Director's Wave | Volume 5 Edition 28

Dear CIS Community,

Something to Ponder
“I'm writing a book. I've got the page numbers done.” -  Steven Wright

Numbers are curious, interesting, and exciting to say the least. Outside of the classroom and school, one of my number highlights this year was on the softball field. Our pitcher, wearing number 28, was pitching to an opposing player wearing number 6. From my first base position, I was very excited to shout out, “...we have a unique case: the only perfect two-digit number is pitching to the only perfect single-digit number.” Wow! Talk about mind blowing. Unfortunately, my team (the CIS Blue Iguanas) and the opposing team were not so amused by my observation as I lumbered to field the hit ball - in fact I was duly mocked. I was not deterred by their jeers, people must appreciate numbers … and with trepidation I duly bantered - it would be awesome if the next three batters were second base, right field, and shortstop - positions 4, 9, and 6 respectively - thus creating the number 496, which is the only three-digit perfect number. Jeers turned to cheers as the players and the handful of people watching the game started to see the joy of numbers.

Numbers of course, are one of the world's many languages - for quick reference - below is a snapshot of CIS by the numbers.

Number of Students at CIS = 983
Early Childhood = 167
Elementary School = 356
Middle School = 227
High School = 233

CIS Graduating Class of 2025
Number of CIS graduates this year = 63
Largest in CIS’ history by 14 students
Number of University Offers and Acceptances = 152 and counting

CIS MAP (Measure of Academic Progress) Scores in Math (May 2025) - *see below for more details about MAP
CIS mean RIT = 233
Global mean RIT = 218
AMISA mean RIT = 224
ECIS mean RIT = 226
AMISA refers to international schools in South America, Central America, and the Caribbean
ECIS refers to international schools in Western Europe

CIS MAP (Measure of Academic Progress) Scores in Reading (May 2025) - *see below for more details about MAP
CIS mean RIT = 220
Global mean RIT = 211
AMISA mean RIT = 212
ECIS mean RIT = 213

CIS IB Diploma Scores (International Baccalaureate Diploma) Scores - **see below for more details about the IB
CIS mean IB Diploma Score over the past five years (2019-2020 to 2023-2024) = 33
Global mean IB Diploma Score over the past five years (2019-2020 to 2023-2024)= 31
CIS mean IB Diploma Pass Rate over the past five years (2019-2020 to 2023-2024) = 96%
Global mean IB Diploma Pass Rate over the past five years (2019-2020 to 2023-2024) = 84%
CIS mean IB course score over the past five years (2019-2020 to 2023-2024)= 5.26
Global mean IB course score over the past five years (2019-2020 to 2023-2024) = 5.03
IB scores for 2024-2025 are posted by the IB in July 2025

CIS 2025-2026 Calendar
Number of Events on the CIS 2025-2026 School Year = 748
First Day of School for Students = Wednesday 20 August 2025

CIS Student Demographics
Cayman Islands = 22%
Canada = 21%
USA = 19%
UK = 18%
Ireland = 4%
Students from 35 other countries = 16%

CIS Student to Faculty Ratio
7:1

CIS Retention
CIS Staff retention mean (2020 -2024) = 85%
CIS Staff retention mean 2025 = 89%
CIS student retention mean (2020-2024) = 92%
CIS student retention mean 2025 = 92%

From the perspective of numbers, please know there are three student school days remaining in the 2024-2025 school year. The last day for students is a full-day on Wednesday 18 June 2025.

Wishing you a pleasant weekend of seeing the magic, mystery, and joy in numbers.

Sincerely,

Jim Urquhart
Director - Cayman International School

**From my AI Platform … Please describe the IB Diploma program in 100 words
The IB Diploma Programme is a rigorous two-year pre-university curriculum for students aged 16-19. Students study six subjects across different areas: languages, sciences, mathematics, arts, and social studies. The program includes three core components: Theory of Knowledge (critical thinking), Creativity-Activity-Service (community engagement), and an Extended Essay (independent research).
The IB surpasses A-levels through its holistic approach, requiring breadth across disciplines rather than narrow specialization. It develops critical thinking, international-mindedness, and research skills. Universities worldwide recognize IB's comprehensive preparation for higher education. The program's emphasis on inquiry-based learning, global perspectives, and community service creates well-rounded graduates better equipped for university success and global citizenship.

* From my AI Platform … Please describe MAP tests in 100 words
MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) tests are computer-adaptive assessments that adjust question difficulty based on student responses in real-time. Unlike traditional standardized tests with fixed questions, MAP tests provide personalized difficulty levels, offering more precise measurements of individual ability. They generate RIT (Rasch Unit) scores that track growth over time rather than just grade-level comparisons. MAP tests can be administered multiple times per year, providing ongoing progress monitoring instead of single snapshots. This adaptive format reduces student frustration by avoiding questions that are too easy or impossibly difficult, while giving educators detailed diagnostic information to inform instruction and identify specific learning gaps.