May 28

Dear Parents and Students, 

We have reached a milestone: the last week of school! Congratulations to our students who have demonstrated persistence, flexibility, adaptability and resilience in this year of online learning. Parents, thank you for your support for them and your partnership this year. As we look back on the year, we may still be grieving missing out on activities and opportunities that are part of a “normal” school year. We can also look back and see remarkable growth in skills in the opportunities online learning has extended to us: learning habits and social-emotional learning related to self-management, collaboration, initiative and communication to navigate online learning in addition to a plethora of technology and problem-solving skills! In the coming week, we will continue to reflect on this year’s learning, growth and celebrate students in each grade level. More details below.

 

Report Cards and Learning Habits Reflections

On Wednesday, June 2 Semester Two Report Cards and Learning Habits Reflections will be distributed. Please check your email for the notification and instructions on accessing the reports in PowerSchool.

End of Year Celebrations & Recognitions

Students will receive zoom invites for all MS events or grade level events.

Tuesday June 1	MS Clubs Recognition Ceremony
Wednesday June 2	Eighth Grade End of Year Celebration   Eighth Grade Promotion Ceremony 3:00pm IST   Semester 2 Report Cards Distributed
Thursday June 3	All Grade Levels: End of Year Celebrations   Grade 6 & 7 Recognition Ceremonies   MS Farewell Assembly 3:00pm

 

Grade 8 Promotion Ceremony Details

All MS students, faculty & staff, and parents are invited to join as we celebrate our eighth grade students. We will gather on zoom and watch our pre-recorded video ceremony. Each eighth grade student will be recognized with their self-identified Vision for a Learner traits. The ceremony includes remarks by Ms. Pechhold, Middle School Principal; Mr. Malone, incoming High School Principal; student leaders in the high school; and Ms. Galaty, Middle School Counselor. Original student music is also incorporated into the ceremony. Information for joining:

 

Grade 8 Promotion Ceremony

Wednesday, June 2

3:00PM IST

Zoom Link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89488681131?pwd=YjM5dkd4V1J4WnRzWkxGT2JGbnlaUT09

Meeting ID: 894 8868 1131

Passcode: 763685

 

 

Yearbooks

We are awaiting the arrival of this year’s yearbooks. When they arrive in Chennai and campus re-opens, the MS office will contact you about accessing your physical copy of the yearbook.

 

Grade 6 Science: Mission to Mars

Come and watch the grade 6 students take Chennai's first Mission to Mars, a collaborative simulation developed by sixth grade science classes, with sound effects by Beginning Band sound engineers. 

 

Join us at the times below: (each block has a unique mission movie to share... so feel free to join us more than once!) 

 

Monday, Block 8: 2:45-3:30

Tuesday, Block 2: 9:30-10:15

Tuesday, Block 1: 1:20- 2:05 

 

Ms. Rebekah's Zoom Link 

 

Summer Reading 

The AISC Libraries have curated reading lists for all students to enjoy this summer. Please check out Sora and Destiny Discover Collections here, here, and here to browse the titles and be sure to let us know what you're reading this summer with a 'shelfie' on our Summer Reading Padlet! Please reach out to Ms. Babs if you have any questions and happy reading! 

 

 

Ideas for Dealing with Loneliness

As Chennai is revisiting a more strict lockdown it is important to acknowledge ways to cope with possible loneliness that may be setting in.  This Psychology Today article was written over a year ago but some of the tips may provide comfort and reminders of helpful ideas.  10 Ideas for Coping with Loneliness During Social Distancing. Also, The Hindu will be starting a Webinar Wellness series on May 28th Emotional Wellbeing at the Time of COVID 19 Please check out the link for further information.

 

Returning Instruments

If your child is in band, please read the instructions about returning school instruments. If you have questions about instrument return, please contact Mr. Kennedy (kjason@aischennai.org) or the MS office (msoffice@aischennai.org).

 

Past School Reports for Withdrawing Students

Parents of the withdrawing students please note that you can collect ONE paper copy of the past school reports of your child from the school any time starting from Tuesday, May 2 after sending an email to msoffice@aischennai.org Please note that these reports are ready for families who have already submitted the withdrawal form. 

Also, please note we will be able to provide final Semester-II report and Transfer Certificate paper copies only on June 4.

 

End of Year Withdrawals

If you child will not be continuing at AISC next year, please complete the “Request to Issue Transfer Certificate/Past Records” form linked in the Quick Links section of the blog in the sidebar. Please complete this form and submit it to the MS office msoffice@aicschennai.org.

 

Withdrawal Process Explanation

To initiate the withdrawal process, the Request to Issue Transfer Certificate/Reports form must be submitted. The certificate is available on the Principal’s Notes blog and from the MS Office. Once the Request to Issue Transfer Certificates/Reports form is submitted to the MS office with a confirmed date of withdrawal, it may take up to five school days to process your request. This is standard operating procedure for each withdrawal.  

1. Documents will be issued only on the last day the student is enrolled.
2. We provide only these documents: cover letter, transfer certificate and past school reports
3. We provide only ONE copy of the documents. Copies are the responsibility of the family. 
4. Documents cannot be issued till the student has returned all the school property i.e. library books, musical instruments.
5. The student needs to be cleared by the finance department in terms of fees and other payments.

Please note that emailing the MS office to inform us of your withdrawal date does not initiate the process. The process begins when the completed Request to Issue Transfer Certificates/Reports form is submitted to the MS office.

 

Please note that AISC’s campus is now closed. When it reopens, we will be able to provide paper copies of withdrawal documents.

 

Stay safe and healthy,

 

Jessica Pechhold                                                                                             

Middle School Principal

May 21

Dear Parents and Students, 

We are heading into the final two weeks of the school year! Our students have done an outstanding job engaging in an entire year of online learning. Thank you for your support. Your partnership in cultivating Learning Habits and our Vision for a Learner attributes is key to the success of our online program. Students will remain engaged through June 3 in classes and final learning activities to end the year. The final module for all classes will focus on reflection, closure and feedback on summative assessments. See below for information about the final days of school and how we will conclude the school year with our celebratory and closing events. 

End of Year Celebrations & Recognitions
Students will receive zoom invites for all MS events or grade level events.

Friday May 28	All Grade-Level Social 3:00pm
Tuesday June 1	MS Clubs Recognition Ceremony
Wednesday June 2	Eighth Grade End of Year Celebration   Eighth Grade Promotion Ceremony 3:00pm IST   Semester 2 Report Cards Distributed
Thursday June 3	All Grade Levels: End of Year Celebrations   Grade 6 & 7 Recognition Ceremonies   MS Farewell Assembly 3:00pm

 Next week, look for information to join our Eighth Grade Promotion Ceremony. All MS students, faculty & staff, and parents are invited to join as we celebrate our eighth grade students.

Parent Feedback

We have received feedback from parents over the past few weeks. As we begin to plan for next year, we will take into consideration feedback from all stakeholders, we will continue to refine our online program keeping as our priority the needs of our diverse student body. Here are some points from feedback that we are considering for next year:

·      We plan to share a list of tutors with parents on request who may be able to support online learning.

·      Provide information to parents interested in establishing collaborative learning groups for students. 

·      Continue to post 2 week modules and other learning resources on PowerSchool for students, parents and tutors to access.

·      Ensure modules are consistent across courses, even when the same course is taught by multiple teachers.

·      Continue foster communication between the home-school partnership that supports students in becoming independent and self-directed learners. 

  

MS Art Show Link
This week our MS Art Exhibition  went live. You can visit the event here: Middle School Art Exhibition. Thank you to Mr. Sujeeth Kumar for creating the website to host students’ art work and adapting our visual arts program for online learning. Through his efforts, our students in MS Art have been able to explore new and creative forms of expression while learning online.  

MS Theatre Performance
Congratulations to Mr. Renato Luna Dezonne and our MS thespians for their virtual production of “Ever After.” Our theatre program has continued to thrive through class productions and the MS theatre production, open to all MS students. Bravo for sharing this humorous and dramatic production with our community!

 In case you missed it - Virtually Ever After - MS Production 

If you were not able to attend our livestream, you can watch the show on the below link!

https://youtu.be/hA_6I554rQU 

Once upon a time, we lived in a world where Fairy Tales could also use video calling technology. Bursting with familiar characters, from Big Bad Wolf and Little Red to Goldilocks and Baby Bear and Prince Charming and all the classic princesses, these short plays are as fresh as they are funny! With delightful humor for the whole family, this show is sure to end happily-ever-after, even if the fractured fairy tales don’t! 

Arts, Sports & Activities (ASA) - Virtual Summer Jump-Off
We look forward to providing your child(ren) the opportunity to stay active, engaged, and connected with others while at home!  We are offering a 2-week Virtual Summer Jump-Off program for June 7th - 18th (Monday - Friday). Activities are FREE!. Here is the Registration link and the form will be open till Friday, June 4.  Please reach out to dmonicka@aischennai.org with any questions.  

Thank you!

Athletics & Activities Team

Six Daily Questions to Ask Yourself

-From the MS Counselling Office 

As many community members currently have limited mobility due to lockdowns and quarantines, there are reminders of experiences that we may have been having over a year ago.  According to the article, these six questions can help provide structure and serve as a self-awareness check-in to make sure we are doing okay. 

Here are the six daily questions:

·        What am I grateful for today?

·        Who am I checking in on or connecting with today?

·        What expectations of ‘normal’ am I letting go of today?

·        How am I getting outside today?

·        How am I moving my body today?

·        What beauty am I either creating, cultivating, or inviting in today?

Or maybe you have other questions that you ask yourself that promote reflection and self-awareness.  The author of the article stresses one final point -- it is good to ask the questions, but don’t stress the answers.  This is not an assignment!  Finally, whether you are in lockdown or not, asking yourself daily reflection questions can serve as a way to gauge your wellbeing for that day.

Read the full article here -- Greater Good Berkeley - Six Daily Questions to ask Yourself. 

Returning Instruments If your child is in band, please read the instructions about returning school instruments. If you have questions about instrument return, please contact Mr. Kennedy (kjason@aischennai.org) or the MS office (msoffice@aischennai.org). 

Past School Reports for Withdrawing Students 
Parents of the withdrawing students please note that you can collect ONE paper copy of the past school reports of your child from the school any time starting from Tuesday, May 2 after sending an email to msoffice@aischennai.org Please note that these reports are ready for families who have already submitted the withdrawal form. 

Also, please note we will be able to provide final Semester-II report and Transfer Certificate paper copies only on June 4.

End of Year Withdrawals 
If you child will not be continuing at AISC next year, please complete the “Request to Issue Transfer Certificate/Past Records” form linked in the Quick Links section of the blog in the sidebar. Please complete this form and submit it to the MS office msoffice@aicschennai.org.

Withdrawal Process Explanation 
To initiate the withdrawal process, the Request to Issue Transfer Certificate/Reports form must be submitted. The certificate is available on the Principal’s Notes blog and from the MS Office. Once the Request to Issue Transfer Certificates/Reports form is submitted to the MS office with a confirmed date of withdrawal, it may take up to five school days to process your request. This is standard operating procedure for each withdrawal.  

1. Documents will be issued only on the last day the student is enrolled.
2. We provide only these documents: cover letter, transfer certificate and past school reports
3. We provide only ONE copy of the documents. Copies are the responsibility of the family. 
4. Documents cannot be issued till the student has returned all the school property i.e. library books, musical instruments.
5. The student needs to be cleared by the finance department in terms of fees and other payments.

Please note that emailing the MS office to inform us of your withdrawal date does not initiate the process. The process begins when the completed Request to Issue Transfer Certificates/Reports form is submitted to the MS office. 

Please note that AISC’s campus is now closed. When it reopens, we will be able to provide paper copies of withdrawal documents. 

Stay safe and healthy,
 

Jessica Pechhold                                                                                          
Middle School Principal

May 14

Dear Parents and Students, 

We recognize that the past weeks have been trying for families as the pandemic has deeper implications for Chennai and our community. Thank you for your support for our students who remain engaged, even if feeling the fatigue of a school year spent online. Please continue to be in contact with teachers, advisors and our school counselling team to provide support as needed during these last few weeks of the school year. We look forward to ending the year well and celebrating accomplishments and growth achieved in spite of our circumstances!
 

Out of Time Zone Support
Starting Monday, May 17, Mr. Cristian Luca and Ms. Gretchen Galaty will be available to support students who may be in Europe and the United States during these final weeks of the school year. If your family has left Chennai and is in the UK, Europe or the US, you will have received an email about the type of support they will provide to students. If you intend on leaving Chennai before the end of the school year, please contact the MS office so that we can provide this information to you.

 

Virtual Learning Continues      

• We will continue operating on IST.
• Please contact the MS office if your family leaves Chennai before the end of the school year. This helps our teachers to know who is not on IST.
• Connection times are recorded and posted on PowerSchool. Students out of time zone can watch recordings when it is convenient for them.
• All modules are designed to be completed individually if students cannot attend connection times.
• If it is unreasonable for students to attend 9:00am IST connection times in your time zone, recordings are available for students to watch the connection times missed. Modules can be worked on independently. Students can stay in contact with teachers via email should they need to make appointments with teachers.
• All students, regardless of time zone, should continue to complete the daily check in form to register their attendance, even if they miss a block because of time zone differences.
  
  

MAP Growth Testing Results
Our MAP testing results will be republished in the coming weeks. You will receive the results via email. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

MS Art Exhibition

Our virtual MS Art Exhibition opens on Monday, May 17. Thank you to our middle school artists for sharing their artistic accomplishments from this year and Mr. Sujeeth Kumar for developing the site to host this event. The link to the event site will be released on Monday.

 

Virtual Yearbook Access 
While we await the print copy of this year’s yearbook, students can access the virtual version. Students are able to sign each other’s virtual copies by following the links below.

To view the yearbook, use this link and password:

· Link:  https://panel.flipbuilder.com/accessdenied?bookUrl=xqxb/ovwb/

· Authorization ID: AISC@yearbook2021

Note: when you login, the screen looks like the image below. Ignore the message (ACCESS DENIED). Add the password in the box and login. This will take you to the digital version of the yearbook.

                 

Additionally, Jostens has created a digital signing option this year:  

 

Jostens says, "The Yearbook Digital Signing Pages solution provides students with a fun, free and interactive web-based experience that results in a printable permanent keepsake. It is now live and available to all students. As with many websites, the signing website requires users to be 13 years of age or older. This requirement is included in the terms and conditions when a new user registers. As such, for middle or junior high and elementary schools the marketing materials encourage a parent to set up and administer the site for their students." 

 

If you wish to have friends or teachers sign your yearbook, you can set up an account following the steps below. In the end, you are able to print or save to pdf everything that is written to you. Your signature pages will only be accessible to those with whom you share the link. To create your account, go to: yearbook signing.jostens.com. Check out this video for an overview of how to get started. 
 

Virtually Ever After - MS Production

 Thursday, May 20th

4:30pm IST

Book Tickets Here!

Once upon a time, we lived in a world where Fairy Tales could also use video calling technology. Bursting with familiar characters, from Big Bad Wolf and Little Red to Goldilocks and Baby Bear and Prince Charming and all the classic princesses, these short plays are as fresh as they are funny! With delightful humor for the whole family, this show is sure to end happily-ever-after, even if the fractured fairy tales don’t!

The link to the production will be made available after the livestream! 

 

Transitioning Part 2 and Tips When Feeling Anxious

-From MS Counselling Department

Last week we took a moment to think about our leaving students. This week we wanted to take some time to be thoughtful of our students who are staying and continuing at AISC.  Take time to check in with your child and ask them what actions they are taking to say goodbye, how they feel about it and what thoughts do they have about making new friends in the upcoming school year. Stayers are key members in our community.  Further information on stayers is found in this article Globally Grounded:  6 Steps to Being a Successful Stayer in an International School and this AISC video on Goers Stayers and Newbies.

With the pandemic hitting India hard and many transition plans changing for the summer holiday or farewells, we think these statements are good things to tell ourselves as well as our students and children.  Know that AISC counselors are here to help and support.  

Returning Instruments 
If your child is in band, please read the instructions about returning school instruments. If you have questions about instrument return, please contact Mr. Kennedy (kjason@aischennai.org) or the MS office (msoffice@aischennai.org). 

Past School Reports for Withdrawing Students 
Parents of the withdrawing students please note that you can collect ONE paper copy of the past school reports of your child from the school any time starting from Tuesday, May 2 after sending an email to msoffice@aischennai.org Please note that these reports are ready for families who have already submitted the withdrawal form. 

Also, please note we will be able to provide final Semester-II report and Transfer Certificate paper copies only on June 4. 

End of Year Withdrawals 
If you child will not be continuing at AISC next year, please complete the “Request to Issue Transfer Certificate/Past Records” form linked in the Quick Links section of the blog in the sidebar. Please complete this form and submit it to the MS office msoffice@aicschennai.org. 

Withdrawal Process Explanation 
To initiate the withdrawal process, the Request to Issue Transfer Certificate/Reports form must be submitted. The certificate is available on the Principal’s Notes blog and from the MS Office. Once the Request to Issue Transfer Certificates/Reports form is submitted to the MS office with a confirmed date of withdrawal, it may take up to five school days to process your request. This is standard operating procedure for each withdrawal.  

1. Documents will be issued only on the last day the student is enrolled.
2. We provide only these documents: cover letter, transfer certificate and past school reports
3. We provide only ONE copy of the documents. Copies are the responsibility of the family. 
4. Documents cannot be issued till the student has returned all the school property i.e. library books, musical instruments.
5. The student needs to be cleared by the finance department in terms of fees and other payments.

Please note that emailing the MS office to inform us of your withdrawal date does not initiate the process. The process begins when the completed Request to Issue Transfer Certificates/Reports form is submitted to the MS office. 

Please note that AISC’s campus is now closed. When it reopens, we will be able to provide paper copies of withdrawal documents.

 

Stay safe and healthy,

Jessica Pechhold                                                                                           
Middle School Principal

May 7

Dear Parents and Students,

Today we had our final monthly middle school assembly of the year. This time of year brings a mix of celebrations and goodbyes. This week, we recognized teachers that will be moving on from AISC and celebrated students who participated in year-long MS activities. Whether you are moving on to new communities or staying in Chennai, this time of year signifies change for “leavers” and “stayers.” It is a good time to have conversations at home about transitions and their emotional impact on us socially and emotionally. This week, Ms. Gretchen Galaty has more information about supporting students who will be moving on from AISC this year. On the last day of school, we will have a farewell assembly for all students to formally end the school year.

MAP Growth Testing Results

Our MAP testing sessions are now complete. In the coming week, you will receive information via email about accessing your child’s results.

 
From the Middle School Counselor
Transitions

Part of the international school experience is students moving.  New students arriving and current students leaving. An important step in transitioning in an international move is having an opportunity to say farewell. In the Middle School, this week, we have opened virtual “cards” called Jamboards. This is a space for students to write notes and thoughts of recognition for leaving students. The Jamboards can be accessed in Advisory and in the Student Daily Bulletin. Please carve out some time for your child to share a leaving message.  For the leaver, a healthy closure is important. If you are a leaving family please take time for your child to say their farewells to peers, teachers, coaches, community members and people of importance to them. This can be on Zoom, in an email, on Hangouts or a handwritten note. It is meaningful to pause and ask your child to identify a few items to keep close during a move, such as a yearbook, a stuffed animal, a t-shirt or an award. Have your child travel with these items on them and when they need to access them it can offer comfort and an opportunity to share and talk as a family once you arrive in your new location.

Happiness Calendar

A moment of care for the whole family.  Greater Good Science Center  publishes a monthly happiness calendar to promote health and wellbeing.  When the time permits, look at the daily prompt and give yourself a moment to try something new.

MS to HS Transition

To provide information for 8th grade parents about the transition from 8th to 9th grade, the high school counselors host a parent coffee with 9th grade parents as special guests.  This year, because of our current situation, we recorded this conversation through Zoom so that you will be able to access the video at your convenience. We asked the 9th grade parents questions about classes, support, communication, social life, and stress and also provided information on Freshman Seminar and some of the similarities and differences between the middle school and high school.  You can view the Zoom conversation here -- Transition from Grade 8 to Grade 9 for Grade 8 Parents. You can also access the Google slides here -- Grade 8 to 9 Transition Parent Coffee.

 

Also, we highly encourage all 8th grade students to attend 8th Grade Orientation hosted by the high school Raptor Agents on Tuesday, May 11th at 10:00 am.  Orientation is a great opportunity for 8th grade students to learn more about high school and connect with current high school students and each other! 8th grade students

 

In the meantime, please reach out to us with any questions you might have.  We look forward to hearing from you!

 

Warm regards,

Tracey and Josiah

 
Virtual Learning Continues        
A few reminders as we plan to remain virtual this school year:

• We will continue operating on IST.
• Please contact the MS office if your family leaves Chennai before the end of the school year. This helps our teachers to know who is not on IST.
• Connection times are recorded and posted on PowerSchool. Students out of time zone can watch recordings when it is convenient for them.
• All modules are designed to be completed individually if students cannot attend connection times.
• If it is unreasonable for students to attend 9:00am IST connection times in your time zone, recordings are available for students to watch the connection times missed. Modules can be worked on independently. Students can stay in contact with teachers via email should they need to make appointments with teachers.
• All students, regardless of time zone, should continue to complete the daily check in form to register their attendance, even if they miss a block because of time zone differences. 

 
Portfolio Conferences

If you have not already done so, please find time for your child to share their portfolio with you. See last week’s blog and this week’s direct email for more details about conducting the conference.

 

There is no formal follow up on the conference required; however, we would love to see students sharing their portfolios with parents. Send a selfie during your at-home portfolio conference to msoffice@aischennai.org!

 
Library Use

The AISC libraries have stopped providing curbside checkout service and book delivery to classrooms because of protocols put in place to safeguard library staff. The return boxes will remain at the main and ES entrances, so library materials can be returned at any time. Thank you and please let Babs know if you have any questions. 

 
Returning Instruments

If your child is in band, please read the instructions about returning school instruments. If you have questions about instrument return, please contact Mr. Kennedy (kjason@aischennai.org) or the MS office (msoffice@aischennai.org).

 
Past School Reports for Withdrawing Students

Parents of the withdrawing students please note that you can collect ONE paper copy of the past school reports of your child from the school any time starting from Tuesday, May 2 after sending an email to msoffice@aischennai.org Please note that these reports are ready for families who have already submitted the withdrawal form. 

Also, please note we will be able to provide final Semester-II report and Transfer Certificate paper copies only on June 4.

 
End of Year Withdrawals

If you child will not be continuing at AISC next year, please complete the “Request to Issue Transfer Certificate/Past Records” form linked in the Quick Links section of the blog in the sidebar. Please complete this form and submit it to the MS office msoffice@aicschennai.org.

 
Withdrawal Process Explanation

To initiate the withdrawal process, the Request to Issue Transfer Certificate/Reports form must be submitted. The certificate is available on the Principal’s Notes blog and from the MS Office. Once the Request to Issue Transfer Certificates/Reports form is submitted to the MS office with a confirmed date of withdrawal, it may take up to five school days to process your request. This is standard operating procedure for each withdrawal.  

1. Documents will be issued only on the last day the student is enrolled.
2. We provide only these documents: cover letter, transfer certificate and past school reports
3. We provide only ONE copy of the documents. Copies are the responsibility of the family. 
4. Documents cannot be issued till the student has returned all the school property i.e. library books, musical instruments.
5. The student needs to be cleared by the finance department in terms of fees and other payments.

Please note that emailing the MS office to inform us of your withdrawal date does not initiate the process. The process begins when the completed Request to Issue Transfer Certificates/Reports form is submitted to the MS office.

 
Stamping Documents

Please allow 24 hours for documents needing official school stamps to be processed by the middle school office. As noted above, we will make one copy of official school documents. Additional copies are made by the family and stamped upon request by the MS office. Documents are sanitized upon receipt and before returning them to families. Please plan accordingly for your timelines if you need documents stamped.

 
Returning/Departing Chennai

If your family is departing Chennai before the end of the school year, please contact the middle school office msoffice@aischennai.org for changes in your time zone.

 
Have a great weekend,
 
Jessica Pechhold
Middle School Principal