In This Issue   International College Fair      Resource Center      New CASIE Staff
                    Record IB Registrations        CASIE R&D          New Thailand Programme

CASIE and AIS to Host First Ever United
States International College Fair

This fall CASIE will host the first ever International College Fair in the United States. The Fair will take place on September 29 and 30, 2006, and will allow students studying in International Baccalaureate programmes an opportunity to meet with colleges and universities in the United States and other English-speaking countries. Invitees include IB schools throughout the southeast region as well as International Schools in the United States and Canada. CASIE expects almost 300 IB students along with their parents to attend the Fair.

The Fair will be held at Atlanta International School with universities from six countries in attendance. Confirmed universities include:

• USA: University of Georgia, Georgia Tech, Middlebury, Kenyon, Michigan State, Elon, Davidson, Colby, Emory, University of Tulsa.
• UK: Bristol, Kent, Glasgow, Imperial College - London, University College - London, St. Andrews, York St. Johns.
• Ireland: Trinity College – Dublin.
• Australia: University of Melbourne, Australian National University.
• Canada: York, Toronto, Victoria, University of British Columbia, Carleton, Memorial University, Queens.
• Netherlands: Erasmus University and Rotterdam College of Management.

For more information about this event, visit www.casieonline.org/IntCollegeFair.htm.

Record Numbers Head to Atlanta for
IB Workshops

This summer almost 800 teachers will attend the CASIE IB Teacher Training Workshops. This is an increase of 150 participants compared to 2005.

Registrations for many of the workshops are closed, but some space is still available. The following workshops are being offered this summer:

• June 20-22, 2006, PYP Teacher Training Workshops: Level 3 (Registration Closed)
• June 27-29, 2006, PYP Teacher Training Workshops: Level 1 and Level 2 (Registration Closed)
• June 20-22, 2006, MYP Teacher Training Workshops: Level 3 (Registration Closed)
• June 20-22, 2006, MYP Teacher Training Workshops: Level 2
• June 20-22, 2006, MYP Teacher Training Workshops: Level 1
• July 11-13, 2006, Diploma Programme Teacher Training Workshop: Level 3
• July 11-13, 2006, Diploma Programme Teacher Training Workshop: Level 2
• July 11-13, 2006, Diploma Programme Teacher Training Workshop: Level 1

In addition to summer workshops, registration is open for fall workshops:

• October 12-14, 2006, Diploma Programme Teacher Training Workshop: Level 2

To register for any of these workshops or find out additional info, please visit www.casieonline.org/index.cfm.

Resource Center
When you venture out into the world wide web, there are many sites from which to choose. For a quick guide to many helpful sites, visit CASIE’s online resource page at www.casieonline.org/resources.htm.

In addition, if there is a web site you use frequently, share it with us. Send your suggestions to bobbi.kay@casieonline.org.

Research and Development Committee

The CASIE Research and Development Committee has met several times recently, and, working in conjunction with the IBO and IBNA researchers, is about to embark a data-gathering survey of IB graduates. The goal is to track the university and professional progress of IB graduates in North America to develop a meaningful database. More information about this project will be included in subsequent newsletters.

New CASIE Staff Member

In May, a new face joined the CASIE team. Bobbi Kay is the new Director of Communications and Marketing. She has worked with CASIE on a part time basis since 2000. She will be responsible for all marketing and communications initiatives for CASIE as well as building strategic partnerships for the future.

Bobbi Kay received her Bachelor of Arts degree from DePauw University and later obtained a Masters in Communication Management from the University of Southern California. Bobbi Kay joins CASIE after working for five years at Showtime Networks.

CASIE Developing Rising Stars Programme

CASIE is working with the North Georgia College and State University to send a group of young Georgia teachers to Thailand during the summer of 2007. The programme will be designed for the "Rising Stars," focusing on teachers who aspire to hold senior education positions. Elements of the programme will include leadership training complemented with a strong environmental component.

This new and exciting programme is the result of a recent visit CASIE Director Alex Horsley make to The Prem Tinsulanonda Center for International Education in Chaing Mai, Thailand. The Prem Center is recognized globally as providing leadership in sustainable development programmes for educators.

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Notes from Alex

Welcome to the summer 2006 edition of CASIE Connections. Of course, my friends in the southern hemisphere, of whom I have many, will quickly remind me that, for them, this is actually the winter edition!

The last six months have been very exciting for CASIE as we have embarked on some new ventures. Elsewhere in this newsletter you can read of the International College Fair which we will be hosting in September. Everyone involved is hopeful that this will be the forerunner of annual events of this kind throughout North America. I am grateful for the contributions made to planning the fair by the Council of International Schools (CIS) and International Baccalaureate North America (IBNA). We work closely with IBNA in a number of ways that go far beyond our basic relationship as an authorized workshop provider. In April I participated as a speaker at the IBO’s Global Language Convention in Singapore, and we are now in the planning stages of a follow up convention to be held in Atlanta in the Spring of 2008. This convention will have two basic aims – one to look at integrating dual language programmes into all IB programmes, especially the PYP. Secondly the aim is to attract non-IB dual language immersion schools to share their ideas and best practices. Keynote speakers will include one leading researcher, one well known practitioner and one non-educator (business leader or politician). Full details will be announced in later editions of CASIE Connections.

Likewise, we maintain good relationships with CIS, as the leading world-wide grouping of international schools, including many which are not IB schools – although we are working on that! In fact, in October I am chairing a CIS accreditation team to a school in Queensland, Australia – continuing work that I have undertaken in international school accreditation over almost twenty years.

Recently, I have been reading a large amount of research material on international and language education, and I am even more convinced than ever that we need to do as much as we can to further developments in these areas. On the one hand, technology is constantly making the world smaller, but, on the other hand, the last few years have seen a real hardening of many national positions. As international educators, we must do all we can to help young people develop genuine communication skills and understanding of genuine global issues. As I consult with schools who are thinking of developing IB and/or dual language immersion programmes, I am struck by the obvious dedication of most teachers to these ideals, despite occasional skepticism on the part of some school boards and parents. Perhaps there is hope yet!

Sincerely,
Alex Horsley

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