Page 24 - FIS World May 2019

Retiree Roundup
Retiring faculty and staff reflect on their time at FIS/FISW
22 FIS World May 2019
As the first official day of summer approaches, there’s always a buzz of excitement in the air as students – and their teachers – start making plans for travel adventures, learning opportunities beyond the classroom, or simply a handful of carefree days to just rest and relax. But for ten members of FIS/ FISW’s faculty and staff, the end of this school year
signals an even bigger event: retirement. Upper School students from Ms. Aodhnait Donnelly’s Creative Writing Class have interviewed our 2019 retirees and have captured some of their reflections on their time here at school, which collectively totals 280 years!
Joni Ammon, ES Art, 44 Years
Joni Ammon has been at FIS for 44 years, longer than any other member of the faculty. A self-pro- claimed “dinosaur,” she has seen lots of changes in the school but is extremely grateful to FIS and said that the school has shaped her “whole adult life.” “I really feel like I landed in one of the best interna- tional schools ever,” she said. “I can’t imagine having a better job anywhere else because I think the edu- cational standard here is so high. I’m lucky to have worked in a school where they really appreciate the arts: music, drama, art, and dance.”
Chantal Cordwell, ES ICT Support, 41 Years
Chantal Cordwell has been working at FIS for more than 40 years, starting as a classroom assistant in the Primary School before moving on to tech sup- port in the Elementary School. She says that she has been very fortunate to work at FIS and that she will miss the day-to-day contact with her colleagues, her friends and the children. When asked about advice she would give to anyone working with young kids and tech, she emphasized the importance of keep- ing up with technological innovation. In fact, that is one of the reasons she thinks her job is never bor- ing:“You are constantly learning about new technol- ogy so you can teach the kids.”
Jan Dettlaff, FIS Band, 37 years
As a young boy, Mr. Dettlaff played everything from the harmonica to the tuba. He had always known that he loved music but wasn’t sure about wanting a musical career until he came to FIS. When he re- ceived a job offer he decided it was an opportunity he couldn’t miss out on and he hasn’t looked back since. “There have been hundreds of strange and wonderful things [that have happened at FIS],” he says. Mr. Dettlaff has appreciated being immersed in so many different cultures over the years and has thoroughly enjoyed his time in the FIS community.