General
This Week in Pictures
Innovation Corner
ECC Announcements
Elementary
Middle School
High School
Athletics
Dates to Remember
PTO News
Welcome to a new school year at Tianjin International School!
School Year at a Glance
Click here for the One-Page 2016-17 TIS Calendar There you will find important dates for school-wide events, quarter and semester change dates, holidays, etc.
All-School Open House
Come and meet the t
eachers. TIS will host a school-wide Open House on Friday, August 19th, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. This event is for parents only (no students), and it will begin in the auditorium with an address by our Head Principal, Mr. Belcher. Following the meeting, parents will be dismissed to visit classrooms and meet teachers. Busses will be provided.
The parents of 5th graders will have a band presentation by Mr. Hebert in the auditorium following Mr. Belcher’s address.
The parents of 6th graders are invited to dinner with Mr. Delzer, the middle school principal from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m. in the school cafeteria prior to the meeting.
Vehicle Pass Required for Parents
In order to create a safe campus, a vehicle pass is required for all parents whose vehicles will enter TIS school grounds for dropping off or picking up students. Vehicles without a pass will have to remain outside of the school. The deposit is 100RMB per pass, which is refundable when you withdraw your students from TIS.
New passes for 2016-2017 will take effect on August 22nd, and passes for 2015-2016 will expire at the same time. To acquire this year’s new passes:
Please email Head Principal Secretary Trancy Li at tli@tiseagles.com before August 16th (next Tuesday), to register for your pass. The email needs to include your student’s name and grade.
TIS Band – AMIS Auditions!
This year, High School AMIS Honors Band is in Luxembourg and Middle School AMIS Honors Band is in Manila, Philippines!
Practice for AMIS auditions will start after school on Monday, August 15th or Tuesday August 16th depending upon what days your other commitments are. If you are in a sport/activity, your practice will be scheduled on the days that you are not participating in this sport/activity. Extra busy students can talk with Mr. Hebert to work out other solutions. Please come talk to Mr. Hebert and sign-up for practice if you have not yet done so. AMIS audition materials for band members can be found on the band Moodle page.
From the TIS Health Clinic
Welcome to the 2016 – 2017 school year! This year Mrs. Julie Belcher, RN, will be on campus Monday – Thursday, and Mrs. Jeanne Luman, RN, will be on campus on Friday. The campus clinic is open to students Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. We look forward to working together with you to build a strong and healthy community.
For all new students, and for returning students entering grades 5 and 9, TIS requires a physical examination performed by a physician, a parent-completed health history questionnaire, and a copy of your student’s immunization record. We request that you use the Student Medical Exam form provided through the TIS Admissions Office.
For all returning students, TIS requires that parents complete the Annual Health Update for their student(s) provided in PowerSchool.
We kindly request that all medical updates and forms be submitted no later than Friday, August 19th. For questions or support, please contact us at nurse@tiseagles.com
New Staff and Staff Changes
TIS has a great staff this year. Here is a list of our new teachers and some new positions for returning teachers:
New staff
Mr. Barnes, HS computer science
Mrs. Barnes, HS math and science
Ms. Standifird, MS social studies
Ms. Windon, 2nd grade teacher
Mrs. Vaughan, English Language Support (ELS) 1st-grade teacher and HS counselor
Mr. Vaughan, HS social studies
Mr. Wuest, Admissions and PR Director
Mrs. Wuest, 4th grade teacher
Mrs. Korson, elementary art (part-time)
Mr. Arp, MS Bible
Ms. Smith, ELS 6th grade teacher
Sunny Zhang, elementary secretary
Mr. Wroth, HS social studies (part-time, previous TIS teacher)
Mr. Chang, Robotics (part-time)
Some changes
James Delzer, MS Principal
Chad Heimer, Academic Services Coordinator
Lauren Richards, MS English teacher
Sunny Shang, Chinese Head of Department
Wei Wei, additionally will serve as school receptionist
Click here to View and Download Full-Sized Photos for Personal Use
Innovation Corner, by Lee Williams
There are exciting new things this year!
First, Moodle, our Virtual Learning Environment, received a facelift! It looks great and is easier to use. Also, we are ready to give students blogs. Last year our 4th grade students loved using blogs to journal about their learning. This year any teacher can use blogs in their classroom to improve learning. We have a Maker Space which will be enhanced through out the year.
As we head into this new school year, we also want to remind you of resources that are available for you in your effort to raise your children in this digital, social media age. https://thenest.tiseagles.com/making-technology-family-friendly-kr-cn-en-jp/
Greetings from Mrs. Scroggins
Welcome back to school! We are so glad to have the happy sounds of children back in our beautiful ECC. We are delighted to be partnering with you this year in the education of your child. We look forward to spending more time together.
All-School Open House
Parents of ECC students are invited to attend our all school Open House on Friday, August 19th at 6:30 p.m. This is a great opportunity to meet your child’s teacher and check out your child’s classroom. We ask that you do not bring your children with you to this event. We hope to see all ECC parents in attendance!
Tree House
The Tree House Playgroup will meet for its first gathering of the school year on Wednesday, August 17th! We welcome everyone who holds a foreign passport with children 0-5 years of age. Playtime is every Wednesday from 10:00-12:00 a.m. Through this event we hope to create opportunities for moms to make connections, children to play in a rich and stimulating environment, and for all to enjoy our beautiful Tree House room! Please note: Parents must accompany their children during the playtime. Please come join us and bring a friend!
Greetings from Miss Mansell
Welcome to the TIS Elementary, first graders and new students! It’s great to have you join us. Welcome back, returning students! I am looking forward to a great year of learning and growing!
Elementary Parent Meeting – August 17th
This year we are excited to be launching a new Language Arts program, Daily 5, in the elementary. There will be a meeting on Wednesday, August 17th in order for parents to learn more about this program. The meeting will be in the TIS auditorium from 10:30 – 11:30. A parent letter was sent out on Thursday with more details. We hope to see you there!
All-School Open House
This year we will have a schoolwide Open House on Friday, August 19th at 6:30 p.m. There will be a parent meeting in the auditorium, followed by a time to visit your child(ren)’s classrooms. We ask that you do not bring your students with you to this event. We hope to see you there!
5th Grade Band Meeting
Immediately following the parent meeting in the auditorium there will be a meeting regarding 5th grade band. This meeting will be led by Mr. Hebert, the band director, and will take place in the auditorium.
Fourth and Fifth Grade Parents
Please complete and return the Think and iPad Household Use Guidelines form by Friday, August 22nd. This can be turned into your child’s classroom teacher.
Elementary Handbook Form
Please sign and return the Elementary Handbook commitment form by Friday, August 22nd. A digital copy of the handbook was sent out through email prior to the start of school. A paper copy of the commitment form was sent home the first day of school. Please contact the elementary secretary, Mrs. Sunny Zhang, at ext. 310 if you did not receive a copy or have any questions.
Reminders for Elementary PE
This year all elementary students will have PE on Tuesday and Thursdays. In order for your child to be able to fully participate in each PE class we ask that they wear or bring PE shoes each Tuesday and Thursday. We are also asking that children wear shorts or pants for PE. If a skirt is worn, shorts should be underneath. We are looking forward to a great year in PE!
Greetings from Mr. Delzer
Myself, and all of the TIS middle school staff, extend our warmest welcome to new and returning middle school students! We are glad to see so many faces ready and eager to learn. The last two days have been a wonderful start to an exciting new year full of discovery, growth and challenge. If this is an indication of what the year has to bring, it will be an excellent year of seeking Truth, growing in Integrity, practicing Service and achieving Excellence. Go Eagles!
MS Model United Nations (MUN) club
The middle school Model United Nations (MUN) club will have their first meeting on Wednesday, August 17th.
The purpose of the MS MUN club is to increase student knowledge about international issues, policy making and the activities of the United Nations. Students will also gain valuable skills in public speaking, research, writing, negotiation, persuasion, leadership, organization, and interpersonal communication. Students will gain these skills through course assignments, activities, and by playing the role of United Nations delegates at MUN conferences. Middle School students will have the opportunity to represent Tianjin International School as a MUN delegate at Model UN conferences in Tianjin and Beijing.
Come to room A246 from 3:30-4:30 to learn more about it!
Dinner with Sixth Grade Parents
All parents of 6th grade students are requested to attend the 6th grade parent dinner. The dinner will be held on Friday, August 19th, at 5:15 p.m. in the cafeteria. Parents will have the opportunity to meet their children’s teachers in a more informal setting and to discuss issues important to helping their children make a successful transition to the secondary school. After a delicious dinner, Mr. Delzer will give a short presentation about transition to sixth grade. Sixth grade parents will join the rest of the secondary parents in the auditorium at 6:30 p.m., and at least one parent of each 6th grade student is asked to attend.
All-School Open House
Parents of secondary students (grades 6-12) are invited to attend our All-School Open House on Friday, August 19th. It starts at 6:30 p.m. This is a great opportunity to meet your child’s teacher and learn about expectations in the classroom. The Open House will begin in the Auditorium and will conclude at 8 p.m. See General section for more details.
Handbook Form
All middle school students must provide their signature (and at least one parent or guardian signature) on the Consent Form after reading the Student Handbook. The Student Handbook also contains the Acceptable Use Policy for digital devices. Students and parents have been sent an email containing the Student Handbook.
All middle school students also must provide their signature (and at least one parent signature) on the THINK Policy Form. Students received a copy of this form on the first day of school.
Please have students return these forms to the middle school secretary by August 15th.
Appropriate Use of Electronic Devices
Computer Bags
All 7th and 8th grade students are required to have a padded computer bag to be used for carrying computers at all times. Stylish computer bags are available for purchase in The Hub at TIS.
iPad Cases
Students with an iPad are required to have a strong and durable case to protect their iPad.
Device Set-Up (MacBook and iPad)
All middle school students received device set-up help on the first day of school. During this time, student email, Moodle, Powerschool and TIS internet log-in and wifi information was set-up. Students who did not bring their MacBook/iPad on the first day will need to take their device to the TIS TECH office, found on the third floor, for assistance.
Parent Involvement in 1:1 Computing
Student use of computers and iPads on campus will be monitored. We encourage parents to take an active role in monitoring off-campus use of computers and iPads. Here are a few simple suggestions:
Parents can have their child provide them with the child’s computer username and password
Parents can insist on using electronic devices in a public place (rather than in the privacy of a bedroom) and at appropriate times
Parents can review weekly e-mail reports of their child’s computer use to help their child grow in making wise choices
Fall Camp 2016
Fall Camp 2016 is Wednesday August 31st – Friday, September 2nd. This event is an opportunity to build relationships across grades early in the school year, as they solve challenges in mulit-grade “House” competitions. More information will be provided soon. If you have any questions before then, please contact Angel Lee, our Fall Camp 2016 leader.
Welcome to the 2016-2017 School Year!
We, the high school staff, would like to welcome our new high school students and families to TIS. We look forward to getting to know you. Welcome back, returning high school students! There’s a lot of anticipation ahead of us, including new teachers to meet, new books to read, new friends to meet and new skills to master…and we look forward in sharing this time with you.
High School Schedules
High school students should be able to access their class schedules via Powerschool or have received them via email. Students can change their schedules through the ‘add and drop’ process. Please note the following from the school handbook: “Students may add a course only within the first two weeks of a semester (until the end of the day on August 26th). Students may drop a course only within the first four weeks of a semester (until the end of the day on September 9th) without the semester grade resulting in an “F,” unless permission is granted by the principal. Due to performance constraints, vocal and instrumental music classes may only be dropped within the first two weeks of the first semester.” Add and Drop forms can be picked up outside Mr. McElroy’s office on the 4th floor.
Handbook Form
All high school students must provide their signature (and at least one parent signature) on the Consent form after reading the Student Handbook. The Student Handbook contains the Athletics Policy and the Acceptable Technology Use Policy. Students have access to the Handbook through the High School Students Moodle page. The handbook commitment forms are due by Monday, August 22nd.
All-School Open House
Parents are invited to attend our annual Open House on Friday evening, August 19th. This is a great opportunity to meet teachers and learn about TIS courses. The Open House will begin in the Auditorium at 6:30 p.m., and will end around 8:00 p.m. Bussing will be provided at our regular stops.
Fall Camp 2016
Fall Camp 2016 will be held during August 31st-September 2nd (Wednesday through Friday) with the Senior Class going up one day earlier. Fall Camp will give students an opportunity to build cross-grade relationships right from the start of school! The high school Fall Camp theme and teams will be announced Friday, August 12th, with more detailed information to follow.
Parent Involvement in 1:1 Computing
Student use of computers on campus will be monitored. We encourage parents to take an active role in monitoring off-campus use of computers. Here are a few simple suggestions:
Parents can have their child provide them with the child’s computer username and password
Parents can limit computer use to public areas of the home and within reasonable time limits
Parents can sit down with their child and review e-mails, internet history, etc. and chat about effective time use as well as wise and safe internet use.
Reminder about the Calendar
Please check the calendar frequently to stay up-to-date on school activities. Please be aware that Monday, September 5th (the Monday following Fall Camp), student will not attend school.
Welcome back Eagles!
On behalf of the athletic department I just want to say welcome back to school! We are preparing for and anticipating another great year of TIS Athletics. I want to invite any and all students to participate this year in our athletic programs.
Middle School Athletics – In this first season, middle school students will participate in soccer and the first practice will be next Tuesday, August 16th. Middle School sports happen on Tuesday and Thursday with some games/tournaments happening on Saturday.
High School Athletics – In the first season, high school students will participate in volleyball and the first practice will be next Wednesday, August 17th. High School sports happen on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday with some games/tournaments happening on Saturdays.
** New regulations regarding the use of eye glasses:
Glasses are no longer permitted during TIS Athletic games or practices. Plastic sports goggles or contacts need to be worn instead of glasses starting this season. Individual coaches will communicate this as well with their teams. Glasses are permitted in the first weeks of practice this season until other arrangements are made for sports goggles or contacts. However, glasses will not be permitted in any competitions. Please let us know if you have any questions regarding this new policy.
We look forward to seeing you next week on August 16th or 17th as we begin our fall seasons. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the athletic department using the email address provided below.
nstrong@tiseagles.com
Mr. Strong – TIS Athletic Director
Upcoming Athletic Dates to Remember
Tuesday, August 16th – Middle School Soccer begins
Wednesday, August 17th – High School Volleyball begins
August 17
Elementary Parent Meeting
August 19
Grade 6 Parent Dinner
All-School Open House
Aug31-Sept2
Secondary Fall Camps
September 5
No School for Students
Professional Development for Teachers
September 7
Mid-quarter 1
Wednesday Bus Schedule for Parents (please note new bus times in red)
9:25 a.m. Olympic — 9:35 a.m. You Yi (Watermelon line, TIS school bus driver)
9:10 a.m. YG100——9:20 a.m. Aocheng——9:35a.m. HYCZ——9:40a.m. BDHT ——TIS (blueberry)
Return bussing to same locations at 1:00 p.m. Meet in the front of the TIS main entrance.
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