Contents

Director 2 Library News 2 International Day 2015 3-5 MYP Results 5 Secondary Principal 6 M1 Trip to Alti Agac 6 M2 Action 7 Secondary Production 8 PTA 9 Calendar

September 28 Parent Technology Coffee

Morning

28-3 TISA Art Exhibition

29 P1-P2 Parent-Teacher Conference

29 P3-P8 Parent-Teacher Conference

29-30 P6-P8 ISA Test

29-30 M1-M3 ISA Test

30 MYP Parents' Coffee Morning

October 1 P1-P2 Parent-Teacher

Conference

1 P3-P8 Parent-Teacher Conference

1 M1-M3 ISA Test

1 M4-DP2 SRT College Fair

2 P6-P8 ISA Test

2 Planning Afternoon

6 PTA Coffee Morning

7 P1-P8 Transition Workshop for New Parents

7-8 M4-DP2 Drama Production

8 ELC International Day

8-18 CAS Trip to Cambodia

9 International Day

10-16 Mid-term Holiday

19-20 Professional Development Day: School Closed to Students

21 M1-M5 Math Night

22 P1-P8 Parents' Mathematics Workshop

23 DP1 Biology Field Trip

23 MYP Coffee Morning (ATLs + MYP)

23 M1-DP2 Reports completed

24 ACT Test

26 Parent Technology Coffee Morning

28 PSAT Test

30 P7 Open House

30 College Fair

30 M4-DP2 Student Council Halloween Party

30 M1-DP2 Reports Issued

www.tisa.az

communications@tisa.az

23r d September 2015 2015-2016 I s sue 2

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The early weeks of our school year revolve around building community. Staff expectations, essential agreements in classrooms, Back-to-School nights and information sessions are all designed to get to know one another as much as the school programmes. Already, primary students are considering “Who We Are”, “How We Organize Ourselves” and understanding “Roles and Responsibilities”, in their Units of Inquiry. In the coming months our entire community will be exploring a similar line of inquiry. TISA is due to develop a new Strategic Plan for the upcoming 3-5 years. This will reflect our shared ambitions for the sort of school and community we want TISA to be. The process for developing the plan will involve broad input from

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students, staff, parents and school leadership. This means meetings, focus groups, feedback sessions and—yes—surveys. When done well, this strengthens a school community and brings us together with a clear mission, shared vision and strategic priorities for realizing the two. Alejandro in P3, after interviewing myself and other members of the school for the Roles and Responsibilities unit said, “Mr. Chris works for the school community. He helps teachers. He tells people what to do. It is a hard job. I want to become a director.” I look forward to that ‘hard job’, and supporting Alejandro and his fellow students in reaching each of their aspirations!

Chris Andre Director

Roles and Responsibilities—A Strategic Approach

TISA Times Page 2 of 9 Director & Library News

TISA Students Travel to Creative Places

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As we ready ourselves for Primary Arts Week and the TISA Arts Exhibition (28 Sep—Oct 3) I am reminded of the unique perspective our students bring to their work. Our students demonstrate the work ethic, skill and commitment necessary to produce the works—visual and performing—we will share next week. But, often taken for granted are the creative ways in which our students express themselves. Of course they are creative—‘It’s the arts!’ you say. But it is so much more. Our own Primary Arts Coordinator, Nicola Beale, wrote in a piece submitted to an international publication this summer. “The view of many is that creativity helps us to solve problems of huge complexity. In an increasingly mixed existence, global problems need viewing and solving through creative and thoughtful ideas that take into account the many experiences

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and cultures it affects.” Studies show that the lives our students experience increases creativity, and this is not just true for the arts. Studies have shown that students who travel more and are exposed to a wider range of cultures are more creative in solving problems. Additionally, multilingual individuals also demonstrate higher levels of creativity and potentially, improved health. Combining personal experience and a TISA education—which fosters high level presentation skills, analytical thinking and collaborative work with peers and mentors—our students are fully-engaged in developing skills recommended for MBA and Graduate students, seeking leadership positions. Enjoy the arts next week—I am sure you will be impressed with their creativity!

Chris Andre Director

Libraries Open for Business

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You might notice a few changes next time you are in one of the libraries. We have been working hard to reorganise the ELC, Primary, and Secondary libraries, and make it easier for you to find the books you need. Come and visit to see how we have grouped each book by both reading age and topic/genre. Do you like funny books? Fantasy novels? Stories about cats? You can find them all easily in the new libraries. Thank you to everyone for your patience during this transition, and many, many thanks to the volunteers who donated hours of

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time sorting, moving, and re-stickering ALL our books! Our libraries are for everyone in the TISA community. Students in P1 – M2 have a weekly library lesson and borrowing time. Parents may borrow up to five additional books for their children (and more for holiday reading). Parents are also welcome to borrow books for themselves! We have a wide selection of fiction, non-fiction and magazines in the secondary library.

Emma Burns Library Coordinator

TISA Times Page 3 of 9 International Day

International Day 2015

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International Day, among all the rest, is a day where our international community comes together as one, celebrating our individual uniqueness, sharing our diverse cultures and to promote awareness of global citizenship. The day’s celebrations will begin with a whole school assembly that includes a flag ceremony, followed by dancing, singing and musical performances that will encompass a variety of talents from around the world. Throughout the rest of the day, students and staff will attend workshops that will give everyone the opportunity to experience cultures and traditions through a variety of ways. We will also have an International Food Festival where the students will have the opportunity to taste and smell various foods and flavors that the world has to offer. Please read the information below regarding volunteers. This will be an International Day to remember. More information coming soon!

The International Day Committee _________________________________ Performance Volunteers: We need your talent! This year, TISA will have a morning assembly as well as feature talents during the International Food Festival in the afternoon. If you or a group would like to sing, dance, act or play music for the morning or afternoon on International Day please email Fiona Hunter fhunter@tisa.az, or Sean Barry Barry_Sean@tisa.az Time is limited to 3 min. for each performance for the morning assembly. Performances held during the afternoon can be up to 5 min. Spaces are limited for the morning assembly, so sign up soon.

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Workshop Volunteers: We need volunteers to run workshops! This year we would like to offer a variety of workshops that caters to a variety of ages. The objective of these workshops is to promote specific parts of our home cultures. Students will rotate around each workshop, which will last 20 minutes and will involve students with an age range of 5-18 years. Ideas for workshops could include one of the following: teaching a game or dance, performing a drama or story, teaching a song or instrument, or creating a piece of art. If you would like to be a workshop leader on International Day, please email: Hewa at HThompson@tisa.az. Alternatively you could contact your PTA representative. Please let us know by Wednesday 30th September. International Day Food Festival: The International Day Food Festival will be held on International Day, Friday, October 9th. The entire community will celebrate hand-in-hand: Elementary and secondary students sharing lunch on a rotational basis in the Lunch Hall. In order to offer a variety of food representative of our international population and to feed our entire TISA community, each family at TISA is asked to provide a dish from their country. • Dishes should contain

approximately 20 portions or more of finger food or food that is easy to serve and can be eaten without cutlery

• Food can be sent to the lunch hall on the morning of International Day

• Label your name and child’s homeroom on any containers you want returned. We recommend using disposable containers

• Provide a label or tag indicating the ingredients of your dish

TISA Times Page 4 of 9 International Day

TISA International Day 2015…continued

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• NO NUTS

Please note there will be no hot lunch or salad bar available at TISA on this day. If for any reason (health, safety or medical) your child will not participate in the food festival please send in a packed lunch for them to eat and inform your child’s teacher. TISA has a no nut policy. Dishes may not include any trace of nuts or nut products. (Please note: this includes almonds, hazelnuts and pistachios, etcetera). Any questions, please contact Ms Green (green_johanna@tisa.az ) ��������������� Beynəәlxalq Gündəә Yeməәk Festivalı Beynəәlxalq Gün Yeməәk Festivalı 9 oktyabr Cüməә günü Beynəәlxalq Gün yığıncağından sonra keçiriləәcəәk. Bütün məәktəәb komitəәsi bunu bir yerdəә qeyd edəәcəәk. İbtidai vəә orta məәktəәb təәləәbəәləәri məәktəәbin yeməәkxanasında növbəәli şəәkildəә günorta yeməәyini bölüşəәcəәkləәr. TİSA Beynəәlxalq məәktəәbin beynəәlxalq yeməәkləәrini bölüşməәk üçün həәr bir ailəәdəәn öz ölkəәləәrinəә xas milli yeməәk gəәtirməәsi xahiş olunur. • Yeməәkləәr 20 porsiyadan çox

olmamaq şəәrtiləә qəәlyanaltı formasında əәl iləә götürüləә biləәcəәk vəә çəәngəәl, bıçaq olmadan yeyiləә biləәcəәk formada olmalıdır.

• Yeməәk Beynəәlxalq günün səәhəәri yeməәkxanaya göndəәriləә biləәr.

• ƏӘgəәr yeməәk qabının qaytarılmasını istəәyirsizsəә qabın üstündəә uşağınızın sinfini vəә adınızı qeyd edin.

• Yeməәyin üstündəә onun təәrkibindəә olan ingredientləәri qeyd edin.

• Qoz qadağandır.

Xəәbəәrdar olun ki, həәmin gün TİSA-da isti yeməәk vəә ya salat olmayacaq.

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ƏӘgəәr sizin övladınız həәr hansı bir səәbəәbdəәn (sağlamlıq,tibbi vəә qoruyucu baxımdan) yeməәk festivalında iştirak etmirsəә,onda öz yeməәyini gəәtirəә biləәr. TİSA-da qozun olmamasına aid qanun var. Yeməәkləәrdəә heç bir qoz, badam, fındıq, püstəә vəә ona aid məәmulat olmamalıdır. ƏӘgəәr sualınız olsa, cəәnab Ms Green (green_johanna@tisa.az) ��������������� Фестиваль Кухни Народов Мира Фестиваль Кухни Народов Мира состоится по случаю Международного Дня, в Пятницу 9-го Октября. Всё сообщество будет праздновать рука об руку: Студенты начальных и средних классов будут обмениваться блюдами в Столовой. С целью предоставления разнообразных блюд представителей различных национальностей и обеспечения едой всего сообщества TISA , мы попросили каждую семью предоставить блюдо своей страны. • Блюдо должно содержать

примерно 20 или более порций закуски или еды, которую можно легко подать и есть без использования столовых приборов

• Блюдо можно передать в Столовую утром в день празднования Международного Дня

• Прикрепите ярлык с вашим именем и укажите класс, в котором учится ваш ребенок, на контейнеры, которые вы бы хотели забрать обратно. Мы рекомендуем использование одноразовых контейнеров

• Пожалуйста, предоставьте информацию с указанием ингредиентов вашего блюда

• Орехи запрещаются

TISA Times Page 5 of 9 International Day & MYP Results

Excellent Results for Our MYP Class of 2015

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The past several weeks have been a time of beginnings for our TISA Class of 2017. They’ve navigated their first lessons in Theory of Knowledge, run the first meetings of new clubs they’ve created for CAS and made their claims in the DP lounge. That they can do so confidently is largely due to what they’ve done already. Recognition of the hard work that has prepared them for the DP came this month as the IB released their MYP results. Across a broad range of disciplines, our TISA students outperformed their peers around the world, earning marks well above the world average in each of the eight subject groups and the Personal Project. Their average subject grade was 5.53, again well above the world average of 5.04.* The highest point total earned was an impressive 62 out of 63 possible points. 21 moderation samples, representing each of the Language Acquisition languages and phases, Language and Literature courses

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in Russian and English all classes in the Arts, both levels in Mathematics, as well as Science, Humanities, Design and Physical and Health Education were submitted to the IB. Of these, 17 were, again, above the world average, often by a full point. 2015 was the final year in which the IB will offer moderation of student grades. TISA has participated in moderation since 2007; this participation has provided us with valuable information about our assessment procedures and our students’ results. We will continue to seek support from the IB in maintaining these high standards through monitoring of unit plans, which will replace moderation of assessment in 2016. Congratulations to our MYP Class of 2015! *Points are out of 7. The 5.04 is the world average for 2014. The world average for 2015 has not yet been published.

Marie Favret MYP Coordinator

TISA International Day 2015…continued

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Пожалуйста обратите внимание на то, что в школе в этот день не будет горячего обеда и салатов. Если по каким-либо причинам (здоровье, безопасность или по медицинским соображениям) ваш ребенок не будет участвовать в Фестивале, пожалуйста, обеспечьте его обедом и сообщите его учителю. В TISA существует политика неиспользования орехов. Блюда

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не должны включать в себя никаких орехов (это включает миндаль, фундук, фисташки или продукты содержащие орехи). По любым вопросам, пожалуйста, Ms Green (green_johanna@tisa.az) Deadline for all volunteers: Wednesday, September 30.

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TISA Times

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Travel in Azerbaijan

Offering More Opportunities for Travel in Azerbaijan

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An issue that faces many international schools is how to connect with the local community. One way to address this is to provide multiple opportunities for students to travel within the country. At the beginning of the year we send our M1 class to Alti Agac, a trip that is both informative and enjoyable for our young students. Beyond this trip we provide few opportunities for our students to experience Baku and Azerbaijan as a whole. This is something we intend to work on in the coming years and teachers are being asked to consider new ways in which we can connect with our host country. Later this year our Science department is organising a 3-day trip to the Lahij region to investigate some of the geography of the area and to look practically at some aspects of Biology and Physics. Azerbaijan has much to offer with multiple climactic zones and easily accessible countryside.

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We hope that this event will be established as a regular offering at TISA. Another first this year will be a school trip to Qabala. This trip will be aimed at students with an interest in sport and will involve some training sessions with the coaching staff at Qabala FC. Other aspects of the trip will be aimed at non-footballers and may include activities such as archery, paintball and teambuilding games. We are in the process of planning this trip and we have been offered many of the activities at cost price. Further information will be made available in the coming weeks. Please have a look at the article below which was written by our MYP Coordinator Marie Favret. It provides some detail and photographs from the recent M1 trip to Alti Agac.

Stephen Caskie, Secondary Principal

M1 Adventures in Alti Agac

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On September 10th the otherwise quiet resort of Cennet Begi in Alti Agac national park was filled with the excitement of 46 M1 students ready to begin their M1 retreat and official initiation into their MYP studies at TISA. What does it mean to be an MYP student at TISA? Firstly, it means being part of a team, and our MYP students all demonstrated the collaboration, communication and social skills that will help them to help one another as they continue their studies this year. Working in imaginary societies, the M1 students expanded their critical and creative thinking skills to protect their resources and trade with other groups. They navigated the threat of an

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imaginary natural disaster, created strategies and formed alliances, learning more about themselves and their classmates in the process. As evening fell, they entertained us with dramatic re-enactments of the creation myths they wrote for their societies and brought us to our feet with their original dance moves. On Friday morning, the M1s came together to reflect both on their successes and their setbacks. They knew when they had succeeded in being caring, taking risks and communicating; as thinkers, they also knew when exhibiting these attributes had proved truly challenging.

M1 Adventures in Alti Agac

M2 School Supply Drive  

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We are from M2C, and we are supporting the refugees who are currently situated in the outskirts of Baku. These refugees are from Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Chechnya and Syria. In this center there are approximately 500 children and out of those 500 refugees, 250 have insufficient school supplies. For solving this situation we as a group are planning to run a School Supply Drive. We need each grade to donate one or two specific items, hopefully reaching the 250 children without each of these items. The supplies we need each grade level to donate are: P1 Colorful pencils P2 Colorful plasticine P3 Colorful paper P4 Pencil cases P5 Colorful markers P6 Painting albums P7 Glue sticks P8 Pens

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TISA Times

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Page 7 of 9

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M2 Action

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M1 Pencil sharpeners and Erasers

M2 Rulers/triangles M3 Small scissors M4 Copy books

(15 math-15 line) 12 sheet 40 sheet 60 sheet

M5 Flasks for water/tea DP1 and DP2 School Bags Our drive will start on Monday, September 21 and end of Friday, October 2. We would like to further explain and advertise the drive to P1-DP2 students week beginning September 21. We would come to the secondary homerooms at 08:20 and ELC/primary classes between 11:50 – 12:35 to do this and this would take place in the following two weeks. It would be great if all of us can contribute to help the refugees and in order to do that we need your help.

Leon McCluskey MYP Individuals and Societies  

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All of us boarded the buses to return to TISA knowing a little bit more about one another than when we arrived. The true lessons came in having understood that the most successful teams are those that can communicate successfully.

Marie Favret MYP Coordinator

TISA Times TISA Times

Page 12 of 13 Bingo Night Photos

Board Report

William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”

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The second installment in our Shakespeare trilogy after last year’s 12th Night, ‘The Dream’ involves a TISA high school cast, with a TISA high school rock band, and one special rock-guitar guest from TISA primary school. This romantic comedy classic combines the music and dance of the Caucasian region, with a live rock band and a hint of the Renaissance. This is a working, touring play. It is being performed in a professional theatre, with a subsequent European tour making up the 2015 High School drama and music arts trip. This play combines the best of Baku, with the wider world. Plot The Queen of the fairies, Titania has taken a little Indian boy, to be her plaything. Her husband Oberon is wildly jealous. The little Indian boy is the life and soul of the party, and Oberon wants him for himself. Chaos rules among the fairies. And what is bad for the fairies is bad for the world of men. The king of Athens, has beaten

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lady Hippolyta in battle, and now woos her for his bride. To celebrate he will watch (what else?) a play, performed by some simple craftsmen. But wait… Hermia and Lysander, two young loves are about to run off with each other. Their father wants Demetrius to marry Hermia: Demetrius wants to marry Hermia. Helena wants to marry Demetrius, but he is bored of her, and wants Hermia. It could all be so perfect: Hemia with Lysander, Helena with Demetrius…, if only Demetrius loved Helena! Enter the king of the Elementals, Oberon: armed with magic. He sees this play out, and tells his servant Puck to use a magic flower to right the wrong. The craftsmen enter the forest to practice their play. Their lead actor Bottom, the prima donna, is sighted by Puck… What is bad for fairies, is bad for the world of men. Dates: Rashid Bebudov Theatre, Baku. 7th and 8th October - 7PM Wiesbaden, Germany. 24th November Vienna, Austria. 26th November

Alex Gardner-McTaggart Secondary Drama

TISA Times Page 8 of 9 Secondary Production

From the PTA

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We have now all been here for a month and school activities and planning for the year ahead are in full swing. You will now see photo boards with contact details for the PTA available on notice boards around the school. We held our first coffee morning in early September. The aim of this event was to introduce the new PTA Board including roles such as President, Treasurer, Communications, Representatives for Upper and Lower Primary and Upper and Lower Secondary, plus Welcome & Hospitality and Charities. We had a great attendance to this first Coffee Morning and it was a relaxed environment for PTA, Parents and Teachers to get to know each other better as well as cover in more detail the role of Homeroom Parents. Sign up sheets for the roles of Homeroom Parents have been posted outside homerooms and on notice boards. Homeroom parents are an invaluable part of bringing social events such as Christmas and End of year parties to life as well as helping parents who want to get involved volunteer throughout the

TISA Times Page 9 of 9 PTA

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year. It’s a great way to get involved with a focus on your child’s class. Coming Soon……. International Day is only a month away and we are all excited about what this year will bring. The PTA will fully support this event and you will soon see opportunities to sign up to represent countries and generally help out during International day celebrations. The Winter Fair is the biggest event on the PTA Calendar and it is also just around the corner, you will soon be seeing calls for volunteers to help us run this hugely fun charity fund raising event. Please don’t hesitate to come along and get involved wherever you can, whether you like to bake cakes, eat cakes or simply pop in to Secret Santa’s shop – we look forward to seeing you all.

Louise Scarr PTA President

louisescarr@hotmail.com Kate  Cannon  

PTA  Communications  katie.cannon@me.com  

pta@tisa.az

TISA Times Page 17 of 18 Board Meeting Report

From the PTA…continued