Director's Message
Dear KIS Families,
This next week, we will host a Coffee Chat focused on how assessment and testing works at KIS. This will be a larger conversation concerning Assessment FOR Learning, as opposed to Assessment OF Learning. We will also discuss MAP testing and what parents need to know about these standardized tests that are coming up.
We hope you will be able to join us!
Sincerely,
Luke Woodruff
Director
Kyiv International School
Key Dates
19 September - PTO Meeting
20 September - Community Coffee Chat
20 September - Photo Walk Virtual Meeting (4:00 pm Kyiv)
27 September - "Parent University" Counseling Program
27 September - Mathematics MAP Testing
29 September - Language Usage MAP Testing
1 October - Photography Walk Kyiv / Tirana
3 October - Blue Shirt Day
4 October - Reading MAP Testing
6 October - MAP Testing Make Up
Dear KIS Community,
A reminder to complete the Survey:
Please complete the Family Campus Comfort Level Survey
We know that there is a range of comfort that exists in Kyiv and Ukraine right now. We are now watching as some schools are having students on campus. As we think through such an option, we would like to get a better idea of how our community feels about everything.
Thank you for taking time to complete the survey.
Would You Like To Join PTO?
We all know how important for the school and community is Parent-Teacher Organization. It helps families adjust to life in Kyiv by providing information about the school and living in the city. It organizes events throughout the year to build a stronger sense of community. It provides a communication link between parents, teachers and staff.
If you feel the call and would like to join our PTO team, please let the school know or email: pto@kyiv.qsi.org.
If you are a new parent at KIS, feel free to join KIS Moms & Dads group on Facebook to stay connected.
FAQs
Elementary & Middle School Korner
DI's Message
Dear Elementary and Middle School Families,
As we settle into the school year, we find that students are building good routines and procedures with the help of their teachers and parents. With the shifting dynamics in Ukraine, we have noticed that some families are again in transition to different locations. Joining school from new or different locations means care must be taken to also re-establish school routines.
Common expectations for online school to check, especially when you change locations:
- Establish a strong and reliable internet connection
- Create a dedicated workspace for school with needed materials nearby.
- Students should join class from a desk or table (not a bed or couch).
- Take notice of the “window into your home” that is created with online school and arranging the space accordingly.
- Children should wake up before school with enough time to eat breakfast, brush teeth, get dressed, before joining Morning Mindset at 9:00.
- Create a system to reduce distractions during class
- Put phone away (or in a different room)
- Close browser tabs not related to the lesson
- IPad/Laptop must have working camera, microphone, and speakers.
- Cameras on during class to increase participation and engagement.
- Students 11-year-old class and older must use a laptop (not an iPad).
- During lunch or breaks between classes, students should leave their work area to get a break from their screen
If your child is moving locations, it is recommended that you share that information with your child’s homeroom teacher and the school counselor, Ms. Zoromski (chelsey-zoromski@kyiv.qsi.org).
Please join the Coffee Chat on September 20th – the topic is Assessments. One of the external assessments we use is called MAP testing; testing sessions start on September 27. Please carefully read the MAP Testing Preparation section of this newsletter for more details – you can also bring your questions to the Coffee Chat.
As always, please reach out with any questions or concerns.
Elementary Office: kiseloffice@kyiv.qsi.org
Middle School Office: kismsoffice@kyiv.qsi.org
Looking forward to a wonderful week,
Mrs. Carla Grossman
Carla Grossman
Director of Instruction
carla-grossman@kyiv.qsi.org
School Day Schedule
Secondary Korner
DI's Message
Assessments in Secondary
Parents of Secondary II and III Students,
In the coming weeks we will be administering the Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) test If you would like more information about this assessment, please have a look at this website: https://www.nwea.org/the-map-suite/family-toolkit/ or attend the Coffee Chat about Assessment on September 20th.
Students will receive information about how to login to the program and there will be opportunities for them to contact IT if they have any problems with the program.
PSAT
Normally, at this time of year, our secondary students would be taking the PSAT https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/psat-nmsqt
College Board will not allow any testing (PSAT, SAT, AP) in Ukraine at the moment. We hope to offer the PSAT on campus in the spring.
Independent Study
Students have been invited to a meeting on September 20th at 11:40 to talk about any challenges they have had with Independent Study.
Peace One Day
Students and teachers will be celebrating Peace One Day on September 21st with activities and discussions during Morning Mindset https://peaceoneday.org/Main/
Sincerely,
Rachel Geary
Director of Instruction
rachel-geary@kyiv.qsi.org
School Day Schedule
Photography Walk
MAP Testing Preparation - Fall 2022
The following document has 2 pages. Please click on it to see the full message
Languages Other Than English
Mexican Independence day
When do the Mexicans celebrate their Independence day? 5th of May? No, Cinco de Mayo is another important date.
The celebrations start on September 15th (the Cry of Dolores) and pass to September 16th (the Cry of Independence). Is it celebrated for two days? No, till the end of September.
Ms. Alba's classes participated in this fiesta.
Viva la Liberdad! Viva la Independencia!
Learning Stories & Week Highlights
This Is Us: Educator Profile
Victoria Yerema
Titles: Learning Support Teacher
Why am I teaching: Lifelong learning is an integral part of my life. Being a teacher means learning every day something new altogether with your students or colleagues, improving your teaching skills as highly as possible so then students would love and enjoy learning. Сuriosity and dedication to what you're doing always inspire me. Probably that is why I decided to be a teacher.
Favourite Quote: ''You, the people, have the power to make this life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure"
Favourite thing about KIS: Being part of those who are passionate about what they are doing, the way of life they are living, and being sure that you are heard and everyone will help you when needed.
Elementary
One step closer to a good team
Teachers: Zach Montoya
Anna Zabara
Olga Golitsyna
Each of us belongs to many communities and teams. For example, such teams are our school and our class, family, after-school activity groups, etc.. In the last few weeks, with the ten-year-old class, we have been actively discussing what teamwork is, what makes a good team and what makes it bad, what depends on the team's success. The students were very active and had many good thoughts which they shared with their friends and teachers. However, the most important thing that the students concluded is that the team is made by the people who belong to it. They understood that the teams success depends on its members, on their work, skills, and perseverance.
This week we’ve decided to do a little experiment and see how each of us affects the different teams we belong to. Each student has chosen three teams and for each of them has written a list of easy, but important things that he can do for his team, so that it becomes even better. Each time when communicating with one or another team, the student must choose at least one item from the list and do it, gradually you can add and do more and more things. In a month, we will check how it has affected the teams chosen by the students, whether something has changed or not, and how difficult it was to do.
The results could be very interesting. If you wish, you can join our experiment 😉
Technology Class
Coding Skills
Teacher: Anastasiia Burynchenko
In Technology-5 and Technology-13 this week our awesome programmers were learning to code in different languages!
The thirteens were writing commands in Python to make and color various designs. They have learned how to use loops and functions in their code, and now are progressing to variables and conditions.
The fives are beginning to explore the wonders of code through blockly - they are putting blocks together in the right way to get to the goal. They make sure to choose the right directions and use loops to keep their program short and neat!
Middle School
Science Project
Teacher: Daniel Burke
Assistant Teachers: Alina Fishchuk
Oksana Melnyk
This week Unit in a 12-year-old class was dedicated to Plant and Animal Cells.
Students were creating a 3D model of a plant or animal cell. The model must be hand made, no pre-made products.
Students labeled the organelle of their cell model and wrote a description of the organelles function (job) in the cell.
To revise information from the Unit we used Kahoot.
After the work is done, they record themselves presenting their model.
And on FRIDAY the class had a pet PARTY :)
Secondary
Teacher: Kyle Mims
In Secondary Cultural Studies, students have been demonstrating mastery through a variety of ways that suit their talents and skills.
Students in International Relations/Global Studies created songs, presentations and graphic novels to show their understanding of the events that led to what many historians mark as the beginning of modern international relations and state sovereignty – The Pease of Westphalia.
Geography and AP Human Geography students demonstrated their mastery of the 5 Themes of Geography by delivering presentations on a city of their choosing, working together on digital white boards, and began exploring the world virtually in some geography games.
Students in World History worked in break-out rooms and in Padlet to find Enlightenment ideas within several documents that led to revolutions to come up with an answer to their compelling question of which revolution was the most revolutionary? – a revolution of thoughts and ideas, or a physical revolution fought on a battlefield.
Government and Economics students examined the foundation of states and their legitimacy, and began to dive into the stock market, deciding on what companies they would like to invest in for the school year.
KIS 2022-23 has started off great. I hope to continue to see the unique talents and skills of each student shine through their mastery and understanding of the Cultural Studies courses this year.
School Announcements
Dear Campus Community,
As you know, we have Classifieds section on the Connect Page of the school website. The Section contains the following branches:
If you have an announcement you would like us to place there, please email kozakconnect@qsi.org .
School Calendar
