From the Executive Director Dereck Rhoads
Greetings AASSA Friends and Colleagues!
Welcome to the start of another school year and our 1st AASSA Newsletter of 2019-2020. As we start another school, AASSA shares our most sincere “welcome” and “best wishes” to each of you. We send a special “welcome” to our new Member Schools and Heads of School new to our region – as well as celebrate the three Heads of School that have changed schools, but remined in our region (see enclosed sections).
An update regarding each of our current goals is included below.
Goal 1: AASSA will update its mission, vision, values, membership criteria and requirements.
We successfully updated our mission, vision, values and membership criteria and requirements. We now have a single set of membership criteria that all AASSA Members Schools must meet. The new membership criteria includes having a Child Protection Policy and commitment to engage in ongoing training. In addition, we have moved to all AASSA Member Schools being accredited and only AASSA Member Schools are eligible to participate in our Recruiting Services. We are continuing our Goal 1 work this year as we live our updated mission, vision and values, membership criteria and requirements.
Mission
AASSA’s mission is to enhance the quality of education in American/international member schools.
Vision
We are a vibrant, membership-driven learning organization promoting visionary leadership, innovative programs, and fiscally sustainable services.
Values
We believe that:
Progressive learning in a safe and collaborative environment is essential to bettering the world.
Respect, trust, and compassion generate positive relationships within a learning community.
We are better when we work together!
Goal 2: AASSA will review its programs and services to ensure alignment to its mission/vision.
As part of our Goal 2 work, only AASSA Member Schools may participate in our Recruitment Services as well as our newly added Heads of School Retreat event. All other AASSA Services may be purchased at non-member rates. An important aspect of our mission/vision is that our services need to be fiscally sustainable. We adjusted our fees and service structures as well as our staffing. We will continue to review all our AASSA programs and services to ensure that they are aligned to our mission and vision.
Goal 3: AASSA will develop a forward-looking sustained professional development plan leveraging school leadership capacity to build its network of schools for future-ready students.
AASSA now has a collaboratively developed professional development plan. The Plan includes strands, sub-strands and levels. The Plan will guide the AASSA Professional Learning Services. We are grateful to our Professional Development Committee (PDC) members and all who contributed to the development of our Professional Learning Plan (see enclosed section). Our Goal 3 work going forward will be related to implementing our Plan and analyzing its results.
Goal 4: AASSA will assist member schools in attracting and retaining the best educators.
We have moved to a flat rate fee structure for our Recruiting Service is to ensure we have the needed resources to meet Goal 4. We have reduced our Candidate fee from $110 to $50, and we are refunding the $50 to all 1st time AASSA Candidates that attend our Recruiting Fair in person. We have also increased our marketing efforts and established University Partnerships. Our Goal 4 work will be ongoing.
Thank you for taking time to read our Newsletter. As always, we encourage you to visit our blog and consider contributing if you have not done so recently. You may find the search feature particularly helpful in researching what others in our region are doing related to areas of your current work.
A favorite quote or research summary will continue to be included in each Newsletter Welcome in a section called One to think on…
One to think on…
“International schools are a powerful, dynamic force in our global society. Truly the melting pot of the next generation, international schools offer great potential to contribute to a peaceful and thriving world order.” (Chojnacki and Detwiler, 2019, p. 14).
Wishing you an excellent 2019-2020 academic year!
Best regards,
Dereck H. Rhoads, Ed.D.
AASSA Executive Director
References:
Chojnacki, D., & Detwiler, R. M. (2019). International trustee handbook: A guide to effective governance for international independent school boards (2nd ed.). National Association of Independent Schools.