The Bilkent Laboratory & International School was founded in 1993. BLIS provides educational services for students from Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12. This school functions both as an international school for non-Turkish students and as a university laboratory school for Turkish students. BLIS is accredited by the Council of International Schools and the Turkish Ministry of Education. BLIS is an IB World School.
The international section of BLIS has 300 students with an average class size of 15 in the Elementary School and less than 20 in the Secondary School.
Mission
The BLIS mission is to provide an outstanding education that helps students develop academically, aesthetically, physically and socially.
Facilities
The school is located in the hills above Ankara. Classrooms are large and fully equipped. The Elementary School has 3 buildings that have separate play areas. There are separate areas for technology, music, drama and the visual arts. A new Middle School building is under construction. Other facilities include a gym, a grass field, a soccer pitch, a basketball court and a sport court.
Curriculum
The Elementary School has two full-time teachers (one native Turkish speaker and one native English speaker). This program uses the PYP. Students in Grade 6-8 are prepared for the two programs used in the High School. High School students study the Cambridge IGSCE in Grade 9 and Grade 10 and the IB Diploma Program in Grade 11 and Grade 12.
Extracurricular Activities
BLIS offers a range of activities for students of all ages including Model United Nations, board games, drama, chess and an assortment of other clubs. Sports activities include swimming, volleyball, soccer and basketball.
Technology
The school has a computer lab and ICT is taught as an independent subject.
image: Georges Jansoone
The school is committed to the professional development of the faculty.
Employment
Teaching candidates need to have a Bachelor’s degree in their teaching field, a teaching certificate and two-years teaching experience. The school offers a competitive tax-free salary and a number of benefits including a two-year contract, relocation allowance, shipping allowance, round trip airfare, free furnished campus housing, visa assistance, health and travel insurance, free tuition for children, free professional development, school-provided laptops, the possibility of saving up to 50% of your salary, a retirement plan and a contract renewal bonus. It would be nice to see the salary schedule, but the benefits are good.
About Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey with a population of approximately 5 million people; it is located 1,000 meters above sea level. The city has four seasons with snow in the winter. Ankara is a blend of the modern and the historical. It has new air-conditioned malls, skyscrapers, the presidential palace and then it also has Roman ruins and the Ankara Castle. Shoppers can enjoy themselves in modern malls where they can purchase traditional goods as well as items from Western countries. The city still has many traditional markets where bargaining is a must. Ankara offers teachers a lot to do during the weekends. Some of what Ankara has to offer includes the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, jazz clubs, discos, bars, pubs and many venues where music lovers can appreciate Turkish music.
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