International School Rheintal

Celebrating 8 Years at ISR!

This week, we’re shining the spotlight on Andrew Shawcroft, who is celebrating eight years as part of the ISR community!

Originally from Beaverton, Oregon (Go Beaves! 🦫), Andrew joined ISR in August 2018 after moving to Austria. While Austria is now home, he still enjoys returning to Christmas Valley, where his teaching journey began.

Over the years, Andrew has taught students from Grade 6 through Grade 12, finding great joy in watching them grow, overcome challenges and discover their place in the world.

For Andrew, one of the most special things about ISR is its strong sense of community and the lasting relationships built along the way.

Thank you for being a part of our Community!

Learning, connection & mountain views!

Last week, our Diploma students and teachers headed to Wildhaus for their annual Retreat.

The Retreat was all about getting to grips with the IB Core and preparing for the journey ahead. Students took part in dedicated sessions on the Extended Essay (EE), Theory of Knowledge (TOK) and Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS), alongside workshops on university planning, AI integration and wellbeing.

And, of course, it wasn’t all workshops! Between sessions, students and teachers connected through team-building activities, games and plenty of friendly competition.

A great start to another year of learning, growth and making memories.

🇳🇿 Kia ora from Grade 5!

Grade 5 had a surprise guest speaker today, and who better to bring Māori culture to life than one of our own teachers, who is originally from New Zealand ! Together with their homeroom teacher, who spent the past few years teaching at an IB school in Fiji, the students had a wonderful source of knowledge and experience right in the classroom. 🌏

As part of their learning about different cultures and perceptions of beauty, the students explored Māori culture, from traditional tattoos and jewellery to clothing, transportation and other traditions.

The visit was also a great example of the IB Learner Profile attribute open-minded, encouraging students to learn about and appreciate different cultures, perspectives and ways of life. 🌍

Sometimes, the best sources of learning are already part of our own ISR community!

Kia ora! 🇳🇿

📚 Meet Lara, our new Learning Hub Lead and MYP English teacher!

Originally from Colorado, USA, Lara brings more than 11 years of international teaching experience to ISR and, as a lover of skiing, paddle boarding and the outdoors, she already feels right at home surrounded by the mountains. 🏔️

At ISR, Lara leads our Learning Hub and teaches Grade 6 and 7 English A. For her, the Learning Hub is much more than a place for books. It’s a space for learning, creativity, collaboration and sharing ideas across our community.

🎙️ And there’s something exciting in the works! Lara is also passionate about podcasts and is currently developing a podcast series together with ISR students and community members. Stay tuned!

Next time you’re passing the Learning Hub, stop by and say hello to Lara! 👋

What a wonderful start to the 2026/27 school year!

The first weeks of the new school year have been filled with joy, learning, laughter and plenty of new beginnings. From Mr Bavaro’s singing and guitar playing to getting to know one another and settling back into the rhythm of school life, it has been a fantastic start to the year.

It has been wonderful to welcome our whole community back to ISR and see our classrooms and corridors come alive again. We are so excited for everything the year ahead has in store and look forward to all the learning, experiences and memories still to come!

Meet Hannah – Music, Creativity & Global Experiences

Originally from Derry, Northern Ireland, Hannah joined the ISR community in July, beginning an exciting new chapter in Switzerland. Her international journey has already taken her around the world, including a year living in New Zealand — a country she fell in love with for its incredible landscapes, people and rich Māori culture. 🇳🇿

🎶 A passionate songwriter, Hannah has released some of her original music and has also featured on the 'Music Teachers in International Schools' podcast, sharing her love of creativity and songwriting.

🏃‍♀️ Outside the classroom, Hannah is an enthusiastic runner, having completed a full marathon in Bangkok and two half marathons.

📚 Alongside teaching, she is completing her Master’s in Social, Emotional and Mental Health. At ISR, Hannah is passionate about nurturing creativity and helping students discover their own ways of expressing themselves through music and the arts.

For Hannah, music is for everyone. She believes that creativity, imagination, and a willingness to explore are just as important as playing an instrument.

We’re delighted to have Hannah as part of the ISR community!

What a wonderful way to start our 25th anniversary alumni stories.

Last week, we welcomed former ISR students Miu and Iris, almost 20 years after they first met here as young children.

Miu now lives and works in public relations in Nagoya, Japan, while Iris works as an architect in Zurich.

Their friendship began during their Kindergarten and Primary School years at ISR and has continued across countries, continents and all the years in between. 🌍

There were plenty of memories to rediscover, including Iris’s Grade 1 class book from 2007 and photos from our former school building.

And then came a wonderful surprise: walking through the hallway, they spotted Mr Steve Bavaro, “the man with the guitar”, and recognised him immediately!

We loved having Miu and Iris back at ISR and are excited to share some of their memories with you.