Inspiration January 2014 | International School of Prague
ISP Newsletter January 2014 2
From the Director Inspiring Learners for Life – Looking Back and Forward With the arrival of the New Year, I thought I would take a moment to look back on the moments and events that have occurred this fall that reflect our mission of Inspiring learners for life…only to realize that I’m going to have a hard time putting them all in this short article! One of the first events that comes to mind is the annual Cabaret that took place in November; this is always an excellent example of how the whole community comes together through music, song, dance and comedy, all for a good cause – the launch of ISP’s Annual Fund. The Annual Fund itself also showcases how supportive our community is of initiatives to continually improve our educational programs; I am impressed by the number of generous donations we have already received for the elementary iPad program and the recording studio. In addition to the members of our valued faculty who will be leaving us at the end of this academic year, two of our esteemed and long-serving leaders, Kevin Hawkins and John Mikton, announced that they would also be departing. Colleagues and friends moving on is something that we must all deal with as expats, so despite the sadness we feel at their departure, we must look at these occasions as exciting opportunities. To fill these important positions, the school formed a representative search committee, composed of staff, faculty and parents. The feedback I received from the committees and ISP constituents were crucial in the decision making process. We are very excited to be welcoming Danielle Fredericks (Australian, currently Secondary Principal at the Beijing BISS International School) as our new Middle School Principal, and Sheldon Bradshaw (Canadian, currently Director of Technology at the Sinarmas World Academy & Jakarta World Academy) as our new IT Director. The participation of our parent community in the life of the school is highly valued at ISP. One way parents get involved is through our ongoing presentations and discussion forum, The Edge in Education. During the year, our group has discussed important issues facing educators and parents. The topics have been varied and thought provoking: personalized education, the place of technology in school and at home, understanding what truly motivates people to learn and create, and more. To read more about our last gathering or other issues concerning twenty-first century learning, check out my blog, www.school21c.org. Another exciting development that took place recently was the establishment of a Community Orchestra, led by ISP’s middle and upper school band teacher, Christie Wanamaker. I attended the inaugural session on a recent Saturday morning and was impressed by the diversity of players, their eagerness to perform together and how many adults and students from ISP and other local schools turned out to participate. The examples of inspiring moments are almost endless; here are some more of the many exciting and engaging events and programs that have taken place this fall:
ISP Newsletter January 2014 3
reach, especially with local educators and schools. In addition to ongoing activities with other international and Czech schools, ISP will for the fifth year be hosting the Teacher Summit. This conference, specifically for Czech teachers, is a chance for educators to share innovation and best practice in teaching and technology integration.
• • • • • • • • • • •
International Culture Week Arts & Crafts Fair School trips, including the Upper School’s “Week Without Walls” CEESA events hosted at the school and throughout the region Robotics competition Middle School projects, such as the Curator Challenge or the Personal Passion Projects Piloting iPads and Chromebooks in Elementary School The amazing original Upper School musical, “One Grimm Night” Student-run Vietnam Festival Google Apps Education Summit 3D printing
The above list is just from the fall. Looking ahead to the next few months, there are many, many inspiring milestones still to come! Look for the party of the year on May 17th, the Night at the Palace, where the ISP community and others descend upon the Lobkowicz Palace for an amazing, glittering evening of music, food and drink, all for the worthy cause of supporting the ISP Scholarship Program. The many generous donations we receive from this event (both private and corporate) enable ISP to continue to admit high performing and worthy students, who would otherwise not have the means to attend our school. Their presence over the years has enriched our community, and we have been impressed and inspired by all they have achieved at ISP, in university and beyond, with the Scholarship Program as a springboard to their future. As a leader in international education, ISP places great value on community out-
Year after year, we continue to experience a higher volume of student applications, which translates into a record number of students now attending ISP. In order to meet the needs of a dynamic and growing school, we have undertaken the “North Wing Project” – the expansion of the Middle and Upper Schools. This new facility will not only increase the number of classrooms and common areas, but will provide a number of twenty first century learning environments, with modern furniture and furnishings, movable walls and other innovative approaches. We anticipate that this world-class facility will be completed by the end of the summer 2014. This expansion increases not only student numbers but the need for more of the best teachers. Beginning next year, we are increasing our professional staffing in the Middle School. Collaborative teams of teachers will work with Middle School students at each grade level to further personalize student learning. While all of these exciting developments enable ISP to continue to offer unparalleled learning experiences for our students, perhaps the most inspiring event of all is graduation. Held in May at the ornate Zofin Palace, the ISP senior class celebrates this important rite of passage each year, along with hundreds of parents, families and friends. This is always an awe-inspiring moment for the entire ISP community. What an exciting year it has been to date and there is so much more to look forward to, thanks to our outstanding faculty and staff and an incredibly supportive parent and alumni community. Here’s to an inspiring 2014, filled with the joy of learning!
Dr. Arnie Bieber
ISP Newsletter January 2014 4
Week Without Walls Photo Contest
Week Without Walls is a four-day program for Upper School students that involves learning experiences outside of the classroom. Trips and activities take place both within the borders of the Czech Republic as well as outside of the country. These trips are often a highlight of our students’ Upper School years and a wonderful educational experience. Traditionally, after returning from the Week Without Walls trip, everyone with a flair for photography is encouraged to submit their best images in four categories:
• • • •
Cooperation Inspiration Diversity Healthy, Fullfilling, Purposeful
Cooperation
Pasta Fresca by Anastasia Ilina
Students are given a week for their high-quality photo entries to be submitted, every student may only submit three photos per category. This is followed by a week of voting. All members of the ISP community can cast their votes, however, only one vote per category. The photo with the most votes wins. There is one winning student photo for each of the four categories. You can find all four 2013-2014 winning photos highlighted in this newsletter. Category winners each receive a nominal prize such as an ISP T-shirt but more importantly will have the honor of having their winning photo framed and displayed in the Blue Room.
Inspiration
Ladies by Zahid Mudaqiq
ISP Newsletter January 2014 5
Congratulations to Anastasia, Zahid, Savia and Daniel on their success! All four winners were asked to provide more information about their photos:
Diversity
Something A Little Different by Savia Pettinella
Anastasia Ilina: “The trip to Florence was centered around the heritage of arts and sciences in the city, yet we managed to sneak out for a bit of cooking. Under the supervision of an Italian chef, we prepared an eggplant starter, delicious pasta from scratch and a cho-
colate fondant for dessert. It was a fun and tasty experience that brought our group closer together.“
Zahid Mudaqiq: “The picture was taken on a day when our group members were heading to a place called Bazaar, and all girls bought a flower head band. On our way to the Bazaar, we stopped for a moment on a bridge to take some pictures. At some point Madeline White and Hedda Pousette were standing and others were taking pictures of them. So was I. Madeline was confused as to which camera to look at, so she was looking into my camera and Hedda was looking into another one, which made the picture even better and more spontaneous. The flower bands on their heads, water flowing calmly underneath and the clear blue sky symbolize peace, and inspiration to the World.“ Savia Petinella: “My photo was actually taken as a joke. It was taken on the beach in San Sebastian, Spain. Our whole group was just fooling around, but we ended up with a few really funny pictures, one of which I submitted. The picture is quite self-explanatory in terms of what is in it, but I guess it actually represents different things to different people. When I submitted the photo, I never thought it would actually win the ‚Diversity‘ category, but I must admit, I was thrilled when I heard it did!“ Daniel Hadar: “I took the photo during the trip to Florence. It was on the day we went to the Leaning Tower of Pisa. I thought the sign was quite funny and I wanted to remember it, so I took a photo of it.“ Thanks to all students who have submitted images for consideration.
Healthy, Fullfilling, Purposeful WiPi by Daniel Hadar
Congratulations to the winners!
ISP Newsletter January 2014 6
Alumni Class of 2010 Katrien Wilmots Class Correspondent
isp.class.of.2010@gmail.com
In the four years since we graduated from ISP it has been busy for all of us that make up the class of 2010! Several of us are nearing the end of our bachelor degrees. After spending last year abroad in France, Anna Munter has returned to Maine to finish her last year in Bates College expecting to graduate in 2014 with a major in French. Neil O’Connor’s goal is to graduate from the University of Mary Washington in 2015 with a degree in Computer Science. At the same time, Neil is also a part-time intern at the US Embassy in New Delhi, India. In Geneva, Marie Jönsson expects to graduate December 2013 with a B.A. in Psychology from Webster University. With her place on the Dean’s list and President of the Music Club, Marie is well on her way to achieving her future career plans of becoming a counselor or possibly a musician or actress!
Thomas ‘Bubbles’ Schankler is also majoring in Psychology but with a minor in Statistics. Tom expects to graduate from the University of Chicago in June 2014. He is currently the President of the Men’s Volleyball Club and has made the Dean’s List for 20102013. Tom will most likely pursue further education but in the mean time
he spent the summer working full time for Charlie, a start-up based in the 1871 complex in Chicago. Tom would like the Class of 2010 to know that he misses all the fun times we had together.
Egor Malanichev can still be found in Prague studying at the Czech Technical University in Prague and expecting to graduate in 2014. With no specific plans for after graduation Egor is currently working as a programmer in a design company in Prague. Joel Petterson also stayed in Europe attending the University of Gävle in Sweden studying Environmental Engineering. Graduating in May 2014, he expects to go from part-time work to full-time work at Sandviken Energi. In the UK, Toby Hessenberger just finished his exchange abroad in Melbourne and is heading back to Warwick to complete his degree. Toby is expected to graduate in 2014 with a Bachelor in Business and Law and plans to pursue a master’s in Economic Policy. Hana Smidova is also in the UK completing her degree in Media, Communication and Society at the University of Leicester and expects to graduate in 2014. Hana also just completed work at Talk Magazine in Shanghai over the summer. Kaoru Takase went to Japan after graduation to pursue a B.A. in Global Business at Akita International University
but she is currently residing in the United States on her year abroad. She is at the College of William and Mary in Virginia until December 2013 before returning to Japan until she graduates in March 2015. If she has the chance she would love to go to graduate school but for now job hunting will start in January 2014. Kaoru’s message to the class: “I miss you guys! If by any chance you are in Japan, please let me know!”.
Bella Vitarigova is in London finishing up her last year of a BMus in Performance - Voice at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. Bella has been employed by various small opera companies and was a Finalist in the Lieder Competition in 2013. She was also the International Students’ Officer at her Student’s Union and plans to become a classical singer. Ahmad Hakim is studying pre-med at the American University of Beirut and plans to go to medical school after his Bachelor degree. Jung Yeon ‘Wendy’ Lee is attending Seoul National University, Avo Shahverdian is attending University of Massachusetts Amherst and Thomas Lund is currently residing in South Africa. Maria Amer is currently in Estonia studying at the Euro University of Tallinn and is working at a building supply store in customer service. Maria is pregnant with twins! Congratulations Maria! Nino Blunt is in Los Angeles studying at Woodbury University majoring in Business Marketing and expects to graduate in 2015. Nino plans to under-
ISP Newsletter January 2014 7
take a Master’s degree at USC and as you could have guessed by her new last name, Nino is married! Congratulations Nino! And good luck to everyone with finishing his or her degree and happy graduations! Some of us have also needed to take some time off our studies to complete military service. Jae Hyung Cho is currently serving in the Republic of Korea Air Force as an airman, and after he is anticipated to graduate in July 2016 from KAIST with a Bachelor in Mechanical Engineering. Soo Hyun Park and Jong Yoon Lee are also currently serving in the military of the Republic of Korea. Jong is an assistant instructor at the Army Air Defense
School and will return to Berkeley after his service to complete his Bachelor’s degree. Many of us received our first degrees this year and are moving on to pursue further education or work. Archana Sundarachari has just finished her bachelor’s in International Relations at the University of Westminster and is moving to Ottowa this summer to pursue her masters in Public and International Affairs.
Vlada Pahrebnia finished her Hotel Management degree in December 2013 and can now be found at the front desk of the 5-star Augustine Hotel in Prague. Vlada is planning on completing a Master’s in hospitality and spa management. Further congratulations
are extended to Eva Freckmann who just graduated the University of Exeter with a degree in Biological Sciences and is looking to enter a master’s or PhD program in September 2014. Lastly, Katrien Wilmots has just completed her B.A. in International Relations at Durham University where she was the University Women’s Volleyball captain for two years. Katrien is set to start her Master’s in International Relations at the London School of Economics in October 2013. Finally, thank you to all those who responded! If you have any more updates you want your classmates to know about or you have any photos you want to share please don’t hesitate to pop me an email at isp.class.of.2010@ gmail.com.
Class of 2013 Bo Hitzert Class Correspondent bohitzert24@gmail.com
2013 was an exciting and busy year for all of us. Senior year, prom, IB exams, and most excitingly the moment we graduated. From that point on, the entire class of 2013 has been scattered around the world trying to find their new home. This journey for me involved moving back to my home country, The Netherlands, where I reside in The Hague. I started studying marketing and am also starting to work. I am really enjoying my gap year so far, as I am now able to take the time to truly explore my interests. Most of us have now moved to a different part of the world. Some of my classmates have also moved to The Netherlands. Kristyna Dlouha started studying at the Hotel School The Hague and is really enjoying her time there.
She joined the international student association Senti Questo.
Sara Hadzic is currently studying European Law at Maastricht University. She joined the United Nations Student Association and the European Law Association. She really likes her study as well as the friendly environment in Maastricht. Steven Slezak is studying
International Business Administration at the Erasmus University in The Netherlands. He really likes his study and spends most of his time keeping up his social life or studying.
Maite Versaevel is close by .She is studying Interior Design at the School of Arts in Gent, Belgium. She clearly feels the student vibe in the city and loves that everybody is so open and friendly.
ISP Newsletter January 2014 8
Some of us also stayed in Prague. Deni Chermoev is attending the Anglo-American University for a year where he is studying the Business Administration Program. He is working on obtaining his Czech passport and plans to study in the United Kingdom next year. Till Stackmann is taking a gap year to finalize his choice of what to study at university. He is currently working together with an artist/designer who will be teaching him how to build furniture and use machines. After this he will start his internship in Barcelona at the Seat Company, where he will be working in both the marketing and design parts of the company. This is his blog where you can find out more: http:// tillstackmann.wordpress.com/. Paulina Wydrzynska is also studying at the Anglo-American University. One of her favorite classes is Reporting because she gets to study what really interests her, and what she wants to do in her life, which is to be a journalist. Not far away from Prague is where William currently lives. William Lobkowicz is currently interning at a PR and Communications firm in Vienna, Austria. In the office he communicates with his colleagues in German. He is enjoying the sites and will be returning to Prague in December, hopefully more fluent in German and ready to take on new challenges! A big part of the class of 2013 decided to study in the United Kingdom. Most of them recently moved there, as their studies are starting soon. Filippo Cartoni is attending Brunel
University in London. He has been enjoying the Freshers’ Week, where all the freshmen are on campus and get introduced to their lectures, classes, and course companions. There are many parties to attend in the evening, which take place in bars and clubs on campus. Even though he hasn’t joined a specific club or society yet, he says there are an unimaginable amount of them and is excited to join some. The international and friendly atmosphere is definitely making it easier for him to find his new home. Balazs Kuti just started studying Film & Media at the Queen Margaret University in Scotland. He is already known as the vice-president of the Student Radio and also joined the basketball club. He is very happy he chose to study in Scotland. Though life is very busy for him, he knows that this will be one of the best times of his life. Xena Kyryk will soon be studying Marketing & Management at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, Scotland. Ema Exnerova will soon start at Queen Mary University in London. Nam Son Trinh will attend Royal Holloway University of London. He has definitely enjoyed what he calls the longest holiday of his life, but is looking forward to going back to school. Klara Ovcackova was supposed to go to the University of Nottingham but decided to try and apply to King‘s College London through Adjustment on UCAS. She was able to secure a place for the European Politics course. She will soon be starting and is looking forward to living and studying in London. Anna Mikes will also be in London to attend
University College London. Another majority of the class moved to the United States of America. Ana-Maria Berlew currently attends Northeastern University in Boston, MA. She has joined the swim team and is volunteering once a week at the Labouré Center in Boston to help younger kids with their schoolwork. Alexia Bossan is studying biomedical sciences with pre-med major at the University of Central Florida. She became a member of the tri delta sorority and the pre-med AMSA, the American Medical School Association, through which she gets volunteering and service opportunities as well as internships and exposure to the medical field. Alexia has recently been chosen by Dr. Ratna Chakrabarti for a lab research position in prostate cancer. She has also received an internship in the pediatric Gastroenterology unit at Motol hospital in Prague for May 2014. John Julien Mikton spent the summer working and saving money in Prague. He worked the nightshift at a youth hostel. He is now on his way to move to Ann Arbor, MI to work. Sukho Moon is studying at the University of California, Berkeley. He is having a great time making new friends, getting to know the new environment and the new cultures around him. Lukas Borovicka is studying Film and Television at the Savannah College of Art and Design. He is planning on joining the volleyball team and goes to the gym frequently. Denis Bravenec is at Tufts University in the suburbs of Boston, MA. He is
ISP Newsletter January 2014 9
planning on joing the Tufts Entrepreneurs Society and the Tufts Financial Group. He is thinking of majoring in International Relations and Economics, but is not yet taking a single related class. The beauty of liberal arts! He is also thinking of joining the Dubstep Acapella club. Ye Jin Choi is currently attending The Juilliard School, where all of her classes are music related, except for English of course. She has been busy with auditions for the orchestra and is enjoying her time in New York City. John Kim attends the Washington State University in Pullman, WA. He absolutely loves the city. Everything he needs is on campus, where he spends most of his time at the recreation center playing sports and hanging out in the community centers where he has met and made many friends. So far the people are very nice and he is very eager to be successful. Aydin Shahidi is beginning his collegiate studies miles away from home at the University of California, Davis. He is on path of pursuing a bachelor of engineering in Computer Science. Aydin will join a team who works with economic modeling through computer programming. Additionally, he will be playing soccer for the UC Davis Soccer team, and will join a student organization that travels to developing countries to conduct research.
Tom Wilmots is planning on double majoring in Engineering and Economics at Swarthmore College, in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. He is a member of the Varsity Basketball team as well as the International Organization on campus. Anna Beebe is about to start at the University of Washington in Seattle, where she will be going into pre-medical sciences. Nicole Lim started studying at New York University in New York City. She is majoring in environmental science and is on the varsity track & field team. Not far away from the USA is Canada, where a few classmates are also trying to find their new home. Emma Beer-Beauchamp is attending McGill University in Montreal. She tells her parents it’s like Ms. Leggett’s IB History course except now it’s for every teacher! She’s really enjoying her classes, especially the Introduction to Canadian Studies class, because she never really learned anything about Canada in school. Jeffrey Kim is also studying at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. He is enjoying the peaceful environment of the university, even though it is downtown. He is planning on majoring in economics next year. Sebastian Winkler is currently attending Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario. He is in the class of 2017 for Jour-
nalism. His experience so far has been great, the campus is beautiful, and he managed to join a few clubs such as Speech & Debate, and the Beta Theta Pi fraternity. Rudan and Zbynek both moved to the Middle East. Zbynek Stara is studying computer science at New York University in Abu Dhabi. He joined the Astronomy, Programming, and Central & Eastern European society. He is also planning on joining the Inventors society and is enjoying activities such as table tennis, billiards and futsal.
Rudan Balay is currently studying at the American University of Iraq - Suleimani, located in Kurdistan. She is majoring in International Studies with a minor in Journalism. She also joined the Model United Nations club, The Development Club, as well as the Student Ambassadors of Peace. Others are currently living in Korea. Jun Kim and Ye Eun Lim are still waiting for university acceptances. Taeyun Kim is enjoying his summer while waiting for his university to start. He spent part of his time acting as a movie extra in a Korean film. 2013 was a very exciting year for all my classmates. Good luck to everyone and hopefully see you all soon.
Would you like to see your class notes in the newsletter? We would! Please consider volunteering as your year’s Class Correspondent. Reach out to your classmates twice each year for photos and notes, and then send it along to ISP’s Advancement Office. Contact us for more details, advancement@isp.cz.
ISP Newsletter January 2014 10
North Wing Project
The Expansion of the Middle and Upper Schools Over the past few years, the facility and campus at ISP has been improved and expanded. All classrooms, labs, sporting facilities and the surrounding 16 acre campus have been significantly enhanced. Visitors experience a campus that is vibrant, bright and colorful, where all environments are geared to a dynamic learning experience for all students. For many years now, ISP has had to turn away students due to limited capacity. The Board has therefore decided to support a new expansion project that will allow our Middle and Upper Schools to grow by 33%. The completion of the North Wing Project is scheduled for late August 2014, in time to welcome returning students after the summer. In addition to providing space for a further 80 students in the Middle and Upper Schools, the building will incorporate the latest technology, arrangements, and furnishings for 21st century learning. The North Wing Project will further enhance our already exemplary campus and allow for additional students and families to join our diverse international community.
ISP Newsletter January 2014 11
Middle School Interior Design Options Here are just two of the slides recently presented by the architecture firm helping to design the new expansion; it shows flexible teaching spaces, employing different partitioning methods. Other concepts include innovative furniture and (of course!) technology, not to mention the green design of the building itself.
Thank you to the volunteers who are currently dedicating their time to developing the North Wing Project: Jan Sykora
Ben Maudling
Yaron Sapir
ISP Newsletter January 2014 12
Annual Fund
Thank you to all those who have already supported the Annual Fund! Have you responded yet to the Annual Fund appeal? If not, please consider making your donation, of any amount, as soon as possible. • To make your donation in Czech Crowns, use Acct.No. 4200279411/6800 • To make your donation in Euro, use Acct. No. 1200155079/6800 Or send a US$ check to the Advancement Office at the School. All donations are tax deductible to the full extent permissible.
Our thanks go to the following individual donors for responding so rapidly to our Annual Fund Appeal: Marie & Dominique Bossan Adrian & Ashleigh Fowler Charles & Mary Jess Josef Kmoch & Eliska Kmochova Andrey Kotov & Yulia Kotova Robert Levin & Yvonne Rep
Neville & Beata Parry Peter Ridder & Carol Sanford Timothy & Eva Shaw Paul & Kim Strebel Jan & Ericka Sykora Ron Synovitz
Mauricio Tauber & Hana Krcalova Koya & Yoko Takahashi Ivan Vesely & Veronika Vesela Koen Wilmots & Leen Willemsen Jan & Lenka Winkler
All ISP yearbooks are now online!
Alumni can register by sending an email with name and years attended to advancement@isp.cz.
Night at the Palace
Gifts-In-Kind
Upcoming Dates Here are just a few of the many upcoming moments to look forward to this spring:
It‘s going to be Night at the Palace time again! ISP‘s 4th annual fundraiser for scholarships will be held at the Lobkowicz Palace on May 17. The event encompassing countless beautiful rooms in the Palace brings together many different musical acts, bands, various food stations, a Martini Bar, Whiskey tasting, cigar rolling, Black Jack, and areas for socializing and dancing. There is also a “silent auction” with many superb donated gifts to raise funds for Scholarships. Tickets will go on sale March 15. Don‘t forget to mark your calendar for the party of the year!
The following companies have recently provided gifts-in-kind to the school. A „gift-in-kind“ is goods or services at no cost, which then allow the school to direct more resources towards the education of students.
Elementary School • Kindergarten bakeries, Feb 5-7 • Lights Music Action, May 10 & 11 • Field Day, June 16 Middle School • Language Week, Jan 27-30 • Math Counts, Feb 8-10 • Field Day, June 19
Upper School • Language Week, Jan 23-30 • Model UN trip, Jan 31 - Feb 5 • Czech Culture Days, May 6-10 • Field Day, June 18 All School • Czech Teacher IT Summit, April 12 • Night at the Palace, May 17th • Graduation, May 31st