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Kozak Korner #03. August 28th, 2026

 

| Director's Message

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

Dear KIS Families,

As you know, this week has literally had some "ups and downs". Unfortunately, we have spent more time in the shelter than usual. While we are working out the different pieces of our schedule, we are also working out some of the logistics in our shelter and our spaces.

It has been incredible to watch our students and teachers figure things out and put things into place. That kind of steadiness does not happen by accident. It is built, each day, by a community that has decided not to let disruption become the story. Our students and teachers have shown extraordinary composure, keeping learning moving forward even when the day refuses to go as planned. When we do get some breaks between the alarms, we are making sure to get outside, get some fresh air, and some needed movement. 

This is not a small thing and speaks volumes of our school community. Thank you to every teacher who keeps calm and keeps teaching. Thank you to every student who keeps showing up, keeps trying, and looks out for each other. 

We will be having our Welcome Back Picnic on Saturday, September 5th, from 12:00-4:00. This will be a potluck with plenty of good food, lots of fun activities, and time for everyone meet with each other and celebrate the beginning of a new school year. We hope you will be able to join us and look forward to seeing you. 

Thank you for being a part of our incredible Kozak Nation!

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

Key Dates

 August - October: 

  • Aug 31 - Learn Through Play Session 1 Begins

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

  • Sep 7 - MS/Sec After School Activities begin

  • Sep 14 - MAP testing begins

  • Sep 18 - PTO Bake Sale 

  • 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
 

| Reminder: Term 1 Tuition Payment

 

Dear Parents,

This is a friendly reminder that the due date for Term 1 fees was 21 August 2026 and has now passed.

If you have not yet made your payment, please ensure that it is submitted as soon as possible. If payment has already been made, please disregard this notice.

Please note that this is an automated reminder sent to all parents. If your account is current or your payment is being processed, no further action may be required.

Should you have any questions or require assistance, please contact the Business Office by email at businessoffice@kyiv.qsi.org or by phone at +38 (068) 340-72 52.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Kind regards,

Business Office
Kyiv International School

| Emergency Drills and Safety Protocols

 

Dear KIS Parents,

As part of our ongoing commitment to student safety and preparedness, KIS will be conducting a series of emergency drills in the coming school week.

Students and staff will practice procedures for several different emergency situations, including:

  • ๐Ÿ”ฅ Fire Alarm Drill
  • ๐Ÿ”’ Lockdown Drill
  • ๐Ÿšจ Bomb Threat Drill

These exercises are an important part of helping our community know what to do, where to go, and how to respond calmly and safely in the event of an emergency.

Please be assured that the drills will be carefully planned and conducted by our KIS team, with students’ age and wellbeing taken into consideration. Teachers and staff will guide students through each procedure and provide reassurance and support throughout the process.

Emergency drills can sometimes feel unusual or unfamiliar, especially for younger students. We encourage families to help us reinforce a simple message at home: practicing these procedures helps us be prepared and keeps our community safe.

We also ask parents and guardians not to be alarmed if they notice or hear activity related to a drill while on or near campus. These are planned exercises and are an important part of our regular safety procedures.

| 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

 

 

Have Questions About Afterschool Sports & Activities?

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

Feel free to reach out to our Athletics Director, Mr. Anatoly Prima at anatoly-prima@kyiv.qsi.org

| Languages Other Than English

 

All the groups have been completed and started their LOE programs. Now only new students will have a possibility to choose a language other than English. In some classes, we may combine different levels; you should not be surprised - this is a common practice, and our experienced teachers can do it.

This year French will be taught by Anastasiia Rabchun and Sergey Berezhny, German - Kateryna Munteanu and Dana Horbunova, Ukrainian - Maria Bizhyk, Dana Horbunova and Sergey Berezhny. Who will teach Spanish? Alba Becerra Perez is back to KIS! Let's welcome her! For the moment, she has classes with Middle and High School students, but we are planning to offer Spanish as an activity on Wednesdays for 8-9 y.o. kids.

If you are interested, please contact the LOE Coordinator: sergey-berezhny@kyiv.qsi.org. 

Muchos gracias! Merci beaucoup! Danke schön! ะฉะธั€ะพ ะดัะบัƒั”ะผะพ!

Sergey Berezhny
Languages Program Coordinator | French Teacher

| "Empower" Program

 

Have Questions About "Empower"?

A young woman with long brown hair smiles at the camera, wearing a gray blazer over a white top, against a plain gray background.

Feel free to reach out to our Empower Program Coordinator, Mrs. Alla Titova at alla-titova@kyiv.qsi.org 

| You're Invited: 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. PTO is arranging a Bouncy Castle and a special surprise! Kids need to come to see what it is ๐Ÿ˜‰. 

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 is available. Please take a moment to let us know what you'll be bringing:

๐Ÿ‘‰๐Ÿป Potluck Sign up Form 

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

We hope to see you there!

| 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: 

๐Ÿ”— 26-27 -UKR Child Protection Reporting Form – Fill out form

Policy and Procedures