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Volume19 March 27, 2009 Number 6

Director's Message

Welcome back!! I hope everyone had a restful spring holiday. We*ve heard a lot of the great holiday stories the students excitedly share with us when they return to school. We are off and rolling ahead in the fourth and final quarter of the school year.

The ERB (Educational Resource Bureau) Writing Assessment Program (WrAP) is being administered to our 3rd -8th grade students at AISF this week. The WrAP is a diagnostic tool that helps identify the strengths and weaknesses in our writing program. This test is marked externally in the US and the results posted in June. Students are tested at three levels:
Elementary (grades 3-4) Narrative writing;
Intermediate (grades 5-6) Informative/Descriptive writing;
Middle (grades 7-8) Expository writing.
The ERB Writing exam is administered Thursday and Friday of this week (April 30 and May 1, 2009) The Iowa test (test of basic skills) will be administered next week Monday May 4th * 7th 2009. Parents are asked to make sure students have breakfast, are well rested and are at school on time.
After School activities (Prek-8th grade)for the fourth quarter have started this week. Please make sure students are signed up for activities they are interested in. Some offerings this quarter: Creative writing, Frisbee, Yoga, crafts, basketball, minor games, performing arts, French and many more. Check out the full list and sign up fast!!! Check out the school website (www.aisfreetown.org) for more information.
The AISF Quilt and Art exhibition was a hit!! Ms. Mills and Mr. Conteh deserve great praise for organizing a great event for the school. Held on Saturday April 25, 2009 at Balmaya Restaurant, students Pre School * 7th grade presented their pieces at the gallery for AISF parents and friends. Congratulations to all the students for their creativity in producing a collection of great work in quilting and art. -This will hopefully be an annual event with more types of art added to the exhibition. Thanks to all parents and friends who came out to support our budding artists, as well as the staff and management of Balmaya.
Book month: is scheduled for May 2009. Ms. Harleston will be coordinating events for this month to celebrate reading at AISF. Our annual Author*s tea for pre-K thru 3rd grade will also be scheduled at the end of the month. Information will be sent out to parents next week regarding activities being planned. Parents are asked to encourage students to read more and have a selection of different types of reading at home i.e books, magazines, newspapers, encyclopedias etc,. Read aloud to your child (even older students love being read to). Have a daily open dialogue and discuss your favorite books and stories this month.
*So when was the last time you read a good book??? The more we model good reading habits, the easier it is to convince our children to read. We have a nice selection of books and magazines for parents and staff to check out of the school library so please take advantage and join our reading challenge this month!!
*We were fortunate to receive another donation of 10 used computers from the US embassy. We appreciate the efforts of Ms. Criss in coordinating the donation and delivery. We are in the process of preparing them for use and are hoping to have them all in operation by the end of May.
This has been helpful as we continue to expand our information service network throughout the school for students and staff.
Thanks to the Health education presentations were conducted by Paul Danga and Laura Kustaborder from the US Embassy health department. A lot of fun hands on activities were used to teach students kg * 7th grade about proper hand washing and also about DNA. This was a great enrichment activity for our school health program.
Our Annual General Association meeting is scheduled for May 19, 2009. In addition to the general school report, elections for any vacancies on the school board take place during this meeting. We will be sending out nomination letters for parents to nominate themselves or another parent to serve on the school board. We are urging parents to consider this opportunity, as it is a wonderful way for parents to serve the school community.
The PTO class representatives will send out a letter to parents as we decide on any final PTO events and projects to support for this school year. A letter will be sent out to parents with this information next week.
Parents are please asked to make sure that only persons identified on the pick up authorization form you signed are sent to pick up your child (this includes drivers or other parents). We are attaching a slip for you to add on any new persons you have that would be authorized to pick up your child. Anyone not on this list will not be allowed to pick up students. We appreciate everyone*s cooperation with this matter.
Our Pre school class just got busier. A warm welcome to our new preschoolers that have joined the AISF team this quarter:
Noah M'bayo in- Pre k 1
Marcus Gilpin in -Pre k 1
Talita Sassenberg -Pre k 2
Elia Sassenberg Pre k 1
We are really glad you*re here! We look forward to you learning and growing with us..and you can look forward to a great time with us here at AISF.
Thanks again to all Parents and Staff for helping us add something extra to our students educational experience at AISF everyday!!
Ndye Njie
Director, AISF

 

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IN

THIS
ISSUE

Director's Message



Art & Quilting
"AISF Art Show & Quilting Festival!"


"2nd & 3rd Graders Love Science!"


Preschool
"Take Care of Mother Earth"


Social Studies
"Writing, Creating and Build in Social Studies"


"AISF Art Show
&
Quilting Festival"

"Birthdays"