Student Support at High School
Socio-Emotional Wellness at AIS
Emotional well-being is vital to student success and is a key aspect of the guidance program at AIS. The AIS Guidance Team utilise advisory time to increase self awareness and cultivate healthy habits. Below are a few examples of wellness activities at AIS.
Relaxation
This year the grade 12 students have been participating in bi-monthly relaxation sessions that are guided by Ms. Bumpus during advisory time. During this time students are led through a guided relaxation that helps them focus on their body, relax their mind and in general, reduce stress.
Professor Paws Visit
The AIS High School Guidance Team welcomed Animals Asia’s Professor Paws to our campus. Started in Hong Kong in 2004, Animals Asia’s Professor Paws is an innovative program that sees registered therapy dogs visit schools to teach children to overcome their fear of dogs, learn safety around dogs, and compassion for all animals. On a broader level, the program is sculpting attitudes to dogs (and all animals) and teaching children the importance of kindness and compassion. The dogs are professionally trained to work with children in group and one on one settings. This visit was part of our ongoing wellness focus to respond to the demands and increase stress of senior year.
Wellness Around Campus
Interactive visual prompts are around the HS campus to increase our students’ socio-emotional well-being. We started the year with an advisory activity during which all students wrote/drew motivational phrases. These notes were displayed in the main HS hallway and students were encouraged to take a positive note when needed. We were thrilled to find that students were happy to grab notes to brighten their day.
We encourage you to take a look at our most recent display, where students are prompted to use social media in a positive manner, by completing random acts of kindness (RAOK) and posting pictures on social media. We encourage you to join in and post your RAOK #redbrick125 #Bethegood
Professional Outreach
Earlier this year, the counseling team travelled to Bangkok where we presented at the Council of International Schools (CIS) and East Asia Regional Council of Schools (EARCOS) Institute on Higher Education Admission & Guidance. There were more than 700 professionals from around the globe in attendance. Ms. Bumpus and Ms. Hendrickx presented on Creative Ways to Engage Your Students and Families.
We will present the topic again in April at the Global University Counselor Connect, which is hosted annually in Singapore. During these events, the AIS counselors are not only increasing professional skills, but are actively building connections with university representatives and counselor colleagues while promoting AIS.
2017-18 Coffee Mornings
Stay connected to the AIS community! Our monthly coffee gatherings are a great opportunity to meet other parents and learn more about how to support your child’s success at AIS and beyond. This year we have focused on the following topics:
- September: How is my child doing? How do I find out, and how do we all help?
- October: University Planning & Adventure Week (OELP) updates
- December: Summer Enrichment Planning
- January: Understanding and Using PSAT Results
- February and March: Understanding High School at AIS (for MS families)
- March: Course Requests & Four Year Planning
Details of the upcoming April coffee will be sent out in the next few weeks from Mr. Wing, HS Principal.
Class of 2019 Individual University Meetings
In lieu of a general university information event, all class of 2019 students will participate in a mandatory individual university meeting during which the student will present their university plan with his/her counselor and parents. Meetings are meant to be individualised and will provide specific guidance for each student’s unique university plan and needs. Meeting availability will be from Monday, April 9 – Friday, May 11th and will be approximately 30 minutes in length. Students should sign up for an appointment with their counselor during one of the following times: before school 7:30-8, lunch 1:00-1:30, advisory 2:30-3:00 (1 slot available per B day), after school 3-3:30 and 3:30-4, or free periods (AP students should use this time). Last name A-L with Ms. Bumpus or last name M-Z with Ms. Hendrickx.
University Visits
University visits are a wonderful opportunity for students and families to learn about higher education options and meet representatives. For the most up to date information, please visit the AIS High School Google Calendar. Linked is a list of universities/colleges that have visited AIS this academic year.
Warm Regards,
Mrs. Kris Bumpus and Ms. Heather Hendrickx
