Page 5 - FIS World December 2020

The Heart of FIS Beats Strong
The school community remains stronger together
As a parent with experience at both the FISW and FISO campuses, and now a member of the Board of Trustees, I have gained an even greater appreciation for the inner workings of the school. At the heart of the FIS engine is its Strategic Plan, a guiding blueprint to ensure our school is on a path of continuous improvement. While Covid-19 may understandably capture the headlines, our school has not reduced its focus on looking beyond this pandemic to the goals set as a community of parents, faculty and students.
At the heart of the FIS engine is its Strategic Plan, a guiding blueprint to ensure our school is on a path of continuous improvement.
For those dropping their children off at FISW, you have seen first-hand that the construction of the new ACE (Arts, Creativity and Education) Center has dramatically changed the campus landscape. Significant changes are also taking place inside the school as students enjoy the newly opened library, a new lunch catering company, and other transformative projects taking place. Our parents on this campus were also unwilling to be deterred from building community by organizing walks in the woods and nearby vineyards, attending Zoom town hall meetings, and even creating a virtual Oktoberfest to share together. Having been an FISW parent for a number of years, I know the spirit on the Wiesbaden campus runs strong and deep.
The FIS Oberursel campus also has its eyes both FISW
on the present crisis while not slowing the pace of community
progress. Faculty meet after school in teams to focus on curriculum development, enhancing FIS language programs and creating further opportunities for student leadership in our upper grade levels. A task force to address our Global Awareness strategy has been set up to strategize how the school can address issues of diversity and inclusion on both of our campuses. Professional development for faculty and staff continues virtually on our campuses, and the same is true for educational seminars offered to FIS parents.
FIS has been exemplary in keeping all of us updated on how the current pandemic is impacting our school and our students. Like other parents, I am grateful for the frequency, transparency and immediacy of these regular Covid-19 updates. However, I am equally grateful for the way in which our school’s teachers and administration have refused to allow this virus to impact FIS’ determination to achieve its mission of inspiring students to develop their intellect, cre- ativity and character.
We may feel that Covid-19 is a weight upon us all, but I want to assure you that it is not a weight that will be slowing down FIS’ pursuit of its commitment to pro- vide the best education for our children – both today and far beyond the reach of this pandemic as well.
Dr. James Beaty
Chair, Board of Trustees
members enjoyed a tour through the Rhinegau wine region in September (physically distanced of course)
December 2020 FIS World 3