Page 5 - FIS World November 2021

A Strong Foundation
Caring is at the core of FIS
Even prior to my current role on the FIS Board of Trustees, I admired FIS as an organization that understood its foundation was built on people. While
this begins with its Mission Statement, which calls upon the school to be “family oriented,” this holistic passion extends to every single person in the school.
Our new families who have just joined us this year know this to be especially true. Relationship building begins long before stepping foot on campus with offers of support from our school professionals and parent volunteers. This effort to be inclusive continues with newcomer events and seminars to help each family, as well as new faculty and staff, integrate within our community. This focus is founded on the belief that FIS is not just about educating students, but is in the business of strengthening its entire community as well.
As this is my first open letter as FIS Board Chair, I want to express my deep gratitude to the entire faculty and staff, as well as the school’s leadership team for all that they do to make FIS such a special place.
Many of us know friends and family members at other schools in the region or abroad, who have felt somewhat abandoned during the pandemic. And yet at FIS, I constantly hear from members of our community about how grateful they are for the incredible support the school has provided since Covid-19 began.
As I joined other Board members serving refreshments at the recent Applefest event, I watched our FIS families filled with gratitude as they celebrated with one another. It was a visible expression of what the school – and all those who work here – have provided for our children, and for us as families.
As this is my first open letter as FIS Board Chair, I wish to express my deep gratitude to the entire faculty and staff, as well as the school’s leadership team, for all they do to make FIS such a special place. Having been able to look deeper into the inner workings of the school, I can see that the average school day is much more than the incredible work taking place in our classrooms, in our sports facilities and during after
school activities. It is also navigating an intricate web of logistics to ensure that our community is safe, our facilities are stellar, our faculty and staff feel valued, and that our school continues to live up to its status as a leader in international education. I know that I speak for many in our community when I say how grateful I am for the commitment and dedication that all of those who work for the school have for our children – and for one another.
I feel privileged to serve on the FIS Board. We are a rare school that unites diverse families under the common goal of not only providing our children with a world-class education, but providing every member of our community a rich and rewarding experience as well. It is an effort in which we can all take pride because each of us has a part to play.
Julia Heraeus-Rinnert Chair, Board of Trustees
A cause for celebration: welcoming attendees
to the 2021 FIS Applefest celebration on the Oberursel Campus
November 2021 FIS World 3