire world and the genie will ask you yes/no questions and guess your character.  It works.    

https://www.thefactsite.com/ Lists of facts and such about lots of things.  

Have a wonderful break and Safe Travels!

Keryn & Lori

Friday, October 06, 2016

Dear all,

Busy week with a colourful India Month opening assembly to top it off! Thanks Bindu, Anu and many others listed below who helped make this event come to life. Big Bad Blue swim meet is this afternoon and all day tomorrow - 5 Elementary swimmers are competing and it would be great if you can come out or stop by to help cheer them along!

Next week 5th grade are out on their Classroom Without Walls trip to Pondicherry.  

• 5EF/5VL are out Mon-Wed (Keryn, Jack, Salome, Vanessa and Elliot as chaperones)
• 5BT/5JD are out Wed - Fri (Lori, Carl, Becky, Julia and Adithya as chaperones)

Linda will be around on Wednesday if you need anything when Lori and Keryn are crossing over in Pondicherry.

Thank you’s

• Preetika who has helped to cover during both math training and World Language blocks. Thanks for all your hard work! (from Tiffany).
• Thank you to Mr.Joseph for demonstrating and teaching the third graders to make kolams using wet rice flour.  (from Bindu)
• All the teachers who were amazing risk takers and models of learning in the teacher dance today!  
• Amy, Sweety and Steffi who were all modelling writing in 1AS during workshop time!  Fantastic.
• All the teachers and TAs for their support and cooperation during today’s India Month Assembly; especially keeping the students calm and quiet backstage.
• Nichelle, Preethika, Bindu, Uma and Chandra for teaching the spectacular dances, and Priya for the Grade 5 skit
• Sarah, Vasanth and Finny for teaching the students their songs.
• Joseph for decorating the ES with lovely thoramans and Ken, Dee and Clinton for volunteering to distribute programs.
• Shannon for photographs, Vijay and Thyagu for sound and lights.
• 1st grade team would like to thank Rachael for her AWESOME First Grade Light and Sound Exploratorium!

Meet AISC - Lakshmi Jayakumar - Early Years Teaching Assistant

Lakshmi grew up in Kodaikanal where she completed her schooling and bachelor degree. A life long learner, Lakshmi is currently completing her Phd., in English on the topic "Denial of Self: A study with special reference to the work of selected diasporic women writers". Impressive!  Lakshmi has worked as a middle school teacher for 5 years before becoming a teacher assistant at AISC. She has also worked in two International schools in Dubai. Lakshmi is very proud to say " I am an Indian". If Lakshmi had a superpower it would be to make people have the smile on their lips because smile speaks powerful language out without having to convey using words. Lakshmi believes that this is language which everyone can understand!

Style guide and proofers for Trimester 1 report cards

• Please read the style guide here, if you have any questions, please ask the coach/admin who is proofing your report.
• EAL and homeroom teachers should work to co-assess and write report comments
• All specialist areas will have bullet point comments this year
• All narratives/bullet points should be sent via google doc to the correct proof reader by the dates on the timeline below.  
• Narratives/bullet points are always accepted earlier

Proof Readers
EY3 and 4 - Lori
EY5 - Lori

Grade 1 - Rachael

Grade 2 - Hilary

Grade 3 - Keryn - Homeroom/Lori - Specialist

Grade 4 - Dan

Grade 5 - Keryn

Reporting Timeline

We will have another work session on SBAR, on Wednesday October 11. We are updating the style guide and will get that to you next week.

Weds 1 November	faculty meeting dedicated to reports; time could be used for entering proficiency levels (MP/B/P/IA) writing narrative comments, or for proofing a colleague’s narratives
By Friday 3rd	Narratives written on google doc and given to proofing buddy in triad/team
Monday 6th EoD	report card narratives (google doc) due to admin for final proofing
Thursday 9th	Admin proof reports  (will return as completed)
Monday 13 Nov	Reports returned to teachers, can begin entering narratives into powerschool
Wednesday 15 Nov	All report information entered into Powerschool
Friday 17  Nov	Reports go live to parents

Co-Teaching Survey
Survey’s will be returned to each teacher in Grades 1-4 who took the survey. Please find time in an upcoming triad meeting to review these and build on existing practices and norms to further enhance co-teaching and the learning opportunities for students.

Associate Principal Search Team

Thanks to Amy, Alex, Amritha, Morgen and Megha who will be forming as a Search Committee to help process applications for the Associate Principal position. We will keep you posted of progress, as well as seek input into questions as we get underway.

News from 3612
Supporting students in Workshop

Looking for more ways in which you can support your students during reading and writing workshop? Here is a great resource for supporting all learners including English Language Learners. The first 23 pages for all grade levels are identical and a must read for anyone teaching workshop at AISC. This portion includes an overview for supporting ELLs during workshop as well as an English Language Development toolkit.

Personnel Change
We welcome Fiona Babu on board as of next Monday to fill our open Associate Teacher position. Fiona will be co-teaching in 4th Grade with Ross and Marcus. Karen will continue her 5th Grade co-teaching role, and Anita will move to teaching the World Language programme.  

Have a fabulous weekend everyone!

Keryn & Lori