February 2026 Newsletter

Details

Published: 21 February 2026 21 February 2026

Hits: 0 0

February 2026 Newsletter

Dear Parents and School Community,

As the first semester comes to an end, the Parents’ Association would like to congratulate all students on receiving their Zeugnis/Term reports/Carnet scolaire. A special congratulations to students completing the pre-Baccalaureate, and we wish the very best of luck to those preparing for upcoming entrance exams.

There is also plenty to look forward to in the months ahead, including the Primary Soccer Tournament and the Eurovision Song Contest, both of which promise to be exciting highlights for our school community.

With a well-earned break now here, we hope that families enjoy a relaxing and enjoyable ski holiday and return refreshed for the new semester. Thank you, as always, for your continued support.

If you have any questions, need assistance, or would like to get involved in the Parents’ Association, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

In case you are not already a member of the PA, we encourage you to join us to support our activities for our community! Applications can be made here: Become a member

With kind regards,

The ESF Parents Association Board Katalin Bodnár, Carlos Bowles, Emese Farkas, Elizaveta Gardo, Floriana Grimaldi, Thomas Jaeger, Orsolya Kóczánné Láng, Christine Majoros, Aleksandra Maneg, Rosa Montanti, Nicole Moore, Zsófia Petersen

(1) PA News

(2) School News

(3) PA Events: Recent Events, and Ongoing and Upcoming Events.

1. PA News

🤝 Bullying

Bullying unfortunately remains an important issue. While we are aware of a series of cases, we are still missing volunteers to participate to our working groups and also parents willing to share their own experience in confidence. We would like to identify patterns and actionable proposals which we could put forward to the school.

Please contact Nicole Moore and Carlos Bowles at office@esfparents.org

🏗 Building Issues

The PA’s initiative to participate in the monthly meetings of the Frankfurt city council’s schooling and school buildings committee shows first results. The future site of the ESF is a permanent topic in the political debate. Some of the issues brought up by us were touched on at questions to the city council on the 29th of January (Fragestunde der Stadtverordnetenversammlung) and in an article published in Frankfurter Rundschau on 5th February 2026 (here). Thank you for your support and participation. Together we can make a difference!

The next and last committee meeting in this legislative period is on the 23rd of February 2026 at 5pm. A status report on the planning of the new site for the ESF is issue 74 on the agenda, to be found here .The report itself can be found here.

If you can make it, please join us! Members of the PA board will be there to welcome you outside Bethmannstraße 3, side entrance of the city hall at Römer, at 4:45 pm. The meeting will take place in the meeting room „Haus Siberberg“ and is expected to last until 8 pm.

Our commitment remains steadfast: we will continue advocating for the children’s best interests and raising awareness of the ongoing challenges. The delay in finalizing the decision on the future site of the ESF complicates short-term planning, as the timeframe remains uncertain. We will continue questioning the city administration about when and where appropriate substitute areas will be allocated to the ESF. We will also ask whether the city has considered situating the new building on an alternative site, thereby preserving the red pitch’s current functions. Moreover, we will raise concerns regarding the future of the container buildings in the EuroKids village, specifically how long their continued use will be permitted in light of the new rural development plans for the “Stadtteil der Quartiere.”

Representation and school exchange topics

🏛Administrative Board meeting

The ESF Administrative Board took place on 20 January.

Building: the current interim infrastructure is no longer adequate, and without a long-term solution by 2028/29 the school risks losing classrooms, sports facilities and childminding services. Ratsweg remains the preferred option, but discussions with the Dippemesse and alternative locations are still ongoing. A coordinated, high-level political initiative involving European institutions is planned to increase pressure on the City of Frankfurt to secure a solution.

Budget: Budgetary constraints remain strict, with non-salary cost increases capped at 2% whereas a big proportion of them are driven by wage-related inflationary pressure (cleaning and security). This means the school needs to cut on other expenses, which can either impact the quality of the service offered (e.g. possible reduction of doors opened in the morning) or will result into higher costs passed on to parents, via the Parents Association. Among other, the ESF will not anymore provide free security for events organised by parents (e.g. soccer tournament), meaning parents will have to pay more. This situation is particularly alarming as further budget cuts will have to be put through every year, and it is clearly not sustainable. In that regard, we appreciated the efforts made by the General Secretary Mr Beckmann to find extra financing for security measures recommended by the latest audit, e.g. the forthcoming introduction of video surveillance at the school – a point which was not to be taken for granted and that was strongly required by the parents in the last Administrative Board. On the negative side, we learned that the share of the ECB contribution in the total of the contribution from institutions has declined to 42% for 2027, from 49% in 2026. This cannot be explained by the new intake resulting from AMLA parents, which remains marginal so far. The ECB refused to share the reason driving this lower financial engagement as well as the underlying formula which was used to set its contribution level.

Student Points: students raised concerns about the revised Teams chat policy, with particular emphasis on the need for confidential communication between students and their representatives. Significant stress linked to assessment organisation in secondary was reported, including extended assessment periods, poor scheduling and limited benefit from shorter test durations. These concerns were acknowledged, with feedback to be fed into future reforms, although no structural changes are possible for the coming school year.

Parent Points: we asked to be involved regarding possible further class mergers and shared some concerns regarding availability of teaching materials, break supervision, student well-being, operational consistency in primary, and curriculum review. Management acknowledged several issues, proposed targeted or pilot-based solutions (notably for digital materials and playground supervision), and confirmed that well-being is a growing system-wide priority. Some topics, including educational support for teachers, will be revisited within future planning and budgetary frameworks.

🍽 Canteen Committee

Thank you to all the parents who participated in the three canteen food tastings offered by MenüPartner to the school community. Your feedback is most valuable to us. We are collecting all views and will give feedback to the school and Menüpartner accordingly. So far, we have seen mixed responses. Your experiences reach from very satisfactory to suggestions for improvement. We learnt that the food is rather salty, there is lack of plain protein products, a reduction of sauces was suggested and the wish expressed, that food be more recognizable as to its ingredients. There is also a wish to have less food readily mixed together, so that children may choose themselves. Also, a clear indication of the ingredients was found missing. If you have more observations, please give us feedback on your experience at the canteen by writing an email to office@esfparents.org.

🎓 Educational Support

Based on the outcomes of the Educational Support Committee organised in December, the PA has proposed to offer some training to teachers on differentiation of teaching methods and stress management, as a way to support teachers dealing with students who might face challenges (incl. beyond learning difficulties). Discussions are ongoing in this regard with the school.

Moreover, in March an online session will be organised with parents to get more information about Educational Support arrangements (e.g. how it works over the entire school cycle), the scheduled date will be communicated after the break.

Exchange with school management

On top of the above items, it is also important to remind that the PA continues keeping regular interaction with ESF School management via periodical catch-up meetings. Under this period, many items which are relevant in preparation of the upcoming Educational Councils in March have been already part of this periodical brainstorming and such dialogue has also triggered the launch of some initiatives at school such as the kick-off of clubs for students in Secondary, the evaluation of future projects in Primary, the arrangements for students parties and tournaments.

👥Interparents at the JTC

The Joint Teaching Committee is taking place in these days and is discussing about many important items, such as the Report of the Whole School Inspection at the European School Frankfurt, the update of Syllabus for all L1 languages, Arrangements for Implementing the Regulations for the European Baccalaureate, updates of many school policies. Some items are discussed for opinions, others for approval and submission to the next steps in the decision-making process (i.e. Budgetary Committee, Board of Governors). Once decisions become final, we will be able to provide you with more information.

📇 Babysitter database

This service is reserved to PA members, who are registered on the PA website. You will find all the contact information needed to connect with the parents of the ESF students offering babysitting or tutoring. Please feel free to reach out to them directly and help spread the word about this community initiative. Fees are set directly by the students in a fair and non-competitive manner. The Parents' Association is not involved in pricing.

Access it here: Babysitter database

2. School News

🌅Primary morning routine

We are still collecting answers to our Primary morning routine survey (122 answers received so far). Primary parent representatives will meet Ms Clancy on 26 February and we would appreciate receiving your guidance on this issue.

Please take the survey here: Primary morning routine survey

Secondary matters

After the break, we have been told that the second semester will begin with a learning skills week where teachers will focus on providing tips about study’s organisation and methods. This is an important element for all the students in each Secondary year group as it helps navigating through challenges connected to timetable, homework, preparation of tests and overall students „learn to learn” capacity.

The PA is looking forward to getting feedback about students take-aways from that week and is considering arranging for interested studies additional workshop for them to continue focusing on those aspects.

For these reasons we are interested in collecting interest in participating on voluntary basis on possible sessions which will focus on matters such as how to review tests and homework, hot to plan and organise homework, how to take note during lessons, how to learn from long reading. Thereafter we invite to send an email to the PA email address if your children would like to participate. Based on number of applications we would receive by the 6th of March; we would be able to understand how to possibly organise those sessions and come back to you with the concrete proposal. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Moreover, we are also exploring the idea to organise some cooking sessions under the upcoming Spring and will ask you to send an email to the PA address by the same date if you think that your child could be interested. Also, for this initiative, we will come back with the organisational details once we understand the number of possible participants. Please do send an email to esfpasecondaryedcouncil@gmail.com with the subject „learn to learn” and/or ” cooking” in case your son/daughter is willing to participate.

Last but not least we are engaging with the school to understand whether well-being sessions could be organised at school such as on „stress management” and „cyberbullying”. Hopefully, we will update soon on this.

🎤✨Eurovision song contest

We are delighted to announce that the Eurovision Song Contest is returning in 2026. Please note that the event date has changed. The contest will now take place at school on Tuesday, 3 March 2026.

A big thank you to the enthusiastic teachers and school management for bringing back this much-loved event. Representatives from many countries are still in the hunt, including France and Italy, and we can look forward to an exciting and varied show. No Eurovision is complete without an enthusiastic audience. Tickets will be available for €5, and as the Aula’s capacity is limited, we recommend planning ahead. Further details about ticket sales will follow soon. We look forward to seeing many of you there, cheering on our performers.

🎉 Secondary Clubs

We are excited to announce the launch of a Science Lab Club, open to students from S1 to S5 in two groups. (S1-3, S4-5)! The Science Lab Club will offer students the opportunity to explore science through hands-on experiments and interactive activities, fostering curiosity, creativity, and a passion for discovery. The lab will take place one Friday per month and will be in English.

We kindly ask interested students to come to the first meeting on:27.02 at 14:25 in B240.

Depending on how many students will participate, schedule and organisation will be arranged and communicated for the next monthly sessions. We strongly encourage students who enjoy experimenting, asking questions, and discovering how things work to join this new initiative which is organised by the school science lab assistants and supported by the ESF Parents Association. For the first session, students who would like to join will be excused from the lesson which might take place during the same period. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the school, or drop an email to the ESF PA who is supporting the initiative:office@esfparents.org

🔬 Science Symposium

11-14 April 2027 ESF Science Symposium 2027 – Call for Volunteers

ESF is honored to host the Science Symposium 2027 in Frankfurt next year from 11–14 April 2027. This event brings together the young scientists from all the European Schools, to select the winner, who will represent all the European Schools at the European Union Contest for Young Scientists. Please visit the website of the 2026 event for more information: http://esss.wp.eursc.eu/

To ensure high academic standards and provide students with professional feedback, we are inviting parent scientists, engineers, and researchers to join the jury panel. We would be truly grateful for your participation and expertise in helping make this event a success.

The role involves:

• Reviewing and evaluating the students’ project reports before the event.

• Attending at least one or two days of the symposium (11–14 April 2027).

• Evaluating student oral presentations and posters and offering feedback.

If you are interested in joining the jury, please send your name, professional background, and area of expertise to LIST-FRF-ESSS@eursc.eu by 31 March 2026.

Your contribution would be greatly appreciated and will make a valuable contribution to inspiring the next generation of young scientists.

3. PA Events

✅ Outcomes of Past Events

📚 Book Challenge

The Best Book Challenge for our S1–S4 students has wrapped up!

Nearly 35 students participated across the different sections and SWALS languages, and together they read more than 140 books!

A big shout-out to the secondary school librarian, Ms. McWilliams for organizing everything, and to all the teachers who encouraged students to take part. And of course, well done to our fantastic readers for sticking with it and reading so enthusiastically all semester long!

We can’t wait to do it all again next autumn!

🎭Primary Carnivals Bring Fun and Festivities!

The week before the February break was filled with joy and excitement as nearly 650 pupils from P1 to P5 came together to celebrate carnival in style!

A huge thank you goes out to our amazing sports teachers, whose fantastic efforts made these celebrations possible. We’d also like to extend our gratitude to all the parents who joined in to cheer and bring extra smiles to the day.

The carnival was packed with vibrant activities that brought laughter and happiness to everyone involved. The children danced together to lively music, creating a beautiful atmosphere of unity and celebration. They proudly showcased their colorful costumes on a catwalk, delighting in the chance to shine and express themselves. Adding to the excitement, pupils from some classes in P3 to P5 impressed everyone with their incredible performances during a talent show. Fun-filled activities were enjoyed throughout the day, bringing memorable moments and smiles to pupils, teachers, and parents alike.

This week of carnival fun was a true highlight for everyone involved! We can’t wait for next year’s carnival, as we continue to build on the joy and excitement of this wonderful tradition.

🥣A Taste of Europe—From Scratch!

Cooking class in the Primary English section

Our students practiced their English while hand-crafting a delicious variety of dishes from scratch. They toured around Europe through flavor, making Spanish empanadas, Swedish cinnamon buns, French croissants, Portuguese tarts, and many more international treats. We are so grateful for your support in providing such a wonderful, hands-on cultural experience!

Still Running!

🌟 Primary projects

Thanks to the good cooperation with the Primary School management, the PA is pleased to continue supporting the well-being of our students in primary school by financing the yoga project.

🎭Primary Italian section theater project

In the Primary Italian Section, a half-year theatre project started this month with children from PP to P5. It will conclude with a collective final show whose central theme will be The Journey.

This symbolic voyage will weave together elements of different European traditions — dances, songs, and stories — creating a performance that celebrates the richness of multicultural identity. Each participant will contribute to this mosaic, bringing their own creativity and cultural awareness to the final artistic creation.

📅 Upcoming Events

⚽Primary soccer tournament

We are excited to announce that the Primary Soccer Tournament is back on 25 April 2026, and we are already looking forward to another fantastic day on the pitch.

Following the great success of the tournament in previous years, this event promises once again to be a real highlight for our primary students. Organised by Mr Timothy Wrey, the tournament is open to all young soccer-enthusiastic girls and boys who are ready to play, cheer, and enjoy some friendly competition.

Teams will be formed on a one team per class basis. Classes may join together to form a team if needed, but a class may not enter more than one team. We encourage students to start talking with classmates and getting excited about taking part.

Further details regarding registration and organisation will follow shortly. For now, please save the date and get ready for a fun, energetic, and sporty day at school.

📌 Miscellaneous: recommendations from PA Board members

Public consultations relevant for parents at European schools

The European Commission is preparing two initiatives of considerable interest for mobile families: the Skills Portability Initiative and the European Social Security Pass. We warmly invite you to participate in the related public consultations and to share the questionnaires with your family, friends and other networks.

Why does this matter for you and your family? As a mobile family, you or your family members may have encountered situations where you needed to present certified copies of educational diplomas or navigate the process of having education recognised, especially in the case of regulated profession or qualifications obtained outside the EU. Concerning social security, you might have utilised the European Health Insurance Card or other attestations to confirm your insurance status.

These two initiatives aim to simplify and streamline these processes including by promoting the use of digital tools:

• The Skills Portability Initiative (SPI) encompasses three interrelated actions. Firstly, it seeks to enhance the transparency of skills and qualifications, as well as expand digital tools. Secondly, it examines measures to modernise and expand recognition processes for regulated professions. Lastly, it considers common EU rules to simplify how the skills and qualifications of third-country nationals are recognised.

• The European Social Security Pass (ESSPASS) aims at simplifying interactions with relevant authorities or service providers in the context of social security when visiting or moving to another EU country. This includes use of European Health Insurance Card, proving health insurance when moving to another EU country as a pensioner, demonstrating insurance status for posted workers and more. The initiative seeks to enable the secure and swift verification of social security rights and documents via a digital solution, thereby reducing paperwork and minimising the risk of errors and fraud.

Where to submit your response? Please, refer to the provided links for Skills Portability Initiative: here (end date 27 February 2026) and the European Social Security Pass: here (end date 16 April 2026). Questionnaires are available in all EU languages.

Your feedback on practical obstacles and opinions on potential solutions and impacts in these areas would be incredibly valuable. We look forward to receiving your valuable contributions and insights!

✏Parents petition for the reopening of the out-of-hours pediatric services at Uniklinik

Since 1 October 2025, the pediatric out-of-hours service (Kinderärztlicher Bereitschaftsdienst) at Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt has been permanently closed. Frankfurt now has only one remaining location for pediatric urgent care outside office hours: Klinikum Höchst, in the far west of the City. This situation directly impacts the wellbeing of staff and their families: Many staff live in central, eastern, or southern Frankfurt, a family with a sick child on a weekend now faces a 30–45 minute drive to the nearest facility—or must travel to a different city (Offenbach). For international families, challenges are compounded: language barriers, unfamiliarity with the German healthcare system, and no local family support network.

In response, some parents launched a petition demanding the reinstatement of this essential service:  Petition Link: https://www.openpetition.de/petition/online/erhalt-deskinderaerztlichen-bereitschaftsdienstes-an-der-uni-klinik-frankfurt

Currently, over 4,755 signatures collected and approximately 700 additional signatures are still needed to reach the OpenPetition quorum.

Political support: The petition was presented to Frankfurt's Social and Health Committee at the Römer (October 2025). On 28 November 2025, Ortsbeirat 5 (local district council for Sachsenhausen, Niederrad, Oberrad) unanimously adopted a resolution calling for reinstatement. The petition was also reported in the press (Frankfurter Rundschau here and here , Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and Frankfurter Neue Press).

Should you have further question or would like to help in advertising the petition, please contact Mr Csongor Suba (mailto:csongor.suba@gmail.com).

🎭🎭 Carnival in Frankfurt If you would like to celebrate carnival in Hessen, here a link to the upcoming events: Carnival events in and around Frankfurt