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What Virtual Learning Looks Like at BFIS
Virtual Learning is more than just sending videos to students for them to watch or homework they need to submit. No, it is certainly much more than that. Following the BFIS strategic plan directions, some years ago, our school started to develop online teaching and learning platforms, implementing cutting-edge technology and a 1:1 computer program. When the Covid19 crisis hit the planet, BFIS was well prepared to move from the traditional classroom to virtual learning. In January 2020 our Senior Leadership Team anticipating what was about to come, began to plan the transition to online classes, providing intensive training for our teachers and implementing some new software to run virtual classes. Our first days of virtual learning were a bit bumpy but we are making appropriate changes as we are advancing with the program.
Obviously, a virtual school experience is very different for a student in Elementary School than it is for a Middle and High School Student. Our plan and framework takes into account different levels of independence and developmental levels.
Students will maintain their current schedules with small modifications and the program will adapt to provide a varied mix of online and offline activities in every class. If you want to take a look to our schedules for the 2019-2020 school year , please click in this link: https://www.bfischool.org/school-life/new-schedule-2019-2020
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Nurturing future leaders
The Chairman of ULI Barcelona, Montserrat Rius, invited three Grade 11 IB Econ students and our IB Econ teacher, Mr. Composto, to attend the ULI (Urban Land Institute) Spain Annual Networking Lunch with Mr. Martin Wolf, Associate Editor and Chief Economics Commentator at the Financial Times. Martin Wolf addressed questions from the audience and a question from our BFIS students regarding past, current, and future macroeconomic concerns and trends.
Martin Wolf is chief economics commentator at the Financial Times, London. He was awarded the CBE (Commander of the British Empire) in 2000 “for services to financial journalism”.
Martin Wolf is chief economics commentator at the Financial Times, London. He was awarded the CBE (Commander of the British Empire) in 2000 “for services to financial journalism”. Mr Wolf was joint winner of the Wincott Foundation senior prize for excellence in financial journalism for 1989 and 1997. He won the RTZ David Watt memorial prize for 1994. He won the “Accenture Decade of Excellence” at the Business Journalist of the Year Awards of 2003. He won the Ludwig Erhard Prize for economic commentary for 2009. He won “Commentariat of the Year 2009” at the Comment Awards, sponsored by Editorial Intelligence. He was joint winner of the 2009 award for columns in “giant newspapers” at the 15th annual Best in Business Journalism competition of The Society of American Business Editors and Writers.
His most recent book is The Shifts and The Shocks: What we’ve learned – and have still to learn – from the financial crisis (London and New York: Allen Lane, 2014).
The Urban Land Institute is a global non-profit education and research institute supported by its members. Its mission is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. Established in 1936, the Institute has over 40,000 members around the world representing all aspects of land use and development disciplines.
Professional Development with Paul Andersen
BFIS welcomed Paul Andersen back to continue our school-wide professional learning on the Next Generation Science Standards. This week, Paul worked with teachers across elementary, middle and high school. Teachers quickly moved from theory to practice when seeing instructional strategies modeled with our students during the lab site components of this professional learning experience.
Take a look at the BFIS NGSS Curriculum
Iberia Basket Tournament hosted by BFIS
Over the weekend, for the first time in BFIS history, the school hosted our first international sports tournament. The Iberia League High School Basketball Tournament took place at INEFC and our High School Basketball Teams competed against schools from Spain, France, and Portugal.
Congratulations to Sofia Albareda (10th) and Amit Mandel (11th), the BFIS players who received medals for the All Star Team.
Our two BFIS teams received the trophy for the Iberian Spirit Award, an award given to the school whose athletes most supported and interacted with other team players as well as their own through a positive attitude throughout the tournament.
HS Boys Tournament Results:
1. ASB Varsity
2. CAISL Varsity
3. ASV Varsity
4. IBS-P
5. BFIS
6. CAISL Junior Varsity
7. ASB Junior Varsity
8. ASV Junior Varsity
HS Girls Tournament Results:
1. CAISL Varsity
2. ASB
3. IBS-P
4. BFIS
5. CAISL Junior Varsity
Planetarium at BFIS
This week, an outside organization called Explora360 came in to deliver a series of special astronomy presentations to all students in Grades 1 and 8. The lessons took place in the auditorium, inside an inflatable planetarium that was over 3m tall and 6m wide! The presentations included impressive audiovisuals that "flew" students around the solar system, galaxy, and rest of the universe, teaching them fundamental astronomy facts and theories in the most engaging way possible. Students gave the experience two thumbs up, and we hope to bring the organization back again next year.
This experiential learning opportunity was part of the Grade 1 and 8 students' units of study on astronomy. Later in the unit, students will participate in a cross grade level exchange in which they share their learning with each other. This collaboration between Grade 1 and 8 began last year and is a simple yet powerful opportunity for students to demonstrate their understanding of astronomy principles to an authentic audience.”
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BISA Basketball Tournament
On November 30th our Basketball Teams (4) participated in the BISA Basketball Tournament hosted by ASB . We had an Under 18s Girls team, Under 14s Girls Team and an Under 14 Boys team plus the Boys HS Team. Over 40 students participated. Although not all the results went our way they showed great passion and sporting character.
WINNERS
High School Boys- ASB
High School Girls- BSB
Middle School Boys- ASB
Middle School Girls- ASB
Next Generation of Science Standards
On Friday September 21st, science consultant, Paul Andersen showed the parent community the power of the Next Generation Science Standards. Parents were shown a phenomena, asked questions about how it might work, drew models of their thinking, and then suggested ways to carry out an investigation.
Paul´s message...
- Kids should be doing more science and at younger ages;
- Don´t kill the wonder of science by explaining how the science works. Show them a phenomena that they have to figure out first and let them investigate how it might work.
- We can support scientific thinking by helping kids ask questions, model their thinking, and plan and carry out investigations.
- Thinking should be framed through the following lenses:Patterns, Cause/Effect, Scale/Proportion/Quantity, Systems, Energy/Matter, Structure/Function, Stability/Change.
The video of this session will be available soon.
We are committed to offering sessions like these throughout the year to support the exciting shifts happening across the school.
Welcome Back to School!
Welcome to another school year of great excitement and possibilities. Today our campus was filled with tons of positive energy, enthusiasm and of course, a little bit of anxiety, specially for the little ones. A special welcome to our new families and students. We hope you all soon make BFIS your second home. Welcome back everybody and happy school year 2018-2019.
Cultural Intelligence
Yesterday, September,5th, 16 students from University of Exeter, University of Glasgow and RMIT Europe were here at BFIS to learn more about our school and about cultural intelligence – the ability to cross boundaries and thrive in multiple cultures– a skill most need to become global leaders.
Over the course of this program, students meet with senior leaders and visit organizations in different countries trying to give answers to questions such as how do smart cities and organizations ensure they are inclusive?
Thank you to Shirli Buyukbay and the PTA for hosting this event at BFIS.
Another Great Year of IBDP Results.
Congratulations Class of 2018
On July 6th 2018, 162,752 International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program (DP) students around the world received their results from the May 2018 examination session.
BFIS is once again delighted to announce another year of excellent IBDP results. This year, we had 56 diploma candidates (100% of students did the full IB Diploma Program) and once again, we had a 100% pass rate with all 56 students receiving the IB Diploma. This is the third year in a row all of our students in the Diploma Program successfully obtained the IB Diploma.
It is also worth mentioning that 24 BFIS candidates (42%) were awarded the bilingual diploma. BFIS average score reached 34 points and 86% of our students scored above the global average of 30 points. BFIS highest score was 42 points. It is also possible that these scores may increase as some exams that were on the border line of a higher score get reassessed in the coming weeks.
Our students leave us with great results that have gained them entry into a range of competitive colleges and universities worldwide, including Kings’ College London, University of Warwick , SOAS London or University of Bath in the UK and University of Pennsylvania, Georgetown, New York University, Tufts University and Barnard College in the United States among others.
Approximately 76% of our students got accepted into their first choice of university as of today. This percentage will become higher as we receive confirmation of acceptances from the Spanish public universities.
The significant accomplishments of our students in such a challenging academic program are a credit to their hard work and to the efforts of our faculty and families in supporting them over the two-year course.
Our role as a school now is to use the data from these exams to help our program get even stronger, which will be work for the fall. Until then, we wish our Class of 2018 every success as they enter the next phase of their life and education.
