Have you ever wondered what keeps international school heads awake at night? What are those all-important areas of decision-making that currently occupy their thoughts? What trends in international education are they focused on these days? To find out, we again reached out to the very well-connected Laura Light, Executive Director of the Association for the Advancement of International Education.
Laura joined AAIE in September 2021. She brings to AAIE many years of experience working alongside school heads and senior leadership, supporting the most critical task of recruiting teachers and administrative talent.
Before joining AAIE, Laura was known in the international school world for her leadership and dedication as the Director of Global Recruitment at International Schools Services (ISS). Before joining ISS in 2007, Laura was an international educator for many years, with posts that included Kuwait, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Singapore, and London, as well as Oregon, California, and New York. Her knowledge of international schools is deeply rooted in her upbringing as she is also a Third Culture Kid.
Laura has served on the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC) Educational Board and is a member of the Diversity Collaborative. She understands the challenges faced, has an enviable network of longstanding relationships, and, already knowing so many in the international community, is a natural community builder and an assertive advocate for quality leadership in our international schools worldwide.
Laura greatly enjoys her work supporting international school leaders and values the interactions and experiences she encounters while traveling, which is her biggest joy. When not on the road, she resides in New Jersey with her partner, where they enjoy the outdoors (walking, biking, hiking) or just spending time together.
The guiding question for the episode was, “What are international school leaders and directors of regional organizations currently talking about?”
We covered several topics including:
Wellness around collective care and action
Adaptive change
Generative AI
Professional Learning
Regional Organizations
DEIJ
Local and global concerns of school leaders
Schools helping other schools during crisis situations
This episode was recorded on September 25, 2023.
Laura’s Contact Information: LinkedIn
Resources Mentioned in the Episode:
AAIE and Podcast and the New School Project
Several regional organizations were mentioned, so go to our Resource Library for their links.
Categories: Recruiting | School Life | Leadership | Wellness | PD
