International School of Zug and Luzern Switzerland Director July 2017 www.iszl.ch
ISZL at a Glance • Co-educational, not-for-profit day school with open admissions policy • 1250 students from over 60 nationalities; only 7% drawn from local population • Over 200 faculty from over 26 countries • Staff turnover of 7% • IB World School offering PYP, MYP, and DP; plus College Board APs • Accredited by CIS and NEASC
The Position ISZL is a warm and welcoming school that boasts outstanding facilities, engaging programs, and wonderful teachers. The School was formed in 2008 from a merger of three schools that date back to the mid-20th century. It is a world-class learning community that offers an exceptional academic education alongside a supportive and caring pastoral program. In a relatively short history, ISZL has become a leading international school. It offers both the International Baccalaureate Program and the American College Board-approved Advanced Placement exams. Results sit well above international school averages for both programs. The School is distinct for its pastoral care of students, strong outdoor education program, Community Education and Learning program, commitment to inquiry-based learning, and—above all—a strong community atmosphere that Mission values the input of all constituencies. The International School of Zug and Luzern (ISZL) provides a high quality Early Years to Grade 12 international education to day students resident in the Cantons of Central Switzerland.
Respect. Motivate. Achieve. ISZL promotes a climate of respect, where outstanding teachers encourage students to develop self-confidence, positive relationships, and an enthusiastic approach to learning. ISZL is committed to excellence in education through a balanced academic program. Students at ISZL share responsibility for their own learning in a caring and stimulating environment designed to promote achievement.
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ISZL is seeking a new Director, effective July 2017, to lead the School. The Director reports directly to the Board of Trustees and is an ex-officio Board member. The Board delegates daily operations to the Director, and all personnel report to him/ her as the leader of the School. This is an exciting time for an experienced leader in international education to take the reins of a relatively young but highly respected school. The successful candidate will be a sound Board partner and capable leader, a dynamic, forwardthinking presence at ISZL, and a truly international educator who is sensitive to ISZL’s mission.
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School History ISZL was formed in 2008 by the merger of three international schools: The International School of Zug, The International School of Luzern, and The Riverside School. The oldest of these was the International School of Zug, which was founded in 1961 to provide education for the children of expatriates in Zug. The International School of Luzern was founded in 2006 as a sister school to the International School of Zug to cater for the growing expatriate population in Luzern. The Riverside School was founded in 1990 as a high school. In 2001, it became the first school in Switzerland authorized to offer the IB Middle Years Program. It has been offering the College Board’s AP program since its inception. The 2008 merger resulted in the creation of a seamless EY-G12 learning experience for expatriate students in the area. Since its first enrolment of just 14 students as a small tutoring group in 1961, ISZL has grown into a world-renowned international school, committed to providing a high-quality education for students from over 60 different nationalities. The School has become a vibrant community with an innovative vision that celebrates its past, focuses on its present, and prepares for its future.
The School ISZL is a dynamic, outward looking school, constantly striving to reflect and improve upon best practices. Its current Strategic Plan outlines several goals, based on the following central idea: as a world leader in international education, its motivated students will have the skills, empathy, resilience, and ambition to embrace the challenges and opportunities of a changing world.
Strategic Plan
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Academics As an IB World School, ISZL offers three of the four IB programs: the Primary Years Program (PYP), Middle Years Program (MYP), and Diploma Program (DP), as well as AP courses. Differentiated instruction and well-resourced Learning Support and EAL Departments help teachers meet the individual learning needs of all students at the School. The program is intentionally designed to be a continual journey of self-discovery and development from the Early Years through Grade 12. Small class sizes in a supportive, encouraging, and challenging learning environment facilitate a very studentcentered approach to education. Learning begins with the Early Years Program, which brings together the philosophy of Reggio Emilia with that of the PYP. It is centered upon the belief that young children learn best through play. Faculty believes that learning in the early years is most effective when there is a balance of child-initiated play and adult-initiated learning engagements. Play and learning take place both in classrooms and outdoors. Students in the Primary Years move on to the PYP, characterized by an inquiry-based and trans-disciplinary approach to learning.
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College Acceptances The following is a partial list of colleges and universities to which ISZL graduates were recently accepted: •
The MYP is delivered across two campuses: grades 6 to 8 on the Zug Campus in Middle School and grades 9 and 10 at the High School campus in Hünenberg. Students study at least two languages in the program, culminating in projects offered in grade eight at the end of Middle School as well as in grade 10 at the end of the program itself. ISZL’s High School provides an academically challenging and balanced program that prepares students for success at university and in life beyond ISZL. In Grades 11 and 12, they can select between the IB DP and the AP programs. Students who choose the AP program have access to college-level classes in over 20 subjects. At all levels, students are exposed to a wide range of academic opportunities beyond the classroom, including residential weeks, major stage productions, sporting and creative opportunities, and learning retreats in the school’s mountain chalet. ISZL’s Pastoral Program ensures that the School provides an atmosphere conducive not only to academic excellence and success, but also to the development of social skills and a well-rounded character. The School believes that compassion and a risk-taking approach to learning are just as important as critical and creative thinking skills. The School’s Personal Development Program tangibly promotes a climate of respect, in which students are encouraged to develop self-confidence, positive relationships, and the motivation to learn. By teaching essential skills in social and emotional areas such as identity, relationships, behaviour and social norms, and healthy living, the Program provides the support structure students need in order to succeed in all areas of school life.
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IMC University of Applied Sciences Krems (AU) McGill University (CA) University of British Columbia (CA) University of Toronto (CA) University of Waterloo (CA) Sciences Po (FR) SRH University Heidelberg (DE) Philipps-University Marburg (DE) The American College of Greece (DE) The Chinese University of Hong Kong (HK) Trinity College Dublin (IE) Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (NL) Royal Academy of Arts, The Hague (NL) Delft University of Technology (NL) Utrecht University (NL) IE University (ES) CEU Cardenal Herrara University (ES) Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (CH) Durham University (GB) Imperial College London (GB) King’s College London (GB) London School of Economics and Political Science (GB) Loughborough University (GB) New College of the Humanities (GB) School of African and Oriental Studies (GB) University of Edinburgh (GB) University College London (GB) University of Bristol (GB) University of Cambridge (GB) University of St Andrews (GB) Bard College (US) Florida Institute of Technology (US) Kenyon College (US) George Washington University (US) New York University (US) Northeastern University (US) Northwestern University (US) Occidental College (US) University of California, Berkeley (US) University of Colorado at Boulder (US) University of Michigan (US) University of Virginia (US)
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Student Life ISZL is a dynamic and inspiring learning environment. Its aim is to enthuse, engage, and inspire a generation of critically aware, creative, and knowledgeable global citizens ready for the challenges and changes that lie ahead. ISZL offers a program already rich in the arts and sports, complemented by many student clubs, which make the most of its unique and stunning location in the forests and hills of Central Switzerland. Students are encouraged to participate in visual and performing arts, which provide a foundation for imagination, risk-taking, and creative expression. The School’s various studios, music rooms, and theaters allow students to pursue their interests and passions in state-of-the-art facilities. Students may also play on a variety of teams, including soccer, basketball, tennis, rugby, volleyball, track, swimming, and skiing. A wide range of clubs and activities match the diverse personalities and interests of the student body and encourage them to have fun together and make new friends. Many of the activities are offered to a range of grade levels, and students can pursue leadership roles in the later grades. Clubs are varied and exciting and include art and design, sewing, and book club (amongst others) in the Primary School; Student Council, athletics, musical clubs, newspaper, and MUN (Model United Nations) (amongst others) in the Middle and High School. The School also promotes participation in the Duke of Edinburgh Award, the world’s leading youth achievement award, giving children the opportunity to be the very best they can be.
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Physical Campuses The current facilities of ISZL are situated in four different locations and include a Chalet in Wengen, a village in the Alps. The “Zug campus” houses the Primary and Middle Schools. The main building, the Wettinger House, was constructed in the late 17th century and is surrounded by modern buildings. The Middle School building is a new, purpose-built facility comprising classrooms, offices, and dedicated science laboratories. Adjacent is a theater with a full-size stage and seating for 450 people, enabling the School to hold assemblies and special events on site. There is a fullsize gymnasium, a half-size gymnasium that is used for Early Years, and a synthetic grass sports field. The Middle School uses off-site sports facilities extensively. The Luzern campus is a primary facility. Due to a decline in the number of expatriate families in Luzern, this campus will close at the end of the 2015-16 school year and students will relocate to the Zug campus. The Riverside campus, located in Hünenberg, is home to over 340 high school students. This new campus has three principal facilities: the main building, which comprises over 20 modern classrooms, state-of-theart science labs, a library and music rooms; the triple gymnasium built in 2013, which also includes a dance studio, techno gym fitness-centre, and climbing wall; and the art factory, a dedicated modern space for visual arts. In addition, ISZL owns and runs an outdoor education centre in Wengen, in the Swiss Alps. It has 86 beds in en-suite bedrooms as well as a kitchen and dining area. It is used for the academic program, the School sports program, student leadership retreats, and staff planning retreats.
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Zug and Luzern, Switzerland Just 30 minutes apart, Zug and Luzern are beautiful lakeside towns in Central Switzerland. Zug derives its name from a fishing tradition; in the Middle Ages, the word translated to the right to “pull up” fishing nets. Residents speak Swiss German; however, over a quarter of the population comprises foreign nationals, making Zug a truly international location. Central Switzerland’s geography is diverse, including an impressive moraine landscape resulting from the Reuss glacier. Lakes and rivers punctuate the landscape and are surrounded by mountains, which provide easy access to some of the best hiking and mountain sports in the world. Luzern is the most populous city in Central Switzerland, a hub of transportation, telecommunications, and government. It is located on the shores of Lake Luzern, within sight of the Swiss Alps, and its striking vistas make it a perennial tourist attraction. Visitors flock to the city’s famous bridges, which straddle the Reuss River as it flows into Lake Luzern. Zug is 40 minutes from Zurich International Airport and 20 minutes from the cosmopolitan city of Zurich. Its location in the center of Europe allows for easy opportunities to explore some of the most loved cultural sites in the world. Zug provides an exceptional quality of life in the safe haven of Switzerland. It is a paragon of efficiency, cleanliness, and security but remains a short journey from the metropolises of Europe.
Opportunities and Challenges Opportunities The consultant’s first meeting at the School was with a group of fifth and sixth graders who took him on a tour of the School. If one is to judge a school by its students, then ISZL is an outstanding one: these students were confident, articulate, enthusiastic, happy, and eager to show the consultant how special their school is and the many opportunities they have both inside and outside the classroom. The next Director will work with a solid leadership team and a dedicated group of nurturing, hard-working teachers who serve as learning leaders for students in the classroom and beyond. The unusually high retention rate among teachers and administrators is testament to the sense of community and collaboration as well as to a high level of professional growth opportunities provided by the School.
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ISZL is well-resourced and has strong financials. It is governed by a small, dedicated self-appointed Board of Trustees, of which the Director is an ex officio member. ISZL is a happy place—for students, parents, teachers, and administrators. Challenges Consolidation. After a period of exceptional growth following the merger of the three schools in 2008, the School is entering a period of stability. The appointee will need to build on the legacy of the current Director, who has gathered a strong leadership team and a body of teachers who take pride in their hard work and desire to grow professionally. Collaboration. The next Director should foster close collaboration between campuses and across programs to ensure a continuum in the EY-G12 curriculum and extracurricular offerings. Community. With its expatriate student population, ISZL operates, as one would expect, in a bit of a “bubble” vis-à-vis the larger community. The next Director will need not only to ensure that relations with the local administration and international companies remain strong but will also need to expand on efforts to connect with the wider community. Campus Development. While the facilities at the Riverside campus are first-rate and well maintained, plans are already underway to address additional needs on the Zug campus. The new Director will be expected to oversee these improvements and, consequently, do friend- and fund-raising. Curriculum. The next Director must reconcile the demand to effectively prepare students in 21st century skills, with a very real need to provide them with subject-specific mastery for university entrance requirements. College Entry. As the leader of a relatively new school with exceptionally high exam results, the next Director will be expected to further forge relationships with top colleges and universities.
Profile of the next Director The Board of ISZL is seeking a dynamic, forward-thinking, and experienced educational leader who will partner with the Board and work effectively with a strong leadership team and dedicated faculty. He or she will be expected to find opportunities for the School to remain one of the top international schools in the world. The next Director should be a truly international educator who is sensitive to ISZL’s mission of serving an expatriate student population in the context of Switzerland. Experience • • • • • •
Experience in an administrative capacity at an international school Teaching and administrative experience Understands the IB and AP curricula Experience in recruiting/retaining high-quality teaching staff Financial planning German language or willingness to learn German
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Personal Skills and Attributes • • • • •
A strong communicator in all areas A balanced visionary and a pedagogical thinker A pragmatic and inspirational leader, consultative in style A team player who is prepared to listen and work with all stakeholders An open, approachable individual, willing to be a visible presence and interact with students
To Apply Interested candidates should submit as soon as possible the following materials confidentially as separate PDF attachments in one e-mail to John Chandler, Fred Wesson, or Art Charles at the addresses below. • Cover letter addressed to the Search Consultants expressing interest that details reasons for perceived fit • Current CV covering education, experience, and related professional experience • Statement of educational philosophy • List of five referees with names, phone numbers, and email addresses for each – referees will be contacted only with the candidate’s permission. John Chandler | Fred Wesson | Art Charles Senior Search Consultants john.chandler@carneysandoe.com | fred.wesson@carneysandoe.com | art.charles@carneysandoe.com Senior Search Consultants Carney, Sandoe & Associates
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