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About New School

What are the school hours?

Elementary School

Grades Kdg-Grade 5: 9:00 am to 3:20 pm

Upper School

English Section Grades 6-10: 8:20 am to 2:25 pm

English Section Grades 11-12: 8:20 am to 4:00 pm

Georgian Section Grades 6-12: 8:20 am to 2:30 pm

What is the Maximum Class Size? Maximum class size in Elementary School has been set at 18 students in Kindergarten and 20 in Grades 1-5. Each class has a teacher and a teaching assistant. The maximum class size for the Upper School, grades 6-10 is 22 students, and for grades 11-12 maximum of 16 students per subject group.

Is there a school bus service? The school bus service is provided for all students.

Is lunch provided?

Kdg: Breakfast and lunch is provided

Grades 1-2: Lunch is provided

Grades 3-12: Students can purchase lunch using a ,,sCool Card" issued by the Bank of Georgia.

Is there a school uniform? It is compulsory for all students to follow the school dress code.

Is there an admissions assessment? Admission assessments and an interview are part of the admission process.

How do we pay fees? Upon acceptance, a non-refundable deposit fee and depending on the invoice date, 65% of the tuition fee must be paid. The remaining tuition fee (35%) must be paid by the 15th of December.

What languages can my child study at New School?

Elementary School: English as an Additional Language, Georgian, Russian and French.

Upper School: Georgian, English, Russian, French and Spanish, Italian and German.

 

About the International Baccalaureate Organization

What is the International Baccalaureate Organization? The International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) is an independent non-profit educational programme motivated by its mission and focused on the student. It offers three programmes: The Primary Years Programme for students aged 5 to 11, the Middle Years Programme for students aged 11 to 16 and the Diploma Programme for the final two years of school.

The IB focuses on developing intellectual, personal, emotional and social skills to live, learn and work in an increasingly interconnected world. The IB programmes have a solid reputation for quality, high standards and pedagogical leadership. The IB meets the demand across the world for a rigorous programme which is based on a holistic and international education.  

Please visit the IBO website at www.ibo.org  for extensive information about the organization and its programmes.

How many schools offer IB programmes? As of 2018, there were 6,453 programmes being offered worldwide, across 5,500 schools in 160 countries.

What is so special about IB programmes? IB programmes are recognised around the world and ensure increased adaptability and mobility for IB students. The curriculum and pedagogy of the IB programmes focus on international perspectives of learning and teaching while insisting that students fully explore their home culture and language. IB schools must undergo an exhaustive authorization process in order to offer one or more of the programmes, which includes a study of the school's resources and commitments to the IB mission and philosophy.  IB teachers participate in a wide variety of professional development opportunities to constantly update their knowledge and share their expertise with colleagues around the world. Many students graduating from the Diploma Programme find that it enhances their opportunities at tertiary institutions. The IB works closely with universities around the world to gain recognition for IB programmes. The core components of IB programmes encourage students to participate in creative and service-orientated activities, while at the same time emphasizing the importance of reflection on a personal and academic level. The IB produces publications for schools to inform and support them as they offer IB courses.

 

About the Primary Years Programme

What is the Primary Years Programme? The Primary Years Programme (PYP) is a curriculum framework for young learners aged 3-12 designed by the International Baccalaureate (IB). Founded on a philosophy that recognizes a child’s natural curiosity, creativity and ability to reflect, the PYP generates a stimulating, challenging learning environment to nurture those assets and foster a lifelong love of learning in every child. The PYP, like all IB programmes, is transdisciplinary, meaning students learn across subject areas while investigating big ideas.

Does the PYP have a specific set of standards? In the PYP, students learn key concepts through units of inquiry. The six transdisciplinary themes that guide units of inquiry and compose a year of study are:

  • Who we are
  • Where we are in place and time
  • How we express ourselves
  • How the world works
  • How we organize ourselves
  • Sharing the planet

The school outlines its specific knowledge content and academic curriculum, guided by the following five essential elements:

  • The knowledge content is organised under transdisciplinary themes. Each school decides which specific topics to study under each theme.
  • The learning skills aim to help students become independent, well-functioning, self-motivated learners.
  • The action component emphasizes the need to connect the student with his or her own potential and responsibility for using what was learned.
  • The rigorous guidelines for classroom practices to match the educational philosophy and values of the IB are communicated through professional development and a school’s internal reflection process.

What grades does the Primary Years Programme encompass? Applications for admission are accepted throughout the school year. The cut-off date for admission to any grade level group is the 31st of August. For example, children entering Kindergarten must be 5 years of age on or before 1st September of the current school year.

Kindergarten (5-6 year olds)

Grade 1 (6-7 year olds)

Grade 2 (7-8 year olds)

Grade 3 (8-9 year olds)

Grade 4 (9-10 year olds)

Grade 5 (10-11 year olds)

Does the Primary Years Programme lead directly to the Middle Years Programme? Yes

Can students transfer easily from one Primary Years Programme School to Another? Yes

 

About the Middle Years Programme

What is the Middle Years Programme? The Middle Years Programme (MYP) is a curriculum framework designed for learners aged 11-16 by the International Baccalaureate (IB). The MYP is a five-year programme, which can be implemented in a partnership between schools or in abbreviated two, three or four year formats. The MYP curriculum framework comprises eight subject groups, providing a broad and balanced education for early adolescents. Students take the core courses of language and literature, individuals and societies, mathematics, sciences, physical and health education, language acquisition, arts, and design. A unique feature of the programme is that it extends the traditional curriculum to include immersion in four themes: approaches to teaching and approaches to learning, global contexts and concepts. Students also complete a personal project, which is an independent piece of work that may be an essay, an artistic production or another form of expression.

What grades does the Middle Years Programme encompass? In most schools in the world, the Middle Years Programme is a five- year programme that begins with grade 6 and continues through grade 10.

Does the Middle Years Programme lead directly to the Diploma Programme? The Middle Years Programme (MYP) is excellent preparation for the Diploma Programme (DP). Many of the concepts, programme elements, and the underlying philosophy found in the MYP are consistent with those found in the DP.  The MYP aligns most closely with the DP, ensuring a smooth transition for students who continue their education within the IB continuum. The MYP’s focus on approaches to learning provides ideal preparation for the kind of rigorous study that opens doors to higher education. As they move through educational systems and school structures, students benefit from the consistent educational aims, clear pathways for progression through academic disciplines, and shared approaches to the teaching of the MYP and DP.

Can students transfer easily from one Middle Years Programme School to another? In terms of continuity, certain aspects of the MYP such as global context, approaches to learning, assessment criteria, and the fundamental concepts of the program will be the same from school to school worldwide. However, since the IB does not prescribe the content, the actual subject material may vary.

Do Middle Years Programme students have to take IB examinations? In the final year of the programme, the optional MYP eAssessment provides a balanced and age-appropriate strategy that schools can use to validate student achievement: Students demonstrate their understanding and skills through classroom performance, onscreen final examinations and a personal project conducted over an extended period of time. Students who undertake external assessment are eligible for IB Course Results and the IB MYP Certificate. However, currently the school does not provide the eAssessment instead, classroom teachers design their own summative assessments, using a common set of IB-designed assessment criteria to mark them.

 

About the Diploma Programme

What is the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP)? The IBDP is a comprehensive two-year course and rigorous academic programme. It is designed as a pre-university programme for students aged 16 to 19. The DP was established to provide students with a balanced education, facilitate geographic and cultural mobility and to promote international understanding. It was created by teachers at the International School of Geneva, with assistance from several other international schools. As of 16 March 2019, there are 3,421 schools offering the DP, in 157 different countries worldwide.

Through the DP, schools are able to develop students who:

  • have excellent breadth and depth of knowledge
  • flourish physically, intellectually, emotionally and ethically
  • study at least two languages
  • excel in traditional academic subjects

There is a wide range of courses designed to meet the interests and requirements of different students. In addition to the courses offered, it is unique because only the DP includes the Creativity, Action and Service (CAS) programme, the Extended Essay (EE) and the Theory of Knowledge (TOK) course. Together these offer DP students experience and skills they will not find in any other programme.

What are TOK, EE, and CAS? Theory of Knowledge (TOK) challenges students to reflect critically on diverse ways of knowing and areas of knowledge and to consider the role which knowledge plays in a global society. Students attend class over the course of one and a half years. The final work includes an essay on a prescribed theme between 1,200 -1,600 words and a ten-minute presentation by the students in the class. The Extended Essay (EE) is an original independent research piece, leading to a comprehensive written report between 3,500-4,000 words in any chosen subject and title. Students receive guidance from EE Teacher Coordinator and EE Supervisor. Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) is one of the required components of the DP. The service element of CAS requires students to undertake an unpaid and voluntary exchange, which then has learning benefits. Students, therefore, apply knowledge and skills to community service, complementing their academic study. Through CAS students can develop valuable project-management skills that will serve them well as citizens and in their careers.

  • Develop an ethic of service
  • Become more caring, open-minded and reflective
  • Develop greater levels of self-confidence and maturity

What are the subjects in IB DP? All DP students must study a two-year course called Theory of Knowledge (TOK); produce an Extended Essay (EE); and engage in Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS). DP Students choose subjects from Subject Groups. New School offers the following subjects:

Group 1:

Studies in Language and Literature (English, Georgian, Russian)

• Group 2:

Language Acquisition (English, French, Russian, Spanish, German, Italian)

• Group 3:

Individuals and Societies (Global Politics, History, or Economics).

• Group 4:

Experimental Sciences (Chemistry, Biology or Physics)

• Group 5:

Mathematics

• Group 6:

The Arts (Visual Arts) and Film

What is the difference between the higher level and standard level DP subjects? There is more breadth and depth in higher level subjects. The content in higher level subjects requires 240 teaching hours versus 150 hours for the standard level.

Which IB subjects should a student register for?

The choice of IB subjects should be according to:

  • Areas of strength
  • Future career
  • University requirements for each country.

How are students assessed in the IB DP? DP assessment procedures measure the extent to which students have mastered advanced academic skills in fulfilling these goals, for example:

  • analysing and presenting information
  • evaluating and constructing arguments
  • solving problems creatively.

Basic skills are also assessed, including:

  • retaining knowledge
  • understanding key concepts
  • applying standard methods.

In addition to academic skills, DP assessment encourages an international outlook and intercultural skills, wherever appropriate. Student results are determined by performance against set standards, not by each student's position in the overall rank order. There are two kinds of DP assessment: External and Internal. Having a variety of assessment tools allows the IB organization to fairly assess the student’s true ability.

External Assessment: Examinations form the basis of the assessment for most courses. This is because of their high levels of objectivity and reliability. They include:

  • Essays
  • Structured problems
  • Short-response questions
  • Data-response questions
  • Text-response questions
  • Case-study questions
  • Multiple-choice questions – though these are rarely used.

Internal Assessment: Teacher assessment is also used for most courses. This includes:

  • Oral work in languages
  • Fieldwork in geography
  • laboratory work in the sciences
  • investigations in mathematics
  • artistic performances.

The grading system for all IB programme is criterion-referenced, to allow each student’s performance to be measured against well-defined levels of achievement. Assessments with oral and written components are assessed by examiners worldwide and monitored by chief examiners with ample experience.

How is the IB DP curriculum reviewed and maintained? Curriculum review is a transparent process. All curriculum documents are reviewed on a seven-year cycle. This cycle is not fixed and if a significant change occurs in a body of knowledge (for example, computer science), the cycle allows for:

  • Worldwide research by curriculum personnel
  • Design of curriculum models through consultation with practitioners in IB World Schools
  • Presentation of draft documents to the Diploma Programme committee and IB World Schools
  • Analysis of feedback before final publishing, training of teachers and then teaching and examining of the new curriculum.

After each examination session, the IB publishes subject reports and send to schools internal assessment feedback helping teachers to maintain the programme.

When are the IB DP exams taken? The DP exams are taken in the second year of study (DP2). New School normally registers students for the May session, however, retake candidates can be registered for the November session.  

How stressful is the IB DP programme? The IB DP programme is a rigorous two-year programme. It is not a stress-free programme. The level of stress can vary from one student to another and can be reduced, depending on the student’s acquisition of healthy study and organizational skills. A student who procrastinates and does not know how to manage time effectively will find it difficult to reduce stress. All students are encouraged to complete assignments on time and meet the internal assessment deadlines. The coordinator, teachers and counsellor at New School also work hard to coordinate major test and assignment deadlines, to keep student-stress to a minimum.

What is the profile of a successful IB DP student?

The successful DP student possesses the following traits:

  • excited and enthusiastic about learning
  • self-motivated
  • mature
  • self-disciplined
  • goal oriented
  • fluent in written and oral communication
  • possesses strong study and organizational skills
  • efficient in time management
  • intellectually inquisitive and creative
  • an independent, critical thinker
  • performs well academically
  • proficient in math
  • involved in school and community activities

How can a student do the IB Diploma after completing their schooling through a different school? Although the PYP, MYP and DP form a continuous sequence, each programme can be offered independently too. A student can join the IB Diploma Programme after completing the grade 10 level qualifications from other schools if they share the values of the IB. The student must have good academic record transcripts, not less than equivalent to a grade 3 in the IB programme in all subjects studied, have recommendations from two subject teachers and a Homeroom Adviser.

Is the IB recognised by universities? The rigour and high standards of the IBDP ensure that colleges and universities around the world recognize the IB Diploma as a superior academic programme and a strong university entry credential. Higher education institutions around the world admit students based on their IB credentials, and many have specific admissions policies and guidelines for IB students. Admissions criteria can vary widely across educational systems and the selectivity of the institution. Information on university recognition policies can be found in IB resources on  www.ibo.org

Successful IB Diploma students may be offered credit (particularly for Higher Level courses and TOK) since May 2017 as the IB DP programme is recognised in Georgia. First-year university courses in Canadian and American universities overseas. For further information consult with New School University Advisors, Mrs Nino Sikharulidze. 

What criteria do universities use for giving college credit to IB DP classes or for recognizing the IB Diploma? The criterion varies from one university to another and from one country to another. Generally, Universities may give credit to students in higher level subjects who receive high final marks. Up to one-year of college credit can be granted for a good IB Diploma score. Due to the fact that the requirements of individual universities or countries are constantly changing, New School cannot guarantee recognition of the IB Diploma or IB Certificate. It is the sole responsibility of students and their parents to verify the university or country requirements prior to initiating the IB Programme. The IBO website provides a searchable database of countries and their recognition policies. It is strongly recommended that parents contact the universities directly to verify that the information is up to date. Visit the International Baccalaureate Organization’s website.

What is the goal of College Counselling? The goal of the University Advisor is to provide assistance to each student as they prepare for post-secondary studies around the world by providing students with all the available and relevant data on which to base a decision to apply to or attend a specific college or university. The University Advisor will also prepare transcripts, school profiles and teacher recommendations, which will promote the student’s candidacy by highlighting known skills, achievements and potential.

Why should I select IB DP for my child? The benefits of an IB education are especially strong when it comes to higher education. Top universities from around the world have shown how they value the IB's credentials by building special pathways for IB students; by granting credit or advanced standing for performance on IB exams; or even by providing scholarships for IB students. Across different studies, researchers have found that:

  • DP curriculum and assessment compares favourably to a variety of other respected qualifications.
  • DP students tend to complete their undergraduate degrees at higher rates than their peers, and often in less time.
  • IB students can tend to make more contributions to campus life by participating in activities such as community service, tutoring, assisting faculty in research, studying abroad, internships, and joining clubs and other student groups.

The IB goes to great lengths to ensure the validity and reliability of our assessments. IB assessments have been demonstrated as strong predictors of university performance.

Across the research, DP students have been cited as demonstrating the following skills:

  • interest and experience in research
  • time management and organisational skills
  • critical thinking, inquiry and problem solving
  • strong language and writing skills
  • international-mindedness and a sense of responsibility for the community.

Thus, DP students are better able than their peers to cope with demanding workloads, manage their time and meet the expectations placed on them.