ISA Hosts the 2016 European Conference on iPads in the Classroom Conference

 

This two-day event held at the ISA Centre for Development, Learning & Technology connected K-5 educators from across Europe and the Middle East with inspirational and innovative strategies and approaches for using iPads to enhance learning within the classroom. Over 50 attendees came together to attend sessions that challenged, motivated and provoked new ways of thinking about the capacity for iPads for instruction, assessment and documentation of student thinking and learning.

Conference highlights included

  • Plenary sessions with Warren Apel and Joe Moretti on coding, game design and programming in primary classrooms
  • In-class visits to see the ISA 1:1 iPad programme in action with K-5 students and teachers
  • Workshops on digital portfolios, use of iPads with thinking routines, iBeacons in schools libraries, self-assessment with iPads, apps for documenting and tracking student learning and more…
  •  Informal sessions in the iPad café, the iPad App Slam and Speed Geeking sessions!

Take a peek and see how great it was…

Record-setting Trash Audit Results from Green Team

Be sure to check out this great video from the ISA Green Team highlighting the results of their recent trash audit of the school. More than 80 volunteers attended – a new record! See which trash has increased and where we, as a school, have improved on eliminating waste.

Go Green Team!

Board of Governors Hosts First Parent Meeting for 2015-2016 School Year

On Wednesday, 30 September the ISA Board of Governors hosted a morning parent information session for the ISA parent community. The agenda for the meeting covered the new board composition including an introduction to new board members David Rosenberg and Eric Robles, as well as financials, enrolment updates, the board goals for 2015-2016 and a review of new programme initiatives for the school year.

ISA Hosts Ivy Circle’s USA University Fair 

Members of the ISA community attended the recent Ivy Circle USA University fair on October 1, where they met with representatives from over 25 universities.  The following information sessions were offered during the fair to assist students with coordinating their post-secondary academic efforts: Standardised Testing, Scholarships for International Students, 2+2 Transfers (Associate/Bachelor) and Innovation in Higher Education. ISA hosted the event in collaboration with the Fulbright Center USA, the United States Consulate and alumni representing Ivy League colleges and other esteemed institutions of higher learning.

 

Read more about ISA University Counselling – https://issuu.com/isacommunications/docs/isa_connections_issue_04_issuu

OFFICIAL OPENING OF NURSE’S STATION IN NEW WING

On Friday, 25 September, ISA officially opened the new nursing station in the Early Childhood section of the new wing. It was a great opportunity to view the new facilities and meet the two new ISA nurses, Parvathi den Herder and Masha Goldis and our nursing assistants, Renee de Man and Emilie de Man.

The new station allows for quicker access to health information and emergency health services for Upper and Lower School students attending classes within the new extension to the school. For more information in the ISA nursing team and for health updates be sure to login and view the Nurses Pages on MyISA.

 

 

Thank you from PTA for Welcome BBQ Success

Dear ISA families and friends,

Thank you to everyone for making the PTA BBQ the success that it was!

It was a lovely day with a great turn out of 1250 people enjoying delicious food, great music and awesome weather. It seems that the skies cleared just for that day for us! We were truly lucky that the drizzle started only as we walked out of the building in the evening. Overall, the atmosphere was amazing and could see smiles everywhere.

We have the privilege to work with a fantastic, supportive and hard working team. We would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to the school management, operations, and maintenance. Last, but not least, a huge thank you to the happy ISA families that streamed in. What’s a party without the people, good food, music and yes, the sun shining down especially for us.

Sincerely,

The PTA Team

Photos by Luciana Blair

PTA and Expatcenter Amsterdam Host Newcomers Meeting

The PTA Newcomers Committee hosted an information session about expat life in the Netherlands on Friday, 11 September in the cafeteria annex. The programme, developed in cooperation with the Expatcenter Amsterdam featured a speaker from the community organisation who discussed transitioning to life in the Netherlands and answered any questions new families had on this subject.

Excellent DP Results for Class of 2015

In early July, we received the IB Diploma results for the Class of 2015 and once again they are something to make us all proud.

This year 98% of our diploma candidates achieved the full diploma (51 out of 52) with a total average score of 34 points. ISA’s average grade was 5.35 points while the world average was 4.99 and 39% of our diploma candidate’s obtained 36 points or more, which comes to an average of 6 points per student.

In total 9 of our diploma candidates obtained 40 points or more, with 2 having obtained nearly perfect scores with totals of 44 points.

Additionally, 91% of this year’s diploma candidates received one or more bonus points for their work in Theory of Knowledge and the Extended Essay. Lastly, 39 % of our diploma candidates received a bi-lingual diploma.

Congratulations!

 

Lower School EAL Parent Sessions

On August 31, ISA hosted parent sessions covering the ISA English as an Additional Language programme.

The programme, while open for all parents, was geared towards parents of children who are still acquiring English as an additional language. The sessions were also provided in English, Hebrew, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin and Russian.

A sincere thank you to all parent volunteers who helped to bring this programme to our community

ISA Raises €13,600 to Aid Nepal Earthquake Victims

In response to the massive earthquake that struck Nepal in April which killed over 8,500 and injured scores more, the ISA community mobilised to raise funds to benefit the victims of the tragedy.

“As the major international relief organisations are already benefiting from large-scale donations, we have chosen to support a local charity, which works specifically with children” noted Dr. Ed Greene, ISA Director.

“The DOCS Foundation Nepal (The Destitute and Orphan Children Safeguarding Foundation Nepal) is a non-governmental, non-political and non-profit organisation established in 2002. This organisation, which is known to a member of our community with strong ties to Nepal, is already bringing relief to victims: providing shelter, food and healthcare in extremely harsh conditions. ISA would like to support their work directly, so that all the money raised at ISA for this appeal will benefit children whose lives have been devastated by not only losing their families but also their homes and all means of support.”

The ISA student and parent communities hosted a variety of events including bake and rummage sales, as well as  food sales from the Japanese Relief and Philippines Relief clubs. The parent fundraising group, SHARE,  also donated a portion of the profits from their Gala fundraising event to generate funds for the campaign.

In total so far, ISA raised more than 13,600 euros, which will directly benefit the orphans of the DOCS Foundation Nepal.

To donate to help the ISA Nepali Relief for DOCS Foundation Nepal, send your donation to “ISA NEPALI RELIEF”

International School of Amsterdam in Amstelveen
IBAN: NL40ABNA0467218382
BIC code: ABNANL2A
Reference: ISA Nepali Relief