Last weekend I had the
good fortune to be a part of the Strategic Planning Team that worked to
redefine our Mission, Core Values and Strategic Objectives. It was a demanding
and very intense three days, but well worth the time and effort. I was
especially impressed with the way the three high school students, Pooja Reddy,
Priya Prabhakar and Kerthan Reddy, joined in the discussions. Their views were
thoughtful and insightful, and they played a significant role in reaching
consensus on these important elements of the school’s vision for our future. I was very proud of them and their contributions.
Tutoring – Many parents and students believe that it is essential
for students to have tutors in order for them to be successful in school. At
AISC, as in most American international schools, we believe that engaging a
tutor should be done only as a last resort and only on the recommendation of
the school. There are two main reasons for this. One reason is that we believe
we provide strong support for our students. We have small class sizes that
allow individualized support. Our teachers are always willing to help students
outside of regular class times and to communicate with parents regarding their
child’s progress. In addition to the classroom teacher, we have counselors, a
school psychologist and learning support teachers to help those students who
may be having some learning difficulties.
A second reason is that
we use a child-centered approach to education that puts a high value on helping
the student learn for him- or herself. This approach is known as guided
inquiry, and it often takes place through asking a series of questions to guide
the student’s learning or asking the student to explore a concept initially on
their own, then shaping that concept through discussion. This is a very
personalized approach and it is not always easy for the student, but it helps him
or her develop a deep understanding of the concepts, independent learning skills and the ability to think critically. In most cases, a tutor is not aware
of this approach and does not use the same methods. This may lead to some
confusion, a superficial understanding of concepts and a dependence on the
tutor.
If you believe your child
needs a tutor, please contact his or her teacher, Mrs. Callaway or me before
proceeding. We can help you decide whether it is necessary or whether there are
resources at the school that will fill the need.
Drug
Abuse Prevention Specialists on campus - AISC has invited counselors from
Freedom from Chemical Dependency, a well-known health consultancy in the
international school world, to provide alcohol and other drug education for our
community next week. They will meet with our 9th and 11th
grade students several times and will meet with parents and the faculty. Please
check Mrs. Callaway’s weekly update (High
School Guidance Department) for more information.
We
believe that drug abuse prevention is a community concern and encourage
parental involvement. Please mark your calendars for Thursday, September 20 at 9:00
a.m. At this meeting you will have an
opportunity to learn what the FCD counselors are discussing with your children
and share your questions and insights. You can learn more about FCD at www.fcd.org.
Co-Teaching
Consultant - Dr. Rich Villa will be on campus a couple of days next week to
work with our staff and parents on creating inclusive school cultures and to
continue our work with the co-teaching model. In addition to the
co-teaching workshops Dr. Villa will be conducting with teachers, he will also
be meeting with our parents. Please join us for a very special Parent
Curriculum Coffee on September 18th. Dr.
Villa has worked with thousands of teachers and administrators throughout North
America and the world to develop and implement organizational and instructional
support systems for educating all students within general education settings. He
has been a middle and high school classroom teacher, special educator, pupil
personnel services director, and director of instructional services and has
worked with schools, governmental and non-governmental organizations. He has
presented at numerous national and international conferences, and is known for
his enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and humorous style of presenting. We
hope you can join us in the Hall of Lights on Tuesday, September 18th from 8:45
- 9:45 or from 2:15 to 3:15.
Skyward update – This week we have opened access
to Skyward (our student information system) to students. We ran into a couple
of unanticipated difficulties that we are working to resolve. We appreciate
your patience as we work through the ‘bugs’.
Summer Study Abroad –
Ms. Shauna Derrickson is interested in organizing groups of students to study
Spanish in Spain and French in France this summer. There is a link to further
information in the sidebar.
Don't forget to check
the links to the right to catch up on more important information from the High
School.
Have a restful and enjoyable weekend.
John McCandless
High School Principal
