My AISB Journey: A story still unfolding…

One of the greatest privileges of my life has been to call AISB my home for the last twentyseven years. If you had told me in 1996 that I would still be here in 2022, I would have called you crazy and certifiable. I had every intention of spending a couple of years at AISB and returning to Canada to pursue other interests. Little did I know that day by day, week by week, month by month, and year by year, I would fall deeply in love with this school and everything it stands for. Throughout the years, my job has blessed me with the opportunity to visit every CEESA school. And while there are many fine international schools out there...none is quite like this one. I have often asked myself why that is, and to be honest I still can’t completely answer that question. But there is something about the AISB community and its culture that sets it apart. Year after year, I have seen this community rise to every challenge and live its mission to the fullest extent possible. There is a deep culture of respect, making a difference, and change-making woven into the fabric of our community. Having been here for so long, I have come to understand the ways in which AISB continually shapes the character of our students.

Following our Alumni’s career paths and bearing witness to their achievements has been a singular honor. In my professional life, little gives me greater joy than seeing some of the aweinspiring successes that many of our alumni achieve. But what makes me even prouder is to see them live the AISB mission in their adult lives. Our alumni are an extraordinary and eclectic bunch defined by their kindness and willingness to be a force for good in a world that desperately needs it. At AISB, we foster international-mindedness and understanding, and we pursue that objective relentlessly. What other job can boast a community of sixty nationalities learning side by side while pursuing the mission of developing global citizenship and twenty-first-century leadership skills?

So why am I still here? What keeps me at AISB year after year? The answer is rather simple: AISB is a place where I feel valued and respected, a place where I have been given the opportunity to shape the future of a new generation of changemakers. The proof is in the pudding! Our recent work with the Ukrainian “Ukrainian Refugee Education Program” is a stellar example of the extraordinary power of collective action and community resiliency. Not only are we affecting the lives of hundreds of Ukrainian children, we are also providing an example to our student body of what it takes to be a force for peace and a beacon of hope in an otherwise dire situation.

I don’t know what my future will look like in a year. I tend to be someone who lives in the moment and doesn’t fret much about what comes next. What I do know is that my AISB Journey is not over.

Every day I walk through the doors of our school and feel as passionate and excited as I did in 1996.

Every day I count my blessings and thank my stars to be surrounded by such an incredible faculty.

Every day I feel honored to learn from our students, furthering my knowledge of their cultures and the rich diversity they bring to my life. I can’t imagine my life without AISB and I wouldn’t want it any other way.