Just Be Yourself

To commemorate our 35th anniversary, WIS has engaged in a brand refresh which captures what makes our school special. These guidelines are a result of two rounds of feedback from the community, and the document uses the new slogan “Just Be Yourself” because students, parents, alumni, and staff identified what makes our school special: we encourage authenticity, self-acceptance, kindness, risk-taking, and personal growth. At WIS, we believe that every individual has unique strengths and perspectives that deserve to be nurtured and celebrated. 

“At WIS, you’re free to just be yourself.”

Our students flourish here because they feel seen, valued, and empowered to express their true selves. There is no other school in Windhoek with such a student-centered approach to teaching and learning. We know that greatness already resides within each individual, and our approach to education brings student excellence to the fore. 

During the month of August, teachers and parents have met one another through a variety of in-school and evening venues. We are a school which welcomes new ideas and growth-oriented questions. There have been various delays in some teachers’ ability to arrive on campus, but we believe that these concerns are now close to reaching a positive resolution. We are a school where students take ownership of their learning and where assignments involve elements of student voice and choice. 

Our WIS Principles make us different. Whereas some schools still have teachers who predominantly talk at the front of the room while students quietly take notes for later regurgitation, our campus is characterised by a happy sense of industriousness–by timely and actionable feedback, and by students who take ownership of their learning–and by creative and respectful students who aren’t afraid to take risks and who try their best - and then try again. 

Sparkling New Ablutions 

You spoke and we listened! In March, students shared that improved restroom facilities would make them feel more comfortable on campus, so over the June/July holiday we engaged with RAF Construction to fully renovate four ablutions on WIS campus. With support from the US Embassy Facility Maintenance Section, we were able to complete this renovation for a total cost of N$486,500, approximately N$227,500 lower than what was originally anticipated for this project. 

Upgrades included new taps, new windows giving better ventilation, improved lighting, the addition of steps to reach the taps for the younger ones, the addition of a toilet in the male PE bathroom, walkways, and new stall locking mechanisms for safety. We are pleased to not only blend the external building facades seamlessly with the remainder of the campus but keep the improvements in line with our green campus efforts. 

Filtered Water Cooler Installation

We understand how important it is to keep our learners hydrated throughout the school day, particularly in our dry Namibian climate. With that in mind, the need for additional water coolers was recognized as a priority. This project is now complete, with water coolers in the secondary library, the newly-painted PLC Auditorium Foyer, and the Gym. 

Sustainability and Pipes Project

The installation of new water pipes school-wide is now complete! The total cost of the project was $747,500. The fire pipe has now been certified and is fully separate from our domestic pipelines, and we are excited to report that this upgrade will bring significant monthly cost savings to our water utility bill. In addition to financial savings, the installation of the new taps in the restroom uplift project has contributed to our water conservation and sustainability efforts. The previous taps had a flow rate of 63 liters per minute whereas the newly installed taps are rated at 23.5 liters per minute.

Our solar power project yield continues to meet our highest expectations, and the school recently received a refund of around N$100,000 from the City of Windhoek for the energy which we have put back into the grid. 

Strategic Plan

The school's present Strategic Plan, "From WIS to the World: Putting WIS Principles Into Practice" was adopted in October 2024 as the result of a year-long consultative process. It is on track to conclude in the 2027-28 School Year. The plan includes many projects and initiatives which will require community, parent, and alumni support. 

The outstanding success of our recently adopted MYP curriculum, with our remarkable first-ever MYP eAssessment results, are just one of many impacts this strategic plan has already brought to fruition for our learners. Other new initiatives are the stand-along Flexible Learning Pathway Classroom, the expanded Outdoor Education Programme, the promotion of students’ Home Languages, expanded After School Activities, the Handwriting Without Tears inclusion within our Literacy Programme, the expansion of our Global Alliance Exchange Programme, and the establishment of bullying prevention, child protection, and safeguarding policies in line with our accrediting agency, NEASC, best practices. We are grateful for our ative WIS Parent Network and many parents for their support with welcoming events and with improvements made to playground spaces across the campus. 

Make a referral: 

WIS is flourishing in 2025-26, and we still have limited availability for more students. If you know of a family which might be interested in pursuing WIS as an educational option for their family, please contact admissions@wis.edu.na to make a referral or reach out to personally connect a potential WIS family with Ms Carol Heimstadt our Admissions Officer.