KEY DATES & INFORMATION
Short Term Dates
Fri 15th May - BGT Final Variety Performance
Fri 15th May - Parent & Staff Quiz Night - 6-9pm
Tues 19th May - Y1-5 student-Led Conferences
Wed 20th May - IGCSE Info Evening - 6pm
Please click this link to join!
Thurs 21st May - EY student-Led Conferences
Fri 22nd & Mon 25th May - SCHOOL SHUT for Memorial Day
Wed 27th May - MYP Exam Week Begins
Tues 2nd June - PA Meeting (Dining Hall)
Fri 5th June - Sports Day
Wed 10th June - PYP Exhibition
Long Term Key Dates
Fri 12th June - BISNY Cares Day & Y9 Community Project
Tue 16th June - Middle School Summer Concert
Thur 18th June - School Speech Day/Graduation
Fri 19th June - SCHOOL SHUT for Juneteenth
Mon 22nd June - EOY Reports Released
Tues 23rd June - Middle School Play
Wed 24th June - Lower School Show & Picnic
Wed 24th June - Last Day of School
12:30pm finish
This week in Visual Art, students from Reception through Year 5 proudly completed their spring-inspired collaborative tree mural, a colorful celebration of growth, creativity, and community at BIS-NY. Each student designed a unique flower, leaf, or spring-themed piece using a variety of materials, patterns, and vibrant colors to showcase their individuality. Together, these creations blossomed into a beautiful mural that reflects the joy and renewal of the spring season while highlighting BIS-NY’s three core principles: Kindness, Scholarship, and Integrity. The collaborative artwork serves as a reminder that every student’s contribution helps our school community flourish.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Wednesday, May 20th - 6:00pm
Please join Upper School Head, Rhiannon Rees, for an online Q&A regarding next year's IGCSE courses and block selection process for next year. The Q&A will take place Wednesday, May 20th from 6:00 - 6:30pm. Please click this link to join!
YEARS 1-5 STUDENT-LED CONFERENCE SIGN UP
Please use the appropriate sign-up link below to book your time:
Dear BIS-NY families,
We are delighted to invite you to our upcoming Student-Led Conferences, providing a wonderful opportunity for you to join your child in the classroom as they share and celebrate their learning.
Student conferences for Years 1 - 5 will take place on Tuesday May 19th between 4:00pm and 6:00pm. Early Years conferences will take place on Thursday May 21st between 9:00am and 11:00am.
These conferences are led by the students, giving them the chance to take ownership of their progress, reflect on their achievements and talk you through their learning. Please note that this is not a traditional teacher conference but rather a student-led experience. If you need to speak to the teacher, please arrange a separate meeting.
Each conference slot will be 20 minutes long, with up to three families in the classroom per session. The only exceptions are Reception and Year 5, where up to four families may sign up for each time slot.
During this time, your child will:
Celebrate and review their work with you
Reflect on their progress and set goals for future learning
Demonstrate their skills and understanding across their learning
Show how they take a principled approach to their learning
Please use the appropriate sign-up link below to book your time:
We look forward to seeing you there and sharing this meaningful experience with you!
Best wishes
Ms Stewart-Pond
Ages 3 - 11
We are delighted to share that registration for our BIS-NY STEAM Summer Camp is now officially open.
BIS-NY’s STEAM Summer Camp, running from July 6th - July 31st, is designed for children to enjoy a balance of learning, creativity, and summer fun.
Our camp offers hands-on STEAM enrichment alongside daily swimming, giving children the opportunity to explore, experiment, and build confidence in a joyful, supportive environment. Each day runs from 8:30am to 3:30pm, with optional early care from 8:00-8:30am and late care until 5:30pm to support working families.
The programme is led by experienced BIS-NY educators and reflects our commitment to engaging, high quality learning experiences that spark curiosity while still feeling very much like summer.
We recommend your child's class teacher (Nursery - Y6) or mentor (Years 7-13) as the first point of contact for parents with a question about their child.
Click on the down arrow for their email addresses, along with some other useful contact details:
Full list of Class Teachers and Mentors:
Class Teachers & Mentor Emails
Head of School
Mr. Jason Morrow
Mr. Morrow can be contacted via email on headsoffice@bis-ny.org.
To set up a meeting please contact headspa@bis-ny.org.
Senior Team
Mr. Wavell Blades - Deputy Head of School - Student Wellbeing & Co-curriculum
w.blades@bis-ny.org
Ms. Alicia Gibson - Director of Operations & Learning
a.gibson@bis-ny.org
Mr. Oliver Goldstein - Director of Studies
o.goldstein@bis-ny.org
Divisional Heads
Ms. Stewart-Pond - Lower School (Nursery - Year 4) - a.stewart-pond@bis-ny.org
Mr. Bernard - Middle School (Year 5 - Year 9) - a.bernard@bis-ny.org
Ms. Rees - Upper School (Year 10 - Year 13) - r.rees@bis-ny.org
Front Desk
For issues relating to the day-to-day logistics including pick-up and afterschool, Ms. Sita can be contacted on frontdesk@bis-ny.org.
School Nurse
For questions with the medical forms and to report student absence due to illness, please contact Nurse Maureen on nurse@bis-ny.org.
School & College Counsellor
Our School & College Counselor Ms. Weiss (p.weiss@bis-ny.org) is also available to help support the wellbeing of students, and works with A-Level Students (Years 12 & 13) in the college admissions process.
Inclusion & Learning Support Coordinators
For students requiring additional academic support, our Learning Support Coordinators Ms. Southall (a.southall@bis-ny.org) and Ms. Keenan (s.keenan@bis-ny.org) are available to work with families on ensuring their children have access to the resources and accommodations they need to succeed.
USEFUL LINKS AND RESOURCES
***** School Evaluations Feedback & Beacon School Status *****
Click on the arrow to read more about the feedback from last year's school evaluations...
As many of you will probably remember we had external accreditation visits last school year by both the International Baccalaureate and the Council of British International Schools (COBIS). We received very positive reports from both organizations and it was so pleasing to see many common areas of strength singled out by both evaluation processes- the quality of relationships and community in the school, the quality of learning and teaching, the attitudes and engagement of students, and the inclusive, outward looking approach of the school.
We received the final report from COBIS over the summer and I am pleased to share that the school was deemed to be meeting all 18 standards and received a Commendation for 10 of the 18, including for all three Ethos & Values Standards. The school was awarded Beacon School Status for how 'the school has an outward-looking perspective promoting its values via a wide curriculum and through opportunities to develop awareness of other cultures and global issues.'
As part of the COBIS evaluation process, Beacon School Status is for schools which "have demonstrated excellence in specific aspects of, or the whole of a particular standard, and are committed to sharing their best practice with other schools around the world." BIS-NY is one of only 4 schools worldwide to hold Beacon School Status for Ethos & Values, so we are all incredibly proud of this accomplishment which is a reflection on the efforts, open minded approach and commitment of our whole community- students, staff and families.
I also include below the summary section of the report from COBIS and hope you will enjoy reading this as much as we did and share in the sense of accomplishment for the very special community you have worked with us and our students to build at BIS-NY. It is also a wonderful foundation on which to build and only adds to the anticipation and appreciation of potential as we embark on the new school year.
COBIS- OVERALL OBSERVATIONS
"The British International School of New York, located in Waterside Plaza, was founded in 2006. It strives to offer a superior education by blending creativity, comprehensive study, and academic rigour with an inquiry-based learning methodology through the International Baccalaureate and the English National Curriculum. The school is dedicated to providing a nurturing and stimulating environment that prepares students for future success.
The school is committed to providing a well-rounded education that meets the intellectual, physical, social, creative, and emotional needs of each child, ensuring a fulfilling and enjoyable educational experience. Consequently, the school environment is characterised by warmth and friendliness. This is a happy school.
Students take pride in being part of the school community, exhibiting politeness and respect in both classroom and informal settings. They show exemplary behaviour, confidence, enthusiasm for learning, and a dedicated pursuit of their goals. This supports the holistic development of every student.
The school radiates a welcoming and familial atmosphere, where the staff is committed to both the academic success and the overall well-being of the students. A distinctive feature of the school is its inclusive environment, which excels in supporting and implementing interventions for students with additional learning needs. Additionally, the school provides an extraordinary range of trips and extracurricular activities to enrich the students' experiences further.
Parents deeply appreciate the school's dedication, feeling assured that their children receive comprehensive care in all facets of their school life. This approach has encouraged a strong sense of community and belonging among students and families alike.
The Headteacher is inspirational, and along with his leadership team, provides a clear vision and direction, actively engaging with the compliance process to drive the
school's progress. As the school carries out its development plans, it is set to not only uphold its high standards but also to achieve continual improvements. This proactive approach ensures the institution remains at the forefront of educational excellence.
The school benefits from the backing of a dedicated and professional board of governors who have a thorough understanding of their responsibilities. The collaboration between the governors and the leadership team will be pivotal in developing a culture of continuous growth and innovation in future."