March Newsletter

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Published: 28 March 2026 28 March 2026

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March 2026 Newsletter

Dear Parents and School Community,

As we approach the spring break, whether you celebrate Easter or not - whether you are travelling or staying here in Frankfurt - we hope you will find time to slow down and enjoy a few peaceful and happy moments with your loved ones, near or far.

It has been a full and active month, with ongoing conversations in the Primary Education Council and important updates, particularly around the school building developments.

With the news that construction of the new building will begin in July, we are especially glad to be able to celebrate one more Summerfest in its original form on 20 June 2026. As the school grounds will be more limited over the next few years during construction, and will change afterward, future Summerfests will take on a new shape - but for now, we can look forward to enjoying this special tradition together once more.

Before that, we’re looking forward to the much-loved Primary Soccer Tournament on 25 April 2026! This fantastic event is always full of energy and community spirit. Get involved by volunteering to help bring it to life, or encourage students to form a team and sign up to play.

We would also like to share that a student exchange is being planned for the upcoming school year. If your family might be interested in hosting an S5 student during the fall semester, please stay tuned,  more information will be shared soon.

Wishing you all a restful, joyful, and peaceful spring break!

If you have any questions, need assistance, or would like to get involved in the Parents’ Association, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

In case you are not already a member of the PA, we encourage you to join us to support our activities for our community! Applications can be made here: Become a member

With kind regards, 

The ESF Parents Association Board

Katalin Bodnár, Carlos Bowles, Emese Farkas, Elizaveta Gardo, Floriana Grimaldi, Thomas Jaeger, Orsolya Kóczánné Láng, Christine Majoros, Aleksandra Maneg, Rosa Montanti, Nicole Moore, Zsófia Petersen

(1) PA News; (2) School News; (3) PA Events: Recent Events, and Ongoing and Upcoming Events.

1. PA News  

🏗️ Building Issues

In February, we continued to advocate for viable interim and long-term solutions for the ESF site. On 23 February, dedicated parents attended the final meeting of the Education and School Building Committee in the previous legislative period, alongside PA representatives and the ESF Director, Ms Avsec. We reminded the city of its obligations towards the ESF and raised urgent questions regarding long-term and interim solutions, including the future use of the EuroKids container village. On 6 March, the PA hosted an online political debate attended by six parties and around 170 parents. Thank you for your support!

In light of the latest developments regarding the long-term solution, we will need to demonstrate an even stronger commitment to the ESF. After four years of examining the territory, Ratsweg has now officially been ruled out. This means that examinations and planning activities will restart with respect to the Bundesbank site, in order to determine whether it is suitable for the ESF.

The proposal to consider the Bundesbank site in Ginnheim has brought a renewed sense of hope. The location appears well-suited to the school’s needs, offering ample space and receiving broad support across political parties. At the same time, there are still reasons for concern, as no binding commitments have yet been made and the project is far from being finalised.

In principle, the process has been delayed by four years, and there is no binding legal document confirming that Mike Josef's suggestion will indeed be implemented. Following the elections on 15 March, it is unclear whether the SPD, Mike Josef's party, will be represented in the new coalition at all.

The urgency of the interim solution also remains. You can find out more in the school newsletter dated 26 March. While the long-term solution remains a vague promise, the city's short-term plans mean that the ESF will be deprived of the red pitch beginning next school year. It will also be turned into a construction site for 2.5 years. The planned wooden modular building is intended to serve as a municipal school in the long term, with the ESF only permitted to use it from the 2029/30 school year onwards. Clearly, this is not a solution for the ESF. On the contrary, the city is planning to proceed with construction work for the future use of the site at the expense of our children.

The city is also planning to start construction work on the Stadtteil der Quartiere at the current EuroKids site in 2029. However, in both cases, the city is reluctant to provide the ESF and EuroKids with sufficient and adequate substitute areas. Therefore, we must stand united to secure healthy school operations and afternoon care and protect the rights of our children. PA actions at City Hall will resume once the new committees have been formed, which is not expected before the beginning of May.

Please find attached our open letter to Mike Josef, dated 13 February. We will keep you updated as soon as we receive a response.

Representation and school exchange topics

🏫Primary education council

A key topic discussed during the recent Primary Educational Council meeting was the school’s approach to bullying prevention and behaviour management, including the implementation of the KiVa programme.

The school management provided a detailed overview of how reported incidents are handled. A central challenge, particularly in primary education, is the distinction between actual bullying cases and general inappropriate behaviour (“bad behaviour”). To address this, each reported incident is carefully reviewed and may fall into one of three possible scenarios. Importantly, parents are currently only formally informed when a case is classified as bullying.

Several parents expressed concerns regarding this process. In particular, feedback highlighted that:

• visible changes or outcomes can take time, and
• communication with parents is sometimes perceived as insufficient or delayed.

In response, the school acknowledged these concerns and explained their current procedures. At the same time, the management indicated that they will reconsider whether earlier or more consistent communication with parents may also be appropriate in cases classified as “bad behaviour”, even when these do not meet the threshold of bullying.

Another aspect discussed was the use of behaviour agreements between students and the school. These agreements define specific behavioural targets that students are expected to achieve. According to the school, this approach has generally been effective in supporting positive behaviour. However, important points for reflection are:

• whether such agreements are always appropriate and proportionate,
• whether parents are consistently informed when these agreements are put in place, and
• reports of individual cases where students were excluded from certain activities without parents being aware, or where parents were not informed that an agreement existed.

Class Organisation & Planning for the Next School Year

Another important topic discussed during the Educational Council meeting was class organisation for the upcoming school year.

The school management informed the council that class teacher allocations will be communicated before the summer holidays, likely at the beginning of July. In addition, responding to feedback from parents in previous years, the school aims to publish the booklists earlier, giving families more time to prepare and purchase the required materials.

Regarding the allocation of class teachers, the school explained that organisational factors and teacher preferences play a significant role, and that there are no fixed rules governing these decisions. As a general principle, the school aims to provide continuity where possible – for example, by keeping the same teacher with a class from P1 to P2 – although this cannot be guaranteed in all cases.

Parent representatives raised the question of how the interests and needs of the children are considered in these decisions. The school responded that the “best interests of the pupils” are always taken into account, in line with the General Rules. However, no specific examples or criteria were provided during the meeting.

As a result, this remains an area that may require further discussion and clarification, particularly regarding how the consideration of students’ needs can be made more transparent and visible in future class allocation decisions.

Planned Overnight Trips for 2026/27

The school also provided an overview of the planned overnight trips for the upcoming school year, which continue to be an important part of the learning experience beyond the classroom.

For P2 students, a one-night overnight trip is planned. The proposed location is Oberwesel, a destination that has been used in the past with very positive feedback from both students and teachers. Based on these experiences, the teaching staff has recommended returning to this location. The estimated cost for the trip is approximately €180.

For P5 students, a longer overnight trip of four nights is planned, with an estimated cost of around €360. The proposed location is Winterberg, although this has not yet been  confirmed. The school intends to review feedback from this year’s trip before making a final decision on whether Winterberg will again be selected.

Overall, the school emphasised the educational value of these trips and their role in supporting students’ social development, independence, and experiential learning.

Assessment Criteria – Clarifying the Star System

The school also revisited the topic of assessment criteria, as it remains an area where questions frequently arise among parents.

In particular, the distinction between different star levels (from 1 to 5 stars) – and especially between 4 and 5 stars – has led to some uncertainty. The school acknowledged that 5-star assessments are intentionally very rare, as they represent an exceptional level of achievement.

To provide greater clarity, the assessment system was explained using four key criteria:

• Understanding (depth of knowledge and conceptual grasp)
• Accuracy (correctness of work)
• Autonomy (ability to work independently)
• Application (ability to transfer learning to new contexts)

In simplified terms:

• A 4-star level reflects strong performance, where students demonstrate good understanding, mostly correct work, and a high degree of independence, applying their knowledge confidently.
• A 5-star level, however, indicates exceptional mastery, including deep conceptual understanding, very high accuracy, full independence, and the ability to apply knowledge flexibly in new and unfamiliar situations.

Lower star levels correspond to increasing levels of support needed, ranging from partial understanding and occasional errors (3 stars) to minimum achievement or significant gaps requiring ongoing support (1–2 stars).

The aim of this clarification was to help parents better understand that the system is designed not only to assess outcomes, but also to reflect how independently and flexibly students can use their learning.

Policy updates

During the Educational Council meeting, the school management provided an update on the current status of key policy developments.

The Digital Competence Policy is also nearing completion and will be finalized soon.

Looking ahead, a comprehensive revision of the Behavioural Awareness Policy is planned for the 2026/27 school year.

🔄 Primary swals mergers

The PA carried out a survey on the SWALS mergers in the primary section in the year grades P3 - P4 and discussed the results with the school management. 

About half of the affected families gave feedback on class mergers. 

From the answers the following conclusions can be drawn: 

As regards the overall learning experience, only half of the respondents found it good or excellent. In addition, less than half of the respondents found that the class mergers had a positive impact on lesson delivery. 

On the impact on social interactions, most respondents reported either positive or neutral feedback. The answers to the open questions on the class mergers have been overall negative, noting that the teachers have less time for the children and SWALs students are negatively affected by merged classes. 

However, some parents, in particular in sections with a very low number of children, also noted some positive effects. In the case of families in their second year with the merged classes, the main issues highlighted were that the teachers cannot manage after 1,5 years the different progress by the students in the merged groups. As a consequence, the curriculum was cut shorter.

We have discussed the survey results with the school management. They mentioned the existing sharing of knowledge between teachers on how to handle merged groups helps learning from experience. 

We would however recommend intensifying this experience sharing via the creation of a network among the European Schools. Furthermore, de facto, the main way to compensate for the fewer classes remains to cut the curriculum, which can only be done by the national inspectors and not the school. This means that the main issues remain unresolved.

🏫 Secondary education council

For the upcoming Education Council meeting, parents had identified several important points to be discussed. The meeting was postponed, to 20.4.2026, due to the student reps being on a class trip.

In preparation of the Secondary Education Council meeting, parents from all sections shared a range of important topics and constructive feedback. A key focus was the organisation and communication of tests and exams, where greater consistency, clearer timelines, and better use of tools such as the test calendar would help reduce student stress and support planning. Concerns were also raised about continuity in teaching—particularly in German classes in the upper years—as well as the quality and consistency of language instruction in lower secondary.

Parents also highlighted the importance of clearer and earlier communication around subject choices, ensuring families have enough time and information to make informed decisions. Similar concerns were raised regarding class trips and excursions, including the need for more transparency on costs, earlier planning, and more inclusive opportunities for all students. In addition, there were discussions around providing broader academic support for students who may not qualify for formal assistance but would still benefit from extra help.

Further points included improving access to information about available resources, such as career guidance, and continuing to strengthen student wellbeing through effective internet safety measures.

💬Communication Policy (relevant for Primary + Secondary school)
The School Management has shared a draft version of the new Communication Policy with the PA Board. The draft is currently under review. The next meeting of the Communication Policy working group will take place on 21 April, where the draft and the comments received so far will be discussed. Following the meeting, we will update parents on the current status and the expected timeline for the publication of the new policy.

One of our primary objective as contributor to this policy is to make sure that the implementation of the revised policy will trigger clear communication, less overwhelming emails and  better order in the flow of various communications channels currently in place.

🥜Allergy Awareness Policy (relevant for Primary + Secondary school)

The School Management has also shared a draft version of the Allergy Awareness Policy with the PA Board. The draft is currently being reviewed both by parents who have expressed interest in contributing to the development of the new policy. The collected comments will then be shared with the School Management to agree on the next steps and the timeline for the policy’s publication. At present, the publication of the new policy is expected to take place within this school year.

  Exchange with school management

On top of the above items, it is also important to remind that the PA continues keeping regular interaction with ESF School management via periodical catch-up meetings. Under this period, many items which are relevant in preparation of the upcoming Educational Councils in March/April have been already part of this periodical brainstorming and such dialogue has also triggered the launch of some initiatives at school such as the kick-off of clubs for students in Secondary, the evaluation of future projects in Primary, the arrangements for students parties and tournaments.

🌍 Student exchange

We are thrilled to share with all parents that the exchange program for the 2026/2027 

academic year is currently in full preparation. Things are moving behind the scenes and we expect to have clearer and more detailed information to share shortly after the Easter holidays.
In the meantime, the first requests are already starting to arrive! For example, we have recently been contacted by a student from Varese who is very eager to find a host family. If any family might be interested in hosting, please feel free to get in touch with us at —

we would be very happy to connect you.

More updates will follow soon, so… stay tuned!

📇 Babysitter database

This service is reserved to PA members, who are registered on the PA website. You will find all the contact information needed to connect with the parents of the ESF students offering babysitting or tutoring. Please feel free to reach out to them directly and help spread the word about this community initiative. Fees are set directly by the students in a fair and non-competitive manner. The Parents' Association is not involved in pricing.

Access it here: Babysitter database

2. School News

🌅 Primary morning routine

As part of the Educational Council Primary, the topic of the Morning Routine (Early 

Morning Supervision) was discussed again.

Prior to this meeting, parent representatives had already held a separate discussion with Ms. Clancy. During this exchange, the topic was addressed in detail, and the results of the parent survey on the morning routine were presented and discussed.

It is positive to note that, during the Educational Council, explicit reference was made to feedback from the parent community. It was acknowledged that parents’ perspectives should be more strongly considered in the ongoing decision-making process.
At present, the school is in a transitional phase (“Current State”). Since March 16, an outdoor model has been implemented, where children spend the morning time outside. As this approach has only recently been introduced, it is still too early to draw firm conclusions about its effectiveness. Initial observations indicate that some children are still finding their bearings and are unsure about what activities are permitted.
The next steps will be shaped by several key factors, including:

• the results of the parents survey
• as well as organisational and operational considerations whitin the shool.

Looking ahead (“Future State 2026/2027”), several options are currently under consideration. These include a possible return to the previous routine, potentially in a modified form. However, no concrete decisions have been made at this stage.
The school emphasized that both the survey results and ongoing parent feedback will be 

considered in the next steps. We will, of course, keep you informed about further developments.

Secondary matters 

We would still like to encourage you to sign up for the learn to learn and cooking sessions which will be organised for secondary students. 

Please do send an email to esfpasecondaryedcouncil@gmail.com with the subject „learn to learn” and/or ” cooking” in case your son/daughter is willing to participate.

Some applications have arrived and we will communicate soon the next steps and arrangements.

 Last but not least we are engaging with the school to understand whether well-being sessions could be organised at school such as on „stress management” and „cyber-bullying”. Hopefully, we will update soon on this.

🎤✨Eurovision song contest

We would like to once again extend our heartfelt thanks to the school, the dedicated organizing teachers, and the judges for making the event such a wonderful experience. Most of all, we are incredibly proud of all the contestants for putting on such a fantastic show.

A special congratulations goes to this year’s winners, Greece! We are already looking forward with excitement to next year’s event.

🔬 Science Symposium 11-14 April 2027

ESF Science Symposium 2027 – Last Call for Volunteer Judges!

ESF is honored to host the Science Symposium 2027 in Frankfurt next year from 11–14 April 2027. This event brings together the young scientists from all the European Schools, to select the winner, who will represent all the European Schools at the European Union Contest for Young Scientists. Please visit the website of the 2026 event for more information: http://esss.wp.eursc.eu/ 

To ensure high academic standards and provide students with professional feedback, we are inviting parent scientists, engineers, and researchers to join the jury panel. We would be truly grateful for your participation and expertise in helping make this event a success.

The role involves:

• Reviewing and evaluating the students’ project reports before the event.
• Attending at least one or two days of the symposium (11–14 April 2027).
• Evaluating student oral presentations and posters and offering feedback.

If you are interested in joining the jury, please send your name, professional background, and area of expertise to LIST-FRF-ESSS@eursc.eu by 31 March 2026.

Your contribution would be greatly appreciated and will make a valuable contribution to

inspiring the next generation of young scientists.

3. PA Events

✅ Outcomes of Past Events

🎭 Spectacle Le Promontoire- French secondary project

The performance was a great success: 10 classes from the ESF, as well as 6 classes from the European Schools in Brussels participating in an Erasmus exchange, were able to take part in this wonderful Francophone adventure. An audience of 150 pupils and 12 teachers discovered poetic texts selected from the heart of French literature, including works by Victor Hugo, as well as a magnificent performance by an actress playing a modern and rebellious version of Shakespeare’s eternal Juliet. It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

📚Swals readings

The PA continues to actively promote and support students’ mother tongue languages throughout the school community. Over the past month, students in the Dutch and Hungarian sections had the opportunity to meet authors from their home countries, either in small groups or as entire sections. And there’s more to come—additional visits and projects are already in the pipeline!

Still Running!

🌟 Primary projects

Thanks to the good cooperation with the Primary School management, the PA is pleased to continue supporting the well-being of our students in primary school by financing the yoga project. 

📅 Upcoming Events

⚽ Primary soccer tournament

We are delighted to share that the Primary Soccer Tournament will take place on 25 April 2026 from 9:00 a.m. ⚽ The tournament will be organised in three categories:

• P1 + P2
• P3 + P4
• P5

We’ve already received our first team registrations—which is wonderful—and we hope many more will join soon!

If your child would like to take part and you’re wondering how to get started, here’s a simple guide:

• Create a (mixed) team with at least 7 players from the same class
• Choose a fun team name
• Find a coach (a parent or another adult)
• Send an email to the Parents Association at events@esfparents.org including:
• Class ID
• Names of all players
• Contact details for the team’s contact person and the coach
• Attach confirmation of the registration fee payment (€40) to your email

If you have any questions or need a hand putting a team together, please don’t hesitate to reach out—we’re always happy to help at events@esfparents.org 

Kind reminder to all that this tournament will be a friendly competition based on fair play. All participants should respect rules set-out and decisions made by our sport teachers. 

We’re really looking forward to a fun and energetic day for the children!

Summerfest 2026

Until a couple of days ago it was still uncertain whether our popular Summerfest could take place at all this year: Upcoming construction works on the Red Pitch threatened to block the space which is needed to host such a huge event on the school premises. But now it has been confirmed by the school management that we can do it, and also the date has been fixed: 20th June! Mark it in red in your calendars and cancel anything else that you had planned for that day!

As every year there will be plenty of activities and attractions: First of all the legendary international Food Stands in front of the Modular Building with culinary specialities from all over Europe. We will have sports tournaments for the secondary cycle, inflatables for the smaller kids, various performances in the aula and on the open-air stage, workshops, shows, and much more.

All this cannot be organized by a handful of PA Board members alone. As in previous years, we need commitment and strong support from you, the parents, to make this day a success. 

The preparation works have just started – if you are ready to join our team, please contact us at events@esfparents.org! Together we can make this an unforgettable event for our entire school community.