To mark UNESCO World Teacher's Day on October 5th, the leading IB school, based in Al Jadaf, is announcing 'Be Good To Yourself', a new initiative allowing all staff to take an extra day off in addition to their annual leave/school holidays.

Samantha Hodges, Wellbeing Coordinator, Swiss International School

What staff might choose to do with an extra day off is, of course, entirely up to them.

Swiss International School Dubai already has a primary wellbeing co-ordinator for its pupils, teacher Samantha Hodges, and offers a range of support for parents.

Samantha Hodges says: "At SISD, we view wellbeing holistically. We are all integral parts of this wonderful community, and so, perhaps more than ever this year, we need to pay close attention to our wellbeing. The extra day off could make a real difference to some of our staff's lives - whether they need time to sort out a passport or visa, care for a loved one or just want to spend a day training in a non-career subject, we think it underlines our commitment to wellbeing and ensuring everyone is happy at the school." 

About Swiss International School 
Global in outlook, bilingual in approach, Swiss in culture, and yet firmly rooted in the local community of Dubai - that’s Swiss International School in Dubai, or SISD.

The Swiss International Scientific School in Dubai (SISD), Dubai’s first bilingual International Baccalaureate School, opened in 2015.

The school is a leading international day and boarding school where future generations are inspired to become confident and enthusiastic lifelong learners, properly prepared to embrace all the opportunities and challenges life presents.

With a diverse student body of 1450 pupils comprising more than 75 different nationalities, the school believes the next generation of international citizens will need to be dynamic, flexible and linguistically ambitious. With this in mind, SISD offers immersive bilingual programmes in either of the Swiss languages of French and German, but also a strong English programme with foreign languages. For students who don’t wish to pursue a fully bilingual programme, there is a unique STEAM programme for all children from age 4 - 11 years. SISD stands out as one of only a handful of educational establishments globally classified as an IB Continuum school, which means it offers International Baccalaureate education to pupils from age 3 to 18.

Offering day school, weekly or full-term boarding options, this leading educational institution offers state-of-the-art STEAM education, and has world-class sporting facilities, too.

The school has laid out its B.E.S.T. Values, as follows

Bilingual
A unique international and multilingual environment provides students with authentic exposure to English, French, German and Arabic. Students in the immersive bilingual programmes learn to communicate, think and reflect in two different languages. As global citizens, SISD celebrates diversity, promoting all languages and cultures with equal respect.

Excellence
SISD staff believes in maintaining high standards and aspire to be the best they can be. A spirit of enquiry, encouraging both creative and critical thinking is fostered.

Sustainability
Students and staff believe that social, cultural, economic and environmental awareness prepare us to play our part in shaping a better future, both for ourselves and for those around us. The school campus is eco-friendly, winning international acclaim and awards for using less energy to create a comfortable and healthy environment.

Together
In the school’s international community, we know that we are at our best when we all work together. We view active participation in the community, from the most local to the most global, as the foundation of a valuable life.