1. New Faculty: We had an assembly last week where we welcomed our new Elementary faculty. Here are their names:

Haoua Bala (Pre-K 3 Teaching Assistant), Stephanie Kern (Pre-K 4B Teaching Assistant), Katie Taylor (Pre-K 4W Teaching Assistant & Library), Julienne Guillaume (Gr 1), Michael Gallagher (Gr 2), Natalie Rimmer (Gr 2 Teaching Assistant), Randy Johnson (Gr 2 Teaching Assistant), Reese Ishmael (Gr 5), Adja Sakho (Gr 5), Anita Gallagher (Gr 5), Teresa Wolff (Gr 3-5 Art), Pam Pelliccia (ES Counselor), Axelle Mbaye (French).

2. Birthday Lunch: One of my favorite roles at school is to be the host for the Birthday Lunches on the balcony. Yesterday we celebrated the July and August birthday kids! Not only did we have fun, but everyone there walked away with a birthday pencil! I hear they are magic....

3. Kelso: You'll hear more about Kelso at our first homeroom assemblies on the week of September 24. Kelso's Choice is our conflict management program at ISD, and we encourage children to try two of Kelso's Choices to solve their own problems (if it is a small problem). There is a link to Kelso's web site HERE, and Kelso's wheel of 9 choices is below. 

If you have to deal with a conflict at home with a child, you could try asking "what would Kelso do?" Perhaps Kelso will help move things on. 

4. Ms. Pam's New Student Lunches: Not only is our ES Counselor a Kelso expert, but she is also a great host for lunch. She has been meeting all the new students by grade at lunch time. It's been a great way for her to welcome new friends to ISD. 

5. School Lunch Procedure: There is now a second place where you may hand your school lunch orders for Shady Shack. Mirna will be setting up a table to accept orders in the Secondary building amphitheater. Please just head there on Monday to save walking all the way across the field to hand in an order.

6. Healthy Lunches and Snacks: I have handed the Healthy Lunch and Snack guidelines to all new parents, and I have attached the guidelines below. Essentially we ask: no chips, fries, candy or soda in snack or lunch. 

Please do follow the attached guidelines - Shady is doing the same; we ask this as studies show that healthy eating does have a positive effect on schooling. For a link to an interesting BBC article click HERE. If you're really interested, search for Jamie Oliver's hard-hitting thoughts on the web and on TED.

7. 1st PTO Meeting: On a lighter note, the PTO is holding their first meeting on Wednesday Sept. 4 at 8:30. Please do come along to the Board Room if you would like to participate. As the month goes on, we will be asking for room parents. 

8. Swimming Starts Soon: Please be ready to start sending your K-5 child's swim things in with them from the week of September 9.

9. PTO Welcome Back Cocktail: All parents are invited to the PTO cocktail in the gym on Friday, September 6, from 6:00. There will be HS students monitoring the playground, so parents can bring children and relax.

10. Open House: Make a note to be available the evening of September 19 from 5:30. The Elementary Open House will be a chance for you to meet homeroom teachers, other class parents and to see some of the Specials classes, too. 

11. School Facilities Use: Just to mention again, especially to new parents;  the school pool is available after 5:00pm weekdays and 10:00am-8:00pm on the weekends. 

Students at the pool who are Grade 8 and below must be in attendance with their own parents. Students cannot be in the care of their nanny or driver. There is a facilities use form that must be filled in each year for those wishing to use them, and it is posted at the end of the Student Parent Handbook linked HERE. 

Upcoming Events: 

Ian Clark

Ian Clark Ed.D.

Elementary School Principal

International School of Dakar