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Appointed - Tom Pado
Dec 18, 2018
Feb 15, 2019
Dear Search Colleagues,
On behalf of the Board of Directors of the American International School of Lagos and the Search Committee, we are pleased to announce that Mr. Tom Pado has been appointed Superintendent beginning in August of 2020.
Mr. Pado has dedicated the past two decades of service to the international school community. Tom is currently the Superintendent at Escola Americana de Campinas, a position he has held since August 2016. He has previous leadership experience at; American International School of Lusaka, Zambia (Director), International School of Tanganyika (Secondary Principal), American International School of Dhaka, Bangladesh (Middle School Principal), Bavarian International School in Munich, Germany (Head of Middle School) and Tom began his international career as a teacher at Taipei American School.
Mr. Pado earned his B.A. in History at Connecticut College in New London, Connecticut and a M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from the University of New Hampshire in Durham, New Hampshire.
The Board of Directors of the American School of Lagos,the Search Committee and Search Associates would like to thank all candidates who expressed interest in the Superintendent position and to everyone who assisted and supported the successful search process.
Sincerely,
Brent A. Mutsch, Ed.D.
Director of Consulting Services, Search Associates
American International School of Lagos
Lagos, Nigeria
seeks a
Superintendent
Beginning in August 2020
The School
The American International School of Lagos (AISL) located in Lagos, Nigeria was founded in 1964. The school is a private, non-sectarian, not-for-profit day school. The AISL is an American Overseas School that offers U.S. accredited programs in an English language setting. The school offers Preschool through 12th grade educational programs for students currently representing 56 nationalities. The school is accredited by the Middle States Association and the Council of International Schools. Additionally the International Baccalaureate Organization has authorized the Diploma Program at AISL. AISL is a member of the Association of International Schools in Africa (AISA) and the West African International Schools Activities League (WAISAL)
Mission, Vision, Core Values and Educational Philosophy
Mission - 
Provide a balanced American education to inspire excellence in academics, sport, global citizenship and emotional intelligence.
Vision –
Inspiring Excellence
Core Values and Educational Philosophy -
1) Well-rounded education: A well-rounded learning experience balances academic, physical, social and emotional development of our students.
2) Safe Learning Environment: A positive, safe and nurturing learning environment
allows all student to reach their highest potential.
3) Individuality: Creative and independent thinking develops in each student their unique potential.
4) Life-long Learning: Every child deserves the highest quality of education as a foundation to support life-long learning.
5) Diversity of Learners: Honor, validate and embrace the diversity of our learners by promoting an inclusive and supportive environment – one of dignity and respect.
6) Collaboration Accelerate Learning: Develop a community of learners in which
parents, teachers and students work together to achieve educational excellence.
7) Innovation: Create a learning environment where students can express innovative thinking and utilize their creative energy.
8) Internationalism: An international school is enriched by its multicultural community and relationship with its host country by building on connections with its cultures and nationalities.
Enrollment
The current Preschool to Grade 12 enrollment is 607 students. 294 students are enrolled in the preschool and elementary program. 187 students are enrolled in the middle school. 126 students are enrolled in the high school. The student body consists of 12% host-country students, 18% U.S. students and the remaining 70% of the students from 54 different countries.
Curriculum
The AISL curriculum is based on AERO (American Education Reaches Out) Common Core Plus* standards and benchmarks. Early childhood teachers use standards that are developmentally appropriate and closely aligned with the AERO framework. In the high school, the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program is available to all 11th and 12th grade students as a rigorous course of study leading to graduation with the full IB diploma.
AERO Common Core Plus*
English/Language Arts Framework
Mathematics Framework
Science Framework
Social Studies Framework
AISL faculty design units of instruction using the “Understanding by Design” framework with a focus on aligning assessment and instruction to standards. Integration of technology, differentiation and cross-curricular connections are all hallmarks of the UbD design process. AISL is continuing the journey of becoming a school to implement a comprehensive standards-based learning system which includes curriculum aligned with standards, assessment measuring student learning against standards via both formative and summative assessment, instruction deliberately planned to promote student learning consistent with the standards and both grading and reporting reflecting an alignment with standards.
Faculty and Administration
The school employs 77 certified teachers, including: 43 over-seas hire faculty, 11 host-country nationals. 23 of the faculty hold advanced degrees or post-graduate certificates. The Superintendent works closely with the school's Admin Team to further advance the mission and vision of the school. The Admin Team consists of the Elementary Principal, Middle School Principal, High School Principal and Director of Teaching and Learning. The Athletic Director, Director of Technology, Admissions Director and the Director of Security/Facilities are members of the supporting Leadership Team.
Calendar
The school years consists of two semesters which extend from August to December and January to June.
Campus and Facilities
Located on a six-acre campus in a preferred residential area (Victoria Island) of Lagos, the campus is preparing to launch a major program of redevelopment. The pre-school, elementary and secondary divisions are in purpose-built facilities that will be further upgraded in the years ahead.
The facilities include 55 classrooms, three science labs, a music room, small theater, technology lab, a library, dining area, an infirmary, administrative offices, two playgrounds, a gymnasium, tennis courts, a soccer field and swimming pool.
Governance
AISL is governed by a nine-member Board of Trustees. Five members are elected to three-year terms by the parents of children enrolled at the school and four members represent the U.S. Embassy, Exxon-Mobil, Chevron and Shell.
The Community
Lagos, usually referred to as Lagos State to distinguish it from the city of Lagos, is a state located in the southwestern geopolitical zone of Nigeria. The smallest in area of Nigeria’s 36 states, Lagos State is arguably the most economically important state in the country, containing Lagos, the nation’s largest urban area. The actual population total is disputed between the official Nigerian Census of 2006, and a much higher figure claimed by the Lagos State Government. The population is estimated in excess of 20,000,000. Lagos State is located in the southwestern part of the Nigerian Federation. On the North and East it is bordered by Ogun State. In the West it shares boundaries with the Republic of Benin. On its southern borders lies the Atlantic Ocean. 22% of the 3,577 square km are lagoons and creeks.
The Position
The Superintendent is expected to provide leadership focused on continuous improvement in all areas of the operation of the school, with a particularly strong emphasis on learning. He/she is responsible for leading the school in accordance with sound principles of curriculum, assessment and instruction, excellence with respect to human resources, proactive communication and strong business and financial management. He/she takes part in all meetings of the Board of Trustees and has a valued voice but no vote. The Superintendent is the chief advisor to the Board of Trustees in all policy-level matters.
The Superintendent is empowered by the Board of Trustees to lead the school in a manner that is consistent with approved policies of the American International School of Lagos. The Board of Trustees understand the different roles of the Board and administration and that it is the duty of the Superintendent and his/her leadership team to manage the day-to-day operation of the school.
Job Description
The Superintendent is the Chief Executive Officer and subsequently is responsible for all programs on campus, including their further development, oversight, and evaluation. The Superintendent is responsible to ensure the continued accreditation of the school by the Middle States Association and the Council of International Schools. The Superintendent is responsible for ensuring the safety and security of the school community while on campus.
Professional Qualities
Preferred professional qualities of the new Superintendent include the following:
- A learning-focused leader who is able to successfully communicate an inspiring vision for continuous improvement across all aspects of the school.
- Demonstrated capacity to successfully recruit, retain and further develop outstanding faculty, staff and administrators in support of the school’s mission.
- An individual who is committed to the further development and implementation of the campus master plan and further improvement of the teaching and learning environment.
- Models a collaborative leadership style and understands and empowers each group within the AISL school community to make quality contributions.
- Demonstrates a clear commitment to providing the best possible education to students and creatively resolves problems that detract from the ability of the school to deliver at a high level of excellence.
- A leader who possesses a strong background in finance and has a proven record of translating available financial resources into creating comprehensive learning opportunities for all students.
- Superintendent/Director experience or in lieu a proven track record of demonstrated international educational leadership experience and success to be considered by the Search Committee.
- Demonstrated commitment to a multi-year tenure of service in the role of Superintendent.
- A graduate degree in education or educational leadership.
Personal Attributes
Desired personal characteristics of the new Superintendent include the following:
- Preference will be given to U.S. citizens.
- Excellent interpersonal skills which include: being approachable, being a good listener and being an effective communicator.
- Someone who embraces, respects, understands and values the Nigerian culture.
- In providing clear direction to the entire school community, AISL needs a leader who is competent, confident, firm, fair, visible and although a thoughtful listener, is not easily influenced by those may have an agenda which is not consistent with the direction of the school.
Salary and Benefits
The salary and benefit package for the Superintendent is competitive and will be commensurate with the candidate's qualifications and experience.
Procedure for Filing Application
The Board of Trustees of the AISL has appointed Search Associates as its partner in its search for a Superintendent, with Dr. Brent Mutsch serving as the lead consultant. The deadline for applications for the position is February 15, 2019. Candidates are asked to submit a letter of interest and the requested materials listed below as early as possible as the Search Committee reserves the right to close the selection process at any time if the right candidate is identified.
The review of files will begin as soon as applications are received. Finalists will be selected by the Search Committee and at least three finalists will be identified. Finalist candidates together with their spouse (if applicable) will be invited to Lagos to meet with the Board of Trustees, visit the school and meet with faculty, non-teaching staff, parents, students and administrators.
The new Superintendent will be selected at the conclusion of the site visit, final interviews, and reference checks. The new Superintendent will assume his/her professional responsibilities in July 2020.
Candidates should send the information listed below as a single pdf file attached to an email:
- A letter of application, explaining your strengths as a candidate and why you are interested in the Superintendent position at AISL.
- A statement describing your management and educational philosophy, not to exceed two pages.
- A current résumé not to exceed two pages.
- A one-page list of references with current addresses, phone numbers and email addresses.
- A maximum of four letters of reference (scanned at low resolution) that may already be in your possession.
Total document size should be kept to less than four (4) MB if possible. Applications should be sent to: bmutsch@searchassociates.com . Additional information about the American School of Lagos can be found on the school’s web site at < www.aislagos.org> .
Dr. Brent Mutsch Tel: 970-368-6879 USA – Mountain Time Zone
Skype: brentmutsch Email: bmutsch@searchassociates.com
