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Kozak Korner #02. August 21st, 2026

| Director's Message

A man with styled hair and a light gray jacket smiles against a plain, light-colored background.

Dear KIS Families,

The school year has officially started at KIS! Even though our first day was regularly disrupted, it was so exciting to have our students back on campus and to see our classrooms filled with energy, curiosity, and excitement for learning. Day one was a reminder of how incredible our community is at KIS!

These first couple of days are a good opportunity for students to be reunited with old friends, make new friends, meet their teachers, settle into their routines, and become familiar with what the school year will look like. We will monitor the schedule and placement next week to make sure things are running smoothly and make any necessary adjustments. 

I would like to say a special thank you to the KIS faculty for all the time and effort that went into getting our campus ready and classrooms prepared for students.

We would also like to thank all families for your support and partnership as we begin this year together. Throughout the year, we look forward to sharing our students’ achievements, learning experiences, and special events with you. Please know that you are welcome at our school and our doors are open any time you would like to talk through anything. 

Wishing everyone a peaceful weekend and Happy Independence Day on Monday!

Luke Woodruff
luke-woodruff@qsi.org
Head of School

No School on Monday, August 24th

Dear KIS Family, 

In honor of Ukraine's Independence Day, there will be no school on Monday, August 24th. Enjoy the long weekend and see you on Tuesday!

 

Key Dates

 August - October: 

  • Aug 24 - Ukraine's Independence Day - no school

  • Aug 31 - Learn Through Play Session 1 Begins

  • Sep 5 - Welcome Back Picnic (Saturday Community Event)

  • Sep 14 - MAP testing begins

  • Oct 1 - Defender's Day - no school

  • Oct 7 - Coffee Chat

  • Oct 16 - Marathon (school half day)

  • Oct 19-23 - Fall Break

  • Oct 27 - Learn Through Play Session 2 Begins

  • Oct 30 - Fall Festival


School Calendar 2026 - 2027

Event Calendar 2026 - 2027
 

| Languages Other Than English

 

Dear Students and Parents,

Welcome to LOE (Languages Other than English) department!

This year, we are offering you the following options:

  • 5 y.o. - Ukrainian
  • 6-7 y.o. - Exploring World Languages (Ukrainian, French and German)
  • 8-11 y.o. - French, German or Ukrainian
  • Middle (MS) and High School (HS) - French, German, Ukrainian or Spanish.

If you are not enrolled in the Intensive English (IE) program, you have a possibility to learn one of these languages. 

Mostly the schedules have been completed, but still there are some blanks. It means that we are waiting for your choice. Please, complete LOE placement 2026/27 – Fill out form as soon as possible, since on Tuesday 25th, LOE classes will start.

Thank you and have a great school year with us!


Sergey Berezhny
French teacher, LOE Coordinator

| Message From The Athletic Director

 

 

A man in a purple polo shirt smiles against a plain gray background.

Dear Students and Parents,

As Athletic Director, I am excited to welcome everyone to another year of athletics and activities at KIS. We are looking forward to an exciting and successful year filled with opportunities for students to participate, compete, grow, and represent our school.

We are hoping to offer the same wide range of sports and activities that we enjoyed last year, including CEESA competitions and travel opportunities. Athletics and activities play an important role in building school spirit, teamwork, leadership, and healthy lifestyles, and we encourage all students to get involved.

Please note that our After School Activities (ASA) program will be available for Middle School and High School students only. Activities will run from 4:05 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. Students must register through a Microsoft Form, and registrations will only be accepted through this process. The first round of ASA registration will open on Friday, August 28, 2026.

Throughout the school year, I will send out five separate registration forms, each offering a different variety of athletic and activity opportunities. The year is divided into five ASA rounds, with each round lasting for six weeks:

  • Round 1: September 7 – October 15
  • Round 2: November 2 – December 10
  • Round 3: January 11 – February 18
  • Round 4: March 9 – April 15
  • Round 5: May 3 – June 11

We are also planning our traditional Week Without Walls experiences:

  • MS Week Without Walls: May 31 – June 4
  • HS Week Without Walls: June 7 – June 11

I encourage students to take advantage of the many opportunities available throughout the year. Whether you are trying a new activity, joining a sports team, or representing KIS at a CEESA event, participation is one of the best ways to make your school experience more rewarding and memorable.

Thank you for your continued support of KIS Athletics and Activities. I look forward to seeing another fantastic year of participation, achievement, and school spirit.

Sincerely,

Anatoly Prima
Athletics Director & Activities Coordinator

| Physical Education (PE) Dress Code Reminder

A colorful poster detailing elementary PE rules, with a bright yellow background and playful illustrations of children and sports equipment in the foreground.

| Sports & Activities

Have Questions About "Learn Trough Play"?

Feel free to reach out to our "LTP" elementary activities Coordinator, Mrs. Dana Horbunova at dana-horbunova@kyiv.qsi.org

| After School Drama 

Hello Amazing Kozaktors and Possible Kozactors!

All Secondary Students (Sec I-II-III-IV) are invited to an open information session about this year's After School Drama Activity:

Friday August 28th in Room 216 at 4:00PM

  • Rehearsals this year will be on Mon, Wed, Friday 4:00pm - 5:30pm
  • plus TWO weekend day rehearsals
  • Performances are December 3rd - 4th

Participating in Football CEESA or Cross Country CEESA  alongside After School Drama is possible, however attending both Math Counts CEESA and After School Drama is NOT.😢

If after the information session you decide "YES!!!" you want to join, you must sign up on Moodle and fill in the Drama survey/questionnaire. 

Come see what the "DRAMA" is all about!

If you have questions about Drama, come see Mrs. Leanne Hume (room 216) or email at: leanne-hume@kyiv.qsi.org

| Save The Date: KIS Back-To-School Picnic

A picnic basket overflowing with fruits and jars sits on a checkered blanket in the foreground, with a blurred green background suggesting an outdoor setting for a %22Back-To-School Picnic%22 invitation.

It’s one of our favorite KIS traditions, and we’re already looking forward to spending a beautiful day together! 

We’re inviting the entire KIS Community and Friends to our annual Back-to-School Picnic on Saturday, September 5th. We will start at 12:00pm. Bring your family, invite your friends, and come celebrate the start of another school year with us!

As always, expect lots of delicious food, fun activities, plenty of laughter, and simply a great time together. 

And, of course, we’ll keep our favorite picnic tradition going - it’s a potluck! Everyone is invited to bring a dish or beverage to share and add something special to our community table. The potluck sign-up form will be shared in the next Kozak Korner, so keep an eye out for it.

Let’s make the most of those last warm, sunny days of summer and celebrate being together again.

We hope to see you there!

| Reminder: Campus Access, Car Stickers, & School IDs

Kyiv International School strives to provide your children with a safe and positive educational environment at all times. Our facilities are meant to be for students, staff, and parents to build school community and promote student and community activities. 

How and When to Organize Your Car Access Sticker and Adult ID?

The school will have staff outside in the morning and afternoon. Anyone needing to register their car and get a car access sticker or adult ID will need to go to reception.

Parking Access for the 2026–2027 School Year

All vehicles accessing the KIS parking area or campus must display a new parking sticker for the 2026–2027 school year. Stickers are available at Reception.

Please note that only Staff and Preschool Family vehicles are permitted to enter the KIS campus. These vehicles must display a valid parking sticker confirming their authorized campus access.

A parking permit for Kyiv International School, featuring the word %22PARKING%22 prominently in the foreground and the school's logo and academic years 2026-2027 in the background.
A white card with %22STAFF%22 in large red letters in the foreground, and the Kyiv International School logo and academic years %222026 2027%22 in the background.
A white card with red accents in the background displays %22QSI KYIV INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL PRESCHOOL%22 in the foreground, along with a car icon, the number 100, and the years 2026-2027.
KISparkingguidelines (PDF)

Adult ID’s

All adults planning to be on campus must have an ID. If you do not have one already, please arrange to register for one from reception, and wear it at all times while at the school.

Closed Campus

Kyiv International School is a closed campus. Once on campus, students are not permitted to leave the campus without parental permission and office approval before 4:00 pm. Parents are asked to contact reception if their child plans to leave school early and arrange pick up.

| Week Highlights

 

| Integrated Technology Platforms

| How To Contact Us

How to Contact Your Child During the School Day:

If you need to talk to your child during the school day, please contact reception and a message will be delivered to them. Please do not call or text your child directly during the school day.

Contacting School Staff

Staff hours are 8:10am-4:15pm Monday-Friday. If you email a teacher outside of these times you may not receive a response until the following day. Please arrange a meeting with a teacher in advance rather than arriving without an appointment. To schedule a meeting, please contact the teacher by email and agree on a mutually convenient time.

| Child Protection

 

 If you have a Child Protection concern within the KIS community please fill out this form: 

🔗 26-27 -UKR Child Protection Reporting Form – Fill out form

Policy and Procedures