Phoenix Flyer

Korea International School

In This Issue:

KIS Today
KIS & MIT
Seoul Campus
Elementary School
Middle School
High School
Athletics
Summer Program

KIS Today

KIS is now finished with its first month of the new

school year, and it is the best start of a year I have
seen. One reason, I think, is our School-Wide Goal
to: Develop Applied Learning educational systems
which include design thinking, project based learning, and experiential learning to encourage the necessary 21st Century skills and abilities. From PreKindergarten through to 12th grade, students are
taking their learning to new, applied levels. That includes: more hands-on activities to make concepts
meaningful; more student responsibility and initiative regarding their work; more learning activities to
Steve Cathers
encourage
creativity and problem-solving; and more
School Director
collaborative team activities. Exciting things are happening in the Elementary School Ko-LAB, the Middle School design-thinking classes, the
High School autonomous time and spaces, Experiential Education activities at all levels, and
design projects in many classrooms as well.
This is important because our students need those 21st Century skills more than ever to be
successful. Top universities have repeatedly told us that these skills are needed, and that their
admissions offices look for evidence of them. Surveys of top corporations identify these skills
as necessary and in short supply for their key employees. I believe we all know that the world
is changing and developing rapidly, and these skills will allow our students to adapt to that
change in order to be leaders and innovators while others are struggling to keep up.
I encourage everyone to learn about, and celebrate, these exciting initiatives. Our students are
benefitting from them, and they will be better prepared for their futures because of them. We
are committed to our students success!

School Spotlight

KIS & MIT

For the last few years, we have offered the MIT Program at KIS. In January, MIT upperclassmen have been
coming to our school to work with our students. We are now planning for this years program, and I believe
it will be better than ever. As before, we will have eight MIT students come to campus for four weeks. They
will lead all-day workshops in specialized subjects during the last week of Winter Break, and students can
attend for free. We will have an application process later this fall, since there is limited space.
When school resumes in January, MIT students will work in some Middle and High School classes to provide
some innovative, hands-on activities, as well as teach some advanced concepts. In the past, this has been
a good opportunity for students to get to know the MIT students and find out about their college life.
As always, we do not know what students will come yet, or what their special interests are. Because of that,
we will not decide what workshops to offer until we discuss this with them in October. However, all sessions
will have a core of engineering with hands-on applications, as they have been every year. Middle and High
School students who are interested in the winter workshops should keep the last week of vacation (January
4th to 8th) free, and they should apply early when the application is announced. We expect fuller sessions
and better workshops than ever before.

Seoul Campus
Elementary School

Remember your First Day

Highlights

The excitement of the first day of school could be felt in the halls
at Seoul Campus as teachers waited for the first bus to arrive. As
the children got off the bus with smiling faces and an eagerness to
learn, we all knew it was going to be another great year. Old friends
had a chance to catch up, and new friendships were formed as the
day progressed. At the end of the day, we had a
chance to meet as House Teams, and to create
our own, unique chants. Philbert the Phoenix was
there to join us for our assembly too. He encouraged our chant competition, and he took pictures
Justin OConnor with all of the House Teams. Our first day was a
Seoul Campus
joyful time, and it was a great start to our new
Principal
school year!

Seoul Campus Design Center

This August, we have already begun designing
and engineering in the Seoul Campus Design
Center. Pre-Kindergarten to 5th grade students
are learning about the design cycle and the
amenities in the Design Center. During Design
Time, students creatively problem solve for different design challenges appropriate to their age and
abilities. Here are a few of the activities that we
have embarked upon so far.
The preschool students constructed bridges to
move a character across water.
Kindergarten students designed toys--using
limited materials--that were able to complete a
certain action. Afterwards, they recreated their
same designs using LEGO WEDO kits.
First graders designed containers that move, and
toys that fly.
In second grade, students have begun designing
3D objects (in Tinkercad) that represent things
that are important to themselves. We will use our
3D printer to print these designs.
Third graders are in the process of designing tools
to measure the weather.
Fourth graders have created marshmallow and
spaghetti structures based on the information
they learned from interviewing others.
The fifth graders have already had their first
competition this school year. Each team strived

to design and construct the

tallest tower that can hold a
cupcake for the longest time.
In the Design Center, we lay
the foundation for so many
Brianna Bedessem
disciplines, while having lots Design Teacher
of laughs along the way too.
We look forward to a fun and educational year
with all of our students.

Classroom Economy: Our Stock is Rising!

Seoul Campus students in grades 3 to 5 are investing
in more than their education this year, as they participate in our new Classroom Economy system: a tool
for teaching both personal and financial responsibility.

Using classroom currency, students earn money for jobs, and pay rent for their desks. They can
earn bonus cash by participating in school activities, helping others, earning a commended score
on an assessment, and more. On the other hand,
students who dont meet classroom expectations
will be fined some of their classroom dollars. That
could happen, for example, when being dishonest or off task, or losing work, or for other reasons.
This system helps children to learn valuable life skills
such as organization, the value of saving, and delayed

gratification. Rather than being

told about the importance of
these skills, they actually experience them. In addition, the
system fits in well with the other
parts of our curriculum. Well
Megan Greene
also have a little fun with it. AfGrade 4 Teacher
ter paying rent, students can
spend their saved money at an auction each trimester where they get to bid on popular, desired items.
So, dont be surprised if your child comes home
one day with questions about paying rent, or buyers-remorse about overbidding for an auction
item. As a parent, you might also find it a great opportunity to have a thoughtful discussion about
responsibility in finances and other areas of life.

Sensory Exploration in Pre-Kindergarten

The youngest students of KIS-Seoul Campus are busy with hands-on
learning in Pre-Kindergarten (PK). Every day, they have the opportunity to work at our classrooms sensory table. This past month, it was
teeming with noodles, water, play dough, and rice puffs. Students
bring their own ideas to the table, often adding animals, funnels,
tubes, and more. Then, they manipulate and move the materials with
ice cream scoops, tongs, cups, and other found objects. Throughout
the year, our PK students will be presented with many more table
fillings, such as cotton balls, shaving cream, rice, bubble wrap, wrapping paper, and sand! Its a blast for them to dive into the sensory
tables materials and activate their senses!
If you have odd materials that you are not using,
we would love for you to donate them to our sensory table; please pass them along! These adorable PK students use their wonderful imagination, Anna Sneller
and show off their growing creativity, no matter Pre-K Teacher
what materials they are presented with!

Pangyo Campus
Welcome to KIS!

Elementary School

Highlights

KIS Elementary School (ES) is very pleased and excited to welcome a wonderful new group of caring educators to our team. These great folks have already made their presence felt with their infectious enthusiasm
and remarkable expertise. Over the next few issues of The Phoenix Flyer, well feature each of them, so that
you can get to know them a little better. First up is our newest Dynamic Duo: the Bycraft Family

The Bycraft
Family

Mike Bycraft Science

Mr. Bycraft is teaching science to our ES students
this year. He is a Michigander by birth, and an unrepentant, self-described nerd. If its goofy, then
he loves it--from comic books to (of course) Star
Wars. Before coming to KIS, Mr. B. taught for
eight years at the high school level. He and his
wife, Marsha, (see below) have a delightful Kindergartener named Ruby. Rubys taught me a
lot of things, says Mr. Bycraft, ...mostly the
names of the characters on My Little Pony.
If, when you see Mr. Bycraft, he asks you to pinch
him, please dont be alarmed. Hes just trying to
make sure that he isnt still dreaming. I get to
teach what I love, to students who are really excited to learn, in a fully stocked workshop, with an
awesome and supportive team of teachers, he
exclaims. Never even in my wildest thoughts did
I imagine a situation like this. ...Its pretty sweet.

Travis Peterson
Elementary School
Associate Principal

Marsha Bycraft Art

Mrs. Bycraft is a talented and multifaceted artist
and teacher who enjoys moulding young minds
as much as she does clay. She graduated from
the University of Michigan with a degree in Fine
Arts, and says, After graduating, I tried my hand
as a starving artist for a few years and found that
you do, actually, starve!
She, along with her husband Mike (see above),
was teaching in Las Vegas for the last nine years.
After spending nearly a decade of baking in the
unforgiving Nevada sun, Mrs. Bycraft is enthusiastically enjoying some of the things that many of
us commonly complain about--namely, the high
humidity and torrential downpours. Bring it on!
she cheers.
Its funny how moving halfway around the world
can bring a family closer together. For the Bycrafts, that is literally the case. Mike and Marsha
have classrooms right across from each other,
and their daughter Ruby is in a Kindergarten
class just down the hall. The second floor of KIS
ES is the Bycrafts world, and were all just learning in it....Please stay tuned for more profiles of
our new ES teaching team!

What is the KoLAB?

The mission of the KoLAB Program is to instill in
our students a passion for STEM learning, with a
focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, art/design, and Mathematics. STEM learning cultivates
student competence, self-assurance, initiative, and
creativity in theses crucial and contemporary areas.
The KoLAB program is committed to providing students
with a learning environment where they can rigorously
apply their knowledge to solve meaningful problems
and answer real-world questions. Our integrated curriculum and high expectations helps students successfully transition into middle school--as competent, confident, and innovative individuals. Our KoLAB spaces
are modern learning environments in which elementary
students design, create, prototype, and manufacture
their own products while using modern technologies.
A key aim of the program is for students to clearly
identify connections and interdependent relationships
between disciplines; and then students use these concepts to competently apply their skills within authentic
contexts. We strive for each student to engage in relevant, inquiry-based learning experiences based on real-world problems and intriguing questions. Students
will develop and confidently apply 21st century skills
(creativity, innovation, problem-solving, critical thinking, collaboration, communication, grit, global stewardship, and initiative) to produce creative solutions
and products which address complex problems and
challenges. Thus, our program provides KIS students
with early exposure to STEM careers and fields, and
thereby fuels their limitless interest in the world of STEM.
David Lee
Elementary School
STEM Coordinator

Pangyo Campus
Back-to-School Night

Highlights

Middle School

The KIS Middle School would like to thank all parents who attended our Back to School Night last week.
Many of you were given the opportunity to meet our amazing teaching staff, see our facilities, meet other
parents, sign up for the PTO and to walk a day in your students shoes
up and down the stairs! We would also like to thank Ms. Duncan and all
the mini-ensembles, as they provided wonderful entertainment during each
Dr. David Lovelin
of the passing times. Again, we appreciate your continued support of our
Middle School
students, staff, and programs; and we look forward to having a great year!
Principal

KOREA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

Travel with Rustic Pathways!

CHINA

Giant Panda
Conservation Service
Excursion
Dates: March 26 - April 2, 2015
Cost: $1,995 + airfare
Embark on the adventure of a lifetime as
you spend a week getting to know one of
the worlds most peaceful creatures - the
endangered giant panda. Help staff at the
Bi Feng Xia Panda Conservation Center in
Yaan, Sichuan. Care for the pandas diet,
clean and maintain their living spaces, and
contribute to ongoing research. Get the
most out of your spring break and expand
your horizons through adventure, service,
and cultural immersion in China!
Program Website: bit.ly/kischina

FIJI

Marine Conservation
Service Excursion
Dates: March 26 - April 2, 2015
Cost: $1,695 + airfare
Discover and explore Fiji as you learn
about marine issues, volunteer with reef
monitoring and recovery efforts, and
immerse yourself in the local culture of the
Yasawa Islands. Learn about Fijis marine
ecosystem and how local communities are
working to protect it. When not working in
the water, youll be able to relax and enjoy
island life and participate in engaging
service initiatives in nearby villages. Get the
most out of your spring break and expand
your horizons through adventure, service,
and cultural immersion in Fiji!
Program Website: bit.ly/kisfiji

For more information or to speak to a Rustic Pathways representative,

please contact Britt Herron at bherron@rusticpathways.com.

Rustic Pathways

Experiential and Service Education

The KIS Middle School, in conjunction with Rustic Pathways, has developed three service learning opportunities for our students during this coming 2016 Spring Break. We continually look for amazing global
experiences to broaden the knowledge and understanding of our students.
During the 2016 Spring Break, the 8th Grade Celebration Trip will be in Thailand. We will support the local
community, while having plenty of time to play and experience the beauty of Thailand. This 8th grade trip is
available to--and organized to support--the entire class of 120 students.
The other two trips for 6th and 7th grade students will have an enrollment limit of only 24 students per trip.
One of the trips will focus on marine biology and conservation in Fiji. The other trip is centered on the conservation of the panda in China.

THAILAND

All three trips are optional, and the price-point ranges from Won 1,500,000 - 2,000,000. Please see the attached information sheets, and I hope you will join us for the parent informational meeting on Friday, September 4th at 11:00 am in the PAC.

8 TH GR A DE C E L E B R AT IO N T R IP | R IC E F IE L D S B A S E
Korea International School

Dates: March 26 - April 1, 2015

Cost: $995 USD + airfare
About the Program

Get excited to spend a week celebrating

your (almost) middle school graduation
and the future class of 2020! Expand your
horizons through adventure, service, and
cultural immersion on an 8th grade trip
like no other! Located in the heart of a
rural farming village in northeast Thailand,
the Ricefields Base is a modern oasis
amidst traditional Thai life. Surrounded
by expansive rice fields with the village
temple only steps outside of our gates,
youll have the opportunity to witness
life the way it has been for generations.
Because of our long-standing relationship
with our host family, the Sanboons, and
the local community, we are able to offer
our guests a truly immersive experience!
You will feel a strong sense of community
here as you bond with your schoolmates
and your new Thai friends through team
building activities, deep conversations,
immersive community service, and of
course, lots of fun and games!
Program Website: bit.ly/kisthailand
For more information or to speak to a Rustic Pathways representative,
please contact Britt Herron at bherron@rusticpathways.com.

Rustic Pathways

Pangyo Campus
High School

Highlights

From the Desk of Lou Bailey, Principal

It is my honor to extend to you a warm welcome to the High

School division of Korea International School. I am thrilled to be
your new High School Principal, and so far I have thoroughly enjoyed being here.
As part of an introduction, I would like to share that I have been
a High School Principal for the last seven years in Oregon, and I
have been a school administrator for the last 22 years. Due to the
high caliber of education at KIS, and because KIS is among the
most elite high schools serving the international school community, I am thrilled about this opportunity.
I am looking forward to our new school year; and I am very honored to support your child with a learning
experience that will drive their academic and social development, while ultimately preparing them for a successful higher education.
Over the last three weeks at KIS, I have learned that our students are an incredible group of talented, bright
and creative, young adults. They are extremely polite and respectful; and they have welcomed me in a very
positive manner.
As Principal, I live by the pivotal values of accessibility, visibility, and building strong relationships with students, parents, and staff. I will be working diligently with all stakeholders to continually look ahead at new
and exciting opportunities to ensure that our students are exceptionally prepared to be high-quality adults-adults who can apply their learning, make good decisions, and be highly successful role models in global
citizenship.
Lastly, my staff and I take pride in being part of the KIS family. I would like to personally welcome all students, parents, and guardians to this exciting school year, and I sincerely thank you for your support and
dedication to our school.

The Learning Lounge

With the new 8-block schedule for high school, and the autonomous block in mind, Mr. Bryant and Ms. Paulson have designed a student-centered space: complete with bean bag chairs and painted walls!
The learning lounge was designed with the KIS student population in mind. This space offers students a
comfortable environment to work on their academics. Students will have the opportunity to discuss methods to better organize their work, prioritize assignments, or simply work in a welcoming setting. This space
can also be used for student collaboration with peer groups and teachers. Students should feel safe, comfortable and empowered to seek out and receive the support they need to be successful.

Emily Pailson
Secondary Student
Support Teacher

10

Experiential Education

David Quirin
English Teacher

Do you want to experience education outside the four walls of a

classroom? Do you want a challenge that combines physical
and mental acuity? Do you want
to collaborate with a group, and
in a way that shows immediate
success or failure?

From September 9th to 11th, the entire Seniors class

will be embarking on an Experiential Education trip to
Seoraksan National Park.
As part of a school-wide KIS initiative to integrate
Experiential Education into its curriculum, this trip
will be a three-day wilderness excursion. Designed
to create unity within the Seniors class, it will challenge students to test their limits and perform activities outside of their comfort zones.
Students will gain individual understanding as they
complete an eight-kilometer hike on Wednesday,
September 9th. On Thursday, September 10th, students will collaborate on teams as they navigate a
five- to ten-kilometer stretch of whitewater rafting on
the Naerincheon River. Students will also be able to
assess their comfort with heights: with the opportunity to free fall from a tower, or climb the face of a mountain in an ascent to the top. Lastly, Seniors will come
together at the beach before heading back to their KIS classrooms on Friday, September 11th.
Senior class advisors will accompany the Seniors during this journey of unity and self-discovery. Advisors
will be with their advisories every leg of the trip, as they too will hike, raft, free fall and climb.
Regardless of age, anyone who goes on an Experiential Education trip like this is guaranteed to learn something new about themselves and about others whom they see on a daily basis at KIS.

11

Phoenix Athletics

Fall Sports

This Falls Sports Season is now on its way! Tennis is smashing, volleyball is spiking, and cross-country is off and running.
After a very competitive session of tryouts for tennis, the teams have
been set and the demanding work has begun. The recently-formed
tennis teams have already been practising a lot at the Suji Tennis
Center, with many new members added to every team. Both the girls
and boys teams are excited to be hosting the AISA Tennis Tournament
this October, and we are all look forwarding to playing other schools
onour home turf / courts. We live here.
Volleyball selections also had a very high standard of ability this year.
We had more students try out for the four volleyball teams than we
have ever had before. Understandably, our KIS coaches had to make
some very fair and objective choices when choosing players for each
team. Notably, quite a few varsity volleyball players graduated last
year, so you will see many new faces this season on each team. All KIS
players and coaches are going to give their best efforts to defend our
title as KAIAC champions, and hopefully hold that trophy once again.
Bump, set, spike!

Cross Country had a very large turnout this year as well. Most of us
at KIS see this large community gathering right after classes, in front of the Middle School, in healthy spirit
for the good run ahead. Actually, the club began running the first day that they met. Even though the temperatures in August were hot and humid, the team pushed beyond the weather and had
great, first-season runs. With our first meet at YISS approaching quickly on September
12th, all runners are focussing on achieving their personal bests--with the encouragement of their dedicated coaches. A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.
To all, please come out and support your KIS athletes this school year. If we have ever Bevo LaRue
heard applause and cheering for ourselves, we know the power it has. GO PHOENIX!!! Athletics/Activities
Director

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Summer Program

Our First KIS Summer Program: Thank You!

The first KIS Summer Program was a huge success this year! The students enjoyed getting outside, working
on projects with their friends, and learning a lot about STEM concepts. We want to thank all of the people
and organizations that helped support this amazing learning opportunity for our students during the summer
of 2015.
The KIS business staff worked tirelessly to make sure that our facilities, and the resources we needed to run
the program, were available and ready to go.
Our KIS Summer Program Design Team and Summer Program Staff put in an enormous amount of hours.
Each team member worked very hard all spring and summer to make sure that every and all students had
an awesome and educational time. A big thank you to:
Ms. Ahn, Ms. Brohme, Mrs. Brule, Mrs. Callahan, Mr. Farley, Mrs. Farley, Ms. Godek, Mrs. Green, Mr. Hernandez, Mr. McLean, Mr. Majors, Mr. Reschke, Mr. Shaw, Ms. Thomas, Ms. Williams, Ms. Wright, Ms Yang,
Ms. Yao, Mr. Zhou
You made this the best summer ever!
We also had the support of two amazing organizations:
DSP Relocation provided us with hundreds of cardboard boxes that were used for a variety of engineering and art projects.
Bosch Korea donated powertools for our Design Center and KoLabs.
Without the support of both of these organizations, the KIS Summer Program would not
Justin OConnor
have been possible. Bosch and DSP Relocation, your support and commitment to the
Seoul Campus
education of tomorrows leaders is greatly appreciated.
Principal

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Korea International School

Korea International School

27, Daewangpangyo-ro 385beon-gil, Bundang-gu

Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do
Korea 463-420
www.kis.kr