Friday, May 31, 2019

Dear Parents,

The 2018-19 year has finished, and what a wonderfully busy and buzzing year it has been in the Elementary School. This week we had four wonderful end of year celebrations for all grade levels, culminating with our farewell assembly today. Please know that photos from all of these events will be available on the AISC website soon.

We farewell 70 students on their last day at AISC today, and wish them and their families well as they move on to new schools all around the world. Keep in touch and let us know how you are getting on!

As we break today for summer vacation, we wish each and every student and their family a safe and relaxing holiday break. We look forward to welcoming you all back again next academic year on Thursday 8 August.

Today we also farewell the following teachers as they head off to new teaching assignments at the end of this year. We thank each and everyone one of them for all they have done for AISC.

Teachers:

Ms Amanda Brandt

Ms Barbara Wilson

Mr Jeremy Willette

Ms Jyotsna Nanda

Ms Karen Sumaryono

Ms Megha Radhakrishnan

Ms Seema Sandhir

Mr Vasanth Peter

TeacherAssistants:

Mr Adithya Rajaram

Ms Sai Savitha Senthilnathan

Mr Vijaykumar N

Student Health Forms
Student health records are important sources of information. Please note the following requirements for next year.

·  Annual medical updates, signed by a parent, are required every year.

·  On initial enrollment or at the beginning of grade 3, 6, or 9, a physician-completed form must be provided.  

Students with significant allergies or on daily medication should also submit the annual form completed by a physician.

All forms are due by the end of the second week of school.

Parents who have questions regarding this should contact the health office.

Report Cards, Yearbooks and AISC Connect Magazine

Your child would have brought home the printed report card for this semester on Wednesday this week. The Yearbooks were also distributed to all students, and a copy of the AISC Connect magazine was sent with your youngest child. If you have not seen these yet, please check with your child. If your child was absent this week, please collect from the Elementary office in August.

MAP Reports

Students in Grades 2-5 who took the spring MAP tests will receive their scores electronically along with a letter of how to read and understand your child’s test scores.

Continuing Learning Over the Summer!

While summer is most definitely a time to play and reconnect with family and friends, it is also a great chance to dive into a book or five. Parents, encourage your children to continue this great reading habit by setting aside 15 minutes a day to continue reading. The options are endless, read by the pool, at the beach, at a cafe or in bed before falling asleep after a great summer vacation day.

 

AISC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL READING LIST - SUMMER 2019

Summer Reading Recommendations Grades 1 - 2

Adele and Simon by Barbara McClintock

When Simon's older sister, Adele, picks him up from school, she makes Simon promise to try not to lose anything. But as they make their way home, distractions cause Simon to leave something behind at every stop. What will they tell their mother?

Lola Levine is Not Mean! by Monica Brown

Sports-loving Lola accidentally injures a classmate during a recess soccer game and resolves to win back her spot on the field – and her friends – by demonstrating what good sportsmanship is all about.

Ape and Armadillo Take Over the World by James Sturm

Ape and Armadillo learn that achieving world domination is a lot less fun without your best friend at your side.

Juana and Lucas by Juana Medina

A little girl growing up on Bogota is determined to learn English before her trip to the U.S. and her visit to Spaceland.

Themes/Genres: Multiculturalism

Summer Reading Recommendations Grades 3- 5

Amina’s Voice by Hena Khan

Among prejudice and change, how do you stay true to yourself and blend into a new community simultaneously?

Bronze and Sunflower by Cao Wenxuan

While navigating the challenges of poverty in rural China in the 1970s, a mute boy named Bronze and an orphan named Sunflower develop a powerful friendship.

Clayton Byrd Goes Underground by Rita Williams-Garcia

When his beloved grandfather, the blues man Cool Papa Byrd, dies suddenly, Clayton's anger and misplaced alliances get him into trouble. This story of family grief, reconciliation, and the power of music is set in New York City.

Flying Lessons & Other Stories by Ellen Oh

Ten authors celebrate diversity through tales of Bigfoot, basketball, girl pirates and more in a highly readable, relatable short story collection.

Grand Canyon by Jason Chin

As a father and daughter hike up and out of the canyon, Chin introduces readers to this National Park's unique geology, plants and animals.

Hamster Princess: Harriet the Invincible (Hamster Princess #1) by Ursula Vernon

Princess Harriet is not your typical princess. She is into ogre slaying, cliff-diving, and battle quail-riding. But she knows that the curse that is destined to befall her on her 12th birthday must also keep her alive until then - making her invincible!

The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste

Eleven-year-old Corinne must call on her courage and an ancient magic to stop an evil spirit and save her island home.

Just Dance by Patricia MacLachlan

Years ago, Sylvie's mother was a famous opera singer, but she gave it all up to marry Sylvie's father and move to small town Wyoming. Sylvie can't help but wonder - does her mother ever miss her glamorous former life? And is she ever tempted to go back to it?

Lemons by Melissa Savage

When Lemonade Liberty Witt moves in with her grandfather, the last thing she expects is to join the Bigfoot Detective Inc. Are they on track to discover sasquatch or something more?

Me & Marvin Gardens by Amy Sarig King

While picking up trash from Devlin Creek, Obe discovers a most extraordinary animal that may be the answer to the pollution.

Orphan Island by Laurel Snyder

Jinny lives on an idyllic, secluded island with eight other children. The fundamental mystery of the island’s rules is exposed amid distress and anxiety.

Real Friends by Shannon Hale

Shannon is learning how to navigate the turbulent waters of childhood. Handling bullies, dealing with cliques, and finding out who your true friends really are.

Secret Coders by Gene Luen Yang

New girl Hopper discovers some very strange goings-on at Stately Academy. Do she and her new friend Eni have what it takes to outwit the school's founder and solve the mysteries? Readers are invited to code along!

Sidetracked by Diana Harmon Asher

Despite learning disabilities, Joseph joins his school’s track team and discovers the value of achieving

a personal best, both on and off the cross-country course.

The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Like many other city children during World War II, Ada and Jamie are being evacuated to live with strangers in the countryside, away from the bombings. They are leaving their mother and all they have ever known.

Summer is also a great time to continue writing habits. Writers who write every day helps overall literacy development in all areas.

• Rediscover the postcard - send one to Ms Keryn, Mr Dave or Ms Calley at the schools’ address! We will post any cards received in the main reception
• Create a holiday journal
• Write captions for photos
• Make lists
• Write a review of your favorite restaurant, a book you read, or a place you visited
• Create a holiday blog
• Email a friend

See more tips for summer writing here

 

What can we do for Math practice this Summer?

Parents often wonder if math practice is needed for their children over the summer. While we all agree that summer is a welcome break from lessons, studies have shown that most students do experience summer learning loss, and mathematics is often the hardest hit.  

Luckily, doing just three or four problems per day over the summer can prevent learning loss in mathematics. Kids may look at it as a daily challenge that they must complete, or a daily "to-do" to proudly check off their calendar. We also have a wealth of resources available for students at this page, which lists good Home Learning resources that align to our Bridges Program.  

Parents might also consider downloading a summer math calendar like this one, which will set a daily goal for kids and parents! Or make this Summer STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics) Jar for bored days. Remember, most importantly, summer math should be fun. Find one of these activities that works for your child, or mix it up with options. We encourage you to talk to your child about the importance of summer learning to prevent the summer slide.  

It is going to be another great year - and for now, we wish you a safe and relaxing summer. See you all in August!

Have a wonderful summer break!
Keryn Dowling, Dave Allen, and Calley Connelly

Friday, May 24, 2019

Dear Parents,

Almost our last blog of the year! We are so looking forward to celebrating with you next week. Please see below for reminders of all the timings of our end of year performances and parties. Next week is our last week together in the Elementary. We say farewell to our Grade 5 students next Thursday at their final celebration as they reach this milestone of completing elementary school. We wish each of them well as they finish elementary strong and we look forward to seeing them around campus as middle schoolers next year!

End of Year Celebrations - FAC theatre

Our music and grade level teams are working hard to prepare for these upcoming events and we hope you are able to join us for these wonderful events. Class parties will follow these end of year celebrations.

Monday 27 May, 1:30 PM          EY - G1 Celebration      

Tuesday 28 May, 1:30 PM         Grade 2 - 4 Celebration

Thursday 30 May, 9:00 AM        Grade 5 Celebration     

Please join us in the FAC theatre to celebrate a great year together!

Grade 3-5 Swim Gala

Today we had the Upper Elementary Swim Gala. Students from Grade 3, 4 and 5 all demonstrated the wonderful swimming skills they have learned this year and we thank all the parents who came along to support this. Also big thank you to Coach Gio, Velin and Lawrence as well as our PE teachers Mr Jack and Ms Sobha who helped our children reach their swimming goals.

 

Elementary Report Cards

Next Wednesday our final semester report cards will be sent home via your child’s backpack, and on Friday Grade 2-5 MAP test results will be emailed home. Please take time to read these together with your children, and reflect on the wonderful successes they have had this year, as well as the growth each and every one of them have made.

Yearbooks

The AISC yearbooks will be distributed to students from next Wednesday via the children’s class teachers. All currently enrolled students will receive one.

NESA Virtual Science Fair

AISC Grade 5 NESA Virtual Science Fair Teams Claim 5th Place in Global Competition!

This is the 5^th time since 2009 that an AISC Grade 5 team has done well in this NESA event! Thanks to the many parents and 5th grade teachers, Ms. Salome and Ms. Jen, for their leadership, support and encouragement!

 

Reminiscing on School Year 2018-19

As our school year starts to come to a close, we on the Elementary Leadership Team begin to wax reflective about the wonderful year of learning and growth that we have all experienced. We appreciate our teachers’ hard work, our parents’ openness and collaboration, and our students’ bright sparks and enthusiasm for learning, sometimes through productive struggle. For the last few blogs of the year, we’ll share a few highlights from the #aiscelementary Twitter feed. Here’s to a wonderful end to a wonderful year.  Thank you for being a part of our #aiscelementary community.  

Summer Camp at AISC (repeat announcement)

The Athletics and Activities department is offering programs for the first two weeks of summer break. There is a camp with multiple activities, coaching for students and parents, and open times for drop-in use. Information and links to register are here. Registrations close on May 31.

Lost and Found Items Display (repeat announcement)

Please check the Lost and Found Items which are displayed near the Main Reception opposite the BBT. For Electronic Items, Watches, Purses etc, please check with Ms. Sonia David in the Main Reception.

Any unclaimed items will be donated during the Summer Break.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Keryn Dowling, Dave Allen, and Calley Connelly

Friday, May 17, 2019

Dear Parents,

Time flies when you are having fun! We continue to be surprised at how quickly the end of the school year is approaching, and we are enjoying these last few weeks with your children in their current grades. We also look forward to next year, and we know that some of you are making transitions onward. Let us all enjoy this quality time together and take perspective when needed to be more ready to support each other. As usual for this time of year, we have quite a few events coming up, so please read carefully and add these dates to your calendar.

Grades 3-5 Swim Gala is coming!

Please come and support your child during this activity as it is an expectation that all students participate in this learning process. Remember to send your child’s swimming supplies (swimsuit, goggles, and towel) and see you on Friday, May 24th.

Place: Swimming Pool

When: Friday, May 24th

Time: 3:45 pm

Grade 3 will start the Swim Gala, followed by grade 4 & 5 together.

Special note to all AISC Community members - We will be looking for any extra support we can get to help the swim gala event to run smoothly. If you would be willing to help out with this event, please contact Gio (bgiovanni@aischennai.org) or Jack (bjack@aischennai.org).  

Wrapping up Season 3 ASAs

We completed our last session of ASAs for this season today. Although there will be NO REGULAR ASAs after today, ASA showcases will be held next week. Please check your email for details about showcases times and locations.  

Update on NESA Virtual Science Fair Competition

As you know, our Grade 5 students supported by Ms Salome and Ms Jen competed in the NESA virtual science fair this year. There were 83 Middle School teams from a pool of 460 teams. Grade 5 winners came from a group of 25. Only 5 teams from NVSEF5 will continue into the Champion's League. AISC’s Team 4, with a project on Engineering, is currently placed fourth in the standings and we look forward to more news about their success! Pictured below are Team 4 Jasim Mukhtar, Jamil Mukhtar, and Keshav Menon. Their project aimed to harness solar energy to generate electricity and provide a renewable source of power for lighting purposes. Wow!

 

Middle School Orientation Slideshow

Dear Grade 5 Parents: If you were unable to attend the Middle School Orientation for Grade 5 parents on Tuesday or would like to review what was covered, you can access the slides that were shown HERE. We are looking forward to seeing you and welcoming your children to the MS in August!  

More Reminiscing on School Year 2018-19

As our school year starts to come to a close, we on the Elementary Leadership Team begin to wax reflective about the wonderful year of learning and growth that we have all experienced. We appreciate our teachers’ hard work, our parents’ openness and collaboration, and our students’ bright sparks and enthusiasm for learning, sometimes through productive struggle. For the last few blogs of the year, we’ll share a few highlights from the #aiscelementary Twitter feed. Here’s to a wonderful end to a wonderful year. Thank you for being a part of our #aiscelementary community.

 

End of Year Celebrations (repeat announcement)

In response to parent feedback, this year we are thrilled to announce all students of all our grade levels will have the opportunity to experience and enjoy an end of year celebration to recognise the end of their successful year! These will be held in the FAC theatre and are on the community calendar. Our music and grade level teams are working hard to prepare for these upcoming events and we hope you are able to join us for these wonderful events. Class parties will follow these end of year celebrations. Further details about grade-level specific ceremonies, if needed, will follow soon from teachers.

Monday 27 May, 1:30 PM          EY - G1 Celebration      

Tuesday 28 May, 1:30 PM         Grade 2 - 4 Celebration

Thursday 30 May, 9:00 AM        Grade 5 Celebration     

Please join us in the FAC to celebrate a great year together!

Summer Camp at AISC (repeat announcement)

The Athletics and Activities department is offering programs for the first two weeks of summer break. There is a camp with multiple activities, coaching for students and parents, and open times for drop-in use. Information and links to register are here. Registrations close on May 31.

Lost and Found Items Display (repeat announcement)

Please check the Lost and Found Items which are displayed near the Main Reception opposite the BBT. For Electronic Items, Watches, Purses etc, please check with Ms. Sonia David in the Main Reception.

Any unclaimed items will be donated during the Summer Break.

Withdrawing Students (repeat announcement)

If you are relocating and your child is not returning to AISC for the next school year, please fill out this Withdrawal Notification Form and hand it in or email it to bhazel@aischennai.org / ppadma@aischennai.org at the Elementary office.

Have a wonderful weekend!
Keryn Dowling, Dave Allen, and Calley Connelly

Friday, May 10, 2019

Dear Parents,

Greetings at the end of a productive and hot week in the Elementary School! Enjoy this upcoming weekend and we hope you find places to cool off in this Chennai heat. A reminder that the scheduled Early Release next Wednesday 15th May is cancelled and we will have a full day of school.

End of Year Celebrations

In response to parent feedback, this year we are thrilled to announce all students of all our grade levels will have the opportunity to experience and enjoy an end of year celebration to recognise the end of their successful year! These will be held in the FAC theatre and are on the community calendar. Our music and grade level teams are working hard to prepare for these upcoming events and we hope you are able to join us for these wonderful events. Class parties will follow these end of year celebrations.

Monday 27 May, 1:30 PM          EY - G1 End-of Year Celebration           

Tuesday 28 May, 1:30 PM         Grade 2 - 4

Thursday 30 May, 9:00 AM        Grade 5 Celebration     

Please join us in the FAC to celebrate a great year together!

Reminiscing on School Year 2018-19

As our school year starts to come to a close, we on the Elementary Leadership Team begin to wax reflective about the wonderful year of learning and growth that we have all experienced. We appreciate our teachers hard work, our parents openness and collaboration, and our students bright sparks and enthusiasm for learning, sometimes through productive struggle. For the last few blogs of the year, we will share a few highlights from the #aiscelementary Twitter feed. Here’s to a wonderful end to a wonderful year. Thank you for being a part of our #aiscelementary community.

 

Reminder: ASA Season 3 Ends

Our last regular ASA date is Friday, May 17, with the showcases being held from May 20 through May 24. You will receive information about the locations of the ASA showcases soon.

Lost and Found Items Display

Please check the Lost and Found Items which are displayed near the Main Reception opposite the BBT. For Electronic Items, Watches, Purses etc, please check with Ms. Sonia David in the Main Reception.

Any unclaimed items will be donated during the Summer Break.

Withdrawing Students (repeat announcement)

If you are relocating and your child is not returning to AISC for the next school year, please fill out this Withdrawal Notification Form and hand it in or email it to bhazel@aischennai.org / ppadma@aischennai.org at the Elementary office.

Summer Camp at AISC (repeat announcement)

The Athletics and Activities department is offering programs for the first two weeks of summer break. There is a camp with multiple activities, coaching for students and parents, and open times for drop-in use. Information and links to register are here. Registrations close on May 31.

Have a wonderful weekend!
Keryn Dowling, Dave Allen, and Calley Connelly

Friday, May 03, 2019

Dear Parents,

Happy Friday! Welcome to the end of a unique week, with both Monday and Wednesday out of school. Teachers and students are looking forward to returning to the routines of five-day weeks for the last four weeks of school. Please note that there are many end-of-year and next year announcements for your attention in this week and in the coming blog posts as well.  

Cancelled - EY-Grade 5 Learning Celebration & Early Release

Next Friday 10th May was scheduled on the community calendar for our final learning celebration of the year. However, this event has been cancelled to allow for teachers to regain some instructional time. We appreciate your understanding. In addition, the Early Release on Wednesday 15th May is cancelled and we will have a full day of school.

ES Swimmers in Dubai

Congratulations to the ES swimmers for their hard work leading to a great swim meet in Dubai. Thank you to Coaches Mr Gio, Mr Velin, Mr Balaji!

ES Swimmers: Magdalena, Nanami, Minami, Summer, Minato, & Ryutaro

Swimming ASA - May 9th & 10th

This information is a reminder that on Thursday, May 9th (LTS 1-2-3 and Raptors 2) and Friday, 10th (Raptors 1) there will be no swimming ASA. Please pick up your child at the end of the school day.  Saturday's activities are still on as usual. For more information, please check our aquatics website regularly.

Roots and Shoots Fundraiser Outcomes

Thanks to everyone for supporting our fundraiser to help the Sea Turtles at the Tree Foundation! We raised 87,970 rupees in donations, which has been deposited to the cashier for the Tree Foundation donation. On Tuesday, April 30th, Dr. Supraja from the Tree Foundation met with the elementary Roots & Shoots group to thank them and the first graders for their dedicated service to help the sea turtles. The students enjoyed sharing with her the different activities they'd done to raise awareness about the sea turtles. They also explained how they had collaborated with the First Graders for their fundraiser. Dr. Supraja presented all the students with special certificates to thank them for their hard work!

Withdrawing Students (repeat announcement)

If you are relocating and your child is not returning to AISC for the next school year, please fill out this Withdrawal Notification Form and hand it in or email it to bhazel@aischennai.org / ppadma@aischennai.org at the Elementary office.

MAP Testing (repeat announcement)

Grade 2 and 3 students will finish taking the MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) test on Monday, May 6th and then Grades 4 and 5 will take the MAP test. Students will be assessed in Reading, Math, and Language. Grade 3, 4, and 5 will also be assessed in science. This is a computerized adaptive test. As a student answers questions, the test responds to the student, adjusting up or down in difficulty. There is no preparation required for MAP testing. Results from the MAP tests are used by teachers to make instructional decisions for increased student growth and achievement. Please remind your child to charge their laptop or tablet each night. We recommend that students have adequate sleep and a good breakfast before they come to school for the MAP Test. Make up tests are available for students who miss tests due to absence.

Summer Camp at AISC  (repeat announcement)

The Athletics and Activities department is offering programs for the first two weeks of summer break. There is a camp with multiple activities, coaching for students and parents, and open times for drop-in use. Information and links to register are here. Registrations close on May 31.

May Lunch Menu & Order Links  (repeat announcement)

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

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

Have a wonderful weekend!
Keryn Dowling, Dave Allen, and Calley Connelly