I am excited to announce the appointment of Mr. Nathaniel Atherton to the role of Junior School Principal at Munich International School beginning in August 2025.
Nathaniel interviewed with students, parents, teachers, staff, school leaders, and members of the board of directors during his visit to the campus on Tuesday, 5 November 2024. The feedback we received from the more than 50 people who participated in the interviews was extremely positive. Nathaniel could provide copious examples to demonstrate that he is a knowledgeable, inspiring, and hands-on leader of learning. He cultivates strong and productive learning partnerships with parents, and he integrates goal-setting and personalized approaches to supporting students to achieve their maximum potential. Interviewers noted that Nathaniel recognizes the power of positive relationships, the value of student and teacher voices in shaping the classroom experience, and the need for principled, evidence-based school leadership.
Nathaniel is joining us from the Inter-Community School of Zurich where he has been serving as the Primary Principal since 2020. Aside from leading the Primary School at ICS, he has also led multiple community-wide strategic and organizational developments there, including the creation of the school’s five-year strategic blueprint.
Before his time at ICS, Nathaniel taught and led for eight years at the Western Academy of Beijing, where he served as Vice Principal, Curriculum Coach, PYP Coordinator, Grade-level Leader, and classroom Teacher. Nathaniel also taught in locations throughout Asia, including Thailand and Taiwan, and in his native Canada, working in his hometown of Ottawa.
Nathaniel is Canadian and will join our community together with his wife, Lindsey, and their son, Levi, who will join Grade 7. Nathaniel possesses a Masters degree in Childhood Education from the State University of New York, and a Bachelors degree in English from Queen’s University. Additionally, he possesses a certificate in school management and leadership from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a certificate in international school leadership from the Principal’s Training Center.
I am excited about collaborating with Nathaniel next year as we serve the students, teachers, staff, and families of our Junior School in further developing our programmes and curricula and in guaranteeing a nurturing, challenging, and inspiring educational experience for our youngest Wildcats.
With warm regards,
Timothy J Thomas
Head of School
Munich International School