Summary
Baku International School (BIS) is a school located in Baku, Azerbaijan, which was established by the Quality Schools International (QSI) group in 1994.[1] The school provides preschool education, elementary education, middle school, and secondary education. The school programs are accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA) in the United States.
| Baku International School | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
Ajami Nakhchivani street | |
| Information | |
| Type | Private, non-profit |
| Motto | Success For All |
| Established | 1994 |
| School district | Ganjlik District |
| Oversight | Quality Schools International |
| Director | Dr. Brian Garner |
| Grades | K-12 |
| Years offered | Pre-K to 12th Grade |
| Enrollment | 192 (as of November 2023) |
| Education system | American |
| Language | English (Spanish, German, and French in the case of foreign languages taught) |
| Hours in school day | 8:00AM-3:15PM |
| Color(s) | Blue and White |
| Athletics | Yes |
| Sports | Football, Basketball, Cross Country, Volleyball, Track & Field |
| Mascot | Eagle |
| Nickname | BIS |
| Team name | BIS Eagles |
| Accreditation | MSA/CEESA |
| Affiliations | Quality Schools International |
| Languages | English |
| Website | https://baku.qsi.org/ |
As an international school, there are students from the United States, Azerbaijan, India, Poland, Greece, South Korea, Turkey, Germany, Japan, Colombia, Spain, Russia, Australia, Trinidad, and Romania.
For after-school activities, there are Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and ballet for preschool and elementary students. For middle and high school students, there are sports activities such as cross country running, soccer, basketball, and track and field.[2]
Study and Programs edit
Elementary students learn Literacy, Math, Cultural Studies, Science, World Languages, Music, Technology, Art, and PE (physical education). Middle and Secondary Students get to choose electives which include PE/Wellness, Technology, Music (Band/Orchestra/Choir/Guitar), Drama or Art. Students that can not go yet into the appropriate age program go to IE (Intensive English) classes for Literacy and World Languages. They move up when they can go to the appropriate program of their age. The school has 6 Success Orientations to follow:
- Responsibility
- Kindness & Politeness
- Trustworthiness
- Aesthetic Appreciation
- Concern for Others
- Group Interaction
The school is funded partially by the U.S. Department of State.[3] The school is accredited by CEESA[4] and MSA.[5]
Curriculum edit
The QSI education system differs from the traditional American system in several aspects. The naming of the key stages in the QSI curricular system diverges from typical naming. Additionally, the different stages cover different age groups. The table below represents all the changes:
| QSI Education System | ||
|---|---|---|
| Traditional American
Schools |
QSI Schools | Age Group |
| Preschool | Pre-K | 3-4 |
| Kindergarten | 4-5 | |
| Elementary School | 5-6 | |
| Lower Elementary | 6-9 | |
| Upper Elementary | 9-11 | |
| Middle School | 11-12 | |
| Middle School | 12-14 | |
| High School | Secondary | 14-18 |
A variety of AP Courses is offered, ranging from AP World History to AP Chemistry. Intensive English class is compulsory for ESL (English as a Second Language) students who have struggles effectively communicating in English. A university counselor is also offered to the senior class. Study Hall is offered to high school students with tight schedules and/or numerous AP subjects.
The QSI grading system also differs from that of traditional American schools:
| QSI Grading System | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A level | B Level | N (Not Yet) | W (Withdrawal) | P (In Progress) | H (On Hold) | D (Deficient Effort me) |
| Student illustrated knowledge beyond mastery, went beyond what was expected of him/her and has completed all the TSW's | Student illustrated mastery in the unit and completed all the TSW's | Student failed to show mastery in the unit and has not completed all the TSW's | Student withdrew from the particular unit or the subject as a whole | Student is in progress of mastering the unit and has not completed the unit at that point in time. | Student is placed on hold and starts attending unit recovery | Student showed lack of effort, therefore, receives a D for a particular unit |
TSW ("The Student Will") are a set of guiding points that illustrate what the student should learn in the unit/subject. A TSW sheet is created by a group of teachers with expertise in that particular subject. Every unit in every subject has a TSW sheet.
All QSI schools are based on the course credit system. Each whole-year subject contains 10 units. Each semester-long subject contains 5 units. A single completed unit with a grade of B or above will earn a student 1 credit. A pupil must earn 220 credits throughout his secondary (high school) years and complete all mandatory subjects such as Algebra I and Biology to earn a Standard Diploma. If a student wishes to receive an Academic Diploma, they must earn 240 credits and embark on additional English and Social Science classes. With a student wishes to receive an Academic Diploma with Honors, he/she must complete 2 AP subjects between Secondary 1 and Secondary 4 as well as meeting the requirements of both the Standard and Academic Diploma. The student must complete the subject's AP exam with a score of 3 or above. The mandatory courses for the 3 diplomas are as listed:
| QSI Diploma Requirements | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | Mathematics | Science | Social Science | Arts | Phys. Ed. and Health | Advanced Placement
(Only for Academic With Honors) | |
| Standard Diploma |
|
|
|
|
2 of the 3:
|
|
Any 2 of the following:
|
| Academic Diploma | +
AP Literature |
------------------------------- | -------------------------------- | +
(5 credits) |
------------------------------ | ------------------------------- | |
| Academic Diploma With Honors | ------------------------------- | ------------------------------- | -------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | ------------------------------ | ------------------------------- | |
See also edit
- International schools in Azerbaijan
- Lycée Français de Bakou - French school in Baku
References edit
- ^ http://baku.qsischool.org/overview.html
- ^ http://baku.qsischool.org/sports.html
- ^ "Baku, Azerbaijan: Baku International School: 2023-2024 Fact Sheet". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2024-02-14.
- ^ "CEESA | Central and Eastern European Schools Association - Baku International School". www.ceesa.org. Retrieved 2024-02-14.
- ^ "School Profile". MSA-CESS. Retrieved 2024-02-14.