Dear Community,
It is easy to go through life on autopilot. We are all very busy people, and our energies can be consumed by the tyranny of the urgent - our attention is unable to separate what truly matters from what merely seems important. That is why feedback, given appropriately and with care, is one of the most important gifts we can give to one another.
2023 Annual School Climate Survey
Each November, we issue the Annual School Climate Survey. (Last year’s parent survey results from 2022 November are linked here). This week you will receive an email with a link to this year’s survey. I ask that you take the 10 minutes it is required in order to complete it. The results will help gauge our progress and inform our priorities as a school.
WIS is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) and we are a member of the Council of International Schools (CIS). This survey contains questions developed by CIS. The sections of the survey cover 1) Governance and leadership, 2) Curriculum, 3) Teaching and Assessing for Learning, 4) Students’ Well-being and Learning Environment, and 5) Community and Home Partnerships. We will use your responses to gauge our current reality, identify our strengths, and then prioritise our time, energy, and resources to address areas for improvement. The demographic data will help us conduct an equity audit about our efforts to create an equitable and excellent school.
Included below is the WIS Principle of Ownership. An important aspect of this principle is our belief in the importance of using our strengths to address our weaknesses.
The WIS Principle of Ownership
When we take ownership of our process, it becomes possible to try new things with a positive attitude and high expectations. Learning is a deeply personal, social, and emotional process. We are all different, and we all have the right to own our learning story. The time and pace of each person’s journey is unique. We take a step-by-step approach to achieving our goals, and we are not afraid to revise our methods as we come to learn more. We believe that learners rise to expectations and that motivation must come from within.
In Practice:
We use strengths to address weaknesses. We meet each learner where they are and help them build the capacity for growth and self-regulation. Our unit plans give voice and choice to the learner. We provide modifications and accommodations to learning plans as required. We take time to revise our work. We reflect on our own learning journey.
Questions:
Am I taking responsible ownership of my daily actions?
Do I pursue physical, mental, and emotional wellness?
Do I spend time in reflection and introspection?
Am I making it safe for others to discuss their feelings, worries, and frustrations?
Can I explain why this activity matters to me, and evaluate my commitment to it?
Am I taking the opportunity to take on real and meaningful responsibility?
We believe that students learn and grow best when they see adults also display the humility and spirit of inquiry that it takes to learn. Whereas the annual survey shows us a snapshot in time, we also want to begin planning for the long term. What do we want our school to be in five years' time? What do you want to change about WIS? What would you fight to keep? Later this month, we will begin engaging in a WIS Strategic Planning Process to answer these types of long-term questions. Whether working with annual feedback or long-term strategy, when we take ownership of our reality and take responsibility to use our strengths to meet our needs, then the sky's the limit!
Sincerely,
Ethan Van Drunen
Director