Leadership

by Donnah Ciempka There are moments in every international school when the rhythm shifts—when classrooms empty, farewells are spoken, contracts conclude, and families quietly begin packing their lives into boxes. Transition is not a single event marked on a calendar; it is something lived, felt, and carried by an entire community. As school leaders, we […]

by Dr. Howard Stribbell When I attended the #LYIS26, conference in Hanoi, I expected strong sessions, thoughtful dialogue, and practical takeaways. What I did not expect was how quickly I would notice something else. It showed up in the conversations between sessions, in the quieter moments over coffee, and in the way people spoke when

by Terri Pham A Bag, a Dream, and a One-Way Ticket Sixteen years ago, I boarded a plane with two duffel bags, a bachelor’s degree in education, a teaching credential, and a calling I did not yet fully understand. In those early years, I did not realize that the calling would demand more than talent.

by Jomar Conde The Quiet Engine of an Educational Community Trust is the quiet engine of any healthy school community. Looking back on my time leading and serving ten head teachers, over a hundred faculty members, and thousands of students, I have come to reflect that trust is something deeply human: it is the safety

by Lisa Thorpe With over 20 years in education, including a decade in senior leadership, I have cultivated a leadership style that is uniquely my own, rooted in heart, experience, and authenticity, rather than confined to a textbook definition. As an international school leader and facilitator in a global leadership program, I’ve had the privilege of

by Dr Dan Gilfillen Working in bilingual and international schools around the world for the last 16 years, one area of leadership has become apparent to me as a crucial element of leadership: sustainable change management. While readers of the LYIS Principal’s Blog may be well versed in sustainability (a big term to unpack) related to curriculum,

by Ariane Baer-Harper My passion for speaking about cultural competence in school leadership started subtly over the years of working in international schools across several continents. It grew during moments with a colleague when I didn’t realize I had upset them, or in conversations where I felt I was missing nuances I thought I should

by Estelle Baroung Hughes I. Conceptualizing peace in international education Peace is a spiral of hope that starts at the level of self and spreads out towards others and the world. Because peace both grounds and de-centers us, it can be compared to a seed of beauty that grows within us and produces healing fruits

by Sayd Shah I never expected to become Acting Principal, at least not at this point in my career. For years, I had been working as Vice Principal, focused on curriculum, leadership, and student progress. I was comfortable in that role, proud of what we were building as a team. Then, without warning, I was