Friday, 27 September 2019

Friday, September 27

September 27

Dear Parents,  
This week, all of our students demonstrated resilience and versatility during their Weeks
Without Walls adventures. The variety of team and individual activities on each trip provides students with a range of experiences to demonstrate strengths and areas of growth during physical and emotional challenges. Inclement weather led to changes in the daily schedule for all of our teams, but our middle school faculty adapted and adjusted, making it possible for the adventure to continue regardless of weather.  



Week Without Walls is part of our Experiential Learning in the Middle School. Our purpose for Experiential Learning is to provide opportunities beyond the classroom that promote connections to our community, the environment and local culture and promote students’ self-management, self-awareness, and positive relationships through applied learning and reflection. Students will formally be sharing their learning from their experience during our Celebration of Learning on October 30. 
In the meantime, as you learn about your child’s Week Without Walls experience, ask them how they connected to the Vision for a Learner and our Experiential Learning purpose statement. Lastly, thank you for sending your children prepared for the week and following our communication guidelines to support students’ self-management! 

Reminder: All School Schedule Change
Please remember that school is closed on Monday, October 7 to observe Ayudha Puja. This is a change from the published Community Calendar. Classes resume on Tuesday, October 8, with a B8 Day. 

Hearing & Vision Screening
Hearing and vision screenings will take place the week of October 8. The schedule for the screenings will be posted in the student daily bulletin.  

Early Release Wednesday
Wednesday, October 9th is the next Early Release Wednesday. Students are expected to depart campus in a timely and organized fashion upon dismissal at 2:00 pm. We appreciate your patience with traffic on these days as all three sections are picking up students at the same time. In preparation, please plan on allowing longer time for entry and exit to the school at release time. Please note that the iHub will be open to provide an air conditioned waiting space until 2:40 pm in case drivers are delayed. Food services in the iHub will close at 1:50 pm.

Student/Parent/Teacher Conferences
Student/parent/teacher conferences will take place On Thursday, October 17 from 4:00pm – 7:00pm and Friday, October 18 from 8:00am – 4:00pm. Please note that there will be no MS classes on Friday, October 18. Conferences are an opportunity for students and teachers to share their reflections on student learning with parents. Conferences are by appointment with your child’s teachers. You will receive an email with directions and a link to sign up for conferences on Wednesday, October 9. Conferences can only be made through this email link and are on a first come, first served basis. 

Blue Form
October is the month when many middle schoolers will be traveling for ASIAC soccer (October 10-11) and SAISA swimming (Oct 16-20). Students who know that they will be missing school are expected to complete the Blue Form, which can be obtained in the Middle School Office. The Blue Form helps the student keep track of assignments and expectations for each class that he or she will miss during the absence. The Blue Form is to be completed by the student and returned to Ms. Aziz in the Middle School Office before the absence begins. 

Season Two ASAs
The month of October will see the conclusion of our first season activities: ASIAC Soccer, SAISA Swimming and the Middle School Play.  Continuing from the first season are Math Counts, Open Art Studio, Running Club, Student Voices Forum, and the MUN programs.  The second season ASIAC activities that begin will be Choir, Band, Table Tennis, and boys and girls Basketball.  Not on this list yet but by the end of October will be added are the practices for SAISA Track & Field, post-season Soccer, Raptor Swim Club, pre-season Volleyball and pre-season Tennis.