Dear Colleagues, FIS Families and Friends,
A new school year always brings with it a sense of possibility and anticipation: it’s a chance to press reset, refresh, and carry forward the lessons learned. This year, over 100 new students joined our community, bringing our total enrollment to 785 students. We are also delighted to welcome 12 new faculty and staff members and 2 FSJ participants (voluntary social year). Each new arrival contributes their own story to our community, making our school more diverse.
Our sense of community was already on display last week, when many parents joined us for the Secondary School Parent Information Night. This year, we introduced a new format, with individual academic and programme sections hosting their own booths. This allowed for the sharing of focused information, while also giving parents the opportunity to connect with each other and with educators one-on-one, setting the foundation for strong partnerships going forward. We now look forward to welcoming our Primary School families to their Parent Information Night on Thursday, September 4 at 18:00.
Another important date to mark on your calendars is the Welcome Back BBQ on Saturday, September 13, from 11:00 to 14:00. This is always a special occasion for the whole FIS community to come together, celebrate the new school year, and enjoy the chance to meet new friends and reconnect with old ones. We warmly invite all families to join us for good food, good company, and a joyful start to the year.
This year, we stand once again at a crosswalk. With the successful authorization of our PYP behind us, we now look ahead with determination and excitement toward a new NEASC and IB accreditation journey. This is about shaping the future of the FIS – together – through a strategic direction that places learning and excellence at the center. We will begin this process with a review of our Guiding Statements to ensure they reflect who we are, who we aspire to be, and what matters most to us as a learning community. This will be an important opportunity for all voices to be heard and to co-create a shared direction for our school.
Thank you for your trust, your energy, and your belief in what we can build – together.
Warm regards,
Petra Niemczyk
Head of School
