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Kozak Korner #34. May 16th, 2025 

 

| Director's Message

Hello!

It was great to see so many families at our Student Led Conferences today. I hope you were impressed by your child’s confident communication skills and their progress this year.

It’s a busy weekend for our Kozaks. Our secondary volleyball team has headed to Moldova for a tournament – these students have been very passionate and committed to this sport, and we are so happy that they could travel and play. Our Middle School students will have Week Without Walls this coming week. We have an intrepid group heading to the Carpathians for a week of outdoor adventures and there is also a local trip that culminates in a sleep-over at school! These kinds of extracurricular activities are an essential part of the KIS experience, and we are thrilled to be able to support them.

Have a great weekend.

You can always contact us by calling +38 044 452 2792.

Warm regards,
Rachel Geary 
rachel-geary@kyiv.qsi.org

| Microsoft Teams Private Chat Policy Change

 

We want to inform you of upcoming Microsoft Teams Private Chat policy changes that will be implemented in two phases due to a recent Microsoft update limiting the number of Teams Chat policies.

  • Secondary Student Policy (Ages 14+) - Private chat enabled, message deletion disabled

  • Elementary Student Policy (Under 14) - Private chat disabled, message deletion disabled

Phase 1: By May 19, private chat will be disabled for all students under the age of 14.
Phase 2: At the start of the next school year, chat will be enabled for students aged 14 and above under new standardized QSI-wide policies.

These changes are necessary to stay within Microsoft’s new limits and to ensure consistency across QSI. Also, widespread misuse of private chat among middle school students has been reported reinforcing the need for clearer, age-based guidelines.

| Parent Coffee Chats

 

Dear KIS Families,

We are excited to invite you to a series of Parent Chat Meetings with Ms. Susan Tilney, our new School Director for the 2025–2026 academic year.

These informal gatherings are a great opportunity to meet and chat with the new Director and share your thoughts, questions, and ideas in a friendly, open setting.

đź“Ť All meetings will take place in the KIS Auditorium at 3:00 PM on the following dates:

  • May 26 – Elementary School Parents
  • May 27 – Middle School Parents
  • May 28 – Secondary School Parents

We look forward to welcoming you and working together to make the next school year an exceptional one!

| Spring Fling Picnic

 

Dear KIS Community,

The School Picnic Day is approaching and you are invited! 

đź“Ť Location: Kyiv International School
đź“… Date: Saturday, May 31st 
⏰ Time: 1:00 – 4:00 PM

This year’s picnic will follow a potluck format, so we kindly ask each family or guest to bring a dish to share.

Please take a moment to let us know what you’ll be bringing by filling out this short form HERE

We look forward to a warm, sunny day filled with fun activities, great food, and time together as a community! 

Key Dates

Spring - Summer:

  • 16-18 May - Volleyball Trip to Moldova  
  • 18 - 23 May - MS WWW
  • 21 May - Junior Football Tournament
  • 26 May - Elementary Coffee Chat
  • 27 May - Middle School Coffee Chat
  • 28 May - Secondary Coffee Chat
  • 28 May - Teacher Appreciation Day
  • 31 May - Spring Fling
  • 6 June - Sec IV Graduation Walk 
  • 7 June - Sec IV Graduation
  • 8 - 14 June - HS WWW
  • 12 June -  Concerts (Elementary and Preschool) 
  • 18 June - Awards ceremonies MS / Secondary  
  • 19 June - Field day
  • 20 June - Last Day of School

School Calendar 2024 - 2025 

School Calendar 2025 - 2026

Event Calendar

Policy and Procedures

 

| College & Counseling

 

| "Empower" Lesson Plans

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.

| 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.  

| Week Highlights

 
Literacy Week at KIS

TURNING PAGES, SPARKLING JOY: HIGHLIGHTS FROM LITERACY WEEK 

This week, Kyiv International School turned the page on an ordinary week and dove headfirst into the magic of reading during Literacy Week—and what a story it was! The halls buzzed with excitement as students explored new adventures

Continue reading about Literacy Week at KIS

| 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

| Extra Services

 

| Announcements

 

Book Club For Adults

KIS has started a book club for adults, and you are invited to join!  

Here are the plans: 

  1. Read one book per month and be ready to discuss it in English. 
  2. Each month one person in the club chooses three titles and we will vote for which one we want to read. We will have one month to read the chosen title before our next meeting. 
  3. That book host/hostess of the month will also choose the restaurant or cafe where we will meet to discuss the book and enjoy each other’s company. 

If you are interested, please contact Diane Baima at  diane-baima@kyiv.qsi.org 

 

 

 

English  Tutoring!

Are you looking for a tutor to enhance your child's English language skills? Look no more!

KIS teacher, Ms. Nataliya Rudenko offers:

  • Customized Lessons: Tailored to meet your specific needs and goals
  • Flexible Scheduling 
  • Focus Areas - Elementary, Kindergarten:  grammar, reading, writing, and math!

Why to choose Ms. Rudenko?

  • She is an ESL tutor with 10 years of teaching experience. 
  • Proven track record of helping students achieve fluency. 
  • Passionate about helping students succeed in a comfortable and supportive setting. 

If interested, please contact her at +38 067-665-36-97. 

English For Parents!

KIS is delighted to offer English Classes For Parents! 

Class starts at 10:15 am in Room 204.  

  • Tuesday, Thursday: Beginner learners
  • Wednesday, Friday: More advanced​ learners

Got questions? Please contact: natasha-kuzovleva@kyiv.qsi.org