Dear Parents,
I would like to thank
the parents who attended our first student-led conferences! We know from data
taken from the online conference scheduler that 98% of our families signed up
for a conference. Of the remaining 2%, there were a few families who made an appointment
directly with the teacher, so more than 98% of our families registered.
Rick Stiggins, and
authority on authentic learning and assessment, writes that the student-led
conference is “the biggest breakthrough to happen in communicating about student
achievement in the past century.” (Source: Student Involved Assessment for
Learning, p. 359).
Over the past two days,
many parents, teachers and students have commented on how much they enjoyed the
student-led conference. Thank you for sharing your comments with us. I would
like to gather feedback from more families. Would you mind taking a few moments
to complete this anonymous survey? Although the
survey is written in English, our Korean families can refer to this document
for assistance. To complete the survey, please click on the "survey"
link, using the "document" only as a guide. (설문 조사를
완료하는 데
지침으로 만
"문서"를
사용하여 "설문
조사"링크를
클릭하십시오.)
Below are some pictures
that were taken during student-led conferences in one of our World Languages
classrooms.
We will celebrate
Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday on Tuesday, October 1st in the FAC auditorium,
beginning at 8.45. The KG, grade 1 and grade 3 will sing a song about Gandhi
and peace and the grade 4 students will perform a skit. Students in grades 2
and 5 have created artwork on Gandhi and his teachings, and these will be on
display. The PTA meeting that was originally scheduled to begin at 8:45 has
been rescheduled and will now begin at 10:00 am. Children may want to wear Indian clothing for the assembly, but this is optional.
We have mentioned the
importance of parents being sensitive to being in and around middle and high
school students’ learning and social spaces while in use by students before,
during, and after school. During the school day, middle and high school
students need a sense of ownership of their spaces. We are a busy campus and we
recognize that community members come and go all day long. The iHub, however,
is a place for students to gather, socialize, and collaborate. As such, we
request that parents be sensitive to its use during school hours 8:30-3:30,
especially right before and right after school, and during all breaks, which
happen throughout the day. We encourage parents to use the Parent MC Café
during these times.
Last Friday
after-school, our first artist in residence, Kathyrn Claire, held a performance
in the auditorium. We taped this performance and should you wish to view it,
you can access it here.
In PE, the children are
engaged in the swimming unit. Swimming is a compulsory part of the curriculum
and all students must take part. In the case of sickness, please provide a
doctor’s note for your child to be excused.
To share the joy of the
upcoming Diwali with elders and other underprivileged neighbors, the High
School National Honor Society (NHS) is initiating a food drive. NHS members
encourage students to contribute at least 1kg of rice, dal, or vegetable oil.
Students and parents can take their contributions to the ES Reception between
September 30 and October 11.
The Parent Curriculum
Coffee on Thursday, October 3rd, will spotlight our EAL programming at AISC.
Please join the EAL Team for an information session on how parents can partner
with the school in supporting their children as they learn English, academics,
and further develop their cognitive skills.
The coffee will be held in the BBT from 8:45 - 9:45 on Thursday, Oct.
3rd. We hope you can join us.
The IB senior CAS
(Creativity, Action and Service) group is initiating a community service
program in association with the CSI School (an underprivileged school in
Chennai for the deaf and mute). The CAS students are starting with a drive for
clothes, shoes and personal care items that they will donate to the 100+
students of CSI. These children sleep on thin mats and have one pair of shoes
and very few changes of clothing. Please help us by donating clothes, shoes or
toiletries! Also, remember that the items you donate need to be in nice
condition. Collection boxes will be placed in the ES Reception. We look forward
to your participation. You will make a difference in these students' lives!"
Lastly, please do join
Ms. Sweet and I on Tuesday, October 8th for our second Parent Coffee with the
ES Administration. Counselors will hold a presentation and discussion on being
a third-culture kid (global kid/global nomad) and how making change can be a
positive impact on their lives. What is a third culture kid, or TCK? Formally
defined, TCKs are people who have spent a portion of their formative childhood
years (0-18) in a culture different than their parents’. (http://www.denizenmag.com/third-culture-kid/)
Have a great weekend.
Remember, there is no school on Wednesday, October 2nd.
Kevin Hall
Elementary School Principal
Elementary School Principal