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Our Mission for Excellence: The American School of Kinshasa provides dynamic and individualized educational challenges and opportunities that promote diversity and empower each of its students to develop into independent global community leaders.

The American School of Kinshasa TASOK TALK May | 2020

In This Edition: • Message from the Director – TASOK Kindness • Virtual Learning Around the World! –Grade K/1 • May 9, 2020 AGM - Postponed • College Corner – Celebrating our Seniors! • Elementary Online Learning Data • Nurse’s Notes – Nathalie Katalayi • #VirtuallyReading and #VirtuallyTASOK • Please be Kind… • TASOK PYP Virtual Exhibition • Virtual Learning in Secondary • The O.R.E.O. Self-Regulated Learner

Message from the Director – Happy Labor Day! Let me open by saying how much I miss seeing each of you around campus! The weekly Zoom meetings with students and staff are a lovely opportunity to see you all, but I definitely miss seeing everyone in the morning on our beautiful campus and touching base in person! The response from the TASOK Community to the current situation has been remarkable. Small acts of kindness can make a big difference and play a huge role in helping people of all ages deal with our ‘new normal’. Take a moment to thank a friend for being there for you, a teacher for supporting you, a colleague who listened- Let’s find a minute to share small acts of kindness that make a big difference! https://padlet.com/dmullen9/i5g5cd34cnnc1ti9 As we wrap up week 4 of our Virtual Learning Program, I am constantly reminded of the great things that are taking place around the world in our ‘virtual classrooms’ as we work together to ensure student learning continues. Thank you for sharing glimpses of this learning taking place at home! CLICK to see Zak’s Video: This next week is Teacher Appreciation Week from May 4-8, 2020. This is typically a week to celebrate the efforts that teachers all over put forth in guiding and educating the youth of the world. Please feel free to use the TASOK Kindness Padlet (above link) to recognize and share Someone/something that has made a difference in your child’s life or learning at home. I hope you and your families are weathering this new reality in a safe and healthy environment. Please do keep us posted on how you are doing. Be safe, be well, be kind, Dan Mullen TASOK Director

Zak Triplow’s Grade 6 Animated French Project

Our Virtual Learners!

Virtual Learning: Inquiring from different corners of the globe! Mr. Sheldrick – Grade K/1 This year has brought about excitement and achievement on many levels; however, the recent global exposure to the superfluous COVID-19 has pushed TASOK to new heights and challenged us to a whole new dimension of learning. Our K/1 class, along with the rest of the school community has bravely embarked on a new journey driven by determination to keep inquiry and a love for learning at the forefront of what we do.

K/1 students have made an outstanding start to their virtual journey. They have adequately adapted to new technologies such as Seesaw and Zoom and have demonstrated to me, their homeroom teacher, that they can continue to grow academically in the core subject areas of numeracy, language arts and fundamental inquiry skills. The first week of virtual learning marked the start of a mysterious journey for the K/1 class, as they delved into a world without their familiar teachers in their classroom. Through mastery use of Seesaw and regular feedback sessions, K/1 started to show their determination to continue learning and showcase both their inquiries and interests. As the second and third weeks began to unfold, they were ready to be introduced to weekly Zoom video meetings - where students have the opportunity to share their learning, and collaborate with their classmates in order to maintain a sense of community. This was a proud moment for me, as their homeroom teacher.

Students have maintained a great sense of enthusiasm as they just concluded their unit of inquiry about How We Express Ourselves; having made many connections through the world of language arts, and performing cultural exchanges between parents and other students.

In spite of the current circumstances, I am deeply confident that through time well invested in creating accessible resources, platforms and support channels, that the K/1 students will continue to thrive as they accelerate towards the next phase of their educational journey.

Stay safe and best wishes, Mr. Sheldrick TASOK K/1 Homeroom Teacher

The Regularly Scheduled Association General Meeting May 9, 2020 - Postponed until Fall 2020

What is the AGM? The Association General Meeting is held twice per year in the Cultural Activities Center, typically in November and May. The purpose is to share updated information about the programs, school operations, policy updates, and Board elections with the TASOK Community. Unfortunately, the previously scheduled May 9, 2020 would take place during the current COVID-19 social gathering restrictions and closed campus. As such, the 2020 AGM will be postponed until our return to campus. Board elections will take place during the rescheduled AGM and the date will be announced on the TASOK website as well as communicated in advance through the August 1, 2020 TASOK Talk. What does the Board Do? The primary purpose of the School Board is to govern the school by setting, monitoring, and funding strategic goals to ensure continuous development of the school in line with its Mission and Beliefs. The School Board should be aware, to the fullest extent possible, of all matters that pertain to the philosophy, strategic management plan, Mission and Beliefs of the School and to assure that decisions of the School Board conform to TASOK’s stated objectives. The Board does not involve itself in the actual operation of the school, which is the purview of the Director. How Does it Work? At the conclusion of the 2019/2020 school year, we will have vacancies opening up on the current TASOK Board. As our meetings are now ‘virtual’ these Board Members will continue to hold their positions until the Board Election process can take place at our October 2020 Association General Meeting (AGM). More information will be shared at the beginning of the 2020/2021 academic year. The list of potential Board candidates will also be shared on the TASOK Board page no later than September 15, 2020 for your consideration. How Can I Get Involved? Please reach out to one of our current Board members to find out more about how you can be involved. They will also share a bit about the time commitment necessary as part of the positions, along with the great things the Board is currently working on.

COLLEGE CORNER – Celebrating our Seniors! Julie Mullen – College Counselor Mindful of their loss of an ‘on campus senior year celebration’ this spring, this group keeps it positive bringing their celebrations to us digitally. Check out these four seniors as they share their confirmed future plans on College Signing Day in the United States this Friday, May 1, 2020. Stayed tuned for more senior update in June! Huraa Fatima

Hey, my name is Huraa. I’ll be attending Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada, majoring in International Economics and Finance. I’m hoping to also do a minor in Communication Design. Niharika Gupta My name is Niharika and I will be attending the University of British Columbia this fall in Vancouver, Canada. Despite everything, I am hoping to be on campus a few months from now and I am very

excited. I plan to study International Relations and Political Science and participate in a few clubs and activities. I want to work for NGOs, the UN, or perhaps even be a diplomat, I'm not really sure. However, the school is representative of a lot that I value, UBC is one of the most diverse universities in Canada and is ranked number one in the world for taking urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. I can't wait to be part of this community and meet all the different people! While it is huge, unlike our lovely campus (which, the size, scares me a little), I hope I find a new me through the activities, classes, and community like I did when I first joined TASOK five years ago. I've already gotten in touch with a few people that will be attending too and as much as this whole "kinda being independent" thing is scary, I can't wait. I'm not sure what lies ahead, it is very uncertain these days, but I hope it works out for the best! Yujin Wang

Yujin Wang - I will study Finance and Math at The University of Wisconsin, Madison! Jona Xhaho Hello, my name is Jona Xhaho. I will be attending KU Leuven’s Faculty of Economics and Business in Brussels, majoring in Business Administration. Afterwards, I hope to start a Law Graduate Degree.

What’s Next? Over the course of semester two, the grade 12’s will continue receiving their university offers while working on important “life skills” to prepare them for life away from home in an independent setting! Stay tuned…

Nurse’s Notes. Nathalie Katalayi - TASOK Nurse For the past couple of weeks, all we have heard regarding health is related to corona virus; COVID -19! Healthcare is not all about COVID, but surely, we need to be aware of what is happening around us, and around the world. In this article you will find some advices on how to stay healthy during this challenging time; in which we are mostly home on lockdown in Kinshasa or internationally:

1. Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home. 2. When you are in public, wear a mask and practice social distancing at least 1 meter between people 3. Wash your hands with soap frequently 4. Push or sneeze in your elbow 5. Use a disposable handkerchief to blow your nose 6. Have hand sanitizer near you and at your disposal

Remember that eating well, exercising and staying hydrated is the best way to keep your immune system the strongest and combat any disease or virus! The balance between your healthy body and healthy mind is very important. Healthy body:

1. Do some physical exercises, at least 1 hour per day for 5-17 years old (World Health Organization’s recommendation).

2. Eat properly, your 5 fruits and veggies per day. 3. Get enough sleep, at least 8 hours during the night 4. Water is the best beverage; also drink regular tea with lemon and ginger

Healthy mind: 1. Keep your mind busy by reading topics of interest, other than current news 2. Take time to communicate with your teachers, your friends and family around the world by using face

time, zoom, Google hangouts… 3. After school work hours, you can enjoy virtual time with your friends and family by playing board

game and more. 4. All in all, stay optimistic. Studies show that a positive mind and outlook reduces stress, anxiety and

consequently strengthens your immune system

The last but not the least enjoy this precious time with your family; disconnect to connect with the family members in your household. Stay safe, stay healthy, stay positive and stay home. Nurse Nathalie Katalayi

2020-2021 Tuition Agreements & Invoices

for Returning Students

Dear Parents and Guardians,

The Business Office will start issuing tuition invoices and agreements for next school-year 2020-2021. You will receive the documents via email.

To allow our team to update your records and prepare to receive your payments, we ask that you fill out the “Yellow Tuition Agreement” indicating your choice of payment plan, sign and return to us by Monday, May 25, 2020. Instructions are included in the documents.

Please note that we start accepting payments as early as May 4 with the deadline for first semester payments being Monday, August 3, 2020. Parents/Companies also have the option of securing seats by making early deposits towards tuition by June 15.

Distribution schedule:

May 3-8 : Preschool-KG & Grades 1-4

May 11-15 : Grades 5-8 & Grades 9-12

May 18-22 : Specials (EAL/Learning Support)

TASOK will have limited school supplies available for sale at the school store at the beginning of the year. Details will follow. You are welcome to contact me for questions and/or any clarification needed. I am available via email and at the phone number below. Stay safe, Kareen Laplanche Finance Manager Email: business@tasok.net +(243) 81-880-1330 www.tasok.net to access TASOK Payment Portal: CLICK HERE

#VirtuallyReading @ #VirtuallyTASOK with Ms. Kraft Ms. Kraft -TASOK Teacher Librarian

“Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we. are.” – Mason Cooley.

The above quote has particular significance as our online journey begins at TASOK. Virtual Book Club groups have begun in upper elementary and secondary utilizing Google Hangouts and incorporating digital media programs such as Epic (Ms. Kraft’s login lij8227), MyOn, and Mackinvia. Students are recommending titles both digitally and in print and finding out a variety of facts and figures. Individual teachers are able to direct students to specific books to support their units of inquiry or to support and enhance ideas discussed during Hangouts.

In addition to online digital books and online communication, the library is rolling out an enhanced webpage, with links to both the elementary and secondary library as well as resources for teachers and parents.

Please check it out on the Continuous Learning Page or at: https://tasok.libguides.com/libraries

I am in lockdown in Scotland. My partner (also a TASOK teacher) and I are staying with my youngest sister, her husband and their ten year old twins, and a dog. In a really small house. I continue to do my job as elementary principal, and I am homeschooling my niece and nephew. Like you, I am trying to manage work, children’s education and home,  all at once, in a place that’s not my home. 

Some days I will be in a Zoom meeting with Grade 5 students and be laughing my head off, other days talking on Hangouts with teachers and empathising with them as the hours they have put into lesson planning has gone unnoticed because no child had a go at their lesson. And some days I just want to neck a bottle of sauvignon blanc at lunchtime and watch Netflix all afternoon. My days, it feels, are filled with humour and anxiety in equal doses. So I can’t imagine the mental, physical and emotional energy required for what you have been asked to do. I know so many of you are giving it more than you’ve got right now, and really, we’re only one month into this, we’ve only just begun. Some days it feels impossible, right?

At the other end of this unbelievably difficult situation are our teachers. And they too are really struggling. We’re not superheroes, and we can’t magically make virtual learning work for everyone. There is absolutely no way we can meet all of your needs because what we do, as teachers, is not something you can just package up and roll out across the internet. It is complicated. And most of us have never done this before.

This month, I have read a lot of blogs by teachers, parents and psychologists. I have been thinking about how this is not just affecting our kids right now, but how will it affect them in the future. I wonder what the memories of this time bring. I don’t know the answer. 

Is having a bunch of school work at this time the best approach? Honestly, I don’t know.  For some of our students, maybe being super busy helps them to keep their mind off other things. But for others, is it causing a lot of extra stress? 

At TASOK, we are learning as we go. Please be patient with us and give us time to improve. Give your child time to become more independent. Imagine a time, not far off in the future, when things will be easier and we will all (hopefully!) be in flow with virtual learning.

The most important thing right now is kindness. We are doing everything we can to care for your children and you by making it work the best we can. As always, we value your feedback. More than ever we need your support. Please know that we will do our best.  And the best way we start is by asking, “How are you doing?” and “Do you need anything?” These questions are a good reminder that connection matters most, and everything else is secondary.

Parents - How are you doing? Do you need anything? Please let us know.

Kindly, Paula BaxterElementary Principal

Please be kind…

TASOK PYP Exhibition 2020 Timothy Hatcher – Grade 5 Thank you to those that actively explored the student work in this year’s first TASOK “Virtual” PYP Exhibition! The grade 5 students have worked hard to develop the knowledge, skills, and conceptual understanding, over the past couple months with the culminating piece of their presentation to the community. If you have not already taken a look at their inquiry in action, please go to: https://padlet.com/thatcher10/f1sd7ijduxljyp1h

Virtual Learning in the Secondary School Lesley Peacock – Principal Three Weeks in the Life of Continuous Learning Week 1: The journey begins. There was little time to prepare for the sudden shift from classroom to online teaching, followed by the quick departure of our students and teachers to all corners of the world. However, systems had been put in place, discussions, and decisions made about essential procedures and practices. But then the day came Monday 6th April and TASOK Continuous Learning went live. The priority for the first week was for teachers to place their lesson plans on ManageBac, so that students could resume their education on the first day back to ‘virtual’ school. However, these lessons needed to capture the students’ interest from the start, as well as being challenging, inquiry-based, and develop the skills necessary for moving students forward. The first week wasn’t easy as students were still in transit, others had internet problems, some lacked the IT skills to fully engage and a few were totally lost. However, at the end of the week, I think we all breathed a sigh of relief, knowing we were heading in the right direction. Week 2: Missing students turn up, Internet issues are less apparent, and teachers spend time individually with students helping them to navigate their lessons and guide them through any IT issues. Work begins to stream in and feedback flows back. Creative ways are considered in which students' work can be presented in different forms, such as videos, podcasts, role play, zoom workout sessions, dance, gymnastics, sculptures, and collaborative group work using Google docs. The challenge for this week was to monitor participation, as it was evident that not all students were, ‘in the classroom’ engaging in classes and submitting work. A monitoring system was designed to follow their progress and where necessary messages were sent home to see if students required additional assistance from their teacher, or social and emotional support from the SS Counselor Ms. Mullen. The dust began to settle and we moved optimistically into the next week. A quote from a Grade 6 student, “Distance learning is just another great way to learn how to persevere in the face of new challenges. It might be difficult at first, but by not giving up you learn so much more than the task that was set in the beginning. We can do this!” Week 3: This could be called the ‘Week of Zoom’. A number of teachers had already established contact with their classes and they had all met up virtually. Now more came on board and lines of communication opened, including other applications used for conferencing. This was also the week when we could draw breath and make adjustments to present systems based on the initial feedback we were receiving from parents and students. It was apparent that many students were struggling to complete two formative subject tasks set each week, so we decided to concentrate on one, with an emphasis on quality rather than quantity. A quote from a Grade 7 student, “totally nailed my task "Recreated a Famous Artwork"! It was a couple of weeks late, but totally worth the wait!” Week 4: In most subject areas the first summative assessments would have been held in Week 3, or during Week 4. Students should be expecting feedback on this work and their efforts so far will be reflected in their grades placed in ManageBac ‘Gradebook’. These and other summative grades conducted this semester will inform the final Semester 2 reports, (to be issued on Wednesday 10th June). As we enter Week 4 routines are being established and a sense of normality under abnormal conditions returns. One thing to leave you with, these are the types of messages that teachers are receiving from students at all hours of the day and night; “good evening Miss, or no, it’s late for you, good night miss. I have a question but you are probably asleep (question follows), but since you will probably hear it in the morning: Good morning miss.”

Lesley Peacock Secondary Principal

Sharing the Self-Regulated Online Learner

Upcoming Events: • May 1sth – Labor Day • June 12th – Final Day of Classes • TASOK GALA IS POSTPONED

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Nelson Mandela

Website:

Contact:

Email: Twitter

www.tasok.net +243 818 846 619 info@tasok.net @TASOKinshasa

Sanny Kerssemeeckers – MYP Individuals & Societies

What are the non negotiables?

O.R.E. O; Become a Self-Regulated Online Learner created by Alison Yang and edited by Mechum Purnell is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. In short, you can copy, distribute and transmit the work, but you must attribute the work and share alike . The work is not for commercial purposes.

What? What!

I get to plan my own learning?

AWESOME!!!

Objective Responsibility Expectation Organization

O.R.E.O. Self-Regulated Online Learner

Work Ethically

❏ I always follow the principles and guidelines of academic integrity while I work. I already know the answer to “do we have to cite this?” is YES :)

Know Success Criteria

❏ Before I tackle my learning, I know what the key success criteria are in completing my task(s).

Where do I begin?

What helps and hinders my home

learning?

Identify Distractions

❏ I identify and write down distractions that make it hard for me to work productively. Then I make a plan for either avoiding or scheduling them for later.

Manage My State of Mind

❏ I take a break from my online learning and relax.

❏ I practice positive talk.❏ I write down 2-3 things I

feel grateful for today in my gratitude journal.

Construct and Demonstrate Knowledge

❏ I actively participate in online activities and engage with tasks to construct and demonstrate knowledge.

❏ I seek feedback from others and then use it to improve.

Connect with Others

❏ I create social time and connect with others, e.g. texting my friend, having a zoom video conferencing with my class. .

How did my day go? Reflect on my Day

❏ I reflect on what I have learned, new ideas I have developed, how I feel, and questions I still have.

❏ I analyze what went well and what didn’t go well in today’s online learning.

❏ I know why I am doing this work and what I am expected to accomplish during this session of my learning.

Establish Expectations

❏ I use a checklist to help monitor my progress and motivate myself to complete tasks.

Create a Checklist to Take Action

❏ I make a commitment to complete the tasks with my highest level of effort, and submit my work on time. I know no one is perfect but I will do my best!

Make Commitments

❏ I read instructions carefully. ❏ I ask clarifying questions

when needed. ❏ I contact my teacher

proactively if there are obstacles to my progress.

Communicate Effectively

❏ Before making my daily schedule, I think about my learning - my understanding of each subject. I also consider when I learn different things best. I revise my schedule as needed.

Prioritize Learning and Be Flexible

❏ I log in ManageBac every morning and read through the subject specific objectives and instructions posted to gain an overview of the day.

Gain an Overview of the Day

❏ I write down instructions that I am unsure about, then ask my peers and my teachers for clarification. I know I will get a response from my teacher during daily office hours.

Identify Confusion - and Do Something About It!

❏ I structure my day by creating a schedule and specify the length of time to complete subject specific tasks.

Create a Daily Schedule to Be Organized

❏ I take breaks to assess how I feel and what I need. I know I can ask an adult or contact our school counselor when I feel too anxious or stressed.

Seek Help

❏ I seek out partners or form a small team to learn together online. Whenever I can, I provide help to others and help everyone use technology effectively.

Learn with Others

What are some Chrome extensions can help promote my productivity?

Google Keep Momentum Prioritab

Explore and then decide one that suits you. Download the extension from Chrome Web Store