Dear Parents,
It’s been a
whirlwind of activity in the high school for the past ten days. Our SAISA
sports teams did well, placing second in Girls’ Volleyball, third in Swimming
and fourth in Boys’ Volleyball. That’s one of our best showings ever. Better yet,
our swimmers came away from the meet with the Sportsmanship award. Deciding on
the award was tough, with all teams in close contention. That alone speaks
volumes about the spirit of the tournament, which from what I heard from
visiting coaches was one of the best meets that many of them had been to. Hats
off to our Athletic Director, Mrs. Davenport, for ensuring an outstanding
experience for all of our athletes!
Week Without Walls – The students and teachers have all
returned safe and sound from our first high school Week Without Walls. I am
eagerly looking forward to hearing about their experiences. Considering the
magnitude of the effort in getting 210 high school students and 30 faculty
members mobilized to explore the far corners of India, I think our first HS WWW
experience went off very smoothly. I know that the students on the trip I was
on were pushed beyond their comfort zone at times, but I also know that they
learned a lot about themselves, about camping and orienteering, and about
India. That makes the blisters and sore legs worthwhile. I’m sure the same can
be said of all of the trips.
Still, we will be looking for ways to make the experience better for all concerned next year. To that end, I would like to ask that you complete the survey that can be found at High School Week Without Walls 2012 Parent Feedback. Please be candid – we need to make sure we capitalize on the things that went well and address the things that didn’t.
Still, we will be looking for ways to make the experience better for all concerned next year. To that end, I would like to ask that you complete the survey that can be found at High School Week Without Walls 2012 Parent Feedback. Please be candid – we need to make sure we capitalize on the things that went well and address the things that didn’t.
Skyward gradebook access – For the next two weeks the high school teachers will be finalizing first quarter grades and preparing comments. Because the process of writing comments involves some editing, students and parents will not have access to the Skyward gradebooks during this time. Access will be reopened on Thursday, October 25. On this day report cards will also be distributed.
PSAT – Each year on the second Wednesday in October we administer the Preliminary Scholastic Achievement Test, or PSAT. This test, published by the College Board in the U.S., is typically given to students in Grade 11, but can also be given to students in grades 9 and 10. At AISC we ask all students in Grade 9-11 to take this test of critical reading, mathematics and writing skills for the following reasons:
- Students gain familiarity with the SAT format
- Students can monitor their progress during high school in the areas of Critical Reading, Mathematics and Writing over a period of three years
- Students gain access to College Board resources, such as college and career search engines and practice SATs
- U.S. citizens may be eligible for National Merit Scholarship
- The school receives detailed information on student performance, which helps us identify areas in need of attention
College representatives – We have a big week ahead for visits from college representatives. On Tuesday Ms. Paneetha Ott will be on campus. She is a college admissions officer for Brown University in the U.S. who is sponsored by the U.S. Dept. of State Office of Overseas Schools to visit American international school and share information regarding admissions to U.S. colleges and universities. Ms. Ott will be conducting a seminar for parents on Tuesday from 10:45 to 11:45 a.m. in the Black Box Theater.
On Friday we
will have a visit from 15 U.S. universities. Details can be found on the High
School Guidance Department’s blog. Just click on the link in the sidebar.
Swim Club – The SAISA swimming season ends with
this week’s tournament, but opportunities to swim are still available. High school
students are invited to try out for a new swim club this Tuesday and Wednesday
after school. More information is available by clicking the link in the
sidebar.
UN Day - It has been a long-standing tradition in our school to celebrate United Nations Day each year. This
year we will be marking UN Day with an assembly on Tuesday, October 23 at which
the Model United Nations club will present a simulated debate on this year’s
theme – Food Security. On Wednesday, on
October 24th we will have a flag ceremony that will include
all students. O that day parents are asked to gather in the gym at 8:30. The
processional will start at 8:50 a.m. The oldest student from each country
will carry that country’s flag, while the youngest student will carry the
country name sign. The group representing each country will pause in the gym
for a brief celebration and photograph.
Later in the day, students will be attending the parent
organized International Pavilion. This event will have the students
visiting the country booths that will be set up in the gym. We encourage all students to dress in their
national dress or colors of their country on this day.
That’s all for this week. I wish you a pleasant week to come.
John McCandless
High School Principal
