Start of School Dates

Thursday, 14* August - 8:35–15:10

Grades 6 - 8 First day

Monday, 18 August - 8:35–15:10

First Steps – Grade 5 First day

*Please note for FISW: 14 and 15  August - Grade 6-8 students should bring a snack, and if you have not ordered a hot lunch, a packed lunch and drinks. School-operated transportation will be available for FISW Grades 6–8 students from Thursday, 14 August 2025; school transportation begins for all other FISW students on 18 August.

New Student and Parent Orientation

New Family Orientation (First Steps - G8) -  Friday, 08 August - 9:00-12:00

This orientation provides new families and students with an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the FISW campus and community. Parents and students will meet in the Commons to kickstart the morning with school leaders and the counselor to review topics such as general procedures, school-to-home communication, schedules, and upcoming activities. Alongside informative sessions, the morning will feature guided campus tours and chances for families to connect with members of our PTG (Parent Teacher Group). While attendance for students in Grade 5 and below is optional, we kindly request that all Grade 6-8 students make plans to join us.

Please note that a more detailed overview of the curriculum will be provided later in the school year during our Back to School Night.

First Steps (FS) - Grade 5  Friday, 15 August - 9:00-10:00

Parents and students are welcome to visit campus between 9:00-10:00 to informally meet homeroom teachers and new friends in preparation for a smooth transition on the first day of school. Families are welcome to drop off any necessary school supplies at this time.

School Bus Transportation

If your child(ren) will be using school transportation, a bus schedule will be sent to you in August to determine the bus stop nearest to you as well as the morning departure and afternoon return arrival times. School ends by 15:10 for all students and the bus departure is at 15:17.

We wish to remind parents of children who use the school bus service that your transport contract requires that: “Each child in First Steps, PP, P or Grade 1 must  be accompanied to and met at the proper bus stop by one of his/her parents or another person authorized by the parent on every day the child attends school.” 

Private Car Transportation

Parents bringing their child(ren) to school should arrive between 8:15 and 8:30 and can use our drop-off lane for convenience. After school, however, parents should park in one of our parking lots or on a nearby street and meet their child(ren) in the Commons Area. Parents are permitted to enter the Commons Area starting at 14:45 with students being dismissed by their teachers at 15:10. As a reminder, all parents should enter campus through our main entrance and need to wear their school ID.

Food Service Program

The food service program at FISW is provided by Calis Biocatering. Lunches are ordered a week in advance from a menu sent to parents on a weekly basis. Payment is via electronic invoice.

School Supplies First Steps to Grade 5

Stationery etc. will be provided by FIS. When school begins, children need indoor shoes and gym shorts/shoes (non-marking) to leave in the classroom. Please send a healthy snack, a drink and lunch in separate containers. Early Years children (First Steps/Primary) also need a spare change of clothes in a separate bag, and Primary/Grade 1 students need a set of “Forest” clothes to keep in school. Outdoor boots for all may also be kept at school.

1 to 1 Learning Program

Our 1-1 Learning Program is an integral part of your child’s education at FIS. FIS has no specifications for the configuration of the laptop, but here are our guidelines to help choose the right one for your child:

• Grades 5-8 students must have an Apple MacBook laptop with OS Ventura or more recent with them on the first day of school. There are no specific requirements for the MacBook; we support all MacBook models and keyboard layouts.

A few notes regarding how students use their devices during school:

• Most schoolwork will be cloud-based (GSuite, Canvas, etc.)

• Most makes of laptop will provide a 12-month warranty which will cover any 'known-issues,' operating system issues and some offer some help with hardware. Warranties do not cover drops, liquid spills, cracked screens, etc. Consider taking an extended warranty but check to see what this will cover.

• Apple offers AppleCare+ as an optional extra purchase to cover accidental damages

When choosing a MacBook:

• The Mac you choose must support all the security updates for the academic year. This means that for the academic year 25/26 it must support a minimum version of macOS Sonoma (macOS 15) or newer.

• A list of compatible devices can be found in this Apple article. Please note that recently released devices may not appear on the list but are still valid to purchase.

• For most students, the base model MacBook Air would be able to support their learning for multiple years.

Some optional accessories you may want to consider include:

• Headphones

• Protective carrying sleeve

• A silicone keyboard cover adds an extra security layer to guard against accidental liquid spills.

• External SSD for backup and archiving

• Port adapter (USBC to VGA, USBC to HDMi, etc.) - depending on your model you might need to hook it up to a projector, or an interactive whiteboard to present.

If you need help making the right choice for your child, please do not hesitate to contact support@fis.edu. FIS has a relationship with a local vendor, ergo sum Mainz, should you wish to take advantage of their competitive pricing.

Student Handbook

All specific information about expectations for students and contact information for all teachers can be found in our FISW G6-8 Student Handbook. 

School Supplies for Grades 6-8 (All belongings should be labeled)

• 1 Expandable folder OR  Binder with Individual subject dividers 

• 1 Folder for papers up to DIN A3

• 2 packs of A4 lined paper

• 2 packs of A4 graph paper (1cm x 1cm squares)

• 2 two ring binders (3cm width)

• Protractor - triangular

• 1 coloured plastic folder with clear front to hold Individual sheets

• 1 Ruler 20 cm

• 2 Glue Sticks

• 1 box of 20 HB Pencils with erasers

• 4 Black Pens

• 4 Blue Pens

• 1 pack of highlighters

• 4-5 Erasers

• 1 Pencil Case

• 1 Pencil Sharpener

•  Sticky Notes

• Extra School (FISW) PE shirt

• Scissors

• Colored pencils

Calculator Purchase

A simple scientific calculator for use in math classes at FISW. The school recommends the Casio FX 85GT Plus for this purpose. This can be easily purchased

via online retailers such as Amazon or directly from the FISW office for €20

1 to 1 Learning Program

Our 1-1 Learning Program is an integral part of your child’s education at Frankfurt International School. FIS has no specifications for the configuration of your laptop, but here are our guidelines to help you choose the right laptop for you:

FIS has a few device requirements for laptops at school that vary a little based on the Grade level of the student:

• For Grades 5-8 students must have an Apple MacBook laptop with OS Ventura or more recent with them on the first day of school. There are no specific requirements for the MacBook; we support all MacBook models and keyboard layouts.

A few notes regarding how students use their devices during school:

• Most schoolwork will be cloud-based (GSuite, Canvas, etc.)

• Most makes of laptop will provide a 12-month warranty which will cover any 'known-issues,' operating system issues and some offer some help with hardware. Warranties do not cover drops, liquid spills, cracked screens, etc. Consider taking an extended warranty but check to see what this will cover.

• Apple offers AppleCare+ as an optional extra purchase to cover accidental damages

When choosing a MacBook:

• The Mac you choose must support all the security updates for the academic year. This means that for the academic year 25/26 it must support a minimum version of macOS Sonoma (macOS 15) or newer.

• A list of compatible devices can be found in this Apple article. Please note that recently released devices may not appear on the list but are still valid to purchase.

• For most students, the base model MacBook Air would be able to support their learning for multiple years.

Some optional accessories you may want to consider include:

• Headphones

• Protective carrying sleeve

• A silicone keyboard cover adds an extra security layer to guard against accidental liquid spills.

• External SSD for backup and archiving

• Port adapter (USBC to VGA, USBC to HDMi, etc.) - depending on your model you might need to hook it up to a projector, or an interactive whiteboard to present.

If you need help making the right choice for your child, please do not hesitate to contact support@fis.edu. FIS has a relationship with a local vendor, ergo sum Mainz, should you wish to take advantage of their competitive pricing.

Principal

Jeremy Majeski 06127-9940-12

Associate Principal/ PYP Coordinator

Loretta Smith 06127-9940-13

Administrative Assistant

Nicole Bentley 06127-9940-11

Nurse

Evelyn Torrealba 06127-9940-14

FISW Gr. 6–8 Coordinator

Christina Bachl 06127-9940-54

Counselor

Michal Beth Chaffinch 06127-9940-19

Librarian

Natasha Pollock 06127-9940-67

New Parents: Please contact reception at info@fis.edu to confirm your personal data (address, phone numbers).