Employee Information Guide - Rome International School

Welcome to Rome International School
Employee Information Guide
+Discovery +Collaboration +Success +Inspiration
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Via Guglielmo Pecori Giraldi, 137 00135, Rome
www.romeinternationalschool.it
+39 0684482650/651 (main switchboard)
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About RIS
Rome International School (RIS) was founded in 1988. The Middle
School was opened in 2001 and the High School was inaugurated in
2007. IB Diploma authorisation was granted in May 2009 and full IB PYP
(Primary Years Programme) authorisation followed in June 2012. We are
now the only International School in Rome authorised to offer two IB
programmes: the IB Primary Years Programme and the IB Diploma
Programme, thereby ensuring the quality and consistency of an
international education and a passport to the best universities in the
world. RIS is an accredited Cambridge International Examinations centre.
Since 2007, the school has established formal links with LUISS Guido
Carli, one of the most prestigious universities in Italy. In July 2014, the
school relocated to its new tailor-built campus in Via Guglielmo Pecori
Giraldi, in the north-west quadrant of the city.
Philosophy
In full accordance with the decision to become part of the family of IB
World Schools, and reflecting the values and competences of the IB
Learner Profile, RIS aims towards an education committed to the
formation of character; that of open-mindedness and curiosity alongside
the encouragement of a spirit of enterprise and the adoption of a method
of continual learning; (‘learning to learn’). RIS also aspires to teach its
students the concept of social and environmental responsibility. Seen
from this perspective, the strategic objectives in the entire learning
process, from the Nursery classes through to High School, can be
summarised in the following way:
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RIS encourages the acquisition of autonomous thinking skills,
with an ability to organise and manage one’s own personal
competences using intuition, judgement and common sense in
order to innovate and realise individual life projects.
RIS promotes the spirit of co-operation (living and working with
others).
RIS promotes the spirit of emulation (merit and responsibility).
RIS encourages identity and creativity.
All RIS teachers are expected to support and abide by this
philosophy of education.
The School Day
Early Years, Grades 1 & 2
08.50 - 15.20
Grades 3 to 6
08.50 - 15.30
Grades 7 to 13
08.30 - 16.05
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After-school
Extensive programme of after-school activities for all ages:
football, basketball, ballet, dance, homework, languages,
entrepreneurship. Participating in the after-school programme is an
opportunity for extra income.
Student population
At present, we have an enrolment of over 470 students, together
with over 70 full-time and part-time staff members. Over 40
different nationalities are represented amongst our student and
teaching body.
Professional development
The school invests in people. Teaching staff regularly attend IB
workshops.
Teaching environment
The new building and campus are located in over 3 hectares of
natural parkland and they meet every learning and teaching
requirement. Each classroom is fully equipped with smartboards.
Banks of trolleys and iPads available for student use across the
school.
Staff have access to the school canteen (the canteen accepts
lunch vouchers) as well as the on-site cafeteria.
Facilities
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230-seat auditorium,
2 gyms,
3 science labs,
3 lunchrooms,
cafeteria,
libraries, music and art rooms,
a cross-country running track,
external sports grounds,
ample recreational and study areas.
Summer Programme
The school’s Summer Programme, in addition to the after-school
clubs, is another opportunity for staff to gain extra income. Staff
are encouraged to submit a proposal for activities to be offered for
the Summer Camp (ages 2 to 14) and Summer School (ages 16 to
19). The summer courses generally run from the end of June up to
the end of July. Speak to the Principal for more information.
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Welcome to Rome
There are two international airports in Rome: Leonardo da Vinci
(Fiumicino) and Ciampino.
The most straightforward way to get into central Rome is to take
the Leonardo Express, a direct train service to Rome's main
railway station, Stazione Termini (more information below).
Tickets cost €15 and are one-way only (so buy extra for your
return journey if you want to be organised), and must be stamped
in the validating machines on the platform before you board the
train. From the main arrivals area, just follow the signs. The
service runs every 30 minutes, between 6.30am and 11.30pm.
There are a variety of ways to get from Ciampino into Rome,
including a couple of direct coach services. Check out the website
Italy Heaven for more information.
Only white taxis with the flat fare printed on the side should be
taken at the airport. Please note that the flat fares quoted on the
taxi door for airport transfers are solely to destinations in the city
centre.
The Human Resources office will be your main point of contact
prior to and upon arrival.
Accomodation
Housing is the responsibility of the teacher. The school offers
fourteen-night accommodation in a hotel (bed and breakfast basis)
upon arrival if needed. The Human Resources office will
coordinate this on an individual basis. If you are staying at the
hotel, ask at reception for information on local bus routes. Also ask
colleagues about walking routes that may be quicker than public
transport.
Immobiliare.it is a handy website to consult when looking for
apartments to rent. Good areas to rent are Balduina, Boccea, Via
Cassia, Ponte Milvio, Flaminio, Stadio, Prati, Piazza Mancini and
Cipro. Normally 2 months deposit is required as part of the renting
procedure.
Local information – around school
The school is located just-off Via della Camilluccia (click to view on
map). There are a few buses that follow this route: 188, 911, 446
(Ponte Milvio). Atac is the official public transport provider in
Rome.
Ponte Milvio
This is a thriving area easily reachable from the school. Ponte
Milvio, known in English as the Milvian Bridge, is one of the many
historic bridges in Rome. Nowadays Piazzale Ponte Milvio is very
popular and less touristy with plenty of bars, cafes and nice chill
out spots where you can sample the Roman aperitivo or Happy
Hour (18.00 – 20.00). Please note that in Rome, tipping is at your
discretion (5-10%)
Approaching Piazzale Ponte Milvio by Liva Hengel
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Stadio Olimpico
The school’s campus is located just behind Stadio Olimpico, home
to both AS Roma and SS Lazio football clubs. In addition to
football and rugby, international sports competitions, concerts and
other major events are held at this venue, which is connected to
the Foro Italico.
Buses / transport
Bus and metro tickets can be purchased from newsstands, bars
and in particular Tabacchi (these are easy to spot as there is a
visible T-sign outside the store).
An individual ticket for bus, metro, tram and trains inside the
municipality of Rome is 1.50 € and is valid for 100 minutes. If you
will be in Rome for an extended period of time, one can buy a
seven day Metro and bus pass (called CIS) for 24 € or a monthly
pass. Please visit the Atac website for more information.
For further general information on public transport in Rome check
out Rome.info. A useful mobile app is Pro Bus Rome useful to find
out when the next bus is, bus routes and nearest bus stops.
You must validate your ticket in the small yellow machines on the
buses. Many people give the impressions of fare dodging but
probably have season tickets or are on the second leg of a
journey.
Banks
Post office account – hours are more flexible, open on Saturdays
and no account keeping fees. A useful tip is to choose a bank
close to your residence in order to facilitate banking procedures.
Shops
There are plenty of outlets and shopping centres in Rome. The
larger shopping malls are generally located on the outskirts of the
city. Here are some links: Roma Est, Porta di Roma, EUR Roma 2,
Parco Leonardo, Cinecittà due.
Telephones in Italy
The main mobile phone providers are: TIM, Vodafone, 3 and Wind.
As in any other country you can choose to take out a contract with
a provider that can also include a phone. Alternatively, you can
choose to buy a pay-as-you-go sim card.
Italian Food
Italy is still a country in favour of the slow food culture and Italians
traditionally spend a lot time purchasing, preparing and eating
good food. Therefore, instead of big supermarkets, you will find a
lot of small corner shops that specialise in meat, fish, bread, fruit
and a variety of other foods. Every Italian region (there are 20 of
them) has its own typical cuisine. Italians normally have a light
breakfast at the bar. Breakfast includes a coffee or a cappuccino
and biscotti (cookies) or a cornetto (a pastry). Lunch is generally
served between 1.00 p.m. and 2.30 pm. Dinner is served around
8.00 – 9.00 pm.
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Pharmacy
In Rome and throughout Italy, pharmacies are marked with a red
or green neon cross sign. They are open generally from 8:30am to
1:00pm and then from 4:00pm from 7:30pm. There is a rotation
system for nights and holidays and each pharmacy lists the closest
open pharmacy. In Italian pharmacies you can find over-thecounter medicine for minor illnesses like colds and pains. The
inventory is generally limited to pharmaceutical and personal
hygiene products. The International Pharmacy, located in Piazza
Barberini, has English-speaking pharmacists. To use this service
call +39 06 487 1195. There are 24-hour pharmacies located at
the main train station, in Piazza Risorgimento 44 and Via
Nazionale 228.
Medical ‘helpdesk’ - free
A qualified healthcare call centre 24 hours a day can help answer
questions and refer the patients and their families according to
their needs, providing support for Italians and foreigners in Rome
through the Italian healthcare world in English. To use this free
service call +39 06 36797300.
Emergency contacts
If you require medical attention, all hospitals have a first aid and
emergency room (pronto soccorso). If there is an emergency and
you need immediate help, you should dial 113 or 118 for police or
ambulance assistance. In an emergency, an ambulance will take
the patient to the closest emergency room and, if hospitalisation is
necessary, the patient will be placed in the hospital best suited to
treat the particular illness or injury. There are several public
hospitals
with
emergency
facilities
throughout
Rome.
https://www.justlanded.com/english/Italy/ItalyGuide/Health/Hospitals-Clinics
Remember that for any type of emergency you can always refer to
your country’s embassy in Rome. Please consult this link for a
comprehensive list of embassies in Rome
http://www.esteri.it/mae/doc/lda.pdf.
National holidays in Italy
Click here to view a list of public holidays in 2016. An important
holiday in Rome is on 29 June when the city of Rome celebrates
its patron saints, St Peter and St Paul.
Welfare at RIS
In order to strengthen the school’s green profile, RIS employee
pay-slips are accessible online and the paper format for lunch
vouchers has been substituted with a pre-paid card. As part of the
RIS welfare programme, the school offers a free preventative
medical service aimed at assisting you to determine your state of
health. This service is reserved for all employees and dependants
and may be used for free once during the course of the year. In
addition, all employees will receive a 20% discount on all other
services offered by the Medical Lab CGH Compagnie Générale
des Hopitaux” in Via Nomentana, 119 Roma, from 7:30 a.m. to
10:30 a.m. Mondays to Saturdays. For more information contact
the Human Resources office.
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Welcome to Rome
There is a thriving expat community in Rome. Some useful
resources include:
- Wanted in Rome
- Italian Insider
- Romeing
- VCN groups (Yahoo group)
- www.thingstodo-rome.com
- www.romaturismo.com
- www.romereview.com
- www.slowtrav.com/italy/instructions/
Provides a wealth of information about living in and traveling
through Italy, including detailed instructions for daily living,
supported by photographs. Covers a broad spectrum of topics,
from food shopping to operating washing machines, from making
espresso, to catching a taxi, from using any kind of phone to going
to the beach. Photographs help prepare you for the unexpected.
Definitely worth visiting and revisiting.
- Craig’s list Rome
- WelcometoRome.net
- Reliable taxi companies include: Samarcanda 065551: 06
3570; 06 4994; and a useful app to have is IT Taxi which allows
you to order a taxi from your location at the touch of a button.
- Lonely Planet
Our vision is to be an integrated and caring community in which
teachers, parents and management cooperate to develop in our
students attributes of international mindedness, a spirit of
enterprise and the joy of life-long learning by offering a first class
educational programme.
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Rome and beyond
RIS is perfectly positioned to enable you to explore Europe and beyond at weekends!
Some of the airlines that service Rome’s two airports:
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