inspiration newsletter august 2015

InspirationAugust 2015 | Newsletter | International School of Prague

Welcome Back Edition

ISP Newsletter August 2015 2

From the Director

It is my pleasure to extend a warm welcome to new and returning families to the 2015-2016 school year at the International School of Prague.

We are well aware that there is an enormous amount of information for students and families to absorb at the beginning of the year, especially when you are new to a school. Publications such as the Parent Handbook contain key information about how our school functions and will help you and your children get the most out of ISP. Other important means of communication are the daily Parent Contact (which you will receive via email), our web site (www.isp.cz), and our community portal, Schoolnet (http://schoolnet.isp.cz) which can be accessed with the username, isp, and the password, falcons. In addition, there will be many opportunities to attend social gatherings or informative workshops throughout the year and we encourage parents to participate in the rich life of our school.

We take great pride at ISP in providing a warm and welcoming environment for all ISP community members. We believe that providing students with a safe, supportive and nurturing school is essential for them to successfully learn and develop. We also take great pride in our highly experienced, dedicated faculty who are committed to engaging students in an authentic global education.

Speaking of engaged students, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the graduating class of 2015 on their excellent results on the recent IB Diploma exams. Their average score of 34 (compared to the world average of 30) and pass rate of 92% (compared to 79% worldwide) is exemplary. As usual we present all external exam results including IB results on our website in the same format each year. I should add that ISP is the only international school in the region (and one of a few around the world) that presents multi-year IB results each year.

Please take the time to read the ISP Mission Statement, which can be found posted throughout the school, in the parent handbook and on our website. The ISP Mission is more than just words on a page - it encapsulates our school’s purpose, vision and values. All ISP community members (teachers, students, parents, staff, board members and administrators) are expected to support and model our core values of compassion, integrity, respect and intercultural understanding. The ISP Mission is the standard to which we measure ourselves in all aspects of life at ISP.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your child’s experience at ISP, or any other issue, I urge you to “go to the source” and speak with the person directly responsible. Whether it is your child’s teacher, the principal, another administrator or the director, we are all here to ensure that ISP continues to be the best school in the region and one of the most highly regarded international schools in the world.

Dr. Arnie BieberISP Director


Communication is keyEffective communication is vital in our international community.

We regularly send information through:— Friday Folders (Elementary School)— Parent Contact (a daily email)— School Net (http://web.isp.cz)— ISP Website (www.isp.cz)— Teacher Websites— Facebook — SMS Emergency Contact System

The purpose of this important meeting is to:— Meet the School Administrators— Understand the areas of responsibil-

ity within the school— Receive an overview of the year’s

important projects, events and activitities

— Learn how you can take an active role in the life of the school

— Hear about the SCA (School Com-munity Association) and its plans for the year.

Child Care is available in the Theater Foyer duringthe orientation meeting.

Identity BadgesAll staff and parents are required to wear their ISP photo identity badges while on campus. You will need your badge to enter locked doors. Until you receive your badge and pin num-ber, you are requested to wear a visi-tor’s badge, which can be obtained from the Reception desk. ISP security guards and staff will ask you to show your badge. To obtain your identity badge, see the receptionist.

Special Note Regarding Student Drop OffFor those parents who use the rear entrance of the school to drop of their children, please be considerate of our neighbors in the vicinity – please only park in designated parking spaces; un-der no circumstances should anyone drive onto the sidewalk or block drive-ways (even if only “dashing in for a min-ute”). Thank you for helping to maintain our good relations with the community.

Transportation ServicesPlease be aware that ISP does not pro-vide daily transportation. Agreements reached with transportation companies are between parents and the company.

New Parent Orientation

All new ISP parents are requested to attend an orientation meeting on August 18 at 09:00, in the Theater.

Dr. Arnie BieberDirector

Nena VukoticExecutive Secretary

Dr. Cindy Gause-VegaElementary School Principal

Lenka GeryES Secretary

Corky HawkinsES Assistant Principal

Eliska SevcikovaECC Secretary

Danielle FredericksMiddle School Principal

Lucie HorackovaMS Secretary

Mark FrankelUpper School Principal

Veronika VodickovaUS Secretary

Teresa BelisleDirector of Learning Research

Joe MonksActivities/Athletic Director

Sandra MalinovaActivities/Athletic Associate

Kristina LimovaActivities/Athletic Assistant

Sheldon BradshawDirector of IT

Clive WatkinsDirector of Advacement

Andrea KoudelkovaAssociate Dir. of Advancement

Natalie KvackovaCommunication & Admissions Manager

Andrea BartosovaAdmissions Associate

Martina MoznaHR Director

Barry FreckmannFinance&Operations Director

ISP ADMINISTRATION 2015/2016

ISP Leadership Team

The “Parent Contact” email is an impor-tant source of daily information. If you find that you are not receiving this email after School starts, please send a message to [email protected] as soon as possible.

Time away from schoolThe school provides ample holidays and time away from school. We trust that the school calendar will be respected and that extra holiday time (early departure, late re-turn, extra trips during school) will not be planned.


teacher. Our goal in holding these con-ferences very early in the school year is to learn from you about your children. As the year progresses we will continue to communicate with you via newsle-tters, notes, email, class websites, mee-tings, and conferences. The Hopes and Dreams Conferences are only the first step in what we trust will be our on-go-ing collaboration with you.

SCA Elementary School Parent CoffeesAnother way of participating in your child’s education at ISP is to attend the SCA Elementary School Parent Coffees. This year we have scheduled four mor-ning coffees at 08:15. Once again we are in the process of identifying topics of interest that can focus our conver-sations and contribute to our shared understanding of the children in our care. Watch for the parent survey in the first Friday Folder. Our first Parent Coffee Morning will be on Thursday, October 8 at 08:15 in the ES Theater.

Elementary School News

Important Dates:.

Dear Elementary Parents,

As the beginning of the school year approaches we would like to extend a warm welcome to all new and returning families to ISP. We hope that you are all enjoying time with family and friends, having fun and relaxing. All teachers and staff are busy preparing a rich and challenging environment for our stu-dents, one in which your children will feel safe, happy and able to learn.

We know parents are integral to this process. We will keep you informed throughout the year and frequently ask for your input and perspectives. Please come to us with any questions or con-cerns that may arise!

Hopes and Dreams ConferencesWe will be inviting you early and often to actively participate in your child’s education. Our first invitation to you is to meet with your children’s teachers in “Hopes and Dreams Conferences” on August 26.

All Elementary classes PK3 – grade 5 will be dismissed at 12 noon on this day. These special conferences are in-tended for parents to share with the classroom teacher their hopes and dre-ams for their child this year. Each confe-rence will be scheduled for 10 minutes. In the first Friday Folder on August 21 you will receive your scheduled time and a short form to jot down notes of what you would like to share with the

TUESDAY, August 25 13:00 - 14:30 PK and KG Back to School Afternoon

WEDNESDAY, August 26Hopes and Dreams Conferences

THURSDAY, September 3 at 18:00Grade 3 – 5 Parent Evening

THURSDAY, September 10 at 18:00Grade 1 and Grade 2 Parent Evening

THURSDAY, October 8 at 08:15Parent Coffee Morning, ES Theatre


Please make note of the following as you prepare for the start of school:

Class ListsClass lists will be posted on the win-dows near ISP‘s main entrance at 15:00 on Monday, August 17. The teachers and administration have put careful thought into the best possible confi-guration of classes so children’s social--emotional and learning needs can be met. Be sure to make note of your chi-ld’s placement for 2015-2016. Please call or stop by the school with any questions or concerns.

First Day of SchoolOn Wednesday, August 19, students will be allowed to enter their classro-oms no earlier than 07:50 in the mor-ning. Therefore, students should arrive between 07:50 and 07:55. School offi-cially starts at 08:00. (Please wait in the Elementary reception area or the cafe-teria if you are early.)

On the first few school days, staff mem-bers will be in the hallways to direct children and their parents to the appro-priate classrooms. Children PK3 throu-gh grade 2 should be escorted to their classroom by parents. Students in gra-des 3 to 5 may come into the building by themselves. At dismissal time, an adult should pick up children in PK3 through grade 2 outside their classro-om door that opens to the outside of the building.

Students in grades 3 through 5 should be met in a prearranged location. You will be receiving a form in the first Fri-day Folder to let the school know what arrangements have been made concer-ning future meeting points. (Please see section on after-school supervision.) PK3 students will be on a special sche-dule until September 7, PK4 students until August 31. Children in Kinder-garten will be dismissed at 12:00 until Thursday, August 27.

NEW ES TEACHERSWe are very pleased to welcome the following new teachers to ISP Elementary this year, as well as some of our returning teachers in different positions:

Heather Vlach - EAL PK4 and KindergartenKaterina de Souza - EAL Grade 1Liezel de la Isla - Grade 2Megan Looney - Grade 3Kenneth Odoi - Grade 4Shirleyta Gerald - Grade 5Andrea Limon - Grade 5Kendall Allen - Music

ISP will be offering an after school care program for PK3, PK4, and Kindergar-ten. You will receive details of dates and times for the special schedules and after care program if your child is in one of the PK classes or kindergarten. Chil-dren in grades 1 – 5 will be dismissed at 14:45.

After School SupervisionPlease remember that an adult should supervise Elementary School students at all times and in all places on cam-pus after the 14:45 dismissal. Students may stay at school if they are partici-pating in an after school activity or if working in the library. Once an activi-ty ends, usually at 15:45, the students must go home. No Elementary student is allowed to stay at school unsupervi-sed, whether in school or on the playg-round. Grade 3 through 5 students may work in the library until 17:00, but they must be in the library, not elsewhere in the building.

We looking forward to collaborating with you in the coming school year! If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact Dr. Cindy Vega or Ms. Corky Hawkins.

Dr. Cindy Gause-Vega ES Principal Corky HawkinsAssistant ES Principal


Middle School News

Important Dates:TUESDAY, August 25 MS Sports begin

THURSDAY, August 27 at 18.00MS Parent Evening

MONDAY, Aug 31- FRIDAY, Sep 4Grade 8 Class Trips

MONDAY, Aug 31- FRIDAY, Sep 4Grade 7 Class trip

THURSDAY, Sep 3 - FRIDAY Sep 4 Grade 6 Class Trip

FRIDAY, September 18 MS Dance

THURSDAY, September 24 at 08.15MS Coffee Meeting

Dear Middle School Families, Welcome back to a new year!

I hope you had a relaxing holiday and are ready for an action packed year ahead in Middle School!

I am very happy to be entering my second year at ISP. While some of you got to know me a little last year, I look forward to building on those relationships this year. To families who are new to Middle School, I look forward to getting to know you.

In our Middle School we have a highly qualified and dedicated team of teachers. This year we have improved on the schedule to ensure more balance in instructional time. We remain

committed to Project Based Learning on Stretch days, where students are given opportunities to find and solve problems and meet challenges.

One of the highlights of the beginning of the year is the class trips. These trips provide students with team building opportunities so they can build relationships, bond as a grade level and have fun with their classmates and teachers. Your child will learn about these trips in the first weeks of school.

In addition to the above dates, if you are a new family you should already know that on August 18 there will be an Orientation morning for new students and parents, when we will aim to make you feel at home in your new school.


On Thursday August 27 at 18.00 we invite all parents to attend the MS Parent Evening so you can get to know our teachers and courses for the 2015-16 school year. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the new school year, please do contact the MS Secretary, Ms. Horackova, or myself. Enjoy the rest of the summer holiday –and we look forward to seeing you soon!

Danielle FredericksMiddle School Principal

Reminders: Good attendance is critical at the Mid-dle School level. Some Planned Absen-ces will be categorised as “unexcused” but we must still receive notification at least one week in advance by letter or e-mail from the parent. Please note

NEW MS TEACHERSWe are very pleased to welcome the following new teachers to ISP Mid-dle School (MS) this year:

Carolyn Woulfe - LA/SS (Grade 7)Michal Silhavy - PE (Grade 7)Cory Patterson - Science (Grade 7)Mike Perry - BandMarc Culioli - French

that repeated absences have caused significant problems for some students in the past.

Fresh Air - We will continue to encou-rage Middle School students to use their breaks to get outside and get some fre-sh air. All students should dress appro-priately and bring a warm jacket that they can wear outside when the wea-ther gets colder.

Student Visitors to school are wel-come but may only come for one day, subject to teacher approval that MUST be obtained by the hosting parents at least 3 days in advance, through the MS Secretary.

Your co-operation and support in these areas helps us to maintain a posi-tive atmosphere in the Middle School.

An updated Student Handbook for 2015-2016 will be shared with you at the beginning of school in August.

Our Middle School Team looks forward to working in partnership with you to create the best possible educational experience for your child.


Upper School NewsImportant Dates:TUESDAY, August 18Orientation Program for New Stu-dents and Parents (see below)

WEDNESDAY, August 19First Day of Classes

WEDNESDAY, August 19 at 19:00, Blue RoomTHURSDAY, August 20 at 08:15, Elementary TheatreActvities Information Parent Meeting (Please attend one of the meetings)

MONDAY, August 24 at 08:00Laptop Orientation for Grade 9(students only)

TUESDAY, August 25 at 18:30, TheatreIB & University Meeting for Grade 11 Parents

TUESDAY - FRIDAY, September 1 - 4Week Without Walls Program(Some trips begin on the 31st and end on the 5th, so please check the dates)

THURSDAY, September 10 at 18:00, TheatreUpper School Parent Evening

TUESDAY, September 15 at 18:30, TheatreGrade 12 IB and UK/European Univer-sity Evening for Parents & Students, (Note: IB information will the same at next week‘s meeting)

TUESDAY, September 22 at 18:30, TheatreGrade 12 IB and US/Other University Evening for Parents & Students(Note: IB information will the same at next week‘s meeting)

Welcome from the Upper School Principal

Welcome to the 2015-2016 school year at ISP! I am delighted to have the chan-ce to work with all of you and with your sons and daughters.

School opens on Wednesday, August 19, and all Upper School students should re-port to the theater at 08:00. From there, we will disperse to morning advisory and class meetings. All necessary textbooks will be provided in the actual classes.

OrientationTo help ease the transition to ISP for our new students and parents, we have scheduled an Orientation Program on Tuesday, August 18.

All new to ISP students and their parents should arrive at 08:20 for a short Laptop Program and Week Without Walls Ori-entation. At 09:00, all new parents are

asked to join Dr. Bieber and other school personnel in the Theater. Also at 9:00, all new Upper School students will meet with the school Counselors, our Student Ambassadors, and me. Entering students will have the opportunity to learn about day-to-day life at ISP, take a tour of the school and ask any questions they may have. Then, students and counselors will board a bus for a recreational bowling party and lunch. Students will return to school between

NEW US TEACHERSWe are very pleased to welcome the following new teachers to the Upper School!

Janelle Brin - EnglishEva Dušková - Learming SupportLynne Evans - Social Studies, EconomicsLeanne Fleming - Social Studies, HistoryMegan McLain – Biology, ESSElizabeth Perry - Technology CoachMike Perry - Concert BandIgor Popstefanija - Information TechnologyKate Shaw - Physical EducationMatt Smith - Social Studies Lindsey Weaver - Math


14:00 and 14:30 to be picked up by pa-rents. Please note that students do not need any money with them for this trip as ISP covers all costs.

Upper School Petr Mares 1-to-1 Laptop Program.All Upper School students are required to possess an ISP-approved 13” Apple Mac-book laptop computer as a necessary tool within our academic program. A Laptop Handbook and Digital Citizenship Agre-ement has been supplied to all families (and can be found on our internal websi-te http://schoolnet.isp.cz). The full review and commitment to these agreements, by both parents and students, is an important prerequisite for participation in the 1-to-1 Laptop Program.

GRADE 9 STUDENTS SHOULD NOT BRING THEIR LAPTOPS TO SCHOOL UNTIL MON-DAY, AUGUST 24, WHEN THEY SHOULD BRING THEM TO SCHOOL FULLY CHAR-GED.On this day, Grade 9 students will attend a day-long special orientation program, which guides them through the set-up of these machines and the installation of the licensed software. If you have any questi-

ons, please contact Elizabeth Perry, Upper School Technology Coach.

Week Without Walls (WWW)WWW is just around the corner! Du-ring the week of September 1 - 4, stu-dents will be traveling to a variety of exciting destinations, participating in challenging activities and extending the classroom walls to the rest of the world. Some trips leave a day earlier and some return a day later, so please check the dates at http://weekwithout-walls2014.weebly.com/

On August 21, students will meet in WWW groups during the day, when any additional forms will be distributed. On August 28, students will again meet in WWW groups to go over final details. Please note that all forms are due by Tuesday, August 25.

We hope that students are as excited about these trips as we are. If there are any questions about the WWW program, please see Sandra Malinova in the Activities Office, or email her at

[email protected].

AttendancePlease contact either of the US Secretaries by 09:00 if your child is ill, and is not coming to school: Ms. Veronika Vodickova (220 384 222) or Ms. Zuzka Linkova (220 384 227).

Make sure to read all the sections of the Parent Handbook, as well as the Student Handbook that will be brought home on the first day of school. And please note that our policy on excessive absences has been revised. Again, you an find all relevant information in both the Parent and Student handbooks.

Regular school attendance is essential to the progress and achievement of the student. In the case of planned absences, parents should notify the principal at least TWO weeks prior to the absence. Notification allows for better planning on the part of student and teacher.

Mark FrankelUpper School Principal


From the IT DepartmentWelcome to our new and returning families!

IT Update and InformationThe Library and IT team would like to welcome Elizabeth Perry, our new Upper School Digital Learning Facilitator!

The Petr Mares 1-to-1 Laptop ProgramsWe are entering into our seventh and eighth years of our 1-to-1 laptop environment in the Upper and middle schools. These tools continue to be integrated in meaningful ways to enhance the curriculum and student learning. The programmes are managed by our Digital Learning Facilitators, Liz Perry (US) and Lyle Bobyk (MS).

Mobile Technology in the Elementary SchoolIn the Elementary School, we have been piloting a 1-to-1 programme in Grade 2. We are excited to announce the expansion of our 1-to-1 initiative to include Grade 3 and 4 (both with iPads) and Grade 5 (laptops). This will allow students and teachers to use technology as required by the learning in the classroom. Kindergarten and Grade 1 will each have a cart of iPads

to share between classes as required. The programme is managed by our Elementary Digital Learning Facilitator, Damianne President.

Sharing our LearningWe continue to work throughout the school with both blogs (http://isp.edublogs.org) and Google Sites. These services are a wonderful way for all students and faculty to share their class work and their personal reflections. Elementary School faculty present their personal class websites on Edublogs. In the Middle School, students are working with Google Sites and Blogs as they develop their Portfolios. In the Upper School, students and faculty use Sites to share class information and blogs to convey their reflection on learning within their different curricular topics.

Connecting with FamiliesOne piece of feedback we heard from parents is that more sessions related to technology would be appreciated. Our plan is to offer more regular parent workshops around technology at ISP, parenting in a digital age, and finding balance between our online and offline lives. Please watch the Parent Contact emails for further details.

Digital CitizenshipThe IT and Library departments will continue to work closely with faculty, counselors and school Principals to educate students on Digital Citizenship. This Digital Citizenship program is integrated in the laptop orientation programs, homeroom classes, advisory and other special assemblies throughout the year.

LibraryAs always, ISP’s library is a central point of the school. Parents, students and staff all have access to a wide range of resources, with some exciting changes planned for this year. You can find a new ebook service, new databases, family games and DVD’s, and creative resources for all ages. Everyone in the ISP community is encouraged to stop by and see what your library has to offer!

The IT & Library Department look forward to supporting you and your child this year. We wish you and your family a successful year at the International School of Prague.

Sheldon BradshawDirector of Information Technology


Welcome to Learning@ISP, where we believe that we are all life-long learners striving to collaboratively meet our Mission. Given this belief, we strategically research and develop student, faculty, staff, and parent learning.

Student Learning ISP has an articulated, mission-driven PK-12 curriculum, rooted in inquiry where learners are involved in posing and investigating questions. Our learning program offers students the lifelong understandings and skills reflective of how the disciplines are used in the real world. The development of these competencies enable our students to be successful at ISP, and in their future educational and professional pursuits. For more details, please visit our community portal (http://schoolnet.isp.cz/index.php/curriculum).

Our curriculum research and deve-lopment is based on the following premises:

• The curriculum development process is ongoing and forward looking.• Student learning evidence drives curriculum evaluation.• Transfer is the primary learning goal

Professional learning:Throughout the year, faculty and staff are involved in learning both here at ISP and off site. On site learning includes focus groups, professional learning days, retreat days for targeted groups, faculty meetings and internal sharing of expertise. In addition, we encourage and support attendance at targeted workshops and conferences at ISP, online, in Europe and around the world. This year ISP will be hosting the following events:

• November 4-7: Adaptive Schools Leadership Seminar led by the Thinking Collaborative and sponsored by CEESA• January 22-24: Future Ready Schools a conference that will focus on Student Agency, Courageous Leadership, Empo-wered Teachers, Inspiring Spaces• February 24-26: IBICUS IB Diploma Program workshops • CEESA Job alikes for Tech Directors and IB Diploma Program Coordinators

Parent learning:Throughout the year, we invite you to participate in workshops, presentations and discussions about what, why, and how we learn here at ISP. Please look for dates, times and details in the ISP Parent Contact. We offer the following opportunities for parent learning:

ISP Learning Research and Development• Parent Coffees: These presentations

and discussions target sectional specific and age related issues in the Elementary, Middle, and Upper sections of our school.

• Informational sessions regarding spe-cific learning areas: This year we will be holding targeted workshops in the areas of Modern Language, Mathematics, and Science.

• Edge in Education: In these thought-provoking sessions, organized in col-laboration with the SCA, we engage in discussions around current and future trends in education.

This year’s dates and topics (with visi-ting experts) are as follows:

»» 9 October: Inquiry with Kath Murdoch »» 13 November: Drawing as a thin-

king tool with Danny Gregory»»5 February: Cultures of thinking with

Mark Church»» 29 April: Design Thinking

I look forward to delving deeper into Learning@ ISP with you this year.

Teresa Belisle ([email protected])Director of Learning Research and Development

Activities and AthleticsGreetings from the Activities office and welcome to the 2015-16 school year at ISP.

Our role in the Activities office is to coordinate the school’s extensive offering of after school programs. There are ranging opportunities available to your child and we encourage them to be involved as much as possible.

More details can be found on the stu-dent life section of our school website:

http://www.isp.cz/page.cfm?p=493

We will hold two meetings to provide you with more information about Acti-vities at ISP:

• Wednesday August 19th @7pm in the Blue Room

• Thursday August 20st @8.15am in the ES Theatre

These meetings are relevant for pa-rents with children in any school secti-on and we urge you to attend whiche-ver session is most convenient for you. If you have any questions please drop

into school to see me; or email me at [email protected]

Wishing you and your family a wonder-ful year at ISP.

Joe MonksActivities Director


Welcome to ISP!Make sure to mark Saturday, August 29, on your calendar. That is the annual ISP Information Fair and Welcome Picnic which will be held from 11:00 to 14:00.

The fair is an excellent opportunity for new and returning families to meet and make new friends. Everyone will have an opportunity to meet the new staff members on an informal basis. You will also have the opportunity to meet with many businesses and services here in Prague, including: medical centers, banks, activities for children, movers, technology, sport centers, hairdressers, restaurants, and many other appealing services. The fair begins at 11:00, the picnic and live music at noon. The food service will sell barbecued food, salads, ice cream, and drinks. Join the fun!

Information Fair & Welcome Picnic

... and don’t missPE Kit (t-shirt and shorts) Sale

All students in Grades 3-8 are required to wear ISP Physical Education kit, which includes an ISP t-shirt and shorts. T-Shirts are 100 czk and shorts are 400 czk. These will be on sale in the reception during New Family Orientation (August 18) and from 07:30 – 08:30 on August 19 and 20.

inspiration newsletter august 2015

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