Vienna International School Vienna, Austria Director Start Date: July 2020 or 2021 www.vis.ac.at Mission Statement Our mission is to empower all of our students to be successful and responsible in a nurturing and diverse learning community, so that they can achieve their potential in a changing world.
In harmony with the ideals of the IB Learner Profile, and the spirit of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we aim for students to be inquiring, inspired, and involved lifelong learners.
Overview
Providing high-quality education in a caring, multicultural community, the Vienna International School (VIS) prepares young people for a fulfilling life of personal and academic excellence. A non-profit international school, VIS was established to accommodate the children of United Nations employees and diplomats, and it remains affiliated to the UN. In fact, VIS is located very close to the headquarters of the UN, in one of Europe’s safest, most beautiful, and historical cities.
VIS recognises that to prepare students for the increasingly complex and interconnected world, it must provide them with new ways of thinking and new ways of collaborating in solving pressing global issues. As such, its mission is to create globally-minded and critical-thinking innovators ready to reshape the world for the better. Through the curriculum of the International Baccalaureate (IB), VIS develops the whole human being. Teachers make learning relevant and exciting for students, drawing connections between what they learn in the classroom and the real world. Perhaps most importantly, VIS encourages young people to reflect on their learning—and to act on it in the service of others.
The school is seeking a Director to assume responsibilities in either July 2020 or July 2021. Leading a diverse learning community from around the world, the Director will maintain VIS’s commitment to the intellectual and personal development of its students, inspiring and empowering them to become positive, active global citizens. The next Director will head a leadership team that oversees all major aspects of school operation. Core responsibilities include leading the implementation of the school’s strategic plan for coming years, hiring and retaining the best faculty, providing excellent facilities in the 21st century context, ensuring the sustainability of engaging and challenging programmes for students beyond the core curriculum.
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Students Enrolled: 272 Zip Codes Represented: 26 Students of Color: 36% Student to Faculty Ratio: 7 to 1 Faculty and Staff of Color: 51% Faculty Holding Advanced Degrees: 74% Athletic Teams: 8 competitive varsity and junior varsity teams Endowment: $2.5 million Total Financial Aid Awarded for 17-18: $1.4 million Students Receiving Financial Aid for 17-18: 21%
School History
Vienna International School traces its beginnings to a small school established in 1955 under the patronage of the British, United States, and Indian Embassies in order to educate children left without English-language schooling when the army schools closed at the end of the allied occupation of Austria. The rapid growth of the school and the differing qualifications required by the North American and British school systems led to its division into the English School Vienna and the American International School in 1959.
In 1978, in order to attract more international organizations to Vienna, the Austrian Government refocussed the English International School to become the nucleus of the new Vienna International School run by the non-profit Vienna International School Association. The school received formal recognition from the Austrian Federal Ministry for Education in 1981, and that same year the Board of Governors of the school, the Republic of Austria, and the City of Vienna signed a comprehensive agreement ensuring the stability and further development of VIS. At this time, the school established links with the other UN associated schools in Geneva and New York. The school moved to its new campus in the 22nd district, generously provided by the City of Vienna and the Austrian Republic, in 1984.
VIS becomes the first Austrian Eco School in 2017 and is lauded by the Austrian President, His Excellency Dr. Alexander Van der Bellen, for the school’s sustainability agenda. In September 2018, VIS celebrated its 40th anniversary with a commemorative event that centred on the involved VIS community and hosted as its guest speaker the former Austrian President, His Excellency Dr Heinz Fischer. The school’s history, its present, and the future impressively show that VIS always has been, is, and will be a home away from home for students, parents, staff, and alumni from all over the world.
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Vienna International School is an IB World Continuum School and is accredited by the Council of International Schools (CIS).
The school develops, delivers, and shares a comprehensive international curriculum continuum which meets the needs of its 21st century students. The school is proud of its inclusive admissions policy, which means students of all abilities are welcomed. Its academic results consistently place VIS among the top international schools in the world, while its sport, music, drama, and other activities are all of the highest quality.
About 50% of students are children of UN employees and receive education grants, while many of the remaining students are children of embassy staff and international businesses located in Vienna. The school has an enrolment of 1,400 students, from pre-primary to grade 12. Over 110 nationalities are represented in the student body, and 10.3% of students are host country nationals.
The 200 faculty members of VIS believe in nurturing confident, responsible, and reflective lifelong learners. With an average tenure of more than eight years, the faculty represent 29 nationalities (29% UK, 22% Austrian, 13% United States) and around 70% hold advanced degrees. Classes are intentionally small, to enable the school’s passionate teachers to reach students individually and ensure they are nurtured and challenged.
Vienna International School prides itself on being a multilingual and multicultural school, and it supports all students to develop their language and learning skills so they can reach their potential. The Language Acquisition programme supports students whose mother tongue is not English to
The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 3 [email protected] | www.carneysandoe.com develop English language skills at a level that allows them to be successful in their academic work, as well as in everyday communication. The school’s recently enhanced learning support programme has been lauded by members of the community as a significant contribution by the school towards accommodating and integrating children with different individual learning abilities and needs.
The VIS is proudly the first Eco School in Austria. Educational activities linked to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to support students in their journeys to become responsible global citizens, to contribute to solve humanity’s greatest challenges, and to adapt their lifestyles and way of thinking towards a sustainable lifestyle. Through the integration of the Global Schools Programme, the Eco School International Programme, and the Sustainable Development Goals in the curriculum, teachers provide students with the learning experiences necessary to develop their understanding for sustainability. Further, the VIS Primary School was officially granted the Umweltzeichen (“Ecolabel”) in May 2019, which acknowledges the school engages students to act in environmentally-friendly way.
Academics
The Vienna International School is an authorised International Baccalaureate school, helping students develop the knowledge, understanding, attitudes and skills necessary to participate actively and responsibly in a changing world. VIS offers all three programmes of the IB: Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), and the Diploma Programme (DP). The school has offered the IB Diploma programme since 1984.
The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 4 [email protected] | www.carneysandoe.com Primary School (age 3-Grade 5) Vienna International School’s Primary School is a special place to develop student learning. At the heart of the Primary School is the PYP for students from age 3-11. The PYP is an international curriculum that develops the academic, social, physical, and emotional skills of each student. Dedicated and experienced teachers contribute to this learning journey with expertise and passion. The vast majority of students are learning English as an additional language. All students learn German from age five, and over 20 additional languages are supported through the Mother Tongue and Parents Assisting Learning (PAL) programmes. In addition, individual learning needs are supported by the Learning Support department and Primary School Counsellor.
VIS has a strong Early Learning Years programme, which consists of the Early Learning Centre (ages 3-5) and Grade Primary (ages 5-6). Teachers emphasise learning through play, and each school day is planned to provide the children with stimulating activities, outside play time, and lessons with specialist teachers. The programme is inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach. In Grade Primary, students continue to learn through play, with an increasing focus on early literacy and numeracy skills. Students also attend specialist lessons for art, music, physical education, German and library, and they are supported by the resident Science Expert and Digital Integrator.
Following the Early Years, the Primary School continues with Grades 1-5. Supporting the core curriculum are a resident Science Expert and Digital Integrator and instruction in Outdoor Learning Gardens.
The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 5 [email protected] | www.carneysandoe.com College Placement The following is a selection of colleges and universities to which graduates of VIS have attended from 2009-2018, among others:
Austria Montan Universität Leoben Sigmund Freud Universität Wien Film Akademie Wien Fachhochschule Krems Modul University University of Vienna Vienna Technical University Vienna School of Economics Webster University
Canada Carleton University Concordia University McGill University University of Toronto
Germany EU Business School, München Universität Leipzig SAE Berlin Secondary School (Grades 6-12) The Secondary School at VIS includes two programmes: MYP, Netherlands for students in Grades 6-10, and the DP, for students in Grades Universiteit Amsterdam 11 and 12. The MYP provides a curricular framework from which Universiteit Leiden to build not only students’ knowledge but also their conceptual University College Utrecht understandings, which transcend subject boundaries. The DP United Kingdom provides the best possible preparation for tertiary education. Aberdeen University Students receive significant support and guidance to Bath University successfully access universities of choice worldwide. Edinburgh University Imperial College London Kings College London VIS prides itself on the quality and variety of its programmes in Oxford University Secondary School, both academic and co-curricular. It seeks Royal Birmingham Conservatoire to challenge each student academically, develop character, St. Andrews University and instil an ethic for life-long learning and good citizenship. York University Students can complete studies in the arts, design, physical United States of America education, the sciences, mathematics, various languages Boston University (German, English, romance languages and mother tongue) Cornell University and the humanities. Duke University Georgetown University VIS recognizes that going to university is a major step in a Harvard University Johns Hopkins University student’s life and is the culmination of 12 years of schooling. Northwestern University It also recognizes that the selection process is one that Princeton University requires much time and discussion between students, Stanford University parents, teachers, and counsellors. It is with this in mind that Tufts University VIS has offers a comprehensive counselling programme to Wellesley University Yale University assist students and their families.
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The Vienna International School prides itself on a very strong and successful arts programme where students have the ability to immerse themselves in the genre that best suits their talent. With highly qualified and dedicated artists and musicians as teachers, students can hone their skills and develop into confident and competent artists.
From concert singers to band, string ensemble to guitar ensemble, music encourages students to develop their own individual skills and interests as well as expand their base of expertise and musical knowledge. The visual arts programme begins in Primary and progresses through to DP Visual Arts in Secondary. Students develop understandings in the creative process, principles of design, and art in society. Drama is used to build effective communication and social skills, explore cross-curricular subjects, and develop performance skills. Students can participate in large theatrical shows, theatre festivals, dance and movement performances, or take film course in the MYP and IB Diploma programmes. Additionally, more than 25 music and arts events during the year showcase students’ talents.
The VIS competitive sports programme gives students the opportunity to compete against schools and clubs within several international and European leagues and conferences, as well as at other local sports tournaments. The role of the programme is to extend and supplement the regular curricular programmes of the school while promoting excellence in sporting achievement and cultivating the qualities of good sportsmanship.
The school offers a range of sports to allow students to experience and enjoy a balanced programme, which aims to develop an all-round athlete. The following (junior) varsity teams for boys and girls
The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 7 [email protected] | www.carneysandoe.com compete in three separate seasons: soccer, volleyball, cross country, basketball, alpine skiing, rugby, golf, softball, track & field, volleyball, rugby, tennis, recreational badminton, and beach volleyball.
Student Life
Vienna International School strives to offer students a unique learning experience that goes across and beyond the curriculum. The school believes that the learning takes place in the classroom but also outside it. To support students to succeed by reaching their individual potential, the school developed the VIS Extra-Curricular programmes that combine a great range of activities, designed to help students become all rounded individuals, with defined passions and highly developed skills.
With more than 50 activities to choose from, students can remain on campus after classes in an organized programme that allows them to participate in a variety of engaging activities, including intramural sports courses (taekwondo, gymnastics, basketball, soccer, and tennis), performing arts, dance, choir, creative arts, creative writing, Minecraft coding, computer game programming, mathematics club, science and nature, chess, climbing, or Zumba.
VIS aims to educate ethically driven, contributing members of the global community who are empowered to be positive drivers of change in the world. The community service programme at VIS is part of both the MYP and the IB DP curriculum and requires students to take an active part in the communities in which they live. The emphasis is on developing community awareness and concerns and acquiring the skills to make an effective contribution to society. At the same time, it provides an important counterbalance to the pressures of the rest of the academic programme. All students participate in Service and Action projects.
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The Vienna International School moved to its campus in Vienna’s 22nd district near the United Nations in 1984. The school’s main learning areas of the Early Learning Centre, Primary School wing, and Secondary School wing are supported by four playgrounds, two libraries, seven music rooms, three art studios, a 220-seat theatre, and an outdoor theatre arena, five gymnasia with a competition size basketball court, a playing field and running track, seven science laboratories, three design laboratories, two product design studios, an Eco-Class with exploration pond, and a food technology centre.
Newly added in summer of 2018 is an all-weather sports area with a total space of 2000m2; a cycling and running trail with workout station, table tennis, and arboretum; four experimental learning spaces; and an Eco-Centre.
Vienna, Austria
Vienna is not only one of the most culturally rich and historic cities in the world, for a number of years running it has been voted the number one city in the world for quality of life. It’s also one of the most prosperous today.
With a population of about 1.9 million, Vienna is Austria’s largest city, its capital, and its cultural and economic centre. The city is home to numerous major organizations, including the United Nations and OSCE. As a location, Vienna is hard to beat. It sits at the north-eastern terminus of the Alps in a region known as the Vienna Basin. The city is bisected by the Danube River and is close to the borders of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 9 [email protected] | www.carneysandoe.com There is so much history here that, in 2001, Vienna was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city’s roots lie in early Celtic and Roman settlements that transformed into a Medieval and Baroque city and then the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire leading up to World War I. Vienna is also famous for its musical heritage, impressive architecture, and a veritable Who’s Who of famous people who were either born here or moved here, including the composers Strauss, Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn, Brahms, Mahler, and Schubert, as well as other luminaries such as Sigmund Freud, Victor Frankl, and Simon Wiesenthal.
Vienna today is home to the headquarters of more than 300 international companies in a wide range of fields—and is continuing to grow as a major force in the global community. With more than 1,000 research facilities, the city is a centre for research and development in life sciences, biotech, pharma, and medtech. Of course, it is also one the world’s leading tourist destinations, with more than six million visitors a year. Art and culture—including theatre, opera, classical music, and fine arts—thrive here.
Add in stunning neighbourhoods, remarkable parks, a world-class transportation system, a plethora of international shops, amazing restaurants, and the ubiquitous Viennese café scene—and it’s hard to imagine a better city in which to live and work. The fact that the Austrian capital, Vienna, has been named in 2019 the world’s best city to live in for the tenth consecutive year is a solid testimony to the remarkable living standard and services the city offers.
The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 10 [email protected] | www.carneysandoe.com Strengths of the School
• The school is truly international and multicultural as reflected in the student body, the faculty, the administration, the Board, and the school’s affiliation with the United Nations. • VIS is considered the ‘school of choice’ for the international community in Vienna. • Strong financial position. • A mature, fully integrated and robust IB programme (PYP, MYP, and DP). • An emphasis on inclusivity and the belief that all students can learn. • Focus on service. • The first Eco School in Austria. • Great reputation. • Dedicated, high quality international faculty, staff, and administration. • For many students, VIS is their “home away from home.” • Students are exceptional: “Decent, principled, sophisticated, and mature.”
Opportunities and Challenges
• Building an enhanced curriculum that includes emerging approaches to learning and alternative pathways to success. • Strengthening the use of data to inform learning. • Reviewing school structures for increased efficiency and transparency. • Enhancing the sense of community among all constituents. • Ensuring that the school’s facilities are suited to promote “21st century learning.” • Enhancing communication networks among the school’s constituencies, both within the school
The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates 11 [email protected] | www.carneysandoe.com and with the wider school community. • Strengthening governance best practices in partnership with the Board.
Desired Qualities and Qualifications
• An educator first, who loves children and teaching. • Demonstrated appreciation of and commitment to internationalism and diversity. • Experience in leading a complex operation; commercial acumen. • Ability to work effectively with diverse stakeholders, including local authorities, supporting institutions, and works councils. • Adept at effective partnership with Boards following principles of best practice. • Transparent, ethical, and inclusive in decision-making processes, but who, in being collaborative, is also decisive when needed. • Compassionate, connected, and approachable. • Visionary and supports innovation and empowers leaders; delegates effectively and holds people accountable. • Has excellent communication skills.
To Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should submit electronically in one email and as separate documents (preferably PDFs) the following materials:
• A cover letter expressing their interest in this particular position; • A current résumé; • A one-page statement of educational philosophy and practice; • A list of five professional references with name, phone number, and email address of each (references will not be contacted without the candidate’s permission) to:
John Chandler Senior Consultant [email protected]
David Chojnacki Senior Consultant [email protected]
Fred Wesson Senior Consultant [email protected]
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