SGIS, Swiss Group of international Schools

Welcome to the Swiss Group of International Schools Web Site!
Here you will find information, profiles, news and events all relating to our 40 Member Schools.

We have also included a search engine that could help you find a Member School that would suit your specific needs.

If at any stage you wish to visit any of our Member Schools on-line, you will find links to their own Web sites on their specific profile pages.

I. SGIS Mission Statement

The Swiss Group of International Schools (SGIS) exists to support international schools in Switzerland and neighbouring countries in achieving their educational goals and to provide representation on issues of common interest.

II. General Overview of SGIS

The following are excerpts from the Articles of the Organization. The entire document is available by contacting the SGIS secretary via the website.

The Swiss Group of International Schools (SGIS) is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to:

promote closer links among teachers, administrators, and students of its member schools;
promote professional development for teachers and administrators;
provide opportunities for arranging educational, cultural, and sporting activities among member schools;
provide a forum for the sharing of educational resources;
represent the concerns of international schools in Switzerland to local and federal authorities;
cooperate and maintain professional contacts with other regional and international educational bodies and associations.

SGIS promotes the following activities:

Conferences/Workshops: Conferences and workshops shall be held regularly during each academic year.
Sports: To promote inter-school sports competition at every level, the SGIS Sports Committee, composed of the member schools' Sports or Athletic Directors, shall be established. The SGIS Sports Committee shall recommend the appointment of one of its members as the SGIS Sports Coordinator to the Executive Committee.
Standing Committees: To support and promote the purposes of the SGIS, Standing Committees may be created at the discretion of the Executive Committee.
Annual General Meeting (AGM): The AGM shall be held in the fall of each year. 50% of the regular member schools shall constitute a quorum. Each regular school designates an official representative who may vote on its behalf. Members shall be notified in writing of the date, location, and agenda of the AGM not less than four weeks in advance.

The functions of the AGM are:

election of the Executive Committee;
approval of the Treasurer's Report;
action on membership recommendations submitted by the Executive Committee;
consideration of any other business.

Further information about SGIS is available at: http://www.sgischools.com/

III. SGIS Criteria for Membership

A school shall have a clearly formulated set of objectives and an educational philosophy which shall be set forth in a written statement.
There shall be evidence that the school is actively striving for excellence.
The school staff (administrative, instructional and supporting) shall be of such a number and qualifications, and shall be so deployed as to provide satisfactorily for the school's operation.
The programme of studies shall, in its overall content and design, its organizational arrangements, and its academic and instructional policies, represent a consistent and effective implementation of the school's objectives and philosophy.
The overall programme, curricular and extra-curricular, shall be such as to provide students with the ingredients which, insofar as they are not provided by other sources available to them, are needed in the interests of general human development.
The school shall provide pupil personnel services for its students which include:

a) Maintenance of proper records.
b) Well-planned and rehearsed procedures in cases of fire, accident, medical or other emergencies.
The school shall provide or arrange for such transportation, food, residence, or other services as required in support of its programme, and shall ensure that these services meet acceptable standards of health, safety, and comfort.
Instructional materials and equipment shall be adequate in quantity and appropriate in type to fulfill the basic needs of the school's instructional programme.
The school grounds, buildings, technical installations, basic furnishings, and supporting equipment shall be adequate for effective support of the total school programme.
The financial resources and management of the school shall be capable of sustaining a sound educational programme consistent with its stated philosophy and objectives.

(Taken from ECIS Standards for Admission to membership.)

IV. SGIS Membership Application Process

In order to be considered for membership in SGIS candidate schools shall follow the application process below:

Review the membership criteria to determine whether the school is eligible for membership in SGIS.
Complete the application form and forward it with the application fee of 250 CHF to the SGIS secretary.
Provide the following information and documents and forward them in confidence to the SGIS office in one package:

Information/documents required in the application process:

• Constitution and By-Laws of the School
• Articles of Incorporation
• Statement of the School's philosophy or a mission statement
• Organizational chart for the governing body
• List of governing body members, including connection with the school
• Financial statement
• Organizational chart for the administration of the school
• List of all administrative and faculty members, full and part time (including qualifications, areas of responsibility and length of time at the school)
• School prospectus (promotional materials)
• Enrolment by grade level for the current year and two preceding years
• Academic Calendar/courses offered
• Handbooks (faculty, student, parent)
• A list of organizations of which the school is a member
• Any additional information that you think will help us to understand your school community.
When all documents are on file with the SGIS secretary, a visiting team is appointed consisting of two members of SGIS schools, at least one of whom is a member of the Executive Committee. You may be asked to provide copies of documents listed above or additional information for each of the visiting team members. The school will be responsible for any expenses incurred by the members of the visiting team.

V. Obligations of Membership

Schools admitted to Membership of the SGIS are required to:

Maintain the standards and criteria for membership.
Operate standards of good practice across all operations.
Pay annual dues.
Ensure representation at the AGM, normally by the Head of School or an appointed delegate.
Support projects that are endorsed by the Membership at the AGM.

VI. Guidelines for Visitation Team

The purpose of the visitation team is to ensure the applicant school meets the standards and criteria for membership, to provide a written report on each of the ten criteria for membership and to provide a recommendation to the SGIS Executive Committee. The duration of the visitation is normally for a maximum of one full school day.