The theme of Trust is woven throughout the AISH Leadership Standards. It is a fundamentally important ingredient for our schools in order for them, and our students, to flourish. Trust underpins all healthy relationships, including the relationships that exist in our schools.

This four-week course is designed to guide aspiring, new, and long-term Heads of School to explore trust as a critical component of their successful leadership. Pivotal to the course is an understanding that, since Heads of School have greater power within the relationships in a school, they have greater responsibility for the establishment and maintenance of a culture of trust.  

AISH’s Threads of Leadership (links to an external site) will serve as unifying elements throughout the course: in particular Challenge the Process and Enable Others to Act. In addition, the course content is influenced by the following AISH Standards:

• Creates a climate that supports collaboration focused on improving learning.
• Builds connections between home and school, intentionally promoting inclusivity and a culture that provides support for students to achieve learning goals.
• Empowers parents to make meaningful and valued contributions in the school, building on the strengths and assets of a school’s diverse communities, knowing that parental involvement is key to student success.
• Communicates effectively with the community, utilizing formal processes and informal exchanges, to build positive partnerships that benefit students.
• Creates a climate of trust and evidence-based professionalism, honoring commitments and handling conflict directly and respectfully.

SKILLS COURSE: 

Trust Matters

The Leadership Skills courses can be accomplished online in one to two hours. You'll gain an understanding of the topic, obtain resources, and acquire insights that can immediately be applied to your practice. You'll also be invited to take a deeper dive and register for an Impact course.

Skills Course Outcomes

• A strong understanding of the relevance, significance and impact of Trust on school communities.
• A tool box of actions that can be taken to create and maintain Trust in a school.
• Clarity regarding a school leader's responsibility in this domain.

SCHEDULE: Registration is open. There is no time limit and you can learn at your own pace and revisit as many times as you wish.

COST:  Free (AISH Members); $50 (AISH Non-Members)

REGISTER FOR THE SKILLS COURSE

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Leadership teams may also take the courses together at a discounted group rate. Please contact office@academyish.org for information.

Upon completion of each Impact course, you will receive an electronic badge for display on your resume and for AISH members, on your website Profile.

Upon successful completion of six AISH Impact courses (one in each Standard area) and review of work by AISH's course facilitator, you will receive an AISH Leadership Certificate. New courses are in the works.

IMPACT COURSE

Trust Matters: Building and Maintaining a Positive, Resilient and Transparent School Culture

AISH’s Leadership Impact courses are for four weeks, approximately 3-5 hours per week. Based on the same topic as the Skills course, the framework reflects what we know about great learning. Goals and activities are customized around your interests and needs. Rachel Caldwell will engage you and a cohort group in practical, job-embedded discussions and activities designed for immediate application and impact. Resources are curated and relevant and you’ll have the opportunity to reflect on your experience in a forum of colleagues.

In this course, you will pursue the following inquiries: 

• What is Trust; and how does it impact individuals and the organisations that Heads of Schools serve? 
• How can Heads of School cultivate, maintain and, when needed, restore trust in their communities?
• How can we maintain and strengthen Trust during times of crisis?

Understanding the significance of Trust in schools, or the lack of it thereof, is indispensable for creating a healthy, sustainable culture; one that is adaptable and resilient and one that is poised to grow and improve further. In times when crisis response is on the agenda, a culture of Trust positions schools to manage the challenges with significantly more likelihood of success than in an organisation where trust is compromised or lacking.

 We will explore some of the research around Trust, and apply our growing understanding to ourselves as leaders and to our organisational culture. 

SCHEDULE: This course will be offered October 2 - November 1, 2023.

COST: $375 (AISH Members); $575 (AISH Non-Members)

REGISTER FOR THE IMPACT COURSE NOW



Rachel Caldwell is the Director of the American International School of Bucharest (AISB). Her career in education began 33 years ago, in inner-city London. She arrived at AISH via Ukraine, the Dominican Republic, Turkey, Italy, China, and South Africa. Rachel has a BA Honours in English Literature and Drama (London), a P.G.C.E. (London), and a Masters in International Leadership and Change (Hong Kong). She was also awarded IB certification in leadership practice. Rachel recently presented at the Central and Eastern European Schools Association (CEESA) annual conference on the theme of Belonging and, at the AAIE conference focusing on Trust in Times of Crisis and at the International Schools Chairpersons Association (ISCA) on The Role of Trust in Effective Governance. Rachel is fascinated by the impact that trust, and loss of trust, has on individuals and on organisations. Her own experience has made it clear that trust is a critical aspect of successful leadership and it matters even more in times of extended crisis. Rachel is influenced, in particular, by Megan Tschannen-Moran’s extensive research on this concept as well as that of the neuro-economist, Paul Zak.