Going Back to School During a Pandemic: A Look at AISB’s New ‘Adapted Model’
AISB students returned to campus on September 14th, nearly six months after the school first shut its doors due to COVID-19. Younger students are attending in-person classes in the morning, while older students arrive in the afternoon, as part of the new “adapted model.” Strict…
AISB Hosts 20th Annual Terry Fox Run Online
The most anticipated back-to-school charity event, Terry Fox, will be held virtually this year. Starting Sunday, September 20th and continuing through Sunday, September 26th, AISB community members are encouraged to support cancer research by joining the Terry Fox Foundation’s virtual run. For 20 years, AISB has…
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…
AISB’s Earth Week: How COVID-19 is Impacting the Environment
This article is part of our Earth Week series, created to support an AISB student-led initiative. Visit their official website for daily activities. Today’s theme is “The earth needs us now more than ever” and we found it fitting to publish something related to COVID-19….
It’s Mental Health Awareness Week at AISB. Here’s What You Need to Know
Mental Health Awareness Week (MHAW) starts today, and it’s all online! Each day will have its own theme, with corresponding activities, organized by AISB’s counselors. “Now more than ever, our coping strategies are being put to the test,” says 6th and 7th grade counselor, Stephanie…
AISB’s First Ever Human Rights Week Starts Monday, and It’s Online!
AISB’s very first Human Rights Week will start next Monday, March 30th. This week-long event is going to be hosted online and will help the AISB community understand, appreciate, and celebrate human rights all around the world, including Romania. Originally scheduled to take place at…
A look into another year of Speech & Debate at AISB
For the Speech and Debate team members, this year was full of hard work and well-deserved accomplishments. Just recently, the high schoolers returned from a successful CEESA trip in Prague, following the middle schoolers’ exciting experience in Warsaw, back in November. To get a better…
“I AM NOT A VIRUS”: ASIAN STUDENTS FACE XENOPHOBIC BULLYING & HARASSMENT
On January 30th, the World Health Organization declared Wuhan Coronavirus a global health emergency. As of February 12th, there have been 45,000+ confirmed cases, with 1,000+ deaths and 4,800+ recoveries. There haven’t been any cases in Romania, but something else has started to spread quicker…
Should You Take a Gap Year?
It’s that time of year: seniors are starting to apply for universities, deciding on programs, getting conditional offers, and planning for life after AISB. But something that more and more students are considering is actually taking a break from school. In fact, five out of…
CEESA Robotics Tournament Comes to AISB This Friday and Saturday. Here’s what to expect
On February 7th and 8th, our Vampires robotics team will compete for the chance to participate in another World Championship tournament in Detroit. In anticipation, The Bite attended one of their practice sessions on January 28th, to get some inside information about the competition happening…
The Bite’s First-Ever ‘DP Wellness Week’ Starts Monday
At the beginning of the year, CAS Journalism students were asked to plan a week of content for The Bite. It could be any type of media on any subject, just so long as it was something they were collectively passionate about. It didn’t take…
Our greenhouse needs to be revamped. Here’s how to help
AISB has a greenhouse behind the secondary school building, yet almost nobody knows about it. Several teachers want to rebuild this long-abandoned space into something exciting, but they can’t do it alone. Here’s a look into their current plans and why they need your help….
“Angst” is Coming to AISB!
AISB’s second-ever movie screening will take place next Tuesday and Wednesday. The event plans to showcase the movie “Angst,” which deals with the topic of mental health in adolescence. Here’s a brief look into the details, as well as how you can sign up to…
Photo Essay: What happened at our first-ever ‘Mustache Bash’
This Monday during lunch, The Bite organized a party to celebrate the end of Movember. There was food, a mustache competition, and most importantly, our “student barbers” shaved off those crazy ‘staches for our participating teachers and student. Here’s a look at what happened. First…
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…
Shave the Date: Our End-of-Movember Party is Next Monday. Here’s What to Expect
Next Monday, December 2nd, between 12:50pm and 1:45pm, The Bite is hosting a shaving party in the school atrium to finalize this year’s Movember. Finally, everyone will get to watch some professional barbers shave off their favorite teachers’ month-old mustaches! Before the shave-off, students will…
Everything You Need to Know About This Year’s Stuff The Bus
The long-held school tradition ‘Stuff the Bus’ is coming back next month. On the week of December 2nd, AISB students will fill up bags with food staples and send them off to people in need in the village of Berceni. Everyone is invited to participate!…
The First-Ever CEESA-Wide Pride Conference takes place this weekend
On Friday and Saturday, the International School if Prague (ISP) will host the first-ever CEESA-wide Pride conference. We talked to the president and faculty advisor of “Spectrum” (ISP’s LGBTQ+ service group), Oz Erco and Jennifer Michalsky, to discover more about the upcoming conference. Related Article:…
AISB’s Annual Harvest Festival is this Saturday. Here’s what you need to know
Autumn is here, and with it comes a harvest! This Saturday, November 23rd, from 11am-4pm, the PTO is hosting AISB’s annual “Harvest Festival”– a celebration of international food and culture. To find out what to expect, we asked PTO President Kimberly Wright some questions. Here’s…
High School Play ‘Brainstorm’ Next Thursday and Friday
On November 21st and 22nd, a group of high schoolers will perform AISB’s first student-written theater production, Brainstorm. Here’s all you need to know about the play, from its backstory to what to expect. What is the play about? Brainstorm is based on a play…
AISB Starts its First-Ever LGBTQ+ Group
After a long period of “jumping through hoops,” AISB has finally started its own Pride group. Led by Journalism Teacher Jennifer Stevens and Humanities Teacher Andrew Donham, the group is open to all members of the LGBTQ+ community, as well as its allies. Although the…
AISB’s Halloween Spirit Week in Photos
In celebration of Halloween, AISB organized a “spirit week” for students to have some fun and demonstrate their school spirit. Each day had its own theme for students and teachers alike to take part in. Here’s a look into how it went. Pajama Day On…
AISB High School Boys CEESA Volleyball Games this Friday and Saturday
This weekend, teams from all around central and eastern Europe will come and play in this year’s high school boys CEESA volleyball tournament. There will be games on November 8th and 9th in the high school gym, against schools from Moscow, Vienna, Warsaw, Prague, and…
Environmental Impact of CEESA Trips: How Can AISB Make A Difference?
AISB gives its students the amazing opportunity to travel and participate in CEESA tournaments across Eastern Europe. However, flying hundreds of students to different cities causes a detrimental impact on the environment. In fact, Director of Athletics & Activities David Hughes estimates that this season’s…
Multilingualism Matters: A look into what happened at this year’s Mother Tongue Conference
On October 26th, AISB hosted its first-ever Mother Tongue Conference, which explored two crucial aspects of our diverse community: mother tongue and multilingualism. The conference was something the Mother Tongue council members have been preparing for over two years, and they were thrilled that more…
Carving Spooktacular Pumpkins for Halloween
On the 26th of October, PAVEL Service Group visited Fundeni Oncological Hospital to carve pumpkins with the children. Meanwhile, AISB also held a fun pumpkin-decorating contest for secondary students. Here’s a look at some of the most outstanding designs! PAVEL’s visit to Fundeni Hospital Children…
Movember is back: What is it and how you can participate
In 2003 in Melbourne, Australia, two guys had a conversation about mustaches. Questions like, “Why did the mustache disappear?” and “Could we bring it back?” were asked, and shortly after, they convinced 30 of their friends to join their mission. Who knew it would become…
What to Expect from AISB’s 2nd Annual Zombie Run
Tomorrow (Tuesday, October 29th) from 6pm-8pm, the PTO is hosting their second annual “Zombie Run.” To find out what’s in store for secondary students, we sat down with PTO member Susan Borowski to have a chat. Here’s what she had to say: Watch Out For…
Details on Next Week’s Spirit Week
Remember the fun house events we had in September? Well, the house system is really kicking off now, with a full week of activities coming up. Spirit Week is happening from Monday, October 28th until Friday, November 1st, with events organized by many of our…
An Insider’s Look at AISB’s House System Launch
On Friday, September 20th, students from grades 7-10 were separated into four houses – Red, Orange, Blue, and Purple – to participate in various activities to build their “house identities.” Here’s a look at what they came up with, as part of the school’s new…
A Look Into Fall Sports Season: An Interview with the Coaches
With the AISB fall sports season in full motion, students and coaches are preparing for the upcoming CEESA competitions starting in early November. The Bite sat down with each of the five teams’ coaches to ask about their progress so far, and here is what…
AISB Launches Its Second Year of ‘Lunch Lounges’
On Friday, September 20th from 1pm-1:40pm, secondary students kicked off another year of the Arts Council’s “Lunch Lounges.” Seven spectacular performances took place in the atrium, with Stradale food stands by the theater selling ice-cream, sandwiches, and wraps. Here’s a look at what happened: The…
What’s the deal with the new house system? Here’s everything you need to know
On Friday, September 20th, AISB is launching a new house system. (Think Harry Potter sorting, but with colors, and without the whole magic thing.) To find out more, The Bite interviewed Vice Principal and leader of the house initiative, Fiona Moss. Here’s what she had…
What Happened at This Year’s Terry Fox Run
Last Saturday, AISB hosted the Terry Fox Run for the 19th time. Organized by Athletics Director David Hughes and Service Learning Coordinator Margritha Hofman, the annual charity run is a commemoration of Canadian activist Terry Fox who ran across Canada to raise money for cancer…
A Look at AISB’s Service Learning Groups
Now that the first day of school is over and done, it’s time to start getting back into the routine–and for many of us, that means getting involved with service learning. We’ve put together a small snapshot of some of the groups, but also know…
Everything you need to know about CCA sign-ups
Welcome back (and just “Welcome” to all the newbies)! Can you believe that we have more than 200 new students in the secondary this year? Joining any new school is difficult, but all the acronyms and abbreviations here at AISB (American International School of Bucharest)…
Dr. Brindley to Leave AISB with a Strong Legacy
If you weren’t in the AISB theater during senior awards, it ended with Mr. Ian Edwards yelling, “Didn’t you forget something?” That something, of course, was an old, “dusty” diploma–for none other than our departing director, Dr. Robert Brindley. Dr. Brindley leaves us after five…
How a trip to ISP could shape the future for AISB’s LGBTQ+ community
After Mara T. wrote the article, “Romania’s LGBTQ+ Community: Why AISB Needs to Lead the Charge on Acceptance,” she was contacted by the leader of the International School of Prague (ISP)’s Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA). This led to an invitation for us (Mara, Ioana D, Journalism…
Get Ready to Rock in the Park
On June 13th from 3:15pm-6pm, AISB’s courtyard will transform into an outdoor music festival–with 14 different musical acts taking the stage (aka the gazebo). This is one of the many events organized by this year’s Arts Council, and is the first time the school has…
The Bite is Now in Print
Starting tomorrow (Thursday, May 29th), The Bite will launch its first-ever print magazine (on recycled paper, of course!). Tenth graders Clara, Naomi, Raquel, and Matei designed 16 pages of glossy goodness to celebrate how far the journalism program has come. The inaugural edition is all…
International Day comes to AISB Tomorrow. Here’s what to expect.
On Saturday, May 18th, from 11am to 2pm, International Day will take place at AISB, outside the elementary and secondary school buildings. Margritha Hofman, the Service Coordinator and Event Organizer, says that this is an event she looks forward to every year—a time “when all…
Climate Change: What are students doing to make a difference?
Have you heard about the recent school climate strikes through the news, Twitter, or Instagram? In the last month alone, 1.6 million students around the world have participated in Friday demonstrations instead of attending school, demanding government action on climate change. This movement was started…
The End of Plastic Bottles at AISB?
In order to become a certified “Eco school,” AISB has to meet certain criteria. One of the most important? Stop selling plastic bottles on school grounds. Over the past few months, the Eco Council has been running a petition to stop these sales. And according…
Roots & Shoots to Build Birdhouses on Monday
For the last couple of years, AISB has been taking steps towards being an “Eco School,” focusing on recycling efforts and also incorporating more green spaces on campus. However, one thing the Roots and Shoots service group has noticed is that we haven’t paid a…
A New Take On Bake Sales: Service Learning Group Kiva to sell Smoothies on Friday
This Friday during lunch, members of the Kiva service learning group are challenging the traditional bake sales, in hopes that we can change how we view fundraising at AISB. “We’re trying to be creative and do something different,” says Group Leader Raquel G. “Most of…
What to expect from AISB’s TEDx Conference this weekend
On Saturday, March 30th at 12:30pm, four AISB students and one staff member (Dr. Robert Brindley) will take the stage, to deliver “ideas worth spreading,” in the school’s third annual Tedx event. According to Student Organizer Clara V, “This year’s theme Seen, Unseen, looks at…
High School Musical Jr Comes to AISB This Thursday and Friday
The most successful Disney Channel Original Movie of all time is coming to AISB’s stage this Thursday and Friday after school. High School Musical Jr. is a 75-minute musical that is satisfyingly similar to the beloved movie we grew up with. Play Director Alice Williams…
New Student-led Activity “Change My Mind” Starts Today
As the spring season of activities comes to AISB, new student-led activities will come to life. One of these is called “Change My Mind,” where students will debate controversial issues every Friday during lunchtime in the upstairs Secondary Lobby. The purpose of the activity is…
Mental Awareness Week at AISB: What’s in Store for Students?
From March 18th through the 22nd, the Wellbeing Council is hosting a new and improved Mental Health Awareness Week in an effort to raise awareness of some really common issues: depression, anxiety, and suicide. “These are the most common conditions we see in young people,”…
AISB Robotics Team Heads to Detroit Next Month- Courtesy of CEESA Victory
On February 8th and 9th, AISB hosted this year’s CEESA robotics competition. On a side note, AISB won. The high school robotics team took home the two most important awards: the first place award for scoring the most points, and the Inspire Award, which enables…
Romanian Week Coming to AISB March 4th
From the 4th to 8th of March, AISB will be hosting a week dedicated to Romanian culture, where some of the country’s most well-known musicians, historians, physicists, politicians, architects and sports professionals will visit the school to deliver presentations and answer questions. AISB Romanian Teacher…
Another accident in front of AISB: What’s being done about it?
On Wednesday, February 5th, at approximately 18:00, a fifth grader from AISB was hit by a car that went through the red light on the crosswalk in front of the school. The guards quickly intervened to help the victim and call the police and an…
MUN Students Come Back from The Hague Winners
AISB’s high school Model United Nations (MUN) team traveled to the Netherlands during the last week of January, in order to compete in the annual THIMUN (The Hague International Model United Nations) conference. The event attracted 3,200 students from more than 200 schools around the…
Amnesty International Service Group Hosts Event to help ‘humanize’ the Roma Population
On February 13th from 8:10am-8:55am, the students from the service learning group Amnesty International are hosting an event in the atrium to start conversations on a controversial topic: the Roma population in Romania. There will be a guest speaker, Mr. Alexandru Zamfir Manea, who is…
AISB’s HS Robotics Team primed to compete on the world’s stage
Last weekend, our high school Robotics team participated in the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Tech Challenge Demo, a two-day regional-level competition, attracting 986 students from 65 teams throughout the country. Our Vampires proudly secured 4th place out of 35 teams…
AISB students entertain with Spoken Word
This past Saturday, when Bucharest froze, a group of AISB juniors and seniors, together with some teachers and parents, gathered at a cozy cafe to celebrate an exciting form of art: Spoken Word Poetry. The event took place at Seneca Anticafe near Kiseleff, the ideal…
Stuff the Bus is back at AISB to support families in Berceni
The snow is back, and Christmas is approaching. Once again, it’s time for AISB students to bring a little warmth to Berceni. Next Friday, on the 7th of December, all participating students will stuff the bus with bags of food to send to the disadvantaged…
Peer Tutoring Service Launches at AISB
This week marks the beginning of an exciting new service learning initiative: The Peer Tutoring Club. Led by AISB’s Learning Support Team, the group of 9th and 10th graders are now offering extra help for elementary and middle school students, in a variety of subjects….
What’s going on with the Winter Ball?
In order to “bring our community together,” tenth graders Duru O. and Niki B., decided to plan a dance–AISB’s first Winter Ball. Unfortunately, due to lack of interest from the students, not too many people bought tickets. Some reasons have been: “Teachers being at the dance…
Harvest Festival Comes to AISB This Thursday
On Thursday, November 15th, AISB’s annual Harvest Festival will give students the opportunity to try homemade food from across the globe. There will be dishes for all tastes, from savory to sweet, with 20 different nationalities represented. Pie from last year’s Harvest Festival. This time…
A Look at AISB’s First “Lunch Lounge”
Last Friday from 1:05-1:40, middle and high school students took the stage (or, atrium floor) to perform for their peers, during the school’s first-ever Lunch Lounge. MYP Music Teacher and leader of the event Courtney McDonald (along with the Arts Council), was very happy with…
Lunch Lounge: AISB’s New Form of Student Entertainment
AISB has experienced many positive changes during the course of this year; and in keeping with the spirit of improvement, lunch time will be made more entertaining. Starting today, monthly performances will take place in the atrium from 1:10pm-1:40pm. The Lunch Lounge will provide students…
The New Schedule: Why The Change?
Most classes at AISB are now a staggering 85 minutes instead of the previous 55; and although it’s been more than a month, students still haven’t quite gotten used to the changes. What are the reasons for this change? Secondary Vice Principal Fiona Moss, who…
8 High School Actors to Perform “The Complete Works of Shakespeare in 90 Minutes” this Month
If you think Shakespeare is boring, the AISB HS Theater Department is about to prove you wrong. On the 25th and 26th of October, eight high school cast members will perform the easiest and funniest summaries of Shakespeare that you will ever find: “The Complete…
The School has Been Yarn Bombed!
If you thought that the school lacked color, this is your lucky day. The 10th grade Textile students have “yarn bombed” the covered pathway between the cafeteria and secondary school. “Yarn bombing is a type of graffiti or street art that employs colorful displays of…
Ask Anything: Shifting The Mental Health Conversation at AISB
One-fifth of teenagers are thought to have a diagnosable mental health disorder, as reported by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Yet, a staggering fifty percent of said teenagers suffer in silence, never receiving help. AISB’s counseling department, in order to combat the stigma…
What’s Happening Next Week? Trips and Experiential Week Confusion Explained
For years, AISB’s secondary students have looked forward to their grade level field trips in September. This year, however, grades 7-10 were disappointed to discover that this year, they’ll have to wait until May. Why are only the 6th, 11th and 12th graders having their…
Wrapping Up Our 1st Year @ The Bite
The MYP Design Cycle: essentially seeing the need for a product, creating that said product and then evaluating it. Students choose to make all sorts of thing–3-D fidget spinners, furniture, simple robots, even articles of clothing. But what happens when you decide to create a…
Mother Tongue Committee Forms at AISB to Celebrate Multilingualism
A few months ago, AISB senior Beatriz de Almeida formed what is now called “The Mother Tongue Committee.” The group now consists of ten high school students who, along with External Languages and Student Leadership Coordinator Kate Sorrell, are on a mission to increase multilingualism…
Q&A with AISB’s Future Director, Peter Welch
When Dr. Robert Brindley came to AISB four years ago, he said he would change everything. And by the end of his tenure next school year, he will make good on his promise. From a new early childhood building to a massive secondary school expansion,…
A Look at AISB’s Future Design Center
Our school is technologically advanced, and one might say that it’s one of the best in Eastern Europe, and the top in Bucharest. With its many assets (top teachers, large campus, modern gym, and sports facilities), the school still has room for improvement. The new…
Subscribe to The Bite’s Newsletter for the Chance to Win an Exciting Prize!
From today until Monday, May 28th, by subscribing to The Bite’s newsletter, you will be automatically entered into a raffle, taking place on May 29th. On the top right-hand side of the homepage, you’ll see a prompt to “Subscribe to our Newsletter.” Simply enter your email…
Teachers are Joining Snapchat?!
The Bite is including a new update to its Snapchat site. Starting today (until May 25th), you’ll be able to watch your teachers and principals make morning announcements with silly filters on. Watch as AISB faculty enter the world of Snapchat (including bloopers, of course!),…
AISB Celebrates Earth Day Tomorrow With ‘No Electricity Day’
While today, April 22nd, is technically Earth Day, AISB’s Earth Day Committee has organized a very special, school-wide initiative to take place tomorrow: “No Electricity Day.” Earth Day at AISB Based on a Humanities project by two middle school students, the idea of going…
High School Choir and Band Head to Warsaw: What to Expect at CEESA
The Vampires headed to Warsaw yesterday afternoon, April 16th, to participate in the CEESA Combined Band & Choir Festival. After a month-and-a-half of practice, hard work, and passion, the students of AISB Band and Choir are prepared to perform in a spectacular concert together. While most…
AISB’s March For Our Lives Gets International Attention
Last Saturday, on March 24th, students from all around the world marched for the lives of those who were lost in a school shooting in Parkland, Florida. On Monday, the AISB community did the same. The event, led by journalism students Gal O. and Mominah…
Severe Weather Pushes AISB “March For Our Lives” to Monday, March 26th
Due to severe weather tomorrow, we are getting our second snow day of the year, and postponing March For Our Lives to Monday. More than 800 events are planned all around the world this weekend in hopes of ending gun violence in schools. There have already…
The CEESA Robotics Competition: Why AISB Isn’t Heading to Detroit
Since the CEESA Robotics tournament is over, and the Romanian championship is just around the corner (March 23-25th), it seems like a suitable time to talk about the Robotics Competition. First, what is the Robotics Competition? Well, each year the youth organization For Inspiration and…
Middle School Students to Perform Musical “How to Eat Like a Child” This Thursday and Friday
The American International School of Bucharest Drama Department presents… [drum roll] How to Eat like a Child… (and other lessons in not being a grown-up). On March 15th at 6:30 pm and March 16th at 4:30 pm, a group of talented middle schoolers will be performing…
A New Wave of Student Leaders on the Rise
On the 22nd of November, a group of AISB students traveled to Călărași to visit Barbu Ştirbei High School and spend a day full of leadership-centered activities. The main goal of this summit was for the Barbu Ştirbei students to teach AISB students about the…
CEESA Girls’ Soccer: Tournament Recap
From November 9th – 12th, AISB had the honor of hosting CEESA girl’s soccer, with six teams coming to our campus from all around Eastern Europe, including The Moscow Penguins, The Prague Falcons, The Budapest Blazers, The Warsaw Warriors, The Istanbul Dolphins and The Kyiv…
Famous Author and Slam Poets Coming to AISB
This generation’s literature is no longer the rage when it comes to entertainment. A battle for 21st librarians is suffering the tragedy that most kids simply DON’T READ. Head librarian at AISB Dr. John Kurtenbach is on a journey to bring the art of literature through hands-on experience….
The Bite is Hiring
AISB’s student newspaper is looking to fill four new staff positions! Applicants must be 9th or 10th graders, able to take Journalism as their Design elective next semester (there is the possibility for current Journalism students to retake the class), and of course, be passionate…
Secondary School Expansion Starting Soon
A plan is in place for both of the AISB high school wings to be extended, and construction is expected to begin by the first week of November. Before the fall break, the Board met to discuss the project, and as a result, AISB Head…
Grade 9 Trip Nearly Ends in Disaster
On September 14, AISB ninth graders were hiking in the mountains in Băile Tusnad, Romania, when a-tremendous tree collapsed, nearly killing several students. Each year, secondary students spend five days in various parts of the country, participating in “team building” type activities. Grade 9’s and their…
AISB Breaks Its New Student Record
This summer, AISB had a huge spike in enrollment – beginning the school year with 130 more students than last year. The reason why this happened isn’t clear, but it’s likely due to the increase of expats moving to Romania for work. According to AISB…