Junior School Principal

International School Basel (ISB) is looking to appoint a new Junior School Principal.

WHO WE ARE

Fifteen students walked through the door of the newly founded International School Basel (ISB) in 1979, inspired by founder Janet Galli, an American entrepreneur. Since that time, going from strength to strength, the school has grown to just over 1400 students and established itself as the premier international school in Basel, Switzerland.

ISB is an IB World School, offering the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP) and Diploma Programme (DP). We are organised into three divisions: 

● Junior School - situated on our Aesch Campus, caters for just over 400 students from Early Childhood 1 (3 years old) to Grade 5; 

● Middle School - situated on our Aesch and Fiechten Campuses, caters for just under 400 students from Grade 6, 7 and 8; 

● Senior School - situated on our Reinach Campus, caters for just over 500 students from Grade 9 to 12. 

The mission of the school is unique, perhaps the only school in the world that uses a student's voice to articulate its core values: 

"We all want to learn more;

We all do it in different ways;

We all have fun learning;

We all help."

-ISB Student

Embedded in these simple and powerful assertions lies the groundwork for the school's goal to support educational excellence and the curiosity and creativity of all students, the value of diverse learners and inclusion, the goal to inspire stimulating and relevant learning, inside and outside of the classroom, and a deep-rooted commitment to the values of "care, compassion, and responsible action." The newly refreshed Mission and Mission Guiding Statements highlight the school's powerful commitment to the whole child in an international setting and articulates the aspirational direction for the success and growth of the school.

Our School is a non-profit organisation, overseen by the ISB Board of Directors.  The ISB Board is made up of 7 to 12 members in total and understands their responsibility to the families and students of ISB. The Board is elected by the shareholders. Some members of the Board serve as representatives of the largest corporate shareholders while other Board members are representatives of ISB's largest single shareholder which is made up of ISB parents and staff. The Board engages in regular governance training and professional development.

OUR COMMUNITY comes from around the globe, with students representing close to 60 different nationalities and teachers coming from around 30 different countries. University matriculation is predominantly to European/British universities, although students apply to the US and colleges of note worldwide. Our faculty and staff consist of a dedicated team of practitioners, eager to deliver a high-quality international education. They truly care about the progress of each student and provide the resources and relationships that encourage each student to reach for aspirational personal goals. Students described the faculty as "approachable, enthusiastic, encouraging, patient, and good humoured." 

ISB is an INCLUSIVE SCHOOL, with a non-selective admissions process. We support the learning needs of our students and seek appropriate pathways to support and challenge diverse learners. We are very proud of our Intensive Needs Programme, that allows students thrive in specialised and individualised programs. Ongoing IB training connects a knowledgeable and committed faculty to the IB Learner Profile across the PYP, MYP, and Diploma Programme. The academic success of ISB students is a remarkable testimony to the commitment to each individual student. Each student has the opportunity to thrive. 

OUR STUDENTS reflect the School's mission: a vibrant and diverse group of learners who thrive in an environment which promotes respect and acceptance among their peers. The students describe the ethos of ISB as "warm and welcoming" and students speak about the genuinely kind and empathic behaviour among peers.

THE PARENT COMMUNITY at ISB supports the School enthusiastically through our Community Association. Our parents are proud of ISB, citing the fact that the School "engenders a sense of confidence and capability" for their children. Parents believe in education and volunteer their time and expertise actively and often for the benefit of the entire school community. They consistently describe the community as "welcoming and supportive", citing the number of ways international newcomers are brought into the life of the school: language groups, community events, service opportunities. The parent community at ISB is both sophisticated and well-educated and is committed to maintaining an active role in the education of their children.

INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE (IB): ISB is an IB World school and implements the rigorous standards of the IB through use of the IB Learner Profile and external moderation throughout the program, from the Junior School through to the Senior School. A commitment to academic excellence is a key driver of the identity of International School Basel. 

Schoolwide, the language of instruction is English. English as an Additional Language is offered across all grades. German language is compulsory up to Grade 8, although Middle School students also take either emergent French or Spanish in addition. Starting in Grades 9 and 10, students have the choice of German, French, or Spanish.

Our Junior School

Our Junior School welcomes just over 400 Early Childhood 1 to Grade 5 students each day. Our primary goal is to teach students to "love learning and to know how to learn", using the IB PYP as a framework for learning. Building agency for students translates into asking students, "What's the next step?" and providing the scaffolding for enrichment and extension into units of study. German language instruction is required and integrated into the school day. We track student progress through student-led conferences, Fountas and Pinnell recording, results from the Measure of Academic Performance (MAP) testing, teacher assessments, and report card grades. The school-home partnership is cultivated through numerous opportunities to include and value parents as important members of our learning community.

JUNIOR SCHOOL PRINCIPAL PROFILE

Please see the detailed CANDIDATE BRIEF for this role HERE. Only applications meeting the detailed HOW TO APPLY specifications will be considered.

International School Basel (ISB) seeks an experienced, dynamic, approachable, and courageous leader as its next Junior School Principal. The Junior School Principal will play a key role in providing principled, effective leadership, serving the students, teachers, support staff, and parents of the Junior School.

The Junior School Principal is the educational leader of the Junior School, ensuring that all programmes and practices of teachers and staff support the school’s mission and values, so that all students are provided with an excellent educational programme on a day-to-day basis. Under the direction of the School Director, the Junior School Principal is responsible for leadership and management of the Junior School division, communication, staff development, and curriculum leadership, among other responsibilities.

Please see our Employment Web-page for more details: https://www.isbasel.ch/join/working-at-isb#fs-panel-8602