Contact Magazine Fall 2017

Munich International School - Volume 25 - Issue 1 - Fall 2017

C O N TA C T

THE MAGAZINE OF MUNICH INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

Contents Head of School’s Introduction

01

Message from the Board of Directors

02

Feature: Celebrating a Year of Academic Successes

03

Academic News

06

Community News

11

Sportverein

13

PTV News

14

Athletics

14

ASA & Co-curricular Arts

15

Alumni & Friends

16

Important Calendar Events

17

04 06

08

Munich International School Advancement Director of Advancement Amanda Crawley Email: acrawley@mis-munich.de Admissions Susanne Hemke Denise Hitchen Elisabeth Turnwald

Phone: 08151 366 120/121 Fax: 08151 366 129 Email: admissions@mis-munich.de

Communications Andrew Almarza

Phone: 08151 366 125 Fax: 08151 366 129 Email: communications@mis-munich.de

Marketing Lydia Siebler

Phone: 08151 366 156 Fax: 08151 366 129 Email: marketing@mis-munich.de

Development Debbie Caudera

Phone: 08151 366 127 Fax: 08151 366 129 Email: advancement@mis-munich.de

Photography Andrew Almarza Graeme Fordham Photography Charlotte Starup-Hansen Lydia Siebler Hans Geesmann Design Paul Rea

12

15

Head of School’s Introduction

Future-ready Learning

Timothy Thomas, Head of School

W

e are experiencing a time of rapid, global transformation. The media landscape and our ways of obtaining information are changing dramatically.

Digital technologies, including the internet of things, are swiftly expanding and revolutionising how we work, communicate and play. The introduction of robots, artificial intelligence, drones and other forms of automation is eliminating jobs that are comprised primarily of routine tasks. And environmental changes are altering climate and weather, influencing which crops grow where, and upending our sense of which spaces on earth are reasonable to inhabit.

This rapid change poses challenges for education. What do our children need to learn in school today so that they will be prepared for tomorrow’s world? This is not only a question about which knowledge will be most valuable to the next generation. It is a question about whether knowledge, itself, is really the most valuable outcome of an education. We must determine which of the many things we do in school will likely equip our students with the tools and capabilities that are likely to empower them to thrive in a world that we can barely imagine today.

At Munich International School we think deeply about the needs of our students. For the past two years we have been engaged in strategic planning processes that inform our decision-making regarding the ongoing development of our educational programme. Students, parents, teachers, staff and administrators participated in community forums, various committees and numerous surveys aimed at synthesizing diverse knowledge, experience and perspectives. We have analysed studies about the future of work produced by McKinsey & Company and the World Economic Forum, among many others. It is our aim to ensure that we are nurturing, challenging and inspiring students to develop the most important skills, understandings and personal qualities to enable them to thrive.

Academic success is just part of the picture. Yes, we work hard to support our students to excel academically. You will find evidence of this in the pages that follow. But our research and our experience teach us that many other aspects of our educational programme are just as important. We now focus on Approaches to Learning skills at all levels of the School. These are skills that empower students to become purposeful, efficient, independent learners. They include skills like information literacy, media literacy, critical thinking, creative thinking, organisational skills, collaboration skills and communication skills. They are the underlying capacities that enable students to develop new understandings, acquire new skills and build new habits-of-mind both now and later in life.

Physical, creative and mental balance is front-and-centre. While a peek into the future may seem at first to suggest that technology and vocational readiness are the most important tasks for schools, a deeper look reveals another truth. In a world that places increasing demands on adults to continuously upskill and market themselves, it is becoming more important than ever that students learn to find physical, creative and mental balance. The arts, athletics, literature and languages all provide students with important avenues for developing dimensions of their identities that are vital to their well-being.

At Munich International School we believe that the understandings, skills and habits that students acquire through drama, soccer, recreational reading and language learning (as just a few examples) are essential to the development of healthy, balanced, resilient adults.

Future-ready learning starts with relationships. Our research into future-ready schooling is leading us to innovate and to implement new courses, new approaches and school-wide emphases. But a valued tradition at Munich International School remains unaltered: human relationships underlie all significant learning. Every child needs teachers (and other adults) who believe in them, who believe in their ability to learn and to succeed. Our core values of care, respect, integrity and trust help to ensure that students learn in an environment that supports them to take risks, to learn from mistakes and to develop healthy relationships with teachers and with peers. Within such a context, even difficult challenges become true opportunities for growth.

MIS is preparing future contributors. In a world characterised by change and instability, schools need to produce capable, thoughtful, ethical contributors. People who rise to challenges and capitalise on opportunities for the good not only of themselves but also of the wider society and the planet. As you read about the academic successes of our students, please know that we have our students’ whole development in mind. We see their achievement in mathematics, in the sciences, in languages and in humanities as important components of a greater educational whole that aims to nurture, challenge and inspire them to thrive and make a positive impact in an increasingly complex and changing world.

Timothy Thomas, Head of School

01 | CONTACT | FALL 2017

Message from the Board of Directors

It’s not all about grades W

hen I joined the Board in 2012, IB Diploma scores were already an issue under heated discussion. Board members wanted to know why MIS’ average Diploma scores had stuck within a narrow range of 32-33 over many years, with little improvement.

The Board set the School the goal of increasing to 35 points over time. There was no special significance to the number 35, it was more an indication of the direction of movement we wanted for the School. Sceptics pointed out that the easiest way to achieve the goal was to become more selective about who is admitted into the school, who is permitted to do the Diploma exams, and who is allowed to take more demanding higher level subjects. MIS remains a largely non-selective School with a Diploma participation rate of over 90%, whereas in some other schools it can be as low as 50-60%.

In the past two years our IB results have made a visible improvement to over 34 points, we’ve had four students achieve perfect scores since 2015 and we’ve maintained very high participation rates. For this we are thankful to our administrators and teachers, many of whom are highly regarded IB examiners, and these educators are better placed than I to explain how this was achieved. From my perspective, it was a combination of a few large and many smaller steps. We set expectations higher, rejected complacency and encouraged a culture of continuous improvement. We increased the budget to enable smaller class sizes and made more time available for individual support. We expanded subject choice, including online courses, so that students can pursue their interests and develop their strengths. We provided greater structure and support on the extended essay. We challenged high achievers to realise their potential, and also paid attention to those in danger of failing subjects. Perversely, the latter tends to lower the average Diploma score: a student who fails is not included in the average, whereas a student who just scrapes through will lower the average. However, our mission is to help every child be academically successful, and our pass rates have remained high; well over 90%.

We did not just focus on the last two years of school: the better prepared a student is through the MYP, the easier the transition to the Diploma programme. We moved further away from a one size fits all approach and also expanded subject choice in Grades 9 and 10. (For example, we introduced Coding as an elective, in order to prepare those students better who wish to take Computer Science in the Diploma.)

Through Approaches to Learning in the MYP, we focus heavily on the development of skills (in research, critical and creative thinking, communication, collaboration and self-management, including organization and reflection). These skills will serve our students well as they move up the School and beyond into higher education or in the workplace. Our promising MYP e-Assessment results and strong ISA scores benchmarked against PISA are important indicators of how well we are doing as a school.

We are pleased with the early results of these myriad steps taken to improve teaching and learning at MIS, and recognize that sustained progress will take time. We are also mindful to avoid narrowly focusing on academic scores. I come from Singapore which has a national obsession with examination grades. 12 year olds and their parents stress about where the sixth decimal place cut-off on grades falls, to get into the most selective schools. My niece, who is entering Grade 8, attends one of the best girls’ schools. She only does one after school activity because they take up too much time otherwise and interfere with her studying for tests and exams. She doesn’t even like her activity, being Girls Brigade, because each session involves an hour of marching, in order to “instil obedience and discipline”. She won’t switch to another activity because she would then not earn full points for staying with an activity for four years, and the points count towards getting into a highly selective school in Grade 11. She has to memorise detailed facts on Singapore’s history for two years, but in school she has not come across important themes like segregation, genocide, the refugee crisis and other major events of contemporary world history. When I look into the eyes of older children, I often see crushed spirits, all the joy of learning long extinguished and robbed childhoods.

This country regularly tops the PISA educational rankings.

At MIS, our complete mission is to nurture, challenge and inspire our students to become academically successful, life-long learners, creative and innovative thinkers, ethical, globally-minded contributors, and healthy, well-balanced individuals who will thrive and make a positive impact in a complex and changing world. We want our students to perform well academically, but more importantly, we want to develop them holistically and prepare them well for their future lives. We nurture our students and support them as they grow in their physical, personal, social, ethical and emotional lives. The IB curriculum is challenging and emphasises big, relevant themes and concepts rooted in real world 02 | CONTACT | FALL 2017

Wanching Ang, Chair of the Board

situations, interdisciplinary learning, guided open-ended inquiry, critical thinking and the development of transferable skills. We want our students to participate actively in athletics and after-school activities, where they practise teamwork, commitment, creativity, risk-taking, project management, leadership, performing, time management and much else, including having fun. We set aside valuable classroom time and invite world class experts in the arts and sciences to visit the School, so that our students have a connection to the real world, and can be inspired. We encourage our students to translate their learning into action, for example through the Grade 4 Exhibition, the Grade 10 Personal Project, Community and Service/CAS and other after school activity opportunities like the MIS Youth Climate Summit.

Our School mission is not easy to achieve, and cannot be measured through a simple numeric score. It would be far simpler just to focus on improving examination grades. External communication would also be more straightforward with a simple marketing slogan like “Excellence in Education”, which is much easier to digest than our wordy mission statement. But a mission is not a marketing slogan, it is a precise statement of the purpose of the School, and guides how our people, resources and activities are organised in order to deliver on the purpose. Our purpose is not just about helping students achieve good grades in order to enter a good university. Our mission is much more ambitious. We want to equip our students with skills for life, to help them navigate through a rapidly changing world and we expect them to use those skills to make a positive impact.

Our School mission is a lofty undertaking and we don’t claim to have the perfect formula. Indeed, how could we, when the rate of change is accelerating, technology is disrupting the structure of industries and the nature of jobs, and society struggles to keep pace with political, environmental and income disparity challenges. It is important to maintain a continuous dialogue about whether our teaching and learning stays relevant for our students’ future lives. How can our students thrive in a world with artificial intelligence, genetic engineering, climate change and social upheaval? We should not shy away from change, and explore external best practice, but nor should we chase every new educational fad. Innovation needs to be well-considered and well-executed in order to have a meaningful impact on student learning. It also needs to be financed, and there is a gap between our ambitions and what we can afford today. Without support from the community, it will take longer to fully achieve the mission.

So whilst we are pleased with the School’s academic scores, they only tell a partial story about all that we are proud of, just as the worth of our children cannot be captured by their report cards alone. How many of us even remember what our school grades were, and did they really play that important a role in determining the adults we have become? We invite every member of the community to share and participate fully in our vision of education at MIS. Our students deserve no less.

Wanching Ang, Chair, MIS Board of Directors

Feature

Celebrating a Year of Academic Successes 03 | CONTACT | FALL 2017

Academic success at MIS starts in the PYP and is further cultivated in the MYP. While much attention is focused on the work of students and teachers in Grades 11 and 12, we know that students’ intellectual and academic development begins much earlier. Starting already in the Junior School, we begin tracking students’ learning and development using a toolbox of assessments and diagnostics.

Beginning in Grade 3 students at MIS participate in the International Schools Assessment (ISA) created by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER). ISA is one of the assessments that enables comparison of student achievement with students in the national systems that participate in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) conducted by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

I

t should be no secret that students at Munich International School excel. For decades, MIS students have achieved success across a broad range of both academic and nonacademic pursuits. Our athletics teams routinely bring home championships and - even more importantly! - often capture the sportsmanship prize at numerous tournaments. Drama productions, musical performances and arts exhibitions highlight talent, dedication and hard work in the area of aesthetics. Service projects, including the Tanzania Project, the contributions of the World Challenge group, and our new Rotary Interact club, showcase the spirit of community and social justice that we endeavor to engender. And our high rate of participation and exceptional level of success in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme bear witness to the efficacy of our teachers and programmes in challenging students to achieve to their full potential academically.

2017 has been a year of particular success for MIS academically. Even within the historic context of MIS’ high academic achievement, the performance of MIS students in 2017 stands out. IB Diploma scores in Grade 12, performance in the MYP eAssessments in Grade 10, and attainment in the International Schools Assessment (ISA) in Grades 3 through 8 all demonstrated that MIS students are learning - and learning how to learn - at levels that surpass all expectations for a school that is generally not selective in its admissions processes.

The MIS IB Diploma Class of 2017 continues the tradition. Following the outstanding success of the MIS IB Diploma Class of 2016, who achieved the highest IB Diploma average in the history of the school, the Class of 2017 inherited the challenge of maintaining this ambitious new standard. The IB Diploma is an academically rigorous, university-preparatory programme implemented by over 2,500 of the world’s highest achieving schools. In 2017 over 157,000 students in more than 135 countries participated in the programme. The following statistics serve as evidence that the MIS Class of 2017 met our community’s expectations:

2017 was a banner year with regard to academic achievement. But we know that we must continue to ensure that we are preparing students to thrive in a rapidly changing and increasingly challenging world.

IB World Averages

MIS Class of 2017

Avg IB Diploma Score

29.87

34.4

As an important benchmark, we compare the performance of MIS students in Grade 8 (usually 13 years old) with the performance of 15-year-old students in the national systems participating in the PISA study. For many years, MIS students in Grade 8 have performed favourably compared to Grade 10 students in the national systems participating in PISA. However, in 2017 for the first time, MIS students in Grade 8 scored better in aggregate than Grade 10 students in all national systems, including the highest performing national systems, like Finland, South Korea, Canada, Singapore and Hong Kong.

Avg IB Subject Score

4.81

5.34

Setting Our Sights on the Future

Avg IB Diploma Pass Rate

78.4%

96%

Percentage of Perfect Scores

0.44%

2.08%

These results are especially impressive when one considers the full context. Students at MIS often continue to participate in athletic teams, service initiatives, leadership positions and other co-curricular pursuits while simultaneously tackling the daunting challenge of the full IB Diploma programme. We have every reason to be proud of our students’ impressive accomplishments and to be grateful for the care, engagement and professional dedication of our teachers and staff who make that accomplishment possible.

The MYP Class of 2017 excels in the IB MYP eAssessments. The IB Middle Years Programme introduced a new battery of externally valided examinations for Grade 10 in 2016. In 2017 the full cohort of Grade 10 students at MIS engaged in these digitally-mediated assessments that seek to measure students’ deep understanding of complex concepts and students’ ability to apply sophisticated academic skills to real-world and previously unfamiliar contexts. The feedback from those assessments suggests that MIS students are developing the target understandings and skills very successfully.

MYP World Averages

MYP Class of 2017

Avg MYP Certificate Score

35.5

41.2

Avg MYP Subject Score

4.96

5.67

Avg MYP Pass Rate

68%

93%

Subjects in which MIS surpassed World Averages

04 | CONTACT | FALL 2017

15 / 21

We continue to strive to optimise learning at MIS. 2017 was a banner year with regard to academic achievement. But we know that we must continue to ensure that we are preparing students to thrive in a rapidly changing and increasingly challenging world. As such, we are committed to engaging our students in learning that is relevant, meaningful and future-ready. And far from focusing solely on academic subjects, we continue to recognise the powerful role that music, art, drama, physical & social health, and learning skills (Approaches to Learning) play in the development and well-being of children and young adults.

We are proud of all that our students have achieved, and we remain committed to continual improvement to ensure that future generations of MIS students excel.

Feature PISA Reading Performance 561

400 300 200 100

467 428 423

Munich International School

500

(2015 PISA Data + 2017 ISA Results)

535 527 526 517 516 509 509 503 499 498 497 497 495 489 485 479

402

Two (more) perfect scores for MIS students

MIS Singap ore Canada Finland Korea Jap New Ze an aland Germa ny Austra lia France United Kingd Chines om e Taip United ei States R ussia Int. Sch ools av erage Italy Israel Greece Turkey Mexico Qatar

0

593

400 300 200 100

564

(2015 PISA Data + 2017 ISA Results)

542 532 524 516 511 507 506 495 494 494 493 492 490

470 470 454

420 408 402

MIS Singap Chines ore e Taipe i Japan Korea Canada Finlan Int. Sch ools av d erage Germa n New Ze y aland Austra lia Russia F United rance Kingdo m Italy United States Israel Greece Turkey Mexico Qatar

0

Munich International School

500

PISA Math Literacy Performance

Milena Roeckl (left) and Florentin Zander (right) achieved perfect International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma scores in 2017

Following the highest IB Diploma average in the history of the School in 2016 and two perfect IB Diploma scores in 2015, Munich International School (MIS) is once again proud to announce the outstanding results of its 2017 International Baccalaureate graduating class and in particular two students: Milena Roeckl and Florentin Zander. Both MIS students achieved a perfect International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma score of 45 points. This is an outstanding achievement when only 244 students in 2017 – approximately 1 in 1,000 students – who sat the IB examinations world-wide achieved this distinction.

Moreover, out of the 244 students who achieved this distinction, two came from Munich International School.

Milena Roeckl studied higher level Chemistry, English and Economics and was involved in co-curricular activities including the MIS athletics programme, theatre, student newspaper and the annual service trip to Tanzania throughout her education at MIS. When first enrolling in Grade 5, Milena did not yet have knowledge of the English language. She recounts that her teachers at MIS were a great inspiration with their individualised, creative and applicable approach to teaching. Milena plans to combine her passion for chemistry with her desire to work with people and apply to the joint medicine programme through Technische Universität (TU) and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU).

Florentin Zander will be studying economics and politics at Yale University in fall 2017.

Florentin studied higher level Mathematics, Physics and Economics during his education at MIS and says that his engagement in co-curricular activities such as Speech & Debate, Model MUN, Business@School, the MIS Football Team and the service trip to Tanzania greatly enhanced his studies and helped him develop his academic and career goals for the future.

05 | CONTACT | FALL 2017

Annual Arts Day at MIS In an effort to help promote a balanced way of living, Arts Day this year was focused on maintaining a healthy balance between body and mind. October 10 was World Mental Health Day; on this day, the whole school community created a sculpture representing a joyous moment in life, to which each student and staff member contributed an element in the form of a copper etching to depict this joy. The sculpture was completed behind the LADC for community members to view and appreciate. As a school-wide and annual community event, Arts Day gives all community members a chance to work collaboratively together by bringing all sections of the School together.

06 | CONTACT | FALL 2017

Academic News

MIS hosts ‘Youth Climate Summit’

Dominic Frongillo

On Saturday, 25 November 2017, more than 100 students, educators and climate experts from more than a dozen schools throughout Germany and Austria gathered at Munich International School (MIS) for the Youth Climate Summit. Organised by students from MIS, this exclusively student-led initiative was an effort to motivate students, ages 13-18 to apply newly gained skills to make their schools more environmentally friendly through engaging workshops, activities, and inspiring speakers.

Guest speakers of interest included Josefine Anderer-Hirt: Climate protection manager for the city of Starnberg, Dr. Inga Beck: PR consultant at the Zugspitze environmental station Schneefernerhaus, Felix Finkbeiner: Founder of Plant-for-the-Planet & MIS Alumnus, Dominic Frongillo: Internationally recognized climate activist & five-time delegate to the United Nations; co-founder of Energy Independent Caroline, Mareike Hachemer: Educator & UNESCO delegate for the role of teachers in Peace and Sustainable Development, Jen Kretser: Director of Wild Center’s Youth Climate Summit

Initiative, and Andreas Obermeier: Biologist & environmental educator for Green City e.V. & programme director of Carrotmob macht Schule (National Climate Initiative of the German Federal Environment Ministry), as well as many other specialists and thought leaders.

In addition to a series of inspiring workshops and lectures, participating school teams also developed their own actionable carbon reduction plans designed to decrease energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions back in their schools and local communities.

Younger students, ages 8-12, were also in attendance for the Plant-for-the Planet academy, where they learned about the causes and consequences of climate change, and engaged in activities such as planting trees. The Youth Climate Summit was generously funded by the MIS Foundation and the MIS Science Inspiration Fund. For more information about the Youth Climate Summit at Munich International School, please visit http://misyouthclimatesummit.de/.

Maker-centered teaching and learning in Junior School

In the Junior School, MIS has begun to incorporate maker-centered teaching and learning into many areas of our Primary Years Programme. Students are now more actively engaged in creating physical representations of their ideas and learning. A few examples are: • When Grade 1 students realized that the small whiteboards in their classrooms were not functioning well for their purpose, they designed and created their own personal chalkboards.

• Students in Grade 2 drew and created prototypes for the bookshelves that would later be created and installed by professional carpenters.

• During lessons and after school activities students have learned about coding through Hour of Code lessons and instruction with Lego Robotics and Spheros.

•

This new approach to teaching and learning is being supported by the new classroom design prototypes in two Junior School classrooms. These rooms have flexible seating arrangements, more space for making and creating, and desk tops that can serve as whiteboards for demonstrating learning, and incubators of collaborative thinking and designing.

Munich International School continues to look for ways to incorporate maker-centered learning into its curriculum to enrich students’ learning and intellectual development. This approach represents one example of it and MIS is proud to explore it with its students.

The innovative classroom design and furnishings in this room were made possible through generous donations of MIS parents. To learn more about how your donation can transform a classroom at MIS, please contact our Advancement Office at advancement@mis-munich.de.

07 | CONTACT | FALL 2017

World Music Jazz Quartet, Quadro Nuevo, performs for Junior School

Celebrating St. Martin’s Day On 11 November, Germany and Austria celebrated St Martin’s Day. This day is celebrated to remember Martin of Tours, a Roman soldier who later became a bishop. In celebrating this day, Junior School EC students held their annual St Martin’s parade.

EC students walked with their lanterns and sang songs in the afternoon starting in Junior School and making their way outside towards the Schloss. Along the way, Middle and Senior School students, faculty and parents all joined in the festive parade, cheering and greeting EC students as they sang and continued their way through the LADC and Senior School.

With the purpose of introducing Junior School students to a variety of instruments and musical styles, it was fitting to invite Quadro Nuevo to Munich International School to perform an interactive Kinderkonzert.

Junior School students were introduced to each member of the ensemble along with the instruments they played, including the harp, accordion and saxophone. Towards the conclusion of their performance, the audience composed of students, parents and faculty energetically broke out in dance and sang with Quadro Nuevo showcasing the harmony between music and movement in the Junior School Auditorium.

For more information about the quartet, please visi http://www.quadronuevo.de/.

News from MIS’ Middle School Student Council This year, the Middle School Student Council has organized many successful activities that has included a Halloween Party and a Fun Run, as well as participating in the Mosaic of Cultures Day. During the Fun Run, Middle School students and staff had a designated course and ran around the campus. Each person who took part in the event paid €2 to enter the run, and each runner was awarded with a certificate after completing the run. At the conclusion of this event, all of the proceeds went to the victims of Hurricane Irma.

After Fall Break, the Middle School Student Council also organised a Halloween Party, which included a bake sale and other fun activities in the Middle School Auditorium that included a costume competition. Proceeds from this event will be used to help sponsor future Middle School events.

During Mosaic Day of Cultures Day in the Junior School, Middle School students dressed up in outfits that represented their home country or with whom they associate themselves with.

In addition to planning events, the goal of the MIS Middle School Student Council is to promote spirit at MIS. The student council members are leaders who act as the voice of the Middle School community. They welcome feedback and look forward to seeing all students, teachers and parents at future events.

08 | CONTACT | FALL 2017

Academic News

Middle School students strive for environmental sustainability Six for Sustainability, a Grade 6 Service as Action project, was in full swing during November. Students built a bug hotel from recycled materials, others organized a book and toy swap, others up-cycled t-shirts into bracelets, with one team forming a cafeteria committee to see how the School can even further reduce plastic waste. This project was inspired

by Sailors for Sustainability, a two-man global sustainability project that Grade 6 students interacted with over the past few months. The sailors are on a global journey to research, document and share sustainable solutions. They have directly helped educate MIS students on sustainability through educational, inspirational and entertaining videos and challenges created especially for Grade 6 students here at MIS. To find out more about their project and how to support them, please visit http://sailorsforsustainability.nl/.

Bavaria Day in the Middle School

Dirndl, Lederhosen, dancing the Schuhplattler, and a wide selection of traditional Bavarian food from Obadzda and Sauerkraut to Kartoffel Salat and Brezen could be seen in the Middle School Auditorium.

It was the perfect way to introduce MIS’ new Middle School principal, Ms. Michelle Juhasz, to one of Middle School’s annual events. Parents, students and faculty participated and showcased not only traditional Bavarian outfits, but also in everything special to Bavaria.

Munich International School looks forward to Bavaria Day again next year.

Student performances at Grischa’s Cup

The Senior School student-led drama production presented the first, annual Grischa’s Cup Director’s Competition in November. This competition was created in honour and memory of MIS’ Alumnus, Grischa Petram, who was an active drama and talented student at MIS who unfortunately passed away during his time at university in 2016.

Under the direction and guidance of Dr. Josephine Riley, Senior School students chose, directed, choreographed, and acted in short stage dramas and films. There were five varied and exciting shows and films this year. Students were mentored and coached by and rehearsed with MIS Alumni and Faculty. The winner of this year’s competition will be listed in a plaque created to honour Grischa Petram in the PAC. 09 | CONTACT | FALL 2017

Academic News

Outstanding academic results for the class of 2017 Further to information earlier in this edition, when the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma results for the Class of 2017 arrived, MIS was understandably proud! 94 students were full IB Diploma candidates. Their results were as follows: • MIS IB Diploma average = 34.3 (World average = 29.87)

• • • •

MIS IB Diploma pass rate = 96% (World average = 78.4%) MIS IB average subject grade = 5.34 (World subject grade average = 4.81) 2 MIS students achieved perfect results with 45 points 14% of the subject grades earned by MIS students were a perfect “7”

MIS IB Diploma average = 34.3 (World average = 30) MIS IB Diploma pass rate = 96% (World average = 80%) 2 MIS students achieved perfect results with 45 points

MIS hosts College Day MIS student establishes “Interact” Rotary youth club Parents, students and friends of MIS were invited to another successful International College Day at Munich International School’s campus on Thursday, 28 September in the Languages, Arts and Design Centre (LADC).

Approximately 70 universities were available and spoke with interested students about their future career paths with universities that included The American University of Paris, Berkeley College, Stanford University, the University of British Columbia and many more.

(Left to right): Sibille Vinzens (Rotary Club Munich International President), Stephanie Olescher (Interact Club Augsburg President), Tanvi Padhye and Marina Bassilious (Rotaract Club Munich International President) at the recent Inauguration evening at MIS (Photo Credit: Hans Geesmann)

Munich International School (MIS) student Tanvi Padhye, Grade 12, spearheaded the creation of the Interact Club Munich International (ICMI), which will be offered to MIS students cooperatively with the School’s curricular community service programme. The Interact parent organization, Rotary International, is a global network which inspires individuals to take responsibility in the community to meet current challenges with sustainable solutions.

At the inauguration of ICMI at MIS, notable speakers of the evening included Rotary Club Munich International (RCMI) President Sibille Vinzens, Rotaract Munich International (RMI) President Marina Bassilious. MIS Head of School Timothy Thomas, Rotarian member and current ICMI advisor Anant Padhye who is also the father of Tanvi Padhye, and former RCMI President Thomas Eilfort and former District Governor Peter Wohlrab, who have played key roles in providing Rotary’s support for the launch of ICMI, were also in attendence.

The aim of the ICMI is to develop early leadership skills through service, creative and active projects.

Students will also have the opportunity to meet with experts from a range of industries including sports, business and the arts to receive career guidance and mentorship. All initiatives will be planned and led by student members, working closely under the mentorship RCMI and RMI members.

10 | CONTACT | FALL 2017

Community News

MIS receives Apple Technology Award In November, MIS was pleased ​to announce its recognition as an Apple Distinguished School for 2017–2019 for its commitment to transforming learning through technology. Apple Distinguished Schools are centres of innovation, leadership, and educational excellence that use Apple products to inspire creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking. They showcase innovative uses of technology in learning, teaching, and the school environment and have documented results of academic accomplishment.

• The physical environment, including hardware and networking, is designed and, as necessary, re-designed to provide innovative learning spaces.

• The use of technology for learning is continually reviewed and improved based on thoughtful analysis of a wide range of qualitative and quantitative data.

To receive this award schools must demonstrate that they are engaged in continuous innovation and that they meet rigorous criteria in five areas: • The school leadership has a clear vision for the role of technology in the development of the school that is supported by the governing board and the wider community.

• Students use available technology in innovative ways to deepen their learning in ways not possible otherwise and to demonstrate, among other things, critical thinking, creativity and high level communication skills.

• Teachers take advantage of technology to redefine their role and design activities and assessments that encourage students to become independent, reative learners.

Café Sci returns to MIS

The selection of MIS as an Apple Distinguished School highlights the School’s success as an innovative and ​compelling learning environment that engages students and provides tangible evidence of academic accomplishment. MIS values the skills and talents of each student and chooses to use technology as a way for students to express their ideas, share their understanding and demonstrate their learning. From younger students creating animations on iPads and the Student Tech Squads found across campus, to older students composing music using GarageBand, creating films in iMovie, authoring books in iBooks Author, and designing apps using Swift, students at MIS are empowered by technology to think, create, make, and design.

MIS was thrilled to receive this distinction because of the recognition that, with the School’s commitment to digital technology, teachers are able to challenge our students with real-world problems set in meaningful and authentic contexts rather than the often contrived problems of school text books.

The doors of Café Science opened on Thursday, 28 September at Munich International School and continued with a full schedule of guest speakers in November.

The aim of Café Science was to enable Grade 8 to 12 students (and parents) to interact with working scientists in an informal setting. Guest scientists gave a brief introduction on their topic such as “Why is super conductivity, super?” and then engaged in open discussion for the remainder of the time.

Events took place after school from 16:30 to 17:30 on Wednesday and Thursday evenings. There were seven confirmed guest speakers who were received by large groups of interested MIS parents and students at every session.

Prof. Dr. Annette Bussmann-Holder Max Planck Institute of Solid State Research, Stuttgart & Prof. Dr. Hugo Keller

Thursday, 28 September

Dr. Miriam Linnenbrink

Max Planck Institute of Evolutionary Biology, Plön

Wednesday, 4 October

Dr. Maria Spletter

Dept. of Physiological Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

Thursday, 12 October

Mr. Rohit Agarwal

Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried

Thursday, 9 November

Dr. Michaela Filou

Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich

Thursday, 16 November

Dr. Laura Knogler

Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Martinsried

Thursday, 23 November

Mr. Shachar Sherma

Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Martinsried

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Visiting authors work with Junior School students in October With the support and sponsorship of the MIS Foundation, Munich International School welcomed two visiting authors during the month of October: Mr. David Schwartz and Mr. Armin Pongs.

Armin Pongs

Mr. Pongs gave a book reading, a creative writing workshop and worked with students to help create and motivate Grade 3 students to write stories about the exotic animals saved by the Reptile Rescue Centre – an initiative that was originally brought forward last year and visited by MIS students during their school trip.

In the following week, Mr. Schwartz presented his Math + Literature = Learning + Fun! programme to students in Grades 1- 4. During this visit to MIS, Mr. Schwartz engaged children with laughter to help present mathematical information in an engaging and interactive way.

To learn more about the MIS Foundation, please visit https://www.mis-munich.de/MIS-Foundation

David Schwartz

MIS receives ECO School award

Munich International School was proud to be presented with the ECO School in Europe / International Agenda 21 School award on 10 November 2017. This award was presented to Bavarian schools who exhibit a commitment to the environment and sustainability. This is the first time that MIS has applied, and the School is thrilled to have received this distinction.

The vigorous application process includes the completion of two documented, student-led projects which provide schools with solutions for environmental sustainability. MIS students engaged in

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three environmental projects which served as the basis for this award: The Grade 4 Kitchen Garden Project, a Grade 12 composting project and the MIS Plastic Bottle Project which was carried out by five Grade 4 students.

On November 10, MIS student Carla Plechschmidt (Grade 4), Chief Operations Officer Roman Friemel and Deputy Head of School Kristen DiMatteo joined more than 100 schools from throughout Bavaria at Korbinian-Aigner-Gymnasium Erding to represent MIS and personally receive the respective award.

Community News

Filmmakers Ferne Pearlstein and Robert Edwards visit MIS Munich International School was thrilled to welcome two filmmakers from the USA, Ferne Pearlstein and Robert Edwards, to campus in late August. During their visit, which was sponsored by the MIS Foundation, they led workshops with students and engaged with them in discussion on topics such as ‘Humor and taboos’, ‘Can we laugh at everything?’ and ‘Where do we draw the line?’.

Pearlstein and Edwards commenced their visit with an introduction and the showing of a short documentary at a Senior School assembly during their three-day workshop programme, The Last Laugh, working with small groups of students from across the Senior School.

This was the first of many MIS Foundation activities planned for the 2017/18 school year. To learn more about the MIS Foundation, please visit www.mis-munich.de/MIS-Foundation

Sportverein

News from the Sportverein The Sportverein would like to thank again the volunteers for a great start to the Fall season of the Athletics programme. This recognition particularly goes to the volunteers who helped make the IMBSS such a success during the Junior Varsity Boys’ SCIS tournaments. This included providing meals for over 135 students who were in attendance during the weekend.

Ski Swap 2017 proved yet again to be another successful event with all proceeds going to support the MIS Ski Team this year. All sellers, buyers and volunteers are to be thanked again for their time and energy in supporting the Ski Swap 2017.

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PTV News

Winterfest

Winterfest is the perfect way to see out the year before the School’s Winter Break. This year included plenty of exciting and fun activities for all ages. The International Foodcourt brought forward a savoury selection of hearty and delicious food from across the world to enjoy, while parents enjoyed a warm Glühwein outside. In the Junior School auditorium, charities were present, which are officially represented by those from within the MIS community. Santa’s Grotto welcomed all children who were thrilled to see Santa himself make an appearance.

In the afternoon, a festive Winterfest concert of choral music, featuring our MIS vocal ensembles as well as special event groups of carolers entertained the crowds.

Everyone enjoyed the festive atmosphere and took in the magical decorations and beautifully decorated Christmas trees. Munich International School thanks the PTV and all those involved for making this annual event happen.

Athletics

MIS Varsity Girls triumph in Fall SCIS Championships MIS congratulated its Girls’ Varsity Football team for their recent SCIS Championships competition where the team competed and won all four of their tournament games over two days. The School congratulates the Girls’ Varsity Football team, who also exhibited unwavering commitment, determination and dedication in winning this championship.

The Fall season also included 12 MIS teams competing across Europe in their end of season SCIS and ISST tournaments. MIS Varsity Boys’ Football team travelled to Frankfurt for their Division 1 ISST event. Coaches Daniel Harcock and Johanness Brunner were extremely proud of their teams’ performance and sportsmanship. This was recognized when MIS were presented the Arvid Paasonen Fair Play award as well as their second-place trophy.

St Johns, Brussels was the tournament site for the ISST Varsity Girls’ Volleyball tournament. MIS Girls won six of their seven pool games to place them in a three-way tie for a place in the final. Unfortunately, on set difference calculations the Varsity Girls’ Volleyball team missed the final, however, they finished the tournament with an outstanding demonstration of volleyball winning the 3rd place game 3-0.

MIS Junior Varsity Girls’ Volleyball competed in their final SCIS tournament in Geneva.

A young team under the guidance of a new coach Dali Durbek demonstrated the great progress they have made over the season by finishing in second place.

Many of these athletes moved straight into the trials for Winter season, the first event of which was the annual Rode Memorial Tournament held on campus in early December.

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Highlights from ASA and Co-curricular Arts

Highlights from After School Activities and Co-curricular Arts The ASA and Co-curricular Arts enjoyed another great Fall Season of activities and start to the Winter Season. Several new activities have brought a breath of fresh air to the 2017-18 programme. This includes the Drawing Clubs where in Junior, Middle and Senior Schools, students are being taught the fundamentals of seeing and creating. Music Makers brought an energetic musical class to the younger Junior School students, while Grades 3 to 4 had the chance to play Board Games in the library.

In the current Winter Season, Martin Moroder, of Moroder Dance School in Munich, is bringing Dance Performance to the Junior School and Ballroom to the Senior School, promising an exciting and dynamic addition to the programme. Meanwhile, Zumba Fitness and Dance offers Middle and Senior School students the chance to dance and keep fit to the beats of salsa, flamenco, merengue and hip hop. Finally, a new Creative Writing & Public Speaking Club for Middle and Senior School combines two important skills: building confidence and while having fun. The club aims to develop student abilities to connect skillfully and eloquently with an audience through the power of their words and performance.

Updates from The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Programme “There is more in you than you think” – Kurt Hahn (co-founder of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award programme).

The start of this school year has seen the 100th participant from MIS to start their Bronze award journey – the first level in the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award programme, widely recognised as the world’s leading youth achievement award.

In its seventh year in the After-School activities programme at MIS, this fun and engaging programme challenges young people from 14 years and up to develop themselves in four areas; the service, skills, physical and expedition sections.

Coming Up: The Festival of Sound Concert on 19 December will feature all ASA music ensembles again this year, culminating in a combined Choral and Orchestral Christmas Finale, conducted by Senior School music teacher, Robert Prero. The Symphonic String Orchestra will collaborate with the Karlsgymnasium Orchestra for a performance of Haydn Symphony in C major, conducted by guest conductor, Mr. Zrenner.

Both Bronze and Silver award training kicked off this fall with 20 Grade 9 Bronze participants and four Grade 10 Silver participants in the Allgäu, Starnberg and Lenggries – exploring and planning their own projects for the skills, service and physical sections, and furthermore getting outdoors to learn the hard skills (campcraft, navigation, risk management) and building the soft skills (team work, leadership, communication) needed for the expedition section. The goal is to then independently lead their own their own 2 day (bronze) and 3 day (silver) expeditions in June 2018.

AMIS Solo and Ensemble festival at the American School of The Hague. MIS ensembles Anima, World Choir and the Symphonic Orchestra, will travel to Amsterdam in January 2018, for this annual festival, performing in ensembles as well as solos, duets and trios.

SHREK, the musical – ASA was proud to present over 60 enthusiastically involved Middle School student performances in the PAC this November. Favourite characters were brought to life that included green ogres, a talking donkey, three little pigs, a dragon and a princess among many other fairy tale characters that sang and danced their way into your hearts. Two assemblies for MIS students and a community performance was presented in November to full audiences.

The MIS Instrumental Music Programme offers music lessons during school days on campus. With MIS faculty and professional musicians from the surrounding area on staff, these teachers support many of our MIS community events by performing as well as preparing students to perform at MIS assemblies, recitals and events. For more information on instrumental lessons, please contact arts@mis-munich.de.

Little Shop of Horrors is coming this spring. Performances will be held in March 2018. Don’t miss this rockin’ fun musical with a man-eating plant!

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Alumni & Friends

Alumni New MIS Alumni & Friends Portal –

Connect with us today!

Munich International School was thrilled to launch its new MIS Alumni & Friends portal in October. The new Portal is open to most in the current community, including any current parents who are alumni themselves and/or parents of former MIS students. Any current families who will be leaving MIS at the end of the calendar year (or at any time), will also automatically become part of the network of MIS Alumni & Friends worldwide.

There are no fees associated with registering, though students need to be at least 18 years before they are permitted to register. We encourage all those who are eligible to register as soon as possible, and ask you to also encourage other MIS Alumni and Friends in your circle to do so.

You are also welcome to share the Portal’s web address via your own personal social media networks.

For all Alumni & Friends, in order to access this Portal, please register first by visiting the following link: https://alumni.mis-munich.de. There, you will be prompted to register and to complete the registration process. Once you have registered on the portal, you will then be able to connect with other fellow alumni, discover new relationships, get updates about upcoming events and reunions and stay current with school initiatives, browse through photos, and much more.

Should you have any questions related to the new website or if you wish to provide feedback of any kind, please do not hesitate to contact us at alumni@mis-munich.de.

Alumni & Friends Events

Shortly after Munich International School launched the MIS Alumni & Friends Portal, a small get-together at Zum Franziskaner in Munich was held. This was a fantastic opportunity for alumni from different graduating classes to join, reconnect and also form new relationships. The School is incredibly thankful to all who joined that evening.

From one successful reunion to another, the next MIS Alumni & Friends get-together soon followed at the Weihnachtsmarkt at the Chinesischer Turm in Munich on Thursday, 7 December.

There was nothing more welcoming than sipping Glühwein together and reminiscing about MIS’ past and present, while discussing the future of the School.

To learn more about other Alumni & Friends events, please go ahead and register on the MIS Alumni & Friends Portal: https://alumni.mis-munich.de/.

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Important Calendar Events More details can be found online by visiting www.mis-munich.de/calendar

DECEMBER Staff Professional Development Day – No Classes 4 ASA Winter Season begins Alumni & Friends Reunion (Munich) 7 Rodewald Varsity Boys Basketball Tournament 8-9 Winterfest 10 Parent Association Meeting 14 Early Release day 15 Junior School Parent Coffee Morning Half day – Last day of classes (end at 12:00) 22 Winter Break begins 23

JANUARY Classes resume 8 Alumni & Friends Reunion (London) 17 Swim Meet in Pœcking 20 Open Day at MIS 23 Alumni & Friends Reunion (San Jose) 24 Early Release day 26 AMIS Solo Ensemble Music Trip Junior School Parent Principal Forum 30 FEBRUARY Early Childhood Parent Conferences – No School for EC students Early Childhood Parent Conferences – No School for EC students Junior School Parent Coffee Morning Last day of classes Ski Week begins Classes resume Open Day Junior School Parent Principal Forum Senior School Pathways Day MARCH Early Release day Alumni & Friends Reunion (Melbourne) Heinrich Harrer Cup + Alumni & Friends Reunion (Seefeld) Half day (classes end 12.00) Middle School Student Parent Teacher Conferences Senior School Student Parent Teacher Conferences Senior School Drama Production ASA Spring Season IB Art Exhibition Opening (Vernissage) IB Art Exhibition Junior School Parent Coffee Morning Last day of classes Spring Break begins APRIL Classes resume Junior School Parent Principal Forum Senior School Parent Principal Forum Early Release day Grade 12 IB Exams begin (30 April – 18 May) MAY May Day (School Closed) Grade 12 Assessments begin (7-18 May) Grade 4 Exhibition Ascension Day (School Closed) Junior School Parent Principal Forum Parent Association Meeting Junior School Parent Coffee Morning Early Release day Grade 12 IB Exams end (30 April – 18 May) Grade 10 Assessments end (7-18 May) Pentecost Monday (School Closed) Athletics SCIS/ISST Weekend Frühlingsfest Corpus Christi MIS Graduation 2018

1 2 6 9 10 19 20 22 28 2 3 8-10 9 14-15 14-16 19 20-22 20 23 24 9 10 11 13 30 1 7 8-9 10 15 17 18 21 23-26 27 31

How do I become a part of the Munich International School Community?

How do I stay in touch with Munich International School?

Student Admissions: admissions@mis-munich.de

Munich International School Alumni & Friends: alumni@mis-munich.de

Employment Opportunities: employment@mis-munich.de

Giving at Munich International School: giving@mis-munich.de

www.mis-munich.de