Classical School of the Medes
Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. The Classical School of the Medes (CSM) is a private English-based network of schools operating in the secure Kurdish region of Northern Iraq.
Contents
Celebrations
- Dress Up Party (October 30 or 31)
- Thanksgiving (Last Thursday of November)
- Valentine (February 12 or 14)
- Newroz Party (March 8)
- Spring Picnic (Leaving April)
Headmaster
Mr. Yousif Matty.
Program background
CSM began in response to requests from local church and government authorities to establish a school with English-based curriculum and international training support as a means to bless and enrich their communities. The first CSM opened in Sulaymaniyah in January 2001 and currently enrolls approximately 1000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade. A second CSM opened in Duhok in the fall of 2002 and now enrolls over 600 students (K1-G11). In September 2003, a third CSM campus opened in Arbil which enrolls over 900 students (K-1-G11).
Students
Over 95 percent of the students come from Kurdish Muslim families, with the remainder from Orthodox, Evangelical Christian, and other backgrounds. Many students are children of local government officials and community leaders. CSM families understand the need for and appreciate an education that is both rigorous and nurturing, while CSM staff and faculty are honored to help prepare young men and women for leadership in a new Iraq.
Community support
Parents, local officials, and community leaders are all very supportive of these schools. Government officials have even granted land and assisted with construction of new CSM school buildings in several cities.
Model of education
CSM schools draw from the classical educational model and use English-based curriculum for most subjects; supplemental classes are taught in Kurdish and Arabic. The students have to take ! general SAT test during their high school years and 4 SAT subjects ( math lv.2, Physics,biology and Chemistry.) The passing grade for subject tests is 600 and for general test is 1800.
Program staff
On-site American staff typically teach one or two courses per semester, with the balance of their time spent in relationships with students, their families, and community contacts. All curriculum development, international staffing, and training is coordinated through Servant Group International, a US-based non-profit Christian organization.
Curriculum
The Classical School of the Medes seeks to equip students with age-appropriate skills, knowledge, and virtues. Curriculum draws from the classical model of education, with a strong emphasis on language.
Sport activities
CSM staff for sports made soccer teams and each team is capable of strong players, they are trying to bring more sport activities into CSM and teach their players about them.
Subjects
A team of educators based in America work to design and compile program curriculum. Curriculum and supplies are shipped from America to Iraq each summer. Core subjects include:
- English language
- Kurdish language
- Arabic language (currently for students of grade 4 and above)
- Mathematics
- Science (usually one particular branch per school year)
- Humanities (emphasis on Ancient Mesopotamian, Roman and Greek history)
- Geography (currently for students of Grades 3, 4, and 5)
- Maps (currently for students of Grades 1, 2,and 6)
- Fairness (currently for students of K-G 2 and Grades 1, 2, 3, 4 )
- Linguistics (Grade 11)
- Mathematics level 2 (Senior year)
Median Ink
The Median Ink is the second English newspaper and the first school newspaper in Kurdistan, run by the high-schoolers and sold to everyone. A new issue comes out every month and talks about in-school happenings and famous events outside school. The price of each issue varies, but it is usually about 1000 IQD.
External links
