Wednesday 14 March 2018

March meeting


Minutes of the Parents’ Council meeting of 5 March 2018
Grade
Type of Representative
Present at meeting 5 March 2018
1a
Parent
Evgenia Lynum

Deputy
Kyle Depew
x
1b
Parent
Gobind Singh Gill
x
Deputy
Birute Stankuniene

2a
Parent
Thilanka Madugodage

Deputy
Dmitry Ilinskiy

2b
Parent
Derya Ongen
x
Deputy
Birendra Kumar

3a
Parent
Philmar Middelthon

Deputy
---

3b
Parent
Thrasyvoulos Gryparis

Deputy
Anastasia Solomonova (Solomonova) Hole

4a
Parent
Kate Rushdy
x
Deputy
Tara Tinholt

4b
Parent
Jennifer Fagan

Head of PC
Anne Lise Kielland

Deputy
Tessa Howell

5
Parent
Mette Reitz
x
Deputy
Ragnhild Krøglid
x
6
Parent
Prashant Kanungo

Deputy
Heidi Robertson

Deputy
Frode Olsen

7
Parent
Cecilia Cantos
x

Deputy
Ramesh Babu
x
8
Parent
Andrew Langridge
x
Deputy
Elisabeth Olsen
x
9
Parent
Anne-Valérie Sickinghe
x
Deputy
Mark Williams
x

Principal
Robert Browne


Deputy Principal
Mark Cringle
x




















                                                  
.
Update from the Deputy Principal

Norwegian

AIS has been striving to improve its Norwegian tuition. The school has employed an extra Norwegian teacher in a 50% position, to support low level students in grade 2 and native speakers in grade 3. Norwegian is taught by native Norwegians. Math teacher Marita Fagerheim teaches mathematics in Norwegian. However, when supply teachers are needed for Norwegian lessons, the school prioritizes teachers who know the students over teachers who are native speakers.
In Norway, reading is highly valued, and the school has adopted the Norwegian SOL (“strukturert observasjon av lesning”) approach to teaching. AIS also collaborates with Norwegian schools, and participates in the national tests (“Nasjonale Prøver”). New Norwegian books are being acquired for the AIS library.
While acquiring Norwegian skills might not be a priority for all AIS families, AIS students need to be able to continue their education in a Norwegian “videregående skole” after grade 10. The school therefore teaches around twice as many hours as is required by the IB programme.
Not all parents are able to help their children with Norwegian homework, but children should be able to do their homework on their own.

Dyslexia
AIS has engaged in a collaboration with Dysleksi Norge. However, there are some ideological differences. While DN believes that dyslexics should not be pushed to read, the school believes that all students need to be challenged. Dyslexics are not necessarily the worst readers and writers in standardized tests, and not all difficulties with reading and writing are due to dyslexia. Asker Kommune has also been involved in the school’s effort to help dyslexic students.

General
The school will be sending out a newsletter to all parents, with information on what AIS is doing.

2.                  improving safety for students crossing the main road
Post-poned to next meeting

3.                  Student Ball (6 April 2018)
The Student Ball committee (parent representatives from grades 8 and 9) updated the PC members on their progress.
2 DJ’s (students from St. Hallvard videregående skole musikklinje) will play music, there will be a chocolate fountain, and there will be a photographer, photo booth, and props. The Student Council will help with advertising the event, finding a theme, and finding activities.
Financially, the objective will be to break even, not raise money for the PC. A 150,- kr. entry price has already be announced on save-the-date posters in the school.
Personal invitations will be sent to students in grades 6-9. Parents from grades 6-9 will be requested to donate food, and parents from grades 8 and 9 will be requested to volunteer during the event via class representatives.
Students will be able sign up on a list, and pay for their ticket via the PC’s Vipps account.

4.                  Disco Night (Friday 13 April 2018)
Save the dates will be sent out soon, a theme for the party will be decided this week.

5.                  Meeting with the Student Council
Kate Rushdy met the SC, and received a wish list.
-        A small cafeteria
-        More with AIS logos to buy (e.g. t-shirts, pencils,…)
-        Bringing back the hot dog sale
-        Equipment for outside, such as a roof to stand under in rainy weather, picnic tables and benches, spaces for eating
-        Racks and drying machines for boots
The SC representatives would return to their grades for more suggestions.

The proposals for a cafeteria and hot dog sale could be followed up. Students could run the cafeteria like a tuck shop, and use earnings for e.g. school trips.

Next meeting: 9 April 2018, 15:40 hrs.


Friday 2 March 2018

February Meeting

Minutes of the Parents’ Council meeting of 5 February 2018
Grade
Type of Representative

Present at meeting 5 February 2018
1a
Parent
Evgenia Lynum
X

Deputy
Kyle Depew
X
1b
Parent
Gobind Singh Gill
X

Deputy
Birute Stankuniene

2a
Parent
Thilanka Madugodage


Deputy
Dmitry Ilinskiy

2b
Parent
Derya Ongen
X

Deputy
Birendra Kumar
X
3a
Parent
Philmar Middelthon


Deputy
---

3b
Parent
Thrasyvoulos Gryparis


Deputy
Anastasia Solomonova (Solomonova) Hole

4a
Parent
Kate Rushdy


Deputy
Tara Tinholt
X
4b
Parent
Jennifer Fagan


Head of PC
Anne Lise Kielland
X

Deputy
Tessa Howell

5
Parent
Mette Reitz
X

Deputy
Ragnhild Krøglid
X
6
Parent
Prashant Kanungo


Deputy
Heidi Robertson


Deputy
Frode Olsen

7
Parent
Cecilia Cantos
X

Deputy
Ramesh Babu
X
8
Parent
Andrew Langridge
X

Deputy
Elisabeth Olsen
X
9
Parent
Anne-Valérie Sickinghe
X (minutes secretary)

Deputy
Mark Williams
X

School Principal
Robert Browne (RB)
X (during the student survey presentation and Principal’s information)

Deputy Principal
Mark Cringle
X (during the student survey presentation)

  1. The student survey (“Elevundersøkelsen”)
The deputy principal explained how students can understand the survey’s questions differently from parents,
education authorities, and school management. In addition, the context of students’ answers in surveys is
important. Survey results of one class in one year are therefore not directly comparable to results from other
classes, or results from previous years. Students can also skip questions that they do not want to answer.
Students have responded very differently to questions when staff have talked them through these questions,
and explained what the questions mean. Teachers discuss the interpretation of various terms with students,
and it is a problem when students are absent when terms are explained.


AIS takes bullying seriously, and as soon as students mention it, the principal is involved. The school has a
written policy about the parameters and definitions of bullying. AIS also has essential agreements, amongst
other things for expected behaviour in classrooms. Both teachers and students are held to these agreements.
Parents are encouraged to address teachers directly with concerns, and to notify the principal immediately
when significant episodes occur.


AIS carries out the survey in all the MYP classes every year.


2. General update from the Principal
Cleanliness of MYP toilets
Children have reported to parents that there is room for improvement. RB informed that the toilets are cleaned
every day at the end of the day. He has not received other complaints, but will look into the matter.


School premises
RB is waiting for a meeting time with Asker Kommune, to discuss possible location of classrooms.


Road safety, gritting and salting
A more pro-active effort is needed. The parent group has sent a “bekymringsmelding” (note of concern) to
Asker Kommune, but Drammensveien (the main road) is owned by Akershus Fylkeskommune. Many more
students cross the street here now. On behalf of the parent council, the parent council head will therefore
write to Statens Veivesen. Schools have no legal requirement to provide parking space, and Asker Kommune
could take away the parking space tomorrow. Parents are encouraged to join the school’s effort in taking
ownership of the gravelling.


3. Thermometer
The PC head has spoken to the school nurse. No school nurse in Akershus has a thermometer, and neither have
any of the schools in Akershus. AIS does not see the need for a thermometer at school. If some parents at AIS
do not agree with this, they may write a complaint to “Skolesjefen” and seek support there.


4. The Student Ball
Parents in grades 8 and 9 will organize the event, students in grades 6 to 9 will be invited. The date of the ball
has been post-poned to 6 April due to scheduling conflicts. Class representatives for grades 8 and 9 held a
separate planning meeting after the main PC meeting.


5. Disco night
Parents in grade 1a and 3b will organize the event, students in grades 1 to 5 will be invited. The date of the
party has been post-poned to 13 April due to scheduling conflicts (student council was held on the same day
as the original disco night date).

Test walk from Asker train station to the new AIS building and back - with a 9 year old

 Dear parents and caregivers,  Google maps suggests that it takes19 minutes to talk from Asker station to the school. That seemed like a lot...