ISL Annual Update 2022-2023

2022 - 2023
ANNUAL UPDATE
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF LATVIA

Table of Contents
Who We Are
Director
Council
International Community
Inquiry Driven
Strategic Plan
Elementary Learning
Secondary Learning
Parent Group
Student Council
Pursuing Passions
After School Activities
Athletics
Music, Art & Design
Service Learning
Campus Growth
Student Achivement
MAP Testing
Globally Minded
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12
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Who We Are
Our
Vision
Inclusive
Collaborative
Empowered
We are an international
community, challenging
students through a holistic,
inquiry-driven program to
nurture resilient, globallyminded
learners.
Our
Values
Our
Mission
Collaborative
Inclusive
Respectful
Holistic
Courageous
Adaptable
Honest
Empowered
Responsible
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Director
ISL's mission to be an international community, challenging
students through a holistic, inquiry-driven program to nurture
resilient, globally-minded learners describes the positive impact
we hope our students will have on the world.
As renowned educational scholar Howard Gardner writes, “I want
my children to understand the world, but not just because the
world is fascinating and the human mind is curious. I want them to
understand it so that they will be positioned to make it a better
place.”
ISL has programs, facilities, and resources that any school would be
proud of. However, we know that the most important ingredient to
student success is having a caring team of teachers, staff, and
parents who collaborate together to support each child.
Thank you for being a part of ISL and for learning more about the
story of our 29th school year through the pages of this Annual
Update.
- Nel Capadona
3

Council
The ISL School Council had a
very productive year. We
collaborated with Rick Detwiler,
a globally-recognized
educational consultant and a
founder of the US Office of
Overseas Schools Good
Governance Project, on a full
audit of our school policies to
condense them and bring them
in line with current best
practice.
We refined internal financial planning and reporting to maximize
efficiency and flexibility and to ensure we correctly balance longterm
sustainability with the ability to move fast in the face of changing
circumstances. But perhaps most importantly, we had the opportunity
to engage repeatedly and meaningfully with the community, not only
at our first Annual General meeting to be held on campus since the
beginning of Covid, but also informally at International Day and
throughout the year. If some students now think the Council stands for
ice cream, that is also a cause for celebration…!
We continue to be challenged and
enthused by the opportunities for
individual and shared growth
presented by the school and are
honored to be able to serve.
-Belinda Mancktelow
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International
Community
When we say ISL is an international community, we mean it. People
come from 50 different countries to study, teach, and work at our
school.
We celebrate and value the diversity of our students and their
families, our faculty and staff. We believe we are made richer by
the range of perspectives, talents, identities and experiences
across these differing backgrounds.
In our increasingly globalized world, it is more important than ever
that our children understand the wider world and develop a global
mindset.
As an IB World School, we help students understand and value
differences across the globe. Developing skills that transcend
cultures is foundational in our teaching approach and reinforces
our identity as an international school.
Here is where our ISL Community is from:
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Inquiry Driven
Inquiry-based learning is central to
learning and teaching at ISL.
Inquiry at ISL is built through many
different approaches. Students and
teachers engage in collaboratively
building inquiry questions, using the
natural curiosity of our students to
drive our learning.
We also use approaches such as
maker-spaces, visible thinking
routines, philosophical dialogue,
project-based learning, and
meaningful engagement with the
wider community here in beautiful
Latvia, to help students make sense of
the world around them.
This is particularly evident in the
culminating projects of each
program; PYP Exhibition, MYP
Personal Project, and the DP Core
Learning project of Extended Essay,
Theory of Knowledge and the
Creativity, Activity and Service
program.
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Strategic Plan
From March 2021 to May 2022 ISL worked with the community to
create our 2022-2025 strategic plan:
Mar-Sep 21
Nov 21
Feb 22
Aug 22
We met with over 250 ISL
stakeholders to capture
feedback about where ISL
should be heading in the future
These strategic documents
were adopted by the Council
and used as the foundation to
create goals and prioritize
objectives
The leadership team created
ACTION MAPS to help guide our
objectives.
ISL 2022-2025 strategic plan is
LAUNCHED!
Oct 21
Students, parents, teachers,
administrators, and the School
Council developed strategic
documents to guide our future
direction
Dec 21
The Council approved the
goals, parameters and
objectives that will be used to
create action plans
Mar-May 22
Students, parents, teachers,
staff and administration met in
focus groups to complete
action plans.
Aug 22 - Jun 23
Year 1 of the Strategic Plan is
implemented
This was the first year of implementation for our strategic plan. As the chart
below shows, we were able to meet our goals and reach our objectives. We
look forward to continuing to grow in these areas in the year ahead.
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Elementary Learning
In the elementary school, we engaged in developing our Language learning
and teaching with an international language consultant. During this
professional development, Grades 3-5 focused on developing a wider
vocabulary with a word study approach while Kindergarten - Grade 2
developed their approach to teaching phonics.
Teachers also participated in an IB training event on Living and Learning
Globally where we explored how we can embed international mindedness
and global citizenship practices throughout our written and taught
curriculum.
Another area of focus for all of elementary was developing the integration of
our Approaches to Learning and how we were embedding these skills into our
Units of Inquiry. We also worked to personalize the learning within our Math
teaching.
The Grade 5 Exhibition is the culminating project of the IB Primary
Years Program. Our Grade 5 students chose an issue they were
passionate about and undertook an in-depth inquiry into that issue.
This involves research, self-management skills, and collaboration with
other students and members of the community. The exhibition came
together with a celebration of their journey and sharing out of an
action they took as a result of their new learning.
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Secondary Learning
In the Secondary School, we began the year with a deep dive
into responsive classroom, a philosophical approach to holistic
education that puts our students' needs at the forefront of our
learning.
We then followed this up with a whole school IB training event
on Living and Learning Globally where we explored how we can
embed international mindedness and global citizenship
practices throughout our written and taught curriculum.
In addition, we continued our work with unit planning evaluation
and improvement in differentiation to meet our students’ needs,
sharpening our focus on student metacognition of the learning
process through the use of student learner portfolios and
conferring practices to help our students set goals and plan for
success.
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Parent Group
The mission of the Parent Group is to
foster a spirit of cooperation among
all members of our school community,
and to help develop a closer
relationship between parents,
teachers, and students. In addition,
the mission shall be to fund and
coordinate activities and provide
volunteer support to the school
community.
Middle School Popcorn
CEESA Spirit Tunnel
The mission of the Parent Group
is to be an inclusive group that
builds, enhances and supports
the ISL community for the
benefit of parents, students and
staff.
Family Nature Walk
Through several community and
social events, the Parent Group
welcomed families to ISL, gave
them a sense of belonging, and
ensured that their time in Latvia
was fun and memorable.
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Student Councils
ISL has Elementary, Middle School & High School Student
Councils.
Student Council is a school organization that embodies and
champions the ISL mission, vision, and values. Its members act as
representatives for all ISL students.
Members of the Student Council strive to enrich the learning
experience at ISL by promoting students' voices, providing
leadership opportunities, and creating positive school spirit
through student-initiated events.
Our Student Councils are a platform for students to voice their
ideas and suggestions, and turn them into action.
By achieving these goals, students are empowered to positively
impact their school community, as well as the world in which they
live.
“Being in student council has helped me to grow as learner
and a more integral part of the school community”
“I think I have become a leader and a more
engaged member of our community by being part of
the student council.”
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Pursuing Passions
We understand and appreciate that learning continues outside
of the classroom. ISL after school activities (ASA) are an
opportunity for our learners to explore new interests or pursue
their passions.
These activities are an extension to the school day and continue
our journey of inquiry through sports, music, languages, STEM,
arts, crafts and play. We offer a wide variety of programs and
are constantly looking for further enrichment based on the
needs and interests of our students.
The ASA program is offered throughout the school year in three
seasons (Fall, Winter, Spring), each season covering ten weeks
of sessions.
“I like to sign up for ASA because I enjoy being with
friends and trying new and fun activities together”
“I like it because it's calming and I get to meet new
friends from other grades.”
“We get to learn new skills and get do things that we like”
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After School Activities
Elementary School
Baking & Decorating
Book-Inspired Snacks
Ceramics
Cheerleading
Computer Coding
Ebru Art
Exploring & Building
Fencing
Games & Puzzles
Golf
Guitar for Beginners
I am an artist
Improvisational Theatre
Judo
Kids Chess Club
Kids Dance Club
Latvian for Native Speakers
LEGO Construction & Creation
Let’s Play!
Mandarin Chinese Club
Mindfulness
Piggie & Elephant Plays
Sensory Play
Soccer
Spanish for Beginners
Sports for Fun
Student Council
Swimming
Techwizard in Minecraft world
Track & Field
Working with Wool
Yoga
Secondary School
Aikido
Aspiring Artists
Basketball
CEESA Band
Cooking Club
Creative Writing
Diploma Art Club
Duke of Edinburgh Award
Ebru Art
German Grammar Club
ISL Service Corps
Japanese Culture & Language
Knowledge Bowl
Life Skills
Makers Space
Mandarin Chinese Club
Manga Club
Math Help
Model United Nations
Polymer Jewelery
Robotics
Soccer
Student Council
Swimming
Volleyball
Wharton Global High School Investment
Competition
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Athletics
This was an exciting year for our
Athletics & Activities program. We
co-established a local sports
league so the students of the
international schools in the Riga
area could have opportunities to
compete and collaborate on
building an active sports culture.
We set a tradition of hosting the
Elementary School Track & Field.
The Fall and Spring Meets
brought together the wider
international school community
and promoted sports and health
among the students.
Thank you to our Parent Group
for always helping out and
setting up concession tables at
the events we host.
ISL hosted the Central Eastern
European School Association (CEESA)
High School Girls Soccer Tournament
in November and the Middle School
Girls Volleyball Tournament in May;
students also traveled to Bucharest,
Vilnius, Istanbul and Skopje for various
tournaments throughout the year.
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Music, Art & Design
On 13th of January, we held our annual Music Art & Design (MAD)
Night at ISL. Over 100 parents, students, teachers, and staff
came to support our grade 9 and 10 Music, Art and Design
students as they showcased their portfolio work.
We started the night with two exhibitions: HS student
woodworking projects for our school community and an art
exhibition letting us take a look at the creative process students
had engaged in during the first semester.
The culmination of this lively and creative evening was the live
performances by our HS Music students.
“Our MAD night helped us build a sense of community within a
unique and friendly setting.”
“MAD was a great opportunity for us to celebrate our hard
work, express our creativity and talent.”
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Service
Learning
ISL Service learning is defined by its unique approach to
addressing genuine community needs and giving back to those
communities, both locally and internationally.
Service learning requires ISL students to take action, be
proactive, and develop a program for themselves through a
range of activities. These projects help develop transcendent
values of care, respect, responsibility, and courage.
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Curriculum CAS Projects: Int These student
initiated service learning
projects are coordinated by our
11th and 12th grade students.
This is a holistic component of
the IB and ISL diploma
programmes, which empower
our students to put their
learning into action and make a
difference in their community.
Angel Tree:
An annual tradition of service,
where the whole ISL community
collaborates, is to serve the
needs of children in and around
Latvia. This year, we delivered
over 350 gifts to children at the
Children's Hospital Palliative
Care Unit, the Hospiss LV, and
the Children's Home Association.
ISL Ukraine Refugee Drive
This was a service learning project
that was championed by our
Student Councils and facilitated
by our amazing support staff. As a
result, our community donated
over 70 large boxes, filled with
clothing, blankets, diapers, food,
and medicines to the Ukrainian
Refugee Center in Latvia.
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Campus Growth
We were very excited to add a new
Pre-K2 program to our early
childhood team. We now have preschool
classes for 2-4 year olds.
The pre-school framework combines
the PYP inquiry-based learning model
with a heavy emphasis on English
language development while also
supporting the mother tongue.
Our young learners have a variety of
specialist classes for the holistic
development of artistic and physical
skills. The program is designed around
the IB PYP philosophy and establishes
a strong foundation for social,
emotional, physical and cognitive
development in a safe, caring,
explorative, play-based environment.
Strengthening security is always a top priority at ISL and some of the
additional safety measures we implemented this year were:
Drop arm bars-number with plate reading systems
Speed bumps in drop off-pick-up areas
Upgraded parking lot lighting
Reinforcement of school entrances
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Student Achievement
There are many ways that we monitor our students’ achievement.
One way is to review how our diploma program students perform in
comparison to their global IB peers:
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30.24
ISL Average
World Average
5.27
4.83
IB Average Total Score
Average Points Scored
Another way is by tracking our 12th graders’ acceptance rate at the
universities of their preferred fit. We were proud that all of our graduates
were accepted at the following universities of their choice:
Class of 2023 University Acceptances
United Kingdom
Queen Mary University
London
BIMM University
Sheffield University
France
Parsons Paris
RUBIKA
Switzerland
University of Geneva (GSEM)
Poland
Warsaw Film School
US
University of California
Berkeley
US Military Service
University of Washington
Italy
John Cabot University Rome
Finland
Hanken School of Economics
Austria
Vienna University of Economics
Netherlands
Rotterdam University of Applied
Sciences
University College Roosevelt
Willem de Kooning Academie
The Hague University of Applied
Sciences
Maastricht University
Zuyd University of Applied
Sciences
University of Amsterdam
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MAP Testing
In September and April/May, ISL students in grades 3 through 10, along with
13 million students in 140 countries, take the MAP Growth test in Math,
Reading, and Language.
The MAP Growth test is computer-adaptive, tailoring questions to each
student's performance. Correct answers lead to more challenging questions,
while incorrect ones result in easier ones, ensuring an appropriate level of
challenge for all students. It's vital to note that the MAP Growth test is a
single assessment at a specific point in time and does not measure
intelligence or a student's capacity for learning. When making significant
decisions about students, ISL staff consider the MAP test results alongside
other data, including classroom performance, other test scores, and input
from parents and teachers.
This test employs a RIT scale to precisely assess students' knowledge,
irrespective of their grade. It also tracks progress over time, allowing
teachers to monitor a student's development throughout the school year
and across multiple years.
RIT scores estimate a student's instructional level and measure their
progress or growth in school, much like marking a child's height on a
growth chart at specific intervals. This type of score helps teachers
pinpoint what students have learned and are ready to learn.
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Community Feedback
89%
I understand my school’s values
86%
The school helps me to understand
and respect differences and be
open minded
82%
My teachers use a variety of
ways to measure my progress
89% 87%
I feel safe at school
I would recommend ISL to others
Students
One way we measure our
achievement as a school
is by evaluating our
community feedback.
Surveys are given every
year to all of our students,
staff, and parents.
Faculty & Staff
96%
93% 92%
96% 94%
These are just a few of the
questions we asked our
community this year.
All questions received a
positive rating of at least
75% with the majority being
at least 80%.
The Council and Director
collaborate to create a positive
work climate
The school supports staff well-being
Our strategic plans are effectively
communicated to staff
My students are engaged in
their learning
I recommend ISL as a place to work
85%
The school communicates
important information in a way
that is timely and clear
97%
I know where to go for advice and
support for my child’s learning
92%
I understand the mission, vision, and
values of my child’s school
89% 89%
My child’s lessons challenge
them to learn and improve
I would recommend ISL to
others
Parents
This feedback is used to help
us further our mission and
vision across all aspects of
school life.
Seeking, valuing, and acting
upon feedback models our
commitment to being a
collaborative community.
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Globally Minded
Global mindedness is one of our IB Learner Attributes. These
attributes guide our work within curriculum, instruction, assessment,
and program design. Our teams constantly design intentional
learning experiences that align with our Learner Attributes and our
mission to nurture globally minded learners.
In October, teachers attended a two day
IB workshop: Living and Learning Globally.
Together, they planned instructional practices
that help students to connect their learning
to their local community, global issues,
and their home culture.
In addition, we added a Diversity
Statement to our school website
to illustrate how ISL models being
a global community.
We also completed a curriculum
review to ensure our curriculum
includes materials from diverse
authors, perspectives,Band
experiences.
Our commitment to Global
Citizenship is ongoing and everevolving
throughout the school.
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