Giving children the best international education in Slovakia.
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QSI International School of Bratislava (QSIB) is the only American school in Slovakia offering a variety of programs for local and international students. Students have the opportunity to specialize in their studies according to their future plans and academic dreams. Students are taught by certified English-speaking teachers, whose passion for teaching is contagious and helps pave the way for future academic success for all students.
QSIB is managed by International Quality Schools (QSI), an organization made up of 35 international schools around the world. QSI International School in Bratislava benefits from the unique opportunities offered by this organized network of schools with three decades of proven performance.
QSI School Bratislava (QSIB) opened in September 1994 as a private non-profit school, which offers an educational program for pupils of all nationalities aged 2.5 years (early childhood programme) up to school level. Graduate students are fully prepared to attend colleges and universities in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, continental Europe, and other countries around the world. The school year is divided into three terms running from the end of August to mid-December, from the beginning of January to the end of March and from the beginning of April to mid-June. Students receive status reports (bulletins) five times during the school year.
Organization: QSIB is governed by the board and statutes of Quality Schools International, in Europe, Asia, South America, Africa and the Middle East. An advisory board, made up of six to ten members residing in Bratislava, assists the school in its operation. The school operates with the approval of the Slovak Ministry of Education.
Academics: The academic program is based on mastery learning, which involves both individualized and group instruction, and ensures mastery of specific skills and knowledge. This educational philosophy is based on the belief that all students can succeed, that success breeds success, and that it is the school’s responsibility to provide an environment conducive to success.
Courses include math, cultural studies (history, geography, economics, political science), science (biology, chemistry, physics, environmental studies), technology, vocal and instrumental music, art, drama, dance and physical education. For secondary school students, we offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program and Advanced Placement (AP) courses. The use of technology is integrated throughout the program. The acquisition of foreign and mother tongues is offered in French, German, Spanish, Korean and Slovak. Also, the school seeks to provide students with an appreciation of the rich culture and history of Slovakia.
Curriculum: (QSIB) offers a master’s degree educational program with a curriculum similar to that of US public and private schools as well as competitive international schools. The instruction is in English. The school believes that all students can succeed. In addition to a rigorous academic curriculum, the curriculum includes physical education, art, music, technology, and drama. German, Slovak, Spanish, Korean and French are taught as foreign languages. Advanced Placement (AP) courses and the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma are available for secondary school students. Also, the school seeks to provide students with an appreciation of the rich culture and history of Slovakia. Extracurricular activities are offered to students of all ages, including an interscholastic sports program for students aged 11 to 18. The school participates in the cultural, sports and professional development activities of the Association of Central and Eastern European Schools and the Danube Valley Sports Conference. The school is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), and the College Board for the Advanced Placement (AP) program. QSIB is recognized by the Slovak Ministry of Education and is an official SAT and College Board test center.
Faculty: For the 2021-2022 school year, there are 75 full-time and two part-time faculty, including 22 U.S. citizens, 40 host-country nationals, and 15 EU and non-EU nationals.
Registration: At the start of the 2021-2022 school year, there were 288 pupils (kindergarten: 16; kindergarten-5th: 99; 6th-8th: 62; and 9th-12th: 111). Of this total, 37 were US citizens, 128 were host country nationals and 123 were third country nationals.
Facilities: The school campuses are pleasantly located in the picturesque village of Šamorín (less than 20 km from the outskirts of Bratislava) with large natural green spaces. The brand new, state-of-the-art Kindergarten, Preschool, Elementary and Middle School (opened January 2018) is a large two-story complex, with 35 classrooms, a library (over 10,000 titles), a computer lab , a gymnasium, an atrium, several outdoor playgrounds, a full outdoor basketball court, an artificial turf mini soccer field, a parent work area and several offices. The new (August 2019) high school campus of the X-bionic Sphere Resort provides high school students and teachers with 28 additional classrooms, offices, labs and libraries. There is also direct access to indoor and outdoor pools, a fitness center, dance/exercise rooms, athletics, three full soccer fields, multipurpose play areas, and A movie theater. (QSIB) provides complete security to its students, teachers, staff and visitors with guards, an advanced key card system and an elaborate security camera network. Free shuttles to/from campus are available at various locations in and around Bratislava.
Materials: Materials and equipment are up to date and of the highest quality. Class sizes are small. Most faculty members are North American, with a few teachers from the United Kingdom, France, Serbia, the Philippines, Greece, Brazil, Spain, Ecuador, and Slovakia. Twenty-six full-time faculty members are native English speakers and all teachers are fluent in English. The teachers are certified by their respective nations and are experienced in international education.
Philosophy: We believe there will be more learning if the student has a desire to learn, has positive feelings about the school environment, and is successful in their work. A comfortable atmosphere of caring and acceptance established by the school is considered important so that each student is encouraged to strive for excellence and to be creative. This is enhanced by an aesthetically pleasing environment. The possibility of success increases for each student when they learn at the appropriate level of difficulty and feel positive expectations from their teachers. These include:
- Encourage each student to positively recognize their own nationality.
- To provide an atmosphere of cultural acceptance and understanding with the aim of establishing healthy international relations.
- Integrate studies of the local region and the country into the school curriculum.
- Develop an awareness of environmental concerns such as overpopulation, pollution, waste of natural resources, destruction of wildlife and natural areas, and personal health.
- Promote a concern for the protection of the environment.
- Offer students activities and projects that involve them in improving the environment.
Daniel Blaho
QSI Manager Bratislava
This article was brought to you by QSI School Bratislava (QSIB).