The Eagle Beat
October 7, 2022
October:
11 Pre-School Assembly 9 AM
12 PSAT 9AM
13 End of Quintile 1
13-14 Parent/Teacher Conferences – Half Day
17-21 Fall Break – NO SCHOOL
Director's Message
Dear BIS Families,
This week we are excited to share a new pilot project on campus. A secondary student took the initiative to work with other students in producing a campus news show that is shared with the entire campus. The first episode aired this Friday. The older students did an amazing job including the younger students on the project. We hope the news show becomes a routine event on campus. This will be a fantastic way to highlight successful projects and advertise upcoming events. If you see the hosts of the show on campus, please let them know they did a fantastic job.
Next week are our Parent/Teacher conferences! This is an exciting time for parents to come in and meet with the teachers to discuss the progress of your child’s work. Our children are our most precious beings to us parents. With this overwhelming emotion, sometimes it can be stressful to ask the best questions for conferences.
To help with being prepared for the upcoming conferences, I turn to an article written by an educator - Rebecca Hasting. She shares a few suggested questions to ask at a parent/teacher conference with an explanation of why it is good to ask. Below is a section from her article. I hope you find it valuable. The link to the original article can be found after the shared section.
“Asking specific questions gives you the opportunity to focus on what is important regarding your child. Areas of study covered or assessment scores can be done quickly and even in other communications. Addressing the following questions will give both you and the teacher a better understanding of your child throughout the year.”
What do you see as an area of strength for my child?
This question focuses the discussion on your child specifically while still giving the teacher the opportunity to evaluate all subjects. Sometimes parents find this answer surprising as kids can show different abilities in the classroom than at home. Once you know these hidden strengths, you can help bring them out in the home as well as at school.
If you could pick one area to focus on improving for my child, what would it be?
Sometimes it is difficult to think about all areas of learning at once. Focusing on one area at a time for improvement helps define the priorities within the classroom. It also gives something concrete to work on at home. It’s a good idea to revisit this question with the teacher throughout the year. Sending an email or utilizing school communication apps is a great way to check in regarding progress as well as give the teacher the opportunity to shift the focus to something new as your child improves.
How does my child contribute to the class atmosphere?
This may seem like an unusual question, but it can provide a lot of information. Different personalities shine in different ways independently, but as you blend 20 unique people together, new sides can be revealed. This will give you an idea of how much your child may contribute to class discussions or how they may be a great helper for another student. Maybe you’ll discover that your child follows directions and models good behavior, or that they provide a funny idea to give everyone a laugh. Asking this question gives insight on how your child’s character comes through in an academic environment. This is especially useful to understand as kids approach middle school, where issues like popularity can impact their learning experience.
Who does my child work well with?
Researchers at Vanderbilt University contend that increasing social skills results in students who are more responsive to academic learning. Giving the teacher the opportunity to look at the social element of learning is just as important as the academics. This can be a good barometer of how a child is doing socially. Understanding who your child is able to work well with at school will help everyone create a more successful learning environment.
How is my child handling the emotional elements of the [post] pandemic?
Beyond following pandemic guidelines, asking specifically about the mental health components of your child is essential. Frequent, open discussion about his or her mental health in relation to the pandemic and overall has never been more important. Talk about any emotional struggles you see and ask the teacher what they see in the classroom. This is a great opportunity to discuss resources like school counseling or lunch groups that may help your child process complex feelings.
Question source: https://www.coloradoparent.com/parent-teacher-conference-questions/
If you have any questions regarding the newsletter or other matters concerning your child's education or safety, please do not hesitate in contacting me.
Have a great weekend.
Sincerely,
Dr. Garner
A note from the Director of Instruction
Parent-Teacher conferences are this week on Thursday and Friday. Dismissal for the students is at 12:00, with conferences running from 1:00-6:00. Thank you to all parents who signed up to come meet with your child's teacher(s). I look forward to seeing so many of you on campus.
During parent-teacher conferences, Dr. Garner, Mr. Lewis and I will be conducting a few informational sessions from 3:00-4:30.
- 3:00-3:30: Dr. Garner will be showing parents how to interpret MAP results.
- 3:30-4:00: I will be reviewing how to help your child pick a "just right" book from the library, based upon MAP results and Fountas & Pinnell levels.
- 4:00-4:30: Mr. Lewis will be going over the status reports and speaking about what you should focus on in order to help your middle school/secondary child prepare for college.
Feel free to pop into these sessions in the auditorium when you have a break in conferences.
From the classroom, Mr. Farkhad’s Middle School/Secondary PE Class
This year in PE class we are trying to place a bigger emphasis on our students’ overall health and fitness level. This aligns perfectly with their first unit of the school year on Fitness/Movement. The students have been challenged to run up to three laps (about 1,200 meters) around the school keeping a comfortable pace without stopping. They have been taught the right breathing techniques as well as keeping the proper level of hydration. Beside that, they’ve been participating in some fitness cardio activities such as sets of mountain climbers, burpees, jumping jacks, etc. They have also been improving their general strength by doing different types of planks, push-ups, squats and sit-ups. Fitness is a crucial, fundamental element in children’s physical development and will play a significant role in their future life.
A Reminder from Nurse Sevda
Dear Parents,
Our school has a written policy to assure the safe administration of medication to students during the school day. If your child must have medication of any type, including over-the-counter drugs, given during school hours please follow the guidelines and instructions below:
- BIS prefers that prescribed medication be administered outside of school hours, whenever possible.
- Under no circumstances will BIS administer any controlled medications.
- Under no circumstances will BIS administer homeopathic medications.
- Parents/guardians will be required to discuss with the school nurse any student requiring prescribed medication during school hours.
- Parents/guardians will be required to complete a medication administration agreement form for each medication to be given.
- Administration of prescription medication is the responsibility of the school nurse and will only be done with a copy of the prescription. The medication and prescription with dosing instructions must be brought to the school health office by a parent/guardian or other responsible adult. Medication must be supplied in the original container.
STUDENTS SHALL NOT CARRY MEDICATION ON THEIR PERSON WHILE IN SCHOOL.
EXCEPTION: A student may possess and self-administer prescription asthma or anaphylaxis medication at school if the parent provides written consent for the student to self-administer the medication at school. Self-administration complies with the prescription written by the student’s healthcare provider.
Minutes from the PSG meeting
Lunch Menu for Oct 10-14
Beach Clean-Up Day
First German Club Meeting!
BIS artists are making a mural in art class!
BIS Important Contacts
School phone number: +994 12 440 66 16
Director of Instruction: Katie Holmquist- katherine-holmquist@baku.qsi.org
Counselor: Michael Lewis- michael-lewis@baku.qsi.org
Business Manager: Parviz Hasanov- parviz-hasanov@baku.qsi.org
Secretary: Gunay Ibrahimli- gunay-ibrahimli@baku.qsi.org
Nurse: Sevda Kerimova- sevda-kerimova@baku.qsi.org
Security/Bus: Hayyam- hayyam-gadjiyev@baku.qsi.org
Lunch: Natavan Hatemi- natavan-hatemi@baku.qsi.org
Parent Support Group (PSG)
How do I stay informed about PSG?
PSG has a WhatsApp group that all parents are welcome to join. This group is used to communicate information as well as gather feedback throughout the year.
Please use the link below or the QR code to join the group.
Want to stay connected with BIS?
BIS WhatsApp Group
This group will be used strictly to communicate general information from BIS to parents. Announcements, updates, reminders, and the weekly newsletter will be sent via this group.
The group is set up as a one-way communication tool, so participants only receive messages but can not respond in the group. This allows BIS to communicate information without the distraction of numerous responses.
To join the BIS WhatsApp group, use the link below or the QR code.
Instagram Nametag
Baku International School
Email: baku@qsi.org
Website: baku.qsi.org
Location: Darnagul Qasabasi Str. Ajami Nakchivani Block 3097 (1.94 mi) Baku, Azerbaijan AZ1108
Phone: +994 12 440 6616
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/qsi.baku