PRIMARYPARENT HANDBOOK
2020
Con t en t s 3. Mission, Vision and International Mindedness 4. Message from the Head of Primary 5. Organisational Structure and School Calendar 6. School Day · Absences, Leaving School and Emergency Closure ·Assembly ·Breaks ·Materials ·School Hours 9. Policy and Procedure ·Behaviour ·Communication ·Dangerous Items ·First aid and Illness ·Homework ·Information Technology ·Mobile Devices ·Parent Volunteers - ISS Primary Parent Partnership ·Payment of Accounts ·Procedures for Emergencies ·PTFA ·Recycling ·Reporting ·Requests for Student Records ·School Magazine ·Security on Campus ·Smoking ·Sun Safety ·Staff -Toileting ·Transportation
Con t en t s Policy and Procedure continued ·Uniform ·Valuables and Lost and Found ·Withdrawal from ISS 14. Curriculum ·ISS Learner Outcomes / Profile ·The Learner Profile ·Written Curriculum ·What Do We Want Students to Understand ·What Do We Want Students to Learn ·Skills ·Attitudes ·Action ·The Taught Curriculum ·The Assessed Curriculum ·Subject Areas ·Language Through Inquiry ·Mathematics Through Inquiry ·Arts Through Inquiry ·PSPE Through Inquiry ·Additional Languages Through Inquiry ·ICT Through Inquiry ·The Program of Inquiry ·PYP Exhibition ·Learning Outside the Classroom ·Learning Support and Student Services ·School Library ·Swimming
Vision
Mission
International Mindedness
"That everyISSstudent shouldhavetheconfidencetobe themselves,beindependent inthought andaction, beenterprising andpreparedfor lifeasaglobal citizen. International School Suva will strivetobecomethepremier provider of primaryand secondaryeducationintheSouthPacificwherestudentswill be exposedtoavarietyof learningexperiencesthat canassist them toachievetheir maximumpotential. "
"ISSiscommittedtorigorousandhighacademicstandardsand theinstillationof idealsof life-longlearningandresponsible global citizens. Westrivetoensurethat everystudent leavesISS withaninternational understanding, anabilitytothinkcritically; act withcompassion,careabout themselvesandothersand displaytheattributesof theschool?slearner outcomes. (LO?s) "
"At ISS, wearecommittedtofosteringinternational mindedness. Wecelebrateit onadailybasisinour classroomsbut wealsohold various events throughout the year including primary and whole school assemblies that celebrate and showcase our different cultures, literacyweek, anevent whereweincludecelebratingthe diversity of languages in our school community and shared Lunches, whenweaskall membersof thecommunitytosharefood fromother cultures. "
It gives us great pleasure to welcome
you
School Suva.
to
International
team
around your
child, and
Whether you are
together we can support your
new to the school or returning, we
child's learning and development.
would like to take this opportunity
Message from theHeadof Primary
the school and parents are the
to thank you for entrusting us with the education of your children. International
School
Suva
is
challenging itself as we seek to provide
the
best
education
possible for our students. We feel very
passionately
progressive,
that
high
a
quality
international IBPYP education is probably
the
most
valuable
education that parents can provide their children.
with information and guidelines to you
Suva, we have dedicated, caring staff
members
committed
to
who providing
and
your
students. Please take the time to get to know your child?s teachers. If you do have any questions or concerns that arise throughout the school year, please feel free to contact your child?s teacher or the primary school office to meet
We look forward to getting to know you and your family
child
provide
answers
to
questions regarding school life and the ISS curriculum and to facilitate a
smooth
transition
into
our
community. Educating the future leaders of
our
world
requires
teamwork. We know as educators, if we are to get the best out of your children, we can only do this in partnership with you as parents and
an
outstanding education for our
understand the functioning of the school,
are
with me.
This handbook will provide you help
Here at International School
caregivers.
We
would
encourage you to do everything you can to take a keen interest in your child?s learning . Ultimately
Rebecca Clentworth Head of Primary
The pedagogical leadership and management of ISS Primary is shared by the Primary Leadership Team consisting of the School Principal, the Head of Primary and the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) Coordinator. Furthermore, a distributed leadership model is in place to support the Primary Leadership Team in the implementation of the strategic plan and the alignment of mission, guiding statements and practice. The Primary School Leadership Team is responsible to the Head of School.
Primary Organisational Structure
Pr im ar y Sch ool Leader sh ip Team Head of School / Principal Mr. Stephen Cathers Head of Primary Ms. Rebecca Clentworth PYP Coordinator Ms. Rosi Uluiviti M iddle Level Leader sh ip Learning and Teaching Coach (Seesaw) Learning and Teaching Coach (Specialist Subjects) Learning and Teaching Coach (ESL) Year Level Coordinators Learning Support Coordinator Sch ool Calen dar The school uses an online calendar to publish all events and school activities.It is important to check the calendar regularly.
School Calendar http://www.international.school.fj/index.php/8-about-us/104-calendar Term dates for 2020 http://www.iss.school.fj/images/2020/Prospectus_2020/2020_Term_Dates_-_final-v2.pdf
Year levels will keep p arent s up d ated ab out event s as t hey occur over t he year.
TheSchool Day Ab sences , Leaving School Ear ly and Em er g ency Closure Ab sences: If your child is t o b e ab sent , please infor m t he p r im ar y school office or your child 's teacher via em ail, Seesaw m essag e or telep hone b efore 8.0 0 am . If you leave a voice m essag e or send a text m essag e, please com m unicate your child 's nam e, her/ his class, t he reason for ab sence and ant icip ated leng t h of ab sence. Our com m unit y is a hig hly m ob ile one and we req uest t hat a fam ily's travel plans respect t he school calend ar. Office Em ail: Lor na Evening levening @inter nat ional.school.fj Vir i Rat ub uli vrat ub uli@inter nat ional.school.fj Phone: 339330 0
After noon Dism issal: If a child is t o b e picked up by som eone ot her t han t he nor m al p arent /careg iver, t he p arent should em ail t he relevant teacher t o not ify t hem of t he ar rang em ent . For last m inute chang e of plans or if you are unab le t o em ail, please ensure you speak d irect ly t o t he p r im ar y office staff.
After noon Bus: At 2:30 all b us st udent s line up on t he Pr im ar y field and w alk d ow n t he step s t o t heir b us. Teacher s on d ut y check t he child 's b us p ass. All b uses are expected t o leave school by 2:4 5p m .
After noon Car Pick Up : All car line st udent s line up on t he p r im ar y field at 2:30 p m and are w alked d ow n t o t he pick up area. Any st udent not picked up by 2:4 5p m will b e taken t o t he p r im ar y school office.
Leaving School Ear ly: If a child is t o b e picked up b efore t he end of t he school d ay t he p arent or careg iver picking up t he child m ust receive a red 'Per m ission t o Leave t he School Ground s' slip from t he p r im ar y office. This need s t o b e p resented t o secur it y b efore b eing allowed t o leave. Late Pick Up : If you are r unning late t o pick up your child please contact t he p r im ar y office im m ed iately. The secur it y can super vise left child ren at t he g ate once contact has b een m ade.
Em er g ency Closure If t he school is t o b e closed b ecause of inclem ent weat her or em er g ency, ISS will act ivate t he SMS system p rovid ing shor t com m unicat ions t o p arent p rovided em er g ency contact num b er s. Please ensure your contact infor m at ion is alw ays up t o d ate. Em ail and rad io not ificat ions m ay also b e used .
Assem b ly: Pr im ar y assem b lies are held ever y Fr id ay m or ning at 8.15am on a tr i weekly b asis. Eit her Up per Pr im ar y (Year s 3-5), Mid d le Pr im ar y (Year 1 - 2) or Lower Pr im ar y (ECH1 - Rec) in t he Am p hit heater. W hole school assem b lies are held in our m ult ip ur p ose hall ap p roxim ately t wice a ter m t o celeb rate t hem ed occasions.
Breaks Dur ing t he Day Lunch Break and Dr inks: St udent s have a choice of b r ing ing t heir ow n lunch or order ing from t he school canteen. A canteen m enu is availab le on t he school web site or from t he p r im ar y office at t he b eg inning of each ter m . Order s for t he canteen are via a reusab le container inclusive of m oney req uired and order. Please p rovide your child wit h a healt hy snack for m id -m or ning as snack order s for p r im ar y st udent s are not availab le from t he canteen. We encourag e our st udent s t o eat healt hy and b alanced lunches t hat should include fr uit or veg etab les. St udent s should refrain from b r ing ing t o school chocolates, fizzy d r inks, sweet s or cand ies. St udent s should have a refillab le w ater b ott le at all t im es. Filtered w ater is availab le from t he d r inking fountains. Lunch b oxes should b e as com p act as p ossib le and lab eled clear ly wit h t he st udent ?s nam e and class. Refr ig erat or s are availab le for use in each p r im ar y classroom . Microw aves are not availab le, t herefore a use of t her m os for hot lunches is recom m ended . All classes eat t heir snacks and lunches super vised by t he d ut y teacher in t he eat ing areas b efore m oving t o play areas.
Playt im e : St udent s have t w o play per iod s: one at m or ning tea for 15 m inutes and anot her after lunch for 4 5 m inutes. Teacher s super vise play t im e in all play areas. St udent s of Ear ly Child hood 1 and Ear ly Child hood 2 play in t heir ear ly lear ning area. Recep t ion ? Year 5 st udent s play in t he super vised areas near t he p r im ar y classroom s. The lib rar y is open t o st udent s d ur ing t he lunch b reak. In case of wet weat her, st udent s can rem ain ind oor s or play in one of t he super vised out d oor play sp aces.
Mater ials and Sup plies: All st udent s are p rovided wit h t he necessar y school stat ioner y, m ater ial and sup plies by t he school as p ar t of t heir p aid school fees. St udent s should b r ing t heir b elong ing s t o school in a sm all b ackp ack. St udent s m ay also choose t o b r ing in t heir ow n pencil case. Please ensure all your child 's b elong ing s are clear ly lab elled wit h t heir nam e and class.
School Hour s Ear ly Child hood 1: Mond ay t o Fr id ay, 8.0 0 am ? 1.0 0 p m Ear ly Child hood 2 t o Year 5: Mond ay t o Fr id ay, 8.0 0 am ? 2.30 p m
St udent s are expected t o ar r ive at school no ear lier t han 7.30 am and no later t han 7.55am . Instr uct ion b eg ins at 8.0 0 am . After school, st udent s are not not per m itted t o rem ain at school unless in a super vised school act ivit y from 2.4 5p m . Any st udent attend ing an act ivit y t hat b eg ins after 2:4 5p m will need t o b e super vised by an ad ult or g anised by t he p arent unt il t he star t of t he act ivit y. There is no ad ult super vision b efore 7.4 0 am in t he m or ning and after 2.50 p m in t he after noons. Respect ing t im e at ISS dem onstrates a respect for all lear ning op p or t unit ies, t o teacher s and t o ot her st udent s. W hen a st udent ar r ives late, it is a d isr up t ion t o t he class in session. All st udent s w ho attend act ivit ies m ust b e picked up at 3:4 5p m . Any child st ill at school after t his t im e will b e super vised by t he secur it y staff at t he g ate.
Policy and Procedure
Board of Directors
Behaviour of St udent s: The Resp onsib le Behavior Plan for St udent s p rovides a fram ew or k for social lear ning and car ing at our school. It out lines all expectat ions for st udent s b ot h in t he classroom and playg round . ISS follow s a step system t o m anag e unw anted b ehaviour t hat is consistent wit hin all classroom s and playg round sp aces. It is essent ial t hat b ehavior m anag em ent p roced ures at ISS w or k t ow ard s t he idea of self-d iscipline w here st udent s accep t resp onsib ilit y for t heir ow n act ions. The resp onsib le b ehavior plan is availab le from t he p r im ar y office on req uest .
Com m unicat ion : Each teacher uses t he Seesaw online plat for m t o share a child 's lear ning and im p or tant not ices. The Talanoa is our w hole school m ag azine t hat is availab le t hroug h our school web site t wice a ter m . The school has a Faceb ook account w hich infor m s t he com m unit y of w hat is hap pening across t he w hole school. The Weekly Pr im ar y Bytes online b log link is em ailed t o p r im ar y p arent s ever y Fr id ay. Pr im ar y up d ates are also em ailed as req uired . Each year level has p arent rep s w ho assist wit h com m unicat ion t hroug h W hat 's Up g roup s Year level infor m at ion evening s are held for p arent s at t he b eg inning of Ter m One. Ind ivid ual class teacher s hold p arent -teacher inter view s t wice per year in ter m 1 and ter m 3 and a st udent -led conference d ay is at t he end of ter m 3. Parent s w ho wish t o sched ule ad d it ional conferences wit h teacher s are encourag ed t o d o so. All conferences wit h teacher s are t o b e ar rang ed in ad vance. We req uest t hat p arent s d o not d rop in unannounced t o see a teacher for a conference, p ar t icular ly d ur ing school hour s or im m ed iately b efore or after school hour s w hen teacher s are resp onsib le for child ren, p rep ar ing for t he school d ay, and w hen m aintaining confident ialit y is d ifficult . To sched ule a conference, please contact your child ?s teacher. Quest ions or concer ns ab out any aspect of st udent lear ning , cond uct or achievem ent should fir st b e b roug ht t o t he attent ion of t he st udent ?s teacher. The b est w ay t o contact t he teacher is via em ail or Seesaw m essag e. Quest ions or concer ns of a m ore g eneral nat ure should b e m ade t o t he Pr im ar y School office. The Ad m inistrat ive Assistant will d irect you t o t he per son b est ab le t o help you. The school relies heavily, t houg h not exclusively, on electronic com m unicat ion in keeping p arent s up -t o-d ate on infor m at ion d ur ing t he school year. It is essent ial for p arent ?s t o read all com m unicat ions from t he school in a t im ely m anner. Please m ake sure t he school has a valid em ail ad d ress for your fam ily.
Dang erous Item s: St udent s should not com e t o school in p ossession of anyt hing w hich m ay p ose a d ang er t o t hem selves or ot her s.
Fir st Aid and Illness: If st udent s b ecom e unwell w hile at school t hey will b e p resented t o t he school m ed ical center or t he p r im ar y office staff. They will evaluate t he st udent 's m ed ical cond it ion and m ake a decision ab out w het her t he st udent is well enoug h t o stay at school. Please note t hat if a st udent has a m inor com plaint , t he school m ay ad m inister m ed icat ion if p arent s have p rovided per m ission t o d o so. In case of a m ore ser ious concer n, t he school will contact t he p arent s and em er g ency m ed ical ser vices. Hom ew or k: Hom ew or k will b e p rovided t o st udent s by t heir teacher s on a reg ular b asis. Our hom ew or k p olicy is availab le up on req uest from t he p r im ar y office. Daily read ing is an im p or tant aspect of hom ew or k, w hich is expected from Recep t ion upw ard s. Parent sup p or t of st udent s com plet ing hom ew or k is ap p reciated and of g reat b enefit t o t he st udent . Infor m at ion Technolog y: All st udent s and p arent s should read t he Accep tab le Use Policy for Infor m at ion Technolog y at ISS p rovided t o t hem at t im e of enrolm ent . ISS?s infor m at ion technolog y resources, includ ing Inter net access, are p rovided for ed ucat ional p ur p oses. St udent s are resp onsib le for g ood b ehaviour in t his vir t ual environm ent just as t hey are in t he p hysical school environm ent . All p r im ar y st udent s have access t o PCs, XO lap t op s, iPad s and ot her d ig ital technolog ies p rovided by t he school. They all have access t o shared local net w or k resources and t he inter net .
Mob ile Phones and Electronic Devices: In school, st udent s should not use m ob ile p hones, p or tab le m usic devices or electronic g am es unless for ed ucat ional p ur p oses. The school cannot b e held resp onsib le for t he loss of or d am ag e t o valuab le electronic eq uip m ent . For t his reason, st udent s are asked not t o b r ing valuab les int o school. If a m ob ile p hone d oes need t o b e sent t o school wit h a st udent , it should b e p resented t o t he p r im ar y office on ar r ival and collected at t he end of t he school d ay. St udent s are ab le t o access t he school m ob ile p hone at any t im e under t he g uid ance of p r im ar y office staff. The school is not resp onsib le for t he loss or t heft of valuab les.
I SS Pr im ar y School Parent Par t ner ship and Involvem ent
Board of Directors
ISS recog nizes t hat p arent s are invaluab le resources in t he p rocess of ed ucat ing st udent s. Parent s play an im p or tant role as t he fir st teacher s of t heir child ren and p arental sup p or t is cr it ical t o t he holist ic develop m ent of t he child . It is im p or tant t o ISS t o estab lish a collab orat ive p ar t ner ship b et ween t he hom e and school. There are m any w ays for p arent s t o b e involved in school: Throug h our p arent / school g roup s -
School Board PTFA Year Level Parent Rep s Event sup p or ter s / Or g aniser s Act ivit y Provider Self-St ud y Focus Group s
Sup p or t in t he classroom -
Parent read ing p rog ram Guest speaker Reg ular volunteer Act ivit y Sup p or t Per son
Attend ing event s -
Attend our p arent infor m at ion sessions / w or kshop s Attend our event s Com e t o Assem b lies Volunteer t o sup p or t event s Parent Infor m at ion After noon
Par t icip at ing w hen we m ake lear ning visib le -
Parent teacher m eet ing s IEP m eet ing s. Shar ing of lear ning jour neys Seesaw p ost s
In an effor t t o com m unicate effect ively t o all p arent s, t he school will use several m odes of com m unicat ion t o infor m our com m unit y. Weekly up d ates t hroug h Seesaw on w hat is com ing up in t he class -
Post s of st udent w or k and reflect ions on Seesaw Em ail Pr im ar y Bytes W hat ?s Up p arent g roup s School Faceb ook Pag e School Calend ar
s
If you wish t o m ake an ad d it ional ap p oint m ent t im e t o m eet your child ?s teacher you can d o t his at any t im e. Out of respect for t he st udent s t im e please m essag e t he teacher t o m ake an ap p oint m ent . Mor ning s are b est as m ost after noons t he teacher s have m eet ing s or act ivit ies. Please d on?t just t ur n up as t he teacher m ay b e b usy wit h st udent s.
Paym ent of Account s: Paym ent s m ay b e m ade in cash, check or cred it card at t he Business office. The p r im ar y office d oes not hand le any m oney. Please contact t he Business office for infor m at ion reg ard ing t uit ion p aym ent plans. All fam ilies m ust b e cur rent wit h t heir t uit ion p aym ent s for t heir child ren t o attend ISS. Transcr ip t s and rep or t card s are not released unt il p aym ent s are up t o d ate.
Proced ures for Em er g encies: Fire d r ills, evacuat ion and lockd ow n exercises are car r ied out reg ular ly t hroug hout t he year accord ing t o our evacuat ion p olicy and p roced ures.
PTFA (Parent , Teacher s, Fr iend s Associat ion): The p r im ar y funct ion of t he PTFA is t o help fam ilies - new com er s and ret ur ning fam ilies alike - feel p ar t of t he school com m unit y. The PTFA p rovides a for um for com m unicat ion and som e financial sup p or t by fund raising . The PTFA coord inates a wide var iet y of social event s, club s and act ivit ies t hroug hout t he year.
Rep or t ing : ISS issues a rep or t at t he end of each sem ester June and Decem b er. Prog ress rep or t s are issued for st udent s w ho join ISS d ur ing t he year.
How we com m unicate infor m at ion ab out your child 's lear ning ? Ter m One: -
Parent Teacher Conference ? 10 m inute for m al conference
Ter m Tw o: -
For m al W r itten Rep or t ? end of Ter m Tw o. This rep or t consist s of achievem ent result s in Mat hem at ics, Lang uag e, Wor k Hab it s, Specialist Sub ject s includ ing Music, Visual Ar t s, Lang uag e St ud ies, ICT and PSPE and com m ent s reg ard ing t he Prog ram m e of Inq uir ies invest ig ated .
Ter m Three: -
Parent Teacher Conference ? 10 m inute for m al conference St udent -led Conference from ECH1 ? Year 5. Child ren share and d iscuss t heir p or t folio and take p ar t in lear ning act ivit ies wit h t heir p arent s.
Ter m Four : -
For m al W r itten Rep or t ? end of Ter m Four. Por t folios ? ind ivid ual st udent ?s lear ning jour ney.
Req uest s for St udent Record s: Req uest s for official school transfer s, transcr ip t s or confir m at ion of enrolm ent letter s should b e m ade t o t he Pr im ar y School Ad m inistrat ion team . Rep or t s of academ ic achievem ent are sent t o ot her schools only up on t he req uest by t he school.
School Mag azine: The school m ag azine is an annual record of event s, act ivit ies and people at ISS. This is p rep ared d ur ing t he year, b ot h in d ig ital and p r int for m . t he p r inted ver sion is d istr ib uted t o st udent s at t he end of ter m 4 .
Secur it y on Cam p us: All visit or s t o t he cam p us are req uired t o rep or t t o t he front g ate. Parent s m ay b e asked t o p resent ident ificat ion by t he p r im ar y secur it y g uard .
Sm oking : Please note t hat ISS is a sm oke-free cam p us. No m em b er of our com m unit y, includ ing st udent s, facult y, staff, p arent s or visit or s, are per m itted t o sm oke on t he school p rem ises.
Sun Safet y: All st udent s are encourag ed t o show sun safe b ehaviour by wear ing a hat w hen out side playing , lear ning , PE, sp or t and on excur sions. The school hat s are availab le from t he school unifor m shop.
Staff: ISS p r im ar y em plo ys over 50 well-q ualified and exper ienced local and exp at teacher s, teaching assistant s and ad m inistrat ive staff.
Toilet ing It is expected t hat all child ren b e independent wit h t oilet ing on entr y t o ISS. For m ore infor m at ion please ask for a copy of our p olicy. Transp or tat ion: ISS offer s a b us ser vice. W hile using t he b us ser vice, st udent s are expected t o follow t he b us expectat ions and b ehave ap p rop r iately. See t he p r im ar y office for b us routes, cost s and b us expectat ions.
Unifor m and Dress Code: The ISS unifor m shop, sit uated in t he ISS ad m inistrat ion b uild ing , is open d aily from 8.0 0 am t o 4 .0 0 p m t hroug hout t he school year. St udent s are asked t o wear cor rect unifor m at all t im es. If inap p rop r iate clot hing or school wear is w or n t o school, a rem inder note will b e sent hom e t o p arent s. Please ensure all clot hing is lab eled wit h your child ?s nam e. Unifor m Item s Gir ls: Navy b lue shor t s/skor t s wit h b ula shir t . Bo ys: Bula shir t wit h navy shor t s or navy sulu. Shoes: Safe, sup p or t ive b lack, navy b lue and b row n sand als or sp or t s r unner s and w hite socks. Foot wear is t o b e w or n out d oor s at all t im es. Rub b er scuffs or slip -ons (includ ing jand als, flip flop s, t hong s) are not reg arded as school unifor m . Sp or t s Unifor m : Navy b lue sp or t sing let /shir t wit h navy b lue shor t s and sp or t s shoes. House colour t shir t s are also availab le for p urchase.
Valuab les and Lost & Found : St udent s are asked not t o b r ing valuab les int o school unless p ar t of a p roject or ot her piece of school-related w or k. Under t hese circum stances, any valuab les should b e g iven t o t he school office for safe-keeping . Unless item s are dep osited wit h t he school office, t he school is not resp onsib le for t heir loss or t heft . A lost and found b ox is kep t at school. We ask t hat all your child ?s ar t icles b e clear ly lab eled wit h his/ her nam e. At specific t im es d ur ing t he school year, any uncollected item s are sent t o t he second hand unifor m shop. Nam ed item s are ret ur ned t o ow ner s reg ular ly.
W it hd raw al from ISS: W hen a st udent is t o b e wit hd raw n per m anent ly from school, p arent s should infor m t he p r im ar y ad m inistrat ion in w r it ing . This will enab le t he office t o p rep are t he st udent s leaving d ocum ent s. Before such d ocum ent s can b e issued , a clearance for m m ust b e p rep ared and sig ned by var ious school dep ar t m ent s. Once t he clearance p rocess is com pleted p arent s can pick up all d ocum entat ion from t he office.
The PYP p rog ram m e is an inter nat ional cur r iculum fram ew or k, w hich com b ines t he b est research and p ract ice from nat ional school system s wit h t he collect ive knowled g e and exper ience of inter nat ional schools t o p rovide an excellent ed ucat ional p rog ram m e for child ren ag ed 4 -12. It p rovides an ag e-ap p rop r iate p rog ram m e for child ren from d iver se cult ures and lang uag e b ackg round s, and is transferab le wit hin nat ional and inter nat ional system s. The IBPYP focuses on t he develop m ent of t he w hole child : academ ic, social, p hysical, em ot ional and cult ural. This is exp ressed in t he overall aim s of t he IBPYP, out lined in t he IB Lear ner Profile.
Curriculum ISSLEARNEROUTCOMES/PROFILE Acquiring the skills necessary to conduct research and construct meaning, stimulating a love of learning that will be sustained throughout their lives. Demonstrate curiosity and value learning questioning the truth and principle
Inquirers
behind concepts. Exercising initiative in applying higher level thinking skills critically and creatively to make sound decisions, to solve
Thinkers
complex problems and to reflect on findings.
CommunicatorsReceiving and
expressing ideas and information confidently in more than one language or mode of communication, including the language of mathematical symbols, use of computer technology and non-verbal modes of communication. Demonstrate effective listening skills.
Courageous
Approaching and analyzing unfamiliar situations with the confidence required to explore new roles, ideas and strategies. Showing the courage and commitment to articulate and defend their beliefs.
KnowledgeableExploring
themes which have global and local relevance and importance, in order to acquire a critical mass of knowledge and skills in a range of subject areas.
Principled
Having a sound grasp of principles of moral reasoning. Displaying integrity, honesty and a sense of fairness and justice. Advocacy for those unable to speak for themselves and just causes.
Caring
Showing sensitivity towards the needs and the feelings of others. Displaying self-respect, self-esteem and being enthusiastically involved in the community. Developing the skills and knowledge and compassion to empower others and serve the community.
Open-minded
Respecting the views, values and traditions of others. Seeking and considering a range of perspectives with sensitivity and tolerance.
Balanced
Understanding the importance of physical, spiritual and mental balance and personal well-being. Taking action through participating in a wide of cross-cultural activities including arts and sort.
Reflective
Giving thoughtful consideration to learning and analyzing personal strengths and weaknesses in a constructive manner.
Visionary
Picturing different directions, assessing how to move forward using judgment and foresights, wisdom, integrity and perseverance. Knowing when to be a participant or a spectator.
The IB lear ner p rofile rep resent s ten attr ib utes valued by IB Wor ld Schools. We b elieve t hese attr ib utes, and ot her s like t hem , can help ind ivid uals and g roup s b ecom e resp onsib le m em b er s of local, nat ional and g lob al com m unit ies. (IB, 20 13) ISS has included anot her, visionar y as p ar t of our school wide lear nier out com es.
Our Curriculum The Lear ner Profile The Lear ner Profile is central t o t he w or k of t he Inter nat ional Baccalaureate at ISS. The aim of all IB p rog ram m es is t o develop inter nat ionally m inded people w ho, recog nizing t heir com m on hum anit y and shared g uard ianship of t he planet help t o create a b etter and m ore peaceful w or ld . IB lear ner s str ive t o b e Inq uirer s, knowled g eab le, Thinker s, Com m unicat or s, Pr incipled , Open-m inded , Courag eous, Car ing , Balanced and Reflect ive. The W r itten Cur r iculum - W hat we w ant st udent s t o lear n The IBPYP ident ifies a b od y of sig nificant knowled g e for all st udent s in all cult ures in t he six sub ject g roup s: Lang uag es; Social St ud ies; Mat hem at ics; Science and Technolog y; The Ar t s; Per sonal, Social and Physical Ed ucat ion. Six transd isciplinar y t hem es of g lob al sig nificance p rovide t he fram ew or k for t he explorat ion of knowled g e at each year level. -
W ho we are W here we are in place and t im e How we exp ress our selves How t he w or ld w or ks How we or g anise our selves Shar ing t he planet
Teacher s are g uided by t hese six transd isciplinar y t hem es as t hey desig n unit s of inq uir y t hat b ot h transcend and ar t iculate convent ional sub ject b ound ar ies.The IB PYP w r itten cur r iculum fram ew or k consist s of five essent ial elem ent s: Concep t s, Knowled g e, Skills, Att it udes and Act ion. The elem ent s related t o Concep t s, Skills, Att it udes and Act ions are relevant across all sub ject areas and p rovide a fram ew or k for str uct ured inq uir y - an ideal vehicle for lear ning . The rem aining elem ent is Knowled g e. The em p hasis in t he IBPYP is not t he acq uisit ion of isolated fact s and skills b ut a holist ic under stand ing of ideas. Therefore, knowled g e is not only seen as sep arate cur r iculum d ocum entat ion b ut as t he develop m ent of transd isciplinar y Unit s of Inq uir y in a w hole school Prog ram m e of Inq uir y. The p rog ram m e str ives for a b alance in t he acq uisit ion of knowled g e, t he develop m ent of skills and t he search for under stand ing .
Ocean Science At ISS we have a d ist inct ive Ocean Science p rog ram w hich allow s st udent s t o st ud y at and g ain a m uch deeper level of under stand ing . This p rog ram r uns ECH - Year 12 and focuses on t he local environm ent , healt h of t he w ater s, p reser vat ion of t he environm ent and science of t he oceans.
W hat d o we w ant st udent s t o under stand ? Eig ht fund am ental concep t s, exp resssed as key q uest ions, p ropel t he p rocess of inq uir y. They are b road in scope and d r ive transd isciplinar y unit s of inq uir y and all classroom eng ag em ent s. The key concep t s are: For m : W hat is it like? Funct ion: How d oes it w or k? Causat ion: W hy is it like t his? Chang e: How is it chang ing ? Connect ion: How is it connected t o ot her t hing s? Per spect ive: W hat are t he p oint s of view ? Resp onsib ilit y: W hat is our resp onsib ilit y? Reflect ion: How d o we know ? Skills: W hat d o we w ant st udent s t o b e ab le t o d o? St udent s will need t o dem onstrate skills w hich are ap p roaches t o lear ning t hat m ay b e d isciplinar y (e.g . num eracy and literacy skills) or transd isciplinar y in nat ure w hich includes t he set of five transd isciplinar y skills b elow : -
Social Self-m anag em ent Com m unicat ion Research Thinking Skills
Att it udes: W hat w ould we like st udent s t o feel, value and dem onstrate? The p rog ram m e p rom otes a set of att it udes b ased on fund am ental values, b eliefs and feeling s ab out lear ning , t he environm ent and people. These are: ap p reciat ion, com m it m ent , confidence, cooperat ion, creat ivit y, cur iosit y, em p at hy, ent husiasm , independence, integ r it y, respect and t olerance. These att it udes d irect ly relate t o t he develop m ent of t he attr ib utes listed in t he Lear ner Profile. Act ion: How d o we w ant st udent s t o act ? St udent s are encourag ed t o reflect on t heir lear ning and m ake infor m ed decisions on how t hey can ap ply t heir lear ning t o m ake a d ifference in t he com m unit y.
The Taug ht Cur r iculum ? How Best W ill St udent s Lear n The PYP is com m itted t o str uct ured , p ur p oseful inq uir y t hat eng ag es st udent s t o act ively constr uct t heir ow n lear ning . In t he p rocess of inq uir y, t he st udent s are m oved from t heir cur rent level of under stand ing t o a new and deeper level. The teacher s em p ower t he st udent s t o achieve t his by d rawing on t heir p r ior knowled g e, p rovid ing p rovocat ion t hroug h new exper iences, allowing op p or t unit ies for find ing , researching and or g anizing t he infor m at ion, sup p or t ing st udent s t o m ake connect ions, solve p rob lem s and reflect on t heir lear ning . This is inq uir y and concep t b ased lear ning . A transd isciplinar y ap p roach t o teaching and lear ning is used t hroug h t he school?s p rog ram m e of inq uir y, p rovid ing b ot h teacher s and st udent s wit h a r ich lear ning environm ent t o ensure t hat lear ning exper iences are: -
Eng ag ing ? of interest t o t he st udent s, involving t hem act ively in lear ning Relevant ? linked t o st udent ?s p r ior knowled g e and exper iences Challeng ing ? extend ing st udent s?p r ior knowled g e and increasing com petencies and under stand ing Sig nificant ? have g lob al sig nificance ? for all st udent s and cult ures
The Assessed Cur r iculum ? How W ill We Know W hat We Have Lear ned ? Assessm ent is integ ral t o all teaching and lear ning . At ISS, it is an ong oing p rocess w hereby we assess st udent s t hroug hout t he year, t o g uide t hem t hroug h t he five essent ial elem ent s of lear ning in t he PYP: acq uisit ion of knowled g e, under stand ing of concep t s, m aster ing of skills, t he develop m ent of att it udes and t he decision t o take act ion. Assessm ent s in t he classroom include: - St udent w or k sam ples or per for m ance - Anecd otal record s - Docum ented lear ning p rocesses of g roup s and ind ivid uals - St udent reflect ions on t heir lear ning - Evidence of peer and self-assessm ent of w or k - Rub r ics/ Cr iter ia Sheet s - Benchm ar ks and cont inuum s - Por t folios Assessm ent in t he p rog ram m es is of t hree t ypes, each of w hich has a specific funct ion: 1. Pre-assessm ent t hat hap pens at t he b eg inning of a unit . It s p ur p ose is t o find out w hat st udent s know in order t o help t hem constr uct new lear ning . 2. For m at ive assessm ent is inter w oven wit h d aily lear ning and help s st udent s and teacher s find out w hat t he st udent s alread y know in order t o plan t he next stag e of inq uir y. For m at ive assessm ent and lear ning act ivit ies are d irect ly linked ; neit her funct ions effect ively or p ur p osefully wit hout t he ot her. 3. Sum m at ive assessm ent occur s at t he end of t he teaching and lear ning p rocess and p rovides st udent s wit h op p or t unit ies t o dem onstrate w hat t hey have lear ned .
Sub ject Areas in t he PYP In t he PYP, t he im p or tance of t he sub ject areas of Lang uag e, Mat hem at ics, Science, Social St ud ies, Ar t s, Per sonal, Social and Physical Ed ucat ion (PSPE) are acknowled g ed as im p or tant com p onent s of t he cur r iculum . However, it is also recog nized t hat w hen st udent s acq uire skills in t hese sub ject areas, st udent s area ab le t o m ake deep connect ions across t he d ifferent d isciplines and relate t o w hat t hey lear n in life. In t he p rog ram m e of inq uir y, science/and or social st ud ies takes place wit hin t he unit s. W henever t here is an aut hent ic connect ion t o st udent s? lear ning and under stand ing of t he trand isciplinar y t hem e, ot her sub ject areas of Lang uag e, Mat hem at ics, Ar t s and PSPE are included at each year level.
Lang uag e t hroug h Inq uir y We lear n ab out d ifferent t ypes of text s in lang uag e and develop literacy skills in context t hroug h our unit s of inq uir y and independent read ing and w r it ing tasks. We lear n ab out transd isciplinar y t hem es t hroug h lang uag e by ap plying our literacy skills t o ident ify relevant infor m at ion and record our lear ning using d ifferent text t ypes. E.g . rep or t s, exp osit ions, nar rat ives, role-play et c.
Mat hem at ics t hroug h Inq uir y It is im p or tant t hat lear ner s acq uire m at hem at ical under stand ing by constr uct ing t heir ow n m eaning t hroug h ever increasing levels of ab stract ion, star t ing wit h explor ing t heir ow n per sonal exper iences, under stand ing s and knowled g e. Ad d it ionally, it is fund am ental t o t he p hilosop hy of t he PYP t hat , since it is t o b e used in real life sit uat ions, m at hem at ics need s t o b e taug ht in relevant , realist ic context s, rat her t han b e attem p t ing t o im p ar t a fixed b od y of knowled g e d irect ly t o st udent s. Mat hem at ics is a vehicle t o sup p or t inq uir y and is intended for st udent s t o b ecom e com petent user s of t he lang uag e of Mat hem at ics as well as a w ay of t hinking instead of sim ply over relying on m em or izing a ser ies of fact s and eq uat ions. Mat hem at ical strand s include Num b er, Patter n and Funct ion, Shape and Sp ace, Measurem ent and Data Hand ling . The Ar t s t hroug h Inq uir y The Ar t s are integ ral t o t he PYP and are ident ified as d ance, d ram a, m usic and visual ar t s. The Ar t s are seen as a p ower ful w ay of com m unicat ion w here st udent s explore and constr uct a sense of self and develop an under stand ing of t he w or ld around t hem t hroug h t he interconnected strand s of resp ond ing and creat ing . Lear ning ab out t he Ar t s and t hroug h t he Ar t s is essent ial t o t he develop m ent of t he w hole child as st udent s have op p or t unit ies t o acq uire specific ar t s? skills, dem onstrate creat ivit y, eng ag e t he im ag inat ion, convey concep t ual under stand ing and reflect on aest het ic exper iences. W henever ap p rop r iate and p ossib le, t he Ar t s are taug ht t hroug h t he Unit s of Inq uir y and sup p or t st udent s?inq uir ies. W hen t he d irect teaching of t he Ar t s in a unit of inq uir y is not p ossib le, introd uct or y or follow up lear ning exper iences in t he Ar t s are useful t o help st udent s m ake connect ions b et ween t he d ifferent aspect s of t he cur r iculum . At ISS, p r im ar y classes from ECH 1 t o Year 5 are p rovided visual ar t s and m usic lessons by a specialist teacher.
Per sonal, Social and Physical Ed ucat ion (PSPE) t hroug h Inq uir y The develop m ent of a st udent ?s wellb eing can b e ad d ressed t hroug hout all areas of t he cur r iculum and it is intr insically linked t o all aspect s of st udent ?s exper ience at school and b eyond . The develop m ent of our overall wellb eing is defined t hroug h t he t hree concep t ually d r iven strand s of ident it y, act ive living and interact ions. PSPE is em b ed ded in t he cur r iculum and t he IB Lear ner Profile. Physical ed ucat ion in t he PYP is m ore t han st udent p ar t icip at ion in sp or t s and g am es. It s role is t o develop a com b inat ion of transferab le skills p rom ot ing p hysical, intellect ual, em ot ional and social develop m ent . It encourag es t he st udent s t o m ake infor m ed choices t hat contr ib ute t o long -ter m healt hy living and t o under stand t he cult ural sig nificance of p hysical act ivit ies. All st udent s are act ively involved in a Physical Ed ucat ion lesson and a sp or t s p rog ram m e. St udent s in t he ear ly year s are involved in percep t ual m ot or p rog ram m es. Ad d it ional Lang uag e t hroug h Inq uir y Fijian St ud ies or Hind i St ud ies, t he host countr y lang uag es of Fiji are offered at ISS t o st udent s in ECH1 t o Year 4 . The lang uag e p rog ram m e introd uces st udent s t o b asic Hind i and Fijian lang uag e and cult ure and also allow s for transd isciplinar y lear ning across all year levels in nom inated Unit s of Inq uir y. Wor ld Lang uag es In year 5 st udent s will have t he op p or t unit y t o lear n ad d it ional lang uag e t hroug h our w or ld lang uag e p rog ram focusing on exp osing st udent s t o speaking and listening . ICTs t hroug h Inq uir y ICT in t he PYP encom p asses t he use of a wide rang e of d ig ital t ools, m ed ia and lear ning environm ent for teaching , lear ning and assessing . In t he PYP, t here will b e op p or t unit ies t o use ICT in t he relevant , aut hent ic context of t he unit s of inq uir y, as well as t hroug h teaching and lear ning exper iences in ot her areas of t he cur r iculum .
The Prog ram m es of Inq uir y (POI) The Prog ram m e of Inq uir y for each year level is explained fur t her on our ISS p r im ar y web site. There you will find an over view of t he unit s of inq uir y t hat are taug ht in each year level. Each of t he transd isciplinar y t hem es are t o b e covered in-dep t h wit hin a 4 ? 6 week t im efram e and all six transd isciplinar y t hem es m ust b e ad d ressed each year in each year level, excep t t he Ear ly Year s (Ear ly Child hood 1 and Ear ly Child hood 2). The Prog ram m e of Inq uir y allow s for transd isciplinar y planning , teaching , assessing and a b alanced inclusion of t he sub ject areas. Each year, t he Ear ly Year s explore four unit s of inq uir y, sub seq uent year levels (Recep t ion t o Year 5) explore six. Each unit of inq uir y has a central idea ? a p ower ful statem ent or end ur ing under stand ing t hat encap sulates t he essence of t he unit . St udent s t hen eng ag e in carefully planned front load ing act ivit ies, w hich allow st udent s t o connect t o p revious knowled g e, b e interested and extend t heir t hinking . St udent s are encourag ed t o use q uest ions t o d iscover t he ?how ? and ?w hy? of t heir w or ld .As t he PYP is transd isciplinar y, t he sub ject s of Social St ud ies, Science and PSPE are fully em b ed ded in t he unit s of inq uir y. Meaning ful connect ions are m ade t hroug h t he concep t ual lens of ot her sub ject areas such as t he Ar t s, Lang uag e and Mat hem at ics t o ensure st udent s have an end ur ing under stand ing of w hat t hey are lear ning . St udent q uest ions or inq uir ies are recorded and d isplayed around t he classroom for class inq uir y, ind ivid ually or as a g roup later on in t he unit . The central idea and inq uir y p oint s planned by t he teacher s are com m on t o each class in a year level and help t o keep t he unit focus. The unit t hen develop s wit h var ied class act ivit ies t hat allow st udent s t o explore t he essent ial under stand ing t hroug h g uest speaker s, field tr ip s, b ooks, inter net , exper im ent s, role plays, DVDs, ar t ifact s, local resources, com p uter soft w are, class d iscussions, inter view s et c. Teacher q uest ions fur t her d r ive inq uir y and t he unit is b roug ht t o an end by com m on sum m at ive assessm ent w here st udent s are req uired t o dem onstrate t heir under stand ing of t he central idea.
PYP Exhib it ion One of t he m a jor req uirem ent s of t he PYP is t hat each year, t he Year 5 final year PYP st udent s and teacher s m ount a p ub lic exhib it ion b ased on a g roup and self-selected unit of inq uir y. The sub ject of t he extended inq uir y m ust b e a real w or ld issue includ ing local and g lob al aspect s. The exhib it ion is a show case of t he st udent s? w or k int o t he invest ig at ion dem onstrat ing t heir skills in research, invest ig at ion, g roup cooperat ion and ind ivid ual endeavour.
Lear ning Out side t he Classroom Excur sions and Field Tr ip s: Excur sions and field tr ip s allow teacher s t o exp and lear ning b eyond t he classroom and are an essent ial p ar t of an ISS ed ucat ion. St udent s m ay p ar t icip ate in excur sions at least once per ter m t hroug hout t he year. These excur sions, at no extra char g e, sup p or t classroom ?Unit s of Inq uir y? and all child ren are encourag ed t o attend . Parent s are often asked t o volunteer t heir help for t hese excur sions.
Cam p s: Cam p s are a p ar t of ed ucat ion out side t he classroom . These are op p or t unit ies t o develop and ap ply life skills using t he essent ial elem ent s of t he cur r iculum . Each year, as p ar t of t he PYP p rog ram m e, st udent s in Year 3 t o Year 5 p ar t icip ate in a cam p.
Co-Cur r icular Act ivit ies: ISS has a num b er of act ivit ies in w hich st udent s m ay p ar t icip ate includ ing sp or t s and enr ichm ent classes after school. These offer ing s are em ailed hom e at t he b eg inning of each sem ester. If you wish your child t o p ar t icip ate in any of t he act ivit ies, a sig ned per m ission for m m ust b e ret ur ned t o t he p r im ar y office. Out side p rovider s of co-cur r icular act ivit ies are contacted d irect ly via details p rovided by t he school. There m ayb e a fee for out side p rovided act ivit ies.
Op t ions Prog ram St udent s are g rouped across year levels and are exp osed t o a var iet y of lear ning op p or t unit ies focused on Science, Technolog y, Eng ineer ing , Ar t s and Mat hem at ics, lear n d ifferent sp or t s and have t he t im e t o inq uire deeper int o t heir ow n p assions and q uest ions.
Lear ning Sup p or t : If you have any q uest ions, com m ent s or concer ns ab out your child ?s lear ning in school, m eet wit h your child ?s class teacher fir st . If necessar y, a refer ral can b e m ade for him / her t o t he Lear ning Sup p or t Team . They will ob ser ve your child in class and m ay car r y out var ious t ypes of assessm ent . They m ay m od ify your child ?s classroom p rog ram m e wit h t he class teacher and offer extra sup p or t wit hin t he classroom . They will also m ake recom m end at ions for w ays in w hich p arent s can assist at hom e. Or req uest exter nal assessm ent t o b e p rovided for t he school.
ESL (Eng lish as a Second Lang uag e): ESL sup p or t is p rovided from Year 1 ? Year 5. The ESL p rog ram teaches Eng lish t o non-nat ive speaker s in an academ ic sett ing . The ESL/ Lear ning Sup p or t case m anag er s for t hat year level sup p or t classroom teacher s and help ESL lear ner s acq uire t he lang uag e skills of listening , speaking , read ing and w r it ing in Eng lish. Lear ning an ad d it ional lang uag e g enerally follow s t he p atter n of lear ning a fir st lang uag e. Conver sat ional Eng lish is m ost often lear ned q uite rapid ly an enab les st udent s t o com m unicate wit h t heir peer s and b ecom e act ive p ar t icip ant s in t he social environm ent of school. Research ind icates, however, t hat it m ay take up t o five t o seven year s for non-nat ive speaker s t o develop t he academ ic aspect s of t he lang uag e t o t he sam e stand ard as nat ive speaker s. ESL st udent s m ay receive sup p or t t o b eg in wit h as intensive Eng lish wit hd raw n and /or t hroug h in-class sessions.
Counselor The p r im ar y school has a counselor t o sup p or t t he deliver y of t he PSPE cur r iculum . The counselor will also assist child ren w ho m ay b e dealing wit h ot her em ot ional stresses or str ug g les as needed .
Transit ion: Most fam ilies find t hat living ab road is enr iching and t he ad vent ure t hey had hoped for. However, t he up heaval of m oving t o a new countr y usually involves a per iod of stress. Fir st , fam ilies m ove aw ay from estab lished rout ines, relat ives and fr iend s. Second , it is t ypical t o exper ience cult ure shock. The fam ily need s t o b e under stand ing and sup p or t ive of each ot her in t he fir st m ont hs. Each Pr im ar y School staff m em b er is aw are of t he challeng es fam ilies face w hile m aking cross cult ural m oves. Transit ion ed ucat ion is p ar t of t he p rog ram m e and sup p or t s child ren in t heir sett ling and ad just m ent .
School Lib rar y: The school lib rar y is a vital resource for t he w hole school. The ISS Lib rar y is a center for research, lear ning and recreat ional read ing . The lib rar y houses a collect ion of m ater ials in var ious for m at s such as b ooks, per iod icals, e-b ooks, aud io b ooks, and DVDs. Som e m ater ials are availab le in ot her lang uag es. Pr im ar y School st udent s m ay use t he lib rar y b efore or after school if super vised by a p arent or careg iver. Teacher s b or row b ook set s from t he lib rar y for classroom use on a reg ular b asis. Child ren are taken t o t he lib rar y and involved wit h a lib rar y lesson each week, in order t o p rovide access t o lib rar y b ooks and ot her resources. The lib rar y is also open at lunch t im es and b efore and after school for casual use and renew al of b ooks issued . Parent s m ay also visit t he lib rar y and b or row b ooks using t heir child ren?s account s. Please check t he ISS web site for lib rar y hour s.
Swim m ing : St udent s in Recep t ion t o Year 5 take p ar t in a lear n t o swim p rog ram . St udent s need t o b r ing swim m ing eq uip m ent , includ ing t owel, g og g les, swim m ing cap and swim wear. A Year 1 - 5 p r im ar y school swim m ing car nival occur s in Ter m 1 as a culm inat ion t o t heir swim m ing lessons and t o select an ISS p r im ar y swim team t o p ar t icip ate at t he inter school swim m ing com pet it ion. St udent s in Recep t ion have t heir swim p rog ram later in t he year.