Thursday, November 23, 2017

Dear Parents,

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone celebrating this weekend - even it if it not your own cultural tradition, I am sure we can all appreciate all we have and be thankful for this. Enjoy the extended three day weekend and we will see you all back here next Monday.

Missoula Children’s Theatre photographs
A wonderful album of images from our Gulliver’s Travels production can be found here. Password is raptors17.

BFG Movie
Thank you to Jet and the CIC team as well as the PCA for hosting the BFG Movie Screening on Monday - a group of our ES students loved watching the movie and sharing popcorn together.

Late Passes
Children arriving at school after 8:34am in the morning receive a late pass. To avoid disrupting their learning further, these passes will now be issued in the ES Reception, immediately after you pass through the gate. These passes are handed over to the teacher, and this avoids a child being marked absent for the day.

Report Card Technical Glitch - From the IT office
First trimester reports will not be available for viewing until further notice. Due to a technical change in PowerSchool, it is now causing errors within the reporting process.

The PowerSchool office is based out of the United States. Unfortunately, we cannot rectify the situation today due to the Thanksgiving Holiday in the US and everyone is out of the office for this long holiday weekend. They will be back in the office on Monday morning in the US, our Monday evening, which will be the earliest we will be able to work with PowerSchool on this matter.

Once this has been rectified, we will make the reports available to you immediately. We apologise for the inconvenience and we hope to get his resolved by mid-week of next week.

Hour of Code
We live in a world surrounded by technology, and we know that whatever field our students choose to go into as adults, their ability to succeed will increasingly depend on understanding how technology works. Our entire school is joining in on the largest learning event in history: The Hour of Code from November 27 to December 1. To date, more than 100 million students worldwide have already participated in an Hour of Code.

Our Hour of Code is making a statement that American International School Chennai is ready to teach these foundational 21st-century skills. To continue bringing programming activities to our students, we want to make our Hour of Code event huge. This link will take you to the Hour of Code Activities that we encourage you to look at with your children. Watch this video to see the impact coding has in your life.

Meet AISC - Jyotsna Nanda - Grade 4 Homeroom teacher

Ms Jyotsna Nanda is from the state of Himachal Pradesh. She has grown up in different states across India. Jyotsna has lived in West Africa. During her time in Togo, in West Africa, she started her teaching career in the American International School of Lome. She has been at AISC for 17 years where she has grown personally and professionally. One thing that the AISC community might not know about her is her love for desserts!  

December Lunch Menu & Order links  

To order a school lunch for your child, please use this Payonline link.  

December Elementary Lunch Menus: (Grades EY- 3 Pre-order) and Grades (4 & 5 No Preorder)

Have a wonderful long weekend!

Warmly,

Keryn Dowling and Lori Newman

Friday, November 17, 2017

Dear Parents,

Robots, aliens and headless horsemen were a main feature of conversation in the Elementary School this week! This week we had over 60 children involved in the Missola Children’s Theatre production of ‘Gulliver's’ Travels… Around space’. This was an amazing experience for all children involved, and also for those who attended our after school performance today.

Photo by Vinothini, AISC Career Practicum Student

Report cards and MAP reports
This week, we are pleased to share data with parents of Grade 2-5 children Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Progress Report. For students who are new to MAP this year, only Fall 2017 (F17) data will be included. To understand how to read these reports click here for more information.

Also today our first trimester report cards are available for you to view on PowerSchool. If you are unable to access these or login, please contact our IT department directly.

Trimester Two After School Activities
All activities begin on November 20, and will run until March 2nd, 2018. Please note that the ASAs will continue after we come from Winter break.  

Meet AISC - Preethi Isaac, Elementary Teaching Assistant

As well as being a self proclaimed poet, Preethi is proud of being able to encourage and help someone on their path to achieve what they set out to do.  Her teachers “could not do their jobs if it wasn’t for Preethi’s amazing support every day”. Preethi comes from a wonderful family who taught her that life is full of tiny miracles. She is an Engineer by qualification, but decided to give in to her desires of becoming an educator. She takes pride when she often allow is allowed to be part of a child's "Eureka" moment, and she is also a fierce lip syncer who displays rockstar fantasies while pretending to sing!  

Have a wonderful weekend!

Warmly,

Keryn Dowling and Lori Newman

Friday, November 10, 2017

Dear Parents,

We had a spectacular turnout for our Family Math Mornings this week - thank you all for joining us to learn more about conceptual based inquiry math at AISC and for participating with your child.

Missoula Children’s Theatre

We have over 110 children signed up for a cast of 60! Auditions will be held next Monday morning in a theatre workshop, and all members of the cast will be chosen by the MCT workshop leaders.  

This means we may have 50 disappointed children. Here is an article that may help with strategies of how to help your child with disappointment.

Their final performance will be Friday 17th November at 4:00 pm in the FAC Theater! Please note that this is a change from the time published in the Community Calendar. We look forward to seeing you in our audience for ‘Gulliver’s Travels’.

First Trimester Report Cards

Next Friday our first trimester report cards will be available for you to view on PowerSchool. If you do not have an account set up for your Elementary child(ren), and require help with this, please reach out to our IT department.

If your child joined us at AISC since the October break, they will not have a report card uploaded.  

Family Movie screening - BFG - November 20th at 3:45pm
Another fun elementary school community event is on the horizon! Our first movie afternoon is coming soon to AISC Elementary! Join the PCA and the CIC as they show the BFG. Click here also to check out our flyer.  

We will be showing the movie at 3:45 on November 20 in the BBT. Entrance to the movie and popcorn are free.

Please note this film is also available as a book. We have copies in the CIC and it is also available for purchase on Flipkart and Amazon. We encourage reading the book ahead of time as this is a great way to enjoy the movie even more.

A kind reminder that parents should accompany their children on campus after school. Please come to the movie along with your child.

Any questions? Please email Mr. Jet at wjeremy@aischennai.org for more information.

Meet AISC - Velin Prabu - Aquatics Teacher Assistant

Velin Prabhu is the Aquatics teacher's assistant at AISC and is commonly addressed as Coach Velin  or Mr. Velin. He is from Mumbai, India and loves to teach students. Velin joined AISC in 2015, before his wife, Sheetal Prabhu, joining in 2016. Before AISC, Velin was working at the American School of Bombay (ASB) for 8 years. Since childhood, swimming has always been his passion and he has been swimming since he was an elementary student. Velin does not only like to swim but likes to participate in all kinds of sports too, specifically soccer. He enjoys working here at AISC because of the lovely environment and community that surrounds him. He believes the best thing about his job is being a part of student progress and growth with the aquatic skills he teaches. His most memorable moment being at AISC was training the swim team in May 2017 and placing 1st at the swim meet in Stonehill International School, Bangalore. Mr. Velin wishes that if he had any superpower, he would like to change the world by conserving earth's nature and restoring mother earth.

PCA Giving Tree
The PCA Giving Tree is a chance for the AISC community to participate in giving gifts to local organizations in need.  

This year the Elementary School Giving Tree is focused on supporting the Hope Foundation School. We will be collecting new books for the Hope Foundation School. The books will contribute to a library and support literacy. The books can be in English and in Tamil. The ES Giving Tree will be located in the Elementary CIC. Please stop by and take a tag.

We are excited to be supporting three different organizations this year through the ES, MS, and HS Giving Trees. Keep your eyes out for the trees on November 10th. You are welcome to take a tag from any tree. Drop boxes for gifts will be located near the ATMs at both the Main Entrance and the Elementary Entrance. We will be collecting items until Friday, December 8, 2017.

After School Activity: TRIMESTER 2

ASA forms were sent home last Friday. If you have not received the forms, you can come to the Activities & Athletics office by the IHub to take a new one. Trimester 2 starts on November 20, 2017, and runs until March 3, 2018. Kindly note that the ASAs will continue after we come back from the winter break.

Online Registration dates: November 10, 11 & 12

In-person Registration dates: November 13 & 14 ( ES Cafeteria, 8.30am to 9.30am).

For complete details about ASA forms, the information letter & new activity descriptions, please click here.  

Yearbook Photo Order (till November 15)

You can now order your child’s individual and class photos using this order form. Please pay at the cash counter and hand over the form and receipt to Cheryl or Hazel at the Elementary Principal’s office. You can access the photos here. Password is raptors17.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Keryn Dowling and Lori Newman

Friday, November 3, 2017

Dear Parents,  

Greetings on this VLD! We thank you for your support in helping your child with their virtual learning today and hope you enjoyed this time together. Have a great (and dry!) weekend. We look forward to seeing you all in for our Family Math Mornings next week. Your child is excited to particpate in this math experience together with you!  

Family Math Mornings (repeat)
This coming week we have our Family Math Mornings. This is for parents to come in and learn more about our math programme and participate in hands-on activities with their children. Dates for specific grade levels are below, with more details to follow next week.

EY5 & Grade 1 - Wednesday 8 November - 8:45 - 10:15 @ BBT
Grade 4 & 5 - Thursday 9 November - 8:45 - 10:15 @ BBT
Grade 2 & 3 - Friday 10 November - 8:45 - 10:15 @ ES Cafeteria

Missoula Children’s Theatre (last chance to sign up)

This year we have this travelling theatre group working with us again from Monday 13 - Friday 17 November. The production this year is ‘Gulliver’s Travels...in Space’.  

GULLIVER’S TRAVELS -  Written by Michael McGill Music and Lyrics by Michael McGill
With his ship wrecked and his trusty computer JCN on the fritz, brave explorer Gulliver finds himself lost in space with nothing but an Invisible Force to guide him! While transporting from world to world, under the control of the Maniacal Scientist of Lapunta, Gulliver discovers fighting aliens, arrogant Horse Leaders of the foolish Yahoos, largerthan-life royalty (in more ways than one) and robots – all who need just as much help from Gulliver as Gulliver needs from them! Tune in as this sci-fi spin of the timeless tale of GULLIVER’S TRAVELS will take you out-of-this world!  

Sign ups to be part of this cast (or an assistant director) are open to any student from EY5 - 5. Please note that signing up does not guarantee a role in the play (these will be selected by the MCT directors), it is a commitment that your child will be available for the practices and the performance on Friday 17 November, at 4pm. All are welcome to watch the public performance which will be in the FAC Theatre.

Please sign up here if your child would like to take part in ‘Gulliver’s Travels...in Space’.  

BFG Movie Night- November 20th
Our first movie afternoon is coming soon to AISC Elementary! Join the PCA and the CIC as they show the BFG with lots of popcorn! We will be showing the movie at 3:45 on November 20 in the BBT.

Don't forget this movie is also available as a book! We have copies in the CIC and it is also available for purchase on Flipkart and Amazon.

Design Saturday (repeat)

NOVEMBER 11, 2017
Timing: 9 am -12 noon
Facility: ES Discovery Studios (Rooms 2602/2603)
Eligibility: Grade 1 - 5  

This Design Saturday is the second session for the school year 2017-2018. We are offering two design challenges, choose one activity to learn and engage yourself and your child. Each activity will take the entire three hours to complete, so if you have children doing different activities, you must have one parent at each activity. Parents must accompany their child and stay with them the entire time of the activity. Children in EY3, 4 or 5 may not attend due to safety reasons, even as an observer. Number of participants are limited to 10 in each activity.

CHALLENGE 1 MOULD & CAST The first challenge is to make a mould and cast. You will make your own hand or foot using plaster and complete with a coloring.

CHALLENGE 2 PRINTMAKING Be prepared to be creative for this one. You are going to print textures, shapes, forms and make interesting print art on paper.

REGISTRATION DETAILS:
Online registrations are open till November 5. To register through Pay Online click here
In-person registrations at the Athletics & Activities office on November 6 & 7 (8.30 am – 9.30 am).
The cost of the activity is:
INR 1000 per student for Mould and Cast Challenge.
INR 500 per student for Printmaking Challenge.

Yearbook Photo Order

You can now order your child’s individual and class photos using this order form. Please pay at the cash counter and hand over the form and receipt to Cheryl or Hazel at the Elementary Principal’s office. You can access the photos here. (Password:raptors17). Orders will be accepted till November 15th only. Prints will be ready for collection after December 11th. All details are on the form.

After School Activity: TRIMESTER 2

The ASA forms will be sent home on Monday. You can also collect forms from the Activities & Athletics office by the IHub. Trimester 2 starts on November 20, 2017, till March 3, 2018. Kindly note that the ASAs will continue after we come back from the winter break.

Online Registration dates: November 10, 11 & 12.

In-person Registration dates: November 13 & 14.( ES Cafeteria, 8.30am to 9.30am).

For complete details about ASA forms / Information letter & New activity description, please click here.  

Have a great weekend!

Keryn Dowling and Lori Newman