Friday 3 August

Dear Middle School Parents,
The start of the 2018-2019 school year begins next week with the first day of school on Thursday 9 August. Teachers have returned to school to prepare for the new school year. The middle school faculty and staff are looking forward to welcoming all of our  students to a new school year!

The beginning of the school year brings about transitions for all of our students and families, whether you are new to AISC or returning and entering a new grade level. This year marks a significant transition for me as well. I am very happy to be joining the AISC community as Middle School Principal. My family and I are transitioning to Chennai after spending 5 years in Hiroshima, Japan. My children will be joining Grade 3 and 5 classes in the elementary school as well. We have been graciously welcomed to Chennai and to the AISC community. I hope to extend that warm welcome to all of our families and students as we begin the new school year.
New Student Orientation

We will welcome middle school students and parents who are new to the AISC community at New Student Orientation on Wednesday, August 8, from 10:00 am to 1:15 pm beginning in the Fine Arts Center (FAC). After an initial introduction, students will meet with counselors and student ambassadors to learn more about AISC and what to expect on the first day of school. Parents will have a  session with the middle school administrators and students will have lunch.
Student Schedules

All middle school students will start their first day with an advisory period during which they will receive their class schedule. Advisory groups and rooms will be posted at the school entrance during arrival on the first day. Students will report to their assigned advisory room by 8:30 am.
Bring-Your-Own-Technology (BYOT) Program

All Middle School students are required to bring in a laptop that meets a minimum set of specifications to support student learning. Students may choose between a laptop with either the Mac or Windows operating system.  Please see our Bring Your Own Technology page on the school website for more details.  In order to configure the devices, we ask that students bring their own device on these days:
Thursday, 9 August: New students

Friday, 10 August: Grade 6 All Students

Thursday, 16 August: Grade 7 & 8 Returning students with new laptops

Please remember to set your operating system language to English in order for our IT department to configure devices.
New Middle School Teachers

This year we welcome 9 new teachers to the middle school. Here is a brief introduction to our new faculty members:

Name	Position	Previous Post
Cory Milone	Grade 6 Social Studies	Ethiopia
Jayme Gawrych	Grade 6 Math	Kuwait
Robb Bouma	Grade 7 Science	Saudi Arabia
Thia Milone	Grade 8 Science	Ethiopia
Sujeeth Kumar	Art	India
James Smeltzer	Associate Teacher	USA
Gemma Adderley	Physical Education	Singapore
Alejandra Ramallo	Spanish	India
Rachel McCallum	Theater	Singapore

School Supplies

All students are expected to bring with the following supplies to school. These items will be used during the school day:
Accordion folder for their core classes: language arts, social studies, math and science; assorted pens, pencils, eraser and highlighter pens; whiteout, scissors, water bottle, book bag/backpack, PE kit bag, headphones, athletic running shoes with non-marking soles, bath towel and soap, and bathing suit during their swimming unit. It is highly recommended that students have sunscreen, a cap or sun hat that covers the face and ears, and swimming goggles.  
Additional School Supplies for Home

Students will need the following supplies at home to complete projects and homework:
Ruler, pencil sharpener, glue stick, scotch tape, colored markers, colored pencils, crayons, and access to the Internet and a printer.

Music Classes

All students that are participating in music class (band, choir, guitar, and strings) will need a ‘concert outfit’ which includes a pair of long black dress pants (please no skirts, shorts or jeans), black enclosed dress shoes (please no sandals), and black socks. Students will need to purchase a black music polo shirt from the iHub prior to the first performance to finish off their concert outfit.
Sports Teams and Co-Curricular Activities

Students who plan on joining a sports team or other co-curricular activities that will be representing the school while travelling and participating in tournaments or events must adhere to a dress code requirement. Students must have a khaki-coloured skirt or trouser and enclosed dress shoes, and a ‘Raptor’ collared polo shirt purchased through the athletics office.

Arts, Sports & Activities (ASA) Program

From the Athletics Office:

Kindly click on this link Season-1 (ASA) for more information about the After School Activities offered for the school year 2018 -19. We request parents to register only through Google forms.

Student Health and Physical Examination Forms

From the Health Office:

Student health records are important sources of information and we are making changes to our past practices. Please note the following requirements for this year:

Annual medical updates, signed by a parent, are required every year.

On initial enrollment or at the beginning of grade 3, 6, or 9, a physician-completed form must be provided.
Students with significant allergies or on daily medication should also submit the annual form completed by a physician. Updated health forms are due by the end of the second week of school.

Looking Ahead: Parent Coffees

The first parent coffee sessions will follow the same format as last year. We will hold one for Grade 6 parents and a combined coffee session for Grade 7 and 8 parents. All MS Coffees will take place in the Hall of Light: 
Grade 6 Parent Coffee: Friday, August 17, :8:45 - 9:45
MS Parent (Grade 6-8) Power School Coffee: Friday, August 17 10:00 - 11:00
Grade 7 & 8 Parent Coffee: Monday, August 20 8:45 - 9:45
Enjoy your weekend and we look forward to seeing you next week!

Sincerely,
Jessica Pechhold Andrew Ranson

Middle School Principal Middle School Associate Principal