British School of Boston Takes New Name

BOSTON- The British School of Boston is proud to announce that when students return to the classroom this fall, they will return as students of the British International School of Boston.

“We believe the inclusion of ‘International’ more accurately reflects the kind of education we espouse and aptly celebrates our diverse school community,” said British International School of Boston Headmaster Paul Wiseman. “Our former name served our school very well, but as our school community continues to grow and develop, our name should reflect those changes and evolve with us.”

The British International School of Boston is a co-educational day school in Jamaica Plain, educating students from 18 months to 18 years of age. Students hail from Greater Boston and from all over the world, with more than 78 heritages and 25 languages represented in the diverse school community.

The school began the process of changing its name more than one year ago, after joining Nord Anglia Education, a global education network of 29 schools.

While the school’s name has changed, its mission to prepare students for the global future has not. The school has long been committed to providing students with a lifelong love of learning, supporting and challenging each child according to their individual needs through rigorous international curricula and ongoing assessment.

Over the last few years, the school has seen tremendous growth, celebrating its largest graduating class in June 2014 and welcoming more than 400 students at the start of this 2014-2015 school year. BISB graduates attend top universities in the United States and around the globe, equipped with the highly respected International Baccalaureate Diploma.

Director of Admissions Lisa van Horne said the new school name highlights the school’s commitment to preparing students to take on active roles in the increasingly interconnected global community.

To learn more about the British International School of Boston, please visit the new British International School of Boston website: http://www.bisboston.org. Our blog will now be hosted on the new website. To continue following our posts, please visit the new blog.

Find more information about the school’s international curriculum and personalized learning environment, and schedule a visit to tour the school by calling 617-522-2261.

Introducing the NEW Blog and NEW School Name

The British School of Boston is proud to announce that when students return to our classrooms this September, they will return as students at the NEW British International School of Boston.

The school officially changed its name this summer, embracing our international learning environment.

“We believe the inclusion of ‘International’ more accurately reflects the kind of education we espouse and aptly celebrates our diverse school community,” said British International School of Boston Headmaster Paul Wiseman.

With the new school name comes the introduction of a new school website and new school blog. We appreciate the loyal followers of this blog, and encourage readers to visit our new page.

With the new blog, we will continue to share news from the school community, as well as parenting resources, tips for using social media with young people, and tips to boost student learning.

Aligning with our new school name, we hope to include more resources for international and personalized education, sharing with our online community our best tips to prepare students for the global future.

We hope you’ll explore our new blog and new website, and learn more about the NEW Boston International School of Boston.

Visit the new website: www.bisboston.org.

Visit the new blog: http://www.nordangliaeducation.com/our-schools/boston/news-and-insights/school-blog

As always, we will maintain our strong presence on social media, and encourage readers to follow our Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram sites.

How to Keep Kids Safe on Social Media

Facebook. Twitter. Instagram. Snapchat. Pinterest. Vine. Tumblr.

With a growing number of social media sites skyrocketing into popularity, it’s no wonder parents often feel overwhelmed when it comes to monitoring their children’s use of the networking sites.

The task of ensuring safe usage of social media becomes especially hard when parents don’t use the networks themselves.

So what can parents do to ensure their children and teens are using social media sites and apps safely? Check out the infographic below for the “golden rules” of social media safety, shared by the British Council last summer.

From having open conversations with your kids about internet and social media usage to requiring private profiles on Facebook and similar sites, there are some really great tips:

Start using these tips in your home and you’ll be on your way to a safer family.

But while being open and honest with your children is often the best way to maintain safety online (and trust between children and parents), many families find that employing a social media filtering and monitoring program can also be beneficial.

Social Media Explorer shared four of the best monitoring sites for parents in a recent article. The sites allow parents to set individualized privacy controls for children of different ages, receive alerts  when a child tries to access a blocked site, filter unacceptable sites by URL keywords and even receive alerts when a child gains a friend or follow with few or no mutual friends.

Check out the article for the full list of helpful programs.

What are your best tips to keeping kids safe online and on social media? Share your own stories and tips and help keep our community safer!

Summer Safety Tips: How to Keep Your Home Safe While Traveling

For many, summer is all about heading out the front door and heading off on a great adventure. Worries are put aside, and the occasional stress of home and school life disappears.

But while vacations are supposed to be fun and relaxing, they don’t mean you can forget about home completely. Did you know that more burglaries occur in July and August than in any other time of the year?

Never fear! We’ve collected some great tips from SafeWise.com to help ensure your home is safe this summer- even while you’re not in it!

How to Keep Your Home Safe This Summer

1. Keep the garage secure

In addition to storing a variety of goods burglars want, such as lawn equipment, bikes and other easily pawned items, garages are often easier to access than the rest of a home.

To keep your belongings safe, close and lock the garage door, and carefully secure the door that leads from your garage into your home.

If you’re leaving your cars behind, make sure they are well-secured as well. Even if your vehicle is inside a locked garage, roll up all the windows and make sure all doors are locked. Clean out your car before you leave, too, and make sure there are no valuable items inside, and no money, change or electronics in sight.

2. Consider getting a home security system.

Home security systems can be the best ways to keep your valuables safe while on vacation. Turn on the system and you’ll be notified if anyone enters the home. Systems can also detect broken windows and other forms of forced entry and notify emergency officials automatically.

Home security systems are also important protection against fire and carbon monoxide, an especially important feature if you have pets still at home.

3. Remove window air conditioning units and fans.

No matter how securely a window air conditioning unit is installed in your window, they can still be a point of easy entry for a burglar. Remove all units before leaving for vacation, even those placed in second-story windows.

4. Ask a neighbor to watch your home.

If you’re going to be away for an extended period of time, ask a neighbor or close friend to keep an eye on the house.

Ask the neighbor to keep an eye out for anyone suspicious around the house, and ask them to collect any mail and newspapers delivered to your home each day. A pile of newspapers on the front stoop is an easy way to tell burglars that you’re not home.

Make sure to snip any shrubbery around your front door and turn on a front light before you leave, too- having a front door that is easily visible by neighbors will help deter any unwanted visitors.

5. Be quiet about your plans.

We know, we know- you want to tell the world about your upcoming trip to the Carribbean that you are so excited about. But talking about your trip in public or on social media makes it easier for unwanted visitors to find out you’re leaving.

Pack up the car in the garage if you can, and if you can’t, try not to bring too much attention to the fact that you’re heading out on vacation.

For more tips from SafeWise, read their full article.

And share your best tips for keeping your home safe while traveling this summer!

 

How Does Diversity Benefit Kids?

What started as a day to honor 1,200 students from the University of Prague who died during World War II has since morphed into World Students Day, celebrated each year on July 17.

The rather obscure celebration honors and celebrates multiculturalism and diversity at schools and higher education institutions around the world- and that’s a celebration we can get on board with!

At the British School of Boston, our diversity is of the utmost importance. Our students represent more than 78 different heritages, and along with their families speak more than 25 languages.

But why is this diversity so important? A fantastic article from GreatSchools.org has shed a little light on just how beneficial diversity in schools is to young children and students.

According to the article, students who attend schools with a diverse population can develop an understanding of the perspectives of children from different backgrounds and learn to function in multicultural environments.

“There is a richness that comes from students working side by side with others who are not of the same cookie-cutter mold,” said Jean Snell, a clinical professor of teacher education at the University of Maryland, according to the article.

And preparing children to work with others of diverse backgrounds is only becoming more important. According to the GreatSchools.org article, the U.S. Census Bureau says that by the year 2100, the United States minority population will become the majority.

Today’s job markets also require workers to have a strong understanding of and respect for varied cultural and ethnic backgrounds. As technology improves and expands, and social media works to connect individuals across the globe, students will need to be prepared to collaborate successfully with colleagues from other countries, backgrounds and native languages.

So what can be done to ensure this preparation happens?

According to the article, how schools celebrate their diversity- by recognizing days like World Student Day or through in-school activities- has one of the biggest impacts on children.

The article suggests structuring classroom activities to include both sides to history and cultural lessons, and asking students to share their traditions, holidays and beliefs with their classmates.

At the British School of Boston, this is something we are passionate about. Our students learn about many holidays in their classrooms, inviting students and parents to teach others about their traditions.

Each year we take “heritage photos” of all our students, allowing them to share their cultural and ethnic backgrounds with others in the school community. These photos are proudly displayed in our lobby and are very important to our students.

Our alumni often say they feel better prepared for college because of their experience in our diverse school community, and that their network of friends across the world has helped them as they prepare to find careers.

What makes diversity so important to you? Share your thoughts on diversity in schools in the comment section below!

And happy World Students Day!

Free Events at Showa Boston This Summer

Looking for some local activities in Boston this summer? Visit the Showa campus for some fun, free events for kids and families!

Showa students will organize and run weekly cultural events on Thursdays throughout the summer, beginning July 17.

Visit the Showa website for more information on all of these great events:

Thursday, July 17    3:30 p.m.

Radio Taiso & Suikawari

Move your body the way many in Japan do at 6:30 a.m. with Radio Taiso, or radio calisthenics. Once you’ve warmed up, try splitting a watermelon, a fun summertime tradition in Japan. The traditional game, called suikawari, is typically done at the beach or other summer events, and is much like a pinata.

Thursday, July 24    3:30 p.m.

Tanabata

Stop by and learn about Tanabata, the Star Festival! Create Tanabata arts and crafts and write your own wish to place on a tree. Children can try dressing up in a yukata, a type of kimono. Make sure to bring your camera!

Thursday, July 30    3:30 p.m.

Swimming

Take a break from summer heat with a free swim in Showa’s indoor pool. No lifeguard will be on duty, so parents must supervise their children.

Thursday, August 7    6:30 p.m.

Movie Night

Enjoy some Japanese culture with a screening of a Hayao Miyazaki movie.

 

British School of Boston Announces Successful IBDP Exam Results

The British School of Boston is proud to announce another successful year of International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme examinations.

Our high school graduates earned an average score of 35.5 points on the 2014 IBDP exams, more than 5 points higher than the global average. The scores mark the highest ever for BSB students since the inception of the high school six years ago.

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is considered the most rigorous high school diploma programme in the world, and prepares students for success at university and in life beyond. Students take final exams across several subjects, which are independently reviewed by subject-area experts from around the world before students can be awarded a diploma.

The IBDP is highly-sought after by college admissions staff in the United States and around the world, and research shows that students with an IB Diploma enroll in higher rates at more selective universities, and perform better once there than students with other high school diplomas.

 A growing number of schools in the United States and abroad have adopted the diploma programme. This year, 135,534 high school students across the world participated in the IBDP examinations, a 6.5 percent increase above the number of students tested in 2013.

At the British School of Boston, student scores have grown steadily since the first graduating class received their IB diplomas in 2010.

This year, twelve scores of 7 points (the highest score possible in a subject area) were earned across several subject areas, including: History, English, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Visual Arts, Spanish and French.

The Class of 2014 graduates join a community of more than 1.2 million other IBDP graduates in 141 countries around the world.

Their education at BSB and their completion of the IBDP earned them spots at some of the top colleges and universities in the United States and the world, including:

United States: Bard College Boston College Boston University Brigham Young University Clark University Colby College Connecticut College Duke University Emmanuel College Gettysburg College Hamilton College Harvard University Hellenic College Hobart and William Smith College Lesley University Marist College Mount Holyoke College New York University Northeastern University Providence College Quinnipiac University Roger Williams University Saint Michael’s College Simmons College Smith College Stonehill College Suffolk University Trinity College Tufts University University of California at Berkley University of Massachusetts at Amherst University of Massachusetts at Boston University of Rochester University of Washington Wentworth Institute of Technology Wheaton College

International: Dalhousie University (Canada) Mount Alison University (Canada) St. Francis Xavier University (Canada) University of British Columbia (Canada) University of Toronto Schools (Canada) IE University (Spain) Saint Louis University-Madrid (Spain) City University London (UK) Queen Mary, University of London (UK) Kings College London (UK) University of Westminster (UK)

 

Congratulations to our graduating students! We are so proud of your achievements!

 

Best Summer Books for Teens

Getting ready for a long trip or vacation? Then it’s time to stock up on some great summer reading books for the family!

Summer is a great time for the whole family to enjoy reading for pleasure, but not every child is excited at the prospect. Today, we’ve got some great reading suggestions for teenagers from the Young Adult Library Services Association.

Each year, YALSA creates a list of the Best Fiction for Young Adults. In 2014, the organization selected 98 books for children ages 12-18. The books on the list must meet a variety of criteria, including the quality of the literature and its appeal to teens.

The list comprises a wide range of genres and styles, from realistic and historical fiction to fantasy, horror and science fiction.

Check out the full list on the YALSA website, and see the top ten list of books for teens below to kick start your summer reading shopping!

• Berry, Julie. All the Truth That’s in Me. Penguin/Viking Juvenile, 2013.
• Clark, Kristin Elizabeth. Freakboy. Macmillan/Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2013.
• Federle, Tim. Better Nate Than Ever. Simon & Schuster/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2013.
• McNeal, Tom. Far Far Away. Random House/Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2013.
• Rowell, Rainbow. Eleanor & Park. Macmillan/St. Martin’s Griffin, 2013.
• Sedgwick, Marcus. Midwinterblood. Macmillan/Roaring Brook Press, 2013.
• Sepetys, Ruta. Out of the Easy. Penguin/Philomel, 2013.
• Smith, Andrew. Winger. Illustrated by Sam Bosma. Simon & Schuster/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2013.
• Sullivan, Tara. Golden Boy. Penguin/Putnam Juvenile, 2013.
• Wein, Elizabeth. Rose Under Fire. Disney-Hyperion, 2013.

Get reading, and let us know your favorite books for teens!

Summer Safety Tips for Families

Whether you’re staying in Boston this summer or headed abroad, summer presents many opportunities for fun and adventure.

Unfortunately, from swimming and boating to hiking and camping, summer can also present a number of safety hazards. To help ensure your family has a safe and happy summer, we’ve collected some safety tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

1. Water safety

• Learn how to prevent recreational water illnesses and help protect yourself and your kids.
• Help kids get H2O Smartz about water safety.

Drowning is responsible for more deaths among children ages 1-4 than any other cause except birth defects. To help prevent drowning and similar accidents, be sure to:

• Always supervise children when in or around water. A responsible adult should constantly watch young children.
• Teach kids to swim. Formal swimming lessons can protect young children from drowning.
• Learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Your CPR skills could save someone’s life.
• Install a four-sided fence around home pools.
• When riding in a boat or other water craft, always wear a properly fitted life jacket.

2. Beat the heat.

Heat-related illness occurs when the body’s temperature control system is overloaded. Those at greatest risk for heat-related illness include infants and children up to 4 years of age.

To prevent heat-related illness:

• Never leave infants, children, or pets in a parked car, even if the windows are cracked open.
• Dress infants and children in loose, lightweight, light-colored clothing.
• Schedule outdoor activities carefully, for morning and evening hours.
• Stay cool with cool showers or baths.
• Seek medical care immediate if your child has symptoms of heat-related illness.

And don’t forget to protect against too much sun exposure, too. Even a somewhat cloudy day can expose children to harmful ultraviolet rays.

To protect against sunburn:

• Cover up. Clothing that covers your and your child’s skin helps protect against UV rays.
• Use sunscreen with at least SPF (sun protection factor) 15 and UVA (ultraviolet A) and UVB (ultraviolet B) protection every time you and your child go outside.

3. Protect against insects.

Ticks, mosquitos and other insects are out in full force during the summer, and can carry some nasty diseases, like West Nile virus and Lyme disease.

Protect against insect bites by:

• Using an effective insect repellent while playing outdoors.
• Make your backyard a tick-safe zone.
• Check yourself and your children for ticks. Ticks are easy to remove.

Keep these and other safety tips in mind this holiday weekend and throughout the summer to ensure this remains a summer to remember!

Have some safety tips of your own? Share them in the comment section of this post!

Fourth of July in Boston: Tips for Planning the Ultimate Holiday Weekend

If you’re in Boston this summer, one of the biggest events in town is the city’s Fourth of July celebration. Hundreds of thousands of people will visit the city to watch the fireworks, hear the Boston Pops play and head to significant historical sites.

It can be hard to navigate all that is going on, but we’ve collected some tips from local news agencies to help you plan the ultimate holiday weekend.

Planning on heading to the Esplanade for the fireworks extravaganza? These tips from CBS-Boston will be vital in helping you plan!

1.  Come prepared.

In New England, the weather can change from minute to minute. Currently, the weather is looking a bit rainy on July 4, but that could change in the next few days.

But no matter what the forecast, be sure to go prepared for nearly any weather phenomena. Bring lots of layers- the day may be sweltering, but the nights can be cold. Sunscreen, sunglasses and hats are also must-bring items, and this Fourth of July a rain jacket or umbrella might be a good choice, too.

2. Getting there.

Public transportation is the best option when it comes to getting to Esplanade. The two closest T-stations on the Boston side are Charles-MGH on the Red Line and Arlington Street on the Green Line. The trains will be running late, and the MBTA is expected to offer free rides home after 10 p.m., as they have done in years past.

If you plan on driving to the Esplanade be prepared for road closures and little parking. If you absolutely must drive, CBS-Boston suggests parking at 210 Stuart Street or the 100 Clarendon garage.

No matter how you get there you will have to do some walking, so wear comfortable shoes!

3. What else to bring.

There will be cash-only concessions stands around the Esplanade, but bringing some food of your own is also a good idea. No coolers on wheels will be allowed into the park, so all of your perishable items must fit in a cooler that can be carried on a shoulder strap or single handle.

Bring LOTS of water, but keep in mind that all liquids must be carried in sealed clear plastic containers, which cannot be larger than 2 liters. Pack some plastic cutlery, paper plates and napkins if your food requires it.

Don’t forget to pack some entertainment, either. If you’ll be waiting for the show all day, you’ll want some comfortable chairs and blankets to rest your feet, and maybe some books, magazines, card games and sports equipment to pass the time. Bring cameras and binoculars for the best view of the show, and don’t forget your patriotic gear!

4. What NOT to bring.

Backpacks, shopping bags, coolers on wheels, fireworks, grills, propane tanks and firearms, to name a few. All personal items must be carried in clear bags only.

Alcoholic beverages, glass containers, cans, and sharp objects will also be confiscated. Bags will be checked for anyone entering the Oval.

After 4pm, nothing will be allowed through the security checkpoints expect chairs, tarps or blankets than are 10’x12′ or smaller.

And don’t plan on bringing your pet if you want a good view from the Oval. Only service animals will be permitted.

CBS-Boston shared a full list of banned items that will be helpful when planning your day:  Full List of banned items (.pdf)

For more great tips– including where to watch and when to get there, check out the full CBS-Boston planning guide.

Not interested in braving the crowds? There’s plenty of other events going on in Boston this holiday weekend, like free duck boat rides from July 3-5!

That’s because the iconic Boston Ducks Tours will be offering free rides from July 3 through July 5. I repeat: Free Boston Duck Tour rides!

The rides are sponsored by Yoplait Greek yogurt, and riders (who won’t need to pay the regularly $35 ticket) will be able to participate in the Yoplait Greek Taste-Off, comparing the yogurt to Chobani Greek yogurt flavors.

Read through this BostInno article to learn more about getting tickets.

And don’t forget to check out the many significant historical sites in Boston this Fourth of July. From the Freedom Trail to Paul Revere’s home, there’s plenty of United States history to take in.

Have a great holiday weekend!