Download the KIS April 2008 Newsletter: (PDF, 118 KB)
Kazakhstan International School Newsletter
all the news that you can use…
April, 2008
Content:
- NEW STUDENT DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE:
- ASSOCIATION OF INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS IN KAZAKHSTAN FOUNDED:
- SCHOOL PHOTOS:
- PRE-SCHOOL TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE SUMMER!
- KIS INTENSIVE ENGLISH SUMMER CAMP:
- ADULT ENGLISH AND RUSSIAN COURSES OFFERED:
- KIS 2008-2009 CALENDAR:
- IB MIDDLE YEAR PROGRAM:
- KIS PTSA MONTHLY MEETING:
- STUDENT COUNCIL REPORT:
NEW STUDENT DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE:
K.I.S. is working overtime to make our school the very best international school in Central Asia. In order to recruit the best new students, K.I.S. administration if offering the following discount. All new students whose parents pay for the entire year when they register their children will be able to receive the 2007-2008 school rates. Remember, parents of our current students are also being given this discount if they register their children before May 1st, 2007.
Let me also remind parents of our students that you get a 5% discount for each child you help recruit to come to K.I.S.
Why are we doing this? Because we want to have full classes next year so that we can continue to hire the best teachers, purchase the best equipment and supplies, and buy the best books for your children.
Please let your friends and neighbors know how they can get a 21st century education for their children at these reduced fees.
With your help, we will continue to grow and improve in every facet of our school.
ASSOCIATION OF INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS IN KAZAKHSTAN FOUNDED:
You may not know this, but international schools in Kazakhstan are not licensed as "international schools". Each international school has a different status: some are licensed as local schools by local Departments of Education. Some are licensed as "educational centers". Others have a "special" license as "experimental schools" or by designation of the government of Kazakhstan.
The lack of a standard process for licensure of international schools is problematic for many reasons and is a deep concern of all the international schools in Kazakhstan.
As Director of K.I.S., I have called several meetings of the international schools in Almaty to discuss how we might address this issue. I have also met three times with Mr. John Ordway, U.S. Ambassador to Kazakhstan, and discussed this issue with Ms. Doris Bradbury, the Executive Director of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Mr. Ordway, the U.S. Ambassador, has suggested that, as a first step, we form an association of international schools. At a special meeting of the Almaty international schools called this past week, the decision was made to form an international school association.
In the next several weeks all the international schools in Kazakhstan will be invited to Almaty to discuss the formation of such an association and elect officers as we begin the process of working together to make a transparent procedure for licensure of international schools in Kazakhstan.
For more information on this issue and for a synopsis of my trip to Astana to discuss this issue with the Ministry of Education and our U.S. Ambassador, please go to our web site and look under Astana Trip Report . In that report are some concrete suggestions as to the direction I am recommending the new association take as we proceed.
If you have any ideas or suggestions that can help us in this process, please feel free to e-mail me at pjspottswood@kisnet.org.
SCHOOL PHOTOS:
May 8th is formal class photos day. Please, make sure that your child is in school that day. The photos will be included in the school yearbook.
PRE-SCHOOL TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE SUMMER!
Summer is vacation time for some of us, but for many of our parents it means having to make additional plans to take care of your pre-school children at home. Parents have asked us if we would keep our Pre-school classes open this summer. The answer is "YES"!
Pre-school will take a 2 week holiday at the end of the school year (June 20th) and reopen on July 7th. It will continue until August 1st. If you would like to sign your child up for the summer session of our Pre-school, please get in touch with our Registrar, Mrs. Olga in the Administrative Office.
KIS INTENSIVE ENGLISH SUMMER CAMP:
Mission
The KIS intensive English summer camp program provides safe, fun, innovative, and high quality programs (English instruction) that lead children towards English language capacity, independence and leadership skills by stimulating intellectual, social, emotional, and physical development through age-appropriate enrichment and academic/recreational activities.
The theme for this year's IESC is "A Rainforest Adventure". Our camp will be expanding this year with more teachers, more native English language helpers and fluent speakers so that we will have a 1-5 teacher to student ratio. There will be classes for students who speak no English (Introductory), persons who speak some English (Intermediate) and for persons who want to become fluent in conversational English (Advanced). Children from age 5 through 16 may apply.
We also add 1 class for students who wish to learn Russian (Beginner) for this year. Space will be limited, so let me encourage you to sign your children up and encourage your friends to do so quickly.
- Camp Dates : July 7th - August 1st, 2008 (Weekdays)
- Camp Times : 8:45 AM - 2:30 PM, Monday - Friday
- Program Location : Kazakhstan International School, 102a Utegan Batyra, 050062 Almaty, Kazakhstan
- Program Contact Information: +7-727-225-00-30 / Annie Chew ascchew@kisnet.org
KIS Summer Camp Offers:
- Excellent trained loving and caring staff and assistants;
- A safe, fun and positive learning environment;
- An opportunity to learn English with children from other cultures;
- A transformational life journey of preparation for global citizenship;
- An opportunity to make new friends;
- Creative and innovative indoor and outdoor games
- Theme-related activities in arts, crafts, music, drama, language arts; and more!
Camp Pack:
| Camper Handbook/ Note book / Stationary | Camp song |
| Director guide | Camp rules |
| Letter to parents | Name tag |
Registration Information : KIS summer camp program is scheduled for July 7 - August 1, 2008. Program registration begins April 1, 2008. Children aged 5 through 16 are welcome to enroll in the program. Registration forms will be processed in the order they are received.
Fees (per student) for summer camp 2008:
- Registration fee: 10,000 Tenge (non-refundable once enrolled)
- Program fee: 75,000 Tenge
Transportation: Parents must transport children to and from camp each day.
ADULT ENGLISH AND RUSSIAN COURSES OFFERED:
K.I.S. is also offering English and Russian classes in the evening this summer. Starting on July 7th and running through the end of summer, come learn Russian and English with our best English and Russian teachers.
English Classes and Russian Classes will be offered 3 times a week for 1 1/2 hours each evening. Our new Pre-school Director, Mr. Vernon Lehmann, an English teacher by training and a Montessori School trainer is organizing these lessons. For more information, please call Olga, our Registrar at 225-0030.
KIS 2008-2009 CALENDAR:
The KIS 2008-2009 School Year Calendar is out. We have planned an exciting school year ahead for all of our students!
The main school events are listed for your information. We will celebrate our international months highlighting the different countries that make up our school community. We have planned four (4) excursion trips in the next school year.
Parent-teacher conferences are scheduled at the beginning of the year for parents & teachers to set goals & expectations for their children. We will have another session after the semester exams to do evaluation and development improvement plans for your child/children holistic development. You may download the colorful version of the 2008-2009 KIS School calendar from our school website: www.kisnet.org
IB MIDDLE YEAR PROGRAM:
WE HAVE GOOD NEWS! We are starting the International Baccalaureate MYP (Middle Years Program) in the fall semester of our 2008-2009 academic year.
The MYP program includes grades 6 - 10 in middle school. We shall have eight different subjects for the holistic development of our students:
- Language A (English)
- Language B (Russian, Kazakh )
- Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
- Mathematics
- Humanities (Geography, History, Political Science, Economics)
- Fine Arts ( Drafting, Theatre, shop)
- Technology
- Physical education
We are going to follow the MYP CURRICULUM in our Middle school. The MYP allows schools to adapt the delivery of the program to meet the needs of their students. This includes individual needs such as those related to language acquisition for international students arriving at a KIS. We have prepared a curriculum that allows students to develop the knowledge, attitudes and skills they need to participate effectively in life in the twenty - first (21st ) century.
The MYP curriculum focuses on the development of the whole person and seeks to encourage each student to become internationally minded. If you have any questions about the MYP, please feel free to contact our KIS MYP Coordinator Mrs. Benu Sondhi. Email: bsondhi@kisnet.org
KIS PTSA MONTHLY MEETING:
The PTSA met on 3rd of April and updates are:
- An Earth Day celebration will be held at our school. Parents are requested to donate used clothes (Please limit the sizes for ages 2 to 5 years). They will be donated to a local orphanage. PTSA will also have a "rummage" sale during the earth day celebration, Parents can donate furniture, dishes, books and other items.
- There will be an "open house" on the Earth day. Please tell your friends and co-workers about it. You can also personally invite your friends, colleagues or neighbors who might be interested in sending their kids to KIS next year. Flyers and pamphlets are available from Ms.Kapila.
- PTSA will be selling KIS T-shirts on Earth day.
- The second fund raiser for the PTSA will be on May 24, along with the International Day celebration. All the class representatives will be in-charge of organizing the basket to be auctioned off for their class. For more ideas and detailed information parents can call Patti Whitworth at 7 701 228 8613 or contact her at patti_whitworth@hotmail.com.
- The PTSA will have silent auction of those baskets. Parents are requested to bring their national dishes to the International Day on May 24. Food and drinks will again be sold to raise money for the PTSA.
Below is the list of parent's in-charge:
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| The PTSA meeting schedule for May and June are: | ||
|---|---|---|
| Friday | 3.30-4.30 | |
| Friday | 3.30-4.30 | |
| Friday | 3.30-4.30 |
Let me encourage all parents to be an active member of the KIS -PTSA. You can contribute a lot to help the school improve your child's academic & personal development. Your participation will be appreciated during any PTSA meeting, mark your calendar today!!!
STUDENT COUNCIL REPORT:
The students of KIS are involved in month long celebrations of Earth Day! In these four weeks the students will be working on four different themes:
Earth, Water, Air, Fire
The students are preparing presentations in the form of posters, journals and power point presentations. Teachers have encouraged students to explore these different areas and use various activities in the class and weekly assemblies to present what the students have learned.
Mrs. Inna Kunneth is in- charge of our Earth day celebrations. She has introduced our students to the concept of the Four "R" Club: Reuse, Recycle, Reduce and Replant.
The students are working on these concepts and will present their ideas to you on April 25, so mark the dates on your calendar and come prepared to witness the efforts and hard work of your children.