School director Patricia Baier held an information evening at the school, introducing BIS to the visitors and answering their questions. A concrete result: a smaller group would be invited back soon for follow up discussions. “Perhaps we can quietly grow together,” said a positive Nikolaus Kircher, head of the local CDU chapter.

There are plenty of possibilities for the school to become integrated into the community. Two years ago, the school founded the BIS Sportverein (BISSV), which also offers football and badminton open to everyone. For those who like the American style of cheerleading, they can join a big cheerleading squad. “We see ourselves as a part of Bonn,” said Business Manager Sabine Schattenberg. She explained that the school was “an institution with an annual budget of 12 million euro, which puts it in the top 100 business enterprises in Bonn.”

New director Patricia Baier described teaching methodology and school philosophy at BIS, which encourages independent thinking and learning. She also mentioned the school as an important gathering place for parents, who are often in Bonn for only three or four years. “18 percent of the students are German,” reported Baier, “and our 147 staff members come from 24 different countries.” More than half of BIS students live in Bad Godesberg.

Traffic problems around the school should settle down when the school expansion project is completed in January. Rolf Fischer of “Rettet die Amerikansicher Siedlung” (Save the American Settlement), hopes for a reduction in traffic and reported of talks with the city transportation authorities about offering a reduced-rate student pass, which could possibly be taken advantage of by BIS students. One resident suggested dropping off the kids at the upper part of the Rheinaue in the morning and using a shuttle bus to bring them to school via Kennedyallee.

(Orig. text: Michael Wenzel)