Dear Parents,
I hope those of you who have attended conferences this week have enjoyed hearing about the progress your child has made and their areas for growth. I know the teachers are getting valuable information from you as well. If you have not yet scheduled a conference, please contact your child’s teacher.
Thank you to those who were able to attend a return to campus coffee this week. If you were not able to attend one of them or you would like to hear the information again, the recordings are below. Please scroll down past the India Week events to find the return to campus details.
Important Events:
India Week October 25-29
India Week is next week. Our India Studies teacher, Bindu Krishnamurthy, and our Indian Studies Teaching Assistant, Liza Mathews, have been working hard on planning the events for the week. Many of our Elementary School faculty are also hosting events with students during the week.
Virtual Book Fairs
Karadi Tales, Tulika and Tara Books will be offering discounts to all AISC community members during India Week. Take this opportunity to share a story based in India and/or written by Indian authors with your family!
Tulika:
The code for the virtual books fair is - INDIATHROUGHTULIKA (all capitals). This code will be valid from 25th October, 9am to 29th October 9pm. A discount of 15% will apply during checkout, with no minimum purchase required.
Tara Books:
It's for an exclusive 20% sitewide discount. The coupon code is AISCVF20 and is valid from October 25th-29th.
Karadi Tales:
Send in India Week Photos
With festival season upon us and Diwali just around the corner, AISC is all set to celebrate India Month. And we want to see you in your finest festive wear! So upload your Diwali photos here or tag us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter (@aischennai).
Return to Campus Information
Parent coffee recordings (both recordings are the same presentation)
Other helpful videos/information
What do I need to do to get ready for November 1st?
Complete all return to campus documents
Pick up student IDs and COVID test kit on campus at any time
Download and set up ParentLocker app
Administer COVID test to your child October 29th, upload test results, keep individual test strip in baggie and bring to school every Monday
Complete ParentLocker app questions before school Monday, November 1st
What should my child bring to school?
Two or three extra masks
Water bottle
Snack and lunch (lunch refrigeration is available, no microwaves)
Device for grades 3, 4, and 5 (KG, Gr. 1, and Gr 2 will get an iPad to use at school)
Headphones if you have them
Negative COVID test on Mondays
School supplies will be given to all students at school
Drop off and pick up times
Staggered drop off times (see below)
Oldest in family enters at the same time as youngest in family
Students will hand sanitize, have temperature check, scan ID, and enter
No parents allowed on campus at this time
Pick up
Staggered dismissal time
Oldest student will dismiss with youngest family
Cars pull up to ES gate and look for the grade level sign
Staggered drop off and pick up schedule
School Bus Transportation
As AISC is getting ready to welcome Elementary and Middle School students on campus, we are also ready to roll out the Bus Program from Monday, November 1, for both pick-up and drop-off services.
AISC has protocols in place for school-operated buses in order to ensure the health and safety of students taking our buses.
If you are interested in this service for your child(ren), please send an email to our Transport Supervisor (transportsupervisor@aischennai.org), to learn about the cost, routes, timing and the health-safety protocols.
Save the Date! Portal Project AISC Dialogue - What is Learning? - repeat announcement
This month the Portal Project is focused on "What is Learning?" and we invite all parents, faculty and students to help us craft a definition of learning and identify conditions that support it. The session will take place on Thursday, October 28th from 4:30 - 5:15 pm. Portal Project dialogues are not only engaging but generate data that is shared with the Community Planning Team and Leadership Councils to help guide our Futures Planning process. As such, participants have a voice in helping to shape the AISC of tomorrow. Interested? Please click here to add the event directly to a google calendar or here for the direct meeting link.
From the Counselors
Good Friday AISC families! We are so excited to welcome your students back on campus in less than 10 days. The counselors recognize that this will be a new transition for all of us and so to help prepare your children, we have gathered some information that will make this easier.
Evening and morning routines: Start working on earlier bedtimes and wake up times now. Elementary aged children need 9-12 hours of sleep each night to be their best selves. You may need to back up your bedtime routines by an hour to factor in commuting time, eating breakfast, and getting prepared for the day.
Lunch and snacks: Use this opportunity to return to the routine of snack and lunch packing. Does your child have a lunch bag? Water bottle? Small containers for their food items? Many students will be so excited to be back on campus that they may be distracted during their lunch time. Packing several smaller food and lunch items that are easy for them to open independently and eat quickly may be better than one large lunch item.
Clothing: It can be fun for students to select their first day of school outfit. Remember that recess is outdoors and that the corridors on our campus are open. If your child tends to run hot, shorts and short sleeved shirts may keep them cool and at an optimal temperature.
Special items. It can be comforting for children to have a small stuffed animal, comfort item or picture in their backpack to reassure and remind them of home while they are at school.
Your counselors! Please message Ms Linda or Ms Michele if you need strategies or ideas to help prepare your child for November 1st. We will both be available to students in person on campus to support children who may be upset, sad or having a difficult time with the transition. It is what we do best!
Have a wonderful weekend.
Lynn Schneider and Dave Allen
Elementary School Leadership Team