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EARCOS Member Presentations
|Margaret Alvarez
|Women and Leadership
|Margaret Alvarez and Deidre Fischer
|Inclusive Practices for Diversity in School Leadership/Administration
|Kevin Baker
|Your First International School Headship
|Steven Ballowe
|Strategic Planning: A Survival Guide for Heads of School
|Chip Barder
|Administrators and Their Children in the Same School: It can get difficult
|Megan Brazil
|Teachers as Leaders of their Own Learning
|Sonia Bustamante
|A Googling Administrator
|Tim Carr
|Ashley Cornfoot
|Creating Dynamic Learning Spaces
|Dale Cox
|Systemic Innovation and Expanding the "Smart Swarm"
|Judith Curtis
|Knowing yourself as a leader- Ability and Agility
|James Dalziel
|Reflective Leadership
|Stephen Dare
|Building Trust in Schools - Part I
|Andy Davies and Gaby Geneser
|How internationally monded are we?
|Howard De Leeuw
|Establishing School-Wide Behavior Expectations through PBIS
|Marcia De Souza
|Global Issues Network
|Mindi Dryer
|Managing Email Overload: Etiquette, Policy & Tips to Increase Productivity
|Darin Fahrney
|Quest @ SAS reimagines learning: Developing an all-day personalized program
|Thomas Farrell
|Building a world class school that is recognized by a world-class architectural magazine is all about teamwork and trust
|Louise Favaro
|Managing Parents When Student Issues Arise
|Deidre Fischer
|Management Skills 101: a practical approach
|Beccy Fox
|Cultural Intelligence: how to help new staff members work in a new culture.
|Richard Gaskell
|International School Market Developments
|Matt Harris
|Embedding Digital Citizenship Schoolwide Including Integration Across All Subjects and Grade Levels
|Clay Hensley
|Jon Hill
|Reframing Student Discipline as Learning Opportunities
|Kevin House
|Creating ethical schools in an international context
|Virginia Hunt
|Continuum for Effective Teaching Partnerships (Exploring Shared Cognition)
|Matthew Johnson
|Foundational Leadership: Supporting New Administrators
|Dan Keller
|Leadership of international schools: Understanding and managing dualities
|Daniel Kilback
|From Oral History to Digital Narrative
|Chip Kimball
|Transforming Singapore American School - A Documentary Film and interactive discussion
|William Kralovec
|Using Podcasting to Support Your Leadership
|Marc Lheureuxl
|Using Thinking Routines To Lead Professional Dialogue
|Erin Lillis Kent
|Reading and Writing Workshop in International Schools: Advancing Progress and Avoiding Pitfalls in K-8 Literacy Reform
|David Lovelin and Tara Verenna
|How to Start a Design and Innovation Program from the Ground Up?
|Stuart Macalpine
|Leading a Learning Ecosystem
|Rami Madani
|Innovative, Differentiated and Sustainable Orientation Program for New Teachers
|Aracelis Maldonado
|Implications of international mindedness on staffing and recruiting practices at international schools
|Deron Marvin
|Building Trust Within Your Team
|Nicola Mason
|Leveraging professional learning to drive student learning
|Lauren Mehrbach
|Teacher Feedback to Support Student Agency
|Margie Mitchell
|Mission Impossible: Pleasing all of the People all of the Time - Communications in Admissions
|Theodore Mockrish
|Principal Intercultural Competency and Teacher Trust in EARCOS International Schools
|. Mona Stuart
|The Optimal Admissions Case Study at Singapore American School
|Ken Morrison
|Transformation - From Quiet Library to Lively Learning Hub
|David Munro and Stacy Stephens
|Suzanne Murray
|21St century Safeguarding for International Schools - Policy to practice
|Seppie Myburgh
|One Ring to Rule Them All
|Heather Naro
|Having crucial conversations
|Maya Nelson
|We're Inclusive...Now, What? Next Steps and the Process of Building and Implementing Special Education Programs
|David Neudorf
|Leveraging Google Apps for Education in Creating Transformational Organizations
|Hieu Nguyen
|Paul Oneill Carrie Bennett and Brady Cline
|IMPACT - Passion and Purpose shaping program design
|Kurtis Peterson
|Inquiry-based Leadership
|Derek Pinchbeck
|From cultures of consumption to cultures of creation
|Lindsay Powell Lindsay
|Technology in the Admissions Office: A Comparison of Online Admission and Enrollment Management Programs by Those Who Use Them
|Richard Pratt
|Education for Interdependence: Three Years of the Hangzhou CIS project.
|Angela Reilly
|The devil is in the detail
|Alan Runge
|Organizing and Directing the Focus of a High Performing Team
|Maija Ruokanen
|Collaborative Learning Environments
|Kevin Ruth
|PLCs: Sense or Nonsense?
|Tim Stuart
|Professional Learning Communities In International Schools
|Nisanart Tavedikul
|Mindfulness in Education
|Jaime Thistleton
|Developing Middle Leaders
|Rob Thompson
|New Campus Build - Lessons Learned at ISKL
|Sarah Verdaguer
|Moving from Appraisal to Growth and Development
|Colter Watt
|Leveraging professional learning to drive student learning
|James Wellings
|Flexible Learning - Driving Innovation Through Large Scale Enquiry
|Karen Whittaker
|Travelling the Transdisciplinary Highway: Making the Connections
EARCOS Member Presentations
Margaret Alvarez
Co-Presenter/s: Liz Duffy and Beth Pfannl, Anna Marsden, Clarissa Sayson
Biography: Margaret is currently head of ISS International School, Singapore. She has over 25 years experience in international education, ranging from international school teacher, middle leader, principal, head of school, and associate director of accreditation for the Council of International Schools (CIS). Dr Alvarez is currently president of the EARCOS board and is a member of the IB Asia Pacific Regional Council.
In July 2015, Liz Duffy became the President of International Schools Services (ISS). For the previous 12 years, she served as the Head Master of The Lawrenceville School, a 206-year-old boarding school in New Jersey. She has also served on the boards of numer- ous foundations, nonpro t organizations and educational institutions, including the National Association of Independent School, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the E.E. Ford Foundation and Princeton University.
Beth Pfannl - International Schools Services (ISS).
Anna is head of school at International School Suva in the Fiji Islands.This is her rst position as head of school. Before moving to Fiji she worked in Swaziland and Zimbabwe.
Clarissa is the Elementary School Principal at International School of Beijing.
Workshop 1
Title: Women and Leadership
Description: Learn and discuss some of the unique challenges facing women leaders as well as proven strategies for surmounting those challenges. This workshop will review the key findings in What Works for Women at Work by Joan C. Williams and provide opportunities to discuss how the patterns Williams identifies and strategies she recommends play out in different cultures. Both women and men are welcome to attend this session. Immediately following the workshop, there will be a Women and Leadership Lunch for educators of all ages and experiences to share fellowship and informal conversation about this important topic.
Margaret Alvarez and Deidre Fischer
Co-Presenter/s: Deidre Fischer
Biography: Margaret is currently head of ISS International School, Singapore. She has over 25 years experience in international education, ranging from international school teacher, middle leader, principal, head of school, and associate director of accreditation for the Council of International Schools (CIS). Dr Alvarez is currently president of the EARCOS board and is a member of the IB Asia Pacific Regional Council.
Deidre Fischer is an experienced head of international schools who is now owner of her own company, DF Education (www.deidrefischer.com.au). Her work with schools and teachers focuses on supporting the quality of teaching and learning, and ranges from helping schools vertically articulate their curriculum, developing/documenting teaching practices aligned with mission/vision, conducting organizational audits/reviews, leadership training and Board governance training. She has presented at numerous IBO/TAISI/EARCOS Leadership (and Teacher) Conferences in that have featured: building organisational capacity from within, fostering diversity and inclusive practices within schools and nurturing women in leadership. Deidre's work is guided by: "Great Leaders find ways to connect with people and help them fulfill their potential".
Workshop 1
Title: Inclusive Practices for Diversity in School Leadership/Administration
Description: This workshop builds on work from ELC 2014 and 2015. After exploring the concept of diversity and whether it was essential for leadership teams in international schools, we developed a set of principles that school leaders could implement in their schools. This session will focus on the development of tools to promote diversity and to measure the effectiveness of diversity practices. The session is designed to be interactive and practical so that our participants can have important 'take-aways' that can be implemented in schools.
Kevin Baker
Co-Presenter/s: Shelly Wille
Biography: Kevin Baker is the Head of School at Busan International Foreign School. Having served almost twenty fives years in EARCOS in a variety of leadership roles and having independent school head experience, he along with his fellow panelists will bring a fresh and meaningful perspective to this important topic
Workshop 1
Title: Your First International School Headship
Description: There is limited career development advice for educational leaders aspiring to the headship. This panel presentation by three new Heads of School in EARCOS will seek to raise this conversation and support future leaders by sharing their career journey that to led them to their first international headship in the EARCOS region, the lessons they have learned, and the advice they would give (and the advice of other experienced Heads from around the world) to future aspiring new international school heads. The session will conclude with a collaborative discussion by all workshop participants.
Steven Ballowe
Co-Presenter/s: John McGrath and Hannah Hartman
Biography: Dr Steven E. Ballowe retired as an accomplished school superintendent having served in the states of Georgia, Virginia and South Carolina. His school work has been recognized by 3 US Presidents and many state Governors. Programs created have continued to serve as "model schools" in the USA. The "strategic planning process" became the "model" introduced to all new Georgia school board members from 20004 until 2008 by the Georgia School Boards Association. Dr Ballowe has served in Thailand and at TCIS for 5 years. Enjoying international education, he has no desire to return to the politically correct expectations in the US.
Dr. John McGrath will be the co-presenter! Currently serving as the Head of the TCIS High School, he has a long record of accomplishments in Canada and Thailand.
Hannah comes from Portland, Oregon. She has a bachelors of science in psychology, a masters in education, and a masters in educational leadership. In addition, she has completed the Principals' Training Center for International School Leadership. Han- nah has worked as a principal, elementary teacher, and technology coordinator overseas for 11 years. She has worked at TASIS England, Shanghai American School, American School of Warsaw, the American International School of Abuja, and currently at the Thai-Chinese International School. Hannah has presented at the BETT show in London, Learning 2.0 in Shanghai, CEESA teachers conference, Bangkok Google Summit for Educators, and she has been published in The International Educator newspaper. Hannah has also worked on accreditation teams for CIS and WASC.
Workshop 1
Title: Strategic Planning: A Survival Guide for Heads of School
Description: This strategic planning process eliminates surprise expectations by a board, by providing the accountability and evaluation report for the HOS and Board. The process identifies objectives, designates "who" is responsible, "when" reports are due and enables fantastic communication and transparency of school and board objectives. Best of all, it stops any end of the year surprise additions with the final evaluation of the HOS.. The annual review of the strategic plan by stakeholders provides the "report card" for the HOS and Board. At the same time, the process allows for the strategic plan to be reviewed and modified to the next school year.
Chip Barder
Biography: Dr. Barder has been an administrator for much of his 40+ years as an international educator and, with his wife Lillian Canada, raised three children overseas. A lot has been learned from their mistakes and successes. This workshop is an effort to get this sometimes hard-to-talk-about topic out in the open for the benefit of our own kids.
Workshop 1
Title: Administrators and Their Children in the Same School: It can get difficult
Description: This session will confront the reality of so many administrators - having their own children in the same school where they are a leader. The workshop will draw on the experiences of all present to come up with proactive strategies to use with your children and the school in order to navigate through these sometimes treacherous waters.
Megan Brazil
Co-Presenter/s: Nitasha Chaudhuri & Stephen Lush
Biography: Megan Brazil (Principal), Nitasha Chaudhuri & Stephen Lush (Deputy Principals) are make up the Elementary Leadership Team at UNIS Hanoi. Their collective educational experience spans 8 countries over 5 continents. 2016/17 will be their second year leading the Elementary School together at UNIS Hanoi.
Workshop 1
Title: Teachers as Leaders of their Own Learning - Creating an inquiry based, teacher centred model of professional development
Description: We all have high expectations for student learning in our schools - to be inquiry based, to ensure students have voice, choice and accountability for their learning. How can we provide similar learning experiences for our teachers and empower them to become self directed learners? The Elementary Leadership Team at UNIS Hanoi tackled this question and committed themselves to developing a year-long professional development programme for teachers that mirrored our expectations for students. Our presentation will focus on what we felt to be the essential ingredients of a high quality PD programme for adult learners. Our case study will include an overview of the successes, failures, lessons learned, practical protocols and tools used in our pilot year that may be helpful for other schools taking this same journey. This is not a presentation of a polished product, but a sharing of our own professional inquiry as we work towards building a robust PD programme in our school.
Sonia Bustamante
Biography: Sonia Bustamante arrived on the International scene 4 years ago as an Assistant Principal/Mathematics teacher at Brent International School Manila. Almost all of her experience prior to moving abroad was working with low-socioeconomic students, which has proven to be an advantage as this was the basis of her pursuit to continuously discover how technology when used appropriately is able to meet the needs of all students and most recently faculty members. With her faculty she has delved further into Google to help continue her drive to provide clear communication and to ensure no teacher is left behind.
Workshop 1
Title: A Googling Administrator
Description: I would like to share how I use Google to effectively communicate and analyze data in my school. After attending two Google Summits, watching several YouTube videos, and nagging my IT/Computer Departments I am summing up all of my legwork and providing it to you in this one professional setting. I am not claiming to be an expert; I am simply showing you the potential of Google in your school community beyond the classroom. This is recommended for any school level Principal or administrator who is looking for ways to improve their communication, and how they gather and look over their school data.
Tim Carr
Co-Presenter/s: Elsa Donohue
Biography: Tim has been in leadership positions in schools in Asia, Latin America, and the US for 24 years. He's interested in designing and nurturing learning communities well suited for the future needs of both humanity and the planet.
Elsa Donohue
Soon after she took her first education course at the University of Florida, Elsa Donohue knew that working with children was her calling. Since then, she has had the pleasure of teaching, leading and learning in nine different countries. Currently, Elsa is the head of the elementary division in Jakarta Intercultural School(JIS), Indonesia. Central to Elsa's professional philosophy is the idea that children are competent learners with an innate curiosity about the world. Elsa's love of inquiry-based learning guides her daily work. Her devotion to the early years and its pivotal importance as a foundation for future learning, has led Elsa to continuously inquire into what constitutes a quality experience for all learner. The journey continues…
With a BA degree in Elementary School Education, Elsa attended Michigan State University's world re-known graduate school of Education and obtaining two masters degree-Curriculum Design and Planning, and Educational Leadership. She was an adjunct professor for MSU, teaching a week long course in their program in Plymouth, England and has led professional development for teachers and administrators at the Principal Training Center (PTC), East Asia Regional Council of Schools (EARCOS) and African International Schools Association (AISA).
Elsa's latest passion focuses on supporting the expansion of leadership capacity throughout the school, with special attention to growing teacher leaders, middle level leadership and highly effective teams.
Workshop 1
Title: "Walking the Talk, Living the Mission"
Description: What is the essence of your school? The answer can and should guide and animate your work. Becoming a mission/vision-based school has been a revelation at JIS, as it's an easy thing to say and a challenge to do. We've found that a sustained focus on our core creates impressive rewards, including a palpable impact on both student learning and community strength. Collectively identifying, communicating, and then living by some important words has created the conditions for health and innovation.
Workshop 2
Title: Cultivating Representational Leadership
Description: A key to effective transformation of our multicultural schools is intentionally growing and empowering appro- priately diverse leaders. Mindfully recruiting, growing, and feeding traditionally underrepresented groups, including women and host country staff, for key leadership positions needs to be part of our mission. Come prepared to share ideas so that we can advise the EARCOS membership.
Ashley Cornfoot
Biography: Ashley Cornfoot is currently Head of Primary at Garden International School, Kuala Lumpur. He has been an international educator for over 16 years having previously worked in Brussels, Bangkok and Doha. He has recently studied classroom design and the impact the learning environment has on students.
Workshop 1
Title: Creating Dynamic Learning Spaces
Description: How do dynamic learning spaces enable greater choice and flexibility? How much does the learning environment impact learning? This presentation will explore the best practice in classroom design and the research behind it; provoking discussion about how we can ensure that our schools provide the best environment for learning.
Dale Cox
Biography: Dale Cox is the Head of School at Shekou International School in Shenzhen, China, and serves as the Vice President of ACAMIS. He received his doctorate in Educational Leadership from Lehigh University and has worked in EARCOS region schools for the past ten years. Previously, he was a teacher and administrator for 25 years in public schools in Arizona, in the US.
Christy Carrillo is currently the Director of Early Childhood Center at Shekou International School (SIS). Prior to joining SIS, she taught in San Francisco and served as Director for another ISS-managed international school in Southern China. Before moving into education, Christy was a partner and founder of a Malaysian health insurance company. As an entrepreneur and educator, Christy has lived in Asia for 15 years and draws on her diverse background to guide her professional practice. She is passionate about early childhood development, experiential and innovative learning environments, and design thinking in education. She and her husband Tim have two daughters, ages 10 and 12. As a family, they enjoy golf, canyoning, climbing and travel adventures. Christy graduated from Princeton University, and has an M.Ed from University California, Berkeley and and MBA from the National University of Singapore.
Workshop 1
Title: Systemic Innovation and Expanding the "Smart Swarm"
Description: Innovation can be pursued in multiple ways, including add-on and pull-out programs, as well as through changes to the daily learning of students. Applying Michael Fullan's change leadership principles can help schools infuse innovation into everyday teaching practice by developing teacher capacity and changing school culture. Shekou International School has been applying these principles to pursue sustainable, grass-roots innovations in classroom learning. The workshop will identify key principles of school change and give varied examples of their application to building an innovative "smart swarm" of teachers and administrators working to transform learning across the school.
Judith Curtis
Biography: Judith is the head of secondary at NIST International School.
Workshop 1
Title: Knowing yourself as a leader- Ability and Agility
Description: This session will focus on looking at your leadership strengths: how to build on them and how to avoid them becoming your weaknesses! We will also look at how different situations demand leadership agility not just leadership ability. This session will be of use to anyone holding a leadership position or looking to grow in this area.
James Dalziel
Biography: Head of East Campus, United World College of South East Asia
Workshop 1
Title: School Leadership: Ten Lessons from Outdoor Education
Description: For countless generations our ancestors have ventured into the wilderness seeking adventure, challenge, and a broad range of personal rewards. Through these experiences we have developed many well known aphorisms which, I argue, can have a direct and positive transfer to our work as international school leaders. This session will draw upon lessons gained from the trail, the campsite and the mountaintop and apply them to our daily professional lives. From how we choose to manage our time, work with others, and create strategic plans, the wisdom gained from adventures in the wild can help deepen our understanding and sharpen our thinking at work. So double tie your boots and adjust your pack as we venture together down the trail for a reflective session focused on our own professional leadership.
Stephen Dare
Co-Presenter/s: Jennifer Swinehart
Biography: Stephen Dare is the Head of School at Hong Kong Academy. He has worked in international schools in North and South America as well as in Southeast Asia. He has been a co-trainer for the Principals' Training Center Summer Institutes for Curriculum and Leadership and for Leadership and Group Dynamics. Stephen is currently researching and presenting on building cultures of trust in schools in Hong Kong/southern China. He sits on the Advisory Board for the Next Frontier Inclusion Project and is a member of the EARCOS and ACAMIS Boards.
Jennifer Swinehart is the Director of Research and Development at Hong Kong Academy. She co-facilitates the TTC course Personalizing Learning for Your Students through the Principals' Training Center and consults on concept-based curriculum and inclusion at international schools in the Asia-Pacific region. Jennifer has also presented on collaborative school cultures, homework, differentiation and student metacognition at recent EARCOS, ACAMIS, IB and Next Frontier: Inclusion Conferences. Jennifer is completing her doctoral dissertation on student perceptions about the instruction of cognitive, metacognitive and affective skills in secondary schools.
Workshop 1
Title: Building Trust in Schools - Part I
Description: Participants will explore how leaders can understand trust in schools, move from informational learning to transformational learning through the development of a trusting environment and build higher levels of trust that will increase risk-taking and creative thinking amongst their staffs as well as feel confident embracing cognitive discourse as an asset and not something to be avoided. The workshop will introduce characteristics of cultures with high and low levels of trust and offer practical strategies leaders can use to model, promote and increase levels of trust in their schools.
Workshop 2
Title: Building Trust in Schools - Part 2
Description: This is a continuation of the conversation on building trust in schools. In this session, the presenters will propose that the Instructional Rounds process at Hong Kong Academy can be examined as a case study for nurturing trust as a part of the professional development model in schools. The introduction and development of this whole-school initiative will be shared and explored, along with examples of texts, protocols, schedules, and data collection methods used in the school. An analysis of how this process has built trust in the school will also be shared.
Andy Davies and Gaby Geneser
Biography: Andy Davies has lived, worked and studied in the UK, Australia and Thailand and is currently the Head of School at the International School Bangkok. Andy holds a Bachelor's Degree in English & Philosophy (University of Keele), a Master's Degree in Educational Administration (University of Sydney) and an EdD in International Education (University of Bath). Andy's interests include rugby, improving learning and developing international mindedness.
Gaby Geneser is currently the Head of World Languages at the International School Bangkok where she has taught IB Spanish for close to two decades. Gaby hails from Colombia and has also lived and worked in the US, Bangladesh and Israel. As a language teacher, Gaby has always strongly valued the importance of developing international mindedness in the classroom and throughout the school.
Workshop 1
Title: How internationally monded are we?
Description: In this session we will challenge the belief that an international school offering an international education will result in increased international mindedness. It will be argued that "more than the rubbing of shoulders" is necessary if students and faculty are to enhance their abilities in intercultural sensitivity, cross-cultural communication, and international mindedness, etc. Very practical strategies will be shared and explored.
Howard De Leeuw
Biography: Currently PreK-12 Principal at the International School of Dongguan (ISD) and former Head of Curriculum and Professional Development, Awsaj Academy, Doha, Qatar. Former Washington State Director for Migrant/Bilingual Education, and ELL Coordinator for Spokane Public Schools.
Workshop 1
Title: Establishing School-Wide Behavior Expectations through PBIS
Description: This presentation will outline how PBIS or Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports can be used in any school to establish clear school-wide behavior expectations to ensure a safe, consistent, predictable, and positive school environment to promote academic success. Behavior can be taught like any other content area to insure that all students have learned the expected behaviors.
Marcia De Souza
Biography: Mercia de Souza holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership, and Master's degrees in Applied Linguistics and Marketing Management. In South Africa, her country of origin, she started as a High School teacher, then became Head of the Education Division at the South African Institute of Marketing Management, and in 1995 she was offered a position as Head of Education at the Institute of Administration and Commerce of Southern Africa. In 2000 she was recruited by Samsung Corporation for their elite Globalization Team, but after three years in the corporate world, she became International Relations and Marketing Manager at a Korean university. Mercia relocated to Taiwan in 2007 where she is is Head of the Communication Arts Department, Professional Development Coordinator, Prefect of Discipline, and GIN Coordinator at Dominican International School, Taipei. She is an AP instructor for Macroeconomics and English Literature and Composition, she also teaches an introduction to Marketin
Workshop 1
Title: Global Issues Network
Description: After a year of preparation and fundraising, the Dominican International School GIN Club, brought Bob Nameng and Soweto Kliptown Youth (SKY) from South Africa to Taiwan and hosted them for nine days of youth development through international cultural exchange in two cities, which also involved the indigenous people of Taiwan. This was the highlight of the school's GIN (Global Issues Network) projects for the year. Join the DISGIN Coordinator for a workshop about GIN activities that change ordinary kids into Earth Saving Activists.
Mindi Dryer
Biography: Mindi Dryer has been living and working overseas as an educator in international schools since 2004. She has experience as a teacher, administrator, and coordinator, in schools located in Korea, Egypt & China. She received her Masters in Educational Leadership in May 2013. Mindi is passionate about creating efficient systems and using technology to improve schools, which will have a direct impact on student learning and staff well-being.
Workshop 1
Title: Managing Email Overload: Etiquette, Policy & Tips to Increase Productivity
Description: Responding to and managing a large volume of emails is always a challenge in the workplace. Everyone from teachers to Heads of Schools and assistants can be overwhelmed with the amount of emails received each day. This session will look at some of the issues and give you tips on a how to manage emails. It will also look at possible email etiquette guidelines and policies that can be used at your school to increase productivity and decrease stress each day!
Darin Fahrney
Co-Presenter/s: Darlene Poluan / Simon Bright
Biography: Dr. Darin Fahrney is currently the High School Principal at Singapore American School. Katie, Darlene, and Simon are Quest advisors. Prior to teaching at SAS, Katie worked in the U.S. teaching humanities, while she earned her Master's in School Counseling from the University of Missouri. Darlene received her BA in Mathematics from UC Berkeley and her MA from Stanford University. She taught Math at SAS for the past 5 years.
This year is Darlene's sixth year at SAS. She received a BA in Mathematics from University of California, Berkeley and an MA in Teaching of Mathematics from Stanford University. Prior to moving to Singapore, Darlene taught math at a high school in the Bay Area. She believes in inspiring a community of learners through personalized experiences that develop skills for lifelong learning. Unique fact: she married a robotics engineer on the ultimate Pi day in this century: 3.14.15 and their first dance was at9:26. It was well-planned.
Simon hails from British Columbia, Canada and has a BSc in Biochemistry, an MA in Education and a PTC Certificate. This is his 12th year at the Singapore American School. A self professed "tinkerer", Simon passionately supports the coming revolution in education, believing in a dramatic shift towards a skills based education delivered through personalized experiences. The Quest Program, launched this year, is the result of 4 years of research and development requiring collaboration, innovation, persistence and perspiration squarely aimed at shifting our educational mindsets in order to better serve the needs of students. Simon hopes that the Quest program becomes an example for other programs or schools to follow as they seek inspiration within their unique context.
Workshop 1
Title: Quest @ SAS reimagines learning: Developing an all-day personalized program
Description: How do you change educational institutions? Put a math teacher, a science teacher, and a humanities teacher into a room, and empower them to innovate. After an extensive R&D journey, SAS reimagined learning and created a unique all-day program for a cohort of 24 seniors. It is called Quest. Quest provides personalized, skills-based education through interdisciplinary projects while still maintaining a high standard of rigor necessary for colleges. It's a small program, but hopes to have a big influence. Hear about our journey to wrap the best of our thinking into an innovative new program that inspires change.
Thomas Farrell
Co-Presenter/s: Yu-lin Chen
Biography: Tom Farrell has been a successful educator for more than 47 years and was superintendent in Aspen, Colorado (1988-2003), Kennebunk, Maine (2003-2008), and Kaohsiung American School in Taiwan (2003-present). In Aspen during his tenure, they build a new elementary school, renovated the middle school, renovated/built a new high school, and added an athletic complex all on one campus. He moved to Kennebunk after spending most of his 15 years in Aspen heading up building projects and quickly jumped into another building project - a new elementary school. In his last 4 leadership positions numbering 33 years, Dr. Farrell has either been designing, or overseeing a school construction project.
Yu-lin Chen received his professional degree from Harvard University Graduate School of Design (Master of Architecture with distinction) in 2002, and founded Yu-lin Chen Architects in 2006. In 2010, together with Malone Chang, he founded MAYU architects+, an interdisciplinary practice based in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. In Harvard, Yu-lin was awarded The Araldo Cossutta Annual Prize for Design Excellence in 2000. His graduate thesis project proposed a dialectic Urban-Architecture strategy for contemporary urban conditions and was nominated for the Harvard Thesis Prize. Yu-lin worked for Francisco Mangado Architects (Pamplona, Spain) on the competition team of Zaragoza Olympic Village and Pamplona San Fermins Museum; and for William Rawn Associate, Architects (Boston, USA) on the design team of Williams College '62 Center for Theatre and Dance, and Loomis Chaffee School Performing Arts Center. Yu-lin is visiting design critic at National Cheng-Kung University since 2006 and is invited to several workshops, review panels and lectures. He is registered architect both in Taiwan and in Massachusetts, USA.
Workshop 1
Title: Building a world class school that is recognized by a world-class architectural magazine is all about teamwork and trust
Description: After being the Superintendent of Schools for the building or major renovations of 6 schools and learning from our mistakes during each project, we got it right on this one. Kaohsiung American School is a curriculum-based, LEED approved, transparent, and technology advanced school that was truly built for creativity and a liberal arts education. In addition to meeting the needs of KAS, this school (that will be finally completed this month), has also been recognized as the cover story for Taiwan Architect Magazine of April, 2016. We will talk about how essential it is to plan well, include many, trust the architects and builders, educate the school community as you build, stay positive, and dream big.
Louise Favaro
Biography: Louise has been in education for more than 25 years and is currently the Head of Student Services at Chatsworth International School. Louise has developed several models for working with students and is a writer, workshop presenter, and keynote speaker. Louise is also a practitioner of Mindfulness Based Systemic Constellations to help people deal with interpersonal dynamics in families and organizations.
Workshop 1
Title: Managing Parents When Student Issues Arise
Description: Some parents are quick to assume that their child is being bullied, or rush to blame others when their child has done something wrong, particularly when they don't have all the facts. It is not uncommon for a parent to project their own unresolved issues onto a situation, inadvertently making a low level incident more complicated for a staff member to deal with. This session focuses on managing parents, including those who defend, rescue, enable, or make their child into a victim.
Deidre Fischer
Biography: Deidre Fischer is an experienced head of international schools who is now owner of her own company, DF Education (www.deidrefischer.com.au). Her work with schools and teachers focuses on supporting the quality of teaching and learning, and ranges from helping schools vertically articulate their curriculum, developing/documenting teaching practices aligned with mission/vision, conducting organizational audits/reviews, leadership training and Board governance training. She has presented at numerous IBO/TAISI/EARCOS Leadership (and Teacher) Conferences in that have featured: building organisational capacity from within, fostering diversity and inclusive practices within schools and nurturing women in leadership. Deidre's work is guided by: "Great leaders find ways to connect with people and help them fulfill their potential".
Workshop 1
Title: Management Skills 101: a practical approach
Description: This workshop is designed for teaching and non-teaching middle managers and administrators who manage other people as part of their work in schools. The ability to lead and manage others requires a range of skills and experiences, as well as understanding inter-personal dynamics and different personalities … not to mention different cultural histories within your team. Most of my management skills were learned as a result of lessons learned along my leadership journey. As an experienced Head of School, I would like to share some of my experiences together with some helpful hints. The session is designed to be interactive and practical, and it is an 'appetiser' for my 2 day workshop in November (in Bali) that supports the development of teaming skills within schools.
Beccy Fox
Biography: I am currently Director of Canggu Community School, Bali. I have lived in Bali for 9 years and have an Indonesian husband and young child. I have been in International education since 1998, with previous positions in Malaysa and Seychelles. I started my teaching career in Whitechapel, East London in 1989.
Workshop 1
Title: Cultural Intelligence: how to help new staff members work in a new culture.
Description: This is a presentation developed as part of the new staff induction programme, for both expat and host country teachers at Canggu Community School. It is aimed at helping us understand and manage working in a different culture. The intention is to help us see situations through different cultural lenses, from different points of view. School leaders will have the opportunity to discuss how they can increase understanding of cultural differences in their school and encourage their team to approach new and challenging situations with confidence, knowledge and a sense of humour.
Richard Gaskell
Co-Presenter/s: Sami Yosef
Biography: Richard Gaskell: Since the early 1990's Richard Gaskell has worked with schools and education, firstly in South Africa, then joining Scholastic International in 1997 as International Sales Director when he started working with the international schools market. Since then, Richard has become an integral part of the K-12, English-medium international school scene, spending 11 years with Scholastic before joining ISC Research (part of The International School Consultancy) in 2008. Now Director for International Schools at The International School Consultancy, Richard spends much time presenting to school associations and global organisations about developments within the international schools market. He personally visits many leading international schools each year, gathering market intelligence and supporting decisions for school development and expansion. He manages all ISC research projects outside the UK. He is frequently quoted in the national and international media. Richard is British and is based in Bangkok with his wife, three children and two Jack Russell terriers.
Sami Yosef: For the past few years Sami has overseen all the field research with SE Asia's top schools for ISC Research. Sami studied at Strathclyde University before joining ISC as one of the Market Intelligence Report writers. Sami is based in Bangkok with his wife and hails from Scotland and Egypt.
Workshop 1
Title: International School Market Developments
Description: Richard and Sami will present the latest data on the international schools market and will highlight how today's international schools market is developing to meet the needs of different learners, with a special focus on China. There will be a section benchmarking EARCOS schools against other regional associations. The presentation will also include results from a special global survey of international schools by ISC Research and Next Frontier Inclusion (NFI) on the inclusion of students with special learning needs.
Matt Harris
Biography: Matt Harris, Ed.D. is the Deputy Head for Learning Technology at the British School Jakarta. Over the past 15 years, Dr. Harris has worked as an educational leader, teacher, and educational technologist in Asia and North America. He has taught all levels from preschool to university graduate school in ICT and mathematics. He is also known for his conference speaking, written works, and consulting in the areas of EdTech leadership, integration, digital citizenship, information literacy, data usage, and change management. Dr. Harris is an Apple Distinguished Educator, Microsoft Innovative Education Expert, Google Certified Educator, and Common Sense Media Certified Educator.
Workshop 1
Title: Embedding Digital Citizenship Schoolwide Including Integration Across All Subjects and Grade Levels
Description: Making digital citizenship a central part of the school's academic program and not just an add-on is critical for meeting students' present and future needs. In this session, we will talk about approaches for embedding digital citizenship ethos and standards for all stakeholder groups in the school. We will investigate empowerment and ambassador programs for students and parents. We will talk about methods for integrating digital citizenship in all classes without taking away instructional time. We'll draw upon Common Sense Media and Southwest Grid for Learning to offer valuable curriculum resources and enable certification for all teachers and administrators.
Clay Hensley
Co-Presenter/s: Nancy Hargrave Meislahn
Biography: CLAY HENSLEY is the Senior Director, International Strategy & Outreach, at the College Board. Clay is honored to support the aspirations and goals of leaders within the EARCOS community. He travels extensively as he assists schools participating in the Advanced Placement Program (AP), PSAT/NMSQT and SAT globally.
Workshop 1
Title: Big Trends in College Admissions, and What They Mean for the EARCOS Community
Description: With the popularity of American-style higher education within the EARCOS region, understanding the important trends and emerging new practices in U.S. college admissions is essential for school leaders. This interactive session will feature both a veteran U.S. college admissions leader, as well as international expert from the College Board. Discussion will focus on the trends most pertinent for EARCOS school leaders to understand as they support their students' aspirations. Participants will gain data-driven insights into the university admissions landscape, as well as a fuller qualitative understanding of emerging trends, such as the Coalition for Access & Affordability's new college application portal.
Jon Hill
Biography: Dr. Jon Hill was a secondary teacher for 12 years and is now in his seventh year as an international school administrator in the EARCOS region. He is currently the Middle School Principal at the International School of Beijing.
Workshop 1
Title: Reframing Student Discipline as Learning Opportunities
Description: Fights, theft, vandalism, bullying, cheating, plagiarism... No administrator smiles when they happen, but these are perhaps the greatest teaching and learning opportunities we get in schools. Students and their parents are in crisis, and we can offer them hope and a pathway to improved relationships. This workshop is aimed at upper elementary and secondary administrators who deal with the heavy stuff and want discipline to result in real change for the better. Come ready to share what has worked for you and to pick up some new strategies.
Kevin House
Biography: Kevin joined the IB after many years in international schools across Africa, Europe and Asia. He has spent much of this time as a school administrator in a number of IB World Schools in Asia Pacific, building up a first-hand understanding of the specific opportunities and requirements experienced in our exciting and diverse region. In addition to his school leadership roles, he has been a committed IB consultant, visiting team member and workshop leader. To further the development of exceptional IB World Schools, he will concentrate on continuing to improve the service aspects of School Services' remit by focusing on the authorisation and evaluation processes.
Workshop 1
Title: Creating ethical schools in an international context
Description: An insight into how we might use a variety of leadership strategies to make international schools live up to the integrity implicit in most mission statements. The presentation starts by sketching out a broad framework of academic honesty, ethical pedagogy and moral communities, before discussing the role of school leadership in building such environments.
Virginia Hunt
Co-Presenter/s: Kristel Solomon Saleem
Biography: Virginia Is the Primary School Principal at Hong Kong Academy. Virginia is an International Baccalaureate (IB) World Leader trainer and regularly presents regionally and Internationally with a focus on leadership in the Primary Years Programme. She is also a Next Frontier Inclusion Reviewer and has supported schools on their journey to inclusion regionally. Virginia has taught grade levels Pre-Kindergarten - Grade 5. She began her international career by opening an international school in Frankfurt, Germany. Prior to joining Hong Kong academy in 2007, Virginia worked at the American school of Dubai in a range of teaching and administrative roles.
Kristel Solomon-Saleem is the Director of Learner Support at Hong Kong Academy. She is a graduate of Temple University with degrees in Elementary and Special Education and a Masters Degree in Educational Psychology. Kristel's passion for teaching and learning have lead her to working closely with the Next Frontier Inclusion as a workshop leader and Design Team Support member. She has had the opportunity to lead workshops for: Special Education Needs In Asia Conference (SENIA), Eastern Asia Regional Council of Schools (EARCOS), Association of China and Mongolia International Schools (ACAMIS) and contribute to the IB Guidelines for Inclusive Education.
Workshop 1
Title: Continuum for Effective Teaching Partnerships (Exploring Shared Cognition)
Description: The session will look at a framework to support leaders in developing teaching teams in developing effective teaching partnerships that will allow teachers to apply a common understanding and explore the complexities of working collaboratively on an ongoing basis. The continuum is applicable and appropriate for various teaching roles throughout a school.
Matthew Johnson
Biography: Matt is the elementary assistant principal at Shekou International School. Originally from California, he has spent the last 15 years teaching and leading in international schools throughout Ecuador, Thailand, Myanmar, South Korea, and China. Currently working towards his Ed.D. with a dissertation focus on "Administrative Retention and Job Satisfaction", he is passionate about supporting and guiding new administrators as they transition and build a positive leadership foundation. Matt has presented at various international conferences, written blogs, and published articles on the topic of supporting new and aspiring administrators.
Workshop 1
Title: Foundational Leadership: Supporting New Administrators
Description: The early years for a new administrator are critical in building a solid foundation as an effective school leader. We have aspired and worked tirelessly for many years to get to this point. Focused and intentional actions will support our reputation and the ability for us to be positive change agents within our school. This workshop will focus on practical strategies and suggestions toward building a positive leadership foundation, managing and maneuvering difficult conversations and situations, and creating a clear vision and philosophy of what it looks, sounds, and feels like to be an effective leader in today's international schools.
Dan Keller
Biography: Dan Keller is the Elementary Principal at Saigon South International School in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Dr. Keller holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Philosophy (Beloit College), a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies (University of Washington), a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction (Bilkent University), and was a Visiting Scholar at the University of Cambridge Faculty of Education Leadership and Learning Group. His research interests include international education, international school marketing, and pedagogical leadership. With his wife Lara, daughter Maddie, and son Forrest, he enjoys time in their wilderness home, Riverwood, in the Cascade Mountains outside Seattle, Washington (USA).
Workshop 1
Title: Leadership of international schools: Understanding and managing dualities
Description: Leaders of international schools find themselves operating within a loosely defined, yet rapidly growing, specialty niche of education. The leadership context for these schools is often filled with ambiguity and complex tensions between opposing forces. This presentation proposes a two-stage framework for critically analyzing the dualities of international schools. The first stage, 'making sense of dualities', adapts Simkins' framework for sense-making in educational leadership. The second stage, 'leading dualities', utilizes Bolman and Deal's four frames of leadership. Two categories of dualities are proposed for initial consideration: spatial dualities (opening gateways across eras) and temporal dualities (bridging boundaries across cultures). Specific examples of spatial dualities are analyzed within the context of an international school. The Roman god Janus, whose two faces see opposite perspectives, is utilized as a metaphor for the simultaneous composite nature of dualities. The presentation proposes that it is the challenge of leaders to make sense of opposite perspectives within their school and leading their school community to do the same. (This presentation is based on the author's article published in the Education Management Administration Leadership Journal and selected as Paper of the Year 2015).
Daniel Kilback
Biography: Daniel Kilback is the Director of Technology at Korea International School. He has worked in Canada, Taiwan, and Kuwait as a teacher at all school levels. Prior to joining the faculty at KIS, he served as the Tech Director and High School Assistant Principal at the American School of Kuwait. He is a self-admitted Apple fanboy, enjoys a diverse selection of podcasts, and is eager to see schools use technology to make small changes that yield big results.
Workshop 1
Title: From Oral History to Digital Narrative
Description: All international schools have stories to tell - stories that are both enriched and complicated by the transience of each school's population. As schools grow and change, holding on to individual contributions is crucial to understanding the present, appreciating the past, and being able to move productively into the future. Imagine if, as a new administrator, you could quickly pull up a digital timeline outlining the origins, evolution, and future goals of any project, program, or initiative. Learn how to utilize technology to shift from documenting via a fleeting oral history to establishing a more permanent digital narrative.
Chip Kimball
Biography: Chip serves as the superintendent of Singapore American School. Chip joined SAS after sixteen years in the Lake Washington school district in Redmond,Washington where he served as chief technology of cer, assistant superintendent, and deputy superintendent before becoming superintendent in 2007. Chip has a bachelor's degree in biology from Whitworth University, a master's degree in science education from Eastern Washington University, and a doctorate in educational leadership from University of Southern California.
Workshop 1
Title: Transforming Singapore American School - A Documentary Film and interactive discussion
Description: EARCOS will be the FIRST public viewing of a recently completed documentary of the change process at Singapore American School. SAS has undergone a courageous and challenging process to dramatically improve an already successful school. This documentary captures the authentic SAS story, including personal reflections and "in the moment" struggles of faculty and leadership over the past three years. The film provides a picture of how this prominent school is taking on transforming an existing successful school to better serve students well into the future. After the viewing of the documentary, key leaders will participate in a panel discussion and interactive Q&A. The discussion will continue into the lunch hour for those interested in an even deeper discussion. The film and discussion will highlight the SAS R&D process, developed to fundamentally shift the direction of Singapore American School. The process was designed to challenge deeply held assumptions, engage faculty, shape culture, and included visitations to over 100 schools worldwide. Over 100 college admissions officers were interviewed, internationally known educational leaders were consulted, and a strategic plan is now in place reflecting what has been learned. This session will provide reflections on lessons learned and an authentic look at the impacts of change.
William Kralovec
Biography: William Kralovec is the head of the Osaka International School of Kwansei Gakuin (Japan). He has worked in international education since 1992 with leadership positions in Venezuela and Serbia prior to Japan. His passion for sports and wilderness led him into science teaching and coaching. He is currently working on his Ed.D. from Lehigh University (USA). He has an interest in sustainability education and despite coming of age in the 1980s, believes that the internet and mobile technology is of great benefit to education.
Workshop 1
Title: Using Podcasting to Support Your Leadership
Description: This is a practical workshop about how heads of schools and principals can produce podcasts. Podcasting can serve as a marketing tool, improve a leader's understanding of the community and ultimately, improve student learning. The workshop will deal with the technical side of sound quality and give do's and don'ts based on experience publishing podcasts on the school website. Educators will come away with a practical how to guide and may be inspired to produce podcasts at their own school.
Marc Lheureuxl
Co-Presenter/s: Genta Branstetter
Biography: Marc L'Heureux is the Elementary Principal at the American School in Japan. Prior to ASIJ, he spent 14 years as the Deputy Principal at Singapore American School. Marc has 29 years of teaching experience having worked in Germany, Scotland and the state of Maine. Thinking routines have played an important role in building collaborative and productive teams at ASIJ. .
Genta Branstetter is the Elementary School Associate Principal at the American School in Japan. She spent 16 of her 22 years as an educator overseas teaching in the United States, China, New Zealand, India, Tunisia and Yemen. She attended Project Zero at Harvard and has since been using thinking routines in her classroom and in her various leadership roles for over eight years.
Workshop 1
Title: Using Thinking Routines To Lead Professional Dialogue
Description: As leaders we strive to create a culture of thinking within our schools. We want our schools to be places where thinking is valued, models of thinking are present and thinking is documented in a variety of ways. In this session, participants will learn how to model visible thinking through the use of "Thinking Routines" with their faculty and staff. By the end of this course, participants will have practical strategies to take back to their school to influence a culture of thinking, including specific examples of how two principals at ASIJ have refined this approach to leadership.
Erin Lillis Kent
Biography: Erin Lillis Kent is an international literacy consultant with schools in Brazil, Hong Kong, Vietnam, the U.A.E., and China. Erin helps teachers and administrators grow customized approaches to K-8 balanced literacy that fit an international school's unique context while holding tight to research-based literacy essentials. Erin taught literacy for many years in urban, independent and international schools before becoming a literacy coach and then P-12 Director of Curriculum and Instruction where she led a team of 13 instructional coaches and advised K-12 administrators on establishing data-based academic initiatives. Erin speaks regularly at Columbia University Teachers College and at international conferences on reading/writing workshop methodology, literacy coaching, curriculum development, and literacy leadership.
Workshop 1
Title: Reading and Writing Workshop in International Schools: Advancing Progress and Avoiding Pitfalls in K-8 Literacy Reform
Description: What is Reading and Writing Workshop? Does it look the same in every school? What are the benefits and drawbacks of adopting this approach to school-wide reading and writing instruction? This session first defines workshop teaching, giving an overview of the why, what and how of this increasingly popular teaching methodology. Embedded in this introduction are answers to frequently asked questions from international schools: Does workshop work with high populations of English Language Learners? Can workshop work in PYP schools? How do we maintain and grow workshop expertise with a transitory teaching staff? etc. Finally, leaning on our school's 9 years of experience using workshop as a component of balanced literacy, I'll give advice and warnings on how to reform or refine an institution's K-8 literacy program.
David Lovelin and Tara Verenna
Biography: Dr. Lovelin has been an administrator for 11 years and is currently in the third year as the Middle School Principal at Korea International School. He is committed to developing education programs allowing students to experience learning through various perspectives and activities.
Mrs. Tara Verenna is passionate about giving educators the tools they need to create impactful and rigorous applied learning experiences. She holds an M.Ed and has 18 years of experience facilitating learning experiences in traditional and outdoor education settings. She uses these diverse experiences to bridge the gap between practice and theory for educators.
Workshop 1
Title: How to Start a Design and Innovation Program from the Ground Up?
Description: How to bring applied and innovative courses to your middle school. Korea International School has adapted from traditional limited opportunities to offering a multitude of innovative courses. Over a period of three years KIS has expanded to include a 6th grade elective wheel (Foundation, Computers, Art, Design Thinking), Stage Craft, Costuming, Individual Engineering, Collaborative Engineering, all levels of Music, Applied Robotics (EV3), Roving Robotics (EV3), 2D/3D Art, Art Illustrations, Chinese, French, Korean, and Spanish. Participants will see the process and systems developed over three years including course information, costs, and staffing helping transition your programs to an applied focus.
Stuart Macalpine
Co-Presenter/s: Nancy Fairburn
Biography: Former Principal of the Canadian International School in Singapore, Nancy joined UWCSEA in 2008 as the Primary Years Curriculum Coordinator and later supported curricular developments as the Primary Vice Principal. Nancy is currently leading the writing of the UWCSEA K-12 Curriculum and the associated Articulation Project. Stuart MacAlpine works closely with Nancy as the Director of Teaching and Learning for East Campus UWCSEA where he leads teams within a complex ecosystem to support a shared focus on improving student learning. Stuart grew up in a family of teachers and has spent most of his life either enjoying learning himself, or talking about and supporting the learning of others.
Workshop 1
Title: Leading a Learning Ecosystem
Description: Human beings rarely work or think in simple linear ways: given that, an essential part of school leadership is the ability to make sense of complex systems. This sense making is supported by thinking through the analogy of an ecosystem in which each part is complexly related to every other part. Effecting change within an ecosystem requires leaders to understand interrelationships; the types of influence they can exert upon the system; and indicators to know if their ecosystem is healthy and resilient. This session will focus on the interrelationships between writing, planning, assessing, communicating and reporting learning within the school ecosystem and will be accompanied by the publication of a short eBook by Stuart and Nancy on "Leading a Learning Ecosystem".
Rami Madani
Biography: Rami Madani is the Director of Teaching and Learning at the International School of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Prior to that he worked in international schools in Yemen, Zambia, and India, serving students and faculty at all school levels. He has taught subjects ranging from Mathematics to Music to Theory of Knowledge. He served as a secondary school principal, dean of students, and department head in various international schools. Rami has designed a variety of professional development and training programs for teachers. In addition, he is an IB Diploma consultant and is passionate about aligning a school's systems with its mission, and ensuring that teaching and learning is the focus of what schools do.
Workshop 1
Title: Innovative, Differentiated and Sustainable Orientation Program for New Teachers
Description: How do we ensure that the mission, vision, values and practices of our schools are sustained and advanced as faculty and staff turnover? How do we provide an orientation program that is differentiated, self-managed, and encourages teachers to be self-directed learners? Taking advantage of differentiated access to online learning, flexible learning time, clearly defined expectations, and an approach that provides accountability are essential to ensure that new and returning faculty have the same set of knowledge and skills. This session will present a data driven approach that balances an effective use of technology and social interaction to address orientation program needs as they align with the school's on-going PD.
Aracelis Maldonado
Co-Presenter/s: Jonathan Condo
Biography: Aracelis Maldonado is an experienced international educator and doctoral candidate. She has been an Assistant MS/HS Principal and curriculum leader. She will join NCPA as HS Principal in August 2016. Aracelis has also worked for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and attended the Red Cross Nordic United World College in Norway.
Jonathan Condo is an experienced international educator and third culture kid. He has worked at international schools in Venezuela, Guatemala, and Malaysia. He has been an Elementary Principal, Math Specialist and WASC Coordinator. He will be joining NCPA in August 2016 as a STEM and Math teacher.
Workshop 1
Title: Implications of international mindedness on staffing and recruiting practices at international schools
Description: International-mindedness is a core value of the international school community, regional organizations and accrediting agencies. Within international schools, international-mindedness is the basis of instructional practices and school culture. Schools spend valuable time educating students to be globally minded citizens. But, do international schools truly embody international-mindedness? What values do your recruiting practices reflect? What are the benefits and challenges of adopting a truly global perspective? In this workshop, we will look at the implications of adopting an international-minded perspective when staffing an international school.
Deron Marvin
Biography: Mr. D. Marvin is currently the Elementary School Principal at the International School Yangon. He has written articles and presented topics to school administrators on effective leadership strategies. Mr. Marvin is by nature a social scientist, thus is constantly pondering, imagining, and wondering how we can be better educators. He has worked in the U.S.A., India, China, Ethiopia, and now Yangon, Myanmar.
Workshop 1
Title: Building Trust Within Your Team
Description: Trust is an especially fragile but necessary entity in our work. For the conscientious leader, it takes deliberate planning and devotion to successfully realize it within their team. In this workshop, Mr. Marvin will develop your understanding of the importance of trust. Through presentation and group work, the attendees will depart with tools to employ in their own organizations.
Nicola Mason
Co-Presenter/s: Colter Watt
Biography: Nicola Mason is passionate about learning and about developing opportunities to support teachers in engaging with professional development to improve their practice. She is currently Head of Secondary at Garden International School where she is working with leaders and teachers to create a strong vibrant professional culture that puts student learning at the heart of everything.
Colter is currently the Head of Primary at Garden International School, Kuala Lumpur. He has teaching and leadership experience in schools in the USA, South Africa, England, China, Poland and Malaysia. Colter is passionate about cultivating learning environments that foster the potential of all those within the community.
Workshop 1
Title: Leveraging professional learning to drive student learning
Description: How do we engage teachers in high quality collaboration and reflection, ensuring that they feel valued and are developing to be the best in a strong vibrant professional culture? Moving away from a 'one-size fits all' approach to a personalised professional learning programme in this session we will share our journey to planning, designing and implementing a dedicated programme of integrated professional learning.
Lauren Mehrbach
Co-Presenter/s: Chris Beingessner
Biography: MS Principal, Lauren Mehrbach has been with Singapore American School since July 2014, in addition to her tenure at SAS from 1999-2011. Previously, she served as secondary school principal at the American Cooperative School of Tunis, high school deputy principal at Singapore American School, and middle school teacher at both SAS and Escuela Campo Alegre in Venezuela.
Chris Beingessner joined Singapore American School in July 2015 as a middle school deputy principal. Prior to Singapore, Chris held numerous teaching and school leadership roles K-12. He was most recently a vice principal in Saskatchewan, Canada, and before that taught high school English and math. His first foray into international teaching was serving as the middle school coordinator at NISC in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Workshop 1
Title: Teacher Feedback to Support Student Agency
Description: This session will share current research on teaching behaviors that dampen or boost student agency, the capacity and propensity for learners to take purposeful initiative, and our leadership team's work on designing teacher feedback to support agency. Our aim is for participants to leave with a stronger understanding of how to support student agency in their schools, as well as useful tools to support teacher growth.
Margie Mitchell
Co-Presenter/s: Kimlan Cook
Biography: Margie's earlier career was as a lawyer, specializing in planning and environmental law. Other positions have included working in legal research at the World Bank and in an international policy think tank in Singapore. For the past 9 years, Margie has been Deputy Director of the Admissions at UWCSEA
Kimlan started her working life in fashion retail management which morphed into a career in Investment Banking as a Retail Analyst in the City of London. Since returning to Asia 22 years ago, Kimlan has set up and run various small businesses (management consultancy, design, manufacture and retail of childrenswear and swimwear). Kimlan entered the world of Admissions as the Registrar at UWCSEA in May 2010.
Workshop 1
Title: Mission Impossible: Pleasing all of the People all of the Time - Communications in Admissions
Description: What would it take to have every family you communicate with become advocates of your school? Maybe impossible to get right all of the time, but this interactive session explores the essential elements offering the best prospect of a positive outcome - from the most difficult scenarios to the most mundane - and, crucially, those that won't.
Theodore Mockrish
Biography: Ted Mockrish is currently the middle and high school principal at Cebu International School. He has also served CIS as elementary principal, and previously as elementary principal in New York and Kuwait. Ted has just completed his dissertation study through Lehigh University's Global Leadership Program and continues to conduct research in international school settings regarding trust, intercultural competency, and personal and school factors that contribute to them in school settings.
Workshop 1
Title: Principal Intercultural Competency and Teacher Trust in EARCOS International Schools
Description: This workshop presents findings from a May 2016 research study on principal intercultural competency and teacher trust in the EARCOS region. The purpose of the study is to better understand how intercultural competency may affect the nature of trust in EARCOS schools. Variables related to intercultural competency and trust, including the organizational nature of schools, were included in the study. This workshop is for principals to connect issues of trust and intercultural competency with faculty members, and for superintendents to consider how intercultural competency and trust may support hiring practices, turnover, diversity, and school culture.
. Mona Stuart
Biography: Mona Stuart is the Director of Admissions at Singapore American School. Prior to that, she was the Director of Communications at Jakarta Intercultural School. It's been satisfying for her to bring to admissions work her experiences as an expat mother of three, an English teacher, grant writer, communications consultant and also as a boarding school dorm head. She's so proud of the way her admissions team has worked together to create this approach called Optimal Admissions.
Workshop 1
Title: The Optimal Admissions Case Study at Singapore American School
Description: Selective admissions. Open admissions. Inclusive admissions. Take-whoever's-breathing admissions. Are there any other options? Four years ago, we asked ourselves what it would look like to develop an Optimal Admissions approach at Singapore American School. And, since then, we've gained new energy to build the kind of learning community that best serves kids and educators alike. This presentation is an introduction to Optimal Admissions at SAS, a way of shaping our school's future, one applicant and one cohort at a time. You will be given a solid admissions framework against which to evaluate your approach, one that can be personalized and adapted to fit your school's unique identity and vision.
Ken Morrison
Biography: I love to learn. I love to teach. I love to create. I am fortunate that I have been able to combine my passions in every job so far in my career. After producing television commercials in the United States for seven years, I chose to pursue my desire to teach. During my 5 ½ years teaching at Hannam University in Korea, I became an Apple Distinguished Educator. This career-long mutual commitment allows me to continually learn from some of the top educators in the world and share that knowledge with teachers and students at Busan Foreign School.
Workshop 1
Title: Transformation - From Quiet Library to Lively Learning Hub
Description: In less than one school year, the team of teachers and administration at Busan Foreign School worked together to transform our library into a lively learning space where students choose to spend significant time each week. This participatory presentation will share the steps we took as well as give media-rich examples of our students in action. Participants in the presentation will share examples of what is working in their schools and we will discuss needed next steps to transform our libraries into learning hubs of researching, creating and connecting.
David Munro and Stacy Stephens
Biography: David has been an international educator for more than 20 years. He has worked in Central and South American and recently worked in Malaysia. David is the High School Principal at the International School of Beijing and is working on innovative practices that engage students in hands on and integrated learning.
Stacy Stephens is in her third year at the International School of Beijing as the Director of Learning, where she has been supporting program development in the Futures Academy. Previously Stacy was Director of Learning at the American Embassy School in New Delhi and throughout her career has put Educational Technology as a cornerstone element in her curriculum and program development work.
Workshop 1
Title: Doing High School Differently
Description: We often think the unique challenges of high school (university admissions, AP and IB programs and exams, and parent expectations) make changing this system insurmountable. ISB has been grappling with this very challenge. Our school has come up with a unique approach to "doing high school different" and this session will explore the rationale, processes, research, and implementation of these programs with time embedded to consider how schools can deliver and create alternative pathways within traditional structures of time, units, and university admissions.
Suzanne Murray
Biography: Previously a Consultant, in the field of Safeguarding, Child Protection, Health and Safety and Inclusion, I am currently working as Deputy Head of School at ISHCMC, with a focus on embedding the safeguarding agenda within the school. As a skilled administrator with extensive leadership and management experience, I have lead strategic, operational and cultural change in this area. I have experience of conducting school safeguarding reviews in national and international settings. I have experience as a public speaker at national level in the UK. I believe we have a moral purpose to prepare children for the 21st Century.
Workshop 1
Title: 21St century Safeguarding for International Schools - Policy to practice
Description: This workshop consists of key aspects of the safeguarding and child protection agenda and provides an audit base to review current practice and develop a time framed action plan to support school development. It will ensure that schools turn policy into practice whilst remaining true to the business of learning.
Seppie Myburgh
Biography: Seppie has been in international education for more than a decade now and has served as a Principal at Morrison Academy, Taiwan for the last five years. In 2009 he completed an M.Ed through Indiana Wesleyan and also acquired a principal certificate from the Principal Training Center in 2012. Seppie is currently pursuing an Ed.D through the University of Bath.
Workshop 1
Title: One Ring to Rule Them All
Description: John Hattie's review of the last 15-20 years of educational research is quite impressive, encompassing an astonishing 800 plus meta-analyses, of which the synthesis was published in his book, Visible Learning (2008). His rank-ordered, effect size instructional strategies are known as Hattie's List. Several critics, however, have challenged the notion that meta-analysis is able to produce conclusive findings. This talk will argue against uncritical acceptance of Hattie's views and clarify meta-analysis' proper role in education.
Heather Naro
Co-Presenter/s: Kristen Korczynski
Biography: Heather Naro is the Superintendent at the International School Eastern Seaboard (ISE). Previously, she was the Elementary School Principal for eight years at ISE. Heather has worked in Canada, Egypt, China, Saudi Arabia and Thailand. Before entering an administrative role she taught elementary classroom and physical education. Over the course of her administrative career she has realized the importance of having crucial conversations and being honest. Keeping student learning at the forefront must always be a priority. Heather and her husband Mitch also enjoy raising their two children overseas.
Kristen Korczynski is the K-12 Coordinator at the International School Eastern Seaboard (ISE). She comes to this new leadership role after having taught MS/HS English and Social Studies in Canada, Egypt, Switzerland and Thailand. In her first administrative role she understand how crucial conversations are imperative for moving a school forward. Kristen and her husband Dan enjoy the challenges of raising a young family in such vibrant caring international community.
Workshop 1
Title: Having crucial conversations
Description: As the international school market is inundated with new schools and an increasing number of teacher applicants, it is essential that school leaders hire quality educators. However, we all know that mistakes are made and we end up with human resource situations that demand intervention. Since it is in the best interest of students and student learning to staff our schools with quality teachers and administrators, we cannot shy away from confronting the facts and having difficult conversations. This workshop will explore strategies to engage in crucial conversations, the importance of reference checks, the potential for individualized intervention plans and the need to establish a network of mentors.
Maya Nelson
Biography: Maya Nelson started various special education programs in schools, most notably self contained programs for high risk students in the United States, learning resource/support programs in various International Schools and the former School Within A School at Taipei American School. Maya has over thirty years experience in special education, elementary education and school leadership. She has researched models of service delivery and best practices for at risk students and students with learning needs in international school settings. As a presenter, Maya most enjoys speaking about meeting the needs of our most fragile learners. She has also served as an auditor at various international schools furthering understanding and implementation strategies for improving support services in the international setting. Maya has worked as a special education teacher, elementary classroom teacher, Student Services Director, Associate Principal and is currently the Lower Primary Principal at the Lower Primary, Hong Kong International School.
Workshop 1
Title: We're Inclusive...Now, What? Next Steps and the Process of Building and Implementing Special Education Programs
Description: International schools are beginning to understand the importance of becoming more inclusive and serving diverse learners. With the move toward inclusion, schools are beginning to question ways to plan for and implement educational programs to support diverse learners or students with learning variations. Whether it is creating a self-contained special education program, expanding a learning resource/learning disabilities program or implementing the first support services program in your school, ideation, planning and implementation are needed. Learn about ways to plan for and put into action the steps you'll need to take in order to support building an inclusive or more inclusive program in your school.
David Neudorf
Co-Presenter/s: Rami Madani
Biography: Dave is currently the Director of Technology at the International School of Kuala Lumpur. He has been in international education for over 20 years and a Technology Leader in international schools for more than a decade working in Russia, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Indonesia and most recently Malaysia. Dave is a Google Apps for Education Certified Trainer, and an Apple Distinguished Educator who conducts Educational Technology Audits for schools.
Rami Madani is the Director of Teaching and Learning at the International School of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Prior to that he worked in international schools in Yemen, Zambia, and India, serving students and faculty at all school levels. He has taught subjects ranging from Mathematics to Music to Theory of Knowledge. He served as a secondary school principal, dean of students, and department head in various international schools. Rami has designed a variety of professional development and training programs for teachers. In addition, he is an IB Diploma consultant and is passionate about aligning a school's systems with its mission, and ensuring that teaching and learning is the focus of what schools do.
Workshop 1
Title: Leveraging Google Apps for Education in Creating Transformational Organizations
Description: Free/open technologies such as Google Apps for Education (GAFE) are making transformational changes in learning institutions. As access to powerful technologies improves steadily what is the impact on education? The International School of Kuala Lumpur (ISKL) is arguably the leader in Google Apps integration and implementation in South East Asia. Google Apps for Education (GAFE) is a suite of Google's web-based tools and is free to schools. At ISKL, GAFE has transformed our practices. Google Apps has replaced our traditional content-management practices, our communication systems, our Learning Management Systems, our groupware and calendaring services with an integrated, collaboration-rich suite of free tools. The result has been extensive cost saving, improved efficiencies through robust, reliable cloud-based services and an improved collaborative culture. This session will showcase our current uses and provide a Q&A period for participants interested in learning more.
Hieu Nguyen
Co-Presenter/s: Bob Hughes
Biography: Nguyen Van Hieu (parent elected) joined the Board in 2011 and was elected to the position of Chair in January 2015. He is a member of the Finance Committee, served as the Board Secretary in 2012-13, as chair of the Finance Committee in 2013-15, and as chair of the Buildings and Facilities Task Force in 2012-13. Hieu worked for Oracle Vietnam in 1995 and later became its Managing Director until 2002. He then held a number of regional management positions in the Asia Pacific Region for Oracle based in Singapore until 2007, at which time he decided to return to Vietnam as an independent entrepreneur. He is currently involved in green cement technologies and has investments in Vietnam's IT services industry. Hieu is Australian with a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering degree from the University of New South Wales, Australia. He has two children at UNIS Hanoi.
Bob Hughes (Board appointed) joined the Board in 2013 and was elected to the position of Treasurer in February 2015. He chaired of the . Previously, Bob served as chair of the Strategic Management Plan Task Force and Advancement Committee and as a member of the Finance Committee. Prior to joining the Board, Bob was a member of the Advancement Committee since 2011-12. He also served as a member of the Board's School Legal Status Task Force from 2009-10. He is American and has a background working in both multinational corporations and local Vietnamese companies, in the IT, financial, aviation, agricultural, and resource business sectors. He holds BA degrees in Finance and Chinese Studies from University of Utah, USA and an MBA from Stanford University, USA. Bob has lived in Vietnam for over fifteen years and has one child at UNIS Hanoi.
Workshop 1
Title: Are you a Generative Governor?
Description: With the introduction of the Governance As Leadership model, understanding the concepts is only the first step. Real impact on the quality of governance comes when an individual board member is able to think about his/her own action and behavior through the generative governance lens. Come to this workshop to find out what those standards of behavior look like.
Paul Oneill Carrie Bennett and Brady Cline
Co-Presenter/s: Carrie Bennett and Brady Cline
Biography: Paul Is the Director for Teaching and Learning at ASIJ and a member of the senior leadership team charged with implementing the strategic plan.Paul works in the oversight of the school curriculum and professional development and leads the Innovation Team in the school who's charge is to enable growth and change in the program offerings of the school.
Carrie is the Associate Principal of the High School at ASIJ. Carrie launched the AP Diploma program at ASIJ by teaching the first Seminar and Research courses over the last two years prior to starting this role as the Associate Principal. Carrie is part of the team that developed and grew the ideas behind the IMPACT program.
Brady is The Learning Innovation Coach at the American School in Japan. Brady was the founding ICT Coordinator at GEMS World Academy – Singapore. GEMS where he designed an IT department focused on meeting the needs of learners, transitioning to Learning Innovation Coordinator with responsibilities for designing new learning spaces, writing curriculum and leading in-house PD. As a teacher and learner, he is most excited about building schools around the Connected Learning framework and leveraging design thinking for students and organisations.
Workshop 1
Title: IMPACT - Passion and Purpose shaping program design
Description: The American School in Japan is in the third year of implementation of the strategic plan.One of the challenges was to create more choice and opportunities for students to follow their passions. As a result the IMPACT program has emerged as a way to open up the pathways and design of learning available to students. Incorporating the concept of a capstone like program, the IMPACT is a menu of options that allow students to completely open up the options available or to use building blocks and shell courses that enable both personalised and self directed learning. aSupported by a team of SPARK coaches - the Impact program has resulted in some rich and deep inquiries and explorations.
Kurtis Peterson
Co-Presenter/s: Sam Sherratt
Biography: Recent father, aspiring husband, and current Primary Principal at International School of Ho Chi Minh City. While I really enjoy talking about education, I do love to switch gears and focus on sports, reading, and friends.
Sam Sherratt is the PYP Coordinator at International School Ho Chi Minh City. He has taught and led innovation in PYP at schools in Thailand, China and Bangladesh as well as facilitated numerous PYP workshops in the Asia Pacific region. As Co-Founder and Director of Time Space Education, Sam is committed to making learning as real, relevant and rewarding for students as possible - both in the schools he works in and beyond.
Workshop 1
Title: Inquiry-based Leadership
Description: We would like to share our approach and experiences of building leadership using inquiry. It would include some strategies and challenges to developing leadership capacity in staff. Session will be hands-on and focus on thinking and doing rather than us droning on at the front of the room.
Derek Pinchbeck
Biography: Derek Pinchbeck is Head of K-8 Campus and Head of Learning at ISS Singapore.He began his teaching career in 1990 in the UK and has worked in International Education since 1993. Prior to his role at ISS Derek was Head of Primary Years at Nanjing International School in China. Derek has presented at many conferences and run webinars for the IB. His blog http://www.thirstforthinking.org/thirst-for-thinking-blog has proved popular with educators around the world.
Workshop 1
Title: From cultures of consumption to cultures of creation
Description: Schools ought to be cultures of creation, with students and teachers actively engaged with ideas, challenges and tasks to create unique products, solutions and meaning. Too often however schools are places where students passively receive information rather than actively create meaning. As leaders how do we create cultures where active engagement and creativity by both students and staff thrives? In this workshop participants we will explore the challenges and opportunities schools face in developing a more creative learning culture.
Lindsay Powell Lindsay
Co-Presenter/s: Wendy VanBramer
Biography: Lindsey is the Director of Admissions and Enrollment at Yongsan International School of Seoul. She has previously taught in Thailand at the elementary and high school levels. She holds a MS in School Counseling and a BS in Elementary Education from Stetson University.
Wendy is currently the Director of Alumni and Development at International School Bangkok. She was previously the Director of Admissions at the same school for 15 years and also taught in their Middle School and Elementary School. Wendy holds an MA in English Linguistics and BA in Asian Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Workshop 1
Title: Technology in the Admissions Office: A Comparison of Online Admission and Enrollment Management Programs by Those Who Use Them
Description: With a growing focus on technology in today's schools, it is highly likely that your school has considered updating the admissions process with one of the many online products available. The choices are abundant and raise many questions. Why should schools invest in an online admission and enrollment management program? How does it benefit the admission, registration, and re-enrollment processes? What should a school be looking for in an admission and enrollment management program? This presentation/discussion will begin to answer the above questions by looking at some of the most prominent options on the market. You will have the opportunity to hear from three Admissions Directors who have each been using a different online product, such as InResonance, SchoolMint, OpenApply, and InfoSnap. Each will discuss the pros and cons of the programs their schools have chosen. As well as, how the programs link to student information systems and how they could be improved upon.
Richard Pratt
Biography: Richard Pratt is originally from Yorkshire and taught at universities in China and independent schools in the UK before taking the position of Director of the Hangzhou campus of Chinese International School in 2012. The centre opened in 2013 and now (2016-17) has over 100 students who spend their Year 10 of school 700 miles to the north of their home campus in Hong Kong.
Workshop 1
Title: Education for Interdependence: Three Years of the Hangzhou CIS project.
Description: The Hangzhou CIS programme, open since 2013, whereby Year 10 students transfer from the Hong Kong day school to a residential campus in mainland China for the full school year, has enjoyed remarkable success. Reflecting on these first three years of operation brings out insights into the importance of interdependence, character education through community and self-fulfillment through developing personhood in relation to others. Drawing on inspiration from John Macmurray and a Daoist master living by Wudang mountain, this is intended to be a speculative session sharing the process of reflection at this stage in the development of the centre.
Angela Reilly
Co-Presenter/s: Stephen Dare
Biography: Angela is the Assistant Director of Institutional Advancement (Admissions and Enrolment) at HKA. Since joining the school in 2013, she has implemented online admissions processes, developed practices to target mission-aligned families, increased enrolment and improved retention, all the while ensuring that the school's mission is present at every step. Angela has worked in UK and International schools in various capacities for over 15 years. She is passionate about Learning Support, having most recently overseen the Learning Support Programme at the International School of Manila, and is a regular presenter on the challenges of admissions and inclusion at international leadership conferences including CASE, NFI, EARCOS and ACIS.
Stephen Dare is Head of School at Hong Kong Academy. He earned his undergraduate degree in Education from Nottingham Trent University and his Masters in International Education and Administration from Oxford Brookes University. Starting his career as a preschool teacher in England, he worked as an administrator in international schools in North and South America as well as in Southeast Asia. He has been a co-trainer for the PTC Summer Institutes and is in the process of becoming a Cognitive Coaching trainer. He is the Treasurer of the ACAMIS Board and sits on the EARCOS Board, the Next Frontier Inclusion and Common Ground Collaborative Advisory Boards.
Workshop 1
Title: The devil is in the detail
Description: What happens when an admissions policy is not watertight, a family is non-compliant and a Board is not fully aware of the intricacies of the issue? This interactive and hands on session will bring to the surface challenges that schools, admissions teams and transient families face when trying to get enrol children into an international school. There is no simple solution. Writing a policy can be different from implementing it. One single word can be interpreted different ways. This presentation explores the myriad of perspectives that have to be considered when negotiating difficult admissions and enrollment situations.
Alan Runge
Biography: Dr. Alan Runge is the ninth Head of School of Hong Kong International School starting in January 2015. A leader with over 20 years' experience in higher education, Dr. Runge was previously the Senior Vice-President and Provost of Concordia University Texas from 2007 to 2014. Alan has earned degrees in physics, education, business and project management and has extensive background in instructional technology. In his spare time, Alan is an outdoor enthusiast enjoying hiking, climbing, sailing, SCUBA and is a pilot, when not enjoying the company of his wife Sherri and keeping up with their youngest child Elijah (3).
Workshop 1
Title: Organizing and Directing the Focus of a High Performing Team
Description: Following on the introduction and understandings of creating a high performing team as presented previously following Patrick Lencioni's "five dysfunctions of teams model," this session will explore what to do next once you form one. Following the models published by Patrick Lencioni in "Death by Meeting" and later expanded upon in "The Advantage" we will explore his proposed meetings model and how it can help align and focus the work of a team towards overall institutional goals and priorities. An implementation of this model at HKIS will be used as the case for consideration.
Maija Ruokanen
Biography: Maija Ruokanen is the Director of Professional Learning at NIST International School in Bangkok, Thailand. Prior to working at NIST, Maija has been an elementary classroom teacher in two international Schools in her native Finland and has worked at UNIS Hanoi and UNIS New York before joining NIST. Alongside her day job in directing the Professional Learning Hub @ NIST, she has also been part of the NIST Design Team, taking part in designing four buildings at NIST, making them more collaborative and conducive to shared practice.
Workshop 1
Title: Collaborative Learning Environments
Description: We all talk about collaboration and how it enhances student learning. We expect it from our students and we hope our teachers would engage in it too. But sometimes our learning environments are not very conducive to collaboration and it becomes more of the 'buzz word' than reality in schools. For the past six years, NIST International School has been working on making our learning spaces more collaborative, encouraging sharing and de-privatizing of our practice. How did we go about it? Come and hear about our process and what practical steps we took to make our learning environment more collaborative.
Kevin Ruth
Biography: Dr Kevin Ruth is Executive Director of ECIS. Kevin is a Fellow in the UK-based Royal Society of Arts; advisory council member for Harvard Business Review;; member of the Online Executive Panel (Education) for McKinsey & Company; member of the Feedback Forum (Marketing) for the Financial Times; and past lecturer for the National Endowment for the Humanities. He holds a doctorate in Comparative Literature from Rutgers University, and two executive certificates from Stanford University in Advanced Project Management and Strategic Decision & Risk Management. A dual US/UK citizen, he lives in London with his wife and two children, who attend and thrive at an international school.
Workshop 1
Title: PLCs: Sense or Nonsense?
Description: Professional Learning Communities continue to gain ground in schools, yet we must ask whether they are effective, relative to their putative aims. What does the evidence say? Are they glorified book groups and feel-good gatherings that have little to no effect? How PLCs are constructed and whether they have a distinct methodology make all the difference in the world. An effective PLC also must recognize fact from fiction when it comes to what makes great teaching. This interactive session will help you to frame the issues that PLCs must tackle in order to produce their desired effect.
Tim Stuart
Biography: Tim is the Executive Director of Strategic Programs at the Singapore American School. In this role, Tim serves as the chief architect for research and development and supports strategic school reform. He is the former High School Principal of Singapore American School. Tim also served as the High School Principal of Jakarta International School. Tim is the editor and contributing author to the anthology "Global Perspectives, Professional Learning Communities in International Schools", published by Solution Tree in 2016. Tim's research and writing reflects his passion for creating optimal school environments so that all kids can learn at high levels.
Workshop 1
Title: Professional Learning Communities In International Schools
Description: In this session, Tim will share insights from his latest book "Global Perspectives: Professional Learning Communities in International Schools", published by Solution Tree in 2016. We will explore what it means to be a learning-focused international school and how Professional Learning Communities introduce breakthrough conversations to improve both student and teacher learning.
Nisanart Tavedikul
Biography: Ms. Tavedikul earned her Bachelor's Degree in Film and Television from New York University (1998) and her Masters Degree in Education Administration in Public Education from Teachers College, Columbia University (2013). Currently, she serves The American School of Bangkok as the Assistant Director. Trained at Columbia, Yale, France and the United Kingdom on various mindfulness disciplines, she introduced and implemented the Mindfulness in Education program which was well received by all stakeholders at The American School of Bangkok. Among her trainees in mindfulness techniques are multibillion dollar enterprise, Amata Nakorn, executives, and doctorate students from Thammasat University.
Workshop 1
Title: Mindfulness in Education
Description: Mindful education is applied in schools to help children, students and teachers to improve their capacities for concentration, attention, conflict resolution and empathy, often resulting in improved student performance and classroom environments. Researchers have proven that learners receive, retain, and process information at their maximum level because mindful practices maximize human brain capacity, techniques involving breathing and fun movements to music. Participants will be introduced to a mindful curriculum, consisting of three components: self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and mental development. Participants will practice easy breathing techniques and movements that generate calmness, focus, and relaxation in order to understand how students benefit from mindful practices.
Jaime Thistleton
Co-Presenter/s: Maria Osowiecki
Biography: Jaime Thistleton is currently in her second year as the Vice Principal for Our Staff at the Alice Smith School, Kuala Lumpur. During her time at Alice Smith she has worked in a team of Curriculum specialists to design a bespoke Primary Curriculum focused on meeting the holistic needs of all Alice Smith students. This curriculum was shortlisted for the TES International School of the Year Award 2015. Since completing her Masters in Leadership and Management in 2011 her passion has been to develop middle leaders at Alice Smith and has created bespoke professional development at the Alice Smith School in addition to facilitating the NPQML courses in facilitation with Tanglin Trust School, Singapore. Prior to this, Jaime was a music specialist and as Head of Music developed a well recognised music department in Asia.
Workshop 1
Title: Developing Middle Leaders
Description: This presentation will focus on the importance of the Middle Leader in educational settings and showcase how the Alice Smith School is adapting its practices through a distributive leadership style and internal continuing professional development.
Rob Thompson
Co-Presenter/s: Norma Hudson and David Perrau
Biography: Rob has been the Assistant Head of School (Operations) for The International School of Kuala Lumpur since 2005. Rob has been directly involved from the start in the planning of ISKL's new school construction project, which is scheduled for completion in August 2018 at an estimated cost of around US$100 million. Rob is a British Chartered Accountant with previous working experience in the UK, Bermuda and the USA.
Dr. Norma Hudson is beginning her fourth year as the Head of School at ISKL. One of the major projects of ISKL during the past several years is the building of a new campus designed to optimize at 2500 students which will combine the Ampang Campus and the Melawati Campus into one location. ISKL has secured a prime location within view of the Petronas Towers for its new 26 acre Platinum GBI build. This endeavor has involved a number of partners and agreements all of which take time. The build has begun. Norma's overseas career began in 1980 teaching music education with the International Schools Group (ISG), Saudi Arabia. With roles in administration, including Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, Norma served as ISG's Superintendent for seven years prior to moving to the position of Head of School at ISKL in 2013.
David Perrau is the Director of Project Operations at ISKL and has over the pasy 20 years held various leadership positions within the global construction industry. A recent addition to the ISKL family his focus is to ensure the successful delivery of the New ISKL Integrated Campus which is scheduled to open in 2018. David brings to ISKL an extensive background in the successful delivery of social infrastructure projects across both the educational and health sectors in Australia and the Middle East. Before joining ISKL in late 2015, David spent 20 years with a leading global contracting company progressing to the position of Project Director for the construction of the Zayed University Abu Dhabi and more recently Strategic Business Development Manager within the South East Asian region. David holds a Bachelor of Construction Management (2nd Class Honors) degree from the University of NSW, Australia and several post graduate diplomas in project management and Occupational Health and
Workshop 1
Title: New Campus Build - Lessons Learned at ISKL
Description: ISKL's new campus construction is underway. We discovered the land in February 2012. We obtained encouragement from the Malaysian Government in July 2012. The design phase commenced in December 2012. There was a long journey until April 2016 when a Development Agreement was signed to enable construction to commence on the site. We will explore the lessons learned along the way and share advice and opinions on governance, budgets, project management structures, loan financing and other challenges.
Sarah Verdaguer
Co-Presenter/s: Nicolas Puga
Biography: Sarah Verdaguer has fulfilled the role of Primary School Principal at Global Jaya School in Indonesia for the past six years. As an active member of IBEN and a WASC School Visitor, Sarah regularly visits both IB and WASC schools in region. She is familiar with the challenges facing school leadership and enjoys developing creative solutions through shared leadership strategies and stakeholder ownership.
Nicolas is a passionate learner who enjoys the puzzles and challenges of leadership. He has worked in public and private education systems in South America, Europe and S.E. Asia. His experiences include creating education monitoring processes for the Peruvian Ministry of Labour, merging Swiss private-school standards (SBW group) with international education programs (IBO and Cambridge), and designing data-driven professional development programs. Throughout his career Nicolas has taught learners of all ages a range of subjects including Spanish, English, Theory of Knowledge and Global Issues. He currently serves as Senior Secondary Principal at Global Jaya School in Indonesia.
Workshop 1
Title: Moving from Appraisal to Growth and Development
Description: A school's journey from the subjective approach of appraisal to a self-reflective review of professional standards. Too often the appraisal process is a time consuming and laborious responsibility of leadership, which has little or no impact on real sustainable teacher development or change within the school. The journey was the result of our school's desire to change the appraisal mind-set into a positive professional development exercise which could be driven by teachers. The session will share the implementation process, the challenges experienced and some initial successes, as well as assist interested school's to begin their own positive changes.
Colter Watt
Co-Presenter/s: Nicola Mason
Biography: Colter is currently the Head of Primary at Garden International School, Kuala Lumpur. He has teaching and leadership experience in schools in the USA, South Africa, England, China, Poland and Malaysia. Colter is passionate about cultivating learning environments that foster the potential of all those within the community.
Nicola Mason is passionate about learning and about developing opportunities to support teachers in engaging with professional development to improve their practice. She is currently Head of Secondary at Garden International School where she is working with leaders and teachers to create a strong vibrant professional culture that puts student learning at the heart of everything.
Workshop 1
Title: Leveraging professional learning to drive student learning
Description: How do we engage teachers in high quality collaboration and reflection, ensuring that they feel valued and are developing to be the best in a strong vibrant professional culture? Moving away from a 'one-size fits all' approach to a personalised professional learning programme in this session we will share our journey to planning, designing and implementing a dedicated programme of integrated professional learning.
James Wellings
Biography: James is currently the Director of Innovative Learning at Garden International School (GIS) in Malaysia. He has been a senior leader in international schools for the past six years in both Kuala Lumpur and Dubai. Much of his work during this time has been built around the exploration of effectively developing 21st century competencies and creating opportunities to foster innovative thinking and practices. His work on Large Scale Enquiry Projects recently won the 21st Century Learning 2016 Global Innovation Award. It has also been recognised as an Apple Distinguished Program for Innovation, leadership and educational excellence.
Workshop 1
Title: Flexible Learning - Driving Innovation Through Large Scale Enquiry
Description: Professional learning for teachers and student learning in the classroom are often separated and compartmentalized. This workshop will explore how we can create opportunities to bring both of these worlds together to create a genuine learning culture. Through the exploration of enquiry based practices and the creation of perceived low risk environments, the learning needs of both adults and children can be developed together in a very real and meaningful way.
Karen Whittaker
Biography: Before moving to Fiji, Karen was rewarded and recognized for her 25 years of service to Education Queensland, Australia. Karen has spent almost half of her 28 years in education in leadership positions, including deputy principal and principal of primary schools with enrollments of up to 800 students. Karen has been Head of Primary at International School Suva for almost 4 years. She is a passionate and experienced educator who always has the children as her up most priority when making decisions.
Workshop 1
Title: Travelling the Transdisciplinary Highway: Making the Connections
Description: How International School Suva Primary strengthened the transdisciplinary nature of the school's program through commitment, collaboration and inclusion. We would love to share how our journey and the road we are continually travelling has enhanced teaching and learning in our school. A practical look through the eyes of an intrepid educator using tools, timetables and the PYP.