Newsletter October 09– October 13, 2023

IAS Bulletin October 09 – 13, 2023 

  News 

 We are delighted to announce that Edyta Dzierzbicka (Full-time) and Paulina Skiba (Part-time) have been secured to teach German to our middle and high school students. We wish to thank Agnieszka Kozaczyńska for her work in covering lessons during September but unfortunately, her availability for October was too limited to continue with. 

The addition of both Edyta and Paulina will allow for the separation of German B and Ab initio as well as the creation of an advanced German-level class for Grade 10.  

All of these classes now appear on the new school schedule. 

Passing the IB Coordinator torch  

The administration would like to thank Dr. McBride for his tireless work in this role throughout the last 8 years. Dr. McBride has overseen the large expansions of the IB Diploma Program (IBDP) at IAS in terms of student numbers and subject choices. He has led the school through two IB 5-year reviews with excellent feedback. He has also done trojan work in formalizing the Extended Essay (EE) writing process which has improved outcomes for students.  

Dr. McBride has worked at IAS for over 14 years now and we are delighted that he will continue in his new capacity. He will teach English in Grades 10 – 12 and take over the newly created role of EE Coordinator. His new email address is kmb@ias.edu.pl 

 Our new IB Coordinator, Tomasz Bednarczyk, formally started on October 1st. Tomasz has been teaching English for over a decade now and has extensive experience in the IB program. His certifications span both MYP (Middle Years Program), with a background in language acquisition and project supervision, as well as DP (Diploma Program), with specializations in both English A and English B. He is also an official IB examiner for the Individual Oral and Paper 1 for English A.  

 Since joining IAS, Tomasz’s knowledge and enthusiasm for the IB program have been apparent. His teaching philosophy is centered on fostering a well-rounded education that not only focuses on academic knowledge but also places significant emphasis on students’ personal growth and global understanding. In the classroom, he nurtures inquisitive minds and encourages students to explore topics deeply and critically, while tailoring the learning experience to their individual needs. Outside the classroom, he is often seen interacting with teachers to support their subjects. By promoting the teachers and the global perspectives found in an international school environment, he hopes to equip our students with the skills and mindset to become thoughtful, open-minded, and socially responsible individuals in our interconnected world. 

 Outside of his IB duties, Tomasz is deeply passionate about the arts. He has spent years teaching film-making to youth groups and has organised intensive theatre programs for numerous schools/organisations. We feel so fortunate to have him join our community and look forward to seeing how he continues to enrich our school!  

Student Body President election 

 The final Student Body President debates were held at D18 on Thursday followed by a vote on Friday.  

The votes have been counted and the result is: 

 Spoiled votes: 9% 

 Ines and Emma: 36% 

Marta and Bruno: 54% 

Congratulations to Marta and Bruno! We look forward to working with you throughout this year. They have won the election, but they will be accountable to their promises and the expectations of the role. 

Our commiserations to Ines and Emma. They ran an excellent campaign and I’m sure they will still have much to contribute to the school.   

Finally, we would like to comment on the level of spoiled votes, that is votes that were deliberately invalid, are of great concern to us and should be of concern to the student body in general. It would typically be around 1 – 2%, not 9%! We hope that Marta and Bruno and the council of class presidents will take actively work on the perceived issues that are causing this. 

D12 Sports Day 

On the 6th of October, D12 had Sports Day! It was a fantastic event! First, students in grades K-4 were split into their house teams. They then participated in a warm-up before competing in a variety of relays and other sports-themed activities. We ended the event with a sports game that everyone loved. It was a day filled with teamwork, smiles, and a whole lot of fun!  

A huge thank you to our amazing PE teachers, Mr. Jan and Miss Marika, for organizing such a fun-filled day! 

D12 Learner of the Month – Inquirer 

At Dembego 12, we continue to recognize learners of the month based on the IB learner profile. In September, teachers chose the inquirers in their classes who deserved acknowledgement. We would also like to give a shout-out to Miss Malgorzata Sypniewska, our Art teacher for being the most inquisitive teacher! 

In Kindergarten the most inquisitive student is Esther. Esther has a naturally curious mind and is eager to learn; during lessons, but also throughout our day at school. Esther asks many questions to understand how things work and often those questions broaden our class discussions and lead to us to new discoveries. Congratulations Esther! 

In first grade this September, our inquirer of the month is Amina! Amina is a very curious student. She asks many questions and always tries to learn as much information as possible during lessons and everyday situations. Congratulations Amina! Stay curious! 

Adnan showed a curious mind this month. He likes to understand how things work and asks questions. He likes to know more, for example by studying a book about mushrooms. Stay curious Adnan! 

Rayna is a student with natural curiosity. When she wants to know more, she is willing and eager to ask questions that will lead to new discoveries and understanding. 

Caspian is a very curious student. He asks many thoughtful and insightful questions to broaden his knowledge of a variety of topics. He also searches for answers to his questions on his own and is constantly exploring and discovering new topics and ideas. He contributes positively to our classroom discussions and community with his curiosity. Congratulations, Caspian! 

Swiss Education Group (SEG) talk 

On Friday, 6 October, Swiss Education Group (SEG) visited IAS to speak with our 11th and 12th grade students. Swiss Education Group comprises four elite schools- Swiss Hotel Management School, César Ritz Colleges, Hotel Institute Montreux, and Culinary Arts Academy- all of which are ranked within the top 8 schools globally for hospitality and leisure management. The students began with an activity where they looked at pictures from different social media accounts to determine which brand it could potentially be and the message the brand was trying to convey. The students later learned that each of these successful luxury brands partnered with Swiss Education Group, with these social media accounts largely being run by current and former students of the Swiss Education schools. The presenter then covered the vast opportunities within the business, hospitality, and culinary arts programs at each of the schools. For anyone considering a job in these sectors, this was certainly a valuable experience… and who doesn’t want to hear what it’s like to study in a literal Swiss palace?! 

 Updated class schedule: 

 There are more changes to the schedule for the upcoming week. Ms. Winzeler will post an announcement to Teams when the changes go live. You can access the schedule using the credentials below. 

 Link: schedule.ias.edu.pl 

No password required – just click ‘timetable’ 

If you have trouble seeing the updated version, click on “Regular Timetable” in the upper right corner, and select version “v1.1.15_Oct9”. 

Please Update your information:  

Dear parents & students, if you have changed your address, e-mail address or telephone numbers, please let the office know so that we can update our database to improve communication with you.  

Thank you,
IAS Administration