“In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins, not through strength but by perseverance.” (H. Jackson Brown — Theme for the 2022 – 2023 School Year.)”

1. 2022-2023 ISO milestones
2. Lower School/Upper School Summer Learning Resources
3. New Teachers to ISO
4. 2022-2023 Board of Trustees “Thank You”
5. Full Year MAP results. “Measuring Growth over Time.”
6. Summer Office Hours
7. Departing Staff and Community Members
8. Iso Summer Camp
9. The Final Countdown

Greetings on the 179th and penultimate day of the 2022 – 2023 School Year. We still have half a school day left tomorrow, with all students being dismissed directly after Sports Day, at 12:00!

A. 2022-2023 ISO milestones

This afternoon will be the final afternoon of what has been an exceptional and unique 2022 – 2023 School Year. Indeed, ISO has much to celebrate:

• A second IB cohort, that, after two years, completed the IB programme in the history of the International School of Ouagadougou – The only English Speaking IB School in Burkina Faso.
• 100% of our graduates have been admitted to University; two with full scholarships.
• Our students reached academic levels close to and above American national norms, as referenced by our school-wide MAP scores (See Below.) However, most importantly, we met the students where they are at and virtually all students had growth during the academic year.
• The reopening of our campus to our community members for school-wide events.
• Several successful events, including the PTA Holiday Fair, Open House, Yard Sale, Africa Week, ISO Band Concert, Teacher Appreciation Dinner…
• 171 students enrolled this year** (A five-year high in enrollment)

**Although, as we discussed during our Association meeting, the Board is planning for a sizable drop in enrollment. This is the result of external variables — independent actors — who are presently deciding to make this a non-family, infant-only, or voluntary family post. However, the Board has worked through creative staffing solutions and getting fiscal relief from both the IB and several of the school’s vendors to keep our 1:7 student-staff ratio (which is in place this school year.) This will ensure no drop-off in the education that your students receive here at the International School of Ouagadougou.

B. Optional Summer Learning Resources

Please use the following links to access ISO Lower School Summer Learning for Lower 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 presently 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. 2022 – 2023 Board of Trustees

ISO wishes to thank the following members of the 2022 – 2023 Board of Trustees for their service:

Please note that the Board of Trustees is pleased to welcome Lady Sylvie Guire Hajjar, and Maria Vazquez-Dodero on the Board for the upcoming school year. Normally, during the month of September, the Board of Trustees conducts their annual training during a two-day retreat. Next 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. Full Year MAP results. “Measuring Growth over Time.”

F. Summer Office Hours

The school office will be open throughout the summer vacation*, except for the weeks of July 10th – July 21st:

• Opening hours will be from 10:00 – 2:00 pm daily from June 19 to July 31.
• The school will be closed for renovation from July 10th – July 21st.
• On Tuesday, August 1st, the school will resume its office hours from 9:00 am – 2:00 pm.
• From August 7th, the school office hours will be from 8:00 am – 4:00 pm, until school commences on August 18th.

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

G. Final Notes: Departing Staff and Community Members

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. We wish them all the best. 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. And one of them has been guiding students through performing arts and later as the IB coordinator for the last decade. 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 in your next endeavors.

Marie-Helene Pichette
Nelda Dafinis
Keyara Fleece
Janay Washington
Isaac Domngal

H. ISO SUMMER CAMP

ISO coaches Pie TRAORE and Amadou PALENFO are offering a mix of soccer, swimming, and basketball for ISO students aged between 7 and 14 years.

Daily sessions (from 9am to 12.30 pm) will take place Monday through Friday on the ISO campus for two weeks (19th to 23rd June and 26th to 30th June).

Sign up using this link.

I. The Final Countdown

Parents, please remember that … classmates may come and go, and schools may change, …. however, it is YOU — the parent — who are your child’s first and most important teacher.

As the “Year of the Rock and Stream” comes to a close I would like to thank all the families who worked with us “side by side” this year, on our journey of going from “Good to Great!!” To those families that will be moving on, we wish you the best of luck, and we thank you for taking this journey with us. For those families that will be returning on August 21st, we look forward to continuing our work, on the road that we have firmly placed ourselves on: “The road of excellence.”

Jeff