Leadership… What’s Possible 15 Nov 202515 Nov 2025 What’s Possible? 🚀 After three meaningful years at Nishimachi International School, the time has come to explore what’s possible while looking ahead to new leadership opportunities beginning August 2026. These…
Leadership… Building a Thriving School Community Through Strategic Focus 6 Nov 2025 I tend to think in threes, because coherence is strengthened when strategy is clear, concentrated, and connected. This year, our strategic focus is focused around three interconnected areas: Inquiry, Belonging,…
Uncategorized What An Incredible Profession! 5 Oct 20255 Oct 2025 Today is UNESCO’s World Teachers’ Day, a day to celebrate our profession and to recognize the incredible impact educators have each and every day in their classrooms. UNESCO reminds us…
Uncategorized The Power of Resilience 1 Jun 2025 I didn’t get it. And I’m almost finished. I didn’t get the job. I wish this was a confetti post, but it’s not. In a year where my word is…
Uncategorized Nurturing Growth 27 Apr 202527 Apr 2025 How do you build capacity in your school? How do you grow professional learning? At Nishimachi International School we believe that a school’s greatest catalyst for innovation and growth is…
Being a Farmer… Sustainable Leadership: A Reflection on My Journey 16 Mar 2025 As I head into the final weeks of writing my dissertation, I find myself looking back, not just at the intense work I’ve done recently, but further back, nearly two…
Uncategorized Something Different 27 Jan 2025 I firmly believe in learning beyond the classroom walls, for students and for teachers. Last week we took a group of Nishimachi International School faculty and staff to visit Goldman…
Uncategorized Harnessing Momentum: Insights for 2025 6 Jan 2025 I’m not a seasoned surfer, but I’ve had the thrill of riding waves in a few places around the world. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that the secret…
Uncategorized Harmony 20 Oct 2024 As we come out of Fall Break, I find myself reflecting on the idea of work-life harmony.In education, the concept of “harmony” over “balance” feels particularly relevant. Teachers and leaders…
Making it Happen… Why Choose Nishimachi? 18 Oct 202318 Oct 2023 Aspects of this post were shared at Nishimachi's Open Campus event in September where over 300 parents visited to learn more about how our historic school, located in Central Tokyo,…
Uncategorized The Power of the Pencil 21 May 202322 May 2023 How do you like to travel? Backpack or wheelie bag? Book it all, or just the first few days? When we travel we like backpacks and we always book the…
Uncategorized Thrive 31 Dec 2022 What better word to choose as we enter 2023 and the absolute unknown. If I was to look back on 2022 and choose a word, it would be Move. We…
Making it Happen… Into The Great Unknown 25 Sep 202221 May 2023 This was first posted to our family blog in June. At this time we find ourselves in Italy for the next few weeks and we continue to dream of what…
Uncategorized FORWARD 4 Sep 20214 Sep 2021 It has been a whirlwind 18 months and as we enter this new school year the word I have chosen to guide me is FORWARD. We are moving forward in…
Collaboration… Words of Wisdom 2021 21 Jun 202121 Jun 2021 This is a milestone moment in your lives. This is the end of your time in elementary, and the beginning of something new in Middle School. What we are doing…
Learning Spaces… Learning Environments for the 21st century 2 Dec 2020 Given our current distancing guidelines and our goal of ensuring all students have the opportunity to physically participate in classroom learning, our initiative last year seems far removed from our…
graduation… Words of Wisdom 2020 5 Jul 20205 Jul 2020 This year the words of wisdom were collaboratively created and shared with the Grade 4 and Grade 5 Principal, Ms. Nathalie Salameh. Today marks an important transition in your life.…
Appreciation… Appreciating our Teachers 5 May 2020 Happy Teacher Appreciation Day. In any other year we would recognize this day with school announcements in the building, and do our best to personally come to your class and…
Collaboration… Picture This! 12 Sep 201930 Mar 2021 A learning eco-system where the fluidity of where student thinking occurs is based upon the needs of the child and is framed to encourage critical thought, creativity and collaboration with…
Connecting… Opening Night 2018 20 Sep 201821 Sep 2018 What a Night! Last night was our K-5 Opening Night presentation at Dubai American Academy. We began the night with a welcome from our entire staff, then delved into the…
graduation… Words of Wisdom 2018 26 Jun 201825 Jun 2018 I would like to begin by gratefully acknowledging that we are celebrating today’s farewell on the ancestral lands of the Squamish Nation. Welcome everyone to the 2018 Grade Seven Farewell…
Authentic Learning… O Siyam 24 Jun 2018 Last week was National Indigenous Peoples Day. We recognized the day at the beginning of the day with our students. What makes this day important for our school is that we have…
Authentic Learning… Caulfeild in 150 Words 29 Jan 2018 Create a short, sharp and succinct description and visual portrait of your school. This was a challenge our Superintendent Chris Kennedy laid before us today. These are known as "elevator…
Authentic Learning… I Wonder… 8 Nov 2017 I came home from work tonight to find this... Rerolled toilet paper (again). I hate this on many levels but my six year old son has a habit of sometimes…
PICTURE THIS... 