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Head of Secondary
NIST International School (Thailand)

 

 

New Head of Secondary appointed at NIST International School.

The NIST Executive School Board and NIST Leadership Team have elected to appoint Mr. Angelo Coskinas to the role of Head of Secondary from August 2018. Having begun his career as an English and history teacher at high schools in Australia, Angelo transitioned into international education in 1995 upon joining Springfield Secondary School in Singapore. In 1998 he joined United World College of Southeast Asia (UWCSEA) in Singapore, an exemplary institution with a similar vision and values to our own. Upon leaving in 2014, he had risen to the position of Upper School Vice-Principal and helped develop the school’s excellent reputation.

Most recently, Angelo served as Upper School Principal at The International School of Belgrade in Serbia, a role he has held for the past three years while pursuing a Doctorate in Education Leadership and Learning. This builds upon his previous qualifications, including an M.S. in Educational Leadership, Certificate in International School Leadership, Graduate Diploma in Education and Bachelor of Arts. Combined with his extensive experience, his continued growth as a learner as well as a leader made Angelo stand out among several exceptional candidates.

Search Associates would like to congratulate Angelo on his appointment and thank all candidates who applied for this highly sought after position.

Nick Kendell Senior Associate

 

 

 

 

 

 

Head of Secondary – Advertisement

 

 

Start Date: August 1st, 2018

 

Our Mission

 

NIST inspires growth, empowers individual excellence and enriches lives.

 

Our Vision

 

Currently, NIST is finalising its new vision statement. In describing our envisioned future, we will articulate the learning environment our students will require to flourish and positively impact the lives of others in the innovation age. As we look to the future, we know that we will need to continue to prioritize meeting the individual needs of students, while also seeking to bolster the authentic learning opportunities available to them and develop unique learning pathways to ensure they can achieve individual excellence.

 

Our Values

Every community shares common beliefs. In order to accomplish our mission, we adopt a shared set of values that tie us together, providing purpose, structure and inspiration.

 

• Integrity: We believe that individuals should be honest and principled. This includes being committed to our mission, and holding yourself and others accountable for choices.
• Caring: We believe that compassion and empathy are central to learning. Combined with a commitment to reflection and balance, they contribute to our wellness.
• Community: We believe in collaborating with others as part of a diverse community, helping us become open minded and globally aware in order to effect positive change.
• Growth: We believe in a commitment to a growth mindset through active engagement and striving for excellence. Through this we become resilient, creative learners.

Our Definition of Learning

Learning is the continuous process of acquiring knowledge, skills and understanding through the creation, modification or reinforcement of connections in the brain.

 

School Description

The first full, not-for-profit IB World School in Bangkok, NIST International School was established in 1992 with the guidance and support of the United Nations. The school now welcomes over 1,500 students representing more than 50 nationalities, and provides all three International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes: the PYP, MYP and DP. NIST is governed by the parent-elected NIST International School Foundation and is accredited through the Council of International Schools and New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

Through the IB and its own unique, student-driven programmes, NIST aims to inspire, empower and enrich lives. In addition to its rigorous, progressive academics, the school offers an expansive World Languages Programme and more than 300 extra-curricular activities. With its graduates attending the best universities around the globe and going on to become community leaders, NIST has become recognized as one of the world’s leading international schools.

 

Secondary School Description

The secondary school at NIST includes approximately 350 students in middle school (Years 7-9) and approximately 450 in high school, collectively representing 45 of the nationalities at NIST. As an IB World School, the main programmes are the Middle Years Programme (Years 7-11) and Diploma Programme (Years 12-13). In line with the school’s unique background and early ties to the United Nations, as well as our highly diverse community, the IB will continue to be a central part of our core programme for the foreseeable future. However, we are also exploring ways in which we can expand our provision, including through learning pathways that will enable students to develop according to their strengths and passions, and effectively prepare them for the innovation age.

 

The Head of Secondary is expected to maintain a strong tradition of academic excellence while also balancing this with a values-driven approach and identifying opportunities for further enrichment. Based on the International Schools’ Assessment (ISA), NIST students in Years 7-9 outperform their peers at similar schools at every level and in every key area: math, reading, writing A and writing B. Results are similarly strong in the SAT and IB exams. In the former NIST, students receive an average of 12 points more in critical reading and 41 more in mathematics than their peers at other independent schools. The school’s average IB score over the past four years is 35, significantly higher than the norm, particularly given the high participation rate. In three of the four previous years, at least one NIST student has received a perfect score of 45.

 

The school has had 21 graduating classes since 1997, and our students have been accepted to every top-ranked university in the world, including every Ivy League and Russell Group institution. Students from the most recent Class of 2017 matriculated to Berkeley, Columbia, Cornell, Duke, Imperial College London, Johns Hopkins, King’s College London, Oxford, UCL, Yale NUS and many more. Over the coming year, we will be restructuring our counselling programme to further solidify our ability to provide students with the best possible support in the university application process, whether they wish to attend a top university or one that strongly matches their interests.

 

Beyond the core academic and enrichment programmes, the Head of Secondary is expected to further cultivate NIST’s strong emphasis on service. The secondary school currently has a high number of student service groups in a wide range of areas. The groups, and the school philosophy do not depend on simple philanthropy, but rather operate under the aim of sustainable, engaged impact through needs analysis and entrepreneurial approaches. For example, FairNIST Coffee Co. is a student-created and operated NGO that works with farmers in northern Thailand to produce and market coffee in the school and around Bangkok. The expectation in service at NIST is that students will work within and through communities to develop personally and also positively impact others.

 

Tying these various elements together is a highly trained and passionate staff. Teachers at NIST tend to be highly motivated and driven to excel, making professional growth an integral part of the school. Beyond their duties at the school, many also operate their own NGOs, function as IB examiners, present at workshops and conferences, and publish in various media. The Head of Secondary must further nurture this culture of growth, helping teachers and staff identify ways to further develop their individual and collective capacity to inspire and enrich students at the school.

 

Child Protection and Safeguarding at NIST

In addition to hiring great people, NIST is also mindful of our commitment to providing an excellent international education in a safe and caring learning environment. In 2015 we began to work with Keeping Children Safe to further improve our child protection policies and procedures. Therefore, we require anyone wishing to join our professional community to provide accurate screening information, including criminal background checks and information about their visa, study, health and work history, as well as any aspects of their past or profile that could affect the reputation of NIST or the wellbeing of those already in the school.

 

Leadership at NIST

At NIST, we believe that leaders play an essential role in developing the culture in the school. As leaders, we have a strong moral purpose: a commitment to school improvement and student learning. We believe that leaders are at their best when they have a strong set of values guiding their practice.

 

As leaders at NIST,

• We start with the belief that people are intelligent, capable, working hard and acting in good faith
• We seek to be solution oriented and use the school mission and a focus on student achievement to guide discussions.
• We advocate and support each other and work as a team
• We value open discussion, will aim for consensus in decisions and will constantly strive to follow-up decisions and communicate effectively
• We strive to be transparent, make moral decisions and be fair in our dealings.
• We create an environment based on trust and respect which will enable our colleagues to function at their highest point of contribution.  

 

Head of Secondary Position Description

 

Leading a Shared Vision

• Ensure the school’s mission is central to all decisions and influences learning in the school
• Develop long-term plans aligned to fulfilling the NIST vision
• Ensure the school’s values are central to learning and are used to inform decision making
• Create a shared vision for the secondary school to ensure all stakeholders have a collective understanding of the priorities and direction
• Establish high expectations in all aspects of the school
• Promote a strong moral purpose in the secondary school, focused on school improvement and student learning

Leading a Culture of Learning

• Ensure the NIST definition of learning and the Teaching for Learning Index form the basis of all discussions relating to learning
• Support the established culture, whereby conversations in the school continue to focus on learning and learners as opposed to teaching and teachers
• Develop protocols to support disciplined dialogue around learning
• Develop structures and systems to ensure all students receive the support they need to flourish
• Support and engage in service learning opportunities with students and social entrepreneurship projects
• Promote a culture focused on developing a growth mindset in all aspects of learning and for all stakeholders
• Empower the faculty to leverage the school’s curriculum to provide authentic learning opportunities connected to real world issues
• Establish pathways to meet the needs of all students
• Create an environment and culture for students to have increased agency of their learning
• Promote inquiry as a critical path for learning
• Foster concept-based learning opportunities
• Provide opportunities for students to engage in the school and have a strong voice in decision making
•  Introduce and implement protocols, procedures and practices to support assessment for learning.
• Ensure professional development is focused on realizing the school’s mission and achieving the school’s vision.
• Remain up to date on research and trends in education, and lead conversations to ensure NIST remains at the forefront of best practice
• Lead initiatives and carefully manage change to ensure the focus remains on the learning and the learners

Leading a Culture Focused on Student Wellbeing

• Promote a culture focused on supporting students to be happy, engaged, empowered, respectful and responsible members of the community
• Support a culture focused on enriching the lives of others
• Ensure systems and structures to support students in their development are reviewed regularly and refined as required
• Develop a culture responsive to the needs of students
• Develop a culture where students are safe, informed and, as a result, can flourish
• Be a leader of child safeguarding
• Advocate for all students
• Lead the review and refinement of the secondary school advisory programme to ensure that it is relevant and meeting the needs of all students
• Support the school’s counselling programmes, social and emotional and college counselling, to ensure all students are at the best in regards to learning and wellbeing

Leading Human Development & Empowerment  

• Create and maintain a culture of high trust
• Empower and support the Secondary Leadership Team in their work
• Lead the teaching community through a model of distributed leadership, empowering team members to make decisions, providing them with time, space and autonomy
•  Develop a learning environment with clear norms and expectations where all stakeholders feel safe and respected
• Develop professional coach plans with teachers and establish a culture where they can flourish
• Work to adopting a coaching mindset as a default when working with others; lead with questions
• Foster a culture of collaboration
• Model and promote a growth mindset, demonstrating your role as a learner alongside teachers
• Acknowledge the contributions of others
• Identify and develop leaders within the school
• Develop leadership pathways for colleagues
• Ensure a high level of accountability in line with the school’s values and guiding statements
• Encourage cognitive conflict in decision making
• Strive to lead with a flat structure, but understand when a hierarchy is required to best support and serve the community
• Develop strong personal relationships with colleagues and invest in their success
• Leave ego at the gate

Operational Leadership

• Assist the Head of School, Head of Operations and the Director of Finance & Accounting in the review, preparation and implementation of the secondary budget and other associated budgets
• Work collaboratively with the Director of Admissions and Head of School to make decisions on applications and manage enrollment
• Support the Director of Athletics & Activities in designing a programme to provide students with enrichment opportunities
• Collaborate with the team running the NIST Experiential Education Programme to ensure learning experiences are aligned to the curriculum and provide students with unique opportunities
• Oversee the risk assessment and risk management procedures of all experiential experiences
• Oversee the creation and review of the secondary school’s schedule and the allocation of teachers
• Manage leave requests to ensure there is limited impact on learning
• Work closely with the Head of School and the HR Department to identify staffing needs, plan for recruitment and appoint teachers
• Review the quality of substitute teaching in the secondary school
• Participate in senior leadership meetings
• Contribute to board sub-committees
• Attend and contribute to NIST Executive Board and NIST Foundation Meetings

Leading in the Community

• Lead parent workshops and information sessions on a regular basis
• Present at local events or educational conferences to further conversations about learning and developments in education
• Building community partnerships within Thailand
• Develop positive and mutually reinforcing partnerships with other educators and educational institutions
• Represent the school as required
• Support the Director of Communications in community engagement, data gathering and analysis, and marketing related to the secondary school
• Support the Director of Development in identifying potential donors and cultivating relationships with them

Personal Leadership Resources

(Adapted from The Ontario Leadership Framework)

 

Cognitive Resources

• Utilize and further develop problem-solving expertise in advancing the aims of the secondary school
• Apply knowledge of effective school and classroom practice to impact student learning positively
• Develop systems thinking to establish consistent protocols and procedures within the secondary school

Social Resources

• Serve as a model for all members of the community in perceiving, managing and regulating emotions in a healthy manner
• Encourage emotionally and socially appropriate behaviours
• Be available and approachable, demonstrating a genuine interest in people

Psychological Resources

• Create a culture that is optimistic and positive in tone and practice
• Demonstrate appropriate self-efficacy and teamwork based on context
• Foster resilience within all members of the secondary school
• Be proactive, identifying areas for improvement beyond the defined scope of the role
• Maintain balance, recognizing the importance of personal well-being

Communication Skills

• Demonstrate and further develop effective public speaking, creating a sense of credibility and competence
• Communicate the school’s values consistently and influence others in maintaining them
• Effectively promote the aims of the secondary school and progress in meeting those aims in conversations, writing and public speaking
• Convey a strong sense of impact and presence

To Apply:

NIST has appointed Search Associates (Nick Kendell), to act as a consultant in the search for a new Head of Secondary. The deadline for application is August 1^st 2017,.  

Interested candidates should prepare the following:

•  Letter of application (no longer than two pages) which outlines your interest in, and suitability for, this position.
• A statement of educational beliefs and leadership style (no more than two pages)
• Updated resume
•  One-page list of references (current phone numbers and email addresses)

 

All the above materials must be scanned into a Single PDF attachment (no larger than 8 MB; low resolution preferred) and sent in the same transmission to:

Nick Kendell - nkendell@searchassociates.com 

Please Note: NIST reserves the right to appoint a candidate prior to the application deadline. Therefore, it is in your best interest to apply as soon as possible.