Frankfurt International School appoints two new Principals

Frankfurt International School (FIS) has appointed two new Principals who will take up post from the start of the 2021 academic year. Jean-Marie Khan succeeds Grace McCallum as the Elementary School Principal at the main Oberursel campus, while Jeremy Majeski will take the reins over at FIS’ satellite campus in Wiesbaden.  

Founded in 1961 by executives of major international companies, local parents, and diplomats, Frankfurt International School (FIS) is one of the oldest and most widely recognized international schools in Europe. It also maintains Europe’s largest international school campus, with over 1,600 students enrolled at FIS Oberursel. A forty-minute drive away, the campus in Wiesbaden serves around 220 students across grades K-8.

With Grace McCallum leaving the Elementary School at the end of the year to become Head of School at the American School of Brasilia, and Andrea Rosinger retiring from FIS Wiesbaden after a decade as Principal and more than twenty years at the School, Society was engaged to support the appointment of two new leaders. At the Elementary School we were looking for a passionate, engaged, action-oriented leader with the breadth and depth of experience required to improve on an already outstanding programme. The Wiesbaden role offered a rare opportunity to lead a small campus attached to a much larger school, and we were particularly interested in individuals with experience across the elementary and middle years.

Dr Jean-Marie Khan brings a wealth of experience to the Elementary School. Hailing from California, Jean-Marie built her career in Massachusetts as a K-5 teacher, gaining renown as a literacy specialist. Her first Principalship was at Carlton Innovation School in Salem, MA, where she led a rapid, community-engaged turnaround. Feeling the itch to teach overseas after completing her doctorate, in 2016, Jean-Marie, her husband Jules, and their two children, moved to Kuwait where she became Assistant Principal and Head of Kindergarten at the American International School of Kuwait. In 2018, Jean-Marie became Principal of AIS Kuwait’s large middle school, spanning Grades 5-8, which is where we find her today.

On her appointment at FIS, Jean-Marie commented:

“I am so excited to be joining the FIS family next fall. Throughout the recruitment process I was able to get to know many FIS leaders, teachers and families. I was struck by their overwhelming commitment to students, families and excellence. I feel fortunate to be joining such a special community.”

And on the recruitment process, she added:

“Throughout the recruitment process with Society I found them to be thorough, professional and transparent. They were very knowledgeable about the school and community, and it was clear that their goal was to ensure the best match between the school and the candidates. I really enjoyed our interviews. Recruiters don't often engage in deeper conversations about teaching, learning and leading, which set Society apart from other processes. It gave me the reassurance that the school was looking for leaders of substance, which spoke to the quality of the school and the potential role.This was very important to me."

Jeremy Majeski joins FIS Wiesbaden from the American School of Barcelona where for the past four years he has been Elementary Principal. Jeremy built his career back home in the US, specifically in the state of Illinois where he rose up through the ranks at Komensky Elementary, Freedom Middle School, Finley Junior High, and Irene King Elementary. FIS Wiesbaden will be Jeremy’s third Principalship, and with his experience across the elementary and middle years he is well suited to the position.

On his appointment, Jeremy commented:

“Throughout the entire interview process, I heard from stakeholders that FISW was a special place - loud and clear.  A sense of family pride was evident, from staff, administration and families.  The community is proud of their school and seems to look toward the future with great optimism to become a hotbed for innovation.  What an experience this will be!”

And on his experience working with Society:

“I've worked with other search firms before and I can see why FIS had chosen Society to conduct this search. My interactions with the team was professional - top notch.  When asked, they clearly knew a lot about the school and were able to speak to its strengths and share a sense of what the school was looking for in their next leader.  Both Conor and Nicole were excellent communicators throughout the process and I felt supported as a candidate."

We wish Jean-Marie and Jeremy the very best of luck in their big transitions later this year, and we look forward to keeping in touch.