Dear Parents,
Happy New Year! Welcome back to the second half of the school
year. I hope you all had a chance to relax and enjoy time with your families.
The pace of studies and other activities at AISC, like most international
schools, can be intense. These breaks are important opportunities for rest and
renewal.
We are at the beginning of an important time in the lives of
our 11th and 12th grade students. Most of our Seniors
will soon begin preparing for the IB and AP exams at the end of the semester.
They will also be preparing for one of the major transitions in their lives as
they move into independent adulthood. It is a time filled with excitement and
anxiety. Our Juniors will be starting the process of searching for the right
college or university. For them, the excitement is just beginning. There will
be much for them to learn and to reflect on as they search for the best march.
In
addition, by the end of this month students in grades 8-11 will begin the
process of planning and selecting their courses for next year. We will hold
informational meetings for parents to help you understand the planning and
registration process and the advanced curriculum that we offer through the IB
Diploma Program and the AP courses. I hope that you all will be able to attend
these important meetings.
New Faculty members
We are very pleased to welcome Mr. Steve Summerfield as our interim counselor for the second semester.
Mr. Summerfield has extensive experience as a counselor in international
schools. He will be working with our 9th and 10th grade
students. Ms. McGlamery will be working with our 11th and 12th
grade students.
Ms.
Rachel Kessler, who joined us in August as a teaching intern, will be teaching
Economics and World History this semester. She has a strong background in
social studies, having studied the subject at the prestigious Williams College
in the USA, and demonstrated remarkable skill in substituting for these classes
in late November and December. We are very pleased to have her as a member of
our teaching faculty.
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As one of its community-building
projects, the High School Student Council, with support from high school clubs,
is organizing the Jan Jamboree on Saturday, January 18 from 2 to 5 pm on the
AISCH Field. This event is open to AISCH families and guests.
There
will be an entry fee of Rs 200 for elementary and middle school students. This
will allow them unlimited access to over 20 games and activities organized by
the high school students, including cookie decorating, obstacle course, face
painting, sponge throw, bouncy castle, balance beam pillow fight and more!
Adults will
be able to enjoy the food and drinks on sale, take a chance on winning exciting
prizes in the raffle and spend a fun afternoon with family and friends. There
is no entry fee for adults.
Funds raised through this event will be used to support a
variety of community service clubs and student projects. We hope you and your
family will be able to join us for this fun-filled event.
High
School Parent Coffee
The topic
for this month's Parent Coffee will be the IB Diploma Program and AP course
offerings at AISC. The coffee will be held from 8:45 - 9:45 a.m. and from
6:30-7:30 p.m. in the Cafeteria. All parents of students in grades 8 through 11
are encouraged to attend one of these sessions.
IB/AP Parent Seminar
The
IB Theory of Knowledge course is a unifying element in the IB diploma Program.
It is focused on answering the question, “How do we know what we claim to know?”
Through the study of the ways of knowing
(language, sense perception, emotion, reason, imagination, faith, intuition, and memory)
and the areas of knowledge (mathematics, the
natural sciences, the
human sciences, the
arts, history, ethics, religious knowledge systems, and indigenous
knowledge systems), students learn about the distinction between
personal and shared knowledge and explore the nature of knowledge.
We
are fortunate this year to have an experienced Theory of Knowledge teacher and
teacher trainer come to our campus to share his expertise with our students and
faculty. He will be presenting a seminar on the Theory of Knowledge on Tuesday,
February 4 from 8:45 - 9:45 a.m. in the Cafeteria. All parents are encouraged
to attend.
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The annual Nepal Trek, previously organized by former HS teacher Mark Lueders, will be during spring break this year (March 29 - April 6). Rob Martin, MS Humanities teacher, will coordinate this year's trek and will be holding a meeting for interested students, teachers, and parents in his classroom (room 3127 in the 6th grade wing) on Monday, January 13th at 3:45pm. If you cannot attend this meeting, please email Mr. Martin (mrobert@aisch.org) as soon as possible to express interest or seek further information. Airline tickets and hotel reservations need to be secured soon, so it's imperative that you express interest as soon as possible.
Other news
Be
sure to check the sidebar for news from our counselors, our IB and AP
Coordinator and our Athletics Director for important updates.
The beginning of a new year is always a time of hope. I know
I speak for the high school faculty when I wish you the best for the coming
year. I look forward to working with all of you to make coming semester enjoyable
and fulfilling for your children.
John McCandless
High School Principal
