Einstein Celebrates Oktoberfest!

AEACMS celebrated Oktoberfest last Friday, thanks to the leadership of German teacher/language coordinator Frau Goehler and the language department.  They were ably assisted by a group of committed parent volunteers and supported by the entire middle school teaching staff.

The Oktoberfest activities included a number of cultural games (one of these challenged students to leap and nibble pretzels from a string; another tested how quickly students could hammer a nail into a log) as well as an array of pastries and of course, bratwurst.

Students in grades 6-8 participated in the festivities, and especially for those who have not studied German, the experience was a positive step in developing cultural understanding and appreciation.

German Choir Visits AEA

Last week we were so fortunate to have the student choir from the Gymnasium Paulinum visit AEA as part of their California tour. Elementary Language Coordinator Birgit Schafer did a fantastic job of organizing the visit; the choir performed throughout the day in the multi-purpose room for elementary and middle school students.

Made up of students ages 12-21, the choir represented the oldest school in Germany.

After their stop in San Diego, the choir headed next to Palm Desert and then on to Fresno.

LIFE Adventure Explores the Coast

The LIFE Adventure club, led by the AEA Physical Education staff, kicked off their 2008/2009 calendar by snorkeling on Mission Bay and a visit to Birch Aquarium.

The club offers AEACMS students an opportunity to participate in outdoor activities that build an awareness of the natural environment and the importance of life-long engagement in active outdoor recreation.

For more information on this club, contact Mr. Nassif bnassif@aeacs.org or Mr. Diamond bdiamond@aeacs.org.

Parent University Kickoff

On Thursday, October 2 the AEA Parent University kicked off its first session of the 2008/2009 school year. The topic was student achievement data, and we discussed how to interpret individual student STAR reports, and reviewed an analysis of the AEA elementary and middle school API scores, AYP status, and areas of strength and weakness on the California Standards Tests (CSTs).

Despite competing with the Vice Presidential televised debate, the AEA Parent University session, run by Principals Vaughn and Sciarretta, drew about 30 enthusiastic attendees. As will be the case at all PU sessions this school year, food and childcare were provided.

To view a slide presentation on student achievement data, cut and paste the following into your browser: http://docs.google.com/Present?docid=d8vd38w_155cfssvrds&skipauth=true

Please mark your calendars for the next PU session: November 6, 5:30 PM in the MPR. Topic: Understanding IB (including at the elementary, middle, and high school levels). This session will be facilitated by the elementary and middle school IB Coordinators.