Message from Ms. Meredith 6/19

Dear TIS Elementary Families,

Celebrating an Incredible Year

As we close another wonderful school year at Tirana International School, I want to take a moment to reflect on a week filled with celebration, laughter, achievement, and gratitude.

This week, our youngest and oldest elementary students took center stage as we celebrated the 5YO and 8YO Showcases. Families enjoyed an incredible variety of performances and displays that highlighted the creativity, confidence, and growth of our students throughout the year.

The 5-year-olds delighted audiences with colorful music scarf routines, cheerful songs, and their charming Gruffalo Readers Theatre performance. Meanwhile, our 8-year-olds showcased their talents through plays including The Case of the Missing Backpacks and A Year to Remember, along with Spanish poetry, Albanian and Spanish songs, and ukulele performances.

Beyond the stage, classrooms were transformed into galleries of learning. Families explored student work featuring Eric Carle studies, bees and birds research, German literacy projects, Intensive English poetry, science investigations about animals, writing displays, artwork, and so much more. The pride students felt while sharing their accomplishments was evident in every classroom.

We also enjoyed one of the most anticipated events of the year—Field Day! Students spent the day laughing, playing, and making memories through water games, bouncy castles, limbo challenges, water gun activities, team competitions, and plenty of opportunities to cool off and have fun with friends. It was a joyful celebration of the friendships, teamwork, and school spirit that make our elementary community so special.

Adding to the excitement, yearbooks were released this week. This year's creative Netflix-themed edition quickly became a favorite as students and teachers flipped through pages filled with memories, signatures, photos, and stories from the year. Hallways and classrooms buzzed with excitement as students reminisced about favorite moments, celebrated friendships, and collected messages from classmates and teachers.

As the school year comes to a close, I would like to take one final opportunity to thank the Tirana International School community. Two years ago, my family arrived in Albania not knowing exactly what to expect. What we found was a welcoming, caring, and supportive community that quickly made TIS feel like home.

Serving as Elementary Director has been one of the greatest privileges of my career. I have had the opportunity to watch students grow, support incredible teachers, partner with dedicated families, and celebrate countless moments of learning and achievement. The kindness, trust, and encouragement shown to my family throughout our time here have meant more than I can adequately express.

As many of you know, my family and I will be moving to Prishtina this summer. While we are excited for the next chapter, saying goodbye to TIS is not easy. The relationships we have built here, the memories we have made, and the experiences we have shared will stay with us for years to come.

Although we may be leaving Tirana, we are fortunate that we won't be too far away. Albania and TIS will always hold a special place in our hearts, and we hope our paths cross again in the future.

Thank you for sharing your children with us, for supporting our school, and for helping create such a remarkable community. It has truly been an honor to serve as your Elementary Director.

On behalf of the entire elementary team, thank you for a wonderful year. We wish all of our students and families a safe, relaxing, and joy-filled summer.

With gratitude,

Meredith Hutson