August 30, 2013

Dear Parents,

Next week, we look forward to welcoming two writing workshop trainers from Columbia University in New York City. They will begin their work with homeroom and EAL teachers on Monday which is a Staff Development Day, so there is no school for students. During this “home grown” writing institute, the trainers will focus on:

·    The central role of curriculum development and planning in the teaching of writing

·    Units of study across the year in the writing workshop

·    Methods of holding students accountable for doing their best work

·    Assessing and planning for work with individuals and small groups

·    Using literature to help students craft their writing

·    Classroom structures that support inquiry and collaboration

Source: http://readingandwritingproject.com/institutes/home-grown-institutes.html

We look forward to this wonderful week of learning.

Specialist teachers will be meeting with their fellow K-12 department teachers to work on curriculum alignment, unit planning and assessment.

Color groupings in Grades 3-5: Over the past couple of weeks, we have received a few questions from parents asking us what is a color group and why we have them this year. Simply put, a color group is a designation (class) of students. Students from all classes within a grade level belong to a color group and travel to specials with other students in the same color group. Why did we introduce color groups? The idea of color groups was one of the recommendations made in the report written by the World Language consultant who visited AISC last year. This recommendation was made primarily for two reasons. First, by taking children from all classes within a grade level and dividing them among color groups, we are now able to balance the number of children in the Spanish and French classes. Second, color groups allow us to group kids by skill and content mastery as they enter the 5th grade.  The students will be able to advance through the elementary program, which feeds into and supports the Middle School program, and eventually the High School program.  

Elementary children in each color group travel to all specials together, which is unique in that they have an opportunity to interact with students from other classes in the grade level.  This builds social connections and is a lovely bridge to Middle School, where children mix with a variety of students over the course of the day.

News from the PE Department

The Elementary PE Department has started off the school year strong by completing their introductory unit of community building activities. Students in Lower Elementary spent time in the gym cheering each other on as they learned about basketball related skills; which include passing, dribbling, shooting and running. Upper Elementary built community by passing the ball around while playing Team Handball. Next up, the Elementary PE Department will be hosting the Jogging Club, which will take place every Wednesday at 8:00 to 8:20 AM on the soccer field, starting on September 4th. Currently, the Elementary School students are practicing soccer related skills on the field. The next unit will take place in the pool!

Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Tests: Twice a year, students in grades 2 through 5 write the MAP tests. The first round of MAP testing begins on Tuesday, September 10^th.  MAP tests are computer-based tests that take generally 45 minutes to complete. Students will write four tests over the course of the testing period: math, reading, language usage, and new this year, science. MAP tests provide detailed, actionable data about where each child is on their unique learning path. MAP tests scores are not recorded on the report cards, but parents do receive a testing report a few weeks after the testing is complete. New parents often ask how their children can study for these tests. Really, the best ways to prepare for these tests are to make sure your child gets a good night’s sleep the night before a test and has breakfast the morning of the test. These are healthy practices in general. Students cannot study for a MAP test. I will write more about MAP tests in next week’s Principal’s Notes. The focus of this week’s notes is student-led conferencing, which is our topic for the upcoming ES Parent Coffee with the Administration.

Parent Coffee with the ES Administration: Please join Ms. Sweet and me on Tuesday, September 10^th for our first coffee morning of the year. Our topic will be student-led conferences. This year marks the first time that we have run student-led conferences. Teachers from our Student-Led Conference Committee will lead this presentation, and there will be an opportunity for parents to ask questions. Below are some frequently asked questions about student-led conferences. Please also look in your child’s Friday Folder for further information.

When Are the Conferences?

The conferences will take place on Thursday, September 26^th and Friday, September 27^th. There are no classes on these two days. Conferences will be 20 minutes in length. Children are asked to take their parents to visit two specialist classes either before or after their conference.  Specialist visits do not need to be scheduled, and they give students an opportunity to share what they are learning outside of the homeroom.

What Are Student-Led Conferences?

Traditional conferences are between parents and the teacher.  Student-led conferences involve the parents, core teachers (Homeroom, EAL and LRC), and the student.

Why Student-Led Conferences?

The purpose of student-led conferencing is to actively involve students, parents, and teachers in celebrating students’ learning and give direction for future learning.

How Do I Sign-Up for a Conference?

Please read the September 13^th Principal’s Notes and click on the link provided which will direct you to the online conference sign-up website.

What Are the Benefits of Student-Led Conferences?

For everyone...

·         Goal-setting is now viewed as a team approach between teachers, students, and parents

·         Increased communication between all stakeholders- student, parents, and teachers

For students...

·         Students can practice real-life skills: communication, leadership, organization, presentation

·         Students learn self-reflection and self-evaluation skills

·         Students see and share their progress over time

·         Students learn to set and reflect on attainable goals

·         Students become more motivated, reflective, and evaluative

For parents....

·         Parents have an opportunity to learn more about their child’s strengths and areas for growth, hearing their child’s perspective as well as the teacher’s.

·         There is increased academic communication between school and home due to increased attendance at conferences.

·         Parents and teachers build open relationships concerning student progress, and work together to develop student accountability and independence

Please note that students may be on campus only for their scheduled conference time, and must be supervised by a parent at all times.  Siblings may wait on a chair outside the room where the conference is being held if they are old enough to do so without supervision, or in a separate part of the classroom.

Have a great weekend,

Kevin Hall

Elementary School Principal

August 23, 2013

Dear Parents,

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the many parents who were able to attend Back to School Night yesterday evening. The importance of attending events such as Back to School Night is a great way for parents to play a part in their children’s education. It not only helps to set the tone for the rest of the school year, but it helps let children know that parents value their education. Here’s to a great year!

Yearbook Photos: Next week, all students will be photographed for the 2013-14 school yearbook. The elementary students will be photographed over three days, Monday, Tuesday and Friday.

Monday: PS 4+B, 1B, 1C, 1D, 2A, 3E, 4A, 4C and 5B

Tuesday: PS 3+A, PS 4+C, KGB, KGC, 2C, 2D, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4D, 5A

Friday: PS3+B, PS4+A, KGA, 1A, 2B, 4B, 5C, 5D, 5E

Please click on the links below to access our cafeteria lunch menu and order form (September 3rd to September 27th).


Lunch order form                        Lunch menu 

Bollywood Dance Club: Parents, are you interested in joining a Bollywood Dance Club here at AISC? Please click here for further information.

A Message from ASA: We need to make use of all the tables in the Elementary School Cafeteria from 3:15. We kindly ask that parents sit in the cafeteria only after the children have left for their ASA. You may continue to come into the cafeteria to purchase a snack for yourself or your child, and then return once children have left. Thank you for your cooperation. 

Big Bad Blue Swim Meet: A Message from Donna Fava, Aquatics Director and Asst. SAISA Swim Coach

On the afternoon of Friday, September 13 (from 4pm-6pm) and all day Saturday, September 14 (from 8am-6pm) we will be sponsoring the Big Bad Blue Swim Meet, here, at the AISC Swimming Pool.  BIG BAD BLUE is an annual invitational swim meet that allows our SAISA Swim Team one big competition against local swim clubs and schools before heading off to Bombay for the SAISA swim meet on October 9-11.  It is also an opportunity to mingle with local folks from Chennai!!!

One of the things that I LOVE about working in international schools is the fact that they are not only schools, but also communities. It is my hope that the community will work together to support our SAISA swimmers in many ways…To watch, to cheer, to support and to volunteer to help at the meet.  We cannot run this meet without community support.  There are many ways that you can help and two days to choose from. 

Friday Evening: We are running only four events for AISC Swimmers, ONLY. It gives our swimmers a bit of practice before they swim against students who have more opportunity for competition.

Saturday: 4-6 local teams and their families will join us on campus to cheer on all every swimmer as they push themselves to attain personal bests in each event.

·      

·         If you can push a button when a swimmer touches the wall, you can be a TIMER!

·         If you can read a results chart and put stickers on a ribbon, you can work to ORGANIZE AWARDS AND RIBBONS!

·         If you have a great voice, you can be an ANNOUNCER!

·         If you like to cook or bake, you can provide some goodies for the HOSPITALITY ROOM!

·         If you are friendly and organized, you could work at the REGISTRATION TABLE!

Would you please consider giving 3 hours of your time on either Friday evening (4-6 PM) or Saturday (8-5 PM)?  It would mean so much to our swimmers and it’s a great way to get involved with our community! We will find some way to involve you!!!

Please email me at fdonna@aisch.org or call me at school, extension 1310. I’d love to have you on the team!

Pictures From Our Classrooms:

Students in Mr. Parmod’s Grade 2 are engaged in their first art project of the year. This lesson was based on the theme of colors. Students had to determine the differences between primary and secondary colors, gain familiarity with the vocabulary of color, identify pairs of complementary colors and experiment with combinations of primary and secondary colors to predict outcomes based on observed patterns.

In this picture, grade 1 teachers Ms. Nancy and Ms. Kaye are co-teaching a writing workshop minilesson on brainstorming writing ideas. They began the lesson by modeling how they brainstorm and then led the students through a guided practice activity which served as a bridge to an independent activity.



Have a great weekend,

Kevin Hall

Elementary School Principal

August 16, 2013

Dear Parents,

This morning we held our, “Welcome Back” assembly in the auditorium. Ms. Sweet and I welcomed our new teacher assistants, teachers and students. This year, we warmly welcome 8 new teacher assistants, 1 teaching intern, 12 teachers and 142 new students. Overall, we have 500 wonderful students in the elementary school. Thank you to our grade 5 students who sang, "We Are a Family Under One Sky." You were great! Thank you to our music teachers, Ms. Shireen, Mr. Finny and Mr. Vasanth- you only had a few days to practice with the students. We truly are a family of many nations under one sky!  Near the end of the assembly, we received a surprise visit from Gerald and Piggie. Many of our students already know Gerald and Piggie because they led our final Literacy Week assembly in the spring. For those of you who do not know Gerald and Piggie, they are two characters in books written by children’s author, Mo Willems, and they teach children about co-operation, sharing and accepting differences.

Back to School Night - Each August, the Elementary School hosts Back to School Night. This year the event will be held on Thursday, August 22, from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Below is the schedule for the night:

5:00 to 5:20: Grade-level presentations (your child’s teacher will let you know where the presentation will take place).

5:20 to 5:25: Transition time

5:25 to 5:45: Grade-level presentation

5:45 to 5:50: Transition time

5:50 to 6:10: Visit your child’s classroom

Looking at the above schedule, if you had two children, for example in grades 1 and 4, you would attend one grade-level presentation at 5:00 and the second presentation at 5:25. You could then drop in to see each child’s classroom from 5:50 to 6:10. If there are three children in your family, mom can attend one session at 5:00 while dad attends the other. This will allow both parents to attend the second session. Specialist teachers will not be leading presentations, but will be available to meet with parents. On Wednesday, you will receive an email indicating where specialist teachers will be located.

I know that some parents are planning to take their children home at 3:30 and then return for 5:00. This is good idea for the day will be long otherwise. Children who do remain at school will be supervised on the playground by school personnel while parents are visiting the classrooms. As usual, food will be available for purchase in the cafeteria after-school should you wish to purchase a snack for your child. Please pick up your children immediately following Back to School Night. 

The purpose of this event is to give you an opportunity to meet your child’s teachers and learn more about the curriculum for each class. There will be other opportunities to speak with a teacher regarding individual student progress. If you do wish to speak with your child’s teacher regarding his/her academics, you are welcome to make an appointment.

Meetings with Teachers: We want to encourage communication between parents and teachers. If you would like to meet with one of your child’s teachers, please contact him or her by email to set up a time to meet. Alternatively, you can contact Ms. Hazel in the Elementary School Principal’s Office to schedule an appointment.  Please keep in mind that our teachers have time set aside before and during the school day for planning and preparing lessons and for assessing student progress. This time is very valuable to them and to the quality of our instructional program. Unscheduled meetings can make it difficult for teachers to be prepared for their classes and hence can have a negative impact on the learning experience for the students. Thank you for your cooperation.

Collaboration Time for Teachers: In my Principal’s Notes last week, I wrote that the teachers recently engaged in professional development workshops that focused on the Seven Norms of Collaboration and effective meeting structures. Teacher collaboration is frequently mentioned in articles and reports on school improvement. A growing body of evidence suggests a positive relationship between teacher collaboration and student achievement. While there is no doubt that informal teacher-to-teacher collaboration can have a positive impact on students, true collaboration is best achieved through a structured process. The key word in the previous sentence is, “structured” and what does a structured process look like? This past spring, several teachers formed the “Collab Committee” and set out to answer this very question. 

This year, teaching teams will have the following collaboration time built into the schedules:

• 90 minutes weekly to be devoted to team meetings

• 90 minutes per week engaged in differentiated onsite professional development (co teaching, collaborative processes, literacy, curriculum development, student led conferences (portfolios and goal setting), IT integration, data analysis of student work, etc.)

• 90 minutes per week of planning for English as an Additional Language and Homeroom Teacher co-teaching pairs and triads

• 180 minutes per week for planning as needed by individual teachers, co-teaching pairs, and teams

Thank you to the following members of the Collab Committee for your fine work: Kristina Jenkins, Rachel MacDonald, Pam Thomson, Jenna Schaller, Shireen Lazarus, Brenna Fairchild, Megan McCrindle, and Anne Sweet.

Student Handbook Acknowledgement Forms– If you have not signed and returned yours, please help us by doing so as soon as possible. It can be found at the end of the Student Handbook. The form must have the signatures of the student (grade 3 and above) and a parent or legal guardian. We will soon be contacting families who have not returned this form.

Please do join us here at the school tomorrow for our annual, “Welcome Back Picnic,” from 1 pm to 4 pm. Come for a short time, or stay the entire time!

Have a great weekend,

Kevin Hall

Elementary School Principal

August 9, 2013

Dear Parents,

On behalf of the Elementary School Faculty, I would like to welcome you to the 2013-14 school year. I trust that you had a relaxing and enjoyable summer and that you are your children are looking forward to another great school year. 

This will be a year of many exciting changes. To begin with, we are happy to welcome the following new teacher assistants and teachers to the elementary school:

Teacher Assistants: Divine Oliva (PS 3), Shereen Russell (PS 4), Preethi Issac (Grade 2), Sinduja Suresh (Grade 3), Nichelle Thibble (Grade 5), Monicka Davi (PS 4) and Sheena Thomas (World Languages).

Teachers: George Bach (Guidance), Anna Vanhorn (Grade 2), Daphne Francis (PS 3+), Ethan Katz (Grade 3), Ben Knight (Grade 5), Danieta Morgan (Grade 5), Laura Waite (Grade 5), Amritha Thomas (LRC), Vigna C (PS 4+), Jeff Moore (PE), Kaye Bach (EAL), Megha Radakrishnan (EAL), Joanne McHallum (Spanish) and Lily Clarke (intern).

Elementary School Handbook/Code of Conduct: Please take the time to read the Elementary School Handbook that you received this week. At the very back of the handbook, on page 51, is an acknowledgment page in which signatures are required to indicate the book has been read. We need a parent signature from each Pre-School to Grade 5 family. We ask that students who are in grade 3 and above sign as well. If you have more than once child in grades 3 to 5, have each child sign on the page. Parents may drop these forms off with Ms. Prisca in the Elementary Reception, or students can give to their homeroom teacher, no later then Friday, August 16.

Principal's Notes: At the end of every week I will provide an update on the events taking place in the elementary school and share other important information with the elementary school community. An email reminder with this link will be sent to all parents each Friday. Please read these notes carefully to stay informed about what is going on in the elementary school. Your child's grade level teachers will keep you updated on news from the classroom.

Questions or Concerns: Please remember that if you have a question or concern about any aspect of your child's educational experience, please contact the classroom teacher first. In most cases, your question or concern will be resolved after speaking with the teacher.  In the rare case that it is not, please make an appointment to see the Assistant Principal. If your question or concern remains unresolved at this level, please make an appointment to see the Principal. You are also welcome to make an appointment to see a Guidance Counselor.

Lost and Found: The lost and found has been relocated to the area by the MC Café. There will be a sign by the old site near the main entrance to direct you to the new site.

Enhancing Collaboration Within our Professional Community: Research clearly shows that collaborative cultures lead to higher student achievement (Hoy, Tarter & Hoy, 2006). It is in meetings that teachers work together to enhance instructional practice and performance. All faculty and staff in the elementary school are members of a team, some in fact, are members of several teams. Therefore, it is vital that we engage in professional development activities that focus on team effectiveness. 

Our work in this area actually began this past April when several of our teachers went to the NESA (Near East South Asia) Spring Educators Conference in Bangkok to attend a training called, "The Adaptive School: Developing and Facilitating Collaborative Groups" (Center for Adaptive Schools). These teachers had a fantastic experience and were very eager to share with us what they learned.

Prior to the first day of school, the elementary teachers participated in a workshop that focused on the “Seven Norms of Collaboration.”  These norms are "essential capacities and skills needed for high-performing groups."(http://www.adaptiveschools.com/inventories.htm). These seven norms are: (1) Pausing, (2) Paraphrasing, (3) Posing questions (4) Putting ideas on the table (5) Paying attention to self and others (6) Providing data and (7) Presuming Positive Intentions. The overarching goal for changing the work culture to become more collaborative is to improve student learning.  

Yesterday in our elementary school section meeting, we shifted our focus from the "Seven Norms of Collaboration" to "Developing and Facilitating Collaborative Groups: Exploring Standards for Successful Meetings." There are five standards for successful meetings: (1) Address only one topic at a time (2) Use only one process at a time (3) Balance participation and make meetings interactive (4) Use cognitive conflict productively and (5) Have everyone understand and agree to meeting rules. When these standards are met, meetings will become more effective and efficient, and thus have a positive impact on students. "The more successful groups are at getting important work done in meetings, the greater their collective efficacy, a resource that is undeniably linked to student success." (www.adaptiveschools.com)

Thank you to our teacher leaders Ms. Andrea, Ms. Jenna, Ms. Chris, Ms. McDonald and Ms. Kristina for leading these highly engaging sessions.

Next week, I will discuss how we have structured collaboration time in the elementary school.

Have a great weekend,

Kevin Hall

Elementary School Principal