I S K VO I C E M o n t h l y
N e w s L e t t e r
M a y / J u n e
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E d i t i o n
May/June 2012, Volume 7, Edition 8
I n t e r n a t i o n a l
S c h o o l
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K r a k o w
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e are very pleased to announce the completion of the Brick-by-Brick project! Throughout this academic year, students, teachers, and staff came together with an important goal in mind: making a difference through community support. As you know, the Nowak family suffered not one, but two terrible tragedies including the death of Mr. Nowak's wife (and mother to his children) and the incredibly rare and unfortunate accident of a plane crashing into their home causing a fire that destroyed everything but one picture of his wife. At ISK we felt compelled to reach out to this family because we believe that making a difference in the lives of others is an important value to teach in order to develop compassionate, caring, and well-rounded young people. The Brick-by-Brick project included games and activities that involved the time, energy, and creative ideas from our very youngest to our oldest high school students. RISK was a huge success in which the entire ISK community contributed with taking risks and having a great laugh. The Friday Fun Night was a blast as teachers, student volunteers, and student participants spent an evening of games, obstacle courses, and crafts together. Last, but certainly not least, the elementary school Read-a-Thon brought us to our goal, while encouraging literacy and a love for reading at the same time.
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On June 20th, we invited Mr. Nowak, the president of the foundation Tak, Krakow, and a representative from the Polish Parlaiment to ISK to celebrate not only obtaining our goal, but surpassing it by almost double. Originally we aimed to raise 4 000 zł, but in the end we raised 7 213 zł! One of our youngest students presented a symbolic brick to Mr. Nowak to show that this money will be donated to the construction company in charge of building the new home when the time comes to purchase bricks. A TV reporter from Telewizja Kraków joined us in hopes of sharing this success with other community members. We invite you to take a few minutes to watch the story either on the local news Kronika or the national news Teleexpress (online dated June 20th). We are very proud of our students for showing what big hearts they have. Mr. Nowak was touched by our efforts and said a few words of thanks for caring and thinking of him and his family in these difficult times. We would also like to thank you, the ISK families and community, for all your help and support with this project this year. We couldn't have done it without you! We truly are a school filled with students, staff, and families dedicated to creating a better tomorrow. Warm Regards, Ms. Oswald and Coach Adam
ISK VOICE May/June 2012, Volume 7, Edition 8
4 Graduation 2012
Brick-by-Brick Completion............................ 2 Graduation 2012 Ceremony.......................... 4 ISK Philaharmonia Concert........................... 8 Mother’s Day in Grade 0.............................. 10 Japanese Paper Dolls Workshop................ 12
8 Philharmonia Concert
CEESA Track and Field in Kiev..................... 14 Native Polish Class in Warsaw..................... 16 High Schoolers in the Wilderness.............. 18 Spring Camp.................................................. 20 Hawaiian Summer Jamboree...................... 22
28 Trip to Spain
Hustling Hussars Deliver Silvers!................ 24 At a Children’s Book Fair.............................. 26 German Reading Competition................... 27 Spanish Museums, Food, Fun, and Sun!... 28 Sports Day...................................................... 30 Our Favorite Day of School......................... 32
32 We Are Free!
Enjoy the Summer!....................................... 34
Gr aduatio A
fter a wet morning on June 6th, the skies cleared up over the International School of Krak贸w to give the class of 2012 an appropriately sunny send off. For the first time in school history all teachers and 8 out of 9 Board members attended, again the highest turn out in the history of ISK. were present to celebrate the accomplishments of our four graduates: Kanisk Chakraborty, Ashley Porowski, Sonya Singh and Rafael Skrzeta, as they closed the high school chapter in their lives. Given the small class size, special attention was paid to each graduate, highlighting accomplishments they were most proud of during their high school years. Spanning the array of academic, service, athletic and other extracurricular achievements, the ISK class of 2012 has much to be proud of. The students were given the opportunity to give speeches, and both Kanisk and Sonya took up the challenge, giving excellent, moving speeches. Many were impressed by their eloquence and poise as they spoke to our distinguished guests, including all of the ISK School Board, Consul General of the US/Head of the ISK School Board Allen Greenberg, Consul Gen-
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on 2012 eral of France, Consul General of Germany, a representative from Krakow City Hall, and guest speaker, Mr. Stanislaw Kracik - former Voivode of Malopolska. Kanisk and Sonya delivered flawless, clear anecdotes about their positive experiences at ISK and the people who helped them along the way. Then Mr. Kracik shared inspirational words with the graduates to send them on their way. Just as our new graduates are excited about the new transitions ahead of them, the high school is also excited about rising admissions, as noted by School Director, Ms. Mamie Heard; with our ninth grade already having 16 students for next year. The class of 2012 will definitely have an easier time spotting their pictures in the school foyer than future graduates will! We are proud of Kanisk, Ashley, Sonya and Rafael, and we wish them continued success as they move on, extending the ISK community far beyond Lusina and Krakow. Dan Kozak Graduating Class Homeroom Teacher
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Graduat
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nternational School of Kraków’s elementary and middle schools’ choir performed at the Krakow Philharmonia on June 3rd, 2012. After many weeks of preparation and rehearsals we got to perform Pictures at an Exhibition by Modest Mussorgsky. We performed it twice in front of a great audience which consisted of our ISK and Polish community. We had an actor, who introduced us and translated into Polish what we sang. Many art pieces, which were created by our own students, were exhibited during the concert. The paintings tied into the topics of our songs. Everybody
IS Philhar Perfor
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had a great time rehearsing and striving for the best performance we could put on. I think this was a great learning experience to perform on such a big stage. It was also new to some of us, but that didn’t stop us from putting a smile on our faces and singing. At the end we got some very good feedback and are grateful for the opportunity. A special thanks to Mrs. Wadiak who directed and put the whole concert together and also to Mr. Lucas, Mr. Glenn and Mr. Elkei for helping out to make this happen. Cecilia Prouse, Grade 8
SK rmonia rmance
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G
rade 0 students were honored to celebrate Mother’s Day at ISK by hosting a Tea Party for their mommies. All children worked very hard throughout the month of May to put together this special event. They wrote poems, painted portraits, practiced some songs about mom, they even learned how to work with pottery and made a soap dispenser. Students couldn’t wait for the time to see their moms and show the gifts they had worked so hard to make. When the time for the big event finally arrived, all children sang for “the lady they love best” and of course ate all the delicious treats grade 0 mommies brought.
Mom, You Ar Thank you, grade 0 moms, for your presence, and the support you have continuously provided in our classrooms throughout this school year. Happy Mother’s Day to all ISK moms! Mariana de Anda and Rebecca McKinnan Grade 0 Teachers
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re the Best! Mother’s Day Tea Party in Grade 0
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J a pa ne se O
n June 8th we had a privilage to host a Japanese paper doll making workshop that was led by a renowed Japanese artist Sanae Takahata. Mrs. Takahata was visiting Kraków for the opening of her exhibition at the Manggha Museum of Japanese Art and Technology. She shows her work around the globe, starting from Paris, through Zoma’s Gallery in New York City, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, to their homeland’s Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka and Kyoto. Mrs. Takahata ran two workshops with the ISK Elementary and Middle School to create Japanese paper dolls. Students from all grades were fascinated. With the guidence of an expert, the children were able to create beautiful pieces of paper artwork. Art is fun!
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P
Pa per Dol l s A Workshop with Sanae Takahata
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Track and Field in Kiev
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cool breeze tempered the early morning sun as it fought to break free from clouds that scattered the horizon over Kiev. Kiev International School lay in the distance on that cool morning in late May as seven ISK athletes made their way to the field to participate in KIS’s 5th Annual International School Track and Field Meet. Standing to confront each young athlete were those from five other international schools and their own desire to compete and do their best. With the weight of anticipation on their shoulders but their sights firmly set, our seven young athletes flew through the competition, vesting their fears and exemplifying the resolve of ISK students to compete, do their best, and most importantly, participate with respect and integrity. The competition began in earnestness with Sophie flying through the preliminary rounds of the 100-meter dash. Opposing athletes quaked as Sophie ran her way to a second place finish in what was a very competitive group. Throughout the remaining two days, Sophie went on to place first in the triple jump, second in the 200-meter dash, third in the long jump, and fourth overall among all middle school girls. A job definitely well done. Not to be out done in the middle school girls division, Penelope placed
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second in the 800-meter run. Penelope was a distant fourth as the last lap approached. It was then that she gritted her teeth and moved into third around the last bend. Coaches Adam and Morgan had tears in their eyes (Coach Adam had more) as they cheered Penelope past the third place runner and on to a very exciting second place finish. Penelope’s determination together with Sophie’s accomplishments helped pace our middle school girls to a third place finish overall, despite competing with only two girls against much larger teams of competitors. Hurray for you girls! Let’s not forget about our boys! Daniel placed fourth in both the 1500-meter race and the shot put while Cem contributed with a second place finish in the shot put and a fourth place finish in the triple jump. Daniel and Cem, together with Penelope and Sophie also helped ISK place fourth in the 4-by-400-meter relay. A true team effort! Speaking of team, the weekend would not have been complete without the efforts and support of the rest of the team. Scott and Peter Huson and Robert and Patrick Templeton all competed with heart and determination setting person bests in the events they participated in. We could not have been prouder both of the efforts and sportsmanship of our athletes. In fact, we should all be proud of the efforts of our ISK athletes who made friends, competed with dignity and who have paved the way for competitions to come! Congratulations all of you! Coaches John and Adam
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Native O
n the 17th of May, the ISK High School native Polish class set out for Warsaw after a semester of hard work related to World War 2 literature, most notably the Uprising in the Warsaw Ghetto, occurring in the Summer of 1943. We have studied two iconic polish books related to these harsh times. Now the time came to visit The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising Museum and the Jewish Institute of History, both in Warsaw. Our trip took a single day, but it was a valuable experience. These museums are a must see in Poland, and they didn’t disappoint us. Mateusz Mroczka, Grade 9
The trip to Warsaw was an excelent opportunity to review historical knowledge and learn new, exciting details and facts. It was an unbelievable sight in the Warsaw Uprising Museum - the reconstruction of a full size heavy bomber Liberator. Nasza wycieczka do Warszawy była wspaniałą okazją do odświeżenia naszej wiedzy historycznej i poznania nowych, ciekawych faktów. Zrekonstruowany w skali 1:1 bombowiec Liberator w Muzeum Powstania Warszawskiego to widok niezwykły. Krzysztof Batko, klasa 9
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Polish Class In Warsaw K
lasa licealna języka polskiego z ISK odwiedziła 17 maja Warszawę po semestrze intensywnej pracy, związanej z literaturą wojenną, zwłaszcza Powstaniem w Getcie Warszawskim, które miało miejsce w 1943 roku. Na lekcjach, omawialiśmy dwie lektury związane z tymi trudnymi czasami. Teraz przyszedł czas, aby zwiedzić Muzeum Powstania Warszawskiego oraz Żydowski Instytut Historyczny. Nasza wizyta trwała tylko jeden dzień, ale była bezcennym doświadczeniem. Oba muzea są niezwykle popularne w Polsce - zwiedzenie ich było cennym doświadczeniem poszerzającym naszą wiedzę historyczno-literacką. Mateusz Mroczka, klasa 9
Wyjazd był bardzo ciekawy, poszerzył on bardzo naszą wiedzę na temat Powstania Warszawskiego i Powstania w Gettcie Warszawskim. Był on także uzupełnieniem wcześniej przeczytanej książki na lekcji polskiego. Oba muzea dostarczyły nam wiele informacji i atrakcji. The trip was very interesting, it broadened our knowledge about the Warsaw Uprising and the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. Both museums provided a breadth of information and entertainment. Magda Kubicz, Grade 10
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High Schoolers in the
Leadership
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n the 10th of June, High School started a leadership-building trip to Studzionki, a wonderful village in the mountains. The area of Gorce and Pieniny was an amazing and fabulous site which charmed us with its beauty. The rural countryside was quite a wonder and our time spent was enhanced by student-prepared activities. We had an marvelous trip where we had to take risks and courageous choices that led us into the wild lands of the forest. At first we were a bit lost but thanks to the excellent leadership we were able to return from the hiking trip. In addition to this, we learned a new game which imployes strategy, acting and critical thinking in moments of great peril. The game was intoduced by our classmate Magda and allowed us to have a great time while it was raining. Our sponsors, Mrs. Tymczak and Mr. Glenn, prepared a team-building activity which required two groups to compete in numerous tasks. They also organized a nice activity which introduced us the basics of producing traditional Polish cheese called oscypek as well as true, home-made butter. Our trip was a wonderful occasion for binding with the group, learning and experiencing the effects of leader-
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Wilderness
Retreat Project
ship and of course having a great time. All in all, our Leadership Retreat project was an excellent venue which allowed the group to both work and compete together in a friendly and educational atmosphere. Interesting activities, a warm camp fire and an excellent crew is all we needed! We hope to repeat this project next year as it would prepare the group for hardwork and cooperation in the upcoming school year. Grade 9 and 10
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Spring Camp O
n June 14, twenty-five students from Grades 3–5 along with Ms. Kinga, Mrs. Lucas, and Mr. Elkei left the friendly confines of ISK for the green, beautiful scenery of the Gorce Mountains of southern Poland. The group arrived in Studzionki at the rustic mountain hotel just before lunch and unpacked while hoping for drier skies. After a wonderful lunch the group braved the rain and went for a small hike through the forest of the surrounding mountains. Although it rained during the hike, the spirits of the group were not dampened and they hiked along happily enjoying the sights. Upon returning to the hotel the students had just enough time to dry their hair before getting outside for zip lining and some archery practice. After dinner a group of traditional mountain musicians and dancers (Górale) gave a performance at the hotel. Ms. Kinga got into the spirit of things by donning a Góralka dress of her own.
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After a couple hours of singing, dancing, and laughing it was time for bed and dreams of sunshine for the next day. Those dreams paid off as the sun was shining brightly the Friday morning as the group made their way to nearby Szczawnica for a bike ride along the beautiful Dunajec River. The trail led through the Pieniny National Park ending in
Slovakia. After a ride of a few hours the group had lunch in Szczawnica before taking the chairlift to the top of the mountain and riding some bobsleds down the other side. There was just enough time for some serious souvenir shopping before heading back to the hotel for a bonfire with sausages and marshmallows. The students really enjoyed her marshmallow experience but found it a bit difficult to separate the gooey sweetness from her fingers and faces. Saturday morning brought beautiful, bright sunshine and warm weather once again. After breakfast the group packed up and said goodbye to our wonderful hosts. They made their way one more time to Szczawnica for a morning of ropes course and zip lining. There were two levels of ropes in the trees and everybody took part in the activity, even the drivers. Some of the group even got to zip line from one side of the Dunajec to the other (and back of course). This was a great way to finish up a great Spring Camp and everyone returned to ISK safe and wishing it could have been a longer trip. Mr. Elkei, Grade 5 Teacher
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Hawaiian Sum
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mmer Jamboree O
n Saturday, May 26th our ISK community and friends got together for some fun during The Summer Jamboree. Poland is usually an unpredictable country, especially when it comes to weather conditions. However, this time we were lucky because the rain, predicted in the weather forecast, began to fall right after the Jamboree. The event was very successful. Small and big kids took part in games, sampled the cotton candy and even rode a pony. The most popular were bouncy castles, and many adults regretted the age restriction for users. Those wishing to have their face painted had to wait in a long line. And not only because of Malin Blomqvist and Heidi DiFazzio who did it very professionally. It also turned out that the ISK hottest pattern is a butterfly and every self-respecting kid must have one. Exceptionally delicious dishes were also brought for the potluck lunch. They were competing with hot-dogs served up by our teachers, Mr. Elkei and Mr.Lutley, who bravely kept watch at the grill. We had fun, the weather cooperated, and we appreciated the opportunity to spend time with people who we usually see only in passing. Thank you all who helped to make this event so great! See you at the next Summer Jamboree! Magda Brzeska, PTA President
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Hustling Hussars
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n Tuesday, June 12th, twenty-eight ISK students from Grades 1 to 7 attended the annual Inspiracja Track Meet, in which they competed against students from several other Polish schools. It was a perfect day for a meet - not too hot, not too cloudy, and the rain thankfully held off in time for our triumphant return. Every student got to participate in two events, which included 60 m,
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400 m, obstacle course, long jump, and 4x100 m relay. Three of our students earned 2nd place medals - Zosia Stokłosa in the 60
s Deliver Silvers! m, Cameron Stratchota in the 400 m, and Marysia Gołajewska in the long jump. Our students showed excellent sportsmanship and team spirit, enjoyed a friendly game of soccer with students from other schools, and represented ISK with pride. It was a great day for everybody. As a special bonus, our Hussars were treated to a private judo performance by one of Poland’s leading judokas, Bartosz Garbacik. This was then followed by a quick lesson on how to roll and fall in authentic judo style. Although they pushed themselves really hard on the track, our students still had energy left to flip and tumble, and a brave few tried to throw each other. Several students returned home hoping to do judo as a club next year. As always, Coach Adam did a great job organizing this event and making sure that so many students could participate. Special thanks go to Mrs. Kent, who made sure that everybody was fed and watered and got to the right event on time. Thank you both! Lou Panetta PE Teacher
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Z
At a Children’s Book Fair
okazji Dnia Dziecka uczniowie klas 0-3 wybrali się na Targi Książki dla Dzieci, by wspólnie świętować swój dzień - 1 czerwca. Uczniowie mieli możliwość wzięcia udziału w warsztatach artystycznych o bardzo szerokiej tematyce. Dla zainteresowanych organizatorzy przygotowali zajęcia plastyczne, muzyczne i ruchowe, warsztaty papiernicze i drukarskie, zabawy strategiczne i gry planszowe. Największą popularnością cieszyła się gra w dość nietypowe szachy... (zobacz zdjęcie ;-)). Uczniowie wrócili do szkoły nie tylko z miłymi wspomnieniami, ale również ciekawymi książkami, bo jak wiemy... Książka – to najlepszy przyjaciel.
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n June 1st, students from grades 0-3 went to the Book Fair for Children to the Children's Day together. The students had a lot of fun taking part in many activities prepared by the organizers. They participated in art and music workshops and even played different strategic and board games. Our students especially enjoyed the chess game with very unusual pieces. The students came back to school really enthusiastic and full of good memories. In addition to that, they also brought interesting books with them. As we all know, A book is the best friend. Kinga Matusik, Native Polish Teacher
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German Reading Competition At the Goethe Institute Kraków
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n March 2012, the Goethe-Institute in Kraków invited students from various schools to the 4th Reading Competition with the motto Modern Fairy Tales: Myth or Reality? The goal of this competition was to promote the traditional reading, love and fun of reading, and literacy skills both in the native and in the foreign language. The contest was divided into two categories in different schools, and into two rounds. The first round took place at ISK and the next one was organized and conducted in June by the Goethe Institute in Kraków for the whole Southern Poland. Our Elementary School was represented by Alicja Sierek and Justine Sobik, who read passages from the detective novel for children Rico, Oscar und Tieferschatten by Andreas Steinhöfel. Beth Hobbs, Magda Kubicz and Phil Ochmann represented the High School of ISK at the contest and presented excerpts from the novels Krabat by von Otfried Preußler and Schön – Helenasgröβter Traum by Jana Frey. I would like to thank all our participants for their preparation and engagement and I am pleased to announce that Justine Sobik, Grade 4, took second place in the category of bilingual students where her text interpretation brought a smile on faces of the jury and participants in the contest. Congratulations! Katarzyna Pieszczek-Janas German Teacher
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Spanish Museums
E
leven ISK students and two teachers enjoyed six full days of travel and touring around the wonderfully cosmopolitan city of Barcelona, Spain over this past week (10-15 June). Students' comments revealed that "we certainly did a lot in just five days in this city! It feels like we've been here twice as long!"
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Indeed, besides visiting the wonderfully finished inside of the Sagrada Familia Cathedral, the high towers with views of the city, gorgeous Park Guell, the Picasso Museum, the Miro Museum, and traveling north to Figueres to visit the outrageous Dali Center, students enjoyed the Spanish paellas, the
nearby beaches, and the lively local Marketplace off of Las Ramblas for numerous breakfasts and lunches! We were all impressed by the fresh fish, exotic fruits, and tantalizing juices mixed daily! We also caught a few of the live Euro 2012 matches together, cheering on our favorite teams, including Espana! As the students were all wonderfully cooperative and eager to do all these things every day, the chaperons enjoyed their time as well. The hostel, Hotel Gothic Barcelona, was wonderfully accommodating to our needs and had been recently renovated. Its location was fantastic for easy shopping and eating after a long day of museums. We thank all the parents who were supportive of their student going on this adventure which will not soon be forgotten! Viva Barcelona! Viva Espana! Paulette Lidert and Paul Lucas, Chaperons
s, Food, Fun, and Sun!
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Middle schoolers enjoyed basketball
A beautiful summer day, June 19, was perfect for the Sports Day
Ms. Heard, the ISK Director, opened the Sports Day
Sports Coach Adam and Mr. Lou put a lot of effort to make our Sports Day special
The future of soccer is in young hands and legs
Teachers and Middle School students helped their younger schoolmates to enjoy the games
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Each student gave her/ his best to their teams
Corners are best executed by High School girls
Parents were helping teachers as they played against students in soccer
Day Soccer games were as exciting as Euro 2012
Teachers are great supporters
At the end of the tiring day, everyone enjoyed delicious ice-cream provided by the PTA
Our students were all excited when to receive medals
Almost every student took part in the longest relay in modern history
Our Favorite D AWARDS
Maja
Amelka
Anna
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Noemi
elementary school
Dylan
Nika
Antonia
Witek
FAREWELL
Day of School AWARDS
Penelope
Gabriel
Sage
MIDDLE’’AND HIGH school
FAREWELL
Magda
Daiana
Matthew
Caroline
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Thank you, wonderful s
Your Newslet 34 |
students and staff of the International School of Kraków, without whom our school’s newsletter would not exist. Enjoy the summer time!
tter Editors: Sonya, Kanisk, Raphael, Mr. Prouse, Mr. Guzik | 35