Aside from fantastic facilities – sports fields, an under cover sports arena, a 25-metre swimming pool, three science labs, a Student Support Services centre, an art/technology block, two computer labs, a complete music suite with practice studios, a large Multi-Purpose Room, in addition to ample classrooms, offices and play areas – Bali International School is home to an amazing set of resources quite unlike anything you will find anywhere else, providing a wide range of resources to support all learners.
The school library hosts 40 000 volumes of original print material to support learners from PS through the IB Diploma.
Students can also use the LEXIA Learning programme (http://www.lexialearning.com/) to support their literacy development; as well as the Symposium module for individualised support in mathematics.
Our IT infrastructure and programme of integration to lessons is world class, utilising wireless access throughout campus and over 160 networked computers.
The BIS Library
Home to more than 40 000 volumes, Bali International School's library provides a welcoming learning environment that supports the school’s curriculum, offers equity of access, and encourages recreational reading as a life-long habit.
Our purpose is to provide centralised access to resources that support the school’s teaching and learning programmes and students’ recreational reading interests. The library provides a variety of opportunities for students and staff to develop information skills using a wide range of resources, including information technologies. The library's aim is to create a user-friendly learning environment in which students develop an enthusiasm for information and an enjoyment of reading.
The broad collection of resources at the BIS library reflect the diverse cultures, opinions and lifestyles of the world we live in.
The BIS library maintains and promotes the following:
- A high quality, up-to-date collection of recreational reading material from around the world
- An extensive non-fiction and reference material collection
- An all embracing audio visual collection
- International newspapers and magazines
- Wireless internet and access to computers
- Latest on-line databases
For more library resources – students and families can access online books, book reviews, boredom busters and more using Destiny. http://destiny.baliis.net/
Technology at BIS
The IT at BIS is improving consistently. The goal of having a 21st century educational institution includes having top-notch technology in the classrooms, in the curriculum and in student hands.
Presently we run an 80% wireless campus that will be 100% wireless shortly. Students and staff will have access to wireless internet anywhere on campus. With the resources to support 200 units, we have the largest network of computers on the island of Bali.
Google Docs is the technology tool of choice for student assignments, information access and classroom management. Students are constantly using access to the Internet, library databases, and wikis for project based learning.
Educational staff and support staff receive classes and instruction about the use of technology within the classroom and improved organisational methods using creative web 2.0 technology.
Plans for the immediate future include ipads, a set of several computer stations on wheels, and continued staff training and lesson integration.
Community Library
The Taman Bacaan Community Library, a project dreamed up by BIS students in August 2006 as and set up on the BIS campus in 2008, was created with the vision of becoming ‘a place where Indonesian students have access to the resources and opportunities a library can provide’.
Quick facts
- Taman Bacaan means: ‘Taman Bacaan’ can be literally translated as ‘reading park’, which is taken to mean ‘small reading community’.
- Officially opened: Tuesday 19 February 2008
- Number of books: The library started out with just one box of books… there are now 1,000+, including books in Bahasa Indonesian and English, a number that is increasing every single day.
- International involvement: the following schools and companies have thrown their support behind the Taman Bacaan: Center for Early Education, Los Angeles, California; Asir Academy, Saudi Arabia; Lakeland Ridge School, Alberta, Canada; Architects without Borders, Canada; Librarians without Borders, Canada; 1001Buku, Indonesia
- Funds raised for Taman Bacaan to date: $16 000 USD and counting!
- Who first came up with the idea for the library? Curtis Beaverford who was MYP and BIS community coordinator at the time.
- How can people get involved? We need people to volunteer to do library work, teach English classes, teach computer classes, donate books, furniture, games – ANYTHING!
- How is the local community made aware of the library? There are ongoing newsflashes on the BIS website, through sharetime, notices, particular events are publicized around the school, through Taman Bacaan and also through the local Banjar.
- Every single day at least 25 eager little faces queue up outside the library.
- The library offers computer and English classes as well as homework help.
Thanks
The continued success of the Taman Bacaan Library remains dependant on the support of the Bali International School Community. We are truly grateful for the time, energy and outstanding efforts of so many people who have made this vision a reality. A special thank you to the following people, and to the anonymous donors, who have provided generous contributions:
Penny, Till, Mascha and Pico Muenzesheimer
Richard and Jane Manser
David and Elizabeth Magson
The Kelsall family
Andi, Jane, Maitri and Karunia Fischer
Nella, Daniel and Olivia O’Leary
The Grant family
Chris and Shigeko Gentry
The Ferraro family
The Lengkong Kenny family
Andrea Godet
Jeanie Forde
Curtis Beaverford
Clarence Coombs
