PAST

In 1971, an existing school in Saanen was re-established as the John F. Kennedy International School by Bill and Sandy Lovell, experienced educators from Canada who had a vision for bringing premier, quality international education to the Sannenland. Under their expert guidance, the school has grown and is recognized for its programs - serving children of many lands and diverse backgrounds who go on to succeed in leading secondary schools and universities throughout the world. Such is the school's fine reputation that it, predictably, has outgrown its current space. The assembly of the community of Saanen, in April of 2000, recognizing the great contribution the school makes to the community, voted to donate the historic 1881 chalet-style Saanen Schoolhouse to the Kennedy School. A not-for-profit Foundation was established to accept and own the building that it would then rent to the school.

PRESENT

The programs at the existing Kennedy School are attractive to families from near and far, so much so that children are frequently on a waiting list to attend. There is urgency, now, to provide more space to accommodate not only those who are waiting but also to add at least twenty more students to the permanent roster. An elected board of directors oversees the business of the Foundation. Its primary mission is its stewardship of the schoolhouse property. The first step must be to acquire the capital to restore, renovate and equip the old schoolhouse chalet. A goal of CHF 5,000,000 has been thoughtfully set to cover those costs.

FUTURE

For more than thirty-five years, the Kennedy School has provided an outstanding educational experience to hundreds of children, both local and from many lands. It has done this through careful and innovative management. The newly-acquired building offers, for the first time, an opportunity for parents, alumni, local businesses and citizens to share in this exciting step into the future. The historic chalet-style school building will once again resound with the voices of children earnestly engaged in learning, sharing and experiencing the joy that comes from understanding and mastering a new concept. The expanded educational facilities will include modern, state of the art laboratories, an enlarged library and resource center, a specially-designed studio for arts and crafts, music rooms as well as typical classrooms and a cafeteria and auditorium large enough to accommodate the entire school for meals and a variety of programs, lectures and assemblies. Long known for its support of high-quality private education, the Saanenland can now ensure that this legacy continues well into the future.