Annual Report 2014-15
Welcome to Copenhagen International School
VISION
EDUCATING CHAMPIONS OF A JUST AND SUSTAINABLE WORLD
MISSION LEARNING TO BUILD COMMUNITY
Founded in 1963, CIS is the premier international school in Greater Copenhagen with students and staff from 70 different countries. The school is a Founding Member of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program and offers the IB Primary Years Program, the IB Middle Years Program and the IB Diploma Program to students aged 3 to 19.
CIS will develop the potential of each student by offering educational excellence in a stimulating environment of cultural diversity and mutual respect.
GOALS LEARNING
BUILD
CIS is a member of the European Council of International Schools and accredited by the Council of International Schools as well as the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. Accreditation by these agencies provides access and transition for CIS students to other top international schools in the world.
STRATEGIC PILLARS
Staff Recruit and retain the best staff in an increasingly competitive global education market. Teaching & Learning Provide a high-quality, varied educational programme for a diverse student population. Sustainability Promote long-term sustainable practice.
CURIOUS
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COMMUNITY
Leadership Provide clear direction in the execution of the CIS vision and mission.
CIS Build an effective, life-long network to support students, parents and staff.
Management Create and document policies, procedures and practices to ensure the smooth functioning of the school in the service of its vision and mission.
Local Build connections with the local community that promote mutual support and collaborative learning.
Facilities Provide a safe venue that ensures academic, physical and social growth and well-being.
RESOURCEFUL
RESPECTFUL
International Build connections with the international community that promote mutual support and collaborative learning.
RESPONSIBLE
The CIS Board For ordinary people, being in your fifties inevitably comes with the realisation that keeping the same pace as 25 years ago is a challenge. For a school, such concerns are blissfully absent. CIS has come through another eventful year, where its vision (to educate champions of a just and sustainable world) and its mission (learning to build community) served as guiding principles. This year, the Board has again combined its normal duties with the added excitement of being involved in the building of a new school campus in Nordhavn. Full credit goes to the New School committee with members Brian Sidle, Kat Dumez and Jason Evans for liaising with ECIS and the project team tasked with building this new campus. Several milestones were reached in this project, and in May 2015 we hope to see the laying of the foundation stone of what promises to be a stunning building. The Finance Committee, with members Lars Krogsgård and Andy Reynolds, collaborated with the school’s CFO to maintain a solid grip on our financial and fiscal health, crucial at any time but even more so with the ambitious new campus. Meanwhile the Communications committee supported the school’s Communications Director in the development of a tailored marketing and communication plan in order to continue to brand CIS as the school of choice for expats coming to Denmark, or any other families wishing to provide an international education for their children. A continued rise in student numbers is fundamental to populate and run the new campus, and so the tireless efforts
of members Olga Insua, Kees-Jan de Vries and Sylvia Scharf are gratefully acknowledged. The Governance committee with members Cecile della Torre, Heiko Henkel and Nienke Vermeer-Little finalised the revision of the school’s policies and procedures, updated and (re)organised the board’s archives, liaised with the Director and Chair on questions of board composition and philosophy, and spearheaded the annual election, thanks to which we can continue to supply the Board with enthusiastic volunteer members. Vital work behind the scenes. All in all, great efforts done by people who believe in CIS. And thanks to a new influx of members to the Board, this work will continue.The joy of welcoming these new members is always somewhat mitigated by the sadness of saying goodbye to those who leave the Board. This year we say goodbye to Olga Insua, Kees-Jan de Vries and Heiko Henkel. Their enthusiasm, commitment and wisdom have been of great value to the school, we thank them and wish them the very best in their next locations. Looking ahead, for the academic year 2015-2016 the Board envisages a continuation of the work of the subcommittees. In addition, we will be exploring the concept of Governance as Leadership in terms of our Board approach. And last but certainly not least, we will be closely following the work of the Cultural Advisory Group, to ensure that the unique CIS culture moves with us to the new campus in 2017. Long live CIS. Brit van Ooijen, Board Chair Page 3
From the Director The 2014-15 school year, as is generally the case at CIS, started with a flurry of activity and hasn’t quieted down appreciably since then. That’s to be expected though in any good school and was essentially true all of last school year as well. CIS is the largest international school in Scandinavia and growing. We are approaching 900 students now and expect to have at least that many when we make the eagerly anticipated move to our new Nordhavn Campus during the 2016-17 school year. In addition to the daily implementation of the three IB programs and associated development, the school has continued to improve our support services programs. This has allowed us to address one of the overarching goals from the school’s Strategic Framework, which is to “Provide a high-quality, varied educational Page 4
programme for a diverse student population. At the same time our sports teams are practicing hard and competing with schools locally and within the NECIS region. Our service programs are flourishing, an example being the Team Peru group actively building a solid development and fundraising infrastructure in anticipation of their biennial trip to the Mama Cocha Children’s Home during the 2015-16 school year. This year we have also successfully conducted two administrative searches for principals in the primary and middle schools. Mr. Heikki Soini will be leaving CIS in June after six productive years at the helm of the primary school and Ms. Leanne Dunlap will be setting sail for Hong Kong after four equally fulfilling years in the middle school. Both have overseen significant growth and program maturation during their tenures and have along with fine staffs laid solid foundations for the incoming principals, Mark Hansen and Karen Rohrs in the primary and middle schools, respectively.
There is one final administrative search to be conducted this school year as well. Together, the board and I have determined that next year will be my last at CIS before my wife, Joyce, and I head back to North Carolina after thirty years on the international school circuit. The board has contracted with a widely known international school consultancy group to assist them with their search, which will conclude with the appointment of a new director in September or October of next school year. There are exciting times ahead for the school and our vibrant community, which is why I am confident that the candidate pool will be deep, experienced and talented. The board will select a new director who will guide the school as it moves into a new campus and sets its sights on new horizons with the same energy as has always been the case at CIS. Walter Plotkin, Director
Primary School The Primary School at CIS consists of 440 students representing over 45 nationalities, and numerous cultures and mother tongue languages. We enrich our academic programme through the cultural diversity and experiences that our students and their families bring to CIS. Combined with the local Danish culture, we are able to provide our students with a rich and
varied learning environment. In the fall Primary School participated in the Danish nation-wide Motionsdag initiative, promoting physical movement and a healthy lifestyle. We also celebrated Cultures and UN Day in every class by dressing up in national costumes and colors as well as exploring all the global UN missions. The day culminated in an assembly presenting flags, dances and music from around the world. PYP Discos are highlights for the Primary School students and we have held a couple this past year. The Student Council organizes food, music, venue and entertainment for these very popular events. These are also the main fund raisers for the Student Council. The CIS Festival of lights celebrates Christmas and other international traditions in December. Again this year, the Swedish Santa Lucia festivity with its touching songs and candle parade spread a warm ambiance to the whole school community. Fastelavn is a Danish traditional celebration involving wooden barrels, candy and a cat (not real!) in the barrel for the students to break into as they bash the barrel with a wooden stick. Winners of the competition are
crowned as queens and kings, and everybody gets a little candy. This year, the students prepared plays, games and songs for an assembly where we all enjoyed the Danish culture and tradition around Fastelavn. For our grade 3 students the most memorable moment was welcoming Denmark’s first astronaut, CIS graduate Andreas Mogensen, back to his old school. Andreas told a rapt audience about life in outer space - and he answered a wide range of questions including how one sleeps and goes to the toilet in space... Again this school year internal moderation done by teachers and external assessment results through MAP and ACER demonstrate that Primary School continues to have a rigorous academic program and that all students meet and many exceed the expectations. We have provided four full days and six afternoon sessions of internal Professional Development to all staff in the Primary School. Additionally, more than 80% of staff have attended carefully targeted external Professional Development during the school year. Heikki Soini, Primary School Principal
Andreas Mogensen, the first Danish Astronaut and former CIS student visits the school
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Equitable Advocating for and ensuring every student’s right to learn and providing appropriately challenging and relevant learning opportunities for every student.
Middle School We began developing the first ever middle school at CIS in 2011 and over the course of the past four years we have developed all the essential attributes of an exemplary middle level program so that today, CIS Middle School is: Developmentally responsive Using the distinctive nature of young adolescents as the foundation upon which all decisions about school organization, policies, curriculum, instruction, and assessment are made. Challenging Ensuring that every student learns and every member of the learning community is held to high expectations. Empowering Providing all students with the knowledge and skills they need to take responsibility for their lives, to address life’s challenges, to function successfully at all levels of society, and to be creators of knowledge. Page 6
The middle school years are times of rapid change and development, and the social, emotional, physical and intellectual needs of students are diverse. While focusing on meeting these needs, the middle school prepares students for high school by offering the first three years of the IB Middle Years Program. We have established a one to one digital learning environment where students bring laptops to class. All middle school students take the following yearlong classes: English, Individuals & Societies, Science, Math, PE, Danish, Design and either French, German or Spanish. In addition students take semester classes in Art, Drama and Music. The major goal for each CIS middle school student is to become a fully functioning, self-actualized person. Toward this goal we provide opportunities so each young adolescent should: • • • • • • • • • •
Become actively aware of the larger world Be able to think rationally and critically and express thoughts clearly Read deeply & independently Learn in the real world using digital tools Be a good steward of the earth Approach learning and understanding conceptually Develop his or her strengths, particular skills, talents, or interests Recognize, articulate, and make responsible, ethical decisions Respect and value diversity Develop their interpersonal and social skills
Advisors meet daily with small student groups to provide academic and social support. The main goals of our advisory program are: • Establish a smaller advocacy group that knows and cares about each other • Address issues of community to ensure a positive climate • Promote open communication and problem solving strategies • Provide extra support for each student’s academic progress • Help students grow and develop academically, emotionally, morally, and socially. Leanne Dunlap, Middle School Principal
Senior School In Senior School at CIS we follow the academic programs of the International Baccalaureate Organisation in order to offer our students a rigorous and stimulating curriculum. Our students have three pathways to graduation: the full IB Diploma, the High School Diploma with IB courses, and the High School Diploma. We are dedicated to helping students to be successful, whichever path they choose. Our programs prepare students for universities and careers worldwide, and we are extremely proud of
the excellent examination results that our students consistently achieve. The number of students entering the Diploma Program at CIS has been growing steadily over the past five years, and we have become increasingly inclusive, but the school’s Diploma results remain consistently significantly above the world average. Graduates from CIS go on to universities around the world. Recent graduates are attending Princeton, MIT, Northeastern, Georgetown, Copenhagen Business School, Cambridge, Durham, Warwick and Edinburgh, NYU Abu Dhabi, Queensland University of Technology, amongst many others. We appreciate diversity and value what makes each one of us unique. Our graduating class of 2014, of 59 students, held citizenships from 23 countries, spoke 19 different languages, and applied to universities in 11 countries on 4 continents. The core of excellence at CIS are the talented and multicultural faculty; dedicated professionals with a commitment to on-going development, as demonstrated by frequent attendance at regional and international conferences, IB training, and subjectspecific workshops. Many of our teachers are also
Examiners and Workshop leaders for the IB. This annual report showcases many of the worthwhile activities which our students undertake, developing their talents and challenging themselves to grow. Beyond the classroom, they participate in a variety of excursions, retreats, trips and activities that complement the curriculum. Their work helping others is inspiring; the determination and resilience they show in their sporting endeavours is commendable. They are heavily involved in the school’s vision of building community, both locally - planning social events with the PTA, running activities and discos for the Primary School, participating in local MUN and speaking competitions - and internationally: such as working with micro-credit in Ghana to empower women, and supporting orphanages in Peru. We are very proud of the widespread influence that they have, and the power they demonstrate to affect positive change. We continue to strive to find new ways to help our students become champions of a just and sustainable world. Caroline Brokvam, Senior School Principal Page 7
May 2014 Exams
CIS IB Diploma The Class of 2014 was the third fully inclusive group of Diploma Program students and CIS’s largest ever graduating class. Learning Support was formally provided to assist seven students while three students were supported by the EAL Department. Overall, our 2014 results were well above world average and on a par with similar schools around the world. At the top end of the mark scale, we had a number of students who performed exceptionally well, and have moved on to some of the world’s most prestigious universities. A number of students, some with intensive learning needs, have, just as successfully, passed the Diploma, despite challenging circumstances, and have been accepted to study subjects about which they are passionate. We are proud of all our May 2014 graduates!
CIS 2014
IB Diploma Statistics Number of candidates registered in the session
60
Number of Diploma Programme candidates registered
56
Number of Diploma Courses candidates registered
1
Number of Re-take students registered
3
Number of Diploma candidates who passed the Diploma
48 (86%)
CIS 2014
University Acceptance University of Cambridge, Economics University of Warwick, English and Creative Writing MIT: Massachusetts Institute of Technology University of Copenhagen, Physics Aberdeen University, Molecular Biology University of Leiden, Astronomy King’s College, French Lund University, Physics University of Dundee, International Business Copenhagen Business School, European Business University of Exeter
Average points obtained by candidates who passed the Diploma
33
Loughborough University, Human Biology
Highest Diploma points awarded to a candidate
43
University of Nottingham, Music
Brunel University, International Arbitration Royal Holloway, Management with International Business
Average grade obtained at the school by candidates who passed the Diploma
5.23
Colby University, full scholarship
Number of subject entries
458
Parson’s Parish School of Art and Design
Copenhagen Business School, Business Adm. and Service Mgmt. Western University, Ontario, Medical Sciences University of Dundee, Computer Science Keio University, Japan The Rose Hulman Institute of Technology, (US), Engineering Deferred entry to Bangor University, Zoology with Herpetology KEA, Copenhagen School of Design and Technology Australia University of Tasmania, Marine Science Amsterdam University College, Liberal Arts and Sciences North Carolina State University The University of Delaware, Engineering Aarhus University, Economics and Business Administration Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University University of Hertfordshire, Mechanical Engineering University of Worcester, Biology Universita per Mediatori Linguistici Gregorio (Languages)
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Student Services Over the past school year, we have continued to work collaboratively with our colleagues to support the ongoing development of our school-wide Inclusionary Program. Our service-delivery model consists of four graduated levels of support, i.e. mild, moderate, intensive, and intensive plus. These levels represent moving along the continuum from push-in support only in the classroom, to a combination of push-in/ pull-out, to the provision of different levels of additional support (Intensive/Intensive Plus) from the Learning Support Assistant. Recently, we have hosted a visit by members of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Curriculum (Inclusion) Management Team. The purpose of the visit was for IB staff to create three training videos which focused on Inclusion in our Diploma Program, MYP,
and across the entire school. These videos will be used internationally to help train staff from other IB schools on matters related to responsible Inclusion. Because we believe that the placement of a student in a particular class does not exclusively represent Inclusion, we want to help staff acquire some of the competencies they need to have to support all students in the class, e.g. differentiation. Therefore, throughout the year, members of the Student Services Teams across school levels have presented Professional Development (PD) offerings to their colleagues, and recently teachers from General Education have joined them in collaborative Information-Sharing sessions across the school. School Counselors, too, have participated in these sessions. These PD offerings have focused primarily on topics related to further developing responsible Inclusion programs across our school.
The School Health Nurse has been actively involved in guiding and presenting our school-wide Health Promotion programs. Additionally, she is committed to being available as a Consultant to all teachers, whenever necessary. Since she is also a member of the Gentofte Municipality staff, she assists teams to make those important connections with professional members of the helping network in Copenhagen. Our School Counselors have been working on the development, implementation, and informal evaluation of the International School Counselor Association (ISCA) model in our school. At the Secondary level, School Counselors also provide College Counseling which assists our High School students to find the university or college program, globally, that matches their talents and future aspirations. Karen Watts, Director of Student Support Services Page 9
Co-Curricular Activities
• We have joined the Grand Prix Basketball League, organized by the Danish Basketball Association, where we have teams, comprised of students from grades 2-11, competing in monthly tournaments since October. Our U10 Boys Team has won 16, lost one and tied one. Our U16 Boys team has won 15 and lost 3.
Activities programs at CIS are growing exponentially as the school seeks to foster co-curricular, comprehensive education that affords students with the opportunities to excel beyond the classroom. Recognizing that the needs of the 21st century student are project and performance oriented where leadership and teamwork are essential, co-curricular activities are clearly the vehicle to develop these dispositions. Additionally, with the completion of the new campus in 2017, CIS will have first-rate facilities that will provide greater opportunities to deliver comprehensive education that is truly holistic.
We are well on the way to elevating sport at CIS in our desire to provide opportunities for our students to excel beyond the classroom. Go Hawks! Robert Reynolds, Athletics Director
Sport is life! For those who play sport, we know that the essential qualities of dedication, discipline, self-confidence, perseverance, teamwork and passion are generated when an athlete takes to the pitch, court, track or pool. We know that Sport is Life! And it is thriving at CIS with over 575 participants in our sports program in the 2014-15 school year. To provide for the needs of the sporty student, NECIS remains a central force, driving the sports program and so far this school year we have experienced great success with the following results: • Cross Country – 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place for U12 girls, 10th place U12 boys, 7th Place U14 Boys and 2nd and 3rd place for +16 girls. Out of 200 overall participants, CIS had 13 runners. • U14 Girls Basketball – 2nd Place • Varsity Girls Basketball – 2nd Place • Swimming Team – 53 medals: 10 Gold, 12 silver, 31 bronze and three new NECIS Records • Junior Varsity Girls Basketball – 4th Place Page 10
After School Activities
Beyond NECIS, a key initative this year in line with our desire to offer comprehensive education has been to provide more opportunities to play competitive sports for all students. To achieve this objective, we have been engaged in the following: • We have formed closed teams at Skjold, a local soccer club, since last April, where grades 2-12 play in the local Danish tournaments throughout the school year.
At CIS, we believe that our school serves as the center of a close knit and vibrant community. When the school day ends, life continues and the school is abuzz with life and after school activities. We have a busy and diverse After School Activities program where our students can participate in a variety of activities which include arts and crafts, design, dance, music, and sport. We try to expose our students to activities that are popular both locally in the Danish community, as well as other activities from around the world. Last year we saw the introduction of some popular Danish sports like Badminton, Handball and Table Tennis. We are in the process of introducing the very popular street sport, Parkour, to our school community. We have an exciting Lego Robotics club and our groups competed with other Danish schools from all around Denmark. We have a fantastic Jazz Dance group which has performed all over Denmark. With over 25
The Arts The Arts are a unique form of expression that provide us with many opportunities to create, stimulate, engage and challenge ourselves. By participating in Arts activities we commit to a powerful act that strengthens our sense of community and helps us better understand both ourselves and others.
activities to choose from, a CIS student can never say that they are bored! We are also lucky to provide an internship program for promising students who are pursuing an education in primary years teaching and physical education. We have worked hard in the last several years to grow our ASA program to the Middle School aged students. The most popular so far is our Lego Robotics and Chess clubs. With an ever growing student body, our ASA program has had to change its registration and billing system to better suit the hundreds and hundreds of invoices and registrations that happen in our three-season school year calendar. With the help of our IT department, we have developed more efficient, accurate and fair registration and billing systems. We have had great feedback and will continue to streamline this effort and constantly make improvements. Sarai Halliday, After School Activities Coordinator
Learning how to play a musical instrument helps to develop cognitive skills, self-confidence, resilience and creativity. At CIS, The Stringlets program gives students in grades Pre-K and Kindergarten the opportunity to learn the violin or cello as part of the after school instrumental music program. Students are in groups of three and meet weekly, or on a specific day in the cycle. They perform in school assemblies and events such as the Festival of Lights and the Spring Fair. The Stringlets are in their third year and many students in the program have continued into grade 1. There are now 19 Stringlets students in grades Pre-K and Kindergarten and 12 students in grades 1 and 2. As the program expands in numbers of students and quality in the level of playing, the students’ collaborative music making will be the basis for a string instrumental program in the future.
and Rachit Kumar. The concert was a CAS (Community, Action & Service) project for the students, working in collaboration with the school’s Music Department and the Charity Club, who sent the proceeds of the concert to a microcredit project for women in Ghana. The concert brought together students, parents and faculty in a celebration of classical music at a delightful venue, the Unitarian Church Østerbro. Shakespeare remains universally relevant and popular almost 400 years after his death and the High School theatre students have engaged and explored with his timeless themes and ideas throughout this school year. The theatre class participated in the International Schools Theatre Association’s Theatre Arts Programme Symposium (TAPS) in Stratfordupon-Avon, where they undertook intensive theatre workshops and the over 40 students were involved in this year’s school play, the highly successful production of Shakespeare’s A Winter’s Tale. Darren Howard, Head of Arts
In addition to The Stringlets, CIS is fortunate to have a number of visiting professional musicians who provide high-quality instruction through after school instrumental lessons. Participation in these lessons remain very popular with opportunities to learn violin, viola, cello, flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, percussion, guitar, piano and voice. A wonderful highlight of this year, from the High School music program, was an inaugural Charity Concert initiated by two grade 12 students, Gergana Gyuleva Page 11
Gala THE GIVING TREE
Finance The fiscal year 2014 ended with a profit of DKK 8.4 M. compared to a profit of DKK 4.4 M in 2013. The total income amounted to DKK 143.8 M. Costs were DKK 134.4 M. and financial expenses DKK 1 M. On average, 189.1 staff members were employed full-time in 2014. The main part of the school revenue in 2014 was tuition, but another important source is the subsidy from the Danish Government.
The Director, Mr Walter Plotkin cordially invites you to The First Annual “Giving Tree” Gala Ball
TH E GI VI NG TR EE
All donations are However, to be welcome, big or small. officially acknow the following ledged you have options:
4 leve ls of giv ing 1. Donor DKK 1000 For a donation of DKK 1000 you CIS Donor and become a will get a leaf with personal messa ge engraved on your name or (You get a new the Tree. leaf every time/year you
donate DKK 1000)
2. Contributor DKK 200 For a donation of entered on a List DKK 200 your name will be put up next to of CIS Contributors which will the Giving Tree be 3. Patron DKK 5000 For a donation of DKK 5000 you Patron and will become a CIS get a medium size plaque with name and year on the trunk of your the tree 4. Benefactor DKK 10000 For a donation of CIS Benefactor. DKK 10000 or more you becom This is an oppor e graduating class tunity for a whole a with your names or a family to get a big plaque and year on the trunk.
To the best teache in the world
rs
Customize a person message on your al leaf for The Giving Tree
The Blo
omquist
Family
Your donation will help us estab lish a CIS Community Schol will enable a wide arship Fund which r range of famil to join the CIS ies comm their child a world unity and to givie class education.
The CIS Endow ment (CIS US Your donation Foundation) will which will eventu help us build a CIS Endow ment fund one or more ally generate enough intere st to scholarships.
On-line donations
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re, Er
ik
In Support of Copenhagen International School’s Community Scholarship Fund
Other income 9% Government subsidy 28%
Your donation
to CIS is tax deduc
Saturday, 1st November 2014, 7PM – 1AM Charlottehaven Hjorringgade 12C, 2100 Kobenhavn Ø
The focus of the school’s administration remains to be to ensure a sound approach to the operational and fiscal management of the school while committing to deliver a consistently outstanding educational experience for our students. The aim is to continue to allocate the main part of our revenues to our core activity: student learning. In 2014 75% of the school’s costs were connected to this area. Welcome Drink Buffet including Wine during the meal Dessert, Coffee, Tea Entertainment Cost: DKK 500 per person
Birgitte Høgh, Chief Financial Officer
Administration 13% Property mgmt 12% Donations 1%
In May 2014 CIS launched the new CIS Community Scholarship Fund under the name of “The Giving Tree” and by the end of 2014, donations from parents, staff and students totaled approx. DKK 0.2 M. We expect to be able to offer our first two-year scholarship in August 2016. Page 12
like to support.
Other teaching cost 8% Saleries, teaching 67%
Make a differenc e and donate to the CIS Community Scholarship Fund . Donors will be honored by having their nam es engr aved onto the Giving Tree.
tible.
The Copenhagen International 501(c)(3) organiza School tion in the United US Foundation is an associate States. d
Distribution of cost
Tuition 62%
g
funds you would
D R E S S Co D E : S M A R T C A S uA l
Source of income
: www.cis.dk/givin
For more inform ation please contac t: Thomas Nielsen Director of Commu nications & Develo Email: tmn@c pment is.dk Phone: +45 27244899 How to make a donation Donations can be Netbank, to the made by bank transfer or account below: Account Holder ...... Bank.................... CIS Registration No..... Nordea Bank 2228 Account No..... ...... IBAN.................... 8476 484 554 DK8820008476 SWIFT/BIC.... 484554 .........NDEADKKK Please indicate which of the two
X I wa
TH E GI VI N TR EE
The money that you of two funds, accord donate will go into one ing to your prefer ence: The CIS Comm unity Scholarship Your donation Fund will in need of financ go directly to eligible studen ial support to ts in Nordhavn. join our new school
A world-class
education
Admissions
Nationality distribution
Growth
CIS has experienced continued growth in student numbers through the last several years and expects an increased demand in Copenhagen for international schooling in the coming years. In order to be able to continue to serve the Greater Copenhagen area with international schooling it has been decided that CIS in 2016/2017 will move into a newly built campus in Nordhavn. The new campus will be able to accommodate approximately 1,200 students from pre-kindergarten through high school. In 2014 the average student number was 837 which is an increase of 3% compared to 2013.
Intake of new students 350 300
Average student number 1000 900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200
318 271
250
France 2% Australia 3% Germany 3% India 5%
Others 31%
Holland 4%
200 150 100 50 0
Growth
300
329
2011/12
2012/13
2013/14
2014/15
• 20-25% of the student body will relocate from one school year to another – keeping the retention at a 75 - 80% rate; • 39% of the student body has been enrolled for the past three years, 19% for the past four years. 61 of our current students have been at CIS for six years or more; • Our 866 students represent 70 different nationalities; • More than ¼ of our students carry two or more passports exemplifying the true nature of international schools’ DNA. CIS is very proud of our diversity and we look forward to welcoming the growth in nationalities that the new campus will encompass.
UK 12%
USA 19%
Denmark 14%
Note: The nationality distribution illustration reflects the students who represent one single nationality or have listed the country as their 1st nationality if multiple.
Christiane Conradt-Eberlin, Head of Admissions
100 0
2011
2012
2013
2014
The growth in student numbers has led to increased activity in the Admissions Office. During the academic year 2011/12 300 new students enrolled at CIS. This number has increased to 329 during the current academic year 2014/15. Page 13
The New Campus Ejendomsfonden CIS (ECIS, the Copenhagen International School Property Fund) was established to build the new CIS campus which will be situated on a peninsula in Nordhavn in Copenhagen. In 2013 all the major preconditions for building the new campus in Nordhavn were clarified including the zone plan, agreement with the Copenhagen Malmø Port regarding the building plot, and the funding of the project through donations and a bank loan. In addition, the building program was prepared and a conceptual design reflecting the school’s functional requirements for the new campus was finalized. In 2014 a more detailed project was drawn and after approval, the detailed project with drawings and descriptions was finalized. The necessary permissions to start the expansion of the land into the harbor basin and to build the campus were obtained. The expansion of the building plot into the water by hammering steel pillars into the seabed and filling up with 60,000 tons of sand was completed in October 2014. The foundation and drain work commenced immediately thereafter. In late summer 2014 the cooperation with the previously selected contractor was terminated. The ECIS found that the draft agreement did not meet the primary goal of signing a turnkey contract, which was a non-negotiable functionality and quality within the ECIS budget. As a result, the commissioning of the new campus has been postponed from August 2016 to the turn of the year 2016-2017. Subsequently, the ECIS contracted with four major contractors, each covering several aspects of the construction. The building can still be realized within the initial budget, and due to the change of contractors Page 14
a significantly improved overall quality has been obtained. In March 2015 the construction work on top of the foundations started and before the end of 2015, the entire main structure will be completed and facades without the final cladding will be completed. The facades on the two lowest floors, where all common facilities are situated, will be covered with bricks, glass and wooden slats. At the turn of 20142015, it was decided to study the possibility of using solar panels as a façade on the rest of the building. This option looks promising and is expected to be resolved in the first quarter of 2015. Through 2014 there has been close co-operation between CIS and ECIS, primarily through regular meetings in the New School Committee, comprising representatives from the CIS Board of Directors, management and the ECIS. A thorough user dialogue has been conducted at the end of the outline proposal in early 2014 as well as in situations where there has been a need to involve teacher expertise on the use of special facilities like science rooms, the theater, sports facilities, etc. The ECIS has chosen to use video as the on-going form of communication to project stakeholders including CIS teachers, students and parents. So far five videos have been released, which along with press releases are available on the CIS website. Per Anker Hansen, ECIS Project Director
Major Donors • The Moller Foundation
(A.P. Møller og Hustru Chastine Mc-Kinney Møllers Fond til almene Formaal)
• Novo Nordisk Fonden • Villum Fonden • Dampskibsselskabet NORDEN A/S // D/S Orients Fond • Hempel Fonden • Augustinus Fonden
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PTA The 2014/15 school year brought many changes to the PTA. First, our tax status was finally cleared up and we are now able to raise money without worry of a maximum amount per year. This made all our activities much easier to organise. There were several new positions created and a leadership team was established. The team created a set of goals for the year. Our first, as always is to build community and welcome new families. We have had several social events, beginning with the Welcome Coffee in September, the Page 16
Wine and Cheese Evening and Halloween. All were well attended and the feedback from the new families has been very positive. The Holiday Fair followed and we are currently planning the Spring Fair. We are very excited to have staff and teachers joining in the Spring Fair effort. It will make the spring fair a true Parent/ teacher event. Our second goal was to work with the students to help them achieve their goals. We help by meeting with the students in their planning stages, offering advice and solutions and assisting to market the event. Team Peru, Charity Club and the Prom Committee have all help very successful events with the help of
our parents. Other students have earned CAS hours for the Nordic Network event, also assisted by our parents. The mentoring initiative is benefiting both the parents and the students and we look forward to new opportunities next year. Our third goal was internal. We planned to update our PTA web page, create history for all upcoming PTA leadership volunteers by making email and google drive folders with all our correspondence and activity plans. We wanted to make the act of volunteering a bit easier and I feel we have accomplished this. Liz Woodhour, PTA Chair
Charities Team Peru
Team Peru supports the Mama Cocha Children’s Home for children with special needs in Peru. This year we have raised around DKK 76.000 through fundraisers such as FunRun in September, Salsa Night in January, hosting birthday parties throughout the year, making crafts to sell at Spring and Winter Fair, working at PTA functions such as Wine & Cheese Evening, and Child Minding students on PYP Orientation Evenings. We still have the Spring Fair, Nordic Network, and NECIS Track & Field to try and raise even more money in order to reach our goal of DKK 100.000. We are currently about 50 members, including three teachers, and as we are such a large group we have incorporated two team building days where we sleep in shelters in the woods, play games, cook on a bonfire and do lots of other activities to try to bring everybody together. As something new this year, we have started working with a team of parents who, together with our students, are in charge of developing new strategies for branding & communication as well as sustainability. A number of Middle School students have expressed an interest in joining Team Peru, and at this moment we are working with Middle School Staff for them to start a ‘Mini Team Peru’.
BRAP
The Burmese Refugee Assistance Program (BRAP) completed yet another successful educational mission to Thailand and Myanmar from June 25th to August 12th, 2014. The students conducted fieldwork with the support of the local indigenous Lisu and Karen tribes. Living alongside these tribes, students learned about sustainable farming practices, livelihoods, and resilience of such initiatives first hand. A number of the students collected that data was later used in their extended essays. In addition to their principal fieldwork, the students were also supported by the Lego Company who donated 140 kilos of Lego that was subsequently donated to a Burmese Refugee School near the city of Maesot, Thailand. The Lego represents the first largescale donation of school materials that the school has received in ten years. Kristjan Jespersen
The Charity Club Charity Club students go to Ghana to see how microcredit really works Some small loan organizations do not have the best interest of their customers in mind and there has been warranted criticism of microcredit schemes. CIS students lived with the families of the Charity Club sponsored Talented Women’s Club in a slum in the urban sprawl of Accra. They experienced firsthand how this project helps empower women to improve their businesses and thus the lives of their families. While banks extract interest, we leave the interest in the TWC fund, and as it grows, more women can take loans. The Charity Club has also bought a plot of land. The women can now grow their own healthy food, sell the surplus, and add to the loan fund. Sustainable community development! Amy Faircloth and Ute Reichert
Charlotte Zeeberg, Fred Chiappini, Lorraine Wykes Page 17
Student Councils Primary School
The PYP Student Council (STUCO) is an active club at CIS dedicated to creating an enjoyable environment for the whole community. They meet once in each sixday cycle. The meetings are run on a “working lunch� principle where the students and teachers eat together while planning events and discussing issues. During the past year, the PYP Student Council has hosted a wide variety of events. The most popular being the three Disco events. Movie Night and GameDay are other popular events. The events hosted by the PYP Student Council have been well attended and the STUCO Representatives are learning organizational skills while developing their leadership potential. In an attempt to add to the sense of community at CIS during the winter, STUCO has provided music on the playground and hot cocoa to warm up the cold winter playtimes. Although the community building costs money, STUCO finds itself with a healthy income from the well attended events. STUCO has donated money to each of the three major charities here at CIS. STUCO also purchased jump ropes and the representatives are always thinking of new ways to use the money that is earned from the events. Nina Martens
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Middle School
The second half of the 2014 school year, the middle school was rocked by the news of Robbie Daly’s cancer diagnosis. Not long thereafter, the Middle School Student Council and students got behind the KLB “Kick Leukemia’s Butt” campaign and through various fund raisers, t-shirts, bowling nights and discos raised and donated DKK 20,000 to give to the Red Cross Hospital in Cape Town where Robbie was first diagnosed and started his treatment. This year, the MS Student Council led by president Thibault van Buchem and vice president Ruby Mogadingwane, has continued to grow. Regular day activities including running assemblies, paper recycling, bottle recycling (which currently supports 52 microfinance loans in as many countries), lunch time entertainment such as card and board games, as well as active games including a slack line in the Atrium have allowed for great fun and friendships made between the grade levels. The evening activities have also taken another leap forward with movie nights, discos and our first ever talent show with 20 entrants and a sold out crowd!! In addition, the MS Student Council was able to give to two charities over Christmas, “Children & Youth in Need” and “World Vision” and bought Christmas gifts and food for Christmas dinners for families that needed help from our local community. The second charity “World Vision”, the MS student council purchased two sets of school dinners for 45 children each, one month of food for a single family and four class sets of school stationery supplies. Over the remaining months of this current school year, the MS Student Council hopes to continue to improve the lives of the others and help to create everlasting memories for the CIS middle school students. Thomas Orr
Senior School
Our student body consists of a wide range of artists. The photograph to the right is from the 3rd annual Arts Evening where the Senior School Students came to enjoy classical instruments, original compositions, slam poetry, short movies and band performances. As always, the talents of the performing artists (who were all in 9th through 12th grade) were impressive, and the supportive and cosy atmosphere characteristic of CIS was perfectly demonstrated. The artistic talent of our classmates was further encouraged at the Photography Evening, where parents, students and teachers came to view student photographs and graphic art pieces and bought these pieces. The profit from this evening went to the charity organizations at school. In the past year Senior School Student Council has continued a number of projects already set up. These include the management of the STUCO Website cisstudents.dk, the publishing of the CIS Magazine Spring Issue 2014, and the continued success of CIS Compliments. These have all increased the presence, actuality and communication of STUCO’s work to the student body and allows for responses in the form of anonymous compliments to fellow students, anonymous suggestions for improvements along with the physical presence of Grade Representatives. In improving the 9th and 10th grade lounge, as well as a rearrangement of the DP lounge, the suggestions shared through the “Request” – form on the STUCO Website made it easy to consider students’ needs and wants. New initiatives of the year include the success of shared Google Drive folders, allowing better communication between the individual grade Student Councils, also enabling future STUCO members to get an idea of the work that needs to be done in order to
successfully carry out a project. The event planning form has helped the individual grade student councils to organize events such as lock-ins and lunches aimed at bringing their grade closer together. Overall the projects, whether successful or not, have taught the dedicated student council member to organize, plan, motivate and enable smaller and larger initiatives. Laerke Wolf Andreasen, Senior School President
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Copenhagen International School Hellerupvej 22-26 DK-2900 Hellerup DENMARK Phone: (+45) 3946 3300 email: cis@cis.dk website: cis.dk Admissions Christiane Conradt-Eberlin Phone: (+45) 3946 3315 email: admission@cis.dk Communications and Advancement Thomas M. Nielsen Phone: (+45) 2724 4899 email: communication@cis.dk
COVER ART: “Tiger” by CIS student Carla Kay PHOTOS: Maja Giannoccaro, students, parents and staff at CIS LAYOUT & DESIGN: Inger T. Klixbull EDITOR: Thomas M. Nielsen Printed in Denmark by MVMedia Copenhagen International School, April 2015