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Kazakhstan International School Newsletter

all the news that you can use…

November, 2007, Vol. 1, #9

Content:

• HEALTH CHECK-UPS REQUIRED FOR ALL KIS STUDENTS
• INFLATION AND IT’S CONSEQUENCES
• WINTER SCHOOL CONCERT SCHEDULED
• PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES
• KIS-PTA TO SPONSOR FALL FESTIVAL
• NEW TEACHERS ADDED TO THE KIS STAFF
• CONTINUED GROWTH OF KIS
• KEEPING OUR COSTS DOWN
• KIS TO START ADULT “I.T.” COLLEGE IN 2008
• KIS INTRODUCES NIIT K-12 COMPUTER/IT CURRICULUM
• KIS TO PROVIDE ADULT ENGLISH CLASSES DURING THE EVENING HOURS

HEALTH CHECK-UPS REQUIRED FOR ALL KIS STUDENTS

Every child who attends KIS must have a health check-up. This is a requirement of the government of Kazakhstan for all school children. The check-ups are scheduled for Nov. 3th, 5th, and 7th.

Parents can choose which set of doctors will do the health screenings for their children. The polyclinic near the school will provide their (national) doctors to see our children in the morning. The International Medical Clinic (IMC) will see our children in the afternoon.

You must tell us who you want to do the health check ups. There is an issue of cost: the local doctors charge 1,000 KZT and the IMC doctors charge 5,000 KZT.

If you want to use your own doctor, they must provide the medical book and all the required evaluations (blood, stool, and urine). Please refer to the letter we sent out to you last week that details all that will be done. We must have your signed consent for your child to have the physical done. We appreciate your cooperation in helping us comply with the laws of Kazakhstan regarding the health of school children in state-licensed facilities.

INFLATION AND IT’S CONSEQUENCES

Although I have not seen any official government statistics about inflation in Kazakhstan, I know that prices on almost all goods and services have gone up.

We set our fees for 2007-2008 based on our anticipated costs for the same year. But our costs have gone up dramatically. The impact of the cost increases effect not only the school but all of our staff as well.

We had raised rates for the elementary and middle school tuition fees by 20% at the beginning of this school year but decided to not raise the tuition fees for the pre-school. Now we must raise their rates as well.

The new monthly tuition fee for pre-school students will be 72,000 KZT. Please try and understand that we are not trying to make a profit, only cover our costs. Thank you for your consideration.

The new fee will go into effect for November, 2007 and forward. Concerned parents are invited to meet with the Director to discuss any questions about the need for the fee increase.

WINTER SCHOOL CONCERT SCHEDULED

The Winter School Concert has been scheduled for Dec. 12th. Please make every effort to be sure you child will be at school on that day. If you know that you will be gone on that day, please let your child’s home room teacher know. Thank you!

PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES

Parent-teacher conferences are scheduled this year on Nov. 15th from 4-8 PM and on Nov. 16th from 12:30-4 PM. Nov. 16th will be a Ѕ day for all school children. Please plan to pick them up by 12 PM that day. Thank you again!

KIS-PTA TO SPONSOR FALL FESTIVAL

Mark off Nov. 17th on your calendars; the KIS-PTA is sponsoring an afternoon of food, fun, and other exciting events. More details to follow!

NEW TEACHERS ADDED TO THE KIS STAFF

As KIS continues to grow, so to does our outstanding international faculty. We are proud to announce the addition of Mr. Deric Law, from Malaysia. He has joined our faculty as the IT Director and Computer Science Instructor. Mrs. Zarina Ismaeliva has joined our staff in the Music Dept. as our piano teacher and choir director. Mrs. Zarah has also joined our science faculty; she is currently filling the vacancy left by Dr. Divya, who is on sabatical getting additional education training in India. Finally, Miss Yana Lazereva will join the staff on November 1st, 2007. She will work in the English Dept. part time helping us with our yearbook and other special activities. She is a gifted photographer and we are looking for ways to have her teach her skills as part of our art classes.

Please take the opportunity to acquaint yourself with our new staff. They bring great skills and a desire to help your children to do their very best.

CONTINUED GROWTH OF KIS

The enrollment of students at KIS continues to grow. We currently have 78 children enrolled in the pre-school and 70 enrolled in the elementary and middle school.

If the growth continues at its current rate, we anticipate 85-90 children in the pre-school and 75-80 children in the elementary and middle school by the end of this next quarter.

The growth in the number of students is an exciting testimony to the quality of our teaching staff and the cost competitiveness of our fee structure.

In order to accommodate the growth, the school will build a temporary structure behind its current facility to add two additional classrooms. The work has already started and the classrooms should be ready by the beginning of the third quarter in January, 2008.

KEEPING OUR COSTS DOWN

One of the ways KIS continues to try and keep its costs down are to find corporate sponsors to provide needed goods and services. We are currently seeking a corporate sponsor that can help us equip or computer lab.

Another way we work to keep our costs down is to ask our Parent Teacher Association (PTA) to raise funds to purchase equipment that is needed. The PTA has worked hard to help us raise funds to purchase a new copier for the school. Please see the information they have provided in this newsletter and do whatever you can to help them out.

KIS TO START ADULT “I.T.” COLLEGE IN 2008

KIS is currently negotiating with NIIT, the largest and most successful I.T. training institute in the world, to run an “I.T. College” at our school during the evening and on weekends. Funds earned in this venture, and the English Language Training Program for adults will be used to provide scholarships for students and keep tuition fees at KIS as low as possible for the parents of our students.

KIS INTRODUCES NIIT K-12 COMPUTER/IT CURRICULUM

KIS has begun using the NIIT Computer/I.T. K-12 curriculum at KIS. This curriculum is used world-wide by many international schools and is constantly updated so that students are well prepared for the computer/communication challenges they will face in the 21st century! This exciting development, however, must be tempered with the sad fact that we have not as yet found a corporate sponsor to help us equip our computer lab. Can you help??

KIS TO PROVIDE ADULT ENGLISH CLASSES DURING THE EVENING HOURS

Mr. Peter Najjar, the husband of one of our teachers, Mrs. Jessie Najjar, is working with Professionals International, to provide English language courses for adults. KIS will provide the facility for these evening classes. Professional International will pay a fee to the school for the use of the school during the evening hours.