How the Kyiv International School continues to learn, care, and lead in the hardest days
Over the past several weeks, Kyiv has once again been pushed to its limits.
Massive Russian attacks crippled infrastructure across the city and surrounding region, leaving thousands without stable electricity, heat, or water. The strikes coincided with some of the harshest winter conditions this season — plunging temperatures, heavy snowfall, and long, freezing nights.
The Kyiv International School (KIS) was not immune.
Heating systems went down — and back up — repeatedly. Some classes were relocated to warmer spaces so learning could continue safely. During the coldest nights, extreme temperatures caused the school’s generator to freeze intermittently, an issue few contingency plans anticipate. The facilities team responded immediately, working extended hours, securing additional fuel, and ensuring that when the city grid failed, the school would still be ready the next morning.
And behind every operational challenge were people.
Like most Kyiv residents, many KIS staff members were living without consistent heat, water, or electricity at home. For some, the school became the only place to charge a phone, eat a warm meal, or take a hot shower. All the overseas hire teachers — whose home countries do not face the realities of war — remain in Kyiv, continuing to teach, support students, and show up for the community every day.
In those moments, KIS became more than a school. It became a place of stability, care, and quiet resilience.
What stood out most was not the hardship itself, but the response.
Teachers arrived every morning after nights interrupted by air raid sirens and cold apartments. School leadership remained present, calm, and decisive. The school’s cafeteria partner, The Sunny Side, prepared free hot soup for staff to take home — a simple gesture, offered instinctively, that carried real weight.
When Ukraine’s Education Ministry recommended that schools shift to remote learning or extend winter break until Feb. 1, many understandably did. KIS prepared for remote learning as well — carefully and responsibly. But the school made a clear decision: as long as it could provide a safe, warm environment with access to electricity, heat and water, it would remain open.
To support families facing different circumstances, KIS adopted a hybrid model. Students who could attend continued learning on campus; others joined classes online via Zoom or Microsoft Teams. The approach was flexible, practical, and rooted in trust — and it worked.
Today, Kyiv International School continues to welcome students year-round, serving children aged 2 to 18 in an environment defined by safety, care, and resilience.
What these weeks have shown — once again — is that resilience is not about pretending everything is fine. It is about facing reality honestly, adapting responsibly, and choosing to move forward together.
Despite cold homes, power outages, sleepless nights, and constant uncertainty, the KIS community continues to show up - not because it is easy, but because it matters.
At Kyiv International School, resilience is not a slogan.
It is lived — quietly, daily, and together.
Join the KIS community
The Kyiv International School invites families to visit its campus and experience firsthand the vibrant and nurturing educational environment that it offers. Discover how KIS can inspire and empower children to become the global leaders of tomorrow.
For more information about Kyiv International School, please visit the KIS website or contact admissions@kyiv.qsi.org or +380(68)-345-10-12.
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The Kyiv International School has successfully served the expatriate, diplomatic, and business communities since 1992. The school provides a high-quality international education to students from diverse backgrounds. Located in Kyiv, Ukraine, KIS offers a rigorous American-based curriculum, advanced facilities, and a supportive community that fosters academic excellence, personal growth, and global citizenship.
