At the recent New Year's Reception for the AT Scholen, staff at the International School Hilversum gathered to welcome the new year and reflect on the educational journey we've been on together in 2023.
This year's celebration was made even more special as we had the honor of acknowledging two exceptional members of our staff who went 'Above and Beyond' in their contributions: Ms. Furstenberg and Ms. Richards!
Ms. Richards was recognized for spearheading the Language of the Month at International School Hiversum. Language of the Month celebrations have brought the cultural and linguistic diversity of our community to the forefront. Her dedication to fostering linguistic diversity and promoting cross-cultural understanding has significantly enriched the school experience for all grade levels. Here's what she had to say:
"I would like to thank the AT Scholen community for this award. It was a complete surprise! It was lovely to have our work in promoting the languages of our community recognized. So many people have been involved in the process: for over ten years, colleagues, students and parents have been contributing to our annual Mother Tongue Languages Celebration in the library every September. Indeed, it struck me as colleagues offered their congratulations, how many of them had played an invaluable role over the years.
"It seems to me that the celebration of our languages has become so much more a part of the social fabric of our school. Every month, for the past two years, we have celebrated a new language and culture with students who speak those languages as well as non-speakers who help and support us. I have often heard from students how grateful they are to have the opportunity to share their language or to see their language made visible in our school. This reaction is so heart-warming and makes our initiatives feel so worthwhile."
"The annual Mother Tongue Languages Celebration in the Library, facilitated by Ms. Christine Furstenberg, is now part of Mr. Charles Claxton’s schoolwide OWL Day, a whole day we now have celebrating languages.
A big thank you to Ms. Cecilia Neethling and our management team for supporting us in this process. We have been welcomed by Ms. Nicolene Gelderman and Ms. Lin Heidmann and have forged a strong link with the PYP by sharing our monthly languages. So many colleagues have helped when their language was being showcased for language of the month or for the Library Mother Tongue Languages Day; indeed, I feel I know some colleagues mainly because of the language initiatives. I could put down the names of all the colleagues, students and parents who have helped me both directly and indirectly over the years, but the list would be too long.
A big Thank You to all of you!"
Ms. Furstenberg was also acknowledged for her efforts in welcoming new students and playing a pivotal role in celebrating the school during the 40-Year Anniversary festivities last year. Her commitment to creating a warm and inclusive environment has left a lasting impact on our community.
When asked about her reflections on the year and receiving the Above and Beyond Award, Ms. Furstenberg said:
"Although I already received thanks on many occasions from Management for my extra commitment last year, I was really surprised and overwhelmed to receive one of this year’s ‘Above and Beyond’ Award. I am very honored, that not only ISH Management but also the AT Scholen Management value my contributions.
"It felt amazing to be call up on stage in front of a big AT Scholen crowd!"
My goal was and is to make the library a warm and welcoming environment for students and staff - whatever their reason is for coming. I love to work with young people, and I appreciate the opportunity to contribute making their time at ISH special!
Ms. Agterdenbos is always supportive, open to new ideas and gives me the possibility to get involved in challenges outside the library as well."
"Since I’ve started working at ISH, I have experienced a welcoming, supportive and understanding community both from students and staff. It’s a pleasure for me to work here. A big thank you to everybody who helped me along the way!"
Join us in celebrating these remarkable individuals and congratulating them for their outstanding efforts in making ISH an exceptional place for everyone. Their contributions embody the spirit of our school, and we're grateful for their dedication to facilitating an inclusive and enriching learning environment.
Here's to another year of excellence and growth at International School Hilversum!