ISP FUND Giving Week 2024

Thanks to the generous contributions to the ISP FUND, the MYP Studio has been equipped with new tools and manipulatives, enhancing the space and fostering an environment where incredible learning experiences can unfold. 

Thanks to the generosity of the donors to the ISP Fund, the Elementary School Support Services team trialled 30 licenses for a new online learning tool called Fast For Word.  This engaging, games-based software supports individual learners in early elementary as they develop and strengthen important skills for learning to read and write.

Thanks to the generous donations of our community through the ISP FUND and in anticipation of the upcoming campus redesign based on the “Campus Roadmap,” we have the chance to experience the impact of new agile ‘furniture pathfinder’ solutions.

It’s not every day that a full 16-piece band comes to school, but when it does, we know it’s the Jazz Dock Orchestra!  Last week, we were delighted to once again welcome this Prague-based big band to ISP, as these professional musicians worked their musical magic within our community.

The Elementary School Elective Programme is now in full swing, and the response from our students in grades 1-5 has been overwhelmingly positive. Students are embracing the opportunity to step outside their comfort zones and explore new areas of interest. This initiative is fostering curiosity, independence, and a genuine passion for learning in our Elementary School.

At ISP, fostering leadership skills in our students is a core commitment. Thanks to the incredible support from our community through the ISP Fund, we’ve launched a comprehensive year-long Upper School Student Leadership Programme facilitated by Aaron Moniz, co-founder of Inspire Citizens.

How do entrepreneurial changemakers go from ideas to solutions for a targeted need for a specific group of people? How do they identify needs, think of solutions that solve problems, evaluate the impact of these solutions and effectively communicate their innovations? These were the challenges our Upper School students addressed in the Entrepreneurial Changemaker elective.

Purchased through the ISP Fund, this hands-on addition to our technological toolkit allows students to apply and stretch their coding skills in new and exciting ways.  Organised by Design and Technology Coaches, Elizabeth Perry and Amy Garrett, and lead Librarian Ligita Calloway, the lunchtime Drone Challenge introduced this exciting technology to our students. The challenge was simple yet thrilling: using block coding, students were tasked with guiding the drones through a series of manoeuvres, from take-offs to mid-air flips to precision landings.

Over the past three years, the Upper School’s Student Council (STUCO) has undergone a remarkable transformation. A robust governance structure has been implemented, fostering student leadership, and various committees have been established to ensure widespread participation from the Upper School community.

A Rigamajig is a creative building tool with a variety of wooden pieces, plastic bolts, screws and connectors to allow students to build anything they can imagine! Elementary students were delighted to experience this new piece of creative equipment, purchased through the generosity of our community through the ISP Fund.

The new Student Life Centre is a vibrant new space on campus, designed for the students by the students! Read on to see how this project came to life through the vision, creativity and determination of our Middle and Upper School students. This hip new hangout was made possible by the generous donations of our community through the ISP FUND. 

From hand-held microscopes revealing the hidden wonders of our surroundings to the indispensable greenhouse nurturing our garden, these additions purchased through the ISP Fund have expanded the possibilities of our Outdoor Learning programme. Throughout the past year, both tools have been invaluable inside and out, sparking a sense of wonder and curiosity in our Elementary School students.

Thanks to the incredible generosity of our ISP Fund donors, ISP is able to deliver unique programmes and exceptional resources above and beyond what tuition can fund. One of these initiatives was the recent visit by technology expert, educator, and digital wellness specialist, Patrick Green. Patrick shared his knowledge and insights with ISP students, parents, and teachers during his visit in April 2023. 

Grade 4 has recently launched their “Sharing the Planet” Unit of Inquiry, where they delve into various ecosystems worldwide. During the initial curriculum planning, teachers were inspired by the idea of students experiencing these ecosystems firsthand. Fortunately, we have a set of top-notch VR goggles to make this a reality!

These tools support students’ curiosity and inquiry while building their real-world skills in coding, design, creative arts, and more. These skills develop in complexity and interactivity as our students move up in age and readiness.

Your gifts through the ISP Fund have enhanced the experience and programmes for our students, including the purchase and implementation of new cutting-edge tools for our Design, Robotics, and Technology Programme, such as the Dobot Robot Arms. 

These tools support students’ curiosity and inquiry while building their real-world skills in coding, design, creative arts, and more. These skills develop in complexity and interactivity as our students move up in age and readiness.

In January of 2023, we were delighted to welcome Aaron Moniz, educational consultant and co-founder of the organization, Inspire Citizens, to ISP. Over the course of his one-week visit, Aaron worked with educators, students, and parents, to support the ISP mission of Inspiring, Engaging, and Empowering all learners to be Curious- Competent-Compassionate Changemakers! It was an incredible week for our community, with many students feeling excited and empowered to progress with their projects for ISP Changemaker Grants, supported by ISP Fund.

One of the main aims of Outdoor Learning in Elementary School is to get students up close to nature, and you can’t get much closer than a worm in your hand! Contributions to the ISP Fund help us work towards this goal by providing additional resources such as gardening equipment, observational tools, and reference books.

The ISP music program engages and inspires students to make music and understand and appreciate live music. We are grateful for the donations of our community to the ISP Fund, in the area of Performing Arts, which sponsored the recent visit to campus by the Prague-based professional Big Band, the Jazz Dock Orchestra!

Design classes are new to the ISP Middle School this year, an addition to the schedule that offers all students an introduction to many exciting design aspects.   In the unit “Designing for Others,” students will learn about the design process and design thinking and apply this knowledge to a real-world problem. In their second Unit of Design Inquiry, students will explore the world of robotics and coding using the new Lego Spike Prime system, purchased thanks to the generosity of our community through the ISP Fund. These STEM-ready Lego units engage the students in the basics of coding while tapping into their problem-solving and creative skills.

Our ISP community is a place of many voices, each accompanied by countless stories. Through this podcast, Falcons on Air, we hope to share the voices and stories of fascinating and inspiring individuals with our community.  All Podcast equipment was purchased from the ISP Fund.

Imagine learning about outer space by stepping on the moon, exploring its nearby craters, and gazing at the stars. How about a trip to Paris and a stroll through the Louvre to spark an interest in the visual arts? These experiences are happening now at ISP. Over the last few weeks, our Tech and Innovation Coaches have unveiled the newest addition to the Idea Lab: the VR (Virtual Reality) and AR (Augmented Reality) headsets purchased from gifts to the ISP Fund. These incredible devices can transport students to any location on earth (or beyond!), presenting opportunities that inspire the imagination and bring learning to life on a whole new level.