Dates to note in the coming weeks in Primary

Welcome to the 2019-2020 school year. Over the past week it has been wonderful to see so many smiling faces from both the returning students and those just joining us. As the school year gets underway, we wanted to share a few upcoming dates and other information that will take place over the next few weeks.

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Primary Listening Conferences

Primary Listening Conferences will take place during 19-30 August. This optional conference is a chance to meet your child's new teacher and share with him/her any information that you feel would be good to know as we begin a new school year. Each homeroom teacher will be reaching out directly with information on how to sign-up for a 15-minute slot either before or after school. 

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After School Activities

After School Activities begin Tuesday, 20 August. The activity choices will be open for viewing to families on Thursday, 15 August and sign-ups begin on Friday morning, 16 August, at 08:00. ASAs are open for students in G1-G5. If you have any additional questions, please contact the Activities Office at activities@aislusaka.org. A reminder to parents about pick-up procedures when ASAs are in session:

• All children attending an After School Activity (ASA) will be accompanied to the Waiting Hut when their ASA finishes. Parents are asked to please meet and collect their child(ren) there at 15:40. If your child is signed up for the ASA bus service, we will make sure they are on the bus to go home at 15:40.

If your child is not attending an ASA on a given day:

• Parents with children in KG-Grade 3 must collect their child(ren) from their homeroom classrooms. To respect the full lessons happening at the end of the day, parents are asked to please proceed to classrooms no earlier than 14:30 and to refrain from peeking in the windows and/or conversing outside the classroom door before school officially finishes.
• Parents with children in ELC are asked to pick up at the classroom door every day at 12:00.
• For Grades 4-5, the students will be dismissed from their homeroom classroom and independently transition to their pick-up point. Parents, please communicate with your child and let him/her know where to meet you. We encourage you to meet your child at the Primary Waiting Hut, if possible, as there is supervision there after school. This is a student privilege as we aim to support students in making good, informed choices
• All children will be dismissed from their homeroom classroom even if they have a specialist class at the end of the day.
• Those children not collected by 14:45 will be brought to the Primary Office. If you are running late, please inform the Primary Office (primaryoffice@aislusaka.org) and collect your child there.
• Any children playing on the playground after school hours are required to be supervised by an adult. Please make sure you are at the playground if your child is playing there.

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Speech and Language Screenings for new students

Greetings, my name is Kate Dobson and I am a speech language pathologist here at AISL. I will be conducting speech and language screenings for all new students from grades ELC2 to grade two within the next few weeks. The purpose of the screenings is to identify students who may need targeted instruction or progress monitoring in the areas of speech and language. Because oral and written communication skills are critical to a student’s success in school, it is important to identify students who may need additional support in speech and/or language as early as possible. The screenings will take place in or just outside the classroom during the school day and will take approximately 5-10 minutes per student. Parents will be notified if a need is identified through the screening process. Speech and language support is available to students during the school day and in collaboration with the classroom teacher at no additional cost to families. Please contact me at kdobson@aislusaka.org if you have any questions or concerns.

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Primary Open Day

Primary Open Day will take place on Wednesday, 4 September. Families (G1-5) are invited to attend their child’s classes from 7:25-12:20 on this day. Each grade-level team (ELC-G5) and specialist teacher will have a time to present the year’s overview. Here is the Open Day Schedule for the grade-level presentations, specialist sessions and additional parent information sessions. We hope many of you will be able to attend.

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AISL Primary Talent Show

AISL Primary Talent Show is coming soon! The date is set for Friday, 13 September at 11:00 in the Tiyende Pamodzi Theater. This show is to be a celebration of our many talents. There will be no prizes; anyone who has the courage, persistence, and commitment to prepare an act is a winner!

In order for the show to be a success and to have as many performers as possible, we limit the time for each act to no more than one minute and a half. We also allow each student to be in only one act. The performance must be prepared at home and be consistent (the same each time). Any lyrics of songs must be appropriate for our young audience. Lip-syncing is not allowed.

While there are tryouts, anyone who comes prepared and meets the above requirements will be invited to perform. Performance Plans with a parent’s signature must be submitted by Friday, 16 August. If you give permission for your child to participate, please ensure that your child fills out the Performance Plan, with your signature, and return it to the Primary Office (Ms. Janke’s desk) before they can tryout. EACH performer must submit a plan, even if it is a group performance.

Submission Deadline for Performance Plan/Parent Permission: Friday, 16 August
Tryouts: Monday, 19 August – Friday, 23 August during snack and lunch recess. Students will be allocated one time slot during the week to share their performance.
Practice and Polish: Monday, 26 August - Friday, 6 September (No new acts at this time) 
Dress Rehearsal Week: Monday, 9 September – Friday, 13 September
TALENT SHOW: Friday, 13 September at 11:00 in the Tiyende Pamodzi Theater

If you have any questions or comments, please email Ms. Natalie (ncoombs@aislusaka.org), Ms. Elisa (eingles@aislusaka.org). Thank you for your support!

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