The Parents Association of BG GIBS has given itself the task of presenting itself as the contact partner for the various groups within the school. For this reason, special interest groups have been formed in which experienced parents can offer or pass on information. Every parent is sincerely invited to join one of these groups which seek to provide the most efficient contribution to our children’s education in the broadest way possible. The main focus is placed upon deepening the communication between students, teachers and parents. Only an earnest and reciprocal cooperation between home and school can reach the goal of an open and constructive school environment in which good work can be produced. An increased cooperation between parents and school forms a broad foundation of information that can recognize problems before they become difficult to resolve. The parent representatives will always have an open ear for problems. In general, the parents’ association encourages the individual parties involved in notable conflicts to resolve their problem directly. A conversational meeting can be arranged without any problem, as well as delivering to the correct address a message that effects many individuals. In clearly recognizable individual problems, the parents’ association does not wish to stand in between the parties concerned.
School Announcements
Official announcements by the school, board of education and the ministry of education will be published here.
Verordnung - Französisch als Unterrichtssprache
Ferienkalender/Overview of School Holidays
School Year 2024/25
Samstag 26. Oktober 2024 | Österreichischer Nationalfeiertag /public holiday |
Montag 28. Oktober bis Sonntag 3. November 2024 | Herbstferien/fall break |
Sonntag 8. Dezember 2024 | Mariä Empfängnis/public holiday |
Montag, 23. Dezember 2024 | Schulfrei/no school
(vom BMBWF zentral vorgegeben) |
Dienstag, 24. Dezember 2024 bis Montag, 6. Jänner 2025 | Weihnachtsferien/Christmas break |
Montag 17. Februar bis Sonntag, 23. Februar 2025 | Semesterferien/semester break (Steiermark) |
Mittwoch 19. März 2025 | Schulfrei – Landespatron Stmk/public holiday |
Samstag 12. April bis Montag 21. April 2025 | Osterferien/Easter break |
Donnerstag 1. Mai 2025 | Staatsfeiertag 1. Mai/public holiday |
Donnerstag 29. Mai 2025 | Christi Himmelfahrt/public holiday |
Freitag 30. Mai 2025 | Schulfrei/no school (Verordnung BD Stmk) |
Dienstag 10. Juni 2025 | Schulfrei/no school (schulautonom SGA) |
Donnerstag 19. Juni 2025 | Fronleichnam/public holiday |
Freitag 20. Juni 2025 | Schulfrei/no school (Verordnung BD Stmk) |
Samstag 5. Juli bis Sonntag 7. September 2025 | Sommerferien |
Montag 8. September 2025 | Schulbeginn Schuljahr 2025/26 |
Alle Angaben ohne Gewähr, für Fehler und Irrtümer übernimmt die Schule keine Haftung
Parents Association
Financial Student Support
The GIBS Parent Association provides assistance to families so that every student can participate in school
events (e.g., ski trips, sports weeks, language trips) or make school-related expenses. The level of support
depends on the cost of the school event and the family’s net income. Please fill out the application form
completely and submit it along with the required documents. All information you provide will be treated
confidentially and used solely for decision-making purposes (in accordance with GDPR).
Links
Parents Association Board Members
Unmil Karadkar
Spokesman
Elisabetta Cavanna
Vice Spokesperson
Paul Swoboda
Treasurer
Shardul Bhalerao
Vice Treasurer
Judith Forstner
Secretary
Synnøva O'Gorman
Vice Secretary
Franz Öller
Accountant
Rose Juliet Raya
Vice Accountant
Parents Representatives
Klasse | Name | |
1a | Franz Öller | franz.oeller@fjoe.at |
1a (Stv) | Ulrike Haring | ulrikeharing@gmail.com |
1b | Christian Friedrich | bahia.christian@gmail.com |
1b (Stv) | Iris Brunnsteiner | iris.brunnsteiner@icloud.com |
1c | Manuela Safran | msafran@essayen.net |
1c (Stv) | Marina Hatzl | marick@gmx.at |
2a | Neda Ketf | nedaketf77@gmail.com |
2a (Stv) | Alka Egger | Alka.Egger@lifestylehotels.net |
2b | Stefanie-Nicole Vellick | info@yoga-life.at |
2b (Stv) | Alison Jones | alison.j.jones@icloud.com |
2c | Unmil Karadkar | unmil@karadkar.me |
2c (Stv) | Edith Rothbart | em.rothbart@gmail.com |
3a | Astrid Wrenger | astridwerhahn@hotmail.com |
3a (Stv) | Alice Samec | alice.samec@gmx.at |
3b | Regina Szabó-Göcze | regina.szabo@gmail.com |
3b (Stv) | Lucia Swoboda-Zancanella | lucia.zancanella@gmx.at |
3c | Shaila Loibnegger | shaila.loibnegger@gmx.at |
3c (Stv) | Bettina Zajac | bettina.zajac@orf.at |
4a | Ulla Offenbeck | ulla.offenbeck@klassik4kids.at |
4a (Stv) | Martina Hochreiter-Petzl | martina.petzl@isg.com |
4b | Cornelia Ternek | cornelia.ternek@kraxlmaxlundco.at |
4b (Stv) | Maria Anderwald | mariaanderwald@hotmail.com |
4c | Giovanna Cenni | giovanna.cenni@gmail.com |
4c (Stv) | Elke Zenz | elke.zenz@doppelpunkt.at |
5a | Eva Kainz-Kaufmann | eva.kainz-kaufmann@merkur.at |
5a (Stv) | Susanne Petrovits | susanne.petrovits@gmail.com |
5b | Martin Rothbart | em.rothbart@gmail.com |
5b (Stv) |
Elena Popovska
|
elena.popovska0809@gmail.com |
5c | Nicola Dickson | nicola.dickson@ams.com |
5c (Stv) | Judith Forstner | judith.forstner@avl.com |
6a | Patrick Handler | patrick.handler@innocad.at |
6a (Stv) | Bergegère Elsa | elsa.bergegere@gmail.com |
6b | Birgit Ehrlich | ehrlich.kids@aon.at |
6b (Stv) | Dr.Georg Ehrlich | ehrlich.kids@aon.at |
6i | Sonja Polt | Sonja.polt@gmail.com |
6i (Stv) | Simone Pagger | simone@pagger.at |
7a | Richard Klar | richard3.klar@gmail.com |
7a (Stv) | Ingrid Reicher | ingrid.reicher@outlook.com |
7b | Andrea Prieschl | a.prieschl@gmx.at |
7b (Stv) | Stefan Schreiner | stefanschreiner@gmail.com |
7i | Suzanne Pirker | Suzanne_pirker@yahoo.com |
7i (Stv) | Monika Mayer | mm@gerhardhuber.at |
8a | Kathrin Maier | kathrin.maier@uni-graz.at |
8a (Stv) | Christina Walcher | christina.walcher@live.com |
8b | Karin Pieber | familie_pieber@icloud.com |
8b (Stv) | Monika Winter | office@monikawinter.at |
8i | Lidija Ješić | lidijajesic@hotmail.com |
8i (Stv) | Amra Stöckle | stoeckle.fam@gmail.com |
Guidelines for Parent Representatives
Forward informations to all the class parents
- from school
- from the parents association
- from the GIBS support association
- from individuals with spezial requests
Forward informations from the parents
- to the class teacher
- to the teachers
- to the head mistress
- to the parents association
Conduct surveys within the class: Regarding internal and external questions and requests that concern school issues
- g., school free days, school events, etc.
Coordinate the preparation, execution and follow-up of events for the school for various occasions, e.g.:
- Summer party (each year, organized by all classes in co-operation with a teacher team for “Social-Events”
- Christmas bazaar (year 4)
- Buffet at the Christmas Party (year 4)
- General activities for exchange students (years 5, 6 and 7)
- Buffet at the parent-teacher conference day (year 6 )
- Jazzbrunch (year 7)
- Support the students in the organization of the “Maturaball” (year 8)
- Organize the buffet during the oral exams (year 8)
Establish a close community between the class parents
- Facilitate the contact between the parents and establish mutual trust – by organizing regular informal meetings like
- excursions, trips to the theatre, skiing etc.,
- Take requests, concerns and suggestions of parents seriously
- Appreciate and honour collaboration and commitment/dedication
WE VIEW OURSELFS AS A LINK BETWEEN OUR CHILDREN AND THE SCHOOL OF OUR CHILDREN!
GIBS Foundation - Verein zur Förderung der GIBS
Unlike other international schools Graz International Bilingual School (“GIBS”) is a state school that does not charge tuition fees for students. However, as a multilingual and international school striving for academic excellence while offering the Austrian Matura as well as the International Baccalaureate (“IB”) the school incurs expenses which are not always covered by government funds. Examples of these expenses include:
- Support the school financially to have language assistants as co-teachers
- Student events
- Advanced education for teachers
- Financial support for student trips abroad
- Specialized learning material for GIBS not covered by public funding guidelines
- Maintenance of an extensive, multilingual school library
The GIBS Foundation (Verein zur Förderung der GIBS) has the purpose to support the school with additional financial means to cover non-government funded operating costs, equipment and initiatives to help the school to at least maintain its high international standard. The GIBS Foundation finances itself through membership fees paid by student families as well as sponsor support.
Membership fees amount to €400,- per child per school year for the school year 2023 / 24. This will be increased to €450,- for the school year 2024/25 to counter inflation following years of stable membership fees. Our guidelines provide for a reduction of fees for families in financial need but members are strongly encouraged to seek financial help for school trips etc. via the Elternverein first (see section financial support application). Payment will be taken by direct debit in November of every school year. In order to make it as easy as possible from an administrative perspective we ask you to authorise a direct-debit mandate (Einzugsermächtigung) to VF-GIBS. Please complete the form and return it to kassier.vf@gibs.at. Alternatively, your child can hand in the form to the school office or a form teacher.
The expenses below refer to the school year 2021/22.
Non-IB expense
In line with the school’s guidelines and the association’s purpose, the largest amount goes towards paying the language assistants who help us make the GIBS such a successful bilingual school in Austria.
The second largest cost item is for events, projects and travel. Cultural events (cinema, theatre, opera), sporting events (self-defense, climbing), excursions (Vienna, Mauthausen, Flavia Solva) and much more are covered here. These costs as well as rental costs for copiers, rooms and the parents’ association fee are usually collected individually in other schools, while we try to make the administration as easy as possible for parents and teachers through the association.
The club always strives to achieve a balanced budget. However, due to the corona pandemic in recent years, events, projects and trips in particular could only be carried out to a limited extent. As a result, the club’s reserves increased significantly during this period. In order not to act contrary to the association’s non-profit tax law requirement and to ensure that all students benefit as equally as possible from these reserves, the board decided to make more equipment purchases than usual for school year 2022/23. The Foundation’s board allocated over €50.000,- to the purchase of
- Work tables, seating and means of green space design,
- Plagiarism software and
- a series of small purchases (books, licenses for online tools, small materials, etc.) for the subjects Spanish, English, IT, biology PE, Music, German and Arts/Craft
IB BUDGET
Accounts for the International Baccalaureate Program are run separately and are funded by dedicated IB fees paid separately from the membership fees. Annual fees for the IB are spent as follows:
Students in need of financial support for excursions abroad are encouraged to the Parents’ Association (Elternverein) who runs the process. You can find information on the process and documents on the website section of the Parents’ Association https://www.gibs.at/pdf/parents/GIBS_EV-Support-Antragsformular_DE.pdf
General enquiries: vf@gibs.at
Enquiries regarding fees/payments: kassier.vf@gibs.at
Mag. Elisabeth Fleischmann
Honorary President
Mag. Imelda Görög
Honorary President
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Peter Bierbaumer
Honorary President
Mag. Heinz Drobesch
President
Dipl.-Kfm Ralph Herrgott
Vice President
Claire Estebanez MSc, MST, BSC
Treasurer
Emma Somerville BA
Treasurer
Dr. Johannes Huber, MBA
Secretary
Peter Zorn
Secretary
Waltraud Gröblacher MSc MA
Auditor
Mag. Martin Hussler
Auditor
Synnova O’Gorman BA Grad.Dip.
Advisor
Dr. Johanna Piffl-Percevic
Advisor
Mag. Ursula Schatz
Advisor
Mag. Wilhelm Offenbeck
Advisor
Mag. Jürgen Steinbrenner
Advisor