PECHERSK SCHOOL INTERNATIONAL
FA L L 2 0 1 6
PSI LIFE
‘ACADEMICALLY CHALLENGING’ AND ‘STUDENT CENTRED’
EDITOR’S LETTER
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DIRECTOR’S NEWS
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BOARD UPDATE
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UNPACKING OUR NEW MISSION STATEMENT
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PRIMARY PRINCIPAL
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PYP COORDINATOR
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TELLING OUR STORIES IN KINDERGARTEN
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DOING SMALL BUT SIGNIFICANT THINGS IN GRADE ONE
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GRADE 5
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PRIMARY MUSIC
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PRIMARY EAL
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SECONDARY PRINCIPAL
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EXPERIENCING MATHEMATICS
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WEEK WITHOUT WALLS
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GRADE 6
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GRADE 7
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GRADE 8
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GRADE 9
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GRADE 10
and Communications Department of
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GRADE 11
Pechersk School International, Kyiv for
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GRADE 12
students, alumni, parents, and friends of
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THE EXTENDED ESSAY: CHALLENGING STUDENTS TO EXCEL ACADEMICALLY
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PSI PANTHERS ATHLETICS 2016 – 2017
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SECONDARY EAL
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SECONDARY ARTS
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PTA NEWS
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COUNSELLOR'S CORNER
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CAS AS A ROAD TO PERSONAL GROWTH
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ALUMNI
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LIBRARY — WELCOME TO OUR WORLD
PRIMARY
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WWW.PSI.KIEV.UA CHIEF EDITOR – EMMA ZELENINA EMMAZ@PSI.KIEV.UA
COPY EDITOR – PATRICIA PUIA PATRICIAP@PSI.KIEV.UA
LAYOUT DESIGN – MAX MART PRINTED BY: “UKRDRUK” PUBLISHING COMPANY
SECONDARY
PSI LIFE QUARTERLY MAGAZINE
PSI Life is published quarterly by Marketing
the school. FOUNDER PECHERSK SCHOOL INTERNATIONAL, 7A VICTORA ZABILY KYIV, UKRAINE, 03039 PHONE: (380 44) 377 5292 FAX: (380 44) 377 5242 WWW.PSI.KIEV.UA
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COMUNITY
COMMUNICATION@PSI.KIEV.UA
‘A C A D E M I C A L LY C H A L L E N G I N G ’ A N D ‘ S T U D E N T C E N T R E D ’
DEAR PSI COMMUNITY:
Welcome to the new PSI school year 2016/17! A beautiful and restful summer passed quickly, and we have already been meeting new students, new nationalities, new teachers, new Board and PTA members and of course, have been inspired by new ideas, projects and new goals for the year. We also have a new Mission Statement!
By Emma Zelenina, Marketing and Admissions Manager
Pechersk School International is a diverse learning community which provides an academically challenging programme in a student-centred environment. As an IB World School, PSI is committed to developing well-rounded global citizens by promoting personal excellence in the classroom and beyond. This autumn issue is focusing on two components of our new Mission Statement: ‘Academically challenging programme’ and ‘student centred environment’. With so many wonderful projects and events that have already happened at PSI – please enjoy reading our new autumn issue on our school’s challenging projects and student achievements. Enjoy the issue!
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SUCCESSFUL GRADE 12 IB DIPLOMA RESULTS 2016
John Burns Director Pechersk School International, Kyiv, Ukraine
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PSI SENIOR SCHOOL DIPLOMA
ASSESSMENT SYSTEM
Grades 11 and 12 follow a two year programme designed for those who seek to enter higher education in universities worldwide. PSI holds the prestigious International Baccalaureate (IB) World School status, making us one of 3000 schools in 120 countries that offer the IB Diploma Programme (DP). PSI joins some of the largest and most established international schools around the world in providing the DP, widely considered to be the most chellenging high school programme in terms of academic rigour, student motivation and commitment, class and independent study time and application.
Grades are based on internally assessed assignments and the end-of-year examinations. Assignment percentage scores are converted into a grade out of 7 points in each subject. The Theory of Knowledge and Extended Essay components provide the possibility of 3 additional points. The total possible score in the IB Diploma is 45 points.
Higher Level Grade: 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Mark Range:
14 - 28
29 - 41
42 - 52
53 - 63
64 - 74
75 - 100
0 - 13
PSI
2013
2014
2015
2016
Average DP Points Earned
29
32
33
34 - (global average - 30.7 / Europe region average - 32.0)
Highest DP Points Earned
33
37
41
41 X2 students - (globally 7.4% earn 40, 0.31% earn 45)
Average DP Subject Points
4.79
5.10
5.45
5.34
‘A C A D E M I C A L LY C H A L L E N G I N G ’ A N D ‘ S T U D E N T C E N T R E D ’
PSI UNIVERSITY OFFERS 2016 Our 16 graduates in the class of 2016 have amassed 40 University acceptances across 5 countries. This includes an 80% acceptance rate on all applications lodged with universities.
OUR PERFORMANCE From 2010 to 2016, 89 of 98 PSI candidates (89%) have earned the full IB Diploma, compared to the world average of 79%. Over the past four years, PSI has improved its performance from an average of 29.0 points to 34 points. The PSI IB Diploma average is 30.7 points, with last year’s cohort earning an average of 34 points. PSI has had several students earning 40 points or above (2 students in 2016), which places them in the top 3% of the world.
USA Yale University Case Western Reserve University Ohio State University University of Virginia Vassar College Washington University in St. Louis College of William and Mary University of Colorado at Boulder Marymount Manhattan College Rochester Institute of Technology
Clark University Northeastern University James Madison University University of William and Mary Washington Old Dominion University Roanoke College Virginia Tech University of Pennsylvania
UK University of Edinburgh King’s College London University College London University of Warwick University of Northampton in England University of Wales Trinity Saint David University of Sheffield University of Kent Heriot-Watt University City University
Goldsmiths College, University of London London Metropolitan University London South Bank University Middlesex University University of Manchester Queen Mary, University of London Cardiff Metropolitan University Wales
OTHER Simon Fraser University - Canada University of Toronto - Canada Concordia University - Montreal - Canada University of Geneva - Switzerland
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BOARD UPDATE
Every year in September, the Board of Governors participates in a workshop focussed on agreeing to and setting PSI’s strategic goals for the year. We are extremely lucky to have a very engaged board and also to have Adele Hodgson, an excellent consultant from the European Council for International Schools (ECIS), to help us with the work. It is a tribute to both Adele and the Board that every board member has completed the workshop (which takes an entire Saturday) at least once. Many have taken part two or even three times since they joined the Board. Every year is different as every year has its own unique challenges, but this year was especially interesting because of a special session on ‘Blue Sky Thinking’.
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irst a little bit of background: when an international school like PSI is accredited, the accrediting bodies don’t just tick some boxes and leave. Instead, they provide the school with a list of recommendations on ways in which the school can best achieve its long term vision. Each year after that, the Board agrees on strategic goals for the school that align with these recommendations. The school administration and staff then work hard on these agreed upon annual
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goals. This means that now, four years on, we have already made significant progress on all of those recommendations. But this year, the last before the reaccreditation process begins, we also got to do some ‘Blue Sky Thinking’, to consider the long term vision afresh. As a board, we believe that PSI can be one of the best mid-sized international schools in the world. We feel that the school is well positioned to be a leader in teaching and learning; the benchmark in the CEESA region and beyond. In our Blue Sky session, we used the new PSI Mission Statement to guide us and we identified several areas as being key to the future success of the school. You can see all of these in the Board’s goals for 2016/2017. But the newest and most exciting area of focus is the future itself. We feel that the key to preparing our students for a successful life in a time of rapid and accelerating change is to carefully consider the futures of education, technology and society. This is why our newest goals are intended to ensure that PSI uses a research-based approach to deliver the most future-oriented education possible. We want all of our children to be well equipped for the future, whatever it may hold.
‘A C A D E M I C A L LY C H A L L E N G I N G ’ A N D ‘ S T U D E N T C E N T R E D ’
SCHOOL / BOARD GOALS ALIGNMENT School Goals
Board Goals
Learning Community
Infuse a culture of collaborative learning among our diverse school groups
Improve participation, interaction and engagement with students, parents and the wider Kyiv community (Whole Board)
Academically Challenging
Ensure a challenging, relevant, rigorous and authentic programme
Ensure a model for ‘futures thinking’ at PSI is in place (Whole Board)
Student Centred
Personalise learning to cultivate student passion, self confidence, and enduring understandings
Ensure the successful completion of Phase 2 (on time, within budget) and plan to utilise the new facilities effectively and efficiently (F&B Committee)
Global Citizens
Define and model global citizenship and provide opportunities to engage in ethical action
Personal Excellence
Create conditions in which community members discover their passion and develop their strengths to grow beyond their own expectations
Ensure the smooth transition of a new Board Chairperson and new Board members through succession planning (G&S Committee) Ensure a strong and compliant financial and legal position (F&R Committee) 7
UNPACKING OUR NEW MISSION STATEMENT We’re pleased to launch our newly revised Mission Statement, created by a committee of teachers, parents and administrators, with input from all segments of our community. We will continue this year to ‘unpack’ the ideas and goals represented here, so please keep an eye on our PSI Life publications, our PTA meetings and other venues for more information.
In this issue we would like to cover the following two issues mentioned in the mission: academically challenging programme and a student-centred environment.
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Academically challenging programme
PSI is an IB World School offering all three programmes for students EC - Grade 12. Students are prepared to attend universities that match their needs and abilities.
Written, taught and assessed curriculum standards based on current best practices An IB curriculum framework Frequent internal and external, formative and summative assessments Mother tongue programme
Student-centered environment
Students engage in a wide variety of activities and experiences that promote powerful learning along with increased self-confidence, personal empowerment, and the freedom to explore personal passions.
An IB inquiry approach with the students at the center of the learning Extensive libraries and IT resources that support a range of topics and interests A Secondary School Bring Your Own Device programme to connect students to a wider world through technology Support for student-initiated action
Primary SCHOOL PRIMARY
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‘A C A D E M I C A L LY C H A L L E N G I N G ’ A N D ‘ S T U D E N T C E N T R E D ’
FROM THE PRIMARY PRINCIPAL The theme for this quarter’s PSI Life is ‘Student Centred’ or ‘Academically Challenging’. Some people might wonder how the two ideas can be compatible. If we are student centred and we focus on the whole child, will it be at the expense of pushing the child academically? We at PSI feel that the two working together to create a strong program where students learn and grow as human beings and students.
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By Tatz Lopukhin, Primary Principal
n part, PSI defines academically challenging as an IB World School offering all three programmes for students EC - Grade 12. Students are prepared to attend universities that match their needs and abilities. We can ‘unpack’ this further to say that we have written, taught and assessed curriculum standards based on current best practices; an IB curriculum framework; frequent internal and external, formative and summative assessments and a Mother tongue programme. The curriculum is the contract the school presents to the parents, the promise that your child will learn. We take our work developing curriculum seriously and always compare our curriculum to world standards and researched best practices. We regularly review and refine our curriculum to keep up with trends and changes in the world. PSI defines student centred as students engaging in a wide variety of activities and
experiences that promote powerful learning along with increased self-confidence, personal empowerment, and the freedom to explore personal passions. We expand on these ideas by saying students will experience an IB inquiry approach with the students at the centre of the learning; we provide extensive libraries and IT resources that support a range of topics and interests including Chromebooks and iPads that connect students to a wider world. Finally, we support student-initiated action. Twenty first century skills, a topic receiving much attention with the press these days, focuses on ensuring that students are able to meet the demands of a changing society and PSI’s mission is to ensure our students are ready for these challenges. So our written curriculum and assessment policies ensure that traditional skills related to reading, writing, mathematics, socials sciences and hard sciences are taught and learnt in our school, while our inquiry based practices and focus on the Learner Profile guarantee these skills and knowledge are actively connected to the child and his/her needs (both social/emotional and academic). We work hard to make sure the learning is meaningful for the child, who is actively engaged in using and applying information and connecting to it in unique and powerful ways. As a result, it is fun to be in school and the children feel safe to be themselves.
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PRIMARY
PYP = = Coordin One of the many ways our Primary School teachers ensure learning is student centred and academically challenging is by designing learning that starts by understanding what students already know and can do. In Kindergarten, students are learning to write stories through play. They are provided with a range of developmentally appropriate tools such as markers and wax crayons to illustrate a story they are thinking about.
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e don’t often think about 5 year olds as writers, but when they are given the proper tools and prompts, our youngest learners enjoy the challenge of telling stories. Grade 4 students were challenged socially and mathematically when recently they were given the task to ‘break into’ a cupboard. The code on the lock had to be deciphered through mathematical reasoning and problem solving. These are only two good examples of the many ways that our PYP teachers engage students in challenging and student-centred learning.
By Michael Palmer PYP Coordinator
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‘A C A D E M I C A L LY C H A L L E N G I N G ’ A N D ‘ S T U D E N T C E N T R E D ’
= = = = inator I I I
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PRIMARY
TELLING OUR STORIES IN
If you ask any child about his/her favourite thing to do, he/she will inevitably say ‘PLAY!’ Children communicate and learn through play. In kindergarten, we see play as a valuable disposition. It is a way that children inquire, discover, and make meaning of the world. The desire to tell stories is also innate in children and in kindergarten, so it just made sense to try and find a way to incorporate storytelling into our play. If you walk into the class during our Story Workshop, you will find the room abuzz with conversation:
By Kailyn Fullerton and Kendall Jackson
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“Baby shark is eating the octopus.” “And then he decided to climb aboard the rocket ship.” “They were bats but they were not normal bats because they had hair.”
‘A C A D E M I C A L LY C H A L L E N G I N G ’ A N D ‘ S T U D E N T C E N T R E D ’
S
tory Workshop is a special time in our class dedicated to planning, creating and sharing stories. Whether the tale is real or imagined, students are able to experiment with different materials in order to discover how each one can inspire them to tell a story. Whether it is paints, blocks, magnet tiles, dramatic play or the light projector, each material helps students to see their story in a unique way. Playing and experimenting with their stories each day help them to draw out details, creating tales that have more depth and structure. We end each workshop with a sharing time, where our authors are able to share their work, whether it is finished or in-process. This is a critical time for students to develop both speaking and listening skills as well as social skills. The audience asks questions and
gives feedback to the author in order to help clarify details or encourage the author to add more to the story the next day. This helps us all to realise that stories are alive, not only in the author’s mind, but in the listener’s or reader’s mind as well. Our main goal in this process is for children to develop the awareness that they are all authors with important stories to tell. Already, the students have claimed ownership of this process. They eagerly plan their stories, choose materials with clear intention, and are beginning to declare when they are ready to publish their finished pieces of work. As a school, we value a student-centred approach to learning. Story Workshop exemplifies this belief, which leads to continued growth and development of our learning community.
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PRIMARY
DOING SMALL BUT SIGNIFICANT THINGS IN GRADE ONE For our first unit of inquiry this year, first grade focused on who we are and how we can do small but significant things to help others and build a community. In first grade, we decided that the Panthers’ Choices were the best way for us to do small but significant things at school.
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‘A C A D E M I C A L LY C H A L L E N G I N G ’ A N D ‘ S T U D E N T C E N T R E D ’
S
ome of the Panthers’ Choices we are using are: wait and cool off, tell the person to stop, apologise, ignore it, walk away, choose another game, talk it out, share and take turns, and make a deal. During the first grade Who We Are unit, we focused on Panthers’ Choices because we wanted first grade to show respect and to understand how our actions affect others. The students were able to communicate about these choices through role playing, art, and writing. The students in first grade showed their independence and thinking skills when they were able to use these choices without teacher support. These are choices that the students have taken and used on the playground, in the cafeteria, in the classrooms, and can now take and use at home.
By Laura Lamb and Nicole Dissinger,
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PRIMARY
Grade 5 Everybody is involved and contibuting One of the first things we did this year was introduce the students to the new Mission Statement: Pechersk School International is a diverse learning community which provides an academically challenging programme in a student-centred environment. As an IB World School, PSI is committed to developing well-rounded global citizens by promoting personal excellence in the classroom and beyond.
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By Sarah Browne and Bryan Reardon Grade 5 Teachers
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e decided that we would make this a ‘living document’ – that we would find examples of the parts of the Mission and include these in our ‘deconstructed’ Mission statement. We looked at the key words and discussed what each meant and how it related to our classroom. We started with defining in our own words what ‘student centred’ was, what it looked, sounded and felt like. Asking our new students how they felt after their first week at PSI also reinforced our motto, as their responses let us know that they felt welcomed and comfortable in their new environment. Over the course of the year, we try to give the
students myriad opportunities to bring their own thoughts and ideas to the learning. At the moment, the students are carrying out their own personal inquiries (Student Directed Learning). These have been inspired by the work we have been doing in our first unit: Where We are in Place and Time, which focuses on civilizations, evidence and progress. Examples of some of the student inquiries include:
• How can we extract colours from Nature? • Language: What were some of the first languages invented….and by whom? • Weapons: What weapons did they use? Can I
make my own weapon using the skills I have learnt about from the past?
‘A C A D E M I C A L LY C H A L L E N G I N G ’ A N D ‘ S T U D E N T C E N T R E D ’
Students have a choise
Students take responsability
Try to be pro-active
One area we are particularly interested in developing this year which we hope will make our programme more student centred and academically challenging is STEAM. This stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics. We will be looking at giving the students the opportunities to learn through these lenses and to make and create different things to support their learning and understanding. This will begin with some teacher guided activities but hopefully develop more into student initiated inquiries. We will be using this checklist of cooperation skills to help the students build the skills that they will need to work on the STEAM challenges – skills that will also help them in the future both in school and in their chosen careers.
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PRIMARY MUSIC
PRIMARY
Often, when planning music lessons, I think back to my own music class in elementary school. There was quite a bit of sitting and singing from lyric sheets. At PSI, our goal is to get the students engaged and taking an active role in their learning. Over the summer, I took an Orff-Schulwerk certification course, which was based on the idea of a student-centred music class with an emphasis on developing musicians through singing, speaking, playing and dancing. Many of the techniques and ideas you will hear about and see in the concerts will be based on Orff-Schulwerk.
I by Gretchen Foster Primary Music teacher
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n EC, Kindergarten and Grade 1, students explore making sounds and saying words in different voices (sing, speak, whisper, shout). Students are developing their pitch matching ability through singing simple tunes and folk songs. They explore un-pitched percussion instruments (drums, cow bells, rhythm sticks etc.) and create patterns that can be played with different music and tempi. We also make connections between music and literature and read books where sound effects can be added and create fun and interesting
‘A C A D E M I C A L LY C H A L L E N G I N G ’ A N D ‘ S T U D E N T C E N T R E D ’
‘Sound Stories’. Some of the students’ favorites are ‘Te Amo Bebe’ and ‘Five Fat Turkeys’. In Grade 2 and Grade 3 we start to learn about pitch (non-standard notation) and focus on high, low and repeated notes. We use Boomwhackers to accompany songs and create patterns with silly phrases. From the beginning of the year, 3rd graders learn about the xylophone and begin to improvise within specific parameters. Improvisation is the most natural form of composing and allows the students to express themselves freely. In January, 2nd graders will begin to explore the xylophone and use it for simple accompaniments and sound effects. Students in Grade 3 will also begin creating rhythm patterns, or ostinati, that they will learn to notate on the staff.
In Grade 4 and Grade 5, the students play the recorder. The 4th graders begin in November and the 5th graders are already continuing their recorder journey from last year. While playing the recorder, the students work to combine their knowledge of rhythm, pitch and expression to create different styles of music. Students will also begin composing for recorders using standard notation. Last year, we began a tradition where the Grade 5 students perform Beethoven’s ‘Ode to Joy’ at our December concert. 4th graders will focus primarily on pieces with B, A and G and develop their note reading ability with different songs. Students are expected to practice their recorders at home and can find the sheet music and mp3 files in Edmodo (4th) and on Google Drive (5th). We will have three concerts this year where the students will demonstrate the different musical skills and concepts they have mastered! Each performance will be at the Demiivska Performing Arts Center located by Demiivska Metro Station at 22 Golosiivskyi Prospect. We hope you will be able to join us to celebrate PSI’s wonderful musicians!
CONCERT DATES
2nd and 3rd Grade Concert: Tuesday, 22nd November at 4:00pm 4th 5th Grade Concert: Tuesday, 14th February at 4:00pm Kindergarten and 1st Grade Concert: Friday, 26th May at 11:00am 21
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PRIMARY EAL
PRIMARY
‘A C A D E M I C A L LY C H A L L E N G I N G ’ A N D ‘ S T U D E N T C E N T R E D ’
YOU CAN HELP SUPPORT EAL! Students in English as an Additional Language (EAL) at PSI work daily in class to learn English. Students can take their language learning with them everywhere and you can help!
How can you help? 1.
READ at home, too! Being literate in one’s native language helps with acquiring a second or third language. a. Read in English and your native language every night. b. Older siblings can read to younger ones.
2.
SPEAK! Talking in English helps increase vocabulary. a. Try speaking English outside of school b. Older siblings can be speaking partners for younger ones. c. Encourage English speaking during play, but don’t force it! d. Sing English songs.
3. INCREASE vocabulary! Practicing social and academic vocabulary increases classroom understandings. a. Learn supporting vocabulary for Units of Inquiry b. Learn sight words. These are frequently used words that help with literacy c. Use pictures to learn new vocabulary 4. WAIT a. It takes between 7-9 years to learn a language! b. Social language comes first, then academic language c. Relax! It takes a while to be fully language proficient and that’s ok! 5. BE consistent a. Choose a couple of things and stick with it!
By: Julie Ann Mirse Primary EAL EC & 3-5 grades
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Secondary SCHOOL
S E CO N DA RY
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‘A C A D E M I C A L LY C H A L L E N G I N G ’ A N D ‘ S T U D E N T C E N T R E D ’
FROM THE SECONDARY PRINCIPAL As an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School offering all three of the IB’s programmes - Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma, PSI offers a rigorous and challenging academic programme. Our students work hard to understand everything from forensic science to world literature, from computer-assisted design (CAD) to advanced calculus, and from new languages (often the third or fourth language for our students) to ancient civilizations. With students from more than 40 countries, we are consistently impressed by how well our students learn and interact in English, which is often not their mother tongue.
In
the Director’s section of this magazine, you learnt about our IB Diploma results and the many fine universities that sought to enrol our students after their graduation from PSI. You may not be aware that our IB Middle Years Programme and our Grade 11 DP students are also high achievers. We take time to celebrate those accomplishments in January and in June, with a Secondary School Honours Assembly that acknowledges student effort and achievement. We offer several levels of achievement certificates: Attitude and Application (A&A) certificates go to students who have not yet reached honours status, but who have only As and Bs in their A&A semester grades. We appreciate that they come to each class ready to learn, participate in class and group activities, complete their homework, and work respectfully with teachers and other students. Honours Awards go to students who have only As and Bs in attitude and only 5s, 6s and 7s on their semester report cards. High Honours Awards go to students who have only As and Bs in attitude and only 6s and 7s on their semester report cards.
By Patricia Puia Secondary Principal
At the June 2016 assembly, we were delighted that so many of our students went home with certificates indicating their academic success. Application and Attitude Awards — DP: 8 students — MYP: 7 students Honours Awards — DP: 1 student — MYP: 38 students High Honours Awards — DP: 1 student — MYP: 17 students Please note that our DP Grade 11 class last year had only 12 students. Ten out of those twelve received an award in June! In addition, a number of our graduates in a class of 17 students also received honours: Application and Attitude: 7 students Honours: 3 students High Honours: 4 students (including two students who had 7s in all classes!) In short, 86 of our students were recognised for academic effort and achievement in May and June of 2016 - nearly half of the Secondary School! Please join me in congratulating those students for their hard work and accomplishments in the IB’s challenging programmes last year. We look forward to celebrating this year’s students in January.
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S E CO N DA RY
Smiling faces, shining eyes and Maths class ‌ One may say that this combination is impossible! Let’s stop by PSI Mathematics classes and you‘ll see that it is not only possible, but common.
P
si offers IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) Mathematics in Grades 6 - 10. In Grades 6 - 8, all students take the same maths course. Starting from Grade 9, students may be placed in Mathematics or Extended Mathematics depending on their interests, semester marks, test and assessment results, teacher recommendation and further educational plans. In Grades 11 and 12, we offer four mathematics courses. IB Diploma Programme (DP) students can take Mathematics Higher Level (HL), Mathematics Standard Level (SL), Math Studies (offered at SL). Non-DP students may take any of those or choose PSI Maths (a non-IB course). For those, who enjoy numbers and reasoning, our department also offers a maths teams ECA.
by Tatiana Isakova Head of Secondary Math
Mathematics becomes clear and more enjoyable when students make their own discoveries. In Grade 8, students studied an equation for straight lines. Just learning dry formulas creates no response in minds and souls.
Our department strongly believes that maths fear should be removed from Maths classes. When students first come to Grade 6 Maths class, they receive a consistent message: We learn from our mistakes, so you may approach a problem your own way. Just try and do not give up.
In Grade 6, students looked at gestalt pictures (where more than one image can be seen) and concluded that it is very similar to maths because you need to take a risk and be an openminded inquirer.
‘A C A D E M I C A L LY C H A L L E N G I N G ’ A N D ‘ S T U D E N T C E N T R E D ’
STUDENTCENTRED LEARNING At different stages of learning mathematics, students start asking questions : Why do we need to study this and how do we know what we know? For example, modeling shapes in Grade 9 helped the students to connect maths to architecture.
What if we try to touch lines and play with them, by making them run and turn? To do this, students experimented with graphical display calculators. Usually we use these tools at the Diploma level, but under the teacher’s guidance, Grade 8 students brilliantly mastered the necessary skills and made connections between formulas and images. Placing a student in the centre, we encourage experiential learning and open gates for personal excellence.
Attempts to understand the nature of mathematics knowledge culminates in the IB DP Theory of Knowledge (TOK) Maths unit, which our department traditionally offers to Diploma students. How do we know that formulas and statements are true? How do people get new maths knowledge? What emotions are behind maths discoveries ?
To find answers to these deep questions, a person needs to have a wide range of mathematical facts and skills. However, even that is not sufficient. It is important to experience a process of exploring mathematics, to feel both failure and success, and to use special mathematical language to deliver your ideas. This year in TOK Maths, Diploma students explored the Mobius strip, made a hypothesis, and were searching for their justification of mathematical statements. Such an approach puts the student as a learner in the centre of the learning process. These examples are only a small fraction of approaches to teaching utilised by the PSI Secondary Maths department and our contribution to turning the PSI Mission Statement into reality.
S E CO N DA RY
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‘A C A D E M I C A L LY C H A L L E N G I N G ’ A N D ‘ S T U D E N T C E N T R E D ’
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‘The world is the true classroom. The most rewarding and important type of learning is through experience, seeing something with our own eyes,’ said Jack Hanna. During the Grade 6 Week Without Walls trip, the Transcarpathian Region in Ukraine was their classroom. The students’ learning had a Physical Education/Health focus but their experiences and learning went much further to include math, science, Ukrainian history, and the IB learner profile.
by Felina Heart EC - Grade 8 Counselor
GRADE
S E CO N DA RY
WEEK WITHOUT WALLS
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fter a long day of travel on day one, students woke bright and early to engage in morning exercises. They gained knowledge on how the blood and muscles work to build energy and strength. Then students had the opportunity to inquire about traditional Ukrainian skills of pottery making, forging and the role horses play in this region. Students engaged in risk taking as they tried to work the metal, clay and rode a horse. The students spent the afternoon at a Thermal wells resort where they had to be open minded about the health benefits of the heated and cooled waters with various elements to support the skin.
‘A C A D E M I C A L LY C H A L L E N G I N G ’ A N D ‘ S T U D E N T C E N T R E D ’
On the third day, students had to think about how they could cook a balanced meal on a camp fire. They had a budget of 500 UAH for a group of 5-6 students and had to use math skills to consider the cost of items, weight of food needed to feed their group, and estimate the calories for their healthy meal. After learning about healthy meals and how different foods support the balance of the body, students had to plan and cook a healthy meal while staying on budget. Students did a great job communicating within their groups, which helped them to stay within their budget and cook a variety of meals with proteins, fruits, vegetables, and grains that the whole group could enjoy. Then all the teamwork they used for their meals came in handy as they played some football and engaged in teambuilding activities. They finished the evening watching a movie about friendship, working together, and supporting each other. On day four, students took a ride on military vehicles to the top of Mount Polonina Rovnaya. At the top of the mountain, they did a walking tour of an old abandoned military base, looked out across neighbouring borders of Poland, Slovenia and Hungary, and learnt some of the legends about the region and the mountain. They then returned to camp, warmed up and worked on ideas for their assembly presentation. They finished with a large campfire, performed skits about their trip and were able to make ‘s’mores’ and drink warm hot cocoa. On the last day, students packed and headed to a castle in the area. At the castle, they learnt more about the history of Ukraine in this particular region. They then headed to Lviv for one last healthy meal before boarding a train for their return to Kyiv. Students were caring and very principled throughout the whole trip. They were excited to be heading home but sad to leave their adventure behind. Students were able to reflect upon their trip with a trip journal that they completed. As you can see, the Transcarpathian region was their classroom and they had experiences that will last them a lifetime and experiences that provided them with real hands on learning.- the kind of learning that can only be gained through seeing the world with their own eyes.
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WEEK WITHOUT WALLS
by Cory Haugen 7th grade homeroom teacher
GRADE
S E CO N DA RY
IN THE LAND OF LIONS Lviv is a city steeped in history and defined by the cultural exchange that occurred throughout the heart of the region of Galicia. The city begs to be explored and the history demands that those who truly want to experience Lviv go on a quest to discover its magic. Our Week Without Walls trip immersed us in the history and allowed us to explore Lviv and the surrounding region through such quests.
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ur first quest was to explore Lviv and search out the namesake of the town: lions. At first glance, this seems an easy task, as huge statues of lions grace most parts of the city including the front of the town hall. However, we quickly discovered that there are lions, an estimated 4500, in all the corners and crevices of Lviv. The lions seem to watch over and protect the city, its inhabitants and its guests. As we found each new creature, our understanding of the town grew and we began to appreciate the city in which we would spend the rest of the week.
‘A C A D E M I C A L LY C H A L L E N G I N G ’ A N D ‘ S T U D E N T C E N T R E D ’
Our second quest took us outside the city to explore the historical castles and palaces that dot the countryside. Our first stop was Olesko Castle, where we participated in games designed to help us better understand the history of the castle and its grounds. After a tour and a bit of a classic medieval-themed lunch we mounted our trusty steed (well, we got on a bus) and headed off to Pidhirtsi Castle where we explored the grounds and searched for the ghost that, according to legend, haunts the estate. Our final stop was Zolochiv Castle where we learnt about the Polish influence on the region and the sad history of the palace as a prison. Tired, we returned to our hotel to prepare for the next quest. The third day in Lviv was spent visiting the past. Our quest this day took us to the Lviv Outdoor Folk Museum where we learnt about early rural life in the region. We even had the opportunity to sample some rustic bread and play classic folk instruments. We then returned to the city centre and visited some of the catacombs underneath Lviv. We learnt about the lives of the Dominican monks who once populated the city and also saw some of the cells that held criminals and heretics. The final quest of our trip required that we take all that we had learnt about the city and follow clues to our final destination: the top of the town hall tower. As we completed our ascent up 408 stairs, we were met with by the sun and provided a beautiful view of Lviv. We sang a song of victory and then went down the tower to get our just rewards: the opportunity to make marzipan and chocolate confections. During each of these quests, students collected photos and took notes to prepare for their presentation of a beast fable. Their stories included elements of their time in Lviv as well as strong moral lessons. The fables were performed on our final night in front of the entire class and chaperones. Gathering around as one group and telling stories inspired by our quests was a perfect ending to a wonderful week.
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8 GRADE
S E CO N DA RY
34
WEEK WITHOUT WALLS
PGL LIDDINGTON, ENGLAND PSI’s class of 2021 flew to England for their Week Without Walls trip this year, traveling to Swindon in the western part of the country to enjoy three days at the scenic PGL camp in Liddington, named for its founder Peter Gordon Lawrence.
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uesday morning, the PGL experience really began. Students were divided into three groups and rotated amongst the activities arranged for them, each 90-minute session exposing them to something new. Students took part in abseiling, raft building, a vertical challenge involving climbing tires and ropes, and problem solving activities before competing in a trivia quiz. Afterwards they were given the chance to socialise and relax for a little while before bedtime.
‘A C A D E M I C A L LY C H A L L E N G I N G ’ A N D ‘ S T U D E N T C E N T R E D ’
By Paul Christopher Grade 7, 8, MYP English Language and Literature
On Wednesday, the students challenged their fear of heights by taking a leap of faith on a trapeze several metres off the ground, while others challenged themselves by moving through an obstacle course blindfolded, with only their hands and their friends to guide them. They played aeroball--an invigorating combination of trampolines and basketball--and later climbed a 10-meter wall. In the evening, they played hideand-seek in the forested areas around the camp, frightening each other to laughter in the dark. Thursday was the final day at the camp and students rowed in canoes on the PGL lake, an artificial pond offering a safe chance to practice their turning and maneuvering. They shot arrows at the archery range and rode bikes on a trail around the camp. Lastly, they all took a chance on the giant swing--a massive contraption that sent them (safely) flying some 30 meters through the air. After dinner they played team-building games. Friday morning was the biggest challenge of all; after three days of intense activity, students had to leave the camp at 4:30 in the morning to head to Heathrow Airport. It was slow going, but soon they arrived back in Kyiv and were happy to be home. Students had a great time at the camp in Liddington, running loose in the open air and working with the experienced and talented staff. PGL takes very good care of its guests, offering a wide range of activities and making sure students always have something to do. The scheduling was exceptionally well-organised, with students having three generous meals a day and ample time to get ready in the morning. All in all, the Grade 8 trip to Liddington was a very positive experience and one they aren’t likely to forget any time soon. 35
9 GRADE
S E CO N DA RY
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WEEK WITHOUT WALLS
UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH THE COLD WAR Grade 9 students spent their Week Without Walls enhancing their studies in Individuals and Societies and English Language Acquisition by exploring Cold War Berlin. Students turned their classroom knowledge of the Berlin Wall into a week of discovery.
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hey visited the Berlin Wall Memorial Museum, an area with a large section of the Wall and the ‘Death Strip’. They were able to walk around and explore this section, giving them a firsthand idea of what Berliners saw during the 28 years that the Wall stood. They were accompanied by two guides who pointed out specific details, and who helped them to imagine exactly how it must have been to be in Berlin when the Wall was up. The visit ended with a film that explained the building of the wall and the role of the Berlin Wall in world history.
‘A C A D E M I C A L LY C H A L L E N G I N G ’ A N D ‘ S T U D E N T C E N T R E D ’
The Reichstag, the present German Parliament, was also one of the focal points of the trip. The group attended a ‘sound and light’ performance about the history of the building, and had a lecture in the gallery of the Plenary Hall. The visit ended with the students exploring the dome and the roof area of the building. The views of Berlin were excellent! Another day took them on a bike ride along the route of the Wall in the city. Expert guides showed them how to identify if they were in the former East or West Berlin while taking them to Checkpoint Charlie, the East Side Gallery, the Oberbaum Bridge and the Russian War Monument in Treptow Park. The guides also told the students stories of some very daring escapes from East Germany. The trip culminated with a tour of the Lindenstrasse Memorial, a Stasi (secret police) prison in Potsdam, near Berlin. A former prisoner conducted the tour, explaining how the prison worked and how political prisoners were kept in solitary confinement during their time in this prison. A question and answer period helped the class to expand their knowledge of life in Berlin during the Cold War. The group found the experience of talking to a Cold War ‘Zeitzeuge’ (time witness) to be especially enlightening. All travel was done by public transport, bicycle and on foot; as a result, students began to feel comfortable traveling around the city. Each evening, dinner was in a different area of the city, so the group was able to sample Berlin’s international restaurant scene. There was also time for several visits to Starbucks as well as a trip to the Ritter Sport Store to have chocolate bars made to order. It was an outstanding visit, made even better by the students’ keen interest in the Berlin Wall and the Cold War. Their ‘real world’ experiences were just one way that the Week Without Walls trip this year supported the school’s mission. An outstanding week!
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GRADE
by Kelli Karg, Polina Spencer, Katie King, Paul Horkan
S E CO N DA RY
WEEK WITHOUT WALLS
TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE On our Week WIthout Walls trip to Krakow, Poland, Grade 10 remained focused on the importance of human culture to protect and preserve experiences, whether they be our own or others’. Krakow offered the students a unique look at what a community with a long history does with the memory of a whole group of people from its ranks, and how it moves forward.
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s a trip that is rooted firmly in the Individuals and Societies and Language and Literature curriculum, we saw a variety of historical artifacts and personal memoirs. We began our week with a guided tour in the Underground Museum beneath the Main Market Square, as well as a walking tour throughout the rest of Old Town, where we discovered the origins and development of the city and region, going back to the Middle Ages.
‘A C A D E M I C A L LY C H A L L E N G I N G ’ A N D ‘ S T U D E N T C E N T R E D ’
After our grounding in Poland’s tumultuous history, we focused our attention on the struggle of the country’s Jewish residents in the 20th century. A visit to Auschwitz and Birkenau, as well as the Gestapo Museum, was difficult for the students, and their struggle brought up insightful debate about the benefit of preserving a place of such sadness and systematic destruction. How does a place that represents the opposite of protection stand for preservation? But the camps were not the only symbols for us this week. We were able to visit places that offered hope to communities, like the Eagle Pharmacy in the former Jewish ghetto, which acted as the centre of hope and refuge from the horrors of ghetto living, and Schindler’s Factory, where 1200 lives were saved. In these instances, students got to experience memoirs and other stories of great respect and sacrifice to protect those of a different religion. The students were asked, how can the many voices of a community remain heard? In monuments around the city giving praise to poets and fables and warriors like we saw on the sculpture walking tour and in the Soviet district, Nowa Huta, Krakow is giving voice to myriad stories to show the influences on a modern and ancient city. So while the students experienced the difficult past, they made sure to sample the art, the cuisine, the music to take back with them to Kyiv and beyond. During the week, the students were challenged in a way that we rarely are in our daily lives. The difficult decisions made by those that we study in Language and Literature and Individuals and Societies ask the students to see that choices between self-preservation and the preservation of humanity are never easy. Our final stop at the Galicia Jewish museum showed us images of how these choices endure into the 21st century and how memory can keep these kinds of choices everrelevant. 39
11 by Simon Ferry, Zina Volkova, Callum Marshall
GRADE
S E CO N DA RY
40
WEEK WITHOUT WALLS
London is a big city. And when I say big, I mean BIG. It sprawls across the landscape, and navigating the streets and the subway is a massive undertaking in itself.
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wenty students and staff ventured out early on Sunday to tackle the city and wring it for all we could in the space of five days. The size and scope of the undertaking hit us in the first hours as it took a huge amount of time to exit Gatwick airport and make our way to the centre of the city where our accommodation awaited us. We arrived just in time to make our way across the city to our first excursions; Group 1 attended an escape room nearby, while Group 2 visited a production of Imogen at the Globe theatre. This was a real hit, despite standing in the yard for the entire performance. The raw presence of the performers and the immediacy of the modern interpretation will stay with the students for a long time to come.
‘A C A D E M I C A L LY C H A L L E N G I N G ’ A N D ‘ S T U D E N T C E N T R E D ’
The next four days were filled with a vast array of experiences to thrill and delight. Our central theme was linked to TOK and the ARTS - ‘How do I feel?’ As a group, we had the opportunity to explore incredible art, architecture and the history of London, visiting places like the National Gallery, Buckingham Palace, Tate Modern, Hampton Court, Borough Market, and the Hindu temple in Neasden. Each of these places offered up a unique experience for those that were open to it. Students were required to complete ‘feeling’ diaries for each experience, documenting their emotional response and trying to make sense of what elements manipulated their response. On the whole, students found this to be an incredibly difficult task. We so often bury our emotive responses it can be hard to qualify them in words. The evenings were filled with musical and theatrical experiences that engaged students’ imagination However, the clear highlight of the evening events was the Jack the Ripper Tour. Our guide was excellent and grabbed the students’ attention with this riveting tale. Wandering around London’s East End at night imagining Jack the Ripper lurking in the shadows had the students more than a little spooked. In leaving London, we were able to look back on an incredible week full of experiences and challenges. Learning outside the classroom requires embracing a holistic ideal where even navigating your way around requires new skills and new ways of thinking and being. The IB learner profile really comes into its own in situations such as this. Risk takers, communicators, thinkers, carers and reflectors - all qualities we witnessed in abundance while living, working and experiencing together.
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12 S E CO N DA RY
by Audra Santos, Trip Leader
GRADE
RISK AND REWARD IN SLOVENIA
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WEEK WITHOUT WALLS
Slovenia is a country defined by a tumultuous past and a stunning landscape. It is also a hub for those seeking outdoor adventures, or, in the case of Grade 12 students, an opportunity to push individual boundaries and take risks beyond one’s comfort zone for the purpose of the IB Diploma Programme’s Theory of Knowledge (TOK) course.
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e began our first day with rafting on the Soči River near Bovec, Slovenia, an area near the border with Italy and Austria. Many students were hesitant at first to board the raft in the clear, cold river, with the promise of dangerous rapids down the way, but soon we were off with two rafts, one holding the boys and the other with the girls. It was quickly evident that the rapids were not as dangerous as promised, and students began to relax and enjoy the experience and the scenery. During two stops, students were offered the chance to slide down the raft into the water for a swim or jump off of an 8 meter-high boulder (the biggest challenge!). Several students made the giant leap, including all three of the accompanying teachers. First fear conquered.
‘A C A D E M I C A L LY C H A L L E N G I N G ’ A N D ‘ S T U D E N T C E N T R E D ’
Once everyone got into the flow of the class trip and realised that the activities, although dangerous on the surface, were actually quite safe, the remaining activities unfolded with much less hesitation in general. Yes, people still faced challenges, including pushing themselves physically and mentally up mountain hikes and down natural water slides during canyoning. Not to mention the 24 hours students spent without their phones or cameras while hiking up to Mount Mangart for an overnight stay in a hut with splendid views. What many students missed the most during this hike was the ability to take their own photos. A valid reflection came when a student realised how much more she forced herself to commit to memory without the distraction of her phone. Grade 12 students prepared for their summative TOK assessments for the IB Diploma by reflecting on how the week’s activities affected them as individuals. The student-centred approach to the activities allowed for personally challenging experiences which differed from student to student. At the end of the week, each student composed a TOK ‘knowledge question’ based on a challenge they faced, then analysed and evaluated their question from the perspective of real-life experiences they have had. Evaluating these questions was academically challenging as it forced students to reflect on their growth over the course of the trip and the choices they had made about whether or not to go against their intuition and face their own fears in new situations. Throughout the week, students were challenged beyond what they experience on a normal basis. Many came on the trip with reservations, but left with newfound confidence. Most of all, everyone enjoyed themselves and went away happy that they attended and made new memories that will last a lifetime. 43
S E CO N DA RY
EXTENDED ESSAY:
by Annahita Sarty Extended Essay Coordinator
CHALLENGING STUDENTS TO EXCEL ACADEMICALLY
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In February 2016, almost eight months ago, the graduating class of 2017 embarked on an academically challenging project known as the Extended Essay (EE). The Extended Essay allows IB Diploma Programme (DP) students ‘to investigate a topic of special interest, in the form of a 4,000-word piece of independent research’ (IB, 2007) and is one of the three components at the core of the IB Diploma Programme.
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ne of the key elements of the EE is that students choose their topics themselves from one of the six areas they are studying. It is vital that students choose their topic carefully, as the research involved in writing the EE can be difficult and time-consuming, and in many cases, the student’s passion for his or her chosen subject is one of the main factors in success. This year, students have chosen topics in a number of areas, ranging from Physics to Film to Geography. They are looking at questions as varied as the effect of the EU Free Trade Agreement and the Russian trade embargo on Ukraine’s economy; the marketing of clothes through social media; and the factors that contributed to the failure of Ukraine’s first independent state in 1918.
‘A C A D E M I C A L LY C H A L L E N G I N G ’ A N D ‘ S T U D E N T C E N T R E D ’
Once they have chosen their areas of interest, students then narrow down their focus to a workable research question, carry out the research and/or experiments needed to support their arguments, and put it all together into a 4000-word paper. Summarised like that, the EE sounds easy, but it is actually a massive undertaking, spanning both years of the DP. Luckily, Grade 12 students are nearing the end of their task: they will submit their final draft before October break, and the final version of the essay will be completed before winter break, allowing students to focus on the rest of their DP courses, school work and exam preparation. As well as helping to contribute to a maximum of 3 possible bonus points (along with points received from Theory of Knowledge), the EE also teaches students valuable time-management, research, and communication skills that will serve them well in university. According to recent research conducted by McGill University in Canada, Warwick University in the United Kingdom and the University of Virginia in the United States, completing the EE taught students to be ‘critical and independent thinkers’, prepared
them for various aspects of the research process, and gave them an increased level of confidence when doing research reports. (IB, 2013) Another study conducted by researchers from the Education Policy Improvement Center (EPIC) corroborated these findings, noting that the skills students learnt while doing the EE ‘left DP students feeling more prepared to conduct research than many of their classmates.’ (IB, 2014) Perhaps even more important than the aforementioned skills promoted by the EE is the fact that ‘IB alumni are overwhelmingly excited about their engagement with research: they are more proud of their research, more likely to intend to conduct more research in the future, and more likely to find their research skills to be important to their future success.’ (Inkelas et al, 2012, p.4) Our seniors have worked hard on their EEs over the past 8 months, and they should be very proud of their achievements. The skills they have learnt throughout this process should serve them well, both in university and beyond. Congratulations to the Class of 2017!
Inkelas, K.K., Swan, A.K., Pretlow, J., Jones, J.N. (2012) Exploring the Benefits of the International Baccalaureate Extended Essay for University Studies at the University of Virginia. Case Study. University of Virginia, Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, Curry School of Education, Virginia (Online).
International Baccalaureate (2013) ‘IB Diploma Programme research shows extended essay improves student approach to learning in higher education’ The IB Community Blog, 20 November.
BIBLIOGRAPHY (Accessed: 25 September 2016)
International Baccalaureate (2014) ‘Study finds that IB Diploma Programme students are more prepared for university’ The IB Community Blog, 9 July. Available at: http://bit.ly/2dwCNk7
International Baccalaureate (207) Extended Essay Guide First Exams 2013. [Online] Available at: http://bit.ly/2cITwET
Available at: http://bit.ly/2dId5dJ
Available at: http://bit.ly/2dkJiYO 45
S E CO N DA RY
PSI PANTHERS ATHLETICS 2016 – 2017 This year will be a year of many challenges as we work out a training and game schedule with facilities and locations away from campus for sports due to the construction of our new Sports Gym/Pool and other Sporting Facilities close to the school community.
We started the year with Season 1 and had good numbers signing up and preparing for the upcoming Kyiv School Sports League (KSSL) and Central Eastern European Schools Association (CEESA) tournaments. This year, students will also have some new developments in our athletics programme to look forward to, including:
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1
Season Sublimated Shirts given to each PSI Panthers Team Member for each Season
2
A new CEESA tracksuit design with new colours and material
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PSI Panthers Pride merchandise being available for students and family members to purchase
‘A C A D E M I C A L LY C H A L L E N G I N G ’ A N D ‘ S T U D E N T C E N T R E D ’
By Ric Floyd Secondary School Teacher Athletics Director / Head of Department PE
KSSL also has the possibility of new programmes this year as sports in Kyiv international schools grow. We are looking at Middle School Tennis, High / Middle School Cross Country, and Middle School / High School Swimming Tournaments to help prepare students for the CEESA events. The league also wants to further develop the Invitational Futsal Soccer Tournaments and the Track and Field Tournament in the last season. As the first season starts, football is passing into a development year due to the availability of facilities and also the hope to increase the number of local schools competing in the league.
Season 1
Season 2
Season 3
Middle School Girls Football
Middle School Maths Count
Middle School Boys Volleyball
3rd to 6th Nov 2016
2nd to 5th Feb 2017
11th to 14th May 2017
The programmes we offer in athletics for the fall season are listed below, with the dates and venues for each CEESA Tournament and the list of coaches involved with each team as our programme grows each year: Coach Co Coaches
Assistant Coach Learner Coach
CEESA Dates
CEESA Venue
Middle School Boys Football
Annie Holzman
Bryan Reardon
Michael Palmer
Nov 3 - 6
Riga, Latvia
Middle School Girls Football
Ric Floyd
Clare Cannon
—
Nov 3 - 6
Kyiv, Ukraine
High School Boys Football
Ric Floyd
Rex Santos
—
Nov 9 - 13
Helsinki, Finland
High School Girls Football
Callum Marshall
Katy Hourston
—
Nov 9 - 13
Skopje, Macedonia
Chip Faircloth
Sarah Browne
—
Oct 6 - 9
Prague, Czech Republic
Valeria Laitinen Michael Holland
—
—
Nov 10 - 13
Tbilisi, Georgia
Team
Middle School Boys & Girls Tennis Middle & High School Boys & Girls Cross Country
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By Jane Ellys Head of Secondary EAL Language Acquisition Teacher Grade 9 Homeroom
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SECONDARY EAL
S E CO N DA RY
‘A C A D E M I C A L LY C H A L L E N G I N G ’ A N D ‘ S T U D E N T C E N T R E D ’
English as an Academic Language (EAL) is a course that is by nature academically challenging. In our Secondary EAL courses, teachers James Spencer and Jane Ellys create lessons that challenge students to approach their classes in English. This is just the beginning. EAL students are challenged in two different ways. They are working hard to learn English while at the same time they are completing all coursework in English. EAL students have to work doubly hard to access the course curricula for science, math, English, Individuals and Societies, as well as music, drama, visual arts, physical education, and design technology in English. They do this while continuing to improve their English language skills. In our EAL courses, we work on specific academic skills in the four areas of listening, speaking, reading and writing. Many students are comfortable in English socially; they can carry on conversations or read messages and e-mails without much trouble. When it comes to studying in English, however, students need new skills that are language and subject related. We spend time in EAL class learning to write essays, papers, summaries, reviews, articles and blurbs to name a few types of academic writing assignments. We practice speaking through presentations, debates, questions and answers, as well as class discussion. We read articles, texts, abstracts, essays and stories to help improve reading skills. Listening is done through discussions, debates, recordings and films. All of the above schoolwork is paired with vocabulary exercises to help students learn all of the new subject-specific vocabulary that comes in every course. B means Beginning. This level is for students who are relatively new to English. These students not only need extra support from their EAL teachers, but they also have extra help from their course teachers who make sure to modify assignments to suit student English. Students still learn the same information as their peers, but have more support from their teachers. C means Consolidating. Students show more comprehension in lessons and can listen, speak read and/or write at a level that is comprehensible and fluid. D means Developing. In this level, students are beginning to become more independence in their studies, can understand what they must do in their classes, but have strong need to strengthen their skills. Their class teachers continue to modify their assignments. E means Extending. Students have developed strong skills and should be ready to exit from EAL soon. This shows how EAL students at PSI have a double challenge at school. They must learn English while learning the coursework for all classes in English. We are often in awe of the ease with which most EAL students slide into their roles and improve their English skills while working to excel academically! EAL is not an easy course; it is a course which guides English language learners to be strong students in their courses!
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ACADEMICS … IN THE ARTS?
S E CO N DA RY
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It can be a common misconception that students take arts subjects because they are a ‘soft’ option.
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t is probably true that they are not as academically demanding as some other subjects, like math and the sciences for example. One of the reasons is that the arts are heavily subjective. It is not an easy task to define art or an artistic process. Questions like ‘What is art?’ propose their own challenges to students and encourage them to think and feel in different ways. The process of creating and appreciating art requires multiple intelligences. It asks students and teachers to explore their intuition; their emotion; their awareness of visual and spatial aesthetic.
‘A C A D E M I C A L LY C H A L L E N G I N G ’ A N D ‘ S T U D E N T C E N T R E D ’
It asks them to investigate interpersonal and intrapersonal ideas while continuing to examine the relevance of any piece to their current context. This presents a very challenging environment. Successful students must engage with the arts with a high degree of personal involvement. So it is no wonder that students who start out seeking the arts as a ‘soft option’ quickly find it demands a lot of them. The arts are ultimately personal and immediate and are vital for developing well rounded and balanced young people.
By Simon Ferry Drama & HOD ARTS
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community
COMMUNITY
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‘A C A D E M I C A L LY C H A L L E N G I N G ’ A N D ‘ S T U D E N T C E N T R E D ’
PTA NEWS The Parent Teacher Association (PTA) is here for all students, parents and staff at PSI. Our main function is to keep our PSI community vibrant and contribute to the school’s motto: A Place Where We Belong!
We have already seen some well attended PTA events this school year, like the Back to School Picnic, the Market Tour and the Wine & Cheese for Newcomers. In a few weeks, we will have our annual International Night (Saturday, 29th October). This is an all family event dedicated to celebrating our countries. Families and teachers team up by nation or region to showcase their unique food and culture. As usual, there will be a student Parade of Nations to kick off the event. We hope that you will all want to join us! If you have any questions regarding this event, please contact Maria Norberg, ptasecretary@psi.kiev.ua.
PTA Steering Committee 2016/2017:
PTA meetings take place on the second Tuesday of every month. At every meeting, PSI Director John Burns shares the latest news from school. Come and listen to PTA’s plans and upcoming events!
Iulia Burunciuc President
Otilia Naftanaila Vice president, Board representative
Maura Tavana Vice president, room parents’ coordinator
Maria Norberg Secretary
Inna Zhurzhii, Dino Zulumovic and Iryna Yurkevych members at large
Lorena Pirvu Treasurer
Sveta Ringger Newcomers’ coordinator
Svitlana Plyhun Art coordinator 53
COUNSELLOR’S CORNER
COMMUNITY
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by Katie King Secondary Counsellor
‘A C A D E M I C A L LY C H A L L E N G I N G ’ A N D ‘ S T U D E N T C E N T R E D ’
MYP parents may hear a new word this fall: PEx. PEx is short for Personal Excellence, one of the pillars of the new PSI Mission Statement, and it is also what we have chosen to call the new homeroom curriculum being implemented this year.
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Reference: Fezler, Brooke and Brown, Cheryl. (2011) The International Model for School Counseling Programmes. South America: Association of American Schools in South America.
n the past, homeroom sessions were in ‘double’ blocks of 80 minutes each week when a variety of school-wide activities, such as MYP assemblies and the School Wide Write took place. After attending conferences emphasising the importance of implementing a structured pastoral curriculum, school counsellors Felina Heart and Katie King proposed splitting these homeroom periods into twice-a-week sessions: One that focuses on the Personal/Social, Academic, Career, and Global Perspective domains of the International School Counselling Association (ISCA) model, and the other used for school-wide projects, group planning, and other activities. Last spring, Kelli Karg, Annahita Sarty, David Freeman, and Mica Gaard volunteered to join a curriculum development committee to help fully develop the PEx class. Since three of these are also homeroom teachers, their input into the lessons has been invaluable in creating interesting, ageappropriate lessons that we hope will resonate with students. Topics were gathered from a survey of Secondary teachers and students, and include Cyber Citizenship, Healthy Relationships, Careers, Conflict Resolution, Organisation, Study Skills, and more. We continue to tweak the order of classes and the lessons themselves as the year progresses. What this means is that our students are participating in weekly lessons that cover several topics that are not covered in the academic curriculum, but are nonetheless important information for them to know. Importantly, the PEx programme is a big step in implementing the ISCA model for our School Counselling programme. According to ISCA, such programmes should be ‘comprehensive in scope, preventative in design, developmental in nature, and an integral part of the total education programme’. PEx is just one component of the model, which also includes responsive services, individual student planning, and system support. (Fezler and Brown, 2011) In the field of school counselling, ISCA is the international ‘gold standard’. Creation of a programme that follows this model is important in the establishment and continuation of PSI’s counselling programme and in continuing PSI’s development as a high quality international school. In addition, given the transient nature of international school staff, it is important that new counsellors can come to PSI and step into a recognizable system that they can not only implement, but make their own in a short time. I hope that parents will follow the progress of the PEx curriculum this year and speak with your children about what we are doing in class. You can find the week’s topics in the Monday Mail along with all of the other areas of study. Questions and comments about the programme can be addressed to Secondary counsellor Katie King at katiek@psi.kiev.ua. 55
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CAS
CAS AS A ROAD TO PERSONAL GROWTH Creativity, Activity,Service (CAS) is one of the main components of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP). CAS is one of the features that distinguishes IB from other educational systems, by promoting the development of a student into a well rounded, proactive and responsible personality. CAS gives students experience in learning outside of the classroom, meeting challenges, setting goals and taking responsibility for their own actions.
T by Tatiana Isakova CAS Coordinator
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he 2017 graduating class is following a new CAS Guide. The essence of CAS stayed the same: CAS is about learning through experience outside of the classroom. This programme encourages every student to contribute to a healthy lifestyle (Activity), explore a sense of self-expression (Creativity) and respond to the needs of the community (Service). In accordance
with the new guide, work quality is the main measure of success, not hours spent on the projects. Commitment, new skill development, teamwork, participation in planning, and consideration of the ethical implication of actions are used for evaluating student performance in CAS. This new approach broadens the horizons for new forms of creative reflection on CAS experiences, and also requires three recorded interviews with programme participants as a new form of reflection. Students are expected to gather evidence of their 18 month CAS work in their Portfolios, which may be reviewed by the IB for evaluation. This year’s CAS programme started in August with a planning meeting. The meeting began with informative and emotional presentations from the CAS project leaders.
‘A C A D E M I C A L LY C H A L L E N G I N G ’ A N D ‘ S T U D E N T C E N T R E D ’
Presentations encouraged students to sign up for projects of interest to them. Significantly, all PSI CAS projects have been initiated by students or parents, and some of them already have more that 10 years of history. However, this year, a new music band project was also initiated by the students.
Last year’s experience helped the students to develop both leadership and understanding of CAS, and new Grade 11 students added new energy and fresh ideas. Special thank you to the teachers, who volunteered to become CAS Supervisors.
From 14th September, teams started their activities. In accordance with the new guide, each project starts with an investigation, followed by planning, acting, reflecting and demonstrating. A good example of project development has already been shown by the Student Store project. A new team investigated market and community needs, made some financial decisions, organised sales and also decided to invest a part of last year’s profit to helping the Djerela charitable organization for families with intellectually impaired children to replace windows, which were in an disrepair. The decision to invest 23, 000 hrv was supported by all members. At the first brainstorm activity, students also thought about other charity projects and ‘veterans’ informed the new team that last year, the Student Store project helped 5 charities and invested 52 834 hrv to different events and projects. By now, new teams have had their first meetings and activities already, so CAS work is in progress. As the PSI mission statement reminds us, PSI is ‘committed to developing well rounded global citizens’. CAS at PSI proves that this is true.
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ALUMNI How long were you a PSI student and when did you graduate? I was at PSI from 2004-2010, and graduated in June 2010. What did you like the most about PSI? What I liked most about PSI was the collegiate culture. Because of its small size, students would know not only their classmates, but also most other students and teachers at the school. That created an environment in which it was much easier to learn, much easier to get along with almost everyone, and a much more accommodating platform for pursuing whatever dreams and ambitions you had.
An exclusive Interview with George Kiladze, a former PSI student, currently a lawyer at Hogan Lovells International LLP, London.
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What were your favourite subjects or activities? I participated in PSI’s football and cross country teams, both of which I enjoyed greatly. I am particularly nostalgic about our regular outings in October and November, where we competed with various other schools in Kyiv and always punched above our weight. My favourite subjects were Economics and Physics, which I realise now seem a very odd combination! The two subjects taught me to logically analyse problems and critically evaluate arguments, both very useful skills for lawyers! There is a funny story of how these things may play out. I did my extended essay in physics, in an area called optical stress analysis, and ended up discussing that essay during my interview for my current job. (To this day, I’m not entirely sure whether I got that job because of this discussion or despite it!).
‘A C A D E M I C A L LY C H A L L E N G I N G ’ A N D ‘ S T U D E N T C E N T R E D ’
The biggest success at PSI? What I cherish most from PSI are the friends I made, including both students and teachers. At the end of the day, your school is only as good as the people within it and the relationships you build. As far as PSI goes, some of my closest friends are from my high school days. Considering that most of our graduating class is living in different countries, at different stages of their training or profession, and working in vastly different subject areas, this has not stopped us from keeping in touch. From a more contextual approach, and in terms of leaving things behind, one of my proudest achievements is helping to set up the Pay-it-Forward Club, which subsequently got nominated for the Princess Diana Award. Where have you studied, what was your major and why did you choose this major and this particular University? I did my Bachelor of Law at Durham University, and then did my Master of Science in Law and Finance at the London School of Economics and Political Science. I also had to complete the Legal Practice Course at BPP University as part my legal studies. I chose these majors because I was interested in pursuing a career in law from a very young age. I read a John Grisham book when I was 11, and subsequently decided I wanted to make a change, work with different types of clients, assist companies and individuals in grappling with the law, and otherwise indulge in a vastly prevalent and intellectually rewarding area. I was very interested in both the theoretical and practical elements in the field. After finishing my undergraduate degree, I decided I wanted to embark on a postgraduate course combining law with other areas – such as accounting and finance. To become a qualified lawyer in the United Kingdom, you are also required to do the Legal Practice Course, which I ended up doing in 2015..
What is the key feature that made your university different from others? I think there are a number of factors which distinguished my university, and should be considered by potential applicants. First, the quality of the university in the area that you pick. Besides looking at rankings, I identified the relevant professors I wanted to be taught by, and found the law department which I thought would be best suited to me. With regards to my undergraduate degree, I wanted to study in a ‘student city,’ where the university is basically the entire city. You have more time for socials, sports, getting to know people, and most of the people you meet in the city are from your university. This is a truly fantastic experience, and one you can’t get at the majority of universities, so I would consider whether this is something you are looking for! For my postgraduate, the London School of Economics and Political Science has one of the best law departments in the world. It is also one of the few universities which offers a great combination of law and finance modules, which give you a good insight about the role of these areas in the financial crisis, the Eurozone crisis, or a number of other contemporary issues. 59
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What is your life today: any special projects and initiatives? I currently work as a lawyer at Hogan Lovells International LLP, a global law firm headquartered in London and New York. I am sitting in the business restructuring and insolvency department, where we help businesses and banks restructure their debt and help guide them through any bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings. I have also taken on various pro bono initiatives (where we represent the clients for free), including social housing cases, representing various UN bodies in refugee cases and assisting social enterprises with their corporate affairs. Do you keep contacts with some PSI friends? What do you miss the most about PSI? I do keep in touch with quite a few of my PSI friends. Coming from a relatively small school, the ‘international school’ community is not as big as it sometimes seems, so it is a welcome change to hang out with some PSI colleagues. I think one of the things I miss most about PSI is the collegiate and community feeling you got being at the school, and how welcoming it was.
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How did PSI help you in your path to where you are now? There were a number of subjects I did which, at first glance, did not seem to be relevant for law. However, as described above, both my economics and physics subjects ended up being very relevant. The modules I chose ultimately ended up developing the transferable skills (such as research, critical analysis, communication) which are extremely useful in my day to day job. I would note that the value of PSI is not limited to the subjects you do – my participation in sports teams greatly built up my teamwork skills. By way of comparison, 75% of the work I do in my current job includes a team, and the majority of that work is done with teams which are based outside of London, sometimes speaking more than one language, and frequently in different time zones. Being in a school with an international community with various cultures, and participating in teamoriented activities was a great preparation for this. Finally, CAS has also been an extremely beneficial activity. Getting involved in a variety of different projects can develop a lot of skills you wouldn’t necessarily think come from CAS. As a very basic example, I worked in the School Store. During my time there, we decided to invest in a refrigerator so that we could stock certain drinks. We had to manage our finances, prepare balance sheets and income statements to show that we could afford the new fridge and that it would be profitable.
‘A C A D E M I C A L LY C H A L L E N G I N G ’ A N D ‘ S T U D E N T C E N T R E D ’
What advice would you give to the students in Grades 11 and 12? My advice would be to make sure that you enjoy your last two years, but at the same time concentrate on thinking about what you will be doing after you graduate. Whether you seek to go straight to university, or go via a different route, I would highly recommend you make your life easier by planning in advance and thinking about what you want. Keep in mind that depending on the university you are applying for, academics may play a relatively big or small role, but frequently, extracurricular activities and motivations for applying will also be important! If you are applying to universities, don’t just think about their rankings. You will find that the official rankings do not always represent how good a university is. Consider other factors - the type of city you want to live in, the strength of the particular department you are applying to, whether there are extracurriculars that you could get involved with, whether you want to have time for part-time jobs throughout your degree, etc.
Your plans for the future? I hope one day to do a PhD and become a law professor at a university. I did a number of CAS activities at PSI which involved teaching, whether it was tutoring or organising the Pay-it-Forward Club, and greatly enjoyed these experiences. I also love tackling challenging areas of law and trying to break them down into more digestible fragments to make it easier to learn, and I would love to get the opportunity to use that skill in practice. It is very important for me to have a practical experience in the field before embarking on teaching, as I wanted to grasp the practical implications of what I am teaching, so it may be a couple of years before my professorship days start!
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Library to Our Once upon a time, libraries were silent spaces where any noise was frowned upon and only whispers were heard. These days, we are proud that our libraries are truly becoming the buzzing hub of learning at PSI and that our welcoming spaces are open to the whole PSI community.
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his year, both the Primary and Secondary libraries have continued to extend their fiction and nonfiction collections as well as adding to ebooks, magazines and DVD sections. Our relevant collection supports the curriculum, as well as providing vibrant and exciting materials for enjoyment and pleasure. No wonder our libraries are so popular with students! You can find them in the libraries throughout the day, reading, communicating, researching or simply
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‘A C A D E M I C A L LY C H A L L E N G I N G ’ A N D ‘ S T U D E N T C E N T R E D ’
by Pam York and Polina Spenceer, PSI Librarians
- Welcome World relaxing with their prefered reading material, be this a book, a magazine or an online article accessed through one of our many subscriptions. The libraries serve as a shared space and you may see a range of student activities taking place there, such as performance and dance rehearsals, speech practices, recording interviews and group research. We also have a growing collection of books in languages other than English to support our multinational community and we welcome students and parents to explore this section of the library. Our school community is one of committed readers and you are welcome to join us on www.goodreads. com to share your thoughts and reviews. Just search for the ‘PSI Book Club’ group. A range of special events throughout the year also support our goal of promoting reading and a love of literature. With online resource lists supporting units of inquiry and providing support for a range of curriculum areas, accessing information has never been easier.
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OCTOBER @ 6-9 PM, P S I COV E R E D FIELD
I N T E R N AT I O N A L N I G H T AT P S I All PSI families, teachers and school staff are invited! Please come, participate and enjoy the celebration of all our nationalities!