Dear AISC,
As I mentioned last week in these Notes, May is an emotional month under normal conditions.
This
year, in particular, we may be carrying a certain elation as our lives as we
previously knew them seem to be coming back; we may also be sad about saying
goodbye to students, teachers, friends and colleagues; we may be feeling really
excited about the transitions ahead of us; we may also be anxious or fearful of
the unknown that lies ahead or unsettling developments across the globe; we may
be feeling joyful about returning home soon to see friends and family; we may
also be feeling tired, frustrated, and insecure about the situation around us
and the uncertainty that it brings.
Most if not all of us are carrying more than one of these emotional packages into the last 28 days of the school year.
Naming and acknowledging how we are feeling is not only okay, it will help us maintain perspective. It’s hard and it takes practice.
As I wrote last week, May has always been the month on our calendar that reminds us of the virtue of taking life one day at a time; of breathing deeply; and of staying focused on the tasks at hand.
As you wade through the external and internal emotional complexity of the last month of the 2021-2022 school year, embrace gratitude and lean into flourishing.
Moving toward flourishing also requires practice. Find opportunities to practice the things we can control:
- Savor
and celebrate small things, i.e. everyday events.
- Practice
gratitude and find gratitude routines.
- Find
ways to help others – look outwards – practice your strength.
- Stay
connected and build new connections.
- Find
purpose in everyday tasks and routines – they matter a lot right now!
- Do something new – try out new routines.
While many parts of the world are seeing the COVID-19 fog lifting, continue to keep your focus on the people closest to you, and on the things over which you have the most control.
For my money, gratitude is the best antidote to the emotions of May.
In my long and deep experiences in working with students and in schools, there are three vitally important things to remember about the power of gratitude:
- Being grateful helps
you focus on what is most important. In the next four weeks, identify things
you are grateful for and express your gratitude to the people in your world who
need to hear it.
- Feeling stuck? When you
express your gratitude to someone, you will find yourself better able to let
go, you will feel more fulfilled, and gratitude will come back to you many
times over.
- Research tells us that being openly grateful makes us all healthier and happier.
There are no limits to showering those you know with gratitude. Give it a shot!
Before the updates below, here are a few captures of student experiences this week.
On Campus Reminders & Updates - Ryan McFarland, Student Life Director
Mask
Wearing Optional Outdoors
We’re continuing to watch the COVID-19 cases in Chennai and among the AISC community. Things are very stable still across the board. We’re keenly aware of the heat and humidity. We know that COVID-19 is very difficult to transmit with ample fresh air. In attempting to balance all aspects of student and staff health-safety, mask-wearing is optional while outdoors starting on Monday. For the time being, mask-wearing will remain compulsory while in the entry/exit area of campus, and at all times while indoors. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Updated! Project Get Back Update
In the coming weeks, we are phasing-in the following routines/activities while maintaining our RaptorSafe Protocols:
We will continue to welcome your questions, ideas and input as we continue to work on Project Get Back. Email Ryan McFarland or Andrew Hoover directly at mryan@aischennai.org or headofschool@aischennai.org.
Board of Directors Update
Board of
Directors Meeting
The last Open Session Board meeting will be held virtually on Wednesday, 11 May at 5:00 p.m. IST. Community members are invited to join us
Zoom link below. Please do not share this link with outside our community.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://aischennai-org.zoom.us/j/93025680144?pwd=R3RVYjcxMVU2enJOSmRUVTcxdWk1QT09
Meeting ID: 930 2568
0144
Passcode: AISC
Next Week At-A-Glance
|
Date |
Event |
Details |
|
May 3-13 |
MAP Testing G2-5 |
|
|
May 2-20 |
AP/IB Exams |
|
|
May 7 |
HS SAT |
|
|
May 9 |
HS Art Exhibition Opening Ceremony
4:00-5:15 p.m. |
|
|
May 9-13 |
HS Art Exhibition |
|
|
May 10 |
EY Parent Coffee |
Information will be
communicated to the parent group |
|
May 10-12 |
PCA Elections |
|
|
May 11 |
Early Release 2:30 p.m. All Faculty Meeting
3:00-5:00p.m. |
|
|
May 11 |
Board of Directors’ Meeting
5:00 p.m. |
Meeting ID: 930 2568 0144 Passcode: AISC |
|
May 12 |
Community Planning Team Retreat |
|
|
May 13 |
MS Vision for Learner Day |
|
|
May 13-14 |
Board of Directors’ Retreat |
Health Office Update
Reminder
- Vaccinations in Chennai for 15-18 Year-olds and 12-14 Year-olds
If anyone would like assistance coordinating vaccinations for your child 12 or older, please email healthoffice@aischennai.org.
Parent Relations – Deborah Allen, Director of Admissions and Parent/Alumni
Relations
Reminder - PCA 2022-2023 Executive Committee Elections, May 10-12
Electronic ballots will be emailed to community members by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 10th, and on Friday, May 13th at 8:00 a.m. an AISC tech team representative will close the voting. The results will be announced in the weekly newsletter on Friday, May 13th.
PCA
Executive Committee Candidates
Liliam Mariana Boti Llanes is running for president of the 2022-23 PCA Executive Committee. As PCA President, Lilliam wants to help sustain the partnership between parents and the school. She is originally from Cuba and has lived in 8 countries. She studied law, has served as a judge, and has also worked in business law. Lilliam's daughter is a high school student at AISC.
Salima Velasco is running for the Vice President of the 2022-23 PCA Executive Committee. This year (2021-22) she served in this same role on the PCA team. Salima believes that it is important to have a link between parents and school and she wants to remain actively engaged with the community. She is especially excited to play a part in organizing future school and community events. Salima's daughter will be a middle school student next year.
Kayoung Kim is running for Secretary of the 2022-23 PCA Executive Committee. Kayoung wants to be actively engaged with the entire AISC international and culturally diverse community. She is very excited about building relationships, learning more about the school, and getting involved! Kayoung's son is an elementary school student.
Stay connected.
Have a good weekend and a delightful week ahead!
Andrew A. Hoover
Head of School
headofschool@aischennai.org
COMMUNITY NOTES
Reminder – Student Protection – Michele Ness, School Psychologist/ES
Counselor
If any members of the school community have concerns about a student’s safety, please contact one of AISC's counselors (ES, MS & HS), principals or the School Psychologist.
FOR REFERENCE
We thank you for your cooperation in helping us keep our community safe. With collective and personal responsibility, we can all do our part to ensure the health of our community members and to help keep the COVID-19 curve flat.
2021-2022 Data Center
We have reduced the data share in our Data Center to the four most relevant items right now: daily new cases, hospitalization data, community illness data, and local vaccines rates.
Use this information to compliment external sources of information to understand our local context, inform decisions, and as opportunities to ask more questions.
1. Below, we are sharing daily new case graphs in Chennai comparing the Omicron Surge to the two previous surges -- Alpha and Delta. (The x-axis is the number of days and the y-axis is number of new cases/day.
2. Below, we summarize the availability of emergency COVID Care in 9
major private hospitals in Chennai, and
of more 13,000 beds across Chennai in Community Health Centers (CHC) and
Communicable Disease Hospitals (CDH).
COVID Care infrastructure and resources are steadily returning to
normal.
Percent of Chennai COVID-19 CHC
and CDH Beds Available Since January 1, 2022
3. Below we have 322 confirmed COVID-19 cases in
our community since January 2022, with 0 active cases currently, including
staff, students and family members. Active case individuals who expect to be on
campus observe a 10-day quarantine at home and require two negative tests
before returning to campus. Confidentiality is strictly observed.
4. Vaccination efforts
continue in Chennai. More than 99% of the adult eligible population Chennai has
been vaccinated and more than 80% of the adult eligible population of Chennai
has been FULLY vaccinated. 76% of eligible children in Chennai between the ages
of 15-17 have been vaccinated.
Commitments in 2021-2022
Our Commitments for the 2021-2022 school year are here!
Staying RaptorSafe
Our RaptorSafe information is here!
Information and Reminders:
AGM Head of School Presentation – April 13, 2022 | Head of School Coffee Presentation – March 10, 2022 | Head of School Coffee Q&A – March 10, 2022 | #MeetAISC Survey | AISC Community Directory – 2021-2022 | AISC Annual Calendar – 2022-2023 | Head of School Coffee Presentation – November 11, 2021 | Head of School Coffee Q&A – November 11, 2021 | AGM Head of School Presentation – September 8, 2021 | Head of School Coffee Presentation – August 12, 2021 | Head of School Coffee Q&A - August 12, 2021 | Senior Leadership Team Town Hall Presentation – July 27, 2021 | Senior Leadership Team Town Hall Meeting – Q&A – July 27, 2021 | Learning Models Framework | Student Protection Manual 2021-2022