Our main responsibility as a school is to create and sustain a safe and engaging learning environment for all students. As an educator and leader, I am committed to students and in facilitating their success. This is fostered through implementing learning experiences that are challenging and authentic, allowing for creative and personalized “out of the box” thinking, committing to differentiation for a variety of individual learning needs, and providing resources for innovative and forward-thinking teaching and learning. The core values and beliefs that guide my practice as an educator are articulated under the principles of collaborative, ethical, servant, and cultural leadership.

Collaborative Leadership

Building positive relationships is a defining factor that separates good leaders from great leaders. The first step in building a professional and collaborative environment involves establishing relationships and developing a true understanding of one’s context. The art and skill of listening to students, faculty, parents, and community members is highly valued and important. It needs to be clearly articulated that faculty are at the heart and soul of the school, that parents are active participants in the learning process, and that students guide our daily lessons, activities, and learning experiences. Being visible and in-tune with the school culture and listening carefully during conversations with all school stakeholders drives effective leadership and builds positive relationships. Only when this happens are leaders able to take other people’s beliefs, values, hopes, and ideas and translate them into a shared vision that the school and community truly supports.

Ethical Leadership

Trust and transparency are built over time through leading by example, praising collaborative success, owning mistakes, and setting clear boundaries and expectations on how a school will operate. Engaging and navigating through difficult conversations and making decisions which affect many different groups of stakeholders is a challenge. I have learned that approaching these situation with grace and humility, pausing to truly listen to others, and always having the best interest of the school and students in mind creates a culture of understanding and respect. I realize that not everyone will be happy with every decision, however, if people trust in the process and know that decisions are made in line with school values, then acceptance and buy-in come with a greater sense of understanding. Ethical leadership requires a high degree of emotional intelligence, self awareness, and reflection, all of which contribute to leading people, not an organization.

Servant Leadership

As a school leader, one of my responsibilities is to support all stakeholders in maximizing student learning and ensuring effective teacher instruction. There are exceptional and dedicated teachers who are making a positive difference in the lives of students everyday. I believe strongly in the importance of mentoring, coaching, and developing the leadership capacity in others. Through a distributive leadership model, I encourage involvement, provide leadership opportunities, and give feedback to support further growth. My aim while supporting the school mission and vision is to enrich the lives of individuals, build better organizations, and ultimately create a better school environment. With a strong focus on the growth and well-being of the people and communities in which I serve, I strive to contribute to a positive and trusting learning environment as an agent of change.

Cultural Leadership

Building a collective cultural capacity is about understanding ourselves and others across a wide variety of values, beliefs, behaviors, and expectations. With over fifteen years living and working overseas, throughout Asia and the Americas, I strive to be a global leader that understands and respects different cultural contexts and ways of thinking. Adaptability and responsiveness to other cultures requires a high level of experience, empathy, and emotional intelligence. I recognize that my core values and beliefs are based on my own nationality, upbringing, and background. In order to support in creating a positive school culture in a foreign country, I need to value the cultural backgrounds of all staff members, take time to reflect within new contexts, and build personal and professional relationships with a shared set of values. I believe that within international schools, global leadership is built on the capacity to understand cultures and will be the difference maker when moving a school forward.