Enjoy working together
Our Teachers
...and playing together
Empower individual growth and interests
Unite through shared values
Share talents, passions and enthusiasm
BIS teachers love the buzz of the classroom and unlocking the potential in each of their students. Teaching can be challenging, but our teachers would not want to be anywhere else than the classroom.
As an International Baccalaureate Organization (IB) World School and the most experienced IB school in our region, BIS attracts motivated teachers who wish to continually grow as educators and innovators. Our teachers are highly-trained for their subjects, many with Masters or PhD degrees.
Many are seen as educational thought leaders within the larger teaching community; they lead workshops, publish articles and train other teachers.
Our faculty engage in continuous professional development and embrace the idea of life-long learning for themselves as well as their students.
How do our teachers describe themselves?
EIKE GERHARD, GRADE 3 TEACHER
Mr Eike (as he is known to his students) has taught a number of different grade levels in our Primary School. This year he has a class of Grade 3 students .
In addition to his family, Eike loves going fast on his bike, science, anything notebooks and chocolate!
TAJANA VESLIGAJ, MATHEMATICS TEACHER
Tajana brings a wealth of educational and work experience into the classroom each day. This insight benefits our Diploma students as they develop their Maths skills and conceptualization, and how these can be applied to possible careers.
Tajana is also a talented athlete, having played on the Croatian national handball team. She can be found week nights playing basketball with our sports association team.
CIJITH JACOB, MIDDLE YEARS PROGRAMME COORDINATOR
At BIS for more than 10 years, Cijith and his wife Geena, a Primary School teacher, are true BIS Dragons as are their two daughters.
Cijith is passionate about the International Baccalaureate Programmes and skills it promotes in students. He is equally passionate about music, as a teacher, pianist and conductor. While Cijith loves BIS, he admits to moving to Bonn just to live in Beethoven's home town.
VIRGINIA READE, SECONDARY ENGLISH TEACHER
Like many of our students, Virginia is a "third culture kid” with an American mother and Irish father and having grown up in the United Kingdom. This is why she feels at home in International Schools. She has been a teacher in 2008.
In addition to teaching at BIS, Virginia also works with our Equality Alliance to advocate for, and be an ally to, historically marginalized communities and to promote Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion.
WENDY WEISBART, PRIMARY TEACHER
Wendy's dedication to helping individual students find their strengths extends beyond the classroom. She leads our Odyssey of the Mind Club, an after school activity. This club focuses on creative problem-solving program where team members solve a predefined long-term problem and present their solution to the problem at a competition.
When not at BIS, Wendy can be found with out walking with her beloved dog.
SARAH PIERCE, CHEMISTRY AND SCIENCE TEACHER
Before joining BIS, Sarah taught in US middle and high schools. She also traveled quite a bit, with more than 25 different countries stamped in her passport.
While Sarah is most often seen in our Science labs brewing up experiments, she is also a talented writer and spends her free time writing fantasy fiction for young adults.
60+
Teachers Coach Sports or Lead Activities
60+
of our teachers coach a sport or lead an activity
Our faculty understands the importance of giving students opportunities to develop and express themselves outside of the classroom.
70%
of Staff Walk or Bike to Work
70%
of staff walk or bike to work
Our faculty models the healthy habits they work to instill in their students. Plus, Bonn is easy to navigate and many bike paths lead to school.
6.5
Years Average Faculty Length of Tenure
6.5 Years
average length of teacher tenure
Our faculty is a healthy mix of experienced teachers and those newer to the professional who bring new impulses into the classroom.
43
Advanced Degrees
43
advanced degrees
Almost half of all teachers hold Master's or other advanced degrees. While at BIS, all teachers engage in ongoing professional development to expand and refine their expertise.
25
Nationalities
25
nationalities
While not quite as diverse as our student body, our faculty comes from six continents and brings experience from teaching in schools in their home countries and many others around the world.