We are pleased to announce that applications are now open for the school’s Scholarship Programme 2017/18.

With more than 500 students of mixed gender, from older teenagers to the youngest of children, representing over 40 countries worldwide, Rome International School is already a fine example of a global community. We would like to help it grow even further by offering students of all ages, who show ability but whose families lack the sufficient economic resources, a chance to develop their potential in an atmosphere which will give them the opportunities they deserve.

It is for this reason that we will offer four scholarships that cover tuition fees and scholastic taxes for the academic year 2017/18 to non-Italian students.

Please visit the dedicated Scholarship Programme page on our website for more details on how to apply and for the terms and conditions for granting scholarships. The deadline for applications is 27 February 2017.

Rome International School in collaboration with ‘Associazione Culturale A-tensione is pleased to present ‘A Bronx Tale’ by Chazz Palminteri. The performance is suitable for children of all ages and is exclusive to the Rome International School community.

The play will be performed in its original English version by Antonio Tintis, directed by Massimiliano Farau at Rome International School’s Auditorium on the following dates:

Thursday 17 November 2016 at 19.30
Friday 18 November 2016 at 21.00

‘A Bronx Tale’ is a one-man show that has inspired the famous movie directed by Robert De Niro in 1993 and is now a musical hit on Broadway. The play takes you to the stoops of the Bronx in the 1960s— where a young man is caught between the father he loves and the popular mob boss of the neighborhood. Set in an environment where violence, prejudice and racial tensions are common, A Bronx Tale shows how respect, loyalty, love, and family values can positively shape and change one’s life.

A contribution of €15.00 per person is required to cover the production costs and it can be paid at the school office or on-line by following this link.

Rome International School’s open weeks are intended for prospective parents and students.

If you’re interested in attending, you must first book an appointment with the school office. Please contact our reception team (office@romeinternationalschool.it; +39 0684482650) who will be happy to discuss a convenient slot with you.

Why attend?

- Individual tour of the school plus dedicated meetings with the Principals and Vice-Principals of the Early Years/Elementary (ages 2 to 11) and Middle / High School (ages 12 to 18)
- Get answers about the enrolment procedure and international curricula offered: the prestigious International Baccalaureate and Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education
- Prospective students to the Middle/High School can sit the entrance test (in English and Mathematics)

We look forward to welcoming you to Rome International School!

Last academic year our Grade 9 students took the Cambridge Checkpoint Examination for the first time in the history of Rome International School. This examination is available for First Language English, English as a Second language, Mathematics and Science and has been designed to assess learners at the end of the Middle Years. The report feedback provided by Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) gives an insight into learner’s strengths and weaknesses before progressing to the next stage of their education.

We are proud to announce that our students have performed above the standard expected in all mainstream subjects. Reports in English indicate that students at RIS have excellent writing skills but they have to improve the proper usage of English. In Mathematics students’ strength lies in analysing and interpreting data. Their weakness on the other hand is finding the most suitable strategy for solving problems. The report for Science shows that students have a sound understanding of concepts. Students scored high on the scientific enquiry component of this examination. The report suggests for students to pay more attention to instructions in the future as they often lost scores due to not answering the question that was asked.

We are determined to continue with Cambridge Checkpoint examinations as we believe it helps our students to identify their strengths and weaknesses and it also helps teachers to adjust the focus of their teaching according to the needs that the reports reveal.

We wish this year’s Grade 9 students stamina and commitment to prepare for this important examination in April. For more information we invite Grade 9 parents to our Checkpoint Briefing afternoon on Thursday 22 September,16.05, as indicated on the calendar.

- Ms. Hetzer, IGCSE Coordinator

It’s the start of a new school year and after the traditional talk about the children’s summer holidays, I wondered what topic 4LC would be interested in discussing. Classroom rules? I doubt it…Their expectations for Grade 4? Mmm, a bit dry… One of my students, Edoardo P., came up with an idea:

“Miss Coïc, can I do a presentation on Pokémon Go?”
“Ab-so-lu-te-ly!”

I mean, who has not heard of this location-based, augmented reality game over the summer? I was thrilled with Edoardo’s suggestion. Not only would he be speaking in English about something he loves, he would also probably trigger a whole class discussion. Luckily my prediction was right and this is exactly what happened. After Edoardo’s confident presentation and the buzzing discussion that followed, I asked the children what attributes of the Learner Profile Edoardo had shown. They easily identified that he was a “risk-taker” for talking in front of the class; that he was “knowledgeable” about this trendy game (certainly more than I was!); and of course, that he was a “communicator” for sharing his knowledge orally.

Classroom talk is essential for language development. Should we discard a topic just because it seems too trivial? No! The aim is to get the kids excited to speak in English and one way of achieving this is through topics of discussion that are highly relevant to them.

By Ms Coïc, Grade 4LC

Rome International School is delighted with this year’s International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP) results

Since our first cohort in 2011, our DP graduates have gone on to study at the university of their choice and this year is no different. 2016 university destinations include:

Queen Mary (UK); Bocconi (Italy); University of Aberdeen (UK); King’s College (UK); EU Barcelona (Spain); University of Prince Edward Island (Canada).

Find out more about the IB Diploma Programme at Rome International School.

As announced in the Head of School’s Summer Letter, the new academic year will, once again, be filled with new initiatives, proposals and activities. Here is a brief summary of some of the announcements. Stay tuned for more updates in September! Please note that the school will be closed from 1 August re-opening on 22 August 2016.

Educational value of charity

From September, thanks to the extraordinary commitment of our PTA and school community, we will have a young student with us from Kenya as part of the Education for All initiative. We believe that this investment in the future (of this young man, and as far as possible, of his country of origin), this example of charity, will constitute an educational message to be taken up again and again as food for thought with your children, making them aware and a part of the underlying project of solidarity.

Save the date: 28 September 2016, 18.00

Professor Massimo Ammaniti, an internationally renowned expert in developmental psychology will present his book La Famiglia Adolescente (The Adolescent Family).

New partnership for official recognition of studies at the end of the Elementary School cycle and of the state ‘Terza Media’ exam

The excellent results achieved by the candidates, both for establishing eligibility for enrolment in the Italian Middle School, and for the “Terza Media” state exam, are a confirmation of the extraordinary effectiveness of our Italian department and of the collaboration with the Istituto Leonardo Da Vinci of Ciampino. Nevertheless we have decided to pilot a new collaboration, and we have identified the ‘Istituto Comprensivo Rossellini’ in Formello, also a state school, as our new partner; geographical proximity is at the core of our decision.

Certificate of Musical Activities

Collaboration with ABRSM, a branch of the Royal Schools of Music to provide an external certification for instruction in musical activity (classical and jazz).

In step with the future

Within the renewed and very rich after-school activities on offer, for the first time we are launching three afternoon classes on the application of Information Technology, calibrated to three different target groups (8-10 years, Middle School and High School) with both recreational and educational objectives, from coding to robotics. Taught by experts who have long collaborated with the international “Maker Faire” (now an unmissable annual Roman event), these courses are an investment in the major passions of “digital natives”, and a way to capitalise and train pupils in the use of IT tools.

Extension of external assessment

A new experimental programme will start in collaboration with CEM, a department of Durham University, to identify specific cognitive abilities in students: starting with some classes and then evaluating the possible extension of the programme to other cohorts of students.

It is with great pleasure that we announce that the school has been granted status as an Eco-School and is now officially part of the International Eco-Schools network.

RIS has been awarded a certificate from the Foundation for Environmental Education for achievement in sustainable development education and management and for continuously improving the environmental performance of the school and wider community.

The School would like to thank Ms McLean, Teacher of Grade 2 and Environmental Project Coordinator for her tireless efforts in establishing the Eco-Committee and for her commitment to guiding the school through the Eco-Schools Seven-Step process. This initiative has positively affected learning outcomes, attitude and behaviour of students. As evidence of the School’s success in the area of sustainable development education, we have been awarded a Green Flag – the highest possible achievement in the Eco Schools Programme – which we will proudly fly outside the school! Thank you to the students involved in the Eco Committee and to their parents – in particular Ms. Marieta Okenkova and Mr. Roberto Guida – for all of the support and commitment to the Environmental Project.

Eco-Schools is an international programme of the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) that aims to empower students to be the change our sustainable world needs by engaging them in fun, action-orientated and socially responsible learning. Each school follows a seven step change process and empowers their young people to lead processes and actions wherever they can. Eco-Schools is one of the programmes recognised by the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005 – 2104), awarding certificates to thousands of schools around the world. The Eco-Schools programme extends from kindergartens to universities and is implemented in over 60 countries, involving 48,000 schools* http://www.ecoschools.global/