Friday, May 26, 2017

Dear everyone,

A wonderful last full week with our students, and so much going on. Four days to go with kids next week; remember to finish strong!

Thank yous and Recognitions

• Much appreciation for all of the insight and hard work that has gone into writing clear and personalized report card comments.
• Congratulations to one of our fifth grade NVSF teams for capturing first place! See this week’s parent blog for a description of their project, and special thanks to Salome and Kelly for leading Science Fair.
• Thanks to Donna, Velin, Jonathan and Rosario for showcasing our ES swim program at yesterday’s gala.
• Thanks to all of the preschool, kindergarten and first grade TAs for completing the barcoding work. Monicka was central to getting that work completed.

End of Year Check-Out

Leaving teachers have already begun working on their end-of-year check out form; returning teachers, you can find your form here. Please note who to get signatures from, ending with Keryn and Lori. Check outs will be from 9:00-11:30 and again from 2:15-4:00 on Friday.

Finalizing Report Cards

As you get word from your proofreader that your report cards are ready, please copy and paste the comments into Skyward and notify Cheryl and Hazel that they are ready. Report cards need to be printed for departing students, so the earlier this can be done...the better.  

School Garden Announcement

Coffee and Garden Tour! If you like gardening, want to grow food with your students, and enjoy free coffee or tea, please join us in the iHub on Wednesday, May 31th at 7:45am! For anyone interested in incorporating the school garden into their curriculum next year, come see what will be available to you. After the tour, there will be a quick presentation and time for questions. The tour will end promptly at 8:15am. We look forward to seeing you there!  

Lori’s Feedback Survey

Thank you to the 53 teachers who took time from their busy week to offer me feedback. As promised, the results can be viewed here. Results were both affirming and confirmed some personal areas I’d like to improve in next year: spending more time in classrooms and offering feedback around those visits. That will become the basis of one of my personal goals for the 2017-18 school year. In full disclosure, three of you will notice that I have edited or removed a comment. I did not remove anything that was negative or suggestive of improvement, but did amend a small number that were more organizational than related to my personal leadership growth.

Final Classroom Pack ups

Next Friday 2 June, our EY to Grade 1 teachers have a much bigger pack up job than most.  If you finish your own classroom early, please offer assistance to one of these teachers and their classrooms.

Running Records

Homeroom and/or EAL teachers, please share (or reshare) your document with F&P results to Cheryl sometime this week. She will reformat them for uploading into Skyward and Learning Analytics.  

Have an excellent weekend!

See you for our last week next week.

Keryn & Lori

Friday, May 19, 2017

Dear all,

It sure is HOT! Be cool everyone; kids and teachers! We have definitely noticed an increase in poor behaviour choices, so take time with your kids to check in. Schedule some mindfulness - whatever you need to make it two more weeks!

I am currently writing this from Bangalore, cheering on all our swimmers who are doing an amazing job!

Thank yous and Recognitions

• ES Coaches who spent last weekend in Mumbai - Rosario (basketball) and Ilona (swimming)
• Dilip for the safe arrival of his baby boy
• Everyone who came to view the screening of Screenagers
• For your patience during the recent string of indoor recess times

Personal Leave

As per the handbook, personal leave cannot be granted during the first and last two weeks of school.  Please know that unless there are extenuating circumstances, out of your control, we will no longer be able to grant any personal leave for the remainder of this year.

All remaining personal leave will get accrued into your total number of sick leave days for you to avail next year.

2017-18 Schedule

There will be a few changes to next year’s schedule. We’re planning to move the preschoolers into the cafeteria for lunch; because of space constraints that means we are going to be creating three (not two) lunch shifts: EY3 to Grade 1 (ES cafeteria), Grade 2 and 3 (ES cafeteria), Grade 4 and 5 (FAC cafeteria). This impacts some recess times as well. The basic schedule can be viewed here.

Common planning times will also be impacted due to losing both an art room and a music room in the renovation project. Teams will still have collaborative time dedicated to team meetings, but cannot be guaranteed two back-to-back 45 minute blocks. No planning time will be lost, but the periods are likely to be configured differently. Priority will be given to creating 5 grade level planning periods; after that, common planning time by triad will be prioritized.

Questions? Thoughts? See Lori ASAP.  

From Donna: Regarding the Upper ES Swim Gala

Thursday, May 25th is the day of our Swim Gala which is the culminating activity for the Upper ES swim program this year. It is our hope that you will come to the pool with your class and bring your TA’s, as well. It is a GREAT opportunity to see your students’ success in an area outside of the classroom.

We are hoping to enlist your help during the 40 minutes that your class  will be at the Gala. We would like teachers and TA’s to be on deck, at that time, to sit with students while they patiently wait to demonstrate their skills and watch others after they have completed their skills. We, the PE teachers and Aquatics staff, will be in the water guiding students as they show off their new skills. You may not be with all of YOUR students, as students will be divided into their levels, as explained in the next paragraph. Your presence is important to assure the smooth running of the program and we thank you.

Classes should be ready to go at their start time. Students will arrive in their swimsuits, as explained in our initial note about the Gala (changing in the bathrooms in your section). Students will arrive at the pool five minutes before their event begins, so we can get them settled and ready to go at their start time. This means that while grade 3 is finishing their last 5 minutes, Grade 4 will be entering the deck and be seated in the area of their swim level, which will be clearly marked. Changing time is NOT built into the 40 minute session. The dismissal whistle will be blown 2 minutes before the end of each session to allow students time to exit the pool so the next group will be able to get in at the beginning of their time. Teachers/TA’s and a lifeguard will then supervise in the changing rooms.

• Grade 3 will use the MS/HS Boys and Girls changing rooms. The MS/HS students will be in class, so there will not be a conflict.
• Grade 4 will can squeeze into the ES changing rooms, but it will be tight
• Grade 5 will use the MS/HS changing rooms. The MS/HS students will be in class, so there will not be a conflict.

Students and teachers will enter the pool through the regular entrance from the PE hallway. Students will come on deck and be seated by their designated time. Students will carry their school clothes in a separate bag and deposit that bag in an area marked for their grade level, either Gr. 3, Grade 4 or Grade 5. This area will be to the left of the entrance door. Students will then go to their clearly designated swim level area on the deck, either Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, Level 4 or Level 5. This is where we will want teachers to sit and monitor students who are waiting their turn or have completed their turn,  while we lead the students in the pool through their activities. Chairs and shade will be provided for teachers and TA’s.

Here are a few reminders for you, your students and their parents:

1. Bring a swim kit which consists of: swimsuit, goggles, swim cap and towel (We apologize, but if a student forgets their essentials on this day we will NOT be providing substitutes. We only have a few suits of various sizes on hand and feel that providing for one child who forgets and not being able to provide for another is unfair. Also, there will be little time to sort that kind of issue out, given our squeezed schedule)
2. Parents will enter the pool deck through the open fence on the soccer field side of the pool. Bleachers will be set up on that side of the pool for them for their viewing pleasure. If you have Room Mother’s that you want to enlist in helping you that day, that is a great idea, but all other parents will be asked to stay on the bleachers. The field side of the pool is is sunny at that time of day, so they will want to wear hats. We also ask that parents go directly to their seats and do not come over to where the students are. They are welcome to cheer their children on from the bleachers and to speak with them after their child’s event is over.
3. Schedule:
1. 8:45-9:25 - Grade 3
2. 9:25-10:05 - Grade 4
3. 10:05-10:45 - Grade 5

Scheduling notes:

3A and 3B will likely be late for their World Language classes at 9:30.

3D will be late for music with Shireen.

3C will stay following the Gala for PE with Nushrath.

At 10:15, 3B will return for PE with Nushrath.  

We apologize for any disruption to your daily schedule and thank you for your support.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to direct them to any of us.

Swimcerely,

Donna, Velin, Jonathan and Rosario

Report Card Narratives - due to admin proofers by Wednesday 24 May (repeat announcement)

Weds 17 May	faculty meeting dedicated to reports; time could be used for entering proficiency levels (B, D, A, E), writing narrative comments or for proofing a colleague’s narratives
By Monday 22  May - 8am	Narratives written on google doc and given to proofing buddy
BY Weds 24 May 4pm	report card narratives (google doc) due to admin for final proofing
Thursday 25 - Tues 30 May	Admin proof reports  (will return as completed)
By Monday 29 May 4pm -	Reports returned to teachers, can begin entering narratives into skyward
By Wednesday 31 May 8am	All report information entered into Skyward
Thursday 1 June	Reports go live to parents

Have a nice weekend!

Keryn & Lori

Friday, May 12, 2017

Dear all,

Happy Friday!  Hoping to see you all at our TGIF tonight to celebrate a wonderful year together!

Thank yous and recognitions!

• Congratulations to Deepa who has accepted the Grade 2 homeroom position

• We have also hired two new TAs for the 2017-18 school year. Preetika Royappan has been a familiar substitute all year, and we are thrilled that she will join us permanently next year. We also welcome Adithya Rajaram, who has just completed a two year assignment with Teach for India. A final offer to a third TA has been made and is pending finalisation.

TA Assignments for 2017-18

We have made a number of changes to grade level assignments for the upcoming school year. In making these decisions, we tried to keep student needs at the center of our decisions. We started with a blank slate and assigned TAs based on the following considerations:

• In grade levels where we anticipate a high level of students with particular learning needs, we assigned TAs with instructional experience and comfort in carrying out small group instruction (such as Bridges intervention material).
• Given the high number of new teachers, we tried to mix-and-match teams so there would be a mix of new and returning staff.
• Some people seem more comfortable dealing with younger children; others may be more comfortable with older children even if they tend to 'test' adults and push behavioral boundaries.

In the end, we believe we have created a well balanced profile that will best meet the needs of our learners. Click here to see a list of grade level teams, triads, TAs and room assignments.

Raptors Swim Meet in Bangalore - Friday 19th May

The following students will be traveling to Bangalore with their families to participate in the Stonehill  Super Splash Swim Meet which will take place on May 19-20. Most families will be traveling on Thursday, May 18th and the time they leave will be dependent on the flight they have arranged, as parents are required to travel with their child for this event. Thank you for your support of this event. The kids have worked so hard and are so excited about this trip. Make sure you ask them about it! Please remind students to get their parents to fill out the Pre-excused absence form.

We have our MS band concert NEXT FRIDAY MAY 19th at 2:30-3:30.

4th and 5th Grade classes are invited to attend.

Have a great weekend!

Keryn and Lori

Friday, May 5, 2017

Thank yous & recognitions!

• Thank you Rachael for hosting the busiest ever ES Marketplace.  Plenty of resources up for grabs, get yours now before we can’t see Rachael from behind all the piles!
• Thank you to Brian, Lauren, Allison, Barbara, Deepa, and Vasanth and the KG team for items at today’s Celebration of Learning
• Seema and Karen for running the TA training session on supporting Writing Workshop

ES Resource Marketplace

No more items are needed for the marketplace! However, please come and take whatever you need for your own classes. At the end of next week, we will be boxing up all remaining items to be donated.  

Grade 2 Homeroom Position

As many of you are aware, and may have seen on our website, we now have a late opening for a Grade 2 homeroom teacher. However, we know there are also interested internal applicants. We invite any interested qualified teachers to express their interest via email to  myself and Lori over the weekend by next Monday 8 May.  

ES TGIF

Hold the date! Next Friday, May 12th will be our final TGIF of the year at Keryn’s house. A personal chance to farewell friends and colleagues from within our ES section.  From 6pm onwards; 1 Seacliff Conclave, ECR. There will be buses leaving from school if you wish to take the school transport.

Withdrawing Students

If you heard from parents / students that they are not returning to AISC for the next school year and you don’t see the student’s name on this list, please inform Cheryl / Hazel so they can contact the parents to confirm.

Pass Along Folders, Running Records & Book Bags

We will not be continuing with paper Pass Along Folders as student assessment data (i.e. running record levels) is now collected digitally. As you finish your running records, please share (or reshare) the information with Cheryl so it can be uploaded into Skyward for redistribution by next year’s class lists. Book Bags will continue to be sent up to the next grade so they can be reused. When you are finished with them, please send them to the ES office.

Have a nice weekend!

Keryn and Lori

Thursday, April 27, 2017

Thank yous & recognitions!

• Congratulations to Megha and Samantha for their successful presentations at the ELLSA Conference in Vietnam last weekend
• Everyone who attended one of Tania’s optional after school session on Monday or Tuesday

ES Resource Marketplace

Rachael will be hosting a swap of all unwanted but great condition resources and materials that are still in great shape, but may no longer be needed in their current classroom.

Materials can be dropped off beginning next Tuesday, May 2nd.

• If you have old running record kits, you may want to consider holding onto one per grade. If you ever get a child who has ‘stalled’ on a level and you’ve used both the fiction and non-fiction book, you could use the old kit as an alternate text. Extra kits can be sent to Rachael’s room.
• If you have class library books that you don’t need, those can go to Rachael’s room as well. Feel free to book shop anytime to enhance your current library; books left at the end of the marketplace will be donated. EY-Grade 1: Please make sure that any new books added to your collection are barcoded.

The Marketplace will close on Friday 12 May. All remaining resources will be donated.

ES TGIF

Hold the date! Friday, May 12th will be our final TGIF of the year at Keryn’s house.

Want to teach our AISC EAL Summer Jumpstart Camp this summer?

We are looking for teachers to teach our pilot EAL summer camp to families joining AISC with children who are new to English.  Teachers would be paid for each day the work based on current salary step.

Dates:    17 July - 1 August;

Times:  9am - 1pm (KG - 2) & 10am - 2pm (3-5)

Teachers would work 8:30 - 3:30pm, setting up, preparing for next day etc. Ratio of children/teachers would ideally be around 1:6 - Eg. 30 kids = 5 adults (teachers/TAs)

• Teachers will be responsible for planning and facilitating fun and engaging EAL instruction with the key outcome of building students' confidence and English skills for the new school year.
• Classes will provide exposure to school vocabulary, survival phrases, and provide practice with role play. Activities such as TPR (Total Physical Response), practice with classroom routines, visiting places on campus, and learning the alphabet and numbers in English will be a good jumpstart for all students.
• For grades K-2 students classes would be play-based with hands on experiences, art, songs, games, and interactive read aloud.
• For grades 3-5, students would be taught skills and encouraged to leverage their home language as they begin with the routines of reading and writing workshop. Students would receive their raz-kids accounts and be encouraged to read with a teacher in class and practice at home. Songs, games, and fun experiences using English will also be included to help these newcomers build confidence, relationships, and optimism before day one.

Interested EAL teachers or TAs should send email of interest to Keryn & Lori by next Friday 5th May.

Report Card Narratives - due to admin proofers by Wednesday 24 May (repeat announcement)

Weds 17 May	faculty meeting dedicated to reports; time could be used for entering proficiency levels (B, D, A, E), writing narrative comments or for proofing a colleague’s narratives
By Monday 22  May - 8am	Narratives written on google doc and given to proofing buddy
BY Weds 24 May 4pm	report card narratives (google doc) due to admin for final proofing
Thursday 25 - Tues 30 May	Admin proof reports  (will return as completed)
By Tuesday 30 May 4pm -	Reports returned to teachers, can begin entering narratives into skyward
By Thursday1 June 8am	All report information entered into Skyward
Thursday 1 June	Reports go live to parents

Thank you everyone!  Have a wonderfully relaxing long weekend!

Warmly,

Keryn & Lori

Friday, 21 April, 2017

Dear all,

Another amazing week culminating with seriously impressive Student - led conferences! A wonderful effort by all and the inclusion of specialist areas this week has been hugely appreciated by students and their families. Thank you!  

Thank yous…

• All teachers for preparing their students for a rich demonstration of learning through SLC!
• TAs for providing supervision over the last two days.
• Lauren, Kay and Tiffany for beginning to review the report card standards towards more conceptual assessment
• Rachael and Hilary for facilitating more great Social Studies planning
• Our IT department for their ongoing support with MAP testing
• Everyone who wrote and passed on a gratitude card this week - plenty more in the ES office!

(**As per the Q12 Data Survey, a reminder that these recognitions can come from anyone - if you have a team member or colleague you feel deserves a shout out, please let Lori or I know by Friday morning)

Blue and White Swim Meet

Many of our ES swimmers will be competing in AISCs very own ‘Blue and White’ Swim meet tomorrow (Saturday) from 12 - 6pm. Come out to support our young swimmers!

Tania - Innovative Global Education

Next week Tania is in town with us - and her schedule can be found here.

She will be facilitating many after school sessions on Monday and on Tuesday - all returning teachers are highly encouraged to attend Monday, and all EY-Grade 1 teachers are highly encouraged to attend the play based session on Tuesday.

WIDA Testing Next Week: Grades 3-5 and K MODEL

Students in Grades 3-5 and EY5 will be WIDA MODEL tested by EAL teachers over the next two weeks. The schedule will communicated by EAL teachers to their co-teachers. Specialists, please be aware that students will be testing through specials as well. Logistics and rationale can be found on this document.

MAP Test Make Ups

Will occur on next Monday from 8:30-10:00 in Priya K’s art room (2130), supervised by Priya V. If this time is particularly inconvenient, please let Lori and Priya know so we can work out an alternative. The following students have tests to make up. Please send them to Priya’s room with their device.

Testing with Priya:

	Math	Reading	Language	Science
Grade 2		Kim, Yedam Larsen, Henry	Grobben, Sophia izumi, Kanato Kim, Siwoo Valerio De Castro,      Lucas
Grade 3	Grassi, Rocco	Dimas, Julio Fujiwara, Koshiro		Bamba, Chihiro Lee, Sangyoon
Grade 4	Braithwaite, Kory Chana, Aaron Siripurapu, Tanuj	Monk, Imogen Park, JongHyuk	Monk, Imogen* Park, JongHyuk *	Doherty, Owen Imai, Shinto Watanabe, Eishun
Grade 5	Kitsopanidis,     Alexander Nesselhauf,     Marc-Louis	Abildgaard Clausen,     Clara Marie Mohd Noor Arizam,     Safiyya Aleysha	De Trogoff Coatallio,      Sam Reddy, Anya	Desai, Esha Hwang, Juhwan Kristensen, Rune Martin, Maya Reddy, Anya* Tinnerholm, Erik

*Second test = Tuesday at 8:30ish

Testing with Nancy/Amritha/Widi (times and locations to be determined by LSS and HR/EAL teachers):

	Math	Reading	Language	Science
Grade 2	Sawchenko, Michella	Brooks, Rebecca Sahubar Ibrahim      Rabiatul		N/A
Grade 3		Ravichandran, Sanjay		Lim, Seung Oh Mohandas, Kirtana
Grade 4		Jacob, Samuel McFarland, Jacob		McFarland, Jacob

Hot Weather Policy

It’s that time of year again. Chennai is heating up. Looking ahead to the coming weeks, the temperature is creeping towards 40C. Once the temperature reaches 40, we keep the students inside during recess and lunch. Morning recess is not usually impacted, but each year, we have had days where we do not allow students to play outside due to heat.

Until the end of the year, the ES office will check the temperature before morning recess, lunch, and afternoon recess. If the temperature is 40C or above, students will remain inside. Communicating an indoor recess is somewhat of a challenge owing to the absence of a PA system. The message will come via email or word of mouth.

Everyone has quick access to the temperature via apps and websites. The temperature may vary on these apps and websites due to the location of the station from which the recording was taken. I know there is a “feels like” reading often on these websites. The call will be based on the temperature as determined by the office.

Regardless of the temperature, it is very important that you remind students to stay hydrated. It’s important to teach kids that thirst is not the best indicator that you need to drink. If you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated.

It is important that we know the symptoms of dehydration. These include:

• Dry mouth
• Sleepiness or fatigue
• Extreme thirst
• Headache
• Confusion
• Dizziness or lightheaded feeling
• No tears when crying

Encourage kids to play in the covered area and covered portion of the playground, and tell the kids who play soccer to take it easy (I know, easier said than done!). Supervision is provided in the cafeteria throughout each recess and the entire lunch period. Students are welcome to head inside for a drink and a bit of time to relax quietly in the AC.

Report Card Narratives - due to admin proofers by Wednesday 24 May

Weds 17 May	faculty meeting dedicated to reports; time could be used for entering proficiency levels (B, D, A, E), writing narrative comments or for proofing a colleague’s narratives
By Monday 22  May - 8am	Narratives written on google doc and given to proofing buddy
BY Weds 24 May 4pm	report card narratives (google doc) due to admin for final proofing
Thursday 25 - Tues 30 May	Admin proof reports  (will return as completed)
By Tuesday 30 May 4pm -	Reports returned to teachers, can begin entering narratives into skyward
By Thursday1 June 8am	All report information entered into Skyward
Thursday 1 June	Reports go live to parents

ES Resource Marketplace
Time to start looking through your cupboards and thinking about items you no longer need or want, particularly given social studies units are changing.

If any item is damaged or broken, please throw it away.  Some cupboards are overflowing; be ruthless!

However, all excellent condition and relevant resources that you believe could be used elsewhere can be take to the ES resource Marketplace starting in MAY.

Rachael will host this in the Coaches room, beginning MAY 2; please do NOT take items before then!

Looking Ahead…

On the June 1, the final full day of school for students, we plan to run a regular schedule (including specials) right through until 2:15/2:30. K-2 students will have their regular 2:15-2:30 recess. Second and fourth grade students will not attend their 2:15/2:30 specials so they may be in their homerooms closing out the year.

Remember these can be challenging times, particularly for those leaving or those losing friends.  Please be mindful that classrooms should not be fully packed up until the last week of school, and that regular instruction should continue right up until the last day.

Class parties

Please plan these for sometime during the last week of school. Please be mindful if  you are planning on showing a movie, as part of your class party, that it is G rated. Please remember that movies should not be shown at other times.

Summer Maintenance (repeat announcement)

If any ES Specialist team or Grades 2-5 have any specific summer maintenance requests, please fill them in on this form here and we will discuss the request with Ilangovan and his maintenance team.  All requests must be in by May 5th.

From the Library

Regarding end of year check out/due dates - click here

PG&E sign ups (final announcement)
The time has come to complete your PG&E paperwork for the year and have a final reflection meeting on your goals with Keryn or Lori. Please submit your PG&E from with reflection on selected goals 2 days before your meeting. Those on self-assessment need to submit this form as well as their blog link. All meetings should take place before Friday May 5th.

Have a great weekend,

Keryn and Lori