Leopard's Tale

AISL
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Calendar
    • Faculty
    • Working at AISL >
      • Living in Zambia
  • Learning
    • Primary School
    • Secondary School
    • Distance Learning Set-Up and Support
    • Library & Discovery Center
    • Creative Arts
    • Sports & Activities
    • Center for Advancing Learning
  • Admissions
  • Community
    • COVID-19 Information
    • Alumni
    • School Store
    • Awards Ceremonies
  • Parent Portal
  • Leopard's Tale

Weekly Update from Secondary

26/2/2021

 
Dear parents,
Week two of being back on campus is almost finished! So far so good, and a big kudos go out to the kids for their compliance and their attitudes. Looking back on this past year, it has been SUCH a grind. I know that the pressures of this current situation have made us all just a little crazy, and that goes extra for the kids. So, when you consider that coping with worldwide pandemics is not necessarily developmentally appropriate for secondary-aged kids, that makes our students’ responses to this even more impressive. 
A couple of things to point out. Please remember to remind your kids to bring a couple of bottles of water to school everyday. While it seems to be cooling off a bit, we still have had a few issues with students running out of water and crowding around the refill stations. 
Also, while we are doing a great job overall with masks and keeping distance, we need to make sure we are staying safe even while we are eating. So, if you could, please remind your kids to keep an adequate distance and to concentrate on wearing the mask as much as is possible. It is exceedingly important that we do not get lax on our procedures. 
The last thing I wanted to mention is the importance of gratitude. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be in Zambia, to work with these kids, and to be  a part of the AISL community. So far this year, we have been open 19 weeks. Considering that many schools around the world have never opened in person for 2020-2021, that’s an unqualified win in my book. So, I am grateful to work at a place where that achievement is possible, and I wanted to thank all of you for your part in making that happen. 
Have a great weekend!
Dr. Rick Odum

MYP - Personal Project Expo

In grade 10, all students complete the Personal Project which gives students a chance to explore a topic they are passionate about. Students are expected to spend a minimum of 25 hours on their personal project. This time includes meeting with supervisors, independent learning through research, planning, development and completion of the project, and reporting of the project. Students have gained a great deal of knowledge and developed their approaches to learning skills, and on Wednesday 3 March they will be showcasing their projects virtually between 17.00 and 18.00. 
Important information:
The PP instagram can be found here. 
The PP webpage can be found here.
There are 5 groups. Please see the google meet links and names of the students in each group below. Each student will be presenting for about 3 minutes and then be open to questions. Each student has been allocated 10 minutes in each breakout group. Parents, students and teachers can join and leave any group at any time.
​
The google meet groups will be as follows:
Group 1: Dr. Odum
Mehdi - Intro and premier speaker
McKenzie, Leo, Clara, Lola
Group 2: Dr. Seiler
Sonji - Intro and premier speaker
Josh, Emma, Jordan, Gulsher
Group 3: Ms. Turner
Jeanne - Intro and premier speaker
Chris, Payton, Rohan, Andrea, Cross
Group 4: Ms. Maguire
Deborah - Intro and premier speaker
Rachael, Ashu, Florence, Braam, Joy
Group 5: Miss. Chevannes
Lovis - Intro and premier speaker
Thelma, Neelay, Thandi, Merle, Vivian
Picture
Picture
Reduced assessments and DP Assessment Calendar
DP Coordinator Monica Murphy has informed the Class of 2022 that their IB assessments have been reduced, in an attempt to mitigate the effects COVID-19 has had on instructional time.
Also, the Class of 2022 DP Assessment Calendar is available, with dates valid up till June.  Please see the email sent earlier this week and the Calendar itself for more details.
Image Source: Journals are Fun

Picture
FAQ’s for the Class of 2021
The IB has informed us that AISL will be writing exams in May, as there is currently no government-mandated school closure.  Please note that AISL has no decision-making authority as to whether or not we will write exams.  However, if the COVID situation changes and the campus is closed in May - even in the middle of exams - we can request to be moved to the non-examination route.
Our DP Coordinator Monica Murphy hosted an information session last week on the two routes to results for May 2021. Her slideshow is available here. Ms. Murphy also met with the head of IB World Schools Africa last Friday to gain clarity on some unresolved questions.  We will send out an email to families with further details on this.
We have a Frequently Asked Questions page to provide guidance for students and families around the May 2021 examination session.  It will be updated as the IB provides more information.  You can submit questions through this form.
Image Source: Yellow Pencil Class Graduation Notebooks

Grade 12 Personal & Social Education

Picture
As teachers and students begin a new semester in an academic year full of many uncertainties, we can all reflect on our experiences of 2020 and realise that academics are certainly not the most important part of our lives. The relationships we form with others, our physical and mental health, our beliefs and our values - all of these contribute to our well-being and sense of self.  AISL's Personal and Social Education (PSE) curriculum aims to complement our academic program with lessons on a variety of important topics, including, for our older students, sessions on sexual education.  These sessions are led by Advisors, Counselors, or subject teachers, as appropriate.
Honoring the diversity of our community, we provide parents with the dates and topics in advance.  While the following lessons will be postponed if we are in Distance Learning, the current schedule for upcoming lessons is as follows:
Sexuality, Media, and the Arts (Florence Bouillot/Monica Murphy)
  • F-block March 5, G-block March 16
Personal and Shared Sexual Behaviour, Abstinence; Sex and Religion (Julie Baldry)
  • Both blocks: March 22
Sexuality and Society; Gender Roles & Diversity (Julie Baldry)
  • F-block April 1, G-block March 30
All parents can review the lesson topics in more detail in the PSE Parent Handbook. 
If any parents would prefer that their child not attend a PSE lesson, they are welcome to email attendance@aislusaka.org, to exempt their child from attending. Whether or not your child is attending a PSE lesson, we do encourage all families to discuss these important issues with your children at home.

Parent Information Sessions

We host three to six Parent Information Sessions each month to support our parents in understanding what their children are learning and how to support them at home.  
This week on Tuesday 23 February from 18.00 - 19.00, there was an MYP information session for parents new to the MYP. (Recording link here). This was a slightly modified session from the MYP teaching and learning information session held at the start of the year and is in response to so many new families joining us from other school systems. If you would like to meet with Ingrid Turner our MYP coordinator with further questions, please email her at iturner@aislusaka.org.
If you have ideas about Parent Information Sessions that you or others would like to attend, please let our Assistant Principal, Dr. Sheila Seiler, know by writing to her at sseiler@aislusaka.org.

Communications

We know that this can be a time filled with uncertainties, so please understand that our highest priority is the health and well-being of your children.  If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at rodum@aislusaka.org and sseiler@aislusaka.org.
Kind regards,
Dr. Rick Odum, Secondary Principal
Dr. Sheila Seiler, Secondary Assistant Principal

College News

Picture
​Elijah has received another acceptance recently. This is to study at New York University’s Shanghai Campus.
NYU Shanghai is China’s first Sino-US research university and the third degree-granting campus of the NYU Global Network. It was founded in 2012 by New York University and East China Normal University with the support of the city of Shanghai and the district of Pudong. NYU Shanghai seeks to cultivate globally-minded graduates through innovative teaching, world-class research, and a commitment to public service. 
NYU Shanghai’s student body currently consists of nearly 2,000 undergraduate and graduate students, half of whom are from China. Students from the United States and some 70 other countries represent the other half. Our faculty of renowned scholars, innovators, and educators are recruited from the world’s best research universities. 
All undergraduate students pursue a course of study that will equip them with the broad knowledge base and tools to become creative thinkers and active learners throughout their lives.
English is the language of instruction on campus, though international students are required to study and achieve proficiency in Mandarin Chinese. The university regularly fosters opportunities for cross-cultural communication and cooperation in the classroom and through diverse extracurricular activities.
NYU Shanghai expects undergraduate students to spend the first two years on core courses and to select an academic specialization for deeper study and research in their third and fourth years. Students may pursue 19 different majors in the arts and sciences, business and finance, engineering, data and computer science.
Over the course of their undergraduate studies, NYU Shanghai students are encouraged to spend up to two semesters studying in New York, Abu Dhabi or at one of NYU’s eleven study away centers in cities around the world. This is an integral part of the university’s mission to foster truly global citizens.

Picture
Upon graduation, students will have earned two diplomas: An NYU degree (the same degree granted at the New York and Abu Dhabi campuses) and a Chinese-accredited NYU Shanghai diploma. www.shanghai.nyu.edu
New York University Shanghai  Scholarship
In recognition of Elijah’s performance through the American High School Diploma and the International Baccalaureate Diploma, Elijah has been offered a generous scholarship to attend NYU Shanghai. This is worth 74% of the total cost of attendance, including room and board.


Comments are closed.
    COVID-19 Update
    Distance Learning
    Vertical Divider
    The Leopard's Tale is our main medium to keep our families informed on such things as the day to day happenings on campus, after school activities, summaries of any arts and sports events, helpful resources, and important dates and reminders. 

    Upcoming Events

    View Calendar
    Parent Portal

    Tuck shop

    Click on the 'Newrest' icon below to download the app and order from the menu:
    Picture

    News Feed

    Facebook 

    Useful Links

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    RSS Feed

Picture

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

Address

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

Quick Links

​Alumni​
​Apply Now
​After School Activities
Board of Directors
Calendar
​Commitment to Learning
​Creative Arts
​
​​Current Vacancies
Facilities Master Plan
Faculty & Staff
​​Library & Discovery Center
​Living in Zambia
Mission and Vision
​
​Parent Portal
​​
Parent Teacher Association
School Store
​Sports & Athletics
​Staff Portal
​Student Portal​​​
​
Student Services​
​Scholarship Program
Virtual Libraries
Working at AISL
Workshops at AISL
 Site Map       
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Calendar
    • Faculty
    • Working at AISL >
      • Living in Zambia
  • Learning
    • Primary School
    • Secondary School
    • Distance Learning Set-Up and Support
    • Library & Discovery Center
    • Creative Arts
    • Sports & Activities
    • Center for Advancing Learning
  • Admissions
  • Community
    • COVID-19 Information
    • Alumni
    • School Store
    • Awards Ceremonies
  • Parent Portal
  • Leopard's Tale