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AAIE Leadership Conference 2024
I was delighted to have attended the 2024 AAIE Leadership Conference, where I had the privilege of seeing my esteemed friends and colleagues from all around the globe.
During the conference, I was fortunate to connect with members of my DEIB Leadership Cohort, where 40 American International Schools in the Americas (AMISA) and Tri-Association school leaders engage in sustained inclusive leadership over the course of the 2023-24 academic year.
Many thanks to the school leaders who attended my workshop, the room was packed. During the session, I shared DEIB Leadership Insights gleaned from our 2023-24 collaboration with the International School of Panama.
I am also appreciative of Debra Wilson's keynote, where she highlighted recent wellbeing and belonging data and the critical need for all schools to engage in DEIB efforts.
My heartfelt gratitude to Audrey C. Menard, Ed.D., head of ISP, and Mariela Paredes de Fadul, ISP Board Chair, for graciously sharing their invaluable DEIB leadership insights, and a sincere acknowledgment to Laura Light for extending the invitation to join the conference. I can’t wait for the next conference in 2025.
Deepening Belonging and Intercultural Competency at Island Primary in the Cayman Islands
I had the privilege last week of working with Island Primary, a new school committed to delivering a British curriculum for students from reception to Year 6.
Our faculty development session was a true melting pot of nationalities, experiences, and perspectives, bringing together international educators from around the world. Through interactive activities and reflection, we cultivated shared understandings around belonging.
Leveraging the intercultural competency as a guiding model, we embarked on a journey of introspection, recognizing the challenges of the term “diversity,” particularly in international education, and the benefits of belonging in an learning environment.
Delving into research, we explored what young minds comprehend about differences at various developmental stages and the profound implications for fostering an inclusive school community.
A heartfelt thanks to Steve Coles and Jenn Cowdroy for extending the invitation. I look forward to our ongoing partnership to deepen and sustain belonging at Island Primary.
Geography Quiz!
Can you guess the country whose flag is featured in this post? Here are some hints:
Capital is Georgetown.
Approximately 80% of the country is covered in lush forests.
Located in the northern tip of South America but proudly Caribbean.
National Dish is Pepperpot, a delicious stewed meat dish with a unique blend of flavors.
In 2015, this nation made headlines when ExxonMobil discovered oil, sparking rapid economic and intercultural growth.
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🇬🇾 = Guyana!
Recently, I had the pleasure of returning to Georgetown International Academy for a day of insightful focus groups with students and staff, delving into their perspectives on belonging. With a growing student body of 340 students from 37 nationalities- relative to 80 students just five years ago- and a new location and building inaugurated in August, the theme of belonging is more important than ever.
Day 2 involved a strategic consultation with the DEIB team and senior leadership at GIA. We leveraged a SWOT analysis to identify 5 strategic priorities aimed at deepening the sense of belonging.
I am grateful to Shauna Hobbs-Beckley, EdS head of school, Dr. Robin Heslip, and The US State Department, for generously supporting this work; and the entire GIA community for their warm welcome. Looking forward to my next visit to GUYANA soon!
DEIB Executive Leadership Cohort Session 4: The Library
So proud of this incredible group of educators. Leveraging insights from our two-day onsite last December in Panama, this session focussed on deeper applications of the IDI, integrating best practices from global DEIB models, and drawing from organizational development strategies to iterate school-specific action plans.
We ended the session by sharing key takeaways from the group's third case study analysis, which explored challenges associated with school libraries, which have become one of the primary targets for individuals who oppose advancing belonging.
The DEIB Executive Leadership Cohort consists of 40 administrators from international and American schools in Latin America. Over the course of the academic year, participants convene 5 times virtually and 2 days onsite. The curriculum leverages a case study model, integrating metrics and insights from the Intercultural Development Inventory, and conceptual and theoretical frameworks drawing from global DEIB, intercultural competency, cross-cultural communication, organizational development, and culturally responsive teaching, among others. Successful participants will leave the program with a deeper sense of self, strategic empathy, and enhanced inclusive leadership skills cultivated through sustained case study.
Exciting news: Applications for Cohort 2 are opening soon!
Belonging Survey Findings at International School of Panama
I just spent another three incredible days with students, staff, and parents at International School of Panama to share findings of our recent belonging survey.
Acknowledging the old adage that "inquiry is a also form of intervention," the process of structuring the data collection model began last April by building capacity with the Belonging and Community Task Force.
Over the course of the year, I spent 15 days on campus working with all constituent groups to socialize common language to support an inclusive community, and sharing the research around the benefits of fostering belonging and the damage around belonging uncertainty.
We intentionally integrated all constituents into the data collection process, providing opportunities to share perspectives anonymously in the IPS survey instrument that we specifically designed for the school. Additionally, I facilitated 32 onsite focus groups, in English and Spanish, where I leveraged emergent survey themes to learn more details about the various community perspectives and experiences around belonging.
The process culminated last week when I provided constituent sessions for staff, parents, middle and high school students, and 4th and 5th graders- in English and Spanish- to learn about the findings: levers, positive dynamics, and growth areas.
The next phase consists of convening the Belonging and Community Task Force and other belonging committees to identify strategic belonging priorities and to design the 2024-25 Belonging Action Plan.
Many thanks to Audrey C. Menard, Ed.D., head of school, and the entire ISP community for their partnership in this critical work.
A Visit to the National Library of El Salvador
What an incredible visit to the new National Library in San Salvador, El Salvador. I was fortunate to learn from a personal tour guide, along with with Polly Parker, PhD , head of Escuela Americana, to experience each floor, learn about the various collections, and appreciate overarching campaign to promote literacy and expand access to all Salvadorians. I even had a little fun with the Batman exhibit, experienced the meta universe, and controlled a dog robot that can be used to find people after earthquakes. Can't wait to return!
Intercultural Competency and Belonging at Escuela Americana El Salvador
During my 4th visit to Escuela Americana, we focussed on building capacity with faculty and staff, data collection, and student education.
Day 1: I shared previous student focus group themes with faculty and staff and designed an elementary school and secondary school case study to provide adults with a processing and action protocol to address belonging challenges.
Day 2: I facilitated focus groups with parents, students, faculty and staff in English and Spanish to learn more about belonging strengths and growth areas. I also consulted with the entire counseling team to brainstorm strategies to address focus group data.
Day 3: I facilitated additional focus groups and led an Intercultural and Belonging workshop for seniors, framing the content activities around skills they will need to cultivate in preparation for college next year, principally in The United States, Mexico, Spain and other countries.
I love sustaining longterm relationships with clients where I am able to become part of the community and support belonging overtime. I also enjoyed hanging out with Jennifer DeLashmutt, who was also consulting with EA. Many thanks to the EA community and Polly Parker, PhD for her leadership.
Belonging at The Winston School San Antonio
I began 2024 by facilitating a professional development opportunity at The Winston School San Antonio in Texas. Winston’s mission aims to support students with learning differences by providing a personalized, college preparatory education to cultivate graduates that are confident, well-rounded, and life-long self-advocate.
I appreciated the sustained and authentic engagement of the faculty, staff, administration and board during our full day session as we unpacked and reframed conventional notions of diversity to drive belonging.
Leveraging the Intercultural Competency Model, we cultivated shared understandings of belonging; explored our own backgrounds, beliefs, and viewpoints; and reflected on strategies to engage in meaningful perspective taking and developing authentic empathy to cultivate sustainable inclusive behaviors, practices, and policies that support belonging for all.
Many thanks to Dr. Michelle Spoonemoore for the invitation, and to the incredible and committed faculty, staff, and board members for their commitment to these critical efforts.
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.
Randolph School Year 3 Update!
I appreciated returning to Randolph School in Huntsville, AL to continue our efforts to cultivate and sustain belonging.
December 2023-24 Scope of work:
Senior Leadership review of best practices and integration into 2023-24 strategy
Meeting with Middle School Belonging Club
Upper School Assembly exploring intercultural competency and upstandar strategies
Workshop #2 with Business Office, Human Resources, and Facilities brainstorming applications of previous unconscious bias workshop and strategies to foster inclusive workplace for adults
Admissions and Enrollment Management strategy session to support effective internal and external communications
Meeting with Lower School PTA mothers to discuss belonging efforts strengths and growth areas
Consultation with all three divisional librarians to ensure Mirrors and Windows in the library collection to support students learning about themselves and other students to foster greater empathy and deepen belonging
Debrief with Adam Dubé, head of school, to synthesize action items and prepare for onsite consultation in February.
I am looking forward to returning in the winter!