August

Week of August 27th - 31st

Important Dates:

August 27th - August 30th: MAP Testing

August 31st: MS Adventure Day

Athletics:

Tryouts/First Practices: Have begun and will continue throughout the week. If a student missed the sign up but wishes to participate, please have them contact the coach, Ty or Neil.

MS Gym: The MS Gym has been converted to a swimming pool by Typhoon Soulik. As the damage is being assessed and a timeline for repair established there will be significant modifications to club and sport teams schedules who use that space. Neil and Ty will be in touch as soon as possible regarding these changes.

Activities / Clubs:

Thanks for the great start to clubs on Tuesday! Please take attendance using your club roster and email Jennifer/Lyla if someone is absent.

Dorms:

A reminder that all teaching faculty are contractually required to participate in tutoring, clubs, activities or sports at least 1 season out of 3. Employees are also required to participate in a dorm activity 1 time per month or attend 4 KISJ events per semester.

Employees in off-campus housing will receive a stipend of USD $1,500 per year for these activities. The stipend will be paid out in 2 installments of USD $750 in November and May. Should there be changes in the housing situation in the middle of the contracted term, the stipend will be adjusted accordingly. Should the employee not complete part of or all of the duties, the stipend will be adjusted accordingly.

Please see MS Faculty Commitments Explained for more details.

If you are a teacher who is sponsoring any type of MS activity that will require students to leave or return to the dorms outside of their usual student schedule, please contact the Deans (cwampler@kis.ac and bfisk@kis.ac) in advance so we can support you and the students.

Technology:

Technology Check out system: If you need to check out any technology available to the staff please use the following form. All items can be picked up from M101 and are available to check out for 2 weeks at a time. Please note, you are responsible for anything you check out. Keep these items in a secure location while you have them.

Reminders: If you have not entered your Google Classroom codes into this spreadsheet, please do so immediately. Make sure your calendar is up to date with your daily schedule for the year. Follow the directions on this slide show to do this if you have not already. Email wlittle@kis.ac if you need help with this.

Tech Bytes: Insert Learning is a Chrome extension that allows you manipulate websites for a more comprehensive lesson. This extension allows you to annotation web pages, add guided questions, discussion boards, and videos. As a teacher, you are able to monitor individual students responses and annotations in real time. There are numerous tutorials and sample pages to help with understanding when you sign up.

Counseling:

Student Schedule Database: Advisors, if you have not done so already, at your earliest convenience please make a copy of your advisees updated and completed Student Schedule Templates. Please share them with your grade level counselor. 7th Grade Advisors can drop off their copies with either counselor. We will use them to compile a database that all staff can reference to locate students when needed. Many Thanks.

Associate Principal:

Map testing dates: Aug 27,28,29,30 make up Sept. 3. Proctors, please review 2018-19 MS MAP Testing Aug 27-30, particularly 2018-19 MS MAP Proctor Instructions. Those who are supporting please review 2018-19 MS MAP Testing Aug 27-30, particularly the schedule and slide 11 of 2018-19 MS MAP Proctor Instructions.

Adventure Day will be August 31. Team leads will continue to update you until the trip.

Student Macbook reimaging is taking place Sept. 3-7 for Grades 6 and 8. Refer to the technology section for instructions and specific dates. If you have any questions please ask your team lead.

S1 Supervision schedule responsibilities update. Reference the supervision document. Please continue to encourage students to follow our acceptable body contact rule.

Phone number list: Please add your info to this document. (Note: do not share this information with parents or students)

Cafeteria update: Starting Monday August 27th all 3 lines will have the same food selections, which will be a combination of the western and korean options.

Dragon challenge: Give one student and one teacher a genuine compliment!

Principal:

Communicating Learning: Advisors, in an effort to open up positive lines of communication between yourself and the parent community please plan to send a brief email home to your advisees and their parents following Adventure Day next Friday afternoon. This sunshine email should include a brief introduction of yourself and your support role as an advisor, a description of the learning that occurred on Adventure Day, a photo of the advisory group [make sure all faces are accounted for] and an invitation to connect in the future should they have any questions you might be able to help with. Parent email addresses can be located in PowerSchool / demographics, it might be a good idea to create an email group for future use. Positive communication such as this is integral to building trust with our parent community.

Updates from the MS Faculty Council Representatives:

The full faculty council has had their first meeting for the 2018-19 school year. We will meet approximately once a month throughout the school year. This year’s council consists of:

As a friendly reminder, the council’s purpose is:

1. To bring to the Academic Head KISJ policy matters that have a school-wide impact.
2. To provide a faculty forum on matters of KISJ policy.

You are welcome to view the public minutes of our August 20th meeting.

If any of our middle level faculty would like to add a topic for our consideration, please complete the MS Faculty Council request form. You can also can reach out to either Stacy or Brian directly.

International SLL Destination Leaders: As a division we strive to provide a diverse, well rounded program for our students, one aspect of our diverse program is Service Learning. One way we engage in service learning is through offering Service Leading and Learning (SLL) trips in second semester. At this time we are seeking International SLL Destination Leaders G6-8, please click here to learn more about this leadership opportunity. All are welcome to apply for this leadership opportunity. Please email me directly to express interest.

HR Updates: I look forward to speaking with those of you have are thinking about recruiting this academic year. Please remember to included meeting with me in your resignation which must take place before Sept. 17th [early] should you wish to qualify for the extra three recruitment days. Otherwise, the final deadlines is Oct. 29th [final]. Please re-read the notes from Amos should you need further clarification.

Week of August 20th-24th

Important Dates:

M-F August 20th-24th: Student Macbook reimaging

Monday August 20th: 6 New Students will join the MS

Tuesday August 21st: S1 Clubs & Activities begin

Wednesday August 22nd: Students dismissed @ 3:35pm, Teachers may depart @ 4pm.

Athletics:

Tryouts will be start next week. There were 192 sign ups for Season 1! Thank you promoting these sport opportunities to your students.

Activities / Clubs:

Great showcase yesterday! Thank you for being willing to go up on stage and promote your clubs! I will get rosters/club adjustments to you ASAP. Clubs will start Tuesday August 21st. Please let me (Neil Barnum) know if you need any help getting started.

Dorms:

A reminder that all teaching faculty are contractually required to participate in tutoring, clubs, activities or sports at least 1 season out of 3. Employees are also required to participate in a dorm activity 1 time per month or attend 4 KISJ events per semester.

Employees in off-campus housing will receive a stipend of USD $1,500 per year for these activities. The stipend will be paid out in 2 installments of USD $750 in November and May. Should there be changes in the housing situation in the middle of the contracted term, the stipend will be adjusted accordingly. Should the employee not complete part of or all of the duties, the stipend will be adjusted accordingly.

Please see MS Faculty Commitments Explained for more details.

If you are a teacher who is sponsoring any type of MS activity that will require students to leave or return to the dorms outside of their usual student schedule, please contact the Deans (cwampler@kis.ac and bfisk@kis.ac) in advance so we can support you and the students.

Technology: Time sensitive information, please read carefully...

Setting up your personal Google Calendar:

• All teachers are expected to have their daily classes/recurring meeting schedule in Google Calendar for the 2018-19 school year.
• Follow the directions in this slideshow to easily set up your personal calendar.
• I will be available for one on one assistance Tuesday in the Community Center from 10:00-12:20 and 1:40-2:35.

Macbook Reimaging for students will occur next week. Follow this schedule with your advisory to drop off and pick up their Macbooks.

• Remind students to save anything they want to keep on an external hard drive or a similar device. The software, applications, and profiles installed during the imaging process can not be erased.
• Before dropping computers, be sure students have done the following:
  • Computer password changed to 1111 (video directions)
  • On a Sticky note, write
    • Full Name
    • KIS Email Address
    • Student ID
    • Grade and Advisory Teacher

Technology Bytes: As you are navigating Google Classroom, make sure you are taking advantage of the copy feature when entering your assignments. This allows you to upload the same assignment to multiple classes at one time.

Instruction Coach:

• If you are a KIS Reads teacher, and would like some support, please be sure to reach out - I’d be happy to co-facilitate KIS Reads, model some strategies or help set some group norms.
• Our Professional Collection is underway in the Community Center! Not all books have been labeled yet, but if you pass by and see something that strikes your fancy, just sign a book out using the sign out sheet on top of the bookshelf.

Counseling:

New Students: We are welcoming six new students to the Middle School on Monday, August 20th. Upon arrival our new dragons will participate in a Middle School Orientation led by the counseling team. Please anticipate their arrival into your classrooms the period before or after lunch.

Advisors, as soon as our new students schedules have been completed we will provide you with a copy of your advisees New Student Schedule Template for your records/reference. Thank you all for the compassionate guidance and support you have provided to make all of our students feel welcome at our Middle School.

Student Schedules: Students schedules are now finalized. Schedule changes will only be made in extenuating circumstances with administrative support and approval.

Advisors, at your earliest convenience please make a copy of your advisees updated and completed Student Schedule Templates. Please share them with your grade level counselor. 7th Grade Advisors feel free to drop off your copies with either counselor. We will use them to compile a database that all staff can reference to locate students when needed.

Associate Principal:

Student Macbook reimaging is taking place Aug 20-24. Refer to the technology section for instructions. If you have any questions please ask your team lead.

S1 Supervision schedule responsibilities update. Check the updated supervision document. The responsibilities have changed for each area.

Update your phone number: Please add/update your info to this document. (Note: do not share this information with parents or students)

Map testing dates: Aug 27,28,29,30 make up Sept. 3. More information will follow next week.

Adventure Day will be August 31. Team leads will be planning this with you during future meetings.

Dragon challenge: Introduce yourself to 5 students you do not teach!

Principal:

Communicating Learning Outcomes: Inline with sound assessment and reporting practices, teachers provide students multiple and varied opportunities throughout the quarter, semester and year to demonstrate their progress towards proficiency. At the end of each grading period, teachers will use summative data as well as evidence gathered throughout the reporting period, paying particular attention to most recent and most consistent data, to inform their professional judgment of student learning. Click here to learn more. In the MS Community Center we have several resources for teachers to consult re: standards based grading - one of our favorites is: Grading from the Inside Out - Bringing Accuracy to Student Assessment Through a Standards-Based Mindset. Stop by the Community Centre and pick up a copy today!

Just Learning Conference: The JL2 conference is quickly approaching, please refer to our Academic Head’s blog for specific information about the weekend and how to get involved. The conference is scheduled September 15th and 16th.

MS Staffing: Due to an urgent family medical need, Nadia Sinitskaia will depart KISJ at the end of the month. In the interest of confidentiality and professionalism, please do not share this news with students, parents, or discuss it openly with others. Students will be notified at the end of next week. Efforts are currently underway to hire a replacement.

Orientation feedback: Last Saturday marked our final orientation activity - the Jeju United soccer match was entertaining to say the very least! Although SY'18/19 induction has come to a conclusion MS Leadership, and KISJ Business staff will continue to support you throughout the academic year. In an effort to improve our systems in the future it would helpful if you could please provide us with your feedback - click here. Thank you for your immediately positive contributions to the middle school team, it's going to be a great academic year!

International SLL Destination Leaders: As a division we strive to provide a diverse, well rounded program for our students, one aspect of our diverse program is Service Learning. One way we engage in service learning is through offering Service Leading and Learning (SLL) trips in second semester. At this time we are seeking International SLL Destination Leaders G6-8, please click here to learn more about this leadership opportunity. All are welcome to apply for this leadership opportunity. Please email me directly to express interest.