Celebrating 25 Years of IEGS
Celebrating 25 Years of Internationella Engelska Gymnasiet Södermalm (IEGS)Monthly Celebration: December
Celebrating 25 Year at IEGS: School attendance matters
IEGS is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. In recognition of this milestone, each 25th of the month we are doing something to celebrate!
Now, one can only imagine how tough it could be to celebrate a birthday or anniversary in December or on December 25 to be exact because - well Christmas kind of overrides the day. Lucky for IEGS, we are not in school on the 25th, so we decided to not take this challenge on, and to wait to continue our celebrations in the new year - 2025.
We did however use this month to try out our 3D printer. I am very happy to display one of our creations on my bookshelf in my office that recognises IEGS 25 Years!
When I look at this creation, I imagine all the students who have attended IEGS over the years. School is a space for academic learning as well as a space where young individuals cultivate social skills, form meaningful friendships, and develop a sense of responsibility and belonging that will serve them well throughout their lives. Being around teachers and friends in a school environment like IEGS, is the best way for students to learn and reach their potential. Time in school also keeps children safe and provides access to extracurricular opportunities and pastoral care. At IEGS we firmly believe regular school attendance is essential for this learning journey; for the educational progress and overall well-being of our students. We urge our learners to prioritise regular attendance to ensure that they can reap the full benefits of the holistic educational experience that our school strives to offer. Many students have done just that and we are proud of their achievements.
So in December, we acknowledge the impact school attendance has on overall learning and we are happy that so many of our IEGS alumni and current students engage with our school culture and attend each day!
Let's keep celebrating IEGS!
/Dr. Heimeier
Monthly Celebration: November
Celebrating 25 Year at IEGS: A time of celebration and a time of remembering
IEGS is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. In recognition of this milestone, each 25th of the month in school we are doing something to celebrate!
When one recognises milestones, one cannot help but look back in time to remember where we have been and compare it to where we are today. And so, for this month of November, we decided to do just that. To pause and reflect on where IEGS has been, and to share some key facts and moments with our current students in a timeline wall display that was revealed this week.
Our timeline display was put up in our administration wing, and it certainly is a conversation starter! It has been exciting to be in the corridors sharing this and stories with our students. To add to this celebration, during Mentor Time, our students competed as classes in a Kahoot that quizzed them about IEGS and this timeline. It was fun hearing the answers being shouted out whilst the quiz was on, and interesting to know that our SP3D class is the most knowledgeable about IEGS facts!
What I believe our students (and staff) enjoyed seeing most, was the evolution of the staff in pictures from 1999 to today. One of the founding staff members retired last year, Mr Armstrong, but we have a few very near founding staff members, namely Mr Theding (now Assistant Principal), Mr Hemingway (now Academic Manager and IBDP Coordinator) and Dr Elmfors (now Head of House for Russell and Science Teacher), still on staff today. Their excellence, institutional presence, and experience help ensure that the school remains grounded and true to its founding.
Students were curious about our move to Södermalm in 2008 when we introduced the House System, and to see what our first Inter House Competitions looked like when we began those in 2009. These traditions continue to be a big part of our school culture and are always rated high in our surveys as one of the best things that they love about IEGS, followed closely by their teachers and fellow students.
One of the most challenging times during the last 25 years was certainly the COVID-19 pandemic. IEGS navigated the continuation of providing an excellent education while also ensuring the health and safety of all students and staff. Our graduating class of 2020 experienced graduation digitally, and it was emotional looking at the photos from that period. I am extremely proud of how well our staff team responded, contributed to and agreed on the plan, and adjusted to make our students able to return when we opened again, all while being worried for themselves and their families during an unprecedented national and worldwide challenge.
Every day at IEGS, staff and students are adding meaningful moments to our school’s rich history. This week we hosted our first Open House for prospective new students and families who were able to see our timeline and some of our memorable moments. I can't wait to see what memorable moments the future class of 2028 will add to our school's legacy as they embark on their learning journey with us in the new national curriculum - GY25.
Let's keep celebrating IEGS!
/Dr. Heimeier
Monthly Celebration: October
Celebrating 25 years of IEGS with frosted autumn spiced cupcakes
IEGS is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. In recognition of this milestone, each 25th of the month in school we are doing something to celebrate!
When it comes to celebrations, one thing that is almost always present is a delicious cake. Traditionally, cake holds a symbolic deep meaning in birthday celebrations as it represents the joy and sweetness of life. Wedding cakes symbolise good luck and prosperity, while wedding anniversary cakes are a heartfelt tribute to the years of love, laughter, and shared dreams of the couple. For all of these celebrations, a lot of time and thought goes into choosing the type of cake, the design and the flavours, as the cake is the centrepiece for these memorable occasions. Family and friends are invited and gather to enjoy the celebration and share the sweet treat. The act of cutting and sharing cake with loved ones, also symbolises sharing happiness and good fortune.
So in keeping with this tradition, this October, our second 25th day in school, we shared the joy and sweetness of teaching and learning at IEGS with cake: more specifically, our signature cake is CUPCAKES! Our cupcakes embraced nostalgic flavours; an autumn spiced cake with an apple jam filling representing the autumn term we opened our doors in 1999 and the apples symbolic of education in Sweden. The delicious sweet, cream cheese frosting links to our English speaking influence, and cupcakes, an American invention I am told, honours our founder, Ms Barbara Bergstöm. And, as it is a special occasion, the cupcakes were decorated with a sugared disc with the number 25 in our IEGS blue colour.
These specially crafted cupcakes were more than a delightful indulgence to be shared, they were a heartfelt tribute to the years of aspirations, dedication, laughter, sharing, learning and teaching. Looking at the smiles of our students, and taking that first sweet bite, I was reminded of the commitment that has blossomed and flourished over the years, making this anniversary truly unforgettable.
Let's keep celebrating IEGS!
Monthly Celebration: September
Celebrating 25 Years of IEGS
Our promise to our students remains unchanged 25 years on, as we continue to build on the innovative spirit that founded our school, and the steadfast goal to give our students a transformative education in a safe and calm environment, for them to become Global Citizens of the future.
This September, our first 25th day in school, we kicked off the celebrations by having our entire school participate in a group photo in the shape of the number 25 in front of the school building. We were successful in this fun challenge, displaying both efficiency and cooperation in creating a “human 25” together. Twenty five years ago, the aerial shot itself would have been a challenge, but not in 2024, with a drone and a pair of steady hands to take our group picture.