As we come closer to the vacation, many of you will be thinking of ways to manage, monitor and reduce screen time for your children and possibly yourselves! There are several ways that you can 'control' or 'oversee' and there have been a number of LT posts and parent presentations over the last year or so and can be found here on the Parent LibGuide (same password as the Parent Portal). Here's where we summarise them in one slightly longer post!  

The most important thing to remember is you are the parent: Ultimately you are in charge; you make the decisions and you set the boundaries so:

• Be involved: Monitor usage (perhaps by sharing passwords or being “friended” by your child), do spot-checks, be part of discussions - online & offline.
  • Communicate: The best online safety strategy is to talk to your child. Talk about how other people around the world are dealing with social media, talk about your experiences, talk about your child's day.
  • Be a role model: If you don't have a balanced lifestyle, nor will your child. If you over-use technology, so will your child.
  • Educate yourself: explore devices, try out apps (and check minimum age requirements) so you can make informed decisions to support your child.
• Have rules & expectations: Decide upon guidelines as a family and make everyone adhere to them - online & offline.
  • Promote kindness: encourage your child to think before you click/post - Is it True? Is it Helpful? Is it Inspiring? Is it Necessary? Is it Kind? Discourage meanness & gossiping.
  • Avoid-oversharing: encourage your child to be selective in what they post and to whom they post - this goes for parents too!
  • Think about use of spaces: you probably wouldn't play soccer in the living room; similarly, you probably wouldn't want your child to be checking their device at the dinner table. Encourage technology use in public spaces at appropriate times.
  • Think of technology as another privilege you are giving your child: set guidelines with tech use as you would for anything else
• Empower your child: Expect your child to take responsibility for his or her choices and actions - it’s not the device that’s the issue; it’s how your child chooses to use it - online & offline.
  • Kids will be kids: your child will make mistakes using media. Try to handle errors with empathy and turn a mistake into a teachable moment.
  • Problem solve: teach your child how to think through difficult situations for themselves.​

As a parent, you have the opportunity to support at home and even ‘manage’ the child’s devices. ​If you want more control of the child’s device then try using the Screen Time feature in ‘Settings’ (full, detailed instructions) to manage Downtime, App Limits, and Content & Privacy with all of the limitations that you want for your child. Here you can

• ​limit the time spent on specific apps or even individual websites
• view usage reports
• control who can be communicated with
• lock the device down at certain times ​

During an informal session last year, Tony Potts, our Primary Assistant Principal and whole school Tech Integration Specialist shared strategies for managing screentime. Click on the links below, and also navigate to the Screentime Parent LibGuide, to find more resources, links and useful information especially collated for our AISL parents.

Ms. Chantra Reinman, our Student Services Director,  also shared a presentation (included below) about the science behind the effects of screentime earlier this year.

Image citation: Photo by Emma Matthews Digital Content Production on Unsplash

Gr6s learned about monitoring their own digital usage to make sure they were making positive digital habits and using multiple accounts wisely if they had finstas or other duplicate or anonymous social media accounts. In their I&S class, we also learned some tools for spotting fake news and practiced looking at some questionable websites and articles to try and determine if they were hoaxes or credible news.

Gr7s also learned about monitoring their digital use. In their I&S class, we practiced smart search techniques so students can more quickly find answers to their questions from the overload of info that is available on the Internet. We finished off the year looking at the dangers of advertising and explored how advanced deep fake technology can be and how you can protect yourself from getting duped.

Gr8s talked about hate speech online and discussed what they have seen and how they would like to deal with those kinds of toxic messages.

Gr9s also learned about monitoring their digital habits and putting security systems on their accounts as we looked at all the alarming ways that people online can be tracked and have information about them sold to other companies. We also learned more about spotting fake news and how to locate and determine reliable sources.

​Gr10s practiced using the CRAAP test to differentiate reliable versus unreliable sources. We also learned more about copyright and plagiarism when they learned how to use the app TurnItIn for their personal project. Finally, we discussed the real and the online selves we present to the world and how that curated self differs or adequately shows the real us.

COVID Update #13 
Too Tight too Loose? 
Messages are coming in with both extremes of, we are too tight with our COVID regulations or we are too loose. Our COVID-related decisions are driven by our mission that “Every Student Thrives.”  In practice that means we want to keep school open to facilitate student learning and also create an environment that does not spread the virus.  This is made relatively easy when our community is largely COVID free but becomes more difficult when cases rise as each situation is unique, requiring context-specific decisions made under extreme time pressure.  While hindsight may illuminate a few miscalculations, the decisions were made with the best of intentions in line with our mission and informed by Zambian Government  and CDC guidelines.  
Here is our latest update. 
As we near the end of the school year, we are seeing spikes in COVID positive cases within the community, owing mainly to non-school sponsored social events.  However, compared to this time last year, when Zambia was on the verge of another wave and most were not vaccinated, positive cases have mainly been mild, as many of our community are now double vaccinated.  That is great news for those individuals, but vaccinated individuals can still spread the virus, putting older family members with comorbidities at risk or disrupt travel plans as many of us look forward to visiting friends and family in the next few weeks and need a negative test to depart.  We do not want school to contribute to those challenges. Therefore, we continue to emphasize wearing masks indoors at all times, keeping a social distance, and sanitizing regularly. If your child has any symptoms, have them stay at home and follow our revised guidelines. Masks outdoors remain optional. 
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the community for your vigilance this year in following all our guidelines around this ever-changing situation.  Community vigilance, vaccinations and the better understanding of the virus gave us the confidence to eliminate restrictions of parents coming to campus, loosen post-travel quarantine restrictions and host in-person events.  We stopped sending whole classes home after learning of a single positive case within the grade.  We sent our students to three ISSEA events even when the budget, approved in a pre-vaccine era, did not include these costs.  School hosted several athletic tournaments and the Model UN.  Friday Market has come back and the PTA Boot Sale is this Saturday.  Next year, we plan to expand Friday Market, resume Explore Zambia trips and work with the PTA to organize an even bigger, spookier Trunk or Treat, for example.  We are intent in reestablishing that spirit of community that existed pre-COVID but we are not naïve to think there will be an end to COVID.  We do not know how this virus will evolve but are confident we can navigate this path.  Thank you again for the support.
Graduation
The graduation was a wonderful event on Saturday afternoon and our graduates have now left with fond memories of their time at AISL. Here are some snapshots of the event.

Yearbook
The Yearbook has arrived and it is a wonderful collection of memories from this school year. A huge thank you to Janke, who almost single handedly put this book together and to our sponsors New Horizon.  Next year we aim to have this as a student-led co-curricular activity as there is much valuable life worthy learning in developing a Yearbook. They will be distributed on Monday 13 June and students will have a chance to get autographs from their friends and teachers.
MAP Growth Assessments
Our G3-G12 students have just completed their MAP Growth Assessments for the Spring 2021/22. These assessments provide teachers with valuable data that they can use to differentiate instruction for your child. 
As shared in the NWEA Parent’s Guide to MAP Growth, “Children learn better—and faster—when teachers have a clear picture of what each student knows and is ready to learn next. That’s why a group of educators and researchers founded NWEA®, a not-for-profit organization that has created some of the most trusted and reliable assessment solutions available. More than 9 million students in the US and in 140 countries worldwide use MAP® GrowthTM.
Overall, we had another successful round of assessments as a whole school with our students performing at or above US norms in all grade-levels in the areas of math, reading and language usage. 
The EGM and End of Year Summary
Congratulations to David Burrows, Aki Georgiou, and David Howlett for being elected (or re-elected) to the AISL Board of Directors at the Election General Meeting last week. We had seven highly-qualified candidates stand for our three vacancies, so it was always going to be difficult to decide. A big thank you to the 78 voting attendees for being a part of this important decision, especially as the Board works on the next level of AISL Strategy Thinking.
End of Year Summary Slide Deck
Leaving Teachers 2022
Teaching Couples
Tony and Claire Potts will be heading to Mozambique after eight years at AISL. Tony will be continuing in a leadership role that will encompass admissions, strategic planning and tech innovation and Claire will be teaching Kindergarten. We wish Tony, Claire, Abi and Josh the very best at their new school, the American International School of Mozambique.
Kate and Marin Dobson will be leaving AISL in June after four years to return to the USA. They will both be teaching at a school as a Learning Support Teacher and Physics Teacher, respectively. We wish Kate, Marin, Finn and August the very best as they begin their new adventures in Hawaii.
Bridget McCall and Nathan Chilton will be heading back to New Zealand after four years at AISL. The grandparents can’t wait to spend more time with their new grandson, Casey. Nathan will be working as a Year 7 teacher while Bridget settles the family in their new home. 
Primary
Elisa Ingles Velasco will be leaving AISL in June after six years to begin a position as a Secondary Spanish teacher/EAL teacher. We wish Elisa, Albert and Uma the very best as they start their new life in Myanmar.
Sandra Hamatuli, who joined us last October part-time in the ELC due to an expansion in enrollment, will be finishing her contract in June. We are fortunate to have her continue on our AISL team as a learning assistant until November as she covers a maternity leave in the lower primary.
Secondary
Wayne Thompson
In a blow to both AISL and the teaching professional generally, our PHE of long standing, Wayne Thompson is retiring this year. We wish Wayne the best of luck in his new adventures. 
Clare Cullen
I&S teacher and all-round great person, Clare is leaving both AISL and, at least for the time being, Africa as she heads to the UK to further her studies. We wish her the best of luck. 
Edlynne Venkataya
AISL's loss is ISK's gain as Edlynne heads up to Kenya to teach math at the International School of Kenya. The students will miss her warmth and approachability. 
Naomi Chevannes
After a stellar few years at AISL, Ms. Naomi Chevannes is taking her talents to Hong Kong. Naomi brought vigor and fresh faced enthusiasm to the Design role and she will be dearly missed. 
Vanessa Tolino
Long time AISL drama teacher Vanessa Tolino is leaving us to take her formidable skills to Japan. Highlights of Vanessa's tenure at AISL include this year's Squirrel Girl Goes to College and her re-imagining of Flash Gordon. Her contributions are appreciated and she will be missed.
Monica Carilles
Monica Carilles is leaving us and returning back home to Mexico. Monica is a wonderful teacher and has been a general force of positivity in the Secondary School. She will be missed by all. 
Looking forward to the All Bands Concert this evening at 5.30pm in the Theater.
Next Friday is the last Friday Market of the school year. Hope to see you there!
It has been good fun on campus this week, as we dressed for Spirit week!
With kind regards,
Dr. Oli Tooher-Hancock
Director

The Grade 4 Modern Language Market was a huge success with students, teachers and some parents joining the cafe atmosphere on Friday, 3 June. The Primary school students were given the opportunity to demonstrate their language development as well as transfer this knowledge connected to the homeroom unit of inquiry, 'Successful entrepreneurs use their passion to create businesses to meet demand.' The Modern Language market allowed the students to not only practice selling and purchasing vocabulary in a real-life situation but also to research and produce authentic Hispanic and French products. Students enjoyed learning about the wide range of items that can be found in Spanish and French speaking countries. Added to this was the fun of calculating change and the delicious food that was available! Well done Grade 4 students!