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Kozak Korner #33. May 15th, 2026

| Director's Message

Dear Parents,

It has been a tumultuous week!

Wednesday was a testament to the adaptability that is shown by our community and our students here at KIS every single day. With air raid alerts for long periods of time carrying on and off throughout the day we were very mindful that on this day 28 students were due to share their talents with us at the annual Talent Show. Nevertheless, we were realistic and had to prepare a 'plan B' as it was looking increasingly likely that we could not run the show in the auditorium as planned. So the organising teachers, maintenance crew and Admin team set about identifying a suitable space in the shelter where the show could carry on. A stage was set, seating arranged, students relocated, visual and audio settings put in place and the piano was carried down the stairs ready for the pianists' performances. Student costumes brought to shelter, make up applied and then...with 30 minutes before show time...the sirens ended and we tentatively took the risk to go ahead with the show in the auditorium as planned.

Students from 5 years old to Secondary 4 sang, danced, skated, recited a poem, played musical instruments, shared their passions and hobbies, including fishing and tennis, to loud applause, appreciation and tremendous pride. 

Fortunately we were able to proceed with the whole show much to the relief and joy of all.

CEESA events are well under way and our students are representing KIS with spirit and determination. A mention too of the truly professional dedication of the teachers whose voluntary participation has enabled these trips to go ahead: Leanne Hume, Rachel Musser, Julia Prima, Anastasiia Rabchun, Jan Scott, Chelsey Zoromski under the expert and highly experienced leadership of Anatoliy Prima.  

Next week we welcome Dr. Karen Hall, President of QSI, and her husband Tim to our campus. Please say hello to them, they will be delighted to meet you.

Looking forward to celebrating Vyshyvanka Day on 21st May, time to wear your beautiful, traditional shirts on that day.

Upcoming events in May, as a reminder:

  • AP Exams - ongoing
  • MAP testing - last few days 
  • Karen and Tim Hall visiting KIS - 18th to 20th
  • Vyshyvanka Day on 21st - please come to school in your Ukrainian embroidered shirts or dresses 
  • International Night on 23rd
  • Middle School Band Concert 26th

Have a lovely, restful and safe weekend, 

Very kindest regards,

Ms. Susan Tilney
susan-tilney@kyiv.qsi.org

 

 

Key Dates

May - June:

  • 18-20 May - QSI President Karen Hall visiting KIS

  • 18 - 23 May - QSI Regional Supervisor Luke Woodruff visiting KIS

  • 19 May - Class Photos Day

  • 21 May - Ukrainian Vyshyvanka Day 

  • 21 May - AP Late Testing

  • 23 May - International Night & Open House

  • 26 May - MS Band Concert

  • 2-5 June - MS WWW

  • 3 June - PTO Bake Sale

  • 11 June - PTO Bake Sale

  • 11 June - Summer Concerts

  • 13 June - Class 2026 Graduation (Sec IV)

  • 18 June - Last Day of School - Half day

School Calendar 2025 - 2026School Calendar 2026 - 2027
 

| Yearbook Class Photos

 
YearbookClassPhotoDay (PDF)

Yearbook Class Photo Sessions – May 19th

Dear KIS Community,

We would like to inform you that Yearbook Class Photo Sessions will take place on May 19th at Kyiv International School.

We kindly ask all students and teachers be present at school on this day and come to the photo area on time, as class photos will be taken according to the schedule.

Please note that these are group photos only, and therefore:

  • There will be no retakes
  • There will be no make-up sessions

We appreciate your understanding and support in helping us ensure that every class is represented in the yearbook.

Thank you!

| Save The Date! International Night 2026

 
InternationalNight2026 (PDF)

🌍 KIS International Night 2026 – A Celebration of Community, Culture, and Connection

Dear KIS Community,

We are delighted to invite you to one of the most anticipated events of the year — KIS International Night 2026!

This year’s celebration will be especially meaningful, as it will not only showcase the rich diversity of our community, but also serve as an Open House, welcoming prospective families to experience what makes KIS truly unique.

✨ What to expect:

  • A vibrant celebration of cultures from around the world
  • Delicious international cuisine to enjoy and share
  • Music, performances, and interactive activities
  • A warm, welcoming atmosphere that reflects the spirit of our school

International Night is more than just an event — it’s a chance to come together, celebrate our cultures, and experience the sense of belonging that defines KIS. We hope every guest, both familiar and new, leaves with a true feeling of what an international community looks and feels like.

📅 Date: Saturday, May 23rd
📍 Location: Kyiv International School
⏰ Time: 16:00 - 19:00

Bring your family, your friends, and your appetite — there will be plenty of food, fun, and unforgettable moments!

We can’t wait to celebrate with you.

| KIS Yearbook 2026 PreSale! 

Dear Students, Teachers, and Parents,

We are excited to announce that the 2026 school yearbook is now available to order. This yearbook will include memorable moments, events, and highlights from throughout the school year, and we are looking forward to sharing it with our school community.

If you would like to receive a copy of the yearbook, please complete the Microsoft order FORM and submit payment to the school Business Office before Friday, May 22. The cost of the yearbook is 1000 UAH per copy, and payments can only be made in cash.

Please note that payment must be completed before we place the final order. Unfortunately, anyone who does not submit payment before the deadline will lose the opportunity to receive a yearbook.

At the moment, the yearbooks are expected to be ready during the last week of school. If there are any changes regarding the distribution date, we will make sure to inform everyone as soon as possible.

For additional information or any questions, please contact Ms. Yulia via email: yuliya-vazhka@kyiv.qsi.org

Thank you,  

Yearbook Team

| KIS Middle School Band Concert: You're Invited!

 

Dear KIS Students, Staff, and Parents/Guardians of Middle School Band Students,

You are warmly invited to attend the KIS Middle School Band Concert on Tuesday, May 26 from 13:30–14:15 in the KIS Auditorium.

At this concert, our 12YO Band, both 13YO Bands, and our after-school program, Kozak Ensemble, will showcase the musical skills and growth they have developed throughout the year. This is the first band concert that has happened at KIS in years, and these students have grown a lot, going from not knowing how to put their instruments together to now being able to perform for an audience! We are excited to share their hard work and performances with the KIS community.

The musical selections will include:

12YO Band
• With Honor and Praise!

13YO (Tues/Fri) Band
• Lightly Row
• Petite March

13YO (Mon/Thurs) Band
• Alpha Overture
• Rock-It
• Yuki (Snow)

After School Kozak Ensemble
• Great Beginnings
• Tambora!

We hope you can join us to celebrate the dedication, effort, and musical growth these students have shown over the course of the year.

As audience members, please help us create a respectful and supportive performance environment by:
• Arriving on time
• Silencing phones and devices
• Remaining quiet during performances
• Applauding at the end of each piece
• Staying seated until the concert has concluded whenever possible

Thank you for supporting our student musicians. We look forward to seeing you there!

Mr. Jake McGrew

Teacher, Mathematics and Music

| Expressions of Gratitude

 
A Janome sewing machine with brown fabric in the foreground sits on a wooden surface, with a red border and %22Thank You!%22 text at the bottom.

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to one of our KIS parents - Mrs. Kateryna Petryshyna for the generous donation of a new sewing machine to Kyiv International School.

This thoughtful gift will be a wonderful addition to our student activities, providing meaningful hands-on learning experiences and supporting creativity and practical skills development.

We deeply appreciate this kind contribution and the continued support of our school community.

| PTO & Community Engagement

Dear KIS Parents,

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all the parents who participated in and supported our Bake Sale this past Wednesday.

Your contributions and generosity helped make the event truly special. We are especially grateful for the time and care that went into preparing such delicious baked goods. Thanks to your support, the Bake Sale was a great success and a wonderful example of the strong and caring spirit of KIS families.

Thank you again for being part of this sweet event — we truly appreciate your support!

With gratitude,
KIS PTO

Who We Are

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.

| Secondary IV Spotlight

 

University Acceptances

A red rectangle with the McGill logo and text sits above a white rectangle containing the University of Geneva logo and text.

| "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 Talent Show 2026

“If you are young and talented, it’s like you have wings.” — Haruki Murakami

Our KIS Talent Show 2026 brought our school community together to enjoy this wonderful traditional event.

Participants aged 5 to 17 came to the stage to showcase their abilities and talents. We enjoyed singing, dancing, playing musical instruments, reciting poetry, and presentations of achievements in art, sports, and even fishing!

The atmosphere was full of excitement. Each performance was unique, and the effort and dedication of every participant were truly impressive. It was inspiring to see our young stars shine on stage. Behind every performance, there was a story, creativity, and a lot of hard work. The audience was very supportive and gave warm applause to every performer.

One of the highlights of the event was the amazing Photo Zone, created by our wonderful PTO Team. It helped to capture unforgettable memories about this special event.

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone who made this event happen and helped our young performers spread their wings and share their talents with bravery and determination. Special thanks go to our participants, their parents, PTO, administration and office staff, teachers, IT team, support staff, and students for their cooperation, support, and encouragement.

It was a real pleasure to work with each participant during rehearsal practices. We look forward to meet our talented students at next year’s Talent Show, the celebration of creativity, team work, and community spirit! We believe in your success!

| 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.

If you need to contact the school during an air raid alert, please use the following mobile phone number:
+38-067-477-2918 - Reception

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.

Policy and Procedures