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Library News

22/3/2023

 

Open Doors to Parents

Please don't forget that the library is open for parents to come check out books or sit and work during school hours Monday through Friday. We are also open the first and third Saturday of each month from 9:00-12:00 for parents and students. 
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Upcoming Event - Book Swap

At the next Friday market on 31 March, we will have a table set up for you to bring a used book in reasonable condition and swap it out for another used book that someone else brings. For every book that you give, you will get a book coupon and for every coupon that you have, you can take 2 books of your choosing home. The library reserves the right to first choice so if any donated books could enrich our collection, we will keep those books for everyone to borrow from our collection. We are asking the PTA to help us find a parent volunteer to run this event from 12:30 to 13:15 so if you would be willing to sit at the book swap table for those 45 minutes on 31 March to hand out and collect coupons, please contact a member of the PTA or Kim at kshumlansky@aislusaka.org. 
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Upcoming Event - Week of Coding  

G6-12 students are welcome and encouraged to come to the secondary library with their iPads or laptops to do some fun STEM activities from 3-6 April from 14:30-15:30 when there are no CCAs running. Students can program our DJI robots to complete a challenge or try their hand at a dozen different Hour of Code apps which will help them use and practice different coding skills.  During the school hours, teachers can sign up their class to come down as well.

Class of 2023 AISL DP Visual Arts Exhibition

21/3/2023

 
​Please come to the opening or drop by to view the show throughout the week. All welcome.
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From the Director

17/3/2023

 
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Hope everyone had a good break and got some relaxation with family and friends, and hopefully some outdoor time.
Update on Strategy
The conversation held in the Protea Room just before the break was very well attended and a great conversation was had with parents, following a brief presentation.
If you missed it, here is the Strategy Slide Presentation.
One of the four domains in our strategy is the Environment and it is in this area that we seek help from parents and the wider community. Mark James is leading the Green Campus initiative as part of the environment domain with a group of enthusiastic teachers. Our next step is to involve students, who we would like to see driving projects in this area. Parent expertise is critical too! Here is the Environment's Team working document that Mark presented to the parents. Green Campus Group Slides
This too sparked a lot of conversation about how we need to prepare our students in our world of exponential change.
AI Continues to Expand Our Capacities
Indeed this week, the Fourth Iteration of Chat GPT was launched. 
The parameters for GPT- 3 was     175,000,000,000
                                GPT- 4 is now 100,000,000,000,000
Also this week Google announced A new era for AI and Google Workspace coming soon to the Google Suite.
Fee Letter
The annual Fee Letter and explanation went out yesterday. 
Friday Market
Tomorrow is the Friday market.  Here is the selection of vendors. (Please consider bringing your own containers to help save on plastic)
Hilda - Bagels
Ethnix - Crafts
Krupa’s Kreations - Baked goods
Millie - Baked goods fundraising for GRI
Wim Pics - Artwork/photography
Mrs Tarney - Fresh fruit juices
Rin’s Kitchen - Thai food
Joyce/Mary - Burritos
Mr. Banda - Wooden carvings
Minal - Resin products
Baobab Swirls - Soaps/creams
Mr Luhila - Roasted chickens
Catherine - Fresh fruit/vegetables
Yuka - Hana Saku Sushi
Shen Jing - Stationery
Three Way Conferences Are Upon Us!
Next Wednesday and Thursday sees our second round of Three Way Conferences for the school year. Please check the primary and secondary updates  for the details. Looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible on campus.
Re-Enrollment Reminder
Thank you to those who have responded about re-enrollment for the next school year. If you have not yet done so, please consider doing this as soon as you are able, as it helps greatly in our planning. If you have any questions, please contact our Admissions Director, Natasha Chalikulima on: nchalikulima@aislusaka.org
And to those who celebrate, Happy St. Patrick’s Day for tomorrow.
And to ponder: 

​A Traditional Gaelic Poem
May the road rise up to meet you. 
May the wind be always at your back. 
May the sun shine warm upon your face; 
the rains fall soft upon your fields
 until we meet again…
​With kind regards,
Dr. Oli Tooher-Hancock
Director

Weekly Update from the Secondary School

16/3/2023

 
Dear Parents, 

Welcome back from the break. I hope everyone had a restful, or adventurous, break, and that it wasn’t too hard to remember that we came back on Tuesday rather than Monday. I am still operating as if it is Wednesday. A lot of the following is carried over from the last Secondary Update, but that is ok, it is still relevant. 

I want to take this opportunity though to recognize the work of the Experience Zambia team, and particularly Ms. Fiona Moss. Fiona has been a huge addition to the AISL team, and has worked tirelessly on this initiative. If you see her, let her know how appreciated she truly is in this community. Today we hosted both a parent and student information session (SLIDE DECK) on this initiative and look forward to having our Gr 5 - 10 students out Experiencing Zambia at the end of May. 

Conferences: 

Conferences are coming up March 22-23, please see the section in this week’s LT for more detailed information. In brief, these conferences are an opportunity for the students to demonstrate agency and ownership of their education by leading the conversation about their learning. Please note that these conferences are meant to be:
  1. Student-led
  2. Informed by the Approaches to Learning (ATL) skills
  3. Growth-oriented
Conversations centered on marks, or specific issues are best left to more dedicated conversations, and our teachers are more than happy to make appointments to have discussions at a later date. 

New Rest:

This past Monday I had a meeting with representatives from New Rest to discuss some of the issues that have been brought to my attention in the past few weeks. 

In terms of some of the ordering issues, they asked me to remind parents that they need to: order before 10 PM the day before the delivery date, 2. Make sure that the selected date is the date the food is delivered, and 3. Make sure that, after you order, you receive a confirmation email. This last point is, I understand, extremely important as the confirmation emails confirm that the order has been received. 

Additionally, we spoke about account information. New Rest informs me that presently accounts are calculated manually, and that account statements go out every 15 days. They assured me however, that they are working on software that will allow parents to access their accounts in real time with automatic updates. 

Lastly, they agreed to fully open the Secondary tuck shop by the gym to both food deliveries and sales and to properly staff and stock it for the kids. They let me know that they will not be selling to Secondary kids in the Primary tuck shop. So, if Secondary kids want snacks or food, starting Monday, they will be fully stocked in the Tuck shop next to the gym. 

Lastly, New Rest has appointed a liaison to work with the school gathering feedback from Parents, Students and Staff. So, if you have any questions or issues, please reach out to the New Rest Retail Manager, Francis at 0973259785.

The rains seem done, the cooler weather is rolling in, Baseball Spring Training is back. It’s a great time of the year, and we anticipate great things for the rest of Semester 2. 

Have a great holiday, 
Rick Odum

Students taking Action

16/3/2023

 
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 Dear AISL Community,

  The Gr 6-8 Community Connections Flex Time Team is organizing a clothing/recreational equipment drive for young migrant boys ages 14-18 starting March 20th and ending March 31st. These boys are from Ethiopia and were caught in transit on their way to South Africa looking for a better life. They are going through desperate times. Until recently, they were held in a prison, and are now staying in a correctional facility. There are currently 70+ kids in the Lusaka area. They are the ones who survived. Others have died along the way due to being smuggled in inhumane ways.
 
     UpZambia is a local NGO who provides legal representation to these migrant boys. UpZambia has contacted us for support in supplying these boys with the following items:
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  • Clothes: Pants, shirts, shorts, shoes, socks, underwear, as well as blankets, sweaters, and other warm things for the cold season coming up. (Make sure that these things are appropriate for boys, not girls, and for older kids too).
  • Sports Equipment: Basketballs, soccer balls, volleyballs, or softballs. Please keep in mind that items the boys could use to harm themselves or others are not appropriate (e.g. jump ropes, hula hoop, racquets).
  • Art Supplies: Pencils of any color, notepads, coloring books, pens, paper, paintbrushes, or watercolors would be great. 
  • Personal Hygiene Products: Soap, toothbrushes, and toothpaste.

     We are going to collect as many items as we can, but the minimum goal is 200 clothing items (around a couple of things for each boy), 20 sports items, and 20 art supplies. For the hygiene items, we need around 50 bars of soap, 50 toothpaste tubes, and around 90 toothbrushes.  
   
     Items can be donated any time of the day (while the school is open, of course), from March 20th to March 31st in designated boxes outside the Secondary Office. During the student-parent-teacher conferences on Wednesday, March 22nd, and Thursday, March 23rd, we will be available under the dome to answer any further questions. We count on the spirit and kindness of the AISL community to help these boys! 

Have a wonderful rest of your week, 

Community Connections Flex Time Team

Student-Parent-Teacher Conferences: March 22 & 23

16/3/2023

 
LINK TO CONFERENCE SIGN UP (instructions at top of sheet)
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Final Logistics for students:
  • Your student(s) must come with you to these conferences, so that they can lead the conversation about their learning. They have been preparing for these during Advisory sessions.
  • The conference will begin at either 12:45 or 3:00 depending on which session you signed up for
  • When you arrive on campus at the Secondary gate, please come up to the Science dome to sign in and the team will let you know which venue to start so that we can spread families out.
  • If you are coming to the first session, your student may remain on campus to eat their lunch prior to beginning their conference session (There will not be any CCAs on these two days)
  • We will have tea and coffee available at both venues
  • Please wear appropriate footwear as our campus is spread, the ground is uneven and it is important to look after our gym floor

Accepting Scholarship Applications!

16/3/2023

 
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MYP:

16/3/2023

 
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Because the Diploma Programme conducts cumulative exams, we at AISL feel strongly that in order to align with them, students in the MYP need to practice exam skills. For this reason, we will be holding cumulative tests for Grades 9 and 10 from April 3rd to April 6th.

Students have received information about how to learn during advisory. Here are the slides that Grade 10 worked through and here are the slides that Grade 9 worked through. Teachers in each subject support students in developing these study skills. The top two study skills which have been emphasised are active recall and spaced repetition.

Below is the schedule for Grade 9/10 cumulative tests. Please note that some classes will be disrupted but on the whole students will be in regular classes. The tests are 60 minutes in length to allow for accommodation times for the students that need that. All tests will be held in the Pavilion under aligned DP provisions so students experience an ‘exam’ situation. The cumulative tests allow students to review past knowledge, skills, and concepts and practise ATL skills such as:

  • Make effective summary notes for studying 
  • Plan short- and long-term assignments; meet deadlines 
  • Create plans to prepare for summative assessments (examinations and performances)
  • Understand and use sensory learning preferences
  • Practice strategies to reduce stress and anxiety 
  • Practice analyzing and attributing causes for failure 
  • Practice managing self-talk 
  • Practice positive thinking 
  • Identify strengths and weaknesses of personal learning strategies (self-assessment) 
  • Demonstrate flexibility in the selection and use of learning strategies
  • Reflect on learning
  • What can I do to become a more efficient and effective learner? 
  • How can I become more flexible in my choice of learning strategies? 
  • What factors are important for helping me learn well? 
  • Access information to be informed and inform others 
  • Make connections between various sources of information 
  • Understand the benefits and limitations of personal sensory learning preferences when accessing, processing and recalling information 
  • Use memory techniques to develop long-term memory 
  • Use effective learning strategies in subject groups and disciplines 

In line with the MYP, these tests are not weighted. They form just one more data point for teachers and students about learning and progress. 

As a parent, you can support in making sure your child is eating and sleeping well and that they have an area in the house where they can study constructively. It might be an idea to come to an agreement about cell phone use during this time. Here is an article about how you can help as a parent during exam times.
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Koch, Alexandra. “Boy Studying Calculator.” Pixabay,   
        pixabay.com/photos/student-study-boy-test-calculator-6972899/. Accessed 16 Mar. 
        2023.

​

PSE Update

16/3/2023

 
Dear Parents of G9 and G10 students:
Our next unit during G9 and G10 Advisory class will be discussing Identity and Sexuality. We will discuss topics such as identity, stereotypes, harassment, violence, and decision making. 

Being a diverse and inclusive community we welcome a variety of different perspectives and there will be the opportunity to engage in respectful and productive dialogue. 

Our counselor, Ms. Driekie Smith, will be helping us create the content and will lead some of the discussions. We also hope to invite guest speakers from local organizations to add varied perspectives.  As we go into greater depth on various topics, student interest will be taken into account, and we will adjust as necessary. All G9 and G10 students will participate in these lessons as it is a part of our Advisory curriculum.  

If you would NOT like your child to participate in any of these lessons, please email Kim Shumlansky (kshumlansky@aislusaka.org), the G9/10 Grade Level Leader. She will ensure that your child has another safe place to go during the 45-minute Advisory lessons.

DP

16/3/2023

 
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A huge congratulations to the Class of 2023 for completing their mock exams!  These ran the week before Spring Break, and were a great opportunity for Seniors to know what it looks, feels, and sounds like to be in a DP Exam.  To help the Seniors let off steam, the Senior Spirit Committee organized an amazing Holi celebration.  Students received a white t-shirt, and then had a massive paint/water fight that lasted an hour - and was only made more fun by a torrential downpour!

We’re always looking to evaluate and improve our programme, so students were surveyed about their mock exam experiences. Results included the following:

Successes
  • Mocks are “definitely worthwhile, since (at least in my case) I now feel much more confident about my final exams, and I know what to expect going into my final exams.”
  • “Now I have a better grasp of what the final exams are going to look like and I’m less stressed about them.  I also know which subjects I need to review more of/better.”
  • The vast majority (about 80%) of respondents thought that having cumulative exams in Grades 9 and 10 was worthwhile, with the average rating on a scale from 1-10 being 7.7 where 10 was “extremely helpful”.
  • Students pointed to the scheduling, timing, and general organization of mocks as positives.

Areas for growth
  • Over the past 1-2 years, AISL has introduced students to the study techniques of “active recall” and “spaced repetition”.  Studies have repeatedly shown that these techniques are powerful revision strategies.  On a scale of 1-10 where 10 was “I used these techniques a lot”, the average response was just 5.5.  We’d like to see more consistent and widespread use of these techniques by students, with teachers continuing to reinforce these skills in class.
  • Students thought it would be helpful to see the cover sheet before mocks started, to have a quieter examination hall, and to allow Seniors to leave campus early without having to get parental approval every day.

With only six weeks to go before the real exams, our Seniors are finally in the home stretch.  Good luck to all students, parents, and teachers as we work towards graduation!
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Contact Us

AISL Switchboard: Shantall | info@aislusaka.org
  • +26 0978 772 600
  • +26 0967 967 325
Admissions: Natasha | admissions@aislusaka.org | +26 0973 937 629
​Primary: Janke | primaryoffice@aislusaka.org
Secondary: Maché | secondaryoffice@aislusaka.org

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487 A/F/3 Leopards Hill Road
PO Box 320176
Lusaka, Zambia

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