I am excited to send out our second PTA Blog to the AISC community. I hope you all are enjoying this format. The great thing about using a blog to communicate is that we are able to continually update information, such as upcoming events, and allow instant access to that information without waiting for the next blog to be sent out. As long as you have the link to this page, up to date information is just a click away. If you have any suggestions for items you would like available on our blog, please contact us at pta@aisch.org.
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Volunteers needed to assist with housing of SAISA athletics
The SAISA athletics tournaments will be taking place over the weekend of October 5-7, with the swim meet at AISC. Housing for SAISA tournaments is an established tradition that lowers the costs for the travelling athletes but more importantly provides opportunities for AISC students to get to know students from other American international schools. This year AISC will need housing for about 130 swimmers from other schools. If you can help out, please let the Athletics Director, Mrs. Elizabeth Davenport, know as soon as possible.
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UN Day – 24 October 2012
This year for the first time, the flag procession will include all students with flags from the nations represented by AISC’s student body. The school is in the process of making sure that they have all the flags needed for the procession. AISC has records of the nationalities of all AISC families. Sometimes students see their cultural background as more significant than their nationality. For example, in the past AISC had a parent who was Lithuanian, but her children held U.S. passports. Thus AISC added the flag of Lithuania to the procession.
If your child might want to march with a flag other than their national group, or if you are unsure about whether AISC has accurate information on your family’s nationality (for dual passport holders, for example), ES and MS students can contact the department Assistants and HS students can inform their homeroom teachers of their preference. Please note the deadline: Friday, October 5.
Please find the link for the Minutes/Decisions from the last meetings on the right.
The next PTA UN Day meetings are scheduled on:
Thursday 4 October 2012 at 8.45am in the PTA office
Thursday 11 October 2012 at 8.45am in the PTA office
Thursday 18 October 2012 at 8.45am in the PTA office
Please check the Country Coordinator link on the right side of the page to make sure your country has a UN Day coordinator. If a country is not have a coordinator listed, then that country will not be represented by a display table during the UN Day Fair.
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Roots and Shoots
Roots and Shoots would really like families to make peace flags for our school's UN Day celebration this year.
White material for flags is available in the Elementary Reception and Main Reception. Flags can be painted or colored in marker... simple drawings or pictures and all home languages are welcome. We would really like to see families talk about peace at home and then share their ideas of peace on a flag to hang at school.
The deadline for completed flags is October 15. All flags can be returned to the reception areas when finished.
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Middle School Parent Coffee
The following topics will be discussed at the next MS Parent Coffee to be held on October 15th:
1. Heavy Backpacks – Discussion and update
2. Lunch Tables/Waiting lines/Microwaves – Are there enough?
MS Reps want to look at this issue as soon as possible so we can find solutions in the near term. So they are asking for volunteers to come to school during middle school lunch the week of October 8th - 12th, lunch times are as follows:
12:50 Monday, Wednesday, Friday
12:35 Tuesday and Thursdays
You will need to be there for approximately 20 minutes to see how the flow of the line is, to watch and see if there are enough tables available for all students, and to see that there are enough microwave ovens for use so it doesn't slow the kids lunch up too much.
MS Reps want to look at this issue as soon as possible so we can find solutions in the near term. So they are asking for volunteers to come to school during middle school lunch the week of October 8th - 12th, lunch times are as follows:
12:50 Monday, Wednesday, Friday
12:35 Tuesday and Thursdays
You will need to be there for approximately 20 minutes to see how the flow of the line is, to watch and see if there are enough tables available for all students, and to see that there are enough microwave ovens for use so it doesn't slow the kids lunch up too much.
If you can help please email:Betsy Elad betsyelad@googlemail.com and let her know if you can volunteer your time for 1 day, 2 days, or more that week. This way they can come back to the meeting on the 15th of October with solutions and feedback to help put this issue behind us.
3. Community Service - discuss ways in which we can involve the MS children in community service and expose them to charities that will benefit from the Charity Fair.
4. How to help our children with time management issues
Please check out the link on the right for the time and location of this meeting and many others.
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Offer for AISC PTA community members only!
Transform a daily routine into a passion.
Cooking can be a lot more than just preparing daily meals.
For AISC PTA community members only, Hilton Chennai offers cooking classes in the kitchen with Executive Chef Daniel Leah and his team. The participants can enroll for one or more of the four available one hour sessions starting at 12:30pm followed by lunch and soft drinks at Vasco’s, the award winning global cuisine restaurant, for INR 2150 (incl. taxes):
Master Class in cooking of a fish dish
Preparation of an Indian specialty dish
Basic preparation of Sushi and Sashimi
Pastry cooking class
Please contact PTA President Nathalie Brantsma at pta@aisch.org if you are interested in any of the above classes. Each class requires a minimum of 12 and can have a maximum of 20 participants.
Happy cooking!
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Hotel discounts for AISC community
Hyatt Regency Chennai
We are pleased to extend a 20% discount on food and beverage, while you choose to dine at any of our signature restaurants, lounge, bar and at our delicatessen shop Biscotti (non retail only).
This special offer is available for all faculty, students and their families and is valid from today onwards.
Hyatt Regency Chennai offers an eclectic selection of food and beverage destinations, to suite diverse palates. You may choose from –
Spice Market – the buffet restaurant encompassing the Indian comfort food landscape, including the Sunday brunch.
Lobby Lounge - the spectacular 24-hour lounge.
Stix - Chinese cuisine from the Sichuan region, inspired by the south-east Asian hawker stand.
Focaccia –offering chef crafted authentic Italian cuisine.
365 AS - Bar
Biscotti, the Pastry Shop – the delicatessen.
GRT Radisson Group
The Radisson Group is extending a 10% discount upon showing our school's ID card.
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Things to do in Chennai (These are not AISC sponsored events.)
Translators and volunteers needed for the World Crafts Summit, 7-10 October
The World Crafts Council (‘WCC’, www.worldcraftscouncil.org) organizes a World Crafts Summit ‘Kaivalam – The Future is Handmade’ in Chennai from October 7-10, 2012. Many members from overseas will visit the seminar, including Living Legends (master craftsmen) who would be interacting with the other craftsmen and craft enthusiasts. WCC would like to have translators - Spanish, Korean, and French, to help enable free flow of ideas. They would also like helping hands to assist the Living Legends. If you are a translator and are interested to volunteer, then please contact Nathalie Brantsma at family_brantsma@hotmail.com.
Click this link to view e-invite and information: e-invite All events, except for the seminars, are open for the public and the World Crafts Council would certainly love to have people visiting the open events.
The Craft of Reading
Beautiful India Expatriate Photo Competition
Theatre
“Indian Stage” has a production playing at the Museum Theatre on Saturday, October 6 at 3:30 pm and 7:30 pm. Information about “The Long Way Home” can be found at http://www.indianstage.in/EventDetails.do?eventId=3303. Not age appropriate for children under the age of 16.
