October 18th, 2017

Elementary E-notes: October 18, 2017

Dear Parents,
Thank you to the parents who attended our Parent Partnership Meeting last week. At that meeting, students presented and shared their learning to help demonstrate for parents the work happening in the Elementary School. Here is a quick recap:

1. PYP Authorization: This shift to a transdisciplinary curriculum- where learning is connected- is continues to happen as our single subject and additional language teachers are joining the planning table. By the end of the year, we will share a document with parents which clearly articulates what each grade level is learning and how it all connects across the school.
2. At every grade, we focus on helping students become self-aware and able to self-monitor. With a focus on our PYP Units of Inquiry, the IB Learner Profile, our ASW Core Values, and mindfulness strategies taught by our counselors, we are empowering students to be life-long and resilient learners.
3. From the parents in attendance we heard questions about:
   • How are the grade levels the same as far as curriculum and teaching?
   • When to MAP results come home and how are assessments like this used?
   • How much time to children spend on technology at school? How much time should they be spending at home?
   • How do parents know what is being taught at each grade?
   • What are our homework expectations as a school- at the grades?

This year, in addition to being a time for us to showcase what is happening at school, we will also use our Parent Partnership Meetings to answer questions raised by our community.

We hope you will join us at the next meeting!

Warmly,
Jen Munnerlyn
ASW Elementary Principal

This Week:
October 19: UN Day
October 23-27: Autumn Break- No School

Coming Up: (see more detailed information below)
October 31: Halloween
November 1: All Saint’s Day Holiday- No School

Calendar Questions?
Please check the ASW Website Calendar for the most up-to-date postings each week!

Bayard Magazine Distribution Change:
Many families have subscribed to the Bayard magazines: StoryBox, Adventure Box, Discovery Box, Chirp, ChickaDee, Owl.
Beginning with the December issue, these magazines will be delivered directly to your home.
To transition to direct mailing, the distributor, Ms. Myriam Nosul requires home mailing addresses. If you have already subscribed to this magazine, please provide your mailing address via this Google Form: Bayard Magazine Subscription- Mailing List.
If you would like to subscribe or have questions, please contact Myriam Nosul directly: [email protected]

UN DAY! UN Day is a wonderful opportunity for our parents and students to celebrate our international school. We have children and families from everywhere at ASW and teaching our children to appreciate how we are unique, while also building bridges to better understand how we are similar, is a big part of our work as educators. parents, and as citizens of the world.

The Elementary School has designed several opportunities for our children to be engaged and learning during the week of October 16-19:
1. On Monday, Tuesday and/or Wednesday students will share about their home countries. How this looks is dependent on what the child (with parent support or guidance) decides is important to share with the class and will vary by grade level.

• For some children and families they will want to share a food which is important to them. For others, they might show a video, bring in an object, or demonstrate a game or dance. Teachers, working together with Homeroom Parents will provide information on how that day or days will be used for this sharing, as well as any parameters around how it might best serve the needs of the particular age-group involved.

2. On Thursday, Oct. 19, UN DAY @ ASW

• To begin the day, we will participate in a whole-school assembly to connect our community.
• Then, across the day, ES Teachers are eager to allow their students time to explore and learn about the different countries represented at ASW, as they visit the Country Tables. (The PTO is helping to make this an even richer time, by providing country stamps for each table, so our ASW Passports can be stamped.)
• Students are encouraged to wear traditional or national dress on this day as they will be moving around the school showing their "home country" colors!

Important Note about After School Activities on Oct. 18-19:

ALL indoor programs taking place after school on Wednesday 18th and 19th in all gyms will be cancelled due to UN Day Assembly and UN Day setup.

Halloween- Tuesday, Oct. 31
Pumpkin Decorating Celebration:

• All children are encouraged to decorate and bring a pumpkin from home to share with the whole school.
• We will line these up on the window sills across the ES. (Students will be asked to take the pumpkins home on Friday of that week.)
  

Costumes:

• Students are welcome, but do not have to dress up in a costume of their choice for the day.
• No scary or inappropriate costumes allowed, including play weapons.

Counselor’s Corner
Dear Parent/Guardian,
The ASW elementary school counselors would like to help service the needs and wants of our students and parent community the best that we can. For the last two years now, we have created a survey that we feel will help us when planning out our year-long goals for this school year. Also, the data we collect helps us know if we are meeting our own personal program goals.  Please click the following link below and answer the questions by checking the box that most fits your choice so we may use this information when planning our school counseling activities. We will distribute this same survey at the end of the year to measure program success. Thank You---Your input is extremely important to us!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfqwdYmDcuUy1VXkIrUqtzxYhYfrZqF_qKySOYtJ0ullYKIxw/viewform?usp=sf_link