Report on 16th October Board Meeting

The Board of FIS met for its second session of the year last Monday 16th of October. In the spirit of our United and Sound Governance, we are fully committed to demonstrating transparency and we will be continuing to share an update with you here monthly.

The Board started by observing a minute of silence to take part in the national homage to M. Bernard, the teacher murdered in his school in France.

After a school management update which included details about the upcoming November 25 gala, the main focus of the evening was on the roadmaps of the four regular board committees that are assembled this year: Risk and Audit, Compensation and Benefits, Finance, and Governance. The committee chairs presented the purpose, deliverables, and timeline for each committee. The Risk and Audit committee will focus on the development of a number of schoolwide policies as well as the risk mapping and action plan framework. The Finance committee is dedicated to the development of the 2024-2025 budget, as well as a number of governance topics related to the school finances at a strategic level. The Compensation and Benefits committee will steer the current faculty compensation, benefits, and performance evaluation review that was launched in September with the help of an external consultant. And finally, the governance committee will continue to explore ways to best align FIS’s governance with best practices in international schools. Each committee is composed of a number of board members, school leaders, and parent or external experts in their respective areas. The Head of School and the Board chair are members of every committee.

The Board then voted to approve changes to the Admissions policy to, here again, support our strategy and adopt best practices in international schools. Namely, the school now has a common, schoolwide priority system, rather than a stream-specific priority system.

Finally, the Board voted the Head of School goals as prepared by the Head of School and the chair and vice-chair of the Board. Aligned with the strategy, these goals will support the development of a culture of collaboration, of growth and accountability, and of sustainability. As it did last year, the Board will hold the Head of School accountable to these goals through regular reporting and end-of-year review.