ISK Annual Report 2015/16

2015 2016

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ISK Annual Report 2015-2016

Director’s Message

Academic Programs

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9

Finance Report

Admissions & Advancement

36

4

Message from the Director

23

Creative Arts

5

Message from the Chair of the Board of Directors

27

Athletics

10

Elementary School

31

Service Learning

12

Middle School

35

Information Technology

14

High School

36

Financial Report

20

Award Recipients

38

Admissions & Advancement

21

Teaching & Learning Center

46

PTO

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“Some of the most exciting new experiential learning opportunities have come from ISK’s affiliations, such as with Round Square and the Association of International Schools in South and East Africa (ISSEA)” John Roberts Director, ISK

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From the Director Unlike reports in previous years, in which I outline both challenges and achievements, I am not going to write about any challenges this time. As I wrap up seven happy years at ISK I want to focus exclusively on the highlights of the 2015-16 school year!

One special feature of the school year is how it began: with the Official Opening, on the first day of school, of the new Elementary School Complex. That new facility began as an idea five years ago, that grew into a draft vision, that morphed through several iterations into a final plan, that then had to be constructed—an 18-month process that culminated (just in time!) for the opening of this school year. It was an exciting moment for ES students, teachers, TAs and parents.

And the ES Opening Ceremony also symbolized the end of the first four phases of campus development under ISK’s Facilities Master Plan (FMP), a plan that included the Commons, an Operations Complex, and the Faculty Housing complex. Everyone was happy that there would be no construction this year! The next major phase of the FMP will be undertaken by the incoming Director, David Henry: the construction of a new Middle School Complex, beginning in about 2018.

This year ISK students have benefitted from several new learning opportunities. Program enhancements included a shift towards trans-disciplinary learning that increasingly allowed students to make meaningful connections, build their conceptual understanding, and live the ISK Aims. The Capstone projects in grades 5 and 8 are more obvious examples of this shift, but there have been subtle yet pervasive explorations in every classroom this year.

The Habits of Learning rubrics, work experience for 10th graders, and student-led parent conferences are other examples of this shift to empowering our learners.

Some of the most exciting new experiential learning opportunities have come from ISK’s affiliations, such as with Round Square and the Association of International Schools in South and East Africa (ISSEA). As a result of ISK being granted Global status within Round Square, for the first time this year one of our students participated in an International Service Project in India, and two students participated in international exchanges—one to Thailand, and one to Switzerland.

ISSEA opportunities have expanded to include eleven student events, among them music, drama and art festivals—one of which was hosted at ISK this year—and individual sports such as tennis, golf and swimming.

And in the competitive events this year’s Lions made the community proud by coming back as ISSEA champions in Robotics, Boys’ Soccer, Science, Girls’ Tennis and Girls’ Cross-Country—or earning a top-three position in virtually every other event.

ISK’s outreach programs continue to reinforce the value we place on compassion, serving others, leadership and

contributing to our host country. This year ISK expanded its support for African Teachers’ Foundation (which trains Kenyan teachers) and created a new partnership with Beacon Scholars—which resulted in our first 8th grade scholarship student with a five-year commitment of support. An additional five Kenyan students are currently receiving full ISK scholarships through their high school years.

Students demonstrate their passion for serving others through twenty-four student-led service projects in Nairobi, not including up-country outreach projects associated with our Inter-Cultural Trips. Parents and teachers also model their dedication to serving others through multiple adult-run and PTO-supported outreach programs.

Other highlights of this school year include several developments that have begun to identify ISK as a center of professional excellence and innovative learning programs in the world of international education. One example of this emerging identity is the number of professional training events hosted by ISK this year, which attracted teachers and leaders from all over the continent—and, for the inclusion conference Next Frontier: Inclusion, from all over the world.

ISK professionals have also been playing a key role in working groups within the Association of International Schools in Africa (AISA) and the Kenyan Association of Independent and International Schools (KAIIS). This engagement and outreach has led to other schools in the region seeking out ISK as a model for a range of practices: from Child Protection protocols to Service Learning programs, from emergency/security planning to creative support programs for students with special learning needs.

ISK is also emerging as part of a cohort of international and independent schools that are striving to lead educational change. This growing cohort is committed to creating a more meaningful curriculum, and more learner-centered teaching practices, for students that will be entering a world where success and happiness will depend on a dramatically different set of skills, knowledge and values than most schools have been focused on.

No one can deny that education is on the threshold of transformative changes. And I am proud that ISK has begun to embrace, understand and confront the realities of this new world of education, and begun to align itself with other leading schools seeking to provide their students with the greatest advantages in the future.

The challenges for the future will continue to mount, but ISK’s Board, new Director and leadership team are courageously, strategically committed to keeping ISK on that front line of change.

Over and out.

John Roberts

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William Hansen Chair, Board of Governors

From the Chair of the Board of Governors On behalf of ISK’s Board of Governors, I would like to congratulate the school’s administration on a fantastic, yet bittersweet year in 2015-16. Fantastic, because of ISK’s continued academic excellence, high enrollment rates, and creative planning for additional outreach and recruitment. This year was the first when our younger students could enjoy the fabulous new Elementary School with welcoming classrooms and spacious playgrounds.

Bittersweet, however, because we are losing John Roberts, who has passionately served the school for the last seven years as ISK Director and has won the hearts of staff and students alike. We are looking forward to David Henry taking up the role as Director, and want to thank both the Board of Directors and the school administration on energetically working with us toward our shared goal of ensuring ISK’s place as a leading international school in Africa.

William Hansen Chair, Board of Governors

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Vicky Cole Chair, Board of Directors

From the Chair of the Board of Directors The school year got off to the best possible start as we opened the new Elementary School at a lovely ceremony.

It has been a long process to see the construction through from the first commissioning of the plans to the finished building, but the members of both Boards are very pleased with everything that it offers to our ES students, faculty and staff.

It has been a relatively quiet year for the Board of Directors. As always, we were pleased to take part in community events, selling tickets for the Welcome Back Picnic and International Day. We had our usual retreat in August with the Board of Governors, Admin and Leadership, at which we formulated the strategic plan and goals for the year. Vice-Chair Nadeem Noordin attended a ‘Governance as Leadership’ workshop, and came back full of ideas about using generative thinking to harness the Board members’ brain power more effectively! In addition, we had a mini-retreat in February at which we learned about design thinking and considered ways this might be applicable for our decision making. We also came up with a new Mission for the Board: “The Board will foster an environment where the ISK Mission, Vision and Aims are fully realised.”

In February I represented the Board at the Next Frontiers: Inclusion conference hosted by ISK and was proud to see that ISK is at the leading edge in this important area.

Our regular board meetings are well attended and we thank all members of the school community who contribute by submitting reports and presenting at meetings. We have had some particularly impressive presentations from students this year. We work closely with Moez Jiwani and his team at the Business Office to get the budget ready for endorsement by the Board of Governors. Another highlight was the approval by the Board of plans for a new curriculum, which will be centred on our Educational Aims. Our Facilities Committee has carried out a detailed campus accessibility audit, with the help of Student Support Services, and some of the recommendations for improvement have already been carried out, with a plan for further changes over the next two years.

Our four committees work quietly away behind the scenes; Finance, Governance, Facilities and Compensation, and I thank the chairs of these committees - Kevin Doyle, Lane Bunkers, Nadeem Noordin and Frost Josiah respectively.

It is, of course, our last year of working with John Roberts as our Director. He has always had an excellent working relationship with the Board of Directors, which is vital for the smooth governance of the school, and allows everyone to achieve more. His heart is clearly with our students and their learning, and he has driven forward some extraordinary changes in his time with us. ISK is often approached by other schools with requests for guidance, as we are perceived to be real world leaders in the field of international school governance, and we are happy to share our knowledge. This would not be happening without John’s expertise, hard work and enthusiasm to embrace the latest philosophies of education and leadership. ISK and the current Board of Directors owe him a huge debt, and we thank him sincerely for all he has done. He and Charlene will be greatly missed.

However, we are also excited to be welcoming David Henry as our new Director. He has been working closely with John all through the year to ensure that the handover is as smooth as possible. We were delighted to see David at our Board AGM and at some of our committee meetings when he came for a week’s transition visit in April. We look forward to working with him next year.

On a personal note, one of the highlights of the year for me as Board Chair is taking part in the High School Graduation in May. This year is particularly special, as my son is one of the seniors who will be graduating. He has had offers from several prestigious universities in the UK and I know that he will be able to make the most of his time at university, fully prepared by ISK academically and socially, and ready to make a difference in the world. And surely, that’s what an ISK education is all about.

Vicky Cole Chair, Board of Directors

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ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

academic programs Annual Report 2015-2016

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“The elementary school staff thinks deeply about how to enrich and strengthen each child’s educational experience. They provide authentic opportunities with an Aims-based approach to develop student thinking and learning” Patricia Salleh Matta Elementary School Principal

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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

elementary school report What an action packed year we have had in our new school. After the initial excitement of settling in last August and getting used to all this space, it was down to the business of learning!

This year the elementary school has welcomed a record number of students and as a result opened up new classes and hired extra staff to cope with our growing numbers.

With a growing staff we needed more middle level leaders and so for the first time we had a strong team of individuals representing each grade level. Conversation was always around student learning and how we can continue to strengthen our practice. It was also very timely to welcome a second elementary counselor to our staff.

Our new ES Habits of Learning, aligned with the ISK Educational Aims and also Middle and High school were rolled out as part of our revised report card in August.

the first year of implementing the 1:1 iPad program in fifth grade. Coding has taken place across all grade levels.

Maker Spaces have been created in each of the common learning areas. Students are benefiting from these tinkering spaces to creatively pursue their areas of interest and passion.

What an opportune time it was to implement our revised science curriculum. Changes in the new curriculum included an engineering component as well as highlighting the Science Practices. With a new dedicated ES Science Lab being opened in September, we ensured that there were ample opportunities for hands on student activities.

It has been a delight to see new, flexible furniture in the classrooms. Students and adults are now able to choose from a variety of seating options, and take advantage of the many indoor/outdoor learning spaces.

We have continued to be a welcoming and inclusive environment with a Student Support Services case manager attached to each grades 1-5. We also opened a dedicated Sensory Integration (SI) Centre where students needing this service were able to spend some time each week under careful supervision as they worked through an individually crafted program to suit their needs. Having a customized Student Support Services database that is accessible to all teachers has enabled more efficient conversations around learning to ensure student are on track and making optimal progress.

With three separate playgrounds in our new school, students have had many opportunities to engage in a variety of activities during the different recesses. These playgrounds have developed over the year and this development will continue next year as we install the final pieces of equipment.

Embracing more technological devices in the classrooms to assist the learning was evident throughout the year.

We have had iPad sets in all grade levels PK-5 and it was

Patricia Salleh Matta Elementary School Principal

The elementary school staff thinks deeply about how to enrich and strengthen each child’s educational experience.

They provide authentic opportunities with an Aims-based approach to develop student thinking and learning.

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“The middle school continues to be a vibrant center of learning at the International School of Kenya, where we continually support the academic, social/emotional, and physical growth for this special developmental period of preadolescence” Craig Baker Middle School Principal

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MIDDLE SCHOOL

middle school report The middle school continues to be a vibrant center of learning at the International School of Kenya, where we continually support the academic, social/emotional, and physical growth for this special developmental period of preadolescence. Our students are engaged with a rigorous academic program, and make connections across disciplines. Outside of the classroom, our students are involved in a broad range of co-curricular activities, including creative endeavors such as music, drama, visual arts, and technology. They are also involved in various service learning projects throughout the Nairobi community.

Students are also actively participating in a broad range of sports before and after school.

Technology The integration of technology in the middle school expanded greatly this year. Last year we introduced the oneto-one iPad program in sixth grade and this year included seventh grade as well. Next year the the one-to-one iPad program will include students at all grade levels in the middle school. Teachers have participated in numerous professional learning sessions with regard to iPad technology in the classroom as well as other technology systems and platforms.

Electronic Portfolios (e-Folios) e-Folios were initiated in middle school for CASL activities last year and this year students archived work and reflections for all of their classes. This initiative has empowered our students to take more responsibility for their own learning. The highlight of the e-Folio initiative was in March, when students conferenced independently with their parents, sharing their learning through the e-Folio platform. e-Folios have fast become a part of the teaching and learning culture throughout the middle school.

Service Learning Our students participated in numerous service projects on Wednesday afternoons, weekends, and Intercultural Trips.

One of the highlights this year was an after school activity with underprivileged children from Children’s Garden Home, expanding our partnership with this school and orphanage. Our middle school students became mentors for these children, teaching them apps-making, robotics, and more. This was an excellent learning opportunity for everyone involved.

Transdisciplinary Learning Opportunities for more transdisciplinary learning expanded greatly this year, including the successful implementation of the eighth grade Capstone project. These yearlong projects were all based on the ISK Educational Aims, where students completed inquires into a global issue of their interest. The Capstone project culminated with a full day of presentations to parents and other members of the ISK community.

In addition to the Capstone projects, students in sixth and seventh grades completed integrated projects based on their Intercultural Trip experiences. Topics included environmental issues, education, culture, and technology.

Some of the most exciting areas of study and project work were in the seventh grade with Irura Primary School. One group of our students digitally recorded, translated, and uploaded stories from elders of the Kikuyu tribe, while others created lessons and uploaded them through BRCK technology for the primary school students. All of these projects were structured and assessed around the ISK Educational Aims.

Craig Baker Middle School Principal

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“The impressive list of university acceptances for our Class of 2016 indicates how powerful an ISK education can be in helping students reach their dreams” Robert Blanchard High School Principal

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HIGH SCHOOL

high school report The high school has enjoyed another very positive year in 2015-16, with an exceptional graduating class of 77 seniors taking the lead in key areas such as service learning, scholarship, collaboration, and everyday role modeling. They have been outstanding ambassadors for ISK. Ongoing clarity around expectations, the deep embedding of habits of learning in school culture, increased opportunities for students to take the lead around key school initiatives, proactive approaches to student issues, and an engaged student government are some key contributing factors behind another year with almost no major disciplinary incidents. IB exam results remain extremely strong, demonstrating ISK’s ongoing commitment to high standards and academic achievement. The impressive list of university acceptances for our Class of 2016 indicates how powerful an ISK education can be in helping students reach their dreams. While the high school has a long tradition of a demanding, high-quality academic program supported by an outstanding teaching faculty, three high school areas merit special mention this year:

we do semester reporting, moving teacher narrative reports sooner this year in the interest of making this feedback constructive and actionable. In addition to an attention to tech tools, we saw increased enrolment in online courses with the full implementation of our online academy. Furthermore, our new STEM courses with a focus on design thinking have proven to be highly appealing to students, with enrolment numbers high and projected to increase again in the coming year.

1-to-1 Laptop Implementation in the High School: As part of our long-term technology vision strategy, we enjoyed year one of our ‘bring your own device’ laptop program. The year started with a ‘tech boot camp’ for students, helping to empower students through an orientation experience and ensuring that common expectations were in place for laptop usage from day one. Behind the scenes, professional learning with faculty was ongoing, leading to regular dialogue about roll-out and helping to keep minds open around tweaks needed with tools and platforms next year. It was a year of consolidation for us with Moodle, our online learning platform, and PowerSchool, our online data management system where students and parents can access real-time learning data at any time. Having the online grade book in place helped position us to effectively change when

The work experience planning helped us to better frame advisory activities. For example, regularly inviting alumni and outside speakers to talk with 10th graders about career options. Building more structured and meaningful activities into advisory time is helping students see the real value in holistic learning by empowering them to make well-informed choices when it comes to their education, IB choices, as well as college and career plans. Now that the grade 10 advisory program has a clear purpose in the context of work experience, the focus next year will be on the grade 9 foundation needed for high school success within a context of design cycle collaborative work around real-world challenges.

Experiential Learning: Last year I reported on school efforts to enrich the ISK educational experience by expanding school walls. This year, we took more exciting steps toward creating authentic, personalized, and experiential learning opportunities. In addition to online options, students are now devising high quality independent studies as a way to pursue areas of interest not available in our regular curriculum. A work experience program was developed and piloted, with excellent feedback from students and plans for full implementation next year.

Co-Curricular Learning including ISSEA expansion: Our co-curricular program offers wonderful opportunities for

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student growth, leadership, and engagement beyond the classroom. The network of International Schools in Southern and Eastern Africa (ISSEA) provides opportunities for students to compete in sports, collaborate in the arts, and investigate through STEM challenges.

ISK hosted both the ISSEA rugby clinic and the drama & arts festival this year. While there are three ISSEA seasons with many teams traveling each season, ISK teams recently excelled as follows: STEM 1st place; Girls Football 2nd place; Boys Football 1st place; Golf 4th place; Girls Tennis 1st place; Boys Tennis 2nd place. In addition to ISSEA, ISK runs a vibrant co-curricular program and participates in a local sports league. A few noteworthy events this year include the stunning high school musical production of Les Miserable, a special service learning assembly to celebrate our seniors’ leadership, and the Tamasha

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(previously known as the prom) taking place on campus this year.

Our service-learning program has matured into a model of excellence, featuring in a series of articles in a well-known educational newspaper. One service group was honored with an award by the Association of International School in Africa (AISA) and ISK became a global RoundSquare member with a delegation attending the international conference in Singapore. Finally, this was our first year for ISK students to attend a RoundSquare service project and benefited from a RoundSquare school exchange.

Overall, there is no shortage of enriching networks and opportunities for ISK students.

Robert Blanchard, High School Principal

International Baccalaureate

Examination Results This year we completed the self study for our IB Diploma Programme evaluation process, which involved critically analysing our IB program and setting an action plan for the next five years.

We also expanded our IB course offerings with the addition of IB Physics SL, and IB English A Language and Literature HL & SL. This year we offered our first online IB course (Business Management SL) through Pamoja, the IB online provider.

The success of the IB Diploma Programme has lead to an increase in the number of IB candidates for next year.

IB DIPLOMA PROGRAMME CANDIDATES

Diploma Programme

Diploma Programme

33

28

67 [67%]

49 [64%]

100

77

Year 1 (2017)

# Diploma Programme certificate candidates # Full Diploma Programme candidates

TOTAL*

Year 2 (2016)

*Total number of students in the year of Diploma Programme implementation

Examination Results for May 2016 A hundred and two candidates registered for the May 2016 IB Diploma Programme examination session. Fortynine seniors were enrolled for the IB diploma, representing 64% of the 2016 graduating class. Forty-nine seniors successfully earned the IB diploma, representing a pass

rate of 100% (international average is 79.3%). The average diploma score was 33 (international average is 30). The highest diploma points awarded to a candidate was 41 (out of a possible 45). Fifty-three additional juniors and seniors completed IB courses either for certificates or in anticipation of their 2017 diplomas.

School Statistics

64%

Percentage of seniors attempting the diploma

Percentage of candidates who earned the diploma

Average course grade obtained by diploma recipients

100% 41 33

5.17

Highest points earned by diploma recipients

Average points earned by diploma recipients

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Class of 2016 Thomas Mulugeta Abebe Michelle Rita Akiwumi Margherita Alinovi Alexander Ku Alverson Annisstar Afriyie Arning Austin Arnold-Perry Danielle Nafula Awori Mathilde Sophie Baekmark-Didar Beatrice Rose Charman Benatar Hally Voi Blanchard Xueyao Cao Shiv Chandaria Qianlin Chen Charles L. H. Cole Xander Corder Karan A. Dave Elinor Celeste Dooley Ryan M. Doyle Zain Aziz Fazal Elfie Chloé Nina Freudenberg Tanisha Goyal Peter J Groves Isabel E. Guarnieri Rayan Alaaeldin Hamid Mitra Pushpendra Haria Luseiba Ammal Mohamed Hassan

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Aïcha Hassouna Liesl Collette Hostetter Matthew Charles Hutchinson Nur Hidayah Ismail Kenzo Kamiya Anushka Kapoor Noah Karlsson Kalusambu Mukanda Kasapatu Samier Mohammed Hassan Khaled Kavi Ashish Khamar Jin Hong Kim Anastasia Kreissl Maxim Walter Kuoni Austin W. Lucier Ivy Muthoni Macharia Alexandre Joseph Phillips Maciel Qaher Madhani Leila Eunice Masi Natasha Bipin Mawjee Brendan A. McCoy Eelis Valtteri Mielonen Harrison Chelimo Mutai Manuel Aram Oganian-Ojeda Victoria E. Ondrusek Reana Kalpan Patel Sahil Patel

Simi R. Patel Marisa Kelli Peters Satchel M. Petrov Genevieve Catherine Print Justin Christopher Repoli Tian Robinson Ronil Sanjay Rughani Clara Inés Satzke Thomas Schärer Mamadou Seydi Akaash Shah Harshil M. Shah Kushay Sanjay Shah Sahil Kamlesh Shah Sonia Sandeep Shah Aviral Shukla Brandon Oliver Smith Kyujin Son Loranne Sarah Tassadogh Mihai Stefan Tesliuc Chikondi Thangata Lorraine Frances Todd Cian Jun Ushioda Anahita Vasudev Hanna Nebiyu Vioque

Class of 2016 Acceptances and Offers United Kingdom Cardiff University Coventry University Durham University King’s College London Lancaster University London School of Economics Loughborough University Nottingham University Queen Mary University of London Royal Holloway University of London SOAS University of London University of Bath University of Birmingham University of Bristol University of East Anglia University of Edinburgh University of Exeter University of Glasgow University of Kent University of Leeds University of Leicester University of Liverpool University of Manchester University of Nottingham University of Reading University of Salford University of Southhampton University of St. Andrews University of Stirling University of Strathclyde University of Sussex University of Warwick United States of America American University Babson College Beloit College Boston University Brandeis University Brown University Castleton University Clark University Colorado State University Dartmouth DigiPen Institute of Technology Drexel University

George Mason University George Washington Georgetown Goshen University Hampshire University Johnson State College Kent State University Kutztown University Lawrence university Longwood University MA college of liberal arts Michigan State University Middlebury Millersville University of Pennsylvania Minerva University Montgomery College - Rockville Northeastern University Northern Virginia CC NYU Penn State Pratt Institute Purdue University Radford univ Rensselaer Polytech Inst Rhode Island School of Design Roger Williams Sarah Lawrence College Savannah College of Art & Design School of the Art Institute of Chicago Seton Hall University Southern IL Univ Carbondale St. Anselm College SUNY ESF SUNY Stony Brook Syracuse University The New School Towson University UC San Diego UMD College Park Union College University of Chicago University of Colorado - Boulder University of Colorado - Colorado Springs University of Illinois - Champaigne University of Illinois - Chicago University of La Verne

University of New HampshireManchester University of Northern Colorado University of Pennsylvania University of Tampa University of Utah University of Virginia Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia State Virginia Tech Wesleyan Wheelock College William & Mary Europe American University of Paris Avans Hogeschool-Univ of Applied Sciences Delft University of Technology IE University Leiden University Tilburg University Universiteit Utrecht Sciences Po Canada Carleton University McGill McMaster Queen’s University Ryerson University Trent University UBC University of Toronto Western University Other Chinese University of Hong Kong City University of Hong Kong Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Limkokwing University - LUCT Taylor’s University Lakeside Campus University of Hong Kong University of Melbourne

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Eelis Mielonen Gr 12 Director’s Award for Creative and Critical Thinking

Mathilde Baekmark-Didar Gr 12 Director’s Award for Creative and Critical Thinking

Alexander Alverson Gr 12 AISA Award of Excellence

Alexander Alverson Gr 12 Outstanding Scholar Award

Anushka Kapoor Gr 12 Outstanding Scholar Award

Ella Frigyik Gr 11 Outstanding Scholar Award

Charlotte Vogtlander Gr 10 Outstanding Scholar Award

Santiago Thorup Gr 9 Outstanding Scholar Award

Awuor Onguru Gr 8 Director’s Award for Creative and Critical Thinking

Emily Langlois Gr 8 Outstanding Scholar Award

Isabella Bunkers Gr 8 MS Leadership Award

Lauren Etti Gr 8 MS Leadership Award

Sabrina Gray Gr 7, Outstanding Scholar Award

Chifundo Thangata Gr 7 MS Leadership Award

Jimin Sohn Gr 6 Outstanding Scholar Award

Jacob Green- McDonaugh Gr 6 MS Leadership Award

Jack Steel Gr 5 Director’s Award for Creative and Critical Thinking

Ela Drinkard Gr 5 Outstanding Scholar Award

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Jodi Lake Director of Teaching & Learning

Teaching & Learning Center This year marked the launch of ISK’s new Teaching and Learning Center (fondly known as the TLC). The TLC is home to the Director of Teaching and Learning, the Student Support Services Coordinator, and the Technology Integration Coordinator. The goal of the TLC is to provide resources (from people to print to creative ideas) for teachers and parents as well as students. There is also space for groups to meet or to just sit and have a coffee and a cookie as well.

Highlights in the TLC this year include: • The Director of Teaching and Learning (Jodi Lake) has been working with a group of dedicated teachers, students and administrators as we rethink how ISK delivers and reviews its curricular programs in order for the mission, vision and educational aims to be at the center of all learning. A new curricular framework has been adopted that reflects the type of educational environment for students to develop skills, competencies and dispositions that will allow them to be successful as they pursue their passions.

•

Our Student Support Services program is in the capable hands of the SSS Coordinator (Sue Small). This year the SSS team has focused on increased co-teaching skills and strategies as teachers work together to meet each student’s learning needs. In addition the

new Sensory Integration Center was opened. The SSS department is committed to developing programs that meet the needs of all of our students and to supporting ISK teachers in that endeavor.

•

The Tech Integration Coordinator (Kathleen Chromicz) is a new position this year as we launch multiple tech initiatives. Google Apps allows for regular collaboration with valuable feedback. Students design with coding and computational thinking, tinker in Maker-Spaces, and prototype in the Design Lab. The ePortfolio program supports the goal of students taking ownership of learning and designing their personal learning paths. The ISK mission and vision come alive as technology, design thinking and creativity are embedded into student and teacher learning in all divisions.

ISK has also become a hub for professional learning in Africa. We welcomed guest consultants to work with ISK teachers in specific subject area disciplines such as math and science/engineering. In addition ISK hosted five regional learning institutes in which various schools from across the continent participated (topics included Modern Languages, Sensory Integration, PE/Technology and Highly Capable Learners). As ISK has become a leader among schools who embrace an inclusive program for students with a range of learning needs and challenges, we were asked to host the Next Frontiers Inclusion Conversation.

In February over 100 participants from around the globe learned from each other during the two and a half day conference. The culminating conversations with our parent and student panels, who gave honest feedback about how these services have affected their lives, were transformational.

It has been an exciting year at ISK as we begin to write our story for the next 40 years; the TLC will be at the heart of that learning journey.

Jodi Lake Director of Teaching & Learning

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creative arts Summary This year welcomed several new faculty to the creative arts department, each of whom brought their own talents and gifts to the program, forming a cohesive and professional team of practicing artists and teachers to the CAD Centre.

Passion and innovation were evident throughout the year. In addition to professionalizing experiences in all of the arts, students, parents, staff, alumni and members of the local community experienced an exciting variety of concerts, plays, experimental theatre productions, arts exhibitions, co-curricular events, assemblies, speakers, and even an international conference. CAD faculty supported a variety of cross-curricular projects and events throughout the year, demonstrating that the arts are for everyone, everywhere, anytime, any place. We look forward to seeing this kind of collaboration continue each year at ISK..

Elementary School Elementary Music ES Music students spread the joy of music through their singing, moving, creating, and playing Orff (tuned) and untuned percussion instruments, recorders, and wind band instruments. The ES Music Department continued the tradition of collaborating on two ES Creative Arts Celebration Weeks throughout the year. ES students participated in the All Family Community Picnic in September, and also participated in the January International Day by performing the opening, “Children Of The World.” ES music students in Grades 1 - 3 prepared and performed a rousing musical, “Three of a Kind,” in collaboration with co-curricular activities. In March, over 60 students shared their talents in an inaugural “ES Talent Show” that was so successful, it spilled over into a “Lunchtime Live” program during ES lunch.

Elementary Art The ES Art students have been exploring a variety of mediums while learning how to use the Elements of Art and Principles of Design. Each grade level produced a variety

of works which have supported our enduring understandings. In addition to art production and art history, students have attended a number of art shows on campus to interpret and critique art.

Cross-Curricular Integration All grades in the Elementary School used the arts to support of enduring understandings that all of the arts - music, drama and visual art are a part of the global interaction of cultures, peoples and languages. The culminating art and music presentation in Semester One was entitled, “Our Global Village,” and the students showcased songs from many parts of the world. The all-school music presentation and art show in Semester Two focused on the enduring understanding that “The Arts are all Around Us!” We experienced how all of the arts contribute to one another in “Three of a Kind” elementary music performance that used the arts, drama, and music to create a spectacular showcase of elementary talent for the ISK community.

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Middle School Middle School Music The Middle School Music Department continued to teach beyond the classroom with memorable semester concerts as well as curricular and co-curricular events throughout the year. Seventh graders performed on guitars around the school, the sixth graders’ African Drum Circle performed every quarter. Eighth graders were composing their own original music. Some of these events included the Middle School Band Camp, the All Family Community Picnic, and International Day. Co-curriculars included Jazz Band, String Ensemble and Drum Circle. For the first time in decades the ISK Music Instrument Inventory was brought up to date.

Middle School Drama The Middle School thrilled audiences this year with their productions of Alice and Oliver Twist. The production of Alice was staged after 23 hours of rehearsal and involved 7th graders. It was made possible by the diligence, collaboration and focus of such a great team of actors and crew. Alice raised $1200.00 and donated it to Children’s Garden Home. The production of Oliver Twist was made successful by the efforts and brilliance of 6th-8th graders working as actors, designers and stagehands.

The MS Drama classroom was a creative space for students to reflect on who they are, take risks and communicate their ideas. They developed self-confidence, teamwork, listening and risk-taking skills through a variety of activities. These activities included, but were not limited to: drama games, movement, scripts, vocal work, monologues, improvisation and scene work.

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Middle School Art Hands-on arts projects in art and design in conjunction with art history videos and images, inspired experimentation and exploration of creative materials and methods. Students in each grade deepened their understanding of the historical and contemporary origins of art and gained skills involving 2-D and 3-D media projects, learning about art criticism as a field of visual inquiry and other tracks in professional careers in the arts.

Grade 6 explored identity representations of themselves using mindmaps, experienced observational drawing and painting, clay, tessellation, 3-D op art and assemblage.

Grade 7 created self-portraits as figures in historical paintings, assembled sculptures out of junk and drew them, created clay containers out of slabs, and developed linocut prints. Grade 8 imagined, ‘What I Would Be If I Was…” and painted it, created 3-d objects from hollowed clay balls and slabs, learned wheel throwing of pots, created assemblage sculpture and installed it in the school, and developed rainbow roll prints.

Students in design created a number of projects culminating in a ‘Create-a-Tee’ contest with designs printed on t-shirts, hoodies, and bags. As part of the MS study for professionalizing careers, we hosted Create-A-Tee interns, business manager, and director to speak to middle school students on the process of establishing design to product business offers as a career option. MS students also participated in the Village Market’s forum with “From Wall to Mall” invited artists from Europe at the Tribe Hotel, where we participated in the press conference, toured the Tribe Hotel, and were invited into a new showcase of African artifacts for sale and speak to managers how the gallery business at Village Market functions.

High School High School Music Music is becoming a big part of the culture of ISK! Many music ensembles, individual students and groups including the talented IB Music students performed for a myriad of school functions this year including the Community Picnic, International Day, the Parent Volunteer’s Breakfast, several school assemblies, and Graduation. The Composer’s Club, a co-curricular ensemble, contributed significantly again at ISK this year by performing at the Winter Dance, the Candlelight Dinner, Operation Smile’s open-mic and on their own recital.

The High School Band and Choir were extremely active throughout the 2015-16 school year performing their regular semester concerts. They showed significant improvement in their skill level and their perseverance and dedication to the art of music.

The musical and dramatic highlight of the year was ISK’s rendition of Les Miserables, the School Edition.

Auditions and rehearsals began in October with the final performances occurring in January. ISK had not performed a musical in several years, but a great group of students threw their hearts and souls into this powerful story and made it a success. Although this musical was highly challenging for all involved, the cast and crew of Les Miserables developed a wonderful bond through our long hours of hard work spent together. It will be a memory to cherish for years to come.

All three music departments at ISK continue to expand and refine to create passionate and compassionate lifelong music lovers and learners.

High School Drama This has been a fulfilling year in the HS Drama Department.

The HS production brought together students in grades 9 - 12 in Les Miserables. This was a huge, demanding show, and it rewarded all who participated. The students demonstrated maturity, perseverance, insight and depth in whatever roles they played in bringing this wonderful production to the ISK stage.

High School Art The first cohort of IB Visual Arts students with the new Curriculum completed their study with brand new components; including a Curatorial Rationale, as well as an Art Theory and History ”Comparative Study” that we are all curious as to how they will be received and graded by the IB examiners. Emerging Media became a more rounded 2nd semester course with the inclusion of Data Art and/ or Information Visualizations to create better infographics.

Art1 and Art 2 continue to provide foundation skills in classical drawing and graphic arts.

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ISSEA Arts ISK was proud to host the 2nd annual ISSEA Cultural Event (focusing on Drama & Visual Art) in February!

We were joined by the other ISSEA schools; AISJ, AISL, HIS, ICS, ISU, IST, & AISM. This 3-day festival consisted of workshops facilitated by local Kenyan performers and artists, as well as ensemble time (Drama Students) and individual studio work time (Visual Art Students). The festival concluded with a final showcase on Saturday evening. This showcase was a culmination of the students creation; evidence of their experimentation, exploration and learning. The Festival began with the students learning from professional workshop leaders. The Drama workshop leaders were: Zamaleo - a storytelling and drumming company that devises their own material; Dance into Space - a dance company that choreographs pieces and includes performers with special needs; AcroAfro-Yoga - a beautiful blend of yoga and acrobatics; and Mumbi Kaigwa - an actor, playwright & director. Following these inspiring workshops, the drama students worked collectively in 2 days to devise a piece of theatre based on the theme of CONTRAST. The final performances were creative, insightful, heartbreaking and beautiful.

ISSEA Visual Arts part of the Festival began with four workshops given by local artists and two stone carvers.

The stone carvers both completed perfectly beautiful

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tour de force works in just three days. One bringing green and red stone all the way from Zimbabwe working it into a representation of an elephant and the other working a very heard local stone of warm grey into a bird in flight.

The workshops were run by three artists from a local artist cooperative KUONA and one start-up called E-Lab. The three workshops from KUONA consisted of experimental mixed media techniques with media as odd as shoe polish, bleach, sand, clay and wire sculptures. E-Lab brought to the school a half ton of cleaned e-waste; old keyboards, motherboards, washing machine barrells and miles of colorful wire. Over the three days E-Lab taught the students how to up-source all the material into functional tables, jewelry, book covers and even working clocks! The results of the three days and the nearly 80 working artists were nearly 1000 individual works of art! About 100 works were selected for a final show on Saturday evening.

In addition, 11 high school band and chorus members travelled internationally to the ISSEA Band and Choir Festival at the American International School of Mozambique in February. ISK showed significant leadership in both skill and character as section leaders of the festival band and choir.

ISK Athletics This year has been an exciting year for the growth and development of the Athletics program at ISK. We have seen excellent student turnout throughout the year, with a significant increase in Middle School participation due to the newly implemented ‘No Cut’ policy.

Our local tournaments have shown increased attendance by other schools, which has been beneficial to our teams and tournament atmosphere. Our Lions Pride High School group have become increasingly involved in organizing, managing and helping out at these tournaments. This has helped develop school spirit and support for our teams.

ISK organised and hosted two ISSEA events this year

(Rugby and Drama and Visual Arts), which showcased some of our most redeeming features. Coaches and teams from visiting schools repeatedly commented on the warm welcome they had received from our community, the variety of activities offered during the events and how well organized they were. Many thanks to those who participated in these events, especially to the ISK families who have hosted over 190 visiting students this year!

ISK’s ISSEA results this year (on page 26) give you some idea of how many of our students get to experience these international competitioins and the variety of activities that we participate in throughout East and South Africa.

ISK Athletics Department Facts:

Athletic Highlights

2015 2016

Elementary School

8 Teams

Middle School

22 Teams

High School

30 Teams

ISK Tournaments- Hosted

17

Home Games

150+

Away Games

150+

Coaches, Assistants, Volunteers

85

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INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE

ISSEA (International Schools of South and East Africa)

ISSEA Cross Country Boys - 2nd Place ISSEA Cross Country Boys – Sportsmanship Award ISSEA Cross Country Girls Champions ISSEA Cross Country Girls – Sportsmanship Award ISSEA Boys Track & Field - 2nd Place ISSEA Girls Track & Field – 3rd Place ISSEA Boys Volleyball - 3rd Place ISSEA Boys Volleyball - Sportsmanship Award ISSEA Girls Volleyball – 3rd Place ISSEA Boys Basketball – 3rd Place ISSEA Girls Basketball - 2nd Place

Individual Sports Awards Middle School Female Athlete of the Year Alice Feakes Male Athlete of the Year Marcel Awori Sportsmanship Award Isaiah Bowan-Karlyn

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ISSEA Boys Swimming - 2nd Place ISSEA Girls Swimming - 2nd Place ISSEA Golf Team – 4th Place ISSEA Boys Tennis - 2nd Place ISSEA Girls Tennis 1st Place ISSEA Girls Singles Champion – Alissa Thakker ISSEA Girls Doubles Champion – Alissa & Serish Thakker ISSEA Girls Football – Runners Up ISSEA Boys Football - Champions

High School Nuriana Merali Award Athletic Service Award Academic & Athletic Excellence Award Female Athlete of the Year Male Athlete of the Year Reuben Grey Outstanding Athlete Award

Caleb Kalu Iida Valme / Hally Blanchard Iida Valme Liesl Hostetter Slate Rostal Hally Blanchard

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Pierina Redler Director Co Curricular programs

service learning According to the school’s mission, “ISK inspires and nurtures passion, creativity and ambition in pursuit of a better world.” ISK strives to develop students of character who learn, create, act and solve in a collaborative and engaging environment. The ISK co curricular program, in particular the service-learning strand, exemplifies ISK’s vision by “empowering students to create solutions for tomorrow’s challenges.”

STATISTICS

There are many co curricular service projects that involve ISK students in the surrounding communities. Global Issues Network ran advocacy and awareness campaigns related to various global issues and planted 2000 trees in the Aberdares. Students from Interact supported several local service efforts including a large feeding project. Under Construction built facilities for a local school and Karura Forest students reforested and planted trees. There were

20+ service projects within the local Kenyan community

cultural exchange projects with Kibera Dance troupe and creatively inclined students shared their talents through an art therapy program, HeArts.

ISK was admitted to the international branch of Round Square this year, which maintains and facilitates a network of 160 schools in 40 countries. Those schools have a holistic approach to learning built around six IDEALS of learning (Internationalism, Democracy, Environmentalism, Adventure, Leadership and Service). This offers ISK students a framework for excellence and continuous improvement, along with structured opportunities to collaborate and share experiences with like-minded peers around the world.

Pierina Redler Director Co Curricular programs

920

students participated in local community projects

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STUDENT VOICES Undertaking a project like this is not simply so that we can play and draw with children, for us improve upon our understanding of the world. We all live very privileged lives, and people far too often take it for granted, but with this said we are not undertaking the program to make ourselves feel better about it. Everything we do, and every action we take has the specific purpose of improving the lives of children, even if it is on a very small scale, it still helps make a difference.

Children’s Garden Home is only one school out of millions around the world; the message that can be learned from them is all the same. Each community is unique with its own specific needs and challenges, but with some commitment, we can help reduce the impact of even one of these obstacles.

By participating in the program and really appreciating its value, I have come to see that the world is a much larger place than only the one that each of us lives in. Increasing my experiences and challenging myself has allowed me to hugely expanded my own world-view and along with my appreciation of the issues that face the majority of people in poverty today.

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By bringing art to children, we believe that we can make a meaningful impact on their lives, outlook, and education. But by doing this, we are not only enhancing their lives through the arts, but also experiencing and learning from their passion, and immense appreciation for the arts and for what we are able to do with them.

Even though these children had lost their entire world, their aspirations were to genuinely help those in need. In the last two years that I have been at the home, I have learned more from them than I could have ever taught whilst becoming part of a community that I have come to love.

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Doug Irish Director of Technology

information technology 2015-16 was a year of many changes for technology at ISK with new faces, roles, programs, courses and initiatives.

The department welcomed a new Director of Technology, Douglas Irish, a new Middle School Technology Integration Specialist, Samran Wiriyaphong, a new High School Teacher / Integration Specialist, Maciej Sudra. Kathleen Chromicz moved into the new role of K-12 Educational Integration Coordinator.

1:1 Laptops in High School Students used laptops in all their classes which allowed access to the unlimited store of information available in the cloud. Besides the learning opportunities, 1:1 laptops improved the students ability to communicate ideas, collaborate with peers, solve real life problems in innovative ways, access a differentiated curriculum and create new information in creative ways.

1:1 iPads in Grades 5-7 and lab sets in grades K-4 iPads are being used in the ES and MS to accomplish a lot of what can be done with the laptops in the HS. The advantages of the iPads for the younger students is the form factor, ease of use and the fast access to camera / video. On occasion, iPads may be used for skill development, but our goal is to use the iPad in creative, constructive methods.

WIFI and Internet Access The two new programs noted above have strained our WIFI to its maximum potential and increased our Internet traffic enormously. During the first few months, we experienced a number of problems accessing WIFI. Mid-year, we tested a new WIFI system in the Commons Library area very successfully. This new system will be installed in phases throughout the campus over the next three years replacing the existing, underperforming WIFI system. For

2016-2017, the new WIFI system will be available in the Commons, MS and HS classroom areas.

During the December break, we moved to Safaricom as our Internet provider. Although our bandwidth remained the same at 155Mbps, we now have a more reliable connection that provides us with more management control.

Moving Online In an effort to move more systems away from paper based to cloud based, we have moved MS and HS student report cards fully online as well as the Parent Teacher Conference signups. Parents are able to see a typical end of Semester Report online as well as the full supporting assessments as to how their student has achieved their grades. Online Parent Teacher Conference signups have allowed parents to choose how the meetings fit within their own daily schedules. Next year we are looking at cloud based systems with Activity sign-ups in ES and online forms wherever possible.

Design Lab This year we have allocated a space for the ISK Design Lab and equipped it with robotics equipment. Moving forward, we will have a 3D printer, scanner and a laser cutter. We will also be adding hand tools, soldering kits and a number of power tools. We hope to see our students fully implementing the ISK Design process in the Design lab throughout next year.

On the 40th Anniversary of ISK, we celebrated the advancement of student learning through the application and use of technology.

Doug Irish Director of Technology

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“ISK’s strong financial position and effective financial management practice was confirmed by PriceWaterhouse Coopers (PWC) in the audit opinion for the 2015-16 audit”

Moez Jiwani ISK Business Manager

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FINANCE REPORT

finance report ISK’s strong financial position and effective financial management practice was confirmed by PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC) in the audit opinion for the 2015-16 audit. While enrollment for the year was below the original budget projection, we ended the year higher than the projected forecast which was revised in September 2015.

For the 2016-17 budget a modest fee increase was approved and a positive balance is projected in the Operational, Transport and Food Service budgets. Under the Capital Budget we have provided funds for Tech Infrastructure Improvement, this being the first phase of the three-year technology plan.

The Board of Governors and Board of Directors provided valuable guidance and input to further ensure that ISK remains on a firm financial footing. A constant review of the school’s Long-Term Financial Plan (LTFP) by the Board of Directors and Finance Committee ensure that ISK’s financial position remains sound.

Moez Jiwani Business Manager

5 YEAR TUITION GRAPH TUITION

2012/13

2013/14

2014/15

2015/16

2016/17

PK

10,450

11,950

12,790

13,500

14,510

Kdg

16,905

18,950

20,280

21,465

22,970

1-5

18,850

19,950

21,350

22,650

24,235

6-8

19,900

21,450

22,950

24,350

25,325

9 - 10

20,475

22,450

23,570

25,005

26,755

11 - 12

20,895

22,950

24,670

26,000

27,820

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“Diversity is a hallmark of ISK and sets us apart from other schools in Kenya. Students at ISK find a warm, welcoming atmosphere that allows them to adapt quickly into a rewarding school life” Lynn Wells Director of Advancement

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ADVANCEMENT REPORT

advancement report Year in Review The Advancement Office touches the life of every student, parent, faculty, staff and alumni at ISK, from the time they join our community until long after they depart Nairobi.

“Once a Lion, always a Lion” is more than a catchphrase, it is a legacy of the ISK experience. The highlights of the school year include: 40th Anniversary Celebrations - Beginning with the Welcome Back picnic for all ISK families, staff and faculty, the 40th Anniversary became the centerpiece of special events and ceremonies. The celebrations culminated with the PTO’s Afro Chic dinner dance which was also cloaked in the 40th Anniversary attire.

Admissions – Enrollment reached 920 students, the largest in ISK history. Along with increased enrollment came additional programs and opportunities to challenge and inspire our students, faculty and staff. ISK’s growing commitment to a more inclusive school resonated with families and the expertise of our faculty & staff was enhanced through several professional development opportunities and the Next Frontiers: Inclusion conference hosted at ISK. Fund raising – The second year of ISK’s Annual Fund “Just Imagine” was successful in helping fund key programs

and projects to benefit ISK students and the local community. In addition, the Scholarship Endowment Fund was launched with a goal of funding up to eight full ISK scholarships for highly motivated and qualified Kenyan students entering grade 9 or 10 who would otherwise be unable to afford ISK’s tuition and fees.

Alumni – The Advancement Office continued its outreach to ISK Alumni by hosting this year’s Alumni Reunion in London. Other networking opportunities included the traditional ISK Alumni BBQ and two “Meet & Greet” evenings co-hosted with ISK Alumni in Nairobi.

Marketing & Communications – Ensuring good communication among members of the ISK community is a key focus of the Advancement Office. One of the key communication efforts this year was the launch of our new website to make ISK’s Internet presence more engaging and user friendly. It is also imperative that ISK’s mission and vision be clearly communicated as this has a direct impact on everything from admissions to staff morale, from fund raising to alumni relationships.

Lynn Wells Director of Advancemnet

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Our diverse and rich community

5

37

30

82 22

7 32

12

11

10

1

294

1

10

1

16

6

1

1 2

1

3

1

4 2

1

1

3 2

1

1

10

3

ISK STUDENTS REST OF THE WORLD

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20

Enrollment for 2015-2016 reached 920 students from over 65 countries as we celebrated our 40th year of providing educational excellence to East Africa. Diversity is a hallmark of ISK and sets us apart from other schools in Kenya. Students at ISK find a warm, welcoming atmosphere that allows them to adapt quickly into a rewarding school life.

2 2

2

1

1

2

1

2 1

4

20

1 4 28

5

8

5

1

5

3

54 3

2

2

4 10

98

3

4

4 1

1

4

1 10

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ANNUAL FUND

There is a strong tradition of philanthropy at ISK. Parents, faculty and staff volunteer help in a variety of ways, including service, education, and social or fund raising activities. All donations are put to excellent use for our students and the wider Kenyan community. With your participation ISK will continue to be the premier international school in Kenya.

Annual Fund 2016 Thank you to everyone who supported this year’s Annual Fund. Your participation is important to ISK students and to students and families in the local community.

Special recognition and thank you goes to the following individuals and groups for their donations and to the many theatre goers who attended the ISK productions of Equus and God of Carnage.

The ISK faculty and students who comprised the casts and crews of these excellent productions donated their time and talents in support of the Annual Fund and their contributions deserve special recognition.

Equus Cast Marina Antoline (Nurse) Francis Atemo (Horseman and horse) Mathilde Baekmark-Didar (Jill: friend from stables) Katy Bingham (Dora: mother) Laurie Cale (Magistrate) Bruce Buckingham (Dalton: owner of horses) Hector Miller (Alan: Protagonist, disturbed adolescent) Sammy Mwangi (Frank: father) Jane Wells (Dr. Dysart: Protagonist, psychiatrist) Crew Charles Cole (sound) Josephine Baekmark-Didar (lights)

Director Linda Mishkin Assistant Director Xander Corder General help with everything: Sammy Mwangi God of Carnage Cast Renaud Gautier Kabi Gethaiga Ruth Jones Djorf Amirouche Director Kabi Gethaiga

Thank you to the following individuals who helped make this year’s Annual Fund such a huge success Entisar Babiker Craig Baker Rene Berger Robert Blanchard Geoff Boyer Lane Bunkers Paul Burugu Fareen Lalani-Butt Jon Cain Viviane Chao Vicky Cole Kevin Doyle Lelia Ehsani Jeffrey Gettleman Jennifer Gray David Guarnieri William Hansen

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Michel Henroid Doug Irish Moez Jiwani Mihkwa Kim Jodi Lake Johan Lionell Patricia Salleh Matta Rahima Meghji Shekufeh Monadjem Courtenay Morris Janet Muasya Irene Muchunu Evelyn Ndlovu Bobbi Nicholas Robert Onyango Keir Paesel Pamela Pappas

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF KENYA

Harriet Patrizi Lilly Bekele Piper Milena Popp John Roberts Bhavan Shah Miriam Uhuru Jane Wells Lynn Wells Group donors Class of 2011 Cast and patrons of Equus Cast and patrons of God of Carnage Sponsors of the Ismaili Games

FROM WISH TO REALITY Touch pad & timing system, with a large display board

Athletics & Activities

Our athletics program serves every ISK student from age 4 -18 and our goal this year is to vastly improve the technology used for our competitive swimming program. Donations to the Annual Fund will provide for a touch pad & timing system, with a large display board, to enhance our swimmers’ performance and ambitions.

• Lion • Leopard • Elephant • Cape Buffalo • Rhinoceros

Africa’s “Big Five”

There are five blocks in the new Elementary School and our faculty, staff and students have named them after the Big Five.

We want to commission one of our FOTA artists to create a sculpture of each one to identify each block. Your donation will help bring excitement and a lasting gift to our campus.

DesignLab The new ISK Design Lab will serve a multidisciplinary curriculum for students in Grades 6 – 12. Hands on projects will be integrated into Science, Math, Design and Visual Arts to allow each student’s passion, creativity and ambition to shine.

• 3-D printer • Laser cutter • Foam cutter • Hardware • Software

Design thinking projects encourage the development of creativity and innovation skills by integrating discovery activities such as researching, observing, exploring, collecting information, experimenting and building. It offers a cross-disciplinary curriculum in which students are forced to think across disciplines in order to become better innovators and designers.

Kio Kit

With a BRCK for a partner school This year’s Annual Fund will also support the purchase of a Kio Kit with BRCK technology to enable students at one of our partner schools to have access to locally-cached and web-hosted content.

Teachers and students can access up-to-date educational materials, enabling them to compete with schools with more resources. This is in line with BRCK’s ethos of promoting equality in education and leveling the playing field by using the same technologies as the rest of the world but tweaked to Kenya’s particular context.

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“A comprehensive Alumni Plan was created to emphasize the importance of ISK Alumni to the school’s past, present & future”

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PTO REPORT

Parent Teacher Organization The ISK Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) has had an activity filled 2015-2016 academic year. The PTO is a strong coalition of parents and teachers, who, together with the administration and support staff, volunteer their time to build a stronger community, by providing support to our children, parents, teachers, staff and the wider Kenyan community.

This year the PTO has assisted with New Parent Welcome, Welcome Back Picnic, High School (HS) Grade Level Suppers, Middle School (MS) and HS Socials, ISSEA Coaches Room, Teacher Wellness Day, Elementary School (ES) Just Write Competition and the ES Field Day. In addition to our monthly PTO Open Meetings, we have held MS and ES Grade Level Teas, ES Costume Party, ES Holiday Bazaar, International Day Taste of Nations, Staff Appreciation Lunch, PTO Afro Chic Gala, and Friday Afternoon Coffees.

These activities have required the participation of parents, teachers and staff. Without the generous giving of time and effort on the part of all of these stakeholders, we would not have been able to have provided all of these activities to support our students.

The PTO Executive Committee have dedicated a significant amount of time this year to developing a working budget, Funds Management Policy and Communications Policy.

ISK PTO Shop The PTO Shop’s main objective has been to provide an outlet for local artisans to sell their work and help support their families. Another objective is to support nonprofit organizations whose central purpose is to aid poor, disadvantaged and/or disabled people who would otherwise have no means of earning a living.

This year we have concentrated our efforts on establishing a horizontal, responsible and committed relationship with our vendors for them to be empowered and become sustainable. Each intake day has also been a coaching opportunity about pricing, design, trends and marketing. On November 24th a successful workshop facilitated by “Right 2 Thrive” was held. Twenty five vendors from thirteen nonprofit groups/organizations participated.

The shop collaborated with the newly created “Social Entrepreneurship & Business Studies” class students giving them the opportunity to have hands-on business activities. The students will be assisting the shop in designing/ choosing an efficient Sales and Inventory program.

The shop continues to provide parents, teachers, students, staff and visitors with good quality products, locally made and at affordable prices in a welcoming environment.

Friends Of The Arts FOTA promotes the arts in Kenya and provides a link between the arts and the ISK community. FOTA gives Kenyan artists exposure to an audience of enthusiastic supporters and buyers, as well as giving the wider ISK community the opportunity to see Kenyan art at its best.

This year FOTA produced three Art Shows: the first in October, the second in February with a mini Exhibition at the ISSEA Art Festival and the third in March. The interactive laser art installation was a big hit with the ISK students.

FOTA art sales for the year totalled Kshs 3,958,850 with Kshs 2,967,763 being paid to local artists. Funds raised allowed FOTA to support the following causes: • Artists for Development • Healing Arts Service Learning Group • Sculpture to ES for opening • Two art pieces donated to PTO Afro-Chic Gala • Sculptor - ISSEA Event • Interactive Light Experience - March 2016 Art Show • FOTA mugs donated to The Nest

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Accredited fully by the Middle States Association of Schools in the United States and the Council of International Schools in Europe.

International School of Kenya PO Box 14103 Nairobi 00800, Kenya Tel +254-20-209-1308/9 or +254-733-639-363 communications@isk.ac.ke I www.isk.ac.ke

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