The Falcon Flyer

"The Falcon Flyer" will be sent out weekly throughout the school year. It will contain weekly highlights from the school and where the school will share any vital information for the upcoming weeks.

October 13 and 14

PSAT

October 16

Quintile 1 ASA's End

Secondary STUCO Bon Fire 5-7pm

October 17

Quintile 2 ASA Sign ups begin

October 19-23

FALL BREAK No School

October 23

MAP Window officially closes

October 29

Fall Festival *done during school*

October 30

Parent Teacher Conferences (No School for Students)

November 2

Q2 ASA's begin

November 6

Constitution Day- No School

November 5-8

CAFA Soccer Tournament in Almaty

November 26-27

No School - Staff Professional Development Days

Dear Falcons,

As we enter our final week before Fall Break, I want to thank our students, staff, and families for a wonderful start to the school year. It has been a busy and productive first quintile filled with learning, growth, and many opportunities for our students to shine.

A special thank you to all the parents who attended our recent Parent Information Nights. Your participation and partnership play an important role in your child's success, and we appreciate the time you took to connect with teachers, learn about classroom expectations, and support your child's learning journey.

We are pleased to have completed the first quintile of the school year. Quarter 1 Status Reports will be emailed to families on Friday, October 16, providing an opportunity to celebrate progress and identify goals for continued growth.

While we are all looking forward to a well-deserved Fall Break, there is also much to be excited about when we return. Our community will come together for the Fall Festival, one of our favorite annual traditions, and Parent-Teacher Conferences will provide valuable opportunities for families and teachers to discuss student progress, celebrate successes, and plan for future growth.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership. We are proud of all that our students have accomplished so far and look forward to an exciting and successful second quintile.

Warm regards,

Kaitlin Eckart
Director
QSI International School of Dushanbe

Hello QSI Family,

Celebrating Our Students and MAP Testing Success!

Thank you to our students—and to everyone who supports them—for the energy, effort, and encouragement you bring to our school each day!

As I make time to move around campus, observe student interactions, and greet those I meet along the way, I am continually encouraged by what I see. The respect, kindness, and genuine acknowledgment our students show one another, and the adults around them reflect exactly what a strong learning community should embody. These everyday moments are worth celebrating!

MAP Testing Complete—Now the Learning Continues!

We have formally completed our MAP testing. This important academic milestone gives us another valuable opportunity to celebrate growth, identify the next steps, and strengthen learning for every student. Our teachers will now begin the thoughtful work of analyzing results, preparing feedback, and considering the instructional implications of each student’s performance.

Families can expect opportunities to talk with their child’s teachers about MAP performance and what the results may mean for current learning and future goals. Most results will likely align with expectations, while some students may demonstrate remarkable progress. Please allow teachers time to carefully review and process the data so that these conversations are accurate, meaningful, and focused on helping each child continue to grow.

Congratulations to our students on completing MAP testing, and thank you to our families, teachers, and staff for making academic growth a shared celebration!

Warm regards,

Cedric Thompson | EdD
Director of Instruction

A week-long break is a crucial opportunity for a student to hit the reset button. When school is in session, a student's brain is constantly processing new information, maintaining intense focus, and managing social and academic pressures.

Why It Is Important to Rest the Brain (Studies & Data)

Resting the brain is not a waste of time or a sign of laziness; it is a biological necessity backed by neuroscience and psychology:

1. The Power of the "Default Mode Network" (DMN):

Neuroscience research shows that when we step away from active, goal-oriented tasks (like studying or reading), a specific network in the brain called the Default Mode Network activates. According to cognitive science data summarized in publications like Scientific American, the DMN is responsible for processing information, consolidating memories, solving complex problems, and making sense of what has already been learned. Without downtime, the brain cannot efficiently file away and store short-term knowledge into long-term memory.

1. Combating Cognitive Fatigue and Depleted Attention:

Studies on attention and vigilance demonstrate that human attentional resources are finite. Continuous learning without adequate breaks leads to a sharp decline in cognitive performance (often referred to as "vigilance decrement"). Rest restores executive functioning, keeping stress hormones like cortisol in check and preventing full-blown academic burnout.

1. Neural Replay and Skill Consolidation:

Groundbreaking research from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) revealed that during periods of physical rest, the brain rapidly and repeatedly replays faster versions of newly learned skills. This "offline" neural practice physically strengthens neural pathways, meaning you actually get better at things you've studied while you are resting.

Buch, Ethan R., et al. "Consolidation of human skill linked to waking hippocampo-neocortical replay." Cell Reports, vol. 35, no. 10, 2021, p. 109193. Elsevier, doi:10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109193.

Kaplan, Rachel, and Stephen Kaplan. The Experience of Nature: A Psychological Perspective. Cambridge University Press, 1989.

Lewis, David. Galaxy Stress Research. Mindlab International, University of Sussex, 2009.

Raichle, Marcus E., et al. "A default mode of brain function." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 98, no. 2, 2001, pp. 676–82. PNAS, doi:10.1073/pnas.98.2.676.

We are gauging interest in offering a Saturday Gymnastics class for beginners and intermediate levels. Possible available sessions would take place on Saturday mornings from 9:00-10:00 and 10:00-11:00.

Participation in this Saturday activity would require a fee paid to the instructor.

Please complete the form if you are interested in this opportunity.

Success-based grading is an educational approach focusing on mastery of specific learning objectives rather than comparing students to a standard grading curve. It emphasizes personalized learning, allowing students to progress at their own pace and receive grades that reflect their understanding of the material.

At QSI, this approach is implemented with a grading system where:

• A "B" grade indicates "mastery" of the subject material, meaning the student has met the essential objectives and demonstrated a solid understanding.
• An "A" grade represents "above mastery", signifying that the student has exceeded the basic requirements, showing a deeper or more advanced comprehension of the material.
• A "P" grade stands for "in progress", which means the student is still working towards mastering the objectives and has not yet demonstrated sufficient understanding to earn a B or A.

This system encourages continuous learning and improvement and inspires personal growth. The ultimate goal is for all students to eventually reach mastery, a journey unique to each individual and filled with opportunities for self-discovery and development.

Dear Parents,

This is a friendly reminder that lunch fee payments for August, September, and October should now be settled. To help us keep the lunch program running smoothly, we kindly ask families with outstanding balances to make their payments as soon as possible.

Please note that October lunch payments are due by October 10, 2026.

For your convenience, families who would like to pay for the entire term may do so. If you are interested in making a term payment or would like information about your current balance, please contact the school office.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter and for your continued support of our lunch program.

Email: dushanbe@qsi.org

Website: https://dushanbe.qsi.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/qsi.dushanbe

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/qsi_dushanbe_official/