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AISL Annual Report 2020-21

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ANNUAL REPORT 2020-21

Reinventing the AISL Learning Experience in a Pandemic Year


SUPERINTENDENT'S MESSAGE Dear AISL Community, On behalf of the AISL Board of Directors, faculty, staff and administration, I am very pleased to present the AISL Annual Report 2020-21. The AISL Annual Report tells the story of AISL during an unprecedented global pandemic that challenged all of us physically, emotionally, and intellectually. This report also tells a story of the resilience and gratitude that our community demonstrated and highlights the ways in which learning at AISL continued across the world remotely and on campus. This year’s annual report highlights our community’s commitment to continue learning on campus and remotely during country-wide lockdowns, civil unrest, and spikes of the COVID-19 virus. Decisions to close and reopen school were informed by directives issued by Lagos State Government, published data about the virus, and CDC and NCDC guidelines. The principles below served as a guide for all decision making: 1. We will act with fidelity to our vision and mission. 2. Establishing a safe and healthy learning environment on campus is our top priority. 3. We have a shared responsibility to stay safe and healthy and mitigate the risk of community spread on campus. I am proud that we were able to sustain learning throughout the year while keeping students, faculty, and staff safe and healthy on campus. The success of our students at AISL during this pandemic was made possible by a productive partnership between supportive families who invested in their children’s education and a talented and dedicated multi-national faculty and staff. Our faculty demonstrated a deep commitment to their students and showed tremendous flexibility and agility. They adjusted their craft and developed their EdTech skills and resilience in order to design and engage students in both remote and online learning. Our staff did a remarkable job maintaining school operations and keeping our campus safe and healthy. Parents provided unwavering support by creating engaging learning environments in their homes and by encouraging and coaching their children. Learning continued due to the willingness of our parents to shift their children’s (and their own) routines and schedules in order to accommodate a very dynamic blended/hybrid learning model. As I write this, I am mindful of the fact that AISL has withstood other great challenges in the past- Ebola, fuel shortages, civil unrest, etc.- and not only survived but emerged even stronger. I am optimistic that in the years to come that AISL will be fundamentally changed for the better. And I am ever mindful that all of our efforts, past, present, and future, are made possible by our incredible community of students, parents, alumni, faculty, and staff. As you read through this Annual Report, we hope that you develop a better understanding of what it means to be an Eagle and the value of that AISL added to the experience of our students and their families during this challenging and unprecedented time. Sincerely yours,

Thomas J. Pado Superintendent

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

SREBMUN EGAP

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AISL Board of Directors Letter from the Board President

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Reaccreditation Process

8 - 10

Revisioning Process Rethinking our Guiding Statements: The Process Draft Guiding Statements: AISL's Mission, Vision, and Core Values

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JEDI Strategy: Justice, Inclusion, Diversity, and Inclusion

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Wellness Program Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Student and Teacher Wellness

17 - 29

Eagles Learn: Teaching & Learning at AISL 6 Pillars of Commitment Learning Highlights in a Remote and Hybrid Setting Measuring Learning IB Diploma Program in 2020-21

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University Awareness and Counseling Class of 2021 University/College Acceptance List

35

Athletics & Activities WAISAL Leadership Conference

39

The Arts

40

Library & Media Center Technology

45

Campus Growth Admissions/Enrollment Statistics Strategic Plan Implementation

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Ali Safieddine Board President

Yemi Famori Board Vice President Shell Representative

Andrew Nahman Board Secretary Parent & Alumni

Oscar Cifuentes Board Treasurer Chevron Representative

Susan Tuller Board Member US Consulate Representative

Fernando Aponte Board Member Exxon Mobil Representative

Amira Aly Board Member Parent

Faruk Agoro Board Member Parent

Nada Beylouny Board Member Parent

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LETTER FROM THE BOARD PRESIDENT AISL students, administration, faculty, staff, parents, families and board members, thank you from the bottom of my heart. This year has been like no other in our lifetime. What we have experienced on a global scale has been unprecedented. Never before have we been forced to stay home for so long, not seeing our friends and families and not hugging and kissing our loved ones. Never before have we been told not to go to school for so long and to learn from home, on laptops, computers, and phones. Never before have we appreciated so much that we had previously taken for granted: seeing our friends, being outdoors, having a meal together, and even going to school. Understandably, there was a sizeable drop in enrolment in the school; some families were not allowed back by their businesses, some families chose to stay in their home countries, and many families transitioned to new locations around the world. We were forced to streamline our teaching staff and drastically cut expenses in our budget. We are now more efficient in our operations and with the support and dedication of our fantastic teachers we have improved the effectiveness of our education. Our facilities master plan was totally revised, the budget has been reduced, and we have still managed to design and plan for renovations of all the classrooms, a new science and technology centre, a new campus centre and libraries, a brand new sports centre, and a performing arts centre. The installation of the new field with artificial turf, drainage, and lighting is currently underway and will be ready by the start of the next school year; this will allow us to have kids actively using the facility all year round. Our new power plant has been installed and is in use. Moving the generators from behind the classrooms to the parking lot will be a great relief to the learning experience. We are also installing a school-wide sewage treatment plant to control and treat our waste water. You will begin to see work on the facilities from the next school year. I’d like to thank the AISL board for their support and commitment to the school throughout this year and every year. The board is made up of five parents who are elected, three appointed members from Chevron, ExxonMobil, and Shell, as well as an appointed representative of the US Ambassador in Nigeria. This year, another first: we had six new board members join us. It is the largest turnover of board members I have ever experienced. However, each and every one of the board members gave their time and were committed to the school unconditionally. As well as our regular monthly meetings, each member is part of a board committee, sometimes meeting two to three times a month throughout the year. I’d like to thank our vice president, Yemi Famori; our treasurer, Oscar Cifuentes; our secretary, Andrew Nahman; and the other board members, Amira Aly, Susan Tuller, Nada Beylouny, Fernando Aponte, and Faruk Agoro for your continued support of the school. I’d also like to thank Tom Pado and his whole leadership and administration team. They have been fantastic and fearless and have really stepped up to lead our wonderful teachers and staff throughout this difficult year. Thank you for your leadership, your commitment, and your dedication to the students and the school.

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LETTER FROM THE BOARD PRESIDENT Our teachers have been wonderful. They have tirelessly supported our students, and each and every one of them has gone out of their way to accommodate every student and make sure their learning has been first class. You are truly inspirational. Thank you. Our office and custodial staff have diligently come to work every day. They have made our campus safe and I thank you for your courage and dedication. Finally, I’d like to thank each and every one of you for your unwavering support, your kind patience, and your inspiring resilience. Without you and your children, there would be no AISL. I know that next year will be a wonderful year for AISL. As a community we have grown stronger and more resilient. I look forward to standing up to whatever challenges we face, and I know that together we will “Soar Higher!” Thank you,

Ali Safieddine President of the Board

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RE-ACCREDITATION

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RE-ACCREDITATION PROCESS FOR AISL As part of the CIS/MSA accreditation process, AISL engaged in a successful preparatory study in the first semester which made way for moving into the official self-study phase that will take place during the 202122 school year. A steering committee of faculty and staff was formed and engaged within a sub-team structure linked to each of the accreditation domains. Each team worked collaboratively to become familiar with the core standards, review and analyze the school’s systems and structures, and collect supporting evidence related to the domain. A final preparatory report was submitted in preparation of the visiting accreditation team’s week-long virtual visit in December. The final report was returned by the CIS/MIS team and AISL was given the green light to move into the self-study phase. The team noted a productive and positive visit, as well as the palpable sense of community and pride that defines AISL. Continuous improvement efforts to enhance student learning, specifically through the implementation of standards-based, project-based, and service learning were mentioned and applauded. A specific matter to be addressed requested the school to gather the community and engage in a revisioning process of the guiding statements: the Mission, the Vision, and the Core Values. During their visit, questions were raised about the relevance and appropriateness of the guiding statements as well as how the school specifically defines learning and global citizenship. This was identified as an essential area of focus to be made our top priority before beginning the self-7 study phase. In April, a team of twenty-one students, teachers, administrators, alumni, and board members, known as the Revisioning Partners, virtually engaged in a revisioning exercise facilitated by Dr. Deborah Welch, a well-known and highly-regarded international school educator, trainer and school consultant with extensive experience leading the same processes in school communities around the world. This dynamic and rewarding experience produced a recommended set of updated guiding statements which were designed to capture the voice of the school community and presented to the board of directors for approval. The teams will be working together over the next 10 months to engage in and finalize the self-study process through a deep dive of our performance toward the standards in each domain, which will result in a report submitted to CIS/MSA in preparation for an April 2022 visit.

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REVISIONING PROCESS

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AISL REVISIONING PROCESS: RETHINKING OUR GUIDING STATEMENTS

What are Guiding Statements? Mission Why the school exists, its purpose for existence.

Core Values Holds the school together; how the community of stakeholders conducts themselves.

Vision The desirable future of the school in the next 5-10 years.

Why the Change? As per our reaccreditation Process - Domain A Standard 1: The board of directors and the superintendent embark on an extensive and inclusive exercise in revisioning the guiding statements to create ones that are current, meaningful, and aspirational in driving the school's development.

Who was Involved? Revisioning Partners: Students, Parents, Teachers, Leaders, Board

How did We Collaborate? Analyzed, consolidated, refined, and crafted statements based on over 180 community survey responses to the following questions: What is AISL’s purpose? What is the school seeking to achieve for our students? What makes AISL so special and differentiates us from others? Identify the most important values that should guide our behavior and actions as a community. Describe 3-5 concrete and compelling points of what AISL aspires to be in 5-10 years.

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AISL REVISIONING EXERCISE

Guiding Statements

Approved by the board on May 24, 2021

Mission AISL provides exceptional learning experiences within a global community where all voices count. We spark the inspiration in students to be the best version of themselves so that they can joyously soar on their own paths of learning, growing, leading, and contributing as world citizens.

Vision Empowering our community of learners to create a just and sustainable world.

Core Values Respect We are considerate of ourselves and others in order to foster an inclusive and equitable environment. Empathy We honor our diversity, treat one another with kindness, and demonstrate compassion through service. Responsibility We are accountable for ourselves, others, and our community. Integrity We act morally, tell the truth, and feel good about what we do. Courage We take on life’s challenges with resilience and are confident in mind and spirit.

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JEDI STRATEGY Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

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JUSTICE, EQUITY, DIVERSITY, & INCLUSION AT AISL AISL’s Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) strategy was designed as an agile process to actively examine our systems, structures, and practices with the intention of ensuring that our diverse community continues to grow and evolve in our commitment to being just and inclusive. The lenses for reviewing our efforts as an educational organization include: race and ethnicity, gender, language and linguistic diversity, LGBTQ+, culture, and differing abilities (neuro-diversity and physical ability). The strategy was introduced via AISL’s published statement on justice, equity, diversity and inclusion as follows:

We believe that social justice, equity, diversity and inclusion are fundamental to achieving academic excellence and an enriching educational experience for all students. We celebrate the AISL community’s multiple and intersectional identities, and welcome the diversity of backgrounds, perspectives, and lived experiences. While we want our students to understand the value of social justice, diversity, and inclusion, we also want them to be aware that there are significant systemic challenges and roadblocks to achieving a truly just and inclusive community. Through planning and action, our intention is to address these challenges and roadblocks as a school community and equip our students with the understanding and the tools necessary to engage in meaningful action in order to create a more just and equitable world - a world where the dignity of every human being is respected.

Why? Our Intentions Our work as educators matters and can act as the catalyst to positive change. In light of many situations happening in the world, AISL committed to proactively engage in learning more about ourselves as related to being a just and inclusive educational organization and reframe our role and responsibility to: Create an inclusive culture where all people are welcomed, valued, empowered, and heard. Challenge systemic oppression and marginalization by practicing empathy, understanding privilege, transforming conflict, and exploring creative solutions. Foster a sense of hope, an impetus to act, and a firm belief that standing up for social justice and inclusion is both the responsible and just thing to do.

What? The 3 Goals With the inception of the JEDI strategy, AISL began to mobilize people and resources to achieve the following three observable/measurable goals: 1. Cultivate a diverse and inclusive school culture by fostering a safe environment where all voices feel heard and a sense of belonging. 2. Design and implement environments, curricula, and instructional methods that validate and reflect the diversity, identities, and experiences of our students. 3. Recruit, retain and develop faculty and leaders of the highest quality by emphasizing excellence and all aspects of diversity in hiring decisions and by creating pathways for advancement.

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JUSTICE, EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION AT AISL How? The Process A task force of diverse stakeholders, students, faculty, administration, and parents was assembled to learn, develop capacity, collectively engage, and contribute to advancing the goals of the school-wide plan. In addition, they were charged with leading the initial, targeted work within three sub-teams focused on research, growth, and development of three specific areas of focus: school culture and communications, culturally responsive teaching, and human resources.

AISL JEDI Task Force

School Culture & Communications Team

Culturally Responsive Teaching Team

Human Resources Team

AISL hired a consultant, Darnell Fine, who works with the Diversity Collaborative, to provide the first phases of professional learning. Through two virtual learning opportunities, the JEDI task force explored their own lives, perspectives and stories through the lens of unconscious bias, as well as underwent a deeper dive into the core structure of the three focus areas of common language and communication, culturally responsive teaching and human resources practice. In addition, a variety of virtual learning experiences were curated and offered to the JEDI Task Force members for exploration, as well as professional and personal development. The teams met monthly during the second semester to review resources, set actions for sub-team goals, and prepare next-steps for the 2021-2022 school year. This work will continue in the upcoming school year with all three sub-teams spending time working toward the goals and engaging the whole AISL community. This work will be facilitated by a newly created position, the JEDI Coordinator, who will lead the school’s diversity and inclusion efforts to attain the goal that everyone in the community is heard, respected, and valued.

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AISL'S WELLNESS PROGRAM

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SOCIAL & EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL) At AISL we understand how important it is to provide support to our students beyond their academics. In order to increase our empathy and resilience, build relationships across distance, and strengthen our students non-academic life skills we incorporate a social emotional learning component into our programs. Well-being theory has six components: engagement, relationships, positive emotion, vitality, achievement, and meaning; all of which are supported through various programs at AISL.

Our athletics program addresses the vitality and physical health component while our advisory program in the middle and high school addresses the other five components. The middle school advisory program uses the 16 Habits of Mind program to teach skills like collaboration and communication. Our advisory lessons also focus on developing skills such as organization, planning and goal setting, as well as how to deal with stress and anxiety. In elementary and middle school we use a program called Kelso’s Choices, to teach conflict resolution and problem solving skills. In our child protection programs we talk about the components of healthy relationships vs. unhealthy relationships and how to recognize unsafe situations. Student groups, such at the National Junior Honor Society and the middle school student council, contribute to the development of positive emotions, relationships and a sense of meaning through their activities.

Providing SEL Resources for Trauma-Informed Care The counselors shared resources with teachers about trauma-informed teaching practices to help support the emotional needs of our students. Many experts recognize that the covid crisis has been traumatic for many. Some of our families have experienced another trauma with the Beirut explosions. This document summarizes the Trauma-Informed Approach to teaching during COVID-19 and other crises.

Parent Forums Parent forums focused on the traditional topics, such as child protection, but also became much more focused on how to cope through the pandemic whether it be sessions on trauma, technology, or transitions. The counseling team was reduced from three to two, essentially doubling the student numbers for the elementary/middle school counselor. This led to fewer in-class sessions delivered by the counselor. Individual and family counseling was prioritized to meet the specific needs of the members of our community; these sessions were able to be done through Zoom and in person.

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STUDENT & TEACHER WELLNESS Student Wellness in High School At AISL, student wellness in the high school division has been incorporated into various aspects of our formal curriculum as well as more informal culture. This is supported by weekly, grade level advisory meetings that not only serve as a meeting time to build and maintain community during the disruption and isolation of the last year, but also as a time to connect with their faculty advisors under pastoral care. Advisories in the high school focus on building student voice and choice, eliciting feedback to inform faculty and administrative decisions, and facilitates leadership development and student engagement through the dedication of the Associated Student Body and other student outreach programs. Formal programming and counselor seminars on personal growth and understanding, safety and safeguarding, as well as academic development, continued to take place this year without disruption. High school students also participated in a student-led psycho-educational support group with peer facilitators, receiving training and debriefing sessions from the high school counselor to further develop students’ sense of self-efficacy and understanding of themselves and others.

Teacher Wellness NESLI - National Excellence in School Leadership Institute AISL piloted a staff wellness program sponsored by NESLI and facilitated by our counselors. The goal of this program is to help schools to lay the foundations for a professional climate which is conducive to the optimal health and well-being of all staff. The program offers practical advice to assist individuals in managing their own well-being and a framework to assist schools in developing greater trust, respect, and connectivity between staff.

The three key aims for the program are: 1. To enable individuals to take a proactive approach to their own well-being and develop the mindsets and behaviours which will support them through challenging times. 2. To enable professional communities to work collaboratively to more effectively support one another’s health and well-being. 3. To contribute to improved student outcomes through enhancing staff engagement, well-being and connectivity. This program was well received by the AISL teachers who volunteered to participate in this pilot experience.

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EAGLES LEARN TEACHING & LEARNING AT AISL

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A YEAR OF REMOTE / HYBRID LEARNING

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EAGLES LEARN Eagles Learn - A Year of Remote/Hybrid Learning AISL defines learning as a lifelong process that deepens what we understand, builds on what we know and can do, and develops our character. The goal of learning is to understand, apply, and transfer knowledge and skills to a variety of contexts that exist within and beyond school. The design and delivery of Eagles Learn rests on this foundation, whether students are part of the normal in-school learning experience or the remote/hybrid program that was offered this past school year. Eagles Learn encapsulates teaching and learning within a safe learning environment that is guided by the commitment to ensure our students engage in well-rounded learning experiences which balance their academic, physical, social, and emotional development as both individuals and global citizens. Supported by the six core design pillars (noted below), the remote and hybrid version was designed, developed, and refined throughout the year based on international collegial idea exchange, best practice in digital and online learning, and on-going feedback from parents, students, and faculty.

NRAEL SELGAE

THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF EAGLES LEARN WAS TO ENSURE OUR STUDENTS CONTINUED TO LEARN AND DEVELOP KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND DISPOSITIONS AS EXPECTED BY OFFERING OUR HIGH-QUALITY, STANDARDS-BASED LEARNING APPROACH WITH A STRONG FOCUS ON SOCIALEMOTIONAL SUPPORT VIA TECHNOLOGY PLATFORMS AND DIGITAL APPLICATIONS.

THE 6 PILLARS OF COMMITMENT: WE BELONG. WE SOAR. WE SUPPORT. WE COLLABORATE. WE CARE. WE COMMUNICATE.

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EAGLES LEARN

PILLAR 1: WE BELONG. Strong, positive relationships between students and teachers are essential to successful learning. Aligned to the key learning principle that defines learning as social, the Eagles Learn remote program continued to build and strengthen connections, interactions, and student voice to ensure that being an integral part of the AISL community was felt by all.

PILLAR 2: WE SOAR. Academic and holistic learning begins with clarity about what and how students will learn. A clear set of standards continued to underpin instructional design as well as student engagement. Digital learning provided opportunities for students to develop their own agency as learners, work independently as well as collaboratively, and continue to engage in a variety of rich experiences. Our Eagles continued to learn, grow and contribute to the AISL community.

PILLAR 3: WE SUPPORT. English as an additional language (EAL) and learning support (LS) programs provided scaffolded instruction to ensure students with specific learning needs both accessed and achieved learning outcomes.

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EAGLES LEARN

PILLAR 4: WE COLLABORATE. Teams and partnerships of students and faculty engaged in shared opportunities to develop learning experiences, review student learning results, and modify programming in order to optimize student growth. Seeking feedback from students, parents, teachers, and staff helped to further strengthen our programs.

PILLAR 5: WE CARE. Caring about each of our students includes a focus on addressing their safety, wellness, social-emotional growth, and development within a safe learning environment. Our teams worked together to provide discussions, lessons, and social-emotional learning opportunities where students could express themselves, build essential skills, and process the various scenarios that were associated with this last school year.

PILLAR 6: WE COMMUNICATE. On-going communication with stakeholders helped to support understanding and action throughout the year on school initiatives and organizational logistics of the remote/hybrid learning scenarios.

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EAGLES LEARN

ELEMENTARY

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SCHOOL

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EAGLES LEARN Re-Opening and Blended Learning Elementary School Starting the week of October 16th our first and second graders came back to campus. The students were excited to see each other and their teachers. Our teachers, of course, were ecstatic as well.

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EAGLES LEARN The Highlights of Learning in a Remote and Hybrid Setting The elementary, middle, and high schools tailored approaches to remote/hybrid learning based on the developmental learning needs of each age group, while also ensuring the same common threads of design, as noted below, for whole-school consistency. Synchronous and asynchronous learning experiences were designed around purpose and provided learning opportunities for students both in and outside of Lagos, and across different time zones. ‘Flex Connect’ sessions provided small-group and individual coaching, as well as consistent catch-up sessions outside of formal school hours. Innovative use of technology for teaching and learning leveraged the adaptive skills of our faculty and developed new skills for both our students and parents. Multiple digital tools and applications enhanced student engagement, collaboration, assessment and reporting allowing AISL to provide what we consider to be the best remote and hybrid learning in Africa. On-going communication on a single platform supported clarity and independence for students learning in the remote/hybrid setting and kept parents informed. As the result of the urgent need to move into remote learning and then to adjust throughout the year to ever-changing hybrid teaching models, the teachers engaged in a variety of professional development opportunities to adjust, initiate and refine design instruction and assessment strategies, and improve their professional skill sets. All teachers spent five weeks in the summer taking the Global Online Academy (GOA) bootcamp course which provided foundational skills for designing effective online teaching and learning. The tenets of the GOA model became a driving force behind Eagles Learn and the meaningful work teachers did to enhance learning.

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EAGLES LEARN Re-Opening and Blended Learning

MIDDLE

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SCHOOL

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EAGLES LEARN Measuring Learning - Consistent Focus on Academic Excellence How do we know they are learning? By reviewing the results of a variety of student assessments, AISL evaluates overall growth and development in an effort to monitor academic excellence. During a year of disruption, this was even more important in order to gauge the impact of the situation on student learning as well as ensure that programming and instruction resulted in ongoing growth in all subject areas. The Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) assessments were cancelled in the fall; however, for the first time, AISL engaged all students in Grades 2-9 in a mid-year, remote testing opportunity in January. While there is no previous data point for learning to analyze growth over time, it did provide a snapshot of performance in reading, language usage, and mathematics, allowing us to take note of learning during the pandemic. We were pleased to report that our overall scores remain high and above the mean of comparison groups. Teachers were also able to review the data for instructional purposes. AISL will consider adding this mid-year MAP administration to the school calendar. End of year MAP results will be compared to previous years in order to capture learning gains and patterns across grade levels. We present January 2021 learning results for the core assessment areas of reading, language usage, and mathematics as compared to both the NWEA and international school mean. These comparison scores do not incorporate the disruption of COVID-19 which highlights the strength of our students’ learning despite a different kind of year at AISL. Our results remain positive and worthy of celebration.

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EAGLES LEARN

HIGH

SCHOOL

Starting Monday 12 October, the high school welcomed back Grade 11 and 12 students followed by our grade 9 and 10 students the following Thursday and Friday. These two cohorts, or “Nests,” were the first group to come back.

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EAGLES LEARN: IB DIPLOMA PROGRAM 2020-21

Beginning in late 2019 and early 2020, the Covid-19 global pandemic impacted educational processes and procedures around the world. Due to risks of exposure and spread of the virus, the International Baccalaureate made the decision to not hold in-person examinations for the May 2020 cohort. Due to the absence of exams, the IBO utilized three factors to determine final student scores: 1. All Internal Assessment components were submitted to the IB for external assessment. 2. School-specific historical data was used to project student outcomes. 3. Teacher Predicted Grades (PGs) were used as a means of secondary verification. Although the initial global score distributions aligned to prior-year distributions globally, a number of schools were adversely impacted. The IBO worked closely with schools to remedy the outcome and utilize a best-fit approach that resulted in some student's final scores being modified. Additionally, in response to the loss of face-to-face teaching experienced by the May 2021 cohort, the IBO instituted a number of amendments to subject coursework and syllabi content to ensure academic rigor while acknowledging the abnormal educational contexts school communities were experiencing. Beginning with November 2020, the IBO also instituted a dual-route model (exam and non-exam) for schools to address local conditions and maintain the health and safety of their communities. In February of 2021, AISL was notified that it had been initially placed on the examination route. Through close communication with all facets of our school community (students, parents, staff, administration) and a thorough evaluation of the local Lagosian context, AISL determined our specific context warranted a shift to the non-examination route. Supporting materials for this request were communicated with the IBO and the IBO agreed that AISL should be placed on the non-examination route for the May 2021 cohort.

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EAGLES LEARN: IB DIPLOMA PROGRAM 2020-21

2020-21 IBDP Course Offerings

English Literature Spanish French Arabic (G11 Only) Economics Psychology History (G12 Only)

The only IB authorized online provider

Physics Chemistry Biology Mathematics Analysis & Approaches Mathematics Applications & Interpretations Visual Art Music

IBDP Support 2020-21 Summer 2020: Teachers took part in intensive training on developing and adapting curriculum for remote and hybrid learning. Increased and regular synchronous classes. Focused subject curriculum targets inline with IB amendments. Extensive use of digital tools, such as: Kognity Intelligent Textbooks (developed specifically for IBDP), ManageBac, Google Integration & Tools for Education, Zoom, and Multimedia Materials

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Augmented by:

Last year's

May 2020 Results Total Candidates: 17 Full Diploma Candidates: 10 Awarded the IB Diploma: 10/10 (100%) Highest Score: 38/45 Average Score: 31/45 Average Subject Score: 5.15/7 % Scoring 30 or Above: 60% % Scoring 35 or Above: 10%

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UNIVERSITY AWARENESS & COUNSELING

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UNIVERSITY AWARENESS & COUNSELING University and college admissions in the 2020-21 academic year saw a variety of changes in policy and practice across the world as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. These changes included many US colleges and universities making the SAT optional, the College Board announcing it would end the SAT Subject Tests as well as the optional essay component of the SAT. The University of California system was also directed by the California judiciary that the UC system may no longer use the SAT in admissions considerations and may not refer to those test results as part of their admissions process. This follows a larger, national trend in the US to give greater emphasis to individual, holistic review of student applications and move further away from standardized testing. This may also have led to a sharp increase in applications to colleges and universities that have been traditionally highly selective as 12th grade students may have felt they would have a better likelihood of admissions without having to submit their SAT scores. As a result, how counseling at AISL will approach the SAT and other components of applications will continue to evolve. AISL will remain a closed test center as a service to our community, and was in the first cohort of SAT test centers that were allowed to reopen for testing by the state government in Lagos. Given that context, the graduating class of 2021 had remarkably strong university admissions outcomes. As a result of the dedication of AISL faculty and our holistic, student-centered approach to admissions, we had students who earned spots at their “top choice” universities, students who were admitted to highly selective programs and institutions, students receiving a wide array of scholarships and financial aid, and gaining entry to world-renowned academic programs in countries across the world. In addition these results were achieved in a year AISL switched to a Pass/Incomplete grading system for the Spring 2020 semester, and has just switched over to the 1-7 standards based grading scale after years of following the dated 4.0/A grading system.

Our class of 2021 meeting with visiting universities and colleges while they were in11th grade

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UNIVERSITY AWARENESS & COUNSELING

With SAT’s being made optional, a global pandemic restricting travel and study options, online learning in its myriad forms, and three grading systems in three different semesters; our students continue to earn spots at their best fit colleges and universities worldwide. Recruitment and university visits also have changed significantly as a result of global travel restrictions. Whereas in the previous two years, high school counseling had succeeded in raising the number of oncampus university visits from ~19 to over 60, universities have now done away with the traditional visit and now connect directly with students through virtual visits and tours, online information sessions and 1-1 talks with admissions officers. AISL also now runs online fairs with more than 120 colleges and universities as well as individual “school visits” over Zoom for universities that have visited AISL in the past three years. As AISL continues to work closely with recruiting fairs and university admission professionals, this will also be an evolving part of university counseling in coming years. Finally, the “Junior Seminar;” these are parent information sessions and offer individual guidance and planning and will continue to grow in the coming years. Seniors will also participate in our third annual “How to Adult” series, which has a focus on less academic-focused skills for success after high school. Topics include: personal safety, personal finance, basic cooking and housekeeping skills, how to navigate the first year of university, etc. While the year has been challenging in a myriad of ways, AISL’s students and faculty have worked to maintain consistency across our work and have been able to pivot and be flexible where it brings benefits.

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UNIVERSITY AWARENESS & COUNSELING Class of 2021 University/College Acceptance List *Indicates 2+ students admitted

Canada

United States American University Baylor University Bemidji State University Boston College Boston University* DePauw University Drake University Drexel University Duke University* Emory University Franklin and Marshall College George Washington University Georgia Institute of Technology* Hult University Illinois Institute of Technology Ithaca College Luther College Marist College Miami University, Ohio Michigan Technological University New Jersey Institute of Technology Northeastern University Ohio State University Pennsylvania State University Purdue University Rice University Rhodes College Rochester Institute of Technology Rutgers University-New Brunswick Rutgers University-Camden

Siena College St. Cloud State St. Olaf College St. Thomas University Syracuse University* Temple University Tufts University Tulane University University of California-Berkeley* University of California-Davis University of California-Irvine University of California-Los Angeles University of California-Riverside University of California-San Diego* University of California-Santa Cruz* University of Colorado-Boulder* University of Delaware University of Florida University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign University of Iowa University of Massachusetts-Boston University of Miami University of Michigan-Ann Arbor* University of Richmond University of Rochester University of Southern California University of Texas-Austin University of Washington-Seattle Washington University St. Louis Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Carleton University Concordia University Ryerson University University of British Columbia* McMaster University University of Calgary University of Prince Edward Island University of Toronto* University of Waterloo*

Europe IE University* Jacobs University TU Delft

Israel IDC Herzliya University

United Kingdom Brunel University-London Cardiff Metropolitan University Cardiff University Coventry University Nottingham-Trent University SOAS-University of London University of Bath University of Birmingham University of Brighton University of Bristol University of East London University of Essex

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University of Exeter University of Leeds* University of Manchester University of Newcastle University of Nottingham University of Sheffield University of Southampton University of St. Andrew’s University of Sussex University of York University of Worcester

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AISL CLASS OF 2021

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ATHLETICS & ACTIVITIES

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WAISAL LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

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THE ARTS

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LIBRARY/MEDIA CENTER TECHNOLOGY AT AISL

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LIBRARY & MEDIA CENTER

The media center is committed to teaching the skills and providing the resources necessary for meeting the informational needs of students and staff. Our vision is to create a space where students and teachers can collaborate, be enthusiastic readers, critical thinkers, skilled researchers and ethical users of information.

Preschool to Grade 5 Weekly, 45 minute library lessons, and flexible scheduling.

Grades 6 to 12 Flexible scheduling.

18,549 Books in the Library

2,034 E-books

5,496 Books checked out since December 2020 Asynchronous activity 148 sessions posted 85%

Student Participation in activity sessions

Library Lessons Citations Technology Book Care Story elements Databases

Coding Research Genres Choiceboards Parts of a book

COVID-19 Safety Measures All books are quarantined for three days between check-outs. Students are divided into small groups to assist with social distancing. Students check-in their own books to reduce contact spread. Students sanitize their hands before class and when they leave.

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Top 5 Titles Books with the most circulations 1. Dog Man: Lord of the Fleas 2. Dog Man 3. Dog Man: Brawl of the Wild 4. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Meltdown 5. Dog Man: A Tale of Two Kitties

13 12 11 9 8

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LIBRARY & MEDIA CENTER New Resources Updated science materials. Manga and graphic novels. Bridge reading levels. Diversity of characters. Diversity of authors and illustrators. Middle and high school ebook collection.

Withdrawn Material Over 10,000 items have been withdrawn this year in an effort to update the library collection. The average age of our library collection went from 1985 to 2003 with this weeding. Weeded material was donated to local schools as part of our CAS program.

Usage of Library Databases Our databases have been vital resources for teachers and students of all grades during our year of remote learning.

Britannica 459,356 BrainPop 2,807 CultureGrams 2,637

TumbleBooks Brain PebbleGo Gale Databases (HS)

Diversity & Inclusion New material represents peoples of diverse backgrounds. A variety of families are represented. Diversity of main characters. Characters with a variety of real-world issues. Authors and illustrators represent an international community.

1,760 1,398 759

2021 Hilights Collaboration with technology department for increased engagement. Author Mac Barnett visit and two writing workshops with students K-10. Technology integration in PK and KG. Senior citations.

Thank you for being a part of our library's success! AIS LAGOS | ANNUAL REPORT 2020-21

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TECHNOLOGY AT AISL 2020-21

Coding in Mr. Ubaldo's Class

2020-21 presented itself to be one of the most challenging and adaptive years ever experienced at AISL. Not only were we forced to teach across the globe spanning 13 time zones and 83 countries concurrently for much of the year, but so much of what makes school great was withheld from us. COVID-19 forced us all to reconsider the way we think about teaching, learning, relationships, and technology. Zoom was an essential tool throughout the year. A nagging internet problem on campus led to the restructure and replacement of our entire network, end-to-end, wireto-wire. Our new Cisco network was installed, configured, and managed by our partners at Netcom Africa. We invested heavily in infrastructure, both on the network-side as well as the hardware in the classroom. 50 classrooms were refitted with an entirely new audio visual experience thanks to our new 75” LG SMART screens. We invested in a fleet of new iPads to ensure the entire elementary division was 1:1 as well. Thanks to the addition of a new BYOD program starting in Grade 4, much of the ES division (Grades 2-5) was actually 2:1 with both tablets and laptops. This year we upgraded our printing solution, bringing forth a print-as-you-go model with the purchase of three new Ricoh printers. The principles of the technology department’s professional development for staff this year was led by the ISTE standards (student tech skill acquisition) and Sonny Magana's T3 framework which measures tech impact on instruction. We also continue to ensure our teachers are badged through various micro-credentialing third parties such as Google Certified Educator, Common Sense Media, and Seesaw Pioneer.

New Cisco Network

New Ricoh Print System

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2020-21 was a tough year but we got through it thanks to the hard work of so many dedicated teachers, students, staff, and parents. Many thanks to all who worked so diligently to support our learners.

75" LG SMART Screens in Every Classroom

1:1 iPads in the Elementary Division

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TECHNOLOGY AT AISL 2020-21

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CAMPUS GROWTH ADMISSIONS/ENROLLMENT STATISTICS STRATEGIC PLAN IMPLEMENTATION

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ADMISSIONS/ENROLLMENT IN 2020-21 Admissions and Enrollment Trends: Areas of Growth and Attrition

New admissions were increasing prior to the current school year. MS/HS (secondary) remained steady. However, the greatest decline in enrolment was in PS/PK and ES.

Departing families appreciated....

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STRATEGIC MASTER PLAN IMPLEMENTATION Future Campus Development The recent COVID pandemic has had a negative effect on education as a whole and, in turn, the economy. Most schools in Nigeria and around the world have had to shut down temporarily to be able to contain the spread of the virus. In AISL, these closures have impacted not only students learning, but present and future student enrolment. As a result, there has been an adverse effect on the school’s finances. The harsh reality of this pandemic has brought about a drastic need to revise the school’s strategy for the current Master Plan and Campus upgrade proposal. To keep up with these trying times, AISL has proposed a re-design of the Master Plan in order to come up with a more sustainable scope and budget, while still meeting the school's future needs.

AISL Facilities Master Plan One of AISL's key learning strategies calls for the development and maintenance of flexible, safe, inspiring, and environmentally friendly learning spaces and campus infrastructure to support modern and relevant teaching and learning. The EAC Master Facilities Plan provides a “road map” to guide the growth and improvement of our learning spaces and the campus over the next seven years. The plan consists of a feasible project sequence that is: Aligned with a long term financial plan. Responsive to modern and relevant teaching and learning. Adaptive to support a “3 stream” school up to 750 students. In summary, the plan calls for the construction of a new athletic center, the renovation of an existing building (former teacher apartments) to create a science, technology, and design spaces, the development of a campus center, the transformation of the current gym to a performing arts space, and the renovation of current classroom spaces. Currently the following infrastructure projects have been planned and are currently being executed to support the facilities master plan. Power generation and distribution plant. Upgrading the school network (Internet). A sewage treatment plant. A field with artificial turf. Renovating the pool. All of these projects have either been completed and will be completed by August. The AISL Board of Directors is committed to modernizing the campus and creating spaces that build community and support learning that is modern, meaningful, and relevant.

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STRATEGIC MASTER PLAN IMPLEMENTATION Preliminary Facilities Master Plan

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We are Eagles and We Soar.


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