ISA Connections Issue 01 by The International School of Amsterdam

Connections The International School of Amsterdam Magazine

Contents

Connections

Board of Governors

The International School

Meet the parents and community members who comprise the

of Amsterdam Magazine

ISA Board of Governors.

Winter 2015

Building for the Future Editor-in-chief

ISA is readying itself for the future with the opening of a new

Erika Harriford-McLaren

7800 m 2 wing designed by renowned Dutch architect Max van

Co-editors

Huut.

Shelly Harrison Chris McLaren

Story of ISA

Design and layout

In 1964, thanks to the collaboration of city officials and

Wouter F. Goedkoop

the local business community, a small school opened

CAS assistants

its doors to welcome families of international business

Hugh Huyton

executives in the Amsterdam area. Now, 50 years on, the

Jim Knight

International School of Amsterdam is still thriving. This is the

Natasha Vohra

story of how ISA came to be.

ISA Photographer Kerry Reinking Photography

Amsterdam Statement

www.kerryreinking.nl

Several ISA students came together in 1981 to publish a

Publisher

document expressing the concerns of their generation. The

ISA in collaboration with

Amsterdam Statement served as a cross-cultural manifesto

XPat Media, The Hague,

for change and offers interesting insights into just how far

The Netherlands

society has come since then.

Printer Drukkerij Damen

50th Anniversary Celebrations

Werkendam

With special events for alumni, families and faculty/staff,

The Netherlands

ISA’s 50th anniversary celebrations provided a remarkable

experience for past and new friends of ISA. ISA alumni, families, faculty and friends receive

New Faces...Meet the new ISA faculty and staff

Connections. We welcome

ISA welcomed over 40 new faculty and staff for the 2014-2015

your comments and

school year. From theatre to human rights to the Union of

encourage you to submit

European Football Association (UEFA) - ISA’s new faculty and

ideas and articles for

staff bring a wealth of experience to the halls of ISA.

consideration. Technology Letters and inquiries may

ISA is taking advantage of Amsterdam’s reputation as one of

be addressed to:

Europe’s hottest start-up capitals and is connecting students

Connections

and faculty with the world’s leading educational technologies.

Sportlaan 45

From TEDxAmsterdamEd to EU Code Week, ISA students and

1185TB Amstelveen

faculty are leaving their mark on the tech world.

+31 20 347 1111 communications@isa.nl

Making a Difference

www.isa.nl

From the Green Team to CAS to SHARE, the ISA community is deeply committed to creating positive change in local and

Cover

global communities.

ISA’s first Director, Dorothy Vincent, with students circa

Alumni Profiles

1970

What do crowsourcing, Walt Disney and stroopwafels have in common? ISA Alumni...Catch up on the latest news from your former classmates with our alumni profiles.

Editorial Dear friends of ISA, Welcome to the inaugural issue of ISA’s Connections.

you were held to recognise a remarkable half-century

The purpose of this new publication is to offer our

of education for international understanding.

extended community an inside view of the events and programmes that are reshaping ISA today. Whether

In early August, over 700 alumni and past and present

you are an alumnus, a current or former staff member,

ISA faculty and staff flocked to campus from every cor-

a parent, corporate or governmental partner or just

ner of the globe to enjoy a perfect late summer’s day

a friend of the International School of Amsterdam, I

together. The day was filled with great music, an abun-

believe you will find this publication well worth your

dance of food and, most importantly of all, a seemingly

time. These are among the very best of times for this

endless series of hugs and joyful tears as people

school, and a glimpse at this issue will tell you why.

renewed friendships that stretched across great distances and time.

This publication has been launched to coincide with a very special year: our fiftieth anniversary. As part of our

In September, the ISA community gathered for a cel-

celebrations, several major events worth sharing with

ebration and barbeque, with nearly 1,400 people enjoying yet another perfect day of sunshine, great food and entertainment. Both of these special occasions took place in the shadow of the gleaming new wing, a majestic 7,800 square-meter, four-story addition to an already stunning campus, designed by renowned Dutch architect Max van Huut. ISA’s fiftieth anniversary celebrations culminated in an incredible night to remember in December, as the Board of Governors and Director hosted an evening at the Van Gogh Museum. Some 400 staff members and their significant others enjoyed a scrumptious walking dinner and exclusive access to the entire collection. As I chatted with so many former ISA students, faculty and staff during the celebrations, one thing stood out— the poignant feelings so many have for this school. You might argue, sceptically, that nostalgia for one’s school is common to all alumni in all schools. But, listening to our alumni, I have to say that there is something more to the ISA experience. ISA is not just another school. Our school is today, and has long been, unique among the constellation of international schools. Why? What sets our school apart?

There is, first of all, our slightly offbeat, international, multicultural host city—with its treasure trove of art, history and architecture—as well as its incredible music and entertainment scene—all serving as an inspirational backdrop against which the life of our school plays out. Of course, there is the fact that ISA will always be the very first school in the world approved to offer all three IB programmess—a reflection of our school’s leading role in global education over the past decades. Then, there is ISA’s deep commitment to the arts—from Nursery all the way through the final years of the IB Diploma. And ISA’s commitment to Harvard’s Project Zero over the past twenty years has helped us create a teaching and learning environment in which students and teachers alike are supported by an authentic culture of thinking and reflection, all framed within the context of world-class standards. And let us not forget this school’s long record of leadership in service to others—something so many of our alumni mentioned to me as among the most salient aspects of their ISA experience. From our current projects with the MaaSae Girls Lutheran Secondary School in Tanzania and Habitat for Humanity to past initiatives in the Children’s Cancer Hospital in Colombo, orphanages in Romania, and disaster relief in Pakistan, Japan and New Orleans, ISA’s history is rich with examples of empathic action for those whose lives are so less fortunate than our own. That, above all else, is what we mean by education for international understanding. All of us who call ISA our school can take pride in what our school has become and done in its first fifty years. Please stay tuned as we step into the second halfcentury, and please do let us hear from you. Welcome to Connections. Happy Anniversary to all of you who call ISA your school!

Edward E. Greene, Ph.D. Director

Board of Governors As an independent, non-profit foundation, ISA is strategically guided by a Board of Governors (the

The Board of Governors for the 2014-15 school year are:

Board), a group of dedicated professional volunteers providing legal oversight to the organisation.

Currently in his 15th year on

The Board plays a central role in looking out for the

involvement with the school

long-term interests of the school. Approval of the school’s annual budget, salaries and capital expenditures are amongst a few of the Board’s responsibilities. They are the stewards of the school’s assets and, through defining the school’s mission, vision and philosophy, they serve as the architects of the school’s future.

the ISA Board, Leo van Os’ speaks to his commitment to “give back to the community” after having retired from a career in commercial communication. Leo has held positions both within an international brand communication agency and a large multinational corporation, and he has worked and lived outside of the Netherlands (his home country) for many years. He continues to work as an independent consult-

The work of the board is thinking, considering,

ant in the field of communication and, as time permits, he and his partner, Wendy, continue to travel the globe.

evaluating, planning and serving as a critical friend to the head of school.

Brenda Broad joined the ISA Board in 2009 as a parent member, having previous-

William Powell, author, School Board Governance Training 4

ly been a member of the school planning team at Kenmore East High School in New York. Brenda is the Global Head of Talent Management for Heineken and

has served as the interim Head of Learning & Develop-

Reshmi Nashier joined the

ment and Talent Management–Europe for Allianz Global

ISA Board as a tempo-

Investors, the Executive Director of Aon Hewitt’s Tal-

rary

ent Rewards Consulting Services in the Benelux and

2011 and was elected as

Director of Human Resources for a division of Ahold in

a parent member in 2012.

the United States. She and her partner, Brian, have one

Reshmi holds a master’s

child, Brandon, who graduated from ISA in June 2014.

degree in Computer Ap-

Brenda was re-elected for a second term in 2012.

plication and has a post-graduate degree in Business

member

August

Administration. She started her career with Barco Electronics and has, over her ten-year international career, Peter Hesp enjoyed a long career in finance before joining the ISA Board as a non-parent member in 2014. Having studied eco-

had opportunities to work in various roles across IT, HR and education. Her last assignment was with Cisco Netherlands. Reshmi, who has a long association with community service, moved to the Netherlands with her partner, Anil Nashier, in 2006. They have two children studying at ISA: Chhavi in grade 9 and Udit in grade 4.

nomics and accountancy at the University of Amsterdam, Peter worked in the Netherlands and abroad as a financial director with larger Dutch and international

Shana Laurie de Hernandez

companies such as Sara Lee, Ballast Nedam, KBB (a

joined the ISA Board in Jan-

holding company of the Bijenkorf, Hema, Praxis, In-

uary 2013 as a temporary

tertoys, M&S Mode and Amici) and Hoogovens (now

parent member and was

known as TATA Steel). Since leaving Hoogovens in 2003,

elected for her first term

he has been asked to assist in various projects, which

that same year. Shana was

still keep him busy. Peter and his partner, Doreen, have

born and raised in Cana-

three daughters and a growing number of grandchildren.

da and moved to the Netherlands with her husband in 2001. Prior to their move to Amsterdam, Shana worked in Cuba. She is a Partner with PwC and has over 20

David Masters, an account-

years of experience in providing assurance services in North America, Europe and the Caribbean. She focuses

ant by background and

on multinational clients, primarily in the consumer pack-

former managing director

aged goods sector, that are listed in the United States.

of a global vegetable oil

Shana and her partner, Jose, have two children at ISA,

processing company, has

Mateo (grade 1) and Bianca (grade 3), both of whom

served on the ISA Board for

were born in Amsterdam and have attended ISA since

over 17 years. He was hon-

age four.

ourary auditor for the PTA and served on the ISA Board from 1994 to 2006 – two terms as a parent board member and three terms as a non-parent member. David was Treasurer for seven years during this time. In 2009, he returned to the Board as a non-parent member, again taking on the role of Treasurer. Now in his last year on the Board, he is concentrating on supporting the new Treasurer. David and his partner, Rosalind, are both British and have lived in the Netherlands for 27 years. Their elder sons graduated from ISA, and their younger children (twins) attend local Dutch schools.

Aristotle Economon (Aris) was elected to the ISA Board in 2014. He moved to the Netherlands in August 2013 with his partner, Hanneke Faber, and their three children, Ari (grade 10), Anna Maria (grade 7) and Athiná (grade 5). Aris pursued his undergraduate university studies in biology at Stanford 5

University and in economics at the University of Houston. He holds an MBA in Finance and Real Estate from the Anderson School at UCLA. Aris currently owns and runs his own real-estate development company, Paragon Development, and Hanneke is the Chief Commercial Officer at Ahold.

Jasper Meyers joined the ISA Board in 2012 as a parent member. He is Senior Corporate Counsel at Alcatel-Lucent, where he is responsible for the provision of legal support globally to the Software, Services and Solutions Business Group. Born and raised in Canada, he has degrees from Cambridge University (BA) and McGill University (BCL, LLB), and he has lived in Europe (England and the Netherlands) since 1988. He practised law at corporate law firms in both Toronto and Amsterdam before going inhouse with AT&T in 1991, thereafter moving to Lucent Technologies and Alcatel-Lucent. Jasper and his partner (a former lawyer who now works as a child therapist) have three sons: one is a student at ISA (Alexander in grade 10) and two are students at the Vossius Gymnasium in Amsterdam.

Clare Lenterman joined the Board in August 2013 in her capacity as the PTA President. Clare is British but grew up in France. She has six children, all of whom have attended ISA (five are current ISA students). She moved to Amsterdam with her Dutch partner, Remco, eight years ago. Prior to this, she lived in London for many years. Clare is a graduate of the University of Manchester and speaks English, French, Italian and Dutch fluently. She started her career at Goldman Sachs in London in 1990, where she was responsible for equity trading compliance. After this, Clare spent two years working for the UK royal household in Kensington Palace.

ISA Wins Best Employer Award BEST EMPLOYER (BESTE WERKGEVER) AWARD Branch Winner - Education

“The results reflect the true quality of our faculty and staff and just how special our organisation is,” says Ed Greene, ISA Director. “The commitment of our

In the Spring of 2014, the ISA Human Resources team

community is reflected in this award.”

brought in Effectory, a leading personnel research company, to administer an employee satisfaction survey to

Michelle Pool-Pescott, ISA Human Resources

all faculty and staff.

Coordinator, accepted the award on the school’s behalf at the exclusive ceremony held at Amsterdam’s

As a result of ISA’s participation and the high satisfaction scores from the school’s faculty and staff, ISA was nominated for an award for top education employer –as well as for a business with under 1000 employees– with-

DeLaMar Theatre. “Consistently achieving the goal of our mission – to provide education for international understanding – has

in the Netherlands.

been the hallmark of our success,” explains Pool-Pe-

From the over 300 participating companies, ISA was

enduring commitment and dedication of our faculty

awarded the top prize for the education sector and

scott. “This would not have been possible without the and staff.”

View the video

placed in the top ten nationally with a sixth-place ranking for employers with under 1000 employees.

ISA Faculty and Staff 2013-2014

Building for the future The evolution of ISA has mirrored the growth of the Amsterdam region. With the upsurge in international investment came an increased need for bigger and better facilities to accommodate an ever-expanding and diverse student body. With this progression came moves to several locations throughout Amsterdam before the school finally settled into its current location in Amstelveen in 1996 – having found a location that could

August 2014, ISA opened a new 7800 square-meter extension to its current facilities, accommodating an additional 250 students and bringing enrollment to 1200 students from over 50 countries around the world. The designers of the original building, Alberts & Van Huut, were brought in to design the extension. ISA chose

accommodate a full campus and future expansion.

their design out of five entries from an international

And expand it has. When ISA moved to its Sportlaan

Wessels Amsterdam, was selected to bring the design

campus in 1996, student enrollment was just over 600 – ranging from Kindergarten to grade 12. At the time, the newly-designed building seemed well suited for accommodating several generations of ISA students. However, in recent years, ISA has had to put prospective students on waiting lists. Municipality studies concluded that the number of international companies in the region would continue to grow significantly in the coming years,

architectural competition. Local contractor, Kondor to life. The school now offers a professional development centre, three libraries, a theatre, eight science laboratories, three gymnasiums and specialist rooms for music, art and drama. As a member of the Global Eco-Schools programme, ISA’s new building was designed with sustainability and environmental impact in mind. It received

thereby creating a further need for a larger ISA.

the BREEAM Excellence standard for sustainability from

Fast forward 18 years and the explosive expansion

dle-to-cradle carpet for cleaner air and the placement of

of Amsterdam and the surrounding communities 8

has been mirrored in ISA’s growth. In response, in

its use of environmentally-friendly thermal energy, cra400-square metres of solar panels.

The ISA Open House event in October 2014 was attended by officials from Amsterdam and Amstelveen. From left to right: Amstelveen Deputy Mayor Maaike Veeningen, Amstelveen Mayor Mirjam van’t Veld, Amsterdam Mayor Eberhard van der Laan, ISA Board Chair, Leo van Os and ISA Director Dr. Edward E. Greene.

The extension was officially opened to the larger Amsterdam community in October 2014 by the Mayors of Amsterdam and Amstelveen, the city where the ISA campus now resides. Mayor van der Laan of Amsterdam noted in his welcome speech, the importance of ISA in bringing diversity and stability to the economic and social climate of the region and the Netherlands in general. Since 1964, the aim of ISA has been to prepare students to meet the evolving challenges of an international world. Through continued investment in excellent teachers, sustainable facilities and active collaboration with local governments and business, ISA is indeed building for the future and will continue to serve as an asset to the global community. “It’s been an inspiring project,” notes Rob Boos, ISA Operations Manager. “With this new extension, ISA has not only added a wonderful building but will also further improve the quality of its education. The Amsterdam region has gained an even stronger asset to attract international businesses and families.” 9

The Story of ISA The story of the International School of Amsterdam is a children’s story. It is the story of the many hundreds of high-spirited, colourful young personalities from around the world who have passed through the school’s corridors and classrooms during its first half century. It is the story of those children seeking to fulfil their educational

The story of the International School of Amsterdam is a story of the pursuit of excellence, knowledge, truth and humanity, a story of each participant’s endeavour to achieve his or her personal best. It is a story of the abiding values associated with basic skills and a liberal education in the arts and sciences. It is a story of coop-

potential.

eration between many people from many nations and

It is the story, too, of their families and pro-active cor-

for the education of the young in a world on the move.

porations and diplomatic missions; it is the story of a long line of distinguished, public-spirited individuals, Dutch and foreign, who have served on the Board of Governors and the Parent Teacher Association; it is the story of an exceptionally diverse group of experienced teachers and administrators who have shaped and reshaped the school’s programmes to meet a changing

stations in life endeavouring to meet a practical need

The Earliest Historical Accounts Questionnaires were circulated among the international business firms in the Netherlands in the early 1950s in an attempt to pinpoint problems faced by international businesses and businessmen in the Netherlands. The results of those questionnaires uniformly revealed that

community’s changing needs.

the number one problem was educating their children.

The story of the International School of Amsterdam is a

men were posted abroad for a period of just one to

story with a context. It belongs to the rich, larger history of the great city of Amsterdam itself, to the history of a post-war world and to the late twentieth-century history of an emerging Europe and an increasingly global international society. 10

ISA Pre-Kindergarten Teacher Bill Titmus and his class, 1980

Because the vast majority of international businessfour years, the availability of excellent Dutch language schooling ... could provide no real solution. Moreover, the survey concluded, the influx of large numbers of foreign-language students “could only be disruptive to the Dutch system, thus providing no satisfaction to either

the foreign or Dutch communities.”

community “to give preference to The Hague in the es-

According to an article in The Brussels Times in 1965

iaries or offices.”

(the year after the International School of Amsterdam opened), there were 18,739 registered non-Dutch nationals residing in Amsterdam, a city with a population of 866,000. Of these, 1,031 were British, 723 were American and 180 were Canadian. The only educational choices expatriate families had were to send their children to local Dutch schools or else on an intolerably long journey to English-language schools in The Hague. It was for this reason that Mr. A. Uyttenbroek, a Director of IBM-Netherlands, decided to help establish an inter-

tablishment of their Dutch- or European-based subsid-

Thus the establishment of ISA had been important, even crucial, for the commercial development of Amsterdam. Among other points, the availability of ISA was one of the reasons why the city of Amsterdam was favoured over other locations as a centre for Japanese business activity in Europe. While many had attempted to establish an English-language international school in Amsterdam, it was not

national school in Amsterdam.

until 1964, through the energetic and persuasive ac-

The International School of Amsterdam opened its doors

IBM, that the Mayor and key municipal officials of the

in January 1964 to admit one pupil, a five-year-old English girl, Eleanor Maclean. English teacher, Mrs. J. Rigby, was appointed to start the school, and by the end of the first term there were two additional part-time teachers,

tivity of Mr. A. Uyttenbroek, then Managing Director of city of Amsterdam agreed to the establishment of an international school, and two rooms of an existing Dutch school at 8 Winterdijkstraat were made available to this end. The timetable included arithmetic, reading, writing,

Mrs. Rombach and Miss Cox, and 13 students.

scripture and art in the first grade. In the higher grades,

Crucial for Amsterdam

and French. Physical training was taken with the cor-

The International School of Amsterdam was established towards the end of the unique period of American world leadership that followed World War ll. President Eisenhower’s restraint and President Kennedy’s idealism and successful space programme, when added to the American contribution to the liberation and reconstruction of Europe, had earned the United States great respect, especially amongst the older generation, who generally accepted and valued the American role in the world. By the 1960s, the hard years of immediate post-war re-

pupils studied English, social studies, general science responding grades in the Dutch school, and there were handicraft classes “for the girls.” By the late 1960s, the Director of the School was Mrs. Dorothy Vincent. There were 117 pupils from 16 countries, nine grades and an additional six classrooms at 77 Vechtstraat. Special instruction was provided for nonEnglish-speaking children, and there was an extraISA Director Dorothy Vincent, circa 1970

covery had been superseded by a period of economic growth and booming international investment. There was a new prosperity. Many international businesses were confronted by the need to provide their highly mobile executive families with suitable educational opportunities for their children. Hence, corporate leaders often took the initiative in establishing international schools, as in Amsterdam. Leading members of the worlds of business, diplomacy and education came together to solve a practical problem – which was in fact a global problem – with some interesting local variations, as in the Netherlands. The Hague had become the most active centre in providing American schooling, largely because of the large numbers of diplomatic and military personnel stationed there at the time. The availability of English-language schooling had led the commercial 11

ambassadors and businessmen. Teachers and students served as hosts and escorts for the distinguished guests. The Meaning of International Just what “international” should mean may be a subject of debate between pragmatists and idealists. What First-grade teacher Ms. Pratte and her class, 1977

curricular course in Japanese for the increasing number of that country’s children whose fathers had set up businesses in North Holland. At that time, employees of over 60 different international firms had sent their children to

scription. It is clear that the term has meant different things to different members of the school community through the years of the institution’s evolution. To most,

The Challenges of Growth

family members have met people from other countries

of whom were Japanese – 18 teachers, and expectations of future growth. ISA offered grades Kindergarten through 10 and was considering adding grades 11 and 12 to create a full high school. Prospective growth and the services made available would depend on enlarged

it has meant simply that ISA is the place where their and where their children have studied together and become friends before returning to Stockholm, Belgrade, Karachi, Houston, Rio or Tokyo. To some others, the term has invoked a utopian future order in which all the world’s peoples will be one, as modelled now by the children of diverse cultures gathered in the classrooms

facilities, which only the city could provide.

of the “international” school, engaged peacefully in

An ISA Board memorandum noted, “As an illustration of

towards by using the world’s international schools as a

our predicament, we are presently being advised that at least one large American company plans to bring more than 40 families to Holland this coming June [1972] and that they prefer making Amsterdam their prime commer-

common activities – a future world order to be worked wedge. Just as profound are the encounters between cultures at an international school. The world’s religions, ide-

cial focus.”

ologies and lobbies meet in its classrooms and on its

Texas Instruments did indeed come to Amsterdam to

ecumenists, Moslems and Hindus, Catholics and Jews,

contribute to the opening up of the North Sea oil fields. Teachers who were on the staff at the time can recall that, for just two years, the school took on an American Southern drawl – a real challenge to the British tutors favoured

committees. Sceptics and believers, evangelicals and Buddhists and humanists, Protestants and Marxists, intelligence officers and renegades, royalty and merchants, scientists and athletes, actresses and bankers, diplomats and gamblers, people of the day and people

by Mrs. Vincent, especially for the younger children.

of the night, the sons of Asia and the daughters of the

At the beginning of the 1972-1973 school year, the May-

all shoulder together the task of banning illiteracy and

or and aldermen of the city enabled ISA to move from its classrooms in the Winterdijkstraat and Vechtstraat to five, clearly temporary, wooden, four-classroom buildings, inelegant but cozy, in a park-like environment on the Meer en Vaart in Amsterdam-Osdorp. In March 1977, ISA moved to more purpose-built facilities, across the street from the Vrij Universiteit, at 875 A. J. Ernststraat

Occident, reds and greens and yellows and true blues – innumeracy from their homes by providing each child with simple, basic skills and some universal values. One plus one is two. Wash behind your ears. Button up your coat. Tell the truth. Learn how to spell “Mediterranean Sea” and “Tiananmen Square.” Develop your keyboard skills. Consider Sophocles and Salman Rushdie. Check out the etymologies of “assassin” and “sputnik,” “glas-

in Amsterdam-Buitenveldert.

nost” and “berserk.” Locate your family’s place in the

Mayor Samkalden, long an honourary Member of the

the team.

Board, attended the dedication ceremonies held in the Great Hall on Monday, 4 April 1977, together with many

School of Amsterdam can be a matter of historical de-

the school since it opened.

The year was 1971, and ISA had 175 students – 24

EAL Teacher Linda Swanson, 1977

it has actually meant in the history of the lnternational

taxonomic nomenclature. Learn to say no. Try out for

There is a great deal that international families can work on together. A Brief History of the Earliest Years - Excerpts by Herbert Donald Morton

The Amsterdam Statement

by Judith G. Campbell, Luis Alfredo de Oliveira, and students of The International School of Amsterdam

The Amsterdam Statement was written in an English class at the International School of Amsterdam during the spring term of the 1981 school year by a group of senior students representing ten different nationalities: American, Argentine, Brazilian, Canadian, French, German, Iranian, Italian, Japanese and Yugoslavian. The following article, prepared by two participants in the class, tells how the group came to take up the project of expressing the concerns of their generation.

viewpoint, and we were able to sense this more strongly because of the international structure of our group. Our basic thought, in the beginning, was simply to try to formulate a statement expressing the opinions of our generation on several different aspects of modern life and society. We seriously doubted whether anything positive and constructive would come out of it had we, the students, not supported and taken a deep interest in

The idea to draft the Amsterdam Statement can be attributed to our enthusiastic English teacher who first suggested it to us. It was he who introduced the book Scene Seventy, a collection of non-fiction articles, to our class, and later assigned the reading of the Port Huron Statement, which familiarised us with the process of

the suggestion and worked very hard for two months in order to see it fully developed and completed. Our main goal was not to identify the problems we were most concerned about â&#x20AC;&#x201C; although that was importantbut rather to find a compromise which would satisfy

writing social criticism.

the members of the class as a whole, regardless of the

Heated arguments pertaining to the validity of the Port

which are natural characteristics of any international

Huron Statement, arose during our class discussions. In our opinion, the Port Huron Statement is inaccurate social criticism. We found the complaints, which were so strongly voiced by the generation that preceded ours, outdated to the extent that they could no longer claim to represent the expectations and values of the students of our time. We also felt that the Port Huron Statement failed to present its values through an international

differences in nationality, political thought, religion, etc., environment. The general enthusiasm for the project grew, as students with entirely different backgrounds and international experiences realised what a challenge it could be to come up with something of our own, combining our experiences of living in various countries into one single piece. We soon discovered how meaningful and important it would be to formulate a document capable of representing and bringing 13

Judith G. Campbell

together the thoughts and cultures of students from all

in our memories, but we feel this is not enough. What

over the world on topics of worldwide controversy.

we hope is that our experience will be of benefit to other

In order to understand fully the significance of the state-

we have wanted to share it.

classes and other schools, and it is for this reason that

ment, a few things must be said about the procedure

THE AMSTERDAM STATEMENT Preamble

we followed and how we organised ourselves in class. It is important to emphasize that what we accomplished does not deserve as much merit for being an exercise in creative writing as it does for involving a great deal

We, the students of International schools, being aware

of diplomacy. We had the opportunity to experience, in

of the heavy responsibilities laid on us and realizing

practice, how a truly democratic parliamentary system

the dangers our generation may face in the coming

works.

decades, feel motivated to constitute this Amsterdam Statement in order to voice our concerns over the prob-

In the preliminary stage, each student brought up for

lems of contemporary society.

discussion any topic which he felt should be mentioned in the statement. Once the class had agreed upon five

It is time for us to do something about the problems

major topics, we set up sub-committees to deal sepa-

of our world. We cannot, and will not, remain passive

rately with each problem and attempted to write a rough

towards alarming situations such as: poverty and mal-

draft for class discussions.

nutrition; discrimination due to past aggression; the division between Eastern and Western societies, which

The final phase lasted the longest, but it was certainly

is a constant danger to world peace; the manipulation

the most interesting one. It consisted of revising what

of dehumanizing technology in our society; and the nu-

each sub-committee had created by adopting, through

clear question, which seriously threatens our physical

democratic means, the necessary changes, which in-

existence.

cluded corrections in spelling, the wording of sentences or entire paragraphs, and grammar, thus making sure

I. Poverty and Malnutrition

that everyone in our class would endorse the ideas ex-

Poverty is one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s major problems today. Out

pressed in the finished statement.

of every three children born into the world, one dies as a direct result of poverty either through sickness or mal-

In closing, we only wish to state that we are very proud

nutrition.

of the work we have done and what we have tried to accomplish. The Amsterdam Statement will long remain 14

But, what exactly is poverty? Poverty is defined in the

Luis Alfredo de Oliveira

dictionary as indigence, want, deficiency, or lack of what

is an infant mortality rate of 12.8% (and that is not the

is needed.

worst!). Two hundred and twenty-nine of every thou-

Ten to twenty million people die every year from malnu-

twenty-three per cent, in comparison to 1.8 in the United

trition, and the rate is constantly on the rise. Every year one-third of all the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grown food goes to animals for feed. For instance, livestock in the United States eat

sand die in Gabon, Africa, a mortality rate of almost States, and an even lower rate of 1.6% in the Netherlands.

more food than all of the people in India.

Malnutrition seems to be the most serious by-product of

The biggest problem behind poverty is the population

tion as died in the Second World War.

of the world. It has taken thousands of years to gain a world population of four billion, but if the rate of growth remains at two percent per year, we will have seven billion people by the year 2000. Even now we cannot support the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s population, but what are we going to do

poverty. As many people die every year from malnutri-

But what is malnutrition? The dictionary definition is: poor nourishment, lack of food, under-feeding and improper diet. But as far as we are concerned it means a slow, painful death unless it is cured soon after it is

when our population doubles?

started.

Land and space are needed to grow food. Every year

Over the years, our situation with poverty, malnutrition

more and more farmland is taken up by housing developments, parking lots, etc. In England alone, fifty thousand more acres per year are being utilized by industry

and other diseases caused by poverty or lack of knowledge has only grown worse. Despite all sorts of foreign aid, the aforementioned diseases continue to rise faster

instead of farming.

and faster. What are we to do?

Every half minute there are one hundred children born

II. Discrimination

in developing countries, of which twenty will die at birth and sixty will never receive medical care. Most of the eighty per cent who survive will be afflicted with malnutrition. Thirty-five per cent of those afflicted with malnu-

One cannot assume that someone is stupid or intelligent because of his race; nor should one discriminate against another because of it. People do tend to discriminate against others because of their race; yet, if there is an

trition will die before reaching the age of five.

obvious difference in knowledge or skill in certain races,

In Indonesia, one hundred and thirty-nine of every thou-

Some people tend to discriminate against others as

sand children die before they are two weeks old; that

it is caused by how they were educated and not by race. a result of past aggression; they discriminate against 15

others because they were enemies in a time of war,

III. Nuclear Arms

but every citizen and every country is responsible for

Nuclear war is a danger which threatens the physical

promoting and maintaining peace in the world.

existence of our generation. It is a fear originating from a cold war battle where scientists, in laboratories around

The essence of discrimination is prejudice, which can

the world, constantly produce more and more advanced

make people hate each other without knowing their real

nuclear weaponry capable of destroying the human

character. Prejudice that has been placed in our mind

race.

cannot be erased easily, but we should try to recognize the truth which lies behind it. 16

Since 1980, the Soviet Union has developed approximately one hundred and twenty SS-20â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. These are

highly accurate mobile missiles, with three nuclear warheads, which have a range of four thousand miles. An estimated two-thirds of these missiles were aimed at Western Europe, and the Soviet Union continues to

increasing nuclear armaments and mutual isolation? V. Technology and Humanity We are not satisfied with the way modern technology

produce them at a rate of one a week.

is being used today. It is being used against humanity.

In contrast to the Soviet Union’s SS-20, the West is in

that leads to unemployment, intolerable pollution and

the process of developing the ‘Theater Nuclear Force’, which would call for one-hundred and eight Pershing II missiles, each having a range of about one thousand and five hundred miles, aimed at targets in the Soviet Union from various bases on the European Continent. Five hundred and seventy-two sophisticated intermediate-range missiles are expected to be in Western Europe by 1983-84.

New technology is being brought on line in a manner an exhaustion of natural resources. The growth of technology caused by technology increases the difference between classes: rich and poor; the technocrat and the disinherited. We wish that technology could work for human beings in a better way. It should be used to help human beings, not perturb them.

With sophisticated nuclear weaponry, such as the aforementioned missiles, an attack and counter-attack would theoretically cause the destruction of whole populations within our continent, and the world. It is no wonder that the chance of a new nuclear arms race has renewed fears of a nuclear apocalypse. Bilateral nuclear disarmament is a major concern of our generation. We must all take deep interest in the dangers of nuclear weaponry; if not our lives and the lives of our children will be placed in constant danger of a potential nuclear holocaust. IV. East-West Relations The accumulated political and ideological tension between East and West is the greatest cause of a divided world. We are appalled at the conflict which has led to international hatred.

JUDITH G. CAMPBELL and LUIS ALFREDO DE OLIVEIRA were, at the time their article was written, seniors at the International School of Amsterdam. [Editorial note: “The Amsterdam Manifesto” is reprinted here in its original typographical form as published by the European Council of International Schools.] Page 16 photo: Class of 1981

After World War II, the two great powers divided Europe into spheres of influence. At the time nobody was aware that such a division meant the beginning of a new phase in international relations. Political systems are different, it is true, but that is not a good reason for people to despise each other. Our generation’s goal is to enable people to live more comfortably and harmoniously in our world. Disarmament is a good start in creating a safer world. The money that has been spent on armaments over the years could have been used for better purposes (e.g., education, public health and housing). The children of today’s societies, both Western and Eastern, are being brought up in an environment marked by intense propaganda against each other. What is the future of these societies under such conditions of 17

In 1967, the Harvard Graduate School of Education launched an innovative educational research group, Project Zero, to investigate the “learning processes in children, adults and organisations.” Originally mandated to work within the realm of art education, the programme evolved over time and encouraged a wide range of educators to explore and gather information on “high-level thinking and learning” within, and across, various frameworks such as culture, educational institutions, museums, disciplines and businesses.

To further extend the prinicples derived from a culture of thinking, ISA hosts Cultures of Thinking conferences, inviting educators from around the world to share their knowledge and experiences with visible thinking and building communities of learning across their institutions. Hosted in collaboration with Harvard’s renowned Dr. Ron Ritchhart, Prinicipal Investigator for the Cultures of Thinking Project and Senior Research Associate at Project Zero, the 2015 Cultures of Thinking Seminar was held in ISA’s newly opened 340-square metre Professional Development Centre. The event connected over 70 educators, from 13 countries, for three days of interactive masterclasses, workshops and group sessions. Prior to the start of the seminar, ISA also hosted pre-conference classroom visits allowing participants to see visible thinking principles in action. Lisa Verkerk, Grade 4 teacher and ISA Project Zero Coordinator, has been involved with Project Zero since attending a summer institute at Harvard in 2001. She witnesses on a daily basis how the creation of a culture of thinking and use of visible thinking tools helps her students, especially those who are still learning English. “The use of visible thinking gives my students freedom

Since its creation, Project Zero has fundamentally changed the way educators teach and students learn. Through the use of thinking-focused strategies – including visible thinking routines – Project Zero has enabled hundreds of educators to bring thinking routines into the classroom, thereby allowing students to actually visual-

to express themselves and their ideas without having to use English. It allows all my students, regardless of language proficiencies, to connect with learning through creativity and provides them with a means to express themselves, to reflect on what they have learned, and on what they now know.”

ise the thinking processes within their minds. For well over a decade, the International School of Amsterdam has been partnering with Project Zero and its Visible Thinking Network to help create a culture of thinking within the ISA and global learning communities. 18

Cultures of Thinking are places in which a group’s collective, as well as individual thinking is valued, visible and actively promoted as part of the regular day-to-day experience of all group members. - Dr. Ron Ritchhart

Dr. Ron Ritchhart and Lisa Verkerk, ISA Project Zero Coordinator.

The year 1964 was a time of change, revolution and inspiration. Nelson Mandela was imprisoned on Robben Island, the Space Race between the US and the Soviet Union was accelerating and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. It was the heyday of the post-war era – a time of economic growth and booming international investments in Europe – and it marked a pivotal moment for the Amsterdam expatriate community with the opening of the International School of Amsterdam (ISA). Laying the Foundation ISA opened in two rooms of an existing Dutch school, with one student, a five-year-old British girl. Soon after, however, the school began taking on new students as families learned of the schools existence in the Amsterdam community. Within its first years, ISA welcomed Japanese, French, Italian, American, British and Chinese students, thoroughly establishing itself as a viable international school for the region. The international nature of ISA’s student body, the curriculum and the embracing of all cultures and learning styles allowed ISA to differentiate itself from other schools at that time by going beyond the traditional American and British systems to recognise the importance and value of international understanding in a child’s education. This concept of education for international understand22

ing continues to reverberate through the halls of ISA. It has served as the basis for cross-cultural sharing of knowledge between teachers and students and has been a central theme in the strategic leadership of the school’s Directors and Boards of Governors. The international nature of ISA has only strengthened over the years, as the school has grown from a single pupil to over 1200 students from over 50 countries. With this growth has come lasting connections and friendships across borders, religions and cultures. Celebrating 50 Years 2014 marked the jubilee anniversary of ISA – 50 years of successfully educating young minds from around the world. To mark this occasion, ISA planned several events to celebrate the role that the thousands of students, faculty, staff and families have played in creating a world-class institution. Alumni Reunion Weekend In early August, over 650 alumni, parents and faculty, from as far away as New Zealand, Brazil, Japan and South Africa, returned to Amsterdam and ISA to pay homage to the school that impacted their lives, shaped their memories and kindled new and lasting friendships. For many, attending ISA was a life-changing experience. Collete Niland, an alumna from the class of 1983, notes, “the teachers and the intensity of the curriculum were

very important, but allowing students to think for them-

valuable tool to connect with our alumni and to help

selves and to challenge established lines of thought

them reconnect with each other,” said Boos.

was even more important. The variety of cultures and differing continuums of thought were so very valuable

The day started with a warm welcome from ISA’s Di-

as well.”

rector, Ed Greene, and Board Chair, Leo van Os and, was followed by meet-and-greet sessions with former

Former Director Paul Johnson agrees. “For me and our

faculty, staff and beloved Directors: Brian Wilkes, John

children, the most valuable aspect of the ISA education

Ritter and Paul Johnson. Tours of the Sportlaan campus

was the mix of nationalities in the student body. Our

were provided for those who had attended ISA at other

children still talk very fondly of their ISA days and

locations in Amsterdam, prior to its relocation to

maintain connections with some of their classmates.”

Amstelveen in 1996.

As the date for the weekend celebrations drew near,

A grand-scale “food-truck” barbeque allowed alumni to

over 1500 alumni joined an ISA reunion Facebook

take full advantage of the rare Amsterdam summer sun

group, many connecting for the first time in decades.

and set the perfect tone for an evening of dancing, with

Rob Boos, former Athletic Director and now Operations

a special alumni crowd-sourced playlist ranging from

Manager for ISA, started the group to use the reach of

ABBA to Michael Jackson to Lady Gaga.

social media to tap into the lasting impact of ISA friendships.

Sunday rounded out the weekend’s festivities with a final brunch in the ISA cafeteria, George’s Café. While

“So many of the friendships created here at ISA are

the goodbyes may have seemed bittersweet, the appre-

long lasting. With social media connecting people to the

ciation for the weekend’s events was apparent, as the

past like never before, we knew that this would be a

bonds between past friends and former teachers was strenghthened for all who came.

ISA’s 50th anniversary alumni weekend celebrations brought together Directors from the past and present to connect with former students, faculty, staff and parents. From left to right: Directors Paul Johnson (1997-2000), John Ritter (1988-1990), Brian Wilkes (1979-1988) and Ed Greene (2003 – Present).

Parent Teacher Association Welcome Barbeque Each year, the ISA Parent Teacher Association (PTA) hosts a welcome barbeque for new and returning families. The PTA took the lead from the alumni weekend and brought back the food-truck theme, this time complete with a live jazz band and mini-ferris wheel. With over 250 new children set to start the school year at ISA in 2014, the mid-August event welcomed over 1400 new and returning ISA family members, faculty and staff – the largest turnout ever in PTA history. PTA President Clare Lenterman was pleasantly surprised at the large response for the welcome barbeque. “We were thrilled with the amazing turnout this year. The weather, the atmosphere and the wonderful food made for the perfect welcome experience for both our new families and for those returning. It was a wonderful celebration of ISA and the 50th anniversary.” “Many of the new families were truly excited by the amazing atmosphere and the fantastic food,” said Ed Greene, ISA Director. “They kept saying, ‘at our last school, we had to flip the burgers and do everything ourselves.’ I sadly had to break the news that this year was a special celebration for the 50th, and next year we would need them behind the grills!”

ISA Director Dr. Edward E. Greene and PTA President Clare Lenterman

Favourite ISA tradition Maribeth Byrne

Lora Evans Cheek

(Alumna Faculty/Staff)

Julia True

I loved the IB Art exhibition, Global Village Day and the ISA graduation. What made them special is that they were either unique to ISA or I haven’t seen them done as well in other schools.

(Alumna Parent/Staff) Friend of the week, because it encourages everyone to share and to think about what they appreciate in each other.

(Alumna Student, 1985) Alice Evans (Alumna Student, 2011) It began with a welcome song, and it ended with a clog representing all the friendships created.

The annual ski trip with Mr. Romanowicz. Fantastic fun interacting with classmates, learning to ski and making fabulous memories with old and new friends. Breakfast and dinners at the hostel/hotel was a great way to start and end our day. Modelling Mr. and Mrs. R’s behaviour as excellent ISA representatives in any situation encountered abroad.

Wijnand Dalmijn (Alumnus Student, 2001) Collete Niland

Katalin Vig

(Alumna Student, 1983)

(Alumna Student, 2002)

Remember, you get out of your education what you put into it, so be sure to take advantage of all the wonderful resources ISA has to offer. Despite what they tell you, when you get to university, you won’t be the smartest kid in the room, but you may be the most interesting.

Follow your dreams, and always be proud of your choices, even if they may be somewhat controversial, as they will lead you down the right path. (From the former “goth” of the school.)

High school is the stepping stone of your life, and never forget the friends and the memories you have. It might be horrible to finish homework, but the real world is far more demanding!

Paul Johnson (Director Alumnus)

Susan Hogan

Make friends and take advantage of being in a wonderful international community.

(Alumna Staff/Faculty) Work hard and ask for help.

Pavle Bojkovski

The world is not like ISA. Not every culture gets along. But ISA proves we can live side by side and can be friends. Never forget that, and inspire others.

Peter Sanborn (Alumnus Parent)

(Alumnus Student, 1992) Learn to inquire, stay open to the world around you and always remember that you rarely end up getting at your destination by the route you set out on in the beginning.

Melanie van Kooten-Morton (Alumna, 1995)

Michael Perkins

Karin Scheffka

(Alumnus Student, 1992)

(Alumna Student, 1988)

Make use of Amsterdam and its resources. There are many museums and libraries at your disposal.

Discuss a lot. This will give you insight into both other people and cultures as well as your own.

Be open to absorbing as much as you can. Do not spend time missing your home culture. You will have time for that later!

Advice from

Hugh Masters

Biggest influence

(Alumnus Student, 1995) Various people: Susan Patterson, David Meakin, Don LeBeau, Christine and Michael Westberg, and, of course, the one and only Scottish dude - Mr George Duncanson. Each of these teachers was special to me for various reasons - what they all had in common was their passion for teaching, and their kind and good-natured personalities.

Melanie van Kooten Morton (Alumn, 1995) Bob Carignan (Alumnus Faculty/Staff) First, all of my incredible art students; second, John Romanowicz, my financial wizard; third, Margaret ArmstrongLaw, for being able to contend with my irrational concepts and, at times, outrageous behaviour.

Bill Titmus, who taught me to never give up or let adversity or a handicap hold me back. The spirit of this lesson saved and helped me get back on my feet and get my life back on track after a devastating car accident months after my senior graduation. Ms. Van der Linden, who encouraged me to write, Bea, who took me to etch at the Rietveld in her personal time. Mr. C., Ruth Andrews and Michael Westberg, for their encouragement and teaching me about the arts and Mr Cowl, for helping me with statistics even after graduation. Lastly Ms. Chisala, Mr. Murphy and Mr. Oats, for their kindness.

Pavle Bojkovski (Alumnus Student, 1992) Hans Koster, Don Lebeau and Don Morton. All three of them helped me realise that learning was not enough, that thought needs to be structured and how it should be presented.

Mark de Jong Leor Zmigrod (Alumna Student, 2013) Dr. Corinna Hasbach incredible teacher and mentor.

(Alumnus Student, 1981)

Karin Scheffka

Denise Brust

Mr. Cowl, set the record straight in my head about the reality of school being used as a medium to learn or as a medium to play. I chose to learn.

(Alumna Student, 1988)

(Alumna Student, 1983)

Donald LeBeau. Do not come to class/life unprepared

Ms. Linda Swanson! She was a great teacher and made all ESL students speak English - even when some of us insisted on speaking our native language. She was funny and smart. Lots of good memories.

Yeiji Park Tristian Stobie

(Alumna Student, 2009)

(Alumnus Faculty/Staff)

Stay true to yourself, make good friends and respect others.

Be resilient and strive to do what you believe in and want to achieve in life.

Bob Carignan (Alumnus Faculty/Staff)

Amy Willis (Alumna Student, 1991) Take it all in. Don’t take any of it for granted. You don’t know when you may be back or when you will see each other again. Realise you are meeting people and experiencing things others will never know or understand, and take lots and lots of pictures. You will remember these days and these friends for the rest of your life!

alumni

Work hard, be creative, and consider the arts as a career path. It may not be the most lucrative financially, but it is the richest culturally.

Asif Khayyam (Alumnus Student,1992) Love what you do, and do what you love.

Denise Brust (Alumna Student, 1983) Enjoy your time at ISA, make friends and learn English (if you’re not a native speaker)! Learning English has helped me a lot - and it still helps me today, both in my personal life and in my job.

Maribeth Byrne (Alumna Faculty/Staff)

Joel Menko

Take advantage of all the opportunities to see the world through books, languages, friends and experiences offered.

(Alumnus Student, 1992)

Donald LeBeau

Respect for each other. Everyone is equal, no matter where they came from, what color they are, etc…

(Alumnus Staff/Faculty) Pride in personal fulfillment, no matter what direction one’s life takes.

Van Gogh Museum Evening

Over the years, ISA has worked with the Van Gogh

As a show of appreciation for the ISA faculty and staff,

museum on various projects and was integral in

the ISA Board of Governors and Director Ed Greene or-

introducing the concepts of Harvard University’s Visible

ganised a special evening in early December featuring

Thinking Project to the museum to enable visitors to

a private viewing of the new presentation of the perma-

reflect on what Van Gogh’s art truly represents.

nent collection at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. The event also provided an opportunity for ISA faculty The event provided the almost 400 attendees with an exclusive opportunity to explore varied aspects of the artist’s life in the newly redesigned and interactive viewing areas of the museum. 30

and staff to reflect on the importance of roles that they, and ISA, have played in reflecting the value that ISA’s international community brings to Amsterdam and beyond.

With tenures of service ranging from three months to over 35 years, the faculty and staff of ISA have shown a true and lasting commitment to the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission

of education for international understanding. It is through their lasting legacy that ISA has ensured that the thousands of families who have passed through its doors have taken the message of that mission with them upon leaving. All photographs from the PTA welcome barbeque and Van Gogh evening were taken by Kerry Reinking Photography.

New faculty & staff Cory Anderson Cory joined ISA in August of 2014 as a grade 7 science and homeroom teacher. His previous place of employment was Hong Kong International School, where he taught middle school science and math. Cory has studied at Valparaiso University, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Hong Kong. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking and camping in the mountains. Ken Baldino Ken joined ISA in August 2014 to teach middle school theatre. He spent the last eight years teaching at Island Pacific Academy, an IB World School in Hawaii. He holds a BA in Theatre Arts and Art History from Muhlenberg College. Ken is a founding ensemble member of A Broken Umbrella Theatre and works professionally as an actor. Douglas Beam Doug comes to ISA after having lived and taught in Indianapolis, Indiana (USA) and New Delhi, India. He teaches music in the MYP and DP. Doug is a composer who has been commissioned by choirs, community groups and schools throughout the United States. His works are published by Colla Voce Music, Boosey and Hawkes and Hal Leonard. He has been a frequent guest clinician and presenter of workshops for music teachers, and will be teaching at DePaul University in the summer of 2015. Doug holds a BA from Anderson University and an MA in Music Education from The University of St. Thomas. He and his partner have twin threeyear-old boys and a labrador. Amy Benedetti Amy joined ISA as a grade 1 teacher in August 2014. She began her career as a Teach For America corps member in New York City, where she taught kindergarten and served as a reading specialist. Prior to coming to ISA, she taught in Hong Kong. Amy holds a BA in Psychology from the University of Rhode Island and a masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in Early Childhood Education from Pace University. Amy is an avid runner and has completed several marathons and long-distance trail races. She enjoys exploring Amsterdam on bike and foot.

Anne Boone Anne comes to ISA from the International School of Beijing, where she was an early years teacher-librarian. Prior to working overseas, Anne lived and taught in Chicago for 15 years. She has three sons and one daughter, all of whom are living in the US and attending university or working. She is an avid fan of childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s books, reading aloud, using funny voices while storytelling and puppetry. Anne serves as the early childhood librarian. Jon Brown Jon joined the IT team at ISA in late 2014. Jon came to the Netherlands from the UK in 2000 for a two-week contract with a research company and still finds himself here after 15 years. As a multi-platform service provider, Jon rounds out the IT department, enabling more efficient customer response times and service. He enjoys travelling, socialising and football. Yvonne Cross Yvonne joined the Upper School English department at the start of the 2014-15 school year. Born, raised and educated in Saskatchewan, Canada, Yvonne spent the first half of her career teaching grades 5 through 12 in her home province. For the past 12 years, she has been teaching internationally; prior to ISA, she taught at International School Manila and the American School of Warsaw. Besides English, Yvonne has taught a variety of subjects ranging from keyboarding to physical education and has been a grade-level leader, a curriculum representative and a department head. Chad Dixon Chad is the Upper School technology facilitator. Before working at ISA, he worked at the American Embassy School in New Delhi as a technology project manager and in various industries in the USA. He holds an undergraduate degree in Technology and Management from Purdue University and a Certificate of Educational Technology and Information Literacy from Buffalo State University. Originally from Indiana, USA, Chad and his partner, Douglas, have twin three-year-old boys who attend ISA in the Nursery School programme.

Charlotte Downing Charlotte returned to ISA in the fall of 2014 to cover for an Upper School counsellor on leave. Charlotte works with students in grades 9-10. She previously worked at ISA as the Upper School counsellor for grades 9-12 from 2007 to 2009. Charlotte has a BA in History and English and a Secondary Teaching Credential from the University of California and a master’s degree in Education and Pupil Personnel Services from Fresno Pacific University. She taught English, US history, world history, geography, journalism and EAL in the US, Pakistan and Bolivia for 18 years and has served as an Upper School counsellor for 22 years. David Downing David also returned to ISA in the fall of 2014 as an aide in grade 1. He previously worked at ISA as a roving substitute for Nursery School through grade 5. David has a BA in Social Sciences from California State University, Long Beach and a Teaching Credential from Fresno Pacific University. David has taught grades 5 and 6 self-contained and grade 8 math, history and English for 32 years in the US, Pakistan and Bolivia. He has also coached basketball and softball. David enjoys backpacking, travelling and reading. Melissa Doyle Melissa Doyle joined ISA in August 2014 as the new grade 5 teacher. Prior to ISA, she worked for Buncombe Schools in North Carolina in the USA. Melissa holds a BA in Early Childhood Education and Mass Communications from the University of North Carolina at Asheville. She earned her master’s degree from Montreat College in 2011. She enjoys spending time outside, cooking and gardening. Peter Durning Pete joined ISA in 2014 as a science teacher. Prior to ISA, Pete worked as an MYP and DP chemistry teacher at the Dwight School in New York City. While at Dwight, he also served as the Dean of the twelfth grade and the boys and girls cross-country running and track-and-field coach. Prior to his time at Dwight, Pete taught math and chemistry at The Newman School in Boston. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Classics and Archaeology with a minor in Chemistry from Bowdoin College, as well as a master’s degree in Science Education from Columbia University Teachers College. He enjoys running, travelling and playing music, both in and outside of the classroom. Pete is joined in Amsterdam by his partner and new son, and he is very excited about his first job outside of the United States. Angelica Gaete Angelica joined ISA in 2011 as substitute, and since August 2014 she has been a teaching assistant in the Nursery School. Prior to coming to ISA, she worked as a teacher at the Spanish School of Amsterdam and at various schools in Chile and as a project manager for educational and adventure outdoor activities for various schools and companies. Angelica holds a bachelor’s degree in Education from the Universidad Metropolitana de Ciencias de la Educación. She loves mountains and nature, was a member of the Universidad de Chile’s mountain club and has summited, among other peaks, Aconcagua. As there are no mountains in the Netherlands, she runs the Dam tot Damloop and the half marathon of Amsterdam. She has always loved to work with children, and she is very happy to be working at ISA.

Elizabeth Gaglio Elizabeth is an award-winning teacher, joining ISA from Richmond, Virginia. She currently teaches grade 1. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Ohio University and has completed graduate work in Environmental Education at Miami University. With science as a personal and professional passion, she partnered with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and local parks to successfully bring meaningful environmental science opportunities to students in underprivileged public schools. Catherine Geevers Catherine works as a classroom assistant in preschool after previously working as a playground assistant at ISA since 2008. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from University College, Galway as well as an MSc and PhD in Chemistry from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. At university she taught graduate students alongside conducting her own academic research. Catherine has also worked in the pharmaceutical industry. Damian Gielty Damian joined ISA’s physical and health education department in August 2014. Prior to arriving in Amsterdam, he taught in both his native Scotland and at the International School of Luxembourg. He holds a BEd (Honours) in Physical Education from the University of Edinburgh. While at ISA, Damian will coordinate the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award programme. Damian is, in addition, a UEFA A-licensed football coach, and he played professional football in the Scottish League before moving to the Netherlands. Laura Gielty Laura joined the ISA Lower School in August 2014 as a classroom assistant in kindergarten. Prior to joining ISA, Laura worked for six years at the Royal Blind School in Edinburgh, supporting children with multiple disabilities and visual impairments. Denise Granai Denise joined ISA in August 2014 as the new early childhood counsellor. Prior to coming to ISA, she worked as a school psychologist in Egypt, Serbia and the USA. Denise holds a master’s degree in Educational Psychology and is currently working on a second master’s degree in Dance/ Movement Therapy. Outside of ISA, she can be found taking dance and acrobatic classes and teaching dance to teens and adults. Erika Harriford-McLaren Erika joined ISA in April 2014 as the new Communications Manager. She has prior work experience in a variety of fields, including marketing and market research, brand management, human rights and education. Erika holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Communications from the University of Kansas and a Juris Doctor from the University of San Francisco. She serves on the board of the Dutch chapter of Worldreader, a non-profit organisation bringing e-readers and mobile literacy to children in underserved countries. Erika lives in Amsterdam with her partner and two children, both of whom attend ISA.

Hester Helsloot Hester joined ISA as a substitute teacher in September 2013. In September 2014, she became a part-time Dutch teacher at the school. In addition, Hester is following a teacher training course for science/biology. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Amsterdam as well as a Teaching Certificate for both English and Dutch. Prior to joining ISA, she worked for over four years as a teacher at the British Language Training Centre in Amsterdam. Natane Hetschel Natane joined ISA in August 2014 to teach grade 7 English as an Additional Language (EAL). For the previous eight years, she had been working at Munich International School, where she taught grades 7, 8 and 12. Natane earned her master’s degree in Teaching at Lewis and Clark State College in Portland, Oregon. In addition to Munich, she has taught in Oregon City, Oregon and Lugano, Switzerland. Jaclyn Houtman Jaclyn has been part of the ISA community since early 2014 and is now a full-time cover teacher for learning support. Jaclyn completed her undergraduate and graduate studies in Communications and Math Education at Pepperdine University, where she graduated magna cum laude. She has taught grades 6-12, in both public and private schools, with students from diverse backgrounds and of various abilities. Jaclyn has served on committees for intervention strategies and coached math clubs. Outside of school, she practices yoga, loves cooking and looks for every chance to go surfing. Joanna Johami Joanna joined ISA in August 2014 as part of the grade 2 team. She is originally from Malaysia and has been teaching internationally for 12 years. Joanna has worked in Hong Kong, Bangkok and, most recently, Singapore, where she was the year 3 coordinator. She graduated from the University of Exeter in the UK with a Bachelor of Education (Honours). Joanna is a PYP educator, space designer, visible thinker, urban learner, scuba diver, dreamer, global nomad, and lover of architecture, gastronomy and life. Rosanne Koster Rosanne Koster joined ISA’s Lower School art department in August 2014. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Art and Education from the Amsterdam School of the Arts, where she specialised in drawing and new media. She has also taken art courses at UCLA, UC Berkeley and the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. She recently earned her master’s degree in Art History. Rosanne enjoys drawing, dancing, taking pictures, and loves to go to as many museums as possible. In addition to teaching visual art at ISA, she is an editor and writer for a small Dutch magazine dedicated to the arts. Kathy Lokerse Kathy is happy to be back at ISA after taking five years off to raise her three boys. Born and raised in the USA, Kathy received her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Penn State University and holds a master’s degree in Library Science from Clarion University. This year, she can be found in grade 1 teaching EAL (English as an Additional Language), but her previous experience includes teaching grades 1, 2, 4 and 5, as well as being the social and

emotional support teacher. When she isn’t busy running after her young boys, Kathy loves catching up with friends and trying new recipes. She even dreams of getting out her dusty guitar again and learning how to play. Dan Lundin Daniel joined ISA in August of 2014 as a member of the Individuals and Societies department. Daniel has worked as a private banker, emergency first responder, track and field coach and, of course, a teacher. He was an NCAA student-athlete at Winona State University and holds a Master of Business Administration. In addition, he attained an MEd in International Educational Administration from Lehigh University and was certified as a K-12 administrator by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Daniel is also an accreditation site visitor for the Council of International Schools and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. He serves as an IB examiner for theory of knowledge and economics and is a member of the IB curriculum review committee for DP economics. Daniel is married with two children. Lauren Lundin Lauren joined ISA in August 2014 as the new Upper School counsellor. Prior to working at ISA, she served as a counsellor at schools in the United Arab Emirates and the USA. Lauren holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a Master of Arts and Master of Education in Psychological Counseling from Columbia University. She is a certified school counsellor and enjoys working with third culture kids within the International Baccalaureate curriculum. Sarah Moroney Sara Moroney grew up in Boston and received a BA from Fordham University in New York City and a Master of Education from Florida International University. She has taught in Ecuador, Miami and Virginia. Before joining ISA, she worked at the American International School of Rotterdam, starting in 2003 as an elementary teacher and then, for the past seven years, serving as an EAL teacher and coordinator. She loves travelling, foreign movies and playing games with her children. Khullood Rahman Khullood joined ISA in 2014 as the new grade 7 individuals and societies teacher. She has taught middle school language arts and social studies for 17 years, most recently in Costa Rica, where she also coordinated the community service programme at her school. Khullood holds a Bachelor of Arts in French and Western European Studies from Grinnell College and a Master of Science in International Development Education from Florida International University. Khullood’s teaching is informed by her exposure to a wide range of cultures from childhood on. A third culture kid, she considers herself a citizen of the world. Her passions include yoga, hiking, swimming and art. Ronaldo Rohana Ronaldo joined the school in August as a security agent/ receptionist. He was born in Rio de Janeiro, where he later studied communications. At the age of 18, he moved to Ibiza, where he worked in security for some of the island’s best clubs. In 1983, he moved to Amsterdam and began working as a doorman in some of the most exclusive nightspots in town, including Mazzo, RoXY, supperclub

and Club NL. Ronaldo speaks five languages and also works as a personal trainer. His hobbies are working out, swimming, travelling, music and movies. Andrea Sanders Andrea joined ISA at the start of the 2013-2014 school year as a member of the admissions office. She has since transitioned to the technology team as data manager for the school. Prior to working at ISA, Andrea was the registrar at the Dwight School in New York City. She holds an MBA from Argosy University and a Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management from Indiana University. Originally from Indiana, Andrea enjoys baking, hiking and travelling with her partner, Paul. Paul Sanders In August 2013, Paul Sanders joined ISA as Head of the Upper School after eight years at the Dwight School in New York City, where he led the English department and served as Middle and Upper School Head. Paul earned his BA in English Language and Literature from the University of Virginia and his Master of Education from the University of Pennsylvania. Kate Scott Kate joined ISA as part of the preschool team in August 2014 after many years teaching in international schools in Africa and Europe. Kate has worked as an early years teacher in England, Kenya, Ethiopia, Togo, Tanzania, Austria and Mauritius, where she set up and ran a preschool for deprived children in one of the country’s poorest communities. Kate has a degree in English and Related Literature from the University of York and a postgraduate teaching qualification from Goldsmiths, University of London. She has trained as a workshop leader, school visitor and online workshop leader for the IB PYP and has run workshops in countries in the Middle East and Africa. Kate’s passion is for the theatre, and she has written and directed shows for adults and children. She also enjoys hill walking, reading and travel. Martin Tellekamp Martin joined ISA at the start of the 2014 school year as a security agent/receptionist, bringing with him over 18 years experience in security. Before working at ISA, Martin held several high-profile security roles for institutions and individuals in the Netherlands, including serving as team leader of security and as a predictive security profiler for the Van Gogh Museum. He has also served as an individual security agent for high-risk assignments such as the KNVB (Dutch team 2010 in South Africa), various Dutch ministries and multinational and national corporations such as Endemol Netherlands and ATOS Euronext. Martin enjoys fly fishing, cooking and spending time with his family. Michelle Thomas Michelle joined ISA in August 2014 as a prekindergarten teacher. Prior to ISA, she worked in Colorado as a kindergarten teacher and later as an elementary ESL teacher. Michelle holds a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education from the Bowling Green State University. Additionally, Michelle has endorsements in the fields of Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Education from Regis University and Educational Leadership from Colorado Mesa University. In her free time, Michelle likes to travel the world and dance to live music.

Irene Tsui Irene joined ISA in August 2014 as an Upper School science and chemistry teacher. She was previously the deputy head of the science department at Victoria Shanghai Academy in Hong Kong, where she was born, and worked as a teaching assistant in undergraduate chemistry courses at New York University. She is also an IB diploma examiner in biology. Irene holds a Bachelor of Arts in Biochemistry and Music from New York University and a Master of Arts in Biomedical Science from Columbia University. She enjoys singing, reading and exploring Amsterdam by bike. Tuva Vandvik Tuva Vandvik joined ISA in March 2013. In August 2014, she started as a kindergarten homeroom teacher. Prior to working at ISA, she spent eight years in the television industry and 15 years in the Norwegian educational system. Tuva holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Stord in Norway. In addition, she has studied English, philosophy, linguistics and phonetics at the University of Bergen in Norway. Brittany Vierling Brittany joined ISA in January 2013 as a substitute teacher, before moving on to teach prekindergarten. Prior to arriving at ISA, she worked at an English language academy in Seoul, Korea and spent years volunteer teaching ESL for adult immigrants in Chicago and Minneapolis in the USA. Brittany holds a Bachelor of Science in Anthropology and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Loyola University Chicago as well as a Master of Arts in Education from the University of St. Thomas. In her free time, Brittany can often be found expanding her culinary skills or focusing on her yoga practice. In fact, she hopes to add yoga teacher to he resume one day. Katie Williams Katie joined ISA in August 2014 as the middle school digital design teacher. She leads the Maker Club at ISA, where students learn computer programming and experiment with hardware. She is also the founder of RISE OF //CODE, an initiative that brings high-tech after-school workshops to Dutch public schools. She has worked in international marketing and communications with education startups such as DonorsChoose.org and eFaqt. Her teaching experience ranges from Teach for America Phoenix to Pacican Shanghai. Katie is proud to have won the Twitter API Prize at the Kings of Code Hack Battle at the 2014 Next Web conference in Amsterdam. Sarah Woods Sarah holds a Master of Science in Education in K-12 Technology Integration and is an MYP digital design technology teacher at ISA. From 2010 to 2014, she was the IT director and high school technology integration coach at Pechersk School International in Kiev, Ukraine. Sarah is a member of the ECIS technology, innovation and design committee and both a Google certified teacher and trainer. She’s a frequent presenter at AppsEvents Google Summits and summer programme teacher at the Mediterranean Center for Innovation in Education. She’s also a single mother, yoga teacher and frequent traveller.

TEDxAmsterdamED With well over one billion collective views, the TED organisation’s “TED talks” series has tapped into a unique aspect of our global sharing economy – the curating of once-exclusive conference content for a mass

TEDxAmsterdam and ISA In November of 2009, the first major TEDx conference came to life in the Netherlands as an initiative of former TED speaker and internet entrepreneur Jim Stolze, who

audience.

wanted to bring the magic of TED to his native country.

Working towards its mission of generating “Ideas Worth

Since 2009, TEDxAmsterdam has grown and incorpo-

Sharing,” TED talks have evolved from a small event, launched 30 years ago for a group of Silicon Valley tech enthusiasts, into a global platform for spreading knowledge and sparking social change. With TED talks increasing in popularity, their focus has grown (somewhat dramatically) beyond an original remit of talks geared towards the technology, entertainment and design industries (hence the acronym TED) to encompassing various topic-specific areas through independent TED-like events aimed at generating grass-roots thought leadership. These independent “mini-TED” talks, licensed as TEDx events, allow for broader and more focused discussion on issues such as women, youth and education. To date, they have generated over 30,000 films and presentations from over 130 countries.

rated TEDXAmsterdamYouth, TEDXAmsterdamWomen and TEDXAmsterdamEd into its programme. It is in this last category that the International School of Amsterdam has been committed to supporting and connecting educators from the Amsterdam region. Since its launch in 2012, TEDXAmsterdamEd has been supported by members of the ISA community who have been active in the organisation, development and production of the event and sharing the ISA mission of education through international understanding. Most recently, three members of the ISA community participated in an open competition for the 2015 event. Over 80 educators from throughout the Netherlands submitted proposals, with 20 being called for a finalround presentation. Seventh-grade English teacher Shannon Gerrity, Director of Educational Technology Warren Apel and MYP digital design technology teacher Sarah Woods were selected to the final round of 20, and they presented their talks in three-minute pitches to the general public at Amsterdam’s Boom Chicago Theatre on January 11.

Shannon Gerrity: Bridging In-Class Learning with the Outside World By using meta-cognition techniques with her English students, Shannon seeks to translate what we teach in school to real-world and real-life experiences. In her pitch, she explored why there is a need to provide answers to students who question why they need to study the subjects they do and to show them how their education can be relevant to their daily lives. 36

Sarah Woods: Identity: How Fear and Change Intersect What is personal identity, and can it change over time? A decade ago, Sarah Woods had long blond hair, but then she lost all of it over a two-year period to alopecia. She spent the next eight years reevaluating her identity and learning how to embrace her new state as a bald woman. For her TEDxAmsterdamEd submission, Sarah addressed how her newfound identity has helped her to develop insight and gain a unique perspective on how to bridge the technology gap with teachers who could have never imagined themselves as “techies.” By embracing the change, a happier and more fulfilled educator may emerge. Warren Apel – Social Entrepreneurship: Student-Run Businesses That Can Change the World Students want to help other people. At least, the students at ISA do. But are current methods, such as bake-sale fundraising, really helping them to see “the bigger picture” and gain successful life skills for effecting social change? Using his experience from helping students launch a Kickstarter project to raise money for charity, Warren recognised how harnessing the power of the internet and teaching students to think like a startup could create student-run businesses that might change the world. From learning how global supply chains work to outsourcing factory labour and embracing the power of a story in marketing, Warren illustrated to the TEDxAmsterdamEd audience just how an interdisciplinary approach to social change can make the world a better place and students better global citizens.

Apel truly believes in the power of TED: “I enjoy watching TED talks, and I know they can be a powerful tool in education. I really like how TED harnesses the power of ideas and shares them virally.” For Apel, participating in the pitch seemed to be a perfect fit. “I like public speaking and seeking out new opportunities to share with the world all the exciting things that are going on at ISA, especially what we’re doing

As this issue went to press, it was announced that Sarah Woods was selected as one of the five presenters for the 2015 event to be held on March 26 at the Theatre Amsterdam, located in the Westelijke Houthavens district. The event is open to the public, however tickets are limited.

with technology.” Gerrity agrees: “Participating in TEDxAmsterdamEd’s speaker pitch was an engaging and authentic opportunity to share my experience and philosophy of bridging curriculum to the outside world.”

To sign up visit http://tedxamsterdamed.com/. The ISA community is also invited to watch a live-stream of the event at the school. 37

Code Week ISA Gets Inspired by Tech in EU Code Week

Splitting over 100 sixth-grade students into small

In 2013, a group of young digital technology experts

groups, she had them rotate at ten-minute intervals to a

acting as advisors to the Vice President of the European Union were tasked with furthering the Digital Agenda for Europe, the EU’s ambitious action plan for helping Europe’s citizens and businesses to get the most out of digital technologies. The goal of the group, known as the Young Advisors, was to focus on strengthening the future of digital society in Europe, using their unique perspectives from the

new table and a new mentor. The students participated in a wide range of presentations ranging from graphic novel design to online security to artificial intelligence to digital marketing. Deborah Carter, founder of NewTechKids, an after-school, technology education academy based in Amsterdam, served as one of the Code Week mentors. “I ended up speaking about how my career morphed

non-profit, technology and education sectors.

from online community-building and marketing to busi-

In response, they launched various initiatives to support

founder of NewTechKids,” she notes.

European investment in digital literacy and information sharing. One unique grassroots initiative, EU Code Week, was created to improve awareness of Coding in Europe and to “motivate people to start learning to code, and to connect individuals, groups, organisations and companies who are willing to help more people experience the joy and relevance of coding.” The first Code Week was a resounding success, rallying support from the public, educational organisations and several multinational tech giants including Microsoft, Google,

ness development and, now, to entrepreneurship as the

“I then asked them about their ambitions and their experience with technology. The students were talkative, inquisitive and knew a surprising amount about technology and entrepreneurship. One boy from Russia told us how he taught himself how to code by reading a thick manual and then practising using Lego Mindstorm robots. Another boy said he was inspired by Elon Musk and his Tesla and Hyperloop projects. A young girl said she was inspired by her own mother, who is a technolo-

Facebook, Rovio, Telfonica and Liberty Global.

gy entrepreneur. I left very inspired for our future.”

ISA Gets Inspired by Tech

“The purpose of our Code Week EU event was to get

In October 2014, a second edition of EU Code Week

kids inspired by passionate tech people, and we defi-

was introduced. Code Week events were planned in schools across Europe, and Katie Williams, one of ISA’s new digital design teachers, saw a unique opportunity to include her students – and ISA – in the EU Code Week‘s international map of events.

nitely achieved our goal,” reports Williams. “Now it’s about looking towards the future of coding at ISA, and we have some big plans ahead, such as the recent student hackathon we did in collaboration with the Fair Trade. I want coding to be fun for my students, but it’s also great if they can see that it can make a difference.”

“I knew I wanted to host an event at the International School of Amsterdam,” says Williams, “but I wanted to make sure that the 6th grade students understood the big picture before diving into actual coding. So I invited mentors – 14 of Amsterdam’s coolest programmers, graphic designers and marketeers – to come and give short, lightning talks [think speed dating] to the students on their experiences with technology and how code impacts their work.”

Did you know? Did you know that Ada Lovelace, who is credited with developing the first algorithm to be carried out by a machine – and has been cited as the first computer programmer – was born The Honorable August Ada Byron, daughter of world-renowned poet Lord George Gordon Byron?

But words are things, and a small drop of ink, Falling like dew, upon a thought, produces That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think. Don Juan, Canto III, Stanza 88; Lord Byron

has over 100 student members, who meet once a week and are guided by 22 volunteers. It has since become certified by the global Eco-School programme and has earned the “Green Flag” award – the highest level of recognition the programme bestows. The main mission of the Green Team is to invove ISA’s students, parents, faculty and staff in environmental issues and actions, including making the schools’ faci-

Green Team

clities and operations eco-friendly and inspiring green solutions and the wise use of resources. “We created ISA’s Green Team so that everyone – kids, teachers, and parents – can be part of our school’s meaningful green actions,” explains Peggy Brannigan, ISA Parent and founding Green Team member. “I think we all want to have a healthy planet. So, instead of simply worrying about the global environmental threats, we launch positive solutions that each of us could support, and that have quantifiable positive impact. We like to

The Foundation for Environmental Education launched its groundbreaking Eco-Schools programme in 1992, after a United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNEP) issued a call to involve young people more in environmental issues. After only a decade, the programme crossed over to several continents and was in 2003 identified by UNEP as a model for sustain-

have fun with it, too – so our student assemblies feature world-champion solar race cars or top chefs cooking recipes with small “carbon footprints.” ISA Senior Matthieu Lair truly believes in the aims of the Green Team mission. “This club plays a significant role at ISA because of the awareness that we create. We are

able development initiatives in education.

helping the school to earn recognition for some great

In 2008, ISA joined the eco-awareness movement and

Award, but I feel that the spread of awareness of the

launched “the Green Team” – a passionate group of parents, students and ISA Staff – whose aim is to help ISA make a difference – ecologically – for the school community and the world. Starting with just 12 members (six adults and six students), the Green Team now

environmental achievements, such as the Green Flag topic is even more valuable. When students, teachers parents, and those even outside the ISA community understand what we do, it has the ability to inspire others to do the same and benefit the environment even further.” Grade 10 student Alexander Meyers agrees. “I decided to join the green team because I was inspired when our school got an international award for being a green school. I was impressed that the green team managed to make such a difference just by placing bins all around the school to encourage everyone to think of recycling all the time; The work green team does to reduce our schools impact on the environment is amazing.” “The ‘green values’ are becoming more integrated into the whole school. This means we will continue to make a lasting difference for our school and our planet, and that is the most encouraging part of all,” notes Brannigan.

Creativity Actvity & Service In 1996, ISA became the first school in the world authorised to teach the complete International Baccalaureate curriculum – the Primary Years Programme, the Middle Years Programme and the Diploma Programme. These three programmes (a fourth certificate programme was introduced in 2014) were strategically developed to offer “a continuum of education” across a student’s lifetime. The last stage of the IB curriculum, the Diploma Programme, seeks to provide pending graduates with an academic experience beyond the traditional high school educational framework. While subjects such as maths, science and languages are a part of an IB student’s core curriculum, an additional focus is put on promoting intercultural understanding of world issues and handson practical experience through the Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS) programme. And through its CAS programme, ISA continues to strengthen its IB programme. The

Creativity,

Activity

and

Service

Programme

consists of three distinct categories, for which ISA students must earn a total of 150 hours of volunteer work.

Creativity Arts and other experiences that involve creative thinking.

Activity Physical exertion contributing to a healthy lifestyle, complementing academic work elsewhere in the Diploma Programme.

Service An unpaid and voluntary exchange that has a learning benefit for the student. The rights, dignity and autonomy of all those involved are respected (IB, 2015).

At ISA, CAS is not only an essential element of a diploma student’s development, it allows students to experience different cultural, social and economic environments and to gain new perspectives on the importance of service for positive social change. The ISA CAS programme is wide ranging, allowing students to explore activities that stimulate their interests as well as their hearts. For ISA students, CAS projects often bring them face to face with new realities and issues that otherwise rarely touch their daily lives. Natasha Vohra is a grade 11 student who, except for a short stint in Singapore, has spent most of her academic life as an ISA student. She is actively involved in a number of ISA activities, including a new project to create an ISA alumni archive and the ISA Amnesty International group. “Through CAS I get to learn about human rights, how to deliver an effective roundhouse kick, and how to play Chopin all within the same week,” says Vohra. “It’s a shame if my classmates and I enter into adulthood never knowing what it means to help and bring happiness to others, or what it is to live a balanced, enjoyable and healthy life. I believe that CAS gives students like myself the opportunity to enrich others’ lives, as well as our own, and to learn the importance of doing so.” CAS Coordinator Marjorie Bone seconds Vohra’s sentiment. “I do this job because I am passionate about service. I have particularly watched how the Activity category has completley changed students’ lives. They become more active, more healthy and more engaged. Their entire lifestyle changes for the better.” “CAS changes students’ lives. It makes them more aware of the community they live in and of the world around them. It’s one of the best things offerered in the IB curriculum.”

CAS Activities

Alumni archives Amnesty International Art club Arts Festival in Slovenia Duke of Edinburgh Award Booster club Care Squares Community Notice Board Cub Scouts Debate team Doctors without Borders Dutch Survival Course Tutoring and Learning Dutch EAL Support Erase Hate Fair Trade First Aid/AED/CPR Girl Scouts Global Issues Network Green Team Habitat for Humanity Haiti Relief Fund Upper School Fall Play Hope and Homes Gym membership IT Network Support Investment Club Japanese Mother Tongue Library assistants Light up Papua New Guinea Lower School assistant Math classroom assistant Math help centre McMillan Cancer Trust Mindfulness Mondays Musical theatre review Model United Nations Operation Smile PAWS PTA activities Philippines relief Retirement Home concerts Serve the City Spanish assistant Spanish Peer tutor SOS Kinderdorpen Sound and Light club Soup Kitchen South Africa Football club Special Olympics Sports activity assistant Sports scorers Sports teams Student ambassadors Tanzania Girls Theatre production assistant Upper School assistant Upper School choir Upper School ensemble Yearbook Yoga WaterAid

SHARE “Education through international understanding” is the guiding mission of the International School of Amsterdam. For years, ISA’s commitment to international understanding has served as a catalyst for sparking positive action and change within – and beyond – the ISA community. In 1998, ISA launched SHARE, a collaborative working group of parent volunteers and members of the ISA faculty who connect and consolidate the various charitable activities within the school community. Since its inception, SHARE, working closely with the PTA and school administration, has provided on-going financial support to a wide variety of charities, allowing students and the wider ISA community to become more deeply involved and observe the difference that their fundraising makes. SHARE organises a number of fundraising events throughout the school year, which have historically generated in excess of €20,000 annually. Sizeable contributions are then made annually to charitable projects both large and small.

This new team has big plans to engage the ISA community in this year’s fundraising initiatives. “SHARE dots the ‘i’s’ of the ISA mission,” says Heemskerk. “By sharing our talents and resources we can – and will – make a difference and aim for a better global understanding.” To learn more about ISA SHARE and how you can donate your time or offer a monetary contribution, visit the SHARE website at www.isa.nl/share.

Ed Greene, ISA Director, is one of SHARE’s biggest supporters. “SHARE is much more than a fund-raising group,” he notes. “SHARE has long served as a model for our students, a visible demonstration of the importance of committing one’s time and energy to help others. It would be hard to imagine any group that plays a more compelling role where the lives of ISA students, faculty, staff and parents intersect with our school’s mission.” Running SHARE requires a huge commitment from parent volunteers to ensure that the various student groups can continue to meet, or even exceed, the contribution goals they have set for their respective organisations. This year, SHARE welcomed a new planning committee, spearheaded by ISA parents Marianne Heemskerk, Beatriz Garcia and Zoe Rizokosta.

For the love of stroopwafels In 1829, Pieter Willem Kamphuisen opened the Kamphuisen Bakery in Gouda – a small town in the western part of the Netherlands. While fiddling around with some leftovers, it is said that he threw some crumbed ingredients and leftover syrup together and accidentally created what would become a lasting legacy and hallmark of Dutch cuisine – the deliciously sweet stroopwafel. Or at

had moved to Amsterdam years earlier with his parents and brother. “My parents decided to move to Amsterdam when I was very young. They wanted to give my brother and me the opportunity to study abroad and thought that ISA would

least that’s how the stories goes…

best prepare us for that, given the IB curriculum.”

Fast-forward 185 years, and Kamphuisen’s “experi-

Pruisken remembers his ISA years fondly. He swam

ment” is the hallmark of the Dutch “koffietijd” – a relaxing coffee break accompanied by the syrupy waffle treat. The uniquely Dutch stroopwafel leaves a lasting impression on all who try it and has even spawned the somewhat comedic Association of Dutch Stroopwafel Addicts – “an association for people who have tasted a stroopwafel at least *once* and like it very, very, very

competitively for ISA as well as outside of school. “I also played an Indian classical instrument and was an avid rock climber. I participated in these activities simply because they were fun and gave me an opportunity to “plug out” and take a break from studying.” He also found success academically while at ISA. “I

much. There is no obligation to be Dutch.”

think doing the IB curriculum definitely helped me get

While those of us who still reside in Holland may take

prepares one for college if that is the next step that you

our access to authentic stroopwafels for granted, there is finally some hope for stroopwafel-lovers out there who live far from the lowlands and crave the real thing. At least, there is for those in the United States, where Rip Pruisken (‘06) is introducing leading US college towns and coffee cities to the stroopwafel – all through his startup company, Rip van Wafels. The ISA Years In 2006, recent ISA graduate Rip (Abhishek) Pruisken moved to America to start his freshman year at Brown 44

University. Pruisken, who attended ISA from 2003-2006,

into college. The IB is a solid curriculum and definitely are aiming for.” Does he believe that an international-school education prepares students well for the broader world? “Academically, yes. As far as the broader world goes, that’s a much more complicated question, as it really goes beyond schooling and depends on the individual (as Pruisken’s path highlights well).” While the IB education helped Pruisken achieve academic success and gain acceptance into Brown (one of

America’s prestigious Ivy League schools), it also helped him to gain a better understanding of himself and, most

Sage Advice “Succeeding in business requires hyper-focus and con-

importantly, what he didn’t want to do with his life.

sistent execution,” notes Pruisken. So what has been his

“After reflecting on the classes I took in college and

for those looking to pursue their own business dreams?

high school, I realised that I never really liked studying very much. I couldn’t see myself going into academia or pursuing a professional career in medicine, law, etc. ... I also realised I didn’t want to enter the corporate world, after doing internships at McKinsey [strategy consulting] and at Alvarez & Marsal [restructuring] during college. It wasn’t until I actually took a break in college and spent two months in Italy that I realised I wanted to start a company. My reasoning was that, as a kid, I always loved making things – Lego structures, paintings, drawings, remote control cars – and I saw business as a vehicle to make many things.” Eyes on the Prize “I’m an entrepreneur.” Pruisken notes proudly. “I started Rip van Wafels out of my college dorm room at Brown

biggest success so far, and what advice does he have “Professionally, our company, for sure. We’ve grown the business from virtually nothing to having raised close to $1 million in funding, with 170% year-on-year growth so far in 2014”. “Before deciding to start a company, ask yourself why you want to do it. If you yourself are not convinced, simply don’t do it. Starting a company is a marathon and requires a tremendous amount of dedication in time and energy. You need to know in your heart and gut that it’s really what you want to do.” And as for his fellow ISA alumni? “Start working on answering hard questions as early as possible: What do you want out of your life? What values do you stand by? The earlier you start working on enriching your life,

four years ago. I’m currently the CEO of the company.”

the more rewarding it will be. Most people pass through

But the journey to get him to that point was significant.

tions. You’re fortunate enough to be able to.”

their entire lives without asking themselves these ques-

Upon returning from Italy, it was three years (“and 1,625 wafel-less koffietijds”) before he even bought a wafel iron and attempted making his own stroopwafels. The first batches were failures. However, after visiting wafel factories in Holland to learn from the masters, he returned to school and began serving wafels to an eager and ever-growing crowd of young students. He enlisted the help of engineering students to develop a wafel press for mass production and, before he knew it, Rip van Wafels was born. A Kickstarter campaign raised $23,750 in pledges, surpassing its goal of $22,105, and giving him much-needed capital to fund his business. Pruisken partnered with another Brown student, Marco De Leon, and entered the Brown Startup Competition, which they won on the basis of their business plan. Accolades aside, Pruisken and De Leon worked hard to pitch their business, travelling across the country selling their wares and at times sleeping in their car. But in the end, the hard work seems to have paid off, and Americans from coast to coast are aware of, and loving, the coffee treat that ISA families have long enjoyed.

Launching dreams through RocketHub

His name is Alon Hillel-Tuch (‘03), and he is the CFO and co-founder of RocketHub, one of the world’s largest crowdfunding movements. RocketHub provides a web-based means for budding innovators and business people to raise money for their projects and to promote their work to potential investors. According to Hillel-Tuch, the RocketHub platform is one of the largest in the world, and they are continuing to expand. In 2014, RocketHub partnered with A&E’s Project Startup to fuel innovative projects and provide “the funding to propel your next idea to the next level.” Hillel-Tuch has always aimed high. While at ISA, his course load included advanced economics, physics, Dutch, and English. Just to round things out, he also

A Crowdfunding Movement He has been featured in the likes of The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and on National Public Radio (NPR). He has testified before the US House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, regarding the effects of the implementation of the JOBS Act on the rights of small businesses and entrepreneurs, and he has a delivered a TEDxNavesink talk on the technology cycle in society and how the world of crowdfunding is changing the status quo.

took advantage of courses in music composition and theory and, naturally, information technology. After graduating from ISA, Hillel-Tuch attended Hamilton College, a small and highly regarded liberal arts school in the United States, where he studied economics and Chinese. After a post-graduation stint in finance, he found his way to RocketHub. He now is a regular on the speaker circuit, and we hope he will come back to ISA one day soon in order to share his remarkable story in person.

Continuing Excellence When Leor Zmigrod graduated from ISA in 2013, she left an indelible mark on the school and a lasting lega-

tal awards for best performance and first-place rankings in her final exams. In addition to her continuing

cy, after receiving the Director’s Award for completing

academic success, Leor is busy in a wide range of ex-

the IB Diploma programme with a grade-point average

tracurricular leadership roles in a number of student

of 7 out of 7 and exemplifying the values and mission

societies as well as contributing to research at Cam-

of ISA and earned a perfect score on the IB diploma.

bridge’s Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute. She garnered tremendous admiration from fellow

A year later, Leor is continuing on her path to excellence at Cambridge University, where she now studies Psychological and Behavioural Sciences and has been awarded prestigious university-wide and departmen46

students and faculty while at ISA, and it seems that she is continuing along this path at Cambridge as well. We can’t wait to see what the next years bring!

Back to the drawing board Like most ISA students, Wouter Goedkoop found his way (back) to Amsterdam via parental work obligations. Originally from the Netherlands, Wouter moved to Switzerland as a young child and was educated in the Swiss international school system before relocating back to

“My biggest artistic success so far has been completing my first graphic novel, Captain Wayne and the Unexplained Dimension, and self-publishing it digitally,” Goedkoop says. “It has triggered an

Holland.

artistic journey that brings me rewards

“When my parents moved back to the Netherlands, I

an illustrator and storyteller while mak-

was 17, and ISA was the logical choice for me. I had been educated in English and French in Switzerland, and ISA was the only school in the region that fit my language and academic needs.” In hindsight, ISA was indeed the perfect choice. “ISA built a strong foundation for the work I do now as the school’s web and graphic designer, as well as in my pursuit of a career as a graphic-novel creator and artist. There is no doubt about that. ISA allowed me to pursue an artistic career, something that a traditional European

on a daily basis as I continue to grow as ing connections with other fellow creators around the world. My latest project, entitled Tales of Jerrik, reinforces my commitment to pursue this voyage of self-discovery.” But following one’s dreams, especially in creative fields, is a huge challenge. For those looking to pursue a career in design or the arts, Goedkoop has some advice: “Find the right motivations for you, per-

school system had not enabled me to even consider.”

sonally. Having to be creative day after

“I started drawing at an early age,” Goedkoop recalls,

in various fields. Creative growth and an environment

“and quickly planned out my career as a would-be architect by age eight.” His interest in drawing continued throughout his ISA years and led him to study transportation design. From there, he became head of graphic design and PR for a print company in Switzerland, be-

day can be draining, and burnout is common for artists that stimulates it are essential to stay sane and be successful. Striking the right balance between a challenging and interesting day job, a family life and making time for creating comics is far from easy – but it allows me to fulfil my goals as a creative artist.”

fore heading back to the Netherlands to work for a small studio. After that, he became a freelancer, and that path brought him back to ISA, where he works on graphic and web design and was responsible for designing ISA’s current brand identity five years ago. The Adventures of Captain Wayne Wayne is an experienced member of the Captaincy setting off on what looks to be a standard investigation. As his mission takes him to remote systems in the galaxy, the mysteries he unravels will challenge his beliefs and take him to the doorsteps of an unexplained dimension.

With Barry Martina, Class of 1990

Taking Five

In this on-going series, with alumni from around the world to receive updates on what they are doing, hear their fondest memories of their time at ISA, and pass on sage words of advice for future

Name: Barry W. Martina

Year(s) attended ISA: 1985-86 and 1988-90

Colleges or Universities attended: Savannah College of Art

great with all of the sports I participated in. I think the best thing we got out of these competitions was learning how to work and succeed as a team; that’s a great lesson in life. I also loved being involved with the yearbook and looking back at what we accomplished together as a small group of students contributing our creativity through drawing, photography, etc. It’s always great to pull that yearbook out after all these years, knowing you were a part of putting it all together.

Walt Disney Parks & Resorts

can’t say I accomplished much, but I hope to help or-

all my heart.” ~Vincent van Gogh

be this year for our 25th.

Funny but little-known fact: I secretly always wanted to

What is your current career, and why did you choose that

Favorite quote: “I am seeking, I am striving, I am in it with

be a DJ or music producer and would love to be able to

As far as being Vice President for the class of 1990, I ganise an unforgettable reunion one of these days. May-

path?

actually play an instrument, preferably bass guitar.

My current career is in hospitality and travel for Walt

What initially brought you and your family to Amsterdam and

communication, education and sales efforts at the Dis-

ISA? The first time I attended ISA was for my 8th-grade year. My family was in a transition after living in the Middle East for over eight years. Because I had only attended an international school up to that point in my life, my parents found ISA to be the perfect solution. We moved to the United States for a short period of time after my 8th-grade year. However, I had the good fortune of returning to ISA for my 11th- and 12th-grade years and to

Disney World in Florida. Our team is responsible for the ney Reservation Center in Orlando, FL. Most of the calls for guests from all over the world travelling to central Florida for a Disney vacation come to our reservation centers in Tampa and Orlando. Our job is to make sure the agents that work here are informed about everything they need to know to be able to book an unforgettable, for some once-in-a-lifetime, vacation for all of these guests. I landed on this career path by accident as I was pursu-

ultimately graduate from there.

ing an education in architecture when going to a job fair

What extra-curricular activities were you involved in, and

education and language experience helped me progress

what benefit do you think they brought to your life? I was involved in track and field and basketball. I was on the yearbook committee and was class Vice President during my senior year. I enjoyed the travelling we did

for basketball, and obviously the physical activity was

& Design

Current occupation: Business Integration Coordinator for

Mary Poppins

Walt Disney

Connections catches up

graduates.

In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. You find the fun and— snap!—the job’s a game!

We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.

for seasonal work at Disneyland Paris. Some of my ISA further, and now I’ve worked for the Disney Company for almost 18 years. The biggest challenge working for the Walt Disney Com-

Class Notes pany is to stand out amongst such an immense group of

Classes of 1981 - 1985

talented people. It’s often easy to forget the importance

Jane Andrews (’81) attended ISA for 18 months in the late 1970s and would have graduated in the class of ’81. She studied medicine in Sydney, Australia and now works as a gastroenterologist in Adelaide; and she was recently made a full professor. Married for 25 years, she has three children.

of your role in the bigger scheme of things and hard to understand that what you do contributes to the combined efforts of everyone else that works here. Sometimes it just takes a walk in the park(s) to see the fruits of your labour. What advice do you have for others looking to enter into your field of work? The main advice I have for my – or any – line of work is try to do what makes you happy every day. If you’re able to earn a living doing something you love, money and benefits are just a bonus. In my line of work, we are expected to help create joy and even “magic” for people from all over the world who have saved up their often hard-earned money to come here and spend it. We should never lose sight of being part of what makes

Barak Ben-Avinoam (‘81) is a high-tech entrepreneur and investor as well as a partner at a venture capital fund in Israel. Mia Boghammar (‘84) is a project manager at AMF in Sweden.

all those moments of happiness in people’s lives.

Andrew Bovill (‘82) is an international chauffeur.

Do you feel that your ISA education built a strong foundation

Denise Brust (‘83) serves as a senior business analyst at Banco do Brasil in Brasilia.

for your current success? The education I received at ISA opened many doors for me and has allowed me to take a path in life that not many people are fortunate enough to travel. More than anything, I feel an enormous sense of accomplishment in life because of the experience and education obtained at ISA. I definitely feel that I am still on a journey with moments of success and happiness. I have certainly not reached the destination yet. But, then again, that’s not what it’s really all about. What would you say has been your biggest success so far? Without question, my biggest success in life is my family. I feel like the luckiest man in the world when I walk through the door of our home to be with those I love. What practical life advice would you give to future graduates of ISA? Never stop exploring, absorbing, learning and adding to things and experiences you know and come to love.

Zaina Dadah (‘85) serves as the President/CEO and Owner of Sanctum HealthCare Dba/Optimal Pharmaceutical, Inc., which helps hospitals throughout the US source urgently needed drug products for their patients. She is also the CEO/Owner of The Date Place Cafe, which creates delicious date fruit and date paste treats. Lora Evans-Cheek (‘85) is a registered senior clinical nurse at the University of Maryland Medical Center. Jorge Hoogland (‘82) is an entrepreneur and owner at Come Rain or Shine, which offers personal assistants for your dog and cat.

Hiromi Machida (‘82) is Managing Director of Hakuhodo Singapore Pte. Ltd., a subsidiary of Hakuhodo Inc., a Japanese advertising agency. Wendy Maning (‘82) is Professor of Sociology at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. Nicole Neubauer-Taszman (‘84) is a hostess in an international art house in Berlin (Künstlerhaus Bethanien). Collette Niland (‘83) is Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Programs at Lundquist College of Business at the University of Oregon. Shiri Nishri (‘82) is a herbalist and manufacturer of natural cosmetics. Luis (Alfredo) Oliveira (‘81) works in Brazil as Director of Risk Management at an international bank. Mark Speer (‘84) is an editor, translator and owner of a publications company. Michele Wilks (‘84) works as a webmaster/graphic designer at Eurojust. Stefan Windheuser (‘81) is the president, owner and corporate officer of a staffing firm. Class of 1986 Peter Flade is Managing Partner at Gallup, a management consulting firm.

Alexandre Sanchez Cunha is a lawyer and professor at Universidade Estadual Paulista. Class of 1987 Anne Bremer is an SAP consultant (ICT). Danielle Whelton is Senior Vice President, Operations & Strategic Engagement, at Home Front Communications.

Class of 1990 Barry Martina is Business Integration Coordinator for Walt Disney Parks & Resorts. Deirdre Recter is an earlyyears arts teacher at the Anglo-American School of Moscow. Neeltje Schoen travels the world as a flight attendant for KLM.

Wouter Goedkoop is a web and graphic designer at ISA and has launched a fantastic career as a graphic novelist with the publication of The Adventures of Capt. Wayne. Saskia Groenevelt-Koper is a web developer and founder of www.bazaraki.com.

Class of 1988

Class of 1991

Michela Frenicchi is a mot her, wife, architect and cake designer.

Anders Bronäs is Senior QA Manager at Baxter Healthcare.

Naho Maiya is a teacher (learning support specialist) at Seisen International School in Tokyo.

Cathy van Mastrigt works as a marketing manager, communications consultant and owner of Blossom Communications.

Vincent de Witte is an HR advisor at Van Hattum en Blankevoor.

Meirav Minitzer works in business development at Testdroid.

Vivian Bak: Getting Down to Business. ISA is home to international students from around the world. And while many expats call ISA home, there are also a few “homegrown” internationals who have joined the mix. Vivian Bak (‘88) was one of those students. Raised in a Dutch family, Bak came to ISA because her parents wanted her to brush up on her English skills before the family moved to California. She attended ISA for one year before heading to America’s West Coast. When the decision was made to return home to the Netherlands, ISA happily welcomed her back and, in return, found a life-long advocate for international education and, specifically, the ISA experience. “When I was a student”, Bak recalls, “I participated in most sports, especially the volleyball team. I really enjoyed going to other schools in different countries to compete. I became more globally aware. Attending and learning in an international environment gives students an advantage for life. ISA provides lessons and curricula to prepare everyone for the tough world”. Prior to returning to ISA, Bak spent 18 years in the airline industry. It was a fulfilling career, but when an opportunity to join ISA opened up, she was ready to make a change. She’s since made a name for herself at ISA as well. “I ended up in a safe haven, called ISA. I’ve been working in the business office for the past ten years. It’s great to be back. Sometimes you don’t choose your path ... it’s chosen for you! “I’ve been able to benefit from an international background from my younger years to the present,” Bak continues. “If I had any practical life advice to give to future ISA graduates, it would be to broaden your horizons and use the international network you have here at the ISA.”

Novella Frenicchi works in inside sales at an international freight-forwarding company.

Nirmala Sicka is a property investor, designer and film maker. Johan Utterman is a portfolio manager at Lombard Odier Asset Management in Switzerland. Amy Willis is Marketing Communications Manager for Schlumberger. Class of 1992 Benjamin Goubé presents stunt shows at EuroDisney; he married a beautiful Italian woman and became a dad in 2012.

Evan and Kelly Christoe met in August 1991 at the new student orientation; she was one of the new students and he was one of the student tour guides. After 12th grade, Evan’s family moved back to the USA, while Kelly’s family stayed in Holland for a while longer. Their first year of college was a long-distance relationship, but by the second year, they were together again at the University of Maryland. They graduated in 1996 and married in 1997. In 2001, their son, Ryan Gabriel, was born; in 2004, their daughter, Angelina Holland, was born. Evan is VP of Information Security for US Bank, and Kelly teaches high school for the visually impaired at The Florida School for the Deaf and Blind.

Class of 1994 Jennifer Harnett is a pilates studio owner and instructor.

Robert van Meerendonk is Senior Manager, Consulting at IDeaS Revenue Solutions.

Els Boonacker is an HR Manager at De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek.

Brie Newel is a manager at The Bulldog in Amsterdam.

Class of 1995 Carl-Henrik Bronäs works in website optimisation at Kombispel in Stockholm.

Class of 2000 Margreet Boonacker is a civil-law notary (kandidaat notaris).

Hugh Masters teacher.

EFL

Wijnand Dalmijn is a CTO in a health clinic.

Class of 1996 Raymond Wu is a Senior Manager at Deloitte & Touche.

Janne Virtanen is Public Relations Manager at Davies Murphy Group in the UK; he is also a semi-professional ice hockey player (currently with the Bristol Pitbulls).

Nadav Sagir lives in Slovenia and is the co-founder, CMO, CFO and Animation Director of Revolv-AR; he is also the co-founder and Director of CtrlArt. Class of 1993 Heleen Beumer is working as a gz-psycholoog.

Nori Takei is YouTube Content Partner Manager at Google Japan.

Major David Buckley MA (Hons)RA most recently served as Ground Liaison Officer to the No. IX (Bomber) Squadron of the Royal Air Force in Kandahar, Afghanistan. As their only attached army officer, he was tasked with producing the targeting packs for the pilots.

Class of 1997 Raj Giri is a post-doc researcher and documentary filmmaker. Jeroen Vossenberg is a corporate finance lawyer at Houthoff Buruma.

David graduated from ISA with the class of ‘93 and headed to the University of Dundee, where he spent the next four years reading Political Science, finishing with an MA(Hons). In 1998, he attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and on completion of the course was commissioned into the Royal Artillery. This was just in time to be sent to Kosovo (in 1999), and over the course of the next few years, he completed a UN tour in Cyprus, was a Staff Officer in Northern Ireland and an Operations Officer in Southern Iraq (in 2003).

After graduating from ISA in 2002, Remy de Winter took a year out before going to university, working in the IT department at ISA. After travelling in Africa, he completed a master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Bath in England.

He found his way into the oil industry and spent close to two years working on offshore drilling rigs in the Republic of Congo and Gabon, before leaving for Sweden to be with his partner (who was there to study).

He married his wife, Helen, at the time a serving army doctor, in December of 2003. They have two sons, Conor (seven) and Henry (five), and two Labradors, Lucy and Buster (Lucy’s son). In 2008, just to make things interesting, he took up a job in Afghanistan managing the British embassy’s aircraft in Kabul (David is also a PPL pilot). In 2011, he returned to the UK and took up a nice quiet position working for a local online bookseller in Lincolnshire. That lasted until May of 2014, when he answered the call as an army reserve Major to return to Afghanistan. His tour ended in September. David is still with the Royal Artillery Regiment and serves as Vice-Chairman of the Royal British Legion of Grimsby.

Class of 2002

Ahmed Waqar is Executive Director at BNP Paribas. Class of 1998 Omer Ben Zeev is Executive Vice President at Kishrey Tarbut Tevel.

They have since moved to Aberdeen, Scotland, where they currently reside. Remy now works for Shell as a petrophysicist, quantifying the quality of rocks and estimating the amount of oil and gas that we have in our reservoirs. He and his partner married in Sweden this past summer.

Katalin Vig has become an actress in the UK.

Tom Steinfeld is an interior designer in Israel.

Guido Werner hello-live.

Harriet Ward is Tax Advisor/ Global Mobility Consultant for PwC in the San Francisco Bay Area.

CEO

Class of 2003 Alison Sinead Evans is an East Asia expert and Senior Analyst at IHS in the UK. Russell Graham is a brand analyst for Jaguar in the UK. Rebecca Parman is Legal Adviser at the Swedish Broadcasting Authority. Zsombor Szirmai is a brand and customer manager in Denmark. Class of 2004 Riemke Markus is Support Manager at Sligro Food Group. Pierre Ott is Supply Chain Control and Analytics Analyst at Amazon EU Sarl. Class of 2005 Christine McNicol is a teacher and head of Key Stage 1 at Copenhagen Primary School in London. Catherine Selosse is a jewellery designer for Van Cleef & Arpels.

Be sure to update Connections Magazine on your latest career news, wedding and birth or adoption announcements, new degrees or awards by sending an email to communications@isa.nl

Class of 2006 Eri Isono is Smart Grid Sales Engineer at Toshiba Corporation.

Philip Lindberg is a freelance web designer/developer and founder of Vitalis Design, LLC. Bastiaan Ouwerkerk is an MSc student in Automotive Engineering. Yeiji Park is a graduate trainee at Eastman Chemical Company.

Cristobal Lowery is Managing Director at GigaFare Limited in London.

Josefine SjĂśdahl is Associate Account Manager at Atradius (Credit Insurance).

Madeleine Rijnja is Research Analyst at Egon Zehnder in London.

Class of 2010 Nishita Baldewpersad Tewarie is a medical intern.

Class of 2007 Dana van Woersem is a dental student.

Kaori Yoshida is a student at the University of Tokyo.

Class of 2008 Sunniva Fredriksen is a masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s student in physics at the University of Bergen.

Class of 2011 Augustin Deschamps is an International Business Administration student at Erasmus University.

Alexander Swaab is Brand Relations Strategist at Starcount in London.

Alice Evans is EnglishLanguage Assistant in a primary school in Spain.

Class of 2009 Amir Ahmad is Associate Analyst at MasterCard.

Georgina Gibson-Smith is a medical student at Hull York Medical School.

Chantal Doran is an MSc in Sustainability candidate at the United Nations University in Tokyo.

Jenny Lodin is studying to become a teacher in physical education and English for upper secondary school.

Santiago Maspons is a student at University College Utrecht. Lindsey Sanborn is a student at the Johns Hopkins University. Michelle Sprenkels is a student at the Nyenrode New Business School and an administrative co-worker at Association Montessori Internationale. Alex van Gelder is studying Forestry and Nature Conservation. Class of 2013 Merel Eusman is a biomedical science student at Imperial College London. Lara Kok is studying English literature at Royal Holloway, University of London. Sergio Maspons is a student at University College Roosevelt. Marlous Schuilwerve is a student at the University of Edinburgh. Leor Zmigrod is a student at Cambridge University.

Class of 2014

October 1-3, 2015

International School of Amsterdam

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