Student Life - Baku International School

Strong Bodies and Minds

Extracurricular and enrichment programs are an integral part of the student life experience at Baku International School. We offer a wide range of extracurricular activities including athletics, fine arts, STEM, and many more. Our extracurricular activities program helps to broaden student interests, as well as developing skills, fostering relationships, and deepening the students' passions.

Extracurricular Activities

Activities

The purposes of the activity program at BIS are:

To promote an interest in, and an opportunity to explore, new and/or varied interests not usually available in the curriculum.

To provide an opportunity for students to interact with teachers and other students not in their usual instructional group.

To provide an opportunity for students to voluntarily pursue interests in a non-academic and ungraded situation.

To encourage learning and physical fitness as an acceptable leisure time activity.

To allow students to develop academic and motor skills other than what is available in the regular curriculum.

To provide students with opportunities to engage in extra-curricular activities of interest that would not otherwise be available in the community.

To give students additional opportunities to share their own experiences and interests with others.

To provide an opportunity to see the relationship of knowledge between one area of learning and another and to transfer learning between areas.

There are endless opportunities for BIS students to learn new skills and ignite new passions.

Athletics

Baku International School offers a variety of athletic opportunities for students, both as part of our extracurricular activities program and part of our interscholastic athletics program. Our school is proud to be part of both the Central and Eastern European Schools Association (CEESA) and the Silk Road Athletic Association. Our membership in these two organizations enables our students to participate in a range of sporting tournaments and events, in Baku and across the region.

Some of the athletics offered include:

Cross-country running
Track-and-Field
Basketball
Volleyball
Soccer

Fine Arts

BIS values the fine arts and this can be seen in our academic schedule. In the elementary level, students engage in music and visual arts classes multiple times throughout the week. Our music program teaches both vocal and instrumental skills and concepts, aiding our students in developing a love of music. Our visual arts program emphasizes student creativity whilst developing important skills and appreciation for art. In middle school and secondary, students continue their development in both music and art, as well as having opportunities to take classes in drama, studio art and art history. Our extracurricular activities program further enhance our fine arts program with activities including ceramics, origami, and much more.

National Honor Society

Founded in 1921, the National Honor Society is a prestigious organization for secondary students. To become a member of the NHS, students must exemplify the following traits:

Scholarship
Leadership
Service
Character

The NHS chapter at BIS has been actively involved in school and community events.

Being a member of NHS can be very beneficial. NHS offers:

Support for students and parents with college admission and financial aid planning, leveraging unique member-only resources and tools, including webinars, virtual events, and scholarship search.
Assistance in making the dream of higher education possible through the highly acclaimed NHS Scholarship program. Since 1946, this program has awarded 16,000-plus scholarships totaling more than $13 million to seniors who best reflect the values of NHS.
Leadership development and student empowerment opportunities, through events like LEAD Conferences and State Summits.
An affinity for service, enabling students to make significant contributions to their schools and communities.

Student Council (StuCo)

The Student Council is an active chapter of the National Association of Student Councils (NASC) and includes elections of officers each fall for middle and secondary school students. The Student Council is a school service organization and has weekly activities and fundraisers for dances, trips, movie nights, and other activities for the school community.

Week Without Walls

Week Without Walls is an experiential education program offered to all secondary students at Baku International School.

During the Week Without Walls experience, students explore the world outside of our campus walls while participating in a wide range of activities including visiting historical sites, cultural immersion, and participating in service projects in the local communities.

While the global pandemic has temporarily paused Week Without Walls, in the future BIS plans to work collaboratively with other QSI schools in the region to expand our offerings to include adventure and cultural experiences outside of Azerbaijan.