The students received a lovely presentation on Monday morning from Ranveig Depew, a parent in the school who works with environmental control. 

Ranveig got the students to think about the importance of their role in protecting the environment. 

Ranveig talked a lot about action and responsibility. She asked the students to think about how they act and what they will personally do for the environment, rather than just making suggestions about what society will do as a whole. 

We would like to thank Ranveig for her time and effort. We hope we can get her support in helping us become more environmentally friendly, ideally working towards an ISO140001 for an effective environmental system in the school. 

For this to happen, all members of the community need to help. 

I have been accused of being a word-smith and always finding the correct way of phrasing things, but at times like these I find myself at a loss. I thought the best way to honour the memory of Natalie is to reflect on why she was important to me and to the school.

Natalie joined us before the school opened. She hit the ground running and rapidly made me realise that she was an important member of the team. Everyone immediately aligned with her, Miss Melissa donning her 'Lady Natalie' due to how polite, kind and lady-like she always was.

A lady indeed, even when pointing out my mistakes, for example when asking her what she thought of the new (2013) webpage she wrote “...it looks really good. A tiny thing I noticed on my profile was it says 'Telemark' not 'Akershus.'...”. One of the many things she helped me fix in the kindest of ways.

Natalie took charge of SFO – the after-school program. She wrote on her blurb for the webpage “Each SFO parent and pupil who has signed up for the SFO is important to me and helps make the AIS SFO an inspiring, quality-assured and fun place to be...” She didn't just write it, she implemented it. She meant it. In a time when we had hardly any resources and as many students, Natalie was a person I didn't have to worry about – she took care of people and she took care of the school. She invested free time into organising events because she took ownership and pride in what she did.

Examples of her dedication were her many projects in school. One of the first being the model town she built in SFO. I say 'she built', because I remember Natalie, myself and Miss Mya frantically finishing off this big model city she had worked so hard on with the children, the evening before our first open day (the results of which I put into the video below...).

Natalie had a great sense of humour, which one didn't always see straight away because she was so polite and considerate of all around her. Even when she was receiving treatment, she took the time to email me, saying she travelled with Morten to Walsingham in Norfolk and said she had to go back, after finding out Johnny Depp and Brad Pitt rented houses there. She planned on travelling back “if only to do a bit of stalking :)” ..

In my eyes she always saw the lighter side of things, even when weakened by her treatment, she simply told me how lucky she was in life. Natalie has a stronger spirit than anyone I know, and is a better person too.

Central to our school philosophy and culture is the learner profile tree. Natalie is it's roots. She is the foundation of a school that needed care and attention through it's infancy. She provided nurture to the people in it, young and old, never estranging a soul by her manner and always welcoming with a smile. Fault cannot be found in her other than leaving us too soon. We can do so much worse than aspire to the example Natalie provided to the adults and children in the school.

Rest in peace Natalie. Your kind spirit was used to warm the hearts of so many others.

We had an interesting assembly on water today. Students were asked to reflect on the significance of water and to us individually.

As they were coming into the assembly, we saw the following video: 

Which triggered different language and key words such as 'water', 'pollution' and 'the future'...

We watched another video which communicated some interesting facts (some of which are a bit inaccurate, but close enough to generate some good questions and thoughts from the students in the auditorium. 

We then talked about the impact water has on us, using motor vehicles as a reference and discussing the importance of the right type of 'fuel' for our engine, the brain (and our heart, as some students identified). The following video was not shown, but could be a discussion point at home (important note - some language is complicated): 

The Middle School MYP Coordinator is an informed, reflective and model practitioner who uses inquiry learning strategies within the MYP framework to create positive learning environments which motivate and challenge all learners to become self-­regulated, life-­long learners and leaders.

Consistent with Asker International School policies, the Middle School MYP Coordinator, alongside the Senior Management Team, will act as a crucial part of pedagogical leadership in the MYP in the school. The position holder will have a commitment to collaborative planning and is responsible for ensuring that pedagogical aspects are discussed, information is disseminated and the MYP is planned, taught and assessed collaboratively.

The Middle School MYP Coordinator is responsible for:

Joint-Pedagogical Leadership/Development of the MYP, in collaboration with the Senior Management Team (SMT)

Create/maintain “MYP Action Plan”

In collaboration with SMT, provide on­site professional development related to the MYP requirements and action plan items

Identify professional development opportunities of staff, always ensuring that IB requirements are met.

Lead staff meetings and ensure a transparent overview of meeting structures are available to all staff at all times.

Plan/coordinate annual curriculum with support from SMT and staff

In collaboration with SMT, ensure new teachers are equipped to deliver the programme.

Collaborate with teachers when developing the Programme, to ensure transparency and development, both horizontal and vertical.

Encourage best practice in the school by modeling through own practice.

Encourage an inquiry­-based, internationally minded learning environment

Communication/Collaboration

Help maintain systems of collaboration related to the implementation of the MYP

In collaboration with SMT, communicate with stakeholders and the wider community regarding the implementation of the MYP at the school

Provide communication channels between the IB and AIS.

Meet regularly with SMT to plan for the development of the MYP

Respond to surveys and requests from the IB and share these with appropriate staff members, as needed

Keep the staff informed of developments at the IB that impact the school

In collaboration with SMT, schedule training sessions for the parent group during the year (1 or two evenings)

In collaboration with SMT, ensure communication about parent teacher conferences and student-­led conferences go out to all stakeholders in a timely fashion.

Ensure the learner profile and other key aspects of the Middle Years Programme are communicated to all stakeholders at regular intervals.

To understand and promote all MYP documentation published by the IB.

Provide staff access to information published by the International Baccalaureate

Encourage the use of the OCC

Maintain and update managebac, the online curriculum centre

Assist SMT in the maintaining and developing school policies and documentation in line with IB requirements.

SUPERVISED BY: Senior Management Team

LINE MANAGER: Deputy Principal