Glossary

Parents are responsible for their child’s regular school attendance (notably as of compulsory eduation in Kindergarten) and must inform us of any absence from school (including after school clubs).

Points to note as of compulsory eduation in Kindergarten

Parents must submit all requests for leave and absence in writing to the class teacher at least 14 days in advance. The teacher must be informed in advance if “Joker days” are to be taken (See “Joker days”).

In case of illness, the school office must be informed before the start of lessons. A doctor’s certificate must be presented from the 3^rd day of illness.

If possible, foreseeable appointments are to be made during the time when classes are not in session. If this is not possible, the class teacher/team coach must be informed in writing of the appointment.

In the case of dispensations from individual lessons for health reasons, the parents must present the relevant doctor’s certificate to the class teacher/team coach.

School office: info@obs.school

In the event of a teacher being absent due to illness or professional development cover is organized. The regular teacher’s plans are made available to the person covering so that learning continues.

Families and students of all backgrounds are welcome at OBS. Pupils with an additional educational need and/or disability are admitted, provided both parents and school conclude that the school can provide appropriately for the child’s specific needs.

Entry to OBS is at 3 months old in Baby Care. The latest possibly entry is in grade 11. Admission is possible during the whole school year if a place becomes available.

Enquiries
All enquiries and applications should be made via the OBS Website: https://obs.admissions.isams.cloud/#/enquiries.
Prospective parents are encouraged to visit the school in action and to meet the admissions team as well as the respective department lead. 

Trial days

Trial days are held during term time from mid-August through mid-June from Kindergarten to Upper school. Trial days are mandatory for entries to grades 1-9.

Admission to Early years

Children aged 2-24 months are welcomed into Baby care from 3-24. PreKindergarten welcomes children from 2-4 years, no formal assessment of these children is undertaken. Entry is phased over a getting accustomed phase and, space permitting, can take place year around.

Admission to Kindergarten 2, Primary, Middle and Upper School

Children joining the school will be invited to 1-2 informal assessment day(s) prior to a place being offered. Places are not automatic, in some cases a place will not be offered if we judge that we cannot, unfortunately, meet the needs of the child or that they will not flourish in the environment we offer.

External candidates for grades 5 and higher will be required to undertake an entry assessment which includes a second language proficiency assessment, a potential analysis and a personality profile before a place is offered. This includes written and oral parts and may also include an interview in person or via electronic media.

Allocation of places

Baby care, PreKindergarten and Kindergarten 1 places are allocated upon availability.
Primary school places are allocated upon successful trial days and availability.
Middle and Upper school places are allocated upon availability and successful completion of the admission assessment.

Enrolment

The parents of each successful applicant are notified by email and sent the enrolment forms. On the last day of the summer break, a welcome event takes place for all new students and families from kindergarten onwards.

Your child’s place is not secure until the deposit and, where applicable, the registration fee have been received. Families with children starting mid- academic year may be exempt from certain deadlines.

An Advanced Learner is a student who can take responsibility for their own learning. They are students who can take initiative and make good decisions.  Advanced learners know how to spend their time efficiently and effectively. They are also key role models and play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy learning environment.

Becoming an advanced learner comes alongside an increased feeling of responsibility and accountability for personal success and failure.

Advanced learners demonstrate: 

• Strong organizational skills 
• Grit 
• Strong time-management skills 
• Focus 
• Effective study skills 
• The ability to set themselves realistic yet challenging goals 
• A balanced approach between studying and pursuing hobbies/socializing 
• Healthy screen time  
• Conflict resolution skills 
• Sound awareness of the impact they have on others 
• The ability to reflect and self-assess 

Authentic assessment refers to integrating learning, teaching and assessment to ensure that students’ needs are being met and focuses on process and product.

Authentic assessment is a shift from an objective and summative assessment culture to one that encourages:

• Students being responsible for their own learning
• Use of higher order cognition skills
• Various assessment formats
• A greater focus on formative assessment and feeding forward so that every student knows their “next steps”
• A focus on learning and competence development

The focus is on learning not traditional grades and a learning environment where students choose the challenging task, question what they are being taught and remain curious.

Students should know much more than the content of the disciplines. The aim is for them to be able to apply the acquired knowledge and skills in the real world. Doing well on a test of knowledge does not necessarily mean the skills have been acquired to apply that knowledge.

Authentic assessment gives the students more freedom in how they will demonstrate what they have learned. By carefully identifying the criteria of good performance on the authentic task ahead of time, comparable judgments of student performance can be made even though student performance might be expressed quite differently (i.e. presentations, posters, videos, debates) from student to student.

Authentic assessment refers to integrating learning, teaching and assessment to ensure that students’ needs are being met and focuses on process and product.

Authentic assessment is a shift from an objective and summative assessment culture to one that encourages:

• Students being responsible for their own learning
• Use of higher order cognition skills
• Various assessment formats
• A greater focus on formative assessment and feeding forward so that every student knows their “next steps”
• A focus on learning and competence development

The focus is on learning not traditional grades and a learning environment where students choose the challenging task, question what they are being taught and remain curious.

Students should know much more than the content of the disciplines. The aim is for them to be able to apply the acquired knowledge and skills in the real world. Doing well on a test of knowledge does not necessarily mean the skills have been acquired to apply that knowledge.

Block times (Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri)
Baby care/Pre-kindergarten: 09.00 am to 15.30
Kindergarten: 08.15 – 15.30
Primary (Grades 1-4): 08.15 – 15.45
Middle school (Grades 5&6): 08.15 – 15.30 (16.15 on days with the Learning Community)
Middle school (grades 7-9): 08.15 – 16.15 (17.00 on days with the Learning Community)
Upper School (Grades 10-13): 08.15 – 16.15 (17.00 on days with the Learning Community)

Block time care (Wed)
Kindergarten and Grade 1-6: 08.15 – 12.00 (12.30 with lunch)
Middle School (grades7-9): 08.15 – 14.25/16.15
Upper School (Grades 10-13): 08.15 – 16.15

The school contract can be cancelled between the date it is signed and the date the child starts attending the school. There is no right, however, to a refund of the application fee, the registration fee and the deposit (see Tuition Regulations).

Once attendance in the school has begun, different notice periods apply for each division (see school contract). School fees are to be paid during the notice period whether or not the child attends school during this time (see Tuition Regulations).

The acceptance deposit is made to secure your child’s place. The deposit is refundable if a child leaves the school after having attended school for at least one school year. If the child attends school for less than one school year, or if the child does not attend the school in spite of having reserved a space, the deposit will not be refunded. The deposit is to be considered separately from tuition.

The students are assigned to a class (in the appropriate year group) taking into consideration the following criteria:

• Gender balance
• Language background
• Class dynamics
• Class size

Parent wishes can only be considered in exceptional circumstances.

Several times a week, students from grades 1 – 4 have the time to continue working on their weekly plan or a project in the presence of the teacher. This frequently takes place during the last afternoon lesson.

The guidelines for communication serve as a general guide for ensuring effective communication from parents to school staff. Communication refers to both the sending and receiving of information, such as email and notes, and verbal communications such as telephone and Video call conversations and face-to-face meetings. In order to ensure a successful exchange of information, it is important that all parties follow a few key principles.

Maintain Respectful and Open Communication 

• Always use a respectful and polite tone
• Request, do not demand
• Be ready not just to provide information, but to listen to teacher/staff observations and perspectives
• Enter the exchange with an open mind and assume a shared best interest for your child
• Be prepared to work collaboratively to solve problems 

Confidentiality

• Recognize that confidentiality may limit the information that can be shared from school to parents, including consequences for other students’ behaviors 

Time to Respond to Communications 

• OBS Staff will make every effort to respond within 48 hours to parent communications
• Staff may need some time to collect needed information before responding

Whom to Contact

• Most communications of classroom/playground concerns should be directed first to your child’s teacher. If you have a question or need, please contact your child’s teacher.
• If you have discussed the concern with your child’s teacher and the concern has not been addressed to your satisfaction, please contact the Head of Department to schedule a time to speak.

OBS follows the Swiss National Curriculum (LP21) in Kindergarten – grade 9 enhanced with elements from international curricula in-line with our mission statement. We follow our own OBS curriculum for the Early years (Baby care and PreKindergarten).

Digital learning is about much more than equipping students with iPads or laptops and capturing book content electronically. Digitally supported learning makes it possible to better adapt learning content and pace to individual needs and thus increase individual motivation to learn. Our aim is for our students to become digital natives that have the ability to find, evaluate, use, share, and create content and products using digital devices.

siehe D: Drop off

Baby care and Pre-Kindergarten: 07.15 – 08.15 (included in school fees)

Kindergarten – to grade 6: 07.15 – 08.15 (see tuition regulations)

Students in grades 1-9: iPads

Students in grades 10-13: BYOD

Entry Points are an exciting and memorable event that launches each new unit of learning – a hook into learning. The aim of the entry point is to get students thinking about and engaged with the learning that is to follow.

Excursions, project weeks and camps are part of the learning and teaching and support the curriculum.

Exit Points draw on prior learning and serve as a reminder of all the connections between subjects that have been made. They further student’s understanding of their learning, as well as provide the time to reflect both individually and as a group.

OBS offers a variety of clubs that run after school. For details please contact our Head of Early Years.

Friendensvermittler are “peace facilitators” who support the RL by working with a student/group of students who have violated an OBS value to provide a supportive environment in which they can reflect and learn from their actions as well as demonstrate through a mutually agreed form that they have learned from their error of judgement.

During the autumn break, sport break and spring break as well as the first 4 weeks of the summer break a holiday programme is offered for children in kindergarten to grade 6.

Baby care and pre-kindergarten are open as usual during the above holiday periods but children need to be registered for holiday periods (see tuition regulations for details of costings).

Opening hours during holiday care:
07.30 – 08.15 Early Care
08.15 – 09.00 Drop-off
09.00 – 15.30 Care
15.30 – 16.00 Pick-up
16.00 – 18.00 Late Care

The purpose of homework should be to practice, reinforce, or apply acquired skills and knowledge. Homework serves to develop regular study skills and the ability to complete assignments independently. At OBS we see the role of the parents as a supportive one, providing the child with a quiet environment free from too many distractions and encouraging and discussing their efforts.

In grades 1-6 we believe the class teachers can offer the necessary support and monitoring during class core time/individual learning time leaving time for children to spend quality family time together in the evening or to pursue extra-curricular activities without the worry of having to find the time for completion of homework.

Teachers will individualise instruction to ensure each student’s needs are met by meeting them where they are and helping to bring them to where we want them to be. Meaningful, differentiated and connected tasks increase participation and engagement which leads to learning. Home learning in grades 1-6 can also involve reading, practicing spelling or multiplication facts. Some students will also need extra time to complete unfinished class assignments whilst others will need their learning extended. Students with additional support may receive home learning assignments from their support teachers.

Having outlined examples of home learning, we strongly believe in letting children be children during their elementary years. They will face enough stress and challenges as they prepare for and enter their secondary education. Furthermore, students already spend a significant amount of their day doing prescribed learning activities and deserve the opportunity to develop other skills outside of school and to have the independence to choose how to use their free time. They also need leisure time, time spent not working or occupied but time to reflect and slow down. As a result, OBS has adopted a home learning policy in grades 1-6.

A child is considered ill if he or she has one or more of the following symptoms:

• Fever
• Persistent, severe, uncontrolled coughing
• Vomiting caused by a virus or bacteria
• Contagious infections (e.g., stomach flu as well as eye infections)
• Infectious childhood diseases such as chicken pox, measles, rubella, etc.
• Malaise, fatigue, pain, or the like, which makes it difficult for the child to participate productively in class.

If such symptoms are observed during class time, parents will be notified to pick up the child immediately. Our “Sick Children at OBS” form indicates when children may return to school.

Several times a week, students from grade 5 – 13 are offered ILZ lessons to work on and continue their learning.

Our interdisciplinary learning and teachingcapitalize upon student interests and promotes critical thinking and collaboration and integrating skill-development, across all subject areas. Our progressive philosophy and pedagogy place a strong focus on student voice, and teacher collaboration. We foster inquiry by building upon student curiosity and encouraging questions that promote thinking. Technology is integrated effectively as both an instructional and evaluation tool.

Joker days are planned and approved absences where children are allowed to be absent up to 4 (10 in Kindergarten) half days per school year. These days must be requested from the class teacher at least one week in advance using the form “Jokertage” (insert). Joker days are only valid for the current school year and cannot be carried over to the next school year.

During special school events (opening and closing of the school year, project weeks, class trips/camps), no joker days can be taken.

Each extra day counts as a full day, even if classes are only held for a half day on that day.

Longer absences must be requested 4 weeks in advance by filling out the form “Schuldispens” (insert) and submitting it to the school administration.

School office: info@obs.school

Kindergarten lasts two years. In canton Schwyz the 2^nd Kindergarten year is obligatory. Kindergarten consolidates the foundations laid at home: the joy of contact and being with other children, the willingness and desire to learn, the confidence to solve problems and the ability to communicate.

Enrolment

In principle, every child who has reached the age of 5 by May 31 is of compulsory school age and will attend compulsory Kindergarten in the next school year.

For children with a birthday between April 1 and July 31, the legal guardians have the following additional options:

If the child reaches the age of 5 between June 1 and July 31, he or she is eligible for early school entry.

If the child reaches the age of 5 between April 1 and May 31, he/she may be deferred for one year in compulsory schooling.

The decision for early school entry (for children with a birthday between June 1 and July 31) or a deferral (for children with a birthday between April 1 and May 31) must be communicated in writing to the Co-Heads of School by January 31. In special cases, the school may approve an earlier or later start of compulsory Kindergarten upon request of the parent or guardian. If there are good reasons for doing so, it can postpone entry into kindergarten or primary school by one year at the request of the department head. In each case, it must be carefully examined whether a deferral serves the best interests of the child.

In the event of uncertainty or differing opinions, the cantonal school psychology department can be consulted for an assessment.

The cut-off date for the voluntary first year of kindergarten is one year earlier than for compulsory Kindergarten. Children who reach the age of 4 by July 31 are also eligible to enter voluntary Kindergarten. Even younger children who do not reach the age of 4 until after July 31 are not eligible for voluntary Kindergarten. Children who reach the age of 5 between April 1 and May 31 and who are deferred from compulsory Kindergarten at the request of their parents may attend voluntary Kindergarten instead.

Language support in the form of push-in and pull-out lessons is provided to students who need help with their German or English language skills for them to be able to fully access the curriculum.

For costs, please refer to your respective Head of Department.

Baby care and Pre-kindergarten: 16.00 – 18.30 (included in school fees)

Kindergarten – to grade 6: 15.30/15.45 – 18.30 (see tuition regulations)

A freshly prepared, balanced meal is prepared every day using locally sourced ingredients. Intolerances and allergies are catered for.

The cost of lunch is included in the school fees.

A Master of Learning is a student who was an Advanced Learner and now demonstrates the skills to take complete responsibility for their learning and social and emotional wellbeing. They have the additional privilege of being able to study away from the school campus by logging on to our Learn Management System to access the lesson resources.

From Kindergarten upwards, our students are taught by native speakers. The majority of our preschool staff are also native speakers.

OBS organizes Open Days for visits in Kindergarten – Upper School twice a year.

Every student from Year 7 onwards is assigned a personal coach (one of our teachers) who meets with their coachee every fortnight to support them with organisation and planning, stress management, assessment preparation, social and emotional issues. They may also refer a student to our school counselor.

Our Advanced Learners do not receive a personal coach but instead attend workshops to strengthen skills that will help them as they progress through school and beyond.

Our teacher professional development is on-going, includes training, practice and feedback, and provides adequate time and follow-up support. The development of teachers beyond their initial training serves to:

• update individuals’ knowledge of a subject in light of recent advances in the area
• update individuals’ skills, attitudes and approaches in light of the development of new teaching techniques and objectives, new circumstances and new educational research
• enable teachers to apply changes made to curricula/teaching practice
• enable schools to develop and apply new strategies concerning the curriculum/ teaching practice
• exchange information and expertise among teachers and experts
• help teachers become more effective

Report cards are issued as of Kindergarten once per school year (before the summer break) twice per school year, at the end of January and before the summer holidays. A brief description of the focus areas for the semester is give. No grades are given in Grades 1-6.

Instead of a grade the child is assessed as follows in all subject areas as well as against the OBS values:

Excelling
The student can separate concepts into component parts, make informed judgements and use their knowledge, skills and understanding to create new meaning or structures.

Secure
The student has a sound understanding of the concepts taught and can apply their knowledge to new and unfamiliar situations.

Developing
The student understands concepts taught with increased independence and frequency.

Emerging
The student can recall or retrieve previous learned information and is starting to understand the concepts being taught.

From grade 7 traditional grades are given.

Student/parent/teacher conferences are held twice a year in Autumn and Spring.

In each PreKindergarten and Kindergarten year, at least one conference is held about the child’s development and learning status. At the request of the parents and/or the teacher responsible, a second conference will be held. The time of the interviews is not fixed.

Respekt-Lotsen are students who apply for this role and meet defined skills. They are responsible for maintaining a positive and safe school environment both in and outside of the classroom. Students are trained for this position in an off-site workshop.

The school offers a bus service that picks up/drops children from various collection points in villages/towns. The bus route is reviewed annually depending on demand.
A minimum number of students is required for the service to operate.

For costs, please refer to the tuition regulations.

At OBS our school counsellor assists students across the school. They an integral part of our wellbeing programme which develops and provides workshops and events for both students and staff and a valuable resource to support students in their educational advancement. They help the students process their problems and plan goals and actions and mediate conflict between students and students and, if necessary, between student and teacher.

While addressing the academic, social, and emotional needs of students, our counsellor also acts as a bridge between teachers and parents, working to create an environment where every student will have the tools, they need to become responsible citizens. The programmes are preventative, collaborative, developmental and remedial in nature.

The Role of the School Counsellor at OBS
Our Counsellor works with students on a range of issues, such as:

• communication and relationship-building skills with peers, parents, and teachers
• time management and study skills in conjunction with the personal coach
• anxiety and stress management
• anger management
• dealing with overwhelming emotions
• low self-esteem
• managing peer pressure
• home issues
• dealing with divorce in the family
• coping when someone close is severely ill
• coping with a death of someone close
• transitions

The school counsellor also connects parents to outside service providers that provide ongoing therapy. The school counselor sees students in small groups and individually, in the classroom and in informal settings. 

• Safeguarding
• ICT
• Behaviour
• Anti-bullying
• Inclusion
• DAZ/EAL
• School Counselling

We grant a discount of 10% on tuition for the second registered child. In the case of three registered children or more, a discount of 10% is given for the tuition of each child, including the first. Sibling offers are dependent on the current sibling attending the school at the time of admission. Should the current sibling leave prior to the start date the school fee discount offer will be withdrawn. It is the parents’ responsibility to register any siblings.

A healthy snack consisting of bread, cheese (not every day), fruit and vegetables is served in the morning and afternoon breaks.

It is anticipated that all pupils will transition through the school and reap the rewards of the education on offer. Should this prove not to be the case, parents will be informed of any concerns at the earliest opportunity and at the latest before the end of the spring term if there appears to be any reason why the pupil may be refused a place in the subsequent year groups. In rare cases it may be that a pupil’s progress or behaviour means that transfer to the next stage of the school is not deemed appropriate.

Transition from Kindergarten 2 (age 5) to grade 1 is not automatic. Children are assessed based on ongoing observation of their learning and development. The transfer from the 6th to the 7th grade takes place without examinations for internal students, i.e. on the basis of an overall assessment of the primary school student by the class teachers. The criteria are not only academic performance but also work, learning and social behavior. Students are divided into Progymnasium and Secondary level, both of which are taught within the same class with individual objectives. Students and their parents are informed of this process in 5th grade, which takes place over 3 semesters (5th grade 2nd semester as well as the entire 6th grade).
At the end of 9th grade, students make the decision whether they want to pursue the Matura or IB pathway. Here, too, the transfer takes place without examinations and based on an overall assessment by the subject teachers and the team coach (class teacher).

OBS is well served by public transport. To plan your route please use the SBB route planner: https://www.sbb.ch/en/buying/pages/fahrplan/fahrplan.xhtml

The school offers a bus service (see S: School bus).

The weekly plan is both a communication and learning tool in Primary. It provides transparency about which core areas of learning will be covered during the week in class. Information about activities students are expected to complete independently, either in class core time or at home, is also found on the weekly plan.

The weekly plan encourages student independence and provides an overview of the week that can always be referred to.

Our curriculum offers a skills-based wellbeing programme. Our aim is to support students in understanding themselves and others so that they can make informed and wise choices and advocate for themselves and others.