By Lucy M. Gowdie, Head of School
In early January, I was elected to the Board of the Swiss Group of International Schools, or SGIS as it is known in international circles here in Switzerland. When being interviewed for a seat at the table, I was asked what it was that I would bring to the group to support them in achieving their mission. I stated that I could bring perspective, a new lens through which to view their thinking, and an understanding of the true meaning of community.
I am proud to shine a spotlight on our school by representing it at the SGIS table. I believe we are a community of people united by one common connection - learning; and in our uniqueness, we can lead the way in what it means to be a curious, capable, and contemplative learner. It is my hope to take the understanding we have of community and build strong relationships with schools across Switzerland for the betterment of the young people in our school.
Today and tomorrow, I will be supporting the speakers at the Annual SGIS Conference in Geneva, the first in-person conference since 2019. While I am disappointed to miss the Environmental Symposium, I am excited to bring back to our school lessons learned and use them in conjunction with the learnings from the Symposium to continue to build the strong platform upon which our school and its students stand.
The conference is broken into three sections:
Sustainability - connection to the world
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice - connection with others
Well-being - connection to self
These indisputably important facets of our world, while complex, require significant consideration, and I am excited to continue my own journey of learning in these spaces.
As we begin to draw the framework for our School’s inclusion journey, it is our own study, our shared stories, and our strength to critique ourselves that will enable us to lay the first stone on our path to being the School we strive to be.
I wish you a wonderful week ahead and look forward to sharing more learnings from the SGIS Conference