Dear Parents and Guardians,
What an inspiring and eventful start to the 2026–2027 academic year! September and October have been filled with learning, achievements, meaningful experiences, and important milestones that reflect the vibrant spirit of our ARIS community.
From our successful IB Evaluation and progress towards CIS accreditation to student leadership programmes, career readiness initiatives, and authentic community engagement, we continue to create opportunities for our students to grow beyond the classroom.
The past two months have been particularly demanding, with significant school visits, evaluations, and activities. However, we recognise the importance of keeping our parents informed and remain committed to more timely and consistent communication.
At the heart of everything we do is our Heart, Mind, and Action philosophy, which inspires us to nurture compassionate individuals, critical thinkers, and purposeful changemakers.
My sincere appreciation goes to our teachers, students, and parents for their dedication, trust, and continued partnership. Our greatest achievement is not simply what we accomplish, but the growth and impact we create together.
I invite you to enjoy the highlights of our journey so far and look forward to another exciting chapter of learning and growth.
Find below highlights of our activities for Sep.- Oct 26:
- Academic Roadmap
- Growing Tomorrow’s Leaders: SRC Induction & JUMP Leadership Training
- Celebrating Excellence: IB Evaluation Success & CIS Accreditation Progress
- Leading Beyond the Classroom: The ARIS–Sage Student Leadership Experience – Phase 1
- Stepping into the Professional World: Year 13 CP Career Readiness Day
Warm regards,
Alpana Mukherjee
High School Principal
Al-Rayan International School
Academic Roadmap
We kicked off the semester with Parent Orientations and Curriculum Roadmap sessions across every year group, giving families a clear look at our week-by-week learning plans, assessment timelines, and upcoming events. When school and home share the same map, supporting our students becomes a true team effort.
Open and transparent communication is central to our partnership. Here is how we stay connected throughout the year:
In-Person Meetings: We operate an open-door policy and welcome you to schedule an appointment with us so we can prepare and give you our full, undivided attention.
Digital Platforms: Toddle remains our main portal for daily updates, school news, and ongoing communication.
Student-Led 3-Way Conferences: These face-to-face meetings bring teachers, parents, and students together to reflect on learning and celebrate personal growth.
Through these channels, we look forward to walking side-by-side with you on your child’s educational journey.
Growing Tomorrow’s Leaders: SRC Induction & JUMP Leadership Training
At ARIS, we continuously challenge ourselves to improve practices for both students and teachers. This At ARIS, developing student leaders is one of our top priorities. We believe leadership is about far more than holding a title; it is about building character, vision, and a spirit of service to our community.
On September 18th, as part of our Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day celebrations, we proudly inducted our new Student Representative Council (SRC) for the 2026–2027 academic year.
To help our student leaders build skills for a global stage, we partnered with JUMP-Education, a world-renowned youth leadership organization, for a dynamic training program from October 1st to 3rd. Throughout the workshop, students developed essential skills in collaboration, self-awareness, community engagement, and purposeful leadership. A standout highlight was seeing our own student facilitators take charge and lead sessions for their peers on October 2nd and 3rd.
This immersive training empowers our students to lead the ARIS community with confidence and integrity today, while preparing them to make a meaningful difference in the world tomorrow.
Celebrating Excellence: IB Evaluation Success & CIS Accreditation Progress
This year marks a major milestone in our school’s history. Earlier this October, we completed our Whole-School IB Program Evaluation—a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our growth and refine our practices across all age groups. A special thank you to all the parents who took time to meet with the IB visiting team from October 5th to 7th; your voices made a meaningful difference!
We are thrilled to share that we have officially received the IB team’s report. It proudly reaffirms that ARIS remains an exemplary IB Continuum School, with IB standards and values active in every classroom.
Looking ahead, we are taking our next big step by advancing our accreditation with the Council of International Schools (CIS) and the Middle States Association (MSA). As an active CIS member school, our Director and Principals are already preparing for the upcoming accreditation visit, which will further boost ARIS’s global recognition and dedication to continuous improvement.
Together, these achievements ensure that ARIS continues to deliver world-class education and excellence for your children.
Leading Beyond the Classroom: The ARIS–Sage Student Leadership Experience – Phase 1
We are excited to share highlights from our new partnership with Sage Experience, a US-based nonprofit specializing in student leadership and community development. Students in Years 9–12 recently took part in the first phase of the Sage Leadership Programme; a residential leadership experience at the Sage Centre in Wli, Volta Region.
Far more than a standard school trip, this initiative gives our students hands-on, real-world leadership experience.Partnering with the Wli Agumatsa Waterfalls Tourist Reception, students explored the theme “Advancing Rural Development through Tourism.”
Using a design-thinking approach, our young leaders actively engaged with community members to identify local needs.As part of this year-long project, students gathered valuable data and interviewed tourists, tour guides, and local business owners. They will now work together to develop sustainable solutions to enhance tourism in Wli.
Through this immersive experience, students built and refined essential lifelong skills:
- Leadership & Collaboration: Strengthening teamwork, empathy, intercultural understanding, and delegation.
- Creative Problem-Solving: Conducting field research, setting goals, and designing sustainable project solutions.
- Effective Communication: Practicing public speaking, negotiation, and thoughtful community engagement.
We are incredibly proud of our students for stepping out of the classroom to serve and empower others, and we look forward to the second part of this journey during the March/April break!
Stepping into the Professional World: Year 13 CP Career Readiness Day
On Monday, October 5th, our Year 13 Career-related Programme (CP) students took an exciting step toward their future careers during our interactive Career Readiness Event at the DMPH.
Dressed in full business attire, students tackled a key Personal and Professional Skills (PPS) inquiry: “How Do I Communicate My Value?” Each student participated in a 25-minute, one-on-one interview simulation with visiting HR leaders, gaining hands-on practice in professional communication, workplace expectations, and articulating their personal strengths.
Following each mock interview, our guest experts provided our students with candid, constructive feedback to help them reflect, grow, and build confidence for life beyond school.
We are grateful to our partnership with Rana Motors, Enterprise Insurance and Paloma Hotel and to our guest HR professionals for sharing their time, insights, and mentorship with our students.
We are immensely proud of the professionalism, maturity, and poise our Year 13 CP students displayed throughout this activity.
Expanding Our Partnership with Inspire Citizens
At ARIS, we are always seeking ways to enhance learning for our students and support the growth of our teachers.Following the great success of the “Heart-Mind-Action” framework in our Primary Years Programme (PYP); highlighted during our PYP Exhibition; we are excited to expand our partnership with Inspire Citizens into secondary school this year!
Secondary teachers across key areas; including the MYP Personal Project, DP Theory of Knowledge (TOK), CP Core,and our Wellbeing program; are now working with Inspire Citizens. This ensures a seamless, shared approach to learning across all four IB programmes.
Our guiding motto, “Learning for Everyone,” remains at the center of this initiative. By investing in continuous training for our educators, we are directly investing in the success, wellbeing, and growth of every learner at ARIS.
Looking Ahead & Dates to Remember
- Regular Newsletters: Expect the next edition at the end of this semester, featuring highlights like ARISMUN ’26, student achievements, and key milestones.
- Exhibitions: Parents will be invited to special showcases of learning, ranging from interactive exhibitions to project-based displays.
- Teacher Professional Growth: Our faculty continues to participate in IB training, blended learning workshops,and instructional coaching, ensuring every ARIS classroom thrives as a “thinking classroom.”
- Toddle Communication: Important updates and notifications across all departments continue to be delivered through Toddle. Please check Toddle regularly to stay updated on university deadlines, higher education fairs,upcoming enrichment opportunities, wellbeing activities, and key dates.
Dates to Remember
- 3-Way Conferences: October 30, 2026
- Year 13 Mock Examinations: November 3–13, 2026
- End-of-Semester Examinations (Years 7–12): November 19–30, 2026
- Year 13 3-Way Conferences: December 1–3, 2026
- LEAD Week & Exhibitions: December 7–10, 2026
- End of Semester 1: December 11, 2026
Welcoming New Faculty Members
We are delighted to welcome several new members to our ARIS faculty team, each bringing valuable experience and expertise to enrich our learning community:
- Mr. Peter Dornyame: MYP and DP Maths Facilitator
- Mr. Vincent Nana Opoku & Ms. Josephine Bamfo: MYP Design Facilitators
- Mr. Charles Amaning: MYP Science Facilitator
- Ms. Blessed Okyere-Nyarko: Spanish Facilitator
- Mr. Daniel Dotse Akwada: Wellbeing and DP Psychology Facilitator
We are confident that each of these educators will make a meaningful contribution to our mission of empowering every learner.
A Note of Gratitude
We thank you, our parents, for your unwavering support and trust. Together, we are designing the future of education—one that is bold, inclusive, and rooted in values. Please go to the program-specific pages for more details.