Annual Report 2015-16
“Synergy in Opposites” by Karolina Zydelyte, Grade 11
Welcome to Copenhagen International School
The CIS Board 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 82 different countries. CIS is one of the original IB Diploma Programme schools and we have offered the program since its very beginning in the mid-1960s. As an IB World School we offer the IB Primary Years Programme, the IB Middle Years Programme and the IB Diploma Programme 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
Page 2
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
Continuous change is a hallmark of international schools, and indeed of life in general. Big change came to the world in 2015 with unrest, upheaval and tragedy in various forms, sparking debate about serious global issues ranging from our climate to our core human rights. CIS also faced change, but on a much smaller and fortunately predominantly positive scale. The year 2015 will go down in the school’s history as the one in which the new building in Nordhavn took shape. And what a shape it is! The main construction already forms a proud skyline, and the project is on course for a handover by the end of 2016 thanks to the work of the ECIS Board under John Bo Jacobsen, with Per Anker Hansen as project director. Plans for the move are ongoing, and here we need to thank the Community Advisory Group led by David Stewart, Jay Watkins and CIS Director of Communications Thomas Nielsen, who have collected substantial information from the school community on what makes CIS unique, and what we need to preserve in this big move. The Board meanwhile has focused on one of the most important tasks that a school Board can undertake: the choice of a new Head of School. With the help of a professional agency and based on feedback from internal stakeholder groups, an international search was launched, candidates were interviewed first on Skype, then in real life as four finalists visited the school. After three days, the collective feedback pointed to one clear best match, Jennifer Weyburn, who will replace the irreplaceable Walter Plotkin in August 2016. Other tasks the Board undertook include a full revision of the school’s policies and procedures, by Cecile della Torre and Rosalind Gibbons from the Governance Committee,
CIS Students at the New Campus Cornerstone Event, June 2015 helped by former members Katie Robson and Isabella Smith. The New School Committee with Brian Sidle (who returned to the US in December 2015), Jason Evans, Jesper Møller and since recently Jay Watkins, liaised with the school builders in Nordhavn. Sylvia Scharf and Susanne Larsson from the Marketing & Strategy Committee conducted a SWOT analysis which will be used to define our unique narrative going forward. Last but not least, the Finance Committee’s Lars Krogsgård and Andy Reynolds (together with our CFO Birgitte Høgh) were complimented by our auditors for their due diligence regarding the school’s financial situation.
just and sustainable world) and mission (learning to build community).
To conclude: great work done by dedicated volunteers who believe in the school’s vision (to educate champions of a
Brit van Ooijen Board Chair
Sadly, the Board will this year lose Andy Reynolds, Cecile della Torre, Jason Evans and Susanne Larsson. We thank you, we will miss you. And we are grateful that new people are prepared to carry on the good work. Caroline Bannerjee has been appointed to the Finance Committee, and the names of the newly elected members will be announced after the elections in April. Long live CIS!
Page 3
From the Director
its support of “Motionsdag” with each student involved in some sort of physical activity either off-campus or at school. The annual “Cultures Day” was a terrific home-school partnership with many parents teaching our students about their culture and providing a tasty international lunch buffet. Before the Christmas holidays we enjoyed the Festival of Lights Assembly where all 900 students and staff came together to usher in the holiday season. In February students enjoyed the annual “Fastelavn” with an opportunity to learn more about this Danish tradition as well as take part in the fun barrell bashing!
Sitting down to write my section of the second CIS Annual Report, I realize how quickly the 2015/16 school year has passed. The perception of time, relative though it might be, is surely affected by the way we spend it. Albert Einstein is quoted as having said, “Put your hand on a hot stove for a minute, and it seems like an hour. Sit with a pretty girl for an hour and it seems like a minute. That’s relativity.” We opened the year in August to a record number of students, in excess of 900. We expect to continue to grow over the course of the year and end in June with approximately 20 more than when we started. This growth, a good “problem” to have, has caused some space issues in this the last full year we’ll find ourselves on two separate campuses. We will be moving to our new Nordhavn Campus when we return from our Christmas holiday in January 2017. Our school community was given a brief opportunity to visit the worksite in August and will have another one on June 12th. In between and in addition to the physical developments, a group of parents and staff members known as the Community Advisory Group has canvassed our families, students and staff to find out what is important to them. From the start we have understood the psychological as well as physical significance of the move. The CAG has forwarded a summary of their findings about the school culture to the school leadership team and will be sharing the same with other school stakeholders, in order to ensure that the many and diverse things that make today’s CIS a “special” place, our culture, will move with us to our new campus. We are committed to ensuring that despite the new and improved physical trappings, we will also feel comfortable and have a hyggeligt home in Nordhavn. I will be keeping tabs on that from afar, as this is my final year as the director of CIS. It has been my privilege to spend Page 4
Primary School Engaged. Motivated. Inquisitive. Compassionate. Active. These are all adjectives that quickly come to mind when describing the Primary School students and staff at CIS. The Primary School is a vibrant learning community of 449 learners who are engaged academically every day through the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program - a program where inquiry is at the heart of everything children learn and how our teachers teach.
Academically, students were challenged daily with their IB Units of Inquiry. The school continues to implement the ISA Standardized Test (International Schools Assessment) as well as introduced MAP Testing (Measure of Academic Progress). Several Danish A language classes trialed the Hogrefe Skriftsproglig Udvikling tests this year with the thought of expanding to more grade levels next year. All teachers took advantage of many professional development opportunities on campus as well as travelling
internationally to various educational conferences and training. We had two days of ‘Positive Psychology’ training in October and two days of in-service provided by our talented staff in February. This year we hosted three student teachers from University College of Sjælland during in the first semester and began what will hopefully become a lasting partnership. Our Primary School students were also actively involved in athletics and team sports through various local games and tournaments as well as participating in NECIS Tournaments (Northwest European Council of International Schools) in various European cities. As we look back at this school year we also look forward to developing new opportunities for our students to enrich their experience in the Primary School. Mark L. Hansen Primary School Principal
This school year saw a continued growth in student numbers, new teachers and assistants were added, a new principal joined the school in July and new programming for students were added. the last six years learning with and from the school’s staff, students and families. While I believe the school is essentially the same in character as the day that I started in August of 2010, there have been many changes (an inevitable and desirable condition in any vibrant organization), both large and small. I am particularly pleased with the school’s pursuit of inclusive education and programming, the creation of clearly defined middle and high school divisions and, of course, the realization of the new campus. Though
the process of change has been challenging at times, the overall experience for me has seemed much more about spending time with an attractive group of people than Dr. Einstein’s other alternative. I have the CIS community, now and in the past, to thank for that. Walter Plotkin Director
The Primary School is fortunate to have an engaged and enthusiastic Student Council who plan a plethora of activities for all students, as well as events to support charities around the world. Some of the highlights during the first part of the school year included a very successful “Movie Afternoon” and a very popular “Make Your Own Ice Cream Sundae” fundraiser to support UNICEF. Along with new activities, the Primary School continued
Page 5
students and also their social-emotional well-being. We currently have amongst our faculty 12 Diploma Programme examiners, five Team Leaders/Senior Examiners, two workshop leaders and a Deputy Chief Examiner.
Middle School Values: Respectful, Responsible and Safe. Goal: To enable and support all students as they develop the knowledge, skills and experiences they need to address life’s challenges. Three key areas need to be considered when defining a successful Middle School and our CIS Middle School (MS) has many examples that embody each area: 1. Culture and Community - MS considers and supports the development of the whole child. Part of “growing up” in MS is finding out who you are, your interests and strengths, and having fun; it is a balance between being independent and interdependent in a supportive community. • MS counselor and student buddies support new students and the Student Council organizes activities to build connections between grades and raise money for charity; • Spirit Week leading up to Christmas was a time of excitement - door decorating, cookie decorating, carols and theme-dress days; • MS students had unique opportunities available by living in Denmark. These included learning about the Page 6
High School 16th through 18th centuries with a narrated walk through the Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque streets of central Copenhagen, and participating in cultural activities at the Arken museum and the Royal Danish Theatre; • Parents as partners is not just a phrase - opportunities for parents and educators to talk and learn together have included parent roundtables on transitions, sleep, digital literacy and helping children cope with trauma and disaster, book study on the eight C’s of resilience and CIS TedTalks; • Service focused on raising awareness about the human needs of the refugees arriving in Denmark and funding activities for refugee help. A clothing drive also gathered a large amount of clothing that was sent to the Danish Red Cross; • The Alice in Wonderland production provided students the opportunity to learn new skills, gain confidence and develop resilience in creating and performing in front of audiences of their peers and members of the wider community.
needs in each grade level; • An emphasis on concept learning and interdisciplinary opportunities to demonstrate understanding in authentic ways, including shadow puppets and murder mystery. Fieldtrips and workshops extend the learning in the classroom, including ballet, drama, Science Bayer Lab, World Peace Game, 7th grade Hans Christian Andersen reading competition, and foreign language competition; • Staff explored what it means to engage students in learning, the cultural factors in a thinking classroom, approaches to learning and reviewed our homework policy and advisory program.
2. Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment • Advisory program addressing developmentally appropriate social/emotional, career and academic
Karen Rohrs Middle School Principal
3. Leadership and Organization • Communication within and between teams builds a shared vision and a common learning opportunity for each student. Subject teams and student support services monitor and share strategies to help meet the needs of all learners during scheduled, common collaboration times.
The High School at CIS consists of a truly international and diverse community. This year we have 258 students representing 62 nationalities, with 36 languages spoken. Our multicultural faculty represent 11 nationalities. We are an inclusive school, with a rigorous and stimulating curriculum, and we support our students to succeed. We appreciate diversity and value what makes each one of us unique. The steady growth of our High School population is testament to the excellent standards of teaching and learning taking place. Our students consistently achieve excellent examination results, and in the school year 2015-16 our International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme average was 36 points, with one student achieving the extremely rare perfect 45 points.
This annual report showcases many of the worthwhile activities which our students undertake. Beyond the classroom, they participate in a variety of excursions, retreats, trips and activities that complement the curriculum. Our students are heavily involved in the school’s vision of building community, both locally and internationally. This year for instance our drama students attended IB TAPS and ISTA trips; History students visited the British Library; Biology students went all the way to Mexico and Team Peru visited Peru. We have two speakers in the finals of
the local English Speaking Union competition. We hosted a Cultural Exchange for students from an Australian High School. Sporting teams competed internationally in three seasons of sport. High School students worked with the PTA and the CIS Middle and Primary Schools to provide community activities for a variety of stakeholders. This year there has been a particular focus on the refugee crisis, with efforts geared towards raising money for Doctors Without Borders, and volunteer work and collections for the Red Cross. We are very proud of the widespread influence that our students have, and the power they demonstrate to affect positive change. Caroline Brokvam High School Principal
High School students have three pathways to graduation: the full IB Diploma, the High School Diploma with IB courses, and the High School Diploma. Our programs prepare students for universities and careers worldwide, and each year our students typically attend to universities on at least four continents. The core of excellence at CIS are the talented and experienced faculty, who are highly knowledgeable about the IB and undergo regular professional development. They are dedicated professionals, committed to the academic success of their Page 7
CIS 2015
University Acceptance University of Durham, UK, Biomedical Sciences University College London, UK, Law with French Law Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands, International Business Administration Northeastern University, USA Fordham University, USA, Pre-Med and Psychology University of Warwick, UK, Management University of California, San Diego, USA, Computer Science King’s College, UK, Business and Management
May 2015 Exams
CIS IB Diploma Fifty nine students graduated from CIS in June 2015. Of these, 48 were registered to take the full IB Diploma, and the remaining 11 worked towards receiving a High School Diploma. Of the 48 students taking the full IB Diploma, 43 passed, giving us a pass rate of 90%, well above the global pass rate of approximately 80%. Our top scoring student achieved 45 points out of a possible 45, an extraordinary achievement. (Only 0.3% of DP candidates achieved such an outcome in 2015). Twenty two students scored 36 points or above; (46% of our students as opposed to the approximately 20% global average in 2015). Nine of our students scored 40 points and above; 19% of our DP students as opposed to approximately 12% worldwide in May 2015. The school’s average grade was 35 points, five points above the world average of 29.88.
Page 8
University of Glasgow, UK, Physics
CIS 2015
IB Diploma Statistics Number of candidates registered in the session
55
Number of Diploma Programme candidates registered
48
Number of Diploma Courses candidates registered
6
Number of Re-take students registered
1
Number of Diploma candidates who passed the Diploma
43 (90%)
Average points obtained by candidates who passed the Diploma
35
Highest Diploma points awarded to a candidate
45
University of British Columbia, Canada, Physics School of Oriental and African Studies, UK, International Management University of Pennsylvania, USA University of Bristol, UK, Politics and International Relations University of Carlton, Canada, Biological Sciences University College Utrecht, Holland, Liberal Arts and Sciences University of Roehampton, UK,
Drama,
Theatre
University of the Arts, UK, Journalism LUISS Guido Carli University, Italy, Economics and Business The London Institute, Camberwell College, UK, Art Texas A&M at Galveston, USA, Biology University of Washington, Seattle, USA IE University, Spain, Business Administration and International Relations University of Calgary, Canada, Liberal Arts Florida Southern College, US Bristol College, UK, Theatre
Average grade obtained at the school by candidates who passed the Diploma
5.53
Number of subject entries
401
and
Performance Studies
Brighton Institute of Modern Music, UK, Music Production
Student Support Services Inclusion is not a placement, but rather the supportive program provided to the student within the placement. This year’s focus has been on supporting a wider understanding of how to build an inclusive learning environment for all. More specifically, to help students, parents, and teachers better understand student learning profiles and how best to work consistently--in a unified manner--to support all in their learning. The Learning Support Teams achieve this by holding regular meetings with teachers to discuss the progress of students receiving Learning Support and to discuss the differentiation most appropriate for students. To this end, Teams provide specific Professional Development (PD) sessions for all teachers to share knowledge about the learning profiles of students receiving Learning Support, as well as teaching strategies that would be appropriate when supporting students’ learning profiles. Being Unified and Sharing Responsibility Because the Learning Support needs of students may stretch across the continuum, LS Teachers have dedicated more time to consultation with colleagues and school leadership. Consultations have focused on the belief that the most effective means to support students is to commit to a two-pronged approach, i.e. being unified and implementing a daily action plan representative of our shared responsibility. A Commitment to Co-Teaching: Working Together for All Students in the Class For the second year, there are two full-time Co-Taught Classes in the Primary School. LS Teachers are merging skills and experience with Classroom Teachers for each student in the class.
Similarly, over the past three years within the High School, LS Teachers and Assistants have been Co-Teaching with Content Area Teachers across all grade levels. Whole-School Counseling: Confidential, Collaborative, and Consultative Our School Counselors continue to support students, teachers and parents in myriad ways across the school year. Some representative examples are: • Classroom social-emotional learning activities and advisories; • Consulting with teachers to develop strategies/ plans to support specific students academically, socially, emotionally and/or behaviorally; • Providing support for students individually or in small groups; and • Consulting with parents on matters related to their children’s progress and development.
Whole-School Health: Advocates for Student Health and Safety within the School Working within our collaborative Student Support Services model, the School Health Nurse leads our Health Care program at CIS. She accomplishes this by implementing strategies that promote student and staff health and safety. Some representative priorities of this program are: • Students throughout their schooling learn to make decisions regarding their own health and to act on health-related matters of importance; • Early signs of illness, developmental problems, and children who are not thriving are continuously tracked throughout the school year; • Extra efforts are made with children who have health problems; and • Students who require further examination or treatment are referred to a doctor and/or other relevant services. Karen Watts Director of Student Support Services Page 9
Co-Curricular Activities
Achievements May 2015 – March 2016 CIS Sports Club: Danish League and Danish International Schools Network • U10 Boys 1st Place Skjold Centennial Cup • U8 Boys Soccer 1st Place and 2nd Place DISN Cup • U10 Boys Soccer 2nd Place DISN Cup • U12 Boys Soccer 1st Place and 2nd Place DISN Cup • U14 Boys Soccer 1st Place and 2nd Place DISN Cup • U16 Boys Soccer 1st Place DISN Cup
Activities programs at CIS continue to grow 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, cocurricular activities are clearly a vehicle to develop these dispositions. Additionally, with the completion of our New Campus in 2017, CIS will have first-rate facilities that will provide greater opportunities to deliver comprehensive education that is truly holistic.
Athletics Program In alignment with our vision, the Athletics Program has continued to move forward, focused on developing a sports program that is inclusive, comprehensive and inspiring. To achieve this objective, we have worked assiduously to foster our connection with the Danish community. By so doing we have provided opportunities for all CIS students to play competitive sports with organized practices and weekend games and tournaments. Likewise, our NECIS program has benefited from this relationship with the Danish sports community! We recognize that through games and tournament experience our students develop resilience necessary for the fierce competitions we encounter at NECIS sponsored events. In terms of the Danish Connection, the following work has been achieved: • In 2013-14 school year, CIS organized school teams in Skjold, a local Danish soccer club; • In 2014-15 school year, CIS organized school teams to participate in Grand Prix Basketball tournaments sponsored by the Danish Basketball Association; • In May 2015 CIS Sports Council ratified the CIS Sports Club Page 10
motion and sports activities, we started a Girls Only Sports Club. This activity has grown in popularity and a large group of our 1st through 5th grade girls get together every week to learn new sports skills, play games and have fun in a girls only environment.
Charter and submitted it to Gentofte Municipality’s “Culture, Youth and Leisure” association; • In August 2015 the CIS Sports Club Charter was certified by Gentofte Municipality giving CIS access to all Danish club sponsored games and tournaments; • Starting with autumn 2015 soccer season, Skjold Hawks Soccer has now been offered to boys and girls in grades 1-5; • Starting in autumn 2015, students in grades 1-4 have been participating in Kidsvolley, a systematic approach to teaching the fundamentals of volleyball where our youngsters play in weekend games to apply what they have learned while experiencing the “big tournament” excitement! Additionally, our grades 5-12 girls have been participating in Grand Prix Volleyball tournaments that will further help them prepare for NECIS; • Finally in 2015-16 school year, our cross country runners have been competing in Danish club sponsored meets and doing extremely well as a fledgling association running against huge Danish clubs such as Sparta.
NECIS Competitions • U12 Girls Soccer Tournament, Bonn - 1st Place • U15 Girls Soccer Tournament, Bonn - 2nd Place • Track and Field Meet Grades 5 to 11, Copenhagen – 48 medals with 18 Gold, 15 Silver and 15 Bronze; CIS placed 3rd in the overall medals count • U12 Boys Soccer Tournament, the Hague - Plate Winners • Cross Country Meet, Antwerp - U12 Boys Team Trophy and 3rd Place trophy for overall team performance • U14 Boys Basketball Tourn. Rotterdam – Plate Winners • U14 Girls Basketball Tourn. Rotterdam – Most Sporting Team • Junior Varsity Girls Basketball Tourn. Antwerp – 1st Place • Swim Team Grades 4 to 11, Luxembourg – 67 Medals with 20 Gold, 21 Silver and 26 Bronze; 6 new NECIS records.
With projected participation to be well over 700 students this year, the Athletics Department is very proud of our young athletes! Robert Reynolds Athletics Director
After School Activities School doesn’t end at 3:15 pm at CIS. When the teachers close their classrooms to lessons, our Activities Program opens its doors to a variety of exciting and engaging programs. We are a community at CIS and we welcome our students to extend their school day by participating in our diverse program. We offer activities like dance, sports,
cooking and baking, arts and crafts, Yoga, science and many more. Check our website for details! Last year we introduced the street sport called Parkour and it is wildly popular. We now have a substantial Parkour program and we look forward to utilizing the new campus and all it has to offer to our Parkour athletes. In November 2015, together with the Stringlets program, we put on our first After School Activities performance evening. Parents were able to see all of the hard work and commitment that our students put in after school hours. It also gave the students a chance to feel the nervousness and excitement, moments before putting on a performance - and how good it feels to do it successfully. In June 2015 our Jazz Dance group performed at a local and popular amusement park called Bakken. They performed in front of hundreds of onlookers and it was a huge success! In order to promote more girls’ participation in our various
As we start planning the big move to our new location, we - the Activities Coordinator and Athletics Director will start to look at our New Campus and its facilities. It is an exciting and challenging prospect to think about all of the possibilities of an Activities and Athletics Program. With possibility and excitement comes lots of organization, forethought and planning. Part of this process will involve the consolidation or our various branches of after school activity programs and looking at how we can streamline our efforts in order to become one Activities Office. An exciting and busy year lies ahead! Sarai Halliday After School Activities Coordinator
The Arts The Arts are very much a part of the fabric of everyday life at Copenhagen International school - they are a powerful focus for creative energy and they stimulate and guide the imagination. At CIS, we aim to develop aesthetic sensitivity and creative ability in all students. Learning a musical instrument and performing in public helps students to learn craftsmanship, strengthen their inner resources, develop self-expression and promote selfesteem. At CIS, we offer many opportunities to both learn an instrument and to present performances. The Stringlets program continues to grow impressively, providing students in grades Pre-K, Kindergarten and grades 1 & 2, 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.
Instrumental and vocal ensembles in the Primary, Middle and High schools include a 4th & 5th grade choir, the Middle School Voices, a string ensemble and the High School Jazz Band. Over the last year, these groups have performed in a variety of events both at school and in the broader community, including the Winter and Spring Concerts, the Spring Fair, the Festival of Lights, the Nordic Network Conference, Rigshospitalet Christmas performance and the annual graduation at the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek. A highlight from the High School music program was November’s cultural and musical exchange with Cleveland State High from Queensland, Australia. Our school hosted about 40 musicians, dancers and actors who presented a number of performances for our students at both campuses before combining with our musicians for an outstanding Winter Concert, featuring items from both schools as well as highlight performances from a joint concert band and string ensemble. Theatre Arts and Drama at CIS remains very popular with a large number of students involved in a broad range of theatrical activities, including Drama Clubs, theatre performances, musicals and workshop trips. Middle School Drama and Music students presented a highly successful musical production of Alice in Wonderland and students from the High School gave a captivating and artistic performance of George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion. For the first year CIS is proud to be a global patron of the International Schools Theatre Association (ISTA), supporting their work as a registered charity promoting intercultural understanding through the performing arts. During the last year, our students have participated in ISTA workshops in Munich, Stratford-upon-Avon, Brussels and Rome exploring theatre in a unique range of global contexts. Darren Howard Head of Arts
Page 11
Cover Art Competition To showcase the creativity of our students at CIS we decided to launch a Cover Art Competition for this year’s Annual Report. We received nominations from the visual art teachers across the school and were impressed with the diversity of talent among our students. It goes without saying that the winner of the competition adorns the cover of the report that you are now holding - and this centerspread features the many beautiful runners-up.
A big THANK YOU to all participants!
Page 12
Finance
Distribution of cost
The fiscal year 2015 ended with a profit of DKK 15.8 M. compared to a profit in 2014 of DKK 8.4 M. The total income amounted to DKK 157.2 M. Costs were DKK 140.5 M and financial expenses DKK 0.8. On average 194.3 full time staff were employed in 2015. The main part of the school revenue in 2015 was tuition, but another important source is the subsidy from the Danish Government.
Source of income Other income 9%
Government subsidy 27%
Admissions For the start of the academic year 2015/16 Copenhagen International School experienced a significant growth of 7.6 % in the student numbers from June to August 2015. In August 2015 we opened our doors to 893 students, 200 of whom were new to CIS. Shortly after, the student population grew to beyond 900 students and we will close this year with 920 students.
Property mgmt 14% Administration 11%
Christiane Conradt-Eberlin Head of Admissions
Annual intake of new students 350
Growth in average student numbers
Other teaching cost 8%
CIS benefits from a significantly higher return rate than most international schools, welcoming approximately 80% of our students back after the summer break.
300
300
318
337
307
2014/15
2015/16
271
250 200 150 100
1000
Salaries, teaching 68%
900 752
800 700
813
837
885
50 0
2011/12
2012/13
2013/14
631
600
Tuition 63%
Donations 1%
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 2015 76% of the school’s costs were connected to this area. Page 14
CIS has experienced continued growth in student numbers in recent 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 Copenhagen area with international schooling it has been decided that CIS will move into a newly built campus in Nordhavn in January 2017. The new campus will be able to accommodate approximately 1,200 students from pre-kindergarten through high school. Birgitte Høgh Chief Financial Officer
500
Nationality distribution
400 300 200 100 0
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
France 2% Australia 2% Germany 2% India 5%
Others 40%
Holland 5% The attraction to the school is steady, and we receive more than 345 applications a year. In the past five years CIS has welcomed an average of 290 new students during the months of a school year. This year was no exception with 307 new students starting from August 2015 to May 2016. 73% of the new students come to CIS from other international schools and from local schools abroad. 14% of our new students join CIS from local Danish schools, seeking a more challenging curriculum in an international setting.
UK 13%
USA 18%
Denmark 13%
Note: The nationality distribution illustrated reflects the students who represent one single nationality or have listed the country as their 1st nationality if multiple.
Page 15
The New Campus The new CIS campus in Nordhavn has seen major developments over the course of 2015. In January 2015 there was nothing but gravel on the construction site in Nordhavn; now stands an impressive 25,000 square meter structure, and behind the façades no fewer than 150 construction workers are busy with fixtures, wiring, walls, floors, ceilings, and so on. The rooms are gradually taking shape. During spring and early summer of 2016, the mounting of solar panels will commence, in accordance with the latest blueprints. The end of 2016 will see the implementation and testing of technical systems; after this the campus will be furnished and ready for commissioning by January 2017. At the start of 2015, the primary focus of the Copenhagen International School Property Fund (ECIS) concerned the conclusion of the main construction contracts, securing the project’s execution. Furthermore, it was decided around this time to cover significant portions of the building’s exterior surfaces with solar panels, integrated seamlessly with the campus façade. From spring to autumn, ECIS’s main task was to ensure that construction progressed smoothly. Fortunately there have been neither insurmountable obstructions nor serious injuries, a standard that we are committed to upholding in 2016. Despite a slight delay in mounting the building’s exteriors, on which the solar panels will later be installed, Page 16
CIS Nordhavn, March 2016
significant progress regarding the construction of larger surface elements was made possible thanks to the utilization of a large warehouse nearby. Throughout 2015 there has been an open dialogue and a range of workshops with CIS staff regarding the furnishing of the new campus. The final months of 2015 witnessed the completion of an architectural contest providing extended plans for water facilities on the southern and western peripheries of the campus, aimed at facilitating both educational and recreational activities. The architectural firm C. F. Møller, who are also responsible for the building’s construction, won the competition. Efforts are now being made to raise funds for the extension, which will hopefully be fully or partly operational shortly after the new campus opens. Although the new campus has a fantastic location, it will be completed ahead of its neighbouring area’s developments. The construction of surrounding canals, roads etc. will therefore not be finalized until later. Hence, there is an on-going dialogue with the municipality and city development organization, By & Havn, in order to secure accessibility to an acceptable standard during the transitional period. 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
Page 17
The Community Advisory Group The Community Advisory Group (CAG) began in 2014 with the task of engaging the school community at CIS in identifying the core themes that define our school culture today. With the imminent transition to a new location and a new school design, the community would be co-opted as partners in embedding the new school experience with the positive key elements of the current culture. Students, Parents and Staff were engaged in focus groups to elicit the valued cultural characteristics supported by anecdotal evidence and comments. Focused discussion groups were held involving over 50 parents, all staff from the City and Hellerup campuses as well as Middle and High School students. The results from all groups were combined to identify core themes which were common across all stakeholder groups. Once the themes were identified, Community Value Statements were developed that capture our CIS culture. Currently the findings are being communicated back to the stakeholder groups for validation and use in the transition planning process for our move to the new campus at Nordhavn.
David Stewart CAG Steering Committee Chair
COMMUNIT Y VALUE STATEMENTS 8 core themes identified by the community participants
1. Belonging 2. Welcoming
Copenhagen International School welcomes the entire CIS community - students, staff and parents - in a dedicated effort to foster a strong sense of belonging.
3. Engaged 4. Collaborative
CIS endeavours to eliminate or reduce barriers to learning, interaction and communication, encouraging the community to be engaged, collaborative and supportive.
5. Independent Thinkers 6. Active Learners
CIS encourages and enables the development of independent thinkers. An active learning experience based on individual participation prepares students to engage in their future.
7. Inclusive 8. Multicultural
Page 18
CIS is committed to include all individuals and groups into the community, enhancing our common multicultural experience.
The Newcomers Committee helps new families connect to the CIS community throughout the year.
PTA “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” Helen Keller This year, as in past years, the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) is indebted to all the volunteers who enthusiastically said “Yes!” to helping us continue our tradition of building and maintaining a strong and vibrant community. The unique spirit at CIS is due in many ways to the close connection our families have to the school. Every parent and staff is automatically a member of the PTA at CIS and it is each member’s thoughtful gestures, friendly faces, and helping hands that contribute to the warm environment we all enjoy.
For many families, this connection starts with their Buddy Family. The PTA’s Newcomers Committee matched more Buddy Families this autumn than ever before. This group is also responsible for hosting the always-popular Wine & Cheese reception.
Signs of spring welcomed our teachers and staff for the annual Staff Appreciation Days at both campuses in February. More than 100 (!) parents cooked, served lunch, decorated and created special mementos to help our staff know how much we appreciate them every day!
Another group of parents said “Yes!” when they brought the magic of the annual Halloween celebration to the Hellerup campus where it exploded with new excitement. What had previously been a simple trick-or-treat evening was expanded to a special evening for the entire family as goblins young and old enjoyed the night.
Finally, more parents again will say “Yes!” when they help organize or attend the PTA’s biggest fundraiser of the year the annual Spring Fair on Saturday, May 21st. Let’s all hope for sunshine!
The annual Julemarked - or Holiday Fair - brought unique shopping and hygge to our community while raising money to fund the PTA’s traditional activities such as the Wine & Cheese, the Newcomers guides, the Labyrinth project, Book Awards, and more.
So for all of you who say “Yes!” in ways big and small, we send a very heartfelt and humble “Thank You!” Andrea Worobel PTA Chair
Page 19
Student Councils Primary School The Primary School Student Council has hosted many successful events this past year, including Discos, free hot chocolate at recess (a massive success which left everyone warm and toasty), movie nights (that had the school trembling with excitement) and game days. And of course the toe chilling ice-cream sale after school which raised more than 5,000 Danish Kroner. Of course, all of the money that we raised from the occasions goes towards charities such as UNICEF or simply towards making the school a better place to be. None of this would be possible without the Student Council. It’s a wonderful way to get students involved: STUCO boasts of both responsible and engaging pupils, all of whom are willing to give up their lunch times to help out. Although the occasions are mostly organised by the elected representatives, the other students are always allowed to help out by selling food and drinks or collecting the entrance fee. Plenty of students enjoy it, too, as it gives them a sense of responsibility and a chance to do something for the community. We hope you look forward to our upcoming events. So, as you can see, STUCO is a wonderful thing that helps keep our school alive and kicking. Phoebe & Liv, Grade 5 Primary School STUCO
Middle School The Middle School student council this last year has focused on both maintaining projects and also adapting the student council model to fit the current student body. We have maintained our regular daily activities of paper recycling and bottle recycling with returned money going to support projects through “Kiva”, a crowd funded microloan organisation. Students are also facilitating lunchtime entertainments such as Mega-Jenga, card games and board Page 20
games. These games have turned out to be so popular that we have budgeted to periodically replace games that have been “too loved” as well as purchasing more games. These games are also present at our school dances as a good social alternative when “dancing feet” are sore and a break is needed. Many have noticed that the games create a great platform for socializing within grade levels as well as increasing social mobility within the grade. Our discos have been hugely popular and have given the student council the opportunity to give even more to their various charities. We encourage the student council members to bring forth charities that they feel are worth supporting and this is largely where the money is spent. Currently, we are supporting “World Vision” as well as “Børn og unge i nød”, however, there is an initiative to run a Christmas drive for toys and food to support the local charity “Julehjælpen” next year. This year we have also purchased Christmas gifts and food for Christmas Dinner for families in need locally as well as a number of things such as school stationery, girls’ sanitary kits, cooking lessons, catch-up study lessons for a working child as well as a school dinners for 450 children in Africa. As the Middle School has become so large over the last year and the age groups represented in the Middle School have differing interests as to games, events and charities to support, we have moved away from our previous president and vice-president model. This year, each grade level has one or two student leaders (based on grade level size) who plan together as a leader group in collaboration with the student council teachers to plan the various needs of the Middle School. Here in the Middle School everyone is a part of the wider student council and can be involved however they would like. Middle School STUCO
High School At the beginning of the year, the entire Student Council went to Tisvildeleje on the north coast of Sealand in order to get to know each other and plan events for the coming school year. At the retreat, we conducted several team-building exercises and discussions revolving around leadership and cooperation, which greatly furthered our ability to represent our fellow students and gave us the opportunity to start to plan various events and initiatives.
12 assignment deadlines and just before they depart for study leave, pulling the whole High School together in the friendly spirit of competition as staff and students compete across a range of sporting activities.
High School STUCO
This year the 9th grade student representatives organized a movie night, where the grade got together to watch a comedy, eat pizza, socialize and have fun, and the 9th grade also got to enjoy a fun bowling trip organized by the counselors and grade team leaders. The 10th grade student council this year was able to organize a Fastelavn event for our grade, which is an ageold Danish tradition where we scare the bad omens out of Denmark by smashing barrels. With our silly costumes, we enjoyed a lunch with our whole grade smashing two barrels! We have also organized two lock-ins, where we watched movies and talked long hours into the evening. The 12th grade student council hosted a pizza lunch for the seniors since they had been crowned the winners of spirit week, judged by the number of people in the grade participating in the different spirit day themes. The event was hugely successful as all students turned up and enjoyed receiving their reward. This year the High School student council decided to put something on for Peace Day. We made paper roses that we gave to students as they came into school. Giving such a little thing as a flower can brighten anyone’s day and it was a nice experience to participate in a global event at the City Campus. At the end of the school year, the High School student council will organize a fun sports day after all the grade Page 21
Charities Team Peru Team Peru supports the Mama Cocha Children’s Home for children with special needs in Peru. This year we have had a lot of 9th grade students joining the team. We are currently about 60+ members, including two teachers and the school health nurse. A number of other teachers assist us with specific projects. We divided the team into smaller groups, based on what fundraising activity that students would like to be involved in. The 12th graders are currently responsible for running the fundraising projects and will be passing them on to the younger students before they start their final exams. Some of these activities have already been completed, e.g. the Fun Run, Wine & Cheese Evening, Halloween, Winter Fair and Christmas Babysitting, whilst others are still trying to find a date in the busy calendar for the Performing Arts Center or the Atrium. We still have lots of events to complete, e.g. Charity Concert, International Food Night, Spring Fair, CIS Flea Market, selling Team Peru Water for Track & Field etc. With parent help, we have made a new logo which we hope to get printed on our water bottles. The water is sold at events like graduation and NECIS home events. We have held two craft days to make gifts to sell at the fairs and also handmade books to give to DONG, the leading Danish energy company who looked after our 9th grade practicum students.
This year we are taking 11 students to Peru to do maintenance jobs on the Mama Cocha house that we support in the north of Peru. The projects this year will be building a fence around the precious water tank, building a bathroom so that wheelchairs can go in, repairing some stairs, roof repairs and plastering and painting. At the Rainbow center we will be digging a field to remove weeds and plant trees, we will be painting and getting to play with and understand the children and their needs.
The Charity Club
In the pipeline for the year ahead is the establishment of a Mini Team Peru for our youngest students. We hope to make this happen when we merge as one school at our new Campus in Nordhavn.
The Charity Club recently collaborated with the PTA in hosting a Trivia Night. It was great fun and raised more than DKK 13,000, all of which will go directly to these very talented women to further develop their micro credit and nutrition initiatives.
Charlotte Zeeberg, Fred Chiappini, Lorraine Wykes Team Peru Coordinators
We built the wall! With the support of the CIS community, the Charity Club was able to fund the completion of a wall around the farm collectively owned by the Talented Women’s Club in Ghana. The TWC are now able to secure the land and to produce food for their families. Surplus food can be sold to increase funds for micro credit loans. Truly a self-sustainable project!
Amy Faircloth and Ute Reichert The Charity Club Coordinators
Nordic Network Conference In April 2015, Copenhagen International School hosted the 18th Annual Conference of the Nordic Network of International Schools. The conference had a theme of “being well, learning well” to recognize the importance of well-being and the use of mindfulness practices to help students become more attuned to themselves, physically and emotionally - and with the world around them. The conference focused on the development of positive and supportive relationships and growth mindsets, the latter being related to the belief that you can change yourself and the way you approach life issues. Over 300 participants, representing 30 schools, from nine countries located around the Baltic region as well as the UK and Iceland attended. Workshops covered a variety of topics from social-emotional issues to curriculum and pedagogy. We had keynote talks from international experts in wellbeing: Sue Roffey, from the University of Western Sydney; Ian Morris, Head of Well-Being at Wellington College, UK; Peder Esben Bilde, Director at Helene Elsass Center, a leading research center on learning for children with brain damage; and Anders Rønnau, a leading ADHD Coach and Trainer in Denmark. Over 50 CIS students and support staff were involved in various aspects of the content and operations of the conference. This included teachers and students sharing classroom experiences and practices, from teaching strategies to community service projects. It is particularly worth noting that many of the conference participants commented specifically about the wonderful work of our CIS students. Everyone left having made many new friends and contacts, stimulated by great presentations, filled with ideas and good food. Paul Mitchell CIS Nordic Network Representative
Page 22
Page 23
CIS poster competition for the Nordic Network Conference
Copenhagen International School Hellerupvej 22-26 DK-2900 Hellerup DENMARK Phone: (+45) 3946 3300 email: cis@cis.dk website: cis.dk NEW ADDRESS as of January 2017 Levantkaj 4-14 DK-2150 Nordhavn 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
PHOTOS: Students, parents and staff at CIS
LAYOUT & DESIGN: Inger T. Klixbull
EDITOR: Thomas M. Nielsen
Printed in Denmark by MVMedia
Copyright CIS, April 2016