Dear Students and Parents,
Congratulations to all of the performers who were on stage for the winter band concert! Well done!
Course Registration for 2016/17 - Next Steps
Many thanks to all the students who submitted their course registration forms. We have now started to enter these requests into our student information system. Students/families who remain unclear or undecided about some of their choices are encouraged to make an appointment a counselor to discuss options for next year’s schedule in more detail.
The counselors and the IB Coordinator will continue to meet with all 10th graders who have expressed interest in the IB Diploma program. All other students are encouraged to use the month to reflect on the courses they chose and to continue having conversations with their teachers and parents. Students/families interested in learning more about online offerings should contact Mike Malone (mmichael@aisch.org). Mr. Malone will host a mandatory meeting for all students enrolling in online learning on March 15th at 6:15 pm in the Hall of Light but all who are interested in learning more are welcome to attend.
On March 15th students will receive a “registration verification” form printed from our student information system for a final check. This provides an additional opportunity for students to make adjustments to their requests. Students wishing to make changes must do so no later than March 29th.
For your reference, the full curriculum guide can be found on AISC’s website on the high school page.
Student/Parent/Teacher Conferences and Mid-Semester Reports
Mid-semester progress reports will be sent home and made available online on Friday, March 4th at 3:30 pm. Until that date Skyward will remain closed to parents and students so that teachers can prepare their comments and grades.
We will host arena style conferences on Thursday, March 10th, from 3:45 - 5:30 pm in the gym. These conferences are “drop in” style and no appointment is necessary. Attending arena style conferences is ideal if you want a quick check in with a teacher or prefer to meet with all teachers in one place as they are available. Please note that privacy is limited and meeting times should be kept to 7 - 10 minutes.
We will host by-appointment conferences on Friday, March 11th, from 8:00 am - 5:00 pm. These conferences are student led and take place in classrooms. This type of conference is ideal if you need a little more time (appointments are 15 minutes) or you prefer more privacy. Kindly sign up for conferences by clicking on this link.
Friday, March 4th will be our second Discovery Day for the high school. This is a day of interactive learning and hands-on experiences that go beyond most classroom teaching. Staff, students, and clubs are coordinating activities both on and off campus. All HS students will be signing up for their preferred choices on Tuesday. To see the list of planned activities (which may change right up until Tuesday) follow this link. Please note that attendance is required for all students.
Discover Day - March 4th - a Message from Mr. McFarland
Friday, March 4th will be our second Discovery Day for the high school. This is a day of interactive learning and hands-on experiences that go beyond most classroom teaching. Staff, students, and clubs are coordinating activities both on and off campus. All HS students will be signing up for their preferred choices on Tuesday. To see the list of planned activities (which may change right up until Tuesday) follow this link. Please note that attendance is required for all students.
Come one, come all to the Celebration of Learning
The High School is proud to invite all community members to our second Celebration of Learning! What is a celebration of learning? It is a learning fair in which students host booths highlighting what they have been learning in their classes.
This semester will feature a wide range of disciplines including but not limited to:
- learning how to tie knots and lashings (Adventure Activities)
- understanding recursive algorithms (AP Computer Science)
- exploring why societies wage war (World History 2)
- applying trigonometry to a search and rescue scenario (IB Math SL Year 1)
- exploring how words change over time (Critical Reading and Writing 2)
- considering theme and variation composition (Band)
- observing felt paintings in progress (Painting and Drawing)
Please join us anytime between 10:00 am and 12:00 pm in the Hall of Light and BBT on Friday, March 11th to explore the Celebration!
High School Parent Coffee - Presentation Link
Many thanks to the parents who attended the High School Coffee this week which was focused on mindfulness for teens. Attendees asked that the presentation be shared. You can access it at this link. Some attendees have asked for mindfulness training for parents. Susannah and I will organize a series of trainings to begin in mid-March.
Feb Fling, Fe - A Note from Student Council - Final Reminder
The High School is excited about creating various fun activity booths for elementary and middle school students on Saturday, February 27, from 12-4 pm on the Main Field. The booths will offer a range of activities: T-Shirt decorating, Cookie Decorating, Pin the Tail on the Raptor, Splash, Can Knock Down, Ring Toss, Nail Art, an Obstacle course, Sponge throw, Floor Board, Velcro Catch Ball, and a Bouncy Castle.
The ticket price for the event is 300 rupees, which includes food, but some activities will have an additional cost. There will also be a raffle. Tickets for the raffle are at an additional cost.
This is a way that the high school students can create a memorable experience for the elementary and middle school students and contribute to the AISC community. High school clubs also apply to use the money collected to fund their activities.
We hope you and your family join in on the fun on February 27!
RISE, March 4 at 4:00pm in the Auditorium - A Note from the Director of Development
On behalf of RISE at American International School Chennai (AISC), we would like to invite you to a special event on the AISC campus. RISE (resilience, innovation, service, and entertainment) is a committee that brings innovative thinkers and performers to our school to enrich the discourse and exposure around big ideas and global issues related to our mission and core values.
On Friday, March 4th at 4:00 p.m., we will welcome a series of speakers:
Sugata Mitra is widely known for his innovative educational ideas. His 2013 TED Talk “Build a School in the Cloud” has been viewed 2.5 million times. As a guest at AISC, he will share his profound experiences and clear understanding on the power of self-directed learning. Sugata’s wish is to build a place where children can explore and learn on their own -- and teach one another -- using resources from the worldwide cloud.
Rachel Kessler, a former AISC teacher, has followed her passion and desire for social justice and created 20 BAHT, a short documentary about invisible slavery in plain sight. The film is set on Bangkok’s Khaosan Road, a world-renowned strip of bars, clubs, and hostels known as the “center of the backpacking universe.” Western tourists flock to Khaosan for its famous nightlife. But at what cost? 20 BAHT tells the heartbreaking story of child trafficking that lies beneath the fun. 20 BAHT will be shown in its entirety at this event.
Kenton Lee started The Shoe That Grows while he was living and working in Nairobi, Kenya in 2007. One day while walking to church, he noticed a little girl in a white dress next to him who had shoes that were way too small for her feet. He had an idea: “Wouldn’t it be great if there was a shoe that could adjust and expand – so that kids always had a pair of shoes that fit?” Kenton’s talk will be taped at his home in Idaho and shown here at AISC.
This RISE event will also feature AISC students sharing their insights into how creativity and compassion can work together to make a unique contribution in a diverse and dynamic world.
Tickets go on sale on February 29, but please mark your calendars now!
Summer Program Information Available - From the Counseling Office
Believe it or not, it is time to start thinking about how you might spend time this summer. While summer provides a great opportunity to relax and recharge, it is also a great time to participate in an activities that will enrich you in some way. Many summer programs are available around the world for students your age and any of these programs have applications that are due earlier than you might expect. If you wait until April or May to plan, you might be too late. Check out the Counselor's Corner HS Summer Enrichment Programs Page on our blog for information about summer programs.
Sincerely,
Joelle Basnight
High School Principal