HS Flash
- April 14, 2021
- March 31, 2021
- March 24, 2021
- March 17, 2021
- March 10, 2021
- March 3, 2021
- February 24, 2021
April 14, 2021
HS Flash
From: Matthew Groves, Senior Associate HS Principal
🏫 Learning this week
We continue to celebrate having all students in HS back on campus.
Teachers and students are creating additional positive learning experiences as they are all together in classes. Here are a few photos from this week.
The first is from a grade 11 IBDP Economics course as they learn about the interplay between costs of production and revenues.
The second photo shows the updated senior flexible learning space. It is great to have this space available for students as they prepare for the upcoming IBDP exams in several weeks time.
📊 Progress Reports
April 29
With the quarter coming to a close just before April break we will share progress reports with families on April 29 via email.
Please remember you can always follow your child’s progress in JumpRope (grades 9-10) and NetClassroom (grades 11-12).
Open JumpRope Open NetClassroom
🧑💻 Community Connections
April 20, 14:00 & April 22, 14:00
April 20, 14:00
We invite grade 12 parents to join us as we discuss what parents can do to help support their child during IBDP exams, information about graduation and what to expect in the college application process when IBDP results are released in early July.
Please use this link to join
April 22, 14:00
Recently we began conversations with grade 10 students about course selection for grade 11 and the IBDP program. We would like to continue this discussion with grade 10 parents, in order for you to learn more about the IBDP, the courses we offer, and what factors are important for you to consider as a family when making course selections.
Please use this link to join
Reminder: The 14 Day Campus Exclusion for International Travel remains in effect as it has since the beginning of this school year.
Counselors
The HS Counselors met with Grade 12 early this week to discuss the topic of Academic Integrity and the role it plays beyond HS.
This comes on the heels on another presentation that we had just before break where Grade 12 students heard from our university reps from Boston University and the University of Amsterdam about IB scores and how universities view them, thoughts about schools opening in the fall and more.
With two more weeks left of classes, things are getting very real for the seniors, and we are working hard to support them in many ways. Next week there will be a session for Grade 12 parents – we encourage you to attend to learn more about upcoming events but also to get some tips and hints about how you can best support your child at this challenging time of transition.
☕️ Counselor Coffees
Counselor Coffee Recordings are located on the AAS University Counseling page of our website along with lots of other information including scholarships and summer programs.
Visit AAS University Counseling page
🥃 Free Webinar
April 23
How to talk with teens transitioning to college about alcohol and other drug prevention - April 23
📰 Article(s) of the week
Being at your best as a parent is the best way to support your children.
Recent studies on the Power of Awe show significant positive impact of wellbeing and life satisfaction. To learn more about scheduling time to Feel the Power of Awe check out the link below.
check out the podcast
College Acceptance Rates Low After Receiving More Applications Than Usual - March 31
Read the article here
IB Office
Sean Sonderman | sean.sonderman@aas.ru
🌱 May Exams are in sight
Our grade 12s are happy to have Mock exams and most of the curriculum in their various classes in the rear-view mirror.
Most of the heavy lifting is done and it’s time for revision. Three full school weeks and April Break are all that separate the seniors from their IB Exams. So, now is the time to wrap up CAS and any remaining course requirements, and of course revise. Students should be developing daily study schedules and applying the study techniques that we worked on before mocks.
🏛 Extension of classes for Grade 12s
April 26 & 27, April 28 & 29
Traditionally, the week that May Exams start is set aside as a study week for seniors to prepare. However, we recognize the loss of class time due to COVID-19 is a concern. So, we are extending the last week of classes. Regular classes will run on April 26 & 27, with the 28th and 29th set aside for optional student check-ins with their teachers.
Exams begin on April 29th in the afternoon with the Russian B students.
📖 Oxford Study Courses
OSC courses are underway, starting this past Monday.
Students are enrolled in Physics, History, Biology, Psychology, and Economics courses. Most run through this week with some Econ courses running next week.
🏫 Results to universities
The IB Coordinator’s Office sent out a Google Form for grade 12s to enter the university(ies) where they want their IB Results automatically sent in July.
Students can select up to 6 universities, but only 3 in Canada and the US (only 1 US school can be selected). Please make certain that the full, correct university/college name is supplied. Otherwise, your results may go to the wrong university.
✍️ Grade 11 Extended Essay
First 1,000-word drafts completed!
I’m pleased to report that all but of our 75 IB Diploma Candidates turned in the first 1000 words of their Extended Essays for last week’s deadline. This is a crucial step as the submissions represent the first work that Supervisors can review and provide feedback. The next deadline is the 3,000-word deadline of May 13. This will represent a nearly completed essay. It is very important that students continue their early momentum as late April and May will be packed with deadlines for Internal Assessments, regular assessments, TOK Exhibitions, and final exam preparations.
📜 Grade 10 Course Options Assemblies
Mr. Sonderman met with grade 10 students on Monday and Tuesday to introduce the grade 11 course offerings and pathways.
As part of the presentation on Tuesday, grade 11 students shared their advice and experiences with the rising grade 11s. During April, Heads of the various departments will provide presentations about their respective course offerings. A parent presentation will follow after the April Break. Students will fill out course choices at the end of April.
⚡️ Grade 10 Course Options Parent Meeting
April 22, 14:00
Next week, on April 22 at 14:00, the High School will host a parent presentation to discuss the course options for students moving into grade 11 next year.
Mr. Sonderman and Mr. Groves will present and open the floor to questions. The presentation will be via Webex.
We hope to see you there.
March 31, 2021
HS Flash
From: Matthew Groves, Senior Associate HS Principal
🏫 Back on Campus!
This week we have all high school students back on campus for the first time in a year.
To celebrate, each student received an AAS Penguin Magnet on their locker, we decorated the hallways and the 12th grade “senior lounge” got a makeover. Student and faculty spirits have been high as we continue to strengthen our school culture through our bond as a community.
😷 COVID-19 Update
Yesterday, we had a positive covid case reported in the High School.
As a result, some students and teachers have been identified as close contacts. Families have been notified and students who are close contacts are required to learn from home and self-isolate through April 8. Students required to self-isolate will be allowed to participate live in their core classes.
🚦 Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences
Thank you for a successful Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences!
The partnership between student, parent and teacher is an integral part of education. Thank you for all of those who participated in these important conversations centered on the growth of your children.
📚 Used Book Sale Thursday and Friday
April 1 - April 2
Please encourage students to attend!
For 200 Rub students can choose up to 5 books to take home. The books will be in the MS hallway perpendicular to the hall of flags and students can peruse during lunch. Please bring exact change.
Reminder: The 14 Day Campus Exclusion for International Travel remains in effect as it has since the beginning of this school year.
Counselors
The HS Counselors met with Grade 9 early this week to discuss a tool in Maia Learning that helps students discern study strategies that best work for them – Learning and Productivity. Students will reflect on their current learning environment, complete a survey about learning preferences, review their results, and consider incorporating new strategies or updating their current study habits based on the results of the survey.
This is also a busy time for seniors who have applied to the US as many universities are releasing decisions between now and the end of April. Please know that we are here to support you and your children through all of the ups and downs of high school.
We wish you all the best over April Break!
☕️ Counselor Coffees
Thank you to all of the families that were able to attend our Counselor Coffees in March.
Counselor Coffee Recordings are located on the AAS University Counseling page of our website along with lots of other information including scholarships and summer programs.
Visit AAS University Counseling page
📰 Article(s) of the week
Though your teen may not ask for your help and guidance at this age, parents play a vital role in supporting their child throughout their high school career.
This article gives a few tips for managing the role of parent to a HS student.
IB Office
Sean Sonderman | sean.sonderman@aas.ru
🌱 May Exams are in sight
Our grade 12s are happy to have Mock exams and most of the curriculum in their various classes in the rear-view mirror.
Most of the heavy lifting is done and it’s time for revision. Three full school weeks and April Break are all that separate the seniors from their IB Exams. So, now is the time to wrap up CAS and any remaining course requirements, and of course revise. Students should be developing daily study schedules and applying the study techniques that we worked on before mocks.
🏛 Extension of classes for Grade 12s
April 26 & 27, April 28 & 29
Traditionally, the week that May Exams start is set aside as a study week for seniors to prepare. However, we recognize the loss of class time due to COVID-19 is a concern. So, we are extending the last week of classes. Regular classes will run on April 26 & 27, with the 28th and 29th set aside for optional student check-ins with their teachers.
Exams begin on April 29th in the afternoon with the Russian B students.
📖 Oxford Study Courses
We have been working for a couple of months to secure the Oxford Study Courses.
It hasn’t been easy as teacher availability has been difficult. As a result, OSC is unable to commit to courses during the April Break, but it appears that we will be able to secure some revision courses with OSC the following week. Details are to come as soon as we have the courses, teachers, and times agreed.
🏫 Results to universities
After April Break, the IB Coordinator’s Office will send out a Google Form for grade 12s to enter the university(ies) where they want their IB Results automatically sent in July.
Students can select up to 6 universities, but only 3 in Canada and the US (only 1 US school can be selected). Please make certain that the full, correct university/college name is supplied. Otherwise, your results may go to the wrong university.
✍️ Grade 11 Extended Essay
First 1,000-word drafts completed!
I’m pleased to report that all but of our 75 IB Diploma Candidates turned in the first 1000 words of their Extended Essays for last week’s deadline. This is a crucial step as the submissions represent the first work that Supervisors can review and provide feedback. The next deadline is the 3,000-word deadline of May 13. This will represent a nearly completed essay. It is very important that students continue their early momentum as late April and May will be packed with deadlines for Internal Assessments, regular assessments, TOK Exhibitions, and final exam preparations.
📜 Grade 10 Course Options Assemblies
Mr. Sonderman met with grade 10 students on Monday and Tuesday to introduce the grade 11 course offerings and pathways.
As part of the presentation on Tuesday, grade 11 students shared their advice and experiences with the rising grade 11s. During April, Heads of the various departments will provide presentations about their respective course offerings. A parent presentation will follow after the April Break. Students will fill out course choices at the end of April.
March 24, 2021
HS Flash
From: Matthew Groves, Senior Associate HS Principal
🚦 Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences
Sign-up by Thursday, March 25, 16:00
Friday, March 26, 8:00 - 16:00
The sign-up process for conferences is open, please use the link below to register for appointments with your child’s teacher.
The conference sign-up link will remain active until Thursday, March 25th at 16:00. If you aren’t able to find an open slot on the teacher’s schedule you can reach out to them over email to set up a time to meet outside of March 26th.
🏫 Modified Full On-Campus Learning
Grades 10 & 12 on Thursday, March 25
Grades 9 - 12 on Monday, March 29
We had a high school assembly on Tuesday for students focused on the return to Modified Full On-Campus Learning. Below are the slides from that presentation.
Please review them as a family.
Please also see Dr. Schuster’s email from Monday, March 15th to review the plan in greater depth.
See a picture from the North Cafeteria. Tables fit four students.
Reminder: The 14 Day Campus Exclusion for International Travel remains in effect as it has since the beginning of this school year.
Counselors
🏫 University Responses
HS Counselors met with Grade 12 early this week to discuss navigating university responses.
The university process is often an emotional one so it is important to acknowledge these feelings and then “pivot” and adjust plans accordingly. The HS Counselors are here each step of the way to help with this process and to offer their insights and guidance. Please feel free to reach out at any time.
☕️ Counselor Coffees
Thank you to all of the families that were able to attend our Counselor Coffees in March which focused on university planning.
We have placed the presentation and recordings on our AAS University Counseling page for your convenience. There is a great deal of information on this page that is relevant to all HS Students. It is a great goal to spend 15 minutes this week to review the site with your child – no matter their grade – to become more familiar with all that is available readily to you.
Counselor Coffee Recordings are located on the AAS University Counseling page of our website along with lots of other information including scholarships and summer programs.
Visit AAS University Counseling page
📰 Article(s) of the week
“The one word you need to know if you’ve been deferred or denied to university – PIVOT”
A great article that offers a bit of insight into constructive approaches to being denied admission.
IB Office
Sean Sonderman | sean.sonderman@aas.ru
📝 Mock Exams are over!
Congratulations to our Grade 12s on their completion of the Mock Exams.
Yet another major milestone has passed for the cohort. It was certainly a stressful week. However, it is over and it’s time to move on to revision in most courses. Grade 12s will receive their scores and important feedback in the coming days, if they haven’t already. This experience, while trying, will certainly help prepare the students for May IB Exams, which are right around the corner.
Exams start in 5.5 weeks!
✍️ Grade 11 Extended Essay
First 1,000-word drafts completed!
I’m pleased to report that all but of our 75 IB Diploma Candidates turned in the first 1000 words of their Extended Essays for last week’s deadline. This is a crucial step as the submissions represent the first work that Supervisors can review and provide feedback. The next deadline is the 3,000-word deadline of May 13. This will represent a nearly completed essay. It is very important that students continue their early momentum as late April and May will be packed with deadlines for Internal Assessments, regular assessments, TOK Exhibitions, and final exam preparations.
📜 Grade 10 IB Course Options
Mr. Sonderman will be meeting with Grade 10 students in assemblies Monday and Tuesday of next week to introduce the IB Program at AAS.
A parent event will be held in April. Please be talking to your grade 10 child about their options after next week's assemblies.
March 17, 2021
HS Flash
From: Matthew Groves, Senior Associate HS Principal
🚦 Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences
Sign-up by Thursday, March 25, 16:00
Friday, March 26, 8:00 - 16:00
The sign-up process for conferences is open, please use the link below to register for appointments with your child’s teacher.
The conference sign-up link will remain active until Thursday, March 25th at 16:00. If you aren’t able to find an open slot on the teacher’s schedule you can reach out to them over email to set up a time to meet outside of March 26th.
📘 Learning this Week
This photo is from a Physics I class earlier this week as they learned about measuring and calculating velocity and acceleration.
❗️ Learning Pathway
March 25 - March 29
We continue to prioritize the Learning Pathway that has been determined by the school for each class, grade level, or learning cohort. Currently that is our hybrid learning model. All students are expected to be on campus for in person learning when they are scheduled to. Some learning experiences will continue to only be available to those students while on campus and in person. We appreciate your collaboration so that we can provide the best learning environment for each student.
Beginning March 25th the HS will begin a transition to Modified Full On-campus learning. All students in grades 10 and 12 are expected to be on campus on March 25th.
On March 29th we look forward to welcoming all HS students, grades 9-12, to campus.
Please see Dr. Schuster’s email from Monday March 15th to review the plan in greater depth. In the coming week we will also have additional information posted on the website about this new learning model.
🌳 A Healthy and Safe Campus
It is great to see more and more students joining us on campus and carefully following our safety procedures.
-
If a family member or student receives a COVID test result, please send this to the AAS Health Office
-
Everyone should wash their hands regularly for at least 20 seconds
-
If your child is identified as a close contact, either from being on campus or at home, they should be PCR tested as soon as possible
-
This gives prompt identification of positive cases who may be asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic as these patients can still transmit the infection to others
-
This would help us identify further close contacts and help to minimize further spread
-
This allows AAS to continue to monitor any impact a positive case on our campus might have
-
-
Please follow our AAS COVID Response Flowchart
- You can see the number of COVID cases on campus by reviewing this chart
Please remember to accurately complete your child’s Daily Health Pass each morning before your child leaves for school.
Counselors
HS Counselors are here for you and your children as we transition to modified full on-campus learning over the next two weeks. Please reach out with any concerns - we are here to support you in any way we can. We will also be available on conference day - please feel free to schedule a time to meet with your child's HS Counselor.
This week the HS Counselors will meet with Grade 11 Students to discuss how to organize university research to best facilitate finding the right fit and aligning fit with eligibility. Next week, we will be meeting with Grade 12 students to discuss how to manage university acceptance decisions. The university application process has its ups and downs and helping students find ways to manage this can make this process more smooth.
Counselor Coffee Recordings are located on the AAS University Counseling page of our website along with lots of other information including scholarships and summer programs.
Visit AAS University Counseling page
📰 Article(s) of the week
FCD (Freedom for Chemical Dependency) recently published an article for parents on the protective factors of prosocial behaviors.
The article has practical ideas about how to promote these behaviors which allow your child to connect with others in a positive and empathic way and it also explains the importance of these behavior in developing close bonds with others. Feel free to take a few minutes to review the article and share your thoughts.
IB Office
Sean Sonderman | sean.sonderman@aas.ru
📝 Mock Exams are over!
Congratulations to our Grade 12s on their completion of the Mock Exams.
Yet another major milestone has passed for the cohort. It was certainly a stressful week. However, it is over and it’s time to move on to revision in most courses. Grade 12s will receive their scores and important feedback in the coming days, if they haven’t already. This experience, while trying, will certainly help prepare the students for May IB Exams, which are right around the corner.
Exams start in 6.5 weeks!
✍️ Grade 11 Extended Essay
First 1,000-word drafts completed!
I’m pleased to report that all but of our 75 IB Diploma Candidates turned in the first 1000 words of their Extended Essays for last week’s deadline. This is a crucial step as the submissions represent the first work that Supervisors can review and provide feedback. The next deadline is the 3,000-word deadline of May 13. This will represent a nearly completed essay. It is very important that students continue their early momentum as late April and May will be packed with deadlines for Internal Assessments, regular assessments, TOK Exhibitions, and final exam preparations.
March 10, 2021
HS Flash
From: Matthew Groves, Senior Associate HS Principal
🚦 Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences
Sign-up by Thursday, March 25, 16:00
Friday, March 26, 8:00 - 16:00
An important part of our school mission is to help students become self-directed in their learning.
The conferences are a key part of the conversation in facilitating open discussions about where they are in their learning right now and what their next steps are. To ensure that students are taking a leading role in their learning, it is important that they participate in the conferences and attend with you. As in the fall, conferences will be held in the teacher’s Webex classrooms.
Families can now begin signing up for conferences.
The conference sign-up link will remain active until Thursday, March 25th at 4pm. If you aren’t able to find an open slot on the teacher’s schedule you can reach out to them over email to set up a time to meet outside of March 26th.
📘 Learning this Week
This week marks the start of Mock Exams for grade 12 students, one of the last significant milestones before the start of the exams at the end of April.
We are very happy to be able to safely facilitate this learning experience for all seniors this week and next and wish them all the best. Students and teachers will use the feedback from this set of exams to help them identify areas of strength and areas in need of revision over the next seven weeks.
📚 Hybrid Learning
We continue to prioritize the Learning Pathway that has been determined by the school for each class, grade level, or learning cohort.
All students are expected to be on campus for in person learning when they are scheduled to. Some learning experiences will continue to only be available to those students while on campus and in person. We appreciate your collaboration so that we can provide the best learning environment for each student.
🌳 A Healthy and Safe Campus
It is great to see more and more students joining us on campus and carefully following our safety procedures.
-
If a family member or student receives a COVID test result, please send this to the AAS Health Office
-
Everyone should wash their hands regularly for at least 20 seconds
-
If your child is identified as a close contact, either from being on campus or at home, they should be PCR tested as soon as possible
-
This gives prompt identification of positive cases who may be asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic as these patients can still transmit the infection to others
-
This would help us identify further close contacts and help to minimize further spread
-
This allows AAS to continue to monitor any impact a positive case on our campus might have
-
-
Please follow our AAS COVID Response Flowchart
- You can see the number of COVID cases on campus by reviewing this chart
-
Please remember to accurately complete your child’s Daily Health Pass each morning before your child leaves for school
⌨️ Technology
If your child is having any access issues with school-related technology - Email, WebEx, or JumpRope - please contact distance.learning@aas.ru
Counselors
Next week the HS Counselors will hold a presentation for Grade 11 Students to discuss how to organize university research to best facilitate finding the right fit and aligning fit with eligibility. Fit refers to a match between a student and a university and/or program of study. It takes into consideration long-term goals, lifestyle, location, academic strength, personal interests, budgetary needs and more. Choosing 5-7 key components of fit that you and your child agree upon is a great way to focus your university research and aim for the best FIT for your child.
If you are the parent of a Grade 11 student and do not have a meeting yet scheduled with your child’s counselor please arrange one ASAP
Webex recording of the Counselor Coffee on the SAT/ACT is now available.
☕️ Upcoming Counselor Coffees
March 17, 11:00
Application Nuts and Bolts | March 17, 11:00
What are the steps that need to be taken to actually apply to university as an AAS high school student? What are the deadlines? What are the internal processes we use at AAS?
In this session we will shed light on what you need to know to help your child navigate the application ins and outs in the fall of Grade 12.
Join via Webex on March 17
📰 Article(s) of the week
On Monday we celebrated International Women’s Day — a day to remember the contributions of numerous women throughout history, but to also celebrate the small, daily contributions of the most important women in our lives.
Some staff also took the opportunity of our Professional Development day connected to this holiday to engage in Safe Spaces training, and we could ask ourselves, what does it mean to be a woman? Or a man? What is gender anyway? Teens have a very different concept of gender than people from older generations. Take a look at this article to gain a deeper understanding of gender identity now. The important outcome of education and reading articles like this, as well as engaging in the Safe Spaces training, is to make sure that all of our students feel like they are welcome and supported in our school community.
IB Office
Sean Sonderman | sean.sonderman@aas.ru
📝 Mock Exams
March 9 - March 15
Mock Exams began on Tuesday March 9 with all students in attendance!
Mocks run from March 9 - March 15. They are a good indicator of where our students stand in their march towards the May IB Exams. Mr. Sonderman met with Grade 12s before the February Break to discuss the Mock Exams and study skills in preparation. Now exams are underway and the grade 12s are putting their knowledge and skills to the test. The second semester will fly by for our Grade 12s, so please continue to support your child’s academic efforts over the coming months.
💙 Thanks to the PTO for supporting our seniors!
A big thanks goes out to our Parent-Teacher Organization for their support of our grade 12s during Mock Exams.
As always, a group of grade 12 parents supplies snacks and drinks to the students to help get them through the rigors of the week-plus of exams. We really appreciate your support.
✍️ Grade 11 Extended Essay
First 1,000 words due March 11 !
All grade 11 students should be well into the EE process now.
In order to get them off to a solid start we set up a week of classes dedicated to topic development and beginning research. This is a crucial period. If students can develop a narrow topic that has available research over the next week, the process runs far more smoothly. Please talk with your Grade 11 student about their topics. Again, topics should be very narrow in scope.
Mr. Sonderman serves as the EE Coordinator and kicked things off on January 15-16, followed by sessions on research and topic choice delivered by Librarian Kelsey Hedrick.
The first 1,000 words are due March 11!
March 3, 2021
HS Flash
From: Matthew Groves, Senior Associate HS Principal
🚦 Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences
Friday, March 26, 8:00 - 16:00
An important part of our school mission is to help students become self-directed in their learning.
The conferences are a key part of the conversation in facilitating open discussions about where they are in their learning right now and what their next steps are. To ensure that students are taking a leading role in their learning, it is important that they participate in the conferences and attend with you. We will be reminding the students directly of the importance of their role in the conversation about their learning.
Conferences will be held on Webex as we did in the fall, we anticipate the link for sign-ups will be available in next week’s Flash.
📚 Hybrid Learning
We continue to prioritize the Learning Pathway that has been determined by the school for each class, grade level, or learning cohort.
All students are expected to be on campus for in person learning when they are scheduled to. Some learning experiences will continue to only be available to those students while on campus and in person. We appreciate your collaboration so that we can provide the best learning environment for each student.
🌳 A Healthy and Safe Campus
It is great to see more and more students joining us on campus and carefully following our safety procedures.
-
If a family member or student receives a COVID test result, please send this to the AAS Health Office
-
Everyone should wash their hands regularly for at least 20 seconds
-
If your child is identified as a close contact, either from being on campus or at home, they should be PCR tested as soon as possible
-
This gives prompt identification of positive cases who may be asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic as these patients can still transmit the infection to others
-
This would help us identify further close contacts and help to minimize further spread
-
This allows AAS to continue to monitor any impact a positive case on our campus might have
-
-
Please follow our AAS COVID Response Flowchart
- You can see the number of COVID cases on campus by reviewing this chart
-
Please remember to accurately complete your child’s Daily Health Pass each morning before your child leaves for school
⌨️ Technology
If your child is having any access issues with school-related technology - Email, WebEx, or JumpRope - please contact distance.learning@aas.ru
Counselors
This week the HS Counselors held a presentation for Grade 11 Students to discuss what universities are looking for in applicants and next steps in the university process.
We stressed the importance of making a balanced university list that keeps in mind not only the university fit for the student, but also the eligibility of the student to gain admittance into that particular university. To guide students in making balanced lists, we are engaging in our first university meetings with Grade 11 students and parents to discuss university priorities, begin university research, and touch on application processes.
If you are the parent of a Grade 11 student and do not have a meeting yet scheduled with your child’s counselor please arrange one ASAP.
☕️ Upcoming Counselor Coffees
March 10 & March 17
Magic 10 - Creating a University List | March 10, 12:15
How do you create a university list? How many unis should you/your child apply to? How do you diversify this list?
These questions and more will be answered in this counselor coffee.
Application Nuts and Bolts | March 17, 11:00
What are the steps that need to be taken to actually apply to university as an AAS high school student? What are the deadlines? What are the internal processes we use at AAS?
In this session we will shed light on what you need to know to help your child navigate the application ins and outs in the fall of Grade 12.
Join via Webex on March 17
📰 Article(s) of the week
College admissions were not always as elaborate and research intensive and this article shares a timeline about the changes over the years. Though we can debate the pros and cons at each stage, the essence of college admissions is that much has changed and that a clear understanding of the process in each country, research on specific universities and preparation are all vital to navigating this process. Your child’s counselor is here to help and we have a timeline in place that helps students do this one step at a time.
See our university handbook to learn more about what you and your child can do at each grade in high school to move towards their university goals.
IB Office
Sean Sonderman | sean.sonderman@aas.ru
📝 Mock Exams
March 9 - March 15
Mock Exams begin next week.
Mocks will run from March 9 - March 15. They are a good indicator of where our students stand in their march towards the May IB Exams.
Mr. Sonderman met with Grade 12s before the February Break to discuss the Mock Exams and study skills in preparation. We met today to discuss the logistics and safety protocols for the exams.
The second semester will fly by for our Grade 12s, so please continue to support your child’s academic efforts over the coming months.
✍️ Grade 11 Extended Essay
First 1,000 words due March 11 !
Extended Essay subject areas and Supervisors were released four weeks ago. So all students should be well into the EE process now. In order to get them off to a solid start we set up a week of classes dedicated to topic development and beginning research. This is a crucial period. If students can develop a narrow topic that has available research over the next week, the process runs far more smoothly.
Please talk with your Grade 11 student about their topics. Again, topics should be very narrow in scope. Mr. Sonderman serves as the EE Coordinator and kicked things off on January 15-16, followed by sessions on research and topic choice delivered by Librarian Kelsey Hedrick.
The first 1,000 words are due March 11!
❗️ A Note to Parents Regarding Semester 2 in the IBDP
This semester Grade 11 students will lose one of their weekly Study Halls to begin the Theory of Knowledge course. They also have begun the Extended Essay, the 4,000-word research-based essay that is a requirement of the Diploma Program. What this means is less time and more work. This is the semester where the reality of the rigor of the IBDP starts for many students. You may notice that your child is facing more stress this semester.
At AAS, we attempt to control the flow of work and deadlines, however, at times periods of heavy workflow are an unavoidable component of the IBDP. The IB Coordinator and the Counsellors are here to support our students. Part of this process is making families aware of the gauntlet that faces their children over the next few months.
Mid-April through June will be the heaviest period of the IB.
Encourage your child to keep to deadlines and to get as much of the work on the EE done before mid-April.
February 24, 2021
HS Flash
From: Matthew Groves, Senior Associate HS Principal
🧑🏫 Learning This Week
In returning to school after break we started with two student-led assemblies.
The first, on Monday was focused on health and wellness, specifically around heart disease, how to reduce the risk of heart problems later in life, and how to learn more about being a first responder should they be in a situation where someone is experiencing a cardiac emergency.
The second presentation today focused on Black History Month, speaking about its evolution in the US and the current BLM movement around the world. The students also discussed the outsize and all too often unsung impact that black inventors and artists have on our world.
Here are a few images from the presentations over the last two days:
📚 Hybrid Learning
We continue to prioritize the Learning Pathway that has been determined by the school for each class, grade level, or learning cohort.
All students are expected to be on campus for in person learning when they are scheduled to. Some learning experiences will continue to only be available to those students while on campus and in person. We appreciate your collaboration so that we can provide the best learning environment for each student.
🌳 A Healthy and Safe Campus
It is great to see more and more students joining us on campus and carefully following our safety procedures.
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If a student travels internationally over February break they will have to wait two weeks from the date of their return to Russia before they can return to campus with their huddle
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If a family member or student receives a COVID test result, please send this to the AAS Health Office
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Everyone should wash their hands regularly for at least 20 seconds
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If your child is identified as a close contact, either from being on campus or at home, they should be PCR tested as soon as possible
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This gives prompt identification of positive cases who may be asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic as these patients can still transmit the infection to others
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This would help us identify further close contacts and help to minimize further spread
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This allows AAS to continue to monitor any impact a positive case on our campus might have
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Please follow our AAS COVID Response Flowchart
- You can see the number of COVID cases on campus by reviewing this chart
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Please remember to accurately complete your child’s Daily Health Pass each morning before your child leaves for school
⌨️ Technology
If your child is having any access issues with school-related technology - Email, WebEx, or JumpRope - please contact distance.learning@aas.ru
🍽 Cafeteria
Badge Only Payments
During Hybrid Learning, students may either bring a home lunch or purchase a lunch in the cafeteria. As the cafeteria will not be taking cash payments, please make sure your student’s badge has been loaded for any purchases they need to make. You can find more information on the Nutrition at AAS page.
Refilling your child’s cafeteria account virtually
To protect the safety of our community, cash payments will not be accepted by the cafeteria to refill student cafeteria accounts. The AAS Cafeteria launched an online prepayment service through which you can refill your child’s cafeteria account. Please find more details on the Nutrition at AAS webpage, or go directly to the AAS Cafeteria webpage to refill your child’s cafeteria account.
REFILL CAFETERIA ACCOUNT ONLINE
Counselors
📑 University Planning & Application Process
This week the HS Counselors held a presentation for Grade 11 Parents to introduce the start of the university planning and application process.
Watch the recording of the event
This year, we have made some changes to this process to include parental involvement in at least one university meeting. In this way, we can ensure that all family interests are considered in the process and that all parties understand the university application process and timelines. We anticipate that this will provide richer discussions and additional clarity on this important step of your child's life.
☕️ Upcoming Counselor Coffees
March 3 & March 10
SAT/ACT | March 3rd at 12:15PM
This counselor coffee will shed light on current testing scene and give valuable resources in preparing for the ACT.
A recording will be shared after the event and ALL AAS parents and students are welcome to join.
Join via Webex on March 3
Magic 10 - Creating a University List | March 10th at 12:15PM
How do you create a university list? How many unis should you/your child apply to? How do you diversify this list?
These questions and more will be answered in this counselor coffee.
📰 Article(s) of the week
We know the ups and downs of life this year and there has been much focus on how to help ourselves navigate challenges but have you ever thought of the power of helping others and how it improves life not only for others but ourselves.
Take a look at this interesting article on the "Power of Kindness" and feel free to share your ideas of how to incorporate this into family life.
IB Office
Sean Sonderman | sean.sonderman@aas.ru
📝 Mock Exams
March 9 - March 15
Mock Exams begin the week after next.
Mocks will run from March 9 - March 15. They are a good indicator of where our students stand in their march towards the May IB Exams. So, while much has been accomplished, now is not the time to lose focus.
The second semester will fly by for our Grade 12s, so please continue to support your child’s academic efforts over the coming months.
✍️ Grade 11 Extended Essay
First 1,000 words due March 11 !
Extended Essay subject areas and Supervisors were released four weeks ago. So all students should be well into the EE process now. In order to get them off to a solid start we set up a week of classes dedicated to topic development and beginning research. This is a crucial period. If students can develop a narrow topic that has available research over the next week, the process runs far more smoothly.
Please talk with your Grade 11 student about their topics. Again, topics should be very narrow in scope. Mr. Sonderman serves as the EE Coordinator and kicked things off on January 15-16, followed by sessions on research and topic choice delivered by Librarian Kelsey Hedrick.
The first 1,000 words are due March 11!
❗️ A Note to Parents Regarding Semester 2 in the IBDP
This semester Grade 11 students will lose one of their weekly Study Halls to begin the Theory of Knowledge course. They also have begun the Extended Essay, the 4,000-word research-based essay that is a requirement of the Diploma Program. What this means is less time and more work. This is the semester where the reality of the rigor of the IBDP starts for many students. You may notice that your child is facing more stress this semester.
At AAS, we attempt to control the flow of work and deadlines, however, at times periods of heavy workflow are an unavoidable component of the IBDP. The IB Coordinator and the Counsellors are here to support our students. Part of this process is making families aware of the gauntlet that faces their children over the next few months.
Mid-April through June will be the heaviest period of the IB.
Encourage your child to keep to deadlines and to get as much of the work on the EE done before mid-April.