SWISS INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Principal at SIS Basel
- Vice - Principal and Head of Bilingual College
Adrian Bürgi has been the vice-principal at SIS Basel since August 2013 and teaches mathematics and information technology. He also holds the position of Head of the Bilingual College as of August 2022. Giving children and young people the opportunity to develop their skills is, to him, the focus of his work. Adrian Bürgi graduated from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich in environmental sciences and also trained there as a college teacher. For more than 15 years, he gained professional experience as a teacher at college level. He worked for six years in the school management of a private school and led it through the recognition procedure for the Fachmaturität (specialised baccalaureate). In his last job, he designed study programmes for an internationally active university, for which he also worked as a lecturer and tutor.
Job Titles:
- Head of Bilingual International College
Bret Simner has been a part of the team at SIS Basel since 2016. In that time, he has taught throughout the school, first as a primary teacher and then, since 2019, as a college music teacher. Bret's passion is that all students feel well and accepted the moment they enter the school. Once a child feels comfortable in their environment, then learning can begin. Bret Simner holds a Bachelor's and Master's degree in double bass performance from the Juilliard School in New York and a doctorate from the Stony Brook University in New York. Before coming to SIS Basel, he lectured worldwide at institutions that include Yale University and Stanford University in the USA, and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. Bret joined the school management team of SIS Basel in the summer of 2023.
Chloe Smith began her time at SIS Zürich in August 2022. She currently works as a primary school teacher alongside her role of Head of Primary, for which she works in close coordination with the Head of Kindergarten. Chloe Smith is originally from Yorkshire in the UK. She completed both her degree in English literature and her teacher training at Leeds Trinity University. After spending over two years as a primary school teacher and English subject leader in the UK, she moved to Switzerland with her partner in 2020, where she continued her career of working with children. She is a passionate teacher who is excited to be part of the SIS Zürich team. She particularly enjoys cultivating a motivated and supportive classroom environment where she can build true connections with each student. During her free time, Chloe Smith enjoys hiking with her partner, spending time in nature, cooking and reading.
Job Titles:
- Head of Primary School 2 to 6
Cécile de Daniel was born and grew up in Germany on the Swiss border. She completed her primary and secondary school studies with the 2nd state examination in Freiburg i. Br. She also obtained her diploma in adult education in 2007.
Cécile has been teaching primary school at SIS Basel since 2009. Her central concern is to recognise each child as an individual and to support them in their learning as a whole. In 2020, Cécile took part in the SIS internal leadership programme. She has been a member of the school management team since 2024. Cécile is interested in culture, dances ballet and does Pilates.
Katarina Guggenbühler has been working at SIS Zürich since 2010. Until 2017, she taught the specialised subject "philosophy, psychology, pedagogics". In the 2015/16 school year, she became vice-principal and in the 2018/19 school year, principal. Katarina Guggenbühler comes from Karlsruhe, Germany. After graduating from high school, she worked for a year at a school in Leicester, England. She studied psychology and philosophy at the universities of Kiel, Zürich and Bonn. After graduating in Bonn, she moved to Zürich where she currently lives with her family. The direct contact and exchange with people, especially young people, has always fascinated her. The internationality and cultural diversity at SIS appeal to her very much. She likes to spend her free time with her family, in nature and horse riding.
Job Titles:
- Head of Primary School 2 to 6
Louise Parjol grew up and studied in the United Kingdom. She completed her bachelor in primary education at the university of Wales, Bangor in 2000. Teaching has taken her to Tanzania, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates and now Switzerland. Louise Parjol is a passionate lifelong learner and particularly enjoys focusing on the development of the child as a whole person. In 2021, she started at SIS Basel as a primary 4 teacher. She brings experience from various leadership roles and since January 2023 she has been a member of the school leadership team at SIS Basel.
Marcel Brunner was born in Switzerland but grew up in São Paulo, Brazil when his parents emigrated for professional reasons. He trained as a primary school teacher in the canton of St. Gallen, where he also gained his first professional experience. For 15 years, he taught various school levels at primary and secondary schools both in Switzerland and abroad. After successfully completing his school management training, Marcel Brunner first took over the management of the kindergarten and primary levels and then the management of the Swiss school in São Paulo for 10 years. He completed additional qualifications at the Pädagogische Hochschule Zürich and at the University of St. Gallen. Two years ago, he moved back to Switzerland, where he headed a primary school in Basel. He has been school principal of SIS Basel since 1 August 2023. Marcel Brunner is married, has two grown-up children and is a passionate hobby cook.
Marie-Claude Gaëtan was born and raised in Canada where she pursued her bachelor's degree in primary and elementary education from Laval University. In 2005, she graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in early childhood education. Marie-Claude Gaëtan joined SIS in 2009. She is Head of Kindergarten and teaches primary intro, as well as French in college. Prior to working in Switzerland, she taught in California and Canada. Marie-Claude Gaëtan has two daughters who also attend SIS and fluently speak three languages. She enjoys fitness and initiated the SIS Running Challenge, which is one of our landmark events at SIS Basel.
Matthew Hall has been working as a primary school teacher at SIS Zürich since August 2015, and as part of the history teaching team for the Matura since August 2019. He took over the role of vice-principal in August 2022. Matthew Hall originally comes from Cornwall in the UK, earning his PhD in modern history there before moving to Switzerland with his wife. He then completed a master's degree in international education. Matthew Hall has lived in Switzerland and taught at international schools for over 15 years. He is passionate about teaching and making connections with each student in order to forge authentic learning experiences. He appreciates the open interaction at SIS Zürich and is happy with the positive parental cooperation and support. In his free time, Matthew Hall enjoys playing board games, reading and cooking. During the warmer months he can often be found tending his allotment garden.
Job Titles:
- Head of Bilingual College
Shane Peter has been working at SIS schools for over seven years. He took over the role of CAS (Creativity, Action, Service) Coordinator in the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme in August 2021 and as of August 2022 is the IB Coordinator and Head of College for the lower secondary classes. Shane Peter is half Swiss and half American and was raised in Colorado, USA. He completed a master's degree of education in sports management and a master's degree of education in linguistics and humanities. He has lived in Switzerland and taught and held leadership responsibilities at international schools for over 15 years. He is a strong believer in project-based learning and encouraging students to take an active role in their local community. Through CAS, his students promote several charities addressing local and global issues, plan and host events around the school and volunteer with the Red Cross to help integrate refugee children. In his free time, Shane Peter enjoys playing sports, reading and working on his many handicraft projects around the house.
Teresa Vogele has been working at SIS Zurich since August 2022. She works as a kindergarten teacher and head of the kindergarten level, in which role she works closely with the head of the primary school level. Teresa Vogele is originally from the district of Günzburg, Germany. She graduated as a curative education nurse from the state-recognised technical college in Dürrlauingen, after which she completed various further training courses in the field of early childhood education. After working for over two years as the head of an external residential group for children and young people, she moved to the kindergarten for eight years as a group leader. Teresa Vogele is passionate about supporting the children in their everyday lives, accompanying them and turning seemingly small moments into big ones. In her free time, she enjoys snowboarding and skydiving with her partner and spends as much time as possible in nature.