AIS offers after school activities to both enrolled AIS students and students who do not attend AIS during the school day, after the school day ends. Activities are taught by our own teachers and by contracted providers, all of whom we periodically evaluate and review for quality. After school care programs, offered by the semester, are coordinated by AIS administration and intended to offer students enrichment to their classroom activities in the areas of sports, arts, culture, science, and languages. Activity providers are present during the orientation days at the beginning of each school year so that parents may discuss class offerings with the teachers and enroll their children. Please view the list of class descriptions, and find our registration form below. For dates, times, and rates, please click on the brochure below.
Registration form Spring 2012 – NON AIS
Acting Club
Learn what it’s like to be on the stage – and much more. Conquer stage fright and fear of standing in front of peers onstage as well as in the classroom. Aside from the basics of posture, eye contact, walking, talking, speaking well, theater games and learning to tap more into his or her imagination, students will explore the parts of the stage, at times working in groups and ensembles and as many facets of acting and freeing the student to perform as time permits. Kids learn to do things that are fun and to function within the boundaries of their imaginations. These boundaries can be limitless. So, learn to organize the fun and keep going, keep growing. Taught by veteran Broadway stage performer Rudy Roberson. Minimum three students per class; ages 6 and older.
Alumni French Club
Speak, listen, and write in French. We work on international news, philosophical debates, and geography by reading French newspapers and watching French documentaries. We discuss orally and we practice reading and writing in French as well. Four to eight students per class. Taught by AIS French teacher Cédric Hervé.
Art I & II
This session is a multicultural experience for the two age groups exploring new materials, contemporary and master artists from around the world (artist from up to 45 countries represented), and a variety of other art forms. Children use multimedia to create their own unique masterpieces. Come join us for a creative adventure as we learn about the many ways people around the globe express themselves through art and design. Group 1: PS & MS. Group 2: GS to CM. Taught by Abrakadoodle. Visit http://www.abrakadoodle.com.
Chess I & II
Geared towards three different age groups, all three courses are taught by a native speaker of French who is certified by the French Chess Association. No matter what the level of French, all will have fun practicing their French and learning chess. Not only will students learn how to play chess but they also learn a bit about the history of a game that has existed for more than 1,500 years. The course culminates with a tournament at the end of the semester. Two groups (ages 5 to 7 and 8 to 10 years); class size is four to eight students. Taught by Olivier Boudou.
Choir
Students will learn and sing songs in French in these weekly Choir sessions. Songs will come from different francophone countries and include songs popular to local French culture. Students will be introduced to solfège and learn about different instruments. This class will provide a fun and open environment for any child who loves music and singing! You can get an inside glimpse of the choir singing on video by request – just email us. Taught by AIS French teacher Sophie Mercier.
Dance / Gym
This variety class is designed especially for the preschooler that wants tumbling, balance beam, and rhythmic gymnastics in one class. Students progress through warm-up exercises, strength and flexibility skills, locomotor and coordination skills, creative movement, and a variety of tumbling, balance beam and rhythmic gymnastics skills (ball, ribbon and hoop manipulation). Taught by Dance Associates.
Fiesta I & II
“Fiesta in Spanish” is full of songs, activities and plenty of play time for students to practice and expand their Spanish vocabulary, focusing on oral skills while at the same time having a blast. It’s all the learning that can be packed into an hour-long class with all the fun of a traditional Mexican party, minus the piñata. They will play bingo, memory games, “loteria” and other fun games. This is not a “hush-hush” class – all participants are allowed and encouraged to have conversations about fun and interesting topics with one another (in Spanish, of course!). Two classes taught by Ana Wallace.
Mandarin I & II
Students in the program will learn the Chinese language which includes conversation, reading, writing, and “Pin Yin” (a Romanization system for learning the standard pronunciation of Mandarin Chinese). Students learn some knowledge about Chinese culture such as holidays, foods, arts, history and geography as well. Beginner and advanced groups. Taught by Austin Great Wall Chinese School.
Music from Around the World (Music I & II)
Circle the globe in this fun, interactive class exploring the music from a variety of cultures. Sing, play instruments, dance, create, and imagine using a holistic approach to music study led Lauren Thompson. Two classes, one for ages 3-5 and another for ages 6-9, will be offered to accommodate all ages and levels. Each class is limited to 10 students.
Lauren is an active pianist and teacher in Austin, TX and serves as Associate Director of the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy. She earned her BA in Piano Performance and Business Administration from Huntingdon College in Montgomery, AL, and her MM in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Oklahoma.
Organic Gardening
Students will develop science, math, and English language skills while building and maintaining an organic vegetable and herb garden for the school. Each week we will explore a different gardening-related topic and have time to work outside in the garden. Topics to be explored include garden design and installation, soil science, plant life cycles, composting, water conservation, beneficial insects, plant identification, and more! Students will make all the decisions about what they would like to grow in the garden and will be responsible for the entire project.Taught by AIS English teacher Vikki Hutto.
Science Ventures I and II
Do you love science? Are you interested in animals, plants, the Earth, planets, outer space, how things work, building things, and exploring? Then this is the class for you! We explore life science, physical science, and earth science topics. Students participate in guided and independent explorations through hands-on activities; class size from 5 to 12 students. Class I taught by AIS teacher Sandy Southwell. Class II taught AIS English teacher by Vikki Hutto.
Sports I and II
Programs for ages 2 to 10, with each class tailored to a specific age group (3-5 years old and 6-7 years old). For the younger students, there are two goals: exploring different sports and developing fundamental techniques. At this age, children develop muscle memory that will stay with them for life. That’s why repetition of correct movements is so important. This group progresses beyond the backyard basics to more complicated movements such as learning several basketball passing techniques or developing awareness of ball speed control. Classes are very creative and use stories and games to keep children interested and loving sports. The 6-7 years old group children are ready to learn more advanced and specialized skills. They learn the rules of each team sport and develop correct techniques to prepare for competition. Teamwork becomes more important as children get older, and our coaches help them build team awareness and strategies for working together. Offensive and defensive skills are introduced and practiced in game situations. Many classes end with a short scrimmage or fun game. Taught by Sportball.
Tennis
Tennis for young children will be taught in a fun, cooperative environment. The kids will
learn forehand groundstroke, backhand groundstroke, forehand volley, backhand volley.
The emphasis is on fun, but the students will learn correct foot work, racket path, and the language appropriate to the game. These skills will allow them to graduate into a real court setting with confidence and ease. Because we use the slower balls here at AIS, the kids will have the opportunity to hit while running and experience more complicated play situations than is typical for this age group. Class size is very limited as the maximum number of kids allowed is only 4 per class to ensure a safe and productive learning experience. Classes taught by Nancy Rushefsky or Kidfit staff. Offered by Kid-fit-Tennis. Visit www.kidfit-tennis.com.
Yoga
Through stretching, balancing, and breathing yoga enhances mental focus, physical health, and emotional well-being. Games and guided play will also be used to stimulated children’s natural joy and imagination. Yoga promotes strength, flexibility, body awareness, good coordination, discipline, good posture, and, concentration. It is a gentle, noncompetitive form of exercise that children can enjoy. Taught by AIS English teacher Vikki Hutto.
