Spring 2012 Globetrotter

Spring 2012

The Newsletter of Atlanta International School

Globetrotter

In This Issue 3

Shuler Hensley Award

4

AIS Sports Report

7

A Retrospective on Grade 6

12

Spring Benefit: Passport to the USA

14

Science of a Burger

AIS Student Council Organizes Day of Service to Help Garden Hills Community

By Claire Adair, Grade 10 and Myhana Kerr, Grade 10 Over the years, the Garden Hills Neighborhood and its community have supported and worked in partnership with Atlanta International School. AIS students frequently visit the neighborhood pool; AIS is a close academic friend with Garden Hills Elementary School; and many AIS families reside in the neighborhood. AIS has bonded with and become a vital part of this safe, friendly Buckhead haven.

In recognition of this relationship, the AIS Student Council and Upper School student body offered a Day of Service, which has concluded in success and with momentum for an encore! It could not have been successful without Mr. Jeff Clark, AIS parent and Treasurer of the Garden Hills Pool and Park Association, and the facilities team who made it possible.

The date was set for Wednesday, March 28 —a half-day for AIS students—on which 25 students walked to the Garden Hills pool to get it ready for the busy summer up ahead. Pool chaise lounges were carried out in stacks and hosed down and sponge-soaped to rid them of Atlanta’s record-breaking pollen bath. Seats were set, tables were washed; by the end of the afternoon, the cleanliness of the furniture and that of the students had swapped!

Atlanta International School (AIS) offers the International Baccalaureate (IB) to all its students from four-year-old kindergarten through grade 12. By delivering a rigorous academic program combined with world-class standards in language acquisition within an open-minded, intercultural environment, AIS prepares its students to succeed in a globally connected world.

For more information, please contact us at 404.841.3840 or visit us online at www.aischool.org.

Students have a new appreciation for the upkeep required for such an enjoyed facility. A hard day, but all who participated are ready and eager to make the Service Day a well-attended tradition!

Thanks to AIS students who attended the Day of Service: Saurav Bhandary, Alexander Thomas, Leila Yavari, Laetitia Butler, Soham Kahitan, Kienan O’Brien, Alex Richard, Claire Adair, Myhana Kerr, Neeki Memar, Caroline Hutchison, Leah Cumming, Shayann Hendricks, Hayden Bartsch, Blake McDaniel, Sydney Marshall, Molly Hiebert, Darius Scott, Emily Cohen, Adam Bostwick, Alec Nash, Justine Stiftel and Sarah Zurbuchen.

Editor’s note: In addition to the Day of Service, the AIS Student Council also organized the Homecoming Dance, produced AIS sweatpants for the student body (still some for sale!), attended Board of Trustees meetings and helped with the development of the school’s “Acceptable Use Policy.” The AIS Student Council is advised by Mrs. Nicole Cook.

Once Upon a Time in Grade Four

By Diane Dear and Annalee Higginbottom, Primary School Faculty

“Reading The African Diaspora” Celebrates Black History Month

By Elena Barrio, Secondary School Librarian The AIS Library and Auburn Avenue Research Library collaborated for the first time this spring to celebrate Black History at Atlanta International School. The joint exhibit, “Reading the African Diaspora,” ran from February 6 through March 2 in the Visconti di Modrone Library Commons.

Back in November, a small group of Primary school parents began a discussion with some PS faculty members and PS Librarian, Sharon Hermann, about ways to celebrate Black History. Ideas began to flow, and soon a larger group of interested individuals came together to develop a program, “Reading the African Diaspora,” that would include a vibrant exhibit on the literature of black writers from around the world. Many visitors enjoyed the beautiful books and interesting biographical pieces on display.

In addition to the exhibit, during the month of February, illustrator Michele Wood engaged students in grades, 4, 5, 8 and 9 with special presentations about her journey to becoming an award-winning Illustrator. Her most recent book is I Lay My Stitches Down. Shortly after her visit to AIS, Michele received news that The Auburn Avenue Research Library would be honoring her with the 2012 Ashley Bryan Illustrated Children’s Literature Award.

Grade Four’s “How We Express Ourselves” unit explored the idea, “Technology affects the way people communicate and express themselves in today’s world.” In Mrs. Dear’s English classes, students collaborated to produce digital storybooks. They were asked to select a traditional story (most chose a fairy tale), write a script, organize costumes, storyboard the scenes and then use locations around the AIS campus to stage photographs which told the story.

Afterwards, students retired to the new Mac Lab at the back of the library to edit their photographs, add titles, credits, and in some cases music, as well as record narration for their stories.

The fourth graders were incredibly excited and inspired by the whole project and, as teachers, we were thrilled with the quality of the photography and the collaboration. At the time of writing this, we eagerly await the finished products and we look forward to sharing the stories with lower primary students.

In addition to fulfilling the criteria of the project and exploring the central idea, students demonstrated their ability to be creative and collaborative, as well as communicate effectively with their peers through the use of different media.

Well done, Grade Four students, and thanks to Mrs. Weeks for sharing some of your costumes with us!

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Globetrotter • Atlanta International School Newsletter • Spring 2012

Additional events celebrating “Reading the African Diaspora” included a visit from Giwayen Mata, the award-winning African dance, percussion and vocal ensemble who entertained Upper School students and faculty, as well as an inspiring lecture to TOK students by Eleanor Hunter, Reference Librarian at the Auburn Avenue Research Library, on “The Harlem Renaissance and the Negritude Movement.” Students enjoyed learning from Eleanor and some found inspiration for possible Extended Essay topics.

It was a wonderful month of activities for our community and could not have happened without the many enthusiastic, parents, faculty, staff, librarians, special guests and esteemed partner, The Auburn Avenue Research Library.

Many thanks to all!

AIS Students Shine at Shuler Hensley Awards

By Robert Warren, Head of Theatre This April marked the fourth annual Shuler Hensley Awards at the Cobb Energy Center, which was a wonderful event broadcast live on WSB-TV. Atlanta International School continued to make our presence known as a “theatre powerhouse” in the state of Georgia, with six nominations for our fall production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, including ensemble, direction, choreography, set/costume design and best supporting actor. We were thrilled once more to be nominated for so many awards!

The awards ceremony was full of celebration as Josh Cohen and Giselle Fernandez, two of our seniors, performed in the Shuler Ensemble. They did our school proud performing in three musical numbers throughout the event, with Josh having a solo moment in the finale number. Grade 11 students Myrtil Mitanga and Grade 10 student Keanu Mitanga also participated in the event by performing in the Youth Symphony. The night was topped with Alec Nash bringing home the award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as “Cogsworth the Clock”… a very fitting achievement for a senior student who has always given 100% to every rehearsal and performance. Alec is a true ensemble member who encourages his fellow cast members to work hard whilst never complaining during the process. We are extremely proud of his accomplishments!

The Shuler Hensley awards continue to recognize, promote, and celebrate Georgia high school musical theater programs. We were so proud to be a part of this event again this year, and we thank you all for your ongoing support of our students and theatre program at Atlanta International School.

Atlanta International School Newsletter • Spring 2012 • Globetrotter

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AIS Sports Report

By Gregg Albright, Athletics Director The spring athletic season was highlighted with a wealth of talented performances in both the Upper and Middle School teams. Middle School highlights include the following superb seasons: the girls’ soccer team brought home the championship trophy, winning the final game at home to take the MAAC (Metro Atlanta Athletic Conference) crown. Both girls’ and boys’ Middle School track and field teams had strong showings this season, setting many AIS records and taking home trophies for 1st place (boys) and 3rd place (girls) at the conference championships. Middle school boys’ and girls’ tennis teams earned a second straight year in the playoffs with both teams taking an overall 3rd place in the league. 2012 marked the inaugural year for an AIS middle school golf team, taking 4th place in the league championship. We are very proud of all our Middle School student athletes for demonstrating outstanding commitment and skill and for representing AIS in an honorable fashion.

In the Upper School, the boys varsity soccer team qualified for the GHSA state tournament again this year by winning region 6A outright with a 8-0 league record (12-4-2 overall). They entered the GHSA tournament ranked 3rd in the state, making it all the way to the state championship vs. Aquinas High School. Congratulations to the team, coaches and parents for an outstanding season! The Upper School Track Team posted several great performances. Louise Forbes (Shot Put) and Alice Morrison (Long Jump) both reached Sectionals (top 20 in the state). Mustafa Thomas (100m and High Jump) and Alexander Thomas (800m) both qualified for the state championships.

Varsity boys golf produced their best regular season record (7-2) in school history. Boys’ tennis ended their consecutive streak of state appearances falling one match short; we say goodbye and thank you to outstanding singles players James Ratchford and Alejandro Garcia.

The boys Ultimate Frisbee Team won the AIS Disc Tournament going 6-0 over two days to capture the championship trophy. They finished 9th in the Georgia state tournament. The girls Ultimate team captured the state tournament trophy again, defeating the other two schools in the three-team tournament, Grady and Woodward, with a strong team effort.

I would like to personally thank our incredibly talented senior class of athletes, who performed at a very high level during their days in the AIS athletics program. Seniors led the way this year in state appearances in volleyball, swimming, Ultimate, soccer and track and field. Their tenacity, commitment and superb talents have graced fields, courts, courses and pools all over the state. We wish them the best of luck in their next endeavors. Many of these seniors will showcase their talents on the college level, including Derek Hirsch (Wofford Baseball), Giles Geddes (Washington and Lee Soccer), Alex LaPalme (Wake Forest Soccer), James Ratchford (Yale Tennis) and Alice Morrison (University of Toronto Volleyball/Basketball).

Last and definitely not least, I would like to thank the many parents, staff and coaches for their countless hours of service to our student athletes. I also want to thank Athletics Coordinator Mark McDaniel for tirelessly working to keep schedules, buses and many other details straight to keep our teams playing!

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Globetrotter • Atlanta International School Newsletter • Spring 2012

MS Golf Team Tees Off First Season Ever

By Jack Doyle, Grade 7 The inaugural season of the first Middle School golf team is over. I, as a player, was very happy about how well our team represented the school. Last year, we didn’t have a team, because there were only two MS players: Julian Jimenez and me. We practiced and got ready for this year, hoping to have our first golf team. Our fellow seventh grader, William Grattan-Smith, joined the team and gave us the number of players we needed.

As for stats… in the first match ever played by the Middle School Golf team, we placed second with a total of 129 strokes. I posted a 45, William posted a 41, and Julian posted a 53. We lost to Galloway by a single stroke, as they posted a 128. In the second match, we placed second again with a 137. Overall, we were steadily in second most of the year until the MAAC championship in April, in which we placed fourth out of six teams.

Here are some interviews with the players on the team: Do you feel it was good to finally have a golf team?

JJ: Yes, I really like to play golf, and this year I have enjoyed the season a lot.

WG-S: It feels great to be able to play for your school and you can meet and communicate with more people this way.

How do you feel about being on the team?

JJ: I’m glad about being on the team. I got to play my first matches in a long time.

WG-S: I feel privileged because I can play on the tennis and golf team and in some schools they do not have sports teams.

How do you feel about the achievements of the team?

JJ: I think that for the first middle school golf team the school has had, we got great scores.

WG-S: I think we did great for our first season, but we can win the thing next year.

Do you think that you might be able to get more people next year?

JJ: I think we might be able to get more people to play golf next year because if it is a sport that someone likes, they should definitely try it out.

WG-S: I think we should tell more people how fun it is!

What should we do for next year?

JJ: Maybe the golf players on the team should go to a course or a driving range on the weekends or whenever they have time, and practice a bit.

WG-S: The same thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was so much fun.

So, if you have any interest in Middle School golf, please try it. I think we can win with more players next year. We will also practice over the summer, and the older we get, the farther we hit! Our team plans on shooting in the thirties regularly next year so we can get that trophy!

Gregg Albright Becomes “Winningest” Coach at AIS

By Mark McDaniel, Athletics Coordinator Gregg Albright started coaching volleyball at AIS in 2005. He took over a program that had gone 15-22 during the previous two seasons and that hadn’t made a state tournament since joining the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) in 1998. In his first season, Gregg’s passion and wisdom for the game immediately started to change the culture. The team finished with a 13-6 record, and the rest is history. In 2008, Gregg led his team to the school’s first-ever appearance at the Georgia State Volleyball Tournament.

The girls had developed a taste for success, and no one was surprised when the following year’s team battled all season and returned to the tournament for the second time in 2009.

In 2010, the Varsity Volleyball team was upset in the region tournament. Their pursuit of the state playoffs, for the third year in a row, was over. Most believed that 2011 would be a rebuilding year, since seven out of 12 players had graduated, resulting in a 2011 team that was young and inexperienced at the varsity level. The girls did, in fact, begin their season with two losses, but they turned it around quickly with a big win against Pace Academy, starting a 14-3 run, 19-12 overall record on the season and an eventual sweet sixteen Georgia High School State Playoff appearance. The team’s defeat of Pace on August 17 marked the day that Gregg Albright, Varsity Volleyball Coach and Athletic Director, picked up his 100th victory, becoming the winningest coach in the history of the school and finishing the season with a total of 118 wins. In typical fashion, Gregg gave all the credit to the kids.

Gregg’s leadership, passion for the game and knowledge of the sport of volleyball have been critical to putting the AIS program on the map in recent years. Congratulations to Coach Albright, AIS’s winningest coach!

Atlanta International School Newsletter • Spring 2012 • Globetrotter

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AIS Students Attend Model United Nations program in The Hague

By Sandy Ferko, Head of Counseling For almost twenty years, AIS has been invited to attend the Model United Nations program in The Hague (THIMUN), the world’s largest and most prestigious MUN program. It’s quite an honor, because only seven schools in the US are invited to participate. Each January, approximately 3,500 students from all over the world congregate to work on problems confronting the world’s peoples and the real United Nations: economic, social, financial, environmental, war and disarmament. The resolutions and solutions that student delegates develop are sent directly to the UN Secretary General for his consideration.

This year, Darren Rollins and Sandy Ferko took 18 students to the program.

Among them were Kienan O’Brien who served as President of the Disarmament Committee (making him one of the top 12 or 13 student leaders of the program); Alexander Thomas and Naomi O’Halloran, who served as ambassador and co-ambassador of the Cameroon delegation; and Leah Cumming, who worked as a photographer for the daily paper, The MUNITY. Her photographs appeared throughout the daily papers, but most noticeably front and center on two of the five issues.

The students began work in October, researching the background of Cameroon and some very difficult issues. They wrote several drafts of the resolutions before leaving Atlanta. When they arrived at THIMUN, the first 1 ½ days were spent lobbying with other delegates; resolutions were merged to make stronger resolutions; and then the debate and voting began in each committee.Our delegates were seriously engaged in the process, serving as main- and co-submitters, and were called upon often to speak in favor of their resolutions or to question the wisdom of those they opposed.

The students enjoyed several group dinners, one at an Indonesian restaurant where the array of dishes was awesome (even if some of the kids couldn’t believe they’d eaten chicken livers which tasted good until they learned what it was). At another group dinner, the kids split – Italian or pannekoeken. Dinners were a treat after the notorious THIMUN lunches, though.

Our courageous seniors reinstated a long-resting tradition – at midnight on Friday, after the THIMUN dance, they took a chilling dip in the North Sea! No one has had the guts to do that since the seniors of 2001… the Class of 2012 felt it was time to restore the tradition. The chaperones watched in wonder and made sure the freezing seniors got into a warm shower before their water-soaked bathing suits froze on their bodies!

Members of the Cameroon delegation, led by four-year veteran Alex Thomas on GA 1, were: Miles Taylor – GA 2 Naomi O’Halloran – GA 3 Valeria Pelaez – GA 5 Vanessa Topp – GA 6 Sydney Proctor – Special Conference 2 Kieran Kristensen – Human Rights 1 Colin Johnson – ECOSOC Matei Dan – ECOSOC Molly Hiebert – Disarmament 2 Owen Hill – Environment 1

Leila Varzi – GA 4 Raja Khuri – Special Conference 1 Dillon Bostwick – Human Rights 2 Marin Lucic – Disarmament 1 Claire Adair – Environment 2

The entire delegation, led by eight wonderful senior mentors, was made up of three juniors and seven sophomores. They all earned the respect and affection of the chaperones, who were so proud of each one of them throughout the three months of preparation and travel.

It’s a lot of work, granted, but it’s a wonderful opportunity for students to meet their counterparts from all over the world.

Here, in their own words…..besides the wonderful chaperones (of course), what was the best part of the THIMUN experience?

Colin Johnson, senior : “The highlight of THIMUN, for me, would be the opportunity to meet new people in the conference.When you go up and give

a speech and, afterwards, you meet new people who offer congratulations or even disagree with your stance.”

Matei Dan, sophomore:“Being in The Hague and meeting people from different countries was pretty cool.The Escher Museum was also pretty cool!”

Vanessa Topp, senior: “Getting to participate in intense debates with fascinating people from all around the world - it seemed as though every single person I met had an interesting life story to tell.The topics I got to discuss on the Legal Committee at THIMUN are also incredibly relevant to me personally because I plan to study International Affairs/Relations at College next year and perhaps go on to law school.”

Claire Adair, sophomore: “There were MANY highlights (Escher museum, good food, thought-provoking and compelling arguments in committee, chaperones HANDS DOWN) but I think the main on-going highlight was getting to know all the people in our AIS THIMUNer group so well.There isn’t one person (in our group) whom I feel I didn’t get to know better and I established great friendships with a few people (roommates, seniors) that will definitely last!”

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Globetrotter • Atlanta International School Newsletter • Spring 2012

A Retrospective on Grade 6

By Jutta Schlicker-Martinez, Secondary School Faculty and the Grade 6 Advisory Team CAS At the end of the first semester, the 6th grade students were introduced to the concept of CAS through their service project of beautifying Brook Run Park. Thanks to the help and organizational wizardry of Garden Hills neighborhood volunteer Elizabeth Davis, and the efficient and caring leadership of Volunteer Manager John Ahern from Park Pride 74, 6th graders were able to spend a mercifully mild December morning spreading mulch on the pathways of the park, thereby defining the area that should be stepped on and protecting the local plants. A big “thank you” goes out to the parents who fortified us midway through the labor-intensive morning with hot chocolate and healthy snacks! In the afternoon, CAS Coordinator Brenda Hasham familiarized the students with the CAS objectives, which will accompany them throughout their IB career. Through poster work and songs the students developed an awareness of their strengths and areas for growth as individuals and as parts of a collective effort; they reflected on their approach to undertaking new challenges and to planning and initiating activities, as well as gaining an insight into their own capacity for perseverance and commitment to an arduous task. Finally, they sought to make connections to the wider global issues introduced in their Aqua Vitae project at the beginning of the school year.

The environmental efforts of the youngest Middle School students did not end here, however. In spring, AIS was the beneficiary of a generous “green” gift from the Porsche car company. As part of their community outreach program, Porsche volunteers, aided

by Trees Atlanta, enlisted the help of the 6th grade class to plant about 40 young saplings, native to Georgia, in an effort to bring much-needed shade to the new lawn areas around campus. The class of 2018 was all too happy to sacrifice their long block class to help dig up the Georgia clay and prepare the tree roots for planting.

Becoming an Active Learner The first year in Middle School marks the beginning of a more conscious journey towards becoming an active learner. The advisory program aims to provide the students with tools to make that journey a successful one. While the first semester was spent mainly on learning good habits for effective organization, the grade literally “jumped” into an overt learning unit in January. Mr. Essud Fungcap from Heart Center Therapy led the students into experiencing what it means to prepare mind and body for the best learning possible. Everyone had fun and was challenged as they tried to wake up their brain, find their balance and facilitate communication between the two distinct cerebral hemispheres.

Expertly guided by our learning specialist, Mr. Simons, they tackled in the subsequent weeks topics such as “What is my best learning style, how can I be a good listener, how can I set smart goals, what strategies are there to make memorization easier?”

“Sweet” heart Ball and Aqua Vitae The 6th Graders proved their strong sense of community as they volunteered in large numbers to help organize the best Middle School dance ever! Sacrificing countless lunch and break sessions, they came up with a creative motto and matching decorating ideas, produced posters, decoration and song lists. In addition, they brainstormed how to best support our safe water efforts, inspired by the Aqua Vitae interdisciplinary unit. In conjunction with the theme, renting a cotton candy machine proved to be the winning fundraising idea. Thanks to the intrepid parents to whom the thought of sugar coated dress shirt sleeves proved no deterrent, the dance committee managed to raise close to $500, which we will use to buy water purifying bottles for communities most in need of such support.

It is hard to believe that their first year in Middle School is almost over. The 6th Grade team is looking forward to the last highlights of the year, such as the Middle School Field day, the trip to the Carlos Museum and the end-of-year ice cream truck party, courtesy of our wonderful grade level parents! We have enjoyed working with the class of 2018 and wish them best of luck as they are moving up to Grade 7.

Atlanta International School Newsletter • Spring 2012 • Globetrotter

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Thank You!

Music Notes

The AIS faculty and staff would like to sincerely thank the outgoing Parent Organization Council 2011-2012 for the countless hours they have dedicated over the past year to our school:

By Stefanie Tessler, Secondary School Faculty

Executive Council President, Sue Wooldridge President Elect, Dawn Hawkins Treasurer, James Session Secretary, Lucy Soto School Representatives Kindergarten Ron Carmichael Lower Primary Sophie Michel-Alibaksh Upper Primary Susan Mitchell-Ketzes Middle School Kim Valeri Geraldine Goguillon Upper School Therese Birkbeck David Wilke Cultural Clubs Amigos Amparo Mantilla Silvia Nystrom Asian Culture Club Lan Chiem Harambee Leslie Thomas Deutsch Connection Deniz Oktar-Giray Ensemble Christine Le Corvec-Lefort Committee and Event Chairs Ambassadors Cheryl Rolley Arts Alliance Roane Loudermilk Jean O’Halloran Parent Programs Linda Pak Bruner Susan Brown Cynthia Fleck Nourish Nabiha Megateli-Das Luce Fournier Booster Club Shannon Dawson Development Liaison Tracie Slosberg Worldfest Tim Cronin Veronica Kirk 8

The 2011-2012 school year has been a fantastic year for music at AIS! Band, choir and orchestra students had the opportunity to perform in concerts throughout the year, including our large-scale Madrigal Dinner production in December. For the first time, students in both lower primary school and students in upper primary school were able to join an orchestra and participate in the co-curricular program. With the addition of more ensembles, the after-school lessons program expanded, and additional instructors were brought on to serve the growing program.

In addition to the successes of our ensembles and after-school programs, three upper school students and one middle school student were selected to participate in the prestigious Georgia All-State ensembles. Michel Vazirani was accepted into the Georgia Middle School Chorus, senior Anna Zuver was accepted into the High School Chorus, sophomore violinist Keanu Mitanga was Assistant Concertmaster of the 9/10 High School Orchestra and junior cellist Myrtil Mitanga was Assistant Principal of the 11/12 High School Orchestra.

Finally, we are sad to say goodbye to 15 senior music students but we know great things await them at university and beyond. Have a great summer!

French Author and Filmmaker Jean-Michel Djian Visits AIS

By Thierry Darlis, Secondary School Faculty On March 26th, the French department was very honored to host Mr. Jean Michel Djian to speak to our IB French students about “la Francophonie.” His presentation was organized in two parts. First, he explained what “la Francophonie” is all about; then, a dialogue between the students and Mr. Djian followed, during which our IB students had the opportunity to ask him any questions related to “la Francophonie.” Mr. Djian was very impressed with the depth of the questions asked.

Mr. Djian was the perfect speaker to talk about “la Francophonie.” Indeed, he worked as an official representative at the Ministry of Culture between 1981 and 1985. At the same time, he launched a journalistic career, eventually working for the French newspaper, Le Monde, and then overseeing le Monde de l’Education et de la Culture as editor-in-chief.

During his years at Le Monde de l’Education, he established the Prix le Monde de la Recherche Universitaire (Le Monde Prize for University Research).

As a filmmaker, Jean-Michel Djian directed the MémoireVivante (Living Memory Collection) for the publisher Flammarion, devoted to interviews with personalities who, either by their actions or ideas, have impacted the 20th century: Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, Laurent Terzieff, Michel Rocard, Pierre Messmer and more. Each of these filmed interviews was made into a documentary for the History Channel. Other documentaries he has co-produced for television include Culture, Une Affaire d’Etat: la Cinquième République des AffairesCculturelles (Culture, An Affair of State:The Fifth Republic and Cultural Affairs) and a saga on the history of the French language in the world entitled, Rêver le Français (Dreaming French). He also produced a series of broadcasts entitled Territoires Rebelles (Rebel Territories).

The French department would like to address a special “thank-you” to Yanaelle Cornez and Helene Courault-Touré, executive director of the Alliance Française, for making this event happen.

Globetrotter • Atlanta International School Newsletter • Spring 2012

Going Places with 4K

Annual Fund Surpasses Goal!

By Linda Doulkhani, Primary School Faculty

By Mary Denson, Associate Director of Development

The 4K students recently explored the unit “How We Organize Ourselves” where they learned about various transportation systems. It was a very eventful and exciting six weeks of learning. First, they all brought in toys from home as part of a grade-wide “Show and Tell” that took place during recess. Then, thanks to parent Ricky Summerlin, the students were treated to a close-up view of a series of emergency vehicles that came to our school campus.

As closure, parent presenter Karl Kottke provided great insight into the world of flight.

Somewhere between all the fun, this tremendous group of students also managed to prepare for and present an incredible performance for their parents at our annual 4K Breakfast.

It is all happening in 4K!

We are excited to announce that, to date, the unrestricted Annual Fund has raised $749,595—exceeding our goal of $725,000! More than 40 parent and alumni volunteers worked tirelessly, calling at several phonathons and following up with parents and classmates to help us meet our goal.

A few highlights of the 2011-2012 Annual Fund:

· Each grade had more than 50% of the parents participate; four grades topped 70% and two grades had

more than 80% participation. · Alumni participation reached an

all-time high of 16%. · Alumni parents and grandparents supported AIS with nearly $70,000

in gifts.

Faculty and staff had 100% participation.

Georgia Private School Tax Credit – ACT NOW Don’t forget to support AIS through the Georgia Private School Tax Credit.

In 2011, for the first time, the $50M allotted for the Georgia Private School Tax Credit was expended before the end of the calendar year. This year the $51M allotted is expected to be gone

by August 1, 2012. By designating a portion of your 2012 Georgia state income tax liability to AIS, you will be helping to fund financial aid at AIS for the 2013-2014 school year.

In 2011: · More than 80 members of the AIS community participated in this program.

· Nearly $250,000 was redirected to AIS for financial aid.

Act now to receive your dollar-for dollar Georgia state income tax credit.

To learn how to participate, go to www.aischool.org/taxcredit or contact Mary Denson at mdenson@aischool.org.

Atlanta International School Newsletter • Spring 2012 • Globetrotter

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AIS Students Participate in GMEA 2012 All-State Orchestra

Editor’s note: Upper School student musicians Keanu and Myrtil Mitanga auditioned for and were accepted to participate in the prestigious Georgia Music Educators Association All-State Orchestra weekend in March in Savannah. They wrote the following about their experiences:

Keanu Mitanga, Associate Concert Master, 9th-10th Orchestra: I really enjoyed as associate concert master of the GMEA all-state orchestra this year.Working with the conductor, Dr. Benham, was an inspiring experience.

I learned a lot from his deep insight into music, of which he delivered a good portion with genuine excitement.

Myrtil Mitanga, Cello 2nd Chair, 11th-12th Orchestra: This year the 11th-12th Orchestra played fun and challenging literature, including selections from “Romeo and Juliette” by Sergei Prokoffiev.The most interesting thing that the conductor, Mr. Pak, taught us was to interact with each other and to really feel the ensemble.The weekend was a very enriching experience in my musical development and it was a lot of fun to meet and work with last year’s friends from all over Georgia again.

Cross-Pollination: Grade 1 Visits the Secondary School

By Mary McCarney, Globetrotter Associate Editor for Primary There was great excitement in Grade 1 this year when Mrs. McCarney’s English students were invited across to the “Big School” for lessons with Secondary School teachers.

As part of their unit, “Sharing the Planet,” the first graders each chose an endangered species to research. As soon as they heard about this, Secondary teachers Mrs. Stephenson and Mr.Gillett planned Geography lessons with stimulating activities to support these inquires.

The students enjoyed visiting the Geography classrooms, where they played games, watched videos, and used maps to locate habitats, all of which tremendously supported their own research projects.

During the unit “How the World Works,” the first graders were treated to a science lab lesson led by Ms. Hovington. The students conducted their own chromatography experiments, and then observed a demonstration of how to separate ink and water by boiling. The students enjoyed working “like real scientists in a lab” and this visit certainly helped develop inquiry and observation skills.

Special thanks to Mrs. Stephenson, Mr.Gillett and Ms. Hovington for sharing their expertise with some of our youngest students.

10 Globetrotter • Atlanta International School Newsletter • Spring 2012

Integrating Technology in Language Instruction

By Carmen Samanes, Secondary School Faculty Elena Zapico, Secondary School Faculty Alan Preis, IT Coordinator

New Head of Operations and Finance Announced

By Courtney Fowler, Globetrotter Editor

At AIS, a number of teachers have developed innovative ways to incorporate technology and 21st century skills into instructional activities. This past fall, AIS equipped Secondary faculty with Macbook Pro laptop computers to prepare them for work with 6th and 7th grade students as part of the Project 3C learning initiative starting next year. Several teachers have already gotten a head start, taking advantage of the multimedia capabilities of the new machines to bring exciting new activities to their students.

Spanish Teacher Elena Zapico developed a unit where students use image editing software to design an advertisement, written in Spanish, for a product of their choice. Students followed the Design Cycle and used software, such as Adobe Photoshop, or web applications, such as Pixlr.com, to work with images, layers, text, and effects. The integration of Spanish vocabulary and grammar throughout the different stages of the Design Cycle provided an authentic context for students’ language use. Students finished the unit with a tremendous sense of accomplishment, having taken their learning experience far beyond the limits of the mostly artificial conversation usually generated in a classroom setting.

Elena Zapico and her colleague Carmen Samanes also designed a circuit of Visible thinking routines for their Spanish B classes where technology was integrated through different input stations using video, music and images. The students responded to the stimuli, generating questions and later reflecting on their thinking process. The session was recorded and then translated into a short movie using the iMovie program.

Technology has definitely opened new ways of enriching Spanish B classes, offering opportunities of collaboration between students and teachers, as well as allowing students to produce more meaningful output. An example of this is the Spanish magazine created cooperatively between Spanish B 11th and 12th grades, where most students worked on journalistic pieces in different formats under their teachers’ guidance using Google Docs.

The magazine was formatted with Pages and will soon be posted online for everybody to enjoy. The teachers hope that students will be able to share their work as a vibrant example of their digital accomplishments during their Secondary School studies.

In April, Headmaster Kevin Glass announced to faculty and staff that Amy Pham has accepted the position of Head of Operations and Finance, succeeding Scott McDonald upon his retirement at the end of June. Amy started in May in order to launch the transition.

Amy joins the school from the Alcon division of Novartis, a major multinational pharmaceutical company, where she has been the Finance Head for Vision Care Research and Development.

During her five years at Alcon, she has traveled the world and worked with people from many cultures. Prior to that, she held senior financial management positions in several other companies.

Originally from Vietnam, Amy moved to the U.S. at the age of 16.

She earned her MBA/Finance from Rutgers University in New Jersey and holds a Certified Public Account license, a Certified Valuation Analyst license and a Certified Global Management Accountant license.

Amy’s AIS email is apham@aischool.org. We welcome Amy and her family (a husband and two daughters) to our community!

Mrs. Zapico and Ms. Samanes have expressed interest in the Flipped Classroom strategies, pioneered by Kahn Academy and other online sites, that involve students learning subject content for homework, then focusing on applications of the ideas they have learned with teacher guidance in class. They noticed that Kahn Academy focused on Mathematics, Science, and Economics, but lacked resources for language learning. In an effort to fill the gap for their Spanish students, both teachers began to develop their own resources for flipping their classrooms, including creating video screencasts for different linguistic aspects, from verbal conjugations to guidelines on how to deliver a good oral presentation.

All of the video-lessons are available at their blog: www.veoveoyo.blogspot.com.

Atlanta International School Newsletter • Spring 2012 • Globetrotter

11

Passport to The United States of America

By Anita Leopold and Darcie Adler, Spring Benefit Committee Chairs

Oh, the Roaring 20’s it was…

We stepped back in time starting with a Pierce Arrow and Model A. To Sloe Gin Fizzes and gorgeous gals all dolled up and looking mighty swanky. The men were dashing in their jackets and tails, top hats and fedoras – all so swell.

The waaayyyy-too-crowded bar made for a cozy nook to catch up with others, while waiting on your glass of giggle water. Many seemed to enjoy delicious hors d’oeuvres as they bid on their favorite items. And who can forget the second-line band, as Kevin and Keith came marching in– oh, but what happened?? No one followed the band to the Big Top! But the night went on, and the crowd eventually arrived at the vintage Carnivale! Popcorn, anyone? Welcome to the show!

The joyful voices of the gospel choir silenced the crowd; and our best-kept secret, the children’s performance, made all rise to their feet!

As the live auction began, we all settled in to hear the bids go up and up!

And to watch many stand and pledge – what a beautiful sight!

The show continued with more food (thank goodness) and fun. The juggler and stilt walker were a hoot, and the Smilebooth brought friends and lovers together for cute and funny keepsake photos! The band, The Negotiators, were fabulous! They played it all as we danced under the big top.

Passport to USA was Whoopee! So, thanks to you and your friends for coming to the event. And for your contribution, which helped raise money for our school!

Editor’s note:The Spring Benefit raised over $250,000 for the school’s Annual Fund.

12 Globetrotter • Atlanta International School Newsletter • Spring 2012

Special Thanks to The Spring Benefit Committee: deLille Anthony Felipe Barral Julie Barringer Stephanie Bell Marsi Bostwick Carolina Branch Susan Brown Linda Bruner Michelle Caruso-Decoufle Petra Cermakova Nadine Chamseddine Lorraine Charman Susie Cogan Marcy Cowan Christy Davoudpour Marcelle DeCuir Laurel Ann Dooley Ellen Dotts Carrie Doyle Nicci Mackey Dozier Mary Beth Drummond Deniz Oktar-Giray Ramona Goetz, ickie Gore Dawn Hawkins Lili Harvey Constance Heery Carol Hoffmann Lynn-Anne Huck Elisabeth Jordan Andrea Kane Karen Lamassonne Laurie Leslie Roane Loudermilk Laura Madrid Laurie Marion Inge Marshall Dawn Michel Karen Mitchell Cynthia Normark Silvia Nystrom Jennie Odom Bettina Ostlaender Laura Poffenberger Eleanor Ratchford Kristin Rink Eileen Rose Amelia Schaffner Tracie Slosberg Laura Speake Lisa Cannon Taylor Jennifer Terwindt Leslie Thomas, Angela Turner Amparo Vickers Dawn Werner Sylvia Williams Steven Woodruff Lisa Young

AIS Has Gone Digital!

By Laura Stidham, Manager, Digital Communications and Design Did you know that we have an active digital community? Our social media communities are a great place to get information, share stories or simply listen in. Each community is a constantly evolving conversation, and we’d love for you to take part.

Top Ways You Can Take Part in Our Digital Communities:

Like us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/AtlantaInternationalSchool)

Follow us on Twitter (www.twitter.com/AIS_Eagles)

Subscribe to us on YouTube (www.youtube.com/AISCommunication)

Spread the word to your friends and family, at home and abroad!

Grade 3 Takes to The Stage in Spanish

By Luz Sanchez, Primary School Faculty In April, the Grade 3 Spanish students made a special presentation to their parents. This presentation included the play The Piper Pipe and the song Despeinada, as well as some poems especially for the mothers. Everybody enjoyed the presentation!

Atlanta International School Newsletter • Spring 2012 • Globetrotter 13

Science of Farm Burger: a Happy Cow vs. a “Happy Meal”

By Ellie Guettler, Grade 7 This quarter, the seventh grade science classes took a short field trip during long block. The destination: Farm Burger, an organic burger restaurant in the heart of Buckhead. Farm Burger is one of several restaurants that use organically farmed beef, fresh garden greens and homegrown produce to create its menu. By organically grown beef, I mean cows that live a happy free-range life eating grass rather than a processed life cooped up in a cage eating grain. Part of Farm Burger’s mission includes changing the healthiness of a burger, by changing the way it is made, and the quality of the ingredients that go into it.

While there, our class feasted upon flaky burgers, homemade potato French fries and milkshakes made with organic ice cream. Part of the coolness about Farm Burger, is that it tastes so good, but at the same time, you know that what you’re putting into your body is better for you than a fast food meal. We spoke (as a class) to the head chef. He described the many different contracts that Farm Burger makes with its farms. Farm Burger works with two different local organic farms to have an ever-changing seasonal menu. The farms make sure to pay their workers fair amounts, and certain inspections take place to ensure the best quality is being served to customers.

The truth is, if more school groups visit places like Farm Burger, then eventually this idea of local organically grown food might spread. It’s incredibly important that it becomes a known concept, because it is healthier, more enriching, more humane, and altogether tastier experience!

AIS Primary Chorus Again Invited to Participate in Atlanta Dogwood Festival

Exchange Students from Dresden Experience Life at AIS

By Karen Peters, Primary Faculty

When we, the German exchange students (“The Dresden Kids”), arrived in Atlanta for our first week at AIS ,we found ourselves in the hustle and bustle of exam week. This gave us the opportunity to start our stay and experience slowly: while our hosts studied and “suffered” through their exams, we visited the World of Coca Cola, helped in Primary School and generally got used to all the new things around us.

The AIS Primary School Chorus performed at the 76th Dogwood Festival in Piedmont Park on Sunday, April 22. They performed on the international stage by the Clara Meer Lake for the enjoyment of the arts festival attendees. Students offered greetings in French, German, Spanish, and English. The 30 fourth- and fifth-graders performed songs representing six countries and danced Korobushka from Russia, Tarantella from Italy, and Choo, Choo, Ch’Boogie from the United States. The students’ performance was impressive and was filled with joy and enthusiasm!

By “The Dresden Kids” & Christiane Box, Secondary Faculty

But soon we were in the middle of AIS – school days. Thanks to everybody’s hospitality and friendliness, we quickly felt very comfortable and started our normal school life confidently.

One of the most interesting and valuable experiences was discovering all the differences between life in the US and Germany, as well as between the two schools: AIS versus the St. Benno preparatory school.

We would like to use this opportunity to thank all our teachers, members of the AIS staff and the students for integrating us in their classes, for always being open and helpful and especially for making us feel welcome and a part of the community.

Special thanks go to our host families who made our stay possible and took us to many exciting places and provided activities like The Georgia Aquarium, the CNN Headquarters, “Dialogue in the Dark” and shopping in North Georgia. Thanks a million to these AIS families: Pelaez, Fischer, Stebbins, Sandlin, Archer, Mitchell, Brandt and Lodise.You were helpful, welcoming and just all-around wonderful!

You all gave us an unforgettable time!

Vielen, Franziska, Judith, Klara and Joscha

14 Globetrotter • Atlanta International School Newsletter • Spring 2012

“SCIENZA” Was Fun at This Year’s Lower Primary Science Fair

By Dr.Yesim Canga-Ozbarlas, 5K Parent The Lower Primary school children had so much fun when they recently experienced a variety of science experiments presented by the Grade 1 and Grade 2 students.

This year’s Science Fair questions included: “How are some shapes stronger than others? Which bridge is stronger? How can wheels make work easier? And can a kindergartner lift a second grader?”

The purpose of the LPS Science Fair was to give our 4K and 5K students an opportunity to foster their curiosity and demonstrate different experiences that will come in higher grades. The first and second graders had the opportunity to present their learning to the younger kids. All in all, it helped to develop a community spirit in Lower Primary School.

With the help of Grades 1 and 2, the 4K and 5K students were thrilled, in one of the experiments, to test each shape by trying to stack books on it and see which one held the most books before collapsing. In a similar experiment, 5K students were testing how many weights each bridge could hold before collapsing. They were discussing why the corrugated beam was the strongest.

In another experiment, 5K students were exposed to a ruler as a lever to lift a book. Students pushed down slowly on the ruler so the books rose up, and were asked if they could lift a second grader. The kindergartners also explored chemical and physical reactions and were able to do the experiments on their own, with a little support from their “upper buddies.”

A big “thank you” to Mrs. Ley-Mitchell, the PS Science Mentor, for organizing this unique encounter, and to all 4K and 5K parents and students, Grades 1 and 2 students, and finally, the English and language teachers.

Grade 11 students Brice Williams, Emily Cohen and Hugo Cap participated in a “Real World Experience” of the tastiest kind when they assisted Executive Chef Robert Gerstenecker in the kitchen of the Four Seasons in Midtown in April. “Real World Experiences” are popular silent auction items at the Spring Benefit every year.

A team of AIS teachers, parents and students took part in an April tournament organized by America SCORES, a non-profit group that partners with urban schools to provide a high quality, team-based program that integrates soccer, poetry and service-learning. Their approach is designed to improve students’ health, academic achievement and civic engagement.

Atlanta International School Newsletter • Spring 2012 • Globetrotter 15

AIS Students Enter The World of Coke and “Share The Happiness” As Part of Their Geography Diploma Program

By Chris Stephenson, Secondary Faculty Higher level students in Diploma Geography have a hard job! Everything that goes on around them relevant in their studies in Global Interactions (and therefore they have to be awake, current, relevant and alert!). Fortunately, however, they also get to go on the coolest field trips! I am sure that many parents, faculty and students wondered how a visit to The World of Coke in downtown Atlanta constituted anything to do with Geography. But Geography, like so much of our planet, is changing rapidly and has become one of the most dynamic and interesting of subjects in the gamut of IB. AIS students are fortunate to be at the very epicenter of this dynamism with so many globally known case studies right here in Atlanta!

With thanks to our corporate partners in Coca Cola, facilitated by Wendy Clarke, Karen Brunke and marketing volunteers Holly Mattingly and Jacqui Wansley, students were invited to the VIP experience of The World of Coke, including a thirty minute question-and-answer session with Coca Cola’s Corporate Responsibility and Marketing Division in their premier Bottlecap Suite.

Guided expertly by Linda around the many exhibit halls, students had the opportunity to see Coca Cola in the context of their studies and to better understand how Atlanta pharmacist Dr. John Pemberton’s initial concoction in a brass, three-legged kettle became the world’s most recognizable brand logo and drink today… and how many lives are linked to this business.

Students in higher level Geography are expected to think well beyond the textbook and to apply theory to the life that is rich and abundant around them. They are also encouraged to balance and see the multi-faceted sides of the story! On our visit to World of Coke, the students had an opportunity to see the manufacturing and bottling process, to appreciate the intricate business models in place and how Coca Cola “glocalizes” its products to the countries in which is sold. Students were surprised to learn that Coca Cola is much more than just the red can that we all recognize; the company has expanded into other drinks, many of which we were able to sample on the final leg of the tour on The World of Coke tasting floor. At the question and answer session, students got to also experience that Coca Cola has a wide and diverse Corporate Responsibility portfolio in terms of care of the environment, employee recognition in the ideals behind “Share Happiness” and support of education and fitness. The visit helped the students to see the “International Mindedness” of this Atlanta-grown transnational corporation and how it helps to shape our globalized planet… and to perhaps have a bit of fun as well!

I would like to extend an additional thanks to our wonderful chauffeur, Mr. Dennis Panzer, who relieved the students of my very Irish driving skills and volunteered to drive the minibus for that day!

Accelerated Reader and Antolin Challenge PS Readers

By Sharon Hermann, Primary School Librarian This year, students in Grades 2 through 5 were randomly assigned to one of four teams for purposes of the annual Accelerated Reader team challenge sponsored by the PS library. Accelerated Reader is a motivational reading tool that measures reading comprehension. Students read books and take multiple choice reading practice quizzes on the computer. Our Accelerated Reader program at AIS includes quizzes in English, Spanish and French.

Our AR theme this year was “reading is elemental,” and we had an Earth Team, a Fire Team, a Water Team and an Air Team. Students were encouraged to be risk-takers and read many different kinds of books. Participation was optional. Team progress was measured by the collective total of points scored by team members for passing AR quizzes. Our overall aim was for students to have fun while improving their reading skills.

On May 11, the PS library’s final AR report revealed that the students on the Fire Team earned the most AR points this year. Accordingly, the Fire Team members who earned points for the team will be invited to sign the AR Fire Team flag, which will hang in the library alongside the flags honoring previous leading teams: the Mountain Team in 2009-2010 and the Rockets Team in 2010-2011.

All together this year (from August 16 through May 11), around 240 students in Grades 2 through 5 passed some 2,458 AR quizzes, earning a total of 8,727.9 points collectively for the four teams.

Accelerated Reader is only one component of the reading motivation program in the Primary School. Students in the German classes also participate in a German reading motivation program called Antolin which awards points for successful completion of online reading comprehension quizzes.

On Tuesday, May 15, the PS library sponsored a “Wimpy Kid” pizza party for the leading point scorers in AR and Antolin from Grades 3 through 5. Students met during lunchtime to have pizza and lemonade while sharing activities based on the popular “Wimpy Kid” book series. The students’ pictures are also displayed on the bulletin board outside the Primary School Office. A separate event for second grade AR and Antolin achievements was planned for later this year.

16 Globetrotter • Atlanta International School Newsletter • Spring 2012

Real World Ecology on View at the Zoo

By Sara South, Grade 6 Foreward by Kathleen Bowin, Secondary School Faculty

At the beginning of the second semester, Grade 6 embarked upon an Ecology unit that asked the question,“What are the consequences of our actions?”

For this unit, students were asked to explore, learn and interact with the content through the lens of an endangered species. Students engaged in numerous activities that help them become familiar with the organization of living things and environments within different habitats, ecosystems and biomes.Towards the end of the unit, students had the opportunity to experience some of these environments firsthand at Zoo Atlanta. The trip to Zoo Atlanta reinforced all concepts that were taught in class as well as providing real-life connections for the students. Through these connections and experience, students are able to have true ownership of their learning.

-Kathleen Bowin Earlier in the spring we, the Grade 6 students, went to the Atlanta Zoo for our science project. We left early in the morning and came back right after lunch. We decided to go there because we were able to see many of the endangered species that we are studying in science class ranging from microscopic shrimp to the black-and-white ruffled lemur!

Our science teachers each gave us a questionnaire to fill out while we were there; there were questions about the different environments and species and how we are affecting them. Although my species was not there (Slow Loris), I really enjoyed seeing all of the animals in their habitats instead of just a picture on the Internet! This connected to our curriculum because we were seeing what is happening to these animals in real life, making it easier to consider how we can help them.

Furthermore, our community stresses educating us by showing us the problem so that we can then try to improve local and global communities; so, for us to better solve the problem, we had to go and see the animals ourselves. From this experience, I learned more about how certain animals in the Southeastern rain forest are affecting the Slow Loris, and it helped me find more information on my science project. But the most important thing that I learned was that there are so many things that we can do to make a difference in our community and help the endangered animals that I saw in the zoo. It definitely was an amazing experience, and I had a great time!

Atlanta International School Newsletter • Spring 2012 • Globetrotter 17

Grade 1 Makes the Headlines in Britain

By Mary McCarney, Globetrotter Associate Editor for Primary This article was published in The Times Educational Supplement (UK), April 13, 2012.

I’d never heard of oobleck until I started teaching in the USA. But when I read the Dr. Seuss book “Bartholomew and the Oobleck” with my first graders, they asked, “Can we make oobleck?” As we happened to be exploring materials and their properties as part of our science unit, this sounded like a good idea.

A little online research by my wonderful assistant Jessica revealed that oobleck (a non-Newtonian fluid, similar to quicksand) can be easily whipped up with just cornstarch and water. Adding food coloring for a more dramatic effect is optional (this does stain little fingers, so we decided to leave it out). The final consistency should resemble thick yogurt.

The kids loved getting messy as they created, stirred, mixed, and explored this fascinating new material - real hands-on science! It also provoked great questions, as oobleck has properties of both a solid and a liquid, but is neither. “How can it be runny, but then feel hard when you press down on it?” asked Sam. His observations were accurate. If a force is applied, oobleck gets thicker. When at rest, it reverts to its fluid state. My students were able to roll up tight balls of oobleck in their fists. But as they opened their hands, it dripped through their fingers “like gooey gunk” (they assure me that is the correct term!).

Rachel, one of our secondary school science teachers, popped her head around the door. “It’s a thixotropic mixture”, she informed us. Now that’s a big word for first grade.

Once we’d cleaned up the classroom, we found tons of entertaining Youtube videos showing how you can walk (or sink) in a pool of oobleck, and even make it dance on a stereo speaker.

My students enjoyed the whole experience so much that they taught the kindergartners all about oobleck at our recent School Science Fair.

And I enjoyed it so much that I’ve since shared this fascinating, fun resource with my former colleagues back in the UK. I hear oobleck is now taking my home town by storm!

Poems for Peace Mark Black History Month

By Mary McCarney, Globetrotter Associate Editor for Primary and Courtney Fowler, Globetrotter Editor As part of the commemorations of Black History month in February, primary school students once again took part in the annual Inspirational Messages of Peace Contest, a partnership project between The Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site and International World Peace Rose Gardens.

Assistant Head of Primary Chris Thomas coordinated the contest across the primary school. Students were invited to write short, poetic thoughts about peace, Martin Luther King Jr., his widow Coretta Scott King, or the special meaning of the World Peace Rose Garden to them.

The eight winning poems from AIS were written by: Millika McLeod (5K) Avery Smith (Grade 1) Iris Yahi (Grade 2) Rachel Richardson-Joseph (Grade 3) Molly Grace Clark (Grade 4) Haley Patton (Grade 4)

Elle Mazzawi (Grade 2) Victoria Verba (Grade 3)

Representatives of the organising project visited AIS to personally present awards to Molly Grace Clark and Haley Patton, whose poems were selected to be engraved on plaques in the garden in Atlanta, one of five World Peace Rose Gardens established around the world. The winners and their families also attended a special ceremony in May at the garden, which is an artistic interpretation of Dr. King’s life and ideals of peace through nonviolence.

18 Globetrotter • Atlanta International School Newsletter • Spring 2012

Winning Poems

Molly Grace Clark Courage leads to peace…

It makes happiness, It brings tranquility, It brought us together.

Who would have known That if one man was courageous, Then the whole world would change.

Forever Haley Patton The seed of hope is planted in the soil of friendship.

Then the rain of freedom falls.

The sun of happiness gleams down.

When the flowers of love bloom, It means peace has sprung.

Secondary School German Language Department – the Year in Review!

By Jutta Schlicker-Martinez, Secondary Faculty, and the AIS Secondary School German Department This year was an exciting one for the German language department!

With Mr. Glass’s support, the beginning of the school year 2011-12 saw the creation of a new volunteer position: German Liaison. Developed, defined and aptly and enterprisingly “manned” by Mrs. Daniela Schmidt, this position seeks to bridge the gap between the internal work of the German Department and its outreach to other stakeholders within and outside of the AIS community. We thank Mrs. Schmidt for this important initiative.You will hear about her work intermittently, as she will also be fostering group engagement through various projects intended to improve the lives and futures of our students in the department. Currently such a group is working on a guide to studying in Germany.You can contact Mrs. Schmidt at germanliaison@aischool.org In September, the MS language A students welcomed into their midst author Holly-Jane Rahlens, who regaled them with entertaining excepts from her novel “Prinz William, Max Minsky und ich”.

Published in 2003, it was her first novel for teens and earned her the prestigious Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis as the best young adult novel published in Germany. In Fall 2007 it has also been released as a major motion picture. A self-proclaimed “Jewish princess”, Mrs. Rahlens is a born New Yorker and but has lived all her adult life in Berlin. Her witty work can be enjoyed by English speakers as well, as she writes in English and assists in the translation of her novels into German.

The German department would like to extend their gratitude to Mrs. Constance Schlie Heery from the German Consulate Atlanta for arranging this visit and for her generous donation of four Rahlens novels, as well as the DVD “Max Minsky und ich”.

9th Grade language A students and the 11th Grade German B class were able to take advantage of the significant resource offered by the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust, which is the “Anne Frank in the World” exhibit in Sandy Springs. The visit connected to their summer reading of the Diary of Anne Frank, and the study of the divided Germany respectively. Many thanks to our drivers, Peter McKenney and Dennis Panzer, and our knowledgeable and compassionate guide, Mr. Ed Jacobson.

In October, Dr. Lutz Goergens, the German Consul General, visited the Upper School Assembly. As a representative of the German Government he came with a tangible gift to show his support of AIS’s commitment to the German language and culture: a check large in size and amount! The gift coincided with a ceremony to honor the students who received the first DSD diplomas earned at AIS. Thanks to the dedication of Christiane Box, the one-woman-force behind this annual event, the German bale sale for Bethania once again was a huge success with more than $2,000 raised in support of this worthy cause. This would, of course, not be possible without the parents who spent countless hours baking, and the students who help sell or consume the delicacies from around the world.

Parent and student involvement was also instrumental in continuing the tradition of the German Christmas market, which brings together the AIS community with the Atlanta business world and the international-minded citizens of Atlanta.

In January AIS welcomed again four students from Dresden for a 6-week exchange program, and we are in the process of sending off our students for a return visit.

We are so glad to see that this cultural exchange is flourishing, and bearing fruit in enhanced language skills as well as intercultural understanding.

Lastly, the German Department is proud to anounce that in our second year of offering the German Language Diploma, we had 32 candidates sitting for the written part (results are expected by the end of the school year) of the exam, as well as delivering their oral presentations to Frau Dr. Petra Reuter of the Central Agency for Schools Abroad. We are more than happy to report that all 32 candidates passed their oral exams, some with perfect scores!

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our colleagues, whose flexibility makes it possible for us to run these special programs, the parents for their support and the students for their commitment to learning and living the language!

Atlanta International School Newsletter • Spring 2012 • Globetrotter 19

Spring 2012 Mission

To meet the challenges and

opportunities of our interdependent, fast-changing world as responsible citizens, young people require flexible intellectual competence, self-discipline, and a global outlook. To achieve these goals, they need rigorous academic preparation and a passion to become the best they can be. To thrive in and contribute to this world, they must have a solid sense of self and respect for others—as individuals, as members of a group, as citizens of their nations, and as members of the global community. Extraordinary individuals will be called upon to shape the 21st century. The mission of Atlanta International School (AIS) is to develop such individuals.

To fulfill this mission, AIS commits itself to the following goals: • to sustain and grow the exemplary level of teaching and learning that has earned it a worldwide reputation for excellent standards in international and multilingual education within the framework of the International Baccalaureate; • to develop each child fully by helping each one to live our core values: the joy of learning and purposeful effort as well as mutual respect and understanding in a diverse setting; • to maintain an optimal size and composition of faculty and students to maximize the opportunities for learning and shared understanding that are necessary for a healthy community; • to help shape and improve local and global communities through the committed participation of its multilingual students, alumni, parents, faculty, and staff.

5th Grade Artwork at Airport Military Gateway

Persian New Year

Upper Primary Field Day

MS Production of Alice in Wonderland

Atlanta International School

Summer Camps

AIS Non-Discrimination Policy Atlanta International School practices a full non-discriminatory policy in all school-administered programs and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national and ethnic origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation or gender preference in all of its admissions, educational and employment policies, programs, and practices.

Globetrotter The Globetrotter is the newsletter of Atlanta International School.

Letters to the Editor should be sent to: Courtney Fowler Globetrotter Editor Atlanta International School 2890 North Fulton Drive • Atlanta, GA 30305 404.841.3879 • globetrotter@aischool.org Submissions may be edited for length or content prior to publishing.

Visit us on the web at www.aischool.org

Language Camps and more!

English as a Second Language (ESL) • Spanish • French • German • Chinese • Chess • Theatre • Lego Robotics • Video Game Programming • Rockets & Racecars • Basketball • Soccer • Volleyball • Taekwondo • Kaleidoscope

NEW for 2012: Spanish for Grades 6-12

June 11 - July 27 Register Now! www.aischool.org/summercamp Convenient Buckhead location