Campus Directors

Franck Philipp

Head of Primary School

Churchill Campus

My name is Franck Philipp, and I am honored to be the Dallas International School Head of Primary. 

I received my Bachelor’s degree at Trinity College in Dublin, a Master’s degree in Sociology at the University of Lille in France, and a Master's degree in Anthropology. I was awarded my teacher certification from the French Ministry of Education in 2006 and began the first three years of my teaching career in the North of France.

In 2010, I accepted an elementary school teacher position at DIS, where I spent the first three years at the Churchill campus. In 2014, I helped move and integrate our CM2/5th-grade students to the Waterview Campus. Dallas International School means a lot to me. I met a community where I feel I belong.

I also held the Staff and Faculty representative positions for five years and Cycle 3 coordinator for two years. I was responsible for organizing the class and campus bridging projects and events, pedagogical meetings, and the DELF exam.

My wife and I are also proud DIS parents, our son Hugo is now in MS and our Daughter Emma just began her journey at DIS in TPS. We all have the same goal for our children: providing them with the best education possible. 

During my twelve years of teaching in France and here in Dallas, I have built my vision of Education, inspired by many educators I have met, trainings, books, and conferences that I have followed. I learned while collaborating with all of my colleagues, heads of campuses, staff, and parents. Although, the ones I learned the most from are all the students I had the great privilege to teach. The words of Isaac Newton inspired my philosophy of education. “If I have seen further, it is only by standing upon the shoulders of giants.” Let us all help our students climb upon the shoulders of giants. Some could manage their way up with good guidance, some need a little push, or some may fall on the way.

In education, we call this differentiation, cooperation, and challenge. We want to inspire our students to come to school each day with a smile, be happy, and be eager to learn, discover, and experiment. We want to recognize and respond to their different needs. Our mission is to show them the way, guide them, and help them stand up when they fall. This is what we do as educators; we help them grow, succeed and become citizens of the World.

Patricia de Villiers

Head of Secondary School

Waterview Campus

Dallas International School is not quite like any other school I have ever known. With its diverse community and intermingling of cultures, it has a richness and beauty that I value incredibly. Originally from Cape Town, South Africa, Charl and I arrived in Dallas in 2000, and became citizens of the USA in 2008. I fully understand what it means to uproot from your homeland to start over somewhere else, as many of our families do. I am trilingual, so I also appreciate the multilingualism of our community. This has always been what sets us apart from the other monolingual private schools of Dallas. I am able to communicate with our community in English and French, and believe that languages should remain a strong focus of our curriculum.

I have seen Dallas International School from many different perspectives, including as a parent. I have had children at the school since 2006. Etienne graduated in June 2021, and is now at U T Austin in the Liberal Arts Honors Program, having earned 51 credits for his Advanced Bilingual IB Diploma and his 4 AP exams that he took at DIS, and Luc is heading into his senior year. Both began their journey at DIS right from the beginning of the program, at three years old.

Sponsoring clubs like debating and choir has given me a chance to enjoy the talents of our students outside the classroom, as we believe in an all-round education. I always appreciate the many annual events at DIS, such as the Music Concert, the Country of the Year Celebration which encourages our global mindedness, and the Poetry Presentation, which showcases our students speaking five languages on the stage: English, French, Spanish, Mandarin and German. (I am a published poet, too.)

Teaching in both the French Baccalaureate Program and the International Baccalaureate Program has given me a sound understanding of these two systems of education. I value both as rigorous paths, guiding our students to successful futures, anywhere in the world. In 2019, I was awarded the honor of Knight in the Order of Academic Palms by the French Ministry of Education (Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Palmes académiques) for many years of service to education.

With 30 years of experience in education, I am honored to serve as Head of Secondary. I love this school and its warm, open community, having been a part of it since August 2000, and I look forward to working hard together to give your children an education that sets them apart, and empowers them to spread their wings across the globe.