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).