Dear Parents,
Today marks the end of the first trimester. The first trimester report card will be ready for viewing at 5:00 pm this afternoon. This year, the elementary school has introduced a standards-based report card. It is our expectation that this new report card will provide you with more detailed information regarding your child’s progress toward year-end grade level standards. Also new this year, we have gone paperless. Parents will need to login to Skyward, our student database management system, to view the report card.
To view the report card, logon to Skyward and select the Report Cards tab on the left. On the new screen, you will see the link Standards Report Card 2014-15 T1. Please click this link. If you have any difficulty accessing the report card, please email itsupport@aisch.org.
Over the past two years, over 100 parents have attended four standards-based report cards information sessions. I know that it is impossible to remember everything that we covered, so I have written a parent handbook. You will find the link to this handbook to the right of this paragraph. There is an English and Korean version. The view the handbook, click on the link, Standards-Based Grading and Reporting Parent Handbook.
I would appreciate feedback about our new report card. Would you mind taking a few minutes to complete this short survey? The survey will close this Wednesday afternoon.
Parent Coffee with the ES Administration
Our third Parent Coffee with the ES Administration will be held on Tuesday, November 11th from 8:45 to 9:45 in the elementary school cafeteria. Our topic is ”Third Culture Kids" (global kids) - TCK's. The counselors, Mr. George and Ms. Geetha and I, will lead a presentation and discussion around how to best support your child and family as you negotiate living away from your home culture. We know that kids growing up outside their home culture is both an exciting and challenging adventure. Our presentation will define exactly what is a TCK and what parents and kids can do to maximize the experience. We do look forward to this discussion with you.
Guidance Counselor Lessons Regarding Student Safety
In line with the new AISC Child Protection Manual, elementary school counselors are involved in a series of lessons with students grades K - 5 between now and the new calendar year that focuses on friendship, understanding bullying behavior, and keeping ourselves safe. Our counselors have borrowed components from the "Committee for Children Program" and are using their 3-step policy called the 3 Rs of Bullying. RECOGNIZE. RESPOND. REPORT.
Our students have been taught to recognize behaviors that are both uncomfortable and inappropriate for them, and what to do about it. If the situation and behaviors are those that cannot be ignored or managed simply, then children will be given language to respond to others that sends a message that they are not OK with what is happening. Students will discuss situations they may encounter, and then decide what to do when responding is not enough. All ES students will understand they have the right to use the 3 Rs and that their safety is AISC's priority.
Should you have any questions or want further information about the structured lessons, please contact your grade counselor Ms. Geetha G (Grades K - 2) or Mr. George Bach (Grades 3-5)
Pre-School: Building a Vision for the Future
Please join us for a world café as we envision a future for our pre-school program on November 17. We will host a café in the morning from 8:45 to 10:15 and second one in the afternoon from 1:45 to 3:15. Both will be held in the FAC cafeteria.
What is a world café? A world café is:
• Small group conversations in an informal setting
• An opportunity to think together about our future
• A chance to learn from each other
• An opportunity to impact the future of our school community
Who can attend? Any interested parent or teacher
When? Choose the time that works for you!
Building Community in the Elementary School
Incorporating cross-grade level buddy activities is just one way we build community in the elementary school. In the pictures below, Mr. Ben's 5th graders are helping Ms. Nancy's 1st graders set up their blogs. Other teachers have engaged in similar community-building activities including: Ms. Becky (grade 5) and Ms. Laura (grade 1), Ms. Morgan (grade 5) and Ms. Anna (grade 2).
Activities like this, reinforces digital citizenship skills, provide positive opportunities for students to develop lasting relationships, bring students and teachers into powerful learning communities, and can change the attitudes of older students toward younger students, that may sometimes reflect bossing, to attitudes that demonstrate respect and caring. All blogs are private. Please look for further communication from your child's teacher as to how you can access your child's blog.
NESA Virtual Science Fair 5
A message from Ms. Shobhana:
This year, the fifth graders will have the opportunity to participate in the NESA Virtual Science Fair Project. Participation is voluntary program. Ms. Shobhana will be guide the teacher but the work will be done outside the school. Students will work in groups of three. Parent commitment is important, too, since students will need to meet after-school and/or on weekends.
The science fair runs from November to May 2015. It involves research, a question, a hypothesis and an experiment to prove the hypothesis. Three interim reports need to be handed in and the judges will determine which projects will be selected to participate in the final round, competing against a number of schools from all over the NESA region.
Food Service Update: Highlights for November
• Now open! The sandwich bar at the i-Hub and ES cafeteria. Choose from tuna, chicken and vegetable options on different days of the week.
• Introducing Soup and Sandwich combos at the i-Hub. Walk in from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and pick your favorite soup and sandwich combo.
• Also choose from several delicious juice and smoothie options from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• At the FAC Cafeteria, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays are Dosa Days and Tuesdays and Thursdays are Wrap days.
• Beef and chicken options will now be a daily feature in the lunch menu. Fish is offered once in two weeks.
For more information with regard to food service, please email Josephine Ronald.
In closing, I hope that you had an opportunity to attend the middle school musical, Once on this Island. A special "shout-out" to Dhivya (grade 4) and Sohum (grade 5) who performed as well! It was so heart-warming to see them, and so many former elementary school students, performing on stage in front of their peers, family members and teachers. This takes courage! AISC provides a safe and nurturing environment for students to express their creative selves. Congratulations to all of the actors and actresses.
Food Service Update: Highlights for November
• Now open! The sandwich bar at the i-Hub and ES cafeteria. Choose from tuna, chicken and vegetable options on different days of the week.
• Introducing Soup and Sandwich combos at the i-Hub. Walk in from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and pick your favorite soup and sandwich combo.
• Also choose from several delicious juice and smoothie options from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• At the FAC Cafeteria, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays are Dosa Days and Tuesdays and Thursdays are Wrap days.
• Beef and chicken options will now be a daily feature in the lunch menu. Fish is offered once in two weeks.
For more information with regard to food service, please email Josephine Ronald.
In closing, I hope that you had an opportunity to attend the middle school musical, Once on this Island. A special "shout-out" to Dhivya (grade 4) and Sohum (grade 5) who performed as well! It was so heart-warming to see them, and so many former elementary school students, performing on stage in front of their peers, family members and teachers. This takes courage! AISC provides a safe and nurturing environment for students to express their creative selves. Congratulations to all of the actors and actresses.
Have a great weekend,
Kevin Hall
Elementary School Principal