Writing & Research

When I first stepped into international education, my focus was on leading a single school—creating an environment where students could thrive, teachers could grow, and a community could flourish. Over the years, that mission expanded. I realized that no school is an island.

Let’s talk about something we don’t discuss enough: Leadership can be incredibly lonely. As a school leader, you’re responsible for making difficult decisions, managing crises, and supporting everyone else. But who supports you?

Schools don’t exist in silos. The most innovative and successful schools actively engage with other schools—not just for competition, but for collaboration, learning, and shared opportunities.As leaders, we need to ask: Are we leveraging school networks to benefit our students, staff, and school culture?