BLOG
Lincoln School - San José, Costa Rica
Thank you, Alfredo Fonseca Pauly, for such a thoughtful reflection and for your commitment—alongside the many parents present—to fostering an inclusive school culture for all, grounded in dignity and respect.
Our parent conversation at Lincoln School, Costa Rica highlighted the essential role of school–parent partnership in cultivating student wellbeing, empathy, and belonging.
I am deeply grateful for this shared commitment to co-creating environments where all students feel seen, supported, and valued. Together, we model the respect we hope to nurture in our children.
Two-Day Workshop for Mediterranean Educators
I appreciated engaging in strategic capacity building over the past two days to foster inclusive international schools grounded in dignity and respect. Pictured are faculty from Benjamin Franklin International in Barcelona. The entire group included delegates from international schools from Madrid, Valencia, Barcelona, and Milano!
American School of Barcelona
I am honored to continue partnering with Dr. Johanna Cena, Mark Pingitore and The American School of Barcelona on its journey to deepen belonging.
A special highlight was singing Ave Maria with members of the ASB music department—a beautiful and unexpected moment of connection. Looking forward to returning to spend days 9, 10, and 11 on campus!
Music Education for All
As a proud alumnus and current Board member of Merit School of Music, I am deeply committed to our mission: transforming the lives of Chicago-area youth by removing barriers to music education.
Equity Arc extends this mission nationally, grounded in the belief that while talent and dedication are universal, opportunity is not.
I am grateful to Charles Grode for his unwavering leadership in ensuring that all students have access to the life-changing power of music.
CEESA 2025
I loved opening this incredible conference and sharing the stage with Myron Dueck, Maymouna S., Kathleen Naglee, and Tricia Friedman! With all the discord in the world, I love that the primary insight from my keynote was to choose joy.
Academy for International School Heads Conversation
I am grateful for the opportunity to facilitate an instructive conversation on Strategic Leadership: Advancing Belonging Amidst a Complex Global Landscape with the Academy for International School Heads (AISH). Many thanks to Sheena Nabholz and Jeff Paulson for the invitation and to all who engaged in this critical discussion.
In a world of shifting geopolitical landscapes, fostering belonging in international schools has never been more nuanced. There are no one-size-fits-all solutions—what works in one context may not be feasible in another due to variations in laws, customs, governance structures, and funding. While belonging and fostering inclusive schools grounded in dignity and respect are non-negotiables, effective execution requires strategic leadership and intentional change management.
In our session, we explored the challenges and opportunities of this moment, equipping school leaders with structured approaches to assess their unique conditions and make informed, strategic decisions that align with their mission, values, and external realities.
I appreciate the rich dialogue and thoughtful engagement. I am looking forward to continuing these important conversations.
Belonging at Scarsdale Public Schools
Over the past several weeks, I had the privilege of engaging with over 2,000 students in the Scarsdale Public School District through a series of assemblies and conversations on belonging and fostering cultures of dignity and respect.
On January 27th, I spent a full day at the high school, and on March 3rd, I returned for a full day with middle school students.
Across all assemblies—6th, 7th, 8th, and high school—I explored key evidence-based themes: the role of social media and technology in the lives of young people; the prevalence of identity-informed jokes that begin in elementary school, where humor is rooted in stereotypes or unkind remarks about one's background; and the importance of being an upstander. The students engaged thoughtfully, and I was particularly grateful for the opportunity to meet with the 8th Grade Executive Council to learn about their initiatives and hear their reflections on the assembly.
Beyond student engagement, I continued working with principals and administrators to design focus group questions that will help gather additional insights from the most recent Belonging survey. These conversations are essential in shaping meaningful action steps that deepen belonging and foster a culture of dignity and respect.
I look forward to continuing this important work across all seven schools in the district.
Many thanks to Drs. Drew Patrick and Edgar McIntosh for their partnership.
Penn Graduate School of Education
I am thrilled to return to my alma mater to join the Penn GSE International College Advising Certificate Program teaching faculty. I am equally thrilled to learn from other instructors, including Joan Liu, Erick Núñez, Isthier Chaudhury, Mark E. Butt, Ed.D., Marcela Mejia Martinez, and Dale LaFleur, Ph.D.
The International College Advising certificate program is a unique and valuable professional development opportunity focused on current international admissions processes and associated cultural contexts. The program helps college advisors, counselors, and educational consultants develop the skills to successfully guide students seeking higher education experiences outside of their home countries. Participants will gain a greater fluency of international higher education systems to better serve students and families in their school or community.
Honored to Return to Georgetown International Academy
I am honored to return to Georgetown International Academy in Guyana to continue our work in deepening belonging and fostering a culture of dignity and respect.
During this fourth visit, I facilitated focus groups with students, staff, and parents to follow up on key themes from our October sessions, ensuring that insights translate into meaningful action.
We also continued professional development with academic and operations staff, exploring unconscious bias and concrete interpersonal strategies to strengthen belonging among employees—while grounding ourselves in honoring and respecting Guyanese culture within an international school setting. Many thanks to the Belonging Committee for their feedback and insights to inform the session design and case study that we processed.
Parents are an integral component of fostering belonging, so we were delighted that over 40 parents attended our session to learn more about intercultural competency in the context of an international school, and specific parent strategies to foster empathy and respect with their children.
I am grateful for the ongoing collaboration and looking forward to our continued work together. A special thanks to Shauna Hobbs-Beckley, EdS for her leadership and partnership.
International School of Panama
During this third visit to The International School of Panama (ISP) this academic year, I facilitated assemblies with 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders to explore identity-based harm and the impact of jokes, informed by student focus groups in December; engaged with operations staff to gather feedback on belonging policies; met with the PTA Executive Committee with Rosalind Wiseman; and continued strategic work with the Community and Belonging Task Force.
Additionally, a group of academic and operations leaders participated in a meaningful and instructive session processing the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI), fostering deeper conversations about intercultural competency.
I look forward to returning later this spring to build on these insights and further our shared commitment to fostering a culture of dignity and respect.