Dear AISL Community,

AISL had a full week!  As much as time is not fair to us this time of year, we have managed to fill the time in dynamic and rewarding ways!  From a weekend Track Meet hosting schools from across Lagos to the continuation of sending our AISL Swimmers to competition in London, it is a wonderful time to be at AISL.

I hope you were able to see the AISL Performance of The Sound of Music!  An amazing performance in the Muson Theater.  A fantastic opportunity for our students, staff, and parent community to showcase their talents and entertain our community of learners.  A huge thank you to the cast and crew for their tenacious dedication to perform.  Our gratitude goes to the production team of Kelly McKay, Monica Heinrichs, Jeremy Burns, and Murilo Valore! Bravo! Wonderful job!

Speaking of performances, please come see the Redhot & Blue, Yale University’s Oldest Collegiate A Cappella Group.  They will be performing at AISL on Thursday, May 14, at 6:00 PM. Details will follow in the Friday newsletter! 

As I have said, this is a busy time of year, but also filled with celebrations, good-byes, and some of the last student interactions for the year.  This week, I have been interviewed by students for Middle School. I have had final conversations with AISL parents moving on to new opportunities, and I have attended more than one meeting on reflection on how to plan the next school year.

One continuous improvement goal continues through my mind as I think about the success of this year, as you will soon read in the AISL Annual Report.  

Many of my organizational thoughts in planning for next year are for on answering three questions:

What are we teaching?

How are we teaching?

How do we know we are effective?

The answers to these questions center around two large areas of achievement for AISL: coherence and relevance.  

AISL needs to have a level of organizational excellence that is consistent and coherent across the school. We need to ensure our teaching practices are at the standard we need to meet the needs of our students and deliver the rigor without the rigidity of instruction.  Our classrooms need to be sources of inspiration and challenge. It is a balance brought together by prepared adults and willing students. 

AISL has to prepare students for a world of challenge and opportunity that we cannot even imagine this year. Our curriculum must connect context to content, showing real-world problems have possible solutions. We have to teach a traditional curriculum and include what is needed for the unknown future.  We have to develop students who are not just knowledgeable but knowledge-able.

Next year will feature new learning principles that show what AISL believes teaching needs to be. We will also have shared learning dispositions that guide teachers on how to teach. A coherent system of education that is relevant to students, teachers, and expected by parents.  

The Learning Leadership Team will devote two upcoming Saturdays to planning professional learning opportunities for faculty next year to assist in moving the school forward. 

I look forward to sharing more of our instructional moves after our planning concludes.

Until then, keep sending me questions, catch up when you are on campus, and come to our community events that make our school flourish!

With gratitude,

Dr. Dan Love