Effects of the Russia-Ukraine War on Students In Our Community
The Russia-Ukraine war started in February 2022 and has affected millions of people in Ukraine and beyond – including several students and families at our school. Additionally, the AISB community has welcomed displaced students from across Ukraine during these difficult times. Many of these students…
Cancer’s Impact: The Inspirational Story Behind AISB’s Pink Bench
Have you ever seen the pink bench around the AISB campus and wondered why it’s there? Have you noticed the inscription on its plaque? AISB faculty created the pink bench in 2014 and dedicated it to Ms. Mary Power, a former elementary learning support teacher…
A Q&A with AISB’s New Secondary Staff Members (2022)
This year, 10 new secondary school teachers have joined AISB from every corner of the globe. As we welcome them into our community, here is a little information about each one of them. Russell Croft Q: Where did you move here from? A: Hello AISB…
Journalism Teacher Jennifer Stevens Leaves AISB
Upon her arrival to Romania, Jennifer Stevens had no idea that she would spend the next five years building an internationally-recognized journalism program. Her initial plans were to work as a freelance writer while her husband, Luke Scholtes, worked as a chemistry teacher at AISB….
The Pechersk School International of Kyiv Community: Displaced Across Time Zones as the War Rages On
When the American Embassy in Ukraine advised citizens to evacuate the country on January 23rd, my parents quickly packed our bags and we fled to Romania. This was two days after my school, the Pechersk School International of Kyiv (PSI), had gone online. Quickly, in…
AISB’s LGBTQ+ Teachers: The Path of Self-Discovery
We’ve officially made it half-way through the year of 2022, and you know what that means: Happy Pride Month! Pride Month started after the Stonewall uprising that took place in June 1969, in New York City, which sparked the LGBTQ+ civil rights movement that we…
AISB’s Secondary Leadership Shakeup: The Teachers who are Stepping Up & The Team’s Vision for Next Year
As the 2021-2022 school year comes to a close, reorganizations in the school’s leadership structure are already being planned for next year. Many teachers are adopting new administrative roles, and, with this change, introductions for them—for new and old students alike—are warranted. Meet the current…
Fleeing Home and Transferring Schools during a War: 11th Grader Viktoriya R tells her Story
The war between Russia and Ukraine has been one of the most broadcasted topics for the past three months. From unjustified bombings and killings to a growing refugee crisis, there has been a horrible amount of suffering for the people living in Ukraine. One of…
One of Romania’s Last Remaining Holocaust Survivors Visits AISB to Recount His Traumatic Past
During Holocaust Remembrance Week, 92-year-old Octavian Fulop visited AISB to share his story of survival. On stage in the theater, Fulop sat in a chair with a microphone in front of him. He wore a suit and tie, and spoke in Romanian, with vivid clarity…
Two Professional Romanian Race Car Drivers Share Their Experience and Love for Motorsport
In the history of motorsport, there have been only two Romanian drivers that have reached international single-seater competitions: Mihai Marinescu and Robert Visoiu. I was lucky enough to talk to both of them, to discuss their experiences. While neither drivers have made it to the…
From the Field to the Classroom: AISB Science Teacher Pete Stanley Shares what it was like to Walk Among Elephants
It’s easy to forget that there’s more (or less!) to science than what we learn in school. To see what it’s like to actually work as a scientist, I’ve been interviewing several of AISB’s science teachers (see past articles on Mr. Scholtes here, and Mr….
From Field Investigations to the Classroom: AISB Science Teacher Byron Farrow Shares Practical Experience in Astrophysics
It’s easy to forget that there’s more (or less!) to science than what we learn in school. To see what it’s like to actually work as a scientist, I’ve been interviewing several of AISB’s science teachers. Continuing on from Mr. Scholtes, Mr. Byron Farrow, a…
Celebrating Young Writers: Media Campaigns Launched By 5th Graders
AISB’s prospering journalism program is the result of Jennifer Stevens’ arrival to AISB in 2017, wherein she started the school’s widely known high school newspaper, The Bite. Over the last four-and-a-half years, the once elective class for 9th and 10th graders has become a publishing…
AISB Scholarships: How changing schools could change the direction of your life
Since 1999, AISB has been awarding Romanian public school students scholarships to attend AISB for their high school careers. These scholarships cover the tuition for grades 9, 10, 11 and 12 as well as transportation, lunches and supplies such as laptops. Catalina Gardescu, Manager of…
The ultimate guide to cupcakes from AISB’s newest baker/teacher, Sebastian Olivares
Despite starting this year off in-person, you still might not have gotten to know our wonderful new EAL teacher, Sebastian Olivares (known to students as “Mr. Seba”). He comes to AISB from Chile, where he grew up learning to make authentic Chilean baked goods, and…
How Competitive Sports Shaped AISB’s PE Teachers
Have you ever wondered what our PE teachers did before coaching us? What experiences shaped them into the encouraging and compassionate coaches they are today? Well, it turns out our secondary coaches have pretty impressive and interesting pasts. And here, Ms. Vera, Mr. Kavun, Mr….
AISB Teacher Spotlight: Aliza Robinson on Growing Up in Las Vegas and Finding Home in Bucharest
The AISB community knows Ms. Aliza Robinson for her bubbly personality and love of Shakespeare, but there’s much more to learn about her. From growing up in Las Vegas, eventually working as a blackjack dealer at her father’s casino, to moving all around the world,…
From the Lab to the Classroom: AISB Science Teacher Luke Scholtes Shares Past Work Experiences
It’s easy to forget that there’s more (or less!) to science than what we learn in school. To see what it’s like to actually work as a scientist, I interviewed several of AISB’s science teachers, the first being Luke Scholtes. Hands-On (Soil) Experience Scholtes’ thirteen-year-long…
Four AISB Students Receive MYP Innovators’ Grants to Fund Passion Projects
Two AISB student groups have been awarded the prestigious MYP Innovators’ Grant—a recognition given to only 30 students worldwide. This grant will support the development of a device to filter microplastics and a platform to fight for the ethical treatment of animals. AISB’s MYP Coordinator…
AISB Teacher Spotlight: Jennifer Lawless’ life as a TCK, improviser, and international teacher
Most of us know Mrs. Jennifer Lawless as the jovial high school drama teacher—humorous and compassionate to all students who cross her path. But she’s also a person who grew up around the globe, found love in an improv acting class, and started a family….
A Q&A with AISB’s New Secondary Staff Members
Despite travel restrictions, closed borders, and general pandemic exhaustion, 13 new secondary teachers still made it to AISB for the 2021-22 school year. Here’s a little about each of them, along with their pictures, so you know what they look like beneath their masks. Hanan…
Class of 2020: Where are they now? Part 3
Throughout the year, we’ve been checking in on last year’s graduating seniors, to see what they’ve been up to during this crazy year. For this edition, we interview Omotoyosi Ariyo from Manchester, Kaitlyn Weddle from New Mexico, and Seongjin Kim from Incheon, South Korea. Omotoyosi…
AISB Teacher Spotlight: From Small Town to Big Adventures, Charles Adams (aka ‘Mr. Chuck’) Shares his Life
Thirty-six-year-old Charles Adams, known as “Mr. Chuck” to students, has gotten to travel the world and experience different traditions and cultures. Now, Adams shares some of these experiences that have shaped him as a teacher and led him to AISB. Growing Up in Oregon Adams…
America’s Gun Control Debate: AISB Teachers Weigh In
In 2020 alone, nearly 20,000 Americans lost their lives to gun violence. An additional 24,000 died by suicide with a firearm. These statistics are startling; but for many, not surprising. Known for having “the weakest gun laws and the most guns of any comparable nation,”…
AISB Teacher Spotlight: Laurie Clemens on her life as a pilot and finding passion through teaching
Laurie Clemens has been a 6th and 7th grade science teacher at AISB for three years. What most people don’t know is that her working career actually started in the air, as a small airline pilot for tourists. Now the tourist herself, she thrives on…
‘I thought we were going to die’: AISB Teacher Delia Țugui shares her personal experience from the Colectiv nightclub fire
This article is part of a series, meant to bring attention to the Oscar-nominated Romanian documentary ‘Collective.’ As we approach the Academy Awards on April 26th, we hope this story will encourage more people to view the film and demand change. From age four, AISB…
AISB Teacher Spotlight: Alma Hadzic talks about her life as a Third Culture Kid
As she lived around the world as a “third culture kid,” AISB Design Teacher Alma Hadzic saw her country fall apart on the news: a result of a three-year long devastating war. She questioned her identity, all from a distance. Her experiences from abroad, and…
AISB Teacher Spotlight: Ryan Wahrenbrock & His Passion for Jewelry Making
If you’re a secondary student, you may not know third grade teacher Ryan Wahrenbrock. But after reading this story, you’ll want to seek him out—or maybe even join his jewelry-making CCA. The Beginning: Life in Rural Nevada Ryan Wahrenbrock grew up in Elko, a small…
AISB Teacher Spotlight: The Many Lives of Kirk McDavitt (aka “Captain”)
Lovingly referred to as “Captain” by his middle school English students, Kirk McDavitt is known for being “the cool teacher.” But it turns out, he’s even cooler than we thought. From baking, to firefighting, to writing a novel, McDavitt reveals some of his past jobs…
Moving from Portland to Romania: AISB Teacher Tyson Lazzaro Looks Back on the Tumultuous Last Few Months
When George Floyd was killed on May 25th this year, people took to the streets all around the world demanding justice. In Portland, Oregon in particular, protests continued for months, and some demonstrations turned violent. Eventually, federal agents were sent to the city, causing even…
Moving During a Global Pandemic: Our New Secondary Principal’s Experience
Under his mask, facial expression hidden, AISB’s new principal Viktor Novakovski recounts his experience of moving to Romania this summer. “It was very difficult at first because you can’t remember people’s faces,” he says. “You only are going on a third of what’s visible, [so]…
A Q&A with AISB’s New Secondary Teachers
It’s already October, and most of us have no clue who all the new teachers are. So, while online introductions are never the same as in-person, it’s the best we can do right now. Here’s our attempt at introducing the new secondary faculty to the…
Remembering 9/11: AISB Teacher Sean Whitney Shares His First-hand Account
The traumatic events that happened on September 11th, 2001 left permanent scars on millions of people in the United States and around the world. Sean Whitney, Learning Support Teacher at AISB, was directly involved in documenting the tragedy. Whitney moved to New York City in…
A Farewell to AISB’s Departing Staff Members
With the end of the school year around the corner, everyone is preparing for change. And even though our community is somewhat used to that, the current pandemic makes saying “goodbye” to this year’s leaving staff especially difficult. To get some sense of closure, The…
Saying Goodbye to Departing Bite Staff Members
It’s the end of the school year at AISB and many teachers and students are returning home or leaving for a new school this summer. It’s that time of year filled with both grief and joy, celebrating accomplishments, and remembering all the beautiful moments you…
#Dronestagram: A Glimpse into AISB Music Teacher Thomas O’Grady’s Passion for Photography
“I think this is a good time to reveal that the Instagram account under the username @tjogr is me,” Thomas O’Grady says with a mischievous smile. He shyly opens his phone and scrolls through his page, full of drone shots of the Hong Kong skyline,…
The Effects of Quarantine on the LGBTQ+ Community
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the majority of the world to stay at home and limit contact with others. For many LGBTQ+ people, these measures have placed them in dangerous situations and exacerbated the hardships they already face. Mental illness, suicidal ideation, and substance abuse…
AISB is Getting a New Secondary Principal Next School Year
Last month, AISB’s Secondary Principal Jonathan Cain announced that this will be his last year at the school. This, of course, prompted many questions–most importantly, who will take his place? Read below to find out about our future leader, Viktor Novakovski. Who is Mr. Novakovski?…
Celebrating AISB’s Little Writers: an interview with Erika, author of “The Daisy Without a Petal”
At just six years old, Erika, an enthusiastic reader from AISB’s Early Learning Center, chose to beautifully blend her passion for books, abstract ideas, creativity, and her love for the surrounding nature and animals in the form of a book. The Bite wants to celebrate…
Award-Winning Author Matt de la Peña Visits AISB
On November 14-15, Newbery Medal-winning author Matt de la Peña came to AISB and shared his career story with secondary students. Peña has written 12 books throughout his career, many of which were New York Times Bestsellers. Here’s a look into how it went. Who…
Meet the AISB Secondary Counselors
While we ran a similar article last year (“Getting to Know AISB’s Secondary School Counselors“), we thought it was important to revisit the current counseling team–especially since we lost Oddny Bakke and gained Sommer Blohm and Vera Kirsten Den Otter. The Bite caught up with…
Meet AISB’s New Secondary School Teachers
Like any other international school, AISB welcomes new teachers every year. To help students get to know them better, The Bite asked 14 new teachers to tell us a little bit about themselves. Here’s what they had to say: Danielle McDonald Q: Where did you move…
AISB’s New Director: Who is Mr. Welch?
If you saw Peter Welch’s first speech to the student body, then you may recall that he introduced himself three times. And his introductions went somewhat like this: Hello, my name is Peter Welch. I am the new director at AISB. I have spent my…
Moving On: Mr. and Mrs. Parnell say Goodbye to AISB
After six years at the school, and a decade of international teaching, Mr. and Mrs. Parnell have decided to return to their home country of Canada. After meeting at teacher’s college in 2008 (find more about their incredible story on The Bite’s Valentine’s Podcast!), Middle…
The International School of Comfort Food
There are days when we feel the need to eat our feelings away. Whether it’s because of stress from school work or you’re just missing home, sometimes we need a quick fix. The solution? Comfort food. We reached out to some of the teachers at…
Q&A with Damian Draghici: Roma Musician and Politician
This year’s Romanian Week has brought some impressive locals to AISB–from a revolutionary architect and inspirational artisans, to the woman who illegally dubbed over 3,000 movies during communism. And on Friday, Damian Draghici, a famous Roma musician and representative in the EU Parliament, is speaking…
Meet some of the Artisans from AISB’s Romanian Week
This week at AISB, students have the opportunity to experience traditional Romanian culture. Folk artists have been invited to share their art and handcrafted goods, from handmade rugs and blouses to artisanal honey products. From March 4th through the 8th, students will be able to…
Q&A with Dorin Ștefan: The Revolutionary Romanian Architect
For some architects, their profession is about more than simply designing buildings, but unleashing their stored creativity into a product that betters society. This is the case for Dorin Ștefan, the well-respected and revered architect, coming to AISB this Wednesday, March 6th, to present during…
Q&A with Irina Margareta Nistor: The woman who dubbed over 3,000 banned movie titles under Ceaușescu’s Reign
For many Romanian citizens, memories from Nicolae Ceaușescu’s communist regime are still fresh: Standing in line for hours to get half a loaf of bread, having electricity cut off in the evening, and getting two hours of TV everyday – which consisted mostly of government…
AISB Humanities Teacher Joel Warren Says Goodbye to AISB
A few months ago, a collective sadness spread throughout the secondary school hallways when MYP Humanities Teacher Joel Warren announced he was leaving AISB. After five years in Bucharest, he and his soon-to-be-wife Patricia Khalil (Ms. Patty), will be heading to Shanghai to start a…
AISB Teacher Spotlight: Bryan Parnell shares his passion for film and his students
AISB students have gotten more interested in the creation of movies over the last few years, and a large part of this interest is due to the work of creative DP and MYP Film Teacher Bryan Parnell. We sat down with him to learn about…
Surviving The Nepal Earthquake: AISB Teacher Micah Smith Shares His Story
Micah Smith looked out over Bhaktapur, watching the dust rise as people’s homes caved in, and the ground shook beneath his feet. What he didn’t know was that he was witnessing an earthquake that killed over 9,000 people, leaving 22,000 injured and more than 3…
Picture Perfect: A Look at AISB Science Teacher Peter Stanley’s Award-Winning Photographs
A young boy’s hands fumble, twist and turn, then he aims the apparatus…*Click*. It was the first moment seized, a first memory: A hibiscus. AISB Science Teacher Peter Stanley took his first photo using a pin-hole camera for a project in his photography class. “The…
TCK Kids to AISB Teachers: A Q&A with Margritha Hofman
Being an international school, AISB obviously has a lot of TCK students; but there are also quite a few teachers that grew up as 3rd culture kids themselves. One of these teachers, Margritha Hofman, Service Learning Coordinator and DP Physics Teacher, takes a seat to…
Olympic Athlete Runs Amidst AISB Community
“On your mark, get set, go!” Tracksuit crinkling, feet slapping, Coach Arif Akhundov tears down the track in record time. Head held high, back straight, he effortlessly runs past the finish line and back to the start to reunite with his students. Their eyes fixate on…