The American International School of Rotterdam
SHARK
Bulletin...
08.03.13.
From the Director “We are very pleased to be announcing this change and excited about moving the school forward into the 2013-14 school year.....� Dear AISR Families, Happy Friday everyone! Please be advised that we have structured the AISR school fees for the 2013-14 school year. I am very pleased to announce that there will, again, be no increase in school fees and in fact, we will reduce fees in secondary school (see below). Over the course of this year, we have been reviewing various operational areas of the school looking for ways to make improvements. We know that school fees are often an area of concern for parents, especially in tough economic times, and we wanted to be sure that we thoroughly reviewed our fee structure to see if there was anything we could do before the start of the 2013-14 school year. During our review, we needed to be aware of financial limitations to ensure that any adjustments were within acceptable parameters. We needed to ensure that any adjustments would allow the school continues to operate and provides services in a manner that would be fair to all constituent groups. With any change, there are always many things to think about, but in this case, there were four driving factors that influenced this decision: 1) There is a significant gap between elementary and secondary fees and closing the gap could allow some families better long-term planning options, 2) AISR fees are sometimes deemed expensive, particularly in the secondary school, 3) There are some concerns about the number of students in the high school and the impact on socialization - we would like to increase the population of our secondary school, 4) We want to be sure that we align ourselves competitively with similarly structured schools. We feel that we can adjust the school fees to both assist current AISR families, and to attract new families to AISR. By lowering fees in secondary school, we will not impact the overall school finances as the difference in revenue will be recompensed by in increase in volume (increase in the number of students). We believe that such a fee structure is in the best interest of our current families, and in the best interest of the school overall to ensure future growth and development. Coupled with the new language program, we feel this change in fees will only strengthen our position in the market and aid us in realizing our current vision. We believe that we can both offer improved programs, and ensure more efficient and effective use of resources. We also firmly believe we can do so in a way that does not diminish the current program - students will continue to receive the world-class education we deliver today, but with an improved language program and better pricing structure. We are very pleased to be announcing this change and excited about moving the school forward into the 2013-14 school year. We still have a lot that we can accomplish before the end of this school year and look forward to sharing further developments with you.
Best regards, Neal Dilk Director neal.dilk@aisr.nl
1/7
Elementary Principal’s Message “....Elementary School Student Council presents a unique opportunity for young students to learn organization, leadership and teamwork skills...”
Inaugural Elementary Student Council: For the first time in the history of AISR, the Elementary School are proud to announce that as of Monday, March 11, we will have our own Student Council. Elementary School is one of the important first steps in a lifelong journey of learning. Students learn vital skills that will prepare them for advanced learning later in their education and an Elementary School Student Council presents a unique opportunity for young students to learn organization, leadership and teamwork skills and prepares them for later student government positions. The main goal behind this very exciting project is to provide activities for the Elementary students both inside and outside the school day, e.g.; movie afternoons, games, school dances, spirit days or weeks, talent shows and fund raising events. The Student Council and I will meet for lunch once a week to plan these events. In our first meeting this week, we elected the different members of the governing body. Here are the results: President: Vice President: Treasurer: Secretaries:
Matthew, Grade 5 Maddie, Grade 4 Arushi, Grade 5 Dixon, Grade 3 and Audrey, Grade 3
We are all very excited about the Student Council and we will keep you informed regarding future events. Call for Help: Every year we publish a Young Authors Book containing stories from each student in the Elementary School! The Creative Arts Showcase will take place on Thursday May 23. On that evening each child will receive their own copy of the book. In order to help facilitate this project, I would like to ask for volunteers to edit the student’s stories. Any help will be very much appreciated - thank you in advance. Students have completed the recent MAP testing session. If you would like to receive your child's results, please contact Phil Krumrei, our MAP Coordinator. He can be reached at phil.krumrei@aisr.nl During the rest of this year, I will be highlighting certain events from each grade level to keep you up-to-date with some of the wonderful things that are happening in our classrooms. This week, it is the turn of Grade 4 and the Music Department. Grade 4 Grade 4 has been very busy this month! In IPC, we have been learning about Rainforests, including the plants, animals, and people that live there. We will be taking a field trip in the beginning of March to learn more about the animals that live in different rainforests. We have also been learning about the destruction that is happening to rainforests across the world. We are in the process of making posters that will help other AISR students learn more about the threats to the rainforest, and what we can do as a school to stop the destruction from happening! We also made a wonderful and colorful bulletin board that shows different plants and animals that live in the rainforest!
Continued... 2/7
Elementary Principal’s Message
Music. by Ruth Anne Godfrey It has been a great year so far in the Elementary Music department. Pre k1-Kindergarten have also been working hard on developing their voices, and each child has gained confidence with singing as soloists. They have also been exploring the pulse of songs through fun games and activities. Grade 1 and 2 have been learning about percussion instruments. We have learnt about how they create sound and also the correct way to play them. We have used the songs we sung and learnt how to play them on these different percussion instruments. Grade 3 have started their very own ‘stomp’ tribute group. We have collected ‘junk’ and made lots of different instruments out of them. We have also written our own music to play. Grade 4 have been learning the recorders. As well as learning techniques and skills used to play the recorder they are also learning about playing as an ensemble. We have also been learning songs from and influenced by African music. Grade 5 are now competent wind musicians. They have all learnt their first ‘major scale and arpeggio’ as well as a number of specialized techniques for their chosen instruments. In April Grade 1-5 will be putting on their very own ‘in-class concert’. Each class are working towards a 15 minute performance. They will perform this in front of the Elementary school as well as any friends and family that would like to come. Lookout for the posters. As well as classroom music the music department does have 3 great lunch recess clubs Recorder club, Choir and Guitar club. All students from grade 1-5 are welcome. Also please remember the Elementary Soiree concerts that happen regularly throughout the year. The last 3 have had a great turn out. Also remember that we have some great instrumental teachers at AISR and a number of different instruments for hire. So if you are interested in learning an instrument then come and see me in the music department or send me an email, ruthanne.godfrey@aisr.nl
Continued... 3/7
Elementary Principal’s Message
Finally, I would like to share article with you this week regarding the importance of a good night’s sleep which poses the question; “How many hours sleep should your child be getting and why is it so important?” Why does sleep matter? Experts acknowledge that sleep plays a significant role in brain development, and it is therefore important for children to get enough sleep as their bodies grow and mature. Sleep is crucial for teenagers - it is while they are snoozing at night that they release a hormone that is essential for the growth spurt during puberty. As well as the role it plays in brain development, sleep also plays an important role in our brain’s day-to-day ability to function. Lack of sleep makes it much harder for us to concentrate, and we become forgetful, irritable and prone to being clumsy and making mistakes. Furthermore, scientific evidence shows that the right amount of night-time sleep is just as important for children’s development as healthy eating and regular exercise. How much sleep does my school child need? Sleep requirements differ from individual to individual, but in general a younger child needs more sleep than an older one. Between the ages of five and 11, your child will need 10-12 hours of sleep a night. A bedtime routine is the best way to ensure that your child gets enough sleep. Devise a routine that lasts 30-40 minutes, and includes a bath and the chance to read a story (or stories) together. Try not to change your routine – don’t change it at all during the week, and if you want your child to have a slightly later bedtime at the weekend, then only change it by maybe an hour . Bedtime is a chance to spend some quality time together, and if it’s a time both you and your child enjoy, your son or daughter will settle down in bed and drop off to sleep more easily. At stressful times, such as when your child starts school, or at the start of each new school year, your child will probably get more tired than usual and will need more sleep. In the summer, because of the light evenings, it may be tempting to keep children up later – but try to keep to scheduled bedtimes, and invest in curtains with a blackout lining so the room is dark. Towards the end of primary school, your son or daughter may start to stay up later in the evening, maybe chatting to friends online, playing games on a console or watching TV. They will find it difficult to get up in the morning and will be tired or irritable during the day if they don’t get enough sleep. Try to limit your child’s use of the internet, games consoles and TV in the hour before they go to bed – and ideally don’t allow your son or daughter to have a computer, console or a TV set in their bedroom. Have a great weekend.
Sincerely, Anne-Marie Blitz
4/7
Secondary Principal’s Message
“....Congratulations to our middle school NECIS athletes for their efforts at the tournament last weekend...”
Dear Parents, The sun is starting to come out - hopefully this means spring is on its way! Students have completed our recent MAP testing session. If you would like to receive your child's results, please contact Phil Krumrei, our MAP Coordinator. He can be reached at phil.krumrei@aisr.nl . Congratulations to our middle school NECIS athletes for their efforts at the tournament last weekend. A special thank you to Rob Zeilstra for organizing and hosting a successful tournament for all athletes. We wish our high school athletes best of luck in Antwerp this weekend! Next week is a busy time for secondary students. There is a charity bash followed by our winter sports award evening on Tuesday. On Thursday the middle school performance of "Cindy" will be taking place. Unfortunately I will miss this exciting performance because I will be accompanying the GIN students at the conference, along with Mr. Gutierrez. It promises to be an exciting event so enjoy the show! FROM LEARNING SUPPORT Homework Club for March sees seven homework club sessions: Week 1: Wed. March 6 and Friday, March 8 Week 2: Wed. March 13 and Friday, March 15 Week 3: Wed. March 20 and Friday, March 22 Week 4: Wed. March 27 (Friday is the first day of Spring Break) Please contact Katie Modic if you would like your child to participate in any of the above sessions. She can be reached at katie.modic@aisr.nl AISR would like to recognize the following students for their participation in the first ever AISR Scholarly Notes Panel Discussion. On February 6th, Alexander Chambers (10th grade), Sophie Lancaster (10th grade), Glara Kim (11th grade) and Valeriya Shtefan (11th grade) joined Mrs. Modic's mixed middle school class along with the 5th graders to demonstrate how to take scholarly notes. After the demonstration, the younger AISR students reflected on what they liked the most about the presentation. Tristan Sprenger (6th grade) commented that he now has a better understanding of what information is important enough to take notes on (the things written on the board!). Nathalie Molenburg (7th grade) shared that she now understands that rereading notes prior to a test is one of the main study strategies that help the older students remember key information. Overall, it was a successful exchange! Thanks very much to the Panelists for your participation! FROM THE COUNSELING OFFICE We have received an invitation from ASH for a workshop about parenting third culture teenagers. It is entitled “How to Prepare Third Culture Kids Teens for Adulthood: Helping expat teens minimize reverseculture shock and maximize the benefits of an international childhood.” Please see the attached flyer for further information.
Continued... 5/7
Secondary Principal’s Message IN THE CLASSROOM
TOK - Theory of Knowledge News By Lynda Boot Theory of Knowledge is a great subject to take in High School, because if you like to argue and be different, which we know all teenagers do, then this is the course for you! However, looking at the other side of the coin, I’m afraid to say, dear parents, that when your children bring forth their ideas and arguments so convincingly at home, and appear to be getting the upper hand, then they may well have learned it all in TOK. As a parent trying to say, “Well that’s just the way it is!” to end a tricky discussion, which we all do from time to time, you will be on shaky ground if your child is studying TOK. They are very likely to ask you, “Why?” and “How do you know that?” Trying to blurt out a quick and efficient answer, you will be faced with questions concerning the nature of that knowledge. Was it gained by sense perception, reason, language, or emotion, or was it just a “gut feeling?" Those of you coming up with anything on this list other than “reason”, will be getting into even deeper water, because these ways of knowing are not consistently reliable. Even if you claim that the knowledge has been gained through reason, you will have to come up with almost a watertight mathematical theorem to make it anywhere near to the truth. But, if it is “the truth”, how would we know what that was that if we looked at it in the face? Does “the truth” actually exist?
Pretty soon, one of these discussions will end up leaving you questioning the very cornerstones of your existence. Panic will set in and you will consider emigrating to a desert island, where there is nothing to worry about except water and coconut supplies. Parents, so not despair! Consult your children’s TOK books and articles Look at my website for some neat mind-bending articles and You Tube videos. https://sites.google.com/site/mrsbootsclasses/tok-1-2 Start that thought process by consulting the online TOK student page, and beat them at their own game! http://theoryofknowledgestudent.com/ I will end with this thought…It’s all very well to say that you can’t prove things are true, unless they are totally watertight mathematical theorems, or have undergone the scrutiny of the scientific method (and that’s only good until someone disproves the theory). But ponder this idea. If you can’t say something is true, for absolute certain, then you also cannot claim that it is not true, for absolute certain, either. How about that?
If you would like to view the videos of last year’s TOK speeches, for which those students have given permission to share, please email me at lynda.boot@aisr.nl and I will be pleased to share them with you. You will be pleasantly surprised at how well our young people express themselves and argue their points of view. Last year’s TOK results were simply marvelous, with students gaining two “A’s” and a “B” from the IB for their essays and presentations. But, I’m sure their parents did not have an easy time during their TOK courses!
Continued... 6/7
Secondary Principal’s Message IN THE CLASSROOM SCIENCE - The AISR Science Fair by Dr. Nina Markham From launched golf balls to submerged submarines, the AISR Science Fair on February 12, 2013 had it all! Students in Grade 6-12 began preparing for the annual event back in October. Their projects commenced with research, continued with experimentation and culminated with their final presentations. At the Fair, display boards, proudly illustrated student-designed experiments, data analysis, and conclusions. Many students also provided interesting demonstrations to accompany their presentation. Dozens of attendees listened, interviewed, and applauded our students. Judges from industry and academia sincerely expressed being impressed with the quality of work that AISR students produced. Middle School winners were Buse Ozgulsen (2nd) and Ashley Rocks (1st). High School winners were Sophie Lancaster (2nd) and Alexander Chambers (1st). Way to go, AISR science sharks!
Thank you for your continued support and enjoy your weekend,
Alison Lipp Secondary Principal and Curriculum Director alison.lipp@aisr.nl
“Like Us On Facebook, follow us on Twitter, pin us with Pinterest...” If you have not done so yet - please come to the page by reading the QR code on the right with you smart phone or visit; http://www.facebook.com/TheAISR You can also follow us on Twitter @ https://twitter.com/theaisrshark You can pin us on Pinterest @ http://pinterest.com/theaisrshark/
7/7
Sea Change Mentoring Workshop American School of The Hague – March 12, 2013 Workshop title “How to Prepare TCK Teens for Adulthood: Helping expat teens minimize reverse-culture shock and maximize the benefits of an international childhood.” Workshop presenter Ellen Mahoney, Founder and CEO of Sea Change Mentoring Intended audience Parents, counselors, youth advocates and school administration Learning objectives Participants will: • Learn the specific challenges and successes TCKs experience when transitioning to their passport culture, university and young adulthood • Learn what reverse culture shock is and how TCK teens and young adults experience this • Learn strategies to minimize the harmful symptoms of reverse culture shock • Learn what skills and characteristics are specific to TCKs and how teens and young adults can make the most of these • Learn how mentoring is an effective solution to helping TCKs through this transition and how Sea Change Mentoring works • Network with other participants to help strengthen a supportive community around these matters • Connect with a number of related resources About Sea Change Mentoring Sea Change Mentoring is an online mentoring program that helps expat youth prepare for going back to their home countries, minimize reverse culture shock and maximize the benefits of having lived abroad. For more information, please go to www.seachangementoring.com About Ellen Mahoney Ellen grew up in Japan and Singapore before moving back to the US for college at the University of Oregon. She did her graduate work in counseling at the George Washington University’s Graduate School for Education and Human Development. After her career in education as a teacher and counselor, she moved to the mentoring field where she developed the volunteer management and quality control strategies for the country’s leading online youth mentoring organization, iMentor. She founded Sea Change Mentoring in 2012. She has conducted trainings on mentoring best practices for a number of Fortune 500 companies and non-profits and has been a guest speaker of FAWCO, George Washington University, The Arts and Business Council of New York, The New York Urban League, the Summer Institute of Youth Mentoring, and the Friends For Youth National Mentoring Conference. She is a Families in Global Transition’s David C. Pollock Scholar.
Peter Loy
Saturday, February 23, 2013 4:13:45 PM Central European Time
!