Dear Parents,
I hope your child(ren) had a restful break last week. It is hard to believe we are now moving into the second half of the first semester. As most of you know, the government made an announcement that we have been waiting to hear for months about returning to in-person instruction for grades 1-8 starting November 1st. See the Heads Notes for more information.
Conferences will be held on October 18th and 19th. Please make sure to sign up for a meeting time with your child’s teacher. During the conference, you will learn about the progress your child has made as well as areas for growth. Teachers are also looking to you for some information about your child’s social and emotional well being during virtual learning.
Important Dates
Return to Campus Information
We are excited to be welcoming students back to campus starting November 1. To make sure your children are ready to return, parents need to complete some tasks. Expect a personalized email in your inbox on October 13. This will contain a list of forms and procedures, as well as helpful links and ways to get support from our Raptor Safe teams. We ask that you read these materials carefully and communicate any questions or concerns as they arise. Completing these essential tasks as early as possible will ensure a smooth transition back to being on campus again.
Parent Coffees: Please join us at one of our ES parent coffees to learn the details about sending your child back to campus.
Arts, Sports & Activities Program - Season 2
Student Testimonial Video - Please take a few minutes to watch this video. More videos are to be posted on the school’s social media pages. Stay tuned!
For Season 2 of virtual ASA’s, all offerings are FREE of charge for AISC ES & MS students. Registered students will be asked to attend all sessions of the program. Kindly request you to register for the activities that you or your child are committed to attending. Here is the Registration Form.
Please find the ASA schedule attached.
Season 2 will run from Oct 18 - Dec 11.
Season 2 ASA’s will run virtually for the entirety of the season. As students transition to campus, we will be flexible with the timings and that will be communicated.
ASA’s might need limited materials & equipment for participation.
KG-G2 ASA’s may require some parental support.
For any queries, please email Monicka(dmonicka@aischennai.org)
SAVE THE DATE: Inspiration Conversation (Tuesday, October 12)
Join Storyteller and Performer Vikram Sridhar as he takes us on an engaging journey through the cultural significance and folklore behind water storage systems across India. With his signature style of storytelling, Vikram is an engaging performer based in Chennai and Bangalore. You can watch his TedX talk on "The Power of Stories in Our World of Reality" here.
When: Tuesday, October 12, 4:15–5:00 p.m. IST
Where: Join us on Zoom here (Passcode: AISC).
Meeting ID: 971 8034 3916
Passcode: AISC
Whom: Open to students, faculty/staff, and parents!
You are invited to sessions with Homa Tavangar, author and advocate!
Tools for Having Courageous Conversations Around Race, Culture and Beliefs: Speaking up with courage and confidence, takes confidence born of practice, deep empathy, and a commitment to racial literacy and positive impact over good intent. Learn some key principles, techniques and talking points for embracing, not avoiding, the difficult conversations around differences, starting with small, doable action steps that anyone, from any background can take. Participants can join the November session through this link and add it to their Google calendar here. The same is true for January - meeting link, add to calendar.
From the Counselors
Going back to campus brings a wide range of feelings from children. Children might feel excited, nervous, scared. How can you help your child(ren) feel at ease?
- Reassure them about the many safety measures in place at AISC to help keep everyone safe.
- Let them know that they can warm up slowly to school.
- Being comfortable with friends may take time and that is completely okay.
- Take time to listen to your child(ren) about how they feel about going back to school. Talk to them about their concerns.
- With younger children you can try play-acting about getting ready for school in the morning and returning in the afternoon. They can draw a picture of the steps involved in getting ready for school and coming back home.
Children may feel anxious leaving you to come to school as school is new for them and they are accustomed to being by your side for all these months. You can start now getting children ready to separate so that your goodbyes will not be so difficult.
Try leaving children with your partner or nanny or babysitter while you go out for a while. Make the goodbye positive. Announce that you are leaving. Make your explanation clear and short. Remind them that you will be back. Don't hesitate as you walk out the door. Do not return until your planned time. Follow the same routine every time you leave.
See this guide for more suggestions on supporting your child.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Lynn Schneider and Dave Allen
Elementary School Leadership Team