Jacqueline Webb-Archibald

Director and Teacher

Jacqueline Webb-Archibald originates from Scotland and has dedicated the past 25 years of her career to exploring excellence in primary education in very diverse locations and situations worldwide.

Qualifying from Edinburgh University and Moray House College of Education, Jacqueline has taught primary classes in Scotland, the Bahamas and Switzerland, and is personally familiar with the priorities and practices of UK and US based curricula.

She has specialized in the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB PYP)  for the past 12 years. During this period Jacqueline successfully introduced and mentored the development of the IB PYP in the International School of Zug and Luzern, a large International School in Switzerland.

This experience gained her the trust and respect of the many schools she has been invited to visit by the International Baccalaureate, as an official  consultant, workshop leader and team leader on Authorisation and Evaluation Visits.

Jacqueline enjoys an excellent international reputation for advising and mentoring schools and teachers in curriculum and pedagogical practice through official IB school visits, IB curriculum development initiatives, and her active role in local and global IB  teaching and learning communities.

Judy Firkins

Middle Primary Teacher and PYP Coordinator

Judy Firkins trained and taught in the UK before moving to Switzerland. She worked at Zurich International School (Z.I.S.) for ten years as a classroom teacher. Judy has also been a Workshop Leader for the International Baccalaureate, training teachers from around the world to help develop their understanding of the Primary Years Programme.

 At ISOCS she is the classroom teacher for the Middle Primary Class. Additionally Judy is also the school's PYP coordinator, supporting the whole community to develop the curriculum and follow the path to accreditation. Part of this role is helping with any queries parents may have about the exciting and highly skilled way ISOCS teaches the children in our school. 

Judy left a successful and fulfilling career at Z.I.S. to move to a smaller school. She likes being a part of a community where everyone knows each other, as well as enjoying new opportunities and challenges. Judy wanted to work with a focussed group of professionals leading the way in educational innovation and discussion with the same commitment to the PYP that she has. On a final yet important note, Judy enjoys having a small class where she can truly match each child's needs to our IB PYP curriculum and have space to try out ideas inspired by the students' interests and discussions. 

Kirstin Botter

Early Years Teacher

Kirstin Botter was born in the Netherlands to a Scottish mother and a Dutch father. Throughout her childhood she lived in Denmark, Scotland, England and the Netherlands, attending Danish, Scottish, English and Dutch schools. This international background exposed  her to many different cultures and it is through this that a desire to teach in international schools was fostered. 

Kirstin initially trained to be an English Secondary School teacher in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, whilst simultaneously studying for a BA in Language and Education at the University of Strathclyde in Scotland. It was during a teaching placement in Sofia, Bulgaria, that she first taught young children aged four to seven. Her love of Early Childhood Education began here and she returned to Glasgow, Scotland, to complete her Post Graduate qualifications in Primary Education.

Before joining ISOCS, Kirstin taught in the Netherlands, Scotland, Estonia, Bulgaria and Dubai. She successfully led a large Early Years unit of 200 children and 30 staff members at Deira International School in Dubai for two years. During this time she attended workshops on the PYP Curriculum and fell in love with teaching through inquiry. She implemented this approach to teaching to great success and was excited to see how child-centred learning helped develop confidence, language and independence. Kirstin is thrilled to be teaching a curriculum she loves in a school that embodies everything she believes teaching and learning should be about. 

Kirstin speaks fluent English, Dutch, German and French and has studied Spanish, Italian and Gaelic to a basic level. She loves to visit other countries and has travelled extensively in the Middle East and Europe.

Christina Iten

Junior Primary Teacher

Christina has a Swiss/Canadian background and completed her studies at Brock University in Ontario, Canada.

Before joining ISOCS in 2009, Christina taught at the International School of Zug for 7 years.

She also successfully ran her own English Pre-School and taught English as a second language to adults and children. Additionally she led a weekly sports club for Kindergarten aged children over a ten year period.

At ISOCS Christina team teaches the Juniors with Brooke. She is thrilled to be working at ISOCS.

"I chose ISOCS because I wanted to work at a school where each child is seen as an individual and where the atmosphere is family-like. I feel very privileged to be working at such a wonderful place!"

Brooke Butler

Junior Primary Teacher

Brooke Butler was born and raised in sunny Australia, where she completed her first degree in Creative Industries and began working in the publishing industry.

Before this, she spent a year in England, working with young children in a Kent boarding school.

She has travelled throughout Europe and was an exchange student in Tahiti and Strasbourg.

Since moving to Switzerland in 2009, she has worked with special needs students and completed a postgraduate degree in education, specialising in the Early Years.

"I love the feeling that ISOCS is a family away from home for our students."

Adele Lohan

Senior Primary Teacher

Adele Lohan arrived in Switzerland from the South East of England five and a half years ago. She began to develop her teaching passion whilst at University studying Psychology, when she volunteered as an English tutor at a local secondary school. Her initial goal was to become an Educational Psychologist, which involves having a teaching qualification as well as other certification.

Adele very quickly realised the joy of teaching and remained within this profession.

She first taught English at grammar school level and then in upper primary in state schools in the South of England.

When Adele moved to Switzerland and took up her position as class teacher and grade level coordinator at the International School of Zug and Luzern, Jacqueline Webb introduced her to the International Baccalaureate system. They worked together on many curriculum initiatives.

During a brief career break Adele supported ISOCS as our regular substitute teacher. When she was offered a place within the ISOCS team, in 2010, as the Senior Primary class teacher, she accepted the position without any hesitation.

"I feel that the resources and opportunities this school can offer for both the students and the teaching staff are amazing. It is a joy to work with such a positive team of professionals!"

Phil Harris

Senior Primary Teacher

Phil Harris originates from South Africa where he qualified as a teacher.  

Phil arrived in Switzerland 6 years ago and worked with international school children leading out-door education and summer camps.  

Before joining ISOCS Phil taught at the John F. Kennedy International School, Saanen / Gstaad.  

Phil is delighted to be part of the ISOCS team.  

“I chose ISOCS as I value the stimulating atmosphere here, which is the perfect environment to encourage and nurture students’ self-belief. I believe this to be at the core of every child’s development.”

Trudi Werder

German Teacher

Trudi ist ausgebildete Primarlehrerin, Sprachkursleiterin und Aerobic-Instruktorin.

Als Deutschlehrerin möchte Trudi bei den Kindern die Freude an der deutschen Sprache wecken und mit vielen spielerischen Übungen sie motivieren, Deutsch zu sprechen. Die Kinder sollen die Sprache in ihrem alltäglichen Leben ausprobieren und anwenden können.

"Ich liebe Kinder und arbeite sehr gerne mit ihnen zusammen. Die Philosophie der ISOCS ist genial: Hier steht das Kind wirklich im Mittelpunkt! Die ISOCS-Familie ist einmalig! Ich freue mich, zusammen mit allen Mitgliedern dieser Schule die Kinder auf einem Teil ihres Lebensweges zu begleiten und ihnen meine Muttersprache näher zu bringen."

Helen Burkart

Sport and Swimming Teacher

Helen is a  a qualified sports teacher and has been teaching sports for over 20 years.

She has taught sports at various schools in England and  has worked for 7 years at the International School of Zug.

Helen has competed in athletics as a sprinter at a very high international level and was fortunate enough to have won medals at two Olympic Games.

She is married to a Swiss Olympian and has one son.  

Helen's role at ISOCS is to bring as much sport experience and knowledge to our students.    

"I chose ISOCS  for the enthusiasm and friendliness of the staff and their willingness to learn and to give. This is a great team."

Kathy Epps

ICT Advisor and Coordinator

Kathy Epps comes to ISOCS from the International School of Geneva, where she taught at all three campuses in Primary, Middle School, and Secondary, working in Learning Support and teaching ICT and computer use.  

Kathy has shared ideas and techniques with teachers on using blogs, wikis, nings, Web 2.0 tools, and using images in teaching and learning through online courses, at workshops and in presentations.

You can find out more about her work by looking at her portfolio:  http://keepps.weebly.com/index.html

Martina Müller

Musikschule Cham

Martina Müller is joining the ISOCS team this year to expand our music programme. In addition to her teaching at ISOCS, she is working at the Musikschule Cham and at the Musikschule Hünenberg.

With the Early Years class, she is exposing the students to new experiences with all kind of instruments and creating and playing games. With the Junior class, she is working on their voice expression, on their body coordination and on different ways of using and playing instruments. In the Middle Primary class she is focused on teaching how to play xylophone with students who can already play the recorder. The students who have not had recorder tuition are having recorder instruction with Ms, Lilly. The Senior class will be working on some theoretical music topics, singing songs of different cultures together and playing instruments, especially djembe drumming circles.

Martina Müller was born in Zug, Switzerland. When she was 10, she started to learn and play the violoncello. She has improved her skills over many years in ensembles and orchestras, currently as the leading cello in the Baarer Kammerorchester.  Martina worked for one year at a bicycle messenger company in Zug before studying music and movement at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. This study included how to learn the cello, piano and djembe and how to improve one’s personal voice. She also enjoyed dancing lessons, anatomy lessons, didactic and method lessons and practical seminars to visit. 

Martina Müller is especially interested in trekking through nature, climbing mountains, riding horses and driving her racing bicycle. She also likes going to concerts and theatre presentations.

Martina finds the work at ISOCS is unique Because of how the different cultures combine and learn from each other.  With the language of music, it is her aim to give to the students the chance to exchange knowledge and opinions, to help students to integrate in a new society and to feel at home here in Switzerland.

Lilly Suter

Musikschule Cham

Lily Suter comes to us from the Cham Musikschule and helps our students learn musical expertise in the local German language. This encourages our students to learn German in a practical and fun manner in order that they can better integrate with local clubs and activities.

Marvin

Interns

Our interns join us for periods of 3 to 12 months. They work with us to improve their English language and prepare themselves for educational studies.