Weekly Update: August 1-5

Welcome back high school staff!  I’ve been back in Saigon for a couple of weeks now working with new staff and getting ready for students to arrive.  I am excited for my second year here at SSIS.  Lots to read before all staff report on August 2nd.  We will cover many of these items and in depth next week.  I just wanted to give you an update.

Safe travels and see you soon,

Jacob

Sunday, July 31
New Staff Pizza Party, 6:00-8:00pm (Mark’s House)

Monday, August 1
New Staff Orientation
HSLT Meeting, 8:15-9:00am (Counseling Conference Room)
New Staff Orientation (Q & A), 9:00-10:00am (MPR)
New Staff Meet with Department Heads, 10:00-11:30 (Various Rooms)
New Staff Critical Friends Group Training, 1:00-3:00pm (MS Library)

Tuesday, August 2
All Staff Return
Full Faculty Inservice (Schedule Here)
HS Division Activity, 2:00-4:00pm (Plaza)
HS Social (Extended Childcare Provided), 4:00-5:00pm (MPR)

Wednesday, August 3
Full Faculty Inservice (Schedule Here)
HSLT Meeting, 2:20-3:50 (Counseling Conference Room)

Thursday, August 4
Full Faculty Inservice (Schedule Here)
HS Divisional Time, 1:15-3:15 (MPR)

Friday, August 5
Full Faculty Inservice (Schedule Here)
All Staff BBQ, 4:00-6:00pm (Atrium)

On the Horizon

Last Full Faculty Inservice Day (Schedule Here), August 8
Student Orientation Day, August 9
First Day of School, August 10 (Special Schedule)
HS Curriculum Night, August 31
StuCo Dance/Social, September 9 (6:00-9:00pm)

Staff Action Needed

• Sign up for one chaperon duty with Thao starting August 5th
• Desks/Chair Inventory (see below)
• Check your classrooms to make sure they are ready for opening (email help desk and cc Thao if there are any issues)

Welcome Newbies– Most of our new HS staff have been here since July 19th finding housing, learning about the school and Vietnam.  They are a great group and I am truly excited for you to meet them.

• Polly Butz- Science
• Chris Byck- Social Studies
• Charlene Chung- Modern World Language (Part time)
• Haeyoung Chung- IB Lang/Lit Korean (Part time)
• Tim Chute- HS Assistant Principal
• Thomas Galvez- Instructional Coach: Technology
• Scott Hsu- Math
• Rebecca Jardin- Fine & Performing Arts (Part time)
• Lara Keller- EE Coordinator
• Robert Kostrzeski- University Guidance Office Director
• Anne Lauer- English
• Martin Lauer- Social Studies
• Gil Legaspi- Science (Part time)
• Jay Prodger- CAS Coordinator & Social Studies
• Thomas Redfern- IBDP Coordinator & Social Studies
• Evan Weinberg- Math
• Lucy Yan- Modern World Language

Start of Year Documents– Here is a folder with all of the start of year documents.  Some are works in progress while others are complete.

Desks/Chairs Check– As you are checking your rooms out when you return please compare your class rosters to the number of desks you have.  For example, if your largest class size is 18 keep one extra desk and have help desk take the others away, so we can get them to our new classrooms.  Email them the number of desks to take away and cc. Thao please.

New Facilities– What a difference a summer makes.  You will truly be shocked by the improvements you will see around campus.  The entire HS has been painted inside and out, Kiosk completely remodeled, new classroom next to the MPR, new projectors/Apple TV’s in every classroom, the list goes on.  A huge thank you to WaiMun, her team, and maintenance for making the unimaginable happen in a short amount of time.

HS Faculty Social & Childcare– We have a HS social in the MPR on Tuesday, August 2 from 4-5pm.  This will end our team building activities from 2-4pm.  If you have children in childcare that day, we have some HS aged staff kids that will pick your kids up from SSIS childcare when it ends at 4pm and supervise them on the play area.

Orientation Day– Students will come to school for the first time on Tuesday, August 9 for orientation.  The schedule has three distinct blocks and times of students.  Our 9th graders will be be on campus for their transition activities with their Link Crew Leaders from 8am-12 in the HS gym.  New students to SSIS will meet from 11-12 in the MPR.  All students will report to the HS gym for activities from 12-2pm.  You are welcome to drop into the Link Crew or New Student orientation if you’d like to see what’s going on.  All staff need to report to the HS gym by 11:45.  From 12-1pm we will do some house league and StuCo activities and introductions of new staff.  From roughly 1-1:30, Tim and I will be meeting with all of the students to share with them some of the changes to the HS this year.  From 1:30-2:00 you will have an opportunity to connect with your advisory.  More specifics to follow during the in-service day.