PSI Life - Fall 2019

PECHERSK SCHOOL INTERNATIONAL

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PSI LIFE

Balanced At PSI, we believe so strongly in the importance of balance for our students and staff that one of our three learning-focused strategic goals shines a spotlight on this concept.

PSI Life Quarterly Magazine

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EDITOR’S LETTER

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Director’s News

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BOARD'S UPDATE

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DIRECTOR OF LEARNING

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FROM THE PRIMARY PRINCIPAL

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PRIMARY SCHOOL DEPUTY PRINCIPAL AND PYP COORDINATOR

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BEING BALANCED IN KINDERGARTEN

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EXPLORING BALANCE IN GRADE 1

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GRADE 5 BALANCE REFLECTS ON

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AESTHETIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHID DURING ART CLASSES IN PRIMARY SCHOOL

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FROM THE SECONDARY PRINCIPAL

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BALANCING UNIVERSITY OPTIONS

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WEEK WITHOUT WALLS

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GRADE 7. LVIV

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GRADE 8. ODESSA

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GRADE 9. BERLIN

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GRADE 10. KRAKOW

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GRADE 11. ATHENS

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GRADE 12. SLOVENIA

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THE EXTENDED ESSAY: TRYING TO MAINTAIN BALANCE IN A DEMANDING ACADEMIC PROGRAMME

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INSPIRATION: A DELICATE BALANCE

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IN PURSUIT OF BALANCE – Q&A WITH PTA MEMBERS

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PSI PANTHERS ATHLETICS. 2019 - 2020

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BALANCE IN THE LIBRARY: AN ALLROUND APPROACH

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CAS. PROVIDES BALANCE

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ALUMNI

PECHERSK SCHOOL INTERNATIONAL

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PSI LIFE

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WWW.PSI.KIEV.UA

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Chief Editor – Emma Zelenina emmaz@psi.kiev.ua Copy Editor – Patricia Puia patriciap@psi.kiev.ua Layout Design – Max Mart Printed by: “Ukrdruk” Publishing company

SECONDARY

At PSI, we believe so strongly in the importance of balance for our students (and staff!) that one of our three learning-focused strategic goals shines a spotlight on this concept.

PSI Life is published quarterly by Marketing and Communications Department of Pechersk School International, Kyiv for students, alumni, parents, and friends of the school.

Pechersk School International, 7a Victora ZabilyKyiv, Ukraine, 03039 Phone: (380 44) 377 5292 Fax: (380 44) 377 5242 communication@psi.kiev.uawww.psi.kiev.ua

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COMMUNITY

Founder

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Dear PSI Community Balance isn't something you achieve ‘someday’. Nick Vujicic

By Emma Zelenina, Marketing and Admissions Manager

I am delighted to see everyone again in this new school year and I would like to take this opportunity to welcome our new families and wish a very happy, joyful and balanced year ahead.

The theme of the PSI Life - Fall 2019 issue is Balance. At PSI, we believe so strongly in the importance of balance for our students and staff that one of our three learning-focused strategic goals shines a spotlight on this concept. You are welcome to have a look at the visual below that represents our Strategic Plan Goals.

Reading this issue, you will understand what we do every day at PSI to create all conditions possible to maintain a good balance and something that we achieve each day.

Enjoy reading our great stories shared by the Board of Governors, learning and school directors, Primary and Secondary Schools faculty, and PTA.

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Director’s News

Creating the Conditions for Balance at PSI - Why this is Essential Rachel Caldwell PSI Director

At PSI, we believe so strongly in the importance of balance for our students and staff that one of our three learning-focused strategic goals shines a spotlight on this concept.

Our aim is to create the conditions that enable us: ‘to develop cognitively, emotionally, socially and physically balanced learners’.

This isn’t just important; it is essential. The alternative is unacceptable but sadly evident in schools around the world, where levels of anxiety and depression among the student bodies have hit all time highs. ‘A central concern for schools should be finding approaches that bring empathy and balance to students’ lives,’ says David L Gleason, PsyD, a clinical psychologist and author of At What Cost?: Defending Adolescent Development in Fiercely Competitive Schools (2017). He goes on to explain that, ‘pressure to succeed, in and of itself, is not necessarily

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unhealthy, but too much pressure, especially for still-developing children and adolescents, can be dangerous.’ As such, our task is to create learning opportunities that provide challenge, that motivate higher performance but do not induce stress.

Our determination is that by making balance a clear priority, our students will learn and grow in

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healthy, safe and stable ways. They will appreciate and enjoy their days, weeks and months at school and maintain a focus on the here and now as well as on their aspirations for what comes next.

At PSI, we value developmentally-appropriate approaches and contexts for our students. As such, nothing counts more than the here and now, nothing matters more than creating the nurturing environments in which our students can grow and flourish at their own pace.

In addition to the strong statement of our strategic plan goal in this area of balance, we also draw on our core value of happiness and joy: ‘We value a joyful environment that promotes a happy and motivated community.’ Our young learners need us to guide them and to create the conditions necessary for this balance to be possible. We must not over-schedule, over-work, and overwhelm our students.

The teacher from my own Secondary School experience whom I recall most fondly insisted that her students balance their time in and out of school. Long before there were studies to prove it, she made it clear to us that a balanced lifestyle is essential for optimal mental, physical and

emotional health. We now see organizations and businesses all around striving for this balance.

It has become a priority. They understand the potential positive impact of employees performing at their peak, and have evidence that the ratio of time spent on work tasks versus time spent exercising, socialising and relaxing impacts on this productivity. That said, speaking with colleagues and parent peers, I know that many of us struggle to achieve the desired balance in our lives. For many, balance is an elusive destination. Let’s not accept this as inevitable for our children. Happy, productive, balanced individuals empowered with the essential tool of self-awareness should be the hallmark of our PSI student profile.

Please enjoy the articles in this edition of PSI Life, which focuses on the many and diverse ways that we work towards achieving balance in our joyful school. ____________ Gleason, David L. (2017). At What Cost?: Defending Adolescent Development in Fiercely Competitive Schools. 1st edition Developmental Empathy, LLC

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Board's Update

The PSI Strategic Plan 2019/20: balanced Alex Munteanu Board Chair

PSI started the 2019 – 2020 school year in high gear on 16 August by welcoming returning families as well as new families. For the first time in history, our total number of students crossed ‘500’ milestone.

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The Board of Governors held its first meeting this school year on 2 September, and all three committees of the Board and its task forces convened in separate meetings to consider and make decisions on specific tasks and strategic projects. The Board also unanimously elected Juliana Ballard from the US Embassy as its vice chair.

The Board of Governors and PSI leadership team members worked together with our Board consultant and coach Dr. Andy Page-Smith, who will become the executive director of the Association of International School Heads (AISH), after many successful years as director of the American International School of Johannesburg in South Africa. At this board retreat, participants actively explored the responsibilities of the Board of Governors and the school director. Capitalising on their last year’s work on Core Values, we focused on the development of the Leading School Benchmarks (LSBs). We also worked on and established the Board’s goals for this school year. In particular, the Board made the following decisions:

— The Board has committed to finalise the LSBs with the support of the PSI leadership team and the whole community. The LSBs will be included in the next annual report and will be reported to the PSI community on an annual basis.

— The Board will continue its work on the improvement of the School’s legal structure with the support of the ad hoc task force and outside legal counsel.

— The Board approved the design of the Phase 3 campus development project and will continue to monitor this project closely with the support of Buildings and Facilities as well as Finance and Risks committees. PSI’s EcoSchool status will be assessed and its further development incorporated during the design process, with the participation of the PSI Green Committee.

— The Board decided to delegate GRC (Governance, Risk and Compliance)’s development to the leadership team at this point.

— The Board also decided to review criteria of our PSI admission policy.

— The Board plans to review its Strategic Plan, mission and vision during the 2020 - 2021 school year.

I believe we came up with an ambitious but very balanced, thoughtful and well-supported plan to take PSI to the next level and to celebrate glowingly PSI’s 25th anniversary in 2020.

As a long-standing member of the PSI community, I’m very content to see a growing and active participation of our community in all activities and events – and I’m very thankful to all parents, faculty, students and leadership for their continuous involvement and dedication!

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Director of Learning

Cultivating Emotional Resilience in Educators

by Cindy Beals, Director of Learning

When I first learned about PSI, I was particularly struck by the school’s motto, ‘A Place Where We Belong.’

While I know many schools that talk about the importance of belonging and relationships, none have made it so publically a key priority or focus of their motto. This left me curious as to what kind of school PSI was. Having been hired and joined the community, I can now attest that this motto represents my reality and that ‘belonging’ is a priority for the community.

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I have long believed that a sense of belonging should be a focus in education, and this idea was only strengthened when I was introduced to the TED Talks and writings of Brené Brown. As a leading researcher in authentic leadership and wholeheartedness, Brown is well versed in characteristics that make people thrive or falter, and she noted, ‘A deep sense of love and belonging is an irreducible need of all people. We are biologically, cognitively, physically, and spiritually wired to love, to be loved, and to belong. When those needs are not met, we don't function as we were meant to’ (2010, p.40). Having now been here for two months, I feel as if I have a new family and have been fully welcomed into this community, with appropriate love and support so that I might thrive.

In addition to working at a place where I belong, I was interested in joining the community due to PSI’s forward thinking strategic goals: Personalized, Thinking and Balanced. All three of these topics deeply resonate with the current research into best practices in education today. For me, the inclusion of balance as a goal was especially important, given the recent negative trends in well-being across the world, particularly in teachers and youth. This trend has reinforced my belief in the importance of schools teaching the skills to build resilience.

Toward this end, before my move to Kyiv, I attended an intensive professional development institute with Elena Aguilar, an internationally renowned expert on the topic. The conference allowed me to dive deeply into the research and practices that cultivate resilience in educators,. As Aguilar stated in 2019, ‘By cultivating resilience in schools, we help ensure that we are working in, teaching in, and leading organizations where every child thrives, and where the potential of every child is recognised and nurtured.’

I have found that Aguilar’s book, Onward: Cultivating Emotional Resilience in Educators, lives up to its promotion, as it offered a path to resiliency and helps me thrive. I am excited to report that 18 faculty members are joining a monthly book club to learn more about this topic. Literacy Coach, Kimberly Shannon, has expressed her excitement for this particular book club as her past experience has ‘pushed my thinking as I put the readings to practice’ and she is eager to grow in resilience. To reinforce the group’s learnings, the faculty will use activities from the book’s companion workbook aimed at reinforcing healthy practices, such as learning to recognise and appropriately manage cognitive distortions. Through these practices, our faculty will thrive and as a result, our students will flourish.

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PRIMARY SCHOOL

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From the Primary Principal

By Sue Williams, Primary Principal

As adults, we often find ourselves talking about balance in our daily lives, balance between work and play, balance between running errands and being with your children, and so on. At PSI, students and adults alike are all grappling with this Learner Profile trait.

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ccording to the IB, being balanced means that ‘we understand the importance of balancing different aspects of our lives--intellectual, physical and emotional--to achieve well-being for ourselves and others.’ (www.ibo.org - Learner Profile) Some would believe that Primary School children have plenty of balance, or at least that it is much easier for them to find balance. But there are times when, as I talk with children, I wonder if they do have balance in their lives.

We have developed a new schedule that allows for more time to inquire into literacy and maths and central ideas. We ask children to read, write, talk about maths, perform skits, play music, create art, run and jump in PSPE throughout their day here. During the school day, children are busy thinking, communicating, reasoning and problem solving, learning and playing. All of that in 6.5 hours.

At the end of the school day, and through the course of each week, our Primary School children join in extracurricular activity (ECA) classes. The chart below shows the average number of ECAs children in each grade level are taking throughout the week:

Number of ECAs by Grade 5 4

Average number of ECAs

3 2 1 0

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G1

G2

G3

G4

You will notice that our youngest learners are joining in an average of 4 ECAs each week.

Additionally, if not attending an ECA, some children are enrolled in the Mother Tongue or the Ukrainian Externum programmes. Many children have tutors at home for language classes, participate in ballroom dancing, gymnastics, piano rehearsals and recitals, football, swimming and more after they leave school. All of these activities are worthy and, I imagine, something the children want to do. But, if going to school all day and going home to 3 - 4 hours of homework, rehearsals, practice, recitals, and/or special classes, when do children actually get to play on their own? Are they getting enough sleep? Do they have enough unstructured play where they can imagine, create and solve conflicts on their own?

Does your child feel balanced or does s/he feel as if s/he has too much going on? Are our children over-scheduled?

I had the opportunity to talk to a number of children throughout the Primary School. When I asked them what balance means, they readily gave me the answer. When I asked if they felt they were balanced, the majority said ‘no’. When asked why, the answers given were things such as: ‘I don’t have enough “me” time.’ ‘I even have to go to Super Saturday ECA.’ ‘I am tired all the time.’

Balance is difficult to find. Some days, we may feel more balanced than others (as one student said to me), but that’s ok. Some days are busier than others. The importance of balance is feeling that we are able to manage our time, that we do feel we get that ‘me’ time - most if not all of the time.

Being academically, socially and emotionally balanced is important for everyone; even Primary-aged children. Ask your child what s/he thinks. It’s an important conversation to have, and you might be surprised by the answers.

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Grade Level 13

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Primary School Deputy Principal and PYP Coordinator

By Glen Nicholson, PYP Coordinator

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D

id you know that according to internet research, the top ten in-demand jobs in 2010 did not even exist in 2004?

What does this mean? We are currently preparing our students for jobs that don’t yet exist in which they will use technologies that haven't been invented yet, solving problems that we don't even know are problems yet. So how do we best do that? My short answer is through a balanced curriculum.

When we can have information in a second and at zero cost, when we want to know something we can ask Siri or Alexa and get the answer, with so much information at our fingertips, what are the keystone aspects, the enduring understandings, the ‘need to know’ versus the ‘nice to know’ concepts? In short, what is a balanced curriculum?

A balanced curriculum is more than memorization of information. It is about developing skills and understandings as well as knowing what to do with them and when to apply them for the best effect.

At PSI, we are a diverse learning community which provides an academically challenging programme in a student-centered environment.

As part of our curriculum, our goal is to develop balanced global citizens who take responsible action in light of new learning. We seek to develop citizens who share a set of dispositions or learner profiles that recognise our shared guardianship of the planet.

In the PYP, there are 5 Essential elements to the curriculum; Knowledge, Concepts, Skills, Attitudes and Action.

In the PYP classroom we –– Facilitate open-ended inquiry and real-life investigations, encouraging student initiative in the choice of resources and appropriate means of expression.

–– Use a range and appropriate balance of teaching and grouping strategies, switching flexibility between individual, group, and whole class work.

–– Differentiate and demonstrate high expectations of students.

–– Facilitate a balanced emphasis between the pursuit of understanding and the acquisition of knowledge and essential skills.

–– Use a range of assessment and selfassessment strategies with students.

PYP schools work with these five elements to construct a rigorous and challenging Primary curriculum for international education that is engaging, relevant, challenging and significant for learners. The curriculum is transdisciplinary, meaning that it focuses on issues that go across subject areas and is organised according to: The written curriculum, which explains what PYP students will learn The taught curriculum, which sets out how educators teach the PYP The assessed curriculum, which details the principles and practice of effective assessment in the PYP

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At PSI and in the PYP, our balanced curriculum is about developing a learning community that supports creativity and promotes physical, social, emotional and cognitive growth. We do this with a strong emphasis on character development and life skills through our learner profile dispositions.

In the PYP, we have a number of graphics that show how our curriculum is designed. In figure one, you can see the transdisciplinary nature of the curriculum. In figure two, you can see that we place the learner at the centre of our learner model and that we personalise and differentiate learning to cater for student voice, choice and ownership in learning. In figure three, you can see the cyclic model of Choose, Act, Reflect that we follow.

Balance relates to all areas of life, not only the educational curriculum that learners are part of at school. When I was growing up, in relation to balance, I heard the following‌

8 hours is enough for work, 8 hours is enough for play, 8 hours is enough for sleep, tomorrow is another day‌ I know this was a long time ago and things have changed since then, so, in our busy lives, how do you define balance?

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PRIMARY

Being Balanced In Kindergarten n sa Hutto

By Melis dall Jackson, and Ken

rly Years, we At PSI in the Ea ary Years use the IB Prim r YP) to guide ou Programme (P h learning wit teaching and e children as children. We se n ants in their ow active particip e their unique learning and us r rests in orde needs and inte curriculum to develop the believe in together. We h purposeful inquiry throug l play-based and intentiona y learning in learning . Earl listic learning the PYP is a ho at integrates experience th l, physical socio-emotiona In development. and cognitive e, m s program our Early Year er, explore, children discov ts ning of concep and make mea l curriculum throughout al areas.

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All

too often as teachers, we focus on students and the skills and strategies we hope . Do our for them to know by the end of the year ds? kindergarteners know their letters and soun with book Can they count to 100? Can they read a need meaning? While this is important, we also child’s to value and nurture the other side of the others, development: learning how to share with curiosity communicating needs, and exploring with these and passion. It is only by holding both of a child so d values that we truly begin to understan that s/he is allowed to flourish. of In kindergarten, we encourage this kind ing learning in all areas of the day. During Read ul ghtf and Writing Workshop, we encourage thou to and kind partnerships. Children are taught ning liste r, communicate effectively with each othe During with attention and responding thoughtfully. life and of s Math Workshop, we see math in all area our world. seek to find joy as we explore numbers in rials. mate Play time is more than just playing with ore new It engages children and allows them to expl see and rs, ideas, find common interests with othe materials in new and unique ways.

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Adrine KJ

Not only does learning happen inside, it also happens in the ou tdoors. Our Outd oor Learning Area has different spac es to allow for ch ildren's natural interests. The sp ace includes a ga rden, digging pit, a mud kitchen, a water play area, a construction zone, and two la rge sand pits. Ea ch area is openended to encour age children’s cu rio sit y and natural inquiry.

By embracin g each moment of the day and seeing not on ly what children are learning academically bu t also socially an d emotionally, we can encourage ch ildren to develop a balanced view of school and a ba lanced way of lif e.

Defne G KJ Zlata B KJ

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Exploring Balance in Grade 1 I

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PRIMARY

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Ms. Bree Kraft and Ms. Laura Lamb’s first-grade students at Pechersk School International have been inquiring into the unit ‘Who We Are.’ Each student has been learning to be balanced through their social experiences, including explorations of their interests and their personal and physical space, as well as taking care of their health, family, and friends. Students are examining how their choices may impact others.

Students are bringing value to our community by demonstrating that the actions people take can affect others around them.

The first-grade classes partnered with Mr. Jason’s sixth-grade Individuals and Societies (I&S) classes to communicate about their experiences while making choices at school.

by Laura Lamb & Bree Kraft

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PRIMARY

Grade 5 Reflects on Balance Balance is one of the IB Learner Profiles that we are working on developing with our students. For her Exhibition last year, one of our students, Melaniia, decided to inquire into the issue of the overscheduling of children.

Here is the introduction to the report that she wrote for the Exhibition, where she outlines the issue for us.

by Sarah Browne, Grade 5 Teacher

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Did you ever not have time to play outside? Or your parents organised everything for you? Take a moment to think about what would it be like, if you could come home and instead of talking to your parents or playing with your sisters / brothers and your pet, you could quickly go to sleep because it is already 10:00 p.m. I would like to share my new understandings about what it is like to be overscheduled, what it is like when parents do too much for you. Some kids do too much, for example, dancing, writing, drama, art, music, math, swimming, and all these are done after school, as well as homework which needs to be completed on time.

Overscheduling children means when parents organize too much for their kids and kids are meant to do all these activities and complete them on time.

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e decided to explore this idea of being balanced with the current Grade 5s. As part of their homework in September, they were asked to consider a variety of questions that we brainstormed together after holding a grade level discussion about the subject. Here are some of their responses to those questions:

What does being balanced mean to you?

Most of the students were able to identify that it means having time to do the things you need to do as well as the time to do the things that you want to do. They also recognised it means not doing just one thing all the time, and that it’s good to try and do different kinds of activities. A student might choose to play football and read one evening, or play video games and dance another evening, but it’s good to try and have a mix of activities that involve socialising and those that don’t, and those that involve sitting, along with activities that involve more movement.

How are you balanced?

Our students do a very wide range of activities, such as gymnastics, dance, football, basketball, music, lessons in mathematics, English, Mother Tongue languages, chess, art, etc.

A number of students talked about organising their time so that they could fit everything in and still have time for ‘Me Time’, which looks like time to do the things you really enjoy, such as making movies, chatting on the phone, watching movies, playing both video and board games, reading, or just playing outside. For some students, ‘Me Time’ was simply enjoying a little alone time.

One area that was highlighted in the discussion was the amount of sleep that the students felt they got. Most of them had between 8 and 10 hours a night, which is considered normal for the average 10 or 11 year old. Even as they make the transition to being teenagers, a lot of sleep is still considered vital for their well-being.

“Sleep needs remain just as vital to health and well-being for teenagers as when they were younger. It turns out that many teenagers actually may need more sleep than in previous years.

However, for many teenagers, social pressures conspire against getting the proper amount and quality of sleep.” WEBMD

In conclusion, many of our students do appear to have a balanced lifestyle. Many of them do a range of activities but also have plenty of time to relax and play as well. Our students have had many thought-provoking conversations about what it means to be balanced and how this applies to their lives. As the rigours and expectations increase throughout the year and in preparation for Secondary School, our students are encouraged to reflect on this frequently in order to continue to maintain a balanced and healthy lifestyle.

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PRIMARY

Aesthetic Development of the Chid During Art Classes in Primary School

By Anna Belokon Primary Visual Art Teacher

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The development of a child begins in early childhood.

The child grows, develops and gets information from different sources. The society and environment where he/ she lives, grows and learns has a great impact on a child’s development. Another crucial role in further development and education of a child is the aesthetic education of a student, particularly developing a strong artistic taste, sense of tact, and skills to see and appreciate the world and its beauty. In order to join, become closer to, and to get to know beauty, it is important to look at pieces of art, listen to classical music, visit museums and exhibitions.

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he development of aesthetic education and instilling a good artistic taste is an integral part of Art lessons in the Primary School. Students observe various pieces of artwork, learn to discuss the elements, and explore the styles while focusing on a specific genre or type of art.

For example, people can learn a lot about great personalities by looking at the interiors where they lived, their personal belongings and objects which fill the room. Books, clothing, vessels, and furniture tell a lot about the habits and lifestyle of specific people. It is not by chance that the personal belongings of great people are collected and exhibited at museums.

The depicting of various objects was a focus in Grade 4 Art class. During the Drawing unit, students focused on a flower still-life. Aesthetics is in the beauty of the objects that surround us.

Before drawing, students observed examples of famous artists and, of course, the styles in which the artworks were created. Students had an opportunity to observe real flowers, examining the beauty and shape of the petals, colour, texture and composition. Students also developed and practiced their drawing skills as well as observational skills while looking at various flower compositions and sketching their wonderful pictures. They learned in an atmosphere of inspiration, hard work and peace.

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SECONDARY SCHOOL

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From the Secondary Principal

by Patricia Puia Secondary Principal

Adolescence is a tumultuous time of life, as children go through physical, social and emotional changes at a rapid rate. Helping our students stay balanced as they navigate those choppy waters is one of our most challenging jobs.

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cademic balance is easiest. The IB programmes are designed to give students exposure to a range of subject areas and learning experiences. By and large, our students are hard workers who enjoy academic success. In fact 86 students took home honour or high honour awards last June, with another 45 students earning Attitude and Application awards. But we know that the flip side of that is that our students often feel stressed by school work, particularly as they get older and move into the IB Diploma Programme (DP).

We’re not alone in that. Schools all over the world are looking at ways to help students

perform well in school while maintaining a healthy and balanced life. Partly, we do that through our extra-curricular activities (ECAs) that allow them to pursue areas of genuine interest and passion.

Sports, theatre, robotics, Model United Nations, and other options are a big help in creating and maintaining a balanced lifestyle.

Our Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) programme helps with balance of another kind. It allows students to look beyond themselves to the world around them, and empowers them to make positive changes in the lives of others.

We are also looking at some changes in our daily schedule for next year. We want opportunities to build in more time for our DP students to engage in physical activities, or just get some much needed ‘down time.’ We’d like to build in some good reflection time for MYP students, and create more opportunities to work with them on exploring themselves and the world around them. We expect to have a plan in place in the second semester, so ‘stay tuned’ for more information on that.

In the meantime, we continue to rely on our teachers, our counsellor, our coaches and our administration to support students as they tackle the challenges of adolescence. Of course, we rely on parents, too, and encourage them to contact us when their child needs extra support.

By working in partnership, we believe that we can positively impact the lives of our students and keep them on track for a balanced and healthy life.

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S E CO N DA RY

Balancing University Options Our seniors are very busy this year.

They are applying to universities, completing applications, writing essays, and taking university entrance exams. Moreover, they are taking International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) courses, writing Extended Essays, discussing the Theory of Knowledge, and participating in Creativity, Action and Service (CAS) projects. There is little time left.

By Michele Basu, Secondary School Counselor

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ife as a teenager can be very fun and exciting. It can also be a scary, dark and overwhelming time. That is why balance is vital. A balanced approach ensures that you and your student are not overwhelmed.

Families and students sometimes get caught up in the application ‘race.’ Please remember, ‘College isn’t just about the end result. It’s also about the means, the process, the path you take to earn your degree, whom you meet, and who inspires and mentors you.’ (Pope, 2012).

Encourage your son or daughter to apply to universities that are a good fit.

Factors to consider include location, extracurricular opportunities, programme choice, and strength of research programmes. These are ways to ensure a match; the reputation of the school does not guarantee a best fit.

What can you do? Visit schools, talk with university students, compare websites, and then apply to no more than ten schools. I will help guide students in their search. Two schools need to be safety schools (high school grades exceed entrance requirements). Two schools should be a complete match (grades match entry requirements). Finally, two schools could be ones where entry requirements exceed grades and activities. Any other schools will also fit this pattern. This is a balanced approach.

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The book, Admission Matters (Springer, Reider and Morgan, 2017), highlights what matters most in the university admissions process. The authors make these five recommendations:

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The parent’s role is to support, advise and listen, except when it comes to money.

This is not the time to live vicariously through your child.

Help your child with organizational matters, but don’t do the work for your child.

Accompany your child on college visits, but stay in the background.

Help your child make realistic choices.

Elium, J. (1999). Raising a Teenager.

1st ed. United States: Celestial Arts, p.134.

Pope, L. (2012). Colleges that change lives.

3rd ed. New York: Penguin, p.1.

Springer, S., Reider, J. and Morgan, J. (2017). Admission Matters.

4th ed. Newark: John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, pp.336-341.

As your family moves through the university application process, you should discuss, model and discover what everyone needs to stay balanced. Remember that we all need different things. Balance rest with exercise, solitude with community, and silence with sound, to give our teenagers way to navigate through their tension (Elium, 1999). Make time for silliness, exploring nature, and cultivating togetherness. Students can’t power through the application cycle without unpressured time.

Not everyone is meant to be a CEO or a top tier designer. However, we can all be our best selves.

It is with balance that we teach and model to the young people of the world that what really matters is happiness and joy, one of my favorite PSI core values.

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by Sylvain Vergès Secondary Music Teacher Grade 6V Homeroom Teacher

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rade 6 travelled to the Carpathians for this 2019 edition of the Week Without Walls at PSI. Thirty two students, six teaching staff and five local guides participated and enjoyed this five-days long educational trip to the western part of Ukraine.

One week has passed since we came back to our campus in Kyiv. During our last homeroom class, we conducted feedback activities and asked the students how they could tell the story of their trip during our next school assembly. After letting them think in small groups, they gave these kind of answers: ‘Let’s present the trip by activities we did! We hiked, we went rafting, we visited museums, we learned about traditional crafts, we practiced our first aid unit, we filled out our booklets, we did an orientation race!’

‘Let’s present it by all the means of transportation we used! That would be original: we took a night train, twice! And we took the bus, and we rode rafts and we hiked!’

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‘No! Let’s use the school’s new core values!

People are not completely familiar with them.

We could show the passion of the people who showed us their craft, we could talk about how we shared space respectfully, and also how all of the activities included everyone. And the happiness is easy; the week was so much fun!’

It is very easy through this feedback to see the extremely positive outcomes of this week in the Ukrainian mountains.

Faced with an important change of routine and the absence of walls, students had to think and acquire new knowledge in a different and somehow much deeper way. They will also associate all they learned with the green beautiful landscape that surrounded them during those five days.

During the preparation for this trip, we focused on adopting an attitude that would represent each of their families, their school and their different countries at all times. We also stressed the importance of safety and respect. And it worked!

Even out of their comfort zones, fresh out of

primary school, surrounded by peers and away from parents, it is as if all students were ready to be treated as young responsible adults during the trip.

In addition to getting a real first hand experience at many different traditional crafts like wood carving or pottery, on top of reviewing their orientation skills and reviewing first aid principles in different settings, besides being held accountable for their actions and behaviors while living together and sharing space and resources, this Week without Walls trip to the Carpathians put a highlight on the social aspect of their life at school.

Bonds of camaraderie and friendship were built during that trip. Life long memories were created and a strong sense of belonging emerged.

It seems evident to all the adults who supervised Grade 6 during the trip that all students experienced that with or without walls, PSI is a place where they belong.

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by Paul Horkan Secondary Assistant Principal & IB MYP Coordinator

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n e LVIV v e S e d a r G s

y o j En ry Lviv a d n e g e L

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he Grade Seven cohort traveled to beautiful Lviv and the surrounding areas for their Week Without Walls this academic year.

They were excited and keen to travel together, learn about the areas of interest ranging from historical buildings and castles to areas of natural beauty and conservation parks.

On Sunday, students were excited to set off on their adventure to beautiful Lviv. They were keen to travel by train where they could chat, play games and enjoy the views of the countryside. Arriving to the hotel, the students went straight to bed as they knew they had some busy days ahead.

The following morning, students went on a quest tour of Lviv figuring out clues and challenges along the way. They gathered lots of interesting historical information, photos and ideas for the development of their own Folk Tales for their Language & Literature task and tourist information for their Language Acquisition task. In the afternoon, they participated in a range of fun and challenging quest rooms.

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On Tuesday, we traveled to the Tustan Rocks and Kamianka Waterfall, where our students enjoyed the tranquillity of the countryside. They also learned about natural landscape formations and the historical fortifications of the area.

The following day we toured a local castle and enjoyed a display of medieval knight costumes and weapons, as well as enjoying a demonstration of combat techniques. Students got to wear some of the outfits and demonstrated their fighting skills, too. We also had a Guardsman night tour of the city of Lviv later that evening. The students were led around the medieval part of the city where great stories of adventure and tragedy were shared and they visited the exact locations and buildings where those tales took place.

On Thursday, we visited a bear sanctuary and saw the important work going on to raise awareness of the need for conservation of endangered species. In the afternoon, we visited Lviv once again for a dungeon tour of the city and finally, returned to Kyiv by train.

Students, although tired, were happy to return to the loving arms of parents, share their gifts - including lots of chocolates - and relate their fun learning experiences.

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by Annahita Sarty Grade 8 Week Without Walls Trip Co-Leader

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ODESSA g n i h t e e n m o So ry e r v o E f

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his year’s Grade 8 Week Without Walls trip took place between Monday, 16 September and Friday, 20 September in the beautiful city of Odessa. The trip was structured around the key concept of systems and the related concept of diversity.

As a port city with a vibrant history, Odessa was the perfect place for us to look at diversity and how the relationships between people, animals and places can create a diverse whole out of separate parts. Modern-day Odessa is made up of a unique combination of people from different ethnic and religious backgrounds, and somehow the city manages to achieve a near perfect balance between all of them.

We started our exploration of Odessa’s diverse roots on Monday, with a walking ‘quest’ of the city, which taught students about some of the founders, famous battles, and important writers and artists who helped shape Odessa. We also got the chance to look at two very important urban parks, the Istanbul Park and the Greek Park, right next to it.

Of course, no trip to Odessa would be complete without looking at the famous Potemkin stairs, and students were able to delve a bit deeper into this remarkable monument through a math activity.

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On the morning of our second day in Odessa, we explored the city’s famous catacombs, an extensive system of tunnels originally dug out to mine limestone, but subsequently used as a hiding place for criminals, a refuge, and a secret base for Soviet soldiers during World War II. The excursion to the catacombs was followed by an afternoon dedicated to Odessa’s religious diversity, as we visited multiple different places of worship and learned about different aspects of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. We finished the day with an afternoon at the Bulgarian Cultural Centre of Odessa, where students learned a cultural dance.

Our third day in Odessa was a very balanced mixture of physical activity, academic learning and cultural appreciation. We started the day with an invigorating bike ride by the sea shore, followed by some time at the beach. Some students even swam in the lovely but frigid Black Sea! After our morning exertions, we spent our afternoon at the Museum of Interesting Science, a fascinating museum full of interactive exhibits ranging from a maze of mirrors, to puzzles, to tests of handeye coordination. We also visited the small but impressive paleontology museum at the University of Odessa, one of the top 10 paleontology

museums in the world. Finally, we ended the day with a visit to Odessa’s beautiful opera house, where we enjoyed an evening of ballet.

For the final day of our trip, we shifted our focus to the biological diversity of Odessa.

Students first participated in a boat trip through the Dnistrovskyi wetlands and bird sanctuary, and they followed this excursion with one final quest in the Dnistrovskyi Lyman Nature Park, where they were also given time to take photographs to help them with their summative science task on systems and classification.

Based on student feedback, it would be safe to say that the trip was a huge success, and there truly is something for everyone in Odessa!

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by Julie Constance Jane Ellys Polina Spencer Mark Helman

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n i BERLIN f s o d e s e e i c d u t Suc S r i e Th ld War o C th e

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rade 9 students spent their Week Without Walls bringing their studies in Individuals and Societies and English Language Acquisition to life by exploring Cold War Berlin.

Students turned their classroom knowledge of the Berlin Wall into a week of discovery. Students had the opportunity to see the site of the Wall, to speak to witnesses from that time, and to see the city firsthand. The week not only helped students to understand the topic of study, but gave them a personal experience of divided Berlin.

Check Point Charlie and the Brandenburg Gate were our introduction to the city of Berlin and its history. The group attended a ‘sound and light’ performance about the history of the Reichstag building on our first evening, and on Tuesday evening, students toured the Bundestag and asked questions as they sat in the gallery of the plenary hall. We saw the graffiti left by Soviet soldiers at the end of the Second World War, which has been preserved as part of the building’s history. They sat in Angela Merkel’s chair in her party meeting room

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and even used her microphone. The visit ended with the group exploring the roof area of the building. The night views of Berlin were beautiful!

Tuesday morning took them on a bike ride along the route of the Wall in the city. Our guides used maps, photos and stories to show students how to identify former East or West Berlin while taking them to Checkpoint Charlie, the Peter Fechter Memorial, the East Side Gallery, and the Russian War Monument in Treptow Park. The trip took five hours and included a stop for lunch. We zigzagged from East to West, marking the path of the Wall and learned much about how the wall became part of life in Berlin. The class gained an understanding of how Berlin was divided for almost three decades and how that affected the daily lives of people on both sides. The guides also told the students stories of some very daring escapes from East Germany.

The afternoon found us in the Stasi museum, where students toured the headquarters of the East German Secret Police and the office of the former Minister of State Security in East Berlin. The exhibition included surveillance and observation technology such as wires and hidden cameras.

After seeing the way the Stasi operated and learning about how they used friends, family and neighbors as informers, we spent Wednesday

morning touring the Lindenstraße Memorial: a Stasi (secret police) prison in Potsdam, near Berlin.

Dr. Peter Hampe, a former prisoner, conducted the tour. He explained how the prison worked and how political prisoners were kept in solitary confinement during their time in this prison for interrogation purposes. He became a political prisoner at age 19 for an escape attempt. He told the story of discovering that a friend had turned him in after he confided in him. A question and answer period helped the class to expand their knowledge of life in East Germany during the Cold War. They were impressed when he told them that when he was released he felt he was free from the “small prison”, but all of East Germany felt like a big prison.

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The afternoon was devoted to visiting the Berlin Wall Memorial Museum at Bernauerstraße, an area where a large section of the Wall and the ‘Death Strip’ have been preserved. The students saw a film that explained the building of the Wall and the role of the Berlin Wall in world history. Then students were given a scavenger hunt to explore the park and see first-hand what Berliners saw during the 28 years that the Wall stood. The group with the most complete and correct answers received a small prize on Thursday night.

We also had the opportunity to tour the Unterwelten - a series of underground tunnels and rooms that were used as bomb shelters during WWII, then repurposed as fallout shelters during the Cold War. We learned how inadequate those shelters would really have been in the event of a nuclear event, but that they were mostly for propaganda purposes to show strength and resolve to their enemies.

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Thursday morning began with a visit to the German Historical Museum. In a chronologically organised circuit, the museum conveys 2,000 years of German history in a European context.

Links between political developments in individual European states are depicted alongside their cultural-historical relationships. This gave students a broad overview of Germany’s history and provided some context for the Cold War events they were studying.

After some time in a nearby park working in groups to organise their I&S projects, our final tour was a visit to the DDR (East Germany) Museum.

This museum has a large exhibit centred on everyday life in former East Germany. Students could sit in and simulate driving a Trabant, learnt how people lived by touring a ‘flat’ completely set up with East German furniture, saw a typical grocery store, and saw how much people earned and how industry was organised. The interactive museum was a hit with everyone, and showed how East and West Germany became culturally different countries after being divided by the Wall.

Students spent the week traveling by public transport, bicycle and on foot; as a result, students began to feel comfortable moving around the city.

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Each evening, dinner was at a local restaurant, except the final night when we ate at the hostel prior to our Berlin Trivia Quiz. Students were put in teams and answered questions about what we had seen and learnt. There were some added questions about life at PSI. The winning team received a prize.

Friday morning, we broke into room teams and packed and cleaned our rooms at the hostel before we checked out. Each student had a job to do and the rooms were sparkling for our early checkout on Friday morning.

The Week Without Walls was not all work, however; there was also time for visits to Starbuck’s, Dunkin’ Donuts, and the mall food court.

The students' keen interest in the Berlin Wall and the Cold War was evident throughout the week. Their ‘real world’ experiences were just one way that the Week Without Walls trip this year supported the school’s vision to Grow, Lead and Succeed. We had new experiences and grew as a team. We came home with a deeper understanding of how historical events affected the lives of people in Berlin and what it may have felt like to live in Berlin during that time. It was an outstanding Week Without Walls.

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by Cory Haugen G10 trip leader

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e KRAKOW h T gs Left hin

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n Monday morning, we departed for the airport, ready to begin our journey to Krakow and ready to experience the history that makes up the bones of the city. We were a group of 41 students and teachers; we were ready for this journey.

We spent a day immersed in the museums of Schindler’s Factory and the Eagle Pharmacy. We looked at the history of Krakow during World War II and the trail of memories left by distinct communities. We examined what was left behind by the Jews of Krakow, but also by the Roma, the Communists, the political dissidents, and all the others rounded up and sent to death by the Nazi occupiers.

Someone in our group forgot their wallet on the bus.

It was returned.

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We took an early morning trip out of the city and toured Auschwitz and Birkenau. We saw the shoes, silver, menorahs, and suitcases left behind by the prisoners who never left the camp. We felt wood of the bunks they would have slept on, preserved so that we could learn. We returned to our hostel to write and reflect.

This time, someone in our group left a purse on the bus.

It was returned.

We visited the Gestapo museum. We walked through the cells where prisoners were kept; prisoners who etched their names, prayers, or thoughts during long nights of torment into the walls. Those etchings were left for us to see so that we might remember.

Someone in our group dropped their room card.

It was returned.

We finished with a dinner in the Jewish Quarter of Krakow. We ate traditional Jewish fare and enjoyed each other’s company. We finished our time in Krakow on a positive note of community and care.

As the Klezmer music wove its way around our tables, we were reminded of what was lost to Krakow and what has slowly been returned.

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by Dr. Tito Basu HS History and TOK Teacher

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ATHENS

‘What man is happy? He who , y d o b y h t l a e h has a a resourceful e l i c o d a d n a mind nature.’ Thales of Miletus, 624-546 B.C.E.

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he entire 11th grade traveled to Greece, where we spent five days exploring ancient sites and engaging with art and architecture of different periods. Over the course of the trip, students had the opportunity to experience and practice intellectual inquiry and appreciate great art and architecture. But they balanced this with numerous opportunities for physical activity and entertainment.

On our first day, we visited the Ancient Agora of Athens, the heart of ancient Athenian public life.

We walked in the footsteps of Socrates and Plato, and explored the ruins of buildings associated with ancient Athenian democracy and commerce.

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A hot day at the Agora In the evening, we balanced this with a leisurely dinner followed by a relaxing double-decker bus ride. On the second day, we began with a climb to the Acropolis, where we admired the glorious architecture and statuary of the golden age of Athens. At the Acropolis museum, we plunged deeper into the different eras, themes and facets of archaic and classical Greek art.

But the afternoon was a time to exercise the body and enjoy nature, as students took a strenuous guided bike tour over the hills of Athens.

Students at the water side in Nafplion.

On the fourth day, we turned our attention to the art of the Greek Isles.

At the Cycladic Art Museum

On the third day, we took a day-trip to Epidaurus. At the Sanctuary of Aesculapius at Epidaurus, we saw the place where modern techniques of medicine were first developed.

We also visited the best-preserved ancient theater with its amazingly advanced acoustics.

During a visit to the Cycladic Art Museum, we saw art from as long as 6000 years ago. We also saw an exhibition of paintings by the great modern artist, Pablo Picasso. Students made connections between these very different periods of art. But again, we balanced our artistic and intellectual excursion with an afternoon at Vouliagmeni beach enjoying the Greek Sunshine. Then we ended the day with an evening of music and dance at a traditional Greek tavern – complete with some cathartic plate-smashing!

Students climb the theater at the sanctuary of Aesculapius

The Good Life at Vouliagmeni Beach

We balanced this by making some time for lunch and a leisurely stroll along the waterfront of Nafplion, a Venetian port that was briefly the capital of Greece in the early 19th century. We enjoyed delicious food and the bright pastel shades of the traditional houses and plazas.

By the end of the trip, we had found many ways to exercise the mind and the body. We also found a balance between reason and emotion as we appreciated art with the tools of Theory of Knowledge. Bidding adieu to the sunshine of Greece, we returned to PSI with many wonderful memories.

Biking the ancient hills of Athens

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by Michael Holland

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SLOVENIA

s e i r a d n u o B g Pushin g n i r o l p x E d an g n i w o n K f o s y a W

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rade 12 spent their Week Without Walls trip in northwestern Slovenia,10 km from the Italian border, in the small valley village of Bovec. Surrounded by the jagged chalkcoloured limestone peaks of the Julian Alps, the 'Emerald' Soča river valley is a well-known hub for adventure seekers. It was also the perfect setting for our week's activities, centred around ‘ways of knowing,’ a key component to the IB Diploma Programme’s Theory of Knowledge (TOK) course.

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The theme for our first set of activities was water. After collecting our equipment (wetsuits, helmets, life vests and harnesses), we headed to Sušec canyon, sans shoes and sporting only neoprene booties, for a challenging 2km hike to the starting location. The students then jumped, slid, climbed and rappelled down Susec creek, displaying excellent communication and collaboration, as they supported each other along the way. Zoe C. reflected upon her experience saying this: (Caynonying) was both mentally and physically challenging and made me step out of my comfort zone in many ways. I questioned my own abilities and felt as though somehow I wasn’t as good as I should have been.

I came out understanding so much more about myself.

I began to reflect on the fact that I can do more than I think I can, and most of the time, the limitations we set ourselves are mental. We like to be comfortable, but I learned that when you push your boundaries and make yourself uncomfortable, there is so much more out there to enjoy.’

We spent the afternoon rafting Class III rapids on the Soca river. The students conquered several difficult situations as they worked in teams to steer their rafts through the current.

However, the obstacle that many found the most challenge of the trip was the climb and jump off a 6.5-meter boulder into the river. Lara P. summed up the activity this way: “Aside from being brilliantly fun, rafting was also a great activity from a TOK perspective, as it forced us to confront our fears, welcome doubt, change our approaches to skills and problem-solving, try new things, and learn to lead and be led.”

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No technology, cooking and stunning views defined the next two days of our trip. The students were tasked with preparing a dish to be shared with the group, with the extra challenge of carrying whatever they purchased on our 10 km, 1200 vertical meter hike to Mt. Mangart. Krill P. summarised the hike like this: ‘The scenery surrounding us was astonishing and took my breath away. The hike was extremely rewarding, and… getting to the top felt like an accomplishment. I am glad in general that this trip forced me to do things that are out of my comfort zone, and helped me grow and develop as an individual. This was a great experience.

Andrew S. reflected upon not having technology in the following way: ‘The day of no-technology may have seemed tough and uncomfortable in people’s minds before the trip, but it really was freeing to so many of us. The way we replaced social media and texting with conversation and laughter was something that can not be compared to anything else. It was liberating understanding that our phones weren’t a part of us and that we could let go so much easier than we might have anticipated.

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Throughout the trip, the students pushed their boundaries and overcame their fears, resulting in changed perspectives and a heightened appreciation for trying new things.

Nightly journaling exercises helped the group reflect upon how they grew when presented with new challenges. The students’ culminating presentations were genuine, honest, full of relevant analogies and meaningful connections.

These reflections sum up the seniors' feelings regarding the experience: ‘This was one of the best trips I have had and will have for the rest of my life. One of the very positive things about this trip was that we all talked to each other so much and learnt much more from each other in a couple of days, even though we have known each other for years.’

- Pranaav K. Our last activity required many members of the group to face their fear of heights, as we ziplined down five steep sections in the mountains surrounding Bovec. Attaining speeds over 70 km/h, and dropping a total of 900 vertical meters, the general sentiment of the group before the activity was a mixture of apprehension and excitement. But as they did all week when faced with uncomfortable situations, the class overcame their fears. Sena C. summed up her experience and made some solid TOK connections in her reflection.

‘We all loved the trip, and proving to ourselves we didn’t need technology showed us just how connected we are with nature. This trip was breathtaking throughout, and it brought us all closer to our natural world, and closer to each other.’ - Andrew S.

‘Ziplining was the activity that I was looking forward to the most throughout and before the whole trip. Once I was about to go down the first zipline though, I couldn’t help but start feeling incredibly anxious and nervous at the same time. I guess it was the incredible height that really hit me, but soon after, I was able to regain confidence and just go for it. From a TOK perspective, this really got me thinking about how fear can get in the way of gaining new experiences; perhaps this can also make one think more broadly about how fear gets in the way of people just generally gaining more knowledge as well as confidence, and how their fear of gaining new knowledge makes them ignorant, to put it bluntly. To what extent can the emotion of fear get in the way of gaining new knowledge? To what extent does the fear of gaining new knowledge make us ignorant?’

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The Extended Ess Trying to Mainta Demanding Acade As any Grade 12 student will tell you, senior year is a time of high stress and deadlines, one of which is the Extended Essay (EE), a 4,000-word piece of independent research, which allows students to inquire into a topic of special interest.

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ome people (not least of all the seniors themselves!) may wonder why students who are already completing a highly rigorous academic programme have to produce yet another research paper. Simply put, besides the fact that the EE is a Diploma Programme (DP) requirement, there is also growing evidence that cultivating the research and time management skills required for the EE helps ensure student success as they continue on to university. Indepth inquiry into an area of interest can be a powerful thing, and it is certainly a highly valued skill at university.

But how can students who are already pulled in so many directions academically, socially and emotionally, maintain some kind of balance in their lives with yet another demand on their time

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s ay: a in Balance in a e mic Programme

by Annahita Sarty Extended Essay Coordinator

and attention? One of the ways that we help students maintain some semblance of balance at PSI, is by breaking the EE down into a number of smaller parts, each with its own internal deadline.

By carefully scaffolding the EE over the course of a 12-month period, the hope is that DP students will be able to make time for other interests and pursuits, rather than focusing solely on academics.

Another feature of the EE that helps promote balance amongst our student population is the fact that students choose their area of research themselves. This means that the long hours of research and analysis involved in the production of the EE, should (hopefully) not seem as arduous as they might otherwise. In many cases, this passion for the chosen subject is also one of the main factors in student success. This year,

students have chosen topics in a number of areas, ranging from Global Politics to Mathematics to Art. They are looking at questions as varied as the use of language in Men’s Health magazine; the effect of subsidies on the electric car industry; the effectiveness of Kyiv’s marshrutka system; and the use of genetically modified crops in food production.

Our seniors have worked hard on their EEs over the past 9 months, and they should be very proud of their achievements. The time management and research skills they have learnt throughout this process should serve them well, both in university and beyond. Congratulations and good luck to the class of 2020!

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By Erik Zambrano, Head of Visual and Performing Arts MYP and DP Theatre

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feedback loop, that original conversation. Students wrestle with how to translate their instincts into ideas which then must be executed in a way where the original intent and message is communicated to another person. This by no means is an easy feat!

As students make their way through Secondary School at PSI, they are encouraged to exercise

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efore even the initial spark of an idea, most creative expression begins with a feeling, an intuition deep within waiting to burst through. If you let it, it inevitably does.

Almost immediately, the burst of feeling leads to a rapid firestorm, your mind flush with incredible ideas, concepts, narratives, and paradigms. In an instant, one of the most fantastic biological human processes has just occured, the flash of Inspiration. Just as suddenly, your mind and heart begin a conversation, a feedback loop, a constant process of thinking and feeling something new into the world. You begin to draw and paint. You begin to compose and play. You begin to write and perform. And as you do, you follow your intuition and you think things through, back and forth, again and again. You are now in BALANCE, or as some would say, you're in the Zone.

Encouraging this balance and making students more critically aware of what this Zone looks like is the keystone to the Arts Programme at PSI. Across all the arts disciplines, students are encouraged to engage with their artistic process and their creations with both the mind and the heart. This is our approach to creativity.

Watching students create an artwork out of feelings and ideas is a marvelous moment to witness, but if you look closely, you begin to see exactly what this creativity looks like. There is a lot of questioning, many without concrete answers, which then generates more questions.

You see conventions and assumptions challenged.

Look closer still and you begin to notice students visualising alternatives and using their imagination to examine possibilities. Other perspectives are considered. A trust in one’s own intuition develops as one anticipates and overcomes difficulties.

Students value their own ideas and are intent on pursuing them. But through it all, you see the

these skills in Music, Drama, and Visual Art. Beginning in the MYP, Arts students create various performances, projects, and artworks. They are encouraged to do so critically, learning not only how to artistically construct ideas but to reflect on their process as they do so. We ask our students to pay attention to that conversation, to pay attention to where it started and why, how it progressed, where it led to, and ultimately, what fantastic creation resulted from it.

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In Pursuit of Balance – Q&A with PTA Members As members of the PTA, we are familiar with the struggle of balancing multiple priorities and meeting deadlines, whilst also being present for our children. With the theme of this issue of PSI Life being ‘balanced’, PTA members share their thoughts on what work-life balance means to them, how they find balance between professional and personal responsibilities, and effective tools or methods for managing stress.

Q: What does work-life balance mean to you?

Jan Cairns, PTA President Balance may be defined as a situation in which different elements are equal and in the correct proportions. What a luxury that would be! I thrive on trying to juggle my differing roles as a mother, teacher, and parent but don't always achieve the state of balance I desire.

Angie Jackson, PTA Secretary.

I have two children who attend PSI. I volunteer my time as a PTA member, IWCK member and to support the US Embassy Community Liaison Office. I define work-life balance as being able to manage work and family life without stressing or losing control.

Christina Breidenbach, PTA Welcome, Dutch Language Teacher A healthy work-life balance means to me that I should be in an overall state of happiness.

Leah Nette, Classroom Parent Coordinator Work-life balance means that I divide my time and energy between my family and leisure activities and any professional activities such as my Masters Programme and the Parent Teacher Association.

By Emilie Hill PTA Communication Coordinator

Q: How do you find balance between your professional responsibilities and your role as a parent?

Angie Jackson, PTA Secretary.

I find balance between professional and personal responsibilities by being organised. I find it helpful to prioritise what needs to be done for the week.

Leah Nette, Classroom Parent Coordinator I strive for balance, but I don’t always achieve it. When I feel like I am not dedicating enough time to one aspect, I vow to turn down invitations and requests until I feel I have a handle on things.

Q: Do you have any effective methods or tools for managing stress?

Jan Cairns, PTA President Managing stress for me is about prioritising. Like many other mothers, my children come first and that is non-negotiable.

Planning and being organised is essential for me to maintain my sanity. Balance is a work in progress and I am still on the path to finding it.

Lena Gromova, Vice-President of PTA To cope with the burden and re-charge my emotional batteries, I do sports exercises as a way of great stress release, try to find time to watch a nice relaxing movie, and by all means, read books.

Rajat Tara, PTA Member at Large I manage stress by spending a lot of time outdoors doing sports, reading, or playing with my daughter. Enjoying effective family time doing various activities is the biggest stress buster.

Leah Nette, Classroom Parent Coordinator I practice yoga to strengthen and stretch my body and to relieve stress. I also try to get enough sleep. As I’ve gotten older, I have come to appreciate how important sleep can be for me to function at my best.

Teresa Lippencott, Food Committee I manage stress by enjoying the outdoors: hiking, biking, swimming and walking the dogs help me to keep active and keep my mind clear.

Angie Jackson, PTA Secretary.

Keeping a work-life balance is sometimes difficult. I like to manage my stress by reading, walking, socialising and volunteering.

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New Family Orientation Day 2019/20

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PSI PANTHERS ATHLETICS 2019 —2020 This year will be another big year as PSI hosts two very large tournaments, launches some new programmes, and continues to offer a number of competitive sports opportunities for students in both Primary and Secondary.

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Primary School, our programme has also introduced a new Panthers Primary School Programme (PPSP) for Grades 2 and 3 football in Season 1 and then again in Season 3. The PPSP basketball programme will extend this year to include Grades 2 and 3 as well as having Grades 4 and 5 students in Season 2. After a successful trial last year, the programme will also now have 3 seasons of Primary swim squad for Grades 3, 4 and 5 students.

Secondary School students will also have an opportunity to have morning swim squad from 7.00 am to 8.00 am for those extra keen swimming athletes.

We started Season 1 with a good number of students signing up and preparing for the upcoming Kyiv School Sports League (KSSL) and Central and Eastern European Schools Association (CEESA) tournaments in football and cross country. We have had our largest team in the last

five years with 34 students joining the cross country team.

KSSL also has the possibility of a new tournament for table tennis and PSI has included the sport into the Season 2 schedule for middle and high school boys and girls.

The Track and Field team will have the opportunity to travel to an international tournament in Athens in April 2020 with more details to be finalised.

This year, students will also have some new developments in our athletics gear to look forward to, including the following: New designs for our two training shirts with a new company using the paw logo.

A new CEESA tracksuit jacket design with tapered fitting pants Primary sports teams will also have new uniforms to use for training and playing in tournaments.

In 2019 / 2020, we will be hosting the following CEESA Tournaments: Season 1

Season 2

Middle and High School Boys and Girls Cross Country

Middle and High School Boys and Girls Model United Nations

31 October to 3 November 2019

2 - 5 April 2020

The programmes we offer in athletics for the fall season are listed below, with the dates and venues for each CEESA Tournament and the list of coaches involved with each team: Team

Coach

Assistant Coach

CEESA Dates

CEESA Venue

MSB Football

Alex Semeniouk

Dan Whalley

7 - 10 November

Vilnius - Lithuania

MSG Football

Gretchen Foster

Anna Saraity

7 - 10 November

Istanbul - Turkey

HSB Football

Ric Floyd

Rachel Kelley

6- 10 November

Riga - Latvia

HSG Football

Katy Hourston

Corie Jason

31 October - 3 November

Baku - Azerbaijan

MS HS BG Cross Country

Michael Holland

Molly Unterseher, Pam York

31 October - 3 November

Kyiv - Ukraine

We look forward to a great year ahead for the PSI Panthers!

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Balance in the Library: An All-Round Approach We are very proud of the library collection and the level of balance we feel it represents. Across both Primary and Secondary School libraries, the collection is divided equally between fiction and nonfiction titles and also contains a sizeable number of titles in other languages, including Ukrainian, Russian, Spanish, Dutch, French, German and Korean. The library offers information and entertainment materials through a variety of mediums both digital and print, as well as in audio visual format.

by Pam York and Polina Spencer, PSI Librarians

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BALANCED

T

he library physical space is used for a variety of activities and students.

Teachers and staff can be found researching, relaxing, working in groups, studying independently, playing games, and being creative in the makerspace.

Our collection represents a wide range of interests and passions that fall both in and out of curriculum content areas, and student input into new titles is always welcomed. Readers extend their understanding of other cultures, places and people by reading widely. We all have different stories to tell, based upon our varying ages, backgrounds and values of our societies.

As Lydon Johnson said about books: They are ‘the most effective weapon against intolerance and ignorance’ (Brussell, 1988).

Students are encouraged to try out materials in different genres, both fiction and nonfiction, which may take them out of their comfort zone but broaden their horizons.

Through seeking diverse perspectives and looking for both sides of an argument, students will gain a balanced understanding of a problem or situation.

Literature has always offered both a means of escape and a support mechanism for readers.

Within books, you can find many voices and experiences that may echo your own narrative or offer guidance in a time of need. Books can be more than a story that enlightens, instructs or entertains. Books can be hope.

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CAS

by Tatiana Isakova CAS Coordinator

PROVIDES BALANCE The Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) Programme by its nature assumes that IB Diploma Programme (DP) students participate in a variety of projects aimed at educating the whole person. The CAS Programme fosters a student to step out of the academic area and learn through experience.

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et’s explore the essence of CAS through one example. A student works hard on 6 academic subjects, and plans to become a scientist in the future. Being a CAS student, she challenges herself and takes one of the leading roles in the PSI winter drama production. She also finds time and participates on a school sports team. In addition, this student steps forward and leads the project aimed at helping local kindergartens to equip their playground areas.

BALANCED

This example clearly shows that CAS is all about being balanced. First of all, it is about balancing three CAS strands and balancing the student’s time and energy between academic and core component of the IB Programme. However, many other aspects are included in CAS. While participating in CAS projects, students work in teams. Keeping balance in interpersonal relationships, role distribution, decision making and levels of responsibility are all components of the project’s success.

Participation in CAS projects also helps the students to develop new skills, and many kids are keen to become CAS team leaders. Keeping a wise balance in the interaction between the team and its leader is a skill that students learn in CAS, and for many of them, it becomes a life-long skill.

At PSI, students join existing projects and initiate new ones every year. It is also about keeping a balance in students’ interest and initiatives, and also between experienced participants and kids new to the programme.

This year, the students initiated two new projects.

One of them is the CAS Media project. Students are planning to use modern instruments to communicate information about CAS projects and events. One more group launched the Inclusive Education project. Team members will support Orphanage #9 in a variety of areas. This project will require the development of multiple skills.

There will be activities for kids with severe hearing problems. It also will include exploring orphans’ needs for equipping a classroom for kids with Down Syndrome. Students will face in this project many challenging situations, and in this project a balance between students’ decisions and a CAS supervisor’s thoughtful contribution is very important. The same can be said about all CAS projects.

CAS is at the heart of the Diploma Programme and opens opportunities to enjoy a range of activities involving physical, creative and service experiences, and, as a result, helps to develop a balanced, well-educated person.

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ALUMNI An exclusive interview with Sarah Lain, PSI Alumna from the Class of 2004.

by Nikita Vasyliev Communications Officer

How long you were a PSI student and when did you graduate?

I attended PSI from 2002 - 2004 (Grades 11 and 12).

Fifteen years after your graduation fromPSI, how has your life changed?

My life has changed a lot! Although I seem to be back in Ukraine‌It took me quite a long time to find the area of work I was interested in. My approach to finding a career was trial and error.

It even took me a while to figure out that I was fascinated by this region (Ukraine and other post-Soviet countries) and wanted my work to be connected with it.

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BALANCED

Where did you study, what was your major, and why did you choose this major and this particular University?

I studied history at the University of Cambridge.

I think I applied to do history because I enjoyed analysing and writing; I was relatively good at it in high school; and I also had an inspirational History teacher at PSI - Mr Rowland Jepson.

We know that you recently moved back to Ukraine and started to work for a Swiss-based conflict mediation organisation, focused on the Donbas. What motivated you to take this step? What is your role in this organisation?

I had worked in the region for a while in my career, starting off in the private sector and then working at a think tank. All of this was in London with frequent travel, particularly to Russia and Central Asia.

I was desperate to get abroad and live in one of the countries that I was working on. A job came up in Kyiv, and I jumped at the chance.

I work as a research advisor and coordinated research that we use to design our dialogue processes. All our work focuses on supporting conflict resolution in eastern Ukraine.

If you could express your thoughts on how PSI helped you to become who you are today, what would you say?

Do you keep contacts with some PSI friends?

I certainly try to. I have connected with a few PSI former students in London and here in Kyiv.

What advice would you give to our IB DP students, who are our future alumni?

Leaving school can be hard. Whether it’s to university, a job, or something else, it’s a big step. But the first step doesn’t necessarily define everything else in life. There will be many opportunities to adapt and change a situation if it doesn’t feel right. It may take a while, but if there is something that you feel truly passionate about, then there will be a job or life linked to it.

But it may take longer to find, and possibly more persistence than you expect. It’s also perfectly okay if work is just working and there are other things in life that help fulfil you.

Regardless, spending time at PSI will be an asset that gives you a headstart on some of these things.

Living in Ukraine developed my fascination for the former Soviet countries. It is where I started learning Russian, which has helped me immensely in my career.

Doing the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme at PSI helped me get into Cambridge, which has an excellent programme. Of course, at PSI, I also made life-long friends.

Any plans for the future?

I’m trying to plan a bit less for the future and enjoy what I’m doing at the moment.

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