Fall 2015 2014

VolumeVolume 18 17/ Number / Number 1 >>>> FALL FALL 2015 2014 In this issue: NESA Professional Development Events 2015-2016 Kathmandu Earthquake Relief School news from around the NESA region The New NESA Middle School Network The History of AERO and much more. 2 WELCOME From the NESA Board President: TO THE On behalf of the NESA Board of Trustees, I welcome you to a new school year of collaborative learning opportunities 2015-2016 with NESA. We look forward to meeting you at one of our conferences or institutes scheduled this year in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Muscat, and Bangkok. Under the exceptional leadership of Executive Director David Chojnacki and his staff at SCHOOL YEAR. the NESA Center, we are providing unique opportunities for Dear Friends and Colleagues Across the NESA Region, professional development in support of sustainable and sys- temic school improvement. We encourage board members, “From Cairo to Kathmandu”: that’s a phrase we use when administrators, teachers, and support staff to join us. writing to speakers about NESA. And although our boundaries are actually Libya and Greece in the west to Bangla- This year, the NESA Board is focusing its efforts on an impor- desh, Sri Lanka and India in the east, the phrase does il- tant leadership transition. After 18 years of serving NESA, lustrate the richness and the challenges of our region. It’s a David Chojnacki will be resigning as Executive Director ef- wonderful part of the world. .and we welcome you to it (or fective July 2017. We in NESA realize how fortunate we back to it!) for another year of teaching and learning. have been to collaborate with such a dynamic, intelligent, and visionary leader. David’s contribution to education in our And speaking of learning, we have some outstanding profes- schools continues to have a remarkable impact on the way we sional development opportunities ahead of us this year. With lead, learn, teach, and care for others. We look forward to his the help of our Professional Development Advisory Com- continued leadership over these next two years. mittee, we have organized our conferences and institutes with you and your schools in mind. Check inside this issue of “NESA News” to learn more. We hope to see all of you at least once during the course of the year. Finally, as the year begins, I want to share a poem with you. It speaks to the dedication you bring to working together in schools across the region, and it expresses our admiration for you: To Be of Use ^ Kevin Schafer with the NESA staff, (l-r) Laura, Maria, Jill and Aristea, at The people I love the best the NESA Center in Athens last January. (Not pictured: Bridget Doogan) jump into work head first without dallying in the shallows and swim off with sure strokes almost out of sight. The Board plans to make an announcement regarding the They seem to become natives of that element, Executive Director search process prior to September 2015, The black sleek heads of seals and will finalize a selection early in 2016. Our commitment bouncing like half-submerged balls…. is to select a leader that will continue to lead the schools in our region and beyond in creating dynamic and collaborative I want to be with people who submerge professional relationships that transcend current barriers and in the task, who go into the fields to harvest boundaries as we serve our students and communities. and work in a row and pass the bags along, who are not parlor generals and field deserters Kevin Schafer but move in a common rhythm President, NESA Board of Trustees when the food must come in or the fire be put out. Director, The American International School of Muscat, Sultanate of Oman - Marge Piercy Here’s to a great 2015-2016, working and learning collaboratively, “in a common rhythm”! With best wishes from your friends in the NESA Center, David Chojnacki NESA Executive Director FALL 2015 NEWS Planning Sustained Professional Learning in NESA By Bridget Doogan, NESA Director of Professional Learning As an organization dedicated to the What learning designs should we use? A second consequence professional learning of educators, of the intent to sustain initiatives over multiple years is the need NESA’s planning process is guided by to offer differentiated professional learning. NESA’s plans must seven core principles. Based on Learning Forward’s Standards support schools’ progressions across the continuum, via the pro- for Professional Learning and adapted by NESA’s Professional fessional learning pathway of individual teachers. Accordingly, Development Advisory Committee (PDAC) they serve both as a conference and institute presenters are advised of a target level, guide to planning NESA conferences and institutes as well as a or range of levels, on the continuum. lens for periodic self-assessment. In recent years NESA conference design reflects a steady de- Professional Learning crease in short, stand-alone workshops and an increase in long- 1. occurs within learning communities committed to er sessions that promote deeper understanding. These include continuous improvement, collective responsibility, three-hour workshops, extended multi-day workshops, pre-con- and goal alignment. ferences, and two-day institutes. The prototype of last January’s 2. supports and sustains long-term change. Winter Training Institute in Bahrain, in which large school teams 3. promotes alignment between educator practice came together to collaborate with colleagues from around the and student learning. region on assessment, promoted depth, transfer, inter-school col- 4. requires skillful leaders who develop professional laboration, and networking. It also included the use of ‘in-house’ capacity. expertise from NESA schools. 5. uses a variety of data to plan, assess, and evaluate professional performance. The highest level on the continuum, Refining Practice, has chal- 6. prioritizes and monitors resources aligned to lenged the PDAC to seek new learning designs to learn from the school-wide goals. work of those further along the continuum. One approach has 7. integrates theories, research, and models of human been to invite schools to serve as models or mentors to other learning to achieve intended outcomes. schools through extended conference presentations. In support of expanding professional learning networks, our Twitter #nesa- “Standards for Professional Learning,” 2015 chat was launched in February. Principles 1 and 2 have at their core the imperative to sustain specific program strands over time, so that they may both How will we know we are being effective? Our mentor, Tom impact educator practice and, therefore, student learning. For Guskey, from the University of Kentucky, suggests the follow- the PDAC, supporting and sustaining long-term change has thus ing be included in the evaluation of professional learning: (1) become a key driver in planning NESA’s professional develop- participants’ reactions to the activities, (2) participants’ learn- ment events. However, the intention to sustain initiatives over ing of new knowledge and skills, (3) organizational support and time raises a number of key questions. What should we focus change, (4) participants’ use of new knowledge and skills, and on? What learning designs should we use? How will we know (5) student learning outcomes (Guskey, 2000, 2002). With his we are being effective? guidance, the PDAC will be working to refine its approach to evaluation in the coming year. What should we focus on? Comprised of learning leaders from member schools, the PDAC itself serves as a primary source for NESA is committed to continuous improvement, as we strive to the identification of needs and impact data to inform planning. support and sustain the learning needs of our schools and the To gather similar data from the wider NESA community, PDAC educators we serve. developed a comprehensive needs assessment. Member schools were asked to identify their professional learning needs and [email protected] place them on our Continuum of Implementation. (Figure 1) - Guskey, T. R. (2000a). Evaluating professional development. Administered in the spring of 2014, the priorities that emerged Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin. form the basis of the 2015-2016 NESA conference and insti- - “Standards for Professional Learning.” tute program. Learning Forward. 2012. Web. Figure 1: NESA PDAC Continuum of Implementation 4 > Colored tarps are a tool to judge dam- age and if aid has reached a village. LINCOLN SCHOOL & THE NEPAL EARTHQUAKES Lincoln School Kathmandu Earthquake Relief Fund In response to the catastrophic earthquakes that struck Ne- pal on April 25 and May 12, many NESA schools launched fundraisers to assist Lincoln School-Kathmandu in its relief efforts. Schools held walk-a-thons, food sales, art auctions, benefit concerts, fundraising barbeques, and more. Lincoln has established the “Lincoln School Kathmandu Earthquake ^ Relief Fund”. A makeshift meal at school. To donate go to: goo.gl/vZKe0E Donations will go through a process of thorough vetting of needs to rebuild homes, provide medical supplies and support communities. No administrative costs will be incurred. To see how funds are distributed, go to the school website, lsnepal.com, and Facebook page: www.facebook.com/lsnepal. The dedicated Earthquake Relief Fund Facebook page is located at: www.facebook.com ^ Command Center after the Green means everyone is safe. ^ second quake. /LincolnSchoolKathmanduEarthquakeReliefFund Here you can read about the many trips with supplies to lo- cal villages and about donations made by schools worldwide. Dozens of photos bring to life the aftermath of this disaster — and the outpouring of aid and compassion it has inspired. TAISM Mobilizes Earthquake Plan: During and After Earthquake Relief A well-organized and well-rehearsed earthquake-prepar- The American International School of Muscat organized edness plan was instantly activated when both earthquakes several events to raise funds for Lincoln School’s earth- struck.

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