Vol 12, Issue 1 - American International School - Riyadh

Mawade’ahAIS-RDecember 2011, Volume 12 Issue 1TopicsTeach Me howto EAGLE !

Publisher:As a school committed to excellence,we will educate and inspire our students to be responsible,productive and ethical world citizens with the skills and passion tothink creatively, reason critically, communicate effectively and learncontinuously. We will accomplish this in an American educationalenvironment characterized by high measurable standardsand a clearly defined, appropriately interrelated collegepreparatory curriculum, implemented bya superior staff in partnership with students,parents, and the community.Mawade’ahmeans “topics” in Arabic. In this case, the name conveys the idea of topics that forman ongoing conversation on what’s going on in our school.American International School-RiyadhP.O. Box 990Riyadh, 11421 Saudi ArabiaPhone: (9661) 491-4270Fax: (9661) 491-7101Website:www.aisr.orgSuperintendent: ext. 235Admissions: ext. 270Editors:AIS-R’s MissionSteve Augeri, Maysa Haidar, Kerri McGlade and Jerri MyersIn this Issue ...Teach Me How to Eagle...The moment that AIS-R senior, Ibrahim Ashraf (and back-up rapper, Farah Shrouf), jumpedup on the stage at our first-ever “Eagle Assembly,” overlooking 1300 cheering students,parents, faculty and staff, to rap the self-written tune, “Teach Me How to Eagle,” I realizedthat this event—and the unfolding of the newly developed EAGLE Honor Code—was avery special addition to our learning community. In front of an energized audience,Ibrahim and a kettle of student entertainers enthusiastically shared what it means to bean AIS-R EAGLE through a medley of show-stopping performances. Since this K-12 “kickoff”celebration, AIS-R EAGLE thinking, action and pride has flourished to include a wide-range of informative events,specialized educational sessions, and creative classroom learning experiences. In a very short time, AIS-R has begunto embrace what it truly means to be an EAGLE, and this edition of Mawade’ah celebrates the beginnings of thesehonorable school-wide expectations.In an effort to bring alive the AIS-R Mission and continue our dialogue about 21st Century learning, the EAGLE Honor Codeemerged through a yearlong process of dialogue with many members of the AIS-R community. With the assistance of anAIS-R Task Force, we received feedback about not only the skills and understandings that learners require in this century,but also, the dispositions and character traits that they will need to discover life-long success and self-actualization. TheE.A.G.L.E model (as outlined on page 5) therefore highlights all of these mission-related, 21st Century attributes underthe values-based banner—I am an AIS-R Eagle. Thus, to be an honorable AIS-R EAGLE, we strive to be Ethical, Adaptable,Global, Learning and Environmental, and this publication explores how we are beginning to engage and empower allAIS-R learners to live up to these ideals.Within this edition, we are greeted by a powerful interview with… the one… the only…Eddie the Eagle, our school’smascot, and a symbol of the energy and spirit of what it means to fly like an AIS-R EAGLE. Eddie is clearly a character,and when asked why AIS-R would choose an eagle for a mascot, he shares, “what other avian options are there?....theturkey?” Eddie’s captivating interview is followed by a range of photos, including images of the construction processof our Eagle statues, spearheaded by Mrs. Noeleen Curran and her artistic eaglets. We also see a thoughtful articleby Student Council Presidents, Tamara Kalo and Bandar Al Kabbani, who share their reflections of the “unforgettable”K-12 Eagle Spirit Assembly as referenced above. Other wonderful student submissions include: the mesmerizing UN Dayspeech given by senior and MUN President, Mansoor Elahi; the thoughtful acrostic poetry—“O is for hOnest” and “B is forBe friends”—by ES students; and, a creative article by Ruth Roberts as she inventively places the “L” in learning.Amongst the imaginative mix of student voices, we also hear from several AIS-R educators, who perform literary Eaglerenadances within this issue. Tony (Stanley) Anderson, Athletic Director, highlights one of the several successful High School’sEagle Days—special days that focus on empowering students to cultivate these important understandings and dispositions.Principal Jerri Myers once again amazes us with her lime green, spirited awe of Middle School “talon-t”! Educators, SusanStronach (MS-HS Librarian), Renee Couturier (Director of Learning), and Kerri McGlade (Communications Specialist)describe how AIS-R educators are being Eagles in terms of “adult learning,” as they share some of the exceptional edventurestaking place in terms of our on-site professional learning program and the NEASC-CIS re-accreditation process.Matt Sipple (Director of Educational Advancement) overviews the many ways that AIS-R students are being “adaptable”(and “awesome”). Finally, Nicole Jawad (Grade Five Teacher), shares the idea that eagles can soar by making even smallgestures, such as saying “Good Morning,” or collecting pull-tabs for recycling. Each contributor helps us to celebrate themany ways AIS-R is creating ongoing opportunities to become better learners and people.Without a doubt—and in the humorous words of Mrs. Myers—AIS-R’s has “Talon-t”! Ibrahim’s rapspeaks to all of us in so many ways, and this edition of Mawade’ah reminds us that we can teach oneanother “how to EAGLE.” At AIS-R, this is not only our honor code, but it is also our promise!Learn EAGLE…with us!Layout & Design:Joyce Mikhael ZammarBrian MatthewsAIS-R Superintendent2 3

Mawade’ah: Eddie,we have noticed thatyou are much moreprominent aroundour campus this year,so we invited you tocoffee at Seattle’sBest to chat with usabout our “I am anAIS-R EAGLE” themethis year. What’sthat all about?Eddie: Well, as youknow, AIS-R is a specialplace with special people: our parents, our students, and ourfaculty and staff. So the EAGLE theme started with the idea thatwe want to emphasize those qualities that set us apart as a school.According to the AIS-R Honor Code, our school “honors andpromotes respect for others, inclusiveness, individual differences,and appropriate behavior.” This is the common understandingabout AIS-R that we all share, and it’s something we wanted tomake more prominent.M: So how did you getinvolved in all of this?Coffee-Talk:Mawade’ah Chats with Eddie the Eaglecreatively (where have I heard that before?). And finally, E =Environmental: we want our students to adopt those practicesthat will have a positive impact on our planet, such as reducingtheir ecological footprints, recycling, and engaging in a healthylifestyle.M: With everything you have going on, are you able to findtime to live those EAGLE dispositions yourself?E: Who better to represent whatit means to be an AIS-R EAGLEthan an actual eagle?! I have anoble bearing so people look upto me. I look good in blue andyellow, so everyone wants towear school colors. And let’snot even get started on mydance moves! What other avianoptions are there? The turkey?Nobody respects an edible bird.The seagull? Those guys spendall their time at garbage dumps.The pygmy wren-babbler? Idon’t even know what that is.The parrot? All he does is talk, talk—M: Um, Eddie, let’s move on. I notice that all the letters in“eagle” are capitalized. Why is that?E: Of course…how can you lead if you don’t lead by example? Infact, there’s lots of evidence that in the course of any given day,you can find me being ethical, adaptable, global, learning, andenvironmental all over the AIS-R campus! (Check out the photos!)M: What’s the deal with all of these EAGLE statues on ourcampus?E: This was totally my idea! As you know, even though Eddiecan fly like an eagle, he can’t be everywhere at once. The moreoften students see me, the more they are reminded of the EAGLEdispositions…which makes it more likely they will internalize thedispositions and live them out. So now we have 10 larger-thanlife-sizeEddies all over our campus to inspire students to livelike AIS-R EAGLEs. And though they certainly look good, they’renowhere near as strikingly handsome as the original! (Judge foryourself…photos of our Eddies are on the back cover!)M: So what’s next?E: That’s easy: because each letter represents a disposition orcharacteristic that we want our students to incorporate as part ofwho they are.M: Can you take us through each disposition?E: Absolutely! E = Ethical: we want our students to be honest,to stand up for the rights of others, and to demonstrate academicintegrity. A = Adaptable: our students should be flexible andresponsible risk-takers; they should cooperate and collaboratewith those around them. G = Global: we want our students tobe respectful and compassionate towards others, and understandand accept culture differences. L = Learning: our students shouldbe able to reason critically, communicate effectively, and thinkE: Well, I think it’s time for a refill…are you buying?M: No, Eddie—give us a heads-up in terms of what else wecan look forward to.E: Our EAGLE theme will be celebrated in all kinds of ways as wecontinue to move through our school year…not just with EAGLESpirit Days and Weeks coming up in the spring, but also throughthe events we’ve traditionally held at AIS-R, including WeekWithout Walls, grade-level assemblies, PTSO events, and much,much more! Every event represents an opportunity to build ourschool spirit and demonstrate those qualities that make all of usEAGLEs!4 5

EAGLEs Rule the Roost at AIS-R!An inside look at how students, parents, and faculty created ahome for an aerie of EAGLEs on our campusBare eagles, not bald eagles!Metal and wire frames are expertly welded togetherby AIS-R support staff members. The soon-to-beEAGLE statues are then “adopted” by the Elementary,Middle, and High Schools.Lots of assembly required!Led by AIS-R’s enthusiastic art teachers, studentsand faculty come together over the course ofseveral weeks to coat each EAGLE statue with askin of papier mache from recycled newspapers.Strutting their stuff! Our perfectly constructed, brilliantly paintedEAGLE statues roost in high-profile locations around our campus. On your next visit,conduct your own scavenger hunt…can you find them all??Special thanks go to Ms. Noeleen Curran, our MS art teacher, who spearheaded the EAGLE statue effort by designing the statues,ordering supplies, and overseeing the entire effort.Color me EAGLE! Our “newsy” EAGLEs are then set uponby students and teachers, who cover them in paint schemes that6 reflect the locations around campus they will finally occupy.7

We are the Mighty EAGLES!Tamara Kalo, HS Student Council PresidentBandar Al Kabbani, MS Student Council PresidentOn the morning of September 28, 2011, 1,300 heads filled theMS/HS Gymnasium; the spirit-filled ambience along with thedominating colors of blue and yellow made our first-ever AISRK-12 EAGLE Spirit Assembly an unforgettable event.The room was full of music, celebration and energy when AIS-Rmascot Eddie the Eagle greeted our fine students at the door. Weheard the sounds of our Pep Band playing enthusiastically as ourstudent body and faculty and staff members entered the gym.Our AIS-R Choir got things rolling by singing “Eagle Nation,” Mr.Winograd’s original composition, and we watched a video thatfeatured our students commenting on what it means to be anEAGLE and how they demonstrate the EAGLE dispositions: how tobe Ethical, Adaptable, Global, Learning, and Environmental.Next, Eddie introduced our new Spirit Squad, the Eaglets. Theirdebut performance began as they burst through a paper nest.Their enthusiasm was contagious as they taught the entire studentbody the Eaglerena. Then, a group of our some of our Grade 5students led our “Mighty Eagles” cheer. We, we are, we are theMighty Eagles, no doubt!Ibrahim Ashraf, with the help of Farah Shrouf, stole the spotlightwith his original rap in their crowd-stopper, “Teach Me How toEagle”.Finally, the National Honor Society, using giant placards, spelledout what EAGLE stands for, and the Pep Band was there onceagain to keep our spirits high in the final moments of celebrationand excitement.Thank you AISR Eagles K-12! We can’t wait to “Eagle” again!The High School CelebratesEagle Spirit DayTony AndersonDirector of AthleticsOn Monday, October 17, our High Schoolcelebrated its second EAGLE Day of the2011-12 school year. High School studentswere engaged throughout the day in avariety of activities that were focused onthe EAGLE dispositions.We started the day with the NESA Math Challenge. Individually,students worked through grade-level tests provided by NESA (theNear East South Asia Council of International Schools, of which AIS-Ris a member). Throughout the year, students will take three morechallenges to see how our students compare to other NESA schools.Next, students sent out over 400 emails to international schoolsin anticipation of United Nation Day on October 26. In true AIS-Rfashion, these emails extended a message of friendship to our counterparts around the world. We shared AIS-R’s logo and a picture ofour mascot, Eddie the Eagle, and asked the recipient to send pictures of their logo and mascot back to us. Although the introductionwas provided, our students were asked to include a paragraph about attending high school at AIS-R. When we brainstormed thisactivity, we hoped students would write a few positive statements about something more than Quiznos or our new foosball table.As I began combing through their emails, I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of thought they put into this task. Here are somehighlights:• “Through several of AIS-R’s cultural awareness and outreachprograms—such as the ‘Week Without Walls’ and charities runby the school’s student-administrated clubs—AIS-R is alwayslooking towards a better future by teaching students how tolive and act in the diverse community that we live in.”• “Our school encourages us to be ourselves and be spontaneous.”• “Many of the students are used to moving around often, soAIS-R has a very welcoming and friendly environment.”• “Another great thing about AIS-R is the diversity of our studentsand staff.”• “Here at AISR we look at our student body as one big family.”• “The teaching staff is excellent—not only friendly but easilyapproachable. Teachers are willing to help us with anyproblems we have both in and out of the academics.”We capped off the day by having students choose a teachersponsoredactivity to participate in, ranging from knitting tolearning a ‘flash mob’ dance to studying cricket stats. Thisprovided a great opportunity for students and teachers toconnect outside the regular classroom. A special thanksto the High School faculty for offering these activities—thekids had a great experience!Finally, the Student Council put on a pep rally to celebratethe volleyball teams. The noise was enough to blow theroof off the gym! But the real highlight was when thestudent team “let” the teacher team win…thanks for that!I think we all look forward to the next EAGLE Day. Whoknows what’s in store??8 9

UN Week 2011Celebrating diversity and multiculturalismSunday!How best to show our support forthe United Nations? The ElementarySchool had official T-shirts made tocelebrate the day…in UN blue andwhite, of course.Monday!What happens when 58 differentnationalities converge on one location?If they are wearing national colors, it’sa wonderfully colorful representationof our amazing diversity.UN Day 2011AIS-R Goes Global!Mansoor ElahiGrade 12 Studentmy perspective. As I went from MUNconference to MUN conference, bothinternationally and locally, it occurredto me how the AIS-R community is justlike the UN broken down into its simplestform.As an organization The United Nations consists of many bodies,mainly the General Assembly represented by 193 countries. Othermajor bodies include the Security Council, the International Courtof Justice, and the Economic and Social Council.tUESDAY!Athletic teams have incredibly loyalfans, so what better way to learnabout who roots for whom than toask students to wear a favorite sportsteam jersey?tRIVIA cHALLENGE!Courtesy of the MS and HS Model UNclubs, young minds battled each dayover the topic of geography. It mayhave been trivia, but what happenedhere was certainly not trivial.What all of these agencies do, when working together, however,is increase our awareness of the world outside these walls.When we discuss possible solutions or just research an issue, weautomatically increase our awareness, and consequently becomeless ignorant people and in a less ignorant society. That alone mayhelp us in our day-to-day lives.FIND THE FLAG!Teamwork was essential in this activityas students deciphered clues to leadthem to flags hidden all over ourcampus. And those located on theAvenue of Nations didn’t count!oN THE cATWALK!During our Fashion Show, studentshad the opportunity to strut theirstuff in beautiful costumes before anappreciative audience. Dubai FashionWeek’s got nothing on this!tRY tHIS!It’s no surprise that the “Food fromthe 4 Corners of the World” event wasthe most popular. Who wouldn’t betempted to skip lunch for these sweetsand treats from across the globe?wORLD pEACE cAFE!For the second year in a row, theHS Student Council sponsored thisinformal talent showcase. Couldthis have been just a warm-up for“AIS-R’s Got Talent?”Each year for our K-12 United Nations Day celebration, an AIS-Rstudent is selected to address our school community. On October26, Mansoor Elahi, Grade 12 student and Model United NationsPresident, delivered a speech entitled, The Impact of the UnitedNations. We have reprinted the full text of his speech here.Good Morning AIS-R, Mr. Ambassador, Dr. Breslin-Smith anddistinguished guests.When I was young, an adult asked me what I wanted the worldto be, what I would change in the world and I replied, just likeany other naïve child would, “World Peace is what I want.” Whowouldn’t want the world to be a utopia at that age? As I spentmore and more time here at AIS-R, from KGI to elementary school,I learned very quickly that world peace is an ideal worth workingtoward but not as easy to achieve as I originally thought. In fact,sometimes I began to think that maybe world peace isn’t possibleat all. So I was forced to stick with this mindset of never being ableto achieve peace even on a small scale, just because I knew thatglobally, world peace would never be possible.This mindset was wrong, and I quickly learned that too when Iwent into my middle school years and realized that yes, we are partof something much bigger than ourselves, and that connectionrequires that we do our part in our community and try to bringchange into our lives. That’s why I got involved in Model UnitedNations. And by participating in Model United Nations, I realizedthat the real United Nations is the perfect catalyst for reinvention,and working through it ultimately gives us hope for a better, morepeaceful world.Lastly, and possibly my most important realization about the UNis the fact that this organization is a human organization—it isa group of people coming together to talk. That is the UN in itssimplest, most basic form.Now I know that it seems pretty obvious that they are a bunchof adults that talk with one another, but isn’t that what theworld needs? Isn’t that what we are supposed to do as well—aspeople—on a more fundamental level?We talk with each other all the time, whether we’re trying tounderstand what in the world our French teacher just said,discussing the meaning of life in ToK, or just engaging in discussionwith our friends in this international school. Everyone does it,teachers, students, and the administration. We talk, and when it’sdiplomatic enough, we arrive at a solution. That is what the UN is,and to an extent, our school as well.So as the celebrations of this week come to an end today, keepin mind that nothing is perfect including the UN, but that doesn’tgive us the right, as a global society, to not try and achieveperfection—and along with it world peace.This was very liberating. It liberated me from the somewhatchildish mindset I had in the years before. I realized the MUN isnot a club, but it emulates a global organization and it globalized10 11

Acrostic PoemsThinking Globally in the Elementary SchoolTo celebrate UN Week, AIS-R Elementary studentswrote acrostic poems about what it means to beGLOBAL. Words so carefully chosen help ourlearners express what they know: we are onecommunity...one global family.As part of the UN Day Celebration, Emad Khawaja and Shannon Schmitt were selected to recitetheir acrostic poems to our student body, faculty and staff, and distinguished guests.Great friendship all over the worldLearning togetherOpening our heartsBeing RespectfullAll the people live in peaceLoving the earthGLOBALBy: KG2-CGLOBALis for greenis for learningis for honestis for being respectfulis for AISR Eagleis for love12 13

Middle School Has “Talon-T”Jerri MyersMS PrincipalI want to fly like an eagleTo the seaFly like an eagleLet my spirit carry me-Steve MillerWhen you walk into the Middle School, once you’ve gotten overyour initial lime green shock and look closer, you see a school filledwith EAGLE spirit. Posters, banners and pictures that promote thevalues in which we so strongly believe are displayed throughoutthe school. They illustrate what it means to be an AIS-R EAGLE:Ethical, Adaptable, Global, Learning, and Environmental. Theyremind AIS-R students that they are expected to live these idealsand avoid behaviors that are inconsistent with their spirit andmeaning.Eagle Spirit permeates every aspect of Middle School life. If youpop your head into a classroom, you might hear our studentsdiscussing what it’s like to be a refugee and what we can do tosupport the United Nations Refugee Agency; you might see theclassroom doors that are decorated in honor of an AIS-R workerwho they adopted and supported during United Nations Week.You might see students giving speeches or writing essays aboutwhat it means to bean AIS-R EAGLE. Youmight even hearthe choir singing“Eagle Nation,” thespirit song that waswritten by our veryown Mr. Winograd,and let’s not forgetthe amazing MS/HSConcert in November.The concert wasdedicated to Eagle Spirit with a special guest appearance by noneother than Eddie the Eagle.When you enter the Middle School Student Center, one of ourgiant AIS-R Eagles (just one of three that our students havemade) is standing guard over the bulletin board displaying ourEAGLE Award recipients. This award honors students who haveexemplified thefive characteristicsof an AIS-R EAGLE.They are chosenby their teachersalong with theMiddle Schoola d m i n i s t r a t i o nfor consistentlyd e m o n s t r a t i n gthese qualities notonly in class, but inall of their AIS-R activities. They are great role models for theirpeers and are true AIS-R Eagles!By now I know you are asking yourself what more the MiddleSchool could possibly do to show Eagle Spirit; quite frankly, I havereally just scratched the surface. Once every month, the MiddleSchool celebrates EAGLE Day with activities that, besides beingfun, emphasize one of the EAGLE characteristics. For example,for the first EAGLE Day, we focused on being ethical Eagles bylearning about bullying and how to stop it. The United NationsHigh Commissioner for Refugees Organization joined us for oursecond EAGLE Day and helped us be more global by explainingthe realities of being a refugee and what is being done to help theover 15 million people who have fled their homes worldwide. OurDecember 5th EAGLE Day was all about being healthy, which ispart of being environmental, and who knows what other excitingEAGLE topics we will investigate in the future.Well, fellow Eagles, I could go on and on, but I think youget the picture. At the Middle School, we “fly like an Eagle”because…………………. WE’VE GOT TALON-T!GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO EAGLES!Putting the “L” in Learning!The AIS-R EAGLE dispositions are Ethical, Adaptable, Global,Learning and Environmental, and AIS-R offers many facilitiesto help develop these dispositions. For example, to encouragelearning, library facilities at AIS-R as well as after-school learningopportunities are offered and are easily accessible to students.For learning to take place onemust have access to an excellentlibrary; but just as importantly,a library with kind librarians.A library without such isoften unappealing, perhapseven intimidating. I believethat the AIS-R Middle/HighSchool Library has successfullymet these requirements. Iremember sitting just outsideof the library, reading and listening to the trickle of the fountain,when the librarian walked past me, coffee in hand, and suggestedthat I enter the library…20 minutes before the scheduled openingtime. This demonstrates how the staff at AIS-R also embraces theEAGLE concept and encourages it in others.Furthermore, AIS-R offers after-schoollearning, not only for individual teachersand their respective classes, but alsofor all of High School in general at theCLAW. The CLAW, which stands forCommunication, Literacy, and Writing, is open to students whoare in need of extra help for writing tasks. The CLAW is overseenby Mrs. Mills, a former journalist, and is a warm and inviting area.Sometimes simply entering the room can free one’s mind, as thewalls are covered in helpful hints and synonyms for commonlyover-used words.environment.Ruth RobertGrade 9 StudentOverall it is a welcome and stimulatingIn conclusion, AIS-R helps to develop in students the traits of awell-balanced person or an EAGLE. The library facilities and theCLAW are but two ways in which our school encourages growth.Hopefully, throughout the year we all can take advantage of ourvarious opportunities to develop further as AIS-R EAGLEs!14 15

Here at AIS-R, learning isn’t just for thekids! On November 1 & 2, 2011, AIS-Rteachers got a chance to become studentsagain during our Mini-NESA Conference.Teachers were asked to volunteer to conduct workshops for theirpeers in areas of their own expertise. Each session was to lastan hour, and teachers could sign up for as many sessions as theywanted. On November 1, there were three different sessions,and two more sessions were offered on November 2. Topicsincluded everything from An Introduction to Bikram Yoga to Howto Differentiate Instruction in the Classroom.Teachers who presented were able to propose their offeringfor selection to be presented at the NESA Spring Educator’sConference to be held in Athens, Greece, March 31 to April 3,2012. We will be submitting the selected finalists to the NESACommittee for approval, and the presenters will find out if theyhave been selected before the winter break. NESA, also knownas the Near East South Asia Council of Overseas Schools, providesfour different conferences throughout the year with manyopportunities for teachers to learn from each other and fromexperts in the field. Many of our AIS-R teachers have attended pastconferences and more will attend workshops and conferencesduring this school year. These opportunities are just a few moreways teachers at AIS-R model the life-long learning habits wehope to instill in our students when we say, “Learn With Us.”Adult Learning at AIS-RSusan StronachMS/HS LibrarianAIS-R NESA RepresentativeI am a LearnerThis year is AIS-R’s NEASC/CIS Accreditation Self-Study Year. Inaddition, it is the inaugural year for our AIS-R Eagle Honor Code.Part of being an AIS-R Eagle is being a learner. As a communitypassionately committed to learning we demonstrate ourpersistence in our efforts towards continued school improvement.In order to grow in the areas that are most needed we reflecton who we are and how we achieve our goals. This allows us todetermine areas needing improvement and to celebrate all of theareas in which we excel. This is the cornerstone of the self-studyprocess.I am persistent.Part of being persistent is working towards a goal until you’veachieved success. At AIS-R our goal is excellence and we achievethat through continuous school improvement. One of theavenues we follow towards this continuous improvement is theaccreditation process. This continual, ongoing cycle of assessingour strengths and areas to improve is an important way we persisttowards our goal. AIS-R earned its first accreditation in 1984. Sincethen, we have completed the ten-year process twice. Included inthe ten-year process are two self-studies, one during the first yearand one during the fifth year. As this is a re-accreditation year forAIS-R, representatives from New England Association of Schoolsand Colleges (NEASC) and Council for International Schools (CIS)visited our campus in April to determine if we were ready tostart the Self-Study process. The visitors were pleased with whatour preparedness and we began the next step in our ‘Journey toExcellence” this fall.I am reflective.The accreditation self-study process is a reflective practice. Allmembers of our community are asked to reflect on how we aredoing as a school. On our most recent professional developmentdays, teachers, staff members and parents worked together toexamine AIS-R’s documents and collect evidence of alignment tothe NEASC/CIS Standards. Cohort groups were formed to reflecton each curriculum area and school division. Each cohort group iscomposed of members from all school divisions and departments.For example, a high school science teacher may work on the earlychildhood cohort, while an English teacher may work on the PEand Health cohort. The teachers of the cohort’s curriculum areaare responsible for explaining what is taught in their departmentand to provide curriculum materials, student work and otherevidence that will need to be collected for the report. The othersare responsible for providing a fresh perspective and to askquestions that may lead to further reflection on our practice ineach area.I seek opportunities to improve.AIS-R is continually working to grow and improve in all areas. Arequirement for our accreditation self-study is for communityRenee Couturier, Director of LearningKerri McGlade, Communications Specialistmembers to completean Opinion Survey. Anindependent researchgroup created the surveyand collected the data, thenprovided us with the results. The results of the Opinion Surveysshowcase the areas where we are excelling and highlight the areasthat community members have identified as needing review. Thesurvey results are truly worth celebrating.I communicate effectively.An important part of the accreditation process is to evaluateour effectiveness in communicating our mission, our practicesand other important information to parents and students. Thefollowing statements were included in the Opinion Surveys.Parents, students and staff members rated each one according totheir level of agreement with the statement. These results reflectopen and effective communication at AIS-R.16 17SurveyStudentsStaffParentsTotal inStatementAgreementI receive timely and up to date 92.5%information about school activities andevents.Effective means for communication 99.4%with students and parents are in place.There are mechanisms for90.7%communicating my needs to schoolmanagement.I seek out parents opinions about their 87.2%child’s strengths, needs, and interests.I receive regular information about 99.3%school activities and events.I know how and where to share 97.1%information about my child withschool personnel.I have received a school or parent 96.4%handbook and find it useful.The school includes me in important 93%decisions about my child’s education.Effective communication strategies 94.9%exist for the interchange of opinionsamong the school, students andparents.We are proud to be AIS-R EAGLES. We are proud of the workwe have done thus far to begin our re-accreditation self-studyprocess and we are excited to move forward. Most importantly,we are proud of our community support and the feedback fromthe Opinion Survey. We certainly have much to celebrate atAIS-R!

AIS-R Eagles are ADAPTABLE in manyways, particularly in terms of how theyhave adapted to the many amazingchanges that take place on our campuseach year. In addition to the new, “I aman AIS-R EAGLE” student honor code, some of the biggest andbrightest of the changes this year are the names and colors onmany of the buildings: Russell Hall, the Center for PerformingArts, and the MS/HS Dining Hall.We have also seenthe introductionof a new cashlesspayment system,which allows Middleand High Schoolstudents and parentsto track purchasesusing their Skywardfood servicesaccounts. Cashlessregisters are nowin place at everyvendor in the MS/HS Dining Hall, as well as at the Eagle’s NestSchool Spirit Store. Soon, it will be the turn of our students in theupper Elementary School to adapt to this new system!In addition, we have seen the creation of two new student clubsAdapting to Changes onAIS-R’s CampusMatt SippleDirector of EducationalAdvancementthis year: the TREP$ Clubin the Middle School andthe Ambassador’s Club inthe High School. TREP$in an entrepreneurshipclub that teaches MiddleSchool students the basicsof business ownership.The Ambassador’s Clubinvolves High Schoolstudents in conductingcampus tours to AIS-Rapplicants, welcoming new students to campus, and promotingAIS-R in numerous ways. Both clubs are off to a fantastic startwith over 60 students involved!Perhaps most well-received changes so far this year are thosethat have taken place in the MS/HS Dining Hall. Not only do ourMiddle and High School students get to sample fare from twonew vendors—Quiznos and Farghali Juice—but we have replacedexisting tables with bright and modern chairs, tables and benches.The room has been transformed; it now looks much more like acollege or university dining hall, and it provides a greater varietyand higher quality of choices. As one enthusiastic 7th grade Eagleput it, “This is awesome!”Clearly, the “A” in EAGLE stands for Adaptable as AIS-R studentshandle in-stride the many impressive changes taking place on ourcampus as we continue to strive for excellence!AIS-R’s 5th GradeEAGLEs Soar!Being an AIS-R EAGLE doesn’t have to take shape as a monumentalgesture. It can be as simple as helping a teacher after school,showing a new student the ropes, or simply smiling and saying,“Good morning,” to someone you pass. Continue reading and Ithink you will agree with us: based on what our 5th Graders aredoing so far this year, they have E-A-G-L-E written all over them!In 5-A, we continue tocollect pull-tabs which willbe sent to Thailand to berecycled into prostheticlimbs for people in need.This is the third year that5-A has promoted thisproject, sending countlesspull-tabs many miles awayto be used again for a goodcause rather than justbeing discarded. You would be surprised how fast these small bitsof metal can add up: so far, 5-A has managed to fill the bottomof the 20-gallon fish tank where this year’s collection is beinghoused. Many teachers and students from several classes havepitched in their efforts and have supported 5-A in this endeavor.We owe a huge thank-you to each and every one of them!In 5-B, we demonstratedwhat it means to be Ethical,with an emphasis onstanding up for the rightsof others. We turned thisyear’s ES Walk-a-Thoninto a fundraiser for theChildren of Haiti Project.We were able to raise SR3,178 to help childrenwho are less fortunate.Students asked friends and family to sponsor them by collectingpledges for each lap they walked around our track. Thanks toeveryone who donated and helped us make such a generouscontribution!In 5-C, we demonstratedwhat it means to be Learningas students, in small groups,looked at each charactertrait in EAGLE and discussedits meaning. Each groupshared their findings andideas with the whole classand then displayed its workon a bulletin board. Groupsformed the letters EAGLEon the grass field with theirbodies creating the shape ofthe letter. They also used aNicole JawadGrade 5 Teacherdictionary to define their word and thendescribed what it would look like in 5-C.The students also completed an ethicsactivity in which they discussed theimportance of respecting others who are different. The studentscreated a very unique person using heads, bodies and legs fromtheir classmates’ drawings to develop stories about their uniquepeople. Their stories included why their person was unique andwhy they needed to be respected. We also added a personalcomponent: students were able to share experiences wherethey felt different and needed to be respected. In the future, 5-Cplans to support orphans who live in China through fundraising.The money we collect will go towards food, clothing, school, andshelter. Also, we will send colorful cards to the orphanage toexpress our concern for them.In 5-D, we are in the middle of a project to collect used backpacksin the Elementary School. These backpacks will be given toother schools in Riyadh with students in need. We hope that thesimple donation of a backpack in which students can carry books,supplies, and personal belongings will show that we are doing ourbest to be globally minded EAGLEs!Finally, we want to mention that there are numerous little thingsour Grade 5 students do to show their EAGLE spirit:• Each class has paired up with Grade 2 reading buddies—those2nd Graders have some great role models to look up to!• Cereal boxes have been re-purposed and are now being usedas book boxes• New students have been welcomed in the UES halls withopen arms, and these students have become EAGLEs in theshort time they have been here• We hold class discussions on global issues and on what itmeans to be a global citizen.These are just a few things the 5th Graders are doing to be idealAIS-R EAGLEs!18 19

Parade of Eagles!