2009-2010

8th Grade School Trip to Xanten with Lots of Exclamation Marks

As reported by Grade 8 Student Ana:

After an early lunch it was finally time to go to Xanten on our school trip with 21 class members, Miss Francey and Mr Otto. Luckily for us a sunny and warm weekend was predicted and everyone going on the trip was excited. When we arrived at the youth hostel we couldn't believe our eyes! The youth hostel was nice and new and when we went to dinner we were surprised that the food was awesome and even better we didn't need to wash our own dishes!

On Saturday Miss Francey woke us up early and we walked down to the lake and went water skiing and then after lunch we went windsurfing. The water skiing was so much fun but the lake itself was freezing! I can only find one word to describe the experience – awesome! The girls all seemed more talented at water skiing, as many of the boys didn't even master the art of the take off! Some people even did it with two people and that was amazing fun! Wind surfing was a little more difficult but some people in the class were able to do it really well. After all the fun we went back to the youth hostel and played volleyball on the courts they had there. Then we had another delicious buffet dinner and then some of us went on a walk into the town of Xanten with Miss Francey. Most of the shops were shut but we went to the old mill and then to the church. Afterwards, we went to a cafe for a drink and some ice cream!

The next day before we got on the bus to head back to school we had one more activity to master – climbing! It was a climbing course 15 meters above the ground and it was really exciting. We even had the chance to be pulled high up by a rope and then drop into a swing! A quick photo and we headed back to school in the bus. Many people were exhausted and immediately fell asleep. It was by far the best class trip ever!

Lecture and Presentation Evening About China at ISR

The Internationaler Dialog im Rhein-Kreis Neuss e. V. & Deutsch-Chinesische Gesellschaft in Neuss e. V. hosted a Lecture and Presentation Evening “Im Jahrhundert des Drachen – Wie China die Welt verändert und wie die Welt China verändert” (The Century of the Dragon China is changing the world, and how the world is changing China).

The event took place on Tuesday, May 11th 2010 at 7:00 pm. As part of a moderated panel discussion, Dr. Thomas Emmerich of Carl Duisberg Training Center (Bejing), Mr. Yine Zhang of N&H Technology (Kaarst) and Mr. Ming Thong, Frankfurt School of Management and Finance (Frankfurt) discussed the Century of the Dragon in German. Mr. Ludger Baten led the moderation. Afterwards the gentlemen were at the disposal of all those in attendance to deepen the discussion in both German and English, followed by a social gathering with drinks.

Family Fun Day Was Fabulous!

Written By: ISR Mom K. Buckley

ISR celebrated Family Fun Day on Saturday, May 29, 2010 which marked the ending of another ISR school year, but in the tradition of ISR, it emphasized philanthropy, and raised money for multiple charities. The ISR’s Student Life Organization^® and Parent Network organized the day, with help from the parents, teachers and upper-grade students.

Family Fun Day had something to offer everyone. For the more active, there was a Fun Run/Walk, a soccer tournament, a climbing wall, an oversized trampoline, and basketball. For the more cerebral (or the just tired) there were exhibits about ancient American cultures, physics demonstrations, and a glider display. Fun Run entrance fees benefitted the Palm Tree Orphanage in Cambodia.

Love, Help, Save Earth is an ISR sixth grade student-developed charity. The students want ISR to use recycled paper and are raising money for the difference in costs between that and first use paper. The group collected donations and sold decorated t-shirts to raise funds.

The Familienzentrum Weckhoven, a shelter for local families, performed a children’s circus to thank ISR for its generosity throughout the year. In the days leading up to Family Fun Day, ISR students had collected clothes and toys. The Parent Network, with the help of Wabbels transportation, had sent Neusser Familienzentrum three full busloads of donations.

Parents and teachers joined together to help make the day a success. Parents manned the barbeque pits, salad buffet, and the soft-serve ice cream stands, as well as served drinks. A very merry crowd sampled German and American style barbeque, as well as salads and desserts donated by parents. The bake sale proceeds benefitted Wohnverbund Vinzenz von Paul, a local residential home for adults with intellectual disabilities.

The kids were very proud of their hard work, and the parents and grandparents were very proud of the kids. It was a just a joyful day for all of us as we celebrated the end of the ISR school year. Look on ISR's Facebook Fan Page for photos or on YouTube for the Family Fun Day video.

ISR would like to thank the following raffle sponsors and Jünter from Borussia Mönchengladbach who celebrated with the ISR community:

University Offers Already Pouring In

In June, ISR will have its first-ever graduation and nine students (pictured left on 80s Spirit Day) will receive their SABIS^® High School Diploma. From those nine, two will go on to university, having completed their American Advanced Placement (AP) exams, and seven will complete their International Baccalaureate Diploma Program in Grade 13. ISR is pleased to announce that the two AP students have received very positive feedback on their university applications.

One has been accepted at the University of Vermont in Burlington, VT, Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Co, and the notable Boston University. All three universities are in the USA and would give the student the opportunity to study physics. Offers have also been received from the following UK universities: Royal Holloway at University of London, University of Leeds, University of Loughborough, University of Warwick, and University of York.

The other student has been accepted at Columbia College Chicago, University of Kansas, and has been offered a $14,000/year scholarship at Chatham University in Pittsburgh, PA.

So all in all, there were 11 acceptances for two students. And, four of the universities are in the top 100 of the Times Higher's Top 200 Universities list. Congratulations not only to both students but also to their teachers on their well-deserved success!

Grade 1-4 Students Raise Money for Environment and Vietnamese Orphans

Grade 3 students held a Math-a-thon before Spring Break to raise money to bring the EGG Project to their classrooms where they will hatch their own chicks. They were very successful and raised over €470! As part of the Science Curriculum, the students are learning about the life cycle of different birds. The students are donating the extra funds from the Math-a-thon to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), to be used to our planet’s animals.

Thank you to all those Grade 1-4 students who took part in the ISR Spell-a-thon and well done! YOU have raised €1000 for the Palm Tree Foundation. Congratulations to: Kiran Z., Danai R., Tamima L. and Quirinus W. for winning the competition for the most amount of money raised at their grade level.

ISR Girls Under 14 Basketball Team Participates in GISST

ISR hosted its first GISST tournament from March 18th until 20th. The tournament got under way on Thursday evening when the hosting parents collected their charges from other international schools around Germany. After a smooth and uneventful evening, the tournament began for real at 09:00h on Friday morning. The ISR U14 girls were the youngest and most inexperienced of the teams in the tournament and this showed in their first game losing 34 – 0 to the Hanover International School. Despite this, the ISR girls showed great determination. The ISR Team was awarded the Sportsmanship award for their effort. Well done girls!

ISR Team: Lena E. (5), Stella K. (5), Caroline P. (5), Hee-Jin S. (5), Antonia S. (5), Joy F. (6), Cattariena F. (6), Talia M. (6), Luna N. (6), Chenghui P. (6), Jana V. D. B. (7), Hannah C. (7), Victoria D. (7).

The winners of the Tournament were Hanover International School who beat the Bavarian International School 27 – 23 in the final.

Thank you to all staff and students who assisted in any way. A big thank you to all the parents and staff who housed the students from the other international schools. Without your support it would not have been possible to run the tournament. Thank you also to those parents who helped run the kiosk on the Friday and Saturday.

Grade 4 Aztec Work Will Be on Display at Family Fun Day

Over the last two weeks Grade 4 has been researching and discovering the ancient civilization of the Aztecs and will continue to do so for the remainder of the school year. The knowledge gained has been transformed into jewelry, costumes, mosaic pictures, and replicas of Aztec crafts, pottery and much more. They have been bringing history to life and trying to give a taste of what life under the Aztecs would have been like. The children’s work will be exhibited at Family Fun Day, and they hope that you will share their enthusiasm for this era in history.

Annual Open Meeting with Mr. Carl Bistany

On Wednesday, 17th March, ISR hosted its Annual Open Meeting with Mr. Carl Bistany. This year, Mr. Bistany presented an Executive Overview that included topics such as SABIS^® School Network Update, ISR Statistics and Data as a Key to Success; while the main focus of Ms. Lyons' (School Director) presentation was ISR 2009-10 Report Cards. Presentations were also given by SLO™ Prefects on SLO™ News and Developments and by Ms. Terhune (Head of Marketing) on the results of the 2010 SABIS^® Survey (results may be viewed on WebParent). In addition, the audience had the chance to have many of their questions addressed.

Thank you to all those who attended and who contributed in any way to this productive meeting!

Four G9-12 Students Achieve University Level in French Language

In January 2010, four Grade 9-12 ISR students sat the French DELF Exams. In order to prepare for the exams, these students enrolled in the “DELF SLO™ Activity."

DELF (diplôme d’enseignement de langue française) and DALF (diplôme approfondi de langue française) are French diplomas in 6 different levels: A1 (Breakthrough), A2 (Waystage), B1 (Threshold), B2 (Vantage), C1 (Effective operational proficiency) and C2 (Mastery). B2 or above is required to study in French universities. Many international employers expect some knowledge of basic French. In addition, French is the second international business language after English in global organizations (UN, IOC, EU, etc.). For these reasons, DELF is a very useful diploma for the futures of our students.

We are proud of our students, two of whom achieved over 90% at A2 level and two achieved over 80% at B1 level. Félicitations à Patrick B., Ina H., Denise C. et Rakcheev A. pour leur succès aux examens de janvier dernier!

First Grade Visits Under the Sea

Recently first graders completed a unit about life under the sea. Our favorite projects were making sea dioramas and writing about sea animals, wrecks of old ships and treasure chests. Grade 1's favorite sea animal is a sea horse, and their favorite book is the Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister! Well-done to all of our first graders who enjoyed decorating the dioramas with sharks, fish, dolphins, crabs, coral, seaweed, shells and lots of sand!

Grade 10 Student Supports Endangered Region for Next 15 Months

A great thanks to all parents and students, who supported Christina K.’s "Save The Rainforest" project. We collected an incredible amount of 457.28 Euro. Through your contributions we can support an endangered region for the next 15 months. Look out for the next fundraising event on Family Fun Day!

ISR Student Saina K. Wins 3rd Place in the WZ Schulpreis Ceremony

ISR and Grade 12 students Saina K. and Christopher B. walked away with 3rd Place in the 2nd Annual Westdeutsche Zeitung Schulpreis (School Award) ceremony on Wednesday, February 10th at Görresschule Elementary School in Neuss. Saina’s academic support project, Schüler helfen Schülern (students helping students), an initiative to aid students in Rhein-Kreis Neuss whose parents cannot afford after-school tutoring, won over the judges. (For the WZ article in the German language, please click here.)

Saina and her fellow students, Ina H., Rico F. and Chris B., earned the right to be proud of their achievements as they have not only sustained but have also broadened their initiative during its six months.

Every Saturday, eager pupils from the region meet with the ISR Upper Secondary students at Haus Paris and receive academic support lessons in English and German. There is no grade level impossible for the ISR team; they have organized the Saturdays in a way to be able to serve any school age. And, the project only continues to grow. Students in neighboring towns have offered their services to teach as well.

This form of outreach to help fellow students is a further extension of what the SABIS Student Life Organization^® does every academic day at ISR and within the SABIS^® School Network. Saina and her team have simply taken it to another level and are now empowering students outside of ISR while at the same time proving their devotion to their community.

ISR is ecstatic about Saina and her classmates’ dedication and is impressed by the smooth and successful course their project has taken. This has enabled them to make a large, victorious step towards self development and life preparation.

Talented Participants at the Talent Showcase

On Wednesday, February 3rd the ISR Talent Showcase took place which was a big success. A big thank you to all those who helped out with the Talent Showcase. Mr. Theyssen and his crew, Mr. Bunner, and the countless others who put a lot of effort into preparations for this event. Most of all, thank you to all those who performed. The performers put many hours preparing for their performances. And, even some teachers managed to surprise the ISR community with as something as simple as a kazoo! Watch their "commandeering" performance. ISR has amazing talent.

Under 14 Football Team successful in School Football League

Both the Boys Under 14 and 16 Football Teams participated in the 2nd round of School football league on Friday, 29th January. The Under 14 Boys were very successful and won all their matches, well done guys! Unfortunately, the Under 16 Team was not so lucky with a number of injuries affecting their performance. Better luck in the next round!

ISR SLO™ Prefects Visit "Sister Prefects" at ISF

On Tuesday 19th January, a group of ISR SLO™ Prefects visited our sister school, ISF, in Frankfurt. The purpose of the visit was to brainstorm ideas with ISF Senior Prefects and discuss SLO™ issues.

The visit was a big success and both groups of students had valuable learning experiences. It is hoped that Frankfurt will come and visit us next school year.

Visit from the ISF and Lebanon SABIS^® IT Teams

On January 19th, we were pleased to welcome the SABIS^® IT Team from Lebanon and ISF, Mr. Elie Dagher, Mr. Vassili Athanassiou, Mr. Serge Bakhos and Mr. Gilmour Lothian; and SABIS^® Regional Director, Mr. Salah Ayche. The SABIS^® IT Team presented an overview of the new modules and enhancements of the SSMS (SABIS^® Student Management System), while Mr. Ayche met with academic coordinators and administrators to discuss academic related issues. It was a very pleasant and productive visit for both ISR and SABIS^® officials.

Another Successful Year for ISR with IGCSE External Exams

In June 2009, ISR Secondary students did the International General Certificates of Secondary Education exams (IGCSEs) in 13 different subjects. The IGCSE was developed by the University of Cambridge International Examinations (CIE).

From the 78 tests taken, 87% received a passing grade of C ("befriedigend") or higher, with 15% receiving a perfect score of A+ ("sehr gut+"). In Foreign Language French and Foreign Language Spanish, there was no score lower than an A+ ("sehr gut+"), and in Physics no score lower than an A (“sehr gut”). In addition, 100% of the tests taken in Chemistry, Economics, English as a 2nd Language, English Literature, German as a 1st Language, and Mathematics received a passing grade of C or higher. (To see a larger version of the accompanying chart, please click on it.)

ISR congratulates its dedicated teachers, hard-working students and applauds the SABIS^® curriculum in being a solid training ground for ISR Secondary School students.

Winter Concerts Resounding Success

ISR Winter Concerts which took place on Wednesday, December 16 and Thursday, December 17 were once again a resounding success thanks to the extraordinary work of ISR music teacher, Dr. Swartz and her team. Their hard work led to two wonderfully enjoyable shows. Thank you to all those who contributed to and supported the event, including PN Reps, SLO™ Prefects and our ever helpful maintenance team.

The music department would like to thank all of the students, parents, teachers and administration for their support with the winter concerts. The children did a wonderful job, and felt proud to receive so much support from their peers and the adults around them!

ISR Football Team Wins at School Football League

The ISR U16 boy’s football team competed in the first round of the school football league on 4th December. The boy’s first two games at the Cage Ball Center, Düsseldorf, were against Comenius Schule Ratingen and RS Luisenstrasse. The boy’s played extremely well beating Comenius Schule Ratingen 9-1 and then following that victory they beat RS Luisenstrasse 9-5. Thanks to Mr. Mueller and Mr. Kyei for coaching and accompanying the boys. You can check up on all the action online at www.schul-liga.de.

Good Outcome for ISR Chess Club at Neusser Schools Chess Tournament

On 4th December, the ISR Chess Club went to Grevenbroich to compete in a chess competition for surrounding German schools. Representing ISR in this event were Jonas M. (4), Sven K. (10), Kevin K. (7), Areeb M. K. (9), Helias B. (4), and Philipp L. (11). The school had an outstanding performance with the smallest and youngest team in the tournament. The team finished in 5th place out of 9 teams overall, both Kevin and Areeb finished in the top 15, and Sven finished tied for 3rd overall. This was definitely an outstanding performance and a promising result as the Chess Club continues to recruit new players. Thank you to Mr. Oldham for accompanying the students.

ISR Badminton Team Competes at GISST

On 4th and 5th December, the ISR Badminton teams traveled to Hannover to compete in the GISST Badminton tournament. The boys played hard and showed a lot of spirit on their way to a fifth place finish. The girl’s team finished third with Ina H. placed third and Saina K. finished second in their group and Saina advanced to the knock-out round, where she played hard but ended up losing to her opponent from Bonn. Thank you to Mr. Cottingham and Ms. Kennedy for accompanying the students.

Tournament Players: Ina H. (11); Denise C. (12); Saina K. (12); Rico F. (12); Doga B. (10); Philip G. (9); Vincent B. (9).

ISR Students compete at 3 GISST Football Tournaments (Bavaria, Berlin and Bonn)

On 4th and 5th November, it was Varsity Boys at Bavarian International School. Team: Christopher B. (12), Lucas C. (10), Philip G. (9), Malte B. (11), Fynn H. (11), Henry P. (10), Pascal G. (11), Hans N. (11), Tilman S. (10), Alexander L. (11), Nicolas G. (12), and Casper B. (9). While the scores were humbling, it was a great experience for the boys, where they showed great spirit in competing against the other established international schools, and never gave up. The highlights were Lucas C.'s scoring ability, Alex L.'s unorthodox goalkeeping skills, and excellent displays of hardwork and scrambling in defence from Nico, Chris and Hans. Many thanks to Mr. Ayre and Mr. O'Brian for accompanying the students on the trip!

The Under 14 Boys tourney was in Berlin. Team: Areeb K. (9), Lukas B. (8), Moritz H. (5), Can C. (7), Christopher P. (7), Shunnosuke Y. (9), Lorenz F. (7), David K. (9), Johannes F. (9), Fritz T. (7) and Josef S. (7). Pupils arrived at the football ground to find out they were in the same group as sister school ISF (Frankfurt), Stuttgart and Berlin International School. The first game was an even encounter resulting in a hard fought 2-2 draw with ISF. The second game resulted in a 5-1 loss to Berlin International School. The boys regained their confidence to bounce back with a 3-2 victory over Stuttgart to take ISR into a semi-final game against Berlin Brandenburg School. In a competitive semi-final ISR lost after BBS scored with the last touch of the game to win 1-0. The last two games were played with LOADS of encouragement from ISF. Thank you, sister school! The boys then went on to finish 4th place after abandoning the 3rd/4th playoff due to ISR going down to 9 boys. Well done! Thank you to Mr. Saunders and Mr. Müller for chaperoning the boys.

The Under 14 Girls tournament was in Bonn. Team: Luna N. (6), Ann-Cathrin R. (6), Carolin S. (7), Luca G. (7), Joy F. (6), Nelly C. (6), Lea Dou Dou K. (7), Svenja G. (8), Judith E. (7), Kathrin K. (8) and Jelena L. (7). It was fantastic to see that the under 14 girls played with high spirit in their first GISST tournament. Although suffering a big loss in their first game, the girls were very keen in the following games. The highlight of the weekend was meeting and competing against ISF in a game that finished in a tie. We have laid a good foundation for a start in GISST and we are looking forward to the next tournament. Well done girls! Thank you to Ms. Schneider and Mr. Oldham for chaperoning the girls.

International Day 2009 with a Literary Theme

ISR celebrated International Day on Saturday 7th November and had the pleasure to welcome almost 1000 visitors, including ISR families and friends and interested families. This year, teachers and students decided to incorporate a literary theme that linked all the activities and presentations throughout the school. Our focus countries this year were China - stories and painted text, England- in the time of Robin Hood, a character from the Grade 3 Class Reader, Greece – Mythology and Legends, Russia – poems, folk tales and dance, Czech and Slovak Republics - interpretations of fairy tales.

Grades 5 and 6 presented shadow-puppet-theater interpreting the Grimm Brother Tales while Grades 7 and 8 highlighted the moral story behind Aesop's Fables. In the Upper Secondary School, Grade 9 students presented a historical background to some of the more familiar nursery rhymes while Grade 10 and 11 students dramatized their interpretation of Greek Gods, Goddesses, and Superstitions. Many of the activities were organized and led by students.

This year, SLO™ and Mr. Tarrant organized a Balloon Race as the Term 1 Kenya Project fundraising event. How did the Balloon Race work? Balloons, together with ISR postcards were sold to ISR families and friends the week prior to as well as on International Day (November 2nd – 7th). On Saturday 7th November at 14:30 h, during International Day, the balloons were released and the owners of the top three balloons that travel to the furthest point from ISR and are returned to ISR within a 6-week period will receive a prize.

At each International Day festival, students are greeted in the ISR foyer and given passports to "travel" to the different regions. Once they accumulate all 7 stamps, they entered their passports in a raffle to be drawn for a prize. ISR thanks the following sponsors who donated the 2009 raffle prizes: Schillings & Reichhardt GmbH Steuerberatungsgesellschaft (who sponsored the top prize), MediaMarkt Neuss, Wellneuss, and Zamek Nahrungsmittel GmbH & Co. KG.

A sincere thank you to all those involved in this event, including; students and teachers of Kindergarten through Grade 12; the Marketing Team - for their wonderful organization and to Center.TV for covering the event, International Day report on Center.TV; PN - for great food and amazing support, especially to Mrs. Riemer, the PN liaison for this event; SLO™ prefects who were very engaged and supportive, SLO™ - the balloon race activity produced great excitement helping to raise over 900 Euros for charity; the maintenance department, security and cleaning staff for all your help before and after the event. The collaborative effort led to another great event.

ISR announces the launch of the Remarkable People Lecture Series

Both Creativity, Action and Service (CAS) and Theory of Knowledge (TOK) emphasize the importance of reflection and developing self-awareness. CAS reflection flows from experience, from thinking about how an activity feels and what it means to be involved. In TOK the approach to knowledge issues tends more toward the abstract and theoretical. The links can nevertheless be very close.

In an effort to provide ISR's upper secondary students and teaching staff with stimulating food for thought, the CAS and TOK departments is launching the Remarkable People Lecture Series.

Drawing from a vast pool of fascinating guest speakers, this 90-minute event is designed to offer unique glimpses of unusual people's lives, including artists, athletes, businessmen, scientists, among many others, to change the way you look at the world.

The first guest speaker will be professional football player Carsten Ramelow in the beginning of November.

Upper Secondary students participate in LMUNA

On October 9, students Philip L. (11), Leon F. (10), Saina K. (12), Corinna B. (11A), Philipp S. (12), Rico F. (12) and Marc D. (12) represented ISR as the Japanese delegation at the Lorentz Lyceum Model United Nations Conference in Arnhem, NL. This was a three-day MUN conference held with this year`s theme Technology and Innovation and an incredible body of work put on by the Arnhem Lyceum. About 200 students from around the globe participated on behalf of their respective 13 schools. The organization done by the students at Lorentz was phenomenal.

A United Nations model gives the delegates the opportunity to experience how the actual United Nations works, and it helps them to see world issues from different points of views. Furthermore, it encourages students to practice their debating skills and to speak exclusively in English in public. We are very proud of our students who represented ISR at this international conference who were divided into groups such as the Security and Economic and Social councils, the Disarmament, Political, Human Rights, and Environment committees and two special conferences on food and media.

ISR was representin' at Berlin British School's GISST Cross Country

On the weekend of October 9 and 10, thirteen ISR students represented ISR at the GISST X Country tournament held at the Berlin British School. The students were accompanied by Mr. Berge, Under 14 Cross-Country SLO™ activity leader. Congratulations to all the runners and well done to Brian K. who came 5th in the Varsity Boys event and the Under 14 Girls who came 4th overall in their team event.

The following students represented the school: Brian K. Grade 10; Doga B., Grade 1; Philip G. Grade 9; Heiko Z. Grade 9; Niklas O. Grade 8; Benedikt L. Grade 8; Leonie S. Grade 8; Céline B. Grade 8; Simon C. Grade 7; Jara S. Grade 7; Jessica K. Grade 7; Catharina G. Grade 6; Robert V. Grade 5. Thank you Mr. Berge, Mr. Saunders and Mr. Childers for preparing the students for the competition!

SLO Holds its First Lock-In

The first-ever ISR SLO™ Mini-Camp/Lock-In took place on Friday, October 2 from 19:00-07:00 hrs. Yes, you read that correctly. The concept behind it is to promote the SLO™ team spirit, reinforce the theme “Exceeding Expectations” and help create a lasting bond between students and teachers while having a great time playing sport, watching videos, enjoying a pizza party at 22:00h, a luxurious breakfast at 06:30 and staying overnight at school.

The Mini-Camp/Lock-In was in the Sports Hall and was supervised by teachers and staff and included 40 enthusiastic students in grades 5 through 12. Presentations given by Saina K. (G12), Head Prefect, and Doga B. (G10), Deputy Head Prefect, were on the core aspects of the SLO™ programme, namely: “Being Proactive” and “Choosing Your Attitude”. Thank you to Saina and Doga for leading the presentations. An excellent job done! Also thank you to Rico F. (G12); Phil B. (G8) and Ann-Catherine R. (G6) for their help setting up the camp on the Friday evening and for their contribution to making this a successful and enjoyable event.

ISR performs at Japanese International School Düsseldorf

Thirty-two ISR students performed at the Japanese International School of Düsseldorf in Oberkassel on Sunday, September 27th at 12:30 p.m. ISR appreciated the opportunity not only to attend JISD's Schulfest but also to be able to perform for the JISD community. Special thanks to all of the ISR students who performed at JISD; the performances were beautiful and well-received by the audience.

Thanks also goes to the parents who provided transportation to and from the event and for giving moral support in the audience. ISR also thanks the Parent Network for donating ISR polo shirts.

ISR students are winners at Neuss Cross Country Tourney

On Saturday, September 26, at the Neuss schools Cross Country Tournament, a committed number of students took part in the run, and ISR is pleased to announce that it won the team event in the category of 14-year-old boys thanks to Doga B., Heiko Z. and brother Nils Z. Daniel K. (Gr. 5) came in 3rd place in his 10/11 age group. Congratulations to the boys and well done to all our runners!

Another Successful Year for ISR with IGCSE External Exams

In June 2009, ISR Secondary students did the International General Certificates of Secondary Education exams (IGCSEs) in 13 different subjects. The IGCSE was developed by the University of Cambridge International Examinations (CIE).

From the 78 tests taken, 87% received a passing grade of C ("befriedigend") or higher, with 15% receiving a perfect score of A+ ("sehr gut+"). In Foreign Language French and Foreign Language Spanish, there was no score lower than an A+ ("sehr gut+"), and in Physics no score lower than an A (“sehr gut”). In addition, 100% of the tests taken in Chemistry, Economics, English as a 2nd Language, English Literature, German as a 1st Language, and Mathematics received a passing grade of C or higher. (To see a larger version of the accompanying chart, please click on it.)

ISR congratulates its dedicated teachers, hard-working students and applauds the SABIS^® curriculum in being a solid training ground for ISR Secondary School students.

ISR Celebrates More Than 500 Students in the School

It seems like yesterday ISR was celebrating 400 students under one roof and now it's already surpassed 500 and well on its way to 600. This couldn't be achieved without its great teachers and administration, the SABIS^® curriculum and its parent body who keeps spreading the good word about ISR.

The approach at a SABIS^® school is such that no student fails in peace; there is a team of teachers, Academic Quality Coordinators, a Student Life Coordinator and a Student Management Coordinator giving constant encouragement and motivation with specialized academic and social support to each and every ISR student. No wonder ISR keeps growing!

Always at the Center of Current Events

WDR came to visit ISR at the end of last year to round out a report about the upcoming European Union parliament elections. A class of ISR students had the possibility to share their opinions about what it means to be a citizen of the EU and work closely with the WDR editors. The students expressed themselves about Europe and the European community and what it brings to their lives.

ISR Kicks Off the IB Diploma Programme

On Thursday, June 18, everyone involved with the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (students, teachers, administrative staff) gathered in the gym to find a giant hexagon on the floor. The six corners of the hexagon represent the different academic fields covered by the IB Diploma Programme: First Language, Second Language, Individuals and Societies, Experimental Sciences, Mathematics and Computer Science, and the Arts.

The center of the hexagon contained CAS (Creativity, Action and Service), the Extended Essay and TOK (Theory of Knowledge), hence the three core components of the IB Diploma Programme. IB teachers stood at the corner representing their subject. The idea behind this informal setting was to give students and teachers an opportunity to talk and for students to get briefed on the challenges ahead.

These are exciting times at ISR. There is no turning back now. The ISR IB Diploma Programme has officially begun!

Another Superb Result for ISR from NRW German Language Screening
Noch mal ein überragendes Ergebnis bei der NRW-Spracherhebung der 4-jährigen

For the third consecutive year, ISR Kindergarten students achieved a success rate of 95%+ in the North Rhine Westphalia (NRW) Language Screening Tests which are required of all children prior to Primary School entrance. The ISR screening tests were conducted in March 2009. The ISR Kindergarten is english-speaking and has an academic program with daily lessons in English, math and German and lots of playtime.

Im Rahmen der Sprachstanderhebung des Landes NRW bei dem Kinder, die 3 Jahre vor der Einschulung stehen auf ihre Deutsch-Kenntnisse getestet werden, konnte die ISR ein überragendes Ergebnis erzielen: 96% aller Kinder des schuleigenen Kindergartens bestanden den Test, der in März 2009 in der ISR unter behördlicher Aufsicht stattfand, auf Anhieb. Im ISR Kindergarten wird außer im Deutsch-Unterricht, der täglich auf dem Stundenplan steht, Englisch gesprochen.

Grade 12 Saina Klein Kicks Off Free Tutoring Program

ISR Grade 12 student Saina K. launched a community service project along with classmate Rico F. to assist students who would otherwise not have extra academic support in German and English. The project is the part of Saina's International Baccalaureate Diploma Program called CAS (Creativity, Action, Service).

Fellow ISR students in grades 11 and 12 have already joined Saina to offer these sessions every Saturday morning. Not your typical way to spend Saturday morning in your teens!

Denise Colley is the best in Mathematics in all of Germany!

In June 2008, ISR Secondary students took their first external exams: the International General Certificates of Secondary Education (IGCSEs). IGCSE was developed by the University of Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) and can be taken in different subjects by students between the ages of 14 and 16. The results were released the week of 11 August 2008.

From the 10 tests taken, all received a passing grade of C ("befriedigend") or higher, with 50% receiving a perfect score of A+ ("sehr gut+"). In Mathematics, there was no score lower than A ("sehr gut") with 75% scoring A+ ("sehr gut+")

But, it was now-Grade 11 student Denise C. who received a Brilliance in Germany award from the University of Cambridge because she "gained the highest mark in Germany in the June 2008 Cambridge IGCSE examinations for Mathematics (without coursework)," wrote Ann Puntis, Chief Executive, University of Cambridge International Examinations in mid-April 2009.

A hearty congratulations to not only Denise but also Mick Ayre, ISR Head of Math. Your hard work really paid off!

Latest Happenings from University Counsellor

Information and Calendar Dates for School Year 2009–2010

Important information in preparation for the school year can be downloaded:

• School Calendar 2009-2010 (PDF)
• Books and Supplies List 2009-2010 in English and German (PDF)

Open House for 2009-10 Enrollments

Thursday, August 20, 2009
14:00 – 16:00 hrs
Open House gives parents and students a chance, if they wish, to drop by at their convenience between 14:00 and 16:00 hrs to check their homeroom assignments, to meet teachers and to look around the building.

Upon arrival, please locate the student's name and homeroom on the notice board in the Foyer just inside the main entrance. Please be aware that when forming homeroom sections at the start of each new school year, first and foremost is the goal to form groups that are equally balanced by the academic achievement level of its members based on the previous year’s performances.

Of secondary consideration is the mixture of boys and girls, new and returning students, and language abilities. Social factors are seldom a factor in forming sections as there are opportunities throughout the day for friends to meet within and between grade/section levels.

First Day of School

Monday, August 24, 2009
08:20h, Grades 5 to 12
Students in Grades 5 to 8, upon arrival, should wait for the bell on the playground and will be picked up by their teachers. Grade 9 to 12 students may report directly to their homeroom. This first day will be a full day for everyone – ending at 16:10h with the possibility of staying in the Extended Day program until 18:00h.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009
08:15h, Grades 2 to 4
Grade 2 to 4 students, upon arrival, should wait for the bell in their designated area (on the Primary Playground). This first day will be a full day for everyone – ending at 15:20h with the possibility of staying in the Extended Day program until 18:00h.

08:45h, Grade 1
The Grade 1 students and their families will start their first day of Primary School at 8:45h in the cafeteria with a brief, traditional German welcome ceremony ending no later than 10:00h.

During this ceremony, Grade 1 students will receive a traditional "Schultüte" which the Primary German Department will kindly supply. This is a large conical bag of sweets and school supplies given to children on their "Erster Schultag" (first day) of school. Families are invited to join their children for this special occasion. The Grade 1 students will have a "normal" school day after the welcome ceremony – ending at 15:20h with the possibility of staying in the Extended Day program until 18:00h.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009
08:20h, Kindergarten
Students and parents, upon arrival, should wait in the Foyer near the KG pinboards until called to the classrooms at 08:20. This first day will be a full day for everyone – ending at 15:20h with the possibility of staying in the Extended Day program until 18:00h.

Back-to-School Night

Tuesday, September 8, 2009,
19:00 – 20:30hrs
KG through Grade 12 parents
This is an opportunity for parents to meet teachers and hear a brief presentation about the curriculum their child(ren) will study this school year.