2023
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF LATVIA
Who We Are
We are an international community, challenging students through a holistic, inquiry-driven program to nurture resilient, globallyminded learners.
International Community
When we say ISL is an international community, we mean it. People come from 50 different countries to study, teach, and work at our school.
We celebrate and value the diversity of our students and their families, our faculty and staff We believe we are made richer by the range of perspectives, talents, identities and experiences across these differing backgrounds.
In our increasingly globalized world, it is more important than ever that our children understand the wider world and develop a global mindset.
As an IB World School, we help students understand and value differences across the globe. Developing skills that transcend cultures is foundational in our teaching approach and reinforces our identity as an international school. Here is where our ISL Community is from:
Director
This year marked ISL’s 30th Anniversary, offering a unique opportunity to showcase our mission as an international community committed to challenging students through a holistic, inquiry-driven program that nurtures resilient, globally-minded learners. We celebrated this milestone by highlighting our students' achievements through a variety of community events, performances, and exhibitions.
Our collective efforts culminated in a commendable visit from our external accreditors at the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, the Council of International Schools, and the International Baccalaureate. Both organizations praised the substantial evidence they observed during their five-day visit, particularly noting our inspiring facilities, collaborative community, supportive leadership, and strategic governance as areas of excellence.
At ISL, we take great pride in our programs, facilities, and resources, which are assets that any school would be proud to have. However, we also recognize that the most critical factor in student success is the presence of a caring team of educators, peers, and parents who work together to support one another. In essence, it is YOU who enables ISL to thrive, and we are so pleased to have you with us.
Thank you for being part of the ISL community and for exploring the story of our 30th school year through the pages of this Annual Update.
Council
It was a busy and productive year for the ISL School Council. We conducted a global search for the right candidate to take over from our wonderful Director Nel Capadona when her term comes to an end in summer 2025, and in this we were ably assisted by Brent Mutsch and Barbara Powers of Search Associates and drew on inputs from the whole community. We believe we have found an excellent fit in Paul Johnson and look forward to collaborating with him next year, and to continuing and building on the outstanding personal rapport and strategic partnership we have with Nel.
We worked with Rick Detwiler, a globally recognized educational consultant and a founder of the US Office of Overseas Schools Good Governance Project, on a full review and revision of our Articles of Association to streamline them and bring them in line with current best practice
We oversaw the repayment of the balance of the school’s external debt (incurred to finance the building extension that completed in 2020) ahead of time and continue to work with the school’s finance team to balance long-term financial sustainability with the ability to move fast in the face of changing circumstances.
And last but not least, we were joined by five new members! We look forward to continuing to engage with the community, not only at our Annual General meeting, but also informally at International Day (where our ice cream stand is already a tradition) and throughout the year.
It is an honor and a privilege to serve this school.
30th Anniversary
In May, we celebrated a milestone 30th anniversary with a vibrant community event filled with music, performances, and fond memories. The celebration was a testament to our rich history and our role in shaping the educational landscape in Latvia over the past three decades.
The festivities kicked off with a series of lively performances by our youngest students. Children from kindergarten to grade 5 took to the stage, showcasing their talents through a variety of songs, dances, and skits. Their enthusiasm and creativity set a joyful tone for the day and highlighted the importance of the arts in the school’s curriculum.
The secondary student band followed with an impressive set, performing remarkable covers of Radiohead and Talking Heads tracks Their rendition of these classic hits captivated the community, demonstrating the high level of musical talent nurtured at ISL.
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Adding a touch of local flair to the event, the acclaimed Latvian band Carnival Youth, winners of the European Border Breakers Award (EBBA) and the EBBA Public Choice Award, delivered an electrifying performance. Their music resonated with both students and parents, bridging generational gaps and celebrating Latvian culture.
Since its founding, ISL has grown from a modest institution to a leading educational establishment in the region, known for its commitment to academic excellence and internationalmindedness.
Over the past 30 years, we have provided a supportive and dynamic environment where students from diverse backgrounds come together to learn and grow.
The anniversary celebration was more than just an event; it was a reflection of our journey and our ongoing commitment to fostering a sense of community and belonging among our students, staff, and families. The performances, both by the young students and the seasoned musicians, encapsulated the spirit of ISL a blend of tradition, innovation, and cultural appreciation.
Parent Group
We are an inclusive and diverse group of voluntary parents dedicated to building, enhancing, and supporting the vibrant ISL community. As part of an international and collaborative environment, we strive to create connections across cultures, fostering a strong sense of unity among our families.
Through student-centered social events, the Parent Group aims to warmly welcome all families, ensuring they feel a sense of belonging and connection. Our goal is to make each family's experience at ISL positive, meaningful, and memorable, enriching their time within our global community.
Inquiry Driven
Inquiry-based learning is central to learning and teaching at ISL.
Inquiry at ISL is built through many different approaches. Students and teachers engage in collaboratively building inquiry questions, using the natural curiosity of our students to drive our learning.
We also use approaches such as maker spaces, visible thinking routines, philosophical dialogue, project based learning, and meaningful engagement with the wider community here in beautiful Latvia, to help students make sense of the world around them.
This is particularly evident in the culminating projects of each programme; PYP Exhibition, MYP Personal Project and the DP Core Learning project of Extended Essay, Theory of Knowledge and the Creativity, Activity and Service programme.
Strategic
This was the second year of implementation for our strategic plan. As the chart below shows we were able to meet our goals and reach our objectives. We look forward to continuing to grow in these areas next year.
Mar-Sep 2021
We met with over 250 ISL stakeholders to capture feedback about where ISL should be heading in the future
Oct 2021
Students, parents, teachers, administrators, and the School Council developed strategic documents to guide our future direction
Nov 2021
These strategic documents were adopted by the Council and used as the foundation to create goals and prioritize objectives
Dec 2021
The Council approved the goals, parameters and objectives that will be used to create action plans
Feb 2022
The leadership team created ACTION MAPS to help guide our objectives
Aug 2022
ISL 2022-2025 strategic plan is LAUNCHED!
Aug 2023-2024
Year 2 of the Strategic Plan is successfully implemented
Mar-May 2022
Students, parents, teachers, staff and administration met in focus groups to complete action plans
Aug 2022 - Jun 2023
Year 1 of the Strategic Plan is successfully implemented
Aug 2024-2025
Year 3 of the Strategic Plan is being implemented
Goals
COMMUNITY
Areas of Focus Met
Positive learning environment
High community engagement
Living the guiding statements
PERSONALIZED LEARNING
Variety of assessments used
Flexible pacing
Consistent differentiation
STUDENT AGENCY
OUR EMPLOYEES
Inquiry in 100% of Units
Student exploration
SeIf assessment opportunities
More choices and input
Rentention
Professional growth process
Well-being & connection
Recognition & appreciation
Voice and agency
This area of focus did show growth, but not quite to the level we had planned for this year. We will continue to focus on increasing it next year
OUR COMMUNITY
At school, I learn about my classmates backgrounds and cultures
Student, parent, and faculty survey results was the data used to determine success
Elementary
In the elementary school, we've embraced a concept-based inquiry approach to learning. This method focuses on building knowledge, skills, and understanding Our teachers focussed on crafting guiding questions that stimulate critical thinking and drive inquiry, encouraging students to explore and understand concepts and their relationships. We've also enriched our curriculum with case studies in local and global contexts, enabling students to apply their learning to real-world situations and develop broader perspectives. This approach not only fosters academic growth but also nurtures essential skills like collaboration, communication, and reflection, empowering our students to become lifelong learners.
Teachers also participated in an IB training event on Agency, Action, and Engagement, where we explored how we can embed student agency, giving students voice, choice, and ownership of their learning and highlighting our connection to our communities through authentic action This further enhanced our focus on international-mindedness, global citizenship, and the integration of our approaches to learning.
The Grade 5 Exhibition is the culminating project of the IB Primary Years Programme. This year, our students chose an issue they were passionate about, ranging from Third Culture Students to Environmental issues. The students inquired into their issue, creating thought-provoking questions that guided extensive research. Students connected with the community through interviews and taking action. The 5th Grade also collaborated with other 5th-grade students at the International School of Riga, sharing ideas and their learning experiences. The Exhibition came together with a celebration where 5th Grade students showcased their learning journey, the knowledge and understandings they had built and the action they took with other students, parents and the wider community.
Secondary
In continuation of the implementation of our Strategic Plan, the Secondary School began the year with focused professional development on extending our curriculum into action that helped us develop further student agency. In short, the workshop extended the thinking and skill sets of our Teachers as we continually strive for ways to extend learning in the classroom into the real world enabling our students to become positive changemakers in their local and global realms.
In conjunction with this work, throughout the course of the year, we reinforced our approaches and structures regarding Restitution and Responsive Classroom as we solidified our internationally minded practice through our written and taught curriculum.
Further work was also carried out to ensure our curricular documents remain current, relevant and thoroughly reflect our classroom practice. With these approaches and practices in place, Learning in Secondary School will remain vibrant, engaging and rewarding for all of our students.
Student Agency
In the IB, student agency is a cornerstone of learning, where students are empowered to take ownership and responsibility for their educational journey. With a strong sense of identity and self-belief, students actively engage in their learning. They are encouraged to take initiative, express their interests, and set personal learning goals. Students work with peers and teachers to plan, present, and assess their learning needs, fostering a supportive community that values diverse opinions and needs.
One way the Elementary school has empowered students was through their assemblies. Teachers asked students to share a reflection on Elementary Assemblies and what students would like to see and hear for future assemblies. Students voiced their suggestions and we’ve made the changes based on their choices!
Another way students have agency is through the student council. ISL has Elementary, Middle School & High School Student Councils. Student Council is a school organization that embodies and champions the ISL mission, vision, and values. Its members act as representatives for all ISL students. Members of the Student Council strive to enrich the learning experience at ISL by promoting students' voices, providing leadership opportunities, and creating positive school spirit through student-initiated events. This year, the Student Council organized and promoted multiple grade level assemblies, a colorful Halloween Parade, and a successful Spirit Week that raised money for earthquake victims in Morocco.
The Student Council is a platform for students to voice their concerns and suggestions, and turn them into action. By achieving these goals, students will be empowered to positively impact their school community, as well as the world in which they live.
Pursuing Passions
We understand and appreciate that learning continues outside of the classroom and our after school activities (ASA) are an opportunity for our learners to explore new interests or pursue their passions.
Our ASAs are an extension of and supplemental to the school day and continue our journey of inquiry through sports, music, languages, STEM, arts, crafts and play. We offer a wide variety of programs and are constantly looking for further enrichment based on the needs and interests of the community.
The ASA program is offered throughout the school year in three seasons (Fall, Winter, Spring), each season covering ten weeks of sessions.
“I like to sign up for ASA be ds and trying new and
“I like it because it's calming and I get to meet new friends from other grades.”
“We get to learn new skills and get do things that we like”
ASA List 22/23
Elementary School
Baking & Decorating
Book-Inspired Snacks
Ceramics
Cheerleading
Computer Coding
Ebru Art
Exploring & Building
Fencing
Games & Puzzles
Golf
Guitar for Beginners
I am an artist
Improvisational Theatre
Judo
Kids Chess Club
Kids Dance Club
Latvian for Native Speakers
LEGO Construction & Creation
Let’s Play!
Mandarin Chinese Club
Mindfulness
Piggie & Elephant Plays
Sensory Play
Soccer
Spanish for Beginners
Sports for Fun
Student Council
Swimming
Techwizard in Minecraft world
Track & Field
Working with Wool
Yoga
Secondary School
Aikido
Aspiring Artists
Basketball
CEESA Band
Cooking Club
Creative Writing
Diploma Art Club
Duke of Edinburgh Award
Ebru Art
German Grammar Club
ISL Service Corps
Japanese Culture & Language
Knowledge Bowl
Life Skills
Makers Space
Mandarin Chinese Club
Manga Club
Math Help
Model United Nations
Polymer Jewelery
Robotics
Soccer
Student Council
Swimming
Volleyball
Wharton Global High School Investment
Competition
Athletics
This past year has been an exciting one for our athletics program, with our teams proudly representing ISL in both local and international competitions. Our local league continues to thrive as we successfully hosted a variety of tournaments in soccer, basketball, and volleyball throughout the year. These events offered our students valuable game experience, significantly contributing to their growth as athletes. We are also excited to see how our partnerships with other international schools continue to enhance the development of our student-
g g he
support
ernational CEESA tournaments: Middle School Girls Basketball in the winter and High School Boys Volleyball in the spring. We were also proud to organize the first-ever invitational High School Boys and Girls Basketball tournaments, bringing together international schools from across the Baltic region. In addition, we resumed our participation in the Tallinn Friendly Olympics, which had been paused due to the pandemic.
It was truly inspiring to witness the increased support from students and their families, both during the week and on weekends. We extend a special thanks to our Parent Teacher Organization for their unwavering support and for creating such a warm, welcoming atmosphere for our athletes and guests. 21
Music, Art & Design
MAD Day is a large performance and exhibition event held towards the end of first semester each year. It showcases Visual Art works, Design projects and Music performances from all of our grade 9 and 10 students. This dedicated exhibition and performance event provides an authentic experience for our students in presenting their work to a real audience.
The event has been a great success since its inception in 2019 drawing wonderful support from parents, students and teachers.
Service Learning
Service learning is defined by its unique approach to addressing genuine community needs and giving back to those communities, both nationally and internationally
Service learning requires students to take action, be proactive, and develop a program for themselves through a range of activities. These projects help develop transcendent values of care, respect, responsibility, and courage:
With the support of CAS Advisors, DP teachers, Learning Support Staff, Counseling Staff, and Administrators, all graduating seniors successfully fulfilled the IB requirements for CAS. The availability and holistic nature of support for students were enhanced by strengthening and streamlining the systems within the CAS team, which includes CAS Advisors, the CAS Coordinator, and the DP Coordinator. A key milestone in the program's development was the launch of a new ISL CAS website, designed to consolidate and simplify resources and support materials for students. Next year’s cohort of DP2 students is well-positioned for success and has already shown enthusiasm for continuing their involvement in a wide range of extracurricular activities that foster lifelong habits of health, wellness, and learning. An upcoming goal for ISL’s CAS program is to establish a social media presence to showcase student engagement and encourage adult involvement in promoting extracurricular activities and learning at ISL.
Personal Project
The Personal Project is a significant component of the Middle Years Programme (MYP) that allows students to explore their personal interests through independent, self-directed work. It serves as a culminating experience where students apply skills they have developed throughout the MYP such as research, critical thinking, and project management to create a product or outcome that reflects their passion and creativity. This project not only demonstrates students' ability to plan and complete a long-term endeavor but also provides them with valuable insights into their interests, strengths, and areas for growth. We are excited to share the impressive results of our students' Personal Projects from last year, highlighting their dedication, innovation, and hard work.
At the International School of Latvia, our MYP Year 5 (Grade 10) students truly excelled in their Personal Projects during the 2023/24 school year. Among the 44 students who completed the project, 10 achieved the highest possible mark of 7, reflecting exceptional creativity, commitment, and effort. We are especially proud that our school’s average score stands at an impressive 5.18, significantly above the world average of 4.01. These results showcase the strength of our students' dedication and the invaluable support they receive from our school community.
Pioneering Sustainability
Solar Energy
“Developing the citizens of tomorrow, capable of the kind of collaboration and thinking we will need to avert climate catastrophe, is, at least in part, the responsibility of today’s schools, teachers, and educators,” said Olli-Pekka Heinonen, Director General of the International Baccalaureate.
In alignment with our IB commitment to sustainability, we have thoroughly researched solar power options available to schools in Latvia, focusing on safety, environmental impact, and costeffectiveness. As a result, we have installed a unique solar panel parking structure that will significantly reduce our future energy costs, decrease our environmental footprint, and enhance ISL's reputation for innovation and creativity.
Insect Houses
As a result of learning about bees and pollination, the Grade 2 students wanted to create bee houses for our campus. They worked on researching bees throughout the year and their work culminated in four beautiful homes for our bees . We were able to find the perfect place for the houses near our apple orchard and our facilities manager helped us place them on our final week of school.
Student Achivement
There are many ways that we monitor our students’ achievement. One way is to review how our diploma program students perform in comparison to their global IB peers:
ISL Average
33
30.3
World Average
5.45
4.90
Average Total Score Average Points Scored
Another way is by tracking our 12th graders’ acceptance rate at the universities of their preferred fit. We were proud that all of our graduates were accepted at the following universities of their choice:
Class of 2023
University Acceptances
Monash University
The University of Melbourne
MCI Business School - Innsbruck
Queen's University
University of Waterloo
France
Paris School of Business
Vatel Nimes Hospitality School
Germany
Technical University of Munich
University of Potsdam
AirBalitc Academy
Latvijas Mākslas Akadēmija
Rīgas Stradiņa Universitāte
Netherlands
Amsterdam University of Appl. Sci.
Breda University of Appl. Sci.
Delft University of Technology
HAN University of Appl. Sci.
The Hague University of Appl Sci
Tilburg University
University College Roosevelt
Spain
ESEI Business School - Barcelona
IE University, Madrid
TBS Barcelona
EHL Hospitality Business School
UK
Bath Spa University
King's Colllege London
Oxford Brookes University
University of Exeter
University of Warwick
USA
St Thomas University
US community college
MAP Testing
Because each student receives an individual MAP test score, teachers use the test results to modify and adapt their teaching and lessons to:
1) Challenge students that are achieving high in an area of study
2) Support students that need extra help on a concept
3) Personalize some learning experiences to match their interests and needs.
MAP Parent Meetings
In May, parents were invited to a brief meeting to help them understand their child’s MAP test scores. Parents were provided information on how to read the MAP NWEA Family Report, including: what is a RIT score, and how to compare their child’s RIT score with the MAP Norms. ISL was pleased to have over 50 parents attend. We will continue to provide this important parent meeting in the Fall.
MAP Test Snapshots Spring, 2024
Reading Scores Comparison
Math Scores Comparison
Language Scores Comparison
Global Citizenship
Global mindedness is not only one of our IB Learner Attributes, but it is also a vital pillar in our ongoing strategic planning process, which aims to strengthen and develop all aspects of our students’ learning journeys. At ISL, we are committed to developing globally minded students who can think beyond their immediate environment and understand the interconnectedness of the world.
One such development this year in the Secondary School was the extension of service into the community, where each Grade Level adopted a service project and completed it across the course of the year. This experience helped our students make connections between our curriculum, our local community and the global environment.
In elementary school, we have enriched each unit of inquiry with carefully selected case studies that help students extend their thinking from local to global perspectives. These case studies provide valuable context for grounding their learning, drawing from examples relevant to both the home countries of our students and other regions worldwide. Students have explored topics such as the impact of the Morocco earthquake, the diverse makeup of our international community in Riga, architectural marvels from various cultures, global celebrations, and the use of resources and energy across different countries. They have also engaged with the work of international artists, inventors, and entrepreneurs.
Through these explorations and experiences, all of our ISL students develop a broader understanding of global issues and appreciate the rich tapestry of cultures, fostering empathy, curiosity, and a deeper sense of global citizenship.