Leveraging Belonging Data to Support Phone-Free Schools

Ongoing research has highlighted the growing concern around the negative impact of cellphones in schools. From distractions in the classroom to the erosion of meaningful social interactions, the evidence is clear: our students are struggling with more than just their studies.

At International School of Panama, our recent Belonging Survey data reveals a troubling trend—students are feeling increasingly disconnected from their peers and learning environments. This is a wake-up call for all of us.

I invite you to read this instructive article in The International Educator (TIE) written by my colleague, Francesca Mulazzi, Ed.D., where she dives deep into this pressing issue and explores actionable steps to foster communities of dignity and respect.

Cultivating Belonging and Intercultural Competency at Uruguayan American School

Building on consultation insights from last year’s visit, this year's consultation at Uruguayan American School focused on data collection, building constituent intervention capacity, and Belonging strategy iteration. Over two days, we achieved several key objectives:

1. Case Studies

Building on focus group data that I have collected over the past two years, I designed UAS specific belonging case studies. During the sessions, constituents leveraged my DEIB Action Protocol to scaffold empathy and restorative justice, design impact constituent maps, and reflect on potential effective interventions specifically for the UAS community.

2. Student and Counselor Focus Groups

I conducted five focus groups to gain deeper insights into student and counselor perspectives on belonging and belonging uncertainty.

3. Administrative Strategy Design

We culminated the consultation with senior administrators, where I shared my site observations, focus group theme analysis, and provided recommendations for ongoing belonging strategy.

Gratitude to Matt Beata and the entire UAS Community for their thoughtful, courageous , and sustained efforts to foster belonging for all. Looking forward to our ongoing collaboration next year!

International School of Panama: Belonging Survey Focus Groups

I returned to Panama last week to spend four days at International School of Panama (ISP) conducting Belonging Focus Groups. Earlier this fall we launched a customized belonging survey, specifically designed utilizing ISP-specific language and belonging and intercultural competency frameworks to measure and provide data and metrics for the ISP Belonging Strategy.

The onsite Belonging Focus Groups are a critical component of our comprehensive data collection process to learn from students, families, and employees regarding emergent themes from the survey.

I have spent a total of ten academic days on campus thus far, during which time we dedicated five days to hearing perspectives, experiences, and ideal outcomes from school constituents.

I look forward to returning in January to share the findings broadly with the ISP community, in addition to continuing our ongoing strategy sessions with administrators, the board, and our Belonging and Community Council.

DEIB Executive Leadership Cohort Session Two

Many thanks to the incredible international and American school leaders representing over 20 schools across Central and South America who joined Session 2 of our DEIB Executive Leadership Cohort to deepen inclusive leadership capacity.

During today's session, we explored a case study navigating misconceptions about autism and brainstormed strategies to support neurodiversity in schools.

I look forward to our next session ONSITE at the International School of Panama!

International School of Panama (ISP): Panama City, Panama

What an inspiring day as I returned to International School of Panama (ISP) to continue our essential work to foster and sustain belonging. I had the privilege of meeting all students from Kindergarten to 12th grade, and it filled me with immense joy. Here's a glimpse of my day:

Lower School Connection

I kicked off the day with a heartwarming session with the Lower School, where I engaged with the youngest members of our community, from Kindergarten to 4th grade. Together, we explored Sesame Street's timeless mission to make kids "smarter, stronger, and wiser," a mission that beautifully aligns with ISP's own mission around belonging, academic excellence, and service.

I also reinforced October as International Bullying Prevention Month and discussed the importance of being upstanders.

Belonging Survey Launch

One of the cornerstone initiatives this year is the launch of a comprehensive belonging survey. This survey is designed to provide every member of the ISP community a voice in shaping the future of belonging at ISP.

Yesterday, I met all 4th-12th graders in divisional assemblies and some parents in a parent education orientation to provide insights regarding survey's rationale, structure, and methodology. The survey was thoughtfully curated by my research team and me, in collaboration with ISP, ensuring cultural alignment, ISP relevancy, and developmental appropriateness. I also shared our plans for facilitating focus groups to secure additional qualitative data and translating survey findings into actionable strategies and a strategic plan.

DEIB Task Force

To conclude the day, I reconvened the ISP DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging) Task Force for our third onsite session. Our focus remains on mapping current belonging efforts, collective visioning, and establishing subcommittees to address current priorities.

I'm eagerly looking forward to returning to ISP to share the progress we've made and to continue this transformative journey towards a deeper sense of belonging at ISP.

Together, we are creating an environment where every individual's unique story is valued and celebrated within an inclusive environment of dignity and respect.