Academic Areas

Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS)

CAS is a fundamental part of the ISB Secondary School learning program and an integral part of ensuring our students’ holistic development. All students are therefore expected to participate in all three areas during their time at ISB. Students are provided with a variety of creative, activity and service opportunities to pursue and are supported in achieving successful outcomes. Completing CAS requirements is mandatory for ISB graduation.

For more information, please visit the CAS Coordinator’s web page at http://www.isb.rs/main/?pgid=55, or our web site located under the Secondary School tab (Community and Service).

Homeroom

Homeroom is an integral part of ISB’s holistic learning experience.

The homeroom program focuses on supporting our students’ emotional, social, cultural and academic growth beyond a subject focus. The program engages students to: understand and appreciate diversity; be inquisitive, reflective, and open-minded; embrace opportunities and challenges to ensure personal growth; enhance resilience skills; be compassionate, ethical and change makers; develop self-confidence and appreciate the importance of balance and well-being.

The homeroom program also focuses upon topics and issues that are relevant to each grade and student’s present state of development. Topics include time management, multi-tasking, academic honesty, authentic learning, exam preparation, learning styles, the dangers of recreational drugs and the media’s influence, friendship, peer pressure, making a difference, personal health and safety, the environment, attitudes and behaviors to aspire towards, and other significant areas. The homeroom program at the Secondary School follows the standards (domains and competencies) outlined by The International Model for School Counseling Programs.

Enrichment

All MYP students (Grades 6 to 10) follow a set schedule over the three years (grades 6-8), undertaking two enrichment classes per semester, with at least one class being Serbian Language and Culture.

English as an Additional Language Programme (EAL)

All Middle School students, who are beginners in English, will in the first instance enter the EAL program. Students who have had some exposure to English are screened by the EAL department over a two-week observation period in order to assess their ability to study in English. The process consists of an oral interview and reading and writing tasks. A child is placed in EAL or exited from the program when sufficient evidence (summative task levels of achievement, WIDA test scores, anecdotal observations) is accumulated demonstrating that the child is able to transition to main stream classes with appropriate literacy skills and confidence.

Specialized instruction enables the full range of learners from non-English speaking backgrounds (from beginners to high intermediate) to receive English language instruction in EAL classes. Students attend EAL as their Language Acquisition subject.

All teachers work together to support EAL students and to help them integrate successfully into the academic and social life of the school. Students exit the program based on the following criteria:

• Mainstream classroom performance

• EAL assessment

• Teacher recommendations

• Social-cultural adjustment

Languages and Literature (Mother Tongue)

Whilst the language of instruction at ISB is English, it is important for parents to recognize the necessity of maintaining their child’s mother tongue. This is crucial for preserving the child’s cultural background and ensuring easier repatriation to their home country and educational

system. Through the after-school Mother Tongue Program, ISB assists families in arranging outside tutors to this end. The cost of instruction for the after-school mother tongue program is not included in the tuition fee.

Mother tongue languages currently offered at the Secondary School are English and Serbian. In the DP (grades 11-12), a “School Supported Mother Tongue” language course is available.

Language Acquisition

From grades 6 to 10, students proficient in English can also pursue a further language, other than Serbian mother tongue. The languages available are: French and Spanish. The language acquisition program is designed to support students’ development and confidence in another language. Students choosing to pursue a language are strongly encouraged to remain with that language through the MYP to ensure a solid foundation for continuance into the Diploma Programme, as well as supporting the acquisition of the language.

Class Placement

Achieving the proper class balance is a process that requires the professional judgment of the staff. To establish an effective classroom dynamic, which supports and enhances academic success for every student, classes are carefully constructed. Factors taken into account include cultural diversity, gender, maturity, ability, engagement, and learning styles. Parents may not request class placements for their child.

Promotion and Retention

The criteria for promotion/retention include age, achievement, social adjustment, availability of alternative programs, attendance and teacher recommendations. Students must have a 90% attendance record for each academic year in the MYP and / or DP grade levels to be considered eligible to progress. Any individuals who fall below this must submit appropriate medical or other supporting documentation to the Principal for approval. Parents will be consulted no later than 45 school days before the end of the school year in cases where retention is being considered. The decision regarding promotion/retention is the responsibility of the Principal.

Standardized Testing Programmes

Beyond the IB Diploma Programme exams, ISB also administers a number of other standardized examinations to gather information about students’ performances and abilities.

The key purposes of testing include:

• providing measures of group and individual strengths and weaknesses to inform the planning of instructional programs;

• providing information about individuals and groups for guidance and counseling programs;

• providing measures of the effect of instructional programs for program evaluation;

• providing test data for other schools and for colleges;

• aiding in placing students in appropriate groups; and

• comparing school results with international norms.

The standardized tests and assessments used at ISB are:

Measures of Academic Progress (MAP)

The MAP assessment is designed by the Northwest Evaluation Association. All students from G2 – 10 participate in the MAP assessments which take place twice per year in the fall and spring. An optional testing week will take place in January for new students and students with learning needs who are being monitored more closely. Results are sent home to parents and Principals hold an information session to help parents interpret the results. More information about MAP can be found at the ISB website under the ‘Academics’ tab.

Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT)

The PSAT provides first hand practice for the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). It also gives American students a chance to enter National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) programs. The PSAT measures skills in critical reading, math problem-solving skills, and writing skills for grade 10 and 11 students. The College Board administers both the PSAT and SAT. The test is voluntary for students in grade 10 and 11.

Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT)

The SAT is a measure of the critical thinking skills required by many U.S. universities. SATs, undertaken by students in grades 11-12, assess how well students analyze and solve problems in writing, critical reading, and mathematics. ISB offers SATs five times per year and SAT preparation courses in the afternoons/ evenings for interested students. The courses and exams are not part of the student’s tuition fees. ISB does not administer the ACT, the other US university placement exam. For more information regarding standardized tests, parents are encouraged to contact the school’s High School counselor.

Diplôme d'Études en Langue Française Exams (DELF)

The DELF is an official qualification awarded by the French Ministry of Education to certify the competency of candidates from outside France in the French language. DELF is composed of 6 independent diplomas that correspond to the levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. French foreign language students in grades 6-10 can take these exams twice per year, depending on the Alliance Française testing schedule of any particular year. For more information, please contact the Head of Department for Languages.

Tutoring

ISB teachers are available for student conferences and extra support at mutually convenient times (breaks or after school). No remuneration may be accepted for such extra help.

At the Secondary School, we do not retain a list of IB trained tutors to recommend nor do we advocate for the use of an outside tutor as a first line intervention strategy to improve student learning. The decision to retain an outside tutor is a family-based decision that is respected by the teaching faculty but before securing a tutor, it is highly suggested that a conversation is first established with the subject teacher to determine how support can be afforded within the classroom environment.

A student who is performing poorly in a particular subject should seek help first from their classroom teacher. Nothing beats the trained, directed instruction of their teacher, who is likely to be familiar with the student’s past and present competencies, the curricular requirements and other impacting factors (like social dynamics in the classroom). Before seeking out a tutor, we fully recommend talking through the concerns and goals of student learning with the subject teacher and/or Program Coordinator first.

Field Trips, Expeditions and Excursions

ISB recognizes the value of out-of-classroom experiential learning, which enhances and strengthens curriculum objectives that could not otherwise be achieved within the school context. Consideration is always based upon safety, educational value and cost.

The Expedition Trips (grade 6-10) purposefully align with the concept of Outdoor Education whereby participants follow an itinerary that includes adventurous activities on land and water and some with an environmental focus. Each grade has a scaffolded level of challenge with the knowledge that such challenging outdoor experiences can powerfully impact upon a young person’s intellectual, physical, spiritual, social and moral development. Research shows that by successfully facing up to such challenges (which outdoor activities provide) and overcoming fears and apprehensions along the way, young people are able to make major strides in confidence; and this has implications for all aspects of their development.

The Diploma Program’s Week without Walls excursion will take place once every two years with the second year seeing the students remain to engage in a week of DP Bootcamp with students spending the week focusing on accomplishing the Program’s Core requirements in a structured and supported schedule of activities.