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The Principal’s Letter…. ……
One of the true joys of my
position is visiting classrooms.
It is a great break from
budgets, policies and
meetings. Recently, as I was
visiting an English class, I was
impressed by how well our
students were
communicating with each
other about a Maya Angelou
poem. Their insights were
carefully considered, mature,
powerful, and
communicated in a
sophisticated context using
appropriate vocabulary.
When I followed up with the
teacher about what I
observed, he explained that
the English teachers were
trying a new approach to
introducing students to the
requirements of the
Language A1 internal
assessments. I asked if the
other English teachers across
all three campuses were
doing the same thing and he
told me the approach was
the same, but that each
teacher was choosing a
literary work that he/she was
particularly passionate
about.
As you know, I always try to
frame life at the IA in terms of
the Learner Profile. My first
thought in this case was
balance. The IB Learner Profile
asks all learners to strive for
balance, to “understand the
importance of intellectual,
physical, and emotional
balance to achieve personal
well-being for themselves and
others.” This teaching lesson is a
great example of how our
teachers across disciplines find
the balance with curricular
expectations and their own
intellectual freedom. While
there is an expectation that
courses maintain rigor and
commonality, our teachers also
work towards adding their
personal, creative flair and
expertise. They are passionate
about their subject and
dedicated to our students. It is,
after all, that passion which
resonates with students.
Important Dates
•
Oct 26th 5:00-8:00 PM
Oct 27th 1:00-4:00 PM
Oct 27th 5:30-8:30 PM
•Conference Break
Dinner for Staff
Oct 27th 4:00-5:30 PM
•PTIA General Meeting
Nov 15th 7:00-8:30 PM
For the most updated and
campus specific calendar
items, refer to”
http://www.iatoday.org/ia-
central/central-activity-calendar
The Principal’s Letter Continued… ……
A teacher’s natural enthusiasm is infectious.
A successful curriculum must be built upon
that intrinsic motivation. The IB founders
talked a lot about the “back wash effect”.
By this they meant the impact that summative
assessments have on daily instruction. With
this in mind they built, and we continue to
build, assessments that provoke genuine
learning that inspires both students and
teachers. The internal assessments are a
great example of this concept at work and
the lesson I observed is a perfect example of
the right balance of common standards and
teacher efficacy. While we ask our teachers
to hold to our standards and present a
common curriculum both within a campus
and between campuses, we need the high
level of investment that was so obvious in my
classroom visit.
As our students progress through their
personal IA journey, I hope their experience
evidences that balance of rigor and
meaningful standards delivered with passion
and enthusiasm. Perhaps we should all ask
ourselves if our lives and the lives of our
children possess that same balance of high
expectations and genuine motivation. The
lack of high standards and personal
expectations bares tragic results.
Concurrently, however, a life motivated only
by standards and extrinsic incentives loses its
passion and substance. The founders of the
IB knew this. As educators and parents we
need to ask ourselves, do we know this? Do
we teach and model this to our students?
Ms. Lynne Gibson Principal
Page 2
IA Welcome Back Dance Party….
Welcome Back Party Dance
was held on 8/26 from 7 to
10pm. What a great way to
welcome everyone back to
school! The dance was held on
Friday, August 26th and was a
big success due to the efforts
of the Junior Class Officer’s
and the PTIA Parent
Volunteers. The students
enjoyed dancing, face
painting, henna, and balloon
animals! Also, the PTIA
provided the DJ and parents
provided delicious snacks and
drinks to keep the energy
going. Thanks to the IA staff for
their chaperoning efforts and
the maintenance staff for
helping with set up and clean
up. A fun start to the school
year!
Our big thanks to all the
donators for making the party
a big success !!!
DONATION LIST
Donation Name Veggie
Tray
Lee Prost,
Yumiko Vanderlugt
Fruit
Evelyn Tomazic
Cookies/
brownies
Tricia Meade,
Sophia Suo,
Holly Martin
Cookies/
brownies
Jackie
Christianson
Cookies/
Brownies
Pat Kozak
400 small
plates
Laura Whala
400 cups
Monica Rego
Andrianne
McLaughlin
1
August 2011 ● Volume 1, Issue 1 ● PTIA Newsletter
Page 2
Donation Name Chips/
snacks
Del Davies
Michael
Berger, Julia
Garza
hips/
snacks
Siva Shan
Chip/
snacks
Anna
Thaut,Karin
Losch,
Julia Helfman,
Lisa Martin
Chip/
Snacks
Elaine Chen,
Holly Martin
Pop
Teresa Natzke,
Katrina
Hopkins,
Rebecca Moll,
Sophia Suo
Pop
Maria
Zimmerman,
Karen Losch
Water
Del Davies,
Anna Thaut,
Holly Martin,
April Simon
Water
Siva Shan,
Ana Milojevic,
Zelma
Newkirk,
Muriel
Tenga,Elaine
Chen
Napkins – 400
Monica Rego
Andrianne
McLaughlin
Tablecloths
Monica Rego
Andrianne
McLaughlin
Set Up Katrina
Hopkins,
Adrianne
McLaughlin,
Cathy Paglia,
Monica Rego,
April Simon
Chaperone Priti Sha, Sean
& Joan Setzer,
Carla Ware-
Parker
Clean Up Sophia Suo
Page 3
The only sound that could be heard above IA was the roar
of the seniors as they took gold in the overall competition
of the 2011 IA Olympics. Their triumphant cheers echoed
on the playing field and all across campus.
Throughout the week the competition remained fierce as
the under classmen continued to come on strong. The
final victory was revealed when the freshmen teamed up
with the seniors to help them take first in the Four-way Tug-
o-War.
"I was very impressed this year with the leadership that the
upper classmen gave in regards to the overall spirit of the
week and the day of Olympics. Both the seniors and juniors
have proven to be great role models for the other grades."
stated Mr. Kowalewski.
Other weekly highlights include the freshmen taking first
place in the Four-legged Race and Penny Wars, while the
juniors received the highest score from the judges on their
hallway design and decoration.
Sophomores finished first in the Oakland County 500 race
and the seniors took first place overall beating out their
competition with their T-shirt and banner designs, while
having the greatest number of participants during Spirit
Week.
The final scores for the 2011 IA Olympics:
Seniors - 203
Juniors – 195
Sophomores - 162
Freshmen - 135
IA Olympics …. The Seniors Prevail with Another IA Olympics Victory
Page 4
Watermelon eating
Contest.
Junior Girl’s Tug-o-War.
Freshmen competing in the
Four-legged Race.
Thank you parents and teachers!
This weeklong intense and exciting event couldn’t
take place without the help of our PTIA, all of the
parent volunteers and teachers.
Your efforts have not gone unnoticed as Mr. Giromini
shares his thoughts, "I'm grateful to the PTIA for their
support of this event. It's a unique, meaningful tradition
for our school community, and it would not be
possible without them. I'd also like to acknowledge the
outstanding conduct of the students—this year, the
level of sportsmanship and the sense of coming
together as a school community were higher than
ever. Finally, a sincere thanks to all of the teachers
who assisted running the events and for their patience
and good spirits!"
Even though the 2011 IA Olympics are over and the
students have returned to focusing their attention on
their studies, you can still hear the whispering of the
results and strategies being discussed for next year’s
event. Who knows what to expect in 2012? But, one
thing is for sure … everyone will have a great time! We
hope to see you there!
IA Olympics Continued….
Seniors prepping for the
Oakland County 500 Race
Sophomores cheering on
their team
Seniors celebrating their
2011 IA Olympics victory
Page 5
Thanks to IA Olympics Volunteers…
Name Activity/Donation Barb Grupenhoff Euchre Tournament
Beth Lowe Chess +Anything
Birgit de Smet Ultimate Frisbee
Carmen Siebenaller 5 on 5 Volleyball
Cora Christoph Adventure Challenge
Surprise
Gigi Salka Blacktop Mural
Contest
Ginny Zeffiro Trivial Pursuit
Gloria Sprenger Euchre Tournament
Jean Schohl Soccer
Julie Garza Ninja
Tug-o-war
Kim Hale Watermelon Prep
4-legged race
Chips
Judge
Laura Wahla TBD
Tug-o-war
Linda Mascolo Gladiator (foam
sword fight)
Ida Kaylor Gladiator
Lisa Martin
Who wants to be a
Millionaire?
Rhonda Elton Watermelon
Prep/Watermelon
eating
Valerie Schiller 3 on 3 Basketball
Catherine Murphy
Eva Hilborn
Paint
Carol Sutherland Paint
Scorekeeper
Rebecca Moll Paint
Asha Nagaraj Paint
Emilia Askari Paint
Karen Heidacker Paint and Hand
Wipes
Mary Ellen Bridges Duct tape
Anu Manoj Painters tape
Huafang Sticky notes
Nancy Hauser Salad
Joan Stelzer Fruit Skewers
Yumiko Vandrerlugt Fruit Salad
Jessy Abraham Chips
Sherryl O’Hora Chips
Name Activity/Donation Sireesha Mallajosyula Pop
Alison Lynn Pop
Nataliya Malysh Water bottles
Galina Greiffenstein Water bottles
Lauretta Joo Water bottles
Nicky Taqbeem
Paper plates and
plastic ware
Jen Gerada Napkins
Mona Schmatz Beverage cups
Jackie Christianson Rice Krispy Treats
Jessica Brennecke Egg toss and Cookies
Ida Kaylor Judge
Jean Schohl Judge
Valerie Schiller Judge
Maggie George Scorekeeper
Yi Jen Tsai Scorekeeper
Katrina Hopkins Scorekeeper
Zelma Newkirk Games
Chris Marquard Games
Page 6
Caption describing picture or graphic.
PTIA President’s Letter…
One of the biggest challenges we face as an organization is
building parent involvement. There are great reasons why
parents should get involved in their children’s education here at
IA. Overall, we recognize and appreciate the different degrees
of involvement parents have chosen…donating food and
supplies, attending school events, helping set up and clean up
at events, coming to the school on a Saturday to clean up the
gardens, etc. The majority of parents support the school and our
organization by paying membership dues. Whatever way you
choose to become involved, it is much appreciated by your
students, the IA staff and the PTIA. We thank all of you for
making a difference!
At the beginning of this school year, we had three vacant
leadership positions. I stepped up to the challenge and with the
support of the incoming leadership team, we grabbed every
opportunity we had to meet new parents and reconnect with
returning families. As the president, for the second non-
consecutive term, I am very fortunate to have a fantastic team
working with me.
As of this writing, we have three enthusiastic parent volunteers
who recently joined our leadership team. We welcome Nuha
Alfahham Abdulhak and Gayatri Dadheech who will co-chair
the Garden/Grounds committee. We also welcome Cheryl Davis
who will co-chair the Senior All Night Party committee. I thank
them for wanting to make a difference!
In the meantime, we had been very busy planning events since
the first day of this school year and even before that. We hosted
a reception for new parents, sponsored the Welcome Back
Party, and coordinated a much-awaited and extremely fun
Olympics. We had a well-attended September general meeting.
Susan Kruger, creator of SOAR study skills, gave a wonderful
presentation on homework help for parents and students. Then,
we were blessed with great weather so we were able to pull off
working outside and cleaning up the IA gardens. Thank you to
Diane, Carol, Kirti, Tyra, Sandy, Nuha and Gayatri for making
sure these events ran as successful as they did!
Page 7
Message from the PTIA President
Caption describing picture or graphic.
PTIA President’s Letter Continued…
Thank you to the generous IA parents who donated food,
supplies and their precious and valuable time. Without your
help, we would not have succeeded in making these events
fun and exciting for your children. Thank you to the rest of the
leadership team who not only volunteer to help out at all our
events but who are also hard at work behind the scenes…
Kristi for keeping our budget balanced.
Cheryl for taking our minutes.
Vani for compiling our memberships.
Barb and Namrata for preparing our student directory.
Peelu and Tyra for publishing our newsletters.
Carol for coordinating the conference break dinner for staff.
Irmgard for being the all around volunteer.
Sharon, Paulette, Teresa and Libby for always being there to
support the team and help out at events.
Thank you to the custodians, Ron and Steve, and their staff, for
setting up tables, chairs and equipment for our meetings and
events. Thank you to Mr. Giromini and Mr. Sturm for sharing
information with our parents at our meetings. Thank you to Ms.
Gibson for her ongoing support. Thank you to Judy and Carol
for putting up with us and making sure we always have enough
forms. Thank you to the greatest teachers our children could
ever have! Thank you to all our children for making us proud!
Sincerely, Mildred Schwarcz PTIA President [email protected]
Page 8
Message from the PTIA President
Caption describing picture or graphic.
PTIA News….
PTIA New Parent Welcome Reception…
Thursday August 25, 2011
The PTIA held our annual Welcome Reception during
the New Parent Orientation. The venue changed
somewhat this year since the New Parent Orientation
preceded Open House instead of being held on a
separate night. The PTIA Leadership Team did have an
opportunity to welcome many new parents to our
organization, collect phone directory information and
sign-up volunteers for many of our activities.
Our picture boards were on display so parents could
review our activities, and of course we offered our
traditional refreshments!
It was a busy evening and we would like to remind
parents to contact any member of the PTIA Leadership
Team at any time with any questions, concerns or ideas.
We would be more than happy to talk with you.
Please help support the IA community!
Diane Sierant
Welcome Reception Chair
Welcome Addition to the PTIA Leadership Team
We are happy and excited to have the following parent
volunteers join our leadership team:
Gayatri Dadheech will co-chair the Garden/Grounds
committee. Gayatri has a sophomore student, Eesh,
and they are from the Bloomfield Hills school district.
Nuha Alfahham Abdulhak will co-chair the
Garden/Grounds committee. Nuha has a junior student,
Yaman, and they are from the Bloomfield Hills school
district.
Cheryl Davis will co-chair the Senior All Night Party
committee. Cheryl has a senior student, Ashley, and
they are from the Southfield school district.
2011-2012 PTIA LEADERSHIP
TEAM
President
Mildred A. Schwarcz
Vice-President/President Elect
Vacant
Secretary
Cheryl Koerber
Treasurer
Kristi Tice
Staff Liaison
Eric Sturm
Membership/Volunteer
Vani Diwakar
Directory
Barb Grupenhoff
Namrata Bansal
Newsletter
Peelu Kumar
Tyra Uicker
Welcome Reception
Diane Sierant
Welcome Back Party
Carol Sutherland
Senior All Night Party
Cheryl Davis [email protected]
Page 9
2011-2012 PTIA LEADERSHIP
TEAM
Kirti Jain
Olympics
Tyra Uicker
Sandy Ruby
Garden/Grounds
Gayatri Dadheech [email protected]
Nuha Alfahham Abdulhak [email protected]
BBFA/Parents Who Host
Sharon Yarlagadda
Discontinued Kroger Program
Libby Vreede
Fall Conference Staff
Appreciation
Carol Sutherland
December Staff Appreciation
Irmgard Garske
June Staff Appreciation
Sharon Yarlagadda
Brain Break
Teresa Natzke
Tile Sales
Paulette Juncker
9th-12th Grade Representative
Kirti Jain
PTIA Reminders If you signed up for PTIA membership and paid your annual dues, you will be receiving one copy of the 2011-2012 Student Directory. The directories will be available for pick up during parent-teacher conferences on the following dates and times: October 26 from 5:00 – 8:00 pm October 27 from 1:00 – 4:00 pm October 27 from 5:30 – 8:30 pm If you paid for an extra copy of the directory, you may pick this up during the above listed dates and times. We will be available to accept new memberships. Annual dues per family is $25.00 and includes one copy of the directory.
PTIA News Continued…
Page 10
PTIA IMPORTANT DATES AND EVENTS
PTIA General Meetings
September 20
November 15
January 17
March 20
_____________________
Newsletter Publication
The summer edition is the
only printed version. All
other editions will be online.
October 1
December 1
February 1
April 1
June 1
________________________
PTIA General Meetings
There are only four meetings a year for our general
membership.
Each meeting is on Tuesday from 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
in the IA Music Rm #110.
At every meeting, we present a topic of interest that
you would not want to miss!
Newsletter Publication
The summer edition is the only printed version. All
other editions will be online.
The newsletter is a key source of keeping our
membership informed about PTIA
happenings and activities between meetings.
All PTIA information is available under the Okma
campus website at
www.iatoday.org
CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS
The PTIA Executive Board is seeking a volunteer to
assume the position of Vice-President/President-
Elect for the 2011-2012 school year. This position
would be ideal for a parent of a sophomore or a
junior student; however, we would consider any
interested parent. This position would be a two year
commitment since the Vice-President is the
President-Elect. No specific experience is required
other than a commitment to assist the President
and the leadership team with coordinating PTIA
events and activities throughout the year.
Please feel free to contact Mildred Schwarcz at
Page 11
Caption describing picture or graphic.
Page 2 Christmas 2004 ● Volume 1, Issue 1 ● Your Family’s Name ● (242) 555-0193
PTIA Garden Committee…
Garden Committee organized a very successful
“Garden Day”, on Saturday Oct. 8th 2011. It turned out
to be perfect day for doing gardening with plenty of
sunshine and very comfortable temperatures.
IA garden needed a lot of TLC which was provided by
the committee members and a few enthusiastic
volunteers armed with their garden tools.
All the weeds were pulled out from the gardens and
disposed. Cutting and trimming was done to prepare
the plants and shrubs for the spring bloom. English
garden was overgrown and looks much better now. A
lot of hard work from all the “Garden Day” participants
changed the look and feel of the all our gardens, they
now look more appealing and inviting.
A big thank you to the volunteers for coming out and
making IA’s gardens beautiful and healthy. Garden
day participants were:
Mei Cai
Nirupa Posani
Mazida with Adam & Noah
Ginny Ziffiro with Connor
Mildred Schwarcz
Nuha Alfahham-Abdulhak
Gayatri Dadheech
Page 12
The International Academy Central Campus Music
Boosters (IACCMB) raises funds and coordinates
volunteer efforts to support our choirs, bands, and
orchestras, comprising about 1/3 of the Okma campus
student body.
Mr. Ash, Mr. Wolf and our student musicians are top-
notch, but we need to raise at least $300,000 to buy the
instruments and equipment needed to become a world-
class music program. The Boosters are a group of
dedicated and passionate parent volunteers seeking
new and enthusiastic members to help us take our first-
rate program to the next level.
The Boosters cordially invite the entire IA community
along with their families and friends to come and enjoy
the fabulous concerts during the year - Orchestras and
Choirs. Our students and directors work hard to make
them impressive, and refreshments are served in the
afterglow, so please come and enjoy and meet other IA
families. Then help us imagine how we could provide the
means for an even more inspired music program!
Questions and ideas to Lisa Martin,
[email protected] (248) 646-4587
June Appreciation Luncheon….
June Appreciation Luncheon….
Music Boosters…
Page 13
Germany Trip
This summer I took 17 students to Germany with Mr.
Uhelski as the second chaperone. The students were
sophomores and juniors. We were gone for 12 days. The
goals were German language immersion and to get to
know the culture and country better. We flew via
Amsterdam to Munich where we stayed in a hotel for 3
nights. We visited the main sights in Munich including the
Deutsches Museum and the Olympic Park. We also had
a day trip to the Alps to visit the famous castle Schloss
Neuschwanstein, and also had a stop in
Oberammergau.
After Munich we traveled by train to the Black Forest
(Schwarzwald) to stay with host families for 6 nights.
Some of us stayed in a small town called Altensteig and
others in villages nearby. Students attended school in
Altensteig with their partners some mornings and
otherwise spent time with their German partners and
relaxed with their German families. Trips from there
included the university city Tubingen and a hike in the
Schwarzwald. Most interesting was a guided tour of the
town of Altensteig itself.
The last day and night were in Mainz on the Rhine river
where we also visited the famous Gutenberg Museum
with a replica of the original printing press. The flight
back was direct from Frankfurt to Detroit.
At this time, there are tentative plans for the German
students to come here in May and be hosted by IA
families for a week.
Christine Boyle
Teacher of German
June Appreciation Luncheon….
June Appreciation Luncheon….
Trips Abroad……
Page 14
Hello, my name is Danielle Jacobs. Over the last couple
years I have been student teaching and substitute
teaching until my first teaching job here at the
International Academy. I teach your 10th grader’s
Healthy Living class. In the Healthy Living class your
children will learn about a variety of topics including
nutrition, wellness, tobacco, drugs, alcohol, and human
sexuality. This course will help your children make healthy
and safe decisions during their teenage years and
throughout their life. Through discussions and activities
we focus on how to develop and maintain a healthy
lifestyle. Your children hear a great amount of unclear
and misleading information from various sources. My
goal is to help your child make sense of all this
information so they can make positive and informed
decisions.
My time here so far at the IA has been great. The staff
has been very helpful and welcoming. The students are
very pleasant and receptive. I am lucky to be able to
teach such a great group of students.
I truly feel that parents can play a huge role in helping
their children make healthy decisions. Children learn a
great deal from their parents. Positive communication
between parents and children will help young people
make healthy choices. Asking your children about what
they are learning in class and keeping an open line of
communication about these topics will help
tremendously.
There are tons of great websites available to you and
your children. Below are a few websites that I consider
helpful.
http://kidshealth.org/
http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/index.htm
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/inde
x.html
http://www.drugfree.org/#
http://www.theantidrug.com/
Danielle Jacobs
Healthy Living Teacher
June Appreciation Luncheon….
June Appreciation Luncheon….
Healthy Living……
Page 15
Chemistry Corner…
Mr. Davies and Mrs. Phillips
Chemistry Teachers
Chemistry Corner is available each Wednesday and
Thursday from 2:40 p.m. – 3:30p.m. On Wednesday it is in
Room 213 with Mr. Davies. On Thursday it is in Room 209
with Mrs. Phillips.
Students can come on either day (or both!) without an
appointment.
The Chem Corner tends to get crowded right before a
test.
TIPS:
1. If a student wants more one-on-one time, then
come during the middle of the unit when other
students don’t think that they need help yet.
2. There are many additional websites that offer help
on Mr. Davies and Mrs. Phillips respective Moodle
pages. On these pages students will find additional
websites that offer help.
Page 16
Request for Articles..
Parents and Staff, please submit articles to us about your student achievements
and accomplishments, whether it is a school event or a home school event,
achievement in sports, academics, extra-curricular.
Please submit your information and articles to [email protected] or
[email protected] by November 20th for the December Newsletter.
Page 17
