Dear parents, dear students

I would like to welcome you to the new school year. I hope you had a pleasant and restful holiday and were able to recharge your batteries for the new school year 2024-2025.

Last year was rich in events, including the festivities to celebrate the 70th anniversary not only of our school but of the entire European School system, the organization of the “Model European Council” (MEC) political simulation game in secondary school, and the project dedicated to the 2024 Olympic Games entitled “Olympic games and values in sports” in primary school. Once again this year, we have planned a number of projects and activities in all cycles, which we will be presenting over the course of the year.

Today, I would like to inform you about the traditional Christmas market of the two European Schools, which will take place on November 30, 2024 at the European School of Mamer.

From 22 to 26 May 2023, our school was inspected as part of the Whole School Inspection regularly organised in all European schools. The results of this inspection were first presented to teachers and then to parents’ and pupils’ representatives and discussed at the beginning of the school year in our Advisory Council. The School also shared the full report with the whole school community.

Following the procedures of the School Inspections, we prepared an action plan to respond to the recommendations made by the inspectors; this action plan was presented to our various councils and will be implemented during the 2024-2025 school year.

Independently of this inspection, a new survey (“General Survey”) was organised in April 2024 with the help of the SCRIPT (Service de Coordination de la Recherche et de l’Innovation Pédagogiques et Technologiques), whom we thank warmly for their excellent cooperation. We are currently analysing the results, which will be presented in autumn 2024.

We would also like to draw your attention to a change in the Luxembourg education system which also has an impact on the European Schools. From the school year 2024-2025, the European Schools in Luxembourg will have to apply the law of 20/07/2023 on compulsory education. Among other things, this law provides for an extension of compulsory schooling to the age of 18 and sets out the procedures for monitoring compliance with compulsory schooling (enrolment and attendance). As a result, schools will be obliged to regularly inform the Ministry of National Education, Children and Youth of resident pupils enrolled and to declare unjustified absences of pupils resident in Luxembourg at least once a month. A detailed communication will be sent to you with full details of how this law is to be applied.

I would also like to inform you that a working group, made up of all the stakeholders in our school community, has been meeting throughout the year to put in place a new policy on the use of cell phones in secondary school, which will be implemented from the start of the new school year. I’m counting on the understanding and goodwill of all those involved to ensure the consistent implementation of this new policy.

It now remains for me to wish you a successful school year 2024-2025.

Sincerely,

M. Wedel
Director