Dear Parents and Students,
Thank you for another successful week of online learning. Our goal is that the planner and tools teachers have provided will support students as we move to a more flexible and independent format in our learning activities. Again, thank you for your support for your child’s learning. Our attendance in the middle school, as gaged by PowerSchool logins, continues to be 95% or higher!
This week's blog features art work from Ms. Heather Halls art class. Thank you to Athena, Ire, Kavya, and Sehwa for sharing the art you have created at home this past week!
Calendar Updates
There will be no virtual learning Friday April 10 (Good Friday) and Tuesday April 14 (Tamil New Year). Because of these holidays, our modules for the next two weeks will offer 90 minutes of engagement for students. More on this below.
Families Out of Country
If your family is planning to leave Chennai, please inform the MS Office (msoffice@aischennai.org) so that we can track the number of students out of our time zone.
Week Two Feedback Form
This week we are collecting feedback again on our continuity of instruction. Parents, please take a few minutes to complete this form: COI Parent Feedback - Week 2. I will be sharing the data with you next week. Your feedback helps us to make adjustments to our virtual learning program. Students, have received the form via email and in the student daily bulletin.
Week Three Virtual Learning
Here is what you can expect for week three:
· All eight classes will post assignments Monday morning at 8:00am.
· Expect 90 minutes of engagement per class this week (adjusted for the four-day school week).
· Students will work at their own pace Monday-Thursday.
· Use a planner to help you pace your work.
· Teachers will post office hours on their PS class pages.
· Check in with your advisor Monday morning at 8:30am.
More details will be forthcoming in Sunday’s welcome to week three message along with a video to start the week.
Well Week: April 6-9
Next week we will put a spotlight on Wellbeing with Well Week at AISC. We have been planning for this week for some time and, in light of the current circumstances we all find ourselves in, we felt it would be important to continue with Well Week - highlighting ways to care for ourselves and others - although some changes to our activities were obviously needed.
The intention of the week is to bring attention to our wellbeing and share our experiences. Students will get daily instructions from their section communications on how to engage in Well Week activities. We encourage parents to join in as well. Please see the focus of each day below:
Monday: Positive Relationships: Gratitude and Kindness Challenges
Tuesday: Self Awareness: How are you feeling? Get creative.
Wednesday: Self Management: Share your tips: #AISCWellbeing
Thursday: Healthy Habits: Try something new.
The Counseling Team is working to ensure that the wellbeing and social-emotional needs of our students and families are well supported. We will be putting out resources to support families as they adjust to their changes in circumstances and routines, manage uncertainty and worry, and try to stay connected and look after their collective wellbeing.
This article from the National Association of School Psychologists in the US discusses some important points to consider in guiding your children through the Covid-19 pandemic. Please read through the article and contact your child's counselor if you have anything you'd like to discuss in more detail. Our thoughts and hearts are with all of our community members right now. We encourage you to reach out to our counselors and teachers, as needed, as we all work to take care of our wellbeing and stay connected.
Student Protection and Virtual Learning
As part of our approach to maximise the support and learning of our students in the virtual environment we feel it is important for our faculty to connect with students in one to one conversations as they do in the regular school setting. This may be done via one to one video calls or chats using the school's email platform. If you would like to opt-out of this type of support please indicate that on this form.
At home, we ask that you support us in keeping students safe by ensuring that students are dressed appropriately for the school day and are situated in a study space that is always interruptible and observable by you. For your reference, we have also recently created these guidelines to support faculty in keeping students safe in the virtual classroom.
Wishing you and your families a safe and healthy weekend,
Jessica Pechhold
Middle School Principal