Dear Students and Parents,
Spirit Week is Coming!
The High School student council is excited to announce the Spirit Week is around the corner! This event will kick off a series of activities put in place to build camaraderie between students. All members of the student body are placed in one of four “houses” and invited to participate in activities to earn points for their house throughout the year. The student body voted on the theme of “Teletubbies” for this year and, so, will be split into the houses of: Tinky-Winky, Dipsy, Laa-laa and Po.
Spirit Week technically begins on October 5th but point bearing activities will take place from October 6th - 9th. Each day students are invited to dress according to a theme and to participate in lunchtime competitions. The schedule is as follows:
Monday, October 5th:
Theme - twin day, pairs/trios must have a minimum of two identical items
Activity - three legged race
Tuesday, October 6th:
Theme - one color day, to earn points students must be dressed head to toe in the same color
Activity - musical chairs
Wednesday, October 7th:
Theme - pajama day, to earn points students must wear appropriate clothing associated with pajamas/sleeping attire and/or carry items associated with sleeping (teddy bear, pillow, eye shade, etc.)
Activity - watermelon eating contest
Thursday, October 8th:
Theme - business day, to earn points students must wear formal business attire
Activity - blackjack (for points)
Friday, October 9th:
Theme - house day, to earn points students must wear the color associated with their house
Activity - obstacle course relay race
It should prove to be a week full of laughter and fun!
Homecoming Evening - Friday, October 9th
As a culmination of the Spirit Week the student council will be hosting a homecoming evening from 6:00 - 8:00 pm on Friday, October 9th in the FAC. Tickets will cost 200 rupees in advance and 300 rupees at the door. Students will be able to move between three venues providing a dance, a movie and a chill out/photo room. Pizza and drinks will be served. Students will be given one complimentary raffle ticket and will have the opportunity to purchase more. A lucky draw raffle will take place just before the event ends at 7:45 pm. Students must be present to win. Tickets for the event will go on sale at lunch in the cafeteria next week.
Early Release - Wednesday, October 7th - Message from Ms. Bane
This year we have seven Early Release Wednesdays. The second one is coming up on Wednesday, October 7th. On Early Release Wednesdays, we will run a special schedule and school will end at 1:30 (this schedule will include lunch). Please note that on Early Release Wednesdays, there are no after school activities, clubs or sports and students are expected to be off campus immediately following dismissal. On these Wednesdays, teachers will be collaborating and learning together in order to support the work they do with your children.
As a reminder, the Early Release Wednesdays are:
- October 7th
- November 4th
- December 2nd
- January 20th
- February 10th
- March 9th
Food Service Update
There are several new offerings in both the Elementary School Cafeteria and the i Hub beginning next week. The first is the Salad of the Day. The Taj Madras Flight Kitchen will be offering 5 different veg and non-veg salads such as (Greek salad, Waldorf salad, Fattoush salad, Som tum salad, Sprout bean salad, Chicken Caesar salad, Russian chicken & egg salad, Mexican chicken salad, Tuna salad, Hawaiian chicken salad) and the cost will be (Veg-Rs.80, Non veg- Rs.130). We will also begin offering a Vegetable Juice of the Day as well in both locations. Tasty juices like (Carrot, Avocado with milk & honey, Beetroot & apple, Cucumber with celery & ginger, Detox veg) will be offered in both locations for (Rs.80).
Food services at AISC are always in continual improvement. Should you have questions, suggestions or concerns, please contact Food Service Manager Prakash Shanmugam (sprakash@aisch.org), Elementary Associate Principal Lori Newman (nlori@aisch.org) or Secondary Associate Principal Jason Hicks (hjason@aisch.org). If you have not had the chance to have a meal in the I Hub or Secondary Cafeteria, please join us. We would love to hear your feedback about the food at AISC.
20/21 Learning Dialogue - Join us October 8th
As a 20 year old learning organization, we want to continue to explore trends, issues, stories, conversations, and topics that are relevant to our community. We want to look ahead to the next 20 years.
To help us do this, we will have a series of dialogues that are open to parents, alumni, MS/HS students and faculty.
On Thursday, October 8, we will be talking about creativity. Doors open at 3:45 p.m., and the event starts at 4:15 p.m. It will end at 5:45 p.m. The location of this dialogue will be decided soon.
We will hear from community members and dialogue in small groups. Refreshments will be provided.
If you have any questions, please contact Kirsten Welbes (wkirsten@aisch.org), Director of Advancement.
Freedom from Chemical Dependency - An Introductory Letter from Counseling
September 21-25 is the Freedom from Chemical Dependency Week, and we have invited a prevention specialist from FCD Educational Services to join our community. FCD is a non-profit organization that provides substance abuse prevention education for schools. Since 1976, they have taught over a million students of all ages.
FCD Prevention Specialists are highly trained professionals who have achieved long-term recovery from alcohol or other drug addictions. This unique perspective enhances the credibility of their message and provides students with role models for happy, healthy, drug-free living. The FCD Prevention Specialist will present multiple parent workshops to offer support and guidance in helping your children enjoy a drug-free adolescence. You may choose to come to any one or all of these meetings.
Some of the topics to be addressed include:
• Effective ways to communicate with your child about drugs and drug use
• Up-to-date facts about current drug use and trends
• What to say about your own experiences with alcohol and/or drug
• How to spot early warning signs of trouble and effective ways to respond.
These parent meetings will take place on the following dates:
- Monday, September 21st from 8:45 - 9:45 in the FAC Cafeteria
- Thursday, September 24th from 9:15 – 10:45 in the Hall of Light (specifically for parents who want to gain understanding of how to support your student with the transition to college)
- Friday, September 25th from 3:45 - 4:45 – in the FAC Cafeteria (debrief about the week)
As a parent, you also have the opportunity to meet with the FCD specialist for an individual consultation if you choose. Please contact Priya Sarath at spriya@aisch.org to schedule an appointment.
During the week, the specialist will also be meeting with students in groups, as well as provide opportunities for students to drop in and connect on an individual level.
This program presents a perfect opportunity for discussing alcohol and other drug-related issues with your children. Parental involvement is crucial to our efforts to helping our students make healthy life decisions. We want our students to hear from both school and home that we are committed to keeping our children safe and empowering them with the tools to make smart choices.
Please contact the High School Counseling Office if you have any questions.
PSAT (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test) - From the Counselors - Repeat Announcement
The PSAT is coming! The PSAT measures Reading, Writing, Language and Math skills acquired over the course of your education. The exam will take place only on Wednesday, October 14th and is open to 10th and 11th graders. Interested students should stop by the office to sign up by September 14th. They will receive their PSAT Guide at that time.
We do not believe that 9th grade students need to take the PSAT this year. However, if a 9th grader is interested in taking the exam to practice for the US National Merit Scholarship qualification, please have him/her sign up and we will accommodate as many spots as possible after the 10th and 11th grade students have registered. Please note that you cannot qualify for the National Merit Scholarship unless you are a US Citizen and in grade 11.
Sincerely,
Joelle Basnight
High School Principal