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Greetings Friends,
Where did this thing called March come from? The days are flying past, but they should return to something less than time lapse now that our dearly missed colleague, Maria Abad, has returned from Ecuador. Welcome back, Maria!
Today in School Council meeting, I addressed my young colleagues in leadership and urged them to get moving on the Chile relief project. They should all be writing to you shortly via the classroom email group. Remember, the students’ donations needn’t be large, but the students should earn their donations. NO COINS please.
A couple of parents have pointed out to me that Friday elective classes have been unduly decreased by our Fridays off. During the remainder of the year, we will be recovering some of those Fridays by following a Friday schedule on some Mondays, Tuesdays or other days of the week. (Watch for announcements.) On next year’s calendar we will split more Professional Development days and report card days to Mondays and we will put on the calendar in advance some Friday and Monday recovery days sprinkled throughout the weeks, too.
My sense is that parent teacher conferences went quite well last Friday. However, the specialist teachers are either on the verge of being inundated with appointments or already there. We will have to either add appointment times or limit appointments somehow. We will work on this in a meeting next week.
Achieve, the company who works on our database and report cards, has fixed the grade reporting system and Lauren has fixed erroneous specialist grades on report cards. If you need a reprint, Lauren is happy to oblige.
And speaking of report cards, please take a few minutes to fill out the annual evaluation of us and our school. Your feedback helps light our way forward. Please go to www.intlschool.org/survey.
It seems as though we got a reprieve on the previous forecast of hail for today, but it still promises to be chillier in the remainder of this week. Please be sure that students dress accordingly.
Jennifer Zhu writes that our students have arrived at school in Suzhou, China and are enthusiastically immersed in the experience. I expect to hear from our friends in sunny Mexico….mañana.
Reminder that the PTO meeting will be this Wednesday evening at 6:30 pm and we will look at some information about our budget, as well as other items of interest.
Finally, an image for your week from the beatific Brazilian, Joabim:
And the river bank talks
Of the waters of March
It’s the end of all pain
It’s the joy in your heart
Alfonso
(This is not in the pink Parent Handbook calendar since we didn’t know the date when that was published)
Latino Festival is coming! Friday, April 30 from 9:30 to 11:00am at the Gerding Theater at the Armory in Portland’s Pearl district.
- All Spanish Track students will need to be in the downstairs student waiting area by 9:10am. Please plan for this like you would for any Streetcar-accessible field trip.
- Chinese and Japanese Track students in grades 2-5 are invited to the performance at the theater. Please plan for this like you would for any Streetcar-accessible field trip.
- Chinese and Japanese Track students in PK, LK, K & 1st are invited to the dry run performance earlier that week (PK dry run will be in the PK building. The others will be in the gym.)
Questions? Please ask your child’s teacher or Ellen Savaria, EllenS@intlschool.org, 503-226-2496 x250
Shanghai was the first stop, then on to Blue Tassel School in Suzhou, China. Find out how our fifth grade Chinese class fared on their first day in China!
“Today was Welcoming Day at Blue Tassel School in Suzhou, China! The Chinese track 5th-grade students arrived at BT School and met their pen-pals, gave a presentation to their Chinese counterparts about Life in the USA, settled into their dormitories, and went to class…. We wonder—will they be warm enough? Will they feel homesick? Will they be able to understand the Chinese teachers? Will they have a great time?” – Chinese track Parent
From Merida, Mexico – Day One’s meet and exchange with host families went well. TIS Parents on the trip are now exploring Merida. Find out what they’ve seen so far.
ALL current TIS parents: Evaluate the school, your teachers, your principal, headmaster and all the staff! This year it’s more of an evaluation of the school – and we’re doing it early to allow for course corrections as necessary during this school year. It should take 10-20 minutes depending how many TIS Kids you have.
Please – tell us what you think at www.intlschool.org/survey! THANK YOU!
Click on this attachment for more details!
“Get a beautiful new look that benefits an even more beautiful cause!”
As many of you know, 8 year-old Stella Monteverde-Cakebread, a former student at The International School, has been diagnosed with Leukemia in February 2010. Stella has a great support network, including many current TIS families. This group is starting several fundraising events to help Stella’s family cope with the costs of her medical treatment.
A special Stella Cut-A-Thon on March 21, (Sunday) will be one of the fundraisers. Schedule your cut or color at any of the participating salons in Portland and Seattle and 100% of the proceeds from your salon service will benefit Stella and her family. Check out the Participating Salons in Portland.
For more information about Stella and other ways to help, go to www.rockstarstella.com
Very special thanks to TIS Librarian Tamara Fornell for hosting a great campus-wide party for Dr. Seuss! Many thanks also to all the parent volunteers who cut cake and “tested” children on their Dr Seuss rhymes. The cake, striped hats, birthday smiles, Red Fish Blue Fish and Green Eggs and Ham were plentiful in all areas of campus!
Dear Friends,
First and foremost, I am sure all of our thoughts are with the people of Chile in this very difficult time. I learned from our Chilean staff members Pilar, Gloria, and Judith this morning that their families were not affected, which is some personal consolation when so many others were so deeply affected. I imagine that in today’s school council meeting, the Chilean earthquake and what we can do to help will be a topic of conversation.
I also want to extend a warm welcome home to Major Jerald Block,M.D., father of two of our TIS students. Jerald has just returned from a tour in Iraq. Welcome back Jerald and we are grateful for the support you have given to so many others. Through his work in counseling soldiers, Jerald has seen first hand the consolation that a letter from home can bring. If you or your child would be interested in writing to a soldier, information has been given to the three receptionists.
Today you will be receiving an email communication from me about tuition and budget for next year, as well as an email communication from Board Chair Michelle Kerin regarding the Custom House. At the PTO meeting on Wednesday March 10, I will be on hand with board finance committee members to answer questions about budget, tuition and anything else people would like to know. Mark your calendars. Please read both of these letters carefully and completely. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to call or email me. Within the next week you will also receive from Jan and Linda a packet with information on the curriculum of your child’s next grade at TIS.
We have also just opened our annual parent survey. This crucial survey will include evaluations of me, of admin staff, of homeroom and other teachers, and of various aspects of the school. PLEASE TAKE 10 MINUTES TO FILL THIS OUT at www.intlschool.org/survey. This year our goal is 100% participation in the survey. Do not be afraid of hurting our feelings (unless you make comments about thinning hair!). Constructive, honest comments can only help us.
Congratulations to TIS students Ian, Spencer, Sumner, Zane, Cy, and Mackenzie, whose team, the Toros, were successful in the championship game of the MJCC soccer league this past Saturday.
Our Chinese and Spanish Capstone trips head out later this week, and we wish them a wonderful journey. We are confident that they will be great TIS ambassadors to the big world. You can follow their journey on the Capstone blogs that will start next week.
One little girl, smiling knowingly, said to me this morning. “Tomorrow’s your birthday!” After a moment to understand, I replied “No, sweetheart, that’s Doctor Seuss. I am Doctor Orsini.” So happy birthday, Dr. Seuss, and, dare I say it, happy birth of Spring.
Alfonso
AOrsini@intlschool.org, 503-226-2496 x109
If you are enrolling a new child at TIS next year, please be sure to submit an application by March 1st so we can guarantee a spot for him or her. You can find applications at www.intlschool.org/admissions/application-form/ , or you can stop by any of the receptionists to pick up a paper copy. We will automatically mail enrollment paperwork for all current students, so we only need an application for a child new to the school next year. Thanks,
Jan Williams, Director of Admissions, jwilliams@intlschool.org, 503-226-249 ext. 209
Please join us at the next PTO meeting, Wednesday March 10th at 6:30 in the gym.
Agenda
6:30 – 6:45 Committee Updates
6:45 – 7:00 PTO Update and Upcoming Officer Elections
7:00 – 7:05 Parking/Driving Etiquette
7:05 – 7:35 Dr. Orsini “Show Me the Money” (explanation of the school budget for ‘09-’10)
7:35 – 8:00 New Business
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Childcare during PTO meetings is offered for any current TIS student.
If you would like childcare during the PTO meeting on Wednesday, March 10 – please RSVP by this Friday, March 5 to Jessica Duke at jessica@urbatsch.com with your name and number of children needing care. Please RSVP for childcare whether or not your children will be doing TrackTales.
The library will be offering TrackTales storytime during the meeting: Registered students will be escorted to the Library Media Center at 6:40 pm and returned to childcare after storytime at about 7:20 pm. Preregister by emailing Librarian Tamara Fornell at library@intlschool.org. Drop-ins are welcome, but preregistration is helpful so we know how many students to expect.
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If you have not already signed up for parent-teacher conferences on-line, please check your inbox from last week for an e-mail from your teacher with the link. If you would like to meet with one of your child’s specialist teachers and are unable to get a slot, please contact that teacher directly to arrange an appointment. The specialists see so many students that it can be difficult for them to fit everyone in. If you have questions about the sign-up or did not receive a link, please contact me as soon as possible.
Childcare will be provided for your TIS students while you are in teacher conferences, Friday March 5 & Tuesday March 9. Childcare will be in Room 25 in Stearns Hall (last classroom near the music room at the end of the hall) for all students on both conference days. Please arrive early to allow extra time to get your child to the room and settled.
Jhoanna Co, Administrative Assistant, JCo@intlschool.org, 503-226-2496 x103
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What is your favorite Dr. Seuss book? The Cat in the Hat? Horton Hears A Who? The Lorax? Dr. Seuss books are adored by young and old alike. On March 2 readers will come together all across the country to celebrate the birthday of Theodor Seuss Geisel.
Please join us in the TIS library during lunch for a slice of birthday cake. Students, parents and staff may pop in to the library or Stearns Hall on Tuesday March 2 between 11:45am-1:00 pm to recite a favorite passage (4 lines, please!) from a Dr. Seuss book in exchange for a slice of cake, stickers, bookmarks and more. Special arrangements have been made with prek teachers to hold an event at the Arthur Street building as well. Parents of prek students should check with your child’s teacher for more information. Visit Seussville here. (www.seussville.com). See you on March 2. Tamara Fornell, Librarian, library@intlschool.org, 503-226-2496 ext. 102 |
With wine and hope, anything is possible.
- Spanish Proverb
We hope you will join us as The International School Wine Tasting on May 1 at 7pm. All proceeds benefit the TIS Library Media Center.
To learn more, go to www.intlschool.org/wine or look for the Save the Date postcard in your mailboxes this week.
To purchase tickets at the discounted price of $35 per person, go to www.intlschool.org/wine.
If you have questions, please contact event chair Susan Marcus at wine@intlschool.org.
TIS Summer Camp is a great way for children to keep building their fluency or to try a new language with all the fun of summer. This year campers in all language tracks will explore unique animals from Japan, China and the Americas while learning or improving their Chinese, Japanese or Spanish. And campers entering grades 1-5 will get swim lessons twice each week!
- You can bring a friend from outside TIS since any fluency level is welcome in Yellow Preschool/Kindergarten Camp and in Blue Standard Camp (grades 1-4).
- For campers in grades 2-5 who can read, write and speak the chosen language (TIS students!), we have Green Advanced Language Camp – a slightly more academic camp with all the same fun activities.
Check out www.intlschool.org/summer for all the details!
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