History

The history of Zurich International School (ZIS) dates back to 1963 with the establishment of the American International School of Zurich. In 2001 the American International School of Zurich and the International Primary School of Zurich combined to create ZIS. Today, ZIS is the largest international school in Zurich with a total enrolment of 1,300 students across two campuses.  

Background

Last year, in preparation for Adventure Year, one of my mentors, Tim Shuman, connected me with Dr. Tim Stuart. Dr. Stuart is an expert in international schools who has served at some of the top schools of the last few decades including, Leysin American School, Jakarta Intercultural School, and Singapore American School. Dr. Stuart was kind enough to be a sounding board for my list of top international schools to visit and provide points of connection. 

ZIS was a must-see for me because of its reputation as a top academic school in the region, diverse student body, and desire to constantly evolve as a school. Director, Elsa Hernández-Donohue was kind enough to have me visit the Adliswil campus despite being away while I was in town.  

Highlights

When I arrived on campus, I was greeted by Michaela Seeger, the Director of Community Relations. We sat down for lunch to discuss her role and incredible 22 year history with ZIS! It was a privilege to pick Michaela’s brain about her experience with capital campaigns, annual funds, endowments, alumni, and parent relationships. 

We then took a tour of campus. I have to say, there’s nothing better for an international schools nerd, like myself, than touring a school with someone who knows its history and intricate details. Michaela took me into classrooms to experience the phenomenal learning that takes place at ZIS and introduced me to JJ Akin, the dynamic Middle School Principal. JJ had so much joyful energy that I was charged up for the rest of the day after our talk!

Marie-Therese Malina-Alzinger from the Advancement Team was kind enough to show me around the athletics facilities including the brand new turf field and high school building where student artwork was on display. Quick note to ensure child safeguarding, for any school that I visit, I’m only able to share photos which do not include students.  

3 Key Takeaways

1. Connection Is Key: Build purposeful interactions between community members. Establish meaningful ways to connect students, parents, faculty, admin, alumni, and community. 
2. Hiring Helps: Hire for both cultural fit and skill set. The right role helps everything roll smoother. 
3. Quality Isn’t A Quandary It’s A Practice: High quality schools are not a mystery, they are built by designing initiatives around strategic plans, resourcing top staff to lead them, and reviewing them often to make improvements. 

Build culture, unlock potential. Visit my Connect Page or send a message on LinkedIn. 

Stay tuned for more international school visits – up next Inter-Community School Zurich!

Peace & Blessings, 

– Josiah