Tara O’Shea new headteacher at Independent Bonn International School (IBIS) „We all want people like our students in this world“
Bonn · The Independent Bonn International School (IBIS) has a new headteacher. Tara O'Shea is replacing the departing Philip Wharton. As well as five years in the role of Deputy Headteacher at IBIS, she brings 30 years of teaching experience to the role. It is her dream job, Tara O’Shea says: „Meeting people from all over the world is an inspiring experience, every day."
Independent Bonn International School (IBIS) has a new headteacher. Tara O'Shea is replacing the departing Philip Wharton. As well as five years in the role of Deputy Headteacher at IBIS, she brings 30 years of teaching experience to the role. It is her dream job, Tara O’Shea says: „Meeting people from all over the world is an inspiring experience, every day."
Prior to joining IBIS, she was the Assistant Directress at the Montessori Preschool in Bonn. Originally from Bray, County Wicklow, in Ireland, she has lived in Germany since 1993, „for six months only“, she says. „But I enjoyed working in International schools so much here, and even ran my own school with two other Irish teachers for a while, that I stayed.“ At IBIS she has taught students from 3 until 13 years of age since 2012. Today, she adds, she still loves the teaching part of her job very much, despite a busy workload as a a deputy headteacher for five years and now as the newly appointed headteacher. „It is important to me to stay in touch with the students.“ Beside teaching in year 7 and 8 she also welcomes all pupils at the school gate every morning, usually with a senior staff member by her side. „Also, I want to understand what the teachers go through in their daily life.“
This school year, the IBIS has over 230 children – „the highest number in years“. 53 students started this summer alone. „It is still a great size for a school, and we all know all the students by name.“
The pandemic has not left school children unscarred anywhere in the world. At IBIS, the pressure students are under is being recognised, the new headteacher points out. „And we let them know that we knew how they felt and feel. As teachers we missed the interaction with the children so much ourselves too, so my predecessor Philip Wharton introduced a well-being program, which includes steps to calm children who suffer from anxiety, and to have well-being champions amongst the children, whom the fellow students can turn to if they need someone to talk with.“ It’s a program that the Council of British International Schools was so impressed with, it named IBIS a Beacon School for Wellbeing.
It is indeed the welcoming atmosphere at this international school what sets it apart, says Tara O’Shea and sums up: “We know that academic achievement goes hand in hand with well-being, and that a happy student is more likely to reach their potential. IBIS is special, and we intend to keep it that way. My focus, as I begin my first year, will be on facilitating our teachers and staff, and in helping children and families to settle and feel a valued part of our school community.”
Original text: Mareike Graepel
