This past week, Ms. Dalbir, from One Up services, came in for an intense two days of read alouds with our students and teachers.
She read to all of the students from nursery through grade 4 and focused on important aspects of reading comprehension: questioning, predicting, identifying story elements, inferring, vocabulary and metacognition. We will continue to focus on read alouds at school, encouraging the love of reading. Our reading assessments will help us find where we need to focus with students and we will follow through with comprehension strategies. Thank you also to all of the parents who have volunteered their time to come in and read aloud to our students. We have all been growing as readers, thanks to your efforts. At home, you can support your child by continuing to read to them outloud. Parents often ask "How can I support my child in the PYP?" Our first answer is: Read. Even after students can read, it's important to keep reading outloud. There are so many studies that support the importance of reading outloud, long after children can read. Research indicates that children who are read aloud to experience and increase in their vocabulary by 15-40%. Jim Trelease, an author who has researched and written about reading, has said that a "Child’s reading level doesn’t catch up to his listening level until eighth grade." Even teens can enjoy a read aloud if the story is relevant. See the poster below. Take a look at the video. And read!! If you want to keep track of your reading, here is a reading calendar for you from Read Aloud.org. 
 Dear Parents, Friends and Families,
Thank you to all those parents who have been active and positive helpers in builder our school community, so far. Looking back at the beginning of the school year, we soon realised that we needed to build traditions and events within the school calendar, we are still working on this and we are working with both parents, staff and OGC to create similar calendar events and this will take time. Since August, not only do we have a PTA but we also have room parents for Nursery and JKG. Knowing that we have a parent connection helps teachers and the school access the home, quickly and efficiently. So far, parents have helped with Readalouds, Native Language Day, Performances, guest speakers, field trips, carnivals and have been a part of giving us general feedback. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank all the parents who have helped. We are starting to collate a parent data base of our expert parents who can offer services such as a guest speaker or may even know someone who would like to share something in school. If you, or you know of someone who would like to share please email; nicola.francis@oberoi-is.org and we will create a database. Parents, if you have anything that you would like to discuss about your child, please know that you can always make an appointment with a teacher. I encourage parents with any school issue to contact their child's homeroom teacher first. On Friday 16th March, parents and students will be part of Student-Led Conferences (SLCs). For this day, you will be given a time for 20 minutes to walk through work that your child is most proud of. Parents will be expected to ask questions and do complete reflections during this conference. It should be noted that this is not an opportunity to meet with the teacher - if you wish to talk to the teacher, we ask that you make a separate appointment. This day will be a non-student day. Please be sure to check out the link for Read Alouds at home. Thank you, Miss Lisa Hughes Head of Elementary @ JVLR 
Dear Parents, Friends and Families,
Our Grades 3 and 4 enjoyed a camp recently in Karjat. Please give thanks to the teachers that helped supervise their overnight trip, it is quite a responsibility looking after so many children. We are continuing to celebrate reading and we apologise for any miscommunication. Some related events we are doing are as follows:
Saturday 17th February: OIS Fest Parents role: Helping with setting up. Please contact the PTA. Wednesday 21st February: International Native Language Day Parents role: You will be contacted by your child's HRT. Have a conversation with your child at home, about languages. Thursday 22nd and 23rd February: Yearbook photos Parents role: Make sure your child is 'photo ready' Wednesday 28th February: Extended Day JKG Parent Presentation starting at 1:30pm. Parents role: Head of Elementary to have an audience with JKG parents about the extended day and PYP Programme in the Early Years. Friday March 2nd: No School Holi Thursday 15th and 16th March: Book Exhibition Friday 16th March: Student Led-Conferences Parents role: Parents will be assigned role to meet with their child in school. ECA's have starter already started, if you have any feedback please contact eca_jvlr@oberoi-is.org. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank parents for their flexibility and support during the set-up of JVLR. Remember, if you have any questions or concerns the first person to talk to is your child's homeroom teacher. We are using SeeSaw to share assessment tasks with parents, please take the time to talk to your child about what they learnt from a particular topic they have been exploring. Ask questions such as: What did you know and understand at the beginning of the unit? What did you change your mind about? If you could do this unit again, what would you do differently? What choices did you make and take whilst learning about this unit? You may remember our Grade 4s recently went on a visit to St.Catherine's orphanage. Below is the response we received: Dear Friends, We acknowledge your generous contribution of sugar, pulses, oil, wheat, bath and washing soap, farsan, biscuits, chocolates, etc with a sense of deep gratitude. May you be blessed as you reach out to us keeping in mind the deprived section of society especially the girl child at St. Catherine’s Home. It is through your support and encouragement in small and big ways we are able to carry on this noble mission. May God bless and reward you for all your goodness towards our Home and children. Yours sincerely, Sr. Silvy Jose Superior Thank you for all your continued support, Miss Lisa Hughes Head of Primary @ OIS JVLR 
This week, we kicked off our World Read Aloud celebration, and parents, children and teachers have been reading all over the school. Starting on Tuesday, students came dressed in pyjamas, carrying their favorite book. At 7:50, everyone dropped everything and read. Nursery students snuggled up in their blankets and pillows. JKG students headed into their tents. PE teachers, art and music teachers joined them, and all was calm.
Parents have enthusiastically read aloud with the early years this week, and next week, primary parents will come in to do the same. We had an author and journalist come in to share her books with grade 1 students. Over Skype, SKG and grade 1 interacted with an international author living in Bulgaria. Buddy reading started this week. Older and younger grades have buddied up to share in a love of reading. In addition, there have been various activities going on throughout the school. Grade 4 created a story quilt of their favorite books, now on display in the library. Our reading celebration month continues with more Drop Everything and Read (DEAR) on Tuesday. Students can bring in their favorite books, but no pyjamas. More parents join us next week, and authors are coming in to interact with primary. On Feb. 14th, we will celebrate our love of books and characters with a character parade across the school. Happy reading! Thanks for supporting reading. It's one of the most important gifts we can give a child. 
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Lisa Hughes
Primary Head
Matthew Hoerr
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