October+5,+2009



=Pearl of the Week= Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance. - Will Durant =**Humour Me**=

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**Mark Your Calendars**
 **October 5:** Whole School Meeting
 * October 5-9**: Gr. 12 Kiswahili B Mock Written Papers
 * October 6-7**: International Schools Assessments for Grades 7 and 9 7:15
 * October 6:** Term one grades (achievement and effort) are due
 * October 7:** Term one comments for Gr 12 students are due 7:00 AM
 * October 7-9 and 12-13:** School Photos
 * October 7**: Collaborative Planning Time
 * October 8:** Secondary School Principals' Coffee 7:30
 * October 8**: Hospitality and Hotel Information Session at IST
 * October 9**: Friday Briefing (Modern Languages)
 * October 10**: SAT and TOEFL Exams
 * October 12:** LODAT
 * October 12:** Issue First Term Reports
 * October 13**: Compressed Schedule (Assembly at 1:05) Click here to review schedule.
 * October 14:** Nyere Day
 * October 15-16**: MYP In-Service
 * October 15-19:** AISA Conference in Lusaka
 * October 17-25:** Holiday

Do schools kill creativity?

Have a look at a talk that Sir Kenneth Robinson gave exploring this question. It is very thought-provoking and raises questions about some of our assumptions as international educators. Click here to view.

**Twiga Talk**

 * Please remember that we have a whole school meeting scheduled this afternoon (October 5) in B4 from 2:00-3:00. David will present the 2010-11 Salary and Benefits package and a Housing Group will present an update on housing at IST.
 * Liz sent out some very helpful and important reporting guidelines the week before last. These guidelines, including the IST Achievement and Effort Scales, are posted here. (or you may click on Assessment and Reporting in the navigation bar on the wiki.) Please be reminded that all Effort and Achievement marks and student-specific comments for Gr. 12 are due (entered into FA Web) on **Wednesday, October 7th at 7:00 AM**.
 * The school photo schedule is as follows: Oct 7- Gr 6 and 8A; Oct 8- Gr 7 and 8B, 8C; Oct 9- Gr 9-10; Oct 12- Gr 11-12; Oct 13- Teams, earlier absences. Please see the email that Liz sent out at the end of last week for times.
 * Please understand that the purpose of First Term Reports is to provide parents with a "snapshot" of their child's performance in each subject from August 10th to the present in the areas of Achievement and Effort. (Grade 12 students will require a student-specific comment.) The grades that a student earns may not reflect a "complete and total picture" of his/her capability. Parents can expect to receive more substantive information about their child's performance during Parent Conferences in November and in the December report. Naturally, this will be communicated to parents.
 * Claudia has posted MYP results and subject-specific moderation reports on the network. Please use the next Collaborative Planning Time and/or Department meeting time to review this very important data and begin to have conversations as a Dept about how this data and feedback can inform your programme delivery and instruction.
 * A change in the Monday schedule: LODAT will meet next **Monday, October 12th from 2:00-3:00** while Committee work will resume on **Monday, October 26** following the break. I will provide a Term 2 meeting schedule later on this week.



Kudos To...

 * Lucia, John B., Tunu, Glen, and Steve T. for their contributions in hosting the first Swim Gala of the year.
 * Ilana, Jen, and Theresa for organizing the Middle School Dance on Friday night and to Christel, Karl, Theresa, Jen, Clelia, Andy, Rebeka, Brenda, and Josh for chaperoning.
 * Ilana for organizing the first Library Lectures Series of the year on African Sculpture.
 * Joe for organizing Tech Cafes this past Saturday and next Saturday
 * Brenda for organizing the STEP Programme for interested parents