Week Ahead: Aug. 22-26

The first full week is done and dusted … and on to the next.  This week brings another first for a long time – the first on campus Curriculum Night with parents in 3 years.  What a great opportunity for us to work with some of our most important team members, our parents.

Here is what’s up this week:

Monday, Aug. 22

  • Early Dismissal Day 1: ABCD

  • Happy Birthday Catriona Moran!
  • Sports Try Outs Start
  • ASA sign ups start
  • 1:30-4:00 PD with Jan Chappuis

Tuesday, Aug. 23

  • Day 2: EFGH

Wednesday, Aug. 24

  • Day 3: BCDA
  • 3:15-4:30 Full Faculty

Thursday, Aug. 25

  • Day 4: FGHE
  • 6-8:30pm MS Curriculum Night

Friday, Aug. 26

  • Day 5: CDAB

Upcoming (on the radar)

  • Aug. 29, 30, 31 – Student Photos (will disrupt schedule)
  • September 1, 2 – No School, Vietnamese National Day
  • Sept. 5, 6 – Finish Student Photos (will disrupt schedule)
  • Sept. 10 – PTA Family Fun Day (attendance expected for all faculty, no expected length of time)
  • Sept. 16 – StuCo Movie Night
  • Sept. 17 – First Aid Training

Curriculum Night:  

This week brings the opportunity for us to share our programs with parents.  As a reminder: each grade level will start with a welcome (G6 in the auditorium, G7 in the MS gym, G8 in the HS gym) then followed by going through their child’s schedule.  Each segment is 10 min. with a 5 min. passing period.  Here are a few veteran tips:

  • Keep on time.  Parents and students are the ones who get stressed if you run your presentation too long.  Use an alarm if needed to ensure that you are attending to time.
  • Ensure all your doors are unlocked.  It feels terrible to a parent to try your door only to be locked out.  That is often the only barrier they need to decide not to enter.

WWW Update:

We will be sharing an overview of WWW at the welcome message during Curriculum Night.  Though we have not confirmed the daily itinerary details, I wanted to get a bit of information out to all of you as well ahead of us sharing with parents.  All of these trips have been run by SSIS in prior years.

  • Asia Motions is the trip provider that we work with.  They handle all the logistic arrangements.  They provide staff to run all the events allowing teachers to be participants with the students.
  • G6 will be going to Phan Thiet.  This is the same trip that we have done for a number of years.  Transit is by bus (about 4 hours).  Lodging is at the Ocean Dunes resort.  Major activities include: team building, hiking, water sports, sailing, and crafts like sand art, soap and kite making.
  • G7 will be going to Madagui.  This is the same trip that we have done for a number of years.  Transit is by bus (about 4 hours). Lodging is at the Madagui Forest Resort.  Major activities include: jungle hike, outdoor cooking, archery, bamboo raft building, crafts like weaving, art, and bracelet making, scavenger hunt, team building, zip lining, rock climbing, and kayaking.
  • G8 will be going to Hoi An.  We have run this trip 1 time before.  Transit is by flight.  Lodging is at the EMM Hotel.  Major activities include: visiting My Son Sanctuary, cooking, kayaking, farming activities, Hoi An scavenger hunt and night walk, team building, and visit to Terracotta park.

Monday’s Early Dismissal and Wednesday’s PD Schedule:

MONDAY, AUGUST 22 EARLY DISMISSAL AND HALF DAY PD
Monday, August 22 is an early dismissal day for students.  Students are dismissed at 12:15.  Faculty PD session will start at 1:30 in the Auditorium virtually with Jan Chappuis.  The focus will be on Unpacking the Standards.  This is the first step toward Standards Based Teaching and Learning with establishing clear learning targets for students, which in turn is what is assessed and for which feedback is provided.  The afternoon will run from 1:30 – 4:00.
Two Items:
1) Please print and bring with you your current unit plan and your next unit plan.  You will work with these during the session.
2) Please sit with your departments.
WEDNESDAYS
Wednesday’s are our meeting days.  The full schedule, subject to change, is found here:   SSIS Wednesday and PD Meeting Day Schedule.   A Google Calendar “Professional Development” is also available.  Today is Divisional with specifics provided by your principal.  Next week is a Full Faculty meeting with Dr. Moran.  On August 31, EC-12 IDL’s will meet together, EC-12 PDL’s will meet, EAL and LS will also meet (this is one of four EC-12 meetings of these groups for the year.)

EARCOS PD Opportunities:

Here are some upcoming EARCOS events for you to ponder your participation in:
These webinars are for the end of August and the whole of September, and cover a range of things such as; leadership, transition to physical school and student engagement.
Here is a rundown of EARCOS Weekend Workshops for the rest of the upcoming year. I will inform you when there are any more added.