Food, Fun, & Festivities Fast Approaching!

The Parent Network’s Taste of the World has a wide variety of countries preparing to share wonderful foods during the annual ISF Sommerfest Saturday, 6 June 2009.  From 12:00 to 17:00, you will find an interesting assortment of entertainment, activities, and tasty treats.  Some of the featured events include a 4K walk/run for individuals or family groups to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the ISF Sportverein, a talent show, an encore performance of the play The Three Little Pigs, face painting, a climbing wall, a performance by the ISF Orchestra, a charity raffle for the ISF Kenya Project, and much more.  Three local Police Officers will also be there with a display of equipment, an official wagon and motorcycle that you can explore, and maybe even a police dog!  Just one more important point: Please remember that, for your convenience and the safety of pedestrians near the school, we have arranged a free Park-and-Ride shuttle service from the Hoechst parking lot.  This is a fun family event, with something to interest everyone, so we hope to see you there!

ISF Inkwell: Contest and Distribution

Congratulations to the winners of ISF’s Inkwell Short Story Contest!  Melanie Graves won for her story “Roses” and Olivia Anderson for her entry “The Little Leather Shoes.”  Amna Durrani earned special recognition for her outstanding poem “Go back a lifetime or two.”  You may soon read these and other entries in the new 2009 Inkwell Magazine of the Arts, scheduled to hit the ISF newsstands at the end of May--just in time for the Sommerfest on Saturday, 6 June.  This year’s magazine, with 56 color pages, contains contributions from ISF writers, artists, and poets including a new World Literature section with poems and stories in French, German, Korean, and Spanish.

In another special section, “The Gate,” Grade 10 students wrote about an imaginary locked gate, described their plans to get through or around it, and what they ‘found’ when they emerged on the other side. It is fascinating to see how creatively our ISF Grade 10 students approached this puzzle, assigned as preparation for the IGCSE English Language examination.

Outstanding artwork and photographs from individual students, a teacher, and the IB CAS Photography Workshop add to the magazine’s dramatic content. Again, this year our school musicians have produced an (included) CD of original music composed and played by ISF students and teachers.

Editors Fraser Bowers, Felix Buchwald, and Alexander Bruski, as well as Inkwell team members from Grades 9 and 10, have worked hard to make this year’s magazine an attractive collection of our students’ imaginative work.  The magazine will sell for 10 Euros, with proceeds covering printing costs.  We hope that members of the ISF community will purchase the new Inkwell 2009 so that we may continue to publish this artistic publication.

P.S.!: Ten Inkwell writers will present their work at the English Theatre on Monday, 8 June, at 19:00.  Please join us!  RSVP at: http://www.newcomers-network.de/stammtisch/index.php.

Science Fair and competition at ISF

This year's Science Fair generated a 20% increase in competing groups and participants, and was also better attended.  A number of nonparticipating teachers and students were seen exploring the various exhibits, and one teacher overheard student comments such as, "Wow, that's amazing!" "Science can be fun after all!" and even "I'm so inspired that I want to go to MIT and become the next Einstein!" (seriously!).

Congratulations to 9th grader Kathrin Krause, the winner of this year’s Lower Secondary Science Fair competition, which took place on Saturday, April 25.  Kathrin won with her project “Properties of Light,” and her name will soon be engraved on the Science Fair trophy and placed in the ISF trophy case.  Other projects of special note are the 2nd place winners, Yusra Nasir and Carlota Garcia-Abad (“Solar Energy”), 3rd place winners Nicky Steenbeck and Kevin Wu (“Boats”), Most Creative winner Thomas Flott (“Effect of Music on Plants”), and the Best Effort winners Soo Yeon Kwon and Jin Ju Kim (“Chemicals on Hair”).

All winners will receive gift certificates to a local English bookstore, and all participants will receive certificates of participation and SLO Points for their efforts.  Special thanks go to Ms. Kaufman for organizing the Science Fair, and to the three judges Mr. Sedaghati, Mr. Robinson, and Mr. Slesser.

ISF International Day Talent Show Auditions

International Day (Saturday, 6 June 09) is getting closer, and one of the events this year is a combined student, parent, and staff talent show!  If you would like to participate, please sign up for an audition on the sheets posted in the Music Hallway.  Auditions are Monday, 4 May; Wednesday, 6 May; and Thursday, 7 May in the music room.  We want you to participate, but to do so you must audition.  There still some spaces left, so you should hurry!

ISF Open House: Final of the season!

From 13:00 to 16:00 on Saturday, 16 May 2009, ISF invites parents (and future parents) interested in our school to our last Open House of the school year. We will have a wide variety of information--and refreshments--available, as well as presentations at 13:30 and 14:30. Tours of our school facilities, led by current ISF student volunteers, will follow each presentation.  Attending families are also invited to enter a drawing for one free week of ISF Summer School (KG - G6) during the month of July 2009.  We hope to see you there!

ISF hosts Jefferson Dancers workshops and show

On Saturday 21 March, ISF proudly hosted workshops and a full-scale performance by The Jefferson Dancers.  The Jefferson Dancers are a semi-professional youth dance company from the Jefferson Performing Arts School in Portland, Oregon, USA.  The dancers range from 14 to 18 years of age, and are selected by audition from attending students.  They train and dance 3 to 6 hours each day, 6 days a week, and perform large-scale performances twice a year in their hometown—all led by Artistic Director Steve Gonzales.

On the day of their visit to ISF, these talented dancers held various workshops for children and attracted over 50 local dancers from the Frankfurt region.  It was a fantastic opportunity for students and locals to train with these incredibly talented young people and witness the dedication and hard work required to reach this level of professionalism.  In the evening, they performed a 2-hour, full scale show, for nearly 300 excited audience members.  The show demonstrated exquisite skill, fantastic choreography in classical and modern dance forms, and wowed the audience with a marvelous display of energy, precision, and commitment.

In addition to providing ISF with a wonderful arts experience, the Jefferson Dancers generously donated over 1000€ of ticket proceeds from the show to the ISF Kenya Project, thereby greatly helping students at the Chitsanze Primary School, Kenya.

A big thank you to Mrs. Schuck, who connected us with this group and greatly supported the event, as well as Shehroze Junejo, who supported the show technically.  Also, thank you to Heike Tobias, Maria Tobias, Diana Saiful, Maud Smeets, and the Kenya Project team for helping to sell tickets, manage workshop sign-ups, selling treats for the audience, and a great deal of general support.

It was an absolute thrill to have these young people at our school and we hope to welcome them back soon!

New ISF school clothing debut

On Friday, 20 March, the new (optional) ISF school clothing--to be introduced in the 2009-2010 school year--was presented to parents during the Parent Network Morning Coffee.  The new cafeteria was jam-packed as a group of 19 committed ISF students from Grades 1-11 came together to model a wide variety of the items that will be offered to ISF families for the new academic year through Lands` End clothing suppliers.

The intention of this presentation was to display to parents the many options that will be available to them, as well as to share the philosophy and reasoning behind this important school decision.  The presentation began with explanations from Mr. Slesser, and Lands` End representative Mrs. Sweeney, and then the students wowed the group with a fun and energetic fashion show!

The event was successful in raising awareness of the many positive aspects of the school dress code changes, and the good such things can bring to our school community.  Seeing the students ‘strut their stuff’ and support each other created a great atmosphere and demonstrated the unity and commitment of the student population.

These students have offered similar ‘shows’ at award ceremonies and other events throughout the entire school, and so far everyone is highly supportive and entertained! They have done a fantastic job as ambassadors for this new school direction, and we offer congratulations to them for their courage and energy! 

Student participants are: Timo Prokop (11), Benedikt Winter (11), Natalie Groh (11), Valerie Groh (11), Hae Won Choi (11), David Eugenie (10), Erika Beyeler (10), Erin Hopley (10), Claire Sasu (9), Jonas Wollenhaupt (8), Maite Wollenhaupt (7), Angela Gouralas (7), Min Chang (5), Jin-A Kang (5), Sam Zucker (5), Alexander Städing Domingez (3), Patricia Garcia-Abad (2), Joelle Sasu (1), Phillip Städing Domingaz (1).

If you have not had a chance to see the fashions shows, please visit the ISF lobby.  There are a number of mannequins sporting the ISF/Lands’ End clothing, and it will be changed regularly to allow everyone to see a wide variety of styles and colors.  Enjoy!

Dramatic performance at ISF!

On the evening of Thursday, 26 March, a group of ISF Upper Primary drama students presented a dramatic version of one of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies: Hamlet.  The students confidently exhibited a range of dramatic emotions in their presentation and clearly demonstrated the revenge that Hamlet (Prince of Denmark) wanted upon his uncle for murdering his father to usurp the throne.  The students showed a great understanding of the English text and played their characters with depth and ease.  

Congratulations to the students and everyone else involved for creating a superb presentation enjoyed and admired by everyone watching!  After the show, a school staff member overheard some parents saying they are already looking forward to the next show!

ISF Orchestra concert: Music, singing, and success!

“In the Hall of the Mountain King” was one of 15 finely executed pieces of music played by the ISF Orchestra when they performed on Friday, 20 March in the ISF theater.  The audience also experienced the ISF Junior and Senior Choirs as each group melded their voices with the orchestra for three songs during the course of the event, and a group of Korean students sang a wonderful song too.

The large audience responded very well to the varied music in this 90-minute show, often clapping and singing along to songs like, "It's Raining Men."  Applause was loud and enthusiastic.

This show was a tremendous success for all involved, thanks to the organization and leadership of Mr. Waddell, Mrs. Tobias, and the other teachers in the Music department as well as the excellent behavior and dedication of the students.

ISF students excel in math competition!

The International Schools Mathematics Teachers Foundation (ISMTF), formerly known as ECIS, runs an annual Mathematics competition open to all international schools.  This challenging and prestigious competition operates on four levels, each named after a famous mathematician: Agnesi League (for ages 10 -12); Leibniz League (13-14); Ramanujan League (15-16) and Polya League (17-18).  This year, ISF students entered the competition in droves—in fact, the turnout was astonishing given that students had to sacrifice a Saturday morning to participate!  Instead of an expected student group of about 40, over 90 turned up!  This shows the enthusiasm of our students for mathematics.  However, not only the turnout was something to celebrate: The results were also very impressive.  In order to qualify for a certificate a student must answer at least twelve or more questions correctly out of eighteen, and ISF results were as follows: In the Leibniz League, 21 out of 43 students passed and many of them scored 17 or higher!  In the Ramanujan League, 40 students participated and 22 scored twelve or higher; again with some very high scores and even a perfect score!  In the Polya League four students participated.

What makes our students’ results even more impressive is that many of (if not most) of them sat exams meant for students one or more years older.  For example, many of our Grade 7 students are only 11 yet they sat the 12-14 exam.  Similarly, the Grade 9 students sat the exam for 15-16 year olds.  This level of participation and success is a powerful testimony to the dedication and effectiveness of students and staff in the ISF Mathematics Department, and to the parents of our students for supporting their studies and encouraging them to sacrifice a Saturday morning to compete.

We would like to thank, especially, Thomas Sundall for agreeing to come in on Saturday to help proctor the exams and, also, Ana Martin Martin and Dr. Strouza for their hard work and effort in helping to make this whole ‘math adventure’ possible.

American Colleges Overseas (ACO) University Fair at ISF

On Thursday, 5 March, ISF hosted eleven European universities, including Jacobs University in Bremen, American University in Paris, Webster University in Vienna, Franklin College in Lugarno, and Versalius in Brussels.  There was a large turnout at this event designed for Grade 10 and 11 students.  The University Fair began with a presentation on the university application process, followed by a short presentation by each school, and ended with opportunities for students to visit information stands from each university and get details about various programs and requirements directly from the representatives.  We plan to offer this event again in the coming years because ISF graduates have attended a number of these schools and have been pleased with the programs offered.

This was an excellent opportunity to gather information on a variety of schools and programs in just one afternoon.  A partial list of the programs represented includes Media and Communications, International Relations, Computer Science, Physics, Math, Biochemical Engineering, and Asian and Western History.

Results of GISST Swim Tournament at ISF, and Future GISST Events

Our team members did a great job at the ISF-hosted GISST swimming competition on 31 Jan and 1 Feb 09!  (check here later for photos!)  During this tournament, thanks to the efforts of our swimmers, ISF moved up through the overall ranks to finish in 5th Place out of 11 participating schools.  ISF Sports Coordinator Uli Groh sends out a big THANK YOU to everyone involved for helping make this event a wonderful success.  An extra special Thank You goes to our swim team members, and to all of the parents that volunteered to host participants from other schools.

Schools participating in the swimming event:

Bavarian International School (BIS)

Berlin International School (BerIS)

Berlin Brandenburg International School (BBIS)

Berlin British School (BBS)

Bonn International School (Bonn)

International School of Stuttgart (ISS)

Dresden International School (DIS)

Internartional School Frankfurt-Rhein-Main (ISF)

Guest: Copenhagen International School

Results:

Upcoming events: We are looking forward to achieving additional excellent results in the following upcoming GISST events:

Basketball -

• March 19-21: U 14 Boys at Bonn International School.
• March 20-21: Varsity Boys at Bavarian International School.
• March 27-28: U14 Girls at Berlin International School.
• March 27-28: Varsity Boys at Berlin Brandenburg International School.

Golf -  May 9th: Handicap of 30 and better, hosted by Stuttgart International School.

Tennis - May 15-16: hosted by Leipzig International School.

Track&Field - June 7-8: U14 and Varsity Boys and Girls at Bonn International School.

Recent ISF Alumni Gathering On Campus!

On the afternoon of Wednesday, 7 January 2009, more than 30 ISF graduates returned to the school to reminisce with old friends and former teachers, and share stories about what they are doing now.  Many of the alumni at the gathering were back in the region for winter break and a rest from university studies in the US, UK, and elsewhere, while others had already entered the workplace.  Director Slesser briefly addressed the group, welcoming them back and congratulating them on their many successes at ISF and since their departure. 

Teachers, advisors, and former students circulated through the room and high spirits were abundant amid the conversations, laughter, and finger foods.  Discussions are already underway for additional alumni activities in the future, and the ISF Alumni Reception at the beginning of January will now be an annual event organized by the current Grade 12 class.  This year Tamara Atanasyan and her team did an outstanding job of contacting former ISF students, organizing the venue, collecting old yearbooks, and preparing a video of photographs of ISF former students.  Congratulations and a big thank you to these seniors!

Join the ISF Open House on 4 April 2009

We invite interested potential parents and students to visit ISF during an Open House event on Saturday, 4 April 2009, from 13:00 to 16:00.  Please consider attending one of the highly informative presentations at 13:30 and 14:30 for a detailed overview of ISF and how we provide education for a changing world.  Tours, led by current ISF students, are available immediately following each presentation.

ISF Drama Department production a hit!

Thursday, 4 December 2008, and Friday, 5 December 2008, ISF students performed “Echoes Over the Stone Garden.”  This show, written by Canadian playwright and secondary school teacher Chris Waters, focused on six classmates representing a small cross section of teenagers trying to deal with everyday challenges and learning self responsibility in an ever confusing and changing world.  The play followed a young teenage boy, as he dealt with societal and familial issues that spurred his departure from school and eventually forced him to confront his personal problems and return to the classroom.  This was a scenario that many people could relate to, as Scott realized that everyone works to overcome challenges and he did not have to face his alone.

Audience response to these talented young actors was enthusiastic!  The theater was alternately filled with laughter, camera flashes, and applause as ISF students weaved their way through the dramatic comedy show.  After the show, some audience members were overheard discussing their eager anticipation of future ISF drama productions; which is perhaps the best ‘review’ anyone could hope for!

ISF 'scores' big at GISST Tournaments!

ISF students participated in numerous German International Schools Sport Tournament (GISST) competitions this season.  We offer a special Thank You to parents of the Berlin, Hannover, and Dresden schools for their generous housing for our traveling athletes.  All teams had a great time and gave their best effort!  Our U14 boys will always remember the great team spirit created as they not only competed against other athletes, but fought together against snow and hail!

Varsity (Girls) Volleyball: ISF’s team of 10 varsity (G8 – 12) volleyball players represented the school on 28 & 29 Nov 08 at the GISST Varsity Volleyball tournament in Dresden, earning third place of the 8 participating schools.  The students had lots of fun in and out of the tournament, and made friends with players from all over Germany, especially with the Dresden International School community who graciously housed our players.  Tournament results:

1st Bonn International School

2nd Bavarian International School

3rd ISF Internationale Schule Frankfurt-Rhein-Main

4th Berlin British School

5th Leipzig International School

6th Dresden International school

7th International School Hannover Region

8th International School Stuttgart

Congratulations to Coach Harris, Mrs. Schuck, and the team!  Thank you for representing us so well!

Varsity Soccer: Thirteen boys from grades 9 to 12 participated in an 8-school tournament hosted by Berlin Brandenburg International School on 14 & 15 Nov 08.  Tournament results:

1st Bavarian International School

2nd Berlin International School

3rd Bonn International School

4th Berlin Brandenburg International School

5th ISF Internationale Schule Frankfurt-Rhein-Main

6th International School Hannover Region

7th International School Stuttgart

8th Berlin British School

Fair Play Award: International School Stuttgart

Our team played very well (especially the second day) despite the absence of several players.  Thank you to Coach Gumin and Mrs. Mars, who chaperoned the team and took video images for the IGCSE students.

U14 Soccer: Fifteen boys from grades 6 and 7 travelled to Berlin with Uli Groh and Rajiv Jassar for a 9-school tournament on 21 & 22 Nov 08. Due to poor weather, athletes completed in a new format using 4 fields, 8 players on each side, rolling substitutes, 30 minute games, no ‘off sides,’ no half time, and no rest!

Tournament results:

1st International School Hannover Region

2nd Berlin British School

3rd Bavarian International School

4th International School Stuttgart

5th Bonn International School

6th ISF Internationale Schule Frankfurt-Rhein-Main

7th Leipzig International School

8th Berlin Brandenburg International School

9th Berlin International School

Fair Play Award: ISF Internationale Schule Frankfurt-Rhein-Main!

Our players also earned an excellent recommendation from the parents who offered them free housing, and they are invited back any time!

U14 Girls Soccer: For the first time ever, on 21 & 22 Nov 08, ISF sent a team of young ladies to a GISST tournament.  Mr. Berti, Mrs. Dittrich (chaperone), and 15 young ladies (grades 5-7) had a great time in Hannover. Due to the weather, the format was changed to an indoor tournament.  The girls did great, especially considering they had no experience at all with this new format!  They earned a highly deserved 5th place in an 8-school tournament.  Tournament results:

1st Internationale Schule Hannover Region

2nd Bavarian International School

3rd Bonn International School

4th International School Stuttgart

5th ISF Internationale Schule Frankfurt-Rhein-Main

6th Berlin British School

7th Leipzig International School

8th Berlin International School

The students’ commitment during the GISST tournaments was very much appreciated; they had to make a big effort to make up some final exams!  We hope to see all players next year again.

The SV offers a big Thank You to all ISF staff members for supporting ISF sports!

ISF Recognized As "Hessen-Champions"!

We are very proud to announce that the ISF International School Frankfurt was recently honored at a prestigious Hessen event in the splendid setting of the Kurhaus in Wiesbaden.  School Director Angus Slesser and Executive Director Dr. Marie-Luise Stoll-Steffan received the award of “Hessen-Champions” from Hessen Prime Minister Roland Koch in front of an invited audience of 1200 prominent politicians and business leaders.

This award, presented to ISF as winners of the competition “Together in Hessen,” recognizes the excellent work ISF does to ensure that international staff have a positive transition from their home countries and quickly feel secure, happy, and at home in their new workplace and their new home, the German State of Hessen. Below is a photo of the award:

ISF International Day 2008!

Saturday, 8 Nov 2008, the ISF school campus hosted more than 1,000 people for an afternoon of fun and learning with our 2008 International Day. This annual event is designed primarily to help students (and parents!) learn about different cultures, and this year's focus countries were Brazil, Germany, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, and Russia.  The day included ‘Passports’ for students to use as they visited ‘country’ classrooms decorated as each focus nation; the Sports Spaß (fun) in the gymnasium, with games from each country; brief performances in the theater by each participating nation, and much more! We also had Coffee & cake (& more) in the cafeteria; a book sale in the library; a ‘Kids' Craft Corner for children; and a variety of vendor and information tables—including representatives from local Police and Fire Departments!

ISF Participates in Newcomers Festival

Sunday, 7 Sept 2008, ISF proudly participated in the Newcomers Festival, held in Frankfurt City Hall (Römer).  Between 1pm and 6pm, an estimated 5,000+ visitors and 80 exhibitors participated in the event, designed to offer quick and easy access to an extensive variety of services, clubs, and organizations in the region.  Several ISF students, performing some of their Community/Action/Service (CAS) hours toward their International Baccalaureate, passed out information about ISF, conducted visitor surveys, passed out the latest edition of the Newcomers Guide, and even got to meet the Deputy Major of Frankfurt, Ms. Jutta Ebeling, as she stopped at the ISF table. 

In addition to the exhibitors, the festival offered a wide variety of live entertainment throughout the day—including ISF music teachers Gillian Ormerod and Kenneth Waddell, and student dancers Nicole (G9) and Daniel (G6) Schafei and their partners, all of whom drew great applause from the crowd!

ISF 2008/2009 Student Art Calendars distributed to all students

This Tuesday (2 Sept 08) the ISF Marketing Department distributed the 2008/2009 ISF Student Art Calendar, one for each student and employee, to all homeroom teachers and ISF staff.  In addition to being a wonderful example of ISF student potential, inside the back cover is an academic year calendar, important contact information, and a list of ISF events and school closures.  We hope everyone got a copy, but if we inadvertently missed you, or if you would like an extra, please contact marketing or reception.