Friday, April 26, 2019

Dear all,

Thank you for another week of hard work in the ES! Enjoy your long weekend with a day off on Monday! As May 1 is Labor Day in India, school will be closed on Wednesday, May 1.  Campus will also remain closed.

Thank yous!

• First grade has a big THANK YOU for Dave who taught many students how to make paper airplanes on our Maker Monday.
• To Jen Cypra for kicking off the STEM Math program this week
• Amanda, Amritha, Hilary, Mary Kelly, and Melissa for your help with class cover, duties, dismissal this week
• Thank you to Chandini, Fiona, Seema, Preetika, Salome, Mona for all your hours of WIDA testing and marking this week
• Thank you to the PCA for a delicious lunch on Tuesday - we all feel appreciated!
• Thank you to everyone who has reached out and been supportive in any way over the last couple of weeks from covering classes, helping with planning, or just touching base. Thank you, especially to Salome and Mona for all the work you have done to keep things rolling in 5EF!  -  Elliot

Upcoming Week at a Glance

As you are aware from Angeline’s email, as May 1 is Labor Day in India, school will be closed on Wednesday, May 1. Campus will also remain closed.

Please understand that we cannot reschedule the faculty work time to write report cards that was schedule for the afternoon of Wednesday 1st.

Monday 29th April	No School - April Long weekend
Tuesday 30th April	WIDA Testing EY 5 MAP Test Gr 2 & 3
Wednesday 1st May	No School - Labor Day
Thursday 2nd May	MAP Test Gr 2 & 3
Friday 3rd May	MAP Test Gr 2 & 3 All School TGIF at Westin 5 - 7 PM

All School TGIF

It’s about time for an all school get together at the Westin, next Friday from 5 - 7 PM.  Please join your colleagues for some social time, drinks and snacks.  Look for an email from Kirsten with details about transportation and more.

Art Attack!

Please mark your calendars for Tuesday morning, April 30, 8:30 am to step outside your classroom and look at the terracotta horse in the ES Plaza courtyard. Ms. Anita has partnered with Ms. Vanessa and 5VL to make an art installation about #aiscplasticfree.

Year Planner Order

If you use the printed year planner and would like to order another one for next year, please list your name here. We will only order as required.

June Student Withdrawals

As indicated by parents in the Admissions Re-enrollment survey these students will be leaving AISC at the end of the school year. If you know of any students who are leaving and are not listed, please inform Hazel or Padmapriya.

Learning Celebration Calendar Summit

To prepare for next year’s community learning celebrations, and taking into account teacher feedback and the work of the learning celebration committee, on May 13 GTLs will meet for a Learning Celebration Calendar Summit.  Briefly, this will be an opportunity for GTLs to bring the Learning Celebration dates to the team, solicit ideas about the best times for each triad to celebrate, then join a collaborative conversation to decide on final dates.  GTLs will find a time to look at this document with their teams.  Thanks for your flexibility and creativity in envisioning backward planning for Learning Celebrations.  

 

 

Keep Tweeting!

We love the buzz from the Twittersphere using #aiscelementary! So many cool things are going on around here, and Twitter gives us a format to share them and enjoy each others’ work.  

Have a great weekend!

Warmly,

Keryn, Dave and Calley

Friday, April 19, 2019

Dear all,

We hope you all enjoyed the mid-week day off! Now have a wonderful weekend! The Middle School play, Mystery on the Orient Express opens today at 4pm in the FAC theatre with shows tomorrow also at 4pm and 7:30 pm. Be sure to try catch this train dining car mystery experience!

Thank yous!

• Thank you to Valar, Esther, Fiona and Hilary for doing a wonderful job of teaching the students of 4MG whilst I was away. You all are very appreciated! Marcus.
• Jack, Velin, Sobha, Lawrence and all of the EY5 - G2 teachers and teacher assistants who helped out with today’s swim gala
• Thank you to the Library staff for helping us amass resources for Vision Week read-alouds.  
• Thank you to the PE team for being flexible and covering for each other during these busy weeks
• Thank you to Uma, Leontheen, Alex, Fiona, Seema, Salome, Preetika, Chandini and Sarah Sahr for your hard work in WIDA testing
• Congratulations and thank you Barbara and Leontheen from the Grade 1 team and students for the Roots and Shoots combo fundraiser. You have really modeled taking action with our kids, and in such a fun and creative way.  
• Mary Kelly and Melissa for leading the ES faculty meetings on Vision Projects and Tier 2 interventions on Wednesday

Upcoming Week at a Glance

Monday 22nd April	Earth Day - Nothing New Clothing swap at AISC WIDA Testing 3 - 5 (22nd - 26th)
Tuesday 23rd April	PCA Faculty Appreciation Day Lunch from 11:30am - 1:30pm in the Madras Hall
Wednesday 24th April	Early Release / Professional Learning - Faculty Wellness
Thursday 25th April	ANZAC day
Friday 26th April	Dubai invitational swim meet
Saturday - Sunday 27th - 28st April
Monday 29th April	No school (April Long weekend) MAP Testing begins

Monday April 22 - Nothing New Day - Clothing Swap

Don’t forget that you can bring up to 20 items to the Clothing Swap on Monday. Thank you for bringing items in excellent quality without holes or stains to swap.  Please sign up here.

Environmental Responsibility Update

In the last two days, we saved the production, transport, consumption, and trash made, from over 500 plastic bottles, and 300 cartons of juice. Thank you.

Thank you for bringing a reusable bottle, for using a cup, or for choosing juice from our juicers.

Thank you for making a few small, but powerful, changes to your habits and thinking.

Your efforts in a single day do make a difference, and your choice today can too. #Plasticban

Seven Myths Keeping Teachings from Implementing Creative Projects

An awesome read for all of us!  Are any of these myths getting in your way of implementing PBL? We would welcome a conversation to debrief any of these!

Semester Two Report Cards (repeat announcement)

Please find below the timeline for writing our final report cards of this academic year. These will be printed as per other report cards this year, so proofreading remains an ongoing focus to ensure these are error-free going home.   Therefore, everyone, please ensure to familiarise yourself with the style guide and proofreading process.  You will also find the proofreading assignments here.

This time around, please note two differences in proofing process from the progress reports. First, each homeroom teacher has been assigned a colleague proofer. This is due to the volume of reports being much higher and the challenge of making an equitable distribution. Secondly, we’d added to the reporting process to ask that teachers check their own character count before sending to proof reader (500-800 characters per comment).  First round proofers will also check, but it will go much more smoothly if we check our own.  

One streamlining suggestion is once you’ve written the first comment and know this is between 500-800, count the number of lines in this comment and aim for near that number of lines for all others.

Wednesday 1 May	Familiarise yourself again with a refresher read of the style guide ES faculty meeting time dedicated to report card writing
Fri 10 May	All report cards comments due to colleague proofreader 4:00 p.m,
By Weds 15 May - 8:00 a.m.	Colleague proofers finished proofing, tag admin proofreader
Monday 20 May - 4:00 p.m.	Comments returned to teacher by admin.  Accept changes as indicated
Wed 22 May - 8:00 a.m.	All comments entered into powerschool Sherriden and IT team begin printing from 8:30 a.m (hard deadline)
Friday 24 May	All printing complete, final print corrections made
Monday 27 May	Reports given to homeroom teachers, final check and place in envelopes
Wednesday 29 May	Reports go home to parents

Have a wonderful weekend!

Appreciatively,
Keryn, Dave and Calley

Friday, April 12, 2019

Dear Faculty,

Thank you all for your patience and flexibility this week whilst hosting 150 athletes on campus for our SAISA track and field meet. It definitely getting hot outside, so please make sure to encourage your children to have their water bottles with them as needed.

Thank you’s

• Jenny, Amy, Bindu, Steffi, Gayathri and Liza for patience and flexibility with the track and field right outside their window this week!
• Grade 2 and 4 for readjusting pick up/drop off areas this week
• Sruthi, Mary Kelly, Alex, Jack, Kay, and Sobha for coaching and volunteering in the heat outside during the track meet
• Dee, Keeley, Ross, Kay, and Angie for volunteering to host athletes and coaches in their home - so appreciated (and lots of fun!)
• Anita wants to shout out a big "Thank You" to Jen and Clinton in the Design Studio and also Vijay for helping with the final constructions of the Gr 4 Global Trade Merchant Ships this week!!
• From Keeley & Dee:  We’d like to thank the World Language English teachers and their students for adding to our Wall of Kindness (La Pared de la Amabilidad and Le Mur De La Gentillesse). We appreciate the collaborative effort to share positivity in the languages are students are learning - French, Spanish, and English. Keep the kind notes coming; have plenty of space! Thank you! Merci! Gracias!

Congratulations to Jenisha - baby Gabrianna Vivian was born on April 5 at 7:40 am. Mom and baby doing well!

 

Upcoming Week at a Glance

Monday            15th April	Grade 3 - 5 WIDA testing Cognitive Coaching:  Mary Kelly, Vanessa K, Ula, Ross, Marcus, Elliot, Linda, Julia, Jen, Bindu, Jack will be out.  ***should we have any further unexpected absences, we may need to all pitch in as we are already very tight with many people covering! Earth Week - Meatless Monday
Tuesday         16th April	Earth Week - Carpool Tuesday
Wednesday      17th April	Earth Week - No Waste Wednesday Section meeting:  EY - 2 (Early interventions), Grade 3-5 Vision Projects *Locations to be confirmed
Thursday       18th April	No School - Election day Campus will remain closed
Friday              19th April	EY-G2 Swim gala Earth Week - Buy a Plant Friday
Saturday-Sunday 20th-21st  April	Earth Week - Beach Clean Up Weekend

Hot Weather Policy

Please recall that as the weather starts to heat up, we keep an eye on the temperature daily. If at any point it hits 40C we will call to have indoor recess. We try to do this before lunch recess begins, but often the temperature conveniently spikes around lunchtime. Please remember to check emails frequently as it gets hotter, and also share updates you hear with your colleagues.

Candy in Lunchboxes

We are seeing more and more candy in snacks and lunches and candy wrappers around campus. This is a friendly reminder from the handbook that “candy will be sent back for students to enjoy at home”. If you see children with candy during your lunch time duty or in classrooms, please ask them to put it away in their bags and bring a healthier snack the following day.  

Semester Two Report Cards

Please find below the timeline for writing our final report cards of this academic year. These will be printed as per other report cards this year, so proofreading remains an ongoing focus to ensure these are error-free going home.   Therefore, everyone, please ensure to familiarise yourself with the style guide and proofreading process.

This time around, please note two differences in proofing process from the progress reports. First, each homeroom teacher has been assigned a colleague proofer.  This is due to the volume of reports being much higher and the challenge of making an equitable distribution.  Secondly, we’d added to the reporting process to ask that teachers check their own character count before sending to proof reader (500-800 characters per comment).  First round proofers will also check, but it will go much more smoothly if we check our own.  

One streamlining suggestion is once you’ve written the first comment and know this is between 500-800, count the number of lines in this comment and aim for near that number of lines for all others.

Wednesday 1 May	Familiarise yourself again with a refresher read of the style guide ES faculty meeting time dedicated to report card writing
Fri 10 May	All report cards comments due to colleague proofreader 4:00 p.m
By Weds 15 May - 8:00 a.m.	Colleague proofers finished proofing, tag admin proofreader
Monday 20 May - 4:00 p.m.	Comments returned to teacher by admin.  Accept changes as indicated.
Wed 22 May - 8:00 a.m.	All comments entered into powerschool Sherriden and IT team begin printing from 8:30 a.m (hard deadline)
Friday 24 May	All printing complete, final print corrections made
Monday 27 May	Reports given to homeroom teachers, final check and place in envelopes
Wednesday 29 May	Reports go home to parents

From Gio and the Swim team!

It is almost time for Swim Gala, the culminating activities for the Lower ES PE Swim Unit. This year, The Swim Gala will be held on a Friday, April 19th, 2019.

Purpose:

·         Educate parents about our ARC Learn-to-Swim program

·         Showcase student progress with parent audience

·         Give students a goal to strive for

·         End the unit with a fun activity

Dates:

·         Lower ES Swim Gala-Grades EY5-2 - Friday, April 19th – 9:05-11:35 am

Primary Audience:

·         Parents – Parents will be invited to be on-deck to view their child’s events

·         Teachers – It’s possible that a student who struggles in class, may shine in the pool!

Basic Schedule and Plan

9:05-9:45 - Grade 2 - Not missing specials

9:50-10:30 – EY5 - (Dance & Art)

10:55-11:35 - Grade 1 -(IS)

*Disclaimer: We apologize for the adaptations that are described below for places to change. It is the ONLY way we can sort it out to make this work.

Grade 2

Students will come to school wearing their swimsuits and bring their school clothing to the pool with them in a bag. (There is always the possibility that they will forget their underwear. Maybe asking them to bring in a change of clothes the day before will help.) Grade 2 will arrive at the pool, ready to go at 9:05 a.m. and have their Gala for 40 min, ending at 9:45 am. They will change using the ES changing rooms. A lifeguard will supervise the boys and a TA will supervise the girls.

EY5

Students will change in their classroom, bring their towels with them and be seated on deck by 9:50 am. They will have their Gala from 9:55 a.m. - 10: 30 a.m. They will return to their classrooms to change because the ES changing rooms are too small to accommodate all of the classes.

Grade 1

Students will change in their classrooms (maybe boys in one room and girls in another) or use the big bathroom by the nurse’s office, and arrive at the pool, ready to go, by 10:55 a.m. They will participate in their Swim Gala until 11:35 a.m. and then take turns changing in the ES Changing Rooms.

All students who are changing in changing rooms will need to bring their dry clothes in a separate bag and we will have a place for each class to put their belongings on deck.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us. We appreciate your support and hope that you will enjoy watching your students swimming at the Swim Gala!

Swimcerely

Gio, Velin & Sobha

Spicy Pop-Up Art Exhibition!

Beginning at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, April 15, 2019, please stop by the ES Library and view Merchant Ships from the 1600's made by Grade 4 students here at AISC. The ships were handcrafted in Art class out of clay, fired to bisque ware, and then painted with India's finest spices. With help from the Discovery Studio, masts and sails were added and made ready for exhibition. These ships will only be on view through Wednesday, April 17. Students will be allowed to take their ships home after school on Wednesday.

Election Day (repeat announcement)

Thursday, April 18 is a Poll Day for General and Assembly bi-elections in Tamil Nadu and has been declared a public holiday. There will be no classes (or virtual learning), student activities, or scheduled meetings. Campus will remain closed.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Appreciatively,

Keryn, Dave and Calley