Thursday, 27 April, 2017

Dear Parents,

Happy long weekend! Enjoy this lovely weather and time to be with your families and friends. We will see you all next Tuesday, 2 May. We all enjoyed a wonderful PCA faculty appreciation lunch and would like to thank each and every one of you who contributed to the lunch or the thank you cards and flowers. Everyone felt incredibly appreciated!

Celebrating Future Engineers at Work!

Fourth graders were asked to look out the window on the drive to school, observing everyday life in Chennai. They were then prompted to come up with ways that would make people's lives better. Students engaged in a design thinking process where they began with a need, sketched possible solutions, then planned, built, tested and refined their devices. The project was part of an energy unit, and students were expected to show how energy can be converted from one form to another.

A battery ran a motor, which turned a wooden arm. It was used to pick up trash (and it really worked!).

A cooling top hat with a battery operated fan built into the brim. Stylish and functional!

ES Parent Coffee - Tuesday 9 May - 8:45 - 9:45 in the ES Cafeteria

At this parent coffee we will discuss transitions, and invite any family who is leaving AISC as well as families who will be saying goodbye to friends this year, to attend.  Counselors will talk about many  useful strategies leaving families can use to ensure children’s transition out of AISC and Chennai is well planned and managed.

Student Led Conference Feedback

Thank you to every parent who not only came to support their children sharing their learning in Student Led Conferences, but who have also either emailed or dropped by to give their feedback.  Feedback from faculty too has been overwhelmingly positive. If you did not get a chance to provide feedback, and you would like to - please use this link.

DESIGN SATURDAY – May 6, 2017

Timing:      9 am -12 noon

Facility:      ES Discovery Studios (Rooms 2602/2603)

Eligibility:  Grade 1 - 5

This session is very special as it is the last one of the 2016-2017 school year.  

We are offering two design challenges. Please choose one activity from the choices to challenge yourself and your child on Saturday. The time is designed that one activity will take up most of the entire three hours. If you have children doing different activities, you must have one parent at each activity.

Tool Bag

The first challenge is to make a tool box. Do you struggle to find places to store your toys, dolls, or even tools? This could be your solution. You will build your very own toolbox using recycled wood complete with a carrying handle.

Mystery Grab Bag

The second challenge is the Mystery Grab Bag Challenge. You will randomly choose a challenge from the grab bag. What will your challenge be? You will have to pick to find out! Be prepared to be creative for this one.

This Design Saturday is limited to 20 student participants (Maximum of 10 per activity). Parents must accompany their child to Design Saturday and stay with them the entire time of the activity.  The activities are designed for Grade 1 and up; children in Kindergarten or younger may not attend due to safety reasons, even as an observer. Thank you for your understanding.

REGISTRATION DETAILS

The cost of the activity is INR 750 per student.

Registration dates: April 24 – May 3, 2017

Mode of payment:

• In-person registration by cash at the ASA office (MC-1B) from 9.00 am – 11.00 am
• Online registration – Pay online portal (https://payonline.aisch.org/)

May Lunch Menu & Order Links  

If you wish to order a school lunch for your child, you can access the elementary lunch menu here.   You may use either the Payonline or the Lunch Pre-order system to order lunch for your child(ren).

Have a wonderful long weekend!

Warmly,

Keryn Dowling

Friday, April 21, 2017

Dear Parents,

Everything is warming up in the Elementary School, and also in Chennai! Please know that we are very mindful of these hot temperatures and we monitor this closely every day. Should the temperature reach 40C/104F we will not be sending our children out for recess or PE. Currently, our younger PE classes are in the pool and our older students in the gym or covered area. However, regardless of limiting sun exposure, please ensure your child remains adequately hydrated in this heat by ensuring they have a named water bottle with them every day. For time outside, sunscreen and a hat are also highly encouraged.

Yesterday afternoon as well as all day today, we had our Student Led Conferences and I wandered around with pride observing even our youngest students lead their parents through many learning stations, as well as share learning growth and future focus areas. Many parents dropped in to tell Ms Newman or myself how proud they were of our children, who are very knowledgeable and reflective about their own learning! This is another great piece of AISC where we are continuing to encourage students to share their own successes and goals with independence; further empowering them as learners.

Re-locating from Chennai

If you know that you will be leaving Chennai and your child will not returning to AISC for the next academic year, please remember to fill out the attached Withdrawal Notification Form and submit through email or handover to the Elementary Office. Completing this in advance of your child’s last day helps us prepare any documentation required (email: bhazel@aischennai.org or fcheryl@aischennai.org)

Class placements (final announcement - link closes next week)

We are in the process of placing students into new classes in their new grade level groups. Much consideration is done to ensure balances of gender, nationality, as well as learning and social needs.  
All class and teacher placement is done by the teaching faculty as well as the counselors with final decisions being made by the principals.  

Whilst we are not taking requests for specific teachers, if you feel there are any particular needs your child has that may help us when considering their class placements, please complete the link below. This link is the only official format for submitting such requests. Please do not approach the class teachers or counselors directly as they will redirect you to fill out this link. Thank you for your understanding. This link will close next Wednesday 25 April, so please ensure your input is complete before then.

DESIGN SATURDAY – May 6, 2017

Timing:      9 am -12 noon

Facility:      ES Discovery Studios (Rooms 2602/2603)

Eligibility:  Grade 1 - 5

This session is very special as it is the last one of the 2016-2017 school year.  

We are offering two design challenges. Please choose one activity from the choices to challenge yourself and your child on Saturday. The time is designed that one activity will take up most of the entire three hours. If you have children doing different activities, you must have one parent at each activity.

Tool Bag

The first challenge is to make a tool box. Do you struggle to find places to store your toys, dolls, or even tools? This could be your solution. You will build your very own toolbox using recycled wood complete with a carrying handle.

Mystery Grab Bag

The second challenge is the Mystery Grab Bag Challenge. You will randomly choose a challenge from the grab bag. What will your challenge be? You will have to pick to find out! Be prepared to be creative for this one.

This Design Saturday is limited to 20 student participants (Maximum of 10 per activity). Parents must accompany their child to Design Saturday and stay with them the entire time of the activity.  The activities are designed for Grade 1 and up; children in Kindergarten or younger may not attend due to safety reasons, even as an observer. Thank you for your understanding.

REGISTRATION DETAILS

The cost of the activity is INR 750 per student.

Registration dates: April 24 – May 3, 2017

Mode of payment:

• In-person registration by cash at the ASA office (MC-1B) from 9.00 am – 11.00 am
• Online registration – Pay online portal (https://payonline.aisch.org/)

May Lunch Menu & Order Links  

If you wish to order a school lunch for your child, you can access the elementary lunch menu here.   You may use either the Payonline or the Lunch Pre-order system to order lunch for your child(ren).

AISC SUMMER CAMP 2017

For information about AISC Summer Camp 2017 please click here

Have a great weekend!

Warmly,

Keryn Dowling

Thursday, April 13, 2017

Dear Parents,  

It was great seeing so many of you out supporting our young swimmers this morning for the Kindergarten - Grade 2 Swim Gala. Some of these swimmers were afraid to even enter the pool at the beginning of the year, and through our wonderful swim program, are now confident at displaying their developing skills. What a wonderful life skill all our children are learning.  

Thank you to all the parents who took the time this week to attend our Elementary Parent Coffee on Math. We will host another parent coffee on this core subject area next year, and for now if you missed it, you can access the presentation here. Additionally, included in this presentation is a great link to further suggestions on personalised home learning in math.  

Next week is busy with Student Led Conferences and we look forward to welcoming you all then to hear from your child all the growth they have made in all their learning areas. Please see below for arrangements you can make to ensure siblings are cared for during each conference.  

High School Production
The High School Theatre will perform their production of The Caucasian Chalk Circle, by Bertolt Brecht, on Thursday, 20 April and Friday, 21 April, at 7pm.

High in the Caucasus Mountains, the tiny nation of Grusinia is plagued by civil war. Fleeing her burning city, Grusha, a serving woman, discovers an abandoned child. In a desperate act of mercy, she takes the baby in search of safe haven from the chaos. The road ahead of her holds many dangers: betrayal, cruelty, and soldiers hunting the child - but even those dangers pale when child’s true mother returns to find him.  

Thrilling, funny, and touching, Circle is suitable for audiences from upper elementary and older. Tickets on sale at the main entrance from Monday, 17 April for Rs. 100.  

Global Codeathon @ AISC
Inviting students from Grades 1 - 6 to participate in “Global Codeathon” on May 6th from 12:30 pm to 4 pm. Global Codeathon is a coding conference and virtual meetup where students get to ‘Connect, Create and Challenge’. We will connect, code and share our work with all the other participants all over the world through ‘Google Hangouts’. The Global Codeathon was not only made to celebrate the achievements of students who are already coding but also offer opportunities for students to be introduced to the creative and challenging world of coding. The event will start with a short introduction of participant schools, followed by teacher-led codeathon sessions, 10 minutes of peer feedback and almost an hour of Coding Slam, during which students get to share their work with their counterparts around the world. You can visit this website if you need more information on the event. Interested? Hurry! There are only 30 seats! Sign up using this form before May 3rd, 2017.   

Re-locating from Chennai

If you know that you will be leaving Chennai and your child will not returning to AISC for the next academic year, please remember to fill out the attached Withdrawal Notification Form and submit through email or handover to the Elementary Office. Completing this in advance of your child’s last day helps us prepare any documentation required (email: bhazel@aischennai.org or fcheryl@aischennai.org)

Class placements

In April we will begin the process of placing students into new classes in their new grade level groups. Much consideration is done to ensure balances of gender, nationality, as well as learning and social needs.  

All class and teacher placement is done by the teaching faculty as well as the counselors with final decisions being made by the principals.  

Whilst we are not taking requests for specific teachers, if you feel there are any particular needs your child has that may help us when considering their class placements, please complete the link below. This link is the only official format for submitting such requests. Please do not approach the class teachers or counselors directly as they will redirect you to fill out this link. Thank you for your understanding.

Student Led Conferences Sign Ups - Final Chance to Sign up!

This year our Student-Led Conferences (SLCs) are scheduled for Thursday 20 and Friday 21 April. Thursday the 20th is a normal school day.  Friday 21st will not have regular scheduled classes.

This Student Led Conference is the time for your child to share their learning growth and future goals with you.  Please expect teachers to be involved as facilitator and not directly involved in the discussions; on this day the main focus is between you and your child. There will be multiple children and their families sharing their learning at the same time in each classroom.

Please sign up here to attend your SLC together with your child.

• The conference will take approximately 30 - 40 minutes in the classroom and 30 - 40 mins with the specialist areas - Music, Art, PE, Indian Studies and World Language.  
• Your child will have a passport to lead you through each area and will know whether to begin in the homeroom or in the specialist areas.
• Students are responsible for leading the conference and also take responsibility for their learning by sharing the process with their parents.  
• Supervision for siblings will be in the ES Cafeteria, Library and outside play areas, with pre-school children supervised in the library only. Please note that this is only for enrolled AISC students. You will need to make your own separate arrangements for younger children and babies.  
• If your home language is other than English your children are welcome to conduct the Student- Led Conference in your mother tongue. Please do not hesitate to contact either the homeroom/specialist teachers, or Lori or myself, should you have any questions regarding these upcoming conferences.

Have a wonderful long weekend.

Warmly,

Keryn Dowling

Friday, April 07, 2017

Dear Parents,

Today’s Grade 2 Mela connected to their Service Learning project with Seva Sevajam was the culmination of another great week in the Elementary School. Our Grade 2 students were so proud of their products and services for sale and would like to thank our community for supporting this wonderful event.  

Whether you baked and prepared food for this event, worked behind the scenes or came and purchased a product or a service, this event could not have taken place without you!

Additionally this morning we had a wonderful Celebration of Learning with our Grade 3-5 students presenting both poetry and persuasive speeches. Grade 3’s persuasive speech on the need for an extra afternoon recess was so compelling that the students listening erupted into cheering support and led us to add an additional afternoon recess into our timetable today!  

Writing is a powerful tool for advocacy! Late last week I also had several Kindergarten students present their opinion writing to me on why we should not litter. This powerful writing is on display in the ES offices. Well done Mae, Ines, Haruna and Chiara.

Math Parent Coffee - Tuesday 11 April 2:00 - 3:00pm in the BBT - “Math in the Elementary School”

This coffee will be run by Calley Connelly, our Math Instructional Coach, along with Elementary teachers, talking about how conceptual math instruction looks in a contemporary international school. There will be hands on opportunities for parents to explore how math is being taught to their children.  

Lower Elementary Swim Gala

Next Thursday 13 April from 8.45 - 10.15 our KG - Grade 2 students will be involved in a swim gala.  This is a chance for our swimmers to show off the skills they have gained through our Aquatics program. Parents are encouraged to come support our young swimmers!

Grade 2 - 8.45am - 9.15am (Grade 2 students should come to school wearing their suits under their clothes)

KG - 9.15 - 9.45am

Grade 1 - 9.45 - 10.15am

Global Codeathon @ AISC
Inviting students from Grades 1 - 6 to participate in “Global Codeathon” on May 6th from 12:30 pm to 4 pm. Global Codeathon is a coding conference and virtual meetup where students get to ‘Connect, Create and Challenge’. We will connect, code and share our work with all the other participants all over the world through ‘Google Hangouts’. The Global Codeathon was not only made to celebrate the achievements of students who are already coding but also offer opportunities for students to be introduced to the creative and challenging world of coding. The event will start with a short introduction of participant schools, followed by teacher-led codeathon sessions, 10 minutes of peer feedback and almost an hour of Coding Slam, during which students get to share their work with their counterparts around the world. You can visit this website if you need more information on the event. Interested? Hurry! There are only 30 seats! Sign up using this form before May 3rd, 2017.  

Re-locating from Chennai

If you know that you will be leaving Chennai and your child will not returning to AISC for the next academic year, please remember to fill out the attached Withdrawal Notification Form and submit through email or handover to the Elementary Office. Completing this in advance of your child’s last day helps us prepare any documentation required (email: bhazel@aischennai.org or   fcheryl@aischennai.org)

Class placements

In April we will begin the process of placing students into new classes in their new grade level groups. Much consideration is done to ensure balances of gender, nationality, as well as learning and social needs.  

All class and teacher placement is done by the teaching faculty as well as the counselors with final decisions being made by the principals.  

Whilst we are not taking requests for specific teachers, if you feel there are any particular needs your child has that may help us when considering their class placements, please complete the link below. This link is the only official format for submitting such requests. Please do not approach the class teachers or counselors directly as they will redirect you to fill out this link. Thank you for your understanding.

Student Led Conferences Sign Ups - Repeat Announcement

This year our Student-Led Conferences (SLCs) are scheduled for Thursday 20 and Friday 21 April.   Thursday the 20th is a normal school day.  Friday 21st will not have regular scheduled classes.

This Student Led Conference is the time for your child to share their learning growth and future goals with you.  Please expect teachers to be involved as facilitator and not directly involved in the discussions; on this day the main focus is between you and your child. There will be multiple children and their families sharing their learning at the same time in each classroom.

Please sign up here to attend your SLC together with your child.

• The conference will take approximately 30 - 40 minutes in the classroom and 30 - 40 mins with the specialist areas - Music, Art, PE, Indian Studies and World Language.  
• Your child will have a passport to lead you through each area and will know whether to begin in the homeroom or in the specialist areas.
• Students are responsible for leading the conference and also take responsibility for their learning by sharing the process with their parents.  
• Supervision for siblings will be in the ES Cafeteria, Library and outside play areas, with pre-school children supervised in the library only. Please note that this is only for enrolled AISC students. You will need to make your own separate arrangements for younger children and babies.  
• If your home language is other than English your children are welcome to conduct the Student- Led Conference in your mother tongue. Please do not hesitate to contact either the homeroom/specialist teachers, or Lori or myself, should you have any questions regarding these upcoming conferences.

Poetry Month is in April - repeat announcements

The month of April will mark the beginning of our Poetry Month in our World Languages grades 3-12. We will be highlighting poetry and all that it brings the world! The French School and the World Languages will collaborate to publish a book of original poetry comprised of student work.

Any student is welcome to submit one original poem to Poetryschool600113@gmail.com by April 10, 2017. The original poems can be written in any language. Please submit an English translation of poems written in languages other than English, French, or Spanish.  

There will be a banner and posters going up around the school as well, and in April we will be making a display in the courtyard of all that our students 3-12 have done to celebrate the month.

Date Change

The High School Theater Production recorded in the community calendar for Friday, April 21 and Saturday, April 22 will instead be held on Thursday. April 20 and Friday, April 21. Kindly mark your calendars. More information on the play and ticket sales will be shared soon.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Keryn Dowling