Dear Parents, Children and
Friends of ISA,
It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the wo
nderful city of Augsburg and to our school! Since its opening in September 2005, International School Augsburg has grown and grown! It is a vibrant and exciting place to be! It makes me very happy to hear that our students love to come to school (I do too!). I am convinced that we are offering them an excellent education; one which challenges and supports them to be the best they can be.
ISA currently has 317 students on roll, representing 24 nationalities. We employ 49 teachers from 18 different countries. We continue to have a high percentage of local German students, along with a steadily growing international student community whose families have been transferred to the Augsburg region. We currently have an average class size of 16 and a very favourable teacher student ratio. Our facilities are excellently equipped and modern.
ISA offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma which is a recognized and respected worldwide (and in Germany) as an academically challenging yet well-balanced school leaving certificate. ISA is also a certified Cambridge Examination Centre (IGCSE). Under certain conditions, the IGCSE results may be recognized as a Bavarian Mittlere Reife. In our Lower School, we teach the IB Primary Years Programme. This inquiry-based approach to learning allows students to develop skills and understandings in authentic contexts. At the heart of all of our programs is a sincere commitment to raising internationally-minded citizens.
In addition, ISA is a member of the Council of International Schools (CIS) and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). Last school year, we began the two year self-study process which will culminate in an intensive week-long accreditation visit by a team of approximately 10 experts in Autumn 2012. This is a highly time-intensive process, but we are confident that we have both the expertise and the resources to reach our goal.
The philosophy of the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IB) has significantly shaped our school identity and culture. We are wholeheartedly committed to continuing to build our school as a happy and caring institution where both teachers and students are encouraged to learn and grow, and where all community members demonstrate compassion for other human beings and for our world.
This year, for the first time, we have a grade 12 class at ISA. This means that this spring, a group of ISA students will sit the IB Diploma examinations and become the very first ISA graduates. This is very exciting and of course, quite nerve-wracking for this group of young people. We are confident that they will do well.
In March 2012, Lower School will have a Primary Years Programme (PYP) evaluation visit. Our school received very positive feedback during the PYP authorization visit in 2008. Now the International Baccalaureate will send two representatives to take a close look at how the programme has developed since then.
Although academic success is a central goal for any school, ultimately education must be about raising well-balanced, compassionate young people who will contribute thoughtfully and wisely to their world. As the school is relatively small, teachers and students develop close friendly relationships. We derive so much joy from watching our students express and develop their talents, be they musical, dramatic, sporting or social! We have well established programmes in the performing arts and sports. We have a strong commitment to outdoor education from grade 6. Our After School Activities Programme continues to grow.
At ISA, we are aware that we are all learners (and we are all teachers too!). We know that the professional culture of a school depends not just on caring and empathetic relationships, but on an explicit commitment to student learning and on a shared understanding of how students learn and how best to teach them. With this in mind, we have started a new initiative which facilitates teachers from ELC to grade 12 regularly spending time in one another’s lessons and sharing feedback with one another. Our teachers are really excited about this opportunity for professional sharing!
Looking back on the first six years of our school’s life, I can say that it continues to be a pleasure and a great privilege to be the head of this school. During the last six years our school community has grown strong and the optimism and conviction that motivated us during the first years have intensified. We have a fantastic team of teachers, a wonderfully supportive parent body and marvelous students. There is a great deal of positive energy here. We ask you our parents, friends and visitors to contribute to this by being caring, open-minded and thoughtful in all of your interactions with us and with our students.
As we start our seventh year, I look forward to the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. I am grateful for the great support we have received from many local sources. I am confident that with the continued commitment of the ISA community, our school will continue to thrive.
Whether you are a prospective student, parent or interested teacher, I hope that browsing through these pages you not only find the information you need, but that you gain a sense of just how special this school is. We look forward to meeting you here at ISA someday.
