september 28, 2016
ANNOUNCEMENTS
CALENDAR
Thursday, Sept 29
HS Class Colors Night
KICKING UP A FUSS
Tiger SAISA SWIM SQUAD getting ready for NEPAL!
Saturday, October 1
ES Swimming Carnival, 8:30am
SAT Exam
Friday, October 6
ES Assembly, 7:55am
FALL BREAK:
October 7 to 15
Classes resume Sunday October 16th
CAMPUS MEMBERSHIP
PROCESSING HOURS:
Activities office will deal with all sorts of
Campus Membership application and card
distribution from 7:30-2:30pm, Sunday to
Thursday only.
ARE YOU A TRAINED THERAPIST OR OTHER AUXILIARY HEALTHCARE
PROVIDER LOOKING TO KEEP UP YOUR SKILLS WHILST IN DHAKA?
The Family Health Practice is always interested in partnering with therapists
of all kinds (counsellors, psychologists, psychotherapists, occupational
therapists, speech and language therapists, physiotherapists and
chiropractors), since these specialities are not only in great demand amongst
our patient population but are also often poorly served by the local healthcare
system.
If you hold a qualification in one of these areas and would be interested in
keeping up your skills during your stay in Dhaka, we would love to hear from
you, so please drop us an email to [email protected]
Many thanks,
ES SWIMMING
Come support the Elementary School Tiger
Swim team this Saturday, October 1st as they
participate in their first swim carnival of the
year. The carnival will run from 8:30-11:00am
Saturday morning.
Come out and cheer them on.
Go Tigers!!!!
Dr. Anna Tate
september 28, 2016
1
HERE ARE THE MINUTES FOR THE FIRST PTA MEETING
HELD ON 26TH SEPTEMBER 2016:
- The PTA committee has some new members including new president Zehra Ispahani. The new book fair chair is
Hanny Latif and Zareen Karim joins us as Co- ES Rep.
- Halloween discussions: PTA still need more cash donations. We request parents to come forward to donate cash.
Also we need more volunteers for the event. For cash donations and volunteering please contact [email protected].
- There was a discussions around communication channels to parents. It was suggested we create a close Facebook
group. The group could an interactive forum for AISD parents. The PTA committee should administer the group.
Laura will contact school admin about it in the wake of new security protocol.
- Finally many ES classes do not have class reps. So Zareen and Walter will work on it in next few days.
PTA NEWS
Dear parents!
Only 6 weeks left to the Halloween Carnival and preps are going on full steam ahead.
You can help us by volunteering to help set up and to help us sell chits on the day or by donating any amount
of cash you can spare.
In terms of donations here’s what we still need:
1. For Food: Taka 5,000
2.Decoration: Taka 100,000
3. Pumpkins for the pumpkin carving contest: Taka 3000
You can drop of your cash donation to the rotunda in a sealed envelope c/o Zehra Ispahani and email us at
[email protected] informing us of your donation and that you have dropped it off.
Thank you!
Zehra Ispahani
PTA President
september 28, 2016
2
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL NOTES Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp Pp
ES UPDATE AND UPCOMING IMPORTANT DATES
At the ES, things are cruising along smoothly with classrooms finishing up their first and moving on to their
second Unit of Inquiry, students engaging with meaningful literacy throughout the day, and students having the
opportunity to express themselves in our single subject areas (performing arts, physical education, visual arts, and
host cultural studies).
You should be receiving weekly updates via email from your child’s homeroom teacher to ensure that there
timely communication around classroom happenings and upcoming events. If you are not receiving these, please
contact your child’s homeroom teacher.
Here are a few important dates for families of the ES:
We have our second assembly on Thursday October 6th, hosted by Ms. Meisner’s 5th grade class. All parents are
welcome to attend our assemblies which begin at 7:55am in the theater.
There is no school from October 7-15 due to our fall break. We hope that everyone has a wonderful and relaxing
break!
Our third parent session of the year will be held on October 19th in the ES Library. This session will focus on
the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP) which is the foundation for our PreK-G5 division
here at AISD and how the framework of the PYP supports students to become lifelong learners. We will also
explore the components of the PYP and how these are used to challenge and inspire learning.
Jeffry Overlie
ES Principal
ES STUDENT COUNCIL ELECTIONS
The ES Student Council Elections are being held Thursday, September 29th. The Offices open for election are:
President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Press Grade 5, and Press Grade 4. Each Office includes individual
responsibility for the role taken and a shared responsibility to collaborate with others in creating, organizing and
implementing events for the Student Body.
We have many brave risktakers who are stepping up to the challenge to be leaders and serve in the Elementary
School. They are: Zara Islam, Suhani Chawla, Kaj Overlie, Zarar Karim, Anishka Roy, Hassan Ahmed, Arhan
Deshpande, Melanie Frankenberger, Yash Mandloi, Xara Rahman, Jazz Griffiths, Zaiyan Ahmed, Salwa Syba,
Sofia Acosta, Nate Mble, Zarah Rizvi, and Christina Luu-Pierce.
Best of luck to them all! All of their efforts are appreciated.
Mrs. Sharlene Meisner
september 28, 2016
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MIDDLE SCHOOL NOTES r R r R r R r R r R
“IS CENSORSHIP EVER JUSTIFIED? WHY OR WHY NOT?”
Dear Middle School Community,
We are into our Seventh Week at school and there are many activities on the go! Here are a few examples:
From the Library - our MS/HS Librarian is working with the 8th graders in order to examine the concept of
Banned Books. Students will examine questions such as: “Is censorship ever justified? Why or why not?” and
“What are the sociological and psychological effects of censorship?”
In the Rotunda we have displayed words that are parts of modern education and will be discussing these topics
with students. We will also ask students to add their comments to the boards which are shown below!
Our new STUCO members have been elected and they are: Jena Shakil, Akshita Jain, Ryo Kitano, and Safwat
Omar for Grade 6, Rania Ahmed, Farihah Ahmed, Darin Husain and Raiyan Rahmat Roslan, for Grade 7 and
Nelithra Perera and Shreya Punj for Grade 8. Congratulations to all the candidates!
In 8th grade Science, students are studying the body systems and as part of that unit, dissected a goat heart.
Students labelled different parts of the heart and attempted a diagnosis on the animal as a result of their dissection.
Here are some of the students in action:
It has been a busy and productive seven weeks and we look forward to many more!
Sincerely,
Jennifer Bertram
MS Principal
september 28, 2016
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HIGH SCHOOL NOTES E t E t E t E t E t
Thursday night is the first HS Class Colors Night of the year. The event will end between 9:15 and 9:30. Please
make sure arrangements have been made for your children to picked up from school during this 15 minute
window. This is a student lead activity where they will have team building games and making an official grade
banner for the year. Starting time is 6:30.
We are now six weeks into school and much has been learned. On the evening of September 27th, I invite you to
look at Power School to view a Progress-to-Date grade for your child. Teachers have been working with classes on
learning for six weeks and this Progress-to-Date grade reflects how your child has been hitting the learning targets
thus far. The Progress-to-Date grade is a snapshot of student learning based on the formative and summative
assessments completed thus far. There will be an updated grade at the end of each month before the final grade
appears at the end of the semester.
We are in full tilt mode with the senior class. Mr. Thomas, the IB Coordinator/HS Assistant Principal will be
officially registering seniors in the coming weeks for their IB examinations in May. This is an important step
in the process because based on this registration the correct examinations are mailed to AISD. Our HS College
Counselor, Mrs. Herrera has been meeting with all senior families to prepared for college applications. Seniors
are also working on numerous IAs and their EEs. We have scaffolded the work that needs to be completed and
students also need to take care of their own wellness with proper sleep, organization and eating habits. Do keep an
eye on the seniors and communicate any observations to us. We are here to work as a team in getting your children
to where they would like to be!
A reminder that the PSAT for 10s and 11s will be November 2nd this year; a little later than last year.
Sincerely,
Robert Doyle
HS Principal
FROM THE LIBRARY • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
BOOK SPINE POETRY
The poems were a collaboration at the
beginning of September between the MS/HS
library and Ms. Friedman’s Writers Workshop
class. It was an activity I suggested to go along
with their poetry unit and to get them using
the library in a different way. The best part
was seeing what the kids came up with and
laughing at some crazy book titles! The hardest
part was that our library books have so many
stickers covering up the titles! We are working
on fixing that... :-)
Nicole Doyle
MS/HS Librarian
september 28, 2016
5
✿ ✿ ✿
COUNSELORS CORNER ✿
✿ ✿
TIPS FOR FOSTERING EMPATHY IN CHILDREN
Caring and kindness are important values in every culture. The development of empathy is at the very core of
moral development and represents a primary goal of social and emotional learning. Children are inherently capable
of altruistic behavior from a very young age. This awareness and sensitivity to others needs to be deliberately
nurtured as children learn to problem-solve challenges in their daily relationships.
Parents are often concerned about the impact on their children of a cultural emphasis on achievement and of
the media in promoting self-centered behavior. If we want children to be kind, cooperative, and empathetic, simply
talking about values is not enough – we must teach and reinforce these values both at home and at school.
Below are some tips for parents to help children learn empathy suggested by Gwen Dewar, Ph.D
www.parentingscience.com:
• Address your child’s own needs, and teach him how to “bounce back” from distress: Studies suggest that kids
are more likely to develop a strong sense of empathy when their own emotional needs are being met at home.
• Be a “mind-minded” parent: Treat your child as an individual with a mind of her own, and talk to her about
the ways that our feelings influence our behavior.
• Seize everyday opportunities to model – and induce – sympathetic feelings for other people: for example, if you
see someone being hurt (in real life or in books, etc.), talk with your child about how that person must feel.
• Help kids discover what they have in common with other people: Experiments suggest that kids are more
likely to feel empathy for individuals who are familiar and/or similar to them. It’s therefore important to help
children recognize what they share with all humanity.
• Teach kids about the “hot-cold empathy gap”: Have you ever noticed how hard it is to appreciate the power of hunger
when you aren’t hungry? This is called the “hot-cold empathy gap” which appears to be a universal problem. People
underestimate how compelling emotionally and physiologically “hot” (or difficult) states – like hunger – can be.
• Help kids explore other roles and perspectives: Empathy involves perspective taking. Stories are opportunities
for kids to practice perspective-taking skills. What do the characters think, believe, want, or feel? And how
do we know it?
• Show kids how to “make a face” while they try to imagine how someone else feels: Experiments show that
simply “going through the motions” of making a facial expression can make us experience the associated
emotion. We can “boost” our empathetic powers by imitating the facial expression of people we want to
empathize with.
• Help Kids develop a sense of morality that depends on internal self-control, not on rewards or punishments:
Kids are more likely to internalize moral principles with discipline that emphasizes rational explanations and
moral consequences, not arbitrary rules and heavy-handed punishments.
• Inspire good feelings through pleasant social interactions and physical affection: Kids will find it easier to
understand emotional signals of others if they are well-supplied with their own.
Suggested Books on Empathy:
Excellent website: http://www.commonsensemedia.org/lists/books-that-teach-empathy
Ramona helps
young children
build empathy
(age 5+)
september 28, 2016
Kind tale of
empathy that
shows how to
reach out to left
out kids (age 6)
Sweet comingof-age story
that teaches
empathy and
and kindness
(age 9+)
6
✿ ✿ ✿
NURSEY NOTES ✿
✿ ✿
Marie Kresinske • Bassema Karaki
We hope that all families enjoyed a restful and loving holiday break and everyone is revitalized!
I would like to remind families of some health practices which are important to all of us at AISD:
DENGUE AWARENESS
The mosquitoes that carry dengue usually bite humans from dawn to dusk. Symptoms, which usually begin four to
six days after infection and last for up to 10 days, may include
• Sudden, high fever
• Severe headaches • Pain behind the eyes
• Severe joint and muscle pain • Fatigue
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Skin rash, which appears two to five days after the onset of fever
• Mild bleeding (such a nose bleed, bleeding gums, or easy bruising)
A blood test done by MD can confirm Dengue. There is no treatment other then managing the symptoms with
acetaminophen (paracetamol/Tylenol), staying hydrated, and rest. Severe dengue can cause bleeding disorders.
HOW TO PREVENT DENGUE:
• Wear long sleeved shirts/long pants to protect from bites
• Use mosquito repellents
• Use air conditioning/coils/mosquito nets/screens at home
• Dengue carrying mosquitoes lay their eggs in fresh water supplies: Frequently change animal water dishes/keep
unused toilet lids closed/flush frequently/keep water from accumulating in planter saucers
GOOD HANDWASHING/HYGIENE
We teach the kids at school how to wash their hands effectively, use hand sanitizer and to cover their mouths with an
arm over mouth (not with their hands!) when sneezing/coughing. This is the #1 thing we can all do to not get sick and keep
others from getting sick. I encourage parents to embrace this education at home too. Notice your own style of covering
your sneezes. We all can develop more healthful habits with a little practice! If you “catch” your kids coughing into their
elbows, praise them for their healthy ways. If you see them cough into their hands, don’t scold them, just have them go
wash their hands and remind them that germs are things we don’t want to share with friends. Practice makes perfect!!
IMMUNIZATIONS
In the Health office, we have been working diligently to have all our students at AISD immunized per School Board
policy. We have been contacting parents, notifying them of their children’s needed immunizations. If you have not yet
heard from us, you may in the near future. If your children have gotten their needed immunizations, please send a copy
of immunization record to our Nurse’s office and we will update our records. AISD immunization requirements can be
found on www.aisdhaka.org -hit “Admissions” tab, then “Before you apply” tab-to downloadable vaccination schedule
LICE
Part of our Nursing care at AISD is helping students and families manage a pesky case of Lice. It is ever so
common in younger students and with some diligence at home, you won’t be bugged at all by them!! If needed, we
nurses will check students’ heads and if lice are found we will treat them and send them back to class. Then we call
parents and offer lice shampoo/education/pamphlets to help them clean up at home. We do not send students home
after treating them and we check them the next day to make sure the treatment has worked. We generally check a
whole class if one student has lice, at least in the younger grades. To prevent lice at home, we suggest checking your
children’s hair periodically. Lice and nits (eggs) are very difficult to see. The nits can be confused with dandruff but
nits stick to the hair shaft whereas dandruff can be flicked off easily. If you think your child has lice, they can come to
the Nurse’s office and we will check them.
september 28, 2016
7
DATE
Sunday
Oct 2
Monday
Oct 3
Tuesday
Oct 4
Wednesday
Oct 5
Thursday
Oct 6
LUNCH MENU
MS/HS
ES
MS/HS
ES
MS/HS
ES
MS/HS
ES
MS/HS
ES
Hot/Veg Meal: Italian beef or veggie lasagna, garlic toast, greek salad, seasonal fruit
A La Carte: burger, chilidog, tortilla chicken wrap, momo with sauce, beef tacos, fish & chips, tuna fish sandwich,
fuchka (sub sandwich 3 choice)
corn soup, burger-beef /chicken, creamy coleslaw, seasonal fruit, milk
corn soup, burger-veg, creamy coleslaw, seasonal fruit, milk
Hot/Veg Meal: chicken Maryland or vegetable pie, mashed potatoes with gravy, mixed salad, seasonal fruit
A La Carte: beef & cheese burger, hot dogs, pizza, grilled cheese sandwich, tomato soup, pumpkin pie, teriyaki
chicken wrap, dosa with sambar and chutney, (sub sandwich 3 choice)
sweet & sour chicken, plain rice, fresh salad, seasonal fruit, milk
sweet & sour vegetable, plain rice, fresh salad, seasonal fruit, milk
Hot/Veg Meal: beef/chicken chili or stir fried vegetable, egg fried rice, mixed salad, seasonal fruit
A La Carte: burger, philly cheese steak, chicken kebab roll, momo with sauce, beef tacos, fish & chips, tuna fish
sandwich, fuchka (sub sandwich 3 choice)
chicken noodle soup, pizza- beef/chicken toppings, green salad, seasonal fruit, milk
corn soup, cheese pizza, green salad, seasonal fruit, milk
Hot/Veg Meal: chicken lemon pepper drumstick or stir-fry vegetable, baked potato with stuffing, French salad,
and fruit
A La Carte: burger, chilidog, pizza, chicken/beef pot pie, kebab, tuna fish sandwich, chicken salad wrap, (sub
sandwich 3 choice)
bbq chicken, scalloped potatoes, green salad, seasonal fruit, milk
spinach quiche, scalloped potatoes, green salad, seasonal fruit, milk
Hot/Veg Meal: dhai chicken (in yoghurt ) or vegetable curry, tomato paneer, corn and peas pulao, green salad,
seasonal fruit
A La Carte: burger, philly cheese steak, tandoori chicken wrap, momo with sauce, fish & chips, beef tacos, dosa
with sambar and chutney, fuchka, (sub sandwich 3 choice)
tomato soup, hot dog: beef / chicken, pumpkin pie, salad, seasonal fruit, milk
tomato soup, veggie dog, pumpkin pie, salad, seasonal fruit, milk
Fall Break October 7th to 15th
FAMILY HEALTH PRACTICE
Sunday - Thursday: 1:30 pm - 5:00 pm
LIBRARY HOURS
september 28, 2016
ES Library
Sun - Thurs: 7:15 am - 4:00 pm
Fri: CLOSED
Sat: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
MS/HS Library
Sun - Thurs: 7:15 am - 5:00 pm
Fri: CLOSED
Sat: 10:00am - 2:00pm
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