Joe Amato

"Mr. Amato has been and is currently a mentor that helped me go through the struggles of the IB diploma. Giving out daily advice about how to not only study well for my exams and IB assignments but also important life lessons like asking for help when required. Although I have moved on from ZIS to university I still like getting coffee with Mr. Amato and chatting as he always helps me with current problems that I have. Additionally, now that I study Geography I especially like to chat with him about current geographical topics. Mr. Amato is a teacher, mentor, and friend, and I look up to him."

"Cool and to the point communication during IB exams, humorous and inspiring personality, and real enrichment to the ZIS atmosphere."

"I remember how important coffee was to him. He roasted his beans from scratch! When he told me as a student, my jaw dropped. I couldn't believe that even an everyday item like coffee could be investigated and mastered so carefully, from bean to cup. His biology classes were full of practical examples, which made me fall in love with the subject."

"Joe Amato was a great teacher of AP biology, as well as a music enthusiast who served as a great guide for both science and music. He also had a great dry sense of humor that gave us a break from stress and a good sense of perspective. I think he deserves the John Mattern Alumni Award."

"Joe was an outstanding IB coordinator, teacher, and colleague. I felt privileged to have worked alongside him during my time at ZIS. I completely trusted Joe in all of his decisions with students and families. I always knew he had their best interest at heart. Joe was also someone whom I could bounce ideas off, and if Joe didn't like it, it was probably a bad idea. I have worked with many excellent teachers at FIS, but to me, Joe stands out as being at the top of the class."

"For all the support with my extended essay and for lending me his office for my first university interview. Mr. Amato was always approachable and supportive. Besides these, I particularly enjoyed learning about Geography in his IB Geography Higher Level class, which was always interesting and fun to attend with many good stories that explained the content".

"He has been such a huge part of every IB student's life for over 20 years and should be celebrated accordingly by the ZIS community!"

"Mr. Amato always pushed us to inquire and be the best we could be. He was always helpful and fair. He made me love science and I still remember a lot of things he thought us now."

Joe was born and raised in Queens, New York City in the 1950s.  He played Little League Baseball and American football as a youngster, and at a later age enjoyed visiting all the great jazz clubs in Manhattan. After graduating from Queens College with a BS and MS in Biology, he left the US in the early 1980s to work in international schools in Caracas, Bangkok, Tokyo, and Zurich.  Joe met his wife, Pam Reed, in Bangkok, and started a family.  While in Japan, he earned an MA in Asian Studies. 

Since retiring, he has been involved in a number of volunteer activities; leading an English language conversation group and helping out in a Sek B and C English class at a local public school in Adliswil.  He also does some work for the Swiss branch of Democrats Abroad, the official country committee for U.S. Democrats living in Switzerland, especially in the area of voter registration.