Dear Parents and students,
We hope you had a great week and that you and your children are looking forward to the final week in the 2021/22 school year. Our last week of this school year together will be filled with activities and events that will allow our students to enjoy each other’s company before they begin summer vacation. Students will also be collaborating with classmates to finish up projects and synthesizing their learning from the year. They will be engaged in reflective activities regarding their Learning Habits as well as updating their student portfolios. There are several activities next week which include parents. We hope to see you on campus!
Here is the calendar of upcoming events:
For Eighth Grade Parents:
June 2nd will be a special day for grade eight students! We are excited that students will have a half day of celebration on campus to mark their transition to High School. The day’s schedule will include their Social Justice exhibit in the REC Gym and the formal celebration in the FAC Theater. You are invited to join us in the REC Gym for the Social Justice exhibit at 2:15pm. While admiring their exhibits and performances, engaging students in conversations related to their projects is encouraged. Following a transition break, we would like you to transition with us to a more ceremonial setting in the FAC Theater at 2:55 pm. After an introductory speech, students will be individually recognized on stage and formally handed over to the High School Administration. Recommended dress code - semi-formal. The day’s schedule will end as usual at 3:30 pm.
A gentle reminder about our Raptor Safe protocols - for parents, a COVID vaccination certificate or a negative RT-PCR test is required to enter the campus. Please reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns. We would be honored to have you with us!
~Grade Eight Team
Our 2021–2022 digital yearbook is live and available online now! Relive events from this past year by clicking on the link below. Congratulations to Ms. Lakshmi, Mr. Nick, and the Student Yearbook Team for creating such a great record of this past year!
Click here to view the digital yearbook (password: aischennai@2022ybk).
Please keep this link and password private, and limited to close family members.
Students and faculty can also click here to use the Online Digital Signing Pages feature! Click on the link and follow the instructions to create your account. A unique link is then generated that you can share with friends and family to sign. Once created, your Digital Signing Pages can be downloaded and printed!
Please note that the printed yearbooks will be distributed in August 2022. Those leaving AISC who are interested in receiving a printed yearbook should leave a forwarding address with their sectional assistant.
Week Without Walls 2022:
AISC is planning for our experiential learning trips for 2022 to resume. If you're not familiar, in middle school we go on a week-long trip as an entire grade level. These experiences expose students to physical challenges, pushes them outside of their comfort zone, and provides opportunities for learning outside of the normal classroom setting. Next year the trips will depart on September 26th and return on September 30th. There is no additional charge for participating in the trip, though you may want to make sure your child has the following items: bathing suit, sun hat, rash guard (long sleeve top for in the water), sturdy shoes for hikes, and footwear that can get wet but not easily fall off like sandals with a heel strap. Trip-specific details will be shared in the fall. This year we will provide a mixed grade-level experience for students who are unable to travel, which will stay in Chennai while still engaging students with locally available opportunities.
Library News Checkouts:
The first floor of the ES/MS Library is getting new shelving this summer, so we need to pack all the books up on Friday, June 3rd. We will begin packing books away Thursday after school at 3:30 pm and continue throughout the day on Friday. Because of this, we won't be able to check out on Friday, June 3rd. Please be sure to get what you'd like for the summer before then and let Ms. Babs know if you have any questions.
Summer Reading on Sora:
Did you know that we update Sora with new titles each month? We do! In addition, we have added three new collections that middle schoolers will love this summer: Middle Grade Summer Recs, Manga and Graphic Novels, and Mythological Books! Students and families can use Sora throughout the summer to read ebooks and listen to audiobooks, so if you need a refresher on how to access these titles, please click here. The password for families is: Chennai21. Happy reading!
Repeat information: From the Counselors
Transitions are challenging during the best of times. It’s always hard to say goodbye to friends, teachers, and other community members. What are some ways we can support our community through these transitions?
Doug Ota, in his book Safe Passage: How Mobility Affects People & What International Schools Should Do About It, posits that all students are impacted by transition in different ways and that every member of our community goes through periods of arriving, staying, and leaving:
Arrivers - students that are new to the school community
Stayers - students that have been in the school community for a while and are planning to stay
Leavers - students that are transitioning out of the school community
Ota’s idea is that transition impacts everyone in our community. It is important to acknowledge the grief that accumulates from continuous transitions regardless of the age of the person when the transition took place.
Counselors, teachers, and administrators throughout the school are here to help students transition during this challenging time. Here are some helpful transition resources whether your family is arriving, leaving, or staying at AISC:
Remember that the counselors are here for support. Please reach out to us!
Repeat information: Arts, Sports & Activities (ASA) - Summer Camp '22
If you are interested in having your child(ren) engage in activities for Summer Camp, please fill out the Registration Form before Wednesday, June 1. Summer Camp will be a 2-week program that begins on Monday, June 6, and will run through Friday, June 17, 2022. Activities will run Monday to Friday. The fee for each activity will be INR 4,000 in total for 10 days.
For more information, please email Monicka (dmonicka@aischennai.org).
Repeat information: Masks optional outside
Masks may again be removed while outdoors. Please continue to wear your mask while in the entry/exit area of campus, and at all times while indoors.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Take care,
Jennifer Bertram
Middle School Principal