PARK INTERNADHIONAL SCHOOL

www.park-is.com

HISTORY: PaRK International School, initially O Parque Bilingual Schools, is a private school, founded in 2003, a project born out of an MBA business plan developed by one of its founders, who ended up winner of a place in the Darden (School of Business) Incubator. The project has expanded significantly since the opening of its first sponsored school, which offered nursery and classes for 1 and 2 year olds. Park International School now counts with 5 units in and around Lisbon, offering Nursery, Daycare (1 and 2 year olds), Kindergarten (3 to 5 year olds), Primary and Secondary School international education. PaRK IS’ goal is to build a top-tier international school that aims to guide and inspire students to be successful and happy in their adult lives. Currently we run from pre-kindergarten until 8th Grade, however our aim is for the school to incrementally grow with our students up until 12th Grade.

MISSION: At PaRK International School, we are highly committed to our mission of guiding and inspiring students to be successful and happy in their adult lives. We have a passion for education, innovation and technology and we work hard to create an open minded and rigorous learning environment for our students and staff, bringing together different people, cultures and ideas. Together, we aspire to provoke a global impact in the field of education. Our ambition is to teach our children the skills and give them the tools to become bilingual, curious, collaborative, caring, autonomous and agile learners, as well as capable of achieving their personal best in a fast moving world We mentor our students to put their best effort into everything they do and to aim to become leaders that influence and inspire those around them. On February 2017 we were officially recognised as a Changemaker school. We are now part of Ashoka’s Changemaker Schools Network, a global community of schools that share the importance of teaching empathy, teamwork, leadership, problem solving, and that believe that all people can make the world a better place. These schools are bringing innovation into education, and giving children the support to be changemakers – people with the skills, courage and drive to solve problems and positively change the world.

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A STAFF MEMBER AT PARK IS: working at PaRK IS is not like working at any other school out there. We take our mission very seriously: we guide and inspire students to be successful and happy in their adult lives. We think we’re kind of special. This is why:

1. We are all fundamental. We know that a school is not just made up of teachers and students. If you were chosen to be part of the PaRK IS team it is because you are aware of this reality and understand that many more hearts and minds make up the school community. You are aware that your work matters just as much. We are in the business of raising happy children and whether you work in the school kitchens, classrooms, the front desk or the office the work you do has an impact on our mission. Please remember this and take this idea seriously.

2. We care about happiness, we really do. In fact all that we do, all the hard work, exhaustion that sometimes hits at the end of a term, project, year is worth it. We put all this effort because ultimately we know that this will influence our students well-being.
   
3. We are BIG, BIG, BIG on teamwork. This means we discuss and share ideas with each other. Please feel free to discuss ideas with all members of staff. Inspiration comes from strange places and you never know who might offer some great insight for your work. When it is time to discuss how to handle a new challenge, Forget hierarchy and talk to everyone about your ideas. You never know who might hand out an interesting thought!
   
4. We are hard-workers, productive and resilient. We are a resilient group of people that welcome challenges and setbacks as learning opportunities. Most of all we never give up. We put the time and effort to get things done in the best possible way. We are rigorous with our work! Why? We know that this will directly influence the students whom we work with. Hold on when things get tough, we are all here for each other.
   
5. Tolerance, Empathy and Confidence. Not being a teacher or student at a school is hard. In fact these are possibly some of the hardest jobs in a school. Everyone thinks that schools are made up of teachers and students, but we know otherwise. In order for teachers and students to put in practice their teaching and learning journeys we often work extremely hard. A lot of the times our work goes almost unnoticed because it sort of happens ‘behind the scenes’. As a school we want you to know that we cherish your work. You were chosen because you are tolerant, empathic and confident. This means that you know your work is fundamental. Even if it happens behind the scenes you have the capacity to understand that the success of this school has you to thank for too!
   
6. We value respect. We respect all our colleagues, children and parents. We instil in children rules and discipline in a positive and effective manner.

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A STUDENT AT PARK IS

Collaborative. We work collaboratively between ourselves and with the rest of the world. We understand that success often comes from opening up our work to fuse the ideas of others.

Communicators. We are holistic communicators. We learn to communicate in Portuguese and English and we understand the importance of languages in our increasingly globalised world. Even mathematics is a form of communication.

Empathic. We put ourselves in other people’s shoes. We think about the point of view of others. We connect with our community and the world.

Confident. We are confident learners. We are optimistic and diligent. This allows us to keep trying even when our original ideas don’t work like we imagined. We believe that setbacks can be transformed into advantages and we value our unique perspectives and stories.

Curious. Curiosity is the defining trait of wisdom. We are motivated by a desire to discover the unfamiliar and we enjoy surprises. We enjoy knowing more about the world around us.

Courageous. We are risk-takers. We see failure as a common step of the learning process. We learn to fail better at each try. ªWe push ourselves beyond our limits and adopt a resilient mind-set.

Reflective. We are empowered by our own reflections. We use our questions to move us forward. What can I change? What can I do to make this happen? We understand that reflection is an imperative step towards success.

Thinkers. We are problem-solvers and we encourage innovation. We are creative across all disciplines and we are creative at play. We think laterally and across disciplines in order to build our perspective of the world around us.

Respectful. We respect ourselves and we respect others. Our thoughts and actions are aligned. We practice integrity and honesty.

Autonomous. We are autonomous. We put the Student Profile in practice by connecting our skills and abilities with the questions and problems we are presented. We are motivated by the freedom to acquire knowledge and apply it in a way that is meaningful to us. We direct our own lives.

Driven. We are intrinsically motivated for high performance and sharp thinking. We have the desire to continuously do better. We strive for flow and mastery in our academic activities.

DETAILS: we are prepared to accept up to 5 students that will help and support the normal functioning of the day to day school activities for example:

• Respect and put into practice the school’s mission and values;
• Have team spirit and contribute to the good environment of the school;
• Support the auxiliaries and teachers in the playground during recess;
• Participating in the extracurricular activities;
• Support teachers in specific class activities.