Primary A-Z of Policies and Procedures
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In most cases, children in Play School to Kindergarten are placed in age appropriate classes. A child must be two by 1 September to enter Play School, three by 1 September to enter Pre School, four by 1 September to enter Reception, and five by 1 September to enter Kindergarten.
From Kindergarten onwards, some students are assessed before they join the school to ensure that they are put in a class matched to their abilities. Others who are transferring from similar international schools, who are making good progress are placed age appropriately. The placement is provisional and students are monitored during the first few weeks to ensure the placement is the best for the child. Once a student has been placed, they follow the natural progression of grades. However, automatic admittance for students from the Early Learning Centre is not guaranteed into Kindergarten. An evaluation with take place for all students entering Kindergarten to ensure that they are ready for this grade.
Assemblies are held approximately once each month. They provide an opportunity to share work, celebrate accomplishments, welcome new students and say farewell to friends who are departing. Assemblies begin at 7:35am and are held in the covered court. Parents are most welcome to attend all school assemblies. Please check the school newsletter for notification of assembly dates.
If your child is absent, please inform the school office or the class teacher. You may send a note or telephone the office on 260509/10.
Research as well as experience suggest that regular school attendance is a critical factor in a child’s academic and social growth and development. Students who are chronically absent from school miss important instruction and educational activities. While learning is in no way confined to the school’s premises or times, we appreciate your efforts to minimize the number of school absences for your child.
We have noticed an increase of student absenteeism directly before and after school holiday periods. Families who leave Lusaka before school is closed or return to Lusaka after school has re-opened must do so with the clear understanding that the decision will affect their child’s education.
If an early departure or late return is unavoidable, we ask that you please inform the primary principal in writing well in advance of your departure. This will ensure that all necessary staff members are informed. Our emphasis on group work makes it very difficult for teachers to provide students work to complete while they are away from school. Absences for the purpose of travel or the extension of a vacation may result in a negative effect on your child’s progress.
The School, in conjunction with the American Embassy, runs a bus service. This service will pick your child up from your house, and deliver him or her back to your house at the end of the school day.
The buses are owned by either the American Embassy, or the school. The buses are well maintained and have seatbelts which are compulsory for all students using this service.
The cost for the bus service is US$1150 for a one-way trip, and US$1650 for a return trip per year. There is also a US$20 membership fee per family.
Please note that this service only operates in the major residential areas and there are limited spaces available. For more information please ask at the school office, or contact AMCA at the American Embassy, telephone 250955, who coordinate this service.
There is no uniform at the school for regular classes. However, we ask that children are dressed appropriately for school. This means:
- No spaghetti straps, bare midriffs or mini shorts.
- Shoes or sandals must be suitable to run in – no flip flops, high heeled or slip on/off shoes or sandals.
Students in P1 to P6 are required to wear the school PE uniform and sports shoes on the days that they have PE. Students may wear their uniform to school or they may bring it to school and change before PE. If students have PE before first break – we recommend that they wear their kit to school and change into normal wear after PE if they wish. Students in grades 3, 4 and 5 must bring a clean shirt to change into after PE. On swimming days, all students must wear appropriate PE kit in case the weather is not suitable for swimming. Sports shoes must be worn on all PE and swimming days.
The sports uniform must be worn when competing in inter-school sporting activities. Sports uniforms are available from the PTA store. Opening times of the PTA store are advertised in the Leopard’s Tale.
A minimal amount of jewellery is permitted but discouraged and the school will not accept responsibility for any loss of jewellery worn to school.
Hats: All students are required to wear a hat during break times, PE classes, outdoor activities and after-school activities.
Should your child need to depart from campus prior to the end of the school day, please send a note from home requesting an early release. This note should be given to your child’s homeroom teacher who will then forward it to the school office. When collecting a child early, please instruct him or her to meet you in the office and not at the car or in the classroom. It is important that in case of an emergency we have an accurate record of who is present.
Field trips are an integral part of the curriculum at the American International School and give students the opportunity to take advantage of unique opportunities for learning about Zambia and Africa. In the Primary school, most fields trips are for the day, but P5 and P6 students go further afield and spend a couple of nights away from school. P3 and P4 students spend one night at school. If your child is unused to spending a night away from home, we encourage you to give him/her the opportunity to get used to doing this so they can fully participate in the overnight trips.
Parents will be informed when field trips will be taking place, and particularly for the younger children be invited and encouraged to join the trip. A form will be sent home giving information about the trip at least a week in advance, and parents are asked to complete and return a slip giving permission for their child to take part. Any child who does not have a completed permission slip will not be able to join the trip. Children are not permitted to call their parents to get permission – they must remember to return their slip.
As field trips are an integral part of the curriculum, all students are expected to attend these. If a child can’t participate in a field trip, they must stay at home, as the school cannot be responsible for supervising or providing work for the child during this period.
The majority of day field trips which take place in Primary are not charged for. A fee will be charged for entrance fees, or accommodation and food if necessary.
In the event of a fire or emergency whilst students are at school, an alarm is sounded. Students will then leave their classrooms and make their way down to the covered court where a register is taken to ensure that all students are present. This procedure is practiced regularly to familiarize students with the routine.
If there is an emergency, or civil unrest during the course of the day, parents will be contacted by the office and asked to pick up their children as soon as possible. For emergencies and situations where parents need urgent information at night, or early morning, there is a telephone tree which is sent out regularly with the Leopard’s Tale, the school’s newsletter. This divides the school up and the leader of each section will telephone you and inform you of any urgent information. To ensure that these procedures work efficiently, please let the office know as soon as possible of any changes in telephone numbers.
Students in Reception and above have a break at 9:30 on Monday to Thursday and 10:00 on Friday. Lunch is at 12:00 on Monday to Thursday and there is no lunch break on a Friday as school finishes at 12:30. Students in Play School, Pre School and Reception have one break during the course of the day, the time of which is flexible, depending on the children’s needs.
In all cases, parents can either send in food and drinks with their children in the morning, or can purchase these from the Tuck Shop. A menu for the tuck shop is included in the Leopard’s Tale sent out every week. For children in early childhood classes, please send a note to the teacher explaining what you would like from the Tuck Shop and the correct money. It will then be purchased for your child in time for their break. Older students should order their lunch by including their name, class and what they want in an envelope with the correct money enclosed. These will be taken to the tuck shop early each morning. Students can go to the Tuck Shop at first break and select and purchase their own snacks and drinks.
Please note that children do exert themselves during recess, PE classes and after school sporting activities. Particularly in the warmer months they get thirsty very quickly. Please have your child bring sufficient drinks to school to avoid dehydration (medical advisors recommend one to three litres per day). The drinks must be in large non-breakable containers. Canned or fizzy drinks are not permitted at the school. The school does have water fountains available for student use. The water is from a borehole and is safe to drink.
Students must ask for permission from their teacher before going to the office during school hours. In the office, they should ask for Mrs Jennifer Banda or Mrs Shantall Adonis to assist them.
If your child shows any signs of illness you should keep them at home, both for individual recovery and protection of other children and staff at school. If a child has a fever, a contagious condition, or lice, they should be kept at home.
All families are asked to complete a medical form at the beginning of each year, or when they start at the school. These forms give the school contact information in case your child falls sick or has an accident at school. If your child is sick, the teacher will bring him or her to the sick room where he or she will be attended to by the office staff. If necessary, parents, or other persons mentioned on the medical form will be contacted to pick up the child.
In the event of an emergency, the school will contact Speciality Evacuation Services (SES), who will send an ambulance and paramedic to the school. Parents will also be contacted and arrangements made to either come to the school, or meet the ambulance at their clinic.
A child is more likely to succeed in school when parents and teachers work together to support the child’s learning and to strengthen the child’s school experience. There are many ways to do this:
- Attend scheduled information sessions held to inform parents about the curriculum. The first session is a PYP Information Evening on Wednesday 12 September, followed by an open day at the school on Thursday 13 September.
- If you personally pick up your child after school, that time of day may be a good opportunity to check in with your child’s teacher (or to at least agree on a time for a conference).
- Parent conferences are scheduled for all families on Wednesday 17 October and student led conferences on Friday 7 March. Parent or teacher is encouraged to arrange a conference at any time there is a need. Please contact the teacher or the school office to schedule a conference.
- One good way to stay in touch with your child’s teacher is through your child’s homework. If you have any questions, concerns, or comments, write a note on the homework.
- The Leopard’s Tale, the school’s weekly newsletter which is sent home with the youngest child in each family every Thursday, provides information about the school and events taking place.
- A teacher newsletter will be sent home on a regular basis. This will give you information about the curriculum the class is studying and any special procedures or requests.
- Teachers are keen to have parents involved in the classroom. If you are interested in being involved in some way, please speak to your child’s teacher.
When there is a problem ....
..... go directly to the teacher concerned. If the problem concerns your child, go to the teacher or other staff members who are directly responsible. Our experience has been that nearly all questions or concerns are best addressed and resolved in this way.
..... after you and the teacher work at solving the problem, if you or the teacher feel that the matter has not been reasonably resolved, then you and the teacher should seek the help of Mr Sean Areias, the Primary Principal. If the matter is still not satisfactorily resolved, it should be taken to Mr Chris Muller, the Director. After that, if further review is needed, there is an established procedure to refer the matter to the School Board.
Suppose you have a general concern? If you have a concern about a program or policy, please talk directly to the staff member responsible. For example, see the After-School Activities Coordinator, Ms Claire Arcenas, about that program. If you are concerned about a matter of school-wide curriculum and school policies, you and the Director should discuss it. Again, if the matter can’t be satisfactorily handled at the most direct level, then participants should seek help at the next level.
The purpose of this procedure is to place you with the people who have the most direct responsibility and the most current information so that problems can be solved as quickly and effectively as possible.
Homework and work-sent-home play an important role in the educational program for our children. However, the purposes and amounts of homework will vary with the child’s level of maturity.
Pre-School - Grade 1
“Homework” is minimal for this age group. Children at this age who are actively learning in the school day do not normally need additional work at home after school. However, we encourage parents to read to and with children, especially at this age. Our teachers will send books home for this purpose. Parents are asked to consult with their child’s teacher for suggestions about additional material for such reading. Parents are also encouraged to select books from the library, which is open all day. Sometimes the teacher will assign homework to a child of this age because of a special need, such as absences. On a regular basis the teacher will send home work so that parents can learn what the child is doing in class and more meaningfully confer with the teacher. Other work will be kept in the child’s portfolio to show their development over the year. The portfolio is used throughout the year and sent home in June.
Grades 2 - 5
At the Grade 2 level the above purposes are maintained; homework is assigned when needed for special reasons and completed work is sent home for contact with parents.
However, some assignments are made on a regular basis for all children primarily for the purpose of helping them understand that homework is one of their school responsibilities. This regular homework may be a weekly spelling list, a writing assignment or a mathematics assignment. At this and at all grade levels we continue to encourage parents to read with their children.
At the Grade 3 and 4 levels homework becomes a daily routine that, in general, may take thirty minutes or more at home. This is an “average” that can vary by day and by child. “Project work” may involve homework for more than one night. In addition to the goals stated above, at this grade level homework has a primary purpose of providing opportunities for the child to practice, apply and creatively apply what has been learned in class.
In Grade 5 homework takes a greater role in extending learning through practice, application, and manipulation of what has been learned. Homework also serves as a means to promote independent study habits. At Grade 5 students may have, in general, an hour of work after school. Again this is an “average” that will vary by day and by student. Projects and reports may require work for over a week or more. Parents can help students by helping them manage their time when completing these longer projects.
Parents’ Role
In most cases the child should be able to complete an assignment independently. If a child has undue problems (has not grasped concepts behind the assignment or takes too much time), please contact the teacher. One easy way for a parent to do this is to attach a note to the assignment. Each teacher’s homework procedure will differ to some degree. If parents have any questions or concerns about homework, they are encouraged to discuss them with the child’s teacher. If there are concerns about the overall load or pattern of homework for a particular child, please contact the child’s class teachers, who will serve as a coordinator with all of the child’s teachers.
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All children will go to the Library with their class once a week and take out books and learn library/media skills. Parents are also encouraged to borrow books and read with their children. Please ensure that your child’s library books are looked after as parents will be billed for any books lost or damaged. The Library is open from 7.15 to 4.30pm Monday to Thursday and until 2.20pm on Fridays.
Please ensure that all property brought to school is clearly labelled. Inevitably, some personal items are lost during the course of the school day. Property which is found will be taken to the lost property box in the covered court. This box is locked away each evening. At times the contents of the lost property box will be displayed at the waiting hut so that parents can find any missing items. Items of a more valuable nature, such as watches, calculators and jewellery, will be taken to the school office. Periodically, any unclaimed items will be donated to charity.
If your child has to take medication during the school day on a regular basis, please give the medication and clearly written instructions to your child’s class teacher. Teachers will do their best to remember to administer medication but please understand that teachers are extremely busy and at times they may forget.
If your child is ill and has to take medication during the day, they should stay at home. At times, children are not ill but still need to take some medication during the day. If this is the case, parents should leave written instructions with the medication at the office and tell the child to go to the office to be given their medication. Teachers aren’t responsible for dispensing this type of medication to children.
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Students must arrive at school between 7:15 and 7:25. School finishes at 12:00 for Pre School and Reception, and 14:00 for Primary classes. However, school finishes for Kindergarten upwards at 1230 every Friday. On Mondays to Thursdays there are after-school activities which all finish at 15:00.
Timings for Play School and Pre School children are fairly flexible, but please ensure that students in Reception and above arrive at school on time. It is very disruptive for latecomers to join a class.
American International School’s philosophy of discipline is based on this school goal:
“3. Students will develop a sense of respect, responsibility, understanding, and concern for others. Student behavior will reflect self-discipline based on that sense of respect.”
We believe that especially at our school, with our international, multi-cultural community and setting, the rule of speaking and behaving respectfully to others is a good basis to help students develop a sense of responsibility and self-discipline. The rule is also a sound standard for our students to use to make decisions about their own behaviour.
We do have some specific rules, which are kept as simple as possible. They are:
Always:
1. Speak and behave respectfully to others.
2. Greet and help visitors and newcomers.
3. Inside: Shoes on.
Hats off.
Sit up (on chairs or carpet, not desks or tables).
4. Go into a room only when a teacher is there.
5. Walk (do not run) on walkways, and let others pass.
6. Play on playgrounds (not on walkways).
Playground:
1. No grabbing or holding.
2. Play only in your assigned area, and then pick up equipment when you have finished using it.
3. Eat only in your assigned area, and clean up after yourself.
4. Wear a sun hat and shoes or sandals that are strapped to the feet.
On the Bus:
1. Act safely:
Stay seated.
No loud talking, throwing objects, or rowdy behavior.
Do not put any part of body outside windows.
2. Use a seatbelt and re-buckle it when you leave the bus.
3. Keep the bus clean.
4. No eating or drinking on the bus.
(The above bus rules apply to all students who ride the bus for field studies and other activities).
Individual teachers will also have rules specific to their classes and facilities which will be explained to students.
Please try to avoid bringing students to school late as this is disruptive to the other students in the class and the teacher. Parents bringing students to school consistently on time set a good foundation for responsible actions. If a student is late for school, they must come to the office for a late slip before proceeding to class.
The following are practical ways in which you can make your child’s transportation to school safe and smooth.
1. Arrival and Pick-up Time (for all children)
If your child does not use the school bus, please arrange for your child to arrive after 7:15 am but before 7:25 am. This is to ensure that your child is supervised when he or she arrives, and to ensure that your child arrives before classes start at 7:25 am. Please arrange for your child to be picked up promptly when he or she is finished for the day (this will vary for children in Grade 1 upwards who are in After-School Activities) as children are not supervised after school.
2. The Waiting Hut (for Kindergarten and older)
Children from Kindergarten upwards may be dropped off and picked up from the “Waiting Hut” (the thatched hut at the top of the driveway). We have a Safety Supervisor who will be waiting at the hut to ensure the children’s safety when they get in and out of your car. Please ensure that you child only gets in and out of your car in front of and with the help of the Safety Supervisor. Please do not have your child get in or out of your car while you are waiting farther back in line.
3. The Walkway (for all children)
If you park your vehicle when you drop off or pick up your children, please walk with your children to and from the vehicle on the walkway only, not in the parking area.
4. A Note to Change Transport (for all children)
If you would like to have your child go home with another person (someone other than yourself or your usual driver), please send a note to your child’s Homeroom Teacher explaining this and giving the name of the person who will pick up your child in the afternoon. If you wish to identify an alternative driver for the entire school year, one note from you will suffice. However, for your child’s safety, we are not able to release a child to another person unless we know you have authorized this change. Similarly, if your child rides the school bus and if you would like him or her taken to a destination other than your home, please send a note to your child’s Homeroom Teacher authorizing this. Again, for your child’s safety, we will not be able to change destinations without written authorization from you.
5. Pick up time
Students in Play School, Pre School and Reception finish school at 12:00pm every day. From Kindertarten, school finishes at 2:00pm, except on Fridays where school finishes at 12:30pm.
For Parents of Play School, Pre-School & Reception Children
1. Parking
Parents of Play School, Pre-School and Reception children (or their designated drivers) walk their children to their classrooms each morning.
To avoid serious congestion which can make the parking area unsafe, please use the parking spaces closest to the main office and the Pre-School. These will be reserved for Pre-School and Reception families at the appropriate times. Please park only within the lined parking spaces. Please do not “double park” along the side of the driveway.
If all lined spaces near the main office and Pre-School are occupied, please park in a lined space which is farther away.
Once the Early Learning Centre has been completed, there will be designated parking in front of the Centre for Play School, Pre School and Reception. Once these have been occupied, please park in the lined spaces adjacent to the sports field.
2. Walking to Class
Please walk with your child to his or her classroom. Until the move to the Early Learning Centre, to minimize congestion and avoid interruptions of other classes, please walk with your child around the main office directly to the Pre-School and Reception classrooms, as indicated below:
3. Picking-Up Children
Please go to the classrooms to pick up children at 12:00 noon. Unless you have made prior arrangements with the teacher for an early pick-up, please wait until 12:00 before taking children, so they can complete all their class activities.
4. Special Supervision
As school finishes for Play School, Pre-School and Reception at 12:00pm, which is substantially earlier than the closing time of 2:00pm for P1-P6 on Monday to Thursday, we offer an after school care service for students who have an older sibling. This after school care provides supervised playtime, lunchtime (your child needs to bring their lunch) and nap/rest time, between 12:00 and 14:00, Monday to Thursday. There is a charge for this service and parents must sign up for which days their child will attend. Children should be picked up from the Pre School playground at 14:00. For more information, please contact the Primary Principal.
Students should not bring large amounts of money, computer games or expensive toys to school. If children bring cell phones they need to be turned off during the school day and kept in the child’s bag. Unfortunately, the school cannot take responsibility for items that go missing. The loss of any valuable items should immediately be reported to Mrs Martina van Vlaanderen in the main office.
Please make prior arrangements with teachers and office staff before bringing visitors to school as this can be disruptive to the class.
The American International School needs three months notice of the withdrawal of a child. This must be in writing and failure to do so will mean that a refund cannot be given.
A child who leaves will be asked to complete a checklist to ensure that all books and equipment have been returned. Parents will also be asked to complete a form giving information on the next school the child will be attending. On completion of these forms, parents will be given a package containing copies of all school reports whilst the child was at school, a Leaving Certificate, a profile of the school, and, for students in P3 upwards, a transcript. If there are any Special Services files, these will also be included.
Page updated
17 December, 2007