Handbook for Parents

2012 - 2013

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CONTENTS section Page Headmaster’s welcome message 4 1 Our school

1.1 The History 1.2 Postal address and telephone numbers 1.3 Religion 1.4 Management and staff team 1.5 Location and facilities

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2 The character of the school 2.1 Background 2.2 School ethos and values 2.3 Assemblies 2.4 Mission statement and aims

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3 The educational organisation 3.1 Admission 3.1.1 Attendance 3.2 Classes 3.3 The curriculum 3.4 Homework 3.5 After school activities 3.6 Extra curricular activities

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4 The care of our pupils 4.1 New pupils 4.2 Care of the younger children 4.3 Pupil Assessment and Recording Procedures 4.4 Care for children with additional learning needs 4.5 English as a Second language 4.6 Language and culture modules 4.7 Final departure

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5 The teachers 5.1 Staff development 5.2 Staff meetings 5.3 Responsibility 5.4 Pupil care and safety 5.5 Health care

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6 The parents 6.1 Communication 6.2 Parental involvement 6.3 Information evening 6.4 Open Evening 6.5 Reports and Parent Evening 6.6 Parents Staff Association 6.7 Complaints procedures 6.8 Class representatives

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7 Educational Contacts

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8 School hours 8.1 Leave 8.2 Term dates 8.3 Subject hours

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9 School guidelines

9.1 Transportation 9.2 Absence from school 9.3 Footwear 9.4 Lunch procedures 9.5 Break times 9.6 Library and other books 9.7 School rules 9.8 Lost property 9.9 Physical Education and swimming 9.10 Changes of address and contact numbers

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10 Educational Development 10.1 Quality assurance 10.2 School improvement

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11 Security

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12 Useful names and contact details

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13 School Events Calendar 2012 - 2013

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School Team June 2012

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Welcome to Sakhalin International School (SIS)

an international learning community

This Handbook contains information about Sakhalin International School. It is updated annually and provides information to parents on the education and care of our pupils, the involvement of parents and general organisational details. The principal aim of Sakhalin International School is to provide a happy and caring international community environment. We aim to cater for the individual learning needs of our children to help them achieve good learning progress. There is a clear focus across the school on helping children develop key personal skills. These key skills are highlighted in class, during learning activities, in school assemblies and via the award of house points. Children are encouraged to become successful learners, confident individuals and responsible members of the school community. We learn from each other and show a caring, compassionate attitude. Thoughtfulness, cooperation, resilience, adaptability, enquiry, respect, communication, morality and international understanding are the personal strengths we aim to develop in each child. Aware that we serve a transient community, from which pupils transfer to other schools and different school systems, we also aim to ensure that transfer into and out of Sakhalin International School is as smooth as possible. We believe that to achieve the best possible learning, we need to foster a close relationship between home and school. Your child benefits when parents and teachers work together and there are many ways in which you can support your child at Sakhalin School. We consider ourselves a very open school so please don’t hesitate to come in and visit, to contact us if you wish to discuss any aspect of school life and how it affects your child. We are very proud of our school and believe we have something special to offer. Your child has every opportunity to achieve great learning progress and I hope that he/she has a very happy, rewarding and stimulating time at Sakhalin International School. The Handbook was written by the Head Teacher in consultation with all teaching staff and follows the guidelines in the Handbook for Educational Management for Shell Schools. I hope that the information given is useful and clear. In order to strive for further improvement, I invite you to comment on the contents and on wider school issues. If you have any questions after reading this booklet, please feel free to contact me at any time. The school team look forward to a richly rewarding time working with you and your child. On behalf of the team, Yours sincerely, Martin Westbury July 2012

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1. Our school

Front view main school building

1.1 The history Sakhalin International School (SIS) was originally opened in 1998 to serve Sakhalin Energy’s predominately American expatriate community at Zima Highlands. During December 2000, Shell replaced Marathon Oil as the principal stakeholder in the Sakhalin Energy Investment Company. From September 2002 the school was run as a Shell school and was located in one of the Zima 1 houses and moved into the present site in March 2003. The school grew steadily to over 200 students during the later part of the project phase. The school roll has fallen as we move into the production phase and now contains approximately 130 students from more than 28 different countries. 1.2 Postal address Overseas mailing address:

Sakhalin International School Sakhalin International School Expat mail Expat mail Shell Centre London P.O. Box 245 SE1 7NA 2501 CE Den Haag

Local address C/O SEIC Sakhalin International School 35, Dzerzhinskogo Street, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, 693020 Russia

Telephone:

66 3801 Reception 66 3802 Staff room 66 3808 Head Teacher’s office

International Dialing:

+7 4242 66 3801 or 663808 (school) 294370 (Headmaster’s mobile)

E- mail (Head teacher): martin.westbury@sakhalinenergy.ru Web Site: www.sakhalinschool.com

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1.3 Religion Sakhalin International School is non-denominational. 1.4 Management Head Teacher: Mr. Andy Freeman Deputy Head Teacher Mrs Michelle Stone Staff Team: Stage Class Teacher Assistant/s

Pre-Nursery

Nursery

Miss Kathy Embleton and Mrs Tania Mishkorudnaya

Early Years

Primary 1

Miss Cindy van Roosmalen & Miss Mrs Natasha Kitsalova

Primary 2C Miss Anne-Marie Connor

Primary 2S Mrs Michelle Stone

Milepost 1

Primary 3 Mr. David Hinsley

Primary 4 Mrs Nerolie Cook Milepost 2

Primary 5 Mr Lukas Wood

Primary 6 Mr Richard Landowski

Primary 7 Miss Shaye Hunter

Milepost 3

Primary 8 Mr. Stuart Fallows

Miss Tanya Belyaeva

Mrs Irina Solovyova

Miss Olga Beldy

Miss Julia Lazicheva

Learning support

Mrs Veronika

Dutch (NTC) Miss Nienke de Jong

Russian – beginner level

Mrs Oksun Aray

Russian - advanced

Miss Evgenia Kim

Administrative support

Miss Alexandra Anikieva

1.5 Location and facilities The school is located on the Sakhalin Energy Zima Highlands housing complex just outside the town of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. The School has good facilities including a large library, a computer suite, and an indoor play area for the youngest children, a well equipped gymnasium and a kitchen/art room. Each classroom is equipped with Smartboard technology. The school also has access to other facilities located on Zima including the Oasis swimming pool and Recreation Centre.

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2. The character of the school. 2.1 Background Sakhalin International School is owned by Sakhalin Energy Investment Company Ltd. and supported by contracted advisory groups Fieldwork Education Ltd. in the UK and Stichting NOB in the Netherlands. The School and advisory teams work with the Shell Education Advisor who is a part of Shell People Services in The Hague. Both advisory groups and Shell People Services have considerable experience in supporting the staff through training, management and development of International Schools. Sakhalin International School differs from most other Primary Schools in that parents of most of our pupils are working for the oil and gas industry. It is rare that a pupil will complete his or her primary education only at our school. SIS aims to provide a high standard of learning so that pupils can fit smoothly into other schools on transfer or return to the home country. 2.2 School ethos and values The school encourages a caring friendly and culturally understanding atmosphere. The school population is quite diverse and many nationalities are represented. Children’s diverse cultural backgrounds are highly valued. The school makes every effort to involve all pupils in a number of school events and celebrations. Parents from all cultural backgrounds are encouraged to take an active role in school as a positive reinforcement for all children. The school is a caring international learning community in which everyone is valued and everyone is included. 2.3 Assemblies The school holds a regular assembly for all year groups every Friday morning. Each class aslo organizes an assembly once a year in which they perform a short play, act out a story or perhaps sing a song. All parents are welcome to attend these assemblies. Assemblies are usually led by the Head Teacher and teaching staff and the content of these assemblies is of a non-religious nature. Personal goals are highlighted and positive examples celebrated. Children’s birthdays are also celebrated. If required school rules and moral, social and safety issues are discussed as they arise. House points are totalled each week and the winners announced during the assembly. 2.4 Mission Statement and aims

Shell vision statement: and School Mission Statement Shell schools will ‘through excellent teaching and organisation, maximise children’s learning in a way which enables them to achieve high social, personal and academic standards, enjoy learning, adapt to other education systems and develop both a national and international perspective’. Sakhalin International School is an international learning community in which the child’s spiritual, moral, social, cultural, mental and physical development is promoted and developed, thus fulfilling the potential of each child.

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At Sakhalin International School we aim to:

Provide a broad, balanced curriculum with an international dimension Develop knowledge, skills and understanding that facilitates excellent learning allowing

children to reach their full potential Provide opportunities for different learning styles and strategies Encourage children to be inquisitive, independent learners Encourage children to develop lively enquiring minds and enthusiasm for learning Value differences through celebrations of a number of cultural events Appreciate the diversity of languages spoken in the school Foster a level of understanding and respect of others by developing an awareness of values

and traditions of individuals Provide a multi-cultural environment that encourages an international perspective Involve parents and the outside community in children’s learning Develop children’s knowledge of Russia Provide opportunities to develop confidence and a positive self esteem providing for

children’s individual needs. Foster a sense of responsibility and accountability for our own actions Encourage the values of honesty, understanding, co-operation, and self-discipline Help children develop the personal skills of:

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3.The Educational Organisation 3.1 Admission A school year runs from 1st September until 31st August and is divided in three terms:

Term 1 Monday 3rd September –Friday 19th December Term 2 Monday 14th January – Wednesday 5th April Term 3 Monday 22nd April – Friday 12th July Admission to classes/year stages is based on a cut off date of 31st August, with the new curricular year commencing 1st September Children are admitted to Pre-Nursery education at the start of the mid term closest to their 3rd birthday provided they no longer in nappies / diapers and are able to use toilet facilities with some independence. If they are not yet at this stage they are able to remain in the Playgroup classes if SEIC. Children are admitted to Nursery at the beginning of the term in which they have their 4th birthday. All children are admitted to Primary 1 in September at the start of the academic year in which they become 5 years old. Admission overview: Pre-Nursery Nursery

Admission from the child’s third birthday Admission from the beginning of the term in which children are 4

Primary 1

At the start of the school year in which they are five years old

Primary 1 - 8

Move up a year group each September (unless there are extenuating circumstances)

The school caters for children up to the end of Primary 8 which is the school year in which they become 12yrs old. SIS serves expatriate children whose parents are working for SEIC and expatriate children of ENL staff. Other expatriate families may apply if they are working for contractor organisations that are100% employed by SEIC/ENL. The final decision on school admission rests with the Head Teacher and the SEIC HR Director. 3.1.1 Attendance Children in Pre-Nursery attend school 5 mornings; children from Nursery and P1 attend full time (mornings and afternoons) except Wednesday afternoon. All other children attend 5 full days. Parents of younger children who may wish for their child to attend fewer sessions in Pre-Nursery to Primary 1 should contact to Head Teacher to agree the optional cycle which will be reviewed each half term.

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3.2 Classes The class groups follow guidance for Shell Schools. You may find the following table helpful but you should bear in mind that many school systems have different year split dates. SIS believes it is most important that children are with their peers and are suitably challenged by the learning programme.

SIS IPC UK NL USA Age Nursery Early Years Nursery groep 0 Day care 3 – 4+

Primary 1 Early Years Reception groep 1 Pre-school 4+ - 5 Primary 2 Milepost 1 Year 1 groep 2 Kindergarten 5+ - 6 Primary 3 Milepost 1 Year 2 groep 3 Grade 1 6+ -7 Primary 4 Milepost 2 Year 3 groep 4 Grade 2 7+ - 8 Primary 5 Milepost 2 Year 4 groep 5 Grade 3 8+ - 9 Primary 6 Milepost 3 Year 5 groep 6 Grade 4 9+ - 10 Primary 7 Milepost 3 Year 6 groep 7 Grade 5 10+ - 11 Primary 8 Milepost 3 Year 7 groep 8 Grade 6 11+ - 12

3.3 The curriculum What is most important in a school is how well children learn – academically, physically, emotionally and socially. The curriculum is every single thing that a child experiences at school, which helps them learn. The curriculum includes all the specific academic areas of learning, life and the world that are explored during the school day. It encompasses much more than can ever be written down. From the behavioural expectations we have for our children, to the way we take our breaks, to how relationships are built and maintained, to the quality of our after school activity program. Curriculum documents provide a structure or framework for that learning. They help guide a school and its teachers to ensure that a balanced and rich programme of study is pursued. English is the language of instruction at the school. Reading, writing and oral language are taught following the key components of the UK Primary Framework adapted to provide a more international learning curriculum. A variety of teacher and pupil resources are used to support the teaching of language. These include selected Oxford Reading Tree materials. A supplementary reading scheme and readers are provided for older children from P5 upwards. In the early stages, children also use aspects of the Oxford Literacy Web and the Ginn Lighthouse scheme. The school is also guided in its mathematics programme by the learning goals identified in the Primary Framework. It clearly states the knowledge, skills and concepts that should be taught to pupils at all ages. The school makes use of a number of schemes throughout the whole school as resources to support learning in mathematics. This is supplemented by a number of IT mathematics resources and includes the use of hands on material to reinforce concepts. The International Primary Curriculum (IPC) is used for all other subjects. This curriculum, designed for primary age pupils integrates the best school curricula from around the world. There are three sets of learning targets for pupils at “milepost” ages of 7,9 and 12. These are subject goals, personal goals and international goals. History, Geography, Art, ICT, Music, PE, Science, Society, Technology, Personal Development and International Development are taught using the International Primary Curriculum. Each subject has clearly defined Learning Goals that set out

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what children should know, be able to do and understand by the end of each stage of their education. The IPC is taught in a thematic way in which subject areas are combined into a ‘Unit’. Each unit has a title and a number of activities designed to appeal to children. Learning goals for each subject are clearly identified within each unit. A Unit lasts typically 4 to 6 weeks though some are longer. The IPC is taught from 6 to 8 hours a week depending on the age of the child. The curriculum offered introduces pupils to a broad range of concepts, knowledge, skills and experiences. It is also relevant as it offers a broad general education and wherever possible it is related to the real world. The curriculum is unique in that it has clearly defined learning targets for both international as well as personal development. For further details you can visit: www.internationalprimarycurriculum.com With any class there will be children of a differing range of abilities. The needs of the children are met by matching the level of work offered to groups or individuals. Through this differentiation all children will be challenged to develop their levels of attainment. In addition to the major curricula subjects, pupils will also be involved in learning another language. For many the additional language will be Russian and the school has two language teachers employed to deliver these lessons (at beginner or advanced mother tongue level) which also focus on the culture of the host country. Other children continue with mother tongue programmes taught mostly by parents themselves during additional language lessons. The school is an accredited NTC Dutch Language and Culture centre and children from the Netherlands for whom Dutch is a mother tongue can continue their language programme. The NTC department works with a programme that is written down in their four year school plan. The NTC department was inspected and accredited by the Dutch Government Inspector in May 2012. Computers, Information Technology and monitored access to the Internet are an essential part of the educational program at SIS. Students use computers to support their learning in many subjects and especially in the IPC, which require research and the ability to access information from multiple sources. The school provides weekly PE (including swimming) and music lessons. 3.4 Homework We believe that homework serves three purposes. Firstly, it provides the pupils with additional challenges outside the classroom to utilize skills that have been mastered. Secondly, it also provides parents with information and an opportunity to become involved in the learning process. Thirdly, it trains pupils in planning and organising time and encourages ownership and responsibility for learning. The time devoted to homework will depend on the age and level of the student. Pupils may not have homework assigned every night but it is the expectation of the SIS teaching staff that parents and pupils will participate in reading, personal writing or some other activity, which encourages and reinforces specific interests and/or skills which will enhance learning. Generally homework will not be set for weekends and holiday periods with the exception of NTC Dutch language work. The following guidelines might help you and your child with their homework. Teachers will: Set and explain the work appropriate to the class, group or individual. It should always be

clear to the children what is expected and should last usually no more than 45 minutes for older pupils in the school.

Check returned work with the children Encourage work to be done well and praise when it is Children are expected to: Take work home and return it at the appropriate time Complete work to an acceptable standard Take good care of school books and equipment

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Parents should: Take an interest in homework Where appropriate discuss the work and help – but not do! Support pupils by providing time and a reasonable working environment Encourage work to be done well and praise when it is Contact the class teacher if any problems arise completing homework Check homework diaries at least once each week. Further information about homework is available from the class teachers and head teacher. At SIS we do not believe that children of Primary age should spend too long on homework tasks. If your child is regularly taking longer than 30 minutes for most homework tasks you should contact the class teacher. 3.5 After School Activities We recognize the importance of providing opportunities for students to engage in sports and other activities that encourage and support their special interests and hobbies. Therefore we have a very active after school activity programme that continues to grow. A wide range of team and individual sporting activities take place at the nearby Recreation Facility. Children are encouraged to attend the activities of their choice each week and should inform activity organisers if they cannot attend. Of course volunteer help for these activities is always welcome. Anyone interested in starting a new activity or assisting an established one should contact Mr. Stuart Fallows who is responsible for the after school activity programme. 3.6 Extra curricular activities The school celebrates a number of events during the year, many of which are common to schools like ours worldwide. Parents are encouraged to participate in these school events. The teachers will arrange field trips in and around Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk for pupils to connect the school to outside experiences and bring learning to life. These trips are well planned and involve teachers visiting sites prior to the outing. There may also be opportunities for students to visit other schools in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk as part of the cultural education and exchange. SIS requires that parents must fill out, sign, and return a field trip form before any child leaves Zima base for a field trip or school visit.

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The school also runs a number of inter-house sporting competitions as well as providing some opportunities for the eldest children to take part in inter school sports. The Primary 7 & 8 children also take part in an outdoor education programme leading to an overnight adventure experience. If you have a suggestion about possible trips or events please contact the Head Teacher. School Concert December 2011 International Children’s Day event June 2012 The Primary 7&8 Outdoor Adventure trip 4. The care of our pupils Sakhalin International School seeks to provide a happy and safe environment for all children to develop their true potential. 4.1 New pupils Children can enter the Pre-Nursery group at the start of the ½ term in which they celebrate their third birthday. Going to school is a big step at this age and we have developed an additional Early Years handbook that will help you understand the procedures and arrangements that are undertaken by the school to ensure this is a positive first school experience.

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For pupils entering the school at a later stage, age is the main criteria taken into consideration for correct placement. Only in exceptional circumstances will a child be placed in a different year group. The final decision for class placement lies with the Head Teacher. Teachers will allocate a class mentor to look after new arrivals during their first week. The school provides an information pack for new arrivals, which contains this handbook, the latest newsletter, an after school activities list and other relevant forms and information. The Head will arrange a meeting to discuss your child (ren) and show you around the school. We request that parents bring with them, at the time of enrolment, school records and reports from their children’s previous schools. These records provide helpful information about a student’s previous school programme and experience. Shortly after enrolment the class teacher will make an appointment with the parents to discuss how the child has settled in. Children will take part in a number of age appropriate assessments to enable the class teacher to better monitor progress and to ensure the learning programme best meets the needs of the child. Parents are encouraged to arrange a meeting with the child’s teacher within two weeks of their child starting at the school to review progress. 4.2 Care of the younger child. Children will begin in the Nursery at different points during the year and we recognise that they will have different abilities and experience. Each child will be encouraged to develop their learning through exploring and structured play. Children are given ample opportunities for play and choice so that their introduction to school is a positive experience. The classrooms are well equipped and have a number of “corners” for role-play and active exploring. We also appreciate that there can be a wide range in ability and some children might be encouraged to undertake more difficult tasks when the teacher believes they are capable. Please request a copy of our Early Years Handbook from Alexandra.anikieva@sakhalinenergy.ru 4.3 Pupil Assessment and Recording Procedures Pupil evaluation and assessment is an on-going process at SIS. Teachers will be doing both formal and informal assessments to keep a check on a child’s learning progress as well as to help the teacher set new learning targets. We call this assessment for learning and assessment of learning. Informal assessment: This involves the professional judgement on the children’s daily

performance of tasks, projects, etc. in the classroom and is dependent on learning outcomes having been clearly identified in units of work.

Formal assessment: Baseline assessment is carried out on entry to school for all children in Nursery through to P1. This assessment is reviewed at the end of the year in Nursery and P1 to measure progress Standardized tests and those that accompany text materials in use in the classroom are some of the formal means of measuring learning.

It is the combination of these tools that give the most complete and most accurate picture of a child’s growth and assist a teacher in planning for the next steps in a pupil’s learning. Children in P 2 may have some standardized tests if the teacher believes it appropriate. The school utilizes a Reading Assessment to measure reading ability whilst the Single Word Spelling test is used to measure spelling each term. Moderated writing samples are taken at regular intervals to measure progress in narrative writing. The school also makes use of the PM Benchmark assessments to ensure children are ready to move to a new colour band in the school reading scheme. The work of the children is marked and discussed daily and, when possible, with the child so they have a clear understanding of how they are performing and set targets for improvement.

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In 2010-11 school year assessments results were high and many children exceeded the expected levels for children of their age. These excellent results compare very favourably with other like schools and are an indication of the high levels of attainment in the school. 4.4 Care for children with additional learning needs If a child is finding difficulty in any area of their work then diagnostic testing will take place to highlight specific problems. An individual programme will be given within a time frame. The child will then be re-tested to check if they have fully understood the concepts involved. Close communication will be kept with the parents throughout this process. We believe that children who show an exceptional ability in one or more areas also fall under this category. Children will be similarly tested and special provision made through educational plans that will seek to improve attainment and provide challenge. Materials to aid this are available in the school and external agencies can be contacted to provide further support. Parents will be kept informed and involved at all stages. Support is coordinated by the teacher responsible for Learning Support. Such support as is given is of a general and hopefully temporary nature and does not cater for specific recorded Special Educational Needs. In all cases where educational challenge is identified it is essential that contact be made with the head teacher prior to moving to Sakhalin. 4.5 English as a Second language If English is not a child’s first language they are given appropriate support by the class teacher and when possible, additional support is provided by an experienced teacher on a one to one or small group basis. In the initial months this additional support is usually provided during additional language lessons. 4.6 Language and cultural modules In recognition of the Shell Group’s commitment to enhancing the mobility of expatriates, Shell schools have a commitment to develop mother tongue languages and some aspects of culture of pupils, for example History, Geography, Literature and music. Time will be made available during the school day and additional language lessons are supervised by parents (or in some instances parents have located and arranged for suitably qualified teachers to provide support). The school will provide an area for these studies and assist with learning material. It is expected that children may also have to study outside school hours. For more information please contact the Head. 4.7 Final departure When children leave the school they are provided with a leaving report. This will inform parents and new teachers of the child’s current ability. The report will be placed in the child’s Academic Record which will be handed to the parents before they leave. Parents are encouraged to hand carry this file and give it to the child’s next school. You will also be asked to complete a form giving details of your child’s next school. The school will hold a copy of the child’s report, test results, individual educational plans and admission form on record for a period of three years. During the child’s final assembly the school will present a leaving present, sing the school farewell song and the class teacher will say a few words about the child. Parents are invited to attend their child’s farewell assembly. 5. The Teachers The Head Teacher has the operational responsibility of the day to day running of the school and as such meets with and observes the class teachers on a regular basis. Support and professional development needs are identified and discussed and teachers are expected to take part in regular training throughout the year. Teachers employed by the school must be suitably qualified and experienced.

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If a teacher is ill the school will seek a temporary replacement through one of the suitably qualified teaching support staff, subject to availability. In case of a long-term absence the Educational Advisor in The Hague will be contacted and a temporary / long-term replacement identified. 5.1 Staff Development Teachers are encouraged to attend courses and funding is available for this. Given the location of the school, most courses can only be followed during leave. Teachers report back to colleagues in staff meetings about courses followed during the school vacations. Teachers are also encouraged to keep abreast of current educational developments by reading educational material. Anybody with a particular expertise is encouraged to hold in house training sessions for colleagues known as INSET. In-service training may also be delivered via contracted advisors during term time as part of their contractual obligations to Shell People Services. 5.2 Staff Meeting The teaching staff meets each week on a Tuesday afternoon from 15:25 to discuss organizational and learning improvement issues. Monday is reserved for additional improvement team meetings. As such, no teacher directed after school activities run on these days. Parents however, may continue to organise activities during this period. 5.3 Responsibility All teachers/staff members are given areas of responsibility, both with learning matters and general organisation. Teachers are also responsible for organising school events under the guidance of the Head. Tasks are divided with reference to staff member’s own enthusiasm, experience and interests. 5.4 Pupil care and safety The care and safety of every child at SIS is of the utmost importance to the staff. Children will only be released to adults who have been identified by the teacher. Should a child need to be picked up by an adult who is not known, the pupil’s parents will need to contact the school to notify the teacher and Head. The school has a First Aid procedure and an Emergency Evacuation plan, which are reviewed regularly. Regular emergency and evacuation drills are held. Miss Embleton and Mr Westbury are the designated first aid staff though all teachers undertake a basic first aid course on a regular basis. Safety issues are discussed as required in staff meetings and any incidents recorded in the incident book. Parents will be notified in the event of any injury or accident. The school is governed by SEIC HSE procedures and regular reviews are held. The school also keeps a behaviour log in which any behaviour concerns are kept including any incidents of reported bullying. The log also records the actions taken to resolve the concerns. The school expects all children and adults in the school community to show respect and thoughtfulness towards others and takes any breaches of this seriously. Teachers, children and parents who have a concern should contact the Headteacher. 5.5 Health care SIS staff will provide pupils with immediate minor first aid when accidents occur. Additional medical care will be provided for at the ISOS Clinic. Parents will be contacted and advised of the medical care that was given to their child at school or the clinic. No prescription or over-the-counter medication can be administered to a child without written permission from a parent. A pupil with a fever or contagious illness should not attend school and you should seek clearance from medical before returning. It is important that any health issues relating to your child are

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clearly mentioned on the admission form and brought to the attention of both the class teacher and the Head. The school does keep a detailed medical care list that is made available to all teachers on all pupils who have specific allergies. If sending in food for birthdays or parties discuss first with the teacher to avoid allergic reactions of those concerned. 6. The Parents The school operates an Open Door policy to encourage an open dialogue between teachers and parents for the benefit of children’s learning. Parents are always welcome to discuss anything that involves the education and welfare of their child. It is appreciated if you can make an appointment with the teacher before or after school hours. 8.15 to 8.30 am is a time reserved for you to come into school, visit the classroom and if required make an appointment to meet with the teacher or head teacher. We try to involve the parents as much as possible in the school and the activities around it. Parents and other volunteers from the community assist the school in a variety of ways: library, after school activities, school trips, special events, class representatives and reading. 6.1 Communication We believe that open and frequent communication between home and school is essential to ensure that your child’s school experience is a positive and successful one. Parents are always welcome to discuss anything that involves the education and welfare of their child. It would help the teacher know the child better as he/she strives to provide the best possible educational experience based on individual needs. Should a parent have a question or concern about his/her child’s educational program, SIS invites the parent to speak directly to the pupil’s teacher or the Head Teacher. It would be appreciated if you can make an appointment with the teacher before or after school hours. Each month the parents receive a copy of The Sakhalin School Times that contains information relevant to the parents and the children. The newsletter will be distributed via e-mail and a copy is displayed on the school notice board located in the foyer of the school. Please advise the school administration if you do not receive your monthly newsletter and advise if there are any changes to your preferred contact e-mail address. The school also has a web site: www.sakhalinschool.com . By visiting the web site you can find the latest school and class news including a copy of the monthly newsletter, this handbook and the school calendar for the year. At the start of each new IPC Unit a letter will be sent home informing you of the coming theme of the unit, the main learning targets and ways in which you can assist your child. You will receive an individual IPC report at the end of each unit for your child. Each term the class teacher will send home children’s books for parents to look at with their child. The school encourages parents to comment on the child’s progress via a comment sheet that accompanies the work. Reports for P1-8 children are also sent out in February and July. 6.2 Parental Involvement We try to involve the parents as much as possible in the school and the activities around it. There are regular opportunities for parents to visit school and see the work the children are doing. Listed below are some ideas that parents may wish to consider as they share their student’s school experience and promote independence: Have high expectations for your child’s learning and behaviour; both at home and at school. Praise and encourage him/her. Emphasize effort and achievement and be a role model for getting work done before play. Establish rules and routines in the home. Use the school personal goals as a model for positive behaviour and good learning habits Share and monitor television and Internet viewing.

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Encourage your child to share information about school and respond with empathy and interest.

Read to your child or have him/her read to you every night. Encourage older children to read, by reading yourself and by having interesting and

appropriate materials available. 6.3 Information Evening At the start of each academic year an Information Evening is held. During this meeting all parents are invited to meet the new class teacher who will explain the key learning and organizational matters for the year ahead. 6.4 Open Evening An opportunity for you to look at and discuss your child’s work with them is provided each term at the Open Evening. Children are encouraged to show and explain their work and classroom procedures to their parents. These open evenings will take place in the weeks before the parent evening. 6.5 Reports and Parent Evening Shell schools have a common approach to providing written reports to parents. At Sakhalin International School reports are provided three times a year; in November, March and July and when children leave the school. IPC reports are provided at the end of each unit. The reports in November and March contain statistical results of assessments in Literacy and maths. Detailed reports in July indicate whether your child has met expectations, not yet met them or exceeded them in each subject of the curriculum, in international development and in personal development. The report comments on learning in each of these areas and record’s attendance. November and March reports are given out during the parent evening and form the basis for discussion about your child’s learning progress. The July report is given out before the parent evening. Throughout the school year you will have several opportunities to meet with your child`s teacher but you can of course, at any time, make appointments to see her/him outside of the formalized Parent evening sessions. If teachers have a concern they will also contact you to arrange an appointment. 6.6 PSA (Parent Staff Association) PSA has been established and its function is to: Assist the school in the day-to-day running; Enhance communication between the teachers and parent community Promote through discussion the development of the school and its facilities The composition of the Association includes the Head, two teacher representatives and parent representatives. Meetings are held at least twice a term and parents are notified of the meeting date via the monthly newsletter. Minutes of the meetings are sent out to all families and a copy is posted on the school notice board.

Position Name

President Mr Martin Westbury

Chairman Elections in September

Secretary

Governor representative HR Director

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Parent member Elections in September

Parent member Elections in September

Parent member Elections in September

Parent member Elections in September

Parent member Elections in September

Teacher member Mrs Michelle Stone

Teacher member Mr Richard Landowski

6.7 Complaints procedures We believe that complaints should, whenever possible, be resolved informally at a local level. The stages are: Oral complaint to the teacher or other member of staff concerned; If the situation is not resolved, oral complaint to the Head Teacher; Followed if necessary by a written complaint to the Head Teacher and if appropriate copied to

the PSA; If the situation cannot be resolved at school level, a written complaint can be made to the

Human Resource Director. In addition, parents can always make representations to the Education Advisor at Shell People Services. Henk.VanHout@shell.com 6.8 Class Representatives A class representative system is in place for each class. The nominated person (volunteers are usually sought at the Information Evening) will serve as a

a focal point for parents of children in that class co-ordinator for parents of that class for costuming coordinator/organizer for coffee mornings with other parents in the class facilitator to welcome new parents of children to the class

7. Educational Contacts The school has a number of educational contacts. Focal point for all Shell schools is the Education Services Department in The Hague. Its main tasks are to: provide input on Shell Education Policy matters provide information on education and education policy matters to Operating Units and

individual employees set levels of education assistance for Shell employees advise Operating Units on the establishment and operation of (Shell) primary schools monitor the operation of outsourced services The Head of Education Services is Henk van Hout .Henk.VanHout@shell.com Fieldwork Education Ltd. and the Stichting NOB are responsible for supporting the educational leadership of the school. As such they support the running of the school through a review of the schools annual self evaluation report and improvement plan. Their main areas of responsibilities are: Monitoring and assessment, including assistance with external tests The recruitment procedure General advice and support on all matters pertaining to learning School audits (School Review) Fieldwork and Stichting NOB also organise in-service training for Head Teachers

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Shell School’s focal point for each organization: Fieldwork: John Holmes john@greatlearning.com SNOB: Robin Belles Robin.Belles@stichtingnob.nl 8. School Hours A school week runs from Monday to Friday. Morning sessions: 8:30 – 12:00 with a 20 minute break for all Lunch time: 12:00 – 13:00 Afternoon session: 13:00 – 15:10 with a 15 minute break for N-P3 Nursery and Primary 1 do not attend on Wednesday afternoons. Arriving to school in the morning children will change out of their outdoor clothing and shoes and make their way to the school games hall if arriving between 8.05 and 8.15 am where they will wait quietly until being dismissed to the classroom by the Head at 8:15a.m. Children are allowed to class 15 minutes before school starts in morning at 8.15 and 5 minutes before the start of the afternoon session at 12:55. Teachers will be in class to supervise the children at those times. The school strongly encourages children to arrive between 8.15 am and 8.30 am and not before, so that they can go directly to class and avoid having to wait in the gym. School hours are calculated by the Head Teacher following the guidelines in the Handbook of Educational Management for Shell schools. SIS will follow a similar pattern to that of most Shell Schools, but may include some specific holiday closure dates appropriate to the Russian calendar in addition to scheduled in-service (staff training) days. A full School calendar with all confirmed holiday days can be found at the back of this handbook. 8.1 Leave Although we strongly recommend parents to take leave during school holidays, we recognize that due to operational reasons it is sometimes unavoidable to take leave during the school term. You are asked to inform the school at the earliest opportunity if your child will be absent during term time. If you require leave work for your child you should make a formal request in writing at least two weeks before the leave period. Parents will be expected to mark leave work which should be handed in on return. Please note that the teacher cannot provide all the learning experiences in such leave work but only the activities designed to support the learning process. 8.2 Term dates 2011-2012 Term 1 Monday 3rd September – Wednesday 19th December 2012 Mid term Monday Term 2 Monday 14th January - Wednesday 5th April 2013 Term 3 Monday 22nd April - Friday 12th July 2012 2012-2013 Term 1 begins Monday 2nd September

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8.3 Subjects hours The time devoted to each of the subjects mentioned in the section regarding curriculum is calculated in accordance with Shell Schools Guidelines. Children should spend approximately one hour a day on English and another on Mathematics. It should be noted that the curriculum followed is designed to be cross-curricular. This means that children will experience, for example, aspects of English work in other subject areas such as the IPC. It should also be noted that the following is a guide only and is not reflective of the time spent in these subjects by all ages. If you would like further information relating to your own child’s class please contact the class teacher. Subject % Notes English 22 Also taught through other subjects Mathematics 22 Also taught through other subjects IPC (International Primary Curriculum) 30 PE/Swimming 8 Music 4 Additional Language 8

Other 6 Assembly, special events, circle time etc 9. School guidelines and rules 9.1 Transportation Most pupils of parents who are employed by SEIC reside inside the Zima Highland Housing complex and many don’t need special transportation to school. Transport is provided in the morning, at lunchtime, after school and again after school activities for children and parents. The children are supervised out of the school building. There is no adult supervision on the bus other than the driver. Everyone must wear a seatbelt. All buses start from school and follow the normal bus route visiting Zima 2, Zima 1 and Zima 4 The School bus schedule Morning: from 08:05 each morning and runs at approximately 5 minute intervals until 08:35. At lunch time: 12 midday (3 buses) from 12.45 until 13:00 After School: 15:10 (3 buses) After School Activities: 16:10 (one bus only) Children who come to school on their bicycles and scooters need to store their bikes in the storage racks in front of the school or at the rear of the school as directed by their class teacher. Children are encouraged to wear helmets and should know the rules of the road. Children living outside Zima must make their own arrangements for transport. School buses, both SEIC and ENL are allowed to pick up and drop children outside the school entrance using the one way drive in front of the school. Private cars should make use of the nearby parking facility at the Oasis Pool to reduce the traffic inside the school grounds. If you reside outside Zima you will need an access pass and vehicle pass to enter the camp. For the appropriate forms please contact the school administration. Vehicle passes have to be renewed annually. 9.2 Absence from school All registered pupils are normally expected to attend every school day unless illness or other circumstance prevents this. Parents are required to notify the teacher concerned in advance or on

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the same day that any absence occurs. A careful register of attendance is kept and the absence rate is recorded on the child’s personal school records and noted in the school reports. As a safety measure teachers will check when a child fails to arrive at school by asking the schools administration to contact the family at home. If your child is unwell and the class teacher decides it would be better for the child to go home the school will contact the parents by telephone to arrange for the child to be picked up. If the parents cannot be contacted the school will contact the parent’s nominated contact person. If they too cannot be contacted the child will be kept in school. Children who are unwell will not be allowed to travel home alone. 9.3 Footwear Most of the areas in our school have carpet on the floor. In the designated coat rooms near the main entrances of the building children should take their coat and shoes off. All children should have a pair of indoor shoes such as trainers or something similar to wear in school. These shoes should be safe to wear indoors, especially on stairs and outside during an emergency evacuation. 9.4 Lunch procedures There is a lunch break from 12:00 till 13:00. Most children go home during lunch time. This will give them a natural break away from the school environment and will give the teachers time for their own lunch and to prepare for the afternoon session. At present there is a limited supervised lunch programme provided for those who reside outside of the Zima area. School buses are available for children to go home and return during the lunch break. 9.5 Break time All children have a 10 minute break for snack and 20 minutes supervised play in the morning. Children in N-P3 also have an afternoon break of 15 minutes. Break times are supervised by school staff and children play in designated play areas and in groups of similar ages. Children are encouraged to bring a healthy snack and a drink. Please mark drinking bottles and snack boxes with your child’s name and remember to keep them separate from library books and homework. Children should not share their snack. 9.6 Library books and other books We are developing a large school library for the children to take books to read in class or at home. We try very hard to teach the children proper care of books and ask you to reinforce this at home. Books and homework should be carried in a sturdy school bag, separately packed from snacks and especially drinks. Classes are time-tabled to visit the Library each week, in addition to having access to it for independent research through IPC units of work. We have a volunteer librarian who assists the children and maintains the effective use of the facility. A standard letter will be issued in the event of books being lost or damaged; detailing the replacement cost, currently 500 roubles. 9.7 School rules There are a number of general rules regarding behaviour in and around the school. Teachers will inform the children on their first day and remind them during the year as the need arises. The following responsibilities are expected of all children: Each pupil is expected to take responsibility/ownership for his/her own behaviour, attitude,

and work ethic. Children will be expected to show care and respect for everyone, at all times. All pupils will also be expected to act responsibly to ensure everyone’s safety at all times. Children’s hands and feet are to be kept to themselves at all times. Everyone should feel valued and included SIS believes that all children have the right to be treated with care and respect by all staff and visitors to the school. Teachers will provide positive reinforcement for good behaviour. Children will help establish a small number of essential class rules and will be expected to follow them

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Should a child’s actions be such that his/her academic progress (or that of other students) is disrupted, parents would be notified and asked to come to the school for a conference. In the unlikely event that the student’s actions continue, SIS reserves the right to insist that a parent comes to remove the child from the school. SIS must also reserve the right to exclude a pupil if the child’s actions put other students or staff members` safety at risk. The School PSA, after hearing the details of the incident(s) from both the Head and the parent(s), and seeking advice from the Education Manager, will determine if and when a student is able to return to the school setting. 9.8 Lost property A lost and found box is located at the receptionist desk. Any material that is not claimed by a pupil will be placed in the box. Parents who are looking for lost items should check the box for those items. Parents are encouraged to mark, with indelible ink, all clothing items, personal books and snack equipment with a pupil’s name. Unclaimed clothing or equipment will be given away to a worthy charity at the end of each term. Textbooks and other teaching materials that are issued to a child become the responsibility of the pupil. Should any material be lost or damaged the child and /or parent(s) will be expected to cover the damage or loss. 9.9 Physical Education (includes swimming) All children have PE twice each week. In term 1 & 3 one of theses sessions is a swimming lesson. Children should bring an appropriate kit (t-shirt, shorts, socks and trainers) in a separate bag. Young children should wear suitable clothes so that they can change quickly and easily. If for any reason your child cannot take part in the PE lessons please inform the class teacher. For swimming lessons appropriate swim wear and a towel is required. Please note that swimming caps must be worn in the pool and that each child must have a valid medical certificate issued by the ISOS clinic. 9.10 Changes of Addresses and Phone numbers SIS maintains contact information on each student. Should a student’s address or phone number change during the school year, parents are requested to provide that information to the school immediately. It is recommended that parents clearly print the information on paper and give it to the receptionist. 10. Educational Development 10.1 Quality assurance The school will produce an annual School Self-Evaluation (SSE) report. This report is based on evidence about learning gathered from a variety of sources over the year. These include examination and test results, teachers observations, parents questionnaires, outside agencies i.e. Fieldwork and when applicable external audits. The written report will be submitted to the educational advisors and forms the basis of the School’s Improvement Plan (SIP). The main aim of the SSE / SIP is to improve the learning attainment of children. The report will be available to PSA and other parents on request. The school takes part in the Shell School’s review cycle and the last school review took place in October 2010. A summary of the report is available to read on the school web site. The school has also been accredited by the Dutch Government Inspector in May 2008. 10.2 School Improvement Each year the school writes a school improvement plan. In this plan we outline intended improvements in children’s learning across the whole school. The plan sets out targets that describe how the whole school will operate more consistently, the activities necessary to achieve those targets, the people responsible for each stage of the plan and the success criteria. The improvement issues are identified by the schools ongoing self evaluation process.

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In the coming school year the following points will receive special attention and form the basis of our School Improvement Plan. Moving toward accreditation at mastering level as an IPC School 11. Security All visitors to the school should report to the administration area located near the school’s main entrance. Children should not return to the school building after school. Everyone needs a Zima access pass to enter Zima Highlands where the school is located - adult visitors to the school may be asked to show their pass and should carry these at all times. Passes are issued by the SEIC Access Security Team after approval from the Headmaster – further details and the required forms are available via the school administration.

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12. Useful names and addresses Headmaster Sakhalin International School Mr Martin Westbury Zima Highlands Tel office.: 66 3801 / 66 3808 (+7 4242 66 3808) Tel home. 66 3341 (+7 4242 66 3341) Mobile: 294370 / 89147594370 E-mail: Martin.Westbury@sakhalinenergy.ru Sakhalin Energy Human Resource Director Mr. Sergey Antonov Sakhalin Energy Investment Company 35 Dzerhinskogo street Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk 693000 Russia Tel: +7 4242 66 2011 Shell Education Adviser Head of Education Services: Henk Van Hout Shell International B.V. Postbus 162 2501 AN The Hague The Netherlands tel.: +31 70 3772428 e-mail: .Henk.VanHout@shell.com

Assistant Head: Tracey Kelly +31 70 377 2889 Tracey.Kelly@Shell.com

Fieldwork for Shell Schools John Holmes School Management Services Fieldwork Education 25 Buckingham Gate London SW1E 6LD UK T: T: +44 (0)20 7531 9696 john@greatlearning.com http://www.fieldworkeducationservices.com/ Stichting Nederlands Onderwijs Buitenland Robin Belles Stichting NOB Parkweg 20a 2271 AJ Voorburg Netherland tel.: +31 70 3866646 Robin.Belles@stichtingnob.nl http://www.snob.nl

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SIS Calendar for 2012- 2013

Term 1 3rd September Monday School opens 10th September Monday Swimming starts 12th September Wednesday Information Evening 1 September Friday PSA AGM TBC 17th September Monday Information Evening 2* if required 17th September Monday After School Activity programme begins 24th September Monday Health and Safety Week 28th September Friday Literacy books home 12th October Friday P Class Assembly 16th October Tuesday P4&5 Inter-house Dodge Ball Competition 22nd – 26th October Mon - Fri Mid-term 1st November Thursday P6-8 Inter-house netball competition 2nd November Friday P Class Assembly 5th November Monday Public Holiday TBC 6th November Tuesday Open Evening 9th November Friday P Class Assembly 13th November Tuesday P3-8 swimming gala 16th November Friday Maths books home 19th November Monday Parent Evening / reports 20th November Tuesday Parent Evening / reports 7th December Thursday After School Activities (ASA) end 14th December Friday N-P8 end of term concert 19th December Friday End of Term assembly

Term 2

14th January Monday Term begins 21st January Monday Start of After School Activities 1st February Friday P Class Assembly 8th February Friday Literacy books home 15th February Friday P Class assembly / maths books home 20th – 22nd February Wed-Fri Mid-Term Holiday 26th February Tuesday P7&8 Inter house 8th March Thursday Public holiday 4th – 7th March Mon -Thu Book Week 12th March Tuesday P4&5 Inter-house Bench Ball Competition 14th March Thursday P6 Inter-house 15th March Friday P Class assembly 19th March Tuesday Open Evening / inter school pioneer ball* 29th March Friday ASA end 1st April Monday Parent Evening / Reports 2nd April Tuesday Parent Evening / Reports 5th April Friday End of Term

Term 3

22nd April Monday Term Begins 29th April Monday After School Activities begin 1st May Wednesday Public Holiday 9th May Thursday Public holiday 10th May Friday Literacy books home 17th May Friday P Class Assembly 23rd May Thursday P4-5 Inter-house cricket competition 24th May Friday P Class assembly 31st May Friday International Children’s Day Event 6th June Thursday School and class photographs / P6-8 Inter-house sports 7th June Friday Maths books home 10th – 14th June Mon-Fri Mid-Term Holiday 18th June Tuesday Open Evening 19th-21st June* Wed/Thu / Fri Outdoor Education Trip P7&8 27th June Thursday P1&2 swimming gala 28th June Friday class assembly, Parent Teacher/ ASA end / Reports N-P8 1st July Monday Parent Evening 2nd July Tuesday Parent Evening 4th July Thursday Sportsday 8th – 12th July Mon-Fri End of year class parties 12th July Friday End of Term

* Dates to be confirmed

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Summer view of school at break time

Break time in winter!

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Parents Questionnaire The school would like to hear your reactions to this Parent Handbook.

Please read and answer the following questions and return to the school 1. What is your first reaction to the Handbook?

2. What do you think should be added?

3. Which sections would you like more information on?

4. Does the view of the school given in this Handbook match your own view?

5. What improvements or ideas would you suggest for the next revision?

Many Thanks

Martin Westbury