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A young woman in a warm hat and coat stands on a balcony overlooking a cityscape, holding a camera and capturing the scenic view.

Kozak Korner #09. October 10th, 2025 

| Director's Message

Dear parents,

I am delighted to share some good news with you today. Following several rounds of interviews for a new teacher for Middle School classes to replace the teacher who resigned last June, we have successfully appointed Mr. Shawn Wilson. 

Shawn is American and comes to us following many years of international experience. He will join KIS as soon as visa procedures are completed, either late October or early November 2025. Shawn will teach all Middle School Science classes as well as Mathematics. This is turn enables the teachers who have temporarily been teaching Science classes to be assigned to other duties. Mr. Jake McGrew will take on some additional duties to support Ms. Zoromski and I in the Admin team (as the 3rd member of the Admin team, Mr. James Boldosser, will not be replaced).

Also, please note that there is an adjustment to the dates for the Winter Break. School will resume on Monday 12th January 2026 rather than Monday 5th January 2026. As we continue to live daily with challenging and dangerous nights like last night, I have been working closely with QSI headquarters to find some ways to alleviate the constant and cumulative sleep deprivation. QSI boundary conditions, which determine operational procedures for all QSI schools, state that QSI schools should provide a minimum of 175 days of student learning. Kyiv International School provides 180 days and so we have adjusted the total to meet minimum requirements of 175 days. This was unanimously approved by the Advisory Board earlier this week.

Quintile 1 Status Reports will be issued next week. 

I would like to remind you that students should speak English at school at all times other than in Languages other than English classes. 

Please note that directly following the Fall Break I will attending the annual Directors' conference where Directors and Senior QSI leaders will meet together for professional learning opportunities and high level discussions. 

Looking forward to the PTO Marathon next week, please see messages regarding this in this edition of the Kozak Korner.

Kind regards, stay safe and be careful.

Susan Tilney
susan-tilney@kyiv.qsi.org

 

| PTO Fundraiser Marathon

PTOFundraisingMarathonFlyer (PDF)

On October 17th, from 9:00-am-11:00am, KIS together with PTO will host a school-wide Fundraising Marathon. This is a sponsored run in which students will pre-arrange sponsorships in order to raise money for KIS Activities & Athletics and the brave defenders who are part of the KIS community.

Schedule:
9:00-9:30 - Preschool 
9:45-10:15 - Elementary 
10:30-11:00 - Middle School and High School

This event aims to:

  • Highlight the Success Orientations of group interaction and concern for others
  • Get students, of all ages, and families collaborating and working together for a cause
  • Raise funds for KIS Athletics and KIS brave defenders all while being active and having fun!

Note: The Fundraising Marathon will take place on the KIS campus. The preschool students will take one lap around our track.  

The elementary, middle, and high school students will run the full "loop" as many times as they would like in 30 minutes. 

We invite parents, grandparents, neighbors, friends, and KIS alumni families> to sponsor our runners! You can contribute by pledging a set amount per lap (for example, 50 UAH per lap) or by making a flat donation of your choice. Feel free to join us on Marathon Day and cheer on our runners!

Student Sponsor Submission Forms are available at school reception. 

👉🏻 FOR INSTRUCTIONS, PLEASE USE THE FOLLOWING VIDEO:  MARATHON VIDEO Final.mp4

How to submit the raised funds: 

During the week of October 27th: 

  • Pre-K and Elementary - students give the money to their homeroom teachers.
  • Middle School and Secondary - students pass the money on to reception or Ms. Zoromski.

| Spirit Week at KIS

SpiritWeek2025--NikitasOriginal (PDF)

| Trunk Or Treat At The Fall Fest

Dear Parents,

We’d love to invite our amazing KIS community to participate in Trunk-or-Treat at our annual Fall Festival on Friday, October 31st! This fun tradition is always a highlight of the festival, and we would greatly appreciate your involvement. 

There are two ways how to participate:

  • One: Bring a bunch of candy, toys, or other fun treats to hand out to the children who visit the trunk.
  • Two: Decorate Your Car. Get creative and decorate your car’s trunk with a fun or spooky theme. You can use decorations like lights, props, and fall-themed items to create a festive atmosphere. Make sure it's family-friendly and exciting for kids! If you would like to participate and decorate your car trunk, please sign up through this FORM. 

Thank you for your support, and we look forward to celebrating together!

Key Dates

Fall:

  • 16 October - Hispanic Party (HS Students and Teachers)
  • 17 October - PTO Marathon Fundraiser, (school half-day)
  • 20 - 24 October - Fall Break
  • 24 October - November SAT Registration Deadline
  • 27 - 31 October - Spirit Week
  • 31 October - Fall Festival
  • 6-8 November - MSG Soccer CEESA Trip
  • 8 November - SAT 
  • 13 November (tentatively) - Dance For Kindness
  • 20-21 November - Professional Development Days - no school for students

School Calendar 2025 - 2026

Policy and Procedures

 

| Hispanic Party For HS Students and Teachers

 

| Dance For Kindness

 

Join Us for the Dance for Kindness Event!

Dear KIS Community!

Get ready to move, groove, and spread kindness! Watch, learn, and practice the dance below in your free time, then join students and teachers in celebrating the Day of Kindness during the week of November 10. Let’s make kindness go viral—one step at a time!

 

| 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

| KIS CAS Students & Sirius Animal Shelter

 

For almost half a year, our school has been supporting the Sirius Animal Shelter by sorting and sending leftover food from our cafeteria every month. Thanks to our regular deliveries, made by our school driver, we’ve built a close and caring relationship with the shelter.

On October 11th, Sirius Animal Shelter will celebrate its 25th anniversary — and as valued contributors, our school has been invited to join the celebration! 

👉🏻 Please see the event schedule HERE

It’s a wonderful opportunity to spend time with the dogs, enjoy fun activities, and celebrate this special day together!!!

| "Empower" Program

 

The Empower curriculum integrates the Success Orientations, Social Emotional Learning concepts, and Child Protection principles into individual lessons throughout the year. These lessons will be delivered during a dedicated weekly EMPOWER class time. This approach aims to equip students with a comprehensive set of skills applicable throughout their lives. Specific lessons tailored to each grade level ensure developmental appropriateness. While some concepts may be revisited annually, the lessons will vary based on the students' age. For more information, please see the QSI Empower statement.

Teachers will keep parents informed about the upcoming lessons for their child, and for certain grades, the lesson plans will be accessible in this newsletter. Click on the post below to view the message from the teacher.

Have Questions About "Empower"?

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

| Week Highlights

 
KIS Photo Walk 2025!

KIS SCHOOL-WIDE PHOTO WALK 2025!

On Saturday, October 4th, a group of determined, and wonderfully creative Kozak photographers rose before dawn and set out on a group photo walk through downtown Kyiv. From 6:30 to 9:00 a.m., they explored the city with cameras or phones 

Continue reading about KIS Photo Walk 2025!

| PTO & Community Engagement

Who We Are

Parent-Teacher Organization

The Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO), a non-profit group, brings together parents, teachers, and administrators to enhance the school experience for our students. PTO Lobby Shop raises funds to support school events, gifts, and surprises for students, teachers, and staff. Any KIS parent is welcome to join.

Learn more about Parent-Teacher Organization

What is KIS Moms & Dads? 

KIS Moms & Dads is a private Facebook group for KIS parents and the PTO. It's a place to discover ways to get involved in school activities, PTO events, and volunteer opportunities, as well as to share ideas, feedback, and suggestions with the school and PTO. To join, please complete the membership questions.

How to join PTO? 

It's simple - just send an email at pto@kyiv.qsi.org or talk to one of the PTO members at the PTO Shop.

| Integrated Technology Platforms

| Meet Your School Counselor

To schedule a meeting with Ms. Zoromski, our school counselor, please click here.  Her email is: chelsey-zoromski@kyiv.qsi.org. 

As a reminder, she works with all students in our school to support them academically and emotionally.  

| 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. We endeavour to respond within 24 hours.