iss annua rreport 2013-14

A Year in the Life of ISS Annual Report 2013-2014

InternatIonal School of Stavanger

LearningWell-being

Community

www.isstavanger.no2 • International School of Stavanger • Annual Report 2014

vISIon Statement

Inspire a community of responsible, globally-engaged em-powered learners.

mISSIon Statement

ISS provides an internationally-accredited, engaging and challenging English-language education in a supportive, multi-cultural environment where students have the oppor-tunity to fulfill their potential.

our aIm

Our aim is to enable students to become self-determining, respectful, responsible, contributing global citizens who will succeed in continuing educational programs and beyond.

our valueS

LearningAt ISS, we believe everyone is capable of learning and achieving. Developing a passion for and love of learning is key to students becoming lifelong learners. Students are encouraged to reflect and develop an awareness of one’s own learning process. In preparing for an ever-changing global community we inspire learners to develop collaborative, creative, critical thinking and technological skills.

Well-beingAt ISS, we value the whole child and believe students leading physically and emotionally healthy, ethical, active and balanced lives in a safe environment will contribute to their self-esteem and enable them to become more effective learners.

CommunityAt ISS, we celebrate the spirit of belonging and a sense of community at the school, local and global levels. Respecting diversity and valuing international and intercultural understanding, the school fosters actions intended to make positive contributions to a more equitable and sustainable

guiding StatementS(Approved at Board of Trustees Meeting on 4th February 2013)

Council of International Schools/New England Association of Schools and Colleges Visiting Team Report, May 2014:

“The Visiting Team agrees that the International School of Stavanger, in keeping with its Guiding Statements, is committed to student learning and the well-being of the school community. This commitment was evident in our interactions with the Leadership Team, teachers, staff, members of the Board, parents and the students.”

www.isstavanger.no Annual Report 2014 • International School of Stavanger • 3

objectIveS

ISS has developed the following strategic planning domains and operational objectives in order to translate our Vision, Mission, Aim and Values into practice.

core objectIveS

LearningPromote learning and foster intellectual growth at all grade levels.

Well-beingProvide a safe environment that nurtures the emotional, physical and developmental needs of all its students, and promote the basis for a safe, healthy and meaningful working environment for our students and staff.

CommunityFoster meaningful multi-cultural relationships, provide support for internationally mobile families, communicate effectively and encourage positive contributions in the school, local and global communities.

SupportIng objectIveS

Governance & LeadershipMaintain effective governance and leadership to ensure optimal operation of the school.

Infrastructure & ResourcesMaintain an appropriate infrastructure in order to create a safe, pleasant and effective learning environment.

Council of International Schools/New England Association of Schools and Colleges Visiting Team Report, May 2014:

“The school Guiding Statements are displayed throughout the campus and published in the Student/Parent Handbook, Teacher Handbook, Curriculum Overview documents and on the school website. They are also incorporated into the teacher appraisal system. The actions of the members of the school community in the classroom, in the after-school programs, during assemblies and across the many daily social interactions bear witness to the commitment to promoting communication, creativity, inquiry and problem-solving. The Visiting Team commends the entire school community for the quality of the work already undertaken and encourages the school to take the next logical steps to include review of effectiveness of achieving the Guiding Statements.”


It was a sunny August day in 1975 when I arrived in Stavanger to begin what has been both a professional and personal privilege for me. The opportunity to work for the school all these years and watch the development of the dynamic Stavanger Region has been a gift that I hope I have never taken for granted.

Just like the Stavanger Region, ISS has evolved over the years and has weathered the ebb and flow of changes in the business and military environment the school serves. Currently in its 49th year of existence, the school has moved from humble beginnings to the current situation which includes an admirable campus, strong academic offerings and a vibrant extra-curricular life for the students.

Within the last few years, ISS experienced peak enrollment numbers.

Close and respectful ties with the local governments have long been a hallmark of the relationship of the school and community. ISS has worked at innovating to meet whatever the future may bring as it strives to meet the needs of its students through our core values of Learning—Well-being—Community.

Major recent accomplishments for the school in the spring of 2014 included successful re-accreditation by the Council of International Schools (CIS) and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), along with the continued approval by the International Baccalaureate Organisation to offer the prestigious IB Diploma programme. Sterling external examination results for our students again in 2014 on both the IB and IGCSE demonstrate the strength of the school’s academic profile. Throughout this publication, statements

from the CIS/NEASC Visiting Team report will share views of ISS from the vantage point of external accreditors.

My four decades at the school have passed by incredibly quickly. I have said to the employees for the last time in my August, 2014 new school year address, “We are here for the students. We are here for each other.”

I look forward to the next chapter of my life, just as I look forward to following the positive forward progression of ISS in the years to come.

This Annual Report is designed to share with our stakeholders both accomplishments attained and challenges for the future. We hope our readers find it both interesting and educational.

Best regards,Linda M. Duevel, BA, MA, MEd, PhD

Director

I would like to take a moment to thank Dr. Linda Duevel for all her work at ISS over the decades. Linda and I have worked closely together over the past six years and when she graduates at the end of the 2014-2015 year, I hope to be able to continue to move ISS forward in the quest for educational excellence.

It is important for our ISS community to value the established traditions of the school, recognising the great things that have been achieved. It is also important to be innovative and creative in the next decades.

Recently, this has been evidenced in the way we are reviewing the latest ’brain-based’ research into teaching and learning and

The Directorthe DIrector


bringing educational specialists like Dr. JoAnne Deak to ISS to work with our teachers, students and parents. We currently know more about how the brain works in regard to learning than ever before and at ISS we are keen to incorporate these practices into our teaching and learning.

We have also embraced the use of technology by developing and enhancing our infrastructure, ensuring that there is greater access to technology to enhance student outcomes. ISS maintains the largest 1:1 iPad deployment among schools in Norway .

However, it is not just about the hardware. At ISS we are developing a model of blended learning, using technology when it enhances organisation and/or engagement by bringing a more creative and collaborative approach to learning.

We are also cognizant of our duty to educate in a responsible manner. We recognize that as we prepare our students for the future, we can be certain that there will be more—rather than less - technology in their work and home lives. As such, we are working hard to provide students with the skills and tools that will serve them well in managing the physical, social and emotional responses of their lives as responsible global citizens.

This annual report not only provides a snapshot of the 2013 – 2014 academic year, but it also provides an overview of some of the things that are embedded into the fabric of ISS and gives an overview of what is on the horizon. The report speaks about a school that goes beyond the Academics. Schools that focus on academics alone are preparing students for a bygone age. Please do not interpret from this that ISS is not concerned with academic and intellectual achievement. We are passionate about high achievement and articulate this through our core

value, Learning. In 2013-14 ISS consistently produced excellent examination results and, in the section on learning, you will see ISA scores as well as IGCSE and IB examination results.

However, this is not enough, if we are to be serious about achieving our vision to inspire a community of responsible, globally-engaged, empowered learners. Students need more skills to be self-determining citizens in the 21st century.

As a school we also value Well-being and Community. Students at ISS participate in and are leaders in educational activities and opportunities in the areas of the athletics, arts, research, design and technology as well as in the area of service and more. ISS is also a diverse and inclusive school that mirrors real life with students embodying a range of interests, skills and abilities.

With this approach we prepare our students for life in the real world, hopefully contributing to life-long learning in a way that a less robust education would fail to deliver. Unfortunately, so many schools in different places around the world either do not provide such experiences or are cutting back on areas that deliver authentic education that develops and enables transferable skills. At ISS, we recognize the benefits of this education and are committed to providing these incredibly vital experiences.

As a community, we recognize that we are all in this together and we must collaborate to maintain the momentum. Thank you for your support and active engagement with the school on its journey into its very bright future.

Gareth Jones B.Ed Hons, MBADeputy Director

the Deputy DIrector


It is a pleasure for me to introduce the ISS annual report – a document which aims to give everyone connected with the school a broad picture of our achievements and progress within key areas - but hopefully also captures some of the essence of what makes ISS such a special place for our entire school community.

The all-volunteer ISS Board of Trustees is the governing body for the school, and our primary objective as a board is to ensure that ISS operates in alignment with its vision and mission. That is to inspire a community of responsible, globally-engaged, empowered learners by providing an internationally-accredited, engaging and challenging English-language education in a supportive and multi-cultural environment where students have the opportunity to fulfil their potential.

The board’s focus this school year has been on advancing the school’s development through revising the ISS strategic plan, as well as ensuring the long term sustainability and financial robustness of the school.

The board works closely with the school administration and we have been very fortunate to have a successful long-

serving school director, Dr. Linda Duevel, whose leadership has shaped ISS into the renowned international school it is today. As this will be Dr. Duevel’s final year before she “graduates”, I would like to express the Board of Trustees’ deep gratitude for her many contributions.

At the same time I would like to warmly welcome Gareth Jones who the Board has chosen as her successor. During more than six years of service to the school, he has proven both his engagement and his leadership, and I am certain that the future of the school is in good hands when we move forward with him at the helm.

Finally, my thanks to the ISS families, faculty and staff for their continued support of the school, and to my fellow trustees for another year of both hard work and dedication to ISS.

Looking ahead, I am confident that as a school we will continue to build on our past successes – and that as a community we will be able to meet any challenges that lie ahead.

With best wishes,Åshild Hanne Larsen

Chair of the ISS Board of Trustees

The Directorthe boarD chaIr


the boarD

ISS would not be where it is today if it was not for the continuity and collaborative approach between the Board of Trustees and the school employees.

Over the past academic year the Board structure was reviewed and developed so as to include a Board committee based around the school’s values and supporting objectives. The rationale behind the change was to ensure that as a school we are all pulling in the same direction towards achieving our vision and mission.

The following key areas are essential roles for the Board of Trustees to consider:

1. Vision, mission and guiding statements2. Overall Key Performance Indicators3. Board governance processes 4. Head compensation and evaluation5. Compliance with relevant school legislation

requirements 6. Custodian of overall ISS risk picture

In May of 2014, ISS was successfully re-accredited by the Council of International Schools (CIS) and The New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) and was re-authorized by the International Baccalaureate Organization to deliver the IB diploma in grades 11 and 12.

Over the course of the year a set of KPIs that linked to the school’s guidelines statements were also developed.

Our current Board includes the following individuals who

offer their time as volunteers in this important governance role:

Mr. Dominic Genetti works for ExxonMobil and is an American citizen.

Mr. Garry Hargreaves, a British citizen, is the NATO representative and the Board Vice-Chair.

Mr. Chris Isenberger is both the Parent-Elect representative and ConocoPhillips representative. He is an American citizen.

Mr. Arne Thorsen Kolle is a Norwegian citizen who works for Norske Shell.

Ms. Åshild Hanne Larsen, the Board Chair, is a Norwegian citizen who works at Statoil.

Mr. Are Manneråk is the Board Treasurer and a Norwegian citizen who fills the Board slot reserved for a parent paying the school fees privately.

Mr. Hans Christian Næss is a Norwegian citizen and the Employee-Elect Trustee

Mr. Jonas Odland is a Norwegian citizen and works for Schlumberger.

And, finally, Dr. Linda Duevel, who sits on the Board in her role as ISS Director, carries an American passport, but is half British, half American.

ISS governance anD leaDerShIp Structure


Founded officially on July 15, 1966, the International School of Stavanger, (initially named Stavanger American School), has gone from strength to strength in the half century since. The North Sea oil adventure had started some years before and expatriate children were initially educated in local state schools. When it became obvious that there would be a need for a longer-term solution, representatives of the local government and foreign oil companies made the decision to create a new non-profit, Norwegian foundation to educate the children of the initial “oil pioneers” in Norway.

From the beginning, the ethos has always been student-centered with each decision at the Board level being considered from a student focus first and foremost. In its first years, the school moved locations frequently as the guest of a number of local schools. The school’s first High School graduate received his diploma already in 1968.

From an early stage, the school had serious academic ambitions, with the initial accreditation through the European Council of International Schools (ECIS) being early in 1974, then through NEASC in 1985. Stavanger was only the third international school in the world to be accredited, following the International School of Antwerp and Copenhagen International School.

The most recent Accreditation Visiting Team the school hosted in spring 2014, was the fifth ten-year cycle and report the school has undertaken.

When the school was initially founded, the prevalent thinking was that there would be a need for a school in Stavanger for

only ten years. When it became apparent that the North Sea oil exploration would be headquartered in Stavanger and that there would be a long-term need for a school, the Board and local government officials began discussions about building a separate campus.

Land was given to the school by the City of Stavanger. The local government also paid for one-third of the construction and inventory costs and the Madla campus opened in 1982.

Prior to the move, the school had spread with classrooms at five different Norwegian schools simultaneously, so having all grades Kindergarten through 12th grade unified under one roof was an important next step for the school. In 1984, a Pre-School was established for three and four year old children.

Changes were also happening in the local workforce. As the oil industry matured, representatives from many more international companies were sending families to Stavanger. To meet the needs of the increasingly diverse student body, the British GCSE programme was added in the late 1980’s, coinciding with the first year that the UK was switching over from “O-Levels.” A later decision was made to shift to the IGCSE through the University of Cambridge.

In a major change to more accurately describe the school, the name was changed to the International School of Stavanger in June 1990. From a curricular point of view, at that time the school was offering external examinations in A-Levels and Advanced Placement, as well as the GCSE/IGCSE examinations. By 1996, after careful consideration, the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme was

the ISS Story


introduced and both A-Levels and Advanced Placement were retired. The school continues today to offer IB Diploma and IGCSE, which has long been seen as an excellent match for the predominant university destinations of the student body. Additionally, the school is an approved testing center for ACT, ISA, PSAT and SAT as well as a number of required Norwegian school examinations.

In 1996, the school officially separated its former secondary school into different groupings for Middle School (Grades 6-8) and High School (Grades 9-12).

Another curricular innovation in which ISS was deeply involved, was to contribute teachers to work on yet another new idea, the ISCP (International Schools Curriculum Project). The ISCP later became known as the IB PYP. Although the ISS primary school curriculum today retains many of the aspects it helped to develop, the school has chosen to maintain its independence and not joined on as a PYP school.

This in no way is a negative comment toward the global success of the PYP, but rather connected to the wish to be able to locally determine curricular goals here in Stavanger at ISS. One could accurately say that ISS has been doing the PYP long before it was called that.

As the years passed, the student body fluctuated in size, but the predominant theme was one of growth. In close cooperation with the local government, the decision to expand, (again with local government partial funding), has added several new wings to the original construction.

In 1994, a NATO base, (formerly located in Oslo), was

reassigned to Stavanger, requiring a new wing of classrooms to meet the increase in student body.

In 1999, another new wing of classrooms and a new cafeteria were added to meet the needs of the growing school.

The most recent expansion completed in 2012 provided additional classrooms, science labs, a new primary library, a Primary School gym and expanded kitchen facilities.

The latest construction has allowed the school to designate specific areas for Primary, Middle and High School sections of the building.

In the latest building project, the Middle School has been able to consolidate its classrooms, for the first time, into one separate section of the school.

Although the school had long enjoyed legal status in the local area, over the years the national government had put into place additional requirements to be authorized under the Education Act. In 2011, the school was given authorized status by the Norwegian government Education Directorate, now the Directorate for Education and Training.

While the numbers have fluctuated over the years, the community shows long-term need for international English-language education in the Stavanger area.

The Board of Trustees has a standing Strategic Planning Committee to monitor the present and plan for the future needs of the Stavanger Region and the school’s role in that reality.


Learning is the core business of ISS. Everything the school does rotates around this essential core value.

ISS provides an internationally-accredited education and university preparatory curriculum primarily for students of the expat community in Stavanger, Norway. One of the largest international schools in Scandinavia, ISS has four sections to support students in their various stages of growth and learning:

• Early Childhood – ISS’ early childhood section – including pre-school for three- and four year olds, Kindergarten (the first compulsory academic year) and Grade 1 – helps children develop their potential through planned activities that stimulate, guide and encourage a love of learning. In August 2014, the Stavanger Pre-School office authorized ISS to expand its numbers of three and four-year-old students up to a maximum of 90 children, thus providing additional places for the 2014-2015 school year.

• Primary School – The primary school programme for Grades 2-5 continues to focus on the growth of the whole child and is designed to foster positive goals and beliefs while actively engaging children in the learning process.

• Middle School – The middle school provides students aging from 11 to 13/14 (Grades 6-8) with a vibrant programme that is developmentally appropriate, academically enriching and responsive to student needs.

• High School – Covering Grades 9-12, the high school empowers students to be lifelong learners and prepares them to be caring, engaged global citizens. Students are offered external examination courses with

Internationl General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) through the University of Cambridge and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). That combination of IGCSE and the IB Diploma Programme, which ISS is the only school in Norway to offer, is often referred to as the “Gold Standard” of global secondary school education. The IB Diploma is considered an international passport to higher education, often playing a positive and important role in university admissions decisions given its rigor and emphasis on critical thinking, research skills and service.

Continuing on an impressive track record of academic success, some ISS graduating seniors achieved spectacular results on the 2014 IB Diploma and IGCSE examination results—including two students with a perfect IB score of 45 points! We consider this an impressive feat given that only one-quarter of one percent (0.25%) of IB participants around the world reach a 45. Two more ISS students achieved a score of 44 points, which only one-half of one percent, (0.58%) of students receive. Additionally, 35% of ISS students earned A and A* (A-Star) marks on their IGCSE examinations.

These results follow last spring’s successful Unge Forskere (Young Norwegian Researchers’ Competition) competition where ISS again had more finalists than any other school in Norway.

We are equally proud of those who received lower scores as well. ISS is committed to the idea that the IB diploma is the best pre-university preparation available and whether a student earns the requisite points to receive the coveted IB diploma or not, they will find their university experience to be

learnIng


enhanced by the hard work and engagement in their studies. It has been a long tradition at ISS to have qualified school counselors supporting students from a social, emotional, and university guidance/career perspective to assure an appropriate fit for the next stages of their education.

Inclusive education is an important part of our ethos at ISS and we offer a wide range of services and specialists, including English as an Additional Language (EAL), Learning Support and speech therapists to help all of our students achieve their potential.

The story of ISS tells of an innovative, creative and flexible learning organization that seeks external validation via authorities and organizations to provide feedback in relation to quality as we seek to achieve our vision.

Learning is one of our three core values and through its definition we articulate a number of key messages about what learning is and means in the 21st century.

First and foremost, we believe that ’everyone is capable of learning and achieving . In reality this means that we have a more inclusive student body compared with a number of more selective international schools.

We have chosen this path proudly with the belief that all students have gifts and it is our responsibility to help them stretch themselves. We do not select students out of sitting external examinations because they may struggle, nor are we complacent in relation to more academically gifted students. We are passionate about providing a learning environment where all students, regardless of their gifts and talents, are

capable of reaching their full potential.

Secondly, we also believe that developing a love of learning is key to students becoming life-long learners. This is not just about ´having fun´ whilst you are learning but based on the latest brain research and the role that the amygdala plays in learning. High engagement, enjoyment and challenge combined with a low anxiety environment clearly promotes the growth of synapse and development of myelin to ensure that learning really is sticky´ and lifelong.

Thirdly, we believe that students must learn to reflect and develop an awareness of one’s own learning process. Learning how to learn by focusing on metacognition as well as key areas of knowledge, understanding and skills is an essential skill. Concentrating on the process of learning promotes far wider and deeper understandings than simply investing in time memorizing facts for a test.

Lastly, we believe that it is important that learning at ISS prepares students for an ever-changing global community. We would be failing to reach our vision if we provided an education that only focused on factual knowledge and passing grades. Whilst this might have been adequate in the past, it is simply not good enough to prepare students for the future where they will need to develop transferable skills such as working collaboratively and creatively, thinking critically and using the latest technologies effectively.

What follows are highlights of some of the academic achievements of our students in the 2013-2014 academic year.

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Each year, our students sit for the Australian Council of Education Research (ACER) International School Assessments (ISAs). Students in Grades 3 - 9 completed assessments in Mathematics, Reading, Narrative (fiction) Writing and Expository (non-fiction) Writing. ISS uses the results as a diagnostic tool to inform instruction and help provide the best possible learning environment for our students. We also use the results to adjust the curriculum when analysis shows changes are needed. It is worth noting that we do not teach to this assessment as in the case of the IGCSE and IB diploma examinations.

The ISAs are similar in nature to the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) international surveys that aim to evaluate education systems worldwide by testing the skills and knowledge of 15-year-old students. The average baseline scores for 15 year olds (Grade 10) taking these assessments at the age of 15 is 500. In the academic year 2013-2014, our students reached the 500 scores in the following grade levels: Mathematics in Grade 7 with a score of 511; Reading in Grade 8 with a score of 499; Narrative Writing in Grade 7 with a score of 543 and Expository Writing in Grade 7 with a score of 516.

When we compare our scores with students sitting the assessments from all other international schools we see that the performance of our average student´ at the same level or higher in 24 out of 28 indicators:

(Note: The mean z-score can be interpreted as how an averaged student in a school is compared to all other students in ISA norm at the same year level.)

International School Assessments (ISAs) Results September 2013

The IGCSE programme is an academically challenging examination programme run by the Cambridge International Examinations board from the UK. (In North America, these courses are typically labelled as ´honours´ courses.)

In the 2013–2014 academic year, 47 students took one or more International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) examinations with 89.9% of these students

achieving A* through C grades. Also 34.6% of these grades were at an A* or A grade.

Any student who wished to take the examinations was entered and no students were selected out because they struggled with the content of the course.

As such we are exceedingly proud of their achievements.

International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) Results

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma programme is known throughout the world for its academic rigour and is also universally seen as an honours programme.

The full Diploma Programme consists of six subjects (three Higher and three Standard Level), the Extended Essay, Theory of Knowledge, and CAS (Creativity, Action, Service).

In order to obtain the IB Diploma, students must gain at least 24 points and fulfil a range of other conditions defined by IB.

We are proud that with a non-selective approach that encourages all students to take on the challenge of the IB, 51 out of 52 students in our 2014 graduating class sat IB

examinations with 49 of these taking the full IB Diploma. Continuing on an impressive record of results, in May 2014, ISS students achieved a 32 point average (this includes approximately 11% of students with diagnosed special educational needs and approximately 6% receiving English as an Additional Language Support) and a mean subject score of 5.04 both of which are above the world average.

In addition, two students achieved the maximum score of 45 points and a further two with 44 points.

This is a remarkable feat given that less than one-quarter of one percent (0.25%) of IB participants around the world achieve a score of 45.

IB Examinations Results...including TWO PERFECT SCORES!

IS Stavanger All Students in ISA 2013 (Mean Z-Score)

Grade Math Reading Writing A (Narrative) Writing B (Expository)

Grade 3 -0,1 0,5 0,4 -0,2

Grade 4 0,2 0,4 0,0 -0,4

Grade 5 0,5 0,4 0,2 0,1

Grade 6 0,2 0,3 0,1 0,0

Grade 7 0,2 0,0 0,3 -0,2

Grade 8 0,3 0,1 0,3 -0,2

Grade 9 0,3 0,5 0,5 0,4


Aberystwyth UniversityAnglia Ruskin UniversityBangor UniversityBath Spa UniversityBI Norwegian Business SchoolBrigham Young UniversityBrunel UniversityCanterbury Christ Church UniversityCity University LondonD’Youville CollegeDelft University of TechnologyFlorida Institute of TechnologyFlorida Southern UniversityFlorida State UniversityHochskule Musik and Theatre MunchenHofstra UniversityImperial College LondonKeele UniversityKings College LondonKingston UniversityLiverpool John Moore’s UniversityLondon South Bank UniversityLoyola Marymount UniversityManchester Metropolitan UniversityManhattan CollegeMcGill UniversityMarist CollegeMount St. Vincent UniversityNorges HandelshøyskoleNorwegian University of Science and TechnologyNorwegian School of Economics and BusinessNottingham Trent UniversityOxford Brookes UniversityPace UniversityPlymouth UniversityQueen Mary University of LondonRobert Gordon UniversityRoyal Holloway University of LondonRoyal Military College CanadaSt. Francis Xavier UniveritySt Mary’s College of CaliforniaSemmelweis University (Hungary)Swansea UniversityTexas A & M UniversityUniversity of AberdeenUniversity of AgderUniversity of AmsterdamUniversity of BathUniversity of BedfordshireUniversity of BergenUniversity of BournemouthUniversity of BrightonUniversity of British ColumbiaUniversity of California, Davis

University of California, RiversideUniversity of CambridgeUniversity of CardiffUniversity of Central LancashireUniversity of ChesterUniversity College LeidenUniversity College LondonUniversity College UtrechtUniversity of Colorado (Colorado Springs)University of DallasUniversity of DerbyUniversity of DurhamUniversity of DundeeUniversity of East AngliaUniversity of EdinburghUniversity of EssexUniversity of ExeterUniversity of FloridaUniversity of GlasgowUniversity of GreenwichUniversity of KentUniversity of KentuckyUniversity of LancasterUniversity of LeedsUniversity of LeicesterUniversity of LiverpoolUniversity of ManchesterUniversity of NewcastleUniversity of NorthamptonUniversity of NorthumbriaUniversity of OsloUniversity of ReadingUniversity of RedlandsUniversity of RoehamptonUniversity of San FranciscoUniversity of SheffieldUniversity of South FloridaUniversity of SouthamptonUniversity of South WalesUniversity of StavangerUniversity of StirlingUniversity of SurreyUniversity of St. AndrewsUniversity of Texas, AustinUniversity of TorontoUniversity of TromsoUniversity of VirginiaUniversity of WestminsterUniversity of WinchesterUniversity of WorcesterUniversity of YorkVirginia Polytechnic InstituteVoss folkehøgskoleWheaton College

In preparing students for the future, ISS students gained admission to competitive universities across the globe, including leading institutions in Australia, Canada, France, Italy, Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, the United Kingdom and United States. Our June 2014 graduates were accepted at the following universities:

University Placements for the Class of 2014


Spring 2014 saw success for ISS students at the Norwegian Unge Forskere/Young Researchers competition. The final was held at the Norwegian Technical Museum in Oslo. Only 24 students from around the country were named as finalists – five of them from ISS! For the past three years, ISS has been the best represented school in the whole of Norway in this prestigious competition.

Katarzyna Kabulska was awarded a second prize (NOK 7000) in the Science and Technology class for her project: “The Effect of the Temperature on the Cohesion between Water Molecules at the Water Surface”. She was also invited to attend the Intel/ISEF Science Fair in the USA next year to present her project.

Kjell Stuart G. Gordon was also awarded a second prize (NOK 7000) in the Science and Technology class for his study of “Exoplanet Transits in the Classroom”. Kjell was also invited to attend the European SpaceCamp in the far north of Norway in July.

Camilla Christina Pedersen won a second prize (NOK 7000) in the Science and Technology class with her project “The Effects of Major and Minor Tonality of Classical Music on the Heart Rate and Blood Pressure of Adolescent Females.” Christina was also invited to be the guest presenter at the Danish Unge Forskere competition.

Amanda Holyoak won a third prize (NOK 5000) in the Science and Technology category for a project entitled “Investigating the Effect of Depth on the Frequencies of Light Available for Underwater Photography” Amanda was also selected to present her project at the China Adolescents Science & Technology Innovation Contest during the summer.

Larissa Wiegelmann was awarded a third prize (NOK 5000) in the Humanities category of the Unge Forskere competition, reminding us that research is not confined to the scientific fields. Her history project focused on the Vietnam War and was entitled “How far did the William L. Calley trial after the My Lai Massacre capture the reality of the events?”

We congratulate all our national finalists on their success.

reSearch awarDS - unge forSkere reSultS 2013

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• Technology Developments – ISS has continued to provide more access to mobile technology across the school and extended the one-to-one iPad programme to Grade 6. This means we now have a programme in place from Grade 6 through to Grade 12. The focus is on the use of the technology in a blended learning context as a tool that can assist in benefiting student organization, creativity and collaboration. We are proud that schools in the region are viewing ISS as a model they can learn from. Over the course of the 2013-2014 academic year ISS hosted a number of visitors from Norwegian Schools and Kommunes as well as international schools.

• Having refitted our Design Technology lab in 2012-2013, we are now offering a more robust programme under the guidance of Mr. Steve McGill. In 2013-2014, our first student entered the IGCSE Design Technology examination and we started offering Design Technology at IB Diploma level.

• From an intended learning perspective, ISS has completed the Stage Three (delivery pedagogy) step of our curriculum review cycle. As part of this process, our school-based professional development focused on brain research with Dr. JoAnne Deak. Dr. Deak worked with teachers, students and parents on developing an understanding of how the brain works and how learning takes place.

In the 2014-215 academic year, we will start to review Stage One of our curriculum process, which focused on intended learning.

ISS will review our standards and benchmarks across school to ensure the learning is developmentally appropriate and fit for purpose as well as ensuring that we have an appropriate scope and sequence of both content (knowledge and understandings) and skills.

Curriculum review in a never-ending process that has been structured into a systematic five-year review process to develop and deliver an evolving curriculum that will meet the needs of our students in preparing them for the future.

other StrategIc & operatIonal achIevementS

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Council of International Schools/New England Association of Schools and Colleges Visiting Team Report, May, 2014:

”The Visiting Team applauds the faculty and administration for their strong commitment to developing a curriculum programme best suited to the students at ISS. The members of the Visiting Team fully appreciate the level of work that the school has already done in this development and agrees with the school that curriculum review is a never-ending task. The plan already developed by ISS augurs well for the continuation of the good work completed, and the Visiting Team wishes the school success in its further development and implementation.”


Well-being is the second core ISS value. At ISS, we value the ´whole child´ and believe in students leading physically and emotionally healthy, ethical, active and balanced lives in a safe environment. We believe this will contribute to their self-esteem and enable them to become more effective learners.

Coupled with our broad extra-curricular offerings in student government, sports, music, drama, dance, clubs and extensive travel opportunities, ISS students have many opportunities to excel both in and outside the classrooms. Within a Norwegian context, this also means that we are implementing the directives outlined in the Student School Environment section, §9a, of the Education Act, which is the law under which the Kingdom of Norway approved ISS.

To this end, it is important for us to continue to nurture, develop and enhance co- and extra-curricular programmes. Students have the opportunity to be involved in the following:

• Early Childhood and Primary School: A Primary School Service Club), Gymnastics, Girls’ Volleyball, Climbing Club, Track and Field, Plays, Student Council, Robotics Club, Art Club, Sewing Club, Dance Club (supervised by the high school CAS students). There are also parent-led clubs: Soccer/Football, Taekwondo, Basketball, Baseball and Scouts.

• Middle School: Boys and Girls Soccer/Football, Basketball, Swimming, Track and Field, Boys Rugby, Girls Volleyball, Musical, Participation in ISTA and AMIS, AXIS Service Club, Robotics Club – Lego Mindstorms, Study Club Work Space, Ski Days, Cycling, Math Club & Competition.

• High School: Boys and Girls Soccer, Basketball, Swimming, Track & Field, Girls Volleyball, Boys Rugby. There is also an annual High School Play, ISTA, Model United Nations, Student Council, International Friendship Group, Prom Committee, Service Club, CAS Clubs, Math Competition, Outdoor Expeditions.

Our sport teams participated in local and international competitions.

Internationally ISS is a member of the NECIS organization (North European Council of International Schools). Our sports programme has an inclusive philosophy. We do not cut students from our regular season programme.

In the 2013-2104 academic year there were two Primary School plays: one in January, ’Time Lord’, about students who travelled back in time, and one in May, ’Going for Gold’, about the history of the World Cup. There was a high degree of participation within the fourth and fifth Grade with over 65 students involved. In the Middle and High School, there were an additional two musicals: ’Beauty and the Beast’ and ’Impact’.

Continuing in the area of the arts, students participate in both the Middle and High School ISTA festivals sending students to Cornwall, England and Prague. In addition to this, we also hosted the Middle School AMIS Girls Honor Choir with 12 students representing ISS.

Students have also represented ISS internationally by participating in both the Lisbon and The Hague Model United Nations.

well-beIng


Annually, Grade 4 - 8 students participate in a Leirskole (Outdoor Education) week. The main focus of Leirskole is teamwork, cooperation and getting to know the local culture and traditions. Every year, Grade 6 visit Oslo for two days where they study Norwegian history and culture. In the Middle School, there is also a Spanish language exchange programme.

In October, the High School annually hold its ’week without walls’ with students taking part in educational experiences outside the classroom, including locations such as Thailand, Belgium, France, Svalbard, Iceland and the UK.

In order to identify and implement methods to improve the health, safety, security and environment of the school for students and staff, we conducted and completed safety audits and performed risk/benefit assessments for all school trips.

To increase our internal security here at ISS, we initiated lockdown practices with students present within the building. Whilst we have been conducting lockdown practices for many years during staff in-service days, in 2014 we ran these important practices with students. In preparing for the practice, we solicited assistance from a number of outside organisations and agencies, including local government officials, the police authorities, and the ConocoPhillips HSSE team. The learnings and feedback from these organisations were invaluable and acted upon before running the final practice.

Under the responsibility of the Well-Being Committee, ISS is proud of its Eco Lighthouse/Miljøfyrtårn status (http://

www.miljofyrtarn.no/index.php). ISS was the first school in Norway to be awarded this status and, as part of the annual renewal of this status, ISS has to demonstrate continued improvement in the area of environment and sustainability. On a day-to-day basis, students and employees participate in the development and maintenance of a waste sorting initiative at school. The cafeteria has reduced its waste over the duration of the academic year. In addition, ISS participates annually in local beach clean-ups and has initiated a sustainable fresh water project in Cameroon.

Continuing in the area of HSSE, our risk assessment procedures and protocols have been updated and are in the process of being further integrated into our pastoral and advisory programmes. Additionally, our health care professionals continue to work closely with the local authorities to provide the pertinent health care information as well as give specific inoculations where appropriate for students following the approved Norwegian government school health directives.

We have also reviewed and restructured our counselling, learning support and EAL provision to ensure we have appropriate delivery structure and staffing ratios to meet the needs of our students.

Keeping our employees current on safety procedures is a priority. During an annual work environment day, there was a focus on team building and fire safety practices and all staff and faculty were retrained by fire department representatives. The AMU (work environment committee) also conducted its annual work environment survey from which areas of strength and areas for improvement are highlighted and acted upon.

well-beIng


One of the strengths of ISS is our sense of unity within diversity. Students of the school were drawn from 49 different nationalities, many of whom have two or more nationalities. We are also aware in an international school context that the notion of identity is far more complex than which passport one holds and links to larger cultural and language issues.

As stated within our Community core value, at ISS we celebrate the spirit of belonging and a sense of community at the school, local and global levels. Respecting diversity and valuing international and intercultural understanding, the school fosters actions intended to make positive contributions to a more equitable and sustainable world.

communIty

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Student Na*onality Break-‐down 2013 -‐ 2014 (Including Dual Na*onality)


A more detailed look at our global community is provided in the 2013-2014 Student Nationality table on page 18.


“The Team is also grateful to all members of the school community who were involved in the preparation of the Self-Study. Your effort in preparing this Self-Study provided the Visiting Team with a complete and accurate assessment of the school.”

communIty

Norwegian 20%

American 20%

Bri2sh 10%

Dutch 7%

German 4%

Canadian 5%

Italian 4%

Danish 2%

Indian 2%

Polish 3%

Australian 2%

French 3%

Austrian 1%

Nigerian 1%

Other 16%

Percentage of Student by Na2onality


Page 12

Infrastructure & Resources - I would include the pie charts

International School of Stavanger is a non-profit entity, which operates within an approved annual budget for the school year. Our school budgeting year is from July 1 to June 30 and our fiscal year runs January 1 to December 31.

The school accounts are annually audited by Ernst & Young Norway.

Approximately 94% of ISS revenue comes from tuition, 5% from grants and ca 1% through fees. The remaining comes from bank interest and other miscellaneous income.

The ISS Board of Trustees makes its decision on the official tuition rate for the following school year each September.

In both September 2013 and September, 2014, that rate was set at NOK 205,000.

The Board’s allegiance to the commitment of providing the resources for an excellent quality educational experience for our students continues to be as strong as ever.

fInanceS


Company K. - 12 80 %

Private K-12 13 %

Pre.School 1 %

Fees (Application/Registration) 1 %

Grants (Kommune, State, US Govt) 5 %

Other (Interest, facilities) <1 %

Budget income 2013-14 Revenue

Expenditure

COMPENSATION (salaries, employer's NI, retirement &

insurance) 81 %

OPERATING (school buses, building maintenance, utilities)

10 %

EDUCATIONAL OPER. (athletics, software, library, textbooks, dept.

funds) 5 %

CAPITAL (IT hardware, Phys. Plant modifications, furniture/fixtures)

4 %

CONTINGENCY <1 %

Budget expenditures 2013-14

actual revenue anD expenDIture 2013-14


Our Parent Association is a group of ISS parents working together to:

• Provide social and fundraising support to the school by means of Association events, projects, programmes and donations.

• Support the goals, objectives and procedures of the ISS Board of Trustees.

• Act as a non-profit, non-political and non-partisan organization.

From organizing festive international fairs to contributing to field trips and new playground equipment to running book drives, the PA has a long tradition of improving the school experience for ISS children and providing meaningful social opportunities for the ISS community.

Without the work of our Parent Association, who give selflessly and tirelessly of themselves, ISS would simply not be the place it is today.

In defining our core Community value we seek to foster actions intended to make positive contributions to a more equitable and sustainable world. In doing so, there are many actions and activities emanating from our school community over the course of the year. Students are involved in service projects locally and globally. This includes a range of clubs and activities including: CAS Activities, Cameroon Service Project, International Red Cross, International Friendship Groups (IFG) and Show We Care (SWEC). IFG & SWEC were involved with and/or made donations to the following local and national charities: SOS Barnebyer, Livsglede for Eldre, Min Dag I Dag, Dyrebeskyttelsen, UNICEF, Redd Barna, Red Cross, Livets Tre, Sykehuset i Våre Hender, Diabetisk Forening, FRETEX and Leger uten Grenser.

In addition, ISS also supports the ’School for Life’ charity in Thailand where students visit and participate in service projects near Chiang Mai.

Locally, our students were involved in beach clean-ups, visits to local retirement homes and raised funds to support charitable organizations.

local connectIonS

Students participated in a range of events and assemblies including the International Festival, May 17 parade, UN con-cert, UN day parade, visiting author projects and Juletrefest.

We also presented a number of “Morning Connections” events for parents on a range of topics of interest.

the parent aSSocIatIon ServIce learnIng


At the beginning of the year, ISS unveiled our school-based definition of international education. This was developed and established by a group of students, parents, teachers and administrators that had been brought together as part of the re-accreditation process designed to review our Guiding Statements.

Underpinning the project was a desire to define and provide clarity around what the school considers international education and what specific context is unique to our school.

After conducting a thorough literature review and engaging in a great deal of dialogue, the following definition was crafted and approved by the Board of Trustees:

International School of Stavanger is an internationally minded school that promotes a holistic education. This holistic international education can be visualized as an education of the head (understandings), heart (attitudes), and hands (skills/service):

The “head” aspect of the ISS definition of international education asks what a student needs to notice, know and understand. This includes but is not limited to languages, global issues and awareness, promoting an internationally minded curriculum and developing 21st century learning and blended technology.

In keeping with the IB Learner Profile, the “head” aspect promotes communication, creativity, inquiry and problem solving. The “head” component links to the learning core

value of the ISS Guiding Statements.

The “heart” aspect of the ISS definition of international education focuses on attitudes and dispositions and asks why a student should care. This includes but is not limited to promoting cultural appreciation and sensitivity, and developing a strong sense of ethical responsibility.

In keeping with the IB Learner Profile, the “heart” aspect promotes compassion and understanding. The “heart” component links to the Well-Being core value of the ISS Guiding Statements.

The “hands” component of the ISS definition of international education focuses on involvement and asks what a student should do and with whom. This includes developing experiential and service learning and responsible citizenship at the personal, local, national and global level.

The “hands” component links to the Community value of the ISS Guiding Statements.

ISS’ definition of international education is in keeping with the school’s vision statement: Inspire a community of responsible, globally-engaged and empowered learners.

Ultimately, the aim of an international education at ISS is to encourage students to recognize our common shared humanity, and through service and action, help create a better and most peaceful world and a knowledge of self.

School baSeD DefInItIon of InternatIonal eDucatIon


During the 2013-2014 academic year, ISS successfully completed its Council of International Schools (CIS) and New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) re-accreditation. Within the international schools community, accreditation with these agencies provides an assurance of quality for parents and students.

We were pleased that out of the 59 areas that were assessed not one indicator was ranked as demonstrating little or no

alignment with all indicators demonstrating good or excellent alignment with the assessed standards. There were a great number of commendations as well as recommendations for us to work on as we strive for school improvement and development.

Below, and throughout this annual report there are a number of comments (in blue boxes) that have been included verbatim from the report.

accreDItatIon



“The Visiting Team appreciated the open and honest dialogue that characterized the tone of its meetings throughout the Visit. The willingness of all members of the school community to provide the Visiting Team with an account of their progress to date and the next steps that need to be taken, assisted the Visiting Team in identifying areas of strength and those areas in need of further improvement.”

“The Visiting Team would like to recognize the commitment of the Board and the school Leadership Team for their drive and determination to provide a high quality education for all ISS students. Your work in the classroom, in the Administrative Offices, the Cafeteria, and in the maintenance of the school grounds provides the foundation for the wonderful education that every student clearly enjoys at ISS. You should take great pride in the wonderful learning environment which supports well-being for all within the school and wider community.”

“Recognizing that the student body and the faculty represent many diverse nationalities, the school has spent a good deal of time defining internationalism and interculturalism at ISS. There are many opportunities for student action and response to these concepts, as with the Guiding Statements, the school is encouraged to assess the effectiveness of this definition and impact on the students.” “The International School of Stavanger is approaching a new chapter in its history. The school Director will be “graduating” at the end of the next academic year. Her enthusiasm and passion for international education and her commitment to ISS are commendable. The Visiting Team wishes to acknowledge the positive impact of this longevity while at the same time wishing the incoming school Director every success. The succession plan that the Board has put in place supports a seamless transition.”

“The Visiting Team would also like to express its heartfelt thanks to every member of the ISS community who supported its work throughout the Team Visit. .”

“We all wish the International School of Stavanger well as it continues to inspire a community of responsible, globally engaged and empowered learners, as well as to encourage students to recognize a common shared humanity through service and action, to help create a better and more peaceful world and knowledge of self.”

International School of StavangerTreskeveien 3, N

O- 4043 H

afrsfjord, Norw

ayTel: +47 - 51 55 43 00 Fax: +47 - 51 55 43 01

ww

w.isstavanger.no

iss annua rreport 2013-14

Documents

school community

effective learning environment

safe environment

school fosters actions

team report

student learning

love of learning

effective learners