“In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins, not through strength but by perseverance.” (H. Jackson Brown)

A. 2021-2022 ISO milestones
B. Elementary/Upper School Summer Learning Resources
C. New Teachers to ISO
D. COVID Operational Manual for 2022 – 2023
E. 2021-2022 Board of Trustees “Thank You”
E. Summer Office Hours
F. Final Notes

Greetings on the 174th and penultimate day of the 2021 – 2022 School Year. We still have half a school day left tomorrow, with all students being dismissed directly after Sports Day and Splash Day, at 12:00 tomorrow.

A. 2021-2022 ISO milestones

This afternoon will be the final afternoon of what has been an exciting and unique 2021 – 2022 School Year. Indeed, ISO has much to celebrate:

• A successful first IB cohort*, that, after two years, completed the first IB programme in the History of the International School of Ouagadougou
• Our students reached academic levels above international and American national norms, as referenced by our school wide MAP scores
• The successful launch of our second IBDP cohort program for Grades 11 and 12
• 165 students enrolled throughout the year, with even more students expected next year (current projections have us at 172, with several more student enrollments “pending”)
• 77 Director’s Messages (since August 2020)
• 175 days of physical learning on campus, with no COVID interruption to our physical school days
• 1 case of COVID at ISO since January 17th, and two months of optional mask-wearing for the last two months.

*To view the full graduation ceremony, please visit our website page. The graduation will be up until the end of next week.

B. Optional Summer Learning Resources

Please use the following link to access ISO Elementary Summer Learning for Elementary School and ISO Upper School Summer Learning if you (as a student or parent) wish to keep engaged in learning over the break. Please note that this is optional, and has links to many of the websites the school subscribes to.

C. New Teachers To ISO

Their biographies can be found at the following link. Please spend a little time reading over their Bio’s so you can introduce your students to their new teachers.

D. COVID Operational Manual for 2022 – 2023

The COVID Operational Manual for 2022 – 2023 will be developed in August. We all know that in regards to COVID, “the only certainty is change.” The operational manual will be based on the trend of the pandemic in Burkina Faso and the vaccination rate of ISO’s population. If you do get vaccinated, please be sure to send a copy of your vaccination card to Aimee, our school nurse (a.dayamba@iso.bf), and Jonnathan, our CRO (cro@iso.bf ).

E. 2021 – 2022 Board of Trustees

ISO wishes to thank the following members of the 2021 – 2022 Board of Trustees for their service:

Please be aware that the Board of Trustees is pleased to welcome Fillippo Ghezzi, and Bashir July Hanif on the Board for the upcoming school year. Normally, during the month of September, the Board of Trustees will conduct their annual training during a two-day retreat. This year, training will be focused on the Board’s fiduciary responsibility, during a challenging economic time. If you have any feedback for the school’s Governance, please contact our Board Secretary at boardsecretary@iso.bf with a copy to myself, the school director, at j.trudeau@iso.bf

E. Summer Office Hours

The school office will be open throughout the summer vacation*, except for the weeks of July 15th – July 29th:

• Opening hours will be from 10:00 – 2:00pm daily
• The school will be closed for renovation July 15th – July 29th
• On Monday, August 1st, the school will resume its office hours from 9:00a.m – 2:00p.m.
• From August 8th, the school office hours will be from 8:00a.m – 4:00p.m, until school commences on August 18th.

*Note: The school will observe all holidays during the summer vacation.

F. Final Notes: Departing Staff

It is also, sadly, the time of the year at which we say farewell to members of the ISO community who will be moving on to new beginnings. As mentioned prior, change and transition are two constants here at the International School of Ouagadougou. This year, 5 of our talented teachers will be leaving us. I have known them since my arrival at ISO in 2020. We all found out at our end-of-the-year party that it is never easy to say goodbye!! Next year there will definitely be a marked difference without their presence.

Be it in the classroom as teachers, or by providing other essential elements to our students’ learning environment here at ISO, we know that our school has been better and stronger with the contributions of our departing staff. On behalf of everybody here at ISO, we sincerely thank you for your service and we wish you all the very best on your next endeavors. Please enjoy this next section that shows the departing teachers “through the years”.

Nancy Sanfo
Jalisa Mixon
Vania Gulston
Martin Caldon
Rosalind “Tucky” Fussell