Munich International School - Volume 23 - Issue 2 - Spring 2016
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
03
Feature: Motivating and Inspiring Students for 50 Years
04
Frühlingsfest 2016
07
Tanzania Project
08
Academic News
09
Community News
12
Athletics and ASA
14
Alumni and Friends
15
Giving at MIS
16
Upcoming Events at MIS
17
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Munich International School Communications: Amanda Crawley Lydia Tukarski Andrew Almarza Phone: 08151 366 156 Fax: 08151 366 109 Email: publications@mis-munich.de Design: Paul Rea Photography: Graeme Fordham Photography Andrew Almarza
Contact is published by: Munich International School, Schloß Buchhof, D-82319 Starnberg www.mis-munich.de
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Head of School’s Introduction
What defines MIS? Timothy Thomas, Head of School
50
years ago, the signing of the Articles of Association brought to life Munich International School. Or, at least, 50 years ago, the signing of the Articles created the legal entity called Munich International School. But only the most basic legal parameters were created 50 years ago. A school consists of much more than its basic legal constitution provides. But what is that? What is a school? Is it just a collection of classrooms, teachers and students, who happen to find themselves in close proximity and eating in the same cafeteria? As we mark the 50th Anniversary of Munich International School, I would like to reflect on what makes us a school and what should make us a school as we embark on our next 50 years together.
Is it history? For any institution with a 50-year history, it seems obvious that a shared heritage and communal memories contribute to a sense of identity. However, MIS, and international schools more generally, do not amass these shared experiences in quite the same way that many other schools and institutions do. Our students, teachers, staff and families are predominantly from other parts of the world. Their tenure at the School and in the Community may be limited in duration. Even many students who come from the local community and spend many years at MIS will often choose to study in other parts of the world and will seek their career paths far away from MIS. A shared sense of history, therefore, can account for only a part of what makes MIS a school. But if shared experiences and a common history cannot fully explain what makes MIS a school, what else is there? I believe that there are three important factors that contribute to giving MIS a coherent and authentic identity. I believe that these are: • A Curriculum that is coherent from age four to eighteen • A Vision for the kind of young people we hope to create • An Ethos across the Community of service and social responsibility
First, the curriculum An agreed-upon curriculum and consistent ways of delivering education in the classroom form a core element of an MIS education. Many international schools attempt to lace together disparate academic programmes. They have a little of the British with elements of the American curriculum. They have the Primary Years Programme (PYP) in the elementary school, but the IGCSEs in the secondary school. They’ve used the common core with the ARROW standards wedged in between. MIS, on the other hand, has made a wholeschool commitment to the curricula and programmes of the International Baccalaureate
Organisation, the IBO. This has a profound impact on what it means to learn and to teach at MIS. Curricula do not just tell us what to teach. Good curricula – and I believe that the curricula of the IBO are very good curricula – guide us in deciding how to reach students and how to assess learning. The programmes of the IBO require us to construct challenging tasks. They compel us to ask complex questions. They encourage students to engage in self-driven inquiry. The focus is not on memorising facts or repeating simple processes but on understanding complex relationships and powerful organising ideas that have relevance across disciplines and in the real world. Common to classrooms across MIS is a focus on making sense and making meaning. Traditional educational programmes value transmitting and having knowledge. Tests ask students to reproduce facts and processes they have learnt. The IB’s curricula value learning how to learn and acquiring sophisticated conceptual tools, like the atomic theory of matter or Euclidian geometry, to be used by students to interpret and contribute to scientific, social and cultural phenomena. In age appropriate ways, these practices begin in the early childhood section of MIS and accompany our students through the PYP, the Middle Years Programme (MYP) and the Diploma Programme (DP).
Educational vision Curricula are one central element of the MIS identity. A second element is our shared vision of an MIS graduate. Our vision is, in part, a set of outcomes codified in our School’s guiding statements. Our current vision statement says that: An inspirational staff will create an exceptional learning environment that motivates all students to be globally minded, academically successful, well balanced and prepared for future challenges and responsibilities. And those elements really are central to our vision for the young people who leave MIS: • globally minded • academic successful • balanced in mind, body and spirit and • the skills and attitudes to thrive in a rapidly changing world I have the privileged vantage point of someone who visits classrooms across the School. I see how our educators seek to develop the elements of this vision in our students. Our teachers understand well that teaching global mindedness and nurturing balanced, knowledgeable, caring and risk-taking young people requires them to cultivate relationships of trust and shared accountability. Inspiring and motivating learners necessitates availability and communication beyond the classroom and outside the confines of lessons. Even the most cursory tour of our campus during the school day reveals teachers and students learning 01 | CONTACT | SPRING 2016
Message from the Board of Directors
together in a wide variety of settings and spaces. And the products and performances that students create bear witness to the focus that they and their teachers have on a shared set of outcomes.
Ethos of service and social responsibility Beyond the curriculum and the educational vision, a final attribute of MIS that endows the School
A History
with an identity and institutional character is a clear ethos of service and social responsibility. Schools authorised to deliver the IB’s programmes must commit to global engagement. This means that the School must commit itself through its curriculum and instructional activities to address humanity’s greatest challenges through both intellectual exploration in the classroom and through principled action outside the classroom. It is a requirement of the programmes that all teachers and all students are involved in authentic and purposeful activities that lead to greater understanding of our responsibilities of service to our local and global community. Long before the IBO had articulated this important dimension of an international education, MIS was already engaging meaningfully with people and issues well beyond our campus. In 1990, MIS initiated what was to become a mutually very beneficial relationship that became known as the Tanzania Project. This project has been nurtured, sustained and further developed for over twenty-five years by committed MIS teachers, community members and students who have invested untold hundreds of hours into raising funds, organising donations and travelling to Tanzania to deliver resources. School supplies, medical supplies and medicine, foodstuffs and whole heards of livestock have been donated and help to sustain communities and improve conditions for hundreds of rural Tanzanians. Several of our long-term faculty continue to contribute to the project, and Rosie Hollobone currently serves as the Coordinator. More information about the work of the Tanzania Project can be found later in this edition of Contact. Another conspicuous example of the MIS ethos of service includes the work of Felix Finkbeiner, who founded the youth environmental organisation, Plant-for-the-Planet. Felix’s vision and hard work gave rise to an organisation that counts among its members 34,000 children and youth in 93 countries who have collectively planted over 14 BILLION trees since 2007. Plant-for-the-Planet hopes to reach its goal of one trillion trees planted by 2020. It is the single largest tree-planting organisation in the world and is recognised and sponsored by the United Nations. And recently, many teachers, students and community members banded together to begin helping the refugees who have arrived in Munich in the last months. Charitable drives collected suitcases, warm winter coats, hats and gloves. Financial donations to support Helferkreise and other organisations were eagerly and thoughtfully coordinated. Many faculty members attended meetings of support groups. They gathered information on how MIS can contribute to the well-being and integration of young people who have been forced to leave their homes and seek refuge in our vicinity. I am proud that our community rose to the challenges posed by recent geo-political events and committed itself to helping, supporting and being a voice of reason and compassion at a very difficult time.
Authentically and meaningfully a school MIS is clearly much more than just a collection of classrooms. We are truly a school. We have a coherent, school-wide curriculum. We share a vision for the graduates we want to produce. And an ethos of service and social responsibility pervades our Community. Our 50th Anniversary happens to correspond with the completion of one strategic plan and the initiation of a new one. As we compose that new plan, it will be paramount that we keep these defining elements of our institution in the centre of our deliberations. Our mission and vision statements – whether we keep our current ones or agree upon revised ones – represent our contract and commitment to our students, families and community. They communicate to prospective families what we value, how we allocate our resources and what we are passionate about. I view it as a great privilege to be at MIS at this historic point in the School’s development and also a profound responsibility to nurture and further develop the characteristics that make MIS a place of learning, growth, achievement and joy. Sincerely,
Timothy Thomas, Head of School 02 | CONTACT | SPRING 2016
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recently read a history of MIS which was compiled for its 25th anniversary1. In 1963 Weert Hunersen, a teacher from a school in Long Island, visited Munich and noted that the only English-speaking school was operated by the US military, which was reducing its presence. He contacted the American Consul about starting up another school, and was put in touch with members of the American business community. One in particular, George Snyder, became the driving force behind the foundation of MIS. Start-up capital was mostly raised from various US corporations to establish a non-profit international school. On 26 Feb 1966, at Amerika Haus, the Articles of Munich International School were incorporated, and George Snyder was elected Chairman of the Board. Weert Hunersen was appointed Headmaster, and six months later, 120 students from Kindergarten through to Grade 8 started school in half of a Youth Centre leased from the US military in Harlaching, Munich. Tuition fee was DM 2,560 a year, and the canteen served burgers for 25 cents, fries for 15 cents and ice cream for 5 cents. (Deutsch Marks were also accepted). In February 1967, 48 parents attended an Association meeting which changed several provisions of the Articles. It was decided that nine parents would be elected by the Association to the Board of Directors to oversee the Headmaster’s running of the School, a structure which remains largely intact today. The Parent Teacher Organisation, the predecessor of today’s Parent Teacher Verein, was also established at this meeting. After two years, the US military discovered that their agreement with the German authorities forbade them from leasing their buildings to a private organization, and the current site in Percha was found through a board member. The history of the property is fascinating. It was the site of a watchtower for a Roman legionnaires’ camp, guarding the Roman road between Ammersee and Freising. It was variously owned by the Dukes of Andechs, the monastery of Schäftlarn and Karl Ritter von Maffei, who built the Schloss in 1875 and operated the property as a farm, a brewery and a tavern. During the war the Munich Nazi Party Chief constructed horse stables, and after the war it was a refugee home for orphaned boys, called Jungenstadt Buchhof, or Boystown. With only a month to go, the community worked intensely to clean out and repair the barns and buildings to make them fit for school. The school year opened in Buchhof in 1968 with over 300 children. In 1972 MIS had its first graduation ceremony, with nine students, who mostly went on to US colleges and universities. In that same year, the water from the School’s farm well dried up, which meant that the toilets wouldn’t flush, and the teachers had to take the students on periodic short excursions to the woods. The School continued to develop, but not without growing pains. Enrolment went up but some years fell short of projections. Finances were shaky, particularly each time existing buildings had to be upgraded to meet Bavarian standards for school buildings, or a new building was constructed to accommodate more students. In 1977 through lobbying by friends and supporters, the School received recognition as an Ersatzschule from the Bavarian government and became eligible for financial subsidies for operations and transport in Grades 1 through 6. In 1989 this was further extended to Grades 7 through 9.
Lesson Fast forward to 2016, when MIS celebrates its 50th Anniversary. Enrolment will peak at 1,230 this year, drawn from over 60 nationalities. Whereas we used to have a hodgepodge of American and British curricula overlaid with German requirements, we now have a whole-school commitment to the programmes of the International Baccalaureate Organisation, which are internationally recognized and highly regarded for preparing students well for their future lives. We have highly experienced and caring teachers and staff (compare this to the description of the early employees, who were described as “all frightfully young and inexperienced… slightly crazy, but good” by the first Assistant Headmaster). Our beautiful campus supports student learning, both inside and outside the classroom. Many strands of the early MIS experience remain recognizable, like lively Frühlingsfests, sports competitions, Tanzania, Model UN and school productions. A constant throughout has been community engagement. The founding fathers can justifiably be proud of what has been achieved in half a century. But I will be honest that some episodes evoke a weary sense of déjà vu. In the early days there was conflict between British and American parents about the direction the School should take. Today we have a far more international community, and discussions can be equally intense with divergent opinions (two recent examples: refugees and security). Throughout the history of MIS, with very few exceptions, Heads of School have come from abroad, stayed for a few years and moved on. Partly turnover is the nature of international schools, but quite a few have been stumped by the challenges of operating in Germany, particularly when it comes to German labour law and practices. A lack of German language skills also hindered them from building strong relationships outside of School, with the likes of local government, education policy makers, and the local community. Exacerbating this is institutionalized turnover in the parent elected Board, with each new member bringing an own agenda and impatient to make an impact in his/her three year tenure. Our finances are stable, but after fifty years we still do not have an endowment. Whilst the community has been generous in the past, particularly in voluntary service, actual amounts donated have been modest compared to the capital requirements of a modern School. Our most recent addition, the LADC and the Athletics Track and Field, cost €14m, of which just under €1m was raised from private donations, and the rest has to be painstakingly financed from accumulated reserves and future surpluses. Whereas start-up capital for the School was originally contributed by companies, these days companies tend to devolve the school decision to their employees, and indeed, sometimes encourage them to consider our cheaper competitors, whose numbers have grown, albeit without the breadth and depth of our programmes and experience. Every year 20-25% of our student population moves away, and we still track the enrolment numbers closely in order to know whether we can meet our annual budget. Taken together, all these factors make long term planning a challenge. We have to learn from history and avoid the same pitfalls, but there are no quick fixes. Our new twelfth Head of School, Timothy Thomas, is a talented educator and communicator, knows the School and its people well through his prior two years as Deputy Head, is fluent 1
Wanching Ang, Chair of the Board
in German and has many years of work experience in Germany. The Board has amended its composition to enable appointed members and removed the two term limit, in order to improve institutional memory. Association membership will be expanded through different categories so as to encourage participation by other stakeholders, in particular faculty and staff. The Head of School, together with the Board, is leading the work on revising the School’s mission and vision, which should bind all stakeholders in terms of a shared aspiration for our community and desired outcomes for our students. The accompanying strategic plan will consist of medium term goals and actions to achieve the mission. Expectations are high, but it will certainly not all be smooth going and it will take time to demonstrate sustainable results. At 50 years of age MIS is in an excellent place and there is strong leadership with a vision to take the School forward. We need patient support from all stakeholders: faculty and staff who feel valued and motivated, parents who are engaged in service and generous in giving, policy makers and regulators who are supportive but provide us freedom to operate, and students who make full use of their opportunities to learn at MIS and translate this into action which makes a difference. We want to do justice to the vision and stamina of the founding fathers and the contributions of generations past. We want future generations to look back and judge that the School made significant progress during this period. It is an exciting time to be at MIS.
Wanching Ang, Chair, MIS Board of Directors
The First Twenty-Five Years. An Informal History of Munich International School by Nathan R. Harrington. 03 | CONTACT | SPRING 2016
Motivating and Inspiring Students for 50 years I
n 2016 Munich International School celebrates 50 years of educational excellence and a future full of exciting potential. The following are excerpts from the forthcoming 50th Anniversary history of Munich International School.
Additionally, there will be more opportunities to share stories and contribute to MIS’ 50th Anniversary history as part of the School’s Frühlingsfest and Extended 50th Anniversary celebrations, 20-22 May 2016. It will also be possible to pre-order copies of the 50th Anniversary history that will be available in late 2016.
The birth of an idea The idea for an international school near Munich first materialised in 1963. Weert Hunersen, a teacher of 10 years’ experience from New York, persuaded the American Consul, Paul Aylward, that a new school was needed. Aylward advised him to approach Radio Free Europe (RFE), where the largest number of non-military Americans were employed. Hunersen felt that he would be able to assemble all the resources required to begin the process. He approached both the Kultusministerium and the community and received favourable responses. Munich International School (MIS) was launched following a meeting called by Snyder on February 26th, 1966, at the Amerikahaus. Snyder was elected Chairperson and Poole Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors and Hunersen was declared Head of School. What was needed was a school building. The US military stepped in and offered to rent one half of the AYA building located on the Rudolf Hess Estate in Harlaching. Members of the community helped convert the facilities into a functioning school.
Munich International School opens On September 19th, 1966, Munich International School (MIS) opened its doors for the first time. The School decided to offer a curriculum that would be accredited in the US and would prepare students for US college entry or British GCE examinations. Many groups at MIS that endure today were created in this very first year. The Articles of Association were written with the decision that the Board would be comprised of nine elected parents. Sam Lyon was elected the first chairperson of the Parent Teacher Association (PTO), and the Spring Bookfair (later to become Frühlingsfest) was born. The PTO became very active in assisting new teachers in finding accommodation, not an easy task at the time. In February 1968 MIS was informed by the American Military that they were unable to continue the lease on the AYA building in Harlaching. The School had already grown to 225, five more than the projected capacity of the buildings. A search for a new location began immediately. Irving Lehrich, a Board member and building contractor, located an extensive ten acre piece of land at Buchhof in Percha, with three buildings, a Schloss, and two barns used for horse stables, all attached to a working farm. The property was located close to the motorway, 23 kilometres south of Munich and 3 kilometres from Lake Starnberg, in a landscape of beautiful rolling moraine hills with a view of the Alps.
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Schloss Buchhof before MIS
Yearbook 1970-72
The location of Buchhof is extremely interesting historically. The position is known locally as “der Burgstall”, and is so described on historical maps. Experts are of the opinion that the term Burgstall, or “fortress”, referred to a Roman fortified settlement that protected an important Roman road from Freising to Pähl. The position had a strategic view over the moors beside the River Würm and the depression filled by Lake Starnberg, and thus was likely a site of significance even before the Romans. During the Roman occupation, the name “Puoche” was used for the Buchhof site that comprised two Höfe (manor farms). This settlement was overseen by the Kellerberg, a stone observation tower and a fortress with vaulted storage cellars. Located a short distance to the north of the current MIS car park, the Kellerberg stood proudly in ruins until its demolition in 1875.
Feature
Yearbook 1973-74
Yearbook 1976-77
After 1180 the ownership of the Höfe Puoche passed from the Kloster Benediktbeuern to the Duke of Andechs, who donated the property to Kloster Schäftlarn in 1181. It remained in possession of the Kloster until the secularisation of the monasteries in 1803, after which the property was appropriated by the state. In 1841 Herr Karl Ritter von Maffei purchased the property, which remained in his family until 1923. The second Hof on the opposite side of the road was demolished in 1850. At this time Buchhof had its own brick factory, distillery, and brewery, serving up the beer in its own Gasthaus. The Gasthaus stayed in business until the end of the first world war, after which Percha opened the Metzgerei Gasthaus Probstel beside the village Maibaum. The chimney for the Buchhof brick factory rose 45 meters above the surrounding landscape, and is clearly visible in a photograph of Percha taken from Lake Starnberg in 1890. The original Schloss, or Herrenhaus (manor house), was built in a very plain style. On these grounds, Herr Maffei decided in 1875 to build a new and more elaborate Schloss, the current building with its turret and imposing façade. The façade carries the coat of arms of the Ritter von Maffei family. It was Maffei who unfortunately demolished the ruins of the Kellerberg, of considerable historical interest, to gain cheap building material for the new Schloss, and simultaneously forcing the Gasthaus to find a new Bierkeller, as they had been taking advantage of the cool abandoned vaults to store their brew. The Maffei family also developed
Yearbook 1986-87
Yearbook 1973-74
Yearbook 1976-77
the vast areas of forest in their possession into one of the best hunting areas in Bavaria, supplementing the indigenous deer and wild pigs with imported hares and pheasants, ensuring a rich presence of game. After the death of Guido v. Maffei, Buchhof was leased to a number of different tenants, resulting in neglect of the upkeep of the property. In 1939 Buchhof entered a dark period. The property was taken over by the SS officer Christian Weber, whose brutality is well documented and who lost his left eye in a Bierhaus brawl. Then, in 1947, Boys’ Town Buchhof was established as a home for male war orphans aged 13 -19. The idea, first introduced in the USA in Nebraska, was a reputable pedagogical concept of self-government that taught boys the principles of democracy, in marked contrast to the teaching of German youth under the Nazi regime. The Boys’ Town project continued until 1951. Another interesting historical note is that the Bavarian artist Georg Arnold Graboné (1896 – 1980) lived in the pink house that still stands on the property at Buchhof. Graboné was famous for his palette knife technique as one of the most prominent German impressionist landscape artists. In 1961, Dwight D Eisenhower became interested in his paintings, even taking lessons from Graboné. Through the connection with Eisenhower, Graboné got to know Winston Churchill, who was also impressed with his Spachteltechnik. Churchill and Eisenhower eventually arranged a week-long painting get-together with Graboné on the Isle of Man in 1953.
Yearbook 1988-89 05 | CONTACT | SPRING 2016
Feature
The first MIS Frühlingsfest T
Yearbook 1976-77
he PTO decided to launch a fully-blown Frühlingsfest to replace the Bookfair from Harlaching. This was an event of community and family togetherness, consumed with good Bavarian beer, accompanied by a Bavarian band, with many dressed in Lederhosen and Dirndls. It was a memorable spectacle. Hamburgers were served by the Boy Scouts, and fundraising booths set up by the PTO. Frühlingsfest became an enduring tradition at MIS. The local community from Percha and Starnberg were encouraged to be an integral part of the celebrations, helping MIS establish a harmonious relationship with its neighbours. The proceeds of fundraising purchased shelves for the library, which by then had expanded to 2000 catalogued books.
The School’s well dries up
D
uring the fall of 1972 the farmer’s well supplying the School’s water dried up. Teachers were required to accompany lines of students on short excursions into the woods:
(Extract from Yearbook 1972/73) A memorable experience in the minds of all MIS students (and staff) began on the morning of October 18, 1972. After plunging into the current of school life, one could sense the flow of things had somehow slowed. This became obvious as early attempts to coax water out the faucets and drinking fountains proved unsuccessful. The situation dried up completely, however, when the toilets could not be flushed. At this point the wash room doors were securely locked. As lunch hour approached, it became apparent that things were not running as usual (except for frantic students searching madly for an open W.C.). Faces grew more anxious and walking more difficult. Students stood in front of closed doors with uplifted faces and dampened spirits, praying for the will to control their unhappy emotions. Finally, it was decided that to work under such strain was impossible and unsanitary and the School was closed for two weeks Yearbook 1980-81
Yearbook 1976-77 06 | CONTACT | SPRING 2016
Yearbook 1976-77
Frühlingsfest
Frühlingsfest 2016 Programme F
rühlingsfest 2016 will be an extra special weekend of events for alumni and friends of Munich International School as we join in celebrating our 50th Anniversary.
Events and activities for this weekend will be particularly orientated towards the current school community, alumni and friends of MIS, and celebrating MIS’ heritage. The afternoon and evening of Friday 20 May will be set aside for reunions for graduating classes, and other year group, staff and parent reunions to happen informally. Our traditional Frühlingsfest, with extended 50th anniversary celebrations, will be held on Saturday 21 May with a boat trip on Lake Starnberg planned for Sunday 22 May. For more information and to register for Frühlingsfest 2016 events, please visit www.mis-munich.de Volunteers have always made things happen at MIS. Please contact the PTV at ptv@mis-munich.de or Amanda Crawley at acrawley@mis-munich.de if you would like to be involved in helping to arrange Frühlingsfest 2016. 07 | CONTACT | SPRING 2016
Tanzania Project
Celebrating 25+ Years of the Tanzania Project
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n the summer of 1990, under the leadership of the Headmaster at the time, Lister Hannah, MIS students Jesse Garcia and Nickie Shaver first travelled to Tanzania with teachers Carol Geiger and Mark McGough to establish a helping relationship with the people of Tanzania. In 2016, over 30 students and four teachers will visit Tanzania during the summer. In the past, MIS supported projects in a wider geographical region including the Tuamoyo Street Children’s Project in Dar es Salaam and the Rufiji Leprosy Trust, near Utete. In Zanzibar, MIS supported the Eye Clinic at the Mnazi Mmoja Hospital and a local women’s NGO, ZAWCO. Today, the School focuses its efforts in the Moshi-Arusha region, and currently supports 15 projects via the fundraising efforts and support of the MIS community. For more information about these and other projects and how you can make a contribution, please contact the Tanzania Project Coordinator, Rosie Hollobone via email at rhollobone@mis-munich.de.
Water project In 2010, the water project in the village of Losoieto, Maasailand began. Money had been given in 2010 for a well to be drilled. In 2011 MIS donated money and a solar pump was subsequently purchased and installed. The drilling was 18 kilometers from the villages and although this was considerably nearer than the initial water source, it was still a long way for the women to walk. In 2012, money was donated to allow Dr Ole Kuney, the chief of this Maasai area, to begin building pipelines to bring water closer. At present there are two domestic distribution outlets and a trough for animals. The well was intended initially for 4,200 people but now has the potential to provide for over 42,000.
Cattle project During 2009, the Maasai experienced a severe drought and lost many cattle, upon which they heavily depended. The MIS Tanzania Project began helping in the village of Kambi Ya Chokaa 08 | CONTACT | SPRING 2016
by donating cattle, which can produce up to 12 calves during their lifetime. Since 2010, 145 cattle have been donated to this village.
Medical Centre project Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC) is based in Moshi with approximately 630 official beds serving 15,000,000 people and employing over 1,300 staff. The MIS Tanzania Project began donating to this hospital in 2007 with small items such as scissors, stethoscopes and oxygen masks. In 2007, 2008 and 2009, three fetal heart monitors were donated. As part of the Occupational Therapy Department training facility at KCMC, 11 MacBooks were donated to the lecturers and students to aid in the continued education of Tanzania students. Money is also donated annually to aid in student’s tuition fees.
HIV project In 2010, MIS Tanzania Project students first joined with Tanzanian teenagers affected by HIV for a ‘Fun-Day’, which is now an annual event. Money from MIS is given each year to the Child Centred Family Care Clinic, at KCMC, supporting children and families affected by HIV. MIS has also provided musical instruments for the Teen Group established to provide support for these teenagers and their families.
Education projects Hope Primary School, with 120 mainly orphaned children, in one of the poorest settlements in Moshi by the town’s rubbish dump, has received support from MIS since 2013. MIS is currently raising funds to allow Mr Msaki, the founder of the project, to buy a plot of land to extend his current two-classroom school. MIS has supported an orphanage, renovated schools and provided textbooks for hundreds of students, over many years. In 2004 we began supporting 4T, a small self-help project in Arusha, regularly donating, chicken houses, oxen ploughs, donkeys and school uniforms.
Academic News
Student recital Students of Dominique Kao Bronisz, who teaches piano, harp and flute at MIS performed in their annual student concert on the evening of Friday 18 March in the PAC. Several of Dominique’s students performed on multiple instruments of piano, harp and flute, including solos and duets, and all demonstrated excellent stage etiquette and the musical pieces performed were engaging and moving to the audience.
Lunar New Year and Fasching celebrations Lunar New Year was celebrated at MIS in February by Nu Nu San and a group of students from Helen Duckworth’s Grade 3 class. Students performed a lion dance and greeted other students, parents and teachers, and also visited the Head of School, Timothy Thomas, sharing their Lunar New Year celebration with all members in the Schloss. February continued with celebratory events, as the Junior School took part in the German tradition known as Faschings Dienstag. Traditionally known as a time of celebration before the beginning of Lent, it is also more popularly known as a time to scare away the “winter blues”. Junior School students and teachers took-up this challenge and wore a variety of fun and entertaining costumes to celebrate Fasching this year. From Spider-man to princesses, children dressed in costume, played games and created artwork with each other.
Student-led conferences In Junior School, children are taught to acquire knowledge, be reflective, accept responsibility and present their knowledge in practical or new ways. Each and every year, Student-led Conferences are an opportunity for children to demonstrate these skills whilst sharing their learning from the school year across various subject areas with their parents. This provides a different perspective to the traditional parent-teacher conference where the teacher traditionally leads the conference. Instead Student-led Conferences provide each child an hour to lead, and this March it was no different. Students demonstrated their learning and shared what they felt was important, what made them feel proud, and what they still found challenging.
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Pi Day On 14 March, or more famously represented as 3.14, a number of Middle School Students and teachers competed to see who could memorise the most digits of the number Pi (3.14159…) with prizes going to the top five guessers. The winner of the Pi reciting digits was Grade 7 student Victoria Andersson who incredibly recited 110 digits. Adding to the circular theme, students also competed for the longest hula-hoop with the winner being Zorka Palfalvi, who hula-hooped non-stop for over 1 hour. A special thanks goes to Grade 7E, 6A and Grade 10 who helped organise the competition, as well as a special mention to Mr. Collier who recited Pi to 241 decimal places.
Service as Action update Students in the Middle School were very busy working on their Service as Action Group projects. One of the highlights so far was the Grade 8 Christmas Market, which managed to raise over €4000 for Save the Children’s “Gifts of Joy” and “Day of the Girl” (as voted for by the students). Several homerooms were also busy collecting items for refugees, which included items such as toothpaste and soap, as well as other donations such as hats, gloves and dictionaries. This effort was in addition to Middle School’s already very successful Coats & Boots Collection (in partnership with the Junior School and “Action for Refugees in Munich”). Other homerooms collected plastic bottles, organized various fundraising events and filled Christmas gift boxes for children in other countries. Students’ Individual Projects are now well under way and we look forward to reporting on them in the summer! Thank you to all members of our community for your support for Service as Action.
MYP Personal Projects In February, Senior School Grade 10 students presented their Personal Project to parents, staff and other students in the Middle School Auditorium and Cafeteria. These projects have been worked on since the beginning of the first half of the school year and our students’ efforts were well represented in their display booths, as Personal Projects demonstrate independent student learning and showcase their MYP experience. This year was no different with projects that included fashion and design, mobile photography, and the creation of an interactive “MIS Chat” for students on campus. The projects were interesting, varied and inspiring for all who attended.
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Academic News
Poetry Out Loud Competition On Wednesday 9 of March, the Grade 9 class performed their Poetry Out Loud competition in the PAC. Based on the theme of ‘Oppression’, including topics of slavery and the segregation of African Americans, students used literature to perform and competed an original or existing poem. All performers showed an incredible amount of commitment and creativity, and used sound, movement and multimedia resources to bring their poetry to life. Innovative performances energized the atmosphere that included ‘Slam’ poetry on racism to students writing original poems based on issues close to their heart such as self image and stereotyping. Winning the overall competition was the group consisting of Ezra Leconte, Leonardo Corsi, Cian Brenner, Sean Berg and Alexander Mittendorfer. Their powerful ‘Slam’ poem on the attitudes towards refugees impressed the audience and garnered the judges vote. The award for best original poem was awarded to Kushvar Babayeva, Lara Capri, Antonia Eder, Kalina Mikhailov, Elena Hertel, Rachel Delrosso, who performed the poem ‘Lost in Labels’. The most innovative performance Award went to Adi Suresh, Alessandro Gambardella, Luka Vierroth and Nicolas Higgins for their poetry ‘Mash-up’.
All performers showed an incredible amount of commitment and creativity
Pathways On Thursday 3 March, MIS welcomed guest speakers for Pathways, an event where professionals speak to our students about future professions of interest to them. The School was excited to host a diverse, talented and professionally successful group of speakers during the day. Students were exposed to a variety of career fields via the speakers who included a film director and producer, costume designer, graphic designer, astrophysicist and software developer, therapist, lecturer and many more. Our speakers presented their given career fields through a series of breakout sessions and then met as a panel for an open ‘Question & Answer’ session with our students. Munich International School sincerely thanks all our visiting guest speakers.
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PTV - Staff Astronaut Appreciation Lunch Pedro Duque The Parent Teacher Verein’s annual Staff Appreciation Lunch was once again very wellreceived by all members of faculty and staff. MIS faculty and staff sincerely thank the PTV again for not only providing the delicious selection of international foods, but also for the atmosphere where everyone involved was able to take a moment out of their day to enjoy the company of fellow colleagues as well as PTV members.
In 1992, Pedro Francisco Duque was selected as an astronaut and flew as a mission specialist aboard the space shuttle mission STS-95. Later Pedro successfully returned to space and visited the International Space Station in 2003 for several days. Sponsored by Café Sci, a programme of the MIS Foundation, Pedro visited MIS in March and spoke to students, teachers and faculty about his education career choices that eventually led him to the space programme, his training in both Russia and the United States, as well as the missions he was involved, including the Misión Cervantes in 2003.
Movement Artist Jerry Falek
Jerry Falek, a movement artist who specializes in incorporating movement in education, came to MIS through the MIS Foundation to work with all students in the Junior School. Jerry’s background includes having worked in a diverse range of educational settings including schools, prisons, and hospitals. During his visit, he positively engaged with our students and teachers and helped them express and develop a variety of creative moments. He also showed students how movement can showcase understanding by integrating visual, kinesthetic and auditory skills.
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Guitarist Brooks Williams
Thanks to the support of the MIS Foundation, Munich International School was delighted to welcome American singer and songwriter Brooks Williams to campus from 19-21 January 2016. During his time on campus, Brooks Williams led a series of hands-on workshops to Grades 5 -12 students in the field of Americana and blues. He had a huge impact on the advanced guitar players who took part in his workshop and practised songs that were later performed on stage during Brooks’ evening concert. By leading and working closely in the music workshops, Brooks also discussed the power of music and how it unites people from different backgrounds, cultures and languages. Later that evening and after workshops were completed, he dazzled the MIS community with a live performance which included an ensemble that included Brooks and staff and students alike.
Community News
MIS Concert with Sebastian Hess and Pamela Stout Our School is fortunate to take advantage of the many great artists living in our area, one of whom performed at MIS on 8 March. Sebastian Hess, a world renowned cellist, presented several concerts and a master classes for the MIS students, faculty and parent community. Thanks to the wonderful support of the MIS Foundation, Mr. Hess, along with pianist, Pamela Stout, presented two lunchtime mini concerts, with dialogue, which were open to the MIS community, as well as an evening concert for the public to attend. The evening concert included Hess and Stout performing and discussing the Debussy Cello Sonata, a Bach Suite and Beethoven Cello Sonata. Two student charities organized and provided the reception treats, The Tanzania Project and Room to Read Charity (http://www.roomtoread.org/). We thank again the MIS Foundation for generously supporting all of our visiting guest speakers, as each speaker positively affected the entire community.
50th Anniversary celebrations
Launch of Munich International School’s 50th Anniversary Year Munich International School - Motivating and Inspiring Students for 50 years
O
n 26 February 1966, Articles of Association for Munich International School (MIS) were signed. Munich International School was the first international school to be established in Munich and, at that time, only one of a small number of international schools to be found throughout Germany.
On Friday 26 February 2016, Munich International School marked the 50th anniversary of this occasion with a short ceremony at the School followed by a special 50th Anniversary Parent Association meeting. This occasion also acted as the launch for the School’s 50th Anniversary Year celebrations, including extended celebrations for Frühlingsfest 2016.
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Athletics and ASA
Winter success for MIS Athletes
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ur winter season athletes were extremely successful in wrapping up championships in March. Six basketball teams and swim teams were on the road for their final SCIS or ISST Championships. Four of these teams returned home with championship trophies, demonstrating a high level of both skill and sportsmanship.
42nd Annual Heinrich Harrer Cup In early March, the Ski Team completed their season with the traditional Heinrich Harrer Cup ski race hosted by MIS in Seefeld, Austria. 42 MIS ski racers ranging from ages 10-18
represented the School against 6 other international schools. Winter conditions finally arrived for this event, creating super racing conditions for the 42rd year of this three-day event. Our athletes, as defending champions, started the first day of slalom races in style and continued to rack up the team points over three days to finish the Super G on Saturday with a grand total of 985 points. This was clearly sufficient to keep the Harrer Cup in Munich’s hands with the second place team, the International School of Zug and Luzern, finishing with 706 points. Congratulations go out to all skiers involved for what was an amazing team effort and thank you to all those ski team parents who volunteered as gatekeepers.
ASA Updates T
ASA Illustration teacher, Luiba Nosova, used the book La Voliera d’Oro, by writer Anna Castagnoli and illustrator Carll Cneut, to inspire illustrative art work from her class. The Author was very impressed by the students’ work. Please check our website to see the gallery of art pieces that were created by the participants.
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DOESN’T PLAY £
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he ASA MS Drama Show, Crime Doesn’t Play, directed by MIS teacher and alumnus, Paul Stirling, was performed in the Theater Black Room from 9-10 March. Adapted from a comedy crime thriller, the play tells the story of an eccentric character and his crew, who pretend to be musicians to hide their real career as robbers, all without their unsuspecting but sharp elderly landlady knowing. The fun and chaos began as the characters plot and plan trying to “take care of business” and outsmart the landlady. The energy behind the students’ performances translated into an equally fun experience to the audience and to everyone involved.
CRIME
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MARCH 9th/10th at 18:30
Alumni Alumni & Friends
“Miss Anna” retires K
nown to many as “Miss Anna,” Anna Wietrzychowska started at MIS in 1984 and was first recruited as an English teacher by Mr. Lister Hannah. This position was short-lived however as in 1986, Mr. Hannah appointed her as Dean of Students, which he changed to Associate Principal in 1993. This role continued throughout the tenure of three Head of Schools.
From 1999 - 2005, Anna returned to teaching English and also took up a new role teaching Theory of Knowledge (ToK). In 2006 she was appointed to the position of UK University adviser and in the following year became a full-time member of the counselling department which continued until late 2015. As a guidance counsellor, Anna helped with refining the system that assists our students in making the best choices with their applications. Munich International School thanks Anna not only for 31 years of service, but also for the quality of her day-to-day interactions with students and fellow colleagues.
Remembering Alumni visit Eimear Boyd
Eimear pictured second from the left
E
imear Boyd taught Grade 4 at MIS and did so always a smile. Unfortunately, when she was planning to return to Ireland in 2003, she was diagnosed with cancer. Eimear subsequently extended her stay that year in Munich and began chemotherapy treatment, and although her health may have suffered at times, her composure continued to be positive and upbeat. Eimear lived life to the fullest and continued to travel in between chemotherapy treatments while maintaining an active lifestyle, which included surfing. MIS was very sad to hear of Eimear’s passing. She was a wonderful person and will be missed by our community.
M
erel Visser, MIS Alumni in 2013, visited our campus on Friday 12 February and spoke to our students about studying medicine and the challenges and opportunities related to this career path. Alex Liegl, MIS Alumni in 2011, spoke on Thursday 17 December 2015 and discussed his experience at Stanford University while Dimitri A Abold, MIS Alumni and current student at the New York University – Tisch School of Art, specifically conversed with students whom were interested in Acting & Drama and how his experience so far has been studying in the US.
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Giving at MIS
Giving at MIS Why Give? Excellence in education requires inspiring teachers, superior facilities, exceptional materials and the resources to take advantage of opportunities as they arise. Munich International School is able to offer extraordinary experiences to our students and community because many parents, grandparents, alumni, current and former teachers and staff, and other friends of the School have given generously in recent years.
Why does Munich International School need philanthropic support? Tuition and fees at Munich International School are substantial. What many people do not realise, however, is that our fees are calculated with a clear intention to remain as affordable as possible. Our tuition fees cover our personnel costs and expenses for educational materials, ongoing professional development, maintenance of our facilities, utilities, security, cleaning and other routine spending. Our entrance fee supports periodic large-scale projects, like the new Languages, Arts and Design Centre and the new Track & Field Complex. Because we are a non-profit association and receive some funding from the Bavarian government, we must negotiate a careful financial balancing act that precludes almost any form of investment or savings. Philanthropic gifts contribute to excellence at Munich International School in very special ways: • The Stefan Engelhorn lecture series brings inspirational and engaging thinkers, artists and speakers to MIS.
• The MIS Foundation funds initiatives proposed by teachers, students and community members, like the recent visit of activist and artist, Samar Jodha. • The new Science Inspiration Fund is making innovative projects in the areas of science, robotics and computer coding available to students in the Junior, Middle and Senior schools. • Timely completion of the LADC, the Athletics Track & Field and the surrounding landscaping was possible only because many donors contributed at key points in the construction process. We would therefore be grateful to receive all kinds of contributions, both large and small. In keeping with the extraordinary views that we enjoy from our beautiful campus and the international nature of our School, there are three categories for gifts named after mountain peaks: • Zugspitze (€10,000-49,999) • Kilimanjaro (€50,000-99,999) • Mt Everest (above €100,000) These significant donors will, if they so wish, be recognised by name on a plaque. For more information about current philanthropic initiatives or to discuss any other ideas you might have for making a gift to Munich International School, please do not hesitate to contact us via giving@mis-munich.de. To be part of Munich International School’s 2016 Annual Giving programme, please complete an online form by visiting the Giving page at www.mis-munich.de. Please consider making a gift today.
‘Path of Memories’ MIS’ Path of Memories was officially opened at Frühlingsfest on 13 June 2015. Located outside the entrance to the Schloss, more than 60 bricks have already been donated as part of the first laying of the Buy a Brick, Build Your Legacy initiative.
How Can I Contribute? For more information about how to participate in this on-going heritage initiative, please visit the MIS website at www.mis-munich.de or email giving@mis-munich.de. Please submit your order form by 22 May 2016 to be part of the next laying of bricks by the end of the school year.
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Important calendar events More details can be found online by visiting www.mis-munich.de/calendar APRIL Spring Break Paris International Colleges and Universities Fair Classes Resume Mosaic of Cultures Day Grade 6 Rothenburg Trip ASA Strings Concert
24 Mar - 10 Apr 9 11 21 26 - 27 28
MAY IB Exams Ascension Day (No classes) SAT Testing Spring Varsity SCIS Weekend Early Release Day Pentecost Monday (No classes) Association Meeting 50th Anniversary Fr端hlingsfest weekend Anima Charity Concert Spring SCIS/ISST Weekend Corpus Christi (No classes) Bridge Day (no classes) Graduation Ceremony
2 - 20 5 7 12 - 14 13 16 19 20 - 22 24 25 - 28 26 27 29
JUNE SAT Testing Spring Athletics Recognition Evening Tanzania Trip meeting with parents Grade 5-12 Early Release Day Last Day of Classes / End of School Year
4 7 9 10 30
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