On Friday, October 19, our grade 8 students from the IB Middle Years Programme went on a field trip to the Hippodrome stable. They enjoyed an exciting and educational introduction to the world of horses and equestrian sport. Students gained an understanding of horse keeping and received a hands-on training on grooming. They even got the chance to ride a horse and learn the basics of horseback riding: how to mount and dismount, steer safely and keep the proper riding position. The day was full of memorable experiences and our 8th graders resolved to get back to their newly acquainted four-legged friends in the near future.

On October 17, students of the European School joined an ongoing campaign "Sport Against Bullying", aiming to tackle the bullying problem in children. Our school hosted Guram Tushishvili, the world champion in judo, Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, Shalva Gogoladze, Deputy Ombudsman Eka Skhiladze, and prominent photographer and traveler Goga Chanadiri.

On October 8, Lika Vekua, Georgian language teacher at IB PYP, gave her pupils a fun lesson on the poem "Vepkhistkaosani": "-How can I make “Vepkhistkaosani” by Shota Rustaveli more interesting and entertaining for the 4th graders? -This was my biggest challenge as I was preparing for the lesson. I turned to our Georgian library and its librarian, Miss Nino, for help. She provided me with a fair amount of books, posters, board games, maps and puzzles, that made it fun to learn more about this masterpiece of the Georgian literature. In the beginning, I was not sure where to start, so I let my pupils decide. We put all the materials on the table and students started to express their opinions, they engaged in the lively discussion and shared opinions about the poem. In addition, the pupils enjoyed playing the board game of "Vepkhistkaosani". This is how they became little explorers, experiencing the Rustaveli Journey, " said Lika Vekua.

On October 8, following up on International Teacher's Day, students of our IB Middle Years Programme held an event to appreciate their teachers’ hard work and dedication. They presented drama acts, music performances, handcrafted posters and paintings. As a sweet ending, pupils served delicious cakes and cupcakes, which they had baked all by themselves.

On September 28, European School had the honor to welcome Boston University. Liam McCartney from BU admissions met students from across three programs and demystified the application and admissions process with an info-session that was equally enlightening and sincere. After every visit, ES students become better attuned to the requirements, the culture, and the expectations of selective universities. At ES, we are happy to see that regardless of the program (IB, AHS, Georgian Program) they are in, our students are admitted by universities around the world.

The European International school hosted an IB in-school Category 2 “Teaching and Learning workshop”. The main focus of the workshop was the “taught curriculum” component of the PYP model and introduced teachers to a variety of practical teaching strategies that will assist in facilitating differentiated inquiry learning in their classrooms. The professional development sessions were led by Jenny Lathrop. She has extensive experience with IB programs and has worked as a Site Visit Team Member, PYP Coordinator, and as an MYP Visual Arts Teacher.

The Ceremony was held in the School's Main Hall where students, parents, teachers and guests gathered to celebrate. Mr. Christo Steyn, Director of the International Baccalaureate Programmes delivered his opening speech and welcomed our graduates. During the graduation our hard working Year 5 students received Year Books and certificates for successful completing their Primary Years Program. This was followed by a very touching final performance of the well-known song "We are the champions". Everybody attended a wonderful party after the graduation, which was organized by the parents.

On the 29th of May, PYP 4th graders had an assembly that united all the UOI topics that we covered throughout the year. The students created a new country, Karagis, with new culture, traditions, laws, government, national food, clothes and anthem, holidays, jobs and so on. The name of the country is specific, as it was created by using the first letters of the students’ nationalities.

As part of the final year of PYP, the fifth graders held a huge exhibition of projects that they designed, researched, and implemented over the course of seven weeks. The main theme was “Sharing the Planet” and students chose topics connected to this theme, such as public transportation, deforestation, air pollution, child welfare, healthcare access, and racism. Students had to research and interview experts related to their topic, conduct surveys, develop and execute a community action, and prepare a creative performance. All of their information was combined on a large display that, along with the performances, was shown on the Exhibition day. Students added their own flair with food, games, balloons, stickers and more. Overall, it was an extremely fun event and it demonstrated how much the students had learned over their time in PYP. Many parents commented on the changes they saw in their children and how they were more independent, curious, and engaged. Even the students themselves stated that the Exhibition process was fascinating. One student stated that it gave them the opportunity to prove to themselves that they could work hard and succeed. Throughout the process, Exhibition develops a student’s social, thinking, self-management, research, and communication skills, combining not only their academic accomplishments but also the attributes promoted by the International Baccalaureate. It is the first major milestone in a young learner’s journey to become an internationally minded inquirer.