Your Counselors
Chris Floor
Chris Floor has worked as a Senior School Guidance Counselor at Munich International School since 2011. Originally educated in film and television production, Chris later completed a Master’s Degree in School Counseling and became licensed as a marriage and family therapist. He is fluent in English and highly proficient in German. Chris is also a member of the MIS Child Protection Team.
Ola Schmidt
Ola Schmidt holds a Diploma in Social Pedagogy from the Catholic University of Applied Sciences Munich and an MA in Social Work Studies from Durham University, UK. She joined the counseling team 12 years ago and values working closely with students to support their personal and academic development and to explore their post‑MIS interests and pathways. She is also a member of the MIS Child Protection Team.
Emily Foster
Emily began her career in college admissions at a university in her hometown in North Carolina, where she also completed her Master’s degree in School Counseling. She went on to work as a school counselor in public schools in Atlanta, supporting students through their academic, personal, and postsecondary planning journeys. Emily’s work has since taken her overseas, serving as a school counselor in China and Thailand before relocating to Germany and joining MIS.
What We Do
MIS Senior School has three counsellors who support every student to strategically prepare for your bold dreams, including which classes to take in order to qualify for specific college and university pathways and how to apply to your dream schools. Along the way, supporting your wellbeing is a top priority, and your counselor is your biggest ally.
To learn more detailed information about the ways the counseling team support you during each year of senior school, click through the tabs below.
Overview of Support
MIS Guidance Counselors assist all students by providing comprehensive programs and individual attention in their academic, ethical, and personal/social development. We are committed to supporting student achievement and personal growth, and welcome a team approach with teachers and parents. Individualized programs, including academic support and classroom accommodations, are implemented for students with special learning needs.
The future planning process in the Senior School begins with the career investigations that are introduced in grade 9 and come into full swing in grade 10, culminating in June with the three weeks of Work Experience internships at companies and NGO’s locally and worldwide. During each grade 10 students have the opportunity to attend personal in-school sessions on career paths by community members in a wide variety of professions during our “Pathways Day”.
IB or MIS Diploma course choices are discussed with counselors with university studies in mind. In 11th grade, students begin the process of researching and visiting potential universities, preparing for or completing any necessary standardized testing, and practicing the art of writing about themselves for application essays and letters of motivation for a variety of post-high school programs.
Each counselor works with approximately 160 students, staying with them through grades 9 through 12 to assist in:
· Exploring interests, skills, and values, and how these can align to help students find fulfilling careers
· Helping students in developing both cognitive and social-emotional competencies and collaborative skills
· Mastering solid study skills and academic practices to help them achieve their full potential
· Choosing academic courses that are appropriately challenging and keep doors open for future aspirations
· Learning the software platforms required in the university research & application process
· Researching appropriate universities based on geographical location, intended course of study, likelihood of acceptance, financial considerations, etc.
For students not applying directly to universities, counselors help with applications to other avenues of continuing education, apprenticeships, military academies, or direct entry into military service, and Gap Year planning. MIS Counselors support alumni during Gap Years if they wish to make applications post-graduation.
Student Meetings:
Counsellors meet with every grade 9 student during the first few months of the school year to get to know them and to establish and meet academic and personal goals for the year.
Curriculum:
Ethics Semester 1:
- Self Care and Wellness. Creating a healthy work/life balance with adequate exercise, family time, sleep, and time away from screens and social media.
- Back to School. Setting goals, practicing time-management, exploring effective learning styles and strategies
- Introduction to Service as Action. Engaging in Service that interests and has meaning for you.
- Using Digital Tools to Get Organized for Success.
Ethics Semester 2:
- Digital Citizenship. Ethical use of social media and AI. Safety online. Creating a positive digital presence.
- Understanding Strengths. Introduction to the Maia Learning platform. Personality Type and Personal Values Survey. Encourage students to recognize and leverage their unique strengths and talents. Foster self-awareness, build confidence, and empower students to utilize their strengths in various aspects of their lives.
- Assessment Prep. Test preperation and test taking strategies. How to manage test anxiety.
- Introduction to Career Exploration. Engage students in career exploration activities and lessons that promote self-discovery, identify interests and skills, and inspire career planning and decision-making.
Future Planning:
Grade 10 is a busy year as students complete the MYP programme. Highlights include their MYP Personal Project & Exhibition, taking MYP exams and submiting their e-portfolio, and completing their work experience/3-week internship. Counselors work to ensure that each student is prepared to tackle each of these critical components of the final year of MYP.
Curriculum:
Ethics Semester 1:
- Introduction to the MYP - How the MYP asssesments are organized and what they mean for the future
- Review of Service as Action. Engaging in Service that interests and has meaning for you. What role Service plays in university applications.
- Work Experience Kick Off Assembly - Introduction to the Work Experience Internship program in June
- Planning & Prioritizing - Enhance students' organizational and time management skills through planning templates, prioritization exercises, and goal-setting strategies to promote efficiency, accountability, and a balanced approach to academic and personal life.
Ethics Semester 2:
- Cover Letter and CVs - How to reach out to potential employers for an internship in June.
- Pathways Day Preparation - Practice in asking good questions to explore how education leads to career choices.
- Digital Citizenship Review - Ethical use of social media and AI. Safety online. Creating a positive digital presence.
- Career Exploration - Engage students in career exploration activities and lessons that promote self-discovery, identify interests and skills, and inspire career planning and decision-making.
Early Planning:
In 11th grade, students begin to transition into more serious future planning in order to prepare for university/college early applications, and gap year planning. You can expect a mix of events such as university fairs and visits, one-to-one meetings with your counselor, and workshops.
Curriculum:
Ethics Semester 1:
- Planning & Prioritising: Enhance students' organizational and time management skills (Wayfinder*)
- Stress & Anxiety: How to manage stress and anxiety with practical techniques, coping strategies, and well‑being skills. (Wayfinder*)
- Work Experience Reflection Session
- Future Planning Assembly Session 1: An introduction to postsecondary pathways.
- Future Planning Assembly Session 2: Post‑Secondary Pathways Across Countries
- Building a Positive Digital Reputation and LinkedIn Setup
- Setting + Reaching Goals: Students develop goal-setting skills and strategies (Wayfinder*)
- Responsible Decision Making: Students build skills to make confident, informed decisions. (Wayfinder*)
Ethics Semester 2:
- Completion of Student Profile: A tool capturing student achievements, strengths, personal growth for recommendations and CV/motivation‑letter brainstorming.
- Motivational Letter/Essay/CV Writing: Introduces students to writing CVs and exploring different types of essays/motivation letters
- Pathways Day Preparation: Practice in asking good questions to explore how education leads to career choices.
- Interview Preparation: Students learn essential skills for preparing and conducting interviews.
- Academic Stress and Exam Preparation Assembly
Strategic Action
Senior year is busy, to say the least. Events include Retreat Days for future planning & life skills, the Association of German International Schools' Fall University Fair hosted at MIS, and Grade 12 Parent Meetings. Each student continues to meet with their counselor for one-to-one meetings.
Students undergo important additional steps, including:
- German Recognition Process
- Handling university acceptances/visas/accommodation
- Graduation Surveys
Curriculum
Ethics Semester 1:
- Planning & Prioritising: Enhance students' organizational and time management skills (Wayfinder*)
- Leadership & Entrepreneurship: Foster life skills that encourage innovation, problem solving, teamwork, and effective communication. (Wayfinder*)
- Future Planning Work Time: Structured time for students to focus on their future planning tasks.
- Interviews: Students learn essential skills for preparing and conducting interviews.
- Setting + Reaching Goals: Students build goal‑setting skills to take ownership of their learning and development. (Wayfinder*)
- Responsible Decision Making: Students build skills to make confident, informed decisions. (Wayfinder*)
Ethics Semester 2:
- Planning: Spring Semester Overview + CAS documentation review
- Navigating Uncertainty: Strengthens students’ ability to handle setbacks, manage ambiguity, and adapt effectively (Wayfinder*)
- Exams Skills Assembly: Preparation for Mock Exams
- Navigating Postsecondary Transitions: Supporting students’ transition from high school to the real world, covering social‑emotional and practical considerations for all post‑graduation paths.
Resources for Future-planners
- Guidance Office Website - Many resource links for future planning, university and gap year research and more
- Guidance Blog - Specialized learning opportunities such as medical internships, summer study, service and travel
- Maia Learning - MIS’s central platform for career and university planning, research, and application tracking
Our Libraries
Read On
At MIS, books are just the beginning of our libraries. Our libraries are places of discovery and delight. Here, students don't just read books; they fall in love. Learn More
The Learning NeXus
What's a NeXus?
The Learning NeXus is a futuristic co-working space at the heart of our school. Discover More
Our Campus
Second to None
Easily accessible from Munich, MIS takes full advantage of its 55-acre campus in an idyllic nature preserve near the city of Starnberg and the Bavarian Lake District. Explore More
Munich International School e.V.
Schloss Buchhof
82319 Starnberg, GERMANY
info@mis-munich.de
+49 (0) 8151 3660
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