Dear FIS Community,
As we reach the end of this first long stretch of learning since the beginning of the school year, we would like to take a moment to reflect on what lies ahead for our school and share some exciting developments.
Shaping the future of the FIS
At the end of the last academic year, we introduced our new Mission and Vision statements. These are much more than words: they provide the foundation for the future development of the FIS, helping us clarify who we are, what we stand for, and what we aspire to become.
Our Mission is ambitious. It reflects our commitment to inspiring lifelong learners who grow through engaging and challenging learning experiences, thrive together in a welcoming and supportive environment, and are ready to meet the future with confidence and joy.
Our Vision, “Reimagining what’s possible in education,” expresses our aspiration to be an innovative school that dares to think beyond established boundaries, continually explores new possibilities, and prepares our students to make a meaningful difference in the world as adults.
But how do we move from where we are today to where we want to be tomorrow?
In September, our Leadership Team and Board of Directors came together for a strategic workshop facilitated by Abbi DeLessio of Triangle Associates. Abbi has supported the FIS in several important steps along this journey, including Board training following the last Board election and the development of our new Mission and Vision. During the workshop, we began shaping a developmental framework to guide our school’s future direction which will turn our shared aspirations into meaningful action.
This work will continue throughout November, when the Senior Leadership Team and a dedicated future task force from the Board will build on the ideas and directions established in September. Our aim is to develop a preliminary design for the future of the FIS, which the Board of Directors will consider for approval in January 2027.
Connecting our ambitions with learning, which makes an impact, and wellbeing
As we look ahead, we also want to ensure that our direction is firmly connected to our commitment to continuous learning and improvement as a school.
For this reason, we have decided to pursue our next accreditation through the NEASC (New England Association of Schools and Colleges) CLP framework. This approach brings together NEASC’s principles of learning and school development with the International Baccalaureate’s standards and practices. It will allow us to reflect on our work as an IB World School while considering how we can continue to develop and improve.
We will launch this new accreditation journey in the first weeks of the new calendar year. A preliminary visit in March 2028 will kick off a reflection process across our whole school community. The process will ultimately culminate in a visit by a joint team of NEASC and IB representatives in March 2029.
At this stage, three areas are emerging as central pillars of our development:
- Learner Engagement – creating the conditions in which every student can participate actively, find purpose in learning, and develop their potential.
- Community Wellbeing – nurturing a community in which people feel safe, valued, connected, and able to thrive.
- Learning Environment – continually developing the spaces, structures, relationships, and practices that support meaningful learning.
These pillars connect closely with our whole-school Programme Development Plan on Community Engagement, which many of you contributed to during the information evening at the end of the last academic year.
Together, these elements including the IB Learner Profile, the IB Approaches to Learning and Teaching and our FIS values will help us create a coherent Shared Understanding of High Quality Learning – one that connects our Mission and Vision with the everyday experiences of our students, staff, and families.
We look forward to sharing more about this work at our Annual General Meeting on 2 December 2026. The invitation and agenda will follow.
Keeping our community spirit alive
School life is about more than plans and frameworks; it is also about the moments that bring us together and strengthen our sense of belonging.
Our much-loved Spirit Week this week filled the FIS with colour, creativity, laughter, and plenty of fun, from cosy pyjamas and mismatched outfits to Buddy Colour Day and imaginative silly hats. And then came Halloween, a fun FIS tradition that many of us associate with the start of the fall break.
A heartfelt thank-you to our PTO and all the parent volunteers who helped make this week special. These shared moments remind us that learning and growing together should be not only meaningful and challenging, but joyful, too.
We wish everyone a restful break and look forward to continuing our journey together!
Petra Niemczyk and Jonathan Cavalier
Head of School and Board Chair
