Caroline Eagles professional soccer player Ismail Minteh informed and entertained our 2nd and 4th graders this week. Mr. Minteh is a native of Ghana, the 4th grade’s Sister Country, and a former soccer All-American. He answered questions about Ghana and his soccer career, and offered to help CIS establish relationships with schools in Ghana. We look forward to future visits by the international members of the Eagles, who reached the national finals last year. Ghana’s flag is to the right of the ball in the picture.
This was the inaugural raising of the US flag on our new flagpole, obtained through a generous donation by parents Farid and Laila Roy. Thanks, too, to parent Ken McMillen for installing the pole. We’ll fly the colors proudly!
Classroom Visits
CIS exists today because of our active, dedicated parents. Many of you chose this school because you want to be involved in your child’s education, and have inquired about visiting the classrooms. That is welcome at CIS, with your cooperation. Here is our perspective:
We see two purposes for visiting the class:
- Volunteer help for the teacher. Our teachers appreciate your offers to help. To make sure your time is used effectively, our teachers will identify tasks and will schedule times when they most need your help. We want you to feel that your time in the classroom was productive, whether with as a tutor, clerical help, lunch or play supervisor, or other role. Please contact the teacher directly to schedule a time to volunteer.
- Observe the class. Some parents would also like to see the class in action. You can make an appointment directly with the teacher to visit the class for this purpose.
We want to create an orderly environment that maximizes our teachers’ effectiveness. When unexpected visitors enter the classroom, the students’ attention shifts and the dynamics change. Teachers have to adjust and that can add another challenge to their already demanding job. They need consistent time with their students to create a coherent atmosphere for learning.
You are an essential part of our school community and are welcome on our campus. By making arrangements beforehand as requested above, everyone involved can gain the maximum: you, the children, and the teachers.
Late Drop-Off Policy
If you arrive at school after 9am, you are asked to park your car and bring your children to the office to sign them in. Students cannot enter their classes after 9am without an “Admit to Class” slip.
Signs at Pick-Up
Please display your family sign in your window for the entire length of the Pick-Up line. That helps teachers match the children with their cars.
Super Start for Enrichment Classes
Our after-school enrichment program got off to a super start this week with 48 students in choir and more the 55 in chess! We’ll need to recruit more parent helpers for chess if you want the classes to be weekly. Otherwise, we’ll have to split the group by age and meet every other week. If you can help (and/or provide a much-needed chess board), please contact Sean McCloud at spmcclou@email.uncc.edu.
Enrichment Fair This Week
This Tuesday, October 12th , we’ll have an Enrichment Fair to introduce our students to Tae Kwon Do, Little Ninjas, Guitar and Piano instruction, and Ballet. Instructors will be on hand to answer questions.
20 Day Totals
Friday was our 20th day of school. That’s significant because our state and local funding for the duration of the year is based on our ADM (average daily membership) over these 20 days. Our average? More than 328 enrolled, and over 320 for attendance!
We want to thank all our students and parents for such a strong start after the long delay. Let’s keep our attendance high!
Courtyard work, continuing…
Thanks to parents Vicki Griggs, Tom Bagen, and Frank Bronander, our courtyard area will be more orderly this week. They worked on Saturday to place wood logs around the perimeter of the courtyard.
Special UNITE Visitors
Two of our core curricular features are international and environmental studies. Both will be served this month when we have our first visitors from the UNITE (Uganda and NC International Teaching for the Environment) program. Two elementary school teachers from Uganda will be at CIS from Sunday night through Wednesday afternoon. We are seeking families that would like to host Stella and Edvina during their stay. If you are interested, please contact Dee Duncan at Dgduncan763@aol.com.
Teachers’ Telephones
At long last, we have new telephones in each teacher’s classroom, thanks to the extraordinary efforts of teacher Laura Bost and parent Michael Owens. They have been coming in at night after work to make the final connections throughout the campus. The phones will enable our teachers to contact you immediately with any important information. We will also be programming their voicemail boxes so you can leave a message directly for them anytime. We will inform you when that step is completed. We’re moving ahead with our communications and appreciate your patience over the past weeks.
Substitute Teachers Needed
We are seeking some additional substitute teachers to call on as needed. If you would like to serve the school in this capacity, please contact Dr. Beall for more information. The salary is comparable to school systems in this area, and training can be arranged as needed.
Parent FAQ’s
These are some of the Frequently Asked Questions we’re receiving from parents:
What’s the status of the Individual Learning Profiles (ILP)?
The ILP’s will be works in progress for as long as your children attend CIS. They represent our collective understanding of how your child learns best, and include any information that will help us maximize their learning. These are not separate curriculum and instruction plans for each student; they are profiles of your children’s learning characteristics that we continually expand as new insights and information are gained.
Importantly, the information and understanding from the ILP does help us individualize our instruction, one of the primary objectives of our educational program. That, too, is an on-going process. Each day our teachers learn more about their students’ academic needs. They adjust their curriculum and instruction accordingly. We are committed to engaging and challenging each student—at his/her individual level.
What is the homework policy?
Homework is an effective way to reinforce and share new learning with family members. We will continually seek a balance in the quantity of homework. You should expect homework nightly, in increasing amounts at each grade level. We especially encourage reading to or with your children nightly. If you have specific questions about homework, please contact your child’s teacher.
How does our curriculum fit with the state’s Standard Course of Study (SCOS)?
The SCOS provides an outline of what every child should know and be able to do at each grade level in each subject. All of our teachers use the SCOS as the organizing framework for their curriculum. They align their learning objectives with the standards, but can use their own creativity to decide how to meet and exceed the standards. And within the standards there is unlimited opportunity for greater depth and detail, if that is appropriate to the situation.
When are lunchtimes?
| K & 1 | 11:00-11:30 |
| 4 & 5 | 11:30-12:00 |
| 2 & 3 | 12:00-12:30 |
| 6 & 7 | 12:15-12:45 |
Can I join my children for lunch?
Yes, we welcome that family time together. Please contact your teacher to make arrangements.
Do we have funds for picnic tables and benches?
Yes, because of the hard work of our Fund-Raising Committee and the participation of so many of our families. More than $5,000 was generated by the Red Apple Morley sales, and that money is being earmarked for campus development: playground equipment, benches, tables, etc.
Fortunately, we’ve discovered a clever project plan for a bench that converts into half of a picnic table. Put two together and you’re ready for lunch. The materials for two benches totals less than $100, so we’d like to start constructing these immediately. Families can donate $100 for a table and we’ll see that a plaque honors your contribution. If you are interested in donating or assisting with this project, please contact the school office at 704-455-3847 or email us.
When will the road be paved?
We spoke Saturday with the general contractor and hope to schedule work at end of this week. It will take one day to “set the stone” (i.e., to prepare the gravel surface for the asphalt) and one day to pave. We’re trying to arrange this for the weekends so our academic schedule is not interrupted any further. We’ll provide more information as soon as possible.
What is the timeline for the athletic field?
We will seed the field—and all the grounds—as soon as the paving is completed. The field will take time to mature for athletic use. We’ll assess its condition in the spring to determine its readiness for lots of little feet. In the meantime we will seek alternative sites where we can establish our sports teams, especially soccer. More on that soon…
Where can I find the updated school calendar?
It was finally sent to our web master this weekend (sorry for the delay!) so it will be available online soon.
Dr. Richard Beall, Director
Carolina International School
8810 Hickory Ridge Road
Harrisburg, NC 28075
Telephone: (704) 455-3847
Email: info@CarolinaInternationalSchool.org
www.CarolinaInternationalSchool.org