Wednesday 17 January 2018

January Meeting



Grade
Type of Representative

Present at meeting 8 January 2018
1a
Parent
Evgenia Lynum
x

Deputy
Kyle Depew

1b
Parent
Gobind Singh Gill
x

Deputy
Birute Stankuniene

2a
Parent
Thilanka Madugodage
x

Deputy
Dmitry Ilinskiy

2b
Parent
Derya Ongen
x

Deputy
Birendra Kumar

3a
Parent
Philmar Middelthon
x

Deputy
---

3b
Parent
Thrasyvoulos Gryparis


Deputy
Anastasia Solomonova (Solomonova) Hole

4a
Parent
Kate Rushdy
x

Deputy
Tara Tinholt

4b
Parent
Jennifer Fagan
x

Head of PC
Anne Lise Kielland
x

Deputy
Tessa Howell

5
Parent
Mette Reitz
x

Deputy
Ragnhild Krøglid

6
Parent
Prashant Kanungo


Deputy
Heidi Robertson


Deputy
Frode Olsen

7
Parent
Cecilia Cantos
x
8
Parent
Andrew Langridge
x

Deputy
Elizabeth Olsen

9
Parent
Anne-Valérie Sickinghe
X (Minutes secretary)

Deputy
Mark Williams
x

School Principal
Robert Browne (RB)
X (during pt. 1)
Asker International School Parent Council meeting, 8 January 2018

1 - Update from the Principal
School premises
RB had a meeting with Asker’s counsellor and the principal of Risenga ungdomsskole. The tone of the meeting was positive.
Landøya ungdomsskole will be moving out of the building in June 2018, and Risenga ungdomsskole will be
temporarily moving in in November 2018, based on current information.

There will be more space for AIS this year, and additional classrooms from August 2018. AIS will potentially have more access to the gym. The barracks on the school grounds will be extended, this will unfortunately restrict the playground. AIS’s access to space and school premises is temporary, and based on demand. RB will work to ensure as much continuity as possible.

The «kommune» (Asker municipality) stated that they currently have no plans for the school after Landøya moves out. It was suggested that the kommune may now be interested in discussing the possible purchase of the building, but this needs to be evaluated over time. It is therefore important to officialize all agreements.

Recruitment
Several positions will be advertised at the start of 2018: one teacher for PYP, one teacher for MYP. The school will also need an extra PE teacher next year. The school already has a qualified PE teacher to substitute for Andrew Johns during his paternity leave.

AIS receives many applications, but not all applicants are suitable or qualified. Contracts for teachers are mapped on Utdanningsforbundets collective wage agreements.


Miscellaneous
Transformations are necessary if the offices and meeting rooms near the reception are to be used
as classrooms. This is because walls, windows and ceilings need to comply with fire safety regulations.

Due to construction work, it is difficult to organize SFO during the summer holidays. This is not a finalised decision, however the school may find itself having construction work hindering the possibility of facilitating SFO. This will be continuously evaluated as we near Summer.

All grade 1 places for next year have been filled, there are 60-70 children on the waiting list.

Lunch provisions: despite some low-level problems, the arrangement seems to be working well enough.

2 - Changes in the Parent Council

Robert Jones, grade 7 representative, will be out of the country because of work obligations.
In his absence, his wife Cecilia Cantos will represent grade 7 in meetings and act as deputy for the
head of PC. The Deputy member for grade 7, Haseung Choi, has relocated to the USA, and grade 7
has a vacancy for a new deputy. The PC greatly appreciates the grade 7 representatives’ initiative in
dealing with the changes.


3 - Accounts
A summary of the AIS Parent Council account from August 2017 to December 2017 was attached to
the agenda sent out ahead of the meeting. PC treasurer Mette Reitz (MR) presented the highlights:
Halloween gave us 1.713,- in expenses, The Winter Concert gave us an income of 11.795,-.
As of 31.12.2017 the balance in the PC account showed NOK 29.161,-
It was agreed in a previous meeting that funds were to be donated to equipment decided on by
teachers Anja Gharaibah (AG) and Andrew Johns (AJ). Grade 1a representative Kyle Depew has
received a detailed list from AJ, whereas AG was interested in having a budget for more advanced equipment. The PC will donate a budget of 5000 kr to AG, while the budget for AJ’s equipment will be decided as soon as it is determined how much is needed. AJ will be on paternity leave until March 2018 and will be allowed to purchase equipment himself upon his return. It is, however, important to inform students’ families about the application of the funds as soon as possible.
MR urges event organizers to give her receipts for re-imbursement ASAP. It is also possible to receive PC funds ahead of events, so that organizers avoid outlaying their own money.

Kate Rushdy will talk to the student council about their input on how PC funds could be spent (we expect them to have a wish list).

At the end of the school year, MR will inform the PC about usage of PC funds.

A moneybox, to be used at the different PC driven events, was requested.

4 - Thermometer

The absence of a thermometer at AIS, and the necessity of it, was once again discussed. ALK will
contact the school nurse about the matter.


5 - The Winter Concert
The arrangement was a great success, the venue good, and the raffle successful. As always, there is
room for improvement. Next year should look closer at the possibility of selling cake before the concert
and spread the cake stations a bit more to avoid the tight crowd in front of the exit.


6 - Disco night and student ball
The Disco night (for grades 1-5) will take place on 16 March. It will be organized by grade 1A.
The Student ball (for grades 6-9) will take place on 2 March. It will be organized by grade 8. Since the
PC rep and deputy for grade 9 has no event of their own planned this year, it was suggested that they
join grade 7 in organizing this event.
If the PC takes on the responsibility for food and drink, the school will provide the rest.
For the student ball, RB has suggested a ticket price of 300 kr and catering by Chef Mirati. The PC
found the suggested ticket price rather steep, and will look into alternatives. The PC will also look into
the viability of investing in permanent student ball equipment, such as crockery and cutlery.
MYP students will be involved in organizing the event.
It was suggested that AIS organize a summer barbecue at the end of the school year. This will be a low-key, pot luck style event.


7 - Coffee morning
The next coffee morning will take place on Friday 19 January. Time and place will be posted on the AIS
parents’ Facebook page.

Our next meeting will be on Monday 5 February at 15:40.

Friday 5 January 2018

December Meeting 2017

Minutes of the Parents’ Council Meeting of December 4th 2017

Grade
Type of Representative
Name
Present at meeting December 4th 2017
1a
Parent
Evgenia Lynum


Deputy
Kyle Depew

1b
Parent
Gobind Singh Gill
x

Deputy
Birute Stankuniene

2a
Parent
Thilanka Madugodage
x

Deputy
Dmitry Ilinskiy

2b
Parent
Derya Ongen
x

Deputy
Birendra Kumar
x
3a
Parent
Philmar Middelthon


Deputy
---

3b
Parent
Thrasyvoulos Gryparis


Deputy
Anastasia Solomonova (solomonova) Hole

4a
Parent
Kate Rushdy
x

Deputy
Tara Tinholt

4b
Parent
Jennifer Fagan
x

Head of PC
Anne Lise Kielland
x

Deputy
Tessa Howell

5
Parent
Mette Reitz
x

Deputy
Ragnhild Krøglid
x
6
Parent
Prashant Kanungo


Deputy
Heidi Robertson


Deputy
Frode Olsen

7
Parent
Robert Jones
x

Deputy
Haseung Choi

8
Parent
Andrew Langridge


Deputy
Elizabeth Olsen
x
9
Parent
Anne-Valérie Sickinghe


Deputy
Mark Williams


School Principal
Robert Browne (RB)
Present during pt. 1 and 2

1. General update from the Principal
Nothing new regarding the premises.

2. Update on the recent enhanced focus on the traffic safety situation
The school has had increasing focus on safety for the children walking to and from school, as the driving conditions have gotten more difficult due to the winter weather. RB reached out to the Parent Council and asked for support and suggestions.
After having received several suggestions from the Parent Council, last week all the teachers at the school engaged in a collective action regarding the traffic safety situation. They were supervising the pedestrian areas from the bus stop and all the way to the front of the school. They were visible and actively directing children to cross at the correct places and guiding cars that were not driving accordingly. Hopefully the actions done last week has helped create a focus and new routines and that we will see an improvement in the future. RB is considering repeating this activity.
RB has contacted Statens Vegvesen regarding the pedestrian crossing at the main road, again, now that Landøya students are being dropped off at the main road the number of kids using the pedestrian crossing is around 600 each day. This should be enough to get Statens Vegvesen to lower the speed limit and enforce the crossing with lights. RB is still waiting for a reply.
The process of getting signs put up near the school is moving forward, finally, after 3 years of negotiation with Drengsrud. Asker Kommune has been asked, again, to put up signs for the pedestrian crossing between the car park and the sidewalk near the school.
AIS has been promised a concrete block in the pedestrian path, preventing cars to use the pedestrian path as an exit from the car park.
AIS has contacted the local police and asked for them to come and talk to the students at AIS about traffic safety in wintertime Norway.
The teachers and staff supervising the traffic outside the front of the school has been verbally abused and threatened, several times, when trying to direct cars away from the area. This has not been parents of AIS children.
3. Other suggestions regarding the traffic safety situation
- Using a fluorescent spray paint directly on to the snow on the road, to show the cars where to drive and not drive.
- Explore the possibility of having one entrance to the car park and a separate exit, this would make the traffic flow very much smoother and increase safety. If this is not possible, then at least widen the existing opening by 1-2 meters, since this would also help a lot.
Mr Roberts comment: I have asked Asker Kommune about this previously, and not been heard, but it might be more efficient if the parents as a group voiced their concern about this issue. I can make a short survey and send the link to the parents, so that everyone has a chance to sign and support the suggestion.
- Ask representatives from Asker Kommune to come and see for themselves what the traffic is like in the morning and in the afternoon and how this effects the children’s safety.
Mr Roberts comment: I have proposed the suggestion to Heidi Gartland in Asker Kommune, who said that she would pass it on to the right department.
- Follow the actions taken by schools in Halifax, Canada:
Let the children carry a highly visible flag across the pedestrian crossing, to make it extra clear to the drivers of buses and cars that they are crossing. The flags could be planted in buckets on both sides of the road. Once the child has crossed, the flag is placed in the bucket. The parents or children crossing in the other direction could carry the flags to the other side again. The flags should be kept in the reception and brought out only at 8.30-8.50 and at the end of the school day.
4. Resumes from the PC driven activities
When each event is finished, it is expected that those in charge write a resume from the event describing the challenges and solutions. This information should be passed on to the next years organizing committee. The PC suggests that these resumes be stored in Google Drive, not on the PC blog.
5. The Winter Concert, update and planning - Kate Rushdy
The planning is going well. It has been decided that admissions should be free, as well as coffee, tea and drinks for the children. The only income from this event will be from the raffles sales. The prizes this year are amazing.
The plan is that the parents of 4A and 4B bake all the cake needed for the cake sale and take care of selling the cakes at the show. The organizing committee will ask the PC for assistance if needed.
The raffle tickets will be sold at AIS on Thursday 7/12 and Friday 8/12 directly after school. The tickets will cost NOK 20,- and can be bought only for cash (no VIPPS).
6. A summer concert organized at the end of the school year?
The idea of having some sort of outdoor gathering at the end of the school year is definitely supported by the PC, but we need someone to organize this event. We will look at this in the spring.
7. Utilizing money from the Parent Council
It has been decided earlier that the PC wishes to donate money to sports equipment to be used at the various activities run by Mr Andrew, and outside during break. The PC also wish to donate some money to the art teacher, Miss Anja. Mette has now had a talk with Miss Anja about what kind of materials etc. she could need. Due to the nature of collaborative planning, Miss Anja needs to create new lessons or needs to adjust previous lessons on a 6-week unit basis. As a result, she doesn’t always know what supplies she will need, especially, if she wants to try something new. For this reason, Miss Anja suggests a budget for the art room, which could be under the custody of the treasurer of the PC and would only be requested, for projects like mentioned above. The school will be informed about the used budget for Miss Anja and/or Mr Andrew (once decided at the PC meeting).
8. Thermometer at school
The PC has been made aware that there is no thermometer at the school. The PC agreed that it is odd that not even the school nurse has a thermometer.
Mr Roberts comment: This is the first time it has been mentioned in 5 years. The school currently doesn't feel the need for a thermometer. Staff are not qualified to used it, there can be false readings and the only result would be unqualified staff making superficial diagnosis about a child's wellbeing. If children are sick, we first get them to rest for a while. If there is no improvement then parents are notified so they can decide what course of action to take.
9. Budgets for the Disco Night (grade 1-4) and the Formal (grade 5-9)
Mette will work out a suggestion for budgets and send them to the PC members before our next meeting.

The next PC meeting will be on Monday January 8th at 15.40 in the 9th grade classroom.



Minutes by Annelise Kielland



Test walk from Asker train station to the new AIS building and back - with a 9 year old

 Dear parents and caregivers,  Google maps suggests that it takes19 minutes to talk from Asker station to the school. That seemed like a lot...