SHARKThe American International School of Rotterdam

From the Director

“... the new website has been launched.”

Happy Friday everyone! I am pleased to announce that the new website has been launched. The new format is a lot smoother and allows for a much simpler experience for parents.

The news function is built into the main page and you should note the arrows on either side of the four news items visible. These arrows allow you to scroll horizontally through the various news posts. I would also like to draw your attention to the “Quicklinks” button at the very top of the header. Here you can quickly access the areas that are most commonly accessed by families. Finally, I would also like to point out the menu bar underneath the news. Here you will find a “PowerSchool” button that takes you to your PowerSchool login.

There is still work to be done with regard to the website in terms of updating content and photos. We will be going through every landing page line by line in the upcoming months to ensure that everything is up-to-date, please bear with us as we go through this process.

And coming soon: AISR mobile! In about a month we will be releasing an app for the iPhone and and an app for the iPad that will allow you to access AISR information from your mobile device. Below are two links that will demonstrate how the apps will function.

iPhone: http://screencast.com/t/rkp1LT4TiPad: http://screencast.com/t/ww0AHyhnk

We hope you like the new look and feel of the website and are looking forward to the new apps. About a month or two after the apps are released, we will conduct a “School Communication Survey” to find out which methods of school communication you prefer and ask for suggestions on how the school can do a better job communicating with families.

Anne-Marie is not writing an article in this Shark, but will hopefully resume for the next.

Thank you and have a great weekend!

Neal Dilk

Directorneal.dilk@aisr.nl

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25.01.13.Bulletin...

Secondary Principal’s Message

“... Donʼt forget that ʻRequest Only Parent-Teacher Conferencesʼ will take place on Wednesday, February 27th and Thursday, February 28th.”

Dear Parents,

Winter has definitely arrived! I hope you have been surviving the snow and the cold.

Don’t forget that ‘Request Only Parent-Teacher Conferences’ will take place on Wednesday, February 27th and Thursday, February 28th. Please contact your child’s teacher to make an appointment for either of these days if you would like to have a conference. You may also receive a request from a teacher if he/she would like to meet with you.

MAP Testing for students will begin next week. Students will take a MAP test in each of the areas of Reading, Language Usage and Mathematics. Once the testing session is over, a MAP report will be available for your child. If you are unfamiliar with MAP testing or would like further information about MAP testing at AISR, please let me know.

Next Friday, February 1st from 8:15-9:15 is the Coffee, Croissants and Curriculum session for Middle and High School. The focus will be to provide some tips and tricks for helping your child with Mathematics. I will also update you on some of the changes I discussed in Mathematics from the initial session in the fall. I hope to see you there!

We are always looking for new ways for our students to interact with students from different schools. As mentioned previously, we are excited to be hosting a special event for all high school students on Thursday, February 14th. Students from AISR, JSR and some local schools will be participating in an all-day training given by trainers from the United World College (UWC) ‘Xperience’. The purpose of the training is:

• To provide a meaningful learning experience for students from AISR, the Japanese school and surrounding colleges.

• To promote the interaction between students from AISR, the Japanese school and surrounding colleges.

• To demonstrate the approach of both AISR and UWC Netherlands to education and non-formal education to a wider audience (city council, ambassadors, press).

• To create space for a dialogue on an inclusive society in the city of Rotterdam between students, teachers and local/government officials.

• To provide opportunities for students to develop leadership, communication and presentation skills.

The program for the day follows:

08.30 Introduction (plenary)Team-building Goals, expectations & presentation of program.

09.00 The Ideal City (plenary)Participants from the different neighborhoods of Rotterdam have an individual and shared perception of the 'Ideal Rotterdam'.

10.00 Learning path (in groups)Participants reflect on personal experiences of learning. Participants learn how to share these experiences with each other.

11.15 Lunch

Cont.

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Secondary Principal’s Message

12.00 Model of Personal Growth (in groups)Participants reflect on personal experiences of growth and are capable of making a more conscious decision on future experiences of personal growth. Participants recognize personal boundaries and are more capable of recognizing those boundaries in the future.

13.15 Break

13.30 Inclusive behavior (in groups)Participants reflect on the way realities of inclusion and exclusion are experienced. Participants have an individual and shared vision on the way they can promote inclusive behavior in practice: at their school and in their daily lives.Arrival of distinguished guests.

15.00 Start "Our Rotterdam' Event (plenary)Introduction AISR & UWC Netherlands. Students present their initial vision of the 'Ideal Rotterdam'.

15.30 Inclusive Rotterdam (in groups).Dialogue between participants and guests on the way that an inclusive society in Rotterdam can be promoted.

16.15 PresentationStudents present their vision of an "Inclusive Rotterdam' in a one-minute pitch. Space for response and reflection by the main guest(s) of the program.

16.30 Closure and Drinks

Please let me know if you have any questions about the event. You are more than welcome to join us!

Thank you and enjoy the weekend!Kind regards,

Alison Lipp

Secondary Principal and Curriculum Directoralison.lipp@aisr.nl

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If you have not done so yet - please come to the page by reading the QR code on the right with you smart phone or visit; http://www.facebook.com/TheAISRYou can also follow us on Twitter @ https://twitter.com/theaisrsharkYou can pin us on Pinterest @ http://pinterest.com/theaisrshark/