General Interest Workshops

MARIA AVGERINOU is the Director of Educational Technology and eLearning at ACS Athens. A certified online educator and a former academic in the US, UK, and Greece, she has published extensively on online/blended learning, action research, and visual literacy. She is the Editor of the Journal of Visual Literacy, a Master Reviewer for Quality Matters (US), and an external specialist for European Commission’s Key Action 2. avgerinoum@acs.gr

JULIA TOKATLIDOU is the Director of AP and IB Programs, and Academy Vice Principal. She has a BA and a MA in Economics (Greece; Canada), and also an M.B.A, and a Certificate for International School Leadership. Ms. Tokatlidou believes in personal growth through education and continuous training, and has published in various scientific journals. tokatlidouj@acs.gr

The New Faculty Orientation Program at ACS Athens: A Successful Blend of the Physical and the Digital
The revolving-door phenomenon of international schools typically results in new faculty being challenged to adjust quickly and effectively to the new school context and local culture. Thus, finding their teaching voice and sharing their expertise becomes an unnecessarily arduous, stressful journey. Our well-received New Faculty Orientation Program (NFOP) guides and supports new, local and international hires towards a personalized, effective and smooth transition to their new positions. The program’s design and delivery are grounded on blended learning (i2Flex). Orientation begins online to educate, acclimate and enculturate participants through independent, and inquiry-based modules, and is completed with face-to-face sessions at ACS Athens.

For the past nine years, MAX EISL has consulted with international schools on technologies including student information, online learning and communications platforms. He is a frequent speaker sharing his expertise and vision on digital communications. He holds a BS in Chemistry/Comprehensive Science/Secondary Education and a Masters in Educational Leadership. Mr Eisl worked in schools for 14 years. max.eisl@finalsite.com, www.finalsite.com

Is It Time to Reboot Your School’s Marketing?
With changes in technology, the way families “shop” for schools, and the high expectations of current families, it is important for schools to insure their marketing efforts are impactful. In this session we will look at trending issues including student and faculty recruitment, retention and community engagement, and show why you cannot rely on prior methods to be successful. To stay competitive, schools need to keep up with changes in Search Engine Optimization, Inbound Marketing tools, Website Personalization as well as integrate systems to optimize the user experience. We will share how other international schools have rebooted their marketing efforts and the impacts made.

WENDY GUTENKAUF started her 35+ years overseas career as an English teacher, and then a librarian, before joining Follett in 2005. She manages the Middle East sales team, working with them throughout the NESA region, and is especially interested in professional development in libraries for media specialists and their administrators. wgutenkauf@follett.com, www.follettlearning.com

BUSHRA GHANNAM is the local face of Follett in Jordan, providing consultations to school librarians and coordinators. Bushra possesses experience in library management, educational technologies, and leads IB MYP workshops for librarians. Bushra carries out Follett’s software trainings in English and Arabic, and travels extensively across the Middle East. bghannam@follett.com

What Does Your Librarian DO All Day?
Is your library the cultural and informational hub of the school? Do people say what a great space it is and how much they enjoy using it? If not, we can help you and your librarian use existing resources. If so, there are still ways to make the learning center a richer experience. We visit many libraries throughout the region and understand the challenges faced by you, as well as your librarian. If you are already using our products, we can give you tips on requests you can ask of your librarian and faculty to help students effectively use them.

GAIL SEAY has served as ASD’s Director of Teaching and Learning for over ten years, and has contributed to the professional learning of countless educators in the region and around the world in her role as PDAC rep for NESA and presenter for the AERO summer institutes. Gail has lead ASD’s delivery of effective Professional Learning from a new paradigm. gseay@asd.edu.qa

RILEY DuBOIS is in his third year, and first administrative role, as Associate Principal at ASD. Mr DuBois’ background as a teacher and central office leader in Minnesota, and his experience in Beijing and Hong Kong prior to Doha, have helped ASD focus efforts on delivering exceptional education across all divisions. rdubois@asd.edu.qa

PATRICIA FOSTER [joined ASD last year, her first international posting] is new to ASD and to international education. She brings a wealth of experience as CFO and Business Manager for the Stanwich School in Connecticut, and previously as a senior financial executive in numerous large corporations. patriciafoster@asd.edu.qa

Reframing Resource Allocation: A Workshop for Educators, Business Office Personnel and Board Members
Capitalizing on the business work of John Kotter, the organizational work of Jim Collins, and educational work of Michael Fullan, ASD-Doha set about reframing approaches to school leadership in 2015. The global economy provided the sense of urgency, innovation teams generated ideas, campus improvement projects provided new spaces, sponsors provided the funding, and the Board provided the direction to the leadership team to achieve great impacts. In particular, we will highlight how ASD brought educators, business office, and Board members together to reframe allocation of personnel, finances, and practices to ensure effectiveness and efficiency. Development of organizational charts, RACI charts, and strategic actions were key components of the reframing to be highlighted in this presentation

As Commercial Director for Teach Away, DAVID MACFARLANE works with education institutions and governments around the world to advise on recruitment best practice. With over 10 years of commercial experience, David is a trusted source for advice on how to leverage digital technologies to maximize recruitment performance. d.mac@teachaway.com, www.teachaway.com

International Education Recruitment: The hiring trends you can’t afford to ignore in 2019
At a time when hiring international educators is more competitive than ever, going the extra mile to understand how to reach and attract quality teachers is no longer optional - it’s vital. To find out what truly makes teaching candidates tick, Teach Away surveyed our extensive online community of job-seeking educators. The result is our comprehensive report on the latest trends in international education recruitment. Featuring data-driven insights and advice from international education recruitment experts, this workshop covers everything schools need to know about hiring teachers internationally, including what motivates job-seeking teachers and the latest strategies for engaging with today’s talent.

Prior to joining Search Associates in 2006, JOHN RITTER served as the head of the following schools: Lincoln School, Kathmandu, Nepal; the International School of Beijing, China; the International School of Amsterdam, The Netherlands; the American International School of Lusaka, Zambia; and Vientiane International School, Laos. jritter@searchassociates.com, www.searchassociates.com

Prior to joining Search Associates in 2017, BRENT MUTSCH served as the Superintendent of the International Schools Group (Dhahran, Saudi Arabia), Saudi Aramco Schools (Dhahran, Saudi Arabia), Singapore American School (Singapore) and the American School of Dubai (United Arab Emirates). He was also the President of the NESA Board. bmutsch@searchassociates.com

Improving Child Protection Through Purposeful Recruiting Practices
The International Task Force on Child Protection has created clear guidelines on how schools can better protect their students. These include recruitment practices that contribute to improved child protection. However, in the real world of recruitment, some of these are occasionally challenging to put into practice. Participants will review recommended practices and discuss how to both effectively apply strategies as well as partner with others to create a safer learning environment through the application of purposeful recruiting practices.

SARAH SISCO is currently the Curriculum and Professional Development Director at the American International School of Jeddah. She has nearly a decade of experience working in education as a teacher and curriculum director in the USA, Tunisia, Belgium, and Saudi Arabia. Ssisco@aisj.edu.sa

ROBERT COBBS is a two-time presenter at NESA and the current Technology Chair at the American International School of Jeddah. He also has worked over a decade in international schools successfully leveraging technology to build the capacity of students and staff in Kazakhstan, Qatar, Silicon Valley, and Saudi Arabia. Rcobbs@aisj.edu.sa

Powerful Partnerships
Change is only successful when we can create powerful partnerships across our schools. This session will give leaders strategies for leveraging partnerships--between principals, business managers, IT, and curriculum, and many others. We will discuss how to identify potential partners, tips for building partnerships, what powerful partnerships look like, and how powerful partnerships can enact change in your schools.

DIANE ULLMAN is an NEASC International Accreditation Leader and is excited to share the transformative ACE Protocol with schools. She is Professor of Practice at the University of Connecticut where she specializes in leadership development. Diane authored Learning Personalized: Evolution of the Contemporary Classroom with Allison Zmuda and Greg Curtis. dullman@neasc.org, neasc.org

Transforming School for 21st Century Learners using the NEASC ACE Protocol
Students deserve schools that prepare them to succeed in a vastly different world than we have known. If they are going to thrive, today's graduates need knowledge, skills and dispositions that prepare them to fully participate in an interconnected, complex world. Come learn about the NEASC ACE protocol, designed to prepare learners to learn and lead in the 21st century.

SMITA BHARGAVA, Senior VP, joined Clements Worldwide in 2006 and has over 15 years of insurance experience. She specializes in customized solutions for clients. Smita began her insurance career in India in 1996 and has worked in various markets, forging strong relationships with insurance providers worldwide. sbhargava@clements.com, clements.com/schools

Expecting the Unexpected: Safeguarding Your School against Unforeseen Risks
In this interactive session, Clements will share key insights from the 2018 Risk Index with special focus on the most pressing issues and concerns affecting International Schools today. Attendees will leave with data-driven knowledge and clear understanding about how to manage their school’s risk exposures, prepare for the unexpected, and ensure financial resiliency.

BETH PFANNL joins ISS with 30 years of experience in international education. She was most recently head of the American Overseas School of Rome for the past ten years. Dr Pfannl leads the ISS administrative searches and runs the annual Mary Anne Haas-ISS Women’s Leadership Symposium. bpfannl@iss.edu, www.iss.edu

LIZ DUFFY can think of few endeavors more significant than educating students to become thoughtful, global citizen in today’s interconnected world. Before joining ISS in July 2015 to help support this mission, she served for twelve years as Head Master of The Lawrenceville School. She previously worked for three educational foundations and led a college-based community service program. Ms Duffy majored in molecular biology at Princeton University, and later pursued master’s degrees in both education and business at Stanford University. lduffy@iss.edu

JENNIFER BECKWITH has worked in K-12 education for over 30 years with international leadership experiences that span nine countries. She holds a Ph.D. in Educational Administration with College Teaching, from GPC Vanderbilt University. Dr. Beckwith began her latest educational venture as Founding Director of AUS in October 2012. j.beckwith@aus.edu.kw, www.aus.edu.kw/

Co-presenter: TY FREDERICKSON, Assistant Professor, School of Education, Wilkes University

Cultivating the Leadership Pipeline: The Importance of Mentors and Sponsors
Numerous studies have been done on the typical leadership pipeline for various professions. The value of these studies is that they reveal where along the leadership trajectory people of different backgrounds struggle to be promoted. Learn about leadership pipelines in education and other sectors and how you can use a pipeline approach to advance your own career and ensure that you are able to foster a diverse leadership team at your school.

Resources: The Diversity Collaborative: Frameworks & Tools to Achieve DEI

SARAH FILLION has extensive experience as a facilitator and developer of professional development for K-8 educators. Prior to becoming a director at Center for Responsive Schools, she served as a Responsive Classroom professional development designer and full-time consultant, working with schools throughout the US and international school community. sarah@responsiveclassroom.org, responsiveclassroom.org

Make Adult Learning Come Alive with Interactive Learning Structures
When creating professional development, leaders must keep in mind the needs of adult learners–which mirrors the needs of child learners. Attendees will learn about four essential components of leading professional development: building a positive community where adults can learn and grow together; creating content that is engaging and purposeful to adult learners; effectively managing activities that will foster deeper learning; and providing activities that are developmentally appropriate for adults. This session will give leaders strategies, including interactive learning structures, they can bring to their schools and ideas they can use immediately to facilitate lively professional development sessions.

Handouts:

• Geometric Forms
• PD Offering Ideas

JANE LARSSON is the Executive Director of the Council of International Schools (CIS), a global non-profit membership organization focused on the development of global citizenship. Ms Larsson has an active voice in international education, addressing critical aspects of school improvement with a specific focus on student well-being. janelarsson@cois.org, www.cois.org

Child Abuse Risks and Realities: What international school leaders need to know
Talking about child abuse is not easy. Diverse cultural norms andvarying national laws addressing physical and sexual abuse add complexity and uncertainty when serving an international community. The ease of mobility that our international work provides, coupled with weak recruitment practices and underdeveloped legal systems can make international education communities prime targets for child abusers. This session will help you understand your role in preventing and addressing abuse, in recognizing what could be problematic behaviors of adults or students in our school communities, and the importance of supporting transitions from school to school for vulnerable young adults.

GAVIN McLEAN has nearly thirty years’ experience as a publisher and business development executive in international education. He has worked for the largest international publishers including Macmillan Education and National Geographic Learning and is currently International Business Development Director for Edmentum International, the leading integrated digital curriculum and assessment company. gavin.mclean@edmentum.com, edmentum.com

How to Achieve Truly Personalized Learning for All Student Abilities
During our workshop, we shall cover the following:
- Using adaptive technology to create an accurate personalised learning path for every student
- Managing personalised learning in a diverse classroom
- Linking personalised learning to assessment data

DIANN OSTERLUND is the Elementary School Principal at the American Community School Beirut. She previously held leadership and teaching positions in the USA, Singapore, New Delhi, Abu Dhabi, Beijing, and Jakarta. Ms Osterlund strives to create and sustain a culture of learning, believing in the power of collective efficacy. dosterlund@acs.edu.lb

SHOSHANA BLAUER is Director, International Partners at NWEA, and leads a team that supports more than 1000 partners in 145 countries. Shoshana has been with NWEA for 13 years helping educators make the most of their student data. She presents regularly at international conferences on the use of data. Formerly a teacher of both Special and Elementary Education, Ms Blauer taught in Latin America and the USA. shoshana.blauer@nwea.org, nwea.org

Assessment Sustainability Across People and Time
International schools experience regular leadership turnover. Transitioning the orchestration of MAP is one of the many things that can present challenges. How do administrators and assessment coordinators establish a solid and transferable MAP plan -- from test process to student engagement, parents’ understanding, teachers' use of data, and reporting to stakeholders? Tips, strategies and a toolkit of resources will be shared.

Handout: Assessment Sustainability

BARBARA FIELD is a dedicated educator, holding degrees from the University of California at Santa Barbara and Texas A&M University. Her international school career focused on Latin American countries. She transitioned to educational publishing as a Professional Development Specialist for both Pearson and Curriculum Associates. bfield@cainc.com, CAinc.com

LYNN NOTARAINNI's experience in the world of international education began with schooling in Brazil, and transitioned to educational publishing after graduation from the University of Florida. In the 21st century, she went digital with Mimio interactive tools. Her digital path recently merged with Curriculum Associates and their exciting adaptive diagnostic and instruction program, i-Ready. lnotarainni@cainc.com

Got Data? Now put it to work!
This workshop will focus on an interactive format, beginning with a discussion of the data schools have collected over the years and how it is being used to differentiate instruction and intervention at the school, class, and individual levels. Data points investigated will include, but not be limited to: what went well, what are the growth opportunities, how and when to monitor data, and were there any surprises? Participants will return to their campuses with meaningful strategies to evaluate and apply ongoing data reports to help ALL learners and teachers succeed in reaching their full potential.

JEN RICKS is the Director of Learning at American Community School of Abu Dhabi. While she has held various building, district, state, and international leadership roles, she will always be a high school Social Studies teacher at heart. Dr Ricks is passionate about finding the balance between disrupting systems and implementing systems that become institutionalized. jenniferricks@acs.sch.ae, @jenricks, https://www.acs.sch.ae/

Professional Learning: Dreaded or Devoured?
Interested in changing the culture of professional learning at your school? American Community School of Abu Dhabi will share our year-long investigation into the way we were spending our time and money in relation to professional learning. The culmination of this work was a new professional model, core beliefs and three-stage evaluation tool.

SUZANNE SARAYA is the International Director for ExploreLearning, the creators of Gizmos: a comprehensive library of online interactive simulations. Suzanne has been involved with various international governments to support their global presence. Prior to joining ExploreLearning, Suzanne served for 5 years on the Board of Trustees for the ISC, Charlottesville. suzanne.saraya@explorelearning.com, www.explorelearning.com

Fostering a Student-centered Classroom
Personalized technology offers educators the opportunity to create student centered learning experiences, rather than just content. However, the tools and methods available for creating such learning are not always fully understood by all teachers. In this workshop, we will discuss the use of technology to create an inclusive classroom, to differentiate learning, and to create personalized learning experiences. Furthermore, we will help educators understand the difference between these three concepts. Through a combination of instruction and the use of Gizmos, engaging and curriculum aligned interactive online simulations, teachers will come away with a rich understanding of student centered learning through technology.

DARYL STEVENS has served as a teacher and instructional coach in British Columbia, the Ukraine, and Saudi Arabia. Currently learning about the business side of education as District Safety and Facilities Coordinator for SAES, Daryl is also studying to earn his EdD in Education Leadership, School Leadership in International Contexts. daryl. stevens@aramco.com

CHRISTIANA JURGENSEN, EdD, has been an international educator for 20 years in North America, South America, Africa and in the Middle East, where she is currently an administrator for Saudi Aramco Expatriate Schools. Her current focus is finding innovative ways to help teachers grow professionally and reach their personal eudaimonia. cjurgensen@saeslearning.com

Principal as Instructional Leader: A Case Study
Education research increasingly emphasizes the importance of principals as instructional leaders. The 1200 students of Dhahran School, a Grades 5-9 school in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, benefit from improved instruction inspired by purposeful instructional leaders. Join us for an hour of reflection on your own leadership practice as they connect education research to the purposeful and collaborative leadership work underway by principals, coaches, and teachers at Dhahran School. Regardless of your leadership role, you will walk away with practical ways to put research into action in your own context.

JULIA TOKATLIDOU is the Director of AP and IB Programs, and Academy Vice Principal at ACS Athens. She has a BA and a MA in Economics (Greece; Canada), an M.B.A (UIndy) and a Certificate for International School Leadership. Ms. Tokatlidou believes in personal growth through education and continuous training, and has published in various scientific journals. tokatlidouj@acs.gr, www.acs.gr

ANGELA CHAMOSFAKIDIS, is a faculty member in the Department of Social Studies at ACS Athens. She holds a B.A. and a M.Ed in Educational Psychology (Greece;Canada). Ms. Chamosfakidis is passionate about teaching and learning and committed to supporting students and their individual needs. Her mandate lies in Learning by Doing. chamosfakidisa@acs.gr

Youth to Youth Initiative: An ACS Athens inclusive learning paradigm for unaccompanied refugee minors
Victims of the recent refugee crisis, children ripped from their families and their homeland are challenged daily to survive and to discover a safe and meaningful life path among people of different cultures and spoken languages. Our innovative Youth to Youth Initiative offered at ACS Athens has three educational components which address learning and social needs of unaccompanied refugee minors. The need-based curriculum design, the differentiated delivery, and the student-inclusive instructional methodology provide the means to educate unaccompanied minors as well as to integrate social values and behaviors that provide a safe, respectful and unprejudiced environment.

Flipped Classroom + Mastery Learning = ? [WORKSHOP CANCELLED]
Differentiation is an ongoing process to provide tailored instruction to students of differing subject backgrounds, topic interests and skill levels. Although the methodology is highly preferable, adjusting the task, pace and outcome can create a workload difficult to cope with. With the assistance of modern advances, we can overcome possible complications. But what options does technology provide for better differentiation?

As Director of Professional Development, KELBY ZENOR guides the coordination, creation, and facilitation of PD programs both nationally and internationally at Atlas. She has presented at several conferences on curriculum review, analysis and process. Before joining Atlas, she was the director of an environmental education program and a classroom teacher in New York City. kzenor@rubicon.com

A Senior Account Manager, AARON PARKER draws on his extensive background in teaching and administration to support schools around the world. A native of Portland, Oregon, he holds his BA in Economics and MA in Teaching from Willamette University. Before joining Atlas, he taught in Australia and Oregon. aparker@rubicon.com

Enhancing Your Curriculum with Atlas!
Examine the new lesson planning feature in Atlas and upcoming new features. Explore how lesson planning can support creating the bridge between the intended curriculum and what gets taught. We will also look at how using the reports in Atlas in conjunction with testing results will uncover the connections between student learning and the curriculum.