Primary Coffee Morning Summary

Apr 24, 2019

If you are an ARIS Parent, you surely are familiar with our frequent Coffee Mornings with our Director and Heads of Schools to get you up to date with our developments and our future goals, both short and long term. ARIS is a community that prioritizes transparency between parents and facilitators for the mutual development of both the students and the school, as an institution.

This morning, Madam Dania, the Primary Head of School hosted Coffee Morning with Primary parents to update them. This year has been a big one for us at ARIS, in terms of events and achievements - we have celebrated our 15th Anniversary this year and also raised (and are still raising) money to fund our Phase-2 project at Secondary. Phase-2 Project, the construction of our new Primary campus was also inaugurated this year by the Board members. We have collaborated and gone through various PD (Professional Development) workshops, including our most recent one with Ms. Rouba going to Greece for an “Evidencing Learning Assessment” workshop. We have also developed an ARIS Well-being Model, whereby mindfulness and well-being are paramount to our actions. On that note, ARIS has also strengthened Child Protection. Prioritizing Arts and Culture, we have hosted a variety of events including the Early Years Big Heart Exhibition, IBDP Exhibition, and the upcoming PYP Africa Art Exhibition. Last but not least, our Director, Dr. Fatma Odaymat, is a new board member for AISA (Association of International Schools in Africa) which ARIS is a proud member of.

This semester, ARIS has also prioritized cross-collaboration between Primary and Secondary, dubbing it Vertical Collaboration between PYP, MYP, and DP Departments in order to have a connected transition in the continuum. Today will be our second Vertical collaboration. PYP at ARIS is now moving to become the new Enhanced PYP which prioritizes Voice, Choice and Agency. There is ample importance given to the ATL (Approaches to Learning Skills) - Social, Research, Thinking, Communication and Self-Management Skills as students explore their Units, Concepts, Related Concepts and Attitudes in the PYP.

 What is now coming up in the short term is:

  • Dancemania (3rd May 2019)
  • GL Progression Assessment (Math and English) (May 2019)
  • ARISVersity Graduation (17th May 2019)
  • PYP African Art Exhibition (27th May 2019)
  • EYP Graduation (31st May 2019)
  • PYP Graduation (7th June 2019)
  • PYP Clap Out (12th June 2019)

 

As for What’s next in the big picture:

 

Workshops -

Conceptual Understanding by Rachel French

  • Assessment - Evidencing Learning in the PYP (the one attended by Ms. Rouba in Greece)

 

Vertical Alignment of Curriculum (the outcome of Vertical Collaboration)

  • Collaboration with Secondary to ensure continuum in the IB Programme

 

  • Preparation for 2021 PYP Evaluation
  • Primary Building on ARIS Secondary Campus