EARCOS Strategic Plan

EARCOS Mission

EARCOS inspires adult and student learning through its leadership and service and fosters intercultural understanding, global citizenship, and exceptional educational practices within our learning community.

EARCOS Vision

To support the EARCOS mission we will:

- Provide targeted and differentiated professional development opportunities for member communities. - Engage adults and students in learning activities across the region that will promote friendship, understanding, and global citizenship. - Develop collaborative educational partnerships within the region as well as worldwide to foster greater access to expertise. - Connect schools, communities, and individuals through the use of technology to promote collaboration, communication, intercultural understanding, and access to broader educational opportunities. - Conduct and communicate research and archive relevant data to identify and enhance exceptional educational practices.

In accomplishing its mission and vision, EARCOS will play a prominent leader¬ship role throughout the global educational community.

Strategies and List of Results

STRATEGY A

Provide specific targeted and differentiated professional development opportunities for various member communities.

1. A page has been added to the EARCOS website to advertise non-EARCOS sponsored workshops. 2. EARCOS again provided financial and administrative support to the Learning 2. 014 Conference to be held at NIST IN Bangkok in October. All contracting and registration for the conference were handled by the EARCOS office. 3. EARCOS supported the GIN Conferences held in Jakarta International School(MS) and International School Beijing (HS) in November. EARCOS will also support the middle school GIN Conference in March to be held at Stamford American International School in Singapore. 4. EARCOS continues to offer space during the ELC for meetings of various regional organizations such as APAC, IASIS, MRISA, etc. 5. EARCOS provided space for an IB Preconference workshop at the ELC. 6. EARCOS provided space and logistical support for 3 AP courses held in March at the ETC. 7. Fifty plus Weekend Workshops will be sponsored during the 2015-15 school year with support of up to $3500 from EARCOS. 8. The SENIA Conference will be held in conjunction with ETC 2015 in Kota Kinabalu. 9. EARCOS continues to provide logistical support for the University of San Francisco and Washington State University “International School Leadership Program” at both ELC and ETC. 10. The first 3-year strand cycle was completed at ETC 2012 last March. The conference scheduled for March 2015 in Kota Kinabalu will complete another cycle. This approach of focusing the conference on 6-8 strands has proven to be very successful in offering in-depth professional development to our teachers. Our goal is to have a teacher delegate able to attend a workshop in their area during every session of the conference.

STRATEGY B

Engage students and adults in learning activities across the region that will foster friendship, understanding, and global citizenship.

1. As previously reported, EARCOS continues to support the excellent work of the annual Global Issues Network Conference. 2. EARCOS continues to provide financial support to the Asia Student Film Festival. 3. In May 75 deserving students were awarded the EARCOS Global Citizen Award. Six (7) of these students were chosen to receive the Global Citizen Community Service Grant of $500 to further their chosen community service project during this school year. STRATEGY C

Develop collaborative educational partnerships within the region as well as worldwide to foster access to expertise.

1. EARCOS continues to support the work of the College Board and its AP classes by providing space and logistical support for workshops at ETC. 2. EARCOS continues to collaborate with WASC. 3. EARCOS continues to collaborate with ACAMIS in supporting the Learning 2. 0 conferences. 4. Space will be provided at the ELC for two IB workshops. 5. The Executive Director meets yearly with the other regional directors and the State Department Officers of Overseas Schools.

STRATEGY D

Connect schools, communities, and individuals through the use of effective latest technologies to promote collaboration, intercultural understanding, and access to broader educational opportunities.

1. The EARCOS- or E-Connect blog site was inaugurated in October 2011. Since then over 1200 blog postings, articles, and videos have been posted on the site. The blog is linked to the EARCOS Twitter account and the EARCOS Facebook page such that each blog posting generates a message on these two social networks.

2. Two years ago Google initiated a new feature on Google+ called Communities. EARCOS created a private EARCOS Community. This allows for the sharing of articles, videos, and discussions among members of the community. The EARCOS Google+ Community currently includes 620 members and the EARCOS Circle boasts almost 3000 connected professionals.

STRATEGY E

Conduct, communicate, and archive relevant data and research to identify and enhance educational practices.

1. Each year EARCOS offers up to five (5) grants for action research proposals. This February, five (6) proposals were accepted. The deadline for proposals for those wishing to be supported with a grant during the 2015-2016 school year is February 1, 2015.

2. SurveyMonkey surveys following each conference continue to inform conference planning.

3. Data relative to attendance at each workshop and event during EARCOS conferences is maintained and utilized in planning future conferences.

Core Values

EARCOS believes: - All individuals have intrinsic worth; their dignity and value are enhanced when they are honored and nourished. - Diverse and inclusive communities nurture the well-being and growth of individuals and organizations. - Learning is continuous and essential for individual growth and the advancement of society. - Individuals and communities have the need and capacity to learn and grow. - Individuals and communities are responsible for helping, supporting, and serving others. - Individuals and communities are responsible for stewardship of the natural environment. - Individuals and communities are responsible for the choices they make. - Integrity, honesty, and striving for excellence are essential to our purpose.

Goals All member schools use EARCOS as their primary resource for the professional development of their learning community.

EARCOS activities positively impact intercultural understanding.