Co-curricular
Munich International School embraces the notion that ‘schooling’ encompasses more than the learning that takes place in classrooms.
We believe in a balanced education that provides students with many and varied opportunities to develop new skills and experiences beyond what they may take away from the academic programme. Our After School Activities, Arts and Athletics programmes are comprehensive.
We also understand that to achieve this excellence in a balanced education, we need the support of many. We value the contributions of the After School Activities Programme (ASA), MIS Foundation, Parent Teacher Organisation and Sportverein to the richness of our school community.
- After School Activities
- Athletics
- Co-curricular Arts
- Mother Tongue Programme
- House System
- After School Care
After School Activities
Athletics
Competitive Team Sports (primarily for Grades 5 to 12)
The MIS Athletics program focuses on the school’s competitive teams that play against local clubs and other international schools. ‘Athletics’ includes football (soccer), volleyball, basketball, tennis, track and field, rugby, softball, swimming, cross-country, golf and skiing. Team sports are offered in three, ten-week seasons (Fall, Winter and Spring).
Several sports fields, an 8-lane athletic stadium, tennis courts, a fitness room and a well-equipped triple gymnasium are available for trainings and competitions.
Being fully recognized within the regional Bavarian sports system as the MIS Sportverein e.V. (ISSC Buchhof), MIS teams are frequently competing on a local level against Munich/Bavarian league teams (mainly our MS Football Teams, the Senior Basketball teams and the Ski Team).
As a member of the international sports organizations SCIS (Sports Council of International Schools) and ISST (International Schools Sports Tournament), MIS regularly hosts high-level international school competitions. The MIS athletic teams also travel to other international schools within Europe to attend SCIS and ISST tournaments throughout the year.
The role of Athletics in a school setting goes far beyond the pure playing of games. Being part of a team complements and balances students´ academic spectrum of work and challenges them in their growth on intellectual, social and physical levels. The MIS Athletics Department strives to provide a variety of opportunities to a large number of students, enabling them to develop valuable skills and sportsmanship while striving for excellence and fostering friendships.
The Athletic Department is one of three distinct sports bodies within MIS:
The Athletic Department is responsible for competitive interscholastic and local league teams at MIS. For general inquiries, please send an email to athletics@mis-munich.de.
For any local league related inquiries, please contact our Jugendleiter Mr. Andrew Orrell (Mobile: +49-151-151 25037) or League Football Coordinator Mr. Mate Derda (Mobile: +49-176-843 54240)
The MIS Sportverein e.V. (ISSC Buchhof) is the entity that supports the Athletic Department as a type of Booster Club through fundraising and organizing volunteer help for sports events. The Sportverein also organizes recreational activities for our adult community, e.g. Badminton or Football. We are fully recognized as a Bavarian sports club. For inquiries, please send an email to: sportverein@mis-munich.de.
The Physical Education Department is a separate department responsible for teaching curricular PE classes during the school day. The PE department also organizes special events like the Sports Days.
Co-curricular Arts
Theatre and music productions, choirs, bands, orchestras, private instrumental tuition, dance, drama, painting, drawing, ceramics, craft, design, film and photography.
Co-curricular performing arts - instrumental, choir, dance, drama and theatre activities - offer students the opportunity to participate in numerous performances hosted at MIS, as well as camps, events and festivals held in Bavaria and abroad. Co-curricular arts are a critical part of the MIS Mission, Nurture – Challenge – Inspire, and provide a uniquely suitable path for intercultural communication, community and understanding.
Theatre and music productions, choirs, bands, orchestras, private instrumental tuition, dance, drama, painting, drawing, ceramics, craft, design, film and photography make up the extracurricular arts program at MIS, as well as a number of national and international festivals and events. The program operates across the Junior, Middle and Senior Schools, varying according to the season and year. Arts activities are led by faculty and staff, qualified parents and certified external instructors, many with extensive experience at leading international arts institutions.
Mother Tongue Programme
The Language A / Mother Tongue Programme is under the endorsement of the IBO and provides the opportunity for students to receive instruction in their mother tongue or best language. Mother Tongue teachers aim to develop and promote students’ language and literacy skills. Specifically, the Language A / Mother Tongue Programme is a liaison between parents, students, Mother Tongue teachers and the Language A / Mother Tongue co-ordinator, but the promotion of bilingualism and multilingualism can involve all members of the MIS community.
As the IBO states, gaining and maintaining proficiency in one’s mother tongue helps in the learning of other languages. It also provides students with a deeper understanding of inter-cultural awareness and engages students in the language, literature and culture of their home country.
Furthermore, maintaining the mother tongue facilitates students’ transitioning back into the school and society of their home country, should they return there. As proficiency in one’s mother tongue is an indicator for later academic success, students should begin studying their mother tongue as soon as possible based on each individual case. When students are transitioning from the IB Middle Years Programme to the IB Diploma Programme, they should know in which Language A course they will enrol, in order to complete the full IB Diploma.
As the IBO states, gaining and maintaining proficiency in one’s mother tongue helps in the learning of other languages.
House System
The House System at MIS originated from the desire of students to have a greater sense of community, student leadership and school spirit within our daily school life. In the past three years, our community has experienced historical highs in enrolment in the Middle and Senior School. As our student population has grown, there has been growing desire to maintain the sense of community and belonging felt in the early years of MIS history. As such, the House System was built into the MIS Strategic Plan.
House identity is a critical component of a strong house system. The names of the houses provide a sense of identity and a source of pride. In order to ensure student voice in decision-making, the task of choosing the House names was given to the students, and a wide range of suggestions were put forth. The Six House names were chosen by students in the middle school in the Autumn 2018 term. The theme of the Houses is Mythical Creatures, which lends itself to both the medieval history of Bavaria and the international nature of our student body.
The Mission and Philosophy for the House System clearly aligned with the Mission of the School.
A major benefit of the House System at MIS is its’ ability to provide opportunities for student interaction across grade levels from Grade 6 to Grade 12. This promotes a sense of community and allows students to more easily integrate into school life. The vertical, family-like House structure increases the sense of belonging and self-belief in students.
Mission
Nurture collaboration and student leadership
Challenge students to work together across grade levels
Inspire community spirit and service
Philosophy
The House System addresses the importance of community in the lives of our students. A central tenet of the House System is student voice and empowerment. The House System provides opportunities for students to quickly integrate into school life, collaborate across grade levels, and lead initiatives that serve the community. We are six Houses, one MIS!
After School Care
After School Care (ASC) is only available to students in Grades 1-4
ASC offers families supervised time for children to work on homework, as well as play, movement and social activities. Students will have time for a snack (either something brought from home or a small snack provided by the school).
ASC also allows participants to be able to register for the 16:15 buses. Available packages:
- Option A: After School Care (15:15-16:10) for entire school year.
- Option B: After School Care + unlimited (subject to availability) activities from our Student Life Programme for entire school year.
- For costs, please check our school fees page.
Please note: ASC students participating in our SLP and accessing the bus service will be picked up at 16:00 in order to catch the bus.
Benefits:
- Families who select Option A or Option B can also register their JS child for a 16:15 bus route (separate contract required for bus service).
- Option B enables families to combine ASC with activities from our SLP (subject to availability).
- ASC extends the school day and provides students with valuable opportunities for play, socialisation, movement and homework support.
- ASC enables siblings who are in different sections of the school to have a common dismissal time.