Weekly Newsletter December 9, 2010

The weather was a star performer in our Winterfest this year with the organizers checking weather reports right up to a few hours before the event was set to kick off. In anticipation of rain showers, the performance stage was set up under the covered walkway in front of the Vorschule classes so the students and equipment would keep dry. In the end the weather decided to cooperate with our plans and the performances took place to the great delight of the huge crowd of parents and friends. Similar to last year's edition, over 500 students, parents and friends were on hand for this fun and festive highlight of the GAIS social calendar. We would like to thank Stella Klose and her events committee for great organization. Thanks also to the parent volunteers that helped out and the many vendors that participated in the bazaar. Special thanks to Esther's Bakery for their contributions to the school. Our compliments to our music teacher, Anneliese Messner, for the engaging program in Grades 1-8 and to the entire Vorschule and Preschool staff for their entertaining performances with our younger students. Also thanks to all the teachers that helped out. This was a good way of celebrating the upcoming holidays.

News from the Head of School

Thanks to Parent Support and Volunteers

In looking back at the past year, one of the things that has stood out at GAIS is the great support which the staff and administration gets from the parents who volunteer their time and talents. This really struck me this morning after a meeting I had with Steffen Rochel who spent a half an hour explaining the new database which he had spent countless hours on to create. The day before at our weekly leadership team meeting, we had commented on what a great job the parents had done in helping with the Winterfest and how this has helped us in organizing events that get ever larger and more complicated. When asked by parents on school tours about what makes GAIS unique, I generally talk about the role of parents in creating community and supporting the educational goals of the school in so many ways.

In a few days time, the parents will be sponsoring a staff appreciation dinner to acknowledge the great work that the GAIS staff has done this year. Although the staff will not be able to offer a reciprocal dinner to all the parents, I would like to offer this word of thanks to all parents for supporting the school and staff.

B Corner by Maike Silver

In an effort to provide students with a smooth transition from the Primary Years Programme (PYP) to our International Middle School our fifth grade students as well as some students coming from the outside participated in a shadow day today. Using the sixth grade students as mentors the fifth graders moved in three different groups through a typical day in the Middle School. They experienced science, humanities, math and languages as it is taught in the Middle Years Programme (MYP) of the IB. The sixth graders also talked about expectations and essential agreements for the Middle School. All students shared lunch in the Middle School forum. We hope that this shadow day provided the fifth graders with a positive impression about the changes they will experience next school year.

Preschool Corner by Heike Schmalstieg

Nutcracker

One of the highlights of our drama unit, was no doubt, the visit to the Nutcracker. The older children were able to see the ballet in Redwood City and best of all, were able to travel by school bus. The younger children stayed behind and enjoyed having the Preschool facilities all to themselves and were treated to a puppet theatre about "Kasper and Nikolaus".

GAIS Stammtisch

Please come to the GAIS Stammtisch which takes place tonight, Thursday, Dec 9, at 7:00 PM at the Gourmethaus Staudt in Redwood City. The Stammtisch is an informal get together

http://www.gourmethausstaudt.com

Race to Nowhere

GAIS will be showing the controversial documentary on the state of today's education, "The Race to Nowhere", on Tuesday, December 14th at 7 PM in the Gym. Please RSVP to Manu Hipkins at manu.hipkins@att.net.

Holiday Break

December 17 is a Minimum Day. Students will be released at noon. Holiday Break is December 20 to January 2, 2010. January 3^rdis a Teacher-in-Service Day. That day will be no school but we do offer Hort. Please sign up by sending an email to the office offmgr@gais.org. The office will be closed during the break.

Vorschule Celebrates Nikolaus Day

VS Nikolaus

On December 6^th the students in the Vorschule celebrated Nikolaus Day as part of their tradition unit. The children learned about this kind man who helped poor people, especially children, and lived in Myra, Turkey. Learning about celebrations and traditions from around the world is part of the program in Vorschule and for this particular day, which is celebrated in much of Europe, the VS students had fun creating their own "Nikolaus".

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School Calendar 2011-12

The school calendar for 2011-12 was approved at the last Board meeting on December 2^nd. Next year we will start school on Wednesday, August 24th for all except Grade One. They will start on August 25^th. The mid week start was a consequence of the calendar shift which occurs each year and has been pushing the Monday start date earlier. It is also felt that a mid-week start will give the students a softer transition back into the school routine. School will end on June 19, 2012. The calendar will be posted on the website in the next few days and will go home with the re-enrollment packages.

Cell Phone Policy

Parents are asked to take note of the GAIS policy on the student use of cell phones at school. Students at GAIS may not use cell phones, IPods, or similar communication devices, as well as electronic games, during the regular school day, during extra-curricular programs and during Hort. Students who need to contact their parents can do so through the school office. The Head of School may allow a student to have a cell phone in exceptional situations. Students can use these devices before or after school hours and the school assumes no responsibility for their loss or damage while on the campus. Staff members are required to confiscate these devices if there are being used inappropriately and give them to the office where parents will be asked to retrieve them.

Winter Fairy Tale Ballet

Katya Katya Panchenko and Jamilla Zahir, two current Grade 3 students will be dancing at the holiday ballet WINTER FAIRY TALE at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, next weekend, December 18 (5PM) and 19 (2PM). Katya and Jamilla are part of the Bayer Ballet Academy. GAIS families can purchase discounted tickets for just $15 per ticket (plus $2 processing fee at box office and additional $3 fee online)! This is half of the original price and is a great deal for the Holiday ballet performance. GAIS families need to use "GAIS" code to receive the discount. More information about the performance can be found here: www.bayerballetacademy.com

GAIS Theater Club Presents 'Dino on the Line'

Is the "peace movement" a fool's paradise, or is there good reason for adults to lead and promote idealistic, "for the betterment of humanity" type causes? What is the effect of such participation upon youth and, specifically upon our children, our students?

These questions are the context for this semester's premiere GAIS Theater Club production, DINO ON THE LINE. The play involves four sixth graders, two of whom are stuck at home while their parents attend a peace rally planning meeting. Their friends think the peace movement is old-fashioned and a relic of simplistic thinking from the past. What's more, these friends believe idealistic pronouncements are just hypocritical manipulation of kids by adults who scarcely live up to their lectures about non-violence.

After all, isn't the world marked by countless little altercations, not to mention murderous civil and international wars, the kids ask one another?

As sober and serious as this sounds, there are loads of laughs in this coming of age tale set in a suburban backyard in your neighborhood. Come cheer our four worthy actors who have worked wonders with a scanty hour a week rehearsal schedule. Mario Blecken, Nicolas Borbola, Eden Grown-Häberli and Julian Scigliano are featured in this original one-act directed by GAIS teacher David Giesen. Don't miss this unique theater opportunity by our own budding stars of the stage. The performance will be in the gym on Tuesday December 14^th starting at 6:00 pm. The drama performance precedes the showing of the film, Race to Nowhere, which is scheduled for 7:00 pm, and thus offers an interesting double bill opportunity for parents and friends.

Members Meeting - January 19, 2011

All Members of the GAIS Corporation, as well as all parents and community members are invited to attend our next Members Meeting and Board election. At this meeting, as usual, the Board and Administration will review the status and progress at the school. In addition, we will hold elections for four board seats that will come open on the expiration of the terms of four current Board Members. More detailed information about the members meeting and Board elections will come out in a separate notice to all parents. Please mark this date on your calendars for 2012.

For newsletter information, questions or article submissions, please contact Dagmar Stullich at offmgr@germanamericanschool.org. or call the office at 650-324-8617.

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