ES Principal ENotes: May 9, 2016

Dear Parents,

What a wonderful day we experienced on Friday.  Elementary students participated in our ACES (All Children Exercising Simultaneously) outdoor activity, keeping us all active and in the sunshine.

Looking forward,  I will be hosting a parent coffee on Monday, May 16th to provide information about next year's schedule,  new teachers who will be joining our school,  a plan for parent communication and meetings (which has PTO support), and a general overview of first proposed PYP units for all grades. The Board nominees will also be there to introduce themselves. I hope you can join me.  Due to the High School IB exam schedule,  we will be meeting in the teaching and learning center- TLC (A002) at 8:45.

Finally, please note I’ve outlined the process we will continue to use in the Elementary School to determine student placement into new classes next year.  I appreciate your support in following these guidelines.

Warmly,
Jen

Important Dates:
Monday, Wednesday, May 9-11:
Grade 4 away at “Green School”
May 11: Grade 1 concert (1:45 PM)
Saturday, May 14: PTO Community Yard Sale (9:00-12:00 PM)
Monday, May 16: Looking Forward (2016-17) PYP Parent Meeting with the ES Principal (8:45 AM)
Tuesday, May 17: Grades 2-5 Choir Concert (6:00 PM)
Saturday, May 21: PTO Spring Fair
Thursday, May 26: Holiday- NO School
Saturday, May 28: High School Graduation (Evening)
Wednesday, June 1: Kindergarten performance (9:00 AM)
Thursday, June 2: PreK performance (9:00 AM)  (tower)
Friday, June 3: Elementary Field Day
Saturday, June 4: 6-9pm: Daddy/Daughter Dance
Wednesday, June 8: Grade 5 Concert (1:30 PM)
Wednesday, June 15: Last Day of School- Dismissal at 11:30

Elementary Parent Partnership:

2016-2017 Elementary Class Placement Process:

Class Placement is a multi-step process designed to ensure the development of balanced classes created to meet the needs of all students. Class Lists will initially be compiled without the assignment of specific classroom teacher names.  Classroom teachers will not be able to place students in specific classrooms. The teachers are able to assist with issues related to separating students into different classes based on past student experiences.


The process is designed to allow professional input of Resource Support, ELL, Classroom, Language, and Specials teachers and Teaching Assistants with a close eye on developing classes balanced in terms of gender, special student learning needs, English language development, nationality, learner traits, and relationships. Requests to place students in the classroom of a specific teacher will not be honoured.


Consideration will be given to requests from parents to not have their child placed in a specific classroom due to past personal experience. Personal experience would mean that another sibling in the same family was previously in the teacher’s classroom and the experience was not a positive one. If your family is in this situation, you will need to write a personal email to Mrs. Munnerlyn (jmunnerlyn@aswarsaw.org) noting the name of the teacher and the name of the child that was in the teacher’s classroom in the past by Friday, May 27, 2016.
Please be assured that any communication will be handled in a confidential manner.       

AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES

ATTENTION - ACTIVITY CANCELLATIONS NEXT WEEK! Due to a number of teachers and assistants traveling as chaperones on the 4th grade Green School trip next week, quite a few activities will be cancelled. Please check this schedule:
* AMERICAN FOOTBALL - cancelled on Monday, May 9
* COOKING AROUND THE WORLD - cancelled on Monday, May 9 AND Tuesday, May 10
* TABLE TENNIS - cancelled on Monday, May 9
* VLOGS - cancelled on Tuesday, May 10

PLEASE send an extra snack for your child on the days when he/she has an activity - students really DO NOT have time to go to the cafeteria! Also, please pick your child PROMPTLY at the end of the activity at 4:30!

Please see below the list of activities which still have available spaces in case you wish to choose something else (up to the maximum of 2 seasonal activities per student):

ACTIVITIES STILL AVAILABLE:

MONDAY: American Football, grades 3-5 - 3 more spots!
MONDAY: Painting Club, grades 3-5
MONDAY: Table Tennis, grades 4-5
MONDAY: Roots & Shoots, grades 1-5
TUESDAY: Kinder Club, grades PK-K - 1 last spot left!
TUESDAY: Swimming, grades 1-3 - 1 spot became available
TUESDAY: Tap Dance, grades 2-5
TUESDAY: Painting Is Fun, grades 1-2 - 4 more spots!
THURSDAY: Kinder Club, grades PK-K - 3 last spots left!
THURSDAY: Story Time, grades 1-3
FRIDAY: Latin Dance Moves, grades 4-5

You can sign up for these activities via e-mail to tkusanovic@aswarsaw.org  

If you have questions about Elementary After-School Activities please e-mail the coordinator Ms. Kusanovic:tkusanovic@aswarsaw.org

Community News:

Daddy/Daughter Dance

Save the date for ASW’s Daddy/Daughter Dance!
                       
This is a special evening just for dads and their daughters to enjoy. There will be a DJ playing all your favorite songs. Light snacks and refreshments will also be served. Students from all grade levels are welcome.
                       
When: Saturday, June 4; 6-9pm
Where: ASW MPR in the new building
                       
For more information please contact Katie Stein at kstein@aswarsaw.org    

School Performance Survey

Today, all parents will be receiving an email requesting their participation in our School Performance Survey. We are conducting this survey in partnership with the Endicott Research Center (ERC). The survey should take no more than 30 minutes to complete and your participation is entirely voluntary.
The purpose of the study is to assess your thoughts, perceptions and attitudes about the leadership, environment, climate, services and academics here at ASW.  Results of the study will be presented to the ASW community and will be used to highlight our areas of strength as well as areas for improvement.
One potential benefit of filling out this survey is that it offers expert, unbiased third party (ERC) analysis of the multiple factors affecting international schools.
The survey will be open until May 15th.
Thank you for completing this survey!

ASW Board of Trustees meeting date changed

Please note that the date of the next Board of Trustees meeting was changed from May 16 to May 23, 2016 at 6pm in Room AA001 (Multipurpose Room).