International School of Beijing Beijing, China Head of School July 2017 www.isb.bj.edu.cn/
The Position Mission The International School of Beijing offers an academically rigorous, balanced and engaging learning environment enriched by being in China and strengthened by collaboration with parents and external partnerships. We cultivate inspirational and creative opportunities to develop each student’s unique potential. We nurture confidence and intellectual curiosity through experiential learning and innovative applications of knowledge and skills.
Vision The International School of Beijing aspires to be an adaptive, inspirational, forward-looking learning community, cultivating relationships that ignite each student’s passion for lifelong learning. We will nurture the intellectual, physical, social and emotional development of each child. We will embrace change, inspire creativity, and foster innovation. We will actively promote global understanding and respect within and between cultures. Our community will model integrity and seek opportunities to serve with compassion and conviction.
Beliefs ISB and its community embody the following values: • • • • • •
Global-Mindedness fosters diversity of thought among students who consider their role in an increasingly connected world. Integrity is as highly valued as results, laying the platform by which we function. Respect among our community is a fundamental attribute for learning together. •Balance in the lives of all our community members is promoted and supported. Service prepares engaged global citizens committed to contributing to the world around them. Creativity is a critical quality for future success, which along with innovation is valued and promoted.
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“That’s what I love about this school: a kind of timeless sense of community. Once you’ve gone here, this will always be a part of you.” So says an alumnus of the International School of Beijing, the capital city’s first international school and a standard-bearer for outstanding education in Asia. In the 36 years since its founding, the International School of Beijing (ISB) has earned a strong local and global reputation for academic excellence. As those who know the school well will attest, ISB’s exceptionality is rooted in a balanced and personalized approach to learning. The co-educational day school of 1,700 students fosters an atmosphere that is both rigorous and nurturing, challenging and inspiring. Students from PreK-3 to Grade 12 are empowered to craft their own educational journey from a wealth of innovative resources and programs, and with the support of a strong and dedicated faculty. Like the city in which it resides, ISB is defined as much by its impressive heritage as its focus on the future. ISB is seeking a new Head of School effective July 2017. This is a tremendous opportunity for the right person. The successful candidate will possess strong interpersonal and communication skills, exuding both approachability and integrity. The school, which is financially strong and extraordinarily well resourced, will thrive under a visionary leader—someone who is able to clearly chart a path forward and inspire a dedicated faculty to help create and support this vision. Ideally experienced in leading an international school, the next Head of School will also exhibit cultural sensitivity and readily embrace the Chinese culture.
School History In its earliest days, the International School of Beijing comprised two teachers instructing eight students in the hallway of a U.S. diplomatic apartment complex. Its formal founding as Beijing’s first international school came in 1980, when the U.S. Embassy, together with British, Canadian, Australian, and New Zealand embassies, established the International School of Beijing to meet the needs of a growing community of
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foreign diplomats. Eleven years later, in 1991, ISB set another precedent by becoming the first school in Beijing to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. ISB entered a new period of growth in 2002, when the Chinese government first permitted enrollment of students from Beijing’s wider expatriate community. The ISB community burgeoned as a result. This same year, ISB relocated to its current campus northeast of Beijing proper in the suburb of Shunyi, growing into the strong and spirited community it is today. In 2007, ISB was awarded full accreditation from CIS and NEASC. These recognitions, alongside earlier accreditations from WASC and China’s NCCT, solidified ISB’s position in the top tier of Beijing’s international school community. ISB has recently refreshed its comprehensive Strategic Plan that outlines four overarching objectives: • Providing all ISB students with the skills and experiences to take ownership of their unique talents to build a life of purpose and satisfaction. • Focusing our time with each child as an opportunity to nurture their unique capacities and inspire a meaningful vision for our common future. • Attracting, developing, and retaining the best professionals to achieve our vision. • Enhancing ISB’s standing as a vibrant, global and collaborative leader in education.
The School Academics The ISB curriculum seeks to prepare students for the challenges of the 21st century, with an understanding that this preparation anticipates a future that is not yet fully known or realized.
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College Enrollment Below are some of the colleges & universities enrolling more than one ISB graduate from 2013-2015, among others: • American University • Amhrset College • Babson College • Boston University • Brandeis University • Brown University • Bryn Mawr College • Carnegie Mellon University • College of William & Mary • Columbia University • Cornell University • Drexel University • Eckerd College • Embry-Riddle Aeronautical U. • Emory University • Fordham University • Haverford College • Indiana U. Bloomington • Johns Hopkins University • Lawrence University • McGill University • Middlebury College • New York University • Northwestern University • Princeton University • Rutgers University • Savannah Coll. of Art & Design • Seoul National University • Skidmore University • Smith College • Swarthmore College • Syracuse University • Tufts University • UC-Berkeley • University of Chicago • University of Hong Kong • Univ. of Maryland • Univ. of Southern California • Univ. of Sydney (Australia) • University of Washington • VA Polytechnic Institute • Wellesley College
Learning21@ISB (or L21) is a framework that seeks to apply a range of 21st century teaching approaches, from project-based and experiential learning to technology infusion and social-emotional learning, to an established curriculum of standards-based content. Educators at ISB view content instruction as a starting point from which students can develop the 21st century skills that are so critical to their future success. Elementary School The elementary program at ISB optimizes the natural curiosity of children, providing engaging learning experiences. The safe environment of ISB’s learning spaces encourages children to solve problems, question the world around them, and develop and test hypotheses in a collaborative, supportive environment. Teachers create authentic and relevant activities that develop specific skills through prompted interactions, while differentiating the learning experience according to each student’s unique needs and strengths. New to ISB in the 2016-2017 school year is the addition of the Dual Language Program, which will be offered in PreK 3 and PreK 4. The intent is to continue expanding the program by one elementary grade level per year, reaching the 5th grade in 2022. The elementary school believes in enhancing students’ understanding of relevant concepts for today’s world and the future. This means developing skills, building knowledge, and applying their learning to a variety of new contexts. These experiences are enriched through the exploration of the arts, physical education, world languages, and media and technology infusion. The elementary school enhances students’ 21st-century learning skills by providing opportunities for students to work together, so that they grow to understand different perspectives and strengthen their social and life goals. Middle School Middle school students at ISB pursue the subjects and questions that most interest them within a personalized, experiential, standardsbased curriculum. Teachers collaborate in small teams to track student progress and individualize instruction across disciplines, while students perform self-evaluations and select learning tracks that offer the appropriate level of challenge. Student schedules in Grades 6 through 8 also incorporate a daily enrichment period, when students participate in academic groups or topics of their choosing. With subject matter that changes quarterly, these enrichment periods carve out time in the day for students to uncover new passions and proactively drive their own learning.
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Recently, an alternative academic course emerged for Grades 7 and 8 as well as Grade 9 in high school, one in which students connect their passions to practical, realworld experiences. Established as a part of Strategic Plan IV, MS Futures Academy is a future-focused and projectbased academic program that is largely student-led. Teachers act as facilitators, while students create projects to explore the topics that most interest them. MS Futures Academy scholars conduct fieldwork, consult experts in the community, and apply new media and technologies within a structured project framework. High School For students in grades 9 through 12, ISB offers a challenging college preparatory program that combines the rigor of the IB curriculum with a diverse suite of course options aligned to student interests. AP courses are also offered, as is Futures Academy in Grade 9. ISB was the first school in Beijing to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. In 2015, 84 of ISB’s 144 graduates were enrolled in the diploma program, earning a passing rate of 99%. ISB’s high schoolers also have the option of crafting a personalized program. Many choose to enroll in IB courses alongside ISB’s other academic offerings, which include a robust Chinese curriculum as well as online courses through partnerships with Global Online Academy, Virtual High School, and Pamoja Education. While ISB continues to provide an academically rigorous experience that sets students up for success at the college level, ISB recognizes that student success is defined by more than exam scores. Their aim is to provide all ISB graduates, regardless of academic track, with a new lens through which they can critically examine and understand a rapidly changing world.
Co-Curricular Programs Athletics, arts, service learning, and after-school clubs are not considered extracurricular at ISB; they are cocurricular. The school views such involvements as a part of, rather than a supplement to, their academic curriculum. From elementary through high school, every student at ISB is encouraged and expected to engage in co-curricular activities that emphasize the importance of work ethic, fellowship, humility, and fairness. ISB’s youngest students partake of a range of intramural sports, and have the opportunity to compete in eight different invitational tournaments with fellow ISAC (International Schools Athletics Conference) member The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates
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schools. Two particularly popular noncompetitive sporting activities amongst ISB’s elementary students are the Jedi Jugglers and Circus programs. The arts are also well represented with programs in choir, band, strings ensembles, and a long list of after-school activities (ASAs). In middle school, students are empowered to take up any sport, even if they’ve never played before. Those who train on one of ISB’s ten middle school sports teams have the opportunity to compete against other international schools in Beijing, regardless of ability level. Those who prefer the arts can audition for one of the middle school choirs, play in the jazz band, or take part in theatre production and ISB’s one-act festival, held annually. At the high school level, student athletes across 12 sports teams compete with peer schools at ISAC, China Cup, and other events with ACAMIS and APAC. The high school’s arts programs are equally robust. Musically inclined students audition for Impromptune, the high school choir; join the dance team; play in jazz band, or take the stage in ISB’s musical theatre productions. Students in both middle and high school learn the importance of balance in their lives through active engagement in service learning, as well as involvement in a vast array of after-school clubs that includes Model UN, Student Council, and many others.
Physical Campus ISB is located on a 32-acre campus in Shunyi, a northeast suburb of Beijing. The original school buildings were purpose-built in 2002 and reflect the school’s holistic approach to learning. Students explore their varied passions within ISB’s diverse facilities: 12 science labs, two library media centers, a 600-seat The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates
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theater, black box theatre and studio stage, visual arts wing with dedicated studios, climbing wall, and a student cooking lab. ISB also boasts the recent addition of two pressurized domes that serve as sports and recreation centers. Totaling 8,500 square meters, these facilities sit adjacent to one another and house tennis and a range of other indoor and outdoor athletics. The campus also features three gymnasiums, a sports stadium with a running track, six playing fields, and a 25-meter pool. Also of note is ISB’s state-of-the-art air filtration system, ensuring safe air quality levels in all parts of the school buildings.
Beijing, China With a history dating back three millennia, Beijing has long been considered the hub of China’s political, cultural, and educational endeavors. The city served as capital to many Chinese dynasties, and the physical and social remnants of these histories juxtapose a thoroughly modern metropolis. As tourists traverse the Great Wall and Forbidden City, Beijing’s population of 21 million drives a vibrant, global, and ever-expanding economy. Since the 2008 Olympic Games, the air quality in China has improved significantly and the Chinese government continues to promote clean air initiatives. The city’s public transit system is excellent, and continually expanding as the metropolitan area grows. The school is located outside the city center in the northeastern suburb of Shunyi. Calmer and quieter than central Beijing, the district is popular amongst the expatriate community, particularly families with children. The single-family homes and green space of Shunyi’s gated communities bear resemblance to Western residential suburbs. Traffic in the district is much less congested than in other parts of the city, and residents have access to a number of Western restaurants and supermarkets. Not surprisingly, many international schools have established campuses in Shunyi.
Opportunities and Challenges The Opportunities awaiting the next Head of School at the International School of Beijing include: • Leading one of the top international schools in the world, with an outstanding campus and superior facilities and resources to support its educational program • A tradition of innovation and forward thinking • A strong, professional and career-oriented faculty and a capable leadership team • With the support of an active and positive Board of Trustees, leading a process of defining the future of The Search Group | Carney, Sandoe & Associates
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ISB and shaping the necessary programs to achieve its goals • A highly supportive parent group and school community The Challenges facing the next Head of School at the International School of Beijing include: • Working with the Board, administration and faculty to define ISB’s identity for the future, and developing the programs and resources necessary to achieve its goals • Being the face of the school, both internally and externally, in clearly articulating its strengths, programs and values • Continuing to build a strong faculty through recruitment, development and retention • Working effectively in the Chinese cultural context and with an increasingly Asian enrollment • Being a visible, approachable and inclusive leader, capable of building a strong sense of community
Qualifications and Qualities of the next Head of School • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Student-centered, genuinely enjoys working with students Strong communication skills Demonstrates honesty and integrity Experience as a Head of School, preferably internationally Skilled at building community, both inside and outside the school Visible and accessible Strong people skills A transparent, open style of communication Cultural sensitivity and a desire to embrace Chinese culture A learning leader, with a strong background in education and teaching experience Visionary, and able to clearly articulate his/her vision An inclusive leader and team-builder, effective at delegation Has a clear understanding of governance and proven effectiveness in Board relations An innovator with a commitment to solid pedagogy
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To Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should submit electronically in one e-mail and as separate documents, preferably as PDFs, the following materials: • • • •
Cover letter articulating your fit with the values and needs of the International School of Beijing Current résumé Statement of educational philosophy and practice List of five references with name, phone number, and email address of each to: Ralph Davison | John Chandler | Fred Wesson ralph.davison@carneysandoe.com john.chandler@carneysandoe.com | fred.wesson@carneysandoe.com Senior Search Consultants Carney, Sandoe & Associates 44 Bromfield Street, Boston, MA 02138 www.carneysandoe.com
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