Week of February 25th - March 1st

Important Dates:

Tuesday February 26th: MS Stand up meeting @ 8:00am in the MS Library

Friday March 1st: Department meetings @ 8:00am, various locations

Sunshine:

Please bookmark this Sunshine Weekly link to stay informed of information and events going on in our community. To subscribe to the blog for automatic updates, scroll to the very bottom and enter your email address.

Athletics:

You can read the latest News on Athletics Website which is updated every Friday.

Lists of absent students can be found here and also on our Arts, Athletics and Activities Calendar.

Faculty Council:

PLEASE VOTE! Dear MS Faculty, please take the time to vote here for the 2 representatives you desire to be our MS Faculty Council Representatives for the 2019-2020 school year. The voting form will be open through next Tuesday, February 26 and the new representatives will be announced in the March 1 MS Weekly. If you have any questions, please reach out to Brian or Stacy. Thank you!

Technology:

Tech Bytes: Wakelet is a wonderful way to save, organize and keep a collection of resources online. Classroom uses: Students can share resources and final products on group activities, create digital stories by uploading photos and adding text, like a class Goodreads account sharing book summaries and/or recommendations, resource organization for projects and resource hotlists on topics.

Instructional Coach:

• KIS Reads Teachers: Over the next several weeks, with various interruptions to learning in preparation for SLL and spring break, it might be helpful to prepare for some hiccups in KIS Reads. Consider reading KIS Reads - Problems & Possible Solutions to prepare.
• Do you have particular titles you’d like added to our MS Professional Collection? Please complete this form, if so.
• Do you have particular titles, authors or genres you’d like added to our MS Library? Please complete this form, if so.

ELL:

Month of February our focus will be to support our teachers with developing language objectives. ELL SIOP Cheat-sheet will be provided to all teachers. As you develop the language objectives and strategies, start adding those to ATLAS. If you need help, please email your division ELL lead.

Counseling:

G6 & 7 Course Registration Overview: Monday February 25th through Friday March 1st Counselors will be visiting all 6th and 7th Grade KIS Reads/Academic Support classes to introduce students to the 2019-2020 course registration process, timeline, and elective course offerings. All KIS Reads teachers should have received a google invite for their specific session. The complete course registration overview schedule is attached below for additional reference if needed. Thank you all for your invaluable time and support!

Course Registration Timeline & Events: Throughout the remainder of Q3 and the beginning of Q4, the Middle School Counseling department will be preparing and supporting students and parents through the course registration process to ensure a successful transition into the 2019-2020 academic year.

Below is a brief outline of our Course Planning and Scheduling events. We will provide additional details, in a timely fashion, to support all stakeholders throughout the coming weeks. If staff, students, or families alike have any questions or concerns regarding any aspect of the course registration process please reach out to your grade level counselor for clarification and support. Many thanks for your time and care!

• Course Registration Overview for Current G6 & G7 Students, led by MS Counselors during KIS Reads/Academic Support the Week of February 25th ~ March 1st. KIS Reads teachers please reference the schedule attached below.
• Dragon Dialogue for Current G5 & New Middle School Families [MS Overview], Wednesday March 6th at 10:30 AM. Location: MS Collaborative Space 4 [MS R&D]
• MS Course Registration Workshops during Parent Student Teacher Conferences for Current G5-7 Parents, Friday March 8th
• Middle School & Course Registration Overview for Current G5 Students, Classroom Visits during the Weeks of March 25th ~ April 5th
• MS Course Registration for 2019-2020, During KIS Reads/Academic Support for all G6/7 Students the Weeks of April 1st ~ 12th
• G5 Course Registration for 2019-2020, Classroom Visits during the Weeks of April 8th ~ 19th

Associate Principal:

SLC & PTSC: SLC/PTC conferences are on March 8th, 2019. Grade Level Leads provided feedback on the flow of the day and together the schedule has been confirmed. Parents of students have been notified via SMS of their specific SLC meeting time, advisors you can also confirm this time with your advisees.

Promoting positive behavior and mindset: Please continue to encourage students to demonstrate positive behaviors. As teachers/students prepare for SLL trips, remind students why they are participating in these trips. Explain the S in Dragons, “SERVE” others, to your students. The more you reach out to them and explain this the better chance they have of understanding the word SERVE!

Principal:

Communicating Learning: Now that you have your PowerTeacher Pro gradebook set up, it is expected that you are actively contributing to it throughout the third quarter. The goal is to practice using the gradebook, identify and resolve any errors, ultimately working toward opening up the gradebook for students and parents to view in Q4. If you detect errors and require additional support, please contact Whitney Little. While you spend time learning the ins and outs of the PowerTeacher Gradebook this quarter please ensure that student progress toward learning targets continues to flow via Google Classroom, as in S1. In the spirit of no surprises, students and parents must be well communicated with throughout the quarter.

What about new students? All new students who joined the middle school on February 18th will not receive final grades or Dragons scores in Q3. In PowerSchool, simply enter “NG” in the final grade. In an attempt to bring greater awareness around student growth and development, advisors of new students admitted Feb. 18th will communicate directly with students and parents on March 15th providing a brief written account of their advisee’s progress to date.

Each content area teacher, please send the progress that our new student has made in their short time with us at KIS to the new student's respective advisor. This progress update will be 2-3 sentences in length and will comment on: the student's progress towards current prioritized standards and/or the student's transition into the classroom community.

Example:

Although Suzy Oh has only recently joined our Social Studies 6 class, she's demonstrated that she is approaching proficiency in understanding why societies create and adopt systems of governance in relation to our Ancient India unit. She's transitioned well into discussing key concepts that we're currently studying; being able to engage in partner and group conversations around Ancient India.

Planning ahead, final Q3 grades and Dragons scores are due in PowerSchool Friday March 8th @ 9:00am; Q3 reports / final grades will be visible via PowerSchool Friday March 15th @ 5pm.

PGP: As evaluators continue to circulate through classrooms, please be aware that both unannounced observations and brief walkthroughs are taking place. As evaluators continue to guide faculty through the PGP mid-year reflections and documented progress made toward your personal professional goal is being considered. This is an ideal time to pause, reflect upon progress made to date in a variety of our professional domains. Reflecting and adding evidence of growth to your professional portfolio throughout the academic year is highly encouraged. Bryan and I are here to support you, please reach out to schedule a planning or reflecting conversation with either of us.

Head of School:

It was with great sadness that we received notice earlier this week of the passing of Dr. Richard “Dick” Krajczar. As the Executive Director of the East Asia Regional Council of Schools (EARCOS) for the last 23 years, Dr. Krajczar has been crucial in the advancement of international education within the East Asia region and he will be missed by many. EARCOS has set up a memorial tribute on their webpage where friends and colleagues can contribute messages of condolences.

Please find attached the 2019-20 KISJ Academic Calendar. This is the same calendar that was shared last week but the key in the bottom right corner was updated.

Week of February 18th - February 22nd

Important Dates:

Saturday February 16th: KISAC Swim meet @ BHA & Just Learning Conference @ NLCS

Monday February 18th: Student Yearbook photos

Tuesday February 19th: MS Stand-up meeting @ 8:00am in MS Library

Friday February 22nd: WASC focus group meeting @ 8:00am, various locations

Friday & Saturday February 22, 23: KISAC MS Girls Volleyball @BIFS & KISAC MS Boys Volleyball @KISJ HS gym

Sunshine:

Please bookmark this Sunshine Weekly link to stay informed of information and events going on in our community. To subscribe to the blog for automatic updates, scroll to the very bottom and enter your email address.

Athletics:

This upcoming Thursday-Friday there will be a number of MS students absent as they compete in the KISAC Volleyball Championships. The list of absent students can be found here. The girls will defending the championship in Busan, while the boys will be defending their crown here at KISJ. The game schedule will follow early next week.

Faculty Council:

WE NEED NOMINATIONS! The faculty council has become an important platform for teachers to share concerns and a way to elicit positive change. However, it can’t happen without YOU! We need two council representatives for next year. Thus far, we have received only 1 nomination. It is entirely ok to nominate yourself if this is something you’re interested in being a part of. PLEASE….click here if there is someone you would like to nominate as faculty council representative for the 2019-2020 school year. With their permission, their names will be added to a vote that will occur by the end of February. Thank you, Brian and Stacy

SLL:

We’ve got 3 full school weeks until Service Learning and Leading week kicks off! Thanks to Trip Leads, Team leads, and Teacher Teams for bringing your ideas and enthusiasm that has driven the creative process of considering and designing meaningful encounters for our students this year.

Teacher teams during that week will be as follow:

• Grade 6 Guam Team: Seth Hills, Neyda Moulier, Jamie Kim
• Grade 6 Jeju Team: Lindsey Sowell, Scott Stewart, Alisha Brizicky, Melanie MacCallum, Arthur Scibal, Bill Rago, Tatiana Heckles, Pyong Mun Yun, Whitney Little, Ben Dingle, plus one Korean teacher (TBD)

• Grade 7 Taiwan Team: Nicole Kipfer, Michael Keogh, Mia Han, Jon Pleckaitis
• Grade 7 Jeju Team: Matt Cushman, Lucas Oren, Stacey Breckell, Alex Tat, Hilary Harveycutter, Andrea Wilkins, plus one Korean language teacher (TBD)

• Grade 8 Cambodia Team: Paul Boland, Luke Zaya, Tania Campbell, Kylie Kim
• Grade 8 Jeju Team: Bryan Elshoff, Neil Barnum, Kara O’Connor, Bo Shaw, Derek Cour, Mark Breckell, Tina Wang, plus one Korean language teacher (TBD)

As we continue with our planning processes, trip leads will bring clarity about scheduling, learning targets, learning outcomes, and other logistics to their respective teams. Thank you once again for your patience and active participation in the ongoing and critical refinement of activities and learning that inspire and will be inspired by KIS students serving and leading.

Technology:

Interested in becoming Google Level 1 or Apple Teacher Certified? Come to a short 15 minute session on the nuts, bolts and resources to help during the process Tuesday Feb 19th during one of the following times: *Sign up form

• 10:15-10:30
• 11:15-11:30
• 1:15-1:30
• 2:15-2:30

Tech Bytes: In honor of Valentine’s Day take a little time out of your day to concentrate on yourself really help to increase your health and happiness with mindfulness meditation. The following apps offer free guided sessions and are some of the best on the market. Smiling Mind, Headspace, Stop Breathe & Think, and Calm

Instructional Coach:

• Mid-Year Student Reading Survey results: Thank you to KIS Reads teachers who provided time for your students to complete this survey. Although this survey is far from 100% participation, there are points to celebrate about our developing culture of reading from last year to this year:

• Parent-Teacher-Student Conferences are coming up. When preparing for one-on-one conversations with parents in the afternoon of March 8, you might consider collecting supporting documents that you may want to lean on and refer to: recent or upcoming project descriptions, checklists/rubrics and evidence of student learning. If you’d like some support for preparing for PTSCs, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

ELL:

Month of February our focus will be to support our teachers with developing language objectives. ELL SIOP Cheat-sheet will be provided to all teachers. Be ready to try and create language objectives for your next unit or lesson.

Counseling:

New Student Orientation. On Monday February 18th we will be welcoming 8 new students (G6-5, G7-1, G8-2) to the Middle School. Upon arrival our new dragons will participate in a Middle School Orientation led by the counseling team. Please anticipate their arrival into your classrooms sometime after lunch on Monday afternoon.

Course Registration Timeline & Events: Throughout the remainder of Q3 and the beginning of Q4, the Middle School Counseling department will be preparing and supporting students and parents through the course registration process to ensure a successful transition into the 2019-2020 academic year.

Below is a brief outline of our Course Planning and Scheduling events. We will provide additional details, in a timely fashion, to support all stakeholders throughout the coming weeks. If staff, students, or families alike have any questions or concerns regarding any aspect of the course registration process please reach out to your grade level counselor for clarification and support. Many thanks for your time and care!

• Course Registration Overview for Current G6 & G7 Students, led by MS Counselors during KIS Reads/Academic Support the Week of February 25th ~ March 1st. KIS Reads teachers please reference the schedule attached below.
• Dragon Dialogue for Current G5 & New Middle School Families [MS Overview], Wednesday March 6th at 10:30 AM. Location: MS Collaborative Space 4 [MS R&D]
• MS Course Registration Workshops during Parent Student Teacher Conferences for Current G5-7 Parents, Friday March 8th
• Middle School & Course Registration Overview for Current G5 Students, Classroom Visits during the Week of March 25th ~ 29th
• MS Course Registration for 2019-2020, During KIS Reads/Academic Support for all G6/7 Students the Weeks of April 1st ~ 12th
• G5 Course Registration for 2019-2020, Classroom Visits during the Week of April 8th ~ 12th

Course Registration Overview Schedule

Associate Principal:

In the event that there is inclement weather teachers and students will be informed by the HOS no later than 6:30am via email, if there is a delayed start or closure. In some cases, if we are expecting this to happen, our goal would be to make the decision the evening before. Parents and Business Staff will be informed from the business office.

Student yearbook picture schedule February 18th - check with your team lead if you have any questions.

SLC/PTC conferences on March 8th. Look over the schedule and links and email me if you have any questions or concerns. Parents of students will be notified of their specific SLC scheduled time via text on Friday 2/15/19.

Principal:

Leadership Opportunities 2019-2020

At this time of each school year our focus begins to shift as we set the stage for the upcoming school year. Department Leads, Team Leads and Coordinators are essential to the smooth operation of our school. We depend on these individuals to promote KIS Jeju’s Mission and Vision and to be a champion of the DRAGONS. Historically, leadership positions were reassessed yearly. In SY 2018-2019, we requested that successful candidates commit to a two-year term in order to maintain consistency and capitalize from institutional knowledge while growing middle-level leadership capabilities. Therefore there are fewer middle level leadership roles which will be assigned for SY19/20.

Grade Level Team Lead

1. Grade 6: Mr. Seth Hills has served two years in this role and is departing KISJ. This position is now open.
2. Grade 7: Mrs. Stacy Breckell has served two years in this role and is departing KISJ. This position is now open.
3. Grade 8: Per Mr. Luke Zaya’s 2-year commitment he will continue to serve as G8 grade level leader.

MS Department Lead

1. English Department Lead - Per Mrs. Alisha Briziky’s 2-year commitment she will continue to serve as MS English Department Lead.
2. ELL Department Lead - Per Mr. Bill Rago’s 2-year commitment he will continue to serve as MS ELL Department Lead.
3. Social Studies Department Lead - Mr. Paul Boland has served 1 year as social studies department lead and would like to be considered for other leadership roles in the middle school, therefore we are now accepting applications for this position.
4. Math Department Lead - Ms. Lindsey Sowell has served one year as MS Science Department Lead and will transition and take on the leadership of the MS Math department as the sole returning member of the MS Math department in SY’19/20.
5. Science Department Lead - This position is now open.

School Wide Department Lead

1. Fine and Performing Arts - Mr. John Leonard has served several years in this role and is departing KISJ. This position is now open.
2. Technology and Design - Per Whitney Little’s 2-year commitment she will continue to serve as Tech & Design Lead.
3. World Languages - Per Daisy Lo’s 2-year commitment she will continue to serve as World Language Department Lead.
4. Physical Education - Per Ty Riddick 2-year commitment he will continue to serve as PE Department Lead.

Advisory Leads: Please standby for more information on these leadership positions.

MS Athletics & Activities Coordinator

Per Mr. Neil Barnum’s 2-year commitment he will continue to serve as MS Athletics & Activities Coordinator.

Application process

Click here for leadership position descriptions, roles and responsibilities. Note there are two major changes for SY’19/20; the reporting date for Team and Department Leads as well as the remuneration structure. Please forward your CV and a brief overview to Julia and Bryan explaining how you intend to fulfill the role and responsibilities of the desired leadership position sought. Please include how you will enhance the Middle School program should you be awarded the position.

Timeline

Applications are due Friday February 22nd. Interviews will be scheduled thereafter.

Thank you for your interest in these leadership opportunities.

PGP - Classroom walkthroughs: Bryan and myself will be engaging in classroom walkthroughs throughout the second semester, walkthroughs are brief interactions in which Bryan or I may enter your classroom, observe for a brief period of time and provide written or verbal feedback with respect to the walkthrough.

Unannounced visits: Please note that throughout the second semester Byan and I will also complete a series of unannounced classroom observations. These visits are about 30-40mins in length and similar to the S1 announced classroom observations which seek to provide you with relevant feedback on your professional practice. Please click here to reference the PGP for more information.

Head of School:

It was great to see everyone this morning for the school-wide meeting and WASC updates. Here are the slides that were used if you would like to refer to them.

Today we were only able to touch on a few of the many successes from this school year. As a follow-up to our Create Space successes in each division, please find prepared presentations for the HS CreateSpace, MS Create Space, and ES Design Tech Achievements. Thank you to Josh Wood, Whitney Little, and John Chin for sharing these. These spaces have truly transformed learning and inspired creativity at KISJ!

During the week of Feb. 18-22, the ES and HS principals and I will be off campus attending workshops offered by the Council of International Schools (CIS). The Child Protection Foundation Workshop and Child Protection Deep Dive Workshop are designed for school leaders and counselors who are building and/or strengthening child protection and safeguarding systems in their schools. KISJ is currently embarking on this important process.

Please find attached the 2019-2020 KISJ Academic Calendar.

Have a Great Weekend!

Week of February 11th - February 15th

Important Dates:

Tuesday February 12th: MS Faculty Stand-up meeting in MS Library @ 8:00am

Wednesday February 13th: MS girls volleyball match @BHA 4:30-6:00pm

Thursday February 14th: MS boys volleyball match @SJA 4:30-6:00pm

Friday February 15th - All School WASC meeting @ 8:00am in HS PAC, Frosty Heart MS Dance 6:00-7:30pm in MS Gym

Sunshine:

The 4th Annual KIS Chili-Cook Off will occur Saturday, February 16th, 5:30-7:30pm at Jein Pizza. Click here for a map.

• 10 delicious pizzas will be purchased for you by the Sunshine Committee to snack on during your time of sampling the chili! Beer, wine and soda will be available for purchase.
• The chili cook off champion will receive a gift card to America Roll and Sushi courtesy of the Sunshine Committee.
• If you’d like to participate in the chili cook off, or would just like to attend the event, please RSVP here by Wednesday, February 13 (right after Lunar break)

Please bookmark this Sunshine Weekly link to stay informed of information and events going on in our community. To subscribe to the blog for automatic updates, scroll to the very bottom and enter your email address.

Athletics:

You can read the latest News on Athletics Website which is updated every Friday.

Lists of absent students can be found here and also on our Arts, Athletics and Activities Calendar.

Faculty Council:

Faculty council update:

1) The council met this past week to identify priority items for a full council meeting in Mid-February. If you should have any concerns you would like us to consider, please complete this form.

2) Nominations!

Two council representative positions are open for next year. Please let us know if you would like to nominate anyone for the position. Further details about the process, and the council by-laws, are explained in the form.

SLL:

There are great conversations happening around planning for local trips! Thank you to leads and teams for your openness and flexibility to expand the success of Service Learning and Leading initiatives at KISJ.

One way that we’re looking to get our kids involved is through advocacy. At the 6th grade level that could look like raising awareness at KIS and in the GEC about the dangers of single use plastics, potentially culminating in a bottle cap mural. Imagine the impact to our oceans, to our food chain, to the health of humankind and our ecosystems if our G6 students are able to help their peers become more mindful consumers.

At the G7 level, we’re considering how it could be possible to raise awareness--on campus and off--about the power of cultivating kindness. How could our community and world be improved through compassionate consciousness?

At the G8 level students will look closely at oppression and raise awareness about issues concerning social justice, to build upon a foundation that has been laid in previous years. Teaching KIS students how to recognize and advocate for basic human rights of Freedom and Justice is a tremendous service to our local and global communities.

Thank you all for your active participation and consideration of activities that will connect SLL experiences across grade levels and truly allow our students to serve and lead. As plans continue to be fleshed out, more information will be coming down the pike from your team and trip leads.

Dorms:

ES/MS Dorm Update: Every two weeks the ES/MS dorms will release a community update to share what is happening in the ES/MS Dorms. Please take a moment to see what ES/MS dorm students have been up to.

Dorm Perception Survey Results: Upon returning from winter break, all dorm students gave their input on how their dorm life is going, and shared what they enjoy about living in the dorms and some challenges they face living in the dorms.

The results of our 2018-19 dorm student perception surveys are a reflection of our dedication to creating an emotionally safe living and learning environment in the dorms. We have continued to make progress in students satisfaction levels in all areas of their dorm life. I encourage you to review the data collected. Thank you to all members of faculty that support the KISJ dorm community.

Technology:

As you are doing your Spring cleaning or beginning to pack up for your move the MS Design Thinking classes are taking donations of mechanical and electronic items (or things that could be taken apart and repurposed) that you would otherwise get rid of. You can drop items off in the MS Community Center.

Instructional Coach:

• Revisiting routines is an instructional strategy that helps a class community have shared understanding of expectations. Consider reviewing MS Common Agreements: Revisiting Routines Mid-Year, if you haven’t had a chance yet.
• One Book, One School: Thank you for completing the form to voice your choice of dates for One Book, One School (OBOS). The faculty have spoken! The one and only OBOS in the middle school will happen after Spring Break. We are keen to get as many faculty involved in this important initiative as possible! If you’d like to support in the planning of this, please email Alisha or me.
• KIS Reads Reminder: Please be sure to have your students work through some reading reflections via their Growth Portfolios by following these instructions: KIS Reads: My Semester in Reading Reflection. The reading survey is embedded in that document as well.

ELL: Month of February our focus will be to support our teachers with developing language objectives. ELL SIOP Cheat-sheet will be provided to all teachers. Be ready to try and create language objectives for your next unit or lesson.

Counseling:

New Students. On Monday February 18th we will be welcoming at least 6 new students, potentially 9, (G6-4, G7-1, G8-1 Confirmed) to the Middle School. Upon arrival our new dragons will participate in a Middle School Orientation led by the counseling team. Please anticipate their arrival into your classrooms sometime after lunch in the afternoon of Monday February 18th.

G8 Middle School to High School Transition: On Thursday February 14th, from 3:00-4:00PM in the KISJ High School PAC, all G8 students and their parents will attend a presentation regarding the transition from Middle to High School. Topics will include:

• High School Expectations
• Co-Curriculars, Clubs, Sports, and Service Learning
• Grade 9 Course Requirements
• Four-Year-Plan of Study
• Maia Learning: College and Career Planning

*Please note that on this day all Grade 8 students will be in the HSPAC during their E2 Elective.

G8 Advisory Teachers:

Please meet with your Advisory students and walk them over to the HS on the following dates and times:

Febuary 14, 2019 (2:45pm)

Pick your students up in your classroom and walk them over to the HS PAC for the MS to HS Transition Meeting.

Febuary 15, 2019 (Friday Advisory)

Walk your advisory students to the HS 2nd floor for the Elecitve Fair. Please support and stay with them during the Friday event.

Course Registration Timeline & Events: After the Lunar Break, throughout the remainder of Quarter 3, the Middle School Counseling department will be preparing and supporting students, staff, and families through the course registration process to ensure a successful transition into the 2019-2020 academic year.

Below is a brief outline of our Course Planning and Scheduling events. We will provide additional details, in a timely fashion, to support all stakeholders throughout the coming months. If staff, students, or families alike have any questions or concerns regarding any aspect of the course registration process please reach out to your grade level counselor for clarification and support. Many thanks for your time and care!

• G8 MS to HS Transition Session for Student & Parents, led by MS & HS Counselors, Thursday February 14th, 3:00-4:00 PM. Location: HS PAC
• Course Registration Overview for Current G6 & G7 Students, led by MS Counselors during KIS Reads/Academic Support the Week of February 25th ~ March 1st. Schedule attached below for reference.
• Dragon Dialogue for Current G5 & New Middle School Families [MS Overview], Wednesday February 27th at 10:00 AM. Location: MS Collaborative Space 4 [MS R&D]
• Course Registration Overview for Current G5 Students, Week of March 4th ~ 7th
• MS Course Registration Workshops during Parent Student Teacher Conferences for Current G5-7 Parents, Friday March 8th
• Course Registration for 2019-2020, During KIS Reads/Academic Support for all MS Students the Weeks of April 1st ~ 12th.

Associate Principal:

Finishing Strong!

DRAGON challenge - ask 3 students what lunar new year means to them.

Important items on the horizon…

Frosty Heart dance February 15th 6:00-7:30pm in the MS Gym.

Student yearbook picture schedule February 18th - check with your team lead if you have any questions.

SLC/PTC conferences on March 8th. This document is a draft in progress with the final edit to occur on February 13.

Please continue to help students make good choices regarding PDA “Skinship”. The short of it is “hand holding” is okay, but anything else is not okay and should be treated as a rule infraction starting with a warning, then reporting the incident to the MS office via the MS behavior form.

Principal:

Reflection: As you continue to finalizing your mid-year reflections and add to your portfolio please consider referring to feedback from students in S1. You should have received this feedback from Stacy the week of January 14th. If you do not have access to your feedback please reach out to Stacy and she will forward it to you once again.

Communicating Learning: Bringing it all together… Q3 is all about trying it out! Following up from recent faculty PD on Standards Based approach and Communicating Learning I’d like to clarify a few items related to communicating learning throughout Q3. Now that you have your PowerTeacher Pro gradebook set up it is expected that you are actively contributing to it throughout the third quarter. The goal is to practice using the gradebook, identify and resolve any errors, ultimately working toward opening up the gradebook for students and parents to view in Q4. If you detect errors and require additional support please contact Whitney Little. While you spend time learning the ins and outs of the PowerTeacher Gradebook this quarter please ensure that student progress toward learning targets continues to flow via Google Classroom as in S1. In the spirit of no surprises students and parents must be well communicated with throughout the quarter.

Planning ahead, final Q3 grades and Dragons scores are due in PowerSchool Friday March 8th @ 9:00am, Q3 reports / final grades will be visible via PowerSchool Friday March 15th @ 5pm.

Head of School:

What a whirlwind three weeks it has been to start semester 2! During this time, I have focused on gaining a better understanding of each division through listening, observing and engaging in dialogue with as many people as possible. It is a privilege and honor to learn alongside everyone that makes up our amazing KISJ team.

On Friday, February 15 all teachers and staff are requested to meet at 8:00am in the HS PAC for a school-wide meeting. The purpose of this meeting is to acknowledge the transition we are currently experiencing and identify short and longer-term goals for the direction of KISJ. Our Director of Teaching & Learning, Dr. Rick Odum will also address the next steps for our WASC focus groups. A light breakfast for all will be served outside of the PAC.

It is with mixed emotions I share the news that Mr. Charley Byoung Kon Kim and Ms. Karen Seung-Jung Lee will be leaving KISJ effective February 20. Charley and Karen have been with KISJ from the very beginning. As our first and only Head Nurse, Karen has supported, cared for, and directly touched the lives of nearly every member of our KISJ community. Currently, our ES/MS Operation Support Team Manager, Charley has also led our HS Dorm Office team and Admissions team. The contributions Karen and Charley have had in KISJ developing into an outstanding boarding school cannot be overstated. Thank you from all of us for your hard work and many contributions. Personally and professionally, we will miss your experience, leadership, collaboration, and warm hearts. We wish you and your sons the best of luck with your new adventures in the United States and look forward to our paths crossing again.

On a personal note, thank you for the many messages of support and encouragement. During this time of transition, it will be crucial for us to face challenges together with a positive outlook and a growth mindset. I would especially like to thank the members of our Senior Leadership Team for their support, patience, and collaboration. What a great team of learning leaders!

I wish everyone a very happy lunar new year! 새해 복 많이 받으세요.