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Volume 2, Issue 5
March 2009
DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
Dear Parents, Students and Friends of AISE,
Two key points this month:
Inside this issue:
Director’s Message
1
Highlighted Activities
for April 2009
1
News from IB at AISE
2
Lend –a-hand
Active Citizen
IB CAS
Panther Awards
2
3
3
1. Gate Safety: The pickup/ drop off gate change created a much safer area for students and car traffic. The elementary and middle school students are having a
high success rate. We will begin asking security to enforce the correct gates for
the alphabet.
A-E ( RED CARD) Gate 1 – (Front of school),
F-Z (BLUE CARD) Gate 5 – (East side of school)
We need help in making this area safer by exiting the assigned gates by having drivers’ and students’ cooperation.
2. March 19: Thank you to the parents that sent a strong message to your student
by supporting them attending school on Thursday March 19 and maximizing a
school day already paid for. We appreciate the priority on learning. We must
keep education a family and national priority.
Enjoy the Spring!
4
AISE Book Fair
5
MUN News
5
Professional Learning
Update
6
Grade 3-5 Art Show
6
Poems
7
The following are selected highlighted activities for April. While they are not the
only activities, they are events that will influence our focus in the high school a
variety of ways.
Brightening up the walls
and mural at a time!
8
April:
Fourth Graders Enjoy
Field Trip
8
Shh...Mummification in
process!
8
2009 Walkathon makes a
difference one step at a
time!
9
Hs Counseling
9
Reading Week at AISE
March 22-26
10
Scores and more: Interschool athletics
10
Craig L. Paul PhD
Director.
HIGHLIGHTED ACTIVITIES FOR APRIL 2009
Term 4 Begins: Wednesday, April 1
AIS MUN: Thursday April 2 – Monday, April 6
 Parent/Teacher Conferences: Wednesday/Thursday, April 8 th & 9th
 IB Visual Arts Examination: April 13th through 15th
 IB Visual Arts Show: Wednesday, April 22 nd
 AIS Carnival: Friday, April 24th
 Screaming Eagles Track Meet: Friday, May 24 th
 IB Exams: Thursday, April 30th – Friday, May 22nd


Volume 2, Issue 5
Page 2
NEWS FROM IB AT AISE
IB exams begin 30 April and end 22 May. Morning exams begin at 8:30 and afternoon exams begin at 12:30. Exams
will take place in rooms 329 and 324. The exam schedule is as follows:
Thursday, 30 April
8:30
World Politics
Monday, 4 May
8:30
English P1
Monday, 4 May
12:30
Arabic A2 P1
Tuesday, 5 May
8:30
Arabic A2 P2
Tuesday, 5 May
12:30
History P1, P2
Wednesday, 6 May
8:30
History P3
Wednesday, 6 May
12:30
Biology P1, P2
Thursday, 7 May
8:30
Biology P3
Thursday, 7 May
12:30
Math P1
Friday, 8 May
9:00
Math P2
Monday, 11 May
8:30
English P2
Monday, 11 May
12:30
Economics HL P1, P2/SL P1
Tuesday, 12 May
8:30
Economics HL P3/SL P2
Tuesday, 12 May
12:30
Physics P1, P2
Wednesday, 13 May
8:30
Physics P3
Thursday, 14 May
8:30
Arabic B/AB P1, P2
Thursday, 14 May
12:30
Math HL P3
Monday, 18 May
12:30
Chemistry P1, P2
Tuesday, 19 May
8:30
Chemistry P3
Thursday, 21 May
8:30
French B P1, P2
Thursday, 21 May
12:30
Psychology P1
Friday, 22 May
9:00
Psychology HL P2, P3/SL P2
The “Conduct of the Examinations: Notice to Candidates” is posted on the IB bulletin board, in both TOK rooms and
in rooms 329 and 324. Candidates and parents should familiarize themselves with this notice.
Sue Eby-IB Coordinator
LEND-A-HAND
Lend-A-Hand is going to hold a silent auction of student art, relating to a specific theme. This will be a chance for students to display their art work they created for the Gaza Silent Auction, along with new pieces. The money raised from
the auction will go towards Lend-A-Hand projects that are in the process of being developed. Parents will be invited to
view and bid on the work on a chosen day in May. Stay tuned to find out more about how your student can participate,
which week the pieces will be open for bidding, as well as the official invite to parents.
Page 3
AIS-E NEWS
ACTIVE CITIZEN
Active Citizen students recently went to the Mediterranean Center for Sustainable Development in Beni Suef,
where they participated in team-building activities along with the lessons of conservation and sustainability mixed in. The
students spent 2 jam packed days learning about the ways in which the Center
puts into practice sustainable living through the plants they choose to grow,
the animals they take care of, and ways in which the buildings are built. Not
only did they get a chance to talk about and discuss different global issues that
are affecting Egypt, but were able to make the connections between these issues. Set along the Nile Basin, much was discussed in the way of water conservation and the road which Egypt should be taking regarding the scarce water
resources we have. The accommodations were a bit different than what most
students are used to, as they enjoyed staying in camp-like dorm rooms with
bunk beds and shared bathrooms. The trip was an effort for students to remove themselves from their normal everyday life, to reflect and bring together
the issues they have covered thus far in class as they prepare for their final
projects of the year. The trip was not all work, as each evening students and
teachers sat by an open fire telling stories and jokes. One major lesson learned:
Everything is connected and each person is able to affect these issues by simply thinking consciously about our everyday
habits and behaviors.
IB CAS “ Keep Egypt Clean Community Clean up Day”
A big thank you needs to be given to the following students for their hard
work in volunteering with the Amalna Orphanage Open Day, as well as the
Community Street Cleaning Day held by Keep Egypt Clean. The volunteers
at Amalna Orphanage helped bake and sell different items to raise money
to keep the orphanage functioning for the year. The Open Day takes place
twice a year. The Keep Egypt Clean Community Clean up Day is an
event that happens nearly every month in which volunteers and community
members clean the streets and garden, followed by different outdoor activities including painting environmental posters, learning about recycling,
playing soccer, and enjoying the clean garden. The AIS student involvement was instrumental in the success of these two events!!
Amalana Orphanage Volunteers: Norhen Ali, Nadeen Hafez, Aliaa El Didi,
Yosra Salah, Hana El Fekky, Nour Abu Seif, Farah, Abu Seif, Donia Refaat, and Farida Aboul Magd
Keep Egypt Clean Volunteers: Norhen Ali, Louis Kirollos, Samia El Khodary, Nadeen Hafez, Aliaa El Didi, Yosra Salah, Nada Nasser, Heba
Hosny, Farah Abu Seif, Betoul Mehdar, Nour Abu Seif, Mohamed Zayed,
Heba Hesham, and Ahmed Hamada
Great job!
Volume 2, Issue 5
Page 4
PANTHER AWARDS
GRADE 1
GRADE 3
Abdel Rahman Abdo
Abdel Rahman Soliman
Ahmad Daoud
Aida Fadly
Aimee Morcos
Asa Burton
Dana El Bakary
Ga Eun Min
Hanzada Abdel Bary
Hyun Young Shin
Jomana Helal
Kareen Yamout
Karim Belal
GRADE 2
Kerillos Bassily
Abdel Rahman Shehata
Magdy Abbas
Ali Mostafa
Mirey Bassily
Mohammad El Tazy Aly Reda
Muhammad Azzazy Ann El Malky
Arwa Ahmed
Nadia Mostafa
Beshir Abdul Hak
Nadine Abdel Latif
Catherine Abdel Nour
Nour Nassrat
Fareeda Eraky
Ruqaia El Tazy
Farida Abdel Baky
Safeya Ayoub
Farida El Wassimy
Saja El Embaby
Hana El Messiry
Salma Galal
Hatem Abdel Wahab
Sarah Ramzy
Haya Shamaa
Seif Kamel
Heidi Aref
Shama El Khekhia
Heidi Shalkamy
Tina Barghouth
Jana Hosny
Yasmin Abdelaty
Jana Shaban
Jeong Kyu Lee
Karen Ghobrial
Karim Ghobrial
Lily Srouji
Mahmoud El Dirawy
Malak El Feki
Mariam Soliman
Marwan Shams El Din
Mohamed El Bakary
Moustafa El Shawaf
Nada Fahmy
Nayra Soliman
Omar Reda
Rozaline Ramzy
Salma Kamel
Samaa Abu Shabak
Seif El Din Gomaa
Tayma Tayfour
Yasmine Aakil
Ali Dajani
Amir Jacob
Andrew Ramzy
Daniel Naiem
Demah El Emababy
Do-Hyun Kang
Emad Ramzy
Farida Saker
Habiba El Mekkawi
Hani Yamout
Hassan Amer
Ismail Youssef
Jana Amin
Jana Nasr
Malak Ghannan
Marwan Moaz
Maya Abou El Nasr
Michael Samuel
Miral Motreb
Mohamed Abdel Nasser
Mohamed Gamil
Omar Abdel Hamid
Omar Hassan
Omar Soliman
Rehmat Zafar
Rumi Kotadia
Sean Dempsey
Seifeldin Ahmed
Sofie Mostafa
Tamara Shash
Yazeed Abul-Ata
Youssef Ramzy
GRADE 4
Abdul Galil Abdel
Hak
Ahmed Abou Selmi
Caroline Ramzy
Catherine Bassily
Creede Burton
Farida Abdel Aziz
Hana Abdel Baky
Hana Shamaa
Hani El Henawy
Kareem Adley
Mahmoud Hussein
Marco Ghattas
Michelle Makarious
Mohamed Essawy
Nabil Oudah
Nadeen Sobhy
Noor Duncan
Nora Helmy
Nour Salem
Nourhan Ezzeldin
Oyku Akin
Rana Beshir
Roukaya Ayoub
Salma El Akad
Sherif Hendy
Yasmine Hanna
Youssef Aly
Youssef Ramadan
GRADE 5
Abdel Hamid Awad
Adam Aakil
Ahmed Issa
Amina Khodairy
Dina Possamai
Georgenia Bassily
Hadi Abdel Latif
Hana El Sarag
Ingy Abaza
Jessica Ramzy
Jheng Hyun Min
Laila El Khekhia
Laila Gad
Lara Habasy
Lillian Samuel
Manal Ahmed
Menatalla Zaky
Nabieh Srouji
Nabil Salam
Nada El Mawardy
Nada Helmy
Nadia Possamia
Naguib Salam
Noor Sallam
Nour Fahmy
Ola Abdel Aal
Patricia Ortiz Fermin
Ramy Abul-Atta
Randa Al Sharawy
Salma Radwan
Sara El Kafrawy
Sara El Messiry
Sherif Barakat
Suzanna Hanafy
Talal Arslan
Tamara Hussein
Yara El Barhmtouchy
Yosr Abdel Bary
Volume 2, Issue 5
Page 5
AISE BOOK FAIR
AISE held its second Book Fair in March. This year’s Fair theme was “The Enchanted Book Fair” and included several
vendors, including The Egyptian American Book Center, Omega Publishing, Beta Book Store, Nahdat Masr, Dar El
Shorouk, Elias Publishing, and Unlimited Press. The event began with an announcement of the winners for the Best
Short Stories and Best Posters in the Elementary School and ended with a Word Search contest and Raffle for prizes.
Students from the Cairo English School also attended.
MUN NEWS
In March the MUN team traveled to Beijing, China to participate in the BEIMUN, one of the largest and most competitive conferences in the world. Ten AIS students participated, representing Barbados and Nepal. During the trip the team
visited historical sites such as the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, the Temple of Heaven and the Lama Temple. The
team also did quite well at the conference, with 4 of the 10 students becoming the main submitter of a resolution.
Volume 1, Issue 1
Page 6
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING UPDATE
The theme of technology to enhance learning and teaching continues to be a major
theme for the 2008-2009 school year. To that end, we were able to offer the following
sessions on the early release afternoon, Thursday, February 12.
―SMART Board Take Two‖: We offered two one hour sessions (1:00-2:00; 2:00-3:00)
to all teachers in which individuals could ask questions, confirm using features, and be
introduced to the advanced features of the SMART Board interactive technology.
―Curriculum Mapping—Continuing the Journey‖: Time was provided for teachers
in the middle and high school to collaborate and continue to develop their individual
subject curriculum maps. Teachers reviewed a checklist enabled them to review their work to ensure exemplary curriculum maps.
―Edline Focus Group‖: Todd Remage-Healey agreed to lead a team whose members include Cherie
Thibodeaux, Jeremy Howard, Chuck Harris, Michelle Kleiss, and Sharon McDuncan-Bain in a discussion to
review Edline and its capabilities. Edline provides a new technology and makes it possible for schools to
increase parental involvement and extend its learning community.
Professional Learning Survey: In keeping with the theme of technology, we were able to design a web-based
survey which faculty members were able to access on-line on Thursday. This survey took into account the questions, topics, and interests, which have been identified as important to student and faculty learning (past professional development survey, recent faculty and principal input, strategic goals from the Sixth year Progress
Report, etc.) We wish to explore how we can best develop and present these topics and others as we move toward developing future strategic goals. As well, we wish to examine how many of these themes or strands can
be developed by learning teams, focus groups, etc.
The theme of ―Connect, Create, and Look Forward‖ was the focus for our early release afternoon on Thursday, March 26.
Faculty members volunteered to be members in one of a possible eighteen learning groups. Each group reviewed
documents such as The Sixth Year Progress Report, the AISE Mission and Belief Statements, ESOL Strategic
Plan 2007 (in progress). Group members answered three questions: What do we do well? Where do we need to
go? How do we get there? In so doing, groups were able to put forward specific goals that will enhance our
School Development/Improvement Plan.
Congratulations to AISE faculty members, Charles Harris, Darrell Hardman, Laramie Shockey, and John
McCune who will be presenting at the 2009 Spring Educators Conference to be held in Cairo, April 4-7. AISE
will be sending 11 delegates to the conference. This outstanding program features keynote speakers and indepth institutes, and teacher-lead workshops.
AISE faculty members continue to pursue and develop their professional growth plans by completing university
courses as well as attending workshops and conferences. Such is the commitment to learning and creating capacity
for enhanced learning and teaching for both students and teachers at AISE.
GRADE 3-5 ART SHOW
On April 8-9, the third, fourth, and fifth grade hallways will be transformed into beautiful art galleries. The students are so excited to
have an art exhibition! Each student will have artwork on display, and parents are invited to enjoy the student artists' work. There will
also be artwork displayed in Mrs. Deutsch's classroom (room 200), and all parents are welcome to visit.
Volume 2, Issue 5
Page 7
POEMS
This month, Ms. Carmen’s class, (Grade 3)has been reading and writing poems.
Here are some great poems they have written.
Haiku poems
Lightning
Lightning is not safe.
And it is very dangerous.
Lightning is light.
Mohamed Abdelnasser
Lightning
Butterfly
Trees
Trees are tall and
strong.
And have brown
trunks and leaves.
They need light to
live.
Hani Yamout
Sun
I like butterflies.
Butterflies are very
thin.
Butterflies need food.
Salma Sweillam
The sun is a star.
The sun gives us light
and heat.
The sun is so bright.
Andrew Ramzy
Lightning is noisy.
Lightning can hurt
you badly.
Lightning scared me
too.
Youssef Salama
Acrostic Poems
Helpful
Appropriate
Nice
Imaginative
Hani Yamout
Accepting
Never gives up
Does very well
Responsible
Encouraging
Wow!!
Andrew Ramzy
Young
Optimistic
Useful
Strong
Sincere
Extremely nice
Fantastic
Youssef Salama
As a Group they all wrote two Acrostic Poems
about the Walk a Thon
Special
Active
Laughs a lot
Makes jokes
Always smiling
Salma Sweillam
Walk together
Always having fun
Lots of running
Kids showing effort
At the field
Trying their best
Helping others
On the tracks
Never giving up!
We have fun together
An amazing time
Laughing
Kindness we show
At our best
To
Help
Others
In need
Page 8
Newsletter Title
BRIGHTENING UP THE WALLS ONE MURAL AT A TIME!
While reviewing landform regions in December Ms. Maryhelen Smith’s LSC Grade
6 Social Studies class painted murals of several of the world’s landforms. The students then gave the murals to Middle School teachers whose classrooms do not have
windows and therefore do not have a view outside. The lucky recipients of the murals were Ms. Eman, Ms. Sharron McDuncan-Bain, Mr. Noel Simon, Mr. Jack
Staats, and two were put up in the hallways. During this project the students not
only learned their required curriculum, but they were able to participate in the unselfish act of making and giving something to someone else just for the sake of
brightening up someone else’s day. Imagine what the world would be like if we all
did one unselfish deed for someone else each day.
FOURTH GRADERS ENJOY FIELD TRIP
It was a clear, sunny day when our fourth grade students boarded
buses and traveled to the Pharaonic Village in Giza. Although the
water level in the Nile River was lower than usual, the students
enjoyed a barge ride from the entry area to the attractions and
exhibits. Students recorded information as researchers while they
witnessed reenactments of how ancient Egyptians performed everyday tasks, including making boats from papyrus and preparing
walls for murals. In addition to the depictions of everyday life,
students toured museums of mummification, pyramids, and boats.
The visit was topped off by a visit to the Art Center, where students either made plaster casts or selected clay jars to paint.
There were smiles all around on this educational adventure!
Shhhhhhh...MUMMIFICATION IN PROCESS!
Do mummifications still occur in Egypt today? Well, they do if you are in Ms. Maryhelen Smith’s LSC Grade 7
Social Studies class! While learning about Ancient Egypt the students conducted a mock mummification on one
of their classmates. The students took on the roles of mummy, embalmer, assistant embalmer, priest, and Anubis. They carried out the entire process removing all of the internal organs, except for the heart, and placing
them in canonic jars, cleaning the body and covering the body with natron and oil, stuffing the inside of the body
with linen soaked in natron, plugging the eye sockets with linen, putting beeswax in the nostrils, covering the
mummy’s fingernails and toenails with caps of gold, adorning the mummy with jewels of gold and precious
stones, and wrapping the body with long, narrow strips of linen. The students also carried out the funeral ceremony and weighed the heart against a feather to see if the mummy had lived a good life and would go to the afterlife. The students learned how the mummification process was performed by acting it out. Great fun was had
by all!
Page 9
Newsletter Title
2009 WALKATHON MAKES A DIFFERENCE ONE STEP AT A TIME!
On March 5th, AISE elementary students participated in the fifth annual AISE Walkathon. Students raised
money by bringing in donations and participating in the Bake Sale. Staff members throughout AISE also
participated by buying “dress down” days to help raise funds.
Walkathon afternoon was a warm day - We am sure it was because of the many warm hearts of those walking
the track. The designated colors for each grade level created a festive atmosphere as everyone made their
laps. When their allotted walking time was completed, students made their way to the tented area for bake
sale goodies and the voting area.
In keeping with tradition, this year students voted between two international charities vetted by the Walkathon Committee. The two very worthy charities were the Free the Children Build a School campaign and Operation Smile. Students
overwhelmingly voted for Operation Smile. This charity makes visits to underprivileged areas around the world looking
for children suffering from facial deformities such as cleft lips and cleft palates. Doctors and nurses volunteer their services to perform these life-changing surgeries. You can learn more about Operation Smile at www.operationsmile.org.
We are very proud to announce that our efforts raised 80,272.95 LE for this very worthy cause. Thank you for
helping AISE to help make a difference one step at a time.
HS COUNSELING
Last week was exciting for seniors - they were measured for their caps and gowns for graduation. A reminder to
parents as well as students that good attendance and academic performance are necessary to graduate. Unfortunately last year, poor attendance led to several students not marching with their class. We don’t want that to happen this year! Seniors need to attend class and do their work so that a wonderful celebration can be shared by all.
All grade 8, 9, 10 and 11 students have registered for courses for next year. Our goal is to provide tentative
schedules to students before they leave for the summer, so any changes may be made before school begins on Sept.
1. Changes may be made up to the end of the first week of school.
The Iowa Test will be given to all students in grades 6 – 10 during the first week of May. These tests are
important in several ways:
-
students and parents can compare their results with American students, and see if they are making
progress;
-
AISE uses them to assess the academic strengths and weaknesses of our students as a whole;
-
counselors use them to compare with PSAT and SAT results, evaluate student readiness for various
classes and as data that can be helpful in writing academic recommendations.
It is important, therefore for students to work hard at these tests, and we thank parents in advance for encouraging their students to do their best.
Volume 2, Issue 5
Page 10
READING WEEK AT AISE MARCH 22-26
It was a fun- filled week of reading activities all focused on Kindergarten to
Grade 5. We had Renee Gian , an aspiring author and also a parent of one of
our kindergarten students, tell us about how she writes her books and she
also read her manuscript to us! We enjoyed listening to Yacoub Sharouni, an
Arabic author who writes Egyptian folktales, discuss and read his book. His
daughter was there to help him. We learned about publishing books and even
won some free books from an Elias Publishing representative who discussed
the Arabic version of Don Quixote! It was fun to have buddy - readers from
another class come and read with us. We finished the week cuddled up with
our favorite stuffed toy, pillow or blanket for a quiet reading time.
There is definitely a lot of reading that goes on during any week at AIS!!!
The American
International School in
Egypt
Cairo Festival City
Adjacent to Mubarak Police Academy
Msaken Nasr City
Egypt 11371
Phone: +2 26188400
Fax: +2 26174002
E-mail: [email protected]
SCORES AND MORE: INTERSCHOOL
The winter season has ended with many teams competing in different sports. The Junior Varsity basketball teams went to Cairo American College for the CISSA Championships. The girls finished in seventh place and the boys got fifth. The middle school festival was held at MES this year with the teams playing basketball, volleyball and football. It was a participation tournament and the boys and girls did extremely well. The
girl's middle school team only lost two matches the entire three days. The winter season
ended with the Varsity Basketball teams traveling to sunny Abu Dhabi. The athletes
rekindled old friendships with players, played extremely hard and had a wonderful trip.
The girls took seventh place and more importantly they also brought home the fair play
award. The boys lost a tight game in the semi-finals and ended up winning the third
place game. It has been quite a full winter schedule with many great games and tournaments. We will have middle school volleyball starting up for the spring season and they
will play in the CISSA championships on May 15 th and 16th. The track and field team
will be going to the Cairo American
College Screaming Eagles Track and Field meet is on April 23rd, 24th and 25th. We look
forward to finishing the year on a positive note with the spring season.
Yours in Sport
Harpal Manhas-Athletic Director