INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF LATVIA Educational Excellence in an International Environment

L SCHOOL OF LATVIA

Message from the Director Welcome to the International school of Latvia! We are the oldest International school in the Latvia and have made strides in recent years to keep our school at the cutting edge of technology and educational excellence. We are the only independent coeducational, non-profit, college preparatory day school which offers a world-class educational program in English for children of all nationalities ages 3 to 19 in Latvia.

Our school is conveniently located in Pinki. Within walking distance of the school are a swimming pool, all weather soccer facilities, an ice skating rink and golf course.

The International School of Latvia (ISL) is an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School one of only 150 offering the Primary Years Program (PYP), Middle Years Program (MYP), and Diploma Program (DP) in the world. ISL is the only school in Latvia fully accredited by the Council of International Schools (CIS) and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), and the only K-12 IB world school in the Baltics.

Of particular importance to us is our DP program taught in grades 11 and 12, which lead to the award of the IB Diploma, a qualification recognized and sought after by universities around the world. With the support of our college counseling team many of our students have gone on to success in well known universities around the world, such as St. Andrews (UK) and William and Mary (USA). Another highlight of ISL is our ongoing participation in the CEESA athletics program, where we compete in a wide range of sports tournaments with other International schools in Europe. We also host events with our new sporting facility, which was completed in 2011.

I hope that this brochure gives you an insight into academically challenging programs ISL offers. Please come and experience the true feeling of our open-minded and inquiring students and our friendly and dedicated staff that make our programs come alive. We welcome you to take a tour and meet our admissions staff at your earliest convenience!

ISL School Mission The International School of Latvia (ISL) is an English-language IB world school serving the international community. ISL strives for academic excellence; and to prepare its students for successful life-long learning, to think critically and creatively, to act with integrity and responsibil ity, and to appreciate human diversity.

We want all our students to have self-awareness to recognize and the integrity to take responsibility for all of the personal, social and environmental consequences of their action. We want all students at ISL to have a mastery of the English language which enables them to communicate and demonstrate understanding in all disciplines.

School Profile The aims of the IBO are expressed as various characteristics that characterize successful students. Both students and teachers at ISL are encouraged to examine, discuss and reflect on these attributes in their classrooms and lives in the PYP, MYP, and DP. We aim for students to become learners who are:

o Inquirers

o Thinkers

o Communicators

o Knowledgeable

o Principled

o Caring

o Open-minded

o Well-balanced

o Reflective

Benefits of an ISL Education

o An integrated curriculum of academics, athletics, and the arts. Diverse and interesting after school activities and clubs.

o A student/teacher ratio that fosters individualized instruction.

o High-calibre international faculty from The United States of America, Canada, the UK, Australia and Latvia who engage students in their studies.

o Three international education programs for students ages 3 to 19 which work in close cooperation with IBO World Schools.

o Advanced technology including: classroom instruction using interactive boards, one-to-one computers in lower school and projectors in every classroom that support the overall education of students.

o A Community and Service program teaching responsibility and character through service.

o Competitive no-cut athletic programs for 6th through 12th grade students.

o Graduates who are ready for the demands of colleges and universities.

o A college guidance program focused on finding the right college fit for students.

ESOL Program New students will be assessed on a formal and informal basis at the beginning of each academic year or as soon as they en roll at ISL. ESOL support is provided for all students that do not meet our English language proficiency requirements.

pyp The international Baccalaureate Primary Years Program is designed for students aged 3 to 12. The PYP combines the best research and practice from a range of national systems with a wealth of knowledge and experience from international schools to create a relevant and engaging educational framework for all children.

The program focuses on the total growth of the developing child, affecting minds, as well as hearts and addressing social, physical, emotional and cultural needs in addition to academic welfare.

Students are actively engaged in learning about issues and themes of universal significance. They are encouraged to be active learners and to become critical thinkers. The PYP is an excellent lead into the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program (MYP) that follows in Grade 6.

Assessment Strategies

At ISL we believe that both students and teachers should be actively engaged in assigning student progress as part of the development of their wider critical thinking and self-evaluation skills. Teachers use a range and balance of school based assessment strategies and feedback techniques including:

o Writing samples

o · Structured observations

o Performance tasks

o Digital Portfolios of work including pictures, sound files and videos.

o Student/teacher conferences

o Measures of Academic progress test (MAP)

o Rubrics self-assessment strategies

•

The curriculum framework consists of five essential elements: concepts, knowledge, skills, attitudes, action. The knowledge component is developed through inquiries into six transdisciplinary themes of global significance, supported and balanced by six subject areas.

Transdisciplinary themes:

o Who we are o Where we are in place and time o How we express ourselves o How the world works o How we organize ourselves o Sharing the planet

Subject areas:

o Language o Social Studies o Mathematics o Arts o Science o Personal, Social and Physical Education

MYP The IB Middle Years Program provides a framework of academic challenge and life skills for students in Grades 6-10 since ISL's initial authorization in May 1999. The five-year program offers rigorous study in each of the eight subject areas and strives to make meaningful connections between subjects.

The MYP is designed to help students develop the knowledge, understanding, attitudes and skills necessary to participate actively and responsibly in a changing world.

Students at this age- early puberty to mid adolescence- are in a particularly critical phase of personal and intellectual development. For some students, this can be a time of uncertainty, sensitivity, resistance and questioning. In order to create a bridge between the Primary Years Program and the Diploma Program, the MYP provides students with structure, skills, and challenging standards, but also allows for inquiry, creativity ad flexibility.

Eight subject areas are explored by MYP students at ISL: Language A (English), Language B (French, German, or English as a second language), Mathematics, Design technology, Science, Humanities, the Arts, Physical education.

MYP fundamental concepts

The MYP is designed to provide students with opportunities that enable them to develop sound judgment. The MYP is guided by three fundamental concepts:

o Holistic learning - representing the notion that all knowledge is interrelated.

o lntercultural awareness- engaging with and exploring other cultures.

o Communication - encouraging open and effective communication.

•

Assessment

Student progress is evaluated on a continuous basis. Assessment in the MYP is criteria related, which means student work is compared to a set of predetermined standards in each subject area. Teachers create varied assessment tasks which allow students to demonstrate achievement according to the required objectives within each subject group. These assessment tasks include:

o Open- ended problem solving activities and investigations.

D Organized debates o Hands- on experimentation o Analysis and reflection o Group work

MYP curriculum framework

At the center of the MYP curriculum model are the five areas of interaction. The teaching of each subject through these contexts allows teachers to integrate attitudes, values and skills into the curriculum. The areas of interaction are as follows:

o Approaches to learning o Community and service o Health and social education o Environments o Human ingenuity

DP The IB Diploma Program is a challenging two­year curriculum, for highly motivated secondary students. This highly academic course leads to a qualification that is widely recognized by the world's leading universities.

To be awarded the IB Diploma, a student must earn a minimum of 24 points in six areas (three at Higher Level (HL) and three at Standard Level (SL)). In addition, students must complete 150 hours of CAS (Creativity, Action, and Service) activities, the Theory of Knowledge course and write an original 4.000 word research paper (Extended Essay). IB examinations are written and scored by the International Baccalaureate Organization. Scores range from 7 (highest) to 1 (lowest).

100% of ISL students are enrolled in the IB Diploma Program.

Assessment

Our school follows to the International Baccalaureate Organization's system of awarding. This grading system is used for all internal assessment, external assessment, and grades are listed on the student transcripts. HL and SL are designated for Higher Level and Standard Level courses within the IB Diploma Program.

Academic achievement is evaluated twice a year, in January and June. The first semester grade indicates progress until the end of January, while the second semester grade indicates academic achievement for the whole course. Most courses encompass a full academic year.

The ISL Diploma

Students at ISL are also awarded the ISL diploma which is recognised though our accreditation with CIS and NEASC. TO be awarded an ISL diploma a student must attend ISL for one academic year and be registered in all subject groups of the program. Students must also meet the expectations of

the Community Service Program at ISL. Listed below are the minimum requirements for students to receive an ISL diploma:

o English 4 credits o Mathematics 3 credits o Science 3 credits o Humanities/History 3 credits o Foreign Language 3 credits o Physical Education/Health 2 credits o The Arts (music, art, drama) each o Information Technology

•

Second language

Ex~ mental sciences

University Acceptance ISL Graduates attend universities all over the world. Our college counseling team works with each student and their families to discover opportunities for university study. Each graduating student typically applies to an average of seven universities. Grade 12 students are also required to apply to UCAS as part of their university counseling experience at ISL.

The IB diploma is widely recognized by the world's leading universities. Our ISL graduates have matriculated to colleges and universities all over the world. We look forward to the continued success of our graduates.

United States: o Boston University

o Cornell University

o Columbia University

o Drake University

o Duke University

o Embry Riddle Aeronautical University

o Emory University

o George Mason University

o Georgia Institute of Technology

o Georgetown University

o Pennsylvania State University

o Radford University; Amherst

o University of California Davis

o University of Florida

o University of lllinois-Urbana

o University of Miami

o University of Pennsylvania 0 University of San Francisco

o University of San Diego 0 University of Southern California

o Vanderbilt University 0 Western Michigan University

o Western Washington

Australia: o University of Adelaide

o University of Southern Queensland

o Victoria University

o Curtin University

o University of Sydney

Europe: o Trinity College, Dublin

o Hogeschool Zuyd in Maastricht

o International University of Bremen

o Berlin School of Art (Germany

o Webster University (Austria)

o European Business School

o Groningen (Netherlands)

o American University of Rome

Canada: o McGill University

o Trent University

o University of Toronto

o University of Victoria

o York University

United Kingdom: o Aberdeen University

o Brighton University

o University of Edinburgh

o Imperial College of London

o Leeds University

o Manchester Metropolitan University

o Nottingham University

o Oxford Brookes University

o Reading University

o The University of Kent at Canterbury

o University of Brighton

o University College London

o University of Manchester 1ST

o University of Surrey

o University of Teesside 0 University of Wolverhampton

o University of St. Andrews

o King's College London

o University of Birmingham

o University of Portsmouth

o University of Plymouth 0 University of Aberdeen

o University of Glasgow

o Queen's University, Belfast

Contacts Director: Dr. Larry Molacek

PK- 12 Principal: Randal Eplin College Counselor: Dr. Rhonda Fisher

Special Needs Coordinator: Myrle Wasko ESOL Coordinator: Sloane Schubert

Student Services Secretary: Maira Erliha

Name: Madara Pole

Position: Front desk

E-mail: frontdesk@isl.edu.lv

Office phone: +371 67755146

Mobile: +371 22825428

The school address is: International School of Latvia Meistaru iela 2,

Saliena

Pil)~i. BabTtes pag. , BabTtes novads LV-2107

Prieiciems

Follow us IJ

www.isl.edu.lv