Page 4 - FIS World May 2019

The FIS Lifecycle
Continual transformation enhances our community
The traditional last day of school farewell is just one of the many parts of the FIS lifecycle
The lifecycle of an international school is rather unique. As this issue of FIS World goes to print, we are preparing to say goodbye to hundreds of students
and their families. Although this happens each year, it is still a difficult transition because we are in a business that is not just limited to education; we also endeavor to build and nourish relationships. Those who are leaving have played a significant role in our lives, and I know I speak for our entire community when I say that we are grateful for our shared ex- periences and hope that we can stay connected as members of the FIS family.
I do not see a school year with a beginning and an end so much as a thriving community continually experiencing a healthy cycle of transformation.
Some years, we also have departures that are so sig- nificant that they serve as milestones in the history of the school. This is one such occasion as Upper School Principal Rhiannon Wood leaves FIS for re- tirement in June. She has been a leader in our com- munity for 30 years and, as you will read later in this issue, her contributions have given her a legacy that will last the life of our school.
And yet, while this time of year seems like it is focused on closure, there is so much that blossoms within the school each spring as well. Our leadership teams are reviewing the past year to see how our newly imple- mented Accelerators have impacted learning. How have our learning coaches made a difference? How has the added teaching and counseling staff height-
ened service to students – and how can we leverage them further as we prepare for the coming year? User groups are meeting to design and purpose the new STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) facility to be built at the FISW campus, and we are pouring over survey data to learn from students and parents about the past year so we may effectively plan for the next.
With these new plans come new people as well. John Switzer will be joining us from Zurich to lead our Upper School, bringing with him his own unique strengths to establish his mark on the school. New teachers and incoming families are communicating with colleagues and peers through our social media channels to help ensure they have a smooth land- ing when they arrive in Frankfurt. And many of our teachers will be spending part of their summer with professional development opportunities and reflect- ing on the past year so that they return in August with fresh ideas.
It is for this reason that I do not see a school year with a beginning and an end so much as a thriving com- munity continually experiencing a healthy cycle of transformation. Those who leave become important members of our FIS alumni community and those who arrive bring new perspectives and enthusiasm to further enrich the life of the school. Our accom- plishments of the past year do not become trophies to gather dust, but instead are integrated as build- ing blocks to take us further in the years to come.
Paul Fochtman Head of School
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