Dear Students and Parents,
What a wonderful Discovery Day here on campus!
Last Saturday, Jumpstart had over 20 HS students involved in hosting local students for a 3 hour clinic that had four stations - soccer, basketball, music and drama. The club will host four more similar events throughout the year.
Also, last Friday a subgroup of 10 Jumpstart members worked with Teach for India teachers at two local schools to prepare a set of lessons to support exam preparation for local students. Then they invited 15 local students to campus to work with our science equipment to enhance their learning. This particular project is headed by Marie Schumann (CAS project) and Nisa Sayed (Passion Project). The team expects to continue this service for the remainder of the semester.
Save the Date - Upcoming Parent Coffee
The next High School Parent Coffee will be on Tuesday, September 27th in the BBT. The presentation will be about “life as an upperclassman: considering course load for college readiness.” This coffee is most appropriate for grade 8, 9 and 10 parents who want to learn how to navigate our curriculum guide and academic programs to create an academic plan that will support their student in being ready for university! Our AP/IB Coordinator, counselors and I will present and leave plenty of time for questions.
Mid-Semester Progress Reports and Student Parent Teacher Conferences
Please note that mid-semester progress reports will be issued on Friday, September 30th. These progress reports will include comments from teachers and will be distributed on paper to students at 3:30 pm (available online by 4:00 pm). In preparation for this report, Skyward will be closed to families from Monday (19th) onwards.
Student/Parent/Teacher conferences will take place on Thursday, October 13th and Friday, October 14th. We strongly encourage students to attend with their parents. The conferences on Thursday will run from 3:45 - 6:00 pm in the gym and will be “drop in” style meaning that parents can meet briefly with teachers as they are available for informal progress discussions. The conferences on Friday will run from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm, take place in teacher’s classrooms and are by appointment. This type of conference is more appropriate to confidential conversations. The link to sign up for conference appointments will be made available via the Principal’s notes on Friday, September 23rd.
Featuring the Learning Support Department
AISC High School Learning Support Services strives to collaborate with teachers and parents to respond to students’ identified academic needs. We know that every student we support is unique and distinct and that they all have strengths that we can capitalize on. Some students have specific challenges that make it harder for them to experience academic success. Below is a list of basic ‘tips’[i] for supporting your child at home, regardless of whether or not they have a diagnosed disability:
1. Success isn't achieved alone- knowing when to ask for help is critical to achieving greatness.
2. Set due dates - that are both realistic and achievable. Meeting deadlines of small milestones should be rewarded. Setting aside extra time to complete tasks allows for flexibility in meeting deadlines in case any unforeseen obstacles or distractions arise.
3. Identify what a task is asking - whether it is a test, homework assignment, essay assignment, research project, etc., it is important to understand what type of information is necessary to complete the task because different problems may require different strategies for completion.
4. Everyone learns differently – encourage your student to always ask his or her teacher to explain material in a different way if it doesn't make sense the first time around.
5. Understand and build on individual strengths - everyone has strengths, and it is important for students to identify and utilize them to move themselves forward!
If you have any questions or concerns about your student’s learning habits, please contact Beth Rappe, AISC High School Division, Learning Support Services.
[i] Adapted from Daniel Koffler, founder of New Frontiers
Third Early Release Wednesday Coming - Repeat Announcement
On September 21st, we will have our second Early Release Wednesday. Students are expected to depart campus in a timely and organized fashion. We appreciate your patience with traffic on these days. In preparation, please plan on allowing longer time for entry and exit to the school at release time. For our Middle and High School students, hot lunch will be served.
The PSAT - A Note from the Counseling Department - Repeat Announcement
The PSAT will take place on Wednesday, November 2nd. If your student is a 10th or 11th grader and would like to take the exam, please have them stop by the high school office to sign up by September 15th. We do not believe it is necessary for students in the 9th grade to take the PSAT. However, if your student is interested in taking the exam to practice for the US National Merit Scholarship qualification, please have them sign up and we will notify of open slots after remaining 10th and 11th grade students have filled them. Students cannot qualify for the National Merit Scholarship unless they are US Citizens and a Junior in high school.
Sincerely,
Joelle Basnight
High School Principal