Understanding the requirement for the IB Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS) programme can be confusing to many parents, therefore the ISA CAS programme coordinator, Vlad Gogelescu, recently hosted a Q&A session on 31 October for parents of grade 11 and 12 students.
CAS formally begins at the start of the Diploma Programme (grade 11) and continues regularly, ideally on a weekly basis, for at least 18 months with a reasonable balance between creativity, activity, and service experiences that the students voluntarily engage in that involve one or more of the three CAS strands. A CAS experience can be a single event or may be an extended series of events.
Over the past month, students in the PYP programme have taken numerous field trips to connect with themes from their classrooms.
As part of their Different People, Different Lives Unit of Inquiry, Grade 5 students recently visited the, ‘In Het Donker Gezien?’ museum. Students were able to briefly experience what it is like to be visually impaired and reflect on how these individuals experience the world.
Connecting to their Units of Inquiry, Who We Are and How the World Works, Grade 4 recently took a bike trip to the Amsterdamse Bos. The bike trip helped build community amongst the students, but students also learned more about how the Bos was built and its impact on the local community.
Grade 2 also took a trip to Amsterdamse Bos to support their current Unit of Inquiry, Our Fragile Earth. Students did field research on the local habitat and gathered evidence on the different plants and animals that live in the forest.
One of the biggest benefits of ISA is that students are able to interact and learn from our amazing Amsterdam community!
https://www.isa.nl/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/ISA-logo.png00Matthew Jasinskihttps://www.isa.nl/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/ISA-logo.pngMatthew Jasinski2016-10-11 15:22:292016-10-11 15:22:29Lower School Out in the Community
It’s that time of year when Upper School seniors are busy applying and prepping for their next exciting journey after ISA. Upper School counsellors and teachers are working hard to help navigate students through these sometimes confusing paths.
ISA, in cooperation with the Fulbright Center and the U.S. Consulate General, welcomed over 30 American colleges and universities during the 5th annual Ivy Circle USA University Fair on 29 September. This fair offered a unique opportunity for students to meet with representatives from U.S. universities/colleges.
We look forward to seeing the next steps for our Class of 2017!
https://www.isa.nl/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/ISA-logo.png00Matthew Jasinskihttps://www.isa.nl/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/ISA-logo.pngMatthew Jasinski2016-10-11 15:19:322016-10-11 15:19:32Ivy Circle USA University Fair
The ISA Library Team would like to take this opportunity to announce Book Week 2016!
The ISA BookWeek 2016 slogan centres around a green theme, primarily sustainability and how libraries are proponents of this important way of living: Reading Shapes Our World: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Read!
This year, our students will be delighted by the award-winning authors and storytellers that we will host. We have such a great line-up this year with award-winning authors and illustrators.
The Upper School Library will welcome Saci Lloyd from October 10th-12th.
The Lower School Library will welcome The Two Steves from October 11th-14th.
The Early Childhood Library will welcome Jeff Mack from October 11th-14th.
Book Week will be from October 10-14, 2016. Of special note, Lower School students may dress as their favourite book character on 14 October.
Enjoy and happy reading!
https://www.isa.nl/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/unnamed.jpg284200Erika Harrifordhttps://www.isa.nl/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/ISA-logo.pngErika Harriford2016-09-19 17:34:452016-09-19 17:44:34ISA Book Week 2016
On 25 August, ISA welcomed over 1300 students and their families to campus for the first day of school. The halls of ISA came alive again as friends shared hugs and told stories from their exciting summer vacations. There is no doubt that this year will be filled with new memories, friendships, and accomplishments.
At the end of the last school year, the high school student body elected three new Student Council leaders. These students will serve as role models and advocates for their fellow students as they plan and implement a variety of projects over the next year. We look forward to seeing what they have in store.
The newly elected members are:
President: Ari Economon Vice-President: Ryan Collins Secretary/Treasurer: Blanca Carmont-Zaragoza
https://www.isa.nl/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/IMG_5364.jpg10671600Matthew Jasinskihttps://www.isa.nl/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/ISA-logo.pngMatthew Jasinski2016-08-30 16:18:312016-09-19 17:37:23High School Student Council Elections
I would like to take the time to celebrate with you this year’s final IB diploma results. In early July, we received the first IB exam results for the Class of 2016. After a few remarks over the summer, these results are now final. Once again they are something to be very proud of.
ISA students performed exceptionally well on these externally assessed exams and assignments. In fact, ISA’s average grade in each course was 5.25 points; to put that in context, the worldwide average was 4.95.
The graduating class of 2016 included the highest number of IB Diplomas earned in the history of ISA: 59 candidates earned the full ID Diploma with a total average score of 34 points! Out of these, 7 of the 59 received a total of 40 or more points! And if this was not enough, 96.7% of this year’s diploma candidates received one or more bonus points for their work in Theory of Knowledge and the Extended Essay. Finally, 44 % of our diploma candidates received a bi-lingual diploma.
Whilst these statistics are impressive, they do not tell a complete story. Indeed, not all IB grades are equal as some grades achieved by this year’s DP candidates, whilst perhaps statistically not as impressive, are nevertheless genuine accomplishments and thus worthy of praise. For example, we had a few candidates this year who arrived at ISA in grade 10 with intermediate-level English and nevertheless received their IB diplomas with flying colors.
Such results are contingent on a number of factors. For sure the resilience, hard work, and perseverance of this year’s IB Diploma and IB Course candidates contributed greatly to their success but they could never have achieved it without the support and care of their parents and guardians. A great thank you thus goes out to parents and guardians of this year’s graduating class.
Finally however it is important to acknowledge in particular the hard work of ISA’s faculty, both the Lower School as well as the Upper School faculties as some of our students have been at ISA most of their educational careers. Indeed, our DP candidates would not have been able to achieve such results without their continued commitment and profound sense of professionalism.
Congratulations to the class of 2016!
Kind regards,
Matt Lynch
DP Coordinator
International School of Amsterdam
“Education is the most powerful weapon that you can use to change the world”
Nelson Mandela
https://www.isa.nl/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/018_Grade-12_DY041711_IMG_9954-website.jpg7261088Erika Harrifordhttps://www.isa.nl/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/ISA-logo.pngErika Harriford2016-08-22 09:46:082016-08-22 09:46:08DP Results Exam Year 2016 – Congratulations to the Class of 2016!
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CAS Q&A Session for Parents
/in Upper SchoolUnderstanding the requirement for the IB Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS) programme can be confusing to many parents, therefore the ISA CAS programme coordinator, Vlad Gogelescu, recently hosted a Q&A session on 31 October for parents of grade 11 and 12 students.
CAS formally begins at the start of the Diploma Programme (grade 11) and continues regularly, ideally on a weekly basis, for at least 18 months with a reasonable balance between creativity, activity, and service experiences that the students voluntarily engage in that involve one or more of the three CAS strands. A CAS experience can be a single event or may be an extended series of events.
Parents were invited to email questions prior to the event so that their specific needs and queries could be addressed. Read here for a general overview of CAS at ISA.
Lower School Out in the Community
/in AthleticsOver the past month, students in the PYP programme have taken numerous field trips to connect with themes from their classrooms.
As part of their Different People, Different Lives Unit of Inquiry, Grade 5 students recently visited the, ‘In Het Donker Gezien?’ museum. Students were able to briefly experience what it is like to be visually impaired and reflect on how these individuals experience the world.
Connecting to their Units of Inquiry, Who We Are and How the World Works, Grade 4 recently took a bike trip to the Amsterdamse Bos. The bike trip helped build community amongst the students, but students also learned more about how the Bos was built and its impact on the local community.
Grade 2 also took a trip to Amsterdamse Bos to support their current Unit of Inquiry, Our Fragile Earth. Students did field research on the local habitat and gathered evidence on the different plants and animals that live in the forest.
One of the biggest benefits of ISA is that students are able to interact and learn from our amazing Amsterdam community!
Ivy Circle USA University Fair
/in AthleticsIt’s that time of year when Upper School seniors are busy applying and prepping for their next exciting journey after ISA. Upper School counsellors and teachers are working hard to help navigate students through these sometimes confusing paths.
ISA, in cooperation with the Fulbright Center and the U.S. Consulate General, welcomed over 30 American colleges and universities during the 5th annual Ivy Circle USA University Fair on 29 September. This fair offered a unique opportunity for students to meet with representatives from U.S. universities/colleges.
We look forward to seeing the next steps for our Class of 2017!
ISA Book Week 2016
/in All SchoolReading Shapes Our World: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Read!
The ISA Library Team would like to take this opportunity to announce Book Week 2016!
Book Week will be from October 10-14, 2016. Of special note, Lower School students may dress as their favourite book character on 14 October.
Enjoy and happy reading!
High School Student Council Elections
/in All School, Upper SchoolOn 25 August, ISA welcomed over 1300 students and their families to campus for the first day of school. The halls of ISA came alive again as friends shared hugs and told stories from their exciting summer vacations. There is no doubt that this year will be filled with new memories, friendships, and accomplishments.
At the end of the last school year, the high school student body elected three new Student Council leaders. These students will serve as role models and advocates for their fellow students as they plan and implement a variety of projects over the next year. We look forward to seeing what they have in store.
The newly elected members are:
President: Ari Economon
Vice-President: Ryan Collins
Secretary/Treasurer: Blanca Carmont-Zaragoza
DP Results Exam Year 2016 – Congratulations to the Class of 2016!
/in All School, Upper SchoolDear Members of the ISA Community,
I would like to take the time to celebrate with you this year’s final IB diploma results. In early July, we received the first IB exam results for the Class of 2016. After a few remarks over the summer, these results are now final. Once again they are something to be very proud of.
ISA students performed exceptionally well on these externally assessed exams and assignments. In fact, ISA’s average grade in each course was 5.25 points; to put that in context, the worldwide average was 4.95.
The graduating class of 2016 included the highest number of IB Diplomas earned in the history of ISA: 59 candidates earned the full ID Diploma with a total average score of 34 points! Out of these, 7 of the 59 received a total of 40 or more points! And if this was not enough, 96.7% of this year’s diploma candidates received one or more bonus points for their work in Theory of Knowledge and the Extended Essay. Finally, 44 % of our diploma candidates received a bi-lingual diploma.
Whilst these statistics are impressive, they do not tell a complete story. Indeed, not all IB grades are equal as some grades achieved by this year’s DP candidates, whilst perhaps statistically not as impressive, are nevertheless genuine accomplishments and thus worthy of praise. For example, we had a few candidates this year who arrived at ISA in grade 10 with intermediate-level English and nevertheless received their IB diplomas with flying colors.
Such results are contingent on a number of factors. For sure the resilience, hard work, and perseverance of this year’s IB Diploma and IB Course candidates contributed greatly to their success but they could never have achieved it without the support and care of their parents and guardians. A great thank you thus goes out to parents and guardians of this year’s graduating class.
Finally however it is important to acknowledge in particular the hard work of ISA’s faculty, both the Lower School as well as the Upper School faculties as some of our students have been at ISA most of their educational careers. Indeed, our DP candidates would not have been able to achieve such results without their continued commitment and profound sense of professionalism.
Congratulations to the class of 2016!
Kind regards,
Matt Lynch
DP Coordinator
International School of Amsterdam
“Education is the most powerful weapon that you can use to change the world”
Nelson Mandela