Levisse Shines at State Meet for Eagles

Atlanta International School’s Hugo Levisse had the best performance of his career at the Georgia High School Association’s State Cross Country Championships on Nov. 7 in Carrollton. The freshman runner finished third in the Class 1A Private individual competition, finishing the race in 17:53. Levisse was the only freshman to finish in the top-10.

“Hugo is a mind mannered runner and I look forward to see what he will bring in the next three years to cross country,” AIS coach John McCuster said.  “Usually when you see a young runner in the top rankings, things only get better.  Hugo definitely processes a talent and is a natural athlete.”

Levisse continued to see his time and finishes improve throughout the season, including a sixth place finish at his region meet. He passed the biggest test of the year at the state meet at a difficult course made tougher due to rain and muddy conditions.

“The course wasn’t too bad but was difficult with some big hills,” Levisse said. “I ran the first mile as fast as I could and was in sixth place. I managed to pass some more runners towards the end of the race. My goal was to finish in the top-10. It was a good surprise for me.”

For his efforts, Levisse was named All-State.

Levisse has run cross country since the sixth grade. “I used to play soccer but tried cross country and liked it,” he said. “I tried both sports in seventh grade and didn’t run as well. Last year I focused only on cross country and got better results.”

Levisse has been happy with his decision. “Cross country is a different and its fun to go out there and compete with other people ,” he said. “I enjoy running races with my teammates and that becomes more enjoyable.”

Levisse will return to the athletic field this spring with the Eagles’ track team, running in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200-meter races along with the 4x400-meter relay.

Levisse lists math as his favorite class subject and plans to pursue a career in engineering.

Read more: Neighbor Newspapers - Levisse shines at state meet for Eagles

Download PDF version.

Helen Williams Earns All-State Honors

Atlanta International School’s Helen Williams had a standout cross country season for the Eagles. The junior finished second in the Class 1A Private girls’ event at the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) State Cross Country Championship in Carrollton on Nov. 7, posting a time of 19:24. 

“I was excited heading into the state meet,” Williams said. “I knew it would be a fun race because the course was wet and that took pressure off of me. I wanted to go out, compete and have a good time out of it. I ran the course before as a freshman but changed my tactics throughout the race.”

Williams also claimed a region title earlier this past season. For her efforts, Williams was named All-State and to the Atlanta Track Club’s All-Metro High School Cross Country team.

“It great to be on those teams after missing all of last season with an injury,” she said. 

“I’m glad to be back and missed the sport because I’m committed to it. I enjoy being with the team and building off of each other. I like pushing myself and seeing how far I can go.”

Williams competed at the Nike Cross Country Southeast Regional in Cary, N.C. on Nov. 28 in hopes to qualify for the Nike Cross Nationals on Nov. 5 in Portland, Ore. 

“Training has gone well and it would be exciting to go to nationals,” she said.

Williams will also run for the Eagles’ track team for the 2016 season, focusing on the 3,200-meter and 1,600-meter distances. “I enjoy both cross country and track because they’re completely different,” she said. “Running on a track gives you more speed and its easier to compare times because everyone experiences the same conditions. Each cross country course had different elements.”

Williams, who is fluent in Spanish, is a member of the Creativity, Action, Service (CAS) group at Atlanta International School named Aprendiendo Ingles Solido which tutors children in Spanish at St. Phillips Church in Atlanta. 

She lists chemistry and biology as her favorite class subject and looks to pursue a career in the medical field.

Read more: Neighbor Newspapers - Helen Williams earns All State honors

Download a PDF version.

Dear new families,

I am very happy to welcome you to the AIS community. I was new myself last year so I can empathize with the excitement and nerves of starting at a new school.

We are delighted and honored that you have chosen to enroll your child in the Primary School at AIS. I want to share some key aspects of our Primary School program. Hopefully, the following information will answer some of your burning questions.

I hope you have a fun, relaxing, rejuvenating summer break!

Sincerely,

Camille Du Aime
Head of Primary School

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Early Learning Center:

The 3K and 4K classes are in a purpose built building just across the street from the main campus. Maria Voutos, the Grade level Coordinator and Camille Du Aime, the Head of the Primary School are the administrators for the ELC and Anne Williams is the Administrative Assistant.

ELC Classes start at 8.30 a.m and end at 2.30 p.m.

Morning carpool: 7.40 a.m. to 8.20 a.m. Parents are welcome to park their car and walk their child in and stay with them for a few minutes until they feel settled.

Afternoon carpool: ELC walk-up is from 2:30pm to 2:50pm for students WITHOUT AIS siblings in older grades. For students WITH AIS siblings in older grades, ELC carpool is from 2:40pm until 3:00 pm.

Primary School (main campus):

Lower Primary School: The Lower Primary School (LPS) is led by the LPS Principal Lynda Sarelius and Camille Du Aime the Head of the Primary School. LPS includes students from 5K to Grade 2.

Upper Primary School: The Upper Primary School (UPS) is led by the UPS Principal Alain Poiraud and Camille Du Aime the Head of the Primary School. UPS includes students from Grade 3-5.

Lower and Upper Primary School Classes start at 8.20 a.m. and classes end at 3.00 p.m. Children who arrive between 7:40 and 8:00 will be supervised until the classes are open. During the first couple weeks, parents of 5K students are welcome to walk them in to help them get settled.

Primary School Morning carpool: 7.40 a.m. to 8.10 a.m. at the front entrance of the campus.

Primary School Afternoon carpool: 3.05 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. for PS students with no siblings in the secondary school. For students with older sibling in Secondary school, the pick up is from 3.45 p.m. to 4.00 p.m. If the youngest child is in 5K-Gr. 2 they will be picked up in at the front of the campus. If the youngest child is in Gr. 3-5, they will be picked up at the back parking lot.

Late Arrival: Students arriving to school after 8.20 a.m. must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to the ELC or Primary School office to sign in prior to being taken by the parent or guardian to class.

Half Days: The last Wednesday of most months is a half day, with school ending at 11:30 p.m. for ELC and 11:50 for LPS and UPS. Please refer to the school calendar to see when these half days occur.

KEY PEOPLE IN PRIMARY SCHOOL

LANGUAGE ACQUISITION MODEL

In ELC, the children are with the same teacher and assistant in the same classroom, working every day in the target language (German, French or Spanish).

In 5K-Gr. 5 the school is organized into A days and B days. On the A days, your child will be with one teacher and on B days they will be in a different class, with a different teacher learning in a different language. You and your child will get skilled at remembering which day it is and what they need to bring with them. Specialist classes like PE, Music and Art will always fall on the same day (A or B).

School Supplies: Each grade level has posted a list of supplies on the school website. However, don’t worry, nothing is needed for the first day of school.

KEY DATES IN AUGUST/SEPTEMBER

Orientation day for new students in 5K- Grade 12 Mon. August 10th.

ELC will schedule in-take interviews with each family during the first week.

First day of school Tues. August 11th.

ELC students will only have half days until 11:30 during the first week.

Lower Primary Back to School Night Thurs. August 20th.

Back to School Picnic Fri. August 21st

Upper Primary Back to School Night Tues. August 25th

Grade 7 iHOT and AIS Robotics Teams Take Home Awards for Core Values and Design in FIRST LEGO League Tournament

Two AIS teams competed along with 31 other teams in a robotics tournament divided into following four components:

1. Robot Games
2. Robot Mechanical/Technical Design
3. Core Value (Team work)
4. Project Research and Presentation

This year’s competition, Trash TREK, challenges students to explore the fascinating world of trash. From collection, to sorting, to smart production and reuse, there is more to your trash than meets the eye. By identifying a problem with trash within their community and research, students used robotics to design an innovative solution.  For more information about the Trash TREK challenge click here.

Team iHOT won the Core Value award, placing first in the division. The Core Values are the cornerstones of the FLL program. They are among the fundamental elements that distinguish FLL from other programs of its kind. By embracing the Core Values, participants learn that friendly competition and mutual gain are not separate goals, and that helping one another is the foundation of teamwork.

For them to win this award, they had to show the following values:

• We are a team.
• We do the work to find solutions with guidance from our coaches and mentors. We know our coaches and mentors don't have all the answers; we learn together. We honor the spirit of friendly competition.
• What we discover is more important than what we win.
• We share our experiences with others.
• We display Gracious Professionalism® and Coopertition® in everything we do. We have FUN!
  

Congratulations to Team iHOT: Katie Bender, Bella Christman , Billye Cleveland, Charles Ferguson, Hannah Fox, Kate Lawrence, Sorcha McGuiness and Neve Mills


The AIS Robotics Team won the Robot Mechanical/Technical Design award, placing first in the division. This award recognizes a team that designs and develops a mechanically sound robot that is durable, efficient and highly capable of performing challenge missions.

Congratulations to AIS Robotics: Joshua Bell, Alex Faa, Mukund Loiwal, Maddie Muran, Daniel Öman, Alex Padilla and Rodrigo Villagomez.

Dear new families,

I am very happy to welcome you to the AIS community. I was new myself last year so I can empathize with the excitement and nerves of starting at a new school.

We are delighted and honored that you have chosen to enroll your child in the Primary School at AIS. I want to share some key aspects of our Primary School program. Hopefully, the following information will answer some of your burning questions.

I hope you have a fun, relaxing, rejuvenating summer break!

Sincerely,

Camille Du Aime
Head of Primary School

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Early Learning Center:

The 3K and 4K classes are in a purpose built building just across the street from the main campus. Maria Voutos, the Grade level Coordinator and Camille Du Aime, the Head of the Primary School are the administrators for the ELC and Anne Williams is the Administrative Assistant.

ELC Classes start at 8.30 a.m and end at 2.30 p.m.

Morning carpool: 7.40 a.m. to 8.20 a.m. Parents are welcome to park their car and walk their child in and stay with them for a few minutes until they feel settled.

Afternoon carpool: ELC walk-up is from 2:30pm to 2:50pm for students WITHOUT AIS siblings in older grades. For students WITH AIS siblings in older grades, ELC carpool is from 2:40pm until 3:00 pm.

Primary School (main campus):

Lower Primary School: The Lower Primary School (LPS) is led by the LPS Principal Lynda Sarelius and Camille Du Aime the Head of the Primary School. LPS includes students from 5K to Grade 2.

Upper Primary School: The Upper Primary School (UPS) is led by the UPS Principal Alain Poiraud and Camille Du Aime the Head of the Primary School. UPS includes students from Grade 3-5.

Lower and Upper Primary School Classes start at 8.20 a.m. and classes end at 3.00 p.m. Children who arrive between 7:40 and 8:00 will be supervised until the classes are open. During the first couple weeks, parents of 5K students are welcome to walk them in to help them get settled.

Primary School Morning carpool: 7.40 a.m. to 8.10 a.m. at the front entrance of the campus.

Primary School Afternoon carpool: 3.05 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. for PS students with no siblings in the secondary school. For students with older sibling in Secondary school, the pick up is from 3.45 p.m. to 4.00 p.m. If the youngest child is in 5K-Gr. 2 they will be picked up in at the front of the campus. If the youngest child is in Gr. 3-5, they will be picked up at the back parking lot.

Late Arrival: Students arriving to school after 8.20 a.m. must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to the ELC or Primary School office to sign in prior to being taken by the parent or guardian to class.

Half Days: The last Wednesday of most months is a half day, with school ending at 11:30 p.m. for ELC and 11:50 for LPS and UPS. Please refer to the school calendar to see when these half days occur.

KEY PEOPLE IN PRIMARY SCHOOL

LANGUAGE ACQUISITION MODEL

In ELC, the children are with the same teacher and assistant in the same classroom, working every day in the target language (German, French or Spanish).

In 5K-Gr. 5 the school is organized into A days and B days. On the A days, your child will be with one teacher and on B days they will be in a different class, with a different teacher learning in a different language. You and your child will get skilled at remembering which day it is and what they need to bring with them. Specialist classes like PE, Music and Art will always fall on the same day (A or B).

School Supplies: Each grade level has posted a list of supplies on the school website. However, don’t worry, nothing is needed for the first day of school.

KEY DATES IN AUGUST/SEPTEMBER

Orientation day for new students in 5K- Grade 12 Mon. August 10th.

ELC will schedule in-take interviews with each family during the first week.

First day of school Tues. August 11th.

ELC students will only have half days until 11:30 during the first week.

Lower Primary Back to School Night Thurs. August 20th.

Back to School Picnic Fri. August 21st

Upper Primary Back to School Night Tues. August 25th

Please visit our application information page at www.aischool.org/apply!

Upcoming Important Admissions Dates

JANUARY 2015

January:  Please make sure that the AAAIS Transcript Release Form, Teacher and Principal/Counselor Evaluation have been submitted to your child’s current school. Please request that the forms be sent directly to our Admission Office before the deadline of January 31, 2016.  

January 6: Secondary School Information Session (RSVP required. Link coming soon)

January 31:  Deadline for applications and all required documents.

FEBRUARY 2016

Applicant Screening and Testing Sessions will be held in February. Dates and times TBA

MARCH 2016

March 1:  Deadline to submit Financial Aid Application along with all required documents through SSS

March 1:  Final national test date for applicants to Grades 6 – 12 to take the SSAT.

APRIL 2016

April 1:  Admission decision letters are mailed to all applicants. This date is set by AAAIS.

April 2:  Electronic Admission decision notifications are available in the Admission Portal. This date is set by AAAIS.

April 14:  Deadline for applicants to respond to acceptance letters. This date is set by AAAIS.

Please visit the AAAIS website to read more about notification dates and other AAAIS Principles.

Dear Families,

I hope June finds you well and your children are enjoying their summer vacations (or are soon to do so!) We are delighted and honored that you have chosen to enroll your child in middle school at AIS.

I wanted to write to you to share some key aspects of our middle school program. Hopefully, the following information will provide you with broad strokes and some details. Feel free to be in touch if you have any questions. (Please see below for “Key People in Middle School”.)

We are really looking forward to welcoming your child into middle school in August. MS New Students’ Orientation will be on August 10. You are also invited to attend an orientation for parents on that day. More detailed information about orientation will follow.

I hope you have a fun, relaxing, rejuvenating summer break!

Best,
Kevin

SCHOOL START/END TIMES

School begins each day at 8:10 a.m. and ends at 3:45 p.m. Wednesdays are a late start with school beginning at 8:45 a.m. The last Wednesday of many months is a half day, with school ending at 12:30 p.m. Please refer to the school calendar to see when these half days occur. More dates can be found on new parent webpage, http://www.aischool.org/newparent

CARPOOL

Secondary students must be dropped off and picked up in the back of the school. Carpool decal numbers are not used in Secondary. For pick up, students find their parent’s car on their own. Please carefully read carpool guidelines on the web. Specifics about times and routes are addressed. “Advanced” topics involving siblings in different divisions are also addressed.

KEY PEOPLE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL

Your child’s Advisor - On orientation day, your child meet their advisor, a secondary school teacher, who will be your child’s key contact for the year.

Head of Year - Each Head of Year coordinates the grade level advisory team (8 advisors) and leads the grade-level advisory program.

Head of Grade 6 - Jutta Martinez (jmartinez@aischool.org)
Head of Grade 7 - Jason Simons (jsimons@aischool.org)
Head of Grade 8 - Nathaniel Ben-Haiem (nbenhaiem@aischool.org)

Middle School Administrative Assistant - Jane Panzer (jpanzer@aischool.org)

Please be in touch with Jane if your child is going to be absent. Students arriving late must check in with Ms. Panzer in the MS office. Parents may accompany their child, or they may call or email Ms. Panzer. Parents must sign their children out at the office if they are leaving early.

MS Counselors
Lanie Cox (grades 6-8, last names A-M). Lanie is also Head of Personal Counseling. (lcox@aischool.org)
Lisa Calderon (grades 6-8, last names L-Z) (lcalderon@aischool.org)

Head of Middle School, Deputy Head of Secondary - Kevin Onabiyi (konabiyi@aischool.org)
Head of Secondary - Sandy MacKenzie (smackenzie@aischool.org)
Director of Technology - Yolanda Ramirez (yramirez@aischool.org)
IB Middle Years Program Coordinator - Carmen Samanes (csamanes@aischool.org)

GRADE 6 CLASSES

On orientation day in August, students receive a copy of their specific schedule with class times and teachers. Please find a copy of the general Secondary School schedule, attached. Notice that each morning begins with a 5 minute advisory session. Next is two academic classes followed by a break. Then two more academic classes are followed by lunch. Finally, two afternoon classes are followed by community time. Community time differs across the days of the week.

Here are the classes that grade 6 students take:

1    English or ESOL

2    French, German, Spanish, or Chinese

3    Geography/History (taught in English, French, German, or Spanish)

4    Math

5    Sciences

6    Arts (Visual Art, Theatre, Music)

7    Design (Product and Digital)

8    PE (including Personal and Social Health Education)

9    Option: French, German, Spanish, Chinese, Latin, ICT, Science Option, Resource, ESOL

SUMMER READING

Your child will have an assignment for English and they may have assignment for the other Language(s) they will be taking. Please access these assignments through the New Parents’ Webpage: http://www.aischool.org/newparent, password: ais2015.

SUPPLIES

You may also access the Secondary School supplies list through the new parent webpage.

KEY DATES IN AUGUST/SEPTEMBER

Orientation day for all grade 6 students Mon, 8/10

Orientation session for grade 6 parents Mon, 8/10

First day of school Tues, 8/11

MS Back to School Night Wed, 8/19

Secondary School Field Trip Week Mon 8/31 - Thur 9 /3

Madeleine Howell, 17
Atlanta International School

Madeleine, daughter  of Dean and Janice Howell, takes action against human trafficking. As co-leader of AIS Against Human Trafficking, she’s put together a panel discussion on the issue, helped organize a fashion show that raised $2,000 for the cause, and spoken at an international conference.

“The most memorable moment I’ve had during my time volunteering with Atlanta International School Against Human Trafficking (AISAHT), was when a few of my fellow members and I were invited to speak at a Global Issues Network conference in San Francisco this past fall,” she said. “We presented on human trafficking, the measures that we’ve taken to combat it, and how we’ve helped victims and people at risk of being trafficked. Any time I make a presentation on the issue, it’s always amazing to know that I’m spreading awareness on such an important issue. What made this even more special was presenting to a group of individuals who seemed to be so affected by what we were saying and were inspired to join our efforts in fighting human trafficking.”

Download a PDF version of the article.

Congratulations to the following students:

Satoshi Abe
Bruno Bartolek
Emily Bishko
Anastasia Choi
Alex Cueto
Lindsey Drummond
Anna Fritz
Diego Gonzalez Varela
Shreyas Krishnapura
Julius Long
Richard Marion
Naveed Matinfar
Langston Peterson
Sofia Rice
Saumya Saboo
Iain Schmitt
Dimitrios Sparis
Isabella Vakkur
Bonnie Watkins
Tadeo Yelos

Dear new families,

I am very happy to welcome you to the AIS community. I was new myself last year so I can empathize with the excitement and nerves of starting at a new school.

We are delighted and honored that you have chosen to enroll your child in the Primary School at AIS. I want to share some key aspects of our Primary School program. Hopefully, the following information will answer some of your burning questions.

I hope you have a fun, relaxing, rejuvenating summer break!

Sincerely,

Camille Du Aime
Head of Primary School

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Early Learning Center:

The 3K and 4K classes are in a purpose built building just across the street from the main campus. Maria Voutos, the Grade level Coordinator and Camille Du Aime, the Head of the Primary School are the administrators for the ELC and Anne Williams is the Administrative Assistant.

ELC Classes start at 8.30 a.m and end at 2.30 p.m.

Morning carpool: 7.40 a.m. to 8.20 a.m. Parents are welcome to park their car and walk their child in and stay with them for a few minutes until they feel settled.

Afternoon carpool: ELC walk-up is from 2:30pm to 2:50pm for students WITHOUT AIS siblings in older grades. For students WITH AIS siblings in older grades, ELC carpool is from 2:40pm until 3:00 pm.

Primary School (main campus):

Lower Primary School: The Lower Primary School (LPS) is led by the LPS Principal Lynda Sarelius and Camille Du Aime the Head of the Primary School. LPS includes students from 5K to Grade 2.

Upper Primary School: The Upper Primary School (UPS) is led by the UPS Principal Alain Poiraud and Camille Du Aime the Head of the Primary School. UPS includes students from Grade 3-5.

Lower and Upper Primary School Classes start at 8.20 a.m. and classes end at 3.00 p.m. Children who arrive between 7:40 and 8:00 will be supervised until the classes are open. During the first couple weeks, parents of 5K students are welcome to walk them in to help them get settled.

Primary School Morning carpool: 7.40 a.m. to 8.10 a.m. at the front entrance of the campus.

Primary School Afternoon carpool: 3.05 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. for PS students with no siblings in the secondary school. For students with older sibling in Secondary school, the pick up is from 3.45 p.m. to 4.00 p.m. If the youngest child is in 5K-Gr. 2 they will be picked up in at the front of the campus. If the youngest child is in Gr. 3-5, they will be picked up at the back parking lot.

Late Arrival: Students arriving to school after 8.20 a.m. must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to the ELC or Primary School office to sign in prior to being taken by the parent or guardian to class.

Half Days: The last Wednesday of most months is a half day, with school ending at 11:30 p.m. for ELC and 11:50 for LPS and UPS. Please refer to the school calendar to see when these half days occur.

KEY PEOPLE IN PRIMARY SCHOOL

LANGUAGE ACQUISITION MODEL

In ELC, the children are with the same teacher and assistant in the same classroom, working every day in the target language (German, French or Spanish).

In 5K-Gr. 5 the school is organized into A days and B days. On the A days, your child will be with one teacher and on B days they will be in a different class, with a different teacher learning in a different language. You and your child will get skilled at remembering which day it is and what they need to bring with them. Specialist classes like PE, Music and Art will always fall on the same day (A or B).

School Supplies: Each grade level has posted a list of supplies on the school website. However, don’t worry, nothing is needed for the first day of school.

KEY DATES IN AUGUST/SEPTEMBER

Orientation day for new students in 5K- Grade 12 Mon. August 10th.

ELC will schedule in-take interviews with each family during the first week.

First day of school Tues. August 11th.

ELC students will only have half days until 11:30 during the first week.

Lower Primary Back to School Night Thurs. August 20th.

Back to School Picnic Fri. August 21st

Upper Primary Back to School Night Tues. August 25th

Monique Seefried has been an invaluable member of the Atlanta International School community serving as Chair of the Board of Trustees at AIS (1995-1999) as well as Chair of the IB Board of Governors (2003-2009), founder and Executive Director of CASIE (2000-2004), and an AIS trustee emerita.

From The United States World War I Centennial Commission—

Commissioner Seefried Awarded France's Legion d'Honneur

By Chris Isleib
Public Affairs Officer, World War One Centennial Commission

WASHINGTON, DC: Commissioner Monique Seefried of the U.S. World War I Centennial Commission was decorated as a Chevalier of France's Legion d'Honneur by France's Ambassador to the United States, Gérard Araud, at the embassy residence on January 13.

The award, bestowed by the President of the French Republic, François Hollande, upon recommendation of the French Foreign Minister, Laurent Fabius, was awarded to her for her long career in education and her work on commemorating the sacrifices of American soldiers in France during World War I.

The Legion d'Honneur is France's highest order of distinction. There are five levels to the national order, with France's president traditionally holding the highest level. The Chevalier, or Knight, level is the inaugural level. The Legion d'Honneur was created by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802.

Commissioner Seefried, a U.S. citizen born in Tunisia, has served with the U.S. World War One Centennial Commission since 2014, and beyond her work with education and state programs, she is the lead for international partnerships. She was responsible for the recently signed bi-lateral agreement between the United States Commission and the French Mission du Centenaire.

During her tenure, she has been involved with outreach to such organizations as the U.S. Department of Education, the History Channel, the International Baccalaureate organization, and others. She has previously been inducted into France's National Order of Merit and the Order of the Academic Palms.

photos: ©Josselin Brémaud – Press office – Embassy of France to the US

Georgia Piano player Yannie Tan is a Division Winner in the MTNA Competition Junior Performance.

Atlanta, GA. Jan. 17, 2016 – Yannie Tan, an Atlanta, GA native, will travel to San Antonio, Texas, in April to compete as a National Finalist in the MTNA Competition Junior Performance.

Yannie Tan, earned this opportunity after winning the Southern Division of the MTNA Competition Junior Performance. A ninth grader at Atlanta International School, Tan has been studying piano for 11 years and is currently a student of Professor Alex Krobin at The Schwob School of Music at the Columbus University.

Yannie Tan was the 1st place winner in the State of Georgia for the Music Teachers National Association competition in 2014 and 2015. Tan won the Grand Prize of the American Protégé competition and the National Young Artist Showcase Competition, winner of the All State piano solo competition and the Rising Star Piano Concerto Competition. Tan was the recipient of the first prize of the 2010 Atlanta Steinway Society C. Merrell Calhoun Prodigy Award. Tan has been a winner each year in her age group in the Georgia Music Teachers Association Piano Solo Competition for the last five years. Tan made her first international debut at the age of 10, performing a solo concert in Barcelona, Spain. Tan was invited twice to perform at the Carnegie Hall.

The MTNA Competition Junior Performance will take place on Saturday, April 02, 2016 during the MTNA National Conference. The national winner of this competition receives a cash prize and will perform in a Winners Concert during the conference.

The three-tiered MTNA competitions begin at the state level. Winners of each State Competition advance to the division competition. Division winners then proceed to the National Competition Finals.

To receive more information about the MTNA National Competitions, including competition rules and applications please contact MTNA national headquarters at (888) 512-5278, mtnanet@mtna.org or visit the website at www.mtna.org.

Music Teachers National Association is a nonprofit organization comprised of 22,000 independent and collegiate music teachers committed to advancing the value of music study and music making to society and to supporting the professionalism of music teachers. Founded in 1876, Music Teachers National Association is the oldest professional music association in the United States.

###

From The Telegraph website:

Speed dating for teachers: tips for international school job fairs

Are you interested in a new adventure teaching abroad? A good place to start is one of the job fairs held in the UK – but be warned, you'll need nerves of steel

Schools all over the world are looking for the right teachers for the next academic year

Photo: Alamy

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A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued for the metro Atlanta area.  Due to potential hazardous road conditions, we will be dismissing classes three hours early Friday, January 22: Primary School and ELC at 12:00 p.m., Secondary School at 12:45 p.m., Operational Staff at 1:30 p.m., with all afternoon activities canceled.  Please note that normal carpool procedures will be observed during early dismissal.  The decision comes following a state of emergency issued by Governor Nathan Deal that will close state offices at noon. The leadership team will continue to monitor weather closely as the day progresses and will provide an update of any additional changes in schedule.

A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued for the metro Atlanta area. Due to potential hazardous road conditions all scheduled activities at AIS on Saturday, January 23 are canceled.

Use your Admission Portal login to access the Parent Portal through the link below. 

Parent Portal

Please contact Laurette Sirkin (lsirkin@aischool.org) if you are experiencing difficulties with your login. 

Crawford Producing Record-Setting Numbers

Atlanta International School girls’ basketball player Nieja Crawford has been one of the most productive offensive players in Georgia this season. The senior guard has averaged 27.6 points through the Eagles’ first 12 games which is third in the state and her 18.8 rebounds a contest are first in Georgia. She has reached double-digit points and rebounds in every game this season and scored more than 1,500 career points.

“Nieja is an awesome person and great kid,” Atlanta International School coach Willie Richardson said. “She’s smart, works hard in her craft and continues to make other people better. Nieja is a true leader and an asset to our school community. She has made coaching a very gratifying honor.”

Highlighted performances this season include scoring 50 points and grabbing 32 rebounds in a win over Atlanta Jewish Academy on Dec. 14. It was the first time that an Eagles’ player ever reached that milestone in points scored for a single game. Crawford also scored 33 points with 22 rebounds in a victory against Elite Scholars Academy on Jan. 9. Her efforts have helped Atlanta International School win four of its last six contests including two region victories.

“Our season started rough because we have a lot of freshmen but we’ve grown and our win column is starting to go us,” Crawford said. “Overall, we’ve matured and know what to do. I’m used to leading by example but this season I’ve become more vocal.”

Even with her high statistics, Crawford looks beyond the numbers, “When I’m playing, I never notice how many points or rebounds I have,” she said. “I’m focused on having fun. I’ve worked on my game and want our team to compete well in the region and the state.”

Crawford plays for the Lady Pistols AAU basketball team based in Atlanta during the summer. She’s also a standout volleyball player for the Eagles as an All-Area outside hitter and will be on the track team this spring.

Off the field, Crawford lists biology as her favorite subject and plans to pursue a career in sports medicine.

Atlanta International School returns to action on Friday in a home contest against Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy out of McDonough stating at 6 p.m.

Greetings Atlanta International School families!

It is with great pride and excitement that I write this letter of introduction to you as the newly appointed Upper School Principal. I am honored to join you and your student in becoming the newest members of the AIS community for the 2015-2016 school year . I look forward to establishing a working relationship with each of you. AIS is pleased that you have chosen to enroll your child in the Upper School.

As an educational professional I possess over 18 years of educational experience spanning K-12. I am truly happy to bring my skills as an educational leader and teacher to AIS and I welcome working with you as a partner in their education. Together we will ensure your child's success.

I am writing to you to share key aspects of the Upper School program. My hope is that the following information will provide you with the details you need to begin a productive start to the year. Please feel free to reach out with any questions you may have (see below key people in the Upper School). You will also be contacted by your child's Head of Year with additional information.

I can't say enough how thrilled I am to work with you and your child. Let me be the first to welcome you to the 2015-2016 school year. I anticipate a thriving and successful year.

Enjoy your summer

Best Regards
Tambi L Greene.

Tambi L Greene
Upper School Principal/Deputy of Secondary School
Atlanta International School
2890 N Fulton Dr. NE
Atlanta, GA 30305
(404) 841-3840

SCHOOL START/END TIMES

School begins each day at 8:10 a.m. and ends at 3:45 p.m.. Wednesdays are a late start with school beginning at 8:45 a.m.. The last Wednesday of many months is a half day, with school ending at 12:30 p.m.. Please refer to the school calendar to see when these half days occur.

CARPOOL

Secondary students must be dropped off and picked up in the back of the school. Carpool decal numbers are not used in Secondary. For pick up, students find their parent’s car on their own. Please carefully read carpool guidelines on the web. Specifics about times and routes are addressed. “Advanced” topics involving siblings in different divisions are also addressed.

Students in Grades 11 and 12 are, with your permission, allowed to drive to school. However, we must receive a signed Driving to School form so that students can obtain a parking pass. Students must park in the Student Parking Lot at the Second Ponce de Leon Church.

KEY PEOPLE IN UPPER SCHOOL

Your child’s Advisor - On orientation day, your child meet their advisor, a secondary school teacher, who will be your child’s key contact for the year. The Advisor should be the first port of call for communications from home to school.

Head of Year - Each Head of Year coordinates the grade level advisory team and leads the grade-level advisory program.

Head of Grade 9 - Veronica McDaniel (vmcdaniel@aischool.org)

Head of Grade 10 - Anthony Gillett (agillett@aischool.org)

Head of Grade 11 - Tony Locke (tlocke@aischool.org)

Head of Grade 12 - Paul Husken (phusken@aischool.org)

Upper School Administrative Assistant - Layne Stabler (lstabler@aischool.org)

Please be in touch with Layne if your child is going to be absent. Students arriving late must check in with either Ms. Stabler in the US office (Grades 9 - 10) or sign in at the ASD Desk (Grades 11 - 12). Students must also sign out if they are leaving early, however parents need to phone or email Ms. Stabler to notify her of the reason for early dismissal.

US Counselors -

Upper School Counseling is split into two departments - College Counseling and Personal Counseling. The College Counseling team splits each grade level up alphabetically, and works with the same students throughout their years in the Upper School. They assist with academic issues (scheduling, academic challenges and support, and application to college). The Personal Counselor works with students to manage personal stress or crisis and interpersonal or social issues at school. Your student will be notified of their College Counselor assignment in August.

Christine Kelley (College Counselor; ckelley@aischool.org)

Peter Morgan (College Counselor; pmorgan@aischool.org)

Alice Schaaf (College Counselor; aschaaf@aischool.org)

Jessi Heneghan (Personal Counselor; jheneghan@aischool.org)

Upper School Principal, Deputy Head of Secondary - Tambi Greene (tgreene@aischool.org)

Head of Secondary School - Sandy MacKenzie (smackenzie@aischool.org)

Director of Technology - Yolanda Ramirez (yramirez@aischool.org)

IB Middle Years Program Coordinator - Carmen Samanes (csamanes@aischool.org)

IB Diploma Program Coordinator - Gary Paterson (gpaterson@aischool.org)

GRADE 9 - 10 CLASSES

On orientation day in August, students receive a copy of their specific schedule with class times and teachers. Please click here to find a copy of the general Secondary School schedule. Notice that each morning begins with a 5 minute advisory session. Next is two academic classes followed by a break. Then two more academic classes are followed by lunch. Finally, two afternoon classes are followed by community time. Community time differs across the days of the week.

Here are the classes that grade 9 / 10 students take:

1   English or ESOL

2   French, German, Spanish, or Chinese

3   Geography/History (taught in English, French, German, or Spanish)

4   Math

5   Sciences

6   Arts (Visual Art, Theatre, Music)

7   Design (Product and Digital)

8   PE (including Personal and Social Health Education)

9   Option: French, German, Spanish, Chinese, ICT, Science Option, Resource, ESOL

SUMMER READING

Your child will have an assignment for English and they may have assignment for the other Language(s) they will be taking. Please access these assignments through the New Parents’ Webpage: http://www.aischool.org/newparent, password: ais2015.

SUPPLIES

You may also access the Secondary School supplies list through the new parent webpage.

KEY DATES IN AUGUST/SEPTEMBER

Orientation day for all new students Mon, 8/10

Orientation session for new parents Mon, 8/10

First day of school Tues, 8/11

US Back to School Night Wed, 8/27

Secondary School Field Trip Week Mon 8/31 - Fri 9/4