Welcome Message

Message from the EARCOS Board President & Executive Director Welcome

Dear Delegates,

Welcome to our 51st EARCOS Leadership Conference, an important milestone on our journey to uphold EARCOS’ commitment to build on the wonderful legacy left by our former Executive Director, the Late Dr. Dick Krajczar, and to ensure our organization’s on-going relevance and sustainability in a rapidly changing education sector. This year’s conference theme ‘Nurturing Growth and Building Relevance’ affords us an opportunity to regroup, refresh and reset our own professional journey amongst our colleagues, the EARCOS family.

A glance at the following pages will highlight the quality of the program that our hardworking EARCOS Office has provided for us. Our grateful thanks to you all. A special word of thanks goes to our Executive Director, Ed Greene and the EARCOS Team. We appreciate the tenacity, creativity and energy that is needed to deliver quality, cost friendly conferences and maintain the unique family atmosphere that EARCOS is renowned for.

Once again, we are grateful to all of our delegates, presenters, exhibitors and sponsors for their support. Without you, EARCOS’ mission to advance professional growth, facilitate cooperative action, and promote intercultural understanding and international friendship would be incomplete.

Have a wonderful conference,

Dr. Margaret Alvarez EARCOS President & Head of School, ISS International School Singapore Campus

Dear Delegates,

Welcome to the 51st EARCOS Leadership Conference. As the incoming Director of this globally celebrated organization, it is my privilege and honor to welcome you and to thank you for making time in your busy lives to reconsider, reflect, refresh, and re-imagine the vision that binds us all: creating a better world through the power of international education.

A special note of thanks to Cambridge International, Taylor’s Schools and International Schools Services for sponsoring our three outstanding keynote speakers this year. Graham Brown-Martin and Will Richardson will address the challenges of leading schools during an age when re-thinking and redesigning are not merely interesting options but pressing realities. Carlene Firmin will share the results of her extensive research along with her celebrated efforts to help schools address peer on peer abuse, a profoundly troubling and growing challenge for school leaders everywhere.

There is also a cohort of dynamic presenters who will offer pre-conferences and workshops on topics ranging from Board Governance and Child Safety, to Mentoring, Social Emotional Learning and Communication, to Accreditation, Curriculum Design, Advancement, and Evaluation.

As always, the epicenter of an EARCOS Leadership Conference will once again be found in the presentations offered by the leaders of this region’s schools. Thank you to all who have given their time to prepare workshops on so many initiatives taking shape across the EARCOS region.

And, I would be remiss if I did not thank the EARCOS team, all of whom have worked tirelessly over the past 12 months to nurture this conference into life. The EARCOS team is but one of the many legacies our dear friend Dr. Richard Krajczar left us, but few are more important. I am grateful to him and to the team for their shared commitment to building, once again, the very best conference possible. Please do drop by the EARCOS desk and share your appreciation to them for a job incredibly well done. And let us know whenever we can do anything to assist you here in Kota Kinabalu.

Again, a joyful Welcome to all of you as we embark on this year’s Leadership Conference together. Enjoy the presentations and workshops and, enjoy the time together as you make new acquaintances and rekindle those friendships from years ago. After all, an EARCOS conference is about one thing above all else—building and sustaining relationships between people who share some of the most exhilarating responsibilities imaginable.

With all best wishes,