Week Ahead: Nov. 14-18

| November 13, 2022 | Week Updates | No Comments

So the first in-person recruitment fair was a success.  Though I didn’t get to go in the Museum of the Future, I was able to admire the finished construction!  It was great to see colleagues from all around the world converging to find the best fit of faculty and schools.  It was also great to see our sign … which has so so few open positions.  In fact, I neglected to celebrate this fun fact with you last week …

Every single MS teacher is returning next year.

Yep, every single one.  This has never happened in my 10 years at SSIS.  We are also not growing any grade levels to additional sections next year.  The only position open in the MS is … drum roll … a 2nd MS counselor.  Yes!  We have been approved to add a MS counselor for next year!  We have already begun receiving applications and will start interviewing candidates soon.

So with that great news, let’s look at what is up for the week ahead.  We know it’s a big one.  Full of great things and exciting experiences.  With enthusiasm and energy levels of the MS at an all time high, let’s all do our part to proactively support these young humans who are buzzing with hormonal highs.  Please be out in the halls during passing times, visually support students if you are taking them to new locations or allowing them to work in other spots.  And ask for help if we need to refocus a few as we go along.

Here is what’s up this week:

Sunday, Nov. 13

  • *Happy Birthday Najela Blain-Hammond

Monday, Nov. 14

  • No Students, PD Day
  • Molly returns from Dubai (late night)

Tuesday, Nov. 15

  • Day 6: GHEF (yes, there is Dragon Time today … I think …unless your Grade Level Lead scheduled something about WWW)
  • Author Visit!
    • G6 – H block
    • G7 – E block
    • G8 – F block
  • 11-1:30 PTA Teacher Appreciation Lunch
  • 3:15-4:30 MS Leadership Team Mtg (agenda)

Wednesday, Nov. 16

Thursday, Nov. 17

  • Day 8: HEFG
  • 8:20-8:30ish MRISA Welcome Parade (optional)
  • 1:05-1:40 Sharing of the Roommates / and supporting lesson (I don’t have the link yet)
  • 1:30-3:00 Admin Mtg (Molly and Phil attend)

Friday, Nov. 18

  • Day 8: HEFG
  • 8-9:20 IDL’s and admin with Jan
  • 1:05-1:40 Final WWW Logistics (see Grade Level Lead for details)
  • 1:30-3:00 Admin Mtg (Molly and Phil attend)

 

Upcoming (on the radar)

  • November 26 – rest, fall into a coma, recover from WWW
  • November 29 – HS (and MS Choir) Concert
  • December 1 and 2 – Grade 7 and 8 Drama Productions
  • December 3 – Robot Pho MS Happy Hour (details to come soon)

  • December 7 – G6 Drama Production
  • December 16 – MS Music Concert
  • December 21 – MS Dance Performance (this is the new dance class)

Author Visit:  

Just a reminder that we have the author visit on Tuesday.  See Cintia if you have any questions.  If you are not scheduled to bring your class, you are more than welcome to attend any of the sessions.  It’s being held in the library.

  • G6 – H block
  • G7 – E block
  • G8 – F block

Week Without Walls Prep:

I put the lessons I have in the daily agenda above.  They are also on the MS Planning Calendar.  And here they are again:

Wednesday Advisory Lessons:

Thursday DEAR – Not DEAR:  Sharing of the Roommates / and supporting lesson (I don’t have the link yet)

Friday Dragon Time – Not Dragon Time:  Final WWW Logistics (see Grade Level Lead for details)

MRISA:

It’s so exciting to have 2 full tournaments happening on campus this week.  There are many ways to support: attending the parade of athletes (see below), making signs and other HL spirit activities, and cheering on our teams in the gyms.  Here are some handy descriptions and links:

What is the Parade of Athletes (Thursday at 8:20; arrive by 8:10)?  It is where the athletes march along our walkways into their tournament gymnasium space and our entire SSIS community cheer for them as they walk.  This year we will have the SSIS community on the front field in the grass to clap as the teams do their parade.  How do you line up on the field to cheer? We suggest that you go to the general area where your classes go for Fire Drills and then we will spread out. We will have some tents to help shade everyone from the sun.

FULL GAME SCHEDULE

MS CHEER SQUADS  Both HS VB (cheer on Coach G Jardin) and MS BB (you must sign up … no unexpected cheer squads allowed due to space constraints)

Jan Chappuis and SBTL:

On Monday, we will be working with Jan Chappuis (in person) on deconstructing standards.  This is from David C:

Reminder that Monday is a Professional Learning Day with Jan Chappuis.  She will be at SSIS in person.
Details – Thank you to Trinh Lu and Trinh Le for all of their work with preparing!
Location:  Auditorium
Seating:  Please sit with Divisional Departments or Grade Levels (see table tents on Monday)
Materials:  Laptops for your own work as necessary when unpacking standards.  Other materials and handouts will be provided.
Schedule
  • 8:00 – 8:30 Gathering in Auditorium, Morning Snacks
  • 8:30:  Welcome by Catriona
  • 8:40 – 11:30 Unpacking Standards with Guided Practice (Break as appropriate)
  • 11:30 – 12:30 Lunch on your own.  Cafeteria will be open
  • 12:30 – 3:30
    • ES:  Unpacking Standards continued with Coaches / Coordinators
    • MS / HS:  You have a choice by department (will be explained on Monday too).
      • A) Department works to continue to unpack standards (move to classroom)
      • B) Assessment Development Cycle Session with Jan (Auditorium).
All assessments, regardless of the method chosen, need to go through the same development steps to ensure quality. In this half-day session you will develop an assessment blueprint by following Steps 1 through 4 in the Assessment Development Cycle. First, you will establish the purpose for the assessment by determining how the results will be used and by whom. Second, you will choose learning targets to be assessed. Third, we will review the four assessment methods available, learn strengths and weaknesses of each, and use information on which assessment method to use to guide your choice. Last, we will review sampling requirements. You will have the option of planning an assessment following these four steps or of or auditing one you already use. According to the assessment blueprint you have created.
On Tuesday, Jan is working with ES Grade Level Teams all day.  On Weds and Thurs she is doing workshops open to all faculty.  We have followed the sign up sheet and arranged for subs as needed (please thank Thao for her work on this!).  Here is the sign up sheet if you have forgotten when you signed up 🙂

From Daniel M:

As you plan your future units, I want to share some exciting news with you.  Our Recording Studio is fully functional and ready for your students to create! I look forward to how we can work together.  I’ve created a short Tutorial to help you book the room for your projects.   Building Resource Tutorial.m4v
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From the Health Office Manager, Nicol:

After speaking with Wai Mun, moving forward we will be aligning our covid isolation policy with the local healthcare facilities in HCMC, MOH and International SOS per Decision 250/QĐ-BYT
  • If we receive an email from a staff member or parent clearly documenting the onset of symptoms of covid, we will start the 7 day isolation from symptom onset.
  • If we are not notified of the day of symptom onset or they are unsure, we will go by the day they tested positive. This will put the onus on the staff member or parent to notify us.
  • We will not be calling each F0 to determine the date of onset. We have over 1500 students, staff and faculty on campus and cannot call or chase down everyone’s symptoms start date.
  • Any cases called into question you can refer to me.
This does not change the fact they must still test negative and have symptom resolution or significant improvement on day 7. If a staff member or student tests positive on Day 7 and are fully vaccinated they must isolate 3 more days. If unvaccinated they will isolate for 7 more days.

From the Office of Teaching and Learning:

Registration is now open for VTC2023, February 18 – 19.  Free for SSIS faculty.
 
 
Come collaborate and Imagine the possibilities in strands of Creative Tension, Innovative Ideas and Application, Adaptability Intelligence, CyberSecurity, Infrastructure, and Wellness.
Better, don’t just collaborate, co-create the conference as a presenter!
 
Call for Presentation – Presenters registration fee is only $50.
After reading the options below, please use this link to submit your presentation proposal.  Submission of proposals will close on November 30, 2022.  Selected presenters will be notified during the first week in December.  Presenters will receive a discount on conference registration.
The theme this year is Imagine.
Our keynote speaker is John Mikton, educator and consultant, curator of Beyond Digital.  John will bring his rich experience and current research to offer insights and provocations for us to imagine our next steps.  In addition, this year our keynote times will highlight the technology edge of industries within Vietnam through the voices of our own SSIS parents and the lived experience of our SSIS students with and through technology.

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