Volume 5 - December 2014

The American International School of Bucharest

In this volume:

Message from the Director

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School-Wide News

Message from the PTO

Bucharest Buzz

The Month Ahead

Volume 5 - December 2014

Director’s Message | AISB Monthly Newsletter | 1

Message from the Director

Dr. Robert Brindley, Director

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Dear Parents,

As many of you have gathered, the school will be

undertaking some significant changes over the

coming months and years as we assess our goals

and ensure the best possible outcomes for our stu-

dents. I will be outlining some of the more signifi-

cant changes in this Newsletter, and there are also

a number of dynamics to any institutional change

that I want to highlight. The most significant of

these, and perhaps the most obvious, is that any

transformation will affect

people. As people are the

center of our community,

education is a social phe-

nomenon more than any-

thing else, and changes

will often be taken person-

ally, for the simple reason

that they affect people

personally. Jobs will

change, new skills will

need to be acquired, and

capabilities will be tested.

A certain amount of ten-

sion, lack of trust, uncer-

tainty, and resistance will

ensue; the aim, of course,

is to try and minimize such

pressure, but pressure there will be.

As we proceed, I can guarantee some steps that

will be followed:

1. Firstly, that the organizational status quo will be

confronted, audited, and analyzed, and plans

will be developed accordingly. I was fortunate

to have met with David Ottaviano on numer-

ous occasions last year and we had many

frank and open discussions and plentiful emails

regarding our work here. It was also fortunate

that AISB had recently undergone a thorough

accreditation visit from our accrediting agen-

cies: their reports highlighted institutional com-

mendations as well as areas recommending

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Dragi Parinti,

Deoarece numarul membrilor comunitatii noastre

a crescut, scoala va trece prin anumite schimbari

semnificative atat in urmatoarele luni cat si in

urmatorii ani, pe masura ce ne evaluam in perma-

nenta obiectivele si rezultatele dorite pentru elevii

nostri. Doresc sa subliniez aici cateva dintre schim-

barile importante ce vor avea loc si in acelasi timp

sa discut pe marginea dinamicii pe care o are

orice schimbare instituionala. Cel mai important

aspect este faptul ca

atunci cand se produce o

schimbare oamenii vor fi

intotdeauna afectati. De-

oarece oamenii reprezin-

ta nucleul comunitatii no-

astre iar procesul educa-

tional reprezinta mai pre-

sus de toate un fenomen

social, deseori schimbarile

vor fi percepute la nivel

personal pentru simplul

motiv ca ele afecteaza

oamenii in mod personal.

Unele posturi se vor schim-

ba, anumite capacitati

vor fi testate si va fi nevoie

de dobandirea unor noi

abilitati. Va exista o anumita tensiune, o lipsa de

incredere, o nesiguranta cat si o anumita impo-

trivire. Desigur, scopul nostru este sa minimalizam

efectele acestei tensiuni dar cu siguranta o presi-

une va exista.

Astfel, mergand mai departe, va pot garanta ca

vom urma urmatorii pasi:

1. In primul rand vom analiza, revizui si compara

situatia existenta a planurilor de organizare.

Anul trecut, am avut norocul sa ma intalnesc

de mai multe ori cu David Ottaviano cu care

am avut mai multe discutii sincere si deschise

cat si mai multe schimburi de mesaje refer-

itoare la munca noastra de aici. De ase-

Thank you to our PTO for organizing another fabulous Artisan

Fair for all of us to enjoy. A true intercultural mix, we hosted

artisans from Romania; food from India, South Africa, Israel,

and Italy; Canadian photographers; French and Pakistani

designers; and many more.

Director’s Message | AISB Monthly Newsletter | 2

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change.

2. Secondly, we do and will continue to, confi-

dently assure this community that the school

has firm foundations for significant future suc-

cess that will be built upon the successes and

achievements of the past and the positive part

that people play within this community each

and every day.

3. Lastly, we will develop and advance the cur-

rent strategic plan to guarantee that it encom-

passes all aspects of the school’s operations. In

doing so, we will seek input into its develop-

ment and support in its execution, and mes-

sage such changes to each constituent group

in a manner that makes sense.

I have attended many meetings with parents, stu-

dents, faculty and staff. My preference, because I

think it has greater impact, is to speak to all con-

stituents individually or in small groups. Hence my

door is always open, I always stop what I am doing

and invite people into my office and I would en-

courage all of you (not at the same time though!)

to come to me with your thoughts, concerns, aspi-

rations and/or ambitions. Many parents, staff and

students have already done so, and I hope to see

many more of you in the New Year.

Education is a very personal experience, I need

and want to listen to yours.

So what changes are afoot? There are many stra-

tegic issues that are currently being discussed at

Board level, and will published once there is

agreement and motions are passed. However, in

terms of teaching and learning, a number of major

recommendations were cited in the report given

by the CIS and NEASC, and also in the IB Accredi-

menea, un moment propice pentru AISB, a re-

prezentat si recenta vizita a comisiei de

reacreditare. Raportele comisiei au subliniat

punctele forte dar au inclus si recomandari in

domeniile unde trebuie efectuate schimbari.

2. In al doilea rand, asa cum am facut-o si pana

acum, ne preocupam de crearea unor funda-

mente clare pentru succesul elevilor in viitor,

construit pe baza unui trecut asemenea si pe

influenta pozitiva pe care oamenii o au zilnic in

cadrul comunicatii noastre.

3. In final, vom dezvolta si vom inainta planul stra-

tegic de dezvoltare pentru intr-o maniera in

care sa ne asiguram ca in el se regasesc toate

aspectele operationale ale institutiei noastre. In

acest sens, sunt binevenite toate comentariile

legate de dezvoltarea acestui plan si vom

avea nevoie de tot sprijinul dumneavoastra

pentru punerea lui in aplicare si pentru co-

municarea mesajelor legate de el.

Am participat pana acum la multe intalniri cu

parintii, elevii, profesorii si membrii personalului nos-

tru. Eu prefer sa vorbesc cu oamenii fata in fata

sau macar in grupuri mai restranse deoarece cred

ca impactul este mai mare. Prin urmare usa mea

este mereu deschisa si ma opresc mereu din ceea

ce fac pentru a invita oameni in biroul meu. De

asemenea va incurajez pe toti (dar totusi nu pe

toti in acelasi timp!) sa veniti si sa imi impartasiti

gandurile, ingrijorarile sau aspiratiile dumneavoas-

tra. Multi parinti, elevii si membrii ai personalului

nostru au facut deja acest lucru, insa sper sa pot

discuta cu cat mai multi dintre dumneavoastra si

noul an.

Procesul educational este o experienta personala,

iar eu am nevoie si imi doresc sa aud detalii despre

propria dumneavoastra experienta.

Ce schimbari pregatim in continuare, in mod con-

cret? Anumite probleme de tip strategic sunt

dezbatute in prezent in cadrul Consiliului Director.

Aceste schimbari vor fi publicate imediat ce vom

conveni asupra lor si vor fi aprobate.

In ceea ce priveste atat procesul de invatare cat

si cel de predare, mai multe recomandari majore

pe care le voi enumera mai jos, au fost facute de

catre membrii comisiei de reacreditare formata

din membrii ai Council of International Schools,

New England Association of Schools and Colleges

si ai International Baccalaureate Organization.

Trebuie sa luam aminte ca, desi statutul de acredi-

tare completa a fost obtinut, sunt cateva domenii

asupra carora trebuie sa ne indreptam atentia,

domenii care vor forma baza pentru urmatoarele

The Festival of Lights was a huge success and a true demon-

stration of cultural diversity at AISB. Our students got the

chance to travel through many cultures and they learned

about different ways in which people celebrate this special

season in different faiths and countries.

Director’s Message | AISB Monthly Newsletter | 3

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tation Report, which I have listed below. It should

be noted that full accreditation status was

achieved without qualification, but there a num-

ber of areas that need our full attention and will

form the basis of changes to our educational

practices:

The Visiting Team recommends that the Ad-

ministration, IB Coordinators and Romanian

language Teachers review, evaluate and

strengthen the Romanian mother-tongue

(Language A) program.

The Visiting Team recommends that the Board,

Director, Leadership Team and the Education-

al Policy Committee review the policies, prac-

tices and procedures in both the Faculty and

Romanian personnel handbooks to ensure that

each manual is comprehensive and reflects

current practice.

The Visiting Team recommends that the Board

and Administration review all the separate

short and long-term plans and consolidate

them, where practical, into a single managea-

ble plan.

The Visiting Team recommends that the Middle

and High School Principals continue to investi-

gate ways to align program needs to ensure

that workloads are reasonable and allow the

teachers the time to continue to lead extra-

curricular activities and support the holistic ed-

ucation of students.

The Visiting Team recommends that the Princi-

pals clarify the pedagogical priorities (aligned

to the IB programs) and define clear pathways

for professional growth with appropriate fund-

ing each year.

The Visiting Team recommends that the Divi-

sion Principals clarify and communicate the

link between appraisal (personal goal setting)

and funding for professional development.

The Visiting Team recommends that the Spe-

cial Educational Needs (SEN) Coordinator and

Teachers develop criteria and implement a

process to assess the effectiveness of the learn-

ing support and enrichment programs.

The Visiting Team recommends that the Direc-

tor, Principals and SEN Coordinator conduct a

thorough audit of the diverse academic needs

of the student population.

The Visiting Team recommends that the Direc-

tor and Principals provide on-going profession-

al development designed to embed the core

practices and principles of differentiation into

schimbari, si anume:

Comisia de Reacreditare recomanda ca atat

membrii Administratiei cat si Coordonatorii IB

impreuna cu profesorii de limba romana sa

revizuiasca si sa inbunatateasca programul de

limba romana nativa (Language A).

Comisia de Reacreditare recomanda ca echi-

pa de conducere, Consiliul Director, cat si

Comitetul pentru Politica Educationala sa re-

vizuiasca politicile, practicile si procedurile ex-

istente atat in manualul profesorilor cat si in cel

al personalului roman pentru a se asigura ca

acestea sunt complete si reflecta practicile

curente.

Comisia de Reacreditare recomanda ca atat

Consiliul Director cat si Administratia scolii sa

revizuiasca toate planurile separate atat cele

pe termen scurt cat si cele pe termen lung

pentru a le uni si consolida intr-un singur plan

mult mai flexibil.

Comisia de Reacreditare recomanda ca di-

rectorii gimnaziului si al liceului sa cerceteze

diferite cai de a alinia cerintele programelor

educationale pentru a se asigura ca profesorii

au un volum de munca rezonabil care le per-

mite acestora sa isi continue activitatile extra

curiculare si sa sprijine si educatia holistica a

elevilor.

Comisia de Reacreditare recomanda ca di-

rectorii sa clarifice prioritatile pedagogice (in

conformitate cu programa IB) si sa stabileasca

clar modalitati diferite pentru dezvoltare profe-

sionala utilizand anual fondurile adecvate.

Comisia de Reacreditare recomanda ca fiec-

are director de sectiune sa stabileasca si sa

comunice legatura care exista intre evaluare

Two grade 6 students organized a Football tournament dur-

ing lunch time to raise money for their Service Learning

group, PAVEL. What a great show of initiative.

Director’s Message | AISB Monthly Newsletter | 4

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daily classroom practice.

The Visiting Team recommends that the Princi-

pals and Curriculum coordinators review the

Mother Tongue Romanian program to ensure it

is meeting the educational needs of the stu-

dents.

The Visiting Team recommends that the Curric-

ulum Coordinators develop a vertically aligned

curriculum for Health, Personal, Social and

Emotional education.

The Visiting Team recommends that the Princi-

pals and Curriculum Coordinators provide

clear communication for the parents regard-

ing the implementation and pedagogy of the

three IB programmes.

The Visiting Team recommends that the Tech-

nology Department Staff assess the impact of

the multiple IT platforms that are currently in

use for teaching and learning.

As many of us fly to different parts of the world

over the winter break, I wanted to remind every-

one of a topic that was for many months a burn-

ing issue in the world press, but has now been qui-

etly removed to the back pages: Ebola. Most gov-

ernments issued alerts in response to the outbreak

of the Ebola Virus Disease in West Africa and they

are still active; the disease has not gone away.

So, if any of you are venturing to this part of the

world over the coming weeks, please read the re-

spective governmental statements, refer to the

Center for Disease Control or The World Health Or-

ganization websites to appreciate the protocols

that are issued at every airport with regards to

screening procedures and travel restrictions. This

will heighten the precautions that you need to

take in order to avoid contact with ill individuals

(stabilirea obiectivelor personale) si finantarea

dezvoltarii profesionale.

Comisia de Reacreditare recomanda ca, atat

profesorii ce coordoneaza programul SEN

(programul educational pentru nevoi spe-

ciale), cat si ceilalti profesori implicati in acest

program sa expuna amanuntit toate criteriile si

sa implementeze un procedeu prin care sa

evalueze eficacitatea programului de suport

educational cat si imbunatatirea acestor pro-

grame.

Comisia de Reacreditare recomanda ca atat

directorii cat si coordonatorii SEN sa realizeze

un audit minutios in ceea ce priveste nevoile

academice ale elevilor.

Comisia de Reacreditare recomanda ca di-

rectorul general si directorii educationali sa ai-

ba in vedere derularea unor programe de dez-

voltare profesionala continua cu scopul de a

incorpora principiile de diferentiere in

metodele de predare zilnice.

Comisia de Reacreditare recomanda ca, atat

directorii ecuationali cat si coordonatorii pro-

gramei de invatamant sa revizuiasca program-

ul de limba romana ca limba materna pentru

a se asigura ca acesta indeplineste nevoile

educationale ale elevilor.

Comisia de Reacreditare recomanda coordo-

natorilor programei de invatamant sa alca-

tuiasca o programa care sa includa ore de

educatie sanitara, personala, sociala si emo-

tionala.

Comisia de Reacreditare recomanda ca di-

rectorii educationali si coordonatorii programei

scolare sa se asigure ca informatiile transmise

parintilor referitoare la metodele de predare si

de implementare a celor trei programe IB sa fie

clare si complete.

Comisia de Reacreditare recomanda ca per-

sonalul din cadrul departamentului IT sa eval-

ueze impactul folosirii multiplelor platforme de

IT in cadrul programelor de predare si de

invatamant.

Deoarece multi membrii ai comunitatii noastre isi

vor petrece vacanta de iarna in diferite parti ale

lumii, as vrea sa va reamintesc tuturor despre un

subiect care a fost intens dezbatut de catre presa

in ultimele luni ca ulterior sa fie dat uitarii, si anume

Ebola. Mai multe guverne au emis alerte refer-

itoare la Ebola in special in Africa de Vest, aceste

atentionari fiind inca in vigoare; virusul Ebola nu a

fost eradicat.

Grade 10 Individuals and Societies students presented pro-

jects on the history of Romania and its political systems, and

sought feedback from their peers, their teachers, and other

local visitors in order to inform their final assignments.

Director’s Message | AISB Monthly Newsletter | 5

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and ensure that your travels are incident free and

that you to return to Bucharest safe and sound.

Please review the details within the school-wide

news for more information regarding Ebola.

There has been a great display of cultural diversity

at AISB in this last month, with the Harvest Festival,

the Artisan Fair, Music Concerts and the Festival of

Lights all teaching us something new about the

cultures we are so lucky to experience every day

through our many families at AISB. I am certain

that we have all learned several things about our

different customs and celebrations and I would

like to take this opportunity to wish you Happy Holi-

days in the many special ways we rejoice in the

celebrations of this season. I hope you also have a

prosperous and healthy New Year and I look for-

ward to welcoming you back to AISB on Tuesday,

January 13, 2015 at 8am.

Regards,

Robert Brindley

Astfel daca decideti sa va aventurati in

urmatoarele saptamani in aceasta parte a lumii,

va rog sa va informati asupra avertizarilor emise de

catre autoritati si sa consultati site-ul Organizatiei

Mondiale a Sanatatii sau al Centrului de Control al

Bolilor pentru a va informa asupra unor protocoale

emise de anumite aeroporturi privind anumite re-

strictii de calatorie sau proceduri de control. Toate

acestea evidentiaza masurile de precautie pe

care trebuie sa le luati pentru a evita contactul cu

persoanele infectate si pentru a va asigura ca voi-

ajul dumneavoastra este lipsit de incidente si ca

va veti intoarce in siguranta la Bucuresti. Va rog de

asemenea sa cititi mai multe informatii despre Ebo-

la, in sectiunea “school wide news”.

In aceasta ultima luna a anului, scoala noastra a

sarbatorit diversitatea culturala, organizand Festi-

valul Recoltei, Targul Artizanilor, Festivalul Luminii

cat si diferite concerte. Toate aceste evenimente

ne-au invatat cate ceva nou despre anumite cul-

turi cu care suntem atat de norocosi sa interac-

tionam zilnic prin intermediul numeroaselor familii

ce fac parte din comunitatea AISB. Sunt sigur ca

am invatat cu totii multe lucruri noi despre obicei-

urile diferitelor culturi si pe aceasta cale doresc sa

va urez tuturor Sarbatori Fericite, in maniera speci-

ala si personala in care fiecare dintre noi se bucu-

ra de aceste sarbatori de iarna.

De asemenea va doresc un An Nou fericit plin de

prosperitate si sanatate si astept cu nerabdare sa

ne revedem la AISB, marti, 13 ianuarie 2015 la ora

8.00.

Cu stima,

Robert Brindley

Our students delighted us with the sounds of winter in the

many concerts we've been privileged to attend this season.

School-Wide News | AISB Monthly Newsletter | 6

School-Wide News

We are the AISB Vampires! | Community Time at the Gazebo

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AISB Alumni WORLD Magazine is out! Volume 3, Issue 2—Winter 2014

The latest edition—Volume 3, Issue 2: Winter 2014—of the Alumni WORLD Magazine is out! Published bi-

annually, it is a way to keep in touch with our former students, teachers, and parents, and share news

among our alumni community. Our alumni have been hard at work to bring you the best issue yet:

Editorial; Maria Tudor, Alumni Association President

Director’s Message; Dr. Robert Brindley, Director

New Heights for AISB Alumni; Salwa Patricia Khalil, AISB Alumni Co-

ordinator

Life Beyond AISB; Tim Battersby, AISB High School Guidance and

College Counselor

The Edge of Adulthood; Kelli Cabell, AISB Grade 12 Student

The Art of Traveling; Lara Pedrini, AISB Alumna, Class of 2004

Feature: Interview with Radu Florescu, CEO Centrade Saatchi and

Saatchi; AISB Alumnus, Attended in 1968

Interview with Cheney Wells, AISB Alumnus, Class of 2002

Interview with Corina Demeter, AISB Alumna, Class of 2008

The Spirit of Giving Continues: Service Learning after AISB; Bridget

Murray-Popescu, AISB Teacher

AISB Alumni Profile: Lynn Wells; Catalina Gardescu, Manager of Admissions and External Relations

A Match Made at AISB; featuring Alex & Maria Dobre, Dragos & Cristiana Panait, John O’Brien & Rosella

Diliberto, and Alex & Jessica Wallar.

Interview with Jurgen Strohmayer, AISB Alumnus, Class of 2008

Terry Fox Run; Lorne Bird, AISB High School Principal

A printed copy of the WORLD Magazine has been sent home with the youngest child in each family today,

Thursday, December 18th. You can also view the magazine online—please click on the link above, click on

the photo, or alternatively copy and paste the following address into your web browser to access the publi-

cation: http://issuu.com/urbanbrand/docs/worldmagazine_winter2014?e=3797710%2F10454328

On behalf of the Alumni Team, I hope you enjoy this edition of the WORLD and I wish you Happy Holidays

and a Happy New Year!

Best,

Salwa Patricia Khalil, AISB Alumni Coordinator

Family Directory

The 2014-2015 Family Directory is now available online in the parent portal. Once logged in, you can access

it by navigating to the ‘Family Directory’ tab on the left hand side. Click here to visit the page: http://

www.aisb.ro/page.cfm?p=4214

Thursday, Dec 18, 2014

School-Wide News | AISB Monthly Newsletter | 7

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Library closed during the Winter Break

The AISB Library will be closed to all patrons during the winter break. See you

back on Tuesday, January 13, 2015!

Seeking Mentors

The high school GATE program is currently seeking mentors to support and challenge students with interests

in a variety of professional fields. Mentors are being sought in the fields of psychology, computer science,

coding (C++ and Pearl), game design, journalism, chemistry, astrophysics and physics (specifically related

to the development of sports equipment). If you, or anyone you know, has expertise in any of these fields

and is willing to share it, please contact Amanda Brandt via email at abrandt@aisb.ro to receive more de-

tails on mentoring a high school student.

SLAM - Students Learning and Mentoring

School-wide connections are alive and well at AISB.

The third grade and ninth grade have launched a

new program called SLAM: Students Learning and

Mentoring. Here's how it works: The ninth graders

choose one aspect of our Learner Profile. They then

create a lesson and a way of modeling this for their

third grade peers. The first session was all about how

to be an effective communicator. The ninth graders

did a great job as the teachers, engaging students

and taking on some real responsibility. The third grad-

ers listened and learned, looking up to their taller AISB

counterparts. The third grade shared some thoughtful

feedback and are excited for the next session. It was

the beginning of a hopefully long-lasting and mean-

ingful relationship, bringing our schools and students

closer together, one learner profile at a time.

THE… DONUT WORRY CLUB Update!

The DONUT WORRY CLUB recently

organized a charity collection for

some refugee families from Ukraine

who are living in Bucharest.

We made a poster and decorated

a donation box for shoes and

clothes, and we placed it in the

atrium. We contacted Mega Image and asked them to give us a dis-

count on their doughnuts, which they did, and on two Friday afternoons

we sold 225 DOUGHNUTS. In total we earned 655 lei!!!

With that money we decided to buy food for people and we went

shopping and bought 2 full shopping carts with bags of… FOOD!!!! After

that, we went to the church and gave the donation. All this much

needed food will go to refugee’s families from Ukraine who are mostly

single moms with children who are living in Bucharest. Also we decided to give part of the food to homeless

people in Bucharest.

The priest also told us that there was a village of 325 homeless children, from ages 0-18 living in Bucharest!

Part of our donation will go there as well. If you’re stuck for a charity idea, try sponsoring them! The Church’s

name is Mavrogheni Church.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR DONATIONS!! Sarah and Omer, The Donut Worry Club, Nov. 2014

School-Wide News | AISB Monthly Newsletter | 8

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Winter Clothes Drive in January 2015 ! Service Learning in High School

If you have any clothes laying around that are no more use to you, the

next project that the HS students organize is a Winter Clothes Drive to

help the children of Bucsani get through the winter months.

In the week of the 19th of January, there will be large boxes in the Ele-

mentary School, the Middle

School, the High School, and next

to the PYP coordinator, to drop

your extra clothes in. On Friday the

23rd of January, HS students and

teachers will go to the village of

Bucsani to share the donated clothes with them.

Why the village of Bucsani? The story starts one year ago, with sister Al-

oices of the sisters of Mercy. One year ago, to this day, Sister Aloices

chanced upon a young baby in the Children’s Ward of Marie Curie

Hospital. Curious about the lack of supervision, she made inquiries and

the hospital administration was able to confirm that the baby had been abandoned. Medical records iden-

tified the baby, Cristian Marica, as having Down Syndrome. Sister Aloices decided to take responsibility of

young Cristian. Unfortunately, this was short lived, 3 days later Cristian passed away.

Sister Aloices was determined to ensure that Cristian was laid to rest in

his hometown. Enlisting the help of the Scheherazade Foundation, the

NGO that funded Marie Curie Hospital’s renovation, Cristian was traced

to the village of Bucsani.

80 km from Bucharest, Cristian was laid to rest. Yet with that loss, a new

hope was born. The Scheherazade Foundation had witnessed the

plight of the underprivileged children of Buscani. It was time for a

change.

A plan was formulated which entailed the construction of an after

school activities area in Bucsani. Somewhere for the children to play,

have meals, take showers and perform various activities that others might take for granted.

The Scheherazade Foundation has asked the students of the American International School of Bucharest to

help the children of Bucsani.

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." | Winston Churchill

School Closed During the Winter Break

The school will be closed from Wednesday, December 24th until Monday, January 12th. There will be some

staff present from January 5th onwards.

Romanian Mother Tongue at AISB

Compared to other mother tongues taught at AISB, Romanian has the

added good luck of studying works by contemporary authors who live

down the street. The situation is quite unique, not unlike having the op-

portunity to bring an elephant to biology class. This year I started a pilot

project, to invite to each of the MS classes (6, 7 and 8), at least two au-

thors whose work we study in class. In October, thanks to support from

the Library, we had Ioana Nicolae as our guest for our grade 8 students.

Ioana Nicolae published two volumes of poetry on her family:

‘Nordul’ (2002) and ‘Credința’ (2003). The grade 8 students read some

of her poems within the unit on the theme of: family.

In addition to continuing its financial support for the Reading for Pleasure project, the PTO generously

agreed to lend its support to inviting more authors to Romanian classes. This made it possible for us to invite

Florin Bican, the author of a recent book the grade 7 students studied last month: ‘Și v-am spus povestea

School-Wide News | AISB Monthly Newsletter | 9

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așa’ (2014). Also in November, the 6th graders had the opportunity to

meet Radu Oltean, a historian and artist who illustrated a very popular

history book for young readers the students read just before his visit:

Neagu Djuvara: ‘Cum s-a născut poporul român’ (seventh edition,

2012).

Next in line are: Adina Popescu, the author of the novel ‘Calea

Moșilor’ (2014) - January 15 (grade 8); and Mircea Cărtărescu, the most

famous Romanian man of letters alive, author of ‘Enciclopedia

zmeilor’ (2002), studied in grade 7.

Our goal is to acquaint students with Romanian achievers, some with the potential to serve as role models.

By giving them the opportunity to meet authors in the flesh and bone, the way our students relate to litera-

ture, to the printed letter, might change for the better.

I hope some, perhaps all of these personalities, will keep coming back to our students in future years, and

also that more names will be added to this roster.

Ioana Nanu | MS Romanian

HR Corner with Roxana Lungu, HR Manager at AISB

Dear AISB,

It was a month of inspiration for us here in the offices. December is also the

month of giving, forgiving and reaching for the stars and our loved ones. As

such, I’d like to give my special appreciation to Catalina Gardescu for her sup-

port in making the following initiative possible.

After the arrival of St. Nicolas and the fun had at the AISB Christmas Party, jolly

forces were joint to challenge the faculty and staff in a competition to share the

best one hour spent with their child/ren. Building on a

story that was sent out earlier in the month about a

boy who asked his father to spend one hour of quali-

ty time with him, we received wonderful stories that

brought tears to our eyes (as Catalina and I are

mothers too) and showed us that it does not take

much to make someone happy. It was truly hard to decide who to award the

two main gifts to. After debating at great length, we have decided to award

the prize (a voucher for 4 private lessons and unlimited group sessions at the Ar-

thur Murray School of Dance) to the following two stories. Extracts are presented

below.

The following is an extract form Cristina Marcu’s submission, talking about how her Eva helps her into the

land of magic stories, of unicorns and great adventures

“[…]… The Unicorn thinks he knows everything and when he cannot find

a solution to a problem he uses his magic.

The lucky beggar wins all contests and he looks down on my horse

[Ajamu], an ordinary black horse that struggles to make a living. Even

though he is friends with the Unicorn, my horse never gets to save the

world and he never wins medals.

The Unicorn’s explanation is that: ‘You are good my friend, but never

good enough!’ …. [When the Unicorn accepted to compete with Ajamu

without using his magic]

The Unicorn won the singing contest and Ajamu, for the first time in his

life, won the Math contest and the spelling contest. I was surprised (and

a bit sad) to see the Unicorn losing.

School-Wide News | AISB Monthly Newsletter | 10

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Later that evening, Eva said to me: ‘Can I tell you a little secret? Please don’t tell Ajamu, but the Uni-

corn cheated tonight. He secretly used his magic to help Ajamu win. The Unicorn loves Ajamu!’ My

Eva is magic and the Unicorn helped me understand that.”

The following is an extract from Johnson Jacob’s submission, on the healing

power of love and connection

“[…] I spent a ‘special quality’ hour with my son. We played, talked, and

laughed about many things. It did not really matter what we spoke

about but this hour lasted forever and a genuinely healing moment for

me because all my worries and woes magically dissipated and disap-

peared as if it was never there to start with. All of the discomfort passed

and vanished to be replaced with a great sense of calm and love. An

hour of sheer joy and a moment to cherish eternally. My son and I then l-

aid in bed as I put him to sleep and he surprisingly put his hand on my

forehead, kissed me and said in his soft and comforting voice, ‘Daddy it

will be okay….I love you’.”

Special prizes have also been awarded

All winners are expected to the HR office before Friday 19th December at 12:30 pm to collect their prizes.

Now, despite his very, very busy schedule in December, Santa Claus was kind and gave us an interview with

Vic Vermaak – our December personality.

Let’s say “Happy Birthday Vic!” and see what Santa has to say about him:

1. Dear Santa, you travel the whole world and bring joy to millions of children

everywhere. Do you remember meeting a nice boy named Vic Vermaak in Pre-

toria in South Africa? How was he as a little boy, what were his dreams, and what

is he doing now (do you keep track of the adults too?)? Vic Vermaak went to

school and university in Pretoria, and in fact he also started teaching in Pretoria.

Vic started to play the piano when he was very young and he practiced every

day till he got so good that he became a music teacher.

2. Did you give Vic a toy present every year, or were there years when he de-

served only a stick? Oh, Vic did not always get a present because his birth-

day was so close to Christmas and some years he got a big present like a piano

and that was very expensive so Vic was happy to have a birthday and Christ-

mas present together.

3. Santa is famous for knowing all children’s wishes and preferences. How would Vic continue the sen-

tence: “I would love for Santa to give all children...”: music gifts, like violins, melodicas and guitars. But

Santa you must remember to give the right size instruments to the right size children. Remember we have

¼ size and ½ violins, also ½ size guitars. A lot of students like to play the drum kit. So Santa please bring a

few drum kits.

The prize for the

“most engaging

father” to Alex Sota

The “hot cocoa in

bed” prize to Ana

Pandelescu

The “for better or

worse” prize to An-

drei Vacarus

The “literature”

prize to Andrea

Ghita

The “love and

courage” prize to

Margritha Hofman

School-Wide News | AISB Monthly Newsletter | 11

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4. Dear Santa, because everyone lives for a bit of intrigue: Vic joined AISB this year in 2014, are there any

intriguing/funny stories in this short time, in which he was involved and you can share with us? Oh…

Vic has a very long name and all the children at school know this name. His full names are Voelfisant,

Mottenbrand, Kleinbietjiebaard, Domderm, Klitsery, Koggelmander, and Beenpens.

5. All the time you kept an eye on him growing up, what was the craziest life experience he had lived so

far? Vic sometimes had to practice piano for very long and one day he was so tired that he fell

asleep on the piano.

6. Does Vic think penguins have knees? Yes penguins do have knees. He googled it!

Taking Action: A Warm Winter

A few months ago we were able to buy 6 dog houses with the 2,370 Ron we

raised.

On Saturday, Dec. 6th we were so excited because Mrs. Parnell and Ms. Myles

took us to Budesti on the school bus to take the dog houses. When we got there

we had to put the dog houses together because they came in a box. Guada-

lupe and Mariah’s dad also went to help us.

When we finally arrived, we went to a community hall. When we entered, we

started putting together the dog houses. We worked hard to put together the

doghouses and insulate them so the dogs would be warm in the winter. We had

to cut and measure the insulation and learned a lot of math along the way.

We finished the dog houses but they were too big to fit

on the bus so we got a horse and buggy and we deliv-

ered the houses.

We had fun delivering the dog houses on the horse

and buggy and we felt very happy with ourselves. The

people that got the houses were happy too. With the

left over money we had someone buy wood that the

people who got the dog houses could use to burn and

keep their houses warm.

This experience made us realize that all of us can help

our community and make it better.

By: Emma, Guadalupe, Mariah, Gloria, and Iris

From the Doctor’s Office

Dear all,

Please find information regarding the current Ebola virus disease below, both in

English and in Romanian. We’d like to note that at the moment there is no rea-

son for concern in Romania and this information is just for your knowledge and

attention. If you have any questions, please see Dr. Alina Teodoru in the Doc-

tor’s Office at AISB.

Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever originating in West Africa

Any person who shows signs of (or showed signs of prior to death) the following,

is considered to be a suspected case of Ebola:

A fever of over 38.6 degrees Celsius

AND any of the following symptoms:

Severe headaches

Vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain

School-Wide News | AISB Monthly Newsletter | 12

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Unexplained hemorrhagic manifestations in various forms

Multiple organ failure

OR a person who dies suddenly and inexplicably and who 21 – 30 days prior:

Visited one of the affected areas (Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia)

OR a person who:

Came into contact with a confirmed or probable Ebola case

Major exposure risks:

Any of the below:

Close face to face contact (less than one meter) with no protective gear (including eye protection) with

a probable or confirmed patient who was coughing, vomiting, bleeding, or who had diarrhea; or inti-

mate relations with an affected person within less than 3 months of clinical recovery;

Direct contact with any materials that came into contact with the bodily fluids of a confirmed or proba-

ble case;

Skin accidents (by needles) or exposure to bodily fluids, tissue or lab work of a confirmed or probable

case;

Participating in funeral rituals with direct exposure to the affected remains without appropriate protective

gear;

Direct contact with bats, rodents, primates, or game, alive or dead, in and from the affected areas.

Below is the situation of registered cases in the affected countries from October 12, 2014, communicated

by the World Health Organization:

Patient Safety Department, Regina Maria Clinic | October, 2014

Febra Hemoragica cu Virusul Ebola din Africa de Vest

Poate fi considerat un caz suspect de Ebola orice persoana care prezinta (sau prezenta inaintea dece-

sului):

Febra mai mare de sau egala cu 38,6° C

SI oricare din urmatoarele:

Country Case Definition Cases Cases in the

past 21 days

Cases in the

past 21 days /

total cases (%)

Deaths

Guinea

Confirmed 1044 253 24% 587

Probable 180 13 7% 179

Suspected 74 65 88% 2

All 1298 331 26% 768

Liberia

Confirmed 941 136 14% 1018

Probable 1795 567 32% 701

Suspected 1188 651 55% 491

All 3924 1354 34% 2210

Confirmed 2455 924 38% 725

Sierra Leone Probable 37+ 0 0% 123+

Suspected 297 190 64% 31

All 2789 1114 40% 879

Total 8011 2799 35% 3857

School-Wide News | AISB Monthly Newsletter | 13

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Cefalee severa

Varsaturi, diaree, dureri abdominale

Manifestari hemoragice inexplicabile in diverse forme

Insuficienta multipla de organe

SAU o persoana care a decedat brusc si inexplicabil si care cu 21 – 30 de zile anterioare debutului:

A fost intr-o zona afectata (Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia)

SAU o persoana care:

a avut contact cu un caz probabil sau confirmat de Ebola

Criterii de risc major de expunere

Oricare din urmatoarele:

contact strans fata in fata (ex: la mai putin de un metru) fara echipament personal adecvat de protectie

(incluzand protectia ochilor) cu un caz probabil sau confirmat care tusea, vomita, sangera, sau care

avea diaree; sau a intretinut relatii sexuale cu un caz pana la trei luni de la recuperarea clinica;

contact direct cu orice material murdarit cu fluide corporale ale unui caz confirmat sau probabil;

accidente percutane (ex. cu ace) sau expunerea mucoaselor la fluide corporale, tesuturi sau probe de

laborator ale unui caz confirmat sau probabil;

participarea la ritualuri funerare cu expunere directa la ramasite umane in/dintr-o zona afectata fara

echipament personal adecvat de protectie;

contact direct cu lilieci, rozatoare, primate, vii sau decedate, in/din zonele afectate sau carne de vanat.

Situatia cazurilor intregistrate in tarile afecate, la data de 12 octombrie 2014 si comunicata de OMS este

prezentata in tabel de mai jos:

Departamentul Calitate si Siguranta Pacientului | Octombrie, 2014

Tara Caz Cazuri

Cazuri in ul-

timele 21 de

zile

Cazuri in ul-

timele 21 de

zile / total ca-

zuri (%)

Decese

Guinea

Confirmat 1044 253 24% 587

Probabil 180 13 7% 179

Suspect 74 65 88% 2

Toate 1298 331 26% 768

Liberia

Confirmat 941 136 14% 1018

Probabil 1795 567 32% 701

Suspect 1188 651 55% 491

Toate 3924 1354 34% 2210

Confirmat 2455 924 38% 725

Sierra Leone Probabil 37+ 0 0% 123+

Suspect 297 190 64% 31

Toate 2789 1114 40% 879

Total 8011 2799 35% 3857

PTO Message | AISB Monthly Newsletter | 14

Message from the PTO

Fabiana Papastefani-Pezzoni, President

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Dear AISB Community,

Artisan Fair

AISB hosted the so much appreci-

ated Artisan Fair last week. It was

wonderful to see all of the unique

products available for all to enjoy.

We were able to offer our com-

munity members the opportunity

to share different cultures through wonderful traditional designs, cooking or music. For two days the AISB

corridors hosted artisans from Romania (handmade traditional carpets from Suceava County, handmade

soaps with natural ingredients from Valenii de Munte, handmade jewelry, Brasov pottery, etc.); food from

India, South Africa, Israel, and Italy; Canadian photographers; French and Pakistani designers; and many

more. Alongside the artisans, several representatives of some non-governmental organizations attended the

Fair in order to sell handmade artefacts made by people supported by these associations. Touched Roma-

nia, Second Chance Romania, P.A.V.E.L. Association, Our Lady of Mercy, MIA Studio, Inocenti Foundation,

and M.A.M.E Association, also attended the Artisan Fair. Thank you to all who participated in this event and

for Mrs. Sorina Muresan for leading the event.

Festival of Lights

Did you see the beautiful lights and celebration presentations in the atrium, prepared with so much love

and care by our community members? Did you see the Christmas Tree? Well, we surely hope you have had

a chance to see everything and you liked it all. We hope the displays brought the magic and joy of the win-

ter celebrations to you. A special thank you to our volunteers but also to Ms. Sandra Ziptzer and Bogdan

from the maintenance!

Thursday, December 18, 2014

PTO Message | AISB Monthly Newsletter | 15

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PTO Annual Auction Gala

Bucharest, My Little Paris! This will be the theme of

the Annual Auction Gala that we are organizing

this year, on March 28th, 2015. Plans and arrange-

ments are being made, and the menu is being

checked as we put together a fabulous event for

everyone in the AISB community. We want to ex-

tend a special thanks to Mr. Bernt Kirch, a parent

of our school and also the chef at the Radisson Blu

Hotel where the Gala will take place, for helping

us choose the menu, and more. Tickets will be sold

starting from around mid January 2015 - do not

miss the early bird opportunity that will be availa-

ble.

We have made some changes in our operations: for the first time we are creating a dedicated web space

for the Gala, where we will not only present our teams, what we do, etc., but we will start uploading and

listing the items, which will then become our Silent or Live Auction pieces, from the moment they are do-

nated. This will be a great opportunity for our sponsors to be advertised for a long time on the PTO Gala

page, from the time they donate items, until the week after the Gala.

Dates to remember

Happy Holidays!

Just like our displays in the atrium, presenting and spreading wishes in all languages and all faiths and be-

liefs, we wish to all our AISB community happy celebrations of all our festivities, of love and peace, of

friendship and family. Have a wonderful winter break.

Fabiana Papastefani-Pezzoni

PTO President | American International School of Bucharest

Date Event

January 13, 2015 ES Coffee: 08:15 CR 10

January 15, 2015 PTO Executive Meeting

January 20, 2015 MS/HS Parent Meeting: Literacy Part 1: 13:45-14:45 CR

10

January 20, 2015 MYP Introduction, IB Assessment & How to understand

your child's report card G6-10 Parent Workshop, 19:00 –

20:00

January 24th Grade 11 Parent & Student University Workshop, 09:00 –

11:00

Bucharest Buzz | AISB Monthly Newsletter | 16

Bucharest Buzz

Herăstrău Park Cultural Festival | Bucharest Jazz Festival

The Bucharest Buzz section of the Monthly Newsletter is a place to share information about-events and

places with those in our community. Are there events coming up that you want others to know about? Did

you go somewhere worth a visit? Send your Bucharest Buzz items of maximum 150 words and 1 photo to our

Manager of Admissions and External Relations, Ms. Catalina Gardescu, at cgardescu@aisb.ro and if

appropriate, your news items will be featured in the next Monthly Newsletter.

engage | prepare | inspire

American Night Dream—Tonight

Axis Productions has the pleasure to announce a cultural event of a special

kind: “American Night Dream” – a show of music, poetry and dance – pro-

duced with the support of the US Embassy in Bucharest.

When? December 18th, 8 PM

Where? Elisabeta Theater (Teatrul Elisabeta), 45 Regina Elisabeta Blvd. (across

Cismigiu park) www.teatrulelisabeta.ro

Why? Because we offer a special journey inside the American culture. The audi-

ence will have the unique opportunity to see famous Romanian pop culture

songs performed in a gospel manner and successful hits from Broadway musi-

cals performed by Romanian artists. The result: a special meeting between two

cultures, through the voice of outstanding American and Romanian artists.

Tickets at: www.bilet.ro. Reservations & More Information at 0727 703 703

Johan Strauss Ensemble in Romania until December 19

The Viennese Johan Strauss Ensemble celebrates a decade of tours in Romania

this winter. Beginning on December 11 and playing in Oradea, Arad, Timisoara,

Cluj-Napoca, Targu Mures, Brasov, and Bucharest, you still have the chance to

watch them in Medias and Sibiu tonight and tomorrow night. The “Best of Vien-

na” tour tickets can be found on www.bilet.ro.

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Bucharest Buzz | AISB Monthly Newsletter | 17

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The Strauss Festival Orchestra Tours in Romania this winter

The Viennese Strauss Festival Orchestra has begun their sixth year of touring Ro-

mania this winter. They are presenting the “Vienna Classic Christmas” show and

have already performed in Timisoara, Oradea, Cluj-Napoca, Suceava, Iasi, and

Brasov. Conduced by Willy Buchler, tonight they will be performing in Bacau and

you still have the chance to watch them in Constanta and Bucharest:

December 19th—Constanta

December 20th and 21st—Bucharest (Sala Palatului)

Guest performers in Bucharest will be Romanian soprano Leontina Vaduva, and

tenor Robert Nagy. You can get tickets from www.iabilet.ro.

Christmas Brunch at Athénée Palace Hilton Bucharest

The Athénée Palace Hilton Bucharest celebrates it’s 100th anniversary

this Christmas with a special Christmas Brunch organized in the recently

renovated Le Diplomat Ballroom. The Brunch will include delicacies as

well as traditional specialties. There will also be a live band and enter-

tainment for children. The savory menu includes: fresh oysters, prawns, mussels, smoked fish, fresh sushi, tur-

key, pork, and lamb. Of course dessert will not be forgotten, with Romanian and Italian desserts being

served, as well as a chocolate fountain with fresh fruits.

The brunch begins at 13:00 and ends at 17:00 with a 310 Lei price per person. Find out more:

www.hiltonbucharest.com

Christmas Fairs in Bucharest and Further

There are lots of Christmas Markets in Romania. It’s

wonderful to spend some time enjoying the food,

items, people, and happiness at the fairs. Find out

about some of the fairs that are running this season:

Bucharest Christmas Market 2014 | website | No-

vember 28—December 29 | 12:00—22:00 every day

| Piata Universitatii and Cismigiu Garden

Christmas Fairs’ Marathon | website | November

28—December 23 | 12:00—20:00 every day | Toma

Caragiu Street, behind Sutu Palace

Bucharest Christmas Shopping | website | December 1—December 21 | 12:00—20:00 every day |

Romexpo (65-67 Marasti Boulevard, near Piata Presei Libere)

Christmas Presents Fair at Sala Dalles | November 28—December 23 | 10:00—20:00 every day | Dalles

Gallery (18 Nicolare Balcescu Boulevard)

Christmas at The Grade Chocolate Factory | December 5—December 21 | 14:00—21:00 Monday to

Friday, 11:00—21:00 Saturday and Sunday | Romexpo The Grand Avenue Shopping Gallery within the

JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel

Santa Claus’ Polar Express at Plaza Romania | website | December 6—December 21 | Plaza Romania

Mall Bucharest (26 Timisoara Boulevard)

Sibiu Christmas Market | website | November 21—December 26 | The Great Square, Sibiu

Bucharest Buzz | AISB Monthly Newsletter | 18

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Santa Claus Kingdom

The biggest indoor park with many activities for winter and lots of at-

tractions awaits you at Santa Claus Kingdom! A ski slope, ice-skating

rink, inflatable obstacle course, rock climbing, a carousel, a train, kart-

ing route, Santa’s post-box, and lots of seasonal characters—all of this

in a special atmosphere with many more surprises every day!

Santa Claus Kingdom is open from November 28 until January 7. Find

out more here: www.santaclauskingdom.ro

History Hackers—Secrets of Ancient Egypt interactive exhibition for kids

Open now until December 30

History Hackers is the first interactive exhibition for kids organized in Bu-

charest, focusing on the Secrets of Ancient Egypt. It is open until De-

cember 30 at the Gabroveni Inn, in the heart of the old town. History

Hackers is designed especially for kids from 6-14 years old. By making

history fun, kids are very much more engaged in their learning, and the

interactivity of the exhibition gives them the opportunity to touch, play,

create, and experiment with the exhibits. They will also be able to take

part in group activity workshops focused around topics such as jewel-

ry, amulets, hieroglyphs, and mummification.

You can purchase tickets from www.myticket.ro or from the Gabroveni Inn. Find out more about the event

here: http://www.historyhackers.ro/

“The King has Died! Long live the King!”

Exhibition at the National Museum of History in Bucharest

From now until March 1st, 2015, pay the National Museum of History in

Bucharest a visit to enjoy an exhibition commemorating King Carol I

and King Ferdinand of Romania. The exhibition will include objects

from Peles and Cotroceni Museums, and the National Museum of Art.

The exhibition can be visited from Wednesday to Sunday from 9am to

5pm with a 25 Ron fee for adults and 7 Ron for students. Children under

7 can visit for free.

Find out more here: http://www.mnir.ro/

The Month Ahead | AISB Monthly Newsletter | 19

The Month Ahead

AISB Terry Fox Run 2013 | AISB International Festival 2013

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Monday, December 22—Friday January 9, 2015

Winter Break

Monday, January 12, 2015

Professional Development Day for Faculty and Staff

| No school for students

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

School resumes for all students after Winter Break

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Elementary School Parent Coffee

| 08:00—09:00 | CR10

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Middle School Service Learning Time

| 13:00—13:40 | CR10

Thursday, January 15, 2015

PTO Executive Meeting

| 13:00—14:30 | Board Room

Monday, January 19, 2015

Early Childhood and Elementary School Winter

Season After School Activities and Clinics begin

Monday, January 19—Friday 23, 2015

High School Semester 1 Exams

January 2015

The Month Ahead | AISB Monthly Newsletter | 20

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Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Secondary School Parent Meeting: Literacy Part 1

with Ms. Wong | 13:45—14:45 | CR10

Friday, January 23, 2015

Secondary School—End of Semester 1

Saturday, January 24, 2015

SAT Testing | 07:00—13:00 | CR10 and CR13

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Grade 11 Parent & Student University Workshop

| 09:00—11:00

Sunday, January 25—Sunday February 1, 2015

High School MUN-THIMUN Conference | The Hague

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Middle School Managebac Training | 13:45—14:45 |

MS Computer Lab

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Middle School Managebac Training Evening Session

| 19:00—20:00 | MS Computer Lab

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Elementary School: Report Cards available to

Parents | 16:00

Thursday, January 29, 2015

High School Parent / Principal Coffee | 08:15—09:15

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Middle School Managebac Training | 13:45—14:45 |

MS Computer Lab

Friday, January 30, 2015

Elementary School Assembly

| 14:00—15:00 | AISB Theater

Friday, January 30—Sunday February 1, 2015

High School Boys and Girls Basketball | ISB Belgrade

Friday, January 30—Sunday February 1, 2015

Middle School Boys and Girls Basketball | AAS Sofia