Weekly Update: August 22 – 26

Hi Everyone,

Tim here: I’m probably not the first person who has moved to SSIS and would like to say, “Gooood Moornning Vietnam!”  Wow! I feel very blessed to be working with you and everyone else here at Saigon South International School.  I know that we are going to have a fantastic year together.

A quotation that my family cherishes is, “Many hands make light work.”   If everyone on the HS staff does a little (supervision duty, sponsoring clubs and coaching sports teams, and serving on committees) we can get everything done without anyone feeling exhausted or not appreciated.

Let’s have a great year together.

Friday, August 19
Day 10 – EFGH
Departmental Breakfast – HS Staff Room 7:30 – 8:00am

Monday, August 22
Day 1 – ABCD
Advisory Bell Schedule

Tuesday, August 23
Day 2 – EFGH
WASC Teacher/Parent Walkthroughs, 9-11am (all divisions)
IBDP Lunch Meeting – Thomas R

Wednesday, August 24
Day 3 – BCDA

Thursday, August 25
Day 4 – FGHE
Advisory Bell Schedule  – HS Club Expo

Friday, August 26
Day 5 – CDAB
PTA Meeting 8:15 – 10:00am

Evacuation Drill Feedback
Well Done Everyone! I would like to thank everyone for helping to make our first evacuation drill a success. Please thank your students for walking quickly and silently out of the building.

Please remember to show the Green Side of your folder if all your students are accounted for and Red side to let us know that someone is missing. Once you have spoken to Thao, Tim or Jacob about a missing student then turn your sign to the green side so that we can proceed to the next teacher.
Remind your students to remain quiet and to exit the building in a quick and safe manner.

Special Announcements

PEST CONTROL ON CAMPUS – Sunday, August 21st
School Campus will be closed from 8:00 – 3:00pm

First Departmental Breakfast – Friday, August 19th
The HS Sunshine Committee has decided to start up departmental breakfasts again.
The English Dept. was tapped this month, which means we’re all on the line for bringing something in for the staff on Friday.
Bilal plans to bring either some savory egg-concoction (frittata, most likely) or bite size pancakes.

On the Horizon
HS Curriculum Night, August 31
Vietnamese National Day (no school), September 2
Grade 9 MAP Testing, September 5-16 (In Study Hall)
StuCo Dance/Social, September 9 (6:00-9:00pm)
PTA Family Fun Day, September 17 (9:00am-1:00pm)

Staff Action Needed

• Art Supply Survey (What art type supplies do you need for your classrooms?).  Complete by Friday, August 26
• Sunshine HS Block Party.  Please help us find a date in a complicated calendar.
• Bring 500,000VND to one of the sunshine committee members.
• Sign up for a chaperone duty by Monday, August 22
• Complete the opening days/orientation feedback survey.  Only 10 of you have responded.  Quick survey and critical to our progress.

WASC Walk Throughs– A team of teachers and parents will be conducting walk-throughs for our WASC accreditation on Tuesday, August 23 from 9-11.  They will be coming in small teams and collecting data.  No need to do anything special, just do your normal classroom activities.

2016 – 17 Chaperone List
Please check the chaperone list (title is linked to it) to see if your name has ben added correctly. Let Thao know of any changes or additions.  If you do not sign up for a chaperon duty by Monday, August 22 one will be assigned you.

Teacher Work/Store Room C324 Occupied Next Week– The teacher work room will be used for student photos next week.  If it is too crowded to use, plan accordingly and use the HS office.  Thank you for your cooperation.

Sunshine presents the “HS Block Party”– Please complete the following form to choose the date for the HS Block party during the first semester.

Advisors & Committee Members Needed– There are a number of HS groups and clubs that need staff support.  Please contact the designated person if you are interested in supporting any of this extremely important groups in the HS.

• Week Without Walls Committee (Tim)- starts in October/November
• StuCo Co-Advisor (William)
• NHS (Jodi)
• House Leagues (Chris S & Alison)
• Staff and Student Recognition (Jacob)

Sunshine Committee Money– Don’t forget to bring 500,000VND to Bilal, William or Evan in the next couple of weeks.  Lots of great activities planned and support of our staff over the course of the year

Opening Days & Orientation Day Feedback– We’d like some data from the staff on how things went during our in-service week and first week of school with students while it’s fresh in your minds.  Please complete this survey by next Friday, August 19th. Thank you in advance for your time.

HS Administrative Responsibilities– We have been working to develop our shared administrative load in the HS.  While we will be working closely together, this will provide the staff with a clear point person in a variety of areas.