Grade 5 ComPassion Projects I 2020

This week, fifth grade hosted ISY’s first ever ComPassion Projects community event.   In two live Question & Answer sessions, students, families, and ISY community members celebrated the fifth graders’ learning journeys, as they discussed and explored ideas for how they can demonstrate compassion and take action to create a better future for us all.  

Topics ranged from supporting football teams aiming to reduce their carbon footprints, to developing affordable recipes to try to address the issue of malnutrition and poverty.  Grade 5 students worked hard for the past few months to discover their passions and explore how they can take action to become forces for positive change.  Students have all learned a lot through their research processes.

Our entire community is proud of our Grade 5 students and the compassion they demonstrated through their projects.   We cannot wait to see the types of initiatives these young change-makers implement next year and beyond, as they spread out around the world.  

If you didn’t get a chance to see the children’s work, please visit the website using this link.

Assessment at ISY in a Virtual Learning Context

All assessment practices at ISY are designed to provide a fair and accurate picture of a student’s achievement and progress in relation to the ISY curriculum standards. 

In a virtual learning context, insofar as it is practical, teaching and learning will cover the same content and skills as in a traditional face-to-face classroom setting. However, the unique methodology and challenges of online teaching and learning requires a unique approach to assessment. 

Assessment at ISY in a virtual learning context will be: 

• Fair to students, 
• Strive to develop an accurate picture of what a student is capable of in relation to ISY curriculum standards,
• Compassionate to students and acknowledge the unique challenges that each student faces in a virtual learning context.

It is important for teachers to assess student work and to provide feedback to students so they continue to grow academically. However, ISY teachers acknowledge the fact that teaching and learning virtually might not allow for the development of a fair and accurate picture of what a student is really capable of. ISY teachers are also very aware that circumstances beyond the control of the students may mean that students cannot always complete work to the best of their abilities. 

In assigning final grades to students, ISY teachers will show compassion to students. This means that teachers will consider past academic performance to assign grades. This permits grades to better reflect what a student’s current academic performance would be in a traditional face-to-face classroom setting. In assigning final grades, ISY teachers will also take into account any other circumstance beyond the control of the students that will adversely affect academic performance. 

COUNSELOR’S CORNER

Recently, I was asked to describe the 2019-20 school year in one word.  I choose thrilling.  It has been a rollercoaster of a year with ups and downs, highs and lows, successes and lessons learned.  I was further pressed to describe the year’s highs.  My immediate response was “the community.”  The ISY community is a network of the most amazing students, families, staff and administration I have had the privilege to work with.  

As the school year comes to an end, it is important to acknowledge the strength we have as a community.  The importance of supporting one and other through difficult times and the teamwork needed to develop strong systems throughout.

We must also acknowledge that some of our members will be leaving us.  Thank you to all the families departing our ISY community.  Know that you will be missed and that your contributions to this community will forever be remembered.  We wish you luck and best wishes in your future adventures.  Please remember” “Once a Chinthe, Always a Chinthe!”

To the returning community, I hope the break will offer you time to relax and enjoy some quality moments with your family.  Enjoy your summer and I look forward to seeing you in August!

Ms Patty

Wednesday Assembly

See photos below from the assembly on Wednesday.

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