New Academic Year at ISM
It is with great pleasure that I write this message to you all. I am very happy to be able to welcome so many new families into our Primary Years Programme, as I am happy to welcome all our returning families as well. Our Primary school has been on a steady growth pattern for the past two years and regardless of these trying times, we are keeping that trend for the current year as well. We are staring our year with over 60 students in the Primary Years Programme!
I am also very proud to introduce our new PYP team. We welcome four new homeroom teachers, Ms. Sandra, Ms. Jessica, Ms. Emily, and Ms. Annacie, and Ms. Kelly is returning in her grade 2 class. I am very excited about this new team and can’t wait to begin the year with them. This year we are introducing Digital Citizenship as a dedicated lesson for all PYP students. This is a part of our Approaches to Learning framework and Library Skills.
Digital Citizenship
To make the most of the Internet, kids need to be prepared to make smart decisions. At ISM we will use first: Be Internet Awesome that teaches kids the fundamentals of digital citizenship and safety so they can explore the online world with confidence.
Interland is an adventure-packed online game that makes learning about digital safety and citizenship interactive and fun—just like the Internet itself. Here, kids will help their fellow Internauts combat badly behaved hackers, phishers, oversharers, and bullies by practicing the skills they need to be good digital citizens.
Students will learn to Be Smart, Alert, Strong, Kind, and Brave through various fun activities and problem solving challenges.
Our older students will also use the common sense educations digital citizenship curriculum to ensure social-emotional wellbeing as well as core information technology skills.
ISM Mission Statement
This year embarks our PYP learning community onto a new uncharted territory as we begin the self-study for our IB PYP evaluation. As our mission statement says: At ISM we are learners!
PYP Evaluation
Each IB World School is regularly evaluated to ensure that the standards and practices of its IB programme(s) are being maintained. Evaluation takes place at least once every five years. As part of the process, the school engages in a self-study that is a key element in the school’s continual improvement.
https://www.ibo.org/become-an-ib-school/timeline-and-stages/moving-forward-as-an-ib-world-school/
For us, all this process is part of our ongoing quality assurance. As the implementation of the PYP is a transformative experience for students, schools, and the wider learning community. Having a regular evaluation ensures that ISM as an IB World School delivers the best possible education for our PYP students.