The International School

All International School classes performed on the Main Stage at the Gerding Theater at the Armory on December 14 in a fun, multilingual and multicultural winter celebration. Many thanks to the wonderful folks at the Gerding Theater and to photographers Jon Rhodes (contact Jon to photograph your events – JFRphoto@comcast.net) and Pete Wright (www.fifthandmain.com).

Dear Friends,
Well we have somehow spun and whirled our way to the last week before the holiday. This morning I witnessed two wonderful shows by the PreK- Grade 1 students, and we will be looking forward to the evening performance at the Gerding by grades 2-5.

Over the weekend at the Okains’ house, the parents hosted a lovely holiday party for the staff. Thanks to all of you who cooked for the party and were on hand, snappily dressed in black and white, to serve us in great style.

With the holidays right on the horizon, and the pressures of the American winter holiday mounting, it is a good time to remind ourselves to be kind and patient with each other: with teachers, with children and with our fellow parents in classes. And I have learned too often the hard way that email communications can be fraught with misunderstanding and mistaken tones. Especially with room parents who take on a great deal of responsibility for all of us, let’s be kind and helpful and remember that we need to stay informed ourselves through the many channels of communication the school offers. When in any doubt, let’s just call each other and touch base.

I will be flying out for China on Friday afternoon and returning to Portland on January 9. As some of you know, my father in law, with whom I shared a close relationship, passed away this fall and I wasn’t able to join my wife to attend the funeral because of the demands of a new job. I want to be on hand with the extended family for his 100 days ceremony on January 8. I don’t even like to miss a day of school for sickness, but this is something very important to me, and I hope you will understand. I will ask other people to take care of traffic in my absence. Maria will be at the helm. I have a US passport, so there should be no trouble in returning!

If somehow I do not see you in the coming days, I wish you a very peaceful holiday and thank you for joining me in a very fulfilling first term at TIS.

Alfonso
AOrsini@intlschool.org, 503-226-2496 x109

Please take a moment to look in our lost and found bins this week.  They are located in the Stearns Hall reception area and next to the gym in the main building.  All unclaimed items will be donated to charity over winter break.

• I posted 42 photos on Facebook in the album "Read in your Pajamas Day" http://bit.ly/85UTh1 #
• I posted 84 photos on Facebook in the album "2009 TIS Auction!" http://bit.ly/7uyRdI #

TIS parent Sara Shah is looking for some fellow parents to be her classmates!  A Beginning Spanish class is scheduled for Thurdays, Jan 14 – Mar. 18, 12:30 – 2:30 PM, $250 per person. The class is offered through an independent language school in downtown near Pioneer Courthouse Square.  Small class size, 3 – 8 people. There is a discount for registrations completed by Dec. 14th. For more information contact Sara at 503-830-3038 or swspdx@yahoo.com.

The English Department hosted the 4th annual Read in your Pajamas Day, when 1st through 5th graders, staff, parent, grandparent and special friends volunteers enjoy cozying up with books. Thank you for a great day!

From the theater’s web site: “The largest lot in Portland is within a block of the Gerding Theater. It’s a well-lit, security-patrolled underground garage that houses 1,300 parking spaces and is the size of two city blocks. There are two entrances to this lot on NW 12th and on NW 13th Avenues, and elevators take you into the M Financial Building lobby directly across from the Armory on NW 11th Avenue or into Whole Foods on the corner of Couch and NW 12th.”

Thank you, SM!

Dear Friends,

Having talked further with Board members and parents and teachers who attended the meeting with the IB visitors, all agreed that the meetings were very positive and informative. We are happy now to have completed the visit so we can again re-focus on implementation.

A couple of reminders about the start and end of the day.
Please park efficiently not leaving too much room between you and the next car so that spaces can be maximized.
When you pick up students from the gym please be patient and make sure the assistants on duty have time to sign each child out. This is extremely important for security.
When dropping off little ones at the Main Building, please be sure to see them to the classroom. A boy who was left at the door this morning was found confused and upset.
Especially for grades K-5, bring students to classrooms no later than 8:10 please. 8:15 is the official start of the day.
On another note with the cold weather be sure to dress students warmly (I am buying a hat this afternoon) and when your children come in from the cold, be sure that they do not unknowingly scald their hands with very hot water, as one parent reported happening to his daughter this weekend.

Don’t forget to mark your calendars for the Winter Holiday show next Monday, December 14th (see below).

Stay warm and take good care,
Alfonso, AOrsini@intlschool.org, 503-226-2496 x109

Monday, December 14 is right around the corner and the children are working hard to get ready!

ALL TIS students who are performing in a show will sit in designated seats at the back of the theater with their teacher. Please do not try to have students sit with family members before or after their class performs.

Kinder & 1st graders and families
Please arrive by 9:15am. Doors will open at 9:15, performance will start on-time at 9:30am.
Some Streetcar times from Harrison Street to the corner of 10th & Couch:
depart  8:27am – arrive 8:42am, depart 8:55am – arrive 9:10am

Prek & LowK students and families
Please arrive by 10:30am. Doors will open at 10:30am, performance will start on-time at 10:45am.
Some Streetcar times from Harrison Street to the corner of 10th & Couch:
depart 9:37am – arrive 9:52am, depart 9:51am – arrive 10:06am

2nd-5th graders and families
Please arrive by 6:15pm. Doors will open at 6:15pm, performance will start on-time at 6:30pm.
Some Streetcar times from Harrison Street to the corner of 10th & Couch:
depart 5:39pm – arrive 5:54pm, depart 5:52pm – arrive 6:07pm

Gerding Theater at the Armory
128 NW Eleventh Avenue, Portland, OR 97209, Theater phone: 503.445.3700

Getting there
The theater is within Trimet Fareless Square, so there is no charge to take the Streetcar. The Streetcar trip is approx. 20 minutes and it stops right near the theater. Check Trimet.org for more details. There is also on-street parking and a pay parking lot nearby or you can park anywhere along the streetcar line and take the Streetcar in.
There are Streetcars leaving the theater toward school at 10:32am, 10:46am, 11:52am, 12:04am, 8:13pm, and 8:30pm.

Ellen Savaria, Receptionist, ESavaria@intlschool.org, 503-226-2496 x0
Linda Bonder, Marketing & Communications Director, LBonder@intlschool.org, 503-226-2496 x014