Week 2 - Open for Business, Open Communication, and Open House

Hi, it’s Charles Nolan here after Week 2 at your American International School.

Thanks to all the Parent Volunteers last week, it seems that we will have the Canteen open for business, a minimum 4 days/week this year. Now all we need is another 4 volunteers and we can make the 5 day mark. And I promise to donate my cappuccino machine to PVG once we make the 5 day canteen success level. The PVG makes such a difference to the life of students (and staff). It’s such a great part of the family atmosphere that makes American International School such a personal and individual place for all our community. We will receive the new “AIS Café” banner for the outside wall on Saturday. Give it that French patisserie look perhaps – at minimum giving the entrance a professional lift that mirrors the commitment of our PVG volunteers.

New banners and signs are going up around the school, with “Little House” Pre-School getting the first – because it was the easiest to install. Tom and I spent Saturday registering the School vehicle, plus picking up and installing the banner at pre-School. What a brilliant weekend for enjoying the “Little House - Among the Trees” – it was such a pleasure to be outside and enjoying the Indian Summer ourselves. We have a further 3 banners and signs to put up on the Lincoln (Elementary), Jefferson and Washington buildings. Going to take a few ladders and a “little” more effort to get them up onto those buildings….It’s all part of the maintenance program aimed at imparting a unified look to the school, whilst sensibly integrating the heritage aspects with the modern components.

The search for a new Principal continues with no successful candidates from the first round. Plenty of talent and potential however, in the end they did not meet our selection criteria for one reason or another. Some good candidates pulled out because of family illness which we can fully understand, being expatriates ourselves. We are very happy to be supported in this process by the extensive Human Resources expertise from within our own Board of Governors, Chairman Mr Nalin Miglani. We have defined criteria, and it is most important to get the right person for the job, rather than just the nearest applicant.

Our Council of International School (CIS) advisers have indicated that the latter part of the calendar year is the best time to advertise, during the period when most Principal candidates are looking for positions. Currently most potential candidates are on vacation with firm commitments to positions for this year. CIS advises that our accreditation (CIS and NEASC) process can continue whilst we undertake the replacement – in fact they said that 30% of schools change Principals during accreditation – it’s just part of the international and expatriate life cycle. Our own internal candidate, Dr. Joe Grube, showed tenacity, commitment and strength in his application for the position. Although Dr Joe Grube was unsuccessful in the final round, he was commended for his commitment to the school, and shows much potential for further development beyond his new role as Head of Middle School. Thank you Joe for your personal courage, commitment and support. The future still awaits.

The School continues under the Leadership team of our Heads of School – Ms. Sunday Ciastkowski (Elementary), Dr. Joe Grube (Middle School) and Ms. Mirka Taras (High School). Each week this year, you will see a school newsletter with an alternating message from the Heads, Upcoming Events listing, and a Classroom Update from one of your Grade Teachers. This triumvirate of Heads is doing an excellent job of staying on top of the issues as they occur, and displaying the real leadership direction and potential within your American International School Faculty team. Together with the Administration staff, we are seeing a unified approach across all the school aspects and activities, from top to bottom. It’s great to see the changes that this open and inclusive approach is bringing to daily life. This is in no short measure due to the personal efforts of the three Heads, and their involvement of the entire American International School faculty and administration team. Well done.

Open House gives you another opportunity this week on Thursday evening, to meet all the AIS team of faculty and Administration staff. It’s your chance to visit the classrooms, talk to the teachers, and ask any questions that you may have. This year we have streamlined the Open House to enable Parents to avail themselves of the opportunity without too much disruption to their own busy family schedules. Open House will begin at 6:30 PM and will complete by 8:00 PM to allow time for sensible return home on this mid-week night. Do take the opportunity to come together as a school community – all your American International School staff will be there to assist you with any enquiries that you may have. It’s a great start to the year, and child-minding will be available (plus we have installed the flood lights on the tennis court for the older children).

We look forward to the entire school year with an openness that we know will become another hallmark of your American International School. A school where you can “See the Difference” that an international education makes.

See you at “Open House” or around the community.

Regards,
Charles