STUDENTS

Some of our Panthers are with us from their very first day of school until they walk across the stage at graduation. Others have attended a different school every year. Every learner brings with them a unique background, valuable skill set and interests to the school. Each one is a leader in their own right, and no matter how long they have been at our school, each becomes a member of our evergrowing family.

Student leadership can be seen throughout ISB, from pre-k to high school. For example, this year, our youngest Panthers explored who they were as learners, recognizing their own strengths and areas of growth. They then took on leadership roles, identifying how they could help their peers develop their skills. Students carried out weekly rotating classroom jobs, assumed sports captain positions, coached their classmates, and learned how to self-manage their energy levels and emotions.

As students progress at ISB, they are provided increasingly more leadership opportunities. In our middle school, students led through service work, leadership councils, leadership roundtables with administrators, and the capstone action projects around allyship. When this school year began virtually, our MS Ambassadors led social lunch groups for cohorts of new students to connect and integrate new students into the middle school. We offer students real-world leadership experiences through an inclusive model where all students can choose to lead without being elected.

In the fall of 2021, our high school students attended a series of virtual leadership modules with Inspire Citizens, a group of leaders who design student-centered learning experiences for sustainable development and global citizenship. The modules supported high school club and council leaders to explore and practice empowering leadership skills. Then together, the team co-created and cofacilitated a student leadership retreat for the newly selected club officers in April 2022.

Our students’ authentic learning experiences and leadership opportunities take them far in life. They have gone on to become successful scientists, dancers, mathematicians, authors, illustrators, CEOs, politicians, humanitarians, innovators, activists, musicians, entrepreneurs, athletes, and life-long learners who are passionate and caring global citizens.