Thursday, February 21, 2019

Dear Faculty,

Greetings on this Super Thursday! We hope you will all enjoy the rest and rejuvenation of a three-day weekend after a big week of field trips and author visits in the elementary school.  

In the next few weeks, we will be ramping up to Student Led Conferences and continue progress on our goal of using data to tell our students’ growth stories. Please take a careful look at the timeline and expectations for SLCs, since a good bit of parent communication and coordination will be required for smooth conferences.  

Thank yous

• Ms. Anita would like to thank Clinton, Valar and our AISC Intern, Shri, for helping prepare student artwork for the Upper ES Art Exhibit.
• Thank you to Jen Cypra for your hard work on developing the Grades 2 - 5 Math STEM projects.
• Mr. Ross says, “Thank you to the grade four teachers for being committed to our students over the past couple of busy weeks. Your flexibility and collaboration as a team are appreciated!”
• Thank you all of the G3 - G5 TAs for helping students complete the student-teacher feedback survey during specials! Thank you also to all teachers for supporting this opportunity for students to give feedback!
• Thank you from Calley to Megha, Angie & Barb, Marea, Vanessa and Bindu for inviting me to do some targeted math instructional coaching. We worked on Number Talks notation, differentiating using Bridges resources and re-thinking our math workshop behaviors. What math coaching might suit YOUR needs?

 Upcoming Week at a Glance

Monday 25 Feb	8:10 - Vision Project Launch Breakfast (expected for all 3-5 faculty; anyone else welcome!) WRAP Testing 3-5 ASA Season III Begins
Tuesday 26 February	WRAP Testing 3-5  Student Feedback - Makeup for absentees (please send students to the CIC at 11:00 am)
Wednesday 27 Feb	Faculty Meeting 3:45 p.m - focus on SLC and guiding students to share their own growth stories (ES Cafeteria) WRAP Testing 3-5
Thursday 28 Feb	WRAP Testing 3-5 All School Concert 4:30 pm
Friday 1 March	EY5-G5 Learning Celebration 2:45 pm FAC Theater

Vision Inspiration Projects Launch

If you are not a specialist teacher, you might be wondering about Vision Projects. What are they? Who will be involved? Read more to find out and come to our breakfast next Monday morning; 8:10 a.m in the Design Studio. This is on the calendar for all Grade 3, 4 and 5 faculty, however, others are welcome too!

Overview

Directed by our strategic pathway around ‘learning and innovation in the system where “AISC implements innovative learning experiences incorporating the inquiry framework and transdisciplinary skills, and alternative schedules to engage the vision of the AISC learner,” we have designed vision projects to be implemented for Grades 3-5 next academic year.

AIMS

• To engage AISC students in the development of the attributes from the Vision for an AISC Learner through a transdisciplinary, multi-age, immersive learning opportunity

 RATIONALE

• Aligned with our AISC mission, these projects offer opportunities for students to apply academic skills along with communication, self-management, social, thinking and research skills, through alternate schedules outside of the four walls of the classroom.
• The aims of the Vision Projects are aligned to each of our AISC beliefs.  

How?

Vision Project leaders have been identified and project outlines have been developed through a project based learning approach. The nature of the projects differ; some projects focus on one curricular area and others are transdisciplinary with elements of many different areas incorporated into the project.

Who?
All students and teachers from Grades 3-5 will participate.  All faculty from these grades will be part of a project team.  

When?

Next November, the traditional MCT week will become Project Week. This will include MCT as one project option that children can choose from.  This year we will have work sessions during faculty meeting time for Grade 3-5 teachers to work on project outlines.

What?
We have a menu of project options outlined here. These will be further explained during our breakfast, and also our upcoming work sessions, with all G3-5 teachers contributing in some capacity.

Student Led Conferences SIgn Up Edmodo

Please make a copy of this template for parents to sign up for Student Led Conferences. Second, please send the signup sheet to parents via Edmodo before the end of the day on Tuesday, 26 February.

SLCs are on Thursday, March 14th - one day only. Due to specialist stations, the day will be divided into 4 blocks for parents to sign up into.  

8:30 am - 10 am

10 am - 11:30 am

11:30 am - 12:30 pm (lunch break)

12:30 - 2 pm

2 pm - 3:30 pm

The Focus of our faculty meeting on Wednesday will be on Student Led Conferences. 

Grammarly Account

As report writing season approaches, consider getting a free Grammarly account to help avoid grammar and usage mistakes in your writing. From their description, Grammarly helps you to “compose bold, clear, mistake-free writing with Grammarly’s AI-powered writing assistant” that is embedded into your Google Docs, Gmail and other apps that you use in Chrome. It takes exactly 30 seconds to install. Save time and improve your writing quality!  

Next Week is Spirit Week at AISC!

We want you, the students, staff & community of AISC to show your school spirit by making some small acts of random kindness throughout the week.

• Do you have the courage to try something new?
• Do you have the compassion to tell someone you care?
• Do you have the confidence to speak with someone you don’t know?
• Do you have the creativity to show kindness in a new way?

 Monday - Random acts of kindness

Examples include:

• Open the door for someone
• Buy someone their favorite snack
• Help carry something for your friend or teacher

Tuesday - wear an AISC shirt with Raptor pride!

Wednesday - Be kind to the environment

• Don’t buy one-time use plastic items
• Reduce, Reuse and Recycle
• Throw your trash in bins
• See litter on the floor? Pick it up!

 Thursday - Compliment cards

• Write a nice message on the paper provided for a friend or teacher
• Remind someone of why they are important to you
• Tell someone that you appreciate their work

 Friday - High 5 Friday!

• Give a high 5 to new people who you haven’t talked to before
• Give a high 5 to your friends, classmates, and teachers

 

Summer Institutes TCRWP in NYC (shared from Alex)

Interested in attending a reading or writing institute this summer in New York City? The dates for the summer institutes were just posted this week!  Click on the Summer Institutes at TCRWP pamphlet to find out more information. Below are the dates:

·  Writing Institute: June 17-21

·  Reading Institute: June 24-28

Please remember with all PD to complete your AISC PD application before applying through TC.

Raptorthon

Sunday, March 3rd at 7 AM is the annual Raptorthon. This year, since we have a track, we're changing the event a little and it will be a 180 meter swim then a 2 K run (Younger athletes can do a shorter run).  If you're interested, please register here by February 28th.  

Have a great weekend!

Keryn, Dave and Calley